“Not long after the truce, the Yaochi Sect Leader, the Sword Sect Leader, that Wanhuagu immortal, and the Demonic Path Lord all ascended one after another. It’s said that during that period, the sky was covered with dark clouds and thunder roared without ceasing.”
This was the greatest event the cultivation world experienced after the demonic invasion, lasting over a hundred years and culminating in four immortals ascending in succession.
The other immortals mostly cultivated slowly over time, especially the Spirit Beasts. Each tribulation survivor was a centuries-old veteran.
That was the Spirit Beasts’ advantage—they lived a long time. Cultivators had already been through three generations, but they were still enduring.
They just waited until their power was strong enough, then ascended through tribulation—a method looked down upon but indeed effective.
“So there are many paths to immortality. Hearing you say that, I suddenly feel it’s not that hard to ascend.”
“…I think you’d better be modest. Ascending is actually very difficult.”
Linglong noticed Hua Jian seemed to oscillate between two states: extreme self-doubt and extreme confidence.
When lacking confidence, she genuinely felt inferior, like a tiny mouse anyone could bully.
When confident, she was fearless, even joking casually about becoming an immortal.
If only she could average out those moods, but alas, that was impossible.
“By the way, I’m curious: does the auction in Huiyue City provide protection for buyers?”
“Protect buyers?” Linglong tilted her head, unsure what Hua Jian meant.
“Like protecting buyers who’ve purchased valuable items on their way back. What if no protection is offered and buyers get robbed halfway?”
It was reasonable for Hua Jian to worry. Many novels had scenes of robbery and murder—sometimes the protagonist was ambushed, or ambushed others. It made one question the purpose of the auction.
If there was a chance to be killed or robbed halfway, why even bid? Just rob on the way instead.
After hearing Hua Jian’s thoughts, Linglong was speechless. She discovered another of Hua Jian’s traits: she loved to take novel plots seriously.
Murder and robbery did exist, but were rare. Forces willing to spend big money on precious goods would ensure strong security.
So in most cases, what happened in novels wouldn’t occur in reality.
Linglong confidently assured her.
The next day, while flying, they sensed lingering spiritual energy traces left by several Spirit Kings’ battle.
“Why don’t you say that sentence again from yesterday?” Hua Jian hovered on her flying sword and looked at Linglong with a faint gaze.
Linglong thought Hua Jian need not be so persistent. Couldn’t she just pretend Hua Jian never said anything?
Besides, this might not be an ambush as Hua Jian claimed.
It could be a simple revenge, or something else. Many reasons could cause Spirit Kings to fight. In this wilderness with no forces stationed, Spirit Kings could fight however they wanted.
“In the city, Spirit Kings would have to consider guards and strong cultivators. Here, they can fight as they please.”
“The aura is chaotic. I can distinguish at least four different auras—quite a number.” Linglong expressionlessly changed the subject.
“At least four? That’s more lavish than the last ambush for the Sacred Pill! I bet someone’s trying to rob the auction winner!” Hua Jian was still stuck on that idea, making Linglong sigh.
“One side is fighting and retreating, moving very fast, and has left the main path.”
“That means they’re losing and running, protecting the expensive auction item Hua Jian bought.”
Finally, Linglong couldn’t hold back and lightly tapped Hua Jian on the head. “Can we switch the premise?”
Every time Hua Jian spoke, Linglong felt she was being sarcastic on purpose.
Was this really something worth obsessing over? Probably not!
“Alright, alright. The result’s the same: one side chasing, one side running… Linglong, do you remember the Spirit King auras we sensed yesterday morning?”
At first, Hua Jian hadn’t connected that scene with yesterday’s Spirit Kings. They had only glimpsed those three Spirit Kings briefly; the presence stayed only moments.
It was just a casual encounter, nothing worth remembering.
Now seeing this scene, Hua Jian had a bold idea: Yesterday they encountered three Spirit Kings, and here at least four were fighting, with the traces still fresh…
“You mean this aura is from those three Spirit Kings from yesterday?”
“Exactly. Their path at first matched ours. The battle traces started here, and afterward, we didn’t meet other Spirit Kings.” Hua Jian became serious. “I have reason to believe those three Spirit Kings are the pursuers. They caught up with another group containing Spirit Kings, and a great battle broke out.”
As for the outcome, it was unclear. One side was fighting and retreating—looks like the battle wasn’t over.
“Wanna check it out?” Hua Jian pointed toward where the battle auras faded.
“Let’s go.”
Most Spirit Masters would avoid such trouble, fleeing as far as possible to avoid bloodshed.
But Hua Jian and Linglong were different—they were here for experience. In a way, looking for trouble.
What? Spirit Kings fighting here? Gotta see!
As for danger… Hua Jian felt confident with a powerful backer watching her back.
Spirit Kings? Let me load a few Lingqi Bullets and shoot one with each!
Turning the flying sword toward the battle aura, Hua Jian followed the trail. Soon, they reached a far more brutal battlefield.
“These corpses look kind of familiar.” Hua Jian landed the flying sword and used vines to flip several bodies lying on the ground.
The dead had expressions of terror and despair at death’s arrival, eyes wide open, telling of their fear.
What concerned Hua Jian more was their death method: a small bloody hole between the eyebrows, probably a sharp weapon that smashed their brains directly.
“The killer’s technique is powerful and ruthless.” Linglong reached the same conclusion.
The victims were killed instantly. Such a feat meant the Spirit King responsible was not weak.
“Wait, I remember now—aren’t these guards of Chai Xianyun?” Hua Jian stared at one corpse a long time and finally recalled the minor incident a few days ago.
These dead cultivators were probably the same ones who blocked her path then.
They died here, meaning the one attacked was Chai Xianyun?
