Chapter 4927: Pursuing the Fugitive (None Today)

Inside the Lecture Hall on Qinglian Island, a rosy-faced elder in a green robe was lecturing to over a thousand clan members. After their spiritual roots were detected, clan members would come to the Lecture Hall to learn basic cultivation knowledge; this was their initial enlightenment.

In addition to foundational cultivation knowledge, the clan members were also required to learn the clan's history, which traced back to their descent from the Dongli Realm.

“Patriarch Qingqi dedicated everything to the family,” the elder said gravely, his expression stern. “He trained many excellent alchemists for the clan. He is our role model. You must learn well from Patriarch Qingqi, do you understand?”

All the clan members agreed in unison.

The elder nodded, then looked towards a fair-faced boy in a golden robe. “Chuanming,” he asked, “what are your thoughts after hearing today’s lecture?”

“We should learn from Patriarch Qingqi,” the boy in the golden robe said earnestly, “but times are different now. Your grandson believes that one’s personal cultivation is the most important. If Patriarch Qingqi had advanced to the Nascent Soul stage, he would have had more time and resources to research new elixir formulas. Of course, given the circumstances back then, it was very difficult for him to reach the Nascent Soul stage. We should, however, emulate Patriarch Qingqi’s spirit, cultivate diligently, and contribute our share to the clan.”

The elder nodded with satisfaction, then his gaze drifted to a corner. “Chuanlin,” he said in a deep voice, “what are you looking at?”

A slender boy in a green robe stood up and replied, “Granduncle, your grandson is reading the patriarch’s biography.”

“How many times have I told you,” the elder commanded, “that you are not allowed to read other books during lectures? Not even the patriarch’s biography. Go stand outside.”

Wang Chuanlin acknowledged, and obediently went outside.

“Everyone, learn from Chuanming, not from Chuanlin,” the elder instructed, and then resumed his lecture.

Wang Chuanlin glanced left and right, then pulled a thick book from his sleeve. The five large characters “Biography of Patriarch Qingling” were emblazoned on its cover, and he began to read.

The book recounted the story of Wang Qingling, mentioning Wang Qingxiao, but its content only chronicled events up to Wang Qingling’s peaceful demise.

After a while, the elder walked over, snatched the book, and reprimanded, “Chuanlin, I’m punishing you to go back and copy the ancestral precepts a hundred times. You’re not listening attentively in class, and you’re not even standing properly during your punishment.”

“But I’ve already read the Biography of Patriarch Qingqi,” Wang Chuanlin quietly argued, “there’s nothing new to hear.”

“So what if you’ve read it?” the elder scolded. “Does that mean you can get distracted and read other books? You can read it again later, but when you’re in class, listen carefully. I’m punishing you to copy the ancestral precepts five hundred times.”

Wang Chuanlin agreed, not daring to speak further.

More than an hour later, the lecture concluded. The elder departed first, followed by the other clan members, but Wang Chuanlin and Wang Chuanming remained.

“Chuanlin,” Wang Chuanming mocked, “honestly, is it so hard to say a few pleasant words? You just have to provoke the elder; it’s truly foolish of you.”

“Hmph, I’m not like you, one way in front of people and another behind their backs,” Wang Chuanlin retorted.

“That’s called being adaptable,” Wang Chuanming sneered. “Unlike you, acting like a fool and always confronting the elder. What kind of future will you have like that?” The two were cousins; their grandfather, a Core Formation cultivator, had died at the hands of a powerful enemy. His sons, fighting fiercely over the inheritance, saw their relationships deteriorate, which also led to poor relations among the younger generation.

“We’ll see who amounts to something in the future,” Wang Chuanlin said, putting away his book and striding away.

***

In the depths of the Tianzhu Mountain Range, miasma lingered, thick and unyielding.

A streak of crimson light and a streak of golden light shot across the sky, one after the other, leaving two faint trails in the air.

A series of whooshing sounds rent the air as dense beams of green light shot forth, heading straight for the crimson light.

