16: Chapter 16 Attacked on the Way Home

After a dreamless night, the next day, before dawn, Li Changqing walked out of the inn, quietly left Linhai County, and flew towards Anping County.

Once he stepped out of the city gates, perhaps due to a sixth sense, he felt uneasy, so he immediately accelerated his Flying Sword. Out of caution, he also woke up Xiao Hei in advance, shrinking its size to hide it within his sleeve.

During the flight, Li Changqing occasionally released his Divine Sense, scanning the surroundings. After flying for nearly a hundred miles without discovering anything, he gradually relaxed.

Despite Li Changqing's caution, what he did not know was that a few miles behind him, three Cultivators were piloting a small flying boat, following him closely.

The Cultivator at the very front was none other than the Black-Robed Cultivator who had competed with him for the Nine-Poison Shadow Phosphorus Python corpse at the auction. The other two Cultivators behind him were also at the Qi Refining 7th Layer.

The three stood on the flying boat, watching the trajectory left by Li Changqing's Flying Sword. The Qi Refining 7th Layer Cultivator behind the black-robed man spoke:

"It seems this kid is quite clever; he accelerated as soon as he left the city gates. If it weren't for the Spirit-Seeking Mouse left behind by Master, he might have really slipped away. Big Brother, do you think we should increase our speed and intercept him directly? With the strength of us three brothers, why fear him?"

"Second Brother, don't be impatient. This kid doesn't look like a Loose Cultivator. Let's wait another cup of tea's time to ensure he has no companions, then prepare to strike. This person is at the Qi Refining 8th Layer, and his Flying Sword is also a High Grade Magical Artifact. Remember, when we do make a move, we must finish it quickly."

Just as Li Changqing flew a few more miles, his Divine Sense suddenly sensed that about two miles behind him, a flying boat was approaching rapidly in his direction.

Judging by the speed of that flying boat, it was incredibly fast, about four or five times faster than his High Grade Magical Artifact Flying Sword.

Encountering such a sudden turn of events, although Li Changqing was startled, he did not panic. He was no longer the novice who had just entered the cultivation world, so he naturally did not believe the Cultivators behind him were just passing by. Someone must have been following him in secret using some unknown method.

After a moment's thought, he made a decision. He slightly reduced his flying speed, took a Medicinal Pill from his Storage Pouch, and swallowed it to quickly restore his Qi. Two offensive Talismans and one defensive Talisman appeared in his hands, and then he instructed Xiao Hei to prepare for battle.

Just as the two sides were a few hundred meters apart, Li Changqing suddenly landed in the depths of a valley. This valley was surrounded by mountains on three sides, with tall trees and dense forests; the location was extremely remote.

Turning around to face the front, Li Changqing stood still. There was no fear on his face, his hands were hidden in his sleeves, and his eyes were fixed firmly ahead.

Seeing that the opponent was no longer fleeing, the Black-Robed Cultivator on the flying boat was naturally overjoyed. The three circulated their internal techniques, floated down from the flying boat, and with a few flashes of movement, entered the entrance of the valley.

With the light of their escape techniques flickering, the three Cultivators stopped about a dozen zhang in front of Li Changqing.

At this moment, the Black-Robed Cultivator had already seen Li Changqing's face clearly. He discovered that the person in front of him looked completely different from when he had competed with him at the auction. If he hadn't marked him with a scent, he would surely have mistaken him for someone else.

All three were dressed in black with black scarves covering their faces, revealing only cold, sharp eyes. The fluctuations of spiritual power around the three were clearly all at the Late Stage of Qi Refining.

Seeing that the three were only at the Qi Refining Stage, and two of them had lower cultivation than his own, a trace of relief flashed in Li Changqing's eyes, but he quickly returned to a state of vigilance.

"I wonder what advice you Fellow Daoists have for me, since you have been following me this whole time?"

