Although this Energy Gate was not as powerful as the Seven-Colored Energy Gate on Profound Island, Qin Li could feel a scorching Solar Power emanating from it!

Qin Li trained diligently every day, absorbing that sliver of Innate Purple Qi just before sunrise. As a result, he had a strong affinity for Solar Power. He felt a pleasant warmth spread through his entire body as the energy continuously cleansed the meridians within him.

Though it was only for an instant, Qin Li still felt he had benefited immensely.

The place where the two of them landed was a boundless prairie. The lush grass was taller than a person, offering excellent concealment for anyone walking through it.

Qin Li closed his eyes and focused his senses for a moment. The group was already seven or eight li away from them. ’They must have started traveling in a hurry as soon as they returned,’ he thought.

Qin Li and Shiyu followed far behind. The group traveled in fits and starts, not arriving at the shore of a lake until the evening of the second day.

The lake was massive, stretching at least a hundred li wide as far as the eye could see! It lay before them, with a mountain range to the left that the lake extended into, and a boundless prairie to the right.

The Spiritual Qi in this Mysterious Land was slightly less dense than on Profound Island, but it was still much richer than in the outside world.

Just then, several giant eagles flew high overhead. When they spread their wings, their wingspans were an astonishing seven or eight meters wide!

The giant eagles seemed to have spotted Qin Li and Shangguan Shiyu by the lake. One of them let out a sharp cry and dove toward the two, its speed as swift and fierce as a falling meteor!

A wave of killing intent radiated from the giant eagle. Qin Li’s eyes narrowed slightly. ’To think it’s a Spirit Beast that has reached the Celestial Level!’

Spurred on by the lead eagle, the other giant eagles also shrieked sharply and dove down, as if a battle horn had been sounded.

Qin Li had a bad feeling. The auras of the group they were following had vanished right here by the lake, and now these giant eagles had appeared out of nowhere. ’Is this a coincidence?’

However, Qin Li wasn’t too concerned about a few Celestial Level feathered beasts. With a casual wave of his hand, he blasted a stream of Power that pulverized the diving Celestial Level eagle into smithereens. The remaining eagles shrieked in terror, their huge bodies carving a wide arc through the air as they began to ascend rapidly!

Puzzled, Qin Li wasn’t about to let them escape. He executed his Lightweight Skill, soaring into the sky as if climbing a celestial ladder. He drew his Blood-Drinking Sword, and a single slash of purple Sword Qi killed all the remaining giant eagles.

He then landed, squinting at the vast surface of the lake, and murmured, "Interesting. I actually lost them!"

Shangguan Shiyu crouched down to examine the carcasses of the giant eagles. "Look," she said suddenly. "These giant eagles were raised by people!"

Qin Li walked over and saw that the backs of the giant eagles were worn somewhat bare, as if from people riding them for a long time.

Qin Li nodded slightly. "The people from before might have left by riding these giant eagles," he said. "And these few were probably lookouts for that Sect!"

Shangguan Shiyu said softly, "A Sect that can raise Celestial Level Spirit Beasts can’t be too weak."

Just as they were speaking, Qin Li suddenly sensed several powerful fluctuations approaching them from the distant mountains. His expression shifted slightly. "Someone’s coming," he said. "Let’s hide."

With that, he pulled Shangguan Shiyu and turned to disappear into the vast prairie.

Sure enough, a moment later, several elders in hemp robes appeared where Qin Li and Shangguan Shiyu had just been standing. When they saw the carcasses of the giant eagles on the ground, their faces all twisted with fury.

"Who killed our Divine Eagles? These are Celestial Level Spirit Pets! If I find out who did this, I’ll tear them to pieces!" one of the elders, a man with a gloomy face, said furiously.

"Grand Elder, is there even a need to think about it? Who could it be but the Songfeng Sect?" a very gaunt elder said with certainty, stroking a goatee on his chin.

"Sixth Elder, the Seventh Elder’s grand-disciples just returned from the outside. This matter..." A clean-shaven, prosperous-looking elder frowned and said, "Could they have done it?"

"Fourth Elder, that’s impossible! The strongest among Lao Qi’s disciples is only at the Celestial Shattering Realm. How could they possibly kill these Celestial Level Spirit Pets so easily? They don’t have the skill, and they certainly didn’t have the time!" the gaunt elder reasoned.

The gloomy-faced Grand Elder said coldly, "Besides Lao Qi, no one could kill these Spirit Pets so easily!"

The gaunt Sixth Elder shook his head. "I just saw the Seventh Elder furiously scolding those disciples for being worthless, unable to even find a single Spiritual Medicine. Besides, is the Seventh Elder insane? Why would he kill his own Sect’s Spirit Pets?"

The clean-shaven, prosperous-looking Fourth Elder gave a faint smile and said, "Don’t you all think that ever since he rescued that woman all those years ago, Lao Qi’s heart hasn’t been with our Divine Eagle Sect?"

The Grand Elder nodded. "The Fourth Elder has a point. Ever since Lao Qi saved that damned bitch, he’s been a changed man. His attitude toward the Songfeng Sect has softened considerably. Hmph, if the Sect Leader didn’t have his back, I would have killed that treacherous bastard long ago!"

