Chapter 960: Departure

Thirty thousand merit points could easily buy a Brahma Clarity Pill with plenty to spare. Who in their right mind would waste such a sum on a worthless piece of spirit jade?

"Ten thousand merit points," Li Qing countered. "That's all the merit I have on hand. If you won't sell it for that..."

Before he could even finish his sentence, the stall owner immediately agreed:

"Deal!"

Li Qing stood stunned for a long moment, then burst into a mix of laughter and exasperation.

I guess I didn't haggle hard enough, Li Qing thought, surprised by the vendor's quick agreement. I bet he was expecting six to eight thousand merit points, considering he hasn't sold this Lihuo Profound Jade in all this time.

With the transaction complete—merit points exchanged for the jade—Li Qing decided not to haggle further. After all, he still had plenty of merit points left.

Li Qing finally obtained the Lihuo Profound Jade, which the Profound Yellow True Flame had long coveted. Holding it in his hand, he could feel its warm, smooth texture.

He couldn't discern anything unusual about the patterns on the jade, nor could he determine if they were related to the Crimson Radiance Heavenly Monarch. Without hesitation, he swallowed the jade whole, sending it into his dantian for the Profound Yellow True Flame to examine thoroughly.

"Yes, this is indeed the Heavenly Monarch's work," the Profound Yellow True Flame confirmed. "Though the residual energy is faint, I'm certain these patterns were personally inscribed by the Heavenly Monarch."

Li Qing's heart stirred slightly at this revelation. "So what do these strange patterns represent? Can you glean any information from them?" he pressed.

After a long silence, the Profound Yellow True Flame replied somewhat sheepishly, "Well... I haven't been able to decipher anything specific yet. For now, all I can confirm is that this artifact was left behind by the Heavenly Monarch."

Li Qing was speechless. It seemed he had indeed wasted ten thousand merit points on a spirit jade of little practical use, a loss he felt deeply.

"Don't be discouraged," the Profound Yellow True Flame said. "You've only been in the spirit realm for a short time, yet you've already found something related to a heavenly monarch. This shows you have a strong affinity with them. Who knows what greater benefits might come from this?"

Li Qing remained skeptical. Finding a spirit jade connected to the Crimson Radiance Heavenly Monarch meant little in itself.

As he continued wandering through the market, his identity token suddenly vibrated.

Buzz!

Li Qing's expression shifted slightly as he retrieved the token. A divine sense transmission had arrived:

"Li Qing, come to the city lord's manor immediately. It's time to depart!"

The message was from City Lord Lingxu, who could easily send such transmissions using the formation that connected the token to the city's defenses.

"So we're leaving early after all," Li Qing muttered to himself. "They must be planning to avoid being intercepted by the Flying Spirit Clan."

With that, he soared into the air, flying toward the city lord's manor perched above the clouds.

During his flight, Li Qing spotted the other three companions who would be traveling with him.

Fuya remained as captivating as ever, clad in a thin pink dress with a veil that partially obscured her face. Her eyes, like pools of spring water, radiated an irresistible allure.

Li Qing simply ignored her. He had no desire to associate with female cultivators who practiced bewitching arts.

Hu Sheng nodded and smiled at Li Qing, but said nothing.

Old Lord Hei You maintained his usual aloofness, his eyes devoid of emotion, filled with death qi and chilling yin energy. Even standing near him felt unsettling.

To Li Qing's surprise, Old Lord Hei You glanced at him more than once.

As the group entered the city lord's manor, City Lord Lingxu quickly appeared to greet them.

"Greetings, City Lord Lingxu!" Li Qing and Hu Sheng clasped their fists in salute. Old Lord Hei You remained silent, treating City Lord Lingxu as an equal.

City Lord Lingxu waved his hand dismissively. "We must depart immediately. I fear the Flying Spirit Clan might ambush us along the way, so we're leaving the city before dawn."

"Are you all prepared?"

Li Qing had done all he could to maximize his strength within the limited time available. He had reached the peak of his current potential and could make no further progress in the short term.

The other three nodded slightly, clearly well-prepared.

"I have nothing more to say. Once you enter the Heavenlight Secret Realm, remember to be wary of the Flying Spirit Clan."

"You should also be cautious of the Tree Demon Clan, though the Giant Spirit Race will likely keep them in check, so you don't need to be overly concerned."

City Lord Lingxu looked weary and fatigued, clearly having endured a difficult period, burdened by the city's affairs.

"Alright, let's depart!"

With that, City Lord Lingxu produced a piece of cloth resembling a ship's sail, etched with bizarre, talisman-like runes and markings.

He refined the sail with his mana, and a spirit boat materialized above the city lord's manor.

The group boarded the spirit boat, which soared directly out of the city. The vessel's concealment techniques were remarkably sophisticated, rendering their movements invisible.

After leaving the city, Fuya was the first to notice they were heading in the wrong direction.

"City Lord Lingxu, this doesn't seem to be the way to the Giant Spirit Royal City?"

Li Qing had already realized this. He knew there were four spatial nodes leading to the Heavenlight Secret Realm, each controlled by one of the four great clans.

Each time the Heavenlight Secret Realm opened, the four great clans would send their people to the spatial nodes under their control.

"Who told you I was going to the Giant Spirit Royal City?" City Lord Lingxu asked calmly, his hands clasped behind his back.

"I plan to head to Wild Bull Ridge and borrow the Barbarian Bull Clan's dao to enter the Heavenlight Secret Realm. With their protection, the Flying Spirit Clan won't dare to act rashly."

Hearing this, Li Qing and Fuya finally understood, while Hu Sheng and Old Lord Hei You remained impassive, showing no reaction.

This was indeed unexpected for Li Qing. He had initially assumed they would first travel to the Giant Spirit Royal City and then proceed to the Heavenlight Secret Realm under the Giant Spirit Clan's protection.

However, this approach would likely expose them to threats from Flying Spirit Clan experts along the way.

By heading to Wild Bull Ridge instead, they would take a completely different route, making it difficult for the Flying Spirit Clan to anticipate their movements.

The flying boat concealed its presence within the clouds and mist, traversing southeastward across the vast expanse of the great earth.

Finally, after more than ten days of continuous travel, a rugged mountain range, exuding an ancient, untamed aura, stretched across heaven and earth like the continent's spine.

They encountered no Flying Spirit Clan experts along the way, confirming the wisdom of City Lord Lingxu's choice: heading to Wild Bull Ridge had proven to be the correct path.

As they approached this primeval, untamed territory, a thunderous bull roar shook the heavens and earth.

"Moo!"

A golden-skinned bull-headed humanoid figure, wielding a massive axe, slowly descended from the sky, blocking their path.

"Humans? What business brings you to Wild Bull Ridge? This is no place for your kind!"