"Sand Flow Technique!"

  A vortex appeared out of nowhere on the ground, swallowing a wild wolf. The wolf struggled desperately but could only watch as it was engulfed by the quicksand.

  "Fireball Technique!"

  With a loud explosion, a large tree shattered into countless pieces, its branches and leaves consumed by raging flames.

  "Wind Riding Technique!"

  The black-shirted youth's body suddenly became as light as a swallow. He darted rapidly through the jungle, leaping like a rabbit or falcon, covering two or three meters in a single step, swift as a ghost.

  With the circulation of essence energy, heaven and earth are established. With the unfolding of creation, all things are utilized.

  Pop!

  The black-shirted youth seemed to feel a faint pop within his body, as if a membrane had been pierced. Immediately, a surge of newly generated essence energy continuously welled up from his elixir field, circulating through his meridians.

  His essence energy had nearly doubled. After consuming the five Qi Gathering Pills obtained from the golden-robed youth and spending another half a year, he had finally reached Qi Refining Level Two.

  Leo opened his eyes. Thinking about the trade for the pill formula, where two pills' worth of spiritual energy went to the black-robed old man and he only used one and a half of the remaining three, he felt a pang of regret for the old man's significant gain.

  "We've been stuck in this desolate wilderness for over half a year now. When are we finally leaving?" A red-dressed woman emerged from behind a large tree, speaking discontentedly to Leo.

  "You can leave whenever you want. Your legs are attached to you; I'm not stopping you," Leo replied indifferently.

  "Arn is too remote. Over half a year, we only found one spirit stone. I really regret coming here. Since you're also planning to go to Moonwatch Immortal City, why don't we travel together? We can look out for each other on the road."

  Vesper wasn't angered by Leo's words. Instead, she smiled. After more than half a year of interaction, though Leo was a few years younger, she didn't dare look down on him in the slightest. Staying in the wilds for over half a year, cultivating every day with relentless focus—even adults rarely possessed such patience and determination.

  "It's time to leave. Let's go."

  Arthur Draper, having lost his son, had been mobilizing martial world sects to search for him frantically over the past half year. Leaving inevitably carried some risk. Previously, he knew nothing about spells. Over these six months, he had focused on practicing several low-level spells, achieving minor proficiency. Now, even without the leopard spirit beast, he had a certain level of combat power.

  More importantly, he had run out of Qi Gathering Pills again. To further improve his cultivation from here on, he could only rely on step-by-step, arduous cultivation. He estimated that, at his current speed and without the aid of pills, reaching Qi Refining Level Three would take at least six or seven years, perhaps even over a decade.

  After much thought, Leo decided to head to Moonwatch Immortal City, the gathering place for cultivators. There, it should be easier to find spirit stones and spiritual herbs.

  He retrieved the Shadow Ants he had been nurturing in the jade pool inside the cave. After half a year of effort, he had bred over twenty new ones, adding to the originals, bringing the total to over thirty. With his current Qi Refining Level Two strength, he could only directly command about twenty in combat simultaneously. However, according to Vesper's information, Shadow Ants could be nurtured to produce a 'head ant.' The head ant could simultaneously command up to twenty of its kind to attack an enemy. Though not as effective as direct control, it freed him up to cast spells himself, effectively increasing his combat power.

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  A few days later, on the official road to Misty Veil Peaks, a portly, dark-faced man and a middle-aged woman with some pockmarks on her face rode forward at a gentle pace.

  "I really don't understand how a young person can be so cautious. The Draper family only has Arthur Draper at Qi Refining Level Four. Besides him, even if we encounter someone at Qi Refining Level Three, with your current strength, you should be more than a match. Arn has nearly a hundred counties. Can Arthur Draper possibly block us at every turn?"

  Vesper, originally a woman of decent looks, was now disgruntled after being subjected to Leo's modifications. He had used herbs to create pockmarks on her face and dressed her in coarse linen clothes like a common martial world traveler, making her utterly unremarkable.

  "If you're confident, we can separate," Leo replied.

  He had been discovered and pursued by Vesper and Wynn Draper in Nordgard County before. If he hadn't managed to ambush and subdue Vesper first, being surrounded by both of them, he likely would have been the one dead. This experience forced him to be cautious.

  "You!" Vesper was exasperated but soon couldn't help but smile. Separating was something she wouldn't do. In terms of cultivation, Leo was now at Qi Refining Level Two, the same as her. But Leo also had the leopard spirit beast and Shadow Ants as deadly weapons. If she encountered a Qi Refining Level Three member of the Draper family alone, it would likely be dangerous. The journey to Moonwatch Immortal City was long and arduous; staying with Leo was safer.

  Clang! Clang!

  Not far from Misty Veil Peaks County Town, the sounds of clashing blades and the shouts of martial artists were incessant, punctuated by occasional screams.

  "Theo! Felix! Go, leave quickly!" At this moment, Viktor, the Head of the Punishment Hall of the Thunder Blade Sect, was leading a group of disciples, blocking the onslaught of several dozen skilled attackers. He was already covered in blood but still struggling to hold on.

