CHAPTER 881: CHAPTER 659: BEIHUANG LINEAGE

Nuheng’s carriage traveled along the roads of Beihuai City.

Beihuai City was immense, like a giant metropolis. Li Yi knew only a fraction of Beihuai City, and his location was actually in the outer city area, while there was still an inner city.

Although the inner city was not densely populated, all the inhabitants were powerful warriors. Moreover, Li Yi noticed that many people had blue markings on their faces, resembling totems or some kind of insignia.

Nuheng also bore such marks on her body.

Li Yi glanced at the blue marks on her face. Clearly, Nuheng had intricate ties with these people.

"The blue markings symbolize the Beihuang Lord lineage."

Nuheng noticed Li Yi’s curiosity and explained with a smile: "The Beihuang Lord lineage is also a Divine Blood Family. However, the Divine Blood of Beihuang has declined over the generations and is no longer as potent as it was three thousand years ago. Now, the Divine Blood Lineage of the Beihuang Lord consists of only a few members. If the Beihuang Lord lineage cannot produce a new Beihuang God, this bloodline will completely vanish from the world."

"I didn’t expect the Merchant Master to be part of the Beihuang lineage, no wonder they possess such wealth and connections," Li Yi remarked.

Nuheng then displayed a trace of melancholy in her eyes: "Unfortunately, I did not inherit the Divine Blood. Becoming the Merchant Master is already my best destiny."

"In that case, your status must be very high," Li Yi commented.

For a woman without the Beihuang Divine Blood to have such wealth, her position within the Beihuang lineage was evidently not simple.

"A status without power is like an iceberg under the sun, unreliable," Nuheng said. "My lifelong wish is to establish a Divine Blood Family of my own, replace the Beihuang Lord, and have my descendants sing my name for generations."

"It’s only a pity that even as the Merchant Master, traveling through many places, I’ve never found a suitable Divine Blood Lineage until I met you, Da Yi."

Li Yi calmly replied, "The Merchant Master values me because I am alone, with no Divine Blood Family behind me, and not many followers, so the Merchant Master can better utilize my strength and control me."

He exposed her intentions.

"Da Yi, the path of a Divine Blood Warrior requires patronage. Xiu Xiang has already failed, and he is on the verge of losing his life. I can replace him, and even as a woman, I could bear you Divine Blood offspring. Isn’t that beneficial for everyone?"

Nuheng didn’t answer directly but pivoted the conversation.

"Many things cannot be measured by money. Just like you, the Merchant Master, possessing the wealth of a lord but unable to acquire a Divine Blood Lineage. If any other Divine Blood Lineage had been interested in your wealth and beauty, they would have agreed to your request long ago and not waited until now," Li Yi said.

"Da Yi, your words are always so sharp, making it impossible to hide secrets," Nuheng sighed softly.

Quickly.

The carriage stopped before a stern building.

This was the prison of Beihuai City.

Those imprisoned here had committed grave crimes in Beihuai City and were of particularly special status or strength. For an ordinary person who committed a grave crime, they would be executed immediately, without wasting resources on imprisonment.

"Here we are, Xiu Xiang is imprisoned here," Nuheng said as she stepped down from the carriage.

At this moment, the guards before the prison immediately showed deference upon seeing Nuheng.

The prominent blue on Nuheng’s face indicated she was a member of the Beihuang lineage, and the masters of the Beihuang lineage could nearly move unimpeded anywhere in Beihuai City.

However, the prison was an exception.

"I am Merchant Lady Nuheng, and I wish to enter the prison, please allow passage," Merchant Lady Nuheng said, producing a token forged from red gold for the guards to see.

"Understood." The guards, seeing this red gold token, dared not obstruct them and granted passage immediately.

Nuheng then left all her escorts behind, bringing only Li Yi into the prison.

Li Yi followed Nuheng into this ancient and grim prison.

The light here was dim, with only oil lamps burning along the walls, crafted from the flesh and blood of merfolk, said to burn for a thousand years without extinguishing.

After passing through several checkpoints and opening several heavy doors, Li Yi saw the area where mortals were held.

Each cell was a massive cage, made of a special material, a mixture of some metal and azure gold. Even if the prisoners were immensely strong, they couldn’t break out of the cell.

Just upon entering, Li Yi immediately sensed several powerful auras.

These were not from the guards, but from the prisoners themselves.

He saw one cage holding a man covered in beastly hair, enormous, like a beastman, exuding a fierce aura. However, at this moment, the beastman was covered in blood, pierced through by azure gold hooks, firmly secured in the cage.

"An Exotic Blood Warrior."

Li Yi thought to himself: "Stronger than Long Yu, with the might of the Tri-Floral Realm in the End of Dharma Cultivation World. Yet here, he has been reduced to a prisoner."

Moreover, there are not just one or two such powerful warriors. Li Yi sensed no fewer than ten strong auras just by slightly perceiving his surroundings.

It seemed that Beihuai City did have true powerhouses, but they either concealed themselves in the inner city or committed crimes and were imprisoned.

The warriors who could roam freely outside the city were relatively ordinary in strength.

