Slaying Demons: Starting with Upgrading my Calligraphy-Chapter 385 - 351: Swordsmanship + Thunder Magic

"Who are you...?"

Li Jiufang gazed intently at the young Daoist before him. The Daoist’s aura was unassuming and perfectly natural. Li Jiufang frowned slightly, searching his memory but finding no information that matched this person.

He was certain he had never seen this man before.

"It’s been a full sixty years since we parted ways in Qingliu County. I never expected such drastic changes; that the official once wholeheartedly devoted to the people would now become a prisoner fleeing from bandits."

Qi Xiu nodded slightly as he watched Li Jiufang, whose hair and beard were disheveled, yet still radiated an aura of dignified humility.

The Wu Family had failed in their struggle for power in Dianchuan Province and had been branded a treacherous family by Gao Tianxiong, leading to the relentless pursuit and slaughter of their entire clan.

But in all fairness, when Gao Tianxiong feigned death to set his trap and the entire province faced a great calamity of Demons, the Wu Family, despite their own interests, did protect many civilians and beheaded many Demons. Among them were good officials like Li Jiufang who, despite hailing from the Wu Family, possessed an upright and compassionate heart.

The victor is crowned, the vanquished condemned; there’s little more to say.

But in Qi Xiu’s eyes, Gao Tianxiong was a formidable figure, though not a good man.

That’s why he had stepped in to save Li Jiufang. This followed the oath he had taken when he entered the Initiate Realm: to not judge merits or faults, but only seek a clear conscience.

"Qingliu County?"

Upon hearing this familiar yet distant name, a trace of sorrow flashed through Li Jiufang’s eyes. He quickly composed himself and cupped his hands in salute to Qi Xiu. "Thank you for your help, sir, but I am a wanted criminal, hunted throughout the province. You should leave quickly to avoid being implicated because of me. Farewell."

Even though framed as a traitor, Li Jiufang’s innate concern for others hadn’t cooled. He spoke hastily and turned to leave, worried about causing trouble for Qi Xiu.

"Leave? The whole province is hunting for you now. Where can you possibly go? Besides, in your current condition, if you run into that group from before, I’m afraid not even wings would help you escape."

Qi Xiu chuckled softly, stepped forward briskly, grabbed Li Jiufang by the shoulder, and transformed into a fierce bolt of Lei Mang, shooting up into the sky.

「Beyond the mountains and forests.」

Tens of thousands of Martial Cultivators, donned in black and red martial attire, their auras fierce, each wielding various weapons, and with the two large characters "Zhenwu" embroidered on their chests, had completely surrounded the area for thousands of miles.

Snapping banners whipped wildly in the wind, each one bearing four gigantic, calligraphically flamboyant characters:

Zhenwu Escort Agency!

The Zhenwu Escort Agency was originally a mid-tier power in Xiangchu Province. It relocated to Dianchuan Province after the latter experienced a great calamity, during which all the Sect Aristocracies fled to other lands and power structures were entirely reshuffled. Under the guidance of an influential figure, this escort agency settled in Dianchuan Province. With the tacit, perhaps even cooperative, approval of the local County Yamen, they occupied a blessed immortal mountain. This mountain had once belonged to a first-rate sect known as the Xuanqing Dao Sect.

Ten thousand Zhenwu escorts, armed with various weapons and Magic Artifacts, held strategic points throughout this mountain range and Forest Sea. Drawing upon their own vital energy, they formed a Great Formation that enveloped the entire mountain range.

One hundred and forty-four Ironblood Flags rose high into the clouds like sentinels of the heavens, standing tall in the void. These flags emanated an intense, murderous aura. The totems on the flags snapped in the wind, as if alive. As the flags swayed gently, phantom images condensed from the baleful aura of conflict appeared and disappeared in the air, like hidden wild beasts ready to pounce, emanating a palpable and suffocating pressure.

"To catch you, these people really went to a lot of trouble. Hmm, such a Great Formation, with one hundred and forty-four Blood-Stained Great Cultivators and over ten thousand Initiate Realm cultivators. Even an ordinary Blood-Stained Peak expert, once inside this formation, would likely find it impossible to escape."

Witnessing the Great Formation that covered the entire mountain range, Qi Xiu smiled and turned to Li Jiufang beside him.

"You can still leave me behind now. It’s not too late," Li Jiufang said, looking up with a bitter expression, trying to persuade him.

"It’s merely a Great Formation; it can’t stop me." 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

With another chuckle, Qi Xiu ignored the formidable Ironblood formation spanning the horizon and continued to advance, riding his Lei Mang, utterly fearless.

"The Zhenwu Escort Agency has sealed off the mountains to capture a fugitive! Who dares to barge in here?"

Atop the mountain range, over a hundred streaks of light shot up from the ground. A dense, iron-blooded, baleful aura billowed and surged, taking the forms of blades and halberds, filling the air with the heavy scent of rust.

Armed with great spears and long sabers, over a hundred Blood-Stained Great Cultivators from the Zhenwu Escort Agency fixed their chilling gazes on Qi Xiu. The burly man who had been repelled by Qi Xiu’s earlier move was among them.

"Old Lin, this Daoist is not to be underestimated." His expression grave, the burly man recounted to an older escort with graying hair how Qi Xiu had casually neutralized their coordinated attack—from more than a dozen of them—and then shattered his great spear with a mere shockwave. This fellow is likely a disciple from a major sect, at Blood-Stained Peak Cultivation at the very least.

"A disciple from a major sect?"

Upon hearing the burly man’s words, Lin Changfeng narrowed his eyes slightly. Following the Dianchuan calamity, all other Sect Aristocracies had fled, save for the original Ten Great Sect Aristocracies. Could this Daoist be a disciple from one of those Ten Great Sect Aristocracies?

"I am Lin Changfeng of the Zhenwu Escort Agency. Might I ask for the Daoist’s esteemed name?"

Being cautious, Lin Changfeng stepped forward, clasped his fist to his palm, and inquired.

"Qi Xiu, a Sect Member of the Shenxiao Sect."

Qi Xiu stated his name calmly. Without granting the Zhenwu escorts another glance, he continued on his way, as if the Great Formation and the Blood-Stained Cultivators before him were beneath his notice.

Shenxiao Sect... no wonder...

Upon learning Qi Xiu was from the Shenxiao Sect, Lin Changfeng’s eyes showed a hint of wariness. It was an ancient grand sect that had endured through several eras. It was a colossal force that even the Military Governors of various provinces were reluctant to offend, a sect of profound heritage and unyielding presence.