Chapter 322: You Dare Call Yourself That?!

The Mo Sect's leader spoke with a smile, her tone seemingly warm, but when her gaze fell on Yao Guang, it grew complex. Li Guanyi did not answer; he merely gripped the Tiger Roars to Heaven Halberd and stepped back to create distance.

"Mo Sect leader."

The woman's expression faltered; she let out a bitter laugh. "Mo Sect…?"

"So this is how the outside world speaks of us."

She fell silent for a moment, her hands folded before her. "We had no choice. Do you not understand the principle that the victor claims the throne? Because we lost, we've been smeared with every lie, every crime pinned on us."

"We only wished to stand upright in this world."

"But those kings and ministers could not tolerate the people having their own faith… Qin Wu Hou, you bear the reputation of benevolence across the land. I thought you would not be like those before you."

"I thought we might still have a chance to cooperate."

She paused, bowed slightly. "But regardless, I should thank you. Without you, I might never have seen my daughter again in this lifetime…"

The woman gazed at the silver-haired girl, her eyes filled with sorrow. "Back then… there were many things beyond our control. Whether you forgive me or not, you are still my flesh and blood."

The silver-haired girl's gaze was calm, her face utterly expressionless.

The woman added: "Qin Wu Hou, I know your reputation and your prowess. Given your past conduct, you came here to seize the Western Regions for the sake of the empire's grand design."

"Then the Old Yu Langwang must be your enemy."

"In this regard, our interests align. Even if you harbor many misunderstandings toward us, I believe we can still cooperate against the Yu Langwang. All misunderstandings will naturally dissolve through this alliance."

"What do you say?"

Li Guanyi stepped back further, speaking slowly: "The Mo Sect's foundations are indeed strong—centuries of accumulation in gold, silver, weapons, armor, and connections. But how can I be certain of your sincerity?"

The stunning woman replied solemnly: "Blood is thicker than water."

"If you marry my daughter, you become my son-in-law. Is that not enough?"

"I swear here and now—I will abdicate my position as Mo Sect leader and pass it to my daughter…"

Li Guanyi paused, glancing at Yao Guang beside him, signaling with his eyes for the silver-haired girl to release his arm.

Yao Guang tightened her grip on his arm, then let go.

Li Guanyi stepped forward slowly, as if persuaded. He planted the Tiger Roars to Heaven Halberd into the ground, releasing his grip on its shaft. Behind him, the silver-haired girl watched him approach, her lips pressed tightly together.

Li Guanyi said: "I happen to be short on money and supplies."

The stunning woman watched this, her attention fixed entirely on the Tiger Roars to Heaven Halberd. When she saw Li Guanyi release it, her vigilance momentarily eased; she smiled. "Good son-in-law…"

Before the words were out, a flash of cold light exploded.

Li Guanyi's left hand had already closed around his lower back.

The Murong Qiushui Sword, the sharpest blade under heaven, was drawn.

Under the force of the Master Jiankuang's technique, a clear, chilling radiance tore through the air. The woman's form scattered and reformed, barely evading that brutal strike—but Li Guanyi had already stepped half a pace forward. In that instant, his right hand seized the Tiger Roars to Heaven Halberd and swung down.

Li Guanyi said: "You think gold and silver can tempt me?"

"Fool!"

The poor warlord who rose from battle said:

"Kill the Mo Sect, and their gold and silver become mine anyway."

The weapon's howl trembled through the chamber, like a tiger's roar.

The Tiger Roars to Heaven Halberd carved a jagged arc through the air.

It came down with the most brutal, savage force imaginable.

The wielder struck with the absolute resolve to split the woman clean in two.

The dark-gold blade shuddered violently.

A spiritual manifestation surged—the stunning woman produced a long sword in her hand, parrying the halberd. But even her divine martial body, hardened by cultivation, was shaken. The iron-walled chamber trembled violently, cracks spiderwebbing across its surface as stones and dust rained down.

Li Guanyi pressed the Tiger Roars to Heaven Halberd downward, forcing the woman's blade lower, and said:

"Moreover—"

"You dare call yourself my daughter's mother?!"

The woman still managed to smile:

"So… Qin Wu Hou finds my daughter unworthy of you?"

Li Guanyi's voice was icy: "Not at all. I have shared life and death with her. That bond is not yours to meddle in."

"You are not fit to call her daughter."

