Chapter 95: If Someone Offends Me, I Will Offend Them

The incident in which the martial artists of the Yellow Mountain Sect became stranded in Lijiajie stirred up a tremendous commotion across the martial world.

The warriors scoured the lands until they finally pieced together the full story of what had happened.

The main figure of the incident, it was said, was a buyer numbered 109.

Rumors painted this mysterious buyer as wealthy yet plagued by a strange affliction.

For nothing more than a few spirit stones and some rare herbs, he had alienated the entire Yellow Mountain Sect, Heng Mountain Sect, Huashan Sect, Qingcheng Gate, Celestial Master Sect, the Wang family, and the Feng family.

After the confrontation, disciples from every sect and family began hunting down number 109. Yet four days later, save for the three ancient martial clans, every other sect and family had vanished without a trace.

Wang family informants revealed that Wang Zaitian of the Wang family, at the late stage of the Innate realm, had clashed with 109. He judged the unknown buyer to be of middle-stage Innate cultivation, yet his lightness skill was extraordinary and his hidden weapons equally deadly.

Thus the investigation once more turned its gaze toward Chu Tianfeng and his own sect.

Curious parties even estimated that the elusive 109 was carrying a fortune: ninety spirit stones, a hoard of spiritual herbs, and a pill furnace valued at two hundred million, not to mention countless other treasures and gems.

Clearly, number 109 was an active treasure trove.

So the question arose: should they seize it or not?

The assembled warriors were deeply conflicted.

By contrast, the sect leaders of the five great sects and the head of the Wang family saw things differently. Their own disciples had suffered wounds or death; without justice, how could they hope to survive in the martial world?

Consequently, without further debate, the various sects immediately dispatched their most capable forces toward Lijiajie.

In the deep mountains, Chu Tianfeng soon sensed something amiss. Ever since parting from the Dragon Family and Feng Family warriors, he had been hounded by martial artists almost daily.

Of course the exact details were secondary. What mattered was their cultivation levels: the lowest was late-stage Innate, the highest early-stage Yuan Tian.

After a brief moment of reflection, Chu Tianfeng understood. They were pursuing him.

The realization left him unsettled for days; whenever he gathered herbs, he kept a careful distance from any cliff edge.

Having leapt off two cliffs in two days, he grew thoroughly exasperated and simply slipped into the monkeys’ cave, hiding inside one of its many chambers to cultivate in seclusion.

This time his preparations were thorough: food, oil, salt, and other essentials were all at hand, and his supply of spirit stones and pills was more than adequate.

Half a month later he emerged once more.

His spirit stones had been almost entirely consumed, yet he had failed to break through to the late stage of Qi Condensation; he remained stalled at the sixth layer.

The final barrier was faintly visible, however. With sufficient spirit stones he was confident he could push through in a short time.

He had once believed ninety spirit stones would be enough, but he had greatly underestimated the Five Elements Formula’s consumption of resources.

Staying in the mountains more than ten days, he realized it was time to return to Tianhai.

That evening he again disguised himself as a female traveler, dressed as a female donkey guest, and slipped down the mountain under cover of night.

With Xi Yazi’s formidable divine sense as a guide, Chu Tianfeng successfully evaded several groups of warriors and gradually approached the Lijiajie scenic area.

“Stop!”

Just as he reached the entrance, a soft rebuke rang out.

Chu Tianfeng startled, turning to look.

A slender black figure stood there in the starlight, looking quite thin.

“How did you get here?” Chu Tianfeng’s divine sense swept over the newcomer and he could only sigh.

Lately, the yuan tian cultivators had frightened him half to death; any shout made his nerves jump.

“Still asking?” The figure, Pingteng, drew nearer and revealed a delicate, lovely face.

It was Du Qingqing, dressed in black clothes and trousers, looking brisk and capable.

“You’ve been waiting here for me?” Chu Tianfeng asked doubtfully.

“I have a problem.” Du Qingqing rolled her eyes. “Even if the phone is switched off, we can still locate it. You could hide on the roof of the sky and we could still find you.”

Chu Tianfeng suddenly understood and recalled that both his phone and the Soul Nurturing Wood had remained in the pack, never placed in the ring.

The Soul Nurturing Wood could not enter the ring because Xi Yazi was sealed inside it, and his phone had been off for such a long time that he had even forgotten he owned one.

“What do you want with me?” Chu Tianfeng switched topics. Since she had waited until this late hour, there must be a reason.

“Was the night-shining pearl that appeared at the Lijiajie auction taken by you?” Du Qingqing asked.

“So what if it was?” Chu Tianfeng turned to leave.

If that was all, he had no interest in answering.

The night-shining pearl had been found by him; how he chose to dispose of it was his own affair, and no one else had the right to interfere.

“You don’t happen to still have a water-avoidance pearl, do you?” Du Qingqing followed right behind him.

“No comment.” Chu Tianfeng quietly drew out his phone from the pack and dropped it into the ring.

The water-avoidance pearl meant little to him, yet he had no intention of handing it over without conditions.

He still planned to sell it when he was short of money.

Du Qingqing suddenly stopped, catching his arm. “Then you’d better keep running and hide in Lijiajie. Our team leader is looking for you too.”

“What’s your team leader’s cultivation level?” Chu Tianfeng was taken aback.

“He seems to be at early-stage Innate.” Du Qingqing said crossly.

