“Little fool, don’t—!”
In the crowd, Ye Qingxian shook her head slightly, her beautiful eyes filled with worry and anxiety.
Everyone held their breath, quietly waiting for that figure’s response.
Although they all guessed that the trash would not agree to this life-and-death battle, the crowd was still a bit nervous, as if they were the ones accepting the duel.
Jiang Hao’s eyes, however, gradually deepened.
He knew Qi Tianyang’s goal was to plant a Heart Demon in his mind.
A Heart Demon of fearing strong enemies.
In the path of cultivation, a Heart Demon was the most taboo.
Once a Heart Demon was born, eliminating it would be as difficult as scaling the heavens, and it would become the biggest obstacle on the path of cultivation.
For a moment, everyone looked at that figure.
Some had their hearts racing, their eyes full of worry, while others watched coldly, shaking their heads slightly.
However, in the next moment, a faint voice echoed throughout the venue.
“Alright, I accept.”
BOOM!!!
As soon as these words were spoken, the vast sea of people shuddered as if struck by lightning.
In an instant, the entire Xingyue City completely boiled over.
“What did he say?”
“He…
he actually agreed to Qi Tianyang’s life-and-death battle?”
“He accepted it.
This kid actually accepted it?”
“Crazy, he’s absolutely crazy.
Does he really think he can catch up to the Qilin Child’s footsteps within three months?”
“He really doesn’t know the meaning of death.
He’s simply seeking his own doom.”
In just a few breaths, hundreds of thousands of Cultivators exploded in uproar.
Although that figure had indeed given everyone a great shock, and obtaining the Alchemy Stele’s mark was world-shocking, he was ultimately just a piece of trash who couldn’t even awaken a martial soul.
Perhaps he could have terrifying achievements on the Alchemy Dao, but on the path of cultivation, it would be difficult to accomplish anything without a heaven-defying martial soul.
“He’s arrogant.
I think this trash is just letting it get to his head.
Does he think that just because he became a Tier Two Alchemy Master, he truly has the strength to challenge the Qilin Child?”
“Without entering the path of cultivation, one naturally doesn’t know the gap between cultivations.
I’m afraid this child has misjudged the insurmountable chasm between a Pill Master and a Cultivator.”
“I think he’s just an ignorant fool.
He doesn’t even consider who Qi Tianyang is.
That is an expert of the Unity Realm, and a Celestial Tier Martial Soul Awakener to boot.
He truly overestimates his own capabilities.”
“Could this guy be trying to stall for time, and then leave the Earth Realm of Xingyue City?”
“I think it’s highly possible.”
Countless Cultivators made their guesses, and some even roared with laughter.
It was obvious to all that an ant at the Peak of Body Refining Realm was actually going to fight to the death with a Unity Realm expert.
“This is the biggest joke I’ve heard all year.”
“An ant comparing strength with an elephant is like a speck of starlight competing with the bright moon.
What a massive joke.”
Endless numbers of Cultivators slowly shook their heads, their eyes full of mockery.
The slight shock that had built up from the path of the Alchemy Dao seemed to vanish into nothingness in an instant.
The young man now looked more like a laughingstock.
Even Qi Tianyang was somewhat surprised.
Gu Qingyan’s appearance had originally made him drop the thought of killing the boy.
The reason he proposed a life-and-death battle was merely an overt scheme, aiming to leave a Heart Demon in the other party’s heart.
Once the Heart Demon of fearing a strong enemy grew, their path of cultivation would essentially be half-ruined, and the same applied to the Alchemy Dao.
He never expected that the other party would actually accept.
“Haha, hahahahaha.” At this moment, Qi Tianyang also seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world and burst into loud laughter.
“Good.
I will wait for you for three months.
Within these three months, I will send people to keep an eye on the Ye family.
If you dare to flee, then the Ye family will be buried with you.”
After Qi Tianyang finished speaking, his eyes were full of disdain.
He even shook his head dismissively, directly turning around and soaring into the sky.
Clearly, his goal had been achieved, and he was even less afraid that Jiang Hao would truly flee Xingyue City.
Once the other party completely disregarded Ye Qingxian and the others to leave the Xingyue City region, a Heart Demon would inevitably be born.
Watching Qi Tianyang leave with a laugh and the many experts of the Qi family dispersing with mocking eyes, Tang Xiaofeng and the others were filled with bitter disappointment at his foolishness.
“Jiang Xiaoyou, you are foolish.”
“We went through so much trouble to protect you, yet you threw your life away yourself.
Xiaoyou, you truly are…”
The many experts of the Tang family were all filled with helplessness.
Tang Xiao even slowly closed his eyes and sighed softly.
Without saying a single word, he slowly turned and retreated.
“Alas!”
The people of the Tang family also flicked their sleeves in anger.
With long, resentful sighs, they all left in dismay.
It was obvious that in Tang Xiao’s eyes, Jiang Hao was already a dead man who merely had three more months to live.
Bai Wufeng also had a gloomy expression.
He slowly glanced at Jiang Hao and said, “Jiang Xiaoyou, you are simply unreasonable.”
After Bai Wufeng finished speaking, he also waved his sleeve and turned aside, saying no more.
His face was written with the helplessness of having no other options.
Only Gu Qingyan’s beautiful eyes erupted with two sharp gleams as she looked thoughtfully at the young man.
