Chapter 342 A Stagnant Condition

In less than two hours, the news that Lyu Liang had parted ways with Great Elder Green Dragon was spread nearly over two parts of the Heaven Realm through various channels. The result was also simple. With Lyu Liang’s cultivation at that moment, a Great Elder was no longer able to defeat him anymore. In the end, the Divine Soul of the Great Elder Green Dragon was damaged, and he headed to the battlefield at the front angrily, out of spite.

Afterwards, Lyu Liang went to the golden palace alone, and signed up for the high-ranked alien minister selection contest, successfully. Before he left, a black-robed old priest with a bald head appeared after a flash, and greeted him warmly. He fawned so much over Lyu Liang, that he felt very awkward.

“I’m Monk Qi Ling, also one of the Great Elders here. But, you can call me Taoism peer Qi privately!” The smiley Great Elder greeted Lyu Liang like an old friend. “You are good, brother. The two parts of the Heaven Realm have heard about your heroic behavior, when you risked your own life to save Miss Purple Phoenix that year! Even Miss Purple Phoenix has also mentioned you from time to time! If one day in the future…. one day, you know! Please help me get promoted then!”

Lyu Liang smiled stiffly. Facing this Great Elder who was old enough to be his grandfather, he could do nothing, but suppress his anger. “They are all Great Elders. How come they are so different?” Lyu Liang thought secretly.

Later, Lyu Liang came to the cave residence, that the affiliated agency of the Heavenly Alliance had specially arranged for the alien ministers. In order to ensure safety, he set several layers of restriction formation at the door, and also exerted the defense function of the Heaven-Burning Xumi Formation after he got in the cave residence. Feeling that everything was fine, he finally looked for Wen Xiaojing to discuss what they were going to do next.

“Wait a minute. We are listening to her music! Your affairs are not important, and could be dealt with later.” Black said, even before Lyu Liang opened his mouth.

“… Not important? So, listening to the music is more important?” Lyu Liang was frustrated by his words. Those divine beasts were already starting to treat him badly after just a few days.

Fortunately, Wen Xiaojing only played for 30 minutes and stopped. Lyu Liang had originally intended to let White stay, but White just said, “You can have her now. Finally I am able to get a good rest! You’ve made me worried and also troubled me too much with your problems, and all that is even equivalent to what I’ve experienced, since I was born!”

While Lyu Liang felt ashamed when he heard White’s words, the divine beasts broke up in an uproar, so too with the young lady of the Wen Clan, who sat there and was already doubled over with laughter.

“If you are done, let’s get down to business!” Anyway, the divine beasts had told her all about his embarrassing history, and there was no use for him to argue with them at all. Therefore, he totally gave up and let them laugh. He wouldn’t lose anything, no matter what!

“Okay, the selection contest for the high-ranked alien minister is in 10 days; you have the rules, right? Let’s take a look together.” Wen Xiaojing stopped laughing, put away the pipa, then said seriously.

Lyu Liang sat next to her. He unfolded a scroll and they read it together.

The minute Lyu Liang read the contents on the scroll, he frowned and peeked at Wen Xiaojing subconsciously, who was also staring at him. He felt embarrassed and said while rubbing his head, “The culture test… I really don’t know how to do it. But… If you, you feel it is wrong, we could, could take more time to consider the test…”

According to what was written on it, the whole selection contest was divided into a wushu test and a culture test.

The wushu test was simple. Eight people had applied for the high-ranked alien minister post. The contest would be run in the form of single elimination: Eight to four, the winner gets one point; Four to two, the winner gets two points; The winner gets three points in the final.

The culture test was interesting. It required the competitors to sing and dance, and was also an elimination series in three rounds, with the same points accumulating rule as the wushu test. To say it was interesting was because the person who would give out the final assessment results was the array immortal, who was in the creepy big array that was created by Six Tao that year!

In the end, the accumulated points of both the wushu test and the culture test would be added together. The one with the top score would qualify to go through the final assessment of the Great Elders in the affiliated agency.

Lyu Liang was eager to attend the wushu test, and also confident of winning. After all, he used to fight the eight Immortal Generals, so he would never flinch in the face of that kind of challenge.

However, the culture test gave him a headache. He was raised in a village, and all he had experienced before was only fighting and killing… That test was about singing and dancing. It would be a miracle for such a man to pass it! He did not understand why the culture test was set with such requirements!

