Chapter 23

It looked like they were about to make a move.

"To be honest, I actually know about the Lei Zun Manor," Li Tianming's words made Jiang Tao squint his eyes, temporarily holding back.

"Knowing about the Lei Zun Manor, you still dare to act so recklessly. Are you crazy, or do you just want to die?" Jiang Tao asked.

"Neither. I just want to say, what's so great about the Lei Zun Manor?" Li Tianming said with a light and casual smile.

"Bold!" Even Jiang Tao wouldn't dare to say such things. He felt that this young man must be insane.

"You're wrong, I'm actually quite timid." As Li Tianming spoke, he revealed the jade pendant given to him by Princess Qing. If he didn't show it, they would have killed him.

"A royal jade pendant! The green phoenix, it belongs to Princess Qing!" Jiang Tao was instantly stunned.

Li Tianming hadn't examined it closely yet. Hearing the description, he took a look and indeed saw a green phoenix on the jade pendant. It was said that phoenixes, as companion beasts, were at least sixth-tier.

This was truly a noble bloodline!

"I am Princess Qing's person. Is there a problem with me taking this divine source?" Li Tianming asked.

None of them knew Li Tianming's true identity. His act of mystery was quite effective. To be "Princess Qing's person," one's family must be wealthy and powerful, and they certainly wouldn't be simple villagers from the mountains.

"No wonder you have such combat power." Jiang Tao gritted his teeth, his eyes flickering with uncertainty.

"I remember your face. You dared to compete with me for this divine source today. Let's see what happens when we return to Yan City," Li Tianming asked coolly.

"Sir, you jest. Since you obtained the divine source from the bladeback crocodile, the Lei Zun Manor naturally wouldn't dare to forcibly take it. However, may I ask, who is your father?" Jiang Tao said.

"My father? He's a big shot, you definitely know him." Li Tianming said.

"Which powerful figure?"

"Guess for yourself!" Li Tianming shook the jade pendant in his hand and pushed Jiang Yilin away, saying, "Girls shouldn't be so barbaric. Fighting and killing, what kind of decorum is that?"

Jiang Yilin's face turned pale with anger, but she dared not speak out. Even her father was wary of the jade pendant, let alone her.

"Goodbye!" Li Tianming swaggered away, holding the divine source.

"Father, we can't let him go. What if he found the jade pendant?" Jiang Yilin hurriedly said.

"It's impossible that he found it. Princess Qing wouldn't lose such a thing. It must be someone she values greatly, who could be given a royal jade pendant! This boy wasn't afraid of us from the beginning. If he didn't have something to rely on, how could he be so bold?" Jiang Tao said.

"Then, are we just letting him take the divine source?" Jiang Yilin said, feeling wronged.

"What else can we do? He took it from the bladeback crocodile anyway."

Although he was furious, he had no way to vent it, feeling utterly helpless.

At that moment, three more people flew over and landed by the lake. Both sides immediately saw each other.

"Jiang Yilin, did you get the divine source?" A handsome young man asked, riding a lightning leopard that rushed to Jiang Tao's side.

"Uncle Jiang, hello." The newcomer was Liu Qianyang, who blocked Jiang Yilin but first greeted Jiang Tao.

Behind Liu Qianyang, the city lord of Li Huo City, Li Yanfeng, and his new wife, Liu Qing, arrived hand in hand.

"Uncle Jiang, why did you show up so openly?" Liu Qing asked, somewhat dissatisfied. Normally, elders should not appear openly when the younger generation was competing for the divine source; they should just protect them secretly.

Since they had already lost the divine source, Jiang Tao's mood wasn't good either. "There was a change. The divine source was taken by an outsider."

"How is that possible?" Liu Qing was skeptical.

"An outsider? In this remote mountain, which is Li Huo City's territory, it's impossible for an outsider to come here," Li Yanfeng said.

They had also heard the sound of the bladeback crocodile and knew the location of the lake. This was supposed to be his next destination, but he didn't expect such a commotion just before he arrived.

"It was a young man who claimed to be Princess Qing's person. He took the divine source from the lake. My daughter couldn't defeat him. I wanted to take back the divine source, but he showed the jade pendant given by Princess Qing." Jiang Tao sighed. The young man's background was formidable, and the Lei Zun Manor's test for the younger generation had ended up helping someone else.

The divine source was discovered by the elders of the Lei Zun Manor, but they didn't take it, letting the younger generation compete for it. However, a person from Princess Qing appeared unexpectedly.

"Is he very strong? What is his companion beast?" Liu Qianyang's face was grim. He was determined to get the divine source, and this outcome was a cold splash of water on his face.

