IMMORTALITY STARTS WITH A GUN

As Qing Yuan's gaze locked on the demonic cultivators, the qi around him stirred, ready to obey his will.

Sister Fang Ruxue said, "W-what are we going to do, Qing Yuan? This is too dangerous."

Her voice was tight, and he understood how she felt. Anger rose in his stomach, but he reined it in, not letting it show on his face. A deep fear overpowered the anger, a chill that pierced his spine. He knew that if the demonic cultivators decided to attack, they would all die. He needed to stall, but he had to do it carefully. They were balancing on a rope; if he was too annoying, the man could lose his temper, and it would all be over.

"Do you still want to talk stupid, Little Pill, or are you going to cooperate?" he smiled. "It makes no difference to me. Either way, from the moment I laid eyes on you, you were already mine."

"Ah, you got me," Qing Yuan said, still smiling as he rubbed his neck, acting as if the man had truly caught him red-handed. "You're so smart, handsome, and kind. We will cooperate with you."

"Good!" the handsome young man nodded.

"However, I'm sure you're tired from your long journey." Qing Yuan looked up. The sky was dark, and even the moon was hiding. "And it's already night. How about you rest for a moment? Then tomorrow, at first light, we can hurry back to your sect?"

"Hmm," the man pinched his chin, his eyes sweeping around. "I'm in a hurry, and my father is always so troublesome. But I see what you're implying, Little Pill." His smile curved into a wide grin. "You're a naughty little thing, to so easily grasp my character and try to play to my weaknesses. If you weren't worth more to me as a pill, I'd make you my underling. Still, even though I know what you're doing, it is... tempting," he licked his lips.

"How long do you intend to play around and waste my time, you bastard?" the man with white hair, standing beside the leader, sneered. "Didn't you promise that Yu Yongrui was likely here? Where is he?"

The handsome young man sighed. "Brother, don't you see the thirty-one flowers in front of you? Why are you looking for a man right now? Relax. As I said, Little Pill has sided with Liu Xing, a disciple of the Purple Moon Sect. Liu Xing likely knows Yu Yongrui's whereabouts. In fact, there have been reports of sightings near this place."

"Weren't you just saying you wanted to go back without meeting him?" the man with white hair snorted. "I knew I should have killed you. Following you is a waste of time."

"It's not a waste of time. With me around, you'll always get inspiration for your art. Isn't that why you're sticking with my sect? My father said your technique is versatile, but I know it's more than that. You're trying to create a unique branch of art, one that only cultivators can perform."

The man with white hair snarled, and red qi began to swirl around him. The leader was still smiling, but the qi around him began to buzz, growing heavy with the sharp, foul stench of a rotting corpse. Qing Yuan hoped the two would start fighting, giving them a chance to sneak away. However, after a tense stare-down that lasted less than ten seconds, the man with white hair restrained his qi. "I'll spare you this time."

The handsome young man snorted, though he was still smiling. "It is I who spared you. Don't forget, you've never won a fight against me. Remember that time you got angry because I killed that embroiderer?" His eyes glinted with sharp intent. "That was the last time I will show you mercy."

The man with white hair clicked his tongue, his eyes sharp, as if he wanted to boil the leader alive. It was clear he hated him, but Qing Yuan could see a hint of hesitation in his eyes. That handsome young man was truly dangerous.

As he thought that, the leader turned his head back to him. "Little Pill, I don't think I can take your offer. It's a shame, really, but alas, as the Young Master of the Nether Lotus Sect, I, Ye Xuanhan, must prioritize the mission over personal pleasure this time. Our scouts have already seen some troublesome groups entering the Wild Tide Region. To be safe, we need to hurry," his smile widened. "You'll be a good little group and follow me, right? I'd rather not tear your limbs off."

At that, Ye Xuanhan projected his qi outward. It slammed into Qing Yuan and everyone behind him. Instantly, everyone besides him fell to their knees, heads bowed, their faces painted with terror as beads of sweat dripped from their chins like waterfalls. He himself was slammed to the ground, his teeth chattering, and the qi that always listened to and protected him dispersed like smoke in a storm. Tide Walker, the strongest among them, was also pressed to the ground, snarling angrily as it struggled to rise.

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"Let's go," Ye Xuanhan said, turning his back to them. The demonic cultivators from the Nether Lotus Sect immediately parted to give him a path, and as he began to walk, the others followed.

Qing Yuan looked around. The expressions on the faces of the people around him were grim. He had no doubt that only bad things awaited them at the Nether Lotus Sect—for him, too, since he was somehow a "Little Pill," which didn't bode well. As he looked around, his mind raced. Logic told him this was the best time to turn and flee. To these demonic cultivators, they were like ants. They didn't even bother to surround them, and all their backs were turned.

