Chapter 711: The Beihuang Line

Nü Heng's carriage traveled along the roads of Beihuang City.

Beihuang City was vast, like a colossal metropolis; Li Yi knew only a corner of it, and the area he occupied was actually the outer city, where an inner city still lay beyond.

Though few lived in the inner city, all were powerful warriors, and Li Yi noticed many bore blue markings on their faces—like totems, or perhaps identifiers.

Nü Heng bore the same mark.

Li Yi glanced at the blue pigment on her face; clearly, Nü Heng was deeply connected to these people.

"The blue markings signify the Beihuang Main Line."

Nü Heng saw Li Yi's confusion and smiled as she explained: "The Beihuang Main Line is also a Divine Blood family, but their Divine Blood has weakened over generations since three thousand years ago. Now, only a handful of direct heirs remain. If the Beihuang Main Line fails to produce a new Beihuang God, this Divine Blood will vanish utterly from heaven and earth."

"I never guessed the Merchant Lord was of the Beihuang clan—no wonder you possess such wealth and influence," Li Yi said.

Nü Heng's eyes then flickered with faint sorrow: "Unfortunately, I did not inherit the Divine Blood. Becoming Merchant Lord is already my best fate."

"Then your status must be high," Li Yi said.

A woman who had not inherited the Beihuang Divine Blood yet held such wealth clearly held an unusual position within the Beihuang Line.

"Status without power is like an iceberg under the sun—unreliable," Nü Heng said. "My lifelong wish is to found my own Divine Blood family, replace the Beihuang Main Line, and have my descendants chant my name for generations."

"Yet despite being Merchant Lord and traveling far and wide, I never found a suitable Divine Blood heir—until I met you, Great Yi."

Li Yi replied calmly: "You chose me because I am alone—no Divine Blood family behind me, no loyal followers. That makes it easier for you to use my strength and control me."

He exposed her true intent.

"The path of a Divine Blood warrior requires patronage. Xiu Xiang has failed—he will soon lose his life. I can replace him. As a woman, I can even bear you Divine Blood offspring. Is this not mutually beneficial?"

Nü Heng did not answer directly, but changed the subject.

"Some things cannot be measured in silver. Like you, Merchant Lord—you possess wealth of a lord, yet cannot buy a single Divine Blood heir. If other Divine Blood heirs coveted your wealth and beauty, they would have accepted your offer long ago, rather than waiting until now," Li Yi said.

"Your words are always so sharp, leaving no secrets hidden," Nü Heng sighed softly.

Soon.

The carriage halted before a stern, imposing structure.

This was Beihuang City's prison.

Those imprisoned here had committed grave crimes and possessed either special status or exceptional strength; ordinary criminals who broke major laws were executed immediately—no one wasted food keeping them locked up.

"We're here. Xiu Xiang is held within," Nü Heng said, stepping down from the carriage.

At once, the guards at the prison gate bowed in respect upon seeing her.

Her vivid blue marking identified her as Beihuang Line—any member of the Beihuang Line could move nearly unimpeded anywhere in Beihuang City.

Yet the prison was an exception.

"I am Merchant Lord Nü Heng. I require entry to the prison. Please allow me passage," she said, presenting a token forged of crimson gold for the guards to see.

"Understood." Seeing the crimson gold token, the guards dared not obstruct her and immediately opened the gate.

Nü Heng then ordered all her attendants to remain outside, bringing only Li Yi inside the prison.

Li Yi followed Nü Heng into the ancient, forbidding prison.

The interior was dim, lit only by oil lamps burning along the walls—each made from the flesh and blood of jiaoren, capable of burning for a thousand years without extinguishing.

After passing several checkpoints and opening multiple heavy doors, Li Yi reached the cells.

Each cell was a massive cage, crafted from a peculiar metal mixed with blue gold—no matter how strong the prisoner, none could break free.

As soon as Li Yi entered, he sensed several powerful auras.

These were not from the jailers, but from the prisoners themselves.

He saw one cage holding a massive, hirsute man, beastlike in form, radiating ferocity—yet now drenched in blood, pierced through multiple limbs by blue gold hooks, pinned immovably within the cage.

An alien blood warrior.

Li Yi thought silently: "Stronger than Long Yu. In a late-cultivation world, he'd rival the Three Flowers Realm. Yet here, he's a prisoner."

And he was not alone—by merely sensing, Li Yi detected no fewer than ten such warriors.

Beihuang City did have true powerhouses—it was just that the strong either secluded themselves in the inner city or were imprisoned here.

