Chapter 281: Winning the championship in one fell swoop, getting the beauty as his lover, the Poison Flower Taoist, is recruited by the Candle Cult?
Nangong Liuli, born into a wealthy and noble family, possessed discerning and sharp tastes. Ordinary men were beneath her notice, but she had suffered repeated misfortunes and was in a precarious situation. Seeing Li Xian triumph over his enemies with unparalleled heroism and an indescribable charm, she couldn't help but feel extremely pleased. Having already fallen into a quagmire, how could she dare to ask for more? Furthermore, the "fragrant wisps of incense" stirred her thoughts, and her eyes rippled with unending emotion.
Bao Zhixian, Ding Zelin, and Wang Changjiang fell off the stage, secretly regretting that their "Triangular Belly Snake Formation" had failed. They all bowed and said, "Brother Hua is amazing. This grand event is yours. We are completely convinced."
Li Xian smiled and said, "Thanks to everyone's kindness, I, Hua, was fortunate enough to win in the arena."
Shi Yufei and the others nodded and stroked their beards. Slightly satisfied, their thoughts drifted elsewhere. The world was descending into chaos, with powerful families and martial artists vying for power, yet prodigies and extraordinary treasures were emerging in droves. Before them, there were the endless wonders of the Flood Dragon's Flight, and behind them, sword sects were plotting alliances. In this turbulent world, the Flower Cage Sect stood alone, struggling to survive. They both desired to experience the chaos of the times and to protect themselves. They also thought of the former glory of the "Candle Sect," its lingering power still unforgettable.
As he lowered his eyes in deep thought, he suddenly heard a cold laugh: "Oh? Is the grand event over?"
The sound was very clear and crisp, coming from afar and reverberating back and forth.
The voice continued, "I'd like to see which prodigy dares to harm my disciple like this." It was alluring and flirtatious; when it uttered the word "I," it was still quite far away, its voice soft and delicate, as if carried by the wind. But when it spoke the word "disciple," it lingered in my ear, like someone exhaling smoke, teasing me.
Suddenly, a bewitching woman in a purple dress approached from afar. Her steps were light and graceful. She wore a pale purple, sheer gauze dress, her waist slender and adorned with gold thread, her bare feet touching the ground, her toenails pale pink.
With graceful movements, she turned around and was already sitting on the roof of a building, her legs crossed. Her clothes were light and sheer, revealing her fair skin. She looked down at the place with great interest.
It was none other than the Poison Flower Taoist... Hao Qingshe.
The wind howled again. Elder Meng Han of Panzhilou rushed closer from afar. His lightness skill was superb. With a few graceful turns, he landed in front of him and returned to his seat.
Ye Cheng frowned and said, "Meng Han, what are you up to? Why is this woman here? Did you call her?"
Meng Han shrugged and said, "I don't know either. Brother Ye thinks too highly of me. What merit do I have to be able to persuade her?" Ye Cheng was extremely suspicious, secretly annoyed, guessing that Meng Han was up to something, and vaguely sensing something was wrong. He looked at the woman on the eaves. Shi Yufei pulled himself out of his thoughts, Yan Hao frowned, and Hao Qingshe suddenly appeared in the scene, making the atmosphere tense.
turn out to be…
This unexpected turn of events was indeed orchestrated by Meng Han. He was petty and narrow-minded by nature, and he didn't easily forget being offended. Seeing Li Xian begin to show his talent, he recalled the matter of being promoted with the order and felt extremely resentful.
He thought even more: "This Hua Wucuo is utterly despicable and has no sense of propriety. Even if such a person can show off a little, he will not go far in the future."
Glancing at Ye Cheng out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly thought, "Wait a minute... This Hua Wucuo is Ye Cheng's man. Could it be that Ye Cheng is deliberately using this to intimidate me, Meng? If that's the case, how can I swallow this insult?"
Upon reading this, he grew even angrier. He guessed that since Ye Cheng was behind it, his direct confrontation would be futile. So he devised another plan.
Hearing Zeng Xiaoke writhing on the ground in agony, a horrifying sight, a brilliant plan formed in his mind. He knew that there was an extremely difficult person to provoke in the Water Altar. He was a stubborn, ruthless, and indiscriminate killer, deeply involved in the distribution of poisons.
