Translator: AnubisTL
Faced with the Pure Yang Physique's aggressive questioning, Li Qing's brow furrowed slightly, a hint of displeasure rising within him.
"Fellow Daoist," Li Qing replied calmly, "my purpose here is hardly your concern, is it?"
He had no intention of probing for information about this man, yet the cultivator insisted on interrogating him. This was hardly proper.
The cultivator, who claimed to possess the Pure Yang Physique, shook his head slightly. "Heh, my apologies for the abruptness. I should have introduced myself first!"
"I go by the daoist name True Yang Daoist. Just recently, a fellow Daoist I knew perished in these ice plains, and I'm currently searching for the true culprit," True Yang Daoist said with a smile.
Sensing the cultivator's intense gaze fixed upon him, Li Qing's heart skipped a beat, but his expression remained impassive as he replied:
"Then you'll likely be disappointed. We've been here for some time and haven't engaged in combat with anyone."
"As for the person who killed your close friend, I have no way of knowing."
"However, if you describe the person's characteristics, I might be able to provide some information."
After years of navigating treacherous paths, Li Qing had long cultivated the habit of lying without a flicker of emotion. He betrayed no hint of deception.
Though True Yang Daoist likely didn't fully believe Li Qing's words, perhaps due to discrepancies in his own intelligence, he genuinely ceased suspecting Li Qing and Shen Ningbing.
"According to the dying words of those cultivators, the culprit was a powerful cultivator wreathed in black flames, employing ruthlessly efficient methods," True Yang Daoist said.
"Legend has it that this individual wields a heavenly spirit fire known as the Spirit Devouring Demon Flame."
"However, since the true culprit acted alone, I doubt it could have been you, fellow Daoist."
With a slightly apologetic expression, True Yang Daoist clasped his hands in a formal gesture, as if preparing to depart.
Li Qing didn't stop him. He and Shen Ningbing watched coldly as the man left, their minds churning with complex thoughts.
Only after confirming that the cultivator claiming to possess the Pure Yang Physique had truly left did Li Qing finally exhale in relief.
"Senior brother, what do you make of this?" Shen Ningbing asked softly, standing beside him.
"You mean his claim of having the Pure Yang Physique? It's hard to say. But at this point in time, no cultivator would be foolish enough to falsely claim such an identity!"
"Another thing," he added, "he claimed to have killed someone to get here, yet his body showed no trace of malevolent energy."
At this point, the conclusion was clear.
A Pure Yang Physique possessed an abundance of pure yang power. This supremely potent and yang energy could easily cleanse away any lingering yin, evil, or malevolent energy.
Considering all these factors, the man's identity was unmistakable. It was almost certain that this True Yang Daoist was the Pure Yang Physique long hidden by the righteous path.
What truly concerned Li Qing was that this Pure Yang Physique was helping True Lord Xuan He of the Shangqing Sect seek revenge!
It seemed the Shangqing Sect and Taiyi Sect had a remarkably close relationship. Though Li Qing didn't know how they had forged this alliance, it was undoubtedly connected to the True Yang Daoist.
"True Yang Daoist..." Li Qing murmured, suppressing his thoughts.
During his battle with True Lord Xuan He, he had only used the Spirit Devouring Demon Flame, and his face and physique had been completely obscured by the black flames, effectively concealing his identity.
In the following days, Li Qing and Shen Ningbing continued their search for their target across the vast, frozen ice plains.
Unfortunately, the ice plains stretched endlessly, swept by relentless winds. Not only was there no trace of True Lord Bing Yun, but not even a wisp of her aura remained.
As time passed, Shen Ningbing's spirits sank further.
Sensing her despondency, Li Qing reassured her, "Junior sister, don't be so pessimistic. Ancestor Xuan He of the Shangqing Sect hasn't found Ancestor Bing Yun, so she must still be alive."
"A core formation realm cultivator doesn't die so easily."
This wasn't just empty comfort; it was based on factual circumstances.
Within the frigid ice plains, cultivators who practiced ice daoist arts found a significant advantage.
For this reason, both Li Qing and Shen Ningbing believed that if Ancestor Bing Yun were trying to evade the Shangqing Sect's pursuit, she wouldn't easily leave these ice plains.
Thus, the pair persevered, tirelessly searching the polar ice plains for any sign of Ancestor Bing Yun.
Meanwhile, news of the Pure Yang Physique had spread like wildfire, reaching every corner of the Great Wilderness Domain with astonishing speed!
The Pure Yang Physique's first strike upon its emergence!
"Someone witnessed it all. That day, the Pure Yang Physique faced multiple opponents alone, holding his own without faltering. He eventually seized an opportunity to personally slay several enemies of the same cultivation level."
"Unbelievable! Hundreds of feet of the ice plains sank, yet the pure yang power lingered undiminished."
"Such terrifying combat prowess! Is this truly one of the legendary, most powerful physiques in the world?"
"In the core formation realm, few could hope to match him."
These reports naturally reached the ears of the demonic path. The demonic path cultivators, who had long sought to eliminate him, were now even more inflamed with rage.
Among them, Gui Fan, the young sect master of the Ghost Sword Sect, reacted most vehemently. He stepped forward, demanding a fair duel with the Pure Yang Physique!
"It's merely a cultivation physique! What's so special about that? Throughout history, countless outstanding and powerful cultivators have risen to fame, yet none achieved renown solely through their physique!"
While this statement held some truth, it lacked persuasive force. The Pure Yang Physique's ability to single-handedly slay three opponents of the same cultivation level spoke volumes.
Possessing a powerful cultivation physique undoubtedly grants a significant advantage.
For example, the grand ancestor emperor who founded the Ancient Hua Immortal Dynasty possessed the Dragon's Roar Physique!
With such a formidable physique, he had dominated the Great Wilderness Domain for an entire era, ultimately establishing the glorious Ancient Hua Immortal Dynasty.
Though the Ancient Hua Immortal Dynasty had long since been erased by the sands of time, no one could deny the grand ancestor emperor's unparalleled brilliance and the dynasty's former glory.
Now, Gui Fan's arrogant claim that the Pure Yang Physique was nothing special seemed particularly audacious.
However, many reconsidered, remembering that Gui Fan was the young sect master of a major demonic path sect. Perhaps he truly possessed some formidable trump cards.
Thus, anticipation for a battle between Gui Fan and the Pure Yang Physique began to build.
Sensing the world's growing expectations, the Pure Yang Physique finally issued a formal response:
"Heh, Gui Fan is so eager to fight me. Is he afraid he won't be able to restrain me later?"
"I'm not opposed to granting his wish, but I have one condition!"
True Yang Daoist's condition was simple: if he won the battle, the Ghost Sword Sect must cease hostilities for at least a century.
The implication was clear: the Pure Yang Physique believed that within a hundred years, he would become invincible in the Great Wilderness Domain, rendering the Ghost Sword Sect and other demonic path sects no significant threat.
Faced with this ultimatum, the three demonic path sects fell into deep contemplation.
The Ghost Sword Sect, in particular, would not easily agree to such terms and needed to carefully consider their strategy.
(End of the Chapter)
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