Chapter 169: Wealth and Life, We Want Both!
This novel is translated and hosted only on BCatranslation
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The courtyard resounded with the thunderous clash of two powerful figures locked in an intense battle. The echoes of their strikes were like the beat of war drums, reverberating through the air. Each impact created shockwaves, making their robes flutter wildly as they exchanged blow after blow.
Lan Zi Yu and Su Ming arrived just in time to witness Xiu Luo deliver a powerful kick to Quan Ye’s midsection. The heavy thud echoed in the courtyard, and both of them gasped in shock.
“That was close! If that kick had landed any lower… well, there wouldn’t be any more little Quans in the future,” Su Ming joked, trying to lighten the tense atmosphere.
Despite the hit, Quan Ye wasn’t ready to give up. He retaliated with a fierce punch to Xiu Luo’s right shoulder, driving her slightly into the ground.
“Ouch…” Feng Qi Yun and the others winced as they watched the impact.
“Quan Ye really is a beast,” Feng Qi Yun whispered to himself, amazed at the sheer force of the battle.
The fight between Xiu Luo and Quan Ye intensified, their movements a blur as they fought from the ground to the sky and back again. The courtyard quickly turned into a battlefield, with craters and debris scattered everywhere.
Unlike typical battles between cultivators that focused on grace and precision, their fight was all about raw, unbridled power. The onlookers felt their adrenaline surge as they watched the ferocious exchange.
“Senior Brother Lan, if this keeps up, the elders are bound to notice!” Feng Qi Yun warned, his voice filled with concern as he surveyed the destruction.
Lan Zi Yu shared his worry. Attracting too much attention could lead to complications they didn’t need. He shouted, “Stop this, both of you!”
But Xiu Luo and Quan Ye were too consumed by their battle to hear him. Their only goal was to overpower the other, their surroundings forgotten.
Realizing his words were being ignored, Lan Zi Yu’s expression darkened. With a swift flick of his sleeve, a long flute shot out like a spear, cutting sharply through the air.
Bang! Bang!
The sudden noise jolted the fighters, breaking their concentration. Both Xiu Luo and Quan Ye clutched their heads, momentarily disoriented as they looked around in confusion.
The flute spun back into Lan Zi Yu’s hand as he scoffed, “I tried to be reasonable, but you left me no choice.”
“Second Senior Brother, you hit me again!” Quan Ye protested, frustrated at being interrupted. It wasn’t often he found a match as strong as Xiu Luo.
“Do you want to return to the Cliff of Reflection?” Lan Zi Yu asked, his voice stern and his gaze sharp.
Quan Ye fell silent immediately, the memory of his harsh five years on the cliff enough to silence his complaints.
“Apologize to Xiu Luo,” Lan Zi Yu commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument.
“Why should I?” Quan Ye retorted, surprised by the demand.
“Because you started this fight. Apologize, or it’s back to the Cliff of Reflection for you,” Lan Zi Yu said, his voice cold.
Quan Ye hesitated, but the thought of returning to the cliff made him reluctantly mutter, “Sorry,” to Xiu Luo, though his tone was anything but sincere.
Xiu Luo ignored his half-hearted apology and instead addressed Lan Zi Yu directly. “Senior Brother Lan, I might be just an inner disciple, not as highly ranked as a direct disciple, but we still deserve respect. If anyone from Lone Moon Peak causes trouble again, I won’t hesitate to take this matter to the elders and the sect leader.”
Lan Zi Yu could feel the hostility in Xiu Luo’s words. In the past, he might have dismissed the concerns of inner disciples, but things were different now. With their eldest senior brother gone, the responsibility fell on him.
Annoyed, he shot a glare at Quan Ye. “Get out of here.”
Quan Ye left, his shoulders tense with anger, but he didn’t dare disobey.
Lan Zi Yu then turned to Xiu Luo, noting the icy look in her eyes. He wanted to ask about Yu Zhao, but something held him back.
Su Ming, however, couldn’t keep his curiosity in check. “Where’s Little Yu Zhao? There’s a big fight, and she’s missing all the action?”
