Bluffing

Nobody moved.

Li Xueyi smiled:

"What? Got mute? You've been cursing for four days, and now you're not cursing anymore?"

No one on the other end said a word.

The Qinglan Sect disciple's face turned pale and then red, and he turned and ran straight for the main tent.

Inside the main tent, Qingyangzi, the sect leader of the Qinglan Sect, was sitting and drinking tea.

He was the commander-in-chief of this joint operation of the righteous path, ostensibly to "monitor the unusual activities of the demonic sect," but in reality, he wanted to test the bottom line of the Xuantian Sect.

After news of the pilgrimage to the Hall of White Bones spread, the various righteous sects began to have doubts.

Did the Demon Lord actually take that step?

Is the integration of the demonic path for real?

I'll have to give it a try.

So he brought five hundred men and blocked the entrance to Bloodthorn Valley, getting cursed at every day.

After four days of cursing, the Xuantian Sect didn't utter a single word.

Qingyangzi felt increasingly confident.

As expected, all that talk of a Demon Lord and unifying the demonic path was just bluff.

He was feeling quite pleased with himself when the disciple stumbled in:

"Sect Master! It's terrible! People from the Xuantian Sect have arrived!"

Qingyangzi's hand trembled, and he spilled tea all over himself.

He didn't even bother wiping himself before abruptly standing up:

How many people came?

The disciple swallowed hard.

"Three, three thousand!"

Qingyangzi was stunned.

Three thousand?

He only has five hundred here!

"Who's leading the team?"

"Li Tu! Li Tu, the master of the Battle Vein! Mid-stage Tribulation Transcending Realm!"

Qingyangzi's legs went weak, and he plopped back down in the chair.

Mid-stage of Tribulation Transcending?

That shouldn't be happening!

Wasn't it rumored that Li Tu and Chu Yuan didn't get along?

"Retreat, retreat quickly..."

Before he could finish speaking, a burst of laughter suddenly came from outside the tent.

He lifted the tent flap and looked out. He saw a large, dark mass of people opposite him, with a burly man standing at the front, hands on his hips, shouting in their direction:

"You old man Qingyangzi, didn't you want to spy on me? Grandpa will bring three thousand men for you to spy on to your heart's content! Is that enough? If not, Grandpa will call more!"

Three thousand people behind him joined in the commotion:

Is that enough?

"Order more if it's not enough!"

The sound waves came one after another, shaking the opposite tents.

Qingyangzi's face turned green.

Several elders from nearby sects gathered around and whispered among themselves:

"Sect Master Qingyang, this..."

"Should we retreat?"

"Withdraw what?!"

Qingyangzi gritted his teeth:

"He's just bluffing! If the Demon Lord were truly so tough, why didn't he come in person?"

No matter what, he's at the Tribulation Transcending stage!

Qingyangzi took a deep breath, straightened his back, and walked out of the tent.

Several miles away, he shouted to the other side:

"Li Tu! Who are you trying to intimidate with three thousand men? Where is the Demon Lord? Let him come out and speak!"

Li Tu laughed:

"Who do you think you are, to deserve such a personal visit from the cult leader?"

Qingyangzi's face darkened:

"If you're too scared to come, then you're too scared to come. Stop pretending to be a big shot!"

He turned to look at the elders beside him:

"Pass down the order: keep the insults coming! Go all out!"

The elders looked at each other in bewilderment.

Still cursing?

There are three thousand of them standing there!

But since Qingyangzi had spoken, they dared not disobey.

So the righteous group started repeating their insults again.

Li Tu felt a surge of anger upon hearing this.

If it weren't for the leader's orders!

He had already gone and tore the other side to shreds.

The sect leader ordered him to wait until all the other sects had arrived before taking action.

Qingyangzi stood outside the tent, staring at the opposite side for a long time.

strangeness.

too weird.

That brute Li Tu, with three thousand men standing there, why does he only curse and not fight?

Given his past temper, he should have rushed over and torn him to pieces long ago.

But now?

He just sat there eating sunflower seeds and let the people below him curse at each other.

Qingyangzi narrowed his eyes, his mind racing.

The fact that Li Tu and Chu Yuan are at odds is known to the higher-ups of the righteous path.

When Chu Yuan ascended to the throne, Li Tu was one of the first to oppose him.

Although I don't know why I gave in later, how could I not have some resentment in my heart?

Now Chu Yuan has ordered him to bring three thousand men, and he has come.

But what happens after we arrive?

All talk and no action.

Isn't this blatant shirking responsibility?

The more Qingyangzi thought about it, the more sense it made.

If Li Tu really wanted to make a move, why would he waste time here?

so......

