Chapter 37: Heavenly Net, Earthly Web

The wilderness.

Xu Qing moved with agility, sprinting onward. He had been running for two days straight, but due to his remarkable recovery ability, the continuous journey that would exhaust others didn't affect him. In fact, he felt his body was thoroughly warmed up and active.

During this time, he had spotted cultivators from the Vajra Sect in the distance, dressed similarly to the camp leader. However, with careful evasion and his speed, he managed to avoid them all.

Now, with only one day's journey left to his destination, Deerhorn City, Xu Qing's path reached a fork. To his left was the city where he had lived for six years. It was now a forbidden zone, appearing as a dark silhouette in the twilight from a distance. The other direction led to Deerhorn City.

Standing there, Xu Qing turned his head to look in the direction of the forbidden zone. After a few silent breaths, he swayed, about to rush towards Deerhorn City. But just then, his expression changed, and he instantly crouched down, concealing himself in the thicket.

Squinting, Xu Qing looked up at the distant sky. There, a golden streak of light was whistling past. Due to the great distance, Xu Qing could only see the dazzling golden light, unable to discern the figure within. However, the spiritual energy fluctuation was identical to that of the camp leader, yet far more intense, which startled him.

“This pressure… it surpasses the camp leader’s,” he murmured.

Only after the golden streak had vanished did Xu Qing take a deep breath, a hint of hesitation in his eyes. In the past two days, he had encountered three groups of Vajra Sect cultivators, all of whom he had carefully avoided. But this encounter felt distinctly more dangerous.

“If I continue, I can reach Deerhorn City within a day…” Xu Qing narrowed his eyes, deep in thought. He knew his current advantage was that no one was aware he possessed the Seven Blood Eyes token. This made it difficult for anyone to guess his destination.

However, he had another advantage: he was unaffected by the dense exotic matter within the forbidden zone, allowing him to reside there for extended periods with caution. The former approach emphasized swift action to catch the Vajra Sect off guard, making it highly probable he could teleport away from Deerhorn City. Yet, there were drawbacks. If he were detected on his way to Deerhorn City, this advantage would crumble instantly. Not only would his destination be easily guessed, but his safety would also be jeopardized.

The latter method was about buying time. He could wait until the Vajra Sect grew tired and relaxed, then use the former strategy to reach Deerhorn City more safely. Furthermore, during this waiting period, if he encountered danger, he would have room to maneuver within the forbidden zone.

“Two methods, two choices…” Xu Qing mused.

As he weighed the pros and cons in his mind, the golden light that had just vanished into the sky suddenly reappeared, this time moving even faster. This unusual sight immediately made Xu Qing frown. He remained hidden, observing carefully until the golden light flew past again, noticeably slowing down. This allowed Xu Qing to clearly see the figure within the golden light: a middle-aged cultivator. A rune was attached to his right leg, emanating spiritual energy fluctuations, seemingly supporting his flight. In front of him was also a paper talisman, the source of the golden light.

The talisman's light flickered incessantly, and within it, a faint, blurry figure was vaguely visible. Upon closer inspection, the figure was unmistakably the camp leader’s guard whom Xu Qing had killed. It appeared to be a soul, sensing its surroundings like a hound within the golden light. The middle-aged cultivator's speed gradually decreased, as if he were observing his surroundings. After a moment, he changed direction and continued his search, moving further and further away.

This scene made Xu Qing’s heart sink.

“Talisman treasure!”

He recognized the two runes. Although he didn’t know their precise functions, he could guess their general purpose.

“Using someone I killed to sense my presence? But it seems the range isn't very wide, and the sensing is vague…” Xu Qing took a deep breath, profoundly realizing the marvel and mystery of magic. His internal cost-benefit analysis immediately leaned towards a decision.

“I can't continue towards Deerhorn City. A whole day’s journey means a very high chance and risk of being discovered. If I am, I'll not only be in danger but also expose my destination.” Xu Qing made his decision. While the other party was still far away, he moved swiftly towards the forbidden zone. He planned to hide there for a while before deciding his next move.

As Xu Qing sprinted, not long after, when he was still about a short distance from the forbidden zone, the golden light reappeared in the sky behind him. Xu Qing immediately hid. He looked back, his eyes narrowing sharply. The golden light seemed to have locked onto his position, suddenly accelerating directly towards him. What's more, a sword light came whistling at an even greater speed.

This sight made Xu Qing’s expression subtly change. He stopped hiding and abruptly swayed his body. The instant he moved, a roar erupted as the sword light suddenly struck where he had just been, sending earth scattering and creating a violent impact. At the same time, the golden light arrived instantly from the sky, accompanied by a cold snort.

“Little brat, I've finally found you! So, you were coming here!”

As the voice echoed, the golden light drew closer, and the middle-aged figure within it became clearly visible. He had a square face and wore a golden robe. He was of average height and appearance, with unusually thick, prominent eyebrows. Beneath his thick eyebrows, his eyes held a sinister chill and murderous intent as he gazed down from the sky in Xu Qing’s direction.

Almost the instant the man looked down, Xu Qing stomped his right foot forcefully on the ground, launching himself upwards with a resounding blast, soaring towards the middle-aged man in mid-air. The middle-aged cultivator sneered. Earlier, when he first passed this area, his tracking talisman had shown anomalies, prompting him to search carefully. Now, he had finally pinpointed Xu Qing's location. Seeing Xu Qing approach, he immediately ascended higher.

