Sword Aura to the Heavens
Chapter 77 - 76 Contradiction

Chapter 77: Chapter 76 Contradiction

On the road, the steed galloped swiftly.

Liu Ji, curious about the treasure Lv Qin had hidden that attracted the pursuit of the Wanxiang Sect and demons, untied the bundle.

Inside was a metal box, beautifully crafted.

Liu Ji opened it, and a rush of scorching air blew in her face, making her head tilt backward as a beam of flame shot straight into the sky.

"An enchanted artifact?" Liu Ji murmured to herself.

Li Fan, sensing the disturbance ahead, turned his head to look and directed his divine sense towards that direction. He saw inside the box was a completely crimson flame pearl, emanating an extremely strong fire attribute aura, undoubtedly of high grade, no wonder it attracted covetous eyes. Commander Sun had directly colluded with demons to snatch it.

In the world, there are many enchanted artifacts that cultivators can directly use to cultivate, enhance their cultivation, and forge or strengthen their Dharma forms and martial spirits.

"Do you want to absorb it?" Liu Ji asked Li Fan, knowing that Li Fan could absorb any attribute.

"No need," Li Fan said, "Keep it safe."

Miss Li cultivates fire attributes, it can be given to her.

As for himself, he already had enough swords, and having slain demons along the way, the demon cores were sufficient for him.

"Alright." Liu Ji closed the box and kept it safe, then opened the item given to Wanxiang Sect’s Xiao Mo by the Tiger Demon, which turned out to be a demon core.

She couldn’t help but reveal a strange expression and sneered ironically.

Humans giving humans to demons to eat, and demons giving humans demon cores?

A perfect closed loop!

The two descended the mountain and continued forward, catching up with Han Zong and others on the way.

"Brother Xiao Fan." Han Zong smiled as he saw Li Fan was unharmed. Then he noticed the boy accompanying Liu Ji and the bundle on Lv Qin.

It seemed Li Fan really had slain Xiao Mo and his group from Wanxiang Sect...

Such courage comes with prowess, as Wanxiang Sect is a major sect in Chuzhou, and Xiao Mo is its young sect master, yet Li Fan didn’t conceal this from them at all.

Lv Qin hasn’t returned...

Han Zong pondered inwardly, Lv Qin was practical and ungrateful, likely ’abandoned’ by Li Fan, and that treasure, now, belonged to Li Fan.

He wisely refrained from asking or even discussing the topic; Lv Qin, taken by Xiao Mo, was a captive anyway.

At this moment, the boy in front of Liu Ji woke up, and upon realizing his situation, he asked, "Where’s my sister?"

Liu Ji looked at the boy with some pity; your sister almost gave up on you.

"After you fainted, your sister was harmed by demons," Liu Ji said.

The boy was stunned, looked back at the distance, tears fell, and then he became silent.

Yin Qing looked at the boy, then at Li Fan, pondering on the ruthless means.

Kill and rob treasures.

However, he dared not voice it.

Yet, he wondered what treasure it was that attracted so much attention.

"Let’s hurry, we’re still in the Mountain Lord’s domain," Han Zong said, quickening their pace, unaware that all the demons on the mountain had been slain.

Li Fan didn’t mention it, and the group hastened their journey.

By evening, a grand city appeared in sight, with towering city walls standing ahead.

Chuzhou City, the absolute center of Chuzhou, where top aristocratic families gather, truly a place where strong practitioners are everywhere, with more than half of Chuzhou’s top figures residing here.

Li Fan glanced at the towering city walls and then rode into the city with Han Zong and others.

The proportion of cultivators in Chuzhou City was much higher than in Lin’an County. Many passersby were cultivators, making it a hub of elites. Ordinary people struggled to survive here and could only exist at the bottom tier.

Even cultivators like Han Zong couldn’t escape the struggle for a living. To live a normal life was easy, but to progress further required risks, so they hunted demons in the wild.

Li Fan and his group found an inn to stay at, and in the inn’s main hall, they dined.

The hall was lively; after ordering food and drinks, Han Zong raised his cup to Li Fan, saying, "A toast to Brother Xiao Fan, it’s my fortune to meet you."

"Brother Han, you’re too kind," Li Fan responded with a toast.

Situ Chan also raised her cup and drank, smiling as she asked, "Brother Xiao Fan, what’s your plan next?"

"Brother Han and Sister Chan, do you know of the Cui Family in Chuzhou?" Li Fan queried.

"Cui Family?" Han Zong showed a hint of surprise, "If you mean the famous one, then yes. There is a Cui family among the Chuzhou aristocracy, but they’re so high and unattainable for us. Brother Xiao Fan, are you here for the Cui Family?"

Li Fan shook his head, "I have a friend from the Cui Family and came to find her."

Han Zong nodded, suspecting Li Fan’s background was extraordinary, being friends with someone from the Cui Family also seemed fitting, confirming their guess of Li Fan having a great practitioner at the Condensed Core Realm backing him.

The Cui Family, a top aristocratic family in Chuzhou, had cultivators at the Condensed Core Realm presiding.

Such top families controlled abundant cultivation resources, far beyond what loose cultivators like them could compare.

"Is this friend of yours a man or a woman?" Situ Chan asked with a hint of teasing.

"A woman," Li Fan replied.

Situ Chan’s gaze turned slightly ambiguous; Li Fan was so handsome with exceptional talents, perhaps planning to marry into the Cui Family?

Which Miss of the Cui Family could it be?