He then rescued Zeng Xiaoke. He applied his self-made ointment to her face to heal it, and took her back to the depths of the island, to the secluded residence of the Poison Flower Taoist. He cleverly used a rhetoric to lure Hao Qingshe out.
Hao Qingshe glanced coldly, guessing that Meng Han had other ideas. Seeing her disciple's miserable end, she felt extremely displeased. She also thought that her disciple's setback had damaged her own reputation. Having always looked down on the Flower Cage Sect, she personally went to the arena to watch the fight, hoping to cause trouble, stir up trouble, and even take lives.
Yan Hao frowned and said, "Miss Hao... you're too late. This grand event has already ended, and this disciple of Hua Wucuo has won."
Meng Han was slightly taken aback upon hearing this. He had only been gone a moment before the grand prize had fallen into Hua Wucuo's hands. But when he caught a glimpse of Hao Qingshe's sharp eyes, he remained completely unconcerned. He thought to himself, "Even if you are glorious, it will only be a fleeting moment."
Hao Qingshe said calmly, "Is that so... I think it's just right." As she spoke, a small, pale red snake emerged from her hair. It was about the thickness of a little finger, its tongue flicking slightly, concealing a sharp edge.
Ye Cheng said, "Miss Hao, please speak freely about what you need to say."
Li Xian sensed something was amiss, a sense of impending danger looming over him. Calming himself, he wondered curiously, "These elders of the Flower Cage Sect address this woman as 'Miss Hao.' That's quite peculiar. Could they not be from the same sect?"
Hao Qingshe said, "Xiao Ke, come out."
Zeng Xiaoke was covered in white silk bandages, her injuries were severe, but with medicinal compresses and rest, her injuries would heal on their own. Hao Qingshe said, "My disciple attended your grand gathering. I have already given her ample face, yet you are ungrateful, taking advantage of her being a woman to injure her like this. This matter demands an explanation."
Ye Cheng understood that Hao Qingshe's purpose in coming was to target Hua Wucuo. He thought to himself, "If we consider Hua Wucuo's temperament, she is truly not suited to my Hualong Sect. But she is indeed a rare talent. Moreover, this woman acts without any restraint; if we don't stop her, the consequences could be dire." Feeling a surge of appreciation for her talent, he said:
“In ring fights, injuries and fatalities are inevitable. It would be inappropriate to pursue the matter afterward.”
Hao Qingshe sneered, "Decent? Why should we talk about decent things when we're thieves like you?"
Yan Hao also said, "Since your disciple attended the grand gathering, she also killed several people. Haven't you seen others seeking justice against her?"
Hao Qingshe said, "If my disciple, who is following in my footsteps, cannot kill someone, I will scold her instead. My disciple, Shengzhi Guangming, is just waiting to die. If he dares to pursue the matter, I will send them on their way again. Isn't that easy?"
Yan Hao's face turned ashen. Ye Cheng said, "Although your disciple is formidable, in martial arts duels, the situation can change in an instant. Whether she wins or loses this round, it is still a righteous victory."
Hao Qingshe chuckled sinisterly, "I don't think so."
Ye Cheng said, "We all saw it clearly. Does Miss Hao mean to accuse us of being biased?"
Hao Qingshe said, "Elder Ye...you're all silver-tongued. I'm not here to argue with you. To defeat my disciple, you must have used some underhanded methods. I don't need to see it; I know it perfectly well. Even if you did see it, you wouldn't know. Do you think you can compare to me in the art of poison?"
Ye Cheng's face twitched. What else could he say to such sophistry? Hao Qingshe continued, "My dear disciple... you tell me, who used such despicable means to injure you?" Zeng Xiaoke pointed at Li Xian and said, "Master, it was this thief. I was certain of victory, but he suddenly used a sneak attack. I hope Master will punish him! Give your disciple justice."
Hao Qingshe said with great interest, "So it was you, you little thief. Although you won the championship, your deeds were exposed, and now you're dead. What a tragedy!"
Li Xian frowned deeply. Yan Hao said in a deep voice, "Hao Qingshe... don't be unreasonable. Our Flower Cage Sect is organizing a grand event, and this boy has already won first place. If you kill him, wouldn't we become a laughing stock?"
