Returning home in glory (part two)

P. S.: Many thanks to reader "Ruthless Little Dragon" for the 1888 Qidian Coins reward. This seems to be the second time? And a review vote too...

Zhuge Xiang, Lu Yuling, Zhang Kuang, Niu Geng, Zi Xiang, Qin Qing, Su Huayu, and Mo Wuyan, a group of eight people, gathered together, which can be considered as all of Zhuge Xiang's friends being together.

Upon arriving at the Restaurant, Zhuge Xiang originally wanted to book a private room upstairs, but Niu Geng shook his head, saying that the main hall on the ground floor was fine and there was no need to waste money. Zhuge Xiang himself was also Beggar and didn't care much about such things, so the group of people asked for a large table in the main hall of the Restaurant and sat down.

Lu Yuling's beauty is otherworldly, needless to say. Zi Xiang, Su Huayu, and Qin Qing are all exceptional beauties. Zi Xiang is mature and voluptuous, Qin Qing is gentle as water, and Su Huayu is willful and cute. Each has her own charm. The appearance of this group immediately attracted the attention of the others in the Restaurant.

However, Zhuge Xiang and the others were quite skilled, so although they were surprised by the beauty of Lu Yuling and the others, no one in the Restaurant dared to cause trouble.

After sitting down, he raised his glass in a hearty manner. Over the past year, Zhuge Xiang's alcohol tolerance has improved. Qin Qing, who was sitting next to him, would occasionally advise Zhuge Xiang to drink less, appearing as a gentle and virtuous wife.

Niu Geng, upon learning of Qin Qing's relationship with Zhuge Xiang, exaggeratedly began calling her "sister-in-law," making Qin Qing blush slightly, but her heart flutter with joy.

"Zhuge Xiang, I'm planning to go to Shu in a few days," Niu Geng suddenly said to Zhuge Xiang at the gathering.

"Go back to Shu?" Niu Geng's words startled Zhuge Xiang slightly. He then nodded knowingly. Zhuge Xiang also remembered Niu Geng's story. "How about I go with you back to Shu?"

Zhuge Xiang volunteered, Niu Geng hesitated for a moment, but considering Zhuge Xiang's abilities, he nodded and said, "Between us, let's not stand on ceremony. With you accompanying me on this trip, I feel much more at ease."

Niu Geng was going back to Shu, and Zi Xiang asked if she could go with him. After hesitating for a moment, Niu Geng nodded and agreed. Zhuge Xiang was also going, and needless to say, Qin Qing also said she was willing to go with him.

"Shu? I've never been there before. I want to go too!" Su Huayu raised her hand, looking very interested. Among the eight people present, Su Huayu might not be the strongest, but Su Huayu cultivation at the Innate Realm Seventh Layer was the highest among them.

"Zhuge Xiang is the Squad Leader. Since he's going, I naturally have to go with him," Mo Wuyan said without saying much, making his point clear in a single sentence.

"Shu? There are many Poisonous Creatures there. My Mechanical Puppet should also be enhanced in terms of Toxins..." Lu Yuling said calmly, swirling a cup of light wine in her hand.

"Oh? You're all going to Shu? Good, I've never fought Poison Users before, this is a good opportunity to try it out," Zhang Kuang said, looking at Zhuge Xiang and the others with surprise. They were all going to Shu. Zhang Kuang nodded, indicating that he also wanted to go there to challenge Poison-Using Experts.

"Thank you all," Niu Geng said, his expression filled with gratitude as he listened to the crowd's words.

Niu Geng has never had many friends, but today everyone expressed their willingness to go to Shu. Although none of them said they were going to help him, but rather made up other excuses, Niu Geng knew very well that they were actually going to help him, even if it was only because of Zhuge Xiang.

"A bunch of country bumpkins, making a racket!" Just as Zhuge Xiang his group were having their gathering, a discordant voice suddenly rang out beside them.