"Nor to call me son-in-law!"

The silver-haired girl froze.

The cold girl's mind stuttered for an instant.

Her thoughts seemed to stall, unable to catch up.

Li Guanyi launched a furious assault, hurling the Murong Qiushui Sword to Yao Guang, then clenching his left hand around the Taigu Chilong's scales. The Taigu Chilong roared, golden-red light erupting violently before condensing into a single long sword.

This self-proclaimed merchant now wielded the divine Red Cloud Sword in his left hand and the Tiger Roars to Heaven Halberd in his right, targeting only the Mo Sect leader, unleashing lethal techniques without mercy—alternating between the Master Jiankuang's swordplay and the Xue Shen General's halberd strikes: slashing, chopping, thrusting, slicing.

Li Guanyi unleashed his full martial arts.

Such an outburst could be sustained only by one who rivaled a peerless master of his realm—and possessed the Everlasting Immortal Body. He relentlessly suppressed the Mo Sect leader, saying:

"Secrets?"

"Justifications?"

"Hypocritical. Revolting!"

Xiao Yuxue's eyes flickered with pain. She fell silent, then said: "Only this one thing is not false. What woman would willingly sacrifice her child—if she had any other choice?"

"Bullshit!"

Li Guanyi brought down his halberd: "That only proves—"

"In your eyes, power and position outweigh Yao Guang."

"People have countless reasons; Li Guanyi is not a sage who can see through hearts and sort out the justifications of so many, nor am I one who claims to stand above human hearts to judge good and evil. I have no such ability."

"But—"

"You sacrificed Yao Guang—true! You drained the bones and blood of common folk—true!"

"Such deeds cannot be undone! Nor can they be excused!"

Xiao Yuxue said: "We did it out of necessity!"

Li Guanyi said: "Then I too am 'forced by necessity'—to destroy you!"

"If justifications mattered, where would vengeance come from? If every excuse were forgiven, where would justice come from?!"

"Why should I care about the suffering of a filthy creature like you? Your struggles mean nothing to me now. Perhaps my elder brother, with his frontier heroism, still remembers the joy of fish-and-water intimacy. Perhaps Master Siming, old and compassionate, left you one last mercy ten years ago."

"But first you tried to kill my closest friend, then oppressed and bullied the people."

"Bones piled high, too many to record on bamboo slips."

"Li Guanyi is not them. To you, there is only one word!"

Li Guanyi's brows rose sharply as he roared:

"KILL!!!"

The Crimson Dragon roared and coiled; its golden-red scales suddenly became utterly real, transforming into a coiling dragon that encircled the beautiful woman, while Bai Hu pressed its paw to one side. The young boy retreated midair, gripping his battle halberd in one hand, summoning a formation with the other—every divine manifestation had already appeared.

The Four Symbols Spirit-Sealing Array immediately locked the woman in place.

The Fire Qilin shook its head, revealing its true form behind Li Guanyi, raising its head and opening its mouth. Golden-red flames ignited, and as the boy uttered a cold cry, a Master-level Qilin fire erupted as a pillar, crashing down violently.

BOOM!!!!!

Several miles away, atop a high ridge, Changsun Wuchou and others stared at the small town. Li Guanyi had entered long ago, with no response—until suddenly, Lei Laomeng shouted: "Look!!!"

Everyone looked up together and saw the center of the entire town suddenly explode with a deafening roar, followed by a violent burst of golden-red fire, then a crimson divine dragon wrapped in flames, coiling and howling as it shot skyward.

Batu'er and his men froze: "……!!!!"

I… f***????

The traveling merchants of the Central Plains are like this, yes, yes, yes…

Yes to what?!

Batu'er felt cold sweat drench his forehead; for a moment he was dazed, thinking such power was no different from the legendary Tenger of ancient epics—was it possible the epics weren't myths?

Were there truly heroes like this thousands of years ago?

Fan Qing said: "It is the Lord's power!"

"It seems the Lord has already engaged. Batu'er, you stay here. Changsun, Old Lei, gather a thousand men and follow me in a sweeping assault!"

Batu'er said: "Don't you find it… uncanny…?"

Fan Qing paused, then said: "You'll get used to it."

The thick-browed man had to uphold Li Guanyi's words, instinctively averting his gaze, avoiding direct eye contact with Batu'er as he said: "You don't understand."

"The traveling merchants of the Central Plains are like this."

