Chapter 86 - 86 85 Demon Sect Blood Tax 110

86: Chapter 85 Demon Sect Blood Tax (1/10) 86: Chapter 85 Demon Sect Blood Tax (1/10) Embracing the Void Realm. In the vast Nameless Hills of the northwest mountains. The pale golden light pierced through the clouds, illuminating the slightly dim mountains, while the ancient and dense forests silently embraced the brilliance, gradually awakening from inky hues to vibrant green. An Jing didn’t wait for three full days before returning to Embracing the Void this time, but rather made a decisive departure as soon as he was certain he had eluded everyone’s sight. This time, he still chose to relocate himself to a spot about a mile away from where he had left, a forested area with a good view, and then observed the outside world. There was a bit of thin mist among the mountains and forests, which was undoubtedly good news for An Jing, who intended to continue his escape. The flying shuttles that hung in the sky had also departed, suggesting that even the Heaven’s Will Demon Sect, as persistent as they were in pursuing An Jing, wouldn’t remain in the same place for more than two days without any results. But An Jing knew that he absolutely couldn’t be careless, because his pursuers were likely to periodically check his current location. Whether they checked every quarter of an hour or every half an hour, in any case, with bad luck, the Demon Sect’s flying shuttles would quickly be deployed and then catch up with him. But this time, he was no longer completely defenseless. Once again, An Jing began to dash through the wilderness. Meanwhile. In a small town not far away, under the reverent gaze of the villagers, Xu Changjing, who was resting under the shade of a tree with his eyes closed, opened his eyes. “Two and a half days—An Jing’s ability to hide using his divine skill seems to be unable to be used continuously; its duration has shortened.” This white-robed Fate Pattern Martial Artist took out the Mountain and Sea Register from his bosom, where An Jing’s name, specially marked in red, appeared prominently and was moving at a very fast speed. “What, An Jing has appeared?” In another temporary camp built nearby, Instructor Li lifted the skin curtain used as the door and asked with a surprised delight, “How far away?” “He’s nearby; it seems that An Jing’s divine stealth skill cannot be used while on the move.” Xu Changjing picked up a cup of tea from the small table in the shade of the tree and took a sip, then gestured for the villagers who were serving tea around him to leave, and turned to Instructor Li, “Unfortunately, he moves too fast. Chief Zhang from Lake Light City is on his way, and he is a Martial Meridian Grandmaster with the ‘Illusion-Breaking Heavenly Eyes’. If he makes a move, he will surely catch An Jing without fail.” “Besides that, Altar Master Kanming from Ming City and the forceful steward from Tianyou City are also approaching… In a short time, three Grandmasters will be making their moves.” “So many people?” Instructor Li’s brow furrowed slightly, but then he laughed heartily, whistled to call for the troops to gather, and prepared to set off. “Such a hurry?” Seeing this, Xu Changjing was somewhat surprised. After completing these tasks, Instructor Li turned back with a serious look and said, “If we really let Chief Zhang make a move, how much credit would we get for it?” “Old Xu, I don’t have a Fate Pattern, and I can’t become an Inner Strength cultivator. You are one of the rare ones with a Fate Pattern among our group, and you always need to think about the future.” “If we really can bring our Great God General An back to the mountain, the Northern Patrol Envoy will definitely regard you with special esteem!” “How could I not know?” Xu Changjing was somewhat uneasy, his brow slightly furrowed, his eyes clouded by the swirling flow of Liuguang, “But my Fate Pattern ‘Insight into People’ has, up to now, not given me any further information about An Jing, indicating that our understanding of him hasn’t just failed to increase—it’s actually decreased.” Sёarch* The Novёlƒire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. “When he suddenly burst forth with Inner Breath as Vast as River, do you think… is it possible that he has broken through to Inner Breath like Tide?” “Impossible.” Instructor Li waved his hand, brimming with confidence as he declared, “Absolutely impossible!” “Old Xu, you practice the Daoist Priest Art of Magic, not versed in Martial Arts. An Jing was born with Inner Breath as Vast as River because he has an exceptional talent and he has trained diligently from a young age, already possessing a solid foundation.” “The resources provided by the village for sustenance are abundant, and with his original accumulation, it’s not surprising that he broke through to have Inner Breath as Vast as River. We had anticipated this.” “But Inner