Waste

In front of Bloodthorn Valley.

Qingyangzi stood outside the tent, wiping the sweat from his palms again and again.

To be honest, he had never seen anything like the scene on the other side in his hundreds of years of life.

Three thousand disciples of the Xuantian Sect formed a square formation, a dark mass, their banners obscuring the sky.

At the very front stood Li Tu, while the brute sat in a chair cracking sunflower seeds, spitting the shells all over the ground.

Behind Li Tu, there were the Blood Shadow Sect, the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect, the Ghost King Valley, the Corpse Puppet Sect...

One after another, they were all leaders at the Tribulation Transcending stage.

Ying Wudi's loud voice could be heard from miles away:

"Where's that old bastard Qingyangzi? Let him come out, I want to have a chat with him!"

Leng Xiaochou hovered in mid-air, staring at them with a sinister gaze, as if they were looking at a dead man.

Yun Zhongling stood on the left with the disciples of the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect. Although they were young, their eyes showed no fear.

Qingyangzi swallowed.

wrong.

No, no, that's not right.

He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

Chu Yuan didn't come.

Yes, Chu Yuan didn't come.

The Demon Lord didn't come; he only sent Li Tu, this troublemaker, and a bunch of newly surrendered rabble.

Qingyangzi narrowed his eyes, his mind racing.

He knew all too well the nature of the demonic path over the past thousand years.

Scheming and backstabbing, outwardly friendly but inwardly hostile. Brothers today, stabbing each other in the back tomorrow.

How long has Chu Yuan been in power?

Li Tu was one of the leaders who opposed him back then.

Now, shall we have Li Tu bring three thousand men?

Why did they even ask each sect to send someone?

Is this a fight, or a ploy to kill someone using someone else's knife?

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

Chu Yuan intends to use the righteous path to cut off Li Tu, this unruly troublemaker!

If Li Tu really makes a move and wins, it will be a great honor for Chu Yuan.

If we lose, we can use the righteous path to get rid of him.

No matter how you look at it, Chu Yuan is not at a loss.

How could Li Tu not understand?

Of course he understands.

So he came for three days, all he did was yell and no one took action; he showed up but didn't put in any effort.

Qingyangzi's lips slowly curled up.

I've seen through it all.

I've seen through everything.

"metropolitan?"

An elder nearby leaned over and asked cautiously:

"Should we... retreat?"

Qingyangzi glanced at him, his chin slightly raised:

"Withdraw what?!"

The elders looked at each other in bewilderment.

Qingyangzi stood with his hands behind his back, his tone calm and steady:

"Didn't you guys realize? That group over there looks intimidating, but they're just a bunch of rabble."

He pointed to the opposite side:

"You didn't know that Li Tu and Chu Yuan are at odds? He's been here for three days, has he laid a hand on anyone? Has he even taken a single step forward?"

The elders were taken aback, it seemed... that was the case.

Qingyangzi continued:

"Chu Yuan sent him here to use someone else to do his dirty work. Li Tu knows this perfectly well, so he's only going through the motions. Those sects that have submitted to the Xuan Tian Sect, they've only been here a few days! How loyal can they be?"

"What does the sect leader mean?"

"What I mean is, the other side is just a bunch of disorganized rabble who are all smiles on the surface but not on the inside."

Qingyangzi's lips curled into a cold smile:

"Just watch, if we stand up a little, they'll fall into chaos on their own."

The elders' eyes lit up when they heard this.

"Our sect leader is wise!"

"No wonder the sect leader wouldn't allow us to retreat; he saw through the Demon Lord's scheme!"

"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!"

Qingyangzi waved his hand, appearing completely nonchalant:

"Alright, stop flattering us. Now that we've seen through it, we need to do something about it."

He paused, then looked across at the other side:

"Pass down the order to prepare for battle."

The elders were taken aback:

"To go into battle?"

"It wasn't a real fight."

Qingyangzi said slowly:

"I used the pretext of sparring to exchange a few blows with Li Tu. Firstly, to give an explanation to the five hundred people behind me; secondly, to test the strength of the demonic path; and thirdly..."

