Chapter 296: Passing on Clan Laws, Preparing for the Grand Battle, Gathering at the Earth Altar, Important Matters in the Flower Cage

Li Xian frowned, sensing that the visitor was up to no good. He climbed to the top floor of the mansion and used his double pupils to observe the mysterious woman outside the side door.

The woman was draped in a black robe, obscuring her face. However, through the penetrating vision of her double pupils, one could glimpse her appearance beneath the robe—a woman with a scorched face and a terrifying appearance.

"The woman has burn marks on her face and is she Zeng Xiaoke, Hao Qingshe's disciple? Has her injury healed, and she's come here seeking revenge?"

Li Xian had not forgotten his grudges and remained vigilant. Zeng Xiaoke was only average in both martial arts and poison, and would normally be no match for Li Xian, but he feared Hao Qingshe might cause trouble. He joined the Candle Sect to guard against this. Now that Zeng Xiaoke had reappeared, he figured the grudges should finally be settled.

Little did he know that Zeng Xiaoke was already dead, and that beneath that body was another person named "Zhao Lei," a rather formidable disciple of Hao Qingshe.

This story begins about two weeks ago.

Zhao Lei returned to Shuitan Island aboard Tang Feng's flower boat. That day, she witnessed Li Xian's annihilation of bandits, leading hundreds of bandit leaders back to the island, drawing a crowd of onlookers who praised him. Zhao Lei noticed Li Xian and, hearing the lavish praise, felt a deep disdain. Having been taught by Hao Qingshe, she had always looked down on her fellow disciples; the praise of his "heroic bandit-slaying" seemed like a trivial spectacle to her.

She can easily use her poison skills as well.

Upon returning to the island, she immediately paid her respects to her master. Hao Qingshe, with her eccentric nature and currently practicing poisonous arts, paid her little attention upon her return. She had even forgotten about the duel between "Hua Wucuo" and "Zeng Xiaoke".

Several days passed in this way.

Until yesterday at noon, Zhao Lei saw a leather bag hanging outside the mansion. Curious, she asked, "Master, are you concocting new poisons lately? What's the use of this leather bag?"

Hao Qingshe held the leather bag for a few breaths, his brows furrowing slightly. After a moment of thought, he recalled the matter and said, "I had forgotten about this."

He asked with a smile, "Good disciple, someone has insulted your master, what will you do?"

Zhao Lei said, "Kill them quickly."

Hao Qingshe shook his head and said, "That's too easy. Let's think of a more ruthless method."

Zhao Lei cruelly said, "How about making it into a human vessel?"

Hao Qingshe laughed and said, "That's acceptable." Hao Qingshe was ruthless and had an extremely unpleasant personality. Chu Liuqing had been living on the island for over a month and knew that Hao Qingshe was also on the island and belonged to the same Candle Sect remnant, but she had never visited or spoken to her, and she disliked her personality.

The term "human vessel" refers to using humans as a vessel to cultivate poisonous insects and venomous beasts. Every day, they endure the biting pain of countless insects, suffering unbearable agony.

Hao Qingshe recounted the entire incident, including the bet. She said, "That kid is indeed quite capable; he spews white mist from his mouth, and ordinary poisonous creatures can't catch him. Are you confident?"

Zhao Lei was utterly disdainful, already knowing that 'Hua Wucuo' was her enemy. She said arrogantly, "I will defeat him as easily as crushing an insect. Master, please rest assured, leave this matter to me. I will make him suffer terribly."

“This boy is currently at the height of his power and has attracted much attention. If I defeat him now, it will also enhance my master’s reputation.”

Hao Qingshe said, "Hmph, do I care about the reputation of the Flower Cage Sect? They're just a bunch of lowly flower thieves. It's said that evil people need evil people to punish them. I'm even more evil than them. It would be perfect to capture them to mix poisons and test their toxicity."

"I didn't really care about killing him that day, but those old man Shi and that good-for-nothing Yan kept stopping me. Whoever I, Hao Qingshe, want to kill, the more they try to stop me, the more I'll kill them. I couldn't kill him last time, but this time I'll kill him right in front of them!"

