Chapter 57: The Storm Approaches, the Pavilion Brims with Wind

Small matters like this are nothing. Once you pierce that thin veil in your heart and let Yuan Mu develop his own convictions, killing a few people is a triviality.

Thinking of this, Yuan Mu felt a surge of excitement, likely a lingering effect from the brutal fighting on the Red Rock Plateau. After living such a comfortable life in Rainbow City for so long, the occasional act of killing or arson felt rather refreshing.

Just as he had finished settling things with the "Great Immortal" Yuan Mu, the sounds of battle drifted from ahead. Li Chengzhu vaguely heard a roar: "Luo Badao, put down that Nascent Soul, and we shall spare your life!"

Li Chengzhu stumbled, nearly falling off his immortal sword, while even Yuan Mu wore an expression of disdain. On the Red Rock Plateau, if you want to kill, you just kill. What was the point of all this flowery, nonsensical talk?

Then came Luo Badao’s eerie laughter: "You lot want this Nascent Soul too? If you want it, come take it with your strength! Otherwise, wipe your necks clean and wait for me to sharpen my blades. I’ll pluck out your Nascent Souls and we can all have a party in my belly."

"To have a cultivator like you in the world of immortality is a disgrace. One last question: will you release him or not?" the previous voice roared again.

Li Chengzhu shook his head. These people were truly foolish and stubborn. If you're going to fight, just fight; all that chatter was useless.

Luo Badao’s shocking, heinous behavior had thoroughly terrified the two cultivators who had been tracking him for the Nascent Soul. That was why they could only shout loudly to cover their inner fear and anxiety, while simultaneously trying to attract the attention of other nearby cultivators.

But Luo Badao’s cruelty far exceeded their expectations. As Li Chengzhu and Yuan Mu ducked into a small crater, they heard a muffled, tearing sound from above, followed by a miserable shriek: "Shameless sneak attack! I’ll fight you to the death!"

Li Chengzhu looked up to see a rain of blood showering down. Half an arm tumbled through the air, landed on the ground, bounced a few times, and then fell silent.

Yuan Mu whispered, "Why aren't we going up to help them? Why are we hiding here?" In his heart, he still clung to a sense of righteousness.

"Bullshit," Li said, spraying him with a bit of saliva. "Help who? Damn it, there are three more people behind them, all in the Mahayana stage. I'm just a rookie; I'd be swatted down before I even took off."

"But I'm here," Yuan Mu said triumphantly, posturing as an immortal.

Li Chengzhu shot him a sidelong glance. "Do you have an immortal weapon? That hula-hoop of yours was something we snatched from an ambush; it definitely shouldn't be exposed in Heaven's Capital. Aside from that, what weapons do you have for combat?"

Yuan Mu thought for a long while and finally realized that if he relied on his physical body alone, he might not even be able to beat Luo Badao. He cursed under his breath, hunkered down, and joined Li Chengzhu in watching the show.

Li wiped the sweat from his forehead. It was a good thing he had managed to restrain Yuan Mu’s thick-headedness. If he had really gone up to join forces with those cultivators, Luo Badao might not have escaped, but Li would have lost out on his own army of Nascent Souls. He was counting on Luo Badao to help him secure a few more.

Li Chengzhu took a moment to scan his surroundings. The three cultivators who had flown in ahead were currently hiding in some nook, their subtle spiritual pressure making it impossible for him to pinpoint their direction. He released his Amethyst Bracelet to mask his and Yuan Mu’s own spiritual signatures.

Those who could stand by and watch the show were either after the Nascent Soul in Luo Badao’s hand or his immortal weapon. The power of the Heavenly Demon Blood-Melting Blade was truly immense; even with the God-Destroying Bow in his possession, Li Chengzhu’s eyes turned as red as a rabbit’s at the sight of it.

Hypocritical cultivators, the boss thought with a sneer, before suddenly remembering that he was much the same. His face felt a sudden flush of heat.

