Blackwater Ice Cold, Harvest Abundant

Li Qing moved forward cautiously through the shadows, treading down a narrow alley with extreme vigilance.

He glanced behind him from time to time, wary of any dangerous presence that might emerge.

I hope there's no one following me.

Suddenly, he came to a halt.

A figure shrouded in a black robe had appeared in the direction he was heading.

Li Qing narrowed his eyes. "They came after all. What a nuisance."

A low voice rang out, "Friend, why block my path?"

The black-robed figure's eyes were filled with beastly pupils, and a low, hoarse roar emanated from him.

"Because... your flesh and blood... smells so sweet."

"Let me eat you... ah!"

As the words fell, he lunged forward ferociously.

Swish.

A sheet of black water, radiating a biting chill, surged from his hands and swept toward Li Qing.

Li Qing's expression tightened; with a flicker, he dove into the nearby wall.

Shadow Art allowed him to pass through any obstacle, and he had no intention of fighting to the death with this opponent in such a place.

He slipped silently into a patch of shade, the blackness of his Shadow Art merging perfectly with the surrounding shadows.

A cold chill swept in from all directions, bit by bit consuming the essence energy of his Shadow Art.

A figure vaulted over the wall and landed inside, two eerie black tentacles extending from beneath the strange cloak.

The tentacles quivered unnaturally, as if sensing something in the air.

A pair of beastly pupils flickered within the black robe, seemingly searching for a target.

Silent killing intent permeated the backyard of this ordinary residence.

Watching the two strange tentacles protruding from the back of the black-robed man, a look of gravity appeared on Li Qing's face.

It's the person from that street earlier.

He came specifically for me. Is his target my flesh and blood?

It seems that when cultivators in this world go wrong, they evolve into monsters, even becoming bloodthirsty. Cannibalism is what they enjoy.

Li Qing quietly gripped the Hundred-Forged Steel Blade at his side, waiting silently for an opportunity.

This person could track him, so he clearly possessed some tracking ability.

He could not remain in the shadows forever.

Suddenly, the figure on the wall vanished in a flash, and a low roar erupted.

"Found you!"

The figure rushed toward him, the two tentacles flying out first to sweep toward Li Qing.

Li Qing narrowed his eyes, surging essence energy pouring into the Hundred-Forged Steel Blade in his hand.

The blade flashed, and in an instant, a streak of blood-colored light precisely slashed across the two tentacles.

Clang, clang, clang.

Something astonishing happened, causing Li Qing's expression to shift slightly.

The opponent's tentacles were like metal; they collided with his blade at least ten times in a split second.

Sparks flew, and they were evenly matched.

His left hand had already silently retrieved the Spirit Summoning Tablet.

As he poured his essence energy into it, a dragon-shaped phantom lunged out instantly.

"Moo!"

The roar of a Flood Dragon exploded, its innate pressure causing the opponent's body to falter.

The Flood Dragon pounced on the man, who let out a cry of alarm.

"A magical artifact!"

He turned and leaped, dodging the Flood Dragon's strike, and raised his hand to cast a Jade Talisman.

The Jade Talisman flashed, transforming into a hazy green light.

The Flood Dragon, having already turned to strike at him, landed directly on the green light.

The green light shook violently under the Flood Dragon's assault, and the mysterious man once again unleashed a sheet of black water, sweeping it toward Li Qing.

A chill permeated the air. Li Qing narrowed his eyes and pointed a finger.

A burst of blood-colored fire erupted instantly, colliding with the opponent's black water in a split second.

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle.

The air was filled with the sound of water and fire clashing and burning.

Li Qing gripped his Hundred-Forged Steel Blade, his feet tracing an arcane footwork pattern. With a single flicker, he crossed several meters, bringing a brilliant arc of blade light down upon his opponent.

This strike possessed a Weapon Spirit Connection, the blood-red radiance boiling to its absolute limit.

The black-robed figure felt his hair stand on end as the two tentacles behind him moved to intercept the blade light.

Crack.

The strike was incomparably fierce. The moment it collided with the tentacles, the Burning Blood Flame erupted once more.

In an instant, it surged forth from the blade light, completely engulfing the man.

"Ah!" A shrill, miserable scream rang out.

Then, it stopped abruptly; the blade light had sliced him in two from head to toe.

"Hoo... hoo..."

Li Qing panted heavily. Although everything that just happened felt like a long time, it had actually taken only a breath or two.

He had exhausted most of his essence and energy, pulling out all the stops to secure this victory.

With a wave of his hand, the raging Burning Blood Flame extinguished.

The phantom of the Flood Dragon flew silently back into the Spirit Summoning Tablet.

Li Qing ripped open the black robe to reveal a twisted, horrific corpse underneath.

At the first glance, his scalp went numb; the corpse's face was covered in dense, black pustules, and the tentacles had sprouted from both sides of its waist.

He quickly searched the body up and down, soon finding a cloth bag the size of a human head that seemed to contain quite a few items.

Li Qing cast a fleeting glance at the house behind him. It was silent inside, but he knew someone seemed to be watching him.

He lowered his head, grabbed the corpse, and quietly activated Shadow Art. A patch of darkness shrouded him and the body, and with a flicker, he vanished from the spot.

Only then did the family of three inside the house breathe a slight sigh of relief.

The master of the house looked fearful. "He's gone."

"Let's go to sleep quickly; it will be better tomorrow."

The mistress beside him nodded, also looking fearful, and pulled their child down to sleep once more.

Li Qing carried the corpse and tossed it into a small alleyway; someone would naturally discover it tomorrow and have it cleared away.

As for himself, he left quietly with the cloth bag.

A quarter of an hour later, he returned to his own courtyard at the All-Under-Heaven Escort Agency.

Lighting the lamp in his room, he brought the cloth bag over and dumped everything onto the tabletop.

Several items came into view.

A black sphere the size of a thumb; he weighed it in his hand, and it was at least a pound—clearly something extraordinary.

A transparent stone, identical to the one left behind by the monster he had slain at the post station.

A hint of pleasant surprise appeared in his eyes. "This is good stuff; it can increase my essence and energy."

There were two books, a white Jade Talisman, ten Dharma Coins, and a black medicinal herb that looked like a mushroom.

There was also a stack of banknotes, at least 1,000 taels.

Looking at these items, a smile appeared on Li Qing's face.

"Truly, a horse doesn't get fat without night grass; murder and arson bring the golden belt, while building bridges and paving roads leave no bones. I've gotten fat again."

He tucked the banknotes away and arranged the other items neatly.

His eyes flickered slightly as he turned his gaze toward the two books.

He reached out to touch them, and soon, new text flashed across the Jade Tablet in his mind.

One was a diary, the contents of which held nothing of note, while the other was a cultivation technique.

Its original name was the Black Water Profound Yin Art, and the method of cultivation left him somewhat tongue-tied.