Book 9: Chapter 11: Him and His Opponents
Book 9: Chapter 11: Him and His Opponents
“I told you previously that there are limits to everything.”
Tian Moshi walked into the black tent Lin Xi was in, lowering the curtains heavily. He looked at Lin Xi, coldly saying without any cushioning words, “You want to eat and drink your fill, you want rest, I’ve given it all to you. You wanted to meet your Patrol Army’s people, I’ve also allowed you to do so… but you still haven’t spoken about the matters that took place after you separated from your Patrol Army. Do not think that I can still have more patience.”
While looking at the cold and fierce Tian Moshi who was inwardly fuming with anger, Lin Xi still laughed calmly. He seriously shook his head. “What I requested for wasn’t much at all, not crossing any lines.”
“I believe sir understands that the military orders that were directed against me had a high chance of me and my Patrol Army’s men sacrificing our lives in Great Desolate Swamp, I only made it through with great difficulty due to luck. Some military orders from the military are easy to issue, when sir issued them, perhaps you didn’t even bat an eyelid, but these are lives that are being toyed with.” Lin Xi looked at Tian Moshi and continued, “When it involves lives, what can this small amount of stuff be counted as?”
Tian Moshi coldly looked at Lin Xi and said, “This is between you and the great figure you provoked. Even if you feel that you are the creditor, when you are settling accounts, you need to make sure you are dealing with the right person.”
Lin Xi’s brows jumped slightly, putting away his smile and saying, “However, sir, you could have been a bit more just. Moreover, if you were like Xu Family who directly owes me, I definitely wouldn’t be talking to you with this type of polite attitude.”
“If the monarch wishes for the subjects to die, the subjects have no choice but to die.”
Tian Moshi looked at Lin Xi with mockery, slowly saying in a meaningful manner, “You are Yunqin’s, a Yunqin soldier, so you should think about how to carry out an order with loyalty, not worry about what is just and what isn’t. On the battlefield, some die and some live. For the dead, everything is unfair… Since you have assumed this type of stance, then there has to be a final condition. What kind of condition do you want exactly, for you to be willing to talk about why you separated from the Patrol Army and the secrets of the cave barbarians’ giant lizard mounts?”
Lin Xi calmly looked at Tian Moshi for a bit and then he stroked Lucky at his side. “My condition is very simple. Ensure that nothing bad happens to the Patrol Army, ensure that nothing happens to me or Lucky.”
Tian Moshi remained silent for a moment and then shook his head. “Ensuring that you and the Patrol Army are without any crimes isn’t difficult, but protecting it… I don’t have that type of authority. You should understand that only by having this Three-Tailed Black Foxcat recognized as your fiend beast partner and not a vicious star omen of disaster, can it be safe. However, this is equivalent to admitting that you have the status of a Spiritual Sacrifice Priest, this is already something that needs the recognition and authorization of Priest Hall… You should also understand what the identity of a Spiritual Sacrifice Priest signifies, I have no authority to do such a thing.”
“I obviously understand what the identity of a Spiritual Sacrifice Priest signifies.”
Lin Xi said indifferently, “Spiritual Sacrifice Priest, this title itself is synonymous to radiance, it signifies majesty and prestige, signifying that those who wish to deal with me, are precisely darkness and corruption. Trying to subdue and persecute a Spiritual Sacrifice Priest, once this is uncovered, it will definitely incur the endless wrath of civilians and countless soldiers who possess true faith.”
After a slight pause, Lin Xi looked at Tian Moshi, saying with a bit of mockery, “I presume sir also understands that most soldiers are still like Xin Weigai and the others, upright and radiant, not hesitating to sacrifice their lives for glory. Even if Spiritual Sacrifice Priests have no authority, their statuses are also extremely high… however, Xu Family’s Xu Shucheng, even this type of individual could possess the status of a Spiritual Sacrifice Priest, so why is it that someone like me who has both the emperor and military’s medals, someone who has truly risked life and limb for glory, cannot become a Spiritual Sacrifice Priest?”