Hao Qingshe laughed, "You are a joke, of course. Hahaha, I laughed when I heard that, so what are you going to do about it?" With that, he waved his sleeve, and a cloud of pale blue poisonous mist drifted away.
Yan Hao's face turned ashen. Elder Liu Yu, the extradition envoy Jin Shichang, and others remained silent, but they all held a strong grudge against Hao Qingshe.
Li Xian felt a deep sense of urgency. He knew Hao Qingshe was coming with overwhelming force and would not allow him to say another word. Facing a powerful enemy, although he felt the danger, he forced himself to remain calm.
Seeing the poisonous fog approaching, he pondered a way to escape. The fog, seemingly slow, was actually fast; before he could formulate a complete plan, it began to drift closer. His escape strategy had to be temporarily set aside, and he needed to focus on dealing with this attack.
He spat out a mist of blood, intending to burn away the poisonous mist with his blood fire. However, the poisonous mist was unusually cunning, swallowing up all the blood fire.
Hao Qingshe laughed, "So this is the move to burn my disciple's skin. It's useless against me, so just accept your death." He knew that Zeng Xiaoke's defeat was not unjust.
"This poisonous mist is called the Bone-Corroding Heart and Brain Fragrance. It corrodes flesh and blood, but it has a healing effect on the heart and brain. It corrodes a person completely, leaving only the heart and brain. Consciousness can still be preserved. Then I will properly prepare you."
Shi Yufei stood up and said, "Green Snake, that's enough! Stop the poisonous mist."
Hao Qingshe toyed with the venomous snake on his fingertip and said leisurely, "Grand Envoy...you have no right to order me around."
Shi Yufei said, "I will take responsibility for your disciple's injuries. I like this boy very much, so please give me some face."
Hao Qingshe's expression was unfocused, as if she hadn't heard him at all, as if to say, "I won't give you face either, so what can you do?" Meng Han thought to himself, "Even the Grand Envoy seems to like this boy quite a bit. It seems this decision was very wise. If this boy were alive, wouldn't he gain power in the future?"
He was secretly pleased with himself.
Shi Yufei said, "Aren't you going to stop?" He leaped forward, intending to take Li Xian away from the arena. Hao Qingshe raised his hand, and the poisonous mist increased in speed, enveloping the arena before Shi Yufei could react.
Shi Yufei's expression changed drastically. Seeing the thick fog surrounding them, even he would find it difficult to rush into the arena. In this situation, Li Xian's life was unlikely to survive. He felt regret, but there was nothing he could do.
Shi Yufei roared, "Hao Qingshe! Why are you like this?!"
Hao Qingshe chuckled and said, "Grand Envoy Shi... you wouldn't be angry with me over a dead person, would you? We've known each other for so long, and you're really hurting my feelings."
She was eccentric and killing people without cause was commonplace for her.
Shi Yufei said, "You!"
Hao Qingshe said, "Alright, since the grand event is over, we can just have another match. What's the big deal? In another half hour, this kid will be completely corrupted, leaving only his heart and brain. I'll take this thing back and prepare it properly."
"I apologize to Green Snake as to whose disciple this child is. As for compensation, there is none."
Ye Cheng's face turned ashen. Although he had no particular relationship with Li Xian, he was extremely angry.
Shi Yufei saw that his disciples were all terrified. He had held this grand gathering with the intention of gathering followers. This move would have ruined all his previous efforts.
Shi Yufei sighed softly, "This boy's end is already extremely tragic. I need to give him a quick death. How can I let you humiliate him any further?"
Hao Qingshe lightly patted her sleeve, "Fine, fine... Since the Grand Envoy has spoken, I can't disobey. So I'll do as you say. As for the others, I didn't kill them, so don't blame me."
Just as he was about to speak, his expression suddenly changed. He saw the poisonous mist rapidly dissipate, and a ball of extremely pure energy counteracted the poisonous mist. Li Xian was completely unharmed, with pure energy swirling around him.
He could be vaguely seen wearing a white, hazy robe. His various extraordinary features made him appear like a deity. His long hair flowed freely, his face was flawless, and he was extremely handsome.
turn out to be……
Li Xian already had a plan. He gathered the three flowers at the top of his head, brewing and refining the pure energy, which then swirled around. He then used the "Pure Qi Robe" to cover the pure energy. In this way, he kept the pure energy gathered from the three flowers at the top of his head within the turbid robe, ensuring that the pure energy lingered and did not dissipate.
