Jiao Liqiao (End)

Jiao Liqiao tossed Li Lianhua an Origin-Nurturing Pill. "My first condition: take this pill."

Seeing Li Lianhua obediently swallow it, she went to the carriage she had hidden earlier. "My second condition: come with me to the Nanyin Cult. Once we get there, take a second pill."

Li Lianhua asked no further questions and obediently climbed into the carriage. Once Jiao Liqiao had climbed in as well, an unremarkable man took the driver's seat and drove them away.

Throughout the journey, Jiao Liqiao was in a poor mood, affected by the original owner's emotions, so she did not say much to Li Lianhua.

Although Jiao Liqiao had not said what the pill was, Li Lianhua discovered along the way that it was an excellent medicine for treating internal injuries, strengthening the foundation and nurturing vitality. So he stopped thinking about it and spent each day leisurely reading the books in the carriage.

Jade City was not far from the Outer Realm, and Jiao Liqiao and Li Lianhua soon arrived at the Nanyin Cult.

By then, Feng Qing had long since received word from Jiao Liqiao and was waiting respectfully at the entrance. When he saw them, excitement lit up his face. "Cult Leader, Mr. Li's room is ready."

Jiao Liqiao nodded. "Take him to rest."

Li Lianhua looked at the fervent expression Feng Qing was directing at him. Even if Feng Qing knew he was Li Xiangyi, surely there was no need to be so fervent.

He grew increasingly certain that Jiao Liqiao had brought him here as part of some grand conspiracy.

The next day, after breakfast, Jiao Liqiao went to Li Lianhua's room.

Without wasting words, she tossed him another pill. "Take this pill and circulate Yangzhou Man to absorb its medicinal power. That is my second condition."

Li Lianhua now feared nothing, so he took the pill and swallowed it. A surging medicinal power instantly spread through his body, and he immediately circulated Yangzhou Man to absorb the fierce power.

Jiao Liqiao stood guard beside Li Lianhua. Fortunately, the Origin-Nurturing Pill had been absorbed during the journey and had already repaired some of the damage to his body. He could now withstand the strain of expelling the deadly poison.

After several hours, Li Lianhua spat out a great mouthful of black blood. To his surprise, most of the Bicha in his body had been neutralized.

Jiao Liqiao felt his pulse and nodded. "For the next ten days, circulate Yangzhou Man daily to absorb the medicinal power. After ten days, the Bicha can be neutralized."

Li Lianhua had considered many possible reasons for Jiao Liqiao to bring him to the Nanyin Cult, but the one thing he had never expected was for her to cure him of the poison.

Was this really Jiao Liqiao, and not someone else in disguise? Although he had not had much contact with her, he knew that Jiao Liqiao hated him to the bone.

Never mind curing him-poisoning him would have been more like her.

Still, there was no use dwelling on it. Who wanted to die if they could live? Especially now, when he had yet to see his senior brother's corpse. As long as she did not ask him to do anything that offended heaven and harmed the innocent, he could compromise on anything else.

Ten days passed quickly. Although Li Lianhua had yet to recover his martial power, the Bicha had been completely neutralized. He felt almost dazed. How long had it been since he had felt so unburdened?

But he did not have much time to dwell on it. Soon, on Jiao Liqiao's orders, Feng Qing took him to see Shan Gudao's corpse and explained the conspiracy back then as well.

Jiao Liqiao was in no mood to watch Li Lianhua's tearful drama. She was taking stock of her possessions and putting everything she owned into her space. As for what Feng Qing would think when he saw her bare room afterward, Jiao Liqiao's moods were so unpredictable that he did not dare have any thoughts about it.

It was not until the next day that Li Lianhua composed himself and came to see Jiao Liqiao. "In any case, you have done me a kindness where Shan Gudao is concerned. I will remember it. What is your third condition?"

Jiao Liqiao smiled. "I was the one who had Yun Biqiu poison you with Bicha back then. Now that I've cured you, I can be said to have done right by Nanyin. My third condition is that you take over the Nanyin Cult and ensure that our Nanyin people can continue to live well and carry on their heritage."

Seeing that Li Lianhua was about to refuse, she said, "Li Xiangyi's word carried the weight of nine cauldrons. Does Li Lianhua's not? If you can't be bothered to manage it, find a successor as soon as possible. I've fulfilled my responsibility to Nanyin. This Nanyin Cult is yours to take over, no matter what."

Li Lianhua sighed and nodded helplessly.

Joy lit up Jiao Liqiao's face, and she vanished in the blink of an eye. "Li Lianhua, you're not so useless after all. I'm counting on you from now on!"

Li Lianhua looked at the empty hall, then at Feng Qing, Xue Gong and the others, their faces full of eager expectation. He sighed again. "Feng Qing, tell me about the Nanyin Cult."

After taking over the Nanyin Cult, Li Lianhua rarely left the Outer Realm in the years that followed, apart from one trip back to Mount Yun Yin to visit his master's wife and tend his master's grave.

At some point, news that the Nanyin Cult's new leader was Li Xiangyi, who had disappeared years ago, spread throughout the jianghu.

Not only did many of Li Xiangyi's male and female fans flock to the Nanyin Cult hoping to join, but the Hundred Rivers Courtyard's standing in the jianghu also declined with each passing day.

In the past, people in the jianghu had shown the Hundred Rivers Courtyard some respect for Li Xiangyi's sake. Now that he had become the leader of the Nanyin Cult, however, they gave that respect to the cult instead.

And Xiao Zijin, unwilling to accept that Li Xiangyi had once again drawn Qiao Wanmian's attention, prepared to reopen the Sigu Sect and smear Li Xiangyi's name.

Unfortunately for him, the present Li Lianhua was not the weak Li Lianhua who could be bullied. Feng Qing alone could match everyone in the original Sigu Sect.

Only a few days after Xiao Zijin had first conceived the plan, the severed head of the person he had bribed to spread rumors was placed beside his pillow.

People had always bullied the weak and feared the strong. Seeing that Li Lianhua no longer paid his actions no mind as he once had, Xiao Zijin immediately abandoned all his petty schemes.

Li Lianhua only received Feng Qing's report afterward. When he read what had happened, he merely laughed it off.

When Li Lianhua and Su Xiaoyong's son was one year old, news emerged of Jiao Liqiao, who had disappeared for several years. She was to compete above the Eastern Sea against Di Feisheng, who had broken through to the eighth level of Sorrowful Wind in the White Poplars.

In the end, Jiao Liqiao defeated Di Feisheng. With Li Lianhua having withdrawn from the jianghu rankings, she took first place on the Ten Thousand People Register.

After Jiao Liqiao removed the gu worm from Di Feisheng and defeated him in the match, he honored their agreement and brought the Golden Mandarin Duck Alliance into the Nanyin Cult.

Li Lianhua pressed a hand to his forehead in exasperation. Jiao Liqiao really could not stand seeing him at leisure; she had dumped a huge trouble like Di Feisheng on him.

Once his and Su Xiaoyong's son was able to take over the Nanyin Cult, Li Lianhua could hardly wait to leave with Xiaoyong, escaping the days when Di Feisheng chased him around demanding matches.

After Su Xiaoyong passed away, Li Lianhua no longer suppressed his martial power and once again succeeded in shattering the void.

The Lotus Tower world's Heavenly Dao: This soul from another world is truly capable. Three transmigrations, and twice it forced Li Xiangyi to shatter the void. The more talents like this, the better.

Li Xiangyi: Please spare me!

Wen Qiushui: Hee-hee.