Chapter 146: Victory and Defeat

Suddenly, an extremely explosive aura swept through the air. A fierce gale rose, sounding as though countless thunderbolts were striking simultaneously. Although the Wanghai Tower was covered with protective restriction arrays on all sides, it still swayed unsteadily like a lone flat-bottomed boat in a raging sea!

That strange figure seemed startled by his opponent's counterattack as well, and his four arms involuntarily paused for a fraction of a moment. Caught in mid-air by the rushing gale, the man in white was forced back a few steps. Only after a short moment did the terrifying force subside slightly!

The five figures in mid-air now revealed their true forms. They turned out to be tall, short, fat, thin, male, female, old, and young respectively! Dressed in green, white, multi-colored, black, and purple robes, save for slightly vacant expressions in their eyes, they appeared entirely indistinguishable from ordinary human beings!

Standing behind those five figures was the man in white, who looked exceptionally handsome yet wore a deeply solemn expression. The surrounding crowd began to converse in low whispers. Someone remarked, "This gentleman in white looks terribly familiar?! It feels as though I have seen him somewhere before."

"Of course! Hehe! You must surely recognize him! Even if you have never laid eyes on him in person, you must have heard of his legendary reputation!"

"Oh! I wonder who this young master might be?! I implore this kind brother to enlighten us quickly!"

"This is none of the less than one of the Four Great Young Masters of the Imperial Capital! The Master of the Red Bean Pavilion, Pu Xing, also known as Master Pu the Fifth. He is a fifth-generation descendant of the Sacred Qian Emperor, a hereditary General Defending the State, and holds the noble rank of Duke Assisting the State! Hehe!"

"What?! It's... it's him?!" The crowd was inwardly startled, and they carefully sized up the young man in white! Upon closer inspection, they saw that he possessed phoenix eyes with double pupils, a face as jade, a nose like fine white jasper, delicate eyebrows arching into his temples, ape-like arms and oriole-like shoulders. He was remarkably handsome!

Yuan Hanyun and the young master of the Duan family seemed to have known this all along and showed no surprise. They let out a cold snort from their nostrils, while the three companions murmured softly, "It truly is him! It truly is him!"

The strange figure seemed to have overheard the crowd's chatter, and a passionate gleam flashed in his eyes. With a fierce roar, his body leapt up, instantly reaching mid-air. His four palms moved erratically as he thrust them sharply forward, unleashing four streams of Yin and Yang forces that enveloped the five puppets. Taking advantage of the brief moment when the five puppets paused, he darted right beside the young noble in white. With a slight spin of his body like a spinning top, his four palms lashed out in rapid succession, each striking a blow!

In the blink of an eye, the power of those four strikes surged outward in an overlapping wave! Not daring to meet the attack head-on, the Master of the Red Bean Pavilion flashed white light from the jade flute in his hand and blocked horizontally, while his body drifted backward, leveraging the momentum! After deflecting that immense force, he pointed his flute obliquely. The five puppets in mid-air flashed nimbly and instantly surrounded the strange figure in a tight circle!

A brilliant rosy glow flashed in their hands as each brandished a sword. With a swishing sound, they thrust straight toward the strange figure in the center simultaneously! Their movements were exceptionally swift and synchronized, striking as if they were a single entity!

The strange figure narrowed his small eyes slightly. Each of the five longswords radiated a chilling, piercing light and was brimming with spiritual energy, showing them to be extraordinary spiritual treasures. Daring not to be negligent, golden light flashed across his four palms as four double-crested cloud-thunder halberds materialized! With a sudden, fierce sweep, he generated four swirling vortexes of light. Just as the five longswords were about to reach his body, they were caught in the currents and deflected slightly, flying off at an angle!

The Master of the Red Bean Pavilion let out a low cry, and as he waved his jade flute once more, the five puppets shouted in unison. Radiant glows flashed across their entire bodies, revealing sets of eight-treasure interwoven silver-dragon armor! They lunged straight toward the strange figure without hesitation!

The strange figure gave a grim smile, his double-crested cloud-thunder halberds striking out rapidly, conjuring hundreds of streaks of light that enveloped his opponents! The five puppets showed not the slightest fear, charging straight upward! The onlookers heard a sound like dense, popping beans, followed by the sight of countless fine bolts of lightning, as large as lamps, flashing across the bodies of the five puppets!

The strange figure was taken aback at first. He had not expected these five puppets to be utterly devoid of fear, taking the blows of the double-crested cloud-thunder halberds directly on their bodies. Although they wore protective spiritual armor, he knew the terrifying power of the double-crested cloud-thunder halberds—could it be that the Master of the Red Bean Pavilion had no fear of them being destroyed?!

Even as astonishment flickered in his heart, he saw a flash of black light envelop the bodies of the five figures. With eerie precision, they bypassed the defense of the double-crested cloud-thunder halberds, reappearing right in front of him without a moment's pause. Ten palms struck out viciously at once! He felt a fierce gale envelop his entire body, bringing an indescribable discomfort! A jolt of shock ran through him, but he immediately thought to himself: "When it comes to close-quarters combat, no matter how formidable you are, can you possibly surpass those of the True Spirit bloodline?!"

