blueteamnovel Chapter 287: Killing and Running
Chapter 287: Killing and Running
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The battlefield of Yan Kingdom.
The Yanqing Immortal City, nestled deep within a massive mountain range, was shrouded in the protective glow of a fourth-rank Formation.
Black clouds pressed down on the city, as if signaling its imminent collapse. An endless sea of demonic cultivators marched forward, accompanied by massive spirit ships, ferocious beasts, and soaring birds, creating an oppressive atmosphere that made one’s scalp tingle.
Demon Kings as large as mountains exhaled black mist, their roars thunderous and earth-shaking, as they relentlessly assaulted the city's defensive formation with overwhelming power.
Zzzzt! Boom!
The fourth-rank Formation crackled, releasing chains of lightning as thick as bowls that struck the flying beasts in the sky. The resulting dazzling web of lightning enveloped a dense cluster of demonic cultivators, accompanied by deafening thunderclaps.
While the formation’s thunderbolts left charred black marks on the massive bodies of the fourth-rank Demon Kings, it only managed to slow their attacks temporarily.
To alleviate the pressure on the city’s defensive formation, the Righteous Dao Alliance dispatched numerous cultivators outside the city walls to intercept the Demon Kings, high-level demonic cultivators, and the spirit ships carrying artillery.
“Blackfish Immortal! Using superior numbers to bully the weak—is that all you’re capable of?”
Zhao Tan’er shouted in defiance, controlling her magical treasure as she fought and retreated at the same time.
“Hah! Little girl, once I capture you alive, we can have a proper one-on-one ‘battle’!”
A black-robed youth at the Core Formation Realm grinned wickedly. His massive black-leaf magical treasure spun at high speed, releasing waves of black light blades that slashed toward the retreating Zhao Tan’er.
Hovering above Blackfish Immortal’s head was a plump blackfish, a quasi-third-rank spiritual pet the size of a whale, emanating waves of dark water.
Adding to the threat, an elderly man with a dark complexion—another Fake Dan Formation cultivator—controlled a blood-colored sail magical treasure and joined in the pursuit of Zhao Tan’er.
“Lin Hei! What are you dawdling for? Hurry up!”
Blackfish Immortal barked an order.
“Yes!”
The dark-faced old man responded respectfully. Scarlet light surged around him, boosting his speed as he chased after Zhao Tan’er.
As he gazed at the fleeing figure of the woman he once knew, the old man suppressed the emotions that stirred in his heart.
“Lin Hei?”
Zhao Tan’er glanced at the dark-faced elder, finding his weathered features vaguely familiar.
“Tan’er, let me help you!”
Zhao Siyao flew out from within the immortal city to assist her disciple.
She controlled a quasi-third-rank puppet, using it to block the massive blackfish. At the same time, she activated a quasi-third-rank talisman and launched it at the dark-faced old man.
With her master’s intervention, Zhao Tan’er felt the pressure ease and quickly retreated near the city walls to regroup with her.
Fearing the city's formation restrictions, Blackfish Immortal refrained from advancing further. He retreated with his plump blackfish and "Lin Hei" in tow, searching for other targets instead.
“Master, that old man just now looked a bit like Lin Lu,” Zhao Tan’er said hesitantly.
“Lin Lu? The battlefield is chaotic, Tan’er. You must have seen wrong,” Zhao Siyao replied, though she hadn’t gotten a good look at the old man’s face. However, based on his techniques, he was clearly from the Demonic Dao.
Zhao Tan’er also felt it was unlikely.
But the "Lin Hei" who had been pursuing her earlier seemed oddly hesitant—his attacks, though fierce in appearance, lacked true killing intent.
“In the future, if you encounter such situations, you must flee immediately. Do not engage in entanglements,” Zhao Siyao advised sternly.
“Understood, Master! I didn’t expect that Blackfish Immortal to play dirty, calling in reinforcements midway. His spiritual pet also recovered from its injuries so quickly.”
“As long as you understand. If you ever face mortal danger, don’t hesitate to use the special escape talisman I gave you,” Zhao Siyao said with a nod.
Zhao Tan’er, as a True Dan cultivator and a young, beautiful woman, faced far greater threats and dangers in her encounters with the Demonic Dao than her master did.
Because of this, Zhao Siyao had entrusted her with a special high-quality mid-third-rank escape talisman to protect her life.
As a Fake Dan Formation cultivator, Zhao Siyao mostly faced opponents at the Fake Dan or late Foundation Establishment stages, making her challenges somewhat easier to handle.
