Lingyuan Immortal

Chapter 997 Sitting and Watching
He Zhiyun's heart was filled with alarm bells, but he still maintained a calm expression: "A little bit of luck, nothing to mention. However, Senior Brother's aura is very strong, so you must have gained a lot, which I admire."

“Hehe,” Li Mang stepped forward, his posture becoming more casual, “Junior Brother He, don’t be nervous.”

"I'm not here to steal your things, senior brother. After all, we are all disciples of the Nine Peaks Immortal Sect. If it weren't for the trial, we should support and help each other."

He changed the subject, his tone becoming more candid: "Moreover, Junior Brother He, you were so devoted to the Dao back then, wanting to become a disciple of Immortal Lord Gantang. Even my father praised your persistence."

He paused deliberately, glancing meaningfully at Gan Qingni beside him.

He Zhiyun's face stiffened for a moment, and a dark cloud appeared in his eyes, but he quickly suppressed it.

Li Mang, however, seemed oblivious to He Zhiyun's subtle change and continued, "Although the Immortal Lord thinks that you, Junior Brother... well, still need more training, I have seen your ambition. Now that you are gathering people like this, it must be for the sake of the Immortal Lord Yunmiao's lineage, right? Your ambition is commendable!"

"However, junior brother, as you know, the struggle for the Golden Immortal lineage is extremely dangerous. With only these cultivators from the lower realms that you've gathered..."

His gaze swept over the people of the Floating Cloud Realm, his expression undisguised contempt: "Although there are many of them, their foundations are mixed and their potential is limited. I'm afraid they will not achieve great things."

Upon hearing this, Lei Heng and the others immediately showed anger on their faces, but they hesitated to step forward and make trouble.

Li Mang ignored the anger of the crowd and said leisurely, "As for me, I happen to be traveling with Junior Sister Gan and Brother Xu. You must know about our backgrounds and foundations, Junior Brother."

"If we're talking about the chance of breaking through to that ultimate lineage, I'm naturally a bit better than you, Junior Brother."

His true intentions were revealed, and his tone became earnest: "Junior Brother He, instead of placing your hopes on these... people, why not try a different approach? I've come here today to make a deal with you, or rather, to show you the way forward."

Upon hearing this, He Zhiyun's tense expression eased, and a hint of hope appeared in his heart.

Just as Li Mang said, they were all of noble birth, and their teachers were all true immortals or even golden immortal ancestors within their sects.

He could also discern the sect's attitude towards this trial. Although they outwardly proclaimed fairness and impartiality, all the rules invariably favored people with powerful backgrounds like Li Mang.

If we can truly establish a connection with them, or even move forward together, the prospects might actually be better than if we try to form cliques and scheme on our own...

Leaving aside his wild imaginings, Li Mang casually stretched out his finger and gestured:
"In this way, you will transfer the Dao markers on the three of them to me, which can be regarded as... an 'investment' you made in advance for your senior brother. Once we successfully reach the core Dao lineage, you will naturally receive your share of the benefits."

"Even... I could put in a good word for you with my father, and have him put in a good word for you with Immortal Lord Gantang? That way, it might not be impossible to rekindle our old relationship!"

Li Mang's voice was seductive as he offered a seemingly tempting but ultimately empty promise.

He Zhiyun was immediately disappointed. If it were so easy to open the door to Immortal Lord Gantang, why would he have gone to such lengths, even lowering himself to travel to the lower realm to gather help?

Moreover, Li Mang is a man who makes promises lightly and is untrustworthy. His ability to make empty promises far surpasses his sincerity in keeping them. Those vague and unrealistic promises are best left unheard of; to believe them would be utterly foolish.

He smiled slightly, cupped his hands and said, "I appreciate your kindness, senior brother. However, since the enlightenment from Immortal Lord Gantang, I have already recognized my own shortcomings and given up those unrealistic delusions."

"I am only entering this trial to do my best to seek a sliver of opportunity for the Great Dao, so that I may have a clear conscience."

Gan Qingni frowned as she listened from the side, and questioned in a deep voice: "My father has his reasons for refusing you. But from your words, it seems that you harbor resentment and imply that my father was unfair?"

"I wouldn't dare." He Zhiyun lowered his eyes, his tone flat and expressionless, offering no explanation whatsoever.

Seeing that he was unmoved by reason, Gan Qingni also felt bored, snorted coldly and turned her head away.

An awkward silence fell over the room.

"Heh..." Li Mang chuckled softly, breaking the silence.

He showed no anger at being rejected, but said meaningfully, "The opportunity of the Great Dao? Junior Brother He, it's good to have lofty ambitions, but you also need to consider your own capabilities."

