Chapter 162 – Trap … … … Lin Ming asked Wang Yuhan, “Did Senior Apprentice Sister Bai leave any message when she stopped by to deliver the materials? For instance, did she ask me to create an inscription symbol for her or something like that?” Wang Yuhan said, “Jingyun didn’t say anything. She just left the materials here then departed.” “Oh… hm, do you have Bai Jingyun’s sound transmission information? I would like to use a sound transmitting talisman to ask her.” Wang Yuhan said, “Yes, but Jingyun recently left Sky Fortune City. She’s already put in a request for a 5 month leave of absence from the Seven Profound Martial House. I don’t think that she’ll be back any time soon.” A sound transmitting talisman had a limit to the distance that it could reach. If it was a very long distance, there had to be a preplanned relay system set up ahead of time, and multiple sound transmitting talismans had to be used in series. “Leave of absence?” Lin Ming thought this was quite peculiar. The time one had to practice at the Seven Profound Martial House was very valuable; what sort of reason would there be for Bai Jingyun to request a five month leave of absence? Lin Ming was not accustomed to owing a debt to others. As for the Crown Prince’s help, it was fine since he was helping him in the struggle for the throne. But why would Bai Jingyun collect these materials, and then leave for a long journey without leaving a note? It really was confusing. “Then, if Senior Apprentice Sister comes back, I’ll trouble you to inform me.” “Alright.” “So… Miss Wang, if I could ask you to help me prepare an inscription room. I would like to draw up the customers’ inscription symbols first.” “Mm. Okay!” …………………………. Two days later, in the middle of the night – Outside of Sky Fortune City in a shaded area of the woods, Lin Ming was wearing all black clothes as he rode on the back of a large gray eagle. This was a top-quality mount that a common person would usually never see in their lives, a Heavenly Wind Eagle. The Heavenly Wind Eagle had a wingspan of 40 feet, and it could fly a huge distance of 8 thousand miles every day. It was a third-level vicious beast, and it was only tamable by those martial artists in sects that were proficient in beast mastery. This kind of eagle mount had a value of at least 200,000 taels of gold, and it wasn’t something that money could easily buy. Tonight, he would ride this Heavenly Wind Eagle and go towards the Huoluo Nation’s Seraphic Pond Mountain. Lin Ming had already finished drawing the ‘Astral’ inscription symbol, and the drawing process had proceeded very smoothly, without any problems. After completion, the range of true essence within the Heavy Profound Soft Spear had increased by 50%. The skill of inscription ‘Astral Spear’ had also been successfully attached. As soon as he willed it, true essence would condense into a part of the spear, and theoretically, as long as a martial artist’s true essence was powerful enough, the spear could extend to an infinite distance! With Lin Ming’s current strength, in a situation where he was in a battle, he was able to extend the Heavy Profound Soft Spear by a little more than 100 or so feet. At this moment, by Lin Ming side, there was also a martial artist that looked to be around 30 years old. He was wearing very flashy clothing, and carried a heavy sword on his back. There was a long scar from a knife wound that curved down his face in the shape of a snake. This person’s cultivation was at the peak Pulse Condensation Period. He might even have taken a half-step into the Houtian realm. He was also riding a Heavenly Wind Eagle. This was the martial artist that Qin Ziya had sent to protect him three days ago. After Lin Ming had arrived at Travel Peak at the agreed time, he had already been waiting there for him. When Lin Ming saw this person, he was stunned. Qin Ziya’s disciple was actually a martial artist that was a half-step into the Houtian realm. And not only that, but this person had very pure true essence, and an extremely powerful aura. His strength was probably higher than a martial artist at the same level of cultivation. With this person here, the Allied Trade Association would definitely not dare to do anything. “Hello, Senior Apprentice Brother.” Lin Ming greeted. “Mm.” The man replied with a lukewarm tone. “Are you prepared? We are leaving tonight.” “Yes.” Lin Ming had wanted to ask for the senior apprentice brother’s name and gain some understanding into the reason he was going to Huoluo Nation, but felt