Meng Fan and Ye Qingyu, both cultivators at the Heavenly Origin Realm, were naturally efficient in their tasks.
In less than an hour, they arrived at Qiong Yun Mountain.
Upon arrival, they were taken aback.
Qiong Yun Mountain was not a single peak but a sprawling mountain range.
Finding any traces in such a vast area was indeed challenging.
Moreover, the information they had gathered was all hearsay; no one had actually seen the infant's corpse.
Naturally, no one could guide them.
In a sense, it was like searching for a needle in a haystack.
"Looks like this trip might be in vain," Meng Fan said, looking at the endless mountain range with a wry smile.
Ye Qingyu also looked helpless.
If it were just one peak, they could search it from top to bottom.
But a mountain range? That was tough!
"At times like this, you realize how weak you are! If we were cultivators at the Primordial Spirit Realm, we could cover the entire mountain range with our Divine Sense in an instant," Ye Qingyu murmured.
Meng Fan chuckled.
Primordial Spirit Realm?
That was a huge leap, thinking too far ahead.
Heavenly Origin, Condensation Pill, Summoning God, Primordial Spirit.
Even if he had a cheat, reaching the Primordial Spirit Realm would take who knows how many years.
However, those at the Primordial Spirit Realm indeed had earth-shattering abilities, something they could only envy.
"Stay calm, we don't need to rush. If it doesn't work out, we can wait in Black Bee Town and see if we get lucky," Meng Fan said to Ye Qingyu.
If they couldn't find the demon, they would report back to Shu Mountain, and the Enforcement Hall would take action.
The Enforcement Hall was specialized in such matters.
If the two of them couldn't find any clues, the Enforcement Hall surely could.
That demon wouldn't escape the Enforcement Hall's grasp.
Of course, if they could deal with the demon themselves, there would be no need for the Enforcement Hall to step in.
Moreover, it would mean one less infant harmed.
If the Enforcement Hall was slow, more infants might suffer.
"Let's try our luck in this mountain range and see if we find anything. We'll leave at dusk," Ye Qingyu suggested to Meng Fan.
"Alright!" Meng Fan nodded. "Let's split up to increase our chances. If anything happens, send a Sword Qi into the sky to signal each other!"
"Good idea," Ye Qingyu agreed, suddenly feeling that Meng Fan was smarter than she thought.
Such a simple method, and she hadn't thought of it.
Meng Fan had watched many TV dramas in his previous life, especially historical ones, where people used fireworks to signal.
At night it was fine, but doing that during the day seemed to insult the audience's intelligence.
Though they didn't have fireworks, a towering Sword Qi was the best signal!
The two then split up, heading in different directions, agreeing to meet back at the same spot at dusk.
To be honest, this search was just a matter of luck. Neither Meng Fan nor Ye Qingyu expected to find anything.
But often, surprises come when you least expect them.
Of course, it could also be a shock!
***
One hour, two hours…
As the evening glow appeared on the horizon and the sun set, Meng Fan suddenly saw a massive Sword Qi rising in the distance.
Great Destruction Sword Qi!
Without a doubt, this was Ye Qingyu's Sword Qi.
Clearly, she had discovered something and was calling for him.
Meng Fan didn't hesitate, immediately channeling his True Qi and using the Willow Fluff on the Wind movement technique to rush over.
Because it might not just be a call, it could be a cry for help!
With Meng Fan's robust Orient Loong God Body and full use of the Willow Fluff on the Wind technique, he was already very fast.
But the distance to where Ye Qingyu had released the Sword Qi was still quite far.
If Ye Qingyu had found something and was calling him, it was fine. But if she was in danger and calling for help, his speed might be too slow!
Meng Fan frowned, his expression growing serious.
In this situation, he didn't want anything to happen to Ye Qingyu.
Since that was the case, he had to get there as quickly as possible!
Meng Fan steeled his resolve and stopped holding back.
"Hong Qi!" he called out.
Hong Qi, understanding his thoughts, responded instantly.
"Clang—" With a Sword Song, the Hong Qi Sword unsheathed itself and floated before Meng Fan.
At the same time, Unity of Man and Sword!
In a sense, Hong Qi was also one with Meng Fan.
After Meng Fan had meditated on the Sword God Stele for ten days and nights, he could treat Hong Qi as his "Divine Soul," elevating himself to the level of a "Sword Soul."
Now, he planned to use Hong Qi's power to perform a special Shu Mountain sword art.
Sword Flight Art!
Sword Flight!!
For Shu Mountain disciples to perform the Sword Flight Art, two conditions had to be met.
First, reach the Condensation Pill Realm and cultivate True Essence.
Second, cultivate a Divine Soul.
Meng Fan hadn't met either condition, but he could use Hong Qi's power and his profound Sword Dao foundation to forcefully perform Sword Flight.
He leaped onto the Hong Qi Sword.
In the next second, the Hong Qi Sword transformed into a streak of light, speeding towards Ye Qingyu's location.
Meng Fan stood on the Hong Qi Sword, hands behind his back, his white robes fluttering, looking quite ethereal.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the Qiong Yun Mountain range, Ye Qingyu faced a man in black robes, her face pale.
They were in a deep valley, with a crude stone hut inside.
Around the hut were numerous white bones.
Many of them were children's bones, some so small they were clearly infants.
The moment Ye Qingyu saw this, she knew she had found the right place.
At the same moment, the black-robed man inside the hut sensed an intruder.
He immediately opened the hut's door and stepped out, glaring coldly at Ye Qingyu.
His eyes were filled with killing intent!
There was nothing to say; anyone who discovered him had to die.
As he reached for a ghost-head knife from his storage ring, Ye Qingyu acted first.
The moment she saw the black-robed man, Ye Qingyu knew he was the one harming infants in Black Bee Town.
Meng Fan had guessed right; the culprit wasn't a demon but a human!!
Ye Qingyu didn't attack the black-robed man but instead slashed her sword towards the sky.
She didn't act recklessly because she couldn't discern the black-robed man's cultivation level.
As a cultivator at the ninth level of Heavenly Origin, if she couldn't see through his cultivation, he was likely at the Condensation Pill Realm!
Facing such a formidable foe, she was no match.
She was well aware of her limitations!
At this moment, she had to call for Meng Fan's help.
Only by working together could they hope to deal with this fiend.
Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan