Immortal Refiner

After searching this mortal city for seven days, Yang Xi had found no trace of Li Qing—not even a shadow.

This infuriated him. He had even left Xunjiang City several times, but the Celestial Compass continued to point back to this city.

The thought that Li Qing might be secretly laughing at him only fueled his rage.

Finally, Yang Xi could no longer contain himself. He summoned his spirit boat and soared into the sky.

Boom!

A powerful wave of spiritual pressure swept out, flattening every mortal in the vicinity in terror.

Even several Martial Artists wore expressions of fear. Under this pressure, they felt their Vital Energy turn purple.

”What is that? How can a boat fly?”

”Immortals! These people are Immortals from the heavens!”

”Heavens, Immortals have descended! Are these Immortals from the heavens ascending to the Immortal Realm now?!”

”Immortal, please take me with you!”

Because of the Martial Dao Assembly, many Martial Artists from the Jianghu had gathered in this city. Now, they surged toward the Heavenly River Sect disciples like madmen.

Yang Xi watched this scene, his face still burning with killing intent. He even let out a cold laugh.

However, a disciple of the Heavenly River Sect felt a twinge of compassion and cautioned, ”Senior Brother Yang, this isn’t right. Attacking mortals violates sect rules.”

Yang Xi, however, replied coldly, ”What does it matter to slaughter a few ignorant mortals for the sake of our Immortal Path?”

”Junior Brothers, there’s no need to worry. As I said before, all these mortals’ deaths can be blamed on that Demon Lord Li.”

”If any of you are hesitant, simply provide mana to power the spirit boat. I will handle the killing.”

At these words, the other disciples fell silent, silently placing their hands on the spirit patterns that channeled mana to the spirit boat, fueling its operation.

”Kill!”

Yang Xi roared, then activated the offensive spirit patterns etched onto the spirit boat.

In an instant, spiritual light erupted, and serpentine beams of light surged forth, directly striking the mortals gathered below to watch the spectacle.

Indiscriminate attack!

Beneath the spirit boat, whether they were Martial Artists skilled in combat or ordinary merchants and laborers, all were caught in the wave of spiritual energy unleashed by Yang Xi.

Boom!

A massive wave of spiritual light crashed down, leaving the Martial Artists utterly defenseless. In an instant, they were reduced to a bloody pulp.

”Ah! The Immortals are enraged! The Immortals are killing!”

”Run! These Immortals have gone mad!”

”Help... save...”

The mortals who had just moments ago regarded the Heavenly River Sect disciples as divine beings now scattered in panic, fleeing in all directions.

Alas, their speed was no match for the cultivators’ magical attacks. In mere moments, an entire block beneath the spirit boat was reduced to rubble.

Collapsed buildings, shattered tiles, and a few tenacious Martial Artists clinging to life amidst the wreckage. Their injuries were severe, and their time was clearly running out.

Some were severed at the waist, their lower halves still writhing on the ground in a gruesome display.

”No...”

”Why... What did I do wrong? I lived a life of good deeds...”

”The legendary Immortals... they really exist. But why...?”

These mortals were pitiful. They died without knowing why, never understanding what they had done to deserve such a fate.

On the street, a young girl with pigtails clutched a basket of straw sandals, her frail body trembling.

Tears streamed down her face as she stared at the ruins of her home.

”Father... Mother...”

”Father, where are you?”

The little girl repeated these words over and over, clutching her basket tightly. She dragged herself forward, her mind blank.

One of her legs was completely gone, a casualty of the spiritual light that had just swept through.

Crawling was agonizing, as she had to hold the basket—her livelihood and her only reason to live.

Finally, she reached the shattered remains of her house. Gazing at her home, now reduced to nothing, she trembled, ”Mother, I’m scared!”

Her gem-like eyes overflowed with tears. The girl with the pigtails pushed aside a broken door panel, and saw a sight she would never forget.

A heavy roof beam had crushed her mother’s body to the ground. Her breathing was barely perceptible.

”Mother!” the little girl cried out in grief, then threw herself onto her mother’s corpse, clutching her still-warm hand with all her might.

High above, disciples of the Heavenly River Sect witnessed the scene. Their eyes filled with pity.

They wanted to urge Senior Brother Yang to stop, but the icy glint in his eyes seemed almost pathological.

Yes, in his desperation to achieve Foundation Establishment, Yang Xi had gone mad. He cared about nothing but capturing Li Qing to exchange for the Essence Fusion Fruit needed to refine the Foundation Establishment Pill.

Without Foundation Establishment, he would be reduced to dust within forty or fifty years.

This was not the outcome he desired. He craved higher realms and a longer lifespan.

Having embarked on the Immortal Path, he refused to settle for mediocrity.