Just then, the cultivator who had been ambushed by Luo Badao earlier, caught off guard, was struck by a powerful blow. With a crisp crack—the sound of some protective treasure shattering—the Heavenly Demon Blood-Melting Blade sliced through the cultivator like a hot knife through butter. A tiny, delicate Nascent Soul zipped out from the center of his body and fled without looking back.

Yuan Mu moved to go save him, but Li Chengzhu pressed him down.

"What's wrong?" Yuan Mu stared, eyes wide.

"Watch," Li signaled toward the sky.

The three cultivators who had been hiding in the shadows could no longer care about exposing their positions. They darted out, scrambling to claim the fleeing Nascent Soul for themselves.

"Despicable," Yuan Mu hissed, his body trembling with murderous intent. His own brother had been devoured as a Nascent Soul, so he felt a deep resentment toward those who stripped others of their physical bodies. Seeing them scramble for a weak, defenseless Nascent Soul, he couldn't help but let his aura flare.

As for Luo Badao, the two-on-one fight had turned into a solo slaughter. The remaining cultivator was no match, and after a few rounds, the fierce assault left his internal energy in complete disarray. In a panic, he cried out for his fellow daoists to save him.

Nascent Souls don't fly very fast, which is why Luo Badao had been able to catch the one that escaped the competition grounds. The one that had just fled didn't even make it a hundred meters before one of the hiding cultivators snatched it out of the air.

Hearing the call for help, the three stopped fighting momentarily. The one holding the Nascent Soul said, "Listen. Luo Badao still has one Nascent Soul and the Heavenly Demon Blood-Melting Blade. That makes three items—just enough for each of us to get a share. Let’s finish off Luo Badao first, then we can discuss how to split the loot. How about it?"

"I want the Heavenly Demon Blade," one cultivator grunted, turning and charging toward Luo Badao. The other two, unwilling to be left behind, followed closely.

Yuan Mu smacked his lips. "None of them are good people."

Li Chengzhu smiled slightly. "Luo Badao is in trouble. No matter how brave he is, he won't survive four Mahayana experts attacking at once." As he said this, he suddenly realized that the competition was already decided. If Luo Badao was killed here, Qiu Feng would enter the final round, and with this major threat removed, securing first place would be a certainty.

Thinking of this, Li felt a secret joy. He hoped the four of them would finish Luo Badao off quickly so Qiu Feng could reap the rewards.

Yuan Mu, who hadn't fought in a long time, felt his blood boiling. He asked urgently, "Who are we helping?"

Li Chengzhu rolled his eyes. "Help? My ass."

On second thought, if he helped those cultivators kill Luo Badao, his chances of winning increased, but he probably wouldn't get a share of the Nascent Souls. Conversely, if he helped Luo Badao? Damn, there were four Mahayana cultivators and two Nascent Souls at stake.

A devious thought began to take root in the boss's mind.

The battle in the sky intensified as the three newcomers joined. Luo Badao fought one against four. They were all Mahayana cultivators, but the gap between the early and late stages was significant.

Luo Badao could only fight in close quarters with his blade. Even though his cultivation was higher than the others, he was at a disadvantage. The cultivators bombarded him with various treasures, striking once and then retreating—a classic hit-and-run style. Luo Badao was so furious his face turned beet red; his previous leisurely state was long gone.

Fortunately, none of them possessed immortal weapons; their best items were merely high-grade treasures. It seemed they were cultivators who hadn't fared well in the Immortal World and wanted a slice of the pie.

Li Chengzhu watched from below, seeing that Luo Badao had been completely enraged. His spiritual pressure erupted, his long hair whipped around, and his eyes glowed crimson as he glared at the four.

"Luo Badao, put down the Nascent Soul and the Heavenly Demon Blade, and we shall spare your life!" the cultivator who had called for help earlier boasted, full of bravado.

Luo Badao laughed at the sky, a sound so mocking that even Li Chengzhu couldn't help but despise the speaker's hypocrisy.

"If you want to fight, fight! Stop the bullshitting!" Luo Badao’s eyes narrowed, and he slashed the Heavenly Demon Blade. A crescent-shaped blood-red arc of energy flew toward the man's chest.

