It had been several months since the bounty was posted by Tianji Pavilion, yet there was still no news.
Loose Cultivator Alliance, Tongtian Tower.
Venerable Linhai and Venerable Tianyin waited for news every day.
"What is Tianji Pavilion doing? Still no news?"
Inside the training room, Venerable Linhai swung his heavy saber with wide, sweeping motions. Terrifying saber qi dispersed with each swing, cleaving into high-tier Puppets. The violent explosions shook the entire training room, making it seem on the verge of collapse.
Venerable Linhai vented his dissatisfaction and impatience by swinging his saber, muttering to himself, appearing somewhat anxious.
Beside him, Venerable Tianyin sat cross-legged as usual, holding his zither and plucking its strings. Facing the incoming saber qi, he flicked his fingers, sending out sound waves that shattered the saber qi into pieces.
"Brother Lin, calm down. This person is naturally cautious and good at disguising himself. It will certainly not be easy to find news of him," Venerable Tianyin said calmly.
"But...!"
Venerable Linhai put away his Spirit Saber. The next moment, the Tianji Pavilion token in his In arms vibrated slightly.
Venerable Linhai was overjoyed and exclaimed, "There's news!"
Venerable Tianyin's fingertips paused, and he raised his eyes, which sparkled with vigor.
The two wasted no more words, stood up, and immediately rushed to Tianji Pavilion. As they traveled at full speed, they sent a flying message to Fire Tian Venerable. The three came from different directions, traveling day and night for two days and one night, arriving at Luo Tian City - Tianji Pavilion.
Tianji Pavilion.
Three Soul Transformation Realm experts arrived.
Lin Wanping greeted them warmly and invited the three into the Celestial Mystery Chamber.
The impatient Venerable Linhai looked at Lin Wanping and went straight to the point, asking, "Where is that person?"
Seeing the other party's fierce Aura and eagerness for information, Lin Wanping dared not delay and quickly said, "Three months ago, the person appeared at Yu Ling Sect. A month ago, Yu Ling Sect was jointly attacked by Blood God Sect, Corpse Refinement Sect, and Heavenly Demon Sect. Even the Seventh-Order True Spirit - Azure Thunder Beast of Purple Firmament was trapped in a demonic Formation. At a critical moment, Li Jianxian displayed a superb Formation, breaking the Nine Demon Sect's demonic Formation and saving Yu Ling Sect from danger."
"Ultimately, with the assistance of 'Li Jianxian,' Yu Ling Sect turned danger into safety. Subsequently, Hundred Refinements Sect arrived with urgent reinforcements and successfully eliminated all invading Nine Demon Sect demonic Cultivators."
"Currently, the person should still be at Yu Ling Sect."
Lin Wanping ceaselessly introduced information about 'Li Jianxian.'
Venerable Linhai and the other two's eyes lit up. They no longer lingered and quickly set off for Yu Ling Sect.
At this time, Li Mu bid farewell to Venerable Lei Hong and piloted the Celestial Shuttle Spirit Ship away from Yu Ling Sect, flying towards Luo Tian City.
The two sides traveled towards each other, getting closer and closer.
Inside the Celestial Shuttle Spirit Ship, Li Mu multitasked, carving Puppet cores while constantly maintaining his Divine Thought outward, monitoring the situation in front of the Celestial Shuttle Spirit Ship.
Soon, Li Mu frowned. His Divine Thought, under the Star Concealment Divine Ability, discovered three high-tier Cultivators rushing rapidly a hundred miles away. They were incredibly fast, arriving in an instant, and they were all 'old acquaintances.'
Li Mu was startled and quickly lowered the Celestial Shuttle Spirit Ship, swiftly setting up an illusion Formation and a concealment Formation to isolate himself.
"What's going on?" Venerable Linhai asked, puzzled, looking at Fire Tian Venerable, who had suddenly slowed down.
"Uh! The traces of a Spirit Ship tens of miles ahead are a bit strange. Never mind!" Fire Tian Venerable frowned. When he searched with his Divine Thought again, its traces had already vanished.
Venerable Linhai frowned. Following Fire Tian Venerable's guidance, he swept with his Divine Thought but found nothing.
