Chapter 85: The Bai Yun Jianke Enters the Array Again

After successfully sneaking into the high-end marriage proposal gathering, Liu Xiaolou abandoned the bewildered Bai Yun Jianke and wandered off on his own.

Ximo Hall was merely a reception hall with no lodging rooms, yet it still occupied a vast area, featuring gardens, fish ponds, bamboo groves, painting halls, libraries, and the Yandao Hall—all furnished simply yet elegantly, modest yet luxurious, filling Liu Xiaolou with envy; truly worthy of a thousand-year lineage.

If he could marry a Li family daughter and bring her back to Wulong Mountain, Liu Xiaolou would gladly agree—but the problem was he couldn’t do it. If he recklessly competed and failed, fine; but if by some stroke of luck he was chosen, and his true identity was exposed, the consequences would be unimaginable.

So Liu Xiaolou’s ultimate goal was simple: sneak in, wait, and wait until the Li family selected their future son-in-law, then collect the return gift after the event ended.

After all, the Luoshan Zheng family had given each attendee a small token—how could the far more powerful Damushan Li family possibly not give one? Zheng had given one spirit stone; how many would Li give? Liu Xiaolou was eagerly anticipating this.

Well, if they didn’t give anything, he had no recourse—not every effort yields reward, and he understood this deeply.

Damushan’s marriage proposal gathering differed from Luoshan’s; they had pre-screened candidates’ family backgrounds, so there was no need to investigate further, nor did they place much weight on it—when it came to lineage, few families could surpass theirs.

Moreover, they didn’t care much about physical appearance; Liu Xiaolou had already seen several men with plain or even “odd” looks, so tonight’s focus was squarely on the candidates’ cultivation base, especially their combat prowess.

Nineteen young elites from various sects displayed their skills in the Yandao Hall, demonstrating ultimate techniques or dueling one another; Liu Xiaolou watched with great interest, occasionally clapping and cheering. He had to admit: these disciples of great lineages were truly formidable. Under the same age and cultivation level, the hermits from Xiangxi stood little chance against them in direct combat.

Liu Xiaolou himself was at the third level. After watching a disciple from another sect, also at Qi Refining Third Level, demonstrate his magic treasure, he felt that if he were in that position, he’d be hard-pressed—unless he used the Lidisan Yuan Rope, but he didn’t know how many acupoints the opponent had opened, or how effective his spiritual rope would be; all remained unknown.

Another option was to deploy an illusion array, but such arrays could only trap an opponent temporarily, not defeat them.

So when it came time for him to compete, he had no real desire to fight—just went through the motions. Usually, within three or five exchanges, his Sanxuan Sword would be knocked away by the opponent’s magic treasure, and he’d cleanly admit defeat and step down.

As a hermit of Wulong Mountain, he excelled at mob fights, ambushes, poisoning, relentless harassment, and striking to kill; such formal duels were simply not his strength.

In the Li family’s inner quarters, several senior relatives were carefully deliberating. The clan uncle overseeing the matches said: “Most are decent, especially Lin Sanlang of Chicheng Mountain, Guo Ai of Kuaiji Mountain, and Yun Ao of Baiyun Villa—exactly as we anticipated.”

A middle-aged one-armed cultivator said: “Chicheng Mountain is one of the Ten Cavernous Heavens; Kuaiji Mountain is one of the Thirty-Six Cavernous Heavens. Their disciples are bound to be exceptional.”

The old uncle turned to the elder seated at the main seat: “Frankly, I have high hopes for Yun Ao—he’s only at the sixth level, but he has great potential. His clan simply doesn’t know how to guide him properly; if he gains the right opportunity, this boy still has a bright future.”

The elder looked at the beautiful woman seated across: “He’s your son. Now he’s to be married. Your husband passed away early—what do you say?”

The beautiful woman replied: “Yun Ao seems decent, but that other boy from the Yun family, Liu Xiaolou, has abysmal cultivation—clearly, the Yun family’s reputation is undeserved.”

The old uncle said: “The one who came is a blood relative of the Yun family—he doesn’t even bear the Yun surname!”

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The woman said: “Even if he’s a relative, being sent by the Yun family makes him as good as kin. But I’ve paid close attention to him—he talks about Daoist principles with others, and mostly raves about dual-cultivation techniques, even with great enthusiasm! I’m not saying dual-cultivation is bad, but his proper Daoist cultivation is weak, yet he’s obsessed with this—his character must be flawed. He’s wasted a handsome face. I don’t want my daughter marrying into the Yun family.”

The old uncle scoffed: “Is it really that bad… Very well, you’re his mother—if you truly object, then forget it.”

The elder cleared his throat: “Then choose between Lin Sanlang and Guo Ai.”

Liu Xiaolou had no idea he had ruined Bai Yun Jianke’s marriage prospects. After the Li family announced the result, he received his promised return gift as planned.

Two spirit stones!

Liu Xiaolou was overjoyed, his happiness soaring. He happily left Ximo Hall, and before going far, planned to find a hidden spot to wait for Bai Yun Jianke to emerge, then secretly follow him to see if there were more marriage gatherings he could infiltrate.

Since Bai Yun Jianke failed this time, he’d surely keep trying—that would be Liu Xiaolou’s chance.

But before he could hide, Bai Yun Jianke emerged right behind him. Seeing Liu Xiaolou, he immediately chased after him. Liu Xiaolou spun around and ran. In an instant, the two vanished into the distance.

The Li family servants at the gate were puzzled. The steward shook his head and chuckled: “These two brothers from Baiyun Villa—they’re true characters. Quite amusing.”

Over the past two years, Liu Xiaolou’s speed had improved rapidly with his cultivation, but due to his limited level, he ultimately couldn’t outrun Bai Yun Jianke. He was cornered in a mountain hollow five li away.

Bai Yun Jianke demanded: “What is the true origin of your Sanxuan Sect? Why did Damushan invite you to this gathering?”

Liu Xiaolou panted: “Remember, there are always greater people beyond those you know, and higher heavens beyond the sky. The world isn’t just your villa. My Sanxuan Sect has a hundred-year legacy. Your ignorance is your own fault—your vision is shallow. Enough. Neither of us was chosen. We’re fellow sufferers. Even if we’re not friends, you don’t need to harass me, do you?”

Bai Yun Jianke roared: “How dare you say that? I asked Damushan’s steward—they said my rejection was because of you! Tell me: what is this Sanxuan Sect? What sin have you committed?”

Liu Xiaolou also grew angry: “You believe them just because they said it? We’ve been through this together—”

Before he could finish, Bai Yun Jianke drew his sword: “To hell with ‘together’! It’s because I met you that I’ve suffered failure after failure! Today, I’ll kill you!”

Sword light flickered, each strike faster than the last—far beyond what Sanxuan Sword could withstand. After barely parrying a few blows, Liu Xiaolou helplessly threw out his array disc.

The two were instantly immobilized, frozen in place. Liu Xiaolou strained his true qi until drenched in sweat; Bai Yun Jianke’s face turned crimson, staring blankly ahead at some invisible point, his posture bizarre.

They remained locked for half an hour. Liu Xiaolou broke first, retracted the array disc and fled. Bai Yun Jianke, stunned by the sudden cessation, remained dazed for a long while, helplessly watching Liu Xiaolou vanish from sight.

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