The man panicked and released his protective treasure, forming a shield. With a hiss—like cold water hitting a hot pan—the red blade hit the shield but didn't dissipate. Instead, it crawled like a living worm, forcing its way through.

The cultivator’s expression changed. He frantically channeled his energy to bolster the shield, only just managing to negate the attack.

"Materialized spiritual pressure," Li Chengzhu murmured from below. This guy was truly formidable. He could actually materialize his spiritual pressure. Li couldn't help but want to claim Luo Badao’s Nascent Soul as well—his own combat power would certainly soar. But then he realized that with Luo Badao’s personality, he would never submit to orders. It would be a huge loss if he turned on him at a critical moment.

The cultivator was so shaken by the strike that he shouted, "Fellow Daoists, let's all attack together! We must finish him!"

The others hadn't expected Luo Badao to be so fierce. They thought they could bully him because he only used close-range attacks, but they hadn't anticipated this. They exchanged glances and stopped holding back, unleashing their most powerful attacks.

Luo Badao laughed, stabbed the blade into the void, and quickly formed a hand seal with one hand. A blood-red, cracked flame erupted once more from the blade.

He completed these movements in the blink of an eye, leaving Li Chengzhu both shocked and impressed. This guy’s speed in forming seals was even faster than Qiu Feng’s. This only strengthened his resolve to give Luo Badao a "great gift"—at the very least, he had to ensure he was severely wounded to affect his performance in the competition ten days later.

The Heavenly Demon Blood-Melting Blade revealed its true form, surging with flames and murderous intent, bathing Luo Badao in a crimson glow. Facing the combined attack of the four, Luo Badao waved a hand, and the attacks vanished into smoke. The cultivator nearest to him was horrified to see a crack appear in his protective energy.

The range and power of that strike were immense, forcing the four to retreat in fear.

The battle turned one-sided. The four Mahayana cultivators were chased everywhere by the vicious Luo Badao. Before long, they were covered in wounds; two of them had their protective energy shattered, losing an arm and a leg respectively.

Li Chengzhu almost rushed out to help several times but held back. In his estimation, Luo Badao’s fierce attack couldn't last long; after all, a Mahayana cultivator’s internal energy had its limits.

The turning point came when Luo Badao stumbled mid-attack.

The rolling flames on the Heavenly Demon Blade flickered like a fire meeting cool water, nearly dying out. Luo Badao himself was panting heavily.

Li Chengzhu exhaled. It seemed this blade wasn't invincible after all. As long as Qiu Feng could withstand the blade’s true form, he could turn defeat into victory.

The four cultivators were in a miserable state. They were Mahayana experts, just a step away from immortality, yet they were being chased across the sky by one of their own. Seeing that Luo Badao had reached his limit, the four exchanged a silent look and attacked in unison.

However, two of them were severely injured—one missing an arm, the other a leg—and they only pushed through the pain for the sake of the massive potential reward.

Even so, the exhausted Luo Badao was forced back repeatedly. Within moments, he was covered in gashes. If not for his cultivation focused on the physical body—far tougher than the average cultivator—the long wound across his belly would have cut him in two.

Seeing Luo Badao becoming increasingly desperate, with no capacity to counterattack, Li Chengzhu smiled wickedly. It was time for the main act.

He patted Yuan Mu on the shoulder. "It's our turn."

Yuan Mu, whose blood was already boiling, stood up instantly and flew into the fray, launching an attack toward Luo Badao.

Li Chengzhu followed, slapping him on the back of the head. "Fuck, you hit the wrong person! Attack the four weaklings!"

Yuan Mu’s flying sword stopped just inches from Luo Badao’s chest. He turned around, looking embarrassed. "Who do I hit?"

Li Chengzhu summoned his Meteor Sword and attacked the cultivator who had lost an arm. "Hit those bastards!"

Yuan Mu spat on the ground and gave a sheepish grin to the pale Luo Badao. "Sorry." He retracted his sword and attacked the four cultivators.

