222 Sudden Trouble (2)
“It should be here.” He landed and searched for a moment before he found a valley that showed signs of damage. It was obvious a battle had taken place here.
Jiang Ming walked slowly, carefully observing the damaged landscape around him, and gauged the strength of the person who attacked.
Although he had an idea based on the Black Horse Gang’s description, Jiang Ming still wanted to see it with his own eyes before he could rest assured.
“This destructive power… This person should indeed be at the early stage of the Qi Refinement Realm.”
Jiang Ming was slightly relieved. However, there was still a dark cloud in his heart. He did not know why there were immortal cultivators here.
“I don’t know what the problem is. Let’s find Lu Xiaoyu and leave this place as soon as possible!”
Jiang Ming observed the traces left in the forest and began to search.
These immortal cultivators were not even willing to use their spiritual energy to fly. Instead, they ventured into the forest on foot, leaving many traces. The footprints were extremely messy, and they were obviously not left by the professional hunters of the Black Horse Gang.
* * *
Four hours later, Jiang Ming had already gone hundreds of miles deep into the forest.
Suddenly, a loud sound came from the front, and a violent spiritual energy fluctuation spread out.
“What?” Jiang Ming’s eyes moved. “Are the immortal cultivators fighting over there? It seems that something has really happened in this mountain forest. It has attracted more than one wave of immortal cultivators.”
Jiang Ming suddenly heard a few loud sounds approaching him.
He raised his head and saw three figures in front of him with spiritual energy fluctuations surging all over their bodies. They were already running toward this place at full speed.
They were all in the early stage of the Qi Refinement Realm. They were covered in blood and their faces were full of panic. They seemed to be running for their lives.
At this time, the three people also noticed Jiang Ming. One of them shouted angrily, “Get lost!”
He obviously thought Jiang Ming was a hunter entering the mountain. With a wave of his hand, a wave of spiritual energy blasted out.
Jiang Ming could not help but laugh. “The road is so f*cking wide. However, you still need to throw me out of the way?”
He did not hide his cultivation realm. He flicked his finger, and a sharp ray of spiritual energy shot out.
“Ah!” the three of them shrieked in fear, their faces filled with horror.
Why would a late-stage Qi Refinement Realm cultivator suddenly appear here?
However, the three of them had no chance to regret their actions. Their bodies exploded. Only a few magical tools and storage rings remained intact.
Jiang Ming was expressionless. “Good people don’t try to kill random strangers passing by. This is your punishment.”
A figure swept over from the front and stopped in front of Jiang Ming in shock and suspicion, looking at the bloody haze.
It was a slender, black-robed young man who was at the fifth level of the Qi Refinement Realm. In a remote place like this, he was essentially a god.
“Even the mid-stage Qi Refinement Realm cultivator has appeared.” Jiang Ming raised his eyebrows.
“Thank you, fellow cultivator, for helping me kill these vicious people!” The black-robed young man cupped his hands and bowed to Jiang Ming with a little fear.
Jiang Ming was obviously a person he could not offend.
“What if they were good people, and it’s you that’s evil?” Jiang Ming asked with a faint smile.
The black-robed young man was stunned, and then he laughed bitterly, “Fellow cultivator, you must be joking. Those three people are from the Gray Blood Sect. If you don’t believe me, you can look through their storage rings. There should be something that can prove their identity!”
“The Gray Blood Sect?” Jiang Ming waved his hand expressionlessly. Sure enough, he found a few magical tools engraved with the Gray Blood Sect’s symbol in their storage rings.
He frowned slightly. The Gray Blood Sect was also a force with an extremely bad reputation in the Litfire Region. Although they only had Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators in charge, he heard that they were backed by one of the four Golden Core Realm forces. They had done many evil things in the Litfire Region and killed many disciples of several other immortal cultivation sects. Their reputation was extremely bad.
“What happened here?” Jiang Ming’s heart sank slightly. He had thought that they were some individual cultivators. He did not expect to meet members of immortal cultivation sects.
He glanced at the black-robed young man. It seemed that only he had the answers.
Jiang Ming’s face suddenly changed into a smile, “It seems that you are indeed a righteous person. I’m also a pacifist. It seems like we’re on the same side.”
The black-robed young man sniffed the blood in the air and forced a smile.
A pacifist? Who was he trying to fool?
However, the black-robed young man was trying to win Jiang Ming over. Thus, he did not say anything. Instead, he respectfully introduced himself to Jiang Ming.
“I’m from the Green Feather Cultivation Academy.”
“You’re a disciple of the Green Feather Cultivation Academy?” Jiang Ming was a little shocked.
There were three grotto-heavens and six blessed lands in the Feather Kingdom. However, there was also an otherworldly faction that was quite powerful in the Feather Kingdom.
This faction was the Green Feather Cultivation Academy. It was not weaker than the grotto-heavens and blessed lands. It even had a longer heritage than some of the blessed lands.
The Green Feather Cultivation Academy was similar to an academy. It had its own unique practices when it came to imparting knowledge. Many disciples from the blessed lands would be sent to the Green Feather Cultivation Academy to cultivate and gain experience.
The disciples who had been selected to enter the Green Feather Cultivation Academy in the past would often have higher achievements on the path of immortal cultivation. As such, the Green Feather Cultivation Academy’s status was very high, and no one dared disturb them.
However, the Feather Kingdom was vast and boundless. There were more than a dozen regions as vast as the Litfire Region. The Green Feather Cultivation Academy only took in a few hundred disciples every generation.
Jiang Ming would never have thought that he would meet a disciple from the Green Feather Cultivation Academy in this godforsaken place.
“Of course, I’m not a disciple of Green Feather Cultivation Academy with my current strength,” the black-robed young man waved his hand and said with a bitter smile. “I’m following a potential disciple from the Green Feather Cultivation Academy, and I’m here to participate in the trials of the Black Rock Ruins! The entrance exam to join the Green Feather Cultivation Academy this time is taking place in the Black Rock Ruins. If you pass, you will be allowed to join the Green Feather Cultivation Academy. There are more than a thousand Qi Refinement Realm experts taking part. Only around a hundred people will be able to enter the Green Feather Cultivation Academy. Lord Li Qianya, who I’m following, is a genius disciple of the Mysterious Star Grotto-Heaven. If nothing goes wrong, he will enter the Green Feather Cultivation Academy!”
Jiang Ming was stunned for a moment. The Mysterious Star Grotto-Heaven was one of the three great grotto-heavens. It was above the Cloud Dream Sect and the other blessed lands. It was one of the true powerhouses of the Feather Kingdom.
“But the Black Rock Ruins are thousands of miles away. What are you guys doing here?” he asked, puzzled.
“The Black Rock Ruins are only a remnant of an ancient ruin. However, its original range was not limited to this area.” The black-robed young man wanted to be on good terms with Jiang Ming. Therefore, he did not mind explaining. “There seem to be some extraordinary things in this mountain range. After being excavated, they have attracted the attention of some geniuses who have come here to train. The things here are said to have a great connection with the opportunities in the Black Rock Ruins. If you’re interested, you can explore with us.”