Li Yuanjiao's suspicions arose, and he replied tactfully, "Your sect has many Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators... Why not seek their help?"
Kong Tingyun pursed her lips and answered, "There are many factions within the sect, and not all get along harmoniously... I have always stayed neutral and don't want to be seen as favoring any particular peak..."
This explanation slightly alleviated Li Yuanjiao's doubts. With the mirror in his possession, he felt confident in his abilities, and besides, knowing Profound Peak Gate's good reputation, he could not help but ask, "What kind of demonic creature is it?"
Kong Tingyun looked up with bright eyes and explained, "It is a Hooked Serpent that resides at the bottom of Lake Xian. It fled there after losing a battle to the Azure Water Serpent Dragon of Wave Island in the sea... I wish to obtain the two hooks on the snake's tail."
Li Yuanjiao nodded, then answered with a smile, "I do have time to assist, but I must visit an old friend along the way first."
Kong Tingyun nodded slightly and said softly, "That's fine! I await your arrival in Profound Peak."
After a brief chat, Li Yuanjiao departed on the wind. Kong Tingyun watched him disappear into the sky and paused among the clouds, musing to herself.
"What a cautious person he is..."
————
Leaving the Shanji Prefecture of Profound Peak Gate, Li Yuanjiao found a deserted mountain in a remote area and landed there. Reluctant to use his Qingche Sword, he summoned his mana to form a cave dwelling. After setting up a simple Embryonic Breathing Realm formation around it, he settled down and began to cultivate in silence.
He had no old friends in the northern Yue State; he had only mentioned that to Kong Tingyun as a precaution—to let her know that someone knew of his whereabouts, should he meet an untimely end.
Sitting in the cave, he thought to himself, Although the estuary is currently under the control of the Profound Peak Gate, that doesn't mean I can't intercept someone midway... Even if it's not as busy as the estuary, catching one or two passersby would be worthwhile.
I'll spend some time cultivating on this deserted mountain path and see if I'll find one or two trying to escape... If it's a devil cultivator, I'll take them down with a palm strike, and if it's a rogue cultivator... I'll assess the situation further.
After waiting a day, the distant surge of spiritual qi and energy signaled the fall of a grotto heaven. Estimating the time it would take for those from Mount Dongli to reach here, Li Yuanjiao then closed his eyes and cultivated for over a day before taking out the mirror. He invoked it, activating its ability that allowed his consciousness to travel between heaven and earth.
Xianjian's current range of vision was vast, covering an entire county's land. It encompassed not only the large area from Yufu Prefecture to Shanji Prefecture but also the border city of Yufu Prefecture and a considerable portion of Shanji Prefecture.
The range of the immortal mirror now spanned an entire prefecture, covering a vast expanse within Yufu Prefecture and Shanji Prefecture. In fact, it even provided clear views of Yufu Prefecture's border town and half of Shanji Prefecture.
With a quick scan, Li Yuanjiao detected three mana lights and seven blood lights weaving through the chaotic wilderness mountains. Without further hesitation, he emerged from the formation and flew toward the nearest devil cultivator.
As soon as he crossed over a mountain, sure enough, he spotted two devil cultivators cautiously flying close to the ground, attempting to conceal their presence. However, they were starkly exposed under the scrutiny of the immortal mirror.
One late-stage and one early-stage Qi Cultivators...
Li Yuanjiao suppressed his aura and approached stealthily, his sword in hand. When he was within the range of the cultivators' spiritual senses, he suddenly leaped up and executed the River Crossing Torrential Step, launching an attack.
The devil cultivator barely managed to exclaim "Who?!" before Li Yuanjiao was upon him. He was a middle-aged man wielding a skeletal dharma artifact.
"A Foundation Establishment cultivator?!" he exclaimed in shock.
The greenish-gray serpent dragon coiling around Li Yuanjiao's body surged forward, striking the face of the early-stage female Qi Cultivator fiercely. His Qingche Sword unleashed a greenish-white sword aura that left the man dazed.
Clang!