Luo Badao was drenched in cold sweat. Although the sword that had just come at him wasn't a high-grade weapon, its power was such that it would have easily punched a hole through him. Seeing the two newcomers turn on his attackers, he felt a wave of relief and joined the fray, pushing his exhausted body to the limit.

The four cultivators, seeing their allies become enemies, were already deeply frustrated. When they felt the immense power of Yuan Mu, they lost all will to fight and turned to flee in a panic.

But the "Great Immortal" Yuan Mu was no slouch. He reached out and struck down the cultivator who was struggling to fly with his missing leg. Luo Badao, following closely behind, delivered a lethal blow that tore the man apart.

Li Chengzhu sneered and waved his hand, capturing the fleeing Nascent Soul into his Blood-Jade Ring.

The remaining three were pale with terror. Harassed by the trio, they couldn't escape, and defeat was only a matter of time. Even Li Chengzhu, a mere Spirit Division stage rookie, was able to force the one-armed cultivator into a retreat.

Yuan Mu’s true colors surfaced during the fight. He shouted curses at the ancestors of his opponents, controlling his flying sword to strike at the most defenseless spots.

In a one-on-one, Luo Badao was among the best of his rank, so his fight ended quickly, though his face was even paler than before. He sheathed the Heavenly Demon Blade, grabbed two Nascent Souls in each hand, and descended to the ground.

The "Great Immortal" Yuan Mu was highly skilled, and his opponents were already terrified. Though he felt a twinge of pity, he knew such "robbery" would ruin his reputation if word got out, so he followed Li Chengzhu’s orders, destroyed their bodies, and harvested their Nascent Souls for Li.

The battle ended in moments, resulting in a total victory for Li Chengzhu’s group. The petty thieves, desperate to flee, lacked the courage to self-detonate their Nascent Souls, so they were captured one by one. Their storage rings and swords were promptly divided between Li and Yuan Mu.

Li Chengzhu put all the Nascent Souls into the Blood-Jade Ring, instructed Ke Ba to look after them, and descended with Yuan Mu.

Luo Badao finally regained a bit of color. Sitting on the ground, he looked up at Li and Yuan Mu and sneered, "I didn't expect disciples of the Illusion Sword Sect to do things like this."

Li Chengzhu was stunned. He looked at the ring on his finger, smiled slightly, and sat cross-legged. "Why can't disciples of the Illusion Sword Sect do such things?"

Luo Badao was taken aback, likely not expecting Li to be so shameless. He then relaxed and tossed the two Nascent Souls over. "Take them."

Li Chengzhu didn't stand on ceremony, sweeping the souls into his ring. "Weren't you chasing a Nascent Soul all the way here? Why so generous now?"

"Hmph," Luo Badao scoffed. "You two were hiding there for so long—wasn't it for this? I have no strength left; do you think I can compete with you?"

Yuan Mu smiled awkwardly and sat down. Being called out like that was quite unpleasant.

Li Chengzhu glanced coldly at Luo Badao, wondering if he should just kill him now so Qiu Feng wouldn't have to face him later.

Luo Badao smiled slightly and pushed himself up. "I advise you to abandon that thought. Although I have no strength to fight, I am different from those others. If I truly face a dead end, I will self-detonate."

Li Chengzhu sneered. "Do you think you have time to self-detonate in front of an immortal?"

Luo Badao looked at Yuan Mu, formed a seal, and chuckled. "Do you think I have the time?"

Li Chengzhu stood up and glared at Yuan Mu. This guy had absolutely no situational awareness; if he had stopped him earlier, it would have been over.

He turned back to Luo Badao, their eyes meeting in the air. Neither showed any intention of backing down.

After a long while, Li Chengzhu sneered, "How about this: you withdraw from the competition, and we'll let you go. How does that sound?"

Luo Badao didn't move his hand seal. He looked down at Yuan Mu, who waved his hand. "His decision is my decision."

Luo Badao finally smiled. "Fine."

Li Chengzhu looked at that smile, feeling something was amiss. After a long time, he said, "Go."

