Marriage Alliance

Li Weiyi decided to ask Zuoqiu Hongting for the Longevity Pill and the Thousand-Year Elixir, and also to confront her directly to avoid any misunderstandings from the old folks of the Zuoqiu Courtyard and unnecessary trouble.

It's definitely not something you should play with fire when it comes to matters of the heart.

Upon arriving at Zuoqiu Hongting's cultivation cave, they knocked on the Stone Gate, but received no response.

Just as Li Weiyi was about to leave, he saw several figures walking towards him.

There are five people in total.

Zuoqiu Hongting had transformed into Li Weiyi's appearance, and Jiang Ning walked at the front.

Jiang Ning was with Zhuang Yue.

Behind the three men were two identical middle-aged men, exuding an extremely yin aura. They wore blue official robes, were tall and thin, and had focused, inward-looking eyes.

The two fields of energy released from the two individuals enveloped the five people, forming a purple-blue mist.

From afar, one could hear Zuoqiu Ting laughing in Li Weiyi's tone, "Lord Jiang, you don't know, after Shi Shishi, Qi Xiao, and I learned the news, we immediately went to Evergreen Temple to catch them in the act, only to find nothing there."

"In the Daoist temple, neither of them were there; there was only a bed."

"What a huge bed!"

Li Weiyi coughed twice, looking at Zuoqiu Ting, who had already walked several feet away and was still gossiping with Jiang Ning. He had already decided to let her go, but suddenly, he changed his mind.

"Brother Zuoqiu, isn't it inappropriate to speak ill of others behind their backs?"

Zuoqiu Ting seemed to only then notice Li Weiyi's appearance, and laughed, "Brother Weiyi, we were just talking about going to find you. Just now, Fairy Yu asked about you, and the conversation turned to Evergreen Temple. I'm not talking nonsense. Do you dare say that there's no trace of you and Yang Qingxi on that bed in Evergreen Temple?"

Jiang Ning wore a half-concealed veil, a pink and white ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), a shawl wrapped around her arms, a hairpin with a swaying ornament, and a Phoenix flower decoration on her forehead. She looked like a fairy princess, gentle and beautiful, completely devoid of her former heroic and aloof demeanor.

Zhuang Yue glared coldly at Li Weiyi.

Li Weiyi never expected Zuoqiu Ting be so treacherous, telling Jiang Ning everything. So she used a mutually destructive tactic. "In Qin Garden, didn't we share a bed? What does that prove?"

"Is this really true?"

Jiang Ning looked at Zuoqiu Ting.

Zuoqiu Ting feigned composure and said with a smile, "Absolutely right, absolutely right, it really proves nothing! Look at my mouth, knowing that you two have a close relationship... I shouldn't have mentioned the Evergreen Temple matter. You two talk, I'll excuse myself..."

"There's nothing to avoid."

Jiang Ning spoke calmly, looking at Li Weiyi: "My relationship with that Li guy is at most just a casual acquaintance, not as far-fetched as the rumors make it out to be. The reason the Seven Mysterious Insects obey me is simply because I subdued them for a period of time in Immortal Burial Town."

"Li Weiyi, I'm here to retrieve the Startled Feather Sword. Name your price!"

Li Weiyi knew that he couldn't speak properly in this situation, so he coldly said, "Three Thousand-Year Elixir."

"Give it to him," Jiang Ning said.

It turned out they had been prepared for this all along.

One of the two eunuchs following behind took out a long, rectangular jade box, walked over with an imposing aura, and placed it in Li Weiyi's hand. "This two-thousand-year-old Seven-Star Silver Fire Begonia is more than enough to replace three Thousand-Year Elixir."

Li Weiyi took the Startled Feather Sword from the bag and, without any politeness, shoved it back into the eunuch's hand.

His own Dao Seed Realm Realm-level mental field pressed down, but it had no effect whatsoever. The eunuch gripped the Startled Feather Sword firmly, and in a shrill voice, sneered, "As expected of a hidden dragon of this era, you do indeed have some skill."

After retrieving the Startled Feather Sword, Jiang Ning said, "Although you saved me that Lantern Festival, the moment you shouted the 'traitor' slogan, we became sworn enemies. Li, you'd better watch yourself. Let's go!"

Li Weiyi, rushing towards the backs of the four, replied in a normal tone, "Fairy Yu is being too presumptuous! That night, when the evil cult's black-armored cavalry charged, I was trying to save Miss Qingxi, not you."

On the way down the mountain, Jiang Ning, who was walking at the front, knew that Li Weiyi was deliberately saying it for the two eunuchs and the people from Zuoqiu Courtyard to hear, but she was still very angry. Her heart ached terribly, and her fists clenched tightly in her sleeves.

