Chapter 56: Return
Translator: CKtalon Editor: CKtalon
Qin Yun said, "When I used my flying sword, I had maintained Heaven Man Unity, allowing me to sense the surrounding five kilometers."
"There are no lesser demons in a fifteen hundred meter radius. Back when we challenged Water God, it had frightened them greatly. They must be in hiding, afraid to be caught in the crossfire. There are two lesser demons beyond that but under twenty-five hundred meters. Beyond twenty-five hundred meters but under five kilometers, there are three hundred lesser demons. Most of them are in Water God Manor." Qin Yun was aware of everything.
Yi Xiao praised him. "As expected of Heaven Man Unity. We are close to Lanyang River. Typically, it would be hard to discern anything clearly past fifteen hundred meters. However, to be careful, its best you kill the two lesser demons within twenty-five hundred meters. As for the ones beyond twenty-five hundred meters? They have no way of seeing the battle. Even Water God himself is unable to see a thing at such a great distance.
"Alright." Qin Yun nodded.
"Go."
With a simple thought and a beckon of his hand, a sword beam noiselessly flew along the rock face, sticking close to it. Unlike how he was using all his strength when fighting Water God, he did not care about the strength. All he did was try to make it as silent as possible.
…
"Quick, run away!"
"How terrifying. Human cultivators want to battle Water God. It's best we stay far away because our death is certain if we are caught in the crossfire."
Two lesser demons were tearing through the woods, hearts gripped with fear.
Suddenly—
A sword beam that resembled a misty rain flew towards them while sticking close to the ground. It whizzed past the lesser demons and immediately, they widened their eyes and collapsed to the ground, revealing their true forms. As for the sword beam, it once again returned silently while keeping close to the ground. The sword wounds inflicted on the lesser demons were also extremely ordinary.
…
The flying sword returned and immediately merged into Qin Yun's palm, becoming a sword ball in his dantian.
"The art of a flying sword is indeed impressive." Yi Xiao smiled when she saw that. "The legendary top sword immortals are able to release a flying sword and kill enemies that are five hundred kilometers away. Now, you have an inkling of that magnificence."
"I can at best send it out five kilometers. Out of that range, the strength would sharply reduce. The flying sword would then be at risk of being snatched away." Qin Yun walked to Water God's corpse. Seeing the massive corpse, he felt balanced and especially overjoyed. "Water God has wreaked havoc for more than two centuries. Now, he has finally died here. The millions of residents of Grand Dominance County will no longer suffer any more of his atrocities."
With that said, he waved his hand and swept his Quintessential Essence across Water God's corpse, removing all the various items and placing them by the side. Those were the spoils of war.
"Completely wipe away any traces of the corpse." Yi Xiao said, "I'll return to the sect and say that I've completed the mission. As for Water God managing to break through to the Connate True Core realm in battle, let it be known only by the two of us. There will not be a third."
Qin Yun nodded.
"In that case, our cooperation, together with the items given by the sect, would not be a big deal after killing a peak Connate False Core realm Water God. However, almost all the credit will be mine." Yi Xiao said, "In addition, I need some evidence. The head could have been used as proof but the head is too large. It can be determined that he was at the Connate True Core realm. Therefore, I need his other important weapon—the Blackwater Oxhorn Trident—as proof."
Yi Xiao looked at Qin Yun and felt a little ashamed. "That's his most important weapon and it should have been yours."
"You had helped me." Qin Yun smiled. "I do not want the outside world to know that I possess such strength at the Postnatal realm. I would attract all the great demons of the world and when that happens, I'll be in grave trouble."
Humans and demons had battled since time immemorial.
Once horrifying great demons appeared, there was no way to withstand their power unless one hid in the Daoist sacred lands forever. For example, Water God's master was a great demon at the Connate Golden Core realm!
"Chi! Chi! Chi!" As Qin Yun spoke, he used more than half a bottle of Nether Water. He then lit the corpse on fire, causing Water God's corpse to rapidly turn to ash amid sizzling sounds.
There were cultivators that had the habit of eating demon flesh; however, most cultivators absolutely refused to eat demon flesh! The Sword Immortal Legacy that Qin Yun obtained had also forbidden the practice.
"I'll take the Blackwater Oxhorn Trident while the rest is yours." Yi Xiao looked at the trident that was now several feet long without the infused demonic power. She took out her Cosmic Bag, reached out and threw the Blackwater Oxhorn Trident into the bag. The palm-sized Cosmic Bag was able to easily contain the massive weapon.
Qin Yun waved his hand, infusing Quintessential Essence into the Anchor Cloudchain. It rapidly shrunk and coiled around his wrist. It was an eighth-grade Dharma treasure, something Qin Yun could still control.
On the contrary, the Blackwater Oxhorn Trident was a sixth-grade Dharma treasure. Both Yi Xiao and he could not control it and use its might.
"That many?" Qin Yun picked up the spoils of war and discovered that the most precious item was an embroidered bag. When he probed it with his Quintessential Essence, he realized the bag's internal space was about the size of a cupboard! It was unable to contain the Blackwater Oxhorn Trident, which indicated how much better and bigger Yi Xiao's Cosmic Bag was than Water God's Cosmic Bag.
