The words of the North Brocade River King left everyone stunned. The Six-Cornered Scarlet Flame Lamp in Li Minggong's hand trembled, its flames dimming slightly. Her eyes brightened as realization dawned in her heart, and she let out a breath of relief, I thought the North Brocade River King looked so imposing and that we would need some sort of negotiation since he’s a guest of the Dragon Son... but it turned out to be so easy...
The two devil cultivators underground were barely hanging onto their lives, captured in Qu Buzhi's grip and unable to move. The old man's face flushed red in disbelief. Well-traveled and experienced, he secretly sensed that something was off, This was not the manner one would use facing a Purple Mansion Realm immortal family. Even if he was facing Zhaojing himself, the North Brocade River King would not have been so deferential. No wonder Li Chenghui showed no fear. I thought this man had merely lost his caution...
The two men had different expressions, but even Li Chenghui was surprised. The brows of the young man in silver armor and black robes furrowed, Judging by this, the North Brocade River King being valued by the Dragon Son might not be true.
Yet no matter how startled they were, none could compare to Miaoshui. The Daoist nun's face had gone pale down to her neck. The spell in her hands scattered, and Li Minggong's blazing fire scorched several blackened patches on her Dharma robe. The strength in her hands clearly weakened.
"Your subordinate obeys!"
The old demon Shui Zhao hurriedly commanded the waters and descended.
Shui Zhao's true body was most likely a black soft-shelled turtle, making him a true steward of the Water Mansion. When he first heard the North Brocade River King say "No need to say more," he had put on a cold expression. But then his own master immediately lowered his head and did not even dare raise it again. The vast disparity frightened Shui Zhao so much that he began doubting himself instead.
So "No need to say more" was meant in this way... Those cold words were for Mang Huazi. It was my own eyes that failed me!
Fortunately, he had not committed much offense earlier. He quickly flew down from the carriage, lifted his sleeve, stomped on Mang Huazi's tongue, and cursed, "You slimy mudfish, how dare you swagger about under my king's name and cheat others!"
The old soft-shelled turtle was a refined demon, so his scolding was soft and weak. He simply raised his palm to strike Mang Huazi on the head, but the great halberd shifted slightly. Heavenly light reflected off it, and Li Zhouwei's voice came from afar.
"There is no need to trouble yourself."
The old turtle withdrew his hand as if scalded. Hierarchy was strict among demons, and it was even more so among the Dragon Clan. Servants of the Dragon Clan might appear glorious before outsiders, but only they knew the bitterness behind their position. His face dripping with cold sweat, the old turtle knelt beside the halberd in silent attendance.
The North Brocade River King's legs grew even weaker.
None present understood the weight of the man before them better than him. The Dragon Son Dingjiao had once feasted with him, and his own life-and-death battle with the Treasure-Scaled Ferry Beast of the Scarlet Pristine Sea had been nothing more than entertainment. Though he had tried to gild his reputation and borrow strength from it, everything would all shatter at a single poke from this figure.
This demonic creature looked majestic, yet his manner was exceedingly humble as he said respectfully, "I, the humble demon Ying Hebai, serve as the leader of the Three Streams Water Clan. Now that my lord has arrived, please give your orders as you see fit..."
Ying Hebai braced himself and stood, unsure of how Li Zhouwei might expose him. He exhaled quietly, silently preparing for the loss of face.
The Jade-Necked Flood Dragon was hesitating, but Li Zhouwei already understood him. The flood dragon had borrowed Dingjiao's reputation to bluff others, but was that not the same for himself? Dingjiao had granted him and White Banyan a measure of respect, but his true intentions still remained difficult to guess.
If not for Dingjiao, Ying Hebai would never have shown the Li Family even a shred of courtesy. Thus, Li Zhouwei chose not to expose him and said with his hands clasped behind his back, "So it is you. We once met years ago. I did not expect to find you serving here."
"Yes... I was fortunate to behold my lord's countenance, and I dare not forget it to this day!"
Ying Hebai froze for a moment, then breathed easier. He understood that the other was sparing him some dignity. Grateful yet uncertain how to respond, he suddenly heard a faint voice in his ear, "The matter of that day with Dingjiao is a secret. Do not reveal my identity, nor should you mention it."