Half a day later, the Beast King Valley forces paused their assault.
The Zhao master-disciple duo finally breathed a sigh of relief and returned to the immortal city protected by the formation.
As she gazed at the oppressive demonic army looming outside, Zhao Siyao looked weary and sighed deeply.
“I thought that with the Chen Kingdom overrun and the Demonic Dao gaining a new foothold, the pressure here in Yan Kingdom would ease somewhat...”
...
Five or six days later.
Lan Chang'an arrived at the border of Jing Kingdom, entering the Lonely Sun Immortal City.
Sixty years ago, Lan Chang'an had smuggled himself into Jing Kingdom aboard an cross-border spiritual ship. His first stop back then had been this very city.
This time, Lan Chang'an disguised himself as an elderly Fake Dan cultivator in a straw raincoat. While purchasing resources within the immortal city, he also gathered intelligence on Jing Kingdom's war situation.
“How odd. The Beast King Valley conquered the Chen Kingdom years ago, yet they only glare menacingly at Jing Kingdom without launching an attack, even though it seems vulnerable,” Lan Chang'an thought to himself.
Before leaving Jin Yun Valley, he had learned that the Demonic Dao forces were focusing their assault on Yan Kingdom.
In contrast, Feng Kingdom’s western front and Jing Kingdom were currently experiencing only minor skirmishes between scouts and spies.
In truth, Jing Kingdom’s defenses were not weak.
The major factions in the Jing Kingdom, including the Xuan Yin Sect and the Heavenly Net Sect, had joined forces and mentally prepared themselves for an invasion. Yet, no major assault had occurred thus far.
Lan Chang'an had once wondered if the demonic forces were wary of the famed child of fortune from years past that had gone out of the Jing Kingdom.
That Chosen had left Jing Kingdom to join an ancient sect in the vast Great Qing Central Region. However, even someone of such prominence couldn’t interfere much in the face of the overwhelming tide of demonic forces.
The Six Demonic Sects and the Ten Sects of the Xuan Gate were all top-tier forces in the Great Qing.
The eastward expansion of the Six Demonic Sects had been the result of a compromise between the two sides after a great war.
During his brief stay in Lonely Sun Immortal City, Lan Chang'an adopted multiple identities to purchase more supplies.
Due to the war, the price of many goods skyrocketed.
However, certain resources scarce in Fengyuan Kingdom were worth buying even at inflated prices since they would still turn a profit there.
After completing his purchases, Lan Chang'an’s remaining spirit stones dwindled to less than a hundred thousand.
Leaving Lonely Sun Immortal City, he flew northward.
To avoid unnecessary complications, Lan Chang'an chose not to visit Hanyu Immortal for a Dao discussion during his trip in Jing Kingdom this time.
In times of war, the chances of encountering high-level cultivators along the road were much greater.
Lan Chang'an summoned his peak Core Formation second life to merge with his current self.
With his now powerful spiritual sense, he could detect and avoid high-level cultivators in advance.
...
Two days later, Lan Chang'an arrived at the northern border of Jing Kingdom, near the edge of the Black Fog Mountain Range.
“According to my calculations, the target is within a thousand-li radius,” he muttered.
Based on the intelligence he had gathered, Lan Chang'an narrowed down the possible location where Huang Lang Immortal was hiding.
When it came to divination, obtaining precise answers required certain preconditions—reliable clues, causal connections, and sometimes even a medium tied to the target.
If Huang Lang Immortal had been a stranger—a True Dan cultivator Lan Chang'an had never interacted with before—the difficulty of the divination would have been far greater.
But Lan Chang'an shared a long and complicated history with this crafty merchant.
Years ago, under the guise of Xiang Immortal, Lan Chang'an had killed Huxiao Immortal of the Ten Thousand Beasts Merchant Association, thus forming a grudge with Huang Lang Immortal.
Some years ago, Huang Lang Immortal had reported Lan Chang'an’s whereabouts and his association with the Profound Water Turtle to the Peacock Saintess, effectively putting the turtle in grave danger.
In retaliation, Lan Chang'an exposed Huang Lang Immortal’s activities, resulting in the man’s family being ruined and forcing him into a life on the run.
With this deeply intertwined web of karmic ties, coupled with information provided by Unseen Gate, Lan Chang'an faced much less resistance during his divinations.
“Huh! He’s hiding in a newly constructed mid-tier market behind the Xuan Yin Sect’s defensive lines,” Lan Chang'an exclaimed.
After days of painstaking effort and losing several months of his lifespan to the toll of repeated divinations, Lan Chang'an finally pinpointed Huang Lang Immortal’s hiding spot.
