75: Chapter 75 Seven Visits to the True Man Without Success

Outside the grand mountain gate of Liuyun Temple, the atmosphere was tense.

Two figures hovered in mid-air, their pressure faintly radiating.

The one in front was none other than Song Qingfeng. Dressed in a luxurious silk robe and holding a folding fan, he appeared calm and composed on the surface, with a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

Beside him was an elderly man dressed in a simple grey robe. Though his face was withered, his aura was as deep as an abyss and as vast as the sea.

On some hillsides outside Liuyun Temple, many Loose Cultivators had already gathered after hearing the news to watch the spectacle, and they were currently engaged in a flurry of discussion:

“Whoa! Look, the one-month deadline has just arrived, and this Young Sect Master of the Tianhuo Sect has come to 'knock on the door' right on time again!”

“Tsk tsk, this Liuyun Temple is quite stubborn! Their own Nascent Soul Old Ancestor has passed away, and a Nascent Soul True Lord is blocking their door, yet they refuse to yield!”

“Nonsense! After all, it's a Fourth-grade Sect with many years of Legacy; it still has some foundation. If they were to cower and surrender now, I’d be the first to look down on them!”

“Psh~~ You're just at the Qi Refinement Stage; who cares if you look down on them or not?”

“What did you say?”

“What?”

“What!”

“What!”

---

In the air, Song Qingfeng seemingly shook his folding fan elegantly, but in his heart, he was already cursing up a storm.

Damn it! Before coming here, no one told him that these people from Liuyun Temple were so hard-headed!

He was quite helpless now. His father had sent him to apply pressure, but just as the Loose Cultivators watching the show below said, Liuyun Temple was once a Fourth-grade Sect after all, and its Mountain-Protecting Array was no small matter!

Relying solely on Old Bai, who was at the Early Nascent Soul Stage by his side, it was impossible to break!

Standing here and issuing challenges now was purely putting on a monkey show for those Loose Cultivators!

He reckoned his father hadn't expected Liuyun Temple to be so stubborn either, right?

What frustrated him even more was another matter—Pang Qiandu!

That fellow who possessed a Medium Grade Earth Rank Cultivation Technique! He had originally planned it all out: trick Pang Qiandu back to the Tianhuo Sect's lair and use his father and the Sect's grand array to easily capture him and seize the technique.

As long as he obtained that Medium Grade Earth Rank Cultivation Technique, even if the matter of him giving his old man a—cough—high hat was exposed, his father might not truly sacrifice his own kin for the sake of righteousness, considering the value of the technique...

But who could have imagined that after the Huoyan Sect was destroyed by the Moonshadow Sect, that old fellow Pang Qiandu would simply vanish from the face of the earth!

The prize was practically in his hands, only to suddenly fly away! How could this not leave him feeling stifled?!

All of this was the fault of that damned Sect Master of Moon Shadow Sect!

The more Song Qingfeng thought about it, the angrier he became, his fingers gripping the folding fan until his knuckles turned white.

Damn it! If that guy surnamed Ling dared to show up here now, I would definitely have Old Bai teach him a good lesson! I'd let him know the price of meddling in others' business!

A flash of light appeared at the mountain gate, and Jing Hong led several Elders of Liuyun Temple as they flew out.

His expression was calm; Song Qingfeng had once again come to the door right on time to pressure them. But as for now—

Jing Hong stood tall, and facing the aggressive Song Qingfeng, his voice was sonorous:

“Your suggestion that my Liuyun Temple cede fifty percent of the Spirit Mines and medicinal gardens in the Hedong Region? Absolutely impossible!”

Song Qingfeng's pupils constricted slightly, his face filled with surprise and suspicion.

This old thing was using soft words to procrastinate last time; why is he so bold today? Did he take the wrong medicine?

A smile that didn't reach his eyes squeezed onto his face:

“Hehe, Sect Master Jing is... quite confident today? Could it be that you've found some 'great backer' in these past few days?”

Song Qingfeng was being sarcastic; he didn't think Liuyun Temple could find any kind of backer in this Qing State.

After all, Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators weren't exactly common as dirt!

The moment he finished speaking!

“Buzz—”

A majestic pressure instantly enveloped the entire mountain gate square! The Loose Cultivators who were previously discussing animatedly suddenly became as silent as cicadas in winter, and even breathing became difficult.

Two figures appeared high in the air beside Jing Hong as if they had teleported.

The one in front wore white clothes as pure as snow and had a tall, solitary, and proud stature. Just by casually standing in the air, he seemed to become the center of heaven and earth, radiating a heart-palpitating majesty.

Beside him, Chi Shuying stood gracefully in a pink dress, her exquisite figure and powerful aura intertwining, making her equally impossible to ignore.

After a brief, deadly silence, the surrounding crowd instantly erupted!

“It's the Sect Master of Moon Shadow Sect! Ling Hao!”

“My God! No wonder Liuyun Temple dared to boldly refuse today; it turns out they invited him!”

