Chapter 685 Ning Zhuo, you have to stand up!
Rock Cave.
Yu Heye sat cross-legged on the cushion, meditating and practicing.
Suddenly, his skin color flashed with a five-colored halo, irregularly changing between red, yellow, green, white, and black. His breath was extremely unstable, sometimes violent and sometimes weak.
His brows were furrowed, his whole body was sweating, and he gritted his teeth to stabilize the raging magic power in his body.
Finally, his persistence paid off.
With a muffled groan, he spat out a small mouthful of blood, slowly opened his eyes, and exhaled a breath of foul air.
After a while of recuperating, someone outside the door reported: "Master, the matter has been settled. The newcomer has already selected twelve medium-grade spirit stones and, under my supervision, has moved out of the Shiquan Cave Residence on the spot."
"Yeah." Yu Heye forced himself to take a deep breath and nodded slightly. "The Feiyun Conference is coming soon, and similar situations may arise again. You are responsible for this matter. Don't let any unnecessary people rent the cave here. I want some peace and quiet!"
"I understand, sir." The footsteps of the foundation-building cultivator leaving were heard outside the door.
Yu Heye then let out a breath of foul air, and his whole body became listless.
He didn't care at all who the newcomer he ordered expelled was.
Being able to rent a cave here meant he had no connections in the Wanxiang Sect. And what strength could a mere Foundation Establishment boy possess?
Indeed, there are many foundation-building geniuses who can cross borders and fight against Jindan. But can he meet such a genius?
This possibility is too low.
Besides, how could a genius cultivator bow down so easily just for these twelve mid-grade spirit stones?
For most cultivators, if they can earn some money by moving out of the cave, why not do it?
Yu Heye quickly put this trivial matter behind him.
Zuixianju.
Top floor private room.
The round table made of thousand-year-old koi wood is so shiny that you can reflect your reflection in it, and emits a subtle wood fragrance that can calm the mind and tranquilize the soul.
Chen Xi sat at the head of the table, his slender fingers unconsciously caressing the rim of the warm jade cup. His cousin Su Lingkou, on the other hand, gazed out the window, her eyes agile, captivated by the large group of shuttles racing.
It was night time, and these shuttles, carrying monks, were emitting colorful lights and rapidly circling between the mountains, showing extraordinary agility.
Opposite the two of them sat a young monk.
He was dressed in a dark blue robe trimmed with gold thread. His face was well-defined, and his eyes were calm and deep, like a valley filled with ancient trees.
His surname is Lin and his name is Jinglong.
He glanced out the window and smiled, "I remember Brother Situ was also fond of this kind of competition in his early years. Every time, his shuttle rushed to the front, like a meteor streaking through the night sky."
Chen Xi was also reminded of his memories: "According to the time, Brother Situ will be here soon."
"When I was in Jiugong Immortal City, I had already exchanged letters with Brother Situ Dao about joining forces. It just so happens that you are in seclusion practicing, so now is a good time to discuss it."
Lin Jinglong nodded, and before Chen Xi could continue, he answered in advance: "This Feiyun Conference is a gathering of great forces. All the cultivators in the entire Feiyun Kingdom, as long as they are willing and able, will gather here to fight for the opportunity to join the Wanxiang Sect at a high position."
"Although the three of us are exceptionally talented and the best among our generation, it would be risky to fight alone."
"Joining forces is inevitable!"
Chen Xi smiled. Lin Jinglong's response was exactly what he expected.
Su Lingkou withdrew his gaze and complimented Lin Jinglong.
Lin Jinglong picked up the jade cup and took a sip of the spiritual tea. "However, if we want to accomplish something, we must first gather strength. You, me, and Situ Xing can be the core. Besides that, we still need more arms."
"After all, the tasks in the Feiyun Conference are all accumulated by the Wanxiang Sect, and they are all very strange and varied. Only by uniting more talents can we more easily complete the most tasks as quickly as possible."
"I am traveling north with twenty-eight people, all of whom are reliable. Among them, three are in the late Foundation Establishment stage, five are in the middle stage, and eight are in the early stage. The rest are also elite at the peak of Qi Refining."
Chen Xi leaned back in his chair and looked at Su Lingkou who was sitting next to him: "Lingkou is my closest relative and is willing to stay with me. I didn't bring anyone else with me."
Lin Jinglong: "Every family has its own problems. The Shen family really needs to put all their efforts into guarding the Nine Palaces Immortal City."
Chen Xi tapped the smooth tabletop lightly with his fingertips: "However, I have noticed a talented person. His name is Ning Zhuo..."
Just at this moment, the door of the private room was silently pushed open, and a young man with an aloof look stepped in.
His silver hair was like a waterfall, his dark blue robe was shimmering with stars, his nose was high, and his eyes were narrow: "Brother Shen, Brother Lin, I've been waiting for a long time."
Chen Xi nodded, smiling: "I'm glad that Brother Situ is here."
