Chapter 220: Missed Opportunity, Heaven and Earth Shift, Qi Awakens

"Why can't I calculate it?!"

A disheveled figure stared at the stones scattered across a peculiar rune diagram before him, his eyes burning with madness.

"My divination technique—why can't it locate the whereabouts of that Lu Qing brat and his companions? Even with the shifting laws of Heaven and Earth, the change isn't complete yet. At worst, it should only confuse the senses of ordinary diviners. There's no reason it should block my Mind Demon's calculations!"

The figure couldn’t comprehend it. His gaze drifted to the storm outside the cave—the relentless Han Sha Rain still lashing down. A sudden realization struck him.

"Could it be… the storm itself is masking their presence?"

"Truly impressive, Qi Yun Zhi Zi. Even the world is helping you conceal your aura. Lu Qing brat, your Qi aura is so dense, it makes me envious!"

"But the stronger your aura, the greater your value. I can't wait to devour you."

Fierce, predatory light flickered in his eyes.

He had a gut feeling—if he swallowed that Lu Qing brat and stole his Qi Yun, it would be worth more than consuming a hundred young geniuses. Then, he’d become the strongest Qi bearer at the dawn of Qi’s revival.

"Wait for me, Lu Qing. You won’t escape my grasp. Since I can’t track you, I’ll go straight to Zhong Zhou and wait. I doubt even the world’s protection of Qi Yun can shield you forever. Qi Yun Zhi Zi, I’ve slain such beings before."

A cold, merciless voice echoed from the cave. Then, in a flash, the disheveled figure vanished into the storm.

The Han Sha Rain showed no sign of stopping. But he had no more patience.

If that Lu Qing brat reached Zhong Zhou before him, finding him would take far too much effort.

With unnatural speed, the figure dashed through the rain.

Strange energy radiated from his body, repelling the cold, deadly aura of the storm.

Han Sha Qi was troublesome, but the world had only just begun its transformation. Qi and malevolent energy were still weak—too weak to harm someone of his stature.

He raced forward, heading straight for Zhong Zhou.

He didn’t pause even when passing through a small town, pressing onward without hesitation.

Soon, he swept through a stretch of forest—unaware, unseeing, still rushing forward.

"Hmm?"

Lu Qing, mid-cultivation of the Soil Spirit Pearl, suddenly snapped his eyes open.

At the same moment, Old Doctor, reading a medical text, lifted his head.

Xiao Li’s ears twitched.

But after glancing at Lu Qing, seeing he hadn’t moved, it resumed its game of chess with Xiao Yan.

The Spirit Soul Seal within Lu Qing’s Brow Qi Cavity trembled faintly. His spiritual perception expanded sharply, probing outward—only to find nothing.

A flicker of confusion crossed his eyes.

Just moments ago, while absorbed in refining the Soil Spirit Pearl, he’d sensed a sudden, vile presence brushing against the edge of his spiritual awareness. But when he focused, it had vanished.

He glanced at Old Doctor’s expression—sure enough, the old man had sensed it too, yet found nothing.

After a moment of silence, Lu Qing decided to let it go. The presence hadn’t returned.

But deep inside, he grew cautious.

That aura hadn’t been powerful—but its evil was unlike anything he’d ever felt.

He recalled the words of the Tian Ji Lou’s Zhi Rui Ge Xia: The world is changing. Demons are rising.

Could that fleeting presence have been one of them?

Regret stung him. He’d been too focused on refining the pearl to act in time. If only he’d noticed earlier, he might’ve gone out to investigate.

The rain poured for three days straight before finally ceasing.

During that time, no one came near the temple. Fang Tao and the others breathed a sigh of relief.

Those who knew of Liu Yun Zong were likely blocked by the storm, temporarily losing their trail.

On the fourth morning, sunlight streamed through the windows, bringing joy to all.

The rain had stopped. They were free at last—no longer trapped in the temple.

"Chen Laodaifu, Lu Xiao Langjun," Fang Tao approached with his daughter and disciples. "The rain has ended. I suppose it’s time we parted ways."

