Long Blood Stronghold1 had been reputed as the grounds of the Azure Dragon Territory's bloodiest massacre. For thousands of years, its wide expanse of land had buried the bones of countless heroes, up to the extent that flesh was whole inch of dirt.
Red mist like a blaze burned, and in the distant ten li, a huge fort was faintly discernible. It crawled in the red mist as if it was a gigantic beast waiting for the right opportunity to move, ready at any time to extend its fangs. The scarlet fog that seemingly sprayed from its mouth formed a kind of unbelievable landscape. Between breaths of stale and fresh air, there was a sort of pungent smell of blood that was taken in.
On this day, a man and a woman appeared on a faraway hill.
The man's appearance was very ordinary, belonging to that category that you would forget with just one glance, but the woman was the opposite as it turned out. Her figure was slim, bound in a long skirt and a cloak. Black and silver soft armor protected her body, and there was a longsword worn at her waist as well as Divine Moon Phoenix Shoes adorned the pilgrim's feet. Her silky long hair fluttered slowly in the breeze, thin strands of long silk. At a glance, it seemed to be floating in a stream of wind.
The girl's complexion was also absolutely beautiful, her pupils cold and breathtaking.
"Clogged Town Building Burned in Fog!" The man opened his mouth and exclaimed: "What Xinjie said was right. This blood mist indeed is unbelievable. As expected, it burns like fire, and a personal look is even more stunning."
The woman declined to respond to his outburst. She adjusted her collar and pursed her lips, but she said not a word.
"It's a pity I couldn't bring them along." The man said regretfully.
"Do you regret it?" The woman finally spoke, her tone like a resonating flute in the wind.
"Isn't it nothing more than gathering a few Devil Smiting Writs, what could be so hard about that. Could it be you who is regretting this? Specially accompanying me on this trip, heh." The man spoke to the last somewhat with ridicule.
This man and woman, without a doubt, was Su Xing and Wu Siyou
Gazing at the cold as ice and frost beauty beside him, Su Xing's thoughts could not help but return to a few days before.
To that bet he made some days ago.
…
"Your Servant wants you alone to go obtain the Evil Smiting Writ!!"
"Absolutely not!"
Su Xing had yet to reply when the other beauties rejected.
"Wu Song, do not take a mile when we give an inch. Su Xing has been continuously patient with you only because he saw you and Yingmei are like sisters. Do not intolerably bully him."
"We act as Big Brother's Star Generals, how could we let Big Brother leave alone."
"Slave Servant will not agree!"
All the girls initiated a scolding against Wu Siyou.
Su Xing did not feel that flustered. On the contrary, he was currently pensive. Her looked at Wu Xinjie, and the latter was somewhat not completely fathomable. In actuality, Wu Siyou's wording did not necessarily strike upon Su Xing's compassion, and the reason was very simple. After the Purple Star Birth Outline's battle concluded, he was considered to have offended half of the major powers in the Azure Dragon Territory. He could use his toe and still imagine that they must be in secret meetings to encircle, chase, obstruct and intercept him. From the strength he currently displayed, this series of tactics perhaps would not give the disciples a chance, but those ancestral monsters in secluded cultivation would certainly be attracted.
After he obtained the Miraculous Bodhi Tree and the Heaven Tearing Sword, Su Xing was actually fearless. Even if he had no way to win, did he need to fear not being able to escape when he had the protection of the Purple Star Jade Pendant? However, Su Xing did not want to provoke too much trouble from the Evil Smiting Hall's special nature. For this reason, he had already planned to take care of that Evil Smiting Writ by himself, and now it seemed Lin Yingmei and Yan Yizhen still required several months of care to recover to perfect condition, not at all suitable for battle.
"Wu Siyou, you indeed are a bit unfair." Wu Xinjie said at this time. She had recalled a heavy point, and her eyes turned. "Young Lord is but a Star Master. Since ancient times, when has a Star Master not have had a Star General follow as closely as a shadow?"
"Then what do you think is a bit fairer?" Wu Siyou heard what the Knowledge Star's words indicated.
