C15 The Arrival of the Empress

In a flash, roughly fifteen or sixteen individuals launched an attack on Liu Xingchang.

Among this group, there were eight or nine disciples and six or seven Protectors.

The disciples privileged enough to stand in the grand hall of the Mysterious Immortal Sect were no ordinary folk; they were all Cultivators of the sixth or seventh grade. The Protectors were even more formidable, surpassing the green-robed Protectors in strength. The least powerful among them was an eighth-grade Cultivator, while the strongest boasted the rank of a tenth-grade Cultivator.

With such a force converging on him, even Cultivators of the Spirit Mastery Realm with slightly lesser capabilities would struggle to prevail. What chance did Liu Xingchang have?

Despite having witnessed Liu Xingchang's prowess at the Dai Family, the man in green couldn't help but grasp his father's shoulder, silently pleading for him to intervene on Liu Xingchang's behalf.

The prime minister remained still, intent on observing the extent of Liu Xingchang's abilities. It was not the moment for him to curry favor.

All eyes were riveted on Liu Xingchang.

They were all eager to discern whether Liu Xingchang was merely a brave soul with no substance.

Should he fail to handle these disciples and Protectors, his actions would no longer be seen as brave but rather as foolhardy.

As the Mysterious Immortal Sect's disciples and Protectors charged, Liu Xingchang narrowed his eyes, opting to retreat rather than advance, his posture boldly upright.

Liu Xingchang kept his sword sheathed; he deemed it unnecessary to draw his weapon against these opponents.

Though Liu Xingchang was an eighth-grade Cultivator, he possessed three Spirit Seas, which meant his strength was multiplying geometrically, allowing him to fight across different realms.

Moreover, his Spirit Seas were embedded with a staggering ninety Spirit Mark Runes, in stark contrast to the thirty ordinary fixed-attribute Spirit Mark Runes found in the Spirit Seas of a typical Cultivator.

These two advantages ensured that Liu Xingchang could remain unbeaten even when surrounded by more than a dozen assailants.

"Water Shadow Body!"

"Tyrannical Flame Fist!"

"Boom!"

The leading ninth-grade Protector was utterly overpowered, unable to mount any defense against Liu Xingchang's formidable punch, much to the astonishment of the onlookers, whose eyes widened in disbelief.

Two disciples attempted a stealth attack from behind, but Liu Xingchang effortlessly evaded them. In a split second, he reconfigured the Spirit Mark Runes in his Spirit Sea to consist of forty offensive and fifty speed runes.

"Boom!"

Liu Xingchang narrowly avoided a slashing blade, contorting his body to land a punch in his assailant's armpit, effectively neutralizing his combat abilities for the moment.

"Get lost!"

"Tyrannical Flame Fist!"

"Water Shadow Body!"

Liu Xingchang exploited an opening, evading three incoming swords with an uncanny maneuver. He pounced like a cheetah toward the Protector with Tenth Stage cultivation, striking him hard in the chest with his fist.

Caught off guard by Liu Xingchang's unexpected dodge, the Protector was too slow to react. His chest bore the brunt of a fierce punch, propelling him through the air like a cannonball, nearly colliding with Qi Libai, who was seated at the head of the room.

Qi Libai's eyes narrowed into slits, a dark line veiling unspeakable venom and ferocity.

Having dispatched the most formidable Tenth Grade Protector, and previously a Ninth Grade one, Liu Xingchang faced no significant challenge from those who remained.

He converted all ninety Spirit Mark Runes into Speed Runes, significantly enhancing his agility and attack velocity.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

In a mere moment, Liu Xingchang's figure flickered and shifted multiple times, unleashing sixteen punches in the span of a single breath.

"Such swift fists!"

"Such incredible attack speed!"

"An Eighth Grade Cultivator, even with thirty Spirit Mark Runes, shouldn't be capable of this level of speed!"

The onlookers were astounded.

Despite witnessing many astonishing feats from Liu Xingchang in recent days, the reality of his prowess left them wide-eyed and incredulous.

