Chapter 577: Communication Jade Talisman

By the time Yan Wuji had devoured the Essence Qi of the last Steward at the Netherworld Pavilion’s branch, only an hour had passed since he began his assault.

Yan Wuji stood in the courtyard of the Netherworld Pavilion branch, his body shrouded in a faint, blood-red mist.

It was a side effect of devouring a massive amount of Essence Qi, an overflow he had yet to fully refine.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

The thick stench of blood filled him with a satisfaction he had not felt in a long time.

“Sixty-three people… This place had the most.”

Yan Wuji muttered to himself.

Including the people from the previous five branches, nearly three hundred Martial Artists from the Seven Sects had died by his hand in a single night.

This brought the Essence Qi accumulated within him to a considerable level.

If he refined and absorbed it, it would be enough to raise his Cultivation by another notch.

“This… is only the beginning.”

Yan Wuji spoke in a low, hoarse voice that carried a terrifying chill.

The moment the words left his lips, his figure flickered, darting toward the city walls like a phantom.

The city walls, over a hundred feet tall, were a mere formality for a Grandmaster like him.

With a single light leap, he cleared the top of the wall and landed in the darkness outside the city.

The night wind swept past, causing the hem of his gray cloth robe to flutter loudly.

He didn’t look back, and his figure quickly vanished into the night.

He left behind a city plunged into panic.

And all those desiccated corpses, their features unrecognizable, drained of all blood and essence.

…

「Noon.」

Fang Han slowly withdrew from his cultivation. The mysterious sensation in his nose from the Netherworld Guide gradually faded.

After several days of arduous cultivation, aided by the Spirit Nose Pill, his progress with this top-level Tracking Secret Technique could be described as advancing by a thousand miles a day.

He was getting closer and closer to Minor Achievement.

At most, it would only take another day or two to break through to the Minor Achievement Realm.

He stood up, stretched his stiff and sore limbs, and pushed open the door of the Quiet Chamber.

In the courtyard, the bamboo grove rustled in the gentle breeze, and a few yellowing bamboo leaves spiraled to the ground.

Fang Han took a deep breath of the crisp, cool air. Just as he was about to head to the side hall for a meal, he saw Qiu Lan hurrying over from the courtyard gate.

Her steps were rushed, and her face was tense. She approached, bowed hastily, and said:

“Senior Brother, the Sect Leader is here! He’s already outside the courtyard gate!”

Fang Han was slightly startled.

‘The Sect Leader came personally?’

Without a moment’s hesitation, he strode toward the courtyard gate.

The mountain wind rustled the hem of his green robe. The moment he stepped over the threshold, he saw a familiar figure standing outside.

Chen Tianyuan, dressed in a deep cyan robe, stood before the gate with his hands clasped behind his back, his face refined and scholarly.

His expression was the same as always, but there was a hint of gloom and tension between his brows.

“Sect Leader.”

Fang Han quickly bowed in salute.

“If you needed something, you could have just sent a messenger to inform me. How could I trouble you to come in person, Sect Leader?”

Chen Tianyuan waved his hand, his voice gentle yet filled with an undeniable solemnity.

“Your Cultivation of the Netherworld Guide is of the utmost importance. It’s no trouble for me to walk a few steps.”

He paused, his gaze landing on Fang Han with a hint of expectation.

“How has your Cultivation been these past few days?”

Fang Han straightened up, met Chen Tianyuan’s gaze, and replied in a steady voice:

“Reporting to the Sect Leader, I have already reached the Entry Level with the Netherworld Guide. I am not far from the Minor Achievement Realm now.”

“Entry Level? And you’re close to Minor Achievement?”

A spark suddenly ignited in Chen Tianyuan’s gentle eyes.

The tension in his brows eased slightly at that moment, as if a heavy stone in his heart had been shifted just enough to let in some light.

He nodded slightly, a trace of relief in his voice.

“Good. Very good. In just a few days, you’ve cultivated a top-level Secret Technique to the brink of Minor Achievement. Your comprehension is truly astonishing.”

Fang Han keenly sensed the lingering shadow of gloom on the Sect Leader’s brow. He asked:

“Sect Leader, has something happened?”

