Chapter 573: Lu Li Descends (Third Update!)
As soon as he finished speaking, Qing Yan felt his hand suddenly grasp at empty air. Ban Gongcuo’s body pressed against the ground, transforming into a shadow!
Qing Yan’s heart jolted with surprise. He reached out to grab the shadow on the ground, but saw it disperse with a *pop*, turning into a puff of smoke, causing him to grasp at nothing!
That puff of smoke split into dozens of strands, skimming along the ground. The other young experts of Dragon Village each leaped into the air, charging in different directions, each chasing a strand of smoke, dispersing them one by one, yet Ban Gongcuo’s trace was nowhere within the smoke.
Suddenly, Qin Mu raised his hand, and a sword light flew out. Blood light flashed, and a leg appeared out of thin air, falling to the ground, stained with blood.
Qin Mu controlled the sword with his qi, the sword light flashing, but it pierced empty air.
More smoke spread out in all directions, filling large and small streets everywhere. From within the smoke came Ban Gongcuo’s furious voice: “Surnamed Qin, I will never rest until you’re dead!”
This place was already bustling with people, and now the smoke filled every street, causing many pedestrians to exclaim in surprise.
Many Dragon clan experts searched among the crowd, making it even harder to find Ban Gongcuo’s trail.
Qing Yan’s face alternated between pale and green. He was a Dragon God, yet he had let Ban Gongcuo escape from right under his nose, instantly feeling a loss of face. Moreover, Ban Gongcuo was a cripple—one leg long, one leg short, the short leg being a deer leg—yet he had still managed to escape, which was truly embarrassing.
However, it wasn’t entirely his fault. He had no hostile intent earlier, merely patting Ban Gongcuo’s shoulder, not intending to capture him. By the time Qin Mu warned him, it was already too late to restrain Ban Gongcuo.
Ban Gongcuo’s skill at escaping was unparalleled in the world, and even Qin Mu admitted he was inferior. Even Star Vex had to corner Qin Mu in a dead end to capture him, let alone Ban Gongcuo.
Seeing the Dragon Village crowd looking somewhat dejected, Qin Mu said, “Everyone, no need to be disheartened. Ban Gongcuo’s escape skills are something even I can’t match. I’ve fought him several times at the same cultivation level and couldn’t capture him, only managing to cut off one leg. Now he’s a whole realm above me, a great expert at the Heavenly Man realm. His abilities have greatly increased, and he can now use escape techniques he couldn’t before, making it even harder to keep him. Being able to cut off another of his legs with your help is already a remarkable achievement.”
“To have such life-saving skills at the Heavenly Man realm is truly impressive,” the Dragon Village crowd marveled.
Yet they felt even more uncomfortable. Ban Gongcuo, now with only one deer leg left, had still escaped from their grasp. His escape skills were indeed terrifying!
They had left the village this time with the ambition of making a name for themselves, but they had encountered such an oddity as Ban Gongcuo right after leaving, suffering a bit of a setback.
Qing Ya said excitedly, “On our first day out of the village, we met such an interesting person. The world outside the village is even more exciting than I imagined!”
The other Dragon Village members weren’t as thrilled.
Qin Mu observed this and said with a smile, “You haven’t been in contact with the outside world for a long time, and your techniques and spells are somewhat outdated. Don’t rush back to the village. Instead, come with me to the Supreme Heavenly Realm for more training and exposure to the current world’s techniques and spells.”
Everyone agreed.
Qing Yan hesitated for a moment, then said, “When we left the village this time, the ancestor instructed us not to get too close to you…”
Qin Mu picked up Ban Gongcuo’s severed leg, sealed the wound, concocted some medicinal liquid, and placed the leg in it. He smiled, “Senior Qing Huang is still too cautious. You can see for yourselves that I’m not a bad person. When you go to the Supreme Heavenly Realm, feel free to ask about Tian Sheng Cult Leader Qin Mu. I guarantee you’ll hear nothing but praise—my reputation is excellent!”
Qing Ya asked curiously, “Uncle Yan once went to Yan Kang and mentioned Tian Sheng Cult, calling it the Demon Cult, which had a very bad reputation.”
