Chapter 1: The Frontier Feng Country, the frontier. Yellow sand scourged the sky. It was the kind of place where a careless breath earned you a mouthful of grit. From a tent in the frontier army’s camp, the rhythmic clang of metal on metal echoed without cease. *Ding! Clang! Clang!* Inside, the scorching heat of […]

Chapter 2: The Grace of a Master’s Knowledge Night fell like a shroud over the borderlands. Though it was barely evening, the world outside was already pitch black. The only light came from the military camp, where the flickering, jaundiced glow of oil lamps seeped from the tent flaps. That evening, Li Qing grabbed two

Chapter 3: Extreme Night World In the dead of night, even the howling gales of the borderlands seemed to tire of their own fury, the wind finally ceasing its rampage and settling into a quiet hush. Under a sky dominated by a single bright moon, Li Qing returned to his tent after washing his food

Chapter 4: Horse Bandits After Yan San left, Li Qing resumed his practice in the courtyard, dedicating the next several hours to the foundational stance work of the Gu Xuan Hammer Technique. Only when his body was screaming with exhaustion, his eyelids feeling like lead weights, did he finally return to his room to collapse.

Chapter 5: Guidance Li Qing brought Master Gu his meal, a daily ritual. Even before reaching the tent, he heard a familiar, ragged coughing fit from within. “Cough, cough, cough!” He pushed aside the flap and entered. Master Gu was lying on his cot, and the stench of death clinging to him had grown stronger.

Chapter 6: Thousand-Man Commander *Clang!* With one final, ringing strike of the hammer, the sickle on the forge took its final shape. Its blade glowed a fierce, cherry-red, shimmering with intense heat. Li Qing carefully plunged the last of the forged sickles into the quenching trough. The water hissed violently, erupting in a cloud of

Chapter 7: Black Wheat Mushroom Under the cloak of a silent, deep night, Li Qing crossed over into the Extreme Night World once more. A blood-red moon hung high in the sky, a seemingly eternal, unblinking eye. The air was as frigid as ever, a biting cold that demanded thick, cotton-padded clothes for anyone daring

Chapter 8: The Sun That Vanished As Old Man An stepped into the courtyard, his eyes fell on Li Qing, clad only in a thin shirt despite the chill. He let out a heavy sigh. “Master Li, have you taken up martial arts?” Brimming with energy, Li Qing nodded. “Just some basic exercises,” he said,

Chapter 9: Condolences Li Qing woke with near-perfect timing, slipping back into his own world just as the sky began to pale. He felt utterly refreshed, the deep sleep having scoured away every trace of fatigue. All the exhaustion from days of stance training and hammering iron had vanished. As usual, Li Qing took two

Chapter 10: The Layman True to his word, Guo Zhentong didn’t disturb Li Qing’s stance training when he arrived. He merely took small sips of strong liquor, his gaze distant and melancholic as he stared at Master Gu’s grave. Li Qing had hoped for a bit of guidance, but by the time he finished his

Chapter 11: Fierce Tiger There’s a reason martial artists train through the dead of winter and the peak of summer. Feng Country was now sweltering in the midsummer heat, while the Extreme Night World remained bitterly cold. Shuttling between these two extremes, Li Qing’s martial arts were advancing at an unbelievable pace. Roughly seven days

Chapter 12: Embezzling Ingots In the final days of calm before the storm, Li Qing poured every waking moment into his practice of the Fierce Tiger True Intent Diagram. The army had no shortage of food, and with Fatty Wu slipping him extra portions, he ate until he was full every single day. Fatty Wu

Chapter 13: Black Gold That night, Captain Li delivered over a hundred pounds of iron ingots to Li Qing’s tent. The Feng Country exercised draconian control over resources like salt and iron. The entire transaction was conducted in absolute secrecy, attracting no attention. Once inside, Captain Li scanned the tent, ensuring they were alone before

Chapter 14: Forging the Mountain-Splitting Axe Time spent immersed in martial arts always flew by. Before he knew it, the moment came to return to the military camp. “Hah!” With his physique now significantly enhanced, the transition between worlds was no longer a debilitating shock. It was a minor exertion, leaving Li Qing with little

Chapter 15: Enemy Raid Across the desert plains bordering the fortress, a force of over 5,000 horsemen thundered forward, kicking up a storm of dust and sand. They were a tide of violence, and savage, unrestrained grins stretched across their faces as they charged the distant military camp. The very earth seemed to tremble beneath

Chapter 16: The Plan The border camp buckled under the assault. With over 5,000 horse bandits swarming the defenses, the remaining Wuli Army soldiers stood no chance. Amidst a sea of roaring flames, the lines broke, and the defenders scattered into the night. With General Yuan Xiao leading a large contingent on a separate campaign,

Chapter 17: Venturing Out The Extreme Night World. For two solid months, Li Qing had done nothing but train, hammering his body into a weapon day and night. He was now practicing four martial arts simultaneously. His progress in the Gu Xuan Hammer Technique was the most advanced, followed closely by the Fierce Tiger True

Chapter 18: The Market As the old man helped Li Qing pack the jade stones, Li Qing’s gaze suddenly locked onto a single jade slip among them. “Old man, what is this?” Li Qing asked, pointing to the slip, which was about the width of two fingers pressed together. The elder merely glanced up and

Chapter 19: The Ambush The weight of over three hundred pounds of iron ingots did little to slow Li Qing down. His frame remained perfectly stable, the immense load barely a burden. Since beginning his martial arts training, his physical power had soared, and his senses had sharpened to a razor’s edge. His hearing was

Chapter 20: A Blade for the Weak After a grueling effort, the three thugs Li Qing had dealt with finally managed to haul the iron ingots—weighing over three hundred pounds—to the front of his courtyard. They collapsed on the ground, too exhausted to even crawl. Seeing them, Li Qing gained a new appreciation for his

Chapter 21: Outer Force Expert! “I’ve only ever smelted it. Time to try forging it under high heat.” Li Qing’s brow furrowed as he turned the chunk of Black Gold over in his hands. His master, Master Gu, was also a practitioner of the Gu Xuan Hammer Technique. He had successfully forged weapons with Black

Chapter 22: One Year A year slipped by in silence. In the Extreme Night World, there was no spring to chase away the winter; the land was trapped in an eternal state of cold and darkness. Without a sunrise or sunset to mark the days, Li Qing had to rely on cruder methods. He estimated

Chapter 23: The Burglar “You’re telling me that blacksmith had a sudden pang of conscience and gave all his Black Wheat Mushrooms to Old Man An?” Inside the opulent Yan family estate, a young master draped in silks and brocade lounged in a heavy chair. His face was a sickly, bloodless white—the unmistakable mark of

Chapter 24: The Yan Family The burglar caved instantly. He was, after all, just a common thief who rarely saw a full meal. Beyond a certain nimbleness, he stood no chance against the raw power of the current Li Qing. With a single hand, Li Qing clamped down on the man’s neck and lifted him

Chapter 25: A Grand Conspiracy “The Yan Family?” Li Qing feigned disbelief. “But why? I have no quarrel with them. In fact, we’ve even done business together.” Tianlong, the gang leader, seemed to expect this reaction. With a smile and a wave of his hand, he dismissed the men hidden in the shadows. As he

Chapter 26: The Plan Oppose the Yan Family over a single sentence from Gang Leader Tianlong? Li Qing was hardly that reckless. He would have to investigate the Yan Family’s situation himself before making any decision. He coveted their medicinal wine recipes, but the risks were substantial. *If the Yan Family truly only has three

Chapter 27: A House Call That day, on Zhengming Street in Obsidian City. After Li Qing had thrown Wei Tian out, his neighbors were split between worrying for his safety and fearing they would be caught in the crossfire. The Righteousness Gang was a notorious force in Obsidian City, a collection of thugs with such

Chapter 28: Seven Kills The Righteousness Gang’s headquarters was located in the northern district of Obsidian City, an area that had always been a breeding ground for chaos and danger—the city’s most impoverished slum. Brawls erupted daily on its streets, often sparked by nothing more than a handful of Black Wheat Mushrooms. Old grudges would

Chapter 29: The Demand For the most powerful family in Obsidian City, the Yans showed a patience that surprised even Li Qing and Tian Long. Three days passed without a single word. It was as if the Yan Family was completely unaware that the Righteousness Gang had captured their prospective blacksmith. By the end of

Chapter 30: Into the Yan Estate In Obsidian City, nearly every soul was a serf in all but name, toiling for the Yan family. Their entire existence depended on the whims of their masters. This was because the Yan family owned every last patch of land outside the city capable of growing Black Wheat Mushrooms.

Chapter 31: Sudden Outburst “Thanks to the Second Young Master’s concern, I’m still holding up,” Tian Long said, stepping forward. He then signaled for Zhao Kou and Wei Tian to haul Li Qing before them. Li Qing was trussed up in layer after layer of thick hemp rope, bound so tightly that not a single

Chapter 32: The Yellow Talisman Feng Xianglin, the tenant farmer who had come to collect his tools, was paralyzed with fear. From every direction, men from the Righteousness Gang swarmed into the Yan estate, each more savage than the last, their weapons hungry for blood. He was just an honest farmer. He had never witnessed

Chapter 33: The Fall of House Yan The hazy, golden shimmer drew every eye in the courtyard. It was an unnatural light, something that didn’t belong in a world of steel and sinew. Even the two Yan family retainers, men of the martial world, stared in disbelief. “Hmph. This Golden Light Shield will last a

Chapter 34: The Curtain Falls With Master Mo Nan’s surrender and Yan Qitian’s death, the Yan family was utterly broken. A chilling silence fell over the grand estate, punctuated only by the terrified whimpers of the surviving family members, who huddled and trembled in the darkened side rooms. “The Yan family is finished,” Tianlong declared,

Chapter 35: The Hearts of the People “Wei Tian!” At Tianlong’s bellow, Wei Tian emerged from a side room of the mansion, carefully holding two scrolls of animal hide. These were not martial arts manuals. They were something Li Qing had coveted for a long time: two recipes for medicinal wine. This was the true

Chapter 36: Golden Body Art With the Yan family annihilated and the Righteousness Gang in power, a fragile peace settled over Obsidian City. Li Qing, now a resident master for the gang, ignored its internal politics, immersing himself completely in the martial path. The Yan family’s extensive martial library naturally became the property of the

Chapter 37: Return to the Borderlands Li Qing’s departure wasn’t the start of some grand journey across the Extreme Night World. He was an Outer Force martial artist now, capable enough to defend himself, but strength couldn’t fill an empty stomach. Without a reliable food source, the wilderness would kill him just as surely as

Chapter 38: The Beggar Boy Only a bandit with some martial skill would dare to prey on travelers; the jianghu was no place for the weak. Li Qing had anticipated as much. As he watched the bandit charge him on horseback, a flicker of mockery crossed his eyes before being replaced by a chilling calm.

