Chapter 714: Testing

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Li Zhouwei’s halberd pierced his abdomen. His forearm exerted force, lifting the long halberd to flip him over. Wen Hu’s face was covered in blood, his complexion pale, but the magic in his hand did not cease, and a surge of blood-red light clearly indicated he was fighting for his life.

Li Zhouwei raised his other hand, and a brilliant sunbeam shone down, enveloping Wen Hu’s face and immobilizing him. The Sun Evasion Art was a fifth-grade spell, known for its versatile transformations to control enemies. While his Hurricane Ghost Yin art feared the Bright Yang art, it dreaded the sun itself even more. With this illumination, his spells dissipated, and intense heat rushed into his mind, causing him to almost lose consciousness.

Wen Hu, however, gritted his teeth, and with a surge of willpower, forced his eyes open. Even though his eyes were burned milky white by the sunlight and his face was charred black, he still reached for his storage pouch.

‘Good! What tenacity.’

Li Zhouwei simply pulled out his halberd. He then used the Luminous Subduing Light from his glabella to sever both his arms and bound him with the sun’s radiance, rendering him immobile.

Meanwhile, Ding Weizeng had already beaten the other two into a sorry state. His immortal foundation was formidable; it could empower him, causing red light to flow all over his body, and his pupils were yellowish-brown. The weaker demon cultivator had most of his life force crushed by Ding Weizeng and could no longer continue. Only Deputy Cave Master Wang He was still struggling to hold on.

Li Zhouwei suppressed Wen Hu and cast his gaze over. This immediately made Wang He break out in a cold sweat and feel intimidated. Just as he was about to speak, a white light brightened in the sky.

The white light flashed in the sky and immediately appeared before them. It descended beside Wang He, trailing a tail flame, and revealed a figure.

“I am Song Yunbai of the Duxian Dao; greetings, fellow Daoist.”

It was a woman performing hand seals and holding a talisman. Her face was slightly round, her eyebrows sharp, and she wore a clean and neat white robe, typical of someone from Jiangbei. Her eyes pierced through, staring at Li Zhouwei and Ding Weizeng.

She clearly didn’t recognize either of them. Her gaze swept over Ding Weizeng’s face, paused for a moment, then settled on Li Zhouwei.

Song Yunbai was taken aback, looked up, and showed a peculiar expression. She took half a step back, hesitating. Her bright gaze quickly shifted away, and her voice was somewhat muffled:

“Miyun Cave was enlightened by our Duxian Dao. For your esteemed clan to wage war without cause… what is the meaning of this?”

Wang He and the others retreated behind her. Li Zhouwei held his halberd and replied:

“So it is a fellow Daoist from the Duxian Dao. This Wen Hu of Miyun Cave deceived a True Person and offended the might of the Purple Mansion. I specifically came to apprehend him. Now that he is captured, I am taking him away.”

Song Yunbai’s tone was polite, and Li Zhouwei also didn't start with harsh words. He merely held the captive and confronted her. In the brief time it took to exchange a single sentence, thunder echoed from behind, and true fire flowed, as two figures arrived one after another.

The woman was bright and graceful, holding a lamp, while the man’s eyes were like black lacquer, wielding thunder. They were Li Minggong and Li Cheng, siblings. They stopped, not yet having spoken, when two more streaks of light approached from the north and south respectively, stopping nearby.

These two streaks of light transformed into human figures. On the left was a woman in a colorful skirt, holding a jade-green ribbon, exceptionally tall, and with an expression of resentment. On the right was a man wearing a bamboo hat, dressed in brown clothing, with a saber at his waist, observing carefully.

“What is the meaning of this, Li Clan!”

The woman in the colorful skirt was impolite and was the first to attack. Holding the magical ribbon, she pointed at Wen Hu and angrily said:

“This cultivator was enlightened by Daoist Chidu of our Dao. Your esteemed clan is also a prominent family from Jiangnan; do you not know that Miyun Cave is a vassal of our Duxian Dao? Allowing your esteemed clan to take the territory of Fuyun Cave was already extremely courteous! Who knew you would push your luck, even coming to disturb Miyun Cave!”

