119: Chapter 119 Yuanze County

Having tidied everything up, he stepped out of his Immortal Cave.

Outside, a cool breeze swept across the sky as the sea of clouds churned. With a leap into the air, a cyan glow of Spiritual Qi surged beneath his feet, and he soared through the sky, flying rapidly toward Huangfeng Prefecture, thousands of miles away.

Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.

Traveling by wind the entire way, crossing mountains and rivers, and traversing forests, Li Changqing finally stepped into the bustling and noisy capital of Huangfeng Prefecture.

The market in the prefecture capital remained crowded, with Cultivators weaving back and forth. The sounds of hawking, the clashing of Magical Artifacts, and the voices of people debating the Dao and bargaining blended together, a mix of Mortal life and immortal charm.

He had no intention of lingering in the lively surroundings. With steady steps, he walked straight to the most renowned Wanxiang Tower at the heart of the market. He paid five hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones for information and received a definitive piece of news:

The Taixu Secret Realm, rumored to hold countless Opportunities and dangers alike, would manifest and open its gates once again in fifteen years.

Upon learning the approximate time the Secret Realm would open, Li Changqing turned and left Wanxiang Tower, then immediately proceeded to the adjacent Tianyuan Chamber of Commerce.

Li Changqing purchased a large batch of essential cultivation supplies to replenish his reserves. Afterward, he finalized a large order, paying five hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones on the spot as a deposit to reserve a group of healthy Mortals with decent potential from the chamber, to be cultivated for future use.

With all matters settled, he had no intention of lingering any longer. With a flash of his figure, he left the clamorous market, took to the air, and set off on his return journey toward Xuanling Lake.

At the same moment, thousands of miles away at Qingfeng Mountain.

Clouds and mist swirled among the mountains, and the green pines were lush. A secluded and serene pavilion stood suspended atop the peak.

Inside the pavilion, the windows were bright and the tables clean. The atmosphere was solemn, devoid of any worldly aura typical of an ordinary dwelling.

In the main seats, Li Xuanji and Clan Leader Li Huaming sat facing each other, their postures upright. A layer of heavy, unbreakable solemnity hung between their brows, and the atmosphere around them was extremely oppressive, faintly revealing a tension as if a storm were about to break.

After a moment of silence, Clan Leader Li Huaming spoke first, his voice deep and heavy, carrying a sense of grave solemnity: "Changan, have you clearly investigated the whereabouts of Wild Wolf from the Seawater Gang?"

Li Changan, who was standing in attendance below, bowed with cupped hands, his expression respectful and rigorous, and reported in a deep voice:

"Reporting to the Clan Chief, the Innate Middle Stage Martial Artist we planted in the Seawater Gang three years ago has long since gained the trust of the Seawater Gang and is now a petty leader with real authority within the Gang."

"Yesterday, a secret report arrived. In a few days, Wild Wolf will personally lead a team, commanding a Seawater Gang merchant caravan to transport a large batch of Ore to Yuanze County, to be sold entirely to the local Yuan Family."

Yuanze County is located to the west of Anping County, separated by Sifang County and Changshan County, spanning over three thousand miles.

The Yuan Family, a cultivation Family in Yuanze County, is a renowned Artifact Refining cultivation clan in the surrounding region. With deep foundations and three Foundation Establishment Cultivators presiding over the clan, they have quite a reputation in the way of Artifact Refining, and their influence cannot be underestimated.

When the Beast Tide arrived, the Seawater Gang suffered significant losses. The Seawater Gang's Vice Leader, the Foundation Establishment Initial Stage Cultivator Vice Leader Duan Zhushan, perished in this Beast Tide. After the Zhang Family was exterminated by Demonic Cultivators, the Seawater Gang annexed the Zhang Family's territory and merged with the Earth Dragon Gang, thereby unifying Linhai County.

Currently, the Seawater Gang in Linhai County has three Foundation Establishment Cultivators: the Leader Dugu Ming with Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivation, the Deputy Leader Tai Lie whose cultivation has broken through to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, and the newly appointed Deputy Leader Wild Wolf at the Foundation Establishment Initial Stage.

Li Xuanji's intention this time is to eliminate Wild Wolf, to collect a little interest for the clansmen who sacrificed themselves in the sea back then.

Early this morning, while the sky was still gray, Wild Wolf led over thirty Gang members, driving ten Elephant Armor Beast carriages, and left Linhai County.