Breath like Tide is different. It’s an entirely different realm.” “Inner Breath as Vast as River signifies that the innate qi within the body is plentiful, surging like the vast and mighty rivers, but in the end, it’s like a barrel of water, its unrest like the resounding waves are because it’s not filled to the brim.” “Moreover, because it’s not full, if too much Inner Breath is used, it would be like vigorously shaking water inside a barrel about to spill out or even possibly running dry, essentially causing internal injuries.” “But Inner Breath like Tide is like a barrel filled with water and sealed with a lid. No matter how you shake it, there’ll be no space for turbulent flow, and naturally, it won’t spill out, instead filling the limbs and bones, as gentle as water yet as tough as steel!” “Even…” Saying so, Instructor Li confidently extended his hand, invisible Qi Force gushing from it, attracting a stone from the ground into his palm: “can manipulate the spirit qi from outside, like surging tides, affecting the meteorology of heaven and earth!” Just a twist of his fingers and the solid rock crumbled into dust, fine sand falling, then reversing its course, and returning to Instructor Li’s palm. Such nimble manipulation left Xu Changjing quite impressed: “I study the Art of Magic and Divine Skills, my Divine Sense extending outward. Although I have reached the Tide-like Realm of Inner Breath, I cannot manipulate it as freely as you, Brother Li.” “Each skill has its specialization. Although your Inner Breath moves sluggishly, it better facilitates the control of nature’s spiritual energy and allows the display of many Divine Skills and Special Abilities externally.” Instructor Li shook his head slightly: “An Jing naturally practices Martial Arts, and I understand his talent better than anyone. If an ordinary person is like a large water tank, naturally it only needs one tankful of water to fill.” “Then An Jing’s talent is like an entire pond. To achieve Inner Breath like Tide, it requires a pondful of water.” “Because his talent is so exceptional, it is absolutely impossible for him to break through immediately—and also because he can accumulate more innate qi in his body, before reaching the Inner Breath like Tide, if his body is not strong enough, he is likely to hurt the enemy a thousand and harm himself eight hundred.” “Especially since the ‘Imperial Heaven Qi Nurturing Method’ he practices, like ours, is known for its ferocious and violent force, like thunder and strong wind, if it wasn’t for Body Refinement with the ‘Houtu Body Cultivation Method,’ the more explosive the force, the greater the damage to the body.” Speaking of this, Instructor Li instead revealed a smile that indicated everything was under control: “The time that An Jing can remain hidden has shortened, perhaps it is because the latent injuries within his body have started to manifest… So instead of worrying about such an unfounded issue, it’s better to capture An Jing sooner rather than later, to prevent him from hurting himself and damaging his heaven-sent precious body!” “Indeed.” Hearing his old friend’s analysis, so full of confidence and well-reasoned, Xu Changjing also let go of the worries in his heart and boarded the flying shuttle along with the Divine Sect’s entourage. Meanwhile, the villagers of the village, holding the few Salt Bricks and several sturdy iron knives they’d left behind, couldn’t close their grinning mouths, loudly bidding farewell to the High Ones. On the ground, several martial artists from the Demon Sect had gathered a group of children, currently assessing their talents one by one. In the northwestern mountains, although the Demon Sect is a terrifying villain that stops children from crying at night, at the same time, they are also one of the few choices for the people of the mountains. In a frontier where it’s difficult to succeed in the imperial civil or military examinations, joining the Demon Sect, even if merely as a servant or rider, is considered a rather extraordinary way out… and some children who have made a name for themselves within the Demon Sect return to elevate their villages’ status significantly. Although many children taken away will not return, who really cares about such things? Ultimately, the Heaven’s Will Cult is not simply a sect; if anything, it should be considered a ‘Sect Nation’ that occupies a region in the northwest of Da Chen beyond the central power’s control, and these children are their tribute. Blood tribute. If it can be said that Da Chen collects coins and grain, then the Demon Sect collects lives. Regarding this, there are those in the Western Mountain who are timid and fearful, those who harbor angry resentment, but there are also those who happily send their children off. The forces that spread to the inner parts of Da Chen are merely their tentacles, not the entirety.