Li Zhouwei had no desire for the Dragon Clan to think he was relying on Dingjiao's name to act. The other was, after all, a dragon. He could lean on that connection lightly, but he could not appear to flaunt it like a fox borrowing a tiger's might. Offending that dragon would bring no end of trouble.
Ying Hebai quickly realized it was a transmission of mana. He was now caught in a bind; he dared not fawn too much, yet feared offending him, so he said respectfully, "May I invite all of you to my residence for a while?"
Mang Huazi had mentioned earlier that the Baiye Capital Immortal Dao and the North Brocade River King Ying Hebai had discussed many plans together. Since they were strangers in this land, they would surely need to converse with Ying Hebai. Li Zhouwei had no fear of him causing harm. But Miaoshui and the others were only just captured, and even Hidden Cloud Cave might not know, much less the Baiye Capital Immortal Dao.
Not wanting to lose the initiative, Li Zhouwei said, "I still have important matters to handle here and cannot leave for the time being."
"No problem... no problem!" Ying Hebai replied respectfully, "This humble demon will wait by the river."
From the look of the Jade-Necked Flood Dragon, he intended to wait for Li Zhouwei and the others at White River Stream. That was still too ostentatious. After some thought, Li Zhouwei spoke softly, "The North Brocade River King's invitation is an honor, and I should indeed visit. Once I finish the matters here, I will send someone over."
"Yes."
Hearing the displeasure in his tone, Ying Hebai immediately prepared to withdraw without pressing Li Zhouwei to his residence. Clearly relieved, he had Shui Zhao pull the carriage, offered apologies, and hastily made his way back into the river.
Once the water clan departed, Li Zhouwei finally turned to gaze down at Miaoshui. She stood dazed within the blazing fire, struggling to resist as red and white goose feathers burned away at her mana.
The Six-Cornered Scarlet Flame Lamp of the Golden Feather Sect was not adept at killing, but it excelled at trapping foes in Radiant Fire. It was a sinister tool, like a dull blade scraping bone bit by bit. Having lost the initiative and suffered injuries, Miaoshui was trapped inside, unable to advance or retreat.
As Li Zhouwei approached, her despair deepened, her expression growing ever more ferocious.
Li Zhouwei said clearly, "Stop struggling. It is useless. Put away your dharma artifact yourself and spare me the trouble of taking you down."
Having seen the North Brocade River King depart, Miaoshui wondered for a moment if she could gamble everything in a desperate fight for survival. She had already steeled herself to abandon everything but her life. Yet with no true hope of escape, and seeing that Li Zhouwei bore no strong killing intent, her ruthless resolve softened.
She lifted her brows and spoke aloud, "This humble woman greets my lord! I have long heard of your esteemed family's good name and admired it from afar. Yet I drifted through the mortal world in past years and stained myself with murky qi. I feared sullying your family's immortal reputation, and thus I dared not surrender."
The two devil cultivators also raised their heads at her words. The cultivators of Hidden Cloud Cave were better than those of Floating Cloud Cave, yet seven in ten had touched unclean things. How the Li Family dealt with them would almost decide the morale of the entire Hidden Cloud Cave going forward.
Miaoshui and the northern cultivators like her still held a few scruples. They did not go so far as the devil cultivators who slaughtered freely to advance their cultivation. Yet they occasionally turned a blind eye and consumed blood qi and blood pills. When gravely wounded and near death, they did not shy from rice meat either.
These people were, in truth, little different from the minor families such as the Yuan and Yú Families. They could never reach the level of the Xiao or Li Families, but they were still somewhat better than devil cultivators or the Eastern Sea's cultivators.
Miaoshui was not foolish. The Li Family would most likely target Hidden Cloud Cave next. Even if they did not, having her as a figurehead would still greatly weaken its morale. That was why she apprehensively asked, but Li Zhouwei remained silent.
To her surprise, it was Li Minggong who spoke up, "Family head... Fellow Daoist Miaoshui has not committed too many killings. Blood pills are everywhere in Jiangnan, and it is normal to be stained with some murky qi..."