Chapter 179: Fate in the Land Temple

Chapter 179: Talking About Fate in the Earth Temple

The man’s face was pale, without a trace of blood, but An Jing recognized him.

King Xu!

It was precisely the Grandmaster An Jing had released from the stone cave in White Horse Mountain.

At this moment, all the corpse Qi on him had been restrained. If An Jing hadn't recognized the King Xu in front of him, he truly wouldn't have noticed that this person, who was eating raw meat and drinking blood, was actually a Grandmaster.

“Hello… long time no see.”

King Xu, with his mouth covered in blood, looked at An Jing, who was standing on the Black Flood Dragon.

This scene was somewhat eerie.

“What are you doing?”

An Jing looked at the wild deer in King Xu’s hand and asked in surprise.

King Xu grinned and said, “I was hungry, so I came out to find something to eat.”

“Whoosh whoosh!”

An Jing’s body leaped, then landed in front of King Xu. “Do you usually eat these wild game raw?”

King Xu handed the wild deer in his hand to An Jing and said enthusiastically, “These things taste very good. Do you want to try some?”

“No need.”

An Jing shook his head. “I prefer to eat cooked food.”

“Cooked?”

A hint of confusion appeared in King Xu’s eyes.

“Haven’t you eaten cooked food before?”

“No.”

“Then haven’t you used silver before?”

“Is it the thing you gave me last time?”

Saying that, King Xu pulled out the silver An Jing had given him from his怀中.

He had always carefully preserved this item. Even after changing many clothes, he hadn't been willing to discard it.

An Jing was stunned for a moment, then noticed the clothes on King Xu’s body and asked, “Where did you get this outfit?”

Wasn’t this cloak the uniform of the Black Robe Guard?

Could it be that the deceased Great Tiangang was killed by King Xu?

King Xu shook his clothes and said, “Are you talking about what I’m wearing now? I borrowed it from someone else.”

An Jing blinked and said, “Is this ‘borrowing’ to be returned or not?”

“They are like this wild deer.”

King Xu looked at the deer in his hand and said, “It probably doesn’t need to be returned.”

An Jing: “…”

It seemed the recent commotion on Xu Wang Mountain was caused by King Xu.

An Jing pointed at the venison in King Xu’s hand and said, “What’s so good about eating raw meat? I’ll make some cooked food for you.”

“Alright.”

King Xu scratched his head, then handed over the venison in his hand.

An Jing found tree branches, set up the wild deer, and skillfully began to build a fire and roast it.

Before long, the rich aroma of meat spread out.

King Xu twitched his nose and said, “This smells so good.”

“Cooked food is definitely much tastier than raw food.”

An Jing sprinkled some salt and said, “By the way, how did you get to Xu Wang Mountain?”

King Xu replied, “I followed the map you gave me, rushing all the way. When I was thirsty, I drank from the mountain streams, and if I was hungry, I ate these wild game.”

“It didn’t take long for me to arrive at Xu Wang Mountain.”

“So, did you find what you were looking for?”

“I found some clues.”

King Xu’s expression suddenly became silent. “I feel very familiar with this place, as if I lived here for a very, very long time before I died. And a voice always pops up in my mind, telling me not to leave here.”

An Jing couldn’t help but shake his head after hearing this.

This King Xu was truly too mysterious, so mysterious that he didn’t even know his own origin.

King Xu thought of something and smiled, “You can come and see my residence. That’s the place I’ve been looking for.”

“Your residence?”

An Jing glanced at the surrounding environment. How could this desolate mountain wilderness be a place where people could live?

King Xu seemed a bit impatient. “Let’s leave this venison here for now. I’ll take you to see it first. If you want to rest tonight, you can stay overnight at my home.”

“Alright.”

An Jing turned around and said to the Black Flood Dragon, “You stay here and watch. I’ll be back in a moment.”

Saying that, An Jing turned and walked with King Xu towards the side of the mountain.

After a while, the two arrived in a hidden jungle. The forest was extremely gloomy, with a hint of eeriness.

An Jing keenly noticed a vibrant green venomous snake flicking its tongue on a branch.

Not only that, but there were also many other poisonous insects. If an ordinary person saw this place, they would retreat three steps, not daring to venture deep into it.

King Xu pointed to the eerie jungle ahead and said, “It’s in there, let’s go in.”

Saying that, he walked in first. As soon as his footsteps entered, a heavy corpse Qi spread out, and a large number of poisonous insects and fierce beasts around seemed to be instantly frightened and scattered.

