128: Go ahead and pretend, I can’t stop you.

Above the green sea of trees, the dragon carriage traveled with the wind.

Qin Yang stood at the front of the dragon carriage, feeling the cool breeze gently caress him.

Behind the dragon carriage, a giant flapping moth followed.

More precisely, it was He Zhiyi, who had transformed into a butterfly with wings.

“Her flying speed is faster than Huang Liang’s, and she flies very effortlessly; a Mythic Rank Professional really is something,” Qin Yang thought, looking back at He Zhiyi and praising her.

Initially, he had been worried if He Zhiyi could keep up with him.

After his Mental Energy increased, the dragon carriage’s flying speed had already surpassed that of a high-speed train.

Logically, Professionals below Hero Rank should not be able to catch up to him.

But He Zhiyi was only Rank 30, similar to Chu Mengxuan.

Yet, she could keep up with his speed using her flying skill.

This showed that Mythic Rank Professionals were two or three dimensions above Transcendent Rank Professionals.

“It’s just, why is she only Rank 30?” Qin Yang wondered.

According to Huang Liang, He Zhiyi awakened her Profession at 15, and it had been almost three years since then.

Given the strength of a Mythic Rank Professional, she should have at least reached Rank 40.

Thinking of this, Qin Yang asked He Zhiyi, “Don’t you usually level up?”

He Zhiyi paused slightly and said coldly, “When did you use Detection Art on me?”

“The first time I saw you,” Qin Yang replied.

“The first time…” He Zhiyi’s pupils constricted, and she was very surprised.

Professionals usually sense when they are being detected, but she had felt nothing.

“It seems Liang Zai has a very strong Detection skill.”

“If you wanted to see, you should have just said so; why look secretly?”

“How annoying!” He Zhiyi’s heart pounded, but she maintained her persona, saying with a cold expression, “Young Master Qin, secretly detecting someone’s attributes is very impolite.”

Qin Yang chuckled and said, “Then is it very polite for you to keep secretly glancing at me?”

“I… I didn’t!”

He Zhiyi, exposed, instantly “turned red,” even her accent came out.

She hurriedly looked into the distance, took a few deep breaths to compose herself, and changed the subject in a cold tone: “Young Master Qin, there’s a Restriction in the swamp ahead; we need to go down.”

“Just keep up the act,” Qin Yang laughed inwardly, not wishing to expose her.

During this time, everyone in the village was under the surveillance of the Imperial Guards.

What they said, what they ate, what expressions they had… Qin Yang knew it all.

This so-called Tian Gu Spiritual Medium had long been figured out by him.

Don’t let this woman’s constant cold and arrogant demeanor fool you; she was actually a love-struck fool and a flirt.

On her first day in the village, she pestered Huang Liang for his contact information, even throwing a tantrum when he refused.

And she’s trying to act aloof with him?

“Does he not know how to play with her?”

Just as he was thinking, He Zhiyi had already flown downwards.

Qin Yang also manipulated the dragon carriage, lowering its altitude, following behind her.

The area below was a vast wetland swamp, filled with dense white miasma.

He Zhiyi arrived in front of the swamp, turned, and said to Qin Yang, “Young Master Qin, there are Gu Spirits guarding this place, so we can’t fly over. Please wait a moment; I will communicate with it.”

Qin Yang nodded slightly, letting the dragon carriage hover behind He Zhiyi.

He Zhiyi turned to face the swamp, gently closed her eyes, and slightly raised her hands.

Immediately after, a dense chorus of insect chirps echoed from within the miasma-filled swamp.

“This world is filled with ghosts and spirits; in the process of exploring and conquering, one can still encounter many interesting things,” Qin Yang thought with great interest.

At this moment, he already regarded Lizhou as his territory.

This was not an excessive thought.

The mere feat of dismantling the Zhong Faction alone

had earned him a great deal of prestige in Lizhou.

If he could get the Gu King’s head, his prestige could even rival that of the Tian Gu Spiritual Medium.

