Destiny approaches, and shadows lie in wait.

Wu Long was a few hours away from Baiwei city, and grabbed his head as a splitting headache made him nearly fall unconscious.

The Heavens punishment of Wu Long, an attempt they carried out to seize his life, and damn it in an eternal purgatory.

The Dao tribulation, it is a manner in which all the wisdom of Heaven and Earth fills one's mind, enlightening them into madness. Imagine trying to stick a giant pillar into a pin sized hole, forcibly. It was as if his brain was continuously fed stimuli for a hundred years without a moment of rest. Luckily he had managed to dissuade the tribulation, and even gain some enlightenment in the Dao, his Dao heart becoming as hard as steel and possessing new more powerful laws. Yet at the same time the amount of rest his brain needed was unconscionable. He would be plagued with these pains, and be out of commission for a hundred years at least. Furthermore he couldn't make any progress in the way of the Dao, as he couldn't go into meditation. While on paper the Dao tribulation was something good, in practice it was inhumane. It was like dangling some amazing medicine, before a dying man.

He himself now needed some medicine, and decided to go to a nearby city to fetch some herbs and produce a few pills to help.

He quickly arrived at Longwei city. It was a small City, not remarkable without any proper powers set in place. Only the gathering of hunters, a small group, similar to the beggar sect, but unlike the beggars who collected information, the hunters traded various herbs, and other things one would have to tirelessly work for in the dirt. They mostly worked with clinics, and also some sects.

Wu Long set foot into the Gathering of hunters building. It was a rather big, comparative to the other buildings in the city. A thick smell of dirt, and blood, and most potent of all was the smell of alcohol. Wu Long walked past the thin, yet large made hordes of men and women to the bar counter.

He sat down, and pulled out a gold tael and a list and handed it over.

The barkeep took the two, and then handed Wu Long a small mug of ale. This was honeysplatter ale, it was a rare prestige among the Gathering of hunters, and even earned the respect of many respectable ale makers. It was made of a combination of herbs, and berries, and most importantly Purple flamed bee honey. Purple flamed bee honey was a very rare type of honey, that was very hard to collect considering the magical properties of the bees. Yet the gathering of hunters somehow managed to evade these magics that could even easily kill a martial king in a few breaths.

Wu Long drank the ale, at first it was unbearably sweet, yet as it hit his throat it became spicy, and began to spill the heat across his four limbs, and making his head feel comfortable. He sighed loudly, and sipped again.

By the time he finished, the barkeep returned with a small box of herbs, as well as a map.

Wu Long gave another tael of gold, and took the things and left.

As soon as he exited the building he smiled.

He stored the herbs in the Inverse Heaven orb, and took the map to find the remnants of the herbs and their location.

He walked out of the city, and to a nearby forest.

Just as he entered, a group of five, four men and one woman pounced from all directions blocking him from moving a step.

Wu Long displayed a cold smile, with no hint of emotion.

The group consisted of beefy baldies, and a muscled lady who had scars racing down her face, with an eye patch hiding her right eye.

Wu Long titled his head, "May I help you?"

The leader, an especially big man, with his explosive muscles, and gold studded ears. He wore a thick leather belt that sucked and hid his gut, while not completely.

He said in his hoarse voice, with a slight slur in his speech, "Kid, just give me yours gold. No need to make things go to far."

Wu Long nodded, "Indeed. No need for me to waste my time. I should hurry."

Wu Long's shadow began to twist and coil, and then shot at all five of the group.

Their shadows began to distort, as giant tendrils dug into their flesh, carving their eyes out. Thick balls of flesh fell from where the shadows dug, and soon enough with an empty look in their eyes the group began to sway without control.

Wu Long began to walk, and they followed obediently like dogs.

'Well, while I'm at it.'

"Tell me how do you people get the purple flamed bee honey?"

The four men unanimously said, "I don't know master."

The woman only began to say, "It's not a first hand account, but when I slept with a higher ranked member of the group, I heard him say that they use a sacrifice each time. It is most of the time a virgin girl, who they coat with bee pheromones, and then move to collect the honey. Because of all the young girls disappearance, the group began to disguise themselves as bandits and attacked other villages."

