Tianyi only spent a few moments mocking Longwei. That man wasn’t important enough for him to fully pay attention to. Although, if possible, Tianyi wouldn’t mind ridding the world of another Dragon Emperor Clone. He’d have to be an idiot not to notice Longwei’s disdain and killing intent towards him. Not to mention Longwei’s sudden explosive increase in strength mid spar, it was as if Longwei was waiting for that moment to get rid of him at once!
Although Tianyi didn’t know why Longwei had such intentions, that wouldn’t prevent Tianyi from taking action. If he could discover the reason, then good. If not, then Tianyi wouldn’t mind not knowing why his possible murderer wanted to kill him as long as he was dead.
Curiosity killed the cat, after all.
Su Bojing returned not long after, his face slightly weird.
“Senior Brother, I have returned successfully.”
Tianyi motioned for Su Bojing to continue.
“The two who were fighting aren’t just members of the same sect but cousins descended from the same Elder. The one who won and the elder is named Lai Erchu, while the younger one who lost is named Lai Wu. Both were born around the same time and with similar levels of talent, so the two have been rivals since young. Although the two fought occasionally, it wasn’t to the point of fire and water witnessed earlier, not to the point of purposely maiming the other one.”
“But that all changed when that girl, Bai Weiwei, appeared. I don’t know what kind of illness the two caught, but they both started fighting over her. I really can’t see what they see in her. She’s not even the descendant of an Elder, and her talent is subpar. The only reason she’s reached Core Formation before forty is due to copious amounts of pills.”
Tianyi raised an eyebrow. “If she’s not the descendant of an Elder, why is she here? As a servant?”
Su Bojing shook his head. “No, I heard the two cousins forcefully added her as a guest.”
“And no one said anything? The two cousins don’t look to have that much influence.” Tianyi asked.
“No… There wasn’t as much resistance from what I heard.” Su Bojing said, finding the situation weird.
“Prince Xi, you wouldn’t happen to be interested in her, would you?” Jian Wuyan suddenly asked.
Tianyi looked at her. “Not really, I’m just curious.”
Jian Wuyan still had a serious look on her face. “It’s better to distance yourself from her. That woman isn’t simple.”
“What do you mean?” Su Bojing asked, confused. “Although I find it weird that those Lai cousins would fight over her, it shouldn’t mean that there is anything wrong with her, right?”
“Hmpf, just look over there.” Jian Wuyan pointed towards where most of the members of the Bright Ascension Sect sat. Although there was some intermingling between sects, most still preferred to group up with their own apprentice-brother and sisters.
“What about it?” Su Bojing asked.
“The males and females are divided,” Tianyi said.
“Prince Xi is wise.” Jian Wuyan said, her eyes shining in respect, causing Tianyi to feel awkward for being praised for pointing such an obvious observation.
“Hmm, They are. But what does that even have to do with anything about that Bai girl?” Su Bojing said, still confused.
“Yeah, I feel the same. Aren’t you too suspicious?” Dong Chifan interjected as well.
“Tsk, tsk, women know women best.” Jian Wuyan said as she looked towards Su Bojing and Dong Chifan like they were dimwits. “Just look, the girls are grouped together except that Bai girl. She’s standing with the male disciples. Although not all of them are appreciative of her, most still are giving her kind looks. Isn’t it strange that all the girls are distancing themselves from her while the guys all seem to have good feelings towards her?”
Su Bojing looked over there and observed closely. “You’re right. But that doesn’t prove anything, right?”
Tianyi held his chin and narrowed his eyes in thought. “Before the Lai cousins fought over her, did she have any admirers?”
Su Bojing shook his head. “I didn’t investigate that far. I’ll immediately go.”
“Never mind, she’s not even in the same sect as us. Plus, if she really reached her current cultivation through pills, the world we live in is different. Just an unrelated person, no need to go that far.” Tianyi said, although he was interested in the story, he felt that the actual situation would make him question the intelligence of his fellow humans. He didn’t see how Su Bojing stiffened at his final words.
“Prince Xi is wise!” Jian Wuyan said. “Honestly, it’s better not to underestimate women. Although a woman may appear like a harmless flower, we all have our thorns. Our hearts remember grudges very well, especially those who slighted us in any way. The more harmless a woman appears the sharper her thorns are. You have to be careful!”
Tianyi felt his lips twitch as he stared at Jian Wuyan.
The earlier part is good, but why does it seem that you are saying that all women are petty. As a woman, should you be saying those things? Plus, the one who looks most harmless to me is you!
Tianyi could still remember the baby-faced girl before him glaring savagely at her opponent with a brutal sword-mace in her hand.
See, even Dong Chifan agrees. Look at how he is staring incredulously at you with his mouth wide open!
