Returning Home

Li Feng drifted in mid-air, staring blankly at the floating stone tablet above Qingyun Flat: "Yiyuan Sect will be in secluded cultivation for a hundred years. We apologize for any inconvenience." These few characters, radiating a piercing golden light, combined with the Yiyuan Sect's mountain-sealing spell, concealed the tragic reality that the Yiyuan Sect had been annihilated. Li Feng let out a bitter laugh, "Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. When I wipe out someone's entire family, I'll have to learn this trick too." He gritted his teeth, not looking back, and descended to the ground, then fled madly away from the mountain.

"Power, I must have even greater power. I will kill all those damned things."

"Influence, I must possess extremely powerful influence. If our Yiyuan Sect had twenty thousand disciples, how could we have been so easily wiped out? Even if every single one of you were a top expert, if they only sent a few hundred people, how could you possibly defeat them?"

Clenching his fists tightly, Li Feng swore through gritted teeth. He had previously examined the corpses of the Five Elders of Yiyuan and several other Senior Uncles. Qingquanzi and the others had their bones shattered, their Purple Mansions pulverized by magical artifacts; True Person Lingwei was completely naked, her skin noticeably shriveled, clearly having died from having her Yin essence drained; as for Xiao Longzi and the others who were in secluded cultivation, only Xiao Longzi seemed to have self-destructed, splitting his own throat with a sword. The other Senior Uncles had large holes pierced through their Purple Mansions, indicating their Golden Cores and Nascent Souls had been stolen.

The thought of that tragic scene made Li Feng tremble all over, a surge of wicked fire rising from the soles of his feet to his forehead. If he hadn't understood how weak he truly was, if he hadn't known he shouldn't act that way, he would have already charged into the town below the mountain and gone on a killing spree. Of course, this was also thanks to the help of the 'Profound Stone.' Whenever Li Feng was about to lose control and his True Essence surged chaotically within him, the 'Profound Stone' would emit a very faint, yet exceptionally tenacious and cool energy that flowed throughout his body, immediately calming his internal Qi.

Like adding a bowl of cold water to a pot of boiling water, the 'Profound Stone' kept Li Feng's chaotic True Essence at the brink of collapse, yet it never actually collapsed. Li Feng had been in a frenzy on Qingyun Flat for five or six days, with no danger of going mad. Instead, the concentration of his True Essence had significantly increased. It couldn't be denied that this was the effect of the 'Profound Stone,' a rare treasure of heaven and earth.

What Li Feng dared not even imagine was hearing that Zhao Yue'er had been blasted off the cliff by those black-clothed men using Yin Lightning. He had personally witnessed the power of the Yin Lightning the black-clothed men used to destroy Qingyun Flat. It was a silent, terrifying power that could make an entire mountain peak disappear. He couldn't even begin to imagine what would happen to Zhao Yue'er's delicate body after being struck by such Yin Lightning. He couldn't imagine what would happen to Zhao Yue'er after falling from the bottomless cliff, a place even those black-clothed men dared not investigate.

Li Feng roared at the sky, "Hahaha, hahaha, they're all dead, good riddance, they're all dead... I'm finally free... If you have spirits in heaven, watch, watch how I avenge you, watch." Li Feng shook his disheveled hair, laughing madly, his heart filled with brutal, tyrannical arrogance and self-importance for a moment.

But soon, Li Feng collapsed on a rock by the mountain stream and began to weep loudly, "Senior Uncles, Master, you're all gone just like that? What kind of Dao did you cultivate, what kind of longevity did you seek? When they forced their way in, you shattered like rotten eggs... Those guys, I don't even know who they are, I don't know what sect they belong to, how can I get revenge?... I don't even know how to cultivate next, how can I possibly have the ability to get revenge?" In an instant, he fell into complete despair, feeling that his revenge was impossible. Those black-clothed men were too powerful, and he himself was merely a novice Daoist at the early stage of Qi Condensation.

