Chapter 1311

"Heh, hey, Old Qiao, this liquor is really not bad—smooth on the palate, fragrant in the middle, strong finish. Actually brought it out to entertain? The River God Sect is quite lavish. Generous indeed—no wonder I made the long trip." Elder Feng Zhao of the Northern Dipper Valley swayed his cup of amber liquor, savoring it slowly.

"Hah, puffing out a swollen face to look fat, struggling upstream for two or three years, haven't even warmed the seat yet. If it were some old-established Third Rank sect before, that'd be understandable—he'd have some accumulation. But it's just a rag-tag bunch gathered from the dregs, a motley crew!"

As fellow elders of the Northern Dipper Valley, Qiao Songyue completely looked down on the fine liquor before him, remaining motionless, "The Deputy Sect Master of the River God Sect, Shen Zhongliang, was originally the master of a Fourth Rank sect, mid-stage of the Fifth Realm, not even Upper Realm, and his father was still a live-in son-in-law, taking his mother's surname."

In such a great River God Sect, there's really only the Sect Master himself worth noting. Just that he seized the opportunity, ran off to become an elder at the Heaven Fire Sect, pays no heed to the sect. With this money, better spent on sect construction than raising a few more Fifth Realm elders.

"Hahaha, Old Qiao, you're being too harsh with these words, why bother?" Feng Zhao chuckled, "If the River God Sect poured all its money into sect construction, where would the fine liquor before us come from? Even if there were more money later, what does it have to do with us? It's best just like this—seize the day, Qiao brother."

Qiao Songyue shook his head, about to rebut, when two black dots appeared on the horizon.

Feathered wings sliced through the drifting clouds, two white lines emerging faintly.

Two hawks sped forth, spanning the vast sky, arriving above the River God Sect, folding their wings, turning direction, and swooping down.

In a single flash, heaven and earth simultaneously bore afterimages; upon landing, mist swirled faintly—actually transforming into two long-bearded Daoists, one with silver hair, one with black hair.

Seeing this, Feng Zhao immediately waved and greeted, still producing a slip of paper from his sleeve: "I thought it was someone else—turns out it's the two immortals from the Dragon Tiger Pavilion, rare to see. Please take your seats quickly; the River God Sect has prepared fine wine—today we drink till drunk, or we don't return!"

"By the way, I recently got a daughter, specially recorded her birth date and time—two immortals, help me calculate her fate. If she can amount to something, I'll raise mother and daughter; if not, I'll discard both together."

"Elder Feng, how dare you call yourself Elder————"

"Hahaha, where, where."

"As for calculating birth times, I do have some insight, but fate should not be wholly trusted."

"No problem, no problem—please proceed with the calculation————"

"Two Daoists, I've heard bandits are rampant lately, especially near the Dragon Tiger Pavilion—our Northern Dipper Valley hasn't suffered disturbance, but I don't know the situation." Qiao Songyue, oblivious to social cues, interjected, breaking the reminiscence.

The silver-bearded Daoist, already aware of Qiao Songyue's nature, paid no mind, poured a cup of liquor, took the slip, calculated the birth time, and nodded while saying: "Elder Qiao is correct—there is indeed such a situation. This bandit raid is strong, has raged for over a year, plundered many blood treasures, even threatened our downstream Third Rank sects. Locals have organized several encirclements, yet failed to subdue them.

Even the elder of the Second Rank Blue Peak Sect made a move, even suffered casualties—we've already requested aid from the Dragon Tiger Pavilion. We plan to deploy personnel this year, wrap it up early, lest it truly escalate and cause impact. What do you think, Elder Qiao—interested in joining us to help hold the line?"

"Strange." Feng Zhao clicked his tongue, "Even a Second Rank can't take them down—where did these bandits come from? No head, no tail—just how many Fifth Realm cultivators do they actually have?"

"Huh, this liquor————" The black-bearded Daoist lifted his wine cup in surprise.

"Hah, how is it? Isn't it great? The River God Sect is truly generous—normally, Second Rank blood treasures are needed to buy this, yet they let us drink freely."

The black-bearded Daoist took a sip, smacking his lips in wonder.

"Oh, Qiao brother, Feng brother, Zhang Daoist, Ming Daoist————"

"Li brother!"

"Wait, that's———— the Great Adept of the Cold Cicada, he's actually here too?"

More cranes descended from the sky, the pavilion growing ever livelier.

The Countercurrent Battle began at the morning hour, taking place at the Countercurrent-affected River God Sect. At dawn, the main figures—Nine Doubt Mountain and Liang Qu—had not yet appeared, but First and Second Rank sect elders, even Great Adepts involved in certification, kept arriving at the River God Sect, preparing to claim blood treasures after the verdict.