”Kill! This is all the Demon Lord Li’s doing! If we can force him out and capture him, we’ll achieve a great feat!”

Yang Xi, now bordering on insanity, once again activated his spirit boat and began heading toward other districts, pursuing the fleeing mortals.

His eyes were bloodshot, filled only with the desire to kill.

Meanwhile, Li Qing, rushing toward the scene, witnessed an entire street reduced to rubble, littered with the countless dead and wounded mortals.

The sight struck him like a thunderbolt, his mind reeling, nearly losing the ability to think.

”You beasts!”

The street was almost devoid of survivors, bodies piled everywhere. Even the Marauders’ invasion and siege of the city hadn’t been this brutal.

A little girl with a severed leg clung to her mother’s lifeless hand, her heart-wrenching cries echoing through the devastation.

Li Qing recognized her—the little girl who had sold him the straw sandals just days ago.

Boom!

Overwhelming rage and killing intent surged from Li Qing’s heart, nearly overwhelming his reason and composure.

After several deep breaths, Li Qing regained his calm. His killing intent was now chilling, and he wanted nothing more than to tear those Heavenly River Sect disciples limb from limb.

He didn’t let his fury cloud his judgment; instead, he became eerily calm.

Li Qing looked up to see the Serpent-Head Spirit Boat hovering above Bamboo Cypress Street, preparing for another attack.

Without hesitation, he took another step, channeling his surging Vital Energy, like a vast river, into a burst of speed.

Boom!

”Heavenly River Sect scum! Look at what you’ve done! If you’ve got the guts, come at your grandpa!”

Bang!

Reaching Bamboo Cypress Street, Li Qing planted one foot firmly on the ground and launched himself skyward with explosive force.

On the Serpent-Head Spirit Boat, the four Heavenly River Sect disciples turned to face Li Qing as he charged toward them.

”Hahahaha! He’s appeared! Senior Brother Yang, your plan worked! We really forced Demon Lord Li to show himself!”

”Demon Lord Li, you finally came out! Why didn’t you keep hiding?”

Yang Xi narrowed his eyes, staring intently at Li Qing. Once he was certain, a smile spread across his face.

”Junior Brothers, join me in capturing this Demon Lord! We’ll have a chance at Foundation Establishment!”

Hearing himself called a Demon Lord repeatedly, Li Qing’s expression grew colder than ten-thousand-year-old Xuan Ice.

”Do you even deserve to call me a Demon Lord? Look at your own actions! You slaughtered mortals in their city, leaving corpses strewn everywhere. Is this what disciples of the self-proclaimed righteous Heavenly River Sect do?”

Yang Xi, however, responded with disdain, ”Stop feigning righteousness. If you hadn’t hidden in the mortal city, how would they have suffered this disaster?”

Watching these hypocrites, Li Qing was so enraged he burst into laughter.

”Hahaha! So I’m not allowed to escape when you hunt me down? Do you really think you’re the rulers of the world? Issue a wanted notice, and everyone must surrender? If you’re so capable, why haven’t you issued one for Exquisite True Lord or the Supreme Elder of the Shangqing Sect?”

The mention of the Shangqing Sect and Exquisite True Lord caused the disciples’ expressions to stiffen slightly, then darken like stagnant water.

”Hmph, Demon Lord Li, you killed our sect’s Enforcement Disciples in Heavenly River Market! There’s no place in the world where you can hide!”

”Watch me capture you today and bring you back to the sect to await judgment!”

As Yang Xi’s words fell, he immediately activated the Serpent-Head Spirit Boat, summoning a blue phantom of a giant python that lunged toward Li Qing.

”If people like you could achieve Foundation Establishment, it would truly be a sign that heaven has lost its eyes! Today, I act on behalf of heaven and will slay you here!”

At that moment, Li Qing could no longer restrain himself. Born a mortal, he couldn’t stand idly by as these people wantonly slaughtered others.

Gripping the Crimson Shadow Umbrella, he activated it while charging toward the blue python phantom.

Boom!

The python’s power was formidable, amplified by Yang Xi’s full cultivation. It slammed directly into the Crimson Shadow Umbrella, attempting to shatter the Magic Artifact in Li Qing’s hands.

Fortunately, the umbrella was no ordinary item. Among Mid-Grade Magic Tools, it was considered exceptional, barely able to withstand the attack.

Li Qing, who had directly absorbed the impact of the python phantom, felt a slight sinking in his heart. He was under considerable pressure.

This is the power of a high-grade magical artifact!

However, he soon noticed that only Yang Xi was actively channeling the Serpent-Head Spirit Boat to attack. The other three disciples merely had their hands on the spirit boat, watching coldly.

