CHAPTER 59: CHAPTER 59: CRIMSON SAND PALM, BREAKTHROUGH.

The town actually hid a True Intent expert?

Staring intently at the burly man who, with just a roar, sent the gourds flying and severely injured them, Qi Xiu’s eyes narrowed slightly. That location... Is it the residence of the newly arrived County Magistrate?

The back hall of the county office had been left in shambles because the previous County Magistrate, Guo Youfang, served a Fox Demon. Yuan Baiyi later set it ablaze. Consequently, after this new County Magistrate took office, he temporarily resided in a mansion next to the county office.

"Yue Ting, what is causing such a disturbance?"

After the burly man’s roar injured the gourd children, Song Tingye, the new County Magistrate of Baoho County, slowly emerged from the eastern chamber. This new County Magistrate was young, with a handsome and delicate appearance. He was dressed in a neatly tailored, plain white long robe, exuding a gentle and composed demeanor.

"Young Master, a few wandering sorcerers sneaked in tonight. I was about to capture them," Sun Yueting said. He flicked his fingers, releasing a roaring Qi Force that instantly knocked the gourd children unconscious.

"Wandering sorcerers?"

Stepping into the courtyard and looking down at the strangely dressed men who had collapsed, Song Tingye asked with a calm gaze, "What are they doing here?"

"They seem to be searching for something. After arriving in the courtyard, one of them recited an obscure incantation, apparently to activate a Magic Artifact," Sun Yueting reported.

A Magic Artifact?

Withdrawing his gaze, Song Tingye slowly walked over to the man with crimson eyes. "You’re visiting late at night. What exactly is your purpose?"

With a wary glance at Sun Yueting standing behind him, the crimson-eyed man’s gaze shifted slightly. "One of our companions is missing," he explained nervously. "We were just using our hometown dialect to search for him."

After observing the crimson-eyed man for a moment, Song Tingye chuckled softly.

"Lying. Yue Ting, kill him."

"Yes!"

"Wait, I’ll tell you, I—"

SQUELCH!

The massive figure suddenly flashed before the crimson-eyed man. With a grip as large as a fan, his entire head exploded like a tomato. The scattered red and white matter directly coated the men beside him.

"Leader!"

The gourd children shrieked in horror as they watched their leader’s head get crushed.

His gaze fell on the man with the pockmarked nose. Song Tingye continued to question in a calm tone, "I’ll give you one more chance. What exactly are you doing here in the dead of night?"

The sticky, foul-smelling red and white matter on him still radiated heat. The man with the pockmarked nose nervously glanced at Sun Yueting, who stood beside him with an expressionless face. "We... we came to find a Magic Artifact," he admitted.

"Indeed, searching for a Magic Artifact. What is this artifact, and why would it be in this county?"

"I don’t know. Only our leader knew what the artifact was. All we know is that it looks like a black jade thumb ring. A few days ago, that Magic Artifact was lost on a wild mountain outside the county and was later picked up by someone. Baoho County is the only county nearby. So we guessed the Magic Artifact must have been picked up by someone from this county," explained the man with the pockmarked nose.

Is that so?

Observing the man with the pockmarked nose for a few seconds, Song Tingye nodded in understanding. "Yue Ting, dispose of these people."

"You—"

A tiger’s roar seemed to fill the air as Sun Yueting moved, his fist striking with chilling power!

Sun Yueting dealt with the remaining wandering sorcerers swiftly and efficiently. Wiping his palms, he walked over to Song Tingye. "Young Master, shouldn’t we find the one harboring the Magic Artifact? Otherwise, it’s always a hidden danger within the county."

"No need. The Magic Artifact these wandering sorcerers care about might not be that precious. It’s unnecessary to make a big fuss over it. Don’t forget our purpose for coming here. Jiufang has proven that our ancestors’ and the Elders’ many years of scheming and conjecture were correct. We must also act according to plan and not allow Jiufang to leave us too far behind," Song Tingye said, dismissing Sun Yueting’s suggestion to pursue the Magic Artifact further.