Chapter 39: Entry A horse as a reward? The words hung in the air, and the eyes of the other refugees began to burn with a feral light. They had lost their homes and fields to the war, and the gnawing hunger had long since erased any respect for Feng Country’s laws against slaughtering horses.

Chapter 40: Wangyuan City The first thing Li Qing did upon entering the city was get Qi Kang a change of clothes. No one could mistake him for a refugee now. Before curfew fell, they secured two of the finest rooms at a local inn. Perhaps the war had driven prices down, because the rooms

Chapter 41: Ballista Early the next morning, at the horse market in Wangyuan City. With the horse traders’ eyes on their backs, Li Qing and Qi Kang led their new mounts out of the market. “Let’s ride. To the imperial capital!” Li Qing swung himself into the saddle first, guiding his horse toward the west

Chapter 42: Quanshan Medicine Shop While war ravaged the border, Shengtian City remained a world apart, glittering with a prosperity that felt almost obscene. Here, the shadow of war dared not fall; it was as if the repeated breaches of Wangyuan City were nothing more than a distant rumor. On the shimmering surface of the

Chapter 43: Qingshan Martial Arts Hall In the world of martial cultivation, seasons change in the blink of an eye. Winter descended upon Shengtian City, blanketing it in thick, goose-feather snow. For some time now, a commotion stirred by the Star-Plucking Thief had kept the imperial capital on edge. Spurred on by the Prince’s Mansion,

Chapter 44: The Monthly Levy Shengtian City, Chiming Street, Qingshan Martial Arts Hall. Today, the usually deserted martial arts hall was roaring with life. Every merchant and figure of note from the street had come to offer their congratulations to the old hall master, Xu Qingshan. While Xu Qingshan was momentarily away, a man at

Chapter 45: The Zen of Li Qing And so, thanks to the clumsy theatrics of the Qingshan Martial Arts Hall Master and Feiyun Martial Arts Hall’s Zhang Lai, the monthly protection fee for every merchant on Chiming Street went up by one tael of silver. Rage simmered beneath the surface, but no one dared voice

Chapter 46: A Perfect Complement The dead of a late winter night. A hooded figure in black cut a path through the thick snow, the faint moonlight casting a pale glow on his solitary journey to the blacksmith’s door. *Thump. Thump. Thump.* “Master Li? I’ve come for the blade, as agreed.” The one who opened

Chapter 47: News A rooster’s sharp, piercing crow shattered the predawn silence, jolting Li Qing from his deep meditative state. The sky was just beginning to pale. Inside the forge, the furnace fire had dwindled to embers, yet Li Qing felt no trace of the morning chill. After a solid night of cultivation, he was

Chapter 48: A Gathering Storm His tab covered, the storyteller smiled with satisfaction and began recounting the recent events at Xiaocui Ridge. “For the first few days, Xiaocui Ridge was sealed off. The Prince’s Mansion led men from the major martial arts halls to excavate the tomb of that Inner Force expert from the old

Chapter 49: Three Years to Inner Force, Five Years to Grandmaster? The New Year had passed, and winter was slowly giving way to spring. But the air remained bitingly cold, and the thick blanket of snow showed no signs of melting. Li Qing, now eighteen, donned a new set of clothes and made the customary

Chapter 50: The Astronomical Bounty In the days following the New Year, a bounty notice appeared in Shengtian, sending shockwaves through the entire imperial capital. [BOUNTY: The head of the Star-Plucking Thief shall be rewarded with one hundred thousand silver taels. Capture him alive for a reward of three hundred thousand silver taels! Anyone providing

Chapter 51: News of Death “Officers, please, come in.” Li Qing adopted a subservient posture, deliberately suppressing his aura and the formidable presence of his blood and qi. He couldn’t afford to reveal his true cultivation. The lead constable entered slowly, his hand resting casually on the hilt of his saber. His eyes swept over

Chapter 52: Jingji Blade Forging a blade to Zhao Yuan’s specifications was a monumental task. Its weight alone—over three hundred pounds—was staggering. It would require relentless, brutal hammering. Only under the combined torment of the forge’s heat and the crushing pressure of the hammer could the steel be beaten into its proper form. For days,

Chapter 53: The Dragon Crossing the River Winter’s snows thawed, breathing new life into Shengtian City. Withered branches strained, pushing forth new buds in a raw display of life’s tenacity. The city-wide hunt for the Star-Plucking Thief had long gone cold, with no useful clues to show for the thousands of silver taels the Prince’s

Chapter 54: Seizing Territory *BANG!* The gates of the Qingshan Martial Arts Hall splintered inward, kicked open with a force they hadn’t felt in years. Inside, the disciples froze mid-practice, their faces masks of stunned disbelief. They watched as the so-called Heroes of Liangzhou filed in, one after another, and for a moment, no one

Chapter 55: A Formal Visit As the imperial capital descended further into chaos, street brawls and killings became a daily occurrence. It seemed the Imperial Court was no longer willing to tolerate the anarchy. A few days later, a thunderclap of news rolled through all of Shengtian. The Wuli Army was returning to the capital!

Chapter 56: The Hunter The moment the Wuli Army departed for the imperial capital, Li Qing wasted no time. He rented a horse-drawn carriage, loaded it with his newly forged equipment, and set a course south for Xiaocui Ridge. His quarry was a man-eater, a true predator of the deep mountains, not some declawed spectacle

Chapter 57: Ascending the Mountain Late spring had arrived, yet a persistent chill clung to the air deep within the ancient mountain forests. The experienced Old Sun had come prepared, having donned thick clothing before the ascent to ward off the biting cold. *Rustle! Rustle!* A rhythmic shuffling sound echoed from the side of the

Chapter 58: The Unexpected The torch flame pushed back the oppressive dark of the tomb, revealing a human face—still, pale, and lifeless—hanging just inches from his own. For a moment, even the stoic Li Qing flinched, his torch-hand trembling uncontrollably. It was a fresh corpse, dead only a few days by the look of it.

Chapter 59: Boundless Audacity! Anyone capable of causing such a stir in Shengtian was not to be underestimated. Li Qing certainly didn’t dare look down on the Star-Plucking Thief’s martial prowess; a conservative estimate placed him at the level of an Inner Force expert, at the very least. Throughout their drinking, he remained perfectly calm

Chapter 60: Hunting the Tiger “You’re finally back, kid. I was starting to think something got you!” Li Qing had just stepped back into the firelight when Old Man Sun’s voice reached him. The campfire blazed, casting flickering shadows. Between two trees, the old hunter had fashioned a hammock from ground vines and was reclining

Chapter 61: Li Qing, the Tiger-Slayer As the tiger limped back toward its den, Li Qing emerged from the dense shrubbery, broad-bladed knife in hand. “ROAR!” The wounded beast snarled, a low, guttural warning. It bared its fangs, its presence still immense despite the limp. Its ferocious spirit was far from broken. But Li Qing

Chapter 62: The Tiger Cub Old Man Sun could only stare, his jaw slack, as Li Qing hefted the massive tiger onto his shoulder in one fluid motion. Just as he was about to leave, his sharp hearing caught a faint, almost imperceptible stirring from within the tiger’s den. “Hm?” Li Qing turned, his gaze

Chapter 63: Return to the Imperial Capital Shengtian, the crown jewel of Feng Country, was a city whose four gates never slept, forever choked with a ceaseless tide of humanity. The summer heat brought the flow of merchants to a fever pitch, forcing Li Qing’s carriage to wait in a long, stagnant queue before it

Chapter 64: Brewing Wine That evening, a waiter from the Taoyuan Restaurant delivered more than a dozen jars of fine wine to the forge. To brew the two medicinal wines, Li Qing had long ago prepared two vats, one large and one small. The large vat was for the Tiger Bone Body-Nourishing Wine; the small

Chapter 65: The Feng Guard CLANG! The iron lock shattered. A man dressed in black swaggered into Li Qing’s blacksmith shop as if he owned the place. He made no attempt to muffle his movements, brazenly holding an oil lamp aloft. The dim, yellow flame cast dancing shadows as he surveyed the shop’s contents. “Tsk,

Chapter 66: A Request The height of summer had arrived, and the air was scorchingly hot. The tiger cub was now three or four months old. Perhaps due to its early injuries and innate weakness, it was still no bigger than a common mutt. Li Qing had started feeding it meat, and in another month

Chapter 67: Legendary Weapons of the Jianghu *Clang!* [Successfully forged Mortal Grade weapon: Fine Iron Longsword. Lifespan +4 months!] As the notification materialized in his vision, Li Qing held the straight, lightweight longsword, admiring the newly completed weapon with the critical eye of a master craftsman. The sharp blade reflected a cold, deadly gleam. In

Chapter 68: That Blade The sky was a bruised gray, choked with heavy, piled-up clouds. A low rumble of thunder broke the oppressive humidity, and the sweltering summer finally shattered under a torrential downpour. *Splash!* On Chiming Street in Shengtian City, a carriage cut a hurried path through the deluge, its wheels churning through the

Chapter 69: The Eccentric Master Li A hush fell over the grounds surrounding the martial stage, the only sound the steady pitter-patter of falling rain. A single slash had not only defeated an opponent but had cleaved through his very weapon. The sheer power of the strike was staggering. After a long moment, someone in

Chapter 70: The Jianghu of Qingzhou The Feng Guard commanders’ plans were doomed from the start. The very Master Li they intended to visit had already departed in a carriage, his young tiger in tow, on a journey of his own. After the sparring match, Qian Hong could no longer contain her impatience. She urged

Chapter 71: Dragon Gate Inn Li Qing’s journey to Qingzhou was less a frantic race against time and more a leisurely tour. He passed through several cities along the way, taking well over 10 days before finally approaching the provincial border. “Master Li, Jingyang City is just ahead.” The coachman’s voice drifted into the carriage,

Chapter 72: Watching the Storm Gather On a moonless, windswept night. Li Qing, a guest at the Dragon Gate Inn, sat cross-legged in his room. He was a motionless statue, simultaneously cultivating his Golden Body Art and the Turtle Breath Technique. Through this relentless, day-by-day accumulation, the Inner Force born from his Turtle Breath Technique

Chapter 73: The Truth of the Treasure After a brief stop for supplies in Jingyang City, Li Qing boarded a carriage and departed without a second thought. The city and its troubles were already behind him. He could easily guess the outcome of the war between the two factions. With the prize gone, there was

Chapter 74: Chongning “Stop the carriage!” The buzz on the street, a topic being discussed with feverish excitement, sent a jolt through Li Qing. He barked the order, needing to hear more. “It’s a clumsy plot, trying to get others to do their dirty work. I bet the Black Fiend Gang’s leader made the whole

