Chapter Twenty-Two: “You Truly Are His Treacherous Grandson”

Amidst the lush, verdant valley, Yu Ge moved with a caution that stood in stark contrast to Lin Maozhi, who seized every opportunity to hawk his medicines. The fleeting glimpse of a red figure atop the peak moments earlier lingered oppressively over Yu Ge, a heavy shadow he could not dispel. He marveled at Lin Maozhi’s carefree, almost oblivious attitude. There was only one thing that puzzled him: why did Lin Maozhi always promote his Restorative Pills so zealously, never anything else? Yet, Yu Ge did not dwell on this question for long.

As he made his way toward the valley’s exit, he soon disappeared into a dense forest, its canopy thick and sunlight sparse. The gloom and tangled shadows were the perfect breeding ground for specters, and after the recent events, Yu Ge’s nerves tensed further. He drew his sword from its scabbard, holding it poised in his hand, every sense alert for the slightest disturbance.

One of his companions—a burly man who had previously looked down on Yu Ge—saw his anxious vigilance and let out a derisive laugh. “Heh, you’re just a greenhorn who’s never seen real trouble. Getting all jumpy over nothing.” Another in their group echoed the mockery with a chuckle of his own.

Yu Ge shot them a look, about to retort, when he suddenly froze. His gaze locked behind the mocking man, pupils constricting as his entire body went rigid. Others in the group, catching sight of whatever lay beyond those two, also stiffened, shock painting their faces as though confronted by something truly horrifying.

Even the most oblivious fool would sense something was amiss, especially with the wave of icy dread now creeping up behind them, chilling their bones far more than the mountain specters they had hunted before. In that instant, fear prickled their scalps and seemed to freeze their very limbs.

“I—is there something behind me?” the burly man stammered, his face contorted in panic, lips trembling as he slowly, laboriously turned to look.

As his body rotated, the edge of his vision caught a towering red figure—then, with a sickening, all-too-familiar sound of flesh being pierced, a sharp pain shot through his chest. He looked down to see a blood-red spike protruding from his heart, a bitter smile flickering across his face before all sensation left him and darkness claimed him.

“Mother of—Run!” In the blink of an eye, another had fallen. Lin Maozhi, catching a glimpse of the red shadow, finally realized Yu Ge’s warnings were no idle talk. He bolted in terror, his bulk quivering like a butterfly darting among flowers, an astonishing feat for one his size.

Yu Ge, too, upon seeing the crimson apparition, quickly called out to Sun Gangfeng at his side and darted into the forest like an arrow loosed from a bow. His scalp tingled with dread; not for a moment did he wish to linger. He had no idea what this thing was, but every hair on his body, every cell, screamed the same message: It was deadly. Utterly, absolutely dangerous.

The truth of that danger had just been vividly demonstrated—a skilled fighter at the peak of physical cultivation, slain in an instant by the red specter, without even time to cry out for help. Among their party, Yu Ge reckoned only their leader, Li the Supervisor, might stand a chance. As for Lin Maozhi, though he was known to possess considerable strength, he lacked the temperament to match.

Watching the red figure’s ruthless efficiency, there was no doubt: none present could rival it. The gap was simply too vast. Even if Yu Ge unleashed his Kirin Arm, dou