Zhao Lei added with a smile, "Master, you're wrong. Isn't the plan to turn him into a human vessel? Master has entrusted this matter to your disciple, and your disciple will handle it thoroughly. During the duel, first dismember his limbs and cut off his tongue, but leave his life so that Master can cultivate poisonous insects."

Hao Qingshe said, "Not bad, not bad, Zhao Lei, your disciple is very capable and I am very pleased with her."

"Now that you have returned, I have already allowed that little thief to live for another month or so, so let's carry out the duel."

She immediately drafted a letter informing Shi Yufei that he had ten days to prepare for the event. It needed to be a grand affair, known to all, far exceeding the scale of a "grand gathering," to vent her pent-up resentment. This resentment stemmed from Shi Yufei and Yan Hao, but ultimately from Li Xian. Therefore, the letter emphasized the "scale of the contest," intending to humiliate the two men.

Zhao Lei dons the skin of "Zeng Xiaoke" and prepares for the "gambling battle." She practices "poisonous arts," which is often accompanied by pain. Her mind is extremely twisted, and she enjoys watching people cry out in pain and beg on their knees.

Only in this way could her arduous training in poison arts not have been in vain. Since she considered Li Xian an enemy, recalling that day when she saw him being fawned over by the crowd, her arrogance fueled her disdain. She thought that the disciples of the Flower Cage Sect were all worthless and despicable, and those who fawned over such worthless people must also be worthless. Although she had no enmity or grudge against Li Xian, and had never even met him, she already felt considerable resentment.

So he tried to find fault. He first found out about Li Xian's residence. The duel was still ten days away, but he was already itching to fight. He also learned that there was a beautiful woman living in Li Xian's residence.

She was ruthless and cunning, inheriting the legacy of Hao Qingshe. She planned to subtly poison her beloved concubine, killing her silently. With ten days remaining before the final poison duel, she intended to administer "Ten-Day Butterfly Powder." The poison's name was quite elegant, but its effects were chilling.

On the first day, he vomited blood; on the second day, his hair turned white; on the third day, his appearance withered; on the fourth day, his finger was severed; on the fifth day, he went blind; on the sixth day, his teeth fell out... He suffered all kinds of pain in ten days, tormenting him to the point of wishing for death, and his appearance was completely ruined.

Torment their minds and spirits, then deliver a crushing blow during the duel. Only in this way can one achieve true satisfaction.

Knowing that Li Xian would be out during the day, she deliberately came during the day to wait and observe from outside the door, thinking, "I will defeat Hua Wucuo during the duel. It's not fun to poison him now."

After Li Xian left, he used his poisonous methods again, sending the poison powder into the mansion.

Unexpectedly, Li Xian's hair took root. She had barely reached the door when he noticed her. Li Xian guessed this woman was a master of poisons. Although she had defeated him once, she couldn't be careless.

"If she intends to poison me, I must kill her on the day of the duel to prevent future troubles."

Li Xian pondered for a moment, observing Zhao Lei's actions. He saw her hiding in the shadows, waiting for a long time. She neither used poison nor sneaked away; her behavior was quite strange.

Li Xian suddenly thought, "I should take the initiative. That Hao Qingshe is extremely vicious. Even if I win the fight, she will never give up. If I follow the rules too much, I will always suffer losses."

A sharp glint flashed in his eyes. This woman was skilled in poisons; lurking near the house, her intentions were undoubtedly unsettling! In that case, wouldn't it be better to strike first? Li Xian slipped out from another door, his figure silently concealed. Approaching the poisonous woman in the shadows, he suddenly shouted, "Who dares to launch a sneak attack?"

At the same time, he struck out with a powerful palm, his momentum fierce and mixed with a mighty killing intent.

Zhao Lei was startled, her attention focused on the side door. Suddenly, she heard a loud shout, which sounded powerful but was unclear. She immediately felt a wave of energy rushing towards her, and, unable to hide her surprise, she raised her palm to defend herself. Her palms collided with her opponent's.

