BXBX NOVEL Chapter 212: 213: The Pocket is Empty
Chapter 212: 213: The Pocket is Empty
Xi Yao asked, “Xiu’er, did you deliver the invitation to Young Master Li?”
The purple-robed girl replied, “Rest assured, sister, I have already given it to him. I’m truly looking forward to the debate conference tomorrow!”
“That’s good to hear. Young Master Li is not an ordinary man of talent. Both my elder brothers and I believe that he is someone we should befriend rather than make an enemy of,” Xi Yao said.
“Indeed, his potential is boundless. He follows the ancient path of physical sanctification and also possesses pure Sword Intent. Today, having seen him, it is clear that since our last encounter in the Tianbei Secret Realm, his strength has leaped forward significantly. Give it some time, and I fear he may surpass all of us,” Zhen Qiankun commented indifferently. As the Saint Heir of Array Formation Sect, he was very sensitive to the entanglements of interests and knew whom to draw closer to.
“The Saint Heir thinks highly of this man. As for me, I’m growing more curious about this Li Xiaobai. Tomorrow, we must have a good talk,” said the Artifact God with a carefree laugh. He trusted Zhen Qiankun’s judgment, but the day’s arena fights alone were not enough to reveal much. Neither Xing Mohan nor Elder Wang, who were just average, caught his interest.
He intended to get closer to Li Xiaobai to test the depth of his abilities.
“Sister Xi Yao, rest assured, the two Saint Heirs and Xiu’er guarantee that Li Xiaobai will keep the appointment tomorrow,” said the purple-robed girl with a smile, a strange glint flashing in her eyes. Her hand subtly touched her pocket, where the invitation still lay quietly.
She had never intended to be so kind as to deliver an invitation to Li Xiaobai. She wanted to watch him be humiliated. From the moment he set foot on the mountain, she planned to subject him to every kind of humiliation!
…
The next morning dawned.
Several copies of Immortal Spirit Daily swept across Central Province, spreading like a virus as cultivators passed the news from one to another.
“The Demon’s Wicked Sword Makes a Shocking Appearance in the Central Province Arena; Xingtian Sect’s Proud Son Fails to Win Despite Cheating, Number One on the People’s List, Fearsome Indeed!”
“Shocking! The grand finale of the Treasure Pavilion auction turns out to be this, is it the distortion of human nature or the decay of morality?”
“Attention, cultivators of all races, a treat for our male brethren is now online, details available for appraisal at the Treasure Pavilion auction.”
“The Sacred Conference is about to begin, who will be crowned as the master debater?”
Li Xiaobai, holding a copy of Immortal Spirit Daily, couldn’t help but smile. Elder Tianji had a great ability to learn, and after seeing a few articles written by him, he had already mastered the essence of clickbait headlines.
The Immortal Spirit Daily might now be accused of chasing eyeballs, but compared to before, it was countless times more interesting and had become one of the best-selling items.
After confirming the handover of goods at the Treasure Pavilion, Li Xiaobai set out for Central City’s Wendao Peak with Ji Wuqing, stepping onto the Teleportation Formation.
This was the location given by Zhen Qiankun the day before.
Wendao Peak was a mountain situated just outside of Central City. It lay at the heart of Central Province, teeming with Spiritual Power, giving the entire mountain a misty, ethereal aura, shrouded in thick white fog.
On ordinary days, scholars and leisurely cultivators preferred to discuss the Tao here, exchanging ideas in pursuit of mental serenity.
At the foot of the mountain, dedicated disciples stood guard, allowing only those with invitations to enter.
Many passing travelers, all remarkable figures from various races, submitted their invitations and entered the mountain gates.
“Yo, Brother Jin, it’s been a while since we last met. I hear you went to the borderlands?”
“Oh, don’t mention it. Recently, Flesh Mountain suddenly erupted into chaos, and for no apparent reason. I was merely practicing on the fringes, yet it was fraught with peril!”