Situ Xing sat down and asked, "Just now, outside the door, I heard Brother Shen mention Ning Zhuo?"
"Ever since you sent me a message saying you were interested in this person and wanted to invite him to join us, I sent someone to investigate him."
"Just this evening, he was kicked out just after he rented the cave."
"Oh?" A hint of surprise flashed in Chen Xi's eyes.
Situ Xing said, "Yu Heye, the Jindan cultivator from the Rock Cave, started assembling his team several years ago in order to make a big splash at this Feiyun Conference."
"He drove away many monks who rented caves near him. Ning Zhuo is the most recent example."
"Yu Heye sent someone to give Ning Zhuo ten mid-grade spirit stones, and he moved out obediently."
"How can someone with such a mentality be on the same level as me?"
Lin Jinglong said nothing and looked at Chen Xi.
Chen Xi frowned slightly. This news was beyond his expectations and he couldn't help but fall into deep thought.
Su Lingkou hurriedly shook the magic bell and urged at the right time: "Shopkeeper, serve the food."
Several attendants immediately filed in, breaking the awkward atmosphere and presenting delicious dishes to the table.
There is golden feather sparrow tongue soup.
In the fine white porcelain bowl, the soup is clear and golden, like melted sunlight. The sparrow tongues floating in it are as delicate as jade. Just by smelling the fragrance, you can feel the spiritual power in your body begin to grow actively.
There are ice soul silver scale fish.
An exotic spirit fish taken from the depths of a thousand-foot cold pond, its body covered in gleaming silver scales, its most delicious moment instantly locked by the most sophisticated ice magic.
There is a hundred-year-old black ice under the fish body. The pieces of fish sashimi are as thin as cicada wings and crystal clear. In the cold air, it seems as if ice crystals are flowing through the texture of the fish meat.
There is also Caiyun Lingbao Rice.
Spiritual rice itself comes in three colors: Chixia rice, Xuanyujing rice, and Biyunhe rice. Each grain is plump and like a precious pearl. Steamed in a specially crafted spiritual cauldron using water from dozens of spiritual springs and the steam of premium spiritual stones, the rice grains are distinct in color and imbued with a lingering spiritual energy, like a tangible, colorful mist.
…
Lin Jinglong savored the Colorful Spiritual Treasure Rice carefully. The spiritual energy it brought was gentle, immense, and continuous. After a moment, he sighed with genuine emotion, "As expected of Zuixianju. Spiritual food of this caliber can only be afforded by the most powerful sects."
Su Lingkou praised the Golden Feather Sparrow Tongue Soup highly: "It melts in your mouth, your thoughts transform into birds, your consciousness is as fast as lightning, it is truly wonderful."
Situ Xing ate the most of the Ice Soul Fish Slices. Every time he put a piece of fish into his mouth, the ultimate sweetness and icy coldness instantly exploded on his tongue, giving the diner a cool and refreshing taste while also enriching his soul.
"Ice Soul Silverfish, cold but not harmful. This plate of spiritual food will increase my human soul by fifteen years!"
Situ Xing looked at Chen Xi: "Thank you for the expense this time, Brother Chen, haha."
Chen Xi smiled, said a few polite words first, then mentioned Ning Zhuo again, saying: He is optimistic about this person, but he may have hidden secrets.
Situ Xing sneered: "Brother Chen, you know my temper. I, Situ Xing, hate stupidity the most, and I look down on weak people who have no self-awareness the most."
"I began to draw Qi at the age of seven, and starlight emerged from my breathing. At the age of nine, I broke through the third level of Qi training - at that time, mediocre people were still trying to identify meridians."
"It only took one hundred and forty days to cultivate the top-level technique, 'Divine Sea Star Sword Guide,' and forge the foundation of the Dao."
"I observed the stars at night and refined my spirit during the day. When I was sixteen, my spirit and energy merged, and the precious medicine in my dantian began to grow like a galaxy!"
"At the age of twenty-one, my divine sea gave birth to divine will and attracted the star talisman. Now at the age of twenty-eight, I have achieved the state of Void Pill."
Situ Xing glanced at Su Lingkou, his gaze pausing at Shen Xi and Lin Jinglong's faces. "Only the strong are worthy of standing shoulder to shoulder with me! Only the elite are worthy of walking with me. Those worthless wretches who are not up to the standard and can't stand up to the crowd should stop trying to cling to me and only make me disgusted."
Chen Xi remained silent, and the atmosphere became awkward again.
This time, Su Lingkou also felt Situ Xing's contempt and couldn't help feeling a little angry.
Seeing this, Lin Jinglong gave a wry smile and interjected, "Brother Situ is right. Ning Zhuo's retreat does show his weakness. However, Yu Heye...is no ordinary Jindan."
"This person has reached the late Jindan stage of cultivation, specializing in the 'Five Elements Reverse Magic Art', and possesses exceptional combat prowess. At one point, he was widely considered the cultivator with the greatest potential to attain the sect's true successor."
