63: Searching for beasts on the great river!

As he spoke to this point, Duan Tianba's face instantly turned several shades paler.

In his eyes, there was even a flash of fear that was difficult to conceal.

That fear was not feigned.

It was a psychological shadow left behind after his martial arts conviction was utterly crushed by Li Qing's unreasonable and terrifying power.

"His strength... is unfathomable!"

"I consider myself a well-known expert among those in the Late Stage of Meridian Connecting Realm."

"But before him, my palm strength and my Protective Aura were completely fragile!"

Duan Tianba's voice became somewhat raspy.

He recalled the humiliation at the Iron Bone Martial Arts School that day.

He remembered Li Qing's unremarkable-looking fist that nevertheless contained power capable of destroying heaven and earth.

The Surging Waves Palm he took such pride in seemed like a joke in front of him.

"He... he is simply not an ordinary Martial Artist!"

"His power has already surpassed the limits of the Body Tempering Realm!"

"It has even surpassed the limits of the Meridian Opening Realm!"

"I suspect he possesses some kind of wicked Cultivation Technique, or... Innate Divine Strength, or perhaps he is simply a Vicious Beast wearing human skin!"

Duan Tianba's tone was filled with fear and resentment.

The more powerful and bizarre he described Li Qing to be at this moment, the more he could prove the rationality of his framing.

He wanted Zhang Long to believe that Li Qing was definitely not a good person.

Zhang Long listened quietly.

His face still didn't show much expression.

But in his heart, stormy waves had already been stirred up.

An "expert" of unknown origin who possessed power beyond common logic?

And he was frequently associated with the Qiu River Yao Beasts?

This was undoubtedly the best scapegoat!

The City Lord was currently overwhelmed with the Qiujiang Massacre.

Public anger was boiling throughout Jinling City.

Everyone was desperate for an explanation.

A culprit!

And a monster that appeared out of thin air, powerful enough to terrify an expert like Duan Tianba, was undoubtedly a perfect target.

Defeating someone in the Late Stage of Meridian Connecting Realm while only being at the Body Refining Realm?

There was an entire major Realm, the Condensing Essence Realm, in between!

Was it Innate Divine Strength?

No background, no backers.

Powerful enough to appease the public's wrath.

He could even take this opportunity to eliminate a potential threat in the city.

This was simply killing many birds with one stone!

Shrewd calculations flickered in Zhang Long's eyes.

He gently rubbed the Spirit Stones in his hand.

These three Spirit Stones were the tribute offered by Duan Tianba.

They were also the credit he would claim for himself.

"Master Duan, the intelligence you provided... is very important!"

Zhang Long's voice became decisive.

He set down the Spirit Stones.

"For the peace of Jinling City, and to give an account to the late Lord Zhou and our brothers!"

"Our City Lord's Estate will never let any culprit go free!"

"You, go back and wait for good news."

"I will immediately report this matter to the City Lord!"

Zhang Long's words were like a stabilizing force, instantly filling Duan Tianba's heart with wild joy.

It worked!

He knew that from the moment Zhang Long accepted the Spirit Stones, Li Qing's fate had been written by his own hand.

He could almost see the Iron Bone Martial Arts School being trampled by iron hooves.

That Li Qing, who had made him lose face and clouded his martial heart, would be wailing in the dungeons of the City Lord's Estate.

Ultimately, he would be executed in public, his head severed from his body!

His own prestige would be restored!

The City Lord's Estate might even reward him!

"I leave everything to Steward Zhang's judgment!"

Duan Tianba performed a deeply respectful bow.

He backed out of the room.

The moment the door closed again.

The fawning smile on Duan Tianba's face vanished instantly, replaced by a smug grin of satisfaction.

He strode off, passing through the silent night.

He already saw the glorious future where his Jingtao Martial Arts School, backed by the City Lord's Estate, dominated the martial arts world of Jinling City.

Inside the quiet room.

Zhang Long sat upright on the soft couch.

He picked up his teacup and took a light sip.

An unfathomable light flickered in his eyes.

"Li Qing..."

He softly murmured the name.

The corners of his mouth curled into a meaningful arc.

A perfect scapegoat.

He had already begun to outline a perfect blueprint in his mind.

How to use this pawn to the fullest.

How to use this credit to take a step further in front of the City Lord!

And Li Qing, who was currently cultivating, knew nothing of all this.

