C14 We're Not the Same!

The Mysterious Immortal Sect was situated just outside the Western City of the Royal Capital. The Royal Capital was renowned for two picturesque landscapes: the Great Goose Mountain Range to the east and the Emerald Lake to the west. It was at the heart of Emerald Lake where the Mysterious Immortal Sect had established its base, anchored upon the lake's surface by a sophisticated array formation that served as its foundation.

Beneath Emerald Lake lay a vein of Spirit Stone, infusing the lake with a thick concentration of Spiritual Energy. Cultivators practicing within the Mysterious Immortal Sect could naturally progress at a swifter pace than the average person. Such a prime location for cultivation was coveted by many, yet the Mysterious Immortal Sect had managed to claim it, a testament to their formidable strength.

At the third quarter of the hour of Chen, Liu Xingchang arrived at Emerald Lake with Liu Yichang in tow. A small boat, moored at the shore in anticipation of their arrival, ferried them to the Mysterious Immortal Sect's enclave at the center of the lake.

Unlike a typical family, the Mysterious Immortal Sect was a faction with numerous disciples, necessitating expansive architectural grounds. Three colossal structures floated atop the water's array formation: the Stellar Courtyard, the Bright Moon Courtyard, and the Solar Courtyard. The Stellar Courtyard was designated for disciples' cultivation, the Bright Moon Courtyard for their rest, and the Solar Courtyard served as the main pavilion. It was where the sect master and elders practiced and rested, and also where the sect would entertain guests.

Upon reaching the Solar Courtyard, Liu Xingchang and Liu Yichang were greeted and escorted to the grand hall by two Mysterious Immortal Sect disciples. These young men, clad in the sect's uniform, exuded youthful vigor. However, upon meeting Liu Xingchang and Liu Yichang, their expressions betrayed a mix of scorn and annoyance.

Liu Xingchang's boldness in bringing Liu Yichang to the Mysterious Immortal Sect to break off an engagement was, in some respects, seen as a slight against the sect itself.

"Heh! You truly have no fear of death, brazenly coming to our Mysterious Immortal Sect to cause trouble. Today, you will not leave here alive!"

The two disciples spoke with blatant arrogance, yet Liu Xingchang and Liu Yichang remained silent.

Liu Xingchang carried himself with an air of indifference, standing tall and proud, exuding a regal presence.

Navigating the uneven cobblestone path and meandering through the corridors, Liu Xingchang and Liu Yichang at last reached the grand hall of the Courtyard of the Day.

This was where Liu Xingchang needed to be on high alert.

The grand hall was immense, easily five times the size of the Liu Family's main hall. It resembled less a place for receiving guests and more a meeting place for the esteemed members of the greenwood.

Above the hall hung a plaque inscribed with the words "Honor the Teacher, Value the Way."

"Reporting to the Sect Master, Liu Xingchang and Liu Yichang have arrived," the two disciples announced, bowing respectfully to a middle-aged man seated prominently in the hall.

This middle-aged man was somewhat portly, with a round belly and a round face that seemed to be squeezed between two chunks of flesh.

His cheerful appearance made it difficult to link him with the grand master of the Mysterious Immortal Sect, yet he was indeed Qi Libai, the sect's grand master.

Qi Libai stood behind Qi Libai, glaring at Liu Xingchang with a mix of disgust and bitterness.

The disgrace Liu Xingchang had brought upon her within the Liu Family was an affront she would never forget.

Naturally, the hall was bustling with individuals. Present were not only Qi Libai and Qi Libai, but also the esteemed elders of the Mysterious Immortal Sect, as well as the leaders of various influential groups who had previously sent their respects.

The Southern King sat with imposing dignity in the seat of honor, with Princess Qingyuan gracefully at his side.

The Prime Minister was seated not far from the Southern King, with Qing Yi and Qing Bai standing behind him.

The Minister of War, Liu Taihe, and the Minister of Finance, Zhou Different, were also in attendance.

Another notable figure present was the current head of the Imperial Household, Eunuch Liu. In the Great Pine Kingdom, eunuchs were forbidden from engaging in politics, yet Eunuch Liu represented the Emperor himself, and as such, everyone was obliged to show him a measure of respect. His arrival signified that the Emperor's watchful gaze was upon the day's events.

Liu Xingchang was particularly familiar with another party present: the maternal family of the Fourth Princess, the Li Family. This time, the Li Family was represented by two individuals: the current patriarch, Lee Yan, and his son, the Fourth Princess's cousin, Lee Tang. Each of these individuals held a distinguished status, but what truly astonished Liu Xingchang was the woman seated next to Eunuch Liu.

She was a woman of captivating beauty, whose mere glance could ensnare a man's soul. She possessed the allure of a mature woman, the delicate skin of a young girl, and a timeless visage. Her smile alone had the power to captivate a city, and with another, perhaps even a nation. She was like a perfectly ripened peach, waiting to be plucked from the tree.

Her name was Xia Changge, the most formidable cultivator of seductive arts in the Great Pine Kingdom and its most powerful independent cultivator. The Emperor had honored her with the title "First Independent Cultivator of the Great Pine Kingdom," a position of high esteem but little authority. Nonetheless, as the kingdom's strongest independent cultivator, Xia Changge had once been a match for Old Master Liu.

