Old Affairs

Although Liu Zhijian still did not know the full story behind the affair, he had understood that Deng Gang was clearly the key to the entire scheme.

No wonder an inner disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect had appeared at the flood dragon's cave abode.

He had been there to ensure that the flood dragon blood reached Deng Gang without mishap, so it could "strengthen his blood."

As for why he had ultimately stood by and watched Liu Zhijian take away the flood dragon's Essence Blood and Deng Gang, he had probably learned that Liu Zhijian was a disciple of Supreme Mystery Mountain and mistakenly assumed that he, too, knew the inside story and had come to personally ensure that nothing went wrong.

Later, Deng Gang had risen up on Wild Goose Pond Mountain, and in less than a year, he had swept through the land with unstoppable momentum.

The Huang Kingdom's imperial court had been unable to withstand a single blow.

Although Liu Zhijian had found it remarkably smooth, he had only assumed that this world of immortal cultivation could not be compared to Earth's history.

Now, it seemed that with Supreme Mystery Mountain, the Azure Cloud Sect, and Rosy Clouds Resting Mountain joining forces to support her, even Jiang Xiaoyu would surely have succeeded had she risen in rebellion!

All those scenes of enemies surrendering at the first sign of him and heroes bowing their heads in allegiance had merely been a means of "building his momentum."

As for finally following the precedent set by Fubo, the Foundation Establishment great demon, that was even simpler.

It was just cosplay.

The only difference was that cosplay on Earth was all for show, while cosplay in the cultivation world might truly have the wondrous power to borrow fate.

Amid his shock, Liu Zhijian also felt somewhat worried.

There were only four people on Supreme Mystery Mountain, even counting Jiang Xiaoyu. Where was this sword immortal supposed to come from?!

But now, Xue Yang of Rosy Clouds Resting Mountain had joined forces with the Azure Cloud Sect and Little Dragon Mountain to visit Supreme Mystery Mountain, clearly intending to force it to act.

Liu Zhijian was not an adolescent who valued friendship above all else. He could still tell who was closer to him. Although he did not want to see his old friend Deng Gang played with in the palm of someone's hand, he was even less willing to see his sect and master fall into a crisis because of it.

For a moment, everyone in the General Affairs Hall looked toward Li Chengxuan.

Li Chengxuan naturally saw the situation clearly.

Xue Yang had come with such a show of force precisely because he would not allow him to refuse.

At the very least, Supreme Mystery Mountain had to reveal something of its foundations.

"Senior Xue is the Immortal Alliance's pillar of stability, and he has looked after Supreme Mystery Mountain on many occasions." After a moment's thought, Li Chengxuan slowly said, "Since this concerns your Dao Path, senior, Supreme Mystery Mountain naturally cannot stand by and do nothing."

"With those words from you, Fellow Daoist Li, I can rest easy." Xue Yang breathed a sigh of relief and urged him with a smile, "There is no time to lose. Why not entrust your sect to your disciples and come down the mountain with us at once, Fellow Daoist Li?"

"There's no need." Li Chengxuan's expression remained unchanged as he shook his head. "I will send my eldest disciple down the mountain to handle this matter."

Liu Zhijian's heart jolted.

Wasn't this beginner sect mission a little too difficult?

Besides, all he knew how to do was fish. How could he possibly have any sword immortal techniques?!

Xue Yang frowned at his words. He glanced at Liu Zhijian, then shook his head and firmly rejected the proposal. "This matter is of great importance. Only if you come down the mountain in person, Fellow Daoist Li, can we ensure that nothing goes wrong."

Li Chengxuan's expression turned grave. He said slowly, "If Deacon Xue thinks that won't do, then please find someone else more capable. Supreme Mystery Mountain will take no further part in this matter."

Xue Yang's expression changed drastically. He rose to his feet and spoke in harsh, vehement tones, with anguish in his heart. "Fellow Daoist Li, you had better think this through. At present, the great sects and immortal kingdoms of the Central Continent are only probing us. If they launch a full-scale invasion... when the nest is overturned, how can any eggs remain intact?! At such a critical moment, if the Immortal Alliance loses its pillar of stability, the Southern Edge Continent will be on the brink of destruction! Fellow Daoist, you must not quibble over trifles. You would not only harm the Southern Reach as a whole, but also bury the foundations of Supreme Mystery Mountain."

Qiao Yunbai of the Azure Cloud Sect lowered his head and said nothing.

After all, the Azure Cloud Sect was the "probe" Xue Yang had spoken of.

Dong Linyuan of Little Dragon Mountain looked from side to side, wanting to speak but stopping himself.

"I stand corrected. I did indeed underestimate the significance of this scheme." Li Chengxuan's expression remained unchanged. After listening to Xue Yang, he first apologized, then earnestly suggested, "In that case, why not ask Senior Xue to issue an order personally and convene an Immortal Alliance assembly? When the time comes, all the members of the Immortal Alliance can work together, each attending to their own duties. Only then can we truly ensure that nothing goes wrong."

Weren't you pinning the blame on Supreme Mystery Mountain, saying we weren't taking it seriously enough and were harming the bigger picture?!

As I see it, Xue Yang, you're the one whose vision is too narrow, who isn't taking your own ancestor's Dao Path seriously!

