CHAPTER 496: CHAPTER 264: THOUSAND-MILE MASSACRE_2

While Li Yunjing was chasing this person, Yu Yunyi, Lv Ruoxi, and Fu Chao had also completed their task of killing enemies and collecting loot.

The three of them regrouped and immediately started pursuing in Li Yunjing’s direction.

Under the pursuit of Li Yunjing and the other three, this person fled for nearly a thousand miles, leaving the desert, before being intercepted by Li Yunjing.

"I’ll fight you to the death!"

Seeing that he couldn’t escape, this person, desperate, frantically waved his arms, summoning three or four spiritual artifacts to attack Li Yunjing.

"Kid, you actually have quite the assets!"

Seeing that this person had so many spiritual artifacts, Li Yunjing was quite surprised. However, these artifacts were all low grade and couldn’t harm Li Yunjing. Within just seven or eight rounds, Li Yunjing’s "Jade Sea Listening Wave Sword" forced the man into a continuous retreat.

"Fellow cultivator, spare my life! I am willing to pledge allegiance to you and become your servant!"

After seven or eight rounds, this person was already exhausted and could only plead bitterly, hoping Li Yunjing would spare his life.

Normally, if a Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivator sought allegiance, even someone as proud as Li Yunjing would accept them courteously.

However, blood had already been shed between them, and the other person was a Tribulation Cultivator, so Li Yunjing naturally wouldn’t leave such a risk.

As the old saying goes, if you don’t eradicate the roots, the weeds will grow again in the spring wind. If this young man were to get another chance to rise against the heavens, wouldn’t that create trouble?

Li Yunjing ignored the man’s plea and instead his gaze grew even colder. Taking advantage of a brief opportunity, he launched a "Palm Thunder" strike, hitting the man’s chest with a "crack," instantly breaking all of his ribs. Blood flowed from his mouth and nose, his body staggered a few times, and he fell heavily to the ground.

"Pfft..."

Li Yunjing casually swung his sword, severing the man’s head and completely ending his life.

"There are still some noteworthy treasures."

Li Yunjing searched the man’s belongings, examined the collected loot from a few people, and revealed a satisfied expression.

At least it compensated for some of the expenditures at the auction, addressing his routine cultivation resource needs.

Li Yunjing waited at the original spot, meditating for a while, restoring his mana, and waited for Yu Yunyi, Lv Ruoxi, and Fu Chao to join him.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."

Just as Yu Yunyi, Lv Ruoxi, and Fu Chao had not yet arrived, there were sudden sounds of something cutting through the air from afar, as six or seven rainbows streaked across the sky, approaching from the distance.

Li Yunjing’s expression changed instantly, becoming more vigilant.

Who knows what these arrivals are up to in such a place?

In this wilderness, it’s an ideal spot for ambush and robbery!

Facing cultivators is far more dangerous than facing demon beasts.

Now, having left the desert and reached an oasis, Li Yunjing looked ahead to see that the direction from which these people came had a clear stream flowing, and at the horizon, some nomadic tribes in the grasslands could be seen.

These people were setting up round tents along the river.

Surrounding these tents were numerous cattle and sheep, and livestock were seen everywhere.

Those flying toward Li Yunjing had a barbarian aura in their attire, wearing beast skins and sporting peculiar hairstyles, completely different from the citizens of the Great Ming Dynasty.

"So they’re barbarians!"

Li Yunjing’s expression grew serious. He knew that within the Great Ming Dynasty’s territories, there were numerous foreign tribes whose allegiance theoretically belonged to the Ming royal family, but in reality, they had their own systems and significant autonomy.

The Emperor’s commands basically didn’t reach these places.

Even the Shenxiao Dao Sect’s orders were met with mere superficial compliance, and these tribes didn’t truly follow the orders sincerely.

The Shenxiao Dao Sect, being so domineering, naturally couldn’t tolerate such things.

Over many years, every so often, the Shenxiao Dao Sect would incite major sects and clans under them to carry out a purging of countless foreign tribes in the borderlands of the Great Ming Dynasty.

