Su Changqing turned back and saw that the speaker was Old Li, the man he had spoken with at length earlier. Old Li was now staring at him with a gloomy gaze.
"Ah, so you still found out after all?"
Su Changqing sighed softly, seemingly muttering to himself with mild annoyance.
"You're not Old Chong. Who exactly are you? What purpose do you have for coming here?"
Old Li coldly fired off one question after another at Su Changqing.
"Of course I'm not Old Chong, nor am I one of your Demonic Cult. But I can't tell you anything else. Since you told me everything I wanted to know earlier, I can spare your life."
Su Changqing smiled faintly as he answered. He was not a bloodthirsty person, and besides, this Demonic Cult disciple had just told him everything. He decided to let him live.
As for whether Old Li would reveal Su Changqing's identity?
Su Changqing had no way of knowing. If he really exposed Su Changqing, then once Sect Leader Qiu learned that he had revealed the Demonic Cult's plans to Su Changqing, he might very well kill him outright.
And by the time he reported it, Su Changqing would already have vanished without a trace. They certainly would not be able to catch him again.
"Spare my life? A piece of trash at the Qi Refining Fourth Realm dares to talk big about sparing me? I'm at the Qi Refining Seventh Realm. Taking you down would be effortless."
Old Li burst out laughing. A Demonic Cult disciple at the Qi Refining Seventh Realm was being threatened by someone at the Qi Refining Fourth Realm. What an absurd joke.
After laughing, Old Li's eyes instantly turned cold. He glared at Su Changqing and shouted, "You're not getting away today! I'm taking you back for the reward!"
Su Changqing felt utterly helpless. He had clearly offered him a way out, so why insist on seeking death?
Ghost Demon Three Claws!
Old Li lowered his stance, his eyes fixed on Su Changqing like those of a vicious tiger. Then, with his five fingers curled into claws, he leaped through the air and pounced at Su Changqing. Faint demonic qi clung to his claws, taking the form of ghostly shadows.
"Since you insist on capturing me, I can't let you leave either."
Su Changqing's eyes blazed. A flash of white light came from the sword sheath at his waist, and in the next instant, the sharp longsword was held across his body, blocking Old Li's attack.
Clang!
The five claws struck the sword with a crisp ring. Sword qi instantly blasted away all the demonic qi around the claws, while the ghostly shadow let out a shrill scream before vanishing.
Old Li hastily retreated, widening the distance as he stared at Su Changqing in disbelief.
His Ghost Demon Five Claws was a signature skill he had learned after entering the Demonic Cult. Whenever he used it, he had never met an equal. How had this kid at the Qi Refining Fourth Realm blocked it so easily?
This was truly unbelievable!
Gale Sword Technique!
Taking advantage of Old Li's stunned pause, Su Changqing shouted the technique's name. He drew back his sword, then slashed out with a backhand strike. Sword qi like a raging gale instantly surged toward Old Li.
"Impossible!"
Old Li cried out in shock.
He was even more stunned now. The moment he saw Su Changqing unleash the gale-like sword qi and felt its chilling, fearsome might, he could not understand how a cultivator at the Qi Refining Fourth Realm could use such a powerful sword technique.
When Old Li finally reacted, he swiftly raked his five claws through the air, producing more than a dozen ghostly shadows in an attempt to block the sword qi. But the gale sword qi was like a war chariot crushing everything in its path, directly pulverizing and tearing apart every phantom ghost before continuing toward Old Li with unstoppable force.
The next second.
Only then did Old Li think of running, but the gale sword qi gave him no chance. It swept madly over his body, and just like the Old Chong he had spoken of, his throat was severed by a single sword strike. He was dead beyond doubt.
"There's nothing impossible about it!"
Su Changqing helplessly shook his head, feeling immense regret for this "new friend." He had clearly let him go, yet he had insisted on coming forward to seek death. Perhaps this was simply his destined end.
You observed Old Li's "Ghost Demon Three Claws," triggering Unrivaled Insight. Successfully improved it into "Ghost Demon Nine Claws."
At that moment, the system announcement sounded in Su Changqing's mind.
Demonic Cult techniques could be improved and deduced as well?
This was Su Changqing's first encounter with the Demonic Cult. He had never come into contact with Demonic Cult techniques before, so he had no idea that such techniques could also be improved and deduced. Now, he had his answer.
After dealing with this Demonic Cult disciple, Su Changqing concealed himself among the tree branches once more and continued deeper toward Nine Yin Mountain.
He had come this time to search for the Desolate Orchid Water Lily. Running into the Demonic Cult and learning their information was merely an unexpected bonus.
Of course, this was not something an ordinary disciple like him could handle alone. He could simply report it after returning to the sect. He could not forget his real business.
Not long after Su Changqing left, Old Li's corpse was quickly discovered by other Demonic Cult disciples. Seeing the sight of his throat cut by a single sword strike, everyone fell silent in alarm.
Qiu Buping soon learned of the matter as well. He rushed over in a fury, shoved aside the crowd, and strode forward.
"Who did this?!"
Qiu Buping angrily grabbed a Demonic Cult disciple at the scene and demanded.
"Sect Leader Qiu, I truly don't know! I had just come out to relieve myself when I noticed some movement in the grass. I went over to look and found Old Li's body."
The Demonic Cult disciple trembled all over in fright as he stammered out an explanation to Qiu Buping.
"You don't know? Then who does?!"
Qiu Buping flung the disciple away, sending him flying several meters into a tree. The disciple spat blood and fainted. Qiu Buping swept his gaze over the surrounding disciples and roared, "Whoever has clues, speak up! If anyone knows something and fails to report it, you all know what I'm capable of."
"Sect Leader Qiu, I think I know something!"
Another disciple stepped forward and spoke to Qiu Buping.
"Speak!"
"Before Old Li went out earlier, I know someone else went out as well. It was Old Chong, his fellow disciple. Now Old Li is dead, yet Old Chong is nowhere to be seen. Could they have turned their blades on each other?"
Remembering that Old Chong and Old Li had gone out one after the other, and that Old Li had died while Old Chong was missing, the disciple shared his speculation with everyone.
"Is that so?"
Qiu Buping found it somewhat plausible after hearing this.
"Stop what you're doing. All of you, go find Old Chong. Even if you have to dig three feet into the ground, you must find that brat!"
On his territory, only Qiu Buping had the right to kill. No one else could take lives without his permission. Every one of these people was valuable labor.
"Yes!"
The crowd scattered, each going off to search for Old Chong.
Before long, someone came running back, drenched in sweat. He stopped before Qiu Buping and said in panic, "Sect Leader Qiu, we found Old Chong!"
"Where is he? Bring that brat here! I want to see who gave him the nerve to kill a fellow disciple on my territory."
"Sect Leader Qiu, we found him, but he's dead too!"
Before you continue