Chapter 198: Zuo Qiu Hongting

Jiang Ning stood up and walked to the vermilion window. Her figure was exquisitely beautiful as she softly murmured, "Defeating all opponents in five moves! The combat power displayed is simply too strong... Is he really that short on money?"

“Who knows? He’s throwing his life away for money,” Zhuang Yue grumbled.

Jiang Ning said, "Why don't you go fight a match? Bring him a millennium spirit herb!"

“I… I’d rather not!”

Zhuang Yue knew her straightforward nature meant she definitely couldn't act well.

“Lend the millennium spirit herb to Jiang Wuling; consider it food for those seven little ones. As for Zuoqiu Ting, her mind is too malicious. If she truly is using Li Weiyi to benefit the Zuoqiu Faction, then the Battle of the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival will be her death sentence.”

Jiang Ning, with a voice like a celestial melody, uttered the most murderous words.

She knew Zuoqiu Ting’s true nature and understood that Li Weiyi’s current situation was already very perilous.

The imperial court had long decided that once the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival began, they would crush the Zuoqiu Faction and eliminate its three successors. Jiang Ning had initially been indifferent to this, but now she somewhat anticipated that day’s early arrival.

With a gentle wave of her slender, jade-like arm, she drew a graceful arc, and the fourth dragon spirit in her provincial governor's robe awakened and flew out.

The dragon’s roars were low and resonant.

Zuoqiu Faction's ancestral land, Peach and Plum Mountain.

The Hidden Lord sat under an ancient peach tree on the cliffside, with a stone table and stools, accompanied by a pot of "Fanghua" millennium aged wine.

The ancient peach tree was so thick it would take five people to embrace it, its roots like ancient dragons, deeply embedded in the rocks. The three thousand ancient peach trees here, having absorbed Dao domain spiritual energy year-round, had long transformed into spirit wood. They bloomed for ten years, bore fruit for ten years, and ripened for ten years.

Each spiritual peach was of treasure-level medicinal quality, capable of extending life.

It was said that deep within this ancestral Dao domain space, the peach tree cultivated from the mythical Flat Peach kernel produced spiritual peaches, each reaching the level of a millennium spirit herb.

However, the depths of the ancestral land were not accessible to ordinary people.

During the ten years of blooming, peach blossoms and flying snow fell together, creating a uniquely moving spectacle.

The view from here was expansive, with half of Qiuzhou City visible, and even the distant azure of Bingzu Marsh could be seen.

Seated opposite the Hidden Lord was Lingxiao Jianshou Zuoqiu Ling, who was also the current family head of the Zuoqiu Faction.

“An eight-foot majestic physique, sitting like a divine mountain, lying like a nether dragon, moving to chase the sun and moon”—this was the world’s assessment of the Lingxiao Jianshou.

Zuoqiu Ling’s physique was more than twice the size of the Hidden Lord’s, yet he was not a deformed human. He appeared exceptionally domineering and arrogant: “Cang Li’s brother-in-law, you had this news spread, didn’t you? How afraid are you that the Zuoqiu Faction will snatch the person away?”

The Hidden Lord and Zuoqiu Ling had been friends for many years and knew each other thoroughly, so he did not wear his metal mask, revealing a refined and scholarly face. He chuckled, “Rumors like the Zuoqiu Faction’s son-in-law are already circulating. Since you have such wolfish ambitions, how can I sit idly by and wait for death?”

Zuoqiu Ting…

More precisely, it was Zuoqiu Hongting.

She stood quietly a few feet away, her body enveloped in shimmering particles of light. Her figure was as graceful as the moon, clad in a loose green Daoist robe, with a wooden hairpin in her hair, which was as dark as spilled ink. She was as serene as a secluded orchid on a cliff peak.

Her Dao incorporated the strengths of Confucianism, Daoism, and the School of Vertical and Horizontal Alliances. Her temperament was unpredictable, and her eyes were sometimes profound, sometimes lively.

The identity "Zuoqiu Ting" only represented her martial arts cultivation aspect.

Martial cultivators in the Lingxiao Realm only knew thunder arts as immortal techniques. But she knew that both Daoist arts and Confucian arts could lead to immortality, reaching the Ninth Heaven and transcending life and death.

