By the banks of the Luoshui River.
"Elder Liu, I suspect that kid was lying earlier," Wang Jiu said, following behind Liu Qingsong. It wasn't until they were far from Jiang Ning's residence that he finally spoke up.
Hearing this, Liu Qingsong also stopped in his tracks.
He stood by the riverside, facing the direction of the lake breeze, and nodded.
"Wang Jiu, your instincts are sharp. That kid was indeed lying earlier."
"How did the elder notice?" Wu Sheng, who had remained silent until now, spoke up.
Wu Sheng was one of the two eighth-grade Divine Strength experts from the Medicine King Valley tasked with capturing Tian Buyi.
Liu Qingsong replied, "Did you two notice that after Jiang Ning appeared, his older brother and family completely disappeared?"
"Elder, what do you mean by that?" Wu Sheng was momentarily stunned, then seemed to ponder something.
Compared to Wang Jiu, Wu Sheng was more thoughtful. Upon hearing Liu Qingsong's words, he immediately thought of a possibility.
"You guessed correctly!" Liu Qingsong turned to Wu Sheng, the eighth-grade Divine Strength junior, with a look of approval.
"Elder, Wu Sheng, what are you two talking about?" Wang Jiu, standing to the side, looked utterly confused.
Wu Sheng explained, "There's something off about Jiang Ning. After he appeared, his older brother and family vanished without a trace, and there was no sign of movement."
"Isn't that normal?" Wang Jiu looked puzzled. "It's dinnertime. As that kid said, they're probably preparing dinner, so it's natural they didn't show up."
Wu Sheng countered, "Then did you smell any food or see any smoke from cooking?"
"This..." Wang Jiu was momentarily speechless.
Wu Sheng continued, "As eighth-grade martial artists, even if we haven't specifically trained our senses, they are still far superior to ordinary people. In such a small house, if they were preparing dinner or moving around normally, we should have noticed some signs."
"I see now!" Wang Jiu suddenly understood. "So, that kid is suspicious. While meeting with us, he secretly moved his family away."
"Exactly," Liu Qingsong nodded slightly.
Then he added, "Moreover, I noticed something else unusual. Jiang Ning had a strong medicinal scent on him."
"This scent is unique to the Medicine King Valley's pills."
"Elder, are you saying...?" Wang Jiu's eyes widened.
Liu Qingsong nodded slowly. "Although the medicinal scent on him isn't exclusive to the Leopard Fetus Transformation Pill, my intuition tells me that this kid has consumed one."
"He also consumed a Leopard Fetus Transformation Pill?" Wang Jiu's eyes widened. "If that's the case, why didn't the elder capture him on the spot?"
"With three Leopard Fetus Transformation Pills, that leaves only one. If we delay further and the last pill is consumed, our mission will be a complete failure!"
Liu Qingsong shook his head. "Our visit today wasn't a secret. If we had acted against him directly, it would have caused a conflict with Wang Jin."
"Wang Jin just announced a few days ago that he had taken this kid as his disciple."
"If I openly move against this kid now, it would be a direct slap in Wang Jin's face."
"Elder, why boost others' morale and dampen our own?" Wang Jiu said. "Although Wang Jin is also a seventh-grade martial artist, he's old and frail. The elder is in his prime, so why fear him?"
Liu Qingsong shook his head. "You know too little about Wang Jin. He was famous when you were just starting to learn martial arts. He's not an ordinary seventh-grade martial artist! Even if I don't fear him, it's not wise to clash with him directly, especially since that Captain Wang is his younger brother!"
Then Liu Qingsong added, "Besides, that kid isn't just backed by Wang Jin. The previous Tower Master Shen also thought highly of him, and the current Tower Master Lin favors him as well!"
"We're outsiders here. We can't afford to act recklessly."
Hearing this, Wang Jiu asked, "So, elder, are we letting that kid go?"
"How could that be?" Liu Qingsong glanced at him. "We'll retreat first and return to the inn. At noon, you two will come with me to visit him again."
"Understood, elder!" Wang Jiu immediately nodded repeatedly.
Wu Sheng also nodded. "Yes, elder."
Meanwhile, on the other side.
Jiang Ning had already submerged himself in the water.
With his heightened senses, especially after entering the water, where his senses were further enhanced, Jiang Ning overheard Liu Qingsong's conversation.
