Chapter 244: Not Reckless

Li Muxian thought to himself, planning to look for it someday if the chance arose.

But for now, he would first continue absorbing more divine blood.

With this thought, he gently clenched his palm, and a mighty qi surged forth, crushing and dispersing the black fire core in his hand; the sudden burst of intense heat instantly scorched fiery cracks into the surrounding space.

Instantly, he reached down toward the ravine below the street, and at once, the divine blood within the Crimson Fire Sovereign poured out through his body, flowing in fine threads toward his palm.

Having finished this, Li Muxian moved his body and returned to the rooftop of Baixiang Pavilion, sitting atop the ridge as he absorbed the divine blood and continued refining the Azure Dragon Cangming Scripture.

Meanwhile, in a nearby tavern, the robed old man and Lin Xuner, both stunned, slowly came back to themselves after a long while.

The two turned their heads stiffly, the old man and the girl locking eyes; in each other’s gaze lay nothing but overwhelming shock and a long, silent void.

“He… is he even human?”

Lin Xuner’s body went limp, and she plopped down onto the ground, murmuring involuntarily.

“Plop!”

The robed old man followed suit, collapsing onto the ground, his aged face shifting through rapid expressions, yet unable to utter a single word.

Earlier, the Crimson Fire Sovereign had descended upon Bailian City like a god of fire.

This was the first time the grandfather and granddaughter had ever seen such a terrifying presence; his power had shaken them with awe and fear, and only then had they truly grasped the horror of Luoshen Peak, this colossal force in the martial world.

All they could do then was hide quietly, silently praying that Li Muxian—the man who had saved their lives—might escape the Crimson Fire Sovereign’s grasp.

Yet what they never imagined was that Li Muxian, facing this terrifying being who seemed to command the very essence of flame, had utterly ignored him.

Not only had he blocked every one of the enemy’s powerful techniques, but he had also pierced the man’s skull with a single finger, just as he had slain the Bailian Peak’s peak master and Luoshen Peak’s senior disciple.

Worse still, he had then seized the black fire core from the man who resembled a fire god, using it to burn his own palm—and had suffered no harm from such terrifying flames whatsoever!

The robed old man drew a deep, heavy breath, and after a long silence, finally spoke:

“Old man believes there are very few left in this world who could match him—save for the three legendary Wu Shen. In all five dynasties and the entire martial world, no one else could stand against him.”

Hearing this, Lin Xuner lifted her head slightly, her clear eyes cautiously gazing toward the dark silhouette atop Baixiang Pavilion, and bit her lip as she asked:

“Could it be… that he’s already invincible under heaven?”

As she spoke, her slender eyebrows knitted tightly, her small face filled with astonishment and doubt as she looked at the robed old man:

“How could he be so powerful? Did he start training martial arts from inside his mother’s womb?”

“Or is he like me, practicing some special martial scripture, and in truth, he’s just an old geezer as aged as Grandpa?”

Hearing this, the robed old man instinctively shook his head—he clearly could not answer Lin Xuner’s question.

But soon, he frowned and slapped his granddaughter’s head:

“How dare you speak like that? Who’s an old geezer?”

“And don’t you dare let him hear that—if he gets angry, I don’t want a hole in my head.”

Lin Xuner immediately fell silent, cautiously glancing again toward the rooftop of Baixiang Pavilion, then whispered with nervousness:

“Um… I might’ve been a bit rude to him before, spoke a bit too loudly—do you think he’ll hold a grudge?”

The robed old man sat on the ground, also gazing toward Baixiang Pavilion’s rooftop; after a moment’s hesitation, he waved his hand:

“Relax. Someone as insignificant as us won’t even register in his eyes unless we truly provoke him.”

Saying this, he sighed and glanced toward Bailian Peak:

“Young Master Li is truly our benefactor. If we just wait a little longer, until all the Luoshen Peak experts are dead, we can finally go and avenge ourselves on Bailian Peak.”

Hearing this, Lin Xuner turned her gaze back to Bailian Peak, her eyes now filled with both anticipation and unhidden killing intent.

Then she looked again at Li Muxian’s figure and said:

“If his strength has truly reached the Wu Shen level, then even if the Luoshen Peak’s sect master comes himself, he’ll die.”

…

Meanwhile, on a mountain path less than ten li from Bailian City, a darkened rock trail stretching forward suddenly halted.

Instantly, a rock peak of roughly a hundred feet rose from the ground, and a black-clad old man, seemingly fused with the stone, appeared silently atop it.

He raised his head, his gaze fixed on the direction of Bailian City.

Watching the fading firelight, sensing the Crimson Fire Sovereign’s qi gradually vanish, his brow furrowed deeply, his face etched with grave solemnity.

After a moment, his expression shifted from solemnity to disbelief and shock.

Though he had not witnessed firsthand what transpired in Bailian City, he now knew with certainty: the Crimson Fire Sovereign’s qi had vanished entirely—he had perished in Bailian City.

“Brother Chi Huo was defeated?”

“Who did the Great Li court send here? How could anyone possess such overwhelming martial power!”

The black-clad old man muttered to himself, his face darkening instantly.

If even Chi Huo, who commanded the divine power of flame, could not stand against the man in Bailian City,

Then his own rush to the city now would likely end the same way.

“No. Though my brother’s death is tragic, I must not act rashly. This matter requires the sect master and my two uncles to handle.”

The black-clad old man’s gaze turned dark, and he raised his hand, sweeping it aside; a square of rock spanning dozens of feet was smashed upward by a massive yellowish hand.

The rock flew a distance toward the sky above Luoshen Peak’s main peak, then exploded with a deafening roar, sending a cloud of grayish rock dust surging rapidly into the heavens.

…

Luoshen Peak’s main peak.

Atop the thousand-ren sheer cliff above the main hall, Luoshen Hall, supported by nineteen golden pillars, the clouds and mist churned and slowly parted to reveal the sect master of Luoshen Peak seated in midair.

Around him swirled streams of azure qi, his own presence seemingly merged with heaven and earth; suddenly, he opened his eyes, gazing toward Bailian City.

Then, seeing a slow-rising plume of grayish dust above the mountain range, his expression changed instantly.

(End of Chapter)