Chapter 121: Reluctant Parting

Looking at Tu Jiu's reluctant expression, Yue Laomo lost patience and said directly, "Bai Ju hasn't been on this side of the Cloud Mist Mountain Range recently; he probably won't return any time soon! Even if you want to find him, we don't know how long we'd have to wait. So listen to me and hurry to bring me this fat sheep to eat!"

Xiao Zhangqing heard this and silently calculated in his mind.

Not on this side of the Cloud Mist Mountain Range.

That means he's in the central region of Da Yu's Cultivation World.

It seems that Bai Ju, the other leading brother among the Cloud Ridge Seven Villains, is most likely not a local cultivator of the Southwest Region, but comes from the central region.

Moreover, Yue Laomo and Bai Ju probably each know something about the other's true identity?

Whether the specifics are as he guessed, he'll find out in a moment.

"Tu Jiu, what's wrong with you today? I feel something's off about you… Ah!!"

Yue Laomo furrowed his brows, his eyes suspicious as he prepared to scrutinize Xiao Zhangqing again, and the next instant he felt a terrifying spiritual consciousness bearing down on him like a mountain avalanche.

His Foundation Establishment late‑stage cultivation and Soul Transformation were fairly strong, but in the face of this overwhelming mental pressure, he was like a beetle, utterly unable to resist.

Buzz! The crushing mental pressure swirled like a massive vortex, his soul almost instantly being swept in.

He only managed a pitiful scream, and the last clear thought he had was realizing that the Tu Jiu before him was a disguise, certainly not one of the real Cloud Ridge Seven Villains.

Such a powerful mental pressure must be at the Golden Core level! Yet just as Xiao Zhangqing employed the Nightmare Technique to probe the person's innermost secrets,

suddenly…

Crack!

Deep within Yue Laomo's Soul Transformation, a sudden golden light flared, emanating from a strange golden talisman.

Under that golden light, Xiao Zhangqing's Nightmare Technique failed, and Yue Laomo's divine consciousness broke free and became lucid.

But only for that moment of lucidity.

Because the next instant, endless terror, regret and pleading flashed in Yue Laomo's eyes, filled with a yearning for life.

But it was useless.

The power of the golden talisman let him break free from the Nightmare Technique's illusion vortex, but such overwhelming force was beyond his Soul Transformation's capacity; after his scream, his soul scattered, leaving no trace.

At the same time, a red sigil, neither magical energy nor mental level, shot from Yue Laomo toward Xiao Zhangqing.

Even though Xiao Zhangqing immediately mobilized the solidified magical power of the Longevity Stone and unleashed his divine consciousness to the fullest, he could not intercept the red sigil.

"What the hell is this?"

Xiao Zhangqing quickly examined his body, finding no hidden danger or injury; his magical power and divine consciousness were unharmed.

It seemed as if the red sigil was an illusion, a misreading on his part.

Yet with Xiao Zhangqing's cultivation and strength, such a hallucination was impossible.

After repeated checks, Xiao Zhangqing finally discovered an anomaly deep within his Soul Transformation.

A faint red thread!

"Could this be the legendary bloodline karmic bond?"

Xiao Zhangqing furrowed his brows slightly, recalling the golden talisman that Yue Laomo unwillingly used to prevent his Soul Transformation from self‑destructing, as if it sparked a thought.

Rumor has it that some millennia‑old major sects and cultivation families place karmic restraints on their core disciples.

First, to prevent betrayal; second, to guard against outsiders extracting souls to uncover sect or family secrets; third, to leave a trail for murderers! Yet even Golden Core sects rarely employ such karmic restraints.

Only the two major Nascent Soul forces and a few ancient top Golden Core sects and families possess them.

"Is Yue Laomo's background really this grand?"

Xiao Zhangqing's mouth twitched.

He originally intended to casually eliminate a few Evil Cultivators and earn some Spirit Stones, but ended up encountering a disciple of a top faction.

Fortunately, after a brief study, he found that although the "Red Mark" effect couldn't be removed for now, he could erase it from deep within his Soul Transformation.

Moreover, his third‑grade Soul Path Treasure, the "Thousand Illusion Mask," could greatly conceal the "Red Mark" effect!

As long as he wears the Thousand Illusion Mask, even Yue Laomo's clan members or sect elders wouldn't notice unless they directly confront him.

"No, I shouldn't worry too much! Even if Yue Laomo's true identity is a disciple of the two major Nascent Soul forces—Xingyue Palace or the Seven Star Sword Sect—this person is secretly plundering cultivators, killing countless people, a heinous criminal!"

"By killing him, I'm cleaning their doors and preserving their reputation. They should thank me, right?"

Xiao Zhangqing muttered.

Yet he could only think that way; he still dared not announce it publicly and must conceal that he killed Yue Laomo and bears the "Red Mark."

