Chapter 262: I Came to Kill
The vast mountain range is as boundless as the sea, with mountain winds howling through the mountains, constantly roaring in the dense forest.
For a mountain range of this size, if one had a direction, it might take only a few months to walk out, but without one, they might be trapped there for a lifetime.
The Sect Disciples were not familiar with this place, and after nearly half a month of searching, they only found them twice.
However, regardless of Physical Body strength or speed, catching them alive was truly too difficult.
In fact, the Sects all had powerful individuals from the Yingtian Realm and above who came into the mountains, but their numbers were ultimately insufficient to cover the vast Dongping Mountain Range.
This was the clear disadvantage of being in the open compared to being in the shadows; finding was much harder than hiding.
Especially after seeing that the Lasting Peace Race could mutate into Evil Seed, and discovering that their Realm was far higher than expected, the Sects had actually started to operate independently, each wanting to capture one alive, which made the difficulty even greater.
At this moment, as thousands of surging Spiritual Qi spread out under the gloomy sky, the thousands of cultivators who entered the mountains to search had expanded their search range.
The Asked the Dao Sect had a small team that searched the southern side of the Dongping Mountain Range.
The terrain here was much higher than the flat ground, the cold was biting, and there was year-round unmelted snow deep in the forest, which looked crystalline. “There’s blood.”
Jiang Chenfeng of the Asked the Dao Sect stood with his sword in the forest, reaching out to touch a drop of fresh blood from a leaf.
Tu Ri, who had come with him, looked up upon seeing this: “Has it already solidified?”
“The cold here is deep, so even if it’s somewhat solidified, it’s still relatively fresh. The person shouldn’t have gone far, go search.”
“Yes.”
Upon hearing this, the Asked the Dao Sect Disciples immediately scattered and searched the surroundings.
Jiang Chenfeng reached out and tightened the bandage on his arm.
He had once accompanied the Great Xia envoy group to the Snow Region, encountered the barbarians and the Yao Race, and witnessed the formidable Physical Body of these two races.
He had thought such Physical Body were already extremely terrifying, but he never expected them to still be inferior in front of the Lasting Peace Race.
Three days ago, he encountered several Lasting Peace Race members during his search and suffered a blow from them, yet his own sword failed to pierce their bodies. Every time he recalled that scene, he felt lingering fear.
The barbarians had the strongest Physical Body among the three races, but compared to the mutated Evil Seed this time, they were truly insignificant.
After these Lasting Peace Race members became Evil Seed, they were completely different from those withered dry households; they truly had bodies of iron and steel.
Although he had read historical records about the Lasting Peace Race ruling the Ancient era, he had never truly felt the power of the Lasting Peace Race to rule the world, but only now did he understand why the Lasting Peace Race was called a race favored by the Heavenly Dao.
Just then, a rustling sound came from the forest, alerting everyone.
However, they soon discovered that the arrivals were not their targets, but Disciples of the Chen Clan.
They had searched from the west and also saw the bloodstains along the way.
After the two sides met, there was not much communication, but they subconsciously quickened their pace, their Spiritual Qi whistling as they lightly floated off the ground,
and began to circle the mountain in the cold wind.
There must have been a battle here, meaning the Lasting Peace Race was nearby. It just depended on who found them first.
Before long, Jiang Chenfeng suddenly stopped, his aura contained as he landed, his eyes sharpening.
It wasn’t because he saw the Lasting Peace Race, but because the Chen Clan Disciples were flying through the air with Spiritual Qi, coming from all directions,
and landing in a deep, snow-filled valley, clearly having found something.
Jiang Chenfeng led his Disciples and arrived shortly after, his long sword already subtly humming.
But to their surprise, what they found was not the Lasting Peace Race, but a body of a Lasting Peace Race member.
There weren't many injuries on it, only a few sword wounds on the chest.
And the most fatal was the sword strike that severed its neck.
Seeing this scene, the surrounding cultivators were all somewhat surprised, looking at each other with deep confusion.
The Sect order they received was to capture them alive. If the capture was successful, they could exchange it for Medicinal Pill, monster stones, and techniques.
Looking at the injuries on this corpse, and the decisive decapitating sword strike, the person who attacked must have been capable of capturing him, but for some unknown reason chose to kill him.
In addition, there was another point that puzzled Jiang Chenfeng.
At this moment, he gently raised his head and looked at the deep pit in the snow that had melted into water, as if it had been scorched.
Meanwhile, far to the west of the South Peak.
A figure was sprinting through the mountain forest, kicking up sand and dust with every step, a scorching aura constantly wavering through the mountains.
As the figure shattered rocks, the long sword in his hand was drawn with a clang.
