Parting Ways

"What happened in Qingzhu County? The Five Yang Sect isn't as strong as the Thunder Blade Sect, so why did they dare attack them?" Lu Xiaotian asked after bringing Zhou Lie, Shi Qingshan, and their group to safety.

"It's a long story, it probably started half a year ago at the Martial Arts Convention in Pingwu County City. I heard that the Holy Envoy of the Black Iron Token went missing while pursuing an enemy and never returned. The people behind the Black Iron Token were furious and reprimanded all the sects that had entered Pingwu County City at the time. They mobilized all the forces of the martial arts sects to search for the suspect, but they never found anyone. Then, two months ago, the Four Seas Gang, and even the most powerful Iron Palm Sect, were successively massacred. Rumor has it that the Immortals behind the Black Iron Token are manipulating the situation, and now it's our Thunder Blade Sect's turn."

"Thousands of disciples in the Thunder Blade Sect were mostly slaughtered by the encirclement and attack of the Five Yang Sect, the Seven Poisons Sect, and other factions. I fought desperately to lead these people out of the siege. If not for your help, brother, I'm afraid even we wouldn't have survived. But we're just barely hanging on; now the entire martial arts world is hunting us."

Zhou Lie's face turned pale with sorrow. The massacre of the Thunder Blade Sect, and the rumored cultivators behind the Black Iron Token, felt like an insurmountable mountain, crushing their chests.

Situ Yong actually took his anger out on these secular martial artists; it was truly shameless. The Thunder Blade Sect alone had thousands of disciples. This bloody purge would likely result in over a hundred thousand deaths in this chaotic battle.

"This matter will be resolved, but your situation is very dangerous. Go into the deep mountains and hide for a while. Shi Qingshan, come with me." Lu Xiaotian had nothing else to say at the moment. He spoke to Shi Qingshan and walked off to the side alone.

"Senior Brother Shi!" the white-clothed girl nervously tugged at Shi Qingshan.

"It's alright. If they had any ill intentions, we would have been beheaded long ago." Shi Qingshan patted the white-clothed girl and, clutching his wound, followed closely behind Lu Xiaotian.

"May I ask what instructions Senior has?" When they reached a secluded spot, the black-clothed man in front stopped. Shi Qingshan endured his injuries and bowed to Lu Xiaotian.

"Brother Shi calls me Senior, but I can't accept that." Lu Xiaotian removed his disguise and turned around.

"Xiao, Xiaotian, it's you? I thought you were eaten by wild beasts in the back mountains back then. Where have you been for the past two years?" Shi Qingshan's expression shifted from disbelief to ecstatic joy.

"A lot has happened in between; it's hard to explain in a few words. I'll be leaving Liangzhou soon. Take this bottle of healing medicine; it works very well. I don't know if I'll have another chance to return, so use it sparingly; once it's gone, it's gone."

Lu Xiaotian took a bottle of healing medicine from his storage bag and tossed it to Shi Qingshan. He had used this medicine before; it could heal even magical spell damage very quickly. It should be even more effective for the sword and blade wounds of secular martial artists. He truly had no confidence that he would be able to return after going to Moon Gazing Immortal City this time. However, no matter how dangerous the path of cultivation, he would steadfastly follow it.

"What? Where are you going? With your current skills, is there anyone who can threaten you?" Shi Qingshan asked, utterly confused. He had personally witnessed the one-eyed man who had injured his master being killed by Lu Xiaotian in less than one move. Such strength was beyond his imagination. Shi Qingshan couldn't think of anyone who could kill Lu Xiaotian. Lu Xiaotian had only been missing for just over two years, yet he had become incredibly powerful to such an unbelievable realm.

"Peerless Martial Artists are not the limit of human potential. The people hidden behind the Black Iron Token far surpass Peerless Martial Artists," Lu Xiaotian said, shaking his head.

Shi Qingshan's eyes widened. "You, you mean cultivators?"

"Just knowing this is enough. Do not speak of it, or it will bring you disaster," Lu Xiaotian warned.

"Senior Brother Shi!" After a while, Zhou Lie, the white-clothed girl, and the others, worried about Shi Qingshan, came looking for him. They breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing him.

"Where did that expert who saved us go?" Zhou Lie couldn't help but ask.

"He had other matters and has already left." Shi Qingshan sighed, praying inwardly that Lu Xiaotian would return someday. Although Lu Xiaotian's skills were already unbelievably high for him, Shi Qingshan could still sense his helplessness from Lu Xiaotian's expression. Perhaps the battles between cultivators were even more brutal.

"Master, this is the healing medicine he left. It's very effective. Let me apply it to you."