"Indeed, Liu Qingsong noticed something was off earlier!"
"Thankfully, I followed them secretly!"
"Otherwise, if I lost the initiative and they sneaked up on me tonight, it would be trouble!"
Jiang Ning felt a wave of relief.
He didn't know exactly how strong a seventh-grade martial artist was.
But based on the performances of Wang Jin and Cao Rong that day, a peak seventh-grade martial artist was terrifyingly powerful.
Even with all his abilities, Jiang Ning wasn't confident he could defeat Cao Rong at his peak.
Especially Cao Rong at a distance.
So, if he lost the initiative and Liu Qingsong, a seasoned seventh-grade martial artist, sneaked up on him, Jiang Ning wasn't sure he could win even with all his abilities.
Not to mention, he would be at a disadvantage.
In the next moment.
With a thought, Jiang Ning decided to strike first.
Splash
Suddenly.
The water in front of Liu Qingsong and the other two erupted, sending waves several meters high.
"What's going on?" Liu Qingsong was momentarily stunned.
He saw the roaring water instantly engulf Wang Jiu and Wu Sheng, dragging them into the lake.
Seeing this, Liu Qingsong looked shocked, as if he couldn't believe what was happening.
A moment later.
"What kind of beast is this?!" he roared, taking a deep breath.
Splash
Liu Qingsong dove into the water.
Once underwater, he saw the water churning violently as if a furious dragon was thrashing about.
He also noticed that the water had turned red with blood and saw Wang Jiu and Wu Sheng being dragged deeper into the lake by what appeared to be a blood-red serpent.
Seeing this strange phenomenon, Liu Qingsong immediately thought of the recent changes and the rumors circulating in secret.
"Could this be a demon born from the Luoshui River?" Liu Qingsong wondered.
But the commotion ahead didn't give him much time to think, as Wang Jiu and Wu Sheng were rapidly sinking.
Then.
"How dare you touch people from the Medicine King Valley!" Liu Qingsong shouted, his voice like thunder echoing underwater.
Even the surging water couldn't muffle his thunderous voice.
He quickly dove deeper, chasing after the disappearing figures of Wang Jiu and Wu Sheng.
Meanwhile.
Jiang Ning sensed the movement behind him.
"Good, you're coming. I was afraid you wouldn't!"
"Underwater is my domain now."
He thought to himself.
Then, with one hand on each, he grabbed Wang Jiu and Wu Sheng and swiftly dove deeper into the Luoshui River.
By now, the two were gasping for air, with more exhales than inhales.
In his earlier ambush, the two had barely had time to defend themselves and were easily severely injured.
If not for the need to lure Liu Qingsong, Jiang Ning could have killed Wang Jiu and Wu Sheng the moment they fell into the water.
As fellow eighth-grade Divine Strength experts.
With the advantage of terrain and his far superior foundation, coupled with his spirit weapon, killing them would have been effortless.
But Jiang Ning also knew that if the two died completely, their lifeless bodies would likely alert Liu Qingsong once he entered the water.
If Liu Qingsong noticed, he would have no reason to follow Jiang Ning deeper into the river.
Liu Qingsong couldn't be left alive.
After hearing the trio's conversation earlier, Jiang Ning had already made up his mind.
Because Liu Qingsong had already traced the clues back to him.
In this situation, as long as they investigated further, they would inevitably discover the recently consumed Leopard Fetus Transformation Pill in his body.
Once that pill was discovered, it would spell real trouble.
This trouble wouldn't just come from the Medicine King Valley but also from the Prince of Huai'an.
Because those three Leopard Fetus Transformation Pills were tributes from the Medicine King Valley to the Prince of Huai'an.
The crime of stealing tributes was something Jiang Ning couldn't afford to bear right now.
So, earlier, Jiang Ning had already decided that Liu Qingsong must die here.
This man couldn't be allowed to live.
Liu Qingsong chased desperately after the blood-red serpent dragging Wang Jiu and Wu Sheng, his anxiety growing.
Originally, capturing Tian Buyi was an act of atonement.
Now, not only had Tian Buyi not been captured, but the Leopard Fetus Transformation Pills were also still missing, bringing great shame to the Medicine King Valley.
In this situation, he also lost two key members of the valley under his leadership.
