Chapter 338: Removing Pests (II)

The green-robed cultivator, with shifty, weasel-like features, stepped forward carelessly. As soon as he spoke, several cultivators from the Azure Pond Sect looked over. Li Xuanfeng frowned slightly and had no choice but to draw his bow.

Most of these cultivators were disciples of Yuanwu Peak, and they had been making sport of their group for quite some time. Fei Yihe and the other cultivators, who had always been submissive, looked nervously at Li Xuanfeng upon hearing this.

Twang...

Li Xuanfeng remained silent. He raised the golden longbow in his hand, exhaled, and with a soft sound, brilliant golden light gathered, interwoven and coiled, forming a golden-white arrow.

His eyes reflected the tattered figure. The longbow in his hand hummed with power. The slave soldier, mid-air, paused as if alerted, and looked back.

Cultivators possessed astonishing eyesight. The two gazed at each other across a hundred zhang. Li Xuanfeng's gaze met the man's eyes, which were filled with resentment and despair. He felt a sudden sense of familiarity, his heart stirred, and his hand relaxed.

The arrow burst with light, streaking across the sky like a meteor. It flew straight for the man, reaching him in an instant, striking him directly in the back. The slave soldier plummeted, swaying like a bird with broken wings.

"Excellent!" The green-robed cultivator burst into laughter, staring at the golden-white arrow as it traced a brilliant arc across the sky. He stated frankly, "That arrow is fast enough."

His appearance was lewd and his features shifty and rat-like. He somehow made the elegant green robe look vulgar as he laughed heartily, holding his stomach, drawing sidelong glances from everyone.

The higher-ranking man in front of him, handsome and refined with a high nose bridge, looked with considerable distaste at the loudly laughing man beside him. He said coldly, "He's not dead!"

Fei Yihe, who had been waiting for a long time, quickly smiled ingratiatingly and said respectfully, "Esteemed Immortal, you might not know, but my brother's archery is special. Anyone struck by this arrow will have a protective qi attached to them, causing them to disintegrate into blood within three quarters of an hour."

The leading Azure Pond disciple was tall, a full head taller than Fei Yihe. His gaze lingered on Fei Yihe's face for a moment before he suddenly flicked his sleeve.

"Smack!"

The slap made Fei Yihe stumble back a step, covering his face and repeatedly apologizing. The tall leading man then suddenly turned around, his face filled with brutality, and kicked the squatting, weasel-faced man.

Thud.

The weasel-faced man was completely unprepared and took the kick squarely. He was sent flying a zhang by his senior fellow disciple, tumbling awkwardly on the ground.

"Senior Brother! Don't, Senior Brother!"

The tall man's sudden kick startled all the Azure Pond disciples behind him. The other aristocratic cultivators exchanged bewildered glances, wondering why these immortal sect disciples were fighting among themselves again. One by one, they lowered their heads, not daring to speak.

The Azure Pond disciples quickly came forward to mediate. The weasel-faced man, seemingly oblivious, patted the footprint off his daoist robe and said cheerfully, "Senior Brother Ning's kick was quite precise, showing the same grace as the Old Ancestor when he threw his shoe at people back in the day."

Senior Brother Ning stepped forward, his face ferocious. His tall figure completely enveloped the slender, weasel-faced man in his shadow. He grabbed his collar, pulled his head close, and gnashed his teeth, "Deng Yuzhi… you'd better truly be a dissolute scoundrel, truly have had your mind damaged by cultivation, and keep up this act for the rest of your life until you die. The day I find any fault with you, I will make you understand the methods of my Distant Punishment Peak!"

No sooner had he finished speaking, he flung the weasel-faced man to the ground with a thud. He straightened his robe, then stepped forward in his jade boots, embroidered with gold threads, and said softly, "Let's go!"

Senior Brother Ning appeared to hold a respected position. As soon as he spoke, none of the Azure Pond disciples dared to speak up for Deng Yuzhi. They silently lowered their heads and followed behind Senior Brother Ning, riding the wind towards the city.

