After streaking a thousand miles from the valley, Lin Xiao took out the Void Heaven Phoenix Wings and accelerated onwards.
Yet after flying for several hours, Lin Xiao still felt as if someone was watching him.
That sensation made him shiver with chill.
It was not until he had flown for two full days that the feeling completely vanished.
Only then did Lin Xiao let out a long breath of relief.
“No wonder the valley masters of the four valleys dare not easily enter the Qiu Lu Mountains. It is far too perilous inside. Such a bizarre place, no matter how strong one’s power, could lead to instant death.”
Lin Xiao sighed inwardly.
Thinking back now, he felt some lingering fear.
That valley was truly too terrifying.
Moreover, along this flight path, he had not encountered any spirit beasts. He wondered if it was related to the eerie event in the valley.
Perhaps those spirit beasts had sensed that desolate aura and hidden themselves away.
Of course, that was just his guess.
As for Chao Rong’er, Lin Xiao could only sigh helplessly. Perhaps at that time, Chao Rong’er’s state of mind matched the sorrowful intent, leading her to undergo something eerie and merge into that place.
In that situation, Lin Xiao could barely protect himself, let alone safeguard Chao Rong’er.
“I hope she still has a chance to live,” Lin Xiao sighed in his heart.
Chao Rong’er undergoing that eerie change was, relatively speaking, not necessarily a bad thing.
It was possible she had been selected by the eerie force to receive an inheritance, or perhaps to become some sort of vessel.
If Chao Rong’er had not undergone the eerie change, she would have ended up like the others, a corpse.
With the eerie change upon her, at least there was a slim chance of survival.
Lin Xiao urged the Void Heaven Phoenix Wings onward, flying cautiously for another half day. The Qiu Lu Mountains were vast. After seeing that antlered man and that eerie valley, he had to proceed with utmost care.
“Boom!” “Boom!” “Boom!”…
In mid-flight, bursts of combat sounds suddenly reached Lin Xiao’s ears from afar.
To his side and front, he vaguely saw flashes of light orbs.
“Someone is fighting?” Lin Xiao grew curious. He stowed the Void Heaven Phoenix Wings and flew towards the source of the commotion.
It did not take long for Lin Xiao to reach the spot where the noises erupted.
At this moment, ahead of him, dozens of people were locked in a chaotic melee, seemingly vying for something.
Most were Martial Lords, with two first-level Martial Emperors clashing against each other.
These people’s combat strength posed no threat to Lin Xiao.
Thus, Lin Xiao flew directly into the void and called out loudly to the large group ahead, who were fighting fiercely, “Everyone, may I ask what you are contending for?”
Hearing this, all grew furious.
They were in the thick of battle, robbing something. Did they have to tell him? Did they need his permission?
Even amid the fighting, some shot angry glances at Lin Xiao.
Upon seeing Lin Xiao’s figure, someone immediately cried out in alarm, “Lin Xiao!!!”
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
At that instant, gazes turned sharply towards Lin Xiao one after another. All combat came to an abrupt halt.
Lin Xiao could not help but pause in surprise. Under the Ling Huang Valley bounty order, his reputation was truly immense. Moments ago, these people ignored him completely. Now, at the mere shout of his name, everyone stopped.
Lin Xiao paid it no mind. He glanced at the crowd, their eyes filled with greed and wariness, then spoke again, “May I ask what you are fighting over?”
Everyone seethed inwardly. To them, Lin Xiao was a walking seventh-grade high-level pill. And yet he asked what they were robbing…
But recalling how Lin Xiao had slain an entire city’s experts, and more recently wiped out a team with seven Martial Emperors, they had to hold back.
With Lin Xiao’s strength, even if they all united, they likely would not prevail.
In the end, one first-level Martial Emperor elder fully suppressed his greed and spoke first, “We are contending for a special kind of crystal. We do not know what it is, but it is certainly extremely valuable.
Lin Xiao, though Ling Huang Valley issued a bounty, this old man never intended to hunt you. I obtained three crystals; I hand them all to you. Please spare this old man’s life!” With that, the first-level Martial Emperor elder produced three fist-sized ores and tossed them straightforwardly towards Lin Xiao.
Lin Xiao could not help but feel surprised.
In truth, he was merely curious about what a group was robbing.
If it proved valuable, he would not mind taking some by force.
Of course, he had no intent to kill, unless they sought the bounty and attacked him first.
From past experiences, he had assumed these people would band together against him.
Unexpectedly, one of the two highest cultivators, a first-level Martial Emperor, directly offered items to beg for mercy.
It seemed his hostility towards those entering the Qiu Lu Mountains was too deep.
The moment he saw people, he assumed they would attack for the bounty.
Little did he know, there were those too weak to dare, who feared him.
Such people had never formed strong teams to hunt him from start to finish.
For such individuals, Lin Xiao naturally would not kill or even act.
Seeing the three ores tossed his way, Lin Xiao’s eyes brightened.
Those three crystals were all purple, crystalline and ornate, with red light flowing inside, like rubies on the verge of birthing flames.
“That is Purple Fire Crystal!” Lin Xiao rejoiced inwardly.
Purple Fire Crystal was a stone containing fire attribute energy, similar to the Red Fire Crystals he obtained earlier in the Xuan Domain Battlefield, but of higher grade.
Red Fire Crystals could refine fourth-grade explosive pills, Red Fire Explosive Pills.
This Purple Fire Crystal served as the main ingredient for explosive pills too, at seventh-grade level. The exact sub-level depended on auxiliary materials, the amount of main ingredient, and spiritual power.
With his current spiritual power grade, he could at least refine seventh-grade initial-level explosive pills.
He still had one seventh-grade mid-level explosive pill from Ouyang Kuo. Relatively, a single seventh-grade initial-level one would not pack much punch.
But if it were a large quantity of seventh-grade initial-level explosive pills, the power would be extraordinary.
The three Purple Fire Crystals tossed by that first-level Martial Emperor were enough for him to refine three seventh-grade initial-level explosive pills.
The others likely held more Purple Fire Crystals.
As long as he refined a large batch of explosive pills, even if Ling Huang Valley sent more experts, or he faced more pursuers, he could easily blast them to death.
Lin Xiao reached out to catch the three Purple Fire Crystals, his heart surging with excitement, though he masked it. He looked at the first-level Martial Emperor elder and said, “Lin Xiao here has only a grudge with Ling Huang Valley; I am no great villain. You hold no malice towards me and offer this gift, so naturally I will not act against you.”
With that, Lin Xiao’s gaze swept over the others, “As for you lot, I already saw earlier that you intended to attack me. By rights, I would not spare those who show hostility towards me.”
“However, I can give you one chance. Voluntarily hand over these crystals, and I will let you leave.”
Everyone’s expressions shifted; many clenched their fists tightly.
They had toiled and fought desperately to seize these crystals, only to now yield them to another?
