Chapter 2: The Inevitable Battle

Suiyi Tower was besieged by the four major martial arts sects of the world. The situation was critical, and therefore, Li Moqing hurried back. He was genuinely worried about the current safety of Suiyi Tower. Despite a lingering reluctance filled with countless attachments, Li Moqing had no choice. "Eldest Brother, I must leave first. If fate allows, we will surely meet again. My heart is forever with you; this will never change!"

"Rest assured, once I finish handling things here, I will surely come to find you. When you return, do whatever you wish to do without so many misgivings, because behind you, there is still me!"

The warmest words often contain the most formidable power. Initially, Li Moqing held no hope for this journey, and his heart was consumed by fear. Yet now, all that fear had mysteriously vanished. At this moment, his heart was truly at peace, and a faint smile appeared on his beautiful face. Yes, he had nothing to fear now; with Eldest Brother by his side, everything would become for the better!

"Alright, then Eldest Brother, I am leaving!"

Li Moqing instantly transformed into a stream of light and vanished from the spot. Zhuang Yunzhen gazed at the departing woman with deep warmth filling his heart. *Moqing, do not be afraid. Before long, we shall meet again.*

"Great Elder, have you heard? The four major sects of the world are joining forces to attack Suiyi Tower! What on earth should we do now?" Although Zhuang Yunzhen was now the sect master, more often than not, the Poison King Sect still had to defer to the Great Elder. This had been Su Wen's original request, yet Su Wen himself likely never anticipated that leaving behind this Great Elder would pose a considerable trouble for Zhuang Yunzhen.

"What on earth should we do? Are you truly unaware of this matter? Naturally, we do nothing. Those are the four major sects of the world! Have you never heard that once the four major sects join forces, no one escapes with their life?"

"Our Poison King Sect is no longer what it used to be. Being able to recover to how we are today has been no small feat. Therefore, we must on no account meddle in the affairs of Suiyi Tower. No, I misspoke; what we need to do right now is to go and help them! Li Moqing should have left by now, right? Then what comes next should be abundantly clear to you. You have done these things many times before, so naturally, there is no need for me to spell it out, is there?"

"I understand, but isn't the situation different now? How are we to explain this to the Sect Master? If the Sect Master discovers this, we will all be finished!"

"Sect Master? Ha, Lin Lao San, I remember you used to be known as 'Bold Lin'. What? Have you grown old and lost your former fighting spirit? Think carefully—when you made a name for yourself, that fellow Zhuang Yunzhen was still playing in the mud! Are you really going to let yourself be suppressed by this arrogant brat? Summon your fighting spirit! Rest assured, if any trouble truly arises, I am here. What do you have to fear? Just do it, and leave the rest to me. I will let this brat Zhuang Yunzhen know that even though he has become the Sect Master, more often than not, I am the true king of the Poison King Sect. Without me, this man is nothing at all!"

Since the Great Elder dared to speak thus, he naturally possessed absolute confidence. Although he was not the Sect Master, all sect masters had to obey him, without a single exception. "Very well, Great Elder. Since you have put it this way, I will leave the rest to you. In truth, it is indeed time to teach the Sect Master a little lesson!"

Lin Lao San was formerly known as the premier assassin of the Poison King Sect. Anyone targeted by him invariably met their death; hence, this man was also dubbed the "Venomous Snake." However, he had long since retired from such practices and desired nothing more than a peaceful life. Alas, this remained merely a wish. From the very first day he became an assassin, he knew his life would never have a peaceful end. Even so, he truly had nothing to worry about right now.

"Sect Master, why have you come? Your complexion looks genuinely poor; have you not been resting well lately? As Sect Master, you really do not need to work yourself so hard. Your current martial prowess is more than enough to sustain the Poison King Sect. What is this? Do you like the marketplace down the mountain? I heard that Li Moqing loves those treats the most, yet why do I not see anyone here?"

"She has returned. Are you truly unaware of this matter? Hmph, perhaps you knew all along. As for why I came here, I think you are clearer on that than anyone else!"

