Translator: AnubisTL
The Heavenly River Sect's blockade was far more extensive than Li Qing had anticipated. For days, he hadn't even dared to fly, as that would be too conspicuous and easily detected.
Yet despite his utmost caution, Li Qing faced a fundamental problem: how was he to reach the Mu Kingdom?
Beyond Small Jade Ridge lay the southern reaches of Maple Country. Continuing south led to a vast, flat wasteland, which the Heavenly River Sect's disciples had sealed off completely. Passing through undetected seemed almost impossible.
Several times, Li Qing had encountered Heavenly River Sect patrol teams. Had it not been for his far superior spiritual sense, far beyond the Qi Refining Realm, and the Jade Ruyi that helped conceal his aura, he would have been discovered long ago.
Behind a small mound in the wasteland, Li Qing, covered in dust and grime, stared ahead with a grim expression.
"This wasteland is truly impassable. Heavenly River Sect disciples fly past every fifteen minutes. Don't these people ever tire?"
Li Qing clenched his fists, anger flaring in his eyes.
It wasn't that he couldn't fight. With his current strength, he was confident he could handle a squad of Heavenly River Sect Qi Refining Realm disciples on his own.
Even slaughtering all the disciples wouldn't be difficult. The problem was that they all carried signal flares. The moment they were attacked, they would immediately launch them, summoning other Heavenly River Sect disciples from the surrounding area.
If too many arrived, even Li Qing, with his overwhelming combat prowess that could sweep through the Qi Refining Realm, wouldn't be able to fight endlessly.
Moreover, if too many Qi Refining disciples died, the Foundation Establishment Elders would have to intervene!
The thought tightened Li Qing's frown.
He immediately spread out a map on the back of a small hill.
"Maple Country and Mu Kingdom don't border each other. This wilderness is practically the perfect hunting ground for Heavenly River Sect disciples."
Li Qing muttered to himself, then moved his finger across the map, finally settling his gaze on the eastern part of northern Maple Country.
Wangyuan City!
A familiar name. It was here that he had begun his martial arts journey, taking his first steps onto the Immortal Path.
"Wangyuan City is close to Liang Country to the east. Perhaps I can pass through Liang Country, which is under Shangqing Sect's control, and then head south into Mu Kingdom."
As Li Qing spoke, he realized this plan was actually quite good. Though it would require a long detour, it offered the greatest safety.
Now hunted by the Heavenly River Sect, only the Shangqing Sect and the Lingyun Sect in the Azure Ridge Region could offer him refuge. The latter was clearly his first choice.
"Once I reach Shangqing Sect territory, the pressure of fleeing will ease. If I can eventually join the Lingyun Sect, everything else will fall into place."
As he spoke, Li Qing put away the map and couldn't help but chuckle wryly. "Heh, who would have thought that after all this, I'd end up back at the Maple Country border."
Having made his decision, Li Qing wasted no time. He immediately set off, charging north.
Across the desolate plains south of Maple Country, a group of Heavenly River Sect disciples flew on swords. Several disciples surrounded a single figure, clearly deferring to him.
"Senior Brother Yang, I'm sure your trip back to the sect was quite fruitful!"
"Of course! Senior Brother Yang's uncle is a Foundation Establishment Elder in our sect and a master of divining heaven's will. This time, we're sure to track down that Demon Lord Li!"
"Then we're in luck! The sect has just raised the reward for this bounty mission to an Essence Fusion Fruit!"
"As long as we capture him alive, we'll be rewarded with an Essence Fusion Fruit. Then we can ask the Pill Hall Elder to help us refine it, and we might even get a Foundation Establishment Pill each!"
It was a pity Li Qing wasn't here to hear this. If he had, he might have been tempted to turn himself in just to get the Essence Fusion Fruit.
To be worth an Essence Fusion Fruit—it was something he'd never even dared to dream of before!
Senior Brother Yang chuckled lightly. "Calm down, everyone. My uncle did try to divine Demon Lord Li's fate, but it came up completely blank. That guy must have a secret treasure that conceals his destiny!"
Though he spoke with a casual smile, a hint of excitement flickered in his eyes.
Indeed, he had recognized Li Qing. The moment he saw the wanted poster, the face seemed familiar. After racking his brain for a long time, he finally dredged up a faint memory from the depths of his mind.
Years ago, he had attended the Liu Clan's Clan Festival. In the courtyard of a rogue cultivator's hired help, he had spotted a Demon beast with a trace of Black Fiend Tiger bloodline.
At the time, he had considered capturing the beast, but ultimately abandoned the idea. Its bloodline was too impure, and it had already been marked with a Blood Pact Seal.
'It's definitely him, no doubt about it. In just over a decade, this man has leaped from the Early Qi Refining Realm all the way to the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining!'
'And he's just a rogue cultivator. To advance so quickly, he must possess an extraordinary secret.'
'Perhaps it's that secret treasure that helps him conceal his heaven's will. If I can capture him alive... my Dao path could be secured for life!'
As he spoke, Surname Yang couldn't help but clench his fist tightly inside his sleeve.
He had reached the Late Qi Refining Realm long ago and had been stuck at the Great Perfection stage for years.
After the war ended a few years earlier, he had taken a substandard Foundation Establishment Pill, but his attempt to establish his Foundation had failed. He had fallen into a long period of despair and despondency as a result.
The worst thing that could happen had just happened: right after emerging from a period of deep depression, Surname Yang stumbled upon this unexpected turn of events!
As the man's mind raced with conflicting thoughts, the other disciples of the Heavenly River Sect anxiously asked, "How could a mere rogue cultivator possess the means to conceal heaven's will? What do we do now?"
"Indeed, Senior Brother Yang. Are we really going to have to search slowly? The chances of success seem so slim."
Hearing his junior brothers' questions, Senior Brother Yang chuckled confidently. "Don't worry. Now that I've left seclusion, I've already devised another plan."
"After killing our Heavenly River Sect's Enforcement Disciples, that Demon Lord certainly wouldn't have spared their storage pouches!"
"Hehe, I had my uncle divine the contents of the Enforcement Disciples' storage pouches, and we've made progress!"
"While the divination is still somewhat affected, making it impossible to pinpoint the exact location, we've determined a general direction without issue."
With that, Senior Brother Yang produced a small Magic Artifact resembling a bronze compass. The bronze needle spun rapidly, its movements erratic and unpredictable.
"This Celestial Compass can track the location of that storage pouch indefinitely. All we need to do is follow its guidance, and we're guaranteed to find that Demon Lord."
Senior Brother Yang channeled his spiritual energy into the compass. The spinning bronze needle finally settled, pointing north!
"Hmm, north? It seems that Demon Lord Li knows this wasteland is a trap and dares not venture here!"
"Let's go! We must catch up quickly before anyone else does!"
...
The Heavenly River Sect disciples immediately charged in the direction indicated by the Celestial Compass, like sharks sensing blood in the ocean—hungry and ferocious.
Capturing the Demon Lord alive meant obtaining an Essence Fusion Fruit!
Such temptation would stir the heart of any Qi Refining cultivator.
(End of the Chapter)
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