Chapter 707
Escalating Further
Liang Xiaoxia was shocked, thinking that Zhang Lingfeng had seen through her disguise and spying intentions, and that she might be silenced next.
However, in the following days, Zhang Lingfeng not only did not make things difficult for her, but treated her like Chen Fenfang, often inviting her to join card games, and even allowing her to stay near the Divine Craftsman's Shop.
What confused and unsettled Liang Xiaoxia even more was that Zhang Lingfeng seemed completely unconcerned about her spying.
During a break in a card game, Zhang Lingfeng casually said to her, "You work very hard every day, running around. How about this, you write down in detail what I do every day, who I meet, and what I say, and report it to the people you should report to."
This will save them from guessing and you from having to sneak around, which is exhausting.
Liang Xiaoxia's face turned deathly pale instantly, and she almost dropped the teacup in her hand.
She forced a smile and said, "Master, you jest. I have come sincerely to learn from you. There is no need for me to report back..."
Zhang Lingfeng waved his hand, interrupting her, his face still bearing that lazy smile, but his eyes seemed to see through everything: "Whether I'm joking or not, you know in your heart. Just do as I say, it's better for everyone this way."
By the way, tell the person who sent you that if they want to know anything, they should just ask directly. Why bother with these petty tricks?
Liang Xiaoxia relayed Zhang Lingfeng's words and her observations of his daily life over the past few days—which included playing mahjong and cards, taking Old Ou and Old He from the Ou family compound to fish by the river, or sunbathing and swimming in the sea on the beach outside Baidi City, and even setting up a mahjong table in the sea—to Jingzhou and the Shenzhou Guild through special channels.
At the Jingzhou Guild headquarters, Canaan polished the "Fallen God Shuttle" engraved with skull patterns. After listening to the report, his brows furrowed.
Inside the Divine Continent Guild airship, blood-red incantations floated in Assange's palm, his eyes flashing with cold light.
"Provocation! Blatant provocation!"
Canaan slammed the falling shuttle to the ground with a dull thud.
"He knew that Liang Xiaoxia was one of our people, but instead of exposing her, he had her report on his leisurely daily life."
What does this mean? It's telling us that even if he wastes all his time playing cards, fishing, and sunbathing, he's not afraid of us spying on him, and he doesn't take us seriously at all! He believes that even if everything is exposed, we are no match for him at the conference!
The crimson incantation in Assange's palm suddenly contracted, and his voice was icy: "What a Zhang Tianshi! What a Zhang Lingfeng! Truly arrogant! Exposing the secrets of cultivation to us means he thinks that even if we knew them, we wouldn't understand them, couldn't learn them, and certainly couldn't surpass him in strength. This is the ultimate contempt!"
Both men were proud and arrogant, bearing the expectations of their guilds; they had never been treated with such contempt. Zhang Lingfeng's behavior was, in their eyes, far more unbearable than direct insults. It was a complete denial of their personal strength, their guild, and even their chosen path of divine runes!
"Have Liang Xiaoxia continue recording! Write down everything, big and small!"
Canaan gritted his teeth and said.
"I'd like to see how long he can keep up this mahjong act! At the grand assembly, I'll use this Meteorite Shuttle to personally tear his arrogance to shreds!"
Assange coldly ordered, "Instruct Liang Xiaoxia not only to record his daily life, but also to record as many details as possible of his conversations with others, especially his words about the divine markings."
Since he dared to reveal his hand, let's see what secrets his deck holds!
Leisurely daily life under the sun and guild upheaval
As a result, in the days that followed, Liang Xiaoxia's reports became more frequent and detailed.
"At Chenshi (7-9 AM), Zhang Tianshi led the people from the Ou family compound to fish in the Baishui River in the eastern suburbs. He claimed that it was the way of Heaven that those who were willing to take the bait would do so. During this time, he talked with Old Ou and others about the fishing season and drinks, without mentioning anything about cultivation."
