Chapter 681: Liaokong

Inside the great formation, green water dripped, clear light flowed, and streaks of radiant light shimmered.

As Chi Buhua entered the formation, he found no one else around. Only a golden pagoda stood unmoving and imposing amidst the radiant light. He immediately knew it must be Liao Kong. Chi Buhua didn't need a second glance; Chi Zhihu, Wu Weibai, and the others were undoubtedly dead. Suppressing his grief, he immediately activated the formation, his pupils swirling as he narrowed his eyes to observe.

Chi Buhua's profound eye technique allowed him to discern faint figures within the radiant light. The monk's figure also appeared within the pagoda, and Chi Buhua heard him declare loudly: "Senior! This person is cunning! I can't hold him; quickly intervene!"

Chi Buhua formed a hand seal, and green water radiance appeared on his hands. Looking up, he saw Li Xizhi's figure rapidly approaching. The elder had just managed to block the hazy radiant light when, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed three-colored radiant light whistling towards him at an incredible speed, aimed directly at Li Yuanqin, who was in his grasp!

"You..." This was beyond Chi Buhua's expectation. He vaguely heard the young man's elegant yet cold voice: "I will first eliminate this unfilial son for Lord Xuanfeng!"

"Damn you." Chi Buhua heard the curse and hesitated for a moment, weighing whether to intervene. However, the three-colored rainbow light was astonishingly fast, reaching Li Yuanqin in an instant and striking him in the face.

"Boom!" The white light that flared around Li Yuanqin resisted for only a moment before shattering like an eggshell. The golden pagoda, hurrying along, finally caught up with the radiant light, temporarily suppressing it and emitting a harsh grating sound.

"That person from Qingchi! What the hell is he doing bringing a Qi Refining practitioner in here?!" Clearly, Liao Kong didn't know why Chi Buhua had brought Li Yuanqin. However, seeing Li Xizhi immediately attempt to kill the man, Liao Kong realized his identity must be significant. Upholding the principle of opposing his enemies, Liao Kong intercepted the radiant light and positioned the pagoda to suppress it in front of the two, descending with it.

Chi Buhua's eyelids twitched. Li Yuanqin was already drenched in cold sweat, and seeing that the young man's demeanor didn't seem feigned, the elder finally spoke, his voice cold: "Monk, help me capture him, and I will let you go!"

The main branch and direct lineage of Qingchi had been almost completely annihilated by the Buddhist cultivators at Bianyan Mountain. How could Chi Buhua possibly have any goodwill towards them? Yet, as an elder, he secretly harbored a poignant sorrow for the main lineage. Moreover, having brought many cultivators, he was already certain of success. Had Liao Kong not been a mortal enemy of the Li family, capable of causing them trouble, and prone to unexpected developments, Chi Buhua might have even wanted to kill the monk as well.

Monk Liao Kong heard these words and immediately discerned the ill intent in Chi Buhua's tone. The plump monk's expression changed, and suppressing his anger, he whispered: "Who exactly is this Qi Refining practitioner?! He's a nuisance!"

"He's his blood relative!" Chi Buhua responded, and Liao Kong's eyes immediately lit up as he joyfully exclaimed: "Excellent, excellent! Senior, you have good methods. I have a way to deal with him!"

Chi Buhua didn't really need the monk, but he feared Li Xizhi might seek death, and having Buddhist cultivation methods at hand was a good thing. He said coldly: "End this quickly!"

Liao Kong immediately activated the golden pagoda, causing golden light to surge forth. He also took a golden bead from his sleeve and swallowed it, his spiritual power surging and flowing into the pagoda. The pagoda instantly shone with dazzling colors, like a golden sun, its radiance shimmering like water waves.

Chi Buhua mused, "He does have some power!" He felt a flush on his face. Since Liao Kong was focused on casting spells, the three-colored rainbow light had already slipped out from under the pagoda. The elder took a green zun from his sleeve, injected green water spiritual power into it, and gently tossed it. The green zun immediately inverted and floated upwards, its dragon patterns glowing brightly. It spewed out a stream of green light, driving away the sky-filling radiant light and absorbing spiritual power, thereby restraining the three-colored rainbow light.

The second spell in Li Xizhi's hand moved through the radiant light. Chi Buhua locked onto it with his spiritual sense, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw a slight smile on the black-robed youth's face. "Hmm?"

The elder was like a striking snake; the wrinkles on his face suddenly gathered, and his head snapped back unnaturally. His two ancient eyes pierced directly at Li Yuanqin as he asked: "Yuanqin? What are you doing?"

Li Yuanqin's hand, hidden by his robe, took out a jade talisman, already suffused with his spiritual power. He said softly: "Master gave me a formation talisman that can lock the great formation, preventing entry and exit."

"Oh?" Chi Buhua's old face twitched as a realization struck him like lightning: "Fubai was afraid I would save Zhihu, afraid I would feel abandoned like him, so he gave him the formation talisman... I wouldn't have known about this... He had the talisman but didn't use it, deliberately revealing it to me to send the six people away..."

