Volume 12, Chapter 785 – I Will Gather Three Immortal Steles to Suppress Her (Part 2)

Qi Huang’s Divine Sense could cover the entire cultivation world, so naturally, every move of the Lü Clan was within her sight.

‘I already gave you a chance. Since you insist on choosing a path of death, I can only fulfill your wish.’

The corners of Qi Huang’s lips curved slightly, and then she excitedly shared this news with Cheng Hongling.

“Three Immortal Steles?”

Cheng Hongling’s expression changed, her gaze scrutinizing Qi Huang. “So? Why are you so excited? Those are three Immortal Steles, not three mooncakes. Are you sure you can swallow them?”

“Wife, rest assured. What the Immortal Steles contain is only the residual might left behind by immortals, not true Divine Sense suppression. Not to mention three, even if all the Immortal Steles in the cultivation world were combined, I still would not take them seriously.”

Qi Huang calmly reassured her.

Cheng Hongling let out a faint breath of relief, though her brows quickly knitted again. “That may be so, but you cannot be careless. I truly don’t understand, why did you release two perfectly good hostages? Shuiyu Valley’s women are always overly compassionate… have you been infected by them too? If Lü Yi and his family were still in our hands, would the Lü Clan dare to resist?”

“Heh, what I want is precisely for the Lü Clan to resist.”

Qi Huang’s lips curved again.

“What do you mean?”

Cheng Hongling grew even more puzzled.

“Think about it. If they were still in our grasp, then the Lü Clan wouldn’t dare oppose us, they might even surrender. If I were to attack them at that point, what would I do? Strike them down mercilessly? Impossible… Doing so would leave me open to criticism. But if I don’t kill, then I’d be betraying the Shuiyu Valley disciples who have died.”

Qi Huang explained clearly and steadily.

Cheng Hongling frowned. This indeed was a problem.

“On the other hand, if I release them, when the Lü Clan sees the injuries they’ve suffered, they will certainly be enraged, and then walk a path of no return. At that point, when I kill them, it will be perfectly justified.”

Qi Huang blinked mischievously as she spoke.

“So you released them just to gain justification to kill them?”

Cheng Hongling was stunned, then questioned, “Isn’t that unnecessary? Why capture them in the first place then?”

“First, when we destroyed the Immortal Alliance, Shuiyu Valley’s sisters were present, along with tens of millions of onlookers. As the Grand Elder, if I had released them at that time, wouldn’t my reputation have been completely ruined? Second, capturing them let Shuiyu Valley’s sisters vent their anger, and also allowed us to demand hefty compensation. Why wouldn’t I?”

Rеaԁ οո КаtRеaⅾіոgСαfе

Qi Huang gave her reasoning.

“For you, the first point must have been the most important.”

Cheng Hongling exposed her bluntly, giving no face.

“My wife understands me best!”

Qi Huang leaned in and planted a heavy kiss on Cheng Hongling’s tender, rosy cheek, then said, “But you should also understand, since I became Grand Elder of Shuiyu Valley, I must think of ways to earn prestige. Otherwise, how can I keep this position stable?”

“Heh, even if you weren’t Shuiyu Valley’s Grand Elder, you’d still be a person obsessed with saving face!”

Cheng Hongling chuckled dismissively, wiping away the saliva from her cheek. She then added, “Do as you will with this matter, but before that, we still need to deal with another important affair.”

“What affair?”

Qi Huang asked curiously.

“Since we established the Dao Alliance, we’ve taken all of its responsibilities upon ourselves. The heaviest burden is none other than the Evergreen Conference held once every three years. The growth of Immortal Seeds determines the future of the cultivation world, and the time is approaching day by day. As for the reward prizes, don’t tell me you plan to pay from your own pocket?”

Cheng Hongling reminded her.

“Pay myself? I’m no saint!”

Qi Huang shook her head repeatedly.

“If that’s the case, then why haven’t you thought of controlling the Kapok Valley Treasure Land? The news of the Immortal Alliance’s destruction likely hasn’t reached there yet. Once the disciples guarding it hear the news, who knows how much chaos will erupt? What worries me most is that Giant Image Vine.”

Cheng Hongling voiced her concern.

“Indeed. That creature is Lu Lin’s pet. Once it learns its master has died, it will certainly go berserk.”

Qi Huang stroked her smooth chin, then said, “Seems it’s time we head to the Kapok Valley Treasure Land.”

“There’s another matter. If we want the Dao Alliance to stand firmly, we must ensure the safety of the cultivation world’s common folk. The greatest obstacle is the sources of those terrifying Yin energy. Shouldn’t we take time to uproot them all? I won’t follow the Immortal Alliance’s example and play at raising poisonous insects for profit.”

Cheng Hongling pressed further.

