Supreme Alchemist-Chapter 2381 - 2371: Night Talk on the Path

Yun Huang’s words left Long Yan momentarily stunned—could this have something to do with the Martial God Array behind him?

It was well-known that ever since Zhiyan informed him back in the inner world that his Martial God Array had not yet been fully activated, Long Yan had been seeking knowledge on this subject, including the possible locations of the God-Beasts.

However, the God-Beasts were all reclusive and extremely elusive. Despite his efforts, Long Yan hadn’t managed to find even the slightest clue, with all the leads amounting to nothing more than hearsay.

"But to my knowledge, my Martial God Array behind me doesn’t have an appropriate God-Beast."

The Martial God Array behind Long Yan was composed of the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Xuanwu, and the auspicious Qilin. Previously, it was revealed that the entity awakening was a water-attribute God-Beast, but the only suitable candidate, Xuanwu, wouldn’t even fit within this Tianshan region.

"What nonsense are you talking about? Your Martial God Array has always harbored the souls of the God-Beasts. What you need is the Five-element spiritual artifact. Moreover, your presence doesn’t cause irreversible environmental damage. Previously, Zhiyan was in a weakened state, so they merely transferred the cave’s energy to you. The one awakening now is a fully rejuvenated God-Beast."

Long Yan nodded, half understanding. Yun Huang’s words made sense. It seemed his only option was to stealthily investigate the Back Mountain tonight. Long Yan carefully recalled the map Jian Wuchen had shown him earlier. The map wasn’t particularly complex, so Long Yan memorized the route well.

The path was located near the Seal’s side. For Long Yan, the terrain of Tianshan wasn’t overly challenging. The complication was the night patrols conducted by Liang Tu, seemingly aimed at preventing anyone from entering the Back Mountain. However, the more they tried to obstruct entry, the more suspicious Long Yan felt.

If there really was a God-Beast in the Back Mountain, why not just inform all the cultivators? Why go to such lengths, deploying Liang Tu—a figure equivalent to the role of a referee—for constant patrols?

All cultivators could forego sleep without any issue, making the Tianshan Sect’s approach seemingly unnecessary. With this thought, Long Yan became even more determined to investigate. However, it wasn’t time just yet, so Long Yan waited quietly for darkness to fall.

As night deepened, the surroundings became eerily silent. The cold air erased all insect sounds, leaving only faint breathing audible nearby. Long Yan deliberately chose not to use his True Qi, as the presence of True Qi would immediately alert other cultivators.

Besides, Long Yan wasn’t reckless enough to think his use of True Qi would go unnoticed. After all, Liang Tu was a genuine Divine Emperor Fourth Stage cultivator. Long Yan dared not act overtly.

Peeking out first to survey the area, Long Yan noted that Tianshan was tranquil at night, with no sign of Liang Tu. Keeping a low profile, Long Yan nimbly flipped onto the rooftop, where he could take in the surrounding scenery.

"Looks like Liang Tu didn’t deem it necessary to keep watch, so he must’ve left."

Long Yan murmured softly, landing lightly back on the ground. His White Tiger’s Secret Technique infused his eyes, ensuring no one carrying True Qi could elude his vision. It seemed clear that Liang Tu wasn’t on night watch.

"Long Yan, it’s better to keep caution. These Tianshan Sect members seem to be hiding something."

Yun Huang’s voice resonated softly within Long Yan’s sea of consciousness. Long Yan shared this suspicion. Just moments ago, he had used the White Tiger’s Secret Technique to scan the resting quarters, finding no trace of Liang Tu’s True Qi. He must have been gone for some time.

Following his memory of the map, Long Yan proceeded cautiously along the path. Every step was deliberate to avoid traps or unforeseen dangers. The path merged naturally with the steep cliffside, making it almost impossible to notice unless explored thoroughly.

The journey became even more challenging at night; one wrong move could result in tumbling off the cliff. Falling wasn’t terrifying in itself, but using True Qi to fly would surely expose him. It would be hard to explain why anyone was wandering around here in the dead of night. Long Yan wouldn’t be able to talk his way out of that.

"Long Yan!"

"Stop immediately! There’s a strange presence of True Qi ahead."

Yun Huang’s voice echoed in Long Yan’s mind with urgency, suddenly loud as if to warn him forcefully.

"What is it?"

Long Yan rubbed his ear reflexively, though it was no use. Yun Huang, still within his sea of consciousness, exhaled a sigh of relief. She had detected a stream of True Qi, probing like an unseen sentinel. Alarmed, she had quickly warned Long Yan to halt.

That was close!

If Long Yan had taken another step, he might’ve been exposed. Yun Huang explained what she sensed, causing a cold sweat to break out on Long Yan’s back.

"It must be Liang Tu. He’s not guarding below but has come here along the mountain path instead."

Now clinging tightly to the wall, Long Yan didn’t dare make a sound. If not for gripping a protruding stone firmly, he would’ve fallen straight down in freefall.

In his thoughts, Long Yan couldn’t help but curse Liang Tu’s cunning. Guarding below covered a large area, whereas this narrow path allowed him to focus solely on the route. A devious strategy.

"What should I do now?"

Long Yan voiced his concern. Moving forward was clearly no longer an option. Continuing down the path would lead him straight into Liang Tu’s hands. It wasn’t worth exposing himself before uncovering the secrets of the Back Mountain.

"Climb upward. Liang Tu has concentrated all his True Qi on this path. Moving above him should be safe."

Yun Huang’s sensory abilities far surpassed Long Yan’s. Without hesitation, Long Yan leaped toward the cliff above. Fortunately, the mountain walls of Tianshan weren’t perfectly smooth. Thanks to the physical strength of his Divine Emperor Second Order body, Long Yan managed to climb with little difficulty, moving cautiously. Still, he couldn’t help glancing downward occasionally.

"We’re nearing Liang Tu’s position."

Yun Huang’s voice came again, prompting Long Yan to become even more meticulous in his movements. Liang Tu hadn’t lit a fire and instead relied entirely on his immense True Qi perception. The suffocating atmosphere was so oppressive that Long Yan didn’t dare to breathe too loudly. When he finally passed directly above Liang Tu, he gripped a loose fragment of rock.

At that moment, Liang Tu was hidden among the woodland, his surroundings devoid of any light. This decision stemmed from his deep confidence in his abilities. Though this vigil seemed pointless, he obeyed his master’s orders, silently standing guard over the area.

Long Yan finally got past Liang Tu’s position and exhaled lightly. The oppressive pressure he felt earlier had been overwhelming. While climbing was trivial for Long Yan, it had drained every bit of his energy.

Just as Long Yan grabbed the next stone, his grip involuntarily tightened. In an instant, the rock crumbled under his strength, producing a resounding noise!

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