ATPnovel Chapter 39 Strange
Chapter 39 Strange
Upon seeing this, Li Qingyi's lips unconsciously curled up.
Faced with the kneeling gratitude of twenty or thirty people, he felt a complex and indescribable emotion welling up inside him.
"Doing good deeds and helping others... seems to have a unique flavor?"
With a slight thought, he took out all the gold and silver treasures he had looted from the evil cultivator's storage bag and distributed them to everyone.
As a monk, these worldly things were of little use to him.
Li Qingyi was devoted to the Dao and kept only a small amount for unforeseen circumstances.
Upon seeing this, everyone was deeply grateful, and many people kowtowed repeatedly with tears streaming down their faces.
"Thank you, Immortal Master! You are our second parents! From this day forward, we are willing to serve you like a slave!"
Li Qingyi gently shook her head: "There's no need for that. From now on, you two should just live your lives peacefully."
After saying that, he turned and left.
As they watched his departing figure, everyone prostrated themselves and solemnly kowtowed.
……
As soon as Li Qingyi returned to the city, she saw the city lord Li Jinghong leading a large number of troops to greet her at the city gate.
Residents lined both sides of the street, beaming with joy and shouting in unison:
"Congratulations, Immortal Master, on your triumphant return from vanquishing demons and protecting the righteous path!"
"Congratulations, Immortal Master, on your triumphant return from vanquishing demons and protecting the righteous path!"
"Congratulations, Immortal Master, on your triumphant return from vanquishing demons and protecting the righteous path!"
Li Qingyi was momentarily stunned, not understanding what had happened.
Li Jinghong personally led over a fine horse, invited him to sit on it, and then led the way, explaining:
"The curse on my daughter has been dispelled; it must be because the immortal master has accomplished a great feat."
I have organized the people to come and welcome you, and a banquet has been prepared in my residence to celebrate your achievements, Immortal Master.
At this moment, Li Qingyi was like a victorious general returning home, greeted by jubilant people lining the streets.
If he weren't so hungry, he really wouldn't want to go to the banquet again.
The whole city was filled with a festive atmosphere, and everyone was all smiles.
Infected by the atmosphere, Li Qingyi couldn't help but smile. He was moved by the joy of the crowd and couldn't help but feel happy as well.
Inside the city lord's mansion, the silver moon hung high, and lanterns and decorations were everywhere.
Li Qingyi sat in the main seat, while Li Jinghong brought his family of six.
Apart from the daughter who had just been freed from the curse and was still recuperating, everyone came to offer a toast.
"Truly a young hero!"
"Thank you so much, Immortal Master, for saving my sister! I'll drink this first as a sign of my respect!"
Li Qingyi looked at Li Jinghong and asked:
"Does Lord Li know which organization bears the mark of that dark, incomplete Ghost Moon emblem?"
Everyone present looked surprised upon hearing this.
Li Jinghong quickly explained, "That's the mark of the Youyue Kingdom. How could the Immortal Master not know that?"
"The Kingdom of Youyue..." Li Qingyi murmured to himself, for he had indeed never heard of it before.
"I have been cultivating myself in the mountains for many years, and I have never been involved in worldly affairs," Li Qingyi explained with a smile.
Li Jinghong suddenly realized: "So that's how it is, no wonder, no wonder."
Li Qingyi enjoyed the food to fill her stomach while chatting with the others.
Suddenly, Li Jinghong let out a long sigh:
"For some unknown reason, His Majesty has recently begun searching for his lost child from his childhood within the territory of Xuan Kingdom."
"Sigh... It's been lost for sixteen years, it's not so easy to find now."
Li Qingyi asked, puzzled, "If you can't find it, you can't find it. Why is the city lord sighing?"
Li Jinghong gave a wry smile:
"The problem is that His Majesty is getting old and still can't forget that child... His decree adds a lot of trouble for us."
Upon hearing this, Li Qingyi asked no further questions.
He had no interest in these court affairs.
"So, where is the market where cultivators trade?" Li Qingyi asked, voicing her doubts.
He now has a huge sum of seventeen spirit stones in his hands.
It has surpassed the legacy of Youzhenren.
In addition, he still had some talismans on hand, and after selling them, he would receive another large sum of money.
