Qian Liangmu coughed gently. “The leader of the Myriad Poison cult, the Myriad Poison Ancestor, wishes to invite you to become a protector of the cult.”
Peng Jingni immediately sneered. “What a great plan by the Myriad Poison cult. Is this the great riches and honour you speak of?”
Li Qingshan took a sip of alcohol. “Not bad. To regular cultivators, the identity as a protector of the Myriad Poison cult would indeed be great riches and honour.”
However, what he was implying was as clear as day. It meant absolutely nothing to him!
He thought, You want to pull me onto the war chariot of the Myriad Poison cult with just the measly identity of a protector? Aren’t you a little too naive? When the Sword Collection palace invited me to become a guest elder, they offered me a powerful arcane treasure after all, and if I really were to run into any trouble, the Sword Collection palace would help me out for the sake of their pride. If I don’t get stabbed in the back by a demonic sect like the Myriad Poison cult, I’d be doing quite well.
Qian Liangmu smiled as if everything was within his grasp. Then he said, “What about the identity of a guest at the King of Southern Yue’s estate?”
Yu Wufeng raised his eyebrows and thought, Here comes the main show.
The King of Southern Yue’s estate had always possessed the practise of recruiting guests, regardless of their identities and origins. As long as they could pass the corresponding test, they could become guests and earn the protection of the royal clan, enjoying a multitude of benefits.
Whenever they recruited guests, countless cultivators of the Mist province would make a scramble for it. It would lead to quite the bloodshed in the Mist capital.
Peng Jingni’s mouth hung agape. He had finally been shut up. The South Sea Sword pavilion could oppose the Myriad Poison cult, and they did not fear Qian Liangmu’s identity as a prince either, but they dared not get in the way of the King of Southern Yue’s plans.
The method the King of Southern Yue used to choose its successor was even stricter than the imperial clan of Great Xia, revering the primitive rule of the jungle. The various princes would train and undergo trials in various places across the Mist province, so dying was very common. As long as it was not directly at the hand of powerful cultivators like the master of the South Sea Sword pavilion going out of their way to hunt them down, the King of Southern Yue basically would not consider revenge.
However, this matter clearly touched on the conflict between the Mist province and the Green province. If the King of Southern Yue could make them join him, then it would be equivalent to directly dealing a heavy blow to the cultivation community of the Green province. Who was reckless enough to impede the King of Souther Yue?
Qian Liangmu glanced at Peng Jingni with a smile, filled with provocation. Right now, he no longer represented the Myriad Poison cult, but the King of Southern Yue’s estate. However, to his disappointment, Li Qingshan did not react with any surprise. He remained as calm as ever.
“Not bad. That can be considered as great riches and honour. What else?” Li Qingshan took a sip of alcohol and smiled.
Qian Liangmu raised an eyebrow. Was he too greedy for his own good or just brainless? With such an important choice right in front of him, he could actually still smile.
“Honoured guest!” Qian Liangmu squinted his eyes and spat out the two words like he had spat out a knife. Cold light flashed through his eyes, revealing his true intentions at the end.
Hmph, I’d like to see if you can still smile now!
Yu Wufeng’s eyes suddenly narrowed. He never thought the King of Southern Yue would actually offer something like that!
The King of Southern Yue’s estate was known to keep over three thousand talented guests, which were divided into honoured, esteemed, and valued guests depending on their cultivations. First heavenly tribulation cultivators could become valued guests, second heavenly tribulation cultivators could become esteemed guests, while only third heavenly tribulation existences had the right to become honoured guests.
Even the measly identity as a valued guest was enough for countless people to make a scramble for it, while before honoured guests, even the King of Southern Yue had to show some respect, referring to them as “fellow”.
Although Li Qingshan possessed the title of the King of Savages, he had not undergone the third heavenly tribulation yet! The King of Southern Yue was actually breaking tradition and directly conferring Li Qingshan the title of honoured guest. As long as he became an honoured guest, he could basically wander the Mist province as he wished. The other benefits were innumerable too.
It truly was great riches and honour!
