"You all wait here for now, I'll go out and give it a try."
Mu Jinyu didn't let Wen Rou and the others follow him, and after reminding them, he headed towards the exit with the Dragon-Phoenix Resentful Fiend and the Bi Fang Cauldron.
As for the little Phoenix, it was still quite useful in specific situations, but in an absolute power confrontation, its Phoenix True Fire was likely no more than a tickle for Ji Ran.
So it was better left in Wen Rou's hands, to help her suppress the curse and ominousness in the Cursed Soul Forest.
With the Bi Fang Cauldron in his left hand and a small jade vial in his right, Mu Jinyu walked at a steady pace and soon reached the exit of the Cursed Soul Forest.
From afar, he saw an elderly man with a gaunt face, sitting cross-legged a hundred meters outside the Cursed Soul Forest.
"That old bastard, he really hasn't left."
Mu Jinyu cursed under his breath upon seeing this.
"Hmm?"
At this moment, Ji Ran seemed to sense something, his cloudy eyes suddenly bursting with brilliant light, like two sharp swords being drawn, or lightning ripping through the night sky.
When he saw Mu Jinyu standing on the perimeter of the Cursed Soul Forest, he paused briefly, and his gaze changed, as if flames of anger were about to erupt from his eyes.
"Little bastard, your life is pretty tenacious, huh? You've been in the Cursed Soul Forest for five whole days and yet you're not dead!"
Ji Ran's eyes were sinister and cold as he stared at Mu Jinyu, and with a grim smile said, "But you didn't expect that I'd still be waiting outside, right? Let's see how you manage to come out!"
Then, Ji Ran's tone suddenly turned frivolous and mocking, "Hey, where are those useless companions of yours? Why don't I see them anymore?"
"Could it be..." he said, grimly grinning, "they all died inside? Looks like their friends and family should have met an unfortunate end outside, and your friends and family are likely in a worrisome situation now."
The reason he talked so much to Mu Jinyu was firstly to provoke Mu Jinyu into coming out of the Cursed Soul Forest to face death.
Secondly, he had thought for a long time, wondering if Mu Jinyu dared to rush into the Cursed Soul Forest without knowing its terrifying curse.
Therefore, he intentionally hinted that their friends and family might meet an unfortunate end, making Mu Jinyu aware of the consequence of continuing to hide inside.
Even if Mu Jinyu ultimately didn't dare to come out and face him, he wanted to ensure he suffered mental anguish and torment inside the Cursed Soul Forest!
"Hmph, sorry to disappoint you, but they are all alive and well inside, and we've even found quite a few Rank Four Spiritual Medicines, all thanks to you, old bastard!"
Upon hearing Ji Ran's probing words, Mu Jinyu sneered, flipping his hand to take out several top-grade spiritual medicines he had obtained from Lustrous Immortal Realm from his storage bag!
These spiritual medicines each had thousands or nearly ten thousand years of age. Though they couldn't bring the dead back to life, they were capable of prolonging life and extending longevity for a century.
Particularly some of these spiritual medicines, their purpose wasn't in healing or cultivation enhancement but specifically in life extension.
If one were to consume such a spiritual medicine, it could extend a person's lifespan by two hundred years!
For those nearing the end of their life, their allure was simply greater than that of a Top Heavenly Rank Grade Technique or a Heaven-reaching Spiritual Treasure!
Ji Ran, having failed in tribulation transcendence, forcibly merged paths to survive, had little lifespan left. When he saw those spiritual medicines in Mu Jinyu's hand glistening with a lustrous sheen and exuding ethereal immortal qi, his cloudy old eyes immediately turned red.
"This... Fortune Longevity Fruit, Life-Extending Scarlet Orchid, Eternal Life Bamboo..."
Ji Ran stared fixedly at the spiritual medicines in Mu Jinyu's hand, continuously muttering the names of those spiritual medicines.
These top-grade spiritual medicines, originally after maturity, when consumed, could extend a person's life by about a hundred years; with their long age now, they could further extend life between one hundred and fifty to two hundred years.
And the effect of these life-extending spiritual medicines was best with the first one consumed, the second less so, the third nearly ineffective...
If he could lay his hands on all of the life-extending spiritual medicines Mu Jinyu held, he might not be able to extend his life by a thousand years, but around five hundred years should be achievable!
How could Ji Ran not be envious! Not go wild?!
"You little bastard, you really are fortunate! Surviving the Cursed Soul Forest is one thing, but you even managed to gather so many spiritual medicines!"
Ji Ran's gaze reluctantly pulled away from those spiritual medicines, fixating on Mu Jinyu with resentment.
With his eyesight, he could tell these spiritual medicines weren't picked long ago and stored in Mu Jinyu's storage bag but were harvested about a day ago!
So he believed this was indeed what Mu Jinyu picked from the Cursed Soul Forest.
After a moment's thought, Ji Ran suddenly said, "How about this, if you hand over those spiritual medicines to me, I won't hold you accountable for my brother's death at your hands, how about it?"
"Ha!" Hearing Ji Ran's words, Mu Jinyu couldn't help but want to laugh at the thick-skinned old man.
A moment ago he called him a little bastard, and now seeing several life-extending spiritual medicines in his hand, he shamelessly referred to him as 'young friend', willing to overlook Ji Bufan's death!
This old man indeed has always been self-serving.
However, Mu Jinyu didn't believe a word of the old man's, fearing if he really gave him the spiritual medicines, he would turn on him the first chance he got and continue his assassination.
"Why are you laughing?"
Ji Ran heard Mu Jinyu's mocking sneer, somewhat ashamed and resentful, but no color change was visible on his dark old face.
"If it weren't for me, could you have entered the Cursed Soul Forest to gather these top-grade spiritual medicines? So it's only natural that I should get a share, hand them over to resolve our conflict; won't you agree?"
Ji Ran spoke in a very earnest and sincere manner.
Mu Jinyu heard his words, chuckled coldly, and said, "I agree with your mother's head!"
"If you want these spiritual medicines, come get them yourself!"
With that, Mu Jinyu turned and dashed into the Cursed Soul Forest without hesitation!
Indeed, Ji Ran wanted Mu Jinyu to come out voluntarily to face death, so Mu Jinyu naturally also wanted Ji Ran to step into the Cursed Soul Forest to meet his end!
Under normal circumstances, Mu Jinyu knew that no matter how he taunted Ji Ran, he probably wouldn't follow in.
But now, firstly, he showed he had been safe all along in the Cursed Soul Forest, and secondly, he had several life-extending spiritual medicines!
That gave a great possibility that Ji Ran would follow inside.
Indeed.
When Ji Ran saw Mu Jinyu turn again and dash towards the Cursed Soul Forest, his expression changed dramatically, and after hesitating a bit.
He thought, if even someone of Mu Jinyu's cultivation could survive so long in the Cursed Soul Forest, and although it had a dire reputation, a few people historically had made it out safely.
Then he thought, not venturing deep into the Cursed Soul Forest to seek the old medicines but just staying in the peripheral area, killing Mu Jinyu and seizing the spiritual medicines in his hand, then leaving immediately should be safe!
After reassuring himself a few times, seeing Mu Jinyu's figure about to disappear from sight.
Ji Ran gritted his teeth and followed him into the Cursed Soul Forest.