Like the two shopkeeper sisters had suspected, after leaving Wanbao City, Lin Que concealed his presence and circled back.
Because he held a token personally bestowed by the Pavilion Master of the Glazed Pavilion, this action didn’t trigger the pavilion’s defensive formation, and he smoothly returned to the fork in the road where he had parted ways with Ao Xinyu.
Following the path Ao Xinyu had taken from memory, Lin Que quickly sensed her aura. She was currently in the reception hall.
There were no guards outside the hall, and Lin Que didn’t release his spiritual sense. Instead, he stood by the door and observed the scene inside through the crack.
Inside, Ao Xinyu sat in the host’s seat, surrounded by several Core Formation stage guards, and flanked on either side by two Nascent Soul middle stage cultivators.
This level of protection was already quite respectable.
However—
All the guards present were on high alert. A few of the weaker Core Formation cultivators were even sweating nervously, clearly intimidated.
Ao Xinyu’s expression was also icy cold, completely different from the lively and cheerful demeanor she’d shown during her chat with Lin Que that afternoon.
And the reason for this level of tension?
It was all because of one man.
At the other end of the hall sat a young man clad in beast-hide armor. He was large, with explosively muscular build and an aura of violent ferocity, like a tiger ready to pounce and devour.
On his back was an outrageously large saber faintly wrapped in dark, ominous energy. It was clearly no ordinary weapon.
His cultivation was at the mid-Nascent Soul stage, just one step away from advancing to the late stage.
Even though his cultivation was on par with the two Nascent Soul guest elders beside Ao Xinyu, the two cultivators were tense and wary. Their hands, hidden within their sleeves, trembled ever so slightly. It was as if even the two of them combined might not be a match for the young man.
Before a single move had been made, Ao Xinyu’s side was already at a disadvantage in terms of momentum.
So that’s Liu Yongge, the one the shopkeepers mentioned. Definitely no ordinary opponent.
Lin Que narrowed his eyes. His first impression of Liu Yongge was one of pure, unrestrained ferocity. No wonder the two middle stage Nascent Soul elders treated him as such a threat.
Though their cultivation level matched Liu Yongge’s, one of the elders had taken the Path of Enlightenment. A path that emphasized strategy and magical artifacts. In terms familiar to Lin Que from his past life’s games, this one was basically a spellcaster.
And what happens when a spellcaster gets rushed down by a berserker?
The outcome was self-evident.
As for the other elder, who should have served as the front-line protector on the Path of the Traveler? He was already showing signs of faltering. If it came down to an actual fight, it would most likely turn into a one-sided massacre.
Looks like Xinyu’s really gotten herself into some trouble this time.
After a quick analysis, Lin Que decided to remain hidden and continue observing. If a fight broke out, he’d step in then.
Just then, the burly Liu Yongge, still sprawled casually on the floor, finally opened his mouth.
“Pavilion Master Ao, I think the terms I’ve offered are already quite generous. I mean, who else in the Eastern Region has the guts to take on this mission?”
“That may be,” Ao Xinyu replied coldly, “but don’t you think demanding thirty percent of Glazed Pavilion’s total profits for the next ten years and choosing ten rare treasures from our vault at will is a bit excessive, Liu Tianjiao?”
“Excessive? Hahahaha!” Liu Yongge burst into laughter. “As payment for going toe-to-toe with the Divine Sword Sect’s Holy Son, I think I’m being underpaid!”
Liu Yongge grinned broadly and continued, “That arrogant hypocrite may have already broken through to the late Nascent Soul stage. If I go up against him, I’ll be fighting someone above my level. I might even die. And you think thirty percent of Glazed Pavilion’s profits over ten years and a few treasures from your vault is too much? I’m already giving you face!”
“Gu Minghao, the Holy Son of the Divine Sword Sect, third in the Eastern Region’s rankings, second only to his sister and that Lin Que fellow who vanished years ago. Just mention Gu Minghao’s name, and how many peers in the Eastern Region would dare go up against him? Aside from me!”
“Those weaklings under your command, who’ve advanced with pills and nothing more, would probably fold just from seeing his face!”
Though Liu Yongge’s words were full of provocation and contempt, the guest elders and guards standing across from him merely clenched their fists, furious but silent.
Because what he said was true.
To these cultivators, the Holy Son of the Divine Sword Sect was indeed an insurmountable mountain.
Even Lin Que furrowed his brow when he heard the name.
Gu Minghao? What’s he doing involved in this?
Gu Minghao, the Divine Sword Sect’s Holy Son, had been one of the few opponents in the past to leave a strong impression on Lin Que. His strength was unquestionable.