Chen Tianyuan was silent for a moment before speaking.

“Let’s talk inside.”

He stepped over the threshold.

Fang Han stepped aside to lead the way, guiding Chen Tianyuan into the courtyard’s reception hall.

The hall was simply furnished. Fang Han invited Chen Tianyuan to take the seat of honor, personally poured and served him a cup of tea, and only then sat down in a pearwood chair in a subordinate position.

Chen Tianyuan picked up the teacup, took a small sip, and set it down.

He didn’t look at Fang Han. He began to speak slowly, his voice a little deeper.

“Just last night, Yan Wuji attacked Baixia City.”

Fang Han’s heart sank.

“The Qingxuan Sect’s branch in Baixia City… was wiped out.”

Chen Tianyuan’s voice was steady, but beneath that steadiness lay a surging undercurrent of fury.

“From top to bottom—disciples, Stewards, Elders, including Elder Zhao Mai, who was a Second Grade Martial Artist—fifty-three people in total. None were spared.”

Fang Han’s pupils constricted.

‘Fifty-three people, and not a single survivor?’

‘Even Elder Zhao Mai, a Second Grade Martial Artist, didn’t escape?’

He and Zhao Mai weren’t close, but they had met several times.

‘Someone I knew is just… dead?’

‘Dead at the hands of Yan Wuji’s Demon Skill.’

Fang Han’s fingers tightened on the armrest, his knuckles turning white.

He raised his eyes to meet Chen Tianyuan’s, his voice as steady as he could make it, yet still laced with a hint of irrepressible anger.

“Yan Wuji is no longer hiding and has started attacking the branches of the Seven Sects. Could it be that his injuries have already healed?”

“They must have. His injuries weren’t as severe as we predicted, or else he wouldn’t have recovered so quickly.”

Chen Tianyuan’s voice was heavy.

He paused, then continued:

“It wasn’t just our Qingxuan Sect. Last night, the branches of the Vajra Temple, Overlord Blade Sect, Lingyun Sword Sect, Tingyu Building, Baihua Valley, and Netherworld Pavilion in Baixia City were all attacked. Yan Wuji slaughtered them all. There were no survivors.”

Fang Han’s breath caught in his throat.

‘In a single night, the Baixia City branches of all Seven Sects were annihilated.’

“The Sect Leaders of the other six sects have sent inquiries asking about your Cultivation progress.”

Chen Tianyuan said.

“They’re asking if you are now capable of tracking Yan Wuji.”

Fang Han fell silent for a moment, weighing the situation in his mind before speaking slowly:

“Sect Leader, although I have not yet reached Minor Achievement with the Netherworld Guide, my tracking ability already surpasses my Perfection-level *Thousand Mile Soul Lock*. I can attempt to track Yan Wuji, but…”

He paused, met Chen Tianyuan’s gaze, and said honestly:

“I am not completely confident.”

Chen Tianyuan’s gaze lingered on Fang Han’s face for a moment before he spoke.

“Being targeted by a Grandmaster who cultivates a Demon Skill puts the Seven Sects under immense pressure… Since you can try to track him, then you should give it a try.”

Fang Han stood up and cupped his fists solemnly.

“I will do my utmost.”

Chen Tianyuan nodded slightly, his voice low and serious.

“On this journey, you must be careful. Your safety is the top priority.”

He paused, his voice tinged with a hint of helplessness and gravity.

“I had wanted to send the Supreme Elder with you as a precaution, but… if the Supreme Elder leaves the Sect, the Qingxuan Sect will be left without a Grandmaster to guard it. Yan Wuji is cunning and vicious. If he took that opportunity to attack, the consequences would be unimaginable.”

A chill ran down Fang Han’s spine.

He understood the Sect Leader’s concern.

‘If Supreme Elder Gu Changqing leaves the Qingxuan Sect and Yan Wuji happens to attack at that very moment, the Sect would suffer devastating losses, even if it wasn’t completely destroyed.’

“I understand.”

Fang Han said, cupping his fists.

“I will act within my capabilities and will not place myself in needless danger.”

