Following the Vine to the Melon, Sweeping Them All Up in One Net (Two-in-One)

Seeing that Ning Qi was fully prepared, Daoist Longshan was immediately relieved, and then solemnly said:

"That's good. Then let's go down the mountain together, master and disciple, and work together to wipe out these scourges in one fell swoop!"

But Ning Qi slowly shook his head and said:

"No, I am enough. Master, you stay at True Martial Mountain."

The Daoist Longshan was immediately taken aback.

Ning Qi explained with a smile:

"If Master and I were together, wouldn't True Martial Mountain be left unguarded? Although the Demon Sect is currently dormant, it would be better to have a Celestial Person Realm expert guarding True Martial Mountain just in case. Besides, we don't know if those Southern Frontier forces will risk coming up the mountain again."

"Moreover, the best way to track down the top assassin 'Lei' isn't necessarily to have more people. The key is to thoroughly investigate his trail. I know some tracking and shapeshifting techniques, so I can be more agile by myself."

There was something else he didn't say.

If Ning Qi's current strength is insufficient to accomplish this task, then having another Daoist Longshan would be of no use.

Even if he were to encounter an invincible enemy, Ning Qi could still escape using various means. However, if Daoist Longshan were present, he might have to fight to the death. Therefore, going alone was actually the best option for him.

Daoist Longshan hesitated slightly. Ning Qi's words made some sense, but he had already promised Ning Qi a long time ago that he would help him destroy the Blood Rain Tower.

Of course, most importantly, he was worried about Ning Qi being in danger.

"Although Little Nine's strength has now surpassed mine, if I go with you, we can at least have someone to look after us. Most of the time, the forces in the Southern Frontier have a Celestial Person Realm expert behind them." He was still a little worried.

Ning Qi simply smiled.

The next moment.

The Jade Liquid sea within their bodies trembled, and Gang Qi vibrated, swirling around the two of them.

Longshan Dao's expression changed slightly. He immediately mobilized the power of heaven and earth to resist the oppressive feeling, but no matter how hard he tried, the terrifying Gang Qi around him remained strong, giving him an unfathomable feeling.

Even after he had given it his all, Ning Qi remained calm and composed.

Daoist Longshan finally smiled wryly and waved his hand:

"Alright, alright, Little Nine, just be careful."

He felt both bitter and proud.

Last year, he used the power of heaven and earth to measure Ning Qi's strength, but now Ning Qi is using his own Gang Qi to measure the strength of his power of heaven and earth. The roles have changed so quickly that he was caught off guard.

He understood.

Given his disciple's current strength, if he were to force himself to go with him, he would not only be of little help, but might even become a hindrance.

Thinking about it that way...

Daoist Longshan then ceased to be persistent, just as Ning Qi had said, his presence at True Martial Mountain would make True Martial Mountain even safer.

Ning Qi nodded with a smile:

"Don't worry, Master, I value my life more than anyone else."

The Daoist Longshan said another sentence:

"If it's convenient, let's also kill the murderers who destroyed the Divine Sword Sect. That would be a way to give Brother Divine Sword some closure in heaven."

Ning Qi nodded solemnly.

That was his original plan.

The next day.

Ning Qi claimed to be in seclusion, but in reality, he quietly went down the mountain, and no one except the Daoist Longshan knew about it.

now.

Ning Qi transformed into a middle-aged man dressed in black. He walked on the bluestone street, feeling the people coming and going and the lively atmosphere, and couldn't help but sigh.

He has been in this world for nine years.

Strictly speaking, this was the first time he had ever been so far from True Martial Mountain; the farthest he had ever been before was True Martial City.

However, it was only novel at first.

After circling around a few more times, Ning Qi felt that it was nothing special. He would not waver in his Dao heart just because he saw the prosperity of the world. This time, he went down the mountain only to settle the old matter from nine years ago.

Having identified the direction of Canghe Prefecture City, Ning Qi took to the air and disappeared unnoticed.

Canghe Prefecture City.

It is a well-known prefecture city in Qingzhou, and its prosperity ranks among the top five in Qingzhou. The forces within it are deeply intertwined. In addition to the government, there are several first-class forces, one of which is the Iron Fist Gang.

