From a loser to an immortal sage

Chapter 151 Perilous Situation in the Valley of Immortal Medicine

What is this… a giant spider! It was completely black, with eight hairy legs, and its scarlet eyes were staring intently at me, making a chilling hissing sound.

I gasped in fright and immediately swung my sword at it. However, my sword felt like it had struck a hard rock, unable to harm it in the slightest.

The giant spider lunged at me, and I quickly dodged, narrowly avoiding being caught by its sharp claws. I knew I was in trouble; this spider was far stronger than me.

I dared not linger and turned to run. The giant spider pursued relentlessly, spewing black venom from its mouth. I dodged the venom while searching for a way to escape.

The Valley of Immortal Medicine was shrouded in mist, making it impossible for me to see any direction. I could only run forward by instinct. As I ran, I suddenly felt short of breath, and my vision blurred.

Oh no! I realized then that I had inhaled the poisonous fog in the valley!

The poisonous fog rapidly eroded my body; my limbs began to go numb, and my consciousness gradually faded. I struggled to stay conscious, staggering forward. I had to find the antidote, or I would surely die!

I could vaguely see a patch of glowing plants ahead, emitting a faint, pleasant fragrance. Could it be... the antidote?

I endured the excruciating pain and walked towards the plant. As I drew closer, I finally saw it clearly: it was a patch of glowing Ganoderma lucidum, the holy medicine for detoxification—the fluorescent Ganoderma lucidum!

I was overjoyed and quickly reached out to pick it. However, just as my hand was about to touch the fluorescent Ganoderma, a strong sense of crisis welled up in my heart.

I looked up abruptly and saw a dark figure descending from the sky, lunging towards me.

"Watch out!" a crisp voice rang out.

Before I could react, I felt a force push me away. I fell heavily to the ground, and everything went black.

"Are you alright?" A gentle voice rang in my ear.

I struggled to open my eyes and saw a woman dressed in white standing in front of me. She had a delicate face, and her large, watery eyes were full of concern.

"I...I'm fine..." I said weakly.

"You've been poisoned. Take this quickly." The woman in white handed me a pill.

I took the pill and swallowed it without hesitation. The pill melted instantly in my mouth, and a cool sensation spread throughout my body, making me feel much better.

"Thank you..." I said gratefully.

"No need to thank me, my name is Ling'er, I'm an elf from the Immortal Medicine Valley," the woman in white said with a smile. "What's your name?"

"My name is Xiao Yao."

"Xiao Yao, why did you come to Immortal Medicine Valley?" Ling'er asked curiously.

"I'm here to gather herbs..."

Before I could finish speaking, I felt dizzy, everything went black, and I lost consciousness again.

When I woke up again, I found myself lying on a soft bed. I looked around and realized I was in a simple wooden hut.

"You're awake?" an old voice asked.

I turned my head and saw an elderly man with white hair sitting by the bed.

"You are……"

"I am Mo Yaoshi," the old man said kindly. "You were severely poisoned, but fortunately Ling'er saved you in time."

"Thank you so much, Pharmacist Mo, for saving my life," I said gratefully.

"No need to be so polite." Pharmacist Mo waved his hand. "You should rest well and we can talk again when you've recovered."

I nodded, closed my eyes, but the scene before I lost consciousness replayed in my mind. Who pushed me away? And who was protecting me in the shadows?

"Xiao Yao..." A cold voice suddenly rang in my ears... After the apothecary Mo left, I struggled to sit up, feeling still weak and powerless. Although the pills Ling'er brought had neutralized most of the poison, the remaining toxins were still eroding my meridians, making me dizzy. I must find more antidotes as soon as possible, otherwise my cultivation will be severely affected.

I took a deep breath and slowly stood up, supporting myself against the wall. The door of the wooden cabin was ajar, and the bright sunshine outside, filled with birdsong and the fragrance of flowers, contrasted sharply with the dimness inside. I pushed open the door and stepped outside, the warm sunlight bathing me and bringing me a sense of comfort.

"Hey, isn't this our good-for-nothing Xiao Yao? She's still alive?" A shrill voice broke the silence.

I looked in the direction of the sound and saw Lei Hu standing not far away, looking at me with a mocking expression. He was burly and muscular, holding a huge axe, and looked like someone not to be trifled with.

My heart sank; I knew he wouldn't let this opportunity to humiliate me slip by. I forced myself to endure the discomfort and looked at him coldly: "Lei Hu, what are you planning now?"