Moreover, setting aside whether the sect behind Yue Laomo believes his words—that their disciples would raid the Cloud Mist Mountain Range for plundering—if they do believe, would they protect their own, silence the murders, or thank him? Not to mention, in the worst case, Yue Laomo might simply be a pawn, acting on orders to conduct plundering…

If Xiao Zhangqing were exposed, retaliation would be inevitable.

"What the heck is this!"

Xiao Zhangqing felt rather helpless.

He recalled the two leading figures among the Cloud Ridge Seven Villains, Yue Laomo and Bai Ju, whose backgrounds might be unusual, yet he never imagined they could be disciples of top Golden Core sects or even Nascent Soul forces.

Afterwards.

Xiao Zhangqing, without hesitation, summoned Ren Hongdan once more.

Ren Hongdan was merely a Qi Refining Realm cultivator with no notable background, merely Yue Laomo's paramour, helping him hunt for the "fat sheep."

For instance, when cultivators spent money at Fengyue Pavilion and were wealthy or possessed valuable treasures, she would inform Yue Laomo, and after leaving Qingjian Lane, seize the chance to plunder them.

Although the cultivators who visited Fengyue Pavilion were not exactly virtuous, many were already plundering cultivators.

Yet Yue Laomo, as the leading brother of the Cloud Ridge Seven Villains, with late‑stage Foundation Establishment, black‑eating‑black was quite normal.

Under the Nightmare Technique, Ren Hongdan had no resistance, trapped in the illusion and unable to escape, and under Xiao Zhangqing's questioning, he spilled all secrets.

She didn't know Yue Laomo's true identity, only that his background was unusual, not a local of the Southwest Region, and likely of great significance.

More specifically, Yue Laomo has always been well‑concealed, even his paramour Ren Hongdan never learned it.

As for the other members of the Cloud Ridge Seven Villains, although Ren Hongdan had dealt with them, he knew even less.

Under Xiao Zhangqing's control, Ren Hongdan again sent word to the remaining three of the Cloud Ridge Seven Villains, including Bai Ju, urging them to rush to Fengyue Pavilion.

The end.

Before Xiao Zhangqing left Qingjian Fang, a Cloud Ridge Seven Villain actually rushed over, ready to take a bite of a fat sheep.

Naturally, Xiao Zhangqing dealt with him as a Scattered Cultivator boy. Unfortunately, another well‑connected "Bai Ju" did not arrive; perhaps, just as Yue Laomo said, he had important matters recently and left the Southwest Region.

…

…

Outside Qingjian Fang.

The Lin sisters and Ruan Qingzhu had been waiting at the appointed spot early.

After Xiao Zhangqing arrived, the party quickly boarded the flying boat again, set off anew, and headed to cross the Cloud Mist Mountain Range.

On the flying boat.

The four had a brief exchange.

Xiao Zhangqing did not disclose much to the three women, not telling them whether he had slain any Cloud Ridge Seven Villains or how many.

Mainly, the three women recounted to Xiao Zhangqing what they had seen and heard in Qingjian Fang these past days.

Qingjian Fang truly lived up to its notorious reputation; although the three women altered their makeup to become inconspicuous, they were still targeted by ill‑intented people.

Fortunately, Ruan Qingzhu, as a Great Perfected Qi Refinement cultivator, and the Lin sisters, each bearing second‑grade Talisman Scripts, employed various protective measures. After dealing with the trailing petty thieves, they issued a stern warning, making others aware that the three were not to be trifled with, thus avoiding further harassment.

Ruan Qingzhu's trip was not in vain; after spending a large amount of Spirit Stones, she gathered most of the materials needed to forge Foundation Pills! Combined with her own prior stock, once she reaches Giant Wood City, if all goes well, she can soon contemplate advancing to Foundation Establishment.

Xiao Zhangqing, of course, also reaped a bountiful haul.

"I now have ninety thousand Low‑grade Spirit Stones on me. If you count all the unusable artifacts and Pills, it exceeds one hundred sixty thousand Low‑grade Spirit Stones!"

"That figure doesn't even include two Foundation Pills, nor treasures such as the Jiaolong Silver Whip, the Qingxiao Eleven Swords, the Thousand‑Illusion Mask, etc. If those are counted, it more than doubles! Of course, these are protective measures or have vital uses, and cannot be sold."

"Yet even so, one hundred sixty thousand Low‑grade Spirit Stones surpasses most Core Formation Realists."

"Only a few high‑ranking beings whose strength has reached the mid‑late Core Formation Realm might have more Spirit Stones than I do."

Xiao Zhangqing felt a surge of emotion.

This is still the result of scavenging Yue Laomo's corpse.

Yue Laomo, being a late‑stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, and with Ren Hongdan as his informant delivering precise intel, should logically have a fortune several times that of the Bald Vulture.