An Jing followed behind King Xu, slowly walking into the distance.

Passing through the gloomy dense forest, a huge mountain appeared ahead. In the dark mountain, a dark, hidden cave entrance appeared before An Jing’s eyes.

King Xu pointed to the cave ahead and said with a smile, “This is it.”

Before An Jing even walked in, he felt the air become a bit heavier and humid. There was also a strange smell at the entrance of the cave.

When he walked in, he found that the inside of the cave was extremely dark, and the facilities were also very simple, with only a huge stone, on which some clothes, bedding, and the like were placed.

The only decent thing inside the cave was a wooden table, but nothing was placed on the table, making it seem a bit desolate.

At this moment, the strong corpse Qi was coming from the depths of the cave.

Looking closely, the depths of the cave were bottomless, like a bottomless pit.

“What’s in here?”

An Jing pointed to the depths of the cave, his expression becoming a bit grim.

The corpse Qi emanating from it was already so terrifying, one could imagine that the corpse Qi in the depths of the cave must be even more astonishing.

If ordinary experts stayed in such a place for a long time, they would be infected by the corpse Qi, and the only result would be death and the dissipation of their Dao.

King Xu also looked into the depths of the cave and whispered, “I don’t know either, but my subconscious mind tells me not to enter inside, and also not to allow others to enter inside.”

An Jing frowned slightly and remained silent.

The cave was hidden here, and it was not something ordinary experts could discover.

What secrets were hidden inside? But as it looked now, it must be related to King Xu.

Corpse Qi, a mysterious Grandmaster, what was the connection between them?

After about dozens of breaths, An Jing began to feel uncomfortable and said, “This place is not suitable for me to stay long. I think I’d better go out.”

The dense corpse Qi invaded, as if it wanted to devour him. At this moment, there was already residual corpse Qi in his meridians, which needed to be cleared out in time.

A hint of regret appeared on King Xu’s face, then he thought of something, his eyes lit up and he said, “That’s right, Jing An, I know there’s a ruined temple on the mountainside, where there are no living people.”

Pingle Ridge.

Green mountains, green trees, and leisurely white clouds.

The mountain ridge was lush and green, with dense branches and leaves. Specks of sunlight shone through the branches, casting mottled shadows.

Under the shadows, several people stood.

They were the many Black Ice Terrace experts who were being besieged by the Great Yan Jianghu. At this moment, everyone looked a bit disheveled. The original several First Rank experts had now suffered heavy losses, and even Leng Xiao and Lin Zisheng were injured.

“Hoo—”

Qi Shu gasped for air, his face pale.

“Chief Qi, are you alright?”

Leng Xiao stabilized his breathing, then asked.

Qi Shu clutched his chest and slowly said, “That white-browed old eunuch is truly formidable. Just half a move almost severely injured me. He truly lives up to his reputation as the guardian of the Great Yan Imperial Palace.”

“He’s been disturbed by my Seven Souls of Conferred God Smoke, so he probably won’t be able to catch up for a while.”

Just now, Qi Shu had exchanged a palm strike with the white-browed old eunuch several miles away. Although it was several miles away, he was still shaken, his blood and Qi surging. Fortunately, he had prepared early and brought out the Black Ice Terrace’s secret Seven Souls of Conferred God Smoke.

Even top-tier Grandmaster experts would be trapped by the Seven Souls of Conferred God Smoke, making it difficult to break free in a short time.

However, this Seven Souls of Conferred God Smoke was extremely precious, and Qi Shu only carried two bottles of it.

A hint of fear appeared in Lin Zisheng’s eyes, and he whispered, “I just saw that there were not only Black Robe Guard experts, but also Great Yan Jianghu experts.”

This was not consistent with previous expectations. They hadn’t expected to be pursued not only by the imperial family and Black Robe Guard experts, but also by Great Yan Jianghu experts.

This undoubtedly increased the difficulty of their journey south back to Zhao State by several times over.

Qi Shu looked at Princess Anle, whom Leng Xiao was carrying, and a cold smile appeared on his lips. “As long as she is in our hands, we will be invincible.”

Zhao Xuening’s clothes were torn at this moment, her hair messy, looking somewhat dejected.

“Just kill me.”

Zhao Xuening said coldly.

“Kill you? I went to all this trouble just to kill you?”

Qi Shu’s smile faded slightly, and he said indifferently, “I heard that you went to the Imperial Study last month. You should have seen the Great Yan Emperor. Is it true or false that the Great Yan Emperor was injured?”

