"Not long. It's only been two years. First senior brother, it's been twenty years since we last saw each other!
"So it's already been so long." Li Qingshan suddenly sighed. Just his secluded cultivation on Fire Melt mountain had taken over a decade. Coupled with the years he spent in the south, it really had been twenty years. To mortals, twenty years was an eternity. Even though it was not exactly a period of time, it was still a period of time in which people had changed. However, to cultivators, it actually felt extraordinarily brief.
Before him, the little demonfolk he had saved in the Demon Suppression hall had already grown up before he knew it. Although he had yet to undergo the second heavenly tribulation, his cultivation was no longer weak.
"First senior brother, master wants me to invite you back. Senior Banyan Tree King said you're currently in secluded cultivation, so I'll be waiting for you here."
"I understand." Li Qingshan patted Duoge's shoulder and continued towards the great banyan tree.
Duoge was afraid to rush him. He followed behind silently. From the beginning till the end, he did not look straight at Little Ann at all.
At this moment, a fatty the size of a mountain of flesh received him. He smiled from ear to ear. "My king, you've emerged from seclusion!" Behind him were seven or eight cave masters, all of whom Li Qingshan had never seen before. They gazed at the "King of Savages" before them with different expressions and bowed together. "Greetings, King of Savages."
"Second fatty, no, first fatty, you still haven't undergone the third heavenly tribulation! I'm sick of being the King of Savages. "Li Qingshan smiled, but he did not stop.
"You only know how to make fun of me, my king. How can I covet your throne? Even if I really undergo the third heavenly tribulation, I'll still be your subordinate!" The Gentleman of Heavenly Blubber's mountainous body caught up to Li Qingshan's footsteps with great agility. He took half a step back. "Allow me to introduce you, my king. These are the new cave masters of my Savage mountain …"
"There's no need for introductions. Just remember them yourself." Li Qingshan waved his hand. Let alone the fact that he was about to leave the Mist province, even if he stayed here as the King of Savages, remembering these people's names and origins was meaningless to him, so he might as well save himself the trouble.
The new Cave Masters looked at each other in dismay. They had long heard that the King of Savages was extremely arrogant. Now that they had seen it for themselves, it was true that he considered everyone beneath him. However, even the Gentleman of Heavenly Blubber was behaving so subserviently, so they dared not act rashly. They followed behind him silently, which made sense to them. It would instead be abnormal if someone like him did not have some arrogance.
Li Qingshan walked alone, with the various Cave Masters following behind him. From time to time, there would be people following him from both sides of the street. They had to be people who had survived the heavenly tribulations and had some reputation. Miscellaneous people could only watch silently from the side. When the group of people walked by, they would lower their heads.
The Gentleman of Heavenly Blubber introduced the various changes that had occurred in the south during the decade or so that Li Qingshan had spent in secluded cultivation. The place that had changed the most was Savage mountain. The current Savage Mountain was no longer the place of escape it had been in the past. After the Myriad Poison cult was destroyed, it had replaced it as the centre of the southern border.
Under the King of Savages' great banner, the Gentleman of Heavenly Blubber and the other two cave masters waged war everywhere. Those who submitted to them would prosper, while those who opposed them would perish. They gathered people from various aspects of the southern border, forming an organisation that was neither a sect nor a tribe, but more like a gang.
"My king, your return is like a vicious tiger returning to the mountains, rallying everyone with a single call. 'King of Savages' is no longer enough to describe you. I think you can change it to 'King of the South'. You'll unite the south and establish yourself as a king!"
The Gentleman of Heavenly Blubber flattered. Actually, he was not lying. The Myriad Poison cult and the fire devourers had already been destroyed. The divine wutong tree could serve as a powerful ally, while the Merfolk of the South sea could be regarded as allies. The two supreme Human Kings and Daemon Kings of the Mist province were extremely friendly with Li Qingshan too.
Before he knew it, Li Qingshan had already made a name for himself in the Mist province. All of the manpower and resources in the south were at his disposal. He truly was like a tiger crouching on a mountain, mighty and awe-inspiring.
Duoge followed behind Li Qingshan and glanced around. He discovered that the cave masters' gazes towards him had changed, becoming a little more respectful. As it turned out, he had the Banyan Tree King vouching for him, such that even if he killed a few villains who had committed countless crimes on Savage mountain, the cave masters would not be able to do anything to him. However, their gazes towards him were rather hostile. After all, he had broken the rules of Savage mountain, and there were plenty of disciples and followers of the cave masters among the people he had killed.