Zhuge Xiang and the others sat in a circle in the main hall of the Restaurant. At the Restaurant, a man and a woman walked in. The man was quite handsome, and the woman was a rare beauty. Both of them carried long swords on their backs, but their faces were full of arrogance. Looking at the noisy hall, the man frowned.

"Never mind, Senior Brother Tu, let's go upstairs to the private room. Several experts from Weituo Temple and Tiandao Sect are waiting for us there," the woman said, her demeanor equally condescending, like a proud peacock, as she surveyed the crowd in the hall.

"Qingxu Sword Sect?" Looking at the man and woman, Zhuge Xiang had some knowledge of the Qingxu Sword Sect. Their attire was exactly that of Qingxu Sword Sect Disciples.

Disciples from three Medium Sect in Yanling Commandery — the Qingxu Sword Sect, the Weituo Temple, and the Tiandao Sect —are gathered in this elegant room of the Restaurant? Could it be? Or is it still because of that Spirit Stone Vein from over a year ago?

Throughout the past year, although Zhuge Xiang had been hiding away to diligently practice his Forging, Zhuge Xiang still had some knowledge of the major events happening outside. The matter of the Spirit Stone Vein had not been effectively resolved in the past year, and the conflict between the disciples of the Asura Sect and the three Medium Sect seemed to be escalating.

These two disciples of the Qingxu Sword Sect immediately offended everyone in the Restaurant's main hall with their words. The Restaurant was usually filled with noisy chatter, but these two disciples of the Qingxu Sword Sect had left everyone present angry but unable to speak out.

A Cultivator at the Innate Realm couldn't help but stand up and angrily rebuke the other party, only to be sent flying by a backhand sword strike. Only after the sword was drawn could one sense a slight fluctuation of Qi Energy. This young man and woman, who looked to be no more than thirty years old, actually possessed the cultivation of the Return to Simplicity Realm.

"You country bumpkin, you've never even heard of the prestigious Qingxu Sword Sect, yet you dare to walk around Yanling Commandery?" With a single, effortless sword strike, the man slicing away the troublemaker, then scoffed arrogantly.

"Qingxu Sword Sect, what a prestigious name. Reversal to the Return to Simplicity Realm? Nothing special," Zhang Kuang said coldly, standing up before Zhuge Xiang could even speak. Combat-oriented geniuses love nothing more than fighting, just like Zhuge Xiang in that respect.

"That one could be excused as ignorance, but you're completely stupid. Didn't you see that even Innate Realm isn't a match for me? You haven't even reached the Innate Realm, yet you dare to be the first to stick your neck out?"

Hearing Zhang Kuang words, he initially thought a master had emerged, but upon seeing that Zhang Kuang hadn't even reached the Innate Realm, he became even more disdainful. With a casual wave of his hand, a sharp Sword Qi slashed towards Zhang Kuang.

With the Blood Python Spear in hand, the Spear Intent emerged. Zhang Kuang flicked his wrist, and a Zhang Kuang spear light shot out. The Asura Destruction Spear Art, after more than a year of arduous training, coupled with his current cultivation level, was several times stronger than when he Duel Zhuge Xiang.

To Restaurant's astonishment, Zhang Kuang thrust his spear straight forward, actually shattering the sharp Sword Qi. How could someone with only Void Splitting Realm Tenth Layer cultivation level withstand the Sword Qi of the Return to Simplicity Realm Sword Cultivator?

"Return to Simplicity Realm? The Qingxu Sword Sect is nothing special." After shattering the opponent's Sword Qi with a single spear thrust, Zhang Kuang's face showed disdain. He sneered and, as he spoke, he pushed off with his feet and charged aggressively towards the opponent, completely ignoring the opponent's Return to Simplicity Realm cultivation.

Zhang Kuang's attack, despite being only at the Void Splitting Realm Tenth Layer, dared to challenge Cultivator at the Return to Simplicity Realm. This caused Niu Geng and Zi Xiang's expressions to change slightly, and they wanted to help, but Zhuge Xiang held them back.

Shaking his head, Zhuge Xiang showed no sign of worry. "Don't worry, with Zhang Kuang's strength, there won't be any problem."

