Chapter 103 Going with the Flow

The fiery spring dyed the night mist crimson. In Luofu Immortal Town, the bluestone road, eroded by a thousand years of time, was already pitted and uneven, carrying a mottled ancient charm. The “evening glow” flowed, and Li Qingyue seemed to be draped in a layer of sacred radiance. She was quite prestigious, and her words carried great influence. Li Qingxu, dressed in purple, changed his expression slightly, sensing that something was amiss.

In an instant, a group of disciples from outside the sect whispered among themselves, making even those around Li Qingxu feel uneasy.

“Li Qingyue, this is none of your business,” Li Qingxu said, holding a purple bamboo stick and maintaining a calm demeanor.

He realized that undercurrents were brewing. There was already a sworn enemy provoking him, and Li Qingyue’s strong stance at this moment seemed to have shifted the current situation. “I don’t want to repeat myself!” Li Qingyue was dressed in white, her entire body radiating a pale golden glow in the firelight.

“Li Qingxu, if we enter the Spirit Cave, we’ll settle some old scores,” Tang Xumi said.

“Li Qingxu, the duel will take place in the Spirit Cave tomorrow!” Core disciple Jiang Shengyu announced without giving any reason. “Count me in too!” another person chimed in.

In an instant, many people understood that the core disciples had reached an unspoken agreement: after entering the Spirit Cave, they would first send Li Qingxu away. The development of events was beyond many people’s expectations.

Li Qingxu knew that Li Qingyue had swung her sword at the crucial moment, striking very hard and putting him in a dangerous situation.

He knew perfectly well that Tang Xumi had no past grudges against him. This was clearly an opportunistic attack, giving Li Qingyue face while also getting rid of a pair of rivals. With someone setting an example, the core disciples could simply follow suit.

With all parties expressing their opinions, his situation became dangerous.

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The disciples who had initially sided with him remained silent. Although no one left, things might change after they entered the Spirit Cave tomorrow. No one wanted to go against the prevailing trend; what if those core disciples really joined forces? How could they possibly resist?

Li Qingxu said in a deep voice, “They are just bluffing and intimidating us. When we entered that spiritual cave, we each took different paths, so we won’t be surrounded at all. Even if we encounter a group, it’s unlikely to lead to a bloody battle because we all know each other’s true intentions. Right now, we can’t take these people’s words seriously.”

He had to keep the people around him calm; otherwise, he would lack help and struggle to cope in the competition for the near-immortal item. “Senior Brother Li, we will do our utmost to help you compete for that legendary item,” Zeng Yuan declared.

In the past, he and Qin Ming had a good relationship, but after entering the secluded realm, he became completely close to Li Qingxu. During their chance encounter at Black and White Mountain, he, like Zheng Maoze, harbored no goodwill towards Qin Ming.

“Senior Brother Li, please rest assured, we are on your side.” Another disciple from outside the sect spoke up. They and the core disciples complemented each other, and the sooner they took sides, the better.

Li Qingxu knew very well that although these people had all expressed their opinions, they might not immediately flock to him after entering the venue tomorrow; they would likely observe first. He nodded, appearing very calm and maintaining his composed and collected demeanor. The more he said or tried to persuade anyone to stay, the more counterproductive it would be.

“Not bad, that girl is quite something. She almost managed to take down a powerful competitor with just a few words,” a master from beyond the mundane world nodded in agreement outside Luofu Immortal Town. “If that senior knew that his newly accepted disciple with such extraordinary talent might be the first to be eliminated, wouldn’t he be furious?”

“Silence, that person cannot be mentioned,” someone reminded them.

That old veteran was fiercely protective of his own, ruthless, and feared by everyone. The incomparably powerful Overlord was just one of the celebrities he killed with a flick of his wrist. The older he got, the angrier he became.

A young man outside the town spoke up, defending Li Qingxu, saying, “Junior Sister Li, you’ve gone too far. You’ve already attacked before even entering the Spirit Cave.” However, he was immediately warned by an old man, who said, “You old disciple, yes, I’m talking to you, shut up immediately and step back!”

The outer realm only allowed a group of disciples participating in the competition to reside in the immortal town, and the events that occurred during this time were also a consideration, not allowing outsiders to interfere. The young man was initially somewhat bewildered; he was only twenty-four years old, how could he look old? At least compared to this old man, he was in his prime.

He didn’t dare to talk back, obediently backed away, and guiltily stopped speaking.