However, it was exactly because these riches and honour were great enough that made it more difficult to turn down. Since the King of Southern Yue had demonstrated his determination to recruit them, there were not a lot of people who were bold enough to disrespect him by turning him down.
If Li Qingshan turned him down, then even if he remained within the many formations of Savage mountain, he would not necessarily be safe. However, if he agreed to it, then that would be equivalent to breaking away from the Green province.
As Qian Liangmu had been expecting, Li Qingshan’s smile vanished. He frowned slightly.
However, Qian Liangmu’s heart sank. Li Qingshan only straightened himself out. It was merely a simple action, but it seemed like the mountain had suddenly pulled several hundred meters taller, casting a huge, deep shadow over him. The pressure he experienced multiplied.
He was shocked. Li Qingshan clearly was not intentionally displaying his bearing to strike fear into him. He only put on a solemn appearance, yet that was enough for him to feel greatly threatened, just like a mortal facing a vicious tiger. Even if a vicious tiger had no interest in hunting down a mortal, meeting its eyes was already enough to frighten the mortal out of their wits.
The Startled Salamander sword let out a thrum in Peng Jingni’s hand, exiting its sheathe loudly. He pressed down on the hilt in a hurry, comforting the Startled Salamander sword spirit. He sighed in amazement inside, Even without letting out his aura and just by getting a little serious, it is enough to make the Startled Salamander sword send a warning! What spirit! Originally, I thought that I might not have been the very best among the second heavenly tribulation with my cultivation, but I wouldn’t lose to anyone. Looking at it now, I’ve merely been stuck up with a narrow view. Senior brother has cultivated arduously for all these years, already close to the third heavenly tribulation, but he was still defeated at his hand. Looks like it wasn’t a coincidence.
Li Qingshan had killed resolutely during the past few years. Who knew how many second heavenly tribulation humans, demons, and daemons had died by his hand, which made his bearing condense in its own way.
“Please consider it carefully, commander, without letting down the King of Yue’s kind intentions.”
Qian Liangmu sat on his heels on the rock, clasping his hands and making his sleeves drift about. He lowered his head to the ground, performing a solemn bow.
Originally, he had been rather dissatisfied with how the King of Southern Yue had directly offered Li Qingshan the identity of an honoured guest. Once Li Qingshan became an honoured guest, then even he, a prince, would have to go out of his way to greet and bow to him.
But now, most of this dissatisfaction had vanished. It was instead replaced by realisation. If it comes to an actual battle to the death, I’ll probably die to him. I won’t even be able to escape. This was not a judgement based on logic, but purely a gut feeling. This gut feeling had only been developed through facing countless trials of death while growing up. It had saved him numerous times.
Even though he was still a little unworthy of the title “King of Savages” right now, he would leap past the third heavenly tribulation and stand among the ranks of kings sooner or later as long as he did not die along the way.
Performing a solemn bow to someone like that was not humiliating at all. Instead, this bow of his was already a gesture of courtesy that he would show to an honoured guest, basically forcing him to make a decision. He stared right into Li Qingshan’s eyes and thought to himself.
Make your choice, King of Savages! Whether it’s the Mist province or the Green province, as long as you take a step wrong, even geniuses will die, left dead without a soul, their bodies crushed and pulverised.
Li Qingshan smiled. “What’re you being so stern for?” He scratched his head and sighed. “Sigh, I originally wanted to ignore it, or at least make the decision once I’ve ignored it for a few years and the war was actually going to start. But sure enough, the lord of a province can’t be dealt with so easily!”
“Of course, I could pretend to agree to it before explaining myself to the Green province. That way, I won’t offend anyone on either side. It does seem to be the smartest choice too. However, I’ve never been a smart person, nor do I like to pose around and be a sycophant, so…”
Li Qingshan finished off his jar of alcohol and smiled.
“I decline!”
ps: 屋漏偏逢连夜雨啊!昨天坐了一天的车，回来先睡了俩小时，结果晚上死活睡不着觉，今天头晕的厉害，到现在才把这一章码出来，不过昨天才许下的诺言，不能这么快就打脸，今天说什么都要再码出一章来，敬请期待，最后求张月票，给点动力，考验男人持久力的时候到了!