Liu Xingchang's feats shattered the perceived immutable laws of the Cultivation World. An Eighth Grade Cultivator had effortlessly vanquished several Sixth and Seventh Grade Cultivators, along with a number of Eighth and Ninth Grade ones, and even a Tenth Grade Cultivator.

It seemed nearly impossible. How on earth did Liu Xingchang manage it?

How did the once ridiculed and shamed Patriarch of the Liu Family become so formidable, enigmatic, and brilliant?

A flicker of satisfaction passed through the Southern King's eyes. His hero had not disappointed him.

Impressed by Liu Xingchang's recent actions, he felt compelled to offer his assistance.

At that moment, with the disciples and guardians of the Mysterious Immortal Sect defeated, Liu Xingchang stood tall, hands clasped behind his back, and called out to Qi Libai, "Sect Master Qi! Is this how the Mysterious Immortal Sect welcomes its guests?"

Qi Libai continued to squint his eyes, silent.

As the sect master, Qi Libai was expected to embody integrity and fairness, which meant he couldn't directly mistreat Liu Xingchang.

The humiliation from the green-robed protector was his own doing.

The assault by the disciples and protectors was their own doing.

Throughout these events, Qi Libai remained mute, so naturally, no one could accuse him of giving orders.

Even though some might criticize his leadership, once Liu Xingchang was gone, the stigma of bullying wouldn't fall on Qi Libai's shoulders.

Now was no different. His silence meant others would step forward to take the blame.

Today, whether disciples, guardians, or elders, none who entered the hall with Qi Libai were fools.

With the disciples and protectors down, it was the elders' turn to step up.

A middle-aged man in a hemp robe emerged from behind Qi Libai and made his way to the center of the hall, standing before Liu Xingchang.

The man was tall and broad-shouldered, with piercing eyes and a voice as deep as a great bell. "Liu Xingchang, I've heard much about your impressive deeds with the Dai Family. Today, I seek to learn from you!"

Liu Xingchang narrowed his eyes and inquired, "And you are?"

The middle-aged man replied, "I am Xuan Le, the Eighth Elder of the Mysterious Immortal Sect."

Upon hearing those words, Qing Yi immediately tensed up and gripped the Prime Minister's shoulders, whispering through clenched teeth, "Father, you must intervene quickly!"

The Prime Minister remained silent, motionless, biding his time. He was waiting for the Southern King to make the first move. If the Southern King spoke first, he could follow suit, thereby earning the favor of Liu Xingchang without alienating the Mysterious Immortal Sect, and the burden on the Li Family would be shouldered by the Southern King.

The Prime Minister didn't rise to his eminent position by sheer passion alone. He didn't have to wait long, as the Southern King soon made his statement.

The Southern King's voice was low and resonant, tinged with a subtle authority, "Master Qi Libai, though Liu Xingchang is the head of the Liu Family, he is still a junior. Is it not somewhat bullying to have an elder challenge him?"

The Prime Minister's lips curled into a slight smile, promptly adding his voice to the conversation, "In days gone by, Master Qi Libai and Liu Xingchang's father, Chen Leshan, were close friends who shared many a drink. Though Chen Leshan has passed, surely the bond between our families hasn't vanished entirely. Has Master Qi Libai considered the propriety of his actions?"

A smile suddenly appeared on Qi Libai's face in the grand hall. He had been anticipating this very moment, having predicted the support of the Southern King and the Prime Minister.

Knowing the likely course of events, Qi Libai had already devised a strategy. With a slight smile, he acquiesced to the wishes of the Southern King and the Prime Minister, "Since both the Southern King and the Prime Minister have interceded, our Mysterious Immortal Sect, being a major faction, would indeed be remiss to continue pressing Liu Xingchang. Let's agree to annul the engagement. Liu Xingchang, take your brother and depart posthaste."

No one regarded Qi Libai's gesture as magnanimous, for all were aware that he was simply passing the buck. The Li Family father and son also understood Qi Libai's intentions, but despite inwardly cursing his slyness, they had no choice but to outwardly accept this thorny issue.

Today, the person most eager for Liu Xingchang's demise was not Qi Libai, but Lee Yan, the patriarch of the Li Family.

