Lin Yuanshan's fury erupted at this moment. Winds rose and clouds surged in the sky, frightening the two Lin family juniors until their faces turned pale. Only after a long while did he regain his calm. He gloomily gazed towards the Li family's location, "Today's humiliation will be repaid a hundredfold in the future..."
But just as he finished speaking, his expression changed drastically. Beads of sweat like beans rained down, and his body began to tremble uncontrollably. Demonic qi radiated between heaven and earth—a kind of evil power filled with blood qi. He felt as if he had fallen into a mire formed of blood.
The two juniors were as if petrified. If the killing intent they had felt from Li Yaotie was like being on a battlefield deep within lava and thunder, then this killing intent was nothing but pure evil, capable of taking their lives at any moment!
A figure fell into their view. This person's bare upper body was covered in inscribed runes. He had a handsome appearance, carried a large blade on his back, and came from the direction of Eternal Sun Prefecture.
"Your... Your Excellency."
Lin Yuanshan's voice was stiff. He could sense that this person's strength was roughly the same as his own, mid-Nascent Soul stage, but just based on the aura radiating from this person, he feared that if they were to fight, he would perish completely, body and soul, in less than a quarter of an hour!
Why did this demonic cultivator come from Eternal Sun Prefecture? And what is he going to Azure Cloud region for? Was it that he couldn't stay in Eternal Sun Prefecture anymore, and is going to seek refuge in the Azure Cloud region to fight the Wu Clan?
How does a place like Azure Cloud region deserve the help of such an expert?!!
At this moment, various thoughts flashed through Lin Yuanshan's mind; the killing intent made his thoughts run wild. Subconsciously, he stopped the demonic cultivator who was about to brush past him, "Your Excellency, please wait!"
"Hmm?"
The demonic cultivator paused his steps slightly, his expression curious. In the past, others always avoided him like the plague upon seeing him; only those seven good brothers and his family would treat him like a normal person. How could an outsider stop him?
Lin Yuanshan suppressed the fear in his heart and said in a low voice, "Your Excellency, seeing your direction, you must be heading to the Azure Cloud region?"
"Mm."
Seeing the demonic cultivator nod, Lin Yuanshan continued, "Your Excellency must not go to Azure Cloud region! It's a complete fraud from beginning to end! The Li family cultivates the demonic path; they trick cultivators into entering the Azure Cloud region! They have a blood tree that specifically absorbs human blood. After the Li family gets the human blood, they then send out the corpses of the dead to obtain the bounty money offered by other prefectures for wanted criminals. We... also just escaped from Azure Cloud region moments ago."
He gave a long sigh, but inwardly rejoiced secretly. This method isn't bad. He thought to himself that after returning to the Lin family, he would definitely spread this rumor everywhere.
The demonic cultivator's expression was strange. He slowly walked forward, his face full of interest. "Oh? Our Li family's secret was discovered by you?"
"Yes..."
Lin Yuanshan had just casually agreed when his expression changed drastically. What does he mean? What Li family's secret? Our... Our Li family???
Large beads of cold sweat dripped from his forehead. The demonic cultivator had already radiated demonic qi from his entire body, and demonic phantoms manifested in the sky!
"Flee! He's a Li family member! Flee quickly!"
Lin Yuanshan had no time to think further. He hastily summoned Heaven and Earth Spirit Qi and struck towards the demonic cultivator!
Instantly, boundless demonic qi surged between heaven and earth, even attracting the attention of the two great Divinity Transformation cultivators in the Azure Cloud region.
Half a quarter-hour later.
The Mad Blood Demon Lord waved his hand, and the demonic qi between heaven and earth dispersed. He grabbed the corpse of the junior who had spoken insolently to Li Dalong back at the Li residence. His blood-stained demonic blade returned to its sheath. Looking discontentedly towards the direction of Eternal Sun Prefecture, he thought, "Don't know where that idiot came from. His skills are actually quite good, to be able to escape from me."
He had cultivated at the Li family residence for many years, supported by the Li family members. Even when the Li family members became strong, they similarly did not regard him as an outsider. This time, he was going to Eternal Sun Prefecture on behalf of the Li family to destroy the martial arts hall that had dared to seriously injure Li Changming, and incidentally deliver some blade techniques to Li Changming. He hadn't expected to run into such idiots on the way back after completing the mission.
"That old thing seemed to know the 'secret' of the Old Tree drinking human blood, and was still here fabricating lies. I'm afraid he has a grudge against my Li family."
