Yu Zhenghai placed his hands on his back. He looked at the remaining bloodstains at the edge of Zhu Xuan’s lips before he turned to look at Yu Shangrong. He seemed to be waiting for Yu Shangrong to express his opinion.
Meanwhile, Xia Changqiu, the Monastery Master of the Thousand Willow Monastery Master, was shocked by the Ninth Temple’s sudden change in attitude. Everyone knew how the Ninth Temple usually operated. Zhu Xuan’s strength was apparent, and he had come to avenge Kong Lu. How could he not feel shocked by the Ninth Temple suddenly changing its stance?
Ji Fengxing immediately cried out, “Don’t go!” He was afraid of the Ninth Temple’s might and was honestly afraid of speaking out against an elite like Zhu Xuan. However, this matter was related to Yu Shangrong and Yu Zhenghai’s safety. He could not sit back and do nothing.
Zhu Xuan looked at Ji Fengxing. He, naturally, understood Ji Fengxing’s thoughts. He said, “My guests, if I wanted to harm you, I could leave right now and return for revenge some other day after my Nine-leaf stage has stabilized. Why would I invite both of you to return with me now?”
Zhu Xuan had a point.
Yu Zhenghai said, “I’ll go with him, Second Junior Brother, you stay.”
Yu Shangrong frowned. Then, he looked at Zhu Xuan and said, “I’ll go with you.” Then, he said to Yu Zhenghai and parroted his senior brother. “Eldest Senior Brother, you stay.”
Both of them had initially planned on staying at the Thousand Willow Monastery to deal with enemies. If a Nine-leaf cultivator showed up, they would just run. However, their encounter with the Ninth Temple made them change their minds. If they did not go to the Ninth Temple, they would surely create more trouble. Based on Xia Changqiu and Ji Fengxing’s attitude, they knew that the Ninth Temple was different from the Flying Star House.
Xia Changqiu pressed on his chest before he lowered his head and sighed.
Zhu Xuan could tell the duo was undecided. Hence, he addressed Xia Changqiu, “I heard the Thousand Willow Monastery is recently at odds with the Flying Star House… The Flying Star House has always been on good terms with the Sky Marital Court. They are trying to monopolize the Black Water Mystic Cave and the Endless Ocean. The Flying Star House will certainly seek revenge. Am I right, Xia Changqiu?” He addressed Xia Changqiu by name; his attitude was a stark contrast from his attitude toward Yu Shangrong and Yu Zhenghai.
Xia Changqiu nodded and said, “Indeed.”
Then, Zhu Xuan said to the two fellow disciples, “My friends, since you’re both esteemed guests of the Thousand Willow Monastery and the Ninth Temple… Will the Flying Star House still dare to recklessly come and seek revenge?”
Xia Changqiu’s eyes lit up. Zhu Xuan’s had a point. However, this would depend on Yu Shangrong and Yu Zhenghai completely.
Yu Zhenghai said loudly, “It’s settled, then…” When he saw Yu Shangrong was about to say something, he hardened his expression and straightened his back. With his hands on his back, he said, “There’s no need to say anything else. Throughout the years, I’ve never used my status as your Eldest Senior Brother against you, but today, I’m ordering you to stay here as the Evil Sky Pavilion’s first disciple.”
Yu Shangrong’s brows were knitted together tightly.
300 years have passed, and these two disciples had competed in silence. Sometimes, they even fought openly. They had fought intensely in the Cloud Radiant Woodlands as well. Up until now, the outcome of their battles had never been apparent. However, seniority was important. Moreover, it was true that Yu Zhenghai had never used his seniority against Yu Shangrong before. This was the first time. In the end, he remained silent.
Zhu Xuan nodded lightly. He motioned with his hand. “Shall we?”
Yu Zhenghai flew forward.
Before they parted, Zhu Xuan glanced at Yu Shangrong. He cupped his fists and said, “We’ll meet again.” After saying this, he left on the white crane.
Yu Zhenghai and Zhu Xuan vanished into the clouds in no time at all.
Ji Fengxing flew over and said worriedly, “Big brother, I’m worried the collaboration the Ninth Temple spoke of is just a means to capture you.”
Wuwu walked over. When she saw Yu Shangrong’s cold expression, she could tell he was in a bad mood. She hastily said, “Big brother, are you hurt? Shall I heal you?”
She did not wait for his reply as a red sphere of energy appeared in her hand before she tossed it out. The red sphere fell on Yu Shangrong’s body and dissolved into spots of starlight.
At this moment, Yu Shangrong finally replied, “I’m fine…”
Xia Changqiu said with a sigh, “Both of you got into trouble on the Thousand Willow Monastery’s grounds, but the monastery couldn’t do anything…”
Wuwu blinked her huge eyes and asked, “What should be done now?”
