There were so many people present.

Except for Han Juan and Wu Lie.

Almost everyone was stunned.

They had never expected such a situation.

When Wu Lie unleashed his power far beyond his usual level, it had already exceeded everyone's expectations. They thought Ying Wuji would be defeated instantly in this situation.

After all, Ying Wuji's actual strength was far inferior.

It was not something a sword spirit could make up for.

But this sword spirit...

Damn, it's not an ordinary sword spirit at all!

Other sword spirits enhance the strength of the blade and release cunning or terrifying sword intent.

But this sword spirit directly attacks with the sword!

And the sword technique is like a fierce storm, a constantly changing and unpredictable storm. The sword moves are not like a stone falling from the sky, but more like a flock of birds flying in the mountain wind, making it impossible to grasp the changes in the sword path.

This sword spirit is a master of swordsmanship.

At first, Wu Lie could still compete evenly, but as the battle went on, he became more and more embarrassed and could only barely defend himself.

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Despite having great skills, he couldn't fully utilize them.

He felt extremely frustrated.

The difference in sword techniques was too great.

What's more, Han Juan didn't even have a physical body, so this competition was inherently unfair.

"Damn it!"

Wu Lie cursed inwardly.

While hastily blocking with his sword, he inadvertently glanced at Ying Wuji.

"Chi!"

In that brief moment of distraction, a fierce wound appeared.

On his back.

Not serious.

But it looked extremely vivid with the flesh torn open.

Wu Lie didn't even furrow his brows. He looked at Han Juan, who continued to attack with his sword, with a calm expression. The energy around him increased significantly, and each sword strike became more than twice as powerful.

"Clang!"

"Clang!"

"Clang!"

The sound of swords was piercing, making people's teeth ache.

Everyone knew that Wu Lie was going all out. This kind of energy consumption could only last for about twenty breaths of time.

He must have realized it.

No more useless dodging, he should attack the sword directly with his strongest power!

Blood burst out from the tiger's mouth holding the sword.

But Wu Lie's face showed a brilliant smile.

Because he also had a significant impact on Han Juan. The sword hummed, and the qi covering it was no longer immovable like before, but seemed to be on the verge of dispersing.

However, Han Juan remained calm, without any hindrance in his sword moves.

Despite the gradual dissipation of his energy, the sword emitted a mournful cry.

But he continued to attack relentlessly, as if he firmly believed that offense was the best defense.

One breath.

Two breaths.

Three breaths.

...

Fifteen breaths.

The energy in Han Juan's sword body still showed signs of dispersing.

On the other hand, Wu Lie's arm holding the sword trembled slightly, but the strength of each sword strike did not diminish. In fact, it became more and more rigid.

This was the inevitable result of using brute force.

Just when everyone thought Wu Lie was about to be overwhelmed.

Wu Lie suddenly rushed towards Han Juan, his left hand, like a fan, fiercely grabbing at the hilt of his sword.

Han Juan's gaze narrowed. Was he trying to snatch the sword?

But wouldn't that leave himself wide open?

Without any hesitation, Han Juan stabbed directly at Wu Lie's heart. In doing so, his right hand would naturally hold the sword to block, and his left hand would lose its mobility.

But Wu Lie didn't block.

After his heart was targeted.

He twisted his body.

The long sword that was his lifeline was thrown away.

The left hand that was supposed to grab the sword hilt suddenly clenched in mid-air.

"Rise!"

A series of sonic booms resounded in the distance.

Everyone was stunned: What is he doing?

The next moment, everyone realized.

This move looked familiar. Wasn't it the same as before, when he was about to kill Ying Wuji?

Huh?

There's another Ying Wuji on the battlefield?

They were all confused just now, thinking that it was a battle between Wu Lie and Han Juan.

Everyone turned their heads and saw a cage formed by forty-nine strands of energy rising from the ground. Even the most powerful experts would be unable to escape once they were trapped inside.

And his long sword.

Flying through the air with an extremely domineering posture.

All experts below the Martial Realm couldn't withstand it. Once they made contact with the tip of the sword, they would undoubtedly be pierced through.

This was a deadly situation.

Unfortunately...

Ying Wuji was not in the cage.

In the instant before the energy cage was formed, he had already escaped using the Seven Star Steps.

This person is too cautious.

Even if he's just watching, he always remains vigilant.

No!

He's not just watching.

It seems that Wu Lie's real opponent is him, a despicable sword user.

Everyone: "..."

Wu Lie: "..."

"Clang!"

The long sword fell empty and pierced directly into the stone wall. The strength of the sword was so great that even the stone wall couldn't withstand it.

It went in all the way.

If it had been inserted into his own body, it would have been a soul-crushing death.

This Wu Lie, although his overall strength is not strong, he even has some weaknesses.

But this move of individual control and a lethal strike, even Ying Wuque would suffer a great loss if he didn't pay attention.

Unfortunately, although the method of setting up the energy cage was concealed, it was still a pipe dream to silently surround me with qi.

"Chi!"

When the sword penetrated the stone wall.

Han Juan's long sword also pierced through Wu Lie's body.

Right in the left chest, less than a finger's width away from the heart.

As long as Han Juan wanted to, a horizontal cut or a slight movement of the sword would result in his heart being shattered.

"Hoo..."

Wu Lie exhaled heavily, his face pale as paper, and sweat dripping down.

