Chapter 335: Chapter 10: Venerable of the Four Seas, Overlord of the Water Race
As expected, Chu Hanzhen nodded repeatedly, voicing no objection. "We definitely need to set up a Restriction! Zhiwei, while you’re at it, can you help me set up an anti-snooping array, too? I’m afraid I won’t be able to keep the secret myself."
But when it was Xiyue’s turn, she frowned slightly and said softly, "My Merfolk clan has never been known to betray its master."
Hearing this, Luo Zhiwei didn’t grow angry. Instead, she offered a faint smile. "In that case, you have all the more reason to accept it. Think of this Restriction as a protective talisman for you, too."
Faced with this reasoning, Xiyue still didn’t respond. She simply raised her gaze to look at Zhong Ming up on the cloud.
Only when Zhong Ming gave a slight nod did she answer respectfully, "Your servant obeys."
Her action wasn’t a sign of impertinence. It was a subtle ploy on her part.
She wanted to use this gesture to make it crystal clear to Zhong Ming that under all of heaven, she, Xiyue, would only obey his commands and follow his lead alone.
This display of pure loyalty left Zhong Ming quite satisfied.
And so, Zhong Ming’s first "duel" after his advancement concluded in a most unexpected fashion.
Because he had transformed into a True Dragon, Xiyue, the warrior sent by the Celestial Sea King’s precious daughter, had no intention of fighting him. Instead, she had simply knelt and surrendered.
However, her swift and decisive surrender also created a thorny problem: Zhong Ming’s secret might be impossible to keep.
"I can use the newly refined array to explain away the recent Thunder Tribulation," Luo Zhiwei said, her elegant brows furrowed and her tone grave. "But Xiyue is a Gang Condensation stage Cultivator. For someone like her to pledge allegiance to you, who just reached Foundation Establishment, is far too unusual. What’s more, Immortal Martial City is full of hidden experts. The Celestial Sea King and Silver Moon King have countless strategists under their command. If they pick up on the slightest clue, they’ll be able to follow the trail and deduce the true reason for the Thunder Tribulation."
"When that time comes, you’ll be in serious trouble."
These words did cause Zhong Ming some worry. He considered himself very strong, but even so, he didn’t want to attract the pursuit of Golden Core or even Nascent Soul Cultivators right after advancing to Foundation Establishment.
Seeing Zhong Ming’s troubled expression, Xiyue immediately stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Your Highness, I have two ways to resolve this dilemma. The first is for me to feign a return to Shen Wanshang’s side and serve as Your Highness’s undercover agent for a time."
Hearing this, Zhong Ming immediately shook his head. "That doesn’t solve the root problem. I came to the Immortal Martial Daoist School not just to hide, but also to build a reputation for Qinghe County and recruit people for it."
"If you go back, you’ll have to report the outcome of the battle eventually. If you report a victory, my entire plan falls apart."
"But if you say you lost, the fact that I defeated a Gang Condensation expert would be more than enough to make them suspect something."
Hearing her first suggestion rejected, Xiyue showed no signs of disappointment. Instead, she said respectfully, "In that case, I have a second suggestion. However... please forgive my presumption, but my proposal might be somewhat offensive to Your Highness."
"It doesn’t matter. Go ahead and say it."
"Yes." Taking a deep breath, Xiyue enunciated each word clearly. "I am willing to publicly claim that I fell for Your Highness the moment I first saw you. My defection is not due to Your Highness’s formidable strength, but rather a matter of the heart, a desire to willingly follow by Your Highness’s side."
"This way, my decision to follow you will have a perfectly reasonable excuse. Furthermore, I still possess some meager Dao Practice. In the future, if any undiscerning cultivators come looking for trouble, I can also act on Your Highness’s behalf to drive them away."
"..."
This excuse was nothing short of absurd.
But since Zhong Ming needed a victory to bolster the reputations of both Prince Qinghe and himself, while also needing to conceal his own anomaly, he had no choice but to agree.
And so, after some discussion, Luo Zhiwei brought out a Spirit Talisman. Using her own Essence Blood as a catalyst, she placed a secrecy Restriction on Xiyue, Chu Hanzhen, and Chu Yuling, who had rushed over after hearing the news.
Afterward, she walked slowly out through the main gate of the Immortal Martial Daoist School.
Facing the dense crowd of Cultivators outside, Luo Zhiwei remained expressionless as she took full responsibility for the Thunder Tribulation.
After giving a brief explanation, she impatiently began shooing the crowd away.
This arrogant and cold demeanor didn’t arouse any suspicion from the onlookers outside the Immortal Martial Daoist School.
On the contrary, they felt that someone like Luo Zhiwei, capable of triggering a Thunder Tribulation with an array, was expected to have such a haughty attitude.