Zhao Xuening bit her silver teeth tightly and said, “I don’t know.”

Now, the entire world was probably concerned about this matter. No one knew whether it was true or false that the Great Yan Emperor had been severely injured during his seclusion.

Not to mention that Zhao Xuening didn’t even know if her imperial father was ill; even if she did, she couldn’t say.

This matter was a national secret. Once revealed, it would certainly cause a chain reaction, and might even bring about the destruction of Great Yan, the downfall of the country, and the displacement of the Great Yan people.

“Don’t know?”

Qi Shu narrowed his eyes slightly.

“Rip—!”

“Do you know but don’t want to say, or do you truly not know?”

At this moment, Lin Zisheng stepped forward and cruelly tore Zhao Xuening’s clothes, revealing her pale, fragrant shoulders.

“You!?”

Zhao Xuening gritted her teeth tightly, her eyes fiercely meeting Lin Zisheng’s. “You are also a person of Great Yan, yet you serve foreign bandits. Has your conscience been eaten by dogs?”

Although she was extremely afraid in her heart, the anger in her heart gradually overshadowed that fear.

Lin Zisheng hadn’t expected the seemingly gentle Zhao Xuening to be so fiery, and he couldn’t help but laugh. “People who wander the Jianghu, and you talk to me about conscience? I know people with conscience; they’re all lying underground.”

As Lin Zisheng spoke, he intended to continue tearing Zhao Xuening’s clothes.

This person in front of him was a princess of a country, and also the Great Yan Emperor’s most beloved princess, who was also incredibly beautiful and evoked pity.

The Black Ice Terrace experts around all looked over, and some lecherous fiends even flashed with bright light.

“Wait.”

Qi Shu, who was on the side, stopped him. “I once told the Crown Prince of Later Jin that I would give him Princess Anle to play with. Since it’s a gift, she must naturally be a virgin. If we break her virginity now, it would be somewhat impolite.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Zisheng could only stop his hand movements.

Compared to his status, he naturally knew which was more important: a beautiful woman or his own life.

And Zhao Xuening, upon hearing Qi Shu’s words, was filled with shame and indignation, but she did not shout to provoke Qi Shu.

Leng Xiao, who had been silent, asked, “Chief Qi, now that we are being besieged by multiple experts, what should we do?”

Qi Shu stroked his chin, and an idea suddenly came to him, but he said indifferently, “Now that many experts are besieging us, and there are pursuers ambushing us from behind, in my opinion, we can only split up.”

Lin Zisheng frowned upon hearing this: “Split up?”

Compared to splitting up, he preferred to stay by Qi Shu’s side, at least it was very safe.

Qi Shu pondered for a moment and said, “Lin Zisheng, you take all the experts from the Black Ice Terrace and head south first to preserve its strength. My Senior Brother will meet you later, and then you will be completely safe. I will stay behind to cover your retreat and temporarily hold them off.”

Lin Zisheng was overjoyed, but on his face, he showed a difficult expression and said indignantly, “How can I let you, Sir, cover the retreat? This subordinate is willing to share your burden.”

Qi Shu waved his hand and said, “Forget it. Whether it’s Tang Taiyuan of the Black Robe Guard or Meng Zhaodou of the Heavenly Net, you are not their match. Only I can stop the two of them.”

“This…”

Lin Zisheng sighed, his expression utterly theatrical.

At this moment, Leng Xiao grabbed Zhao Xuening with one hand and said solemnly, “This subordinate is willing to follow you, Sir, to cover the retreat.”

“Very well. I hope you don’t disappoint me.”

Qi Shu looked deeply at Leng Xiao, then his brow suddenly furrowed. “Someone’s coming. Get ready to leave.”

In the distance, figures intertwined, and in an instant, a Black-Clothed Old Man appeared on a branch.

“Qi Shu, you can’t escape.”

The old man looked coldly at the people below. “Hand over Princess Anle, and I might consider sparing your life.”

“Meng Zhaodou, do you think you are Bai Mei?”

Qi Shu laughed loudly, then waved his hand, signaling everyone to leave quickly.

“Let’s go!”

Lin Zisheng didn't hesitate at all and immediately led many Black Ice Terrace experts to rush into the distance.

Leng Xiao looked at Lin Zisheng’s retreating figure, also quickly following with Zhao Xuening in his hand.

“Put down Princess Anle!”

Meng Zhaodou shouted in a low voice, extending his palm forward.

True Qi surged forward, forming a giant palm print.

“Meng Zhaodou, your opponent is here.”

