Zhang Chen never expected that Zhou Qiucheng’s resolve was so firm, that he would rather die than compromise.
Want him to bow his head?
He didn’t believe that the other party could destroy the Exquisite Tower. Without being able to destroy the Exquisite Tower, Zhou Qiucheng was Immortal.
"Heh, you think you can act recklessly by relying on the Exquisite Tower? Yet you don’t know that my means are beyond your imagination. Even if I can’t kill you, I can seal you!" Chen Sanliang’s voice was full of coldness: "Don’t forget, you’re no longer just an anomaly. You’ve stepped onto the Divine Spirit Dao, converted into a Divine Spirit. As long as I kill all your disciples and relatives, you’ll gradually be forgotten by the world, no longer receiving incense sacrifices. By then, you won’t be far from death." Chen Sanliang’s voice was filled with coldness.
"Oh, and your son, unless he severs the literary lineage himself, will eventually meet you in the Yellow Springs." Chen Sanliang’s voice was full of mockery.
He hated the scholars of the world!
"Someone, kill all the scholars in the Jiangnan Territory who do not obey me, and bury them with Zhou Qiucheng." Chen Sanliang had begun to give orders.
"Wait!"
Seeing that Chen Sanliang was about to start a massacre, Zhou Qiucheng hurriedly shouted to stop him.
Chen Sanliang turned his head to look at Zhou Qiucheng, only to see Zhou Qiucheng’s lips move, wanting to speak but hesitating, finally stammering: "I want to make a deal with you."
"Make a deal with me? What kind of deal do you want to make?" Chen Sanliang looked at Zhou Qiucheng with a half-smile.
"I know a piece of information that can bring your wife back to life, but you must spare everyone in the Jiangnan Dao," Zhou Qiucheng said.
Chen Sanliang was stunned upon hearing this, his eyes immediately turning sharp: "You are trying to trick me!!! How dare you joke about my wife!!"
After discussing with Zhou Qiucheng, Chen Sanliang’s Qi Mechanism began to gradually surge, his cultivation taking a big step forward on the Eleventh Tier, not far from the Twelfth Tier. Once his Dao prevails in Jiangnan, his cultivation will surely step into the Twelfth Tier.
"If I wanted to trick you, why would I use the scholars of the entire Jiangnan Dao as a bargaining chip?" Zhou Qiucheng said calmly, facing Chen Sanliang’s sharp gaze.
Upon hearing Zhou Qiucheng’s words, Chen Sanliang’s whole body began to become agitated, his eyes fixed on Chen Sanliang: "Do you know the consequences of deceiving me? If I truly become angry, the outcome is something neither you nor the scholars of the world can bear."
Zhou Qiucheng replied: "I certainly know, so I would never deliberately say such things to provoke you."
Chen Sanliang took a deep breath upon hearing this: "I agree to the deal. Tell me your information."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Qiucheng gestured for Chen Sanliang to come forward, and he used his Divine Power to separate the void, creating a cover that isolated the two of them, so even Zhang Chen couldn’t eavesdrop.
"Indeed, Zhou Qiucheng is Zhou Qiucheng, even having a backup plan to turn the tide." Zhang Chen watched Chen Sanliang and Zhou Qiucheng inside the faintly glowing cover, his eyes filled with disbelief.
But on reflection, it made sense, as someone as cunning as Zhou Qiucheng wouldn’t lack a backup plan.
After a whole stick of incense’s time, the cover finally dissipated, Zhou Qiucheng’s eyes fixed on Chen Sanliang: "I have already informed you of the information; remember our agreement, do not trouble the fellow Daoists of Jiangnan Dao."
"I, Chen Sanliang, keep my word, but the premise is that your information is accurate. You know my character, if you trick me, heh..." Chen Sanliang said coldly.
"Whether it’s true or not, you’ll know when you make the trip yourself," Zhou Qiucheng said.
Chen Sanliang looked deeply at Zhou Qiucheng upon hearing this, then took a deep breath: "Today’s discussion ends here!"
"You should know the consequences of deceiving me! Once I’ve verified it, if I find out you’re tricking me, all life in Jiangnan will perish with you."
After speaking, his figure turned into a stream of light and disappeared into the distance.
Zhang Chen looked at Zhou Qiucheng with astonishment, not knowing what method the latter used to make Chen Sanliang cease his actions.
Zhou Qiucheng’s eyes swept over the kneeling crowd, and he couldn’t help but let out a long sigh. But now his Literary Dao was abolished, he was no longer regarded as a scholar, what else could he say?
The people gathered here were at least half of the Jiangnan Literary Dao’s elite.
"Mr. Zhou, please don’t blame us, we just want to survive..." someone slightly guilty called out under Zhou Qiucheng’s gaze.
Zhou Qiucheng forced a smile: "Chen Sanliang’s misdeeds, you all staying back to preserve your strength for the future is a wise choice. My Literary Dao is abolished, I can no longer preside over the Jiangnan Literary Dao, do as you see fit."
What else could he do?
Everyone had already exhausted their strength to buy him time, sacrificing themselves one after another. Seeing the situation was beyond reversal, should they be denied the chance to seek survival?
To be honest, he felt immense gratitude towards everyone. He wasn’t a bit angry at the great scholars for siding with Chen Sanliang.