Chapter 75: Savage Tiger? Chongning County, Xisha Street. This place was less a street and more a squalid alleyway paved with packed yellow mud. Li Qing couldn’t imagine the quagmire this road would become after a downpour. Even Cuishan Village back on Xiaocui Ridge wasn’t this primitive—at least its paths were laid with gravel. His

Chapter 76: The Storm in Qingzhou “Fierce Tiger?” Li Qing offered a faint, noncommittal smile and shook his head, deftly changing the subject. “What is your connection to Gu Tianxing?” The name struck Gu Yu like a physical blow. His expression flickered through a series of emotions—shock, suspicion, and finally, a deep-seated wariness. His gaze,

Chapter 77: Purple Lotus On the borderlands of Qingzhou, a young woman in a purple gauze skirt galloped across the open fields alongside the main road. The wind whipped the skirt about, revealing slender, pale calves that gleamed in the sunlight. Her features were exquisite, and when she smiled with narrowed eyes, she resembled a

Chapter 78: A Great Kindness What? A female commander? Desperate to see me? The words stunned Li Qing. He stood frozen, certain he had misheard. “Boss Fang, why would a female commander from the Feng Guard be waiting for me with such… anticipation?” Li Qing eyed the man, his face a mask of suspicion. “You

Chapter 79: None Other Than Myself Shengtian, Feng Guard Headquarters. Clad in a crimson dress, a sash cinched tight around her waist, Qian Hong’s lean, powerful figure was on full display. “Commander Qian, the blacksmith shop on Chiming Street has reopened.” A Feng Guard presented the report. Qian Hong’s eyes lit up, and she strode

Chapter 80: The Choice When Li Qing admitted it so freely, a peculiar glint flashed in Qian Hong’s eyes. She leaned forward, her voice filled with anticipation. “Master Gu once said you’d mastered seventy or eighty percent of his craft. It seems he was being modest. Back then, I truly believed you were just an

Chapter 81: Forging the Sword Li Qing knew from bitter experience just how difficult Black Gold was to forge—a lesson learned long before he had even touched the realm of Outer Force. Now, Qian Hong wanted an entire longsword crafted from pure Black Gold. The difficulty was staggering. Even for Li Qing, whose body now

Chapter 82: Qinghong Sword Days blurred into one another at the forge. Li Qing hammered the sword blank, his rhythmic strikes smoothing and shaping the raw Black Gold until its form was unmistakable. The prolonged ordeal in the searing heat had left the entire length of the blade glowing, bringing it to the perfect temperature

Chapter 83: A Year of Peace Qian Hong gripped the Qinghong Sword, her knuckles white. It was heavy, yet the balance was sublime. The very feel of the weapon in her hand, the texture of the hilt, the way it settled into her grip—it perfectly matched every fantasy she’d ever had of a peerless, divine

Chapter 84: Stirrings on the Grassland At the height of summer, the vast, boundless Bandong Grassland was a veritable ocean of green. Fierce winds swept across the plains, sending ripples through the dense grasses like waves upon the sea. This expansive grassland was home to many nomadic peoples like the Tuva tribe, who lived by

Chapter 85: An Earth-Shattering Case Shengtian City, Lianyue Street. This was the street where the Feiyun Martial Arts Hall stood. Due to the recent string of murders, a pall of gloom seemed to hang over the entire district. *CRACK!* A deafening noise exploded from within the hall. The Master of the Feiyun Martial Arts Hall,

Chapter 86: Inner Force, Achieved! The Extreme Night World, Black Wind Mountain Range. After more than a year, Li Qing had returned. He had come back for one reason and one reason only: to exploit the temporal distortion of this world and accelerate his breakthrough into the realm of Inner Force. He was on the

Chapter 87: Return to Obsidian City This entire expanse of the Black Wind Mountain Range was known as the Black Wind Region. After the sun vanished, the region had slowly withered, leaving only three cities as bastions of humanity: Obsidian City, Black Earth City, and Giant Rock City. Li Qing had pried this information from

Chapter 88: Changes “Gang Leader Tianlong, it’s been a long time.” A spirited smile graced Li Qing’s otherwise unremarkable face. Tianlong, the leader of the Righteousness Gang, watched the man approach with his hands clasped behind his back. He finally had his confirmation—this was, without a doubt, the same man who had fought alongside him

Chapter 89: A Master in Giant Rock City Inside the Righteousness Gang’s granary, Tianlong ordered his men to bring out an Armored Pig, a fresh delivery to Obsidian City. The creature’s form vaguely resembled that of an overgrown piglet, but its hide was covered in a carapace of slate-gray scales. Its tail was thick and

Chapter 90: Internal Affairs of the Righteousness Gang A bigger gang meant bigger problems. Li Qing’s eyes instinctively fell upon Tianlong’s decrepit form. A palpable aura of twilight, of an era coming to an end, emanated from the old man. This martial artist, a relic from the age of sunlight, was truly ancient. In a

Chapter 91: Challenge “Brother Li, are you in there?” The soft, tentative voice could belong to no one but An Xuan. Li Qing didn’t bother turning around. His eyes remained fixed on the Shadow-Seeking Footwork manual in his hands as he replied with a calm, even tone, “I am.” A slender silhouette stepped through the

Chapter 92: Giant Rock City Outside the gates of Obsidian City, a man and a tiger vanished into the dust, leaving only the sprawling dark behind them. Back in the courtyard, it took a long time for Tianlong and the others to process what they had just witnessed. It defied all logic. Zhao Kou, a

Chapter 93: Animal Trap Giant Rock City, Falling Stone Street. Amidst the sprawling stone architecture, a new blacksmith shop quietly opened its doors. It drew no fanfare, perfectly blending into the grime of the district. Clang! Clang! Sparks danced over the anvil as Li Qing hammered out simple sickles, hoes, and crude weapons, lining them

Chapter 94: Hunting Wolves Li Qing had never forged trigger-action animal traps before, but the mechanics were hardly a mystery. After a brief study of the rusted sample provided by the Sand Crocodile Gang, he easily deciphered the required spring tension and release mechanism. Within two days, ten heavy-duty iron traps sat complete on his

Chapter 95: A Lesson The three men found slaughtered in their homes belonged to the Dahe Gang. They were not a small faction. The Dahe Gang boasted a massive roster of street thugs and, crucially, two Outer Force experts. In terms of raw combat power, they were second only to the City Lord’s Manor and

Chapter 96: Sand Crocodile Gang Once the sniveling thugs from the Sand Crocodile Gang had scurried out of sight, Miao Qi hurried to relay the intelligence he had gathered. “Hosting a birthday banquet? And formally inviting the leaders of every prominent faction to attend?” Li Qing rubbed his chin, his mind immediately peeling back the

Chapter 97: One Punch As the calm, resonant voice echoed through the hall, Ke Luoda’s pupils shrank to pinpricks. “Such audacity!” he growled, his voice dropping to a dangerous rumble. The four thugs who had just suffered at the blacksmith shop began to tremble uncontrollably, their legs turning to jelly at the mere sound of

Chapter 98: The Secrets of the Red Fish Chamber of Commerce An invitation from the City Lord’s Manor? Ke Luoda blinked, caught entirely off guard by the question. He stared at Li Qing for a long moment before finally opening his mouth. “There… is such a matter, yes.” Why was this terrifying blacksmith asking about

Chapter 99: The City Lord’s Mansion The banquet wasn’t a sprawling affair. Seven or eight heavy wooden tables were arranged across the front courtyard of the City Lord’s Manor, just enough to seat the invited elite. The gang leaders mingling in the courtyard were all familiar faces in the underworld. Even if they hadn’t crossed

Chapter 100: It’s You City Lord Qin’s public guarantee to find the killers was a massive concession of face to the Dahe Gang. Every eye in the courtyard snapped to Jia Dachun, waiting for him to accept the olive branch. Instead, Jia Dachun fell completely silent. He sat rigidly in his chair, staring blankly ahead.

Chapter 101: The Age of Dharma Decline The entire courtyard fell into a deathly, suffocating silence, broken only by the wet, ragged sound of Jia Dachun’s failing breaths. Staring blankly ahead, the betrayed leader of the Dahe Gang possessed a gaze swirling with absolute disbelief and complex agony. He couldn’t understand it. He couldn’t process

Chapter 102: Premium Release Thoughts! Ah, the Premium Release announcement. I never imagined I’d have to write one of these twice in just half a year. First and foremost, I want to offer my deepest apologies to the readers of my previous book. I truly am sorry. Looking back, that last book was a heavy

Chapter 103: Instructions (First Update) Unfortunately, Li Qing had already slipped away from the City Lord’s Manor. He completely missed the final, hushed conversation between City Lord Qin Xiu and President Ge Wen. Had he lingered just a few minutes longer, he would have been absolutely ecstatic. The elusive, mythical world of Cultivation he had

Chapter 104: The Chaotic Jianghu (Second Update) Shengtian City, Wangyue Tower. Several dark silhouettes launched themselves simultaneously from the towering roof. As they flew across the moonlight, the pale illumination revealed identical black robes embroidered with the crest of a yellowed maple leaf. “He slipped the net again. The bastard is like an eel!” one

Chapter 105: Secluded Cultivation and Refinement (Third Update) Dead under the sword! Hearing those words, a single name instantly flashed across Li Qing’s mind. Qingzhou’s number one swordsman, Sun Qi! With true Grandmasters acting as reclusive myths, a sword-wielding Sun Qi was practically an unrivaled existence among his peers. After allegedly seizing the ‘Immortal Ascension

Chapter 106: Challenging the Golden Armor Martial Arts Hall Shengtian Inner City, Zhuqing Street. This district belonged to the Golden Armor Martial Arts Hall, one of the imperial capital’s top three martial arts halls. Recently, a demonic killer had carved a bloody swath through Shengtian City’s martial world. Initially, only the Feiyun Martial Arts Hall

Chapter 107: Humanoid Fierce Beast Hearing the voice, Li Qing, who had kept his hands casually clasped behind his back, slowly turned to face the entrance. There stood Hall Master Zeng Jinbao, clad in his light-golden armor. “Young man, what is your name?” Zeng Jinbao eyed Li Qing up and down, already deducing the kid’s

Chapter 108: The Next Target “I concede to your experience.” Li Qing cupped his fists respectfully toward the battered Hall Master. The polite words stood in stark, jarring contrast to the sheer violence he had just inflicted. Reaching back, Li Qing gathered his wild, disheveled hair, calmly tying it into a neat queue. Watching the

Chapter 109: Hong Zhentian The master of the Hongfeng Martial Arts Hall was Hong Zhentian. The imposing name fit the man perfectly. In his youth, he had violently suppressed the city’s martial underworld with his bare hands. Like Li Qing, his fighting style was brutally straightforward—crushing all finesse and technique with absolute, overwhelming physical force.