The old man then pointed to a group of young people and said, “And you, a bunch of old disciples, don’t stand too close, all of you step back a bit.” The group all wanted to ask, “Who’s the old one here?”

Cui Chonghe was among them. He was about the same age as the boys in Luofu Immortal Town, but he lost the right to compete and was even called an old disciple by a lousy old man. He walked away expressionlessly.

In Luofu Immortal Town, after the initial tense standoff, harmony has now returned, and the core disciples have come together, chatting and laughing. Whether they are enemies or friends is hard to say.

In reality, all of this was just a formality. The core disciples had already made contact beforehand, and this was merely a demonstration to their followers to boost their confidence. Qin Ming didn’t follow Li Qingyue into the group of disciples outside the sect; instead, he observed those on the path of new life, trying to determine which of them had practiced the special Heavenly Light Force.

A small group of them deserves serious attention, because even the core disciples of the Fangwai sect dare not underestimate them.

The Buddha’s abandoned disciple, the Five Elements Palace disciple, and the successor of the Jade Purity Force are all considered extremely dangerous figures at this stage.

Undoubtedly, these people who have undergone physical mutations are also sizing each other up.

“Brother, if we really meet in the Spirit Cave, we can spar, but don’t kill us. We’re all on the same path, true comrades.” “Sure thing!”

“See that boy with arms that reach past his knees? His name is He Tai. Rumor has it he’s mastered the Great Ape King Fist to an unparalleled level, even killing an Outer Saint during his freshman year. He’s extremely dangerous and has a violent temper; don’t mess with him!”

Qin Ming took a quick stroll around and learned quite a bit of information.

“He Tai, he’s actually been invited to help out. He’s the top scorer in the grand exam, handpicked by the city lord of a super megacity. He could kill an Outer Saint during his freshman stage, and now that he’s stepped into the Manifestation Realm, who can be his opponent?”

In an instant, many people turned their attention to He Tai, and discussions about him increased.

Qin Ming couldn’t help but look at him, and then realized that this was actually a young powerhouse that the Zheng family had specially invited for Zheng Maoze.

“The Great Ape King Force is a super composite Heavenly Light Force, which is very difficult to master. However, He Tai had already mastered it long ago and was hailed as a future master of boxing. He already has quite a bit of presence.”

Qin Ming listened quietly, making a mental note of this dangerous individual. “I didn’t see wrong, did I? The Pure Yang Palace actually sent people too!”

Another formidable figure has been recognized: Jiang Congyun, a disciple of the Chunyang Palace. The Chunyang Force of this lineage is renowned for its invincibility and unparalleled dominance. This is a young master whom a member of a thousand-year-old family personally invited to the Chunyang Palace on behalf of Wang Caiwei.

Many disciples of the secluded sects showed expressions of shock. At the Xinzai and Huangting realms, they needed to be highly vigilant against certain special techniques of force, otherwise they would truly perish. Pure Yang Force was exceptionally terrifying; it could burn and shatter the very essence of consciousness!

Wang Caiwei valued Jiang Congyun highly and kept him by her side, formally introducing him to a group of disciples from outside the sect.

“Which one is the Buddha’s abandoned disciple, which one is the successor of the Jade Purity Force, and where are the disciples of the Five Elements Palace from? Brother, do you know them? Can you point them out?” Qin Ming asked a burly young man beside him.

“I don’t know. They’re very well hidden. I have a feeling that these kinds of people could threaten the core disciples.”…

Not only people from the outer realms, but also those who had taken other paths, appeared outside Luofu Immortal Town, all closely watching this competition.

As for the outside world, many places have already set up betting platforms where people can place bets on which core disciple from outside the secular world will ultimately win, turning it into a big business.

“The successor of the Jade Purity Force, the abandoned disciple of Buddha, Jiang Congyun, Cui Chongxuan, He Tai… among these specially invited individuals, who will be able to break through the Spirit Cave and have the last laugh? Will someone be able to defeat certain core disciples head-on for their employer and obtain the near-immortal artifacts?”

“I’ve placed my bet: Five Elements Force, Pure Yang Force, Six Imperial Force… Which is stronger or weaker? I’ll take a gamble.”

Clearly, it’s not just the core disciples who are receiving attention; those who are proficient in terrifying martial arts techniques and have been specially invited have also become betting targets for various betting platforms.

