A Conflict

“Impossible!”

Upon hearing the request to withdraw his money, Gongyang Hao immediately stomped his feet in refusal.

Both he and Yuan Dahai were individuals who cherished wealth dearly, and asking him to give up the easy gains was like cutting his flesh with a knife.

“Then let’s fight.” Xu Yi had no intention of letting him off the hook, and his refusal suited her just fine.

“Very well, if you insist on violence, then you leave me no choice.” Gongyang Hao glared at Xu Yi with resentment, taking out a talisman from his waist and igniting it with the flame of his palm.

A blue light burst into the sky, illuminating half of the heavens.

Simultaneously, he placed a formation plate beneath his feet, and in the blink of an eye, he was enveloped by the spiritual energy emanating from the plate.

“It’s a communication talisman,” Lu Zaiye said in a deep voice. “He has called for reinforcements.”

At the same time, Gongyang Hao’s triumphant voice echoed from within the spiritual energy barrier, “You’re all doomed!”

Xu Yi almost burst into laughter at Gongyang Hao’s arrogance.

This man must be as slippery as an eel, impossible to catch.

She approached and tapped the spiritual energy barrier with a ruler.

Upon seeing the indentation caused by the strikes on the barrier quickly springing back, Xu Yi knew that breaking this formation would not be an easy task.

She ceased her probing.

Gongyang Hao laughed maniacally from within the spiritual energy barrier.

Yuan Dahai, witnessing the escalating situation, couldn’t help but furrow his brows in distress.

If only he had known, he wouldn’t have resorted to this method of making money.

As Yuan Dahai sighed, three streaks of light raced towards them from the direction of Meng city, landing before them in a matter of moments.

“Gongyang Hao, you summoned us,” the leader among the three, dressed in luxurious attire, raised his chin slightly, exuding an air of arrogance.

Gongyang Hao, upon seeing the newcomers, hurriedly emerged from the formation and ingratiatingly ran to the side of that person.

“Master Qiu, it’s me. You must speak up for me.” He pointed at Xu Yi with an indignant expression.

“This woman dared to tamper with my formation without a formation nameplate, and even threatened to fight me. She clearly doesn’t regard our Zhentian Alliance highly.”

“Hmm?” Master Qiu let out a disdainful hum, his gaze finally falling upon Xu Yi, as he calmly asked, “Is what he said true?”

Lu Zaiye remained unfazed, but his aura suddenly changed, emanating an overwhelming pressure.

Sensing the change in him, Xu Yi glanced sideways, her eyes filled with admiration.

No wonder Elder Qingfeng chose to send Lu Zaiye and her on this journey together. His imposing presence instilled a sense of security.

Distracted for a moment, Xu Yi didn’t immediately answer Master Qiu’s question, which made the usually aloof Master Qiu feel offended, his face showing a hint of displeasure.

The two individuals standing behind him stepped forward, berating loudly, “How dare you! Didn’t you hear Master Qiu’s question?”

“Master Qiu is the youngest fourth-level formation cultivator in the Zhentian Alliance! How dare you show disrespect!”

These two individuals were only at the Golden Dan stage of cultivation, yet they dared to point fingers at Xu Yi, who was at the infant transformation stage.

It was clear they were using their positions to bully others.

Moreover, judging by their expressions and actions, it was evident that this was not the first time such a thing had occurred.

Xu Yi had initially planned to explain politely, but now she had completely lost interest in doing so.

Instead, she imitated Master Qiu’s earlier demeanor, raising her chin.

“So what if it’s true? So what if it’s not?” Master Qiu was taken aback for a moment, then sneered, “Since you’ve admitted it, then come with us to the Zhentina Alliance and explain your impersonation as a formation cultivator…”

“I won’t go.”

Witnessing the malicious delight gleaming on Gongyang Hao’s face, Xu Yi understood that if she were to truly join the Zhentian Alliance with these people, she would likely suffer severe consequences.

Before Master Qiu appeared, she had been quite curious about the Zhentian Alliance and even entertained the idea of joining to see what it was truly like.

However, now faced with the domineering Master Qiu and the fame-seeking Gongyang Hao, she had no desire to be a part of the Zhentian Alliance.

“You say you won’t go, but that is not for you to decide,” Master Qiu retorted, his face finally shedding its disguise to reveal the hidden malice within.

Taking a bold step forward, he bellowed, “Formation, activate!”

As his words echoed, his fingers swiftly danced in the air, conjuring intricate runes that formed a complex formation, aimed directly at Xu Yi.

Xu Yi brushed aside Lu Zaiye, who stood in her path, and infused her spiritual energy into the measuring ruler in her hand, pointing it forward.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

With each strike, a resounding thud followed.

She watched as the formation drew closer, her eyes shimmering with a dazzling light, and softly uttered, “Explode!”

Boom!

The formation erupted, unleashing a violent surge of spiritual energy that swept through the surroundings.

Xu Yi remained steadfast, waiting until the surge drew near before swinging her measuring ruler forward.

A powerful gust of wind cleaved a path through the energy, conveniently shielding Xu Yi and Lu Zaiye within.

However, the situation for Master Qiu and his companions was far from easy.

The sudden outburst of spiritual energy, combined with Xu Yi’s strike, collided with them unprepared, sending them flying ten miles away.

Yuan Dahai, who had been quick to retreat with the young man, had also been affected by the aftermath, but remained unharmed.

“Ahem, ahem!”

As the dust settled, only Master Qiu and Gongyang Hao managed to barely stand, while the other two were left sitting on the ground, disheveled.

Master Qiu swallowed the blood rising in his throat, staring at Xu Yi in astonishment. “You… you are a formation cultivator!”

Only a formation cultivator could effortlessly dismantle his formation with a few strikes.

However, Xu Yi denied it outright, “I am not.”

She was merely interested in formations and had learned some rudimentary knowledge from the elders, but she couldn’t truly be considered a formation cultivator.

“Not a formation cultivator?” Master Qiu’s expression grew even more grim.

Both he and Xu Yi were at the late infant transformation stage, yet he couldn’t even withstand her single move.

This indicated that Xu Yi’s proficiency in formations far surpassed his own, yet she adamantly denied it.

He felt that Xu Yi was humiliating him.

“What is your name?” Master Qiu gritted his teeth, seething with anger.

A formation cultivator of her level surely must have been recorded in the Zhentian Alliance.

Once he knew her name and confirmed her identity, he would make sure to avenge today’s humiliation when they next met.

Xu Yi didn’t hesitate to respond, “My name is Su Mei’er!”

Lu Zaiye:…

If he remembered correctly, that name seemed to be the protagonist of a book that Ancestral Master had inquired about at the bookstore.

Su Mei’er, Su Mei’er!

Master Qiu clenched his fist, pushing aside Gongyang Hao, who wanted to explain, and left with his two followers without looking back.

Gongyang Hao was filled with fear, glanced at Xu Yi and gritted his teeth, intending to leave as well.

He hadn’t expected Master Qiu to be defeated by Xu Yi, and it seemed that Master Qiu held a grudge against him as well. He needed to quickly make amends.

“Hold on,” the light words halted Gongyang Hao in his tracks.

He turned around, his gaze fierce as he shouted at Xu Yi,

“Su Mei’er! What more do you want?”

Xu Yi was momentarily taken aback by the false name she had concocted, but feigned composure and said, “You haven’t fulfilled the conditions I mentioned earlier.”

Gongyang Hao’s face instantly turned green.