novelz
Chapter 70: Bear-Hearted and Sinister
Chapter 70: Bear-Hearted and Sinister
The date had been set—there wasn’t much time left before the Xiaohan Secret Realm opened.
Li Xuanxiao left the sect and boarded a flying boat belonging to the Merchant Association.
The reason for leaving the sect this time was that he had accepted a Foundation Establishment Stage mission from the Sword Bearing Pavilion.
Li Xuanxiao planned to complete the mission quickly and then head straight for the Xiaohan Secret Realm.
As for why he took the Merchant Association's flying boat—
Recently, the Gold Coin Merchant Association had just closed a deal with Mount Shushan.
Taking the Gold Coin Merchant Association’s flying boat meant he could get reimbursed.
Zero spiritual energy consumption per hundred kilometers, and rumor had it there were even free meal allowances.
Inside the sect, Li Xuanxiao claimed he was in the Foundation Establishment Stage, but outside, he disguised himself as being in the Qi Refining Stage.
Generally, high-level cultivators wouldn’t randomly make a move against a lowly Qi Refining Stage cultivator.Not to mention, there were experts stationed aboard the flying boat.
Because attacking like that brings karmic entanglement—and even if you kill a Qi Refining Stage cultivator, you gain nothing.
Li Xuanxiao tested every dish for poison before he began eating in small bites.
At this moment, he was seated peacefully in his private room.
With his left hand, he delicately picked up an exquisite pastry and placed it in his mouth, savoring the sweet and delicious flavor.
In his right hand, he held a steaming, fragrant cup of tea, occasionally taking gentle sips, letting the rich, mellow taste slowly spread across his tongue.
His gaze, meanwhile, extended out through the window beyond the flying boat.
Outside, clouds drifted lazily—sometimes stretching like cotton, sometimes curling like waves.
Li Xuanxiao couldn’t help but feel refreshed and content. His eyes gently narrowed in comfort, and the corners of his mouth curved into an utterly relaxed smile.
The next second, Li Xuanxiao slapped himself.
This wasn’t Mount Shushan.
This was the outside world, full of constant danger and schemes.
How could he afford to be so careless?
He punished himself by copying “The Steady Life of an Ordinary Cultivator” ten times.
“........”
A few days later.
Li Xuanxiao arrived at the location of this mission.
?Mission target: A Foundation Establishment Stage black bear, causing trouble all over the place, currently no reports of killing. Main goal is discipline and reformation. If it resists fiercely, you may eliminate it.?
Li Xuanxiao quickly locked onto his target.
A small forest path—a large black bear was leisurely strolling along.
“Heh heh, today’s haul was good. The wife and kids won’t go hungry.”
As it walked, suddenly a merciless iron hand sprang from the ground and dragged it below.
A big ol’ bear just vanished into thin air.
Underground, the black bear was brutally beaten.
Not long after, Li Xuanxiao’s devilish voice rang beside its ears.
“You committed a crime, you know that?”
“Spare me, Immortal Master! Ever since I gained sentience, I’ve never killed anyone!”
The black bear covered its head and begged for mercy.
“I’ve got a wife and kids at home, please don’t kill me.”
Li Xuanxiao knocked it on the head, “I know you haven’t killed anyone. If there was even a trace of bloodthirsty aura on you, I’d have run you through with my sword already!”
(???(?)?´?)
“Bear knows it was wrong! Bear will change for sure! I just couldn’t help it, there’s not enough to eat in this forest.”
“Can’t go somewhere else?”
“Other places belong to other demons.”
“This is the Agricultural Record. The soil here is fertile—you could grow enough to feed your whole family.”
“Many thanks, Immortal Master, thank you!”
The black bear kowtowed repeatedly in gratitude.
Having swiftly dealt with the bear demon problem, Li Xuanxiao left and headed straight for the Xiaohan Secret Realm.
After Li Xuanxiao left, the beaten-up bear demon hurried back.
“Husband, why are you back so late today? What happened to your face?”
Inside a cave, another black bear rushed out to meet him.
“Don’t even ask. Got beat up by some cultivator.”
“Another righteous cultivator? That’s too dangerous. Husband, let’s leave this place.”
The black bear said confidently, “What’s there to be afraid of? With this Hundred Beast Fire, no matter how many people I kill, I won’t be tainted by bloodthirsty aura.”
Hundred Beast Fire was a divine ability that the black bear naturally possessed.
Just like when Li Xuanxiao met Octopus Xiao Ba.
This black bear also had a trace of ancient spirit beast bloodline in its body.
Though it was a branch lineage, it had accidentally mastered the Hundred Beast Fire.
So it started on its cultivation path.
It knew that the more people it killed,
The more likely it was to be targeted by sects or the Dynasty’s Demon Subjugation Bureau.
Even if the Hundred Beast Fire could digest the blood aura,
It still acted very cautiously. Once it had killed enough and felt it was time,
It would quickly move to another location, never leaving survivors.
It didn’t roar pointlessly, and would even erase its own tracks.
Just as the bear had predicted—
It had indeed encountered several people who came to apprehend it.
But upon seeing no blood aura, they thought they’d caught the wrong guy.
Plus, it was fast at kneeling—so every time, it got away unscathed.
Today was the same.
But the black bear still had a vague sense of unease.
So it told its wife they’d leave tomorrow and find another place.
The black bear looked around.
“What’s wrong, husband?”
“I don’t know. Just got a really bad feeling inside.”
“No more fresh meat anyway, since we’re leaving… how about grabbing a few more to eat?”
The black bear nodded, “Yeah, I—”
At that moment, two merciless iron hands reached from the ground and dragged both bears underground.
“You actually tricked my feelings. And to think I was only planning to monitor you for three months. Too cruel! Do you know how much that hurt my heart?”
Once again, Li Xuanxiao was reminded of the sinister nature of people in the cultivation world.
No—of bears. Bear-hearted and sinister.
“.............”
Xiaohan Secret Realm.
The entrance to the secret realm was about to open, and many cultivators had gathered here.
This particular entrance was located at the intersection of three sects.
Upon learning the Xiaohan Secret Realm was about to open,
The three sects had come to an agreement to station their disciples here.
As a result, this entrance wasn’t filled with bloody conflict.
Compared to here, the other entrances were a mess—chaotic before even stepping into the secret realm.
Everyone nervously stared ahead. The once calm space suddenly began to tremble,
As if some invisible force was awakening.
Next, a faint glow gradually appeared in the void, becoming brighter and more dazzling.
As the glow intensified, a huge circular portal silently formed in front of them.
The portal looked like a deep vortex, endlessly spinning.
It had appeared—the entrance to the Xiaohan Secret Realm.
Immediately, someone charged in headfirst.
Secret treasures go to the swift.
Whoever entered first would undoubtedly have the advantage.
But also the highest risk.
So everyone pushed and shoved their way toward the entrance, with plenty of cursing in the air.
After a while, the entrance to the Xiaohan Secret Realm quieted down.
Now and then, a few latecomers hurried over.
After another while,
The entrance fell completely silent.
Just as it was about to close,
A figure darted inside at lightning speed, faster than the ear could hear or the eye could see.