Chapter 267: Tense

A quarter of an hour later.

Li Rui's figure could no longer be seen in the hall.

Several people looked at each other.

Zhou Ting looked at Li Rui, who had agreed so readily and then left with a smile, feeling somewhat uneasy for a moment, breaking the silence:

"Do you think he might be using a delaying tactic?"

Such a big piece of fat, given up just like that.

He was truly willing.

If this happened to him, even if he had to admit defeat in the end, he couldn't just not resist at all, and even accept it with a smile.

This made him suspect whether Li Rui had other thoughts.

Shi Zhou and Bai Jing did not answer, only squinting their eyes as they watched Li Rui's departing back.

A long time later.

Shi Zhou spoke slowly: "There shouldn't be a trap. Even if he can drag it out past today, it will be the same in the future. In today's situation, it would be the same for anyone."

In all fairness.

If he were in Li Rui's position, he would be just as helpless.

What could he do?

The opponent was stronger than him in both strength and background; it was fundamentally unsolvable. And this time, they were targeting the demonic beast business, so there was no Elder Tiekuang to support him.

Li Rui's biggest backer was Jiang Linxian.

Just a Huaqing Sect; they really didn't take it seriously.

Shi Zhou thought about it and felt that he could only bow his head and admit defeat like Li Rui.

At most, he couldn't be as carefree as this. After all, it was a business he had painstakingly managed, and he must have put in great effort. Now, the silver earned every day made even their great sects envious, yet he gave it up just like that.

'He is a character.'

He praised him secretly in his heart; he had still underestimated Li Rui.

Knowing when to bend and when to stretch is the mark of a great man.

With Li Rui's temperament, if he were in troubled times, he would surely be a hero of his generation. It is a pity he was born in this peaceful and prosperous age of the Yu Kingdom.

Could it be considered born at the wrong time?

Shi Zhou was amused by his own strange thought.

'Hero or villain, it doesn't matter; today, this business is as good as eaten.'

Even if Li Rui had tricks, he would just deal with them as they came.

A dignified great sect, could it be led by the nose by a tiny Tiandi Alliance?

He stood up and cupped his fists toward County Magistrate Zhong Zheng: "Magistrate Zhong, the promised items will be delivered to your mansion today. Farewell."

Having said that.

Shi Zhou strode toward the door.

He felt a sudden sense of relief.

He still remembered that Li Rui had beaten his men, causing him to lose face in the Divine Weapon Shanzhuang.

The humiliation he had suffered at Li Rui's hands before was now being fully vomited back.

"Brother Li, how was it?"

Tan Hu stood outside, and seeing Li Rui come out, he hurried to greet him.

Just now, he had seen the people in the government hall, none of whom were easy to deal with, and he was afraid Li Rui had suffered a loss inside.

Li Rui chuckled: "They are all people of status; what could happen?"

Reputation is a good thing.

Especially for these great sects, they value it even more. Even if they want to rob, they use power to suppress others. At worst, they find a place where no one is watching to do it; they wouldn't do something as stupid as harming people openly, let alone harming an official of the imperial court.

Hearing this, Tan Hu finally felt relieved.

"Oh, nothing happened? That's good."

He followed Li Rui out of the government office.

Just as they stepped out.

They saw Liang He trotting over: "Master, how was it?"

Li Rui smiled slightly: "They should be sending the goods back today."

Liang He breathed a sigh of relief.

"As expected of Master, there is nothing you cannot handle."

But Li Rui's next words left Liang He dumbfounded: "By the way, for this trade, take the people from the Divine Weapon Shanzhuang, Dao Xuan Sect, and Hundred Battles Gate with you, and let them meet Puda."

Puda was the demonic beast dealer introduced by Dao Mo.

He had a great reputation in the Wu Kingdom.

The Tiandi Alliance's source for the demonic beast business was all provided by Puda.

Connecting the three great sects with Puda wasn't that just handing the demonic beast business over to them?

Liang He's face flushed red: "Master..."

Li Rui smiled and looked at Liang He: "Why, do you feel aggrieved?"

Liang He was pricked in his thoughts, hesitated, but still nodded: "Yes, a little."

He had put a lot of effort into this trade.

Now, to give it up just like that, he found it hard to accept for a moment.

"Aggrieved is right. We are not royalty or nobles; we earn what we can. How can one open a business and not suffer some grievances?"

Liang He was silent.

A long time later, he spoke: "Master's teaching is correct."

Li Rui chuckled: "Alright, go handle it."

Watching Liang He leave.

Tan Hu spoke: "Brother Li, if you need, I know some swordsmen. If nothing else, beating a few people up to vent your anger is fine."

He knew about Li Rui's Tiandi Alliance business.

At first, he really thought it was fine, but he didn't expect that Li Rui had only been inside for a short while before a big piece of meat was carved out by the three great sects.

If it were him, he would definitely be heartbroken.