Back then, when Zhuge Xiang Duel Zhang Kuang, his cultivation was only at the Meridian Opening Realm Tenth Layer, yet he possessed the strength to threaten Cultivator in the Return to Simplicity Realm. After a year of arduous training, his cultivation reached the Void Splitting Realm Tenth Layer, and he had grasped even more of the essence of the Asura Destruction Spear Art. Looking at this man, his Reversal of the Return to Simplicity Realm cultivation level was not high either, Zhuge Xiang naturally had nothing to worry about.

Zhang Kuang, adhering to his ferocious fighting style, completely abandoned defense in his attacks, each move stronger and more ferocious than the last.

During his initial Duel with Zhuge Xiang, the passive effect of his Blood Python Spear hadn't even fully charged before Zhuge Xiang interrupted it with a Knockback Skill. But now, the passive effect of his Zhang Kuang has unfolded, growing stronger and stronger...

At first, he only used the Asura Destruction Spear Art and did not show the Zhang Kuang of the Asura True Body. With the support of the Spear Intent, he could only fight to a standstill with this Cultivator in the Return to Simplicity Realm. However, as time went by, his Zhang Kuang power grew stronger and stronger, and he completely suppressed this Cultivator in the Return to Simplicity Realm.

The spear moved like a dragon, each ferocious attack forcing the disciple in the Return to Simplicity Realm to parry. Moreover, he couldn't withstand the onslaught. He used his longsword to block the repeated attacks of the Blood Python Spear. Blood was dripping from the corner of the man's mouth, and cracks were beginning to appear on the Dharma Sword in his hand.

The fact that a disciple at the Void Splitting Realm Tenth Layer could suppress Cultivator at the Return to Simplicity Realm without any chance of fighting back left almost everyone in the Restaurant speechless. Even Niu Geng and Zi Xiang stared Zhang Kuang -eyed. They knew Zhang Kuang, but they never expected him to become so fierce after entering the Inner Sect.

"Senior Brother Tu!" The woman over there, seeing this, lost her haughty expression and cried out in alarm, drawing her longsword as she prepared to help.

"Ding ding dong...".

At the same time, several soft zither notes rang out. It was Qin Qing made her move at Zhuge Xiang's behest. She had the complete Treasure Artifact, the Weeping Blood Demonic Zither, in her hand. Although it only had one Qin Strings of the Thousand-Year Blood Python Tendon, the magic Treasure Artifact was enhanced with more than 1,000 attack power, which was not something that this woman in the Return to Simplicity Realm could easily block.

Furthermore, Qin Qing's cultivation level has already reached the First Layer of Innate Realm. In the past year, with Zhuge Xiang's wealth, Qin Qing has never lacked any of the resources she needs for cultivation.

Thump thump thump...

The sound of the Weeping Blood Demonic Zither caused an invisible shock to the female disciple in the Return to Simplicity Realm. She staggered back several steps, leaving deep footprints on the ground. She then stared at Qin Qing in horror, never expecting that someone with the First Layer of Innate Realm could possess such terrifying musical talent.

Niu Geng and Zi Xiang stared at Qin Qing in equal shock. She was Zhuge Xiang's woman, but they hadn't expected her strength to be so terrifying. Both Zhang Kuang and Qin Qing's attacks had given Niu Geng quite a fright, so what about Zhuge Xiang? How strong was his cultivation?

The woman was blocked, while the man over there, under the Zhang Kuang and powerful attack, was already unable to hold on.

"Stop! Let's talk this out!" Just as the man from the Qingxu Sword Sect was about to be killed, a deep voice shouted. Before the words were even finished, the person was already behind Zhang Kuang, and an incredibly powerful palm Zhang Kuang.

"Hmph, hiding in the shadows, finally making your move?" Zhuge Xiang sneered. Suddenly, the stone slab beneath his feet exploded, and Zhuge Xiang flashed, appearing behind Zhang Kuang in an instant. (To be continued...)