Chapter 169: Wealth, We Want! Life, We Also Want!
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Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The terrifying collision sounds echoed like rhythmic drumbeats.
Two figures were locked in a fierce battle, their movements causing surging waves of energy that swept outwards, making their robes flap wildly.
When Lan Zi Yu and Su Ming arrived, they saw Xiu Luo delivering a powerful kick to Quan Ye’s abdomen, producing a dull thud.
The two drew sharp breaths.
That was close—just one inch lower, and it would’ve been the legendary lineage-ending kick.
Though Quan Ye suffered from Xiu Luo’s attack, he wasn’t one to back down. He retaliated with a crushing blow to Xiu Luo’s right shoulder, forcing her to sink slightly into the ground.
“Hiss…”
This time, it was Feng Qi Yun and the others who winced.
Quan Ye’s recklessness truly knew no bounds!
By now, both Xiu Luo and Quan Ye were consumed by their fight. They moved from ground to sky and back again, leaving marks of their clash all over the Inner Courtyard.
Their combat style lacked the elegance of other cultivators. It was a pure clash of brute strength, igniting passion in onlookers and filling them with excitement.
“Senior Brother Lan, if they keep going, they might attract the elders,” Feng Qi Yun said anxiously. They no longer tried to stop Xiu Luo and Quan Ye, as the Inner Courtyard’s rooms were nearly reduced to rubble.
Lan Zi Yu also feared the consequences of this escalating. His cold voice rang out, “Both of you, stop immediately!”
However, Xiu Luo and Quan Ye were so engrossed in their battle that they couldn’t hear a word. Their only thought was to bring down their opponent.
Seeing himself ignored, Lan Zi Yu’s expression darkened. Without hesitation, he flung a long flute from his sleeve.
The flute, like an iron spear, shot out with a piercing whistle.
With two crisp clangs, the movements of both fighters halted abruptly.
Each clutched their reddened foreheads, their faces filled with confusion.
The flute, having completed its trajectory, spun back and landed in Lan Zi Yu’s hand.
Lan Zi Yu sneered coldly.
When words failed, force became necessary.
“Second Senior Brother, you hit me again!” Quan Ye protested indignantly.
Finally finding a worthy opponent, only for his senior brother to ruin it, left him fuming.
“Quan Ye, you’ve just come back from the Cliff of Reflection. Are you eager to return so soon?” Lan Zi Yu asked icily, fixing Quan Ye with a sharp glare.
The mention of the Cliff of Reflection silenced Quan Ye immediately.
“Apologize to Xiu Luo,” Lan Zi Yu commanded.
“Why should I?!” Quan Ye exclaimed, his eyes wide with resistance.
“Because you’re the one who started this for no reason. Choose: the Cliff of Reflection or an apology,” Lan Zi Yu retorted.
Having been confined on the cliff for five years, Quan Ye had nearly gone mad from the solitude. He had no desire to go back.
Reluctantly, he gritted his teeth and muttered to Xiu Luo, “Sorry.”
Xiu Luo, however, didn’t even spare him a glance. Her eyes remained fixed on Lan Zi Yu as she said firmly, “Senior Brother Lan, though the status of Inner Disciples may not compare to that of Direct Disciples, we are not ones to be trampled upon.
“If those from Lone Moon Peak come looking for trouble again, I will report it to the elders and sect leader for judgment.”
Lan Zi Yu could clearly hear the disdain and displeasure in her tone.
In the past, he would’ve responded with biting sarcasm, mocking the Inner Disciples from top to bottom.
But times had changed. With their Eldest Senior Brother no longer taking charge, he had to shoulder more responsibility.
Grinding his teeth, he shot another glare at Quan Ye. “Get out!”
Quan Ye stormed off, his fiery anger evident even in his retreating figure.
Lan Zi Yu turned back to Xiu Luo, but seeing her cold expression, he hesitated and decided not to inquire about Yu Zhao.
