Chapter 854: Dispute

The wilderness.

Heavy rain poured down. Dark clouds from north of the river layered one upon another, drifting south with the wind, stirring up vast, waterfall-like currents over this barren, hilly land.

The low-lying buildings on the ground quickly disappeared in the heavy rain. A swarm of ant-like figures, mere black specks, struggled briefly in the deluge before vanishing even faster. Meanwhile, streaks of flashing escape light illuminated the sky, rapidly approaching.

The leader, clad in a black robe, exuded a fierce aura. His eyes gleamed with an ominous, evil light. He halted by the shore, riding wisps of black energy, his expression grim. A group of black-robed cultivators followed closely behind him.

At his waist hung the Guiming Xuanling, glimmering with a dazzling, hazy light. He first cast a deep glance at it, then held it up, recited several incantations, and his eyes lit up.

The cultivators behind him called out:

“Hall Master! We’ve reached the wilderness here; any further south, and we’ll be in Qingchi!”

As the cultivators on either side spoke, the demon cultivator’s expression grew even grimmer. The token in his hand trembled continuously, and with a dark face, he replied:

“There are no escape lights to the south; this person couldn’t possibly fly that fast. According to the Guiming Xuanling, he must have landed in the wilderness. Search! The Guiming Xuanling tracks his position every moment; we must not let him escape!”

The cultivators immediately fanned out. The Hall Master, holding the token, cast a sinister gaze over the land. Below, voices grew noisy, and soon, sounds of dispute arose. A woman rode the wind and approached him.

The woman held a grey ring and was quite beautiful, which made the man’s eyes light up. He listened as she said sweetly:

“So it’s Hall Master Bai. I am Miaoshui. May I ask what brings your esteemed presence to our wilderness?”

Daoist Bai glanced at the woman. Seeing his subordinates being held back by a mere two Foundation Establishment early-stage cultivators below, he knew their origins were significant. Suppressing his dissatisfaction, he raised an eyebrow and said:

“The wilderness is unclaimed land. Who is your master?”

If Daoist Bai hadn’t gained this fortunate encounter, such rogue cultivators from the East Sea would be inferior to Miaoshui and would have to treat her respectfully. But now he could act like a master, so Miaoshui could only grit her teeth and whisper:

“Although the wilderness is unclaimed, the various families, big and small, near Moon Lake are all offshoots of my Moon Lake family. Both by custom and by right, they are under my family’s protection.”

“Moon Lake?”

Daoist Bai felt a little hesitant, and he said:

“A few days ago, your esteemed family’s elders were also attacked. Now something major has happened in Baijiang. I fear it’s the same group of people. Let’s search together.”

He didn’t wait for Miaoshui’s consent. He waved his hand lightly, and the cultivators on either side quickly fanned out into the surrounding area. Miaoshui’s expression changed dramatically, and she cried out:

“What do you mean by this, Hall Master Bai?”

Daoist Bai’s subordinates were a group of demon cultivators; not one normal person could be found among ten of them. How could such a group be allowed to run rampant in the wilderness? But Miaoshui and her companions were outnumbered. They could only crush a jade talisman and say coldly:

“Hall Master Bai, consider this carefully! Many cultivators from my family are on the river; they can arrive in mere moments. If this sparks a war between our two families, it won’t be good!”

*‘Cui Jueyin and Ding Weizheng are both fighting against the Duxian Dao; can they rush back? We’ve been speeding all the way, so cultivators on both sides of the river must surely know. If these people leave, can the Duxian Dao just stand by?’*

He found an excuse and spoke a few perfunctory words, when he saw bright Lihuo flames lighting up the western sky. Several dazzling lights arrived one after another, manifesting their forms in the clouds. The leading man had golden-yellow eyes and an expressionless face, and he said coldly:

“Hall Master Bai… what is this about?”

Behind him, Chen Yang’s expression was grim, while Li Minggong and Qu Bushi, who arrived slightly later, stood discreetly in the clouds.

When Daoist Bai saw Li Jiangqian, he grew even more displeased, but he changed his expression and smiled, saying:

“Patriarch Li, someone killed a Protector in my Huaihun Hall and fled to the wilderness. We’re here to search…”

Li Jiangqian glanced at the motley crew below him and casually said:

“Well, that’s quite a delay then. How fast do Foundation Establishment cultivators fly? Those who should be gone are already gone by now. What’s the need to search? Hall Master, you’re not perhaps using the excuse of catching someone to harbor ill intentions, are you?”

As he spoke so impolitely, Daoist Bai’s expression turned cold and sinister.

