Chapter 198: Qi Soldiers

The maiden wore a floral crown, her brows painted with floral patterns, and she was dressed in a dark-ink-colored silk skirt embroidered with gold thread. Over this, she wore a pomegranate-red cloak embroidered with intertwined floral patterns.

The silk ribbons draped over her arms trailed across the felt mat like clouds or wisps of cotton.

With pearly teeth and vermilion lips, she was bright and beautiful—

She looked just like a goddess who had stepped down from an ancient mural.

Many in the hall were secretly observing her, unable to stop themselves from staring.

"Hehe!"

Hearing Chen Hang's voice,

Seven Qiao Rui, sitting a few seats away, gave a charming, naive smile and nodded vigorously.

At this moment, a touch of bright, childish innocence flowed between her brows, softening her dignified air. She looked just like a cute, naive little girl who knew nothing of the world.

"Your face—"

She poked her own cheek with a fingertip, then pointed cautiously at Chen Hang, asking curiously,

"Is your face better now?"

"It is no longer of any concern."

Chen Hang bowed his hands and smiled slightly.

After they exchanged a few more words, Mi Hui, who was sitting next to Chen Hang, could finally no longer restrain himself and excitedly joined the conversation.

Although Mi Hui was greatly astonished as to how Chen Hang had come to know Seven Qiao Rui,

he had been separated from Chen Hang for many days.

He had already been harboring a belly full of difficult questions and couldn't wait to seek Chen Hang's guidance.

The topic was unconsciously diverted by Mi Hui, turning toward cultivation and current events.

Seeing Mi Hui talking with such fervor and forgetting himself entirely,

Seven Qiao Rui opened her mouth in confusion, wanting to speak but hesitating. After failing to cut in several times, she had no choice but to pout and turn back to her own table.

She felt a bit stifled, yet also found it somewhat amusing.

"Little Qiao, how did you come to know this person?"

Someone familiar saw this scene and couldn't help but laugh.

"I won't tell you. If you want to know him, go ask him yourself!"

Seven Qiao Rui gave her a wary look and shook her head repeatedly. "I'm not a fool. I've been tricked once, and I will absolutely not be used as a cover again!"

The person who asked waved her hands repeatedly, and the surrounding listeners burst into laughter.

Meanwhile, on the side.

After the time it takes to burn half a stick of incense,

Mi Hui's rapid-fire questioning finally ceased. With his doubts resolved and feeling satisfied, he straightened his posture.

Chen Hang picked up the teacup on his table, only just touching it to his lips.

Before he could drink, a burst of laughter from the Escape Shuttle suddenly rang out in his mind.

"I didn't expect to encounter this girl. Hey, Chen kid, let me ask you: do you consider yourself indebted to that True Person Qiao Yubi in the Earth Abyss Golden Drum Cave?"

"Naturally."

Chen Hang raised his eyebrows and replied via telepathy,

"True Person Qiao saved my life and resolved the mystery of my origin. Her kindness to me is indeed as heavy as a mountain."

"If you wish to repay True Person Qiao's kindness, you must look after this Seven Qiao Rui... As far as the old man knows, Seven Qiao Rui's grandfather was a true bosom friend of True Person Qiao within the clan. Moreover, that old man's intentions aligned with True Person Qiao's; they both wished to lean toward the Sect and were unwilling to establish their own independence. For this, he clashed with the Qiao Clan Master several times in public, leading to very unpleasant relations."

The Escape Shuttle said.

Chen Hang's gaze flickered, but he remained silent.

"However, in the old man's view, Seven Qiao Rui's grandfather was too indecisive in his actions. Back then, he was clearly capable of vying for the position of Qiao Clan Master and had the upper hand, yet simply because of some old friendship and a reluctance to see internal strife within the clan, he handed the position of Clan Master over to Qiao Kuang."

The Escape Shuttle spoke to itself, its voice filled with sighs and laments.

"But not long after Qiao Kuang took power, he openly tore up the facade with him and repeatedly clashed with him, deeply wary of his reputation within the clan...

Given this situation, I imagine Seven Qiao Rui's grandfather must have realized it, but would he regret his actions back then?"

"To be indecisive when one should act leads to chaos... To hesitate when one should act brings future disaster."

Chen Hang pondered for a moment, then shook his head and replied via telepathy,

"I fear that in the near future, perhaps not far off, an internal struggle will erupt within the Qiao Clan."

"That is not for you to worry about. Regarding this matter, True Person Qiao should already be well aware."

The Escape Shuttle sighed and said.

Just as they were communicating via telepathy,

a sudden, thunderous boom echoed through the sky, reverberating for hundreds of miles with immense momentum.

The disciples looked up in alarm, only to see a ball of chaotic lightning rising slowly from Yueheng Peak, rumbling and roaring like a sun leaping into the sky. The thunderous sound was endless, as if it could split mountains and crack the earth!

In an instant,

the entire sky was filled with electric snakes hundreds of feet long, darting and slithering. The sight was dizzying and mesmerizing, and no one dared to look up!

