72: Chapter 72 Blood Fiend Resurfaces

"Then... what should we do?"

"Cultivate well."

Li Changsheng looked at her.

"Once you become strong enough, no one will dare to bully you."

Li Xiaocao nodded, only half-understanding.

After Li Changsheng sent her back, he stood alone by the field, gazing at the brightly lit Wanqi Peak in the distance.

His hand gently tightened into a fist.

Then he let go.

No rush.

He said to himself in his heart.

It is not yet the time.

The night wind blew, making the leaves of the Spirit Tea Tree rustle.

He turned around and walked back to the storehouse.

The lamplight flickered, reflecting on his face in shifting shadows.

The days following the end of the Sect minor competition were like a beach after the tide recedes, gradually returning to tranquility.

Li Changsheng's life also returned to its familiar rhythm.

Watering the spiritual fields in the early morning, tending to Spiritual Plants in the morning, studying ancient texts in the afternoon, and taking a stroll in the back mountains in the evening—occasionally hunting a few low-tier Yao Beasts to exchange for Cultivation resources.

At night, in that simple tool storehouse, he repeatedly practiced the Green Wood Fist and the Qinglan Sword Art.

The Spirit Tea Tree had grown another section and was now half a person tall, with lush foliage that shimmered with a verdant luster in the sunlight.

Every time Li Changsheng passed by, he would stop to take a look.

Sometimes, he would squat down and gently poke at the soil, feeling the sensation of the root system extending through the earth.

"Cultivation is like planting a tree; only with deep roots can the leaves flourish."

He always remembered Uncle-Master Fang's words.

The two Jade Dew Ginsengs planted later had already grown to five inches tall, their roots intertwining beneath the soil with a faint tendency to spread outward.

Li Changsheng estimated that in another two months, he could separate a few lateral buds and transplant them into new plots.

The Spirit Nourishing Grass and clear heart grass were now in stable production, with a harvest every half month.

After drying and grinding them into powder, he kept some for personal use and sold the rest to Meng Qing's Lingcao Hall.

Although the earnings weren't much, they were stable and enough to cover his daily Medicinal Pill expenses.

The Yao Beasts in the back mountains were also an important source of resources.

Before his century of combat experience, those Early Stage Rank One Yao Beasts almost had no power to fight back.

After the One-Horned Rock-Armor Beast, he had hunted several Gale Wolves, an Iron-backed Badger, and a few unknown small Yao Beasts.

Scales, beast bones, and flesh—every part could be exchanged for Spirit Stones.

The days passed like this, as plain as water, yet fulfilling and stable.

That evening, Li Changsheng had just returned from the back mountains.

Carrying a freshly hunted Gale Wolf on his shoulder, he was about to head to the tool storehouse to process it when Senior Brother Zhou from the neighboring field suddenly called out to him.

"Junior Brother Li! Wait!"

Li Changsheng stopped and looked back.

Senior Brother Zhou ran over with a somewhat mysterious expression on his face.

He looked left and right, then lowered his voice.

"Junior Brother Li, I just returned from the market and heard some news."

"What news?"

"In Qingshi Town, not far outside the Sect, someone discovered traces of the Blood Fiend Sect."

Li Changsheng's brow twitched slightly.

Blood Fiend Sect.

He hadn't heard that name for a long time.

But every time he heard it, it reminded him of that night under the blood-red moon, of the distorted face of Second Elder Li Zhenchuan, and of the corpses of thousands of residents in Qinghe Town.

"What exactly happened?"

Senior Brother Zhou looked around, pulled him aside, and whispered.

"I heard it from the shopkeeper of Juzhen Pavilion."

"Over in Qingshi Town, several people have gone missing recently."

"No one is seen alive, and no bodies are found—until someone discovered several mummified corpses in a ruined temple outside town. Their essence and blood had been sucked dry, and they died in a truly gruesome manner."

"The local authorities couldn't figure anything out, so they reported it to the Sect."

"The Outer Sect sent two Disciples to investigate, and as a result..."

He paused, a look of dread appearing on his face.

"As a result, what?"

"As a result, one of the Disciples also went missing."

"The one who escaped back said they encountered an evil cultivator from the Blood Fiend Sect with a cultivation of at least Qi Refining Level 7 or 8."

"The Outer Sect has already reported it up; it's said they will send a Senior Brother from the Foundation Establishment Stage to handle it."

Li Changsheng was silent for a moment, then nodded.