He smiled:

"Let Chu Yuan know that the righteous path is not to be trifled with."

The elders suddenly realized what was going on.

"The sect leader is going to publicly humiliate Li Tu!"

"If Li Tu doesn't dare to accept the challenge, then his prestige in the demonic path will be ruined."

"If we accept the challenge... Sect Master, you are at the mid-stage of the Tribulation Transcending Realm, and Li Tu is also at the mid-stage of the Tribulation Transcending Realm. It's not certain who will win or lose!"

Qingyangzi nodded:

"Go, pass on the order."

The elders accepted the order and left.

Qingyangzi stood still, looking at the dark mass of people opposite him, his smile growing wider and wider.

Chu Yuan, Chu Yuan, are you trying to use someone else to do your dirty work?

Then I'll play along with you in this play.

Perfect opportunity! Let's take this chance to show the entire Cangxuan Realm that the righteous path is not to be trifled with.

Outside the camp, the righteous disciples quickly sprang into action.

Their morale, which had been low and dejected, suddenly soared.

"The sect leader will personally lead the battle? Really?"

"Of course it's true! The sect leader said he wants to have a one-on-one duel with Li Tu!"

"Can we retreat if we win?"

"Not only can we retreat, but we can also give the demonic path a taste of their power!"

When the news spread, the five hundred righteous disciples were in high spirits, craning their necks to look at the other side.

Qingyangzi strode out of the tent.

His steps were slow, but each step was steady.

Several elders followed behind him, their faces beaming with smiles.

Reaching the front of the formation, Qingyangzi stopped, took a deep breath, circulated his spiritual energy, and his voice boomed out:

"The ruthless slayer!"

Across from him, Li Tu was eating sunflower seeds when he heard the shout and looked up.

Qingyangzi stood with his hands behind his back, exuding an imposing aura.

"We are both undergoing tribulation; do you dare to challenge me, the sect master, to a one-on-one duel?"

The entire room fell silent for a moment.

Li Tu raised an eyebrow but remained silent.

Qingyangzi continued:

"If you win, my Qinglan Sect will immediately withdraw its troops! If you lose... I won't make things difficult for you. Take your people back and tell Chu Yuan that the righteous path is not to be trifled with!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the five hundred righteous disciples behind him erupted in cheers.

"Sect Leader, you are mighty!"

"Hit him! Hit him!"

Morale immediately reached its peak.

A smile appeared on Qingyangzi's lips.

Now, let's see how you respond.

opposite.

On the demonic path side, everyone's expressions were quite strange.

Li Tu stood there, stunned for several seconds.

He turned his head and looked at Ying Wudi behind him, his eyes full of question marks.

Is this old guy out of his mind?

Ying Wudi scratched his head, looking equally bewildered, and shrugged.

Li Tu then looked at Leng Xiaochou.

Leng Xiaochou floated in mid-air, rolling his eyes wryly.

Don't ask me, I don't know either.

Li Tu then looked at Yun Zhongling.

Yun Zhongling opened his mouth, then managed to utter a sentence:

"Perhaps... there's been a misunderstanding?"

Li Tu looked at Li Xueyi beside him one last time.

Li Xueyi was scratching his chin, looking completely confused:

"Master, does he think we won't dare to make a move?"

Li Tu: "..."

opposite.

Qingyangzi saw Li Tu's "dazed look" very clearly.

He was so proud of himself.

See, they hesitated as expected.

They were indeed wary.

He pressed his advantage, taking a step forward and raising his voice even louder:

"Master Li, are you perhaps afraid?"

The entire room fell silent for a moment.

Qingyangzi stood with his hands behind his back:

"Don't worry, we are both undergoing tribulation. I will know my limits and stop when I've made my move."

He paused, a smile playing at the corners of his lips:

"Consider this a performance to entertain all of you here!"

He specifically emphasized "stopping at the right point" and "performing martial arts to add to the fun".

As soon as he finished speaking, the five hundred righteous disciples behind him roared into action.

"good!"

"The sect leader is right!"