Zhuang Yue had already drawn her sword, but Jiang Ning pressed it back down.

After the four people walked away...

"Splash!"

Zuoqiu Ting unfolded his folding fan, stood on tiptoe, and looked down the mountain with schadenfreude. "Why do I feel like there's something strange about you two? Jiang Ning's outfit today is quite unusual. Surely he's not here to see me, is he? Yang Qingxi's days in the Imperial Court are probably going to be tough!"

Li Weiyi said unhappily, "Why did you transform into my appearance?"

"I heard that Jiang Ning came to Peach Plum Mountain and specifically asked to see you. Seeing that you didn't seem to have time, I went in your place! To be honest, Fairy Yu's beauty is indeed unparalleled, and her attire and appearance today are especially stunning."

Zuoqiu Ting observed Li Weiyi's gaze.

"Let's go into the cave first. I have something to discuss with you. It's important!" Li Weiyi said.

Seeing that Li Weiyi's eyes were reserved and unreadable, Zuoqiu Ting was somewhat disappointed. He opened the array on the Stone Gate of the cave and led him inside.

After entering the Stone Gate, Li Weiyi closed the door behind him.

Activate the formation.

"Whoosh!"

Zuoqiu Ting lit the Magic Tool Bone Lantern, his eyes sharpening. "What are you doing?"

"It's better to activate the formation, lest those old fogies from your Zuoqiu Courtyard overhear our conversation again." Li Weiyi then recounted what Hidden Lord had said earlier, pouring out his grievances.

He sighed, "How shameful! I'm not married, she's not married, is it wrong to like someone?"

Zuoqiu Ting's secluded cave was quite spacious, complete with an outer hall, an inner hall, a martial arts training room, tables and chairs, and a cold jade bed. Deep inside the inner hall, a spiritual spring of magical energy flowed through, making the entire cave misty and radiant.

"Li Weiyi, is it Jiang Ning or Zuoqiu Hong in your heart? Or perhaps, should we also add Yang Qingxi?" Zuoqiu Ting and sat down on the stone chair, poured him a cup of spring water and handed it to him.

Li Weiyi had never thought about this question before, but since he was there to get revenge on her, he blurted out, "Jiang Ning, Yang Qingxi, and I are all completely innocent. But you, you're not a true brother at all. Do you really think your sister will never get married? It's better for me to be your brother-in-law than for someone else to benefit from it in the future, isn't it?"

"Stop daydreaming!" Zuoqiu Ting rolled her eyes.

"Alright, alright, alright, since that's the case, let's settle the accounts first."

Li Weiyi took out a piece of paper and threw it on the table.

Zuoqiu Ting picked it up, opened it, and repeatedly checked, "Do I really owe you this much?"

Li Weiyi held the glass cup and took a sip of spring water. "A single Dao Lotus was a bet you lost, a bet that I wouldn't get the invitation. Ten Thousand-Year Elixir cost the price of ten catties of Immortal Soil."

"What about the Longevity Pill, the Dragon Seed, and the two Dragon Bones?" Zuoqiu Ting.

Li Weiyi said, "In that final battle, if I hadn't arrived in time, would your Zuoqiu Courtyard have won? The price I offered was really fair; it was only enough for my own cultivation. The Seven Little Ones deserved the most credit, and I didn't even ask them for dragon seeds and dragon bones."

Zuoqiu Ting, stood up, and paced back and forth in deep thought.

Suddenly.

Sensing danger, she was about to release her magical energy.

"Bang!"

Li Weiyi gently patted her back, then removed his hand, Immobilization Talisman on her. The runes shimmered and glowed, with bright streaks of light flowing out.

Not only did it immobilize her body, but it also severely suppressed the magical energy within her.

Li Weiyi slowly walked up to her and smiled, "It seems that Brother Zuoqiu truly considers me a brother he can entrust his back to. If you had been even slightly on guard, I would not have been able to succeed."

Zuoqiu Ting quickly calmed down from her initial panic. "So this Immobilization Talisman was meant for me. What are you trying to do?"

She possessed a high level of cultivation and had the ability to speak, so she was not completely immobilized.

Li Weiyi picked her up and laid her flat on the cold jade bed not far away.

"I will settle all the accounts on the list within three days."

Zuoqiu Ting very insecure and said coldly, "This isn't fun. Quickly take off the Immobilization Talisman."

"Now you know being immobilized isn't fun? How did you play it back then?" Li Weiyi said.

Zuoqiu Ting said, "Alright, it was my fault. How about this, if you really want to see my sister, I can make arrangements."

Li Weiyi's thoughts were simple; he just wanted to force her to admit that she was Zuoqiu Hongting. So he pushed her to the inside and sat her on the bed. He said, "I treated you like a brother, but you stabbed me in the back."

