Chapter 82 - 82 Small Goal 1
“Indeed, lying low was the right decision.”
Having sensed the gap in strength, Han Li felt his decision to remain in Lingjun City was absolutely correct.
He was only at the pinnacle of the God Refining Realm now, without even the combat ability of a Hollow Realm Master. Wandering about recklessly was asking for trouble, for he would have to run if he encountered a Hollow Realm Master, and if he ran into top-class masters like Lin Xiangru, or even Great Masters, he would likely face certain death.
“I’ll continue to lie low until reaching the True Martial Realm,” he decided.
Han Li set a minor goal for himself, to keep developing for decades or even a century, by which time he should be able to dominate the Daqian Empire, right?
He had been worried that devil cultivators would come slaughter Lingjun City, forcing him to expose his strength, but now that the devil cultivator was dead, his crisis was also resolved.
As for what would follow, whether it would lead to higher-level battles, or even the Yinyang Sect going to war with the Daqian Empire, that was no longer Han Li’s concern.
With a sigh of relief, Han Li decided to take a beautiful concubine to reward himself.
Elsewhere, Lin Xiangru sighed as he watched the other Grandmasters arrive late. What a group of slackers.
He had intentionally delayed as long as he could, having walked dozens of steps already, just to wait for the other Grandmasters to arrive, but since they were so late, he had no choice but to make a move.
Even when he acted, he controlled his strength, not killing the hooded man with one stroke. As for the Devil Cultivator who slaughtered the town, killing him off-hand was of no consequence.
At this critical time, Lin Xiangru didn’t want to bring trouble to the Sword Cleansing Pool. If he killed the Grandmaster of the Yinyang Sect with a single stroke, he would definitely be hated by the Yinyang Sect.
Even if the Yinyang Sect would not trouble him or the Sword Cleansing Pool for the time being, they would settle scores when the winds changed. He didn’t want to fully align with the Daqian Empire’s ship, considering it unstable and easy to capsize.
“Brother Lin is indeed the number one Grandmaster of Leizhou, killing a Devil Sect Grandmaster with a single stroke,” praised Gongsun Yun, the Sect Leader of Tianxuan Mountain.
Sun Buhuan, the Sect Leader of the True Sun Sect, also said with a smile, “Brother Lin’s Sword Intent is both pure and integrated, he’s probably ready to step into the Myriad Phenomena Realm, truly envious.”
Gongsun Yun and Sun Buhuan exchanged a knowing glance, both secretly relieved. They didn’t want to get into big trouble, and now that Lin Xiangru had resolved the issue, they didn’t mind flattery.
Both had intentionally arrived late, showing up only after the battle had ended, while the three commanders from the Jingye Office had indeed just arrived.
Gongsun Yun, Sun Buhuan, and Lin Xiangru were responsible for searching from the southern to the northern part of Leizhou, while the three commanders were going from north to south. The three Sect Leaders understood the implication but had to comply.
“Brother Gongsun, Brother Sun, you flatter me. I am not so strong, a full-powered stroke merely inflicted severe injuries on him, and I am still a great distance away from the Myriad Phenomena Realm,” Lin Xiangru quickly said.
He certainly wouldn’t become conceited over a few flattering words. Otherwise, he’d be led astray by these two. He definitely couldn’t bear the responsibility of killing a Yinyang Sect Grandmaster.
“Sect Leader Lin has indeed achieved a great feat this time. Prince Wu’an will surely not shortchange the Sword Cleansing Pool,” said one voice.
“Yes, why be modest, Sect Leader Lin? We have all witnessed your strength, far stronger than any of ours,” said another.
“Once Sect Leader Lin breaks through to the Myriad Phenomena Realm, our
Daqian will have another great Great Grandmaster,” chimed in another voice.
At this, Ji Rufeng and the other two commanders in turn relaxed considerably in their tone, glad they hadn’t disappointed Prince Wu’an.
Lin Xiangru, hearing the words of the three commanders, went dark in the face; they were really trying to pull him fully onto the Daqian Empire’s treacherous ship.
Thinking this, Lin Xiangru chuckled and was about to discreetly take a few steps back to show his stance when he noticed Gongsun Yun and Sun Buhuan had already stepped back simultaneously.
Lin Xiangru’s face darkened even more as he raised his wine gourd and took a fierce gulp before retreating behind everyone else.
The three commanders exchanged glances, seeing the helplessness in each other’s eyes. These old foxes, they were really not falling in line.