Luo Badao nodded slightly, didn't turn around, and waved his hand. The Heavenly Demon Blade appeared beneath his feet, and he flew away. His voice drifted back from afar: "Brother, even if you hadn't made that request, I wouldn't have been able to participate in the competition ten days from now. Hahahaha."

Li Chengzhu watched the disappearing figure, wishing he could slap himself. Damn it! The guy was probably too badly injured, or the energy cost of the Heavenly Demon Blade’s two releases was too high, making him unable to compete in ten days. He glared at Yuan Mu again—it was all this guy’s fault for ruining things. If he had stopped Luo Badao earlier, the Heavenly Demon Blade would have been his.

Another immortal weapon lost for nothing.

Back at the inn, Xiao Ying was still sulking, blaming him for lending the Glass Needle to Qiu Feng, which led to the defeat of her own father. Li Chengzhu coaxed her for a long time until she was happy again. He exchanged a bitter smile with Gu Linglong—the girl was pregnant, so he couldn't afford to upset her, which left Li feeling incredibly frustrated.

But thinking of the material rewards and subsequent plans he had once Qiu Feng won first place, he felt a tingle of excitement.

Plus, this outing had yielded six Mahayana Nascent Souls. After telling Gu Linglong to watch the ring, Li Chengzhu slipped into the Blood-Jade Ring.

The little creature had already snuck in, eyeing the eight delicious "snacks" before it, drooling. Its fierce gaze made the recently arrived Nascent Souls tremble.

Among the Nascent Souls, apart from Xia Mai and Ke Ba who were used to the creature’s threats, the others huddled together, not daring to look at it.

Li Chengzhu patted the creature’s head, fed it a few Heaven-Origin Stones, and watched it scamper away happily.

"Who are you?" the Nascent Soul that had been in Luo Badao’s hand asked weakly.

Li Chengzhu remembered this contestant was named Zhu Youlei. To make it into the top eight out of two thousand people, his strength shouldn't be underestimated, but he had just had terrible luck running into a freak like Luo Badao.

Li Chengzhu scanned the group coldly. "I don't care which sect you belonged to or who you were. Once you’re in my place, you’re mine. If anyone dares to disobey, you saw that creature earlier—I’ll tell you the truth, it’s a Treasure-Seeking Mouse, but I’ve spoiled its taste, and it loves eating Nascent Souls raw. Hmph, I think you all know the consequences of disobedience."

Ke Ba curled his lip—the boss was bluffing again.

But the newly captured Nascent Souls were timid, and they shook uncontrollably at his words. Zhu Youlei, being the bravest, asked with a trembling voice, "What is this place?"

"Let him tell you the specifics," Li Chengzhu said, pointing at Ke Ba. "Your cultivation levels are similar; spend time exchanging what you’ve learned. Don't try to cause trouble—well, you can't anyway. If I need your help in the future, you'd better listen." He then summoned dozens of high-grade spirit stones to set up a Spirit-Gathering Array, ensuring their cultivation wouldn't regress.

Li Chengzhu gave Ke Ba a wink, told him to comfort them, and exited the ring. It was just a bunch of Nascent Souls; they wouldn't be able to cause much of a stir.

As long as he could prepare enough immortal cores and have Ke Ba implement his ideas, he would have a group of Mahayana-stage subordinates.

Thinking of this, the boss smiled, his chin stubble bristling.

For the next ten days, the group in Rainbow City lived in peace. Xiao Ying’s anger had mostly dissipated, and even his father-in-law had come to the inn for a final visit.

The meeting between the father-in-law and Qiu Feng was incredibly awkward. Xiao Changchuan had been tied up like a dumpling by Qiu Feng on stage and was determined to regain his dignity at the dinner table. Everyone knew Xiao Changchuan was a generation above Li Chengzhu. Yuan Mu always followed Li's lead, and Qiu Feng, needing Li's help, had to treat him as an honored guest. This resulted in Xiao Changchuan effectively gaining a generation of seniority. With Gu Linglong, an immortal, calling him "Uncle" repeatedly, Xiao Changchuan drank heartily, patting Qiu Feng on the shoulder and acting like a senior, completely forgetting his embarrassment on stage.

