Chapter 429

Mount Lijing Town, Xu family.

Xu Xiao was shirtless, revealing his sturdy arms. He had gone out early in the morning to look around and had already noticed many things, though he remained uncertain. Between his brows, it felt as if several silver needles were constantly pricking him.

Xu Xiao hid secretly in the room, clutching a jade bead in his sleeve, feigning a posture as he sat cross-legged. The breath within his body rose and fell, his thoughts turning restlessly:

'Since this morning, Battalion Commander Chen has not patrolled the streets on time... Either something has happened, or he has been transferred away. If the Li family is going to make a big move, they certainly couldn't hide it from him. I must transfer him away first...'

Xu Xiao had pulled a trick to secretly hold Old Man Liu and Battalion Commander Chen in his hands, but he lacked confidence. In truth, he felt uneasy; Liu Liu Lingzhen had a weak personality, and he could not show his own anxiety.

He spoke with great contempt, but in his heart, he understood that the Li family was deeply rooted. Having these two in his hands greatly increased the risk of exposure, which only made him more worried.

He went out to buy medicinal herbs and took a look at the tavern, wanting to see if Old Man Liu was drinking as usual, only to find that the tavern had been smashed by troublemakers and was closed for business.

Xu Xiao returned to the courtyard half-doubting, a sense of foreboding in his heart:

'If the Li family is preparing to oppose me, the person handling this is no simple character... But why bother? There is no one who would start with such a grand display and secret calculations right from the beginning...'

He felt it was strange, yet he had a constant feeling of being watched, wishing he could flee immediately. But Liu Liu Lingzhen was still on the mountain; he was very reluctant to leave her behind.

Xu Xiao believed that if he only had ten more years, he could naturally return home in glory, break the Li family's hegemony in this region, and elevate his own family to a noble clan. But that was ten years away; before then, he was absolutely unwilling to tear his face off with the Li family.

As he turned the jade bead in his palm, various illusions suddenly appeared before Xu Xiao's eyes. His chest and shoulder blades ached, and his heart was in turmoil, as if disaster were imminent. His left hand already pressed against his storage bag.

"Hiss!"

He suddenly felt a chill on half of his cheek. He hurriedly burst out of the water, retreated a step, and a suit of crimson armor appeared on his body. The entire wall had already collapsed, revealing a streak of black light.

"Boom!"

With a loud explosion, smoke and dust rose, and the house collapsed with a crash. A massive, pitch-black snake tail swept across, its curved hook jet-black. Xu Xiao narrowly avoided the attack, but even just being grazed left his face pale.

"A Foundation Establishment demonic creature!"

The black-robed youth before him had a sinister expression. His black robes snapped in the wind, and his black boots trod the ground. In the shadows beneath him, two black hooks snaked about, emitting waves of cold air.

Xu Xiao was shocked, his heart filled with terror, and he blurted out:

"You are that Hook Snake!"

Li Li Wushao, seeing his strike dodged, suppressed his surprise, peered at him, and asked in confusion:

"Indeed, there is something peculiar. A mere Qi Refining cultivator, yet you managed to dodge my attack."

Suddenly, shouts of battle erupted, and several people swung their swords. Xu Xiao crushed a jade bead with his backhand, a circular Qi shield appearing on his body. He observed Li Li Wushao solemnly and shouted:

"I have never offended you! I merely stopped that Young Master from forcibly marrying a common woman. You are actually this tyrannical, wanting to kill me to silence me!!"

In his speech, he did not put the Li family's Qi Refining cultivators in his eyes at all; instead, he frowned in confusion, taking the initiative to question them. As for the group of Qi Refining cultivators surrounding him, they were of no consequence.

'They are just a bunch of small fry with second or third-grade techniques who don't know any spells. Even if they hacked at me, they couldn't hurt me in the slightest.'

Sure enough, the magic shield was of Foundation Establishment level. The magic light from the group of Qi Refining cultivators landed on the shield without any reaction, bouncing off and dissipating. Li Li Xijun did not reveal himself, standing far away in the clouds, thinking:

'Fortunately, Li Li Wushao is here; otherwise, even if all the elders of the family were here, they wouldn't be able to do anything to him... Fortunately, it was Li Li Wushao who stayed behind instead of Kong Heng, and fortunately, he repaired his tail hook... If there had been even the slightest deviation, we wouldn't be able to do anything to him today!'

Below, Li Li Wushao, who came from the East Sea, did not understand the so-called forced marriage of a common woman. He only felt that this person was spouting nonsense and ignored him completely, continuing to extend his tail hook without stopping. Chen Chen Mufeng, however, could not let him continue shouting and yelled:

"Demon! You killed Liu Yi! You used demonic arts to control the Battalion Commander, breaking through from the second level of Fetal Breath to the third level of Qi Refining in two years. If that isn't a demonic technique, what is! You don't even know how many people you've eaten in secret!"

