If one were to speak of the biggest dark horse in this Martial Assembly, it would undoubtedly be Xu Laifeng of the Eastern Sea.
Initially, the Martial Alliance had intended to bolster their momentum by recruiting more insignificant small sects, which is why they temporarily pulled in the Eastern Sea. Who could have anticipated they would directly introduce a major threat?
If an unknown nobody from the Eastern Sea truly won the alliance leader position, wouldn’t it become the greatest joke of the Central Plains martial world?
That night, several elders of the Martial Alliance urgently convened to discuss countermeasures and temporarily introduced a new rule—if the several sects participating on the third day were willing and could reach a consensus, they could form one faction. While naturally forming an alliance, one side would still be honored as the leader, and the subordinate side would effectively forfeit the competition for alliance leadership.
For some of the lesser-ranked sects, this was actually a good opportunity to distinguish themselves.
This way, the two court factions from Eastern and Western Xia could join forces with their respective national sects. Once the Eastern Sea was isolated, eliminating Xu Laifeng would be child’s play.
Once this news spread, most people had no objections. The Taixu Sect especially, knowing the Eastern Xia martial artists were without a leader, came with false concern to express condolences and conveyed to Mo Daoyun their willingness to advance and retreat together with Eastern Xia.
Who would have thought that Mo Daoyun would politely decline the proposal to cooperate with Master Yangxu?
“You should have seen Master Yang’s face at that time—the corners of his mouth twitched so hard even his beard was trembling…” Zhou Qin couldn’t help but laugh. “When leaving, he spoke with hidden meaning, telling us to fend for ourselves… Hehe, he’s the one who should fend for himself!”
“Exactly.” Fu Yanyang chimed in. “We have Sister Ting, so why would we need them to meddle?”
Night had fallen, and a fine drizzle descended from the sky. The two young disciples who had just finished foraging for food saw Ye Qi and Changling at the pavilion heart of Qiong Lake from afar and broke into a run to take shelter from the rain, chattering away with gossip along the way.
However, Changling had no mind to listen to their idle talk, nor did she even have the heart to think about how to win tomorrow’s matches. Ye Qi poured a cup of warmed wine and handed it to her. “Don’t worry, he’ll come.”
After waiting and waiting, Xu Laifeng’s figure finally appeared. Changling and Ye Qi exchanged a glance and immediately sent Zhou Qin and Fu Yanyang back to the wooden house. At times like these, the two disciples were always sensible and obediently left without question.
After battling all day, Xu Laifeng’s bones were practically falling apart. He had already climbed onto his bed preparing to sleep when a Martial Alliance disciple informed him that the leaders of each sect were gathering at Qiong Lake to discuss important matters, which is why he reluctantly came.
As a result, upon arrival he only saw Changling and Ye Qi in the pavilion. Realizing he’d been tricked, before he could slip away, Changling had already floated up and grabbed his arm. Ye Qi blocked his path and smiled. “Since you’re already here, why doesn’t Island Master Xu sit in the pavilion for a moment?”
At this time the rain was intensifying. Xu Laifeng saw Changling glance over cold as ice and felt she could dislocate his arm at any moment, so he smiled. “Very well, very well.”
The three sat around the pavilion heart. Seeing wine laid out on the table, Xu Laifeng wasn’t polite and poured himself a cup, taking a small sip. “Good wine, good wine. I wonder what matter brings the two of you to invite me here?”
Ye Qi was still deliberating his phrasing, wanting to exchange some pleasantries, when Changling got straight to the point with no transition. “How do you also know the Wanhua Compendium?”
“The Wanhua what Compendium?” Xu Laifeng feigned a confused expression. “What does the young lady mean? Forgive me, but I don’t understand.”
“Oh? Don’t understand?” Changling raised an eyebrow and pointed at his cup. “Then I’m afraid we can’t hand over the antidote.”
Xu Laifeng froze, choking on his own saliva. “You poisoned me?!”
Ye Qi also blinked in surprise.
“Mm.” Changling spoke nonsense with a straight face. “If we didn’t want to eliminate you as soon as possible, why would we go to such lengths to secretively arrange to meet you here? But don’t worry, this poison isn’t fatal. It will only cause your internal power to gradually dissipate. In the future, as long as you study and practice diligently, in ten or eight years you’ll recover completely.”