Qi Shu punched out.

“Boom!”

The force vibrated, and the fist energy surged like an overwhelming tide, completely scattering Meng Zhaodou’s True Qi.

Meng Zhaodou was a One Qi Grandmaster, stronger than Puhui Bodhisattva, but similar to Old Man Qingfeng. Naturally, he was no match for the Two-Qi Grandmaster Qi Shu, and this punch sent his Qi and blood churning.

“Today, I will first kill a Great Yan Grandmaster to commemorate the countless Zhao State soldiers who died beneath Nanshan.”

Qi Shu sneered and punched out again.

He Cultivated the Nine Stars Fist, an incomparably domineering fist technique that could break waves and cleave seas. Moreover, the fist energy was continuous and contained immense hidden power.

Most importantly, each punch was stronger and more domineering than the last.

“Thump!”

As this punch struck, the air itself erupted with a piercing, vibrating sound.

Meng Zhaodou’s True Qi surged out, and he met it with a palm.

“Bang!”

The moment fist and palm collided, Meng Zhaodou’s face paled, and the trees under his feet exploded, turning into countless wood chips flying into the air.

Qi Shu was quick-witted, his body flashed, intending to kill Meng Zhaodou directly.

“Chh!”

A long, narrow blade light stretched from afar.

The blade light was fast!

It was as if it came from the depths of Hell, aiming directly for Qi Shu’s throat. Even Qi Shu felt a chill in his heart and retreated rapidly.

Meng Zhaodou got a chance to breathe, then landed on the ground, adjusting the Qi within his body.

Qi Shu, however, had deep eyes, looking into the distance.

In the distance, an Old Man Qingfeng slowly walked over, a long saber in his hand, gleaming with cold light, shining brightly.

“Tang Taiyuan, you arrived quite quickly.”

Qi Shu’s face was relaxed, but his heart grew tense.

The person who came was the Great Tiangang of the Black Robe Guard, Tang Taiyuan.

The Black Robe Guard was a saber hung by the Great Yan Emperor in the Great Yan Jianghu, and the Great Tiangang of the Black Robe Guard, Tang Taiyuan, was the blade of this saber.

His Cultivation was profound and unfathomable, and the number of times he had made a move could be counted on one’s fingers, but without exception, they were all great victories.

Tang Taiyuan looked at Qi Shu in front of him and said indifferently, “I’ve seen people send letters from a thousand li away, but this is the first time I’ve seen someone send a head from a thousand li away.”

“Hahahahaha.”

Qi Shu heard this and laughed instead of getting angry. “My head is right here. Whether you can take it depends on your ability.”

“In this world, how many people can survive under my blade?”

Tang Taiyuan swung the long saber in his hand, his tone calm and composed, yet carrying an air of dominance.

Even in front of Qi Shu, Qi Wushuang’s most favored Disciple, and Qi Shu, who was second only to Xiao Qianqiu in Xiao Qianqiu’s generation, his expression remained largely unchanged.

Qi Shu, however, felt a chill in his heart, and his hair stood on end.

“Chh!”

The next moment, Tang Taiyuan drew the long saber in his hand.

The blade light was as swift as a startled swan, reaching Qi Shu in a few breaths.

“So fast!”

Qi Shu was horrified in his heart, but his fist energy was already stacked, so he was not afraid of Tang Taiyuan at all. Immediately, the Qi in his body vibrated, and he punched out.

“Bang!”

A huge collision erupted in the air, like two mountains crashing into each other. Instantly, boundless True Qi raged outwards, sweeping up a sky full of sand and dust.

Qi Shu felt as if his palm had collided with a mountain. In an instant, he felt his arm go numb, and his body staggered, almost falling.

In contrast, Tang Taiyuan’s expression was calm, and even the sand he stood on hadn’t sunken in the slightest. This showed that Tang Taiyuan’s Cultivation was above Qi Shu’s.

Qi Shu felt a tightening in his heart when he saw how fierce Tang Taiyuan was.

At this moment, Meng Zhaodou leaped up, preparing to catch up with Leng Xiao and Lin Zisheng.

“Meng Zhaodou, what are you in such a hurry for?”

Qi Shu shouted coldly, his hands moving like lightning, forcing Meng Zhaodou back with one strike, then beginning to condense his Qi energy.

Golden light continuously gathered in the sky, then transformed into a massive fist energy that surged forward.

Rumble!

Wherever the fist energy passed, the air seemed to tremble.

