Chapter 291: Ritual Offering

Chapter 291: Ritual Offering

Early the next morning.

Before dawn, Su Mo and the others were already up.

The Hidden Sword Hermit clutched a bundle in his hand, his face still clouded with the haze of a hangover.

After throwing the bundle to Su Mo, the Hidden Sword Hermit wore an impatient expression:

"Right, I've already put you up for the night. You need to leave today.

"After you're gone, I'll need to pack up and leave this place too."

"You're leaving, Hermit?"

Su Mo was surprised.

"Of course, I'm leaving."

The Hidden Sword Hermit stretched his shoulders:

"Why stay here? To wait for death?

"That fool Ji Shuhua, even delivering something can cause trouble. Since things have already caused a stir, who can you hide from?

"If I don't leave, this place will soon be discovered.

"Though my martial arts are unmatched, with few rivals in the world... why spill more blood over this?

"When the time comes, I'll beat them until they cry for their parents and beg for mercy on their knees. Killing them would be cruel, but letting them go would invite endless trouble. It's better to leave now."

Su Mo laughed:

"Alright, since you've made up your mind, we'll take our leave."

"Right."

The Hidden Sword Hermit nodded, then, as if remembering something, added:

"That sword, the Dragon's Roar in the box, isn't really up to standard.

"If you ever find a decent blacksmith, have him reforge it for you...

"Maybe it can fix some of the flaws in my work."

At this, he suddenly grew impatient again:

"Alright, enough talk. Hurry up and leave. The sooner you're gone, the safer I'll be."

The Hidden Sword Hermit's urgency to see them off seemed almost desperate, as if he couldn't wait to leave this place.

Su Mo and his companions had no choice. They had only stayed for a night, and since the host had spoken so plainly, they couldn't linger.

After a quick tidy-up, they left the Hidden Sword Cottage.

The Hidden Sword Hermit escorted them all the way to the edge of the Green Wood Forest, watching them disappear among the trees before returning to the forest.

The formation set up in the Green Wood Forest was called the "Eight Gates Confusion Array."

It is based on the Eight Trigrams, created by reversing the positions of the Eight Trigrams: Qian, Kun, Kan, Li, Gen, Dui, Zhen, and Xun.

This formation was set up by the Reclusive Swordsman many years ago. The reason it now has the phrase "turn right upon seeing red" is because his few friends are not particularly skilled in the art of formations.

Without guidance, the transformations within the formation are too numerous, and they would never be able to enter.

To prevent them from resorting to desperate measures like setting the mountain on fire, the Reclusive Swordsman stopped nearly all the transformations within the formation.

He also left a marker that conveniently leads to the Hermit's Cottage, making it easier for his friends to find him for a drink and a chat.

At this moment, he casually stepped into the Green Wood Forest and picked up a few stones from the ground, throwing them deep into the forest.

The stones disappeared instantly into the thicket.

He glanced at them, nodded, then climbed a tree and pulled out a rope from a hidden spot.

With two clicks, the sound of machinery came from behind the tree.

He sat on the trunk, checked for a while, confirmed there were no issues, and then descended.

As he ventured deeper into the Green Wood Forest, he continued with similar tasks.

This forest was originally riddled with traps.

The number of deadly mechanisms within was innumerable.

Yet, over the years, he had never activated them.

"Old Ji mentioned that villagers occasionally get lost and wander into the Green Wood Forest. Once they enter, just guide them out; they are ordinary folks with no ill intentions.

"Heh... I've actually followed this advice for so many years.

"This man may seem inarticulate, but he really knows how to persuade others.

"To have someone escort such a perilous shipment for only two hundred taels... Do you think two hundred taels isn't enough, so you risked your own life? You're quite bold...

"But... it's not necessary."

The winding paths of the Green Wood Forest are actually not hard to navigate once you're familiar with them.

Su Mo and his group, unfamiliar with the path, took nearly an hour. At the Reclusive Swordsman's pace, it would take only the time of a cup of tea to exit the Green Wood Forest.

Yet, he walked from dawn until the sun was high in the sky.