Divination was a taxing skill—draining mental energy, spiritual focus, and even life essence. The more precise the results, the greater the cost.
“Donglai Market?”
“A new market built by the Xuan Yin Sect near the Black Fog Mountain Range. Its geographic location is similar to the Huanglong Immortal City in the Liang Kingdom. They’re planning to expand it into a full-fledged immortal city in the future, but they currently lack the resources...”
Standing ten li outside Donglai Market, Lan Chang'an gathered more detailed intelligence. His expression grew peculiar.
“Old Huang? I heard that he was carrying the enormous wealth of the Ten Thousand Beasts Merchant Association?”
“Tsk, tsk... Elder Xiang must have made a killing this time. Since we’re all from the Xuan Yin Sect, maybe we can pay him a visit to claim a reward...”
...
Seven days ago.
In the northern Liang Kingdom, at Wuqi Mountain—
That night, Little Turtle Peak, one of the three main peaks of the mountain, was eerily silent.
The mountain guardian, Qi Feng, who had been meditating, inexplicably fell into a deep sleep.
A delicate jade hand pressed against the crown of Qi Feng's head.
A faint, otherworldly fragrance filled the air. A young woman in a flowing multicolored feathered robe hovered half a foot above the ground. She appeared to be only seventeen or eighteen years old, with eyes as bright and radiant as moonlight.
Her figure and appearance could only be described as peerless—elegant, cold, and breathtakingly stunning. Her every movement exuded an aura of nobility and untouchable beauty.
Her bare, jade-like feet were adorned with one gold and one silver anklet, adding a faint sense of otherworldly charm and danger to her ethereal presence.
“Saintess, it would be best not to kill this man. Otherwise, it might introduce unforeseen complications,” rasped an elderly voice.
Beside the multicolored feather-robed woman stood a hunched old man leaning on a staff. His voice was hoarse, yet respectful.
The young woman, the Peacock Saintess, said nothing, her expression calm and aloof. Moments later, she ended her soul-searching technique and murmured thoughtfully:
“In recent years, Lan Chang'an has not come to Wuqi Mountain. This Qi Feng fellow has only exchanged a few letters with him.”
As she spoke, she retrieved two letters from Qi Feng’s storage pouch. Both were written by Lan Chang'an, giving them to the old man beside her to use as medium for his craft.
The hunched old man, his face as withered as dead wood, tremblingly took out an ancient tortoiseshell fragment and a pointer-like bamboo stick.
After a long period of divination, the old man let out a muffled groan, blood seeping from the corners of his mouth. His face grew even paler.
The bamboo pointer spun midair before falling to the ground, eventually pointing in a direction slightly northwest.
“That direction... the associated trigrams suggest the Beast Taming Zhou Family and the Xuan Yin Sect’s territory,” the old man said, coughing up more blood as his aura became chaotic.
“You’ve worked hard, Old Shi. Who would have thought that this brat carried a wondrous artifact capable of shielding him from divination?”
The Peacock Saintess’s voice was melodious, like the chime of a bell, yet it carried a mysterious, otherworldly resonance, like a sound echoing from the depths of the sea.
“You were wise, Saintess, to anticipate his escape and have me begin divining in advance. If he reaches Fengyuan Kingdom, with its vast and boundless deserts, tracking him down will be like searching for a needle in the sand. Even the forces of the Sacred Sect won’t be able to reach him there.
“Moreover, the ‘Heavenly Master’ of Fengyuan Kingdom is mysterious and unfathomable. He is said to be a master of divination and fate manipulation. If we get too close to his territory, we might alert him.”
Old Shi’s tone was amiable, but his heart was dripping blood.
Performing divinations for the Saintess had drained his energy and life force significantly. He didn’t know how much lifespan he’d already sacrificed.
Shi Lao, a mid-Core Formation cultivator with superior third-rank divination art was considered one of the top experts within Beast King Valley. His skill in divination was unparalleled below the Nascent Soul Realm.
Despite his feeble, elderly appearance, he was actually less than 300 years old—a period considered the prime of life for a cultivator of his level.
But the art of divination was a high-risk profession, known for accelerating aging and draining lifespan.
When cultivators of vastly higher status or power came knocking, refusing their requests was simply not an option.
Shi Lao belonged to one of Beast King Valley’s affiliated forces and wouldn’t dare defy the Peacock Saintess, especially since she had promised generous rewards and offered to look after his faction’s disciples and descendants.
