Chapter 69: The Mutation in the Qinghe Mountain Range
The crowd’s reaction instantly made Zhao Wude realize who had come.
The legendary youthful prodigy, the Family Head of the Qingfeng Li Clan—Li Xingge!
Since Zhao Wude’s arrival in Baihe County a month ago, that name had been thundering in his ears like constant thunder.
What he had never imagined was that this Li Family Head’s strength had reached such a terrifying level. With his own early Qi-Blood Realm cultivation, he could not even withstand a casual strike from the other man.
The rumors said he was only eighteen years old.
Originally, Zhao Wude had assumed the stories were greatly exaggerated. How strong could an eighteen-year-old youth possibly be?
He had not seen such a genius even in the prefectural city.
But now, having experienced it firsthand, Zhao Wude felt that he himself had become a laughingstock.
“F-Family Head Li... spare... spare my life.”
Seeing Li Xingge approach step by step, Zhao Wude struggled to get up from the ground. Yet a black-soled white boot came down hard onto his face. His face scraped against the rough sand, and in that instant Zhao Wude felt his mind go completely blank.
“In Baihe County, there can be no man as arrogant as you. From now on, when you see a member of my Li Clan, lower your head and behave.”
Li Xingge said indifferently, his expression utterly calm.
A colossal humiliation, too great for words, surged into Zhao Wude’s heart and nearly suffocated him.
His eyes bulged, bloodshot and swollen, as though they might burst from their sockets.
One word at a time, he ground out, “Li... Xing... ge...”
Li Xingge paid no heed at all to Zhao Wude’s overwhelming hatred.
To him, it was no different from casually stepping on an ant.
He withdrew his foot and said blandly to Li Xingcong, “Escort County Magistrate Zhao back to his residence.”
“Yes.”
Seeing the strange expressions on the surrounding soldiers’ faces, seeing the smiles they were struggling to hold back, Zhao Wude only felt his blood rushing into his skull. His vision went black, and he passed out on the spot.
“Many thanks to Family Head for coming to my rescue.”
Li Xingcong said gratefully.
Li Xingge waved a hand and glanced at Zhao Wude, now unconscious on the ground. A trace of killing intent flickered in his eyes, then quickly vanished.
“I hope you do not insist on seeking death.”
Li Xingge murmured to himself.
......
That evening, Zhao Wude slowly awoke on his bed.
The intense pain in his chest immediately brought back the events of the day.
He hated them. He hated them beyond measure!
“Father, you’re finally awake.”
At the side, seeing that his father had regained consciousness, Zhao Mingying said with delight.
The sight of this son immediately made Zhao Wude’s anger surge anew. If the boy had not gone outside causing trouble, how could he himself have been humiliated so thoroughly by Li Xingge?
But in the end, this was still his only son. Zhao Wude let out a sigh.
“Mingying, bring me my writing brush and ink.”
He truly could not swallow this humiliation. The sky over Baihe County was simply too dark.
Zhao Wude took up the brush and put all his accusations against the Li Clan into writing.
After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Zhao Wude blew the ink dry, handed the finished letter to Zhao Mingying, and instructed him, “Mingying, take this letter to Zhang Hu and have him deliver it to the prefectural city.”
At those words, Zhao Mingying’s expression became troubled.
“Father, Zhang Hu and the others all went out with you earlier... none of them ever came back.”
Li Clan, how ruthless you are!
Zhao Wude’s face went stiff. Only after a long while did he say hoarsely, “Then you must go in person. Once the letter has been delivered to the prefectural city, you must never come back!”
“Father, I’m not going anywhere. I’ll stay right here with you.”
As though guessing something, Zhao Mingying’s expression changed, and he hurriedly protested.
Zhao Wude stroked Zhao Mingying’s head.
“Mingying, listen to me. I am, after all, an official of the imperial court, the magistrate of an entire county. They do not dare deal with me openly. But you are different. If they cannot deal with me, there are countless other ways for them to deal with you. Leave under cover of night. Don’t let anyone discover you. The county yamen is already full of their spies now.”
