"H-How much...?" Qiong Yunting's eyes went wide, hardly believing her own ears.
Qi Yuan glanced at her and said speechlessly, "Did you forget to clean your ears last night and let the wax plug them up? I spoke so loudly and you still didn't hear me—1.05 billion spirit stones!"
Afraid her ears were packed with wax, Qi Yuan raised his voice.
His words carried through the entire hall.
Instantly, numerous eyes snapped in unison toward Qiong Yunting's ears.
Some of the less disciplined cultivators even clamped their hands over their mouths, struggling not to laugh.
Hearing this, Jiang Lingsu clutched Qi Yuan's arm, pressing her face against his sleeve as she giggled uncontrollably.
She felt thoroughly avenged.
Qiong Yunting's face flushed bright red in humiliated fury. "What nonsense are you spewing?! I... I clean my ears!"
"Clearly not thoroughly enough, nor often enough," Qi Yuan concluded flatly.
Qiong Yunting was beside herself with rage. Even though she had already attained Foundation Establishment, Qi Yuan's words choked her with fury.
She could already foresee that today, rumors would spread throughout Yuntian City claiming that Fairy Qiong Yunting never cleaned her ears.
"Sigh, there's really no need to be shy. Go ahead and dig it all out boldly right now. Otherwise, shouting this loud is exhausting," Qi Yuan continued to urge her.
"You!" Qiong Yunting's eyes reddened; she was on the verge of tears from his teasing.
"Don't be shy, sister! We must reject earwax shame and be ourselves with open pride!
"Once, I knew a fairy who invented an entire daoist technique just to pick her nose more efficiently. You should learn from her and stop caring about what other people think!"
As Qi Yuan went on, he grew impassioned, his tone rousing and provocative.
Her eyes watering, Qiong Yunting had long since thrown her original plan of humiliating Qi Yuan to the back of her mind.
At that moment, the green-robed Wang Yunteng spoke up, projecting an imposing air. "Fellow Daoist must be the Jiang family's... live-in son-in-law? Did you come to this Divine Infant Banquet to borrow spirit stones?"
This time, it was Jiang Lingsu's turn to blush.
"Not so. I am no live-in son-in-law, nor do I fetch foot-washing water," Qi Yuan replied, shaking his head. "Today, Fairy Earwax said her husband's family was fabulously wealthy. She told me that if I was short on money, I could come to the Divine Infant Banquet, where her husband would solve my difficulties."
Wang Yunteng looked at Qi Yuan with an arrogant expression. "The Jiang clan is an established prominent family of the Eastern Lands. Their businesses in Yuntian City have run into some trouble, which this True Monarch knows a thing or two about. How many spirit stones do you need?"
Prior to the banquet, he had already heard Qiong Yunting mention Qi Yuan and Jiang Lingsu.
Back then, he had promised to take Qi Yuan down a peg, and if possible, swallow up the Jiang clan's enterprises in Yuntian City.
"1.05 billion!" Qi Yuan repeated.
He felt this Dao-companion pair never cleaned their ears. Every night before bed, they ought to clean each other's ears before sleeping.
A flicker of displeasure crossed Wang Yunteng's eyes. "1.05 billion spirit stones? Is Fellow Daoist joking? With that many spirit stones, one could probably buy all of Yuntian City!"
Whether 1.05 billion spirit stones could buy Yuntian City, Wang Yunteng did not know. But it was certainly more than enough to purchase the life of a great Purple Mansion cultivator.
"I'm not joking. It's thoroughly calculated.
"Your Wang family owns forty-five spirit stone mines, runs five auction houses, and holds stakes in over three hundred trading firms. If you sold everything off, it would fetch one billion spirit stones. As for Fairy Earwax, her family is even poorer: a gambling father, an ailing mother, and a good-for-nothing younger brother. Her whole family is worth only about fifty million spirit stones."
Qi Yuan wore a smile.
"I've kept our appointment. So, will you lend me the money or not?" He held out an open palm.
Wang Yunteng's expression did not change, but the way he looked at Qi Yuan turned markedly different.
The other cultivators also looked at Qi Yuan with peculiar expressions, some settling in to enjoy the show.
This red-robed cultivator had investigated the Wang family's background in such meticulous detail. This was clearly far from a simple request to borrow money.
Wang Yunteng naturally understood this. He sneered, "I wonder who stands behind Brother Qi to give you the nerve to demand a billion spirit stones!"
The formidable aura belonging to a Divine Infant cultivator swept forth at that moment.