“Ridiculous!”

Li Cheng naturally could not let Li Zhouwei personally step forward to confront them. He simply took a step forward and coldly said:

“Since fellow Daoist knows that Miyun Cave is your supporter, have you managed the actions of your subordinates well? Miyun and Fuyun have disturbed the northern shore of our Wangyue Lake for ten years; have we ever seen fellow Daoist utter a single word about it? Only today have a few of you arrived belatedly, and now you claim to know?”

“You!”

The woman in the colorful skirt grew furious but instead sneered. The man with the bamboo hat finally spoke, cupping his hands in greeting:

“I am Gongsun Baifan of the Duxian Dao. Greetings to the three noble scions of the immortal clan. Your esteemed clan’s elder has achieved the Purple Mansion realm; these matters should have been swept away long ago… Even if they cannot be entirely forgiven, they should be discussed between Purple Mansion cultivators to resolve grievances, rather than suddenly taking action and seizing our interests.”

He spoke to the three of them. Li Minggong replied:

“Very well. Since the immortal Dao still knows of our True Person’s achievement, do you know who your own faction sent? And what gift did you bring to congratulate us? How Fuyun and Miyun provoked our clan before, did our True Person not give them opportunities? Now that it has come to this situation, does the immortal Dao truly not know where this originates?”

Li Minggong’s tone was not harsh, but a few words were enough to silence Gongsun Baifan. Some things were not for him to say, so he just silently lowered his head.

Li Zhouwei watched the few people exchange words, gradually forming a guess. No force is a monolithic block, much less the Duxian Dao, which had only been in Jiangbei for little over a decade.

Song Yunbai, who arrived first, had the lowest status among the three and was not strong. She arrived early simply because she was close by. She actually represented the Song Family of Baiye, a local power in the Baiye region of Jiangbei. Her status within the Duxian Dao was similar to Li Xizhi and the Qingchi Sect in earlier years. She naturally showed no coldness, seemed somewhat detached, and spoke very politely.

And this Gongsun Baifan was undoubtedly someone like a guest elder or protector, similar to An Siwei in the Li clan. Although protecting the Duxian Dao, he had no decision-making power and tried to be as polite as possible when speaking.

Only the woman in the colorful skirt showed the most anger. She should be the true direct descendant of the Duxian Dao.

Indeed, Gongsun Baifan no longer spoke. The woman in the colorful skirt then gritted her teeth and said:

“To condemn one, you never lack a pretext. It’s enough that your esteemed clan covets territory, but you must also borrow some pretext? Our family is in Jiangbei, and yours is in Jiangnan; there’s no inherent need for us to congratulate your family, so why all these demands!”

Seeing her disregard Miyun Cave’s previous offenses and only speak words advantageous to her, Li Cheng’s face turned cold. One should know that the Chengyun Sect, also a Jiangbei force, had sent its sect master over!

Li Zhouwei, having clarified the identities of the three, finally spoke and replied:

“No need for further words. Miyun Cave has disturbed our clan for ten years, repeatedly forcing our direct descendants into perilous situations. This grudge cannot be overlooked. Hongfu Mountain has already been taken by our clan. All of you may return from whence you came!”

Li Zhouwei had long sent Miaoshui to take Hongfu Mountain; she had the array token and had already entered the mountain at this moment. The woman in the colorful skirt had already anticipated his words. She sneered and asked:

“Does fellow Daoist think you have us cornered?”

As soon as these words were uttered, swords were drawn and bows strung in an instant. Li Cheng’s hand immediately rested on the Six Thunder Mystic Punishment Token. Gongsun Baifan also touched the long saber at his waist. Wang He and the others, however, were covered in cold sweat, looking at each other.

To be precise, Li Zhouwei was not afraid of these few people. Earlier, before Ding Weizeng arrived, he might have had to weigh his options. But now, with this man and Li Cheng, dealing with the three of them was more than sufficient.