Rеаⅾ οո KatRеαԁіոɡСafе

“You needn’t worry about that. Those sources of Yin energy exist only because the Immortal Alliance constantly poured Heaven-Deceiving Water into them since ancient times. Now that the Alliance is destroyed and the supply is cut off, they will soon be eliminated by Heavenly Tribulation. As for the minor ones that remain, they are not worth fearing.”

Qi Huang said with certainty.

“Then what about Ancestor Jiang Feng, Yaoyao, and Zhen Feiyan? Have you thought about how to deal with them? As long as they exist, the evil beings under them will inevitably clash with common folk. You can’t possibly imprison them like criminals.”

Cheng Hongling’s tone turned grave.

“That is indeed a problem.”

Qi Huang frowned as well. Then suddenly, her beautiful eyes lit up. “I have it! Send them to other planets!”

“What?”

Cheng Hongling was utterly shocked.

“You heard me right. With my current strength, I can already perform limited universal travel. Taking them to other planets is not difficult. Then the distant starry skies will serve as an insurmountable barrier. Everyone can live their own lives in peace.”

Qi Huang grew increasingly excited as she spoke.

“The idea is good, but other planets have harsh environments. Will they even be willing to go? Most importantly, those places have no living creatures. Low-level evil beings survive only by feeding on blood or souls. How will they survive there?”

Cheng Hongling’s brows remained furrowed.

“That’s no problem either. Environments can be transformed. With our blood, cultivating plants on other planets isn’t difficult. As for food, that’s even simpler: just let them bring some livestock to raise. Once grown, whether they feed on blood or souls will be up to them. It’s no different from us slaughtering pigs for New Year’s.”

Qi Huang offered solutions one by one.

“It is indeed feasible.”

After some thought, Cheng Hongling nodded in agreement.

“Then it’s settled. I’ll probe their opinions in advance.”

Qi Huang was eager to act.

“Enough, we must hurry to control the Kapok Valley Treasure Land before delay breeds complications.”

Rеaԁ οո KatRеaⅾіոɡСafе

Cheng Hongling urged.

Qi Huang immediately brought Cheng Hongling toward the Kapok Valley Treasure Land, but midway she suddenly changed direction toward Wuye City.

“What are you going to Wuye City for?”

Cheng Hongling asked in puzzlement.

“Think about it. The news of the Immortal Alliance’s fall hasn’t reached Kapok Valley Treasure Land yet. If two strangers like us suddenly show up and announce we’ve replaced the Alliance, wouldn’t they take us for lunatics? I need someone of authority to make the announcement.”

Qi Huang explained.

“That makes sense. But who will you find?”

Cheng Hongling asked curiously.

“Elder Kang, of course. That old fellow is greedy for life and fearful of death. He made no move to restore the Immortal Alliance, so I spared him.”

Qi Huang replied.

“Elder Kang? The same Elder Kang who went with us to Kapok Valley Treasure Land last time? I recall you let him live then so he could go back and deliver news to the Immortal Alliance.”

Cheng Hongling recalled.

“Who else could it be? Speaking of which, I even killed him once. If it hadn’t been for him transferring the injury to his doppelgänger, he would have already gone to meet his great-grandmother.”

Qi Huang quipped.

At that moment, Elder Kang was drinking in a tavern in Wuye City. Ever since the Immortal Alliance’s destruction, he had become unemployed. At first, he had planned to find a sect to serve in, but no one dared to take him in due to his identity, so he spent his days idling.

Of course, being jobless was trivial. The real torment was that his former colleagues were mysteriously dying one after another. He lived in constant fear, worried that one day it would be his turn.

“Elder Kang seems quite leisurely, drinking away the day.”

Qi Huang and Cheng Hongling appeared before Elder Kang in an instant.

“After being beaten down to unemployment, how could I not be leisurely?”

Reаⅾ оո KаtRеаԁіոɡСаfе

Elder Kang slurred drunkenly.

“Interested in joining the Dao Alliance?”

Qi Huang extended the invitation.

“Dao Alliance?”

Elder Kang froze, finally taking a proper look at Qi Huang and Cheng Hongling.

“Am I seeing things?”

He rubbed his eyes vigorously, then his whole body trembled violently. With a loud thud, he fell off his stool and pleaded bitterly, “Alliance Master, spare me! Spare me! I have never betrayed the Dao Alliance!”

“I know. That’s why you’re still alive, isn’t it?”

Qi Huang calmly sat down, elegantly crossed her legs, and asked again, “Did you hear what I said earlier? Interested in joining the Dao Alliance?”

“Yes, yes, of course! Thank you for your favor, Alliance Master!”

Elder Kang’s tears turned into a broad smile as he kowtowed frantically, knowing that as long as he joined the Dao Alliance, he would no longer live in terror.

“Good. From now on, you are the leader of the Dao Alliance. Come with me to the Kapok Valley Treasure Land.”

Qi Huang ordered decisively.

“Yes!”

Elder Kang scrambled to his feet.

Meanwhile, Lü Dao had already arrived at Zhizun Peak. The sect’s Immortal Stele was his first target.