After dealing with Zhang Yong, Li Hai controlled the airflow to send everyone back to the ground below.
As for himself, he remained alone in the vast night sky, seated within the Qilin zither, and began a profound self-reflection.
“Zan Popo’s tragedy shouldn’t have happened, but alas—”
Sitting cross-legged within the zither, Li Hai frowned and murmured, “Alas, most people in this world are scoundrels who judge by appearance, refuse a toast but drink a forfeit, and are ungrateful. Those who don't know how to appreciate good fortune are as numerous as cattle.
Therefore, the more amiable and friendly I am, the more likely I am to invite disaster upon myself. Regardless of whether the disaster is big or small, or whether it truly harms me, it will always make me irritable and prevent my thoughts from flowing smoothly.”
He suddenly stood up, clasped his hands behind his back, and walked to the edge of the carriage, gazing intently at the distant, dark night sky. He said in a deep voice:
“An overly outstanding appearance and countenance will instead exude an aura of weakness, making people feel that one is soft and easily bullied. Therefore, I must fill myself with mystery and a sense of boundaries, making people stand in awe.
Thus, my style of action must also become more severe; I can no longer be so gentle. I must make people fear me when they see me, rather than eagerly try to take advantage of me and want to spar with me upon seeing me.”
While contemplating, Li Hai controlled the surrounding airflow and strong winds, sending himself, the Qilin zither, and the Dao Ge Four all back to the Wang Estate on the ground.
There, Li Zhen was leading over a hundred women and children, kneeling silently and waiting.
And when he saw Li Hai land, Li Zhen immediately kowtowed respectfully, not saying a word.
Li Hai looked at him indifferently and said:
“Li Zhen, do you know the exact location of Mingyue Pavilion?”
“My Lord, this old man knows.”
Li Zhen stood up, bowed his head respectfully, and said, “Mingyue Pavilion is at the westernmost end of this Jiao Hong Lu Gorge, on an island in a lake named ‘Cui Xia’ located in the Western Wilderness, approximately twenty-eight thousand li from this town.”
“You’ve certainly investigated quite thoroughly.”
Li Hai looked at him playfully, “It seems that for these past twenty years, you’ve constantly been thinking about how to get revenge, right?”
“Yes.” Li Zhen kowtowed again, “It’s just that this old man lacked the ability.”
Li Hai nodded and sneered:
“Li, I’m too lazy to ponder how many hidden intentions you have in your heart. I am only furious right now. This anger contains the ‘contributions’ of both Zhang Yong and Zhong Tianchuan, as well as a portion of the fuel you added. Therefore—commit suicide.”
As soon as he spoke, Li Zhen immediately froze, and the women behind him also cried out in alarm:
“Ah, how can this be?”
“No, no, absolutely not!”
“Li Zhen is innocent!”
“My Lord, no!”
“My Lord, you are beautiful and kind-hearted, please spare Li Zhen!”
“My Lord, without Li Zhen, our Jin Fu Town will fall into chaos!”
In an instant, the entire Wang Estate was filled with the chattering of these women, noisy and chaotic.
“Silence!”
Dao Ge, standing in front of Li Hai, suddenly let out a muffled roar, “No clamoring! All of you, listen obediently to my Master.”
At his roar, those women immediately quieted down, not daring to make noise again.
“Alas~” Li Zhen sighed deeply at this moment, “My Lord, this old man indeed should not have taken advantage of your kindness earlier, but—could you please consider that this old man was doing it to protect the townspeople—”
“No.”
Li Hai said indifferently, “My mood is very bad right now, even to the point of being consumed by rage. For you alone to bear this anger is already a sign of my compassion. Please, please do not squander my goodwill.”
With that, he drew a silver-glowing sharp blade from his palm and casually tossed it, throwing it with a clang in front of Li Zhen:
“This blade can barely be considered a divine weapon. Using it to commit suicide will not disgrace you. Hurry and do it, I still need to go to Mingyue Pavilion.”