'No wonder he is my big brother; he is just steady.'

Li Rui rolled his eyes: "Don't you go causing trouble for me."

Did he really think those great sects could be provoked at will?

Then he walked toward the Trade Office with his hands behind his back.

Today's matter could only be handled this way.

His surname was neither Long nor Ye, and he was not the Son of the Plane.

He had no way to summon a meteorite to smash Shi Zhou and the others to death, and there weren't that many brilliant schemes in the world.

Honestly admitting defeat was the normal path. Three great sects joining forces—admitting cowardice wasn't shameful.

Although he had the Lord of the Dragon Court supporting him from behind, if he relied on this for everything, something would go wrong sooner or later.

The key still depended on the Tiandi Alliance itself.

The reason he let the three great sects enter the field was, first, to expand the market for the demonic beast business, and second, he had the intention of tempering the Tiandi Alliance.

Ever since he started the demonic beast business, he knew the Tiandi Alliance couldn't eat it all alone.

Even if he had a line to the Emperor, the Tiandi Alliance's own strength hadn't reached that level.

Being able to sit in this position for so long was thanks to the Divine Weapon Shanzhuang suffering a loss last time, which made the other great sects unable to figure out their background for a while.

To look at things, one must look at what one gains.

Otherwise, if one only looks at what is lost, wouldn't one be troubled every day?

And whether it was the Tiandi Alliance or himself, they had actually obtained benefits far beyond their own, so they should be content.

This was the experience Li Rui gained from being a coachman for decades; simply put, it was finding joy in bitterness.

But it was an important skill.

More importantly, he had already broken through to the Fifth-Rank and had the confidence to do business with the great sects.

It was just missing a suitable opportunity to reveal it.

With strength as a backing, he was naturally not panicked; anyway, what was lost now could be taken back later.

In the end, it was because his strength had increased, and his heart had naturally broadened.

At noon that day.

The Tiandi Alliance's goods were arranged to be sent back by County Magistrate Zhong Zheng.

He even specifically instructed his subordinates to apologize in public.

It could be said that he gave enough face.

Some forces watching the excitement saw this and also dismissed the idea of kicking them while they were down.

If even the government office couldn't do anything to the Tiandi Alliance and had to apologize in the end, let alone them.

Zhong Zheng naturally wasn't truly afraid of the Tiandi Alliance.

But he wanted the Red-Scaled Fish in Li Rui's hands. Although he was the one who did it, essentially it was a matter between the three great sects and the Tiandi Alliance, so there was still room for relaxation.

"He really wants the Red-Scaled Fish." Li Rui looked at the government officials who were even somewhat fawning, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

As long as there is a desire, it's fine.

If there were no desires, how could he manipulate them?

Not only County Magistrate Zhong Zheng, but Shi Zhou and the other two were the same.

As long as they weren't reclusive sect cultivators who were isolated from the world, there was always a way to break through from other aspects. He couldn't afford to provoke the great sects, and he didn't need to; he just needed to manipulate the elders stationed in Qinghe.

Can't provoke the great sect, but can't deal with a Fifth-Rank martial artist who has a wife, children, relatives, clans, and disciples?

Li Rui still had some confidence in this.

Business matters don't all have to be about killing and fighting.

How inauspicious.

Li Rui squinted and smiled: "By the way, Xiao He, take some silver from the treasury and go to the Lord Tianji Pavilion to check the background of Elder Bai of the Dao Xuan Sect and Elder Zhou of the Hundred Battles Gate."

"Alright."

Liang He nodded.

Please... you... collect_(!)

The Lord Tianji Pavilion was a famous information dealer in the Yu Kingdom, with an information network spread throughout the world, but the fees were incredibly expensive.

Li Rui had already bought Shi Zhou's information before, and he had Elder Tiekuang's connection, so he didn't worry about methods, but the other two would need more effort.

Thinking about spending several thousand taels of silver.

He couldn't help but sigh.

No matter the era, the information gap is always the most valuable thing.

The three great sects had entered the field, true.

But did they really think they could kick the Tiandi Alliance out of the game?

Night, Military Advisor's Prefecture.

"Senior Xu."

Jiang Linxian looked at the candlelight lit in the room on the west side of the courtyard and knocked on the door.

The door creaked open.

Seeing Xu Xuan behind the door, Jiang Linxian rarely showed helplessness: "Senior has finally returned."

Xu Xuan stood behind the door and chuckled: "You kid are quite quick to react."

Jiang Linxian: "Senior, didn't we agree that I would send people to investigate? Why did you go yourself?"

If Xu Xuan were beaten to death by the Nine-Soul Dharma King in Barbarian Bone City, he wouldn't know how to explain it to that Gu Jianzheng Gu.

However.

Although Xu Xuan promised not to be reckless, he stayed in Qinghe for two days, then went out of the city behind his back, and only returned now.