Even with the guidance of the Yiyuan Sect's Daoist Scriptures, it took Xiao Longzi nearly a hundred years of hard work to cultivate a Golden Core, especially the last three years, which were only successful with the powerful effects of the 'One Yuan Pearl.' And Li Feng? He had no idea how to cultivate after the Qi Condensation stage. All the Yiyuan Sect's Daoist Scriptures, magical artifacts, including the 'One Yuan Pearl,' had been plundered by those black-clothed men. Although the Daoist Scriptures within the 'Minor Heavenly Realm' were preserved intact, none of them contained any cultivation methods, only techniques for using True Essence and magical power.

Thus, Li Feng alternated between mad laughter and desperate cries, wandering through the rugged, steep mountains for three days and three nights. He had no idea what he should do now, no idea what he was capable of doing. After witnessing the battle between the so-called Right Saint and Ling Guangzi and Liu Xingzi, Li Feng was acutely aware that he was nothing more than an ant in their presence. How could he possibly seek revenge?

Li Feng did not want to die, so he did not dare to reveal that he was a disciple of the Yiyuan Sect. Especially since, although he had grown up in the marketplace, the marketplace was the marketplace. He had no experience with matters between cultivators, so he couldn't find direction or a way out. Thus, his heart was filled with a fiery rage one moment and a chilling despair the next. Coupled with several days without food or drink, his entire body collapsed weakly by a small grove of trees.

Li Feng let out a bitter laugh, "Dead, it's good that I'm dead, then my heart won't hurt anymore... Sigh, Master, you... you..." Li Feng exhaled a long breath.

With a loud "bang," Li Feng's head was struck by a tree trunk. Li Feng looked up blankly, only to see the monkey king, whom he used to bully, holding a tree trunk and grinning and jumping triumphantly in front of him, as if proud of hitting Li Feng with a stick. Li Feng gave a bitter laugh, "Forget it, I don't want to live anyway, so hit me if you want... you..."

A small white ape hopped over. This little monkey, appearing to be only about a year old, suddenly pulled a red mountain peach from behind its back and slowly placed it in front of Li Feng. The monkey king scooped up the little monkey with one hand and smiled at Li Feng, tilting its mouth.

Li Feng was stunned. He stared blankly at the red mountain peach in front of him, at the few water droplets and two monkey hairs on the peach. It was as if a bell chimed in his heart. The 'Profound Stone' appropriately emitted a large amount of cool energy, circulating ceaselessly within Li Feng's body. Li Feng suddenly realized: "No matter what, I have to survive first. As long as I can survive, I will have countless opportunities. Whether I get revenge or not, as long as I can survive, Master and the others will be happy, right?"

Li Feng let out three loud laughs, rolled over, grabbed the mountain peach, and swallowed it in two bites. Then, he respectfully knelt before the little monkey and performed three kowtows. After that, Li Feng jumped up and loudly chanted: "The Dao is empty, yet its use is inexhaustible. It is profound, like the ancestor of all things. It blunts the sharp, untangles the confused, harmonizes the light, and mingles with the dust. It is deep, as if it exists. I know not whose child it is, but it preceded the Emperor." With his hair disheveled, his feet bare, and wearing a tattered green Daoist robe, Li Feng clapped his hands and loudly chanted the Daoist verses. Finally, he glanced in the direction of Qingyun Flat and truly walked out of Mount Hua.

A group of monkeys stared blankly at the seemingly deranged Li Feng, chattering and jumping for a long time before climbing the cliff and disappearing.

Li Feng touched the Universe Bag at his waist, then sensed the Vermilion Bird Crescent, Cold Sparrow sword, Heavenly Escape Talisman, and other magical artifacts that had merged with his body. Feeling that there was nothing on him that would attract attention, he confidently walked out of the Mount Hua mountain area and reached the foot of the main peak. He muttered to himself, "To Suzhou Prefecture, damn it, to Suzhou Prefecture, I must go to Suzhou Prefecture... I wonder if A Zhu and the others are alright? I hope they weren't killed by Old Tou'er and the others that night?"