"Thank you for letting me know, Senior Brother Zhou."

Senior Brother Zhou waved his hand.

"Think nothing of it. But Junior Brother Li, you'd better avoid leaving the Sect for a while."

"Those people have wicked methods. If you happen to run into them..."

He made a throat-slitting gesture and turned to leave.

Li Changsheng stood in place, watching the sky gradually darken, his brow furrowed slightly.

Blood Fiend Sect.

He remembered the token he had searched from the Blood Fiend Sect Disciple.

He remembered Second Elder Li Zhenchuan's final words: 'The Blood Fiend Sect will avenge me.'

He remembered Immortal Master Yun Yin saying before leaving, 'Within ten years, the Spirit Devourer will surely recover.'

Ten years.

Now, a year and a half had already passed.

He put down the Gale Wolf from his shoulder, walked over to the Spirit Tea Tree, squatted down, and gently poked the soil at the tree's base.

The tea tree was silent, its leaves swaying gently in the evening breeze.

He stood up and looked into the distance.

In the twilight, the direction of Qingshi Town was no longer clearly visible.

But he knew that traces of the Blood Fiend Sect were there.

And sooner or later, he would meet them again.

The night wind blew, and the tea tree rustled.

He turned, shouldered the Gale Wolf, and walked back to the storehouse.

The lamplight lit up, and his face remained as calm as water.

The news from Qingshi Town was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples throughout the Qinglan Sword Sect's Outer Sect.

In the following days, the atmosphere in the Sect became noticeably tense.

The once bustling market became much quieter, and the number of Disciples going out together significantly decreased.

Even the Disciples of the Hundred Herb Garden were warned by Manager Qin to 'not leave the mountain gates unless necessary.'

The number of patrolling deacon Disciples increased by three shifts.

At night, sword light could occasionally be seen streaking across the sky—those were the Senior Brothers of the Foundation Establishment Stage patrolling the perimeter.

Li Changsheng continued his life as usual.

The spiritual fields, the back mountains, and the storehouse—a simple three-point routine.

Occasionally, he would go to the market to sell some Spiritual Plants and Yao Beast Materials, but he always went and returned quickly, never lingering outside.

That afternoon, while he was loosening the soil for the Jade Dew Ginseng in the field, a streak of sword light suddenly landed by the ridge.

Liu Qingchen.

Li Changsheng put down the small trowel in his hand, stood up, and cupped his fists.

"Senior Brother Liu."

Liu Qingchen nodded, his gaze sweeping across the lush spiritual field.

It then landed on the half-person-tall tea tree, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

"You've grown these well."

"Senior Brother flatters me."

Liu Qingchen didn't waste time on pleasantries and stated his purpose directly.

"Have you heard about the matter in Qingshi Town?"

Li Changsheng nodded.

"I have."

"The Sect has decided to send a team to investigate."

Liu Qingchen looked at him. "I am leading the team."

Li Changsheng's heart stirred, and just as he was about to speak, Liu Qingchen raised a hand to stop him.

"I know what you want to say."

His voice was as cold as ever, but it carried a rare trace of gentleness.

"But you are only at Qi Refining Level 4. Going there won't help; instead, you might hold us back."

"The people of the Blood Fiend Sect have sinister methods; even those at Qi Refining Level 7 or 8 could perish there."

Li Changsheng fell silent.

He knew Liu Qingchen was telling the truth.

At Qi Refining Level 4, he indeed wouldn't be much to look at in front of those desperate criminals from the Blood Fiend Sect.

Moreover, this time was quite dangerous. Senior Brother Liu had helped him many times; it was time to show some appreciation.

Li Changsheng reached into his robe and took out a small jade bottle.

"These are three drops of jade dew ginseng spirit liquid; they can quickly replenish spiritual power."

"Senior Brother's journey this time will likely be full of danger. I have nothing much to help with; the only thing I can offer is this. Please do not refuse it, Senior Brother Liu."

As he spoke, Li Changsheng handed the jade dew ginseng spirit liquid to Liu Qingchen.

"Junior Brother is too polite. I have also prepared some Spirit Medicines. You should keep this jade dew ginseng spirit liquid for your own cultivation."

"What Senior Brother has prepared is yours; please accept this as a token of my gratitude."

The two went back and forth until Liu Qingchen finally accepted it.

"Then I shall not be polite."

Liu Qingchen took the jade dew ginseng spirit liquid and tucked it into his robe.