Ning Qi found an inn and sat down. He looked ordinary and his aura wasn't strong, so he hardly attracted any attention.

Ning Qi casually ordered a few side dishes, sensing the movements around him and trying to gather the information he needed.

"Hey, have you heard? The Iron Fist Sect's Grand Elder's son was kidnapped by the Black Wind Bandits. This man, who had a son late in life, cherished him dearly, only to have him raped and killed..."

"Is this true? Won't those two families start fighting?"

"That's right. It's said that the two sides sat down to talk several times, but all the talks ended inconclusively, and eventually, they got angry. The Iron Fist Sect has already declared that they will exterminate the Black Wind Bandits and reduce them to ashes!"

"With Black Wind Bandits in such a treacherous place as Black Wind Mountain, they probably won't be so easy to wipe out, will they?"

Ning Qi listened, somewhat surprised.

Unexpectedly, only two or three days have passed, and the clash between the two first-rate powers has already become public knowledge.

It's obvious.

Someone is fanning the flames.

This likely involves open and covert power struggles between certain forces, and there's even a possibility that the Demon Sect and the government might be involved.

But Ning Qi didn't care. With his current strength, a fight between a group of the Gang Essence Realm was like child's play.

The Great Flame was vast.

The Celestial Person Realm is not so easy to attain.

"Since that 'Lei's' target is the leader of the Black Wind Bandits, then I'll just wait for him there."

Ning Qi's idea was simple.

Once you see the "thunder," the rest is easy.

His Soul-Seizing Eye Technique has now advanced further, and with the support of the power of heaven and earth, he is able to extract a great deal of information. He doesn't think that this "Lei" would normally carry a Gu worm like the one that the woman used to commit suicide last time. Otherwise, if he accidentally encountered Celestial Person Realm expert, wouldn't he be completely helpless?

No one would be that stupid; such equipment would only be provided for extremely dangerous missions with a high probability of death.

Ning Qi wasn't in a hurry.

Silently experiencing the prosperity of Canghe Prefecture.

It's a rare opportunity to descend the mountain, and although I won't linger, a careful experience can change my State of Mind and even offer a different kind of inspiration for enlightenment.

In the blink of an eye.

Another four days have passed.

Ning Qi silently headed towards Black Wind Mountain.

He hadn't been idle these past few days; he had secretly figured out the terrain of Black Wind Mountain.

It's late at night.

He changed his form and concealed his presence like a ghost, descending from the treacherous cliff behind him. He released his senses, waited quietly, and remained calm.

Not long after.

Suddenly, shouts of battle erupted in the night sky.

"You old dog Zhao, give me back my son's life!"

A loud shout filled with grief, indignation, and rage drew back the curtain on the night battle.

A hearty laugh rang out:

"Tsk tsk tsk, your son is indeed quite a treat. My brothers and I played with him for three days and three nights, and he's even more tender than the courtesans of Snow Flower Pavilion. What a pity, what a pity! If only he could last a little longer, maybe you could have seen him for yourself, Old Man Sun!"

Numerous unrestrained bursts of laughter rose and fell.

One after another, fierce warriors charged out.

New and old grudges, entangled interests.

The two forces are engaged in fierce combat in this perilous place, and there are other forces as well, placing bets on it.

in.

The majority of warriors are at the Body Tempering Realm, while those at the Inner Essence Realm form the backbone. A very small number of warriors at the Gang Essence Realm will determine the final outcome of the Battlefield.

Ning Qi simply stood in the shadows and watched quietly, his presence unnoticed by anyone.

With his current strength, watching this extremely dangerous battle unfold is like watching children play house; it feels like a max-level player running rampant in a newbie village.

He was waiting for "Thunder" to appear.

Currently, the difference in strength between the two sides is not significant; only the appearance of assassins from the Blood Rain Tower can deliver the final blow.

The fighting intensified.

Ning Qi was very patient.

Suddenly.

He raised an eyebrow and stared at the most intense Battlefield, where the Iron Fist Sect Master and the Black Wind Bandit Leader were locked in combat. In the shadows, a figure was silently approaching, unnoticed by anyone except Ning Qi.