Hearing “ten or eight years,” Xu Laifeng couldn’t be bothered distinguishing truth from falsehood and could only honestly say, “Since you both already know, why ask when you already know the answer? The Wanhua Compendium—naturally I learned it together with Young Marquis Ye at Yanling Mountain.”
Ye Qi stared at Xu Laifeng with a peculiar expression. “Together with me?”
“Ah, let me just tell it straight. At that time, when the whole village was being haunted by ghosts, abandoning you all was indeed somewhat unrighteous. Later when dawn came, I looked for you, and coincidentally—right?—I just happened to catch the old monk’s water curtain cave act. Tsk tsk, truly earth-shattering and soul-stirring. You tell me, didn’t I risk my life bringing that group of good-for-nothings into Yanling Mountain for Wu Run’s divine technique? When I saw the characters carved on the stone wall, I knew this Wanhua Compendium was what I was seeking, so naturally I…” Xu Laifeng noticed the two’s expressions were off and lightly coughed. “…quietly memorized it.”
Upon hearing this, Changling and Ye Qi simultaneously thought: So this fellow took the Wanhua Compendium for Wu Run’s secret manual.
Xu Laifeng said faintly, “I don’t have such good fortune to randomly enter a deep mountain and have a master personally teach me martial arts. I could only listen from afar while being careful you wouldn’t discover me… Later, after I finished hearing him teach you the essentials of the first layer, I couldn’t wait to try it myself, so I had to leave the mountain first.”
These words did resolve previous doubts. For a martial arts fanatic like Xu Laifeng, taking advantage and running was perfectly natural. If he’d been discovered secretly learning in the shadows, who knows what unnecessary trouble it might have brought him.
“Uh, don’t look at me like that… That Wanhua Compendium was carved on the stone wall, not your family heirloom…” Xu Laifeng nervously swallowed. “Alright, I’ve confessed everything honestly. Can I have the antidote now?”
Ye Qi smiled. “We’ve all just been drinking from this wine. Island Master Xu need not be concerned. Actually, we invited you here not to pursue the matter of the Wanhua Compendium… but to discuss another important matter.”
Xu Laifeng sighed. “No way.”
Changling said, “You won’t even ask first?”
“What use could an outsider like me have that would warrant such fanfare from you two?” Knowing there was no poison, Xu Laifeng’s hands itched and he poured himself another cup of wine. “If it’s to pull me into your faction’s battle team, there’s no need. I, Xu Laifeng, have always been a lone wolf. I came to the Central Plains martial world to compete purely to seek opponents. If I side with you and offend Western Xia, it won’t benefit my future travels seeking wonders. This deal isn’t worth it, my apologies.”
“Island Master Xu is free to come and go as he pleases and handles matters clearly. If you’re not willing, naturally we have no intention of making things difficult…” Ye Qi looked at him with great understanding. “It’s just a pity that I originally wanted to exchange the essentials of the second layer of the Wanhua Compendium. However, Island Master Xu’s martial arts are formidable—one more layer isn’t much, one less layer isn’t lacking. Most likely you wouldn’t be interested.”
Xu Laifeng immediately set down his wine cup. “You’ve mastered the second layer?”
Ye Qi nodded. “I merely happened upon the key insight.”
“Don’t try to fool me.” Xu Laifeng stared into his eyes. “I heard it crystal clear at the time. That expert master of yours struggled for over half a year without any results. Young Marquis Ye isn’t some martial arts prodigy either, so how could you possibly…”
The word “possibly” had just fallen when the rain within several zhang around the pavilion froze in midair. Ye Qi lowered his long sleeve, and the rainwater splashed back down. He said casually, “Can the first layer technique control rainwater?”
Xu Laifeng: “…”
Ye Qi: “It’s just a suggestion. We’re not the type to force others against their will.”
Xu Laifeng’s face twisted into a knot. “If that’s the case, I’m afraid the leader position won’t fall to our Eastern Sea…”
Changling asked, “Does Island Master Xu also intend to compete for the alliance leader position?”
“I have no interest in the alliance leader position, but… Alas, I won’t hide it from you two. I originally came to Xiaoyao Valley to find someone. Earlier this year in Jinling City, I crossed hands with this person and was amazed by their skill—truly the kind of opponent I’ve been searching for in vain. So I specifically arranged to meet them at the Martial Assembly.” Xu Laifeng said earnestly, “These past two days I’ve personally participated in almost every match, worried I might miss this person. Unfortunately, up to now I haven’t been able to cross hands with them. I speculate they should be among tomorrow’s opponents…”
Ye Qi said curiously, “Speculate? Does Island Master Xu not know who this person is?”