Afterwards, he walked to a mountain crevice and lingered there for a while before finally reaching the hollow mountain belly.

It's unclear how this mountain belly formed, with steep cliffs all around, creating a natural barrier.

Looking up, one could see the sun directly overhead. The Reclusive Swordsman shielded his eyes with his hand, glanced a couple of times, and let out a soft sigh:

"Time to work!"

He lit the furnace, and the clanging sounds echoed throughout the mountain belly.

If an ordinary person were to walk outside the Green Wood Forest at this time, they could indeed hear the sound of metal clashing.

Sometimes it was as dense as rain, other times it fell only after a long pause.

But this time, the sound lasted for three full days.

Three days later, inside the Hidden Sword Retreat, the Hidden Sword Master took a deep breath and walked towards a table with a dark, dense iron block in his hand.

The table was newly made, ornate and magnificent.

However, as the Hidden Sword Master looked at the table, his expression was grave.

When placing the iron block, he was extremely cautious, as if every placement had been carefully calculated.

Only when the iron block was securely placed at the exact center of the table did he finally let out a sigh of relief.

Jingle-jingle-jingle!!!

The bell hanging on one side of the thatched cottage suddenly rang out urgently.

The Hidden Sword Master glanced up and nodded lightly:

"They’ve arrived, just in time."

……

……

Just as the Hidden Sword Master's words fell, a group of people had already entered the Emerald Wood Forest.

The first to enter were four individuals.

A pale-faced scholar, a young woman in her prime, and an old man.

Behind them was a middle-aged man in a bright red robe.

The three of them shielded the middle-aged man behind them, clearly showing his importance.

Behind him stood a line of ten white-robed swordsmen.

Behind them was a group of men in black.

The pale-faced scholar held a folding fan in his hand. After closing the fan, he lightly tapped it twice on his palm:

"Indeed, it’s a labyrinth formation, likely based on the Eight Trigrams. This formation isn’t hard to crack. Everyone, just follow my lead."

"Oh?"

The old man chuckled softly and shook his head:

"Don’t rush in. Since there’s a labyrinth formation here, we must stay vigilant.

"I find the layout of this formation quite fascinating. Why don’t you show the way and let our men scout ahead first?"

"Master, don’t you trust me?"

The scholar smiled and said, "Although I may not be as experienced as you, I’m quite skilled with formations. Everyone just needs to follow me."

As soon as he finished speaking, he tapped his foot and headed in a certain direction.

The woman in the middle couldn't help but laugh:

"Master’s good intentions have been ignored."

The old man smiled wryly and was about to say something when he suddenly realized the scholar had disappeared.

His expression changed instantly, and after carefully observing his surroundings, he quickly said:

"This is bad, Inkquiring Scholar has been caught in the formation. From where we stand, if it were just a regular Eight Gates Maze Formation, he wouldn't have vanished like that... There's something off about this formation."

As he spoke, he suddenly heard the sound of something slicing through the air.

But it was hard to tell where the sound was coming from.

Immediately after, a scream was heard.

Everyone exchanged shocked glances, and the next moment, from the corner of their eyes, they saw Inkquiring Scholar sprinting wildly through the forest.

But just as they spotted him, he vanished behind a tree.

The old man furrowed his brow:

"The so-called maze formation tricks the eyes using the eight trigrams. The sudden vanishing and reappearing are because something is blocking your view.

"Overlapping each other, eventually completely confusing the sense of direction.

"He's at the Xun position now... Everyone, let's hold up here for a bit."

As soon as the old man finished speaking, he suddenly sprang into the air, darted into the forest, taking a few steps on thin air, and stretched out his hand.

His hand shot behind the tree just as someone leaped past, and the old man grabbed hold of them.

With a firm tug, he yanked someone out from behind the tree.

It turned out to be Inkquiring Scholar.

After landing, Inkquiring Scholar glanced back and saw the old man step twice on the tree before flying back.

But just as he was about to touch down, three rapid whooshes came from the bushes, and three icy arrows were suddenly loosed towards them.