Batu'er: "…………"

…………………

BOOM!!!

The clashing of weapons never ceased.

Locking the opponent's movements with sword and halberd techniques, sealing them instantly with the Four Symbols Spirit-Sealing Array, then unleashing a Master-level Qilin fire from the Fire Qilin—simple, brutal, yet supremely efficient combat style.

The golden-red Qilin fire mixed with the flames of the Chixiao Sword burned and melted the entire Mystical Realm. Seeing the situation turn dire, Li Guanyi pulled back his battle halberd, sweeping it in a Rolling Wave motion to gather the Qilin fire, then unleashed a Mountain-Crushing strike.

The entire steel-walled chamber was torn apart from within by this terrifying force.

Li Guanyi reached out, cradling Yao Guang, and leapt away with the silver-haired girl. The Mystical Realm exploded— even the large courtyard above was ripped open. A golden-red fire dragon shot skyward, startling the entire modest village, whose inhabitants instinctively turned to look.

"Huh?? What's going on?!"

"It's… the Master's place…"

"There's a dragon—it's a heavenly deity manifesting! The Master finally got his comeuppance, wu wu wu…"

Amid the chaos, Li Guanyi sent a gentle qi to gently lower Yao Guang to the ground, ordered the Qilin to guard her, then swung his halberd with a brutal slash.

Xiao Yuxue saw the flames part—Li Guanyi had charged straight through the inferno. His body, scorched by inner qi and Qilin fire, suffered no harm—or rather, any injury was instantly healed.

The young boy, halberd in hand, brow calm, burst through the flames with fierce courage, swinging his weapon down with an overwhelming aura.

The metallic shriek was piercing.

The Tiger Roaring Halberd descended in one smooth strike—clearly meant to kill. Xiao Yuxue smiled: "Such killing intent—no wonder you're the Qin Wu Hou, the one who broke the ban and slew men. But with such murderous rage, will you truly kill your own mother before your daughter?"

Li Guanyi said: "You don't understand her at all. The moment you spoke, the last thread of her affection for you dissolved into disappointment."

"From start to finish, you've only ever used her as a tool."

"Ten years ago, it was for power."

"Now, it's to win me over."

"Your motives have never changed. I must say this much—you've stayed true to your purpose. You've never forgotten your original intent."

Li Guanyi gripped his halberd, halted his pacing. Xiao Yuxue bit her lip.

She had long grown accustomed to the deceit of the cultivation world, the verbal duels between nobles and the Holy Sect's elite—but these plain words from the young lord pierced her heart like a blade. She laughed:

"Yet you've spoken so much to me—surely you have some heart left?"

Li Guanyi gazed at the woman manifested by the Yimo Sect's secret arts, and smiled:

"Is that so?"

Xiao Yuxue suddenly felt a faint unease stir within her.

Li Guanyi raised the Tiger Roaring Halberd and struck the ground sharply. The silver-haired girl clasped her hands together; threads of starlight scattered, and together their power caused glowing lines to emerge across the earth, converging into a formation.

This was no longer Master Siwei's Four Symbols Spirit-Sealing Array.

More complex, more dense.

The Four Legends: Whale Fishing Array.

The array directly enveloped Xiao Yuxue as Li Guanyi spun his battle halberd once, the blade resting low against the ground, sneering:

"I'm waiting for the array. What are you waiting for?"

Yan Xuanji immediately stepped forward, weapon in hand, laughing loudly: "Big Brother, if you don't act now, this one's going to run again!" The array emitted waves of flowing light; Xiao Yuxue's face turned pale, her caution vanished, and she abruptly scattered.

The array completed its formation; the flowing light converged, rippling like water.

The array exploded outward, instantly surpassing the level Li Guanyi had hastily established, as if spreading all the way to the horizon, merging with the heavens.

A faint golden thread suddenly shot out from the ripples.

It landed directly on Xiao Yuxue.

Xiao Yuxue transformed into multiple afterimages, shifting and reassembling, escaping the array; she sprinted out of the town in one breath, heading farther still—her movement ethereal, merging and parting in an instant, gone before anyone could tell where.

Li Guanyi chased after her for a distance before sheathing his divine weapon, saying:

"What kind of trick… she runs fast."

"With a senior elder acting, this one won't escape."

The Tiger Roaring Heaven Battle Halberd in Li Guanyi's hand dissolved.