Qin Mu beamed, “Those were all misunderstandings, and they’ve been cleared up now. If you ask about our Tian Sheng Cult in Yan Kang today, I guarantee you’ll find unanimous acclaim!”
Cult Leader Qin turned around, his face darkening as he walked into the Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge, thinking to himself, “Those who call our Tian Sheng Cult a demon cult have basically all been crippled by me. But it’s hard to prevent people from gossiping behind my back, so it’s better to go to the Supreme Heavenly Realm. My reputation and Tian Sheng Cult’s reputation there are excellent. Once they ask around, they’ll be close to joining the cult…”
Qing Yan led the young men and women of Dragon Village as they followed him into the Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge. Instantly, they felt the world spin and time fly. When they stepped onto solid ground and exited the bridge, a vast and magnificent alien world appeared before them!
Everyone marveled in wonder.
Qin Mu, however, looked into the distance, his expression turning serious.
In the sky, the craftsmen of Yan Kang were assembling the second sun, already more than half built. The light of two suns still couldn’t fully illuminate the Supreme Heavenly Realm.
In the far distance, the sky was dim, and beneath it, demonic energy hung like fog, shrouding the heavens and earth.
Under that sky lay the territory of the demon race. Huge altars, as tall as mountains, were erupting with intense black light, shooting up like smoke into the clouds!
These beams of black light stood like pillars between heaven and earth, and within them, massive figures descended from the sky from time to time!
“The demons are performing blood sacrifices. Are they summoning their demon ancestors from the Netherworld—those demon gods born from accumulated demonic resentment and grudges?”
Qin Mu steadied himself. When he was kidnapped by Bound Sun Luo, he had seen these grand, imposing giant altars in the demons’ lair. From Bound Sun Luo, he learned that these altars were used to summon Netherworld demon gods!
At that time, Bound Sun Luo triggered the curse in Qin Mu’s jade pendant, suffering a devastating blow, and many altars were destroyed.
Now, it seemed the demons had rebuilt the altars!
And they had been activated, with Netherworld demon gods continuously breaking through the barrier between the Netherworld and the Supreme Heavenly Realm, descending into this world!
“The situation is serious…”
Qin Mu steadied himself, called over the Supreme Heavenly Realm guards watching the Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge, drew a picture, and said, “If you see a young man with a deer leg coming out of the bridge, cut him down. Don’t give him a chance to explain!”
The guard took the picture and passed it around to the other guards, saying, “Rest assured, Cult Leader Qin. If that deer-legged youth does enter the Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge, he will surely not escape death!”
“I hope you can eliminate him…”
Qin Mu hurriedly led the group away, heading for Li City.
Li City was on high alert, training its troops. The Yan Kang National Teacher and deities like Pang Yu stood on the city wall, watching the thousands of troops below changing formations. Qin Mu brought Qing Yan, Qing Ya, and the others up to the city wall, where he had originally been staying.
“Cult Leader Qin, who are these?” the Yan Kang National Teacher asked in surprise, sizing up Qing Yan, Qing Ya, and the others. His heart shook.
He could tell that these thirty-seven people behind Qin Mu had extraordinary origins. Except for Jiang Miao, the others had incredibly deep cultivation, and two of them were likely deities. He wondered where Qin Mu had found such a group of great experts.
“National Teacher, they are from Dragon Village in the Great Ruins, a bit far from our Crippled Elderly Village. I went to great lengths to invite them.”
Qin Mu introduced them, saying, “Brother Qing Yan, Sister Qing He, this is the Yan Kang National Teacher, a sage born once every five hundred years.”
“How can a sage born once every five hundred years compare to the unparalleled Dominator Body? Cult Leader Qin, your villages in the Great Ruins are truly full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. First, there were the Nine Elders of Crippled Elderly Village, and now the Thirty-Six Heroes of Dragon Village. Truly unfathomable.”
The Yan Kang National Teacher greeted Qing Yan, Qing He, and the others, smiling, “You’ve arrived at just the right time. I was worrying about how to fight this battle. With your help, the pressure will be somewhat lighter.”
