Inferring Danger, Fleeing Immediately

Outside the ruins, the sound of branches snapping suddenly rang out.

A dense patter of footsteps echoed continuously.

Li Qing, who had just been immersed in his cultivation, felt his heart skip a beat.

A hurried and booming voice rang out.

"Quick, something happened over there!"

"Hurry up, don't you dare fall behind!" a gruff voice roared.

A group of people sprinted past, and a thought flashed through Li Qing's mind: "The Government Office."

At this moment, the wound on his back had begun to heal, so he quickly took off his clothes.

Looking at the bloodstains on his garments, a grave expression appeared on his face, and he swiftly wiped away all the blood from his back and face.

He looked down at his slightly pale skin and frowned slightly. "No, this is too conspicuous."

Seeing that the ground was covered in dirt and ash, he didn't hesitate to lie down and roll back and forth.

In just a few short minutes, he looked like a piece of charcoal, and not a trace of fair skin could be seen on his body.

He inspected his body. "Still not enough."

He spread his clothes flat on the ground and quickly stained them a filthy black.

He grabbed the blood-stained section, tore it hard, and ripped a large hole in the back of the garment.

After carefully checking the clothes, he quickly threw them on, looking exactly like a beggar.

After a moment's thought, he untied his headscarf, messed up his hair, and smeared a few handfuls of dirt into it.

By now, he had completely transformed into the likeness of a beggar; no one would ever recognize him.

Although I don't know who the person who intervened halfway was, it is highly likely related to the authorities of this world.

Mr. Huayue is likely finished.

The Huayue Study will probably be searched as well.

My traces will surely be discovered by diligent bailiffs.

I haven't collected the blood bowl used for practicing the Essence Blood Art, and the brush is still stained with blood.

If the authorities of this world know about the path of cultivation, they will likely suspect that I am a cultivator.

Furthermore, the original manual for the Essence Blood Art is called the Blood Refining Art.

The content of the technique looks rather sinister; it requires the blood of several living creatures, and there are taboos to follow, with the danger of turning into an Anomaly.

Mr. Huayue didn't follow the taboos, which is why he turned into that state.

If I were the authorities of this world and knew that someone was practicing such a dangerous technique, I would certainly issue a warrant.

Either recruit them or execute them.

For someone like me, the most likely outcome is immediate execution.

This day had been tumultuous, and Li Qing had fully awakened his modern mindset.

In the era of the internet information explosion, any normal modern person possesses a considerable degree of knowledge regarding various myths, novels, and historical information.

Most people would speculate about ancient events with the greatest malice.

The power of imperial authority, the power of the government, the power of the local gentry—Li Qing did not believe for a second that he could have a good ending.

The most terrifying part was that this was a damn supernatural world.

Taking a deep breath, Li Qing narrowed his eyes slightly.

I probably can't leave tonight; I must find an opportunity to slip out tomorrow morning.

But I have to change locations; I might have left bloodstains along the way.

If someone skilled in tracking is involved, and they possess some unique power, I won't be able to escape.

A bookshelf grouping function has been added, allowing multiple books to be added to groups (categorized). If you have any suggestions after using it, please feel free to propose them, and we will make further modifications.

Feeling incredibly anxious, Li Qing gritted his teeth and pondered, "Where else in Qingshi County can I hide?"

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him, and he thought of a good place.

If things go smoothly, I might be able to get out tonight.

He quickly went to the back of the ruins, where a small alleyway lay.

Under the dim moonlight overhead, Li Qing headed rapidly toward his destination.

In the blink of an eye, half an hour passed, and he arrived at the north side of Qingshi County.

There was a river in the north of the city that led directly outside the walls; it was the main water source for the city.

However, this river originated from the Pu River, which traversed the North Continent.

This river was called the Qing River. Although it ran through the entirety of Qingshi County, there were iron grates where it passed through the city walls, blocking anyone from entering or exiting.

But the current Great Tang Dynasty had basically reached its final years.

Military readiness had fallen into decay, and corrupt officials ran rampant.

Qingshi County was situated in the Border Wilderness, a place where the Emperor's reach had always been distant. Yet, because the bureaucrats and gentry were far removed from the center of power, the entire county had seen little change since the founding of the Great Tang Dynasty, instead forming a rigid and stable structure.

However, the military funding for Qingshi County was still allocated from the Great Tang Dynasty, even if it had dwindled significantly in recent years.

With those at the top skimming off the top and those below grabbing what they could, very little was actually left for armaments and soldiers.

This resulted in all manner of weapons and equipment in Qingshi County being extremely antiquated.

Even the iron grates in the city's waterways had fallen into disrepair.

Much of the smuggling in the city passed in and out through those very spots.

This was already an open secret among the gangs and the dregs of society within the city.

Li Qing had only learned this intelligence by chance while listening to a play at a teahouse.

At this moment, he had already arrived by the river; in the pitch-black water, he could only hear the sound of splashing, unable to see a thing.

He moved rapidly along the riverbank toward the exit.

A quarter of an hour later, he reached a position near the city wall.

He was on a small path by the river, with a row of old houses to his right, and the city wall was about five zhang away.

This area was completely barren, a buffer zone specifically cleared to prevent internal traitors from ambushing the garrisoned soldiers during wartime.

The city wall was about three meters high, with torches placed every three meters along the top to illuminate the areas both inside and out.

I can't go any further this way; I have to get into the water.

Taking a deep breath, Li Qing quietly climbed down the riverbank, digging his hands into the earth to slowly lower his body.

He stood about six feet tall, and with his arms extended, he reached eight feet; his feet were already touching the river water.

He took a deep breath, released his grip, and instantly dropped into the river.

The icy water was bone-chilling, and Li Qing couldn't help but shiver.

He waved his arms and surfaced.

The current in the waterway was not swift, so he surfaced easily, grabbing onto the crevices in the bank and inching his way forward.

Soon, he arrived at the exit beneath the city wall, where the iron grates stood.

But Li Qing knew that there was a hole corroded through the bottom of these iron bars.

Just as he intended to dive underwater, the sound of hurried footsteps suddenly rang out on the bank.

Li Qing's heart tightened; he took a deep breath and instantly submerged himself.

The riverbed was pitch black, while a series of torchlights flared up on the bank.

"The tracks end here; he must have gone into the water. Get down there and search for me immediately."

A shrill voice rang out, filled with a cold and sinister aura.