Li Tu only came because he felt obligated to.

But once they arrived, they would delay as much as possible and avoid taking any action if possible.

"Oh."

Qingyangzi smiled.

Several elders gathered around:

"Sect Master, what are you laughing at?"

Qingyangzi stood with his hands behind his back, his chin slightly raised:

"I laugh at that ruthless butcher; he's nothing but a paper tiger."

The elders looked at each other in bewilderment.

Qingyangzi pointed to the opposite side:

"Look, he brought three thousand men and blocked this place, but has he even laid a hand on it? He's been cursing for so long, but has he taken a single step forward?"

"No, right?"

"What does this mean? It means he doesn't want to fight at all!"

Qingyangzi got more and more excited as he spoke:

"Chu Yuan sent him, so he had no choice but to come. But once he arrived, he didn't put in any real effort. As long as we don't make the first move, he won't be able to explain himself. If we drag this out for a few days, he'll leave on his own."

The elders' eyes lit up when they heard this.

"Our sect leader is wise!"

"Shall we continue arguing?"

"Keep cursing!"

Qingyangzi waved his hand:

"Give him a good dressing down! Swear him mercilessly! Let's see how long he can keep this up!"

And so the righteous path began again.

"Li Tu! Aren't you the leader of the War Vein? What are you doing sitting there eating sunflower seeds?"

"Come on! Let's fight! Let grandpa see how tough you are!"

"Coward! Just like your cult leader!"

The curses came in waves, even more fierce than during the day.

Qingyangzi smiled slightly.

Now that his goal has been achieved, Qingyangzi should also seek some benefits for himself.

We'll just have to fight Li Tu, then we can take over some territory and spirit stones.

opposite.

Li Tu sat in the chair, his face darkening.

Beside him, Li Xueyi asked cautiously:

"Master Li, you...you really won't make a move?"

Li Tu glanced at him:

"What's the rush?"

Li Xueyi shrank back, not daring to ask any more questions.

Li Tu crushed the melon seeds in his hand with a snap.

He also wanted to take action.

But the cult leader said to wait until everyone is present before making any moves.

We'll start moving once everyone's here...

He'd heard that three times already.

Li Tu took a deep breath and suppressed the anger.

Go ahead and curse, you'll be crying later.

Just then, a whooshing sound suddenly came from the horizon.

Everyone looked up and saw a dark red flying boat breaking through the clouds. The boat was carved with hideous ghost faces, and a sinister aura could be felt from a distance.

Li Tu's eyes lit up:

"They're here!"

The airship slowly descended, the hatch opened, and a tall, slender figure floated out.

Ghost King Valley, a place of cold laughter and sorrow.

After landing, Chongli Tu cupped his hands in a respectful gesture:

"Master Li, I'm late, I ran into some trouble on the way."

Li Tu waved his hand:

"Not too late, just right."

No sooner had he finished speaking than another roar came from the horizon.

This time it was the Blood Shadow Sect's flying boat, entirely blood red, like a red-hot branding iron.

Ying Wudi jumped off the boat, his voice so loud it could deafen anyone:

"Li Tu! Where is he? Let me see which bastard is so bold!"

Li Tu pointed to the opposite side:

"There are five hundred people there, led by the Qinglan Sect."

Ying Wudi peeked out and grinned:

"That's it? Five hundred people dared to jump?"

"more than."

Li Tu said calmly:

"There's more to come."

really.

For the next half hour, the sky never quieted down.

The flying boats of the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect, the Corpse Puppet Sect, the Yin Wind Valley, the Blood Fiend Sect...

One ship after another, they all arrived.

The last to arrive was the Water Moon Sect. Fairy Qingyue, with nine disciples, was still a little dazed when they landed.

"So...so many people?"

Li Tu glanced at the entire audience and grinned.

almost.

In the opposite tent, Qingyangzi could no longer laugh.

He watched as the flying boats descended one after another on the horizon, and the figures emerging from them; his face turned pale.

Ten Thousand Poisons Sect, Blood Shadow Sect, Ghost King Valley, Corpse Puppet Sect...

They were all led by people in the Tribulation Transcending stage.

One after another, they all came.

"Zong, sect master..."

An elder standing nearby was trembling.

Qingyangzi frowned.

Something feels off.

Just then, a burst of laughter suddenly came from the other side.

Li Tu stood up, dusted off the sunflower seed shells on his clothes, and shouted in this direction:

"You old man Qingyangzi, didn't you want to see the Demon Lord?"

He paused, then laughed even louder:

"The Demon Lord didn't come, but people from all the demonic sects have come!"