Li Xuantong's arrival stunned everyone present, strange beasts included.
The man in black clearly hadn't expected someone to appear out of nowhere, much less someone whose strength was in no way inferior to his own. Suspicion flashed in his eyes. "Who are you? Why are you interfering in my affairs?"
Li Xuantong ignored him and turned to the Azure-Striped Bear. "Leave," he said calmly.
The Azure-Striped Bear froze for a moment, seemingly hesitant. But sensing no malice from Li Xuantong, and finding the man in black the greater threat, it finally let out a low growl. It shot the man in black a resentful glance, then turned and limped into the depths of the forest.
"How dare you ruin my plans?!" Seeing the Azure-Striped Bear escape, the man in black flew into a rage and pointed his long black staff at Li Xuantong. "I don't care who you are. Don't even think about leaving here alive today!"
"A remnant of an evil cult dares to run rampant here?" Li Xuantong's gaze turned icy. The ancient-looking longsword in his hand trembled slightly, giving off a piercing sword Qi. "Today I'll uphold heaven's justice and rid the world of scum like you."
"You're courting death!" the man in black roared. He rushed forward, swinging his staff, and ribbons of black energy shot toward Li Xuantong like venomous snakes, carrying a pungent stench.
Li Xuantong's figure flickered as he evaded the attack as casually as if he were strolling through a courtyard. His longsword traced a brilliant arc of light, and in an instant he was before the man in black, his fierce sword strike aimed straight at a vital point.
Clang!
The man in black hastily swung his staff to block. Sword and staff collided with a piercing metallic clang, and both men staggered back three steps.
"What powerful swordsmanship!" The man in black's expression changed drastically. He hadn't expected his opponent's swordsmanship to be so exquisite.
Li Xuantong gave him no chance to catch his breath. He closed in again, sword light flashing as he attacked the man in black like a raging storm. His swordsmanship was sweeping and forceful, yet no less exquisite for it. Every strike held immense Origin Qi and carried an upright, righteous presence, steadily suppressing the man in black's black energy.
Under Li Xuantong's fierce assault, the man in black gradually fell into a disadvantage and retreated again and again, traces of panic and fear appearing on his face.
"Black Wind Baleful Force!"
The man in black roared and slammed his staff into the ground. Dense black Qi erupted from the skull at its tip, swiftly condensing into the enormous silhouette of a black wolf. With the might to devour everything in its path, it pounced on Li Xuantong.
Li Xuantong's gaze sharpened. The Origin Qi within him erupted without reserve as he raised his longsword high overhead. Brilliant sword light gathered into a miniature sun, radiating a dazzling glow.
"Evil Breaking!"
With a low shout, he brought his sword down. The dazzling sword light split the black wolf silhouette in two, then continued toward the man in black with undiminished force.
The man in black turned deathly pale and no longer dared linger in battle. He turned to flee, hurling his staff at Li Xuantong to hinder his pursuit.
Li Xuantong shattered the staff with one slash and moved to give chase, only to find that the man in black had already vanished into the depths of the forest.
"Hmph, the monk may run, but the temple can't," Li Xuantong snorted. He didn't pursue him any farther, clearly knowing something about his background.
He put away his longsword and turned to survey his surroundings. His gaze soon fell on the Emerald Heart Bamboo behind which Xiao Yan and A Man were hiding.
"Come out."
Knowing he couldn't stay hidden, Xiao Yan took A Man by the hand and stepped out from behind the bamboo.
"Brother Xiao? What are you doing here?" Surprise flashed in Li Xuantong's eyes when he saw Xiao Yan. Clearly, he hadn't expected to meet him here either.
"It's a long story." Xiao Yan gave a wry smile. "A mysterious force transported me here. I was just trying to leave when I ran into you, Brother Li."
He didn't conceal the fact that he'd been transported. After all, Li Xuantong was immensely powerful, and he couldn't have hidden it from him anyway.
