Chapter 260: Marriage Alliance
Li Weiyi decided to ask Zuo Qiu Hong Ting for the Longevity Pill and thousand-year elixirs, and while at it, lay his cards on the table with her, lest those old guys from the Zuo Qiu Gatehouse really misunderstand and bring unnecessary trouble.
It was indeed wrong to play with fire when it came to matters of the heart.
Upon arriving at Zuo Qiu Hong Ting’s cultivation cave mansion, he knocked on the stone gate, but there was no response.
Just as Li Weiyi was about to leave, he saw several figures approaching this way.
There were five in total.
Zuo Qiu Hong Ting, who had changed into Li Weiyi’s appearance, and Jiang Ning, walking at the front.
Beside Jiang Ning was Zhuang Yue.
Behind the three were two middle-aged men who looked exactly alike, with extremely heavy yin energy on their bodies, dressed in cyan official robes, tall and thin in build, with sharp light gathered in their eyes.
The two waves of field power released from their bodies enveloped the five, forming purple and cyan clouds and mist.
From afar, Zuo Qiu Ting’s voice could be heard, speaking in Li Weiyi’s tone with a laugh: “Adult Jiang, you have no idea. After I, Shi Shishi, and Qi Xiao heard the news, we immediately went to Evergreen Temple to catch adultery, but ended up with nothing.”
“In the temple, both people were gone, only a bed remained.”
“It was really a huge bed!”
…
Li Weiyi coughed dryly twice, looking at Zuo Qiu Ting, who had already walked within a few zhang and was still stirring up trouble with Jiang Ning. He had already decided to let her off, but suddenly changed his mind.
“Brother Zuo Qiu, isn’t it a bit improper to badmouth someone behind their back?”
Zuo Qiu Ting seemed to have just noticed Li Weiyi’s appearance and laughed: “Brother Weiyi, we were just about to go find you. Earlier, Fairy Yu asked about you, and as we chatted, we got to talking about Evergreen Temple. I didn’t say anything out of line. Do you dare say that there weren’t you and Yang Qingxi’s auras on that bed in Evergreen Temple?”
Jiang Ning wore a half-hidden, half-visible veil, dressed in a pink-and-white ruqun, with arms wrapped in shawl, hair bun adorned with hairpins, phoenix flower decoration painted on her brow, like a divine fairy consort, soft and alluring, without any of her usual heroism and aloofness.
Zhuang Yue glared coldly at Li Weiyi.
Li Weiyi hadn’t expected Zuo Qiu Ting to spill everything to Jiang Ning, so he used a mutually destructive tactic: “In Qin Garden, weren’t the two of us also on the same bed? What does that prove?”
“Such a thing happened?”
Jiang Ning looked at Zuo Qiu Ting.
Zuo Qiu Ting feigned composure and smiled: “Exactly, exactly, it proves nothing at all! Look at this mouth of mine, knowing full well you two have a deep friendship… I shouldn’t have mentioned Evergreen Temple. You chat, I’ll step away…”
“There’s nothing to step away from.”
Jiang Ning’s tone was calm as she looked at Li Weiyi: “My relation with that Li fellow is at most some acquaintance, nothing as outrageous as the rumors outside. The reason the seven strange insects listen to me is simply because they were subdued by me for a time in Zangxian Town.”
“Li Weiyi, I’m here to take the Startled Feather Sword. Name your price!”
Li Weiyi knew there was no way to talk properly in this setting, so he said coldly: “Three thousand-year elixirs.”
“Give it to him.” Jiang Ning said.
She was clearly prepared in advance.
One of the two eunuchs following behind took out a long, rectangular jade box, walked over imposingly, and pressed it into Li Weiyi’s hand: “This two-thousand-year-old Seven Star Silver Fire Begonia more than covers three thousand-year elixirs.”
Li Weiyi took out the Startled Feather Sword from his boundary bag and unceremoniously pressed it back into that eunuch’s hand.
Even his Dao Seed Realm mind field domain pressed over, yet it had no effect. That eunuch gripped the Startled Feather Sword firmly, letting out a shrill laugh: “Worthy of being a hidden dragon of this era, you do have some skill.”
After Jiang Ning took back the Startled Feather Sword: “Though you saved me that night of the Lantern Festival, the moment you shouted rebel slogans, we became mortal enemies. Li fellow, take good care of yourself. We’re leaving!”
Li Weiyi called out to the four backs in his usual tone: “Fairy Yu is too self-indulgent! That night, when the evil cult’s black-armored cavalry charged, the one I wanted to save was Young Lady Qingxi, not you.”
On the way down the mountain, Jiang Ning, walking at the front, knew Li Weiyi was deliberately saying it for the two eunuchs and Zuo Qiu Gatehouse people to hear, yet she was still quite angered, her chest aching terribly, her powder fist clenching and unclenching in her sleeve.
