Wanling Fudi
Atop the highest peak.
Dressed in green, Zhang Fuxiang sat cross-legged behind a large boulder, his robes billowing in the mountain wind. His gaze was fixed on the distance as he respectfully addressed Qin Wang beside him. "Master, that bird is good at tracking but doesn't get close. It's difficult to shoot it down."
"No matter, let it follow. We'll catch them all at once," Qin Wang said, his eyes glinting with murderous intent.
Since they coveted his possessions, he had to eliminate them completely.
"Yes, Master," Zhang Fuxiang nodded.
It was late at night, nearing midnight.
[Daily Intelligence Refresh!]
[Today's Intelligence!]
1: Yesterday, you subdued the mutated Earth Dragon Beast King and obtained intelligence that it had visited a hidden place in Wanling Fudi, where there might be Thick Earth and Dark Water.
2: You obtained a nearly depleted Spirit Gathering Array Disk. It requires twelve materials, including Meteoric Iron, to be reforged to its peak effect. Click '●' for detailed refining methods.
3: You examined the stone table at Situ Yunfeng's retreat, learning that Situ Yunfei disguised as Sun Jieyun is currently at Baishi Lake, 100 miles southeast, sorting his spoils.
4: You removed the Spirit Gathering Array Disk from the Earth Dragon Beast King's cave and learned that Yan Wushuang, the Seventh Prince of Dayan Immortal Dynasty, deduced that the disk came from the Wanling Holy Land. He is searching for the one who took it.
5: You avoided the tracking of the Red Fire Cloud Bird and learned that Chu Ping, the Eighteenth Prince of Tianchu Immortal Dynasty, has his great-grandfather Chu Yunxiao's divine sense incarnation on him. The divine sense resides in a jade pendant on Chu Ping's chest and can be activated with mana.
6: Yesterday, you saw Chu Ping in the cave and learned that despite his exceptional talent, he is a eunuch and cannot perform sexually.
7: You saw Chu Ping's guard, Chu Zhang, in the cave and learned that he has a mysterious fragment obtained from a past opportunity.
8: You briefly stayed at Tianying Cliff and learned that your sister, Qin Xuemei, was also there and just missed you.
9: You saw disciples of the Wanhua Immortal Sect and learned that their ancestor obtained a great opportunity, which, once known, will attract covetous eyes from other sects and dynasties.
10: You subdued the mutated Earth Dragon Beast King and learned it was once a small earth dragon in Wanling Fudi's abandoned spiritual medicine garden, mutated by consuming millennium-old spiritual essence and ginseng, becoming a third-tier demon beast. The cave's earth dragons are its offspring.
"Wanling Fudi has Thick Earth and Dark Water?" Qin Wang's heart stirred with anticipation.
Since the Earth Dragon Beast King had been there, he could seek the treasure after dealing with Chu Ping.
"A divine sense incarnation of Chu Yunxiao on Chu Ping?" Qin Wang frowned deeply.
Chu Ping was pursuing him, and killing them would mean facing Tianchu Immortal Dynasty, one of the five great immortal sects of the southern region, renowned for their strength.
If he were to kill Chu Ping, he must leave no trace.
However, with Chu Yunxiao's divine sense present, it would be difficult.
"My sister is also in Wanling Fudi?" Qin Wang's eyes gleamed with excitement upon reading the eighth piece of intelligence.
He hadn't expected his sister to be here too!
What was her cultivation level now?
"Let's ask Wu Su first," Qin Wang decided, still unsettled about Chu Yunxiao's divine sense, and he probed into the Soul-Locking Jade.
"Qin Wang, is there something you can't handle?" Wu Su's graceful soul opened her eyes slowly.
"Yes," Qin Wang nodded. "The Eighteenth Prince of Tianchu Immortal Dynasty is tracking me. I want to eliminate him, but he has his great-grandfather's divine sense incarnation with him…"
Since entering Wanling Fudi, he had been too busy to communicate with Wu Su.
"A divine sense incarnation?" Wu Su mused. "Typically, a divine sense incarnation is left by a strong ancestor to protect their descendants, activated in danger to perform some feats… With your current strength, it is indeed difficult to deal with."
