Growing Influence

After leaving the stone valley, Li Qingyun quietly returned to the Eastern Desolation Domain Temple from the Mother River.

In truth, it could hardly be called "quiet" anymore.

The moment he left the Eastern Desolation, he was already within the sight of the Prefectural Temple.

Having attained the Nose Connection Fruit Position, Li Qingyun knew full well that his previous thoughts of covert travel had been sheer self-delusion.

If someone of a high enough rank, such as Limò, held a grudge against you and kept a constant eye on you, all so-called "secrecy" was self-deception.

Just like Saint Venerable Limò in the Prefectural Temple; if he were to suddenly leave the Central Earth, Li Qingyun would instantly feel it.

For on the nose-connecting mystical "olfactory map," especially when so close, could one not notice the sudden absence of a stench that reeked to the heavens?

The bloody aura on Li Qingyun was extremely faint, and the eerie, rotten stink was barely noticeable. Even if ordinary Dao Lords attained the Nose Connection Fruit, it would be difficult to lock onto his tracks, but Limò was different—a Seven-Fruit Saint Venerable blessed by the Prefectural Temple.

Li Qingyun believed that his trip to the Mother River for several days, both his departure and return, fell entirely within Limò's view.

And the facts proved this true.

During the few days he left the Domain Temple, two or three "wandering Dao Lords" of the fifth and sixth fruit positions had sneaked into the Domain Temple, their motives self-evident.

Yet they all vanished.

When these individuals, believing themselves to be covert, made their way step by step to the Domain Temple's main hall without incident, the hall's doors suddenly closed, and a vast expanse of terrifying bloody binding threads submerged them.

The Merfolk clone guarded the