Descendant of Bixie

After Liu Zhiwei left, Ruan Xiang could no longer hide his sorrow. He worriedly asked Steward Xu for advice, "The Golden Cauldron Sect is indeed a renowned sect in Wei Prefecture, with substantial power. They are simply beyond the reach of a humble merchant like myself. If they insist on protecting Duàn Yì, what should I do?"

"My lord, there's no need to worry. In my opinion, the Golden Cauldron Sect will definitely make Duàn Yì agree. After all, this concerns the sect's reputation, which they value most.

To take a step back, even if the Golden Cauldron Sect doesn't agree, we can still plan after Duàn Yì leaves the Golden Cauldron Sect. He can't stay on the mountain forever, can he?

Money can move mountains. Whether we hire a master to deal with Duàn Yì or a killer to assassinate him then, it will be your decision."

Ruan Xiang's intelligence should have allowed him to foresee such matters, but the death of Ruan Dong had struck him too hard, making it difficult for him to think calmly. Steward Xu, after careful consideration, didn't think the matter was difficult.

"My lord, there's also one thing we need to prepare for early on: finding a master to fight Duàn Yì.

In my view, the Golden Cauldron Sect will never allow us to find renowned masters to deal with Duàn Yì. The disparity in strength would make a decisive battle pointless.

It would be better to focus on the younger generation. This could also reduce Bai Xiwén's resistance somewhat.

I've just thought of a candidate. This person has a considerable reputation and is currently within Daming County. If we hire him with a generous sum, we might be able to sway him."

Ruan Xiang felt that Steward Xu's words made sense and felt slightly relieved.

However, he was more concerned about whether this person could win the battle, sever Duàn Yì's sword-wielding right hand, vent his anger, and avenge Ruan Dong. He quickly asked, "Who is that person?"

"He is Lin Bohui, a swordsman who has gained fame in Wei Prefecture over the past three months. Although young, his martial arts are formidable.

Since his debut, he has consecutively defeated seven well-known swordsmen in the region with his Bixie Swordplay. Each battle was swift, never exceeding ten moves, marking him as a master. His momentum is strong.

I've heard that he enjoys luxury and is fond of women. Before and after each battle, he indulges himself in local brothels and entertainment venues. Some also call him the Pink Swordsman.

If you entice him with significant profit, you can definitely hire him to defeat Duàn Yì. Moreover, he is currently in Daming County, saving us a lot of trouble."

Steward Xu was not a member of the Jianghu, but he had his own way of observing people and things. Lin Bohui's impressive track record and outstanding performance indicated he was not a mere imposter, making him Steward Xu's top choice.

Ruan Xiang was initially perplexed, but upon hearing the words "Bixie Swordplay," his eagle-like eyes flashed with brilliance. He clapped his hands together and said, "So he's a successor of the Bixie Swordplay. That explains it.

When I was young and traveling as a merchant in Fuzhou, Lingnan, I heard about this martial art. Its reputation was immense. If he truly is a successor of the Bixie Swordplay, Duàn Yì's hand is surely doomed."

"Old Xu, I'll leave this matter to you. Go and invite him. Don't spare the silver; whatever he asks for, give it to him."

Seeing Ruan Xiang's agreement, Steward Xu bowed and slowly walked out of the room, preparing to send people to find Lin Bohui's whereabouts...

Meanwhile, after Liu Zhiwei returned to the Golden Cauldron Sect on Shalu Mountain, he directly took the Cold Jade to seek an audience with Qu Dongliu and conveyed the Ruan family's intentions.

"Senior Brother Sect Leader, the Ruan family's words do have some merit.

If Junior Brother Bai were teaching Duàn Yì and he was listed as a disciple of our Golden Cauldron Sect, then defeating Ruan Dong with his sword wouldn't be a major issue.

However, since he is not a disciple of the Golden Cauldron Sect, if this incident were to spread, it would inevitably affect the reputation of our Golden Cauldron Sect. We must guard against it."

Within the vast Golden Cauldron Sect, there was one Sect Leader, two Deputy Sect Leaders, six Grand Elders, and nine fellow disciples taught by the same master. Each had their own thoughts and agendas.

They might be close, distant, or even in conflict, but they shared one common goal: to maintain and strengthen the Golden Cauldron Sect.

Take Bai Xiwén, for example. Although he was extremely displeased with Qu Dongliu's interference in the Moon Worship Palace's affairs, he dared not act rashly out of consideration for the sect's greater good and the Sect Leader's authority. This was because the importance of the Golden Cauldron surpassed everything else in his heart.

Now, whether intentional or not, Duàn Yì had indeed caused the Golden Cauldron Sect to lose face.

Behind the desk, Qu Dongliu sat back, his hands clasped together. He didn't directly answer Liu Zhiwei but looked at the Cold Jade on the table and said, "This piece of Cold Jade, though only the size of a fist, is incredibly cold. It must have been nurtured under solid ice in a harsh, cold region.

