Chapter 592 446 Zhong Qian_2

Li Xuanfeng instructed Ning Heyuan, then, riding the wind, he rose up and stepped onto the Golden Shuttle, heading northeast. He traversed several water veins, and soon the sea beneath his feet turned a deep blue.

"Hetian Sea."

The Hetian Sea occupied one end, opposite the Zhu Lu Sea. It was even larger, the ancient lair of the dragon kind, its color closer to a deep blue. With boundless waves and few islands, the sea was very deep.

Under normal sunlight, the Hetian Sea blurred the line between sea and sky, a spectacle in itself. However, Xuanfeng's timing was unlucky; he had arrived during an anomaly in the East Sea where darkness enveloped everything, thick as ink, making visibility nonexistent.

Li Xuanfeng burst forth from the sea, the Golden Shuttle beneath him slowly spiraling upwards, until he finally saw a small island. It wasn't large, roughly the size of a town, with an earth-yellow Great Formation standing tall, evidently prepared for defense.

"Judging by the directions, this should be the market."

He glided down slowly with the wind and indeed saw chaos along the coast, many signs of destruction, and he wondered aloud:

"What insanity has possessed these water apes... The Green Pond Sect is renowned both at sea and on land. They must be tired of living..."

Li Xuanfeng had just stopped when an old man flew out from the market, glanced at him, and hesitantly asked:

"Could you be General Li...?"

It was the first time Li Xuanfeng was addressed like this outside the Southern Border. He nodded and said,

"Correct."

With a sweep of his hand over the dark gold tiger's head on his waist, he showed a white Token, and the old man, after a brief verification, exclaimed with relief:

"So you've finally arrived, sir!"

They both descended, and Li Xuanfeng paused before the formation. The old man immediately understood the gesture. He took out a Formation Plate from his waist, glowing with an earth-yellow light, indicative of the fully activated formation.

Li Xuanfeng took control of the formation, effortlessly dismantled it, and said softly:

"There's no need for such strict defenses with me on the island."

"Yes, sir!"

The elder welcomed him down and respectfully said:

"I am Yuan Huye of the Yuan Clan, at your service, General."

Li Xuanfeng glanced at him and asked:

"The Yuan Clan of the Mushroom Forests?"

"Exactly."

Knowing that there was a good relationship between their families, Li Xuanfeng did not waste any time and asked directly:

"What about the water ape? What's its story?"

Yuan Huye shook his head with a sigh and said:

"This... this creature is a subordinate of the dragon kind, with some status and background. It fears not our ilk, and its strength is formidable enough to prevent us from leaving the island... It has delayed business for nearly half a year already, and all unrelated individuals have been dispersed from the island."

"A subordinate of the dragon kind?"

Li Xuanfeng was surprised but, recalling Yuan Su's previous remarks, immediately suspected:

"Could Yuan Su be intending to use me as a pawn, to offend the dragon kind and then sacrifice me as a scapegoat?"

As different thoughts raced through his mind, he reconsidered his previous judgment, pondering:

"No... This market isn't owned by the Ning Family, but by the sect itself, at most it could be considered property of the Chi Family member. Why would Yuan Su go to such lengths for someone else?"

Gathering his thoughts, he asked:

"Why is this water ape troubling you for no reason?"

Yuan Hujiao began hesitantly, not daring to speak, but then whispered:

"We asked earlier, and it said someone had stolen its Precious Medicine, hiding within the market... It demanded we open the Great Formation to allow it to inspect... But how could we agree to that? Once the formation is opened, it could dictate any claim..."

Li Xuanfeng paused, then said in a low voice:

"Go down first, and bring up a detailed account of the water ape's Immortal Foundation, Magic Artifact, and Spell."

Yuan Hujiao led him down and cleared out the most luxurious hall, soon delivering a small letter. Seeing Li Xuanfeng gesture for him to leave, Yuan Hujiao politely excused himself.

"Water Ape... violent in nature, fond of cannibalism, Taoist Foundation 'Secret White Mercury'... indeed a rare find... capable of concealing its form, lurking in the sea, its body like white silver, and it's also proficient in spells... no wonder it caught the attention of the Dragon Kind."

'Yuan Su said that apart from this Water Ape, no matter what, the Water Ape is certainly doomed, with no chance for reconciliation.'

Li Xuanfeng held the small letter, silent, his mind still pondering Yuan Su's arrangement, and he deduced:

'This Water Ape has most likely misjudged the situation; the so-called theft of its Precious Medicine and hiding on the island must be true... which is now quite obvious.'