“Is it her?” Linglong also remembered the girl in the yellow dress—what a coincidence.
“Maybe this is the legendary ‘Trouble Aura’,” Hua Jian began mumbling things Linglong couldn’t understand.
“What do you mean?” Linglong asked.
Hua Jian’s answer left her speechless.
“I mean our Protagonist Aura must be the legendary one. See, the accident from a few days ago is connected to today.”
Hua Jian originally thought the little cat was just a side quest for making money, but then there was a main plot involving a Spirit King chasing them.
Heh, is this the ‘traveler’s aura’? No surprise at all.
With this kind of scenario, even without thinking, Hua Jian could predict the next scenes: she’d heroically save Chai Xianyun in a crisis, or help Chai Clan’s Spirit King repel enemies, or escape danger with Chai Xianyun.
Then the two would develop romantic sparks while fleeing, finally achieving a harmonious ending.
Hey, isn’t this the standard process for collecting a young lady into a harem?
“Could she be the fated soulmate the heavens arranged for me… Not you again, why are you tapping me?”
Linglong withdrew her hand expressionlessly. She admired Hua Jian’s composure to say such things.
Meeting a young girl only once and already imagining her as a soulmate? Wasn’t that a bit overconfident?
“Be normal. You’re both girls.” Linglong reminded her.
If Hua Jian were a guy, talking about soulmates might be more believable. But Hua Jian was clearly the one who could be a soulmate to others. Saying this was strange.
“Love has nothing to do with gender. And I definitely won’t like men in this life.” Hua Jian said in a casual tone, as if revealing something huge.
Whether she’d be with a girl, she couldn’t guarantee, but she was sure she wouldn’t be with a man.
Gay stuff was out of the question; she was a straight man.
“These weapons and storage bags can be taken…”
The Spirit King who killed them hadn’t taken these cultivators’ belongings. Their storage bags and Spirit Tools remained on their bodies.
For Hua Jian, this was a nice unexpected bonus.
“You don’t need these extra spiritual stones, right?” Linglong found Hua Jian’s scavenging a bit hard to accept.
The people were already dead; taking their things felt like bad karma.
She raised a hand and pointed at the corpses. Greenish vines sprouted from the ground, gathering the dead cultivators together.
The vines then dug a small pit and buried them.
“I’m helping them rest in peace. They gave me their belongings; it’s a fair trade.” Hua Jian clasped her hands and bowed to the small mound, signaling the exchange.
This good person couldn’t bear to see these brothers they’d met once left exposed in the wilderness, so she took care of their bodies.
It was only natural they repay her with their belongings.
If needed, she’d return these things to Chai Xianyun later. These men died protecting her; Hua Jian figured Chai Xianyun wouldn’t mind paying a bit to claim these relics.
Later, building a tomb for them in Chai Xianyun’s hometown would be a good way to win hearts.
Linglong was noncommittal about Hua Jian’s behavior. Morals were so unstable with her—sometimes very high, other times absurdly low, impossible to grasp.
“Forget it, let’s hurry and catch up. These people fell here, so things on the other side might be bad.”
……
“Leave the treasure map, and you can keep your life!”
Hidden entirely in darkness, the Spirit King shouted at the fleeing figures ahead while unleashing spiritual skills.
Holding Chai Xianyun, the elder Spirit King ignored the voices behind, charging forward without looking back.
“Hand over the treasure map? Impossible!”
These pursuers were ruthless. He couldn’t gamble on them honoring any promise if they got the map.
All he could do was run with Chai Xianyun, heading near a big city. They wouldn’t dare act openly nearby, giving him a chance to catch his breath.
But the pursuers anticipated this, setting up interceptors on the roads to several cities, forcing him toward increasingly desolate areas.
Seeing the elder’s stubbornness, the pursuer’s eyes flashed impatience.
He was confident of defeating the old man head-on, but the old man refused to fight directly—running around like a wild dog was frustrating.
Still, the plan proceeded smoothly. The elder was running along their predetermined route; once he reached the designated spot, he’d have nowhere left to run.
While pressing the elder, the black-clad pursuer took out a Communication Jade Talisman to contact others.
One comrade was fighting another Chai Clan Spirit King nearby; the outcome should be close.
‘How’s the situation?’
‘Almost done. That old bastard’s tough but came from elsewhere, so he can’t beat me.’
‘Finish quickly; we don’t have much time.’
‘Got it. I’ll join you soon… Tch, that old man still has tricks. Trying to use fog to block my sight—so naive.’
The call was cut off unilaterally, indicating the other side was wrapping up.
The closer to the end of a fight, the more careful one had to be. Nobody knew what trump cards a Spirit King had.
If caught unprepared and hit with a mutual destruction move, it’d be disastrous.
That’s why their plan wasn’t a direct assault, but luring the enemy where they wanted.
Once there, the opponent would have no other choice.
……
Fog rose. The black-clad, masked Spirit King held his breath, eyes fixed on the panting opponent not far ahead.
Silver blades like willow leaves floated around him—his unique weapons. Ordinary people faced them with no choice but to be hit.
The Chai Clan Spirit King was just an ordinary person, unable to handle these strange attacks.
Crimson flames swirled around his opponent. He could only use this slow, suicidal method to temporarily block the assault… Wait, how was a fire-element Spirit King using fog?
The black-clad Spirit King’s expression stiffened. He finally realized something was wrong.
Fog shouldn’t be an ability of a fire-element Spirit King!
Buzz!
A strange soft sound came from afar, but before it reached him, the black-clad Spirit King had already slashed the incoming attack with his silver blades.
It was a jade-green conical object wrapped with colorful threads. It looked harmless?
Before being engulfed by the burst of multicolored mist, the black-clad Spirit King thought to himself just that.
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