His entire body was depleted of energy.

This feeling of powerlessness made him almost go crazy, but he didn't even have the strength to go crazy.

He shook his head in despair. "I lost, go ahead and kill me!"

"Chi!"

Another sound of the sword cutting through flesh and skin.

But it wasn't a killing blow.

Han Juan pulled out his long sword, and his spiritual body turned into a green smoke, diving into the sword. Then, the sword flew straight towards Ying Wuji, entering the scabbard without deviation.

Wu Lie sat down on the ground with a thump.

He listened to the footsteps approaching slowly.

He raised his head and asked in surprise, "Aren't you going to kill me?"

Ying Wuji thought for a moment and said lightly, "I don't kill the weak!"

Wu Lie took a cold breath, "Hiss..."

The crowd outside also took a cold breath.

"Hiss..."

At this moment.

The voice of Qing Xu Daochang sounded, "Why are you so shameless?"

Ying Wuji: "..."

The scene fell silent for a while.

Qing Xu Daochang adjusted his mood and announced the result, "Ying Wuji wins!"

Everyone: "..."

Damn it.

Han Juan and Wu Lie fought for a whole match.

And Ying Wuji won.

Who can he reason with?

Ying Wuji glanced at the long sword in his hand with resentment and couldn't help but curse, "Brother Juan, you're damn it!"

The mountain stream in the formation disappeared without a trace, and the arena returned to its original ten-zhang square size.

He looked around and met many disdainful gazes.

He scratched his head.

Pretend not to see.

He smiled and left the Hanguang Formation as the victor.

Wu Lie staggered to his feet, looking at the blood hole on his left chest, and fell into confusion.

He lost.

Lost nearly 170,000 taels.

Lost only three years of lifespan.

And lost one of the few opportunities for the Kingdom of Wu.

He didn't know how he left the Hanguang Formation. He only remembered that he passed out directly when he returned to his seat.

Qing Xu Daochang read expressionlessly, "Next match, Han Liu against Huang Dudu!"

Han Liu and an unknown swordsman entered the formation one after another.

Another duel began.

Ying Wuji had just returned to his seat and turned his head to smile at Zhao Ning, "Your Highness, am I awesome?"

Zhao Ning: "..."

To be honest.

She was quite happy.

Although she felt a bit embarrassed.

But she really didn't expect Han Juan to be so strong.

The thirteen layers of condensed Lingtai gathered by spiritual cultivation were beyond the understanding of ordinary cultivators.

There were only two ways to defeat Han Juan.

Either use a powerful spiritual attack to directly harm him.

Or destroy Han Juan's sword body in some other way.

Unfortunately.

Han Juan was originally a spiritual cultivator. In terms of spiritual power, he had few rivals in the Embryonic Transformation Realm. It would be difficult to hurt him, and there was a high probability of humiliating oneself, just like Wu Lie.

So.

They could only start with the sword body.

Zhao Ning sighed lightly, "Wuji! Don't rely too much on the Sword Spirit. Although he is strong, he is not invincible."

Ying Wuque's Holy Grade Lingtai goes without saying. Even I can crush his sword body with the Emperor's Body.

And Ji Sanxi, the symbol forged by the Nine Flames Absolute Pulse, can condense the Nine Flames True Fire. This is a divine object for refining tools and will also cause great damage to the sword body.

There are also many spells that can restrict his movements even if they can't directly confront Han Juan.

By then, you will be in danger."

Ying Wuji nodded with a smile, "Don't worry! Han Juan's energy exceeds your imagination. He hasn't used any spells today!"

Zhao Ning choked.

That's true!

Han Juan didn't even use any spells in his match against Wu Lie.

And as a disciple of the Supreme Observer, he had condensed thirteen layers of Lingtai, and his best skill should be spells.

Even if they really encountered the situations she mentioned, it was unlikely that Han Juan would be at a disadvantage.

Zhao Ning couldn't help but smile, "So, as the Sword Master, you are really free."

Ying Wuji nodded with a smile, "Besides being a bit embarrassing, there are no other disadvantages."

Zhao Ning asked, "Are you afraid of embarrassment?"

Ying Wuji: "Not afraid!"

Zhao Ning: "..."

Seeing Ying Wuji's thick-skinned face, she felt relieved.

Because in her heart, Ying Wuji was a literary person and didn't need to engage in fighting and killing.

If he got injured.

She would feel distressed.

Based on Han Juan's current performance, he might not be able to defeat Ji Su and Nan Gongyu.

As for the next two matches.

One didn't seem to have any masters.

The other match was probably between herself, Mi Xingli, and Ying Wuque.

Mi Xingli was unlikely to win. If it was herself, she would directly forfeit.

If it was Ying Wuque.

She would surrender directly by hitting Ying Wuji's head.

No one understood the horror of Zhuan Xu's Emperor's Body better than her, not to mention that Ying Wuque had also broken through to the thirteenth layer of refining essence.

That's fine.

Ying Wuji looked at his own sword and couldn't help but complain in his heart: Who said I'm not afraid of embarrassment? Who said I'm not afraid of embarrassment?

He transmitted his thoughts, "Brother Juan, what's wrong with you? Just poke that guy, no need to reveal the Sword Spirit. It's embarrassing for me!"

