Chapter 2213: Star Witch

As the former headquarters of the Wusheng Cult in the Southern Border, controlling the mark of faith in the present world of the divine path of incense and fire in the Southwest, the underground palace of Yanyun Mountain was constructed with a very evident scale.

A person like Zhang Jiaozu, of course, wouldn't have a fixed residence. But the former Law Kings and the like frequently lingered in this hall.

This palace extends deep underground, dark and cold yet majestic like a forest. Naturally, it gathered Yuan and Qi, and also concealed itself from wind and water, making it difficult for outsiders to detect.

Since the Wusheng Cult Ancestor's soul scattered and the Wusheng Cult disintegrated overnight, this ruined underground palace of Yanyun Mountain also returned to dead silence after the last wave of surveillance cultivators withdrew.

Spider webs secretly formed, groundwater overflowed, becoming the home of snakes, insects, rats, and ants.

In the years split into day and night, no human Qi contaminated this place anymore.

Only the tide-like Qi flowed darkly, residual resentment forming ghosts.

Until a certain moment—

Drip.

A drop of dark red fresh blood, traveling through fresh soil, after a long journey finally reached its endpoint, squeezing out of a crack in the dome, and just like that, dripped down.

Falling into the ground brick that had been blasted and eroded into a dark channel, it rippled up in the dim underground water.

Chu Tianzi swore to exterminate the South Dipper Hall. One order was issued, and movements began in all four directions, with ten thousand armies marching.

The South Dipper Hall, as a great sect in the world, showed not the slightest power of resistance. In less than ten days, all their surface operations in the Southern Domain had been swept clean, leaving them confined within the domain, waiting to be slaughtered.

"Within the domain, any who dare to name South Dipper shall all be considered criminals and be rounded up!"

The Chu Country had not dominated the Southern Domain for over a hundred years.

This matter caused huge waves throughout the entire present world. Dark undercurrents spread to all domains, and the ripples were not confined to the east and west. However, forces from all sides of the world unanimously maintained silence.

The present world True Person Qu Zhongwu was a collateral branch of the Great Chu Qu Clan. Of course, being able to cultivate to the Cave True realm, his branch had also long since returned to the main lineage. His direct descendants could all enjoy the rights of main lineage disciples of the Yu Country Duke Mansion.

To exterminate one South Dipper Hall, an evil face was sufficient for one army.

A world-class strongman like Qu Zhongwu accompanying the army was less about checking for gaps and filling in leaks and more about shocking and aweing in all directions.

But because the South Dipper Hall had a large family and extensive industry, before the Chu Country's sudden attack, many disciples had already scattered in all directions. Even if the fishing net cast by the Chu Country was large and dense, a few fish would always escape.

This time, strongmen outside the army were needed for pursuit and capture.

For example, the Tian Tong True Person who was chased all the way to outer heaven by Dou Zhao before being beheaded.

For example, the Tian Ji True Person and Seven Kills True Person who had already hidden their traces before the Chu Country's action.

Among the Six True of the South Dipper, the remaining three True, Si Ming, Tian Liang, and Tian Xiang, were all with the South Dipper Hall Lord Chang Sheng Jun, blocked dead in the South Dipper secret realm.

So the big fish that escaped were actually only two.

One was the foremost in calculation power among present world True Persons, and the other was the foremost in killing power among present world True Persons.

Although many people laughed, saying that those who were first within the South Dipper Hall were just waiting, this was only relative to those undisputed existences who spanned ancient and modern times.

As True Persons, they were well-deserved top strongmen.

Qu Zhongwu came out to catch people, carrying the Great Chu imperial decree on his body and the Yu Country Duke order on his waist, borrowing the power of the Great Chu country, openly crushing. And when the war started, there were also Chu Country True Monarchs who could support at any time—this time, to exterminate the sect, the Chu Country was prepared to suppress any aiding force from any side.

So he pursued clues without much scruple.

But at present, there was someone even less scrupulous—

Zhong Li Yan, a martial man who opened twenty-four heavens in his spine, recklessly killed into this piece of sky. He wantonly displayed his Qi and blood, burning until space itself was slightly distorted. His Qi machine rolled like an angry sea, his entire person blazing like a burning fireball.

All over his body, from hair strands to toes, one sentence roared: I am a martial dao True Person!