At the foot of Mount Hua's main peak, a line of arrogant Mount Hua disciples was shouting and ordering hundreds of young people: "Stand properly, stand properly, don't break the order. Everyone gets a number tag, and Senior Brothers will lead you in later. As long as your physical fitness is up to par, you'll have a chance to join our Mount Hua Sect... Ah, after joining our Mount Hua Sect and learning our invincible martial arts, you can bring honor to your ancestors."

A particularly large Mount Hua disciple was boasting loudly: "Exactly! Especially our Sect Master, he's already made arrangements with the current imperial court. Each year, they'll select a group of outstanding disciples to become instructors in the Imperial Guard. Ha, glory and wealth are within reach. Boys, you must work hard... An instructor in the Imperial Guard is a fifth-rank military official. Bringing honor to your ancestors, bringing honor to your ancestors! It all depends on whether you have the fortune. Hey, just think about it, our Mount Hua Sect is not some low-class gang in the martial arts world. We have people, we have power."

Li Feng stood nearby like a ghost, observing the scene, his mind racing with thoughts: "Imperial court? Damn it, that's the place where the Emperor manages the world, right? They have power? But can they deal with those black-clothed men?" Li Feng frowned and shook his head slightly, "No, even ten thousand soldiers couldn't kill that Right Saint... Master said that martial artists, after working hard their whole lives, can at most reach the Qi Condensation stage. Qi Condensation, that's just about my current level. Ten thousand of me couldn't kill that Right Saint."

As Li Feng was contemplating, a Mount Hua disciple swaggered over, looked disdainfully at Li Feng, who looked like a beggar, and glanced at his Daoist robe, the material and style of which were indistinguishable. He shook his head and said, "Hey, someone like this comes to our Mount Hua to seek apprenticeship? ... Hey, kid, what are you looking at here? If you want to seek apprenticeship at our Mount Hua, then honestly go and queue up. You don't look like you're from a wealthy family, but it's okay. Although each disciple has to pay a hundred taels of silver each year, as long as you work hard on the mountain and do more chores, you can offset this silver. How about it? Hurry up and queue up."

Li Feng shook his head, "I'm not here to seek apprenticeship at your Mount Hua. Mount Hua isn't yours, is it? Can't I just watch the excitement?"

Hearing Li Feng's tone, the Mount Hua disciple instinctively felt that Li Feng was insulting his revered sect. So, he immediately placed his large hand on Li Feng's shoulder and shouted, "Kid, what did you say? Watching the excitement? Our Mount Hua Sect is recruiting disciples, and you're watching the excitement? What excitement is there to watch? Mount Hua truly belongs to our Mount Hua Sect, don't you agree?... Damn it, get out of my way." With that, he exerted force with his hand and shoved Li Feng backward with all his might.

Li Feng stumbled a step back. He shot the Mount Hua disciple a sideways glance, sneering inwardly, "Hmph, if your Mount Hua Sect didn't have so little profit now, I'd strip off your underwear tonight... Forget it, forget it. Perhaps those black-clothed men still have informants near the Mount Hua Sect. I don't have time to bother with you... Hmm, hey, why do I look like this?"

Looking down at himself, Li Feng finally noticed his miserable state. The soles of his feet were black, his palms were pitch black, the front hem of his green Daoist robe was gone, his pants were full of holes, and a clump of animal fur was stuck to them. Especially the green fabric, it looked faded to a grayish-brown. Li Feng gave a self-deprecating smile, shook his head, wiped his hands on his collar, nodded at the Mount Hua disciple, and turned to leave.

The Mount Hua disciple was stunned for a moment, then spat a mouthful of phlegm forcefully onto the ground and cursed, "Damn, what a coward... Hmph, but with my physique, it's no wonder he didn't dare to confront me." He proudly tilted his head and returned to his line of fellow disciples, quite pleased with himself for bullying a beggar.

Li Feng sighed softly, "Damn, I look too pathetic. I should go to Xi'an Prefecture to tidy myself up, and then head back to Suzhou... Sigh, where can I find Daoist Scriptures for cultivating a Golden Core? I can't stay at the Qi Condensation stage forever... However, judging by Master's tone, it seems that by continuously compressing one's True Essence, Misty Violet Qi will naturally be generated? But how can Misty Violet Qi ascend to the Purple Mansion and form a Golden Core? That's the question. I hope I don't explode myself while cultivating, that would be terrible."