With a loud thud, Zhao Lei's body trembled violently. The bricks beneath her feet shattered with a crack, and her sleeves tore into dust with a tearing sound.

Exposing the skin of the arms.

The vermilion paint on the wall behind him was shaken off. Passersby immediately scattered, all looking in panic. Merchants, carriages, vegetable stalls… all fell into chaos. Even as Li Xian struck, he had already released the remaining force in all directions, sending the surrounding pedestrians flying several feet away. While they might suffer some injuries from the falls, they were spared from the brunt of the attack.

Zhao Lei's arms went numb, both shocked and confused. She had already clearly seen Li Xian's face, and her eyes narrowed slightly. Li Xian was also surprised. His palm strike contained killing intent; although he hadn't used his full strength, he aimed to kill with a single blow, even though he was in the wrong, to eliminate any future trouble! Zeng Xiaoke's poison skills were formidable, but her martial arts prowess was mediocre. Close combat was her weakness. It would be extremely difficult for her to withstand this palm strike.

However… at this moment, as they exchanged blows, Li Xian realized his opponent's internal energy was exceptionally strong, and his palm technique was incomparably powerful. This was far beyond Zeng Xiaoke's capabilities. Li Xian thought to himself:

"Could it be that Zeng Xiaoke's strength has improved by leaps and bounds in the past few months? No... that's highly unlikely, but she has indeed become much stronger."

After exchanging blows for a moment, Zhao Lei lost the initiative and was shaken, her breathing becoming erratic. Helpless, she retreated several steps. Li Xian shouted, "Why did you ambush me!" Seizing the initiative, he unleashed the "Azure Waves Raging" move from the "Azure Palm" technique.

Zhao Lei was furious and speechless. When she heard the words "Why did you launch a sneak attack?", she felt even more humiliated and resentful.

He cursed inwardly, "Fine, this kid discovered me and struck first, but he's deliberately accusing me of sneak attacking him."

Although she did intend to launch a sneak attack, she did not actually do so. She was greatly annoyed by this injustice. But as Li Xian's palm strike came, she immediately channeled her inner energy to counter it.

Li Xian unleashed a second palm strike, now extremely wary. This woman's strength was formidable; her palm strike had intensified several levels, and a buzzing sound could be heard in his ears the instant it struck, demonstrating its terrifying power.

Seeing this, Zhao Lei showed no intention of retreating, her eyes filled with ruthlessness. In an instant, she raised her palm to fight head-on, showing great confidence in her own martial arts skills.

Just as their palms clashed, seemingly about to determine who was superior, a rustling sound suddenly rang out.

Two leaves shot out fiercely, each aimed at Li Xian and Zhao Lei. Li Xian's palm strike dissipated, and he turned to grab the leaves, retreating three steps. Zhao Lei snorted coldly, striking out with her palm at the leaf, which miraculously turned into ashes, scattering across the ground.

Li Xian frowned slightly, thinking to himself, "This palm strike contains a powerful killing force; this woman is definitely not someone to be underestimated!"

Two figures flew down nearby.

It was Shi Yufei and Tang Feng.

Li Xian said, "General Envoy Shi!" Zhao Lei also bowed in response.

Shi Yufei said in a deep voice, "What happened? Why is there such a big fight in the street? What if someone gets hurt in this fight?"

Li Xian said, "This disciple had no choice. This woman attacked suddenly, so I had to fight back to protect myself."

Zhao Lei looked at him coldly and said indifferently, "Please investigate thoroughly, General. This boy attacked suddenly, and I had no choice but to defend myself." She cupped her hands and said, "General, if you don't believe me, the neighbors around here may have seen it. You are welcome to ask them."

Li Xian sneered, "This young lady has a sharp tongue and a meticulous mind; it seems she came prepared."

"When martial artists spar, do you think ordinary people can see through the tricks? This is my residence. If you didn't ambush me, why would you be here?"

"You attacked me with a sneak attack first, and I retaliated with an open attack. How will the neighbors notice anything amiss?"