"Great Elder, I know that my becoming Sect Master is entirely thanks to you. However, if you think you can use such matters to threaten me, you are sorely mistaken. Over the years, whatever I set my mind to do, I have always accomplished. You sent Lin Lao San to intercept and kill Li Moqing—did you really think I was unaware of this?"

"Hahaha, the Sect Master jests. Such a matter exists, but I did not send him to kill her, merely to dissuade her. After all, Suiyi Tower is no longer what it once was. Before taking any action, shouldn't one calm down and reflect? Think carefully about how things stand now. Whether it is the Poison King Sect or Suiyi Tower, they may have enjoyed great glory in the past, but you know very well what state we have been reduced to now. What? Am I truly in the wrong for doing this? I have never believed I was wrong!"

"For the sake of the Poison King Sect, I am willing to do anything. I know, Sect Master, you must think I am extremely domineering, but that is simply my style. For the sake of the grand picture, I am willing to pay any price!"

"Very well, then I shall wait for Li Moqing to arrive home safely. If the slightest mishap occurs along the way, good as our friendship may be, I will never let the culprit go. I am telling you this in advance, lest I do something truly crazy later and you find yourselves unable to accept it!"

"Sect Master, what are you planning to do? Do you intend to kill Lin Lao San? You ought to know how vital that man's status and significance are to the Poison King Sect. If he truly dies, do you know what the consequences will be? Of course, speaking from my true heart, I am the last one who wants things to turn out this way!"

"You are the Sect Master, and therefore you must carefully weigh what should and should not be done under the present circumstances. Your heart knows this better than anyone else, doesn't it?"

*Responsibility.* Yes, responsibility once again. Right now, Zhuang Yunzhen simply could not bear to hear that word. It seemed as though whenever responsibility was invoked, everything else had to step aside. "I will never allow such a thing to happen. Even if I am the Sect Master, if I cannot even protect my own woman, then to hell with this position!"

"How insolent! Do you know what you are saying? Today, as long as I am here, I will not permit your insolence! I know what you are thinking in your heart right now, but you should also know that leaving this place is quite easy—provided you can defeat me. Whatever demands you make, I believe I can satisfy them. But if you fail to do so, then I am truly sorry!"

"Great Elder, what do you mean by this? Are you going to raise your hand against me? Perfect, I haven't fought in a long time anyway; a man like you should be worthy of drawing out my ultimate strength!"

"No, no, no, Sect Master. I am the Great Elder, and therefore, under no circumstances will I ever raise my hand against you. Such are the rules. However, I will certainly stop you. Right now, you are trapped within this formation; without my permission, you shall never leave."

Suiyi Tower's defenses had now reached their absolute pinnacle. "Listen up, everyone! The impending battle concerns our very survival. You have cultivated here for many years, and now is the time to truly prove the formidable strength you possess. I know that over the past years, you have also endured many grievances. However, these matters are truly insignificant. Do you remember what I said many years ago when you first entered Suiyi Tower? I said that once you become a disciple of Suiyi Tower, you shall never cast off this title for the rest of your life!"

"I know that to you, this is akin to a shackle. But equally, it is your responsibility. I rarely spoke of this in the past, but now I need you, and Suiyi Tower needs you as well. Are you willing to stay and help me?"

Li Feichen looked down at the lovely and resolute disciples below him. At this moment, a genuine surge of joy filled the man's heart. Everyone was well aware of Suiyi Tower's current plight. Originally, he had not expected these disciples to stay, yet in the end, they had stayed. They did not leave. However, choosing to stay and being willing to fight were two entirely different matters. Fighting meant risking one's life, and every single person's life was precious. He truly had no right to make such demands of them.

"Tower Master, when you speak thus, you underestimate us greatly. You have bestowed boundless grace upon us; for this grace, we are willing to lay down our very lives! This place is our home, so Tower Master, such testing is truly unnecessary. Do you understand?"

