Lingyuan Immortal

Chapter 906 A Gathering of Peaks and Clouds
Peach blossoms sway in the breeze, and copper bells ring on their own.

Upon hearing this, Li Dan felt relieved and, without asking why, decisively asked, "How about the bet?"

Chen Mu's wide sleeves hung down, his expression indifferent: "This humble Daoist wishes to exchange Daoist techniques with you. If I am fortunate enough to win, I hope you will part with Zhuxia Peak."

The Li family controlled two mountains and six peaks, one of which was Zhuxia Peak, which stood alone in the southwest direction and was famous for its red clouds that resembled heavenly fire.

The five-tiered spiritual veins beneath it are shrouded in mist, a rare treasure even in the realm of a True Monarch, and even more so in the Realm of Returning to Nothingness.

Both of them were startled by these words.

Li Dan couldn't help but think to himself, "Could this person's true intention be to use the Liang family as a cover, while actually plotting to seize the Daoist temple?"

It should be known that gambling and fighting for the peak are commonplace within the Guixu territory.

Even the Three Mountains and Seven Peaks under the Liang family's control were obtained by Liang Chong through a gambling match from a once-prominent but now fallen family, and have only been around for three or four hundred years.

Li Dan's eyes flashed with a dark light, and his voice gradually hardened: "If it were an ordinary thing, it would be fine to give it to you, fellow Daoist. But Zhuxia Peak is the ancestral lineage of the Li family, and there is absolutely no reason to give it up so easily."

At this point, he abruptly changed the subject: "But what if you lose, my friend?"

Chen Mu smiled faintly: "If I fail, I will be at your mercy for the next sixty years."

The light in Li Dan's eyes suddenly intensified.

If I can serve the True Lord for sixty years, what harm is there in giving up a peak?

Having held a high position for a long time, he was also a man of great courage. He immediately declared, "I agree to this agreement! However... the rules of this contest need to be changed."

"Fellow Daoist, please speak," Chen Mu said with a slight smile.

Li Dan held up three fingers and said, "I want to have three duels with you in one day, and the one who wins two of them will be the winner!"

He narrowed his eyes slightly, concealing the gleam within.

In his opinion, the opponent had at most two True Lords, among whom the old man Liang Tian was not to be feared. Even if Chen Mu's Taoist magic was profound, how could he win every battle?

Moreover, by then, he will have the assistance of a True Lord and will be able to continue to seize the Liang family's territory. With this double impetus, the rise of the Li family will be just around the corner!
With this in mind, he no longer cared about Chen Mu's strength, but instead began to hope that the other party would arrogantly agree to the matter.

Chen Mu paused for a moment, then smiled faintly and said, "In that case, besides you, fellow Daoist, is there anyone else willing to step forward and offer their guidance?"

Li Dan smiled without saying a word, but Xuanji Zi understood and cupped his hands, saying, "This humble Taoist is not talented, but I am willing to exchange and verify with True Lord Chen."

Chen Mu was not surprised. He got up and strolled to the side of the pavilion, gazing at the Chuntao Mountain range from the railing.

Amidst the rising and falling clouds, the peach grove resembled a pink mist, and the clear spring cascaded down like a silver ribbon...

Li Dan and the other man exchanged a glance and immediately understood his meaning.

Xuanji Zi was still somewhat reluctant, but after receiving Li Dan's promise, he steeled himself and stood up, saying, "Spring Peach Mountain can also be used as this wager!"

"Hahaha……"

A clear, melodious laugh startled the spring breeze. When Chen Mu turned around, his eyes seemed to reflect a thousand mountains: "The last one?"

"Regardless of who ends up on the field."

Li Dan's eyes flashed, but his tone was casual: "Each battle adds a peak."

One mountain and two peaks are enough to serve as the foundation for a noble family's existence. Such a grand undertaking could not have been undertaken without great confidence from Li Dan's side...

The dew on the stone table fell silently, spreading into speckles of water on the blue bricks.

Chen Mu lowered his eyes to look at the broken cup on the table, where shimmering ripples floated in the amber wine. After a moment, he smiled and said, "Very well, then I will do as you say, fellow Daoist."