A vicious, barbaric land like the south could not tolerate a buddhist disciple who was so compassionate. He was basically imprisoned in the valley. If Li Qingshan refused to acknowledge him as his disciple upon his return, the cave masters would immediately swallow him alive. The Gentleman of Heavenly Blubber was the most amiable to him, basically being recognised as his direct successor by outsiders, but he was prepared to swallow him whole at any time!
However, after Li Qingshan acknowledged him as his junior brother, the Gentleman of Heavenly Blubber would glance at him from time to time. He seemed even more amiable and kind. However, within his pride, he also felt deep worry.
"Master is right. First senior brother is definitely not someone to be trifled with. He'll accomplish something no matter where he goes. Who knows how much more powerful his cultivation has become compared to twenty years ago, but will first senior brother return to the Green province with me under these circumstances?
Li Qingshan asked the Gentleman of Heavenly Blubber a little more and learnt that Ru Xin was no longer on Savage mountain. Instead, she found this place too noisy, so she had gone to the Myriad Poison cult to cultivate. He could not help but smile. She sure knew how to pick a place. In terms of blessed lands alone, the Myriad Poison cult could be regarded as the greatest in the south, except it was not as large as Savage mountain. However, as a large sect, it was more than enough to serve as her personal dwelling.
And, while the Myriad Poison cult had been destroyed, neither the outer formations nor the internal structures were damaged at all. Their various functions were still present. Just the medicinal gardens inside were filled with many precious spiritual herbs, which were extremely suitable for alchemy and cultivation. In the past, he had ordered the Myriad Poison Ancestor to cooperate with her to refine pills, but she did not waste this opportunity, taking control of the blessed land along with him.
Then Li Qingshan asked, "I heard demon plagues are happening everywhere in the Mist province. How's the south?"
Actually, he had already learnt from Little Ann that the demon plagues in the south were the most severe across the entire Mist province. If the Mist province was a land of wilderness, then the south was the wilderness among the wilderness. In the ancient times, it had been an important region for demonfolk to invade, leaving behind many places to suppress demons.
If it were not for the Divine Nun of the South Sea and the master of the sword pavilion running about everywhere, purging demons and protecting the righteous path, perhaps this place would have become the world of demonfolk already. Savage mountain would not even exist. However, he still wanted to hear the opinion of the Gentleman of Heavenly Blubber, the actual commander of the greatest organisation in the south.
The Gentleman of Heavenly Blubber deliberated over his words. "There are a total of twenty-one demon caverns of various sizes in the south. Nine have been sealed up now, so there are still twelve left. Demonfolk are extremely vicious and stubborn, just like the legends, and they become even more powerful and strange after demonifying. They're extremely difficult to deal with, so the second cave master has always been running about outside … "
"What about you? Haven't you thought of a way to assist him?" Li Qingshan stopped and turned around to ask. The dense group behind him immediately stopped, falling silent.
"This …" The Gentleman of Heavenly Blubber was left speechless. Who would be willing to waste their precious cultivation time and risk their lives to fight demonfolk? The second cave master, the Marquis of Serene Sea, was under the King of Southern Yue's orders, so he was forced to run about and risk his life. The Gentleman of Heavenly Blubber could not wait to watch the show from one side, eager for him to die in the demon plague. Why would he think about assisting him?
"I understand.
Li Qingshan shook his head gently. How could he not understand what the Gentleman of Heavenly Blubber was thinking? Actually, if it were not for the sake of finding resources for Little Ann's cultivation, he would never have thought about fighting demonfolk either. Even if the sky collapsed, there were tall people to hold it up. Those great Daemon Kings and great cultivators were not worried, so what was a White Hawk commander like him supposed to do?
The so-called overall situation of the Mist province and the entire world was something that only the King of Southern Yue and the emperor of Great Xia had to consider. It was not because of how great they were, but because it had to do with their personal interests. To regular individuals, it was not that they could not see the long-term dangers of the demonfolk's invasion, but if they lost their lives, what long-term benefits would there be to discuss?
"What're you following me for? You can all disperse. Go do whatever you need to do!"
Arriving under the great banyan tree, Li Qingshan glanced backwards and waved his hand in an unconcerned manner. The feeling of a vicious tiger returning to the mountains was quite nice, but tigers were solitary animals at the end of the day. They did not need too many people to follow them around. Most importantly, all the monkeys could provide were wild fruits. They could not satisfy the tiger's appetite, so all that was left was the vanity of lofty superiority. It was enough for him to experience it once in a while.
Li Qingshan and Little Ann arrived on the great banyan tree. The Banyan Tree King asked with a smile, "Did you get along well with that fellow Feng?"
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