"However, I can use a forbidden technique to destroy the divine sense, but it will cost me fifty years of my soul power, after which I will dissipate."
"Fifty years of soul power…" Qin Wang was silent for a moment. "I'll avoid Chu Ping for now and deal with Situ Yunfei first to acquire the millennium-old Soul-Nurturing Wood."
"Oh? You're sure he's in Wanling Fudi?" Wu Su's eyes gleamed with hope.
"Yes," Qin Wang nodded.
The intelligence had just refreshed, indicating Situ Yunfei was only a hundred miles away. Capturing him first would be best for nurturing Wu Su's soul.
After all, Wu Su was an excellent source of techniques and a great 'teacher.' Her recovery would be a boon.
"Alright, let's find Situ Yunfei first."
"If you encounter any insurmountable problems, you can always consult me," Wu Su said with anticipation.
"Okay," Qin Wang nodded, exiting the Soul-Locking Jade space.
Wu Su watched his figure leave, her eyes filled with hope.
If the millennium-old Soul-Nurturing Wood was in Wanling Fudi, the chances of obtaining it were high.
"Zhang Fuxiang, we head southeast, to Baishi Lake, a hundred miles away!" Qin Wang ordered Zhang Fuxiang, who was meditating.
"Yes, Master!" Zhang Fuxiang packed up immediately and followed Qin Wang, speeding towards their destination under the night.
At dawn.
In the southeastern part of Wanling Fudi, a hundred miles away, lay Baishi Lake.
This was a vast expanse of white stones, with a twenty-mile wide lake embedded within, resembling amber amidst the white stone plain.
On a three-zhang-high rock near the lake, a young man of about twenty-one or twenty-two was sorting through a storage bag.
"Not a bad haul."
"It's quicker to rob cultivators," Situ Yunfei, disguised as Sun Jieyun, looked at the storage bags in satisfaction.
This was his tenth Qi Condensation cultivator kill in Wanling Fudi.
The rewards were substantial, including a chance at reaching Foundation Establishment.
"It's dawn. I'll meditate a bit before seeking more opportunities," Situ Yunfei's eyes gleamed with wisdom and experience as he closed them. Suddenly, he sensed danger and stood up abruptly, looking towards the northwest with a dark expression. "You have a death wish!"
Situ Yunfei sent a sharp white sword flying ten zhang away!
"Hm? This is…"
Suddenly, Situ Yunfei felt an overwhelming, sharp killing intent sweeping towards him, making his Golden Core soul tremble with fear.
"This senior, please stop. We have no quarrel…" Situ Yunfeng recoiled in horror, retracting his white sword as he retreated, pleading.
But it was too late.
The killing intent suppressed his soul, and a terrifying force struck his back, slamming him into the white stone mountain!
Crack!
In an instant, Situ Yunfei felt excruciating pain, his bones shattering, blood spurting from his mouth, staining his body red.
One leg was shattered, flying into the lake and causing a huge splash.
"A third-tier demon beast…!" Situ Yunfei saw a five-zhang-long blood-red python-like beast that had struck him!
With a stronger killing intent suppressing his soul, he panicked, dragging his broken leg as he tried to escape. But before he could, a somber-looking cultivator swung a sword at him, piercing his chest. Situ Yunfei's eyes widened in disbelief, falling to the ground with a desperate cry. "No…"
A fist-sized blue light flew from his body, clutching a storage bag, attempting to escape.
However, a young man about twenty appeared two zhang away, holding a black bowl in one hand and a yellow jade piece in the other. As the blue light tried to flee, the jade piece emitted a pressure, suppressing the soul.
Next moment, the soul felt a vortex in the black bowl, pulling it inescapably.
Situ Yunfei struggled, but it was futile. The jade piece's pressure and the bowl's suction were too strong, and he was absorbed into the black bowl.
A grey storage bag fell to the ground.
"Miss Wu Su! We've got the millennium-old Soul-Nurturing Wood!" Qin Wang joyfully informed the Soul-Locking Jade, quickly retrieving the storage bag and searching Sun Jieyun's body before burning it to ashes. With no trace left, he walked away.