“Yan Liulong, didn’t you disregard the Prince’s orders? What brings you here?”
At this moment, Ji Rufeng, looking toward the stunning woman not far off wearing a high-slit jumpsuit, called out coldly.
The commanders of Jingye Office from Qingzhou and Huozhou also looked at Yan Liulong with an icy gaze. Regardless of how enchanting this vixen might be, it was not enough to move them in the slightest.
“The demon cultivator who slaughtered the city is dead; you can all return to Prince Wu’an to report. Hand him over to me and I, too, can go back to make my report. ”
Yan Liulong, with her legs casually crossed, reached out with her slender, snow-white hands, caressing upward from her calves as she spoke slowly and deliberately.
“Are you dreaming?” Ji Rufeng sneered coldly.
“How can you call it a dream? If you’re willing to have a round with me, I wouldn’t mind not taking this trash with me.”
Yan Liulong stretched her sultry waist, revealing a perfect S-curve under the sunlight, as she blew a breath at Ji Rufeng, her exhalation as fragrant as orchids.
“Witch!”
The other two Grandmasters shouted, their murderous intent towards Yan Liulong undisguised.
The Hehuan Sect was a malignant tumor that the Yinyang Sect had planted in the Daqian Empire, and they had long wished to eradicate it but had never found the opportunity, fearing that the Yinyang Sect would exploit the situation.
How malicious were Yan Liulong’s intentions?
If one were to sleep with her, even a Grandmaster would be drained dry by this enchantress, their cultivation dissipating into nothingness.
Gongsun Yun, Sun Buhuan, and Lin Xiangru, Sect Leaders of the three great factions, silently watched the scene unfold, showing no intention of intervening, while secretly sneaking in messages like they were watching a spectacle.
They did not fear the Hehuan Sect but knew they were far from capable of contending with the Yinyang Sect and the Daqian Empire. Therefore, before deciding which side to take, they would not favor any particular party.
“Tsk, tsk, Yan Liulong, this old vixen, is truly an unmatched beauty,” Sun Buhuan secretly transmitted.
“Brother Sun, if you get hooked by that old demoness, with your frail body, you’d be wrecked after one night. Only brother Lin could possibly handle such a temptress,” Gongsun Yun transmitted with a chuckle.
“You flatter me too much, brother Gongsun. Yan Liulong practices the Yinyang Sect’s White Bone Seductress Technique—it’s a profound Cultivation Technique of Heaven Rank quality. How could I withstand her harvesting?” Lin Xiangru denied outright, considering Yan Liulong, despite her stunning beauty, to be no more than a painted skeleton—far inferior to a jug of wine or a sword on his back.
Yan Liulong’s gaze swept over the three of them, causing them to immediately cease their secret transmissions, not wishing to offend this old enchantress.
“I must take this person back with me. If you dare, then go ahead and make your move.”
Yan Liulong walked forward with long strides, inching closer to the hooded man while speaking seductively.
The hooded man had been silent all along, but upon hearing this, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. When Lin Xiangru hadn’t killed him, he knew there was hope for survival.
The two Supervisors of the Jingye Office from Qingzhou and Huozhou were filled with a relentless intent to kill and wanted to make a move, but they were stopped by Ji Rufeng.
Supervisor Yang Tianxiong of the Jingye Office had instructed him that their primary mission was to slay the city-slaughtering demon, and they were to avoid escalating the situation as much as possible, so as not to interfere with the Prince’s plans.
For the sake of a devil cultivator Grandmaster, inviting a large-scale invasion from the Yinyang Sect and disturbing the current state of affairs was not worthwhile. It would also affect Prince Wu’an’s grand strategy; a responsibility they could not afford.
Gongsun Yun, Lin Xiangru, and the other Sect Leaders watched Yan Liulong’s departing figure, all of them sighing inwardly and reinforcing a certain resolve.
“We take our leave.”
The three Sect Leaders said before vanishing from sight, as they each returned to their respective Sects.
Ji Rufeng and the other two Supervisors of the Jingye Office felt extremely stifled. They exchanged glances, sighed, and after cleaning up the battlefield, quickly returned to report.
At Dingyuan Manor, atop a hundred-meter hill.
A Gangyuan Realm Grandmaster from the Diancang Sect passed by and stopped to rest, intending to recover his Gang Yuan before secretly spreading his teachings in a county city forty miles ahead.
Before he could catch his breath, a terrifying suction force descended, and the figure of the Great Master vanished, as if he had never been there.