Chapter 602 – The Outcome Decided, the General’s Call (1/2)

Zhu Lie howled about and charged right over. This time, Li Qingshan did not dodge. Right as the trident was about to reach his waist, he raised his right hand, and a stream of extremely pliable and tough water wrapped around the trident. It followed the pole and wrapped around Zhu Lie, trapping him in the water.

“Hurry up and forfeit, and I’ll spare you dog life!”

Zhu Lie cursed loudly. His voice passed through the water, becoming unclear.

Li Qingshan shrugged helplessly. A crude and powerful hand immediately plunged into the water, grabbing Zhu Lie firmly by the throat.

Li Qingshan pulled Zhu Lie closer in a brutal manner and said with a heavy voice, “My patience is limited. Let me ask you one last time. Do you want to live, or do you want to die?”

All of Zhu Lie’s hairs stood on end. He stared into Li Qingshan’s eyes in surprise and confusion, catching something that seemed like a flash of dark red light. A ruthless malice forced its way into his heart. Originally, he would not show fear even if he died in battle, but he could not help but become slightly afraid from that moment onwards.

This was the fear a weak creature would naturally experience when it faced its natural predator. This person definitely isn’t as simple as he seems on the surface!

Li Qingshan completely tossed “to be good-natured like water”, “to be flexible and gentle”, and whatever that was to the back of his brain. As long as Zhu Lie was bold enough to say he wanted to die, he would rip his head off immediately and kick it around like a soccer ball. When the tiger doesn’t demonstrate its might, do you really take me for someone you can simply walk all over?

Finally, his instincts for survival gained the upper hand. Zhu Lie said softly, “I want to live.”

Li Qingshan said, “And?”

“I admit defeat,” Zhu Lie said reluctantly.

“That’s more like it!” Li Qingshan forced out the gentlest smile he could and released Zhu Lie. He thought, I want to fix my temperament for once, yet you still dare to irritate me. How can I let you die so easily?

However, Zhu Lie found his smile much more chilling compared to his vicious expression earlier. He was like an extremely fierce wild beast who forced himself to behave gently. It was extremely eerie.

Li Qingshan stepped out of the Dragon Arena and said to Gu Yanying, “I haven’t let you down, fortunately.”

“As long as you’ve won.”

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Si Qing began clapping first. He smiled. “Yanying, your subordinate truly has hidden himself well. I candidly admit my defeat.”

E Dan and Jia Zhen’s faces were completely sunken. This meant that they had lost their first battle in the Ruyi commandery. The great benefits that regular cultivators could never even imagine had all been reduced to nothing with the outcome of this duel.

Gu Yanying smiled. “It’s no problem. As the saying goes, even great external forces cannot triumph over local powers, so there’s no need to take it to heart. Si Qing, when do you plan on holding the ascension ceremony? Please let me know so that I can carry out my responsibilities as the host and handle it for you.”

Si Qing stowed the Dragon Arena away and put on a tolerant act. “The outcome of the battle is a mere trifle. What matters is that I’ve witnessed the talents of the Ruyi commandery, and I saw a few fascinating duels. However, I still feel a little unsatisfied.”

“Oh? Why’s that?”

“The Ruyi commandery spans thousands of kilometers. Who knows how many talents there are. I probably haven’t even witnessed a hundredth of them through this duel. I’ve heard that the Ruyi commandery has always had a tradition of the Exhibition Matches of the Nine Prefectures, but because daemons attacked the Clear River prefecture, you were forced to put that on hold. Since I have succeeded the post of Marquis of Ruyi, I should restart the Exhibition Matches of the Nine Prefectures, summon the talents of the nine prefectures, and demonstrate the Ruyi commandery’s strength to deter the Daemon race!”

Si Qing said as he exchanged glances with E Dan and Jia Zhen. The three of them all smiled. Clearly, they had been planning this excuse for a long time already.

This was the authority of the Marquis of Ruyi, and Gu Yanying had no reason to stop him. However, she did know that the Exhibition Matches of the Nine Prefectures probably would not be as simple this time. She sighed inside.

Si Qing has a cruel personality. He’s bloodthirsty and murderous. It probably isn’t the Ruyi commandery’s good fortune to have him as the Marquis of Ruyi.

When the banquet dispersed, Li Qingshan made his way towards Han Qiongzhi after bidding farewell to Si Qing when E Dan suddenly barked, “You little bastard, you better be careful when you go out at night!”

Li Qingshan frowned. Right when he was about to call him “mongrel” a few times, Han Qiongzhi stopped him and shook her head gently at him. Worry filled her face. As a Foundation Establishment cultivator, who knew when life-threatening disasters would descend upon him with how a vicious Golden Core cultivator like E Dan had remembered him.

Sigh, I really have to be good to others as a person. Good-natured like water! What am I bickering with a dead person for?

Li Qingshan thought and stopped paying attention to E Dan, leaving with Han Qiongzhi.

E Dan thought he was afraid, so he let out a wild burst of laughter. His vicious gaze then paused on Han Qiongzhi. Hmph, I’ll deal with the Han family sooner or later too.

After all the guests had dispersed, Si Qing’s face sank before inviting E Dan and Jia Zhen into a secret room for discussion.