Starting Cultivation During a Trip

”How... how could this be...”

In the distance, a series of incredulous gazes fixed on the spectacle within the mountain. The faces, trembling, no longer bore the composure and ease from moments before.

An intense sense of desolation and unease rose in the hunter’s heart.

”Run for your lives!” The Celestial Master of Thunder Prison clenched both fists, speaking through gritted teeth.

”Cel... Celestial Master... what’s going on?”

”That man... broke through his tribulation!”

The Celestial Master of Thunder Prison’s expression was grave. His quivering gaze was locked tightly onto the man who walked out from within the swirling black flames.

...

Evening, Daoist Alliance Headquarters of Jiangnan Province.

The light in the president’s office inside the old building was still on.

Lou Hechuan sat at his desk, face ashen to the extreme. Ever since he assumed this position, he had never been as enraged as he was today.

The long-investigated case of [Stealing Dragon Qi] was completely cut off at the source, and most crucially, the losses were devastating.

The explosions during the day were simply too great to contain. The media scrambled to report on it, and many even filmed videos that were posted online. The impact was very bad.

”President, please don’t be angry. Fortunately, the residents of that old neighborhood had already been evacuated—there were no civilian casualties... we’re handling it as an accident now. A natural gas pipeline leak and, uh, explosion. The relevant departments have been tasked...”

At this moment, Zhao Yao—who’d been silent at the side—hurried to try to appease him.

”Enough. I don’t want to hear about these details.” Lou Hechuan raised his hand and spoke in a deep voice.

The videos online would be taken down under oversight from the departments involved, and public opinion would soon be controlled. These weren’t the most pressing matters.

”How is Ma Buting?”

”His life was saved, barely. The Fire Dragon Pill Sword is simply too tyrannical. Luckily, he’d cultivated the [Three Yin Demon Slaying Blade], using Three Yin Qi Refining, thereby neutralizing some of the True Flame’s fierceness.” Zhao Yao said grimly.

Zhao Yao had checked Ma Buting’s wounds himself—if it hadn’t been for the unique [Three Emperors Summoning Spirit] as protection and the Three Yin Demon Slaying Blade’s defense, anyone else would’ve been reduced to ashes, not even their bones left.

”That Zhang Fan... is very dangerous.” Zhao Yao thought for a moment, then offered this assessment.

”Of course he’s dangerous. So young, and he’s already grasped the true intent of Ancestor Master Chunyang...” Lou Hechuan’s gaze deepened.

To have mastered a Great Skill like the Fire Dragon Pill Sword at his age was truly extraordinary.

Among Daoist Magic, the hardest to cultivate and control are True Fire and Heavenly Thunder.

Back then, when Xia Weisheng achieved the [Five Thunders Righteous Method], she was already at the High Skill rank.

As for her promotion to Spirit Department, she only refined a commonplace Great Skill.

”Zhang Fan... him again.” Lou Hechuan raised an eyebrow—a terrifying brilliance flashed in his murky eyes.

Some days earlier, the disturbances in Yujing City stirred up by the Thirteen Zodiacs had all been linked to [Night is not bright]. Not long ago, Zhang Fan was also present for the incident at Gusu Xuanmiao Temple…

And now, it’s him again!?

”What did he say?” Lou Hechuan asked in a low voice.

”That Zhang Fan said... he determined that stone statue must be an Evil God Outer Path, and as a member of the Daoist Sect, it was only right for him to risk his life to subdue the demon...”

”Among those present, he stepped up without hesitation. Instead, Ma Buting reacted rather oddly—tyrannical, almost demonic—not letting others intervene, quite suspicious.”

”So, Zhang Fan had no choice but to suppress him. Who could have guessed Ma Buting would risk his life against him—makes him even more suspicious.”

”Also, just as he suppressed Ma Buting, Xu Dog appeared. The timing is far too coincidental.”

Zhao Yao repeated Zhang Fan’s statement, word for word, without omission.

As he finished, Lou Hechuan fell silent, considering carefully. Indeed, it seemed to make sense in a way.

”President, the way this kid tells it, not only is he clean, he’s even done a great deed. Instead, it’s Ma Buting who’s starting to look like a demon.” Zhao Yao said, his expression odd.

”That kid’s just spouting nonsense.”

”He’s not entirely lying, either.” Lou Hechuan spoke in a low voice.

”That old neighborhood has long been under Daoist Alliance control. Even if Feng Ping’an threw things into chaos, without an insider, could Xu Dog have slipped in so quietly, so openly?”

The Wuwei Sect’s infiltration was too severe—and crucially, they specialize in the Primordial Spirit path, able to possess others’ souls at will, making them impossible to guard against.

Therefore, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Daoist Alliance harbored their people.

”What about those two Xu family brats?” Lou Hechuan changed the subject, suddenly asking.