The three flew at lightning speed, their figures disappearing far away in the blink of an eye.
Li Mu walked out of the illusion Formation, watching their retreating figures, frowning and contemplating something.
If there were no accidents, they should be heading towards Yu Ling Sect. As for the purpose! It goes without saying, his whereabouts at Yu Ling Sect must have been exposed! However, they were destined to make a wasted trip.
Li Mu smiled slightly. After confirming they were far away, he once again piloted the Celestial Shuttle Spirit Ship towards Luo Tian City.
Yu Ling Sect.
Fire Tian Venerable, Venerable Linhai, and Venerable Tianyin, three Soul Transformation Realm experts, arrived in a hurry.
The aftermath of the battle caused by the Nine Demon Sect was still present, and Yu Ling Sect had been under strict martial law as a precaution.
When Venerable Tianyin and the others arrived, they were quickly stopped by the patrol team.
"Three Fellow Daoists, what brings you to our Yu Ling Sect?" Not long after, Venerable Lei Hong rushed over, looking at the three with a smile and asking.
Venerable Lei Hong's true essence was hidden and not emitted. He felt that the three in front of him had ill intentions, and a hint of wariness arose in his heart.
Venerable Tianyin held his zither with one hand and asked expressionlessly, "Sect Master Lei, the three of us have come this time to track down a murderer."
"A murderer?" Venerable Lei Hong's brow twitched. After only a moment of thought, he guessed a certain possibility, and his face involuntarily darkened slightly.
"What murderer? Our Yu Ling Sect doesn't seem to have any dealings with the Loose Cultivator Alliance. Fellow Daoist, have you come to the wrong place?" Venerable Lei Hong glanced at Venerable Tianyin. While speaking, he secretly used a token to send a message to Revered Qing Wei and the Purple Azure Thunder Beast.
Upon hearing this, the impatient Venerable Linhai immediately couldn't sit still. He shouted at the top of his voice, "The murderer we are looking for is the Artifact Crafting Elder of Qingxuan Sect - 'Li Jianxian'! He is the murderer who killed my brother - Venerable Tianyun!"
"Venerable Tianyun and I are like brothers. The three of us have long since become sworn brothers. This revenge for killing a brother is irreconcilable. Please hand over this person, Sect Master Lei." Venerable Linhai had a hot temper, but he was not brainless. He used righteousness to pressure Venerable Lei Hong, demanding the person.
Fire Tian Venerable's fire-attribute true essence surged. He gritted his teeth and said, "Sect Master Lei, I have a past grudge with that 'Li Jianxian.' This person stole my precious treasure, which is related to my advancement. Please call him out, Sect Master Lei."
The three Soul Transformation Realm experts each had their reasons, and their reasons were sufficient and righteous.
Venerable Lei Hong couldn't help but smile bitterly in his heart. This Li Jianxian was formidable; he had provoked so many Soul Transformation Realm enemies in one go.
However, Li Mu was a great benefactor to their Yu Ling Sect. Regardless of the reason, Yu Ling Sect had to help him clean up this mess. Venerable Lei Hong's face was solemn, and he refused, saying, "Three Fellow Daoists, I'm truly sorry, Dao Friend Li has already left and is not currently in our Sect."
"Hmph, words alone are not enough. We hope to investigate. I wonder if Sect Master Lei will permit it!" Venerable Linhai frowned slightly, expressing his displeasure.
"Exactly!" Fire Tian Venerable agreed.
They knew very well that Li Mu had just saved Yu Ling Sect, so it was inevitable that Yu Ling Sect would choose to protect him.
Venerable Tianyin extended his sleeve to block Venerable Linhai and said calmly, "Sect Master Lei, I know you want to shield this person, but is a mere Nascent Soul True Lord worth your Sect taking risks and becoming enemies with our Loose Cultivator Alliance and Shanhe Sect?"
Hearing Shanhe Sect mentioned, Fire Tian Venerable immediately jumped out as well. His body surged with fire spiritual energy, and he said in a deep voice, "Sect Master Lei, you must think carefully. Our Shanhe Sect and your Yu Ling Sect are closely connected. Do not sour our relationship for a mere scoundrel!"
