44. Chapter 44: It Was All Part of the Plan

Chapter 44: It Was All Part of the Plan

It wasn't just Third Daoist Master He Xunxian of Qingliang Temple who stood there dumbfounded. Beauty anchor Dong Keyan and her camera assistant were equally stunned.

Goddess Yan's hundred-person fan club looked at the glow sticks in their hands, then at the dozens of uniformed sword-wielding police officers armed to the teeth, and immediately hid their glow sticks behind their backs.

The livestream platform erupted.

Now that was what you called professional! Matching black uniforms, webbing belts, steel-reinforced high-top combat boots, walkie-talkies, and great swords on their backs. Every one of the young men looked tough, and they even dared to call themselves "Special Duty." Who said only ordinary people knew how to have fun? The police were pretty good at it, too!

"Taro Pancake: 6666666, Great Swords! City folks sure know how to have fun!"

"Raven23333: We're doomed, we're doomed. This is the prelude to a time warp!"

"Philosophy Chicken Nugget: I'm going to the scene. So handsome! I want photos and autographs."

"Thieving Breeze: I love Goddess Yan. This livestream is just like a blockbuster movie."

"Demon Hunter Nangong: Walking the world with a sword at my side! The police are wielding Great Swords, and now I want one, too!"

"Deluxe Double-Layer Crab Roe Treasure: This livestream is really worth watching. Prepare the rockets—fire!"

Countless rockets shot skyward, unleashing an overwhelming carpet bombardment. Goddess Yan had no idea that money was raining into her streamer account. In just a short while, she'd earned more than she usually made in a month.

As viewers called their friends over, the livestream audience kept growing: 50,000, 70,000, 110,000, 160,000. It soon surged past 200,000 and headed straight for the 300,000 mark.

The livestream platform's staff finally noticed the room's rapidly growing audience and began adding server capacity to Dong Keyan's channel.

The camera assistant aimed the livestream camera at the pair. Li Bai and Dong Keyan stood together, framed by Qingliang Temple's old-fashioned gate. They looked like a young master and a maiden from ancient times, an eye-catching sight. Daoist Master He Xunxian, standing beside them, looked unspeakably sleazy.

First came the Cosplay fans, then the female streamer, then Li Bai himself, also dressed in ancient garb. Right after that came a group of Special Duty police officers carrying "great swords." One unexpected event after another had left Third Daoist Master of Qingliang Temple completely flustered. Pointing at Li Bai, he cried out in alarm, "Li Bai, what is the meaning of this?"

Li Bai glanced at the Special Duty sword police, now lined up and ready. "Relax. We're just keeping the peace and preventing a mass disturbance."

Huxi City had just received a shipment of special police equipment. Since the Public Security Bureau of Nanhu District was handling a major smuggling case, some of the equipment had been allocated to its Special Duty officers first.

After learning of Dong Keyan's plan to rally support at the scene, Li Bai had called Old Zhang at the Nanhu District Public Security Bureau and arranged for a group of police officers to come maintain order.

Since this was a magical duel, there were third-party spectators at the scene, and the police were there to keep the peace. There was no need to worry that the other side would resort to some underhanded, shady trick.

Compared to Third Daoist Master He Xunxian's fury, Li Bai had simply made clever use of the rules to trip up Qingliang Temple.

Besides, the Seventh People's Hospital and the Public Security Bureau worked together. The detention center couldn't hold certain people, so they were all tossed into the harem instead. Once they entered the palace gates... Actually, it was better to just confess and be done with it. Fighting the government was just looking for creative ways to die.

Of course, Goddess Yan had also played a major part by taking the opportunity to ride the wave of attention. Otherwise, Old Zhang would have had a hard time finding an excuse to borrow the Special Duty sword police under the pretext of holding a drill.

The "great swords" on their backs were officially called Low-pressure Synchronous Pulse Riot Control Batons.

Did hearing that make your butt clench involuntarily?

It was easy to knock a burly man flat with two or three blows. The Special Duty unit had just received its new equipment and was itching for a chance to put it to use.

The three Daoist masters of Qingliang Temple all felt their butts clench at once.

He Xunxian's eyes darted around. Pointing at the Three-foot Green Edge Sword in Li Bai's hand as the Special Duty officers began setting up their positions, he shouted, "Officer, that man is carrying a weapon!"

It was a little act of revenge from Third Daoist Master He Xunxian—and a show of force, too.

Li Bai said nothing. He simply handed the sword to the Special Duty team leader who came over to inspect it. When it came to the treachery of the human heart, He Xunxian was trying to teach a master.

The team leader had hurried over after hearing the commotion, unaware that the bureau had sent his team to look after the young man in ancient clothes. He remained impartial, glanced at both men, then drew the sword and examined it. After running a finger along the blade, he handed it back.

"It's sporting equipment. The blade hasn't been sharpened."

