If you don't give up, I'd like to be your adoptive father.

Chapter 1281 For the Sake of Face
Half a day later, Lu Dingxian found Fuqiu Gong in Dang County.

"Fellow Daoist, are you perhaps deliberately avoiding me?" Lu Dingxian's face was now gloomy, and his gaze toward Fuqiu Gong was also unfriendly.

Fuqiu Gong said, bewildered, "Why would I avoid you? These past few days, I've been observing the feng shui of Mangdang Mountain and haven't gone anywhere else."

Lu Dingxian realized that he was indeed acting rashly and had misunderstood Fuqiu Gong.

He quickly bowed and said, "I went to Dazexiang, Chenjun, and many other places to look for fellow Daoists."

We've gained nothing so far.

I thought you had received advance notice and were avoiding me.

Why didn't you stay in Chen County to guard Chen Sheng, fellow Daoist? Weren't you always by his side, never leaving his side?"

Fuqiu Gongdao said, "It's not that we don't want to keep an eye on him, it's just that the 'destiny of the first uprising' has been fulfilled, and Chen Sheng's mission in the great calamity is basically over. There's no need to keep a close eye on him all the time."

Lu Dingxian seemed to be deep in thought when he asked, "Fellow Daoist, are you perhaps looking for the next Chosen One? Do you have any clues?"

Fuqiu Gong's eyes flashed, and he said, "I have already made up my mind. I am here at the request of Fellow Daoist Meng to help him select a potential dragon."

"What brings you to me, fellow Daoist?"

He had just asked one question when he suddenly realized, "Is there a problem in Xianyang? Is it because of Fellow Daoist Yin Yinzi?"

"As expected, you already knew."

Lu Dingxian sighed and recounted how Yin Yinzi had been trapped in the Nine Turns Yellow River Formation.

"From 9 PM last night to noon today, how much time has passed? The great powers of the Three Realms almost all know, how could I, a humble Taoist, be completely unaware?"

Fuqiu Gong first offered an explanation, then frowned and asked, "Fellow Daoist, you've been delayed for so long, how can Yin Yinzi still hold on?"
Even if you need to find help, you should follow the principle of proximity and find two or three fellow Daoists nearby, that will be enough.

"Are we really going to gather everyone and go to Xianyang to ambush and kill Yu Fengxian?"

Lu Dingxian said with a blank face, "This humble Taoist asks you to surround and kill Yu Fengxian, will you go?"

Fuqiu Gong shook his head repeatedly, "The Qin Dynasty has at least three years left. It has at least two more years of its reign."

Even Qin Er Shi, that damned last emperor, didn't die.

The plan was to ambush and kill the Grand Tutor of the current dynasty, even though she had not committed any rebellious acts and had voluntarily gone to the capital to kill her in the Qinling Mountains.

Even the unorthodox cultivators of Fulongting dared not think that way.

We're merely guiding a great calamity; how could we possibly get so deeply involved?

Lu Dingxian said, "Since that's the case, why do you still ask about besieging and killing Yu Fengxian?"
With this attitude, even if I were to suffer a stroke and order you all to Xianyang to kill Yu Fengxian, which fellow Daoist would be willing to cooperate?

Fuqiu Gong asked, "How many helpers have you found, fellow Daoist? What are you planning to do?"

Lu Dingxian said, "We'll just join forces to break through the formation and release Yin Yinzi. If possible, we'll also take Qinglian Sun with us as a helper."

He hesitated for a moment, then said, "If you agree, at least three of us will be able to break through the formation together."

Fuqiu Gongdao said, "Three people are enough! You have wasted time looking for me everywhere, which may have caused you to miss the best opportunity to save people and destroy the foundation of Yinyinzi."

Even if you manage to rescue him, he'll still resent you.

Lu Dingxian shouted, "What are you blaming me for? I tried my best to persuade Yang Bosanren, but I only managed to convince half of him."

Yang Bo said he would only go to Xianyang with me if you agreed.

Fuqiu Gong asked in confusion, "Isn't it at least three?"

“You, me, and Yangbo Sanren. If you call two more companions, wouldn’t that make at least three?” said Lu Dingxian.