This was to weaken the barbarians’ strength, suppress their ambitions, ensuring they remained subjugated.

However, this became less effective over time. The barbarians, having learned from countless bloody and tearful experiences, became increasingly adept at countering the sects’ scourging tactics.

Over the years, they gradually grew formidable, often daring to raid the territories of the Great Ming Dynasty, looting goods and capturing people.

The Shenxiao Dao Sect was not completely unaware of this.

But as the dominant righteous sect, inciting their subordinate forces to attack the barbarians was already somewhat beneath their status, and the sect’s prominent figures were unwilling to personally lead the clean-up.

Even if the Ming royalty or various sects and clans petitioned, the Shenxiao Dao Sect’s members would dismiss it, claiming that the barbarians’ ability to withstand their attacks meant they had a chance for survival. The sect wouldn’t take further action due to their supposed benevolent nature.

Other powers were welcome to form armies and campaign against the barbarians.

In response, many sects and clans recoiled.

The barbarians, impoverished and barren, provided no substantial gains, and strong sects or clans were unwilling to launch extensive campaigns into rugged terrains to hunt the barbarians’ main force and slaughter them.

Over time, this led to a situation where those bullied by barbarians couldn’t defeat them, and those who could defeat them were not provoked by the increasingly sagacious barbarians.

This is why the current situation came to be.

Encountering a group of barbarians here, Li Yunjing naturally became alert.

Nobody knows whether these barbarians might suddenly attack.

"Cultivator! Who are you? Why have you entered our territory?"

The seven barbarian mages approached ten yards from Li Yunjing, and their leader shouted loudly.

"Humph! What do you mean your territory! The Great Ming Dynasty and its surroundings all belong to the Shenxiao Dao Sect’s territory! Do you dare to establish your own dominion?"

Upon hearing this, Li Yunjing’s face darkened, he glared fiercely at them, and shouted coldly.

These barbarians don’t learn their lesson; unless severely reprimanded, they’ll think others are weak and easily bullied.

The Shenxiao Jade Scroll clearly records the habits of the barbarians.

Li Yunjing wouldn’t show them any kindness!

"You’re from the Shenxiao Dao Sect?"

Upon hearing Li Yunjing’s words, the seven mages’ expressions changed, revealing panic on their faces.

Who doesn’t know the prestige of the Shenxiao Dao Sect?

This sect has brought countless pain and disaster to the barbarians, beyond measure!

The barbarians wish they could exterminate every member of the Shenxiao Dao Sect.

But they dare not!

For many years, the Shenxiao Dao Sect has been the sole overlord of these lands.

High above, controlling the life and death of countless living beings.

The totem gods worshipped by barbarians also bow before the Shenxiao Dao Sect.

Those who submit prosper; those who resist perish!

This is not an empty boast from the Shenxiao Dao Sect; through massacre, they have truly instilled fear in various beings.

Realizing that the cultivator before them was from the Shenxiao Dao Sect, the group of mages felt both fear and anger.

To kill or not to kill?

For a moment, the seven were caught in a dilemma.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"

At this moment, the sound of something cutting through the air rose again as three streaks of light shot across the sky.

The newcomers were none other than Yu Yunyi, Lv Ruoxi, and Fu Chao.

Seeing the barbarians appear, the three of them were also surprised and quickly moved closer to Li Yunjing, standing together, menacingly confronting the barbarians.

At this moment, the ground trembled, and from the barbarians’ camp, hundreds more rushed out.

These people, clad in beast armor and riding demon beasts, stormed over, standing behind the seven mages, glaring murderously at Li Yunjing and his group.

From Li Yunjing’s perspective, these mounted warriors were all at the Qi Refining Realm level. Although their army formed a battle array, able to potentially surround and kill ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators, they were no threat to Li Yunjing’s group.

"Boom!"

Facing the arrival of the barbarian army, Li Yunjing and his group became instantly attuned, releasing their aura in unison, a surge of force that alarmed the seven barbarian mages.