In the end, Xiao Zhangqing's plunder summed to barely seventy thousand Low‑grade Spirit Stones.

Not even half of the Bald Vulture's amount.

That is clearly unreasonable.

The most straightforward explanation is that, as a late‑stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, he had already begun scheming for the Condensing True Pill; upon hearing of its opportunity this time, he rushed over at top speed, eager.

He had wreaked havoc in the Cloud Mist Mountain Range for over a decade; it is impossible that he found no trace of any Condensing True Pill material.

Since Xiao Zhangqing found nothing in his storage bag, only one possibility remains: a large portion of his treasure, the most crucial and core assets, are either hidden or handed over to someone else.

"It seems that to obtain the Condensing True Pill in the future, one must wait until Foundation Establishment is complete, and as Zhu Dan Shi said, go to the Pill Dao Alliance."

Xiao Zhangqing thought to himself.

For a Scattered Cultivator, obtaining the Condensing True Pill is exceedingly difficult.

Even the various ingredients for forging the Condensing True Pill are virtually unobtainable in the outside world.

Of course, even within the major top sects, acquiring the Condensing True Pill is not easy.

Perhaps this explains why, in the Cultivation World, Foundation Establishment cultivators are still relatively common in major sects and immortal cities, while Core Formation cultivators are exceedingly rare.

Forming a Golden Core is truly extremely difficult.

As long as one can enter the Core Formation Realm, even without truly achieving a Core, a pseudo‑Core cultivator is regarded as a dragon among men in the Da Yu Cultivation World, holding senior positions in major sects.

"However, although the Condensing True Pill is a matter of chance, these Spirit Stones in hand are enough to reach Character: Liyang Immortal City, allowing peaceful cultivation without worrying about earning Spirit Stones for a short period."

Other Foundation Establishment cultivators, after reaching mid‑Foundation Establishment, must begin preparing for the Condensing True Pill.

After all, lacking foresight brings immediate worries.

When one reaches late‑stage or even complete Foundation Establishment, gathering the Condensing True Pill materials in a short time is far from easy.

But Xiao Zhangqing already has the Condensing True Pill opportunity from Zhu Dan Shi as a safety net; on his journey to Character: Liyang Immortal City, he only needs to devote himself to cultivation while seeking new high‑grade gear to raise his spirit root quality to the Celestial grade.

…

Crossing the Cloud Mist Mountain Range with almost no stops, the Lin sisters and Ruan Qingzhu took turns piloting the flying boat, which took nearly five days.

During those five days they did not encounter any rogue cultivators, only a first‑tier demon beast blocked the path, which was resolved without Xiao Zhangqing's intervention.

The endless mountains and mist were left behind, and at last there was no obstruction before them.

They have arrived at the Central Region, the most prosperous area of the Da Yu Cultivation World! Although most of the Central Region is also a realm of absolute spirit, the distances between cultivation markets and immortal cities are still great.

Yet the cultivators they met on the road were clearly of a higher caliber than those in the Southwest Region! Qi‑refining families occupying small first‑tier spirit veins were everywhere.

Not to mention the mortal realms, which are even more numerous.

Unlike the Southwest, which borders wild lands with dense jungles and poisonous swamps, the environment is too harsh for mortal habitation.

Therefore, in the Central Region of the Da Yu Cultivation World, not only is cultivation flourishing, but mortal realms outnumber those of the Southwest Region by well over a hundredfold! By the banks of a great river.

The flying boat halted.

Ruan Qingzhu leapt from the flying boat, bowing to Xiao Zhangqing and the Lin sisters: "Mountains and waters will meet again; the future is hopeful. Qingzhu parts ways here."

Lin Ziyu bowed in return, somewhat reluctant, and said, "Sister Ruan, take care on your journey. May your Foundation Establishment succeed, and may we meet again in the future."

During the past few months of travel, the Lin sisters and Ruan Qingzhu got along very well.

Ruan Qingzhu is no longer a disciple of Baihua Valley, nor the proprietor of Nanshan Fang Baibao Lou, so she asked Lin Ziyu and Lin Zixi to change how they address her.

Thus the three referred to each other as sisters.

Lin Zixi, though not as sentimental as her sister Lin Ziyu, sincerely wished Ruan Qingzhu a smooth voyage to Giant Wood City and success in achieving her goals.

After a lingering half‑moment, Ruan Qingzhu gave Xiao Zhangqing one last deep look, her eyes filled with gratitude and a hint of complexity, then launched her own flying boat, heading west along the great river.

Watching Ruan Qingzhu's flying boat disappear with the great river into the horizon.

The Lin sisters, just feeling lost and forlorn, followed Xiao Zhangqing back to the flying boat, flying toward Character: Liyang Immortal City.

(End of chapter)