Wang Jiu and Wu Sheng, both eighth-grade Divine Strength experts, would undoubtedly face punishment upon returning.
Eighth-grade Divine Strength experts were crucial pillars of the sect.
The lives of these two were no less important than a Leopard Fetus Transformation Pill.
Now.
As Liu Qingsong ventured deeper into the Luoshui River, his anxiety grew.
The longer this dragged on, the slimmer the chances of saving Wang Jiu and Wu Sheng.
"Faster!" Liu Qingsong thought to himself as he closed the distance to the blood-red serpent.
At the same time, he felt a flicker of excitement.
This blood-red serpent, which had so easily captured Wang Jiu and Wu Sheng, two eighth-grade Divine Strength experts.
In Liu Qingsong's eyes, it could only be described as a demon.
Such a demon was a treasure trove for martial artists.
Consuming it would provide a massive boost, potentially pushing their strength to new heights.
"Perhaps this is my opportunity. Whether I can advance further, even touch the threshold of the sixth grade, depends on this blood-red serpent."
As Liu Qingsong chased with all his might, he was filled with excitement.
But what he didn't know was that the so-called blood-red serpent.
Was Jiang Ning using his water manipulation ability to shape the blood flowing from Wang Jiu and Wu Sheng into the form of a serpent?
While he, along with Wang Jiu and Wu Sheng, remained hidden from Liu Qingsong's sight.
One fleeing, one chasing.
In the blink of an eye, dozens of breaths had passed.
By now.
Liu Qingsong had ventured hundreds of meters underwater.
In the next moment.
Liu Qingsong reached out and grabbed Wang Jiu and Wu Sheng.
"Dead?"
The moment his hands touched their bodies, he immediately knew they were gone.
Just then.
Roar
A dragon's roar erupted from within the blood-red serpent.
At the same time, a blade light flashed, cleaving through the serpent and imprinting itself clearly in Liu Qingsong's pupils.
In that instant, Liu Qingsong's pupils contracted violently, and his eyes filled with shock.
Because he saw the face behind the blade light.
It was Jiang Ning.
At the same time, he felt enveloped by the blade's momentum and sensed the immense threat it posed.
This threat even carried a whiff of death.
"How is this possible?!!"
Looking at Jiang Ning before him, Liu Qingsong was utterly stunned.
Meanwhile.
Jiang Ning had already unleashed his full power.
This strike was the strongest he had ever delivered.
And with the assistance of the water's momentum, this strike gained even more force underwater.
At the same time.
Liu Qingsong quickly snapped out of his shock.
Seeing the blade light almost upon him, his expression turned grave.
He knew he couldn't dodge this strike.
Not just because of the blade's momentum, but also because he couldn't move as freely underwater as he could on land.
In an instant.
Liu Qingsong made a decision.
He would use his signature technique, the Finger Flick Technique.
Then.
He flicked his finger, and an iron bead shot from his index finger.
Splash
The iron bead shot out, creating a spreading arc in the water.
Liu Qingsong's body also began to retreat, trying to put distance between himself and Jiang Ning.
The closer he had wanted to get to the blood-red serpent earlier, the more he now wanted to escape.
In the next moment.
Clang
The blade collided with the iron bead, creating a loud underwater clang.
Jiang Ning suddenly felt a terrifying force impact his blade.
The sheer force made his hand go slightly numb.
"What terrifying explosive power!" he thought, shocked.
But at the same time, his blade's momentum didn't stop, continuing straight toward Liu Qingsong.
The iron bead Liu Qingsong had flicked only delayed his blade for a moment before being split in two by the razor-sharp edge.
"Go" Liu Qingsong whispered, flicking another iron bead.
"Go"
"Go"
Three iron beads shot out in quick succession.
Instantly creating a small vacuum in front of him.
Seventh-grade martial artists tempered their tendons.
At this level, every movement, without any special technique, could unleash their full strength.
All techniques were child's play to experts of this level.
If a seventh-grade martial artist reached perfection.
Their strength could flow seamlessly, transferring from one point to another instantly.
They could also unleash their full strength from any part of their body.
At this level, even a light flick of a finger could concentrate their full strength, capable of piercing through steel.
This was why Liu Qingsong's iron beads were so terrifying.
To Jiang Ning, they were almost as powerful as bullets.
At the same time, Liu Qingsong continued to retreat.
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