This old demon cultivator actually didn’t think much of Li Jiangqian and cursed furiously in his heart: *‘I am reconnecting the Purple Palace Dao lineage; I am destined to reach the Purple Palace. Only Li Zhouwei of Moon Lake has a grasp of the Purple Palace realm and can be considered on my level. You, Li Jiangqian, a mere junior, dare to give me a cold shoulder? You don’t know what’s good for you!’*

After years of arrogance and overbearing behavior, he had developed a theory that his own status was almost comparable to a Purple Palace cultivator. His face darkened. Who would have thought that Chen Yang, standing beside him, with her hand on her waist-sword and a sinister glint in her eyes, had surprisingly similar thoughts:

*‘A dog-like thing, who got a bit of luck and was pushed out as a scapegoat, dares to oppose my family…’*

Li Jiangqian absolutely could not allow Daoist Bai to do as he pleased with the wilderness. He stood firm, calmly watching him, and an undeniable tension filled the air, as if swords were about to be drawn. Just then, a group of cultivators flew in from the east, dressed in golden robes. The leader, with a face full of smiles, immediately said:

“Hall Master Bai, what brings you to the wilderness!”

Daoist Bai was surprisingly somewhat familiar with this person and said with a laugh:

“Oh, it’s Daoist Tian from Xuanmu. We’re here to search for someone… That person killed my subordinate and was gravely wounded. He couldn’t have gone far and must have fallen here. Please give way… He stole something from me and was cursed when he killed. My people can find him once they get close!”

“Alright, alright.”

The cultivators from the Xuanmu Dao lineage agreed immediately and sent people down. Huaihun Hall lacked everything except for a teeming swarm of demon cultivators, far too many. One or two led the others down.

The Xuanmu Dao lineage was originally a demonic sect and was internally chaotic. True Lord matters would certainly not be discussed with lower-ranking cultivators. Li Jiangqian glanced and indeed saw no direct descendants of the Dai family, knowing then that these were all minor figures. With Zhu Gong having gone north, he wondered how tense things must be within the Muquan Sect.

Who knew that just as Daoist Tian agreed, a brawny man with a golden mask beside him spoke in a deep voice:

“Daoist priest, Huaihun Hall has many demon cultivators. If they are left unchecked, I fear they might harm the people of the wilderness.”

This remark made Daoist Tian very awkward. He flashed a cold glint in his eyes and laughed:

“Since Daoist Fuyuezi has a compassionate heart, then go with them.”

Fuyuezi clearly wasn’t faring well under the Muquan Sect, but he was simple-minded and actually went down when told. Qu Bushi recognized him and showed indignation. Li Jiangqian, however, frowned, watching the coordinated actions to the north, and a premonition gradually grew in his heart.

After Daoist Bai spoke a reply, seeing Li Jiangqian’s indifference, he indeed held up the token in his hand, performed a brief calculation, and an anxious expression appeared on his face. He turned to Li Jiangqian and whispered:

“Patriarch Li! I won’t beat around the bush with you anymore. The item this person stole is crucial to my Mifan Dao lineage. Please, Moon Lake, give me this face. Should there be any casualties later, if a few people die, my family will compensate you with a few people!”

To these overseas demon cultivators, people were merely quantifiable resources. Li Jiangqian gradually understood this in his heart. Standing in the air, he smiled and said:

“Hall Master, wherever you came from, go back there! I’m afraid I cannot let you pass.”

No matter how much trouble Huaihun Hall stirs up, it’s definitely not a good character in the eyes of a True Lord. And the unknown character who escaped from Huaihun Hall is extremely valuable for exploitation.

Even if this character isn’t a good person, retreating from the East Bank just to avoid offending Huaihun Hall would have an extremely negative impact on the Li family’s reputation and the overall situation.

*‘They’ve come to our doorstep; we absolutely cannot stand by.’*

But as soon as he finished speaking, Daoist Bai seemed to have anticipated it, his eyes heavy.

In Daoist Bai’s eyes, the Li family was currently internally empty, with all their capable subordinates gone north. As long as they blocked the three to five people in front of them and swiftly entered the wilderness, the Li family would be unable to stop them.

And the wilderness consisted only of small and large families affiliated with the Li family, not the Li clan’s Moon Lake itself. Did Li Jiangqian really need to antagonize him, a future Purple Palace cultivator, over a few mortals? It would be normal to act like the Muquan Sect!

The black-robed old man then feigned politeness and pressed him, saying:

“Patriarch, you should reconsider! Perhaps your esteemed family would care to offer some pointers and spar with my Hall.”

As he gave the command, a burly man, stoutly built with wide-staring eyes, immediately stepped forward. He had an imposing presence, but covered in a bloody stench, he didn’t look very intimidating.

He was confident, yet the golden-eyed man before him burst into laughter and replied:

“Since the Hall Master has said so, please wait a moment!”

He stepped forward, searched through his storage bag, and pulled out a golden hammer, displaying it to the two.

“This…”

Daoist Bai’s eyes widened in disbelief. He never expected Li Jiangqian to suddenly erupt, reverse the golden hammer, and swing it forward. Surging apricot-yellow Lihuo flames followed closely, striking towards the man’s face like lightning. Li Jiangqian laughed as he said:

“What kind of trash!”

“Boom!”

The burly man had no time to react and was struck on the jaw by the hammer. Visibly spurting blood was instantly burned into black smoke by the Lihuo flames, and massive apricot-yellow flames instantly cascaded down, brightening momentarily in the pouring rain.

