Chapter Eighty-One: The Essence of Wood, Trapped in a Cage

After killing Li Mingyou, Lu Qian’s face was slightly pale.

The move he had just used was called the Thunder of Pure Wood Essence—a gifted spell obtained after absorbing the essence of Fish-Dragon. By drawing the pure wood energy of heaven and earth and storing it within his dantian, he could unleash this thunder. Were it not for this ability, Lu Qian might never have attempted the counterattack, instead choosing to evade his opponent’s sharp edge. After all, there was a small realm of difference between the two.

Just then, a faint ray of light swiftly flew toward the fallen Banner of Shaping.

“Hm?” Lu Qian frowned, then spat out a mist of pitch-black vapor. The True Water of Yin Gui poured down, striking the glow.

“Lu Qian, you wretch! How ruthless you are!” The faint glow revealed itself as the shadow of a middle-aged man. The washing power of the true water stripped away the energy from his form, exposing the soul body. True water, fresh wind, and moonlight sliced the yin spirit like steel blades, wisps of green smoke rising as if hot oil were poured onto the soul, making it ever more ethereal.

Li Mingyou glared with venom at Lu Qian.

A fledgling yin spirit at the early stage of spirit-nourishing cannot roam alone—it must attach to objects. He had meant to latch onto a magic artifact and escape, but Lu Qian saw through his plan.

“I never provoked you and your uncle, so why do you keep troubling me?” Lu Qian advanced slowly, eyes gleaming with murderous intent.

“It’s all a misunderstanding—a misunderstanding!” Regret filled Li Mingyou’s heart. This was all because of that damned novice.

Had he known Lu Qian’s strength, what would killing a novice have mattered? If one wasn’t enough, he could have sent several more to be slaughtered.

“Too late!”

“No, not too late! We fought and now we know each other—let me swear: heaven knows, earth knows, you and I know. Besides, I’m an officer of the temple; if you kill me, someone will surely investigate,” Li Mingyou pleaded.

If he truly died here today, it would be shameful beyond measure—killed by an apprentice cultivator, and all due to a trivial novice. He would become a cautionary tale among the noble families, warning their heirs not to act so recklessly.

“Enough talk.” Lu Qian smiled faintly, baring sharp teeth.

He seized Li Mingyou’s yin soul.

“No! Spare me! Ah—!”

The sound of chewing, sharp enough to set teeth on edge, echoed.

“Burp!”

After devouring Li Mingyou’s yin spirit, Lu Qian let out a satisfied belch. The dark yellow patterns of fish scales on his face seemed even clearer.

The moment Li Mingyou’s soul dissipated—

In a dim chamber, Li Mingyou’s physical body suddenly stiffened and fell.

Law Enforcement Hall.

The deepest underground chamber.

Here, dozens of glazed lanterns were enshrined. Inside their covers flickered not candle flames, but black, single-horned beetles.

Bang!

One lantern exploded abruptly.

A shadow entered the underground chamber.

“The Heart-Binding Worm is dead—Li Mingyou’s soul is gone!”

...

Lu Qian withdrew from the state of Fish-Dragon, his figure gradually shrinking, hair returning to its natural black. The Lunar Gold Eyes faded, replaced by deep black pupils.

After consuming the yin spirit, Lu Qian immediately mounted his paper horse and raced away, heedless of the temple guards—let them fend for themselves.

Li Mingyou’s appearance had disrupted all of Lu Qian’s arrangements.

“After refining the Fish-Dragon blood, I feel my emotions slipping, but the Triptaka’s Heart-Clearing Spell has reached perfection, so there’s no fear of losing control,” Lu Qian mused.

The path of body refinement was truly formidable. At nine feet tall, his arm strength alone could bend steel into balls. Though his body lacked the imagined fish scales, it was impervious to blades, firearms, water, and fire.

He opened the golden mirror in his mind, and a line of information appeared:

Nine Heavens Lunar Essence Blood Refining Method (35/15000)
Lunar Gold Eyes (Entry: 3/500)
Thunder of Pure Wood Essence (Entry: 1/500)

The body refining method had no intermediate milestones—one simply absorbed energy and purified blood. When the blood reached sufficient purity and quantity, the next realm would be “Blood Transforms the Body.”

“Body refinement differs from imprinting temple guards—the refined body can freely shift bloodline forms.”

Lu Qian breathed a sigh of relief. If he had to remain in that form all day, it would be most inconvenient.

Overall, months of seclusion had greatly enhanced his abilities.

First was the Fish-Dragon physique, inheriting its greed for devouring all vital energies. The latter points on his cultivation scale came from devouring several ghosts just now. Li Mingyou’s yin spirit was still being digested, the scale still rising.

Another gain was the Banner of Shaping left by Li Mingyou, which Lu Qian stowed in the pouch of heaven.

Then there were two innate talents: the thunder unleashed by absorbing pure wood energy, formidable but requiring advance absorption; and finally, the Lunar Gold Eyes, which could sense the flow of earthly energy for dozens of miles.

Lu Qian’s gaze shifted southwest, locking eyes across several miles with another presence.

A pair of ghostly green eyes.

It was Long’er, whom Lu Qian had met a few times.

“Ah...” At the sight of this person, Lu Qian sighed softly, understanding all the causes and effects.

If his guess was right, Long’er was behind everything.

Whoosh!

A wild wind swept by, and clouds gathered overhead.

Long’er leapt onto the cloud, flying over from afar—standing atop its softness, he seemed a celestial descending from heaven.

The cloud hovered overhead.

Long’er smiled lightly, “Brother Lu, you are truly formidable—to slay an officer, see you at the temple!”

Though he appeared calm, inwardly he was unsettled. He’d heard of Lu Qian’s fierce reputation, but hadn’t expected such savagery. If it came to a fight, he might not prevail.

He withdrew a talisman, and as he crushed it, the cloud spread for miles, forming a colossal vortex.

From the vortex reached a giant, pale hand; the pitch-black cloud twisted like a heavenly serpent stretching for miles, identical to the Daoist’s celestial serpent foundation Lu Qian had once seen.

Through the clouds, ghostly green eyes gazed coldly.

“So that’s how it is—escape is impossible,” Lu Qian realized instantly, now knowing Long’er’s true identity.

If it were ordinary pursuit, he could flee. But now...

Darkness fell.

The world spun.

After an uncertain time, Lu Qian slowly awakened.

He found himself in the center of a pitch-black hall, the polished floor reflecting his image. In the shadows on either side stood towering figures, making Lu Qian seem a mere chick by comparison.

Their features were obscured, only monstrous snarling and furtive whispers reached his ears. The towering eaves pressed down, stifling his breath.

The mirrored floor reflected nothing of their forms; the place felt like an underworld hell.

“Lu Qian, you have slain your fellow disciple—do you know your crime?”

A voice of authority echoed from all sides.

...

(What happens next—who are those in the great hall, can Lu Qian escape? Find out in tomorrow’s noon chapter. Don’t miss it.)