"They're here!"

The Ning Qi had just crossed Ning Qi's mind.

murderous intent suddenly appeared in the shadows, and a long sword, as swift as lightning, pierced towards the leader.

The Iron Fist Sect leader also seized the opportunity to unleash his full power.

This two-pronged approach...

In just a short moment, the leader of the Black Wind Bandits was already dead.

The Black Wind Bandits were all terrified; this sudden turn of events threw them into complete panic.

The outcome was predictable.

With two more experts at the Gang Essence Realm added, another group of fresh troops dressed in black rushed out, and what followed was a one-sided massacre.

The screams were incessant.

Not long after.

The fighting has completely ceased.

Everyone in the Iron Fist Clan cheered.

However, the sect leader and the Grand Elder looked at the chilling black-clad assassins with a hint of apprehension in their eyes:

"Many thanks to Lord Lei for his help! You truly deserve to be called the renowned Blood Rain Tower's top assassin in Qingzhou. I admire you!"

Lei's voice betrayed no emotion; he simply said calmly:

Just do as we agreed beforehand.

The Iron Fist Sect Master nodded, feeling a pang of regret; hiring a top assassin from the Blood Rain Tower would come at a considerable price.

"Clear."

Moments later, the spoils were all seized.

After everyone from the Iron Fist Clan left, a great fire rose up on Black Wind Mountain when they reached the foot of the mountain.

The Grand Elder was puzzled:

"Why is Blood Rain Tower setting fire to this place? Isn't he after Black Wind Mountain?"

The Iron Fist Sect gazed deeply at the mountain:

"Why bother with all this? The more you know, the faster you'll die. I should deal with these people less in the future; I always feel there's something sinister about them."

On Black Wind Mountain.

The fire was raging.

However, contrary to what the Iron Fist Clan members thought—that everything had been reduced to ashes—the corpses of the martial artists were neatly stacked together.

Lei stared intently at the numerous corpses, feeling exceptionally pleased.

Among these are two or three corpses of the Gang Essence Realm, one of whom even reached the Yuan Pill Realm, indicating they are of very high quality.

Ever since discovering that someone was secretly investigating them, Blood Rain Tower has been acting cautiously, only looking for small gains. Now, they've finally found an opportunity to take a big bite!

"The timid starve, the bold thrive. This time, we've achieved great merit; the blood pool is enough to supply the Blood King Gu with another round of absorption. Those useless trash have nothing to say. They couldn't even destroy the Divine Sword Sect, yet they complain about us. They don't deserve it!"

Lei felt a little disdainful.

This time, taking advantage of the conflict between the two major forces, they secretly switched the bodies and brought them back without anyone noticing. A large fire would be enough to completely erase all traces, and since this was a normal conflict between martial arts sects, no one would suspect anything.

He gave the order in a deep voice:

"Take these bodies back!"

"Yes, Lord Lei!"

One by one, the assassins in black began their operation. The corpses had already been stabbed, so they were quite at ease.

The prepared vehicle carried the corpses away.

They just didn't know that.

In the shadows, a calm gaze had been watching them.

Ning Qi's expression was somewhat amused.

He originally planned to capture Lei directly, then use his eye technique to interrogate him before heading straight for their lair.

But now, he has a better idea.

Lei sat in the carriage, closing his eyes to rest.

The killing spree had taken its toll on him, and for some reason, he felt unsettled, though he couldn't pinpoint the source of his unease.

"Where are we?" he asked in a deep voice.

A respectful voice came from outside the carriage:

"Sir, we'll arrive at the stronghold in about an hour."

Lei took a deep breath.

Step out of the carriage.

He felt he needed to relax his tense mind.

"Take a break, and check if any of the corpses are still alive."

That's all.

He walked alone into the dense forest.

As soon as he entered the dense forest, his eyes changed. Hiding in the shadows, his sharp gaze swept across the busy men in black, while also constantly sensing his surroundings. He trusted his intuition and was certain he was right.

If someone is indeed secretly spying on us.

They either disguised themselves as corpses, mingled with the group, or were secretly following them.

He knew perfectly well that someone had been secretly investigating them recently, and he couldn't be too careful.