"Li Tu, do you dare to accept the challenge?"

"If you're too scared, get the hell out of here!"

The voices rose in waves.

Qingyangzi slightly raised his chin, his smile impossible to hide.

He thought he was too smart.

That was said flawlessly.

This gave Li Tu a way out.

It's basically just a "martial arts performance for entertainment," and there's an explanation for both winning and losing.

This also hints at Li Tu's cooperation.

We both know what's going on; we just need to go through the motions.

How perfect.

Li Tu stood still and listened to Qing Yangzi's words.

After listening, he was stunned for a moment.

Then he understood.

This old bastard, does he really think he's playing along?

Li Tu's lips twitched.

A surge of anger that had been building up for days suddenly erupted.

He ripped off his cumbersome outer robe and threw it on the ground, revealing his well-built muscles.

He strode to the front of the formation, each step making a loud "thump" sound on the ground.

He grinned, revealing his gleaming white teeth:

"good!"

"It's rare to find such refined tastes in the Qingyang Sect Master's eyes. I'll play along!"

He paused, then laughed even louder:

"Hopefully, you'll still remember how to write 'stop when you've touched the surface' later!"

Qingyangzi felt much more at ease.

Sure enough, Li Tu responded.

Isn't that right?

He smiled slightly, stepped out of the tent, stood with his hands behind his back, exuding the demeanor of a grandmaster.

As I walked, I pondered how much of my power I should use later.

Thirty percent?

No, that's too fake.

Fifty percent?

That seems a bit too much.

He made up his mind.

Let Li Tu make three moves first, to demonstrate the demeanor of a righteous master.

Then, launch a well-timed counterattack.

The match ended in a draw.

This way, they saved face, tested the waters, and gave Chu Yuan a warning.

perfect.

A confident smile curved Qingyangzi's lips.

opposite.

Li Tu stood there, watching his behavior without saying a word.

Just watch.

The more he thought about it, the more thoughtful he felt he had been.

Li Tu stood there, watching Qing Yangzi's demeanor, his fists clenched so tightly they were cracking.

The two stood at attention in front of the formation, a hundred feet apart.

The whole place fell silent.

On the demonic path side.

Ying Wudi muttered to himself:

"How many moves do you think Qingyangzi can last?"

Yun Zhongling thought for a moment:

"Three moves, please."

Leng Xiao shook his head in sorrow:

"I think it's a good move."

Li Xueyi scratched his head:

"What if Master Li goes easy on me?"

Several people looked at him at the same time, their eyes filled with strange expressions.

Ying Wudi patted him on the shoulder:

"Young man, you're new here and don't know Li Tu yet."

Leng Xiaochou added:

"Master Li is a good person in every way, except for one flaw—"

He paused:

"Once you start, you can't stop."

These are all old men who practice the demonic path.

They were naturally familiar with Li Tu's past habits.

Li Xueyi: "..."

On the righteous path.

The five hundred disciples craned their necks, full of anticipation, to look at the front of the formation.

"Go, Sect Leader!"

"Teach that devil a lesson!"

"Let him know the power of the righteous path!"

Several elders stood at the front, their faces beaming with pride.

"Sect Master's move is brilliant."

"Yes, if he's publicly challenged, Li Tu has no choice but to accept."

"Once the sect leader and Li Tu fight to a draw, we can leave gracefully."

"The sect leader is indeed far-sighted."

On the front lines.

The wind blew, stirring up a cloud of sand and dust.

Qingyangzi stood with his hands behind his back, his robes fluttering, exuding an air of otherworldly elegance.

He smiled slightly, about to say a few polite words.

opposite.

Li Tu made a move.

He took a step forward, and his whole body turned into a blur as he rushed straight at him!

Qingyangzi was taken aback.

Wait a minute, shouldn't we first bow to each other and exchange a few polite words?

How come... they just went straight to it?

Before he could react, Li Tu had already rushed in front of him.

An extremely violent aura surged up from his body!

That was pure killing intent, a battle intent forged from countless life-and-death battles, the true strength of the Battle Vein Master!