“Now there’s going to be a good show! I wonder if the Young Sect Master of the Tianhuo Sect will have to return empty-handed again?”

“Hehe, this Young Sect Master has returned empty-handed all seven times he came to Liuyun Temple. Why don't we call him the Immortal Master of Seven Failed Entries?!”

After Song Qingfeng clearly saw who had arrived, his expression instantly turned from surprise and suspicion to a livid green, and the anger in his heart erupted like a volcano.

It's him again! I haven't even settled the score with him over the matter of Pang Qiandu, and today he jumps out again to ruin my Tianhuo Sect's plans! Do you really think I, Song Qingfeng, am a pushover?!”

He suppressed his almost-exploding fury, and facing Jing Hong, he pulled his mouth into an extremely ugly, mocking smile:

“Yo! I was wondering who gave Sect Master Jing such courage; it turns out Sect Master Ling has graced us with his presence! What? Is the dignified Fourth-grade Sect, Liuyun Temple, now willing to be a vassal of the Moonshadow Sect?”

Song Qingfeng's sarcasm about being a “vassal” was too grating. Behind Jing Hong, the fiery-tempered, red-faced Third Elder's face instantly flushed even redder, and the veins on his neck bulged. He almost blurted out a rebuttal:

“Shut up! Stop talking nonsense! How could my Liuyun Temple possibly be...”

Before he could finish the second half of his sentence, the withered Second Elder beside him suddenly tugged at his sleeve.

The Second Elder glanced anxiously at Ling Hao, who was suspended in the air, then quickly lowered his head, desperately signaling the Third Elder with his eyes to remain silent!

The Third Elder glanced at Ling Hao, and his heart full of anger and indignation instantly got stuck in his throat.

He suddenly realized that the most critical thing right now was not to win a verbal spat, but the attitude of this savior!

If they were to offend this unpredictable Sect Master of Moon Shadow Sect, the consequences would be unimaginable!

Even the usually steady Grand Elder Yunshui frowned slightly, but in the end, he did not speak. He merely lowered his eyelids in silence, his aura becoming even more condensed.

Jing Hong was both shocked and enraged, and he immediately barked a sharp reprimand.

“Shut up!”

He glared fiercely at the Third Elder, cursing in his heart: You idiot! What time is it, and you still can't see the situation clearly! Our lifeblood is currently held in the palm of Sect Master Ling's hand!”

Song Qingfeng secretly sent a voice transmission to the elderly man beside him:

“Old Bai! Against him... are you confident?!”

Old Bai looked at Ling Hao's young face, his heart full of disdain.

How much capability could a master of an obscure Sect have? He proudly transmitted back:

“Rest assured, Young Lord! Against a mere junior, I believe I can still handle him! Even if... humph, even if there is some accident, I will exert all my strength to ensure you leave safely without any problem!”

Hearing Old Bai's assurance, Song Qingfeng's heart settled slightly, and his courage grew a bit more.

He looked at Ling Hao and first said hypocritically:

“Sect Master Ling, this is a private matter between my Tianhuo Sect and Liuyun Temple. The Moonshadow Sect is thousands of miles away; why bother meddling and wading into this muddy water?”

“If you withdraw now, I, Song Qingfeng, will owe you a personal favor. In the future, the Tianhuo Sect and Earth Flame Sect will surely provide a generous reward!”

His tone suddenly turned cold and sinister, carrying a blatant threat:

“If you don't know what's good for you... humph, Sect Master Ling, you should think carefully! Is it worth offending our two great Fourth-grade Sects at the same time for a mere Liuyun Temple? Even if you have some skill, could you possibly...?”

Hearing this, the atmosphere among the surrounding Loose Cultivators instantly became heavy.

Many people looked at Ling Hao with worry and doubt in their eyes: “Indeed, no matter how strong Sect Master Ling is, can he withstand the combined pressure of two great Sects?”

“Offending Tianhuo and Diyan to the death for the sake of Liuyun Temple... the price is too high.”

“Will Sect Master Ling... withdraw because of this?”

“I don't think so. Since Sect Master Ling destroyed the Huoyan Sect last time, he has already offended the Tianhuo and Earth Flame Sects to the death. His coming here this time is likely to unite with Liuyun Temple to resist Tianhuo and Diyan together.”

Listening to Song Qingfeng's threat, Jing Hong was laughing wildly in his heart.

Idiot! Do you know that you are threatening a Spirit Severing True Venerable! Even if both your parents are at the Nascent Soul Stage, so what? You're finished!”

Jing Hong had never leaked the news that Ling Hao was a Spirit Severing True Venerable, precisely fearing that the Tianhuo Sect and Earth Flame Sect would yield if they found out.

Jing Hong couldn't help but steal a glance at Ling Hao, anticipating the thunderous wrath of this True Venerable.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, a cold, bone-chilling curve slowly formed on Ling Hao's face.

In that smile, there was no warmth at all, only endless ridicule and... killing intent.