The gleaming sword blade reflected a pair of cold eyes, and then a sword descended upon the mountain.
To the east, at the bottom of the cliff, three figures were moving, and they were instantly alarmed as the Sword Qi above their heads surged.
In an instant, a vast Evil Qi erupted from within the three bodies, narrowly evading the sharp sword.
Then they looked back to the northwest and saw a white-clothed figure standing on the cliff above, looking at them indifferently, his iron sword clanging.
“Only one!”
“One! One! One!”
“Kill him!”
“Eat him—”
Amidst growls that seemed to be squeezed from their vocal cords, a thick Evil Qi instantly surged out from around the three, spreading from their backs and wrapping around their entire bodies like living creatures.
At the same time, their muscles and bones began to twist and squirm eerily, and the crisp sounds of bones cracking erupted one after another.
The three figures also seemed to be rapidly elongated, their spines bending like bows, and their fingers extending like hooks.
Before long, three pairs of scarlet blood eyes emerged from the wavering Evil Qi, with savagery constantly appearing in their gaze.
The mountain wind suddenly froze, replaced by a continuous surge of sinister aura.
Seeing this scene, Ji You on the cliff slowly raised the iron sword in his hand, his blood Qi began to boil, and at the same time, a scorching aura constantly wavered.
Then he leaped down from the cliff with a roar, the trembling iron sword drawing a fiery red arc in the air, rushing forth like a raging tide.
Among the Heavenly Dao Law, there are Fire Arts. It is said that there is a millennium Worldly Family in Yong Province that deeply understands this Dao, famous for its dual thunder and fire techniques. But the fiery red under that iron sword was clearly not a technique, but the scorching heat generated by the sword blade cutting through the air.
The valley seemed to be still for a second, and under the sword pressure, a violent wave of air was fiercely cut open, rolling from the ground up the slope, carrying heavy sand and stones like a torrent.
Under the Qi force that tore through the mountain wind, a clanging sound instantly rang out,
One of them was directly sent flying, his Physical Body directly broke several old trees, and he crashed into the mountain wall with a bang, his entire body’s Evil Qi instantly spreading.
Then, with a crunch, a head rolled to the ground, and his upper body slumped down like rubber, as if boneless.
Seeing this, the remaining two shrieked and instantly began to sprint wildly to the west.
It really is different.
Although after the Evil Qi entered their brains, the language ability of these ghostly things decreased, and their minds became unclear.
But they would run away.
Ji You held his sword, the muscles in his calves instantly swelled, and with a “bang,” he stomped the valley floor, shattering it, and pursued with his sword.
Those who had fought against him had indeed given him good reviews. At this moment, he was like a Vicious Beast that devoured the sky, roaring through the mountain forest, suppressing the Evil Qi of the two fleeing individuals so that it could not even float.
Ding Yao had now pursued to the cliff from which Ji You had just leaped, looking down at the figure like a god or demon roaring through the mountain forest,
her red lips slightly parted, her eyes pleased.
She had initially advised Ji You not to come in, because it was too dangerous here.
The Seven Great Immortal Sects sent countless Disciples, the lowest cultivation being in the early Rongdao Realm. On one hand, it was to prevent this matter from leaking, and on the other hand, it was because anyone below the Rongdao Realm would be meaningless here.
But what she didn't expect was that Ji You, along the way, displayed an aura that was almost close to that of Master Jian.
That clean iron sword had no magical enhancement, not even the attachment of Spiritual Qi, but every swing carried a spirit as if it could split the heavens.
Earlier, when she received Ji You's letter at Lingjian Mountain and learned that he had come out, Ding Yao had always wondered why Ji You hadn't broken through after entering the Xianxian Holy Land, and why Master Jian didn't seem worried.
But only now did she realize that Ji You's increase in power did not come from the Heavenly Dao, but from himself.
The pressure brought by that profound Qi and powerful strength already showed the demeanor of a superior.
She remembered that when she first met Ji You, Ding Yao didn't like him. Later, when she learned that Master Jian liked him, she deeply felt that he was unworthy.
But after a series of subsequent events, such as breaking through the Sword Forest and the Tiandao Conference duel, her thoughts began to change, gradually becoming more compliant.
In Ding Yao's heart, Ji You's talent was powerful. If he continued like this, even if he was inferior to Master Jian, it might be barely acceptable.
But she had truly never imagined that one day Ji You would make her feel that even a direct Disciple of a Sect was nothing more than this.
Boom!
Amidst the wildly dancing Qi waves, Ji You sent one of the remaining two flying with a palm strike.
Then, his powerful arm was pulled back like a fully drawn bow, swiftly severing the head of the other. The white-clothed figure stomped off the ground, and as his iron sword descended, it not only took off the last head but also shattered the green rock at the bottom of the valley into smithereens.
