Immortal Refiner

”Li Qing, you’ve stirred up a hornet’s nest!” Liu Sheng panicked completely.

Crippling the Feng Clan’s young master’s cultivation at Azure Radiance Pool was an earth-shattering event!

”Brother Liu Sheng, there’s no need for such alarm. It’s been so long since we last met—I never imagined your daughter would have grown so much,” Li Qing said with a smile, reaching out to pat the head of the sobbing girl behind Liu Sheng.

Liu Sheng couldn’t understand Li Qing’s composure. He assumed Li Qing, being new to the area, was unaware of the Feng Clan’s immense power.

”Ah, you don’t know the Feng Clan’s strength! They currently have three foundation establishment cultivators, and their Clan Head is at the mid-foundation establishment stage!”

”Even though you’ve also reached foundation establishment, you’re woefully outnumbered. You must flee immediately!”

Liu Sheng’s urgent words made it sound like the sky was about to collapse.

But how could Li Qing possibly be intimidated by the mere Feng Clan?

He shook his head. ”If I leave now, what will happen to you?”

”Young Master Feng was crippled in your courtyard. Do you really think you and your daughter can escape unscathed?”

Liu Sheng only realized the gravity of the situation after hearing these words. Given Young Master Feng Ming’s temperament, he feared neither he nor his daughter would fare well.

”Our only option now is to leave this place immediately. If Young Master Feng Ming arrives with his men, none of us will escape.”

”Li Qing, promise me this: if anything happens on our journey, please escort my daughter to safety as quickly as possible. Run as far as you can.”

Liu Sheng spoke as if giving his final instructions, his expression darkening with despair. Having just endured the pain of losing his son, he now faced the prospect of a permanent separation from his daughter. He held little hope of escaping alive, fully aware of the Feng Clan’s immense power and influence throughout the Azure Radiance Pool region.

Seeing Liu Sheng’s despair, Li Qing finally decided to relieve his old friend of this crushing psychological burden.

”Hahahaha! If Liu Hanyue were to learn that I stood by and allowed her clan members to be bullied like this, she’d come knocking on my door before long!”

Li Qing laughed, leaving Liu Sheng stunned for a long moment.

”What? Are you saying the Young Miss is still alive? After the Heavenly River Sect was destroyed that day, could it be—?” Liu Sheng asked in disbelief.

Li Qing shook his head gently. ”She’s alive and well. But you... how did you survive the Liu Clan’s destruction? Were there any other survivors besides you?”

His words pierced Liu Sheng’s heart like a sharp blade, instantly darkening his expression.

”Most likely not. My escape was purely by chance—I happened to be away from the clan that day.”

Now, it seemed only Liu Hanyue and the Liu Sheng standing before him remained of the entire Liu Clan.

Hearing this, Li Qing’s expression also dimmed slightly. He recalled Old Zhou’s dying wish at the Liu Clan, asking him to protect his descendants. But back then, no one could have foreseen that a mere incident with the Flying Eagle Bandits would trigger such a cataclysmic chain of events.

At the time, Li Qing was barely able to fend for himself, wanted by the entire Heavenly River Sect. Fulfilling Old Zhou’s request was simply impossible.

”Ah, it’s all in the past now. Try to let it go.”

”Next, I’ll help you avenge your son. The Feng Clan is nothing to me.”

Li Qing patted Liu Sheng’s shoulder and slowly walked out of the courtyard.

Watching Li Qing’s tall, imposing figure recede, Liu Sheng was completely stunned. He couldn’t fathom where Li Qing’s confidence came from, yet a strange sense of trust welled up within him.

Without hesitation, he led his daughter and followed Li Qing out.

However, Li Qing, who was leading the way, soon stopped. He raised an eyebrow and glanced northward.

”Heh, they’re quick to arrive. Can this Young Master, whose cultivation has been completely crippled, really move so fast? Or is the Feng Clan simply closer than I thought?”

”No matter. If they’re nearby, it’ll save me some trouble.”

Beneath the northern sky, figures riding magic artifacts rapidly approached.

The leader was a foundation establishment realm cultivator, his aura remarkably dense. Behind him followed over a dozen late qi refining realm cultivators, none below the eighth layer of qi refining, and several at the tenth layer, their cultivation perfected.

