Immortal Refiner

By the time Li Qing returned to the Heavenly River Sect’s mine, the spirit horse he had ridden had collapsed from exhaustion, its body still burning hot and steaming profusely.

The spirit horses provided by the Liu Clan were descendants of Crimson Blood Horses, but their bloodline was impure and far inferior to true Crimson Blood Horses.

The fallen horse continued to pant heavily. Li Qing patted its flank and sighed deeply. ”Ah, the cultivation world is truly perilous,” he murmured, shaking his head.

Soon, the other spirit miners began arriving one by one on horseback, each bearing a lingering expression of shock and fear.

”Those Flying Eagle Bandits are utterly ruthless!”

”The man next to me was torn in half by a Sky-Rending Eagle’s wind blade—it was horrifying!”

”Finally shook them off. They nearly ran me to death!”

As the entrance to the mine grew increasingly noisy, the Heavenly River Sect disciples stationed there hurried over.

When the Liu Clan miners saw these usually haughty disciples in their sect robes, the last trace of their anxiety vanished.

Regardless of their arrogance, the disciples of the Heavenly River Sect were at least trustworthy. With them present, there was no need to fear the Flying Eagle Bandits.

”You’re spirit miners from the Liu Clan,” a young disciple asked, frowning. ”Why have you returned?”

One of the miners shouted back, ”We were attacked by the Flying Eagle Bandits! Many of us died on the way!”

The mere mention of the Flying Eagle Bandits caused the Heavenly River Sect disciples’ expressions to stiffen slightly as they pressed for details.

Soon, Liu Haitian arrived on his purebred Crimson Blood Horse.

”Honored cultivators of the Heavenly River Sect, forgive the intrusion,” Liu Haitian said respectfully, dismounting and clasping his fists in greeting. ”We encountered the Flying Eagle Bandits on our return journey and hurried back here for refuge.”

”No matter,” a righteous-looking disciple declared. ”Have those bandits dared to pursue you? With our Second-Tier Killing Formation, we’ll slaughter those infamous Bandit Cultivators right here!”

Liu Haitian chuckled bitterly and shook his head. ”Those scoundrels are as cunning as foxes. With several Heavenly Prodigies from your esteemed sect present, they wouldn’t dare press their pursuit. They vanished without a trace long ago.”

”That’s a pity,” one of the Heavenly River Sect disciples remarked.

As they spoke, a light, mocking voice echoed from within the Spirit Stone Mine:

”Well, well, if it isn’t Brother Haitian! What on earth happened to you? You look like you’ve been dragged through a hedge backwards!”

With the taunting voice, a man in his late twenties, dressed in loose azure robes, emerged from the mine.

”Shi Bai!” Liu Haitian’s brow furrowed slightly upon seeing the man, clearly reluctant to engage in conversation.

The Shi Clan, like the Liu Clan, was a cultivation clan affiliated with the Heavenly River Sect. Though both clans relied on the sect’s patronage, their relationship was far from harmonious. The deep-seated grudges between them were too intricate to unravel in a single conversation.

To truly understand their animosity, one would have to trace it back to the Foundation Establishment Realm ancestors who founded their clans—a history spanning countless generations.

In short, the two clans had never been on good terms, their feud fueled not only by ancestral grievances but also by fierce competition over resources and influence.

For instance, their joint venture to mine the Spirit Stone Mine with the Heavenly River Sect had once devolved into a bitter stalemate, nearly erupting into open conflict.

It was only through the Heavenly River Sect’s mediation that the situation was narrowly contained, preventing further escalation.

”Heh heh, the Liu Clan has certainly been making quite a stir lately,” Shi Bai chuckled, his eyes narrowed in amusement. ”Can’t even handle a small band of Flying Eagle Bandits?”

”Perhaps the Shi Clan could lend a hand?” he offered with a sly grin.

Liu Haitian snorted coldly. ”Hmph, the Liu Clan’s affairs are none of the Shi Clan’s concern.”

Shi Bai remained unfazed, maintaining his deceptively affable demeanor as he addressed the spirit miners from the Liu Clan:

”Fellows, it’s clear the Liu Clan has landed themselves in deep trouble. Have you considered joining the Shi Clan of Medicine King Ridge instead?”