Li Feng chuckled softly, feeling much lighter in his heart. He shook his head vigorously, as if trying to forget everything, and then strode towards Xi'an Prefecture city.

This year, Li Feng had spent nearly six years in the Yiyuan Sect. When he was taken away from Suzhou Prefecture by Xiao Longzi, it was the blazing hot June. Now, it was late autumn. The autumn wind rose, stirring up grass clippings and fallen leaves, scattering them onto Li Feng. A dim yellow sun hung weakly in the sky, illuminating Li Feng's solitary figure as he walked. A flock of migrating geese cried out in the sky, accompanying Li Feng's loud singing: "The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao..."

In Xi'an Prefecture, inside a clothing shop, Li Feng loudly berated the owner: "I don't care about all that. This is gold, understand? Gold! As long as you prepare a few sets of clothes that fit me within an hour, this gold ingot is yours... I'm going to the post station to rent a carriage. Don't you dare tell me that there's not enough time to rush the work. I'll be back for the clothes in an hour."

Li Feng threw the gold ingot in front of the shopkeeper and strode out, hissing coldly, "Damn, if I don't show you some authority, you'll think I'm easy to bully?" This was a skill Li Feng had learned from the ruffians. If you wanted people to work diligently for you, you had to use both kindness and authority, otherwise, it was difficult to get any benefits. He secretly looked back at the clothing shop owner. As expected, after biting the gold ingot with his teeth, the owner, with a smile on his face, began to greet his employees and busily worked according to the measurements he had just taken from Li Feng.

Li Feng didn't want to linger in Xi'an Prefecture any longer. He just wanted to escape the painful memories of Mount Hua as quickly as possible. If he hadn't been lost, if he hadn't known how to get to Suzhou Prefecture from the clouds, and if he hadn't been afraid of encountering cultivators in the sky, he would have already flown away using the power of the 'Vermilion Bird Crescent.' It was a strange psychological scar. Because of the relationship with the Black God Daoist of the Emei Sect and those black-clothed men, Li Feng currently didn't dare to trust any cultivator. He was terrified of encountering them.

At the post station, the shopkeeper looked at Li Feng listlessly and shook his head, "Guest, the regulations have changed. If you want to go to another place, you must obtain a travel permit from the local yamen. Without a travel permit, you won't get a hundred miles, and we post stations dare not carry guests without travel permits. Sir, even if you want to go to Suzhou Prefecture, we can arrange ten carriages for you, but you still need to show us the travel permit..."

Li Feng was stunned and asked, "Wasn't there no such rule before?"

The shopkeeper rolled his eyes and shook his head, "The current Emperor wants to control refugees and bandits, so he strictly forbids civilians from leaving their registered place of residence by more than a hundred miles. If you want to travel far, you must register with the yamen and obtain a travel permit. Otherwise, all local yamens have the right to arrest you and imprison you. This is not a trivial matter, Sir. You should go to the yamen and inquire."

Li Feng nodded, and another gold ingot was placed on the table: "Alright, I'll get the travel permit. You get me the best carriage and the best driver. Money is not an issue for me. As long as you serve me comfortably, what is money?" Li Feng muttered inwardly, "Anyway, this is all the money of the people of Xi'an Prefecture, I don't feel bad about it."

Two hours later, having changed into a set of green warrior attire and holding a travel permit obtained through a hefty bribe, Li Feng, full of novelty, boarded a beautifully exteriored carriage. He took one last look in the direction of Mount Hua and ordered the driver to charge out of Xi'an Prefecture as quickly as possible.

Li Feng muttered to himself, "Forget it, let it be... I have to survive first. If I die, everything else is finished, what's the point of revenge?... Brother, run faster, it's been six years since I went home."

The driver responded heartily. With a crack of his whip in the air, the carriage immediately picked up speed. As the carriage passed, fallen leaves and withered grass swirled up, then gently settled back onto the ground