Chapter 710: Floating Clouds Settle

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This left everyone stunned. The six-sided crimson flame lamp in Li Minggong's hand trembled, its flames flickering as she looked over with bright eyes. Her heart immediately eased, and she sighed in relief. "I thought this King of Beijinjiang was awe-inspiring, a revered guest of the Dragon Prince. I even imagined some negotiation would be necessary… how unexpectedly easy this was!"

The two demonic cultivators underground, barely conscious, were caught in Qu Bushi's hands, unable to move. The old man's face was flushed, disbelieving, and his heart was shaken. Being experienced, he secretly sensed something was wrong. "This isn't how one treats a Purple Mansion Immortal Clan. The King of Beijinjiang wouldn't need to be this polite even to Zhaojing himself! No wonder Li Cheng showed no fear; I thought he had lost his prudence..."

Their differing expressions aside, even Li Cheng showed surprise. The young man in silver armor and black robes frowned, thinking, 'Judging by this behavior, the King of Beijinjiang being highly regarded by the Dragon Prince... is probably not true.'

However surprised the others were, none could compare to Miaoshui. The Daoist nun's face was pale all the way to her neck. The spell in her hand dissipated, and Li Minggong's Lihuo scorched several parts of her robe black. The strength in her hands had clearly diminished.

"Your subordinate obeys!" The old water demon Zhao hastily descended into the water.

This Shuizhao's true form was likely a black turtle, and he was indeed the steward of the Water Mansion. Just now, upon hearing the King of Beijinjiang say, "No need to say more," he had initially put on a cold face. Who knew his master would immediately humble himself, not even daring to lift his head? This disparity so overwhelmed Shuizhao that he began to doubt himself.

'No need to say more... so that's what "no need to say more" meant... The cold words were for Manghuazi. I truly misjudged the situation!'

Fortunately, he hadn't offended anyone earlier. He hastily flew down from beside the carriage, rolled up his sleeves, stepped on Manghuazi's feelers, and cursed, "You flowery mud loach! How audacious of you! To dare to flaunt our Great King's name and deceive others!"

The old turtle was a refined demon, and his curses were soft and weak. He merely raised his palm to strike Manghuazi's head. But then, the great halberd moved. Under the sunlight, Li Zhouwei's words came from afar: "No need to trouble yourself, esteemed one."

The old turtle's hand recoiled as if burned. The hierarchy among demons was strict, even more so among dragon kin. These servants of dragon kin might appear prestigious to outsiders, but only they knew the hardships involved. He knelt down, his face covered in cold sweat, waiting respectfully beside the great halberd.

The King of Beijinjiang's legs felt even weaker.

No one present knew the true standing of the person before them better than he did. Dragon Prince Dingjiao had dined with him, and he had fought a life-and-death battle with the Treasure Scale Crossing Beast of Zhulu Sea, merely for entertainment. Although he had boasted and leveraged considerable influence, in front of this person, it was all easily exposed!

This demon, who appeared very imposing, adopted an even more subservient attitude and respectfully said, "This humble demon, Ying Hebai, unworthily serves as the head of the Three Creeks water tribes. Now that you, esteemed one, have arrived, please command as you wish..."

Ying Hebai stood stiffly, unsure how Li Zhouwei would expose him. He secretly sighed, mentally preparing himself for utter humiliation.

The Green-necked Flood Dragon hesitated, but Li Zhouwei understood. The Green-necked Flood Dragon was leveraging Dingjiao's influence to intimidate others, but wasn't Li Zhouwei doing the same? Dingjiao had shown him and Bai Rong some respect, but his true intentions were hard to guess...

If it weren't for Dingjiao, Ying Hebai wouldn't have given the Li family any pleasant treatment. Li Zhouwei didn't expose him, and with his hands behind his back, he said, "So it's you. We met once back then. I didn't expect you'd be serving here."