"At noon, he sunbathed for two hours on Jinsha Beach in the south of the city, wearing only shorts. He used his divine power to manipulate the fine sand to carve the words 'Jingzhou and Shenzhou are not as good as Danzhou lying flat' on the beach. The words were later washed away by the tide."
"At dusk, I set up a mahjong table on the beach and taught Ma Dashuai, Ou Ye, and others how to play cards. I said that card etiquette is divine quality, winning or losing is a form of cultivation, and only by keeping a calm mind can one find freedom."
"Today, when Zhang Tianshi was playing cards with Chen Fenfang and Master Liu, they talked about a batch of divine materials in the treasure vault of the Divine Craftsmen Pavilion. They seemed interested in acquiring them, but they did not discuss it in detail."
"When Master Zhang was sunbathing today, a very faint divine light flowed around his body, as if he was absorbing the essence of the sunlight, but it is impossible to determine whether it is some kind of special cultivation method..."
When this information was relayed back to the two major guilds, it initially angered Assange and Canaan, who believed that Zhang Lingfeng was further humiliating them.
But as the endless stream of nearly identical, leisurely reports accumulated day after day, a deeper unease and doubt began to grow.
"Does he... really not need to cultivate?"
Canaan looked at the latest report, which stated that Zhang Lingfeng used his divine power to conjure various sea fish while swimming in the sea.
"He spends all his time playing and sleeping. Where does his strength come from? A level three divine inscription master, an upper god... This is a realm that cannot be reached by simply lying down!"
Assange stared intently at the report's description of Zhang Lingfeng's radiant appearance while sunbathing, and his seemingly cryptic, Zen-like remarks while playing cards.
He suddenly thought of a possibility and said in a low voice, "Could it be... that he is cultivating some kind of ancient, lost technique that requires an extreme worldly or even decadent state of mind to temper his soul?"
"The Great Dream Divine Technique, the Path to Refining the Heart in the Mortal World? Seemingly playing around in the mortal realm, in reality, every game of cards, every fishing trip, every moment of basking in the sun is a way to comprehend the laws of heaven and earth and temper one's soul?"
This brain hypothesis shocked both of them.
If that's the case, then Zhang Lingfeng's cultivation method is completely beyond their comprehension, making it even more dangerous and bizarre.
However, the reaction of many mid- to high-level Divine Inscription Masters in the guilds upon seeing these reports was one of boundless anger and a sense of humiliation.
"Outrageous! In our Divine Continent, the Jingzhou Guild has a history of ten thousand years, and the Dao of Divine Runes is profound and extensive. How can we allow a mere boy from Danzhou to show such contempt!"
"Can fishing, playing cards, and sunbathing every day really surpass our centuries of arduous cultivation? Are you treating us like good-for-nothings?"
"He must be taught a lesson he'll never forget! Let him know there are always people better than him!"
Zhang Lingfeng's almost lazy daily routine, along with his indulgent spying and provocative attitude, was like a fire that completely ignited the anger and competitiveness of many divine rune masters in the two major guilds.
Originally, it was only Assange and Canaan, two top talents, who came to participate in the competition with the intention of winning first place and suppressing Danzhou's arrogance.
Get more cultivation resources from the headquarters.
But now, the nature of the matter has changed.
"Request permission to go to Baidi City! I want to see for myself who this Zhang Lingfeng really is!"
"Count me in! I want to see if his mahjong tiles are even more powerful than divine runes!"
"The guild should send more people. In this tournament, we must not only win first place, but also crush Danzhou in every aspect, especially that Zhang Lingfeng!"
Amidst the public outrage, and with Assange and Canaan reporting their speculation that Zhang Lingfeng might be practicing some strange ancient technique, the top leaders of the two guilds discussed the matter and made a startling decision.
We're significantly increasing the number of personnel sent to Baidi City to participate in or observe the Divine Inscription Master Cultivation Conference! This isn't just about winning the championship, but also about thoroughly studying and suppressing Zhang Lingfeng, this anomaly, and upholding the guild's dignity!