Fuqiu Gong was speechless. "What have you been doing all day?"

Lu Dingxian looked gloomy and said, "What can I do? Of course, I hope to rescue Yin Yinzi as soon as possible, so I am looking for fellow Daoists near Guanzhong."

I also invited ordinary Golden Immortals and members of the Divine Path when I encountered them.

In half a day, they flew tens of thousands of miles and searched for fifteen places!
Not a single fellow Daoist readily agreed.

Fuqiu Gongdao said, "If you look for the gods and immortals who don't intend to undergo tribulation, they definitely won't pay any attention to you."

Why should I risk my life with you when I can enjoy a carefree existence?
"Why are you, fellow Daoists who, like us, intend to complete this great tribulation and attain the Great Luo realm, so cold-hearted and short-sighted?"

Lu Dingxian sighed, "The closer one is to Xianyang, the higher the possibility that one is an old acquaintance of Li Si and the Grand Commandant."

Of course, some people deliberately use "Prime Minister Li is an old friend of mine" as a reason, but in reality they are just watching from the sidelines, and even hope that we and Yu Fengxian will suffer a mutual defeat.

Today, I am on the same path as you, so we have joined forces to deal with Yu Fengxian; if we encounter disagreements tomorrow, we may also have a duel to determine the winner.

Fuqiu Gongdao said, "It just so happens that the Old Man of Nine Peaks is searching for the Great Yu Cauldron in Sishui. I'll call him, and you can inform Yang Bo."

The four of us are definitely enough.

His decisiveness moved Lu Dingxian somewhat, even though it was only right that they help retrieve Yin Yinzi.

"I knew it, fellow Daoist, you are definitely not an unethical fool," he exclaimed.

Fuqiu Gong is very efficient, and the speed of a near-Da Luo is also very fast.

Before dusk, the Four Golden Immortals arrived outside Xianyang City.

Originally, the immortal array was set up in the Peacock Garden of the Epang Palace, but now the Nine Yuan Nine Turns Yellow River Array has been moved to the north of Xianyang City.

To the south and north of Xianyang, there are two imperial guards, each with a strength of 100,000 men. Originally, the two armies were stationed in Guanzhong to protect the capital year-round. However, half a year ago, Grand Tutor Yu divided them into three. Some soldiers followed the emperor to Xingyang, while others went south to Hanzhong to oversee land reclamation. Only about 35,000 men remained to guard various parts of Guanzhong.

As a result, the original military camp and training ground were vacated and used by Grand Tutor Yu as a battlefield for magical duels.

"Fellow Daoists, wait a moment!" Just as they were about to land, Lu Dingxian suddenly called out to his three companions.

"Yu Fengxian is down there! The immortal formation has been moved to the north of Xianyang City." Fuqiu Gong looked at him in confusion.

“The immortal array is so large and its aura so obvious, of course I saw it.” Lu Dingxian pointed to the outside of the city gate and reminded everyone: “Look, everyone! A reed shed has been set up outside the city, and above the reed shed, two long banners are hanging.”

"Grand Tutor Yu, along with all colleagues from the Imperial Observatory, welcomes all the Sages to Xianyang to consult on the Yellow River Formation."

The immortals, blessed with divine eyes, were able to perceive even the smallest details. The banner floating in the sky was large enough, with red background and black characters, large and clear, that it could be seen clearly even from more than ten miles away.

"What's wrong with the reed canopy and banner?" the old man from Jiudian asked.

Lu Dingxian said with an awkward expression, "The reed hut is very magnificent, and the banners say that it welcomes 'all the saints'."

But there are only four of us, can we be considered 'saints'?
Moreover, before leaving, I made a harsh statement to Yu Fengxian, saying that I would call on 'many' fellow Daoists to rescue Yin Yinzi.

She was arrogant and contemptuous, saying the more people around, the happier she was.

"Could she have lost her mind? There are only four of us, how can she handle it?" Yang Bosanren asked curiously.

Lu Dingxian repeated his previous conversation with Xiaoyu, and said angrily, "She used us as whetstones to make us test the Nine-Bend Yellow River Formation for her."