Tang Taiyuan held the saber with one hand, its blade shimmering with a red glow, as if it possessed an endless attraction, drawing in all the surrounding True Qi.

The originally white blade instantly turned blood-red, shining brightly and dazzlingly.

The next moment, he slightly raised the long saber in his hand, placed his left hand on his shoulder, and pushed it rapidly towards his palm. All the True Qi in his body seemed to pour into his right arm, and then into the long saber.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

As the surging True Qi flowed into the long saber, the saber immediately emitted waves of vibrating sounds. These sounds seemed to transform into tangible waves, radiating into the distance.

A grand saber momentum suddenly rose.

From the long saber, a vast and sharp Aura spread overwhelmingly, making the entire world incredibly cold. The air seemed to condense into ice filaments, and even the freely flowing True Qi became somewhat sluggish.

Hiss! Hiss!

Tang Taiyuan’s eyes were also incredibly cold, looking even more despair-inducing than the long saber.

A huge saber light suddenly descended from the sky, its target precisely Qi Shu below.

Qi Shu watched the enormous sword light in the sky descend, seemingly capable of cleaving the heavens and earth apart.

This scene was truly too shocking.

Qi Shu’s eyes turned cold, and the True Qi in his body surged wildly.

The Aura behind him also grew stronger and stronger, magnificent and vast, with strong winds rising around him, even lifting some bushes.

The momentum was terrifying, and the violent True Qi fluctuations also caused the heavens and earth to shake.

“Boom!”

The fist energy was incomparably domineering, descending with an irresistible might.

Bang! Bang!

Explosions rang out continuously. A purple light appeared around Tang Taiyuan, blocking the Qi wave outside.

Between heaven and earth, explosions were constant, yet Tang Taiyuan stood quietly within the purple light, unmoving, no matter how destructive the attacks were.

All sounds between heaven and earth quieted down at this moment.

Boom boom boom boom!

In the forest, the sound of Qi energy vibrations echoed through the sky, ceaseless.

After an unknown amount of time, the Qi wave gradually disappeared.

Tang Taiyuan’s brow suddenly furrowed. Under the rising dust, there was no one to be seen; Qi Shu’s figure was nowhere to be found.

“Did he run?”

Meng Zhaodou’s expression became very ugly.

“Chase!”

Tang Taiyuan leaped up, transforming into an arc of light. “I will use his head to sacrifice my saber.”

North of Pingle Ridge.

Leng Xiao carried Zhao Xuening, flying through the mountains, his figure as fast as a strong wind.

Zhao Xuening looked around, then looked up at the sun, and a shock went through her heart. This was not the path south at all, but the path north.

To the north was Yujing City, and the Black Ice Terrace people naturally wouldn’t go to Yujing City to die, so there was only one possibility.

Continue north to Later Jin!?

Thinking of this, Zhao Xuening’s heart turned cold.

“Let me go, I need to relieve myself.” Zhao Xuening cried out in alarm.

“Solve it right here,” Leng Xiao said indifferently.

Zhao Xuening heard Leng Xiao’s words and immediately felt both shame and anger.

It was as if, in Leng Xiao’s eyes, she was neither a Princess of a nation nor a peerless beauty, but rather more like an animal.

“Swish swish!” “Swish swish!”

At this moment, a gust of wind swept by.

Then a figure appeared in front.

“Cough cough. Cough cough.”

It was precisely Qi Shu. At this moment, his face was somewhat pale, and his clothes were a bit torn, obviously having suffered some internal injuries during his battle with Tang Taiyuan.

Leng Xiao landed in front of Qi Shu and whispered, “Sir Qi, are you alright?”

“I’m fine.”

Qi Shu waved his hand, a smile playing on his lips: “You do have some brains.”

“You flatter me, Sir Qi.”

Leng Xiao said indifferently.

As the saying goes, if things are abnormal, there must be a demon; if a person is abnormal, there must be a knife; if words are insincere, there must be a ghost.

How could a person like Qi Shu possibly cover the retreat for Lin Zisheng and the other Black Ice Terrace experts? Does Qi Shu truly believe that their lives are worth more than his own?

If it were a hero full of righteousness and loyalty, it might be possible for them to do so for the sake of their reputation. But a cold-blooded person like Qi Shu would never do something so contrary to common sense.

That Lin Zisheng is now being sold out and is still helping Qi Shu count the money.

Qi Shu took a deep breath and said, “Now Tang Taiyuan and Meng Zhaodou and others have been lured south. We will do the opposite and enter Later Jin. Once we reach Later Jin, we will be completely safe.”