Then I can buy some high-grade talisman drawing methods. With my current spiritual awareness and cultivation level, it shouldn't be difficult for me to draw them.
Then, by crafting two mindless corpse puppets, and simultaneously multitasking, one can surely amass a fortune.
Thinking of this, Li Qingyi's heart immediately burned with excitement; simulated freedom was just around the corner.
However, Li Jinghong stammered and couldn't give a coherent answer for a long time.
Li Qingyi narrowed her eyes. "What? Did you lie to me before?"
Li Jinghong was shocked. "Immortal Master, there is absolutely no such thing! It's just... coincidentally, after you left, the market was attacked by demonic cultivators and is now destroyed."
"What a coincidence?" Li Qingyi stared at Li Jinghong, and the atmosphere suddenly turned cold.
"Immortal Master, it is indeed so. I would never dare to lie to you!"
"Where are the ruins after the destruction?"
"That market was hidden in a secret realm, but now that realm has been destroyed, it has turned into nothingness."
Li Qingyi stared coldly at Li Jinghong. "So, the dead can't testify?"
Li Jinghong's forehead was covered in beads of sweat, and for a moment he didn't know how to explain it.
After experiencing the Qin family incident, Li Qingyi's sense of danger became exceptionally sharp.
Now, he sensed something was amiss and became secretly on guard.
Just then, a graceful figure walked in.
"Qinglian, why aren't you resting in your room? Why are you out here?" Li Jinghong asked with concern as soon as he saw the visitor, changing the subject.
"Qinglian only wants to see her benefactor in person." The girl said, turning her gaze to Li Qingyi and smiling slightly, "Your benefactor is indeed handsome and extraordinary."
"You flatter me, young lady," Li Qingyi replied perfunctorily.
Things seem to be getting complicated.
Li Qingyi wondered if the timing of the girl's appearance was a bit too coincidental.
Li Qingyi sized up the girl; she was beautiful and had a lively appearance.
She was very thin and her face was somewhat pale, which added to her pitiful charm.
Li Jinghong quickly introduced:
"This is my daughter, Li Qinglian." His eyes were full of affection. "Qinglian, please take your seat."
He arranged for Li Qinglian to sit next to Li Qingyi. The originally relaxed and pleasant banquet now became somewhat solemn.
Li Qinglian's gaze remained fixed on Li Qingyi, making him feel somewhat uncomfortable.
At this point, Li Qingyi lost her appetite and got up to take her leave.
After he had walked away, Li Qinglian said softly, "He is truly extraordinary."
At this moment, the loving fatherly expression on Li Jinghong's face had faded.
The relatives in the hall suddenly became vacant and walked deeper into the mansion like puppets on strings.
Li Qinglian's tone was flat:
"That thing is in his hands. If you don't find a way to get it back, once the secret is revealed to outsiders, no one can protect you."
Li Jinghong was furious:
"This is all your fault!"
"You asked me to trick cultivators into going to Listening Wind Mountain, and I succeeded. It's your own fault for being too weak, and now you're blaming me?"
Li Qinglian remained expressionless. She picked up the wine cup that Li Qingyi had used and drank the remaining wine in one gulp.
That's your problem, not mine.
"What business is it of mine if you didn't investigate his cultivation level beforehand? You'll have to figure out how to get your things back yourself."
Li Jinghong was so angry that he trembled all over:
"Who knew he was so powerful! He was able to kill a cultivator at the third level of Qi Refining at the age of sixteen!"
Li Qinglian glanced at him and said nothing more.
Her gaze fell on the spot where Li Qingyi had left, and she seemed lost in thought.
……
Li Qingyi returned to the small courtyard where she lived with Qin Xiyue and found her sitting in the courtyard waiting for her.
He placed a package of still-steaming roast chicken on the stone table:
"I brought this back for you, eat it while it's hot."
Qin Xiyue asked, "Was it you, the immortal master who was cheering and welcoming everyone on the street just now?"
Li Qingyi nodded in agreement.
He then placed the mysterious black box he had obtained from Tingfeng Mountain on the table: "Xiyue, do you recognize this?"
To everyone's surprise, Qin Xiyue's expression changed drastically upon seeing the box.
"Where did you get it?"