Every flaw we find can help her further enhance the power of the immortal array.

"How dare this junior be so arrogant and domineering?!" Yang Bosanren exclaimed in shock and anger.

Fuqiu Gong sighed, "She is indeed that kind of person, so confident that she is arrogant, making people think she is just arrogant and ignorant."

The old man from the Nine Peaks asked in surprise, "Does Brother Dao really think she can keep her word?" Fuqiu Gong looked at Luding Xian.

Lu Dingxian said awkwardly, "I did indeed have a match with her before."

I broke the Yellow River Formation, and she immediately adjusted and repaired it. We fought to a standstill, though I was slightly outmatched.

"She's only been cultivating for a few years? Yet she can compete with you in formations." Yang Bo Sanren was incredulous.

“Alas, she controlled the Nine Cauldrons and Dragons, she killed four Great Luo Immortals of Hengshan, she mended the heavens, she incubated Hengshan. Each and every one of these things is more astonishing than my battle with her,” sighed Lu Dingxian.

"Now that we're here, we're not afraid of being used as a whetstone by her."

"The four of us will sharpen her sharp knife until it breaks," said Fuqiu Gongdao.

"I think so too." Lu Dingxian nodded, his expression turning awkward again, and whispered, "What I mean is, only four people is not impressive."

Why don't we invite a few more fellow Daoists over to bolster our presence?

They pretended we were a group of dozens, but we didn't bully the weak; just four of us broke through their formation from the four directions: east, west, south, and north.

Fuqiu Gong's expression twisted as he said, "Given our status, doing such a thing—"

“It is very necessary!” Yangbo Sanren took over and said solemnly, “For us, the Great Dao is of course the most important thing, but face is also very important, because sometimes face is related to the Great Dao.”

Since Brother Luding made such a bold statement, we must keep our word.

Otherwise, if Yu Fengxian sees us, she'll think we Golden Immortals are cowardly and afraid of trouble!
Do you think, given her personality, she'll laugh at us on the spot?

She was the Grand Tutor of the court, capable of writing history and fond of making up stories!
We don't need to put on airs when dealing with other younger people.

Yu Fengxian, however, is someone we should try to save face for.

If an ordinary person insults a deity, the deity will simply laugh it off and not care at all; but if someone worthy of the deity's attention insults them, it becomes a matter of great importance concerning their reputation and must be taken very seriously.

Clearly, even though they had not officially met, Yang Bosanren already regarded Grand Tutor Yu as an equal to himself.

The old man from the Nine Peaks looked down at the enormous, palace-like reed canopy.

He imagined the scene of the four of them sitting alone in the reed hut, with Yu Fengxian and a group of Qin masters mocking them from the side, which he couldn't stand either.

"It shouldn't be difficult to call a few helpers over and promise that they won't have to get involved."

Fuqiu Gong said blankly, "We've already dragged on for almost a whole day, we're running out of time."

"Think of Fellow Daoist Yin Yinzi; he's still suffering in the Hunyuan Golden Cauldron!"

"It won't take much time." Lu Dingxian pointed behind him and said, "Look, there are many people hiding in those immortal clouds over there!"

"Yu Fengxian has made such a grand spectacle outside Xianyang City that ordinary people are crowding the city walls to watch the excitement, and countless immortals from the Three Realms are also paying attention to this matter."

Fuqiu Gong was still reluctant to put on a show of wealth beyond his means.

"With so many people around, if Yu Fengxian finds out the details later, she'll laugh at us even more."

Lu Dingxian sneered, "Brother, rest assured, with many people around, words will be kept silent. This is not a private matter between the four of us; Yu Fengxian is mocking everyone."

They are unwilling to fight on the field, and they won't even help us save face or boost our morale.

It was their own face that was being severely humiliated by Yu Fengxian!

"Brother, please wait here. I'll go and call for help. We've already met before, so this time I only need to give them a hint, and they're all smart enough to understand."

Leaving these words behind, Lu Dingxian flew to the immortal clouds behind him.