After hearing their threats, Venerable Lei Hong's face lost all traces of a smile. He said in a deep voice, "You are too disrespectful to Yu Ling Sect. Whether Dao Friend Li is here or not, I don't need to inform you again. If you dare to trespass, don't blame me for being impolite!"
"You had best leave quickly. If you continue to act wildly here, you will bear the consequences."
Venerable Lei Hong was fearless. His body instantly surged with lightning spiritual energy, as if forming some connection with the entire Sect-protecting Formation.
The Thunder Suppressing Stele consequently generated vast thunder essence, and the thunder power of heaven and earth instantly became incredibly violent.
"Hmph, your Yu Ling Sect suffered considerable losses in this great battle with the Nine Demon Sect. Do you really intend to become enemies with my Shanhe Sect for a mere scoundrel?!" Fire Tian Venerable's face grew increasingly gloomy as he questioned in a deep voice.
He had originally thought that Yu Ling Sect would obediently hand over Li Mu, given the strong pressure from their three Soul Transformation Realm Late Stage experts. He never expected the other party to be so protective.
"Hmph! What big talk! Talk after you can defeat me. Also, you, Fire Tian, can you represent the entire Shanhe Sect? Why don't I know about this!" Venerable Lei Hong showed a mocking smile.
"You!" Fire Tian Venerable's face froze, unable to retort.
"Then what about our Loose Cultivator Alliance! Does Sect Master Lei truly intend to become enemies with us for an irrelevant person?" Seeing that Venerable Lei Hong didn't take their words seriously, Venerable Tianyin couldn't contain his anger.
As Venerable Tianyin's words fell, dark clouds suddenly gathered in the sky, and three Purple Azure Thunderbolts suddenly struck down.
The three Soul Transformation Realm experts were startled.
Venerable Tianyin plucked the spiritual zither in his arms, and streaks of sound blades flew towards the thunder.
Fire Tian Venerable held the Fire Banner and waved it, and fierce purple-green flames enveloped him.
Venerable Linhai took out his shield to protect his chest, and a light blue energy cover protected his entire body.
The three thunderbolts struck down, shattering their defensive measures. All three were sent flying hundreds of feet backward. They barely managed to alleviate the impact, losing their initial majestic demeanor and instead being struck by lightning, covered in dust and looking utterly disheveled.
"Hmph, you have some nerve, daring to come to Yu Ling Sect and act wildly!"
The Purple Azure Thunder Beast, surrounded by terrifying thunder power, trod on lightning, suspended between heaven and earth. Its gaze was cold and sharp, directly staring at the three.
Seventh-Order True Spirit - Azure Thunder Beast of Purple Firmament!
Venerable Tianyin and the other two's faces changed drastically. They were all Soul Transformation Realm experts, but compared to a Seven-rank True Spirit, they were still insufficient.
The news previously revealed by Tianji Pavilion stated that this Seven-rank True Spirit had suffered severe injuries in the battle with the Nine Demon Sect. Yet, at this moment, its Aura was strong, showing no signs of injury.
Tianji Pavilion has no integrity!
They were actually unable to block the Purple Azure Thunder power just now and were directly blasted away.
Just then, behind the Purple Azure Thunder Beast, Revered Qing Wei flew over, looking at the three with a bitter smile and advising, "If you visit respectfully, we will certainly treat you with courtesy. If you continue to be unreasonable and anger Lord Beast God, he will swallow you whole!"
Venerable Tianyin and the other two's expressions changed in unison. Looking at the powerful Purple Azure Thunder Beast, they all involuntarily turned cold.
"The intelligence is wrong; this Purple Azure Thunder Beast isn't injured at all!" Venerable Linhai's face became extremely ugly. He transmitted a message to Venerable Tianyin, looking at the crack that had appeared on his fifth-tier shield, feeling an inexplicable pang of heartache.
Venerable Tianyin scrutinized the powerful Purple Azure Thunder Beast for a few moments, then finally gritted his teeth and turned to fly away.
Venerable Linhai followed closely behind.