Li Xuantong nodded thoughtfully and turned his gaze to A Man. Seeing her bare feet and how she seemed to blend into her surroundings, he showed a glimmer of understanding. "And who is this?"
"Her name is A Man. She's been guiding me through the forest," Xiao Yan said. "A Man, this is Li Xuantong. He's a good man."
A Man gave Li Xuantong a timid glance and said nothing, but her tense body visibly relaxed a little.
"Brother Li, do you know that man in black robes from before?" Xiao Yan asked.
At the mention of the man in black robes, Li Xuantong's expression grew grave. "They're remnants of the Blood Shadow Cult, an evil cult that worships an evil power. Years ago, the major powers joined forces to suppress them, and they all but vanished. I never expected them to have hidden away in a place like this, still committing evil."
"The Blood Shadow Cult?" Xiao Yan's heart stirred. "Is the Blood Shadow Hall in Northern Region City connected to them?"
"That's right." Li Xuantong nodded. "The Blood Shadow Hall is the Blood Shadow Cult's branch in the Northern Region, responsible for supplying them with resources and intelligence. I came to the Mist Forest to investigate traces of the Blood Shadow Cult. I didn't expect to actually encounter one of them."
Only then did Xiao Yan understand. No wonder Li Xuantong had appeared here.
"What are they doing in the forest?" A Man couldn't help asking, a trace of anger in her voice.
"They're searching for a strange flower called the Netherworld Flower. It's said to strengthen their evil power," Li Xuantong explained. "They're also capturing powerful strange beasts and extracting their essence blood and inner cores to cultivate evil arts."
A Man's eyes filled with anger. "This is too much! The friends in the forest aren't their tools!"
Xiao Yan frowned as well. The Blood Shadow Cult's deeds were indeed appalling.
"What do you intend to do, Brother Li?" Xiao Yan asked.
"The remnants of the Blood Shadow Cult are extremely well hidden. Now that we've encountered one, we can't let him go." Li Xuantong's gaze was resolute. "I already left a tracking mark on him. He won't get far. Brother Xiao, if you're leaving the Mist Forest, you'll be going the same way as me. Would you be willing to join forces with me and eliminate this cult remnant?"
Xiao Yan thought for a moment, then nodded. "All right, I agree. The Blood Shadow Cult has committed countless evils. They should be eliminated."
For one thing, he already had a grudge against the Blood Shadow Hall. For another, joining forces with Li Xuantong would improve his chances of leaving the Mist Forest. Most importantly, he couldn't stand the Blood Shadow Cult's deeds either.
"That's wonderful!" A Man said happily. "Once he's gone, the friends in the forest will be much safer."
Li Xuantong smiled faintly. "With your help, Brother Xiao, we're even more certain to succeed. That man in black robes took a sword strike from me and was badly injured. If we pursue him now, we should be able to intercept him before he escapes the forest."
Without further hesitation, the three immediately gave chase in the direction the man in black had fled.
Li Xuantong's tracking mark was exceptionally peculiar. Even in the forest's complex terrain, he could clearly sense the target's location. He moved extremely fast, and Xiao Yan could barely keep up using his Dou Qi Wings, now transformed into Origin Qi wings. Though A Man wasn't flying, she was no slow hand at weaving through the trees, clearly very familiar with the forest's terrain.
Along the way, they saw many damaged trees and dead strange beasts, apparently all the work of the man in black robes. The sight pained A Man deeply and made Xiao Yan and Li Xuantong's expressions grow even graver.
After pursuing him for roughly an hour, the terrain ahead gradually opened up, and the Origin Qi in the air grew somewhat thinner. They were clearly nearing the edge of the Mist Forest.
"He's just ahead!" A sharp light flashed in Li Xuantong's eyes, and he accelerated again.
Xiao Yan and A Man hurried after him.
They rounded a mountain ridge and came upon an open valley. The man in black was stumbling through it, his black robe torn and blood on the corner of his mouth. Clearly, he was badly injured.
