482 - A Sect Leader’s Ascension

Chapter 482: Yingzhong vs. Changfeng "Let's both take a step back?" Zhongxing Juan opened his eyes and looked at Qi Xiu. "At most, we can remove the parts of the accounts where there are errors in quality and quantity." Qi Xiu couldn't completely disregard Zhongxing Juan's face. The blame for poor quality and inflated numbers surely lay on their side. Refusing to relinquish such shady income was indeed excessive, and most of these misdeeds were carried out by the Xiong and Qi families anyway. The loss would only decrease their private accounts by a few thousand gold, which was bearable. "What do you think?" Zhongxing Juan then looked at Old Master Han Yan. "It's not that I'm unwilling to give you face; it's truly that we can't afford it. Even if we sell off everything we own..." He extended a finger, indicating the vast gap remained. "Come on! Your family's been around for so many years. Who doesn't know the worth of your entire estate?" Qi Xiu scoffed, showing disdain. "Why not rummage through your library and dig out some alchemy recipes..." "Absolutely not!" Upon hearing the word "alchemy," Old Master Han jumped as if stung by a bee. "My family walks the path of alchemy in these troubled times, relying solely on our unique secrets. If I were to lose those formulas, how could I face our ancestors, both living and deceased?" "In that case, I'll just have to dig out those spiritual veins myself..." "That won't do either!" "Hmph." Qi Xiu chuckled, exchanging a glance with Zhongxing Juan. "So nothing's acceptable? Just admit you're trying to push people around." "If that's what you think, I won't deny it!" Old Master Han looked prepared to completely sever ties. In a deep voice, he declared, "Don't think I know nothing about warfare. Lining up over ten sect gates, you've positioned five thousand cultivators at each. You've just made it convenient for me to defeat you one by one. Watch as I tear through each sect gate, ensuring few of you return to Chu and Qin!" "Hahaha." Qi Xiu burst into laughter, as if he'd just heard the funniest joke. "Since I descended from Qiyun over 150 years ago, I've fought countless battles. Do you really think I've survived this long through mere trade!?" "Then I truly want to try." "Go ahead!" "Yingbo!" As they fiercely clashed with their gazes, neither giving in, Old Master Han called for reinforcement, "Lead your men to take down the mountain held by the Song family from Shuanglian. Leave no cultivators alive!" "Then prepare for them not to return!" Hearing the real threat, Qi Xiu’s murderous intent was no longer concealed. "Oh, master, why make things so complicated? Instead of a prolonged mountain assault, isn’t it better to deal with them here?" Just as each side was exerting willpower, a surprising voice emerged. Yingbo, from the Alchemy Alliance, openly countermanded, "Why not each side sends a handful, face off in a life-or-death duel right here; isn't it more convenient?" "You!" Completely caught off guard, Old Master Han trembled with anger, "This is an order! Who allowed you to negotiate! Stop embarrassing our sect in front of outsiders!" "But listen..." Yingbo showed no intention of compliance, slapping his chest, "We've been blood-soaked for more than a decade. Why sacrifice the juniors in assaults? Our cultivation exists for these moments, doesn’t it?" With fervor, he signaled to Qi Xiu, "Come on, let’s duel. The loser listens to the winner. That's true fairness." "Uh..." Qi Xiu looked slightly embarrassed, avoiding eye contact with the provocateur, "You're a late-stage cultivator challenging me, someone just at the mid-stage. How's that fair?" "If you're not brave enough to fight, just roll back north! Isn’t that right?!" Yingbo, seeing his retreat, grew more gleeful, "Gather some late-stage cultivators, we can have several bouts. How about it?" Qi Xiu remained silent. "Sounds good, what do you think, Qi Alliance Leader?" Zhongxing Juan showed interest as he interjected, seeing the opportunity, "With me here, fairness is assured." "Cough..." Qi Xiu still did not respond, turning instead to Old Master Han. Old Master Han's face wavered between emotions, showing his internal struggle. Agreeing would mean bowing to Yingbo. Refusing seemed to mean missing a great chance. As he hesitated, Yingbo urged, "What’s there to think about? Quick, decide, or you'll lose your nerve!" He stayed silent, enduring the gazes from Zhongxing Juan, Qi Xiu, and Yingbo for a while before asking slowly, "What's the rule?" "Simple enough. They have three Jindan cultivators; a best of three makes it fair!" Yingbo proposed, and Zhongxing Juan concurred but added, "Shall it be till the end or..." "Life or death!" Yingbo sneered at Qi Xiu. "Hmph. Haven’t you heard how I slew an equal stage beast and man from the Beast Control Sect at Hei River Dao Palace?" Despite the bravado, it didn’t faze Yingbo in the slightest. "Never heard of it, I hail from the Outer Sea!" ... An hour later, Xiong Fourteen arrived from his occupied mountain and, upon learning of his participation in the duel, displayed no emotion. He quietly entered a makeshift chamber, sat cross-legged, and began deep meditation to prepare for the life-and-death battle ahead. In another makeshift chamber, Nangong Yanran leaned against Qin Changfeng, the two whispering sweet parting words full of affection. "Master Uncle!" Mojianxin knelt at Qi Xiu's feet, pleading earnestly, "Though spirit stones are valuable, they're still just external objects. Accepting Old Master Han’s one million offer would still net us a profit. Why take such a risk? Though you, Changfeng, and Fourteen all have your specialties, Old