Sister Fang Ruxue, who knelt beside him, looked at him and, with a grimace, shook her head.

Qing Yuan gritted his teeth but nodded back at her. If they tried to flee, only death awaited them. The best choice was to follow silently and hope their captors would take a leisurely walk back, giving Liu Xing time to return.

Doing just that, Qing Yuan began to rise. The qi that had dispersed before began to gather around him again, caressing him as a mother might check on a child who had just fallen. He conveyed that he was okay and asked them to support him again. His feet lifted several centimeters from the ground. As he began to follow the Nether Lotus Sect, Sister Fang Ruxue followed, and then the others did as well. Their expressions ranged from utter terror to raw anxiety. His mother, especially, was trembling so hard that she vomited on the ground. Several times she tried to get close to him, but he asked the qi to form a wall between them. Even in danger, he had decided to sever his connection with her.

They walked behind the Nether Lotus Sect like ducklings following their mother. Occasionally, the demonic cultivators would look back and size them up. Some licked their lips disgustingly, like predators eager to slaughter their prey, while others looked at them with contempt, as if they were not human but disgusting maggots. Qing Yuan saw a bald man trying to get to him. The man's smile was foul, and he smelled of raw fish. He extended a hand toward Qing Yuan, but a glance from Ye Xuanhan silenced him. The bald man leaned in and whispered, "I'll eat you later. Just wait."

At that, Qing Yuan couldn't help but shiver. His heartbeat spiked, and his bones felt chilled. These demonic cultivators were truly planning to eat him, perhaps even raw, as if he were nothing but meat.

"He will come," Sister Fang Ruxue whispered, tapping his shoulder. Qing Yuan nodded. He believed in Liu Xing, but he decided he couldn't just wait. He had to do something.

As they moved through the forest, Qing Yuan decided to probe the strong, heavy "curse" extending to faraway places. As he did, he felt the connections tugging at him, making him feel like a kite pulled by a strong man. This curse was likely something he had done earlier in his life, before he had true consciousness, driven by a primal instinct to survive. He felt the connections slowly and realized there wasn't just one; it split into twenty strings, each connected to something. Ten were hazy, as if they were concealed inside a deep and murky lake. However, the other ten were free. He tried to pull them, to wish them to come to him, but he soon realized they were not like qi. Qi always obeyed him swiftly, a mindless thing that executed his orders perfectly, but these ten connections were heavy and had wills of their own. Ordering them was impossible, so he pleaded with them instead. "Help us," he whispered.

At the same time, a shout reverberated from the middle of the demonic sect's group. "Young Master! I can't help myself!" The one who shouted was a woman. Her hair was as red as blood, and beneath her eyes were red tattoos in the form of flowers. She looked at Qing Yuan, breathing heavily. "He smells so good! That pill is mine!" And with that, she lunged at him, claws and fangs bared.

Qing Yuan's eyes widened. He instantly willed the qi around him to save him. A dome of golden light, made from swirling qi, materialized and surrounded his group, protecting them. The woman hit the barrier with her claws, and it actually pierced through. The tip of the claw extending from her middle finger was mere centimeters from his forehead.

"Bitch! The Young Master said we can enjoy ourselves after the goods are secured. How dare you take a head start!"

"I can't wait either! That woman clutching the purple robe is alluring and just my type! I want her!" a man yelled, lunging toward the golden barrier. Before he could reach it, however, another demonic cultivator intercepted him and punched him in the back, sending him crashing to the ground.

"That woman is mine!"

"I like the one who lost her teeth! She's so lovely!"

"None of you lay a hand on that little boy," a man with long hair snarled. "He's mine!"

A shouting match erupted, which quickly escalated into a fight. Outside the golden barrier, the demonic cultivators unleashed their techniques. One transformed into a giant wolf and began to rampage, prompting another to summon a giant bear made of blood. Some hurled skull-shaped balls of qi, while another demonic cultivator shrouded in a red light, like blood vapor, moved. The sounds of clashes, snarls, and curses filled the air. The man with white hair launched himself toward Ye Xuanhan, wielding what looked like a giant brush.

"You're all dead!" the handsome young man shouted, but he laughed as he said it, as if he, too, was happy to finally fight.

Inside the barrier, Qing Yuan wished harder, and his wish was answered.

From the northern part of the island, the fastest creature connected to Qing Yuan emerged from the water. It was a giant fish, as big as a castle, with golden scales. Its mouth opened and closed as it chanted a Buddhist scripture. Soon, one spirit beast after another emerged until, in total, ten spirit beasts moved toward Water Tower City.