The corners of the Mad Blood Demon Lord's mouth turned up. He lived with the Li family and had long considered it his own home. The Li family treated him like a normal person, so he treated the Li family as family. Anyone with a grudge against the Li family... must be killed!
Just as he was about to continue the pursuit, Daoist Shanchen's voice transmission secretly reached him from within the Azure Cloud region, causing him to pause his steps and frown. "Oh? You want his life spared? I'll go home and ask first. If you are deceiving me, I will personally come find you to settle accounts."
"..."
Following this, the Mad Blood Demon Lord headed back towards Merit City.
At the foot of the mountain near the border city, where cultivator cave dwellings dotted the slopes, the most prominent cave residence was lit from within. Inside, Daoist Shanchen wiped cold sweat from his forehead, his face pale with fear.
"Heavens... How did the Li family produce such a monster? Could he be one of the legendary Demon Seeds? The purest kind—those nearly extinct even among the Demon Clan?"
"I really don't know how the Li family can control such an outlier. However, it's also good; better this than him causing great slaughter throughout the world."
...
"Pfft!"
On a remote mountaintop, Lin Yuanshan lay collapsed, his four limbs severed, black blood spilling from his mouth. His face was twisted with fear and bitter regret.
"How could this happen? How could it be such a coincidence?!?!"
Today was truly plagued by misfortune, so unlucky it drove him to despair. He was driven out of Merit City by the Li family like chasing a dog, robbed clean of all his possessions like a jumping clown, and had escaped Azure Cloud region. Yet unexpectedly, just after getting on the road and trying to use a little scheme, that demonic cultivator turned out to be a Li family member!
If not for using Qilin Mountain's secret technique 'Qilin Escape Technique' at the cost of half his life, he feared he would have died on the spot!
"Eighth Elder, are you alright? Your body has been invaded by demonic qi, your Nascent Soul is shattered... You..."
The last remaining Lin family junior was panic-stricken. But as soon as he thought about almost dying at the hands of that demonic cultivator just now, he gritted his teeth, "Why couldn't you just quietly go home? Why did you have to provoke him?!?!"
But at this moment, Lin Yuanshan could no longer blame this junior for his reproach. His eyes were vacant. "Hanhai, quickly take me back! This enmity is irreconcilable!"
"Right, right! We'll go back! We'll tell all the major powers what happened in Merit City!" Lin Hanhai quickly helped him up. His expression had shifted—his eyes flickered with uncertain light, his thoughts unreadable.
"No."
Lin Yuanshan had also recovered his senses by now. "It won't be useful. No one will sympathize with my Qilin Mountain; it will only make us a laughingstock in vain. On the contrary, it will add to the Li family's prestige."
"Hanhai, you must take me back. I know you are not favored within the clan. If you ensure my safe return, from now on, I will be your backer."
Just the residence of these Qilin Mountain clansmen held over a hundred thousand people; Lin Yuanshan likely feared his junior harbored disloyal intentions.
Lin Yuanshan continued, "Does the Li family really think I can do nothing about them? Little do they know, they have made the worst possible choice. This time, I survived a great calamity; they must pay the price!"
Lin Hanhai gritted his teeth. "Eighth Elder, we are already in this state, and you still want to provoke the Li family?"
"These past two years, we often went to Azure Cloud region. Did you see it? Azure Cloud region is stationing troops at the border area where Starfall Region and Azure Cloud region meet!"
Lin Yuanshan's expression was gloomy. "Their movements are very subtle, but they cannot hide from me. I fear they are no longer content with just defending the Azure Cloud region border and intend to help Region Prince Mi Zhunqi retake the Starfall Region. That must be a surprise attack! Hanhai, take me back! Have the Family Head send a message to the Wu Clan in Starfall Region to set up an ambush!"
"At that time, Azure Cloud region will suffer a great defeat, which means the Li family will suffer a great defeat. Seeing no hope, Wang Jinhu and Daoist Shanchen will inevitably leave the Azure Cloud region. From then on, the Li family will have no more backers."
"Their supreme-grade treasure, that Coffin; the shape-shifting divine tree; the method of controlling souls and corpses; and even Li Yaoqing's Nine-Nine Heavenly Tribulation body—will all be ours!"
"When that time comes, you will have rendered great service. Your future will be limitless!"
Hearing this.
Lin Hanhai was extremely joyful, yet he still gazed intently at Lin Yuanshan. "Eighth Elder, I want you to swear a blood oath."
"You..."
Lin Yuanshan saw the ruthlessness in Lin Hanhai's expression. "Fine!"
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