Han Juan sounded a little helpless, "I used to practice swordsmanship with my hands. I'm not familiar with using my body as a sword after just starting on the path of spiritual cultivation. Master told me to do my best, so I can only do my best."

Ying Wuji: "..."

There is some truth to that.

I can't even play Super Mario in a first-person perspective.

Let alone such complicated swordsmanship.

He agreed with this reason.

But it still felt a bit strange.

Bored, the second match ended. Han Liu easily eliminated Huang Dudu and became Ying Wuji's next opponent.

However, Ying Wuji didn't pay much attention to it. After all, this Han Liu was only a second-grade Lingtai cultivator. The only tricky thing about him was his strange dual-handed sword technique.

Every move was aimed at the opponent's waist.

Huang Dudu was stabbed in the waist and took the initiative to surrender.

It didn't matter.

Han Juan would make a move.

Soon, the first day of the Sword Immortal Conference came to an end.

Except for the first match, the other matches were somewhat lackluster.

Either it was a battle between rookies.

Or it was a one-sided crushing by experts.

It made people sleepy.

Fortunately, Qing Xu Dao Ren wasn't particularly strict. When the sun was about to set, he packed up and went off work.

Others also dispersed, ready to continue tomorrow. At this rate, the first round alone would take about eight days.

Ying Wuji stood up and stretched lazily, ready to leave.

But he found a group of people staring at him with unfriendly eyes.He smiled and waved the long sword in his hand at them.

The group of people became disinterested and glared at him fiercely before dispersing.

"Your Highness, do you still need to cultivate?"

Ying Wuji looked at Zhao Ning.

"Yes!"

Zhao Ning nodded, feeling somewhat helpless.

These days, she had made quite a lot of progress in her seclusion. Since condensing a first-grade spiritual fetus, her ability to comprehend had reached a new stage, and she had made significant progress in some advanced spells and techniques that she had previously struggled to understand.

Especially after Zhuanxu Emperor's body had been formed, her comprehension ability had reached an even higher level.

Things that she couldn't learn before, she had learned several of them in just a few days.

However, she had already learned everything she needed to learn and had entered a bottleneck period.

But Zhao Ji still demanded that she continue practicing without stopping.

Not to improve her strength.

But to rid herself of distractions.

At the very least, she couldn't become a weak woman manipulated by Zhao Ji's emotions.

"Alright!"

Ying Wuji felt a bit regretful. He waved his hand at her and left the palace directly.

Then he turned and entered the Qingjiang Palace.

To find Tang Tang for some extra lessons.

...

"Damn it!"

"This is simply unreasonable."

"This Han Juan, he won't let anyone live in peace!"

Drunk Immortal Tower.

The group of talented individuals with the surname Ji were filled with anger.

But.

It was more accurate to say that they were in panic.

Han Juan's performance was too strong, to the point of causing panic.

In order to win, Wu Lie even resorted to taking the Qiantan Pill, forcibly raising his spiritual fetus to the level of a first-grade spiritual fetus. However, he had no resistance against Han Juan.

While there were reasons such as Wu Lie's severe specialization and the strange circumstances he encountered that made it difficult to make a move, everyone wasn't blind.

They wouldn't attribute all the reasons for their failure to Wu Lie.

The main reason was that Han Juan was too strong!

Just his strange and elusive yet extremely sharp swordsmanship was not something an ordinary person could defend against.

If it were someone else, they might not have done any better than Wu Lie. At least they launched an attack at the last moment. If it weren't for Ying Wuji being too cunning, it was very likely that he would have succeeded.

So...

What should they do next?

Everyone looked at Han Liu, "Han Liu, can you defeat Ying Wuji in the next round?"

Han Liu's face looked unpleasant.

He had just condensed a second-grade spiritual fetus and was already one of the top young experts in the clan. He originally thought that he could at least exchange a few moves with Ying Wuji, but he found that he couldn't even defeat a sword spirit.

Han Juan had already become a spiritual body.

He seemed silent, as if he had no brain.

But he was completely a killing machine without emotions.

This...

Even if he took drugs, he still couldn't defeat him!

Originally, Han Zhe sent him to fight with his life, in order to save the precarious position of the Han Zhe family.

For the position of Han King.

He had to fight!

But after seeing Han Juan's performance, Han Zhe himself gave up. He just wanted him to do his best and ensure his own survival.

The appearance of the sword spirit Han Juan.

Would definitely make Han Zhe's situation even worse, but there was no other way. There shouldn't be any unnecessary sacrifices.

Looking at Han Liu's appearance, everyone understood what he meant.

They also glanced at the genius from the Wei family, whose expression was exactly the same.

Both the Wei and Han families had a strong foundation.

Their armies were formidable.

But they were probably dependent on others and hadn't established their own country, so their bloodlines were restricted, resulting in few top talents being born.

It would be difficult for them to harm Ying Wuji.

What about the Yan Kingdom?

Everyone looked at the expert from the Yan Kingdom, and he shook his head with a serious expression.

"Lord Su, what do you think?"

Nangong Yu looked at Ji Su.

Ji Su pondered for a moment, "Wu Lie's cultivation was ultimately forced, although his actual strength is not bad, it is far from reaching the standard of a genius. It's understandable that he lost to Han Juan."

Based on Han Juan's current performance, I am confident that I can easily deal with him using the Nine Flame True Fire.

Even if he uses Daoist spells, I am confident in dealing with them.

