Chapter 254: Finally Arrive at Zhong Zhou, Qinglong Pass!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

In the valley, Xiao Li’s figure flickered and darted around Lu Qing like a shadow, striking with sudden, clawed swipes that tore through the air, slicing it into sharp wind blades aimed at Lu Qing.

Lu Qing, meanwhile, wielded a Thousand-Forged Treasured Sword, his wrist flicking effortlessly as he sliced through each incoming wind blade with ease.

Yes, Lu Qing was sparring with Xiao Li—testing the limits of the little beast’s power. He’d even allowed Xiao Li to attack freely, telling him not to hold back, no matter how fierce the assault.

But now it was clear: the little one still wasn’t letting go completely.

“Xiao Li,” Lu Qing chuckled, “just those wind blades won’t beat me. Show me your real strength, now.”

Whoosh!

The moment the words left his lips, Xiao Li vanished—reappearing instantly at Lu Qing’s left side. Claws flashed through the air, a cascade of icy light streaking toward him, making his skin prickle with pain.

Just as the claws were about to graze his flesh, Lu Qing’s sword swept forward in an elegant, sudden arc—reacting faster than thought. It blocked Xiao Li’s claws at the last possible instant.

Swish!

There was no doubt: Lu Qing’s Thousand-Forged level sword shattered instantly under the sheer force and precision of Xiao Li’s claws.

Yet, in that split second of defense, Lu Qing had already pivoted, using his agility to dart backward—just barely escaping the range of attack.

But as he turned, thinking he’d put enough distance between them, he saw Xiao Li vanish again—blurring into thin air.

In an instant, the beast reappeared, now less than a foot from his face. With a soft, effortless motion, it traced a single line across his neck—cutting a single strand of hair from his scalp—before retreating gracefully to perch atop a tree branch, no longer attacking.

“Amazing!” Lu Qing caught the falling strand of hair and couldn’t help but admire. Xiao Li’s speed was truly extraordinary. Combined with its unpredictable, ghost-like innate ability, even Lu Qing—without using any secret techniques—was hard-pressed to keep up.

“Awooo!” Xiao Li let out a proud little cry, chest puffed out, eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

“You’re something else…” Lu Qing shook his head, smiling. “But Xiao Li, even with your speed and claws, you’re not invincible. There are still rare techniques and mystical arts in this world capable of restraining you. Don’t get too full of yourself.”

“Awo?” Xiao Li tilted its head, ears twitching, clearly skeptical.

“Don’t believe me? Fine. Try again.”

Lu Qing’s smile remained calm.

Whoosh!

Xiao Li vanished once more—slipping into invisibility, lunging toward Lu Qing.

But as soon as it disappeared, a faint golden glow flickered around Lu Qing’s body.

Moments later, a claw appeared before him, slashing toward his shoulder—but it froze in midair, utterly unable to move forward.

Then, Xiao Li’s form began to materialize in the air, suspended mid-flight, eyes wide with shock and confusion.

It didn’t understand how Lu Qing had caught it.

“See?” Lu Qing gently tapped the little beast’s head with a finger. “Your speed is lightning-fast, but your power is still only at the level of a basic Xian Tian Initial Stage cultivator. If you faced a true Xian Tian Jing Qiang Zhe—someone like me with a unique technique, or Master, who has mastered the Xian Tian Ling Yu—simply by setting up a protective energy field around yourself, they could easily counter you, even capture you.”

“Even your claws, sharp enough to slice through anything, can’t tear through an invisible force field like that.”

Lu Qing dispelled the Yuan Ci Li Chang aura. Xiao Li’s body gently dropped to the ground, its eyes now thoughtful.

Seeing this, Lu Qing didn’t interrupt. Xiao Li was intelligent, yes—but its mind remained pure, and its combat experience was still limited. This was a small lesson, a gentle reminder: power alone doesn’t make one invincible. Especially now, with the world changing, who knew what monstrous beings might emerge?

A healthy sense of caution was essential.

After a long moment of silence, Xiao Li suddenly looked up, tugging gently at Lu Qing’s pant leg.

Lu Qing understood the unspoken request in its eyes. “You want to spar with me again? To train your combat skills?”

Xiao Li nodded eagerly.

“Of course,” Lu Qing said with a smile. “Your innate talent is truly exceptional. If you learn to wield it properly, even my Yuan Ci Li Chang might not be enough to contain you.”

He wasn’t just comforting the beast. He truly believed it. Xiao Li’s spatial manipulation ability—its innate power—held limitless potential. In Lu Qing’s understanding, anything related to space was never simple. Such power, if mastered, could make Xiao Li the deadliest assassin in the world.

Even a Xian Tian Jing Qiang Zhe who hadn’t yet awakened the Xian Tian Ling Yu would struggle to avoid its ambush.

From now on, he’d need to dedicate time to teaching Xiao Li how to control and harness her abilities.

When Lu Qing returned to the forest with Xiao Li, Ma Gu had just finished preparing breakfast. Xiao Yan was finishing her breathing exercise, slowly closing her cultivation form.

After eating, they packed up and resumed their journey.

They were now in a vast, unfamiliar region known as Hong Zhou. All they needed was to cross one more great province, and they would finally step into Zhong Zhou.

Based on the map they possessed—and the speed of their enchanted carriage—Lu Qing estimated they’d reach the edge of Zhong Zhou within three days at most.

With Xiao Li fully awake and their minds at ease, they pressed forward with full focus.

For the rest of the journey, they avoided contact with others entirely. Even their lodging was outdoors—choosing the wilds over cities or towns, thanks to the unusual nature of their carriage.