The Law of Celestial Moon was a lethal move combined with the ambush. The man could not even manage to cast a spell or reach for another dharma artifact in his storage pouch in time. Within moments, his head was sent flying and his body exploded.
Li Yuanjiao collected the man's storage pouch in the shower of blood before stepping forward to crush the severed head aside and casually cast a fire spell, reducing the man to ashes without giving him a chance to defend himself.
Turning around, he saw that the dragon serpent had devoured half of the female devil cultivator's body. Her face was pale—clearly lifeless. Li Yuanjiao frowned, activating his immortal foundation to make the serpent dragon spit her out. After collecting the storage pouch from her body as well, he destroyed the corpse with a spell.
These two bear a resemblance... they must be father and daughter.
The devil cultivator's severed skeletal dharma artifact that had been destroyed by his sword aura continued spewing resentment and blood qi. Li Yuanjiao swiftly picked it up and flew to the next blood light.
Arriving at the destination, he found it eerily empty, despite the mirror's earlier detection of a devil cultivator. He happily speculated, "A dharma artifact that can conceal presence...?"
As soon as Li Yuanjiao voiced this thought, the cunning devil cultivator soared upward, hurling a jade bottle with intricate patterns at the distant ground. From his other sleeve, he flung a blood-colored talisman.
Li Yuanjiao sneered as the serpent dragon coiled around his body and sprang into action, swiftly capturing the jade bottle lying on the ground. With a swift wave of his sleeve, he obliterated the blood-colored talisman in front of him and went in pursuit of the fleeing devil cultivator.
The devil cultivator produced another jade bottle in desperation and exclaimed, "Senior! This is the Profound Yang Li Fire !"
He smacked the bottle, sending it flying to the ground while simultaneously tossing his storage pouch aside. Without wasting another moment that would allow Li Yuanjiao to unsheathe his sword, he quickly clasped his hands together and performed a hand seal to cast a spell.
Profound Yang Li Fire!
Li Yuanjiao caught the jade bottle with one hand and drew his sword with the other. However, the devil cultivator had already unleashed his secret technique, transforming his entire body and facial features into blood. Surging blood flames enveloped his ghostly pale head as it flew away at a speed surpassing that of typical Qi Cultivators.
Clang!
Green and white sword arc from Li Yuanjiao's Celestial Moon Slash technique whistled through the air, blowing the man's head up. The blood flames had fizzled into black smoke before pieces of the poor man's head could even touch the ground.
How ruthless... You could have escaped if your opponent were any other early-stage Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator!
Li Yuanjiao marveled at his own decisive actions, grateful for the supremacy of his sword which had narrowly prevented the cultivator's escape.
"Drat!"
While he was engaging with the man, the remaining devil and rogue cultivators had long fled. None of them were visible through the immortal mirror. Li Yuanjiao landed to collect the discarded storage pouch, stashing it swiftly into his chest pocket.
Without further delay, he soared on the winds, tracing the predicted route of the fleeing cultivators. Soon enough, he spotted a rogue cultivator flying cautiously on the wind.
"Excellent!"
Pleased, fog swirled on his face, concealing Li Yuanjiao's face as he descended in front of the man and bluntly made his demands.
"Storage pouch."
The rogue cultivator jumped like a frightened bird. After scanning with his spiritual sense, his legs buckled as he landed, hastily untying the storage pouch from his waist with a pitiful plea.
"Senior, s-spare me! Everything I have is here!"
Noting the kneeling rogue cultivator's shaky voice but stable hand on the ground, Li Yuanjiao chuckled. He took the pouch, laughing hoarsely as he mocked, "No mediocre cultivator could escape from Mount Dongli. Drop the act... You're just afraid I'll kill you."
The rogue cultivator's heart pounded as he repeatedly pressed his forehead to the ground. Li Yuanjiao peered into the pouch, finding only a Yang Nourishing Technique —a cultivation method from Dongli Sect, a portion of Fire Baleful Qi , and nothing else useful save for a bunch of insignificant items owned by the rogue cultivator.