Wu Long muttered, "Ho. What a bunch."

He quickly collected the herbs in three days, and cleanly disposed of the five.

He sat down in front of a cauldron, and began the refining process.

...

Stuffing down five Soul refining pills, and three spirit cleansing pills, the pain in his head gradually weakened. Yet the pain remained, Wu Long needed more attention to cure this issue, but he had more pressing matters. He had to reach Baiwei city by tommorow, when the White Dragon academy opens. There would be a opportunity there that Wu Long had to seize. Through hook or crook.

He walked through the forest, finally reaching a great plain. Across the the plain was Baiwei city, and just as he began his approach, he looked to the side. A little distance away Wu Long saw six men decked out in animal hide, carrying an unconscious girl into the forest.

He decided to follow after a moments thought, and as they crossed a fair distance they came upon a great colony of bees.

Wu Long nodded, it was he had expected.

He himself had to dodge the hive as he accidentally approached it.

He watched as the men bathed the girl in a pink liquid, and then wake her up telling her to run or die.

She picked up her legs to run, and then sped out forward.

The men sank into the vegetation hiding themselves, their keen eyes tracking the bees.

The bee's quickly began agitated, and all of the ones surrounding the hive began to rush towards the girl.

Wu Long watched the show, when his eyes widened for a moment, before narrowing as a cold smile poached his face.

Wu Long shot down from the branch he was hiding on, and quickly shot forward. The sword in his hand twisting and robbing these men of their lives immediately. He then moved forward towards the hive, and collected some honey, tasting it, nodding in delight. Even going as far as to snatch the queen, who he promptly put into a glass bottle. He then killed the few bees that remained around the bee hive, and took the entire hive.

He then slowly walked towards the direction the girl ran.

He observed her being cornered by a large group of bees, a thick tree covering her back.

He lifted his eye, and took his sword.

Right as the girl was to be attacked, Wu Long swept forward, his sword spinning and quickly seizing the lives of the mindless bees.

He quickly took care of twenty, but then another group surrounded him and spat purple flames.

Wu Long opened his mouth, a wave of darkness covered and snuffed the fire out. The darkness rose and covered the bees, seeping into them. Wu Long then swept his sword up, and the bees all exploded into a blood mist.

Yet not a drop landed on his white robe. He looked like a fallen immortal, descended from the pure lands, with jade like skin, and a face that could possess the soul.

The girl who had just been saved, look on in amazement and shock.

Her eyes trembling. She could only regain herself as Wu Long began to walk away.

She asked him, "Who are you?"

Wu Long turned to look at her, the light pouring from the sky hit his face, and his red lips parted.

"Wu Long."

He then disappeared in a blur.

...

As Long Qingzhao, stumbled she finally arrived at the edge of the forest. The shock of the day had drained her of her energy, and she couldn't help but shake with every step.

Just then a loud voice echoed loudly, "Big sis Qingzhao!"

A youth, with average looks, but a certain charm, and booming muscles ran towards her, a worried look plastered on his face.

Long Qingzhao laughed, "Haha, even looking at your stupid face brings me happiness today!"

The youth's nose crinkled, as a pout emerged. He said in a quiet voice, "and after I was so worried! I ran straight here for the city, can't you show me any love?"

Long Qingzhao eyed him from the side and said, "Like what?"

He smirked, "A kiss from a beauty like you would do."

Long Qingzhao slapped his face and said, "Just because Grandfather may bare with you, don't think I will!"

"Now help me!" She said, as she leaned on his firm, and reliable figure.

His face turned slightly sly, as his hands ever so slightly traced her figure. Earning him another scolding.

As they increased their distance, Long Qingzhao looked back at the forest, and a trace of red flashed across her face, before it became cold again.

The two engaged in banter, until their figures crossed the hill.

Meanwhile leaning on a tree, Wu Long leaned gazing as their figures were bleached by the setting sun.

A juicy apple snapped in his mouth, and the juice slipped down his red lips and off his chin. A smile slowly forming, and the wind swept his hair.

"Nice to see you again, Ye Zheng..."