The fairy forced me to marry into her family, so I retorted by throwing myself into the Pool of Fate

"Huang Duchuan, why aren't you staying at the Huang family's place? What are you doing here on my Mu family's territory?" Mu Chongming shouted angrily.

"Uncle Chongming, that's too formal. I heard that your daughter is looking for a husband recently, so I came to offer a gift."

As soon as Huang Duchuan finished speaking, he turned to look at Li Ping with an unfriendly gaze.

One Mu Shi'an is bad enough, but now another one is coming?

Li Ping felt bitter inside, and silently lifted his foot to protect his father-in-law in front of him.

"Huang Duchuan, this is not a place for you to run wild," Mu Chongming warned in a deep voice.

"Uncle, you've misunderstood me." Huang Duchuan looked aggrieved. "I made this special trip just to see Yuebai's new husband and to vet him for her, so that she doesn't end up with the wrong person."

"Enough." Mu Chongming's face darkened, and he said no more. He took out a fiery red talisman from his hand. "If you don't leave, I will inform the clan."

"Fine, since Uncle doesn't appreciate it." Huang Duchuan's expression changed, and he suddenly became ruthless. "Then I'll do it myself."

Before he finished speaking, he had already stepped onto the water, his gaze sharp as a knife, landing directly on Li Ping.

Without hesitation, Mu Chongming pushed off the rocks and shot forward towards Huangduchuan.

At the same time, he threw the fiery red talisman into the air, which exploded into a bright burst of fire.

"Uncle, I am at the late stage of Qi Refining. If you act so recklessly, don't blame me for breaking your bones."

Huang Duchuan smiled coldly, his palm condensing into a visible burst of energy, which he then unleashed with a palm strike.

Mu Chongming groaned, feeling as if he had been hit by a heavy hammer, and flew backward, landing awkwardly back on the pile of rocks.

"Father-in-law..." Li Ping asked with concern.

"It's alright." Mu Chongming took off his tattered robes, revealing the gold-threaded inner armor underneath.

"I forgot that Uncle is very wealthy and has many magical artifacts and talismans on him." Huang Duchuan was somewhat surprised. "Hmm, this skeleton is probably not easy to break."

"Stop talking nonsense, let's fight!"

Mu Chongming's face turned fierce. He turned around and sent a telepathic message before heading straight for Huangduchuan.

The two clashed again, their magical power surging and creating waves on the sea.

Relying on his endless supply of talismans and magical artifacts, Mu Chongming launched a fierce attack, which for a time forced Huang Duchuan into a state of chaos.

However, Huang Duchuan was in the late stage of Qi Refining. Although he looked disheveled, his movements were not disordered at all. The talisman attacks did not leave any marks on him.

It is obvious that all we need to do is wait for an opening, when Mu Chongming relaxes his guard, and the situation will surely reverse.

Li Ping saw the scene amidst the pile of rocks and felt anxious.

An idea popped into my head uncontrollably: run away?

He subconsciously looked around, then suddenly frowned.

"Huang Duchuan has come alone; he will surely come to my aid. If I run away..."

Li Ping was startled. Looking back at the battlefield, he saw that Mu Chongming's movements had slowed down considerably.

Suddenly, Huang Duchuan seized the opportunity and punched Mu Chongming hard in the upper abdomen.

Mu Chongming coughed up a mouthful of blood and tried to struggle, but Huang Duchuan grabbed his neck and he couldn't move.

"Old man, do you really think you can stand up to me?"

Huang Duchuan's eyes blazed with malice, and he gradually increased the force in his hands.

Mu Chongming was suspended in the air, his face flushed, kicking his arms and legs wildly.

Just then, dozens of fireballs exploded out of thin air like meteors, engulfing Huang Duchuan and Mu Chongming.

Bang bang bang!

Flames and water vapor mingled, creating a cloud of mist.

Caught off guard, Huang Duchuan was thrown three zhang away by the shockwave.

As the mist dissipated, Li Ping, holding Mu Chongming in one arm and clutching a burnt-out talisman in the other, looked strangely at Huang Duchuan, who had regained his footing in the distance.

"Hmm, that was a bit too much force."

Huang Duchuan licked the blood from the corner of his mouth, then suddenly laughed: "I didn't come looking for you, but you delivered yourself to my doorstep. You have some nerve!"

Li Ping remained silent, only looking at his father-in-law and reassuring him, "It's alright now."

"Why did you do this?" Mu Chongming said bitterly.

"If the two of us join forces, we should be able to hold out until the Mu family arrives," Li Ping said calmly.

"This is the only way forward for now."

Mu Chongming nodded and immediately took the healing pills.

Although he had succeeded in his sneak attack with the Flowing Light Fire Talisman, Li Ping was well aware of his own strength.

In a direct confrontation, he would not only be ineffective, but would also be a burden.

Only by lurking outside the battle and waiting for an opportunity to launch a sneak attack can Huang Duchuan be made wary and dare not act recklessly.

The two exchanged a glance, and they understood each other's battle strategy.

Mu Chongming shouted and charged out first.

Li Ping followed closely behind, having quietly replaced the talisman in his hand with the golden arrow talisman.