Chapter 110: Fame Soars News of Li Qing defeating two highly renowned martial arts hall masters swept through Shengtian City like a localized hurricane. While Li Qing naturally preferred the shadows, this level of exposure was unavoidable. The path to the Grandmaster realm demanded challenging more experts; widespread fame was simply a byproduct of the

Chapter 111: Another Year of Jianghu Turmoil In the blink of an eye, a year quietly slipped away. During this time, a massive tectonic shift violently fractured the martial underworld of Feng Country. Counting Li Qing, five young, terrifying Inner Force prodigies had simultaneously risen to prominence. They built their reputations by crushing established veterans,

Chapter 112: Fierce Tiger Enters the City The heavy, padded footfalls of a massive, brilliantly striped tiger echoed through the gates of Kaiyuan City. The beast projected a suffocating, primordial dread, causing pedestrians to scramble wildly out of its path. No one dared to hold its gaze for more than a second, terrified of triggering

Chapter 113: The Wei Family “Cough! Cough!” Li Qing and Wu Yang had each violently bludgeoned the other over a dozen times. The sheer, bone-rattling trauma finally forced the two combatants to separate. Pain. It was the only coherent thought screaming in both their minds. The kinetic transfer from their exchanged blows was agonizing. However,

Chapter 114: Two Requests “Little Brother Li—no, I should correct myself. Master Li!” Wei Cang’s tone suddenly shifted, dripping with profound respect. Hmm? Hearing the title ‘Master Li’, Li Qing’s brow twitched. He hadn’t expected to hear that moniker outside of the capital. Generally, only the elite circles in Shengtian City who knew his true

Chapter 115: Crimson Strange Iron Leveraging their absolute control over Kaiyuan City, the Wei family quickly requisitioned a fully equipped forge for Li Qing’s exclusive use. Just as Li Qing was preparing to fire the furnace, Old Master Wei entered the workshop, carefully carrying two fist-sized chunks of crimson metal. “Master Li,” Wei Cang began,

Chapter 116: Twin Blades Ember! Ever since Li Qing came to the Wei family to help forge a divine weapon, Patriarch Wei Cang’s demeanor had undergone a drastic, tyrannical shift. Any of the younger Wei generation caught indulging in pleasure, leaving early and returning late, were immediately subjected to the patriarch’s thunderous wrath. The sudden

Chapter 117: Grandmaster Insights Old Master Wei Cang practically sprinted to the blacksmith shop, displaying a burst of kinetic speed utterly incongruous with a man pushing eighty. The moment he crossed the threshold, his eyes locked onto the twin crescent blades Li Qing was casually inspecting. The core of the blades was forged from light-absorbing

Chapter 118: Five Poisons Blood-Activating Wine! By violently claiming the titles of Qingzhou’s Number One Fist and Qingzhou’s Number One Hammer, Li Qing cemented his status at the apex of the Jianghu. The moniker “Fierce Tiger” commanded absolute dread across the martial underworld. With the spread of his reputation, every syndicate understood that a new,

Chapter 119: Stormy Times Feng Country, the twelfth year of Taiwen, midsummer. High above the desolate eastern borderlands, a majestic eagle circled the towering battlements of Wangyuan City before banking sharply back toward the vast, rolling grasslands. For the past several years, the border had enjoyed an uncharacteristic, almost eerie peace. The seasonal horse-bandit raids

Chapter 120: War Dressed in her signature, vibrant crimson uniform, Commander Qian Hong projected an aura of cold, lethal authority. Though a heavy shadow of anxiety darkened her brow, she still managed to force a genuine smile upon seeing Li Qing. Her features were sharp and striking, her healthy, wheat-colored skin radiating a rugged vitality.

Chapter 121: Magical Artifact Embryo Late autumn. The capital of Yunzhou fell, leaving the northern front of Feng Country hanging by a thread. The grassland horse bandits raged across the territory like a locust swarm, reducing everything in their path to scorched earth. When the cavalry breached the gates of Luoyun City, the local martial

Chapter 122: Woniu Village Greenstone Mountain, Woniu Ridge. Nestled deep within the ridge was a secluded settlement known as Woniu Village. Even by the standards of Feng Country, this place was considered exceptionally remote and utterly inconspicuous. The ridge earned its name from a massive boulder resting at the entrance of the valley, shaped remarkably

Chapter 123: Guarding Woniu Ridge With a fierce, bloodcurdling roar, Li Qing shot forward like a vicious, starving tiger. His speed was terrifying. In the span of a dozen breaths, his blurred figure vaulted over the uneven terrain, landing squarely at the village entrance. From his elevated vantage point on the ridge, he watched a

Chapter 124: The Great Calamity of Feng Country The northern territories of Feng Country had descended into absolute anarchy. With the complete and utter fall of Yunzhou, the common people’s faith in the imperial court finally shattered. Across several northern prefectures, a massive, desperate exodus began. Hundreds of thousands of refugees clogged the roads heading

Chapter 125: The Martial Dynasty Three years passed in the blink of an eye. Knights errant disrupt order with their martial prowess. In the third year of the Kaiyuan era, Tuwa Haar, Emperor of the newly established Martial Dynasty, finally understood the bloody truth behind that ancient proverb. “Your Holy Majesty,” a subordinate reported, his

Chapter 126: Peak of Inner Force! Year 4 of the Kaiyuan era. Deep within the ancient, misty expanse of Xiaocui Ridge. Crash! An endless, thunderous torrent of water smashed against the jagged rocks below. Yet, directly beneath the crushing weight of the waterfall, a lone figure sat cross-legged. Facing the violent, unceasing barrage, the figure

Chapter 127: Gathering Information Yunzhou, Luoyun City. As the prefectural capital that had suffered the most catastrophic damage during the invasion, it had taken four long years for the city to rebuild its walls and restore a semblance of order. However, the streets now bore a heavy, suffocating atmosphere. Men with the distinct features of

Chapter 128: Bounty Rewards Shengtian, the former capital of Feng Country. In Li Qing’s memories, this was the jewel of the south, a city synonymous with peaceful melodies, graceful dancers, misty willows lining painted bridges, and elegant silk screens swaying in the breeze. Now, stepping through the imperial city gates, a suffocating aura of oppression

Chapter 129: Night Walk The thick stack of bounty notices in Li Qing’s hands practically cataloged the surviving elite of the Martial Dynasty’s Jianghu. Any martial artist with a drop of hot blood left in their veins had joined this torrential crusade of assassinating the grassland conquerors. Li Qing recognized several old acquaintances who now

Chapter 130: Encountering an Old Acquaintance Again Inner City, Pingxing Street. Upon returning to Shengtian, Gao Yudong spared no expense, funneling mountains of his embezzled silver into the construction of a sprawling, opulent mansion. Under the regime established by the horse bandits, he could flaunt his ill-gotten wealth without the slightest fear of an imperial

Chapter 131: The Feng Guard’s Plan It was an unexpected revelation. The Feng Guard had not been exterminated when the old dynasty fell; instead, they had buried themselves deep within Shengtian City. For years, they had been the invisible hand guiding the Jianghu’s bloody resistance against the grassland conquerors. “I see. Transitioning from an overt

Chapter 132: Fragrance Three days later, in the Outer City of Shengtian. Li Qing sat at a quiet corner table in the Taoyuan Restaurant. He didn’t have to wait long. He immediately spotted Qian Hong walking through the entrance, clad in a vibrant, form-fitting crimson dress that hugged her stunning curves. A light, translucent veil

Chapter 133: Nine Lotus Sect Deep within an extremely secretive branch of the Nine Lotus Sect. A rhythmic drip, drip of condensation echoed through the vast, tranquil stone chamber. Beams of pale sunlight filtered down through narrow fissures in the high cavern ceiling, illuminating a crystal-clear subterranean pond. Resting upon the water’s surface was a

Chapter 134: The Sage Emperor’s Birthday Banquet Early autumn of the fourth year of the Kaiyuan era. Over ten thousand elite cavalrymen thundered into the jagged, fog-choked expanse of Xiaocui Ridge. Yet, even a force of that staggering size was quickly swallowed by the sheer scale of the treacherous, continent-spanning mountain range. Contrary to the

Chapter 135: Unparalleled Grace, A Grandmaster Among Mortals! Clang! Clang! Clang! The rhythmic, deafening crash of steel on steel echoed ceaselessly from the blacksmith shop. With every thunderous strike of Li Qing’s hammer, a violent shower of orange sparks illuminated the dim room. Beneath the heavy head of the Peerless Hammer, a snow-silver dagger was

Chapter 136: The Might of a Grandmaster Hearing that familiar voice echoing from the palace roof, the severely injured Qi Kang struggled to his feet. “Cough… Master Li is here?” Qi Kang knew the man who had taught him the blacksmithing trade all too well. Li Qing was a man of extreme caution, one who

Chapter 137: The Fall of a Hero Seeing Tuwa Haar agree so readily made Li Qing regard him in a slightly better light. The man truly lived up to his reputation as a peerless warlord of the grasslands. “These talismans—did you trade for them with a cultivator? Where is the cultivator backing you now?” As

Chapter 138: An Unexpected Harvest Returning to the majestic main hall of the imperial palace, the dust had already settled. The surviving soldiers of the Martial Dynasty and their defecting ministers had either scattered into the winds or lay dead upon the blood-slicked stones. Only a few desperate remnants still offered feeble resistance. Li Qing

Chapter 139: Cultivation With the dust settled in Shengtian City, the nascent Martial Dynasty plunged into absolute chaos. The various grassland tribes Tuwa Haar had brought south were naturally unwilling to accept defeat and retreat to the barren steppes. Knowing the imperial capital was indefensible, they fell back to Yunzhou, consolidating into a sizable remnant

Chapter 140: Wuji Art! Having finally stepped onto the path of Cultivation, Li Qing’s spirits soared. He wanted nothing more than to sequester himself in the forge, dedicating every waking moment to Qi Condensation. Unfortunately, after seven days of manic, sleepless meditation, that burning enthusiasm cooled into stark reality. It was simply too slow! “According

Chapter 141: Farewell Qian Hong blinked, her gaze dropping to the three weapons slung across Li Qing’s back. As a top-tier martial artist, she instantly recognized their extraordinary nature. The dense, oppressive martial will radiating from the cold steel made her very soul tremble. “Are these… Peerless divine weapons?” she asked, her voice laced with

Chapter 142: The Spiritless Land Xiaocui Ridge was the vastest expanse of mountainous forest in all of Feng Country. Its treacherous terrain was nothing short of a natural fortress. Roar! A vicious tiger’s bellow echoed through the woods, scattering a flock of startled birds. A massive beast prowled out from the dense thicket, exuding the

Chapter 143: Cultivator Making quick work of the street thug, Li Qing pinned the man’s arm behind his back and ruthlessly interrogated him about the so-called Qing Gang. The resulting confession revealed that the geopolitical landscape of Giant Rock City had drastically shifted over the past dozen years. About five or six years ago, the