"Now, as his lifespan is drawing to a close, he has long been accumulating strength, waiting for this Feiyun Conference to seize this last opportunity in his life."
"Ning Zhuo is only at the Foundation Establishment stage. Facing such an old monster, who is using his strength to overpower him and using spirit stones to clear the way, it's not a life-and-death fight. Choosing to temporarily avoid the attack is understandable."
Situ Xing snorted coldly, "So what if it's a Golden Core? So what if it's the 'Five Elements Reverse Magic Art'? If he dares to seize it, I will draw my sword! Even if I can't defeat him, I will test the quality of this Golden Core cultivator! Let him know that even Foundation Establishment cultivators are not to be trifled with!"
"If you don't even have this much courage and blood, how can you compete in a Shura arena like the Feiyun Conference? How can you deserve your special attention, Brother Shen? How can you be worthy of being an accomplice like us?"
Chen Xi shook his head: "Brother Situ is as heroic and sharp as ever. But please forgive me for being blunt, how many people in the Foundation Establishment Realm can face off against a late Jindan Realm cultivator head-on?"
"Those who can achieve this, like you and me, are one in a million, blessed by heaven and earth?"
Lin Jinglong nodded: "Jiugong Immortal City is one of the top five major cities in Feiyun Country, but in the past sixty years, there has only been one genius like Brother Chen Xi who can fight against a Jindan cultivator in the Foundation Establishment Stage head-on."
"Cultivators like us are indeed rare."
Situ Xing snorted coldly and stopped arguing: "It's up to you. But if it's the person I've chosen, I won't act so cowardly!"
"besides."
"Even though the three of us are teaming up, we still have to decide who's better and who's ahead."
"In my opinion, after this meal, we should go to the martial arts hall at night and have a good competition!"
Chen Xi and Lin Jinglong's attention was immediately drawn to it.
The two of them had already harbored the desire to fight.
The three of them competed until the early morning of the next day.
Before they parted, Lin Jinglong said, "According to the established rules of the Wanxiang Sect, the three of us will join forces. In addition to recruiting soldiers, we will also build a mountain and take over all the caves on it."
"Only by showing such strength can others be tempted to join."
"That's what Yu Heye did."
Situ Xing nodded: "I'll go look for a mountain right away and contact you promptly."
He won first place in the competition, full of vigor and vitality, his sword gleamed like a star, piercing the sky and disappearing in an instant.
Lin Jinglong and Chen Xi bowed and said goodbye.
Su Lingkou took his cousin's arm and said indignantly, "It was clearly you who gave up the spot, cousin. Did Situ Xing really think he won first place? Humph!"
Chen Xi shook his head: "His frontal combat power is indeed outstanding. If I want to fully unleash my strength, I must set up a battle formation in advance."
"Losing to him was also my plan."
"I just want to borrow his sharp sword to cut through thorns and brambles, and ride the wind and waves."
"It's not just me. Lin Jinglong also has the same plan. I can also feel that he is holding back."
Su Lingkou's eyes suddenly lit up: "So, cousin, the draw between you and Lin Jinglong was intentional?"
Chen Xi frowned slightly, sighed, and admitted: "Neither of us wants the position of leader, but we are both interested in the second place."
"After competing, we all realized that we need to bring out more trump cards to win. But doing so would be too much."
"So, Brother Lin and I stopped at the same time."
At this moment, a letter came and fell into Shen Xi's hands.
Chen Xi unfolded the letter and smiled slightly. He then handed it to Su Ling and said, "Let's go and meet fellow Daoist Ning Zhuo."
Su Lingkou saw that the information in the letter only mentioned Ning Zhuo's current location, and asked in confusion: "Cousin, why do you still want to meet this outsider? Situ Xing has clearly expressed his dissatisfaction with Ning Zhuo. Why should we ruin our relationship with Situ Xing just to recruit an outsider?"
"After all, he is our leader now."
Chen Xi: "I don't think Ning Zhuo is someone who backs down easily."
"And do you think that Situ Xing belittled Ning Zhuo as soon as they met because he was disgusted with Ning Zhuo's retreat?"
Su Lingkou: "Ah?"
Chen Xi's eyes were dim. "He's using the opportunity of beating Ning Zhuo up to undermine my prestige. After all, in our last confrontation, he didn't break through my siege formation at the agreed time."
"If I give up Ning Zhuo easily now, this will likely become a reason for him to suppress me in this temporary alliance in the future."
Su Lingkou uttered an "ah" again, feeling anxious: "Then what should we do?"
Chen Xi smiled and said, "Let's go. Maybe we can give our friends a little help."
After Chen Xi's guidance, Su Lingkou already understood the current situation.
Where there are people, there are rivers and lakes.
Alliances between friends also have to have different levels. Moreover, the relationship between Shen, Lin, and Situ is mainly based on competition, with friendship as a supplement.
Ning Zhuo has become a key point in the power game between Situ Xing and Chen Xi.
Su Lingkou said worriedly, "Ah, I hope Ning Zhuo can stand up."
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
