The fight will come, but Zuo Mo needs to prepare.
Edit: Thanks Cactuar0 for correcting the typos
Chapter Fifty Two All In!
“I hadn’t thought that even you could become an inner sect disciple.” Luo Li’s face was expressionless, his voice cold.
Zuo Mo looked inside the valley and he was slightly relieved. Luo Li had only tore down the jinzhi at the mouth but didn’t go in. He clearly came prepared. Luo Li might be doted upon by all the elders but he didn’t dare to act too brashly. If the ling grasses and herbs inside the valley were damaged, the elders in the sect wouldn’t let him off.
Machinations in the shadows, Zuo Mo was clear the other didn’t dare use them on him. The kind of identity that a ling plant farmer had, it meant that he would receive the sect’s protection. What the other could use was an open and public attack.
Looking at the mess and the completely ruined jinzhi, even though Zuo Mo knew the other was just venting, but his anger still rose. The other had definitely come because of Hao Min Shijie. Zuo Mo wasn’t scared. He had reason on his side. Even if it got brought up to the sect leader, no one would say that he was wrong.
Zuo Mo controlled the anger, his voice mocking, “Shixiong’s sword is so sharp. A pity to waste these flowers and grasses.”
Luo Li looked coldly at Zuo Mo, his eyes filled with disdain and contempt, “Whether my sword is sharp or not, you will know. You dare to touch my woman.”
“Oh.” Zuo Mo brushed it off. He looked at his right hand and said unconcernedly, “So what if I touched her?”
If there hadn’t been the previous incident with Hao Min, these two were people that he would have tried to curry favor with. But since it had proceeded to this step, both sides like water and fire, there was no possibility of peace. Zuo Mo’s stubbornness came out. Rather than be bullied, he would rather rebel. Even if it might end terribly for him, he wouldn’t let the other off easily. If he didn’t have some viciousness, with his origins as an outer sect disciple, he would be greatly bullied in the future.
Luo Li’s pupils shrunk, the indifferent expression on his face finally changing, “Three months, the assessment of the sect, I’ll wait for you.”
“You said wait, so you’ll wait?” Zuo Mo smiled coldly, and gasped, “Shixiong’s face is so big!”
Luo Li’s expression twisted. His eyes sprouted fire as he looked at Zuo Mo. He barely managed to control himself and snorted angrily, “Hm, let’s see if your mouth is still that hard then!” Finishing, he flew off.
“Who does he think he is?” Zuo Mo snorted coldly. He turned to walk inside the valley. Everything in the valley was undisturbed. Luo Li basically didn’t come in. Luo Li might be arrogant but he wasn’t dumb. He controlled his behaviour. Ruining the jinzhi of West Wind Valley but not touching the ling grasses in the valley, the elders of the sect would let it go.
They forbid fighting in the sect. Every sect would have this kind of rules. But fighting inside the sect would always happen. There were many reasons but one of the most important ones was undoubtedly the implicit permission of the elders in the sect. What a sect was afraid of was not having a competitive environment. The occasional skirmish was more beneficial than harmful in the eyes of elders. In most cases, they held a permissive attitude.
But Zuo Mo felt that these things didn’t have too much to do with him. He didn’t believe that Luo Li would dare come into West Wind Valley. His West Wind Valley was one of the important areas of the sect, possibly even more important than Cold Mist Valley.
Just like normal, he continued to make dan, right up until Li Ying Feng Shijie came.
“What?” Zuo Mo cried out, “What kind of rule is that?”
Li Ying Feng explained, “It’s really like this. Supposedly, because the sect forbid the disciples from fighting so they made the sect assessment the place for resolving conflicts. He can challenge you at that time and you must take it up. If you don’t, you have to give the other fifty contribution points.”
“But I am a ling plant farmer! I, a ling plant farmer, do you want me to grab a flying sword and start fighting with him?” Zuo Mo was indignant.
“You can ask someone.” Li Ying Feng was also helpless, “That doesn’t break the rules. Production cultivators like you can use the dan you make or what you’ve planted to hire others. But you can only ask the other shixiong in the sect, not anyone from other sects.”
“The other shixiong in the sect? Wei Sheng Shixiong hasn’t come out, who else can I invite?” Zuo Mo felt that he was going crazy. The only person in the sect that could win over Luo Li was Wei Sheng Shixiong. But Wei Sheng Shixiong was in the Sword Cave and won’t be coming out soon.
“The rules are like this.” Li Ying Feng suggested, “You could go buy some powerful talismans.”
Zuo Mo felt that he was going to faint. Buy talismans? He was so poor he only had the dregs. Buying talismans! Only now did Zuo Mo understand what Luo Li had meant in his last word that day. His mood instantly became terrible.
Damn it! It was going to be big trouble!
Facing Luo Li outside the valley, he wasn’t afraid because he had been confident that Luo Li didn’t dare to do anything to him. When he knew that the inner sect had this rule, he instantly blanked. Things like sword energy, it was fine to use to frighten people. Facing Luo Li who practiced [Empty Sword], he, someone who didn’t even have a sword scripture, wouldn’t even know how he died.
The elders in the sect, of course, wouldn’t let Luo Li really injure him, but humiliation wouldn’t be avoided. Fifty contribution points, that was a very large amount of wealth. If he sold himself, he wouldn’t get fifty contribution points. Thinking about it, Zuo Mo became even more depressed.
Li Ying Feng looked in sympathy at Zuo Mo. She wanted to help but had no way. She could only take the Great Strength Pills that Zuo Mo had prepared and left.