"Thank you, Old Doctor, and thank you, Lu Gongzi, for saving my daughter. I have no way to repay such kindness, but I’ll never forget it. I’ll repay you when I can."

Fang Rou bowed deeply to Old Doctor and Lu Qing.

In just three days, under Old Doctor’s acupuncture and Lu Qing’s herbal remedies, her health had improved dramatically. Her wounds had healed, she could now walk—though still weak—no longer in danger.

"You’re too kind," Old Doctor gently helped her up. "Your recovery is thanks to your strong constitution. Even the finest medicine can’t work miracles without a solid foundation. But remember—avoid any physical exertion for now. Rest for a few more days, and you’ll be fully healed."

"Yes, I’ll remember," Fang Rou replied obediently.

"Chen Laodaifu," Fang Tao said, bowing, "we still have our troubles. It’s best we part here. Your help these past days means more than I can say. I’ll never forget this kindness. When the time comes, I’ll repay you with great generosity."

Though the Liu Yun Zong pursuers hadn’t shown up, Fang Tao remained vigilant.

Now that the rain had stopped, it was the perfect chance to move on. Only when they reached Qing Zhou would they truly feel safe.

"Take care, Fang Zhuangzhu," Old Doctor replied with a nod.

"Bye, Fang sister!" Xiao Yan waved cheerfully.

The past few days had brought them close—she’d even visited Fang Rou occasionally. They’d formed a bond.

"Goodbye, Xiao Yan," Fang Rou said softly, her voice thick with emotion.

As their figures faded into the distance, the air felt lighter.

"Master," Lu Qing said, "should we be on our way?"

"Yes. We’ve lingered long enough."

Old Doctor nodded.

"I’ll prepare," Ma Gu said, stepping out.

Once Ma Gu had hitched the carriage and everything was packed, Lu Qing and the others were ready.

"Hmm?"

Stepping out of the main hall and onto the open ground, Lu Qing paused, his expression shifting.

"Master," he said, "the world… feels different."

"It does," Old Doctor agreed, a rare note of surprise in his voice.

"Yes, Old Doctor," Ma Gu added. "Maybe it’s the rain, but the air today feels incredibly fresh and invigorating."

"Enough talk. Let’s get moving," Old Doctor said, lifting his bundle and stepping into the carriage.

"Yah!"

Ma Gu cracked the whip, and the carriage rolled forward, heading down the mountain.

Lu Qing sat cross-legged inside, his Spirit Soul Power quietly extending, sensing the surrounding space.

And then he felt it—the world now carried a subtle, indescribable Essence, pulsing with new life and vitality.

This is Qi…

His Spirit Soul Power traced the faint current, a sudden clarity dawning in his mind.

But the Qi was still weak—its influence minimal.

Ordinary martial artists wouldn’t even notice.

Only someone like Lu Qing or Old Doctor, whose Spirit Soul Power had reached a high level, could perceive it.

Yet even they could only sense the change. They couldn’t yet absorb or refine it.

Lu Qing, still lacking an open Qi Cavity, couldn’t draw Qi into his body.

Old Doctor, though he had a cultivated Qi Cavity, had no immortal cultivation method—no way to refine this mysterious Essence.

If Qi is truly awakening, Lu Qing thought, I should find a chance to teach Master a Qi-refining technique.

Old Doctor was a Xian Tian Jing Qiang Zhe—his Qi Cavity was already open.

In cultivation, one step ahead meant leading the way.

If he learned to refine Qi, his cultivation could leap forward—perhaps even reach a new level.

Just as Lu Qing was pondering this, a sudden stir in his spirit drew his attention.

It came from the Qiankun Yiqi Dai at his waist.

You want to absorb the Qi from the world?

Lu Qing felt the artifact’s resonance, surprised.

But then it clicked.

Of course—his Qi Cavity was closed, unable to draw in Qi.

But the Qiankun Yiqi Dai, as a Spirit Artifact, had no such limitation.

Without hesitation, Lu Qing focused his will, activating the Seal within the bag.

