Li Daoqiang pretended nothing had happened, but naturally, he couldn't.
Li Daoqiang chuckled inwardly—this was a warning not to set his sights on Little Dragon Girl. It was just phrased tactfully, clearly to avoid souring their relationship.
He didn't want that either, so he smiled naturally and said, "You jest, Reverend. Miss Long is forthright and kind; how could I possibly take offense?"
Wang Chongyang's heart sank. This man wasn't letting go.
His wariness surged again.
With a faint smile, he said, "Little Dragon Girl is indeed forthright and kind, fond of life in the mountains, and unwilling to leave them. Her coming out this time is to seek her beloved."
Though he disapproved of this master-disciple romance and even opposed it, he had to use it as a shield now to dissuade Li Daoqiang.
"Miss Long has a beloved?" Li Daoqiang frowned, seeming slightly surprised and regretful.
"Indeed." Wang Chongyang nodded firmly.
"A pity."
Li Daoqiang sighed softly. Just as Wang Chongyang breathed a quiet sigh of relief, Li Daoqiang's expression hardened, and he said seriously, "But it's fine, as long as Miss Long isn't married yet. Before she marries, I still have a chance."
Since he'd run into Wang Chongyang and endured that embarrassing moment, nothing could be hidden anymore. So he might as well lay it all out openly—it was better that way. It would prevent Wang Chongyang and the other likely peerless expert from opposing him outright.
Wang Chongyang's face tightened slightly. He frowned and sighed, "Daoist friend, why must you meddle in the feelings of two juniors?"
As he spoke, he felt quite awkward. He'd never imagined discussing the romantic affairs of juniors with someone of his own level, let alone persuading that person to give up pursuing a junior. The more he thought about it, the more awkward he felt.
Yet he had to speak. Though they hadn't fought, meeting in person made him sense that Li Daoqiang's strength was astonishing, and he was still young. With the Yuan Empire growing more powerful, he absolutely didn't want to make an enemy unless forced. And Long'er was like a daughter to him. How could he watch her fall into the hands of someone like Li Daoqiang, who was far from a suitable match, without doing anything?
"Haha." Li Daoqiang laughed, his tone cheerful. "Reverend, have you forgotten? I'm only in my twenties, just the age for pursuing love. Miss Long is such an outstanding woman, and she's not married. Isn't it reasonable for me to openly court her?"
Wang Chongyang was speechless. Marrying several wives already counted as pursuing love? And openly at that?
Li Daoqiang seemed to read his thoughts and said brightly, "Reverend, though I, Li Daoqiang, have married several wives and will marry more in the future, I'm sincere with every one of them. My love is vast and genuine."
He spoke with utter confidence, then paused. "As for what just happened, when courting a lady, some tactics are necessary. Sweet talk, vows, gifts of gold and jewels—these are all methods of pursuit, including a bit of deception. As long as there's no coercion, it's fine. I didn't coerce her, did I? Just normal courtship."
Wang Chongyang sighed inwardly. If Chaoying were here, she'd probably have struck by now. But Li Daoqiang hadn't coerced anyone just now, so he couldn't truly antagonize him over this. In the end, at his level, lust was just a personal flaw. As long as he didn't forcibly take women, it wasn't a big deal. Since Li Daoqiang hadn't resorted to force, he couldn't use this to alienate a powerful potential ally.
The more he thought, the more awkward he felt. Another sigh escaped him. In the end, no one knew how this would turn out. As long as Li Daoqiang didn't force things, Long'er's choice was hers to make.
His expression turned serious. "Daoist friend, Little Dragon Girl and her beloved are both my juniors. I hope you'll court her properly and never harm them."
"Rest assured, Reverend. Though I'm no saint, I'm an upright man. I never force women, let alone stoop to despicable acts like murder. What I seek is a fair exchange—a woman willingly becoming my wife." Li Daoqiang's face grew solemn as he spoke earnestly.
He smiled inwardly. His choice was right. For someone like Wang Chongyang, what mattered most was the state of the world. Young love, as long as it didn't cross his boundaries, wouldn't provoke strong opposition. That was enough.
Wang Chongyang was only half-reassured but couldn't say more. He nodded with a smile. "Good. I trust you, Daoist friend."
"Rest assured, Reverend. If I marry Miss Long one day, I'll invite you to the wedding feast." Li Daoqiang's tone grew warmer.
"Heh." Wang Chongyang smiled without a direct reply, then shifted the topic sincerely. "Daoist friend, a heroes' assembly is about to be held at Dasheng Pass. Would you care to join me?"
Li Daoqiang's mind stirred, but he declined tactfully. "Unfortunately, I have urgent matters to attend to, so I can't go with you, Reverend."
