Chapter 205: Uncontrolled

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    Liu Jin flies over the countryside on Soaring Feathers back. The Black-Winged Imperial Eagle lets out a fierce cry for everyone around to hear, his massive wings fully unfurled.

    You can stop now, Liu Jin says, patting the birds back. We do not want to be too obvious.

    Song Daiyu told Duke Lai that a giant eagle was seen flying east. Liu Jin does not intend to make a liar out of her. Whoever Duke Lai sends after him will find a trail to follow.

    However, he cannot be too obvious. Soaring Feather being seen once or twice can be passed off as normal Spirit Beast behavior. More than that would be suspicious. Someone who did not allow himself to be sensed while hiding in Stone River City cannot suddenly start leaving clues everywhere. It might even prompt his pursuers to err on the side of caution and abandon the search. Liu Jin cant have that. The more Duke Lai focuses on finding him, the smaller his odds are of noticing Song Daiyu smuggling Yi Jiao to Rumbling Thunder City.

    By heading east, Liu Jin is making sure Duke Lai focuses in the wrong direction. It is one of the reasons he chose this path.

    The other reason is

    Liu Jins eyes narrow as the Black Woods appear on the horizon. It is a massive forest that stretches for many miles and acts as a natural barrier between Duke Lais territories and the eastern border where the army is fighting General Hes forces.

    The area had first caught Liu Jins attention while preparing for the trip to the Storm Dragon Empire. Despite its size, the Black Woods are not considered particularly valuable compared to other territories under Duke Lais influence. That is because the Black Woods are largely unexplored. Perhaps the people of the Storm Dragon Empire had once known everything about them, but constant civil war has a way of making knowledge fade away.

    General Dan and Duke Lai might be content to let the Black Woods stay as a final bulwark against General He in case of an invasion, but Liu Jin has been talking to Fan Bingbing about the need to explore the Black Woods and other similar areas once they have stabilized the Storm Dragon Empire.

    Right now, the Storm Dragon Empire is relying on its known natural resources, but that doesnt need to be the case forever.

    However, that is a subject for another time.

    Do you think you can maneuver between the trees safely? Liu Jin asks Soaring Feather.

    The sound he gets in reply is probably the closest an eagle can get to snorting.

    With a beat of his wings, Soaring Feather rises even higher into the sky and takes careful aim. Before Liu Jin can say anything, Soaring Feather zooms down at well over the speed of sound. The sun vanishes in the blink of an eye. Soaring Feather passes through the thick canopy of trees without hitting anything. Right before they hit the ground, Soaring Feather seamlessly rises and lands on a branch without rustling a single leaf.

    The smugness the eagle radiates as he glances back at Liu Jin should not be possible for a bird.

    A simple yes will do next time, Liu Jin says. He hops off the eagles back and takes a look around.

    Though the forest is mostly silent, Liu Jin can detect numerous creatures moving about. Most of them seem to be small, harmless critters, but there are also predators lurking in the shadows, observing them with wary eyes. The darkness provided by the dense foliage gives them ample camouflage.

    If Liu Jin depended on his eyes to be aware of his surroundings, he would probably be a little worried. However, this is nothing compared to the room of the Reverse Tree.

    Since you flew us all the way here, Ill hunt for your food today, Liu Jin tells Soaring Feather as he takes a small but very sharp knife from his spatial pouch. It is the knife Meng Yue gifted him many years ago. Liu Jin had refrained from using it all this time, fearing its rarity would attract too much attention. However, there is little sense in worrying about that now.

    Considering what he is planning, the knife might come in handy.

    Tomorrow, I expect you to pull your weight, Liu Jin continues, earning himself an indignant look from Soaring Feather.

    I just got done pulling both our weights to get here!

    That seems to be what Soaring Feathers eyes are telling him.

    Fair enough, Lin Jin says, gazing into dense forest. He takes a single step which carries him all the way to the ground.

    A gigantic bear, watching them from the shadows, jumps back, startled. It growls and rises to stand on its hind legs. Its size far dwarfs Liu Jin to the point the bear could swallow him whole. A swipe from its paw knocks down a nearby tree before it pounces on Liu Jin.

    Liu Jin swings his knife.

    The bears flesh is torn like paper before a storm. It happens so quickly that the bear does not even have time to cry in pain. One moment, it is standing. The next, it falls down, sending a light tremor through the surrounding area. Blood flows from its multiple wounds and pools around its corpse.

    The other predators watching them wisely back away.

    That should give us some peace, Liu Jin says before glancing up at Soaring Feather. Well? Are you not going to come down and eat?

    The stunned look on Soaring Feathers face almost makes him laugh.

