Chapter 267 - 264: Return to the Western Wilderness
Chapter 267: Chapter 264: Return to the Western Wilderness
The eternal, unchanging glaciers.
Suddenly, a rumbling sound echoed from within.
Less than an hour had passed since Li Ping had entered the secret vault to retrieve the treasure.
BANG!
A black sword shadow, like a swimming dragon, burst through the thick ice sheet, followed closely by a figure in a blue robe.
The blue-robed figure clutched a Storage Bag, a faint smile gracing his lips.
After briefly getting his bearings, he shot southward at high speed.
...
「Several years later, in the northern border of the Yan Kingdom in the Western Wilderness.」
An unconcealed, dark silver Escape Light flew out of the desert, heading toward the heartland of the Yan Kingdom.
Standing at the prow of his Flying Ship, Li Ping gazed down at the scenery below, his eyes filled with emotion.
After being away from the Western Wilderness for nearly sixty years, he had finally returned.
Over the past half-year, he had traveled from the Land of the Far North, crossing ice fields, deserts, wastelands, and grasslands, passing through the territories of Aliens like the Snowmen, Barbarians, Fire Worshipers, and the Tuluo People.
In truth, with the flight speed of a Core Formation Cultivator, the journey shouldn’t have taken nearly this long.
The main reason was that two years ago, the Earth Spirit Rat had awakened after digesting a thousand-year Bloodline Fruit. Its bloodline had been further enhanced, and its treasure-hunting ability had improved significantly.
So, Li Ping had simply taken his time, traveling at a leisurely pace with the Earth Spirit Rat while searching for treasures along the way.
Although his journey had taken him through the barren lands inhabited by Aliens, he had actually managed to find a piece of Tier Three Earth Attribute spirit ore. It could be used as a material for refining a Magical Treasure and was worth nearly ten thousand Spirit Stones.
Traveling so openly without concealing his presence, he was naturally discovered by Cultivators among the Aliens.
Li Ping was flexible enough to handle this.
He had encountered Alien Core Formation Cultivators and escaped using his Blood Wing Escape Skill.
He had also run into Alien Foundation Establishment Cultivators, whom he had casually slain.
It could be said that throughout his journey, Li Ping had perfected the art of bullying the weak and fearing the strong.
However, after returning to the Western Wilderness, he didn’t dare to be so brazen.
He had killed Hua Hong in the past.
If Hua Wuji wasn’t dead yet, he would likely come looking for trouble, and Li Ping had no desire to confront a Late-stage Core Formation Cultivator right now.
Besides, he wasn’t planning on changing his main Cultivation Technique before the Star Divine Wood he planted on Ash Island reached one hundred thousand years of age.
Therefore, he would only stay in the Western Wilderness for a short time on this trip to open the cultivator’s estate beneath Little Plum Mountain and retrieve the treasure inside.
After visiting some old acquaintances, he would head straight for Great Zhou.
After all, the Western Wilderness was hardly better than the Land of the Far North. It was too barren, and all its resources were controlled by Sects and families, making it unsuitable for a Loose Cultivator at the Core Formation realm to cultivate.
The Cultivation Realm of the Western Wilderness was too small for him.
Only by going to Great Zhou could he make better progress.
To get there, he would have to cross the territory occupied by the four Sects of the Demon Dao. If he confronted Hua Wuji too early, it would add unnecessary risk to his journey to Great Zhou.
In short, the main principle for this return to the Western Wilderness was to keep a low profile.
’I cultivate the Nine Tribulations True Spirit Scripture, so concealing my aura is a simple matter,’ Li Ping thought with a slight nod.
The next moment, his aura slowly receded until he was only exuding the pressure of someone around the Mid-stage of Foundation Establishment.
A Foundation Establishment Cultivator was considered mid-tier in the Western Wilderness’s Cultivation Realm.
It was a level neither so low as to be looked down upon, nor so high as to attract too much attention.
’I remember the Celestial Travel Sect rules the Yan Kingdom, and their Sect is located in Tian Shang Immortal City.’ As Li Ping recalled this, long-buried memories resurfaced. ’I’ll go to Tian Shang Immortal City first to gather some information and see what’s changed in the Western Wilderness since I left.’
With his decision made, the Flying Ship changed course in mid-air and sped toward Tian Shang Immortal City, disappearing over the horizon in the blink of an eye.
...
「Tian Shang Immortal City.」 A streak of dark silver light came to a halt outside one of the city gates.
Li Ping casually put away the Flying Ship and walked directly into the Immortal City.
Many Cultivators were entering and leaving the Immortal City, but most were Low-Tier Qi Refining Cultivators. Upon sensing Li Ping’s aura, they all turned pale with fright and distanced themselves from him, anxious to avoid angering this unfamiliar Foundation Establishment senior.
Strolling into Tian Shang Immortal City, Li Ping took a moment to observe the scene before him.
He could clearly feel that the city was much more prosperous than when he had last visited seventy years ago. After a moment of thought, he understood why.
During the years he lived with Xiao Yunzhi, he had learned from her about the great war between the Daoist Guardian Alliance, the Tuluo People, and the four Demon Dao Sects.
Xiao Changkong had gone north with the Seal of All Living Beings and crushed the Tuluo People’s tribes that were attacking the two kingdoms, inflicting heavy losses upon them.
With their strength greatly diminished, the Tuluo People could no longer raid the south as frequently as they had in the past.
Li Ping guessed that in the past sixty years, the kingdoms of Yan and Liang had likely not experienced any major wars and had enjoyed a long-overdue period of peace.
It was no surprise, then, that Tian Shang Immortal City had become so much more prosperous.
In the words of Li Ping’s past life, this was a ’post-war boom’!
...
He walked through the Immortal City for a while.