He flew away from the hall, ascending above the island, and took out a palm-sized azure mirror from his bosom, which is none other than the 'Asking Luminescence'.

'To search for the Water Ape? I think not.'

Li Xuanfeng activated the mirror, eyes tightly closed, a series of bright blue radiance flowing on the small mirror's surface, sweeping across the island. Naturally, this mirror couldn't be compared to the Dharma Mirror back at home. His Mana surged into it, and after quite a few moments, he gradually saw the scenery below clearly.

On the island, only the cultivators from the Green Pond Sect were left, and amidst the sea of green robes, indeed, there was a young figure sitting cross-legged in the heart of the island where the Spirit Mechanism was densest, silently cultivating.

'Qi Cultivating Peak Cultivation Level...'

If it were not unexpected, this person would definitely be the one the Water Ape had been relentlessly pursuing. Li Xuanfeng looked at his Cultivation Level and immediately said softly:

"Qi Cultivating Peak? Stole the Precious Medicine? It's definitely a matter of fate!"

Li Xuanfeng pondered for a while and realized:

"It seems that the Water Ape is unaware of the inside story, all tangled up, trapping this person on the island! It delayed the affairs of those from Zifu, and Yuan Su sent me to kill it to clear the path for this young man!"

He nodded slightly, as for the Water Ape... perhaps it was destined to become entangled, leading to the backers of the Dragon Kind choosing not to intervene, or inadvertently offending someone, or it was part of the power struggle resulting from the fall of the Demon King, having become a sacrificial pawn.

His gaze returned to the mirror in his hand, doubt arising in his heart:

"There was no need to give me this mirror... eliminating that demon would have sufficed... Yuan Su's intention... is probably still to give me an opportunity."

With that thought, Li Xuanfeng's black Golden Armor slowly emerged on his body, his Golden Bow fierce, and just like that, he rode the wind downwards, landing beside the young man.

"Quite the choice, this is one of the best spots for cultivation on the island."

He remained silent, standing with his hands behind his back, standing beside the young man.

This young man had delicate features, dressed neatly, although not particularly handsome, his temperament was particularly outstanding. Li Xuanfeng glanced at him twice, secretly musing:

"Such a peculiar fate... what kind of peculiarity... allows one to repeatedly turn danger into safety."

The young man quickly moved his eyelids, slowly opened his eyes, his pupils deep, and was briefly stunned, in a flash, his complexion turned pale, his expression one of shock and astonishment.

"This!"

He had just been quietly cultivating, only to have a middle-aged man clad in black Golden Armor appear out of nowhere, donned in armor and cloak, with a gaze sharp like an eagle, exuding an intense aura of a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, frightening him so much that he leapt up on the spot, even someone as composed as him momentarily disconcerted.

Almost instantly, thoughts raced through his mind, he knelt on one knee, respectfully saying:

"Junior Zhong Qian greets the senior! Intruding into this sacred place... I beg for the senior's forgiveness!"

Sneaking into someone else's cultivation site, then getting caught red-handed, the situation was too awkward for Zhong Qian, who couldn't come up with anything clever to say and could only speak plainly, his fingers slowly touching the Talisman in his sleeve, his Spiritual Sense sweep vigilantly back and forth.

'This is bad... the Great Formation can provide me shelter... or it can trap me in.'

Li Xuanfeng quietly watched him for a while, then said softly:

"No need to be nervous... as for that Talisman... there's no need to be so cautious, I'm not those mediocre Foundation Establishment cultivators, even ancient Talismans can't withstand more than a couple exchanges against my arrows."

Zhong Qian was startled at being seen through and replied respectfully:

"Junior is truly desperate, only then did I unwillingly take refuge in this sacred place... I am willing to compensate with Spiritual Objects..."

'Quite vigilant.'

Watching the young man still tense, ready to flee at any moment, Li Xuanfeng spoke:

"You've done well... it is this Water Ape's fate to meet its calamity upon encountering you."

'Looks like he's an enemy of that demon! No wonder!'

Zhong Qian's heart finally eased a bit, and he found Li Xuanfeng's words to be of some interest, respectfully saying:

"Junior is not a disciple of any prestigious sect... just a Loose Cultivator from the East Sea, this Water Ape eats humans daily, I inadvertently entered its Cave Mansion, took away its Precious Medicine, and hid in the senior's marketplace, not expecting to be tracked down by it... thus I have not been able to leave..."