Chapter 850: Proud Integrity

Baipu County.

Vast yellow sand spread over the city, carried by fierce winds up to the sky. Mixed with the pervasive golden poison, it made passing cultivators squint their eyes.

Amidst the swirling dust and smoke, an old cultivator in white robes rode the wind, forced to squint by the onslaught, and couldn't help but frown as he looked down:

‘Strange,’ he thought. ‘I recall this being near the Duxian Dao, a Purple Mansion-level force no less. To let this golden poison run rampant, with thousands of common people likely dead… This is truly neglecting virtuous governance…’

He looked on with a touch of pity, then rode the wind downwards, muttering to himself:

‘No wonder,’ he mused. ‘I heard they’re in a standoff with the Wangyue Immortal Clan on the river. Both sides are fighting fiercely, not caring about the golden poison. Hmm… The Li family is renowned for their righteous path; they wouldn't do such a thing. So, it must be Duxian Dao deliberately causing this, forcing the Li family to divert resources to rescue efforts…’

‘What a sin!’

He sighed deeply, hesitated for a moment, and finally shook his head:

‘I still need to go down and see… Back when I followed the general to resist the Buddhist cultivators, we never let the local people suffer such hardship. Now, with the Immortal Dao flourishing, such calamities arise instead…’

The old Daoist passed through the clouds and indeed saw scattered bones. Yet, no one on the streets paid them any mind; it was as if they couldn't see these mortals at all, instead flocking towards the central tea house.

He halted his magical light on a rooftop and was surprised to see a Qi Condensation cultivator dueling a Qi Circulation cultivator.

“Oh?”

He stared blankly. The Qi Circulation cultivator, surprisingly, wielded a spiritual sword, deflecting incoming spells one by one. Although it seemed exceptionally difficult, he not only fended off the Qi Condensation cultivator but even moved with a certain effortless grace.

“Aha!”

The old Daoist took two steps forward, stroking his beard as he watched.

He saw the youth, bloodstained on his face, standing imposingly on the stage. His proud spirit was like a sharp sword piercing the heavens, and the longsword in his hand danced with increasing ferocity, prompting exclamations of admiration.

In contrast, the young master in brocade robes nearby had an ashen face, his hands trembling so much he couldn't even form hand seals. His eyes wide and faintly red, he shouted:

“You… you… what demonic art did you use! How can you possibly withstand my Qi Condensation spells!”

The youth opposite him was only at the peak of Qi Circulation, yet his demeanor was outstanding. Though his robes were tattered, his face showed unwavering tenacity as he proudly declared:

“Frog in a well! Have you not heard that man can conquer heaven? I possess a fierce courage, an unyielding pride, and soaring ambitions. With just these three, even if I were a mere mortal, divine abilities could not harm me in the slightest, let alone a petty Qi Condensation cultivator like you!”

“You couldn’t defeat me when you were at the peak of Qi Circulation, and now that you’ve reached Qi Condensation, you’re still a good-for-nothing!”

“Take this sword!”

As his words fell, streaks of white energy burst from his sword, not only tearing apart the spells before him but also cutting through the air to strike the young man in brocade robes.

A splash of blood erupted as the young man in brocade robes collapsed to the ground, his face ashen, writhing in pain. He cursed:

“Why! I’ve cultivated for ten years without a single day of slack… Losing to you once was bad enough, but I poured countless efforts into obtaining this spiritual energy, and by sheer luck, broke through to Qi Condensation within three months. Why should I lose to your three months of cultivation!”

The sword-wielding youth slowly advanced, pointing his longsword, and said coldly:

“Ridiculous! You ask me why? Why don’t you ask… those cultivators whose talent is inferior to yours… why their cultivation is behind yours after ten years? Or those cultivators from less fortunate backgrounds… why their cultivation is not as advanced as yours after ten years? Only a pampered dandy like you, who knows nothing of the world, still foolishly seeks fairness… Tomorrow, a beggar might pick up a treasure on the street, and with a flick of a finger, your ten years of cultivation could turn to ash! Why don’t you ask ‘why’ then?”

The dandy was instantly silenced, dragging himself two inches across the ground, leaving a trail of blood. The crowd around them stood like statues, unmoving. The sword-wielding youth continued forward, stepping on his face with a laugh:

“If cultivation in this world were measured by effort, then the donkey pulling the millstone would be the greatest immortal. I have soaring aspirations, and six months of cultivation is enough for me to kill you. You have no choice but to accept it.”

“People like you, who can’t change things, always pretend not to see. You should complain about spiritual apertures and luck, for those are the most unfair things! How many people have you suppressed with your family background? And now, it’s your turn to complain about family background, about opportunities, and you feel envious and resentful…”

The dandy’s eyes were bloodshot with rage, and he groaned:

“I didn’t…”

But he had only said half a sentence when his expression changed. The pity in the onlookers’ eyes turned to disgust, and he, too, showed an expression of shame. The youth then kicked the dandy in the chest.

“CRACK!”

