Chapter 451: Family Celebration, You Must Listen to Advice

Chu Shaoqiang had brought five helpers. In the blink of an eye, both the Sneak cultivator and the Mud cultivator were defeated, and the Poison cultivator’s whereabouts were unknown.

Chu Shaoqiang was still locked in combat with He Jiaqing. While fighting a Thieving cultivator presented many concerns regarding the use of magical artifacts, Chu Shaoqiang remained unperturbed.

Green Water Beggar found Chu Shaoqiang's demeanor peculiar. Why was he so composed?

Perhaps it was because the Fire and Devotion cultivators were still active that Chu Shaoqiang felt confident.

The Devotion cultivator's techniques were elusive, allowing for surprising maneuvers under the Fire cultivator's cover.

The Fire cultivator could restrict Green Water Beggar's lesions; as long as they were active, close combat was virtually impossible.

However, to assume Green Water Beggar relied solely on his lesions for harm would be a grave underestimation of the Patriarch of Disease Cultivation.

With such a reputation in Puro State and control over its largest city, Green Water Beggar's abilities clearly extended far beyond that.

As the fierce flames approached, Green Water Beggar twitched his nose and let out two consecutive sneezes.

Following the sneezes, a sudden gale erupted, scattering most of the Fire cultivator's flames.

The Fire cultivator was not surprised by Green Water Beggar's defensive strategy. He continued to unleash flames, creating opportunities for the Devotion cultivator to launch a sneak attack.

Smoke suddenly rose from Green Water Beggar's body as his temperature rapidly soared, evaporating all the pus, sweat, and tears on him.

His skin glowed red like a heated branding iron, and his tattered clothes instantly burst into flames, turning to ash in moments.

The feverish Green Water Beggar charged directly at the Fire cultivator.

The Fire cultivator quickly used flames to repel Green Water Beggar. He couldn't comprehend Green Water Beggar's reasoning; if he intended to force close combat by withstanding the flames, he should have lowered his body temperature, perhaps even freezing a layer of ice on himself.

Why would he incinerate himself in such a manner?

Amidst the raging flames, Green Water Beggar neither parried nor dodged, his footsteps remaining utterly unchanged.

As Green Water Beggar closed in, the Fire cultivator finally grasped his intent.

Green Beggar had altered his physical state, harming his own body through a high fever to adapt to the flames' intense heat from within. This allowed him to calmly fight even amidst the inferno.

What a crazed tactic for a beggar!

The Fire cultivator concentrated his power, targeting Green Water Beggar's vulnerable points, first choosing his eyes.

Under the scorching heat, Green Water Beggar's pupils glowed with a crystalline luster, like fine porcelain.

His vision unaffected, he reached for the Fire cultivator's throat, and with a swift tug, snatched away a ball of flame.

No!

A Fire Seed!

The Fire cultivator paled, stumbling back in alarm.

All Fire cultivator techniques stem from the fire seeds within their bodies. For each level of cultivation, one fire seed is gained, so a tenth-level Fire cultivator possesses exactly ten fire seeds.

Fire seeds are the lifeblood of Fire cultivators; once extinguished, it can take days or even months to rekindle them.

Extinguishing fire seeds is the most effective way to defeat a Fire cultivator, but getting close to one is exceedingly difficult. The typical strategy is to engage in ranged combat, looking for an opportune moment to target the fire seeds.

Who could have anticipated that Green Beggar would sacrifice himself to achieve close proximity?

Now, with the fire seed at his throat already extinguished by Green Water Beggar, and before the Fire cultivator could react, Green Water Beggar seized another flame from his forehead.

A second fire seed was extinguished.

The Fire cultivator descended into a panic, momentarily unsure whether to attack or defend.

The Devotion cultivator scooped up a handful of thin mud from the ground and flung it at Green Water Beggar.

This mud could help Green Water Beggar cool down. Regardless of its actual efficacy, it constituted assistance, entitling the Devotion cultivator to demand remuneration from Green Water Beggar for providing aid.