"Young Master, since we must follow this path, why not choose a richer and more expansive county? This Baoho County is so remote and impoverished. It has just suffered from a demonic disturbance, leaving the people dispirited. Choosing to stay here, aren’t you a step behind the other young masters?" Sun Yueting asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Larger counties certainly have a more vibrant public spirit and a bustling atmosphere, which would make cultivation faster. But the current situation is unstable, especially due to the affairs of Xiangchu Province. A large number of Demonic Evil Cultivators have fled to our province. Even the regional commander has been alerted and has personally gone on an inspection tour. Large counties are obvious targets and are often attacked by Demonic Evil Cultivators. Once public morale collapses, all previous efforts will be wasted. In contrast, it’s better to be safe in a smaller county and progress step by step. Moreover..."

Song Tingye paused, then flipped his hand to reveal a greyish-bronze mirror. A black-clothed man was reflected in it, surrounded by two strikingly unfurled black and red auras.

"Two Magic Artifacts, heh..."

「 」

The new County Magistrate is no ordinary person, is he?

Back at his residence, Qi Xiu tore off the Hundred Faces Mask, poured a cup of tea, and caressed the brim of the cup.

He’s accompanied by a protector who is a True Intent Realm master. Why would such a person come to Baoho County to be the County Magistrate? A True Intent Realm master is an extremely rare existence in the secular world. Apart from the truly great sects and powerful families, most True Intent masters are usually the Sect Masters or leaders of various factions, the cornerstone of their power. For instance, Nie Xun, the vanguard officer of the West Wind Army, has only reached the peak of the Condensation Realm, even with Yuan Baiyi’s full support. This new County Magistrate has a True Intent master as a protector. Could his status be even higher than Yuan Baiyi’s?

These are troublesome times. I should go out less and strive to advance the Crimson Sand Palm to the third realm and start cultivating True Cultivation Power. Until I reach the Initiate Realm, I’m as insignificant as an ant each day.

Qi Xiu grimaced, tilted his head to drain his tea, and turned back into his room.

「 」

Several days flashed by.

Just as dawn began to break, Qi Xiu took advantage of the surrounding stillness and, using his Ghostly Shadow Formless technique, swiftly left Baoho County like an unseen phantom. He had been practicing day and night for the past ten-odd days. His proficiency with the Crimson Sand Palm had reached 99.99%; he was just one step shy of breaking through to the third realm and reaching its limit.

To avoid attracting attention with the commotion of his breakthrough, Qi Xiu left the county and found a secluded mountaintop. Sheer cliffs, nearly a hundred meters high, surrounded the area, impossible to climb even for those skilled in Qinggong. Only by integrating the essence of Swallow Soar into his Ghostly Shadow Formless technique could he hover and shift through the air to scale these precipitous cliffs.

Under the bright sun, with a refreshing breeze blowing in gusts, Qi Xiu’s wide-sleeved robe fluttered. He gazed out over the endless sea, took a deep breath, and began to practice the Crimson Sand Palm technique.

WHOOSH—

The air around him suddenly heated up. Qi Xiu’s expression turned solemn as every move he made adhered to an almost rigorously strict standard. He circulated his technique and breathed in rhythm, his Inner Qi flowing through its designated channels. As his Inner Qi completed one cycle within his body, Qi Xiu’s mind suddenly shook with a thunderous impact.

The next moment, an enormous amount of Divine Marvel surged from deep within him, integrating into his limbs and every part of his body. His muscles, bones, organs, and even his cells began to rapidly metabolize and regenerate. Qi Xiu’s entire upper body was covered in cracks, resembling a piece of porcelain that had shattered and been pieced back together.

At the same time, an indistinct outline, filled with intense heat and corrosive toxicity, suddenly appeared in Qi Xiu’s mind. Concentrating his spirit, Qi Xiu finally discerned the true form of this True Intent Diagram. It was a fiery red gourd, seemingly forged from molten lava. Dark smoke billowed from its mouth, carrying a terrifying aura capable of extinguishing all life.

Suddenly opening his eyes, Qi Xiu struck a nearby towering tree with his palm.

BOOM—

A flash of fire soared into the sky. The massive tree, so thick several men would be needed to encircle it, was instantly incinerated, reduced to a pile of black sand.

With a flick of his sleeve, Qi Xiu directed the black sand as if it were an extension of his arm. Each grain contained terrifying Fiery Energy and potent toxin.

Gazing at the fire-poisoned black sand suspended before him, which had appeared out of thin air, Qi Xiu’s expression became resolute.

The True Intent Realm, achieved!