Zhao Lei narrowed her eyes, a murderous glint in them, and sneered, "Such a sharp tongue! Your martial arts are mediocre, but your words are formidable." Realizing her explanation was futile and unafraid of being scolded, she remained silent, only staring at Li Xian with a chilling aura.

Shi Yufei glanced at Zhao Lei and said calmly, "There are still ten days until the duel. What is the purpose of your visit at this time?"

Tang Feng said, "Hua Wucuo is right. You sneaked up to someone's residence with ulterior motives, and it is very possible that you wanted to poison them in secret. According to the rules of Hualong Sect, anyone who takes action without authorization and disturbs the people should be severely punished."

Zhao Lei said calmly, "Elder Tang originally intended to use this opportunity to punish me. I need to inform my master so that she can make the decision. If my master is present and Elder Tang insists on punishing me, then please do so."

Tang Feng angrily said, "Since you are a disciple of the Flower Cage Sect, I have the right to punish you if you do something wrong."

Zhao Lei was completely unconcerned and didn't take Tang Feng seriously. Tang Feng was furious and raised his hand to grab her shoulder.

Suddenly, he saw something wriggling under the man's clothes on his shoulder, as if hiding a poisonous creature. He would have killed the creature with his palm, but the poisonous blood staining his palm would have been extremely dangerous. So he immediately changed the direction of his palm strike and hit somewhere else.

A yellow-green centipede emerged from Zhao Lei's shoulder. It had three wings on its back and suddenly flew towards Tang Feng, biting him.

Just then, Shi Yufei raised his palm and pulled Tang Feng back to his side. Zhao Lei also summoned back the yellow-green centipede, looking at Tang Feng provocatively. She had triangular eyes that stared at people with a cold and sinister aura.

Shi Yufei said, "I'll let you off this time. The duel is over, and the outcome will be clear in ten days. If you dare to come here again, I will surely kill you with one palm! Don't try anything funny in front of me. Your master killed my Flower Cage Sect disciple, but I didn't pursue the matter because of other reasons. Therefore, even if I kill you with one palm, your master will not hold me accountable."

Zhao Lei dared not disobey Shi Yufei, and was extremely angry. So she blamed Li Xian and said arrogantly, "So it turns out that Chief Envoy Shi is unfair. He stood next to this flower thief before the betting even started."

Shi Yufei said coldly, "If I were truly unfair, I would send you to your grave right now, you little poisonous brat."

Zhao Lei smiled and shook her head, then turned to look at Li Xian, her eyes filled with murderous intent, and said, "Very well, we'll see in ten days. Today you ambushed me, so you barely managed to gain some advantage. Ten days later... we'll meet in the arena, and I will make you pay a heavy price for what you did today."

He then smiled and said, "Even if Chief Envoy Shi is biased, I don't mind, but there is one thing I need to remind you of. My master said that the duel in ten days must be made into a grand spectacle. She has a strange temperament, and if things don't go as expected and she starts acting up, Chief Envoy Shi will probably have a big headache."

"The bigger the commotion, the better."

Shi Yufei remained calm. Tang Feng nearly made a move.

As Zhao Lei turned to leave, Li Xian calmly said, "Idle talk is useless. There is something I must tell you. I will kill you in ten days."

Zhao Lei stopped and sneered, "Kill me? With your strength?" She moved as lightly as a swallow, leaping several feet into the air and disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Li Xian remained calm as he stealthily approached. He reasoned that Zeng Xiaoke was easily defeated, and although his killing intent was intense, he held back his palm strikes, fearing that the flying blood and flesh would frighten the common people, or that the poisonous gas would spread and kill innocent people. With many concerns, although his first palm strike had the upper hand, he failed to kill him.

The second palm strike was already three-tenths of the force of a Mao strike. Knowing that Zeng Xiaoke was skilled in using poison, he needed to be on guard and wanted to test her strength first. However, Shi Yufei and Tang Feng arrived, so he neither managed to kill her nor knew the extent of Zhao Lei's strength.

However, a rough estimate suggests that their strength is formidable, certainly not weak. Furthermore, judging from their words and actions, they exude confidence; a fight in the ring should not be taken lightly.

