Surging Crowds

(I have only received 63 recommendation votes so far, and fellow reader Soaring Season alone contributed 48 of them. I am deeply grateful. I also thank Morning Listening for the reward, as well as the other readers who voted. Happy National Day.)

"Quick, move faster! If we get there late, forget drinking the soup—we won't even have the northwest wind to drink!" the one-eyed man leading the group urged loudly.

Seven cultivators followed behind the one-eyed man, four men and three women. Lu Xiaotian was startled; the lowest cultivation among them was already the Fourth Layer of Qi Refining. The spiritual pressure of two of them far exceeded his own. They were likely Qi Refining Late Stage cultivators.

"Why are you in such a hurry, Fellow Daoist Ma? That Crystal Toad is a fourth-rank demon beast, equivalent to a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator. It is also hiding in the small lake. Even if others discover it, they can only stare helplessly. I fear we can only wait for the Foundation Establishment seniors from Moonwatch City to take charge," said a short-bladed young man at the fifth layer of Qi Refining as they hurried along.

"What the hell do you know? Ants can bite an elephant to death. A few hundred Qi Refining cultivators may be helpless against that demon beast, but at least a thousand people have gathered near the small lake, and quite a few are Qi Refining Late Stage experts. If they truly steel their hearts, taking down that Crystal Toad would not be impossible. In the Moonwatch Mountains, wherever spiritual treasures grow, demon beasts stand guard. I heard Netherfrost Stone has appeared in that lake. If we arrive too late, some other mad cultivators might snatch it away first," the bearded man snapped.

The group of eight sped past.

"Small lake, Netherfrost Stone, Crystal Toad?" After those people had left, Lu Xiaotian emerged from behind a tree, muttering to himself. Obtaining either Netherfrost Stone or the Crystal Toad would allow one to join the Mystic Ice Sect. No wonder those cultivators were so excited. But the Crystal Toad was already a fourth-rank demon beast, far beyond anything he could covet.

Then a thought struck him. Since over a thousand Rogue Cultivators had already gathered near the small lake, the place was bound to be a motley mix of dragons and snakes. He would not need to worry about anyone deliberately seeking trouble with him. There were also quite a few Qi Refining Late Stage and Great Perfection experts there. It would be a pity to miss such a spectacle—the chance to witness the might of a fourth-rank demon beast. Besides, treasures were limited. Once they appeared, they would likely trigger a frantic scramble. If he mixed into the crowd and fished in troubled waters, he might be able to pick up a few bargains.

Lu Xiaotian's heart stirred, and he hurried in the direction the cultivator party had gone.

Along the way, Lu Xiaotian encountered several groups of people. Each time, he gripped his spirit sword tightly, ready to flee at any moment. One or two groups looked at him suspiciously, but only swept their eyes over him without showing any intention of fighting. Instead, they hurried in the same direction. Lu Xiaotian let out a breath of relief. In this place where fish and dragons mingled, being alone truly gave him the feeling that he might not survive from morning to evening.

After traveling roughly a hundred-odd li, passing through a forest of towering trees and a small valley, the view suddenly opened up before him. A gentle, damp breeze laden with abundant water spiritual qi blew over him, lifting Lu Xiaotian's spirits.

Cultivators filled the surrounding area, packed together in dense masses—far more than the one-eyed man had described. There were likely close to three thousand people already.

A sharp bird cry rang out.

"Flying Roc Elder!"

The cultivators below immediately cried out in alarm.

Lu Xiaotian looked up and saw a yellow roc with a wingspan of more than three zhang circling overhead. Even from dozens of zhang away, he could still feel the wind stirring above his head. The spiritual pressure descending from the sky faintly alarmed him. It was not only the cultivator known as Flying Roc Elder, but also the yellow roc beneath him. It was likely already a peak third-rank spirit beast.

"Flying Roc Old Monster, you have kept your doors shut all year long. How can you have the nerve to come contend with us for spiritual treasures now?" a blue-robed youth below shouted.

