386: Chapter 386 The Poor Queen

After finishing their vegetarian meal, Lin Xiao and the women returned to the Tianwu Grand Tournament venue once again.

Midway, they spotted a monk with a pack on his back, looking dejected as he prepared to descend the mountain. It was none other than formerly Alai!

Lin Xiao had intended to have a chat with this former king, so seeing him about to leave, he decided not to wait any longer.

formerly Alai did not expect to be summoned by Lin Xiao, so he followed him with a puzzled expression to a secluded pavilion.

"Your Highness, what is it that you wish to ask this humble monk?"

"The Tianwu Grand Tournament hasn't ended yet. Why the rush to leave?"

"For this humble monk, it has already ended."

formerly Alai said regretfully, "It is just that I failed to enter the top four, which is a disgrace to my sect."

"As a monk, why are you so obsessed with rankings? Little Master formerly Alai, is your own cultivation lacking, or do you look down upon the masters of the Buddhist sect?" Lin Xiao asked with a smile.

formerly Alai hurriedly waved his hands, saying, "This humble monk did not mean that. It is just that I became a monk late in life, and having been taken in by the Buddhist sect, I wish to do more for them to repay their kindness."

"Repaying kindness is certainly a good thing, but... failing to repay a grudge is not so good, is it?"

Upon hearing this, formerly Alai's eyes widened immediately.

"As the saying goes, if I do not enter hell, who will? Master formerly Alai, whose soul do you most wish to deliver with your Rebirth Mantra?" Lin Xiao asked with an inscrutable smile.

formerly Alai's breathing quickened, his face full of unease. "Your Highness... you... what exactly are you talking about?"

"My princess said she once saw you in your youth. Back then, you were still a cheerful, laughing boy."

Lin Xiao reached out and patted formerly Alai on the shoulder. "You have become so melancholy now. You must have suffered quite a bit, haven't you?"

formerly Alai gasped, clenching his fists tightly. "Your Highness, what exactly do you want?"

"That is a question I should be asking you. What if... I said I would give you a chance to deliver those who sent you to hell..."

Lin Xiao grinned, like a demon bewitching a heart. "A-Lai, are you willing?"

formerly Alai's pupils contracted, and fine beads of sweat seeped out on his forehead, as if he were engaged in a battle between heaven and man.

After a long time, he pressed his palms together. "Amitabha. This humble monk has already entered the void of the monastery. Past events are but like dreams, illusions, and bubbles."

"Heh..."

Lin Xiao knew it wouldn't be so easy to persuade this guy. Not to mention they had just met for the first time, getting him to pick up his most painful past was not that simple.

"No rush. Go back and think about it slowly. I will not force you, nor will I speak of this to anyone else."

formerly Alai's expression was reserved. "Many thanks, Your Highness. This humble monk takes his leave."

As he hurried away with his back turned, having taken only a few steps, a sigh came from Lin Xiao behind him...

"The pitiful queen... sigh..."

formerly Alai seemed to have been struck heavily by something. His body shuddered, his eyes filled with shock, bloodshot and wide.

Yet, he still gritted his teeth and descended the mountain.

"Husband, do you really intend to help formerly Alai reclaim the throne?" Zhao Caiwei asked at this moment.

The other women gathered around. Their cultivation levels were all quite high, so they had heard the conversation between the two.

"Yes. After all, he is the legitimate heir. By using him to seize the throne of the Great Peacock Kingdom, the resistance will be much smaller," Lin Xiao admitted.

"But that place is so poor, hot, and humid, with plagues and malaria running rampant. Is it really worth taking?" Xie Juner asked, somewhat confused.

Lin Xiao laughed and said, "Heat has its benefits. Some plants must grow there."

Sugarcane and cotton—those are good things!

As far as Lin Xiao knew, the sugar production technology in the Great Gan was very backward. The method for refining sugar had not yet been developed, and there was not even white sugar.

And sugar, a strategic resource like this, had not yet been given enough importance, but sooner or later it would be needed in the future.

There was another key point: the assassination attempt by the Moon Worship Cult made Lin Xiao realize he had to turn his gaze toward the far south.

Since the Moon Worship Cult was active near Baiyue and the Southern Ridge, could the sixteen foreign nations be unrelated?

Could the shadow of the Moon Worship Cult also be behind the coup in the Great Peacock Kingdom?

Although Lin Xiao had no evidence, he vaguely felt that this organization, which could make the Great Grandmaster Wuming act as a protector, was definitely a giant beast hidden underwater.

