Chapter 75: Braggadocio (1)
After half a month of long journey, the Saintess Guard of the Hua Rong Sect finally arrived at the Immortal Arrival Empire’s capital, No Night City. They landed outside the south gate, and their arrival naturally caused a stir among the many passersby entering and exiting the city.
“Wow! Which Immortal Sect is this? They’re all beautiful fairies; it’s truly a feast for the eyes!”
“Hey! Watch your words! Seeing them descend from the sky, their cultivation levels are clearly all above the Huashen Realm. In the Cultivation World, a purely female sect with such strength can only be the Hua Rong Sect, one of the Nine Great Immortal Forces!”
“Hua Rong Sect? Why did they travel ten thousand miles to the Immortal Arrival Empire? Are they participating in the Evergreen Convention? The Saintess was forcibly married off by the Lü Family, so how can they still qualify to participate in the continental Evergreen Convention?”
“I heard that the new Saintess wants to broaden her horizons at the continental Evergreen Convention!”
“To broaden her horizons, they mobilize such a large force? They didn’t find a Saintess for the Hua Rong Sect, but a little fairy!”
“What can be done? They shamelessly stripped Hua Yu of her Saintess title, so they can only find someone to fill the gap.”
“Speaking of which, the women of the Hua Rong Sect have really thick skin. They dare to come to the continental Evergreen Convention right after their Saintess was snatched away. Aren’t they afraid of being ridiculed?”
“Yes, the better Hua Yu performs, the more awkward they will be!”
“Serves them right! Who told them to strip Hua Yu of her Saintess title for the sake of face? This is what you call bringing trouble upon yourself!”
The pedestrians whispered amongst themselves, clearly knowing everything about the Hua Rong Sect. This was understandable, after all, the Cao family was located in Zhongzhou and was the foremost Immortal Force in the Cultivation World.
“Master, since we’ve arrived at the Immortal Arrival Empire’s Imperial Capital, I should probably get down!”
Cheng Hong Ling parted the bead curtain and sought Shi Yuqi’s opinion, as she had always disliked being in the spotlight.
“Absolutely not! As the dignified Saintess of the Hua Rong Sect, your status is equivalent to a princess of a nation. How can you enter the city on foot? This would be a disgrace to our sect.”
Yuan Protector immediately stopped her before Shi Yuqi could even speak.
“Yes, disciple, your master knows you prefer a low profile, but when you’re out, you must also display the status of our sect. Only then will people pay attention to you!”
Shi Yuqi also patiently explained.
Although Cheng Hong Ling was displeased, she knew it was the truth, so she didn’t argue further.
“You few, carry the Saintess’s palanquin!”
Yuan Protector commanded the several genius female disciples. When arriving in a town, one naturally had to enter on foot.
“What?”
The few female disciples were stunned on the spot.
Qi Huang, who was secretly watching, chuckled. She didn’t expect these disciples to face misfortune so quickly.
“What’s wrong? Is there a problem? Didn’t you also carry Hua Yu’s palanquin before?”
Yuan Protector questioned with a frown.
“Hua Yu is Hua Yu! And she is someone else! Why should we, who are merely disciples, carry someone who has only joined the sect for two to three months?”
A rather attractive female disciple retorted. This was the one who had questioned Cheng Hong Ling after the battle with the Cao family.
Qi Huang recognized this woman. Her name was Hua Meng, and she was the strongest among the younger generation of the Hua Rong Sect in terms of cultivation and talent. As a member of the Hua clan, she naturally possessed strong self-esteem.
“They can carry Hua Yu, but they can’t carry my main body? This kind of differential treatment is clearly looking down on people!”
Qi Huang thought unhappily.
“What’s the difference? She’s also the Saintess! It’s reasonable for you ordinary disciples to carry the palanquin.”
Yuan Protector said with suppressed anger.
“Yuan Protector, we carried Hua Yu’s palanquin not because of her status, but because her talent and cultivation had convinced us!”
Hua Meng showed no intention of backing down. The Saintess of the Hua Rong Sect had been taken away by an outsider, which meant that the Hua Rong Sect might very well change its surname in the future. She was already unhappy in her heart, so how could she willingly be a “palanquin bearer”?
“The new Saintess possesses a secret technique, and her cultivation speed far surpasses Hua Yu’s. As for you, her strength is still young. In a few more years, she will naturally surpass you.”
Yuan Protector covered for Cheng Hong Ling, as they couldn’t afford to be a laughingstock in front of outsiders.
“If her speed is truly as astonishing as you say, then why wait for years? It’s been a month or two since she last defeated Wan Min. A fairy’s strength should be not much different from mine. Why don’t you let me try?”
Hua Meng was eager to try.
“If you insist on trying, I will accompany you to the end.”
Cheng Hong Ling’s voice rang out from the palanquin. With the help of her clone, her current strength had already reached the sixth level of the Huashen Realm. Due to the strength of her “Shui Linglong” True Qi, and her spiritual sense being much stronger than cultivators of the same realm, she naturally wasn’t afraid of Hua Meng, who was at the eighth level of the Huashen Realm.
“Hua Meng! Think carefully. Our sect prohibits private duels. If you fight the Saintess without permission in front of everyone, you will also bear the crime of insubordination. Regardless of the outcome, you will be severely punished according to the sect rules.”
Yuan Protector reminded her sternly.
