My Martial Dao Has No Bottlenecks

Liang Cheng followed Elder Huang out of the West Gate of the Martial Arts Academy. Elder Huang still wore his scorched, yellow-stained robes and carried a medicine basket half as tall as a man on his back, yet his steps were surprisingly brisk. The two walked in silence, heading straight for the depths of West Mountain.

The farther west they went, the denser the forest became. A faint gray mist began to fill the air, carrying a cloyingly sweet, rotten smell. They were entering the Thousand Poison Valley region.

Elder Huang stopped and poured out a crimson Anti-Miasma Pill, placing it in his mouth. "Put the Anti-Miasma Pill under your tongue. Don’t swallow it."

Liang Cheng immediately did as he was told. A cool, bitter medicinal power dissolved from the root of his tongue and spread down his throat. With each breath, the sweet, foul smell indeed faded significantly.

"Stay close. If you fall behind and get lost, don’t even think about finding your way out."

After speaking, he was the first to step into the gray mist. Liang Cheng followed close behind.

Once inside the valley, their vision was obstructed. The gray mist was impenetrably thick; beyond thirty feet, only hazy silhouettes were visible. Elder Huang, like an old horse knowing the way, navigated the mist with ease.

The deeper they went, the darker the poisonous miasma became, shifting from light green to a dark, inky green. The medicinal power of the Anti-Miasma Pill in his mouth was also being consumed rapidly. Liang Cheng could feel the elixir under his tongue shrinking.

Two hours later, the area ahead suddenly opened up. Liang Cheng quickly put another Anti-Miasma Pill in his mouth, leaving only one left in the Jade Bottle.

At that moment, a pitch-black pool of water several hundred feet in diameter appeared before them.

The pool’s water was as viscous as ink. Purple-black bubbles constantly rose to the surface, and when they burst, they released a foul stench that even the Anti-Miasma Pill couldn’t completely block.

In the center of the pool, a ghostly blue lotus bloomed quietly. Its seven petals looked as if they were carved from crystal, but the stamen at its center was dark red, like coagulated blood.

The Rotting Heart Lotus.

"The Green-Scaled Poison Python is hiding at the bottom of the pool. Be careful. Try not to startle it. When you go to pick the lotus, remember to use the Jade Saber. The Rotting Heart Lotus corrodes any metal it touches."

As he spoke, he tossed Liang Cheng a palm-length Jade Saber.

Liang Cheng caught it. His gaze swept over the black pool as he gripped the Jade Saber tightly. He took a deep breath, placed the second Anti-Miasma Pill in his mouth, and leaped toward a protruding black reef in the center of the pool.

The moment his feet touched the reef, the pool’s surface suddenly exploded.

"BOOM!"

A giant python as thick as a water bucket burst from the water. Its scales were a ghostly green, its head was ferocious, and its vertical pupils were scarlet red. It opened its mouth and spat a stream of dark green venom, which shot toward Liang Cheng like a rain of arrows.

Liang Cheng was already prepared. He leaped forward to dodge, and the venom grazed his clothes before landing on the reef, corroding the rock and creating a honeycomb of small holes.

Liang Cheng pushed off with his feet, his figure retreating thirty feet to temporarily avoid the brunt of the attack. His eyes, however, remained locked on the Rotting Heart Lotus. Enraged, the Green-Scaled Poison Python swept its massive tail like a steel whip.

Liang Cheng shielded himself with his left arm, taking the tail’s sweeping blow head-on.

"BANG!"

The reef cracked. Liang Cheng was sent flying back thirty feet, a searing pain shooting through his left arm. He looked down and saw a dense web of white marks on the jet-black skin of his arm.

’Such incredible strength.’

’A Tier Five Peak Demon Beast, indeed.’

But there was not a trace of fear in Liang Cheng’s eyes; instead, his will to fight surged even stronger.

"Kid, can you still fight?" Elder Huang shouted from the edge of the pool. He was holding something behind his back, but Liang Cheng couldn’t see what it was.

"I can!"

Liang Cheng exhaled a breath of stale air and stomped his right foot on the reef behind him. This time, he didn’t charge straight for the Rotting Heart Lotus, but circled around to the Poisonous Python’s right side instead.

The Green-Scaled Poison Python locked its scarlet vertical pupils on Liang Cheng and swept its massive tail again, stirring up a foul, whistling wind. But Liang Cheng suddenly twisted in mid-air, unleashing his Great Success Gale Saber Technique. Like a ravaging gale, his long saber slashed directly onto the python’s scales.

"CLANG!"

A shower of sparks flew, but only a white mark was left on the scales.

’Tough hide, just as I thought!’

Pained, the Green-Scaled Poison Python whipped its head around, opened its blood-red maw, and spat out another stream of dark green venom!

Liang Cheng lightly tapped his toes on a piece of driftwood in the pool, his body retreating swiftly. The venom missed, splashing into the pool with a strange SIZZLING sound as the black water boiled.

’Now’s my chance!’