Instead of searching everywhere for this monster, it would be better to occupy the entire "pool"!

Past dynasties did not venture into the sixteen foreign nations because they were barren lands with treacherous waters, rampant diseases, snakes, and insects. They did not know how to utilize the resources there, so attacking them was not worth the cost.

However, Lin Xiao did not have these problems. Even if he just used the land to grow fruit, he could make a fortune!

"Even if formerly Alai really intends to cooperate with you, our army cannot just bypass the Southern Ridge to help him, can it?" Mu Wanying said, feeling a headache.

"There is no need for our Zhenbei Army."

Lin Xiao looked at Leng Bingyan. "Isn't there an army operating at the border between the sixteen nations and the Southern Ridge?"

"My father's Black Dragon Cavalry!?" Leng Bingyan exclaimed. "Husband, you want to see my father!?"

Lin Xiao nodded. "After the Tianwu Grand Tournament ends, try to help me contact him. Originally, there was no rush, but since the Moon Worship Cult has appeared, we must take it seriously."

Leng Bingyan thought it made sense. Although she was anxious—after all, she had become a concubine to the Prince of Zhenbei without General Leng Duo's consent—she had to prioritize the bigger picture and could not worry about too much else.

The afternoon session of the Tianwu Grand Tournament was much more intense than the morning.

Leng Bingyan's junior sister, Li Qiner, was facing off against Child Ghost, which made everyone from the Sword Forest nervous.

Child Ghost was still wielding that unsharpened, dull blade, chasing after the beautiful Li Qiner and hacking away.

Even though Li Qiner's swordsmanship was not weak, her speed and strength were far inferior to Child Ghost's.

"Still not surrendering!? Still not admitting defeat!?"

Child Ghost laughed wildly, like a man-eating demon.

Li Qiner had a stubborn personality. Although she knew the hope was slim, she did not want to give up until the very end.

It was not until the sword in her hand was knocked away by a strike that she fought back tears of unwillingness and shouted, "I admi... Ah!!"

Before she could finish, Child Ghost suddenly increased his speed and slashed another blow onto her arm that had held the sword!

Li Qiner's arm snapped in response, and her miserable scream tore through the sky above Wendao Peak!

"Qiner!!" Sect Leader Bai Jingfei stood up, his face turning green.

Gu Jianxin, Wei Yurou, and the others quickly ran onto the arena.

The disciples of the Sword Forest were all cursing loudly.

It was very obvious that Child Ghost was annoyed that Li Qiner refused to admit defeat for so long, so he gave her a "punishment."

"Child Ghost! Junior Sister Li has already admitted defeat! You did that on purpose!!"

Child Ghost, on the other hand, looked unconcerned and whistled. "It's just a broken arm, acting as if someone died. If you can't afford to lose, then don't play."

Boos erupted from the scene, though some people felt that Li Qiner brought it on herself—wouldn't it have been better to just admit defeat earlier?

The key was that the Blade Emperor Wuming looked unconcerned, and the Sword Saint Guan Canghai had no intention of speaking up for his sect member, so everyone else did not dare to say much.

Clearly, one Li Qiner was not worth these two Great Grandmasters stepping in.

"Second Senior Sister, how is Qiner's arm?" Leng Bingyan also ran down and asked with concern.

Wei Yurou knew medicine. After checking, she shook her head helplessly. "At least half a year, she cannot practice swordsmanship."

When Li Qiner heard this, her tears burst forth like a dam, and she finally couldn't hold it back, wailing in pain.

"It's all my fault! It's all my own doing... I have shamed Master and the Sword Forest, wuwu..."

Gu Jianxin consoled her, "What fault do you have? You were just doing your best in the martial arts competition."

"It was that mad dog! He couldn't stand that you had backbone! He deliberately wanted to cripple you!"

If Child Ghost's blade had been sharpened, Li Qiner's arm would have been gone.

"Junior Sister Leng, I am angry!"

The fat man Yin Zhong said solemnly, "From now on, regardless of whether it is you or me, whoever encounters Child Ghost must avenge Junior Sister Li!"

Leng Bingyan's eyes were already filled with frost. She had never seen the stubborn Li Qiner cry so painfully.

Even when they were young, during the twelfth lunar month when snow was flying, practicing swordsmanship on the ice lake early in the morning until her skin cracked and bled, she had never cried.

Leng Bingyan was just about to agree, but suddenly remembered that she still had to consider the interests of the Prince's estate...

She turned her head and looked at Lin Xiao sitting above.

Lin Xiao smiled slightly and mouthed three words—Kill him.