And since the Thunder Tribulation had elevated Luo Zhiwei’s status, no one dared to disobey her command to disperse.
Of course, they would leave for now, but subsequent visits through various channels were inevitable.
Just as the crowd was beginning to disperse, a few Cultivators under Shen Wanshang’s command finally couldn’t hold back. They carefully squeezed their way to the front and asked, "Master Luo, Fairy Xiyue... where is she? What was the outcome of the battle?"
Before Luo Zhiwei could answer, a cool female voice spoke from behind her.
"I am here."
Xiyue strode out, her robes fluttering, completely unstained by even a speck of dust.
"Fairy Xiyue, are you alright?"
"What was the outcome of the battle?"
"Do you even have to ask? Look at the Fairy! Her clothes are pristine, her aura is stable. It was obviously a landslide victory!"
As Xiyue appeared, Shen Wanshang’s subordinates were visibly overjoyed, while the other onlookers secretly shook their heads, feeling that their anticipation had been in vain.
’I was hoping to use that so-called Zhong Ming to get a glimpse of the strength of those under Princess Wanshang, but it looks like the gap between them is just too wide... This tells us nothing about Princess Shen’s true power at all.’
Just as everyone was lost in their own thoughts, Xiyue’s voice struck like a thunderclap, stunning them all. "I did not fight Young Master Zhong Ming."
"Huh?"
As the crowd stared, dumbfounded, Xiyue met their countless shocked gazes. Her red lips parted, and she spoke, her words perfectly clear. "Young Master Zhong Ming’s talent is peerless, and his appearance is unmatched in this world. I fell for him at first sight. I have voluntarily defected from the Celestial Sea King’s Mansion and will follow the Young Master from this day forward."
"???"
"What did you say?!" The Cultivator under Shen Wanshang’s command who had spoken was in utter disbelief. "Fairy Xiyue, you’re saying you didn’t fight Zhong Ming? That you fell for that arrogant fool at first sight just because he’s handsome, and defected to his side?!"
"Fairy, you must be joking! This is no laughing matter!"
Because her words were so utterly absurd, Shen Wanshang’s subordinates refused to believe them at first. They all assumed it was just a joke Xiyue had made up.
It wasn’t just them; the spies from other factions also shook their heads in silent disbelief.
’I never expected someone as cool and aloof as Fairy Xiyue to crack a joke like this.’
And just as they were dismissing the whole thing as a farce—
VMMMM—!
A vast, boundless torrent of Gang Condensation stage Magical Power suddenly erupted from Xiyue’s body!
BOOM! Influenced by her Magical Power, fierce winds howled and a torrential downpour began as countless streams of water surged madly before her.
The next moment, all that wind, rain, and water converged before her, forming the massive phantom of a Profound Whale! The whale swung its tail, opened its maw, and swallowed the Cultivator who had mocked Zhong Ming as "arrogant." It then soared into the air, rocketing hundreds of yards away!
BANG!
When the Profound Whale’s phantom dissipated, the cultivator was left with every bone in his body broken, coughing up blood and barely clinging to his last breath.
After striking him down, Xiyue slowly withdrew her gaze. Her icy eyes swept across the deathly silent crowd, and her voice, though detached, carried an absolute finality. "I never joke. Young Master Zhong Ming has the bearing of a celestial, and he is worthy of my heart. From now on, anyone who dares to insult the Young Master will be making an enemy of me, Xiyue!"
"..."
"..."
"..."
As soon as she spoke, a deathly silence fell over the entire area.
The crowd wasn’t stunned by Xiyue’s power—though she was strong, they had expected as much. Her methods were also well within their realm of understanding.
What truly left them baffled and dumbfounded was that they had never imagined Xiyue would defect simply because Zhong Ming was handsome.
"That works?!"
"Wait, just how handsome is that Zhong Ming to make someone fall for him at first sight?"
"I imagined dozens of endings for this duel. I guessed the Celestial Sea King’s faction would have a landslide victory. I guessed Prince Qinghe was hiding his strength and would emerge as a dark horse. I even considered that Zhong Ming might be a true Child of Heaven’s Will and that they would fight to a draw. But I never, ever guessed the final outcome would be this ridiculous... Winning over a Gang Condensation Cultivator with his looks... Zhong Ming, you’ve earned my respect..."
The news was so mind-blowing that it left the entire crowd at the entrance to the Immortal Martial Daoist School utterly dumbfounded.
Unsurprisingly, because the event was so outrageous, the news grew wings. It spread out from the Immortal Martial Daoist School like wildfire, rapidly reaching every corner of Immortal Martial City.
In less than a day, the story had reached the ears of every major power in Immortal Martial City, leaving all who heard it utterly speechless.
Comments