Family Cultivation: Rise of the Wilderness

Chapter 3 Danger

The pockmarked youth spoke rudely, and the gray-robed Taoist immediately retorted in displeasure, "We are merely guests and have no obligation to help the White Dew Sect guard the boat. Why should we be held accountable?"

Upon hearing this, the pockmarked youth's eyes flickered, and he said, "Which way are you going? I'll go with you."

"This way."

Li Xiangming pointed in the direction and was the first to fly out of the water.

The pockmarked youth hesitated slightly, glancing back at the boat shrouded in mist. He wondered how many monstrous beasts lurked at the bottom of the river, their attacks fierce, and the two Foundation Establishment cultivators still hadn't returned.
Where can we hold it?
What a waste of a hundred spirit stones.

The pockmarked youth looked pained, then gritted his teeth and followed Li Xiangming.

But to his surprise, a light blue flag blocked his way.

"Why is this?"

The pockmarked young man was shocked.

Without wasting words, Li Xiangming unleashed a barrage of compressed water cannons from the fluttering flag, blasting the pockmarked youth.

"Stop! Stop!"

The pockmarked youth waved his hands, sending two iron chains flying from his arms to knock the water cannon away, shouting continuously.

"Stop! We have no grudge against each other!"

Li Xiangming remained silent, but the magical power he channeled into the flag grew faster and faster.

"Damn it."

The pockmarked young man glared at Li Xiangming hatefully, then turned and ran away.

But before he could take two steps, the gray-robed Taoist slashed at him from behind with his sword. The pockmarked youth couldn't dodge in time, and blood spurted from his body.

The pockmarked youth's cultivation level was similar to Li Xiangming's, only at the sixth level of Qi Refining, while the gray-robed Taoist was at the ninth level of Qi Refining.

In just a few exchanges, the injured pockmarked youth fell to the combined attack of the gray-robed Taoist and Li Xiangming.

"Layman Li, why did you kill him?"

Although the gray-robed Taoist made a move, he had doubts in his heart. At this moment, the look he gave Li Xiangming was no longer as amiable as before.

As we walked, Li Xiangming explained, “Our departure this time can’t be considered secretive. The Bailu Sect will find us sooner or later. But we are outsiders. We paid the spirit stones on board. It’s human nature to avoid danger and seek good fortune. No matter how tyrannical the Bailu Sect is, they have no reason to force us to stay.”

"But it's different when this person sees us. He covets the rewards from Bailu Gate and advocates that everyone stay on the boat, yet he also values ​​his life and hides in the shadows to protect himself. He stopped us with righteous words, but then wanted to go with us. Such fickleness is the mark of a petty person."

"It has always been difficult to guard against petty people. If he survives and stirs up trouble in front of Bailu Gate to seek rewards, we will definitely suffer."

Running away quietly is different from being reported.

In the first case, he could use many excuses to cover it up. For example, if someone asked, Li Xiangming could say that he was not powerful enough to kill the white snake and was chased by other monsters. He was lucky to survive!

The second situation is completely different; the initiative is in the hands of others.

If the pockmarked youth harbors ill intentions and accuses the two of being accomplices of a demon cultivator who deliberately escaped, then he will be unable to clear his name even if he falls into the Pu River.

In Pu County and even the entire Shun'an Prefecture, colluding with demons and evil spirits is absolutely forbidden, especially since the cultivation world of Heng Kingdom and the demon clan of Nanbin have just finished their war.

Moreover, Li Xiangming carries the name of the Li family. If he gets involved with demon cultivators, it will be a catastrophic disaster not only for him personally but also for the Li family.

He had to consider this.

The gray-robed Taoist smiled bitterly upon hearing this. He hadn't thought that far ahead in a short time; he just felt that killing a stranger was not a good thing.

At the same time, I gained a completely new understanding of Li Xiangming. He used his speculations about the future to kill the innocent people of today. Although he is young, he is not someone to be trifled with.

"Please don't be offended, Daoist Master. Time is of the essence, and we cannot go into details. We shall leave now."

Li Xiangming, unaware of the gray-robed Taoist's thoughts, hastily uttered a sentence and, no longer concerned with his magical power, advanced at full speed.

The two fled first, and the snakes on the river could no longer threaten them. Just as they were about to escape the mist, an unexpected event occurred.

A huge brown snake tail emerged from the water, coiled around the main ship, and with a single pull, the ship was instantly smashed to pieces, with blood and flesh flying everywhere.

Countless cries of alarm, pain, and anger erupted simultaneously. Four or five streaks of light shot into the sky, escaping the calamity, but almost all the mortals on the ship perished.

Seeing this, the monks on the other ships dared not stay in place any longer and all flew into the air, watching the tragic scene in fear.

"Run away!"

Someone shouted, and all the cultivators scattered and fled. The demon cultivators in the Bone Fusion stage had already rushed over, and if they didn't leave, they would be doomed.