Afterward, the rest of the spar proceeded smoothly with no more interruptions or accidents. Before all of the participants returned to their accommodations, Tianyi stopped Su Bojing.
“Brother Su, can you find any information on Longwei. Not the surface-level details, but his whole history.”
“This, it would need some time and resources. It might not be finished before the end of the Heavenly Connection Gathering; that Longwei doesn’t look simple.” Su Bojing said.
“I’ll have to ask you to help me get his information. I don’t mind the price.” Tianyi handed some pills and spiritual stones to Su Bojing. Strictly speaking, Su Bojing wasn’t actually his subordinate. But since he helped Tianyi so much and acted like a subordinate, Tianyi didn’t mind giving him some benefits. Su Bojing wasn’t a slave or anything, after all.
As expected, Su Bojing’s eyes alighted with delight. “Thank you very much, Senior Brother! You can count on me! I’ll do this efficiently and cleanly!”
Tianyi nodded and bid farewell. He was slightly disappointed that none of the big five sparred, the five being Su Wanyu, San Jiuling, Hun Jusang, Ji Muyang, and He Luoli. But what could he do about it? He also turned in for the night.
“Longwei, that Xi Tianyi is too overbearing. It was just a spar, yet he injured you so much.” Ji Muyang said with a sigh as she patted Longwei on the shoulder, her face full of sadness.
Longwei’s face sank at Ji Muyang poking his sore spot. To think that a hairless brat nearly killed me! I, whose name once resounded throughout the Huang Realm!
He wasn’t confused as to why Tianyi used such a move against him. After all, he tried to kill Tianyi before. How could he not expect retaliation? But what he could not accept was that he was the one who lost the clash. Longwei had far more experience and was the greatest heaven-favored prodigy of his era. Yet, he lost to a person at the same cultivation level. If Tianyi was a whole realm above, he could accept. He would just need to hide a bit and cultivate before returning for revenge.
This was a smack to his face. It was as if Tianyi was saying Longwei’s talent was less than his!
Ji Muyang looked on coldly as Longwei continued to stew in his own wrathful thoughts. She also ignored the several females who were complaining with her earlier about how Tianyi was too harsh. How was she so blind? How could she think the man before her was outstanding? Sure, he had talent, looks, and some street smarts. But that amounted to nothing when the man couldn’t see the big picture and overinflated his own self-worth.
He almost caused her to suffer irreparable consequences.
“Hmpf, you have such talent and progress despite being a loose cultivator. That Tianyi must have grown jealous of your talent and wanted to eliminate you before you grew up!”
Ji Muyang schooled her features as she ridiculed the brainless broad who said those words. How could she not see that Longwei had premediated the actions that caused Tianyi’s retaliation?
The simple truth was that Longwei was weaker than Tianyi and thus, suffered for his own actions.
Ji Muyang already planned to sever any contact with Longwei after this. Otherwise, who knew how much trouble she would be forced to partake in? As for before she left, she should take some benefits first.
Not to mention all these women that followed Longwei. She was the Bright Ascension Saintness and even hinted at Longwei that she would accept as long as he pursued her. Yet Longwei acted as if he didn’t notice and continued to hang around all these women. Worse, they were all loose cultivators or from forces weaker than her Bright Ascension Sect. She was the most outstanding, yet Longwei continued to string her along with all these women. Did he think she, Ji Muyang, would continue to follow him no matter what?
“I think you’re wrong.” Ji Muyang interjected. “Xi Tianyi doesn’t look like someone who would commit such an act for such a reason. I think it might be that person who instructed him.”
“That person?”
“Yes, Su Wanyu.” Ji Muyang nodded confidently. “Longwei is a genius that comes only once in a million years. I invited him so he would likely join the Bright Ascension Sect. How could the Buzhou Immortal Sect allow such a thing to happen?”
“This…would they really do such a thing? The Buzhou Immortal Sect is such a powerful existence. They wouldn’t care for a mortal like Longwei, right?” One of the women from a backwater force asked.
The Buzhou Immortal Sect had long established its dominance on the whole Heaven Continent, and not even the Anti-Heaven Alliance really dared too much. It was a towering existence that first-rate forces like them needed to venerate and fear. The difference between all the first-rate sect and the sole hegemonic sect wasn’t just a matter of numbers either.
“I heard that the foundation of the Buzhou Immortal Sect was greatly damaged when they fought against the Dragon Emperor years ago. Right now, they are at their weakest point since the creation of their sect.” Ji Muyang leaned in and lowered her voice as if whispering some grand secret.
Longwei curled the corner of his lips in satisfaction as a feeling of triumph flowed throughout his body.
