White-Robed Chief

Chu Li has been to the Ji Public House’s Ji River Valley before, so he could reach there in a flash if he wanted to.

However, he did not immediately head over, he decided to let the Ji Public House relax and let down their guard before sneaking in and hitting them head-on.

Qing Yun Town at night outshone its daytime scenes with vivid displays of fireworks alongside a sea of lanterns.

Chu Li leisurely strolled with Xiao Shi on the street.

Xiao Shi was clad in a bluish-white gown with a veil hiding her beautiful face, leaving only her bright eyes and the clear, pale skin of her forehead visible. No more was needed for her to exude an air of mysteriousness that attracted the attention of those around her.

Chu Li wore a long white robe with his sword adorned at his waist. From afar, his presence oozed an alluring sense of manliness, but up close, there was an overwhelming feeling of seriousness that kept others from approaching.

Xiao Shi occasionally stopped by some stalls to look at the small accessories on display.

There was a world of difference between these accessories and her jewelry, both in terms of craftsmanship and materials. However, she was still fascinated by these objects and would often take them out to admire their beauty after she bought them.

Chu Li started. “Since we’re going to the Ji Public House, let’s get moving tomorrow morning. You can accompany me during my journey, and I’ll send you back once we arrive and I need to start my work. How does that sound?”

“Sounds good.” Xiao Shi replied mindlessly as she fiddled with a golden hairpin decorated with dangling ornaments before placing it into her hair, hinting at him to look at her.

The stall owner was almost gawking at her. Although her face was hidden, her elegant mannerisms and her every movement was lithe and graceful – it was more than enough to render him completely hypnotized.

Chu Li shook his head, signaling her that it looked ordinary.

Xiao Shi put down the golden hairpin and picked up a jade hair stick, then poked it through her inky black hair.

Chu Li shook his head again.

The stall owner glared at him but when he saw Xiao Shi starting to leave, he frantically called out, “Please stay, miss, I still have this most-treasured piece!”

He quickly took out an exquisite rosewood box, its glossy surface gleaming under the nightlights, and handed it to Xiao Shi. “Try this, miss.”

Xiao Shi opened the box and took out a wooden hair stick that was glowing with a faint fluorescent light, it seemed like ivory from his past life but also resembled white jade. Upon looking at it, one would immediately know that it was no ordinary object.

“As they always say, a precious hair stick must be worn by a beautiful lady.” The stall owner was a middle-aged man, probably around forty-years-old. He had an angular face which was painted with a stern look as he muttered quietly, “I’ll sell it to you for a cheaper price!”

Xiao Shi stroked the hair stick with a thoughtful look. “Not bad.”

Her soft voice captivated the stall owner further as he hurriedly added on, “I only need a hundred taels of silver.”

Chu Li took a hundred taels of silver out of his inner pocket and gave it to him.

Xiao Shi put it in her hair, her eyes sparkling with joy. “What do you think?”

Chu Li nodded. “Not bad, let’s go.”

Xiao Shi gave a slight nod to the stall owner and left briskly.

As he watched Xiao Shi’s graceful retreating figure, the stall owner was left in a state of utter entrancement. Only a long time after Xiao Shi’s silhouette had disappeared did he finally regain his senses.

Xiao Shi adjusted her hair stick. “How long do we need to reach the Ji Public House?”

Chu Li replied, “Around five days. If you want to have fun on the way, then it’ll probably take ten.”

“Ten days…” Xiao Shi laughed. “That sounds good, let’s take our time.”

“Alright.” Chu Li nodded and pointed to a restaurant. “We can head back and sleep earlier after having some supper. You’ll be quite uncomfortable tomorrow.”

Xiao Shi nodded in acknowledgment when she heard this.

Both of them entered the restaurant and sat down at an empty table before ordering a few of the restaurant’s signature dishes. As they watched the bright lanterns and the bustling street below, they slowly savored their food before returning to their respective residences when they were done.

…

On the second day, they left Qing Yun Town on well-built horses as they headed in the direction of the Ji Public House.

They would stop at famous scenic spots along the way, which made their journey very slow. When night fell, they would go back to rest in Qing Yun Town before returning to their original spot the next day to continue their journey.

That evening, they leisurely strolled along the road as they prepared to find a place to have dinner before sunset. If they could find a small town ahead, they planned to have their meal there; if not, they would just find a place to tie up their horses and return to Qing Yun Town.

They wanted to try to see if the town’s dishes matched their taste. If so, they would stay and try the local delicacies; if not, they would just go back to Qing Yun Town for their meal.

Chu Li suddenly frowned.

Xiao Shi, who was talking to him while on her horse noticed his abrupt change in expression and asked, “What happened?”

Chu Li shook his head.

When she saw Chu Li trying to hide the truth, she got more curious. “What on earth is going on?”

Chu Li answered, “The village in front of us was massacred.”

“Hmm…” Xiao Shi could not fully understand the situation.

Chu Li shook his head and sighed. “The villagers were all killed, regardless of their age and sex, not even the animals were spared.”

His face darkened, he already knew who the culprit was as this was such a familiar killing method!

Xiao Shi furrowed her eyebrows together. “This is too much, who did it?”

“Asura.” Chu Li let out a sigh of frustration. “Never mind, you should head back first, I’m going to chase down this Asura!”

He scowled, Tempest Temple was too unreliable, how could so many of them roam freely when the temple already gave their word to keep these fellas under control? First, they killed Amethyst Mountain’s disciples, then heavily wounded his master, Shen Xu, and now this!

“Alright.” Xiao Shi nodded obediently. She knew it would not be safe to join him.

This was what Chu Li liked most about her, she could see the bigger picture and knew when to stop. She was indeed extremely intelligent.

Chu Li appeared behind her in a flash then disappeared after picking her up by the waist. A moment later, Chu Li reappeared on the back of his horse.

After tying the two horses in a nearby forest with long ropes that allowed them to graze freely, Chu Li vanished before popping up in a mountain village.

It was a small quiet mountain village, but the pungent stench of blood bathed the place with the smell of death. As the wind blew, it covered its surroundings with its foul odor.

Chu Li took a deep breath and used the Omniscient Mirror to look for clues.

Nature Restoration Manifestation functioned wonderfully and quickly found the footsteps of the murderer amidst the chaotic scene before him. Chu Li followed the footprints and traveled over fifty miles in a flash. He finally spotted the culprit in a forest beside a tiny village.

The Omniscient Mirror found an Asura and a young man fighting from afar.

This Asura was a middle-aged man who was as thin as a rake. His face was sickly pale while his eyes were piercingly sharp – he was the man Chu Li was looking for.

On the other hand, the young man was lean and taller than average. Despite having longer limbs, he was not clumsy and was incredibly agile, his movements fluid and nimble. His body moved with an indescribable beauty that was refreshingly pleasing to the eye.

While his actions were as elegant as a dancer’s, his formidable power was astounding. His hands waved ferociously like an eagle’s talons and produced loud ripping sounds, it was as if the air was torn apart by his swipes. With just a few moves, the young man was able to slash through the Asura’s shoulders twice.

The Asura’s body was freakishly strong, after his clothes were ripped apart, his bare, cast iron-like muscles were revealed. Although the young man was able to strike the Asura, the talons merely glided over him to leave scratches. None of them managed to sink into the flesh for a sold grab.

As he watched in silence, Chu Li was amazed at both of them for being top-notch masters. The young man’s Claw Technique was bizarre and had an astounding power, he could tell how swift and fierce it was just by the sound of it tearing through the air. Similarly, this Asura had a surprisingly impressive cultivation level too.