Chapter 266

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The setting sun dipped westward, and a crimson-red sun hung far away in the pristine sky above the western mountains. On a quiet, desolate path, the rhythmic “clip-clop” of hooves echoed as three fine steeds trotted along at a steady pace. The slanting rays of the setting sun stretched the shadows of three riders and three horses into long silhouettes—these riders were none other than Qin Shiyue, Ying Fei, and Zhang Xiaohua.

Several days had passed since the massacre at Xinji Town. Ying Fei’s injuries had already improved; though the poisoned arrow had pierced his left arm, it had not harmed the bone. The poison was swiftly cleansed, and after receiving thorough treatment from the town’s physician—who used the Heavenly Dragon Divine Cult’s medicines—it was only natural that he showed signs of recovery.

Zhang Xiaohua, however, still felt weak and listless, following behind the two absentmindedly. Over these past few days, he had entirely abandoned the thought of using Qinggong to escape. Qin Shiyue’s ruthless decisiveness left a deep impression on him, and without absolute confidence in his success, he would not dare to provoke Qin Shiyue’s bottom line again. Though Qin Shiyue had already stated that he would deliver him back to the Cult Master unharmed, who could guarantee that he wouldn’t change his mind?

It was better to focus on training in silence.

Ever since he had learned the reason behind the decline of the Immortal Dao and the rise of the Martial Dao from the Ma family, as well as the distinctions between the two paths, Zhang Xiaohua realized that he had stumbled onto the Immortal Dao purely by luck—a path that had been abandoned for tens of thousands of years. Moreover, after witnessing the power of Immortal Dao formations, his confidence had grown. Whenever he had time, he would immerse himself in comprehending the [Earth Escape Technique]. He firmly believed that as long as he mastered Earth Escape, he would be able to flee from Qin Shiyue’s grasp.

Zhang Xiaohua had also come to understand that the cauldron he had taken from West Cui Mountain was likely an alchemy furnace used in the Immortal Dao—the very thing that the Heavenly Dragon Divine Cult’s Cult Master desired. As for how to use it, he hadn’t had the chance to study it. Not only was [Elementary Pill Refining Techniques] an extensive text with too much content to comprehend in such a short time, but merely taking the furnace out might alert Qin Shiyue. The fewer unnecessary complications, the better—why rush now? Besides, he found the idea of using pills to enhance one’s cultivation utterly absurd. A tiny pill could significantly improve one’s strength? Could it really double the Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi within his body? That was simply impossible.

He vaguely recalled that among the items in his coin pouch, there was something called a [Qi-Nourishing Pill], casually tossed aside as if it were worthless. It probably wasn’t anything valuable. Given his skepticism about the concept, Zhang Xiaohua felt little interest in experimenting with it.

Moreover, after witnessing the power of Immortal Dao formations, Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t help but fantasize about setting up some kind of formation to trap Qin Shiyue and Ying Fei. But after some thought, he realized he had neither formation flags nor incantations—only a shallow reserve of True Qi and an overly large Yuan Stone. It was utterly unrealistic, so he quickly dismissed the idea. Ma Rulong had never mentioned how Dao cultivators fought; he only spoke of summoning wind and rain, shifting mountains and overturning seas, painting an awe-inspiring picture that made Zhang Xiaohua’s blood boil. But in the end, it was just an illusion. Though his coin pouch contained a jade ring that seemed to be a spiritual treasure, he had no idea how to use it. Even if he learned its method of use, after ten thousand years of desolation, could it still function?

Everything was unknown. Zhang Xiaohua stared blankly at the distant sun, soon to disappear behind the mountains. In a moment, it would be swallowed by darkness, just as everything in this world would eventually succumb to night. The road ahead was growing obscure—what of his own path? The Immortal Dao had vanished for ten thousand years, yet he had somehow inherited its legacy and was cultivating its techniques. There was no guidance, no reference, no one to point him in the right direction. Everything relied solely on his own strength. A sense of loneliness, solitude, and helplessness crept into his heart, swelling like a tide of negative emotions.

Yet, just as Zhang Xiaohua was sinking into despair, the setting sun finally dipped below the cliff. Even in its final moments, as its last rays left the world, it remained resplendent and magnificent. That last gleam of sunlight reflected in the eyes of the solitary young man, and in an instant—whoosh—it ignited his fighting spirit. Among all the living beings in this vast world, only he had encountered such a fate. Why should he see the Immortal Dao as a treacherous road? Since the revival of the Immortal Dao had chosen him, why should he retreat? He would give his all, exhaust his strength, and forge a brand-new self.

At this thought, the mountain’s twilight no longer seemed bleak, and his prisoner-like predicament no longer felt unbearable. Zhang Xiaohua gained newfound clarity, and his cultivation advanced ever so slightly. Since the last time he went astray into qi deviation, he had carefully re-examined the Carefree Heart Sutra from beginning to end. At its conclusion, it spoke of the cultivation of one’s mental state. However, mental state cultivation should not have been a bottleneck during the Qi Refining stage, yet he had repeatedly encountered it—how strange. Nevertheless, he now understood: every time he gained an epiphany, it marked an advancement in his mental cultivation. As long as he had Yuan Stones in hand, his strength would naturally keep pace, and he need not fear the dangers of qi deviation again.

This was a good thing. Unconsciously, a slight smile appeared on Zhang Xiaohua’s lips.

Just then, from a distance, the sound of galloping hooves rang out, gradually fading into the distance. It was abrupt and unexpected.