"You won't get away!" Li Xuantong shouted, charging out ahead of the others with his longsword aimed straight at the man in black.
The man in black's face changed drastically when he saw them. He hadn't expected them to catch up. A ruthless light flashed in his eyes, and he spun around. At some point, a black bone talisman had appeared in his hand.
"Since I can't escape, we'll all die together!" The man in black grinned viciously and crushed the bone talisman.
"This is bad! He's going to detonate his Origin Qi!" Li Xuantong's expression changed drastically.
Xiao Yan realized it too. The man in black was going to self-destruct! The self-destruction of a Peak Origin King expert would be terrifying enough to raze the entire valley to the ground!
"Get back!" Li Xuantong seized A Man and shouted to Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan hurriedly retreated as well, but it was already too late.
The man in black's body swelled rapidly, and dense black energy erupted like a volcano.
"A Man, close your eyes!" Xiao Yan instinctively shielded A Man behind him while unleashing all the Origin Qi and Heavenly Flames within him, forming a massive barrier of fire.
Li Xuantong also summoned a golden shield and held it in front of him.
Boom-!
With an earth-shaking blast, the man in black's body exploded completely. A terrifying shock wave of energy swept outward like a tsunami, reducing trees to powder and shattering rocks inch by inch wherever it passed.
Xiao Yan and Li Xuantong resisted with all their strength, but the terrifying shock wave still sent their blood and Qi roiling and forced them back, blood spilling from both their mouths. Protected between them, A Man was unhurt, but she was pale with fright and had her eyes squeezed shut.
After an unknown length of time, the shock wave finally subsided.
The valley had become a vast crater, and the surrounding area was a scene of utter devastation.
Xiao Yan and Li Xuantong helped each other to their feet. Both were pale, their breathing ragged.
"That was close..." Li Xuantong panted, still shaken.
Xiao Yan nodded. If the two of them hadn't joined forces to block it, they might well have died here.
"Is he dead?" A Man carefully opened her eyes and looked at the scene before her, asking in some fear.
"He should be dead." Li Xuantong searched the area but found no sign of life. "There's absolutely no surviving a Peak Origin King's self-destruction without some special means of preserving one's life."
Xiao Yan also breathed a sigh of relief. They had finally rid themselves of that menace.
Just then, the black jade piece in Xiao Yan's Storage Ring suddenly gave off another faint glow. Though it vanished in an instant, he caught it clearly.
Hmm? Xiao Yan's heart stirred. Could that member of the Blood Shadow Cult have some connection to the jade piece?
He gave no outward sign and kept the jade piece's strange reaction to himself, intending to study it later.
"We're at the edge of the Mist Forest now." Li Xuantong looked around. "Once we cross that mountain ahead, we'll be out of the forest."
Reluctance flashed in A Man's eyes. Looking at Xiao Yan and Li Xuantong, she said softly, "I... I can't go any farther with you. I have to stay here."
Her home was in the Mist Forest. Everything familiar to her was here, and she couldn't leave.
Xiao Yan was reluctant to part with her too. During their time together, he had come to regard this innocent, kindhearted girl as a friend.
"A Man, thank you for all your help," Xiao Yan said. He took some Origin Qi Pills and several medicinal herbs for healing injuries, purchased from the Myriad Treasures Tower, out of his Storage Ring and offered them to her. "Take these. They might be useful."
A Man shook her head without accepting them. "I don't need those. There are plenty of healing herbs in the forest."
She took a small box woven from Emerald Heart Bamboo from within her clothes and offered it to Xiao Yan. "This is for you. There's an Emerald Heart Bamboo core inside. It can calm the mind and steady the soul. If you run into danger someday, it might come in handy."
Xiao Yan accepted the small box. It felt warm and smooth in his hand, and he could sense the peaceful presence it contained. "Thank you, A Man," he said solemnly.
Li Xuantong also took a jade pendant engraved with defensive runes from his Storage Ring and offered it to A Man. "Take this. It can block some attacks. Keep yourself safe."