In the secret chamber of the Danzhou Guild, a mountain of intelligence jade slips piled up in front of Huang Youming was buzzing and vibrating, flashing a scarlet light that indicated urgency. He picked up the latest one, glanced at it, and felt his vision go black.
The urgent report was marked with the highest level runes.
"The Jingzhou Guild's Canaan, leading twelve level-three Divine Inscription Masters of the Fallen God Guard, dozens of level-one and level-two Divine Inscription Masters, and their followers, totaling over a hundred people, are heading to the outskirts of Baidi City!"
Another report followed closely: "Assange of the Divine Continent Guild, along with the elite Blood Curse Legion, arrived via an ultra-long-range teleportation array, accompanied by eight Level 3 Divine Inscription Masters and over a hundred other Divine Inscription Masters!"
What made his scalp tingle even more was the note attached to the urgent report.
"The two guilds claimed that they were there to observe and learn from Danzhou's advanced 'lying down' cultivation method, but in reality, three hundred of their elite troops have arrived, and their intentions are not good!"
"Absurd! Nonsense!"
Huang Youming was so angry that he overturned the jade table in front of him. The jade slips crashed to the ground with a clatter, and in the light and shadow that splashed out, there was a leisurely image of Zhang Lingfeng sitting on the beach, sunbathing with his legs up.
He just submitted his application to the General Association in an effort to secure resources from the General Association.
The application for the Baidi City branch to be upgraded to a core branch has not yet been approved by the headquarters' resource allocation.
Now that Jingzhou and Shenzhou have suddenly sent such a large contingent under the guise of observation, it is clear that they intend to take this opportunity to create trouble, disrupt the conference, and may even affect the general association's assessment of the Danzhou Guild's strength, thereby rejecting his application!
"Master Zhang! Master Zhang! What... what are you really up to?!"
Huang Youming paced anxiously in the secret room.
He needed Zhang Lingfeng to join forces with Yun Zhongzi at the conference to fight against a powerful enemy, but he was also extremely troubled by Zhang Lingfeng's behavior of stirring up trouble and escalating a simple duel into a potential conflict between the three major guilds.
He immediately sent an urgent message, summoning Yun Zhongzi to discuss countermeasures.
Yun Zhongzi arrived quickly, his expression equally grave.
But when his gaze fell on the image of Zhang Lingfeng sunbathing in the light and shadow, he suddenly froze.
He stared intently at the almost imperceptible rhythm of divine light flowing around Zhang Lingfeng, and at the subtle harmonious resonance between his languid posture and the surrounding sunlight and waves. Divine runes involuntarily flickered on his fingertips.
"The rhythm of the tides... naturally drawn by the divine light of the nine heavens..."
Yun Zhongzi muttered to himself, his eyes filled with shock and a hint of fanaticism.
"Could it be... that he is truly cultivating some ancient legendary Great Dream Divine Technique or the Way of Nature? Seemingly lying down and enjoying himself, he is actually constantly merging with heaven and earth, comprehending profound truths?"
This discovery deepened his fear of Zhang Lingfeng, but it also lessened the anger he felt at Zhang Lingfeng's leisurely demeanor, replacing it with a desire to explore the unknown and powerful inheritance.
As the coastline was bathed in golden twilight, Liang Xiaoxia hid behind the shadow of a massive reef and activated the last communication talisman of the day.
In the sea breeze, Zhang Lingfeng's words to Ma Dashuai drifted clearly. His voice wasn't loud, but it seemed he was deliberately making sure she could hear them: "Tomorrow, tell that Miss Liang to also tell Assange behind her that if he admits defeat now, out of consideration for us both being Divine Inscription Masters, I'll give him a set of jade mahjong tiles as a greeting gift after the tournament. I guarantee it'll be much better looking than those bloody, garish incantations he created himself."
Liang Xiaoxia's hand trembled, and the communication talisman almost slipped from her grasp.
The contempt and mockery in those words were absolutely extreme.