But... there is still Ying Wuji."

After resurrecting once, his character became much more stable, and he became more rational in dealing with problems.

Han Juan didn't give him the feeling of being unbeatable.

But the key was to deal with Han Juan while also killing Ying Wuji.

This... is very difficult to achieve.

Ji Su looked at Nangong Yu, "Brother Nangong, what about you?"

Nangong Yu had originally thought that if Ji Su pretended, he wouldn't mind pretending as well.

But he didn't expect Ji Su to speak so objectively.

After thinking for a moment, he could only say a more objective statement, "I'm the same!"

"So, what should we do?"

Everyone looked at each other.

Ji Su remained calm, "No rush! Wait for someone!"

Everyone was puzzled, "Wait for someone? Who?"

As soon as the words fell.

An apparition appeared out of thin air in the air.

The apparition gradually solidified into a physical body.

White hair.

Plain Daoist robe.

Looking like an immortal.

He sat down with a faint smile on the empty main seat, "They say that the food and wine at the Drunk Immortal Tower are the best in Jiangcheng, and now it seems to be true."

As he spoke.

He began to eat with his chopsticks.

Everyone: "Hiss..."

Qing Xu Daoist?

They understood.

After all, Han Juan was Qing Xu Daoist's disciple. If he intervened...

No!

Han Juan had already become a sword spirit, and he seemed to have lost most of his spiritual intelligence. It was unknown how much he had left. Using the name of his master, Qing Xu Daoist, probably wouldn't be able to do much.

But let's say, even if Qing Xu Daoist wasn't Han Juan's master, he was still the host of the Sword Immortal Conference.

He could simply prohibit the participation of sword spirits.

Nangong Yu couldn't help but say, "Senior, we..."

Qing Xu Daoist directly raised five fingers, interrupting him, "Five hundred thousand taels, no less! If it's less, there's no need to talk!"

Nangong Yu: "..."

Ji Su: "..."

Everyone present: "..."

This Daoist.

He's really all about the money!

Five hundred thousand taels!

Five hundred thousand taels of silver, enough to empty the treasury of a small country.

Even for a common large country, it was a considerable expenditure.

If it was divided among several countries, it would naturally be less.

But just now, they had just taken out one million taels!

And Wu Lie was eliminated too quickly, so there was one less person to share the cost.

Who can bear this?Ji Su frowned slightly, "Can you reduce it a bit?"

"No way!"

Qing Xu Daochang gnawed on the lamb leg with relish, waving his greasy hand, "No matter what, Han Juan used to be my personal disciple. Even if he becomes a Sword Spirit, as his master, I hope he can become the most powerful Sword Spirit.

Prohibiting his appearance.

That would harm his future!

Five hundred thousand taels is not much.

I didn't even think about increasing the price, I'm already showing restraint!"

"Well..."

Everyone looked at each other.

But in the end, no one spoke up.

Seeing this, Qing Xu Daochang didn't insist, and just finished eating the lamb leg, then put down the clean lamb bone.

He smiled at everyone, "In business, the most taboo thing is forced buying and selling. I won't force you, you can come find me anytime when you've figured it out.

But I still advise you all.

Even if my disciple becomes a Sword Spirit, he is still very strong.

Although it's fifty thousand taels now.

But when divided among everyone, it's not much money.

Eliminating one person.

The person sharing the cost will be one less.

So think carefully!"

After saying that.

His figure gradually faded and disappeared in the room.

This kind of body-shifting technique is simply astonishing.

But the people present obviously had no interest in magic anymore.

Five hundred thousand taels.

Discarding Han Juan.

Will they do it or not?

If Han Juan is discarded, relying solely on Wuji, a second-grade Spirit Fetus, there is no chance of winning all the way.

However...

Han Liu turned and left, "The Han family won't do it!"

Now there are only five families left.

Each family is ten thousand taels.

The money from the previous round was taken out of Han Zhe's private treasury to avoid worsening his negative influence.

But now, Han Zhe's private treasury can't afford so much money anymore. If it comes from the Han family's account, it will worsen Han Zhe's already unfavorable situation.

In addition, even if Han Juan is gone, it's not certain that Wuji, a second-grade Spirit Fetus, can defeat Ying Wuji.

It's not worth it!

Han Liu left.

Leaving only four families.

Ten thousand taels became one hundred and twenty-five thousand taels.

The pressure on Wei's genius increased suddenly, hesitating for a moment, "The Wei family won't participate either!"

After saying that, he turned and left. No matter how wealthy the family is, they can't afford such a loss.

Now there are only three families left.

The genius from Yan Kingdom hesitated for a moment, sighed, and left as well.

Only Ji Su and Nan Gongyu looked at each other.

Twenty-five thousand taels for one family.

It's really difficult to bear.

Nan Gongyu asked, "Lord Su, what do you think..."

Ji Su asked back, "Do you think our Flame Kingdom can afford it?"

Nan Gongyu: "..."

Indeed.

In the previous battle, the Flame Kingdom had already suffered a loss of vitality, and the national treasury was empty.

The Jade Soap was popular among the nobles throughout the Central Plains.

All the major royal families did not stop it.

Only the Flame Kingdom's royal family prohibited all the nobles in the country from buying Jade Soap, which shows how difficult the situation is.

