Qin Shi: I went astray in the Heavenly Sect

Chapter 226 The Azure Wolf Retreats, the Net Reappears

"Ouch~~"

As the moonlight fell, the caravan ultimately did not leave the plains. Seeing the wolf pack closing in, Xiang Liang and the others became tense.

"Big guy!!"

Seeing Wushuang arrive at the front of the convoy, Tianming instinctively called out.

When he was an enemy, this big guy was terrifying, but now that he's an ally, he inexplicably makes people feel at ease.

"Snapped!"

A crisp snap of fingers rang out, and the torches in everyone's hands suddenly lit up.

Seeing this move, Gai Nie narrowed his eyes.

He had fought this girl back then. At that time, her cultivation level was only at the Innate Realm, and her methods of controlling flames were not sufficient to be used as a means of combat.

Now, when we meet again, both his realm and his fire control techniques have made great progress and are no longer comparable to what they were before.

"Wushuang?"

A surprised voice came from the darkness, followed by a cold laugh.

"You betrayed Quicksand, Lord Wei Zhuang will not let you get away with this!"

Upon hearing the voice, a flicker of fear flashed in Wushuang's eyes. Of course, this fear was not because of the voice itself, but because of the person mentioned in the voice.

The sound was not concealed, so everyone else present heard it. Yan Lingji, who was sitting in the carriage, narrowed her eyes, reached out and grabbed the window, and with a gentle push, flipped herself onto the roof of the carriage.

Her gaze then settled on the rear of the convoy, where something seemed to be lurking in the darkness.

Then the girl said with a cold laugh, "Betrayal?"

"Wushuang was never from Korea, but from Baiyue. Returning to his own people, how can this be considered betrayal?"

"besides."

"Does someone like you have the right to talk about betrayal?"

As they spoke, a streak of fire shot out into the distance. In the dim night, the fire was extremely conspicuous. Where the fire streaked, the flames did not immediately go out, but left a trail of fire in mid-air, instantly illuminating the nearby canyon.

In the instant the firelight blazed, the group could see clearly what was happening around them: hundreds of wolves were staring at them menacingly.

And among the wolf pack stood a man in black.

The opponent seemed to have not expected Yan Lingji to have such a move, and was also taken aback.

"The Wolf King!"

Xiang Liang tightened his grip on his longsword and revealed the man's identity.

"The art of fire control?"

Watching the ball of fire explode in mid-air and form a curtain of fire dozens of feet long, the Wolf King was somewhat surprised. If it were just an ordinary rocket or something else, it would definitely not be able to do this. Therefore, he concluded that the person who had just made the move possessed the art of fire control.

Following the direction of the fire, the Wolf King looked over. When he saw that the person who made the move was a girl, his green eyes narrowed involuntarily.

"I know you. You were the witch who followed Prince Tianze of Baiyue back then. Unfortunately, your master is dead, and they are prey for the Quicksand. I advise you not to get involved, or the consequences will be more than you can bear."

Upon hearing the other party mention Tianze, the girl's eyes turned colder. Although Tianze was not a qualified crown prince, he was, after all, her former companion.

"What if I insist on interfering?"

Yan Lingji stood on the roof of the carriage, quietly watching the Azure Wolf King hiding among the wolf pack, her tone somewhat cold.

Tianming and Xiang Yu were also on the roof of the vehicle. Seeing Yan Lingji's fire control technique, they stared at each other, not daring to interrupt.

They initially thought this girl was just pretty but not very capable, but judging from the current situation, that doesn't seem to be the case.

The assassin on the other side, known as the Wolf King, seemed somewhat wary of him, even considering him superior to Wushuang.

"She's a witch?"

Seeing Yan Lingji and Canglang Wang facing off, Tianming whispered in Xiang Yu's ear.

Xiang Yu shrugged. He knew only limited information about Yan Lingji, and even the connection between her and the Xiang clan was something he had only heard about from Xiang Liang.

"I don't know, but if we're talking about witches, I think fairies are better. They're beautiful and have such good personalities."

