NOVPUB
Chapter 75: Chapter 75: Even a Top Grandmaster is Just So
On the mountain trail.
It was eerily quiet.
There were no other travelers.
"Sorry, I don’t even know who you are, how would I know what I took?"
Li Qian looked at the man in the black cloak holding a sword, feigning a surprised expression.
"Heh, you will know."
The man in the black cloak chuckled lightly.
As he spoke, he actually took off the black cloak he was wearing.
Revealing a black mask that covered the upper half of his face.
He carefully folded the black cloak and placed it in a cloth bag, which he then carried on his back.
Li Qian, watching his actions, immediately understood that the black cloak must be a treasure, hence the man was treating it with such care, fearing it might get damaged.
Suddenly, the man moved.
His entire figure seemed to form an illusion as he rushed toward Li Qian with great speed.
Swoosh!
Bright sword light shone brilliantly.
It was as if the sky was filled with falling snowflakes.
Beautiful snowflakes landed on Li Qian.
Unexpectedly, it caused an inexplicable pain in his heart, as if countless small knives were cutting into his body.
It wasn’t a physical sensation.
But rather a mental one.
Li Qian’s eyes focused on the sword.
Not only was the black cloak likely a Divine Refinement Device.
This sword also turned out to be a Divine Refinement Device.
Otherwise, with just the man’s Illusion Level Sword Intent, he wouldn’t be able to induce real pain in his spirit.
A bell rang in his mind, and the pain in his spirit disappeared instantly.
Seeing the sword light approaching.
Li Qian suddenly drew his sword.
The sword unleashed was like a dragon.
Accompanied by a clang.
The swords collided and sparks flew.
Following that, the man’s body shook violently, his eyes showing a dazed expression.
In the next moment, two figures crossed each other.
Li Qian, with his back to the man, sheathed his still gleaming sword back into its scabbard.
"Heaven..."
The man only managed to utter a single word before collapsing to the ground with a thud.
There was a blood hole in his chest.
"Not a half-demon? Even a top Grandmaster is just so."
Li Qian shook his head.
This man’s cultivation, definitely reached the Late Stage of the True Essence Realm.
Pity, the gap in Martial Intent was too wide.
Even though the opponent had a Divine Refinement Blade, propelled by Sword Intent that could harm the spirit,
sadly, such mental attacks simply couldn’t affect Li Qian.
After all, the Chen Bell possesses strong mental defense, able to withstand a certain extent of Martial Intent attacks.
Li Qian simply used his Heartless Sword Intent to suppress the opponent’s Sword Intent, then effortlessly killed him with a single strike.
He walked over to the corpse.
Using his sword’s scabbard, he fiddled with the body and took the cloth bag containing the black cloak.
And that sword...
He couldn’t use it, as his comprehension was of the Sword Intent.
However, such a Divine Refinement Weapon was extremely precious, enough to be a sect’s heritage treasure in a regular martial arts force.
He also searched the body, finding a small bundle containing various jars and bottles.
Pity there was nothing to prove the man’s identity or background.
So far, Li Qian still didn’t know exactly what kind of force this was.
Next, he tossed the corpse into the nearby forest.
Burying was not an option.
Anyway, there were many wild beasts outside, why bother burying when gastric burial was more convenient?
After doing all this, Li Qian returned to the main road, mounted his horse, and continued forward nonchalantly.
Now he had an additional cloth bag on the horse.
And a wrapped sword.
"Going out on missions in the future seems to require more caution.... But I can’t always be this passive, I need to think of an effective method."
Li Qian pondered as he rode.
This outing revealed his tracks, and there were only two possibilities.
One is that there was a spy from that force within the Divine Sword Sect.
The second is related to Qianyu Tower.
This intelligence organization often has a complex background, who knows if it’s influenced by that power.
Regardless, he must be more cautious in the future.
If that power has a Heavenly Person and sends one to make a move against him, then it would be troublesome.
Actually, the best method would be to divulge the treasure map, diverting that power’s attention away from him.
However, he had finally pieced together and deciphered the treasure map, to give it up just like that felt rather wasteful.
"Let’s return to Divine Sword Sect and decide then."
Li Qian shook his head.
He walked for probably another hour or more when suddenly, faint hoofbeats came from behind.
Li Qian became alert.