"Yes... I was fortunate to witness your esteemed presence, and I have never forgotten it!" Ying Hebai was stunned for a moment, truly feeling a sense of relief in his heart. He understood that the other party was saving his face, and in his gratitude, he didn't know how to respond appropriately. He then heard a faint, almost imperceptible voice in his ear: "My encounter with Dingjiao that day was confidential. It's not appropriate to reveal my identity or mention it."

Li Zhouwei didn't want the dragon kin to think he was acting on Dingjiao's authority. After all, the other party was a dragon; one could subtly leverage their influence, but not act like a fox parading with a tiger's might, as displeasing that dragon would be troublesome.

When Li Zhouwei said this, Ying Hebai understood it was a spiritual transmission. This put him in a difficult position; he couldn't be too flattering, yet feared offending him, so he respectfully said, "I invite you all to sit for a while in my residence."

Manghuazi had previously mentioned that the White Yedu Immortal Dao and the King of Beijinjiang, Ying Hebai, had held numerous discussions and had many plans. Since Li Zhouwei was unfamiliar with the area, he would definitely need to converse with Ying Hebai. Li Zhouwei wasn't afraid of him causing harm. However, Miaoshui and the others were still here, having just been captured; Cloudy Mist Cave might not even know, let alone the White Yedu Immortal Dao. Li Zhouwei didn't want to lose the initiative, so he said, "I still have important matters to attend to here and cannot leave at the moment."

"No trouble... no trouble at all!" Ying Hebai respectfully said, "This humble demon will just wait by the river."

It seemed the Green-necked Flood Dragon intended to wait for Li Zhouwei and his group by the Baijiang Creek, which was too ostentatious. Li Zhouwei pondered briefly and then softly said, "The King of Beijinjiang's generous invitation should indeed be accepted. Once I have concluded matters here, I will send someone over."

"Yes." Ying Hebai sensed Li Zhouwei's displeasure and immediately prepared to depart. Not having to invite Li Zhouwei into his residence, Ying Hebai visibly relaxed. He had Shuizhao pull the carriage, and while apologizing, he hastily entered the river.

With the departure of the water tribes, Li Zhouwei finally turned his gaze to Miaoshui. She was absently resisting within the Lihuo. Bits of red and white goose feathers flew about, and her spiritual power crackled as it burned.

The Golden Feather Sect's Six-sided Crimson Flame Lamp was not good at killing enemies, but it was an excellent artifact for activating Lihuo to trap them. It employed a sinister method, like a blunt knife slowly scraping bone. Miaoshui, having lost the initiative and being injured, was trapped inside, unable to advance or retreat.

As Li Zhouwei approached, she grew increasingly desperate, her expression becoming more fierce. But then she heard Li Zhouwei say clearly, "No need to struggle; it's a waste of effort. Put away your artifact and come forward yourself, lest I have to take you."

Miaoshui had just seen the King of Beijinjiang leave and was considering whether she could fight with all her might for a slim chance of survival. She was prepared to give up everything except her life. But there was no hope of escape in the first place. Seeing that Li Zhouwei's killing intent was not strong, her initial desperate resolve softened instantly. She raised her eyebrows and spoke loudly, "This humble one greets you, esteemed one! I have long heard of your noble clan's good reputation and have always aspired to it. However, having drifted in the mortal world for years, I have accumulated some impurities. Fearing to tarnish your noble clan's immortal name, I dared not surrender."

Hearing her words, the two demonic cultivators also looked up. The cultivators of Cloudy Mist Cave were somewhat better than those of Floating Cloud Cave, but seven out of ten had dabbled in impure practices. How the Li family handled them would largely determine the morale of the entire Cloudy Mist Cave.

Cultivators like Miaoshui, from Jiangbei and the North, had some scruples. They hadn't reached the point of outright slaughtering to advance their cultivation like demonic cultivators. But they would occasionally consume blood essence or blood pills, pretending not to know what they were. And when severely injured or near death, they wouldn't hesitate to consume even forbidden flesh. These individuals' attitudes toward life were actually quite similar to those of smaller aristocratic families like the Yuan and Yu families. While they couldn't compare to the Xiao or Li families, they were still better than demonic cultivators or East Sea cultivators.