Li Dan was overjoyed, but suppressing his excitement, he said, "For this duel, we should invite all our fellow cultivators from the Spirit Pillar Mountains to witness it."

Chen Mu nodded and smiled, "That's only right."

Li Dan said, "It's settled then!"

After agreeing on a date for their duel and swearing an oath on their spiritual paths, Chen Mu took his leave.

Li Dan stared intently at the figure in the plain robe, his gaze intense, lost in thought.

Just as he was about to get up, he saw Chen Mu suddenly stop.

The mountain wind lifted a corner of his plain robe. He turned to look at the eaves of the pavilion, but his gaze seemed to pierce through the vermilion beams and pillars, lingering on the half-person-high blue stone behind him.

The stone surface remained mottled as usual, with only a few Crimson Pearl Grasses swaying in the wind among the cracks...

Li Dan and the other man were suddenly stunned, and Xuan Jizi's eyelids even twitched slightly as a result.

Seeing this, Chen Mu looked up and smiled, then turned and rode away on a cloud...

A moment of silence fell over the room, as a gentle spring breeze ruffled the empty space.

The blue stone rippled like water, and three figures emerged from the void, each with a solemn expression. They were the heads of the Wu, Liu, and Sun families.

"Has he noticed us?"

The middle-aged man in black robes murmured, the black jade belt at his waist moving without wind, seemingly reflecting its owner's thoughts.

"Although this person is Liang Chong's junior brother, he may not be inferior to Liang Chong..."

"The Li clan chief's acceptance of this challenge is rather hasty."

The other two also spoke up, their words tinged with some resentment.

Li Dan, however, seemed oblivious. After calming down, he took a deep breath and laughed, "We haven't even competed yet, so how can you say it's hasty?"

"Liang Chong has not yet shown up, he must be preoccupied with other matters. As long as we can win this gamble, the Liang family's empire will be within our grasp, won't it?"

Chief Sun knew this was the truth, but he was somewhat envious.

He chuckled coldly: "The Li family has certainly made a good plan. By winning the bet, they can not only share in the Liang family's profits, but also gain the assistance of a True Lord..."

Before he could finish speaking, Li Dan replied, "If what Clan Chief Sun says is true, then why don't you act as a stepping stone?"

The greater the benefits, the greater the risks.

Winning a bet is one thing, but what if you lose?

At that time, not only will the Li family lose Zhu Xiafeng, but they may also face further repercussions from Liang Chongqiu. The various hidden dangers are just as numerous as the benefits after victory.

"Alright, the most urgent thing is the current bet."

The Wu clan leader tried to smooth things over, saying, "Clan leader Li is right. If we win the bet, we can choose any of the Liang clan's three mountains and seven peaks. Why are you still focused on such a small gain?"

The Wu family was the most powerful among the families present, with five True Lords in the clan. Therefore, they did not attach that much importance to helping a True Lord.

After pondering for a while, the group finally came to the same conclusion.

"If we want to be on the safe side, then the last person to participate in the duel should be Fellow Daoist Golden Shadow, invited by Clan Chief Wu..."

……

They came and went in a hurry.

Before much trouble had even begun, Chen Mu had already gracefully returned to the Liang family's mountain gate as dusk fell.

The moss on the bluestone steps was still damp, reflecting the shimmering golden light of the setting sun.

The clansmen inside the mountain gate had long since dispersed, with only Liang Tian and a few trusted confidants still pacing back and forth in front of the jade screen wall.

Seeing the figure in pure white ascend the cloud steps, Liang Tian suddenly loosened his clenched fingers and strode forward to greet him: "Fellow Daoist Chen, is everything alright?"

Chen Mu smiled slightly and, without hiding anything, recounted the details of the bet.

"A contest?" While the bearded man and the others were still shocked by Chen Mu's boldness, Liang Tian's expression changed drastically.

Each person knows their own situation. He was already struggling to break through to the Dao Inquiry Realm, so how could he possibly defeat Xuanji Zi, who had already broken through three levels of the Mysterious Gate?

However, if he loses, Chen Mu will face the pressure of winning.

