Promise!

Chapter 244, The Feud Begins

Boom, boom, boom!
As the Wind Thunder Bird and the Unicorn, two exotic beasts at the Six Fu Realm, pounced on the Wind Spirit Pearl, a silver object the size of a watermelon was thrown at them. Then, a sword aura that cut through the meridians followed closely behind and detonated. In an instant, it was as if a small sun had risen, and the blazing innate qi swept across the ground, tearing away a thick layer of debris.

This is the Qi Bomb. After Zhuang Jin nurtured it for several days and injected it with innate Qi multiple times, its interior contains almost all the innate Qi of a second-level innate Qi realm martial artist. Detonating it now is roughly equivalent to a second-level innate Qi realm martial artist self-destructing.

— Zhuang Jin's title of 'Venerable of Vessels' is not without reason. He had been conceiving about the Qi Bomb since last year, researching and solving various problems such as energy containment and conduction efficiency. He experimented with various materials such as mithril and refined gold, spending over ten million contribution points in total. When he said he was poor this March, he was not lying to Li Tingguan.

The biggest problems were energy storage and conduction, which Zhuang Jin couldn't solve even after years of hard work. After many failures, he finally succeeded by referring to the chip design ideas from his previous life and using refined gold to press the wires to an extremely fine degree to form a microscopic circuit. Combined with various other special materials, he finally managed to succeed. The cost of one finished product was also over ten million contribution points. He overspent his tokens and borrowed some from his inner circle to make two finished products. One was used to compete for the Wind Spirit Pearl, and the other was kept as a last resort to save his life.

The results were remarkable. Even the Wind Thunder Bird and the Unicorn, with their terrifying physical bodies as Six-Fu Realm beasts, dared not take the attack head-on. Under the threat of life and death, they subconsciously abandoned the Wind Spirit Orb and instinctively retreated to avoid the brunt of the attack. However, they were still hit by the aftershocks of the explosion because they were too close and suffered serious injuries.

—The Wind Thunder Bird and the Unicorn are both at the Six Organs Realm, one having tempered three organs and the other four, equivalent to the late stage of the second level of the Innate Qi Realm, or even the perfected stage. In terms of realm alone, they are higher than Zhuang Jin, who has just entered the second level of the Innate Qi Realm. Beasts are inherently much stronger than martial artists of the same realm. At this moment, the aura of the two beasts is not much different from that of Zhuang Jin, which shows the extent of their injuries.

"If Heaven bestows this opportunity and you do not seize it, you will suffer the consequences. If you do not act now, when will you?!"

Zhuang Jin was already prepared, his figure transforming into a hurricane tornado and howling away. However, as he approached, another hurricane tornado was faster and snatched away the Wind Spirit Orb first.

The location where the other party had been hiding was extremely unusual; it was beneath the cliff on the other side. Zhuang Jin couldn't detect it from this side at all. Besides, there was a unicorn there before, so he couldn't possibly go around to check it.

"Thank you very much, Brother Zhuang, for your kindness."

"Mingguanglue?!"

Zhuang Jin recognized the person. The other person was also at the second level of the Innate Qi Realm, but from a different circle. He was from another Qi Realm circle and was skilled at cultivating rare plants. He was known as the 'Spirit Venerable'. There was communication between different Qi Realm circles. Ming Guangxie had even come to their circle once, so they could be considered acquaintances.

This person's physique and cultivation techniques are both wind-attribute, making them the most suitable for this Wind Spirit Pearl. However, even if Zhuang Jin gets his hands on it, he still has to rely on luck to exchange it. This person can use the Wind Spirit Pearl directly after obtaining it, condense its attributes, and its value is immeasurable. No wonder he has to make a move now that he has offended Zhuang Jin!
Of course, the treasures in the Funiu Mountains were originally unclaimed, and each person had to rely on their own abilities to acquire them.

'How dare you steal my peaches? You'll die!'

Zhuang Jin sneered inwardly, subconsciously wanting to throw out the last Qi Bomb, but then changed his mind. He had used it once before, and this person was on guard, so it might not be effective. Besides, he should save the last Qi Bomb to save his life, and not use it unless absolutely necessary.

However, he showed no mercy and didn't waste a single word. His figure transformed into a hurricane tornado, and with a flick of his hand, he unleashed all six swords of the Meridian-Severing Divine Sword.

Swish swish!
The six nearly invisible ice-soul sword energies, though lacking in grandeur, contained a terrifying killing intent and headed towards Mingguang, sealing off all directions.