It was just that the Gu King possessed Monarch Tier strength.

Currently, the Imperial Guards were unable to accurately locate him.

As Qin Yang was thinking, he suddenly noticed something amiss.

The buzzing of insects from deep within the swamp grew louder and louder.

Even if Qin Yang didn’t understand “insect language,” he could discern a hint of irritation.

It was as if the insects were angry, fuming.

“Are they ungrateful?” Qin Yang’s eyes narrowed.

The reason he let He Zhiyi follow was that Lizhou was his territory, and the Gu Spirits guarding the mountains and forests were also considered his subjects.

That’s why he adopted a appeasement policy, not wanting to go on a killing spree.

If he truly forced his way through, how could those insects stop him?

Just then, He Zhiyi suddenly opened her eyes and shouted, “Young Master Qin, the Gu Spirit refuses to communicate with me; things are not looking good!”

“I can see that,” Qin Yang said calmly.

Puff, puff, puff, puff!

Dull sounds rang out.

In the green swamp, more than ten dark-green tentacles suddenly extended, coiling towards He Zhiyi.

He Zhiyi was greatly alarmed; she had never encountered such a situation before.

Normally, there were instances where Gu Spirits refused to communicate, but she had never been attacked.

And the Gu Spirit guarding this swamp area was very gentle; even if provoked, it wouldn’t directly attack.

“Is the Gu Spirit being controlled?” He Zhiyi wondered.

But at this moment, she had no time to think about it.

Facing the rapidly approaching tentacles, she flew backward while waving her wide sleeves into a vortex.

The moment the vortex formed, more than ten red afterimages flew out.

Immediately after, the sound of “swish, swish, swish” slashing rang out.

After a spray of blood, all ten-plus tentacles were severed.

“Not bad,” Qin Yang’s eyes lit up, and he couldn’t help but praise.

The red afterimages that flew out of the vortex were actually 12 giant mantises, over half a person tall and completely blood-red!

Qin Yang swept with True Dragon Qi Observation and was surprised to find that these were Rank 45 demonic creatures, named Blood Scythe Mantis.

Observing their exceptionally high attributes, it was not difficult to determine that these demonic creatures had 3-star potential.

“3-star potential, attributes five times that of ordinary demonic creatures. In a Secret Realm, they would at least be elite monsters,” Qin Yang praised inwardly.

Although He Zhiyi was only Rank 30,

she possessed 13 Rank 45, 3-star summoned beasts.

This strength could already easily defeat a Rank 45 Huang Liang.

Compared to a Chu Mengxuan of the same Rank, she could easily crush her.

“Compared like this, Chu Mengxuan is too weak.”

“I need to help her awaken her Dragon Soul and advance to Dragon Fist Master as soon as possible.”

Qin Yang thought to himself.

Just then, the insect chirps in the dense fog began to sharpen, clearly indicating that something had been completely enraged.

Immediately after, chilling cries of infants came through.

Hearing this sound, Qin Yang and He Zhiyi both paused simultaneously.

They looked at each other and said in unison, “Gu Insect!”

Upon hearing the sound of the Gu Insect, He Zhiyi’s eyes showed panic.

Judging from the sound, the number of Gu Insects within the miasma should be no less than 1,000.

This many Gu Insects would be very difficult to deal with without the Illusory Butterfly Melody Gu Array.

What worried He Zhiyi even more was that the appearance of Gu Insects in an area guarded by a Gu Spirit could only mean one thing… that this Gu Spirit had either been contaminated or controlled by Gu techniques.

Ah, ah, ah, ah!

The wailing grew more and more shrill, coming from far away and getting closer.

Whoosh—

A cold wind swept through, and the dense miasma dispersed to both sides.

Red mud surged out from the green swamp.

The next second, a colossal creature emerged before Qin Yang and He Zhiyi… Retired Emperors: I originally had one more chapter today, but I’m not feeling well. I’ll make it up with three chapters tomorrow. I hope you will forgive your Imperial Son Orz…