Seeing the pleading look in Zhao Wude’s eyes, Zhao Mingying nodded through tears.
Deep in the night, beneath a sky thick with dark clouds and blackness,
a man dressed in night clothes quietly slipped out of the yamen by the back gate under the cover of darkness.
He did not notice, however, the cold gaze fixed upon him from behind, nor the eerie smile curling at the watcher’s lips.
......
“Family Head, how was the matter handled?”
the Grand Elder asked with concern.
Li Xingge shook his head.
“Nothing more than an ignorant clown who did not know the height of the heavens or the depth of the earth. If not for the need to preserve the court’s dignity, he would already be a corpse.”
“He is not a man content to remain quiet. We still need to stay on guard, Family Head.”
the Grand Elder cautioned.
“I know. When the right opportunity comes, we will send him on his way.”
Li Xingge narrowed his eyes, and his tone turned icy.
“Oh, right, Family Head. Something seems to have happened over in the Qinghe Mountain Range.”
the Grand Elder suddenly added.
Li Xingge’s brows furrowed.
“What situation?”
“The two batches of herb gatherers the family sent to the medicine valley this month have both failed to return.”
“Could it be that that python has gone back on its word?”
Li Xingge guessed.
“We are not sure. The family is already sending men to investigate.”
“The medicine valley is now extremely important to the family. It cannot be allowed to fail. If that python has truly broken faith, then eliminate it. At worst, we send more people to guard the valley.”
At present, the medicine valley in the Qinghe Mountain Range accounted for a third of the Li Clan’s medicinal herb output. It had greatly reduced the Li Clan’s need for imported herbs. Li Xingge would not tolerate even the slightest mishap there.
“Yes, Family Head. I understand.”
......
In the Qinghe Mountain Range, in the dead of night, the world was pitch-black and one could not see one’s hand before one’s face.
Yet the mountain range was anything but peaceful.
A fierce beast’s roar suddenly rang out from the depths of the mountains. Terrifying sound waves swept outward in every direction.
Then, one after another, countless roars and cries of beasts rose in response, shaking the entire mountain range. The trees trembled, and leaves fell in rustling showers.
On the mountain range’s outskirts, at a temporary camp where people had gathered,
“Ai, I don’t know what’s been going on lately, but there are so many more beasts in the mountains. If I hadn’t run fast yesterday, I would’ve ended up in a tiger’s jaws.”
One herb gatherer said, patting his chest with lingering fear.
“Yeah. I heard that the Mountain Spirit Squad was wiped out to the last man in the mountains.”
“What, really? The Mountain Spirit Squad lives off hunting demonic beasts. Their captain is a cultivator at Perfection in the Physical Body Realm. Even someone like that couldn’t make it back out?”
A herb gatherer said, his face full of disbelief.
“Why would I lie to you? I don’t dare go into the mountains to gather herbs anymore. If I’m guessing right, some terrifying great demon has appeared in the mountains, one capable of commanding all beasts.”
“Then we’re in real trouble. If I’m not mistaken, the price of herbs is about to skyrocket. Good thing I stocked up a little. When the time comes, I’ll sell them at a high price and make a huge profit.”
“You really are a profiteer.”
the herb gatherer teased.
“I only fear that if we can’t enter the mountains anymore, then I’ll have lost my only way to make a living.”
“What are you afraid of? The heavens aren’t going to collapse. And if people really can’t enter the mountains anymore, those big figures will be even more anxious than we are.”
“That’s true enough. Hahaha.”
“ROARRR—”
A shrill beast cry suddenly rang out.
“Did you hear something?”
one herb gatherer asked, his teeth chattering.
“I... I think so!”
As those words fell, the entire camp was swallowed by an enormous shadow.
Everyone raised their heads, and every last one of them froze at once.
“No!!!”