“I don’t know, but I remember their special techniques and movement skills. As long as I face them, I’ll definitely recognize them.” Xu Laifeng said, “I believe this person should be one of the faction leaders, but if our Eastern Sea forms an alliance with your Eastern Xia, naturally the leader position won’t fall to me. In that case, wouldn’t I miss them?”
Ye Qi was impressed by this preposterous logic. “Brother Xu doesn’t even know their identity. How can you be certain they’ll participate in tomorrow’s matches? Maybe this person didn’t even come. Wouldn’t you be searching for hair on a turtle shell, wasting your effort?”
“No. After our battle, we reached a tacit understanding, and they personally promised to give me a hint.” Xu Laifeng patted his chest righteously. “As the saying goes, high mountains and flowing water meet kindred spirits. I believe they also have this agreement engraved in their heart, just waiting for tomorrow to compete with me.”
“…” Second Young Master Yue, who had long since forgotten this agreement to the ends of the earth, was momentarily speechless.
She felt that if she told him right now that this “kindred spirit” was right before his eyes, given Island Master Xu’s competitive nature, there would be absolutely no possibility of him cooperating with her against enemies.
Ye Qi didn’t know that the person Xu Laifeng had his heart set on was his precious fiancée. Just as he was about to help him think of a solution, he suddenly saw two people rushing over in a panic—the two young disciples they had just sent away. Zhou Qin, still catching her breath, said, “Master, Young Marquis, someone saw Scholar Shu at the foot of Nine Linked Mountains…”
Ye Qi immediately stood up. “Scholar Shu? Who saw him?”
“It’s, it’s…”
“We also only heard about it after returning. We don’t know the specifics…” Fu Yanyang said, “We only know that initially, Scholar Mo had everyone stay in the wooden house while he went to check, but after he went there was no movement. Now everyone else panicked and followed after him, but didn’t Scholar Shu fall off the cliff? I felt something was wrong about this, so Xiao Qin and I came to tell you first…”
Changling and Ye Qi exchanged a glance—if Shujuan had fallen off the mountain cliff, then what appeared naturally wasn’t him.
Ye Qi thought of that person who came and went without a trace. “Could it be him?”
Changling’s eyes flashed, and she immediately headed toward Nine Linked Mountains. Zhou Qin and Fu Yanyang followed without a word. However, Ye Qi looked back at Xu Laifeng and grabbed him. “Island Master Xu, I trouble you to come with us.”
Xu Laifeng reluctantly tried to pull his hand back. “This is your Eastern Xia’s internal affair. It wouldn’t be good for me to interfere…”
“Tonight, as long as you make this trip with us, even if you don’t join forces with us tomorrow, I’ll still truthfully tell you the key insight of the second layer’s mental method.” Ye Qi said, “Whether to go or not, Island Master Xu can decide for yourself.”
Having said this, he turned and left without further persuasion.
Xu Laifeng thought to himself: He only asked me to make the trip, he didn’t ask me to help. Watching some excitement isn’t a bad deal.
With this thought, Xu Laifeng touched his toe and leaped, quickly catching up.
At the foot of Nine Linked Mountains, wind and rain lashed together. A group of Eastern Xia martial artists shouted the names of Scholar Mo and Scholar Shu, searching for their traces. The sky was pitch black, and they could only hold umbrellas while tending oil lamps—beyond five paces, seeing anything was difficult.
Wang Xun and Mo Chuan led the way. Just as they were hesitating whether to continue searching up the mountain or first return home, they suddenly felt the earth beneath their feet tremble slightly. The two simultaneously raised their lamps and looked up. When they heard the rumbling sound growing increasingly intense, they looked at each other in disbelief.
As Changling and the others were about to reach the foot of Nine Linked Mountains, they heard a thunderous roaring sound coming from ahead. Their hearts trembled. Before they could react, they saw that group of Eastern Xia martial artists fleeing back in panic.
Looking closely, they saw following behind them a cascading flow of mud and sand rushing down!
Fu Yanyang grabbed Zhou Qin, not even having time to say the words “run quickly,” when he saw that surge of mudflow completely engulf all the Eastern Xia martial artists!