White-Robed Chief

“Keep searching. Dig one hundred feet underground if that’s what it takes to find him!” Chen Donghai angrily roared.

Feng Qi coldly said, “Chen Donghai, you seem utterly convinced that I’ve hidden him here.”

“I’m definitely right.” Chen Donghai gritted his teeth when he felt the humiliation of being deceived. “Master Feng, neither you nor that young man can escape. My men surrounded this area long ago!”

“Your accusations are baseless!” Feng Qi shook his head.

They found two more cellars after that. Unfortunately, there was no one inside them.

“Master Feng, you have so many underground cellars. Are you harboring evil intentions?”

Chen Donghai became frightened once he had heard everyone’s reports.

If Chu Li was truly hiding in the Feng Residence, it would be impossible for Chu Li to escape Chen Donghai’s subordinates who were pursuing him. These men would not overlook any areas because they were experts at conducting searches. Chen Donghai’s subordinates paddled a boat across the little lake to search it. The bottom of the lake could be seen because the water was crystal clear. They could tell with one glance that no one was hiding there.

They searched high and low, but Chu Li was nowhere to be found. Chen Donghai started to worry that Chu Li was actually not in the Feng Residence.

Feng Qi could not help but laugh. “Master Chen, that’s a stupid question. I can have as many cellars as I like. It’s none of your business whether I have one cellar or three of them!”

“Alright, alright!” Chen Donghai gnashed his teeth before he scoffed. “Master Feng, I’m watching you. You’d better not let me find any information that I can use against you. I won’t let you escape if that happens!”

“I won’t let this matter slide either,” Feng Qi coldly spat. “Master Chen, prepare to face the consequences for your actions.”

“Let’s go.” Chen Donghai loudly huffed before he turned around and led his men out of the Feng Residence.

Chen Donghai immediately waved his hand upon leaving the Feng Residence. His subordinates instinctively nodded before they fluttered inside the Feng Residence again.

Feng Qi was drinking tea in the main hall to calm himself down.

Feng Qi was secretly suspicious. He wondered why Chu Li was not hiding in the cellar. Had Chu Li sneakily left without anyone knowing?

Chu Li was currently in a forest near the backyard between two houses.

Chu Li had noticed Chen Donghai’s actions long ago because the Omniscient Mirror’s range covered a distance of ten miles.

Li Ruolan trusted Chu Li’s instincts when the situation was dangerous. When Chu Li told her that they needed to leave the Feng Residence because it was not safe anymore, Li Ruolan trusted him completely.

The pair climbed over the wall and left. They hurriedly leaped over two houses before reaching the backyard of the third house. Li Ruolan and Chu Li fled into the forest that they discovered there because they could conceal themselves easily.

There was a stone table with four stone stools in the forest. The pair remained completely silent as they sat down. Chu Li used the Omniscient Mirror to observe Chen Donghai.

Chu Li was no match for Chen Donghai from the Secret Guardians Hall. Chen Donghai was Chu Li’s enemy now, but it was still impossible for Chu Li to defeat him. Meanwhile, Feng Qi was merely an ordinary person. Feng Qi was not a good spy because his peaceful life had weakened his mind.

Feng Qi was merely an insignificant pawn to the Holy Church of Light. However, Feng Qi did not have to be wise because his only function was to provide temporary shelter to the Holy Church of Light’s disciples. An ordinary person like Feng Qi was the most suitable person to hide Chu Li because he would not arouse any suspicion.

The Holy Church of Light had other pawns like Feng Qi during the Ji Dynasty. It seemed like the Holy Church of Light was not as skillful at deploying their spare pawns anymore. However, Zhuo Feiyang, Gu Litong, the Startling Cloud Association, and the Crouching Bull Mountain were definitely not as imposing as the Holy Church of Light as these were the true colors of a sect that had existed for several thousand years.

“How did they find us here?” Li Ruolan muttered. She furrowed her eyebrows and whispered, “Did Feng Qi expose us?”

Chu Li replied, “Somebody probably tipped off the Tempest Temple.”

Chu Li saw that Fa Yuan and Fa Xiang were standing on a roof and silently looking at each other. Fa Yuan was extraordinarily skillful and his methods were rather effective as well. Anyone else would have fallen for his trap.

“Weren’t they at odds with the imperial court?”

“Yes, but that doesn’t mean they can’t work together.”

Despite being enemies, Chu Li, Fa Yuan, and Lu Yurong were able to cooperate when they were not quarreling with each other.

Li Ruolan said, “I’m glad that Feng Qi didn’t expose us.”