Warriors roaming the outer city were all ordinary.

Yet even "ordinary" here were beings capable of battling Sky Demons in the Demon God Realm, or killing Soul Transformation cultivators barehanded in the Xuan Immortal World—revealing just how terrifying the Wildlands' strength truly was.

Nü Heng led Li Yi onward, then stopped before one cell.

Inside, a middle-aged man with disheveled hair sat slumped in a corner, head bowed, silent—as if the world outside meant nothing to him. Even as Li Yi and Nü Heng arrived before the cage, he gave no sign of noticing.

"Merchant Lord Xiu Xiang, it's me, Nü Heng. I've brought Great Yi to visit you," Nü Heng said.

At these words, Xiu Xiang, imprisoned within, suddenly lifted his head.

Seeing Li Yi, his eyes lit with excitement: "Great Yi."

But quickly, he realized something—his excitement turned to shame. He turned away hastily: "Great Yi, you shouldn't have come here. You shouldn't have begged Nü Heng for help. She's a shrewd merchant—she'll demand a heavy price. I'm a dying man. You shouldn't waste yourself on me."

"As a Merchant Lord, to die having cleansed my shame is already fortune. My only regret is failing to complete the scroll 'The Great Wilds Annals: Yi's True Nature.' But I've entrusted it to Lord Nanshan—a sage of eight hundred years. He will surely preserve it, and thus my name, Xiu Xiang, shall echo through eternity."

As he spoke, he smiled with quiet contentment.

Yet Li Yi said: "Xiu Xiang, you shouldn't think like this. Your death has not come. I will free you."

"I killed another Merchant Lord in Beihuang City—a crime beyond pardon. Great Yi, if I die, I beg you to take care of my wife and estate. Let them live in peace." Xiu Xiang said: "My wife lives in Shenyu City—a wealthy, prosperous metropolis. I'm sure you'll love it."

"And my wife is very beautiful. If you desire her, take her as your concubine—she can bear you Divine Blood offspring."

"." Li Yi fell silent.

Why did people of the Wildlands crave Divine Blood offspring so desperately? Though Divine Blood warriors held great potential, this obsession was extreme.

Though his name was Meng De, he had zero interest in another man's wife.

"Xiu Xiang, your wife should remain under your care. My goal now is to free you. I will take you out of Beihuang City—return you to your wife."

As Li Yi spoke, he began examining the cage.

Though unbreakable, it could still be opened with sufficient means.

His gaze fixed on the iron lock securing it.

The lock was no ordinary iron—it was forged from an exotic metal mixed with blue gold, equally unbreakable. Yet compared to smashing a bronze bar, destroying this lock was relatively easier.

"Great Yi, this is Beihuang City's prison. Don't act rashly—you'll draw the wrath of Beihuang warriors. Even I won't be able to save you," Nü Heng warned urgently.

But Li Yi replied: "From Xiu Xiang's words, I hear no hope of survival. This is the only chance."

With that,

his Five Elements Bracelet flashed.

A needle radiating blinding light suddenly appeared, hovering beside Li Yi.

It was the Fei Mu Needle.

A weapon of ultimate sharpness—nothing so far had withstood its edge.

Guided by spiritual force, the Fei Mu Needle became a flying sword, lashing toward the chain.

A flash of divine light.

The blue gold chain was severed in one stroke.

Nü Heng and Xiu Xiang were blinded by the needle's radiance, unable to see what transpired—but both were shrewd merchants and understood instantly what Li Yi had done.

"He cut the chain, opened the cage, freed Xiu Xiang," Nü Heng's heart leapt—when she heard the chain clatter to the ground, she knew all.

"Xiu Xiang, you'll live for a few days in a separate small world. I'll safely escort you out of Beihuang City. Don't feel shame—this is your reward for helping me."

As Li Yi spoke, he immediately sealed Xiu Xiang inside the Five Elements Bracelet.

With Xiu Xiang gone, Li Yi seized Nü Heng and activated the Cloud-riding Spell, surging toward the prison's exit.

His plan was simple.

If he moved fast enough, Beihuang City's powerhouses would not react in time.

He would slip away, find a secluded, scenic place, and cultivate in peace.

The only regret: he might have to abandon the home he'd just settled in within Beihuang City.

"Divine Blood warrior, if you release me, I'll take all blame upon myself," suddenly, the beastlike warrior from earlier spoke, his voice piercing into Li Yi's ears.

"Hmm?"

Hearing this, Li Yi's Cloud-riding Spell halted abruptly.

(End of Chapter)