Fire Tian Venerable had been searching for decades and had finally obtained news of Li Mu. Now, he was being protected by a powerful expert, and he was furious!
"What? You want to fight me? Your small frame isn't even enough to stick in my teeth!" The Purple Azure Thunder Beast opened its huge, bloody mouth, spraying crystal-clear saliva.
Fire Tian Venerable weighed his options for a moment, not daring to act rashly. He glared angrily at Venerable Lei Hong: "Sect Master Lei, we'll meet again! I hope you don't regret today's decision!"
Fire Tian Venerable left a harsh remark and turned to leave.
After the three left, the powerful Aura of the Purple Azure Thunder Beast immediately withered.
Watching the weary figure of the Purple Azure Thunder Beast leave, Venerable Lei Hong and Revered Qing Wei exchanged glances, their expressions slightly worried.
The Exquisite Thunder Orb that Li Mu had refined for the Purple Azure Thunder Beast had played a significant role in recent days.
After the battle with the Nine Demon Sect, in a life-and-death situation, several hundred Golden Core Disciples narrowly escaped death. Unexpectedly, a few Golden Core Perfection Disciples, through the mental tempering process after surviving the catastrophe, broke through their mental shackles and began to attempt to form their Nascent Soul.
The Purple Azure Thunder Beast used the Nascent Soul Tribulation that these individuals underwent to recover a portion of its injuries by collecting the thunder intent through the fifth-tier pseudo-Spirit Treasure, the Exquisite Thunder Orb.
Of course, its injuries could not recover that quickly. The Purple Azure Thunder Beast was currently just putting on a facade. If they truly fought, the outcome would still be uncertain. It was best if it could scare people away now!
"Announce to the outside that Dao Friend Li is staying in our Sect, and unrelated personnel are not to disturb him." The Purple Azure Thunder Beast glanced at Venerable Lei Hong, giving an instruction and indicating.
Having said that, the Purple Azure Thunder Beast transformed into a purple lightning bolt, and its figure disappeared.
Watching the retreating figure of the Purple Azure Thunder Beast, Venerable Lei Hong agreed to this decision and immediately announced the news to the outside.
Now, the Seven-rank True Spirit - Azure Thunder Beast of Purple Firmament, had a chance for its old injuries to heal, and it would soon be able to recover its Peak Seven-rank True Spirit strength. In this area, it would be almost unrivaled.
Furthermore, with the completion of the Thunder Prison Grand Formation's Formation artifacts, its power greatly increased.
Who would dare to provoke them?
Taking advantage of this opportunity, it was also a good time to repay Li Mu's kindness.
...
Upon learning the news announced by Yu Ling Sect, Venerable Linhai and Fire Tian Venerable, who had just been driven out of Yu Ling Sect, were so furious that they stomped their feet, wishing they could rush back to Yu Ling Sect and fight that Seven-rank True Spirit.
"No! Something's strange!" Venerable Tianyin frowned deeply and spoke up.
"What? What's strange?" Venerable Linhai didn't understand and asked with concern.
"Why would Yu Ling Sect go to such lengths to announce to the outside world that the scoundrel is within the Sect? It's clearly a case of 'no silver in this place, three hundred taels'!" Venerable Tianyin's expression was solemn as he analyzed.
"You mean that kid has already left Yu Ling Sect!" Venerable Linhai's expression became serious, and he followed up.
"Oh no!"
Hearing this, Fire Tian Venerable cried out.
Venerable Linhai and Venerable Tianyin looked at Fire Tian Venerable, puzzled.
"Before, that Spirit Ship with the strange trajectory must have been that kid. That was a Celestial Shuttle Spirit Ship, which only figures at the Guest Elder level of Wanbao Pavilion can purchase. That kid happens to be an Artifact Refining Guest Elder of Wanbao Pavilion. That's right, it must be him." Fire Tian Venerable's eyes were sharp and his spirit was high as he analyzed.
"Then what are we waiting for! Chase him!" Venerable Linhai immediately became excited, called out, and his figure had already shot out.
Fire Tian Venerable and Venerable Tianyin each summoned a flying Magic Treasure. The three transformed into three streaks of rainbow light, flying hundreds of miles away in the blink of an eye.