It wasn't Qi Refinement.
It was the Foundation Establishment Realm.
Zhou Qi's heart tightened, but his expression remained unchanged.
He raised a hand and patted Silly Dog's head. Spiritual Power circulated within him, and his aura swiftly dropped before steadily settling at peak eighth-layer Qi Refining.
This realm was not weak enough to arouse suspicion, nor strong enough to draw attention.
Unless they had specifically come to intercept him, Foundation Establishment cultivators should not bother making things difficult for an eighth-layer Qi Refining cultivator.
Silly Dog continued onward.
Man and dog passed through the valley at an unhurried pace.
Just as they came within roughly a hundred zhang of that hilltop, a figure drifted down from behind a boulder.
Zhou Qi tugged the reins, and Silly Dog immediately stopped.
The man landed on the ground with his hands clasped behind his back.
He looked to be in his thirties or forties, dressed in black. His features were handsome, his bearing composed, and an air of nobility permeated his entire body. He did not resemble a bandit in the slightest.
Out of the corner of his eye, Zhou Qi glanced behind him. Within the range of his divine sense, dozens of figures were charging in from the rear. They swiftly spread out several dozen zhang away, sealing off every route of retreat.
None of them had weak auras. The weakest were eighth-layer Qi Refining, while some had even reached the Ninth Layer of Qi Refinement.
Their positions were exceptionally well coordinated. One look was enough to tell that they were well-trained.
Zhou Qi's heart sank another inch.
These were not bandits.
Someone had laid down a net that covered heaven and earth outside Yongjing.
The man ahead spoke. His voice was not loud, yet every word entered Zhou Qi's ears with