235: My dearest friends, my brothers!

Time gradually passed during the chase.

"That's enough!"

Lu Ming calculated with his fingers; they were now well over a hundred miles from Heavenly Star Immortal City. Even if they caused a commotion, it wouldn't attract the attention of a Golden Core Immortal Master.

Since that was the case... Lu Ming, who had been moving at high speed, abruptly stopped his escape light. He stood suspended in the air, gazing coldly at the figure closely following him.

"What, not running anymore?" Ji Wen stopped about ten zhang away. He looked around, his tone mocking: "Is this the burial ground you've chosen for yourself?"

"Noisy!"

Lu Ming couldn't be bothered with his nonsense. He raised his right hand, and a longbow, its entire body circulating with fiery golden patterns, materialized out of thin air.

The moment the bow appeared, the surrounding temperature soared, and a scorching, sharp aura instantly spread out.

It was the sunfall longbow!

"This is... how could it be you!?"

Ji Wen was first confused, then seemed to realize something. His pupils instantly contracted to pinpricks, the mockery on his face rapidly faded, replaced by horror!

As the Deputy Commander of the Imperial City Division, he held a high position in the Immortal Dynasty, and naturally had some knowledge of secret matters.

The Grand Enshrinement of the Imperial Family's Enshrinement Hall had quietly perished a few years ago, and he had died by this very bow!

Then this person's identity was obvious!

Qingxuan Sect, Disguised as!

But why would he be here? Hadn't the Zheng family already been annihilated by the Old Ancestor himself?

Countless questions exploded in his mind, but Lu Ming didn't give him any time to think.

The spiritual power around him surged into the bow like a tide. He held the bow in his left hand and drew the string with his right.

A Golden Crow Arrow, purely constructed from raging flames and spiritual light, instantly formed, then firmly locked onto Ji Wen's Qi.

Ji Wen was terrified, his survival instinct driving him to react instantly.

He hastily conjured a Profound Iron Heavy Shield, and at the same time, activated seven or eight defensive Talismans in one breath. Layer upon layer of spiritual light shields tightly enveloped him.

Even after doing all this, he still felt insecure. He slapped his chest hard, spitting out a mouthful of vital blood onto a jade pendant on his chest.

The jade pendant immediately glowed with a blood-red light, finally solidifying into a blood-jade light barrier.

"It's futile!"

Lu Ming's eyes were indifferent. He softly uttered a few words, then released his right hand.

"Bang—"

The arrow left the string, like a long rainbow piercing the sun. The air twisted where it passed, emitting a piercing explosive sound.

The seemingly sturdy Profound Iron Heavy Shield bore the brunt of the attack, yet shattered like porcelain the moment it touched the arrow's tip!

Immediately after, the layers of spiritual light shields also exploded one after another, failing to block the arrow in the slightest!

Finally, under Ji Wen's terrified gaze, the arrow, imbued with destructive aura, pierced through his last hope! It precisely entered his chest.

"Boom—"

A violent explosion echoed in mid-air, like a sun silently falling.

After everything returned to calm, Ji Wen had been annihilated by that arrow, leaving not even a speck of dust.

Lu Ming expressionlessly put away his longbow, took one last look in the direction of Heavenly Star Immortal City, then transformed into a streak of light and fled into the distance.

—

Heavenly Star Immortal City, Outer City.

Ji Wu was leisurely directing a group of Cultivators, hunting down the scattered Loose Cultivators.

This mission was incredibly simple for him.

True Person Tianxing, the strongest existence in this Immortal City, had been severely wounded by the Old Ancestor.

Now he could only huddle in the inner city, barely clinging to life. With the Old Ancestor and that mysterious Senior watching him, dealing with him was only a matter of time.

Without the threat of a Golden Core Immortal Master, the outer city was now completely undefended against him.

In Ji Wu's eyes, it was no different from a Fairy stripped of her clothes, left to his arbitrary kneading and crushing.

