After realizing the issue with his innate talent, Li Xuan added the "bone test" to his plan.
On the other hand, he roughly understood the strength of the "demon."
If he's not mistaken, the Half-Step Grandmaster known for his body technique, "Electric Light Sword" Jing Yu Yan, with agility set approximately at 10, might increase by a few more points after a burst of his ultimate skill, estimating at most to 13.
And since the "demon" was injured and spilled magical blood, it implied that "13 points agility" was sufficient to injure the "demon."
The agility of the "demon" might be around 13 or 14.
Considering the possibility that the "demon" was injured before unleashing its full power, the "demon's" highest level could be approximately 17 or 18.
Li Xuan glanced at his "8 points agility."
His speed would be on par with Yaohua without using ultimate skills, but if he encountered the demon, it wouldn't be very useful.
Fortunately, this seems to be a world of low martial arts.
Li Xuan glanced at the surrounding Li family cavalry.
With numbers on their side, it was reassuring.
At this moment, a cavalryman approached and said, "Eldest Young Master Li, the weather is clear today, perfect for traveling. If we return now, we should be able to enter the city by nightfall."
Li Xuan came here primarily to draw more magical blood.
Since there's no magical blood, he nodded and said, "Okay, let's return!"
The cavalryman mounted his horse, and the Li family's driver untied the old rope from the tree, driving the carriage close.
Li Xuan and Yaohua got on the carriage.
The wheels rolled southward.
The young man, still shaken by the day's events, had gained much but felt exhausted thinking about his eldest sister's uncertain fate. As the carriage swayed, he gradually fell asleep on Yaohua's lap.
Yaohua looked down at the boyish face, slightly tipped her toes, raising her thigh a bit higher to prevent the young man from rolling off as he slept.
In her childhood, she had a brother three years younger, but he died right before her eyes.
She was too weak back then...
It's all her fault!
If only she'd been stronger.
Thinking of this, an intense pain appeared in Yaohua's expression, but glancing at the young man lying on her lap, her cheeks flushed, thinking: 'Even if he were still here, he wouldn't be as audacious as this scoundrel. How could he talk so shamelessly behind closed doors?'
...
...
The cavalry escorted the carriage, and in the blink of an eye, it was afternoon.
Li Xuan yawned, waking up on Yaohua's lap.
Yaohua, seeing the drool stain on her trouser leg, blushed and glared intensely.
Li Xuan chuckled and said, "When we return to the mansion, I'll personally replace it for you."
Yaohua rolled her eyes, turning her head away, refusing to look at this shameless man, while disdainfully pinching the dampened part of her pants and wiping it with nearby fabric.
Before long, a cavalryman approached to inquire whether they should stop for a rest.
Li Xuan directly refused.
In dangerous areas, halting was not advisable; returning to the county quickly was the real path.
Thus, the cavalry only slowed down, grabbing some dry food, and quickly filled their stomachs with water while on horseback.
Li Xuan made do in the same manner, then unable to sleep, he leaned by the window gazing at the scenery outside.
Desolate lands and grassy forests, even under the sunshine appeared gray.
There were still some evergreen trees far on the mountains, but the sparse greenery increasingly highlighted the bleak and severe winter landscape.
While Li Xuan was absorbed in his thoughts, Yaohua suddenly spoke up, "Fog is coming."
Fog?
Li Xuan looked down, indeed seeing a light white layer rising like silk at the roots of vegetation.
How could fog arise so early in the afternoon?
Moments later, the fog intensified, swelling from a thin veil of white to a stream-like state, covering horse hooves and submerging the yellow earth.
As the wheels turned and horse hooves galloped, they kicked up strands of white mist that wouldn't dissipate.
The fog... gradually thickened.
Meanwhile, Li Xuan felt his heart skip a beat, the veins embedded in his flesh suddenly hot like wires in a fire, the magical blood within seeming to react, accelerating the flow.
Li Xuan's blood was heating up.
This burning sensation made him feel his body's hair stand on end.
He instinctively felt a strong sense of alertness, like a beast sensing the presence of another beast.
Beasts, especially fierce ones, always have a strong territorial instinct.
Li Xuan sensed something approaching.
He was puzzled at how he developed this awareness, yet quickly he pondered.
