The toxin was gradually forced out of Leo’s body. Fortunately, it wasn’t a potent or neurotoxic substance; otherwise, he might have been in real trouble. While using his spiritual power to prevent his wound from bleeding, Leo’s keen ears caught the sounds of footsteps on dry twigs and fallen leaves.
Listening closely, he realized there were quite a few people approaching – no doubt, they were after him. It seemed that the Seven Stars Sword Sect wasn’t planning to let him go easily. Since he had been paying such a big cost, this trip couldn’t be in vain. Leo pondered for a moment and came up with an idea.
“Elder Greg, look here, footprints!” a voice exclaimed.
“Definitely his. Seems like he hasn’t gone far. Inform the others, surround and capture in this direction!” commanded Elder Greg.
“Got it!”
Leo, concealed in the nearby trees, smirked. He deliberately left those footprints there.
As the footsteps moved away, Leo carefully descended from the tree and swiftly headed toward the direction of the pond from earlier. There’s an old saying, isn’t there? The most dangerous place is often the safest. Leo not only wanted to get the white jade turtle but was also intrigued by the legendary martial sect. Since the Seven Stars Sword Sect had sent so many people searching for him, why not take a tour of their sect?
Avoiding the pond, Leo quickly ventured deeper into the forest. When he confronted the old man at the pond earlier, he had memorized the direction from which the seven white-clothed youths emerged.
Shortly after Leo’s departure, Elder Giles and Elder Greg arrived beneath the large tree where Leo had hidden.
Elder Greg touched the black blood stain on the tree bark, a glint of understanding in his eyes. He looked up at the tree trunk. “Giles, that kid must have concealed himself here.”
Elder Giles nodded, his gaze becoming more profound. “Greg, that thief was injured by you and poisoned. Normally, he shouldn’t be able to get far. Do you think he might have doubled back to steal the white jade turtle?”
“That’s quite possible.”
“In that case, you take a few people back to the pond. I’ll continue the search. We’ll split up. If that thief truly came back, send me a message. We’ll catch him in the act!”
In the dense woods, Leo had slipped out. Looking ahead, his eyes widened in surprise. Who would have thought this place had its own hidden paradise? Not far ahead, a spacious and beautiful area unfolded, complete with a small lake. To the north of the lake were quaint buildings that gave off an air of otherworldly beauty, resembling the legendary Shangri-La.
Leo’s gaze fixed on the tallest pavilion among the buildings. Originally, he thought this place would be heavily guarded. However, to his surprise, the guards here were lax. Quietly infiltrating, Leo even didn’t see any camera.
After successfully bypassing a few guards and disciples, Leo reached the vicinity of the tallest pavilion.
Hiding in the bushes, Leo looked up. A plaque above the main entrance bore an elegant character: “Forbidden”.
Leo inwardly scoffed. While other areas had no guards at all, four guards were stationed here. Clearly, this was a crucial place for the Seven Stars Sword Sect.
Leo pulled out a small box of silver needles and took out four. Infusing them with a bit of spiritual power, he flicked his wrist.
Four silvery lights flashed, and the four disciples guarding the door collapsed one after another.
Meanwhile, Elder Greg had conducted a sweeping search around the pond but found no trace of Leo.
A young disciple jogged over and saluted. “Elder Greg, Elder Giles didn’t catch that guy either. He must’ve escaped Hat Mountain.”
Elder Greg was thinking along the same lines. He snorted, “With my poison coursing through him, even if he survives, his cultivation will be severely damaged. Have an artist draw his face and send it to the outer sect disciples of the mundane world. Tell them to report immediately if they spot him.”
“Understood!” The young disciple saluted and then curiously asked, “Elder Greg, could that kid be from the Fiery Blaze Sect or Azure Cloud Sect?”
Elder Greg shook his head. “Absolutely not. I’ve fought members of both Fiery Blaze Sect and Azure Cloud Sect before; their fighting styles are completely different.”
Elder Greg’s gaze then fell on the white jade turtle in the pond. “Looks like we need to find a way to relocate these fish as soon as possible. Arrange more people to guard this place. I need to report the events here to the Sect Master.”
“Understood, Elder Greg!”
Leo slipped into the pavilion quietly. The first floor was filled with shelves, neatly lined with all sorts of books. Leo had no interest in these texts, so he quickly found the stairs leading to the second floor.
On the second floor, various racks held a wide array of weapons, predominantly swords. Leo browsed around, finally stopping in front of a specially crafted sword rack, where a rather peculiar sword was placed. What made it peculiar was its blue color and extraordinarily thin blade.
How thin was it? About as thick as five sheets of A4 paper stacked together. A metal plate on the rack bore two words: “Blue Phantom.”
The name did have a certain air of grandeur. Leo reached out and picked up the sword from the rack, a sense of deadly elegance emanating from it. The sword was incredibly light, and despite its thin blade, it didn’t waver or twist in his grip.
Leo gave it a casual swing. “Snap!” The steel sword rack lost a chunk to the blade’s edge.
“Holy crap, it’s this sharp!” Leo was astonished. Could this be what they meant by “cutting iron like mud”?
He tried injecting a bit of spiritual power into it. With a soft hum, the blue blade quivered a few times, and the peculiar patterns on its surface glowed faintly blue.
“Who would’ve thought this bizarre blue sword would be a treasure.”
Excitement gleamed in Leo’s eyes. Treasures ranked just below spiritual tools in terms of rarity.
Observing the hilt closely, he noticed a slight protrusion that seemed like a button.
Pressing it with his thumb, there was a swift sound, and the thin blue blade fully retracted into the hilt.
Pressing the button again, the blade shot out with a sharp “swoosh.” This thing wasn’t just unique; it was also quite fun.
Leo withdrew the blade back into the hilt and roamed the second floor once more, but he couldn’t find anything else that piqued his interest.