If they were to launch another simultaneous attack, Li Qing wasn’t sure he could hold out.

Don’t they want to?!

Of course not!

”Heh, it seems activating this high-grade magical artifact-level spirit boat’s attack consumes a considerable amount of spiritual energy, requiring several people to channel it simultaneously.”

”That’s easily solved!”

Li Qing raised the Crimson Shadow Umbrella, once again deflecting several strikes from the giant serpent phantom. The crimson patterns on the umbrella’s surface now showed slight cracks and blurring.

In the next moment, Li Qing flicked his fingertips, drawing several silver Fallen Life Nails from his waist. He then unleashed his Internal Strength.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Instantly, three silver streaks pierced the air with incredible speed, reaching the Serpent-Head Spirit Boat in the blink of an eye.

Unfortunately, the spirit boat maintained a layer of Protective Spirit Light. The nails created three ripples on its surface before falling uselessly to the ground.

Seeing this, the Heavenly River Sect disciples breathed a collective sigh of relief. Yang Xi sneered, ”Hahaha, this Demon Lord’s tricks are useless against us! He’s already at his wit’s end. Watch me capture this Demon Lord!”

Turning his head, he intensified his assault, relentlessly pressuring Li Qing.

Li Qing remained remarkably calm, unruffled by the failed attack. His expression was utterly serene.

Quickly, he propped up his umbrella with one hand and reached into his storage pouch with the other.

Several purple-patterned talismans appeared in his hand. To his surprise, all three were High-Grade First-Tier Thunderstorm Talismans!

Having made up his mind to kill, Li Qing wouldn’t hesitate to use these talismans. After all, he’d obtained them from Ye Feng’s storage pouch. He unleashed all the most powerful lightning-type talismans at once.

Boom!

Thunder erupted out of thin air!

Several bolts of lightning, nearly a hundred feet long, shot forth at speeds beyond human comprehension, striking the Serpent-Head Spirit Boat directly.

”Damn! It’s a Thunderstorm Talisman!”

Too late!

As the cry of alarm rang out, the bolts of lightning slammed into the Serpent-Head Spirit Boat, shattering its Protective Spirit Light with overwhelming force.

The group’s expressions changed drastically. Some immediately focused on defense, while others fled. They could no longer maintain the blue giant python’s attack.

This was precisely the effect Li Qing had been aiming for. With the pressure of defense lifted, he soared through the air and charged toward the Serpent-Head Spirit Boat.

Boom!

When Li Qing landed on the spirit boat, everything changed.

”The Demon Lord came in on his own! Kill him!”

”Arrogant fool! Does he really think he’s a Foundation Establishment Elder, daring to take on four opponents at once!”

”Take him down!”

Hearing these taunts, Li Qing flicked his wrist, and the Water Entangling Net instantly unfurled, enveloping several disciples in its embrace.

Simultaneously, he surged his Vital Energy, activating the Limitless Art he hadn’t used in ages!

Limitless Golden Body!

At this moment, his physical strength rivaled that of a Foundation Establishment body refinement cultivator, reaching an absurd level of power.

Boom!

He unleashed a punch! The air above the spirit boat seemed to collapse under the force of the blow.

This was merely a casual technique from the Limitless Art, yet amplified by his terrifying physical strength, it felt like a cannon blast!

Bang!

A Heavenly River Sect disciple caught in the Water Entangling Net had his head instantly shattered, his Protective Spirit Light unable to withstand the punch.

Witnessing this, the remaining disciples, still struggling to break free from the net, were terrified, completely stunned by the sheer brutality of the attack.

”Be careful! This man is a body refinement cultivator! His cultivation in this art is formidable!”

Li Qing responded with a single glance.

Golden light flashed in his eyes, and a pale golden blade instantly materialized, slashing towards the person who had warned him.

Soul Condensing Slash!

A spiritual attack comparable to a Foundation Establishment cultivator’s ultimate technique—how could these disciples possibly withstand it?

Another disciple fell dead on the spot!

Since Li Qing had boarded the spirit boat, two of his companions had already perished. Yang Xi and the remaining Heavenly River Sect disciple were terrified, their eyes fixed on Li Qing as if they were truly staring at a Demon Lord.

”Die!” Li Qing roared, drawing his Wandering Dragon Dagger and stabbing forward, ending another Heavenly River Sect disciple’s life.

Only Senior Brother Yang, who had just broken free from the Water Entangling Net, remained. His face was ashen, his fear reaching its peak.

Li Qing’s methods were too ruthless. Even he couldn’t have ended three Late Qi Refining Realm disciples’ lives so quickly.

”Stop... My uncle is an Elder of the sect. If you kill me, he’ll hunt you to the ends of the earth!” Yang Xi pleaded desperately, hoping to gain some courage by invoking his uncle’s name.