Suddenly, he understood.
This is the perception of magic blood.
Demons are always more sensitive to other demons.
Others cannot sense it, but the magic blood in his body is always circulating, allowing him to perceive.
'A demon is nearby...
No! It's right in front!'
'The demon wants to kill those who are alone!'
'The demon wants to wait until the mist is thick to kill!'
'The demon has wisdom and doesn't rely solely on instinct!'
'What exactly is a demon?'
Thoughts surged rapidly into his mind.
Li Xuan felt his whole body heating up, while his heart went cold.
He made a decisive decision, swiftly stood up, and shouted outside, "Return! Quickly return!! Gather with the county soldiers."
Yaohua looked at him in astonishment, suddenly tensed her delicate body, held her gun close, and glanced out the window from his side, but saw nothing.
The Li family cavalry were also dumbfounded; why suddenly return?
Someone rode over respectfully, saying, "Eldest Young Master, we've already covered half of the return journey. If we turn back, we certainly won't make it back to the county today."
Li Xuan didn't explain but raised his hand and shouted, "Stop!"
The reins were immediately pulled tight.
The carriage stopped.
The surrounding Li family cavalry also halted.
Although Eldest Young Master Li had "fallen," his "fall" meant "enjoying wealth and riches steadily," and it did not mean he lost his mind and became neglectful.
In fact, he visited his family's industry every day and had become familiar with the managers, naturally winning over many people. Even these cavalrymen had shared drinks with him as if he were an equal, even bathed together in the creek, listening to their difficulties and occasionally posing as a man of loyalty by doing some memorable things to win hearts.
Despite having brothers, every member of the Li family had long regarded this firstborn Eldest Young Master as the future master.
His prestige was not low.
When he said "stop," everyone stopped.
The Li family cavalry leader, who had approached, understood Li Xuan's concerns after glancing around, and signaled two nearby cavalrymen, saying, "Go ahead and scout."
Li Xuan scanned the surroundings. His approach was indirectly a test of his family's prestige. Now hearing this, he looked at the cavalry leader affectionately and said, "Uncle Wang, no need."
The two cavalrymen were about to set off but paused again.
Li Xuan stared at the distant mist and said, "Two Half-Step Grandmasters dying without warning—I won't let my own brothers take such risks."
The cavalry leader felt warmth in his heart, but his expression changed to one of alertness.
"Young Master, do you mean the killer is just ahead?"
Li Xuan didn't reveal the magic blood matter but said, "I only considered it from the killer's perspective."
The cavalry leader nodded and said, "Understood. How about letting the hounds scout?"
Li family cavalry were not just ordinary cavalry; they were experts summoned by the Li family from various parts of the martial world. After a long time in the Li family, they became like family.
Among them were those who mastered secret techniques, such as... beast taming.
This batch of Li family cavalry included someone who brought four hounds.
Li Xuan laughed heartily and said, "Since we've decided, why investigate further?
Join me, let's return and gather with the county soldiers.
The fate of my elder sister is unknown; even if I return to the county, I won't be at peace!"
"Let's go!"
The cavalry leader no longer spoke, respectfully saying, "Yes, Eldest Young Master."
The cavalry and the carriage returned the way they came.
The distant fog thickened, with mountains like cloud-reaching Celestial Palaces, the golden light of the firmament disappearing without notice, as cold winds blew through bare branches and frigid holes, producing wailing sobs that sounded like crying and laughter.
The young man shivered but took several deep breaths to suppress his panic.
Suddenly, he felt his hand soften and saw Yaohua voluntarily reach out and hold it.
They locked eyes, and Yaohua earnestly said, "I won't let anything happen to you."
...
...
At this moment, about ten miles ahead of the Li family team, lay several fresh corpses scattered around.
Judging by their clothes, they were passersby.
The thick fog gradually engulfed those corpses.
It seemed as if some demonic spell was at work; when the wind blew and the mist swirled, those corpses vanished mysteriously, disappearing completely.
After a while, behind a bare old tree, a human head was tossed out, rolling like a ball several times in the yellow dirt, where the blood from its severed neck stained the earth, appearing both red and yellow.
The head stopped against a stone, its eyes still open, filled... with fear.