Conversely.

Zhao Lei and Li Xian exchanged blows briefly. Although she was astonished by Li Xian's immense strength, the fight was too short to ascertain his true power. Judging solely from the force of his first palm strike, he seemed like a brute, easily killed. Zhao Lei, from birth, possessed an inexplicable arrogance. As a woman, she looked down on men. As a mere mortal, she despised those who consumed spiritual energy. She despised those above her, scorned those in the court, and looked down upon those below her.

But with exceptional opportunities, her strength deepened. This unfounded arrogance grew ever stronger. Now at the second level of martial arts, relying on her exquisite poison skills, she looked down on the first level and ordinary people, despised the second level, and looked down on the third level.

Qingniu Residence.

In the courtyard.

Shi Yufei stroked his beard and smiled, clearly delighted. He saw that the residence had been completely renovated, a world apart from his last visit. The muddy courtyard had become exquisite and elegant, with winding streams, lush greenery, and vibrant red flowers.

Thinking that Li Xian had taken his words to heart, he felt even more moved and delighted that the young man was teachable. He asked, "Tang Feng, what do you think of this residence?"

Tang Feng nodded and said, "Not bad, not bad. Oh, that's a clam shell, you have one too?"

Shi Yufei laughed and said, "If I'm not mistaken, this is the purple gauze clam shell. How did it end up here? Oh, right, I heard you've been getting quite close to that girl lately. Could it be that you and her... well, that girl has her flaws, but she also has her merits." His expression was teasing.

Tang Feng raised an eyebrow and looked over. Li Xian said, "Chief Envoy Shi, Elder Han and I bought it. It cost a full thousand taels of silver."

Shi Yufei said, "That girl is not very kind. She has been using it for several years, and the clam oil has been boiled away. It is no longer worth more than a thousand taels of silver."

Tang Feng patted Li Xian on the shoulder and laughed, "She asked for seven hundred taels last time, but I refused to buy it back. She's finally found a sucker like you." Li Xian said, "Of course I know Elder Han would try to cheat this silly boy. But when colluding with others, it's okay to suffer a little loss."

Shi Yufei and Tang Feng both nodded in agreement. Shi Yufei said, "Wu Cuo is young, but he has a great vision. That's rare indeed." Tang Feng smiled and said, "Brother Hua, let's go flower hunting together sometime."

Li Xian smiled and agreed. The three sat down in the stone pavilion by the pond, and Li Xian brewed and poured tea. Shi Yufei took a sip and then got to the point, saying, "Do you know why we've come today?"

Li Xian said, "Could it be a betting contest?"

Shi Yufei said, "That's right. Last night, Hao Qingshe sent me a letter, instructing me to prepare for the duel. She will personally attend to observe the fight."

As he spoke, he handed the envelope to Li Xian. Li Xian glanced at it briefly and couldn't help but sigh, "Wu Cuo is just an unknown junior. I really don't know why he could make Senior Green Serpent take such a liking to him?"

Shi Yufei said, "Hao Qingshe has an eccentric personality and his actions are extremely unpredictable, but this matter is both a good thing and a bad thing."

"Based on my understanding of her, she may have already forgotten about this matter. If she has never thought of it, that's fine. The problem is if she suddenly remembers it and tries to harm you again. Then you will die without knowing why."

“Since she hasn’t forgotten, it’s better to truly put this matter to rest than to have someone worry about it and feel uneasy all the time.”

Li Xian said, "Chief Envoy Shi, that Zeng Xiaoke is definitely not the original Zeng Xiaoke. Among Senior Green Snake's disciples, is there anyone whose face has been burned?"

Shi Yufei said, "It is indeed not Zeng Xiaoke. I did not point it out because Hao Qingshe has a strange personality. If I had pointed it out, who knows what might have happened."

"That's right, you'll have to do this. Are you confident you can outdo that woman?"

Li Xian said confidently, "I'm sure." He thought to himself, "In a life-or-death situation, one should be fearless and forge ahead. Excessive humility will only dampen one's spirit. Hmph, that woman is extremely arrogant; how can I tolerate her?"

