82: Chapter 82 Fellow Travelers with Hidden agendas

In the Great Yu Cultivation World, on the outskirts of the Qingmu Cliff ruins, along a dried-up riverbed.

The night wind whipped up a thick, bloody stench.

Gu Shen gripped the thunder pattern gold-slaying blade in one hand, its blade flickering with an unstable, deep blue lightning glow. He ignored the two corpses on the ground that he had slain in seconds, his gaze locked firmly onto the Sword Cultivator in green robes wearing a bamboo hat, who stood ten zhang away.

"Master, the target's internal mana is extremely condensed, almost tangible! The danger level is extremely high. It is recommended to increase the distance!"

The Crab, currently in silent mode on his shoulder, reported with extreme urgency using a vibration frequency only Gu Shen could hear.

Gu Shen remained unmoved. The disguise of being at Qi Refining Stage 4 had already been exposed during his sudden outburst just now; his dark golden iron bones were coiled beneath his flesh, ready to unleash a terrifying thunderous strike at any moment.

In this dog-eat-dog Cultivation World, when facing an expert capable of killing someone at Qi Refining Level 8 with a single sword strike, any sign of retreat would invite a fatal disaster.

Ten zhang away, the mysterious Sword Cultivator stood quietly for a moment.

Suddenly, he let out an extremely clear laugh.

"Fellow Daoist, do not panic. I have no ill intentions."

Zing!

The handleless Flying Sword, thin as a cicada's wing and circling his fingertips, transformed into a silver stream of light and obediently slid into his wide, green sleeve. The killing intent vanished completely in an instant.

The mysterious Sword Cultivator reached up and removed his bamboo hat, revealing a young face that was handsome but revealed a hint of undisguisable weariness.

"I am Wei Lingfeng, originally a Loose Cultivator here on Qingmu Cliff. As for my cultivation, I am barely at Qi Refining Level 7."

Wei Lingfeng bowed slightly to Gu Shen, his tone extremely sincere. "A few days ago, two major Sects bloodbathed Qingmu Cliff. I happened to be out making purchases and luckily escaped the disaster. For the past few days, I have been hiding and dodging, attempting to flee this sealed area, and just happened to stumble upon this cliff cave."

He pointed to the headless corpse of Captain Shen Kuo on the ground.

"Just now, I saw you being intercepted by a scout from the Blood Fiend Sect, and I originally did not want to meddle in other people's business. But when that fellow tried to run, he intended to crush a bone flute to release a Sect distress signal. Once this signal is sent, a Foundation Establishment expert within a ten-mile radius would arrive within ten breaths. Since I was hiding in the shadows, I would inevitably have been caught in the crossfire."

Wei Lingfeng gave a wry smile. "To protect myself, I had to shamelessly intervene and steal the kill from you. I hope you do not mind."

Gu Shen listened quietly, the vigilance on his face not diminishing in the slightest.

"A Loose Cultivator from Qingmu Cliff? Qi Refining Level 7? Intervening just to save your own skin?"

Gu Shen coldly chewed over and analyzed these words in his heart.

Could such a backwater place as Qingmu Cliff produce a Loose Cultivator with such divine sword skills, capable of killing someone at Qi Refining Level 8 in one strike as if slaughtering a chicken? The material of that Flying Sword and the method of controlling it were definitely some kind of extremely profound Legacy!

"This person is definitely not some ordinary Loose Cultivator. It is highly probable that he is a core figure secretly cultivated by the Cliff Master of Qingmu Cliff, or perhaps... he might even be related to the True Disciple who fled with the treasure."

Various clues connected extremely clearly in Gu Shen's mind.

But seeing through it did not mean he would say it out loud.

Since the other party intended to hide his identity and had voluntarily put away his Magical Artifact to show goodwill, Gu Shen would naturally not be stupid enough to expose an extremely dangerous Sword Cultivator.

"So it is Fellow Daoist Wei."

Gu Shen let the gold-severing saber in his hand hang down naturally, the lightning on the blade fading into the scabbard. Wearing the mask of a sallow-faced herb collector, his voice sounded hoarse and low: "I am Alias, also just a Loose Cultivator. If not for your righteous sword strike just now, I might have truly fallen to this Blood Fiend Sect distress signal. Many thanks."

Wei Lingfeng's gaze swept extremely subtly over Gu Shen's arms, which were filled with explosive power, a strange look flashing in the depths of his eyes.

"Fellow Daoist Chen is too modest. With the domineering Body Refining attainments you just displayed and the lightning-type Magical Artifact in your hand, even if I hadn't intervened, that person might not have been able to escape."

Wei Lingfeng paused, then changed the subject: "With such a commotion here, the Blood Fiend Sect's patrol team will soon notice. I have heard that Yunze Immortal City will soon host a Blood River Dark Assembly. Moreover, Yunze Immortal City is located in the heartland of the Danding Sect and is one of the few safe zones remaining."

"I am just about to head to Yunze Immortal City to take refuge. Have you decided on a destination, Fellow Daoist Chen? Since we have met, it is fate. Why don't we travel together? If we encounter any interceptions on the road, we can look out for each other. What do you think, Fellow Daoist Chen?"

Gu Shen's eyes flickered slightly.

Travel together?

A terrifying Sword Cultivator of unknown origin, and a body-and-magic dual cultivator disguised as an old man. Two extremely dangerous people with ulterior motives coming together was simply like asking a tiger for its hide.

But precisely because of this, in the midst of these heavy blockades, the deterrent power of two experts was far stronger than fighting alone. Furthermore, keeping him under his nose was certainly more reassuring than being watched by a Sword Cultivator from the shadows.

"Then I shall trouble Fellow Daoist Wei to look after me." Gu Shen agreed in a hoarse voice.

"Easily done."

The two of them, with great tacit understanding, did not delve into each other's backgrounds any further.

Gu Shen strode to Captain Shen Kuo's corpse and unceremoniously ripped off the Storage Pouch embroidered with blood-colored patterns. Wei Lingfeng just watched quietly, not stopping him.

Gu Shen did not summon the [Heaven and Earth Furnace] to refine the corpse in front of Wei Lingfeng. That was his greatest trump card.

He casually flicked a Fireball Spell, extremely roughly setting the three corpses on the ground ablaze.

Acrid black smoke rose into the night.

"Let's go."

Gu Shen turned around. The two turned into two extremely stealthy streams of light, fleeing side-by-side into the deep darkness ahead, speeding toward Yunze Immortal City.

This Blood River Dark Assembly at Yunze Immortal City was destined to be anything but peaceful.