Chapter 369: Chapter 140: Night Travel in Cloud Dragon, Soul Banner Devours Bandits, The True Purpose of Yue Mankong’s Mission

The night was as thick as undiluted ink.

Moonlight failed to pierce the dense, overlapping canopies of dark green, shattering into silver specks that barely dappled the forest floor.

Deep in the ancient forest, all was deathly silent.

Only the faint chirping of unseen insects from deep within the grass added to the profound stillness.

A figure darted swiftly through the silent darkness.

Chu Fan moved like a phantom born of the night. With a light touch of his toes on a dewy blade of grass, a jutting rock, or a fallen branch, he would propel himself dozens of feet forward, landing without a sound.

The blades of grass barely even bent beneath his weight.

The Traits "Light as a Feather" and "Wave Riding and Wind Chasing," gained after his Running Technique had its Limit Broken, were now on full display.

When he leaped, he was as light as a willow catkin carried by the wind, as if about to take flight.

When he sprinted, he was like a swallow in spring skimming the water’s surface—the moment his feet touched the ground, he was gone again, his movements utterly fluid.

Such a long-distance sprint should have been immensely draining, yet he felt his Primordial Qi circulating smoothly, drastically reducing the toll on his stamina.

Better still, he seemed able to sense the faint air currents in the forest, his body moving in harmony with them.

Every push-off felt like he was stepping on the very pulse of the wind. He moved as fast as an arrow loosed from a bow, nearly achieving the legendary speed of Land Divine Walk.

Without such a profound Light Body Skill, what ordinary Martial Artist would dare to sprint so recklessly through these treacherous mountains in the dead of night?

[Running Technique Experience Points +1]

[Running Technique Experience Points +1]

As the notifications flashed on the panel in his mind, Chu Fan remained perfectly calm. He focused only on the north and continued his rapid advance.

He wasn’t familiar with the specific path, but knowing the general direction was enough.

His target on this trip was the "Heaven-Flipping Saber" bandits, who were hiding in the Yunlong Mountain Range.

For the man he was now, the mission wasn’t particularly difficult.

Demon Suppression Envoy Yue Mankong had sent him to eliminate the "Heaven-Flipping Saber" bandits, but there was a deeper purpose to the mission.

The Yunlong Mountain Range was just over two hundred li from Cyan Yang City, a sprawling expanse of treacherous, steep peaks.

The mountains were home to poisonous miasmas and ferocious beasts, and rumors even spoke of supernatural creatures lurking within.

The Government Office had dispatched troops to surround and destroy them on several occasions, but they never even caught a glimpse of the "Heaven-Flipping Saber" bandits, returning in failure every time.

Not long ago, Zhang Yunpeng had used the "Heaven-Flipping Saber" bandits as a diversion, luring a Thousand Commander and his experts from the garrison outside Cyan Yang City deep into the mountains. In the end, they merely wandered aimlessly through the vast Yunlong Mountain Range and returned empty-handed.

But Chu Fan was different. Demon Suppression Envoy Yue Mankong had given him the location of the "Heaven-Flipping Saber’s" hideout.

Finding the "Heaven-Flipping Saber" wouldn’t be hard.

Tapping the tip of a wild weed with the sole of his foot, he glided forward, feeling as if he were truly merging with the night wind.

Far from feeling tired, he reveled in the freedom of it—the sensation of breaking free from the earth’s grasp and riding the wind.

The Experience Points for his Running Technique were increasing steadily, but judging by the massive amount required, he’d probably have to run for several more days to reach the next Limit Break.

He lost track of how long he had been running. Eventually, the sustained exertion brought forth an imperceptible trace of fatigue from deep within his bones.

Just then, a massive black silhouette quietly appeared at the edge of Chu Fan’s vision.

That was the Yunlong Mountain Range...

In the darkness, it resembled a slumbering Ancient Giant Beast lying prone upon the earth. Its undulating ridges exuded a heart-stopping sense of majesty and mystery.

Without breaking stride, Chu Fan found a narrow canyon wedged between two peaks and shot into it like an arrow.

Deeper inside the mountain range, the light grew even dimmer, and a damp, cold chill permeated the air.

After traveling a while longer, he stopped beneath a cliff sheltered from the wind and sat down.

Sinking his mind into his Sea of Consciousness, Chu Fan looked at the panel.

[Skill: Running Technique (Third Limit Break 5969/10000) (Traits: Wind under the Feet; Light as a Feather; Wave Riding and Wind Chasing)]

’At this rate, I should be able to get the Running Technique to its Fourth Limit Break in a few days.’ Chu Fan felt a sense of reassurance.

He leaned back against the cold, rough stone wall, closed his eyes, and began to regulate his breathing.

But his mind couldn’t settle down so easily.

[Skill: Netherworld Soul Refining Technique (Uninitiated) Progress: (0/100) (Traits: None)]

[Skill: Celestial Capital Black Flame Technique (Uninitiated) Progress: (0/100) (Traits: None)]

[Skill: Mind Enchantment Skill (Uninitiated) Progress: (0/10) (Traits: None)]

[Skill: Heart-Eroding Curse (Uninitiated) Progress: (0/10) (Traits: None)]

The Netherworld Soul Refining Technique and the Celestial Capital Black Flame Technique had come from the Ten Thousand Souls Banner of Lingkong Jade, the Moon Worship Sect’s Divine Sacrifice Envoy.

The Mind Enchantment Skill and the Heart-Eroding Curse, on the other hand, were obtained through the Refinement of Madam Zhang’s personal bracelet.

By comparison, the Mind Enchantment Skill and the Heart-Eroding Curse seemed rather plain.

But Chu Fan knew well the miraculous properties of the Map of Mountains and Rivers...

Even the Running Technique, which he had first awakened just to survive, had granted him a Trait like "Wave Riding and Wind Chasing" after a Limit Break—a skill comparable to a top-tier Qinggong.

And after several Limit Breaks, even his Literacy skill had increased his Comprehension countless times over.

He certainly wasn’t going to underestimate these two seemingly "unrefined" Evil Techniques.

He had personally experienced the power of Madam Zhang’s Mind Enchantment Skill.

If Lu Tao hadn’t warned him beforehand, he likely would have fallen prey to it.

The skill wasn’t a simple Charm. It could stir the deepest desires in a person’s heart—lust, greed, wrath, obsession—and exploit them all, making it nearly impossible to defend against.

Madam Zhang hadn’t even mastered the Mind Enchantment Skill, yet she had easily used it to Charm County Captain Cui Baiyu and control him into letting her and her companions out of Cyan Yang Ancient City.

’With the Map of Mountains and Rivers’ panel, mastering this Mind Enchantment Skill might bring some unexpected benefits.

’And if I break its limit after that, I’ll surely obtain an even more terrifying mind-enchanting Trait!

’The Heart-Eroding Curse is a bit less impressive. Its effect is to control or threaten people, which isn’t much different from using poison.’