Chapter 144: Slaying an Immortal Giant Rock City. Deep within the territory of the Red Fish Chamber of Commerce. Inside an elegant, secluded pavilion, an elder with a flowing white beard and an extraordinary bearing sat quietly in meditation before a tea table inlaid with precious gemstones. After a long while, a servant approached with

Chapter 145: Storage Bag “I will ask you one last time,” Li Qing said, his voice dropping to a glacial chill. He lazily twirled the silver Youlong Dagger between his fingers. The casual, deadly grace of the movement left Xiang Fa with zero doubt: one wrong word, and the blade would sever his throat. “Where

Chapter 146: Another Jade Slip Overnight wealth! That was the only coherent thought echoing in Li Qing’s mind as he finished tallying his spoils. It truly was a windfall. By simply slaughtering a single Cultivator, Li Qing had catapulted himself from a dirt-poor novice to a man of considerable means. One Storage Bag, one Magical

Chapter 147: A Behemoth Li Qing was utterly mesmerized by the Artifact Crafting Annotations, completely unable to extricate himself from its profound depths. The secrets of forging Magical Artifacts had thrown open the doors to a brand new universe. “I never realized material selection was this intricate. It’s not just about melting spiritual metals together

Chapter 148: The Ascetic “My adoptive father passed away a few years ago.” Those were the first words An Xuan spoke when she finally sat down with Li Qing. The fierce, untouchable aura of the gang leader vanished, leaving behind a woman who looked profoundly exhausted and terribly lonely. Li Qing wasn’t surprised. The last

Chapter 149: Longevity Valley For those walking the path of immortality, the very concept of time easily blurs. Deep within the mountains, Li Qing would have lost track entirely if not for the shifting seasons and the steady accumulation of his Cultivation base. Time had flown. It had been two and a half years since

Chapter 150: The Liu Family The Liu Family, like countless other Cultivation clans scattered across the world, had driven their roots deep into a spiritual vein to thrive and multiply. However, the true foundation of their power didn’t lie in the earth, but in their vassalage to a mighty Cultivation Sect. By consistently funneling their

Chapter 151: The Choice Nature was truly the grandest architect. As Liu Sheng guided him through the sprawling expanse of Longevity Valley, this singular thought echoed in Li Qing’s mind. The verdant landscape was breathtaking, an ethereal paradise painted in strokes of mist and emerald. Obscured by a grand Formation, the valley’s true splendor was

Chapter 152: Receiving an Assignment Stepping into the Liu Family’s Affairs Hall, Li Qing was greeted by a late-stage Qi Condensation cultivator serving as the managing Elder. Beneath the old man’s welcoming smile, Li Qing could practically see him sizing him up—calculating his worth like a fat calf destined for the slaughterhouse. “Welcome aboard, young

Chapter 153: Moving In The courtyard was spartan, but as the dense Spiritual Qi washed over him, Li Qing’s heart soared. After enduring two and a half years of savage isolation in Xiaocui Ridge, he had finally secured his return. He had not only stepped into the true Cultivation world, but he had also obtained

Chapter 154: Inquiries “Hahaha! I truly never expected your entry into the Cultivation world to be so bizarre, Brother Li! What a fascinating twist of fate!” Sitting across the table, Jin Chuan burst into hearty laughter after hearing Li Qing’s carefully fabricated, half-true backstory. “Ah, what can I say? The tides of life are unpredictable,”

Chapter 155: First Time Crafting Magical Artifacts Leaving the courtyard of Spirit Farmer Jin Chuan, Li Qing felt a deep sense of satisfaction. Armed with fresh intel, he decided to hold off on visiting the bitter old miner and instead returned to his own quarters. Fantong lay sprawled across the stone floor, its belly full

Chapter 156: Visiting the Old Miner Failure! Failure! Failure! The relentless string of blown Rune Inscriptions didn’t just shatter Li Qing’s confidence; it violently bled the Heart-Protecting Plate of all the artificial spirituality he had so painstakingly forced into it. Staring at the now dead, inert slab of iron in his hands, and feeling the

Chapter 157: Double Blessings For the next dozen days, Li Qing poured every ounce of his energy into cultivation and artifact crafting. His only break from this grueling routine was his scheduled, unreciprocated delivery of Winter Plum Wine to the cranky old miner, Senior Zhou. Time blurred, and before he knew it, twelve days had

Chapter 158: Descending into the Mine Still buzzing from the wealth of mining knowledge Senior Zhou had shared, Li Qing returned to his courtyard. He felt like he had struck gold before even lifting a pickaxe. Suddenly, the prospect of grueling manual labor tomorrow felt less like a chore and more like a massive, glittering

Chapter 159: Making a Fortune Quietly Clang! Clang! Clang! Deep within the suffocating darkness of the mine tunnel, the rhythmic, metallic ringing of an iron pickaxe biting into solid rock echoed endlessly. Occasionally, the steady, rhythmic striking would be interrupted by a sharp, discordant screech. KACHING! A dazzling, crystalline light flared in the darkness, revealing

Chapter 160: Night Star Pickaxe Upon returning to the Liu Family estate, Li Qing made a beeline for his courtyard. Stepping through the gate, he found Fantong snoring peacefully in its den. Li Qing let out a long breath. Bathing in the dense, ambient Spiritual Qi of the second-grade vein after ten days in the

Chapter 161: The Liu Family’s Prodigy Time flowed like water. Six months vanished in the blink of an eye. It had been half a year since Li Qing signed his labor contract with the Liu Family. Thanks to the Night Star Pickaxe and his own terrifying, Grandmaster-level stamina, the secret fortune he had amassed in

Chapter 162: Ascension Token On the final stretch of the road back to the Liu Family, Zhou Tong, swaying gently in his saddle, cast a meaningful glance at Li Qing. “The youths recruited directly by the Heavenly River Sect are prodigies. Heaven’s favored children,” the old man said, his voice surprisingly gentle. “There is no

Chapter 163: Trading Fair After wolfing down a massive bowl of premium Spirit Rice, Li Qing immediately assumed a meditative posture, plunging into a deep state of Cultivation. He drove the Fire Source Art through his Meridians. One small cycle flowed into the next, culminating in a grand cycle. The dense Spiritual Qi locked within

Chapter 164: Spirit Condensation Pill While the entire trade fair swarmed the Liu Family’s stall like starving wolves, Li Qing sprinted back to his courtyard. In a matter of minutes, he swapped out his sun-baked Spirit Farmer disguise. A pale, haggard, middle-aged cultivator with a dispirited aura emerged in his place. Without breaking stride, Li

Chapter 165: Qingling Region At the exact center of the massive lake in Longevity Valley sat an isolated island. The island was perpetually shrouded in thick, swirling mist, rendering it entirely invisible to the laborers on the shores. This was the absolute nexus of the Liu Family’s second-grade Spirit Vein. The Spiritual Qi here was

Chapter 166: Senior Zhou Breaks Through With the transaction complete and fifty Spirit Stones safely tucked away, Li Qing packed up his stall. A faint, satisfied smile graced his lips as he strolled leisurely through the trade fair, savoring his newfound wealth. It didn’t take long for him to locate a vendor specializing in Beast-Feeding

Chapter 167: The Flying Eagle Bandits “Congratulations, Senior Zhou, on advancing to the late stage of Qi Condensation!” “Senior Zhou, congratulations!” “Hahaha, Old Zhou, you’re truly remarkable, actually reaching the late stage of Qi Condensation!” “Congratulations!” With Old Man Zhou’s successful breakthrough, many Rogue Cultivators in District Bing who had some connection to him came

Chapter 168: Condensed Water Sand By the third and final day of the trade fair, the initial frenzy had cooled into a sluggish simmer. The once-teeming crowds had thinned to a handful of stragglers, and many of the more prestigious stalls had already packed their crates and departed. Li Qing meandered through the remaining rows,

Chapter 169: Lightning Spirit Crystal! Boom! Rumble! Deafening peals of thunder reverberated through the claustrophobic depths of the mine shaft. Near the entrance, the rhythmic patter of rain drifted inward, carrying with it a damp, bone-chilling draft that clung to the darkness. Clang! Clang! Clang! The sharp, metallic ring of mining picks striking stubborn rock

Chapter 170: Forging the Magical Artifact After returning to the Liu Family’s territory, Li Qing’s life was swallowed by two singular pursuits. The first was cultivation. Deprived of the luxury of Pills, he was forced to rely on the slow, grinding passage of time to erode the bottleneck standing between him and the next level.

Chapter 171: The Liu Family Clan Sacrifice Li Qing’s luck had leveled out; there was no Middle-Grade Spirit Stone waiting for him in the silt this time. After the Heavenly River Sect took its pound of flesh and his own cut was settled, he walked away with 283 Spirit Stones. It was a step down

Chapter 172: Six Months of Grinding The Liu Family’s Clan Sacrifice proceeded with practiced precision, undisturbed by external chaos. Once the rites concluded, the visiting cultivators retreated to the heart of the lake island to indulge in a lavish spread of spirit food provided by their hosts. Envious murmurs drifted into the rogue cultivator sectors.

Chapter 173: Tidings of Joy and Fate’s Cruel Blow In the center of Li Qing’s courtyard, a sudden burst of earthy yellow and fiery red spiritual light erupted. The dense Spiritual Qi in the air began to churn violently, drawn toward the Peerless Hammer like water rushing into a whirlpool. Every intricate line of the

Chapter 174: The Aftermath Old Man Zhou had been a son-in-law of the Liu Family, a status that granted him three coveted opportunities to enter their Scripture Pavilion. Over the decades, he had exhausted two; one remained. On his deathbed, the old man’s final decree was as unexpected as it was generous: he bequeathed that

Chapter 175: The Liu Family Scripture Pavilion The Liu Family Scripture Pavilion was the sanctuary for the clan’s most guarded inheritance—the Emerald Wood Divine Art. It was a wood-attribute manual capable of guiding a cultivator all the way to the late Foundation Establishment stage, serving as the very bedrock of the Liu Family’s power. Complementing

Chapter 176: The Precious Wood Body-Refining Art Ultimately, after agonizing over the choice, Li Qing settled on the Precious Wood Body-Refining Art. His reasoning was pragmatic. Before stepping onto the immortal path, he had reached the pinnacle of mortal martial arts as a Grandmaster. His blood and vitality were exceptionally vigorous; in terms of raw

Chapter 177: Gathering Intelligence Crack! The Spirit Willow branch before Li Qing had withered into a brittle husk. At the slightest brush of a breeze, it snapped with a sharp, dry sound. Every drop of spiritual wood essence had been siphoned away, leaving the cutting no different from common deadwood. Li Qing opened his eyes.