Finally, Xiao Changchuan almost forgot why he came to see his son-in-law. It was only when Li reminded him that he remembered. After the two stepped away into a room, Xiao Changchuan, reeking of alcohol, said, "Boy, I’m entrusting Xiao Ying to you. After Qiu Feng’s competition, are you going to the Hehuan Sect?"

"What for?" Li Chengzhu was still preoccupied with his plans; he had too much going on to think about the Hehuan Sect.

"To be the Sect Master! Have you forgotten, boy?" Xiao Changchuan glared, ready to throw a drunken tantrum.

"No... how could I?" Li Chengzhu lied through his teeth. "I have some things to finish, then I’ll come find you."

"Good. That’s good. I have at most a hundred years left before I ascend. Come to the Hehuan Sect as soon as you can. Your mistress and I want to travel before then."

A hundred years—what was the rush? Li muttered to himself.

Xiao Changchuan wobbled, formed a seal to purge the alcohol, and felt better, the redness in his face fading. He then took thirty-six high-grade Heaven-Origin Stones from his ring. "Boy, this is all the high-grade spirit stones our sect has. You’ll have to find the rest yourself."

Li Chengzhu took them, threw them into the ring without looking, and draped his arm around his father-in-law’s shoulder. "A question: you said before that without the secret technique, the child in Xiao Ying’s belly might have an incomplete Five Elements. What does that look like?"

Xiao Changchuan’s playful expression vanished, replaced by solemnity. After a long silence, he answered, "Missing limbs, innate deficiencies, or dying at birth. Anything can happen if the Five Elements are incomplete. You should prepare early. Even if it’s Xiao Ying’s fault, it’s still your flesh and blood."

"I know that, of course." Li Chengzhu maintained a serious face. He hadn't missed the change in his father-in-law’s expression, but since the man hadn't mentioned it, he wouldn't pry. "But you should at least give me that secret technique."

Xiao Changchuan looked up at his son-in-law, who was still leaning on him, and pulled a jade slip from his ring. "Promise me you’ll come to the Hehuan Sect within three years, and it’s yours."

"Three years." Li Chengzhu rubbed his chin. That should be enough time. He nodded. "Fine." He took the jade slip, channeled a trace of divine sense into it to confirm its authenticity, and put on a smile. "What about the Hehuan Bell?"

Xiao Changchuan rolled his eyes. "That’s the sect’s treasure. You only get that once you’ve officially succeeded me as Sect Master and announced it to the world."

"Is it very effective on women?" Li Chengzhu nudged his father-in-law with a smirk.

Xiao Changchuan’s face turned red. "Treat our Xiao Ying well and stop eyeing other women."

"Fine, fine." The boss waved him off, too lazy to listen to his preaching. He was a gentleman, after all—he wondered how many innocent souls had been ruined by that bell; he doubted there were many virgins left in the sect.

After Xiao Changchuan gave him further instructions on the secret technique, they returned to the table.

After seeing off Xiao Changchuan, Xiao Ying was teary-eyed. She always said she hated her father, but once they met and parted, the familial bond remained strong. She only smiled when Li Chengzhu promised he would take her to the Hehuan Sect soon. Gu Linglong bit her lip, wanting to say something but remaining silent.

Ten days later, Luo Badao didn't show up. The other two finalists were somewhat injured, and Qiu Feng defeated them without Li Chengzhu’s help. He won first place, and the competition was surprisingly devoid of danger.

Li Chengzhu had developed an addiction to harvesting Nascent Souls. He secretly hoped Qiu Feng would shatter his opponents' physical bodies so he could play the benevolent savior and claim their souls. But Qiu Feng was precise and never pushed his opponents to a desperate end—he was the exact opposite of Luo Badao. Even so, he won easily, leaving Li deeply disappointed.

Li’s original plan was to let Qiu Feng and his opponent fight to the death—like the battle with his father-in-law—and then intervene to save the opponent, making Qiu Feng indebted to him. But the opponents on stage were pathetic; once Qiu Feng released his Long Rainbow Rope, they were swept aside. Even with Li screaming from the sidelines, they had lost all will to fight.