"He didn't use his companion beast. His realm is probably similar to mine," Jiang Yilin said, lowering her head.

"If you don't believe me, you can chase after him. He just left," Jiang Tao suddenly said.

"Is that so?" Liu Qing and Li Yanfeng exchanged a glance. Since seeing is believing, they didn't hesitate and chased after Li Tianming together.

"Father, why let them chase? If Liu Qianyang takes the divine source, he will only suppress me even more in the future," Jiang Yilin said, dissatisfied.

"There's no choice. We must let others meet this young man. Otherwise, how can I explain it when we return? If I'm the only one, they might not believe me and suspect that I kept the divine source for myself," Jiang Tao said.

"Moreover, if we really want to take the divine source, we would offend Princess Qing," Jiang Yilin's uncle said.

"I understand," Jiang Yilin nodded.

"How does this young man's strength compare to Liu Qianyang's?"

"Although he didn't use his companion beast, he's definitely not as strong as Liu Qianyang. Liu Qianyang is about to break through to the Spirit Source Realm, while that person just defeated me with a strange armor on his left arm. His beast energy is terrifying, but not overwhelming."

...

Forced to leave the lake, Li Tianming circled around to avoid being caught by others.

Relying on the mysterious connection with his companion beast, Li Tianming felt that Little Yellow Chicken was approaching. Their lives were intertwined, so they knew each other was safe.

Sure enough, Little Yellow Chicken appeared in the forest, laughing. "Brother, did you get the divine source? I tell you, I teased that bladeback crocodile until it bled from all seven orifices and couldn't catch me!"

"Keep it down." Uncertain if anyone was still tracking them, Li Tianming quickly pulled it aside and asked, "How far did you lead the bladeback crocodile?"

"It didn't catch me, but it will probably return to the lake soon. What's up?"

"After I got the divine source, I ran into people from the Lei Zun Manor. I temporarily escaped using Princess Qing's jade pendant," Li Tianming said thoughtfully.

"Then what are you waiting for? Let's go back to Li Huo City and hide." Little Yellow Chicken had already seen the divine source in Li Tianming's arms and was drooling.

Li Tianming frowned. "If we leave now, you won't have a chance to see that well. Riches come with risks. Let's go back and check it out."

The situation had changed, but Li Tianming was still reluctant to give up on the well. Now that he had reunited with Little Yellow Chicken, and the bladeback crocodile hadn't returned, and Jiang Yilin and the others had likely left, there was still a chance to take a risk.

"It's fine. My third eye gives me an advantage in the lake. If I hide in it, they might not find me."

"Then let's go, it'll be exciting." This guy was also fearless and wanted to see if the divine source could open the well.

"Let's take a detour back."

To avoid being tracked directly, Li Tianming and Little Yellow Chicken took a large detour. When they returned to the lake, they indeed found that the bladeback crocodile hadn't come back, and no one was around.

"Let's go in."

They moved quickly, diving into the lake. The lake was large, and they entered without much disturbance.

But just as they entered the water, Li Tianming saw a young man riding a lightning leopard appear by the lake.

"Liu Qianyang." Li Tianming saw him from underwater, but he definitely didn't see Li Tianming.

Two more people appeared afterward, indeed Li Yanfeng and his new wife, Liu Qing. The alluring beauty was dressed in tight clothing, her curvaceous figure even more eye-catching in the already scorching Li Huo Mountain.

"Didn't find that person from Princess Qing. Did Jiang Yilin and the others deliberately give us the wrong direction?" Liu Qianyang was agitated, naturally restless after the divine source was taken by an outsider.

"Possible."

They couldn't find Li Tianming and clearly returned to ask Jiang Yilin and the others for clarification, but Jiang Yilin and the others were no longer there.

Li Tianming thought it was a close call. Fortunately, he started to take a detour as soon as he left. Otherwise, he might have been caught by the three of them. He wasn't afraid of Liu Qianyang, but he was worried that Li Yanfeng might not even fear Princess Qing and take the divine source by force.

They hadn't discovered him yet, but if they came to the lake, there was still some risk. At this moment, Li Tianming had to try to see if he could open the well.

But something even more interesting happened.

As Liu Qianyang appeared by the lake, on the other side, a fierce and cruel giant beast rushed back. It was the bladeback crocodile, clearly realizing that the divine source might be lost.

The moment it appeared, it immediately locked onto Liu Qianyang on the opposite side of the lake.

Liu Qianyang was riding a lightning leopard, a top-tier companion beast with a large form, which immediately aroused the bladeback crocodile's fierce hostility.

At that moment, the bladeback crocodile roared and charged into the lake, stirring up a massive splash, heading straight for the lightning leopard!