Only Deng Yuzhi remained, covered in dust, disheveled, and awkwardly sprawled on the ground. The others could only pretend not to see him, hurrying to face the enemy.

"What a temper," Deng Yuzhi mumbled. He calmly got up, performed a magic gesture to brush the dust off himself, and after mumbling for a moment, he looked down at Li Xuanfeng, who was holding his bow in thought, and cursed, "Truly useless! Your reputation precedes you, but you don't live up to it. Aren't you afraid of causing trouble?!"

With that, he turned and leaped towards the city, leaving the others to exchange bewildered glances.

"Those words... seem to have a hidden meaning," Li Xuanfeng mused, watching Deng Yuzhi's disappearing figure. "I seem to have met this person before; he spoke at length with the Old Ancestor when he came to our home for conscription... I'm afraid what just happened also involves a lot of internal strife within the Azure Pond Sect..."

He withdrew his gaze. The expression on the young man's face when he looked back kept replaying in his mind. He touched the longbow in his hand and mused inwardly, "That arrow of mine was all show and no substance, just a pretense. The enemies of the Azure Pond Sect are our friends, and it's never wrong to foster goodwill."

Li Xuanfeng was currently at the peak of Qi Condensation. In terms of cultivation, he was far superior to the group of wet-behind-the-ears Azure Pond disciples. Moreover, he had never seen anyone surpass him in archery, so he could naturally deceive this group of Azure Pond disciples.

He slung the longbow onto his back. He watched the beast tide slowly retreat, then turned to Fei Yihe and asked, "How are things?"

"It's nothing!" Fei Yihe had taken a slap for no reason. The bloodstain at the corner of his mouth had been secretly wiped away, and the red mark on his face was slowly fading. He said softly, "When you're at their mercy, a slap is just a slap. It's fine."

East Shanyue.

The grand hall of Mulu City was resplendent and magnificent. The dim yellow lamplight flickered on the walls, casting dark, dancing shadows that resembled demons and monsters.

Tian Zhongqing put away a stack of wooden slips he was holding. A servant from below hurried up and said respectfully, "My Lord! The nobles have once again submitted a petition, asking to support Li Jiman's ascension... They claim it's already the agreed-upon date and cannot be delayed any longer."

"Bring it here." Tian Zhongqing sighed, took the memorial presented by the servant, raised his brush, and marked several circles on it.

Tian Zhongqing was currently acting as the interim ruler of Shanyue affairs. His reddish-brown brushstrokes constantly outlined. East Shanyue originally used vermilion for official endorsements, but it had only been changed in recent years. After all, the main branch of the Li family used vermilion for endorsements, so the Clan Affairs Institute used a slightly darker crimson to show their subordination. Shamoli, hearing this news, quickly changed their own annotations to an even darker reddish-brown, which has been used ever since.

"Tell them to change these inappropriate phrases and resubmit it in a few days!" Tian Zhongqing found a random excuse to send them away, feeling a secret dread in his heart.

"It's not that I, Tian Zhongqing, want to suppress you all... it's the main family's intention... How can Li Jiman ascend if a batch of nobles hasn't been eliminated yet?"

He sighed inwardly. He looked at the grand hall before him, where the decorations below were a captivating expanse of gold. He had been acting as regent for over half a year and had almost grown fond of this elevated position.

The lamplight in the inner hall flickered, softly illuminating numerous jade and gold artifacts. This grand hall was once Muxiaoman's temporary palace, built to be resplendent and magnificent. When it passed into Qimu's hands, many expenses were cut.

Later, Li Feiruo instigated a coup. The Li family's carriages rolled into the palace, and blood stained the palace steps as the nobles vied with each other to slaughter the royal family, seeking to curry favor with the Li clan.