Especially the Heaven Gate Sect—originally successful in countercurrent, waited three years to move in, only to have the River God Sect countercurrent instead, gaining nothing, letting others reap the benefit for free. The Great Adept of the Cold Cicada personally attended, guzzling liquor fiercely, wishing to drink back his losses.

Or perhaps having long been revered, they all "bet" on the River God Sect losing.

Everyone spoke openly, no reservations—letting nearby disciples overhear everything.

The female disciples serving fruit and liquor felt their teeth itch.

The male disciples nearby felt gloomy about the sect's future prospects.

Not winning doesn't just mean becoming a Third Rank sect—more critically, it means shouldering a huge debt; future days may not even be as good as a Fourth Rank sect.

"Ah, how could the Sect Master spend so many blood treasures—how much money does this meal cost?"

"I think what the Northern Dipper Valley elder said makes sense—if we really had that much money, better spent on our disciples, right?"

"Spend it on you? Are you Sixth Realm or Fifth Realm? Can you countercurrent to First Realm, or slay demons and eliminate evil?"

The disciple fell silent, shrank his neck.

Shen Zhongliang stood silently behind the crowd, nostrils exhaling: "One by one, eating more than pigs, rising later than pigs, can't do anything, always wanting to be first—this lifetime, even reaching the Fourth Realm is thanks to heaven, lying on the Sect Master's achievements, complaining this and that. The sect's own earnings—how they're spent has nothing to do with you?

Not cultivating properly, all day thinking what the River God Sect can do for you—why not think what you can do for the River God Sect?

Standing there like a post, still dazed—what are you doing? Go work."

The disciples, as if pardoned, dared not speak, kept nodding, hurriedly running off.

Shen Zhongliang gazed at the banquet in the pavilion, similarly heartbroken.

Fortunately.

Didn't walk the sect's accounts.

A few days ago, the Sect Master handed him a large sack of blood treasures—what a fine haul. Shen Zhongliang stared, dazed—the quantity, minus the top-tier blood treasures being slightly less, the rest nearly matched the River God Sect's annual revenue—the treasury directly doubled!

He racked his brain trying to figure where so many blood treasures came from—Heaven Fire Sect's salary? Impossible. How many elders does the Heaven Fire Sect have? How many Second Rank sects? With this amount, that Heaven Fire Sect would have to lose big time.

Never mind, never mind.

Money's meant to be spent.

He too should have a couple of drinks.

Thinking this, Shen Zhongliang hurriedly joined the crowd, first filling his own cup to the brim, then came to offer a toast: "Esteemed guests from afar, let's drink one cup, let's drink one cup————"

"As the great battle approaches, your Sect Master is still in seclusion—likely a major breakthrough, right? Don't know if Elder Shen can leak a bit of inside info?"

"Eh, what inside info? Sect Master Lord wholeheartedly follows the Dao—before countercurrent, secluded in obscurity; after countercurrent, still secluded—perhaps this is why the Sect Master advances so swiftly————"

"See off the Old Ancestor as he leaves the mountain!"

"See off the Old Ancestor as he leaves the mountain!"

The River God Sect above was fervently extraordinary—Nine Doubt Mountain up and down similarly saw off the Old Ancestor and Autumn Leaf, followed by the Nine Doubt Mountain Sect Master and three elders, all turning into a vast red haze, mighty and grand, truly solemn.

Unbeknownst to them, just dozens of miles away.

Witnessing the red haze rise, the Chu King narrowed his eyes while timing it.

Previously robbing Fourth Rank and even Third Rank sects, mostly small-scale, limited disturbance, not enough to make Second Rank or even First Rank sects take notice—but Nine Yi Mountain is different, its foundation is standard Second Rank, only recently fallen below Third Rank for under three years—if it were robbed, likely to draw Heaven Fire Sect's attention.

Just poke your head out—get chopped; pull your head back—get chopped.

Liang Qu held the Empress's tablet in one hand, yin-yang traversal in the other—able to advance in attack, retreat in defense—he simply had no choice.

——

"My King, shall we go up?"

"No, wait a bit longer." King Chu shook his head. "Wait a few hours, wait until they've gone far away. That's safer."

The sixth quarter of the Hour of Mao.

Tianhuo Sect core elder Fei Taiyu arrived at the River God Sect, and everyone bowed in unison.

The eighth quarter of the Hour of Mao.

Great Enlightenment Temple's Huizhen arrived with a group of monks, similarly descending, to everyone's surprise.

"Oh? Master Huizhen? Doesn't Great Enlightenment Temple not participate in wagers?" Fei Taiyu exclaimed in surprise. "Could it be you returned to Great Enlightenment Temple and couldn't persuade the Abbot? Now you're adding in again————"

"Can add, can add!" Shen Zhongliang hurriedly said.