“Uncle Bai, have someone investigate if the Qi family has latched onto any new background recently.
Otherwise, that young master of the Qi family wouldn’t dare act like this,” Gu Qingyan mused while observing Jiang Hao.
Bai Wufeng reacted to her words.
For Qi Tianyang to dare play an open scheme when the Divine Pill Pavilion was protecting an Alchemy Master in its name, he clearly had some confidence backing him.
“Young Master is meticulous.
I will go investigate right away.” After speaking, Bai Wufeng looked at Jiang Hao, sighed, and turned to step through the air and leave.
For a time, the entirety of Xingyue City was bubbling over like boiling water in a hot pot.
The only people in the entire venue who seemed unaffected by those mocking voices were Jiang Hao and Gu Qingyan.
As the Young Master of the Divine Pill Pavilion, Gu Qingyan had known countless people and had a very broad perspective.
Slowly, the look in her eyes as she gazed at Jiang Hao began to deepen.
“Do you still have some hidden cards you haven’t revealed?
Is your purpose in accepting the life-and-death battle because you don’t want to get too close to our Divine Pill Pavilion?
Or are you unwilling to owe us this favor?”
What Gu Qingyan didn’t know was that she had guessed everything perfectly.
Jiang Hao had agreed to the three-month life-and-death pact.
In truth, it was because no one understood his martial soul better than himself.
Even though Qi Tianyang was already in the Unity Realm, that was a realm cultivated under a rank-seven martial soul.
Even if the other party had now awakened a Celestial Tier Martial Soul, he wouldn’t necessarily be able to break through very far in just three months.
And the True Dragon Martial Soul he had now fused with was at least a Divine Tier Martial Soul, conservatively exceeding Qi Tianyang by two tiers.
Coupled with his cultivation test that night, Jiang Hao had at least a seventy percent certainty of catching up to the other party within three months.
Furthermore, the Divine Pill Pavilion’s absolute protection exceeded Jiang Hao’s plans.
He had never thought of letting the Divine Pill Pavilion protect him, and Gu Qingyan’s appearance was an accident.
If he had truly let Gu Qingyan protect him today, then he would owe the Divine Pill Pavilion a life-saving favor.
A life-saving grace was greater than the heavens.
Jiang Hao didn’t want to involve himself with this kind of behemoth that was capable of shaking the entire Sword Dynasty, especially not with such a massive debt of gratitude.
The more terrifying the faction, the deeper its waters and the more enemies it had.
Rashly joining any side was equivalent to creating endless enemies for himself, and they would all be hidden crises lurking in the dark.
Until Jiang Hao had the ability to guarantee his own safety, he would not easily accept an olive branch extended by any faction, including the Divine Pill Pavilion.
“Is three months enough time?”
While Jiang Hao was deep in thought, Gu Qingyan had unknowingly arrived by his side, speaking softly.
Jiang Hao slightly turned toward the voice and looked the Young Master of the Divine Pill Pavilion up and down.
With a self-deprecating smile, he asked, “Do you actually believe I can win this life-and-death battle three months from now?”
“I do.” Unexpectedly, Gu Qingyan blurted out almost instantly.
This made Jiang Hao pause slightly.
With his eyes full of surprise, he asked, “Based on what?”
“Based on a young woman’s intuition,” Gu Qingyan said with a sweet smile, before quickly adding, “And…
this calmness you possess.”
As soon as Gu Qingyan said this, Jiang Hao abruptly raised his eyes.
He couldn’t help but feel a jolt in his heart, subconsciously becoming vigilant.
This young woman was a bit too intelligent, and her mind was meticulous to a chilling degree.
“Don’t worry.
I harbor no ill will toward you, at least not at present,” Gu Qingyan smiled sweetly, then looked at Jiang Hao with her beautiful eyes.
“Let me put it this way.
Everything the Cultivators of Xingyue City have seen, I’ve seen.
What they haven’t seen, I have also seen, including peerless geniuses who have broken through several realms overnight.
“I see the shadow of someone else in you.
You are very similar to him.”
“Who?”
“You don’t know him, but you might in the future.” After finishing her sentence, Gu Qingyan said no more on the subject and merely stated faintly, “I’m looking forward to seeing what exactly will happen three months from now.”
She slowly turned around to leave, but abruptly glanced back.
“Jiang Hao.”
Jiang Hao looked up at the sound of his name, only to see her flash a sweet smile.
“Perhaps we can become friends.”
Time slowly passed.
The Alchemy Master Competition also officially drew to a close.
An hour later.
In the Divine Pill Pavilion.
Bai Wufeng walked in with a heavy expression, holding a bamboo scroll.
Seeing him return, Gu Qingyan immediately asked softly, “Uncle Bai, how did the investigation go?
Who has the Qi family latched onto?”
Bai Wufeng’s expression was poor as he replied, “The Celestial Sword Sect!”
GASP.
Gu Qingyan jerked her head up at his words, rare ripples of shock surfacing in her eyes.
“The Celestial Sword Sect under the Celestial Sword Academy?”
Bai Wufeng nodded upon hearing this, but continued speaking.
“Young Master, when the subordinates investigated further, they also brought to light another matter.
The disappearance of Jiang Xiaoyou’s father back then seems to be related to the Celestial Sword Sect as well.
And…
it appears the Qi family was also involved in it.”