that this man didn’t want to speak any more, so he reluctantly dropped the topic. The man let out a strange whistling sound, and suddenly, two Heavenly Wind Eagles heard that whistling and soared down! The Heavenly Wind Eagles flew down faster and faster, and Li Ming could only hear the howl of wind in his ears as the incoming turbulent air current sent his clothes fluttering about. Lin Ming used his true essence to condense a wind shield in front of himself to block the intense winds. His eyes stared at the back of the Pulse Condensation Period martial artist in front of him, and he fell back into rumination. This was an absolutely unwise time to leave the Seven Profound Martial House. If he was able to keep his whereabouts completely hidden, then it would be fairly safe. However, if there was even the slightest leak as to where he was, then the situation might become a bit dangerous. “Martial House Master Qin has credibility. He shouldn’t be trying to harm me, but I should still be careful. But even if I say that, if Martial House Master Qin wanted me dead, then I wouldn’t be alive today either.” The first time that Lin Ming had met Qin Ziya, he had felt a faint aura of righteousness from him. In general, those gentlemen that were accomplished in the fine arts were usually never hypocritical or malicious; otherwise it would be profoundly difficulty to have any attainments in the fine arts. The two Heavenly Wind Eagles flew for one day and one night. After a brief two-hour period of rest, they then departed again for another 8000 miles. This surrounding landscape became gradually more desolate the further south they went. This was south of Sky Fortune Kingdom, and it was close to the Great Southern Wilderness. Lin Ming found that the Heavenly Wind Eagles didn’t directly fly to Huoluo Nation. Instead, they took a detour. Even with the amazing speed of the Heavenly Wind Eagles this detour would still take half a day. “Is this because of safety concerns?” Lin Ming began to doubt in his mind. Relatively speaking, it was very safe to ride a Heavenly Wind Eagle. A Heavenly Wind Eagle flew at an altitude of thousands of feet, and it was difficult for someone who wanted to kill him to intercept him at such a height. “It would be really easy for a murderer to dump a corpse here…” Lin Ming heart began to have a faint sense of foreboding, and he secretly went on alert. His mind linked to the Heretical God Seed, feeling the terrifying compressed power of thunder and fire within, and felt slightly more at peace. At this moment, Lin Ming, who had been highly focused the entire time, suddenly felt ice cold. He felt that the Pulse Condensation Period martial artist in from of him was emitting a faint murderous intent. And this murderous intent was directed at him! This caused all of Lin Ming’s four limbs to immediately become cold! This was a martial artist who was a half-step into the Houtian realm. He was someone that not even Thunderfire Annihilation would be able to match up against! …………………. At this time in a valley at Zhou Mountain, it was night, and the shaded trees lent an eerily dark feeling to the valley. “Is it done?” The voice abruptly sounded. The one who spoke was Ouyang Dihua. “It was only a trivial matter. Huo Gong should begin any time now.” The feminine voice of Bi Luo said as he slowly emerged from the woods. Huo Gong was Ouyang Dihua’s junior apprentice brother. He was a disciple of the Refining Faction but had been expelled from the Seven Profound Valleys. He was the martial artist riding the Heavenly Wind Eagle alongside Lin Ming that was a half-step into the Houtian realm. Ouyang Dihua cruelly smiled and said, “Senior Apprentice Brother’s illusions are truly superb. I’m afraid that not even Qin Ziya would be able to see through them.” Bi Luo was from the Mirage Faction of the Seven Profound Valleys, and what he was best at were illusions, particularly disguises. Not only he could transfigure appearances, but he could also mimic voices and personalities. It was to a level that not even a peak Houtian realm master would be able to see through them. Three days ago, Bi Luo had transformed into Qin Ziya, and had ordered Lin Ming to leave the Seven Profound Martial House. “He used to not to be able see through my illusions, but these years Qin Ziya had been roaming the world and his zither heart has already reached the point where it is like a mirror; the stage where his heart is spotless and resolute. His cultivation is also a half-step into the Xiantian realm. It