Nan Gongyu was a bit unwilling, "But the opportunity to kill the 'Second Saint' is right in front of us..."

Ji Su waved his hand, "Don't talk about the Second Saint, even the Great Saint is useless! Even if we win, we will only be the leader of the Ji clan below Emperor Zhou. But if we take out twenty-five thousand taels, the Flame Kingdom's treasury will collapse.

I understand what's more important!

Besides, even if Han Juan is gone, I might still be able to kill Ying Wuji."

What he said was true.

The only one who could make him wary was Han Juan.

But if he was ruthless, he might be able to kill Ying Wuji at the risk of serious injury.

The chance was not great.

But it was definitely not small.

He believed in the terror of the Nine Flame True Fire. If it couldn't restrain the Sword Spirit, could it not restrain the Sword Body?

Of course.

He couldn't help but feel a little nervous.

He was about to turn around and leave.

But Nan Gongyu stopped him, "Lord Su! If the Flame Kingdom takes only ten thousand taels, the remaining forty thousand taels will be covered by the Zhou royal family! How about that?"

Ji Su paused for a moment, looking hesitant.

Ten thousand taels.

The Flame Kingdom could handle it.

Without Han Juan, Ying Wuji would be like a toothless dog, no matter how fierce, he wouldn't be his opponent.

He had confidence in his first-grade Spirit Fetus and the Nine Flame Absolute Pulse.

Taking only ten thousand taels, he could defeat Ying Wuji and take the position of the Ji clan leader.

It was profitable.

But he hesitated for a moment, "Let's see how Han Juan performs in the next few matches, no rush!"

"Alright!"

Nan Gongyu nodded, watched him leave, and then sat down slowly.

He was trembling.

Forty thousand taels.

Plus the nearly one hundred and seventy thousand taels from before.

It was already close to the limit authorized by the Zhou royal family.

Even these numbers, the Zhou royal family couldn't come up with the money. They had to exchange a part of the resources they had accumulated for hundreds or thousands of years of cultivation.

"Phew..."

Nan Gongyu let out a long breath.

The Ji clan alliance?

We have no chance.

It all depends on the Zhou royal family spending money.

But there was no other way.

In this world, no outsider could understand the panic of the Zhou royal family.

The overall situation!

The Second Saint!

Since the integration of the Yin and Yang schools of thought, the Daoist divination has become more accurate one after another.

Now the two strongest schools of thought in Daoism were both the lowest of the low.

The Zhou royal family also had divination.

But it was also the lowest of the low.

If they wanted to change their destiny.

They could only spend money like crazy.

...

The first round lasted a total of eight days.

The second round lasted five days.

The third round lasted three days.

The fourth round lasted two days.

The number of matches became fewer and fewer, but the battles became more and more intense.

When experts fought, it wouldn't be decided in a short moment. Some people, although their Spirit Fetus grade was not particularly high, already showed the demeanor of a grandmaster in battle.

Spirit Fetus grade was an innate advantage.

Being one grade higher was an insurmountable obstacle.

But it didn't represent everything.

In just over ten days, there were several cases of crossing the Spirit Fetus grade and counter-killing with terrifying combat skills.

Unfortunately... there were no first-grade Spirit Fetuses among them.

Han Juan was not among them either.

Four consecutive rounds.

All were one-sided crushing victories.

Han, Wei, and Yan were all defeated one after another.

Their performance was even worse than Wu Lie in the first round.The most outrageous thing is that the genius from the Yan Kingdom didn't even fight against Han Juan. He tried to capture Ying Wuji with his body movement technique, but it was far inferior to the Seven Star Steps.

Helpless, he could only forcefully use spells to attack Han Juan.

Then, Han Juan tore apart the talismans drawn in mid-air.

For a moment,

The entire Chongli Palace was in an uproar.

Many people criticized Ying Wuji for his unskilled victory, saying that he only relied on his sword spirit and was not worthy of participating in the Sword Immortal Conference.

Letting such a scoundrel obtain the Hanguang Sword was simply a waste.

The condemnation continued wave after wave.

Qing Xu Daoist, however, remained unmoved and paid no attention to it.

But what was surprising was that,

Just one day later,

Qing Xu Daoist changed his attitude from being indifferent to severely criticizing Ying Wuji's shameless behavior, and forcibly deprived the sword spirit of the right to participate.

Everyone felt relieved.

Except for the Li royal family.

Zhao Ji almost couldn't hold back his anger and argued with Qing Xu Daoist in public, but Qing Xu Daoist displayed an extremely dominant attitude, and in the end, everything quieted down.

Others may not know about Han Juan's situation.

But didn't Qing Xu Daoist know?

Han Juan was not a sword spirit at all.

There was no benefit in continuing the argument.

"This old cow's nose must have taken money!"

Another day of the Sword Immortal Conference came to an end.

Zhao Ji was furious in the Chongli Palace. He couldn't understand how a monk could be so money-minded.

Zhao Ning's expression was not good either.

All their previous plans were based on the assumption that Wuji would have Han Juan's assistance.

But they never expected that in the end, Han Juan's master would betray them.

This is simply unreasonable!

She looked at Ying Wuji and took a deep breath. "Wuji! How about... forfeiting?"

The next battle is Ji Su.

And the battle after that is almost certainly Nan Gongyu.

Both of them are first-grade spirit fetuses, one is from the Nine Yan lineage, and the other is a body of innate earth virtue.