As he spoke, Li Li Wushao's tail hook had already slammed into the shield. The strength gap between Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining was immeasurable. Xu Xiao had no time to dodge and was struck by the tail hook. Even though the shield neutralized most of the power, he still spat blood and crashed heavily through a wall.

Li Li Wushao was able to roam the East Sea because the twin hooks on his tail were the source of his cultivation, and there was quite a bit of technique involved. It was just that he had been pinned by one of Kong Kong Tingyun's magic tools and broken by the two of them. Now that he had repaired the tail hook, it immediately made Li Li Xijun cheer repeatedly.

'As for this Xu Xiao, he seems... not that strong...'

A single strike from Li Li Wushao had already sent Xu Xiao vomiting blood and retreating. Li Li Xijun breathed a sigh of relief, paying attention to the situation while carefully recording the changes in the expressions of those around him as a precaution.

'That's right... even if he were a reincarnated Jin Dan, he would need to be at the peak of Qi Refining to play that game of incense-time with a Foundation Establishment ancestor of the Kong family... I was just too cautious.'

Li Li Xijun blamed himself, standing in the clouds. Seeing the Foundation Establishment shield on Xu Xiao, he flipped his hand, took out a talisman, and smashed it down without hesitation.

The talisman flew and spun in the air, transforming into an exquisite little hammer with golden patterns outlined on it, its two ends upturned like ram's horns, slamming toward Xu Xiao with a bang.

Li Li Wushao did not relax either. Two shadows circled, speeding across the ground like two venomous snakes, rising up and striking from the front and back with speed and precision while the two Foundation Establishment spells collided.

The little hammer talisman in Li Li Xijun's hand had been purchased from the Yuan family and was of excellent quality, which was why he used it as a life-saving talisman. Who knew that as it flew across the sky, it would smash with a cracking sound, leaving the magic shield on Xu Xiao dim, yet it held firm.

'What a powerful talisman.'

Li Li Wushao coordinated with the Foundation Establishment talisman to launch a fierce attack. Originally intending to entangle and consume, he immediately changed tactics, striking hard from front and back.

"What demonic cultivator! You idiots! This is the Immortal Sect's 【Mysterious Flame Tianwu Tianwu Binghuo Secret Technique】!"

Xu Xiao was momentarily speechless and wanted to retort, but he hadn't expected Li Li Xijun, standing in the clouds, to be so decisive, using a high-quality Foundation Establishment talisman the moment he attacked, so he had to shut his mouth.

A black-red token appeared in his hand, which he sacrificed and activated, releasing red light, wanting to block Li Li Wushao's tail hook and buy time for his shield to recover.

But this red light only managed to hinder the jet-black tail hook for a moment. Xu Xiao's magic power was already draining away like a whale sucking water. Li Li Wushao was a Foundation Establishment cultivator; how could a Qi Refining cultivator resist him? Even though his magic power exceeded that of ordinary people by a lot, he only lasted for a breath before weakening.

Li Li Wushao was surprised and thought to himself:

"It really is Red Reef Island... Tianwu Tianwu Binghuo Secret Technique. I just don't know why it spread here. If I kill this person, I wonder if it will bring trouble to my master..."

Li Li Wushao's force gradually increased. Xu Xiao was caught in a dilemma, crying out in his heart. He absolutely could not withstand the attack of a Foundation Establishment cultivator. But if Xu Xiao didn't have this shield, he wouldn't last a few rounds under Li Li Wushao. He had no choice but to hastily sacrifice his trump card spell, biting the tip of his tongue and spraying a mouthful of blood, which splattered bloodily onto the token.

As he cast the spell, the red light receded, and the shield emitted a creaking sound of being unable to bear the weight. Xu Xiao said hatefully:

"Your family is trampling on human lives on your own territory! Are you not afraid of the Mount Qingchi Immortal Sect blaming you!"

Li Li Xijun was stunned when he heard this, and his gaze toward this person became a bit strange:

'Compared to trampling on human lives, who can compare to the Mount Qingchi Sect? Does this person really not know, or is he pretending? To actually say such naive words! Never mind my family killing someone... even if we used human flesh to make buns, the Mount Qingchi Sect would only be overjoyed, thinking of coming to get a share...'

However, after he said this, Li Li Xijun was very certain in his heart:

'This person is likely not a reincarnation; he should have obtained the inheritance due to destiny...'

