"Let's eat first," Mike said, as he didn't have any solutions at the moment.
The group ate in silence, with everyone stealing glances at Mike, seemingly wondering what exactly he had done.
At this moment, a voice suddenly came from outside.
"Is Liu Dongyue here?"
They all looked up and saw a person in purple clothes walking in from the door.
"It's someone from the Nine Yuan Escort Bureau," Shi Ming said, looking at the newcomer and turning to Mike.
"I'm Liu Dongyue," Liu Dongyue quickly stood up, curious as to why someone from the Nine Yuan Escort Bureau would be delivering a letter to him. It was the first time in many years that he had received a letter.
"Could it be from my Senior Brother?" Yun Qian Zhu asked, looking curious.
The person from the Nine Yuan Escort Bureau rummaged through his bag for a moment and then pulled out three invitations.
"Liu Dongyue, right? Please sign for these," the escort handed Liu Dongyue a piece of paper and said, "This one is an invitation from the Ba Dao Sect, this one is from the Zhao family, and this one is from Yue Mountain Sect. They're all challenge letters, saying they will come to Longsheng Sect to compete with you in seven days."
"What?!" Liu Dongyue's hand trembled, and the pen fell from his grip.
Ba Dao Sect, Zhao family, and Yue Mountain Sect? They're coming to challenge him?
He had thought the matter was over, but it seemed like they were coming to settle scores with him.
How could he, a mere Fifth Rank cultivator, possibly defeat them?
It was over. It was really over. They would probably beat him to death. He had already stripped them clean in the Tai Xuan Sacred Land, and now they were coming to take revenge. If they didn't make him pay with everything he had, he would consider himself lucky.
After the Nine Yuan Escort Bureau left, Liu Dongyue slumped to the ground with a dejected look.
"Challenge letters?" Mike looked at the three pieces of paper and quickly understood that these three sects were seeking revenge.
It had been a long time since Longsheng Sect had been this lively.
"Master, help me!" Liu Dongyue looked at Mike, his face filled with desperation. "Master, it's all because of your Seven-Treasure Gourd that I offended so many people. You can't just leave me hanging!"
"This…" Mike was at a loss. "How can I help you? I can't beat them either."
"How about you try this?" Mike pulled out the book titled Great Heavenly Symbol Formula and handed it to Liu Dongyue.
"Master, don't joke around," Liu Dongyue said. He wasn't going to risk learning that technique.
If he practiced that, not only would he be hunted by the people of Shenque, even experts from the remnants of the Star Luo Kingdom might come after him.
"Then use this." Mike handed Liu Dongyue the Thousand Lives Ghost Lotus.
"Master, if I use this, the consequences will be unimaginable. These three sects will probably be wiped out in an instant," Liu Dongyue said, smiling bitterly.
He wasn't joking—this was the number one assassination weapon of the Tang Sect.
If he used it on these disciples, they would unite and destroy Longsheng Sect in an instant.
"Neither of these work, huh?" Mike frowned. Then his eyes fell on the Green Dragon Hundred Flames and he suddenly said, "I see this alchemy furnace here. How about I refine some pills for you to help boost your strength? Maybe that way you can fight them."
"What?" Liu Dongyue's eyes widened in disbelief. "Master, you know how to refine pills?"
Mike thought for a moment. "Well, I've made some braised pork before, does that count?"
"Master, stop joking." Liu Dongyue didn't expect that Mike would be joking around at this time.
"I'm not joking," Mike said, as he took a book titled Beginner's Guide to Alchemy off the shelf. "Look, I have this book. If I follow the methods here, it's not that hard. Just wait for a while."
"I can refine spiritual treasures, so refining some pills is nothing," Mike said confidently.
"Master…" Liu Dongyue quickly added, "The problem with the spiritual treasure is already serious, but with pills… if you don't refine them correctly, I might end up eating something deadly!"
"Okay, okay, how about this then?" Mike thought for a moment and then said, "I'll draw some protective talismans for you, just like I did last time."
"Talismans?" Mike suddenly remembered that he had that skill. But then he shook his head. "The Golden Vajra Talisman will keep you alive, but you'll still just be taking hits."
"Master, do you have any offensive talismans? Please give me a few!" Liu Dongyue asked with a look of hope in his eyes.