'Could it be that there is really such a thing as an old child?'

Jiang Linxian thought wildly.

How did he remember that Xu Xuan used to have a reputation for being steady? Now that he was old, he had become impulsive instead.

"Couldn't sit still, so I went to Barbarian Bone City to take a look."

"Come in, I happen to have something to tell you."

Xu Xuan turned to the side.

Hearing this, Jiang Linxian walked in.

Xu Xuan signaled Jiang Linxian to sit down, then sat opposite him, speaking slowly: "The Nine-Soul Dharma King is indeed in Barbarian Bone City, but yesterday, I saw him leave the city."

Jiang Linxian narrowed his eyes slightly:

"Left the city?"

Xu Xuan nodded: "If nothing goes wrong, he has already entered Yunzhou. Judging by the direction, he is heading toward Qinghe."

Jiang Linxian's heart sank.

Nine-Soul Dharma King, an Earth Immortal powerhouse.

Slaughtering a city and raising a sea of blood would not be difficult.

Qinghe is in danger!

Xu Xuan, however, looked at Jiang Linxian with some excitement: "This is the perfect time to kill him."

Jiang Linxian was silent.

He didn't think that he, plus an Xu Xuan suffering from the Five Decays of Heaven and Man, could kill an Earth Immortal in his prime.

Xu Xuan chuckled and stopped talking about the Nine-Soul Dharma King: "Truly, the younger generation is to be feared. One is you, one is little Gu; both have the potential of a banished immortal, making one feel ashamed and envious..."

Jiang Linxian knew.

The little Gu in Xu Xuan's mouth was the Tower Master of the Asking Immortal Tower, now the Gu Jianzheng of the Imperial Observatory, Gu Changsheng.

Named after "Longevity," it shows his high aspirations.

Although he had only met Gu Changsheng once.

Gu Changsheng's peerless talent was stunning even to Jiang Linxian.

Xu Xuan continued: "Little Gu thinks highly of you, saying that there are three and a half people in the world who walk the same path, and you count as half."

Jiang Linxian listened quietly.

The half recognized by Gu Changsheng was enough to make the world's heroes envious to the point of jealousy.

Because the other three were all the top three in the world, the most supreme figures in the world.

"Senior..."

Jiang Linxian was about to speak, but was interrupted by Xu Xuan raising his hand:

"The one who wants to kill the Nine-Soul Dharma King is me, and also little Gu."

"When I left the capital, he specifically asked me to do one thing, and for this, that kid even bowed to me."

Thinking of that kid Gu Changsheng bowing to him, Xu Xuan's laughter grew louder.

"He begged me to be a whetstone for your sword."

Hearing the words "whetstone for your sword."

Jiang Linxian frowned slightly.

The smile on Xu Xuan's face grew, even somewhat manic: "I am also unlucky. Among so many cultivation techniques in the Asking Immortal Tower, I happened to choose the Yellow Court Profound Scripture, destined to be a whetstone for others."

"This sword of yours, only I can truly sharpen it."

Jiang Linxian's pupils contracted slightly.

He understood instantly.

There was no trump card or killing move.

The trump card was Xu Xuan himself, or rather, it was him, Jiang Linxian.

Fire burned in Xu Xuan's eyes:

"Time is running out."

"Today, I will help you ascend to immortality!"

It didn't matter if he, Xu Xuan, became an immortal or not, as long as there were immortals in the world, otherwise why bother flipping through the Yellow Court?

It was all for the sake of letting the world's geniuses ascend to immortality!

Instantly, golden light burst forth, as if dragons and phoenixes were crying out.

Trade Office, a backyard of a shop.

Lady Lingluo looked up at the moonlight in the sky.

The bright moon moved east.

"The time is almost here."

She spoke slowly, her thin lips curling slightly, as if thinking of something interesting.

At this moment.

Yuan Gao walked over: "The Dharma King has already arrived ten miles outside the city. What do you intend to do?"

He looked at the enchanting woman before him.

In three days, the Anning Guard would return to camp.

Hearing that the Nine-Soul Dharma King had already arrived in Qinghe, Lady Lingluo's mood improved.

"Elder Yuan, it is almost time to set off."

Lady Lingluo walked toward the door with a smile, and the two arrived at the mountains outside the city.

Appearing before Yuan Gao were countless demonic beasts, dense and uncountable.

Demonic aura soared to the sky!

He looked at this scene and gasped: "What exactly are you trying to do?"

"What am I doing?"

Lady Lingluo's laughter became even more enchanting, even somewhat manic: "Naturally, attacking the city."

There was no brilliant scheme; from the very beginning, she had already thought of using power to suppress others.

Others wouldn't dare.

But she, a rebel of the Wu Kingdom, what did she have to fear!

Looking at Lady Lingluo, Yuan Gao muttered:

"Crazy, this woman is crazy!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 268 =====