The Southern Domain was not without martial dao True Persons. Qu Zhongwu had also personally contacted them before. The Wei Country's great general, Wu Xun, was a martial dao strongman who had opened twenty-six heavens in his spine, and both he and the present world's foremost martial dao person, Wang Xiao, were only one step away from proving the absolute peak of the dao.

But a "conspicuous" martial dao True Person like Zhong Li Yan was indeed the first time Qu Zhongwu had seen.

He hadn't been before only because Zhong Li Yan had not yet become True.

This kid's cultivation had leaped, but his brain seemed not to have changed.

From a certain perspective, one could also say he "adhered to his original self, always as one".

Strictly speaking, this was already the territory of Yue Country.

Qu Zhongwu tracking the "South Dipper thief" here naturally had his reason for coming. The hegemon of the Southern Domain also had the qualifications of a hegemon.

But even he, carrying the imperial decree and with the Yu Country Duke order hanging from his waist, was light and simple, entering the border in a low-key manner. How could he be as arrogant as Zhong Li Yan!

You at least need to consider the feelings of the Yue Country people, right?

"Qu True Person!" Zhong Li Yan enthusiastically greeted first.

Qu Zhongwu squeezed out a hint of an elder's smile towards a junior: "A Yan, what are you doing here?"

Zhong Li Yan said casually: "Heard you have a clue about Ren Qiu Li here! I've come to help you catch the thief!"

Qu Zhongwu was astonished: "This time, the army didn't call for you."

Zhong Li Yan waved his hand: "How can I, Zhong Li Yan, who am loyal to the country, be bound by rules and regulations? The rise and fall of the world, the responsibility of the heaven's pride; great matters of the country, I will go even if not conscripted!"

Qu Zhongwu supported his forehead and sighed: "Exterminating a mere South Dipper Hall doesn't require everyone to be conscripted. The court has its own arrangements, and you... Does Brother Zhao Jia know about this matter?"

Zhong Li Yan flew down, saying without care: "He's old, from now on, my family matters are decided by me!"

"Really?" Qu Zhongwu asked.

"Not today, then tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, it's just a matter of time!" Zhong Li Yan vaguely brushed it off, actively saying: "Qu True Person, where is that thief fellow? I'll scout ahead for you!"

Qu Zhongwu was just about to find a reason to refuse when his heart suddenly moved, and he turned his head to look.

A casually dressed Gao Zheng had just fallen from the cloudy sky. His body technique was ethereal, showing no sign of smoke or fire. His face held an indifferent smile: "Noble guest arrives, Gao is late in welcoming, truly rude!"

Qu Zhongwu said with a smile: "It's Brother Gao. I was still thinking Gong Zhi Liang would come over."

Gong Zhi Liang was the current prime minister of Yue Country, and Gao Zheng was the retired prime minister of Yue Country. Qu Zhongwu's words carried a hint of questioning authority.

"Aren't we more familiar with each other? It's more convenient to talk about things." Gao Zheng's smile didn't change: "The South Dipper Hall dared to commit great rebellion, they deserve execution, no mistake. Brother Qu, if there's anything you need cooperation with, just say the word!"

"Qu True Person, the situation is urgent." Zhong Li Yan listened impatiently from the side. These old guys, when they spoke, it was cloudy and misty, just like circling around without a point, making you guess everything. How time-consuming! He had finally managed to seize the first opportunity this time. If Dou Zhao found out, how could that be good?

"Qu True Person, are you not seeing—" Mid-sentence, Zhong Li Yan felt something extra in his hand.

Qu Zhongwu said with a smile: "You go and busy yourself. I'll accompany True Person Gao for a chat."

Gao Zheng didn't comment, only smiled indifferently and looked over.

Zhong Li Yan didn't care about that much, immediately rose up, booming and rumbling, like thunder crossing the wilderness, like a meteor skimming the sky.

Qu Zhongwu said: "Young people are impatient, True Person Gao please don't take offense."

"No, of course not." Gao Zheng laughed: "Who wasn't young before? I was even more impatient when I was young. That year, I sought the dao at Mu Gu Academy, Chen Zongshi just shook his head when he saw me."

Qu Zhongwu was there that year. He only said with deep meaning: "This fellow's temper still needs to be tempered by worldly affairs."