"Follow the Old Ancestor, eat nine meals a day!"

Ji Wu thought happily to himself, even humming a little tune unconsciously.

"Crack!"

Just then, a crisp cracking sound unexpectedly rang out. Ji Wu's previously relaxed expression suddenly froze on his face.

He trembled as he reached into his bosom and slowly took out a jade pendant.

That jade pendant, which should have been perfectly intact, was now broken into two halves!

What chilled him even more was that the wisp of aura sealed within it was rapidly dissipating at an astonishing speed!

"No... no! A-Wen!"

This jade pendant was called 'Bloodline Concentric Jade'. A wisp of aura had to be extracted from a close relative and sealed within it, allowing one to know the other's life or death through Bloodline sensing.

Ji Wu and his younger brother, Ji Wen, each carried one, wearing them year-round.

But now, the jade pendant was broken!

This also meant that his only brother had perished!

Even though he usually barked orders at his biological brother, this was his dearest friend, his brother in arms!

The pain, it was too much!

Ji Wu felt a heartache so intense he couldn't breathe!

He had originally thought this was just an easy mission, who would have thought it would cost his brother his life!

But Ji Wen was at the Peak of Foundation Establishment cultivation. Such strength was considered top-tier in the entire Southern Wilderness Region.

Who could have killed him? And without even a single piece of news being sent back!

"The assailant is definitely no ordinary person!" Ji Wu thought to himself. This time, he had misjudged!

Subsequently, the pain on his face gradually faded, replaced by an extreme, suppressed anger.

Without hesitation, he immediately conjured his escape light and flew towards the inner city.

Two figures stood suspended there: the Old Ancestor and that mysterious Devil... Senior!

Ji Wu, his face filled with grief and indignation, began to accuse them tearfully as soon as he arrived.

"Old Ancestor, my brother... Ji Wen has perished! I beg the Old Ancestor to preside over justice!"

As he cried to the Old Ancestor, he presented the shattered Bloodline Concentric Jade.

"To be able to kill Ji Wen, and without even a whisper getting out, it seems the person who acted is not simple!"

Ji Ruge frowned. This feeling was too familiar; it seemed similar incidents had happened before.

"It seems your Southern Wilderness Region is also full of talented people!"

At this moment, Shen Yuan, who was enveloped in Devilish Qi, spoke with emotion, but the sarcasm in his words was evident to anyone.

A dignified Foundation Establishment Perfection Cultivator, going to capture a Loose Cultivator, yet was counter-killed by the opponent. Can they even fight?

It's simply a huge joke!

This Immortal Dynasty truly is all show and no substance, no wonder Senior Brother Mu usurped it!

Ji Ruge's face grew even uglier after being rebutted like that.

He wasn't grieving Ji Wen's death; rather, he felt he had lost face in front of this person.

After a long silence, he still couldn't think of a solution.

After all, his primary goal now was to keep an eye on True Person Tianxing, and at the same time, to break the Third-Rank Grand Array covering the inner city. He couldn't afford to be distracted by Ji Wen's matter.

Finally, he looked at Ji Wu, who was full of anticipation, and somewhat dryly ordered.

"Then... issue a bounty!"

"Huh?"

Ji Wu was stunned upon hearing this.

He was sure he hadn't misheard? Issue a bounty?

What kind of obscure term was that!

A Loose Cultivator wandering the Cultivation World might have a false true name, appearance, and even identity.

Finding him would be harder than ascending to heaven. He couldn't understand what use a wanted poster would be?

Moreover, did he really come to the Old Ancestor just to get justice for Ji Wen!?

What kind of immortal Dao joke was that? He was here for benefits!

But now, with a wanted poster issued, he wouldn't even get a single hair!

"Tch, useless!"

Ji Wu secretly cursed in his heart.

What dearest friend, brother in arms? If he died, he couldn't bring him any value, so his death was just a waste.