Chapter 62: Conflict at the Gate
The next morning, Jiang Li got ready and set off.
At this moment, the outer sect was also filled with gloomy clouds.
A large number of the most elite outer sect disciples were originally preparing for the outer sect compet.i.tion at this time.
However, now, they had to partic.i.p.ate in a mission that was akin to throwing their lives away. It would be strange if they could still be happy.
It was obvious that the sect was also under martial law now. From time to time, disciples of the Law Enforcement Hall in black clothes could be seen patrolling all over the sect.
Jiang Li held the wooden tablet and pa.s.sed through many obstructions before finally arriving at the gathering point.
There were approximately 500 outer sect disciples waiting here. Out of all the outer sect disciples now, they were the strongest 20%.
They were clearly much older than Jiang Li, and they should be seniors who had stayed in the outer sect for quite a number of years.
After all, all the disciples who were originally going to partic.i.p.ate in the Outer Sect Grand Compet.i.tion had to be at least at the upper level of the mid-stage Qi Refinement realm.
According to the cultivation speed of medium and high-grade spiritual roots, the youngest batch was about 18 or 19 years old.
On the other hand, even though Jiang Li had body cultivation and a robust figure, he was still very easy to notice when he was less than 14 years old.
This was equivalent to a junior high student walking into the gathering hall of high school students and college students, quickly attracting a lot of attention.
In this defection incident, even if sect elders and inner sect disciples defected, these outer sect disciples were still not qualified to criticize them.
There was no other reason. They did not have the right to do so.
Therefore, as the only outer sect disciple who betrayed them, Yu Banxia was undoubtedly the target of everyone.
These outer sect disciples did not dare to criticize the sect, Elder Duan, or those inner sect senior brothers. Then, there would only be one target left.
Even Jiang Li, who was familiar with Yu Banxia, was implicated.
From time to time, there would be people pointing and whispering in his direction, but Jiang Li paid no attention to them. He only stood at the back of the crowd and waited quietly.
“Is everyone here?”
Soon, a sound came from the front. Immediately, there was a spiritual qi ripple. The people from the sect’s Law Enforcement Hall were checking the number of people.
Outer sect disciples had stayed in the outer sect for so many years, and there were very few arrogant and unyielding figures. So, it caused Jiang Li to be slightly disappointed. This time, there was no situation of late or absent individuals.
The outer sect disciples boarded the s.h.i.+p in order. This time, they did not board the large flying s.h.i.+p that Jiang Li and the others had taken earlier.
Instead, it was replaced by a pitch-black, long, and narrow wars.h.i.+p.
The functionality of the wars.h.i.+p and the flying s.h.i.+p was different. The decorations inside were also more simple and practical.
Soon, the wars.h.i.+p started to rise into the sky, and it continued to accelerate. A violent feeling of pus.h.i.+ng on the back could be felt, and the shaking was obvious. The experience of riding this was much worse than the flying s.h.i.+p from before.
“Outer sect disciples, the incident in the sect this time was quite sudden. I believe you’ve heard the reason.”
After the speed of the wars.h.i.+p gradually stabilized, an elder finally came out to explain the situation.
“The rumors that all of you know are correct! After the former outer sect elder, Duan Shuang, seized the treasures of the sect, he led his disciples and an outer sect disciple away from the sect!”
“What you need to do this time is to find their traces in Cloud Stream City!”
The disciples below felt their hearts turning heavy. Previously, there were still rumors, but now, they did not even have the slightest bit of hope.
“However, you don’t have to worry. Duan Shuang and the others have already been heavily injured by the sect elders. Your mission this time is only to find the location where they are hiding.”
“Next, each of you will receive a lightning cracker. As long as you find one of them, toss it into the sky to create a commotion. There will be no need for you to do anything else, the sect elders will take action.”
“There are a total of 11 disciples who fled with Duan Shuang. Among them, five are Foundation Establishment disciples, and six are Qi Refinement realm disciples. As long as you find one of them, it will be considered as pa.s.sing the compet.i.tion and allowed to join the inner sect. This is a portrait of all of them. You must carefully take a look and remember them clearly!”
Hearing this elder’s words, the outer sect disciples could only helplessly accept reality.
They could only comfort themselves with the words “danger and opportunity coexist together”. After all, in the previous years, only the top three were qualified to enter the inner sect.
The others would either wait for the next year or rely on their cultivation to break through to the Foundation Establishment realm.
However, if they were lucky this year, there were twelve people who had the chance to enter the inner sect.
Soon, lightning crackers were distributed to everyone.