Zuoqiu Ling said, "Being undefeated in five moves within the same realm is already astonishing enough. Ting’er, go tell him to stop while he’s ahead and not to display that last banner! How much money has he actually made?"

“I don’t know, but it must be a huge amount. I’m not even as wealthy as him now, and that’s not counting his substantial debts,” Zuoqiu Hongting replied.

Zuoqiu Ling said, "If he keeps earning, he'll incur public outrage."

“He’s already incurred public outrage. Now everyone thinks I’m the one who made the money, and he’s just my pawn. I only just realized that I’m actually his pawn, used by him, and I even have to shield him.”

Zuoqiu Hongting complained quite a bit, feeling that she was the one Li Weiyi had tricked the most.

The Hidden Lord chuckled, “We’re allies, after all! I heard you’ve also made quite a bit. As long as you help him recover his debts, you’ll get a 30-70 split. But the family head is right, he absolutely cannot display the third banner. Tell him his current record is already enough to secure an invitation.”

The Hidden Lord was actually quite helpless. He hadn’t expected Li Weiyi to enter the game in such a way, and by the time he received the news, it was too late to stop him.

At the time, the news of “the Zuoqiu Faction’s son-in-law” was spreading like wildfire, and he felt a strong sense of crisis, fearing that if Li Weiyi were pushed too hard, he might actually switch allegiance to the Zuoqiu Faction.

After Zuoqiu Hongting left, the Hidden Lord and Zuoqiu Ling were discussing when they suddenly heard a high-pitched tiger roar echoing from down the mountain, reverberating through Qiuzhou City and causing countless exotic beasts within the city to become agitated.

“Excellent! Cang Li has finally completed his Seventh Sea cultivation before the year-end, ten days faster than I anticipated. They should be able to withstand the first wave of impact at the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival.” Zuoqiu Ling’s expression was solemn, clearly pondering many concerns.

The Hidden Lord said, "Ge Xiantong received the true teachings of Yu Yaozi. Although born a eunuch, he possesses a divinely bestowed immortal physique. Even in our youth, you and I were no match for him. It will be too difficult for Cang Li to stop him. The key to victory or defeat still rests with Hongting, that girl."

“It’s a pity that young man from your Jiuli Hidden Sect started cultivating a few years late. Otherwise, today he could have formed a tripartite power with Ge Xiantong and Luan Sheng Linyou, which is perhaps the greatest regret of the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival.” Zuoqiu Ling sighed, a hint of helplessness in his voice.

The Hidden Lord sneered inwardly. If that young man were allowed to cultivate for a few more years, Ge Xiantong and Luan Sheng Linyou would face a great calamity today.

No, he had to hold back. He couldn't let that Zuoqiu brute know that the young man was only in the Third Stage of the Fifth Sea Realm and had been fighting against higher cultivation levels.

On the third day, the arena was moved to the seaside of Bingzu Marsh, ten li from the Heavenly Pavilion.

The shore was designated as the boundary, outlining an adjacent sea area as the combat zone, where countless floating logs were arranged.

This was because many martial cultivators complained that the arena was too small and too slippery.

Now, it was the fifth day of the arena challenges, and the slogan, "The supreme master of the same realm, defeating all opponents in five moves," resounded deafeningly.

The seaside was jam-packed. Martial cultivators who had lost money naturally wished they could tear Li Weiyi limb from limb and devour his flesh and skin. However, the other young martial cultivators admired Li Weiyi immensely, believing he truly possessed invincible combat power within the same realm.

Among them, ordinary martial cultivators and variant human cultivators revered him as a deity.

It was Li Weiyi who showed them that even those without a pure immortal physique could be invincible within the same realm. Consequently, many young martial cultivators came specifically to listen to his discussions on martial arts and his teachings, all feeling they gained immensely.

As a result, "Young Master Li's" reputation became polarized.

Some said he was insatiably greedy and treacherous. Others called him a young prodigy, a martial arts grandmaster, weighing all the world's dragons and phoenixes on his scale.

By the seaside, Qi Wangshu and Zuoqiu Baiyuan were bustling with activity, simultaneously registering challengers and tallying various challenge fees, including Spring Coins, millennium spirit herbs, blood crystals, and magical artifacts.

Initially, they were very worried, thinking that defeating all opponents in five moves carried too great a risk.

However, after Li Weiyi won ten consecutive matches, they cast all their worries aside and focused solely on tallying.