Zhuang Yue even drew her sword, but Jiang Ning pressed it back.
After the four walked far away.
“Whoosh!”
Zuo Qiu Ting unfolded his folding fan, standing on tiptoe, gloating as he looked down the mountain: “Why do I feel you two are acting strange? Jiang Ning’s outfit today is rare. It couldn’t be for this young master, could it? Yang Qingxi’s days in the Imperial Court are probably not going to be easy!”
Li Weiyi said displeased: “Why did you change into my appearance?”
“I heard Jiang Ning came to Taoli Mountain, specifically asking to see you. Seeing you seemed to have no time, I went in your place! To be honest, Fairy Yu’s beauty is indeed unmatched under heaven, and today’s attire and makeup are especially stunning.”
Zuo Qiu Ting observed Li Weiyi’s eyes.
“Let’s go into the cave mansion first. I have something to discuss with you. Serious business!” Li Weiyi said.
Seeing Li Weiyi’s restrained gaze, Zuo Qiu Ting couldn’t read anything and felt somewhat disappointed. He opened the formation on the cave mansion’s stone gate and led him inside.
Entering the stone gate, Li Weiyi smoothly closed the door.
He activated the formation.
“Whoosh!”
Zuo Qiu Ting lit the magic tool bone lamp, his eyes sharpening: “What are you doing?”
“Activating the formation is better, lest those old guys from your Zuo Qiu Gatehouse eavesdrop on our conversation again.” Then Li Weiyi recounted what Hidden Lord had said earlier, pouring out his grievances.
He sighed: “It’s embarrassing! I’m unmarried, she’s unmarried. Is it wrong to like someone?”
Zuo Qiu Ting’s secluded cultivation cave mansion was quite spacious, with outer hall, inner hall, martial training room, tables and chairs, cold jade bed, all fully equipped. Deep in the inner hall, a stream of magic energy spirit spring flowed through, filling the entire cave mansion with misty radiance.
“Li Weiyi, who is really in your heart—Jiang Ning, or Zuo Qiu Hong? Or do we need to add Yang Qingxi too?” Zuo Qiu Ting sat on a stone chair and poured him a cup of spring water, handing it over.
Li Weiyi had never really thought about this question, but since he was here to get revenge on her, he naturally shot back: “My relations with Jiang Ning and Yang Qingxi are all pure and innocent. You’re the one who’s not brotherly enough. Do you think your sister will really never marry? Wouldn’t having me as your brother-in-law be better than letting some outsider benefit in the future?”
“Don’t even dream about it!” Zuo Qiu Ting rolled his eyes.
“Fine, fine, fine. In that case, let’s settle the accounts first.”
Li Weiyi pulled out a sheet of paper and tossed it onto the table.
Zuo Qiu Ting picked it up, unfolded it, and checked repeatedly: “Do I owe you this much?”
Li Weiyi held the lapis lazuli cup, took a sip of spring water: “One Dao Lotus, you lost the bet that I couldn’t get the invitation. Ten thousand-year elixirs, payment for ten jin of immortal soil.”
“And that one Longevity Pill, one Dragon Seed, two dragon bones?” Zuo Qiu Ting said.
Li Weiyi said: “In that final battle, if I hadn’t arrived in time, could your Zuo Qiu Gatehouse have won? The price I set is really very fair, just enough for my own cultivation. The seven little ones contributed the most, and I didn’t even demand Dragon Seeds and dragon bones for them.”
Zuo Qiu Ting stood up and paced in thought.
Suddenly.
A sense of alert arose in her, and she was about to release her magic energy.
“Bang!”
Li Weiyi had already gently patted her back with one palm. When he lifted his hand, a body-fixing talisman was stuck there, its runes flashing as bright light marks flowed out one after another.
Not only fixing her body, it also firmly suppressed the magic energy in her body.
Li Weiyi slowly walked to her front and smiled: “Looks like Brother Zuo Qiu really sees me as a brother he can entrust his back to. If you’d had even a bit of guard up, I couldn’t have succeeded.”
Zuo Qiu Ting quickly calmed from her initial panic: “So this body-fixing talisman ended up on me. What do you want?”
Her cultivation was very high, allowing her to speak, not completely immobilized.
Li Weiyi picked her up and laid her flat on the nearby cold jade bed.
“I’ll settle all the accounts on the list within three days.”
Zuo Qiu Ting felt very unsafe, her tone icy: “This isn’t fun. Hurry and remove the body-fixing talisman.”
“Now you know it’s no fun to be immobilized? How did you play back then?” Li Weiyi said.
Zuo Qiu Ting said: “Fine, I was wrong. How about this—if you really want to see my sister, I can arrange it.”
Li Weiyi’s idea was simple: he just wanted to force her to admit she was Zuo Qiu Hong Ting herself. So he squeezed her to the inner side and sat on the bed. He said: “I treat you as a brother, yet you stab your brother in the back twice.”