It was a bamboo tube the size of an index finger. On one end was a rope, and the other end was sealed with red paint.
Jiang Li followed the method taught by that disciple and tied the end of the rope to his wrist. At that time, he only needed to shake his wrist to activate the signal.
“Senior Brother, can you give me a map of Cloud Stream City?”
While the other outer sect disciples were crowded together to look at the map, Jiang Li went to a law enforcement disciple and asked for a map.
The map given by this cultivation sect was indeed different. Apart from having extremely high accuracy, there were also various Feng Shui positions marked in detail.
Jiang Li studied it for a while.
“It seems that I’m thinking too much. This city doesn’t seem to be built according to some array formation. At the very least, one will not die after entering it…”
The speed of this wars.h.i.+p was clearly much faster than the flying s.h.i.+p.
After Jiang Li squeezed into the crowd to look at the portrait, the wars.h.i.+p shook violently again and began to slow down.
They had arrived at their destination.
Just like that, the sect left all the outer sect disciples at the city gate of Cloud Stream City.
Following that, the s.h.i.+p rose to the sky and slowly circled around the city with the other two flying s.h.i.+ps.
…
“Three wars.h.i.+ps. The sect is really sparing no expenses.”
Jiang Li, who was watching the s.h.i.+ps rise up, suddenly turned to the side and avoided a palm that grabbed him from behind.
“Senior Brothers, what do you want to do?”
He calmly turned around and looked at the five people who had already surrounded him.
“Hmph, you know that we’re senior brothers, yet you still dare to dodge! Immediately kneel down and kowtow to apologize. Perhaps us senior brothers can spare your life.”
The five of them were at least a head taller than Jiang Li. At this moment, they surrounded him like he was a sheep waiting to be slaughtered.
“Oh? Sect disciples are not allowed to kill fellow disciples. Senior Brother, you must have forgotten about that.”
Jiang Li was still calm and collected. It did not look like he was surrounded. It felt like he was the one who surrounded the five people.
“Ha, Junior Brother, you’ve misunderstood us. Our senior brothers want to complete the mission quickly, so we can only sacrifice you.”
“Moreover, death and injuries are common in the past outer sect compet.i.tions. Now, with such a situation, who would care about our lives?”
“Just obediently let me break your limbs and don’t resist. You can suffer less in that case!”
The person in the lead clawed out again. A metallic l.u.s.ter flashed between his five fingers, and his momentum was extremely ruthless as if he was about to grab Jiang Li’s shoulder in the next moment.
Slam!
However, Jiang Li’s expression did not change as he suddenly raised his hand and grabbed the other party’s wrist, causing the sharp claw to be unable to advance an inch.
“Oh, so we can actually kill each other? That’s great.” Jiang Li murmured as he continued.
“Junior Brother is only at the mid-stage Qi Refinement realm. How can I possibly help you complete your mission?”
At this moment, their situation also attracted the attention of the other outer sect disciples.
Apart from a portion of disciples who did not like to meddle in other people’s business, everyone looked over with interest.
It was normal for seniors in the outer sect to bully the younger generation, but those few people claimed that they had a way to use Jiang Li to complete the mission, so it naturally drew the attention of many disciples.
“Hmph! Stop pretending. Your name is Jiang Li! You’re friends with that traitor Yu Banxia, right!”
“Don’t deny it! My people saw you come back from a mission with their own eyes and collect spirit stones from the Affairs Hall.”
As the person who was grabbed by Jiang Li spoke, he ceaselessly increased the strength in his hand and tried to withdraw his arm. However, it was in vain.
“So what?”
Jiang Li finally recalled that this person was probably that guy who Yan Hong had mentioned to him before. What was his name again? He did not remember at all.
“Hmph! How about it? After we beat you to death, we’ll hang you on the city wall and let the sun s.h.i.+ne on you! You’ll be pecked by a hundred birds! Let’s see if your friend can come out to save you!”
When the surrounding onlookers heard this, some of them felt that this method was too cruel and harmful. It should not be used on fellow disciples.
However, some people’s eyes lit up when they heard that. Yu Banxia was the weakest among the twelve targets. He could be said to be the first choice for all the disciples.
As long as they could find him, not only would there be no danger, they would even be able to join the inner sect easily. Why not?
Of course, the chances of successfully luring Yu Banxia out might not be high, but what was the big deal about sacrificing Jiang Li to give it a try?
In the eyes of everyone, even if the youngest Jiang Li was lucky enough to reach the mid-stage Qi Refinement realm, he would definitely be the weakest. How could he stir up any waves before them?