But after watching for a moment...

He found nothing, which made him somewhat puzzled.

"Could it be that I was just imagining things?" The thought had just crossed Lei's mind when his pupils suddenly contracted.

A series of faint sounds entered his ears:

"Are you... looking for me?"

Lei was instantly terrified, a chill running down his spine, but he could no longer utter a sound. A large hand gripped his neck, and terrifying pressure enveloped every inch of his flesh and blood. He could even hear the groans of his own bones.

No matter how vigilant he was, he couldn't escape the devastating attack.

Ning Qi is so well-rounded.

Ning Qi stared at the fierce-looking middle-aged man before him, his gaze as deep and unfathomable as a still pool.

Look me in the eyes.

A moment later.

Lei emerged from the dense forest once more.

The group of men in black respectfully said:

"Sir, the examination is complete, there are no problems."

Lei nodded slightly.

Get into the carriage.

When the carriage curtain was lowered, Lei's eyes became somewhat strange. No one knew that the real Lei had died in the dense forest without leaving a trace, and the current Lei was Ning Qi in disguise.

With his mastery of the Form-Shifting and Bone-Transforming Technique, even those who spent every day with Lei could not find the slightest flaw.

Just now in the dense forest.

Having prepared in advance, Ning Qi used his pupil technique to ask many questions he wanted to know. Based on his previous experience questioning the alluring woman, Ning Qi cleverly avoided asking some questions this time.

Now that he knows information such as various handover codes, organizational structure, and whether there are experts behind the scenes, it is enough for him to temporarily impersonate Lei's identity.

This is Ning Qi's new idea.

If they were to be killed one by one, there would inevitably be some who slipped through the net. These people don't usually gather in one place, and if that "Lord Feng" gets wind of it and escapes, it will be troublesome to find him again.

But if someone has the identity of Lei, they can find a pretext to bring everyone together.

At that time.

To catch them all in one fell swoop, wouldn't that be wonderful?

To avoid wasting time.

According to Lei, there are roughly two groups in Qingzhou: the Blood Rain Tower and the nameless force. Above them are two experts at the Celestial Person Realm, one called Elder Fat and the other Elder Thin.

"Each of these two elders, one fat and one thin, possesses a Blood King Gu. Usually, when they have a great harvest, they will ask one of the elders to bring the Blood King Gu with them."

"It seems only these two know the exact purpose of this Blood King Gu."

Ning Qi's eyes flickered.

He felt that this Blood King Gu might be of great use to him, and could be used to replace the relic in alchemy. This was not just speculation, but something he could tell from the way the Blood King Gu was cultivated.

"Gu worms cultivated by absorbing the essence of human blood must contain extremely abundant life force."

Ning Qi's interest grew even stronger.

If he could obtain these two Blood King Gu, it might significantly shorten the time it would take him to advance to the Yuan Pill stage.

Since he was already here, Ning Qi wasn't going to miss the opportunity; it was something he could do on the side while getting revenge.

"That fat elder seems a bit weak. Let's use this harvest to invite him over first, and then invite everyone else over in his name!"

"Otherwise, it would be rather abrupt for Lei, given his status, to directly summon other people."

Ning Qi had a plan in mind.

The convoy moved forward quickly.

One hour later.

They had already arrived at the stronghold.

The stronghold was located in a very secluded valley, heavily guarded in the shadows. The convoy full of corpses was subjected to a thorough search, and even Ning Qi was checked.

However, Ning Qi's Form-Shifting and Bone-Changing Technique was so advanced that no one could detect any clues.

We entered the valley.

The group then carried the body into the underground palace.

Then we arrived at the deepest part of the underground palace.

Looking at the pool of blood before him, Ning Qi felt a surge of killing intent.

It's hard to imagine how many people died.

The Black Wind Bandits may not care about burning, killing, and looting, but most of them are probably innocent people.

Within the pool of blood.

The smell of blood was pungent. In addition to human blood, many precious medicinal herbs were also added. Ning Qi could identify several of them with just a slight sniff. He watched as corpses were thrown into the blood pool, bubbling and dissolving, looking particularly eerie.