Seeing this sudden turn of events, the Wind Thunder Bird and the Unicorn, having abandoned Zhuang Jin who had severely injured them, unanimously attacked Ming Guanglie instead of the Wind Spirit Pearl, which had been taken by this suddenly appearing two-legged creature.

Rumble!
The wind and clouds changed color, swirling like a nebula, as endless purple lightning struck down.

Wind Thunder Bird's innate beast skill: Thunder Domain!
Swish swish!
Three incredibly bright beams of light shot away, only to suddenly converge and cut sharply.

Unicorn's signature move: Three-Point Light Wheel!
"Wind and residual clouds!"

Ming Guangxie transformed into a hurricane, and as he obtained the Wind Spirit Orb and sped away, he used his Innate Qi Realm martial skill to face the combined attack of Zhuang Jin, the Wind Thunder Bird, and the Unicorn.

Three streaks of wind swept across the ground, creating a dust cloud as fast as lightning.

Wow!
boom!
Zhuang Jin's Six Paths Meridian-Severing Divine Sword, the Thunder Bird's Thunder Domain, and the Unicorn's Three-Part Light Wheel were deflected by the pull and collided with a roar, the enormous energy not much less than that of the previous Qi Bomb.

The surging, sweeping energy momentarily blocked Zhuang Jin, the Wind Thunder Bird, and the Unicorn, but it also caused Ming Guangxie, who was closest to them, to turn pale, with traces of blood flowing from the corner of his mouth. He forcibly suppressed his injuries and, using the force of the gale, his entire body was swept away like a willow catkin. As he retreated, his figure once again transformed into a hurricane tornado, quickly moving away.

"Wow!"

"Yo!"

After a few breaths of hesitation, the Thunderbird and the Unicorn cried out angrily and gave chase.

"I've been hunting geese all day long, but I never expected to be caught in the crossfire by a goose, having made a wedding dress for someone else!"

Zhuang Jin used his trump card, a powerful energy bomb, but to no avail. Someone else had stolen the prize, and he was naturally furious. However, he did not let his anger cloud his judgment and remained clear-headed, refraining from chasing after the attacker.

There are two reasons.

Firstly, it's impossible to catch up.

Ming Guangxie possesses a wind-attribute physique and wind-attribute martial arts. His movement techniques are also based on the "Free and Easy Wind Control - Gang Qi Chapter". Furthermore, he has accumulated more experience at the second level of the Innate Gang Qi Realm than Zhuang Jin, which Zhuang Jin believes is difficult to catch up with.

Even if they catch up, they don't believe they can snatch the Wind Spirit Orb without paying too high a price in the chaotic battle with Mingguang Xie, the Wind Thunder Bird, and the Unicorn.

'Especially now, my innate qi has been depleted, approaching the designated 70% danger level. Further depletion would be even more perilous.'

Although the Wind Spirit Pearl was valuable, Zhuang Jin knew he wouldn't risk his life for it: 'Recognizing the situation, avoiding futile efforts, and cutting losses in time are also skills.'

Today, he was outmatched; I'll make a note of it for now and report back later.

Is there another reason?

Zhuang Jin turned and left. Not long after, he found several azure, teardrop-shaped objects, resembling amber crystals, below the Wind Spirit Pearl.

This is the essence of the Wind Spirit Pearl, a companion item of the Wind Spirit Pearl.

The Dew of Elegance, well, it's probably on the same level as the Thunder Essence Stone and Vermilion Fruit that Zhuang Jin had come into contact with, and their effects are somewhat similar. Those two can widen the meridians for martial artists who cultivate thunder and fire attribute techniques, increasing the success rate of breaking through the 'body barrier' of the three innate barriers. This Dew of Elegance is aimed at martial artists who cultivate wind attribute techniques.

'If I put it at an auction, it could probably fetch several million contribution points, which is quite a good item. Adding the auction receipts, it should barely cover the losses from my Qi Bombs!'

However, since entering the Funiu Mountains, Zhuang Jin has always made a fortune without any investment. In his view, not making a profit is a loss, let alone this time, which is actually a small loss.

Thinking of this, he once again noted Ming Guangxie in his mind.

……

That day, Zhuang Jin returned from the Funiu Mountains to his residence in the second ring. The Black Python Token, upon entering the light screen of the Suspended Heaven Bureau, automatically 'connected' and began vibrating frequently. It turned out to be news from someone in the small circle of those at the Innate Qi Realm. [Cui Pangui: Brother Zhuang, you've broken through to the second level of the Innate Qi Realm?! And you were in the Funiu Mountains, fighting with Ming Guangxie over a treasure?!]