At this moment, these disciples displayed an astonishing resolve. Li Feichen himself had never expected the disciples under his command to become so formidable. Excellent! As their master, this was precisely how they ought to be. "It seems you have all prepared yourselves. Then unleash your full strength into the fight! I believe in you. There are still three days until the grand battle—three days is enough to temper your internal energy even further. Your tendons and bones have long since been thoroughly forged by me."

"It's just that without the baptism of actual combat, you aren't entirely clear on your true capabilities. Very well, that is all I wished to say. Now, go forth and cultivate diligently. In the days to come, you will certainly thank me. That is all!"

Li Moqing did not dare to relax even in the slightest, knowing full well that the moment he slackened, everything would collapse—an outcome he simply could not accept. His mood was extremely grim, causing his movement technique to grow faster and faster. Yet even so, it still felt far from enough!

"Lord Moqing, just where are you off to in such a rush? Look at all the sweat on your face; it really doesn't look good. Actually, if you're willing to turn back now, I would be quite pleased!"

Lin Lao San's voice was ice-cold. No matter how many years had passed, his appearance remained virtually unchanged. Although this man hadn't killed in a long time, years of practicing the lethal arts had etched a murderous intent deep into his bones. Even with a calm exterior, his inner heart remained frigid.

"Lin Lao San, it's you. You intend to block my path? But you ought to know that with your current cultivation, you are entirely incapable of stopping me. Just how formidable my strength is—surely you are aware of that? You used to be known as the 'Venomous Snake,' but after all these years, your abilities should have long since rusted. As for my true strength, you are about to find out!"

"Mystic Frost Palm!"

The air began to freeze rapidly, and visible cold qi condensed into a terrifyingly huge silver palm print. Such oppressive force was incomparable to any ordinary move—this was Lin Lao San's signature ultimate technique.

"I haven't used this move in many years. I once swore never again to employ such a murderous technique. Yet why, at a time like this, do you still force me to strike?"

*Bang!*

The formidable giant palm print heavily slammed into Li Moqing, stirring up a wave of frigid shockwaves. Having taken this strike, no matter how powerful the woman's cultivation might be, it would be of no use. "Lord Moqing, in truth, I am most reluctant for things to turn out this way. But you have your persistence, and I have mine. Today, no matter what, I must make you stay!"

"Make me stay? Do you truly believe you can achieve this? I thought your techniques might possess some lingering brilliance, but looking at them now, they are truly nothing special. My innate attribute is fire, and therefore no ice in this world can trap me. My Undying White Flame has not been used in a long time; today, I shall let you witness it!"

"Vermilion Bird Divine Fire!"

Amidst Lin Lao San's astonished gaze, scorching red flames erupted around Li Moqing's body. "You cannot stop me. I am leaving now, and you had better not follow. If you persist, these flames will make you realize what a fate worse than death feels like. Of course, I truly wish to avoid such extremes!"

*Ah!!*

*Why is this happening? Why on earth does this fellow possess such formidable cultivation? Even after cultivating for so many years, I am still no match for this woman in the end!*

"No, Lord Moqing, your victory over me today signifies nothing. But you must know that there are even more formidable opponents waiting ahead, and that man's cultivation far surpasses yours. Relying solely on your current strength, you cannot possibly triumph!"

"I know you are the Young Master of Suiyi Tower, but you must understand that even if you rush over, you cannot change a thing. Why are you so unwilling to accept this?"

"My lord, in truth, my sole mission was to stall you. Knowing I was no match for you, my task is already complete. Did you think my Mystic Frost Palm was truly useless? You are mistaken. A trace of cold qi has already penetrated your body. Under normal circumstances, this trace of cold qi would be harmless, but the moment you circulate your internal energy, the cold poison will spread throughout your entire body. By then, the agony will be beyond your endurance!"

Alas, Li Moqing had no spare mind to dwell on such matters; her heart had long since flown ahead to Suiyi Tower. True, Suiyi Tower had its flaws over the years, but regardless, it had nurtured her. Now that Suiyi Tower was in peril, she had to step forward!

"Strike fiercely! I heard that Suiyi Tower's defenses are the finest in the world. Hmph, I simply refuse to believe it! The ones with the finest defenses in the world are none other than our Profound Steel Gate! Did you lot not eat today? Strike! Whoever shatters this city gate right now, I will immediately make them Deputy Gate Master. Isn't that the position you've all been craving? I am granting it to you now, so show me your ultimate strength!"

The four major sects of the world consisted of the Profound Steel Gate, specializing in defense; the Iron Blood Gate, specializing in offense; the Whirlwind Gate, boasting the supreme movement technique; and finally, the Comprehensive Gate, which was even more formidable. However, for many years, no one had ever witnessed the true extent of the Comprehensive Gate's power. The Gate Master of the Comprehensive Gate seemed to have vanished from the world over the years, with no one knowing where the man had gone!

At present, only the Profound Steel Gate had arrived. The disciples of the Profound Steel Gate were hot-tempered; when they set their minds on something, they executed it immediately. "Gate Master, Suiyi Tower's defenses are truly formidable. We've already used our strongest Sky-Dragon Fire Bombs, yet we still can't blast open the city gate. What on earth should we do now?"

"You bunch of idiots! You ruin more than you accomplish! Now you need to rely on me even for such a simple task? What would become of you all without me? Step aside, you useless trash! When we return, I'll settle accounts with you. Leave this to me!"

The master of the Profound Steel Gate, Xuan Gang, was rumored to have reached the pinnacle realm of martial arts. People whispered endlessly about how terrifyingly powerful he was, yet over the years, no one had ever truly witnessed his prowess firsthand. What? Was the man finally going to make a move? It certainly seemed so!

"Li Feichen, your era ended long ago. Why are you so unwilling to admit it? I will offer you one more path: surrender now, and out of regard for our past friendship, I will spare your life. You know full well that once I have arrived, there is no escape for you!"

Li Feichen looked at the long-matured Xuan Gang standing opposite him, a sudden sense of disorientation washing over him. From what point on had this man grown so formidable? And why had he remained entirely oblivious to the man's growth?

"Xuan Gang, it has been a long time. Yet truly, I never expected us to meet under such circumstances. Seeing you always reminds me of the days we spent fighting side by side. To be honest, those days are deeply missed. Do you not feel even a shred of nostalgia? I never imagined that you would be the one to raise your hand against me!"

"My heart aches terribly. But since we are warriors, we must understand: you have your responsibilities, and I have my duty. Bring wine!"

Shortly thereafter, a guard brought over two jars of wine. Li Feichen tossed one jar to Xuan Gang. "You saved my life three times, and I aided you on several occasions, each time pulling the Profound Steel Gate back from the brink of destruction. Today, let us speak no more of past grievances—we drink purely as men. I truly wish not to fight you, but I have no choice!"

"Once this jar of wine is finished, you and I shall be mortal enemies!"

"That's more like it! Everything about you is fine, except for your overly soft heart. Therefore, only by killing me can you push your own strength to greater heights. I have always hoped to see you grow stronger. In the past, I lacked the opportunity, but now, that very opportunity lies before my eyes."

"Very well. That you are still willing to consider me a brother under these circumstances is something I truly did not expect. It must be plum blossom wine; I won't drink anything else. You know my peculiar persistence when it comes to wine!"

"Gate Master, you cannot drink this wine! Once you drink it, everything we've worked for will be ruined! Do not forget why we came here—it certainly wasn't to drink!"

*Bang!*

Before the overtalkative subordinate could finish his sentence, he was sent flying by a single palm strike. His body crashed heavily onto the ground, and his breath instantly cut off, killing him on the spot.

"Am I the Gate Master, or are you? Since when do I need your permission to do as I please? What kind of thing are you? Let me tell you, if you dare utter another word of nonsense, I will deal with you properly! I'm giving you a small lesson so you learn what should and shouldn't be said. One must never lose one's sense of propriety!"

"Hmph, you are still the same as before—merciless and ruthless. There is truly nothing I can do about that. Tell me, are you utterly incapable of changing?"

"I cannot change. As you know, we've known each other for so many years, yet have I ever truly changed? Never, isn't that so? Let's not dwell on this. Come, drink! In truth, I've wanted to share a proper drink with you for a long time. It's a pity we haven't seen each other in years; yet despite the long separation, our tacit understanding remains as strong as ever!"

"No, no, no. We are not simply dear brothers of many years. Isn't this feeling right now rather wonderful? Come, drink, drink!"

"Actually, I truly wish not to fight you either. You say you keep reminiscing about our past days—well, I feel the exact same way. Li Feichen, as your former friend, I truly hope you can sincerely accept my advice. Having known each other for so many years, you should know: when have I ever lied to you?"

"Hmph, haven't you lied to me enough? Over the years, I've long since seen through what kind of person you are. I can tell you right now: I will never back down! In the past, I backed down far too many times, and precisely because of that, I gave you so many opportunities. But such things will never happen again!"

The two men drank while trading barbs, recounting each other's dark histories. These words drifted into the ears of the disciples, filling them with profound dismay and even a creeping dread. If they happened to catch the brunt of this, would they survive if they won? And if they lost, what fate awaited them? Death, presumably?

Indeed, some things were better left unheard and forgotten; otherwise, it boded ill for oneself!

From daylight until deep into the night, the two men's enthusiasm only grew higher and higher. *Good heavens, spare these disciples! Look at the state they've been reduced to!* Yet the two sect masters cared not a whit for such matters. Having not seen each other in ages, chatting was secondary; their true goal was to test each other out. Hidden within their casual banter was the boundless, terrifying might of their respective internal energies!

"After all these years, I never imagined your cultivation would reach such heights. To be honest, this caught me off guard. You always managed to surprise me in the past, and you still do!"

"What? Are you unhappy that I've surprised you? No, no, no. You must rejoice properly this time; such an opportunity is exceedingly rare, isn't it?"

"Indeed. Look, haven't I refrained from leaving? That alone explains everything. Still, I feel that if the two of us continue fighting like this, it will yield no result. How about this: at this exact time tomorrow, if I can still stand, I ask that you withdraw. That is my only request. If I lose, you may do as you please!"

Li Feichen had nearly exhausted his internal energy and had no idea what the best course of action might be. Every moment now was immensely precious—he had to stall for as much time as possible and waste none!

"Oh? Such words coming from your mouth—to be honest, I truly didn't expect it. Very well, since you've put it this way, what more can I say? In that case, this matter has indeed become quite interesting, hasn't it? I've been looking forward to this battle for a long time. I know you never fail to surprise me!"

"Fine, since this is your final request, granting it is no great trouble. Everyone heard that! Retreat, and return at this exact time tomorrow. As for me, I shall stay and drink with you. How's that? As a friend, I'm showing plenty of face, aren't I?"

"Indeed, you've always been generous with your face, for which I am truly grateful!"

The gathered disciples finally heaved a collective sigh of relief. If things could unfold this way, it was for the best. What kind of strength would he display tomorrow? Truly, they couldn't help but look forward to it. Wasn't that so?

"Hahaha, rest assured. Others may not know the extent of my cultivation, but you are well aware of it. Very well, that settles it!"

These two men must have been the closest of friends once upon a time. Right now, they didn't look like rivals at all, but rather like long-separated bosom buddies. "Sometimes, I find myself thinking: why must people grow up? Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could remain children forever? Yet we all know such a thing is utterly impossible, isn't it?"

"Indeed. Actually, I no longer wish to dwell on such matters. Since we have grown up, we must fulfill whatever duties we can. Do you remember your childhood dream? After all these years, you've probably forgotten it. You said you wanted to become the supreme martial artist under heaven. Looking at it now, have you fulfilled that wish?"

"No. I've come to realize that achieving such a goal is terribly difficult. Still, although I haven't become the absolute best under heaven, I am not far from that goal. You should know this, shouldn't you?"

"Yes, yes, yes, I know. Our life experiences were clearly different, yet why do we still resonate so deeply? Honestly, I've always admired you. You've always understood what perseverance means, knowing that persisting to the end holds meaning. Truly, I admire that about you!"

"You admire me? Hearing those two words from your lips is a rare event indeed, Xuan Gang. You've always been arrogant; earning your admiration is quite enough. It proves that all my efforts over the years were worthwhile!"

"It seems you've truly spent all these years trying to win my approval. Do I really matter that much to you? I recall that many years ago, we stopped being friends. You were the one who told me that a cultivator's path leaves no room for friendship! Yet now, you consider me your best friend. Isn't that rather ironic?"

"What of it? I never said you weren't my friend. If we weren't friends, how could we be sitting here drinking together?"

"Hahaha, you're right. We are friends, forever. To be honest, I've felt terribly lonely all these years. I longed for someone to understand me, but as the years passed, I grew somewhat disappointed. The only one who truly understood me was always you. Yes, to me, you are my most cherished friend!"

"Well then, hearing you say that is more than enough satisfaction! Today is perhaps the happiest day I've had in many years. I've worked tirelessly all this time, yet for the longest time, I didn't even know why I was striving so hard."

"Seeing you made everything clear. All of it was for the sake of this battle with you. Just how formidable I've become in this fight, you are about to find out!"

"Enough, say no more. Does tonight's scenery resemble that night long ago? In this moment, it feels as though we've traveled back to the past. Tell me, if Eldest Brother were still here and saw what the two of us have become, would his heart ache?"

"Naturally. Everyone knows Eldest Brother was our pillar. I always wanted to become a man like him, yet despite trying for so many years, I failed in the end. Compared to Eldest Brother, I am truly nothing more than a good-for-nothing!"

A deep warmth filled Xuan Gang's heart. A man like Eldest Brother had mysteriously vanished, and despite all these years passing, he had failed to turn up a single trace. Why was that? No one knew!

"Eldest Brother, how I wish you could see how formidable I've become now. You would see that my martial prowess is quite decent compared even to your former self. It's just a pity you'll never witness this. Do you understand how much heartache I feel right now?"

"Of course I understand. What do you two bratts think you're doing in my absence? Didn't I say back then that we are brothers and must never raise our hands against one another? How much time has passed, yet how could you forget? Your actions right now cause me profound sorrow!"

"Eldest Brother? Is that you? Where on earth are you? Why, despite knowing you're alive, can we never find you?" Xuan Gang's heart surged with violent agitation.

"Nonsense, of course I'm alive! As for where I am, that's not something you need to know. The only thing you need to know is that I'm doing very well, and I have no desire to return. I'll say no more. Will you listen to me and call off this fight?"

"No, Eldest Brother! I can agree to anything else, but not this. You have no idea how long I've worked and strived for this battle. How can you expect me to drop it with just a single word? What do all my years of effort amount to in your eyes?"

"Xuan Gang, you've always been overly extreme. I should have told you long ago: our era has already passed. Why won't you listen? Telling you to stop is genuinely for your own good—I simply hadn't mentioned it until now. Well, since things have reached this point, I must tell you: if the two of you actually fight, the outcome will be utterly disastrous!"

"If you two trade blows, one of you will die. You both knew this all along, yet you chose to ignore it! Of course, if you truly refuse to stop, there is one final resort: fight me. As long as you can defeat me, you may do as you please. But after all these years, can you truly achieve that?"

"I imagine it's quite impossible, isn't it?" Eldest Brother's voice turned severe. For many years, he had not spoken in such a tone. "Though I am not by your side, I am well aware of everything you two little imps have been up to all these years. Must I spell everything out? I trust neither of you would wish for that, would you?"

"Eldest Brother, you too have grown old, and your era has passed. You were powerful once, but you're past your prime now. No one can stop the battle between Li Feichen and me!"