The night in Jinling City was as deep as ink.

However, the bottom of the Qiu River was not entirely dead silent.

In the murky depths, a pair of massive eyes slowly opened.

The Earth Spirit Turtle Clone, Li Qing.

Its massive body swayed gently underwater.

An invisible force spread out.

It stirred the surrounding river water into subtle ripples.

It was no longer satisfied with being fed by its subordinates.

The subordinates' talent was limited, and their efficiency in capturing Vicious Beasts was too low.

They didn't possess his array of innate Divine Abilities!

The energy required for evolution was like a bottomless pit.

It needed to hunt more actively and efficiently.

On the riverbed, silt mixed with water plants outlined a rugged landscape.

Li Qing's Clone was like a ghostly submarine.

Silently, it shuttled through the water.

His perception had long since surpassed that of ordinary creatures.

The subtle changes in the water flow, the commotion of distant schools of fish, and even those faint auras of life within the crevices of the underwater rocks.

Everything was clearly presented in his mind.

Ahead, a familiar fluctuation arrived.

A school of plump carp was swimming slowly along the riverbed.

They were large in size, and their scales reflected a faint golden light in the dim underwater glow.

To an ordinary Vicious Beast on the riverbed, this school of carp would be a rare delicacy.

But to Li Qing's Clone, they were merely snacks to be taken at will.

It didn't intentionally speed up.

With just a casual movement of its massive body.

The massive turtle mouth suddenly opened.

A powerful suction force instantly erupted.

The surrounding river water, along with that school of panicked carp, was forcibly sucked in.

[Ding!]

[Devoured Carp * 14, evolution value +8]

The System's notification sound rang out in Li Qing's consciousness.

Li Qing did not pause at all.

With the opening and closing of its large mouth, another school of fish was devoured.

[Ding!]

[Devoured Miscellaneous Fish * 8, evolution value +4]

[Ding!]

[Devoured Miscellaneous Fish * 4, evolution value +2]

...The notification sounds came one after another.

A faint sense of satisfaction rose in Li Qing's heart.

It didn't matter if the evolution value was high or low.

One point at a time, two points at a time.

Small amounts add up.

Eventually, he would reach that fifty-thousand-point evolution threshold.

Hunting on the riverbed held almost no difficulty for it.

Its size, its strength, its defense.

All of them allowed it to remain invincible in this stretch of the Qiu River.

It was like the overlord of the riverbed, patrolling its territory.

All fish it encountered, whether fierce carnivores or docile herbivores.

All became prey in its mouth.

It accepted all comers.

As long as it was a living thing, as long as it could provide evolution value.

It would swallow it in one gulp.

No chewing.

No savoring.

Only pure energy conversion.

It didn't even need to intentionally give chase.

Many times, just its massive body moving slowly underwater.

Was enough to cause panic among the surrounding schools of fish.

He only had to slightly employ his Mystic Water Manipulation talent, and the fish would swim directly into its mouth.

That feeling was like food delivering itself to the door.

Li Qing enjoyed this sense of absolute crushing power.

This freedom from any constraints.

The river water was icy.

But it could not cool the thirst for power deep within its heart.

One must know that the tracking by the City Lord's Estate would not be easily abandoned.

The death of that Track-Seeking Sparrow would only enrage those high and mighty people.

They would employ even more powerful means.

Therefore, it had to seize the time to obtain evolution value.

It had to become stronger.

Only absolute power was the Foundation for it to establish itself in this world.

Its perception once again captured a powerful aura.

It was a Black-Scaled Giant Catfish, a full ten meters in length.

It was entrenched behind a massive rock.

Its entire body emitted a fierce aura.

Clearly, it was one of the overlords of this stretch of water.

Upon discovering Li Qing's Clone, this Black-Scaled Giant Catfish did not flee in panic like the other fish.

Instead, it swung its thick tail.

Its two lantern-like large eyes stared fixedly at Li Qing.

With a hint of provocation.

A hint of vigilance.

And a hint of the arrogance belonging to the strong.

Li Qing ignored its provocation.

It simply swam over calmly.

As it drew near, the System panel popped up in front of Li Qing.

[Black-Scaled Giant Catfish (Tier 2 Middle Stage Vicious Beast)]

[Irascible temperament, extremely strong territorial awareness, omnivorous Vicious Beast.]