Shouyu

Haijiao. The sky was an azure blue. A streak of escape light sped across the heavens, tracing a brilliant red arc as it hurtled toward an area sparse in spiritual energy. After flying for most of the day, it finally descended onto the island, coalescing into the figure of a woman. She wore a somewhat loose brown Daoist robe, awkwardly draped with an outer robe of tapestry kesi silk. On her feet were quilted boots brushed an autumn yellow, barely passing as a matching ensemble. After taking her bearings for a moment, she flew toward the center of the island. Spotting the island full of savages on the ground below, she nodded inwardly: *Once I'm done inspecting this place, I can round up these people and take them back to the temple to clear wasteland. Leaving a few thousand behind to breed will be enough...* Arriving at the center of the island, she indeed found a large, churning turquoise hot spring. The spiritual energy was surprisingly abundant, delighting her instantly: *Once I retrieve the treasures, if this springhead is still here, I can make good use of it.* *Though... according to that demonic cultivator, there's a pit of fire beneath it. If I take the things away, this great spring will probably vanish.* At that thought, she sneered: *That man Feng certainly had it all figured out. Daring to seize Xia Shouyu's Lilv Fire-Warding Canopy! Using the Wuting Talisman Brush as collateral is one thing, but the item is still mine... Where did he think he was taking it?* With a gentle toss, the Lilv Fire-Warding Canopy manifested a cloak of crimson light around her. After inspecting the surroundings thoroughly and confirming that nothing was amiss with the hot spring, she plunged into the water. Her cultivation was far superior, and her speed was nothing the previous two minor cultivators could match. In no time, she flew to the bottom of the hot spring and followed the ley line down. Within a quarter of an hour, she slipped into the realm of raging flames. Xia Shouyu possessed substantial attainment, and pleasant surprise surfaced on her face at once: *There really are flames beneath the cavern waters.* She pinched up a wisp of flame and examined it closely, feeling astonished inwardly: *It's artifice fire... not natural flames. There might truly be a cultivator's mortal remains below... To command such might even after death, they must have been at least Foundation Establishment.* As the woman moved forward with extreme caution, the pair of eyes within the fire hesitated: *Why is it only a ninth-stage Qi Refinement cultivator...* Li Ximing had waited here for over half a month, and his luck was surprisingly good—a second person had arrived so soon. With just a few glances and piecing together her words, he immediately understood the situation: *The one who committed murder and robbery before has also been killed. It seems the one who killed him was the creditor who lent out the Lilv Fire-Warding Canopy. He must have exposed his tracks in a market or somewhere else and was caught. The East Sea is truly chaotic after all... and another life is gone.* Li Ximing quickly pushed the thought aside, feeling a trace of bitterness. Tianya Haijiao was far from being compared to the prosperous land of Jiangnan, the center of the world. In this desolate, godforsaken place, despite all his lures, not even half a shadow of a Foundation Establishment cultivator could be seen. The Xia Shouyu before him was likely one of the top figures in these parts, able to recover her magical artifact with such ease—perhaps even a local tyrant. *True enough... Anyone capable of reaching Foundation Establishment would never come to such a backwater nook. Wouldn't pledging allegiance to a faction in the Near Sea or Hetian be far better than eating dirt in this barren corner of Tianya Haijiao where spiritual energy is so thin?* Even if she was merely ninth-stage Qi Refinement, this godforsaken place was not going to yield anyone better. Li Ximing could only grit his teeth and settle for her. Watching her inch forward step by step through the flames, he found himself in a bit of a dilemma. *A minor Qi Refinement cultivator of the East Sea... would probably dread getting entangled in affairs of the Purple Mansion. If I show the face of the righteous path, she won't easily believe me. It seems I truly have to put on the guise of the demonic path—with threats and inducements, she will actually feel more at ease!* Li Ximing thought to himself that if he were in the East Sea and encountered an old ghost claiming to be of the righteous path, demanding that he bring monsters to serve as blood sacrifices in exchange for generous rewards upon release, even he wouldn't believe a word—he would run as far as possible! Moreover, looking at her mismatched attire, which felt cobbled together, even if she was a local authority, she wouldn't have any substantial backing. She likely didn't even know where any Purple Mansion stood... *To bring a Foundation Establishment monster over, it doesn't necessarily take a Foundation Establishment cultivator. There are countless ways to lure a monster here; a Qi Refinement cultivator might just do the trick. Conveniently, she's at the ninth stage of Qi Refinement, making it easier for her to locate one.* On her end, Xia Shouyu was already beside herself with joy. Were it not for the situation, she would have started dancing right then and there: *The remains of a Foundation Establishment cultivator! That's Foundation Establishment! If there's a Foundation Establishment magical artifact, my family will strike it rich!* She hurried her steps against the flames, cautiously sweeping the area before sending out talismans to probe for danger. After verifying that everything was safe, she stepped before the withered skeleton and projected a beam of dharmic light to snatch the storage bag from the ground. *Poof.* To her shock, the moment her dharmic light extended from her hand, the surrounding flames swarmed forward and devoured it completely, reducing it to smoke in an instant. Xia Shouyu hesitated for a moment. Having no choice, she bent over and reached out her arm, carefully moving to pick it up by hand. *Crack.* An exceedingly faint scraping sound drifted into her ears. Terror seized Xia Shouyu's heart. She tried to yank her hand back with lightning speed, only to find she could not budge it in the slightest. An icy chill bit into her arm, pressing painfully against her flesh. A stark white skeletal arm had risen, its bony fingers clearly defined, clamping firmly around her wrist. The hairs on Xia Shouyu's body stood on end. Her magic power surged frantically into her arm, and the movement technique she had practiced for years abruptly engaged, while her other hand reached toward the storage bag at her waist. Her body would not move! Her magic power felt as though it had been poured into a bottomless abyss; none of her movements produced any result. Xia Shouyu froze in place like a statue, completely immobilized. Li Ximing pressed her down to sit before him. Subduing a Qi Refinement cultivator was effortless for him. The illusory flesh on his face slowly surfaced. Naturally, he did not show his true visage, instead pondering over what face would look least like a decent person. With that thought, a somber, menacing visage immediately came to mind—long eyebrows, grey eyes, looking ruthless and sinister, as though ready to devour someone alive at any moment. Li Yuanjiao. "Second Uncle..." Li Ximing was momentarily taken aback. Memories often struck with such suddenness—like an unreasonable, brute force, a headless, tailless hurricane violently crashing into Li Ximing's mind. This Real Person Zhaojing had been hunted relentlessly by a Great Real Person and nearly lost his life in the East Sea, yet had not shed a single tear between life and death; right now, however, his eyes turned red. Li Ximing had always feared Li Yuanjiao. Strangely enough, when Li Yuanjiao fell, he had wept, but far less than when his father, Li Yuanping, passed. Afterward, he rarely thought of him, at most paying respects on his death anniversary. Yet this fleeting glimpse just now was like a bolt of lightning; not only was he no longer afraid, but he missed him dearly. *Dammit.* Li Ximing cursed inwardly. The features on his face shifted rapidly, finally turning into a completely blank slate. Though devoid of any vicious expression, it was more terrifying than any face could ever be. Opposite him, Xia Shouyu did not make a sound. After all, she was completely paralyzed; even if she wanted to speak, she couldn't utter a word. The pupils of her eyes were dilated to their limits, as though she were on the verge of fainting at any second.