Chapter 84: Killing the Beast

Five years flew by like an arrow shot through the treetops. Lijing Village had transformed into Lijing Town. The prominent clans, such as Liu, Chen, Xu, and Ren, had all moved their entire families into Lijing Town. The authorities all declared this a reward, a blessing to be close to the Immortal Mountain.

Li Xuanxuan now sported a beard. Having broken through to the fourth stage of Qi Cultivation, the Qingyuan Wheel, he was appointed clan elder by Li Xiangping. The young man's demeanor had lost its initial youthful innocence and gentleness, replaced by a mature calm that filled the Li family disciples with awe.

What Lijing Town spoke of most enthusiastically, however, was twelve-year-old Li Xuanfeng. They recounted how the boy, laughing wildly, broke six bows on the training ground, throwing the fractured limbs out of the arena and shouting:

"Again!"

Li Xuanfeng paid no attention to the horrified looks of the surrounding clan guards. He threw his head back and laughed heartily. Perhaps it was simply that the boy was born wild and unbridled; once he raised his bow, no bird or beast escaped his aim.

With a wry smile, Li Tongya brought him back a dark, longbow from Guanyun Peak. It had no other special qualities besides being extremely tough and durable, but at least this one allowed Li Xuanfeng to shoot to his heart's content.

By the Meichi River.

"Feng-ge, what are you doing?"

Li Xuanling, just over ten years old, had been tested a few years prior and found not to possess a spiritual aperture. As Li Tongya's legitimate eldest and only son, he had naturally inherited the Profound Pearl Talisman Seed. Now, he trailed behind Li Xuanfeng with a bitter expression. Seeing him furtively peeking from behind a rock, he could only ask in a low voice.

"Look!"

Li Xuanfeng pushed Li Xuanling forward with a mischievous grin. The boy stumbled a step forward, unexpectedly catching sight of a woman's full shoulders and rounded buttocks in the river. Li Xuanling quickly covered his mouth and retreated in fright, glaring fiercely at Li Xuanfeng. He whispered,

"Li Xuanfeng, you're really naughty."

Li Xuanfeng chuckled and glanced at Li Xuanling's flushed face. He softly asked,

"Wasn't that a sight?"

"Not really."

Li Xuanfeng had hoped for words of praise from Li Xuanling but was greatly disappointed. He indignantly patted his backside and whispered,

"Kids don't know a thing."

"Li Xuanfeng, you have too much time on your hands." Li Xuanling shook his head, a calm expression settling on his young face. He inquired,

"Have you broken through to the third level of Qi Cultivation?"

Li Xuanfeng chuckled and replied,

"I've already entered the fourth level of Qi Cultivation."

Li Xuanling froze immediately, an incredulous expression appearing on his face. He stammered,

"You've already caught up to Xuan-ge?"

Li Xuanfeng nodded nonchalantly and said with a smile,

"Of course. Watch this."

He pulled out the dark, large bow from behind his back. Stepping his left foot onto a bluestone, he held the bow and drew the string. His entire aura transformed. No longer was it unrestrained and casual; instead, it became a piercing sharpness that made the nearby Li Xuanling unconsciously tense up.

Li Xuanfeng smiled and slowly aimed the bow at Li Xuanling. Even though there was no arrow on the string, Li Xuanling's hair stood on end in an instant. He felt a biting wind on his face, like a cut, and a buzzing in his ears.

"How incredibly powerful."

Li Xuanling swallowed hard, slowly stepping away from in front of Li Xuanfeng. He watched Li Xuanfeng still focused on holding and aiming the bow. The sharp aura around him continued to intensify, causing the surrounding bushes to tremble.

Li Xuanling's eyes widened. He saw Li Xuanfeng's quiver at his waist lightly twitch. He quickly rubbed his eyes, but saw that every arrow in the quiver was trembling, as if in anticipation.

"Release!"

Li Xuanfeng suddenly released his grip. A large tree dozens of paces away exploded with a bang, sending wood splinters flying everywhere. A large, transparent hole appeared in the tree trunk. After a few breaths, it toppled crookedly to the ground, startling a flock of forest birds.

