Late at night, Ten Miles of Apricot Forest:
Moonlight sprinkled throughout, casting two shadows.
One of them was none other than Elder Pang Guang from Medicine King Valley.
Opposite him stood a mysterious man in a mask, with indiscernible features and unknown age.
The mysterious man glanced at the fallen apricot blossoms covering the ground, and asked with surprise, "Elder Pang, aren’t the apricot blossoms of Medicine King Valley meant to be ever-blooming? How could they wither so soon in just a few days?"
Pang Guang responded with respect, "It was the doing of Immortal Master Li!"
The man’s face showed astonishment: "What kind of divine skills did he use to make all these hundred thousand apricot trees wither away?"
Pang Guang shook his head, indicating he did not know.
He then recounted the story of Immortal Master Li healing the Divine Tiger in full detail.
The mysterious man listened with his eyes wide and mouth agape, falling silent for a long while, before muttering to himself in a low voice, "It seems that Immortal Master Li must not be left alive, otherwise, he will become a major threat in the future!"
Pang Guang meekly nodded in agreement.
The mysterious man nodded, then commanded Pang Guang, "You go back first and proceed with the original plan. Once it is accomplished, I assure you the position of Master of Medicine King Valley!"
Hearing that he was about to become the new Master of Medicine King Valley, Pang Guang was ecstatic, nodding and thanking continuously.
Li Chen was restless all night long, sensing as if eyes were prying at him from the shadows.
Yet when he extended his consciousness to check, nothing unusual was detected.
Strange, am I just overthinking it?
To be safe, Li Chen did not sleep, instead cultivating in meditation throughout the night.
As dawn broke with a glimmer of light and the blazing morning sun poured through the window into the room, Li Chen stretched his limbs, ready to leave and look for Sunx Baiyang.
Whether it was an overreaction or not, it was not wise to linger here. Better to leave early rather than risk any further complications!
This time, Sunx Baiyang made no attempt to retain him, allowing Li Chen and the Divine Tiger to leave.
The depth of despair in parting lies solely in the separation itself!
This is true of both men and beasts alike!
The disciples of Medicine King Valley tearfully bid them farewell, and the Divine Tiger repeatedly halted, looking back every few steps.
"Has the Tiger Venerate left?" Sunx Baiyang asked, lost in his sorrow.
From the very moment of his birth, he had laid eyes on the Tiger Venerate.
The Tiger Venerate had also saved his life numerous times, their bond transcending the distance between man and beast.
This was precisely why he dared not send the Tiger Venerate off in person, to avoid shedding tears in public and losing face as Master of Medicine King Valley.
"Uh-huh, he’s gone. Master, there’s no need for sorrow. Immortal Master Li said he’ll let the Tiger Venerate visit when he has the chance!"
Disciple Bai Tian, skilled in reading others, spoke to offer comfort.
Sunx Baiyang nodded and said, "That’s good to hear. Little Tian, keep watch here. I’m going to check the medicine storehouse."
With that, he turned and walked towards the medicine storehouse.
However, as soon as he turned the corner, he saw a familiar figure, his face filled with astonishment.
"Immortal Master Li, why have you returned? And what about the Tiger Venerate, has it ...?"
While Sunx Baiyang looked left and right in search of the Divine Tiger, the person he called "Immortal Master Li" suddenly stepped forward and ran him through with a sword.
Sunx Baiyang’s face turned to horror, screaming, "You are not Immortal Master Li, who are you?"
"That’s a question you can wait to ask Immortal Master Li down below!"
With those words, he violently withdrew his sword from Sunx Baiyang’s body.
A spurt of blood gushed forth!
Disciple Bai Tian and others inside the valley, hearing the commotion from the backyard and realizing something terrible had happened, hastily rushed over.
Just then, a figure drifted into mid-air.
The disciples looked up and saw it was none other than Immortal Master Li, who had left just that morning.
He cast a sinister smile downwards, then stepped into the void and left.
"Elder Brother Bai Tian, the Valley Master... the Valley Master has been killed by Immortal Master Li..."
Upon hearing of the Valley Master’s murder, all the disciples hurried over.
All at once, cries of grief filled the sky.
"Valley Master, Valley Master, Master, Master..."
At that moment, Great Elder Pang Guang rushed over in a flurry.
"Bai Tian, what happened, what happened to my elder brother?"
With tears wiped away, Bai Tian choked up and said, "Uncle Master, it was Immortal Master Li who killed my master!"
Pretending to be incredulous, Pang Guang asked, "Immortal Master Li, didn’t he leave in the morning? How could he come back and kill my brother? Could you all be mistaken?"
Bai Tian accused with tears in his eyes, "Uncle Master, there were more than a hundred pairs of eyes on him, it was indeed Immortal Master Li who personally killed my master!"
The other disciples of Medicine King Valley also expressed their righteous indignation, sobbing and complaining.
Seeing that the effect he wanted had been achieved, Pang Guang secretly revealed a smug smile deep within.
With Sun Baiyang dead, he could rightfully take the position of Master of Medicine King Valley.
Although elated in his heart, Pang Guang managed to show an expression of utter sorrow, even deliberately shedding a few crocodile tears.
Some disciples, seeing the grief-stricken Elder Pang, quickly approached to comfort him: "Uncle Master, don’t be too heartbroken. Our top priority now is to avenge the Valley Master!"
Pang Guang deliberately wiped his tears and said, "Immortal Master Li’s martial arts are unparalleled. To seek revenge against him is easier said than done."
Hearing Pang Guang’s words, everyone present was like a bereaved family.
"Uncle Master, are you saying my master died in vain?"
"Yeah, Great Elder, our Medicine King Valley is the supreme authority of Huaxia’s apricot forest, how can we just let this tragedy go unavenged?"
At once, the crowd was inflamed with indignation.
Seeing everything proceeding according to his plan, Pang Guang secretly rejoiced.
Then, feigning sadness, he said, "Our Medicine King Valley can’t kill that Immortal Master Li, but someone else can!"
The disciples of Medicine King Valley all turned to Pang Guang, eagerly asking, "Great Elder, who is the person you’re talking about?"
Pang Guang looked around at everyone and said solemnly, "Huaxia War God Li Lingtian!"
"The Valley Master and Li Lingtian have been friends for many years, and our Medicine King Valley has been under the protection of the Li Family. Now that the Valley Master has been killed innocently, Li Lingtian must come out and help us get justice!"
"Great Elder is right, let’s go to Yan Mountain now to find Li Lingtian and have him avenge the Valley Master!"
"Yes, let’s ask Li Lingtian to get justice. Kill Immortal Master Li to avenge the Valley Master!"
Fifty miles away from Medicine King Valley, on a mountain path:
A man and a tiger were on their way, neither hurried nor slow.
They were none other than Li Chen and the Divine Tiger.
At every crossroad, Divine Tiger could not help but look back.
Just as they were about to cross a mountain peak, it suddenly roared to the sky as if it had gone mad.
Sensing something was wrong with Divine Tiger, Li Chen asked anxiously, "Do you mean something has happened to Medicine King Valley?"
Divine Tiger nodded repeatedly, then leaped a hundred meters in a bound, and ran wildly towards the direction of Medicine King Valley.
Seeing this, Li Chen did not hesitate and quickly followed.
Upon reaching Ten Miles of Apricot Blossom Forest, Li Chen sharply caught sight of a figure fleeing towards the southwest.
"Divine Tiger, let’s chase!"