I came here just to collect a land deed—and I stumbled upon a Mo Sect branch.

Is it just bad luck, or is the Mo Sect's power in the Western Regions truly this vast, like ancient tree roots, tangled and intertwined, with their influence present in every sizable settlement and oasis?

At the slightest attempt to defy the Western Regions' established order, you violate the Mo Sect's interests—and once you do, you inevitably face them; you encounter their mid-level ranks, you touch the gathered qi of the Mo Sect.

Whoever seeks to act will inevitably clash with the Mo Sect.

Li Guanyi stared into the distance, his eyes narrowing.

The Western Regions… the Mo Sect…

"Let the elder handle this for now. I'll contact you again later."

"Yao…"

A soft sound—Li Guanyi felt the silver-haired girl's head gently bump against his back. He was momentarily startled, then his expression calmed; Yao Guang's emotions had been stripped away, yet she could still sense human hearts.

She immediately sensed Xiao Yuxue's intent.

The silver-haired girl wrapped her arms around Li Guanyi's waist; the young man reached out and pressed his hand over hers, answering as Yao Guang had answered him: "Don't worry."

"I'm here."

"Mm…"

The silver-haired girl tightened her embrace around Li Guanyi and said: "I know."

………………

Xiao Yuxue used her peerless divine art to flee far beyond the array's range, untouched by the golden thread; seeing Li Guanyi did not pursue, she finally exhaled in relief, murmuring:

"Such a young pup… how fierce."

"Indeed, those who rise from chaos in the Central Plains remain formidable."

Suddenly, a calm voice came: "Indeed?"

Xiao Yuxue's expression froze; she sensed something wrong. The air around her had grown damp, humid. She looked up—the vast blue sky, miles without a cloud—suddenly rippled like water, and a thread descended from above.

It drifted like mist, settling upon Xiao Yuxue.

Xiao Yuxue's face went slack; then she sighed, ceased struggling, and lifted her head, smiling with her beautiful face: "Such a trick… my lord, you're truly heartless."

The heavens rippled like water, countless waves spreading.

Amid the clouds, a silver-haired man descended like a god—Xiao Yuxue was "fished up"; she looked around, and the world became a single jar. The silver-haired man held a fishing rod in one hand and a jar in the other, having reeled in this soul from ten thousand li away.

Such a technique—worthy of gods and demons, deserving of legend.

In the legends of the martial world, the strongest single combatant is the Master Jiankuang.

But the most widely involved are the Dao Sect and the Array Master.

Give them time, and they can perform countless mysterious, unfathomable feats—like divine spells and immortal arts.

Xiao Yuxue closed her eyes and said nothing more.

The Whale Fisher sneered, but said nothing; he shattered the soul thread outright. The old Master Siming who accompanied him sighed, feeling fate's cruel irony—now that they met, neither spoke, only struck to kill.

One knew begging was useless.

The other was utterly resolute.

As he pondered the capriciousness of the world, he heard the silver-haired man grit his teeth: "Son-in-law?"

"Who the hell are you, to claim a son-in-law?!"

The old Master Siming was stunned, seeing the silver-haired man's face flushed red, eyes blazing with fire:

"Master Siming, send word to that boy Li Guanyi—I'm done waiting. This woman cultivates Mo Sect arts; her soul shifts endlessly. I destroyed one form, but her true body remains—she now knows we're here."

"If so, I'll head straight to the Mo Sect's base and slaughter them all."

………………

Thanks to Hou Zhongyu's triple-blend powder, the town's thousand guards were all rendered limp and exhausted—Fan Qing and his men seized the town without a single drop of blood spilled, bound the guards, and took control—all went smoothly.

Batuer's clan entered the town and settled in its remote areas.

Thus, this town—far less prosperous than a small Central Plains settlement—finally gained some life. Fan Qing, acting on orders, gathered all townsfolk, presented the land deed previously purchased by Young Lady, and declared Li Guanyi's legitimate claim to the land.

He then brought forth the noble lord and the foreign monks.

The people, seeing these once-arrogant elites bound and kneeling, their bones weak and bodies collapsed, could only stare in silence.

Following Li Guanyi's orders, Fan Qing brought forward chests of Merit Coins, publicly read out the crimes of the nobles and monks, held a public trial, and executed them all by law.

He then opened a three-day court to resolve all pending cases within the city.

