In the still of the night, two carriages pulled away from Shelley City, one following the other in slow procession.

Shelley City was the closest mercantile hub to the Stygian Marsh, and between the two lay only a stretch of forest where the trees were not overly tall, laced with pathways used by merchants, mercenaries, and martial practitioners traversing between the locales.

In the lead carriage, Chu Ping sat with a vacant expression, occasionally flicking the reins in a rhythm both unhurried and lackadaisical.

From within the carriage, soft laughter from Zuo Shi and Wu Yunlian could be heard intermittently; the two women seemed thoroughly relaxed throughout the journey, their chatter continuous.

In the carriage behind, Han Feng and Ku Long sat at the front, exchanging only a few words now and then.

For the most part, they remained keenly observant of their surroundings, as if they had never allowed themselves a moment of ease.

Inside the rear carriage, Shi Yan remained utterly silent.

For ten full days, aside from the necessities of eating, drinking, and bodily functions, Shi Yan had barely left the confines of his carriage.

Each time he emerged to eat, his face was etched with weariness, his brow deeply furrowed, presenting the picture of a man burdened by some pressing concern.

Deep into the night.

The two carriages halted beside a small river threading through the forest. Zuo Shi and Wu Yunlian gracefully stepped down, heading toward the bank to wash their faces and fill their vessels.

Not long after, Zuo Shi and Wu Yunlian returned, their faces cleansed and water bags full, only to find the Shi family’s carriage unnervingly quiet, without the slightest stir.

“What on earth is that fellow doing?”

Wu Yunlian stared blankly at the Shi carriage, her charming features clouded with confusion. “I’ve barely seen him emerge this entire trip. Apart from gorging himself during meal times, he seems to have stayed locked inside, and every time he does come out, he looks lost in thought… What a strange young man.”

“He’s always been an oddball,” Zuo Shi agreed, nodding. “Anyone who obsesses over ancient ruins and texts usually has eccentricities. I wonder what kind of thoughts occupy his mind.”

Wu Yunlian chuckled, her demeanor softening with allure. “Little Shi, you must admit, this one truly is different. In the past, which young man traveling with you wasn't buzzing around you like flies, impossible to shoo away? This one, however, for over ten days, he hasn't seemed to give you a proper glance, barely even bothering to step out of the carriage. Truly rare.”

“Pay him no mind; he is indeed a strange person.” Zuo Shi paused, realizing as Wu Yunlian pointed it out that it was true—Shi Yan hadn't spared her a direct look the whole way.

Though Zuo Shi was not narcissistic, she was aware of her own striking appearance, a fact evident in the attention she received from other young men.

And Shi Yan, being at that age where passion often surfaces, should not have been exempt from convention. Why was he so peculiar?

No woman, regardless of her nature, is entirely immune to feeling slighted in this regard, and Zuo Shi was no exception; beneath her confusion lay a prickle of righteous indignation.

“Water, if you please,” a faint, detached voice drifted from within the Shi family’s carriage.

Ku Long blinked, glancing at Han Feng. “Madman, do we have any water left?”

Han Feng shook his head, gesturing toward the approaching Wu Yunlian and Zuo Shi. “The girls have been fetching water for us these last few days.”

Ku Long leaned out, grinning broadly at Wu Yunlian. “Sister, how about a little water? My young master is parched.”

“He can get out and fetch it himself,” Zuo Shi pouted, humming softly. “Staying cooped up in that box all day, I hope he doesn't start to stink. Truly bizarre.”

Ku Long offered a sheepish smile and approached the carriage. “Young Master Yan, Miss Zuo requests you come down for a drink.”

“Ah.”

Shi Yan replied with a measured tone, slowly drawing back the curtain and emerging from the carriage with a haggard countenance.

His expression was blank, deep confusion lingering in his pupils, as if still wrestling with an unsolvable puzzle.

Without pausing to consider, he walked slowly to Zuo Shi’s side, snatched the water pouch from her hand, tilted his head back, and drank deeply in one continuous gulp.

Having finished, Shi Yan casually tossed the pouch back toward Zuo Shi, whose face was now flushed with anger, and turned back toward his carriage, muttering softly, “Why does this water have a fragrance? Strange…”

“Shi Yan!”

Zuo Shi’s face burned red, and she bristled. “The pouch you took was mine! Not yours or the Shi family’s!”

Shi Yan was startled by her sharp cry, instantly jolted out of the deep contemplation surrounding the Sheng Si Yin Gu Jue (Life-Death Seal Ancient Art). He looked at her oddly. “What difference does that make?”

“That water pouch, Little Shi had just taken a drink from it, hehe, so naturally it has a scent,” Wu Yunlian said with a bright smile, eager to stir the pot. “Perhaps, you even got a bit of Little Shi’s saliva from the rim.”

“Auntie Lian!” Zuo Shi’s face turned scarlet with embarrassment, and she stamped her foot. “What nonsense are you spouting!”

