Chapter 1263: Hunting Xu Qing
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Although Xu Qing had never seen Ji Dongzi with his own eyes, he still had some understanding of this cultivator through the Eldest Prince’s introduction.
“Ranked second among the Flame Moon Mystic Heaven Race’s heaven’s chosens!”
Xu Qing’s expression was solemn. He felt that if he fought with all his might, he could reach a draw with Fan Shishuang, who was ranked third.
However, such a battle would definitely consume a lot of his energy. He would need a long time to recover in the future, so it was not conducive to the second segment.
Even with the purple crystal to heal his injuries, the consumption of divine sources and the loss of soul threads would take a long time to replenish.
Ji Dongzi had fought with Fan Shishuang three times and won easily every time. Xu Qing recalled the content of the jade slip and knew that if Flame Mystic hadn’t interfered, Ji Dongzi would have killed Fan Shishuang.
Xu Qing knew very well that he wasn’t a match for such combat strength.
At the end of the day, his foundation was still relatively insufficient.
As for the reasons behind the other party spreading the news and searching for his whereabouts, it wasn’t important. The fact remained as it was, and there were too many reasons that could be speculated upon.
Hence, after Xu Qing pondered for a while, he moved even more cautiously, focusing even more on his concealment.
He didn’t want to encounter this person before he obtained a mutated beast. Engaging in a life-and-death battle was one matter, and having his own plans disrupted was another.
“I’m still ten days away from my destination…”
In the rainforest, Xu Qing mumbled inwardly as he shuttled over.
Just like that, time flowed by and very soon, another five days passed.
During these five days, Xu Qing did his best to hide his tracks. If he saw any Flame Moon cultivators, he would stay far away and not get close. He also hid and waited for the other party to leave before appearing.
However, sometimes, the development of things was beyond one’s will. Other than cultivators, there were also a large number of ferocious beasts and bizarre creatures with terrifying strength in this Mountains and Seas Region.
For the latter, Xu Qing had his shadow and could evade or intimidate them to a certain extent. However, for the former… it depended on luck.
It was impossible for his luck to remain high forever. On the fifth day, at the intersection of the upper and lower rings of the Mountains and Seas Region, near the area of the Jiuli Forbidden, Xu Qing encountered a group of mountain sparrows whistling overhead in the sky.
After seeing them, Xu Qing didn’t hesitate to evade them.
The so-called mountain sparrows referred to sparrows that carried mountains on their backs.
They were enormous in size and moved with mountains on their backs. Therefore, in the eyes of cultivators, what they often saw first was the mountain peaks whistling through the sky, similar to cultivators moving the mountains in the first segment.
Moreover, these ferocious beasts lived in groups and hunted together in large numbers.
They possessed formidable strength, and the ones venturing out were usually all adults, with their combat prowess ranging from the first stage Nihility to perfected Nihility.
There were a lot of them… Hence, for the participants in the second segment, they were a headache.
This was because the mountain sparrow’s diet was very wide. Other than ferocious beasts, it liked devouring cultivators even more.
What Xu Qing encountered now was a group of mountain sparrows that had gone out to hunt. With their strange innate ability, they instantly sensed Xu Qing’s traces and suddenly turned in the air, rushing toward Xu Qing.
Xu Qing frowned but his gaze swept past the group of at least a hundred mountain sparrows. He fell silent for a moment before fleeing at full speed.
The world rumbled. The pursuit of the mountain sparrows formed an astonishing energy fluctuation that spread in all directions. They emitted sharp cries, as though they were summoning their companions.
A cold glint flashed in Xu Qing’s eyes and his eyes instantly turned pitch-black. The Purple Moon rose, forming a deterrence, causing the mountain sparrows that were chasing to pause.
Taking advantage of this time, Xu Qing fled even faster. However, the mountain sparrows in the sky and the fluctuations they emitted still attracted the attention of the nearby cultivators who were passing by.
The expressions of these cultivators changed and they quickly escaped, not daring to get close. There were also two Si’e Race members among them. When they saw the mountain sparrows from afar, they were shocked. After that, their expressions changed and they took out jade slips at the same time.
It was a special jade slip. It was purple in color and was currently shining.
After these two checked, they quickly retreated. At the same time, they gritted their teeth and were about to transmit their voices.
However, at the next instant, the wind whistled and a black fog appeared out of thin air, enveloping the two of them. The Poison Restriction erupted and mournful wails echoed. Very soon, the fog dissipated, leaving only black blood and storage bags scattered on the ground.
On the ground, Xu Qing’s figure flashed. He grabbed the storage bags and the two special jade slips and sped up without turning his head.
However, his brows were tightly furrowed.
He had killed the two Si’e Race cultivators and because of the speed at which he killed them, they didn’t have time to spread the news, but the two purple jade slips gave him a very bad feeling.
“The guidance formed by the blood of the Purple Moon believers and curse arts…”
Xu Qing only needed a glance to sense the principles behind these two jade slips.
He crushed the jade slips. He had a faint feeling that there might be no more need for anyone to spread his whereabouts.
Xu Qing didn’t believe that such a jade slip that was specifically made to track him didn’t have the effect of sending messages on its own.