Seeing this scene, Ding Yao's heart trembled violently, and she vaguely began to worry about her own Master Jian.
After returning from the Tiandao Conference, Master Jian would panic whenever they mentioned Ji You, and even her favorite fried dough sticks made her wary.
Later, Ding Yao accidentally found a book filled with postures under Master Jian's pillow, and only then did she understand why.
The two of them seemed to truly be considering conceiving a child.
When she saw Ji You's performance at the Tiandao Conference, she felt that her Master Jian might not be able to resist, and now it seemed even more precarious. The battle in the valley subsided, leaving behind only three incomplete bodies and the lingering heat that had not yet dispersed.
Ji You's breathing began to slow, and then he stood on a rock, his aura contained, and his Divine Thought began to spread outwards.
In that instant, the golden Divine Thought in his eyes flowed out like molten gold, continuously rippling within his pupils, dazzling and brilliant, as it whistled towards the mountain forest.
Zhuo Wanqiu also arrived at the cliff at this time, staring for a long time before speaking: “Young Master's Divine Thought—”
Ding Yao pursed her lips: “It's like Xuán Hǎi, isn't it? They have been in the mountains for five days, constantly moving through the dense forest, avoiding Sect Disciples and taking many detours.
The two of them had always felt that their Young Master was just wandering aimlessly, hoping to luckily encounter an Evil Seed.
They didn't hold much hope for this idea.
Because even the thousands of cultivators sent by the Immortal Sect found it difficult to accurately locate their target in this vast mountain range, and their Young Master was only one person, so the probability of encountering one was too small.
But gradually, they realized that the true situation was not like this.
Because every time they crossed mountains and snowy valleys, they could always find the Bu family members.
After the Bu family entered the mountains, they did not sit idly by, but instead sent some of their Disciples to wander in the outer areas.
This was not difficult to understand, because doing so could provide an Opportunity to escape pursuit and also disrupt the Immortal Sect's search direction.
But they didn't understand why their Young Master could always accurately find the hiding places of these Bu family members, as if there was a pair of eyes overlooking all living beings helping him.
Until one time, the two of them accidentally met his golden eyes.
In just an instant, they felt as if something massive had rushed into their minds, causing their Divine Souls to tremble, and they instantly broke out in a cold sweat.
In Ding Yao's words, that feeling was like being torn apart by the Young Master.
Only then did they realize that their Young Master's strongest asset was not his Physical Body, but his Divine Thought.”
Cultivators use Divine Thought as their foundation to sense the Heavenly Dao.
However, no one deliberately cultivates Divine Thought; on one hand, it only needs to be sufficient.
On the other hand, apart from consuming Medicinal Pills, many methods of cultivating Divine Thought do not have very significant effects.
But Ji You was different.
The stronger his Physical Body, the greater the restriction on his Divine Thought, as if he were tied down with sandbags.
Every time his Physical Body broke through a Realm, it was incredibly difficult for his Divine Thought to expand outwards.
In order to prevent his Divine Thought from being locked down by his Physical Body, the most he did at the Xianxian Holy Land, besides breaking through Physical Body Realms, was to refine his Divine Thought by leveraging his Physical Body.
Like adding flour when there's too much water, and water when there's too much flour.
So even though the Dongping Mountain Range was indeed vast, he could still sense some clues.
At this moment, the flowing golden soul in Ji You's eyes gradually dissipated.
He gradually emerged from his meditative state and glanced towards the northeast—
Due to the weather and the dense vegetation in the mountains, the sky in the Dongping Mountain Range quickly grew dark.
Ji You led Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu northeast, stopping at a secluded mountain stream when it was completely dark and they couldn't see their hands in front of their faces.
“It's inconvenient to move in the dark, and the chances of escape are higher. Let's rest here for the night first.”
Zhuo Wanqiu and Ding Yao nodded obediently: “Yes, Young Master.”
Ji You was now quite accustomed to the term “Young Master.”
He felt it was quite nice to have two thoughtful companions when going out, especially in these gloomy mountain forests; it was excellent to have someone to talk to.
Then, Ji You used dry branches and fallen leaves to light a bonfire, then found a flat rock and began to restore his Qi.
Meanwhile, Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu took out tables, chairs, and some ingredients they had brought from their storage gourds, placed them over the fire to roast, and then sat by the side, observing their Young Master.
Except for the first day they entered the mountains without battle, there had been battles every day thereafter.
However, their Young Master didn't seem to be too tired, which made the two personal maids even more worried for their Master Jian.