The next moment, the great formation in the sky suddenly locked. Eight formation patterns were distributed in its corners, some bright, some dim, clearly indicating an internal and external blockade, preventing any entry or exit. The elder's face instantly darkened. *So what? How long can this great formation hold off the six? With me, Liao Kong, and Li Xizhi fighting... how could you possibly survive!*

Doubts swirled in his mind, and he looked on coldly, saying nothing. He raised his hand, and a fierce wind swept forth, heading directly for Li Yuanqin. He was about to kill him with a casual palm strike and snatch back the formation talisman. But then, streaks of golden light appeared. The golden pagoda, which had been hovering in the sky for some time, suddenly became colorful and crashed down directly. Chi Buhua was caught off guard, and unbelievable terror finally appeared on the elder's face: "How is this possible!"

But the golden pagoda had already crashed down, suddenly slamming onto the green zun. This caused the zun to tilt precariously, emitting a grating, tooth-aching sound. The misty green light immediately dispersed, and the radiant light beneath, like a cunning fish, instantly burrowed into the radiant mist. And the sword light, which had been lurking in the radiant mist for a long time, suddenly erupted. A chill ran down Chi Buhua's neck, and his back grew cold in waves. He presumed it was the arrival of the other three-colored rainbow light from earlier.

*How is this possible...* If anyone were to betray him, Chi Buhua would least suspect Liao Kong. He would even believe that one of the six people outside was a Si family mole, but Liao Kong had never crossed his mind... *Liao Kong had eighteen disciples killed by Li Xuanfeng. His lineage had been mortal enemies with the Wei-Li family for generations. Even harming one or two of them would bring significant benefits... How could he possibly help Li Xizhi!*

"Are you insane?!" Chi Buhua roared, but his words were caught in his throat. Not only did the golden pagoda shift horizontally, but the monk also threw a punch. However, the truly fatal threats were the sword qi and radiant light right in front of him!

The jade on his body shattered, and in front of him, the three-tailed feathered beast appeared, spewing yellow mist to block the sword qi. His entire spiritual power circulated, gathering on his two fingers, as he met the radiant light behind him. "Puff." The imposing radiant light, however, emitted a muffled sound and vanished, transforming into a radiant stingray that burrowed into the seabed. Chi Buhua had no idea such a demonic creature existed; he couldn't recall his spell in time, and two streaks of three-colored radiant light had already snuck up behind him. He could only swallow blood in secret and retract his spell to block.

"Gleaming Object Retrieval!" But at this critical moment, the elder's spiritual sense suddenly trembled. Li Xizhi had already seized the precise moment and struck the green zun with a spell, causing it to break free from Chi Buhua's control. This was not merely losing a magical artifact; it also caused him to hesitate for half a step, leading him to be struck squarely by the whistling golden pagoda. "Puff..." Chi Buhua, after all, had deep foundations, and his magical robe managed to block the golden pagoda, but it made him spit blood. His spell was interrupted, and he finally couldn't react in time. His two arms were cleanly shattered into pieces by the radiant light, turning into green water that filled the sky.

The situation rapidly deteriorated to this extent.

Li Xizhi had long understood Chi Buhua, knowing that this elder was quite old and his spells were very powerful. As a direct descendant of the Chi family, his spell grade was certainly much higher than his own, not to mention any protective magic he might possess. Therefore, the two streaks of radiant light went nowhere else, specifically striking his two arms and blasting them into a shower of green water. This first prevented him from casting spells for a moment, then Liao Kong's golden pagoda crashed down and confined his body.

As for Li Yuanqin, he didn't care who lived or died. He had long since run far away, clutching his head and cowering at the other end of the formation. In Foundation Establishment combat, never mind the aftermath; the sky-filling green water alone was enough to overwhelm him. He was drenched and aching all over. He quickly took out five or six talismans from his sleeve, but in a flash of colored light, he was already pulled to the edge of the radiant mist.

Li Xizhi, standing before him, was handsome and graceful, with calm brows and gray eyes. Radiant light flowed around his feathered robe, giving him an extraordinary demeanor. One hand firmly gripped the green zun, allowing the artifact to struggle continually but never escape. With one hand, he controlled two streaks of radiant light, looking at him with an affectionate expression, and said softly: "Little Uncle!"

Li Yuanqin was a bit disheveled. He glanced at him and said in a low voice: "Greetings... Master of Changtian Peak!"

Qing Song Island.

Ning Hejing sat quietly in the hall. The middle-aged man in front of him wore vine armor, his hands crossed over his chest. The two gourds at his waist trembled slightly, as if something was struggling within them. This man had entered the great formation, killing his way up the immortal peak. The guest elders either didn't dare to stop him or were subdued by him in a few moves. Ning Hejing didn't even have time to run before being cornered by him in front of the hall. Fuluo Ya stood respectfully beside the man, the jade talisman in his hand glowing faintly. It was clearly the great formation that the Shan Yue had activated.