“We can’t use him in the future because the Secret Guardians Hall is suspicious of him now,” Chu Li said.

Li Ruolan gently nodded. “We won’t disturb him anymore. We should just let him live out his days peacefully. Feng Qi is doing well in Fairy’s Capital, I don’t think he’s eager to return to Great Light Peak.”

“People are fickle. That’s inevitable.” Chu Li said, “I’m going to start healing my wounds now. I want to expel the palm energy.”

Chu Li closed his eyes while he was speaking. Chu Li instantly entered the void of his mind before he began to chant the Earth Matrix and Reincarnation Scripture backward.

Several red lotus flowers turned into scorching flames before descending upon Chu Li’s figure. A searing pain immediately traveled through his body and Chu Li felt as though he was being punished with fire again.

This unbearable sensation was more painful than torture. It would be impossible for someone to endure this torture for the sake of increasing their cultivation level if they were not iron-willed. A weak-minded individual would easily collapse in these circumstances.

In his previous life, Chu Li’s progression was hindered by stumbling blocks such as exhaustion and indifference. Those factors obstructed him from improving his level of expertise and survival skills. However, things were completely different when he arrived in this world for such a searing pain was no longer enough to defeat him. This was the difference between an ordinary person and a master.

Li Ruolan’s bright eyes seemed to be burning when she stared at Chu Li.

Judging from Chu Li’s tone, Li Ruolan believed that there was truly a way for Chu Li to get rid of the palm energy.

Suddenly, Chu Li’s entire body became unimaginably feverish. He seemed like a ball of fire. Li Ruolan unconsciously took two steps backward while she looked at Chu Li worriedly.

The heat that radiated off Chu Li’s body became more intense. His temperature was so high that it could seemingly boil water.

However, Chu Li’s clothes and the plants around him were perfectly fine. Li Ruolan could not help but wonder if she had been mistaken earlier. Was it really just an illusion?

Li Ruolan was forced to take two steps backward again when Chu Li’s body became even hotter.

Suddenly, the heat around Chu Li’s body instantly disappeared as though it had never existed.

Chu Li’s eyes burst open suddenly before he spat out a mouthful of blood.

Li Ruolan hurriedly rushed forward to hold him. “Is something wrong?”

Chu Li shook his head. “It’s done.”

“What do you mean?”

“The palm energy has been expelled.”

Li Ruolan was shocked. “Just like that?”

Li Ruolan came closer and saw that Chu Li’s inner energy was circling inside his wrist. Li Ruolan noticed that Chu Li’s organs were completely healed and he was brimming with life. Unfortunately, Chu Li’s cultivation level was not restored yet.

“Were you really able to expel the palm energy?” Li Ruolan glared at Chu Li with her bright eyes.

Chu Li replied, “Didn’t I say that I could expel it?”

“You…” Li Ruolan felt deceived.

Li Ruolan had been extremely concerned and tolerant toward Chu Li for nothing. Li Ruolan thought that Chu Li was sacrificing himself for her and Senior Brother Ji. Li Ruolan could not bear those sentiments because it was impossible for her to repay Chu Li. In reality, Li Ruolan had simply wasted her emotions on him. Chu Li was confident that he could get rid of this palm energy all along!

Chu Li said, “We should hurry up and leave. The monks from the Tempest Temple will probably catch up to us soon!”

Chu Li had already seen Fa Yuan and Fa Xiang fluttering down the roof. The monks were probably rushing here now. They had definitely realized that something was wrong.

“You can go wherever you want!” Li Ruolan briefly glared at Chu Li. “I’ll do the same. We’ll go our separate ways.”

Chu Li impatiently said, “If you go by yourself, what are you going to do if you encounter the monks from the Tempest Temple? Can you escape from them?”

“It doesn’t matter if I can’t escape.” Li Ruolan scoffed.

Chu Li shook his head. “I’ll have to come and rescue you if you can’t escape. Let’s just go together and save ourselves the trouble. Hurry up!”

Fa Yuan and Fa Xiang were getting closer to them.

Chu Li stopped arguing with Li Ruolan after that. He merely grabbed Li Ruolan’s pale wrists and fluttered away with her.

Li Ruolan wanted to struggle, but her entire body was limp and weak so she could only let Chu Li take her away as he pleased. Li Ruolan was furious, but she knew that she could not throw a tantrum because of the urgent circumstances. Li Ruolan merely used her dazzling eyes to shoot daggers at Chu Li to express her anger toward him.

Chu Li dashed out of Fairy’s Capital with Li Ruolan in tow. Chu Li released a long breath. “We must escape.”

Li Ruolan scoffed. “Are we parting ways after this?”