Chen Tianyuan took a palm-sized Jade Talisman from his sleeve. It was a pale green, its surface covered in intricate, complex patterns that shimmered with a soft luster.

“Take this and keep it safe.”

He handed the Jade Talisman to Fang Han, his voice grave.

“This is a Communication Jade Talisman. It can be used to send messages over long distances. Even if you are a thousand miles away, the message will arrive in an instant.”

“It is simple to use. Just infuse it with your Inner Qi and speak the message you wish to send. The message will be transmitted to the other Jade Talisman.”

Fang Han accepted the Jade Talisman with both hands. It was warm to the touch, and he could feel a faint, mysterious fluctuation emanating from within.

It wasn’t the first time he had seen such an object; he had seen the Sect Leaders of the Seven Sects use them before.

‘Seeing one again, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of wonder. It’s hard to believe this is something that can exist in the Martial Arts World.’

‘It completely contradicts my preconceived notions of the Martial Arts World, which I’d imagined as a place of carrier pigeons and urgent dispatches by horse.’

Chen Tianyuan retracted his gaze and looked out at the autumn sky beyond the courtyard, his voice solemn.

“If you find any trace of Yan Wuji, remember not to get close. Immediately use the Jade Talisman to send a message. I will contact the other six sects at once. When the Grandmaster Powerhouses of the Seven Sects arrive, no matter how capable Yan Wuji is, he won’t be able to escape.”

“I will remember.”

Fang Han replied with a cupped-fist salute.

Chen Tianyuan said no more. He gave a slight nod and turned to walk out of the courtyard.

His green robe fluttered slightly in the autumn wind. His steps were unhurried but carried a heavy gravity.

Fang Han stood on the steps, watching the figure disappear at the end of the bluestone path before retracting his gaze.

“Qiu Lan.”

he said, his voice steady.

“Prepare a meal. Something simple. The faster, the better.”

“Yes, Senior Brother.”

Qiu Lan bowed in acknowledgement and hurried toward the kitchen.

A moment later, Fang Han sat down in the side hall.

On the table was a plate of braised beef, a bowl of steaming Blood Rice, a plate of stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and a bowl of seaweed and egg drop soup.

The dishes were indeed simple, but they were exquisitely prepared and fragrant.

Fang Han picked up his chopsticks and ate quickly, but he chewed every bite thoroughly, ensuring the food would be converted into stamina as fast as possible.

In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, he set down his bowl and chopsticks.

He stood up, returned to his Quiet Chamber, and hung the Cloud Splitting Sword at his waist. He then took out several bottles of elixirs for healing and recovering Inner Qi.

He then went to the kitchen, gathered some dry rations and fresh water, and wrapped them in a blue cloth.

Qiu Lan was standing under the covered walkway. Seeing him emerge, she quickly bowed and said:

“Senior Brother, be careful on your journey.”

Fang Han gave a slight nod. Without another word, his figure flickered and he was already several dozen feet away.

After a few leaps, he disappeared beyond the courtyard gate.

After leaving the sect’s main gate and traveling several miles along the main road, he confirmed no one was around. With a slight thought, the bundle in his hand vanished, stored away in his Storage Ring.

SWOOSH—

He activated the Wind God Step. The figure in the green robe became like a wisp of invisible wind, speeding across the open country in the autumn sun.

The scenery on both sides flew backward—fields, hills, villages… all blurring into indistinct bands of color.

The wind howled in his ears, carrying the distinct dry chill and desolation of late autumn.

Baixia City was not close to the Qingxuan Sect. If he traveled at full speed, even with his current reserves of Inner Qi, it wouldn’t be enough to last the entire way.

He didn’t push his speed to the absolute limit. Instead, he maintained an efficient and sustainable pace that allowed him to advance quickly without excessively consuming his Inner Qi.

OMM—

While traveling, Fang Han activated the Netherworld Guide.

Although he had spent the last few days cultivating the Netherworld Guide in his Quiet Chamber, it was not, in fact, a Secret Technique that had to be cultivated statically.

As a Tracking Secret Technique, it could be operated even while on the move.