However, the flame's temperature was too high; the mud turned to dry ash mid-flight and was easily dodged by Green Water Beggar.

The Devotion cultivator shielded a ball of mud in his palm, preparing to charge forward and smear it onto Green Water Beggar.

This was incredibly dangerous, but the Devotion cultivator decided to take the risk.

Firstly, with Green Water Beggar deep within the flames, his lesions were certainly incinerated, meaning there was no risk of infection when approaching him.

If he succeeded in smearing it onto Green Water Beggar, the rewards would be immense. Controlling Green Water Beggar in this situation, in coordination with the Fire cultivator, would present an opportunity to end his life.

This Devotion cultivator, unlike Green Water Beggar, lacked the means to withstand the flames for close combat, and consequently suffered severe burns all over his body.

Just as the mud was about to be applied, He Jiaqing suddenly appeared beside him and splashed water over the Devotion cultivator.

How did He Jiaqing get here?

Wasn't he just fighting Chu Shaoqiang?

Chu Shaoqiang was hurrying towards them, but He Jiaqing had suddenly disengaged from his battle, moving too fast for Chu Shaoqiang to keep pace.

Where did He Jiaqing's water come from?

He used Water Cultivation techniques.

As a Thieving cultivator, possessing Water Cultivation techniques wasn't unheard of, but the Devotion cultivator couldn't fathom why He Jiaqing would spray water on him.

What happened next was beyond the Devotion cultivator's wildest imagination.

He Jiaqing declared, "Since you accepted my water, you must obey me. Stand still and don't move."

The Devotion cultivator found himself unable to move.

He Jiaqing knew Devotion Cultivation techniques!

Green Beggar suddenly spun around, seized the Devotion cultivator by the crown of his head, twisted his wrist, ripped off his head, and then tore the headless corpse into several pieces.

When the Fire cultivator tried to intervene, He Jiaqing used his 'Water Dripping Through Stone' technique to extinguish six fire seeds on the Fire cultivator in quick succession.

The Fire cultivator froze.

Of his ten fire seeds, Green Water Beggar had extinguished two, and He Jiaqing had extinguished six, leaving him with only two. Most of his techniques were now unusable; he couldn't even conjure fire.

By the time Chu Shaoqiang arrived, Green Beggar's body temperature had returned to normal, and his lesions had regenerated. He then afflicted the Fire cultivator with a body full of pus sores.

The Fire cultivator was beyond saving; in an instant, he festered into a heap of rotting flesh.

All five helpers were annihilated.

Chu Shaoqiang remained perfectly calm, seemingly with no intention of fleeing.

Green Water Beggar looked at Chu Shaoqiang and said, "We've had some dealings in the past. Leave now, and I'll spare your life."

Upon hearing this, Cui Tike grew anxious.

Why was the Patriarch showing mercy?

Why was he recalling old ties?

Hadn't Green Water Beggar always sought Chu Shaoqiang's death?

As his thoughts raced, Cui Tike began to piece things together.

Green Water Beggar certainly intended to kill Chu Shaoqiang.

However, he desired the Ink Fragrance Shop even more.

By burning himself earlier, he had lost significant combat power. In addition to physical damage, his lesions would not fully recover in the short term.

He wished to conserve his strength to confront Murong Gui and Ge Junma, which was why he decided to temporarily spare Chu Shaoqiang.

The Patriarch's wisdom greatly impressed Cui Tike, but why did he covet the Ink Fragrance Shop?

The Ink Fragrance Shop wasn't adjacent to Green Water Bay, nor could it compare in popularity.

Was it truly to leave He Jiaqing some capital? Could the Patriarch be that benevolent?

The reasons were impossible to fathom, and Cui Tike wasn't overly concerned. What truly mattered to him was the current state of the battle; if both sides ceased fighting, the Patriarch's path forward would become complicated, and he wouldn't be able to exploit the situation.

Cui Tike was just lamenting the situation, but Chu Shaoqiang had no intention of leaving.