But before long, his brows relaxed, and turning back, he saw Pang Bai riding fast to catch up.
"Junior Brother Li, you really didn’t wait for me. I’ve been chasing you for such a long time."
Pang Bai complained slightly.
"I was thinking about the safety of the Three-leaf Purple Spirit Ginseng. Even if something happened to you, at least I could bring this item back to the sect, right?"
Li Qian tossed over the cloth bag containing the Three-leaf Purple Spirit Ginseng.
"Uh... Junior Brother Li, I don’t even know what to say about you."
Pang Bai was speechless, and without checking inside, he slung the bag over his shoulder. Suddenly he looked at the additional cloth bag and cloth-wrapped knife on Li Qian’s horse.
"Eh, Senior Brother Li, where did these two items come from? You didn’t have them before, right?"
He asked curiously.
"Someone gave them to me on the way."
Li Qian changed the subject, "Senior Brother Pang, did you find anything?"
"Junior Brother Li, indeed, I did find something. From what I’ve heard... those Xuanming Sect martial artists are heading towards Dream Cloud Swamp in Lanxi County; it seems many groups have already been sent during this period."
Pang Bai said.
"Dream Cloud Swamp in Lanxi County, wasn’t that where an earlier conflict occurred with the Inner Sect Disciples of our Divine Sword Sect?"
Li Qian exclaimed in surprise.
"Yes... I speculate something significant must have happened there; perhaps it’s the onset of a war between our Divine Sword Sect and Xuanming Sect..."
Pang Bai spoke excitedly.
Li Qian was speechless. If the two sects were to start a war, why be so excited?
What he most hoped for now was that no major conflict would erupt concerning the Divine Sword Sect...
If the Divine Sword Sect was unstable, how could he peacefully cultivate by striking the Chen Bell at the Chen Bell Platform?
....
Li Qian and Pang Bai returned to Divine Sword Sect, arriving in the afternoon two days later.
"Senior Brother Pang, remember to notify me when the Life Gathering Pill is ready."
After finishing their tasks at the Task Hall, as they parted, Li Qian reminded.
"Rest assured, Junior Brother Li, I won’t forget. I promise to deliver it to your door."
Pang Bai pledged earnestly.
Back at the Chen Bell Platform, Li Qian saw Liu Ming feeding beef bits to a young eagle.
"Senior Brother Li."
Upon hearing footsteps, Liu Ming looked back and quickly stood up to call.
Li Qian nodded and walked over, observing the young eagle that had grown healthier and larger under Liu Ming’s care these past few days.
Entering the bell tower, Li Qian put away the items he brought back and then went up to the top of the tower to check the sand timer.
As the time reached Shen Hour, he struck the Chen Bell.
Dong Dong Dong Dong Dong...
Six clear bell sounds resonated.
Li Qian bathed in the bell sounds, feeling his whole body relaxed and the True Qi inside him becoming extremely active.
In his mind, the Sword Intent True Seed next to the Chen Bell Shadow was trembling, as if experiencing the sweet relief of a long-awaited rain.
The feeling of returning to the Chen Bell Platform was truly great. 𝒏𝙤𝙫𝒑𝙪𝙗.𝙘𝒐𝙢
Li Qian took a deep breath and immediately drew out his sword, beginning to practice.
.....
Martial Peak.
After returning to Divine Sword Sect, Pang Bai promptly handed over the materials for making the Life Gathering Pill to a senior Pill Master at the Pill House.
This Pill Master had crafted the Life Gathering Pill a long time ago.
At that time, a person came to his residence.
"Junior Brother Pang."
This was a middle-aged man in blue clothes, his right shoulder sleeve hanging loose, swaying with the wind.
Clearly, he had lost an arm.
Yet oddly, he carried two swords.
However, one sword was connected with a chain, the other end wrapped around his body.
"Senior Brother Gu?"
Pang Bai, seeing the visitor, showed a surprised expression, "Why have you come?"
This Senior Brother Gu was more than ten years his senior, having participated in the True Inheritor selection and was truly talented, but he lost an arm in a battle once.
Originally, Senior Brother Gu practiced a Dual Sword Technique, but with an arm gone, he couldn’t use it anymore.
However, Senior Brother Gu was a person of resolute character, single-handedly creating a version of the Dual Sword Technique that suited his condition.
.....
