"Celebration"

"Brother Li?!" Huang Si exclaimed in surprise. Then, he jumped off his horse in delight and walked forward, saying, "Brother Li, you're back?!"

He didn't even bother with the injured attendant, nor did he care about the bride behind him. He rushed forward, his face beaming with joy, even more so than when he was getting married.

"Brother Li, did you tell Uncle Liu when you came back? Do the other brothers know? Or did you just arrive at the mountain gate?" He stepped forward and put his hands on Li Qi's shoulders, showing no sign of unfamiliarity.

This brought Li Qi some comfort.

After all, they are brothers who have risked their lives together. Back in the Wave-Pushing Gang, the gang was everyone's home. They lived and died together, fighting for a single meal. They were all sworn brothers who could entrust their lives to each other. It seems that this bond has not faded.

"Huang Si, I just arrived. Are you... getting married?" Li Qi's expression relaxed, he smiled, and patted the other person on the shoulder.

"Yes, it's a double celebration! Today is my wedding day, and you've come to my wedding feast. Come on, let's go up the mountain! Let me show you our new home. You're not leaving now, are you? From now on, we brothers will be respectable people, living the high life, all thanks to you for bringing us this new Cultivation Method!" Huang Si said with a smile, then stopped riding his horse and pulled Li Qi to the mountain gate.

Then he gestured behind him. "Men, let's go! We're not riding horses anymore, Brother Li and I will go up the mountain!"

Li Qi, however, used his hand on his shoulder to freeze him in place.

Huang Si looked at Li Qi with suspicion.

Li Qi said, "Marriage is a major event. If one does not know how to choose a wife, one will either be misled by the matchmaker or be bound by social status. How can one know the beauty or ugliness of other women? If one hastily enters into a marriage and marries an ordinary woman, one will not be able to back out. How can one manage such a life-long matter? If you want to get married, you should at least introduce me to your brother which family the girl is from."

Upon hearing this, Huang Si slapped his forehead. "Ha, Brother Li is so thoughtful, just like always. But you've misunderstood this time. Marriage isn't a lifelong commitment anymore. This is my sixth wife! Don't worry, come upstairs with me for the drinks!"

Li Qi was taken aback.

He's only been gone a short time, yet he's already married six wives, one every six months?

Besides, he left the Carp Flowing Intent to the Wave-Pushing Gang. Although the Wave-Pushing Gang's previous Wave-Pushing Strength was a fragment of the Carp Flowing Intent, meaning they all had a foundation in the Carp Flowing Intent, their subsequent cultivation should be smoother, but it would still take several years to transition.

It takes several years to cultivate oneself and then build a career. It's already impressive that one can establish a firm foothold in a few years. Where would one find the time to marry so many wives?

"Six? I'll be gone in a few years. Why are you marrying so many wives?" Li Qi asked, glancing at the bridal sedan chair behind him.

"A man, once he becomes rich, should naturally marry many wives and have many children. Otherwise, what's the point of working so hard outside? Alright, let's not stand here anymore. Let's go upstairs and talk while we drink." Huang Si said with a relaxed expression.

"Wait for me a moment." Li Qi shook his head, pulled Huang Si away from his hand, and walked straight to the bride's sedan chair, lifting the curtain of the sedan chair.

This action enraged the surrounding attendants.

The groom hasn't even lifted the veil yet, what is this person doing?! Even if he is Master Huang Si's brother, this behavior is too shameless and shows no respect for others.

If this gets out, it will be considered a rumor that someone has been cuckolded, and it will take bloodshed to clear that name.

"Stop!"

"Stop!"

"Presumptuous!"

Several people spoke up at the same time, and some even lunged forward to try to stop Li Qi.

But at that moment, Huang Si rushed out on his own.

The target, however, was not Li Qi, but rather the other disciples and followers who had made the move.

Huang Si's kung fu was exceptional. Although he had not yet reached the rank of master, he was one of the best practitioners of the Wave-Pushing Gang Wave-Pushing Strength Gang in terms of Pai Bo Jin. He had a solid foundation, so his cultivation of Carp Flowing Intent rapidly and smoothly. It was as if he could transfer the efforts of the past ten years or so to a stronger Cultivation Method with little loss.

Therefore, after he made his move, it made a series of crackling sounds in the air! He was not like a carp but more like a slender snake in the water, moving unpredictably from all angles, darting left and right in the air. In just one move, his followers and disciples who were about to make their move fell to the ground, groaning in pain.

"Master Si, you...!" Someone wailed on the ground, looking at Huang Si in confusion.