Thinking of this, the two of them simultaneously recalled the Secret Manual under Master Jian's pillow that they thought no one knew about, and imagined their usually aloof Master Jian's expression.
“Young Master always wanted Master Jian to call him ‘older brother’ before, but it seems she hasn't called him that yet.”
Zhuo Wanqiu was silent for a moment after hearing Ding Yao's words: “Master Jian will definitely call him that—”
Ding Yao nodded: “I think so too—”
Zhuo Wanqiu couldn't help but glance around: “Do you think Master Jian will punish us if she knows we're talking about her behind her back?”
“It's fine, Master Jian has her husband to control her now.”
“Isn't it Master Jian who controls Young Master?”
Ding Yao flipped the roasted yellow croaker: “Master Jian is a rather traditional woman. You see how stubborn she is now; that's only because she hasn't married yet. If she marries, she will most likely follow her husband.”
Zhuo Wanqiu was surprised by Ding Yao's certainty: “Why?”
“Because Young Master is in good shape—”
When they mentioned being in good shape, the two of them suddenly got distracted, and their minds involuntarily started to imagine things. Before long, a burnt smell began to waft out.
Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu instantly snapped back to reality, then fumbled to flip the slightly charred fish, their cheeks flushed.
Then they stared intently at the bonfire, neither speaking, as if afraid the other would ask what they had just been thinking.
After a while, all the food was on the table, and Ji You also emerged from his meditative state.
“Young Master, time to eat.”
“Alright.”
Ji You got up and moved to the small table.
His previous meditation was different from a meditation for comprehending the Heavenly Dao, so his five senses still perceived the outside world, and he had vaguely heard their audacious words earlier.
At this moment, he looked at the two slightly charred small yellow croakers and thought to himself, 'Are you two so focused on being lewd that you burned the fish?'
Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu saw his gaze and subtly averted their eyes.
Ji You picked up one of the yellow croakers, and while eating, he asked, “Do you know the exact number of Bu family members who escaped into the Dongping Mountain Range?”
Zhuo Wanqiu thought for a moment: “According to the reports from the Lingjian Mountain Disciples, there should be twenty-five Bu family members in the mountains.”
“Twenty-five—”
Ji You put down his food, took out paper and pen from his storage gourd, wrote five tally marks, and then crossed out the first one.
Seeing this, Zhuo Wanqiu and Ding Yao couldn't help but exchange glances.
The Seven Great Immortal Sects came into the mountains because they believed there was an Opportunity on the Bu family members that they wanted to seize.
But their Young Master, after entering the mountains, started killing without a word. He had already killed five, and looking at the remaining tally marks, they felt that their Young Master seemed intent on killing all of them.
Ding Yao couldn't help but look up at this moment: “Does Young Master not believe there's an Immortal Opportunity on the Bu family members?”
“No, I'm just here to kill. Not a single one will be left, and then I'll go back.”
“Why?”
“Because I fear human nature.”
Ji You put away the paper and pen and picked up the yellow croaker in his hand again.
Humans can transform into Evil Seeds, and their Physical Bodies become extremely strong, with their Realms greatly increasing. When Ji You heard their description at the inn, he immediately decided to come to the Dongping Mountain Range.
From that moment on, he came with the intention of killing every last one of them before the Immortal Sects could intervene.
Because he was afraid that the Immortal Sects wouldn't treat this as a disaster, but as an Opportunity.
Imagine you've cultivated for many years, now you're stuck in a Bottleneck, and your Lifespan is running out. If you encountered something that could greatly increase your Realm, just by changing your appearance, would you choose to accept it?
Sure enough, those Immortal Sects ordered them to keep the Bu family members alive.
Then, as for where the Opportunity on the Bu family members came from, it's obvious to anyone with a brain.
It was the legacy of the Ancient Remnant Race.
When the Zheng Family Old Ancestor failed his Ascension, the Immortal Sects, under the guise of clearing out Evil Seeds, moved everything from the Zheng family's old residence. What they truly wanted was this.
It was only because everything in the ruins couldn't be taken out that their greed was curbed.
However, Ji You knew more than the Immortal Sects did.
Because after the Qi Ridge incident, a large number of refugees flooded outside Shengjing City. At that time, a child named Qingwa contracted a plague.
The reason he contracted the plague was that he had touched a cart of infants transported out of the ruins while he was pilfering. At that time, he vaguely felt that the Immortal Opportunity from the ruins could be brought out, but it might require complicated steps and processes.
Actually, none of that was important. The crucial final step might involve using infants as vessels.
Imagine what would happen if the cultivators of the Qingyun World found out about this? Ji You dared not imagine.
So he had to kill all the Bu family members. He wasn't interested in whatever they had obtained; he just wanted to kill them all.