Huizhen raised a hand to stop him: "As a monastic, I do not partake in gambling. This poor monk is merely curious about the outcome of this battle."

Fei Taiyu understood. He stroked his beard, glanced at the Great Enlightenment Temple monks, and suddenly asked: "Since that day, has Master Huizhen ever returned to Great Enlightenment Temple?"

"Never."

"Then the Great Enlightenment Temple Abbot wouldn't be————"

"The Abbot still doesn't know I signed off on the wager; it was never notarized."

Everyone was astonished.

Seeing this, Huizhen pressed his palms together: "Returning then would only mean the Abbot's anger; this is the only way out. Informing him after today's battle gives two ways out."

"Which two ways?" the Dragon Tiger Pavilion Daoist asked.

"If the River God Sect loses, the Abbot's anger remains; if the River God Sect wins, the Abbot turns anger into joy, and this poor monk avoids one ordeal."

"Hahaha."

Everyone burst into loud laughter.

"Master Huizhen is truly a witty person. This move implies you believe the River God Sect Master can win?" Tianmen Sect's Cold Cicada Great Power Chen Rongxuan asked.

"All things in the world, all have possibility."

Yes.

All have possibility.

After the laughter, everyone turned solemn.

A Second Rank fighting an Eighth Rank and a First Rank combined, the gap is several times over.

On the surface it's impossible to win, yet the River God Sect Master acted out of character, proactively proposing the wager. Think with your behind and you know there's definitely a trick.

Either it's a bluff to make Jiuyi Mountain not dare to go against the flow and turn to deal with other Second Rank sects: or there really is some trump card to turn defeat into victory; or both, having a trump card and also fearing Jiuyi Mountain.

It's just that sects like Beidou Valley, Dragon Tiger Pavilion, Shuyu Pavilion, etc., feel the possibility of this trick winning is very small.

What in the world is ever a sure thing?

Secluded cultivation can end in demise, going out can end in violent death.

If the profit is enough, nine out of ten certainty is worth a gamble.

"They're here!" Huizhen suddenly spoke.

Fei Taiyu couldn't help but glance sideways.

Before long.

Cold Cicada Chen Rongxuan looked up, and elders and great powers of all major sects sensed something in succession.

The horizon's red clouds burned like fire.

Jiuyi Mountain Ancestor, Great Power Bu Zhe, Great Power Qiuye, Sect Master Bu Qing and a few others crossed the sea of clouds. In a few flashes, they descended upon the River God Sect. Sect Master Bu Qing and three elders landed on the highest point, cupping fists in salute.

Great Power Bu Zhe saluted Fei Taiyu, shouting loudly: "Riding the long wind, breaking ten thousand waves, drumming the double oars, singing loudly we go. Today Jiuyi Mountain goes against the flow to the River God Sect!"

Inside the River God Sect, the blood stele's light flared brilliantly, soaring to the heavens, dazzlingly bright.

Gulp.

River God Sect disciples swallowed their saliva.

After today, will we become a Third Rank sect, and also carry debt?

However————

Half a quarter-hour later, blood light lingered, no blood ape in sight.

Bu Zhe lowered his head to look down, Qiuye frowned.

Where's the monkey?

This is————late?

Everyone in the pavilion turned their heads in unison to look at Shen Zhongliang.

Fei Taiyu reminded: "Sect Master Shen, late by six hours, that counts as conceding defeat."

Shen Zhongliang sweating profusely, wiped his sweat: "Understood, understood. I'll go check the back mountain right now. Maybe the Sect Master overslept."

Shen Zhongliang felt like he had thorns in his back, immediately sprinted flying to the back mountain. As soon as he entered the cave, he saw Liang Qu and Lao Mengyao, Xi Ziyu standing at the meditation room door. While standing like mountains and abysses, they were leisurely————teaching a disciple?

"Good, three more Zhou Tian cycles, then you can rest————"

"Sect Master!? Why are you standing here? It's the Hour of Chen already! The Jiuyi Mountain people have arrived, they've initiated the Reverse Flow Battle————"

"Heard it. I'm not deaf or blind." Liang Qu rolled his eyes.

He didn't manage his seclusion time well, his Qi became disordered, causing him to be unable to appear on time?

No.

Liang Qu doesn't like playing that protagonist-last-minute-save trope. Even storytelling makes it sound cliché. As early as yesterday noon he had fully finished digesting, waiting at ease for the exhausted enemy.

