Cultivation begins with forming a bond with a spirit bee.

Chapter 67 Departure

On the way to the market gate, Qu Ye felt a strange feeling.

The Hou family, a foundation-building clan that had ruled Yumen Market for over three hundred years, vanished overnight due to a single misstep.

Within just a few days, the remnants of this great battle had been completely absorbed by the market.

Perhaps in a few years, no one will even mention the name Hou anymore.

"Indeed, everything depends on oneself."

Qu Ye silently reminded himself.

Even if the Hou family patriarch were facing two Foundation Establishment cultivators, wouldn't he be able to escape if he really wanted to?

Ultimately, his family made him who he is, but it also dragged him into this quagmire from which he could not extricate himself.

Therefore, thinking about establishing a family to continue the lineage is far less practical than cultivating oneself to be strong.

After thinking it over, Qu Ye shook his head, bought some daily necessities, and walked to the gate.

He carefully examined the starting point of his cultivation journey, memorized it, and then left Yumen Market.

With more than two months left, he still had plenty of time to go to Wuliufang City to gather information.

The road outside the market town stretched for dozens of miles before gradually ending, leaving only wilderness.

Qu Ye took out the map he had previously purchased on the black market and examined it carefully.

The fact that Wang Meng and his wife successfully arrived at Qingxifang City earlier indicates that the map is mostly accurate; they just need to follow the correct direction.

According to the map, Wuliufang Market is the one in the middle distance from the other three markets surrounding Yumenfang Market.

Qingxi Market is the closest, while Shiling Market is the furthest.

Qu Ye estimated that at his normal speed, it would take him about five or six days to reach Wuliufang City.

"Yes, we'll pass through Hundred Bone Mountain on the way," said the armies of mortal dynasties once clashed there, and vengeful spirits occasionally appear; and then there's this Snake Pool," said the snakes are said to be teeming with venomous snakes, and some have even seen high-grade first-tier demonic snakes, so we must be careful."

After putting away the map, Qu Ye checked the direction, and with a swift movement, the "Lightness" restriction of the Four Directions Wandering Cloud Boots was activated, and he transformed into a blur and sped away.

In the following days, Qu Ye worked day and night, controlling the worker bees to explore in all directions.

When tired, one can meditate and regulate one's breathing for a while; when one's magical power is depleted, one can absorb a spirit stone.

In short, he would rather spend some spirit stones than put himself in the awkward situation of insufficient magical power.

On his way, he passed by Hundred Bone Mountain, and even in broad daylight, he could sense a chilling aura emanating from it.

"It's suitable for demonic cultivators."

He made his own assessment.

The so-called demonic cultivators mentioned here do not refer to ruthless demons.

Qu Ye had learned about the Demonic Path from the Hou Family Scripture Pavilion. It was just an alternative way of cultivation, and its realm system and cultivation requirements were no different from those of normal immortal cultivation.

However, the cultivation methods practiced by such cultivators are often associated with evil and bloodshed, which can easily affect their minds and turn them into bloodthirsty evil cultivators, resulting in a slightly poor reputation.

Therefore, apart from the fact that normal demonic cultivators have more difficulty breaking through realms in the later stages, use more bizarre methods, and have a colder temperament, they are no different from other cultivators.

After bypassing Hundred Bone Mountain, Qu Ye continued his journey for another two days.

During this time, he also encountered other weary cultivators, but fortunately none of them were Tribulation cultivators.

After both sides have been wary of each other, they will usually face each other and slowly move back until they are a certain distance apart, and then each will head to their own destination.

Until that afternoon, he arrived at the second place he had to pass: the Snake Pool.

Although it is called a pool, it is actually a large, continuous stretch of low bushes with black silt underneath.

The trees were not tall, with twisted branches and bark covered with a layer of grayish-white fungal patches that spread from the trunk to the exposed roots.

Perhaps calling it a swamp would be more appropriate.

Qu Ye stopped in front of the snake pool and took out the map to carefully check the direction.

It was discovered that this snake pool was unavoidable if one wanted to reach Wuliufang City.