"The wheel of fortune turns... Soon, the blood of these nobles will be spilled..." Tian Zhongqing looked hazily at the golden-red expanse, which seemed like blood. His heart suddenly jolted awake, and he cast aside those thoughts. Just then, he heard a clanging sound from outside the hall, and a burly man entered.

The man was eight feet tall, with thick eyebrows and a robust build. In one hand, he held a large golden mace. He looked like a notorious bandit who had just come off the road, as if he was about to hurl the golden mace and smash him into a pulp at any moment.

Tian Zhongqing quickly rose from his seat, hurried down to greet him, and chuckled, "Brother Wen! Why are you here? Has the Family Head graced us with his presence?"

"Uncle Tian, you misunderstand," Li Wen replied in a muffled voice. Though fierce in appearance, he had a gentle disposition. "The family has already dispatched the Jade Court Guards. They've secured various locations in the city. The Family Head said we can close the net, so he sent me to oversee the operation."

"Excellent! Excellent!" Tian Zhongqing chuckled, a hint of flattery in his tone, "Brother Wen, does the Family Head have any instructions?"

Li Wen nodded and replied, "The Family Head has agreed. Once this matter is concluded, the Tian family disciples may return to the Twelve Towns."

"Wonderful! Wonderful!" Tian Zhongqing was immediately overjoyed. His Tian clan, ever since being sent to Shanyue to stabilize the situation, had increasingly been looked down upon by the Easterners, who considered them allied with Shanyue. This made their lives very difficult in a world where everyone revered the East.

Tian family disciples held a high status in Shanyue, but were considered inferior in Lijing Town. Although they had two Qi Condensation cultivators in their family, they lacked the backing of the main branch and were often secretly scorned by others. His eldest son had merely visited Lijing Town once, failed to understand the local drinking games, and was mocked. He returned depressed for three full months, causing Tian Zhongqing to sigh frequently. Moreover, in this Shanyue region, far from the main family, the Tian family was the strongest among the non-Li clans. Tian Zhongqing was walking on thin ice, living in constant apprehension...

Now that he had Li Yuanping's promise, he was immediately overjoyed. Even the frustration of being the Li family's pawn, offending Li Jiman and the nobles, completely dissipated. He thought coldly, "I was worried about how to establish ourselves in Shanyue, but now, let's just kill! After heads roll, I'll just pack up and leave. Who cares about a few local tyrants?"

He immediately issued orders. All the soldiers and armors in the palace began to move, clanging loudly. The palace gates swung open, and carriages and horses rolled out, riding along the recently constructed main road.

Rumble... A thunderous roar erupted among the streets. The people of Shanyue awoke from their sleep, lifted their heads, and looked bewildered.

In another corner of Mulu Town, cups clinked and decadent songs played. Li Jiman sat at the head of the table with a sour expression, watching the nobles below sing loudly, feeling annoyed.

"They're still barbarians... What kind of rubbish is this?" There were no drinking games involving throwing arrows into a pot, nor poetry recitations or commands. All the tricks Li Jiman had learned were useless. They merely drank noisily after singing, making him quite uncomfortable.

As he was thinking, a drunken member of a clan below came forward, chuckled, and slurred, "Great King, you say that Li Yuanping looks pale every day, as if he doesn't have long to live... Isn't that a sign that something is about to change?"

Li Jiman's expression suddenly changed. He was already familiar with the main branch and often took pride in it. Furthermore, Li Yuanping had previously shown him leniency, so his gratitude and respect were beyond words. How could he tolerate such words? Moreover, the experience of being exploited by the Tian family last time, when he thought no one knew, was still vivid in his memory. Li Jiman was instantly filled with fear and burst into a furious rage.

"Hmph!" Li Jiman hurled the wine cup in his hand at the man's head and face, immediately splattering him with red. The man tumbled down with a thud. Li Jiman cursed, "You audacious thief!"