His sharp intellect shone through. Tang Feng had already felt admiration for Li Xian upon their first meeting. His subsequent encounters only deepened his respect, and he nodded repeatedly. He said, "Yes, Chief Envoy Shi… since that woman was an imposter, why didn't you allow me to teach her a lesson a few times earlier?"

Shi Yufei said, "You... you're usually quite cautious, but you were careless just now. If I hadn't pulled you back, you would have been in serious trouble. That yellow-green centipede was extremely dangerous. If you had touched it, you wouldn't have been able to withstand it."

“That’s a three-winged red-headed centipede. It’s very small, but it’s extremely venomous and has the ability to pass through rocks and crevices and spread its poison. I saw you just now trying to use the ‘Heavy Rock Technique’ to parry, a martial art that stacks your body like layers of rocks. But it’s precisely this venomous creature that’s able to counter it.”

Tang Feng felt a lingering fear: "So that's how it is."

Shi Yufei said, "I can't blame you. This kind of poison is extremely rare. It can only be cultivated by practicing the 'Centipede Poison Manual'. The fact that this centipede has three wings means that this woman has already mastered the Centipede Poison Manual to the third level. Her arrogance, which even the elders look down on, is based on some reason."

He solemnly added, "This woman is very strong. Even if you are confident, you should still be extremely cautious." Li Xian nodded, naturally not wanting to be careless.

Shi Yufei and Tang Feng sat for a while longer, finished their tea, and then said goodbye and left.

Tang Feng said, "General Envoy Shi, Hao Qingshe has neither a position nor performs any duties in the Flower Cage Sect. What reason could he possibly have for ordering you to do anything?"

Shi Yufei hesitated. According to the rules of the Flower Cage Sect, Hao Qingshe would find it difficult to order him around. According to the teachings of the Candle Sect, Hao Qingshe would also find it difficult to order Shi Yufei around. However, since Shi Yufei came from the Flower Cage Sect and his rank was slightly lower, her way of ordering him around was indeed somewhat reasonable.

Shi Yufei sneered, "Let's do as he says. If she wants it grand, I'll make it grand for her. Hmph, the crowd from the Inner Altar will also be arriving at the Water Altar soon, so I'll make this competition bigger. Let's see who loses face." He thought to himself, "Wu Cuo is always calm and collected. His temperament and abilities have already been proven. Since he says he can win, I believe he can win!"

Nangong Liuli looked at her with concern. She had heard everything that had just happened. She had also been present during the "Grand Competition" and witnessed the entire event. After Shi Yufei and Tang Feng left, she immediately came over and said, "Brother Wucuo, are you really confident?"

Li Xian said in a deep voice, "I am confident." He was usually humble, but when it came to actual combat, he had to have an unwavering belief in victory; otherwise, wouldn't all his hard work and training have been wasted?

Nangong Liuli said, "If you're confident, then it'll work." Li Xian smiled and said, "Good sister, do you have some secret technique to pass on to me?"

Nangong Liuli hesitated. She had seen Li Xian repeatedly encounter perilous enemies, and she had cooperated sincerely with him, finding herself in the same predicament. All her desires, emotions, and ambitions were directed towards Li Xian's complete victory, leaving him unscathed. However, the thought of casually passing on her family's martial arts techniques was a hurdle she couldn't easily overcome.

She paced back and forth, torn between her inner turmoil and her own conscience.

She glanced at Li Xian again, her red lips pressed tightly together. She wished Li Xian would play a trick on her, tie her up, and interrogate her. If she were forced to reveal her martial arts skills, she would naturally tell them all, which wouldn't count as actively teaching her. After hesitating for a moment, she made a decision: "Those skilled in poison must be treated with utmost caution. Such martial artists are extremely dangerous. If anything happens to my younger brother, I will regret it deeply. Even if it violates the clan rules, I must help him."

She said firmly, "To be on the safe side, I will teach you some clan techniques that can ward off poison. Practice them diligently and don't fall into that wicked woman's trap."

(End of this chapter)