However, although they are described as ordinary, those warriors are capable of fighting the Sky Demons in the Demon God Realm, and in the Xuanxian World, they can kill Divinity Transformation beings with bare hands. This all shows how terrifying the strength of the Barbaric World truly is.

Nu Heng led Li Yi forward, and before long, she stopped in front of a prison cell.

Inside the cell, a disheveled middle-aged man was leaning against a corner of the cage, his head lowered in silence, seemingly indifferent to everything outside. Even as Li Yi and Nu Heng approached the cage, the middle-aged man remained oblivious.

"Merchant Master Xiu Xiang, it’s me, Nu Heng. I’ve brought Da Yi to see you," Nu Heng said.

Upon hearing this, Xiu Xiang, trapped in the cell, sharply raised his head.

Seeing Li Yi, a hint of excitement flashed in his eyes: "Da Yi."

But soon, Xiu Xiang realized something, and the excitement in his eyes quickly turned to shame. He hurriedly turned his back and said, "Da Yi, you shouldn’t have come here. You especially shouldn’t have sought help from Nu Heng. She’s a shrewd merchant and will surely demand a steep price from you, and I am someone on the verge of death, not worth your effort."

"For a Merchant Master, to be able to cleanse my disgrace before I die is already a blessing. My only regret is not completing the book ’Great Wilderness Chronicles·Yi’s Destiny,’ but I’ve entrusted this to Nanshan Bo. He is a wise man of eight hundred years and will surely spread the book. With this, I, Xiu Xiang, can achieve lasting fame."

Saying this, a relieved smile appeared on his face.

Li Yi, however, said at this moment, "Xiu Xiang, you shouldn’t think this way. Your time has not yet come. I will rescue you."

"In Beihuai City, I killed another Merchant Master; I have committed an unforgivable crime. Da Yi, if I die, I hope you can take care of my wife and property, ensuring they live safely." Xiu Xiang said, "My wife is in Divine Wood City, a prosperous city. I’m sure you’ll come to like it there, Da Yi."

"Moreover, my wife is quite beautiful. If Da Yi likes her, she can become your Beauty and bear Divine Blood offspring for you."

"..." Li Yi was at a loss for words upon hearing this.

Why do the people of the Barbaric World so desperately desire offspring with Divine Blood? Although Divine Blood Warriors indeed have great potential, there’s no need to go to such lengths.

However, although he is called Meng De, he has no interest whatsoever in someone else’s wife.

"Xiu Xiang, your wife should be cared for by you. What I need to do now is to rescue you. I will get you out of Beihuai City so that you can reunite with your wife."

After saying this, Li Yi began examining the cell.

Though the cage was unbreakable, with enough means, it could still be opened.

His gaze lingered on the iron lock on the cage.

This lock was also extraordinary, forged from a strange metal mixed with green gold, equally unyielding, but compared to destroying a copper iron pillar, breaking this lock was relatively easier.

"Da Yi, this is Beihuai City’s prison. You can’t act recklessly, or you’ll attract the Beihuang Warriors’ wrath, and even I won’t be able to save you then," Nu Heng realized what Li Yi intended to do and hurried to persuade him.

Li Yi, however, replied, "I hear Xiu Xiang seeing no chance to live on, and this is the only opportunity."

After finishing speaking,

his Five Elements Bracelet flashed with light.

A Divine Needle, radiating blinding light, suddenly appeared and floated beside Li Yi.

This was the Fei Mu Needle.

A treasure of ultimate sharpness, nothing had yet been encountered that could withstand the Fei Mu Needle’s sharpness.

Controlled by Soul Power, the Fei Mu Needle turned into a Flying Sword and immediately slashed towards the chains.

In just a flash of Divine Light, the green gold chain was directly cut.

At this moment, Nu Heng and Xiu Xiang were blinded by the Fei Mu Needle’s Divine Light, unable to see what happened, but as brilliant merchants, they understood what Li Yi was doing.

"He’s cut through the chain, opened the cage, released Xiu Xiang..." Nu Heng’s heart skipped a beat as the clatter of the chain hit the ground, realizing everything.

"Xiu Xiang, live for some days in a private little world, and I’ll safely get you out of Beihuai City. Do not feel ashamed; this is your reward for helping me."

As he spoke, Li Yi immediately tucked Xiu Xiang into the Five Elements Bracelet.

With Xiu Xiang’s disappearance, Li Yi then quickly grabbed Nu Heng and performed the Cloud-Riding Technique, rapidly charging outside the cell.

His plan was simple.

If he moved quickly enough, the powers of Beihuai City wouldn’t have time to react.

He would slip away unnoticed and find a serene, picturesque place to stay low, gradually cultivating and transforming.

The only regret was possibly having to abandon the home he had just set up in Beihuai City.

"This Divine Blood Warrior, if you let me out, I can bear all the crimes for you." However, at this moment, the previously imprisoned beast warrior’s eyes suddenly glowed, his words reaching Li Yi’s ears in advance.

"Hmm?"

Hearing these words, Li Yi’s Cloud-Riding Technique abruptly halted.