Ultimately, Qiu Feng won the title of the 50th Immortal Envoy. He only had to wait for the time to enter the Immortal Conception Lake to cultivate.

Though disappointed, Li Chengzhu had still made a fortune. Just the twenty high-grade Heaven-Origin Stones were enough to dazzle him.

But if he could, the boss would have preferred the sixth-grade immortal weapon. Heaven-Origin Stones had a price, but high-grade immortal weapons were priceless.

Qiu Feng already had a fourth-grade immortal weapon, the Long Rainbow Rope, and now he had the sixth-grade Bone-Crushing Hammer. Once he became an immortal, he would be unstoppable.

Qiu Feng, having gained the title, felt like he had finally made it. He walked with his chest out, like a victorious rooster, which made Li Chengzhu grind his teeth in annoyance.

That night, Qiu Feng returned the borrowed Nine Heavens Great Cauldron and Glass Needle, along with his twenty high-grade Heaven-Origin Stones.

Li Chengzhu felt a bit bad; he had only lent him a second-grade immortal weapon, yet Qiu Feng now had a fourth-grade one. There was no comparison.

Finally, Qiu Feng cleared up Li’s confusion. Although he had a fourth-grade weapon, it couldn't handle wide-area attacks. If he had faced someone like Xiao Changchuan, who used Blue God Sand or other area-of-effect weapons, he wouldn't have won with just the rope. Furthermore, he had kept the fourth-grade weapon hidden until the very end for the element of surprise. Without the Nine Heavens Great Cauldron as a decoy, he would have likely lost.

And that secret help from Li Chengzhu—stabbing Xiao Changchuan in the back—had to remain a secret forever. Even their closest allies couldn't know. One was the 50th Immortal Envoy, the other was the son-in-law of the opponent—the two of them conspiring to take down Xiao Changchuan wasn't exactly a glorious story.

With the twenty stones from the competition and the thirty-six from his father-in-law, Li Chengzhu was rich. Fifty-six high-grade Heaven-Origin Stones—converted, that was 560,000 high-grade spirit stones! He was stunned by the sudden wealth.

The two stones he had originally gotten from the Heaven-Covering Array turned out to be low-grade, worth only a hundred high-grade stones each.

Even so, the already wealthy boss became even more arrogant.

He took his two wives and swept through every material shop in Heaven’s Capital, buying up all the rare materials he could find. Even then, he had only spent four high-grade Heaven-Origin Stones. Stones of this level were just durable. But converted, that was 40,000 high-grade stones.

Xiao Ying’s secret technique required fifty high-grade Heaven-Origin Stones. After asking his father-in-law, he found out he could substitute them with higher-grade energy stones, like Heaven-Origin God Stones.

Everyone in Rainbow City criticized Li for being so extravagant, except for Qiu Feng and Yu Chun, who didn't care. Even Yuan Mu joined the chorus of disapproval.

Li Chengzhu had his own plans. Spending 40,000 stones wasn't much, but it was enough to forge four or five immortal weapons. Even if the grade wasn't high, they were still immortal weapons. So he ignored the criticism and continued hunting for materials.

If the quality wasn't high, he’d win with quantity. He thought of the eight Nascent Souls in his ring and smiled.

It wasn't until he had used six high-grade Heaven-Origin Stones that he stopped; he had to save the rest for the child in Xiao Ying’s belly.

On the other side, when Qiu Feng received the jade token of the Immortal Envoy from Ye Zhiqiang, Li Chengzhu saw the pretty boy’s eyes mist over with emotion.

On the third day after the competition, after saying goodbye to General Ye and Qiao Yanluo, the group decided to return.

Li Chengzhu had to prepare for the child, and Qiu Feng had to prepare for his century-long mission.

Watching Qiu Feng’s proud demeanor, the boss smiled, secretly calculating how he could make Qiu Feng do the dirty work for him in the future.

This guy is going to ruin someone again.