Chapter 141: Tianluo's Disgraceful Plight

Ye Sansi's words were entirely deliberate. Neither Duan Li nor Sect Master Yun would ever agree to a draw. After all, a sparring match was a minor matter, but saving face was paramount. If word got out that a disciple of Tianluo Mountain lacked mastery, collapsed pathetically, and had to beg for a draw, it would be disgraceful.

Duan Li struggled to his feet, clutching his injured arm, and said, "Who wants your charity! A loss is a loss..."

Little did he know the terrifying power of Ye Sansi's Five Evils Palm. Although it did not break his skin or shatter his bones, the poison within the strike had already seeped into his bloodstream and flowed throughout his entire body. His days were numbered, and he would die from the poison in less than half a month, ensuring no suspicion could ever fall back on Ye Sansi.

Ye Sansi chuckled softly and said, "Since you have lost, Elder Brother Duan, shouldn't you fulfill your promise?"

"You brat, you really intend to take it just like that? I won't teach you the Art of Assimilation, and besides, this is just a rock..."

Ye Sansi smiled and said, "I naturally know how to use this spiritual elixir. Since it radiates such brilliant light, I might as well keep it in my room for illumination—that would be wonderful."

"It is merely an inner elixir, take it if you must." With that, Duan Li channeled his inner energy and regulated his breath. Gradually, a glowing light emitted from his abdomen, and as he pushed his hands forward, the inner elixir emerged from his stomach, hovering in mid-air. From afar, Ye Sansi could already sense its extraordinary power.

It drifted slowly toward Ye Sansi, who did not stand on ceremony. He snatched it up in one motion and smiled, saying, "Many thanks."

Seeing that even his master had spoken thus, Duan Li dared not act rashly again. He could only bow deeply before retreating behind Sect Master Yun.

Ye Sansi flicked his wrist, storing the fox demon's inner elixir into the Shuyu Bracelet, then scratched his head and smiled, "Senior Yun, Tianluo Mountain's swordsmanship is truly formidable. I almost lost my life out there, but fortunately Elder Brother Duan held back some of his strength, otherwise..."

Hearing these words, Duan Li snapped angrily, "You!"

Sect Master Yun clapped his hands, walked toward the two of them, and smiled, "Disciple, this match was won by young hero Ye. As agreed beforehand, your spiritual elixir now belongs to him. What he chooses to do with it is no longer your concern."

Liu Zhen expressed his gratitude, and Sect Master Yun continued, "The hour is late, so our party will no longer intrude. We shall return to Tianluo Mountain first. Fortress Master Liu, we shall meet again."

Seeing that Sect Master Yun was about to leave, Liu Zhen asked, "What? Now that you have come all this way, how can you leave without sharing a meal? If you return just like this, others will say our Liu Family Fortress is inhospitable."

Ye Sansi's previous words had filled even Sect Master Yun with a deep sense of shame. Duan Li had used his full strength; although he had knocked away Ye Sansi's sword, it was in that very instant that he exposed an opening and suffered that single palm strike. Had that strike been delivered with a blade instead, Duan Li would have perished on the spot.

Sect Master Yun smiled and said, "Young hero Ye possesses marvelous martial arts. The rumors in the world are truly not false. Miss Liu and the talented young master of the Ye family are a most well-matched pair, indeed a most well-matched pair."

Sect Master Yun nodded slightly, turned around, and led his disciples out of the Liu Family Fortress, departing on their flying swords. He had originally thought that by delivering generous gifts and partaking in a simple meal, he could probe into the matter of the wrath of heaven. Little did he know how clever Ye Sansi was—during the spar, he had used the Changhua sword, and Liu Zhen had even chimed in to say that the sword was a personal gift from the leader of the Sword God Sect. No matter how audacious Tianluo Mountain might be, they would never dare to act recklessly.

Once the group had cleared Lingzhou City, Ye Sansi smiled with faint disdain and muttered, "That fellow's days are numbered, which can be considered avenging Fox Immortal Sister. I must find a time to return this inner elixir; Fox Immortal Sister will surely be overjoyed."

"Hahaha, Fortress Master Liu, what are you saying? Our departure is entirely voluntary. Come to think of it, we have been away from our sect for nearly three days, and for me, the sect master, to delay my return for so long is quite improper. I truly fear delaying our schedule..."