A Man hesitated, then accepted it. "Thank you both," she said earnestly.
"We should go," Li Xuantong said.
Xiao Yan nodded and looked at A Man. "Take care of yourself, A Man," he said earnestly. "If I get the chance, I'll come back to see you."
"Mm!" A Man nodded vigorously, a crystalline light glistening in her eyes.
Xiao Yan and Li Xuantong lingered no longer. They turned and headed toward the mountains ahead.
A Man stood where she was, watching their figures gradually disappear into the mountain forest. Only then did she turn and walk into the depths of the Mist Forest, looking back every few steps.
After crossing the mountains, Xiao Yan and Li Xuantong finally left the Mist Forest behind completely.
Standing atop a mountain and looking back at the vast forest shrouded in mist, Xiao Yan was filled with emotion. Though he had been trapped inside, it had been a strange experience, and he had made an innocent friend like A Man.
"Where are we going next?" Xiao Yan asked.
Li Xuantong said, "I need to return to Tianbei City first and report the news about the Blood Shadow Cult remnant to the city lord's residence. Then I'll continue searching for the other remnants. Brother Xiao, if you have nowhere to go, why not come to Tianbei City with me? It's the center of the Northern Region, and news travels freely there. You might be able to find the people you're looking for."
Xiao Yan thought it over and nodded. "All right, let's go to Tianbei City and have a look."
He did need a place where news traveled freely to inquire about Xun'er and Cai Lin's whereabouts, and Tianbei City was undoubtedly a good choice.
Without further hesitation, the two flew toward Tianbei City.
During the flight, Li Xuantong suddenly asked, "Brother Xiao, did you encounter anything unusual in the Mist Forest?"
Xiao Yan's heart stirred. He thought of the black jade piece and A Man's special ability, but he didn't tell the truth. He merely shook his head. "No, I only came across some unusual strange beasts and plants."
Li Xuantong gave him a long look but didn't press him. He merely said calmly, "The Mist Forest is far from simple. It's said to hold an ancient secret connected to a great war in ancient times. Many powers have tried to uncover its secret, but they've found nothing and suffered heavy losses instead."
"A great war in ancient times?" Xiao Yan was curious.
"I don't know the details myself. I've only seen a few scattered references in the ancient texts at the city lord's residence," Li Xuantong said. "It's said that the war affected the entire Great Thousand World. Countless experts fell, and many inheritances were lost as a result. The Mist Forest may be one of the ruins left by that war."
Xiao Yan nodded thoughtfully. It seemed the Mist Forest was even more mysterious than he had imagined.
The two talked as they traveled, mostly about the distribution of powers and the cultivation system in the Great Thousand World. Xiao Yan also learned more from Li Xuantong about Origin Qi cultivation, as well as some information about the top powers.
Among them, Li Xuantong mentioned a power called the Gu Clan. He said it was one of the ancient races with a long heritage in the Great Thousand World. It was immensely powerful, with experts as numerous as clouds, including even top experts who had reached the Origin Saint realm.
At the words "Gu Clan," Xiao Yan's heart gave a sudden leap. Wasn't Xun'er's family the Gu Clan?
"Brother Li, how much do you know about the Gu Clan?" Xiao Yan asked, feigning casualness, though his heart was full of anticipation.
Seeing his interest, Li Xuantong explained in detail, "The Gu Clan is extremely mysterious and rarely deals with outsiders, but its influence extends across multiple domains of the Great Thousand World. Its foundations run deep, and even some of the top superpowers have to show them some respect. It's said that the Gu Clan's headquarters is in a hidden realm somewhere on the Central Continent, but no one knows its exact location..."
As he listened to Li Xuantong, hope kindled in Xiao Yan's heart. Though the Gu Clan was mysterious, he at least knew it existed. Now that he had a goal, he would find Xun'er someday.
The two traveled swiftly, and several days later, a massive city appeared on the distant horizon, grander and more prosperous than Northern Region City.