Before he finished speaking, Zhang Lingfeng casually picked up the fishing rod lying on the beach and cast it out seemingly without a second thought.
The fishing line, entwined with faint divine light, shot into the deep sea like a silver snake.
The next moment, with a deafening roar, towering waves exploded on the sea a hundred meters away. A deep-sea demon whale, the size of a small mountain and exuding a terrifying aura, was actually dragged out of the deep sea by him! The demon whale struggled in the air, emitting a pressure comparable to a level three divine inscription master, which frightened the people on the beach into screaming.
However, just as the demon whale was about to crash onto the beach, its body vanished like bubbles, turning into countless twinkling stars that slowly dissipated in the sea breeze.
It's still a divine illusion! But it's so realistic that it's indistinguishable from the real thing, and it can even simulate the oppressive aura of a powerful being!
Zhang Lingfeng put away his fishing rod, smiled slightly in the direction of Liang Xiaoxia, who was stunned, and his voice clearly reached her ears.
"By the way, I also want to tell your Guild Leader Liu of the Jingzhou Guild that the Hidden Soul Quartz mixed in your improved God-Seeking Jade is not pure enough; it contains impurities from South China Sea sunken silver. South China Sea sunken silver has a characteristic that its divine rune conduction will fail for three breaths when it comes into contact with concentrated salt water. Next time you make spy tools, make sure the materials are more solid."
After saying that, he flicked his finger, and a ray of light shot into Liang Xiaoxia's sleeve.
Liang Xiaoxia felt a sudden lightness in her sleeve, and the carefully disguised Divine Jade was pulled out by a gentle yet irresistible force, falling into the sea with a splash. The divine patterns on its surface quickly dimmed.
That night, in the underground secret chamber of the Danzhou Guild, the core magic array connecting to the main guild trembled violently.
Huang Youming felt a chill run down his spine as he looked at the emergency order that the General had just issued, still carrying the lingering force of thunder. It felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave.
The command was simple, yet deadly.
"Due to the number of participants and spectators in the Baidi City competition area far exceeding expectations, after an emergency discussion by the General Association, the resource allocation for this year's competition will be temporarily recalculated and re-allocated based on the actual number of participants and official spectators in each branch in that competition area!"
What does this mean? It means that three hundred additional Divine Inscription Masters from Jingzhou and Shenzhou have appeared out of nowhere, ostensibly to observe and learn.
Even if many of them don't actually play, they will still be counted as participants and share the resources that originally belonged to the Danzhou Guild!
Preliminary estimates suggest that Danzhou's basic quota will be cut by more than 40 percent this time.
"boom!"
The stone door to the secret chamber was suddenly pushed open, and Barkol rushed in with an anxious expression.
"President Huang! Something terrible has happened! Master Yun Zhongzi... he just stormed into the Divine Craftsman's Shop, saying he wanted to dismantle Master Zhang's mahjong table to see what kind of earth-shattering formation was engraved on it that enabled him to achieve such enlightenment!"
The waves pounded tirelessly on the beach.
In the backyard of the Divine Craftsman's Shop, Zhang Lingfeng was alone, looking at the newly added values on the panel.
These past few days, Liang Xiaoxia's companionship has been invaluable, and the group recreational activities on the beach have been quite fruitful.
On the panel's light screen, the phantom image of the incomplete Nine Revolutions Divine King Record appeared and disappeared, which was one of the rewards he had agreed upon with Huang Youming.
He gazed at the starry night sky, a subtle, enigmatic smile playing on his lips, and murmured to himself.
"The bait has been spread out enough, and the water has been stirred up enough... What's coming is almost here. It's time to haul in the net."
The Divine Inscription Master Cultivation Conference in Baidi City hadn't even officially begun when Zhang Lingfeng's nonchalant cultivation attitude and disregard for the Divine Inscription Masters of Jingzhou and Shenzhou Guilds stirred up a storm that swept across the three major guilds. (End of Chapter)