Early morning, the sun rises.
Wow, it's so beautiful!
Xiao Yan, sitting on the oxcart, let out a gasp of surprise.
At this moment, Lu Qing and the others had left the mountains and forests and were in a plain.
The surrounding area is filled with vast fields, and many farmhouses are nestled among them.
Lu Qing and his oxcart traveled along a wide official road in the middle of the fields.
It was autumn, and the fields were a sea of gold, a truly beautiful sight. No wonder Xiaoyan was amazed.
Compared to their scattered, disorganized rice paddies in Jiuli Village, these are much larger.
The sight of these vast, interconnected rice paddies is truly breathtaking.
"Brother Lu Qing, the county town is just ahead."
Ma Gu pointed to the tall city wall in the distance and said to Lu Qing.
Looking at the city in the distance, Lu Qing was somewhat surprised.
He thought the county town wouldn't be very big, but he was wrong.
Judging by the height of the city walls alone, this county town is probably much larger than any of the so-called ancient cities he had visited in his previous life.
No wonder Master used to say that the city was another world.
Just what I see right now.
Compared to the area around Jiuli Village, the county town is indeed much more prosperous.
"Master, we're almost at the county town. Wait a minute, how do we get into the town?"
Yesterday afternoon, Lu Qing and his group set off from Jiuli Village. The oxcart moved slowly, and the journey of more than 100 li was not short.
By the time they had traveled most of the way, it was already getting dark.
The roads were difficult to travel at night, and the county town gates were closed at night.
So after nightfall, Lu Qing and his companions simply found a dilapidated kiln in the wilderness and camped out for the night. They continued their journey when the sky began to lighten.
"Let's just go in like this. As long as we can get into the city, everything will be safe," the old doctor said.
Lu Qing nodded.
Master is a martial artist at the Innate Realm. As long as they can enter the city, even if Wang Cangyi notices, he won't be able to do anything to them.
Unless he is willing to disregard everything and start a battle of innate realm beings in the city.
So Lu Qing and the others concealed their presence, hid their swords on the oxcart, and tried their best to appear as farmers going to the market in town.
Madam Wei and Wei Zi'an's fair faces were covered with dust to conceal their skin color, making them look like an ordinary peasant woman and a peasant boy.
The old doctor also wore a bamboo hat to cover his face.
Following behind other people heading to the city for the early market, the oxcart slowly moved forward.
As they got closer to the county town, everyone's hearts began to race.
Madam Wei, in particular, felt her heart pounding.
She held Xiaoyan tightly, trying her best to calm herself down and not let herself give herself away.
Looking at the city wall, which was dozens of meters high and neatly stacked, Lu Qing understood why Ma Gu and the others hadn't suggested sneaking into the city at night.
Even a martial artist at the Bone and Tendon Realm would find it difficult to climb up these tall and slippery city walls without alerting others.
Moreover, they also brought Madam Wei and her son with them.
As the city walls drew closer, the oxcart crossed the fields and arrived at the large, empty buffer zone outside the city.
However, when they were still more than a hundred meters from the city gate, the old doctor stopped the oxcart.
At the same time, a slight movement came from Lu Qing's basket.
"Master?" Lu Qing was startled.
"Alas, it couldn't be hidden in the end," the old doctor sighed.
Magu and his companions were taken aback. Just as they were about to ask for more details, they heard a long laugh coming from ahead.
A figure suddenly appeared on the city wall above the city gate.
At the same time, a large number of people came out of the city, drove away the crowd, and blocked the city gates.
The crowd that had intended to enter the city suddenly scattered in alarm, some of them being beaten black and blue, their belongings scattered all over the ground.
Fortunately, those people still had some consideration for the fact that this was a county town, so they didn't dare to go too far and no one was killed in the end.
As Lu Qing watched this scene, a hint of coldness gradually appeared in his eyes.
"This is outrageous! Where are the officials in the county government? Are they just going to let these people run rampant like this?"
Even Magu, who was standing to the side, couldn't stand it anymore and said indignantly.
As for Madam Wei and her son, they were filled with even more grief and indignation.
These people have become so arrogant; they can't even imagine how badly the manor has been bullied these past few days.
Soon, the crowd that wanted to enter the city was dispersed, leaving only Lu Qing's oxcart standing alone in the same spot.
“Which fellow cultivator at the Innate Realm is so kind as to help me so much by personally bringing Wei Xinghe’s wife and children here? I am truly grateful.”
The figure on the city gate spoke loudly.
These words shocked the entire city.
Originally, the Tiancang Sect's high-profile act of blocking the city gates was enough to attract the attention of various forces in the city. It was unknown what this evil dragon crossing the river was planning to do.
