Chapter 207: Two Major Debtors

Li Weiyi, who was most afraid of such bold women, immediately revealed his true nature as a novice. He was no match for her. His expression flustered, he quickly explained, shifting the blame to Shi Liuyu.

Bai Shu was relentless. She sat directly beside him, linked arms with him, and said tenderly, "Given your master Li Wu's reputation for defeating all enemies with five moves, accompanying you for free is no loss at all."

Shi Shishi interjected, "Xiaobai, let go of him right now! My Brother Weiyi is such an important figure that both the Jiuli Tribe and the Zuoqiu Clan are vying for him as a son-in-law. Do you really think he'd be interested in you?"

"Absolutely not!" Bai Shu retorted. "What's the point of those noble ladies from influential families? They don't understand anything, they're completely inhibited, and they won't even move in bed."

Li Weiyi felt his head was about to explode, secretly thinking, "She's truly Shi Liuyu's disciple."

He had, of course, never been to the Passion Flower Pleasure Boat.

Rather, Shi Liuyu had mentioned her when Li Weiyi was forced to go to the Jiuli Hidden Gate to gather information for the Earth Wolf King's Army, after the Six Desires Talisman had been implanted in him.

Then, Shi Shishi introduced three more individuals to Li Weiyi: two ordinary martial cultivators at the fifth level of the Five Seas Realm, and one wolf-like mutated human martial cultivator who had reached the Sixth Sea.

In terms of the younger generation's strength, the Earth Wolf King's Army was considered extremely powerful, far surpassing groups like the Three Chen Palaces.

However, the Tan Sect and Night City were not weak either; in fact, they were even stronger.

In a one-on-one fight, it would still be hard to win.

The task Yin Jiu assigned to the Earth Wolf King's Army was to simultaneously tie down the Tan Sect and Night City. This highlighted the perilous situation faced by the Zuoqiu Clan and the Jiuli Tribe, as they simply couldn't spare any more forces.

"Night City will also make a move?" asked Jia Rao, who cultivated the Sixth Sea. "Night City's backer is the Young Venerable."

"Will the Far West Ash Region and the Imperial Court launch an attack simultaneously? Who can withstand that?"

All the young martial cultivators of the Earth Wolf King's Army, except for the seductive Bai Shu who was still linked arm-in-arm with Li Weiyi, wore very solemn expressions.

Shi Shishi said, "It's just a possibility, but we must be prepared. Changning Street, where the Tan Sect martial cultivators gather, and Nanhu Guild Hall, where Night City martial cultivators gather, are only three li apart. With our cultivation, we can travel between them in an instant."

"How about this: the main force of the Earth Wolf King's Army will still concentrate near Changning Street."

"Tao Yanyan, you go alone to stake out outside Nanhu Guild Hall. If Night City's forces make any unusual moves, use a wolf howl as a signal."

Tao Yanyan's eyes widened like bronze bells. "Can you handle Yang Qingxi?"

Shi Shishi, being self-aware, offered a wry smile. "Yang Qingxi is among the top ranks in the Southern Region's Second Imperial Examination, someone who could escape from Zuoqiu Ting's grasp. You don't actually think we're going there to capture her, do you? Tonight's main goal is to contain, not to fight to the death. If I can't win, do you think I don't know how to run?"

Li Weiyi, who had been deep in thought, said, "There's no need for everyone to be so nervous. Whether war breaks out tonight depends on the outcome of the clashes among the very top experts."

"Brother Weiyi, what do you mean?" Bai Shu asked, playing the role of a silly, sweet girl.

Li Weiyi replied, "As long as Zuoqiu Ting, Cang Li, and Li Jiufu don't suffer a one-sided defeat, the battles below will most likely not erupt. If all three of them die, there's no need for us to fight; it would be wise to quickly escape the city and abandon the Dragon's Ascent Competition."

"What if both sides suffer heavy losses?" Shi Shishi asked.

"It's hard to say," Li Weiyi replied. "If both sides are rational, they won't fight! They'll have to cease hostilities, quickly withdraw their defenses to prevent other forces from taking advantage of the situation. But if they go berserk and lose their rationality, anything could happen."