"A Primordial Spirit Dharma Form... Looking at this momentum, is the master of this Dharma Form nearing the Return to Emptiness Realm?"

Some disciples with a bit of knowledge were secretly shocked.

However, before they could ponder further,

a dim, ghostly moon rose slowly from Yueheng Peak.

The cold light was desolate, piercingly bright.

Even from several peaks away, it made one's heart tremble.

After the ghostly moon flew into the sky, in the blink of an eye, it threw the celestial phenomena into chaos. Frigid frost mist rolled out, three thousand snowflakes fell in a flurry, the ground turned white, the wind grew cold, and ice beads as large as pecks plummeted.

In an instant,

the clear sky above their heads had been occupied by two massive Dharma Forms, causing endless strange noises and chaotic spiritual energy.

The lightning ball and the ghostly moon Dharma Form stood in the east and west respectively, clearly defined, as if secretly wrestling and competing.

One moment, the lightning ball shattered the cold, frosty sky,

causing endless thunder and electric snakes to rampage.

The next moment, the ghostly cold light pierced into the world of thunder, freezing the endless rumbling...

This display of skill caused the firmament to become chaotic and obscure, no longer showing any clear or bright scenery, as if covered by a thick layer of mist, making even those two towering Dharma Forms only vaguely visible.

With such momentum, how could the disciples not realize that this was clearly the Mingyou True Person of the Xie Clan and an Elder of the Yuchen Sect wrestling with their Dharma Forms!

And just as the crowd of observers was secretly shocked and trembling,

the mist suddenly dispersed, the bright sun hung high, and the scene returned to a clear, cloudless, and bright state.

Both the lightning ball and the ghostly moon suddenly vanished.

Yet the shocking, earth-shattering sound remained echoing in their ears.

It made them feel as if they were in a dream, dumbfounded and unable to believe their eyes.

"Disciples pay respects to Elder Huo and True Person Mingyou."

At this moment,

Xie Huizhai's voice rang out respectfully at the right time.

The disciples looked toward the source of the sound, and on the two empty Azure Light Profound Platforms in the main seat,

they did not know when,

but two people were already sitting there...

The person on the left was an old man with white hair and a long beard. He was tall and sturdy, looking just like an ancient, vigorous pine tree growing in the crevices of mountain rocks.

The old man wore apricot-yellow Dharma robes, a Chaos One-Qi headscarf, and a silk belt at his waist. A three-foot-long sword, shimmering like autumn water, was strapped to his back. His eyes shone with piercing divine light, and he sat upright, dignified and imposing.

The person on the right, however, was a beautiful youth dressed like a wealthy prince.

He wore a green phoenix fur coat, held a landscape fan in his hand, and wore a square mountain cap adorned with gold and jade, which was extremely intricate and beautiful.

"Disciples pay respects to Elder Huo and True Person Mingyou." The countless disciples in the hall bowed in unison, their voices shaking the building.

"No need for formalities, rise."

The old man nodded slightly.

His gaze lingered on Chen Hang for a moment before shifting away indifferently.

"Rise, rise. Today should be a time for indulgence and pleasure. Why be so formal? Wouldn't that spoil the mood?"

The youth shook his folding fan gently and said to the old man beside him with a smile,

"Elder Huo, I wonder if the banquet can begin now?"

The old man laughed and bowed his hands. "Today's banquet is truly hosted by the Xie Clan. As for how to conduct it, it is entirely up to True Person Mingyou. I am merely an old man here to eat, so True Person Mingyou need not consult me."

The two chatted and laughed happily, looking like old friends who had known each other for many years.

It was as if the Dharma Form battle just now had not involved them at all.

Hearing Elder Huo's words,

the youth-like True Person Mingyou did not stand on ceremony. He tossed his folding fan aside, clapped his hands, and laughed loudly,

"Start the banquet! Start the banquet! It is rare for so many talented disciples to gather in one hall today; we cannot be without dance and music to celebrate!"

As soon as the words fell,

two groups of beautiful maidens walked in, with colorful butterflies and ghostly flowers swirling around them, dazzling and beautiful.

Behind them followed a dozen exotic musicians holding zithers, lutes, flutes, pipes, cymbals, bells, and jade chimes.

With a clear, bright singing voice,

in an instant,

the music of pipes and flutes filled the ground, and the sound of bamboo and strings rose together!

The beautiful maidens touched the ground with their bare feet and instantly soared into the sky, their colorful clothes fluttering.

When they performed the "Heavenly Demon Whirl," there was a kind of charming and seductive air; when they performed with dignity and gentleness, the music instantly turned into grand, solemn sounds, clear and majestic.

It was like a hundred changes of fish and dragons, very pleasing to the eye.

And amidst this singing and dancing, maidservants holding wine pots and cups came forward, kneeling beside the disciples to diligently urge them to drink.

The lamps were bright, and the incense in the precious tripods floated.

For a time,

the scene became bustling and noisy, very lively.