Daoist Master He Xunxian, who'd been waiting to see Li Bai make a fool of himself, froze. Just then, Anchor Dong's voice-over cut in: "Third Daoist Master of Qingliang Temple has run out of tricks."

She twisted the knife and stoked the flames, again and again. Qingliang Temple hadn't even settled the score with Great Demon Li, yet Goddess Yan had already cut them down.

"Since you're here, come on in!"

Daoist Master He Xunxian's face turned livid. He tossed out the words and strode through the gate of Qingliang Temple on his own.

Two against one. He had no chance of winning.

Li Bai nodded to Dong Keyan, then followed him into Qingliang Temple.

With the main event finally here, beauty anchor Goddess Yan stopped her lengthy buildup and got down to business, describing the many wonders of Qingliang Temple.

As a professional internet celebrity and streamer, she managed to support her friend without showing her hand. With a rhythm of first downplaying, then building them up, she subtly emphasized Qingliang Temple's strength and the unfathomable skill of Second Daoist Master Li Jin Dan, who was about to duel Li Bai.

When Dong Keyan began "praising" Qingliang Temple, the three Daoist masters, unable to see through her ploy, grew rather pleased with themselves. They set aside their urge to chase her away, thinking this was excellent publicity. They never imagined they might end up as the biggest joke of all.

If Li Bai won the duel, the Qingliang Temple she'd praised to the heavens would be left in ruins. If Li Bai lost, they could simply say his opponent was powerful, and even in defeat they wouldn't look too bad.

When Li Bai arrived at the open plaza in front of the Three Pure Ones Hall, Second Daoist Master Li Jin Dan of Qingliang Temple—the "Old Man of Southern Mountain" who had challenged him to a duel on the "17th Floor" forum—was already dressed for battle. He wore a purple Daoist robe, with a large Eight Trigrams embroidered on the back and fine runes stitched across the front. At least to Li Bai, those scribbles were completely meaningless. They didn't even resemble proper spell runes.

"Out, demon! Today, I'll subdue you! Disciples, form the array!"

Holding a three-foot Thunderstruck Peach Wood Sword, Li Jin Dan stepped through the Big Dipper formation, moving as swiftly as the wind as he rushed into the plaza.

Five Emperors Coins were strung along the sword tassel. Every item he wore, from head to toe, had some story behind it.

"Doh!"

Eighteen neatly dressed Daoists poured in from all directions. Each carried a peach wood sword. With a unified shout, they surrounded Great Demon Li and arranged themselves into the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Limitless Demon Subduing Array.

"This array is called the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Limitless Demon Subduing Array. It's formed by eighteen cultivators well versed in the Daoist arts. Each wooden sword is made from century-old peach wood from the sunny side of a mountain. The peach wood sword in Daoist Master Li Jin Dan's hands is made from a three-hundred-year-old tree struck by lightning. It is supremely yang and unyielding, and it took eighty-one days of ritual refinement to complete. It can subdue demons and repel evil spirits."

The temple's head, Great Daoist Master Zhao Wendao, seized the chance to step in front of Dong Keyan's livestream camera.

An old hand was still an old hand. He was much steadier than Third Daoist Master He Xunxian and knew how to take advantage of the moment to build up his master. After all, he wouldn't have been able to run Qingliang Temple as successfully as he had without knowing how.

With his impressive appearance and clear, measured narration of the spectacle Second Daoist Master Li Jin Dan had put on, the Great Daoist Master managed to draw in quite a few viewers.

In room 1901, the Qingyao Demoness had coiled up her serpent body in front of her laptop, watching Goddess Yan's livestream. The sudden spectacle put on by Qingliang Temple's Second Daoist Master made her jump.

Good heavens! This servant was scared! She hurriedly ordered ten takeout meals on her phone, figuring a feast would calm her nerves.

"Zhao Wendao, I heard your original name was Zhao Wen, and that you used to teach elementary school craft classes. Is that true?"

Dong Keyan wasn't cowed by Zhao Wendao. She seized the initiative back and took a jab at the Great Daoist Master, who had white hair but a youthful face and resembled an immortal elder.

With a woman's keen eye, she had noticed a little black at his roots. His hair wasn't completely white after all.

Had that head of white hair been dyed?

"The great hermit hides in the city; even the mortal world is a place for cultivation!"

The Great Daoist Master flicked his horsetail whisk and gave a cryptic answer that had nothing to do with the question, putting on quite a show.

"Swiftly, swiftly, by the decree! Five Thunders Orthodox Method!"

Second Daoist Master Li Jin Dan struck a few impressive-looking poses, then abruptly slapped a yellow talisman forward.

The paper, covered in bright-red runes, had barely flown two feet before a golden flame inexplicably burst from it and reduced it to ash in the blink of an eye.

A thunderous boom erupted out of nowhere within Qingliang Temple. Above the plaza enclosed by the Three Pure Ones Hall and the adjacent side halls, bolts of lightning flashed, and a pair of Yin Yang Fish appeared and disappeared from sight.