“Senior Brother is really planning well, but what if I’m unwilling?”
The palm that was suffused with a metallic l.u.s.ter was obviously a metal attribute spell technique. The other party had been struggling with all his might, but the spell technique seemed to be unable to increase his strength, and he was unable to withdraw his right hand from Jiang Li’s grasp.
However, as Jiang Li spoke, he gradually increased his strength. His hand was like an iron hoop that slowly tightened. The pain that gradually increased made this senior brother’s face flush red.
“It’s not up to you!”
“d.a.m.n it! Let go of me!”
He finally could not keep a straight face anymore. He kicked over, trying to save himself.
However, things did not go as he wished. Jiang Li’s kick was faster and more ferocious than his!
A foot poked the opponent’s lower abdomen like a pile driver. The crisp sound of bones cracking could be heard.
This outer sect senior brother was at the late-stage Qi Refinement realm. At the same time that he was sent flying, the ulna bone and radial bone on his right wrist were also broken.
The b.l.o.o.d.y contents of his stomach formed a beautiful arc in the air. The intense pain almost made him faint.
However, this was not the end, a chain flew out from Jiang Li’s waist.
However, what was slightly different from before was that there was an additional pitch-black metal hook on the tip of the chain.
This was what Jiang Li had salvaged from the Mother River when he was reforging the chain. It was a hook-shaped damaged magic artifact that he had forged together with the chain.
Pew!
The chain caught up to the senior brother and the sharp hooks pierced into the flesh. Immediately after, the thick and long chain suddenly tightened. It hung the other party in the air for a moment before being pulled back by brute force.
Jiang Li, on the other hand, was already prepared. The muscles on his shoulders bulged as he suddenly kicked his feet, and he collided fiercely with the flying figure.
Mountain Crus.h.i.+ng Scripture’s first move—Mountain Crus.h.i.+ng Demon Ape!
This collision occurred at full force. The moment his opponent collided with him, his bones crackled like beans and broke into countless pieces.
When his limp body slid down from Jiang Li’s body, the four people who were still standing beside him finally recovered from their shock. They looked at Jiang Li with fear in their eyes and retreated with trembling legs.
The battle had happened too quickly!
They had no time to react.
Who would have thought! Who would have thought that a new disciple who had been forced into a corner by the five outer sect senior brothers would suddenly retaliate!
In just a short breath of time, he had directly killed a senior brother at the late-stage Qi Refinement realm!
“How… how is this possible!” One of them muttered.
“Senior Brothers, how high do you plan to hang me?”
“I am afraid of heights. When Senior Brother hooks me to the wall, please hang me lower, okay?”
As Jiang Li spoke, his figure had already vanished on the spot. When he appeared again, he had already grabbed a person by the neck.
Before he could beg for mercy, the fragile cervical spine bent 90 degrees. The body slumped.
“Then, Senior Brothers, what do you think?”
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Two people died in a row. One of them was even a slightly famous late-stage Qi Refinement realm cultivator in the outer sect.
The remaining three people were not just frightened, they had completely lost the courage to resist.
“Junior Brother Jiang Li! No! Senior Brother Jiang Li! Senior Brother Jiang Li, please spare us!”
“We didn’t want to! It’s all Wu Han! It’s all Wu Han’s doing! That’s why we did such a wrong thing!”
“Senior Brother Jiang Li, we were blind to not recognize Mount Tai! We don’t dare anymore! We really don’t dare anymore! You’re a magnanimous person, so please let us off!”
The three of them were quite smart. They did not take Jiang Li’s bait and only knelt down and begged for mercy. They called Jiang Li, who was much younger than them, senior brother.
However, this was the rule of the cultivation world. Whoever was stronger was the senior brother.
The way they knelt and begged for mercy was very ugly, but it was also to protect their lives for the time being.
Jiang Li glanced at the flying s.h.i.+p that was still circling in the sky, and he grunted coldly before putting away the chain.
“If you want to live, fine! After signing the contract, your lives will be in my hands!”
Jiang Li threw out a yellow contract. The conditions on it were extremely strict. It could be said that Jiang Li could completely control their life and death in the future.
“This… Senior Brother Jiang Li… can you…”
When they saw that Jiang Li had really put away his weapon, they thought that he was merciful and looked at the strict conditions of the contract. They actually wanted Jiang Li to give in.
However, when they raised their heads, Jiang Li was already not before them.
Behind them, black hands grabbed the back of their necks from both sides. The chain also flew out and wrapped around the neck of the person in the middle.
“Submit! Or die!”