Chapter 188: Chapter 90: All Karmic Ties Severed

Watching Ye Jingyu’s figure delve deeper into the Fire Domain and finally vanish from everyone’s Divine Sense perception, several of the Qin family’s Core Formation disciples stood hesitantly at the Fire Domain’s entrance.

“Hmph, that villain, seeing no way to escape, seals his own fate here—certain death is inevitable!”

“It’s a pity that we couldn’t capture him alive to identify the culprit!”

“What’s there to ask? Such methods, it’s definitely Celestial Punishment. Even if caught, he’d surely explode his Dantian.”

“Who could have hired assassins for murder?”

“People’s hearts are treacherous. Though the three sides seem like the biggest foes, in reality, they’re being manipulated. Perhaps other families in the Immortal Manor have designs, or the Commerce Alliance wants to muddy the waters.”

The five lamented a few times but were unable to make a decision.

“You all go back first. With Elder Qin’s demise, the Immortal Manor is sure to face turmoil. Although Elder Qin entrusted your Qin family’s core assets to me for safekeeping, we must not back down where we should contend.” Li Jizhou arrived slowly.

“Additionally, be wary of those three sides. They may not initially have destructive intentions, but now that Elder Qin is gone, they may find it hard to dissociate from the assassin, and might destroy your Feihong Immortal Manor on a whim!” He reminded them again.

“Alchemist Xue is right. We must take precautions!” The few immediately grew worried.

“Just leave Qin Changhong here with me to guard against that thief trying to escape,” Li Jizhou urged, speeding up the other four to return quickly.

Qin Haoyang decisively handed the Qin family’s core resources to Alchemist Xue for safekeeping, ostensibly to avoid them being coveted during chaos, trusting Alchemist Xue’s high moral standing.

However,

when handing over the storage bag to Alchemist Xue, he did not avoid anyone.

His intention was merely to place Alchemist Xue out front as a target.

Of course, he relied on Alchemist Xue’s status in the Commerce Alliance and his past as a high-level cultivator attempting Nascent Soul.

Neither the Artifact Sect trio nor the other four families inside the Feihong Immortal Manor would dare openly rob.

This greatly diminished the pressure facing the Qin family’s core members.

However, on the way just now, Li Jizhou had already checked the storage bag.

Inside the bag, there indeed were several items, outwardly appearing as thousands of Middle Grade Spirit Stones and quite a few jade slips of inheritance.

But definitely not the Qin family’s core assets.

The most fundamental core inheritance and assets of the Qin family surely required being handled by the Qin family descendants.

Li Jizhou had already guessed this when receiving the storage bag, so he didn’t feel disappointed.

Pocketing a few thousand Middle Grade Spirit Stones was akin to snatching a war prize at the level of Alchemist Xue—more than enough!

“Alchemist Xue, the juniors thank you again! Your presence during this Qin family crisis truly makes us deeply grateful.” Upon seeing the others walk far off, Qin Changhong immediately bowed to Alchemist Xue.

Li Jizhou turned and looked at him, smiling faintly.

He certainly had many thoughts.

After Qin Haoyang’s death, there would surely be a power struggle within the Qin family, and Alchemist Xue’s relationship with Elder Qin, along with the deathbed advice, held substantial weight.

Qin Changhong was merely currying favor in advance.

“No need, it’s nothing,” Li Jizhou gestured to support him with humility.

Afterward, Qin Changhong flattered him randomly again, but Li Jizhou was uninterested; he was merely waiting for the four to completely walk away.

“Alchemist Xue, isn’t that guy still without Core Formation?” Suddenly, Qin Changhong shifted conversation back to Li Jizhou.

Three years ago, Alchemist Xue informed him of an opportunity involving top-grade Crystal Condensing Pill, prompting him to prepare for Core Formation, but ultimately it was canceled due to Li Jizhou’s breach of promise.

Two years ago, feeling anxious, he purchased an overpriced yet slightly flawed top-grade Crystal Condensing Pill, using it for Core Formation, narrowly missing, resulting only in a mediocre True Core, leaving the Nascent Soul stage ahead less assured.

This left him with some resentment in his heart.

If three years ago Li Jizhou hadn’t broken his promise to seek Alchemist Xue for top-grade Crystal Pill, perhaps, with Alchemist Xue’s pill skills, achieving a perfect top-grade Crystal Condensing Pill wouldn’t have been a problem, and by now he would have surely been at Golden Core sans complications.

