An Empty City Frightens the Enemy Away, Ripples Rise on the Heart Path

Qiu Yan's actions truly shocked Wang Yifu. He wanted to avoid him, but he couldn't help feeling humiliated. After all, he came from a prestigious sect and couldn't easily bow his head. In addition, Qiu Yan had made a boast when he came, and he was now in a dilemma.

After finishing his sentence, Wang Yifu calmed himself down and said, "Judging from your skills, you are definitely not an unknown person. Haven't you heard of the name of my Void-Driving Dao?" He wanted to use the name of his own sect to intimidate the other party and at the same time bolster his own courage.

"You started this whole mess, so even if I back down, it's useless. Why bother saying anything more?" Qiu Yan took a deep breath, dispelled the image of the Kitchen God he had been visualizing, and then examined himself. His battle record was outstanding, but the Incense Faith he had used up were too great. Facing Wang Yifu, who was at the Third Realm, he was already somewhat outmatched. It was very likely that after defeating his opponent, he would exhaust his spiritual energy and cause his physical body to completely lose control.

Even so, Qiu Yan showed no sign of backing down. He narrowed his eyes, revealing undisguised killing intent. "However, you don't need to worry. These people are seriously injured, but they haven't died. It's just that they can forget about losing their cultivation!"

"You've crippled them all! Do you know how much my Void-Driving Dao has to sacrifice to cultivate a disciple at the peak of the Second Realm?" Wang Yifu's face was ashen, but his eyes flickered, revealing his deep wariness of Qiu Yan.

"What a joke! What do your affairs have to do with me? You're truly out of your mind, ignorant of the facts. Are you allowed to arrest people and cripple their Human Path, but I'm not allowed to retaliate in kind?" Qiu Yan shook his head, said no more, and charged towards Wang Yifu with a stomp of his foot. His aura surged, and the jade pendant at his waist vibrated. He was like Flying Dragon ascending to the heavens, bringing heavy pressure to Wang Yifu.

He swiftly defeated the five men, and his fierce skills were firmly imprinted in Wang Yifu's mind. As soon as he charged forward, Wang Yifu felt a sense of fear, thinking that if the other party dared to charge, he must have a sure thing. If he were to fight him, he would inevitably follow in the footsteps of the Seven Sons of the Void-Driving Dao!

"A son of a wealthy family should not sit under a dangerous roof! This man is extremely fierce and a desperate fugitive. My status is different. I might even inherit the position of sect leader in the future. If I were to be injured by him, it would be a great injustice. He is alone and outnumbered. As long as we gather enough men, we are not afraid of not being able to capture him!"

With this thought in mind, Wang Yifu actually made a hand seal, his figure flashing like lightning as he ascended, instantly sweeping over layers of mud and sand!

This man fled without a fight!

Wang Yifu's father was the head of the Void-Driving Dao. As the young sect leader, he naturally possessed extraordinary skills. This movement utilized the Earth-Element Escape Art, allowing him to move quite quickly without needing to exert any effort to control his internal energy, as the Cultivation Method itself took care of it.

However, despite their speed, they couldn't shake off Qiu Yan.

"This guy is determined to fight me. Perhaps I should lure him to my senior brother!" Wang Yifu thought as he moved. He noticed that Qiu Yan wasn't using any escape techniques, but rather relying on the flow of his internal energy to shake the earth, which slowed him down. "This person isn't as fast as me. As long as I'm careful, I can remain undefeated. I should buy some time; Senior Brother Tong must have already noticed the fierce battle earlier..."

He was making plans in his mind, unaware that Qiu Yan had already guessed his thoughts.

"I have less than 20% of my Incense Faith left, and the battle consumed more than 50%. This Wang Yifu reached the Third Realm; even if he's at his weakest, in my current state, defeating him won't be easy. Besides, two of the Seven Sons of the Void-Driving Dao still remain, capable of controlling hurricanes. I can't afford to be careless. My immediate priority is to lure Wang Yifu into deliberately delaying me. My Divine Soul is already at the gate..."