Chapter 178: The Flying Eagles Strike “What… what happened? How did Fellow Daoist He sustain such horrific injuries?” “Hiss! Didn’t he just leave for the Heavenly River Market a few days ago? What could have done this to him?” “Impossible. Who would be suicidal enough to target the Liu Family’s exports?” As a chorus of

Chapter 179: The Expedition The mobilization against the Flying Eagle Bandits was anything but subtle. The Liu Family made no effort to shroud the operation in secrecy; instead, they fanned the flames of rumor, turning the hunt into a grand display of power. It was clear the clan intended to use these bandits as a

Chapter 180: Bait The secret path snaking through the outskirts of Longevity Valley, connecting the Liu Family estate to the Heavenly River Sect’s spirit stone mine, was no longer silent. Thunder. The roar of galloping hooves shook the earth. The Spirit Miners, fresh from the claustrophobic depths of the tunnels, were now whipping their horses

Chapter 181: Reunion By the time he reached the safety of the Heavenly River Sect mining camp, the spirit horse beneath Li Qing collapsed into the dirt, utterly spent. Its flanks were blistering hot, radiating thick plumes of white steam into the cool air. The Liu Family had only provided cheap half-breeds, heavily diluted descendants

Chapter 182: Temporary Farewell to the Liu Family A hundred miles outside Longevity Valley, violent shockwaves of Spiritual Qi and spells tore through the forest, shredding countless ancient, verdant trees in the chaotic aftermath. A distress flare shot into the sky like a glaring, unsheathed sword, piercing the clouds with unmistakable urgency. This was the

Chapter 183: The Shi Family For a Qi Condensation cultivator incapable of sustained flight, the journey from Longevity Valley to the Heavenly River Sect’s market took at least seven or eight agonizing days. That timeline even assumed riding a spirit horse day and night without rest. Despite the grueling trek, this was actually considered close.

Chapter 184: Magical Duel “Niece Bailin, your clan uncle is indeed here under the family’s orders to escort you to the market. Why did you run the moment we met?” An aged, weathered voice echoed through the dense canopy. Li Qing, who had just turned to flee, felt a cold prickle crawl up his scalp

Chapter 185: Betrayal Three late-stage Qi Condensation cultivators stepped out from the shadows of the dense, flourishing forest. Two of them were veteran elders of the Liu Family, while the third was a secret guardian dispatched by the Shi Family to watch over Shi Nantian. Seeing this, Liu Bailin’s knees buckled. Tears streamed down her

Chapter 186: Heavenly River Market Sitting securely astride Fantong, man and tiger chewed up the miles for several more days before finally breaking free of the endless, claustrophobic mountain forest. What greeted them was an immortal city suspended high in the heavens! Li Qing stood at the precipice of a sheer cliff, his eyes locked

Chapter 187: Purchasing Pills Tianhe Market was broadly divided into three distinct sectors. The first was the open-air stall district. The vast majority of merchants hawking their wares here were Rogue Cultivators, operating a massive, chaotic bazaar that felt somewhat similar to the Liu Family’s biannual trade fairs. However, the sheer scale and quality of

Chapter 188: Bustling Market District After completing his sweep of Tianhe Market’s commercial district, Li Qing finally understood what it meant to bleed money like water. He had only patronized three Pill dispensaries, yet his hard-earned war chest of over two thousand Spirit Stones had already plummeted to fourteen hundred. That kind of extravagant hemorrhaging

Chapter 189: The Down-and-Out Stall Owner The stall owner’s eyes lit up with predatory glee. He immediately barked, “Eighty Spirit Stones! And don’t you dare complain about the price. I bled for this! This is a genuine relic I dragged out of that death-trap cave abode with my own two hands!” Hearing the extortionate price

Chapter 190: Black Furnace Without Spirit Stones, a man couldn’t walk a single block in Tianhe Market. But with enough hard currency, absolutely anything had a price tag. Including intelligence! After spreading some wealth around the alleyways, Li Qing finally managed to pry some background intel on yesterday’s destitute stall owner from a grizzled local

Chapter 191: Wanbao Pavilion and Jufeng Pavilion A heavy pouch of Spirit Stones in one hand, the inert mass of the Black Furnace in the other. With the transaction finalized, Li Qing finally possessed the first genuine artifact refining furnace of his life! Although the furnace was brutally ugly—a pitch-black, unpolished block of metal that

Chapter 192: Departure Daoist Lingmiao—a rogue cultivator at the late Foundation Establishment stage who reigned supreme several centuries ago! His arsenal of techniques had been endless and unpredictable, even boasting a confirmed kill against a False Core cultivator. Such a feat alone proved the sheer, terrifying weight of his cultivation. It had to be known

Chapter 193: The Storm Approaches The trek back to the Liu Family was uneventful, free from the shadows of any rogue ambushers. Naturally, this was entirely due to the destitute facade Li Qing maintained. Brigands wouldn’t waste their blades on a target carrying less oil than a dry rock. Furthermore, he chose paths swallowed by

Chapter 194: Pill Toxicity Beyond the murmurs of outsider cultivators, a palpable unease had infected the disciples within the Liu Family’s own ranks. It couldn’t be helped. The Liu Family wasn’t hosting a clan sacrifice, nor were they facing any immediate, public crisis. For their prized prodigy to rush home at such a volatile juncture

Chapter 195: Magical Artifact: Pear Blossom Storm Nails! Pear Blossom Storm Nails! That’s right. Li Qing intended to forge the hardest claws and fangs stripped from the Earthrock Bear into a consumable Magical Artifact! The volume of these materials is simply too low. If I were aiming for a reusable Magical Artifact, a spiked club

Chapter 196: The Mine is Raided Clang! A crisp metallic chime rang out in the quiet courtyard. A complex mechanism, resembling a tightly folded black iron lotus, spun leisurely in Li Qing’s palm. Engineering this intricate piece of lethal hardware had cost Li Qing five agonizing days! For five days and nights, he hadn’t slept

Chapter 197: Clarifying the Heart A single stone stirred up a thousand waves! The Heavenly River Sect’s Spirit Stone vein had been attacked by unknown Cultivators! The news sprouted wings, utterly impossible to suppress, and rapidly swept across the entire Cultivation world. Whether it was the destitute Rogue Cultivators or the elite scions of the

Chapter 198: The Great Killing Weapon The forged iron chassis of the Pear Blossom Storm Nails had successfully absorbed the spirit quench. Running his calloused thumb over the cold metal, Li Qing could vividly feel the dense, volatile spirituality humming just beneath the surface. Simultaneously, the fragmented artifact forging inheritance he had purchased in the

Chapter 199: Departure “What? Shovel dirt as a Spirit Farmer? I don’t know the first thing about cultivating a Spirit Field!” “Damn it, does this mean the Heavenly River Sect’s Spirit Stone mine is closed indefinitely?” “It keeps us fed, I suppose. But we’ll be starting from scratch in the mud!” “You need the Cloud

Chapter 200: Ambush Returning to the familiar embrace of the mountain forest, Li Qing felt the suffocating tension of the Liu Family camp evaporate. His mood soared. Without a second thought, he released Fantong from the Beast Taming Bag, preparing to ride the tiger straight to the Heavenly River Sect market. “Roar!” The massive Fantong

Chapter 201: The Stall Vendor Li Qing In the suffocating darkness of the sky, a single, blood-red moon hung high. Li Qing stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his eyes sweeping the desolate landscape, yet he found nothing of note. The Age of Dharma Decline… A world entirely stripped of Spiritual Qi is

Chapter 202: Request for Artifact Refining Are you kidding? Trying to fleece him for free goods based on some unverified rumor? Li Qing had never been on the losing end of a deal in his life. Even if the news was true, it had nothing to do with him anymore. He had already severed his

Chapter 203: Taking Stock of the Spoils The day after striking their deal, Li Qing arrived at the stall to collect Ye Feng’s artifact refining materials and the agreed-upon Spirit Stones. Handing over the goods, Ye Feng swallowed hard, a nervous edge to his voice. “Fellow Daoist Li, I’m entrusting all these spiritual materials to

Chapter 204: Soft Water Whip Purging the baleful aura was an unavoidable first step. Both the Bloodthirsty Vine and the Profound Yin Snake Skin harbored lingering traces of vicious energy. The aura might seem negligible, but even a microscopic impurity could shatter the success rate of Spirit Tempering and Rune Inscription. Li Qing retrieved the

Chapter 205: Red Moon After forging the Soft Water Whip, Li Qing stayed at the anvil, hammering out six more inferior-grade Magical Artifacts in succession. He built a versatile arsenal: sabers, spears, swords, and halberds. The relentless forging devoured nine days. His craftsmanship was structurally flawless, yet restricted by the mundane mortal iron, the weapons

Chapter 206: Red Moon Mystery Power Inside the blood hall, Er Ya gave Li Qing a brief, harrowing account of the last decade. It turned out that starting nine years ago, the children born in the Extreme Night World began to exhibit various Mutations—bizarre, indescribable Aberrations that defied the natural order. Some infants were born

Chapter 207: Meeting an Old Acquaintance Again A tremor of unease rippled through Li Qing’s heart. Abandoning the path of Cultivation to cultivate a mysterious power derived from the Red Moon? If this trend held, the priceless secret manuals of the immortal dao—the top-tier cultivation methods, the guarded sorceries, and the legacies of specialized trades—would

Chapter 208: The Eerie and Unusual Inside the warehouse, after a brief, sharp exchange of blows, Li Qing and Zhao Kou broke their engagement with practiced synchronicity. They stood apart, breathing easily, before locking eyes and breaking into simultaneous grins. “Hahahaha!” Bold, hearty laughter shook the rafters. The unspoken bond of decades, forged in the

Chapter 209: Exploration The Red Moon Mystery Power was truly bizarre, actually causing people to completely transform into such monstrous forms, making one feel a chill down the spine. From his position on the rafters, Li Qing could clearly sense that the two people below were not originally cultivators; they should have been ordinary mortals

Chapter 210: Completing the Task The spear swept horizontally in a blinding arc. Li Qing flooded the shaft with his Magic Power, causing the fire-attribute spirit patterns to pulse with a low, hungry light. A tidal wave of flame erupted, instantly swallowing the serpentine aberrant beast. The mushroom forest, normally a tomb of gloom, ignited

Chapter 211: Hidden Trading Area The core was forged from Bloodthirsty Vines, entwined with strips of Profound Yin Snake skin, and armored with the vine’s own jagged, parasitic thorns. As Ye Feng weighed the Soft Water Whip in his hand, a glint of pure satisfaction lit his eyes. The texture was superb, the craftsmanship exquisite—it

Chapter 212: Broadening Horizons The clandestine exchange soon commenced, carrying the suffocating, cult-like atmosphere of a subterranean syndicate. Li Qing kept his mouth shut, his eyes tracking every subtle shift in the room. An eternal lamp flickered, casting long, jagged shadows against the stone. From the deepest corner of the gloom, a voice broke the

