Chapter 234 Totem of Origins

The crisp clash of metal rang sharply through the silent forest.

Shen Jue felt the force at his fingertips, and a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes.

This was definitely not a martial skill that bandits from the southern frontier could possess!

At the same time, Lu Yan had drawn his blade and was engaged in a fierce struggle with another opponent.

These two were skilled fighters, each block and strike precise and well-trained, yet there was no sign of attachment or enjoyment in their combat.

After barely handling a few moves from Lu Yan and Shen Jue, the two suddenly drew two black spheres from their waists and slammed them onto the ground.

“Bang!”

A pungent white smoke erupted instantly, obscuring everyone’s sight.

“Cover your mouth and nose!”

Lu Yan shouted sharply, quickly retreating to Yuzheng’s side and shielding her with the wide sleeve of his robe.

Shen Jue also moved back to Su Hewan’s side, pulling her into his embrace.

When the smoke finally cleared, the two men dressed as hunters had already scaled the cliff using grappling claws and vanished.

“Trying to run?”

Lu Yan raised his blade to pursue, but Shen Jue stopped him with a hand.

“Don’t chase them—they’re the Empress Dowager’s people.”

Shen Jue toyed with a piece of cloth he had just torn from one of them, his tone dark.

“The palace spies’ signature movement and smoke bombs… that old witch really does have a long reach.”

Su Hewan looked at the cloth in Shen Jue’s hand and immediately understood.

“The Empress Dowager sending people to watch us means she’s her eyes on the Shennong Valley as well.”

“Our movements have been completely exposed.”

Yuzheng peeked out from behind Lu Yan, her small head visible.

“No way… traps from the Zhen Nan King ahead, and now the Empress Dowager’s spies behind us…”

“This is literally a hell-level starting scenario!”

To evade the Empress Dowager’s pursuers and avoid the deadly path riddled with traps, the four were forced to change direction again, retreating deeper into the most perilous swampland of the ten-thousand-mountain range.

As they went further, the surrounding light dimmed.

The ground beneath them turned treacherously muddy, and one misstep could plunge them into the black mud filled with eerie, bubbling gases.

“Everyone, be careful. The swamp isn’t just poisonous—it’s easy to sink into.”

Lu Yan probed the path ahead with his scabbard, moving with extreme caution.

Yuzheng clutched his robe, her face pale.

“I swear, I never want to join another wilderness survival challenge in my life!”

Su Hewan followed Shen Jue closely, her mind rapidly analyzing the current situation as they moved.

Just as they reached the edge of a relatively solid deadwood forest, intending to catch their breath,

a murderous aura ten times colder than before surged from all directions!

“Clang!”

Lu Yan’s Xiuchun Dao leapt from its sheath, reflecting a chilling glint in the dim light.

Shen Jue’s composed expression vanished as he silently flicked three poison-laced silver needles onto his fingertips.

“Since you’ve come, don’t hide.”

His voice was cold and eerie.

No sooner had he spoken than dozens of ghostly black figures silently descended from the deadwood forest, hanging upside down.

All clad in tight black night suits, their faces masked with expressionless wooden carvings.

Only their eyes were visible—empty, lifeless, devoid of any human emotion.

The moment they landed, they swung the straight swords in their hands, lunging directly at the four!

Their speed was astonishing, their strikes vicious and unpredictable, each move designed to end in mutual destruction.

These were definitely not palace spies sent to observe, nor were they ordinary guards from the Zhen Nan King’s estate!

“Looking for death!”

Lu Yan shouted in rage, advancing instead of retreating.

His Xiuchun Dao arced in a half-moon shape, meeting the two foremost assailants head-on.

The embroidered spring blade and the pitch-black straight sword collided with a harsh clang, sending a numbing shock up Lu Yan’s arm.

These death warriors wearing wooden masks had no concept of pain, let alone retreat!

They fought with nothing but life for life!

In the muddy marsh, the four of them had their movements severely restricted.

Yu Qing had never witnessed such a hellish battlefield!

Her hand trembled uncontrollably as she gripped the dagger.

【Help! Help! This is even worse than a zombie siege!】

The black sludge beneath her feet bubbled with toxic fumes and was so slick she could gain no leverage.

In order to dodge a slashing blade coming at her diagonally, Yu Qing stumbled backward.

“Ah—!”

Her foot slipped, and she instantly lost her balance, toppling straight toward the bottomless mire behind her!

“Damn it!”

Lu Yan’s pupils contracted sharply.

Without a second thought, he violently ripped apart the death warrior’s attack in front of him and leapt forward!

Just as Yu Qing was about to be swallowed by the stinking sludge, he grabbed her waist and, with a fierce effort, pulled her entirely into his embrace.

Yet in saving her, his back was fully exposed to the enemy’s blades!

A deep, bone-searing wound suddenly appeared across Lu Yan’s back!

Warm, fresh blood spurted instantly, even splattering a few drops onto Yu Qing’s pale cheeks.

“Lu Yan!”

Yu Qing’s heart tightened.

“It’s okay, don’t be afraid!” Lu Yan whispered in reassurance.

How could she not be afraid? She was trembling!

But she knew she couldn’t become a burden to him now.

Quickly, she found cover and hid.

On the other side, Su Hewan was equally in grave danger.

Three black-clad death warriors formed a triangular formation, pinning her against the corner of a withered tree.

At the critical moment…

Shen Jue appeared like a phantom in front of her.

The seemingly elegant bone fan in his hand suddenly unfurled.

Along the edges of the fan bones, razor-sharp steel blades sprang forth!

He flicked his wrist, and the folding fan transformed into a silver crescent moon.

The horrifying sounds of throats being slashed rang out one after another.

The three death warriors didn’t even have time to scream before they collapsed stiffly into the swamp.

Shen Jue grasped the fan handle with the other hand and slowly wiped away a drop of blood that had splattered near his eye.

In his deep phoenix eyes surged a potent killing intent.

Su Hewan looked at the back of the man shielding her and momentarily held her breath.

With the last death warrior struck down—pierced through the heart by Lu Yan despite excruciating pain—

the oppressive, withered forest fell silent once more.

Only the thick stench of blood mixed with the rot of the swamp lingered in the air.

Lu Yan let out a muffled groan, bracing himself on the ground with his embroidered spring blade, kneeling on one knee.

Blood continued to drip down his back.

Yu Qing fumbled to pull out the golden wound medicine he had given her earlier, tears streaming down her face.

“Lu Yan, are you okay?!” Yu Qing felt more pain seeing him hurt than even from her own injuries!

Shen Jue ignored the bodies on the ground and strode directly toward the lead black-clad figure.

He squatted, using the fan bones to pry off the wooden mask from the death warrior’s face.

Beneath the mask was a face covered with strange tattoos.

Shen Jue furrowed his brows, his long fingers quickly searching along the warrior’s waist.

A completely black, mysterious token was pulled out.

Carved on the token was a totem.

The instant Shen Jue saw that totem, a storm of shock and alarm surged in his eyes!