Boom!

The group charged forward with overwhelming killing intent!

Seeing this, Liu Sheng, who had just begun to feel a flicker of confidence, felt his resolve crumble once more.

”The Azure Radiance Pool is guarded by Feng Clan disciples. Feng Ming must have ordered the stationed cultivators to escort him back to report,” Liu Sheng muttered, his face grim. Faced with the Feng Clan’s elite, radiating formidable power, he felt utterly incapable of resistance.

After all these years, his cultivation remained stagnant at the ninth layer of the qi refining realm. Foundation establishment seemed an impossible dream, and even reaching the tenth layer of qi refining felt like a distant hope.

In the cultivation world, not everyone is born with extraordinary or exceptional innate talent.

For someone like Liu Sheng, who had left his clan without acquiring any specialized skills to secure cultivation resources, progress was agonizingly slow—a common fate for most cultivators.

Spending an entire lifetime stuck in the qi refining realm was a perfectly normal outcome.

Li Qing stood with his hands clasped behind his back, calmly observing the Feng Clan cultivators charging toward him. Not a trace of fear showed on his face.

”Fourth Uncle, he’s the one who crippled my cultivation!” Feng Ming pointed at Li Qing with venomous hatred, wishing he could flay him alive.

In the sky, the middle-aged man piloting the spirit boat narrowed his eyes and demanded in a deep voice, ”Audacious rogue! How dare you cripple my nephew? State your name at once!” Feng Lie glared at Li Qing with icy fury.

To his credit, Feng Lie remained rational enough to first ascertain Li Qing’s identity before rashly attacking, lest he provoke someone he shouldn’t.

However, Li Qing had come to avenge Liu Sheng. His expression remained impassive as he replied calmly, ”My name is Li Qing. I have no grand lineage. Crippling that boy was merely eliminating a pest from the cultivation world, preventing him from further corrupting the cultivation atmosphere of the Azure Ridge Domain.”

Hearing such arrogant words, Feng Ming trembled with rage, wailing, ”Fourth Uncle, you must avenge me! This man crippled me over a trivial dispute, abusing his superior cultivation!”

”You insolent rogue! Such cruelty! Do you think the Feng Clan has no one to stand against you?” Feng Lie’s anger flared. He hadn’t expected Li Qing to be so arrogant, showing no fear in the face of overwhelming force and still daring to hurl threats.

Despite his anger, Feng Lie remained cautious. He had never heard of Li Qing before, yet the man dared to speak with such arrogance. Could he truly have some hidden trump card?

Beside him, Feng Ming continued to wail relentlessly:

”Fourth Uncle, don’t be intimidated by his words! They’re clearly trying to escape—why else would they have left the courtyard?”

Hearing this, Li Qing finally chuckled. He hadn’t expected the Feng Clan’s young master to be so utterly foolish.

But upon reflection, it made sense. Someone accustomed to wielding power would naturally assume Li Qing was seeking trouble with the Feng Clan.

”You call me ruthless? But what about this man who used his family’s influence to murder the son of my old friend? Isn’t that ruthless?

”My actions today are merely to seek justice for my friend. A human life cannot be so easily dismissed.”

As his words faded, a pitch-black spirit fire erupted from Li Qing’s palm.

Boom!

He unleashed the Spirit Devouring Demon Flame.

The dark spirit fire surged forth, transforming into countless black Spirit Cranes that soared toward the assembled crowd.

At first glance, these Spirit Cranes appeared unremarkable, seemingly lacking any formidable power.

Even the surrounding air temperature remained unchanged!

This was a testament to Li Qing’s mastery of fire control. The intense heat remained contained within the Spirit Crane, not a single wisp escaping.

In moments, the first Spirit Crane swooped down with pinpoint accuracy on a Feng Clan cultivator, moving with astonishing speed.

The Spirit Crane dissolved, and a torrent of dark flames erupted, silently engulfing the qi refining realm cultivator in an instant. Only a pile of ashes remained, as if by magic.

”W-what kind of technique is this?”

Before anyone could answer his question, more Spirit Cranes materialized from the black flames, diving toward the Feng Clan members and consuming them into piles of ash.

This eerie method, though silent and swift, sent a chill deep into their bones.

Terrifying!