The two complement each other.
Surrounded by wondrous sights, he appeared ethereal, like an immortal. A pure aura lingered around him, seemingly impure yet possessing an inner purity and an outer turbidity, defining the boundaries of the world, revealing the wondrous essence of heaven and earth within a small space.
No matter how strong the poisonous fog is, it won't touch you at all!
Ye Cheng and Shi Yufei were both surprised and delighted. Hao Qingshe frowned, her smile vanishing as she stared intently at them. Shi Yufei laughed, "Well... Hua Wucuo, you were hiding this trick up your sleeve?!"
He continued, "Hao Qingshe, I cannot tolerate your misbehavior here any longer. Since you said you would leave this person to me, then please leave."
Hao Qingshe smiled faintly, "Grand Envoy, when have I, Hao Qingshe, ever been one to keep my promises?" Suddenly, he leaped forward, intending to kill himself. Shi Yufei shouted, "Enough!"
The sound contained a powerful inner energy, causing the buildings to tremble. Hao Qingshe paused, secretly surprised. This resounding sound contained many intricacies; if she were to attack it head-on, she would surely be thwarted.
Hao Qingshe said nonchalantly, "Grand Envoy, don't try to intimidate me with rules. If I want to kill someone, can you protect them? If I don't kill them today, I'll kill them another day, and what can you do about it then?"
Yan Hao said in a deep voice, "You wicked woman, you're becoming increasingly unruly. Do you really think no one can control you?" He felt neither hatred nor goodwill towards Li Xian. But Hao Qingshe's reckless behavior was not a one-off occurrence. Such arrogance truly angered them.
The Flower Cage Sect is known for its ability to capture women. Yet, the woman at the Water Altar has so easily outmaneuvered him. Hao Qingshe said, "Oh? Deputy Chief Envoy… how will you subdue me? With your paltry martial arts?"
"You!" Yan Hao's face turned ashen.
Hao Qingshe said, "If you want to learn from me, please come now."
Suppressing his anger, Yan Hao said, "Why would I need to resort to force? What can you do if I confine you to this island for life?" Hao Qingshe coldly replied, "I'll kill you first!"
Meng Han felt a sense of panic, never expecting things to turn out this way. If Hua Wucuo had failed to win the championship, and Hao Qingshe had acted recklessly and humiliated him in every way, the onlookers might have been displeased but might not have spoken out against him.
Hua Wucuo had just won the championship when you killed him. Not only did you fail once, but you also wanted to try a second time. How could I tolerate this?
Shi Yufei shouted, "Shut up!" Hao Qingshe played with the venomous snake, and Yan Hao returned to his seat.
Shi Yufei said, "Hao Qingshe... I know the sect rules are useless to you. Although you have a special status, you shouldn't go too far." Hao Qingshe remained silent.
Li Xian said, "Elders, Grand Envoy... I have something to say, but I don't know if I may speak." Shi Yufei said, "Speak."
Li Xian said, "Since this Senior Hao Qingshe insists that my victory was not honorable, then... since your disciple is still unharmed, how about we choose another day to compete?"
Shi Yufei nodded secretly and said, "This plan is excellent. Once your disciple has fully recovered from his injuries, we will invite both sides to fight again. If... Hua Wucuo wins, this matter will be over. Hua Wucuo, you must not hold a grudge against Hao Qingshe. If Zeng Xiaoke wins, Hua Wucuo will still be at your disposal."
Li Xian said, "Yes!" But in his heart he thought, "This woman bullies others by taking advantage of her power. She wants to kill me for no reason. She must be a bloodthirsty monster who kills people by nature. How can I not hate her? If I have the chance, I will definitely repay her in kind and kill her as soon as possible."
His heart held a turbulent killing intent, his resolve as firm as a rock. Yet, his expression was one of genuine conviction, so much so that even Shi Yufei could hardly discern his true feelings.
Hao Qingshe said, "Alright... then I'll allow you to live a few more months." He turned to leave.
Shi Yufei said, "Wait a minute!"
Hao Qingshe asked, "What?" Shi Yufei said, "If this boy dies suddenly during this time, Hao Qingshe... things will not happen more than three times. Don't blame me for being impolite to you then."
