Miaoshui certainly recognized Li Minggong. But this woman was a nobody. She had beaten Li Minggong into a sorry state within twenty exchanges and dismissed her ever since. But who would have thought these feather-like flames would sting her face at the slightest touch?
Already injured by Heavenly Radiance, her mana was still unstable. Meanwhile, Li Minggong now wielded the newly acquired Six-Cornered Scarlet Flame Lamp, bolstered by Purefeather Radiant Fire, and was pressing her so hard she could scarcely breathe. More terrifying still, Li Chenghui was looming behind Li Minggong.
Li Minggong alone was enough trouble, let alone Li Chenghui watching like a tiger. Miaoshui could only cry out, "Quickly, come out of the formation and save me!"
The formation was Mang Huazi's, and it had been easy enough for Miaoshui to leave, but returning was not so simple. Hearing her plea, those inside the formation hesitated.
"Li Zhouwei is outside too... if we step out, it will be walking to our deaths..."
The flaws of Hidden Cloud Cave's ragtag band were once again laid bare. Neither of the two inside dared to move.
Miaoshui's fury boiled over, and she shouted harshly, "Staying in the formation is no different from waiting here to die!"
Only then did someone ride the wind out, shouting as they came to help. Qu Buzhi, ever the perceptive elder, promptly raised his dharma artifact to assist. Li Chenghui calmly extended one hand, and the Sixfold Profound Thunder Punishment Tokens floated into the air, circling his wrist as they released blazing thunderlight.
"When yang reaches its apex, six thunders are born!"
While Qu Buzhi held one foe back, Li Chenghui unleashed silver-white lightning that crashed down upon another. The devil cultivator did not even manage a word, only letting out a bloodcurdling scream as black miasma poured from his body.
Though Li Chenghui's cultivation could not match that of Li Qinghong in her prime, his mastery of thunder arts was only a notch beneath hers. This single bolt nearly knocked his opponent unconscious.
Li Qinghong had fine talent in cultivation and a passion for the spear, but she was never accomplished in the arts of spellcraft. Li Chenghui was the opposite. His cultivation method was the more complete Cloud-Thunder Inquiry Technique, and he had trained in the Falling Water, Rising Storms of the Eastern Sea since birth. By the time he reached Foundation Establishment Realm, the Li Family was already a great family, with far superior resources in spell arts.
Most crucial of all, the secret techniques of the Dao of Thunder Steering and Cloud Dwelling, the Purple Talisman Origin Light Secret Technique, that Li Qinghong had spent her life researching, had all been left within the clan!
Thus, he cut an awe-inspiring figure with a dharma artifact in hand. He needed only twenty exchanges to leave the devil cultivator half-dead. Qu Buzhi watched with burning eyes and a swelling heart, Excellent, excellent! The rise of the Li Family is clear. With just Li Chenghui they already have such might, and they still have Li Zhouwei besides!
The old man had cultivated for many years, and his eyes were keen. He saw at once that Li Chenghui's Sixfold Profound Thunder Punishment Tokens were far stronger than the Scarlet Flame Lamp. Li Minggong relied on her artifact's power, but Li Chenghui did not.
Li Chenghui had suppressed his foe within a few dozen exchanges, while Li Minggong held Miaoshui firmly at bay. She knew the woman was cunning and had only summoned her companions in hopes of creating a chance to escape, so she remained vigilant and didn’t let her slip away.
When Li Zhouwei finished suppressing Mang Huazi and rode light toward them, the woman finally realized there was no path left to escape.
She whispered, "Your esteemed family suppresses the water tribes like this, showing no regard for the North Brocade River King. Yet my sect master has already paid respects before the Daoist Master, and the two sides have reconciled. Why, then, must you strike at me?"
She feigned ignorance while knowing full well why, so Li Zhouwei did not answer. He only felt the dampness in the air as the White River Stream beneath his feet began to swell and surge. He folded his arms and waited.