Now, upon hearing Wang Cangyi's words, it turns out that the matriarch of the Wei family and the young master of the Wei family have returned.
Moreover, it seems that another expert at the Innate Realm is involved in this?
Suddenly, all the forces in the city were in an uproar, and they all sent their experts to the city gate.
"Another Innate Realm cultivator has arrived?"
County Prefectural Government.
The county magistrate, who was playing chess, was taken aback when he heard Wang Cangyi's voice.
When did his remote little town become so popular? How come those who were once elusive at the Innate Realm are now appearing one after another?
"Let's go out and take a look."
The young man in plain clothes sitting opposite him stood up and said calmly.
"Zhi Rui, do you know something?"
Seeing his friend's expression, the county magistrate quickly asked.
He remembered that the guy seemed to have disappeared for a while yesterday.
However, the young man in plain clothes ignored his question and walked straight out.
"Hey, Zhirui, wait for me!"
The county magistrate hurriedly chased after him.
Since there was a rare spectacle to watch, Zhi Rui didn't stop him; he couldn't miss it.
The Wei residence is a quiet little courtyard.
"Ningyan and An'er are back?"
Upon hearing the sound that had spread throughout the city, Wei Xinghe was initially overjoyed, but his expression changed drastically.
"Another Innate Realm expert, who is it? Ningyan and An'er have fallen into his hands?"
"Master, what should we do? The Ancestor hasn't come out of seclusion yet! Should we go and inform him?"
"I can't believe it," said Chief Steward Wei anxiously.
"No need, I've already heard it." Wei Shanhai appeared in the courtyard.
"Ancestor!" Wei Xinghe and the other man exclaimed with delight, "Is your injury any better?"
"No." Wei Shanhai shook his head, giving the two a disappointing answer, "I've been trying to understand it for several days, but I still haven't gained anything."
However, Wei Xinghe quickly perked up: "Ancestor, Wang Cang said that Ningyan and An'er have returned and are in the hands of another Xiantian Realm expert, is that right?"
"Their qi and blood are too weak, and the distance is too far, so I can't be sure yet, but outside the city, there is indeed the aura of another unfamiliar innate realm cultivator."
Wei Shanhai looked solemn.
He never imagined that a third person at the Innate Realm would appear in such a small county as Cang County.
Is the visitor friend or foe? Is he just passing by, or is he a powerful ally invited by Wang Cangyi?
For a moment, even with Wei Shanhai's composure, he became somewhat uneasy.
However, he knew that no matter what, he had to get out and find out what was going on.
All the major forces in the city were stirred up by Wang Cangyi's words.
Outside the city, Lu Qing was looking up at the figure on the city gate.
At this moment, the figure on the city gate in his field of vision was emitting a faint golden light of supernatural power.
【Wang Cangyi: Second Elder of the Inner Sect of the Northern Frontier Heavenly Azure Sect. He is hypocritical, suspicious, adept at disguise, and extremely protective of his own.】
【Cultivation Level: Peak of the Initial Stage of the Innate Realm, Metal-attribute True Qi.】
【Possesses multiple innate secret techniques, especially skilled in swordsmanship.】
【In their youth, he traveled with Wei Shanhai and they became close friends. However, due to incompatible personalities and a dispute over the division of treasures, they became enemies.】
Seeing the information displayed in his field of vision, Lu Qing breathed a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, Wang Cangyi's cultivation level was only at the peak of the initial stage of the Innate Realm, not much stronger than his master.
They are not in an absolutely weak position.
However, to his surprise, Wang Cangyi and the ancestor of the Wei family were actually good friends when they were young.
This explains why the Tiancang Sect, located far away in the northern frontier, knew that the Wei family in this remote town possessed treasures and was willing to travel thousands of miles to seize them.
"Master, how did he find us?" Lu Qing asked.
"It was just bad luck on our part. The person in front of us, who is at the Innate Realm, seemed to have been waiting near the city gate all along. As soon as we got close, he sensed the Innate Qi on my body."
The old doctor said with a worried expression.
"It's probably not that we're unlucky, but rather that the other side has never left the vicinity of the city gate and has been guarding the old ancestor of the Wei family the whole time," Lu Qing sneered.
Based on the information gleaned from his supernatural abilities, it's clear that Wang Cangyi is a typical hypocrite.
Such people are often relentless in achieving their goals.
Lu Qing estimated that since the failed attack on the Wei family, Wang Cangyi had probably been holding out here, and no one from the Wei family could escape his senses.
"Master, are you confident you can defeat Wang Cangyi?" Lu Qing asked in a low voice.
"I'm afraid not." The old doctor shook his head. "This person at the Innate Realm has a powerful aura, and I, an old man, am not good at fighting. If we really fought, I would definitely not be his match."
