The green-robed cultivator, with a shifty and sleazy appearance, boldly stepped forward. At his words, several Azure Pond Sect disciples turned their gazes toward Li Xuanfeng, who frowned slightly but had no choice but to nock an arrow and draw his bow.
These cultivators were mostly disciples of Yuanwu Peak, known for their condescending behavior toward Li Xuanfeng's group. Fei Yihe and the other cultivators, always submissive, looked nervously at Li Xuanfeng.
Thwang...
Li Xuanfeng remained silent, raising his golden longbow. With a deep breath, he drew the bowstring, gathering dazzling golden light that formed a radiant white arrow.
His eyes mirrored the tattered figure in the distance, the longbow in his hand exuding lethal sharpness. The slave soldier, sensing imminent danger, paused mid-air and turned to look back.
Cultivators possess extraordinary eyesight. Their gazes locked across a hundred chi, and Li Xuanfeng saw a pair of eyes brimming with resentment. A wave of familiarity washed over him as his heart stirred, and his grip on the bowstring slackened.
The arrow radiated light, streaking across the sky like a meteor, and in an instant, it pierced through the slave soldier's back. The slave soldier fell, twisting and turning like a bird with broken wings.
The green-clad cultivator laughed heartily, watching the brilliant trail of the golden-white arrow streak across the sky. He exclaimed, "Nice shot! That arrow is fast!"
He had a cunning and rat-like appearance that cheapened the elegant green robe he wore. He held his belly as he laughed, drawing glances from others. The higher-ranking man, handsome with a high nose bridge, glanced disdainfully at him and said coldly, "He's not dead."
Fei Yihe, who had been waiting for a while, quickly smiled obsequiously and said, "Exalted Immortal, you might not know, but my brother's archery is unique! Once hit, the target will have astral qi attached to them and be reduced into a blood puddle within three quarters of an hour."
The tall leader of the Azure Pond Sect disciples, towering over Fei Yihe, stared at his face for a moment before suddenly swinging his sleeve.
Smack!
The slap sent Fei Yihe stumbling back instantly, and he clutched his face and repeatedly apologized. The tall leader then turned abruptly, full of rage, and kicked the crouching rat-faced man.
Thud.
Caught off guard, the rat-faced man was sent flying, rolling a good ten zhang away on the ground and ending up in a mess.
"Senior Brother!"
The sudden kick shocked the other disciples of the Azure Pond Sect while the clan cultivators exchanged confused glances with each other, unsure why the sect disciples were fighting among themselves. They all lowered their heads, not daring to speak.
"Senior Brother! Please, no!"
The disciples quickly came to mediate the situation. The rat-faced man, seemingly oblivious to this, dusted off his robe and said cheerfully, "Senior Brother Ning's kick is precise... just like the ancestor's style."
Senior Brother Ning, towering and fierce, stepped forward, overshadowing the rat-faced man. Grabbing his collar, he pulled him close and gritted his teeth as he threatened menacingly, "Deng Yuzhi... you better really be an idiotic troublemaker, genuinely affected by your cultivation technique! Stay this way for life, or I will show you the methods of the Yuanxing Peak if I catch you slipping!"
With that, he threw Deng Yuzhi to the ground, shook his robe, and let out a loud command.
"Let's go!"
As he walked away, his jade boots embroidered with gold threads shimmered in the light.
Senior Brother Ning looked noble and imposing. At his command, none of the Azure Pond Sect disciples dared to speak for Deng Yuzhi. They silently bowed their heads and followed him, flying back toward the city.
Deng Yuzhi lay on the ground, now covered in dust, his hair disheveled, looking utterly miserable. Everyone else pretended not to see him, hurrying to face the enemy.
"What a temper..."
Deng Yuzhi got up unhurriedly, cast a spell to dust himself off, and muttered a string of complaints. He glanced at Li Xuanfeng, who was holding his bow in contemplation, and cursed, "Useless! Such a reputation but no substance! Are you not afraid of causing trouble?!"
He then turned and leaped toward the city, leaving everyone else exchanging bewildered glances.
"Those words... seemed to have another meaning."
Li Xuanfeng watched Deng Yuzhi's departing figure and thought to himself, I seem to have seen this person before. He had a long conversation with our ancestor during the recruitment... Perhaps what just happened involves a lot of internal conflicts within the Azure Pond Sect...
He withdrew his gaze, the look in the youth's eyes as he turned back replaying in his mind. Stroking his bow, he thought to himself silently, My shot was just for show, not truly lethal. The enemy of the Azure Pond Sect is our friend... It cannot possibly hurt to save a favor.
Li Xuanfeng, now at the peak of the Qi Cultivation Realm, had far surpassed the young Azure Pond Sect disciples in cultivation. He had yet to meet his match, especially in archery, so he naturally could deceive this group of disciples.
He slung his longbow over his back and looked at the retreating beast tide. Turning to Fei Yihe, he asked, "How are you?"
"I'm fine!" Fei Yihe quickly responded with a dismissive wave. After all, he had taken an unnecessary slap, but he had already wiped away the blood at the corner of his mouth and the red mark on his face was gradually fading.
He replied gently, "For someone in our position, taking a slap is nothing. No harm done!"
————
Eastern Mount Yue.
The grand hall of Mulu Town was resplendent with gold and jade. The dim lights flickered on the walls, casting dark shadows that leaped like demons and monsters.
Tian Zhongqing carefully put away the wooden slips in his hand. A servant rushed in and respectfully reported, "Master! The lords have once again submitted a petition to support Li Jiman's ascension... They say the agreed date is approaching and it cannot be delayed further!"
"Bring it here."
Tian Zhongqing sighed, took the petition from the servant, and began marking it with his brush.
Tian Zhongqing was temporarily in charge of matters in the Eastern Mount Yue. The dark red color used for official documents was a recent change, as they were marked with vermillion previously.
Since the main Li Family used vermillion for their official documents, the Clan Affairs Courtyard used a slightly darker shade to signify their subordinate status. Shamoli, hearing this, had his annotations changed to an even darker red—a tradition that continued to this day.
"Tell them to revise these inappropriate phrases and resubmit in a few days!"
Finding an excuse to dismiss them, Tian Zhongqing felt a chill run down his spine.
"It is not me holding you back... It is the will of the main family... How can we let Li Jiman ascend without eliminating a batch of wastrels first?"
He sighed inwardly, gazing at the grand hall. The opulent decorations gleamed gold, tempting his senses. He had been acting as the temporary ruler for over half a year and was almost becoming fond of this high position.
The flickering lights in the inner hall bathed the jade and gold artifacts in a soft and comforting glow. This grand hall was once the palace of Mu Jiaoman, so it was magnificently built. When it passed to Qimu, much of the extravagance was reduced.
Later, Li Feiruo launched a coup, and the Li Family's carriage entered the palace, staining the palace steps with blood as the peers slaughtered the royal family to curry favor with the Li Family.
"The wheel of fortune turns... Soon, the blood of these wastrels will be spilled..."
Dazed by the sight of the golden red, Tian Zhongqing was jolted awake, shaking off those thoughts hurriedly. Suddenly, he heard a clang from outside the hall as a burly man entered.
The man, eight chi tall with thick eyebrows and a robust build, held a giant mace in his hand. He looked like a bandit ready to crush Tian Zhongqing with his weapon.