Chapter 224: Reactions from All Sides

The several-li-long river channel from Five-Heart Bridge to where Hua Yuzi was beheaded was a bustling area of the city, densely packed with pagodas, halls, and pavilions, all brilliantly illuminated.

As soon as the formation erupted on Five-Heart Bridge, it was noticed by many Wu Xiu in the buildings on both banks, sparking exclamations.

The exchange between Li Youyi, Yang Qingxi, and Hua Yuzi was too fast; the ambush and killing were over in an instant. Except for a few high-realm Wu Xiu, the rest had no idea what had happened.

It was not until Hua Yuzi transformed into a six-colored peacock and was slain by a sword strike on the wide Li River that the sensation gradually spread.

Wu Xiu from the buildings on both banks rushed out, the scene in an uproar.

"What? That was Hua Yuzi, second of the Southern Border's First Tier?"

"It is him. This person was ranked even higher than the top successor of the Zuoqiu Gate, one of the most prestigious young experts in this Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival."

"A senior in the Dao Seed realm pointed out his identity! The man and woman who killed him... are very strange. Would you believe it? They aren't anyone from the First Tier. Tsk tsk..."

"Isn't that nonsense? How could two First Tier Wu Xiu be a match for Hua Yuzi? It was most likely Ge Xiantong who struck!"

"That's not necessarily true..."

The names and identities of "Li Youyi" and "Yang Qingxi" were soon embellished and recounted by a Dao Seed realm Wu Xiu who happened to be nearby and witnessed the whole process, causing a massive stir.

Who could believe that a rising star at the fifth level of the Five Seas realm and a Second Tier Wu Xiu from the Southern Border could kill Hua Yuzi, one of the ten great experts of the younger generation handpicked by the Du'e Temple?

By the time Bai Shu, Shi Shi, and Tao Yanyan arrived, both banks of the river were already crowded with Wu Xiu of all stripes.

Bai Shu had been hiding outside the Sui Sect stronghold, preparing to meet Li Youyi. Seeing three carriages drive out and sensing something was wrong, and failing to find the Nine Li tribe experts, she had to rush back to the South City to seek reinforcements.

She had already dispatched Wu Xiu from the Earth Wolf Royal Army to seek an audience with the successor of the Zuoqiu Gate.

The three of them had arrived ahead of time.

Bai Shu was filled with lingering fear, muttering to herself: "So the ones sitting in the carriage were actually terrifying figures like Hua Yuzi, Chen Wenwu, and the two attendants. Fortunately, I didn't rashly attack at that time."

Through the accounts of the Wu Xiu around them, the three quickly understood everything.

Tao Yanyan was full of shock, as if listening to a tall tale: "How did they do it? This... this is completely impossible!"

"My Brother Youyi can always create miracles. It's a pity that Bai Shu ran away, otherwise how would it be Yang Qingxi's turn to become famous? Oh no, this is bad!"

Shi Shi thought of something, his expression changing.

Tao Yanyan thought of it too, immediately taking out her invitation to find the location of the nearby Dragon Seed ticket, saying gravely: "Li Youyi must be severely injured. Chen Wenwu and the two attendants didn't even have time to collect Hua Yuzi's corpse; they most likely chased after them. We must find them quickly!"

Shi Shi said: "That's not what I meant! Think about it, once this happens, the past of Brother Youyi and Yang Qingxi will surely be dug up. Driven by this monstrous wind of killing Hua Yuzi, the 'murmuring stream' affair will likely be brought up again. People in the world actually prefer to spread and arrange the latter. Oh my... Brother Youyi's reputation!"

"Stop messing around, saving people is the priority!"

Tao Yanyan locked onto the location of a Dragon Seed ticket and chased after it with the other two.

By the Li River.

In the wind and snow, a carriage sped south.

"Whoosh!"

Chen Wenwu chased after them like a wisp of mist, his handsome figure landing in front of the carriage and intercepting it with a wall of magic power mist.

