Chapter 144: Understanding the People, Sharing in Their Joy
“Li Fugui, are you going to the Sword Tomb too?” Qin Luan spotted the cold-faced Li Fugui and greeted him enthusiastically, “Me too! Just arrived and ran into such good luck.”
Meeting an old friend from another land, Qin Luan was delighted.
Li Fugui let out a cold snort: “What Li Fugui—call me Seven Kill Daozi!”
Seven Kill Daozi was the Daozi of the Ruthless Sect of Great Zhou. The Ruthless Sect specialized in the Sword Dao, wholly devoted to the sword. It was a famous sword sect located at the border of two provinces in the southeastern coastal region of Great Zhou.
The Ruthless Sect could be considered a branch of the Sword Pavilion—the sect’s founding ancestor had once been a Sword Pavilion disciple.
“I’ve been waiting here for over half a year just for the Sword Tomb to open. You’re lucky—showed up and it just happened.”
Still, Seven Kill Daozi honestly let Qin Luan pull him over to the tea stall.
Qin Luan had just intended to introduce the big shot to Seven Kill Daozi when he noticed the tea stall owner giving them a rather unfriendly look.
The tea stall was small, with only three tables. They were sitting there without drinking tea, chatting endlessly and taking up space—naturally it was hurting business.
Jiang Li didn’t mind drinking cheap tea himself, but he couldn’t let a whole bunch of juniors join him in doing so. He stood up and led the group to another location.
As for the tea bill, there was no need to pay—Zhang Long and Lu Bucong had already covered Jiang Li’s part.
As they walked along, Qin Luan was just about to introduce Jiang Li to Seven Kill Daozi when a group of people approached and accidentally bumped into Song Ying.
“Blind or what? Don’t you watch where you’re walking?” the other party didn’t apologize—on the contrary, they scolded Song Ying.
“How unreasonable! You clearly bumped into her—how is that our fault?” Qin Luan instinctively shielded Song Ying and stood up for her.
The little fox on his shoulder also bared its cute little fangs at them in a fierce pose.
Seven Kill Daozi hurriedly pulled Qin Luan back and pointed at the insignia on the other’s sleeve, whispering, “That’s someone from the Fearless Alliance—don’t be stupid and pick a fight.”
“Fearless Alliance? What’s that?” Qin Luan hadn’t heard of it before.
“It’s the largest organization in Great Sui, formed by many sects. Each of those sects has at least a Soul Formation Stage elder overseeing them. Except for the Sword Pavilion, every sect in Great Sui with a Fusion Stage patriarch is part of it.”
Seven Kill explained it concisely, making Qin Luan realize this wasn’t a good idea.
Fusion Stage—terrifying stuff.
The Fearless Alliance was united internally and domineering externally, running rampant across Great Sui. Aside from the royal family, they didn’t fear anyone. Even local officials had to give way, and that had made disciples from the alliance arrogant and unreasonable.
“Scared now, huh? If you’re scared, kneel and scram!”
“Quick, thank Young Master Yu for his generosity!”
“Young Master Yu is a direct blood relative of a Fusion Stage elder in the alliance!”
“Must be some country bumpkin from another region, never even heard of the Fearless Alliance.”
Jiang Li couldn’t help but be speechless. What could he say? It was like they were begging for people to know they were lackeys.
“So noisy.” Jiang Li didn’t even need to step in—Yuan Wuxing, as a senior, naturally had to stand up for the juniors.
Even if Jiang Li weren’t standing beside him, Yuan Wuxing wouldn’t back down. Fearless Alliance? So what? Worst case, he’d just stop staying in Great Sui.
With a casual wave, Yuan Wuxing was about to slap the arrogant bunch away—but a force intercepted it and dispersed it.
“Such temper, fellow Daoist. Just some words between the juniors, and you’re already trying to hurt someone?”
A protector from the Fearless Alliance stepped forward—mid Nascent Soul Stage.
Yuan Wuxing didn’t bother arguing—he struck immediately. This wasn’t Great Zhou, where people talked reason. This was a place where fists spoke louder.