“Alas~” Li Zhen sighed mournfully, nodded, picked up the blade, and pressed it against his heart. Then—he stabbed forcefully, *Pfft*!
Blood gushed out, and the sharp blade instantly pierced Li Zhen’s heart, emerging from his back.
The women behind immediately shrieked continuously, each covering their eyes, not daring to witness it. Some even began to weep softly.
Feifei, who had been standing silently beside the Qilin, also had a flicker of unbearable sadness in her eyes, but it was immediately replaced by cold indifference.
“Pfft—”
Li Zhen spat out a large mouthful of blood, laboriously raised his head, and looked at the expressionless Li Hai in the carriage, saying weakly, “My Lord, this old man—this old man doing this, you, you should be satisfied now, right?”
“Mm.” Li Hai nodded, “That’s enough. My anger has subsided somewhat. Go in peace. After you die, I will not do anything to Jin Fu Town.”
“Good, good—” Li Zhen forced a smile, his head still raised, “Thank you—thank you for your Lordship’s benevolence. This old man—will depart now.”
With that, he suddenly twisted the blade embedded in his heart and vigorously churned it, letting out a gush of blood with a *Chi* sound.
At the same time, Old Man Li’s body and expression suddenly stiffened, then he slowly and weakly collapsed to the ground, finally dying completely.
Upon his death, those women immediately burst into loud wails, as if their own father had died. One by one, they rushed over, shaking his corpse and calling out.
However, none of these women dared to curse or make a scene towards Li Hai. Instead, they instinctively dared not look up at him.
And Li Hai showed no great reaction to Li Zhen’s death, merely calling Feifei into the carriage on his own: “Let’s go, to the Western Wilderness.”
“Ah?” Feifei was startled, “What are we going there for?”
“What else could it be for?” Li Hai said as if it were obvious, “Of course, to annihilate the sect.”
—“So urgent?” Feifei was a bit bewildered.
“I am not in a hurry.” Li Hai said casually, “It’s just that I have three ‘no-leaves’.”
Feifei asked curiously, “What three ‘no-leaves’?”
Li Hai said leisurely, “No lingering yesterday’s sorrow, no lingering overnight grudges, no lingering regrets and remorse.”
After saying this, he ordered the Dao Ge Four to carry the gigantic Qilin, spread their back wings, and soar into the sky, flying at dozens of times the speed of sound, streaking towards the boundless western horizon.
Within the Xia Alliance Martial World, there are five regions: Northern Barrens, Western Wilderness, Eastern Plains, Central Lands, and Southern Border.
The terrain and landscape of the Northern Barrens, as its name suggests, are primarily composed of dry deserts, Gobi, and a small number of oases.
As for the terrain and landscape of the Western Wilderness, it is also, as its name suggests, primarily composed of grasslands, forests, and marshy lakes.
Therefore, if the entire Martial World’s Northern Barrens is viewed as a vast desert dotted with numerous oases.
Then similarly, the entire Martial World’s Western Wilderness can be seen as a vast grassland covered with patches of forests, marshes, and lakes, whether large or small.
After taking only fifteen minutes to cross the entire dry and winding Jiao Hong Lu Gorge and reach the heartland of the Western Wilderness.
Li Hai, who had been sitting for a long time and was eager to move, slowly walked out of the carriage, stood with his hands clasped behind his back on the platform extending from the front of the zither carriage, and gazed far into the distance.
Looking out, he felt that the vast fertile land below, stretching for thousands of miles, was like an boundless emerald jade, spreading and extending freely within his field of vision until it met the sky.
It was precisely at that distant end, where the dark night sky and the vast earth blurred together.
Li Hai’s keen gaze pierced the dark night sky, clearly seeing a large lake, and in the center of that lake, a nearly perfectly circular, beautiful island was strikingly located.
Although the distance was so vast, Li Hai could still clearly see large clusters of buildings spread across that island, which was as round as a jade mirror.