A Great Recluse Hidden in the World

Chang Yi of the demonic path grinned savagely. His right hand chopped like lightning toward Liu Yunshen's tendons, while his left palm pressed toward Liu Yunshen's dantian!

Amid everyone's cries of alarm, Liu Yunshen's eyes blazed with fury as his rusty iron sword and the nine weapons around him stabbed out with all their might!

"What is this?!"

Before them appeared an enormous object like a curtain, as though mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas had been wrapped within it!

Cries rang out as countless shadowy figures appeared, flickering like an illusion!

"Judging by their clothing, these are dressed like the people northwest of Seaview Commandery in Great Qin!" Ouyang Qingcang reached out to touch those figures.

Yet time and space seemed to freeze!

"Could it be that we're all dead?" Cao Langao could not stop her tears from falling. Gong Liefeng held her. "Don't cry, Junior Sister! Even if we're dead, at least we died together!"

"No! This is a..." Before Liu Yunshen could finish, the countless shadows gathered into one panel of an enormous screen, standing before them!

Chang Yi of the demonic path had somehow teleported a li away in an instant. "How the hell did I get here? What was with that fat middle-aged man just now?"

The demonic cultivator stared into the distance, shocked and enraged, and immediately used demonic power to restore his severed left arm!

Qi Hong, a slightly plump middle-aged merchant with a smile on his face, stood in the clearing. With a pull of his right hand, the seven screens shrank like a painted scroll into his sleeve.

"Young heroes, we meet again!"

The air had been full of sorrowful weeping, yet in an instant it became the cheers of a surging crowd! Liu Yunshen's mind reeled. He was so overjoyed he could barely breathe. Looking at the slightly plump middle-aged man before him, the tears in his eyes finally spilled over without restraint!

"Master Qi! I knew you were no ordinary man!" Cai Yuelin said with a grin as he stepped forward and hooked an arm around Qi Hong's. Cao Langao and Wei Gui approached with smiles, chatting warmly with Qi Hong.

Chang Yi floated into the air and looked toward the group in the distance, deeply puzzled. "Where did this dead fatso come from? And what's with those ghostly screens? Once I tear that piece of junk to shreds—"

"Everyone, I'll deal with that trouble first. I'll have to trouble Young Hero Liu and the rest to calm the villagers and treat the wounded!" Qi Hong said with a smile, strolling forward at an unhurried pace.

Cai Yuelin was overjoyed. "Master Qi, could it be that you've already reached the Earth Immortal realm?"

Qi Hong smiled bitterly. "What Earth Immortal? I'm at the first stage of the first realm of Qi Refinement!"

The members of the Four Swords Sect all released their immortal senses. Every one of them went pale-eyed, unable to speak except with bitter smiles.

Liu Yunshen, Lei Zhaoye, Ouyang Qingcang, and the others hurried forward. "Mr. Qi, we juniors thank you for saving our lives. Let us join forces against the enemy!"

"Taking saccharine nonsense for wit! Join forces against the enemy? Defend my ass!" The Daoist, once cautious in speech and refined in bearing, had now become a savage beast with disheveled hair flying wildly and filthy curses pouring from his mouth!

"Let this old man handle it! You juniors are no match for this old Daoist!" Qi Hong politely declined them with a smile. Walking before Chang Yi, he bowed with clasped hands. "Greetings, Daoist."

The demonic cultivator gave a shrill, sinister laugh. "One does not strike a smiling face. Looking at you, I'll grant you a beheading, spare you the scraps of suffering."

Qi Hong smiled bitterly. "Could you let this old man die a natural death?"

Chang Yi of the demonic path burst out laughing. "A natural death? Fine, then get the hell out now!"

"But could you spare the villagers and these juniors?" Qi Hong stopped the agitated Gong Liefeng. With one light push, he moved Gong Liefeng's towering eight-foot-five body, massive as a mountain, aside one-handed as though lifting a chick.

"Old Master, what kind of demon art is this?" Gong Liefeng cried in terror. His body had no strength at all, as though his bones truly did not weigh even two liang!

Qi Hong waved a hand, then bowed again to Chang Yi. The demonic cultivator snapped impatiently, "Are you leaving or not?!"