Silence instantly fell in the hall. Li Jiman quickly stood up, cursing as if explaining to someone, "That's a tiger feigning illness, an eagle pretending to sleep! How could despicable people like you ever understand even one bit?"

No sooner had he finished speaking, a group of people knelt down. The decadent music also ceased, and the courtyard became so quiet one could hear a pin drop. Li Jiman listened intently, and his heart sank: "Why do I hear the clashing of weapons?!"

As he spoke, the people below were still exchanging bewildered glances, but then a scream was heard.

"Crash!"

A group of white-armored soldiers and horses burst through the door. Carrying blades and wearing solemn expressions, they filed in unhindered. Immediately, several clan members jumped up and cursed, "Who are you, and what place is this? How dare you act so presumptuously here!"

The white-armored soldiers ignored them completely. Several clan members with cultivation tried to resist, but were subdued by the leader in two moves. Watching these clan members being apprehended one by one, Li Jiman stared blankly, saying in disbelief, "Jade Court Guards?"

Only muffled groans and pleas for mercy remained in the hall. Li Jiman only had time to ask two questions; the group had already been swept out like a whirlwind. He walked down dazedly, suddenly finding himself completely isolated.

Fortunately, the leading Jade Court Guard in the center was quite courteous, gently cupping his hands and saying, "Young Master, pardon the intrusion."

"This is..." Li Jiman had suddenly been stripped of his entire foundation. It was like walking down the street and suddenly being robbed of everything. He was so stunned that it took him several breaths to utter two words.

The man before him slowly cupped his hands, his eyes bright. He gestured behind him, and all the Jade Court Guards withdrew, leaving only the two of them. Then he said, "To answer Young Master, the Tian family submitted a cartload of incriminating evidence to the Clan Affairs Institute. All the Shanyue clans are implicated, and I was ordered to apprehend them."

"The Tian family?!" Li Jiman was jolted awake, finally understanding why the main family had suddenly become so ruthless. His eyes reddened, and he gnashed his teeth, "It seems the Tian family has been plotting for a long time, for who knows how many years! They intend to slaughter all my people just to make me a puppet figurehead!"

"But now the Tian clan dominates Shanyue, without the constraint of the nobles... I fear it will lead to great trouble! Family Head... no, Family Head!"

He clutched his robe and hurried forward. The Jade Court Guard seemed to hesitate upon hearing his words, and whispered, "This matter has been carried out to the extreme. Brother, perhaps you should go and plead with the Family Head... I've heard he intends to recall the Tian family, but they have always refused, using various schemes to remain in Shanyue."

"Ah! Thank you, brother!" Li Jiman heard this news for the first time and was instantly overjoyed, his face flushed, and his eyes bloodshot with excitement. He gnashed his teeth and said, "Yes, as long as the Tian family withdraws from Shanyue and returns to the towns, everything will be resolved! I must persuade the Family Head, no matter what... to make the Tian family leave Shanyue and return to the Twelve Towns!"

He had diligently studied the art of governance for over ten years at home; how could he be willing to be a puppet? Now, having made up his mind, he quickly put on his shoes and rushed out of the hall.

The Jade Court Guard seemed quite moved. Seeing his anxious appearance, he hesitated for a moment before unable to resist reminding him, "Brother! I heard that the Family Head has been troubled for years by the spiritual resource output of Shanyue, and he sent our Jade Court Guards to investigate multiple times. If Young Master is interested, you could start there!"

Li Jiman's eyes lit up immediately. This news came like timely rain, making him quite pleased. He nodded as he rushed out of the hall. Suddenly, he stopped and looked back, saying, "Brother, you've helped me greatly today. May I know your name?"

The Jade Court Guard chuckled and replied, "My humble name is Chen Mufeng. I only returned home from the market a few days ago. I will need Young Master's continued patronage in the future."

"Chen Mufeng." Li Jiman savored the name, committing it to memory. Without time for more words, he simply thanked him and rushed out in a hurry.