Inkquiring Scholar urgently shouted:

"Watch out!"

The old man, however, chuckled heartily, his sleeves billowing without a breeze, and with a casual flick, he fully expected to knock the cold arrows aside.

But to his astonishment, the force of the three cold arrows was unexpectedly powerful.

Using his inner strength, the old man barely managed to alter the point of impact, but the three cold arrows still pierced through his sleeve.

"How formidable!"

The old man was also startled, but he didn't linger any longer. He grabbed Inkquiring Scholar's shoulder and hurried towards the direction where the others were.

A moment later, the two of them landed again, and everyone turned their gaze to Inkquiring Scholar.

More accurately, they looked at his shoulder.

Inkquiring Scholar's face turned red:

"I was careless..."

As he spoke, he was about to pull out the cold arrow when the middle-aged man in the large red robe coldly interjected:

"If I were you, I wouldn't pull it out like that."

"Huh?"

Inkquiring Scholar was startled: "Master, do you have something to tell me?"

The middle-aged man in the red robe, like a blazing flame, closed the distance to Inkquiring Scholar in two quick steps.

He stared at the cold arrow.

The cold arrow was short, at least half the length of a normal arrow.

The shaft wasn't bamboo or wood—it was metal.

It was thicker than usual, about as thick as an adult's index finger.

The red-robed man stepped closer, flicked the arrow with his finger, and a faint sound echoed.

The crowd gasped in awe:

"Something's inside? Fascinating—I've never seen an arrow like this."

Even the old man, renowned for his wisdom, seemed baffled:

"Master, what's wrong with this arrow?"

"Hah..."

The master chuckled:

"No surprise you haven't seen this arrow before. Most who've seen it are dead.

"I never thought I'd find the Sudden Heart Arrow here in Jifeng Mountain... Could it be him?"

His face showed doubt, but his eyes gleamed with hidden excitement.

Without hesitation, he grabbed Inkquiring Scholar's wrist, clamped down on the arrow's shaft, and squeezed.

His fingers were strong, and as he pressed, a faint sound came from the arrow.

The red-robed man, timing it perfectly, yanked the arrow out.

Inkquiring Scholar groaned as the arrow was pulled free.

The red-robed man examined the arrow closely, while the woman swiftly stopped Inkquiring Scholar's bleeding with pressure points.

The old man, noting the arrow wasn't poisoned, asked:

"Master, what's the deal with this Sudden Heart Arrow?"

"Deal?"

The master thought for a moment, then gently shook his head: "No story—just a clever mechanism. The arrow shaft is hollow, containing three soft needles as fine as ox hair. If the person hit by the arrow doesn't die and rashly pulls it out, the ox hair needles will shoot out.

"The needles are too thin and soft to hurt you.

"But they can follow the meridians, gradually moving toward your heart.

"When they reach your heart, what happens next, I need not say more, right?"

These words weren't just for the old man; Inkquiring Scholar and the woman also heard them, and their faces turned pale in an instant.

"Actually... so malicious?"

The Scholar of the Writing Brush was greatly astonished.

"Malicious?"

The master shook his head: "It's merely showing off with a bit of skill. The method to create the Heart-Piercing Arrow is extremely difficult, but once you know the secret, it's not hard to counter at all. If one wants to kill, it would be faster to poison the arrow tip.

"To go through such unnecessary trouble is simply redundant."

Saying this, he turned to look at the green forest, his eyes gleaming:

"But if it’s him, then this array is far from simple... I suggest that none of you try to break it in the usual way.

"Cut down trees as you see them; otherwise, this chaotic Eight-Door Maze might gradually trap all of us here."

Hearing this, the group hesitated for a moment before nodding.

"Since that's the case, Master, please follow behind us."

"Alright."

With the plan set, there was no need for further discussion. They moved forward immediately, and the task of cutting and pushing trees naturally fell to their subordinates.

Inevitably, there were still some casualties along the way.

However, with their large numbers, these losses were not taken seriously.

Pushing forward relentlessly, after about two or three hours, they finally managed to exit the Green Forest.

