Challenge

Li Honggang?

The surname Li immediately reminded Fang Wang of the Li family behind Li Hongshuang. Could the white-clad beauty that Li Honggang was looking for be him?

He was dressed in white when he used the Amazing Sword Technique.

Three and a half months have passed since Li Hongshuang's death, and Qingchan Valley has already retreated, but unexpectedly the Li family has found this place.

The Li family had no idea what he looked like.

After thinking it over, Fang looked at the mountain god beast beside him and asked about the details of what had happened.

This demon is named Shan Xiang. He grew up with the girl in green and they have been like brother and sister since childhood. Ever since Qingchan Valley began massacring the mountain god clan, Shan Xiang has always accompanied the girl in green when they go out. This time was no exception. While they were collecting herbs, they were suddenly attacked by Li Honggang.

Even with all the demonic beasts joining forces, none of them were a match for Li Honggang, and they could only watch helplessly as he captured the girl in green.

"Why didn't he kill you? Even if he was spreading the word, he didn't need you all to survive, did he?" Fang Wang asked, frowning.

Shan Xiang froze, shaking his head in confusion.

Fang Wang looked at Fang Hanyu in the distance. The girl in green had saved Fang Hanyu's life, and now that she was in trouble, he really couldn't just stand by and watch her die.

Moreover, if he lets the girl in green stay in the hands of the Li family, they will eventually force her to reveal Fang Jing's location, so he might as well act sooner rather than later.

After thinking it over, Fang Wang stood up, stretched out his right hand toward Shan Xiang, and said, "Give me the mask."

Upon hearing this, Shan Xiang quickly handed the fox mask in his hand to Fang Wang.

Fang Wang put it into his storage bag, then asked for directions to Haixia City. After Shan Xiang answered, he walked towards Fang Hanyu.

When Fang Wang arrived in front of Fang Hanyu, he explained what had happened. Fang Hanyu wanted to go with him, but Fang Wang refused.

"This trip might be a trap. Your presence will only hinder me. Since it was done by the Li family, they must be after me. If they come after me, just pretend you don't know me," Fang Wang instructed telepathically, still maintaining a degree of wariness towards the Mountain God Clan.

Upon hearing this, Fang Hanyu clenched his hands in his sleeves and slowly nodded.

"You must be very careful!"

Don't worry!

Fang Wang patted him on the shoulder and then turned and walked towards the cave entrance.

Inside the cave, Fang Wang took out a set of black clothes from his storage bag, changed into them, and then put on a bamboo hat.

He wasn't that foolish; he needed to investigate before taking any action.

After leaving Fangjing, Fang Wang flew away on his sword in the direction indicated by Shan Xiang, and soon disappeared into the horizon.

……

Haixia City is a border city located in the western part of the Great Qi Dynasty. As early as the beginning of the dynasty, this city was isolated from the outside world and became a city for cultivators to come and go.

This city is surrounded by mountains on all sides. The city covers an area of ​​several miles, so it can only be considered a small city, but the city walls are majestic and imposing.

From time to time, cultivators would arrive on their swords, landing in front of the north and south city gates, and paying spirit stones to enter the city.

Inside a mansion in the city.

Inside the room, the girl in green was eating pastries. She put on a white opera mask again, tilting it slightly upwards to reveal only her small mouth, making her look like a human.

"Mountain God, are you eating well?"

A strong voice rang out, and a middle-aged man dressed in a black robe stepped into the house. He walked with a powerful stride, his white hair was draped back, his face was square, his eyebrows were thick and his eyes were like a leopard's, and there were three scars on his cheeks, as if he had been injured by the claws of some kind of wild beast.

The girl in green immediately stopped, pulled her mask down, and snorted, "I've already said, I don't know Bai Yi Jinghong. I've never seen him before. I saved the Taiyuan Sect disciples simply because I couldn't bear to do it. For this, my Mountain God Clan has already paid a terrible price."

Li Honggang sat down opposite her, poured himself a glass of wine, and said, "Whether we know each other or not is unimportant. Your mountain god clan can command the spirits of the mountains and fields. What I need is for you to help me deliver messages. If I don't hold you hostage, how can those demons exert themselves?"

The girl in green was silent for a moment, and after a few breaths she finally spoke: "Several months have passed since this incident."

The major sects have already left, and Bai Yi Jinghong has probably been gone for a long time.

"No, those sects are all vying for the inheritance of the Jihao Sect, and my Li family members are among them. They haven't found out where Baiyi Jinghong is. I guess the Taiyuan Sect disciple that Baiyi Jinghong rescued is seriously injured and needs time to heal. They should be hiding nearby," Li Honggang said, shaking his head.