Liu Zhen smiled and said, "Since that is the case, then allow me to see you off?"

Ye Sansi turned his head back to face Liu Zhen, gave a slight bow, and said, "Father, we have rested here at the Liu Family Fortress for quite a few days. Think about it—our departure from the island was meant for experiential training; remaining in such comfort won't do at all. Tomorrow, I plan to take Shuang'er and Taiyi out to see the wider world. What do you think?"

"Sansi, if you have this intention, then go. With Shuang'er staying by your side, I can rest easy. Just don't forget to bring back a chubby little grandson the next time you return, hahaha."

Liu Linglong approached Ye Sansi and smiled, "Splendid! When you set out, you must take me with you. It has been quite a while since I last saw Fox Immortal Sister. I promised that when I had free time I would go keep her company, and I cannot break my word."

"Naturally," Ye Sansi smiled, stroking Lingshuang's hair as he spoke. "She will certainly be overjoyed to hear the good news of our marriage. And Taiyi will come along with us as well."

Liu Zhen laughed heartily and said, "Good, good, good! We shall do as the two of you wish. In my view, this trip by Tianluo Mountain was ill-intentioned and harbored a hidden purpose, seemingly targeted directly at Sansi. The two of you must remain vigilant while outside and ensure you are not targeted by this gang."

Qi Fei also walked over, patted Liu Zhen on the back, and smiled, saying, "What is mere Tianluo Mountain to speak of? My wise brother Sansi is the sole disciple of the Master of Fangcun Immortal Island, destined for great responsibilities in the future, and a friend of the Sword God Sect. Even if they had a hundred guts, they would never dare to act presumptuously."

Liu Linglong blushed and smiled, "Father, you are spouting nonsense. Sansi's ambitions lie across the four seas, and he loves freedom and untethered wandering. How could he care for children? Besides, given Sansi's abilities, his future achievements will surely be extraordinary. How could he ever settle down in one place?"

Hearing Linglong's words, which carried a deeper meaning, Ye Sansi realized she actually wished to have a child, yet feared that Sansi might desire a settled life and leave regrets behind. Thus, she phrased it this way, making Liu Zhen believe it was Sansi's own wish so that no blame would fall upon him.

"Very well, Elder Brother, let us go to the reception hall, and my younger brother will explain everything to you slowly."

Everyone gathered in the reception hall. Liu Zhen hurriedly instructed the servants to boil some tea. Once they were seated, Ye Sansi stepped into the open space at the front of the hall and began to demonstrate and recount what he had learned. However, the others were not like Lingshuang; although they were all people he trusted, he still feared letting something slip inadvertently, so he was forced to conceal certain details.

Ye Sansi bowed to the two men and said, "Elder Brother, Father, I know my limits and will certainly not allow Shuang'er and Taiyi to fall into danger. A great many things have happened these past few months, during which I have made many friends and gathered numerous treasures. Should we truly encounter a formidable enemy, I have ways to escape safely."

Qi Fei smiled, threw an arm around Ye Sansi, and said, "Well done, young man! You are no longer an ordinary person now. Just now, watching you take a sword strike and emerge completely unharmed—it was fortunate I worried for nothing. You must tell me all about what kind of cultivation techniques you've mastered now."

Tea was served, and Ye Sansi took his seat, sipping the tea lightly before asking with a smile, "When can we eat? Come to think of it, I haven't had a single grain of rice since yesterday noon, and I am truly quite hungry..."

Liu Zhen hastily stood up and laughed heartily, "Look at this brain of mine, I am truly muddle-headed to have forgotten that you and Shuang'er haven't eaten yet. I will go arrange it right now, and it will be ready very soon."

Everyone was immensely shocked by the extent of Ye Sansi's abilities. Li Taiyi smiled and said, "Splendid! Brother Sansi, ever since we parted ways, your strength has advanced by leaps and bounds. Three months ago, I rescued you and sister-in-law from the claws of a demonic beast; now I fear I am not even a tenth as strong as you. I must not slacken in my cultivation from here on out."

Hearing Li Taiyi's words, Liu Linglong smiled and said, "You know full well how clever and perceptive Sansi is; in any case, I have no desire to try and catch up with him. Also, why do I find it so unnatural whenever you call me sister-in-law? Perhaps from now on you should simply call me Lingshuang, it sounds much more affectionate."