"This kid must be some family's greenhorn. He dares question Flying Roc Old Monster—is he courting death?" a middle-aged man beside him said in a low voice.

"What do you know? That is the young master of the Liao Family, someone who usually struts through Moonwatch City sideways. Flying Roc Elder may be formidable, but he has certainly not reached the point of being invincible among Qi Refining cultivators. There are quite a few Qi Refining Great Perfection experts present; they simply are not as ostentatious as Flying Roc Elder. It seems the struggle over these spiritual treasures has become even more shrouded in mist and confusion," another short, plump man argued.

"Who does not know that Flying Roc Elder is famous for his strange temperament? He will not care whether they are some great family or not," the middle-aged man snorted.

"Courting death! This old man comes and goes in the Moonwatch Mountains as he pleases. Do I need to notify you?" Sure enough, Flying Roc Elder atop the yellow roc proved the middle-aged man right. With a flick of his hand, an enormous gale swept down from the sky.

Lu Xiaotian's luck was poor. He stood not far from the blue-robed youth, and as the gale bore down on him, his footing immediately grew unsteady. The blue-robed youth, who bore the brunt of it, hastily activated a spirit talisman and raised a protective barrier. Yet the barrier shattered in an instant beneath the battering wind. The blue-robed youth's face turned deathly pale, while his forehead darkened—a sign that he was about to vomit blood.

Lu Xiaotian was shocked. Flying Roc Elder was actually this powerful. The blue-robed youth was also a Fourth Layer of Qi Refining cultivator, yet a single strike from Flying Roc Elder had left him on the verge of coughing up blood. It was simply too terrifying. Lu Xiaotian had originally thought that, after killing several people in succession, he possessed some skill himself. But only after witnessing Flying Roc Elder make a move did he realize he was a frog at the bottom of a well. Compared with these Qi Refining Great Perfection experts, the gap remained considerable. He would likely need to reach at least the late stage before he had the strength to contend with them.

Just as the middle-aged man had said, this rash blue-robed youth was about to suffer.

"You have cultivated for many years. Is it so impressive to bully a junior?" A deep, imposing voice sounded from behind the blue-robed youth. A middle-aged man with broad brows strolled forward. With a sweep of his wide sleeve, he unleashed a powerful gust.

The air crackled and exploded like muffled thunder rolling through the clouds.

"So it is the Liao Family's patriarch. No wonder these juniors are so arrogant. But this old man did not come today to pick a fight with you. If you have the ability, once this matter is settled, we can measure our strengths!" Flying Roc Elder gave a strange laugh. The great roc traced an arc through the sky and flew to a spot several zhang above a huge boulder beside the small lake. Flying Roc Elder seized the chance to leap down.

Lu Xiaotian swept his gaze over the area around the small lake. A great number of cultivators had already gathered there. There were even dozens of Qi Refining Great Perfection experts like Flying Roc Elder. Just now, they had all watched with the attitude of people enjoying a good show when Flying Roc Elder clashed with the Liao Family. Since no fight broke out, however, quite a few of them were sorely disappointed.

Nearly every Qi Refining Great Perfection expert had dozens of cultivators behind them. Some powerful and wealthy Lineages even had over a hundred people. The Liao Family had also been one of Moonwatch City's artifact-refining Lineages, with formidable strength, but their luck had been poor this time, and few of them had managed to arrive. Among these leaders, Lu Xiaotian spotted an old acquaintance: Long-Brow Old Monster. The people around him seemed very afraid of him, so he appeared to be quite formidable as well.

Within the Moonwatch Mountains, one occasionally encountered great Lineages clearing out areas. Though the unaffiliated Rogue Cultivators were furious, there was nothing they could do. Yet while there were many experts present, there were even more Rogue Cultivators from all walks of life. No single side, or even two sides together, could claim to control the situation. Lu Xiaotian thought to himself that there was indeed some chance to fish in troubled waters.