Zhang Xiaohua furrowed his brows and spread his divine sense like a net, but he didn’t detect anything unusual in the surroundings. Ying Fei also spurred his horse forward and asked: “Qin Daren, what’s going on ahead? Shall I go take a look?”

Qin Shiyue chuckled: “It’s likely an ambush from the Heaven’s Way Alliance. Let’s move forward and see. If it’s a blessing, we’ll accept it; if it’s a calamity, we can’t avoid it anyway. In this vast wilderness, escape is easy—we need not worry about whatever scheme they may have.”

They continued riding for a while but encountered no disturbance. Zhang Xiaohua was puzzled. Up ahead, the main road was visible, and in the distance, the glow of lanterns marked the presence of a small village. It wasn’t an ideal place for an ambush, so why had those riders fled?

When Qin Shiyue finally led his horse onto the main road, they saw a lone figure in the distance. Upon spotting them, the person quickly mounted a horse and sped away. The three exchanged glances, uncertain of what was happening. Though they were now on a well-traveled road, an ambush would still be troublesome, so they remained on high alert.

Yet, even after entering the village, nothing happened.

Instead, as soon as they stepped into the village, several people were waiting for them. A portly man dressed like an innkeeper stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and asked: “May I ask, are you Lord Qin and Lord Ying?”

Ying Fei stepped up and replied: “That’s us. What’s the matter?”

The innkeeper said respectfully: “I am the proprietor of the Four Seas Inn, the largest inn in this town. A distinguished guest has already reserved a feast and rooms for the three of you. Please, allow me to escort you there.”

Zhang Xiaohua was surprised—such a generous gesture?

Though Qin Shiyue was also slightly taken aback, he showed no particular surprise. When Ying Fei glanced at him for confirmation, Qin Shiyue simply waved a hand dismissively in agreement. The innkeeper, delighted at receiving their approval, personally took Qin Shiyue’s horse by the reins and led the way forward with great reverence. Attendants stepped up to take the horses of Ying Fei and Zhang Xiaohua as well. Zhang Xiaohua, having never received such treatment before, rather enjoyed the experience. As for whatever schemes the innkeeper might have in mind, he was unconcerned. After all, he was merely a captive of the Heavenly Dragon Divine Cult—any plots or intrigues would hardly be directed at him.

Before long, they arrived at a sizable inn, brightly lit. The main hall was empty of diners, and a few attendants stood at the entrance. Seeing the innkeeper return, they hurried forward to greet him. Qin Shiyue and his companions dismounted and entered the hall. Inside, only a single large table was set, adorned with dried fruits and other snacks. Once they were seated, a waiter promptly served them tea. Ying Fei instinctively reached into his robe to retrieve his own tea leaves, but Qin Shiyue shot him a look, silently stopping him. Qin Shiyue picked up his teacup, examined it carefully, sniffed the tea, and took a small sip. It was truly high-quality tea, without any trace of poison. However, such fine tea was uncommon in a small rural town like this.

The three had barely sat for long when, without needing to order, a feast of rare delicacies was brought to them like flowing water—clearly prepared in advance, just awaiting their arrival. Seeing the table filled with dishes he had neither seen nor heard of before, Zhang Xiaohua was momentarily dumbfounded. Who could be so generous? But more than curiosity, he felt an overwhelming urge to dig in immediately.

He lifted his gaze to look at Qin Shiyue, who was seated at the head of the table. Qin Shiyue, too, frowned slightly.

It wasn’t that Qin Shiyue was surprised by the rarity of these dishes—he was a known figure in the Heavenly Dragon Divine Cult and had tasted all manner of exquisite food. Rather, such dishes were simply impossible to find in a small town like this. Thinking back to the fine tea they had been served earlier, the meaning behind all of this was obvious. Everything must have been prepared in advance and brought from elsewhere.

Realizing this, Qin Shiyue relaxed his vigilance. If the Heaven’s Way Alliance wanted to harm him, why go to such lengths? They would simply attack outright. As for who would go to such trouble to curry favor with him, he was beginning to form an idea. Seeing Ying Fei and Zhang Xiaohua staring at him expectantly, Qin Shiyue couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly and said: “Eat. Our host’s hospitality is sincere—it would be a shame to waste it.”

With that, he picked up a slice of camel hump and placed it in his mouth, savoring the taste.

As an envoy of the Divine Cult, Ying Fei was used to being treated with the finest hospitality wherever he went—served with the best wine and meat. However, in the past few days, he had been wounded and constantly wary of attacks from the Heaven’s Way Alliance, making it difficult to enjoy his meals. Now, faced with such a lavish banquet, he was in high spirits and wasted no time indulging himself.

As for Zhang Xiaohua—there was no need to elaborate. He was practically swallowing his tongue in delight.

On the table, there was also a white porcelain wine jug. When poured, the liquor inside was an amber hue, exuding a rich and mellow fragrance. Even Zhang Xiaohua, who had never drunk wine before, couldn’t help but swallow his saliva. Ying Fei was still injured, so Qin Shiyue only poured him three cups. As for Zhang Xiaohua, Qin Shiyue used the excuse that he was not yet of age and allowed him only half a cup—leaving the rest for himself. Even so, Zhang Xiaohua was secretly delighted. As a mere prisoner, he never expected Qin Shiyue to let him drink at all. That alone was a sign of their growing familiarity over the past few days. How could he dare hope for more? The meal was exceptionally satisfying, lasting until the moon had already risen high in the sky.

At that moment, the plump innkeeper walked in with a beaming smile. Bowing respectfully, he asked: “Lord Qin, Lord Ying, and this young master—did the meal suit your tastes?”