Sure enough, he only needed to transmit a single sentence to persuade the man from Bailu Mountain, whom he had previously been unable to convince.

"Miss Li, look! Look quickly at the eastern sky!"

On the north city wall, the third young master of the Feng family pointed to the nine-colored celestial clouds slowly descending to the east and excitedly shouted, "The immortals are here! So many immortals, my goodness, at least thirty of them!"

Are they all, as the Imperial Astronomical Observatory Master claimed, beings on the verge of attaining the Great Luo realm?

The group of young men and women, heroes and fairies around him were also very excited.

"Great Immortal, your disciple's heart is set on the Dao, please guide me!" Many people who yearn to cultivate immortality are shouting to the heavens.

Miss Li was rather quiet at this moment.

Although Young Master Feng was excited about the grand occasion that was about to arrive, his mind was entirely focused on Miss Li.

Seeing her staring blankly at the immortal array in the distance, he assumed she was still worried about the "Death of the Grand Commandant" case, so he gently comforted her, "Although the public trial at the Peacock Garden was interrupted by the Great Immortal, the case of the Grand Commandant is still not closed."

But the Grand Tutor was discerning and impartial, and in the morning he ordered the Commandant of the Guards to release us.

Even Qinglan, who was most deeply involved, received forgiveness.

Those of us who are insignificant have even less to worry about.

This group of outstanding young people were mostly guests who attended the Peacock Garden Poetry Gathering last night.

After the battle with Lu Dingxian ended, Grand Tutor Yu ordered Ziying to release them. However, they were not allowed to leave Xianyang until the case was completely closed.

After last night's dramatic turn of events, they should have been trembling with fear, staying at home and afraid to go out.

But the "Grand Master Yu's Battle Against the Great Immortal" caused a sensation throughout the city, and even many immortals were watching from the heavens. How could they resist coming to watch the drama unfold?
With the same complex look she had given Grand Tutor Yu the night before, Miss Li gazed at the distant celestial array and murmured, "These are all great immortals! Can Grand Tutor Yu really handle them?"

Young Master Feng laughed and said, "You saw Grand Tutor Yu's dignified demeanor last night."

Does she seem arrogant, conceited, and reckless?
Actually, today's event was just a small one!

On that day, 100,000 heavenly soldiers and generals descended to earth, with the Four Heavenly Kings leading the charge and the Giant Spirit God as the vanguard. What was the outcome?

"Has Grand Tutor Yu been facing such grand occasions and crises all these years?" Before Young Master Feng could answer, Miss Li muttered to herself, "Before, Miss Qinglan and I envied Grand Tutor Yu's good fortune, his blessings and his connection to the immortals. If it were us..."
In retrospect, every stroke of good fortune and divine favor she received was earned at the cost of her life.

Her achievements today are not due to any luck whatsoever.

Our envy is laughable!

Sensing the unusual tone and expression in her voice, Feng Sanshao asked in surprise, "I heard that Miss Li came to Shenzhou from Xiniu Hezhou to visit relatives. Could it be that she is an old acquaintance of Grand Tutor Yu?"

Miss Li shook her head and said, "How could I have the honor of being an old acquaintance of Grand Tutor Yu?"
I do have relatives in Xianyang, and I'm staying at their house. If they could introduce me... Alas, unfortunately, they were recently transferred to Hanzhong to serve as military officers and won't be back for a while.

I've known Grand Tutor Yu for a long time, but she doesn't know me.

"Young Master Feng, you may not know, but Grand Tutor Yu is renowned throughout the Central Plains and the Three Realms. He is equally famous in the West."

"I've heard the story of 'Prime Minister Yu' in Kucha." A noblewoman from another ethnic group said with a look of deep emotion.

"A celestial being has descended! Great sage, save me~~~"

"Great Immortal, my son is very sick, please save him!"

The shouts from the crowd grew louder.

Outside the city, in a reed hut, dozens of celestial masters led civil and military officials, bowing and shouting, "Welcome, Great Immortal, to Xianyang! Please, all you great immortals, rest in the reed hut first. The Grand Tutor will be here shortly."

(End of this chapter)