Chapter 101: Ambush

Han Yi decided not to press on toward Tong City. Instead, he retreated to Daofu City. He was only five or six kilometers outside the city gates, still over fifty kilometers from his destination.

With his injuries and the risk of encountering more Robber Cultivators, continuing onward seemed too perilous. Moreover, if the twelve Robber Cultivators he had just eliminated had accomplices, those accomplices might discover their deaths and pursue him. In his weakened state, that would be a death sentence.

It was wiser to return to Daofu City, recover his strength, and then resume his journey. There was no need to rush.

Once bitten, twice shy. Han Yi grew more cautious toward Robber Cultivators, realizing they could spring deadly surprises at any moment.

On the way back, he hastily bandaged his left arm and changed into fresh, ordinary robes from his Storage Pouch. Apart from a slightly pale complexion, he appeared unharmed.

The five or six kilometers passed quickly. Han Yi calmly entered Daofu City through the city gates.

Once inside, he didn't head straight for the Luo Clan. Instead, he found a reputable inn catering to cultivators and rented a top-grade private room.

Three days later...

Inside the private room, Han Yi opened his eyes. He flexed his left arm and, finding it fully healed without any hidden injuries, breathed a sigh of relief.

The black light merely grazed Han Yi's arm, leaving a minor wound. After three days of treatment with spirit medicines, only faint traces remained, which would gradually fade over the next week, leaving no visible mark.

Treating Luo Yunzhou's facial scar, for example, would be equally straightforward. These were merely superficial injuries, and with a cultivator's healing techniques, they could be completely erased, leaving no trace.

During those three days, Han Yi focused on healing his wounds, replenishing his mana, and pondering the lessons learned from the battle. He also tried to unravel the mysteries that still eluded him.

"Those robber cultivators had four Ninth Layer experts and eight Eighth Layer cultivators. They could have held their own even against a Peak Qi Refining Stage opponent. How did Luo Zhiguang manage to escape? Could he be hiding something?"

This was precisely why Han Yi had re-entered Daofu City but hesitated to approach the Luo Clan directly.

He vaguely sensed that the conflict over the Luo Clan's Spirit Fields involved far more complex undercurrents than met the eye, but he had no desire to become entangled in them.

"Moreover, this battle was extremely dangerous. Fortunately, I decisively used the spirit talismans at the critical moment."

Han Yi had originally intended to use both Yin Thunder Talismans, but the critical moment had passed too quickly. His mana reserves and reaction speed allowed him to activate only one.

Instead of targeting the Fierce Hanzi, Han Yi chose to strike the group of four Late-Stage Qi Refining cultivators huddled nearby. They were simply the closest, guaranteeing a one-hit kill with the Yin Thunder Talisman.

Next, he used the Chengying Sword to pierce through the leader of the Robber Cultivators, delivering the final blow.

"That black orb... I'll have to ask someone at the Profound Pill Sect about it when I return. Its power is truly astonishing."

The entire battle unfolded with breathtaking speed. From the moment Han Yi's four daggers flew to the instant the Chengying Sword plunged into the earth, no more than ten breaths had passed. The phrase "swift as a hare rising and a crane descending" perfectly captured the lightning-fast pace.

Han Yi was grateful for his quick reflexes. Had the Robber Cultivators been given more time, or had they possessed more of those bizarre treasures like the black orb, his situation would have become perilous.

"In three days, I'll set out for the Profound Pill Sect."

"As for Liu Heng... forget it. He's insignificant. Best to ignore him."

This wasn't out of mercy or cowardice, but rather a calculated decision. After carefully weighing the pros and cons, Han Yi concluded that killing Liu Heng would serve no purpose beyond venting his anger and ensuring secrecy. It would likely only invite further trouble.

Han Yi simply wanted to return safely to the Profound Pill Sect to focus on his cultivation, avoiding unnecessary complications.

Moreover, Liu Heng, having narrowly escaped the Robber Cultivators, would undoubtedly be as skittish as a startled bird. He might even realize something was amiss later and go into hiding. Given his cowardly retreat from the Formation Arts, he would likely assume that neither the surviving Robber Cultivators nor Han Yi would let him off the hook, prompting him to flee Daofu City entirely.

Hunting him down would be a waste of time.

If Han Yi happened to cross paths with Liu Heng under favorable circumstances, he would undoubtedly eliminate him. But actively hunting him down felt unnecessary. To put it bluntly, Liu Heng simply wasn't worth the effort in his eyes.

Three days later.

Having packed his belongings, Han Yi left the inn and headed toward Daofu City's gates. As he passed through the entrance, he noticed a group of cultivators gathered near the wall, pointing at a notice and discussing it animatedly.

Just as he was about to walk by, he suddenly stopped.

"This Liu Heng is utterly reckless! Daring to slaughter people within the city walls—isn't that a slap in the face to Great Qian?"

"All for a Spirit Field? Choosing mutual destruction over that? Utterly foolish."

"Exactly! You can always find another Spirit Field. But now that he's angered Great Qian, every department—the Demon Extermination Guard, the Demon Slaughter Army, the Imperial Observatory, the Robber Apprehension Bureau—is teeming with formidable figures. Did he really think he could commit murder and vanish without a trace? What an idiot."

"What a pity. The Luo Clan has truly suffered terrible luck, running into this madman."

Han Yi swiftly turned and strode toward the group, his gaze falling on a wanted poster affixed to the wall.

The poster prominently displayed Liu Heng's portrait and name, with the crime listed as: "Assassination of Luo Zhiguang, Patriarch of the Luo Clan; slaughter of eighteen Luo Clan members; subsequent flight."

Han Yi's pupils constricted sharply, his eyelid twitching. He whirled around and sped toward the Luo Clan's ancestral land.

"Could something have happened to Senior Brother Luo?" Han Yi's brow furrowed deeply. He didn't have many true friends. Years ago, only Zheng Hai counted as one, with Guan Di as half a friend. But since the Heavenfall City incident, Luo Yunzhou was now a full friend, alongside Zheng Hai, while Chu Jinmo, Yan Ru, and Guan Di each counted as half-friends.

Moments later, Han Yi entered Luo Manor, emerging half an hour later.

Standing before the estate's gates, he glanced back at the white lanterns hanging above the entrance, his expression dazed. A heavy weight settled in his chest, a raw emotion he had never experienced since his transmigration.

Luo Yunzhou was dead.

This senior brother, whom Han Yi had met five years prior, before turning thirty, had tearfully treated him to a feast at the Ascension Pavilion to repay him for saving his life. Afterward, he had often invited Han Yi for drinks, fostering their bond. Now, he had died in his homeland, Daofu City.

His Immortal Path had come to an abrupt end.

He had seen the corpse with his own eyes.

This was why he stood there, dazed and lost in thought.

Just moments ago, upon entering the Luo Clan, he had learned the cause of Luo Yunzhou's death.

Three days prior, Liu Heng had infiltrated the Luo Clan under cover of darkness. He first assassinated Luo Zhiguang, then killed Luo Yunzhou, who had arrived seeking him. Afterward, he slaughtered other clan members before fleeing unscathed.

Snapping out of his trance, a terrifying aura of killing intent erupted from him. The surrounding Spirit Qi trembled under its intensity. Had a Mid-Stage or Early-Stage Qi Refining cultivator been present, their minds might have shattered, causing them to faint on the spot.

"Liu Heng, you've signed your own death warrant."