Cultivation is just so scientific! Chapter 1776 - 934: Trap (Part 2)

He also sought to bolster his own foundations by absorbing the combat insights from Li Yuanba.

The Thunder Beast, though not quite as swift as the Golden Winged Dapeng, was still a formidable mount, with a marginal difference in speed.

"My sincere gratitude, esteemed fellow cultivator!" Li Yuanba expressed with a grin and a respectful bow.

Li Shiming returned the gesture with a nod, and the two shared a hearty laugh.

Their merriment was unrestrained, born from the shared success of both the original and his duplicate, individuals who had carved out extraordinary achievements within the Cultivation World.

Now, they found themselves at the very zenith of the Cultivation World, freed from the oppressive dominance of other cultivators.

Recollections of the arduous path they had traversed, the countless brushes with oblivion, the razor-thin margins by which they had survived to reach this point, were vivid.

Their laughter was laced with unshakeable confidence, an assured conviction that they would ascend to even higher realms.

Li Yuanba departed from the Ten Thousand Beast Sect, ten portions of Fourth Grade Inquiry Tea secured.

A thousand miles beyond the Ten Thousand Beast Sect's borders, having traversed the barrier of the Cave Heaven Space, the majestic form of the Golden Winged Dapeng awaited him in the boundless sky.

To the Golden Winged Dapeng, both Li Yuanba and Li Shiming were its masters, for they were, in essence, one and the same.

Li Yuanba took his seat upon the Golden Winged Dapeng's back, and the creature, transforming into a streak of pure light, surged forward into the distance.

In the blink of an eye, the Golden Winged Dapeng vanished, only to materialize once more hundreds of miles further away.

Two days hence, Li Yuanba arrived back at the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion, his possession of the Golden Winged Dapeng deliberately kept from public knowledge.

His immediate priority upon returning to Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion was to review the available combat missions.

"Remarkable, to find such a potent Great Cultivator among the Loose Cultivators," Li Yuanba mused aloud, a hint of surprise coloring his tone as he observed a wanted order.

His astonishment was understandable; the wanted Great Cultivator's might, while not quite reaching the pinnacle of a Peak Great Cultivator, came exceptionally close, having inflicted injuries upon several sword cultivators of the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion.

Such blatant defiance could not be overlooked by the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion, leading to the escalation from a standard assignment to a formal wanted order.

A wanted order signified an obligation to eliminate the target; should Li Yuanba decline, Jian Tianyi would undoubtedly seize the opportunity once his schedule permitted.

Without hesitation, Li Yuanba accepted the wanted order, intrigued by the capabilities of a Loose Cultivator who could command such respect and inspire such action.

Achieving greater strength in the Great Cultivator Realm was no simple feat, demanding prodigious resource investment. This challenge was not unique to Loose Cultivators; even those within major sects struggled to acquire the necessary resources for advancement.

Consider the former Ten Thousand Beast Sect: had it not been for Li Shiming's decisive actions in securing the Dongqi Continent and forging commercial alliances with numerous influential powers, their Great Cultivators might still languish in the nascent stages of the Great Cultivator realm.

Li Yuanba, having accepted the mission, departed from the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion without further delay.

News of his acceptance of the mission disseminated with remarkable rapidity.

Regarding the quarry for this mission, Li Yuanba harbored little concern; a strength nearing that of a Peak Great Cultivator was but a minor challenge for his blade.

His sole source of contentment stemmed from the mission's locale: situated within the Central State Continent, thus obviating the need for him to journey beyond its borders.

Even with the Golden Winged Dapeng's exceptional speed, exceedingly distant assignments still consumed a significant portion of valuable time.

What he truly craved was sustained engagement in combat, not protracted journeys spanning countless days.

Within a mere couple of hours, he had neared the designated mission area.

Li Yuanba released the Golden Winged Dapeng, its return contingent on his will through their soul connection; the immense bird would instantaneously appear at his beck and call.

Moreover, given the Golden Winged Dapeng's formidable power, it was unlikely any cultivator, unless possessing truly extraordinary might, could surpass its speed, ensuring its safety during solo excursions.

Li Yuanba hovered in the air, his gaze fixed upon the target vicinity, augmented by his potent 'Divine Eye'.

It was a nexus for cultivator gatherings, operating at a high echelon, and also functioned as a clandestine black market, frequented by Great Cultivators for trade and exchange.

This cultivator hub offered rented grotto-heavens, and his target was sequestered within one such rented abode.

Available intelligence indicated that the individual had not emerged since entering the rented grotto.

Li Yuanba remained unconcerned by the black market's potential affiliations; irrespective of its backing, none could challenge his supremacy.

It was improbable that this establishment was controlled by an individual of supreme power, as the resources traded here would hold little value for such figures.