In a short moment, firelight had already lit up in the token, spraying out a gray-red flame. It was misty, surging up and down. Li Li Wushao's pupils dilated, and his tail hook had already been retracted like a frightened bird, but it was still lightly grazed.

"Roar!!!"

Li Li Wushao's head swelled like a balloon, twisting and changing in an instant, transforming into a snake head the size of a house, supported only by a small human body. The snake eyes, the size of doors, were blood-red, emitting painful roars. He was actually in so much pain that he couldn't even maintain his human form.

The tail hook was rapidly retracted under his robes, a corner of the hook already incinerated, dripping blood. Xu Xiao, seeing that the flame was effective, was overjoyed, laughing loudly. Driving the wind and holding the fire, a red circle appeared under his feet, and he soared into the air.

This change happened extremely fast. Li Li Xijun had already taken out another talisman in his hand and stepped forward, but Xu Xiao was wearing crimson armor, holding gray flames, and turned back to glare at him.

The two locked eyes, and both felt a chill in their hearts. Li Li Xijun felt that this person's expression was greedy and vicious, like a scorching sun burning the body, falling into a raging volcano. Xu Xiao felt like he was immersed in ice, feeling that the person before him had eyes full of ice and snow, as if he could see through his thoughts.

'Must eliminate this person!'

Both of them had the same thought, and both retreated to open up distance. Xu Xiao thought:

'The situation is unfavorable right now, I cannot drag this out. Once I reach Foundation Establishment, I must kill this person first!'

Li Li Xijun was also alert:

'This person's mistakes are all due to an information asymmetry... he thinks there is still the Immortal Sect to keep us in check! I cannot let him get away!'

He threw the talisman in his hand again and shouted:

"Li Li Wushao! Hesitate and you will die at this person's hands today!"

The flame seemed to be very effective against demonic creatures. Li Li Wushao finally managed to change back into human form, grimacing in pain, his face gloomy. He rode the wind and chased after him, gritting his teeth, but he didn't dare to use his tail hook again, groping for a magic tool from his storage bag.

Xu Xiao's face was flushed, and he took out two more talismans. Gray flames circled his body. The rod-shaped magic tool Li Li Wushao took out had already melted into a soft mess before it even reached his side. Li Li Xijun's eyes were filled with rising ice, and he threw out the 【Cold Granary】 at his waist, shouting:

"Catch the sword!"

Li Li Wushao's tail hook curled, and the magic sword landed in his hand, ripples of snow light. Xu Xiao drove the gray flames to block it, accelerating his wind-riding, but a Qi Refining cultivator met him head-on, raising an axe to hack.

"Boom!"

Xu Xiao didn't even look at him, just flicked the flame and burned the person to ashes. For a moment, the cultivators who surrounded him were shocked and terrified, only daring to release magic light to slightly hinder him. Except for the White Monkey and a few others with deep cultivation who dared to advance and fight, the rest could only retreat silently.

The red circle under Xu Xiao's feet should be a special flying shuttle, and its speed was originally very fast, but it was blocked by several people, dodging left and right, unable to pick up speed. He used the prestige of killing to force everyone back with flames, wanting to jump out of the encirclement.

Just as a smile appeared on his face, another sword light flew toward him. Xu Xiao's face was ugly. He flicked his sleeves, sprayed flames, and shouted:

"Which blind small fry dares to block me!"

The magic sword in the person's hand melted instantly, and the gray flames crawled up his withered arm like a venomous snake. But he seemed to have expected this; his other hand had already chopped at his own shoulder faster than the flame could land on his hand. With a squelch, he chopped off the arm.

The arm turned to ashes before it even hit the ground. Xu Xiao was shocked and furious, unable to contain his rage. His lips parted to spit out flames, but being blocked like this, Li Li Wushao had already arrived with the sword, and Li Li Xijun's talisman had also reached him!

'Bitch!'

Xu Xiao was so angry that his eyes went black. He still took the opportunity to scan with his spiritual sense. The person who blocked him was actually a withered, skinny old man, silently retreating with a blank expression. The blood at the site of the severed arm had already stopped, and his dim eyes were full of calm.

This old man's face was very familiar. Xu Xiao seemed to see him often, working in a spirit field by the lake. That spirit field was very close to here, and the Li family respected him very much... what was his name... Li Ye Qiuyang...

"Li Ye Qiuyang! Li Ye Qiuyang! A miscellaneous Qi cultivator! Actually a miscellaneous Qi cultivator! Pfft!"

Xu Xiao's face was flushed red. He took a sword strike from Li Li Wushao. This demonic creature hit him with his own massive demonic power, making him vomit blood continuously, and the momentum of the red circle under his feet was interrupted, his speed slowing down all at once.