The crimson light halted, revealing a gigantic crimson butterfly. It had a human head and a butterfly body, evidently a result of the Spirit Attachment Art. The butterfly’s wings then sprayed a cloud of crimson poisonous mist, which dispersed the incoming green light and flew straight towards the golden light.

The golden light stopped, revealing Wang Liangyan.

Reverend Blood Butterfly had attacked and killed members of the Wang family, leading the Wang family to offer a reward of fifty million spirit stones and organize a large force to apprehend him. Upon discovering his tracks in this area, the Wang family’s experts immediately rushed over.

Wang Liangyan took out a shimmering golden folding fan and gently fanned it. A wave of golden flames swept forth, transforming into a golden fire phoenix hundreds of feet in size. The phoenix spread its wings and charged towards its opponent.

As the crimson poisonous mist approached within thirty zhang of the golden fire phoenix, it instantly dispersed and vanished.

The crimson butterfly felt the astonishing high temperature emanating from the golden fire phoenix and was about to evade when a woman’s powerful roar rang out—the Soul Suppressing Roar.

The crimson butterfly’s body trembled, and it was struck by the golden fire phoenix. A sea of golden flames then engulfed the crimson butterfly.

A streak of red light flew from afar; it was Wang Qinglong.

Wang Qinglong was one of the elders of the Law Enforcement Hall, a dual cultivator of body and magic. Reverend Blood Butterfly had brutally harmed members of the Wang family, and Wang Qinglong had personally led the hunt for him. He organized a large force and offered a huge reward, declaring that anyone assisting Reverend Blood Butterfly in hiding would be considered an accomplice.

Reverend Blood Butterfly had sought refuge with a close friend. However, tempted by the substantial reward, the friend betrayed him. This led to Reverend Blood Butterfly being pursued by Wang Qinglong and Wang Liangyan, fleeing all the way to this location.

Wang Liangyan released a golden spider puppet. The puppet opened its mouth and sprayed a large expanse of fine golden light, which merged into the golden sea of flames. A man’s shrill scream then echoed from within.

A crimson long rainbow of light flew out from the sea of flames, heading straight for Wang Liangyan.

Wang Qinglong stepped forward, his right fist clad in a gauntlet, and met it.

“Clang!” With a muffled thud, the crimson long rainbow flew backward, revealing itself to be a crimson short blade.

The crimson short blade’s spiritual light surged, and it struck towards Wang Liangyan again.

Wang Liangyan summoned a small golden cauldron. It released a golden aura that enveloped the crimson short blade. Although the blade’s spiritual light flared, it was to no avail, as it was drawn by the golden aura into the small golden cauldron.

A crimson long rainbow of light flew out from the sea of flames, traversing a hundred li in an instant.

The crimson long rainbow was a blood-robed youth with ordinary features, looking panicked and with a weakened aura. It was Reverend Blood Butterfly.

Wang Qinglong took out a shimmering golden longbow, drew it, and notched an arrow.

The whistling sounds of arrows filled the air as four green arrows shot forth, transforming into four green long rainbows, and pursued him.

A woman’s thunderous roar, echoing through the heavens and earth, resounded.

Wang Liangyan unleashed the Soul Suppressing Roar again. Reverend Blood Butterfly froze, caught by the four green long rainbows.

Reverend Blood Butterfly let out a shriek of agony, his body pierced by the four green long rainbows. A bloody hole appeared on his forehead, and a mini Nascent Soul flew out of his body. A shimmering golden giant pagoda then descended from the sky and collected the mini Nascent Soul.

His corpse rapidly plummeted, but before it hit the ground, Wang Qinglong caught it.

Wang Qinglong cut off Reverend Blood Butterfly’s head, searched his body for valuables, burned the corpse, and then departed the area with Wang Liangyan.

A year later, Reverend Blood Butterfly’s head was hung at the entrance of Qinglian Valley. Every cultivator entering or exiting Qinglian Valley could see it, a stark warning of the fate awaiting anyone who dared to attack and kill a member of the Wang family.