# CHAPTER 9

Two streaks of color slice through the cold and clear sky, as if the heavens were painting with a vigorous stroke.

But suddenly, the heavens' stroke came to an abrupt halt, revealing that it wasn't the heavens painting on the sky, but two cultivators flying through the air.

These two were naturally the master and disciple pair, Hou Shu and Bai Ling.

Hou Shu's gaze sweeps across the horizon, they have traveled across the Barren Plains, visiting every sect, but their investigation bore no fruit.

"Master, why do we have to visit every sect? They've all told us the same thing." Said Bai Ling, unable to hold her frustration and impatience any longer.

Hou Shu smiled at this, 'Despite her excellence, this is her first time leaving the valley in years after all.'

"It is the way of investigation to search for even the smallest of details. It is often those minute details that others overlook that lead to answers." Said Hou Shu, his tone steady and gentle.

"Disciple understands!" Bai Ling didn't refute Hou Shu even if the answer didn't quell her frustration. She knew refuting would be futile, her Master is the greatest in the way of investigation throughout heaven and earth.

But suddenly, Hou Shu's gentle smile disappeared as his lips pressed into a thin line, "But Ling'er has good instincts, sensing something is off is a great tool for a detective. But the real problem isn't that they all gave us the same answer—it's that they all said the same thing, word for word. As if they all were reading the same script."

Bai Ling's eyes widen in realization, her thoughts racing, "Master thinks that they were controlled by the same person that killed Da Tong and kidnapped Yan Hu Zi?"

Hou Shu nodded and spoke with a low voice, "It's highly likely. Looks like whoever obtained the Fire Celestial Treasure Inheritance has obtained for at least fifty years. One cannot control so many people in such a wide area without any experience."

"... So what should we do, Master?" Asked Bai Ling, her brows furrowed.

"We are going to visit Hong Di Immortal Town, the only Immortal Town in the seventy-five thousand mu radius of Chijia village." The moment he finished speaking, Hou Shu broke into a flight once more, with Bai Ling soon following behind.

Soon they entered the five thousand li radius surrounding Chijia village.

Hou Shu noted that there were no traces of any array being in place, the plains were covered in grass, except for the unusual amount of mortal trees, and there was nothing strange that might indicate that there was a formation in place.

Soon, they appeared before a giant city.

This City was surrounded by walls seventy-five zhang high, spanning for more than tens of li on every side.

The buildings inside were all made from mellow yang jade or true yin rocks, with the base of true yin rocks and mellow yang jade as the walls, the craftsmen of these buildings clearly wanted to enhance the quality of spiritual qi to compliment the environment of barren plains.

This city was so massive and luxurious that even the mortal capitals couldn't compare.

"Whoah! This place is so big! Is Master sure that this is a town?" Asked Bai Ling.

"Of course, you may be familiar with mortal countries, but in the cultivation world, this place can only be an immortal provincial town for the Da Qian Immortal Dynasty," But Hou Shu then chuckled, "Though it doesn't matter nowadays, Da Qian Immortal Dynasty is a hollow husk now, ranking last of the Seven Hegemons."

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Saying this, Hou Shu led Bai Ling into Hong Di Immortal Town.

But as he traveled through the roads, his eyes narrowed and a frown appeared on his lips.

The roads were too quiet, there was not even a hint of a shadow of people on the roads.

Suddenly, he flicked his fingers, sending a ribbon made of flames towards a three-story building to his right, destroying its walls and the anti-detection array.

Inside the building, what seemed to be a library, there were many cultivators with their cultivation stages ranging from Qi Condensation to Foundation Establishment stage.

They all were sitting in a lotus position, no matter where they were as if they hurriedly started cultivating.

They were not startled awake even after the destruction of the building.

Seeing this, Hou Shu flicked and sent another ribbon of flame towards a building to his right.

But the sight that greeted him was almost parallel to the three-story building, making Hou Shu blitz through the pathways and appear in front of the Town Lord's palace.

The Town Lord's Palace was different from any other buildings as it was built with Nether Silver and Blue Sky wood. It had an entrance with two pillars made of what seemed to be hollow spirit stone shells of top-grade quality. Above the pillars, there was a plaque that had "红帝仙镇至高贤主¹ " written on it.

As impressive as this palace was, it soon disappeared as Hou Shu destroyed it with his flames. But even after destroying the Palace, the Town Lord didn't come out.

Hou Shu's eyes narrowed, it was understandable that normal cultivators got lost in cultivation and forgot to guard themselves, but even the Town Lord, who had to be someone capable, forgone guarding themselves.

"Ling'er, wake up that Town Lord." Hou Shu commanded.

Thus, Bai Ling entered the palace with the gaping hole in the roof of the palace and woke up the Town Lord.

But the moment Hong Di Town Lord woke up, he directed his Golden Core aura, which seemed to alternate between the Late stage and Great Completion stage.

His eyes bloodshot, he roared in fury, "This one was just about to reach the Great Completion of Golden Core stage, now that you have awakened me before I reached it, feel my wrath!"

But Bai Ling was not afraid. In fact, even a small smile was spreading on her lips.

Suddenly, Hong Di Town Lord felt as if a mountain was pressing on him, his body started to burn and sizzle, cracks started spreading through his skin like lightning, and from it, essence blood started to seep out. At this moment, a cold, ruthless and domineering echoed in his ears, "Wrath? Humph! Junior didn't greet me, and even attacked my disciple, you sure have guts!"

"Senior, Please Forgive me! I didn't mean it, Senior!" Hong Di Town Lord screamed in despair, if too much essence blood leaked out his chances of entering Great Completion of Golden Core would be impossible.

He didn't think he would encounter such a strong expert in this place!

Hou Shu harrumphed and released his aura, "Kowtow to me and my disciple! or else..."

Hong Di Town Lord didn't even need to hear the threat-laced words, he had already jumped into a kowtow, not even mending his essence blood leakage.

He smashed his head three times on the ground in front of Hou Shu and Bai Ling and shouted, "Junior had eyes but couldn't see Mount Tai! Please forgive this one Young Miss, Senior!"

"Now that you have known about your mistake, I won't punish you anymore." Hou Shu made Zhen and Li hand seals with both of his hands in quick succession, sending warm, but not scorching flames toward Hong Di Town Lord, quickly mending his wounds.

Hong Di Town Lord noticed that not only his essence blood leakage was healed, but his realm moved into the Great Completion stage from the Late Stage.

"Many thanks, Senior!" Hong Di Town Lord bowed, his heart filled with gratitude.

"Don't mention it," Hou Shu shook his head, "Answer me why the whole town has been in seclusion, forgetting everything and even prompted you, a Golden Core expert to attack a junior."

In front of Hou Shu, Hong Di Town Lord bowed subserviently, " Forgive this one for attacking Senior's disciple, because of this immense fortuitous opportunity, I couldn't stay calm and lost control."

"Speak clearly when I am asking politely, I have enough justification to use forceful methods if it comes down to it! Even Da Qian Immortal Court wouldn't be able to save you!" Howled Hou Shu, his voice laced with killing intent.

Hong Di Town Lord started to perspire sweat out of fear, he spoke in an uncertain and confused tone, "... Senior can't notice the viscous spiritual qi of Heaven and Earth?"

Hou Shu's pupils shrank into thin needles and started to shake.

That's right, why didn't he notice this obscene amount of spiritual qi?