As powerful martial artist corpses were thrown into the blood pool, the eerie aura of life within it grew increasingly intense, eventually transforming the pool into a crystal-clear one.

It seems that it has already reached some kind of limit.

Several trusted confidants around him knelt down and shouted in unison:

"Congratulations, sir! Congratulations! This success will surely bring you a generous reward from the two elders!"

Ning Qi laughed and waved:

"Someone, quickly send a message to the fat elder!"

There was a hint of expectation in his eyes.

Located at the outpost.

Ning Qi was alone.

Even with the Form-Shifting and Bone-Changing Technique, there's still the possibility of saying too much and making a mistake.

He waited silently for the fat elder to arrive.

The blood pool reaching its limit is a normal process, and the fat elder wouldn't have any doubts.

One day later.

A figure descended from above the stronghold, stepping through the air.

The figure stood with his hands behind his back, a fat head and large ears, fair skin, and a certain arrogance in his eyes. Ning Qi had already been waiting here with a group of subordinates. He secretly sized up this fat elder, sensing his aura.

"He's just an ordinary Celestial Person Realm; his strength is probably only around the level of the Carefree Monarch."

While his mind raced with thoughts, his hands moved swiftly.

"We have come to greet Elder Fat!"

The fat elder snorted lightly in response, his gaze lingering on Ning Qi before finally offering a word of praise:

"Lei, you've done well. If you keep it up, I recommend you become the master of the Blood Rain Tower."

The position of leader of the Blood Rain Tower has remained vacant since its founding, making it the object of great envy for the four top assassins.

Ning Qi feigned ecstatic joy while trying his best to restrain himself:

Serving the elders is our duty; we dare not hope for anything more!

The fat elder waved his hand casually:

"Take me to the Blood Pool."

Ning Qi quickly led the way.

Once inside the blood pool at the deepest part of the underground palace, everyone else respectfully withdrew, the gate was closed, and only Ning Qi and the fat elder remained.

This is the usual practice. Others only know that they need to collect blood from the pool, but they don't know what the blood pool is used for. Only core Yuan Pill Realm experts know about the existence of the Blood King Gu.

The fat elder gazed at the blood pool before him, its eerie vitality reaching an extreme, his eyes burning with fervor.

"Good! Well done! You're much better than those good-for-nothings like Zhao Dong!"

He didn't hold back his praise.

Ning Qi quickly responded with compliments.

then.

He saw the fat elder carefully take out a bamboo tube from his robes. The bamboo tube was no ordinary tube; it was as white as purple jade and seemed to have a nurturing effect.

The fat elder muttered incantations at an astonishing speed, not in the official language of the Great Flame Dynasty.

Ning Qi's spirits lifted, and he listened carefully to the changes in the man's syllables, paying even more attention to the fluctuations in his aura. He seemed to have an epiphany; this should be the art of controlling Gu poison, which was not difficult.

Then a blood-red Gu worm lazily crawled out of the purple jade bamboo tube.

He saw it clearly.

The worm was only about the size of an adult's thumb, its body was like blood-red agate, and its back had strange patterns that looked like eyes. It also had three pairs of transparent wings on its back, but the last pair of wings looked weak and small.

"This is the Blood King Gu?"

The moment the Blood King Gu appeared, its abundant life force immediately caught Ning Qi's eye.

He knew his guess was right; this was definitely an excellent substitute for relics, and even more effective than relics.

at this time.

After the originally languid Blood King Gu appeared, it seemed to be attracted by the evil vitality in the blood pool and immediately became active.

With a flap of its wings, it landed in the pool of blood.

Then delve deeper into it.

Ning Qi could sense that the original malevolent life force within the blood pool was weakening at a visible rate, being absorbed by the Blood King Gu. Although he couldn't see the Blood King Gu, Ning Qi could feel that the life force within it was rapidly growing stronger, and even that a certain power was undergoing a qualitative change—that was the fluctuation of the power of heaven and earth.

"This Blood King Gu seems to have a filtering and purifying effect?"

Ning Qi had already vaguely understood the purpose of the Blood King Gu.

If the Blood King Gu matures, it will likely be a supreme treasure capable of enabling someone to break through to the Celestial Person Realm.