Leng Xiao pondered for a moment and said, “Sir Qi’s calculations are brilliant. As long as Lin Zisheng is delayed for half a day, plus it will take them another day to realize what happened, by the time they catch up, we will already be in the border region of Yan State. By then, trying to stop us will be as difficult as ascending to the heavens.”

Zhao Xuening’s face turned ashen upon hearing this.

If it was truly as Leng Xiao said, then she would fall into the hands of the Later Jin barbarians.

“Don’t waste time, let’s go quickly,” Qi Shu said after taking a Medicinal Pill and putting it in his mouth.

“Yes.”

Leng Xiao nodded.

At the end of the Dongluo Desert.

Yellow sand stretched boundlessly, hot waves assailed, as if burning with raging flames.

Dongluo Pass was the entrance to the Dongluo Desert, and this place was almost the exit of the Dongluo Desert.

To the north were the barbarians who ate raw meat and drank blood, lacking resources, while to the west was the Western Pure Land.

Because of the natural barrier of the desert, it was undoubtedly a fool’s dream for these barbarians to enter Dongluo Pass, so there had been little communication since ancient times.

In the desert, a figure slowly walked through the hot waves.

His steps seemed slow, but in the blink of an eye, he covered several zhang.

“Thump!”

At this moment, yellow sand roared in front, forming a yellow hurricane, looking like a soaring Dragon from a distance.

Looking closely, a figure was nestled in the center.

Seemingly sensing someone’s arrival, the person sitting cross-legged in the yellow sand opened his eyes.

This person Cultivating bitterly in the desert was none other than the former Earth Sect Leader, Jiang Renyi.

Jiang Renyi was somewhat surprised to see the newcomer. “Elder Yuan, why are you here?”

Yuan Feng smiled, “Not bad. From what I see, your Qi is at Perfection, and becoming a Grandmaster is just around the corner.”

“Elder Yuan, you jest.”

Jiang Renyi shook his head and said, “How difficult is the Grandmaster Realm? I am still a bit short. Taking this final step is the hardest.”

For top Geniuses, Half-Step Grandmaster to Grandmaster is also a threshold. Even Li Fuzhou stayed in this Realm for several years and has yet to become a Grandmaster.

Yuan Feng laughed loudly and said, “No need to rush. With your current age and Aptitude, Grandmaster is just the beginning.”

“Elder Yuan, you flatter me.”

Jiang Renyi smiled, then asked, “Elder Yuan, did you come to Dongluo Desert today for something important?”

Yuan Feng was an Elder of the Demon Sealing Platform. Jiang Renyi, during his time as Earth Sect Leader, had seen him only a handful of times. For him to come to Dongluo Desert to find him now, it certainly wasn't that simple.

“Now is the time of life and death for the Demonic Cult.”

Yuan Feng’s expression became solemn as he said, “You must know about Chief Zhao entering the Demon Sealing Well, right?”

“I know a little.”

Jiang Renyi nodded. Although he didn’t pay much attention to outside matters anymore, how could he not know about such a big event concerning the Demonic Cult?

Hearing this news, his heart was filled with regret. Firstly, he regretted Zhao Qingmei’s unparalleled Aptitude, and secondly, he regretted the Nine Nether Purgatory Demonic Codex.

Yuan Feng said in a deep voice, “Now the Demonic Cult is managed by Yu Qiu Rong. How can the Demonic Cult’s great prestige and thousands of years of Legacy be led by someone in the Heavenly Flower Realm? She is not worthy of wielding such power.”

Jiang Renyi frowned tightly and also nodded.

A cultivation at the Heavenly Flower Realm was indeed not high.

Seeing Jiang Renyi nod, Yuan Feng directly stated his purpose: “Now that Zhao Qingmei is trapped in the Demon Sealing Well with no hope of escape, I believe the Demonic Cult cannot be without a leader for a single day.”

Jiang Renyi’s heart stirred instantly: “Oh? Does Elder Yuan mean to invite me to be the Cult Leader?”

To say he wasn't tempted by the position of Demonic Cult Leader was impossible.

Otherwise, after Zhao Qingmei became the Cult Leader, he wouldn’t have made so many small moves.

However, Zhao Qingmei’s entry into the Grandmaster Realm had poured a bucket of cold water on Jiang Renyi, instantly calming his heart. With his strength, he truly wasn’t qualified to compete with Zhao Qingmei for the position of Cult Leader.

But now it was different. Zhao Qingmei was trapped in the Demon Sealing Well, and the Demonic Cult had no Cult Leader.

