Chapter 74: [Host’s Strength Is Too Weak, Please Focus on Cultivation]
“Mo Sang, what are you doing here?”
The Long Clan’s ancestor flew out of his secret chamber, his face looking rosy and his energy strong, but his eyes were narrowed warily at Mo Sang, the City Lord of Longyin City.
“Haha, nothing much. I just had some insights into Dao techniques and wanted to find someone to spar with. But alas, in this vast Longyin City, there are only two Soul Formation cultivators—you and me. Who else would I ask?” Mo Sang laughed heartily. As Long Clan’s ancestor’s longtime rival, he immediately saw through the act.
Without warning, Mo Sang pulled out a massive battle axe and swung it straight at the Long Clan’s ancestor’s head.
Just as Jiang Li had predicted, the Long Clan’s ancestor had been fully focused on treating Long Sanshui in his secret chamber, even setting up a soundproof formation. But how could that stop a deliberate shout from a fellow Soul Formation cultivator?
The sudden bellow from Mo Sang broke his concentration, and in his panic, he injured himself.
That bastard planned this!
At this point, the Long Clan’s ancestor knew this was an orchestrated attack, but he had no choice but to fight. In the Tianyuan Dynasty, showing even a moment of weakness meant getting swarmed by rivals looking for a bite!
“Take this—First Strike of the Mighty Axe!”
“Second Strike of the Mighty Axe!”
“Third Strike of the Mighty Axe!”
“This is just the same old three moves! Where’s your so-called ‘insight’?”
“When the hell have I ever told the truth?”
Mo Sang swung his axe with full force, pressing his advantage. He was determined to kill the Long Clan’s ancestor tonight and take sole control of Longyin City.
“Brother Mo, go for it! Let’s take this old dragon down tonight!” The Mighty Axe itself howled excitedly.
While the two Soul Formation cultivators were locked in a fierce battle, assassins from the Heaven’s Kill Pavilion moved in.
The Grade-B and Grade-C assassins launched their strikes, targeting the three men and one woman who had been watching the show.
Two kills, and they’d throw in two extras for free—Heaven’s Kill Pavilion assassins were always generous!
Jiang Li easily dodged the Grade-C assassin’s attack and countered, instantly killing him.
【Congratulations, Host. Mission Complete.】
【Congratulations, Host. Special mission “Seek the Fragments of the Stairway to Immortality” has been unlocked.】
Jiang Li waited for a moment, but the system didn’t give any further response.
“Where’s the mission? Issue it already.”
【Host’s strength is too weak. For safety reasons, please focus on cultivating and becoming stronger before the special mission ‘Seek the Fragments of the Stairway to Immortality’ is issued.】
“…What’s my current level?”
【Mahayana Stage.】
“Weak?”
【Not weak.】
“Then issue the mission!”
【Host’s strength is too weak. For safety reasons, please focus on cultivating and becoming stronger before the special mission ‘Seek the Fragments of the Stairway to Immortality’ is issued.】
Jiang Li had expected this. He theorized that the system was made up of two parts: one that controlled the store, teleportation, and other freely accessible functions, and another that followed a predetermined trajectory to issue missions.
From the system’s perspective, it still thought it was operating in Yan Calendar Year 4300, instead of Yan Calendar Year 4800.
Based on how it issued missions, this idiot system probably still thought he was at the Foundation Establishment Stage.
After a moment of rational analysis, Jiang Li decided that, despite understanding the situation, he was still entitled to be pissed.
“F*** you, you useless system!”
To vent, he casually slapped away a leaping assassin, instantly killing him.
Meanwhile, Yuan Wuxing was still struggling against a Grade-B assassin, dodging attacks clumsily. He had never faced an assassination before, and if not for Jiang Li’s warning, he wasn’t even sure he could have avoided the initial sneak attack.
Seeing that Jiang Li was just standing there and not helping, Yuan Wuxing had an epiphany—this was a test. Jiang Li was making him grow through adversity!
Ah, I see! The Human Sovereign wants to nurture me, which is why he left this assassin for me to handle!
Look at that Grade-C assassin—Jiang Li killed him instantly. He didn’t even give Qin Luan a chance to grow.
Hehe, sorry, my dear disciple, but the Human Sovereign clearly thinks I’m the true Human Sovereign candidate!
Excited by this realization, Yuan Wuxing secretly gathered his strength, preparing for a counterattack.
Then, Jiang Li casually made a move—
…and slapped the assassin dead.
Yuan Wuxing’s built-up power had nowhere to go, nearly causing him internal injury.
Meanwhile, the Long Clan’s ancestor was losing ground fast. He glared at Mo Sang and threatened, “I have the Great General behind me! If you dare kill me, he will not let you go!”
The Great General of the Tianyuan Dynasty was named Che Wu—a legendary Soul Formation powerhouse known for his arrogance, unpredictability, and fierce loyalty to his own people. No one wanted to provoke him.
“Hah! You think I don’t have anyone backing me?” Mo Sang sneered, completely unfazed by the threat. Anyone who became a City Lord in the Tianyuan Dynasty had connections in the imperial court.
“I have a secret about Great General Che Wu! Let me go, and I’ll tell you!”
“Ridiculous.” Mo Sang ignored him and swung his axe again, slashing the Long Clan’s ancestor in half.
If you’re so distracted on the battlefield, you deserve to die.
Just to be sure, he hacked at the remains a few more times, turning the corpse into minced meat. Then, he burned it all to ash with a flick of his hand.
“Since the Long Clan made this city famous, we should rename it now that they’re gone,” Mo Sang mused.
“How about just Yin City?” suggested the Mighty Axe.
“Yin City sounds… weird.”
“Then how about Mighty Axe City?”
“…Yin City sounds fine.”
With the Long Clan’s ancestor dead, the clan lost its backbone.
Many people had grudges against them but had never dared to act because of the Soul Formation ancestor. Now, with their protector gone, the clan was like a runaway carriage heading straight for a cliff—doomed to crash.
Those seeking revenge surged forward.
And of course, so did opportunists hoping to loot the Long Clan’s immense wealth, which could practically buy half of Longyin City. Even stealing their doors would be worth a lifetime of riches.
Like a fallen beast, the Long Clan’s corpse attracted a swarm of scavengers.
Tonight, no one in the city would sleep peacefully.
Except for the Long Clan.
Because after tonight, they wouldn’t wake up at all.
“Huff… huff… Father… Brother… I will avenge you!”
Long Sanshui panted heavily as he ran. Even as dense as he was, he knew that everything that had happened tonight had been orchestrated—
And it all started with him!
Huang Li! It had to be him!
Perhaps he wasn’t even Qin Luan’s friend but instead a pawn of Mo Sang, sent to destroy the Long Clan!
“Huang Li, I swear I’ll have my revenge!” The seed of hatred took root and began to grow.
Long Sanshui was his father’s favorite, so his Substitute Death Talisman was more advanced than others’. While normal talismans could block a fatal strike, his could teleport him to safety upon receiving a mortal wound.
He was now heading to a place his ancestor had told him about—a place where he could seek vengeance!
From his vantage point in the tall restaurant, Jiang Li could see everything happening in the Long Clan.
He also noticed Long Sanshui fleeing.
Standing up, he moved swiftly in Long Sanshui’s direction.
“Time for another lesson.”
He grinned.
“If you don’t root out the grass, it’ll grow back in the spring breeze.”