Upon hearing Xiang Yu's reply, Tianming nodded subconsciously.

After all, Yan Lingji had been all smiles since she arrived, and she would tease them from time to time along the way. But apart from that, she didn't do anything out of line. It really wouldn't be fair to call her a witch.

"Fairy?"

Hearing the two little ones' conversation, the Wolf King chuckled.

"Hehe, a fairy??"

"Kids, you don't know, she's killed way more people than I have."

“Back then, she stormed the Korean royal palace alone and killed dozens of people. After that, she caused trouble in Korea, and countless people died. It’s no exaggeration to say that she was a ruthless killer.”

"Have you ever seen her set fire to people and burn them alive? Calling her a witch is an understatement!!"

The Wolf King rolled his eyes, crossed his arms, stood still, and sneered with a smile.

Tianming and Xiang Yu were speechless for a moment after hearing what the Wolf King said, but their eyes showed disbelief.

Unlike the Wolf King, Yan Ling Ji was quite satisfied with this title.

"Fairy?"

"Little brother has good taste, big sister really likes this nickname!"

Upon being praised by Yan Lingji, Tianming and Xiangyu blushed slightly, unsure of what to say, and could only awkwardly smile.

However, Xiang Liang and Gai Nie sighed inwardly at Canglang Wang's words.

What the other party said was true. The girl in front of them was indeed known as a witch back then. Fire can not only be used for lighting, but also for killing enemies. Those who died at her hands naturally had only one consequence: being burned to death.

And those people from Baiyue were by no means benevolent either; the fact that they ambushed the Korean royal family on their way to Tianze also gives us a glimpse into their situation.

"Wolf King, take your pets and get out of here!"

With another snap of her fingers, a flame shot up from Yan Lingji's right index finger. The moment the flame appeared, Tianming and Xiang Yu felt an intense heat and instinctively took a step back.

Wolves are extremely cunning animals, with a keen sense of danger. When Yan Lingji used this move, the wolf pack instinctively lowered their bodies and shrank back.

As for the Wolf King, his expression also turned very ugly in an instant.

Assassins are also extremely perceptive of danger. If the fire curtain that Yan Lingji used before made people wary, now it makes them fearful.

"Grandmaster level?"

Upon hearing these three words, Tianming scratched his head again. Gai Nie had never told him about the division of martial arts realms. In his mind, Gai Nie was the number one in the world.

"Shao Yu?"

Then he looked at Xiang Yu beside him. When he saw Tianming looking over, Xiang Yu touched his chin, his expression showing a hint of surprise.

"Didn't your uncle tell you about the different levels of martial arts cultivation?"

Tianming shook his head.

After thinking for a moment, Xiang Yu said, "These are not secrets. People in the martial arts world divide their internal energy cultivation into several realms, including the Acquired Realm, the Innate Realm, the Grandmaster Realm, and the Great Grandmaster Realm. Of course, there are some realms before the Acquired Realm, but those are not worth paying attention to."

At this point, Xiang Yu couldn't help but glance at Yan Lingji.

"Those who travel in the martial world are generally at the Innate Realm. I estimate that this big guy and the Wolf King are both experts at the Innate Realm."

"As for the Grandmaster realm, there are far fewer of them. These people are extremely powerful, and even one of them can hold off thousands of troops. Wei Zhuang and Mr. Gai mentioned earlier should be at this level."

As for how strong...

"You should have seen Mr. Gai's strength; this is the power of a Grandmaster."

Upon hearing Xiang Yu's words, Tianming subconsciously nodded. He had naturally witnessed just how strong Gai Nie was. In the Valley of the Crescent Moon, Gai Nie had single-handedly annihilated five hundred Qin soldiers. In his eyes, such power was no different from that of a god.

Then, as if remembering something, he looked up at the woman beside him and was somewhat horrified.

According to Xiang Yu, this girl's strength is just as great as Gai Nie's.

"Would you like to try it on?"

Yan Lingji chuckled softly, a hint of amusement in her eyes.