Moreover, Li Dan is no fool. With such a high stake, he must have carefully considered his final choice. Even if Chen Mu is a member of a major sect, it's unlikely he can win two matches in one day...

Liang Tian's mind raced, and he was extremely anxious, but looking at Chen Mu, who was chatting and laughing, he couldn't very well explain the situation to Cheng Xuan and the others.

He could only silently consider that if things truly reached that unspeakable point, he should decisively abandon the clan's assets to save Chen Mu from the hardship of being at the mercy of others...

Offering help is a gesture of goodwill, but if it truly proves ineffective, we shouldn't let anyone be implicated, should we?

This was his thought at the moment, which Chen Mu naturally did not know. However, judging from his expression, he had a few guesses. With a slight thought, he chuckled and said, "Clan Chief Liang, please rest assured. I am not a reckless person. Since I dare to propose a duel, I am confident of winning."

Upon hearing this, Liang Tian sighed inwardly. He certainly believed in Chen Mu's extraordinary abilities, but human strength has its limits. At their level, how difficult it would be to defeat two people in a single day.

Seeing this, Chen Mu didn't say anything more. Whether it would succeed or not, the outcome would be clear after the bet...

……

Those who cultivate the Tao are unaware of the passage of time; several days have passed in the blink of an eye.

The gambling match was scheduled for the third day of next month, but the long-awaited auction at Haixin City arrived first.

Although Liang Tian had been frowning with worry for days, he still kept this matter in mind and sent Liang Chengxuan to wait under the eaves of the guest hall before dawn.

Before the morning mist had dissipated, Chen Mu was seen walking out on the jade steps, and the two then boarded the Liang family's treasure ship decorated with azure phoenix patterns.

"Let's get going."

As Chen Mu took his seat, the treasure ship rose leisurely in the clear sky, and thirty-six gilded talismans bloomed in succession with flowing cloud patterns before disappearing into the vast sea of ​​clouds.

Just as they left the Lingzhu Mountain range, they suddenly heard the long roar of the dragon bones, and the bow of the ship suddenly tilted downwards, crashing into the blue waves with the sound of raging waves tearing through the fabric.

The ship trembled, stirring up thousands of white waves. When the waves subsided, the salty sea breeze carried fine golden light that sprinkled onto the deck.

At this moment, the window frame swayed slightly, and Chen Mu couldn't help but feel a sense of open-mindedness. He strolled to the deck, leaned on the railing, and looked into the distance. He saw the sea and sky meeting in a golden glow, and thousands of sails gathered from all directions, all heading towards the giant city in the sea.

"Master Liang".

Chen Mu gently tapped the carved railing and asked with great interest, "It is said that the Haixin City Auction is the grandest event in Guixu. So, which power owns Haixin City?"

This grand event affected the entire Guixu. In his view, only the forces that controlled such a grand event could be considered to have controlled the best resources of Guixu.

Liang Chengxuan lowered his eyes and pondered for a moment, his wide sleeves fluttering in the wind: "Reporting to the True Lord, this city does not belong to any one power. It is jointly controlled by the three great families of Guixu. Among them, the Gonggong clan takes 40% of the profits, and the remaining 60% is divided equally between the Huangtai clan of Lingzhu Mountain and the Yu clan of Tianchi..."

Chen Mu nodded slightly; this distribution did indeed conform to the current state of Guixu.

A thought struck him, and he abruptly changed the subject, asking about the origins of the Gonggong clan.

He was still very curious about this ancient clan that bore the name of the water god Gonggong.

"The Gonggong clan..."

After pondering for a moment, Liang Chengxuan slowly said, "The direct line of this clan is dwindling in number, and those who travel outside are mostly vassal branches. People only think they are keeping a low profile, which is completely different from the style of the Tianchi Yu clan who rides the wind and plays with the moon..."

He murmured for a moment, then his eyes suddenly lit up: "There is a member of the Gonggong clan known as 'Young Master Li,' who has been making quite a splash in recent years. According to rumors, he is a top-tier immortal talent of the Gonggong clan, one in a thousand years. He has been cultivating for less than a thousand years, yet he has already condensed the Dao Fruit and broken through the seven profound barriers..."