He looked at He Jiaqing and smiled, saying, "You possess Water Cultivation techniques, and Devotion Cultivation techniques. Given your courage to get close to a Fire cultivator just now, I'd wager you know some Fire Cultivation techniques too."

He Jiaqing nodded and replied, "Uncle Qiang, keen eye. But there's no need to dwell on it; by tomorrow, which Daoist techniques I possess might be entirely different."

"There's no need to wait until tomorrow. We'll settle this today."

As he finished speaking, the character for "Concealment" appeared behind Chu Shaoqiang.

The character vanished, and a middle-aged man, dressed in a dark blue changshan and holding a folding fan, slowly materialized from the shadows.

Green Water Beggar's cheeks twitched for a moment; he recognized this man.

He Jiaqing recognized him even more clearly. This man was He Caiyuan, He Haiqin's father, He Jiaqing's grandfather, and the founder of the He family's lineage.

He Caiyuan had been dead for ten years. In He Jiaqing's memory, his grandfather had been an eighth-level Scholar cultivator at the time of his death. To see him appear today was utterly unexpected.

"Grandfather, you're..." He Jiaqing was speechless.

He Caiyuan smiled, "Jiaqing, well done. With such a capable young man like you in the family, I can rest easy."

"Thank you for your praise," He Jiaqing could only manage in reply.

He Caiyuan waved his hand. "That's not praise, to be honest. At your age, my cultivation was far inferior to yours. I've been watching from the side just now, and I've taken note of many of your tactics. Using such elaborate schemes on my own descendant feels a bit distasteful, I admit. But the new generation always surpasses the old, and many old-timers like myself have fallen to younger cultivators. One must always be vigilant."

No wonder Chu Shaoqiang was so composed; he had a formidable ally backing him.

The five tenth-level cultivators he brought were mere cannon fodder, serving two purposes: first, to weaken Green Water Beggar and He Jiaqing, and second, to allow He Caiyuan to formulate his tactics.

Green Water Beggar gritted his teeth and said, "Old man, your audacity hasn't changed a bit."

He Caiyuan frowned slightly. "Green Beggar, we'll discuss our business in a moment. Allow me to finish my family matters first. Jiaqing, you were the one who sent Haiqin to the Sacred Land, weren't you?"

The Sacred Land, as some referred to Neizhou.

He Jiaqing did not reply.

He Caiyuan smiled. "There's no need to be afraid. You did nothing wrong; when one's cultivation reaches a certain level, heading to the Sacred Land for practice is the proper path. Haiqin had endured some trials, and his temperament has greatly improved. Using my old connections, I secured him a respectable position. It won't be long before Haiqin's cultivation reaches the clouds. As for whether he chooses to return and become a local deity or remain in the Sacred Land and continue his duties, that decision can be made later."

From these words, it was clear that He Caiyuan held a certain status in Neizhou, perhaps even higher than Chu Shaoqiang's.

He Caiyuan opened his folding fan, fanned himself a few times, his smile fading. He then addressed He Jiaqing, "However, there are things you indeed did wrong. For instance, you should not have waded into the murky waters of today's affair. Young as you are, with excellent cultivation, you should focus on family matters. Yuxiu is not cut out to manage the household. Listen to your grandfather and go home immediately."

He Jiaqing remained rooted to the spot, unmoving. He Caiyuan closed his folding fan.

"When an elder advises you, you must listen!"

The character for "Listen" materialized in the night sky and rapidly flew towards He Jiaqing.

He Jiaqing desperately tried to dodge. The "Listen" character exploded beside him, triggering He Jiaqing's Sneak Cultivation technique, and his sole remaining ear buzzed incessantly.

Green Water Beggar's body swelled with pus sores as he prepared for a fight.

He Caiyuan's face darkened as he looked at Green Water Beggar. "As for you, I'll offer you a path to survival. If you wish to live, return to Green Water City, surrender the contract as soon as possible, and present yourself to the Sacred Land to beg for forgiveness."