"Jade ware must be carved, iron ware must be ground." Gao Zheng said: "But carving is easy to break, and grinding is easy to damage—"

Just as he was speaking, another figure crossed the sky.

Bringing up a strong wind that opened the wilderness, golden light breaking the clouds, his body was unruly, and he merely exchanged a glance with Qu Zhongwu, not even looking at Gao Zheng.

Red-bottomed, gold-edged martial clothes, a posture like the proud sun. Besides Great Chu's Dou Zhao, who else could it be?

Gao Zheng gazed far at this fleeting figure, and couldn't help but sigh: "Vast Great Chu, talented people and beautiful lands! Repeatedly seeing heaven's pride!"

Qu Zhongwu stood beside him with his hands behind his back: "Isn't your Bai Yu Xia quite good? Leaving a deep impression on Guan He Terrace, later proving God Lin, participating in assassinating a True, famous and powerful... And he's still close with Jiang Ge Yuan."

Gao Zheng instead didn't hide: "Perhaps we made the wrong choice, but who could have known? From a small person to a big country, many mistakes are inevitable. It's just that some faults can be salvaged, and some can only be missed."

Qu Zhongwu said: "People on the grand avenue, taking the wrong step is just wasting some time. People on the edge of a cliff, one step wrong, is a ten thousand zhang abyss."

Gao Zheng smiled mildly and harmlessly: "The proud sons of Chu Country are naturally on the grand avenue."

"Actually, Ge Fei is also quite good." Qu Zhongwu's tone was inexplicable.

"Yes." Gao Zheng's words were filled with a sigh: "What a pity he was destroyed."

Although Qu Zhongwu asked many questions, he seemed to not care about the answers at all, gazing into the distance, smiling: "True Person Gao rarely descends the mountain. Are you not planning to take me to see the scenery of Yue Country?"

Gao Zheng said: "From the high buildings of Chu Country, one can see the flowerbeds of the Yue garden. Jiao Wu Mountain of Chu Country reflects the Qian Tang River of Yue land. Is there still scenery of Yue Country that True Person Qu hasn't seen?"

Jiao Wu is a famous mountain in the land of Chu, and Qian Tang is the first river of Yue Country. Gao Zheng's words were extremely humble, almost saying that Yue Country was the backyard of Chu Country, to be taken as one pleased,任凭宰割 (meaning to be exploited at will). But in fact, this country, throughout its long history, facing the high pressure of Chu Country, had always maintained its independence.

Three thousand Yue armor, the Qian Tang water army, which one didn't leave a deep imprint in history.

Qu Zhongwu laughed: "That depends on True Person Gao."

Gao Zheng reached out a hand to lead: "Shall we walk and see?"

Qu Zhongwu had a very scholarly demeanor. With a swing of his wide sleeves, he stepped forward: "I am honored!"

What Zhong Li Yan obtained from Qu Zhongwu was a compass.

The needle pointed directly to the location of Tian Ji True Person Ren Qiu Li, Tian Ji's guidance.

Ren Qiu Li himself was the foremost in calculation power among present world True Persons, his whereabouts hard to measure, his Tian Ji hidden. But this compass was the god-ghost performing heaven plate of the Great Chu great witch Zhuge Yi Xian!

Of course, it wasn't the original treasure of star divination, but it had Zhuge Yi Xian's power attached to it. Although it was a sub-plate, it could also see the function of the original plate.

The people of Chu Country were superstitious about ghosts and gods, but the officials didn't respect ghosts and gods too much. It was nothing more than decreeing its use, "mountains and rivers all follow the monarch's intent".

But the Chu Court had specifically set up the extremely honored position of great witch. In the grand rituals of Chu Country, its order of honor was still before the princes, only after the emperor.

Throughout the generations of mighty Chu, there was only one great witch.

This great witch had only one name, that is Zhuge Yi Xian. This was the absolute world strongman who accompanied Chu Tai Zu to raise the army and fight down these majestic mountains and rivers.

He inherited ancient barbaric witchcraft, yet combined it with star divination, completing a "new explanation" of the dao, and aiding both dao, becoming the only "star witch" since ancient times.

With this elder acting, suppressing one Ren Qiu Li was really not a difficult matter.

