Chapter 24

The return of the Spiny-backed Crocodile was a pleasant surprise for Li Tianming. The chaos it created was even more advantageous for him.

At this moment, the Spiny-backed Crocodile definitely regarded Liu Qianyang as a thief, so it was determined to kill Liu Qianyang and the Lightning Leopard. As for Li Tianming in the lake, no one had noticed him at all.

The Spiny-backed Crocodile was also part of the Thunder Venerable Mansion's test, so Li Yanfeng and the others couldn't easily intervene. Thus, Liu Qianyang was definitely going to get beaten up.

"Deserved it!" The battle outside was already very intense, and Li Tianming took the opportunity to dive deep into the lake, ignoring the commotion outside.

Diving deep into the lake, he continued to descend.

Li Tianming remembered the location of the well. This time, he directly found his target.

The battle outside was fierce, but Li Tianming paid no attention. He approached the well again, took out the long, stone-shaped divine source from his chest without a word, and inserted it into the slot.

Click!

A crisp sound, the slot fit perfectly.

This indicated that the divine source was indeed the key to the well!

The key and the well were in the same lake, suggesting that the well was quite willing for outsiders to open it.

"What will happen next?" Little Yellow Chicken was curious.

Li Tianming was equally curious but also a bit wary. After all, the well was dark and deep, and no one knew whether there were treasures or monsters inside.

In the next instant, the bronze stone slab opened from the middle, splitting into two halves and quickly opening. Li Tianming saw a vortex at the bottom of the well. The black vortex had a powerful suction force, and before he could react, he was swallowed into it.

Then, the two bronze stone slabs quickly rejoined, and the well's entrance closed again, as if nothing had happened.

However, Li Tianming had completely disappeared into the lake. Even if they turned the lake upside down, they wouldn't find him.

As long as he didn't come out, he had plenty of time to refine the divine source.

...

"Sister, save me!" Liu Qianyang was almost in tears. The Spiny-backed Crocodile was targeting the Lightning Leopard as if they had a grudge, beating them both to a pulp, especially the Lightning Leopard, which was covered in wounds from the Spiny-backed Crocodile's claws, almost bleeding to death.

"There's no choice, I have to intervene." Liu Qing looked at her brother's disheveled appearance and felt heartache.

According to the rules of the Thunder Venerable Mansion, if they intervened, their affiliated disciples would be eliminated. They wouldn't intervene unless it was absolutely necessary. However, since no one was supervising, and the divine source wasn't on the Spiny-backed Crocodile, in such an extreme situation, if they didn't intervene, Liu Qianyang would be dead.

"Alright." Li Yanfeng nodded.

He was a famous strong figure in the southern border of the Vermilion Bird Kingdom, a master-level character with profound cultivation. The Spiny-backed Crocodile was like a chick in front of him.

He extended his finger, and a white flame suddenly appeared at the tip of his index finger. The white flame shot out at a terrifying speed, instantly piercing through the Spiny-backed Crocodile's head.

The Spiny-backed Crocodile was viciously chasing the Lightning Leopard when it suddenly fell to the ground. Its massive body continued to move forward due to inertia, but as it moved, white flames began to emerge from its head, quickly engulfing its entire body. After about ten breaths, the large third-stage beast was completely burned to ashes by the white flames. Strangely, the surrounding plants and trees were completely unharmed, as if the white flames didn't burn them.

"Brother Feng, you're so powerful." Liu Qing said shyly.

"It's a small matter. I'll go find that person from the 'Blue Princess' first. You take care of Qianyang's injuries." Li Yanfeng instructed and then left. Before this, he didn't dare use his abilities to find Li Tianming, fearing he would break the rules. But now that Li Tianming's whereabouts were completely unknown, and he had already killed the Spiny-backed Crocodile, he might as well break the rules completely.

"Brother Feng, you should act. The rules are for us in the Thunder Venerable Mansion. Now that an outsider has taken the divine source, you should retrieve it first." Liu Qing said hurriedly.

"Alright." Li Yanfeng had never imagined that the person who took the divine source was Li Tianming.

"Sister, don't let this person escape, or I'll have no chance at all!" Liu Qianyang looked at his companion beast with pain. If it weren't for that person who appeared halfway, the Lightning Leopard wouldn't have been injured so badly by the Spiny-backed Crocodile, which was clearly venting its anger on the Lightning Leopard.

"Don't worry, your brother-in-law is looking for him." Liu Qing said with concern.

Li Yanfeng was gone for half a day before returning, his face ashen.

"Brother Feng, where is he?" Liu Qing asked in confusion.

"Gone." Li Yanfeng said gloomily.

"How is that possible? Brother-in-law, you know Fire Silk Mountain so well, how could you not find a young man? Don't you know this place like the back of your hand?" Liu Qianyang said excitedly, still waiting for the divine source and revenge.

"Calm down!" Liu Qing glared at Liu Qianyang. For the sake of the divine source, Liu Qianyang had lost his composure. If he knew who had taken the divine source, he would have been even more furious.

"I've searched everywhere, but I can't find him. This person must have some skills. Or there's another possibility: this person is a fabrication by Jiang Tao, and there's no such person. Jiang Tao lied to us." Li Yanfeng said with narrowed eyes.

He couldn't understand it. If there was really such a young man, with his familiarity with Fire Silk Mountain and his own strength, he should have found him.

"It's impossible. Jiang Tao doesn't have the nerve to do that. He can't use such tactics; that would break the rules." Liu Qing shook her head.

As they spoke, Liu Qianyang was filled with grief and anger. "Why are we still here? We should keep looking!"

They hadn't found the divine source or the person from the Blue Princess, and they had been beaten for no reason. He was already upset with Li Yanfeng, but he couldn't say anything, or Liu Qing would scold him, which was the most frustrating thing.