He opened the granaries to feed the people, returned all recorded Merit Coins in full—but even so, most of the gold and silver remained, and was placed into the public treasury.

Thus, the townspeople all submitted willingly; with Pan Wanshou and Gongsun Huai Zhi aiding Batuer's tribe, all affairs proceeded in orderly, highly systematic fashion. Batuer gazed at the transformed city-state, at the 【Residence Promised by Tian Ge】, and fell into thought.

In the end, he abandoned thought.

"The itinerant merchants of the Central Plains are like this."

"So that's how it is."

"Incredibly powerful—the Central Plains itinerant merchants!"

At this moment, Li Guanyi stared at the Gongyang Suxiang, tapping his brow, pausing slightly—the artifact gathered the accumulated fortune of the town's people over a century; though meager, it was enough to alleviate his current crisis.

But the prerequisite was to first cast the Nine Cauldrons.

Now that he possessed 【Territory】, 【Popular Will】, and 【Divine Aura】, the three united, he could choose an auspicious day to cast the cauldrons and refine this Mo Sect Sect's fortune—but Li Guanyi was now more concerned by Xiao Yuxue's words—

She had left a thread of her divine aura on every Mo Sect Sect statue in different places.

That meant the Mo Sect Sect already knew Li Guanyi's forces had seized this place.

Li Guanyi informed the Tiance Prefecture members of this news.

"According to our earlier deductions, if every Western Region city-state bears traces of the Mo Sect Sect, our position is exposed—we will surely face attacks and targeting from the Mo Sect Sect…"

Lei Laomeng and others fell silent in thought. Li Guanyi said:

"Therefore, there is only one way to resolve this issue."

Li Guanyi stared at the topographical map laid on the table.

On the back of the Xuan Gui Fa Xiang, characters appeared—written remotely by Master Siming on the giant Xuan Gui Fa Xiang's back, now transmitted to Li Guanyi, summarizing the actions of the Whale Fisher.

Li Guanyi pressed his brow, thinking intently.

He now knew the Mo Sect Sect's power in the Western Regions was vast and intricate, deeply entangled; the Whale Fisher's strength was formidable enough to overturn an entire major Mo Sect Sect base and throw it into chaos—but—

The major bases were located within city-states, surrounded by towns and villages.

Among them were nobles, foreign monks, and even low-level leaders hidden among the common folk—numerous Mo Sect Sect disciples.

Even the Whale Fisher, a legendary martial artist, could not kill them all, could not uproot them entirely; and as for intimidation, one man alone could not instantly intimidate such a vast area.

In this chaotic age, only one entity could achieve this—

A fully organized army.

The Mo Sect Sect was no longer an ordinary Jianghu Sect Sect—it was a structure hidden within the martial world, resembling a state.

Li Guanyi pressed his brow, mentally forecasting the course of events.

If the Whale Fisher, enraged, stormed in and destroyed a major Mo Sect Sect base, it would surely cripple the Mo Sect Sect's vital energy; its high-level masters would be scattered by the furious legendary master—but the remaining members would flee from every corner.

The Mo Sect Sect might lie dormant for over a decade, perhaps even rise again.

Li Guanyi had already targeted the Mo Sect Sect's leader; combined with past grievances, their enmity was irreconcilable, and to bring peace to the world, this evil cult must be eradicated.

Li Guanyi opened his eyes and said: "Then so be it."

"Strike first to gain the advantage."

"Fan Qing, Changsun—prepare your troops. After crushing the Huyan family's army behind us, seize their gear and armor. Wait for our reinforcements to join, then advance with the momentum—"

Li Guanyi's finger slid sharply downward from his own position on the map.

"Destroy this Mo Sect Sect!"

Only these four words—yet the rustic martial spirit vanished; the fierce, commanding aura of a lord and general surged forth. The Tiance Prefecture members exchanged glances, all bowed, and replied in unison:

"Yes!"

"We receive the Lord's military order!"

Li Guanyi stared at the topographical map, rose—yet he regretted that though he knew many things, he still lagged behind those genius strategists in matters of grand strategy. At that moment, a voice came from outside:

"Lord, news!"

"General Nangong has returned with a letter from Mr. Pojun."

News from Mr. Pojun?!

Li Guanyi beamed: "Perfect timing!"

"Bring her in at once!"

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? Struggling to adjust my schedule by half an hour (at peace)