“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,”
“You seem to be in high spirits, Brother Wang. I’ve heard that you’ve recently made a breakthrough in your poetry, ready to shine brightly today?”
“I’m flattered, flattered indeed. My minor achievements in cultivation hardly warrant such attention in front of the Saint Heir and saintesses of the Three Sects. I am here today mainly to see what all the fuss is about with this Li Xiaobai everyone has been talking about.”
“Yeah, I heard that Xing Mohan got taken down in just one move. It’s such an embarrassment for the cultivators of Central Province!”
Li Xiaobai, listening in on the cultivators’ conversation, understood that among the cultivators present today, there were some who were not just the typical rich and thoughtless heirs but those who had truly experienced life-and-death battles, carrying a strong iron-blood aura.
“Giggle, kiddo, it seems these cultivators have invitations. That’s not very honorable of the Saint Heir, setting us up like this, isn’t it?”
Ji Wuqing’s eyes spun around wildly as he scanned the crowd and said.
“Correct. The problem must lie with that Elixir Sect Sect Master’s daughter. By not giving us invitations, she’s clearly trying to shut us out.”
Li Xiaobai’s eyes narrowed slightly. He had been targeted even before entering the mountain gate; it seemed his work in making enemies yesterday had been quite effective.
“Isn’t this Young Master Li? What’s the matter, don’t have an invitation? Surely you’re not trying to sneak in?”
The purple-clad girl from yesterday suddenly appeared beside Li Xiaobai, making sarcastic remarks.
“Giggle, you woman are truly malicious. Since you invited me to join the gathering, why didn’t you deliver the invite?”
Li Xiaobai glared at her with a face full of indignant anger.
To the side, Ji Wuqing quietly inched closer to the purple-clad girl.
“I don’t know what you are talking about. I sent out the invitation yesterday. Perhaps Young Master Li carelessly lost it. The event is about to start, so I’ll be taking my leave now.”
Seeing Li Xiaobai in such a state, the purple-clad girl’s heart bloomed with joy, her face filled with a victorious smile.
After being ridiculed by him yesterday, she felt she had regained her ground today. But this wasn’t enough; when they entered the forum, she would make Li Xiaobai regret ever coming to this world!
She then walked towards the mountain gate and instructed the guarding cultivators sharply, “Keep your eyes wide open. Without an invitation, don’t let even a fly in. There are always some riffraff who like to sneak into our high-end circles.”
“Don’t worry, miss. We will perform our duties diligently. Without an invitation, no one will be allowed inside!”
The gate-keeping disciples responded. They didn’t recognize the purple-clad girl, but from her demeanor, they could tell she was exceptional and not someone they could afford to offend. They were eager to perform well in front of someone of her stature.
“Hmm, that’s more like it.”
The purple-clad girl gave Li Xiaobai a smug look and proceeded to step inside.
Li Xiaobai’s expression became odd as he turned to Ji Wuqing and asked, “Did you get it?”
“Giggle, when I make a move, it’s simply too easy.”
Ji Wuqing shook his feathers, and a red invitation card floated to the ground. It was indeed the invitation for the forum, which he had just swiped from the purple-clad girl.
The girl was hopelessly foolish, a real pro at handing warmth to her enemies. And there she was, still smiling with pride!
Li Xiaobai was in no hurry to enter. He just stood there with his arms folded, smiling amiably.
The gatekeeping guards hesitated for a moment but eventually stepped forward to stop the purple-clad girl, “Um… Miss, you haven’t shown us your invitation yet, please don’t make this difficult for us.”
“Oh, of course. If you hadn’t mentioned it I might have forgotten. You’re doing a fine job, treating everyone equally. I appreciate that. Keep up this attitude later. For those without an invitation, let no one pass, no matter who they are!”
“Yes, ma’am!”
The purple-clad girl nodded in satisfaction, beaming as she reached into her pocket. But as her hand slipped into the pocket, her smile suddenly stiffened.
The pocket… was empty!