In terms of individual combat power,

Zhao Ning had a good chance of defeating them, but he didn't dare to make any definitive statements.

Ying Wuji, on the other hand, rarely fought directly with others. Although it was said that he often appeared in the Lingwu Divine Domain, he never mentioned his chances of winning, perhaps because they were too low to mention!

Moreover,

Fighting in reality is different from the Lingwu Divine Domain.

She felt that Ying Wuji had no chance of winning.

Instead of taking the risk, it would be better to forfeit directly.

"No need!"

Ying Wuji smiled and waved his hand. "Although these two are strong, it doesn't mean that I will definitely lose."

Zhao Ji's expression became serious. "Wuji! Don't be careless. These people are here to kill you. What if..."

Before he could finish his sentence,

Ying Wuji's figure disappeared in front of the two of them.

Even his aura disappeared along with him.

But his voice was still close by. "If there's a real problem, I'll run!"

Zhao Ji: "..."

Zhao Ning: "..."

The father and daughter looked at each other and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Seventy-Two Earthly Fiend Techniques · Invisibility.

The most powerful concealment technique in the world.

Although they didn't know where Ying Wuji learned it from, they had always known that he understood it. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to enter and leave the Qingjiang Palace without anyone knowing.

With it,

Even if he couldn't win, it would be difficult to harm him.

Zhao Ji patted his shoulder. "Have you made up your mind?"

Ying Wuji smiled and said, "I'll give it a try. I can't achieve anything without Han Juan."

"Alright!"

Zhao Ji nodded and pondered for a while. He took out a wooden figurine from his pocket and handed it to Ying Wuji.

This wooden figurine

Was the medium for his external incarnation technique.

Ying Wuji brought it with him when he went to Anyi City, but nothing happened, so he took it back.

This time, he had to give it to Ying Wuji. It was the last guarantee for his son-in-law's life.

With it,

He could rest assured.

Zhao Ji waved his hand with a smile. "Go!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Ying Wuji was moved and bowed before leaving.

On the way,

He couldn't help but transmit his voice. "Brother Juan, I finally understand. Your master is really cunning! He made you act so high-profile, directly provoking public anger, and then took the money and used it against me."

Actually, he had noticed it since the second round when his haters suddenly increased.

This kind of provoking public anger.

Brother Juan would eventually be banned.

Damn it.

It's really annoying!

Qing Xu is such a money-making genius.

Han Juan's laughter was a bit awkward. "You figured it out..."

Ying Wuji grinned. "Doesn't your conscience hurt?"

Han Juan smiled awkwardly. "There's nothing I can do. In our Taoist temple, there are over a hundred senior brothers waiting to be fed. They're all waiting for this money to improve the grade of their spirit fetuses."

Damn it!

Ying Wuji was angry. "Then what about my Hanguang Sword? You guys owe me a Hanguang Sword!"

Han Juan fell silent for a moment and asked in return, "Can't you get the Hanguang Sword without me?"

Ying Wuji's heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean?"

Han Juan smiled faintly. "Some things can't be hidden. A divine weapon is destined to be unsheathed and used to kill enemies from the moment it is born. Staying in the scabbard for too long will cause it to rust!"

Ying Wuji: "..."

Indeed, he shouldn't underestimate these Taoists.

Although he used the Bean Soldiers technique in front of Han Juan once, he didn't show any other signs at other times.

Looking at the current situation, it seemed that Han Juan really believed in his own strength.

After pondering for a moment, Ying Wuji asked, "Is this your master's idea or yours?"

"I can do whatever I want. My master can't control me!"

Han Juan's voice was still lazy. "But my master also has the same idea. This time, it just happens that our opinions coincide!"

Ying Wuji felt a bit annoyed. "If you don't understand my situation, then don't advise me."

"I really don't understand!"

Han Juan didn't deny it. Sensing that they were already on the carriage, he turned into a phantom and emerged from the sword.

He looked at the top of Ying Wuji's head. "But I can read fortunes, so I can see a thing or two! The chains on Wuji's body are extremely dangerous. This is the etiquette of the world, the heart of a king.

Whether in the new law or the old system, these chains cannot be avoided.

Such chains.The Holy Lord can still become a tyrant.

This shackle is extremely dangerous.

But it may not be impossible to turn it into a future opportunity.

Shackles are meant to be broken, not to make oneself weak and small, waiting to escape when one is thin enough.

What Brother Ying is doing now is the latter.

If Brother Ying only seeks stability, then it is better to retreat from the rapids. Brother Ying is still not able to wield the Hanguang Sword.

To withdraw from the current situation and go with the flow is also a kind of happiness."

Ying Wuji: "......"

This Taoist.

He understands a lot.

He still wants to ask a few more questions.

But Han Juan didn't respond, staying quietly in the sword as if he had fallen asleep.

Ying Wuji pursed his lips, not completely agreeing with his point of view.

What's wrong with developing secretly?

Not revealing too much strength.

I can still crush these weak-minded people.

They arrived at the Marquis Mansion.

Ying Wuji jumped off the carriage.

But at the door, he saw Gongsun Di.

He was a little surprised: "Gongsun, why aren't you going in to wait?"

Gongsun Di scratched his head, feeling a bit embarrassed: "I wanted to go in, but Hua Chao drove me out again."

