Chapter 1304: Taking Leave (I)

The Locust Soul Hall did not keep Li Jiangqian waiting long. Before the heavy rain had even ceased, a black wind swept in from the north and surged menacingly toward the northern shore.

Once it crossed Glacial Cloud Peak and Jiangbei was no longer in sight, it immediately drew back its head. The black wind dispersed and the sinister aura vanished, leaving only a shriveled, bald old monster flying low over the lake. He bowed toward the grand formation above the waters and wailed loudly, "I am Daoist Wugui, one of the eight Dharma Protectors of the Locust Soul Hall in Jiangbei. I humbly request an audience with the lord of the immortal family."

Li Jiangqian had already given orders, so Daoist Wugui had been watched the entire way. Someone immediately stepped forward to guide him. Daoist Wugui hurried inside, and felt terror and authority everywhere upon entering the great hall.

When he looked up and saw those golden pupils hidden in the shadows, he quickly knelt and cried out, "This humble cultivator pays his respects to the lord of the immortal family. Our hall master is in a dispute with Brahma Cloud Cave and cannot come in person, so I offer apologies on his behalf to the immortal family."

Li Jiangqian immediately understood that Wugui was certainly more sensible than that rat. Whether it was because he understood the power of the Purple Mansion better or because he was naturally timid, Li Jiangqian muttered inwardly,

Hm, this name sounds proper enough. He might even end up serving under a True Monarch.

He then replied with righteous severity, "So it is someone from the north after all. Since the Locust Soul Hall continues the Mifan Dao lineage, why do you not abide by the rules of the Immortal Dao? Why do you intentionally slaughter civilians, and even send this demon head to commit atrocities on my river?"

Li Jiangqian of course did not know whether this fellow had used any blood qi arts on the river, but he knew without a doubt that there was not a single clean thing about him.

Frightened, Wugui repeatedly said, "My lord, my lord. That Black Rat beast committed countless evils, and our hall master has long been dissatisfied. This time, he issued a death order to this humble one to capture him and bring him back for severe punishment. We also thank the family head for acting in our stead to teach him a lesson."

Could Daoist Bai really say something like that? With that brain of his that seems like it was kicked by a donkey, could he even spit out such words?

Li Jiangqian knew that the man before him was speaking to appease both sides in order to complete his task. He had no intention of stirring up trouble either, so he followed the flow and relented, "The hall master is right. Proper discipline is indeed necessary. As the head of a great power, how could one allow such deeds?"

When Wugui heard this, he hurriedly spoke up to explain, "Exactly. Exactly. The hall master said the same as well. He plans to punish him by sending him out to a remote place in the east to supervise low level cultivators mining spirit veins, while only keeping his position as a storehouse keeper."

Li Jiangqian shook his head inwardly as he listened. Every one of these people before him was a walking disaster. He drew out the command token in his hand, originally intending to have this man go fetch him, but after thinking it over again and again with caution, he reflected silently,

This will not do. That Black Rat is clearly something destined to die in someone else's hands. Wugui looks like a fence sitter. If he were to see my family's treasure and then say a few careless words, he might bring a great figure over to seize my Glazed Pagoda of Unrestrained Boundary.

He therefore changed his mind. "Wait here. I will have someone bring him in."

Wugui nodded repeatedly. Li Jiangqian then pulled out the information on Wang Quwan from the desk. Remembering that he was in seclusion at Panglu Ridge, he asked softly, "A remote place? Which mountain was he transferred to?"

The man immediately replied, "It is near Baiku Prefecture, close to the Baiye Capital Immortal Dao. As for mountains, there seem to be several ridges nearby, but no real mountains."

Li Jiangqian seemed to have asked casually and soon lost interest, but he quietly unfolded the map in his hands and checked carefully. Sure enough, Panglu Ridge was located in Baiku Prefecture, and even the local family there was the Wang Family, specifically the branch of Wang He of the Capital Immortal Dao.

Oh.

He did not dare involve himself too deeply. Soon, Qu Buzhi escorted the man inside. This man had only stayed within the winds of the Glazed Pagoda of Unrestrained Boundary for a few hours, yet his entire body was already trembling. Clearly, his Foundation Establishment Realm was full of flaws. It was a Foundation Establishment Realm piled up through blood qi and sheer luck, unable to compare even to the Wen brothers.

Just right. His Foundation Establishment Realm was formed through refining blood qi, so his recovery is especially fast. Once he goes back and replenishes his blood qi a little, these minor injuries will heal immediately, and he will be able to deal with matters involving a True Monarch at once.

But just as he thought that, a commotion erupted inside the hall.

"You cursed thing! You dared to come onto the territory of an immortal family to refine blood qi? If I do not beat you to death, I will not even be able to explain myself to my lord when I return!"

𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

When Wugui saw the man, he began beating and scolding him loudly. These words were clearly meant to save him. Li Jiangqian watched in interest and let him curse a few more times. The Black Rat immediately revealed resentment and seemed about to speak in protest.

Pa!

Daoist Wugui moved swiftly and slapped him with a single palm, leaving his mouth full of blood. Li Jiangqian clicked his tongue inwardly and waved his hand. Qu Buzhi immediately pushed the two of them out.

Wugui's scolding was cut off outside. Li Jiangqian looked at Wang Quwan's letter and chose not to reply. He thought,

Someone as clever as him, if I do not reply, he will surely understand that something is amiss.

The people of the Locust Soul Hall were quickly sent away. As expected, Daoist Bai was indeed entangled with Brahma Cloud. The master of Brahma Cloud Cave was Ping Wangzi. Back then, both he and Wenhu had come to pay respects to Li Ximing and used the name of Chengyun Gate to extricate themselves. Now the wheel of fortune had turned, and it was finally this old fellow's turn to be unlucky.

I wonder whether he will die at the hands of the Locust Soul Hall, or die a step earlier at the hands of Chengyun Gate. After all, he is a figure of name and substance within Chengyun Gate, and there was also Daoist Wenhu back then. If Wenhu had not died, he would likely be playing this role now.

Li Jiangqian pondered this repeatedly in his heart. In those years, Wenhu had been cunning and scheming, yet had been blown into ashes by Li Ximing in a single breath. Although Li Jiangqian had not been present at the time, Li Chenghuai had descended the mountain filled with emotion, even breaking into a faint cold sweat.

The black robed youth seated in the place of honor slowly set down the letter in his hand. Facing the vast vortex of fate in Jiangbei that could draw everything into it and tear even outstanding talents to shreds, his expression was nearly cold as ice, his lips moving in a silent murmur. "When fortune is exhausted, one cannot reach the Purple Mansion Realm. When destiny is shallow, divine abilities cannot be attained."

Those words had been full of emotion when spoken by Li Ximing, and when Li Chenghuai relayed them later, he did so with lingering fear. Now, coming from Li Jiangqian's lips, they carried a bone-chilling coldness and deep vigilance.

He sat with his back to the light, crumpling Wang Quwan's letter tighter and tighter. A handful of brilliant Radiant Fire leapt from his hand, red and yellow interwoven, twisting and coiling as it burned everything to ash. The drifting ashes spilled from between his fingers and scattered across the steps below the main seat.