Several years had passed since then. It was likely Gu Minghao had advanced to the late Nascent Soul stage. Perhaps he even reached the perfect stage. Like Jiang Moqing, he was just one step away from the Divine Transformation stage.
No wonder Xinyu didn’t want me to know. She must have been worried about me…
Lin Que wasn’t some emotionally dense fool. He quickly understood Ao Xinyu’s concern.
She had probably realized during their earlier meeting that his cultivation was still at the Core Formation stage which was why she didn’t want to drag him into this mess.
But she had clearly underestimated him.
Gu Minghao… it’s been a long time since I’ve had a proper workout. He might actually make a decent sparring partner.
The corners of Lin Que’s lips curved into a faint smile. A glint of excitement flickered in his eyes.
After another quarter of an hour, Lin Que, having listened to the argument unfolding in the reception hall, finally understood the full story.
In Wanbao City, the Glazed Pavilion had a longtime rival known as Juqi Tower. The two had been engaged in open and covert struggles for years. From business wars, assassinations, and every method imaginable…yet neither had been able to truly overcome the other.
This year marked the once-in-a-century leadership change of the Wanbao City Chamber of Commerce. As one of the city’s major powers, both the Glazed Pavilion and Juqi Tower were determined to seize the position. Each hoped to use the authority of the Head to suppress the other.
As the previous term’s Head, Juqi Tower had frequently tried to sabotage the Glazed Pavilion when it began to rise. If not for Ao Xinyu’s deep pockets, her well-established connections, and Lin Que’s protection during their initial establishment, Glazed Pavilion might not have survived to see today.
So this time, Juqi Tower drew a clear line and issued a direct challenge. They finally laid their cards on the table, bringing the conflict into the open…albeit under the guise of a so-called “friendly sparring match”.
Simply put, both sides would each appoint a cultivator to fight in a ring, with the clear understanding that blades have no eyes and life or death would not be accounted for.
The only restriction was that the cultivators had to be from the younger generation, under a hundred years of bone age.
After all, if there were no limits and both sides brought in powerful cultivators for a full-on battle, the entire Wanbao City could be reduced to ashes in an instant.
Besides, no true powerhouse would seriously risk their life over something like this. The age restriction was little more than a pleasant-sounding excuse.
It was also a way to show off one’s connections and resources to the other factions in Wanbao City.
Ao Xinyu’s first thought had been Lin Que, of course. But when she recalled the sight of him once severely wounded and disfigured, her heart ached, and she couldn’t bear to drag him into this mess again.
She then turned to seek help from the Divine Sword Sect’s Holy Maiden, ranked second in the Eastern Region Tournament, only to discover that the other party had already enlisted Gu Minghao, the Divine Sword Sect’s Holy Son, who was ranked third.
It was well known throughout the world that the Holy Son and Holy Maiden of the Divine Sword Sect were siblings. Naturally, it was impossible to persuade the Holy Maiden to act as well. As for the other top ten ranked cultivators, the moment they heard it was a life-and-death duel, they all refused.
Only Liu Yongge, one of the top sixteen in the Eastern Region Tournament, took the initiative to approach them. But the conditions he proposed were exceptionally harsh.
Thirty percent of Glazed Pavilion’s total profits for the next ten years, plus free pick of any ten rare treasures from their treasury.
The first demand alone would have bled Glazed Pavilion dry let alone the second, which was essentially a bid to strangle the very lifeline of the Pavilion.
After a long round of bargaining, Ao Xinyu finally laid down her stance.
“In short, there’s no way I’ll let you do as you please with our treasury. If you want to cooperate, Liu Tianjiao, you’d better name different terms.”
To this, Liu Yongge feigned a moment of thought before making a proposal.
“Different terms… I do have an idea…something that would be a win-win for both of us.”
“Let’s hear it,” Ao Xinyu said, frowning. She had a bad feeling in her gut.
The next second, Liu Yongge burst into a wild, arrogant laugh, baring two rows of stark white teeth. “You can marry me and become my concubine! That way, I won’t charge you a single coin! Hahahahahaha!”
“Scoundrel! How dare you!” Ao Xinyu slammed the table and rose to her feet. The surrounding guards and guest protectors immediately moved into position, ready for action.
Seeing this, Liu Yongge suddenly slammed the floor and leapt into the air. A murderous aura surged from his entire body, fully unleashed. The white jade tiles covering the reception hall cracked across more than half the floor in an instant.
Just as tensions reached a boiling point and the confrontation was about to erupt, a flying sword suddenly burst through the door and stabbed deep into the ground right in front of Liu Yongge.
The overwhelming sword intent radiating from the blade instantly startled Liu Yongge, forcing him two steps back. He looked up, only to see a young man slowly approaching from outside the door, stepping forward to stand in front of Ao Xinyu.
It was Lin Que.
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