Mike shook his head.
He didn't even know the full extent of the power of his talismans. Ye Yun had killed an Eighth-Rank Dream Demon with just his Evil-Repelling Talismans. While Mike did have attack talismans, such as the Five Thunder Talisman and the Coffin Binding Talisman, their power was uncertain. If he accidentally turned an enemy disciple to ashes, wouldn't that just provoke even stronger foes?
One careless mistake, and Longsheng Sect itself could be reduced to rubble.
Mike had no choice but to give up on that idea. He glanced at the Green Dragon Hundred Flames and felt a real desire to try alchemy.
"Ah, there's no hope left." Liu Dongyue walked out, dejected.
He felt as though his life had no meaning anymore.
That night.
North River City.
A small tavern on a street was still lit. Inside, a middle-aged man wearing a conical hat was drinking alone.
Just one man, one pot of wine, with a lonely back turned toward the world.
However, the number of people in the tavern grew fewer and fewer, and even the streets outside became eerily quiet.
"Waiter, bring me another pot of wine."
The man shouted toward the counter.
After a long pause, there was still no response.
"Heh." The middle-aged man sneered, suddenly extending his palm. From his sleeve, countless flying needles shot out, heading straight for the building across from him.
Each needle was infused with strong internal energy, piercing the house across the street in an instant!
Accompanied by the sound of screams.
"Attack!"
At the command, arrows flew from all directions.
The man leaped into the air, raising his hand to strike the sky, and immediately smashed a hole in the roof. In the next moment, he was standing on top of the roof.
But it seemed he had already anticipated this. A shower of hidden weapons rained down on him.
"Humph!"
The man snorted coldly and waved his hand. Countless hidden weapons shot out, colliding with the flying needles and arrows mid-air.
The movements were smooth and fluid, not a single bit of hesitation.
"Come out!"
The man shouted.
As his words rang out, three figures appeared on the rooftop, standing opposite the man.
"Third Elder, Fourth Elder, and the Hall Master of the Law Enforcement Hall." Looking at the three coming toward him, the man smiled. "The Tang Sect really holds me in high regard. Three experts of the Xuan realm have come together to deal with me. Seems like they're sure they'll win today."
The Hall Master of the Law Enforcement Hall stepped forward and frowned. "Zhou Ziyan, you were once the most outstanding disciple of the Tang Sect, yet you betrayed us and even killed your master. You're worse than a beast!"
"Today, we'll clean up the sect!"
"Hahaha! The most outstanding disciple of the Tang Sect?" The man suddenly laughed maniacally. "If I was truly the most outstanding disciple, then why was the method to create the Thousand Mechanism Peacock Feathers passed only to my junior brother and not to me? I'm not convinced! For so many years, all the good things have gone to him, while I've been left out. Since that's the case, I have no reason to stay in such a Tang Sect!"
"As for that old fool, he deserved to die. He never agreed to marry his daughter to me. Why? Am I not good enough?" Zhou Ziyan's face twisted with anger.
"You're beyond saving. Just surrender!" The Third Elder shook his head.
"Hahaha!" Zhou Ziyan sneered. "If it were before, all three of you together, I'd definitely not be your match. But now…"
"Now I'll use you to test the power of the Thousand Lives Ghost Lotus…"
"The Thousand Lives Ghost Lotus!"
The three of them were instantly alarmed at hearing this. The Fourth Elder scowled. "The Thousand Lives Ghost Lotus disappeared. So, it was you who stole it!"
"Indeed, the Tang Sect's number one assassination weapon is now in my hands. What better way to test its power than with the three of you old fools?" Zhou Ziyan shouted, and a flash of light appeared from his storage bag. In an instant, he pulled out a mysterious item.
"Witness the power of my Thousand Lives Chicken Leg. To die by the Tang Sect's number one assassination weapon, Thousand Lives Chicken Leg, is an honor for you three. You didn't waste your time in the Tang Sect… Eh?"
Zhou Ziyan's expression suddenly changed.
What he had pulled out from the storage bag wasn't the Thousand Lives Ghost Lotus. It was clearly… a chicken leg. And not just any chicken leg—one that had been bitten into!
"What the hell!"
Where's my assassination weapon?