"Are you threatening me?" Hao Qingshe said calmly.
Shi Yufei said, "Not bad." Hao Qingshe suddenly felt the eaves tiles beneath her feet tremble slightly. She let out a soft "humph," her expression changing inward, realizing she had indeed gone too far. She was full of malice and cruelty, and killing was commonplace for her. But the timing and circumstances were different, yet it was no different from slapping Shi Yufei in the face. She turned and left.
Li Xian watched them disappear into the distance, his killing intent brewing, but he concealed it perfectly, revealing not a trace of it. He muttered to himself, "My strength is still weak; I need to practice martial arts more diligently!"
Meng Han wiped away a bead of cold sweat, feeling a pang of regret. Shi Yufei said, "Hua Wucuo, come with me."
The terrace of Guanwu Tower was spacious, where Yan Hao, Ye Cheng, Jin Shichang, and others were seated. Li Xianjing, led by Shi Yufei, went up to the terrace and greeted them one by one.
Li Xian was deeply grateful to Yan Hao and Ye Cheng for their righteousness and outspokenness. Although she knew that none of the people in the Flower Cage Sect were good, she remembered their kindness and spoke with politeness and restraint, displaying an exceptional demeanor.
"Since I started practicing martial arts, the only good people I've met... seem to be Li Bohou, and Nangong Liuli could be considered half of one, at least she's quite loyal to her friends."
When Wen Caishang kills, she is extremely ruthless, her actions difficult to judge as good or bad. Although Li Xian tries to uphold his principles, how can he expect to remain pure in this turbid world?
Yan Hao laughed and said, "You did very well, a beautiful victory!" Ye Cheng said, "That red mole between your eyebrows, could it be a sign of rebirth?"
Li Xian feigned ignorance and said, "I don't know either, it just appeared out of nowhere." Yan Hao said, "My Flower Cage Sect was attacked and killed. Your face is very different, extremely handsome. If you go to find flowers in the future, you must be careful to cover your face."
Li Xian replied, "Yes."
The group exchanged pleasantries. Li Xian recognized all the elders of the Water Altar. The Water Altar was a place for exchange and training, not the location of any sect. Liu Yu would be leaving by boat on a chosen day, so he was hosting a banquet and invited Li Xian to join him.
Li Xian could not refuse their request, so he had no choice but to agree.
Shi Yufei observed that Li Xian's speech and manners were quite refined. Although the Flower Cage Sect was not a prestigious sect, if it were to be brought into the open and used as a facade, its members should naturally be of the highest caliber in appearance and speech. He was secretly pleased, and then recalled how, when the poisonous fog enveloped Li Xian, his white robes made him appear like a celestial being. This method was truly unique, and he found it quite rare.
Meng Han said with a forced smile, "Hua Wucuo, congratulations!"
Li Xian sincerely said, "To be honest, I am only alive today thanks to Elder Meng's help. Thank you!"
Everyone was surprised to hear this. Ye Cheng asked, "What is the reason for this?" Li Xian said, "I made a bet with Senior Hao Qingshe. We would have another match after Zeng Xiaoke recovered from her injuries. The condition for the bet was that Zeng Xiaoke had to live. The match was dangerous at the time, and I did hit her a little too hard. Fortunately, Elder Meng saved Zeng Xiaoke, which led to the bet. Therefore, in other words, I should thank Elder Meng the most for this matter."
Ye Cheng chuckled, knowing the words held a hidden edge, and pointed out who was behind the earlier misdeeds. Yan Hao glanced over indifferently; he and Hao Qingshe had just felt mutual disgust and almost came to blows, and upon hearing Li Xian's words, he naturally felt no goodwill towards Meng Han either.
Shi Yufei gazed intently at Hao Qingshe. Every time Hao Qingshe appeared, she was unruly and unreasonable, stirring up trouble and causing chaos. Therefore, she was never invited to participate in any matters concerning the water altar. Meng Han's "luring the snake out of its hole" was undoubtedly driven by malicious intent. Disrupting the grand event was a highly predictable outcome. His continued actions revealed his narrow-mindedness, his only concern being personal grudges. The Flower Cage Sect was not a righteous sect, which was understandable. Although Shi Yufei felt displeasure, he refrained from uttering any harsh criticism.
