Chapter 48: Behind This? Someone Must Be Teaching Him Demonic Arts!
What if Ji Hanliang wasn't merely practicing forbidden arts?
What if he was also secretly colluding with the Demon Clan?
This would spell disaster not only for their Northern Ji Kingdom, but for other nations and races as well.
Right now, the top priority was to return to the Seeking Immortality Sect as quickly as possible.
He needed to report this critical matter to his master's sect immediately and plan the next steps.
Yun Qing quickened his pace, leading Li Muchen and the others on their journey.
……
The territory of the Northern Ji Kingdom was not large, but Yun Qing refused to let Li Muchen take out Aladdin's flying carpet, as it would draw too much attention.
Instead, he summoned his own sword, reached out to grab Li Muchen by the collar, and flew together on the sword.
"Hey—Master!!"
"Could you please steady this sword a bit?"
It was Li Muchen's first time standing on a flying sword, and for a moment, he struggled to control his center of gravity.
Had Yun Qing not grabbed him by the collar, he might well have tumbled right off the sword.
Yet, as they flew on, Li Muchen seemed to grasp the secret of balance.
His previously swaying body stopped rocking, and he stood steadily on the sword.
Rid of fear, he began to find the leisure to appreciate the differences between flying on a sword and riding Aladdin's flying carpet.
He had to admit...
The sensation of flying on a sword was truly entirely different.
Gradually, Li Muchen grew to love this feeling.
He felt that at this moment,
he had returned to the modern world, driving a modified sports car racing at high speed down a track.
The only difference was that this sports car could fly, and the track wasn't just on the ground, but up in the sky.
This was completely unlike the experience on Aladdin's flying carpet.
Flying on Aladdin's flying carpet was like sitting in a private jet, where one could leisurely take in the scenery along the way.
As for which mode of flight Li Muchen preferred?
He could only say that adults don't make choices.
He loved both the private jet and the super sports car, and he wanted them both.
At that moment,
his desire to learn sword flight became even more intense.
"Master?"
"This sword of yours is really amazing!"
"I wonder when your disciple here will finally have a sword of his own, just like yours?"
"And learn this sword-flying technique to soar through the skies?"
Li Muchen looked full of envy and even reached out, tentatively touching the blade of the sword.
Who would have thought that at Li Muchen's touch, the sword spirit would become displeased?
The sword, which had been flying smoothly, suddenly began to whip left and right in the air.
Jolted by the sudden thrashing, Li Muchen nearly lost his footing and almost plummeted straight down from the sword.
Fortunately, Yun Qing reacted in time, grabbing the nearly falling Li Muchen with one hand while pressing down on the sword with the other, rebuking coldly, "Stop acting up."
As this cool voice rang out, the sword spirit felt aggrieved but could only obey obediently, daring not to cause any more trouble.
Having subdued the sword spirit, Yun Qing began to lecture Li Muchen.
"There must not be a next time."
"Every cultivator's flying sword possesses its own sword spirit."
"The higher the cultivator's realm, the stronger the sword spirit's power and spiritual awareness."
"Once you encounter a sword spirit with a bad temper..."
"At best, you'll suffer minor injuries; at worst, it could lead to a catastrophe."
"Take my sword for example..."
"The sword spirit of my sword despises anyone other than myself touching its blade."
"Had I not acted in time just now, the sword spirit would have flung you off to plummet to your death."
"You have only just stepped onto the threshold of cultivation and know no spells yet."
"Such behavior is extremely dangerous."
"From now on, you are forbidden to do it again."
Li Muchen listened obediently to the reprimand while silently rolling his eyes at the sword spirit of Yun Qing's sword.
Stupid sword, how dare it try to throw him off?!
Once he learned spells and raised his cultivation realm in the future, he would definitely teach this wretched sword a harsh lesson.
Li Muchen's resentment seemed to be sensed by the sword spirit.
The sword spirit's stubborn temper flared up all over again.
It gave a muffled hum and prepared to execute a dragon tail-whip, determined to violently fling the brat standing on its back straight down.
Yet, just as it was about to act, Yun Qing anticipated it and halted the sword spirit's petty move.
"Still acting up?!"
"I'll lock you in solitary confinement and never let you out."
The icy words escaped Yun Qing's lips.
The sword spirit shivered violently, abandoning its mischief to fly quietly.
Knowing that the wretched sword had been plotting to trick him,
Li Muchen grew so angry that he wanted to reach out on the spot and give the foul sword another hard smack.
Yun Qing swept a cold glance over.
Li Muchen's outstretched hand froze mid-air.
He let out two awkward chuckles, "Oh my, why is my scalp itching so much?"
The hand intended for the sword spirit instead moved to his own hair, scratching it a few times for show.
Seeing that he had stopped moving, Yun Qing turned back to focus on guiding their flight.
The three protectors, including Li Zhengyi, also stood upon their own flying swords, trailing closely behind Yun Qing.
With the sword spirit no longer misbehaving and Li Muchen no longer provoking it,
their subsequent journey accelerated significantly.
In less than two hours,
Li Muchen, Yun Qing, and their party arrived at the Seeking Immortality Sect.
The Seeking Immortality Sect was nestled atop a towering peak.
The protective barrier here had been jointly cast over three hundred years ago by the Sect Master of the Seeking Immortality Sect and a council of elders.
The barrier was immensely sturdy; let alone other cultivation clans,
not even the most formidable Demon King among the demon race could easily shatter the Seeking Immortality Sect's barrier.
As Yun Qing was explaining the sect's barrier to Li Muchen and the others...
"Master, I have a question."
"Speak."
"Since this Seeking Immortality Sect barrier is so insanely strong, can it withstand an offensive from the Demon Clan, or even a Demon King?"
"No."
Without the slightest hesitation, Yun Qing gave his reply.
Li Muchen let out an "Ah"?
"Are these demons and Demon Kings really that powerful?"
Li Muchen's curiosity about the Demon Clan and Demon Kings surged intensely once more.
At least since transmigrating into this world, he hadn't really heard much about Demon Kings.
Ordinary people in the world merely knew of the Demon Clan's existence.
Yet because demons rarely showed themselves, everyone's understanding of them remained extremely limited.
"Let me tell you this once more."
"The Demon Clan is not something cultivation sects can afford to provoke, and a Demon King is an entity feared by all races alike."
"You would do best not to harbor excessive curiosity about Demon Kings."
"It is also best that we have no dealings whatsoever with the Demon Clan."
The warning in Yun Qing's tone was unmistakable, and his expression turned much sterner than his usual gentle demeanor.
Li Muchen smacked his lips and replied, "Oh, got it."
"Still, even if we don't provoke the Demon Clan,"
"that doesn't mean the demons will never show up or come to provoke us, right?"
"..." Yun Qing's expression darkened slightly.
"Besides, why would that Ji Hanliang practice such forbidden arts?"
"There must be someone behind the scenes teaching him, right?"