The vast territory of Yuanze County was filled with rolling, brownish-green hills and wild, dense forests. The wild grass grew taller than the horses' backs, and the winding mountain paths were covered by layers of ancient tree branches and leaves.

It was late autumn, and the daylight was dim. The setting sun spilled obliquely onto the rugged mountain path, stretching the shadows in the forest into long, deathly silence.

A merchant caravan that had been trekking for five full days was just stepping across the border of Yuanze County.

The team was not large in scale, yet it carried the fierce, violent bandit aura of those who had rampaged in the near seas for years. It was none other than the Seawater Gang.

The person in the lead wore soft armor made of tanned black shark skin. His face was rough and ferocious with high cheekbones, and his eyes gleamed with a vicious light. A faint halo of Spiritual Qi swirled around his body, and his aura was steady; he had already stepped into the Foundation Establishment Initial Stage. He was none other than the Seawater Gang's Deputy Leader, Wild Wolf.

Wild Wolf rode a domesticated Shallow-Water Black-Maned Horse, its hooves crushing the dead branches by the roadside. With one hand resting on the hilt of the poison-coated scimitar at his waist, he scanned his surroundings, a relaxed smile hanging on the corners of his mouth.

Departing from Linhai County, they had finally entered Yuanze County after traveling over two thousand miles.

This time, they were escorting ten full carts of heavy Ore—this Ore was produced from the bottom of the near-sea reefs and was harder than iron. After being smelted by an Artifact Refiner into blocks of sea rock, it served as the core spiritual material for crafting many entry-level Low Grade Magical Artifacts.

This type of Ore fetched a very high price in the Yuanze County market; a single beast carriage could be exchanged for one hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones. With ten carriages of raw materials, after deducting labor costs, it was enough for the Seawater Gang to make a fortune.

It was precisely because of this batch of valuable Ore that the Leader had specifically assigned him, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, to personally oversee the escort, and there were many elites among the accompanying guards.

Following behind Wild Wolf were five Qi Refining Cultivators with condensed auras. The lowest was at the sixth level of Qi Refining, and the highest was already at the ninth level. They were all veterans of the Seawater Gang who had fought and bled through years of combat; their methods were ruthless, and they were familiar with various small killing techniques.

Further back were thirty sturdy Martial Artists, each with a powerful Physical Body. They carried iron-backed sabers and armor-piercing crossbows, and hung the Seawater Gang's unique Black Wave tokens at their waists. They had followed the Gang for years to plunder merchant ships in the near seas and travelers on mountain roads. Their hands were all stained with blood, and their ferocity far exceeded that of ordinary Jianghu Martial Artists.

The thirty Martial Artists guarded the sides of the ten beast carriages. Each carriage was pulled by a brute-force Elephant Armor Beast. The thick, solid iron carriage boards were slightly depressed under the weight of the heavy Ore, and the faint deep-sea Spiritual Qi attached to the surface of the Ore dissipated quietly in the forest, becoming the most conspicuous target.

The Ore on each beast carriage weighed a full seven or eight tons; even a large Storage Pouch could not hold one carriage.

"Another hundred miles or so and we will reach the suburbs of Yuanze County. Once the goods are handed over, we can return."

Wild Wolf pulled on the reins, relaxing his spirit that had been taut for several days. He turned his head and coldly ordered, "Everyone perk up. Once we enter the territory of Yuanze, although there are no near-sea bandits, we must still guard against Loose Cultivators intercepting us. Hurry along; let there be no complications."

The five Qi Refining Cultivators replied in succession, spreading their Divine Sense loosely, scanning the surrounding forests superficially.

Their cultivation was low, and their Divine Sense covered at most a few dozen zhang. They could only detect movements on the surface and had no way of knowing that at the very top of this deathly silent forest, a figure had already been lying in ambush for a long time.

At the top of the ancient tree, the dense shade blocked the sun.

Li Xuanji wore a plain cyan robe, his posture as straight as a pine. He stood with his hands behind his back on the branches of the thousand-year-old tree. His sleeves were gently stirred by the breeze in the forest, and not a shred of excess aura leaked out. His entire body's Spiritual Qi was fully retracted into his Meridians and Dantian, as if he were a lifeless piece of blue stone, perfectly blending into the mountain forest and heaven and earth.