Wang Chongyang sighed in disappointment. After a moment's hesitation, he didn't insist or elaborate. It wasn't the time yet.
"What a pity. If you're interested, feel free to seek me out anytime. I'll gladly introduce you to fellow martial artists." Wang Chongyang's tone was earnest.
"Good." Li Daoqiang replied with a smile.
After a few more pleasantries, Wang Chongyang left. Li Daoqiang watched his retreating back, his smile fading as he fell into thought.
The situation in the Song Empire must really be dire. Otherwise, why would Wang Chongyang be so polite and patient, repeatedly trying to win him over? Even risking his own reputation to some extent? Inviting him to the heroes' assembly at Dasheng Pass and offering introductions—the meaning was clear. He was using his and the Quanzhen Sect's reputation to whitewash Li Daoqiang. Not completely, and never to the level of a righteous sect, but enough to keep the orthodox sects from viewing Black Dragon Village as heretical. They could coexist peacefully, turning a blind eye to each other, and even stand on the same side on some matters.
If Li Daoqiang were willing to settle down and stop stirring up trouble for profit, he'd accept Wang Chongyang's offer. The result would be helping the Song Empire's righteous factions fend off foreign attacks, without needing to fight to the death—just doing his best. Such a beneficial move had no reason to be refused. But for the sake of bandit points, he couldn't agree. Causing trouble and making money was a must.
From Wang Chongyang's attitude, the Song Empire's situation wasn't good. This involved Black Dragon Village and himself, forcing him to think deeply.
After a long pause, he set aside this sparse information and turned his thoughts to Wang Chongyang's strength. Wang Chongyang was the second peerless expert he'd met in person. With his innate War God talent and its almost unreasonable intuition, Wang Chongyang felt far stronger than the Azure Dragon Leader. Of course, at this level, everyone concealed themselves. Without revealing true power, no one knew how strong the other was. Li Daoqiang's War God talent was the same—he couldn't simply assess everyone's strength by perception alone. He could only sense their inherent power. Whether they had hidden strength beyond his perception, burst techniques, or combat will—these were things his talent couldn't detect. Inherent power was just one component of true strength, far from the whole.
He sensed that Wang Chongyang's inherent power far exceeded the Azure Dragon Leader's from that day, even surpassing his own Eleventh Layer of the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Sutra. But not by much, so it was almost certain he hadn't reached the legendary Heavenly Man Realm. This led him to ponder his own true strength.
After a dozen breaths, he gave up. Too little information—he needed more examples for a clearer conclusion. As for why he hadn't sought Wang Chongyang's advice earlier, their relationship wasn't close enough. He didn't want to owe a favor so easily. Some favors didn't matter, but others weren't so easy to repay.
With a step, he returned to the spot where he'd stood earlier. After a few breaths, Ding Chunqiu and the others arrived. They didn't dare ask what had happened, pretending nothing had occurred.
"Keep watching from a distance. Don't disturb her." Li Daoqiang said flatly.
"Yes." Blood Saber Ancestor and Kou Zhong replied together, knowing exactly who he meant.
"Let's go. Find those two." Li Daoqiang's tone shifted, tinged with interest.
The two acknowledged again.
Just as he was about to step forward, as if remembering something, Li Daoqiang glanced at Gongsun Zhi, still lying on the ground. A golden light shot into him, and his aura recovered.
Without further delay, he strode away.
This operation's target, Little Dragon Girl, hadn't succeeded. But knowing her personality, Li Daoqiang hadn't expected to win her over in one go. She was a long-term goal that couldn't be rushed. Now, he could move on to the next target.
One shouldn't hang from a single tree; likewise, one shouldn't fixate on a single target. Pursuing multiple targets simultaneously was the right approach.
Gongsun Zhi rose from the ground, watching Li Daoqiang's retreating back without a hint of waiting. His heart sank. Could Li Daoqiang truly be displeased with him? At this thought, his regret over the breathtakingly beautiful woman vanished, replaced by fear. He didn't want to experience the effects of the Life-and-Death Talisman.
Gritting his teeth, he made a decision. When he returned, he'd offer Green Calyx to Li Daoqiang. Then, as his father-in-law, he might be treated better. Thinking this, he quickly followed.
Blood Saber Ancestor and Kou Zhong led the way, and the group headed purposefully in one direction.
Two days later.
Glancing at Li Daoqiang's expressionless face, Blood Saber Ancestor said respectfully, "Chief, based on intelligence, the third duel between Shi Feixuan and Wan Wan is approaching. As for the location, with the heroes' assembly imminent and more righteous experts gathering, Wan Wan will likely choose a remote, uninhabited place."
(Chapter 2, thanks for the support.) ······