”The meeting had been prearranged. The redevelopment work for that old city district had been assigned to the Xu Group. Plus, Xu family disciples often cooperate and exchange with the Daoist Alliance...” Zhao Yao said quietly.

The Xu Family traces its lineage directly from Ancestor Xu—long and noble in heritage, roots as pure as any could be.

In history, the Xu family contributed greatly to several [Breaking Mountains and Attacking Temples] crusades against the Wuwei Demons; when the country was founded and the Daoist Alliance was built, the Xu family was even among the founders.

Today, the Xu family holds immense influence in the world of Daoist sects, and so could never have any dealings with the Wuwei Sect.

”What about Feng Ping’an? Found him yet?” Lou Hechuan asked coldly.

”President, you suspect Feng... you suspect him?” Zhao Yao faltered for a moment, struck dumb.

By age, Feng Ping’an was only five years older than he was. Back when Zhao Yao first started and entered the Daoist Alliance, he was still a rookie—it was Feng Ping’an who looked after him, equal parts mentor and brother.

Now, Zhao Yao’d attained High Skill status, but still felt strongly about Feng Ping’an.

After all, Feng Ping’an, the Scorched Earth Flame Monarch, had been his guide upon the path of cultivation.

Lou Hechuan raised his eyelids, eyeing him with deeper meaning: ”I know your relationship with him is out of the ordinary, but he’s been gone from the Daoist Alliance for more than ten years...”

At this, Zhao Yao fell silent.

”A man like him, hiding in Yujing City all these years—if he had no scheme, no one would believe it.”

”He escaped in the chaos.” Zhao Yao hesitated, then forced the words out.

During the day, that bizarre scene drew everyone’s attention—naturally, no one noticed the disappearance of the Scorched Earth Flame Monarch.

”With his strength, he’s probably already left Yujing City. Even if he hasn’t, it won’t be easy to find him.” Zhao Yao spoke in a low voice.

”If I’d known, I’d have crippled him back then—who’d have thought we raised a scourge.” A sharp ruthlessness flashed in Lou Hechuan’s eyes.

Regret flooded him at that moment.

”Xu Dog... Forget it, you probably have no leads either.” Lou Hechuan shook his head.

The Thirteen Zodiacs—come and go like phantoms. If you could trace them so easily, they wouldn’t deserve the name Thirteen Zodiacs.

”What about that old house? At the very least you can check up on its former residents, right?” Lou Hechuan regained his cool.

”That was an old neighborhood—household registration management was poor back then...”

Zhao Yao was the first to access the archives.

These days, all permanent residents have to be surveyed, and even temporary permits must be processed—rentals require contracts, ID cards must be checked.

But back then, people came and went from all over—especially in districts like that. A single courtyard could host several families, none knowing the others. Some people stayed a few days and left, just looking for something cheap and easy—no ID checked, no one cared.

”Don’t tell me you found nothing.” Lou Hechuan spoke in a low voice.

”I checked the ownership of that house.”

Saying this, Zhao Yao placed a file on Lou Hechuan’s desk in front of him.

”The old house is owned by a funeral company called [Match-3 Puzzle]...”

”This company has been in Yujing City for over thirty years.”

”[Match-3 Puzzle] Funeral Company?” Lou Hechuan raised an eyebrow, glanced through the file and asked, ”Does this company have any background?”

”Yes. I found out...”

It must be said—the efficiency of Jiangnan Province Daoist Alliance was truly high. The incident occurred in the day, yet by evening intelligence and materials from all sides had already been gathered into their hands.

”This company is...”

”An enterprise under Zhenwu Mountain!”

”What? Zhenwu Mountain!?” Lou Hechuan’s aged brows jumped, his face changing drastically.

”Zhenwu Mountain... Zhenwu Mountain...”

He muttered under his breath, staring at the document in his hand, ”How is Zhenwu Mountain involved? Could it be just a coincidence?”

”If it’s Zhenwu Mountain, then that Zhang Fan is very suspicious.”

Thoughts spun rapidly in Lou Hechuan’s mind—all at once tangled and chaotic, as if a ball of knotted string. Suspicions and conjectures warred in his heart.

Dring, dring, dring, dring—

Just then, an urgent phone call tore through his thoughts.

Lou Hechuan rubbed his brow and answered the call.

”Hello, this is...”

”What!?”

Suddenly, Lou Hechuan shot to his feet, eyes wide, trembling gaze radiating profound shock and disbelief, as if he had just heard earth-shattering news.

”Alright, I understand. I’ll head to Shangjing immediately.”

Ending the call, Lou Hechuan’s expression was grimmer than ever.

”President, what happened?” Zhao Yao couldn’t help asking, seeing his look.

”The experts sent to Ailao Mountain...” Lou Hechuan clenched his teeth, pondering briefly, and then said,

”They were utterly annihilated—not a single one got out alive!!!”