Her strength was such that she once desecrated the ancestral grave of the Minister of Personnel on a whim, and the minister lacked even the courage to lament before the Emperor. Liu Xingchang had not anticipated the presence of such a paradoxical woman at today's gathering.

Several other factions were represented by their leaders, but Liu Xingchang did not recognize them all and chose not to dwell on their presence.

"Chief Liu," Qi Libai finally spoke, having taken a moment to assess Liu Xingchang. "The last time we met, you were a young man under the guidance of your elders. It's remarkable that upon our next encounter, you have grown capable of standing on your own."

Liu Xingchang offered a faint smile, "Time flies, and everything is bound to change."

Qi Libai remarked, "Indeed, everything changes. Even the Liu Family Patriarch, once looked down upon by all, now dares to come to the Mysterious Immortal Sect and cancel my daughter's engagement right in front of me?"

Upon uttering these words, Qi Libai's face, which had been filled with joy, suddenly took on a menacing expression.

Liu Xingchang continued to smile, then fell silent.

Narrowing his eyes, Qi Libai inquired, "Liu Family Patriarch, why the silence?"

With a wistful smile, Liu Xingchang responded, "Oh, Sect Master Bai Li, you truly excel at shifting blame. Had your Mysterious Immortal Sect not publicly broken off the engagement at the Liu Family's expense, humiliating my brother and slapping the face of our family, we wouldn't have this spectacle today."

Qi Libai's voice turned icy, "Is an engagement so binding that it cannot be reconsidered? What sort of rule is that?"

"Rules?" Liu Xingchang's tone grew colder. "If you, Sect Master Bai Li, had personally visited to discuss the cancellation of the engagement, it would have been one thing for our two families to negotiate behind closed doors. But the Mysterious Immortal Sect didn't even bother to send the sect master or an elder, instead dispatching a mere protector to lead the way with great fanfare, as if to ensure the whole world knew the Liu Family's son had been unceremoniously discarded by your sect! Was it to humiliate the Liu Family and elevate the Mysterious Immortal Sect's prestige? Since the Mysterious Immortal Sect can publicly break off an engagement with the Liu Family, why can't the Liu Family publicly return the favor?"

"How insolent!"

"How dare you address our Sect Master in such a manner!"

The Mysterious Immortal Sect's elders and disciples erupted in outrage.

The green-robed Protector leapt forward, pointing accusingly at Liu Xingchang and berating him, "Liu Xingchang! What do you think you are? A nobody who, by sheer luck, managed to defeat a few fools from the Dai Family, and now you believe you've leapt through the dragon's gate? Who gave you the audacity to raise your voice at our Sect Master!"

When the green-robed Protector was in the Liu Family's grand hall, he had already been subjected to a scolding from Liu Xingchang, who pointed right at his nose and berated him. He dreamt of returning the humiliation he had suffered at the hands of the Liu Family. He had mentally rehearsed this moment countless times. Now, at last, his opportunity had come.

Liu Xingchang had been domineering within the Liu Family, but surely he wouldn't dare to be so brazen within the Mysterious Immortal Sect?

The green-robed Protector stepped forward, bringing his face inches from Liu Xingchang's, a thick sneer on his face. "Liu Family Head, take a look. Isn't life a matter of fortunes revolving? You humiliated me back at the Liu Family, and I was powerless to respond. Now, here in the Mysterious Immortal Sect, I'm humiliating you. Surely you can do nothing but stand and take it?"

Liu Xingchang replied coolly, "We're not the same."

"How are we not the same?" the Protector challenged.

"I am the master of the Liu Family, while you are nothing more than a dog of the Mysterious Immortal Sect. When I humiliate you, you have to take it. But if you humiliate me..." Liu Xingchang trailed off.

The Protector scoffed, "What? You think you can hit me on the Mysterious Immortal Sect's turf?"

"Congratulations..." A sharp gleam suddenly burst from Liu Xingchang's eyes.

"You guessed right!" Before his sentence was even finished, Liu Xingchang's fist had already slammed into the Protector's stomach with brutal force.

"Bang!" The Protector's body flew backward like a cannonball, crashing into two Mysterious Immortal Sect disciples.

The abrupt turn of events raised eyebrows in surprise among the onlookers.

"Huh... Does this fellow not realize whose ground he's on?"

Xia Changge watched Liu Xingchang with a curious gaze, noting that this young man was indeed someone who could pique one's interest. Yet, while Liu Xingchang's actions were satisfyingly bold, without a plan to save his own skin, such behavior was nothing short of foolish.

Xia Changge was keen to find out whether Liu Xingchang was merely a reckless individual with misguided bravery or a true hero with both courage and strategy.

As the green-robed Protector was sent flying by Liu Xingchang's punch, the disciples and Protectors of the Mysterious Immortal Sect immediately showed their displeasure, leaping into action one after another.

"Liu Xingchang! You've got some nerve, attacking a member of our Mysterious Immortal Sect on our own turf!"

"Today, we're going to show you the proper way to conduct yourself!"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the disciples and Protectors, weapons at the ready, surged forward.

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