It was unclear how many bones were broken, but the dandy was unable to move. The youth slowly lowered his head, quietly observing him. The expression on his face suddenly vanished, replaced by an enigmatic smile:

“This world does not change according to your will, understand? There is nothing unfair about it. My standing here is the greatest fairness.”

The dandy didn’t understand what he was saying. Seeing him raise his sword, his face immediately changed, and he frantically begged for mercy. The youth instantly revealed a look of contempt and sneered:

“Wang Jie! You couldn’t win the duel, so you knelt and begged for your life, clinging to a paltry existence. You have neither unyielding pride nor a heart for immortal cultivation, nor soaring ambitions. All you possess is the demeanor of a snake or rat, fawning for mercy! I spared your life once, yet you haven’t changed. You deserve to die!”

The dandy could only wail despairingly, but then a furious roar echoed from mid-air:

“How dare you! Do not harm my son!”

A figure appeared in the sky, and a massive palm descended horizontally, along with an immense pressure from above! The crowd gasped:

“It’s Baipu City Lord Wang Bakong!”

“Lin Feng is in trouble now!”

Lin Feng stood fearlessly, unyielding. On the other side, the old Daoist appeared, gently catching the man’s spell. The bones beneath their feet were swept away, scattering, and black blood splattered.

“I am Bai Yinzi! It’s rare to encounter such a genius; I ask you, fellow Daoist, to stay your hand!”

Wang Bakong’s face, usually stern, contorted with rage as he roared:

“Where did this rogue cultivator come from! How dare you interfere in my affairs!”

Bai Yinzi had only luckily achieved Foundation Establishment, so his strength was naturally inferior to the other party’s. However, having found such a rare talent, he was reluctant to let go. His scalp tingling, he quickly scooped up the youth from below, rose into the air on the wind, and shouted:

“Since your esteemed son is unharmed, a simple apology should suffice! City Lord, why resort to such drastic measures!”

The youth stood silently behind him, clasped his hands in greeting, and thanked him:

“Senior, thank you for your righteous intervention and rescue, Lin Feng is grateful!”

“Ah.”

Bai Yinzi shook his head, and while keeping an eye on the pursuing enemy behind them, he said:

“It was nothing, just a casual act! Let’s land somewhere north of the river, and we can have a good talk!”

He had completely forgotten about resolving the golden poison issue in the area. Behind him, Wang Bakong’s eyes were wide with fury, just about to give chase, when he saw the young man in brocade robes on the ground groan. The young man, his mind finally relaxing, fainted, forcing Wang Bakong to stop. His old eyes red with distress, he cried out tenderly:

“What vicious methods that little beast used!”

His tiger eyes brimming with tears, he helped the youth on the ground up, and gritted his teeth, saying:

“Wang He wouldn’t see me… making me wait at the foot of the mountain for several months… which allowed this person to take advantage and cause you such great misfortune…”

He grimly picked up his eldest son, thinking fiercely to himself:

‘So be it! So be it! I had thought that since this place is near the Duxian Sect, and my lineage is close to Wang He, we should align with Duxian… but I didn’t expect this person to be so heartless!’

Wang Bakong sharply scanned his surroundings. The people below immediately dispersed, whispering among themselves. The guards on either side stepped forward, only to be fiercely slapped twice by the Foundation Establishment cultivator, spitting blood as they fell off the stage.

‘Useless!’

He grimly summoned someone forward and whispered:

“Is Wang Quwan… also cultivating in the region north of the river now?”

The nearby cultivator quickly nodded and whispered:

“I heard he’s cultivating in this area… It’s unclear why he doesn’t return to his lineage’s mountain… I’ve only heard that he refuses to see anyone, no matter who comes to visit…”

“Understood.”

Wang Bakong turned, holding the person. Wang Jie in his arms was covered in cold sweat, suddenly startling awake. His lips trembling, he was still mumbling words about unyielding pride and soaring ambitions.

Wangyue Lake.

It was another early autumn season, with trees around the lake displaying scattered reds and yellows. The old man sped in on the wind, landing before the grand hall. Without crossing the threshold, he bowed, seeing two figures standing in the hall from a distance.

The person at the head wore crimson robes, holding a brush in thought, while the other wore court attire, appearing very dignified, a green spherical bead clutched in her hand.

Seeing Qu Bushi arrive to pay respects, the man at the head first raised an eyebrow, then immediately said to Li Minggong:

“Grand-Aunt’s words make sense. Since Zhuang Pingye is returning to the great desert, a word of caution is appropriate. Let him convey a message to Zhuang Cheng… Tell them not to go north of the river.”

He pondered:

“Just say that our family is at war with Duxian Dao, involving Purple Mansions, which is very dangerous. Tell the Zhuang family not to come east, to avoid any accidents… Zhuang Cheng is already a well-known figure in the great desert; he shouldn't disregard the warning… As for how effective it will be…”

Li Jiangqian sighed softly and replied:

“That depends on what the higher-ups intend. If they’re already involved, there’s no way to avoid it.”

Li Minggong nodded slightly, and Li Jiangqian said:

“Report it.”