The Feng Clan members who touched the Spirit Cranes died without even a scream, their bodies completely annihilated, leaving no trace behind.

This was beyond the capabilities of any ordinary foundation establishment cultivator!

Realizing this, Feng Lie’s eyes widened with terror. Abandoning all concern for his nephew, he turned and fled.

”Fourth Uncle? Where are you going?” Feng Ming stared in disbelief as his uncle turned and ran, still struggling to grasp the situation.

But even at his uncle’s speed, how could he possibly outrun the Spirit Cranes conjured by Li Qing?

Immediately, a Spirit Crane overtook Feng Lie, and a sea of black flames erupted, silently devouring the Feng Clan’s foundation establishment cultivator.

”Ah! Fourth Uncle!” Feng Ming screamed in terror, finally realizing the gravity of the situation.

Even a foundation establishment cultivator could be killed so effortlessly?!

Then the person who crippled his cultivation just now... couldn’t possibly be a foundation establishment cultivator!

”Wow, Big Brother, you’re so amazing!” Liu Xue gazed at Li Qing with pure, childlike admiration.

Hearing this, Li Qing couldn’t help but touch his face, his mood brightening slightly.

Beside them, Liu Sheng, still holding his daughter’s hand, was utterly stunned. His voice trembled as he asked, ”Li Qing... your current cultivation level...”

Li Qing slowly lowered his hand and smiled. ”I’ve had some fortunate encounters over the years. I managed to achieve core formation by sheer luck.”

Core formation!

So the person standing before him was a core formation realm cultivator!

Liu Sheng felt dizzy, struggling to believe this was real.

He had once introduced a rogue cultivator to his clan—a cultivator whose cultivation was barely at the early qi refining realm. After decades of separation, this man had already reached the core formation realm.

A core formation true lord! Such beings were revered as ancestors even in some of the most prestigious cultivation sects.

”Heh, don’t be so shocked,” Li Qing chuckled. ”Liu Hanyue’s fortunes are even more extraordinary than mine.”

”Not only has she successfully formed her core, but she’s also become a disciple of a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator and now serves as the holy maiden of a flourishing cultivation sect. That’s far more impressive than anything I’ve achieved,” Li Qing said with a smile and a shake of his head, hoping to calm Liu Sheng’s inner turmoil.

However, his words had the opposite effect. Liu Sheng’s heart jolted again. ”The Young Miss... she’s become a core formation true lord too?”

Time flowed relentlessly, and the years had brought profound changes. Though only a few decades had passed since their last meeting, those familiar faces from the past had transformed beyond recognition.

As they spoke casually, the Feng Clan’s entire force had been reduced to ashes, leaving only Feng Ming alive.

But the young master of the Feng Clan was now completely paralyzed by fear, his eyes glazed over, unable to process the reality before him.

He’d made a terrible mistake. This time, he’d truly crossed the line.

”Heh, Young Master Feng, would you mind leading me to your clan’s headquarters?”

”...”

A spiritual vein blessed with abundant energy lay only a hundred miles away—the Feng Clan’s stronghold.

At this very moment, the Feng Clan was preparing to welcome an exceptionally distinguished guest.

”Thank you for your understanding, Senior Sect. To be honest, many rogue cultivators reside in this blessed land of Azure Radiance Pool. If we were to suddenly raise the spirit stone rent, I truly wouldn’t know how to explain it to my fellow Daoists!”

Feng Jing respectfully served spirit tea to an elder dressed in Lingyun Sect robes, his voice humble and deferential.

The Lingyun Sect elder chuckled warmly. ”Our Lingyun Sect isn’t some overbearing, unreasonable power. The rules of Azure Radiance Pool will remain unchanged. There’s no need for any alterations.”

”Whatever percentage of spirit stones you previously paid as tribute to the Shangqing Sect, you shall pay the same to our Lingyun Sect. Everything will follow the established customs.”

With that, the Lingyun Sect elder took a sip of spirit tea and rose to depart.

”Hmm? Fellow Daoist, you’re leaving so soon? Why not stay a few more days?” Feng Jing stood up to urge him to stay.

However, the Lingyun Sect elder waved his hand. ”There’s no need for such formalities. I have sect affairs to attend to and cannot linger.”