Wu Xinjie covered her mouth and giggled: "This is simple. Since Wu Siyou wants to verify Young Lord's character, why not accompany Young Lord for the journey together. On one hand, you can understand more deeply the man Little Sister has lifelong trust for, and on the other, Little Sister Wu Siyou's close as skin protection can let Yingmei relax."
Everyone stared blankly.
"Ah? Let Wu Song? Sister Xinjie, what are you saying?" Shi Yuan shouted.
Wu Siyou's brows slightly wrinkled. She had a slightly meaningful smile: "Worthy of the Resourceful Star. All along you wanted Your Servant to protect him that you would speak in such a pleasant manner…how could Your Servant possibly refuse."
"You and I will go together?" Su Xing felt his teeth hurt.
"Although Your Servant cares not if you live or die, since this was a request Your Servant raised, what harm is there in going together with you. Your Servant also wishes to experience just what capabilities could make someone devote herself to you!!" Wu Siyou's tone seemingly was somewhat unresigned.
The other girls looked at each other in dismay, unable to find grounds to question the validity of this plan.
Wu Xinjie knew that Wu Siyou would reply like this, and she was not at all surprised: "However, since this is a bet, this long with each other needs to be a tad fairer. If Young Lord is able to obtain the Evil Smiting Writ alone, then, Wu Siyou, what will you pay?" Wu Xinjie's tone sunk, brimming with strictness.
"You want to make Your Servant pay something?" Wu Siyou calmly said.
Signing a contract looked to be not too possible, so Wu Xinjie said: "How about you help us recover our Star Beasts?"
"Sure!" Wu Siyou instantly reacted.
"Slave Servant cannot allow Master to take risks alone." Yan Yizhen firmly said.
"Little Yi, could it be you still cannot be at ease? If those several Demon Smiting Writs can't be done, then what more of the Star Duels is there to talk about." Su Xing shook his head, comforting her with a gentle tone: "Self-cultivate yourselves for the time being. Three months should be enough. If something really does happen, I will use the Jade Pendant."
"But…"
"Little Sisters, believe in Young Lord. Going to help Young Lord as we are now is contrarily somewhat not good to sort out." Wu Xinjie had no alternative, "In addition, believe that Little Sister Siyou will properly protect Yingmei's husband."2 The Knowledge Star secretly smiled. Wu Siyou's bet held nearly no disadvantages for Su Xing whatsoever. The Evil Smiting Writ originally was not hard to collect, so even one person alone was not a problem. Furthermore, even if it really was obtained, what could Wu Siyou do?
She generally could not truly believe she would be able to persuade Lin Yingmei.
At that time, the Evil Smiting Hall would be extremely dangerous, and he still needed to protect a too feeble to stand in the wind Little Whirlwind Chai Ling. If he had the Harm Star Pilgrim's help, at that time, it would be inevitably easy.
All the girls naturally were bright and had also thought of the benefits of the situation, but to think of letting Su Xing face danger alone, it was hard for them to avoid being somewhat anxious. In the end, under Su Xing's comforting did they helplessly compromise.
"The smell here somewhat reeks of blood." Wu Siyou abruptly said.
Su Xing returned to attention from his thinking. He sniffed with his nose, and there was a faint stench of blood, "This is Long Blood Stronghold, so it's very normal." Sy Xing said. Long Blood Stronghold defended the entrance to the Vermilion Bird Territory's Ten Thousand Devils Mountain and Long Blood Canyon. In addition, this Ten Thousand Devils Mountain and Long Blood Canyon were both bloody places. There was close quarters fighting throughout the entire year, so an overly heavy ominous air was not strange.
"You really can choose locations." Wu Siyou seemed to not be very fond of places like this.
Su Xing shrugged, "Only the Black Turtle Territory and Vermilion Bird Territory have the Evil Smiting Writ, and of the several entry ways into the Vermilion Bird Territory, only this Long Blood Stronghold is the easiest." Before Su Xing came, he had already made his calculations. The Vermilion Bird and Azure Dragon Territories shared a border with numerous mountain ranges, but if some were not dangerously layered, they were high beyond reach. Others were completely surrounded in dense fog, unable to be exited from. The sole checkpoint leading to the Vermilion Bird Territory needed worry about the custody of the other sects, so this way, the Long Blood Stronghold was the optimal choice.