"Even adding the cultivation techniques left by Senior Li won't work?"
“It’s difficult. Your master is dull-witted. I’ve only practiced two of Senior Li’s techniques, and I’ve only grasped about 30 or 40% of the mysteries of each. How can I compare to these true experts at the Innate Realm?” the old doctor said honestly.
"I see. It seems we can only try to stall for time until the Wei family's ancestor comes out."
Lu Qing felt that this was a difficult situation.
However, he believed that Wang Cangyi would not act rashly.
After all, he had no idea that his master was not good at fighting.
With the Wei family patriarch watching them from behind, the other party is unlikely to easily antagonize another innate realm cultivator.
Magu and the others, who were standing nearby, were completely dumbfounded as they listened to the conversation between the master and his apprentice.
"Old, old doctor, you, you are a master of the Innate Realm?"
Magu stammered.
"He only managed to break through to the Innate Realm by sheer luck; he can hardly be considered a master." The old doctor shook his head.
Magoo's mouth dropped open.
He never imagined that the kind and gentle old doctor, who was always so amiable and kind to everyone, would actually be a master of the Innate Realm.
Although he knew beforehand that the old doctor was an Inner Vessel Realm martial artist, he never expected that he would quietly step into the Innate Realm.
Madam Wei and her son were equally incredulous that the old man who personally drove the carriage for them was actually the legendary Innate Realm expert.
While Magu and his group were in shock, Wang Cangyi on the other side was somewhat displeased.
He didn't expect that when he took the initiative to be friendly, the other party wouldn't even reply with a word, which was simply a sign that they didn't take him seriously.
However, thinking of Wei Shanhai in the city, he suppressed his anger.
"Your Excellency, what do you think of my previous proposal? If you hand over the Wei mother and son to me, my Tiancang Sect will surely reward you handsomely."
This was the first time Wang Cangyi had publicly revealed the origins of his sect.
Clearly, he was still wary of the mysterious old doctor, who was at the Innate Realm, before figuring out his origins. He wanted to use the power of the sect to force the other party to submit.
Unfortunately, the old doctor had no idea what kind of sect the Heavenly Azure Sect was.
He shook his head: "I am sorry, but I cannot comply. His Majesty has murderous intent. If these two children fall into your hands, they will likely not have a good end."
"So, you're determined to help the Wei family?"
Wang Cangyi's gaze turned cold, and his aura gradually rose.
It has been confirmed that the old doctor and his companions are the Wei family's henchmen.
He recalled the deaths of his three personally taught disciples, and the coldness in his eyes intensified.
His tone was no longer polite: "Old man, I'm asking you, were you the one who poisoned my disciples?"
Sensing the rising aura emanating from Wang Cang, Lu Qing was startled, stepped forward, and shouted loudly:
"Does Your Excellency intend to defy the sacred mountain's prohibition and attack us?"
"presumptuous!"
When Wang Cang saw that a mere Qi and Bone Realm cultivator dared to shout at him, a fierce glint flashed in his eyes, and his powerful aura immediately pressed down on Lu Qing.
The people on the oxcart were also swept up in the attack.
The power of the Innate Realm is extraordinary. Even if they were not the main target, just being swept by the edge of the aura caused Madam Wei and the others to show discomfort and almost faint.
Fortunately, the old doctor waved his hand, and a gentle aura emanated from him, enveloping the group and blocking Wang Cangyi's aura.
Even so, Madam Wei and the others still coughed loudly.
Even Magu, who had only achieved minor mastery of his physical abilities, was no exception; his face flushed red and his eyes showed horror.
This was the first time he had felt the power of the Innate Realm, and he hadn't expected it to be so terrifying.
"Auntie, what's wrong? Are you alright?"
Xiao Yan, who was being held in Madam Wei's arms, looked at her with concern and gently patted her back to help her catch her breath.
"Auntie is fine..." Madam Wei shook her head, but she quickly sensed something was wrong. "Xiaoyan, aren't you feeling unwell?"
Xiaoyan's face showed concern, but she didn't seem to be in any discomfort.
"I'm not upset, but that uncle over there is so fierce, Xiaoyan doesn't like him."
Xiaoyan shook her head, frowned, and looked disgusted.
Madam Wei stared at her blankly.
"Um?"
Wang Cang was shocked to see that his innate aura had been so easily neutralized by the old doctor.
What surprised him even more was that Lu Qing, who was standing at the very front and had completely absorbed the impact of his aura, was standing there with clear eyes and a calm expression.
It was as if his aura was nothing more than a gentle breeze, having no effect on him whatsoever.
"How is that possible!"
All the martial artists who witnessed this scene were shocked.