Chapter 213: Repairing the Magical Artifact As the trade fair concluded, the attendees filtered out of the cavern one by one. Under the oppressive watch of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, each departure was strictly staggered by roughly three minutes. This enforced isolation guaranteed secrecy; three minutes was ample time for a cultivator to vanish into

Chapter 214: Bluffing The first step in resurrecting this Black Wind Flag was naturally to melt and cast a complete, seamless flagpole. The amount of Ink Leaf Stone powder the burly brute had handed over was pitifully small—barely enough to fill a thumb-sized porcelain vial. Yet, even this meager pinch, if fenced in the outer

Chapter 215: Beast Battle In truth, Li Qing hadn’t tampered with the artifact’s internal structure at all; his claim was a hollow bluff meant to mentally break the brute. However, the burly man simply didn’t dare to gamble his life on a hunch. A Middle Grade Magical Artifact was the absolute backbone of a Qi

Chapter 216: A Bold Idea The slaughter within the Beast Arena reached a fever pitch. Amidst the deafening roar of the bloodthirsty crowd, the Frost Jade Winged Mantis seized a razor-thin opening, plunging its scythe-like, frost-rimed forelimbs deep into the Giant Flame Lizard’s boiling flesh. Crack! The fire-attribute behemoth could not withstand the lethal kinetic

Chapter 217: Jade Locust Having spent ten Spirit Stones on the admission pass, Li Qing still sat in the Beast Arena’s spectator zone, watching the final beast fight to the end. Both Demon Beasts were late first-stage, their auras fiercely savage, with the momentum from their battle sweeping into the spectator area. The two ferocious

Chapter 218: Cave Dwelling The tense negotiations regarding the uncharted secret realm abruptly flatlined. The syndicate seamlessly pivoted back to routine acquisitions. The masked woman reiterated her bottomless demand for Starry Sky Grass, while the haggard, desperate middle-aged man rasped out his usual plea for a Foundation Establishment Pill. Li Qing tuned out the ambient

Chapter 219: Secluded Cultivation As one classified secret after another bled into the open, the underground exchange finally drew to a close. The sickly glow of the eternal-flame lamp shuddered as the Foundation Establishment Elder orchestrated the staggered exit of the operators. After waiting out the mandatory delay, Li Qing slipped from the vault and

Chapter 220: A Year of Arduous Cultivation Hiss! The final wisp of spiritual wood essence from the severed Jade Locust branch drifted into Li Qing’s pores like a stream of pale green smoke. In a fraction of a second, the entire segment of timber weathered thousands of years of decay, disintegrating into fine ash. Not

Chapter 221: Repairing the Spirit Boat “Perhaps I can use water-attribute binding runes to replace it. I need to forge the Water Binding Net anyway; this is a good opportunity to practice.” Li Qing’s eyes flashed, and he immediately made a decision in his heart. A spirit boat focused on travel naturally pursues speed. Li

Chapter 222: Mid First Rank A full year had bled away in the dark, and the spirit seed of the Jade Locust tree had finally pierced the soil, its pale green shoot a stark contrast against the gloom. Gorging on the suffocating density of Spiritual Qi within the cave dwelling, the sapling pulsed with an

Chapter 223: Water Binding Net The Water Binding Net, with its main materials being Azure Water Silk and Condensing Water Sand, both of which Li Qing had already prepared, and he could even craft two copies with some to spare. The auxiliary material was a Spirit-Fixing Stone. Although this item was optional, according to the

Chapter 224: Flattery [Successful Refinement of Low Grade Magical Artifact: Golden Platform Seal. Reward: 15 years of lifespan!] [Successful Refinement of Inferior Grade Magical Artifact: Forest Shadow Sword. Reward: 5 years of lifespan!] […] In the ten days following the successful forging of the Water Binding Net, Li Qing retreated into the rhythmic violence of

Chapter 225: Secret Land Invitation Stating that the Heavenly River Sect attached great importance to the Ascension Immortal Assembly felt like a waste of breath. Yet, to those who survived by listening to the shadows, such obvious statements carried darker implications. Li Qing’s eyes narrowed slightly beneath his hood, his mind processing the shifting variables.

Chapter 226: The Soul Lamp Above a nondescript stretch of mountain forest in the Qingling Region, two figures cut through the air like immortals descending to the mortal brush. It was deep night. A brilliant moon hung suspended in the void, as polished and exquisite as a plate of fine white porcelain. “Every time I

Chapter 227: The Ambush The bright moon bleached the jagged hills. Li Qing stood atop the unremarkable ridge, the Soul Lamp cradled in his palm like a fragile, dying insect. A mountain breeze swept through the forest, the lush canopy hushing and sighing in the dark. “Roar.” Fantong let out a low, guttural vibration. It

Chapter 228: The Jade Pendant It had to be said that after partially plundering a secret realm, Gu Ming’s Storage Bag was exceptionally well-lined. The primary haul was a hoard of Spirit Stones—over 1,800 in total, piled into a corner of the spatial pocket. Their crystalline surfaces shimmered with a cold, inviting light that made

Chapter 229: Battling Aberrant Beasts The three Aberrations were grotesque parodies of life. They crept toward Fantong with jerky, unnatural gaits, their very existence an affront to the natural order. The beast in the center was a massive lizard draped in matted, dark-red fur. Two jagged horns, shaped like frozen bolts of lightning, protruded from

Chapter 230: Body Seizing The dead of night reigned, stars and moon casting a silver brilliance that coated the quiet mountain forest like a layer of hoarfrost. Emerging from the Extreme Night World, Li Qing moved with the fluid agility of an ape. He navigated the dense canopy with predatory ease, using the thick branches

Chapter 231: Exploring the Secret Realm Securing the small jade vial containing a wisp of Ye Feng’s remnant soul inside his robes, Li Qing began pacing out the perimeter of the secret realm. The interior space was not particularly vast. Aside from several jagged mountain peaks, the remaining terrain consisted of a barren Daoist training

Chapter 232: Jade Ruyi Leaving the oppressive twilight of the Soul-Nourishing Temple’s hidden realm, Li Qing wasted no time in the open wilderness. He pushed himself relentlessly, slipping back into the relative safety of the Tianhe Market like a shadow. His cave dwelling’s lease had mere months remaining. Once the hourglass ran out, he would

Chapter 233: Ascension Immortal Assembly (Part 1) Fascinated by the utterly bizarre inscription technique within the Jade Ruyi, a rare spark of scholarly greed flared in Li Qing’s chest, compelling him to turn the ancient artifact over in his hands. He could not yet decipher the method used to bury the spiritual circuitry deep within

Chapter 234: Ascension Immortal Assembly (Part 2) As the blood-soaked curtains of the Ascension Immortal Assembly prepared to rise, a cold, suffocating sense of foreboding coiled in Li Qing’s gut. Drawing upon the survival instincts forged across two lifetimes, he knew this grand tournament was a powder keg waiting for a spark. It would not

Chapter 235: Flying Eagle Fights Strange Beast Buried within the suffocating canopy of the dense forest, Li Qing ratcheted his nerves tight, forcefully suppressing his breathing until it was barely a whisper against his ribs. In this lawless wilderness, anyone arrogant enough to shatter the sky with high-velocity flight possessed either heaven-defying artifacts or absolute,

Chapter 236: Rebirth Splintered trunks and shattered foliage littered the dense forest, the violent aftermath of the recent battle carving a crude clearing into the ancient wood. A Flying Eagle Bandit, currently butchering the headless black ape, plunged his hand into the ruined chest cavity and tore free a crimson Crystal Core. Roughly the size

Chapter 237: Ascension Assembly (Part 2) The Heavenly River Sect’s Ascension Assembly had raged for several days. A parade of prodigies had drenched the arena in blood, offering a brutal, thrilling spectacle for the throng of Rogue Cultivators in the stands. Among the victors, Shi Nantian and Jiu Xiao commanded the most attention. The former

Chapter 238: Great Chaos Approaches Boom! Like a thunderclap detonating within the skull, like an Immortal King passing judgment upon the world! A massive floating island anchoring the entrance of the Heavenly River Market was pulverized. The sheer, overwhelming kinetic force of the spiritual detonation instantly reduced the island to burning slag, sending thousands of

Chapter 239: Secluded Cultivation in Hardship Longevity Valley, the spiritual vein territory claimed by the Liu Family, lay shrouded in deceptive peace. A solitary paper letter plummeted from the overcast sky, striking the invisible barrier of the Liu Family’s protective grand Formation with the speed of a fired arrow. The sudden impact alerted the patrolling

Chapter 240: Restriction Solution A day within the cave is a millennium out in the world. No phrase better described the passage of time during Cultivation. Once a cultivator sank into the lightless depths of Secluded Cultivation, centuries could blur into seconds. Entombed within his hidden spatial realm, Li Qing felt his grasp on time

Chapter 241: Breaking the Restrictions, Ascending the Mountain! Boom! A heavy, concussive rumble shook the bedrock. Deep within the Soul-Nourishing Temple’s secret realm, ear-splitting detonations echoed in a relentless rhythm. Piercing through the explosions were the desperate, ragged shrieks of dying beasts. A frenzied roar tore through the air. The secret realm’s main peak shuddered

Chapter 242: Retrieving the Bell from the Tower “Soul-Nourishing Heart Sutra. A core technique for forging the soul. Fragmented. Useless.” In the Scripture Repository of the Soul-Nourishing Temple, Li Qing dropped another jade slip back onto the rack, the loss burning like a physical wound on his face. He had already decrypted more than half

Chapter 243: Late Stage Qi Condensation A sharp, piercing chime cut through the silence. Sitting cross-legged inside his wooden shack, Li Qing felt the acoustic tremor scrape his soul clean, leaving a cold, focused edge. Three years had passed since he extracted the Soul-Nourishing Bell from the dead tower. For every single day of those

Chapter 244: Six Years of Change After six years entrenched in the dark, breaching the surface of the secret realm felt like stepping onto an alien world. Dead winter gripped the mountains. A bitter gale howled from the deep timber, scraping across Li Qing’s face like a rusted blade—a sensation he hadn’t felt in nearly

Chapter 245: Meeting Ye Feng Again The Black Sand River was a massive geographic scar, earning its name from the dense, black silt choking its wide banks. Once, this was a high-yield resource node saturated with Spiritual Qi, regularly churning out raw materials for forging water-attribute Magical Artifacts. Naturally, such a heavy industrial zone had

Chapter 246: Underwater Cavern Separated by blood and time, this rare reunion saw Li Qing and Ye Feng drinking spirit wine in the camp for three full days. They drained every last drop from Ye Feng’s Storage Bag. Even with his hardened constitution, Li Qing swayed slightly. He raised his cup, his voice rough but

Chapter 247: The Turmoil of the Black Sand River Early the next morning, the last pale traces of moonlight burned away as the sun forged a blinding, radiant dawn across the horizon. Inside the fortified camp, Li Qing slowly dragged himself out of a deep state of forging his inner Qi. Exhaling a cloud of