“I believe sir should have read through my background as well. I ask sir, if we cast aside all of the thoughts of great figures, if someone like me cannot become a Spiritual Sacrifice Priest, then who can become a Spiritual Sacrifice Priest?”
“Let me ask you, sir, what am I using to exchange for rank, am I asking for the qualifications to become a Spiritual Sacrifice Priest with nothing? I already have a true fiend beast companion, moreover one who is extremely powerful, a vicious beast companion who can do much to serve Yunqin. Moreover, in reality, I’ve already become a Spiritual Sacrifice Priest, I am merely seeking what belongs to me.”
“Let me ask you sir, the previous military orders that have been passed down, have I gone against any of them? How many cave barbarians did our Patrol Army cut down this time, how many contributions have we established? Even if the achievements were deliberately suppressed, the true achievement is something I believe sir understands in your heart clearly. My Yunqin’s border situation is currently difficult, I believe sir knows this well. In this type of situation, there are many cultivators and soldiers who don’t hesitate to throw their lives away for the nation, but for the sake of selfish motives, those who hold authority in the empire are still struggling internally. Let me ask you, sir, for me to ask for a Spiritual Sacrifice Priest title to protect Lucky and myself, does this cross the line?”
“Let me ask you sir, a Spiritual Sacrifice Priest cultivator like me, with such a powerful fiend beast, in the future, how powerful of a force will we become? How many things can we do for the empire?”
The continuous questions were like invisible hammers that smashed down on Tian Moshi’s heart. Even though endless fowl winds and bloody rain had tempered his heart like iron, Tian Moshi’s mind still couldn’t help but tremble a bit. However, his expression was still extremely fierce, shaking his head and saying, “Spiritual Sacrifice Priest… this isn’t something I can decide.”
“In that case, then let’s wait until someone who can arrives.” Lin Xi didn’t say anything else, directly closing his eyes.
…
“What? He wants the military and Priest Hall to acknowledge that he has the identity of a Spiritual Sacrifice Priest?”
“Spiritual Sacrifice Priest, he actually wants this… isn’t his appetite just a bit too great?!”
“…”
Tian Moshi who returned to his own official tent heard the angry berating of several high ranking military officers under him, but an indescribable bitter smile instead appeared on his face.
Indeed, Spiritual Sacrifice Priest was an extremely high, extremely useful identity.
It was the emblem of radiance, the spiritual leader of faith… Many times, this identity alone could wash away doubt, win over trust and respect.
However, the status of a Spiritual Sacrifice Priest, without the recognition of Priest Hall, is nothing but an empty title, completely devoid of any powerful authority. It can only prove that he was a good person who possessed true glory.
Meanwhile, after reviewing Lin Xi’s background, Tian Moshi inwardly had no choice but to admit that Lin Xi was indeed a man of radiance without a single flaw to pick.
…
A Crimson Dragon Burnt Tail level new military intelligence was released from Sheep Point Fiend Army.
Soon afterwards, the contents of this military report traveled out, reaching all corners of the empire, appearing in the hands of many people.
“Who would have thought that he even survived the assassination of Huang Huoxiao.”
Di Choufei slowly sent the small sheepskin scroll in his hands into the small furnace in front of him, looking at the white bearded elder while coldly saying this.
His entire upper body was wrapped under thick bandages, preventing him from even moving at will. Since his complexion was excessively pale, his two thin lips looked even more like two small transparent little swords.
“He actually even obtained a Three-Tailed Black Foxcat with astonishing strength, able to kill a Metal Splitting Black Vulture… this means that even if it is a State Knight level cultivator, he now already has the strength to deal with it. The identity of a Spiritual Sacrifice Priest, for a normal person, it doesn’t have much use, but for people like me and him, the meaning is entirely different. In the future, he might become a banner that represents the masses. That is why no matter what, we definitely cannot allow him to have this identity of a Spiritual Sacrifice Priest.”