‘Only fear the Duxian Dao reinforcements…’

No need to think further; at this moment, there must be a Purple Mansion confrontation in the Grand Void. If Li Zhouwei were to fight these three now, winning would be fine, but losing would cause Li Ximing in the Grand Void to lose the first step and be constrained.

He made his assessment, merely holding his halberd in his hand. He narrowed his eyes, appearing inscrutable, and said coldly:

“You are welcome to try!”

But then a loud laugh echoed from the sky. Someone called out loudly:

“Fellow Daoist Minghuang, I’ve come to assist you!”

Everyone looked up together. They saw a brown-yellow Xuan stone spirit boat speeding towards them, displacing air with its wake. Standing at the front of the boat was a man in a black patterned robe, with a pale, beardless face, appearing somewhat anxious. It was none other than Kong Guxi, the Sect Master of Xuanyue!

The woman in the colorful skirt’s expression changed instantly, and she finally understood. Furious, she laughed instead, and said coldly:

“So that’s it, so that’s it! So it was your two families conspiring together; no wonder you had such audacity!”

Kong Guxi arrived in the blink of an eye. Four people descended from the spirit boat behind him: three men and one woman, two of whom were at the Foundation Establishment mid-stage. As the five of them stood there, the situation immediately reversed.

The woman in the colorful skirt, however, seemed utterly fearless. Her gaze pierced directly forward, and she shouted:

“Kong Guxi! What is the lifespan of your True Person? How dare you come to harm my Duxian Dao!”

Kong Guxi met her with a cold expression.

Don't let Kong Guxi's perpetual smiling face towards the Li clan deceive you. When this pale, beardless man frowned and put on a cold face, he truly exuded a chilling ruthlessness. He cursed:

“This Daoist has long found you disagreeable! You cultivate a plague-ridden headless ghost path, and your ghostly appearance is more arrogant than even a dragon girl!”

His words, hurled directly at her, were completely unlike what he usually said. The woman in the colorful skirt was stunned with anger, her face gradually turning red, and was about to retaliate. Unexpectedly, Gongsun Baifan pulled her aside and shouted:

“Careful!”

The woman in the colorful skirt instinctively turned her head, only to discover a burst of brilliant light from the glabella of the man holding the halberd, from which a vast, bright sunlight radiated.

Luminous Subduing Light!

Li Zhouwei, however, had long planned this. He waited until the very moment she turned her head to look. Only then did the Luminous Subduing Light burst forth, smashing explosively towards the woman. In that fleeting instant, there was a clang, and a cold light flared.

Gongsun Baifan drew his saber, rising up, and revealed a flash of Geng Metal light, blocking it in front of the colorful-robed woman. The sky instantly shifted from stillness to motion; thunder roared, true fire filled the air, mountains rose, and Geng Metal energy surged.

The Grand Void.

Li Ximing, clad in a platinum Daoist robe, his glabella radiating light, and colorful divine light rising from his body, stood with his hands behind his back in the Grand Void. Beside him, the Changxi divine ability was fully activated, already manifesting as a middle-aged man, with a white jade pendant on his chest.

There was still another person in front of them. Dressed in a dark blue Daoist robe, his face was small, his chin slightly pointed, and he could be considered handsome, possessing considerable spiritual energy. He held a sword in his arms, and his long hair was tied behind his head.

He was riding a scaled bird-beast, shaped like a crow with pitch-black eyes. The Daoist himself remained silent, watching coldly.

“Fellow Daoist Ye Gui.”

Changxi asked coldly. Ye Gui, holding the slender and elegant magical sword, finally spoke:

“Zhaojing, what is the meaning of this?”

This Ye Gui clearly showed surprise. He seemed not to have expected the Li clan to suddenly rise up, nor that they would take over Xuanyue Sect’s affairs. He ran his hand over the sword’s blade and softly said:

“I thought you were just humoring that old man, waiting for him to die completely, then our two families could split Xuanyue half and half. That way, there would be no need for grand fanfare or Purple Mansion confrontations. Wouldn’t that be better?”