But they did not come by the usual route; instead, they faced a cliffside rather than the peak of the mountain.

Following the cliff for a while, they finally arrived at the crevice in the mountain.

By this time, the sky had already grown dim, yet despite their eagerness, none of them dared to rush ahead recklessly.

First, he sent his black-clad men to scout ahead, while the white-robed swordsmen guarded the surroundings.

The three individuals positioned themselves around the master, forming a protective circle.

Their journey forward proceeded smoothly.

However, when they reached the middle of the mountain crevice, one of the black-clad men suddenly raised his hand, signaling everyone behind him to stop.

He crouched down and gently parted the weeds in front of him, revealing a thin line on the ground.

Shaking his head lightly, he exchanged glances with those nearby, finding it somewhat amusing.

Though the weeds seemed to conceal it well, the line actually drew more attention.

He stepped over the thin line without incident.

Those behind him followed suit, crossing the line one by one and continuing forward.

Yet, none of them noticed that as half of their group crossed the line, something began to fall from above.

By the time they heard the wind, it was too late to look up.

What fell were black wine jars.

A black-clad man, seeing this, suddenly leaped into the air and reached out to strike.

He intended to knock the wine jar away with a precise maneuver, but unexpectedly, the moment his palm made contact with the jar, fierce flames burst forth, turning him into a fireball as he fell from mid-air.

The flames falling from the sky instantly set ablaze several other black-clad men.

Screams of pain immediately echoed throughout the mountain crevice.

Those set ablaze by the flames let out agonized screams for only a moment before turning to ash in moments.

The power of the flames was unmistakable.

This time, without the master needing to speak, the old man's face darkened:

"This is the Western Region's Divine Fire Oil, a rare and valuable substance. Keep your distance from those on fire to avoid being consumed by it."

The power of the Western Region's Divine Fire Oil could be discussed later; for now, the priority was to find a solution.

The surviving black-clad men quickly nodded, and indeed, no more wine jars fell from above.

However, the path ahead was now a sea of fire.

The burning men wailed incessantly, and in their thrashing, one of them accidentally broke the tripwire on the ground.

In the next moment, sharp cracks came from both sides of the mountain wall.

The mountain wall had been hollowed out, revealing a hidden trap!?

The faces of several men instantly paled. Without time to think or even cry out, they immediately leaped up, climbing frantically along the crevice in the mountain wall.

Looking down now, the short stretch of the mountain crevice, only a few hundred meters long, looked like a scene from hell.

The Western Region's Divine Fire Oil burned fiercely, and from both sides of the mountain wall, a barrage of fine needles shot out.

Those who couldn't dodge in time let out agonized screams.

"Wuchang's Calamitous Rain Needle!?"

"How are there so many?"

The old man's face turned ashen, but beyond his expression, there was nothing he could do.

With the Wuchang's Calamitous Rain Needle below relentless and the Western Region's Divine Fire Oil still burning, even with his immense capabilities, he could only wait here.

After what seemed like forever, only when all the black-clad men below had turned to ashes did the few men jump down from above.

For a moment, they exchanged silent glances.

When they had arrived, they were a formidable force, but now only the three leaders and the red-robed master remained.

Even the white-robed swordsmen from the Shadowkill Pavilion, who had been invited, had lost seven of their number, leaving only three remaining.

Filled with rage, the Inkquiring Scholar said nothing more. With a swift movement, he covered the remaining hundred meters in the blink of an eye, entering the mountain wall.

The others quickly followed, but they encountered no further traps.

Following the path downward, they soon entered the Hidden Sword Cottage.

There, they saw a burly man, towering like an iron pillar, sitting in a rocking chair, gently swaying.

In his hand was a jar of fine wine, the same one that had been offered to Su Mo and the others a few nights ago.

Seeing the newcomers, the man barely acknowledged them. Instead, he raised the wine jar and laughed heartily:

"Old Ji, you've been waiting a long time.

"Today, let us use their lives and this wine to offer you a tribute. How does that sound?"