Ku Long and Chu Ping exchanged surprised glances, their expressions turning peculiar. Even Han Feng subtly lifted his head to observe the scene.

However, they quickly resumed focusing on their own tasks, pretending they had heard nothing of Wu Yunlian’s words or noticed the blush spreading across Zuo Shi’s cheeks.

Shi Yan registered the implication immediately but chose to play dumb, flashing a grin. “No matter. I’m not fussy; I won’t complain if your saliva isn’t perfectly clean.”

With that, Shi Yan turned with a flourish and disappeared back into the carriage, making no further appearance.

“Hehe! Hahahaha!”

Wu Yunlian’s laughter shook her frame, her ample bosom trembling delightfully. She suddenly felt Shi Yan was not so dull after all; the occasional remark from this young man was enough to bring forth uncontrollable mirth.

Zuo Shi stood frozen for a moment, eyes wide, before finally erupting in a fury. “Shi Yan! You scoundrel!”

“Uncle Han, we can move now,” came Shi Yan’s calm instruction from inside the carriage.

“Right.” Han Feng’s lips curved into a strange line, and he urged the man beside him. “Let’s go, Ku Long.”

The Shi family’s carriage slowly started moving, and for the first time, it passed the Zuo family’s vehicle, pulling slowly ahead.

Zuo Shi stood alone, her face crimson. She glanced at Wu Yunlian, then at the silent, downcast Chu Ping, and declared heatedly, “Laugh! What is there to laugh about! It’s not funny at all! You people are so tiresome!”

With that, Zuo Shi fled back into her carriage, sulking. “Uncle Ping, drive faster! I want you to bump the Shi family’s carriage; I’ll show that jerk!”

Chu Ping looked startled and cast a pitiful glance toward Wu Yunlian.

Wu Yunlian smiled, shook her head, and also boarded the carriage, attempting to soothe her in the compartment. “Come now, Little Shi, he didn’t mean it. Don’t let it bother you so.”

“He went too far! To say that I… that I…” Zuo Shi huffed in annoyance, yet she found herself unable to utter the rest of the accusation.

...

Shi Yan had not given the minor interlude a second thought.

In the carriage, he leaned against the wooden panel, his brow tightly furrowed, strange runes flickering incessantly in his eyes.

The incantations of the Sheng Si Yin Gu Jue spun rapidly through his mind.

For this entire period, Shi Yan had poured almost all his energy into comprehending the Life-Death Seal Ancient Art.

Even while eating, his mind never rested, constantly dissecting the cultivation methods of the Life-Death Seal, acting as if possessed.

He was simply that kind of person.

Once he was truly determined to achieve something, he focused his entire being, channeling all his vigor into the task, pursuing it with an obsessive fervor, impervious to external interference.

Years spent in extreme physical pursuits had taught him one truth—only through this near-deranged level of commitment could one truly master an endeavor!

The Life-Death Seal! The Life-Death Seal!

Now, only this single thought occupied his consciousness—he must grasp the cultivation secrets of the Life-Death Seal in the shortest possible time.

Ideally, he needed to truly master the key to cultivating the Life-Death Seal before entering the Stygian Marsh.

Only then could he possess greater power for self-preservation within that deadly swamp, and secure more opportunities to gain that which would benefit him.

Shi Yan closed his eyes, his body relaxed, slowly sorting through the insights gathered during this intense period.

After a long while.

His spirit stirred, and his vital essence (jing yuan) flowed slowly, rising from his lower abdomen, gradually surging into his right arm.

The circulation speed of the vital essence within his body was not rapid; instead, it continuously gathered and refined itself within his right arm.

Strand after strand of jing yuan accumulated in that segment of his limb, causing his right arm to appear almost translucent, his very bones and blood vessels clearly visible, as if his flesh and skin had become transparent.

Shi Yan was unaware of this abnormality in his arm.

With his eyes shut, he followed the cultivation method he had deciphered to attempt to urge the vital essence, which had been condensed numerous times within his arm.

When his right arm began to swell slightly, Shi Yan hardened his resolve, and the jing yuan within his arm suddenly surged violently toward his palm!

“Hiss, hiss, hiss!”

Threads of crystalline vital essence shot out from between his five fingers like bolts of lightning.

These five streams of essence seemed imbued with awareness, flickering in and out at his fingertips, yet never truly breaking free from his control before shooting outward.

“Still not right.”

Shi Yan opened his eyes, looking at the crystalline jing yuan at his fingertips, a hint of helplessness flashing across his face. He frowned, murmuring, “Something must have gone wrong somewhere. This isn’t the manifestation of a successful Sheng Yin cultivation. Where is the error?”

His mumbling faded as the vital essence at the tips of his five fingers slowly receded back into his flesh.

Shi Yan sank back into contemplation, once more possessed, tirelessly seeking the true meaning of cultivating the Life-Death Seal.

...

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