The sword in his hand seemed not to be a Daoist sword but rather a ritual artifact for casting spells. It emanated rings of magical aura. Ye Gui chuckled:

“Afterward, you and I can negotiate again, dividing the benefits. Wouldn’t that be good for both of us? The territory of Xuanyue would be divided by our respective abilities, Xuanyue’s people would follow you, and the sect’s main gate would belong to me…”

“Unexpectedly, I didn't make a move, but you came to touch my things first. Now that it has escalated to a confrontation between two Purple Mansions, creating so much unpleasantness out of thin air, what’s the point?”

Ye Gui’s tone gradually lost its smile, and he sighed:

“You genuinely want to oppose me… A mid-stage Purple Mansion cultivator in his prime versus a mess without a Purple Mansion master… Can't you see which is more important?”

He completely disregarded Changxi, as if such a person didn't exist in the Grand Void. He only spoke to Li Ximing. Changxi’s expression changed, and his tone became grim:

“Ye Gui!”

Ye Gui glanced at him and asked:

“Old senior, do you want to fight me to the death? What’s the point of fighting with your divine ability; you’re already someone about to enter the earth, yet you’re still not content, sowing discord here.”

Changxi fell silent, no longer speaking. Li Ximing then spoke:

“Fellow Daoist need not feign politeness. Miyun Cave has repeatedly harmed my clan, and Chidu has also been disrespectful. If the Immortal Dao had even a shred of goodwill, things would not have escalated to this point.”

“Hahahaha.”

Ye Gui chuckled and replied:

“So what? What friendship or goodwill exists between Purple Mansion cultivators? If Zhaojing cannot see this clearly, he will suffer sooner or later…”

He seemed to have no desire to say more, and continued:

“Since Wen Hu offended your family, you can take this rogue cultivator if you want him. I won't hold you accountable for the losses in this Miyun territory. Retreat to Fuyun, and our two families can still discuss matters!”

“Retreat?”

Li Ximing’s hand in his sleeve tightened slightly. He didn't believe a single word of what Ye Gui said. Splitting Xuanyue between the two families, slowly dividing benefits later – these proposals sounded tempting but were all one-sided.

Besides, saving Xuanyue didn't mean they had to defend Xuanyue everywhere. Li Ximing had a good impression of Xuanyue, and now actually had more confidence, especially since there was still Jingyi Mountain overseas.

He said coldly:

“Since fellow Daoist is unwilling to offer congratulations, I shall accept this Miyun Cave territory as a congratulatory gift!”

Ye Gui frowned, staring at him from a distance. In the Grand Void, faint spiritual light seemed to permeate the air. The magical sword in his hand also trembled. Changxi stood firmly in front, his attitude even more apparent.

Li Ximing was certainly not afraid of Ye Gui fighting him at this moment. Not to mention Changxi, who didn't particularly care for his own life, was by his side. As soon as the two families started fighting, the first to suffer would undoubtedly be the Duxian Dao's direct descendants below. By the time the three of them finished fighting for days and nights, Li Zhouwei would probably have already reached the Baiye territory.

“Alright, alright, alright.”

Ye Gui merely nodded and said:

“You can consider this territory taken by you. But remember, Miyun Cave wasn't acquired by your superior schemes, Li Ximing. When that old man dies, I'll see how you manage to conclude this!”

“No need for fellow Daoist to worry!”

Li Ximing replied with a smile. Ye Gui sneered and retreated into the Grand Void, disappearing from sight. He only left behind a cold remark:

“Old senior, Xuanyue will surely be divided among various families. That day is distantly foreseeable!”

Changxi remained silent. Li Ximing watched Ye Gui depart and did not offer any words of comfort. After all, the old True Person’s concealment of the Kong Haiying matter was wrong, and Li Ximing still felt uncomfortable, so how could he speak?

The two of them merely rode their divine abilities towards the lake. Changxi sighed:

“I’ve made Zhaojing laugh…”

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