“However, it’s also possible that I’m thinking too much. There are still five days before 1 reach my destination.”
Xu Qing narrowed his eyes and lifted his head to look in the direction of the Jiuli Forbidden.
He was not far from the edge of the Jiuli Forbidden.
The entire Jiuli Forbidden was filled with a dense gray fog that couldn’t be penetrated by the sunlight. The fog inside slowly churned, giving one the feeling of an old man in his twilight years.
From time to time, they would transform into pained faces that let out soundless cries in the surroundings, forming ripples in the void.
Vaguely, there seemed to be blurry scenes forming inside, but they couldn’t be seen clearly or remembered.
Only roars filled with despair and madness echoed gloomily from the depths of the fog.
The voices entered one’s mind and shook one’s soul, causing one to involuntarily tremble. Instinctively, unease and reverence rose.
This was especially so for Xu Qing’s divine sources. It actually felt like they were being suppressed. It was as though a god’s power was incompatible with this place.
As for the situation in the fog, it was filled with mystery.
“Jiuli Forbidden…”
Xu Qing mumbled.
Although he couldn’t see the specific terrain and details, he could sense a sense of oppression through his perception. As the decaying wind blew from the direction of Jiuli, it clearly landed in Xu Qing’s heart.
More wind landed on Xu Qing’s body, lifting his hair.
In this wind, his hair showed signs of withering, as though some of its life force had been plundered at this instant.
This scene caused Xu Qing to be even more wary of the Jiuli Forbidden.
By now, he had seen too many forbidden zones and also visited a few forbidden regions.
However, this place was completely different from the places he had been to before.
“This place is more like a tomb.”
Xu Qing’s gaze was deep as he took a closer look. Only then did he retract his gaze and continue to move stealthily in the direction of sanchi’s territory.
At the same time, he transmitted his voice to Eldest Senior Brother.
During this period, he would attempt this every day. However, because the distance was too far, the information he transmitted seemed to not have been sent, and there was no response.
Xu Qing shook his head and put away the voice transmission jade slip before flying away.
A day later, at the edge of the area near the lower ring, rumbling sounds echoed and fog lingered. The figures of Si’e Race cultivators wanted to rush out of the fog but in the end, they still turned into blood.
When the fog dissipated, Xu Qing walked out.
Behind him were dozens of cultivators of the Si’e Race.
Xu Qing turned his head and glanced at the melting corpses behind him with a gloomy expression.
He had been ambushed when he passed by this place earlier.
The other party seemed to be able to accurately grasp his whereabouts. Moreover, they didn’t care about their lives at all. When they saw him appear, they used all kinds of destructive methods.
There were even some who self-destructed like lunatics.
In Xu Qing’s opinion, their goal wasn’t to kill but to stall for time.
Most importantly, each of them had a special purple jade slip.
“My judgment isn’t wrong…”
Xu Qing fell silent. He then lifted his head and looked in the direction of his destination.
He still needed four days to arrive there.
“These people are stalling for time like this. This means that there’s a high chance that Ji Dongzi isn’t far away.”
In the next four days… it should be very difficult for things to go smoothly. Moreover, my tracks have been locked onto. Even if 1 successfully enter the sanchi’s territory, there will still be huge hidden dangers in the future. There’s not much meaning.”
“I have to think of a way to deal with Ji Dongzi and completely avoid detection.”
“Otherwise, if this continues, the troubles will never end.”
Xu Qing fell silent. He was very clear that some things needed to be prepared in advance. Only then could he grasp the opportunity to reverse the situation at the moment of life and death.
Hence, after some thought, his gaze moved away from the direction of sanchi’s territory and looked at the Jiuli Forbidden that he had passed by.
That place was the restricted area of the Mountains and Seas Region. It was only a day’s journey away from where he was.
Xu Qing fell silent for a moment as he stared at the Jiuli Forbidden. Determination appeared in his eyes.
“In terms of combat strength, there’s a high chance that I’m inferior to Ji
Dongzi. However, in terms of survival…”
Xu Qing sensed the purple crystal and his heart calmed down. With a sway of his body, he changed his direction and sped toward the Jiuli Forbidden.
Xu Qing’s judgment wasn’t wrong. Four hours after he left, a rainbow whistled over from the distant sky with a disdainful aura.
It instantly arrived at the location where Xu Qing was previously. The rainbow dissipated and transformed into a figure.
It was Ji Dongzi.
He stood on the ground and glanced at the place where the Si’e Race cultivators had died. After that, he closed his eyes and sensed.
In the direction of Jiuli?”
Ji Dongzi calmly spoke.
“He’s not stupid. However… the possibility of escaping from me is very small.”
Ji Dongzi’s expression was cold. He took a step forward and the sound of air breaking rang out. His figure seemed to be able to lock onto Xu Qing’s tracks as he gave chase.
Just like that, one rushed forward while the other gave chase. Six hours later, Xu Qing’s expression changed and he abruptly turned his head.
As he looked at the horizon, the clouds and fog exploded and the void churned. A blood light swept in all directions and connected the world, rumbling toward him like an avalanche.
In the sea of blood, he could see a black figure coldly looking at him..
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