For ordinary people, if used for carving and display, it would be a rare and precious treasure.

In the eyes of us martial artists, this item can calm the mind, prevent qi deviation during cultivation, and can be carried to expel fire toxins and accelerate cultivation. It is a valuable treasure.

Such an item is rarely seen even in the Golden Cauldron Sect's collection. Do you think it's possible to persuade Bai Xiwén with it?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Zhiwei first lowered his head in thought, then shook his head and stated decisively, "No. While the Cold Jade is a treasure, Junior Brother Bai's martial arts are extremely high. His mastery of the Invincible Treasure Codex is not only powerful and domineering but also incredibly refined, surpassing even the Pure Yang Divine Skill. Even though the Cold Jade is rare, it can no longer offer him any significant help."

"That's true, but don't forget, while this treasure is useless to him, it can be of great use to Duàn Yì.

I heard from Zhao Yu that the internal art this boy is currently cultivating is the Ice True Qi taught by Bai Xiwén. If that's true, with the help of this Cold Jade, it would greatly benefit his internal art.

You can take this Cold Jade to Bai Xiwén and tell him.

If Duàn Yì agrees to this battle, you can give the Cold Jade to Duàn Yì to enhance his strength.

If he refuses, I cannot force him to fight, but the Golden Cauldron Sect does not support outsiders, so we will ask Duàn Yì to descend the mountain."

When Qu Dongliu mentioned Duàn Yì, his tone was not one of admiration as it had been in the grand hall that day, but rather filled with pressure. He continued, "Oh, and before you go to see Bai Xiwén, you can visit the Ruan family again. Find out who the expert they are inviting is, so you have something to say when you face Bai Xiwén.

Remember, if the expert the Ruan family invites is too outrageous, give him some hints. After all, this is a duel, not a predetermined crushing match."

Liu Zhiwei understood. Since the Ruan family proposed a duel, they would also have to make some concessions. Otherwise, if they chose an elder who had been famous for thirty years and used his power to crush Duàn Yì, it would be murder, not a duel, and Bai Xiwén would never tolerate such a thing.

However, if the candidate was appropriate, the chances of Bai Xiwén and Duàn Yì agreeing to this matter would greatly increase.

As for who would win or lose, or whether Duàn Yì's hand would be severed, it had little to do with him or the Golden Cauldron Sect anymore.

Because they had given the Ruan family the explanation they wanted, and Duàn Yì had no connection to their Golden Cauldron Sect.

"But Senior Brother, this Cold Jade is incredibly precious. If you were to use it to hone your Pure Yang Divine Skill, it would surely be of great help. Isn't it a bit too hasty to just hand it over to Duàn Yì?"

Pure Yang Divine Skill, being extremely yang and potent, burning like fire, would undoubtedly accelerate its circulation and increase cultivation if stimulated by the cold. Moreover, Qū Dōng Liú himself didn't possess Bái Xī Wén's internal energy cultivation. This Cold Jade should have been an exceptionally rare treasure for his practice, so giving it to an outsider like this was too wasteful, wasn't it?

"Don't concern yourself with these matters. Do as I say. You may leave."

Qū Dōng Liú's expression shifted, a hint of inner turmoil surfacing. He waved his hand, dismissing Liu Zhiwei.

After Liu Zhiwei departed, Qū Dōng Liú coughed violently several times, his face as pale as snow.

He took out a manual from his embrace, its cover adorned with golden powder, bearing the four characters for Pure Yang Divine Skill. After gently caressing it several times, Qū Dōng Liú let out a reluctant sigh.

This skill was the Golden Cauldron Sect's inherited divine skill, and only the sect leader was qualified to practice it through the generations. Its power was immense, but unfortunately, it was easy to learn and difficult to master.

Since he took over as sect leader, he had toiled day and night, diligently practicing and training, yet he still struggled to achieve great mastery. Furthermore, during the battle at Moon Worship Palace, he was injured by Yán Susu's Bright Jade Skill, and most of his Pure Yang True Qi was crippled.

It could be said that this Cold Jade would have been truly useful to him before his injury. By using it, he could have refined his True Qi further, and achieving the True Essence realm wouldn't have been impossible.

It was a pity, but now that his Pure Yang True Qi was entangled with that Bright Jade True Qi, further progress was impossible. For him, this Cold Jade was like a chicken's rib, utterly useless.

"What kind of martial art is the Invincible Treasure Codex? Even though Bái Xī Wén had exceptional talent back then, he was still beneath me. Yet, in just a few short years, he surpassed me. It truly makes one curious.

Perhaps after uniting with Bì Nü through Yin and Yang, reversing my vital energy, and recovering from my injuries, I will need to focus on this skill."

To be the sect leader yet not the Golden Cauldron Sect's top expert was a form of irony. Qū Dōng Liú had long harbored dissatisfaction with this, and if he could obtain the Invincible Treasure Codex, it might allow him to vindicate himself.