Zhong Li Yan fell into the mountains, restrained his Qi and blood, pinched the compass, his footsteps light, yet his fighting spirit was high, the South Yue Sword on his back was also somewhat hard to suppress.

He only had a bad temper and a foul mouth, he wasn't stupid. The earlier noise was to quickly find Qu Zhongwu. Now that he had the clue in hand, he naturally wanted to work quietly—

Otherwise, with his, Sir Zhong Li's, prestige, wouldn't the enemy lose their nerve upon hearing the wind and start running away six thousand li away?

Just as he was advancing at extreme speed and in secret, he suddenly heard a clear shout from behind—"Stop!"

This familiar voice startled Zhong Li Yan. He instantly untied his South Yue. His body was like a strong crossbow string released, turning into ground-shaking lightning, escaping far into the sky in an instant.

But a crack suddenly opened in the high sky in front, and Dou Zhao, holding Tian Xiao, stepped out: "Still running!"

Zhong Li Yan received the compass towards his back waist without a trace, sneered, and held the South Yue horizontally in front of him: "That corpse has been in my hand for several days, and you've only just found the door now? Aren't you a bit too insensitive?"

Dou Zhao sized him up and down: "Picking up corpses is the job of small soldiers, you, Zhong Li Yan, at least have the talent of a company commander. Personally going is using talent in the wrong place!"

Zhong Li Yan said angrily: "This old man didn't pick it up, I robbed it! If you have the ability, just rob it back!"

Dou Zhao waved his hand very casually, like swatting a fly: "Mere True Person corpse, what's worth caring about? Dou doesn't know how many I've slaughtered under my knife. You keep it for now, I'll come find you to take it in a few days."

Zhong Li Yan was suddenly greatly angered, but after thinking about it, he only 'hummed' and turned to walk away.

"Wait!" Dou Zhao called out to him: "What are you going to do now?"

"This old man loves to do what he wants to do, what business is it of yours, can you manage it!" Zhong Li Yan finished scolding and then counter-asked: "What are you going to do again?"

Dou Zhao lifted his knife: "Of course, it's to pursue and kill the remnants of the South Dipper and the remaining evils of Three Points Fragrance Building."

"Go back!" Zhong Li Yan flung his hand: "You've already left Chu Country! Without proper reason, this matter is not your turn!"

Dou Zhao squinted at him and said: "I'm handling a private grudge, what proper reason do I need?"

"Who do you have a private grudge with?" Zhong Li Yan asked.

"Of course it is—" Dou Zhao's words changed: "Who are you tracking?"

"No." Zhong Li Yan said: "My martial dao has recently become True, my Qi and blood are too strong, making me noisy. I really can't stay idle, I'm just strolling around!"

"Even strolling out of Chu Country!"

"My legs and feet are nimble, is that not okay?"

Dou Zhao 'oh'ed and made a move to walk, suddenly raising Tian Xiao and angrily pointing behind Zhong Li Yan: "Ren Qiu Li! Stray dog, still daring to act presumptuously!"

Zhong Li Yan was shocked. How could he have been approached without detection?

He vertically held his sword and turned his body, holding the South Yue like carrying a mountain, suddenly showing majesty!

In his vision, where was there any Ren Qiu Li?

Only countless black cracks, easily dividing the entire space. Everything attached to this space was like jade ware, crushed in an instant! Zhong Li Yan was also among them.

A good martial dao True Person, encountering this sudden change, was not angry but laughed: "Little kid Dou, looks like you also realize the gap and are starting to sneak attack this sir!"

He breathed and moved thunder.

His Qi and blood surged up, like a wolf smoke mountain, towering to the clouds.

Without using other means, he stood in his original place, directly resisting the cracks with his flesh body—the damage that could cut open space, yet couldn't cut open his flesh.

He raised his head and howled, his people and sword all covered in boiling blood Qi: "Come! This sword from the South is like a Kui, the first in Chu Country's martial dao, this sir grants you a defeat!"

But in the middle of the infinite dazzling knife light and the thick fog of blood Qi howling like a sea翻, a hand stretched out from a crack behind Zhong Li Yan, swift as lightning, and pulled at his back waist—

"Give it to me!"

Dou Zhao held the compass, backhanded with a knife, chopping open a space crack, and stepped into it himself.

The crack healed, the person was already gone without a trace.

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