Seeing this, some of the surrounding cultivators lingered to watch, while others backed away.
Jiang Lingsu drew closer to Qi Yuan, completely unaffected by the Divine Infant cultivator's aura. Her limpid eyes rested on Qi Yuan, her feelings toward him having shifted in many ways.
Hearing Wang Yunteng's challenge, Qi Yuan stretched lazily.
To be honest, he had never thrown his weight around before.
Today, he was just accompanying his junior sister here for fun with time to kill.
After a moment's thought, he answered, "Behind me stands... the Blood-Robed Alliance!"
He directly borrowed his own clout.
After saying those words, Qi Yuan felt a slight rush of satisfaction.
No wonder those spoiled second-generation heirs always loved boasting about who their father was, who their grandfather was, or who their master was.
Throwing around backing like this really was quite satisfying!
"The Blood-Robed Alliance?"
The guests' expressions shifted, some showing sheer dread.
"He's actually from the Blood-Robed Alliance!"
"He is wearing blood-red robes..."
"The Wang family has actually caught the eye of the Blood-Robed Alliance. They're finished!"
Nowadays, who didn't know of the Blood-Robed Alliance?
The Blood-Robed Sword God's life story could practically be described as inspirational.
Leaving home in middle age to embark upon the immortal path, a late bloomer.
Returning home only to discover that his daughter had been humiliated by the Palace of Light and forced to live in a doghouse!
Thus, fueled by vengeance, the Blood-Robed Sword God embarked upon his legendary path.
He wiped out the Palace of Light, slew a Yin God, and founded the Blood-Robed Alliance!
Later, having offended the Divine Flower Society, he was muted and silenced. The Blood-Robed Sword God marched alone to the headquarters of the Divine Flower Society and ended its leader with a single strike!
The Divine Flower Society thus fell under his control.
The Blood-Robed Sword God was currently the most renowned legendary figure across the Eastern Lands and over twenty surrounding territories.
If this blood-robed man truly had the Blood-Robed Alliance behind him, the Wang family was in grave danger!
On Helan Continent, the Wang family was a hegemon.
Yet if the Blood-Robed Alliance moved against them, even with Wang Yunteng possessing the potential of a Yin God, it wouldn't save them.
Just as everyone was fretting on Wang Yunteng's behalf, he let out a rare chuckle filled with ridicule. "These days, swindlers dare to pull their tricks right before my Wang family.
"Do you know that Senior Blood-Robed Sword God of the Blood-Robed Alliance has already agreed and will soon take this True Monarch as an initiated disciple?" Wang Yunteng declared proudly.
The major announcement the Wang family planned for this Divine Infant Banquet was precisely that Wang Yunteng was being accepted as a disciple by the Blood-Robed Sword God.
"What?! True Monarch Wang caught Senior Blood-Robed Sword God's eye and is being taken as a disciple?"
"Congratulations! This makes one so jealous that one's balls turn purple!"
"A true dragon has emerged from the Wang family!"
"Wang Yunteng's talent is extraordinary. If he competed on the Eastern Lands Heavenly Pride Roll, he'd surely earn a spot. It makes sense that the Blood-Robed Sword God would favor him!"
"To think Senior Blood-Robed Sword God would actually take disciples!"
The crowd was astonished and utterly envious.
"Then isn't Qi Yuan making trouble for the Wang family like flooding the Dragon King's temple?"
"This red-robed cultivator is in deep trouble!"
They looked at Qi Yuan with pity.
Even if he truly belonged to the Blood-Robed Alliance, offending the disciple of the Blood-Robed Sword God would spell his doom.
At this moment, Qi Yuan was completely bewildered.
The turn of events had somewhat exceeded his expectations.
'Hey, this is going too far. Clearly, I'm the Dragon King War God!'
'Why are you all acting shocked over him?'
'And why did you steal my crooked-smile scene?'
Speechless, Qi Yuan thought how rare it was for him to be in good spirits and play the role of the Dragon King War God with his junior sister, only to get upstaged.
He looked at Wang Yunteng and said flatly, "You claim to be the Blood-Robed Sword God's disciple, but do you have any proof? If you're his disciple, then I... I'm the Blood-Robed Sword God's father!"
Qi Yuan had originally planned to say he was the Blood-Robed Sword God. But since the guy wasn't actually his disciple, claiming 'If you're his disciple, I'm the Blood-Robed Sword God' wouldn't create a proper parallel and would be grammatically awkward.