If you insist on taking a detour, it will take an extra seven or eight days.

Moreover, other routes also have similar dangers and are not necessarily safer than Snake Pool.

"The danger shouldn't be too great, otherwise so many cultivators wouldn't be able to cross this pool and travel back and forth between the two markets."

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After thinking it over, Qu Ye took out an antidote pill from his storage bag and put it in his mouth, and then took out a defensive talisman and held it in his hand.

He had prepared all of these things over the past two years to deal with the current complex situation.

As you enter the snake pool, the mud makes a soft sound under your feet, and a faint fishy smell emanates from the decaying leaves.

Qu Ye gathered magical power under his feet to prevent his legs from sinking deep into the mud.

At the same time, he released four worker bees to line up in front and behind, constantly probing the bottom of the swamp with his divine sense to prevent a demonic snake from suddenly leaping out and attacking.

He had only walked a short distance when he saw several dead tree trunks lying across the swamp, their cores hollowed out by something unknown.

Qu Ye became alert and probed the area with his divine sense.

Sure enough, in the hollow of the tree trunk, a four-inch-long, dark gray snake with a triangular head, a first-grade low-level venomous snake, lay quietly coiled.

This venomous snake is extremely cunning; it is not only highly venomous but also only attacks by surprise.

If a cultivator in the early stages of Qi Refining is bitten by this snake, even with an antidote, they will suffer permanent internal injuries.

Qu Ye's expression remained unchanged as a sharp golden thorn quietly formed and sped toward the venomous snake.

Before the venomous snake could react, its head was pierced by the sharp metal spike, and it fell silent.

After confirming that the other party was completely dead, Qu Ye stepped forward and began collecting the monster materials.

The gallbladder of this venomous snake, along with its fangs and venom, can fetch a good price.

After packing all the materials into the storage bag, Qu Ye continued to walk forward cautiously.

After three hours, he finally crossed the snake pool and stepped onto solid ground.

"This snake pool isn't actually that dangerous."

In the past three hours, apart from that poisonous serpent, he had not encountered a second low-grade demonic snake, which made Qu Ye, who had originally planned to make a small fortune, feel a little regretful.

"After passing this point, it will take at most another day or so to reach Wuliufang City."

After calming himself down and recovering his depleted mana, Qu Ye nodded and was about to continue his journey when he suddenly heard the sound of pursuit.

He paused for a moment, then gave a wry smile.

"No, I can't possibly run into a cultivator again, can I?"

Then, without stopping, Qu Ye moved away from the noise and used his hidden fusion talent on a tree canopy, his aura merging with the surroundings.

This time, no one noticed Qu Ye.

As the sounds of pursuit grew closer, the figures of both sides came into view.

Qu Ye's heart skipped a beat.

Because the person being chased was someone he had seen on the way to the Hou family's library by Hou Yanke.

If I remember correctly, Hou Yanke called this person "Brother Ming" at the time.

He looked back again.

As expected, the pursuers were dressed in Sun family attire, and their cultivation level was not discernible, but they were unlikely to be at the late stage of Qi Refining.

At this moment, he was manipulating a scissor-shaped magical artifact, his feet flashing with spiritual light, constantly closing the distance between himself and Hou Ming.

As the two drew closer, the Sun family cultivator spoke up: "Fellow Daoist Hou, why bother with this futile struggle? Your companions have all been captured. If you hand over the spirit stones and the rubbings of the cultivation technique, I will spare your life."

Hou Ming was panting heavily, clearly his magical power was waning, but he showed no fear, only laughing heartily: "You think I'm as spineless as Hou Yusheng? Dream on!"

The Sun family cultivator shook his head: "If you won't listen to reason, you'll have to suffer the consequences."

Immediately, he used a secret technique, his face paled for a moment, but his speed suddenly increased.

At the same time, the scissor-shaped magical weapon struck Hou Ming, knocking him away and causing him to crash to the ground.

Before he could get close, Hou Ming barely managed to sit up, took a storage bag in front of him, and his magic power surged in his hands.

"If you take one more step closer, I'll destroy this storage bag."