The news that Luo Li had sent out a challenge to Zuo Mo was instantly spread to everyone in the sect. These days when Hao Min saw Zuo Mo, she instantly became high and mighty. Zuo Mo wanted to slap her again. The gazes of everyone else when they saw Zuo Mo was extremely strange. Of course, there wasn’t a lack of others who were laughing at Zuo Mo. No one thought that Zuo Mo was going to have a good outcome.
“I heard that your Luo Li Shixiong sent a challenge to you?” Shi Feng Rong calmly asked Zuo Mo.
Even Master knew……
Zuo Mo could only reply, “Yes.”
“En. The matter between you and your Hao Min Shijie, I won’t interfere.” Shi Feng Rong said coldly, “But the assessment in the sect, I don’t care what method you use, but you will not lose. If you lose, hmm……”
The implication in the last sound made Zuo Mo’s already withered heart dry up like a flower petal and scatter to the ground.
“This disciple is only a ling plant farmer……” Zuo Mo couldn’t help reminding Master.
“So what if you are a ling plant farmer?” Shi Feng Rong’s voice went up, her eyes resolute, “My disciple cannot lose!”
“But……”
“I don’t care what method you use.” Shi Feng Rong impatiently interrupted Zuo Mo.
Zuo Mo’s heart turned and he said, “Master is so confident in this disciple, this disciple naturally doesn’t want to fail. This disciple has nothing to request except to pick a sword scripture from the records room.” Since Master wanted him not to lose, than it would be dumb if he didn’t ask for a bit of help. He thought of the [Li Water Sword Scripture] in the records room.
“It’s too late for you to start practicing the sword now.” Shi Feng Rong furrowed her brow.
“This disciple only has this one request.” Zuo Mo saw that it might be possible and his heart lightened as he hurried responded.
“If that’s the case, I can agree.” She looked at Zuo Mo and her voice was stern as she said, “But if you lose, I won’t let you off lightly.”
“Yes.” Zuo Mo resolutely promised.
“Take this tile. You can pick a sword scripture from the records room.” Shi Feng Rong’s expression was icy as she stated.
Three months. Right now, Zuo Mo was only grateful the sect assessment was three months in the future. He still had a hint of life!
With the quickest possible speed, he picked [Li Water Sword Scripture] and ran for the Little West Wind Yard.
He was clear what Luo Li was planning on. The whole sect ,everyone felt that he didn’t have a chance of winning but Zuo Mo didn’t want to admit defeat like this. Whenever he thought of Luo Li and Hao Min’s faces, the anger in his chest rose. And this would directly decide his future status in the sect. To say of nothing else, Master’s warning was in his ears.
Wasn’t it just a sword scripture?
What was simpler than sword scripture? After getting sliced a few thousand times, would he get it?
Zuo Mo thought hatefully.
There was no possibility of winning if he relied on normal methods. His gamble was all on Pu Yao. But gambling on Pu Yao meant countless jingshi.
“You want help? Alright, as long as you can pay the jingshi. Anything can be discussed.” Pu Yao said interestedly, “If the price you pay is high enough, oh, I can go sort Luo Li out immediately. Guarantee no one would find out.”
As expected……
As Zuo Mo expected, Pu Yao started his extortion.
“What? It’s higher than the previous price? Of course, this is called reacting to the market!” The smile on Pu Yao’s face was enchanting, “You have to consider it well. The price tomorrow would be even higher.”
Zuo Mo went to find Li Ying Feng.
“Shijie, how much jingshi can you lend me?” Zuo Mo’s eyes were red, his throat rough.
Li Ying Feng didn’t hesitate, “I can lend it all, three third grade!”
“Many thanks, Shijie!” Zuo Mo didn’t waste words. There was only gratefulness in his heart. It was only at the crucial time that it could be seen if a person was worthy.
Old Black, and Guo Lu also unhesitatingly gave all the jingshi they had to Zuo Mo. Even Xu Qing secretly gave Zuo Mo fifty pieces of second grade jingshi. The whole sect knew that Zuo Mo was borrowing jingshi. Many people were looking at it as a joke.
“Did he ask you yet?”
“Ha, I don’t dare to lend to him.”
“Exactly. Just became an inner sect disciple and dare to offend Hao Min Shijie, he really thinks he’s someone!”
“Oh, I remember that Xiao Mo was a pretty steady person, why would he do something so dumb?”
“When a little person enjoys success, they become arrogant!”
……
……
Zuo Mo sold all of the mature ling herbs and grasses in his ling fields and received one piece of third grade jingshi.
Roughly calculating, Zuo Mo had about six pieces of third grade jingshi on his hands.
This was a huge sum, a sum that Zuo Mo had never even thought about. Not long ago, his yearly income was twenty or so second grade jingshi. The six pieces of third grade jingshi gave off an enticing shine and a strong ling energy vibration.
“This is everything I gathered, give it all to you.”
Zuo Mo threw the six pieces of third grade jingshi to Pu Yao.
Pu Yao grinned as he took the jingshi. He played with one with his right hand, gently throwing it up and then gently catching it. His expression was intoxicated as he said, “Such a moving sound, jingshi is really the most reliable thing in this world.”
“Teach me this!”
Zuo Mo took out the jade stick for [Li Water Sword Scripture], his voice resolute.
His expression was slightly tired, the zombie face slightly gray but the pair of eyes were like two balls of jumping flames, hot and vicious.