The even more lethal Foundation Establishment talisman had already reached him, slamming into his thin, paper-like shield. The shield finally shattered like glass, and Xu Xiao was exposed to everyone just like that.

His face was crimson, yet he was still able to ride the wind, rolling the flames to force several people back, while reaching for a medicinal pill with his other hand.

But in that short moment, a long rod crossed the flames and hit his palm squarely, smashing the bottle of pills to pieces. Xu Xiao cried out in pain, his liver and gallbladder splitting. He realized it was that powerful White Monkey, and despair arose in his heart, sadly saying:

'I actually fell into the hands of these despicable little people! I can't roam the world with Zhen'er anymore!'

His trump cards were exhausted, his path to survival cut off, yet he still resisted stubbornly, using flames to force people back and forth, tears falling. Suddenly, he felt his neck tighten, and a great force came, jumping out of the circle just like that, arriving several miles away in an instant.

A low cry came from behind, and a delicate voice sounded in his ear:

"Hurry, hurry... finally caught up!"

Xu Xiao was at the end of his rope. In the midst of great sorrow and joy, he hurriedly turned his head to look, only to see a delicate female cultivator in a red dress, with fair skin, looking cute and naive. His heart was shaken for a moment.

The female cultivator's attire was simple, a thin gauze draped over a crimson and black dress, beautiful and radiant, her brows like emerald feathers. She played with a thin, feather-like red magic tool in her hand, sizing Xu Xiao up.

Li Li Xijun watched as the enemy managed to free himself from the encirclement, his blood surging. He coughed, almost spitting out blood. He had calculated so much, biting his lips until they bled.

Beside him, Li Li Wushao was even more uncomposed. His eyes suddenly grew larger, occupying almost half of his face, bright red and shining. A hissing sound like a snake came from his throat, and he gritted his teeth:

"And you... who are you!"

Li Li Xijun was only uncomposed for a moment. He forced himself to calm down, circulating his talisman Qi, his heart cold as water. He pulled Li Li Wushao's sleeve and said softly:

"Li family of Mount Qingdu, greetings to the senior. I don't know which sect or school the senior belongs to."

The female cultivator didn't even respond, looking at Xu Xiao with a joyful expression, and said in a delicate voice:

"The inheritance of my grand-uncle has been buried for so many years, and it has finally emerged at the right time. Good, good!"

Xu Xiao understood immediately. Finally, a righteous Immortal Sect had come to save him in time, and he said joyfully:

"I... I have been hiding in this demonic territory with such difficulty, and finally, the Immortal Sect has come to save me!"

Everyone's expressions were different. The female cultivator was stunned for a moment, then the corners of her mouth curled up slightly. She was not surprised at all and smiled:

"That's right! I am Guo Guo Hongyao of Red Reef Xian Dao. We have been entangled with the demonic cultivators Wan Yu and Pure One for the past few years, which is why I am late. I will take you back to the island now!"

Li Li Xijun was left out in the cold, and the Li family members all looked unhappy. The female cultivator then looked at the Li family, scanned them, her expression turned cold, and she said in a low voice:

"You lot are considered a noble clan, yet you can't recognize my island's orthodoxy? I heard long ago that you were colluding with Wan Yu and Xuanyue. You really aren't good things!"

Things had reached this point; there was really nothing left to say. Li Li Xijun could only bow and say:

"Senior, you have misunderstood...! We are ignorant and have never seen the magic of the Xian Dao."

Guo Guo Hongyao's face was cold as frost. She flicked her crimson sleeves and looked at Xu Xiao beside her:

"How can a member of my Xian Dao be bullied by your family for nothing?"

Li Li Xijun exhaled and said softly:

"What does the senior mean?"

Guo Guo Hongyao watched him play dumb and sneered:

"Have your demonic pet commit suicide. As for you... for the sake of the Sword Immortal, apologize to my sect member, and this matter will be considered settled. As for the compensation, let Li Li Yuanjiao come in person; you are not qualified enough."

Li Li Wushao heard the twin hooks under his robes restless and uneasy, circling at his feet, his two red eyes staring hatefully at this female cultivator, suppressing a roar. Li Li Xijun's expression turned cold, and he lowered his head:

"Senior, you are joking."

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere dropped to freezing point. Guo Guo Hongyao's smile disappeared. Li Li Wushao stepped forward to protect Li Li Xijun, staring fixedly at the person in front of him, two streaks of black light appearing under his hem.

"That is not up to you!"

This Guo Guo Hongyao sneered, completely disregarding Li Li Wushao in front of her, and said coldly.

I originally planned to update one more chapter today, but I have to go home tonight, so I'm still a little short. I'll use this big chapter method to pay it back slowly, one update every two days^, I'll do my best.

(End of chapter)