"How dare you disrespect the Blood-Robed Sword God! You are finished! In the Eastern Lands, no one can protect you!" Murderous intent flashed in Wang Yunteng's eyes.
It seemed he genuinely considered the Blood-Robed Sword God his master.
"Call out your master, the Blood-Robed Sword God, and let me see him!" Qi Yuan planted his hands on his hips.
He wanted to see if someone was using his exact name and title.
Wouldn't that mean... copyright infringement? He would have to demand some compensation.
"The Blood-Robed Sword God is not here, but this old man is."
Just then, an aged voice drifted in.
An old man swayed into view, a wine gourd hanging from his waist, radiating a pungent stench of liquor. The tip of his nose was red—a clear drinker's nose.
His abrupt entrance seemed to have evaded the perception of everyone present.
Seeing him emerge, the cultivators showed wary expressions, for he had appeared as if out of thin air.
"Greetings, Jiu Fuzi!" Wang Yunteng immediately bowed with utmost respect, continuing, "Jiu Fuzi is a legendary, immortal figure. Even my master, the Blood-Robed Sword God, must respectfully address him as Senior upon meeting him!"
Wang Yunteng introduced Jiu Fuzi to the entire gathering.
Jiu Fuzi raised his wine gourd and poured liquor down his throat.
Catching the wine's fragrance, the cultivators wore shocked expressions, for within that wine seemed to brew boundless divine spiritual power—as if a Yin God had refined their own divine spiritual power into liquor.
For Jiu Fuzi to drink such wine, he had to be a Yin God!
Looking at him, their belief deepened.
Gulping down a mouthful of wine, Jiu Fuzi let out a liquor-scented belch. "This boy Wang Yunteng is quite fine. His talent is solid; I'm quite fond of him. Unfortunately, this old man can't be bothered to take disciples, so I handed him over to that Blood-Robed fellow."
Qi Yuan looked at Jiu Fuzi, his expression calm.
In his eyes, nothing about Jiu Fuzi was hidden.
The Jiu Fuzi before him was indeed a powerful Yin God, and furthermore, a Great Venerable—no ordinary Great Venerable at that.
"You've met the Blood-Robed Sword God? If you threw Wang Yunteng to him, would he agree to take him as a disciple?" Qi Yuan asked.
"Back when I was half-awake from a hangover lying in a carriage, that Blood-Robed kid was quite considerate, keeping night watch for this old man," Jiu Fuzi boasted casually. "Shoving Wang Yunteng onto him is his honor; he'd love nothing more than to curry favor with me!"
As Jiu Fuzi spoke, a smug grin shone in his eyes.
Qi Yuan's gaze was calm.
During the first sentence, the old man's nose lengthened slightly, indicating... Jiu Fuzi was lying; Blood-Robed had never kept night watch for him.
During the second sentence, the nose didn't change, which meant Jiu Fuzi was telling the truth—or rather, he believed it was true.
"You're certainly confident. I'm ninety-nine percent sure the Blood-Robed Sword God won't take him as a disciple," Qi Yuan said casually.
"On this matter, even if you truly were the Blood-Robed Sword God's father, he would still have to listen to me," Jiu Fuzi said with overflowing confidence. "The stronger a Great Venerable is in this world, the more they will have to beg me, because only this old man can grant them a path to survive!"
Jiu Fuzi spoke domineeringly, full of smug pride.
Qi Yuan's expression remained tranquil. "I've heard the Blood-Robed Sword God is the supreme being of this world. Does he need you to give him a way to live?"
"Little brat, that just shows how little you know," Jiu Fuzi said. "If I took off my shoes, the Blood-Robed Sword God would have to put them back on for me. Aren't you from the Blood-Robed Alliance? Call him over, and I'll have him demonstrate putting on my boots right here on the spot!"
Jiu Fuzi was bursting with confidence, behaving like a peerless supreme master.
The cultivators present grew pale, some falling silent as cicadas in winter.
Jiu Fuzi's claims were simply too exaggerated. If the Blood-Robed Sword God actually heard this, then...
"Heh heh, this old man dares to speak like this because I have the confidence to back it up. The Blood-Robed Sword God may be formidable, but his name isn't even inscribed on the Mythological Stele. Heh heh... he's nothing more than that," Jiu Fuzi continued.
At this moment, Wang Yunteng chimed in, "The world has great sects, but it also has hidden organizations. Jiu Fuzi is the deputy leader of one such hidden organization!"
Hearing this, everyone was thoroughly shaken.
Could it be that Jiu Fuzi was truly an exceptional dragon among men?