Still, since they traveled along the Imperial Road, they couldn’t avoid encountering other travelers.

When such moments came, Ma Gu would simply flick his whip. A ripple of green energy flowed through the air, and the carriage surged forward at breathtaking speed, leaving others stunned in its wake.

Soon, whispers spread: a legend of a Wind-riding Divine Chariot began to circulate wherever they passed.

Lu Qing and the others, of course, had no idea of the tales being spun behind them.

On this day, after days of relentless travel, they finally stopped—staring in awe at the sight before them.

Before them, stretching endlessly into the sky like a slumbering dragon, stood a towering, endless mountain range. Waterfalls cascaded down its cliffs in shimmering ribbons, plunging into the abyss below—majestic and awe-inspiring.

“Master,” Wei Zian breathed, eyes wide, “is that Zhong Zhou?”

“I don’t know,” Ma Gu replied, equally stunned. “I’ve never been here before.”

He’d simply followed the map, guiding the carriage along the Imperial Road. He never imagined such a sight could exist.

“It has to be,” Old Doctor murmured, letting out a long, quiet breath. “This must be the boundary of Zhong Zhou.”

Once, in his youth, he’d dreamed of traveling to Zhong Zhou—exploring its legendary lands. But life had taken him elsewhere. Now, in old age, fate had brought him here.

Lu Qing stared at the mountain range, his spirit stirred.

This peak was far more imposing than the ten-thousand-li mountain behind Jiuli Village. Standing here, he could feel the air itself was thick with Qi—denser, richer, far more vibrant than in any region they’d passed through.

“No wonder Zhong Zhou is called the most prosperous, most spiritually blessed land in the world. Even just approaching its border, the Qi here is nearly doubled. I can only imagine what it must be like at the heart of Zhong Zhou.”

Lu Qing felt a deep sense of gratitude.

Thankful that Master had sensed the coming change and made the decision to come here.

Had they not, he’d never have believed that Qi in Zhong Zhou could be this concentrated.

Compared to it, the Qi in the previous provinces felt thin, barren.

Under such a rich flow of spiritual energy, countless genius cultivators and rare treasures would undoubtedly flourish. The strongest warriors within would advance at an astonishing pace.

If they hadn’t come now, in a few more days, they’d be hopelessly left behind—like frogs at the bottom of a well, unaware of the world beyond.

They stood in silence, absorbing the grandeur and aura of the distant mountains.

Finally, it was Lu Qing who snapped back to reality.

“Master,” he said, “since we’ve reached this massive range, and based on the map, we must be at Qinglong Pass. Just ahead lies Qinglong City.”

The map had been given to them by Wei Shanhai. Once a wanderer across the world, Wei Shanhai had visited Zhong Zhou and carried a detailed map.

Lu Qing hadn’t expected that the gate to Zhong Zhou—Qinglong Pass—would be so colossal, so breathtaking.

“Then let’s keep moving,” Old Doctor nodded. “We should enter Qinglong City as soon as possible.”

They climbed back into the carriage and continued forward.

As the saying goes: Seeing mountains from afar makes horses run to death. Though Qinglong Pass looked close, the distance was still a hundred li away.

Even with the enchanted carriage—inscribed with runes that accelerated its speed—it took half an hour before they finally glimpsed the base of the mountain range.

And beneath it, they saw the massive city.

“That must be Qinglong City,” Lu Qing said. “Ma Ye, slow down.”

He mentally commanded the carriage’s runes to deactivate.

The runes were his own design—though set to activate automatically, he could also control them with a mere thought. The enchanted carriage was no ordinary vehicle.

Qinglong City, as the gateway to Zhong Zhou, was sure to be filled with powerful cultivators—true masters and experts.

Until they understood the situation within, discretion was key.

Once the runes shut down, the carriage grew heavy. The two horses, unused to the sudden lack of speed, snorted nervously, but after Ma Gu slowed them down, they settled and continued at a steady trot.

Boom… boom… boom…

As they drew within several li of the city, they heard a low, rhythmic rumble.

Pulling back the curtain, a wave of fresh, damp air rushed in—carrying the sound of massive waterfalls crashing down from the mountainside.

“So the foot of this dragon-like mountain has a mighty river flowing beneath it,” Lu Qing mused. “Winding through the land like a living vein.”

He peered through the window, watching Qinglong City draw nearer. In his brow cavity, his Spirit Soul Power stirred faintly.

He sensed numerous powerful presences within the city. At least a few were on par with the two Tai Shang Elders of Liu Yun Zong.

Whether there were even stronger beings, he couldn’t tell.

At the peak of the Xian Tian Jing Qiang Zhe stage, cultivators could conceal their aura entirely.

Like Master, who had mastered the Xian Tian Ling Yu—perfectly hiding his essence, even from Lu Qing’s sensitive spirit sense.

Could Qinglong City, so grand and imposing—far more majestic than any city Lu Qing had seen—be hiding such a master?

The carriage moved slowly forward, and soon, they reached the city gate.

“This is Qinglong City?” Lu Qing and the others stepped down.

They gazed up at the towering gate, where three massive stone characters—writ in bold, sweeping strokes—were carved into the stone.

The moment they looked at it, a surge of powerful, domineering energy washed over them.

Lu Qing’s heart gave a slight jolt.

He could tell: whoever had carved those characters was an absolute master—far stronger than any warrior he’d ever met.

Even Master, now, might fall short against such a hand.

Curious, he activated his abilities and studied the characters.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end