"Oh?"

Chen Mu smiled, not seeming to care too much.

Having witnessed the Dragon Fishing Feast in the Void, he was accustomed to seeing Dao Fruit Immortals, and therefore did not know how significant a Dao Fruit was to cultivators of the Returning Void...

The cries of seagulls grew closer in the distance, the treasure ship shattered the vast blue waves, Liang Chengxuan's refined conversation blended with the waves, and the majestic fairy city on the sea was already faintly visible in the clouds...

……

Huang'e Peak, Jihua Hall.

Li Dan sat upright on the gilded throne, toying with a paperweight carved from black and yellow jade in his hand, and asked in a deep voice, "Zhong'er, have the letters been delivered to everyone?"

"All those who are on good terms with the Li family have been received."

Li Zhong bowed and stood at the foot of the jade steps, replying, "The Twelve Famous Families and the Han Family have had their mail boxes temporarily stored at their gates because their leaders are away. The rest have all been sealed with purple clay as collateral, promising to arrive on the day of the duel."

Li Dan nodded slowly and said, "I know that the Han clan leader left the Ruins not long ago. I expect he will be able to return on the day of the battle. It is the twelve famous sects..."

He paused, then shook his head and said, "Just get the letter there."

Although they are said to be the thirty-six prominent families of the Lingzhu Mountain Range, their internal structures are actually quite distinct.

Clans like theirs, ruled by Daoist True Lords, are ultimately worlds apart from those prestigious families favored by Daoist Ancestors or even wandering immortals.

This invitation is merely a formality...

"A prestigious family..."

Li Dan closed his eyes and concentrated, the image of the ancestral tablets of the Li family flickering in the incense smoke appearing in his mind, and a barely audible cold snort rolled through his throat.

"When the Li family prospers, it may well have the opportunity to become a prestigious family. When that time comes, you will all look at us with new eyes!"

Just as he was lost in his daydream, someone came in to report something.

"Clan leader, the Liang clan has made some unusual moves today. Liang Chengxuan, along with Chen Mu, a True Monarch from beyond the border, sailed the Liang clan's treasure ship to Haixin City half an hour ago."

Upon hearing this, Li Dan nodded slowly without saying anything, but in the next instant, he suddenly realized something, and his eyes were full of suspicion about Chen Mu's trip.

With the duel imminent, instead of properly adjusting his breathing and refining his treasures and techniques, he ran off to participate in the grand auction in Haixin City?
The auction at Haixin City... At this critical juncture... could it be that they are looking for something to break the deadlock?

Thinking of this, he frowned. Since they were enemies, he couldn't just watch Chen Mu get what he wanted, even if there was only a sliver of a chance.

"Zhong'er."

Li Zhong's spirits lifted: "Your son is here."

"Take my token and withdraw 30,000 high-grade spirit stones from the secret vault. Head to Haixin City immediately."

Seeing the look of surprise on his eldest son's face, he added, "Anything that the Liang family bids on, regardless of its purpose, shall be intercepted."

"Yes!"

Li Zhong was surprised. Thirty thousand high-grade spirit stones was not something that even the Li family could easily come up with. But since his father was so serious, he dared not say anything and immediately accepted the order and left.

After his figure had disappeared for a long time, Li Dan finally regained his composure and opened his palm.

As the light flickered, a three-inch-seven-tenths-inch black and yellow dagger shot out from the sky, its blade cutting glass-like cracks in the void.

If outsiders were to see this, they would certainly be quite surprised.

This was none other than the Stone Emperor Blade, the natal artifact of Li Yan, the ancestor of the Li clan, yet it was now as docile as a young dragon in his hand.

In fact, this was something Li Dan had specifically requested, intending to refine it for use in the duel.

Although he and the Wu clan leader had invited Golden Shadow True Lord as insurance, they would avoid using him in this duel if possible.

After all, there are only so many benefits in total, and if more people participate, they will inevitably get a larger share.

Once this blade is fully refined, why would we need to rely on others?

He went to great lengths for the Li family, yet he did it all willingly...

……

(End of this chapter)