Master Han and Yingbo are late-stage cultivators. Any matchup leaves us at a severe disadvantage!" "I'm aware, say no more!" Disregarding any courtesy, Qi Xiu sternly dismissed him. It wasn’t long before word came from outside: the Alchemy Alliance's first contender would be guest practitioner, Yingzhong. Yingbo, Yingzhong, Yingshu, Yingji—these names suggest these four weren’t genuine brothers but fugitive rogues from the Outer Sea, adopting aliases to survive the perilous Bai Mountain. No one in Baishan knew their real names, and during the ten-year siege of Dancheng, Yingshu had perished, leaving only Yingbo, Yingzhong, and Yingji, with their cultivation levels descending from strongest to weakest. Such figures, forced to hide their true names in Baishan, were likely notorious criminals elsewhere. Indeed, the Alchemy Alliance's desperation during its dire straits years ago led them to welcome such personalities indiscriminately. While useful in war, they now seemed difficult to discard, and even Old Master Han seemed powerless to control them. According to the agreed rules, the Alchemy Alliance was to send one person first, followed by Chu-Qin. This gave them a minor advantage, allowing them to counter with their own choice. "Let Changfeng go." Qi Xiu decided firmly. ... "Be careful." Nangong Yanran’s eyes filled with tears as she watched Qin Changfeng soar into the sky. She always thought her choice to break off her former engagement was wise, lucking into a perfect husband and a sect that valued her. Yet now, she wished they led ordinary lives somewhere in Qiyun, without the glory of being a ‘sect leader’ or the honor of being a Jindan cultivator—just living peacefully together would be enough. Indeed, for all Baishan’s allure, the ever-present threat to life was heart-wrenching. Born here, battle is one's fate, and should misfortune befall her husband... She dared not imagine, for it would be as if the sky itself collapsed. "Chu-Qin Qin Changfeng." Soaring high, Qin Changfeng surveyed his surroundings. Behind him stood his occupied sect, while before him was a middle-aged man, robed in alchemist's attire, with a fierce countenance and a palpable murderous aura that preceded his words. "Alchemy Alliance Yingzhong." Given the gravity, no one mocked his appearance this time. Yingzhong's expression grew solemn, and he cupped his hands. "I hear you possess the mystical Star Evasion technique; today, I seek to experience it firsthand!" "Please, go ahead!" "Please, you first!" In this first post-Core Formation life-or-death battle, Qin Changfeng dared not slack, sticking to his strategy of caution. Upon exchanging pleasantries, he summoned celestial lights and, at the swish of his robe, disappeared. Meanwhile, Yingzhong brandished a fan-shaped shell, opening it like a barrier around himself. One in darkness, one in the open, the field fell eerily silent, the enveloping killing intent unwavering. Witnessing the Star Evasion for the first time, Yingbo felt concerned for his ‘brother.’ "With a graceful step across stars, this soft-looking initial-stage cultivator does indeed seem tricky..." "Don't worry." Zhongxing Juan smiled knowingly. "Our faction, being near the Star Plucker Pavilion, has various means against star-based techniques. Earlier, I discreetly lent Yingzhong one, ensuring he won't lose." The members of the Alchemy Alliance, who had been anxiously tense, felt a wave of relief after hearing those words. Even Old Master Han, who had been fuming in silence due to Yingbo’s antics, suddenly brightened considerably, offering his repeated thanks. Under the daylight, the stars shimmered like a celestial canopy, casting a silvery glow on the otherwise gray shell. Suddenly, a streak of sword light shot down like a meteor, whistling sharply through the air, aiming directly for the shell’s opening. 'Clang!' Unperturbed, Yingzhong shifted his grasp on his spell, igniting a dense gray light around the shell that clashed head-on with the sword light. A bright silver sword revealed itself mid-air, spiraling back wildly, while the shell only bore a shallow white mark. “Hiss…” In the Chu-Qin ranks, Xiong Fourteen drew a sharp breath. Having reached Core Formation around the same time as Qin Changfeng, he was well aware of the power of the [Meteor Fatal Sword], a top-grade Tier Three weapon boasting attributes like [Sharpness], [Speed], [Meteor], and [Armor Piercing]. He himself found it extremely challenging to counter, yet Yingzhong had deflected it with ease. “What’s happening?” Nangong Yanran, unable to fully grasp the battle due to her lower cultivation level, felt alarmed seeing Xiong Fourteen’s surprise. “Changfeng’s sword wasn’t able to effectively restrain him! If he didn’t hold back when sparring with me, things might get tough for him now,” Xiong Fourteen replied truthfully, though he offered reassurance, “Of course, with his supreme evasion technique, he should be able to protect himself.” Before he finished speaking, Yingzhong, sheltering in his shell, sneered, “In my lifetime, I’ve encountered several who could phase through space, and invariably, they become slaves to their magic, always lurking and sneaking for cheap shots! Do you think you’ll be fine hiding among the stars?” From his robe, he drew out a banner with an unconventional star chart, declaring, “Star Absorption!” Compelled by his gesture, the banner began to rotate. The constellation seemed gripped by a superior force, breaking its formation and converging toward a center point. “Pfft!” In an empty spot where no one stood, blood inexplicably spattered as Qin Changfeng materialized, clutching his chest in disarray. (To be continued) ---