Hunted by the Entire World

Hunted by the Entire World . . .

Qin Wentian's body ascended into the sky, and he scanned the four cardinal directions, momentarily uncertain of where to begin his search.

Despite his newfound speed, combing through a particle world inch by inch was still a daunting task. His current cultivation fell short. Unless he attained the status of an immensely powerful immortal king, his immortal sense would remain significantly weaker than those of immortal foundation experts, preventing him from instantly enveloping an entire particle world.

"Purgatory," Qin Wentian called out.

"Master." Purgatory approached, sensing Qin Wentian's emotional turmoil.

"Qingcheng is familiar with you. Transform into your original form and soar high in the sky, releasing your purgatory flames. If Qingcheng sees you, she'll understand that I've returned," Qin Wentian instructed.

"Understood," Purgatory acknowledged. She emitted a resounding screech as she transformed into a vermilion bird, soaring into the heavens while igniting the space around her. Onlookers were left agape in astonishment. The vermilion bird was an immortal demon.

"Little Rascal, transform into a golden-winged roc and search for Qingcheng in the Country of Chu. If you find her, summon me immediately," Qin Wentian instructed Little Rascal, perched on his shoulder.

"Okay," Little Rascal replied obediently, instantaneously transforming amidst a tempestuous gust of wind into a magnificent golden-winged great roc. He darted toward the Country of Chu at remarkable speed.

The sight left everyone speechless. The Monarch of Grand Xia had returned, and his two demonic beast companions had evolved into immortals.

"Where is the Star River Association in Grand Xia located?" Qin Wentian inquired, directing his gaze toward those in the royal palace below.

"Not far from here, in the western direction," someone responded. Qin Wentian took off, flying toward the west. Before long, his immortal sense identified a towering, magnificent structure—a building that surpassed even the Grand Xia Royal Palace. This was none other than the Grand Xia branch of the Star River Association.

At this moment, anxiety rippled through the Star River Association members. They streamed out of the association, as if preparing to depart. Earlier, Qin Wentian's audacious declaration had resounded throughout the land, signifying his return and foreshadowing the Association's fate in Grand Xia. They knew that none within their ranks possessed the strength to challenge him.

However, a figure's silhouette suddenly descended upon the airspace above the Star River Association. Their piercing gaze took in every detail below.

Qin Wentian noted that despite some members preparing to flee, many experts still remained within the Association. Evidently, after experts from other worlds descended, they had employed an overwhelming approach to assert dominance over the entire particle world, and many local experts had chosen to align themselves with this interstellar force.

Qin Wentian unleashed his immortal sense, instantly accessing the Star River Association's reward list. As his eyes scanned the contents, his anger flared, radiating a palpable aura of fury. The bounties offered were staggering; the act of eliminating key members of the Grand Xia Royal Palace would earn one a fifth-ranked divine weapon from the Star River Association—an exceedingly extravagant offer.

At the pinnacle of the list, he spotted the names of his dearest friends: the Medicine Sovereign, Fairy Qingmei, Ye Qingyun, Ouyang Kuangsheng, and Mo Qingcheng—all marked as targets for hunting. Not a single one of his cherished companions had been omitted. The rewards for capturing the Medicine Sovereign and Mo Qingcheng were especially enticing, signifying that the Star River Association's immortal-foundation experts deemed them too insignificant to pursue personally, believing the tempting bounties alone would mobilize the entire particle world against them.

The Association's reward list also served as a means of asserting dominance, likely distributed to all branches across the particle world to bolster their control.

"Bzzz!" Qin Wentian's form darted forward, his sword qi sweeping across the heavens and earth. In his wake, individuals adorned in Star River Association robes plummeted from the skies, vanquished by the sheer force of his sword qi. Onlookers from a distance gaped at this spectacle, their eyes wide with astonishment.

Perched atop the Star River Association's edifice, Qin Wentian exuded an awe-inspiring sword qi that enveloped the entire complex. His robes billowed as if stirred by an invisible tempest, casting him as an embodiment of a vengeful deity.

The Association had placed substantial bounties on the lives of his closest friends, sealing their fate as irreconcilable adversaries. It was an irrevocable grudge.

The Star River Association coveted the lives of his beloved companions, even his wife, Mo Qingcheng.

His violent sword qi surged, its resonance reverberating. As the towering sword qi swept through the Association's building, the entire structure crumbled into ruins in an instant. Layers of sword qi continued to stack upon one another, evolving into an ever-escalating tempest of destruction. For Grand Xia's Star River Association, this cataclysm felt apocalyptic.

Beneath Qin Wentian's feet, the rubble crumbled further, disintegrating into a mere mound of dust. Countless particles of dust wafted through the air, signifying the fleeting existence of the newly constructed Star River Association, which had succumbed to oblivion in the face of the tempestuous sword qi.

Qin Wentian's figure flickered and vanished. Distant spectators stared at the obliterated Star River Association, their souls quivering with a profound sense of dread. The Monarch of Grand Xia had returned, and the flames of vengeance in his heart threatened to engulf the entire world.