Meng Han glared angrily at Li Xian, then offered a few words of explanation with a forced smile. Li Xian thought to himself, "I must settle my own scores. Any schemes I have now are futile. My only option is to increase my strength as quickly as possible!"
Anger and murderous intent... were all suppressed. Li Xian had won first place, and the award ceremony should have been led by an elder. However, after the incident with Hao Qingshe, Shi Yufei personally led the ceremony.
We arrived at the "Merit Reward Pavilion".
Shi Yufei asked, "Are you new to my school?" Li Xian replied truthfully, "Indeed." Shi Yufei said, "You have a distinguished appearance, why are you included in the Flower Cage?"
Li Xian knew he had to tell the truth at this point, so he said, "It was truly a twist of fate, a complete accident. I was being chased and happened to board Elder Ye's pleasure boat. I borrowed his pleasure boat to escape the enemy."
"Besides, I was originally from no sect or faction. Elder Ye didn't mind my background, so I took the opportunity to join the Flower Cage Sect."
Shi Yufei laughed and said, "You've come to the right place!" He walked to the accounting office. More than ten people were using abacuses to calculate each "merit."
He took out "three ounces of merit" and handed it to Li Xian, then said, "I see that your martial arts moves, although your skill is not bad, are scattered and messy. Although you intend to combine them, you have limited access to martial arts manuals. I suppose you have limited access to martial arts and rarely choose suitable ones."
Li Xian unleashed a series of techniques in the arena, including "Four Directions Fist," "Gentle Breeze Leg," "Vast Expansion Leg," "Thunderous Finger," and "Blood-Spitting Manual," showcasing a variety of fist, foot, leg, and finger techniques. His seemingly scattered and chaotic style was indeed quite impressive.
Lacking family martial arts skills, he was not born into a prestigious family.
Shi Yufei said, "If you go to the Lishan Sword Sect, Yueshan Sword Sect, or the Crimson Copper Gate... hehe, you're guaranteed to be turned away. This has nothing to do with talent."
Li Xian said, "Please enlighten me, General."
Shi Yufei said, "Seeking a sect and learning martial arts is a profound matter. Joining a sect means a stable environment for acquiring resources. It also allows you to accumulate prestige, leading to a limitless future."
"The sect has complex roots and interests, and its interests are also complex with those of the local powerful families. Even if you are exceptionally talented, is it possible that no one is jealous of you? The world is so vast, there is no place where filth and corruption do not exist."
"Without the support of a family, how could a sect easily set foot in such a place?"
Li Xian couldn't help but ask, "Do those from ordinary backgrounds truly have no chance of advancement?" Shi Yufei replied, "Of course not. Those from ordinary backgrounds who wish to rise above their circumstances must take a roundabout path."
"A detour?" Li Xian was quite surprised.
Shi Yufei said, “When a sect recruits disciples, you cannot go directly to answer the call. Instead, you should first find out the strength of the families around the sect and try to become a family retainer. After three years of lying low, if you get a letter of recommendation, then go to the selection process and answer the call. You may be able to join the sect. If you don’t succeed in one year, then try for two or three years. As long as you succeed, you can obtain a relatively stable path to resources.”
"If you don't get a letter of introduction, you should observe more carefully. Seek opportunities to get to know people from the sect, actively participate in martial arts competitions, catch criminals and thieves, show off your talents, make friends, attend grand events, and engage in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, or dance... gradually build your reputation. If you do these two things well, you can also join a sect."
"This is the detour! Every path you can see is a straight road. Those from ordinary families will inevitably run into obstacles if they go straight, so they should take the winding path and seek their way step by step."
Shi Yufei reminisced, "I was just an ordinary farmer back then. I've taken many detours to get to where I am today."
"Similarly... if you want to survive, you also need to take a detour."
Li Xian said, "Does the Grand Envoy mean that based solely on the wager, Senior Hao Qingshe is not enough to spare my life?"
Shi Yufei said, "Of course." Li Xian said, "What about the bet..."
Shi Yufei said, "The bet still needs to be fulfilled, but we need to be more careful. At the same time, you also need to prepare for the 'detours'."
Li Xian said, "Please speak frankly, Grand Envoy."
Shi Yufei laughed and said, "Have you ever heard of the 'Candle Sect'?"
(End of this chapter)
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