"This path to heaven is not so easy to traverse. The more you desire, the heavier the price you must pay. One wrong step and you will be... shattered to pieces, never to be redeemed again."

Having said that, without waiting for He Zhiyun's response, the crimson-gold brocade robe flashed, and it carried Gan Qingni and the ever-silent Xu Xuanling, transforming into three dazzling streaks of light that instantly tore through the dark star curtain and disappeared into the distance...

Once the meteorite cluster behind them, which had gathered cultivators from the Floating Cloud Realm, had completely disappeared from their senses, the three streaks of light slowed down slightly.

Xu Xuanling, who had been silent all along, looked at Li Mang with calm and even voice: "Brother Li, how do you know that He Zhiyun is a man of strong will and decisive action? Although he comes from humble origins, he dares to take risks and gather so many cultivators from the lower realms, which shows his ability."

"Given time, we may well achieve something. A few tokens are easily within our grasp, so why bother going there and incurring further humiliation?"

"Hahaha!" Li Mang burst into laughter upon hearing this. "Everyone says that Brother Xu's 'Penetrating Eyes of Profound Mystery' is insightful and unerring, but he has misjudged it today! Those few Dao Beacons? Do they even deserve my 'asking' for them?"

He paused, a hint of amusement in his eyes, like a cat playing with a mouse, and said leisurely, "It was just that the journey was boring, and I happened to run into a group of overconfident people having unrealistic dreams, so I went over to... just to have some fun."

"Watching him try to remain calm while his ambition is barely concealed is quite amusing..."

Xu Xuanling shook his head inwardly. He knew Li Mang's temperament well. Li Mang's father was the head of the sect's inner alchemy pavilion. He had been pampered since childhood and had an almost instinctive aversion and contempt for those cultivators who had no powerful background but tried to cross the class barrier by their own efforts or a few "fortuitous encounters".

He Zhiyun's struggles and ambitions were nothing more than a clumsy performance by a clown, only fit to be his pastime when he was bored.

Such deep-seated arrogance and prejudice cannot be shaken by words.

At this moment, Gan Qingni also spoke up in agreement, openly supporting Li Mang's idea, which was unusual for her, and she was obviously influenced by what had just happened.

Seeing the two's expressions, Xu Xuanling understood.

Although he traveled with Li and Gan, it was more out of consideration for the balance of factions within the sect and the arrangements made by his elders, rather than because they truly shared the same ideals.

He was calm and quiet, disliked showing off, and had no intention of getting involved in such pointless arguments.

Since the person in charge is happy to do it, it's only right for me, a "supporting actor," to stop here. If I say anything more, it would seem tactless...

Meanwhile, He Zhiyun's expression remained uncertain and he remained silent for a long time after Li Mang and the other two left in a carefree manner.

Although the cultivators of the Floating Cloud Realm did not understand the details, they could sense that something was amiss. Therefore, none of them dared to step forward and provoke them. They all tacitly dispersed a short distance away and sat down to regulate their breathing. About a quarter of an hour later, Si Tengxiao, who was stroking the warm and smooth jade pendant in his hand, suddenly raised his head, his expression changed drastically, and he exclaimed in shock, "Oh no!"

The exclamation broke the silence, drawing everyone's attention and causing them to furrow their brows.

"Tengxiao, what's the matter?" Si Xuanshuang asked.

Si Tengxiao quickly raised the jade pendant in his hand, pointing it in the direction where Li Mang and the other two had left, his voice filled with urgency:

“True Lord He, fellow Daoists, the direction those three left in just now… look at the jade pendant, their escape trajectory is exactly opposite to the direction True Lord Murong and the others returned from… at this speed, it probably won’t be long before they collide head-on!”

Upon hearing this, Si Xuan Shuang's expression changed, and she sensed something was amiss. She hurriedly said, "Fellow Daoist He, True Monarch Murong also bears a Dao mark. If we were to encounter them, wouldn't..."

She didn't say it directly, but the meaning was self-evident.

He Zhiyun frowned deeply. Based on his understanding of Li Mang, he might not have made a move if they were from the same sect, but they were cultivators from the lower realms...

He instinctively wanted to activate his magic and set off to chase after them, but he stopped himself in an instant, his eyes darting around.

Although he didn't say anything, he was actually quite resentful that Chen Mu and the other two had fallen behind.

He wouldn't have acted if there hadn't been an opportunity, but now, an opportunity had presented itself to him...

Moreover, if the timing is right, it might not only teach Chen Mu and the other two to "obey orders," but also relieve their resentment at being publicly humiliated by Li Mang...

Thinking of this, He Zhiyun's tense face miraculously relaxed, and even a touch of soothing gentleness appeared on his face.

"Please calm down, everyone. Fairy Si need not be alarmed."