The opponent hadn’t expected Yuan Wuxing to just start swinging without warning. Never mind being part of the Fearless Alliance—even among mid-Nascent Soul cultivators, was he that confident?
Ten moves later, he was coughing blood from Yuan Wuxing’s blows. Realizing he’d hit a wall, he panicked, used a blood escape technique, grabbed Young Master Yu, and fled.
As they left, he even shouted a threat: “Give us your names! The five of you, wait and see—the Fearless Alliance will get revenge!”
The five, of course, were Yuan Wuxing, Qin Luan, Song Ying, Seven Kill Daozi, and Jiang Li.
But before Yuan Wuxing could say a word, they’d already run off.
“Ahhhh, Uncle Yuan, that was reckless,” Seven Kill Daozi said anxiously, “With the Sword Tomb about to open, and now you’ve got the Fearless Alliance eyeing you—there’s bound to be trouble.”
But to his surprise, Qin Luan and the others didn’t look worried at all.
Qin Luan proudly pointed at Jiang Li and introduced, “This is the senior we met in the Mysterious Mystic Realm—Senior Jiang.”
Mysterious Mystic Realm. Senior Jiang.
Those two keywords made Seven Kill Daozi instantly realize Jiang Li’s identity.
He shivered, and then suddenly became full of bravado. What Fearless Alliance? Bring it on!
As for that time in the mystic realm when he encouraged others to gang up on Jiang Li… well—surely the Human Sovereign doesn’t hold grudges.
…Probably.
Jiang Li actually admired Seven Kill Daozi. Sure, he got a little cocky, but even after knowing Jiang Li’s identity, he had the guts to try to fight him. That kind of courage was rare.
The sects in the Fearless Alliance all had one thing in common—their ancestors had been beaten by the Sword Sovereign.
Four thousand years ago, the Sword Sovereign was arrogant. To temper his sword intent, he went around challenging famous cultivators. None could defeat the young Sword Sovereign. Though the results weren’t publicly shared, those elders lost face after being beaten by a junior. They grew bitter toward the Sword Sovereign and, by extension, the Sword Pavilion.
When the Sword Sovereign revived the Sword Pavilion, it reached unparalleled glory, producing one Fusion Stage cultivator after another.
After the Sword Sovereign vanished, those sects formed an alliance to suppress the Sword Pavilion—that was the origin of the Fearless Alliance.
Fearless—as in not fearing the Sword Sovereign.
In truth, the Sword Pavilion could bring this up at the Nine Provinces Council, and Jiang Li could handle it.
But the Pavilion always insisted that sword cultivators bend for no one. If they were suppressed, it was because they were weak. Once they became strong, the problem would resolve itself.
Jiang Li had offered to help many times, but the Sword Pavilion always declined.
Jiang Li figured the people at the Sword Pavilion weren’t quite right in the head.
Still, this time, he had a reason to help.
Jiang Li pulled out a Remote Communication Talisman: “Kong Hu, give the Fearless Alliance in Great Sui a little knock.”
Zhang Konghu was munching away. Hearing Jiang Li call, he took a sip of water and swallowed: “What’s up?”
Jiang Li recounted the events and summed it up: “The Fearless Alliance said they’re coming for revenge. Threatening the Human Sovereign—that’s a serious crime.”
“…So you’re basically baiting them into breaking the law?” Zhang Konghu was dumbfounded.
“What do you mean baiting? Don’t just throw around terms. Does that phrase even fit? This is called understanding the people and sharing in their joy,” Jiang Li corrected him.
“Don’t bully me just because I didn’t go to school.”
“You in or not?”
“I’m in! If there’s a fight, I’m definitely in!” Zhang Konghu said excitedly. As a body cultivator, what kind didn’t love a good brawl? He immediately got up with his bowl and chopsticks and flew off toward Great Sui, eating as he flew.
Knock was meant literally—he was going to knock and beat.
Jiang Li confidently ended the call.
Sure, the Fearless Alliance had several Fusion Stage cultivators, but they were all early- to mid-stage. Against Zhang Konghu, whose physical strength rivaled the Tribulation Stage, they were just punching bags.
No Fusion Stage in the Fearless Alliance could compare to those from the Human Sovereign Hall.