Chapter 167: Leaving No Future Trouble

Chapter 167: Leaving No Future Trouble

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Upon hearing Ye Fei's assertive proclamation, the expressions of the yellow-skinned youth and the black-robed female cultivator being pursued changed instantly.

"We were merely passing through near Wuqi Mountain, planning to purchase some supplies. Is this how Wuqi Mountain treats guests? By ignoring their pleas and leaving them at the mercy of rogue cultivators? You turn your back on those in need and shut out potential visitors?"

The yellow-skinned youth's face contorted with anger and frustration as he hurled accusations.

Lan Chang'an and the other two peak masters ignored his questions and each summoned a supreme-grade magical weapon, blocking the siblings from entering Wuqi Mountain.

"What kind of customer shows up in the middle of the night, already engaged in a fight in the woods? Wuqi Mountain only receives legitimate visitors and doesn't involve itself in external disputes," Lan Chang'an responded calmly.

He and Ye Fei each also activated a mid and low-grade second-rank puppet. With this kind of lineup, coupled with the advantage of being on home ground, they had no reason to fear the five people fighting outside, even if they were working together.

"The three Peaks Masters are smart people, we'll remember this favor," the leader of the pursuers, the man wearing a black veil hat, chuckled hoarsely.

The yellow-skinned youth and his sister had no choice but to skirt the edges of Wuqi Mountain, taking a longer route to escape.

This detour only allowed the pursuers to close in on them more quickly.

Soon, the three pursuers caught up and cornered the siblings.

After a brief but intense fight, the yellow-skinned youth and the black-robed female cultivator found their weapons damaged, their spiritual lights dim, and their bodies wounded.

"Brother, since we can't escape, let's fight them to the end!"

The black-robed female cultivator, her teeth clenched, looked at her brother with a cold, despairing expression.

"Little sister, run! I'll hold them off!"

The yellow-skinned youth, his face marked with violet-blue blood lines from the secret technique he activated, saw his mana surge to nearly late Foundation Establishment level.

He shoved the black-robed female cultivator away, launching a desperate counterattack against the three pursuers.

"Haha, a cornered dog is making a last stand," the black-veiled leader's mana surged from mid to late Foundation Establishment level.

"You... you were hiding your cultivation..."

With the odds now three against one, the yellow-skinned youth was quickly overpowered, his body cut into pieces.

Seeing this, the three peak masters of Wuqi Mountain were momentarily stunned.

It was now clear that the two groups of Foundation Establishment cultivators were indeed not on the same side.

Fairy Shi exchanged a glance with Lan Chang'an, showing a hint of pity, though she remained silent.

"Brother!"

The black-robed female cultivator, having fled some distance, was heartbroken. Tears streamed down her beautiful face.

"That female cultivator is rather pretty. Capture her quickly; we can sell her for a high price afterward..."

The black-veiled leader shot a wary glance at the three peak masters from Wuqi Mountain before ordering his subordinates to pursue.

"One day, Wuqi Mountain will pay for this—"

The black-robed female cultivator, filled with hatred, not only resented the three rogue cultivators but also harbored deep animosity toward the three peak masters of Wuqi Mountain for their indifference.

She shot a cold, venomous glare at Lan Chang'an and the others, memorizing their faces.

Lan Chang'an’s brow furrowed slightly.

But given the black-robed female cultivator's speed, she wouldn’t be able to escape the pursuit of the three rogue cultivators, especially the late Foundation Establishment leader.

Suddenly, a sound of rushing wind came from the southeast.

A crimson light streaked through the night sky, flying toward them.

"Retreat!"

The black-veiled leader glanced at the light, his face changing drastically. Without hesitation, he called off his subordinates and quickly fled.

They abandoned their chase of the black-robed female cultivator, leaving her behind.

...

"Cultivators from the Flame Departing Palace?"

The three peak masters of Wuqi Mountain turned their attention to the approaching crimson iron ship, realizing who it was.

Lan Chang'an and the others were naturally eager to strengthen their relationship with the Flame Departing Palace cultivators.

Song Wenshu didn’t look down on the three skilled craftsmen of Wuqi Mountain.