A silent, invisible suction emerged from the pouch. The faint, ethereal strands of Qi in the air began to swirl, drawn toward the bag and pulled inside.

Old Doctor, seated cross-legged and meditating in the carriage, sensed the change. He opened his eyes.

But when he saw the source was Lu Qing, he simply smiled, closed his eyes again, and resumed his meditation.

He’d long grown accustomed to the strange phenomena surrounding Lu Qing.

He never probed, never questioned—unless Lu Qing chose to explain.

So the carriage moved forward in silence, the journey peaceful.

The days of heavy rain hadn’t left the roads muddy.

On the contrary, the downpour had washed everything clean.

The path was now smooth, only slightly soft.

But the Wei Family’s custom-built carriage was more than capable of handling it.

Following the Imperial Road, they gradually began to see signs of life—people, villages, movement.

"Old Doctor," Ma Gu said, "I just asked. The next town is Qingfeng Town. Should we stop?"

Old Doctor paused, then nodded. "Yes. Our supplies are low. We need to restock."

During their stay at the temple, Fang Tao’s group had lost their belongings. For three days, Lu Qing and the others had shared their food and supplies. Now, those reserves were nearly gone.

They couldn’t last much longer without replenishing.

"Yes." Ma Gu nodded, guiding the carriage toward the town.

The rhythmic clip-clop of hooves echoed through the air.

Not long after, Ma Gu spotted the town ahead.

He raised the whip, ready to urge the horses forward—when he saw several people fleeing toward them, panicked, glancing back over their shoulders.

"Whoa!"

Ma Gu yanked the reins hard, stopping the carriage just in time.

He glared at the stumbling figures. "Don’t you people have eyes? Can’t you see a carriage is coming?!"

"Master, what’s wrong?" Wei Zian poked his head out.

"Nothing. Just a few reckless fools who didn’t watch where they were going. Nearly got run over."

"Are they hurt?" Old Doctor asked.

"No. I stopped in time. They’re fine."

But as Old Doctor looked closer, he saw the men were gasping, drenched in sweat, their faces pale with fear. He assumed they’d been scared.

Just as he was about to step down, one of them leapt up and bolted back the way they came.

One shouted, "Old man! You’d better run too! There’s a gang of monsters in town—slaughtering people at random! If you don’t flee now, you’ll be next!"

"Monsters? Killing people in the town?"

Old Doctor’s expression hardened. He turned toward the town.

Before he could get a clear view, a cold voice cut through the air.

"Little slut, where do you think you’re running? Your master and sisters are already captured. What makes you think you can escape alone? Kneel and beg for mercy now, and I might spare you some pain."

From the direction of the town, a figure stumbled forward—familiar to Lu Qing and the others.

"It’s Zhao sister!" Xiao Yan cried out, her eyes sharp.

Lu Qing recognized her instantly.

It was Zhao Qianlin—the disciple of Fang Tao, the one they’d shared the temple with for days.

But now, only an hour later, she was unrecognizable. Her hair was wild, her clothes torn, multiple wounds bleeding across her body. Her weapon was gone. She clutched her shoulder, limping forward with effort.

Behind her, more than a dozen figures pursued.

The voice came from the lead figure—a gray-clothed middle-aged man.

Hearing Xiao Yan’s voice, Zhao Qianlin looked up. Relief flashed across her face—then vanished.

She remembered Fang Tao’s warning. Her face hardened. She turned and darted into the nearby woods.

"Stubborn little brat!"

The gray-clad man, who had been toying with her like a cat with a mouse, now snarled.

He snatched a stiff bow from a companion’s back, drew an arrow, and loosed it—straight at Zhao Qianlin’s knee.

The arrow flew fast and deadly. Zhao Qianlin heard the wind, but her strength was spent. She couldn’t dodge.

Her eyes filled with despair.

Thwack!

A sharp, clear sound rang out.

The arrow, meant to pierce her knee, suddenly veered off course—deflected by something unseen. It buried itself into the ground beside her.

"Who’s there?!"

The man’s face darkened. His gaze snapped to the carriage ahead.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end