She didn't have much to worry about regarding the Wolf King. If it weren't for Wei Zhuang and Hong Lian standing behind him, she would have already made her move. Of course, even if she killed him, Wei Zhuang probably wouldn't be able to do anything to her, since she wasn't alone and the person behind her was even stronger.

The Wolf King gave Yan Lingji a deep look, then glanced at Wushuang, and finally decided not to make a move.

If these two weren't in the team, they might have been good prey for him, but now the intelligence is wrong. If he were to force a fight, he would likely die at their hands, and he certainly wouldn't do something that would lead him to his death.

"Wushuang, Lord Weizhuang will come looking for you!!"

The Wolf King looked at the giant iron tower in the group and said in a deep voice.

Without waiting for Wushuang to respond, he turned and left.

As the Wolf King set off, the wolf pack gradually retreated, and the members of the Xiang clan breathed a sigh of relief. After all, if they had really started fighting, there would have been casualties.

As she watched the other person's figure gradually disappear into the darkness, Yan Lingji narrowed her eyes.

Wei Zhuang, the current master of Quicksand, is indeed a problem for her. Fortunately, she has already obtained the young man's approval for this matter; otherwise, even if she found Wushuang, she would not dare to bring her back without permission.

"Wei Zhuang is indeed a problem. If we encounter him again, I can help."

Seeing Yan Lingji return to the carriage, Gai Nie spoke up at the opportune moment.

Upon hearing Gai Nie's words, Yan Ling Ji waved her hand.

"This matter need not trouble you, Mr. Gai. As for Wushuang, the young master has already given his approval. I am indeed unable to handle Wei Zhuang, but for the young master, this is not a big problem."

Upon hearing this, Gai Nie stopped speaking abruptly. He already guessed who the young master Yan Lingji was referring to was. Since Yan Lingji had already informed him of this matter, there was indeed no need for him to meddle any further. The carriage then set off again. Tianming and Xiang Yu remained on the carriage roof, recalling the events that had transpired, and the two began to chat quietly once more.

"I never knew the fairy sister was so amazing!"

"Actually, I should have thought of that earlier. Just now, she created a fire curtain dozens of feet long with a wave of her hand. This kind of skill is beyond the capabilities of an ordinary Xiantian Realm cultivator. Mr. Gai even said before that she could deal with the Azure Wolf King."

"By the way, Shaoyu, I heard you mention before that there is a Grandmaster realm above the Grandmaster realm. Does the Grandmaster realm really exist in the martial arts world now?"

"Yes, but most of those people live in seclusion and don't get involved in the affairs of the martial arts world. I once heard my grandfather say that the Taoist Tianzong sect has two grandmasters, which is why no one dares to covet the white paper and refined salt that the Taoists deal in."

Xiang Yu knew little about the secrets of the martial world. The only ones he had heard Xiang Yan mention were the two people from the Taoist Tianzong sect, since he was interested in the battlefield.

Upon hearing Xiang Yu's words, Tianming seemed to remember something and said, "Daoist Heavenly Sect? It's that place again. I heard Uncle mention that there's someone there. Uncle said he has a very high talent, and that his talent is the best in the world."

Upon hearing this, Xiang Yu shook his head slightly. If it were anyone else, he might not know, but he knew about that person.

"You must be referring to Master Qingxu, right?"

Tianming's eyes lit up, and then he nodded his head vigorously.

"Yes, yes, that's the name. Could this person also be a grandmaster?"

Xiang Yu sighed softly.

"Yes."

“I remember my grandfather saying that Qingxu is probably the youngest Grandmaster in the martial arts world today. His talent in martial arts is terrifying. He even came to our Chu Kingdom back then. It seems that he had already broken through to the Grandmaster realm and become a Grandmaster.”

Tianming frowned. He knew that Xiang Yu was from the State of Chu. When they first met, the other party said that he was from the Xiang clan of Chu. However, he was a little surprised that Qingxu had been to Chu. After all, Chu had been destroyed by Qin, which had been several years ago.

"Have you been to the State of Chu?"

"Terrifying talent? Since Grandmasters are so powerful, breaking through to the next level must be very difficult, right? Uncle is currently a Grandmaster, and his age is about the same as mine?"