Suddenly, with a roar, his four palms abruptly swelled in size by a fraction, and he rapidly unleashed hundreds of palm strikes in all directions! Yet, to his surprise, black light flashed across the five puppets, and when his palm forces struck them, they passed straight through their bodies with an eerie intangibility, finding no purchase whatsoever!

Terror gripped the strange figure's heart. Seemingly remembering something in a flash, his body instantly retreated dozens of yards, and he cried out in alarm, "You people are Tiele tribesmen!"

The Master of the Red Bean Pavilion smiled faintly and said, "Indeed! The two of you possess quite a discerning eye!" He held his jade flute horizontally, pressed his hand forward empty-air, and a series of sharp, rising musical notes rang out. The five puppets roared wildly and strode forward in pursuit of the strange figure once more!

The strange figure shouted angrily, "Since that is the case, let us fight to the death and break the nets together!"

His figure flickered as he lashed out fiercely at the oncoming puppets, sending several streams of cyan Qi shooting out like ribbons of silk! The five puppets did not show weakness either, each unleashing a hazy black light. With a heaven-shaking crash that sounded like "rumble," the two forces collided and intertwined! A blinding ball of light erupted instantly!

The onlookers felt a jolt in their hearts, followed by a tight sensation in their chests as they looked on closely. Amidst the blazing glare, several figures were sent flying backward through the air. Once they stabilized their postures, it became clear that the strange figure had now reverted back into two muscular men. Their chests heaved up and down, their breathing was slightly ragged, and their complexions were somewhat pale!

In the distance, the five puppets had fared no better. The eight-treasure interwoven silver-dragon armor they wore had shattered and cracked completely, and the elderly puppet's arm had vanished entirely! The Master of the Red Bean Pavilion leaped forward, landing beside the five puppets. His face was flushed with color, clearly indicating that driving those five puppets just now had drained a vast amount of his vital energy and mental focus!

The two muscular men laughed heartily and said, "This person must be the Master of the Red Bean Pavilion, one of the Four Great Young Masters of the Imperial Capital! Truly a well-deserved reputation! Haha, what a satisfying fight! Whenever we meet another day, we shall spar again! Forgive us for not staying to keep you company today!" The two exchanged a glance and shouted, "Let's go!" With a leap, they vaulted right out the window of the Wanghai Tower!

The Duan family young master, Yuan Hanyun, and the others did not step forward to stop them. They simply watched blankly as their opponents departed, letting out cold snorts. Turning their gazes back toward the Master of the Red Bean Pavilion, they found that the five human puppets in mid-air had also vanished. He had already landed and was currently conversing in low tones with the group of youths in black!

Yuan Hanyun lowered his voice and said, "Although that Master of the Red Bean Pavilion shares equal fame with my elder brother as one of the Four Great Young Masters, we have never been deeply acquainted. Those who walk different paths cannot plan together! Let us leave as well."

The young master of the Duan family said with indignation, "It just irks me to let those two scoundrels of the Sun and Moon Divine Alliance off so easily! I am deeply unreconciled!" With that, he turned to Jian Lei and asked, "Brother Jian, are you gravely injured?"

Jian Lei was just about to answer when he could not help but cough violently a few times. After panting for a long while, he said, "I'll manage! At least it won't cost me my life! It's just that my heart meridians and foundational Qi have both been damaged; I fear it will take several months to recover!"

The young master of the Duan family apologized slightly, "Brother Jian, if it weren't for my father's imperial decree troubling you to come here, how could this incident have occurred! Alas, I truly owe you an apology!"

Jian Lei waved his hand and said, "How can this be blamed on you! Blame only my own inferior skills! Hehe! Today I finally realize that there are heavens beyond the heavens, and people beyond people! In the past, I truly fancied myself as having few rivals within the same realm of cultivation. To think... sigh! I'm afraid I won't be able to fulfill the task assigned by Marshal Duan either!"

The young master of the Duan family nodded and said, "I originally intended to entrust you, friend, with the opening match of the three bouts. Now that Brother Jian is injured, it is a matter of great regret. The trials at the Grand Quanyexing Bazaar are still six days away, and fortunately, time is still ample. I can simply trouble my father to find other masters among the Six Ministries of Bei Xi! It's just that without Brother Jian, our chances of winning will inevitably be diminished somewhat."

Jian Lei shook his head. "Young Master Duan, do not overestimate me! You saw the match just now for yourself! The physical bodies of those two True Spirit bloodline individuals are truly formidable! In a one-on-one fight, I would already be somewhat outmatched. If those two joined forces, I would have no choice but to surrender!"

Yuan Hanyun nodded and said, "The combined strength of those two is so great that even if all of us joined forces to resist them, it would be extremely difficult. Brother Jian need not blame yourself, nor should you belittle yourself. However, haven't those two people of the True Spirit clan also suffered injuries right now?! That Hall of Awakening has also lost a capable helper!"