From the tone of his words, one could tell that Cui Pangui was shocked, considering that he was only at the first level of the Innate Qi Realm.

If Li Tingguan and others broke through, he could comfort himself by saying that it was because he was a 'naturalist' and hadn't taken any pills to break through bottlenecks. But Zhuang Jin—he had personally witnessed Zhuang Jin join the circle, so he had a condescending attitude towards him, regarding him as a junior member of the circle.

But this younger brother has surpassed him in just two years. The contrast between the people around him before and after is a huge blow, and it has even shaken his belief that he should not take the breakthrough pill.

[Li Tingguan: Congratulations, Brother Zhuang, on breaking through to the second level of the Innate Qi Realm. However, what exactly happened between you and Ming Guangxie in the Funiu Mountains, where you were fighting over a treasure? Brother Zhuang should keep an eye on this matter.]

Zong Dai and Xi Guiling also offered their congratulations, saying that they would hold a celebration after the tide of vitality ended, while also offering similar subtle reminders.

In addition to these, Shen Tu Biao left another message saying that there had been new progress on what Zhuang Jin had asked him to do, but that they would discuss it later and that Zhuang Jin could take care of his own affairs first.

Only Qin Douzhan, because among the seven people in the small circle, he and Qin Douzhan had not been in contact with the Roundtable Meeting, but later banded together for mutual support, so their relationship was relatively close, and they spoke more directly.

[Qin Douzhan: Ming Guangxie claims that a treasure was discovered in the Funiu Mountains. Brother Zhuang, you arrived later and attempted to steal it, even joining forces with two Six-Fu Realm beasts to attack him... Now, there's a lot of criticism of Brother Zhuang in various circles of the Innate Qi Realm. However, I don't believe this. Brother Zhuang, when you return and see this, you should come out and explain.]

These messages mainly revolve around two points. First, Zhuang Jin's breakthrough to the second level of the Innate Qi Realm shocked and delighted those in the small circle.

—When he broke through, it was already the 27th of last month, the end of the month. The energy tide had begun this month, and there was no gathering. The other six people in the small circle really didn't know that before.

Secondly, he inquired about the matter with Ming Guangxie.

Well, the first thing was that he broke through his own limits, and Zhuang Jin had expected the shock from the people in his small circle. What he didn't expect was the second point: that Ming Guanglie could be so shameless.

"It's true that Ming Guangxie discovered the Wind Spirit Orb first, and it's also true that I attacked him along with the Wind Thunder Bird and the Unicorn, both Six-Fu Realm beasts. These are all facts. But why doesn't Ming Guangxie mention it? He arrived first but simply hid, waiting for the Wind Spirit Orb to appear. Only after I severely injured the two Six-Fu Realm beasts with my Qi Bomb did he go and reap the rewards?"

Zhuang Jin laughed in anger, and couldn't help but applaud Ming Guangxie's distorted and fabricated "essay". Although he didn't say anything about "this person's way to death", he was indeed truly determined to kill him at this moment.

The treasures in the Funiu Mountains were unclaimed, and everyone relied on their own abilities. Ming Guangxie was more skilled and snatched the peaches from his hands. What he had thought before was just to write down in his little notebook and get back at him.

But now they are manipulating public opinion, turning the tables on him, ruining his reputation, and engaging in disguised "online exposure"—this is simply intolerable!

'Within the city, the Heavenly Bureau restricts actions; it's a two-way street. Since Ming Guanglie obtained the Wind Spirit Pearl, he's unlikely to enter the Funiu Mountains again anytime soon.'

'However, we can't leave without collecting some interest first! You think you're the only one who can write short essays? Heh, in this respect, I'm your granddaddy!'

Zhuang Jin immediately wrote a similar 'short essay' and sent it to people in her small circle, asking them to help forward it.

His "short essay" has three main points.

Firstly, by recounting the true events, one can salvage their reputation. With each side presenting their own version of events, public opinion will at least not be one-sided. Especially among martial artists at the Innate Qi Realm, no one is foolish; opinions will vary.

Secondly, Ming Guangxie had previously only said that he was fighting for rare and precious materials, but he did not specify that it was the Wind Spirit Pearl. At this moment, Zhuang Jin directly pointed it out - 'I'll say it for you, you're welcome', which aroused the jealousy and covetousness of others towards Ming Guangxie.