shouldn’t be difficult for him to see through my illusions. Fortunately, that eyesore Qin Ziya left the Seven Profound Martial House after the grand banquet had ended. He will continue to roam around and polish his zither heart, so there won’t be any problems since he won’t be coming back any time soon.” “Mm. As long as Qin Ziya isn’t here and we can make Lin Ming leave the Seven Profound Martial House, killing him would be as easy as killing a chicken. Huo Gong wasn’t needed to begin with. As Long as Lin Ming falls down from the Heavenly Wind Eagle, he will meet a violent, crushing death! Let alone a mere little boy at the Altering Muscle stage, even a Houtian master would be finished!” Ouyang Dihua diabolically grinned as he said this. If he tried to move against Lin Ming in the Seven Profound Martial House, then it would alarm many people. Even if he could successfully kill him, after he died there would most likely be several traces of evidence that one could use to trace back to the murderer. However, if Lin Ming was to leave the Seven Profound Martial House and even leave Sky Fortune City, and then if he was to disappear, most others would chalk it up to him dying while on an adventure somewhere. This way, even if the Seven Profound Martial House wanted to investigate the situation, they would have no idea where to even begin. “The great Southern Wilderness is a land of endless vicious beasts and poisonous insects. Once he plunges to his death, there won’t even be dust left over from his bones once the vicious beasts are done tearing through him. That is truly the best place to kill a man and destroy his corpse without leaving any evidence!” Ouyang Dihua greedily licked his lips, and impatiently waited in anticipation of the good news that Huo Gong would send to him. …………….. Southern Wilderness – As he rode on the Heavenly Wind Eagle, Lin Ming heard the snake-scarred martial artist let out a sharp whistle. Suddenly, when the Heavenly Wind Eagle under Lin Ming heard this whistle, it rolled over midflight, trying to make Lin Ming fall off its back! “Beast!” Lin Ming held onto the eagle’s feathers. Taking advantage of his strength, he took a firm grip with one hand on the eagle’s body, and with a flick of his wrist, the 1200 jin Heavy Profound Soft Spear had already jumped into his hands. Although the Heavenly Wind Eagle was very strong in flight, how could it maintain flight with a 1200 jin weight on its back? As Lin Ming tightly gripped onto the eagle’s back muscles and pulled out his spear, the Heavenly Wind Eagle immediately let out a whining call of pain and desperately flapped its wings. Even so, the Heavenly Wind Eagle immediately plunged downwards in a straight vertical drop before catching itself! “Hehe, sorry young boy. I have had no past injustice with you and no present grudge. I’m only doing this because someone offered me some benefits, and they wanted you to completely disappear. I’m sorry, but don’t blame me.” Huo Gong stood on the back of the Heavenly Wind Eagle and grinned heartlessly. The snake-like scar wound on his face looked especially ferocious as he laughed. “Who asked you to kill me? Qin Ziya?” As Lin Ming asked this he immediately rejected it. No, something was strange, but he didn’t know just what was strange. “Haha, you think that it’s Qin Ziya? Think as you like, I have no interest in meaninglessly chitchatting with you. I will let you be a confused ghost as well!” You think that it’s Qin Ziya… These words resounded in Lin Ming’s heart, and made him go cold… At this point, he didn’t have any time to reflect on this. There was another strange whistling sound that was sent from Huo Gong, and the man sat down on the Heavenly Wind Eagle as he turned around and flew at Lin Ming to kill him! “Have a peaceful journey to hell!” Huo Gong took out a strangely shaped long saber from his back, and sent that long saber careening towards Lin Ming’s back to behead him! Clang! Lin Ming lifted his spear to resist Huo Gong’s strike with everything he had. However, the strength of a martial artist at the peak Pulse Condensation Period was simply too formidable. As they exchanged a blow, Lin Ming only felt a strong force transmit through his body as he was sent flying backwards. With a cough, Lin Ming tore off a hunk of flesh from the Heavenly Wind Eagle’s back as he was sent soaring backwards by the strength of the blow. The Heavenly Wind Eagle issued a pitifully keening cry. From an altitude of thousands of feet in the air, Lin Ming plummeted downwards!