Shi Qingshan pulled Zhou Lie aside again and applied a small amount of ointment to his wound. Where the yellowish-white ointment touched, the wound, which had been caused by a sword cut, began to heal at a visible rate.

An explosive force permeated his body from the ointment. After the continuous fierce battles, Zhou Lie was already exhausted both physically and mentally, but after applying the ointment, his body was filled with an even stronger power.

Zhou Lie couldn't help but let out a long, refreshing cry. Afterward, he looked at Shi Qingshan in utter shock. "What, what is this medicine? Its effects are so miraculous."

"I don't know. The senior gave it to me." Shi Qingshan had promised Lu Xiaotian to keep it a secret, even from his master.

Zhou Lie sighed deeply. "I never thought there were truly healing elixirs in this world that could revive the dead and regrow flesh. Let's go. That expert was right; this place is not suitable for a long stay. We need to find a more hidden place to evade this calamity in the martial arts world."

"The remnants of the Thunder Blade Sect are over there, kill them!"

"Stop! How dare you run? Watch this great master slaughter you."

"Scum of the Black Horse Gang, you will all die today!"

At this moment, the entire Qingzhu County was in chaos. Help from nearby counties had also rushed to Qingzhu County to seize territory. With the fall of the Thunder Blade Sect, Qingzhu County became vacant. The bloody battles of the martial artists were so intense that even the thousands of government troops in Qingzhu County dared not get involved, fearing they would be caught in the crossfire.

Many gang members, or hooligans and ruffians, took advantage of the unprecedented chaos to loot, burn, kill, and rape. Lu Xiaotian rode his horse through Qingzhu County City. When he encountered such people, he killed them directly with his sword. He ended up killing no less than two hundred people along the way.

BOOM! A large fireball flew out, killing more than half of the thugs in the entire courtyard. The remaining dozen or so people had fire clinging to them that they couldn't extinguish. They screamed and rolled on the ground before burning to death.

Immediately after, a vine emerged from the ground out of nowhere, entangling and killing several wicked martial artists on the spot.

"Monster! There's a monster!"

The unquenchable strange fire and the suddenly appearing, man-eating grass monsters plunged the county into panic.

Lu Xiaotian removed his disguise. "Listen, anyone holding the Black Iron Token, go back and tell Situ Yong that I killed Situ Jing! If you have the guts, come find me in Moon Gazing City! Giddy up!"

Lu Xiaotian shouted fiercely, and he and Lu Bifeng spurred their horses and galloped out of the city together. It was only because of Situ Jing alone that a calamity had befallen the martial arts world. However, Situ Yong was a cultivator at the Qi Refining Fourth Layer. He seemed only two layers higher than him, but the Fourth Layer of Qi Refining was already the Mid Qi Refining Stage. Compared to cultivators at the Early Qi Refining Stage, there was a qualitative advantage. Furthermore, Situ Jing alone had several Spirit Talismans. As the Tribe Leader, Situ Yong likely had even more Magic Treasures. Lu Xiaotian had no confidence in fighting such a person.

"You're courting death! Is it worth it to do this for a few mortal commoners?" Lu Bifeng was startled by Lu Xiaotian's actions. After leaving the city, she said with a stern face. All the way here, Lu Xiaotian, despite his youth, had always acted cautiously. She didn't understand why Lu Xiaotian would be so foolish this time, practically pushing them both into a fiery pit.

"I have a reason to do this. You can either come with me or we part ways; the choice is yours." Lu Xiaotian's face was neither happy nor sad, revealing no expression.

"I intended to go to Moon Gazing City with you, but you've brought trouble upon yourself. I've met Situ Yong once; he's unfathomable. The power of a Mid Qi Refining Stage cultivator is not something the two of us can resist. I cannot risk this with you. Farewell." Lu Bifeng's expression flickered with indecision. After weighing the risks, she quickly made her decision. She pulled on the reins and galloped her horse in the other direction of the official road, disappearing as a small black dot in the distance moments later.

This was for the best. Knowing the direction of Moon Gazing City, he could go there himself. As for the specific route, he should be able to find out once he reached Da Liang Kingdom. Lu Bifeng knew he had Origin Energy Pills, which were undoubtedly a considerable fortune for an Early Qi Refining Stage cultivator. He had never fully trusted Lu Bifeng. Parting ways would save him some trouble later.

Lu Xiaotian abandoned his horse, turned back, and blended into the chaotic crowd. He sneaked into a civilian house, changed into a green long robe worn by ordinary merchants, and took the family's donkey cart, leaving behind some silver.

A moment later, a young man in his early twenties, with a simple and honest appearance and a hint of panic on his face, drove the donkey cart, seemingly fleeing for his life, along with other people avoiding the martial arts conflict, heading west.