Chapter 331: World Situation

This man-sized silver bow was Sikong Qin's magical artifact, possessing formidable power.

“Thud!”

The arrow shot skyward like a beam of light. The reverberating sound of the bowstring caused snowflakes to flutter down from the surrounding trees.

The Azure Feather Raven was highly sentient and quickly dodged, avoiding a direct hit. However, it was injured by the magical energy from the arrowhead, causing it to rapidly fall towards the ground.

“Should we just fight them directly and eliminate this hidden danger?” Tuobabu Tuo, having formed his Dao Lotus, had no fear of Yizhou Xue. “Yizhou Xue is a cautious person; if they dare to intercept us, they must have a strong backing. Moreover, the Withered Glory Hall might have also sent experts to deal with us. Lingering here is extremely dangerous; it’s not the right time. Ultimately, in the eyes of most people in the Rice Cult, the three of us are outsiders, anomalies who could betray them at any moment. At the main altar, various factions showed respect to Revered Nan and Hall Master An, which is why they didn't act rashly.”

Li Weiyi stared intently at the falling Azure Feather Raven, calculating the distance. His expression slightly hardened as he pasted a Divine Travel Talisman onto Qi Xiao, saying, “Let’s go!”

Hiding and fleeing along the way, half a day later, the three arrived in Jin County. They removed their masks and, without delay, boarded a passenger ferry bound for Leiling City.

Compared to traveling across the desolate and empty snowy plains, hiding on a boat was less conspicuous.

Inside the cabin, Qi Xiao chuckled via spiritual transmission, “With my arrangements in Jin County, they will definitely think we are hiding in the city, which should stall them for at least an hour. In an hour, many boats and carriages will have departed from Jin County!”

This was a large, luxurious ferry equipped with defensive formations. It had three decks—upper, middle, and lower—all filled with long-distance travelers, each possessing powerful cultivation. In tumultuous times, who would dare to travel far if they weren't strong enough?

The stern of the boat carried seven massive exotic beasts, majestic and formidable, radiating a shimmering magical aura. They were clearly extraordinary, and it was unclear which wealthy traveler they belonged to.

Li Weiyi used a disguise art, wearing simple plain grey linen clothes. His face was slightly plump, and his eyes were kind. While dining on the first floor, he inquired about various pieces of information from the other passengers.

As for Tuobabu Tuo and Qi Xiao, both had Pure Immortal Bodies. Even with disguise arts, they still stood out, so they minimized their public appearances and cultivated in the cabin. They did not possess the lifelong mastery of disguise that Zuoqiu Hongting had, which allowed her to conceal the unique skin texture of a Pure Immortal Body.

This ferry had departed from Long Province. Most of the passengers were local gentry, gang experts, and descendants of powerful clans from Long Province, traveling to Lingxiao City to either seek refuge with relatives, join the army, or find a livelihood.

Long Province was renowned throughout the world for the Dragon Gate, a sect of immense scale. It was a prosperous major province ranking high in the Lingxiao Living Realm, with a population numbering in the tens of millions.

Of course, that was in the past. For the past two years, the human and demon races had been at war. Long Province bore the brunt of the attacks, facing relentless crusades from the Imperial Court, the Snow Sword Tang Court, the Thunder Cloud Sect, and various rebel armies from the Eastern Realm. It simply couldn't withstand them. Dragon Gate suffered a devastating defeat, withdrew from Long Province, and retreated to the East Sea, allying with the barbarians of the Three Islands to continue their stubborn resistance.

The demon race's power was primarily concentrated in the Western Realm, at best extending to the Southern Realm. The Eastern Realm was simply beyond their reach.

After Dragon Gate withdrew from Long Province, the smaller factions that had once relied on it, as well as the sects, gangs, and families with connections to it, were naturally subjected to purges and attacks. Those with strength could leverage their connections to flee with their entire clans. Those without power could only await death amidst the chaos, vanishing into dust.