Upon hearing this, Lee Yan slammed his hand on the table and rose to his feet, exclaiming, "Sect Master Qi Libai! You are the leader of an entire sect, and yet you let others disrespect you so blatantly and still let them walk away?"

Qi Libai shrugged his shoulders and sighed, "Master Lee Yan, our Mysterious Immortal Sect resides in the Royal Capital. We must maintain an unblemished reputation and secure our standing. If word gets out that our sect is bullying the younger generation, and we further offend the Southern King and the Prime Minister, the consequences would be too great to bear. It's better to be humble and concede."

Lee Yan retorted, "Sect Master Qi, you might be willing to lose face, but are you willing to let your daughter suffer the same fate? Liu Xingchang came here with Liu Yichang to call off your daughter's engagement. She's practically being thrown out. Who among the nobility of the Royal Capital will want to marry her now?"

Qi Libai stood up, clapping his hands in agreement, "You make a compelling point. How did that escape me? But, Master Lee Yan..."

"Brother Qi, spare your words. I'll handle the rest," Lee Yan interjected, gesturing dismissively. He then turned to the Southern King and the Prime Minister, pulling out a golden token from his pocket and declared, "Your Excellencies, the Southern King and Prime Minister, the incident that unfolded here today is an internal affair of the Mysterious Immortal Sect. I urge you not to interfere. Otherwise, I cannot promise that I won't use this Dragon God Token, a personal gift from the Young Master of the Dragon Saliva Sect!"

As soon as the Dragon God Token was revealed, the crowd around them erupted into murmurs of shock.

In the Dragon Saliva Sect, the appearance of the Dragon God Token meant that the sect would mobilize its full might to obliterate whoever it was used against. While this might seem an exaggeration, the Dragon Saliva Sect could easily decimate both the Southern King's Palace and the Prime Minister's Mansion.

In the Great Pine Kingdom, only two individuals could afford to disregard the Dragon God Token: the reigning Emperor and Empress. Even with its formidable power, the Dragon Saliva Sect would never go so far as to annihilate the entire kingdom or depose its sovereign.

The Dragon Saliva Sect's enduring existence over the years was not without justification. Even the revered Dragon God Token came with its own set of restrictions.

Eunuch Liu, the Emperor's representative, remained silent, his lack of comment a clear indication of a neutral position.

The Southern King and the Prime Minister couldn't help but narrow their eyes at the sight of the Dragon God Token, unable to dismiss its significance. They each had families to consider.

With both the Southern King and the Prime Minister falling silent, it became apparent to all that Liu Xingchang's fate was sealed.

Xia Changge squinted his eyes, pondering, 'Is Liu Xingchang unaware of the Li Family's presence? Doesn't he realize that with the Li Family involved, his death is certain? Could he truly be nothing more than a foolhardy man, acting with reckless courage? Does he not have even a semblance of a plan to save himself?'

Liu Taihe and Zhou, among others, sighed heavily.

Princess Qingyuan and Qingyi were frantic with worry, scratching at their hearts in desperation, yet powerless to intervene.

What could they do when even their fathers were unable to act?

The consensus was clear: Liu Xingchang was a dead man walking, and he himself felt the grip of anxiety tightening around him.

He had seen several elders from Qi Libai's ranks step forward. With so many elders poised to strike, his demise seemed inevitable.

Liu Xingchang was acutely aware of his own capabilities.

Yet, fear was not what consumed him—it was anxiety.

He had been waiting for two individuals...

The two people who could rescue him from certain death...

This was the sole lifeline within his plan...

'Why haven't they arrived? Why are they still not here?'

As six elders closed in on him, a suffocating pressure nearly bent Liu Xingchang's body in half. His back was drenched with sweat, and his forehead glistened with a sheen of perspiration.

But as the elders drew nearer, Liu Xingchang's eyes suddenly bulged with an intense surge of relief.

They had arrived!

With a weight lifted from his chest, a distinctive, duck-like voice echoed from outside the door.

"The Third Prince and the Empress have arrived!"

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