He still remembered the Fox Valley massacre, where the mysterious rogue cultivator group involved was even more formidable and elusive than the Night Fisherman.

During that incident, Song Wenshu was deeply impressed by Lan Chang'an and Ye Fei’s performance, as they both showed remarkable strength, managing to turn the tables on stronger opponents.

Especially Lan Chang'an, who assisted Hong Song Immortal in killing the leader of the bandit group, a mysterious late Foundation Establishment cultivator.

To this day, the identity of that ringleader remains a mystery.

...

The following morning, Cao Yuan and his team returned, looking dejected as they regrouped with Song Wenshu.

"You couldn’t catch her?" Song Wenshu asked in surprise.

Their target was just an injured early Foundation Establishment female cultivator with limited escape capabilities. Surely she would have left some traces behind. All of these cultivators were part of Flame Departing Palace’s Law Enforcement Hall and were skilled in tracking.

"Senior Brother Song, we found traces of the female cultivator for several hundred li as she fled from Wuqi Mountain. But then, the trail abruptly ended, and we lost all signs of her..." Cao Yuan blushed with embarrassment as he lowered his head.

Lan Chang'an’s eyes gleamed slightly, noting the details Cao Yuan provided.

"Forget it. It's just a small fish," Song Wenshu sighed, deciding to let it go.

"Sorry to have caused you trouble, Fellow Daoist Lan," Song Wenshu said.

"Don’t worry about it, Fellow Daoist Song. Pei Qiuyan wasn’t a truly evil person. Perhaps the heavens showed mercy, giving her a chance to turn her life around," Lan Chang'an replied without giving anything away.

Feeling dispirited by his failures, Song Wenshu was eager to leave, so he bid his farewells.

Before parting, Lan Chang'an handed Song Wenshu a bag of spirit stones. The latter declined several times before reluctantly accepting, calling it a "hardship fee."

Lan Chang'an knew that Song Wenshu, due to his unusual background, hadn’t been sent to the warfront in the neighboring country. Instead, he was tasked with patrolling the interior of the Liang Kingdom and maintaining order around Flame Departing Palace’s jurisdiction.

Wuqi Mountain, not far from the kingdom’s heartland, fell within the edge of Song Wenshu’s patrolling territory.

The nearby Fox Valley was one of Flame Departing Palace’s spirit vein sites.

...

Half a day after the Flame Departing Palace cultivators left, Lan Chang'an retreated to his secret room in Little Turtle Peak.

Squeak, squeak!

The Earth Burrowing Rat emerged from a hidden entrance in the chamber, carrying a storage pouch in its mouth.

It also spat out a thin, almost invisible mask.

Lan Chang'an opened the storage pouch and glanced inside, his expression unreadable.

The items within weren’t worth as much as those carried by a late Foundation Establishment cultivator.

He then picked up the Hundred Illusions Mask, detecting a faint trace of blood and a subtle, lingering fragrance of a woman.

Although Pei Qiuyan wasn’t a heinous criminal, she had clearly harbored deep resentment toward the three peak masters of Wuqi Mountain after her escape. Naturally, Lan Chang'an couldn’t allow such a potential threat to remain.

An injured early Foundation Establishment cultivator stood no chance against the Earth Burrowing Rat’s second-rank late-stage stealth attack. It was a quick, decisive kill.

Staring at the Hundred Illusions Mask in his hand, Lan Chang'an’s gaze grew contemplative.

This was the first time the Hundred Illusions Mask had acquired a new identity through the death of its target, absorbing their essence blood, and soul.

He placed the mask on his face, feeling a cold, eerie sensation as it seamlessly merged with his skin.

In the blink of an eye, a female cultivator with eyes like autumn waters, jade-like skin, and an air of icy elegance appeared in the secret room.

Squeak, squeak!

The Earth Burrowing Rat’s eyes widened, its fur standing on end as it bared its teeth at the sight of "Pei Qiuyan," the woman it had killed not long ago.

"What a pity, such a beautiful woman."

Lan Chang'an traced his finger across a water mirror, gazing at the reflection of the stunning female cultivator, her skin as flawless as snow, her figure graceful and alluring, and her long hair as smooth as silk.

(End of chapter)