Miaoshui wasn't foolish; the Li family would likely make a move against Cloudy Mist Cave next. Even if they didn't act, having someone like her as an example could significantly weaken Cloudy Mist Cave's morale. With such trepidation, she asked, but Li Zhouwei remained silent. Li Minggong, however, spoke unexpectedly: "Patriarch... Fellow Daoist Miaoshui has not committed too many atrocities. Blood pills are rampant in Jiangnan, so it's normal to have accumulated some impurities..."

These words made Miaoshui look up in surprise. She had actually met Li Minggong only a few times and had even injured her in the past. She would never have expected Li Minggong to speak on her behalf, so she turned her head in astonishment.

Li Minggong, however, wasn't thinking so much. Behind Cloudy Mist Cave was the White Yedu Immortal Dao. Although the Li family had Li Zhouwei and Li Cheng, they were still short-staffed. Even if they were to make a move, they definitely wouldn't want to face a united Cloudy Mist Cave where everyone resisted to the end. 'Even if we were to consider this... it's a matter for settling accounts later, definitely not something to deal with at this moment! Miaoshui is somewhat compassionate; among Cloudy Mist Cave cultivators, she is already considered relatively clean. If we kill her, everyone in Cloudy Mist Cave will know that they cannot survive at our hands.'

With her words, Li Zhouwei took the hint. He was still thinking of taking Cloudy Mist Cave by surprise before they could react, striking them unawares. Naturally, he couldn't kill Miaoshui and alert Daoist Wenhu. He then said in a deep voice, "Since my aunt guarantees for you, I will spare your life for now. Put away your artifact."

Miaoshui hesitated for a moment. The water sword in mid-air flew back, and Li Minggong's Lihuo disappeared a moment later. Miaoshui rushed to Li Zhouwei, clasped her hands together slightly awkwardly, and said, "Greetings, esteemed one."

Li Zhouwei nodded. The two demonic cultivators were still held by Qu Bushi. However, it was clear that these two practiced the "Blood Demon Scripture," lucky individuals who achieved Foundation Establishment by killing and refining resentment and malice; the demonic energy above their heads was almost soaring into the sky. The Wenyi and Wenshan brothers, who were organizing the fire veins in the mountains, were at least genuine East Sea demonic cultivators. These two before him, however, had superficial cultivation, were useless, and had accumulated heavy karmic debt from killing. Li Zhouwei barely glanced at them, simply saying, "Tie them up and detain them in the mountains; we'll discuss them later."

Miaoshui felt desolate at the sight and thought to herself, "Who knows how I will be dealt with then... I can only take one step at a time... I only fear that the one from White Yedu Immortal Dao is a mid-stage Purple Mansion cultivator; if True Man Zhaojing cannot defeat him, I will have no way out."

Her heart was chilling as she heard Li Zhouwei casually say, "I'm sure you can see that Cloudy Mist Cave is backed by the White Yedu Immortal Dao... But being supported by a Purple Mansion force is one thing; being a Purple Mansion force yourself is another. If you defect from the puppet-like Cloudy Mist Cave to our family... this matter isn't even worth Ye Gui's inquiry. But if you feign surrender... that would be like jumping from a Purple Mansion power to a Foundation Establishment power. No matter how things turn out, it would be perfectly reasonable and effortless for my family to kill you, and no one would protect you. So, understand the gravity of the situation and don't make a mistake that harms yourself."

Miaoshui was awestruck by his words, greatly shaken. She was completely unfamiliar with the struggles between Purple Mansion powers. If she truly joined the Li family in the future, she would be overjoyed, only fearing accounts being settled later. At that moment, having heard these words, she dared not harbor any resentment: "This subordinate has received your grace and has no second thoughts!"

Li Zhouwei didn't care what she was thinking; privately, he still harbored considerable caution towards her. He asked, "How are the array formations laid out in Cloudy Mist Cave's territory?"