Huang Duchuan's eyelids twitched when he saw this. He wanted to deal with Li Ping first, but Mu Chongming had already attacked.

The three instantly engaged in battle, their magical power surging on the sea, water columns shooting into the sky, and deafening roars echoing everywhere.

As Li Ping had predicted, Huang Duchuan remained wary of him as he kept watch from the sidelines.

Although he still suppressed Mu Chongming, he could no longer do as he pleased as before.

Li Ping gradually calmed down, but this action seemed like a provocation to Huang Duchuan.

Unable to tolerate it any longer, Huang Duchuan struck Mu Chongming away and then suddenly charged straight at Li Ping.

Using his escape technique, Li Ping only felt the person in front of him move erratically, and he couldn't even cast the talisman in his hand.

Moreover, the Golden Arrow Talisman is for attack; what's needed right now is a defensive measure.

"Oh right, water curtain spell."

Li Ping made a hand seal, and the seawater beneath his feet immediately churned, instantly condensing into a thick wall of water in front of him.

Huang Duchuan's desperate attack was shattered instantly by the hastily cast water curtain technique, which was no match for it.

The remaining force slammed into Li Ping, who groaned and was thrown into the water like a kite with a broken string.

But then, a sudden change occurred.

Li Ping felt a lightness in his body, as if the force from before had been slowly dissipated, as if the water curtain technique had not been broken.

"This is……"

"The essence of Xuan Shui, sensing the mysteries through water, and empowered by water-based magic—so that's how it is."

Li Ping calmed his mind and used his magic to emerge from the water.

Upon arriving, he saw Huang Duchuan staring intently at him, seemingly somewhat surprised.

Li Ping sensed something was wrong and immediately forced his meridians to vibrate, spitting out mouthfuls of foul blood.

"My dear son-in-law."

Mu Chongming shouted and quickly ran over to help Li Ping.

"It's nothing serious, just some internal injuries caused by the reversed flow of qi in the meridians."

Mu Chongming sighed, his face immediately turning pale.

Reversed flow of energy in the meridians usually indicates a mishap during practice, but when it occurs in combat, it means that the opponent's power has been forcibly injected into the body.

This is something that goes against the very essence of things.

Li Ping's aptitude was already poor, and now, after this ordeal, it's questionable whether he can even break through to the mid-stage of Qi Refining.

Mu Chongming dared not think about it, only felt guilty and wanted to make it up to Li Ping in the future.

Just then, another person appeared outside the battle.

"Young Master, the Mu family has arrived. Retreat immediately," the shadowy figure warned.

"disappointed."

Huang Duchuan's face darkened, and he gave Li Ping another deep look before summoning the treasure ship and leaving with the black shadow.

Only after watching the two disappear did Li Ping and his companion relax slightly.

If they continue fighting, the two of them will really die here.

Fortunately, the Mu family has arrived.

It's fortunate he didn't run away, otherwise that dark figure...

Li Ping dared not think about it and silently returned to the reef to recuperate.

Before long, a group of cultivators rushed over, led by Mu Yan and Mu Jin, who had come to propose marriage that day.

"Elder Chongming, what has happened?"

Mu Chongming waved his hand, signaling them to first send someone to guard the surroundings, before briefly recounting what had just happened.

"Are you alright? Should we go back to our clan to rest for a while?" Mu Jin asked with concern.

"I only suffered some minor injuries, but he..." Mu Chongming turned to look at Li Ping, then hesitated.

Just as Li Ping was about to explain, Mu Yan was furious: "That son of a bitch Huang Duchuan, how dare he come here and cause trouble? Does the Huang family want to start a war?"

His anger had not subsided, and he immediately wanted to lead a search party for Huang Duchuan. It took the three men a long time to persuade him to give up.

After resting on the rocks for a while, Li Ping thought about setting off again, but his father-in-law insisted that he return to his clan to seek medical treatment first. Li Ping tried his best to explain, but his father-in-law was too domineering.

On the way back, Li Ping sat at the bow of the boat to get some fresh air, silently reviewing the battle that had just taken place.

While it appeared that the two had joined forces to block Huang Duchuan, the process was extremely dangerous.

Whether it's the judgment of the move or Huang Duchuan's attack, one wrong step could cost you your life.

Moreover, he always felt that Huang Duchuan hadn't used his full strength and had no intention of killing them at all.

Otherwise, how could a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator not be able to deal with two small fry?

Furthermore, as the young master of the Huang family, how could he not have other means at his disposal?

"Feed".

Mu Yan came to the bow of the boat and plopped down next to Li Ping: "I didn't expect you to have some guts, you didn't actually run away."

"It was just to save my life," Li Ping said modestly.

"Stop with the nonsense," Mu Yan said casually. "Let's just do it, there's no need to be modest."

"If it were me, I would make sure that all eight islands in the outer sea know about this, and make Huang Duchuan lose all face."

Li Ping chuckled softly, unsure how to respond.

Mu Yan patted his shoulder and said in a deep voice, "You're just the way I am. From now on, we're friends. Don't hesitate to come to me if you need anything."

"Then how about you call me son-in-law?"