Ying Wuji couldn't help but smile.

During this period of time, Hua Chao had a relatively big opinion of Gongsun Di.

After all, Ying Wuque had publicly made a throat-slitting gesture towards him, so this little brother could only follow Ying Wuque.

It's normal for Hua Chao to have opinions.

Ying Wuji smiled: "Let's go, let's talk inside!"

"No need!"

Gongsun Di shook his head: "I came here on orders, I'll just deliver the imperial decree to Young Master and leave."

"Oh?"

Ying Wuji raised an eyebrow. What could this old man, Lao Bi Deng, have to say to him?

He smiled: "But you can still say it!"

Gongsun Di took a deep breath: "The Emperor said that there is no need to put oneself in danger for something that does not belong to oneself. Young Master is connected to the Qian Li's century-old cause and should cherish himself. This Sword Immortal Conference ends here!"

Ying Wuji narrowed his eyes.

He knew Lao Bi Deng's thoughts very well.

Lao Bi Deng didn't know his true strength, but he knew that he must be hiding something, after all, his mother's clan had given him so much, plus the Dreaming Fox was already a powerful illusion technique.

In Lao Bi Deng's eyes, the Hanguang Sword should belong to Ying Wuque.

And himself.

Just a tool for Kingdom Qian to absorb Kingdom Li's blood.

The matter of immigrants around the demonic vein had already made Lao Bi Deng very dissatisfied.

Lao Bi Deng probably didn't think he could surpass Ying Wuque, but if he continued to compete, it would definitely make Lao Bi Deng even more unhappy.

Ying Wuji had many doubts before.

It was about the relationship between his mother's clan and the Qian royal family.

But now, he was sure.

In Lao Bi Deng's eyes, his mother's clan was just like him, a tool.

Now that the tool was starting to feel out of control, he needed to regain control of himself.

What couldn't be controlled?

The Qian King had already given the Hanguang Bell to Ying Wuque.

Do they want to kill me?

Gongsun Di saw his cold gaze and reminded him softly, "Young Master?"

Ying Wuji smiled: "Is this a discussion or a conclusion?"

Gongsun Di sighed lightly: "This is an imperial decree!"

Imperial decree.

It's a notification.

Second only to an imperial edict.

Ying Wuji waved his hand: "I understand, you can go back!"

Gongsun Di quickly asked, "Young Master, do you agree?"

Ying Wuji sneered: "To give up or not to give up power is my own business. If I want to give up, I will. If I don't want to give up, I won't. Does the Qian King's imperial decree also want to control the Marquis of Kingdom Li?

You can go back!

You are an envoy of Kingdom Qian, delivering messages is your job, I won't blame you.

But if you try to persuade me, don't blame me for not recognizing you as a brother!"

A hint of pain flashed in Gongsun Di's expression.

After struggling for a long time, he sighed lightly.

He deeply bowed to Ying Wuji: "Take care, Young Master!"

After speaking, he turned and left.

Ying Wuji stood in place for a long time, feeling suffocated and unable to catch his breath.

When Han Juan talked to him earlier, he only felt that "shackles" was a concept.

But now.

He truly felt that these shackles were tightening around him.

This is the dynasty.

Whether it is a slave dynasty or a feudal dynasty, it is something that cannot be avoided.

People can have emotions.

But politics is always heartless.

His mother's clan supported Lao Bi Deng to ascend to the throne, but in the end, it was just a tool to achieve control.

Wu Dan, this simple-minded person, was forced by so-called family and country to the edge of betraying himself, a man in his twenties, crying loudly on the street at night.

Zhao Ji treated him well, Zhao Ning had feelings for him.

These were all true.

But once they discovered that he was undermining Kingdom Li, there was a high probability that they would turn their blades against him, even if he made great contributions to Kingdom Li.

Ying Wuji didn't want to think like this.

But he was certain that Zhao Ji was a qualified monarch and would make the same choices as any monarch.

Kill? Unlikely.

But not killing would definitely not be because they couldn't bear to kill, but because they feared the consequences.

Zhao Ning...

Ying Wuji believed that she wouldn't have murderous intentions towards him, thinking that she hadn't grown into a qualified monarch in Zhao Ji's eyes.

But her life had been indoctrinated by the royal family from the beginning.

Having the Crown Prince become the monarch and making Kingdom Li the hegemon of the world was the meaning given to her life.

Her heart had already been branded with the character "Li".

She was also a pitiful person.

Because most people fight for the throne.

But she was destined to be bound to this position from birth.

If it were her.

She wouldn't have murderous intentions towards him.

Perhaps she wouldn't drive him away.

But from that moment on.

Resentment was bound to arise.

This resentment was not due to distrust.

But because her shoulders couldn't bear the burden of both emotions and the country.

Ying Wuji still harbored some wishful thinking before.

But now, Lao Bi Deng's behavior was becoming more and more unsettling.

Lao Bi Deng handing over the things of his mother's clan was an opportunity for him.

But it was also a deal with the devil.

In a short period of time.

He and Lao Bi Deng wouldn't turn against each other.

But once the disadvantages of the Qian royal family outweighed the benefits, this deal would inevitably be exposed.Perhaps from the very beginning, Old Bideng had been waiting for him to turn against his father-in-law.

What Juanzi Ge said was right.

Shackles were meant to be broken free from, not to make oneself smaller and crawl out from within.