We were all so loyal, so how come we were beaten by our own leader?

Huang Si, hands on his hips, shouted to those around him, "Insolence? Who are you talking about?! That's my older brother! I'd give him my life, let alone my wife! Anyone who dares to lay a hand on him, don't blame me for turning my back on you!"

Upon hearing this, the surrounding crowd was filled with astonishment and fear, all turning to look at Li Qi.

Who is this person? Why have I never heard of them before?

It should be noted that the Paibo Sect has risen to prominence in the past two years and has already established a foothold in Lizhou City. With its powerful Cultivation Method, daring and fearless spirit, and several experts who have already reached the Innate Realm, it has replaced the former Boshan Sect and has become a force to be reckoned with.

Although their Cultivation Method are unknown, they can instantly unleash double the power with few side effects, and even allow them to hold their breath underwater. These abilities give them a significant advantage over opponents of the same level.

After all, the Carp Flowing Intent is actually Cultivation Method from Mount Luofu. Even if it's just something Mount Luofu uses to prop up table legs, it's still far superior to ordinary martial arts techniques.

Huang Si is a backbone of the Paibo Sect, and one of the strongest. He is very likely to break through to the Innate Realm within ten years and become Xiantian martial artist, which is why he has so many disciples and vassals.

Now, a stranger who appeared out of nowhere is being called "Big Brother" by Huang Si, who even boasts, "I'll give you my life, not just my wife."

What kind of relationship is this? And who is this person? Could he be another innate expert?!

Looking at the horse beside him, that horse was already very strong; it must have been tamed by a master of innate strength.

The crowd looked at Li Qi with a mixture of fear and awe, speculating about his origins.

But Li Qi didn't care about any of that. After lifting the curtain, he didn't go in, but squatted on the carriage frame. "Girl, I won't ask your name or lift your veil. Just tell me honestly what this marriage is all about."

Before Li Qi could finish speaking, the girl suddenly broke down and began to sob.

Seeing this, Li Qi cast a calming spell, then combined water vapor, winter vapor, Yin Qi, and the Primordial Spirit to create a stream of calming and tranquil energy, which he then injected into her head.

The girl felt a cool sensation fill her heart, and all her sorrow and fear were suppressed by the icy feeling. Her mind became clear, free from distractions and troubles.

Li Qi asked again, "What's the story behind this marriage?"

"Reporting to Your Excellency, my daughter's name is Zhang Quanlie. She is the legitimate daughter of the wealthy Zhang Family Village. Recently, Zhang Family Village has been included in the territory of the Paibo Sect. If we want to avoid being attacked by mountain bandits and wild beasts, we must pay the annual tribute to the Boshan Sect as before... However, the Boshan Sect's methods require abstinence, so we have never done this before..."

"The Paibo Sect is different; most of its members are bachelors, and its Cultivation Method don't require abstinence... Therefore, in recent years, women from villages and settlements within a hundred miles have been marrying into the Boshan Sect..."

With the help of the Heart-Cleansing Mantra and Li Qi's Primordial Spirit energy, the girl named Zhang Quanlie quickly sorted out the situation and clearly and methodically recounted what the Paibo Sect had been doing over the years.

The narration lasted for about ten minutes.

Li Qi, connecting various clues and adding his own thoughts, simulated the development trajectory of the Wave-Pushing Gang in his mind over the past few years and came up with a pattern.

It turns out that the Boshan Sect, whose elder was killed by Li Qi, has now been wiped out.

Those who took action were the Wave-Pushing Gang.

After obtaining the Carp Flowing Intent, the Wave-Pushing Gang was greatly encouraged. Everyone practiced diligently every day, using the water vapor of the Li River and the foundation of their previous Wave-Pushing Strength. As a result, their cultivation progressed by leaps and bounds. It took two years for everyone to work hard together and put all the resources of the entire gang on one person. Finally, someone broke through to the ninth rank.

This refers to what is known as Xiantian martial artist.

A ninth-rank official is enough to establish oneself in Lizhou City. The Prefect of Li Prefecture is only a seventh-rank official. Consider how big Li Prefecture is, there is only one seventh-rank official among them.

Lizhou City, after all, just a city. The strongest person there is probably only around the eighth rank. A ninth rank person is already considered an outstanding individual and is capable of leading a force.

Their first target was the Boshan Sect, which had lost a ninth-rank elder.

