11 The lone Traveler

In the aftermath of the Devil's Invasion, the Spirit Qi that had been abundant throughout the world dwindled at a rapid pace. It transformed most of the regions into a desolate wasteland for cultivators. However, the areas within proximity to the Heavenly Conqueror Earth Vein, now referred to as the Heavenly Earth Vein, remained untouched by this harsh reality and continued to enjoy abundant Spirit Qi. With the vein being the only source of this crucial energy, new cities started sprouting all over its length to accommodate those who wanted to benefit from it. Even the Demon Cultivators expanded their territories by establishing cities in its vicinity.

Feeling the Spirit Qi around him, Liang sighed. "It happened faster than I predicted."

He shrugged, laughing. "Well, it doesn't concern me anymore."

He continued walking when suddenly his eyes narrowed; about two miles away he could feel the aura of two cultivators fighting against each other, both seeming to be around the Core Formation Realm.

As a descendant of the Infernal Void Serpent, a race that was blessed by the Void, he possessed some exceptional abilities, despite his cultivation being no different from that of a mortal.

One of these abilities was an innate sense that allowed him to detect anything within a several-mile radius of his surroundings.

A grin emerged on his lips, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. Suddenly, the space around him twisted and warped, and before anyone could react, he vanished into thin air. In a matter of moments, he appeared beside the two cultivators.

Upon his sudden appearance, the two cultivators halted their battle, both taking a step back and casting wary gazes in his direction.

The first one was a middle-aged man with a scar on his forehead, dressed in a black robe. A faint glimmer of power emanated from his body, indicating he was a mid-stage Core Formation Cultivator. He held a long sword in his hand, and his eyes were filled with cold killing intent.

The second one was a young woman with long hair, dressed in a white robe with golden embroidery. She held a jade flute in her hand, and her eyes were filled with fear and uncertainty. She seemed to be at an early stage of Core Formation, but her spiritual energy was more refined.

Feeling the aura emitting from the man, the heart of the two dropped. The man in front of them had no cultivation and looked exactly like a mortal. But the scene of him appearing out of nowhere planted fear in their hearts, as no mortal would possess such an ability.

"Who are you?" asked the man in black.

"I am just a traveller," Liang said with a smile. "And you two seem to be having an interesting fight. Care to enlighten me?"

The woman hesitated for a moment, then spoke. "He killed my master and stole his treasures. I'm trying to get them back."

The man snorted. "She's lying. Her master was a thief who stole my treasures first, and I was just getting them back."

Liang listened to both sides, then chuckled with an evil smile on his face. "Well, well, it seems like you two are both thieves. How about we make a deal?"

They both looked at him sceptically.

The man in black raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think we can trust you?"

He smiled, not answering the man's question "I need a good servant. The first one to volunteer from both of you will live, while the other won't have that choice." "

The woman's eyes widened, not expecting to hear such a request. She looked at the black-robed man.

The man in black sneered, though they both knew that the person in front of them wasn't ordinary, they didn't expect him to make such a bold demand.

Feeling impatient, Liang shrugged. "Well, I don't have the patience to wait for you to make your choice."

He snapped his fingers, and suddenly the space around them distorted again. The black-robed man's eyes flashed with shock. "I...I will be your servant."

The woman felt shocked when she heard the man's response, but she didn't have the time to think. As the space around her began to collapse, she wanted to say something, but to her surprise, she couldn't even open her mouth. Soon her body began to distort, and soon after, the woman disappeared without a trace, leaving only a faint trace of spiritual energy behind.

The man in black was shocked. "What did you do to her?"

Liang chuckled. "Mmm, she should be dead now."

The man in black's eyes widened in fear and disbelief. "You're a Spirit Severing Expert, aren't you?"

Liang rolled his eyes. "No, I'm not. I'm just a traveller."

The man in black looked at him sceptically but didn't press the issue further.

"Now let's get down to business," Liang said with a grin. "You're going to be my servant from now on. You will do whatever I say without question or hesitation. In return, I will spare your life and reward you with power and knowledge beyond your wildest dreams. Do we have a deal?"

The man hesitated for a moment, then nodded reluctantly. "Yes, we have a deal."

Liang smiled. "Good. Now, let's go. We have much to do, and I have been sleeping for over two hundred years. Tell me what has happened in the world since then."

The man nodded and began to walk with Liang, explaining everything that had happened in the world since he had last been awake. Liang listened intently, his smile never leaving his face.

He nodded. "Oh, that's right. What's your name, and who was that woman? Why was she after your treasures?"

The man hesitated before answering. "My name is Gao Feng, and the woman's name was Zhang Ying. She was the disciple of a thief who stole my treasures. I tracked them down and got my treasures back, but then she came after me, claiming that I had killed her master. It was just a lie to try to take my treasures for herself."

Liang chuckled. "Huh, it seems like you've been quite busy. Now lead us to the nearest city."

Gao Fang nodded and began to lead Liang towards the nearest city, still a bit unsure of the strange person he had made a deal with. But he had a feeling that his life was about to change drastically, for better or for worse.

Liang thought to himself, "This world has changed a lot since I last saw it. But that will make it more interesting." And with that, he followed Gao Feng.