Upon hearing this, Xiang Yu gently shook his head.

He knew that in the heart of the young man beside him, Gai Nie was the most powerful, but there was another truth in this world: there are always people more capable than you, and there is always something beyond your understanding.

"There's a big difference!"

Upon hearing this, Tianming nodded inwardly.

He assumed the other party was considerably older than Gai Nie, and if that were the case, he might be able to break through when his uncle reached that age.

“My grandfather said that when Master Qingxu visited our Xiang family, he was about thirteen or fourteen years old. In other words, he was not much older than us.”

Tianming's thoughts were interrupted by Xiang Yu's question about being thirteen or fourteen years old, and he subconsciously replied with a similar question.

"This is impossible!"

"Shaoyu, are you sure you're not mistaken?"

Xiang Yu chuckled.

"I knew you couldn't accept it, but that's the truth. You can ask Uncle Liang if you don't believe me!"

Then Tianming scrambled to his feet and asked Xiang Liang, "Uncle, is what Shaoyu said true?"

Xiang Liang smiled and nodded.

“The men of the Xiang clan never lie, and what Shaoyu said is true.”

“My father once said that Master Qingxu could no longer be measured by ordinary standards. They even fought each other in secret. Later, my father commented that he was probably the number one person in the martial arts world in the past two hundred years.”

Tianming was stunned when he heard this.

The number one person in the martial arts world for two hundred years—this evaluation is undeniably high, and for a moment he felt as if he were listening to some kind of story.

"Alright, kid, didn't Miss Yan Lingji say that Master Qingxu would be going to Mirror Lake Medical Manor? We might see him in a few days. If you don't believe me, you can just go and ask him yourself."

Upon hearing this, Tianming subconsciously swallowed, then said somewhat awkwardly, "Shaoyu, would someone as powerful as you even bother with me?"

Upon seeing Tianming's reaction, Shaoyu was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter.

"You've actually been clever for once!"

Just as the two were chatting and laughing, Gai Nie and Yan Lingji inside the carriage suddenly changed their expressions.

The two then exchanged a glance, their expressions unusually serious.

"He is a master, a master unlike the Wolf King. This path is indeed not as easy as I imagined!"

Gai Nie grabbed Yuan Hong beside him, his voice heavy.

"Mr. Gai, we'll see how things go in a bit."

Yan Lingji gently shook her head. Although Gai Nie had woken up, his body had not recovered, so she was the only one who could handle the battle.

"Please be careful, Miss Yan Lingji."

Upon hearing this, Gai Nie nodded without hesitation.

Immediately afterwards, Yan Lingji flipped over and landed on the roof of the car. Then she said to the two little ones beside her, "You two go inside first. There's a troublesome guy up ahead, and he might not be able to look after you for a while."

When they saw Yan Lingji flip back onto the roof of the car, Xiang Yu and Tianming were taken aback. Before they could speak, they heard the sound again, and this time their expressions changed.

When the Wolf King arrived earlier, Yan Lingji's tone wasn't this heavy.

"Miss Yan Lingji, do you need our help?"

Xiang Yu glanced ahead, but all around was quiet and he couldn't see anything. He then asked Yan Lingji a question.

Yan Lingji suddenly found herself holding two fire spirit hairpins, and she looked ahead with a solemn expression.

"This is not a battle you can participate in. The strength of the person who came is extraordinary. If Mr. Gai and I are not mistaken, he should be a grandmaster."

"Grandmaster?"

The two little ones were startled, their hearts leaping into their throats. This time, they didn't argue and quickly returned to the car. In critical moments, not causing trouble for one's own side is, to some extent, a form of help. Tianming and Xiang Yu had already understood this principle.

"Wushuang!"

The carriage gradually slowed down, and then Yan Lingji summoned Wushuang to her side.

She knew she might not be able to win this battle on her own, so she planned to have Wushuang join her.

Although his peerless realm is low, he has a body of steel and can withstand even a Grandmaster-level expert for a while.

"Om!!"

