Chapter 201 – To fish in troubled waters
Li Xinghun meticulously searched the surroundings again, but still found nothing.
Around the Thunder Dragon's corpse, only his and Liang Baiye's footprints were visible.
However, he keenly sensed a trace of a stranger's presence nearby.
Combining this with the strange behavior of those hundreds of beasts earlier, Li Xinghun realized something was amiss.
It seemed someone had used a highly advanced concealment technique to sneak in and steal the Thunder Dragon!
Li Xinghun's face turned ashen, his eyes blazing with fury.
"Fine, very fine. Daring to covet what's mine, Li Xinghun's, even if I have to dig three feet into the ground, I'll find you, extract your soul, and refine it! You'll never be reborn!"
It was the first time in his life he had suffered such a loss, filling Li Xinghun with burning rage.
At this moment, Liang Baiye was already beaten to the brink of death, barely able to scream.
"Stop!" Li Xinghun shouted impatiently.
His subordinates immediately halted.
Liang Baiye crawled out from the pile of people, covered in wounds, his face swollen like a pig's head.
He cried out to Li Xinghun, "Young Sect Leader, it really wasn't me..."
Li Xinghun knew he had wronged him, but his pride wouldn't allow him to admit it or apologize.
"Even if it wasn't you, the Thunder Dragon was lost right under your nose. Do you have anything to say about this beating?"
Liang Baiye cursed Li Xinghun's ancestors in his heart but outwardly showed deep remorse, "Young Sect Leader's lesson is right. It's all my fault for being too careless. I'm at your disposal."
Li Xinghun ignored him, turning his fierce gaze elsewhere as he ordered, "He can't have gone far. Find him and seal off the entire Thunder Marsh! Don't stop until you find the Thunder Dragon's corpse!"
With that, Li Xinghun activated his demonic arts and vanished instantly.
Li Xinghun's analysis was spot on; Lin Jichen couldn't have gotten far.
The Conceal and Shadow technique only lasted a minute. Just sneaking into the Ten Thousand Demon Sect's encirclement, stealing the Thunder Dragon's corpse and the Soul Burial Mound, and then retreating had already used up the time.
Fortunately, Liang Baiye took the blame, buying Lin Jichen precious time with his suffering.
This allowed Lin Jichen to sneak far away, then take to the sky on his sword, fleeing madly towards the edge of the Thunder Marsh.
Lin Jichen unceremoniously stuffed the elixir Fang Qingzhu had given him into his mouth, even using all his movement techniques, including the Wind Thunder Sword, just to increase his speed.
Many cultivators were also blocked, expressing their dissatisfaction and questioning the Ten Thousand Demon Sect's authority, creating a tense atmosphere.
At this moment, a white-clothed man appeared, speaking kindly, "Everyone, please rest assured. The Ten Thousand Demon Sect means no harm. Our Young Sect Leader had a precious treasure stolen. This treasure carries his aura. Once he arrives to check, you will be free to go."
Hearing this, everyone, intimidated by the Ten Thousand Demon Sect's power, had no choice but to stay and wait.
They couldn't help but find the white-clothed man strange, though. Why was his face bruised and swollen like a pig's head?
Seeing this man from a distance, Lin Jichen's heart skipped a beat.
It was none other than Liang Baiye.
Because Lin Jichen had been changing directions while fleeing, Liang Baiye had reached the exit first.
This was bad. Liang Baiye knew him and had previously seen him rescue Fang Qingzhu...
Wait, maybe he didn't know who he was!
Lin Jichen thought for a moment. Liang Baiye had only glanced at him once, and at that time, Lin Jichen had disguised himself as a Buddhist cultivator without a weapon.
Now he was flying on a sword, clearly a sword cultivator. Liang Baiye might not recognize him.
With this thought, Lin Jichen quickly flew forward.
"Stop! The Thunder Marsh is sealed. No one is allowed in or out! Wait for our Young Sect Leader to arrive before leaving!"
Another Ten Thousand Demon Sect disciple stepped forward to intercept him.
But Lin Jichen ignored him, shouting loudly, "Help! The Young Sect Leader of the Ten Thousand Demon Sect is slaughtering everyone in the Thunder Marsh! Run for your lives! Don't believe their lies!"
This statement shocked all the cultivators. What did Li Xinghun mean by this? Was he declaring war on all sects?
Liang Baiye's face darkened as he shouted at Lin Jichen, "You brat, stop spouting nonsense!"
Lin Jichen was delighted to see that Liang Baiye indeed didn't recognize him.
"I'm not lying! Li Xinghun is killing everyone like a madman. If you don't run now, it'll be too late!"
Liang Baiye was furious, but at this moment, other cultivators couldn't sit still.
Li Xinghun's massacre was intolerable. Immediately, some began to force their way through.
The Ten Thousand Demon Sect disciples panicked, and a brawl broke out with the other cultivators.
"Stop! Stop fighting!" Liang Baiye shouted in the rain, trying to calm everyone down, but no one listened to him.