Nevertheless, he intended to approach the situation with a degree of courtesy; should the black market prove amenable to cooperation, he would address them with respectful words.

Having surveyed the black market’s defensive measures, IBMz15 meticulously scrutinized the surrounding formation. Its structure was quite robust, yet the AI recognized it could be dismantled with ease whenever the moment was right.

Without the safeguarding presence of the formation, the black market held absolutely no sway over him.

A generalized Sound Transmission Technique, a customary tool for sword cultivators to announce their presence, was promptly emitted by him. This message was directed towards the black market’s Guardian Cultivator.

Not long after, a distinguished Great Cultivator emerged from the black market's confines.

"I presume a cultivator from the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion graces us with their presence? Yu Jin extends a warm welcome!" Yu Jin exclaimed, offering a deferential bow and a smile that bordered on obsequiousness.

"Li Yuanba offers his respects. I have been dispatched by the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion with orders to apprehend Chao Qi. Your cooperation in this matter would be greatly appreciated," Li Yuanba responded, executing a slight bow.

Yu Jin's countenance underwent a swift alteration, a flicker of apprehension betraying his inner turmoil.

Li Yuanba’s notoriety was legendary, forged from countless vanquished foes. It was less a reputation and more an infamy.

The very notion of this fearsome individual utilizing the black market as a means to seize a tenant placed Yu Jin in an exceedingly precarious predicament.

"Esteemed Senior, I shall endeavor to expedite Chao Qi's departure from the black market forthwith. Kindly grant me a brief period to arrange this," Yu Jin requested, regaining a semblance of composure.

Li Yuanba’s gaze suddenly intensified, conveying his perception of the other party's reluctance to fully comply.

The fusion of his 'Chaos Sword Intent' with an palpable aura of killing intent sent an involuntary tremor through Yu Jin.

A casual cultivator of Great Cultivator level, such as Yu Jin, was simply incomparable to Li Yuanba, a Sword Cultivator at the apex of the Great Cultivator realm.

"Senior, I shall grant you passage through the formation!" Yu Jin conceded without the need for further insistence from Li Yuanba.

"There is no necessity. I shall proceed independently," Li Yuanba stated, his voice resonating with a deep timbre as he waved a dismissive hand.

His form blurred momentarily, vanishing from his original position, only to reappear within the bustling expanse of the black market.

As Li Yuanba’s figure dissipated, the fear previously etched on Yu Jin’s face receded, replaced by a subtle, enigmatic glint in his eyes.

Upon infiltrating the black market, a place of considerable scale, Li Yuanba consulted his mission parameters. A detailed map of the locale was provided, clearly indicating the precise location of Chao Qi's leased dwelling.

Re-deploying his 'A Thousand Miles an Inch' technique, he swiftly arrived before the entrance to Chao Qi's abode.

At this juncture, even if Chao Qi possessed any contingency plans for evasion, they would prove utterly ineffective against his imminent actions.

Just as Li Yuanba prepared to breach the formation safeguarding Chao Qi's dwelling, he abruptly halted, his senses reaching out to the surroundings.

Unbeknownst to him, a formation had materialized encompassing his position, its silent and stealthy deployment eluding his detection.

"The Beidou Array!" Li Yuanba uttered softly, his gaze directed upwards towards the heavens, where seven faint yet distinct points of light were beginning to emerge.

The Beidou Formation, a designation applied broadly, encompassed any array that utilized the celestial configuration of the Beidou Seven Stars as its foundational anchor points.

However, confronted with this particular iteration of the Beidou Array, he found himself uncertain of the initial steps required for engagement.

The seven luminous points, representing the stars of the Beidou, flickered intermittently, their positions shifting dynamically.

He promptly initiated communication with IBMz15, tasking the AI with the analysis of the intricate formation.

The deeper the analysis delved, the greater Li Yuanba's astonishment grew. The myriad variations within this Beidou Array suggested the involvement of multiple highly skilled Array Masters.

To overcome this Beidou Array, apart from sheer destructive force, one would need to exploit the fleeting moments of stability during the array's transitions, identifying critical weaknesses for its deconstruction.

Nonetheless, his immediate priority was not the unraveling of the array itself, but the identification of his adversary.

The fact that such an elaborate array had been erected to ensnare him clearly indicated a premeditated scheme.

Given his formidable reputation, it was evident that a substantial contingent of formidable cultivators would have been dispatched to ensure his containment.

However, being situated within the Central State Continent, any attempt to deploy truly overpoweringly figures would undoubtedly provoke scrutiny from Sword Elder's influence, serving as a stark reminder of their societal standing.

Consequently, Li Yuanba harbored minimal apprehension, confident in his ability to counteract any threat, provided the opposing force's combat strength did not ascend to the level of truly paramount figures.