"Thank the heavens I never joined that Star River Association," someone muttered, relief palpable in their voice. Those who had aspired to join but were turned away were now drenched in cold sweat, their perspectives dramatically shifted. Just moments before Qin Wentian's arrival, they had sung praises of the newly established Star River Association, proclaiming it to be an indomitable force destined to reign supreme. Joining their ranks, they believed, would lead to a life of opulence and glory. Little did they anticipate that everything they had envisioned would crumble to dust in an instant. Despair gnawed at those who had once held such aspirations.

Had Qin Wentian made a mistake? No one dared to entertain such a thought. They could all too vividly imagine the inferno raging within his heart. Once the Monarch of Grand Xia, he had united the entire realm. Upon his return, he was met with a Star River Association that had compiled a bounty list exclusively targeting his friends and companions. The fury smoldering within him was unmistakable.

Even those who had enlisted in the Star River Association understood that by doing so, they had inevitably cast themselves as adversaries to the Monarch of Grand Xia.

High above the Grand Xia Empire, a vermillion bird emitted fiery crimson rays as it soared through the skies. The bird circled tirelessly over the empire, its blazing eyes scanning the world below. Fully aware of Qin Wentian's anxiety, it was determined to search every inch of the empire to locate Mo Qingcheng.

Meanwhile, Qin Wentian pressed on relentlessly. Departing from the Ginkou Continent, he set a course for the Demon Continent. His intention was to visit every place where Fairy Qingmei had once dwelled, hoping to find a trace of her. However, the Star River Association's public declaration of their pursuit of Fairy Qingmei meant she could have concealed herself in an undisclosed location, rendering his search more challenging.

Upon reaching the vicinity of the Demon Continent's capital city, he encountered the Celestial Lake Palace, a place steeped in history. Qin Wentian yearned to investigate. Nestled amidst a dense forest teeming with ancient trees and populated by numerous demonic beasts, this city bore the scars of battle. Qin Wentian, however, found no sign of Fairy Qingmei or the others.

With a swish, he vanished once more, determined to explore other locations. His next destination was the resurrected Azure Emperor Palace and any other places where he suspected Fairy Qingmei and her companions might have sought refuge.

In a secluded corner of the Grand Xia Empire lay a verdant forest. Hidden within its depths, a cluster of small huts had sprung up, resembling the humble dwellings of a reclusive tribe, concealed from the prying eyes of the world.

Deep within the forest, a peculiar group of figures congregated. One among them stood out, and not in a flattering way – an exceedingly rotund individual sprawled on the ground, his voice dripping with discontent. "This ceaseless life of fleeing is wearing me thin. When will it all come to an end?"

His words drew a sly smile from a mature beauty donning a sizzling hot dress. "Running out of steam, are we?"

The chubby fellow quickly backtracked, his smile an eerie sight. "Oh, no, senior sister. Don't get me wrong. Just seeing you every day is a blessing in itself."

"Is that so?" The beauty's eyes twinkled mischievously. "I might need to have a word with Xuan Xin."

The rotund fellow quivered. "Sis, please, have mercy..."

"Hmph." A dulcet voice chimed in as several figures emerged from the nearby woods. Among them, one exuded an air of elegance and distinction, flanked by two beauties. One of these beauties was none other than Xuan Xin, who approached the chubby fellow with resolve. "Fan Le, our discussions are over. Starting tomorrow, it's your turn to venture out and gather information."

The chubby man's flesh wobbled as he lamented, "My lovely wife, must you treat your husband this way?"

"Come on, Fatty. This is a momentous occasion, and our lives hang in the balance," Ouyang Kuangsheng chimed in, chuckling as he appraised the chubby fellow.

"But really, it seems unlikely they'll discover this place in the short term," the chubby man mused.

"Caution is still our best course of action. Many of our seniors are already wounded. If we're caught again, our chances of survival are slim," Ouyang Kuangsheng cautioned, his demeanor turning somber. In this expansive world, they had no sanctuary. They were all targets, marked for pursuit by the entire world.

"I heard that our friend spent some time recovering here, under Qing'er's care. The ancient factions of the Azure Emperor Palace also convened in these woods. I wonder how he's faring in the immortal realms now," the chubby man murmured, gazing skyward with a sigh. "How vast is the distance, do you reckon, between our particle world and the immortal realms?"

"Who knows? The immortal realms are said to be boundlessly vast. His return, if it ever happens, won't be straightforward," Ouyang Kuangsheng replied with a heavy heart. The chasm between realms was vast, and even if their friend did return, the Star River Association's formidable power rendered it futile. "It's disheartening to think we might never reunite in this lifetime."

"Perhaps a miracle awaits!" Jiang Ting, beside Ouyang Kuangsheng, chimed in with an encouraging smile. "Miracles happened before. We never know what might transpire until the very end."

"I suppose we must resign ourselves to fate," Ouyang Kuangsheng mused. "I, for one, feel thoroughly bamboozled by that brat. I devoted my entire life to his cause. When will I get to enjoy life?"

Luo Huan, nearby, grumbled good-naturedly. "I've been swindled for a lifetime, too, slaving away wholeheartedly for that rascal. When will I finally get to live life to the fullest?" Despite her complaints, a twinkle of affection graced her eyes as she reminisced about their friend, and a radiant smile played on her lips.