Suddenly, a sword aura shot out from the darkness. Yan Lingji narrowed her eyes. Judging from the skill of this sword strike, the newcomer was indeed a master, a master swordsman.

Without hesitation, she began to rapidly circulate her internal energy, and then flung out the two fire spirit hairpins in her hands.

The Fire Spirit Hairpin, imbued with fire-attribute true energy, illuminated the front of the carriage like two torches. The hairpin trailed two fiery tails before colliding with the sword energy, followed by a violent explosion.

The fire power attached to the Fire Spirit Hairpin exploded violently the moment it collided with the sword energy. The flames scattered in the air like fireworks, and upon landing, they transformed into curtains of fire, illuminating the area as if it were daytime.

Soon, everyone present saw a man standing in the middle of the road, a man wearing Qin black armor, a black mask, and holding two strange longswords.

"Oh, it's you. I was wondering why the Wolf King retreated without a fight. It turns out that the witch of Baiyue is here."

The other person seemed to know Yan Lingji; after seeing Yan Lingji, his voice came through the mask.

Yan Lingji narrowed her eyes, her heart skipping a beat.

"These two swords."

The other person recognized her, and she also noticed some of their features.

"It seems that Luo Wang has not only dispatched Yan Ri and Jing Ni this time, but also a Heaven-level expert."

Sitting in the carriage, Tianming looked at the black-armored man in front of him and felt his heart race.

"Uncle, who is this person?"

Upon hearing this, Xiang Yu subconsciously looked over. What Yan Lingji said earlier was true; this person was indeed beyond their ability to handle. He was also eager to know about the other party's background.

"He is from the Net. The Net is an assassin organization of the empire, serving the empire. Its master is Ying Zheng. The assassins in it are divided into eight levels: Heaven, Kill, Earth, Absolute, Chi, Mei, Wang, and Liang. If there are no surprises, the person in front of you is a Heaven-level assassin from the Net named Xuan Jian, whose realm has reached the Grandmaster level."

"Xuan Jian?"

Speaking of the Net, Tianming couldn't help but think of the two people who had appeared earlier, whose attire was very similar to that of the person in front of him.

"Uncle, were those two people we encountered earlier also members of the Net?"

Xiang Yu was in the carriage at the moment. When he heard Tianming's words, his brows twitched. Judging from Tianming's words, Gai Nie and Tianming had already fought with the people of Luo Wang before.

Gai Nie's eyes flashed slightly. The fact that Luo Wang had dispatched three top-tier assassins at once meant that things were probably not as simple as they thought. Perhaps these three were not targeting him and Tianming, but had other missions.

Upon realizing this, his heart grew heavy; the development of events seemed to have exceeded their expectations.

"Uncle?"

Seeing that Gai Nie remained silent, seemingly lost in thought, Tianming called out again.

Gai Nie sighed inwardly, then nodded.

"Yes, those two are also top-tier assassins from the Luo Wang organization, wielding the Yan Ri Sword and the Jing Ni Sword, two of the Eight Swords of Yue Wang respectively. Their strength is comparable to the person in front of us."

Upon hearing this, Tianming responded with an "oh," but Xiang Yu seemed to have guessed something, and a strange light appeared in his eyes.

If he wasn't mistaken, Gai Nie had previously faced two Heaven-level assassins, which were two Grandmaster-level experts. Now that Gai Nie had survived, it meant that the two Grandmaster-level experts had failed to defeat the man in front of them and had to retreat.

The assassins of the Luo Wang are not so easy to deal with. The premise of retreating is that they have no choice but to retreat. In other words, it is very likely that Gai Nie defeated them, fighting two grandmasters alone and winning the battle.

Thinking about this outcome, Xiang Yu's lips twitched. Now that he thought about it, it wasn't unreasonable for Tianming to say that Gai Nie was the strongest. This man was indeed not simple.

"If you choose to stand by and do nothing, I can let you leave!"

“Mr. Xuanjian, I advise you to think carefully before you take action. Others may not know what my presence here signifies, but you should know, right?”

(End of this chapter)