Li Xiangming and the gray-robed Taoist, who were far away, also changed their expressions drastically. Neither of the two Foundation Establishment cultivators could stop this snake demon.

The two dared not delay and fled with all their might.

"Want to run?"

A murky voice rang out, and the snake demon revealed its terrifying giant face, on which stood a man shrouded in a black robe.

The man in black robes looked indifferently at Li Xiangming, who was running the fastest. Li Xiangming was completely unaware that a streak of crimson light had just swept past him.

"It is the Blood Escape Technique."

Li Xiangming was surprised again, not expecting that someone would even use Blood Escape to save their life.

Of all the escape techniques in the world, Blood Escape is the fastest. There are thousands of Blood Escape techniques, but without exception, they all require burning one's essence and blood as the price to gain magical power. Although this technique is fast, it destroys one's foundation. Once it is used, one's cultivation will hardly advance in this lifetime.

However, in a life-or-death situation, cultivation level doesn't really matter.

The Blood Escape cultivator rode alone, instantly overtaking Li Xiangming and soaring into the sky.

But just then, a huge, ever-extending arm came in pursuit.

The arm emitted black smoke and moved faster than the Blood Escape technique. In just a few blinks, the arm caught up with the Blood Escape cultivator and then gripped him, leaving him covered in blood.

Li Xiangming was right behind and witnessed this scene. Terrified, he stopped and looked back, just in time to see the black arm retract back into the man's body.

"The faster you run, the faster you die!"

The thought flashed through Li Xiangming's mind: no matter how fast a Qi Refining cultivator's Blood Escape is, how can it be faster than a Foundation Establishment cultivator's spell?
This is the hierarchy in the cultivation world, a hierarchy based on cultivation level, which is unshakeable.

The gray-robed Taoist also stopped in his tracks, staring in horror at the river. Compared to the Foundation Establishment stage, even though he had cultivated to the ninth level of Qi Refining, he was still pale and powerless.

With the death of the Blood Escape cultivator, quite a few people discovered the man in black robes.

Some people stopped running, their faces filled with resentment. Others still held onto a sliver of hope, using all their skills to try and resist the black arm, but to no avail, only adding a few streaks of blood to the horizon.

"Such frequent use of spells indicates at least the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment stage!"

The gray-robed Taoist was even more desperate. He was knowledgeable and had seen many Foundation Establishment cultivators. He knew that even among Foundation Establishment cultivators, there were differences, the most significant of which lay in their magical power.

Upon hearing this, Li Xiangming felt bitter, never expecting that he would die on the Pu River.

Such a calamity is truly unbearable.

Just as Li Xiangming was feeling pessimistic, a furious shout rang out.

"How brave!"

In the mist, Ma Houchen lifted the bronze bell and smashed it towards the man in black robes.

The man in black robes glanced sideways, and the snake demon exhaled, sending a foul stench towards the bronze bell, which immediately made a hissing sound on its surface.

Ma Houchen hurriedly retrieved the bronze bell, his gaze fixed warily on the man in black robes.

"Who are you to dare invade my Bailu Gate?"

The man in black robes didn't answer, but stretched out his arm and slapped Ma Houchen.

Ma Houchen hurriedly covered himself with the bronze bell, but continued to retreat.

The two exchanged several more blows, and Ma Houchen was no match for him. If it weren't for the bronze bell protecting him, he would have died long ago.

Even so, Ma Houchen was not discouraged. Taking advantage of the moment when the man in black robes finished casting his spell, he raised the bronze bell high.

The newly appointed elder of the White Dew Sect chanted an incantation, pointed with both hands, and more than a dozen golden rays flew out, sprinkling around the snake demon.

"Golden Thread Soul-Locking Array, activate!"

As Ma Houchen finished speaking, the golden light shone brightly, then transformed, forming threads within which the snake demon hissed incessantly.

The man in black robes was surprised, and decisively flew into the air, away from the snake demon.

"It's a rune array."

Li Xiangming was overjoyed upon seeing it. The talisman array was an innovative move in the cultivation world, combining talismans and formations. It was extremely complex, and of course, its power was equally immense.

As expected, the snake demon became weak and even unable to attack when bound by the Golden Silk Soul-Locking Array.

The other Qi Refining cultivators immediately felt hopeful and seized the opportunity to escape.

"Hurry up, Layman Li."

The gray-robed Taoist shouted and prepared to leave as well. He had never even considered getting involved in the battle between the two Foundation Establishment cultivators.

"We'll go underwater."

The sorrow had not yet subsided, but joy welled up in his heart, yet Li Xiangming appeared even more composed.

Seeing the gray-robed Taoist priest hesitate for a moment, Li Xiangming whispered, "Trust me."

He then plunged headfirst into the Pu River.

In the Pu River, Li Xiangming activated his magic, and a small, azure flag was unfurled to block the river water.

Three breaths later, upon seeing the gray-robed Taoist, the small flag extended once more, enveloping the two of them and sweeping away.

(End of this chapter)