The question hung in the air, met only with silence.
“Why aren’t you answering? Where did she go?” Su Ming asked again, his confusion growing.
“We’re not mind readers, Senior Brother Su. How would we know where she is? Don’t ask such pointless questions next time,” Xiu Luo replied sharply, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Xiu Luo had come to a realization: everyone from Lone Moon Peak was a bit off, and not just slightly.
They hardly cared for Yu Zhao when she was around, but now that she was missing, they suddenly seemed concerned. What was their deal? Did they think they could just use Yu Zhao whenever they wanted for some entertainment?
Disgusting.
“You and Yu Zhao were close, weren’t you? How can you not know where she is? Hey! I’m not done talking! Why are you walking away?” Su Ming’s protests were met with a door slamming shut as Xiu Luo left without another word.
Feng Qi Yun and the others exchanged uneasy glances before quietly dispersing, each lost in their own thoughts.
The other inner disciples lingered, unsure if they should approach Su Ming and Lan Zi Yu. The tension and uncertainty about Yu Zhao’s whereabouts left them nervous. They simply stood around, not knowing what to do next.
“The inner disciples are crazy! I only asked a few questions, and they got all upset,” Su Ming muttered to himself, still baffled by their reaction.
Lan Zi Yu felt drained, both physically and mentally. He didn’t have the energy to respond to Su Ming and simply walked away in silence.
Su Ming continued talking, trailing behind Lan Zi Yu as they left the courtyard.
The more Lan Zi Yu walked, the faster his pace became, until finally, after some effort, he managed to lose Su Ming.
Lan Zi Yu found himself at the Purple Cloud Bamboo Grove on Lone Moon Peak, his fingers brushing against the tall, purple bamboo. For a moment, he could almost hear the soft rustle of bamboo being polished and Yu Zhao’s joyful laughter as she received her gift.
But those days were long gone.
The Great Competition was a rare, once-in-a-century event. Although they weren’t participating, most cultivators didn’t want to miss the chance to watch. As a result, the roads leading to the Achievement Pavilion were crowded with people.
With so many travelers, disputes were inevitable. Some even resorted to ambushing others along the way.
During the first half of her journey, Yu Zhao made no effort to hide her power. As a late-stage Golden Core cultivator, she traveled without any hindrance.
But when she was just three days away from the Achievement Pavilion and confident she wouldn’t miss the competition registration, Yu Zhao slowed down. She concealed her true strength, pretending to be just a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
This added a bit of excitement to her otherwise monotonous journey, as her wealth quickly grew.
She bent down to pick up another storage pouch and looked out toward the horizon, where the faint outline of Yan Yi City was visible.
After Yan Yi City, there would still be another hundred miles to the Achievement Pavilion.
Just as Yu Zhao was about to continue on, she heard quick footsteps approaching.
Her eyes narrowed slightly, and she cast an illusion over the scattered bodies on the ground, hiding them from view. Then, she casually flew forward, waiting for the unwelcome visitors to catch up.
“Stop!”
A harsh voice called out as seven sinister-looking cultivators surrounded Yu Zhao, blocking all her escape routes.
“A Foundation Establishment cultivator making it this far? You’ve got some luck, but it runs out today,” the leader sneered, his tone filled with menace.
“Are you after wealth or life?” Yu Zhao asked calmly, a question she found herself asking all too often.
Their answer would determine her next move.
“Hahaha!”
The seven cultivators burst into mocking laughter.
This novel is translated and hosted only on BCatranslation
“We want wealth! And life too!”
“It’s been a while since we’ve seen someone this foolish. Let’s use her blood to christen my blade.”
“The last few didn’t satisfy me. This one’s mine!”
A massive man, built like a mountain, pushed his companions aside and lumbered toward Yu Zhao, an evil grin spreading across his face.
With each step he took, the ground trembled, and his layers of fat shook like waves.
Just as he was about to reach Yu Zhao, a loud, sharp voice cut through the air.
Thump, thump…