“Long Province and Qing Province once had dense populations. Together, they had over one hundred million people, thriving martial arts, and fertile lands stretching for thousands of miles. After two years of war, at least ten million people have died tragically, and tens of millions have been displaced. Everything has been destroyed, plains covered with white bones, utterly desolate. It’s truly tragic!”

“Indeed! Dragon Gate deserved to die, but over ninety percent of those who perished were ordinary civilians who had no connection to it.”

“Once war breaks out, what’s right or wrong? The crusaders might be righteous forces, but those who die from the aftermath of battles or from their looting—once law and order vanish, good people turn evil, everyone kills, and no one stands up to maintain order or uphold justice. Who can the innocent victims of wrongful death turn to for reason?”

“Ultimately, lacking strength is the biggest mistake.”

“Escaping to Lingxiao City should be better; at least one won't die an obscure death in the chaos. I heard the Imperial Court is recruiting soldiers, so I’m planning to give it a try.”

It was dinner time, and the sky outside the window was gradually darkening. The wind had stopped, but the snow continued to fall.

In the spacious dining hall, over twenty square tables were arranged. Passengers resting in their cabins gradually arrived, seating themselves in groups of two or three. Almost all were martial cultivators from Long Province and Qing Province, along with their families. Some discussed the world's situation, full of ambition. Some were filled with bitter resentment, deeply disappointed with the current state of affairs. Others remained silent, having lost the energy for grand discussions.

Two middle-aged men sitting next to Li Weiyi were the leader and deputy leader of a gang from Long Province. Both were top experts, around the Fourth and Fifth Sea of the Five Sea Realm, exuding a ruthless aura of one who has lived by the blade.

The gang leader, He Qian, was a variant human with a pair of wings on his back. He sighed, “The entire Liang Province is covered in strangeness. The Imperial Court has assembled a large army, flattening tombs and destroying monuments everywhere, but as soon as one is cleared, another emerges. I don’t think good days will last much longer; Lingxiao will eventually be swallowed by the Nether Realm of the Dead, turning into eternal darkness and stillness.”

The deputy leader said, “Everyone says it’s the Nether Realm of the Dead causing trouble, but recently another rumor has surfaced. A month ago, an earthquake occurred in Fu Province, and a transcendent being burst out from an underground immortal mansion. Everyone says that underground immortal mansion is the lair of a cult, and those Rice Cultists are planning something big.”

He Qian’s expression hardened, “Who told you that?”

“This morning, the people from the Taishi family mentioned it. They are well-informed and know many secrets,” the deputy leader replied.

Nearby, Li Weiyi raised his cup and, with a smile, saluted, “This humble one is Sikong Jingyuan from Qing Province. May I ask your names, gentlemen?”

He Qian and Guo Zhensheng exchanged glances, raised their cups in return, and introduced themselves.

After some pleasantries and flattery, Li Weiyi asked, “Deputy Leader Guo mentioned a transcendent being bursting out from an underground immortal mansion. This matter is quite strange. As far as I know, even giants of the Longevity Realm cannot enter.”

Guo Zhensheng said, “This should be true. Several people from the Taishi family said that the entrance to the underground immortal mansion was breached, and transcendent-level power swept across the land. Many people witnessed it firsthand. Oh, and it’s said that it might have been a Buddhist practitioner; the Buddhist light was so vibrant that golden radiance illuminated thousands of miles across Fu Province.”

Li Weiyi understood. Most likely, that monk’s skeleton had escaped. Its combat power was truly terrifying, managing to fight its way out of the Rice Cult’s main altar. No wonder the Twin Rice Cult wanted to ally with the demon race to attack Lingxiao City. After this incident, many things could no longer be hidden and had to be brought into the open. He hoped that Chan Hai Guanwu and his three masters had already seized the opportunity to escape from the underground immortal mansion.

Li Weiyi then asked, “I see the character ‘Sui’ on the flag at the bow of the ship. This ferry we’re on isn’t affiliated with the Sui Sect, is it?”

“It is indeed a Sui Sect ship,” He Qian replied.