Yuan Feng said indifferently, “With the assistance of the Demon Sealing Platform, as long as you want to become the Cult Leader, it’s a done deal. Duanmu Xinghua, Yi Daoyun, Lin Tianhai, their loyalty is to the Demonic Cult, not Zhao Qingmei. Now that Zhao Qingmei is trapped in the Demon Sealing Well, they won’t explicitly support you as Cult Leader, but they definitely won’t obstruct you.”

Jiang Renyi thought for a moment and said, “Zhao Qingmei has two confidantes: one is Yu Qiu Rong, and the other is Qin Bin, Chief of the Black Tortoise Seat. These two are not easy to deal with, especially Qin Bin, who commands the most elite Black Armored Iron Guard.”

Yuan Feng said, “Don’t worry, what trouble can a person with a Third Rank cultivation cause?”

Jiang Renyi shook his head and said, “No, I’m talking about those seventy thousand elite soldiers. They are the Demonic Cult’s only elite troops. If they were gone, the Later Jin could instantly wipe out Dongluo Pass.”

These seventy thousand elites were the Demonic Cult’s only active force and one of its capitals for contending for the world.

Yuan Feng laughed beside him, “Don’t worry, I have already reached a cooperation agreement with the Later Jin. Now the Demonic Cult and Later Jin are allies in eternal unity, so there’s absolutely no need to worry about the Later Jin.”

Jiang Renyi looked at Yuan Feng, his brows furrowed even deeper.

The Demonic Cult cooperating with the Later Jin?

Isn't that like playing with fire?

One must know that the Later Jin had long harbored ambitions to swallow Dongluo Pass, merely deterred by the Demonic Cult’s experts.

Jiang Renyi pondered for a long while, then said, “Alright, I’ll go back to Dongluo Tower with Elder Yuan first.”

Xu Wang Mountain, halfway up the mountain.

The dense forest layers blocked out the sunlight, making it feel somewhat gloomy and cold.

“Whoosh!”

Qi Shu landed, taking a deep breath, “Half a day and a night have passed, and we haven’t encountered any obstacles. It seems the experts of the Great Yan Jianghu have all gone south.”

Leng Xiao nodded, sighing, “Lord Qi, this move of yours is truly brilliant.”

It must be said that Qi Shu’s move was indeed somewhat vicious.

Meng Zhaodou and Tang Taiyuan clearly saw the Black Ice Terrace personnel heading south, but secretly, Leng Xiao took Princess Anle north. By the time they reacted, the back-and-forth time was enough for the two to escape the trap.

North of Xu Wang Mountain, that was the border region of Great Yan.

Once in the Great Yan border region, Great Yan’s control would weaken significantly, and it would be extremely difficult to track their whereabouts then.

Zhao Xuening’s limbs were weak, her face as pale as paper, as if she could faint at any moment.

Qi Shu nodded slightly, then looked at a dilapidated temple in the distance and said, “There’s a ruined temple ahead, without any Qi. Let’s go in and rest for a bit.”

Since his battle with Tang Taiyuan, Qi Shu had not rested. Now that he had escaped the encirclement, he naturally needed a good rest to recover some physical strength.

With that, the two walked into the ruined temple.

The moment he entered the ruined temple, Qi Shu’s brows suddenly furrowed tightly.

This was a small earth god temple. The stone statue inside was dilapidated and had not been repaired for many years, making it look very messy.

Not far from the stone statue, a black-robed man was sitting cross-legged. In front of him was a bonfire, as if he was preparing to roast something.

This person was none other than An Jing.

At this moment, seeing Qi Shu, he was also stunned. Wasn't it said that Qi Shu appeared in Pingle Ridge and was preparing to go south? How could he suddenly appear on Xu Wang Mountain?

“Save me.”

Zhao Xuening looked at the black-robed figure in a daze, suddenly remembering their past encounter.

This black-robed man knew Puhui Bodhisattva, so he must also be an expert.

At this moment, Zhao Xuening, with only a faint consciousness, subconsciously regarded An Jing as her last straw of hope.

“Who are you?”

Leng Xiao raised an eyebrow, looking coldly at An Jing in front of him.

An Jing looked at the nervous Leng Xiao and couldn’t help but smile: “Just a passerby, do you believe me?”

“No.”

Leng Xiao said coldly.

Zhao Xuening clearly recognized this person, and from beginning to end, he hadn’t felt any Qi. The person in front of him was very likely someone with ulterior motives.

“We meet again.”