“You’re right, Old Shi. Lan Chang'an must be intercepted before he reaches Fengyuan Kingdom,” said the Peacock Saintess with a faint smile. Her graceful demeanor was a perfect blend of saintly purity and alluring charm.
Even the well-traveled Shi Lao found himself momentarily dazed by her presence.
Years ago, Huang Lang Immortal had provided the Peacock Saintess with information about Lan Chang'an.
Later, the Saintess purchased even more detailed intelligence about him from the Unseen Gate.
Having learned that Lan Chang'an had once fled from Liang Kingdom, she had proactively asked Shi Lao’s help to divine his movements.
Shi Lao’s initial divination results were clear:
Lan Chang'an would run, and he would run early.
This startled the Peacock Saintess.
The divinations suggested that his likely destination was the Fengyuan Kingdom.
However, when Shi Lao attempted to divine the exact route he would take, he encountered invisible resistance.
There were two possibilities:
First, Lan Chang'an himself was third-rank in divination art, with a fate far more complex than the average person, making him difficult to predict.
Second, Lan Chang'an possessed a wondrous artifact that could shield him from divination.
The second possibility was more common in the cultivation world.
It was unlikely that Lan Chang'an, within just one or two centuries, could have advanced both his talismanic arts and divination to third rank or higher.
Because of this resistance, while Shi Lao could deduce the general direction, pinpointing Lan Chang'an’s exact location required sacrificing more of his lifespan.
Wuqi Mountain, the Li Family of Snow Plum Mountain, and the Beast Taming Zhou Family were all possible places Lan Chang'an might pass through on his way to Fengyuan Kingdom.
Had Lan Chang'an not gone to kill Huang Lang Immortal, he likely would have passed through one of these areas.
...
“The new divination rules out the Li Family of Snow Plum Mountain,” Shi Lao said weakly, leaning heavily on his staff as he swallowed several pills to restore his energy and mental clarity.
“Next up is the Beast Taming Zhou Family. If we rule them out, and I gain more medium information, I’ll be able to confirm Lan Chang'an’s general route to Fengyuan Kingdom.”
“Very well. When the time comes, I’ll ask for your help one last time. Regardless of the outcome, I’ll ensure you’re well compensated,” the Peacock Saintess promised.
She could tell Shi Lao was already reaching his limits. If he pushed himself any further, it might very well cost him his life.
Shi Lao was the most skilled diviner she could mobilize within the Sacred Sect’s reach.
Among the Beast King Valley’s forces, only the mid-Nascent Soul Great Elder had stronger divination abilities, barely reaching the threshold of fourth-rank divination. But the Great Elder was stationed in the rear to oversee strategic planning, and even Nascent Soul elders rarely dared ask him to perform divinations due to the lifespan cost.
...
Meanwhile, in the northern Jing Kingdom, within a cave in the Black Fog Mountain Range—
Lan Chang'an calmly sorted through the spoils of his swift assassination of Huang Lang Immortal.
“Three Beautifying Pills, one set of Crystal Condensation Pill main ingredients, two Core Formation spirit items...”
“Dozens of second- and third-rank beast pills and beast fodder. Two Sha Yuan Pills. Over a dozen beast-taming inheritance jade slips...”
“More than 100,000 spirit stones, dozens of spirit beast cubs, and over a hundred rare bird and beast eggs...”
Lan Chang'an chuckled softly. “What a rich swindler. His wealth surpasses most Core Formation cultivators.”
As he searched Huang Lang Immortal’s remnant soul, Lan Chang'an suddenly frowned.
“Damn it, this swindler handed over such detailed information about me to the Peacock Saintess!”
A vague sense of unease stirred in his heart.
Performing a quick divination, his face darkened.
“The Peacock Saintess has figured out that I plan to flee. She’s enlisted a divination master to track me.”
Lan Chang'an’s expression grew cold.
That divination master was clearly more skilled than him; otherwise, he wouldn’t have sensed this only now.
“Go, Fengyuan Kingdom!”
Transforming into a streak of light, Lan Chang'an shot into the skies, using a mid-third-rank treasure talisman to boost his speed to near late-Core Formation levels.
...
Following the ancient Black Blood Road, Lan Chang'an traversed the Black Fog Mountain Range.
Two days later, he slowed down as the mountains gave way to an endless desert.
The howling wind and rising sand began to hinder his spiritual sense and flight speed.
Suddenly, he felt something unusual.
A crisp and melodious bird cry rang out!
In the distant clouds, a graceful and majestic five-colored peacock spread its wings, its massive form casting a shadow over the horizon.