Unfortunately, Li Qing was consumed by murderous intent at that moment, desperate to flay alive the mastermind behind the massacre of the mortal city.

”When you wantonly slaughtered mortals before, did you ever imagine you’d meet such an end?”

As his words fell, Li Qing’s hand moved like lightning, unleashing a punch directly at his opponent.

Bang!

A jade pendant around Yang Xi’s neck emitted a brilliant light, blocking the fierce blow.

”Oh? A consumable defensive magical artifact?”

”It seems your uncle dotes on you quite a bit, even giving you such a treasure. But let’s see how many punches you can withstand!”

With that, Li Qing’s fists rained down like a storm, each blow shaking the air and unleashing explosive force. The sheer power behind each strike was terrifying.

In mere moments, under this relentless assault, the jade pendant finally shattered completely.

Crack!

Yang Xi stared into Li Qing’s bloodshot eyes, as if gazing upon a true Demon Lord. Terrified by the overwhelming aura, his legs turned to jelly, and he forgot to even counterattack.

”Did you enjoy slaughtering mortals?”

Slap!

After asking his question, Li Qing slapped Yang Xi across the face without hesitation.

”Weren’t you supposed to be hunting me down?”

Slap!

Another powerful slap sent Yang Xi, a Perfected Qi Refining Stage disciple of the Heavenly River Sect, flying backward, his teeth scattered across the ground.

”I heard your uncle is a Heavenly River Sect Elder?”

Slap!

The third slap left Yang Xi’s head reeling, his consciousness fading.

”Tell me, how did you track my location?” Li Qing stopped slapping him, regaining his composure as he stared at the dazed Yang Xi.

But Yang Xi was in no condition to answer. Waves of dizziness washed over him, leaving him completely unable to speak.

”Won’t talk? Then I’ll cripple you!”

Li Qing pointed a finger, unleashing a torrent of spiritual energy mixed with his own profound Martial Dao Inner Strength. The force pierced through Yang Xi’s dantian qi sea.

”No!” Yang Xi’s eyes widened in agony as he screamed.

But it was too late. His dantian qi sea had been shattered, and the mana he had painstakingly cultivated for years dissipated completely, leaving him utterly crippled.

The mana of a cultivator at the Perfected Qi Refining Stage was indeed quite profound. A massive surge of spiritual energy coursed wildly through Li Qing’s body, shattering his meridians and nearly causing him to explode.

Bang!

With a muffled thud, the Serpent-Head Spirit Boat, deprived of its spiritual energy supply, slowly crashed to the ground.

Having vented his fury, Li Qing’s chest heaved with each breath. He took a deep inhale, then shook his head.

”This time, I’ve really gone too far.”

With the deaths of this group and Yang Xi’s uncle being an Elder of the Heavenly River Sect, he knew that Foundation Establishment cultivators would soon be hunting him.

Yet Li Qing felt no regret. He gazed at the city, now a landscape of rubble and shattered walls, his expression tinged with sorrow.

This is the fate of mortals: born without knowing who or why, dying without knowing why.

Once an immortal cultivator intrudes, life and death are no longer in their hands.

This was why, despite his long Lifespan, he still chose to pursue the Immortal Path, to strive for higher realms. Only through strength could he seize control of his destiny.

”I’m sorry.”

Li Qing murmured an apologetic apology, then stowed the spirit boat in his storage pouch. He dragged the corpses of the four Heavenly River Sect disciples toward the city gates.

He didn’t want to involve the mortals of the city any further. The Heavenly River Sect would surely send people to investigate, and who knew if some deranged immortal cultivator might appear.

On his way out, he passed the Wei Family estate, the very family he had once helped. Now, it too had been ravaged, half of its courtyard destroyed.

Seeing this, Li Qing’s expression darkened further, and his self-reproach deepened.

He had barely escaped Wu Yang’s shadow when disaster struck again.

If he hadn’t been fleeing Heavenly River Sect disciples, these people wouldn’t have suffered such a sudden calamity.

With his spirits low, Li Qing dragged the four corpses out of the city, walking far, far away before finally destroying them completely.

”Ah, from now on, immortals and mortals must part ways,” he sighed, finally understanding.

Even a Qi Refining Realm cultivator’s every action could have too great an impact on the mortal world.

He could only shake his head, resolving to be more careful in the future.

Meanwhile, in the Heavenly River Sect’s Soul Lamp Hall...

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Four soul lamps of disciples flickered out one after another, then shattered.

Hearing the commotion, the Hall Guardian Elder’s brow twitched violently, and his expression turned completely grim.

”Four more disciples dead!”

(End of the Chapter)

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