Rise of the Sword Son-in-Law

Chapter 517: Rival, Fifth Princess

Xu Ping’an had not expected Li Qingyi to seek him out on her own initiative, especially since his current identity was not Xu Ping’an.

Could it be that Li Qingyi had recognized his true identity, or did she have another matter to discuss?

Xu Ping’an followed Li Qingyi to a secluded place.

All the way there, Li Qingyi did not speak to Xu Ping’an until they reached their destination, at which point Li Qingyi finally spoke.

"Let me introduce myself; my name is Li Qingyi," Li Qingyi said indifferently, her face void of much expression.

Xu Ping’an secretly breathed a sigh of relief, as it seemed Li Qingyi had not recognized him.

Otherwise, Li Qingyi would not have introduced herself.

"My name is Wu Qing," Xu Ping’an responded with a smile, waiting for what would come next.

Li Qingyi did not beat around the bush and got straight to the point, "I am seeking your help for a favor. If Junior Brother Wu is willing to assist me, I am willing to offer a Low Grade Tenth Rank Jade Dragon Pill as compensation."

A Tenth Rank Jade Dragon Pill?

That was a priceless treasure.

Xu Ping’an was somewhat surprised.

What kind of favor did Li Qingyi want from him to offer a Tenth Rank Low Grade Jade Dragon Pill as compensation?

"Senior Sister Li, please tell me what you need help with. If it’s within my power, I will certainly assist," Xu Ping’an replied with a hint of curiosity.

"You should know that the top five this time will receive an additional reward. I want you to secure one of those top five positions," Li Qingyi said.

"Huh?" ’Wu Qing’ was bewildered.

What did she mean?

Secure one of the top five positions?

Wasn’t that what he aimed to do anyway?

Why would Li Qingyi specifically request him to do this, offering a Tenth Rank Elixir as compensation?

"I know you’re puzzled, but I have my reasons for asking you to do this. Once you secure a top-five spot, I will heavily publicize your talent, drawing the attention of everyone in the Imperial Capital to you. I might even spread the news that you’ve obtained the inheritance of an Immortal Emperor," Li Qingyi said in a straightforward manner.

Xu Ping’an was taken aback for a moment before realizing Li Qingyi’s motive.

Was Li Qingyi planning to make ’Wu Qing’ famous, attract the attention of many forces, and thus divert attention away from Xu Ping’an’s own notoriety, to lower his profile?

Although this tactic had some utility, it diverted the attention of some forces that were not very interested in him to begin with.

It also divided the focus of some rival factions that were hostile toward him.

However, the impact was not significant. The forces that truly wanted to kill him would continue their search.

In other words, the effect was minimal and certainly not worth a Tenth Rank Elixir.

And besides, ’Wu Qing’ was him.

This left Xu Ping’an with a mix of amusement and frustration.

"Senior Sister Li, you’re doing this to protect someone, aren’t you? However, the effect is far too minimal to justify the use of a Tenth Rank Elixir," Xu Ping’an attempted to persuade her.

"I am aware, but to me, if it can reduce even a sliver of danger for him, then it’s worth it. And this is only the first step. If you can secure the Imperial Capital inheritance later on, the outcome will be different. Many forces will fix their gaze upon you," Li Qingyi continued.

Xu Ping’an shook his head helplessly.

Still, what Li Qingyi was proposing did serve some purpose, for the Defying Heaven Alliance initially targeted him because of his talent; they wanted to recruit him, and failing that, to eliminate him.

Now that another genius was emerging, it could potentially shift some of the Defying Heaven Alliance’s focus.

Of course, that would only be the case if Wu Qing were not him.

"I’m sorry, but I cannot agree to your request," Xu Ping’an firmly refused.

Pushing Wu Qing into the limelight, how could he continue to hide himself?

After this sparring competition, his own popularity had already grown significantly, making it very easy to expose himself.

If Li Qingyi were to add fuel to the fire, the possibility of being exposed would be extremely high.

Of course, if the elixir had come from someone else, he might have considered it, but since it was from Li Qingyi, how could Xu Ping’an possibly agree?

"Brother Wu, won’t you reconsider?" Li Qingyi asked with a slight frown.

"I have made up my mind, Sister Li. If there’s nothing else, I shall take my leave," Xu Ping’an refused.

He then stopped talking.

He still resisted the urge to acknowledge Li Qingyi.

Recognizing Li Qingyi now was not a good idea as there might be someone in hiding watching them.

Once they acknowledged each other, it would be easy to expose themselves.

Li Qingyi did not stop him but stood silently contemplating.

Obviously, she also did not expect Xu Ping’an to refuse, considering that a Tenth Rank Immortal Pill would be very tempting for many people.

...

Xu Ping’an returned to the rest area where the competition had already completed the draw.

The upcoming finals would be a knockout match with opponents facing off in pairs.

From twenty to ten, then ten to five, finally battling to decide the top five positions.

Xu Ping’an’s luck this round wasn’t too good; he drew the Fifth Princess of the royal house, the fourth to appear.

"The Fifth Princess? Cousin, your luck doesn’t seem too good," Situ Qianqian said with a touch of frustration.

Out of ten opponents above the Ninth Rank and ten below, Xu Ping’an had not drawn anyone at the Eighth Rank Peak, which was quite unlucky.

Xu Ping’an chuckled and said, "These finals seem to involve a drawing of lots, but in reality, they are all arranged. They won’t let those above the Ninth Rank clash with each other in the first round."

Situ Qianqian looked and immediately showed a look of surprise, "It really is like that, ten of the Ninth Rank, each paired with someone below the Ninth Rank. It seems that it’s indeed arranged; this isn’t fair."

Situ Xingfeng and Situ Lie, however, took this as a matter of course.

"If strong contenders were to meet each other in combat, it would indeed be unfair to these strong contestants, so the aim of this arrangement is to ensure that capable participants advance as much as possible," Situ Xingfeng explained.

Xu Ping’an nodded, it was indeed so.

"So, isn’t this like giving away a match to those Ninth Rank cultivators?" Situ Qianqian said, not content.

"It’s not necessarily the case. What if those below the Ninth Rank win? Anyway, if the target is the top five, one will sooner or later encounter someone of the Ninth Rank," Xu Ping’an said, unconcerned.

Situ Qianqian nodded in agreement, "Alright, cousin, you will surely defeat the Fifth Princess."

Xu Ping’an smiled.

"Wu Qing, don’t take it lightly. This Fifth Princess, Jiang Lan, is no simple character. She has grown up trained in the military and has cultivated the Imperial Royal Martial Technique, possessing unsurpassed combat power. She won’t be easy to handle," Situ Xingfeng said gravely.

"Indeed, she is not easy to deal with. Princess Jiang Lan fights in a fierce and domineering style and is skilled in spear technique. Her combat power is probably no less than that of someone in the Ninth Rank Third Layer Realm," Situ Lie said.

Xu Ping’an nodded, he was naturally aware of the prowess of the direct descendants of the Imperial royal family.

Without being able to display his true strength, there was certainly a great deal of pressure.

But since it had come to this, he had no choice but to give it his all.

"Li Qingyi’s opponent is Ning Shaocong of the Heavenly Moon Sect?" Xu Ping’an glanced at the list and mumbled to himself.

Ning Shaocong’s strength was not weak, and Li Qingyi, at the Eighth Rank Peak of her cultivation, was also under significant pressure.