Clearly, the final result was the complete defeat of the Boshan Sect. As Cultivation Method qualified to be included in Mount Luofu, the Carp Flowing Intent was far more powerful than the Boshan Sect's Cultivation Method, and therefore had greater combat strength.

However, after successfully taking over the Boshan Sect's territory, in just one or two years, the Wave-Pushing Gang became the Paibo Sect. They had already completely learned the old Boshan Sect's style, and even intensified it.

After listening to the story, Li Qi said, "Miss, do you still want to go through with this marriage? If not, just say so. No one will hold you accountable, and no one will investigate what happened today."

"My lord... I was indeed forced into this, but I don't dare to believe your promise..." the girl replied calmly.

With the blessing of her Primordial Spirit, her mind became clear, and she became bolder. Normally, she would never dare to say such things.

Even just saying it startled her family members standing nearby.

"Even if I am Huang Si's elder brother, you still don't believe me?" Li Qi said again.

"You can't stay here to protect us forever. When you leave... how will we protect ourselves?" the girl asked, looking up.

"After saying those words, you can no longer protect yourself and have no choice but to trust me," Li Qi said.

The girl was stunned.

The calming mantra and the Primordial Spirit gave her composure, but did not improve her intelligence.

She was silent for a moment, then nodded. "Then I... believe you."

"Then leave it to me." Li Qi stood up, jumped off the carriage, and walked to Huang Si.

"Brother Li..." Huang Si frowned. He could tell that Brother Li was very angry.

"You forcibly took a woman from the people," Li Qi said to him, not as a question, but as a statement, though his tone was calm and unwavering.

"What's wrong with that? Isn't this how it's always been done?" Huang Si asked, puzzled.

He had previously thought that Li Qi had taken a fancy to the woman, so it wouldn't hurt for him to give her to his elder brother. They were all brothers, their lives were tied together, so what was a woman to them?

If the three of them were trapped in a valley with no food, he would definitely stab the woman to death first, then the two of them would eat her, and then he would think of a way to escape.

"Before? When have we ever done something like this before?" Li Qi frowned.

"Isn't it because there was no chance? But Brother Li, look at the past. Shan Dazhuang has robbed it before, hasn't he? Master Bai has robbed it before, hasn't he? Not to mention the Boshan Sect directly occupied the painted boat before. Even now, do you see the Thousand Mechanisms Sect doing this kind of thing? Everyone does it, what's wrong with that?" Huang Si spread his hands, looking at Li Qi in confusion.

A series of rhetorical questions left Li Qi speechless.

Yes, they're everywhere.

In the land of Baiyue, Human Path laws and justice no longer exist, Shaman are nowhere to be found. What remains is only the so-called 'humanity' that grows wildly.

It's not their fault; it's the land of the Great Deer Kingdom that has turned them into this. In this place where the Great Way doesn't exist, what can a group of boatmen become besides drifting along with the tide? Can we expect them to have an epiphany on their own?

That's impossible.

"Alright, let the bridal sedan chair and these people disperse. Let's pretend today's events never happened. You and the others who joined the sect, come with me. We'll go see Uncle Liu first." Li Qi sighed and waved his hand.

Seeing this, Huang Si didn't say anything more. He waved his hand to tell the bridal sedan chair and wedding procession to go back, while he tore off the big red flower from his chest and threw the bridegroom's red robe aside.

"Although I don't know what you're worried about, Brother Li, you've always been the smartest in the gang, so you must have a reason. I'll listen to you. By the way, Brother Li, what's your cultivation level? Your 'Wave-Pushing Strength' was quite impressive back then, so it must be very powerful now, right?" Huang Si's tone was completely unconcerned. He took off his clothes and moved closer to Li Qi, chatting with him with a grin.

"I... am at the Innate level, and I'm a little stronger than the average Innate level." Li Qi opened his mouth, but in the end decided to describe his cultivation level in a language that Huang Si could understand.

They may have heard some hints about the Ninth Rank Classification Method, but they clearly didn't take it to heart. To them, the Xiantian martial artist was the pinnacle of cultivation.

"Haha! I knew it! Now the gang has another Xiantian! This means we can expand again. This means we can even go into the city now, instead of having to obey the orders of those big gangs outside the city!" Huang Si was overjoyed upon hearing this and patted Li Qi hard, praising him incessantly.

Ignoring everyone else, the two went straight up the mountain from the gate. With Huang Si leading the way, no one dared to stop them.

As they got closer to the mountain gate, many of the older members of the Wave-Pushing Gang saw Li Qi.

In an instant, the entire mountain gate rejoiced, and everyone knew.

'Brother Li' is back.