In just one hour, the total value of all challenge fees received exceeded a million Spring Coins, filling five large crates.

Qi Xiao was quite uneasy, constantly patrolling back and forth, as a portion of the earnings belonged to him, and it could not afford to be lost.

As more and more Spring Coins were earned and the prize pool grew, Zuoqiu Lancheng, the second successor of the Zuoqiu Faction, was also invited to oversee the proceedings.

On the sea surface.

“Boom!”

Li Weiyi unleashed his "Compassionate Illumination" technique, which everyone believed to be his only unique skill. With a single finger strike, a long furrow appeared on the water surface, sending Lu Wensheng, who was challenging him for the fourth time, spitting blood and plummeting into the sea.

“Ten! Nine! Eight…”

After ten counts, Lu Wensheng failed to surface.

Li Weiyi released his spiritual energy, personally fished him out, and carried him back to the shore.

Immediately, cheers like a mountain roar and a tsunami erupted, and countless young female mortal cultivators shouted his name, their fervor comparable to the appearance of the successors themselves.

Li Weiyi handed the heavily injured Lu Wensheng to the Thundercloud Sect disciples, then gestured apologetically to the spectators on the shore, saying, "The arena is larger now, so I couldn't hold back; I had to completely defeat him. Lu Wensheng is simply too strong; I had to go all out and couldn't restrain my power."

“Old Qi, make sure to give some medical expenses to the Thundercloud Sect disciples.”

“Young Master Li, stop your pretense. From today onwards, the Thundercloud Sect will be your irreconcilable enemy.” The Thundercloud Sect disciples glared fiercely at him, refusing any medical expenses, and quickly departed, carrying Lu Wensheng.

Li Weiyi watched their retreating figures and sighed deeply: “Among all challengers, Lu Wensheng is the wealthiest, rich enough to rival a nation. The Thundercloud Sect’s foundation is incomparable to any other faction or sect. What a pity their disciples’ quality is so poor.”

“Next!”

Stepping on the waves, Li Weiyi flew back to the central waters of the arena, landing on a three-zhang-long cylindrical floating log.

“Zhu Yuzhao of the Western Gate of Vermilion, here again to experience Young Master Li’s Compassionate Illumination Finger.”

Zhu Yuzhao, possessing a pure immortal physique, was exceptionally handsome and refined. Dressed in luxurious robes and holding a three-foot jade sword, he approached, eyes smiling, striding several zhangs with each step over the waves.

Li Weiyi’s perception was extremely sharp; he detected a dangerous aura in his opponent’s eyes.

He had fought Zhu Yuzhao once before and remembered him as strong, but he had never given him such a sense of danger.

Was this still Zhu Yuzhao beneath that skin?

Li Weiyi became vigilant, shifting his body to the right.

Zhu Yuzhao’s footsteps also shifted, constantly using his combat intent to block all escape routes for Li Weiyi back to the shore. He chuckled, “Young Master Li’s martial arts attainments are far beyond what ordinary people like us can achieve. I have a question in my heart; I wonder if you could help me answer it?”

Li Weiyi was about to move right and escape towards the shore before his opponent got too close.

Just then, Zhu Yuzhao stopped first.

It could be foreseen that if Li Weiyi were to flee or shout loudly at this moment, it would instantly invite a furious storm of attacks from Zhu Yuzhao.

If Zang Jin or Qi Jin were inside Zhu Yuzhao, considering Li Weiyi’s current distance of fifty zhang from Zuoqiu Lancheng on the shore…

By the time Zuoqiu Lancheng arrived, he would surely be dead.

The situation he most wished to avoid had finally occurred.

Li Weiyi remained calm and composed. Since his opponent wanted to talk, he would talk. He said, “Young Master Zhu has traveled a long way from the Western Region and is a distinguished guest of the Southern Region. Whatever questions you have, I will certainly answer everything I know without reservation.”

Zhu Yuzhao said, “I greatly admire that with a mortal body, you are undefeated against all challengers in the same realm in five moves. However, observing your Compassionate Illumination technique, the power it unleashes doesn’t resemble something a martial cultivator of the Fourth Stage of the Fifth Sea Realm could possibly wield. I wonder, what is the secret behind it?”

“In other words, how can one unleash the maximum power of a martial arts technique?”