Regardless, whether it was the Blood-Robed Sword God or Jiu Fuzi, neither was someone they could afford to offend.
Jiu Fuzi looked at Qi Yuan with a sigh. "Kid, put on my boots for me, and this old man won't hold today's offense against you. Otherwise... heh heh, make this old man unhappy, and your sect, that pretty girl behind you, and whatever Jiang clan you belong to will all be turned to ash!"
Hearing this, Qi Yuan's expression was calm. "The moral atmosphere of the cultivation world has truly deteriorated too far. I just conveniently wiped out the Feng family, and coming here... I run into yet another potential homicidal maniac. Sigh, why are there still so many bad people in the world when I'm working so hard?"
A breeze blew past, causing Qi Yuan's blood-colored robes to billow.
Hearing Qi Yuan's words, the cultivators were stunned.
What? The Feng family had been wiped out?
Shock flooded their hearts as if hearing something world-shaking.
Suddenly, a realization struck them, and they stared at Qi Yuan in astonishment.
Today was Wang Yunteng's Divine Infant Banquet; by all rights, the Feng family should have sent someone in person, yet no one had shown up. Could it be...?
They hurried to send out voice transmissions to verify the news.
"Wiped out?" Jiu Fuzi furrowed his brows. His formidable divine soul swept outward, and in an instant, the gruesome scene of the Feng family came into his view. He glanced at Qi Yuan with surprise in his eyes. "You little bastard, you're quite something. You really did wipe out the Feng family!"
As Jiu Fuzi spoke, his formidable divine soul surged toward Qi Yuan, wanting to see through Qi Yuan's true depth.
However, when his powerful divine soul touched Qi Yuan, it was like a spring breeze brushing over water—it didn't stir up the slightest ripple.
"You kid..." Jiu Fuzi wore a suspicious look. "Could you really be the Blood-Robed Sword God's father?"
The cultivators present were completely dumbfounded.
A moment later, countless replies were transmitted back into their ears, and their gazes toward Qi Yuan transformed entirely.
Because just now, they received word that the Feng family had indeed been annihilated.
Furthermore, people from Phoenix Palace were apparently rushing toward Yuntian City to apologize and make amends.
Because the one who wiped out the Feng family was none other than... the legendary Blood-Robed Sword God.
Shock and confusion gripped their hearts.
How could they have only learned of such a monumental event just now?
They had no idea that wherever Qi Yuan appeared, ten suns shone in turn, intensifying the effect of Oblivion.
"The Blood-Robed Sword God... He's the Blood-Robed Sword God!" A Divine Infant cultivator trembled, shaken to the core.
Never in their wildest dreams did they imagine the Blood-Robed Sword God would appear here.
And apparently, as the Jiang family's live-in son-in-law!
The cultivators who had secretly mocked Qi Yuan earlier turned deathly pale.
Everyone else adopted expressions of reverence and awe.
"Greetings, Blood-Robed Sword God!" Immediately, a Divine Infant cultivator bowed.
The remaining cultivators followed suit in unison.
Although Jiu Fuzi talked a big game and certainly appeared powerful, they had no idea how strong he truly was.
The Blood-Robed Sword God was different—he was a genuinely ruthless figure.
Seeing this, Wang Yunteng's face also went stark white.
Disbelief filled Qiong Yunting's eyes. She looked at Jiang Lingsu, then at Qi Yuan, her composure on the brink of total collapse.
Only Jiu Fuzi remained merely somewhat surprised, still seated as steady as Mount Tai, like an angler unbothered by the storm.
"You're the Blood-Robed Sword God? Come, put on this old man's boots!"
Jiu Fuzi's voice rang with absolute confidence—confidence rooted in overwhelming power.
Hearing this, the other cultivators in the hall were dumbstruck with shock.
Wang Yunteng, still pale, secretly prayed with all his heart that Jiu Fuzi wasn't just boasting. Otherwise, the Wang family was truly finished.
But recalling Jiu Fuzi's extraordinary traits, Wang Yunteng felt slightly relieved.
Meanwhile, Qi Yuan looked at Jiu Fuzi with amusement dancing in his eyes. "To paraphrase the ancients: in this Canglan Realm, no one is permitted to act more awesome than me!"
He really couldn't take it—this Jiu Fuzi was far too skilled at posturing.
If Qi Yuan didn't outdo him, it would feel like ants crawling all over his skin.
And of course, once the posturing contest was settled, what followed would be what Qi Yuan did best... kill, kill, kill.
Chapter 385