In the brief moment the Poisonous Python needed to recover its breath after spitting venom, a sharp glint flashed in Liang Cheng’s eyes. The Broken Wave Technique within him circulated wildly, his Qi Blood surging like overlapping waves.

His figure charged forward again, instantly closing in on the Poisonous Python’s vital spot, seven inches from its head. He raised his long saber high, and the faint image of a nine-layered wave appeared on the blade.

Gale Saber Technique·Broken Wave Slash.

One slash, Triple Force.

"Slash!"

The blade’s light flashed like a bolt of white silk. Layers of Vigorous Qi stacked upon one another as the saber viciously struck the same scale on the Poisonous Python’s neck.

The first force: the scale trembled violently!

The second force: cracks spread!

The third force: the scale shattered!

The saber’s edge sank three inches into its flesh. Dark green blood sprayed out as the Poisonous Python thrashed madly, its massive tail lashing wildly and sending water from the pool dozens of feet into the air.

Liang Cheng immediately pulled his saber free and retreated, but he was still caught in the chest by the aftershock of the tail’s sweep. With a grunt, he was sent flying back several dozen feet before landing on a reef.

But his eyes were fixed on the Poisonous Python’s wound. The scale there had been shattered, revealing the tender, bright red flesh beneath. Driven mad by the pain, the Poisonous Python ignored its injury and smashed its tail toward Liang Cheng like a giant whip.

Liang Cheng weaved and dodged between the reefs. After the python’s tail had missed three times, he saw his opening and charged toward its body again. Just as he was about to collide with the Poisonous Python, he suddenly dropped low and thrust his saber out, piercing precisely and unerringly into the previous wound!

"PSSH!"

The entire blade sank into the Poisonous Python’s body. Liang Cheng roared, gripping the saber with both hands. He channeled his Broken Wave Technique to its absolute limit and gave a powerful twist.

"ROAR!!!"

The Poisonous Python let out a wretched, bloodcurdling howl. Its body thrashed wildly, dyeing the pool’s water dark green. Liang Cheng held onto the saber hilt for dear life. The more it thrashed, the wider the wound tore open, and blood gushed out like a spring.

After ten breaths, the giant python’s movements began to slow. After twenty breaths, it collapsed limp in the pool, only its tail twitching unconsciously.

Liang Cheng panted heavily as he pulled out his long saber, blood flowing down the groove in the blade.

He looked down at his chest. His clothes were completely tattered, and a purplish-black bruise marred his chest. His ribs ached faintly.

’My Body Technique is still too slow. If it weren’t for my Iron Armor Skill reaching the Great Success stage, I really wouldn’t have been able to take that hit.’

But in the end, he had won.

Just then, he took out the Red Blood Sand Elder Huang had given him. He spread it evenly over his chest. A cooling sensation spread through him, helping the bruised blood dissipate faster.

Elder Huang walked over, a hint of surprise in his eyes. "I didn’t expect you to take care of that problem so quickly, kid."

Liang Cheng looked humble. "Just a lucky break."

"Lucky break, my ass!" Elder Huang scoffed. "Seems I’ve underestimated your Hard Skills. How about you come help me test some elixirs?"

Liang Cheng’s expression changed, and he didn’t dare to respond. Finding it dull, Elder Huang said no more.

He walked over to the Poisonous Python’s corpse, took out a dagger, and deftly sliced open its belly. He removed a fist-sized, thoroughly green Demon Core and also cut out a bulging Poison Sac.

"How about I keep the Demon Core and the Poison Sac, and give you two thousand Contribution Points?"

"Deal."

Liang Cheng didn’t hesitate in the slightest. Elder Huang grew even more pleased. "The Poisonous Python is dead. Hurry up and pick the lotus so we can head back sooner."

Liang Cheng nodded and leaped toward the Rotting Heart Lotus.

This time, there were no more obstacles. With a light swing of the Jade Saber, the lotus stem snapped. He then handed the Rotting Heart Lotus to Elder Huang.

After a careful inspection, Elder Huang placed it satisfyingly at the very bottom of his medicine basket. "Let’s go. Out of the valley."

The two wasted no more time and returned the way they came.

Traveling at full speed this time, they rushed out of the gray mist region an hour later. The moment he stepped out of the Thousand Poison Valley, Liang Cheng took a deep breath of fresh air and felt his entire body relax.

"Here, I’m transferring two thousand Contribution Points to you. As for the mission reward, go to the Foreign Affairs Hall to collect it. Same old rules: in three days, come to the Alchemy Room to pick up the Jade Bone Pill. We’ll see how lucky you are."

"Thank you, Elder Huang."

Liang Cheng returned to the Foreign Affairs Hall and went into the inner chamber to complete the mission handover. The Contribution Points on his Jade Token soared once again.

Four thousand one hundred and seventy points.

He was suddenly rich.

He exchanged some points for elixirs and other resources, leaving him with three thousand points. Afterward, he left directly and returned to his private courtyard.

Elsewhere, Zhao Ming remained silent, secretly taking note. His fists, hidden in his sleeves, tightened.

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