"Me? Where else but drinking wherever my feet take me? Encountering some evil monster wreaking havoc or some villain blocking the path, I simply deal with them as they come, and that's that. As for interesting matters—well, as long as there is wine to drink, every single day is full of interest,哈哈哈."

Li Taiyi shook his head, took a sip of tea, and smiled, "Old man, I have finally mastered the true art of sword-flight now. My journeys are much faster and far more convenient."

Ye Sansi accompanied Liu Linglong as they left with Liu Zhen, leaving only Qi Fei and Li Taiyi behind in the reception hall. Father and son inevitably began chatting about ordinary domestic matters.

It was nothing more than Qi Fei inquiring how Li Taiyi had been getting along on Fangcun Island and how his cultivation was progressing—questions that had already been asked just yesterday. Li Taiyi smiled and said, "Old man, you always interrogate me. Shouldn't you tell us where you went these past few months and what interesting things you encountered?"

Li Taiyi scratched his head, narrowing his eyes with a smile as he said, "No matter how hard I cultivate, I fear I will still remain far behind Uncle Ye."

"Why compare yourself to him? The kind of power he wields now—is that something the likes of you and I can match? Ascending to immortality in the future is merely a thought away, but..."

"Yes, yes, you certainly didn't misjudge me! This boy of mine was always material for martial arts and cultivation. After leaving me for these many months, he has progressed far beyond previous years. I fear that in less than ten years, even I will not be a match for you."

Li Taiyi was astonished. Since childhood, Qi Fei had always been strict with him. Although he allowed him to be mischievous, he had never once praised him. Now, he was actually claiming that in less than ten years, Taiyi would surpass him. Taiyi was overjoyed to receive his father's validation.

Li Taiyi was first struck by worry, but after a moment's reflection, he smiled and said, "I think you are simply worrying for nothing. What Uncle Ye does are righteous deeds of subduing demons and defending the Dao; how could he ever stray from the immortal path?"

"Let us hope so..."

"But what?"

"But why do I sense a faint aura of demonic Qi within Sansi? It must be because he has slain too many demons and become tainted by them. From now on, you must remind him that cultivation must be solid, step by step, and he must never resort to crooked paths. Doing so will only cause him to stray from the immortal path, and in severe cases, he might even plunge into the demonic path..."

Liu Linglong smiled and said, "Tee-hee, these dishes I had the kitchen prepare are all your favorite foods, and you kept helping yourself to bowl after bowl of rice—how could you not be stuffed? Once we walk around a bit, it will help digest the food."

Liu Zhen had departed early, unwilling to disturb the young couple.

...

"Aish, I'm stuffed to the point of bursting," Ye Sansi stretched lazily and patted his belly.

"Replying to the son-in-law, isn't it because of the recent bustle preparing for your wedding with the eldest miss? Many of the disciples are feeling restless. If I didn't come personally to keep watch at the gates, I wouldn't feel at ease. Standing guard a little longer is no trouble at all; once night falls, I will head back to rest..."

Ye Sansi smiled and said, "Hahaha, Elder Brother Xu, why are you being so polite? Just call me Sansi or Junior Brother Ye. Shuang'er and I are going for a stroll in the city and will be back shortly. If you are tired, go back and rest. Right now, the five elders, Father, and Elder Brother Qi are all within the fortress; no one dares to act presumptuously."

After finishing their meal, they decided to take a stroll in Lingzhou City. Liu Linglong liked rare trinkets, and since they were heading out, she wanted to visit a blacksmith's shop to purchase a few items to keep on her person for self-defense, which would be exceptionally useful.

Just as they reached the fortress gates, Xu Xuan was still there. Ye Sansi asked softly, "Elder Brother Xu, why are you still keeping watch at the gates? I see the disciples are on a rotating shift. Since you've stood here all day, hurry back into the fortress and rest."

"Junior Brother Ye's foresight is truly thorough. Come to think of it, that is indeed true—I was simply worrying too much. I will return to the fortress right now. You and the eldest miss must take care of your safety."

Liu Linglong covered her mouth and muttered to herself, "It seems Father's choice of Senior Brother Xu to inherit the mantle of leadership makes complete sense..."

Failing to catch her words clearly, Xu Xuan leaned forward and asked, "Does the eldest miss have any instructions?"

"I~ said~ you are just like Father—destined~ to be~ the worrying kind~~ hahaha."