Facing Ge Xiantong and the potentially intervening Young Venerable, no one believed the Zuoqiu Clan and the Jiuli Tribe had any chance of victory.

Everyone only hoped to withstand tonight's most frantic attack, believing that a new power structure would naturally emerge tomorrow.

Li Weiyi said, "Everyone should thank the Immortal Master of Du'e Temple. When he spoke of the conditions for becoming a True Dragon, I suspect he sowed a seed of evil in Luansheng Linyou's heart. After all, Ge Xiantong is the only one in the city who can stop him from becoming a True Dragon."

"At the same time, Ge Xiantong will certainly become even more wary of him."

"Even if they had truly reached a consensus before, there are now serious cracks, making them major adversaries. This means the Zuoqiu Clan and the Jiuli Tribe now have a glimmer of hope."

"Buzz!"

"Buzz!"

The New Year's bells rang out from Taoli Mountain.

It was also the clarion call for the Dragon's Ascent Competition.

Countless fireworks shot into the sky, exploding into a dazzling and beautiful display.

The rapidly speeding Snow Wolf War Chariot had just entered the South City and was heading straight for Changning Street.

Li Weiyi said, "I think Yang Qingxi and Yuwen Tuozhen have most likely gone to the main battlefield; they won't be at Changning Street or Nanhu Guild Hall. Our biggest opponent might be that mysterious black-clad woman from the Tan Sect."

Tao Yanyan nodded. "I think so too! Jia Rao, you go stake out at Nanhu Guild Hall. I'll handle the black-clad woman."

Jia Rao nodded in agreement.

"Brother Weiyi," Shi Shishi asked, "do you really intend to deal with the Tan Sect tonight?"

"What's wrong?" Li Weiyi asked.

Shi Shishi grimaced. "I'm afraid we'll be the ones dealt with. There's a strength gap between the Earth Wolf King's Army and the Tan Sect. Besides, Changning Street is the Tan Sect's home turf."

Tao Yanyan also said, "That's right, why should a genius like you put yourself in such danger?"

"I'm going to collect a debt!" Li Weiyi declared. "An opportunity like tonight won't come again." He knew they were speaking very indirectly, giving him face by not uttering phrases like "overestimating yourself" or "seeking your own death."

"Don't worry, there are ways to collect debts," Li Weiyi said. "Perhaps there's no need to fight to the death at all."

"Boom!"

In the city, from the direction of the Xuantian Stone Wall, an earth-shattering thunderclap resonated, and countless purple lightning bolts shot into the sky.

Everyone on the war chariot turned to look.

"That's Thunder Law Profound Ice, used for breaking formations," Tao Yanyan said. "The battle between the top experts must have begun!"

The war chariot raced wildly. The streets on both sides were dark, with doors closed and windows locked.

Lights only reappeared as they approached Changning Street. Young martial cultivators in armor guarded every intersection, and formation light screens enveloped all the buildings along both sides of the hundreds of meters long street.

The Tan Sect martial cultivators had already gathered and were poised for action.

Shi Shishi went to gather the Earth Wolf King's Army.

Li Weiyi and Tao Yanyan arrived first, concealing their presence and observing from the shadows.

Bai Shu flew over, her eyes gleaming sharply, entirely without her previous silly, soft charm. "The wolf scout monitoring Changning Street reported that Yang Qingxi and Yang Yue haven't returned since leaving this afternoon. The only ones who could be considered experts are Yang Zhiyong and a few top Great Mind Masters. We could just directly clear them out."

Tao Yanyan said, "Don't underestimate them! There are seventy to eighty Five Seas Realm martial cultivators and Great Mind Masters gathered on Changning Street. If we get surrounded, even I would die in there."

"Oh! What a formidable disguise technique..."

Bai Shu exclaimed, staring at Li Weiyi.

At this moment, Li Weiyi's appearance and build dramatically changed, transforming into the likeness of Yang Yue, the second most powerful expert.

Tao Yanyan frowned, feeling she couldn't dissuade him. "Fighting so hard, how much exactly does the Tan Sect owe you?"

"It's a long story," Li Weiyi said.

Tao Yanyan said, "Although your disguise technique is very clever, you might be exposed if you encounter someone familiar with Yang Yue."