After speaking, he turned his head towards Zhang Chen, his eyes showing a trace of relief. When he faced the threat from Chen Sanliang, everyone chose to withdraw, except for Zhang Chen, who stood up to speak for him. It was worth the respect he had for him.
"Let’s go!" Zhou Qiucheng struggled to stand up.
Upon seeing this, Zhang Chen quickly helped Zhou Qiucheng up, and the two supported each other as they left the courtyard, boarding the carriage to the academy.
"Zhang Chen, I indeed didn’t misjudge you." Zhou Qiucheng sat in the carriage, divine light swirling around him, continuously recovering from his injuries.
Hearing this, Zhang Chen chuckled lightly, "Sir, you really have a discerning eye."
Zhou Qiucheng was amused by Zhang Chen’s teasing, and seeing that Zhou Qiucheng didn’t show any disappointment, Zhang Chen was curious, "Are you not upset about failing the debate, losing your Great Dao?"
"Hahaha, what’s the sacrifice of my own Great Dao compared to ridding the world of the great scourge that is Chen Sanliang?" Zhou Qiucheng laughed heartily, his voice full of pride.
Hearing these words, Zhang Chen’s heart trembled, but he heard Zhou Qiucheng say, "Chen Sanliang resorted to any means necessary to gain victory in the debate against me, but little did he know that I was also scheming against him. There will be no more Chen Sanliang in this world, and my Literary Dao will be stable again. As for me, abandoning the Literary Dao to enter the Divine Dao, it’s a path to the heavens with nothing to lose."
"Chen Sanliang’s cultivation surpasses the heavens, how could there be ’no more Chen Sanliang’?" Zhang Chen looked at Zhou Qiucheng in disbelief.
Zhou Qiucheng smiled upon hearing this, "I won’t hide it from you. Chen Sanliang has now entered the Shen Family Mausoleum, and I’m afraid he’ll never come out again."
"Even if he wins the debate against me and abolishes my Great Dao, so what? I devised a transparent scheme for Chen Sanliang, a trap he had no choice but to step into. Even if he claims victory in the debate, didn’t he still obediently follow my design? I only lost my Great Dao, but he lost his life." Zhou Qiucheng’s voice was full of pride.
Hearing this, Zhang Chen was filled with disbelief, "Chen Sanliang isn’t a fool. Why would he recklessly enter the Shen Family Mausoleum?"
"Of course, he’s not a fool, but I gave him a reason he couldn’t refuse!" Zhou Qiucheng leaned back in the carriage, his eyes full of pride.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen’s eyes flickered with disbelief. Chen Sanliang isn’t a fool; why would he enter the Innate Water God Tomb voluntarily?
Noticing Zhang Chen’s confusion, Zhou Qiucheng, grateful for the grace of Zhang Chen standing up at the critical moment, smiled and said, "Isn’t Zhou Qiucheng’s wife dead? I got wind of a secret treasure somewhere in the Innate Water God Array that can gather people’s souls. If Chen Sanliang wants to resurrect his dead wife, he must go through the Innate Water God Array. This is a transparent scheme, an unbreakable one, unless Chen Sanliang gives up on Han Suzhen!"
Upon hearing Zhou Qiucheng’s words, Zhang Chen was taken aback, a thought flashed through his mind: "Six Paths of Reincarnation!"
What else other than the Six Paths of Reincarnation can gather souls?
How did Zhou Qiucheng learn of the Six Paths of Reincarnation?
Zhang Chen’s mind was flooded with countless thoughts, and in an instant, a name popped into his head: Great Freedom Celestial Demon.
The Great Freedom Celestial Demon sealed in the Exquisite Tower.
Hearing this, Zhang Chen furrowed his brows, a hint of agitation arising in his heart. He thought of asking the Fox Fairy Nannan to stop Chen Sanliang, but just as he was about to make the decision, a water-blue beam of light suddenly shot up into the sky from afar. Then, Zhang Chen looked up toward the direction of the water-blue beam and saw that it was torn apart, with Chen Sanliang resolutely charging in.
"He’s doomed! This Innate Grand Array, repaired with the revival of the Innate Water God and arranged by the Yellow Heaven Dao, would trap even a Twelfth Tier expert to death. Chen Sanliang’s arrogance led him to step in so decisively, if he doesn’t die, who will? The scourge upon our Human Race has finally been rid. Otherwise, once he steps into the Twelfth Tier, how will there be any place left for the world’s scholars?"
"Having trapped Chen Sanliang, I intend to take advantage of this incident to gather the fortunes of the world’s scholars, harvest the incense of the world, and step into the Twelfth Tier in one stroke, becoming a Twelfth Tier Divine Spirit." Zhou Qiucheng’s voice was full of triumph.
Upon hearing Zhou Qiucheng’s words, Zhang Chen couldn’t help but be astounded by Chen Sanliang’s scheming; his plans are interconnected and intricately designed indeed.
"Oh Chen Sanliang, you’re really jumping into the fire pit yourself, being blinded by love leads to no good end." Zhang Chen secretly criticized in his heart.
Even if he wanted to save Chen Sanliang now, it’s probably too late! At this moment, Chen Sanliang must have already fallen into the Weak Water.
As Zhang Chen’s mind was flooded with numerous thoughts, Zhou Qiucheng said, "Zhang Chen, you can stay by my side in the future. I won’t treat you unfairly. The wealth and glory of this world will be equally shared between us if I have five portions, you will have five portions."
Zhou Qiucheng’s voice was sincere.