How could a little group of three or five people handle this more reliably than the combined efforts of the Immortal Alliance?!

"You..." Xue Yang's expression froze. He wanted to rebuke him and argue back, but he did not know how to begin.

How could something like refining a Human Pill be brought out into the open?!

As the power in charge of the Immortal Alliance, Rosy Clouds Resting Mountain still had its reputation to consider.

Qiao Yunbai of the Azure Cloud Sect watched coldly, laughing to himself. This so-called Southern Verge Immortal Alliance was not only unclean, but also a heap of loose sand.

Dong Linyuan of Little Dragon Mountain saw how unyielding Li Chengxuan was and how Xue Yang had been left speechless. The two seemed to be on the verge of falling out, and he knew he could remain silent no longer. He hurriedly stood and urged them, "There's no need for the two of you to quarrel, fellow Daoists, lest you damage the harmony between you. Why not each take a step back? You're both doing this for the Immortal Alliance, and you both mean well."

Li Chengxuan glanced at Dong Linyuan and gave a soft chuckle, but said nothing.

"Please forgive me, Fellow Daoist Li." Xue Yang took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and forced a smile as he explained, "I only meant well. Your disciple has only just entered the Dao through Qi Ingestion and should focus on stabilizing his realm. I was worried this might delay his cultivation."

Li Chengxuan, however, did not take the offered way out. He asked curiously, "Why aren't you worried about delaying my cultivation, Fellow Daoist Xue?"

Xue Yang was taken aback. You're a lowly cultivator who entered the Dao by ingesting Mortal World Turbid Qi. You don't need to cultivate in the first place. It's not as though you have any Dao Path to speak of anymore.

But one did not strike a person in the face or expose a person's shortcomings when hurling insults.

Xue Yang knew that if he really spoke his mind, he and Li Chengxuan would fall out completely, leaving no room to mend things. After a moment's silence, he bowed his head and apologized. "I misspoke. Please forgive me, Sect Master Li."

Li Chengxuan did not press his advantage mercilessly either. He raised his teacup and said, "Seven days from now, I will send my disciple down the mountain to keep watch on the bank of the White Dragon River outside Danzhou City, for a period of one month."

"If any demons or devils attack within that month, they will be slain."

"I have said all I have to say. You may see yourselves out."

Having failed to force Li Chengxuan's hand, Xue Yang and the other two could only leave in resignation.

Liu Zhijian felt his eyes had been opened, but he was also full of questions. He could not help asking, "Master, haven't we completely offended the Xue Household this time?!"

"No." Li Chengxuan smiled and shook his head. "We've only offended Xue Yang. He is merely at the Qi Refining realm and is not qualified to represent Rosy Clouds Resting Mountain."

Liu Zhijian found that reasonable and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He was also somewhat displeased with Xue Yang. "That Deacon Xue clearly needed a favor from you, Master, yet he still acted so overbearing and ordered people around. He was truly insufferable."

"Rosy Clouds Resting Mountain is powerful, after all, with a Foundation Establishment cultivator holding the fort. It would not be an exaggeration to call it a pillar of the Immortal Alliance, so it is only natural for the Xue Household to be somewhat proud." Li Chengxuan no longer had the same confrontational bearing he had shown Xue Yang. Intending to offer some guidance, he said, "But if you think he is merely arrogant, you are underestimating him."

Liu Zhijian was startled. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Then did he deliberately act that way for some purpose?!"

"His purpose was simple enough. He merely wanted to force me down the mountain." Li Chengxuan let out a long sigh. "With me holding the fort on Supreme Mystery Mountain and the grand formation protecting it, even if the Xue Household's Foundation Establishment cultivator came, there would be nothing he could do."

"If I left Supreme Mystery Mountain, I would be no more than a minor Qi Refining cultivator who entered the Dao through Mortal World Turbid Qi. I'm afraid I would be at their mercy."

Liu Zhijian was, after all, from Earth, and his morals were naturally higher. Even with some experience of the mortal world, he could not understand the deception and treachery among cultivators. "Aren't Rosy Clouds Resting Mountain and Supreme Mystery Mountain both part of the Immortal Alliance? Haven't they given us a great deal of protection?! How could they..."

"That's because Supreme Mystery Mountain is worth protecting. Otherwise, our Dao lineage would have been wiped out long ago." Seeing that Liu Zhijian was still somewhat puzzled, Li Chengxuan smiled and asked, "What did you think when you heard Dong Linyuan's 'method of replenishing fate' by following that precedent?"

Liu Zhijian did not understand what he meant, so he told him about the cosplay analogy.

"It is rather similar." Li Chengxuan nodded slightly, but then said calmly, "It's just that, in my view, this method is still not complete enough. At best, it is barely satisfactory."

"After all, Fubo, the Foundation Establishment great demon of those days, also declined after reaching his peak. He was slain by a sword immortal of Supreme Mystery Mountain, his life and Dao extinguished."

"This time, that Human Pill is to follow the precedent of those days. If he were not only to escape being slain, but instead kill the sect master of Supreme Mystery Mountain, wouldn't that make his fate even more complete, perhaps even far surpassing that of the Foundation Establishment great demon of those days?!"