"Brother."

Li Xuanling stared blankly for a moment. He whispered,

"Have you already entered the Qi Condensation stage?"

"What are you thinking!" Li Xuanfeng also took a few deep breaths, his face slightly flushed. He chuckled,

"This is a bow technique I came up with myself. It requires using the spiritual aperture in your palm, combined with the arrow intent generated when drawing and releasing the bow. It's not that difficult."

Li Xuanling silently shook his head, then saw Li Xuanfeng's face turn a little awkward. He grabbed Li Xuanling and ran, dragging him over ten meters away in an instant.

"Which bastard was peeking at this old lady bathing!"

Hearing the curses from behind them, Li Xuanling's face went pale. He put more strength into his steps and said in a terrified voice,

"That was Aunt Xu from the village entrance?! Li Xuanfeng! This... this this..."

Li Xuanfeng let out an awkward laugh and whispered,

"I was just curious..."

***

Over Wangyue Lake.

Li Tongya lightly stepped on the water, standing suspended in the air, step by step. Clear, transparent river true essence surged from the grayish-white longsword in his hand, transforming into streams of shimmering sword light. He looked down at the massive scaled beast circling in the water, performing hand seals as he stood quietly suspended.

Dark red blood slowly spread in the river. The river beast was growing impatient. The water surface shimmered continuously, and dozens of transparent energy blades tore through the air, attacking Li Tongya.

Li Tongya stepped forward, dodging most of the river beast's attacks. Water light shimmered around him, blocking two energy blades that curved towards him. He mused to himself:

"This Clear Qi Shield from the River Qi Art is quite reliable. This river beast doesn't understand cultivation techniques; it relies solely on brute force and stacking its spiritual power. Not only does it expend a lot of energy, but it also can't break through my spell shield."

This river alligator had no significant cultivation lineage. It had reached the peak of Qi Cultivation through sheer instinct and persistent cultivation. And after unknown years of breathing exercises, it had refined a wisp of clear spiritual energy, only then advancing to Qi Condensation.

Seeing its attacks fail, the river alligator quickly dived. It rushed upstream against the current, and Li Tongya, naturally, followed closely.

Li Tongya had broken through to the first level of Qi Condensation two years ago. He had been wanting to kill a Qi Condensation demon beast to offer as sacrifice to his magic artifact. He had searched in these mountains for over a year, but the demon beasts he found were either as cunning as foxes or incredibly powerful. He had finally, with great difficulty, found this slow-witted river alligator. Naturally, he couldn't let it go easily.

During the Qi Condensation stage, one could already walk on air. Although without a flying shuttle, the speed was far from fast, only about thirty to forty percent faster than a peak Qi Cultivation cultivator running at full speed. But this river alligator had been injured earlier in his ambush, so it couldn't escape far.

The Profound Water Sword Art was quite compatible with the River Qi Art. The sword light he wielded gained an extra ten to twenty percent in power, which filled Li Tongya with delight. Two light-colored sword auras struck the alligator's back, causing it to writhe in pain.

Fearing the demon beast might retaliate fiercely before dying, Li Tongya merely followed behind, occasionally unleashing a sword strike, steadily depleting the alligator's stamina.

The river alligator finally couldn't bear it anymore and roared furiously. It surged up from the water with a splash, leaping into the air to bite Li Tongya. Li Tongya, with a backhand swing, struck the demon beast's back with his sword, then quickly retreated. Maintaining his distance, he continuously added new wounds to the alligator.

After half an hour of struggle, the river alligator finally collapsed dejectedly on the bank. Li Tongya deliberately did not kill the demon beast; instead, he injected his river true essence to lock down the beast's life force and cultivation, fearing he might accidentally kill it.

Once he confirmed the river alligator was not in mortal danger, Li Tongya then grabbed the tip of the demon beast's tail and walked towards the village, dragging it as if it were a small mountain.