Qi Shu, however, remembered and couldn’t help but say, “I didn’t expect to meet here again. It seems we are truly fated.”

“Can I not have this kind of fate?” An Jing sighed, his palm resting on the hilt of the Town Evil Sword.

Zhao Xuening’s eyes dimmed instantly upon hearing An Jing say this.

This black-robed man seemed unwilling to act, otherwise, he would have acted when Puhui Bodhisattva was defeated that day.

“If you can’t save me, then kill me.”

Thinking of this, Zhao Xuening looked at An Jing, her eyes showing a hint of death wish. She would rather die than endure such humiliation.

An Jing looked at those Phoenix eyes. People who are not afraid of death are the most terrifying in this world.

“Fate is not something you can have or not have just by saying so.”

Qi Shu shook his head, and after speaking, he glanced at Leng Xiao beside him.

Leng Xiao immediately understood. He took a step forward, and in the next moment, he had already appeared in front of An Jing.

“Bang!”

A palm strike was launched, powerful and heavy, the vigorous force making the air explode with a roaring sound.

An Jing’s body turned, easily avoiding the palm strike.

“Hmm?!”

Leng Xiao’s brows furrowed tightly.

He was now a Half-Step Grandmaster, and although this Half-Step Grandmaster was achieved by Medicinal Pill, making him not as strong as an ordinary Half-Step Grandmaster, he was still an expert at the Half-Step Grandmaster Realm.

Leng Xiao struck again, but then he found that no matter how fast or fierce his palm wind was, the black-robed man could easily avoid it, as if toying with him.

Leng Xiao, known as ‘Xiao Xiang Shui Yun,’ was also an old-generation expert in the Great Yan Jianghu, once holding a prominent position. Later, his cultivation became difficult to advance, so he retired from the Jianghu. Unable to resist the temptation of the Black Ice Terrace, he joined it.

After consuming the Black Ice Terrace’s Medicinal Pill, his strength greatly increased, and he became a Half-Step Grandmaster expert in one leap.

“Indeed, somewhat interesting. Then take another palm strike from me.”

Leng Xiao roared, all the Internal Energy in his body surged and gathered onto his arm.

“Thud!”

A palm strike was launched, like a mountain roar and sea surge, with continuous Internal Energy surging, forming swirling Qi currents.

“Your head, I’ll take it then.”

An Jing lightly took a breath, his palm resting on the Town Evil Sword at his waist, then he fiercely drew it out.

Buzz buzz!

The Town Evil Sword emitted a sound that shook the Nine Heavens. The power of the Town Evil Sword, with its three sword bodies combined, increased once again.

The sword light was very fast!

Faster than a blink of an eye!

Leng Xiao only felt himself blink, and the sword light had already reached his neck.

Not good!

His heart was greatly alarmed, wanting to retreat rapidly to avoid this extremely cold sword light.

But it was too late. The sword was even faster than his thoughts.

“Puff!”

The sword light flashed, a fountain of blood gushed out, and then a large head flew into the air.

The head tumbled continuously, finally landing at Qi Shu’s feet, its ferocious eyes still looking at him, the look of terror in them not yet dissipated.

“Thump!”

Leng Xiao’s body fell heavily to the ground, blood still flowing continuously.

“Gulp!”

Zhao Xuening instantly regained her spirits, watching the scene before her and couldn't help but swallow her saliva.

During the chase, she had personally witnessed Leng Xiao charging into the Black Robe Guard as if entering an uninhabited land. He was a top expert whom even her uncle, Zuo Biwen, couldn’t take down.

But at this moment, he lost his life with a single sword strike.

“Town Evil Sword!?”

Qi Shu’s pupils suddenly constricted. At that moment, he directly threw Zhao Xuening out of his hands, “Are you that Ghost Swordsman?”

Zhao Xuening scrambled away, rolling and crawling. This was the only chance she had to move in days, apart from for necessities and eating.

“Perhaps no one told you, this fate also comes with a sword.”

An Jing’s arm was parallel to the ground, and the blood drops from the Town Evil Sword fell to the ground.

In the dilapidated temple, the stone statue was broken, and the wind howled.

The two looked at each other, like volcanoes about to erupt.

Qi Shu’s face was solemn. He was the first to speak, asking, “Is your surname Wu?”

“Does my surname matter much?” An Jing’s expression became somewhat indifferent.

This time in the Jianghu, many people had asked about his identity or name, but this was the first time someone had asked about his surname.

“It matters a lot.”

“How important?”

“Important enough to decide how you die.”