Chapter 98: Bluffing

Wang Li’s greatest advantage was his analytical talent, a hidden trump card that allowed him to use cultivation techniques to entice other candidates into surrendering their holy artifacts. Yet not everyone could be swayed. The Pure Yang Temple disciples were manageable; Wang Li could coax or threaten them with ease. Disciples from other sects, however, were far less compliant.

Furthermore, among the Pure Yang Temple candidates lingered one unpredictable variable—Zhang Zai. Master Sheng had specifically warned against provoking him, a caution that revealed lingering caution on his part. Wang Li did not believe Master Sheng feared Zhang Zai, but he recognized that trouble was the last thing anyone wanted.

If other sects’ disciples chose to withdraw, Wang Li could offer compensation. Should they refuse, fists would have to speak for themselves. With Yun Jingzi present, except for the enigmatic Zhang Zai, Wang Li needed only to stand his ground. As for Zhang Zai, he would still need to consult Master Sheng.

Master Sheng replied, “I’m not afraid of that old schemer, only that the whole affair is troublesome.”

Sure enough, Master Sheng still dreaded complications. Wang Li felt his grasp on Master Sheng’s character deepen, only for the man to immediately remind him of his place. “Trouble is trouble, but he has nothing to do with us. He wouldn’t dare compete for the holy artifact, so treat him as nonexistent—he won’t cause any harm.”

“If he truly proves difficult to handle, Master Sheng will make him regret it.”

“You can’t seriously think Master Sheng would care about a back-alley schemer, can you?”

Wang Li scratched his head. “Since you old man aren’t afraid of him, why do you want me to be cautious?”

“Because you’re an idiot! Hahaha…”

Master Sheng’s laughter made Wang Li’s soul tremble. Wang Li rubbed his temples and steadied himself. “You’re going to shatter my soul!”

Master Sheng chuckled. “That fellow loves to fool people. Be careful when you try to deceive others—you might be the one deceived instead.”

Wang Li nodded without argument.

Though he appeared unbothered, Wang Li knew full well that anyone Master Sheng knew was a formidable figure in their world. Engaging such people carelessly could invite unforeseeable calamity. He resolved to let Yun Jingzi handle Zhang Zai alone and never appear himself.

Zhou Qian had acquired the completed Great Spatial Art and the promise of Wang Li’s assistance in upgrading it. Joyful, he relinquished the final trial and was teleported back to Pure Yang Temple in satisfaction.

According to the Heavenly Selection List, the next arrival at the Abyss after Zhou Qian was the Ultimate Dao disciple Zhao Ling.

A difficult opponent. After Yun Jingzi departed, he had remained the undisputed ruler of the ruins battlefield. Yun Jingzi and Zhou Qian held poor opinions of him—formidable strength and an unrestrained personality. Yun Jingzi had no confidence in defeating him.

That was the past. With the complete technique, Yun Jingzi’s cultivation had advanced swiftly, and her mastery of spatial laws had deepened considerably. Three years had passed; she now stood at the eighth layer of the Nascent Soul realm. Subduing Zhao Ling, who was only fourth layer Nascent Soul, would be effortless.

Wang Li did not consider mere persuasion. Instead, he used his Chaos Qi to carve a spatial rift at the entrance and concealed Yun Jingzi within it.

As soon as Zhao Ling reached the Abyss’s edge, he saw Wang Li and Jiang Yue seated on a rock, eyes closed in meditation. A flicker of doubt crossed his face.

He did not take the pair seriously. A Golden Core realm female cultivator and a Nascent Soul one-layer were beneath his notice.

Yet the moment he arrived, he sensed a powerful aura beneath the Abyss. His heart rejoiced. “So this is the fragrance of the holy artifact.”

He prepared to leap into the depths, but before he could move, a thread of danger coiled around him.

It was too late. The rift where Yun Jingzi hid was only a foot away, within striking distance. When he realized an ambush had been made, Yun Jingzi’s fist already struck his back.

Yun Jingzi had no use for this Ultimate Dao brute. She showed no mercy. Thick spiritual energy shattered his protective qi and spiritual armor, then her long sword pierced his lower dantian. She dragged him into the space fissure she occupied.

She did not kill him, nor did she cripple his cultivation. She merely subdued him.

Two reasons guided her choice. First, rules forbade killing candidates during the selection. Second, Wang Li had instructed that snatching opportunities could be resolved, while lethal force created irreconcilable enmity. They had no intention of forging lasting enemies for themselves or Pure Yang Temple.

The most difficult Zhao Ling was thus locked in the spatial rift until time expired, then teleported back to the Ultimate Dao secret realm.

He never learned who had struck him until he encountered other candidates who had also suffered sneak attacks from Yun Jingzi. Only then did he realize the source of his misfortune.

That was later. Zhao Ling was eliminated, and next came Hai Kuan of the Donghai Sect.

Wang Li’s principle for orthodox disciples was to avoid violence if possible. With demonic path disciples, he felt no such restraint: simply lock them away and return them.

Hai Kuan’s performance in the second phase was extraordinary. With Golden Core perfection, he claimed third place.

His strength was formidable, yet he was cautious. Seeing Wang Li sitting motionless with eyes closed, he quickly assessed the situation and proactively offered to withdraw.

Wang Li was surprised, but since the man had surrendered willingly, he saw no reason to press. Hai Kuan practiced a fire-attribute technique, so Wang Li upgraded it by one level and bestowed upon him the Thunder Justice Chapter before sending him on his way.

Only after much reflection did Wang Li truly grasp the special nature of the Thunder Justice Chapter.

Thunder was one of the world’s will’s tools for maintaining balance and naturally resonated with nearly every world law. The Thunder Justice Chapter synthesized by Wang Li went further, free from cause and effect entirely. It was not the burdensome chain of karma Master Sheng had warned about.

Thus Wang Li placed no restrictions on the disciples of Revenge City disseminating the technique.

Bestowing it upon Hai Kuan was merely a courteous gesture.

After dispatching Hai Kuan, Xi Nanfei of Zhenxian City, Wang Meng, and Young Master Mo Qian arrived in succession.

Xi Nanfei was the strongest among Zhenxian City’s disciples. His overall power even surpassed Yun Jingzi during the ruins battlefield. Yet he was a man obsessed with cultivation and uninterested in other matters. Hearing that Wang Li would upgrade or complete techniques in exchange for withdrawal, he accepted without hesitation. He arranged a future visit to Pure Yang Temple and departed.

Wang Meng and Mo Qian proved far more stubborn. Wang Li simply instructed Yun Jingzi to lock them away and let them cool down.

In this manner, he knocked out more than thirty candidates with sneak attacks or coaxing. Wang Li’s side had finally encountered an unbreakable thorn in their side.