“I…”
Hua Meng wanted to say something more, but was interrupted by a voice nearby.
“Yuan Protector, please quell your anger. My disciple is too young and impulsive, and her words lack careful consideration. Everyone, please don’t take it to heart. I will educate her properly and absolutely prevent outsiders from laughing at us!”
An elder with a ruddy face spoke up neither subserviently nor assertively, smoothing things over. She was Hua Meng’s master, Ping Yan.
“Alright, for Elder Ping’s sake, I won’t hold it against you. This is the last time!”
Yuan Protector also used this as an excuse to back down. After all, she was the leader of the Saintess Guard, and she would bear the primary responsibility if any mistakes occurred.
“Still not going to carry the Saintess’s palanquin?”
Ping Yan reprimanded her disciple.
“But…”
Hua Meng was still somewhat unwilling.
“But what? Are you not even listening to your master’s words?”
Ping Yan’s face darkened as she scolded.
Hua Meng gritted her teeth, and finally, very reluctantly, walked towards the palanquin. Seeing that she had yielded, the other genius disciples could only compromise.
“Remember, our positions will be swapped soon. I’ll carry your palanquin once today, and you’ll carry it for me for the rest of your life to repay me.”
Hua Meng whispered fiercely towards Cheng Hong Ling in the palanquin.
“Don’t worry, I have the ability to make you carry my palanquin once, and I have the ability to make you carry it for a lifetime.”
Cheng Hong Ling replied in a low voice. She actually didn’t like oppressing others, but this woman was an exception. Not only did she provoke her repeatedly, but she also treated her differently. There was no need for her to be overly compassionate.
And so, the Saintess Guard continued their journey. However, they were stopped by several guards when entering the city gate.
“May I ask who you are?”
A leading guard stepped forward to inquire. His tone revealed his fear.
“Ming Yue Empire, Hua Rong Sect!”
Yuan Protector took out her Immortal Elder Waist Token and displayed it.
“Please enter! Please enter!”
The guard quickly nodded and bowed, making way for them, fearing to incur misfortune.
Yuan Protector beckoned to them, and then led the Saintess Guard into No Night City.
Qi Huang also entered the Imperial Capital without anyone noticing. With her current strength, she was fully capable of doing so.
After the Saintess Guard entered No Night City, they naturally caused another stir. The pedestrians on the street hurriedly made way, fearing to incur their wrath. After all, the Hua Rong Sect was one of the Nine Great Immortal Forces. If they couldn’t deal with the Cao family, could they not deal with a few ordinary people?
Led by Yuan Protector, the Saintess Guard checked into a luxurious inn in the Imperial Capital called the “Dragon Phoenix Inn.”
Qi Huang did not immediately resume her identity because she had many things to do privately, such as inquiring about the progress of the Evergreen Convention.
Qi Huang soon discovered that because the Saintess Guard had been delayed on the road, the continental Evergreen Convention had already completed one round.
Qi Huang was not flustered at all, as she had come to teach those strongest little monsters a lesson. Going there early would have been meaningless. Moreover, only Lü Yi was eliminated. With him out of the way (in a sense), she and her main body could confidently cause trouble. It was better to first confirm if there were any hidden dangers.
The so-called hidden dangers naturally referred to the Yin-Yang Eyes. As long as even one of them was present, she wouldn’t dare to roam around freely.
Qi Huang took out the list of Yin-Yang Eyes given by her main body and began to inquire about their whereabouts, with a particular focus on the only Yin-Yang Eye from the Ming Yue Empire!
…
Meanwhile, in that luxurious inn, Hua Meng was still sulking with her master, Ping Yan.
“Are you still angry with me?”
Ping Yan shook her head helplessly, then cast a Spiritual Sense Shield and a soundproofing amulet.
“Hmph, how dare I be angry with you? You’re my master!”
Hua Meng said sarcastically.
“Hua Meng, you’ve disappointed me quite a bit. You have talent but don’t know how to use your brain properly! In that situation, even if you had defeated her, you would have been punished by the sect rules. Killing the enemy by eight hundred and hurting yourself by one thousand, don’t you understand?”
Ping Yan shook her head with some disappointment.
“So what? A scholar can be killed, but not insulted. Carrying her palanquin is a stain I can never wash away, and this is all thanks to you!”
Hua Meng said filled with resentment.
“You’re almost thirty years old, and you don’t understand the principle that great achievers don’t fuss over minor details? The Path of Cultivation is so long; why worry about temporary gains and losses? If there’s an opportunity in the future, you can make her carry your palanquin a thousand or ten thousand times to make up for it!”
Ping Yan said earnestly.
“I understand the logic, but when is the future? One month or two months? Before that, I can’t even lift my head in front of her!”
Hua Meng retorted.
“If you just want to vent your anger, why would it take so long? There will be an opportunity soon!”
Ping Yan sneered and said,
“That brat thought she could stay out of it just by watching the show? As the new Saintess of the Hua Rong Sect, she is definitely an excellent stepping stone. Many people will come to challenge her. Can a cultivator at the middle stage of the Huashen Realm protect the dignity of the Hua Rong Sect? She will still need your help. At that time, we can seize the initiative!”
Hua Meng’s eyes gradually lit up upon hearing this, and she exclaimed with great joy, “Master is wise, your disciple understands! If you want me to clean up her mess, she needs to kowtow three times first. And that Yuan Protector shouldn’t be let off easily either.”