Ning Hejing had long known that Fuluo Ya was not to be trusted, having promoted him precisely to leak information to Li Yuanqin. Thus, he was not surprised now. He slowly closed his eyes and sighed: "Senior Linggu..."

The man before him was none other than Linggu Rao, who had entered Daning Palace with Li Xuanfeng years ago, bringing with him two geniuses from the Chi family! Rao Zixie Linggu Rao, after all, was as renowned as Tang Shendu and Li Xuanfeng in those years. Although he was low-key and didn't have a very prominent reputation, in today's Qingchi, he was still far beyond everyone's reach. He had wounded Ning Hejing in just over ten moves, and the Foundation Establishment spirit scorpions in his gourds had already stung Ning Hejing. Now, Ning Hejing was merely sitting in the main seat, waiting for death.

"The Linggu family... colluding with the Lin clan... and saved your life... No wonder..." Linggu Rao remained motionless. Ning Hejing knew he couldn't escape. Black blood oozed from his lips, drop by drop, as he spoke in a low voice: "Chi Buhua and the others have left the sect, so Siyuan Li must have made his move inside the sect as well... sacrificing Li Xizhi... good... good..."

"Good?" Linggu Rao chuckled and said softly: "From beginning to end, Liao Kong was Li Yuanqin's man. Fuluo Ya? You deliberately leaked information, thinking Fuluo Ya was the one transmitting messages? No, it was always Liao Kong. Fuluo Ya was merely there to prevent your escape."

"Impossible!" Ning Hejing scoffed and said coldly: "Just because he's a Li! Which monk from the Seven Paths would side with them? Become prey for their peers to extend their lifespan for nothing? Let the Purple Mansion take action!"

"The Purple Mansion will not intervene in this matter." Linggu Rao's voice was slightly lower. The Shan Yue man had an ordinary appearance, but his eyes were sharp, piercing directly at the person in front of him as he replied: "As for why, of course, it's because of the Qinling Temple's Compassion Lineage and a Buddhist artifact left behind by Li Xuanfeng."

Ning Hejing exhaled with difficulty. He no longer cared about these things. The smiling face of Chi Xuxiao appeared before his eyes, and he whispered: "What about the Sect Master?"

Only then did Linggu Rao recall the Qi Refining Sect Master. He shook his head and replied: "That has nothing to do with you."

Ning Hejing's perpetually cold and domineering face finally softened. He lowered his head and murmured with a plea he had never shown before: "The Sect Master is benevolent and kind, friendly to all peaks, and has never harmed anyone. True Person Buzi is still outside; I beg you, Master, for True Person's sake... spare his life..."

Linggu Rao repeated: "That has nothing to do with you."

Ning Hejing finally stood still like a statue, quietly slumping into the main seat, letting Fuluo Ya approach him step by step. Linggu Rao, meanwhile, casually turned around, walked out of the main hall, and gazed into the distant, brilliant morning sun. Golden-red light fell upon his face. From inside the hall, heart-rending roars emanated: "Chi Fubai! Chi Fubai! You foolish youths, you blindly trusted wolves... You foolish youths, you blindly trusted wolves!"

Ning Hejing's voice carried a choked hatred, yet it was still filled with that domineering, imperious, and fierce intent. It emanated from the hall, passed through the open doors, and echoed throughout the peak for a long time without ceasing. Linggu Rao never paid him any mind, his gaze remaining fixed on the distance. *Siyuan Li...* Linggu Rao's actions this time had not actually been coordinated with the Si family. But since he had already made his move, Siyuan Li would have to act, no matter how much he wished to remain inactive. *After all, Siyuan Li was just waiting for me to make a move...*

The Si family had always kept their troops inactive, and as a result, the Li family and Linggu family gradually became more endangered. The Li family at Wangyue Lake was too far away for the Chi family's reach for now, so they could only harm Li Xizhi. But the Linggu family was close at hand, and their power in the county and at sea was constantly being eroded, a much more tragic situation. Siyuan Li was content to watch the Chi family weaken both families, while also quietly waiting. He was biding his time, letting the two families endure a slow, painful decline until they reached their breaking point.

So today, with Li Xizhi, Li Yuanqin, and Liao Kong having harmed two members of the Chi family, Linggu Rao seized the opportunity and immediately took action. Otherwise, he didn't know how much longer Siyuan Li would have prolonged the situation. *Now, our two families have become the ones to strike first, truly deeply involved in this matter. If Suiguan and Buzi hold grudges later, it won't be just the Si family bearing the brunt. Whether we act or not, Siyuan Li holds the winning hand.*

Linggu Rao deeply knew that the longer this matter dragged on, the greater the losses for both families, so it would be better to fulfill Siyuan Li's plans sooner: *With the Purple Mansion backing you, you naturally sit securely, pulling the strings as you please. But in another thirty years, who knows!*

He quickly dismissed these thoughts, walking out with a smile. Outside, the morning sun filled the sky with golden brilliance. The middle-aged man's expression brightened, and a relaxed, relieved look appeared in his eyes. He chuckled softly: "As long as Xiukui stands, my family will be an evergreen tree."