Li Weiyi imitated her earlier tone: “I, Shi Shishi, and Qi Xiao heard the news and immediately went to Evergreen Temple to catch adultery… It was really a huge bed!”
“You’re ruining my reputation like this—is that really okay? Answer me?”
Zuo Qiu Ting hurriedly said: “Brother Weiyi cares so much about his reputation with Jiang Ning—still say there’s nothing there?”
Li Weiyi fell into thought.
Hadn’t he asked himself this question before?
His concern for Jiang Ning did indeed surpass that of ordinary friends.
When he saw the Startled Feather Sword in Qi Jin’s hand, he really panicked, followed by unprecedented anger and worry.
After a long while, Li Weiyi sighed: “That’s Fairy Yu, hailed as the number one beauty of the young generation. If I say I feel nothing for her at all, wouldn’t you think that’s hypocritical?”
Zuo Qiu Ting let out a light hum.
Li Weiyi looked at her: “What are you humming about? Could it be you feel nothing for her? Are you even a man?”
Zuo Qiu Ting said: “I’m humming about certain people who say they like my sister but flirt with Fairy Yu. Li Weiyi, you don’t understand Jiang Ning at all. She has very deep thoughts. I’ve known her for a long time, but I’ve never been able to see through her.”
“See, what’s with this habit of yours, always badmouthing people behind their backs?” Li Weiyi said.
Zuo Qiu Ting said: “Believe it or not! Hurry and remove the body-fixing talisman for me. Whatever conditions you have, I’ll agree to them all. You don’t think I really can’t break free from it, do you? I just don’t want to hurt you!”
Li Weiyi ignored her completely and lay down: “We’ll sleep together tonight. I have many things I want to talk to you about. Do you undress to sleep?”
“I’m not sleeping. I still need to heal and cultivate.”
Zuo Qiu Ting’s heartbeat clearly sped up, her speech quickening, eyes full of worry as she inwardly debated whether to tell Li Weiyi the truth.
“No rush for one night. Let me help you take off your outer garment!”
Li Weiyi began undoing her clothes.
Zuo Qiu Ting took a deep breath, her whole body tensing, heart pounding like a drum, feeling she couldn’t hide it anymore and was about to speak the truth.
“Boom!”
The cave mansion’s stone gate and formation were shattered by one palm.
The sound of breaking wind rose.
Led by Zuo Qiu Ling, a large group of Zuo Qiu Gatehouse clan elders rushed in at top speed.
Zuo Qiu Ling’s sturdy frame trembled with rage, gnashing his teeth in fury: “What are you two doing? Out, all of you out. No one is to speak of today’s matter, or don’t blame the family law for dealing with you.”
Li Weiyi still held Zuo Qiu Ting’s waist sash in hand, truly stunned by this sudden turn, a thought flashing in his mind: “It’s over!”
Seeing the formation of the Zuo Qiu Gatehouse’s elder strong practitioners, Li Weiyi knew they couldn’t have burst in on impulse; they were fully prepared.
Li Weiyi hurriedly jumped off the bed, about to explain.
Zuo Qiu Ling’s face was grim as he swung his arm fiercely, magic energy radiance erupting, shattering the body-fixing talisman on Zuo Qiu Ting’s back and dispersing her disguise art, revealing her jade-like, coldly beautiful true appearance.
Zuo Qiu Ling reprimanded coldly, each word dripping blood: “The first successor of the Zuo Qiu Gatehouse, the future hidden dragon—if today’s matter spreads, it won’t just ruin your reputation, but the family teachings of the entire Zuo Qiu Gatehouse. Du’e Temple might also face new variables because of this. You two clean yourselves up. I’ll wait for you in the meeting hall.”
Not giving Li Weiyi a chance to play dumb, Zuo Qiu Ling glared at him and turned to leave.
Li Weiyi and Zuo Qiu Hong Ting arrived at the meeting hall, where Hidden Lord was already seated inside.
Zuo Qiu Ling’s face was still ashen: “The impact is too bad, the consequences too severe. Du’e Temple values the hidden dragon’s character highly. Too many people saw today; we definitely can’t cover it up. Right now, there’s only that one way!”
He looked toward Hidden Lord.
Hidden Lord stood and said: “Let me talk to him alone.”
After the two were alone, Li Weiyi spoke first: “Only marriage alliance, right?”
Hidden Lord nodded and sighed deeply: “To them, no matter who Du’e Temple chooses as hidden dragon, the hidden dragon must be from the Zuo Qiu Gatehouse. Even without today’s incident, your engagement to Zuo Qiu Hong Ting would absolutely be something they’ve discussed repeatedly. It’s just that you conveniently gave them the opportunity to make trouble!”
…
Monthly ticket!