    ~~~

    The Black Woods cover a fairly vast area. Going through them is faster than trying to go around them, but by no means does that make the journey through the forest a quick one. If the terrain was free of obstacles, Liu Jin could cross it in under twelve hours. If he pushed himself, he could do it in four or three. for new novels

    However, since its a dense, dark forest, it will take him about two days from start to finish. Not ideal, but still better than the alternative. Once hes out of the woods, reaching his goal will only take a little more time. Hopefully, Song Daiyus information will prove reliable.

    It has already been a full day since Liu Jin and Soaring Feather ventured into the forest. So far, it has proven nowhere near as dangerous as Liu Jin first feared. Quite the opposite, really.

    Dont ask stupid questions, junior. It just makes it obvious youre trying to buy time. Light shines in her hand. Do not test my patience.

    She is half right.

    Liu Jin understands the Death Fashioning Scripture is the common factor tying Elder Fa, Duke Lai, and the traitorous disciples together. It is even likely that Elder Fa sent all three traitors to the Storm Dragon Empire after the debacle in the Dead Plains.

    What Liu Jin is curious about, however, is how exactly did Duke Lai contact them. The first few explosions caused by Shi Qingxia happened in front of Liu Jin rather than behind him, almost as if she had entered the forest from the opposite direction Liu Jin did.

    I will give you one chance to stand down, Shi Qingxia says, aiming her glowing palm at him. If at all possible, we want you alive for questioning. Elder Xue. Feng Guis family. Elder Xuns disciple. You seem to be in contact with quite a few powerful people.

    I have thought of this before, but Senior Sister is quite kind, Liu Jin says. You could have killed us in the Dead Plains had you not tried so hard to make us stand down, yet you are doing it again.

    Searing light grazes his cheek. Liu Jin does not even blink.

    I believe, Liu Jin continues, that Senior Sister does not enjoy killing those of the Eternal Flame Clan.

    Shi Qingxia scowls at him. The Heavens failed to give you a brain. If you think I cant kill you, I will be sure to show you how much can be done to a person before killing him.

    I am a doctor, Senior Sister, Liu Jin says, settling into a stance. I know full well the steps that lead someone towards death.

    And yet you gleefully keep taking them, Shi Qingxia adopts her own stance. Her qi flares around her.

    For a moment, neither one says anything. Both of them just carefully examine each other in silence.

    This is not an impossible fight, Liu Jin tells himself. Shi Qingxia might be in the Earth Realm while Liu Jin is only in the True Realm, but the curse of the Earth Realm means she is not much faster than him. Besides, she is bound to be tired from all those blasts. If he can hold on a little while, he can probably distract her and disappear into the forest.

    Thats all he needs to do.

    Liu Jin and Shi Qingxias eyes narrow.

    It is not impossible. He can do it.

    In a split second, the two vanish from sight. Their Qi clash against each other as furious light strikes roaring venom.

    The winner is decided in an instant.

    Did you really think you could defeat someone in the Earth Realm? Shi Qingxia asks him as she holds him by the throat. There are numerous scratches on her, but it is nothing compared to the ugly wound in Liu Jins stomach. Your successes have made you grow arrogant.

    I thank Senior Sister for her guidance, Liu Jin says, wincing as her grip on his neck tightens. However, it is not arrogance. I did not believe I could beat you. I believed I had to. Could and would have no place here.

    She rolls her eyes at him. Ugh, you talky types are the worst. Do you really think it matte-ARGH!

    Shi Qingxia suddenly screams and lets go of Liu Jin. She falls to her knees with her hand clutching her shoulder.

    I wasnt sure if that would work, Liu Jin says, standing while holding his stomach.

    What did you do? Shi Qingxia grits her teeth to stop herself from screaming. Something begins bulging under her robes. How?

    I wasnt sure until you choked me, but... the reason you and the others smell like death It is not because you practice the arts of that Sect. It is because of those things in you

    When Huang Shing was attacked by one of the creatures the Death Fashioning Scripture used, it left behind a flesh bud inside him. It had been dormant, ready to wake up at any moment. Had Liu Jin not removed it, it could have grievously injured him.

    I am sure those flesh buds must have some use, but unfortunately, they react quite violently to someone trying to manipulate them. It is as you said, Senior Sister. There is no use in power that cannot be fully controlled.

    You little Shi Qingxia cannot bring herself to say more. All her Qi must be focused on trying to contain the flesh bud going wild inside her.

    I do not believe you will die here, Liu Jin says as he walks away. I would offer to help you, but I am sure you would try to kill me the moment I got too close.

    Of course, Ill kill-Aaagh!

    By now, the flesh surrounding Shi Qingxias arm has tripled in size. Her Qi sparks dangerously around her, a sure sign Liu Jin has to get away fast.

    If you ever wish to be rid of that thing, seek me out. The same goes for the other two, Liu Jin says before jumping back into the forest.

    You bastard! Ill kill you for this!

    Lin Jin keeps running.

    ~~~