Li Guanqi recalled what that man had said back then, his expression grave.
The man had claimed a treasure was about to emerge from the bottom of a lake, but had not specified what it was.
After witnessing that astonishing spectacle, Li Guanqi pondered for only a brief moment before resolving to go take a look.
A supreme treasure had revealed itself. No matter what, he had to see it for himself.
It was guaranteed to be dangerous, but if one never fought or contested for anything, how could one ever grow strong?
Donning his black robe and steadily restraining his aura, Li Guanqi concealed his figure in the dark and moved silently toward the depths of the mountain range.
Along the way, Li Guanqi relied on his powerful divine sense to evade many demonic beasts.
Beneath the black robe, Li Guanqi’s brow furrowed, and he muttered inwardly, *Demonic beasts are far too numerous here.*
*And... why are they all so indifferent? Could it not be some heavenly material or earthly treasure?*
The beasts’ behavior was rather abnormal. None of them were heading in the direction where the pillar of light had vanished.
Demonic beasts advanced their cultivation primarily through consuming mature heavenly materials and earthly treasures.
Consequently, almost every such treasure in these great mountains was guarded by a beast.
These guardian beasts might begin watching over the spirit herbs when they were still tiny, fragile sprouts, waiting patiently until maturity before swallowing them whole.
Compared to human cultivators of the same realm, demonic beasts possessed far longer lifespans.
As a result, if they wished to break through as quickly as possible during their lives, bloody clashes with other beasts were inevitable.
Compared to the schemes of human cultivators, contests between demonic beasts were much more straightforward and brutal.
Yet the many beasts Li Guanqi encountered along the way showed no reaction whatsoever to the earlier pillar of light.
Harboring these doubts, Li Guanqi continued forward.
Ye Feng had only just awakened and could not offer much help; it was better for Li Guanqi to act alone.
Before long, Li Guanqi keenly sensed figures converging from the surroundings.
Concealing his body and aura, he soon spotted a beast-hunting team.
The three of them flew toward the interior, their expressions somber.
Li Guanqi narrowed his eyes. It seemed many people had noticed the commotion.
Gradually, more auras emerged within the forest, all targeting the location where the anomaly had erupted.
Moments later, Li Guanqi arrived at the outer perimeter of the valley where the pillar's aura had surged.
The faint auras scattered around already numbered over a hundred!
It seemed everyone had caught wind of the event and gathered here.
Suddenly!
A massive rumble erupted from the depths of the valley!
The earth shook and mountains trembled in an instant. A colossal handprint spanning a hundred zhang condensed out of thin air, crashing violently toward the center of the valley!
An aged voice barked harshly, "Great Brahma Voice Palm!"
*Boom!*
A terrifying pressure instantly crushed down upon the void!
Li Guanqi let out a muffled grunt!
The figures concealed in the shadows tumbled from midair one after another!
The pressure of the Soul Formation Realm!
Above the valley, a gaunt old man with white hair and a white beard held a horsetail whisk, cold killing intent flashing in his eyes as he slammed his palm down!
Immediately after, a woman's sharp rebuke rang out!
"Qionghua Sword!"
In an instant, colossal ice-flower sword rays surged furiously through the void from the depths of the valley!
The moment that sword technique was unleashed, Li Guanqi felt the surrounding temperature plummet.
Every breath felt as if he were standing in a realm of ice and snow.
Yet under the palm print, the spreading ice flowers shattered inch by inch!
*Boom!*
"Damn you, You Daozi!"
A middle-aged woman dressed in a blue gown materialized in the void. Holding an ice-blue longsword, her eyes were filled with ferocity.
The old man's appearance seemed to have caught her completely off guard.
Li Guanqi noticed that many onlookers had already begun retreating. A clash between two Soul Formation grandmasters was nothing to take lightly.
If they were caught in the crossfire, even their bones would be pulverized.
They knew well the difference between watching a spectacle and throwing their lives away.
Still, quite a few chose to stay and observe from afar.
Li Guanqi narrowed his eyes toward the sky; the old man clearly held the upper hand.
The old man cast an indifferent glance toward Li Guanqi's direction, his brow furrowing slightly.
Seeing this, Li Guanqi felt a sudden jolt of terror. Caring nothing for exposing himself, he drove power through his feet.
*Bang!*
A tree trunk shattered instantly, and Li Guanqi's figure shot backward like a cannonball!
Pushing his movement technique to its limit, he left several afterimages in his wake in the blink of an eye.
The old man lowered his gaze and muttered softly, "Hmph. So many ants watching..."
With that, the elder known as You Daozi gently flicked the horsetail whisk in his hand.
*Whoosh!*
The whisk hairs, originally only the size of a horse's tail, abruptly morphed into myriad threads!
The whisk expanded continuously, its threads turning into soul-reaping chains of death!
*Puchi! Puchi! Puchi!*
The sickening sound of whisk threads piercing flesh rang out without pause. Carrying an all-penetrating momentum, the massive whisk threads spread wildly!
In the span of a single breath, dozens of nearby Core Formation cultivators were slaughtered down to the last person.
*Swish! Swish! Swish!*
Several threads shot straight toward Li Guanqi's back.
Lightning flashed beneath Li Guanqi's feet, the air shrieking with thunder.
He had pushed his speed to its utmost limit, yet out of the corner of his eye, he could still see those terrifying threads, each as thick as a water barrel!
*Swish! Swish! Swish!*
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
Cold sweat broke out across Li Guanqi's forehead. His figure flickered repeatedly, but the threads behind him remained in hot pursuit.
*Thud!*
A thread slammed violently against the sword casket on his back. Borrowing that force, Li Guanqi hurtled several hundred zhang away!
The old man frowned slightly, but paid it no further heed.
Turning toward the woman a hundred zhang away, he sneered, "Cheng Yun of the Qionghua Sword."
"I advise you to hand that item over to me. Otherwise... heheh."
The woman's expression shifted repeatedly upon hearing this. She had no idea who had leaked the news to this old scoundrel.
Looking down at the jade slip in her hand, she refused to surrender it under any circumstances!
For inside that jade slip lay an exceptionally rare sword dao heritage!
In an instant, Cheng Yun's gaze hardened. Without another word, she turned to flee!
Yet the old man looked entirely confident of victory, uttering softly, "Seal!"
*Boom!*
A thousand-zhang barrier dropped abruptly from the sky, trapping them both within!
Li Guanqi, who had been knocked unconscious by the whisk's impact, slowly came to. Looking at the barrier in front of him, he could not help but curse under his breath.
This barrier had actually trapped him inside as well...
No wonder that old man had slaughtered every onlooker gathered here right at the start.
Chapter 254