A stinging roar immediately echoed through the night sky. The burly man was covered in flowing Lihuo flames, was sent flying high by the hammer, only stopping in mid-air, and frantically tried to extinguish the flames.

“Li Jiangqian! Are you mad!”

Daoist Bai absolutely never imagined Li Jiangqian would be smiling moments before, and then swinging a hammer the next, without even time to change his expression!

Moreover, as a dignified patriarch of an immortal clan with a noble bloodline, and with his cultivation merely at the early Foundation Establishment stage, even if a fight broke out, he should have retreated early and let his subordinates protect him. Yet he dared to strike first!

Rage surged within him. He had barely raised his hand when another hammer strike arrived. Apricot-yellow Lihuo flames descended, causing the Yin energy throughout his body to boil. Yet his magic sword still hung at his waist, unsheathed.

But what followed closely was True Fire, fluttering like feathers. Li Minggong watched most intently, reacting even faster than Chen Yang. The cultivators below became agitated, and several from the Muquan Sect stared in astonishment:

*‘This… they’re fighting already? Li Zhouwei isn’t here, and Moon Lake’s opposition to Duxian Dao is already challenging enough. Do they also need to contend with Huaihun Hall?’*

But they had no time to ponder further. As Li Jiangqian swung his second hammer, he already transformed into flames and retreated. Daoist Bai was seething with rage but was suffocated by a barrage of True Fire. He thought to himself:

“Huaiyin Secret Art!”

A dark green light surged from his body. Li Minggong merely frowned, placed the Six-cornered Crimson Flame Lamp in front of her, her red lips pursed, and exhaled a blast of True Fire, leveraging the might of the artifact.

She had cultivated the Miaodai Art Transformation of the Tujun Sect. This breath of flame, expelled with the aid of Pure Feather Lihuo and the artifact, was astonishingly powerful. Daoist Bai’s Huaiyin Ghost was not particularly strong to begin with, nor was its grade high. Moreover, it was precisely countered by the opponent’s True Fire. The dark green light instantly vanished into thin air, and he was suppressed, his face flushed scarlet.

The battle hadn’t even truly begun on the field. The demon cultivators had just gathered around when they witnessed this scene and gasped again.

*‘Huh?’*

*‘I definitely haven’t heard that Li Minggong was this powerful…’*

Daoist Bai, as the esteemed Hall Master of Huaihun Hall, claiming to be the legitimate successor of the Mifan Dao lineage, had been overwhelmingly powerful and arrogant recently. Being suppressed motionless by a single blast of Li Minggong’s flames was utterly humiliating…

Even Daoist Bai himself was flushed red and somewhat bewildered. When he attacked Tangjin, Situ Biao had little lifespan left and no formidable magic artifacts. He hadn’t even needed to act personally; a group of demon cultivators had simply rushed forward and killed him…

Now suddenly facing a true immortal clan descendant, his Huaiyin skill was burned by True Fire, instantly exposing his pathetic abilities. He only felt that the opponent’s flames were extremely ferocious and overwhelming.

After seeing this performance, not only were the others stunned, but Li Minggong herself suddenly hesitated:

*‘This guy is so weak? I mustn’t injure or kill him… If people are missing in the north then, it will ruin others’ plans.’*

But Daoist Bai was furious and desperate. He hastily held up the Guiming Xuanling, which emitted a brilliant light. Immediately, a man clad in sturdy armor, with an ashen face and ferocious appearance, manifested through the artifact and lunged towards the flames.

The man was formidable, with sparse white hair. His body radiated Gengjin energy mixed with chilling Yin energy, possessing a rather intimidating aura.

Li Minggong happened to retract her power, allowing the man to break through the flames and lunge forward. She waved her sleeve to block, using surging True Fire to stop him, and when she looked at his face, her expression grew slightly complex:

*‘Situ Biao…’*

This old man was Situ Biao, the late Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Situ family who covered their escape. He was also the current Sect Master of the Tangjin Sect. He had his spiritual artifacts and talismans confiscated by True Lord Tianhuo and fled in disarray. Seeing him again today, he had become another’s magical artifact…

*‘Given his status and the current awkward position of the Tangjin Sect, he must have been unable to leave even if he wanted to, and could only obediently sacrifice himself…’*

Daoist Bai, however, wasn’t there to fight. He could only suppress his full rage, rose with the wind, and seized the opportunity to rush downwards. He had only lunged a short distance when he saw a bright light before him, and a person appeared.

This person had the jaw of a swallow and whiskers of a tiger, a lithe physique, and wore red armor, emanating fiery red light. Holding a staff in his hand, his eyes seemed to have some mystical enchantment, piercing like awls, making others recoil.

Daoist Bai immediately felt a sense of danger surge into his heart and instantly stopped. But he never expected a man holding a scroll to appear on the other side. He was refined and elegant, with equally profound cultivation. He raised an eyebrow, looked over, and politely said:

“I hear Hall Master Bai… wishes to spar?”

Ding Weizheng, however, was not so polite. He cast a cold glance at him, pointing his long staff directly at the opponent’s brow, as if he would strike it down at any moment. His tone was as cold as ice:

“You bastard!”