Holding the Stop-Gong Sword, he cautiously approached step by step.

He dared not be careless, fearing he would follow in Hua Yuzi's footsteps and fall into the schemes of that wretched pair, Li Youyi and Yang Qingxi.

The two attendants also arrived, flanking from the rear of the carriage.

Chen Wenwu released his magic power to investigate, then froze, stepping forward quickly to flip the driver to the ground.

"My lord... spare me..."

The carriage window pushed open.

Inside came the screams of someone overly frightened; it was a family of three, with no sign of Li Youyi or Yang Qingxi.

They searched for a while.

At the bottom of the carriage, they found Yang Qingxi's Dragon Seed ticket.

At any other time, Chen Wenwu would have been ecstatic, but at this moment, holding the Dragon Seed ticket, his heart burned with rage, feeling only that he was being fiercely trampled and humiliated.

What was the use of getting the Dragon Seed ticket?

Hua Yuzi was dead!

Only by capturing Li Youyi and Yang Qingxi would the three of them have a way to survive.

Otherwise... they would either die, or suffer a fate worse than death.

The two attendants, transformed into the appearance of Ash Spirits, had sparks of fire in their eyes, their killing intent soaring, wanting to tear the three people in the carriage into pieces.

Just at this moment.

A woman in Daoist robes from the Du'e Temple arrived late, flying down to a tree branch piled with snow. She said: "If you attack innocent residents, this immortal envoy will surely take your lives. Every Wu Xiu holding an invitation is warned only once."

No one expected such a huge change to happen suddenly; it was so fast that the battle ended before the twelve patrol immortal envoys of the Du'e Temple could arrive.

The two attendants restrained themselves.

Chen Wenwu quickly calmed down and analyzed: "The two of them are severely injured, and they have to hide their tracks and aura, so they definitely haven't escaped far. Mobilize all forces; we must intercept and kill them on the road back to the South City."

"What? Hua Yuzi is dead?"

Upon receiving the news of Bai Shu's request for help, Zuoqiu Ting immediately set off, arriving near Five-Heart Bridge, where a scout from the Zuoqiu Gate came to report.

After listening to the scout's detailed account.

Zuoqiu Ting was also stunned.

One must know, Zuoqiu Ting had fought Hua Yuzi more than once and knew the opponent's prowess well. With such combat strength, even if two successors joined forces, they might not necessarily win.

To kill Hua Yuzi, the difficulty would be doubled.

Led by the scout, Zuoqiu Ting saw the massive six-colored peacock corpse on the water, sensing the sword Qi on the wound with his intent, and concluded: "He has become stronger. How could his cultivation speed be so fast?"

"Immediately dispatch all experts from the Zuoqiu Gate and the Nine Li tribe above the fifth level of the Five Seas realm to meet Li Youyi and stop the pursuit from the Far West Ash Region."

He then added: "Before the Wu Xiu from the Far West Ash Region arrive, salvage the corpse and send it to the Prefecture Inspector, presenting it to Ge Xiantong and Jiang Ning to congratulate the imperial court's Wu Xiu on slaying Hua Yuzi."

Tang Wanqiu sat in the main hall with a cold expression, reflecting on today's defeat and seeking the root cause, realizing that he had been greedy for merit and underestimated the intellect of the world's number one.

The lights in the hall flickered, dim and bright, just like his mood at this moment.

Tang Chen, the second successor of the Snow Sword Tang Court, walked in quickly.

Tang Wanqiu said: "Have Cang Li and the others returned to the South City?"

"Wanqiu, something big has happened!"

Tang Chen said solemnly and shockingly: "Li Youyi killed Hua Yuzi..."

The light in Tang Wanqiu's eyes quickly condensed as he looked up: "What did you say?"

Tang Chen said: "Hua Yuzi is dead, his head severed by Li Youyi with one sword. This matter is absolutely true. It is said that the final killing strike featured five types of combat intent appearing simultaneously, suspended in mid-air, transforming into five deities, just like those legends and myths in storybooks; even the ancient Son of Heaven in his youth was no better than this."