That night, in the cities and regions shrouded in fog, countless people were talking, and gamblers were placing bets as if a grand event was about to begin. Late at night, Qin Ming slept soundly, clutching his jade iron knife, for he feared things were about to get unsettled.

Now, all parties are paying close attention and are on high alert. Even experts from remote areas and direct descendants of ancient families have personally gone to invite people, which shows how much importance is attached to this matter.

Nothing happened that night, until just before dawn when the fire spring was fully revived and the stone slab covering it was lifted. Suddenly, someone attacked. At such a critical moment, someone actually made a move.

“Li Qingxu, I knew you would come, why bother hiding?” Li Qingyue pushed open the door and stepped out, her body radiating a glow that dispelled the night mist. Ahead of her, a figure silently shattered a house and retreated, without directly confronting Li Qingyue.

Because Tang Xumi also appeared and attacked, he whispered, “Shall we join forces to severely injure him and drive him away?”

“Time is running out.” Li Qingyue shook her head. The dark figure was standing at the entrance of Luofu Immortal Town. Fighting there wouldn’t allow for an instant kill; the people outside the town would see it. “He’s lost the initiative and is trying to establish his authority by attacking one of us at night,” Tang Xumi said, before disappearing into the night mist.

At this moment, Qin Ming was fully armed, his golden armor was dazzling, his figure was upright and he was full of heroic spirit. He carried twelve short spears on his back and had a jade iron knife hanging at his waist.

He already knew that the golden armor crafted by the recluse was engraved with special runes that could ward off one death calamity. After all, his original intention was only to compete for items that brought him close to immortality, and he did not want too many casualties.

The runes in the stomach can burst forth to form a protective light barrier, which the loser can use to leave the spirit cave.

However, there are always exceptions. If someone tries to stop them at all costs and breaks through the protective barrier, or if the loser is unwilling to leave immediately and exhausts the protective barrier’s lifespan, then there is a possibility of dying completely in the spirit cave.

Li Qingyue took out a thin, golden robe from her room. It was very soft and mysterious, with fine, gentle runes flowing around it. She whispered, “Wear this too, it will provide two layers of protection.”

Qin Ming realized that this was a protective golden robe specially made for the core disciples, and its quality was excellent.

He immediately shook his head. He already had the Golden Armor. If he were to wear Li Qingyue’s life-saving item as well, he would truly regret it for the rest of his life if she encountered danger.

“I am strong enough that none of the core disciples can kill me. Moreover, I have protective measures, so even if unforeseen circumstances arise, I can rush out of the spiritual cave immediately. You… have only been reborn five times. I am not underestimating you, after all, you have only been on the path of rebirth for a short time and still need time to accumulate experience. I am just afraid that I might not be able to protect you properly.”

Li Qingyue was very frank and told him about her hidden worries.

Qin Ming shook his head firmly. Although he had come to help, the fact that she had offered him her life-saving golden armor warmed his heart, and he couldn’t let her be put in such a dangerous situation. “If you’re not going to wear the protective golden armor yourself, we might as well just give up on this competition!” Qin Ming said.

Finally, Li Qingyue returned to her room, put her golden robe back on underneath, and then donned a layer of silver armor. Instantly, she looked heroic and exceptionally elegant. At dawn, the rosy dawn from the fiery spring bathed Luofu Immortal Town, dispelling the night mist and creating a radiant scene.

A group of people set off and soon arrived at the ruins of the immortal mountain several miles away, heading towards a group of grottoes. “One group, one path, enter through different passages,” a master from the otherworldly realm transmitted telepathically.

Qin Ming followed Li Qingyue along the cave passage, thinking they were going underground to a dark place.

To his surprise, he found himself in a pine forest, with a clear spring babbling in the sunlight, as if daytime had returned. The other three golden-armored guards were just as astonished as Qin Ming.

Li Qingyue remained calm as she gazed into the distance. On the flat ground outside the pine forest, she spotted a familiar face—Zheng Maoze.

On the other side of the mountain, Li Qingxu walked over with a smile and said, “What a coincidence, Li Qingyue, I didn’t expect to run into you so soon!” He looked at Zheng Maoze and said, “Let’s join forces and send her away.”

Then he laughed again, because he saw Wang Caiwei appearing in the distance with Jiang Congyun, a master from Chunyang Palace. Li Qingxu said, “Caiwei, let’s all three of us send Fairy Li on her way!”