However, there were many treasures inside the Cosmic Bag. There was a huge messy pile of banknotes, worth a million and two hundred thousand taels of silver! There were also other precious items.
After all, the most important things were best carried on one's body. Water God did not dare to place his treasures in the manor. If he were to leave the manor, it would be too late for regret if demons took all his treasures away. Carrying the wealth with him was the safest. As for after death? Without a life, why bother?
"We should split these banknotes." Qin Yun took out a thick stack of notes.
"This Blackwater Oxhorn Trident is a lot more precious than those banknotes." Yi Xiao shook her head. "Furthermore, as cultivators, these mortal goods aren't important."
When Qin Yun saw Yi Xiao reject his offer, he nodded. "Alright then, knowing that you are a disciple of the Kunlun Prefecture's Yi family, I'll accept it brazenly. Haha, to be honest, I'm probably richer than the Grand Dominance County's richest Hong family."
Although he said so, Qin Yun knew that mortal riches were still of use in the early stages of cultivation. In the later stages, money had little importance.
"Qin Yun, remember."
Yi Xiao said, "We killed a Connate False Core realm Water God. Even if you show your flying sword arts, you can only say that you have mastered the state of Heaven Man Unity, allowing you to perform sword kinesis. You must never expose your sword intent."
To master Heaven Man Unity and sword kinesis at the Postnatal realm was only considered extremely rare! The masterers would be considered geniuses! However, which top sect of a Daoist or Buddhist sacred land did not have geniuses?
But for sword intent? That was a legend.
"I will not easily use my flying sword arts." Qin Yun immediately said, "Let's go. We need to quickly inform the county governor of Water God's death. We can get him to send out the troops immediately, stopping the villages in Grand Dominance County from sacrificing their children."
"Yes, let's return as fast as we can." Yi Xiao also nodded for it was an important matter. However, she immediately said softly, "Help me down the mountain. I've lost all my strength now…"
"My apologies." Qin Yun stretched out his arm and embraced Yi Xiao.
Following that, he tapped his feet and rapidly moved forward. His attainment of Heaven Man Unity made his speed a lot faster.
As for the reason why he did not use Sword Kinesis Flight, he had to firstly, keep it a secret and secondly, Sword Kinesis Flight drained Quintessential Essence at a speed ten times faster than simply controlling a flying sword. If he carried Yi Xiao while using Sword Kinesis Flight, it would drain him dozens of times faster. Qin Yun was, after all, at the twelfth level of the Qi Refinement stage in the Postnatal realm. He did not have sufficient Quintessential Essence.
Phew!
As he proceeded with Yi Xiao in arm, they quickly reached the foot of the mountain.
There, they quickly found their two horses. Although they had been left to graze, they had not gone far.
"Giddy up! Giddy up! Giddy up!"
Yi Xiao had not recovered from her rib injuries and could not wantonly use her Dharmic powers; therefore, she shared a horse with Qin Yun, with him constantly protecting her with Quintessential Essence. The other horse was brought along so that they could switch horses later. The two of them moved at the fastest speed possible towards Grand Dominance City.
On the horse, Yi Xiao and Qin Yun felt the warmth coming from each other. Yi Xiao's face was constantly red. Mixed feelings began suffusing Qin Yun's heart as he thought to himself, "Yi Xiao is doing so only because she's injured. I cannot be frivolous with her."
On the way, they saw a village convoy sending their children.
"They will only reach Demon Mountain Camp on the twenty-eighth. If they go ahead of time, they will be killed for trespassing." Qin Yun said, "Let's return. Under the county governor's arrangements, he will definitely be able to stop all these villagers."
"Yes." Yi Xiao nodded. She also understood that the villagers would not believe them even if they stopped them. It was authoritative only when announced by the imperial government.
After all, Water God had been wreaking havoc in Grand Dominance County for more than two centuries. To mortals, that was equivalent to numerous generations.
…
Finally, at dusk, Qin Yun and Yi Xiao arrived outside Grand Dominance City but the city gates were closed.
"Quickly open the gates." Qin Yun looked up at the city wall and shouted.
The guards at the top of the city walls looked down and one of the leaders recognized him. He immediately said, "Young Master Qin, the city gates are closed. I have no authority to open the city gates."
Only the county governor had the authority to do so.
"Seriously." Qin Yun could only carry Yi Xiao by the waist and made a quick leap. Like a gust of wind, he scaled the city walls and with another tap of his foot, he descended the city wall and entered the city.
The city guards fell into a daze. The city wall? It could not stop cultivators, to begin with.
"Leader, what do we do?" The other guards were somewhat at a loss.
"What else can we do? They are immortals. What can we do? However, kid, hurry to County Governor Manor and report the matter. As long as it's reported, it has nothing to do with us." The leader instructed.
…
And on the other side of the city wall, Qin Yun did not continue carrying Yi Xiao after entering the city. He held her wrist and infused Quintessential Essence over to her. He led her to County Governor Manor at a rapid pace.
And in County Governor Manor, the county governor was still reading in his study. He was planning to sleep in a while but he was unaware that Water God was already dead!