But there was always a way out. Perhaps the powerful figure who had set the test also thought about the situation, so the person specifically added a post script after the instructions: If the competitors find it difficult to pass the culture test themselves, they could let their own Taoist companion (or a concubine), take the test for them. And the points accumulated, would also be added to the competitors!

When Xiaojing was probably competent enough to take the culture test, but that way, she and Lyu Liang had to be “Taoist companions”. Although Lyu Liang was expecting this, he did not know why, when he thought about that special title “Taoist companion”, there was always a sudden vibration deep in his heart…

“I’m okay with it. We are in this together. That is just a title, and doesn’t mean there is something between us. Let’s do it.” When Xiaojing was more straightforward than Lyu Liang, and made the decision immediately. Then she turned her head and said, “But you have to rely on your own intuition, when trying to build a relationship with that Fairy Purple Phoenix. You might still need to use the damask to create an opportunity.”

“Well… Thank you!” Lyu Liang said with cupped fists. Then he took out the damask and sighed. After staring at it and pondering for a while, he finally became resolute and said, “When I win the wushu test, I’ll be sure to go meet her!”

Then after they talked casually for a moment, Lyu Liang stood up and was ready to say goodbye to her, but he suddenly remembered something, and said with his face blushing, “Oh, by the way, you’d better wear the veil that could shield the searching of the Divine Sense. Because I would be busy in the wushu test then, and I’m afraid I can’t protect you anymore.” After he finished speaking, he made an instantaneous flash and disappeared.

“I am entrusting both the future of the Wen Clan and my own future to this man… Haha, I really did not know what I was thinking of, at that time. But, perhaps just due to the fascinating sense about the unknown, I’m even looking forward to it.” Wen Xiaojing smiled and said softly, “He is a little stupid, but indeed reliable…”

…

Three days later, as required by the remaining two Great Elders, all competitors who were taking part in the selection contest for the high-ranked alien minister, had to go over to the golden palace and join a so called mobilization meeting. What’s more, they also had to bring their Taoist companions with them, who were going to take part in the culture test.

When Wen Xiaojing and Lyu Liang came to the palace together, she was wearing the veil. But even so, she still attracted everyone’s attention with her natural elegance and the fragrant aura all over her body.

“The Taoist companion of Taoism peer Lyu… Could you please take your veil off? After all, no one else here is wearing that, right?” The two Great Elders had not said anything, but a bearded man whose height was more than 20 feet high, shouted from the side. Even though there was already a beautiful woman at his side, he still leered at Wen Xiaojing.

“I don’t remember there are rules that states that the Taoist companion must show her real face.” Lyu Liang sneered and rebutted him at once.

“Well, it’s okay if the Taoist companion does not want to reveal herself. But, when the culture test formally starts, in order to ensure fairness, she has to show her real face then.” A look of unrestrained lust flashed quickly in the eyes of the Monk Tianhuang, but at the next second, he looked like a dignified elder and nodded.

Then, the two Great Elders at the top position started to announce some unimportant rules. There was only one rule that mattered: No killing in the wushu test.

After more than two hours, the meeting was over. When Lyu Liang was about to leave with Wen Xiaojing, somebody seemed to pull at his right sleeve secretly, and then a soft voice message was secretly transmitted to him, “Brother, wait a minute. Go and pay some money, otherwise, you’ll get into big trouble even before you take part in the wushu test and the culture test!”

Lyu Liang looked around and found that it was a white-robed young man, who looked calm and graceful, and held a folding fan in his hand. Seeing that Lyu Liang had noticed him, he smiled and nodded. Then he walked quickly to the two Great Elders at the top position, took out two cloth bags and handed the bags to them, saying, “Great Elders, you’ve worked so hard. In order to show my respects to you, please accept my small gift!”

That… was obviously a bribe!

Lyu Liang was on the verge of beating them up. The peaceful home front was gained by the soldiers with their own lives, but the Great Elders took bribes to select the high-ranked alien ministers there!

But, he knew that he should look at the big picture, as it was not a time to be an angry youth. Lyu Liang suppressed his anger, and walked to them, intending to do the same thing like the young man before. However, just before he handed them the Primordial Stones, Monk Tianhuang stopped him first, and said with a smile, “Taoism peer Lyu, your heroic behavior in the Mortal World is widely known here, and we both have relatives that have benefited from that, so you are our benefactor, and we just can’t take your money at all!”