"What for? I'm here to teach you some manners, of course!" Lei Hu grinned and charged at me.

I quickly dodged, but my weakness made me slow, and I almost got caught. Lei Hu was even more enraged by his missed attack. He swung his axe and attacked me again.

I dodged his attacks while searching for an opportunity to counterattack. But Lei Hu's strength far surpassed mine; I was no match for him.

"Overestimating yourself!" Lei Hu kicked me to the ground. I felt a sharp pain in my chest and a metallic taste rose in my throat.

He didn't stop there; instead, he dragged me to an area with even denser poisonous fog and forcefully pushed me inside.

"Enjoy yourself, you good-for-nothing!" Lei Hu said, then strode away.

I collapsed into the toxic fog, coughing violently. The thick fog made it hard to breathe, blurred my vision, and intensified the pain in my body. I felt like I was suffocating, and my consciousness began to fade.

Just then, I felt a chilling aura envelop me. I tried to open my eyes, but I couldn't see anything. However, I could sense that someone was casting a spell on me from the shadows, interfering with my spiritual perception and making it difficult for me to discern directions.

I know this is Elder Xuanfeng's doing. He has always coveted the precious medicinal herbs of Immortal Medicine Valley, and I have become an obstacle in his eyes.

I struggled to stand up, but my body grew heavier and heavier, as if a mountain was pressing down on me. I felt my life force rapidly draining away, and the shadow of death loomed over me.

“Xiao Yao…” a soft voice rang in my ear.

I strained to turn my head and saw a blurry figure standing beside me. It was Zi Ling…

She was holding a small bottle and sprinkling powder from it around me. I recognized the powder; it was a potion to attract monsters!

My heart was filled with despair. Was I really going to die here today?

Zi Ling revealed a sinister smile and whispered, "Farewell..."

then……

Zi Ling's chilling smile magnified in my blurring vision, and those words, "Farewell," pierced my heart like a sharp knife. The powder that attracted the demonic beasts emitted a strange fragrance, and I could even sense the restless aura of wild animals around me. Was I, Xiao Yao, truly destined to die here? No! I cannot give up! Even if I am utterly weak, even if the poison is taking hold, I will fight with all my might to survive!

I forced myself to calm down, silently reciting the Heart-Cleansing Mantra my master had taught me, trying to dispel the fear and despair in my heart. Gradually, I felt a sliver of clarity returning, and a faint surge of spiritual energy began to flow deep within my dantian. I gritted my teeth, mobilizing this last bit of spiritual energy to cast a special shield spell—the "Glassy Heart-Cleansing Shield." Pale blue light enveloped my body, forming a thin barrier that kept the poisonous mist out. Although this shield couldn't completely block the poison, it at least gave me a chance to catch my breath.

I took a deep breath, the fresh air invigorating me. The Crystal Purifying Shield had drained a lot of my spiritual energy; I needed to find the antidote as soon as possible. I struggled to my feet and staggered forward. The surrounding scenery, shrouded in the poisonous fog, looked particularly eerie—twisted trees, strangely shaped rocks—everything was fraught with unknown danger.

I endured the excruciating pain and carefully examined the surrounding plants. Finally, beneath a massive rock, I discovered a herb emitting a faint, pleasant fragrance. Based on my memory, this should be "Heart-Clearing Grass," capable of neutralizing all poisons—exactly what I desperately needed! Overjoyed, I quickly reached out to pluck it.

"Hey, isn't this our good-for-nothing Xiao Yao? You're pretty tough, aren't you!" Lei Hu's voice rang out again, haunting him like a nightmare. He strode over, a mocking smile on his face. "I didn't expect you to still be alive. Looks like even the heavens don't want you to die!"

My heart sank; I knew he was up to no good again. I gripped the calming herb tightly, watching him warily: "Lei Hu, what are you trying to do?"

"What for? I'm here to see if you're dead or not!" Lei Hu said, his gaze falling on the Qingxin Grass in my hand. "Hmm, what's this? It looks pretty good. Let me see!"

He reached out to grab it, and I quickly dodged.

"What? Reluctant to part with it?" Lei Hu sneered. "Don't forget, this is the Valley of Immortal Medicines. Whoever grabs it first keeps it!"

"This is what I found!" I said through gritted teeth. This Qingxin Grass is my hope for survival, and I will never let him take it away!