Only then did Qu Bushi enter the hall to pay respects, speaking reverently:

“My Lord, Wang Jie has been defeated for the second time… It is said he nearly lost his life this time, but his father returned in time to save him. He originally sought revenge, but Lord Lin… Lord Lin was rescued… by an old Foundation Establishment Daoist.”

Qu Bushi was not foolish; he had been involved in the northern affairs and maintained contact with Duxian Dao. Although he didn’t know the full truth now, he had already guessed that Lin Feng’s identity was certainly extraordinary. When the title ‘Lord Lin’ slipped from his tongue, Li Jiangqian paused briefly. Instead of correcting him or inquiring about the Foundation Establishment cultivator’s identity, he said gravely:

“Was it done according to my instructions?”

“Your subordinate dutifully followed orders! All information was gathered from tavern chatter. It’s strange, though… Perhaps the matter itself was interesting, but it spread with astonishing speed… It seems everyone enjoyed talking about it…”

Li Jiangqian nodded silently, and Qu Bushi continued:

“On another note… the message has been conveyed to Lord Gong, who is very grateful. He instructed this humble one… that he received news that Protector Black Rat has investigated the full extent of the ore vein and now suspects Lord Lin. He has personally gone to Baipu County, likely to meet Wang Bakong.”

Li Jiangqian waved his hand, dismissing the other person, then looked at Li Minggong and said softly:

“Chen Yang has always been in charge of matters on the north bank. It is said that Fei Qingya’s cultivation speed is astonishing; she was only at the fifth layer when she arrived, and now she has broken through to the sixth layer of Qi Circulation. She is more talented than most of our direct descendants.”

“True Master Tinglan did not specify what spiritual energy to bestow upon her… Nor has True Master Qiuhu given any instructions… For now, we can only let her consolidate her cultivation… It seems we will have to make this decision ourselves.”

Li Minggong pondered for a moment and replied:

“Your idea is…”

Li Jiangqian smiled slightly and said:

“Clear Qi of the River.”

The Li family’s Great River Mausoleum Scripture has not yet been unsealed; how could we miss this excellent opportunity? As long as Fei Qingya consumes the Clear Qi of the River, she will eventually need subsequent cultivation techniques. If she emerges from seclusion within three years, a brief mention to Lin Feng will likely compel him to resolve this issue for her sake!

What a group of Purple Mansion cultivators cannot achieve, a True Monarch might just be able to!

Li Minggong’s eyes lit up, and he nodded repeatedly. Li Jiangqian leaned back and smiled:

“Protector Chen has been exceptionally caring towards her, fearing she might lack good cultivation techniques. He not only gave her a portion of the Clear Qi of the River but also found her quite a suitable complementary cultivation method…”

“He said… if their cultivation methods are similar, it would be easier to guide her.”

Li Minggong looked at him, shaking his head with a somewhat helpless, knowing smile, and replied:

“Who can blame our Protector Chen for being so warm-hearted?”

Li Jiangqian chuckled:

“But Protector Chen also repeatedly lamented that the clan’s inherited cultivation methods are sealed by a secret art, and the unlocking method has been lost. He wondered what kind of genius would be able to decipher them, which is truly regrettable!”

Having settled the matter, Li Jiangqian put down his brush and said:

“On another note, Protector Chen’s family has produced excellent offspring. His second son, Chen Jinxi, has now reached adulthood and possesses remarkable talent, having already achieved Qi Condensation. He came to the clan to report his successful cultivation. His nephew, Chen Jinbao, is also very promising. According to the elder, they are no worse than the An Xuanxin brothers.”

Li Minggong heard such a high evaluation for the first time. Slightly surprised, he looked up and nodded:

“The Chen family is very low-key… I only knew of a few individuals, but I had no idea they could be compared to the An family’s two brothers… Truly remarkable talent!”

Li Jiangqian nodded silently, rubbing his jade cup, and replied:

“Jiang Liang has also reached Qi Condensation. It’s a good opportunity to assign him a subordinate. The Chen clan members are known for being capable and efficient officials; it’s rare to find any who are useless, so they would be suitable.”

Li Minggong nodded with a smile, a sense of relief surprisingly rising in his heart:

‘Fortunately, Zhou Wei has many descendants. If it weren’t for him, relying only on Xing Han, Zhou Fang, and perhaps Jiang Zong and Zhou Da at most, we probably couldn’t keep a lid on so many geniuses…’

Li Jiangqian, seemingly lost in thought, merely said casually:

“Fei Qingyi is still quite obedient. Now he doesn’t dare to return to the north bank, diligently working in the province day after day, as if trying to atone for his mistakes. Apart from being a bit clumsy in his actions, his attitude is very positive.”

Li Minggong sighed and replied:

“How could he not be positive? All the Fei family members are eagerly watching, fearing your disapproval.”

Li Jiangqian scoffed and replied:

“This matter isn’t up to me. The Fei family has its own destiny. Regardless of whether they are good or bad, Fei Qingyi, Fei Qingyi, and Fei Qingya have at least ensured the continuation of their line!”