The Fourth Elder and Sixth Elder exchanged a glance, a trace of contempt for the Grand Elder in their hearts. ’The Seventh Elder is merely lovesick,’ they thought. ’But what are you? Back then, you only coveted that woman’s beauty, which is why you ambushed and killed her husband. Then you tried to take advantage of her while she was unconscious.’

However, out of deference to the Grand Elder’s power and authority, neither the Fourth Elder nor the Sixth Elder said a word.

"This can almost certainly be attributed to the Songfeng Sect," an elder who had been silent until now said faintly. "In our Mysterious Land, there are only two Sects. Since ancient times, we have been entangled in all sorts of conflicts. Neither can destroy the other, and neither can force the other to submit. Our disciples have intermarried and also formed feuds. It’s nothing to be surprised about. It’s obvious an Elder from the Songfeng Sect was passing by, was recognized and attacked by our Divine Eagles, and retaliated by killing them!"

"The Second Elder’s words make sense," the clean-shaven, prosperous-looking elder said with a nod. "It’s just a bit too coincidental that this happened right after Lao Qi’s disciples returned. I think we should report back to the Sect Leader and let him decide what to do!"

The Second Elder narrowed his eyes, his gaze flickering as he surveyed the surroundings. "I suspect the ones who killed the Divine Eagles haven’t gone far," he said softly. "Should we search the area?"

The Grand Elder waved his hand dismissively. "No need! Hmph, even if this has nothing to do with Lao Qi, he still bears some responsibility! Why does nothing happen usually, but as soon as his disciples return, there’s trouble? And another thing—I’m going to ask him, since when did the Divine Eagle Sect become his personal dictatorship? Sending disciples to the secular world so casually... if someone with ill intentions had noticed and followed them back, could he have shouldered that responsibility?"

The other Elders all knew that the Grand Elder and the Seventh Elder were on bad terms, so upon hearing this, none of them interjected.

The elders picked up the carcasses of the giant eagles. Then, one of them whistled sharply, and several more giant eagles flew out from the mountains. Seeing their dead companions, they all let out mournful cries in unison.

The Elders mounted the giant eagles and flew swiftly back toward the mountains.

After a long while, Qin Li and Shangguan Shiyu emerged from the tall grass in the distance. Qin Li had been enveloping them both with Innate Purple Qi, so they had not been discovered by the Elders.

Qin Li had also sensed that the Elders were all extraordinarily powerful, not some second-rate rabble. The Grand Elder, in particular, was unfathomably strong.

However, Qin Li wasn’t afraid, not even of a Martial Artist at the Celestial Embracing Realm. After all, both he and Shiyu possessed the Suppression Technique, a Cultivation Technique so tyrannical it defied the heavens. Although he didn’t want to reveal it lightly, it would be more than enough to save their lives in a crisis.

The two of them walked slowly along the lake shore toward the mountains. Along the way, Shangguan Shiyu did her best to conceal her aura completely, making them seem like two ordinary people.

As a result, their pace was not fast, but the Divine Eagle Sect was not far from their location anyway.

After walking for about two hours, Qin Li and his companion saw the faint outlines of buildings among the mountains, visible through the trees.

"Let’s find a place to hide first. I’ll go scout things out tonight," Qin Li said softly.

Shangguan Shiyu nodded slightly. For some reason, the closer she got, the more nervous she felt. Her heart was a swirl of complex and contradictory emotions, and she came to see Qin Li as her only anchor. She couldn’t even imagine what she would do without him!

The Divine Eagle Sect seemed to be very loosely organized. It appeared as if each Elder had their own personal mountain peak, as buildings could be seen scattered throughout the rolling mountain range for dozens of li.

Before them was a large mountain peak, lush and verdant, with jagged rocks, overgrown weeds, and disciples occasionally emerging from the buildings. From time to time, the shouts of those practicing their techniques could be heard.

Soon, dusk fell, and the mountain peak grew quiet. Qin Li had Shiyu stay in a cave within a stone forest while he went on alone, his figure moving like a Ghost as he slipped into the cluster of buildings nestled among the trees.

Light shone from the windows of the largest building. Qin Li circled around to the back of the house, his body melting into the darkness. He quietly released his Divine Sense and overheard voices from inside.

"Master, do you think the Seventh Elder will be disappointed again? His disciples and grand-disciples are so incompetent they couldn’t even find a single Spiritual Medicine. The way I see it, that woman won’t last much longer."

A middle-aged man’s voice spoke with a hint of amusement, "To be honest, I’ve never understood the Seventh Elder. It’s just a woman. If he doesn’t like anyone from the Sect, there are plenty in the secular world. This one might be beautiful, but what good is a half-dead woman, no matter how pretty she is?"

An elderly voice replied slowly, "What do you know? That woman holds a secret! Do you really think the Grand Elder was only interested in her beauty? Hmph, even if he was, there’s no need to scheme against a living corpse. His intentions aren’t what they seem—he wants to see if he can obtain that secret!"