Once he reached a height Xu Qing couldn't reach, and just as Xu Qing's momentum dissipated and his body began to fall, the middle-aged cultivator raised his right hand. As a vortex of wind materialized around him, he sharply pointed a finger. Instantly, the storm descended, completely engulfing Xu Qing.

Amidst the roar, Xu Qing landed on the ground in a rather disheveled state, then swayed and dashed straight towards the forbidden zone. The middle-aged cultivator was about to give chase, but the next instant, a cold gleam flashed from Xu Qing, transforming into a dagger that flew towards the cultivator at astonishing speed. The middle-aged cultivator narrowed his eyes and ascended higher, directly avoiding it.

“Petty tricks!”

On the ground, Xu Qing gave the middle-aged cultivator a deep look, then, without a word, unleashed his full speed and accelerated forward. He had already realized he was no match for this person. If the opponent couldn't fly, he could have traded injuries, gradually wearing them down until they died. But against an opponent who could fly, Xu Qing had few options. With one in the sky and one on the ground, he had no advantage in such a fight.

As he burst forward at full speed, Xu Qing ran with all his might. In the sky behind him, the golden-robed middle-aged man sneered. He took out a jade slip to send a message to his ancestor, then accelerated his pursuit, conjuring streams of spell-light that slammed into the ground. As a Grand Elder at the ninth level of Qi Condensation, his spiritual energy was abundant, and he commanded more spells. From a distance, wind blades and fireballs continuously bombarded the ground, making Xu Qing, who was running below, struggle to cope. Even when he dodged, he was still affected, and a trickle of blood slowly appeared at the corner of his mouth.

“The ancestor is too cautious. There’s no need for him to come; I can kill you myself,” the middle-aged cultivator in mid-air sneered.

Despite his words, he did not descend. Even though Xu Qing was in disarray multiple times, he maintained his altitude. With hand seals, he conjured another storm, sending it crashing towards the ground. Murderous intent flashed in Xu Qing’s eyes. Being so passively beaten only intensified his killing desire. But he knew well that although the opponent seemed to be alone, he undoubtedly had a way to contact his sect. If Xu Qing didn’t quickly enter the forbidden zone, over time, once other Vajra Sect members arrived, his situation would become even more perilous. The mention of an “ancestor” by the opponent particularly shook Xu Qing.

However, the opponent never lowered his altitude, making it impossible for Xu Qing to counterattack. He had feigned weakness multiple times before, but still couldn't lure the opponent down.

“This person is too cautious. I can't wait any longer,” he thought.

With this thought, a purple glint flashed in Xu Qing’s eyes. The instant the opponent’s storm descended and completely engulfed him, a purple blade-shadow abruptly appeared within the storm. Inside the storm, Xu Qing coughed up blood, enduring the spell’s damage, and his right hand descended. In an instant, the Heavenly Blade reappeared, abruptly slashing down.

An intense, extreme life-or-death crisis erupted within the middle-aged cultivator in mid-air. His expression changed drastically, and he rapidly retreated, using his flying talisman to ascend with all his might. The moment he ascended, a deafening roar erupted from the void below him as the blade-shadow arrived, appearing capable of severing anything. It whizzed past just beneath him, a terrifyingly close call. If he had been even slightly slower in evading, or if he had lowered his altitude earlier, he would undoubtedly have been struck down by this blade with the force of thunder. Although he had narrowly escaped death, his left foot was still grazed, instantly disintegrating into a bloody mess.

Enduring the intense pain, the middle-aged cultivator's breathing was ragged. His eyes gleamed with strong murderous intent, but his inner vigilance and lingering fear were even stronger. He knew well that without the flying talisman, if that astonishing blade had struck him, he would have been severely wounded, if not killed.

“The ancestor was right. This kid… he’s uncanny!”

On the ground, Xu Qing wiped away the blood from the corner of his mouth, casting a cold glance at the middle-aged cultivator whose left foot was a bloody mess in mid-air. Suppressing his regret, he turned and dashed full speed towards the forbidden zone.

The middle-aged cultivator in the sky was now enduring excruciating pain. After sealing his wound, he looked down at Xu Qing. Although his killing intent was strong, he hesitated, not daring to approach further. Instead, he maintained his altitude and used spells to interfere. He was no longer prepared to engage in close combat alone. Compared to completing the sect’s mission, his own life was more important. So, he decided to drag things out, even allowing Xu Qing to enter the forbidden zone.

“Once the ancestor arrives, this boy will surely die!”

Thus, with him unwilling to approach, although his spells inflicted some damage on Xu Qing, Xu Qing's recovery was astonishing, so the impact wasn't significant. His speed continued to increase. Finally, Xu Qing saw the edge of the forbidden zone. He swayed and swiftly stepped inside.

Outside the forbidden zone, the middle-aged cultivator’s figure in mid-air paused. As he hesitated whether to pursue, thunder suddenly crackled and echoed across the horizon behind him, and two figures came whistling towards him. The first wore a red robe, his white hair flowing, possessing an intimidating aura without even showing anger. Behind him was the silhouette of a Vajra, transforming into a storm that shook all directions—it was precisely the Vajra Sect’s Ancestor. The latter was another Elder of the Vajra Sect. The two rapidly approached, one following the other.