Miaoshui's mindset changed rapidly, and she quickly replied, "Cloudy Mist Cave's territory has eleven peaks and twelve Foundation Establishment cultivators. Seven of them are guest cultivators from overseas, brought in for Foundation Establishment; their strength is limited, they use demonic cultivation arts, and are not worth worrying about. Of the remaining five, excluding myself, Wenhu is the strongest, and the other three each have some reliance... The two most outstanding might be able to contend with someone of the Azure Pond Peak Master's level."

This was consistent with the information the Li family had gathered. Cloudy Mist Cave was ultimately a puppet, with many of its guest cultivators brought in from overseas by the White Yedu Immortal Dao, but their overall strength was not much different from the Li family's. Li Zhouwei calculated: "Wenhu will naturally be handled by me. The other two can be handled by Uncle Cheng, Aunt Minggong, and Miaoshui. However, Qu Bushi alone cannot fight several demonic cultivators, and even with White Ape and An Siwei... they wouldn't be able to handle the remaining demonic cultivators... let alone the array formations."

If Miaoshui genuinely surrendered, the Li family's top combat strength would not be inferior to the opponent's. However, Wenhu clearly hadn't anticipated their sudden move. With careful planning against an unprepared opponent, it wasn't just a simple one-on-one battle. As long as they seized the opportunity, they could definitely eliminate those demonic cultivators... 'Does that one from the White Yedu Immortal Dao have a Life Dao Art...? And how did our True Man and Chang Xi arrange things...?'

Seeing Li Zhouwei lost in thought, Miaoshui quickly said, "Only the array on the main mountain is a Foundation Establishment level formation; the rest are Qi Refining level and not worth worrying about. Wenhu's whereabouts are also unknown..."

Li Zhouwei drew his long halberd, sealed Manghuazi's cultivation, and took him away. He motioned to the two small demons and instructed them, "No matter who comes, just say Manghuazi is in seclusion and is seeing no one."

These two small demons had witnessed everything and were terrified, wetting themselves; they acknowledged him while calling him "Grandpa." Li Zhouwei glanced at the directions and said, "As it happens, we'll head straight to Floating Cloud Cave, drop these few people off. Then continue north with An Siwei and the others who are remaining there, towards Cloudy Mist Cave's territory."

**Zhijing Mountain.**

Gardenia petals fell like rain, and the sky was bright. Li Ximing manifested here. Sitting before the desk was a white-haired old man, his brow deeply furrowed, appearing to have many worries; it was True Man Chang Xi.

It was impossible for this old True Man not to know about the changes in Jiangnan's spiritual atmosphere. As he possessed an Earth Virtue divine ability, he understood clearly whether it was beneficial or detrimental. With his three juniors still in seclusion and such matters arising, it was no wonder he looked so worn out. What's more, Kong Tingyun and the other two were all breaking through to the Purple Mansion realm, unlike ordinary seclusion; they couldn't be moved. Otherwise, they could have been moved from Jiangnan to another location...

"I arrived unexpectedly; Zhaojing, please do not blame me!" Seeing Li Ximing appear, the worry between Chang Xi's brows immediately dissipated, and he asked with a smile.

Li Ximing had originally been observing the situation in the void north of the river. His divine ability left at Zhijing Mountain was triggered, so he broke through the void and returned. It was indeed Chang Xi. Li Ximing held a jade pot, poured him tea, sat opposite him, and said with a smile, "Senior, you've arrived at just the right time. I was also thinking of meeting with you."

"Oh?" Chang Xi raised his eyebrows and looked at him. He was exceptionally polite to Li Ximing, adopting an attentive posture as if eager to listen. Then he saw Li Ximing say, "Regarding the symptoms of a damaged Dantian, does senior have any solutions?"

"What was I thinking!" Chang Xi chuckled and shook his head, "Do you still remember Old True Man Qi from Xuanniao Temple? He cultivates the 'Precious Earth' art; its nourishing power is extremely potent. Although it's not comparable to 'Female Water' or 'Horn Wood', it is more than sufficient for this injury."

The original domain name has been compromised; please remember the new one.