“Huh?” Lyu Liang was quite surprised. He raised his head, and immediately caught sight of the extremely solemn expression of the two Great Elders. If he had not known about the tricks already, he almost thought the two people in front of him were acting nobly!

Then, Monk Tianhuang secretly transmitted a flattering voice message to him, “Before in the affiliated agency, I’ve been rude to you, Taoism peer Lyu. I apologize for that! I hope you will be magnanimous and forgive me. We can cooperate more for mutual benefits afterwards! Especially when you meet Miss Purple Phoenix in the future, if you can say something nice about me in front of her, I’ll be all yours whenever you need me!”

Bastard! Lyu Liang had seen shameless people before, but had never met one whose barefaced behavior was so shocking!

Their sneers directed at Lyu Liang yesterday were still ringing in Lyu Liang’s ears, and at the moment, Monk Tianhuang was already extremely servile… Even though Lyu Liang had experienced a lot, he was also struck dumb by his attitude…

“My husband is thankful for your kindness. The money, you just need to take it. The things that happened in the Mortal World has nothing to do with the business now. We all have relatives and friends who were affected by the battle. As for the heroic behaviors of my husband, he also did that for himself. And now, you two Great Elders have worked hard for this selection contest. This is just a small gift, to show our respects to you, so please take it.” At this time, Wen Xiaojing said this softly, while pushing the two cloth bags back.

“If so, we’d better do as you wish!” Monk Tianhuang and Qi Ling looked at each other, and accepted the cloth bags. Then Monk Tianhuang said solemnly, “We swear, we will ensure justice in this selection contest! And select one qualified person for the Heavenly Alliance, who will be accountable to the Heaven Realm and benefit the people of the whole world!”

After the whole meeting ended in a friendly and peaceful atmosphere, Lyu Liang was not even aware of how he had returned to his cave residence.

The first thing he did after coming back was to set all kinds of restriction formations. Then he went into the empty space, where the original soul of the Kunwu Sword existed in the Heaven-Burning Xumi Formation. He roared, and all his aura burst forth. The next second, he started to attack violently and recklessly.

He had thought that there was corruption on the home front, but he’d never expected that it was so dark there, without any positive energy! The highly respected Great Elders, and the alien ministers at liberty, actually they were all controlled by God Ancestor Night Dragon!

He recalled that his own Ancestor had been fighting for thousands of years; those soldiers were killed in the battlefield because of the spies, and old Saint Emperor Green Dragon had pretended to break with him at the cost of damaging his own Divine Soul himself, just for Lyu Liang’s further development. Lyu Liang felt his heart bleeding. If he did get it all off his chest, he might bring all his forces to fight God Ancestor Night Dragon directly!

But, he was no longer hotheaded like before. Even the powerful Demons Valley was also afraid of God Ancestor Night Dragon, and had not done anything hostile to him, so there was no way for Lyu Liang with his team of only 1,000 people, to have a battle with God Ancestor Night Dragon without incurring heavy losses. What’s more, he would never allow himself to endanger his brothers only to satisfy his unassured impulses. He would not be a hero by doing that, but a complete idiot!

Just as Lyu Liang was reaching his limit, a beautiful song came into his ears. It seemed that his furious aura immediately started to disperse and he also started to come to his senses.

30 minutes later, the melodious music could still be heard, while Lyu Liang had already restrained his aura, and stood there staring at the ground, motionlessly. His lips were bleeding and his eyes were full of tears, but he did not shed a tear in the end.

He did not notice when the delicate arms wrapped themselves around his waist. Wen Xiaojing said softly in his ears, “After the Calamity Troop and the power of God Ancestor Night Dragon are destroyed, you could get it off your chest, when you hold a memorial ceremony for the heroes that had been killed at the front. Now, it’s time for you to show your real power and fight all the enemies around publicly! You could start by getting the position of the high ranked alien minister.”

“I know… A blood debt has to be paid with blood!” Lyu Liang’s words sounded deep and resolute. When he raised his head again, there was already coldness in his eyes. “Calamity Troop and God Ancestor Night Dragon, I’ll destroy you completely, to comfort the souls of the dead soldiers in the heaven, who had fought desperately at the front! I swear, I’ will stay in the Heaven Realm, until I accomplish that!”