"Then why do you————"

"What do you know? One drum raises morale, the second flags, the third exhausts. You think only I prepared for the big battle with seclusion adjustment? Those two guys know there's a trick, they've definitely prepared for a long time too, rushing over with imposing momentum. Don't they need to be cooled down a bit? Worn down? You just say I'm at a critical juncture of seclusion, make them wait. Urge you, you come find me, stall a bit, then go back and report. In short, delay!"

Shen Zhongliang stared with wide eyes and gaping mouth, too shocked to speak.

A long while.

Shen Zhongliang raised his thumb: "Sect Master is truly tall and hard!"

"How badass I am doesn't need your praise. 'Tall and hard' — my wife's ears have long grown calloused hearing that. Scram!"

"Yes, yes, yes."

Watching Shen Zhongliang leave the cave, Liang Qu sat down cross-legged.

Gu Shou's death was vivid before his eyes — he had fallen under a single, uninterrupted assault. He absolutely could not fall here.

A fall into a ditch makes you wiser; even using a ditch, you must gain wisdom.

Lao Mengyao now confirmed Wen Wen Shi Yun had indeed apprenticed to Liang Qu from childhood; even two years later would not have produced this effect.

"Master, isn't this a bit lacking in martial virtue?" Xi Ziyu asked tentatively.

"Martial virtue my ass! Did they speak of martial virtue when they ganged up two-on-one? Did they speak of martial virtue when they bullied the weak with strength? Those Laozu Sect ancestors — how long have they lived? A thousand years? Two thousand? Compared to him, I'm still a babe unweaned. Did they speak of martial virtue when they bullied the small with their greatness?" Liang Qu slapped Xi Ziyu's head hard. "This is called 'warfare knows no deceit'! Outsmarting! Learn a bit — if you had half your eldest senior brother's ability, you'd have married a wife long ago, and your kid could be buying soy sauce!"

"Understood, understood." Xi Ziyu clutched his head and scurried off.

Outside the cave.

"Closed-door cultivation? At a time like this, still closed-door cultivation? Cramming at the last minute isn't done like this."

"I'd say the closed-door cultivation is fake, the fear is real."

"Even winning would be disgraceful, right?"

"Tha————t's not necessarily true. Eighth stage and second stage — the gap is enormous. The River God Sect Master winning isn't really disgraceful."

The Geda Sect disciples whispered among themselves.

Qiu Ye stepped through the air.

"Master, is this River God Sect Master truly in closed-door cultivation or faking it?"

"Real or fake, his purpose has already been achieved." Bu Ji closed his eyes. "Don't be disturbed by external things."

"Understood."

Half a shichen later, Fei Taiyu urged.

Shen Zhongliang returned to the back mountain again, still giving the closed-door cultivation excuse.

Discussion in the pavilion grew louder.

One shichen, two shichen, two and a half shichen————

The great battle agreed for the chen hour, in a flash, neared the wei hour.

Morning dragged into afternoon.

The fourth round trip, Shen Zhongliang lingered at the entrance as usual, preparing to fabricate an excuse.

"Enough, no need to go."

"Sect Master? Why aren't you continuing to stall? Six shichen counts as admitting defeat; there's still three and a half shichen left."

"What do you know? Two shichen have been dragged out; the other side definitely thinks I'll drag out the full six, and is adjusting their state. By then they'll be at peak again. Moreover, the afternoon is quiet, most leisurely. My move now is the best moment to disrupt their plan! The initiative is entirely in my hands!"

Shen Zhongliang took a deep breath: "Liang, I submit to Sect Master!"

Ignoring this old brat.

Liang Qu raised his hand and grabbed; a streak of Jin Guang flew from his ear, landed in his palm, transforming into the long spear Fubo. Then he shook and transformed, blood mist rising, swelling into a blood ape.

This is not 【Spirit Transformation】, but the transformation method of "Human Form Returning to Origin"!

As everyone shifted from impatience to gradual patient waiting, a loud shout flew from the River God Sect's back mountain.

"River God Sect, Blood Ape!"

Everyone turned back.

Bu Ji opened his eyes, shouting back: "Jiuyi Mountain, Bu Ji!"

"Jiuyi Mountain, Qiu Ye!"

At the same time.

"Yi Chen, move!"

King Chu leaped out abruptly, turning into a crimson meteor, dragging a tail of flames, crashing into Jiuyi Mountain.

Boom!

The blood river surged, the dragon head lifted.

Above the River God Sect, a blood ape stepped on the dragon and emerged, charging straight for the vault of heaven, spanning the sky.

The moment it appeared, its surging momentum was utterly unconcealed, like the midday sun. The pupils of the Cold Cicada of yesteryear dilated; today Long Hu Pavilion, Beidou Valley, and Shuyu Pavilion all gasped in shock.

"Wait, this isn't second stage, it's————"

"Third stage!?

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