Thud!
The monk crashed heavily onto the ground deep inside the cave entrance.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
In an instant, sharp whistling sounds filled the air as countless arrows shot out from the depths of the cave.
The monk on the ground had no time to react—his body was instantly pierced through by the barrage.
Without even a chance to scream, he collapsed into a pool of blood.
The arrows, still carrying momentum, continued flying outward, shooting straight toward Lu Xuan’s face.
Yet, standing at the cave entrance, Lu Xuan didn’t move a muscle.
The next moment, his figure blurred like a mirage under the cold moonlight, as if he were nothing more than an illusion.
The countless arrows passed right through him, meeting no resistance.
From a distance, Lu Xuan’s figure had already reappeared far from the cave entrance.
However, his expression was odd—he had noticed something unusual about the arrows.
Among the arrows embedded in the trees, some stood out.
Lu Xuan walked over to an ancient tree and examined one of the arrows deeply lodged in its trunk.
“Meteoric Iron Arrows!”
“Silver-Armored Bows!”
His brows furrowed as he recognized the arrows’ unique craftsmanship.
Both the shaft and the arrowhead were forged from silver-gray meteoric iron, gleaming brilliantly under the torchlight.
“How does the Purifying White Lotus Sect have something like this?”
Lu Xuan was shocked. He couldn’t fathom how a heretical sect had gotten their hands on Silver-Armored Bows.
These were forbidden weapons of the Great Xia Dynasty, typically reserved for the imperial military and government. Commoners should never have access to them.
The Silver-Armored Bow’s power was terrifying—its meteoric iron arrows could pierce through a martial artist’s defenses with ease.
Against anyone below the Blood Refinement Realm, the arrows would tear through flesh like paper.
Even Blood Refinement experts could be seriously injured if caught off guard.
Lu Xuan had only learned about these bows from Liang Cheng.
Each county was allotted less than ten of them—an extremely limited supply.
Judging by the number of arrows around, Lu Xuan guessed there were at least four or five Silver-Armored Bows inside the cave.
Tsk tsk.
The Purifying White Lotus Sect’s connections run deep!
No wonder the Great Xia Dynasty hunts them down so fiercely.
Lu Xuan gave the meteoric iron arrow a final glance but ultimately decided against taking it.
Originally, he had considered bringing it to a blacksmith to forge a new blade.
But this was contraband—possession alone was a capital offense. No craftsman would dare touch it.
With a sigh, Lu Xuan turned away and strode back toward the cave.
Raising his torch, he illuminated the pitch-black entrance, revealing its interior.
The walls were lined with crossbows, and at the center stood several silver-white heavy bows.
After a quick scan, Lu Xuan’s gaze settled on the cave’s deepest section.
A massive, square stone slab—clearly man-made—blocked the path like a gate.
BOOM!
Lu Xuan raised his right hand, channeling his inner energy into his palm.
With a single strike, the enormous boulder shattered into gravel, collapsing in a heap.
Beyond it lay rows of wooden shelves, piled high with gold and silver.
But Lu Xuan barely glanced at the treasure.
His attention was locked onto the two shelves at the very back, where several wooden boxes emitted a faint, medicinal fragrance.
“Hm?”
“Energy-boosting herbs?”
Ignoring the wealth, Lu Xuan strode straight to the rear shelves.
Using his scabbard, he flipped open the nearest boxes—and his breath hitched.
Inside lay Purpleblood Ganoderma and other herbs of equal rarity.
“This—!”
Lu Xuan’s eyes widened in disbelief, his heart pounding with excitement.
This sect never fails to surprise me.
They’re practically delivering wealth straight to my hands!
From now on, he’d have to keep a closer eye on the Purifying White Lotus Sect.
Grabbing a large wooden crate, Lu Xuan packed away all the herbs, then scooped up a thousand taels of gold before making a swift exit.
He would’ve taken more, but his horse couldn’t carry a heavier load.
(And no way was he hauling a massive crate all the way to the county city himself.)
…..
At the temple’s main gate, Lu Xuan descended the mountain path openly this time.
With the crate balanced on his shoulder, he walked calmly down the stone steps.
Since the sect’s leaders had been wiped out, the remaining monks were quickly slaughtered by the enraged guests.
A few greedy individuals eyed Lu Xuan’s crate, but after he dealt with them, no one dared approach him again.
At the mountain’s base, Lu Xuan’s figure vanished like lightning into the night.
Soon, he arrived at a hidden grove where he had stashed his horse.
Torch in one hand, crate in the other, he followed his markers to a concealed cave blocked by two boulders.
Claw marks scarred the rocks—likely from some wild beast.
Pushing the boulders aside, Lu Xuan stepped inside.
After securing the crate, he repositioned the rocks, leaving only a narrow gap.
Planting the torch in the ground, he illuminated the cavern.
His horse was tied to a rear rock, while his luggage sat farther away.
Lu Xuan had no intention of heading straight to Dengfeng County.
First, he would evolve his techniques.
