Taiyi Dao Fruit

Disputes over women will never become outdated, even with the passage of time, even in the distant future, there are plenty of instances where one bursts in anger over a beauty.

Even in Jiang Li's previous life, some minor immortals had their sycophants, not to mention in this life.

Gongsun Qingyue was far more attractive than those minor immortals.

Her realm was high, likely at the Seventh Rank; her beauty unsurpassed, if not the finest in Dinghu Sect, then certainly top-ranking; her status lofty, evident from her proximity to the Ochre Whip.

How could such a beauty be without her share of sycophants?

Thus, when someone divulged that Jiang Li had ties with Gongsun Qingyue, nine out of eleven people cast their glances, the remaining two, judging by their figures, likely female.

In those nine gazes, there was more or less hostility, especially from the first person who spoke.

"Troubles brought by a beauty," Jiang Li sighed inwardly as he read the records of the Karma Collection.

No wonder novels never lacked struggles due to a woman, for such things would forever persist.

Those gathered here must be here to curry favor with Senior Tianpeng, to reap some benefits from him. Jiang Li, by virtue of rewards obtained through the Little Prince, had already drawn the ire of many; now, with his ties to Gongsun Qingyue exposed, he directly reaped a host of hostilities.

"This reminds me," Tianpeng said with a chuckle, "The Yin Talisman Seven Skills is a fortuitous encounter obtained by that girl Gongsun Qingyue; within our sect, she alone possesses that cultivation technique. Given you have the 'True Intent Technique Python,' you must have a significant connection with that girl."

This person certainly did not care if he made matters worse, even fanning the flames at this moment.

"Come on, let's have a fight. First with swordsmanship, who's going to step up?" Tianpeng eagerly said.

"I will."

The youth who had called Jiang Li a toad was the first to speak, reaching out to grip a fine steel long sword that materialized in hand.

Jiang Li and the others were currently inhabiting paper effigies; these bodies were transformed illusions, creating a long sword wasn't difficult.

"But this body's sensation is almost indistinguishable from my own, and even the True Qi has appeared within this transformed body," Jiang Li assessed the illusion of the paper effigy, making evaluations in his mind.

Using only his spiritual power attached to the paper effigy, yet being able to use an equivalent of 10% of his True Qi, clearly wasn't something Jiang Li himself could do—it was obviously Tianpeng's doing.

Jiang Li even stealthily pinched his arm, feeling a slight pain indistinguishable from his physical body.

He had effectively become a miniature version of a person.

"If that's the case, my unmatched Divine Skill should still be of use. But I'll need to be more discreet to avoid tracing back to me."

After making various assessments, Jiang Li too reached out to grip, the long sword materializing.

He twirled the sword, getting accustomed to the body, and took a few steps forward, asking the young man, "Brother, how may I address you?"

"You can call me Jing Lei," Jing Lei fixated on Jiang Li, the Qi Mechanism around him agitated, the sword tip humming with vibration, "How did you deceive the cultivation technique from Senior Sister Gongsun, you seedy writer of erotic images?"

Having a connection with Gongsun Qingyue and writing about the Little Prince, it was hard not to make certain assumptions.

Brother Jing Lei here probably couldn't wait to tear Jiang Li to pieces.

In response, Jiang Li merely smiled slightly and uttered three numbers, "88, 61, 89."

"What?"

"Senior Sister Gongsun's measurements."

Brother Jing Lei exploded in a fury.

And in that instant, the Sword Light flashed brilliantly, like a striking whip, seizing upon Jing Lei's explosive state of mind. Jiang Li poured all his strength, combining aura, body, and intent, calculated precisely through Louguan Swordsmanship.

This sword was unstoppable.

Jing Lei's pupils constricted to pinholes as he brandished his sword horizontally, the blade carrying the sound of wind and thunder, clearly showing his deep understanding of swordsmanship.

But—

This obstructing stroke still failed to arrive before the long sword could reach his throat.

A sword pierced through Jing Lei's throat, stabbing through his neck.

Jiang Li swung his sword, and with the sound of tearing, several pieces of paper flew out, as Jing Lei's figure faded and disappeared.

He was defeated.

Even the paper figure he possessed was torn apart, Jing Lei's spiritual power was erased, and he was expelled from this place.

A single stroke, a decisive defeat; although it was just one move, it also demonstrated an extraordinary cultivation in the Sword Dao. The means of defeating the enemy, however, were a bit...

"Despicable!" A woman among the spectators voiced her contempt.

Although she was not a sycophant, she looked down on Jiang Li's methods.

"Shameless!" the young man who had just recognized the "True Intent Technique Python," denounced, "Cao Xuande, you are despicable and shameless!"

They had, in fact, considered the possibility of Jing Lei's defeat but had not anticipated such a swift and humiliating loss.

Now Jing Lei's real body was probably itching to break out and come after Jiang Li with a vengeance.

That is, provided he could break out and actually find Jiang Li.

The Karma Collection cooperatively displayed the words: [If you're looking for Cao Xuande, what does that have to do with me, Jiang Li?]

Meanwhile, Jiang Li sheathed his sword with an air of calm indifference, a flash of light in his hand, and the long sword disappeared, leaving his hands empty, "Next is hand-to-hand combat, who wishes to try their luck? I sincerely hope the next person won't be as rash as brother Jing Lei, only to be instantly defeated by me."

"Hmph!"

One of the women coldly huffed and flew over, "Qiushui has come to learn."

Uttering what obviously sounded like a fake name, she approached swiftly as if floating like willow catkins, and even as she greeted, a barrage of heavy hand shadows came at him.

Alas, the very reason Jiang Li spoke arrogantly was to draw in the women for battle.

His hands flickered like blossoming flowers, creating layers of illusions, but in reality, it was the Finger Wind that surreptitiously moved, threading through the gaps in the hand shadows to launch a stealthy attack.

Although his power was but a tenth of his true body's, the paper figure was also inferior to the body, and the requirements for expelling True Qi were different.

In an instant, hand shadows piled upon one another like blooming flowers, and the two exchanged rapid strikes, a flurry of dozens in a mere moment. Qiushui was evidently a master of Hand Skill and possessed significant power, likely of the Eighth Grade Realm. Her hand shadows even seemed to gain a slight upper hand at one point, however...

When the flurry of moves ended, a low grunt sounded, and a paper figure fluttered down.

Qiushui vanished.

She directly dispersed her spiritual power, returning to her physical body, leaving only Jiang Li standing alone with his hands behind his back, the picture of masterful poise.

The rest of the crowd watched, puzzled, completely unaware of how Qiushui was defeated.

[The only one who saw the truth is someone who appears young but actually has a showy pectoral muscle — she is—]

These words quickly appeared on the Karma Collection, as Jiang Li's gaze, sharp as lightning, swept over the crowd.

He had discovered it.

At the moment of Qiushui's defeat, the Karma Collection revealed someone's abnormal gaze.

Although she masked it well, paper figures easily sync with the spiritual state of the possessor, not to mention the Karma Collection observing from a god-like perspective.

Jiang Li's gaze eventually focused on one person and he blinked at her.

'It's you watching me, isn't it, Senior Sister Gongsun.'