"Don't worry, I'm not that impulsive," he said. "I just want to verify a guess I have. I think if I were the black-clad woman, the Tan Sect's hidden power, I probably wouldn't live on Changning Street, but rather hide somewhere nearby."

Li Weiyi waved to them, and with a heavy sword on his back, in Yang Yue's guise, he prepared to walk a circle around Changning Street.

Bai Shu stared at his receding figure. "He's really bold, isn't he afraid of actually drawing out the black-clad woman? He's only at the fourth level of the Five Seas Realm... I think he's the real barbarian rogue."

"It's good if she's drawn out!" Tao Yanyan said. "It's truly terrifying when such an expert remains hidden in the dark."

Li Weiyi walked through streets and alleys, releasing his senses of hearing and smell, while simultaneously observing every building. He put himself in her shoes, considering what kind of place the black-clad woman would choose to live in and what state she would be in at that moment.

"Creak!"

On the street to the right, facing the river, a four-story, rather grand building, which had been completely dark, suddenly had its main door open.

"Uncle Yue?"

Yang Yun, who emerged from the doorway, called out softly, a bit uncertainly.

Li Weiyi stopped and looked up at the plaque of the grand building, which read "Xianle Fang." It was actually a brothel.

He flashed over, slapped Yang Yun across the face, and reprimanded him, "Tonight is fraught with peril! The Tan Sect martial cultivators are all ready to go to battle at any moment, fighting for the future of our sect. And here you are, daring to come to a place like this! I will certainly report you to your sister!"

Yang Yun was a Nine Springs Supreme Being, and after consuming the Dyed Cloud Elixir, he had even transformed into a Pure Immortal Body.

His cultivation had now reached the Five Seas Realm, promising him a limitless future.

Yang Yun dared not be disrespectful in front of Yang Yue. He looked around and quickly explained, "Uncle Yue, you misunderstand; I came here on important business."

"Stop spouting nonsense!" Li Weiyi wanted to probe for more information. "What important business could you possibly have here?"

Yang Yun was about to speak.

From inside the door behind him, a woman's voice, which startled Li Weiyi to his very core, asked, "Yang Yue, weren't you with Qingxi,

...going to Ge Xiantong's immortal banquet? The magical energy fluctuations in the city are strong, and the rumbling is incessant. I suppose the battle between the Imperial Court, the Zuoqiu Clan, and the Jiuli Tribe has already erupted."

It was Yang Qingxi's voice.

How bizarre!

Could there really be two Yang Qingxis?

Li Weiyi looked at the open door behind Yang Yun. Inside, it was pitch black; the magical energy prevented his eyes from seeing anything, like a deep pool of still water.

Just as Li Weiyi was about to seize Yang Yun as a hostage and use a wolf howl to notify Tao Yanyan and Bai Shu,

Yang Qingxi's voice came from inside the door again: "It seems Yang Zhiyong didn't tell you! There's no need to be so surprised; there were always two Yang Qingxis. One acts openly, and one cultivates in seclusion in secret. We can switch places at any time, without delaying anyone's cultivation. As Yang Qingxi, I've actually met you twice, you just didn't know it!"

Li Weiyi secretly breathed a sigh of relief, immediately changing his strategy. He sighed, "You've hidden yourselves so well! After all these years, we've only met twice?"

"One open, one hidden, there's naturally a primary and secondary role," Yang Qingxi's voice explained. "I only appear openly to replace her when she's in seclusion."

Li Weiyi's brain rapidly processed, concluding that this Yang Qingxi had most likely stolen the five boxes of Yongquan coins. So, he pretended to be calm and explained, "Qingxi said tonight is extremely dangerous. Zuoqiu Ting, Cang Li, and Li Jiufu are all supreme experts comparable to the Dao Seed Realm. She told me not to participate in that battle and to find an opportunity to slip away."

"She's right!" Yang Qingxi's voice said. "The Tan Sect's foundation is too shallow; there's no need to risk our lives for the Imperial Court like that. Just from Jiang Ning publicly executing Sheng Qingyan, you can see that the Imperial Court simply treats us like dogs. Hmph! Come in, it's time we formally met."

Li Weiyi was immediately in a dilemma.

Why hadn't Shi Shishi and the Earth Wolf King's Army arrived yet?