Looking at the figure ahead, Qiu Yan pondered silently, while simultaneously calming his mind and focusing on nourishing it to reduce energy consumption.

"Once my Divine Soul returns, and I've quelled the troubles of this place and settled the problems of my Fleshly Body, I should share the spoils of the Scholar Forest with my Divine Spirit Body is difficult, but I can utilize the unique characteristics of my Fleshly Body to accumulate insights and shorten the time required for advancement. Moreover, my journey to the Yin Side of the Scholar Forest Temple, where I subdued my Heart Ape, has brought me many inspirations and given me new ideas. I can connect the Human Path and Divine Path in a different way, expanding the foundation of rituals and reducing procedures. However, this still needs careful consideration, but the prerequisite is to first resolve the immediate troubles..."

Wang Yifu's scheme was all within Qiu Yan's grasp. Wang Yifu thought he had the upper hand and wanted to stall for time, but little did he know that Qiu Yan's seemingly aggressive demeanor was actually just a bluff.

But the more this was the case, the less Wang Yifu dared to actually fight. After all, Qiu Yan, with his ferocious power of taking on five opponents at once, had already given people the feeling that he was determined to win. If he retreated, it would make Wang Yifu suspicious.

In the past, Zhuge Liang's Empty City Stratagem also grasped this point, which startled Zhongda) into fleeing.

"But..."

Feeling the damage on his body, Qiu Yan's mind raced, knowing that his injuries were worsening. Although the fierce battle just now had yielded remarkable results, Qiu Yan had also paid a heavy price. His hands were weak Qi and Blood was stagnant, and his legs were covered with wounds.

"If all else fails, just break off a ginseng root and swallow and refine it. Ginseng Treasure has been listening to the books for so many years and is almost mature. It has many roots, so losing one shouldn't be a problem. It will actually increase its usefulness."

As he pondered, a wisp of Divine Sense landed in his bosom, where a plump, white ginseng root lay close to his chest, emitting a delicate fragrance and tasting delicious flavor.

At the same time, on the Yang Side of the Scholar Forest, in Dao Fields.

This is a plain, a vast expanse of fertile land, dotted with farmland. The ground around the farmland is covered with a Doubt Frost, but there is no frost in the fields themselves.

At this moment, many scholars and Confucianists stood on it, bending down and bowing their heads to examine and understand the seeds in the field.

"These seeds contain profound truths and subtle meanings. If one can glean even a fraction of their wisdom, dig one up, nurture it within one's soul, and it will blossom and bear fruit in the future, bringing endless wonders. Such a trip to Scholar Forest would not have been in vain."

"Brother Luo, your words are somewhat discouraging. This is merely the first step for us into the world of Scholar Forest."

"Brother Zhang is right. I've heard that every tree in the Scholar Forest corresponds to a person in the world, and there are even Sage Ancient Tree associated with sages. If you can find one, even if you don't understand it at the time, you can remember it and study it in the future, and you will eventually gain something from it..."

"My family once possessed the calligraphy of a wise man who spoke of the Scholar Forest, saying that this place possesses Historical River and Book Mountain Sea of Learning knowledge, all of which are rare sights in the Mortal Realm. We should take full view of them, record them with calligraphy and painting, and pass them down to future generations."

"Tomorrow, He Shuchang and several other talented young people will be discussing philosophy at the front of the Book Mountain. We should go and listen to them to broaden our horizons."

"Speaking of which, that He Shuchang has really been stealing the spotlight these past two days. Not only is he incredibly knowledgeable, but he's also accompanied by two beautiful women, both from prestigious families. In this Apricot Altar Dao Discourse, I think he's very likely to win first place."

"That's not necessarily true..."

The Confucian scholars chatted, all envisioning the future with confidence, and many of them were ambitious and aspiring.

They were the Confucianism scholars who entered the Scholar Forest through this Apricot Altar Dao Discourse.