"When I was sending Cang Li and the others out just now, someone happened to come to report. The few from the Nine Li tribe have all rushed over! This is simply unbelievable, it happened right near Five-Heart Bridge..."

"Five-Heart Bridge."

Tang Wanqiu had the ability to never forget what he saw, having long memorized the map of Qiuzhou Prefecture City. After listening to Tang Chen's detailed account, he quickly accepted this incredible fact.

"Regardless of how he did it, facts are facts. I imagine that on the Du'e Temple's side, his evaluation is already no less than Luan Sheng Lin You, Ge Xiantong, or Zuoqiu Hong."

Tang Chen's eyes were deep: "Hua Yuzi is the first of the ten great experts to fall, and he was killed by someone crossing two realms. I think, as long as Li Youyi doesn't die, there is a good chance he will be rated as a Hidden Dragon. The Nine Li tribe is powerless to plot for the world, and the Zuoqiu Gate is rising with the tide."

Without Tang Chen needing to explain, Tang Wanqiu had already realized the severity of the situation.

This matter affected not only the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival but also the situation of the world.

If the Du'e Temple firmly supported the Zuoqiu Gate, the Zuoqiu Gate would surely be the biggest competitor to the Snow Sword Tang Court in the near future.

Then he, Tang Wanqiu, would be a total failure at the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival.

Tang Wanqiu said: "I understand what you mean! Since Li Youyi is seriously injured, the Far West Ash Region and other forces will surely go all out to hunt him down, not letting this Hidden Dragon return to the South City alive or join forces with the Nine Li tribe experts. For now, let's not play the villain; the Nine Li tribe still has utility value."

"Let's do this, let Wanyan Xiaose go find Li Youyi; we must put on a show of saving people."

West City.

Luan Sheng Lin You walked out from closed-door healing, standing on the corridor, his long hair like a silver waterfall, listening calmly to the left attendant kneeling and reporting tremblingly.

"Understood! In just seven days, his cultivation has reached a higher level."

Luan Sheng Lin You's eyes were without waves, and he added: "Mobilize all forces of the Three Chen Palaces, Night City, and Coffin Mountain to find him and kill him. If you three can't even deal with one injured person, then never come back!"

The left attendant kowtowed heavily to the ground and then retreated.

"Ming Niansheng, gather all experts from the demon race, Ash Spirits, Que Rong, and Quan Rong above the third level of the Five Seas realm; attack the Zhu Men tonight," Luan Sheng Lin You said.

Ming Niansheng was very surprised: "Attack the Zhu Men tonight? Shouldn't we first avenge Hua Yuzi? I think we should take advantage of this chaos to deal with the Nine Li tribe first, catching them off guard."

Luan Sheng Lin You said: "When everyone thinks we are going to take revenge tonight, that is precisely the best opportunity to take the Zhu Men."

Qi Jin, who was still wearing Zhuang Yue's human skin, praised: "Young Master's feint to the east and attack to the west is truly brilliant! Mobilizing all Wu Xiu of the Three Chen Palaces, Night City, and Coffin Mountain for a grand city-wide manhunt is just a facade, which will surely cause the Zhu Men's biggest ally, the Zuoqiu Gate, to misjudge and use their strength to search for Li Youyi and protect the Nine Li tribe."

"After all, the Nine Li tribe is the true ally, while the Zhu Men is just a cooperation partner during the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival."

"Who would have thought that we could suppress our anger and, while suffering heavy losses, find the perfect opportunity to unify the West Border?"

Luan Sheng Lin You looked at her: "Qi Jin, you should raise the banner and hold the situation together after Hua Yuzi's fall. Tonight, I leave the headquarters of the Ash Region and the Longevity Pill ticket to you!"

"I will definitely not fail the mission," Qi Jin said.