Thirdly, you said that I joined forces with two Six-Fu Realm beasts to attack you, so I'll go along with what you said and emphasize this point: I am only at the second level of the Innate Qi Realm, and under the combined attack of two Six-Fu Realm beasts, one tempering three Fu and one tempering four Fu, you, Ming Guanglie, managed to escape unscathed. That's quite an achievement. I'm subtly boasting about your prowess.

This serves two purposes: to portray himself as "useless," to cultivate an image that gives the impression that "Zhuang Jin is indeed worthy of cultivating the Black Fiend Technique; even if he breaks through to the second level of the Innate Qi Realm, he is nothing special," and at the same time, to elevate Ming Guangxie and thus undermine him through flattery.

With your exceptional talent and strength, Ming Guangxie, and now that you've obtained the Wind Spirit Pearl, a rare and precious material with refined attributes, breaking through to the third level of the Innate Qi Realm is practically a certainty.

Such a prodigy, such a genius—what are you going to think of the Heavenly Bureau? What are you going to think of the three great families? What are you going to think of the state government?
This is absolutely devastating!
……

In any era, feuds and gossip always generate a lot of buzz. Here, Ming Guangxie called out Zhuang Jin, portraying himself as a victim. Zhuang Jin, however, didn't hold back and immediately responded with a long essay, pushing this "Zhuang-Ming battle" to its climax.

Soon, the two 'little essays' spread like wildfire within the Innate Qi Realm circle, and then quickly broke through to the higher Innate Corpse Severing Realm circle, as well as the lower Innate True Qi Realm circle, sparking countless debates and expressions, giving these people a great time watching the drama unfold.

—As for those in lower circles, sorry, this gossip is too big for them to handle, just as they are not worthy of knowing the truth about the first-class women of the Ascension Pavilion.

Ming Guangxie also had his own circle of friends, and he quickly saw Zhuang Jin's reply. He realized the sinister intentions behind it and slammed his fist on the table in anger: "This Zhuang Jin has gone too far in bullying me!"

So what if I snatched a Wind Spirit Pearl from you? So what if I omitted some details and mentioned you? Does Zhuang Jin have to be so petty and vindictive?
Look at what this is written! It's as if they're afraid others won't know how amazing he is; this is going to kill him!
"Master, the Xuantian Division has sent word that you have any plans to auction the Wind Spirit Pearl you obtained at next month's auction?" a servant reported.

Upon hearing this, Ming Guangxie felt a chill run down his spine and his scalp tingled. After forcing himself to calm down, he reluctantly refused, sent the servant away, and then overturned the table.

He knew he was being targeted by the Suspended Heaven Division, and his hatred for Zhuang Jin reached its peak: 'Now, if I leave the city and enter the Funiu Mountains, I'm very likely to encounter an "accident." Zhuang Jin, you're so vicious! I'm in this mess because of you.'

"Ahhh, once I refine the Wind Spirit Pearl, condense its attributes, and break through the bottleneck to reach the third level of the Innate Qi Realm, Zhuang Jin, I will make sure you die! Die!"

……

'We need to find a way to completely kill that Ming Guanglue.'

Upon returning and learning of Ming Guangxie's disgusting actions, Zhuang Jin knew that the conflict between the two was irreconcilable. She wouldn't fantasize about a peaceful resolution. When dealing with enemies, one should be ruthless, like sweeping away fallen leaves in autumn. After pushing the other party into the limelight with a short essay, she was already thinking about how to eliminate them completely.

"Ming Guanglie is probably being watched by the Xuantian Division now. If he dares to go to sparsely populated areas, he'll likely be caught off guard. He's currently preoccupied with his own survival and has to keep a low profile. However, it's also true that he obtained the Wind Spirit Pearl and refined familiar natural treasures, gaining significant benefits."

"It may take this person several months to refine the Wind Spirit Pearl and condense its attributes, breaking through the bottleneck from the second to the third realm. It could take as little as a year and a half, or as long as three to five years. We can't rely on luck; I should be optimistic and prepare accordingly."

Zhuang Jin thought to himself, changing his plan: 'Taking advantage of this window of opportunity, I'll complete the preparations first. If I can't find suitable rare and precious materials for condensing attributes during this month of primordial energy surge, then I'll use the backup plan: condensing beast cores.'

'Once the primordial energy tide subsides, and things aren't as chaotic as they are now, with beasts running rampant, but instead returning to their respective territories, I will enter the Funiu Mountains to hunt ice-attribute beasts.'

'After obtaining the beast core, return to the state capital and never leave the third ring road of the city until you reach the third level of the Innate Qi Realm, or even the Corpse Severing Realm. Then, you can properly repay Ming Guanglie.'

……

(End of this chapter)