After Gan Longchi left with Qin Hengde, Su Li was hesitant to speak. Clearly, she acknowledged Qi Xuansu’s determination to uphold the Dao, yet could not understand why he had compromised.0

Qi Xuansu gave her a straightforward explanation. “The biggest reason is that I couldn’t beat Gan Longchi. We’re already evenly matched when he’s barehanded against my blade. But if he uses the Darkwater Armor, a top-tier treasure, I’ll surely lose. Then I’d have to call in the Spirit Guards to fight. Never mind how the Imperial Capital Daoist Mansion would punish us afterward, the battle itself would be disastrous, likely resulting in heavy casualties. These Spirit Guards are veterans of the Western Region frontier, so they shouldn’t die in vain here. If I were at the Wuliang stage like Gan Longchi, I’d knock him to the ground in three moves. Forget compromising, I’d have taken him down along with the rest.0

“Moreover, the Imperial Court is not like the Daoist Order. They don’t have so many laws and regulations. Their people have always been daring to the point of recklessness. That’s why Jade Capital prides itself on being civilized and criticizes the Imperial Capital as barbaric. This man is...0