Li Ping’s eyes lit up with a smile when he saw a large, street-facing shop named ’Immortal Dao Pavilion’.
About seventy years ago, when he had led Yan Hengchuan north to the Grassland in an attempt to capture Yan Liming, he had come to Tian Shang Immortal City to gather intelligence on the Grassland to ensure their success. In the end, he had bought the information he needed from the Immortal Dao Pavilion.
Li Ping still remembered that the person who had received him back then was a snowman Foundation Establishment Female Cultivator who called herself ’Lady Xue’.
’I can’t believe it’s been so many years. After all this time, the Immortal Dao Pavilion is still open and doing well,’ he thought.
Shaking his head, he strolled inside.
When an eager Steward from the shop came to greet him, Li Ping directly instructed the man to lead him to the second floor.
The services he required were only available on the second floor.
Hearing Li Ping’s command, the Qi Refining Cultivator dared not be negligent. He quickly led him to a private room on the second floor, served him Spirit Tea, and said that the Shopkeeper would arrive shortly before respectfully retreating.
Li Ping waited in the private room for a moment before he heard footsteps approaching.
The door was then pushed open, and a hearty voice drifted in. "Haha... Fellow Daoist, you look unfamiliar. You must not be a local Cultivator, are you? My name is Lin Zhixing. May I ask for your name?"
As the voice spoke, a slightly plump man with a square face walked in from outside.
Seeing that it wasn’t Lady Xue, Li Ping felt a pang of disappointment, but he still stood up and said with a smile, "I am Xiong Dahai. A pleasure to meet you, Fellow Daoist Lin."
To be on the safe side, he had deliberately changed his appearance before entering the city and was now using an alias.
In fact, he had also used the alias Xiong Dahai when he had previously traded for information at the Immortal Dao Pavilion.
"So it’s Fellow Daoist Xiong." Sensing the Mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation that Li Ping was displaying, Lin Zhixing became quite enthusiastic. "Is this your first time in the Immortal City, Fellow Daoist Xiong? I wonder how our pavilion might be of service to you."
Hearing this, Li Ping shook his head. "I have been to the Immortal City before and have done business at your esteemed pavilion. However, the one who received me at that time was Lady Xue."
"Ah, a returning customer! That saves me the trouble of an introduction." Lin Zhixing’s enthusiasm grew.
But at the same time, he also reminded Li Ping.
Decades ago, Lady Xue’s Dao companion had successfully formed his Golden Core. Because of this, her status in the Immortal City had risen, so it was no longer appropriate for her to be making public appearances at the shop.
If Li Ping were to meet her again, he should not be disrespectful, lest he offend a Core Formation Master.
Though Li Ping was unconcerned inwardly, he put on a look of surprise. "So Lady Xue is the Dao companion of a Core Formation Master! I was truly blind before."
The two exchanged pleasantries for a moment before Li Ping stated his purpose: to purchase information about the changes in the power structure and landscape of the Western Wilderness’s Cultivation Realm over the last sixty years.
After Li Ping stated his request, Lin Zhixing couldn’t help but give him a few extra glances, a look of surprise in his eyes.
Ultimately, however, he didn’t say much and readily agreed to Li Ping’s request.
A short while later, under Lin Zhixing’s instruction, a Steward delivered the information Li Ping required.
Li Ping gave it a quick look to confirm everything was in order, then poured out a small pile of Spirit Stones from his Storage Bag to pay for the information. He then stood up to take his leave.
Only after Li Ping’s figure had disappeared did Lin Zhixing mutter to himself, ’He showed up once seventy years ago to buy information, and now he suddenly reappears at my pavilion to buy information on the changes in the Western Wilderness over the last sixty years. Could it be that this Fellow Daoist Xiong hasn’t been cultivating in the Western Wilderness for the past six decades?’
’The timing of his two appearances is too coincidental. He couldn’t be a Human Race traitor working for the Tuluo People, could he?’ Lin Zhixing was startled by his own speculation.
But he quickly shook his head, finding his own guess amusing.
’What kind of spy would be so blatant?’
’But one thing I can be sure of: that Fellow Daoist Xiong must have left the Western Wilderness for the last sixty years and only just returned. And judging by how generously he spent, he must have had a bountiful harvest during that time.’
At this thought, a glint of greed flashed in Lin Zhixing’s eyes. ’After returning to the Western Wilderness, he came to my pavilion to buy information instead of returning to a family or Sect. That means he’s a Loose Cultivator with no backing. Should I make a move?!’
He had come to this conclusion for a couple of reasons. First, he guessed Li Ping was a Loose Cultivator, meaning no one would come looking for revenge if he were killed.
More importantly, he had seen how casually Li Ping paid. He had produced several hundred Spirit Stones without even blinking. Just how wealthy must he be?
’Opportunity knocks but once. Let’s do it!’
All this thinking was just Lin Zhixing psyching himself up.
In reality, he had already had the idea the moment Li Ping stated his request for information.
He had secretly placed a tracking mark on Li Ping back then, intending to make a move after he left the city.
’But Xiong Dahai is a Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator. I might not be able to take him down alone. I’ll ask Elder Feng and Fellow Daoist Ruan to help!’ Lin Zhixing quickly took out a Sound Transmission Talisman and sent messages to the two of them.
...
A moment later, three figures hurriedly left Tian Shang Immortal City, chasing southward.
Sensing they were getting closer to the mark, Lin Zhixing’s eyes lit up with delight. "He’s stopped in the valley ahead! We’ll strike together and catch him completely off guard!"
The thought of the Spirit Stones on that man soon being his made his heart pound with excitement.
But as the three of them flew into the valley, they were met by the sight of a figure looking at them with a mocking smile. His words sent a shiver down their spines: "I’ve been waiting for a while. I was starting to think you weren’t going to show up."