  "Master! We leave together!" Felix and a young woman in white cried out in grief.

  "Remnants of the Thunder Blade Sect, stop arguing! None of you will escape today," a one-eyed man on a chestnut horse, wielding a large saber, roared arrogantly.

  The group hadn't gone far before being intercepted by pursuing martial artists and surrounded. Felix fiercely cut down two men but was entangled by two others in gray.

  "Brother Felix!" the young woman in white cried out in grief, trying to fight her way over, but was intercepted by a pale-faced young warrior wielding an iron fan.

  Seeing the young woman's beauty, the iron-fan youth's eyes lit up with a lecherous glint. "What a stunningly beautiful lady, truly evokes pity. After today, the Thunder Blade Sect will cease to exist. A wise bird chooses its branch to perch on. Why not come with me, lady? In the future, you could be my wife, the future sect master of the Five Suns Sect, enjoying endless wealth and luxury."

  "In your wildest dreams! I'd rather fall for a toad than someone like you," the young woman in white trembled with anger.

  "You don't know what's good for you. After I capture you and have my fun, I'll let the sect disciples have their way with you, subjecting you to all kinds of humiliation," the iron-fan youth said, his face darkening at her scorn. He flicked open his fan, the sharp blades at its tips sweeping towards the young woman.

  "Seeking death!" Felix, forcing back two enemies with a saber slash, made a diagonal cut aimed at the iron-fan youth.

  Swoosh! Their weapons clashed, evenly matched. However, Felix received a slash on his back from a gray-clad attacker, blood flowing freely.

  Leo, arriving along the official road at this moment, witnessed this scene. Felix and another young martial artist of similar age were protecting a young woman in white, trying to break out. Viktor, the Head of the Punishment Hall, and a group of disciples were trapped in an encirclement by several times their number of enemies.

  Something has happened to the Thunder Blade Sect? How? The Thunder Blade Sect is the largest faction in Misty Veil Peaks. Even within the entire Arn region, their strength ranks within the top ten.

  "It's better to avoid trouble. Let's go quickly," Vesper said to Leo. Having witnessed frequent conflicts among cultivators near Moonwatch Immortal City, this kind of scuffle among secular martial artists held no interest for her.

  "I've encountered acquaintances. Stay here for a bit. I'll resolve this quickly," Leo said, drawing the green sword obtained from Wynn Draper and leaping from his horse.

  "Brat! Think you can play the hero saving the beauty? Capture him alive! Later, I'll humiliate this little girl right in front of him," the iron-fan youth snarled.

  "You dare!" Felix, envisioning the horrific scene, his eyes bloodshot, was ready to fight the iron-fan youth to the death.

  "How would I dare not!" The iron-fan youth laughed heartily, but his laughter quickly froze on his face.

  Urk... The iron-fan youth felt a sharp pain in his throat, then could no longer make a sound. A warm flow spread across his chest. His throat felt like it was leaking air.

  "Who are you, sir? How dare you interfere in the affairs of our Five Suns Sect? Prepare to die!" The one-eyed man on horseback, seeing the young sect master killed, was both shocked and furious. With the young sect master dead, how could he face the sect master if he didn't eliminate this enemy?

  "This person is the Deputy Sect Master of the Five Suns Sect, a legendary martial artist! His saber technique is fierce and powerful, his strength immense. Be careful!"

  Viktor was now drenched in blood—enemy's and his own. In this desperate situation, an unexpected ally brought a flicker of hope, but seeing the one-eyed man attack, he couldn't help but warn anxiously.

  Clang! Saber and sword clashed.

  Leo's wrist went numb. This legendary martial artist is no pushover, he thought with surprise. Even at Qi Refining Level Two, his raw strength was still slightly inferior.

  "Is that all?" the one-eyed man snorted coldly, but a trace of disbelief soon flashed in his eyes. His treasured dark steel saber, which had cut through iron like mud for years, had been severed by the other's green sword!

  Thud!

  A large head flew several feet into the air. The one-eyed man's eyes remained wide with disbelief as his body crumpled to the ground.

  The Mysterious Green Sword was forged from a small amount of mysterious iron mixed with other ores, considered only a low-grade spiritual tool. Yet, it had so easily severed the treasured saber of a legendary martial artist. It seemed the gap between secular martial artists and cultivators widened exponentially at higher levels.

  Having killed a legendary martial artist with one move, Leo's confidence surged. He charged towards the other Five Suns Sect disciples. Wherever he passed, no one could withstand a single exchange. In moments, over twenty people were slain.

  The remaining Five Suns Sect disciples, pale-faced, scattered and fled. Leo wanted to eliminate them all, but with dozens fleeing in different directions and moving quite fast, he was powerless to pursue them all.

  "I am Viktor of the Thunder Blade Sect. I thank you, sir, for your timely assistance. I am immensely grateful!" Viktor, covered in blood, clasped his hands in salute towards Leo.

  "This is not the place to talk. Find a safe location first," Leo said gravely.