Chapter 248: Paying Respects to Qingyang The submerged ruins in the Black Sand River finally pushed the two major Sects into open, bloody warfare. However, this violent clash along the river basin didn’t result in the death of any Core Formation True Persons. But the lack of high-ranking casualties didn’t soften the meat grinder. The

Chapter 249: Repairing the Medicine Cauldron A medicine cauldron used by a Foundation Establishment cultivator was naturally quite extraordinary. The moment Daoist Qingyang took it out, Li Qing confirmed that this medicine cauldron’s grade was equivalent to a High Grade Magical Artifact. Although this medicine cauldron seemed to be made of ordinary brass, it was

Chapter 250: Crimson Crystal Inside the cave abode, Daoist Qingyang stared at the fully repaired bronze cauldron, a look of deep satisfaction etched into his weathered face. “Flawless work. Fellow Daoist Er Niu, your forging technique is bordering on absolute mastery.” Li Qing didn’t let the praise soften him. Complacency killed. He knew exactly how

Chapter 251: Reforging the Bones Boom! The moment the Red Crystal slid down its throat, the blood within Fantong surged with the concussive force of a bursting dam. In a fraction of a second, the ambient Spiritual Qi in the air grew violently unstable. Li Qing knew this atmospheric pressure well. Whenever he dragged the

Chapter 252: The Mysterious Stone Egg After completing its transformation, Fantong’s strength progressed at a much faster rate than before. Before this, its strength had almost stagnated at the mid-first rank. Even with repeated consumption of Beast Nurturing Pills, the improvements were extremely minimal. Now, the Beast Nurturing Pills were effective again. With each pill

Chapter 253: Breaching the Grotto-Heaven The submerged ruins beneath the Black Sand River finally forced the Core Formation heavyweights to act. The rival Sects brokered a temporary, bitter truce, pooling their firepower to breach the anomaly together. The tactical threat was too massive to ignore, mandating they temporarily bury their blood feuds. If an ancient

Chapter 254: Peace The operational fallout from the Heavenly River Sect and the Upper Qing Sect’s joint breach of the underwater grotto finally leaked, sending shockwaves through the local Cultivation underworld. “Five Core Formation heavyweights couldn’t lock down a single stone egg? What kind of prehistoric Demon Beast possesses that kind of kinetic output before

Chapter 255: Foundation Establishment Celebration To attend Jiu Xiao’s Foundation Establishment celebration, Li Qing naturally set off with Daoist Qingyang, taking the opportunity to hitch a ride on the old Senior’s spirit boat. Qinghua Pond was an isolated backwater. Trekking to the Heavenly River Sect on foot would burn a grueling month in round-trip travel.

Chapter 256: Favor Jiu Xiao spared no expense for this Foundation Establishment banquet. The spirit wine was centuries old, thick as syrup, coating the throat and leaving a heavy, intoxicating burn in its wake. The feast was equally rich. Plates piled high with the roasted, blood-soaked flesh of rare Demon Beasts—meats scarcely seen beyond the

Chapter 257: Joint Refining of the Foundation Establishment Pill From that day forward, every morning brought the same sight: a seven-year-old child kneeling before Li Qing’s courtyard gate, eyes red and glassy with unshed tears. The spectacle dragged on for two grueling months; a pointless endurance test likely orchestrated by a desperate mother. One frozen

Chapter 258: The Foundation Establishment Pill Forged Daoist Qingyang’s refinement technique was ruthlessly efficient. From his calculated movements alone, it was obvious he had forged countless Foundation Establishment Pills over the decades. One by one, the raw spiritual herbs were dumped into the heavy cauldron, and the Innate True Fire he channeled roared like a

Chapter 259: Dharma Protector At the peak of Qinghua Pond’s most jagged summit, a dense, suppressed fluctuation began to warp the air. Hum! The ambient Spiritual Qi formed a massive, invisible vortex, ripping energy from the surrounding atmosphere and funneling it straight down into the mountain. Anchored at the mountain’s base, Li Qing felt the

Chapter 260: Reward With the battle cleared, the violent breakthrough occurring within the summit’s cave dwelling finally reached its terminal sequence. The atmospheric vortex of Spiritual Qi that had choked the sky began to dissipate, while the raw energy signature of the breakthrough spiked to a violent, high-pressure extreme. Finally, as Liu Hanyue’s internal Magic

Chapter 261: A Bountiful Harvest Deep within the inner cave abode of Qinghua Pond. The cultivation speed within a second-tier spiritual vein was entirely different; the refinement rate here utterly eclipsed the outer sectors. The moment Liu Hanyue left, Li Qing immediately moved in. The cave abode was stripped bare, but Li Qing’s logistical footprint

Chapter 262: Breaking Seclusion! Qi Condensation Ninth Layer! Time flowed on, passing without notice. In the time spent cultivating, feeling one’s strength gradually increase and improve was an addictive pleasure. Thus, a common saying circulated in the Cultivation world: “Cultivation knows no years; winter ends without knowing the year!” In the cave dwelling, Li Qing’s

Chapter 263: Qinghua Pond Auction Li Qing ultimately decided to attend Daoist Qingyang’s auction. He had just broken through in cultivation. Continuing with blind secluded cultivation offered diminishing returns; stepping out to attend this auction to broaden his horizons was a good idea. Scraping the matted beard from his face with the Youlong Dagger, Li

Chapter 264: Precious Auction Item Crack! Hearing the five-hundred-year-old spiritual wood, Li Qing’s grip tightened, crushing the corner of his stone stool into fine powder. It couldn’t be helped; the value of this item was simply too immense. Maintaining his composure was impossible. For him, this spiritual wood was invaluable—whether for crafting Magical Artifacts or

Chapter 265: Trading Spirit Wood Once Daoist Qingyang bound his future to the Inner Demon, the bidding for the final three heavy-duty assets commenced. The bloodlust in the room spiked; all eleven Foundation Establishment cultivators present encoded their offers and passed them to the old man. Naturally, the low-tier Qi Condensation Rogue Cultivators could only

Chapter 266: Extreme Night World’s Drastic Change Bathed in cold moonlight, the barren hill radiated an eerie, sterile stillness. Li Qing advanced to the summit, sweeping his Divine Sense through the crags. Satisfied the perimeter was dead empty, he extracted a weathered jade pendant from his heavy coat. He channeled a pulse of energy into

Chapter 267: Black Feather Aberrant Even a clay idol has a breaking point, let alone Li Qing. No matter how much he preferred to keep a low profile, being eyed as meat on a chopping block ignited a cold, mechanical fury within him. Boom! He stopped suppressing his aura. The pressure erupted outward, heavy and

Chapter 268: One-Eyed Giant Deer The perimeter of the Bloodthirsty Mushroom Forest was a dead zone. The once-rampant aberrant beasts had been decimated, their numbers brutally thinned. Li Qing scoured hundreds of miles of ash and rot. It took heavy effort to hunt down just three aberrant beasts, each packing the kinetic force of a

Chapter 269: Medicinal Herb Field Mountain Peak In the Extreme Night World, a colossal hoof radiating pure, apocalyptic annihilation slammed downward, threatening to grind the very bedrock into powder. Boom! Packing tens of thousands of tons of kinetic force, the strike plummeted toward Li Qing and the glowing chrysalis beside him with unstoppable momentum. In

Chapter 270: Soul-Condensing Slash On the medicinal peak of the Soul-Nourishing secret realm, the shattered defensive array left a clear corridor to the summit. Li Qing marched up the slope step by step. Bathing in the dense, concentrated starlight at the peak, the heavy tension wound tight in his mind finally uncoiled. “Collateral damage. The

Chapter 271: Progress in Body Techniques At the Qinghua Pond, deep within Daoist Qingyang’s cavern. “Excellent! An Astral Star Grass with eight centuries of medicinal age. You truly deliver, young friend!” Daoist Qingyang took the Astral Star Grass, his tone heavy with genuine shock. He never expected Li Qing to extract a specimen of such

Chapter 272: Before Departure Time flowed leisurely. Li Qing’s days of seclusion by Qinghua Pond slipped away, and in the blink of an eye, several more months had passed. During this period, he ground his way through his Qi Condensation cultivation. His consumption of Peiyuan Pills never ceased, reaching a staggering frequency of one pill

Chapter 273: The Fickleness of Human Hearts Clang! Accompanied by the sharp shatter of porcelain, Li Qing swayed unsteadily. He slumped backward, collapsing against the cold courtyard wall. “Why… why drug me?” Li Qing’s eyelids drooped, his breathing turning shallow. His tone carried genuine confusion, tinged with a thread of sorrow. Thud! Ye Feng dropped

Chapter 274: The Heinous Demon Li Someone had publicly slaughtered a Heavenly River Sect enforcement disciple right in the middle of the Heavenly River Market! Such news could not be contained. The moment the lockdown fell over the market, rumors bled through the cracks. The disciples manning the Formation wore grim expressions. Under the suffocating

Chapter 275: Celestial Pointer The Heavenly River Sect’s blockade was far more suffocating than Li Qing had anticipated. Over the past few days, he hadn’t even dared to take flight; tearing through the sky was a beacon, practically begging to be discovered. Yet, no matter how carefully Li Qing treaded, a glaring problem remained: how

Chapter 276: Ambush in the Forest In a desolate wilderness starved of Spiritual Qi, Li Qing pushed northward, his mind a restless storm. Endless mountains formed a jagged ring around him, choked by towering ancient trees. In this primal landscape, there was no trace of mortal civilization. “They say when a high-level cultivator’s soul grows

Chapter 277: Looking Back at the Mortal World Due to its proximity to the former imperial capital of Feng Country, Xunjiang City boasted a bustling, prosperous atmosphere. Silhouettes crowded the teahouses and taverns. Hawking cries echoed endlessly down the streets as peddlers and porters scoured for a living. This single ten-mile avenue painted a vivid

Chapter 278: Wuji Grandmaster High upon the deck of the Snake-Head Spirit Boat, Senior Brother Yang’s expression darkened. He narrowed his eyes, staring down at the sprawling, densely populated mortal city below. His thoughts flickered to his own Dao path, and the immense value of the secret treasure shielding Li Qing’s fate from the heavens.

Chapter 279: Dominance Wu Yang had practiced martial arts his entire life, suffering very few defeats. Of those rare losses, only a handful had branded themselves into his soul, unforgettable even now. Now, hearing that hearty voice ring out beyond the hall once more, a violent shudder racked Wu Yang’s frame. “Who’s there? Stop playing

Chapter 280: Who is the Demon (Two-in-One) Seven days of scouring the mortal city yielded nothing. Li Qing had vanished without a trace, leaving not even a shadow behind. Yang Xi gritted his teeth in mounting frustration. He had flown out of Xunjiang City several times to test the tracking, but the Celestial Pointer stubbornly