The ground debris was shaken and flew everywhere, and the air itself began to distort.

A punch came down.

It carried with it the howling wind and a pent-up anger that had been building up for days.

Qingyangzi's pupils contracted, and he subconsciously raised his hand to block.

"Bang!"

A muffled thud.

Qingyangzi slid backward for more than ten feet, his feet carving two deep furrows in the ground.

He looked down at his arm and his face turned pale.

That force...something's not right!

Isn't this supposed to be a martial arts performance for entertainment?

This is fucking dangerous!

He looked up, about to speak.

Li Tu charged forward again.

The second punch.

"Bang!"

Qingyangzi slid back another dozen or so feet.

Li Tu clenched his fist and grinned:

"Sect Master Qingyang, didn't you say you wanted to stop short of causing trouble?"

"Why are you just blocking and not fighting back?"

"You look down on me?"

Qingyangzi opened his mouth, as if to say something.

Li Tu's third punch has arrived.

This time, Qingyangzi couldn't stop him.

"Bang!"

He was sent flying backward, rolling seven or eight times on the ground, and crashing into half of the tent.

The entire venue was deathly silent.

On the demonic path side.

Ying Wudi clicked his tongue:

"Three moves, I guessed right."

Leng Xiaochou said in a low voice:

"The move I just mentioned seems to have underestimated Qingyangzi a bit."

Li Xueyi opened his mouth wide, and after a long while, he managed to utter a sentence:

"This...this is what happens when you can't stop it?"

On the righteous path.

The five hundred disciples fell silent.

The elders stood there with their mouths agape, unable to utter a single word.

On the front lines.

Li Tu walked over and picked up Qing Yangzi, who was lying on the ground.

Qingyangzi's face was covered in blood, his eyes were unfocused, and he was still muttering to himself:

"Isn't it... a martial arts performance for entertainment...?"

Li Tu looked down at him, smiling broadly.

"Yes, it's a martial arts performance to add to the festivities."

He paused, then threw Qingyangzi to the ground:

"Wasn't I just putting on an act for you?"

"To liven things up, you have to see some blood, otherwise it's no fun."

Li Tu threw it along with him.

Several elders rushed out to receive them.

Qingyangzi's mind went blank.

He glanced back.

Li Tu remained standing in place and did not give chase.

But that look in his eyes...

It's like watching a clown.

Qingyangzi suddenly remembered his eloquent speech just now.

My face was burning.

It hurts more than my arms.

Li Tu stood there, watching the group of people run away in a panic, and shook his head.

"this one?"

He spat to the side and turned to walk back.

Ying Wudi came forward, laughing heartily:

"Master Li, that was a really hard punch! That old guy probably won't be able to lift his arm for six months!"

Li Tu waved his hand:

"Six months? If he doesn't get some good medicine, he'll never be able to lift a finger again."

A cold laugh drifted over, and a low voice said:

"How much force did you use in that punch just now?"

Li Tu thought for a moment:

"About 30%."

Leng Xiaochou: "..."

Shadow Invincible: "..."

Yun Zhongling silently took a step back.

Li Tu scratched his head:

"Seriously, if I used my full strength, he would have been dead on the spot. The cult leader said we have to leave him alive so they can go back and relay the message."

Everyone fell silent.

%.

They beat a sect leader who was in the early stages of the Tribulation Transcending Realm to this extent.

If we go all out...

No one dared to think further.

Li Tu walked to the chair he had just been sitting in, plopped down, and grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds.

He shouted at the top of his lungs towards the group of righteous cultivators who had vanished into thin air on the horizon:

"Come again next time! Remember to bring more people! One isn't enough!"

The sound echoed over Bloodthorn Valley.

No one responded.

Only a few panicked screams came from afar; no one knew who had run too fast and fallen into the ditch.

Li Tu spat out a mouthful of sunflower seed shells and muttered:

"waste."

P.S.: Thank you Yu Dao Hua Sheng for the 100 Qidian Coins reward.

Thank you to Xiongzang for the 100 Qidian coins reward.

Thank you all for your support!