Qing Yan quickly returned the greeting, saying, “I’ve long heard of the National Teacher’s reputation, and today I finally have the honor of meeting you. The legend of a sage born once every five hundred years is very ancient. I heard of it back in the Kai Huang era. Brother Qin is also a Dominator Body?”
He looked at Qin Mu and smiled, “To be honest, I’ve heard legends about the Dominator Body from Ancestor Qing Huang!”
The Yan Kang National Teacher was stunned, thinking to himself, “So the Dominator Body really exists in this world? I had some doubts…”
He perked up and said, “Everyone, the demons have received many reinforcements. The Celestial Master went to the demon world and hasn’t returned yet. No one knows what happened. Although the Supreme Heavenly Realm has support from Yan Kang, the number of deities in Yan Kang is far less than the demon gods summoned by the demons this time…”
Pang Yu, the True Deity, and others had grave expressions. Sang Ye, the Revered Deity, said, “These Netherworld demon gods are the ancestors of the demons. They only know slaughter and are even more bloodthirsty and brutal than the demons. They have brought countless demonic monsters, extremely terrifying, stronger than high-level demons, and in huge numbers! The Supreme Heavenly Realm may not be able to hold…”
Everyone fell silent.
Qin Mu gazed into the distance. Netherworld demon gods were still being summoned within the beams of black light. He thought to himself, “That woman named Lu Li from Star Vex’s Life and Death Divine Treasury came from the Netherworld. What does she want with me? I wonder if she’s among the demon gods Bound Sun Luo is summoning this time…”
In the Demon Capital.
Bound Sun Luo rubbed his chest, looking at the altar before him. A beam of demonic light was swirling wildly on it. Many demon soldiers were continuously slaughtering humans and low-level demons as sacrifices, offering their flesh and blood.
This sacrifice consumed too many offerings, clearly indicating that the Netherworld demon god responding to the summon was extremely powerful.
Otherwise, it wouldn’t have alarmed Bound Sun Luo.
After a moment, the demonic light in the air suddenly contracted and rapidly descended. When it completely dissipated, a stunningly beautiful woman stood alone in the center of the altar.
When Bound Sun Luo saw this beauty, his face changed drastically. He twisted his neck, replaced it with a smiling face, and laughed heartily, “Lu Li, one of the Four Great Commanders of the Netherworld, why would you respond to my summon and descend in person?”
The beautiful woman walked gracefully down the altar steps, looking around. A male voice came from her mouth as she laughed, “I’ve come to find someone. An eighteen-year-old youth, wearing a jade pendant with the character ‘Qin’ on his chest.”
Bound Sun Luo groaned, feeling the wound on his chest ache faintly—the wound Qin Mu had left him.
“Lu Li, I have seen this youth you’re looking for.”
Bound Sun Luo said flatly, “His jade pendant is very strange. He himself is even stranger.”
“You must have taken off his jade pendant and even tried to break the seal within it.”
Lu Li said with a smile, “Your injury hasn’t healed yet, right? It must have been caused by him. Foolish.”
Bound Sun Luo’s face turned ashen. Lu Li laughed, “If you can capture this youth surnamed Qin, I can help you annex the Supreme Heavenly Realm.”
Bound Sun Luo changed to another smiling face and laughed loudly, “Commander Lu Li’s esteemed presence brings great honor to my demon race!”
—Third update. The weather suddenly turned cold. Zhai Zhu caught a slight chill and has a headache. No burst tomorrow; just the normal two chapters.
The headache hasn’t gone away yet. Today’s first chapter will be posted at 2 PM.
The temperature in Xuzhou has dropped sharply. Zhai Zhu caught a slight chill, and the headache hasn’t subsided. Today’s first chapter will be posted at 2 PM.
It’s a loss. The temperature dropped by over ten degrees in an instant, freezing me shivering. I’ve already picked up my down jacket and turned on the air conditioner, but my feet are still ice cold.
It’s rare to open a single chapter, so I’ll take the opportunity to ask for monthly votes. Brothers and sisters, if you have monthly votes, please cast them for *The Annals of the Shepherd*!