What!?
The three of them widened their eyes almost simultaneously, staring at Li Xuanxiao as if he were a monster.
"Qi... Qilin!?"
The ever-jovial smile on the Fat Daoist Wu Jiangming's face froze instantly.
How could it not freeze? Who could still smile in this situation?
Earlier, he had been thumping his chest, giving Li Xuanxiao solemn assurances.
'No matter how powerful your enemy is, they wouldn't dare cause trouble in our Upper Kingdom!'
And now you tell me your enemy is a Qilin!?
I seriously suspect you're messing with me, but I have no proof.
Cold sweat broke out on Wu Jiangming's forehead. Does anyone understand my plight?
I casually picked up someone on the road, and he turns out to be this formidable!
That is the Ancient Divine Beast, the Qilin!
Damn it, what kind of monster are you?
You actually dared to slay a Qilin!
I, Wu Jiangming, respect you as a true man!
Chu Yin's perpetually cold and indifferent expression also couldn't hold steady at this moment.
Ten thousand grass-mud horses roared through his mind as he silently retreated a few steps.
I need to distance myself from this kid! I'm not familiar with him!
No, wait! I don't know him at all!
Chu Yin's heart pounded wildly, and he glanced at Li Xuanxiao.
Damn it, you even slay Qilins. Is there anything in this world you fear?
Even in the Central Continent, the Qilin Clan is an absolute top-tier power!
Whether Human Race or Demon Race, very few forces dare to provoke the Qilin Clan.
As Ancient Divine Beasts, the Bloodline of the Qilin Clan is incomparably precious.
The gestation of offspring is difficult, and their numbers are scarce.
Every single Qilin is a vital Bloodline member.
Yet, such a rare Bloodline was slain by Li Xuanxiao...
I need to stay far away from this kid!
What if the Qilin Clan comes knocking one day and splatters blood on my face again?
Yan Qingshan's brow twitched uncontrollably; his heart almost jumped out of his chest.
I admit I was rash; I've truly never seen a scene like this...
But if you've already slain a Qilin, why are you still running toward the Central Continent? Isn't that like lighting a lamp in an outhouse—seeking death?
Right, this kid came from a small place; he probably doesn't know the Qilin Clan is in the Central Continent.
Li Xuanxiao silently observed the three men's expressions and couldn't help but feel a jolt!
I'm doomed!
The strength of the Qilin Clan seems far more powerful than I imagined!
Even Martial Artists from the Upper Kingdom show such horrified expressions upon hearing I slew a Qilin.
This indicates that even in the eyes of Upper Kingdom Martial Artists, the Qilin Clan is a formidable and troublesome existence!
Li Xuanxiao felt immense regret, but the deed was done; there was no turning back.
New Demon Emperor! Oh, New Demon Emperor, you've truly ruined me!
Why didn't you reveal your esteemed Qilin identity earlier?
I wouldn't have attacked you; I would have bowed and said, 'Esteemed Qilin, may you be auspicious~ The Demon Slaying Division's buffet is ready for you. Please enjoy at your leisure~'
Li Xuanxiao joked to himself internally, mocking his own situation.
Then, he remembered the corpse of the New Demon Emperor was still lying in his Storage Ring!
He had originally planned to take it out, wondering if he could secretly trade it for some Cultivation Techniques or Martial Arts...
It seems better to forget about that now.
Yan Qingshan was, after all, a man who had seen great storms!
Alright... he might not dare say that right now.
Although shocked to the core by Li Xuanxiao's ferocious actions, he was the first to regain his composure.
"Young friend, you, you, you... you are truly something else!"
Yan Qingshan gave Li Xuanxiao a thumbs-up, sighing with a smile, "But I must remind you. The Qilin Clan, just like our Zhuxia Divine Land, resides in the Central Continent! Are you still determined to go?"
Li Xuanxiao was startled. Holy cow! Isn't this lighting a lamp in a cesspit—courting death?
What should I do? This is truly difficult!
Going to the Zhuxia Divine Land means getting even closer to the Qilin Clan.
If I don't go, I still have a mark on me, so I can't escape anyway.
Sticking my head out is one cut; tucking it in is also one cut!
Besides...
If I don't go to the Zhuxia Divine Land now, where else can I go?
Returning to Dayu is impossible!
If I hide in Dayu, considering the strength that even Upper Kingdom Martial Artists found terrifying in the Qilin Clan.
In their rage, it would be standard procedure for them to wipe out Dayu, or even include the neighboring Azure Luan and Tian Xuan.
The people of all three nations would become collateral damage for my sake!
After much thought, Li Xuanxiao's face showed a look of determination.
Since things have come to this, hesitation and regret are meaningless.
The only way forward is to strive with all my might to increase my strength before the Qilin Clan comes looking for me!
And to rapidly increase strength, I must go to the Upper Kingdom's Zhuxia Divine Land.
Only there will I have the chance to obtain Cultivation Techniques and Martial Arts of a higher Realm.
Only there can I slay more Demon Race members of higher Realms!
If both these conditions are met, and he gives me a little more time, I might just be able to experience a massive surge in power!
By then, even if I can't win, being able to escape would be good enough!
"Lord Yan, I have no retreat left. When I slew that Qilin, it planted a mark on my body. I have tried every method, but I couldn't find the mark's existence. Let alone eliminating it. Even if I don't go to the Zhuxia Divine Land, where else can I go? Evasion is just chronic death, I might as well take a gamble!"
A mark was planted... Yan Qingshan sighed; this made things truly difficult.
Li Xuanxiao was right; provoking the Qilin Clan was trouble for anyone.
Evasion meant death; it was better to gamble!
Thinking of this, Yan Qingshan shook his head and smiled.
Gamble?
That's what he said, but what could Li Xuanxiao gamble with?
Gamble that he could raise his strength to a level the Qilin Clan wouldn't dare provoke before they found him?
This was pure fantasy!
The Qilin Clan, as Ancient Divine Beasts, are darlings of Heaven and Earth!
Even the lowest-tier Qilin Bloodline would be at least in the Mystic Realm upon birth!
Any with a little talent would be born in the Origin Realm, or even the Qian Realm!
Not to mention, an adult Qilin would be at least at the Seventh Stage of Martial Arts as a baseline, with no upper limit!
No matter how talented Li Xuanxiao was, he couldn't contend with the Qilin Clan.
Even if given ten years, reaching the Qian Realm would be considered impressive!
But even if he reached the Qian Realm, so what?
The Qilin Clan could casually send a talented younger member to obliterate him!
Yan Qingshan shook his head and sighed—no solution!
A certain death situation!
He couldn't help but feel pity for Li Xuanxiao...
To grow to this stage in a small nation, he must be an extraordinarily talented genius!
But his luck was truly terrible; he picked a fight with an existence that must never be provoked.
Yan Qingshan looked at Li Xuanxiao with sympathy: "I understand. I will make arrangements for you. The cloud top immortal boat just left not long ago; the next one will probably be in about a month. You all rest here during this time. The Lawless Land has no laws or regulations. If you must go out, it is best to travel in groups and act cautiously. This place... is still dominated by the Demon Race after all."
The three nodded, indicating they understood.
Leaving the Ronin Alliance, Li Xuanxiao remained silent.
When he looked up, he noticed that Chu Yin and Wu Jiangming seemed to be deliberately keeping their distance from him.
He was slightly stunned but quickly understood the reason.
He was now a walking time bomb and a harbinger of disaster; it was very normal for them to stay away.
If it were him, he would also run as far away as possible.
Li Xuanxiao cupped his hands toward the two: "Brother Chu, Brother Wu, no matter what, thank you for taking care of me on this journey."