"I’m not familiar with Chuzhou City. Brother Han and Sister Chan, could you help me inquire? My friend is named Li Hongyi. She and her father should have arrived in Chuzhou City within the last couple of months," Li Fan said.

As people of the martial world, Han Zong and others were presumably more skilled in such matters.

"No problem, leave it to us. If Brother Xiao Fan’s friend returned to the Cui Family, I will surely find out," Han Zong promised.

For this journey, Li Fan was their lifesaver, and Han would spare no effort in fulfilling what Li Fan entrusted.

"Also, could you arrange something for this child?" Li Fan glanced at Lv Qi by his side. Having brought him to Chuzhou City was already the utmost he could do; it was impossible to keep him by his side.

"Leave it to me," Situ Chan agreed, this sort of thing being something she excelled at.

"Alright," Li Fan nodded, "Thanks, Sister Chan."

"Brother Xiao Fan, these matters might require some arrangements..." Yin Qing interjected at this moment, smiling although feeling slightly discontent.

Li Fan had killed so many demons and was laden with demon cores. With his deep cultivation and strong background, demon cores may not be important to him, but they were different for them.

Now they had reached Chuzhou City, and though Li Fan didn’t share the demon cores with them, he delegated these tasks, irritating Yin Qing.

Li Fan eyed Yin Qing.

"Second brother, what nonsense are you talking about? These little things don’t require arrangements," Han Zong retorted before Li Fan could respond, as Yin Qing’s behavior seemed improper.

Li Fan chuckled; people are indeed different.

Han Zong was straightforward and enthusiastic, while Situ Chan was bold and playful, but Yin Qing was scheming and calculating.

"I won’t let Brother Han and Sister Chan suffer," Li Fan took a sip of wine, not fulfilling Yin Qing’s wish. On the road, Yin Qing had secretly kept demon cores; had it not been for the regard for Han Zong and Situ Chan, Li Fan would’ve settled accounts with him long ago, as he seemed to overstep his bounds.

Those demon cores, he certainly wouldn’t give to him.

Yin Qing heard the implications in Li Fan’s words, realizing Li Fan was discontent with him, hurriedly raised his cup in apology, "I have no other intentions, Brother Xiao Fan, don’t mind. I’ll drink as a penalty."

Li Fan ignored him.

"Brother Xiao Fan, we’ll get things done," Han Zong stood up and said. Li Fan nodded and said, "Thank you, Brother Han."

As the group left the inn with Lv Qi in tow, Han Zong’s face remained troubled, Situ Chan seemed preoccupied, and Yin Qing appeared sullen.

Indeed, the trio already had grudges on the road; Yin Qing’s hoarding of demon cores was something Han Zong and Situ Chan both knew.

"Second brother, Brother Xiao Fan isn’t an ordinary person and has saved our lives. Don’t harbor petty motivations lest you bring harm upon yourself," Han Zong’s words were heavy.

Yin Qing’s eyes turned more sinister; was he petty?

"We were traveling together, and you didn’t know his extraordinary nature when you met him and kindly brought him along, isn’t that enough to share the fortune?" Yin Qing said, "But he took all the demon cores for himself and gave us a few like they were charity."

"Second brother, if you think that way, then our brotherhood might as well end here," Han Zong’s voice turned colder as he spoke. Despite his straightforward nature, he knew right from wrong. The dangers they had faced together over the years had brought them close, but paths might part if they diverged too far.

Yin Qing lowered his head, a sinister glint flashing in his eyes.

Han Zong’s words sounded noble; perhaps he wanted to climb high and saw offending Li Fan wouldn’t be beneficial, wanting to ditch him to keep all demon cores?

Moreover, with Li Fan promising not to shortchange Han Zong and Situ Chan, the two seemed to have a mutual attraction...Thinking this, Yin Qing suppressed his anger and said, "Brother, we’ve been through so much together. How can it come to such a thing over this? Since brother doesn’t like it, I won’t think of it anymore."

"It better be so," Han Zong said, "I’ll inquire about the news; Second Sister, you settle Lv Qi, what are your plans?"

"I have some matters to attend to," Yin Qing replied, and the three split up.

Yin Qing rode through the city, his gaze growing more malicious while his inner rage was hard to repress, his malice brewing.

"Since you’re unkind, don’t blame me for being unjust," Yin Qing said coldly. He was already tired of living on the edge, and this was the perfect opportunity to seek a public position.

Situ Chan mounted a horse with Lv Qi, worry clouding her eyes as she glanced in the direction Yin Qing left. Being perceptive, she understood the nature of Yin Qing, self-serving and calculating. After this incident, it seemed the three were to part ways.

"Sister, where are you taking me?" Lv Qi asked.

Situ Chan snapped out of her thoughts and asked, "I’ll find a family to place you. Where would you like me to take you?"

"I want to go with Brother Xiao Fan," Lv Qi replied.

Situ Chan was taken aback and asked, "Why?"

"Brother Xiao Fan saved me from the Tiger Demon and killed those demons and bad guys on the mountain. I want to go with him," Lv Qi responded.

"Tiger Demon?" Situ Chan questioned Lv Qi, "Are you saying Li Fan saved you from the Tiger Demon and killed those demons?"

"Yes," Lv Qi confirmed, and Situ Chan took a deep breath, her heart not at ease.

The Tiger Demon, a Great Demon of the Fourth Realm.

If Yin Qing harbors ill intentions, he might be seeking his own doom!