"Since Daoist is unwilling to withdraw, this old fellow can only shamelessly force Your Excellency back!" Qi Hong said, looking troubled.

The Devil Lord laughed and raised a hand, shooting out a swift Sword Qi. The savage triumph on his face vanished in an instant!

That casually released Sword Qi was no weaker than before he had fallen to the demonic path. A hundred zhang long, it had condensed into several feet, making it even more terrifying. Yet when the demonic Sword Qi entered within three feet of Qi Hong, it transformed into a tiny three-inch boat, drifting through heaven and earth. At last, threads of demonic qi emerged from it, then became black and white qi before scattering into the wind!

"This is demon art! Fuck! I cultivated bitterly, yet in the Heavenly Lord's eyes, my cultivation was crippled over a single thought. Why does no one care when this old bastard cultivates demon art? Is there still justice in this world?!" Chang Yi's expression twisted hideously as his demonic blade hacked and slashed wildly!

"The villagers cannot withstand such force!" Qi Hong sighed. The seven screens flew from his sleeve, and heaven and earth darkened as the two streaked away to the wilderness ten li away!

"After them!" Liu Yunshen, Lei Zhaoye, Huang Zongyue, Ouyang Qingcang, and the others pursued for several li before daring not to go farther. "This is our limit. If we go any farther, in our current state, we absolutely won't be able to withstand even one strike!"

In the wilderness, no rushing Sword Qi could be heard, no demonic power could be seen felling mountains. Rivers did not yield to stones, and dust did not drift from the earth. No matter how Chang Yi drove his immense demonic power, before Qi Hong he was like a child being toyed with by an adult!

Countless palm strikes, hand blades, and Sword Qi attacks were all easily dispelled! Chang Yi flew into a rage, his fists pounding wildly, only for Qi Hong to give him a light push and send him sprawling face-first like a dog eating dirt!

"You... you... you're infuriating this old man to death! I... I'll fucking kill..." Chang Yi trembled with rage. His endless demonic power, thrown into disorder by his shattered Dao heart, gradually could not muster the slightest force!

"Since Your Excellency is tired, it is this old man's turn to seize the offense!" Qi Hong smiled. A cold gleam flashed in his eyes as he raised his palm and slashed diagonally!

"That move is somewhat interesting. It might do for escorting a caravan, but if you want to found a sect, don't make a spectacle of yourself!" Chang Yi sneered. Though his body clearly dodged, that palm still struck his shoulder, tempered a thousand times and harder than diamond. The palm force was like striking rotten cotton—then with a crack, his shoulder blade down to his ribs broke in response!

"This old dog is using demon art again!" Chang Yi cried in terror. He no longer dared linger, transforming into a gust of black wind and fleeing toward the capital of the Zhou Kingdom!

Qi Hong sighed. His body became an afterimage, and when he appeared again, he was standing beneath the tree where the group of heroes had gathered. Raising his head, he beckoned to those in the tree. "Children, let's go back!"

Cai Yuelin giggled. "Uncle Qi! Let me take you as my master. Will you teach me martial arts?"

"You're too restless by nature. You'd do better to focus on sword practice!" Qi Hong said with a smile. Cai Yuelin pouted. "You're just keeping your secrets and refusing to teach me!"

"Mr. Qi!" Gong Liefeng said with a fawning smile. Qi Hong laughed. "This old man still prefers that straightforward, chivalrous spirit of Brother Gong's. As for business and playing mind games with people, I fear he'd be sold off before a morning had passed!"

Gong Liefeng rolled his eyes.

Huang Zongyue and Wei Gui stepped forward with smiles, endlessly asking this and that.

After talking with Qi Hong for quite some time, Lei Zhaoye suddenly realized that Liu Yunshen had not come down from the tree. Looking up, he saw that Liu Yunshen was crouched on a branch, staring blankly with vacant eyes.

How many layers of domain was that just now? Two, three, or four? Liu Yunshen's heart grew ever more chaotic. His pulse raced faster and faster, his mind jolted into a dizzy haze, and amid everyone's cries of alarm, he fell from the tree!