Not far from here, there is a dark red gate, three zhang high. From a distance, it looks as if it were carved from ancient wood, simple and unadorned, yet containing the Heavenly Principle.

The door was wide open, revealing a dazzling array of lights and colors—a reflection of the Heart Path.

Suddenly, a ripple stirred in my Heart Path. Three Confucian scholars emerged from among them and entered the Scholar Forest. Their expressions varied: some looked around, some sighed, and some remained silent.

Soon someone came to greet them and led the newcomers to a tavern, introducing them to the basics so they could familiarize themselves with the Scholar Forest environment and avoid unwittingly stepping into danger and losing their lives.

This tavern, though not large in size and lacking in ornamentation, possesses a unique sense of luxury. The ground, including the tavern itself, is free of Doubt Frost, allowing scholars to walk on solid ground without having to float.

Speaking of which, most of the people who come to Scholar Forest are spirits, capable of roaming the sky at will, but having grown accustomed to walking in the Mortal Realm, they still hope to be grounded.

"After these people come in, their Heart Path will be empty again. Young Master Qiu, you can go there now. However, there are still forks in the Heart Path of Eastern Capital. The one in the very center leads to the Eastern Capital Imperial City, and you should not step into it lightly. I have never been to the Spring and Autumn Academy, but judging from the name, it should be biased towards the Historians' School. Young Master Qiu can sense the aura and choose the path ahead on your own."

Two people were sitting in a corner of the tavern, Qiu Yan and Tang Qing. Their seats were near the window, and they could see the door outside with just a turn of their head. At that moment, Tang Qing was giving Qiu Yan some instructions.

Qiu Yan followed Tang Qing, who transformed into a beam of light and flew away. They arrived at the place in a very short time. Upon seeing the gate and sensing the aura of the Heart Path within, Qiu Yan was about to proceed when Tang Qing stopped him, saying that he needed to wait a moment because someone was about to come out.

The Heart Path is one where one cannot have both forward and backward.

"Thank you so much, Miss Tang, for your help along the way." Qiu Yan clasped his hands in thanks.

Tang Qing shook his head and said, "Young master, you are too kind. I was previously possessed by that scoundrel from the Sun Household. If it weren't for your timely rescue, my soul would have been corrupted by external thoughts, which are deeply rooted and difficult to eradicate. I would have been doomed. This favor is more important than saving a life. Compared to this, what is leading the way for you?"

"You flatter me, young lady. Even if I didn't help, someone else would have," Qiu Yan said modestly. But Tang Qing looked saddened. After a moment's thought, she understood the reason, stopped talking, and then took her leave, getting up to go.

Tang Qing nodded and said goodbye to Qiu Yan.

Qiu Yan took two steps, then suddenly narrowed his eyes. A monkey's figure flashed past behind him, and then the entire restaurant shook violently, becoming transparent for a moment, but then quickly returned to normal.

Although this strange change was brief, it was crystal clear to all the spirits, causing a commotion inside the room.

Tang Qing changed slightly, and she was about to ask a question, but Qiu Yan walked out without turning her head.

"What's going on? That attack just now was undoubtedly Qiu Yan's doing. What is he trying to do? This tavern was created by one person's imagination. Could it be that Qiu Yan is issuing a warning?"

Tang Qing thought for a moment, but couldn't figure it out. She looked up again and saw that Qiu Yan had reached the gate. She sighed, cleared her mind of all distractions, and walked out as well.

In the distance, Qiu Yan, under the puzzled gazes of several people, stepped through the door and entered Heart Path.

Then, the light and shadow shifted, and his entire soul twisted and stretched, transforming into a mass of light and shadow.

Sudden!

"Eee-yah-yah!"

The Ginseng Baby's voice rang out, and then Qiu Yan's whole body trembled. He felt that several orbs containing light had appeared in his soul body. They were different colors and emitted different realms. One of them was faintly related to Fortune!

"What's going on! Did this Ginseng Treasure steal something again?"