Unlike Lan Zi Yu, Su Ming had no such reservations. He blurted out, “Where’s Little Zhao? With all this commotion, why isn’t she out to watch the fun?”
Everyone: …
“Why aren’t you saying anything? Where did she go?” Su Ming pressed, puzzled.
“We’re not worms in Yu Zhao’s stomach. How would we know where she went? Senior Brother Su, maybe save such pointless questions for another time,” someone replied sharply.
Xiu Luo had finally figured it out—everyone from Lone Moon Peak seemed to have something wrong with their heads. And it wasn’t just a minor problem either.
They barely cared about Yu Zhao when she was still on the peak, yet now that she had left, they were scrambling to pester her. Were they using Yu Zhao to entertain themselves? Disgusting.
“Aren’t you close to Yu Zhao? How could you not know her whereabouts? Hey! I’m not done talking—where are you going?”
Su Ming’s frustrated question was answered by the loud slam of a door.
Feng Qi Yun and the others exchanged awkward glances before they dispersed. Meanwhile, a few inner disciples tried to cozy up to Su Ming and Lan Zi Yu, hoping to gain information about Yu Zhao. But they were as clueless as anyone else, and their impatience grew.
“These inner disciples must be crazy! It was just a few questions; they didn’t have to be so rude!” Su Ming grumbled under his breath.
For the first time, Lan Zi Yu felt utterly drained. He ignored Su Ming, brushing past him to leave. But Su Ming trailed after him, prattling on endlessly.
Lan Zi Yu quickened his pace, and after considerable effort, he finally lost Su Ming. Looking up, he realized he had wandered into the Purple Bamboo Forest atop Lone Moon Peak. His fingers brushed against the smooth stalks of the bamboo, and the faint sound of bamboo being carved echoed in his ears. He could almost hear Yu Zhao’s delighted cheers when she received her gift.
He lowered his hand, a deep sense of loss washing over him.
There was no going back.
…
The Grand Tournament of the Cultivation World, held once every century, was a grand event no cultivator wanted to miss—whether they planned to compete or simply to watch. As a result, the paths leading to the Ascendance Pavilion were teeming with cultivators.
With so many people around, conflicts naturally arose. Opportunistic individuals also took advantage of the situation, ambushing and robbing travelers.
Yu Zhao, during the first leg of her journey, made no effort to suppress her cultivation. With her Golden Core Late Stage aura in full force, her journey was smooth and unimpeded. When she was three days away from the pavilion and sure she wouldn’t miss the registration for the individual competition, she slowed her pace, masking her cultivation level to Foundation Establishment Late Stage.
This change brought some much-needed excitement to her otherwise monotonous journey, as her wealth grew rapidly.
After bending down to retrieve a final storage pouch, Yu Zhao gazed into the distance. The outline of Flame Blazing City came into view. Beyond the city, ten thousand miles away, lay the Ascendance Pavilion.
Just as she prepared to continue her journey, a faint, hurried sound of footsteps approached. Her eyes gleamed as she cast an Illusion Technique over the corpses scattered on the ground. Then, she flew forward at a leisurely pace, awaiting her unexpected guests.
“Stop!”
A sharp command broke the silence as seven cultivators with sinister auras surrounded her, blocking all routes of escape.
“For a Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivator to make it this far, you must have some luck. But now that you’ve met us, it ends here,” their leader sneered, a murderous aura emanating from him.
“Are you here for wealth or lives?” Yu Zhao asked casually—a question that had become her signature phrase. Their answer would determine her response.
“Hahaha!” The group burst into laughter.
“Both! We want your wealth and your life!”
“It’s been a while since we’ve had this much fun. Her blood will sharpen my blade.”
“The last few weren’t even worth the effort. This time, let me do it!” A hulking man, as massive as a small mountain, pushed past his comrades, grinning wickedly as he advanced toward Yu Zhao.
Each step he took sent tremors through the ground, his layers of fat rippling like waves.
Just as he was about to reach her, a sharp, resonant sound pierced the air.
“Tap—tap—”