The girl in green scoffed, "Your Li family is so powerful, why don't you mobilize all your family members to search?"

"How could that be? Li Hongshuang joining the demonic sect is a disgrace to the Li family. The Li family will not make a big fuss about it, nor will it retaliate against Taiyuan Sect. But Li Hongshuang is my son. From the perspective of the family, Li Hongshuang's death is nothing to pursue. But from the perspective of a father, I must fight Bai Yi Jinghong to settle the matter!" Li Honggang said coldly, an indescribable aura enveloping the room, making the girl in green not dare to breathe.

The room fell silent once again.

Li Honggang downed the wine in his cup in one gulp, then said, "I've come here to tell the Mountain God not to worry. Even if Bai Yi Jinghong doesn't come a month from now, I will still let you leave. I've already spread the word. If Bai Yi Jinghong has even a trace of arrogance, he will come. Then the Mountain God will be able to witness my final battle with him!"

After saying that, Li Honggang stood up and left.

The girl in blue did not get up, but remained silently seated.

She naturally knew who Bai Yi Jinghong was, whoever saved Fang Hanyu, but she didn't tell her clansmen about it, for fear of causing trouble.

All she could do now was pray that Fang Wang wouldn't act impulsively.

……

sunset.

Fang Wang, dressed in black and wearing a bamboo hat, stood in front of the city gate, watching the cultivators coming and going. He was suspicious; this city didn't seem like a trap.

He went to the city guards and inquired about the entrance fee.

"Entering the city requires ten low-grade spirit stones or twenty spirit pills," the city guard replied.

In the cultivation world of the Great Qi, spirit stones are divided into low-grade, mid-grade, high-grade, and supreme-grade, from low to high. Like magical artifacts, the major sects cut spirit stones into equal weights and distribute them to their disciples. They are also traded with aristocratic families to form currency. The value difference between each grade is tenfold. One mid-grade spirit stone is equivalent to ten low-grade spirit stones. As a direct disciple, Fang Wang can receive ten high-grade spirit stones every month. Spirit Qi Pills are also a form of currency. The specifications of the pills have long been standardized. They can be used for cultivation and to restore spiritual power, and are equivalent to spirit stones.

After paying twenty spirit pills, Fang Wang entered the city. His clothing was not unusual; most cultivators wore bamboo hats, and some even wore veils.

Walking down the street, Fang Wang surveyed the scenery of Haixia City. Before he began cultivating immortality, he had heard the legends of Haixia City.

In folklore, Haixia City is known as the vanished ghost city, with various versions of legends. Almost all of them believe that Haixia City disappeared because it was occupied by ghosts and monsters, and that any mortal who encounters Haixia City will surely die.

It wasn't a ghost town after all; it was just occupied by cultivators.

There were many shops in Haixia City, and Fang Wang finally saw street stalls, which looked lively and bustling.

Cultivation techniques, secret manuals, elixirs, rare and precious materials, magical artifacts, talismans, rare treasures, demonic pets, and so on—it has everything, making it even more prosperous than the town we visited before.

Along the way, Fang Wang often heard cultivators mention names such as Li Honggang, Baiyi Jinghong, and Jihao Sect. Soon, he understood that Li Honggang had already spread the word that he would challenge Baiyi Jinghong, using his identity as Li Hongshuang's father. If Baiyi Jinghong won, then this karmic debt would be wiped clean.

The city was bustling with activity because many cultivators had come for Bai Yi Jinghong and Li Honggang.

From this perspective, it doesn't seem like a trap; Li Honggang is acting in a completely aboveboard manner.

As Fang Wang was thinking, he suddenly saw a familiar figure. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was indeed Gu Li.

Gu Li stood in front of a relatively crowded stall, her eyes fixed on a batch of demon pet eggs on the ground. She was dressed in a fitted purple robe, carrying a sword box on her back, wearing a bamboo hat and a green veil on her face, looking exactly like Fang Wang when he first saw her.

Fang Wang immediately walked behind Gu Li and said softly, "Miss Gu, what are you doing here?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Li turned to look at him, her beautiful eyes sparkling with surprise.

Fang Wang's heartstrings were stirred by her gaze, but he secretly reminded himself that it was just an illusion, a mere illusion, and that she was only trying to challenge him.

"Senior Brother Fang, you... let's find another place to talk."

Gu Li said happily, but before she could finish speaking, she took Fang Wang's hand and left.

This was the first time in Fang Wang's life that he had been held hands by a woman other than his mother, and he was caught off guard.