”The emissary of the honored sect has traveled so far. Please accept this humble gift as a token of our gratitude.”

With that, Feng Jing handed over a bulging storage pouch, which looked remarkably heavy.

The Lingyun Sect elder hesitated briefly before accepting the pouch with a smile.

”Please continue to look after us in the future, Fellow Daoist!” Feng Jing said, clasping his hands in a respectful bow.

The elder waved his hand, his face radiating a warm smile. ”Of course, of course! Everything can be arranged!”

Just then, a Feng Clan disciple rushed over, his face pale with panic. ”Clan Head! Disaster! Uncle Feng Lie’s jade token has shattered!”

Feng Jing asked in disbelief, ”What happened? We were just clearing out some small fry! How could my Fourth Brother have fallen?”

In the next instant, the entire Feng Clan’s terrain began to tremble violently. Spiritual light from the outer formation surged skyward, illuminating the heavens.

Someone was attacking the Feng Clan’s territory?!

Feng Jing’s face twisted in horror, unable to believe this was actually happening.

”Messenger from the upper sect, the Feng Clan may be facing a great calamity!” Feng Jing immediately turned to the Lingyun Sect elder.

The elder, too, was caught off guard by this sudden turn of events.

He had been traveling smoothly, overseeing the sect’s assets, establishing future regulations, and pocketing generous rewards along the way.

Unexpectedly, they encountered this unexpected situation at the Feng Clan.

”Hiss... They dare attack a place protected by a second-tier formation? That cultivator must be at least at the pseudo core formation stage.”

”Fellow Daoist Feng, don’t worry. Let me see if I can use the Lingyun Sect’s reputation to deter the enemy.”

Feng Jing clasped his hands in gratitude. ”Then I, Feng, thank you in advance!”

Meanwhile, outside the Feng Clan’s mountain gate, Li Qing stroked his chin, observing the sudden surge of spiritual light from the formation.

”This second-tier formation is quite interesting. It withstood my attack without shattering! Impressive!”

Muttering to himself, Li Qing’s interest piqued. He raised his hand again, gathering a dense surge of true essence, and unleashed another strike against the formation.

The true essence formed a radiant blade that slashed out, this time shaking the formation’s very foundation and causing the entire great earth to tremble violently.

Yet even so, the formation remained unbroken, its resilience far exceeding what one would expect from a typical Second-Tier Grand Formation.

Li Qing’s curiosity grew even stronger. He opened his mouth and spat out a small, gray hammer that flew into the air.

The small hammer spun rapidly in the air, then suddenly expanded into a mountain-sized behemoth, blotting out the sky and sun.

”Let’s see if your formation can withstand this hammer!”

Immediately, a hurried voice echoed from within the formation: ”Fellow Daoist outside, please show mercy! I am Su Yue, an elder of the Lingyun Sect. What has transpired to warrant such hostility? Why not sit down and negotiate?”

Li Qing had no intention of stopping, but the mention of the Lingyun Sect made him narrow his eyes, halting the Primordial Chaos Peerless Hammer’s descent.

Perhaps sensing the Lingyun Sect’s name had worked, Feng Jing, the Feng Clan Head, even rushed forward ahead of the others.

”Audacious madman! Not only did you kill my Fourth Brother, but you dare attack us? You clearly hold neither the Feng Clan nor the Lingyun Sect in any regard!”

”Upper Sect Envoy, join me in capturing this man and bringing him to the Lingyun Sect for judgment!”

Su Yue, who followed close behind, nearly fainted at the sight of the tall, imposing figure standing outside with his hands clasped behind his back.

Thwack!

”Greetings, Ancestor Limitless!”

Without hesitation, Su Yue knelt and slammed his head heavily against the ground.

What?

Ancestor Limitless?

The Ancestor Limitless of the Lingyun Sect? Where is he?

The once-imposing Feng Jing now stood bewildered, his head swimming with confusion as he frantically scanned his surroundings.

Finally, his gaze locked onto the tall, upright cultivator standing before him, arms crossed and a cold smile playing on his lips.

”Father, save me!”

Behind this figure, Feng Ming wailed in anguish, his face contorted in misery.

The Feng Clan Head’s mind reeled as he took in the scene, the truth of the situation crashing down on him like a thunderclap.

(End of the Chapter)

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