Li Weiyi was secretly surprised. He hadn’t expected the Sui Sect’s influence to have spread all the way to Qujiang. Could they now reach more than half the world?

Guo Zhensheng explained, “After the Sui Sect pledged allegiance to the Imperial Court, they gained the heavy reliance of the Second Palace Lord and formed multiple marriage alliances with the Jiang family, thus establishing a firm foothold in the court. They have taken over all water transportation affairs in the eight core provinces controlled by the Imperial Court, including the current Long and Qing Provinces.”

He Qian said, “The Sui Sect is quite fortunate. After they joined the Imperial Court, an epic transcendent battle broke out, forcing all major human factions to unite against it. As a result, Sui Sect ships could sail freely throughout Lingxiao, rapidly developing and expanding. It is said that their sect disciples and affiliated gang members combined number in the hundreds of thousands, and all are skilled martial artists.”

Guo Zhensheng added, “Tang Wanzhou died in the underground immortal mansion. After Zuoqiu Ling issued the ‘Sixty-Year Cycle Scroll,’ Yao Qian broke through to the Longevity Realm and is now ranked first on the ‘Sixty-Year Cycle Scroll.’ He has been enfeoffed as the Junior Minister of the Attendant Hall by the Second Palace Lord, with limitless prospects.”

He Qian lamented, “The entire Sui Sect possesses a spirit of striving for greatness. With Yao Qian, they now have three Longevity Realm giants and one Saint Spirit Master. Once Yang Shenjing breaks through to the Transcendent Realm, it’s hard to say if they won’t become a sect with millions of members in the future.”

During their subsequent conversation, Li Weiyi learned that both men were heading to Fu Province to join the Sui Sect.

Such was the influence of being ranked first on the ‘Sixty-Year Cycle Scroll.’ Yao Qian alone could draw countless heroes and valiant figures to his banner.

The sky had completely darkened. Villages dotted both banks of the Qujiang River, with scattered lights visible.

Li Weiyi picked up his meal box, preparing to return to his cabin. Before he had even left the dining hall, he suddenly stopped, hearing a sound. The next moment, from the deck just outside the wall, came the roaring sound of a formation’s light barrier being torn apart.

“Whoosh!”

The massive ship body rocked violently, and waves churned. One after another, heavy footsteps landed on the deck.

Li Weiyi detected Yizhou Xue’s magical energy fluctuations. He quickly picked up his meal box and returned to his seat.

Inside the dining hall, gasps of alarm erupted, leading to a commotion. Several martial cultivators, confident in their strong cultivation, rushed out of the dining hall to investigate.

The next moment, screams echoed from outside. All the martial cultivators who had rushed out lay dead on the ground.

“Did we encounter the barbarians of the Three Islands? They dare to hijack even a Sui Sect ship?” Guo Zhensheng was extremely tense. He knew several of the people who had just rushed out; they were all renowned experts from Long Province, yet they were killed without even a chance to fight back.

Two Dao Seed Realm experts from the Patrol Guard entered the dining hall. Both wore wide black robes and masks with blood-valley patterns. They held magical scythes, and their eyes glowed with emerald light as they scanned everyone inside, searching for something.

“It’s a cult… ah…” A young girl in purple whispered a sentence before one of the black-robed experts killed her by piercing her skull with a gaze. The emerald light in his pupils could condense into a physical flying sword, capable of killing across a distance.

The entire dining hall was filled with a dreadful silence. Everyone was terrified, bowing their heads, their calves trembling, not daring to even breathe heavily.

Li Weiyi, like everyone else, kept his head down, but a cold glint appeared in his eyes. He knew very well that these people were after him, and the girl had died unjustly simply because he was hiding on the ship. Everything had happened too quickly just now. Li Weiyi had also underestimated their ruthlessness and couldn’t intervene in time. Moreover, while Yizhou Xue and the Patrol Guard experts were searching for him, they might have killed many people on other ships as well. They did not consider humans as their kind but merely as worthless weeds and livestock.