One had a murderous aura too heavy. The Great Liang everyday was recruiting cultivators and ordinary soldiers to resist the Hundred Devils, and many cultivators filled with feelings of justice often would go on journeys, storming this Ten Thousand Devils Mountain. Even if this place had Great Sect Cultivators, it was unworthy of worry. Cultivators that came to Long Blood Stronghold were of many numbers, so finding him would not be that simple. Of course, the most important point was that Long Blood Canyon acted as a passage quite a number of cultivators opened up, where one could directly enter the center of a city in the Vermilion Bird Territory.
As everyone knew, the Vermilion Bird Territory was a famous phoenix and owl in the same nest. Different clans were everywhere, with many varied mountain ranges, and its environment was incomparably dangerous. A little inattentiveness, and one could fall into an odd place and lose their life. To have a vantage point was greatly convenient regardless of how it was put.
"Let us go, those Great Sects seem unable to find you." Wu Siyou gazed into the distance, unable to see through the bloody mist.
"You thought of that?" Su Xing was stunned, somewhat surprised as he spoke: "Wu Siyou, you didn't deliberately make that bet with me because you were thinking of Yingmei, right?" Carefully thinking, Wu Siyou ought to have known Su Xing's current situation. Lin Chong and the Purple Thunder Monster had been reputed as a great public hazard to the Azure Dragon Territory. If Lin Yingmei were to rashly show herself at this moment, on the basis of the state that Yingmei and the rest had yet to recover, that definitely would bring about a drowning calamity.
Thinking about, it was true. The Evil Smiting Writ was very easy to collect, so even an Earthly Star General could do it without difficulty. For the current Su Xing, words were even more unneccessary.
Su Xing suddenly smiled bitterly: "Could it be said Xinjie's calculations already were within your own?" To let Yingmei heal her wounds, she accompanied him to go obtain the Evil Smiting Writ, and by means of the bet, she helped Lin Yingmei obtain her Star Beast. Given Wu Siyou and Lin Yingmei's relationship, it was not hard to deduce it was because of this.
The corner of Wu Siyou's mouth slightly curved. She did not reply, but it could be seen that Su Xing's expectations were verified.
"Wu Siyou, you actually gave a lot of thought to this." Su Xing smiled. Lin Yingmei and Wu Siyou's tempers sure enough were opposite in some aspects.3
"Since Yingmei has chosen you, Your Servant naturally will honor her…but, Su Xing, you had best not make Your Servant disappointed.
Wu Siyou icily said that, and then her cool and elegant back very quickly disappeared into the bloody mist.
"Seeing as how you are so intertwined, wouldn't it be better for us to sign a contract?" Su Xing chuckled.
Streaks of cold light in the bloody mist sliced the fog open, wiping past Su Xing's cheeks.
"As expected of the Tiger-fighting Wu Song, fierce." Su Xing thought.
Long Blood Stronghold was an extremely large fortress city. The stronghold was just like an immense ring, divided into multiple barriers. The city walls were arranged with every sort of magic circle and mechanism. Each partition of the city walls had some small towns. It could even be said to be spectacular, and the centermost large city in the stronghold, "Blood Knife City,"4 supported both heaven and earth.
Su Xing and Wu Siyou did not use Riding Sword Flight. Using flight in the vicinity of the stronghold was an easy way to be regarded as a target and shot down. This would be unrecoverable, so all cultivators would voluntarily land when nearing the fort.
"Eh, that's??" Su Xing suddenly turned his gaze to the sky and froze.
"What?" Wu Siyou raised her eyebrows.
"Nothing. Just now, it seems I saw Dragon in the Clouds Gongsun Sheng fly directly by." Su Xing blinked.
"Is that so?" Wu Siyou did not feel this was a surprise at all. If Star Generals wanted to have a Star Beast, they would need to have an Evil Smiting Writ. It was inevitable that Dragon in the Clouds Gongsun Sheng would go to the Vermilion Bird Territory to find a Evil Smiting Writ.
"If we can run into her, then I must thank her." Su Xing nodded and smiled.
