The Wandering Immortal

Chapter 24 People die for wealth and birds die for food
Shortly after leaving Baiyunxian City, Jiang Yuan whispered to Qinghe to be careful and watch out for anyone following them.

Qinghe kept a close eye on things, and after walking for almost ten miles, she became alert and realized, "There really is someone following us."

Jiang Yuan didn't stop, but walked forward slowly, saying in a low voice, "I'm afraid there will be someone blocking the way ahead."

After another half mile, Qinghe indeed sensed that there were people ahead as well.

Qinghe's spiritual sense can't reach very far now, at most half a mile before she can't see clearly, but she is naturally perceptive and can sense some potential dangers, and those two are definitely not good people.

Jiang Yuan left so decisively earlier because he was worried that some people might have malicious intentions. Rogue cultivators like Daoist Ruan and Li Qingqing might not even earn a hundred spirit stones a year, which could easily tempt them to kill and rob.

Qinghe said, "It's not Taoist Ruan and Li Qingqing. Those two don't have such a gloomy aura."

Jiang Yuan, frustrated by his lack of magical power and divine sense, subconsciously touched the peach wood hairpin in his sleeve after hearing Qinghe's explanation, thinking to himself, "If you're a ghost cultivator, then you can only blame your bad luck."

Jiang Yuan can now use his soul power without much trouble.

As she got closer to the person in front, and the people following behind were already half a mile behind her, Qinghe could already sense their presence.

The one behind was indeed a ghost cultivator, with a cultivation level of about the fourth level of Qi Refining. The one in front was also around the fourth level of Qi Refining, and although he wasn't a ghost cultivator, he still exuded a sinister aura.

Qinghe was somewhat nervous, but Jiang Yuan was even more worried. This situation was indeed difficult to handle, and if they lost, they would be doomed.

Jiang Yuan could only whisper to Qing He, "You focus all your efforts on dealing with the one in front. The Thorn Technique has an advantage here; you just need to take advantage of the situation and control it."

Qinghe usually puts in a lot of hard work in her training, but her only weakness is that she lacks experience in fighting enemies and doesn't have any strategies or tactics, so she can only trust Jiang Yuan.

When they were about three zhang apart from the person in front of them, Jiang Yuan stopped and asked in a low voice, "Are you two fellow Daoists from Baiyun Immortal City?"

The two hadn't made a move because they couldn't discern Jiang Yuan's cultivation level. Based on the experience of wandering martial arts practitioners, if they couldn't tell, it was probably because their cultivation levels were too far apart.

However, there are exceptions. For example, someone who has been seriously injured and fallen from their cultivation level may not be able to discern their cultivation level. Jiang Yuan's steps were unsteady, and his movements were sluggish. He didn't even seem like a cultivator, so it was more likely that he was seriously injured.

A gaunt old man stood before them, leaning on a cane—perhaps a magical artifact—and said in a sinister tone, "Leave your storage bag, and I'll spare your lives!"

Jiang Yuan roared in a low voice, "Take it down."

The talisman fireball in Qinghe's hand shot out in response. Without the old man making any move, he suddenly moved his position and skillfully dodged the fireball.

To his surprise, three fireballs came hurtling towards the spot where he landed, arranged in a triangular pattern, some fast and some slow, making it impossible to dodge.

The old man planted his cane, and a blue light barrier appeared, blocking the fireball. "I really underestimated you."

Seeing that everyone in front had started to act, the ghost cultivator behind him naturally wouldn't stand idly by either. He immediately unleashed a large burst of ghostly energy, heading straight for Jiang Yuan.

To the man's surprise, Jiang Yuan didn't move at all. His whole body shone with golden light, and he actually used talismans to resist the invasion of ghost energy.

Ghost Cultivator's heart skipped a beat, a bad premonition rising within him. He felt he shouldn't have provoked this guy, and after a slight hesitation, he only lingered a few feet away, not daring to make another move.

He naturally waited for Jiang Yuan to retaliate before he could determine whether the guy was truly injured; otherwise, how could he be so bold as to use only talismans to withstand the ghostly energy?