“When a sect weakens and can’t recover in a short amount of time, what is the best thing to do to maintain power? It’s to weaken the other powers. Recently, these last hundred of years, the number of our elite disciples have mysteriously disappeared and never returned have risen higher than before the Dragon Emperor’s death.” Ji Muyang continued.
The women all gave a look of dawning realization at what Ji Muyang implied. There was a look of uncovering some great conspiracy or disbelief. Most of them still held eyes of doubt, but the seed had already been planted.
Naturally, Ji Muyang didn’t believe what she was implying. Although what she said was true, it was only slightly higher than average. The rate of death fluctuated around the average quite frequently. But just this suspicion and circumstantial evidence were enough to make many people believe it.
What she didn’t know was that the Buzhou Immortal was indeed behind the deaths of some of the elite disciples of her sect, just not for the right reason.
Ji Muyang turned towards Longwei with looks of concern, but the words she spoke only added fuel to the fire. “Longwei, you shouldn’t go look for trouble with Su Wanyu. I know you’re strong, but she’s just too powerful. Once this gathering ends, I’ll take you to meet my master. Once you become his disciple, just stay at the sect for a while and don’t go out, okay?”
Longwei’s eyes flashed with anger. “No, this enmity, I will return a hundredfold. So what if they are the Buzhou Immortal Sect, so what if she is the daughter of an Immortal? Anyone who schemed against me, I will return back!”
“Longwei, don’t be so rash. Perhaps, this is just me overthinking, and it really was only Xi Tianyi being jealous of your potential.” Ji Muyang reasoned, but that only served to aggravate Longwei to the extreme.
“No, Yang’er, you are right. The Buzhou Immortal Sect is purposefully eliminating the power of other forces to maintain their control. The Dragon Emperor killed nearly half of their Immortal Monarchs and an Immortal Emperor, so they are at their weakest. I don’t mind them. After all, all powers do carry out these little schemes to maintain power, but since they dared to target me, I will destroy them!” Longwei said with complete confidence.
Ji Muyang couldn’t hide her shock. She really couldn’t understand why Longwei was so confident in her lie and why he believed that they really targeted a mortal loose cultivator like him. Sure, people like him who have condensed saber intent at his age are scarce, but not unheard of.
Even more shocking was his words of destroying the Buzhou Immortal Sect. The Buzhou Immortal Sect had existed since even before it was called the Huang Realm. Many people and geniuses greater than him had tried to do so, but none succeeded. Again, where did his confidence originate from? It was as if he believed the world revolved around him!
Ji Muyang earnestly thanked the Heavenly Dao for letting her see his true nature before tangling with him any further. Just this attitude of never backing down or not being able to suffer a loss was enough to sow enmity with countless people. She hid her smile as she left. Ji Muyang sneered at the women who still stayed in Longwei’s room. Those women wanted to stay in the same room for the night; just where were their pride?
The next day, Ji Muyang purposely didn’t visit Longwei in the morning. Instead, she met with Su Wanyi and the other leading disciples as they boarded the Immortal Boat towards Immortal Ironword’s inheritance site. Tianyi was also on the boat giving directions.
“Sister Ji, what’s wrong. It’s rare to see you so down.” San Jiuling asked.
“It’s nothing, just Longwei.” Ji Muyang pretended to sigh. “The shock of losing to Brother Xi might have been too much for his self-esteem. Right now, he is constantly in a foul mood and even threw a tantrum. He was such a good seed. I even wanted my master to take him in as a disciple. But judging by his character, his immortal path is unlikely to come to fruition. I don’t know whether inviting him is a blessing or a disaster. Perhaps it would be best for us to go our separate ways.”
The other three nodded in understanding. Some people were too unyielding and unable to accept compromise. Unyielding is a good trait for pursuing the Dao, but too much will make them brittle.
Ji Muyang smiled as she hinted at her severed connection with Longwei. Then she looked at Su Wanyu. Envy, admiration, and hate all emerged in her eyes. The two were nearly the same age and had already met several times at the previous Heavenly Connection Gatherings, but each time she always lost to this woman in front of her.
She was slower than her to forming her spiritual core than Su Wanyu. Even more, hers was gold-ranked while Su Wanyu’s was violet-gold ranked! She was slower in forming her five-colored Nascent Soul as well!
All these years of one-sided envy had long turned into a habit of finding trouble with Su Wanyu whenever possible. It was to the point that if she didn’t find trouble every time they met, she would be unable to calm down her heart. It wasn’t a big problem, but it was like an irritating itch that never went away unless she did so.
Ji Muyang smiled. She had seen Su Wanyu’s eyes of hostility when she first laid eyes on Longwei earlier. So if Longwei found trouble with her, Ji Muyang could expect a good show.
She couldn’t wait.