Chapter 441: Escape from Qi

Boom… boom… boom…

Thousands of miles beyond the imperial capital of Qi, over a gentle river, a massive pale-blue light pillar erupted into the sky.

The next moment, He He Pingsheng landed with Jiang Lan and the other eight in the underground space.

"Master!" Seeing He He Pingsheng arrive, Cheng Xiaohe finally exhaled in relief, staring at Zhao Linger: "Thank heaven, you're finally here—is this our Ancestral Mistress?"

"We'll talk later!" He He Pingsheng said to Cheng Xiaohe: "Cheng Xiaohe, quickly retrieve the formation!"

Cheng Xiaohe immediately retracted the receiving platform of the teleportation array.

This had two advantages: first, no one behind could use the teleportation array to follow.

Second, it allowed recovery of some formation materials.

"Come… activate." After Cheng Xiaohe retrieved the receiving platform's materials, He He Pingsheng stepped onto the second segment's teleportation platform.

This time, there were more people.

He He Pingsheng, Cheng Xiaohe, Jiang Lan, and seven others including Master Yu Ning.

Ten people total.

Boom… boom… boom…

The second teleportation array activated.

Across the wide river, another pale-blue light pillar roared upward into the sky.

Three breaths later, the light vanished, and all returned to stillness.

He He Pingsheng did not know how fast a Soul Transformation cultivator could move, but he remembered that when Qiao Qiao Huizhu crossed the Eight-Nine Tribulation in Hongshi City, the Soul Transformation elder Xiaoyaozi had burned his essence blood and reached Hongshi City in half an incense stick's time from Xiaoyao Immortal Sect.

At that time, Xiaoyaozi was also at the first layer of Soul Transformation.

Now, the distance this teleportation array covered was roughly three times that between Hongshi City and Xiaoyao Immortal Sect.

That meant, even if the royal ancestor burned his essence blood, he would need nearly two incense sticks' time to reach here.

Crucially, he still had to know He He Pingsheng's exact location.

So for now, there was no need to worry!

Boom…

Boom…

Boom…

One teleportation array after another ignited.

In less than half an incense stick's time, after six teleportation arrays, He He Pingsheng appeared beyond three commanderies of the Qi imperial capital.

At this distance, even if the Soul Transformation cultivator knew He He Pingsheng's precise location, it would take him several hours to arrive—and only if he burned his essence blood.

It was that extreme.

He He Pingsheng believed the old Soul Transformation cultivator could not know his exact location; the others were far safer.

"Only one commandery left!" He He Pingsheng said: "After this, we reach Shangdang!"

Shangdang is now called Grand Void Commandery!

It is already Liang territory.

In Liang, they would be far safer than in Qi.

"How long until we get there?" Cheng Xiaohe asked.

He He Pingsheng said: "With my Eight Treasures Boat, it will take two or three days."

"No, too slow!" Jiang Lan shook his head: "I fear the Third Ancestor still has tricks to pursue us—we can't wait. Use my Dragon Boat!"

Boom… boom… boom…

The next moment, Jiang Lan summoned a massive Dragon Boat.

This boat was the same class as the one He He Pingsheng rode when he went to Wen Qiu Mountain.

Extremely fast.

It could cross an entire major commandery in half a day; just accelerating to full speed took half an hour.

"Perfect!" He He Pingsheng exclaimed: "Quickly, aboard!"

Everyone flew onto the boat; Jiang Lan piloted the Dragon Boat toward Shangdang Commandery's Shangdang City.

He He Pingsheng then led Master Yu Ning and the others into the cabin.

"Sister, how is your arm?" He He Pingsheng asked Zhao Linger, staring at her empty right sleeve.

Zhao Linger shook her head: "Cut off by those beasts—I've had no way to regrow it."

He He Pingsheng said: "When I participated in the Nine Kingdoms Grand Competition, Qi's Longyuan held up your arm to threaten me—that's how I learned they'd captured you."

"I'm sorry, Sister, Uncle, Master… it's my fault you suffered!"

He He Pingsheng felt deep guilt.

For these people, he truly had dragged them into misfortune.

Imprisoned for sixty years.

Decades.

"If you harbor resentment, direct it at me—I will make amends!" He He Pingsheng's eyes were red.

Master Yu Ning said: "Foolish child, you're my own child—how could I blame you? It's the Qi people who abused their power!"

"Exactly!" Xu Xu Kunlun said: "Old Nine, forget the past. Between us, you owe me, I owe you—who doesn't know you're generous? Let's drop it—it's pointless to bring it up."

Zhao Linger said: "Let it go. Just being free is enough."

Elder Yu Xuan, his hair now completely white, chuckled: "My life should've ended back in Foundation Establishment. My nephew gave me a Chaoyuan Pill—I ascended to Golden Core because of it. I still have years left—how could I blame you? I'm grateful!"

The others were Elder Yu Xuan's two disciples.

Honestly, they resented He He Pingsheng—they gained nothing, had no close ties to him, yet suffered sixty years of torment.

Resentment was natural.

But now they were free, and seeing He He Pingsheng's power—even enough to intimidate the Qi Emperor—they kept their resentment silent.

"Good!" He He Pingsheng nodded: "From now on, we're family!"

"Here is Ice Plain Divine Dew—each of you take one drop. It grants a hundred years of life."

"A compensation for your sixty lost years."

Everyone was stunned, then delighted.

A hundred years of life.

Even Elder Yu Xuan's two disciples, after consuming the Ice Plain Divine Dew, largely lost their resentment.

"Sister, I have Bu Yuan Pills!" He He Pingsheng handed Zhao Linger one: "Take it—you'll regrow your arm."

For cultivators, regrowing a severed limb was merely a minor technique.

After taking the Bu Yuan Pill, Zhao Linger indeed regrew her arm.

He He Pingsheng then gave them some Ju Ling Pills and Ju Yuan Pills to replenish their dantians, before leaving them to cultivate and recover.

Half a day later, the Dragon Boat flew out of Qi and entered Shangdang Commandery.

He He Pingsheng exhaled in relief.

Jiang Lan said: "It'll take another day to reach Shangdang City, but this Dragon Boat is too conspicuous—if we keep flying like this, I fear the Third Ancestor will catch up."

"Here's an idea, He Daoist: let's disembark… let the Dragon Boat fly on alone toward Shangdang City. Then even if the Third Ancestor finds us, he'll only get an empty vessel."

He He Pingsheng said: "That's an excellent plan!"

He summoned his small Eight Treasures Boat, and the group leapt from the Dragon Boat, separating with a swift whoosh.

The Eight Treasures Boat was slower, but tiny, easily hidden among the cloud seas.

The Dragon Boat, by contrast, was enormous and glaringly obvious.

He He Pingsheng piloted the flying boat, sweeping across Shangdang Commandery toward another direction.

Several days later, the Eight Treasures Boat landed atop the mountaintop where Qiao Qiao Huizhu had once agreed to meet.