Qinghe didn't stop. She had heard Jiang Yuan say that the fireball talisman seemed to be the simplest way to attack, but if the opponent didn't dodge but instead used a light shield to defend, then give him a hundred of them. Even ordinary magic weapons couldn't withstand that.

But that guy activated his shield. Qinghe wasn't standing still. She unleashed her Wind Dance Willow Sword technique, moving swiftly and unpredictably, throwing dozens of fireball talismans around the old man in the blink of an eye.

The old man really didn't expect this outcome. He only heard Li Qingqing grumble a few words, saying that the two had lost the battle and even their storage bags had been stolen. They came to Baiyun Immortal Market to exchange for some daily necessities. How could they still have so many talismans?

With so many fireballs attacking, the light barrier created by his staff alone was naturally insufficient to block them. In desperation, the old man took out his most treasured magical artifact, which turned out to be a water ball. With the help of his magic power, the blue light barrier expanded to more than ten feet, completely enveloping him.

The fireball struck the blue water sphere, causing only slight ripples; it couldn't break through the defense at all.

Once the fireball attack subsided, the old man was overjoyed, realizing that these talismans alone might not be enough.

The old man had just put away the water ball and was preparing to deliver the fatal blow when he suddenly noticed hundreds of thorns rapidly spreading around him. Startled, he tried to fly away, but was a fraction too late; the tip of a thorn wrapped around his ankle.

To the old man's despair, he felt no pain and couldn't feel his feet at all. He himself was a master of poisons, and having been poisoned with such a potent paralyzing agent, he knew he was likely doomed.

The ghost cultivator behind him looked as if he had seen a ghost. His old buddy had only lasted three breaths against a young woman at the third level of Qi Refining before being buried by a clump of thorns.

The ghost cultivator naturally couldn't wait for the young woman to free herself. He wasn't even confident in a one-on-one fight, and a two-on-one fight would be certain death, so he turned and ran.

He didn't run away, and Jiang Yuan didn't dare to make a move. With that movement, the peach wood hairpin shot out like lightning.

The red thread spread out into a giant net, enveloping the ghost cultivator within, while the peach wood hairpin pierced straight into his back.

Before he could even cry out, the ghost cultivator was gone. Low-level ghost cultivators don't have physical bodies; they probably hid by the old man's side for years, which was also the old man's reliance on to commit murder and robbery.

Qinghe just turned around, raised her hand to recall the peach wood hairpin, and handed it to Jiang Yuan.

Jiang Yuan, however, said, "Take his storage bag."

Qinghe was stunned for a moment. They killed someone and then tried to steal their things?

Anyway, my husband is always right, so I reached out and grabbed the storage bag.

The old man in front was only completely bound by thorns; he wasn't dead yet.

Qinghe glanced at Jiang Yuan, whose face was grim. "Leave no survivors!"

With a heavy heart, Qinghe urged the thorns to tighten suddenly, and the old man died instantly.

Qinghe accepted the storage bag as usual, including the walking stick.

Looking at Jiangyuan again, something seems amiss.

"I'm a little weak from using my soul power, I can't stay here!"

Qinghe then grabbed Jiangyuan and ran wildly, quickly escaping from Baiyun Mountain.

Less than half an incense stick's time after Jiang Yuan and Qing He left, Ruan Daoren and Li Qingqing arrived at the battlefield, followed by several other people.

Upon seeing the old man's corpse, Ruan Daoren became weak and almost fainted.

Li Qingqing's face also turned pale. "That damned Li Laodu, who has spent his whole life doing such despicable things, has finally met his match!"

Master Ruan took a deep breath. "Say no more, let's all run for our lives!"

Li Qingqing said resentfully, "It wasn't our idea..."

He stopped talking halfway through his sentence, thinking to himself.

"Can you explain this clearly? We just finished a transaction with them, and they were ambushed and killed a dozen miles away from Baiyun Immortal City."

"Anyone would think that it was me, Li Qingqing, and Daoist Ruan who leaked our whereabouts. If that person returns to the sect, he will surely bring people to wipe out Baiyun Immortal City."

The others behind them looked completely innocent, wondering what was going on!
More than half a month later, what should have been a small market day in Baiyun Immortal City, with dozens of independent cultivators arriving, turned out to be deserted, with even the usual merchants gone.

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(End of this chapter)