The young master of the Duan family sighed, "I originally hoped to use this opportunity at the Grand Quanyexing Bazaar to sweep away the Hall of Awakening in one fell swoop and suppress the momentum of the Sun and Moon Divine Alliance! Looking at it now, it seems rather difficult." While these few were speaking, the Master of the Red Bean Pavilion and his entourage had already reseated themselves, setting up tables and wine! A wave of cheerful shouting drifted over from their direction.

Yuan Hanyun glanced over, furrowed his brow, and said, "That Master of the Red Bean Pavilion has always cultivated in seclusion and rarely leaves the imperial capital! I wonder why he has suddenly appeared in Jiujin City? This is truly strange! Could it be that he has some urgent business to attend to...?"

The young master of the Duan family was equally clueless and shook his head. Nearby, the ** whispered to Shaohua, "Junior Brother Shaohua, go downstairs and look for the Jiang brothers to see if they have headed toward the Hall of Awakening!" Shaohua nodded, stood up, and slipped away quietly.

The surrounding onlookers, seeing that the fight had ceased, still had a majority lingering behind. They discussed in low whispers, casting occasional glances toward the Master of the Red Bean Pavilion, pointing fingers and praising him in subdued tones.

Yuan Hanyun could not help casting a glance at the crowd, feeling a wave of annoyance. He thought to himself: "By tomorrow, every single large and small sect, peak, and cavern in the entire Jiujin City will have spread the word! People will say, 'The rumors about the two young masters of the Yuan family were better than the reality; their cultivation techniques are utterly mediocre, unable to even defeat two ordinary disciples of a True Spirit family! Compared to them, they fall far short of the Master of the Red Bean Pavilion! If the younger brother is like this, his elder brother, Master Huineng Yuan Ding, is probably no better. Though ranked among the Four Great Young Masters of the imperial capital, who would have thought the gap is still so vast!'"

The young master of the Duan family seemed to sense Yuan Hanyun's profound unhappiness and said in a low voice, "Brother Yuan, let's go."

Yuan Hanyun turned his head for a final glance in the direction of the Master of the Red Bean Pavilion, said with bitter resentment, "Let's go!" Paying no heed to the rest of the people remaining in the Wanghai Tower, the group filed out and hurried away.

The group of youths in black watched the Duan family young master and the others leave. One of them sneered, "A pack of mobsters! Are these really the disciples of the Six Ministries of Bei Xi?! Hehe, they fall ten thousand miles short compared to our young master!"

"Hmph! How could they possibly compare to the young master? One is in the heavens, the other in the mud; one is a prince, the other a toad! Hehe, the difference is far more than a mere mile!"

"That fellow holding the folding fan just now looked familiar. Wasn't that Yuan Hanyun, the second young master of the Yuan family? His cultivation isn't much to speak of anyway?!"

The Master of the Red Bean Pavilion waved his hand slightly to silence the others, sighed softly, and said, "Do not underestimate these cultivators of the Six Ministries of Bei Xi! If I hadn't arrived in time, you would have suffered greatly! What did I instruct you when we set out? Do you remember?"

One of the youths in black respectfully replied, "When we set out, the young master specifically instructed us not to provoke trouble! Various places across the Divine Land are not like the imperial capital! Renowned sects, massive factions, party halls, alliance clubs, and societies each dominate their own territories and must not be offended! In all things, we should yield by three parts!"

The Master of the Red Bean Pavilion nodded and said, "As the saying goes, a powerful dragon does not suppress the local serpent! Why are you still so arrogant and unheeding of my words? This Jiujin City is the foundation and birthplace of the Six Ministries of Bei Xi, and major contemporary sects such as the Hanyi Sect and the Sun and Moon Divine Alliance are stationed here with deep roots! Why must you still provoke others?"

A youth in black chuckled and said, "Young master, it wasn't us provoking them; they were the ones who bullied their way onto our heads. Look at those people from the True Spirit family at the end—we didn't provoke them by even half a fraction, yet didn't they still come at us...!"

The Master of the Red Bean Pavilion gently reprimanded him, "Nonsense! Even so, retreating to the side would have prevented any fight! We did not come to Jiujin City to engage in such petty displays of bravado and violence!"

The Black Panther Head asked in a low voice, "When we came, Lord Zhang mentioned that our trip to Jiujin City was to find a rare treasure. Young master, could that actually be true?"

The Master of the Red Bean Pavilion nodded and said, "That is correct. Because the matter is of utmost importance, I did not inform all of you when we set out. Now, however, you may know: that rare treasure is an ancient bronze tripod!"

The Black Panther Head murmured softly to himself, "An ancient bronze tripod... an ancient bronze tripod!" After muttering for a long while, a look of utter shock suddenly washed over his face as he cried out, "Could it be... could it be the legendary 'Ancient Xia Nine Tripods'!"