“Then why should I be afraid?” Chu Tianfeng laughed softly. “The one who should hide is your team leader, not me.”

A mere early-stage Innate realm, and Chu Tianfeng’s current strength could end the matter with a single spell.

“Good intentions are like donkey livers and lungs; just ignore me if you wish.” Du Qingqing stamped her foot. “Hurry up. There are many warriors nearby.”

Chu Tianfeng knew that as well. Yet he trusted the Soul Nurturing Wood in the pack more. Xi Yazi’s divine sense could extend a full kilometer; with her, any warrior could be detected in advance.

So he continued to walk at his leisure.

Du Qingqing rolled her eyes. “Please, walk faster?”

She had no divine sense to know where the warriors were hidden, but her intuition warned her the place was dangerous and they should leave at once.

“Afraid of what? This lady’s divine skill is peerless and she is invincible under heaven!” Chu Tianfeng remained perfectly calm.

“Hmph!” Du Qingqing frowned. “In that case, the fifteen warriors from the five major sects you killed—were they all you?”

“Evidence!” Chu Tianfeng lifted his chin proudly.

Such matters were hardly honorable, so of course he would not admit them.

This was a society bound by law. Even if the Yellow Mountain Sect and others had acted unreasonably first, even if he had acted in self-defense, killing was still illegal.

“Search the entire Huaxia martial world; who is as audacious as you!” Du Qingqing gritted her teeth in fury. “One day you will poke a hole in the sky and smash yourself to pieces!”

Chu Tianfeng shrugged, unconcerned.

From what he understood, the highest cultivation among Huaxia warriors was the Yuan Tian realm, and their numbers were few. With proper preparation, avoiding those of Yuan Tian level would make it easy for them to track him.

“What are your next plans?” Du Qingqing asked again.

“Return to Tianhai. I have to take the degree English exam soon and need to study hard.” Chu Tianfeng answered casually.

He had once sworn before Chu Xiangfen to bring their mother and son graduation certificates, fulfilling an unfulfilled wish for them. Chu Tianfeng could not go back on his word.

“What?” Du Qingqing’s eyes grew round. “You dare to take the exam? Do you know how many people are hunting for you right now?”

She had worried and feared for him, yet he simply walked into danger. Du Qingqing could only shake her head in helpless silence.

“A thousand or two thousand?” Chu Tianfeng shrugged.

No matter how difficult the task, Chu Tianfeng wanted to complete it.

A man should do what he ought to do and not do what he ought not. If he skipped this opportunity, he feared his own heart would remain incomplete.

An incomplete heart would leave shadows in his soul; his cultivation might stall forever. Chu Tianfeng naturally could not accept that.

“This is different from last time.” Du Qingqing rolled her eyes again. “This time even our special operations team is after you, and the sects involved are sending early-stage Innate or even Yuan Tian experts.”

“These people are so diligent; I admire them!” Chu Tianfeng could not help but smile wryly.

He knew they coveted his treasures and perhaps also desired his lightness skill and hidden-weapon techniques.

“By the way, I have one more thing to tell you.” Du Qingqing quickened her pace, walking ahead of him. “We have investigated the Salt Association incident. The Yellow Mountain Sect elders were not present at the scene; they had no opportunity to commit the crime.”

“So I have nothing to do with it?” Chu Tianfeng leaned closer.

The special operations team always seemed to pick on soft targets. He had been weak before and could only accept it, but things were different now. If they came looking for trouble, he would not hesitate to eliminate the entire team.

Those who do not offend me will not be offended by me; those who offend me will be eliminated without mercy.

“Step aside!” Du Qingqing pushed him away. “According to our investigation, the entrance ticket for number 109 at Lijiajie originally belonged to the Salt Association.”

“Oh? Such a coincidence?” Chu Tianfeng was stunned.

It appeared this matter truly could not be denied.

“Still pretending?” Du Qingqing glared at him. “Although the Salt Association has been exposed for illegal activities such as storing firearms and selling narcotics, even if they break the law, it is not your place to handle their crimes.”

“Ah—” Chu Tianfeng yawned. “I suddenly feel sleepy. Shall we talk another day?”

Du Qingqing knew he was deliberately avoiding the subject and snorted. “If you truly have nowhere to go, come to my house and hide out for a while.”

Chu Tianfeng looked at her strangely and shook his head. “Forget it. I don’t want to drag you into trouble.”

Ever since he had saved her once, Du Qingqing seemed to regard him differently.

“It has nothing to do with dragging or not dragging. In any case, you and my grandfather will be cooperating.” Du Qingqing urged again.

“How does your grandfather feel about it now?” Chu Tianfeng stretched lazily.

“He still insists on giving you shares and even mentioned sending you a big gift—any herbs you need in the future will be supplied free.” Du Qingqing looked at Chu Tianfeng, her face full of expectation.

Chu Tianfeng pondered for a moment. “Your medicinal herbs have all been processed; the medicinal properties have suffered considerable loss. This gift seems of little use to me.”

There was one more thing he had not mentioned. His Peiyuan Pill was basically enough for his needs, and if not, the shortage would be small. As for the spiritual herbs required for Foundation Establishment and beyond, the Great Virtue Hall might not even possess them.

Du Qingqing pouted. “We have a herb plantation. You can go there and choose whatever you like.”

“Really?” Chu Tianfeng’s eyes lit up with delight.