This divine source could make the Lightning Leopard evolve. With it, he could enter the Yanhuang Academy and even have a chance to enter the Heavenly Capital!

Now, the divine source had slipped through his fingers. If it had been taken by someone else from the Thunder Venerable Mansion, he would still have a chance, but now it was a complete mystery.

"Let's find Jiang Tao and Jiang Yilin again and ask them clearly about the characteristics of that young man." Li Yanfeng made his final decision.

"Alright."

In frustration, they left and went to find Jiang Yilin and the others.

If they knew Li Tianming was in the lake right in front of them, they would have been even more furious.

Moreover, by killing the Spiny-backed Crocodile, Li Yanfeng had inadvertently solved Li Tianming's problem of safely leaving.

Half a day later, Li Yanfeng met 'Jiang Tao' and the others. After a heated discussion, Li Yanfeng and the others had to believe that there was indeed a person from the 'Blue Princess' who had taken the divine source and evaded Li Yanfeng's search.

A day later, they encountered another group of people, a family of three: 'Zhang Chong and his wife' and Zhang Zixuan.

"Why do you look so bad? Who got the divine source?" Zhang Chong asked, puzzled. Logically, Liu Qianyang had the best chance of getting the divine source. His current dejected state clearly indicated that someone else had taken it.

"Jiang Tao?" No one responded, so Zhang Chong had to ask Jiang Tao, as they had a good relationship.

"The divine source was in the 'Round Mirror Lake' in Fire Silk Mountain, guarded by a third-stage beast, the Spiny-backed Crocodile. Before we arrived, an outsider had already taken the divine source." Jiang Tao said helplessly.

"An outsider? If the young ones can't defeat him, we can intervene and take it back. Who dares to touch the treasures of the Thunder Venerable Mansion? Why didn't you act?" Zhang Chong was stunned.

"That outsider had the Blue Princess's jade pendant. He is one of the Blue Princess's people. Would you dare to act?" Jiang Tao said with a shrug.

"Blue Princess!" Zhang Zixuan exclaimed.

"What, did you meet the Blue Princess?" Hearing Zhang Zixuan's shocked voice, Liu Qianyang and the others stared at him.

"We did. What did you just say? A person from the Blue Princess, with the Blue Princess's jade pendant?" Zhang Chong looked at them in shock.

"Do you know this person?" Li Yanfeng asked in a low voice.

"Here's what happened. A few days ago, we met a young man..." Zhang Chong recounted the conflict between Li Tianming and Zhang Zixuan.

"The Blue Princess took this young man away and probably gave him the jade pendant later. This young man is ordinary, why is the Blue Princess so kind to him?" Zhang Chong asked, very puzzled.

A villager from the mountains, receiving the favor of the Blue Princess, not only saving his life but also giving him her jade pendant? The Blue Princess was so high and mighty; this seemed almost unbelievable.

"Have you seen this young man? What are his characteristics? Is he really a villager from the mountains?" Li Yanfeng asked, frowning.

"His appearance is hard to describe." Jiang Tao and Jiang Yilin had also seen him.

"The young man's companion beast is a small yellow chicken, which can be easily handled with one hand." Zhang Zixuan said irritably.

"What!"

When these words were spoken, Li Yanfeng, Liu Qing, and Liu Qianyang were utterly stunned. A month ago, a small yellow chicken had left a relatively deep impression on them.

In the world, there couldn't be another companion beast so unique.

"Are you sure?" Liu Qianyang asked, emphasizing each word.

"Describe the young man's appearance and attire."

Jiang Tao and Zhang Chong described the young man, and with the unique companion beast, everything matched.

"Li Tianming, it must be him, Li Tianming!" Liu Qianyang never imagined that a person he had despised and almost forgotten could cause such trouble, making his Fire Silk Mountain journey so miserable.

"Wasn't he at the seventh level of the Beast Pulse realm? How did he defeat Zixuan and Yilin?" Liu Qing was full of doubt. All the evidence pointed to Li Tianming, but everything was hard to believe.

"He once reached the Spirit Source realm and has some combat experience. He probably used a trick to take the divine source." Li Yanfeng's eyes were cold. To be honest, when he first confirmed Li Tianming's identity, his mind went blank. Even now, his voice was much darker because he never expected it to be Li Tianming, his own son, who had repeatedly caused trouble for him.

He had solemnly promised to help Liu Qianyang get the divine source, but it turned out to be Li Tianming who caused trouble and took the divine source from Liu Qianyang. How could he, the new brother-in-law, explain this to the siblings?

The unexpected is what makes people even more angry.

One trouble was enough, but now, a second?

"Brother-in-law, what do you say?" Liu Qianyang was so angry that he couldn't control his tone.

"He should be returning to Li Huo City. We can catch him on the way. Don't worry, anyone can get the divine source, but not him." Li Yanfeng looked in the direction of Li Huo City, his face cold. When he said this, it was as if he had no relation to Li Tianming at all.

"He already has the divine source, why would he return to Li Huo City?" Liu Qianyang asked.

Li Yanfeng didn't respond. He couldn't tell Liu Qianyang that Wei Jing was still in Li Huo City, and she was seriously ill. Li Tianming would definitely return soon.

"You said this person used a blood pact to bind a first-stage beast?" Jiang Tao asked.

"Yes."

"Then I'm relieved. A first-stage companion beast can't possibly refine the divine source. This kid is wasting his time."

Hearing this, Liu Qianyang felt a bit relieved.

"If we don't find him on the way, we'll wait for him in Li Huo City. He will definitely return within seven days."

After Li Yanfeng said this, everyone felt more reassured.