Li Weiyi mimicked her previous tone. "After Shi Shishi, Qi Xiao, and I learned the news, we immediately went to Evergreen Temple to catch them in the act... It really was a huge bed!"

"Are you sure it's okay for you to ruin my reputation like this? Answer me!"

Zuoqiu Ting quickly said, "Brother Weiyi cares so much about his reputation with Jiang Ning, and you still say you have nothing to hide?"

Li Weiyi fell into deep thought.

Hasn't he asked himself this question too?

His concern for Jiang Ning certainly went beyond that of ordinary friends.

When he saw the Startled Feather Sword in Qi Jin's hand, he was genuinely flustered, which then gave rise to unprecedented anger and worry.

After a long pause, Li Weiyi sighed, "That's Fairy Yu, hailed as the most beautiful woman of the younger generation. If I said I had absolutely no feelings for her, wouldn't you think that would be hypocritical?"

Zuoqiu Ting a soft hum.

Li Weiyi looked at her. "What are you humming about? Don't you have any feelings for her at all? Are you even a man?"

Zuoqiu Ting said, "I snort at some people who claim to like my sister, but they're flirting with Fairy Yu. Li Weiyi, you don't understand Jiang Ning at all. She's extremely calculating. I've known her for a long time, but I've never been able to see through her."

"Look at you, what's wrong with you? Why do you always like to talk badly about people behind their backs?" Li Weiyi said.

Zuoqiu Ting said, "Believe it or not! Quickly remove the Immobilization Talisman from my body, and I'll agree to any other conditions. You don't actually think I can't break free of the Immobilization Talisman, do you? I just don't want to hurt you!"

Li Weiyi completely ignored her and lay down. "Let's sleep together tonight. I still have a lot to talk to you about. Are you going to take off your clothes before you sleep?"

"I won't sleep; I still need to heal and cultivate."

Zuoqiu Ting's heart rate noticeably increased, his speech quickened, and his eyes were filled with worry as he secretly considered whether to tell Li Weiyi the truth.

"No rush, let me help you take off your coat!"

Li Weiyi began to undress her.

Zuoqiu Ting a deep breath, his whole body tensed, his heart pounding like a drum. He felt he could no longer hide it and was about to speak up and tell the truth.

"Boom!"

The Stone Gate and array of the cave were shattered by a single palm strike.

The sound of wind breaking rang out.

Led by Zuoqiu Ling, a large group of elders from the Zuoqiu Courtyard rushed in at top speed.

Zuoqiu Ling's burly body trembled with rage as he gritted his teeth and roared, "What are you two doing? Get out! All of you get out! No one is allowed to tell anyone about what happened today, or you'll face the family rules!"

Li Weiyi was still holding Zuoqiu Ting's belt in his hand, truly stunned by this sudden turn of events. A thought immediately flashed through his mind, "It's over!"

Judging from the Zuoqiu Courtyard, Li Weiyi knew that they couldn't have just stormed in; they were well-prepared.

Li Weiyi jumped out of bed immediately, about to explain.

Zuoqiu Ling a stern face, suddenly swung his arm, unleashing a surge of magical energy that shattered the Immobilization Talisman on Zuoqiu Ting's back and dispelled her Disguise Art, revealing her stunningly beautiful, aloof appearance.

Zuoqiu Ling coldly rebuked, each word dripping with blood. "The foremost successor of the prestigious Zuoqiu Courtyard, a future rising star, if word gets out of here today, it will not only ruin your reputation, but also the entire Zuoqiu Courtyard's family traditions. The Du'e Temple may also face further complications because of this. You two, get yourselves ready; I'll be waiting for you in the council hall."

Without giving Li Weiyi a chance to play dumb, Zuoqiu Ling glared at him and turned to leave.

Li Weiyi and Zuoqiu Hongting arrived at the council hall, where Hidden Lord was already seated.

Zuoqiu Ling's face remained ashen. "The impact is too egregious, the consequences too severe. Du'e Temple takes Qianlong's character very seriously. Too many people witnessed this today; we can't hide it anymore. There's only one way left!"

He looked at the Hidden Lord.

Hidden Lord stood up and said, "I want to talk to him alone."

After the two were alone together, Li Weiyi spoke first, "It can only be an arranged marriage, right?"

Hidden Lord nodded and sighed, "To them, no matter who the Du'e Temple chooses as the Hidden Dragon, the Hidden Dragon must be a member of the Zuoqiu Courtyard. Even without today's events, your engagement to Zuoqiu Hongting was definitely something they had discussed repeatedly. It's just that you happened to give them the opportunity to cause trouble!"

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