Li Chenghui also noticed, his eyes narrowing, while Qu Buzhi exclaimed in alarm, "It's the North Brocade River King!"
The surface of the stream erupted like a waterfall, sending white spray shooting skyward. A jade-blue chariot burst forth from the shimmering waves. Two rows of shrimp soldiers and crab generals rode the current, escorting it from both ends. The waters surged all the way to the mountain's foot.
Mang Huazi, pinned to the ground, could not move and thus did not react. Miaoshui, however, let out a breath of relief. Though still surrounded by enemies and not daring to laugh aloud, she sneered in her heart, Now things can't possibly be explained away... My Hidden Cloud Cave stands together with Mang Huazi, and it's very clear who's right and who's wrong.
A hunchbacked elder in an ink-black robe, cradling a strange water conch in his hands, stood on top of the chariot. The chariot rode the current down to the mountain's base, and the old man croaked, "I do not know which great lord of the mountains you are, but even if this little serpent spoiled your mood, there was no need to go this far..."
Though his words were polite, his face was ugly. Were it not for Li Zhouwei's imposing presence, he might not have bothered with even this courtesy.
Miaoshui quickly called out, "My lord, these are the troops of the Li Family! They seek to kill Mang Huazi without cause..."
Li Minggong gritted her teeth, her flames blazing fiercer still. But from within the chariot came a clear, cold voice, "Shui Zhao... there is no need to speak further!"
The black-robed elder was clearly Shui Zhao. The crystal curtain rose, and a man descended from the chariot.
He was tall, clad in a short jacket of stone-blue brocade, with a white fur cloak embroidered with a green sea draped over his shoulders. Fine, dense blue-green scales, radiating an otherworldly, domineering aura, were faintly visible around his neck.
The instant he revealed himself, Li Zhouwei recognized him at once.
"So it's you..."
The suspicion Li Zhouwei had harbored was finally confirmed. His heart eased, and he laughed inwardly.
Li Zhouwei had once been entertained by the Dragon Son Dingjiao and drank wine in his carriage. The entertainment had been the water tribes' singing and dancing, but also the battles of noble-blooded beasts. One was a Treasure-Scaled Ferry Beast, while the other was a Jade-Necked Flood Dragon. They had been forced to fight like dogs for Dingjiao's amusement, tearing into each other without restraint.
The North Brocade River King was none other than that very Jade-Necked Flood Dragon!
Dingjiao had even asked his opinion on the Ever-Flowing Converging Water Profound Light. Li Zhouwei had given his assessment, which had left him with a deep impression of this spell art. When he had heard Old Qu say earlier that the North Brocade River King practiced the Converging Water Dao and wielded a profound light that bewitched the mind and turned men to blood water, the association had been immediate.
Now, seeing him in person, Li Zhouwei knew his guess had been right. Outwardly his expression did not change, but inwardly he sneered, I heard he is much favored by the Dragon Son, to the point where whenever the Dragon Son passes the White Sea Stream, he even sends someone to summon him. And yet, how different is that from a dog being summoned to heel? Very good, very good!
While Li Zhouwei recognized the Jade-Necked Flood Dragon, the North Brocade River King swept his gaze over the scene with great authority. His sharp eyes and handsome features were dark with displeasure until they landed on Li Zhouwei's face.
In the space of a heartbeat, his expression shifted from calm to shock to abject terror. The Jade-Necked Flood Dragon immediately controlled the waters and hurried forward under everyone's gaze.
He stopped before Li Zhouwei, hastily bowing with clasped hands as he said respectfully, "Greetings, great king... The lesser demon below was ignorant and dared to offend your exalted self... This unworthy one is ashamed and terrified beyond measure. I shall kill that creature at once and prepare serpent stew for you."
Turning, the Jade-Necked Flood Dragon's eyes swept over Mang Huazi with icy loathing, as though the sight of him was something abominable.
He gave a cold order, "Shui Zhao, kill him at once!"