His gaze swept over the tense Si siblings, then around at the worried crowd. "What kind of status does Senior Brother Li have? Born into a prestigious family, with profound cultivation, how could he lower himself to such a despicable act of robbery and plunder for a mere Dao mark?"

"If that were the case, wouldn't it tarnish the reputation of the Nine Peaks Immortal Sect? Besides, we are all disciples of the Immortal Sect, and we have some mutual ties."

He paused, then spoke with even greater certainty: "In my opinion, Senior Brother Li was merely passing by and catching up with old friends. His words may have been a bit blunt, but he would never have done anything out of line."

"If we rush there now, making quite a show of force, it might cause misunderstandings and make Senior Brother Li think that we are hostile. Wouldn't that be counterproductive and make a small matter bigger than it is?"

"Furthermore, this place is not too far from Fellow Daoist Chen and the others. If something unexpected happens, we can arrive in an instant with our speed. Rather than panicking, we should wait here calmly. Rest assured, everything will be handled properly."

His words were presented in a grand and dignified manner, elevating Li Mang's status, emphasizing their camaraderie, pointing out the "risks" of acting rashly, and finally offering a guarantee of "strong support." Logically, they seemed impeccable.

"What Lord He said is absolutely right!"

Immediately, a True Lord echoed, clearly agreeing with He Zhiyun's analysis: "With Fellow Daoist Li Mang's status, how could he possibly care about a mere Dao marker? If we were to make a large fuss and rush there, it would only make us appear guilty and might cause complications."

"That's right, it's best to wait and see."

"Fellow Daoist He has considered everything thoroughly."

Everyone nodded, and these words calmed the tense atmosphere somewhat.

Si Xuanshuang and Si Tengxiao exchanged a glance, both seeing deep doubt and unease in each other's eyes.

He Zhiyun's reasoning seemed reasonable, but they always felt that something was wrong, especially when they thought of Li Mang's arrogant and disdainful look before he left.

However, seeing that everyone had been persuaded, and that He Zhiyun seemed confident and in control, they, being outnumbered and outmatched, had no choice but to suppress their worries and silently nod...

Just as everyone's attention was drawn to this commotion, Wei Cangdong, who had been standing at the edge of the crowd and remained low-key and silent, suddenly felt a cold female voice resonate in his mind, carrying undisguised malice:
"Heh... I really want to see what kind of big embarrassment that Taoist priest surnamed Chen will suffer this time!"

Wei Cangdong's heart skipped a beat. He remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he sternly rebuked her: "Junior Sister! How many times have I warned you? There are many True Monarchs here, and their divine senses are very sharp. Do not use your divine sense to transmit your voice lightly!"

"What's there to be afraid of?" Song Qin's divine sense carried a hint of disdain and annoyance. "If these people here could easily discover my presence, would you and I have been safe until now? Besides, if I don't remind you, have you almost completely forgotten about me, this 'burden'?"

Wei Cangdong sensed the resentment suppressed in her divine sense, and his heart softened. His tone became gentler, and he said reassuringly, "Junior sister, you're overthinking it. How could I forget my promise to you?"

"We've only recently reunited, and the team is in turmoil because of Li Mang's affair. I really can't find a suitable opportunity to act alone and search for the elixir that might help you rebuild your foundation. Be patient and wait. Once the time is right, I will definitely..."

Song Qin's divine sense remained silent for a moment, and the sharp resentment seemed to dissipate somewhat: "Senior brother... to be honest, you were willing to risk bringing my primordial spirit here to seek a glimmer of hope. I, Song Qin... will remember this favor."

Her voice lowered: "But, senior brother, I am not unreasonable."

"If...if you really can't find an opportunity here, or if it's too dangerous...then...you should release me, let me try my luck in this vast sea of ​​stars...whether I live or die, whether I gain or lose, it's all up to my fate, and I will never be a burden to you."

Upon hearing this, Wei Cangdong felt a mix of emotions.

His junior sister was not inherently evil; it was just that the blow of having her path destroyed was too heavy, which made her so extreme and stubborn.

She resented Chen Mu, but Chen Mu was only acting in accordance with the situation at the time.

She hated the injustice of fate, but the struggle for the Great Dao was inherently cruel and ruthless.

Wei Cangdong sighed inwardly. If he could find an opportunity, he would not only search for spiritual herbs for his junior sister, but also find a way to resolve her inner conflict and make her understand that there is more than one path to the Dao...

His mind raced, but in the end, it all turned into a heavy sigh in his mind: "Junior sister, don't talk nonsense. This matter... let me think about it some more."

Immediately, he composed himself, ceasing his response, and turned his gaze towards He Zhiyun's direction, as if he too were concerned about the impending clash in the distance...

……

(End of this chapter)