This stirred an inexplicable resentment towards Li Jizhou within him.

For three years, he had continuously kept tabs on Li Jizhou’s Core Formation matter.

If he eventually came out with a top-grade Crystal Condensing Pill, he would definitely confront Li Jizhou about it.

Li Jizhou, hearing this, showed no expression, shook his head slightly, and his Divine Sense had already communicated with Kuakuaku.

After a moment, Qin Changhong, about to speak again, suddenly paled.

The view of the Fire Domain began to distort…

Given his Early Stage of Core Formation and merely being a True Core, and presently his mind unprotected,

Kuakuaku, possessing Half-step Golden Core and nearly twenty years of Core Formation, could trigger a slight illusion, instantly trapping him.

Li Jizhou watched expressionlessly as Qin Changhong, eyes wide with horror, took step after step into the Fire Domain.

The first layer of the Nine-Layered Fire Domain had yellow flames equivalent to Alchemist Xue’s Anomalous Fire.

Once Qin Changhong entered, the yellow flames immediately surged.

Without activating his Core Formation Stage Mana Shield, even his body was barely better than a mortal’s, incapable of resisting the flames, instantly consumed by them.

Perhaps when his Dantian shattered and Divine Sense obliterated at the final moment, he had emerged from Kuakuaku’s illusion, but it was too late.

Li Jizhou stirred his Magical Power, forming a Mana Shield, walked straight, and picked up Qin Changhong’s storage bag.

“The causality is ended! The great good.”

By utterly removing Qin Changhong as a potential threat, Li Jizhou could now return and begin Core Formation.

Moreover, he now possessed Alchemist Xue’s Pill Skill inheritance, with nothing stopping his path.

“Hmm?” Just as Li Jizhou was about to leave, he suddenly sensed Bai Yi’s strong desire.

A natural Fire Spirit sensing the Fire Domain is expected.

Li Jizhou released Bai Yi.

Once out, Bai Yi immediately rushed around the Fire Domain, appearing extremely excited.

“A hundred years, one year; a thousand years, transformation… Having consumed those Nine Nether True Flames and Alchemist Xue’s Anomalous Fire should aid its advancement. Why hasn’t it reacted to the Tier Three Fire Spirit upgrade?” Watching Bai Yi, Li Jizhou showed the worry of an old father.

Currently, Bai Yi remained a Tier Two Fire Spirit, sufficient for pill alchemy, Tier Three advanced pills weren’t an issue, but it was lacking in artifact refining.

If it could upgrade to a Tier Three Fire Spirit, perhaps even the Tier Four Dragon Saliva Cold Gold wouldn’t require leveraging the Fire Gathering Array.

“Oh~” Suddenly, Li Jizhou observed Bai Yi traversing the flames, weakening their might instantly, before slowly restoring.

“Absorbing the blaze aids advancement?” Li Jizhou expressed some anticipation.

His Divine Sense communicated with Bai Yi, but it couldn’t articulate clearly, merely feeling great.

Li Jizhou pondered and let it continue its activities, but ensured it stayed within view.

Bai Yi was young, its thoughts immature, prone to accidents.

And Bai Yi was now Li Jizhou’s key asset, no mishap could be afforded.

Then, Li Jizhou turned his gaze deeper into the Fire Domain, in the direction where Ye Jingyu had ventured.

Though his Divine Sense stretched fully without any perception, his lifespan sense detected no presence inside the Fire Domain.

Yet, Li Jizhou was confident Ye Jingyu wouldn’t perish so easily.

Recalling the time in Qi Kingdom when Ye Jingyu’s arrest warrant was issued, the final record stated several Grand Elders of the Divine Intent Sect had cornered Ye Jingyu, leaving him with nowhere to go, finally entering a perilous location, assuming certain death.

Yet clearly, Ye Jingyu didn’t die back then.

And the perilous spot in Yan Kingdom was precisely this Fire Domain.

At that time, Ye Jingyu probably turned adversity into opportunity within the Fire Domain.

And this time, near death, fleeing inside desperately likely mirrored that experience.

Reflecting on Ye Jingyu’s journey, Li Jizhou couldn’t help but smile gently.

He felt Ye Jingyu’s experiences over the years seemed more fitting of a protagonist.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep