Chapter 343 A Good Cooperation
Time flew by and seven days passed quickly. The highly anticipated selection contest for the high ranked alien minister formally started on the “Skyhigh Platform” in the affiliated agency of the Heavenly Alliance.
The Skyhigh Platform was an independent space created by a powerful figure during the ancient times. Inside it, there were a yin platform and a yang platform. The yang platform was for the wushu test, while the yin platform was a big, ancient array for the culture test.
Because of the rules, Wen Xiaojing did not wear her veil. When she and Lyu Liang appeared at the periphery of the Skyhigh Platform, arm in arm, they attracted a lot of attention as expected. That directly led to nearly 1,000 more people appearing on the platform, in the audience within one hour, when there were only hundreds of people in the beginning.
“It seems that the phrase ‘Flower in the cow dung’ does not bother you anymore.” Wen Xiaojing smiled a mischievous smile, which seemed incredibly charming to the other people.
“Whatever! I won’t lose anything anyway. Besides, this contest is to select high ranked alien ministers. It’s not a beauty contest. Whoever cannot bear this, can just come up and fight with me!” Lyu Liang also said with a smile. Then he glanced around arrogantly, which directly made him the target of hate for all the men there.
“Brother, you’d better give your Taoist companion as many Primordial Stones or upper-grade magic treasures that you don’t need temporarily, as possible. It’s harder in the culture test than the wushu test. If you give less gifts to them, you will be eliminated.” It was the white-robed young man again. He secretly transmitted a voice message to Lyu Liang. The sincerity in his words was very comforting.
“Huh?! Isn’t that the array immortal of the big, ancient array? Shouldn’t it be fairer than all humanity?” Lyu Liang was stunned, feeling that this was quite unacceptable.
“There is no time to explain. If you trust me, you just do what I told you, otherwise, there’s no going back!” The white-robed man said with a bitter laugh.
Meanwhile, Monk Tianhuang said gravely, “Next, the contest will begin! The people who are competing in the culture test, please go to the yin platform, and the people competing in the wushu test, please go to the yang platform! The four people that get transmitted out first from both sides, are the winners. They can then compete in the next round!”
“Thanks for your reminder, Taoism peer. I’ll remember your kindness!” Lyu Liang was not an indecisive person either. Although he still doubted it, he would rather believe the man, in order to avoid getting into any unnecessary trouble.
When Wen Xiaojing was about to go to the yin platform, Lyu Liang grabbed her and directly placed the Interspatial Bracelet into her hand, saying, “Take it. It is said that the yin platform is also a place where you need to pay lots of money. Don’t touch the treasures inside it. There are about 100,000,000 Primordial Stones left in it. You can use as many as you want. It’s best to move up two grades, but don’t be nervous. Safety first. I don’t want you to get hurt for helping me.”
Then, before Wen Xiaojing could say anything, Lyu Liang already made an instantaneous flash and disappeared. The next second, the eight alien ministers in the yang platform, who were taking part in the wushu test, were all ready.
Wen Xiaojing stared at Lyu Liang, her head tilted, and then weighed the Qian Kun Storage Bag in her hand. She smiled lightly, and directly entered the big array for the culture test.
“The first round starts now!” Monk Tianhuang said loudly, and then the yang platform and the yin platform were covered by a layer of circular light curtain, at the same time.
In the meantime, after a flash of brilliance in the yang platform, arenas emerged around it. Lyu Liang jumped onto one of them first. His opponent for his first fight was the bearded man, who had been eyeing Wen Xiaojing’s beauty before.
“Well? What a coincidence! Haha, your taoist companion is very pretty, brother! How much am I going to pay?” The minute the bearded man saw Lyu Liang, his eyes brightened. Then he grinned and took out a big cloth bag, shaking and saying, “100,000 upper-grade Primordial Stones, for one night!”
Lyu Liang was confused at first, but the next second, he understood his meaning and he was filled with rage again.
Seeing Lyu Liang’s face darkening, the bearded man also frowned. He gritted his teeth and took out another bag of the same kind, saying gloomily, “My last offer, 200,000 upper-grade Primordial Stones! We’re both men. Just don’t go too far… What are you doing!”
While the bearded man was still bargaining, Lyu Liang burst out with a tremendous aura in a split second. Then five huge Star-picking Palms mixed with Yin-Hell Qi that could even freeze the Divine Soul, surged toward that man!
“Even though we can’t make a deal, we’re not enemies either! I’m just trying to make a living here! Don’t push me so hard, as I also have my own backers… Ah!” The bearded man did not expect that Lyu Liang would attack him so fiercely. He had no time to put away the Primordial Stones, and directly created three shields around him to protect himself. However, when the first Star-picking Palm got him, two of his shields were smashed into pieces instantly!
Seeing that Lyu Liang had no intention to stop at all, and was even ignoring the rule of “No killing” there, the bearded man became ruthless. With an ear-splitting roar, he quickly increased his body size to a huge one of nearly 50 feet high. Then two black claws stretched out from his back, emitting beams of black sparkling light. At that moment, the other four Star-picking Palms smashed into him.
“Easy, man! The Star-picking Palm now is quite different from before. Not only does it contain the tough skills of the Sun God, but it also has the power of soul calling from the underworld. This man seems to have led a comfortable, luxurious life all this time. You’d better not kill him. It’s just not worth it.” White said slowly. “But, if he is killed so easily, the alien minister is just too weak.”
“Well, yes. I’ve even restrained myself. Let me hold on for a little while, as it’ll be too eye-catching if I defeat him so quickly.” Lyu Liang smiled, and made three more Star-picking Palms, but he took his time to launch his attack on the man.
Right at this time, there was music coming from the yin platform. The skills of the players were different, but the minute Lyu Liang heard the music, he was thrilled, as he already knew that the music was being played by Wen Xiaojing.
That was the song that Wen Xiaojing had played when they first met in the Qingling Pavilion. When he heard the song at that time, he felt it was so melodious and comforting. And at this moment, when he heard it again, he found that there was a sense of enchanting softness in it. The other three players were also good, but compared to Xiaojing, there was still a long way for them to go.
Undoubtedly, Lyu Liang was not the only one lost in thought, after hearing Wen Xiaojing’s music, but also the audience, who had initially been focusing on the wushu test. All of them went to watch the culture test just within the time of several breaths. Even Monk Tianhuang and Qi Ling sitting at the top position, could not help turning their heads to the platform for the culture test. As for the arena for the wushu test, the competitors who had been fighting ferociously, were also affected by the music and became unsettled.
“Bastard! You dare to treat me like this! You seek… Eh…” In the arena, the bearded man was struggling to shout at Lyu Liang, but before he finished speaking, three Star-picking Palm sparkling with beams of golden light already hit him. The force of the blow was just enough to knock him out, but did not kill him.
“Too loud!” Lyu Liang mumbled, without even looking back. Then he closed his eyes and started to enjoy the mesmerizing music.
Moments later, there was a flash of brilliance in the air above the platforms of the culture test and the wushu test, at the same time. Wen Xiaojing and Lyu Liang appeared after that, both of whom were obviously the first winners in their tests.
Lyu Liang looked as if he had not thoroughly enjoyed himself. He nodded to Wen Xiaojing with a smile, who was also staring at him, and gave her a thumbs up.
While she was smiling, Wen Xiaojing on the opposite, also saluted him gently and pouted, immediately sending all the male cultivators into a frenzy.
Later, they tacitly turned around and stood below their platforms, waiting for the other people to finish fighting.
In less than 15 minutes, the first round for both sides was over. The winners did not stop for a rest and directly began their tests for the second round, competing for the qualification for the finals.
That time, Wen Xiaojing did not choose soothing songs. Instead, she started to play passionate music. When Lyu Liang heard her song, he laughed loudly. He did not fight yet, but he was already full of confidence in winning.
That song was also familiar to him. When he heard that song last time, it nearly hurt his Divine Soul and broke his Taoist Heart. And at this moment, it still gave him a kind of breathtaking feeling, but there was also joy in it.
Lyu Liang was listening to the music, while his thoughts were floating to the time when they were in the Sleepless City. He gave an understanding smile, and said to the blue-robed man opposite him, who was also immersed in the music, “You want to admit defeat voluntarily, or do I have to defeat you by myself?” As he was speaking, five Star-picking Palms sparkling with golden light, two Spirit Swallowing Bugs and 10 Ghost Soldiers appeared at the same time…
“I admit defeat! I quit!” The blue-robed man went pale at once, but then he was again obsessed with the music, and said to Lyu Liang with a thumbs up, “You are very lucky to have her! I admit defeat!”
Therefore, when Wen Xiaojing finished playing, she was the first one to be transmitted out once again. As soon as she came out, she saw that Lyu Liang was above the platform for the wushu test at the opposite. With his hands behind his back, he gave her an ingenuous smile, while his eyes were full of admiration and appreciation for her playing…
…
At the same time, there was a blue scroll hanging in the air, in a hidden mansion in the affiliated agency of Chaotic Heavenly Alliance. The full scene of Lyu Liang and Wen Xiaojing cooperating together was showing in it. In front of the scroll was Fairy Purple Phoenix, who looked sad, and next to her was a slim maid wearing navy-blue palace clothes.
Fairy Purple Phoenix had on her usual alluring attire, which was as thin as the gauze, but there was so much sadness on her beautiful face.
“I… I’m not as good as her…” After a while, Fairy Purple Phoenix sighed. Then she lowered her head and murmured, “I left him when he was in pain and felt most helpless that year… And now, he has such a good woman beside him. I…”
“Miss! In order to find a way to help him recover his cultivation, you even accidentally entered the Poison Dragon Pond. If Ancestor Night Dragon had not saved you, you would be dead then! He doesn’t know about these things! And also the damask you gave him, he would not have been able to enter the affiliated agency of the Heavenly Alliance without that. How could he stand there with so much pride?” The maid became angry and started to defend her young lady.
“I wanted to help him secretly, and then found a chance to let him know. But now… Ah, I kind of understand the words my mother said before she died…” Fairy Purple Phoenix said with tears in her eyes, “In our life, everything could start again, but only the love, when you miss it, you will never get it back… This is the first time I love a person so deeply…”
“… Miss, in that year, Zhu Yu was much more handsome than him, and also more powerful, but I did not see you becoming so upset.” The maid was confused and looked at Fairy Purple Phoenix, her head tilted to one side.
“You don’t understand! I was just admiring Zhu Yu, but there was no emotional connection between us. So, when he refused me, I also thought about getting back at him…” Fairy Purple Phoenix looked up and sighed. Then she continued, “Ah, but as for Lyu Liang… You know, “Even though 1,000 years has passed, I’m just feeling more and more grateful to him, as he risked his own life to save me in the Five Ghosts Moving Array Formation…”
“… Miss, I get it. In this case, how about we make him the son-in-law of Ancestor Night Dragon?” The maid smiled.
Fairy Purple Phoenix was stunned at her words, and then said gloomily, “It’s too late… If she was just an ordinary woman, I will not take her seriously. But, I heard that she is the daughter of the Wen Clan, which is one of the four influential families in the Sanctuary of the space of Goddess Nyu Wa. Talking about the identity and status, I’m much inferior to her, as I’m only a girl in the Heaven Realm. What else do I have to compare with her…”
“Miss, that’s because she is still alive! But if she is dead… A dead person will never be able to compete with you, no matter how honorable she is, before her death.” The maid said this calmly, but a malicious smile flashed quickly on her face.
“Ah! Xiao Rong, what, what do you want to do? We can’t kill her. If it gets out, we’ll…” Fairy Purple Phoenix was dumbfounded. While totally putting the sadness behind her, she stared at her maid in utmost astonishment. She just could not believe that this was the same girl who had been together with her, morning and night.
“Don’t panic, miss! Of course we don’t have to do this by ourselves!” At the moment, the maid said with a mysterious smile, “We really don’t need to do anything. Miss, there is something that you might not know. In the space of Goddess Nyu Wa, the other two influential families, the Yao Clan and the Ji Clan, have both sent Men of Sacrifice to kill Wen Xiaojing! Once she is dead, the Wen Clan will also be completely destroyed! The only thing we need to do is to let those Men of Sacrifice in. And then, we just wait for the good news!”
“Well, well…” Fairy Purple Phoenix was obviously hesitant.
“Miss! If we miss this chance, we may never get another one! If you do like Lyu Liang, you should not have any scruples! Besides, we will do this without anyone knowing, just like we let the Calamity Troop in that year!” The maid was tempting Fairy Purple Phoenix. “A man like Lyu Liang is really rare in the world. If you let him go this time, once he goes to the space of Goddess Nyu Wa with that woman of the Wen Clan, then you will miss him forever! Unless you’re just saying you love him to comfort yourself!”
“… I get it! Xiao Rong, go arrange everything. But remember, we must never, never be discovered! I don’t want to leave a bad impression in his heart…” Fairy Purple Phoenix said resolutely, while the expression in her eyes was also growing firmer.
“Don’t worry, miss! I’ll go right now! There will be half a day for the competitors to take a rest before the final. That’s the perfect time for those people to kill her!” The maid bowed to her respectfully and continued, “Anyway, they are not so strict about the conditions of entry because of the selection contest at present, so we are just taking advantage of the current situation! Miss, you have a rest here, and what you need to do is just to think about how to show your merits to your future husband!”
“Oh, bad girl! You even dare to tease me! You want me to beat you?” Fairy Purple Phoenix blushed, while stretching out her hand as if she wanted to beat the maid.
“Forgive me, miss! I’ll go and do my job!” The maid dodged aside. And then she giggled and disappeared, after an instantaneous flash.
“Everything… should be fine… I don’t want to give up Lyu Liang…” Fairy Purple Phoenix looked very resolute, but then she frowned and murmured, “But, why is Xiao Rong so clear about that?”
…
Moments later, the maid appeared in a quiet place, with a cold look on her face. Sensing that there was nobody around, she smashed a Talisman for transmitting messages and said, “Milord, Purple Phoenix has agreed. We can carry out our plan now.”
In the meantime, in a wasteland on the periphery of the affiliated agency in the Chaotic Heavenly Alliance, there were four people in two groups, standing face to face. One group included two Immortal Generals and the Guardian for Wood, who were there to kill Lyu Liang.
On the other side was a lean man wearing blue clothes, which was printed with stripes of three dragon heads. The most uncommon feature about him were that his eyes were emitting beams of red light, and the rest of his body was tightly wrapped.
“It’s solved! With the help of a stupid woman who is in love, there is no problem for us to enter the affiliated agency secretly! We can do it tonight then!” Donghuang Lifeng said maliciously, “Although we are not after the same things, we can do this together, so that both of us can get what we want to get. I just hope our first cooperation will go well!”
“Jiejie, I really hate you guys pretending to be upright people, but I don’t mind cooperating with you. After all, our enemy is not a common cultivator!” The blue-robed wack smiled obscurely. Then he turned around and said, “So, that’s it! I’ll go and call my people to take action then!” After he finished, beams of black light sparkled all over his body, while he immediately changed into a swarm of small black bugs, which vanished into the air right away.
“Amitabha, I will leave first.” A gray-robed monk bowed, with his eyes closed and hands folded, and then also disappeared gradually.
“I’m going, too. You’ve made a deal anyway, so I’ll just fight by that time.” Li Xiaolang shrugged and also disappeared into the air.
“Humph! Even if you don’t take this seriously, it’s okay. Anyway, I’ve already made other preparations! I don’t mind there are more cooperators! If Lyu Liang could be killed in the end, this time my trip here will be worth it!” Donghuang Lifeng nodded. Then he clenched his fists and said, “You escaped the deathtrap in the Nether Big World last time. But this time, let me see what you’ve got to fight with me! Qiao’er, just wait. I’ll let you know that Lyu Liang as a cultivator from the Mortal World is only a nobody! I, Donghuang Lifeng, is your mate in your destiny who can give you happiness for a lifetime!“