"Kid, you were quite generous at the auction." The Black-Robed Cultivator in the center, at the Qi Refining 9th Layer, spoke in a hoarse voice, filled with undisguised greed.

"Leave your Storage Pouch, and I will leave your corpse intact." The leader of the Black-Robed Cultivators shouted coldly, the long blade in his hand glinting with a chilling light under the sun.

Just as the black-robed man's voice fell, their attacks swept towards Li Changqing like a violent storm.

The Cultivator on the left shouted sharply and attacked first, a poison-quenched short sword turning into a green light to stab directly at Li Changqing's throat. Almost simultaneously, the Cultivator on the right cast a spell, and several earth spikes erupted from the ground, blocking Li Changqing's retreat. The Cultivator in the center was poised and ready, evidently intending to deliver a fatal blow.

Li Changqing had long been prepared. His figure slid sideways like the wind, nimbly dodging the edge of the poison sword. At the same time, he activated a Silver Sword Talisman he had been holding in his sleeve. Golden light flashed, shattering the incoming earth spikes.

A palm-sized, black-purple Spirit Beast quietly slid out of his sleeve—the Flying Purple Nether Scorpion.

At the same time, Li Changqing cast a defensive Talisman to protect himself and retreated rapidly. He appeared to be struggling, but his movements were extremely methodical. Just as the Qi Refining 9th Layer Black-Robed Cultivator approached the battlefield.

A black light flashed, and invisible ripples surged directly towards the three men's glabella and Sea of Consciousness.

"Hum... Screech"！

The strange cries, like invisible blades, pierced directly into the three men's Divine Sense. Caught off guard, the three black-clad Cultivators felt as if their Divine Soul in their minds had been pricked by needles, and their offensive momentum instantly stalled.

This was the Flying Purple Nether Scorpion activating its Bloodline Divine Ability—'Soul Devour'.

This momentary opening was a matter of life and death in a battle. Li Changqing's long-prepared killing move erupted suddenly; a long sword filled with spiritual power shot straight at the heart of the lead Black-Robed Cultivator.

Two offensive Talismans flew rapidly towards the necks of the other two Qi Refining 7th Layer Cultivators.

After a momentary pause, the Qi Refining 9th Layer Black-Robed Cultivator reacted and controlled a defensive Magical Artifact shield to block in front of him.

The two Qi Refining 7th Layer Cultivators reacted slowly; they couldn't even fully activate their protective spiritual light before the Silver Sword Talisman pierced through their bodies, and their heads fell to the ground with the sword wind.

As they hit the ground, their eyes were still filled with disbelief, and the spiritual power and vitality within their bodies dissipated like a receding tide.

"Second Brother! Third Brother...!"

The lead Qi Refining 9th Layer Black-Robed Cultivator's eyes were splitting with rage. At this moment, the Black-Robed Cultivator felt deep regret. To hide their tracks, they hadn't unleashed their strongest attacks from the start, and he never expected the Qi Refining 8th Layer Cultivator before him to have such formidable means.

Although the three of them were merely sworn brothers, they had been apprenticed to a Demonic Path Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator since childhood and had lived together for decades; their relationship was even closer than that of actual brothers.

Their Master was a crooked Demonic Path grave robber who had returned miserably injured three months ago after robbing an ancient Golden Core Stage Cultivator's Immortal Cave in Huangfeng Prefecture.

Before dying, after breaking the contract with his only remaining Spirit Beast, the Spirit-Seeking Mouse, which had no combat ability, he handed a jade slip to the three brothers and passed away before he could leave any final words.

Unexpectedly, only three months later, his Second Brother and Third Brother had also left him.

The Black-Robed Cultivator took out a small black banner from his Storage Pouch and attacked Li Changqing with bloodshot eyes, his face twisted. The surface of the banner was dark and gloomy, and upon it were hidden a hundred twisted human faces screaming in pain; it was the Demonic Path Magical Artifact he relied on to run rampant—the Hundred-Soul Banner.