When the wine was half-finished,

Elder Huo and True Person Mingyou even disregarded their status and went down to the floor themselves, dancing and stomping together, singing in harmony.

This shocked the disciples, shaking their hearts.

Chen Hang watched this scene from the side, his grip on the wine cup tightening slightly, his heart remaining vigilant.

The grand scale of today's banquet would definitely not end in harmony.

The Sect and the Clans had been secretly fighting for many years.

Even if the Clans had taken the initiative to show weakness today and offered a gesture of goodwill, he did not believe the Sect would accept it happily without any reaction...

And sure enough,

half an hour later,

Elder Huo on the Azure Light Cangguang Cangguang Xuantai suddenly stroked his knees and sighed, saying,

"Thank you for the grand hospitality. Since we have eaten and drunk our fill, why not have some entertainment for us to enjoy? I wonder what True Person Mingyou thinks?"

As soon as these words were spoken,

True Person Mingyou's expression stiffened, and his gaze turned slightly gloomy, but he still smiled and said,

"I wonder what Elder Huo has in mind?"

"It is rare for the talents of the four academies to gather in one hall today. As elders, it is only right for us to test their cultivation. Why not let them show their skills so that we may offer some guidance? What do you think?"

Elder Huo stroked his long beard and smiled.

Seeing Elder Huo's expression,

True Person Mingyou felt resentment in his heart and thought to himself,

"Old scoundrel, the Clans have clearly offered a step down, yet you refuse to accept it? Do you have to make things awkward before you are satisfied?!"

But he was a man of deep schemes, and in an instant, he suppressed the anger in his heart, showing nothing, and laughed,

"Elder Huo's words make sense, but the cultivation levels of the disciples present are not equal. If we let them compete on the same stage, there will inevitably be a disparity in strength, which would not be much of a spectacle... And if we divide them by realm to compete, it would fall into the old, vulgar rules, which is not very interesting."

Although this banquet gathered disciples from the four academies, most were only at the Foundation Establishment or Purple Palace realms.

As for those Alchemy Masters at the Cave-Mystic Realm, they were either in seclusion for the Four Academies Competition six years away, cutting off all communication,

or they were traveling abroad, seeking opportunities from seniors, and were not within the mountain gates.

In the cultivation of the Immortal Dao, the further one progresses, the more the gap between realms becomes like a heavenly chasm.

Between Purple Palace and Foundation Establishment,

unless there were accidents, as True Person Mingyou said, there would inevitably be a disparity in strength...

Hearing the refusal in True Person Mingyou's words, Elder Huo revealed a smile on his face and said,

"No matter, no matter. I recently obtained a magic treasure that can erase the disparity between Foundation Establishment and Purple Palace, and it is not too vulgar, so it should be quite interesting."

"Oh?"

True Person Mingyou was astonished.

Elder Huo flicked his sleeves and shook out a picture scroll several feet long, which radiated brilliance.

True Person Mingyou looked closely and saw that there were no flowers, birds, or landscapes on the scroll, only dots of bright light densely packed on it, like the stars in the night sky.

"This scroll is called the 'Scroll of Hidden Light and Derived Spirits.' Although it is not a precious treasure, it has a unique feature."

Elder Huo said,

"As long as sufficient spiritual energy is poured into it, the Scroll of Hidden Light and Derived Spirits can give birth to Qi-soldier warriors. Moreover, their Dao techniques are naturally formed, and their weapons are self-generated, requiring no additional equipment... Depending on the level of spiritual energy, the cultivation of these Qi soldiers varies. The low-level ones are only at the Embryonic Breathing Realm, while the high-level ones can even reach the Cave-Mystic or Golden Core realms."

Elder Huo did not hide the details of the Scroll of Hidden Light and Derived Spirits and said directly,

"I can suppress the cultivation of these Qi soldiers to the Foundation Establishment Realm and teach the disciples a technique to manipulate them in battle. In this way, there will be no bloodshed, and it will be interesting. I wonder if True Person Mingyou is willing to play?"

"Suppressing the Qi soldiers to the Foundation Establishment Realm, and these Qi soldiers have their own Dao techniques and weapons... Is this purely to test the disciples' adaptability in battle?"

True Person Mingyou frowned.

Elder Huo nodded slightly.

"Since the Elder has such elegant interest, I can only accompany you,"

True Person Mingyou sighed and bowed his hands.

"Then I will be thick-skinned and choose someone to lead the charge."

Elder Huo laughed, opened his eyes, and swept his gaze toward the disciples below.

At this moment, Chen Hang felt a gaze fall upon him, and as he looked up, he saw Elder Huo smiling at him slightly.

But a few breaths later, that gaze shifted away inexplicably.

"Mi Hui!"

Elder Huo suddenly roared!

"Here... here..."

Mi Hui, who had been lazily holding a wine cup with an indifferent expression, was startled by the sudden roar. He stood up in a panic, his face full of misery.

"I order you to lead the charge."

Elder Huo said slowly.

(End of chapter)