”We also possess a Second-Tier Spiritual Vein, brimming with spiritual energy, and our Pill Pavilion offers far more abundant medicinal pills compared to what you’ll find elsewhere.”

”Most importantly, we offer peace of mind. The Shi Clan has no dealings with troublemakers like the Flying Eagle Bandits. Your safety is guaranteed when traveling to and from our mines!”

What a brazen attempt to poach the Liu Clan’s manpower right in front of Liu Haitian’s face!

The moment Shi Bai finished speaking, Liu Haitian’s expression darkened. He glared venomously at Shi Bai.

”Shi Bai, you’re courting death!”

If not for the presence of the Heavenly River Sect disciples, many suspected Liu Haitian would have attacked Shi Bai outright.

Of course, no one would be foolish enough to betray their allegiance at this critical moment and incur the wrath of Liu Haitian, a Late Qi Refining Realm cultivator.

Li Qing’s mind stirred slightly as he recalled some basic information about the Shi Clan.

The Shi Clan of Medicine King Ridge, true to its name, was renowned for its expertise in cultivating spirit herbs and refining pills. They also operated a popular Pill Pavilion in the Heavenly River Market.

Li Qing had no intention of joining the Shi Clan. Instead, he wondered if it might be possible to purchase some high-grade spirit wood from them in the future to cultivate his Precious Wood Body Refinement Manual.

For now, it was merely a fleeting thought.

Even the Shi Clan, famous for their spirit herb cultivation, wouldn’t sell century-old spirit wood as casually as cabbages.

Noticing the increasingly tense atmosphere, the Heavenly River Sect disciples quickly intervened. ”Ahem, gentlemen, private disputes are strictly forbidden within the mining zone. Please refrain from breaking the rules.”

Fortunately, the tense standoff didn’t escalate further.

Just then, reinforcements from the Liu Clan finally arrived—a search party led by three Late Qi Refining Realm Clan Elders. Having received Liu Haitian’s signal, they had rushed to the scene immediately.

Unfortunately, the Flying Eagle Bandits had vanished without a trace. Their escape skills were exceptional, leaving no useful trails. Once they disappeared into the dense mountain forests, they became as elusive as dragons in the ocean, making them nearly impossible to track.

Having failed to capture the bandits, the search team reluctantly regrouped with Liu Haitian at the Heavenly River Sect’s Spirit Stone Mine.

”Greetings, esteemed Daoists of the Heavenly River Sect!”

”Brother Haitian, are you alright?”

Upon arriving, the Liu Clan Elders first exchanged respectful greetings with the Heavenly River Sect disciples before urgently inquiring about the details of the incident.

After hearing the full account, the Elders’ expressions darkened, and they clenched their fists.

”Hmph, those damned curs!”

One particularly hot-tempered Elder slammed his fist into the air, furious at the news of the miners’ deaths.

These miners were the Liu Clan’s hidden wealth—each loss meant a significant decrease in Spirit Stone revenue!

”Alright, everyone,” one of the Elders declared. ”Let’s return to the clan together. With us here, those Flying Eagle Bandits wouldn’t dare show their faces.”

”Friends from the upper sects, we must take our leave now. If you ever have the chance, please visit the Liu Clan—we would be honored to host you properly!”

The Heavenly River Sect disciples stationed at the mine politely clasped their fists in farewell. ”Haha, we certainly will!”

”Safe travels!”

With that, the Liu Clan’s search party, accompanied by all the spirit miners, set off back toward the Liu Clan estate.

Fortunately, the spirit steeds, descended from the Crimson Blood Horse lineage, had recovered remarkably quickly and were ready to travel again, albeit at a slower pace.

With four Late Qi Refining Realm cultivators, including Liu Haitian himself, serving as escorts, the Flying Eagle Bandits wouldn’t dare cause trouble.

Yet, a heavy expression lingered on the faces of every Liu Clan member.

It was clear that prolonged conflict with the Flying Eagle Bandits would jeopardize many of the Liu Clan’s ventures.

While the bandits couldn’t truly cripple the clan, their persistent attacks—like flies buzzing around a wound—were utterly infuriating.

We must devise a countermeasure!

This thought resonated in the heart of every Liu Clan member.

(End of the Chapter)

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