A fierce glint flashed in Lei Hu's eyes: "Looks like you won't shed a tear until you see the coffin!" He suddenly swung the giant axe in his hand and chopped at me.

I quickly dodged, but his attacks were incredibly fast, and I narrowly escaped being hit. While dodging his attacks, I searched for an opportunity to counterattack. I knew that in my current state, I was no match for him; I had to outsmart him.

I deliberately pretended to be exhausted, staggering backward to lure him closer to the poisonous fog area. Lei Hu fell for it; thinking I was about to collapse, he increased his attack speed.

Just as he was about to approach the poisonous fog area, I suddenly sidestepped his attack and then threw the calming herb in my hand into the poisonous fog.

"What are you doing?!" Lei Hu was shocked. He rushed into the poisonous fog, trying to snatch back the Qingxin Grass.

I sneered and turned to run. I knew that the monsters in the poisonous fog would soon be attracted by the scent of the Qingxin Grass, and then Lei Hu would be too busy to even look after himself.

I ran for a while, then glanced back and saw the roars of wild beasts echoing from within the poisonous fog. I secretly rejoiced, finally managing to escape Lei Hu.

However, just when I thought I was safe, a deafening roar of a monstrous beast came from ahead. My heart sank. What danger awaited me ahead...? "This..."

I leaned against the tree trunk, breathing heavily. The fragrance of the Qingxin Grass had dissipated, and the poisonous fog was gradually dissipating, replaced by a strong smell of blood coming from the direction where Lei Hu had disappeared. I dared not think any further; I only wanted to leave this place of trouble as soon as possible.

But I hadn't run more than a few steps when Lei Hu's roar came from behind me: "Xiao Yao! You stop right there!"

My heart skipped a beat. He wasn't dead? I turned around and saw Lei Hu, his clothes tattered and his body covered in wounds, but his eyes were even more ferocious than before. He was holding the blood-stained Qingxin Grass in his hand, glaring at me menacingly. It seemed that although he was injured, he had obtained the Qingxin Grass and successfully escaped from the beast's jaws.

"You...you're still alive?" I feigned surprise, but my mind was racing, trying to come up with a plan.

"You think you can kill me with such a small trick?" Lei Hu grinned maliciously, approaching me step by step. "Hand over your antidote herbs, and I might spare your life!"

I forced myself to remain calm: "I have no antidote herbs, and this Qingxin Grass is the only one I found."

"Stop lying to me!" Lei Hu roared. "How could a good-for-nothing like you find such precious medicinal herbs! You must have others, hand them over now!"

I knew it was pointless to say anything now; Lei Hu wouldn't believe me. I clenched my fists, preparing to fight to the death.

"Since you refuse to hand it over, don't blame me for being impolite!" Lei Hu raised his giant axe and swung it at me again.

This time, I dared not confront him head-on again, and could only rely on my agile movements to dodge. Although Lei Hu's attacks were fierce, they lacked strategy, and I could barely cope with them.

We fought for a long time, and I gradually felt my strength waning. Although Lei Hu was also injured, his cultivation was higher than mine. If this continued, I would eventually be worn down by him.

Just when I was about to despair, I suddenly heard a huge roar of a monstrous beast coming from afar. This roar was louder and more terrifying than the ones I had heard before, as if it came from an ancient behemoth.

Lei Hu also heard the roar, stopped his attack, and his expression turned somewhat grim.

"What is that sound?" he muttered to himself, a flicker of fear in his eyes.

A thought flashed through my mind: this might be my chance! Taking advantage of Lei Hu's distraction, I suddenly kicked him and then turned and ran.

"Trying to run? No way!" Lei Hu realized what was happening and immediately gave chase.

I ran with all my might, not daring to look back. The enormous roar grew closer, and the ground began to tremble slightly. I knew something terrible was approaching.

I ran for a while, and suddenly an area shimmering with strange light appeared before me. The light was multicolored, like a dream, yet it also carried a hint of eeriness.

A thought flashed through my mind: could it be...? I subconsciously slowed my pace.

"Stop!" Lei Hu's voice came from behind again.

I ignored him and walked straight toward the light.

"Don't go there! It's dangerous!" Lei Hu's voice was tinged with fear.

I stopped, turned back to look at him, and a cold smile played on my lips: "Danger? So what? It's better than falling into your hands!" With that, I resolutely walked into the light… "Ah…"