If one's hands were thin enough, they might be able to slip out.

But what about the head?

Yet Juanzi Ge also said that these shackles could potentially turn into opportunities.

But... how could they become opportunities?

"Huff..."

Ying Wuji let out a sigh. Just a few days ago, he had mocked Wu Dan for crying like a goose.

But now, he found himself in the same position as Wu Dan.

The world was vast, capable of accommodating thousands of troops and horses, and beautiful landscapes.

But it was also small, unable to accommodate a few simple love-stricken minds.

He shook his head.

And entered the Prince Consort's Mansion.

"Wuji!"

Hua Chao quickly greeted him, "What did Gongsun Di say to you? Did he upset you?"

Ying Wuji shook his head, "No!"

Hua Chao looked at him worriedly, "But you... you look very haggard!"

Ying Wuji smiled, "I'm fine! I've just been sitting all day, I'm tired! Sister Hua Chao, can you hold me while I sleep for a while?"

"Okay!"

...

Late at night.

Chongli Palace.

Zhao Ning sat in meditation, not daring to make any movements.

Zhao Ji was quietly reviewing documents when he suddenly said, "The plow that Wuji made is quite good. In the new land, one person can cultivate the land of five."

Zhao Ning's eyelashes trembled.

The energy within her body slowed for a moment.

But it quickly returned to normal.

Her expression was somewhat solemn.

Afraid that Zhao Ji would scold her.

Zhao Ji's expression was slightly gloomy, but he didn't say anything.

He just shook his head helplessly, wondering if he was being too harsh on her.

There were many mediocre rulers recorded in history.

Those who were addicted to wine and women and couldn't extricate themselves.

Those were people with weak wills.

Although Ning'er was somewhat infatuated, her will was quite strong. She couldn't be worse than them, could she?

Moreover, although Ying Wuji was talented, he was just a young man who was ruled by his emotions, far from being a cunning politician.

They were both good children.

Was it too cruel to forbid them from having personal feelings?

Was this choice wrong?

Zhao Ji couldn't figure out the answer to this question.

He just walked out of the palace with his hands behind his back.

Looking up at the starry sky.

"Your Majesty!"

The voice of Eunuch Cao suddenly sounded, "Daoist Qing Xu requests an audience!"

"Oh?"

Zhao Ji raised his eyebrows. The Sword Immortal Conference had been going on for many days, but he had only had a few interactions with this old Daoist.

Once they had communicated the date and time through a message talisman.

Once he had been swindled out of thirty thousand taels.

Apart from that, there had been no other interactions.

What was this old Daoist doing here at this time?

"Let him come!"

"Yes!"

A moment later.

Daoist Qing Xu hurried over.

Zhao Ji greeted him with a smile, "Daoist Qing Xu, your late-night visit truly brightens up Chongli Palace. May I ask what brings you here?"

Daoist Qing Xu smiled, "I have a bet here, I wonder if Your Majesty is interested."

Zhao Ji raised an eyebrow, "Oh? Daoist Qing Xu just made a fortune, and now you're setting up a bet for me?"

There was a hint of sarcasm in his words.

But Daoist Qing Xu seemed not to notice, he just smiled and asked, "Your Majesty, do you want to bet?"

Zhao Ji narrowed his eyes, "What's the bet?"

"Do you want to hear the stakes first, or the terms of the bet?"

"The stakes!"

Zhao Ji answered very simply. He wanted to see what this old Daoist was up to.

Daoist Qing Xu smiled, "Rumor has it that the Kingdom of Li has a rich heritage and a vast collection of books, the best in the world. What I want is to copy all the duplicates of the books in the Kingdom of Li!"

These stakes.

Were heavy!

But not unreasonable.

Zhao Ji smiled faintly, "No problem, but it depends on whether Daoist Qing Xu can put up an equivalent stake."

Daoist Qing Xu smiled, "Your Majesty knows! I recently made some money, enough to provide for the cultivation resources of all the juniors in the Taishang View."

He held up two fingers, "One hundred disciples, above the second-grade spirit womb, will reside in Chongli Palace, obey the laws of the Great Li, and serve the royal family. As long as the Kingdom of Li does not force them to do anything against the principles of Taoism, they cannot leave on their own!"

Zhao Ji: "......"

His heart pounded several times.

Second-grade spirit womb?

Are second-grade spirit wombs so worthless now?

One hundred second-grade spirit wombs were like divine soldiers descending from heaven. If used well, they could be worth hundreds of thousands of elite troops!

This old Daoist, was he betting the foundation of Taishang View with him!

Daoist Qing Xu asked, "Your Majesty! Do you want to bet?"

Zhao Ji remained calm and smiled, "Let's hear what the bet is first!"

Daoist Qing Xu smiled, looked into Zhao Ji's eyes, and said calmly, "I bet that Your Majesty will become senile and jealous in your old age, and because of your narrow-minded royal desires, you will ruin the human race's celestial dynasty!"

Zhao Ji: "???"

For a moment.

The entire Chongli Palace was filled with a murderous aura.

Saying this.

Was he not taking the Kingdom of Li seriously?

Zhao Ji was filled with killing intent.

But Daoist Qing Xu was calm and composed, as if he had said something insignificant.

...

The patch has been applied, there will be no abuse, rest assured!

(End of Chapter)