The meager, entirely white hair and bearded elder heard Di Choufei’s overcast and cold words, but instead calmly shook his head. “You are wrong. This time, we have to do everything we can to support him in obtaining the Spiritual Sacrifice Priest status.”
Di Choufei’s thin lips pursed together, remaining silent for a moment. “Why?”
“Because he lived, meaning that the matter of you wishing to kill him is destined to be known by Green Luan Academy.”
The elder said quietly in self mockery. “Green Luan Academy is infamous for how even small grievances must be reported, all things that are lost must be seized back… You should understand this type of hidden law. If our Immortal Academy wishes to quell some of Green Luan Academy’s wrath, we can only atone for our crimes, do our best to help him obtain the status of Spiritual Sacrifice Priest. Otherwise, they might just directly try to kill you.”
“Moreover, this is still not enough. Even if their Green Luan Academy definitely supports this full force, even with our Immortal Academy’s support, someone like him who originally never even served as a priest, if he wants to become a Spiritual Sacrifice Priest, he definitely has to go through the Priest Hall’s great figures and receive the military’s approval, I am sure there will be many people who will be firmly opposed to this. That is why he might not even be able to obtain recognition and become a Spiritual Sacrifice Priest.” The elder looked at Di Choufei and calmly said, “We will demote you to Blackwater Pool, have you guard the filthy and lightless mine tunnel for two years… You’ve already lost once while facing Lin Xi, moreover in a situation where the other side’s cultivation was far lower than yours, so towards him, you’ve already developed some shadows in your heart. If you lose again, you will lose even more miserably… Moreover, his growth is extremely great, if he ends up possessing the Spiritual Sacrifice Priest status, he would imperceptibly be a great step ahead of you in this competition… Only by making you suffer this type of punishment will Green Luan Academy decide not to directly take action against you… I hope that in these two years, you will obtain some enlightenment, that your cultivation will make some breakthroughs, through this method, you might have a chance of seizing victory.”
Di Choufei’s expression suddenly became even more pale. He released a light muffled groan, some crushed bones in his chest that were connected with difficulty seemingly shifting their positions again because of the stirring of his inner body’s energies.
…
“Spiritual Sacrifice Priest? He actually obtained a Three-Tailed Black Foxcat?” Gao Yanan looked at the information her father passed onto her through the fastest channels possible, becoming completely stunned. She was obviously someone who understood Lin Xi’s temperament the best… However, Spiritual Sacrifice Priest, this and the Self Defense Department Lin Xi, the distance seemed to be a bit too far.
…
Because of the one who meticulously fostered Liu Ziyu, moreover serving as one of Liu Family’s most important tacticians, Su Zhongwen, this teacher who was always at Liu Ziyu’s side, the speed in which Liu Family passed information onto Liu Ziyu’s hands was also extremely fast.
“Spiritual Sacrifice Priest? He actually has a chance of becoming a Spiritual Sacrifice Priest?” When he saw this piece of information from Dragon Snake Border Army, Liu Ziyu’s expression immediately fell.
“The difference between you and him is too far. Even if we try to deal with him, even with our family’s strength, it now already isn’t enough to pose him any threat.” While looking at Liu Ziyu’s intense reactions, Su Zhongwen instead chuckled, “That is why you only need to do the things you need to do, climb faster than anyone else together with him… your father won’t overlook your eagerness. Fortunately, your performance recently hasn’t been bad, your relationships with those merchant companies good, you dealt with them in a rather satisfactory manner. That is why he already decided to transfer a portion of Liu Family’s wealth into your hands, have you deal with these things. You can try to start your own projects.”
“Sir, what you said is true?” Liu Ziyu was first stunned and then he immediately became extremely happy, unable to help but hold Su Zhongwen’s hands.
“As long as you don’t mess with some senseless things and focus all of your attention on your own matters, I believe you will do even better, your father will also rely on you more.” Su Zhongwen proudly looked at the beaming Liu Ziyu, saying, “A merchant company who can affect the lifeline of an area, its power might be even above that of several branches of invincible armies.”