Yu Shangrong looked in the direction where Yu Zhenghai left. Then, he said frostily, “If the Ninth Temple dares to touch a single strand of his hair, I’ll make sure to drench the Ninth Temple in blood.”
Upon hearing this, Xia Changqiu, Tian Buji, Ji Fengxing, and Wuwu felt speechless.
On the other hand, the Thousand Willow Monastery disciples shivered despite the temperature.
After Yu Shangrong finished speaking, he descended…
…
Meanwhile, Zhu Xuan had gotten off the white crane and was walking on air like Yu Zhenghai. Although their speed could not compare to the white crane, they were not slow.
Zhu Xuan glanced at the Jasper Saber hanging from Yu Zhenghai’s waist before he asked, “May I know your name?”
“Yu Zhenghai,” Yu Zhenghai replied.
“I’ve seen countless weapons throughout my life. Heaven, earth, mystic, yellow, universe, cosmos, desolate, and flood-grade… A heaven-grade weapon is rare enough as it is, and there are even fewer desolate-grade weapons. Is that saber of yours a desolate-grade weapon?” Zhu Xuan asked.
“It’s only a weapon gifted to me by my master. Your Square Box isn’t bad as well,” Yu Zhenghai said.
“Compared to blades, the Square Box’s offensive power is lacking… Based on today’s battle, it’s clear I was at a disadvantage.” Indeed, Zhu Xuan seemed unable to gain the upper hand when the Square Box was pitted against the Jasper Saber.
“I was just lucky.” Yu Zhenghai would not forget himself just because he was praised.
“I have two questions to ask… I wonder if that’s alright?”
Yu Zhenghai looked at the setting sun and said, “I’ll answer them if I can.”
“Are the two of you truly from the golden lotus domain?” Zhu Xuan asked.
“Of course.” There was no longer any need to conceal this. Yu Zhenghai had already manifested his golden lotus avatar during battle earlier. It was not his style to blatantly lie.
Zhu Xuan said, filled with praise, “I didn’t expect that the prediction of that Sky Martial Court’s lunatic to come true.”
“Lunatic?”
Zhu Xuan slowly explained, “A lunatic who liked studying foreign worlds. She was convinced there was another world on the other side of the Endless Ocean.”
Yu Zhenghai silently sped up as he said, “The Ninth Temple has a strong foundation, but why can’t the temple defeat the Sky Martial Court or the Flying Star House?”
“You’ve underestimated them… The Sky Martial Court belongs to the Great Tang Dynasty. Their elites are as numerous as the clouds.” After saying this, Zhu Xuan recalled something and asked, “Is the Evil Sky Pavilion powerful?”
Based on the two men’s attitude, Zhu Xuan could vaguely guess the Evil Sky Pavilion was not a force to be trifled with.
Yu Zhenghai smiled before he bluntly replied. “If Evil Sky Pavilion were here, there would be no need to fear the Sky Martial Court or the Flying Star House.” In fact, he was being cautious not to reveal too much information about the Evil Sky Pavilion. This one sentence was sufficient.
Zhu Xuan’s expression remained neutral, but he was inwardly shocked. To think that the Evil Sky Pavilion was, at least, comparable to the Sky Martial Court.
After a beat, Zhu Xuan asked, “It must be difficult for both of you to travel this far. You weren’t the only ones who had visited the red lotus domain. What’s your business here?” This was the burning question in his mind, and he was most interested in its answer.
Yu Zhenghai asked, “Would you believe me if I told you that I came here by mistake?” Indeed, from Yu Shangrong’s perspective, Yu Shangrong had indeed come to this place by mistake despite how unbelievable it sounded.
And yet, Zhu Xuan said, “I believe you.”
Yu Zhenghai nodded.
Zhu Xuan asked carefully, “Is your master in the red lotus domain as well?”
Yu Zhenghai shook his head and said, “He’s focused on cultivation and rarely meddles in worldly affairs. However, I can’t guarantee what would happen if things get out of hand.”
Upon hearing this, Zhu Xuan wondered inwardly, ‘For someone to be the two men’s master, that person has to be at the Nine-leaf stage… Fortunately, I didn’t kill them earlier. If their Life Stones shatter, there will definitely be trouble. At that time, the Ninth Temple would have unwittingly gained a great enemy.’
…
In the golden lotus domain.
In the dense forest halfway up Golden Court Mountain.
The bright moon was hanging high in the sky.
In the dense and impermeable forest, a faint starlight could be seen. Pure Primal Qi in the surroundings rose from the plants and merged with the Primal Qi in the air. It gathered around a cluster of weeds.
After a moment, an exclamation could be heard from the cluster of weeds as though the person who had spoken had just been hit with a sudden realization. “Wait! The Nine-leaf stage requires 1,200 years, but Shu Si’s Heart will only give me 800 years of life. So, I’ll have to burn 400 years of my life?! I’m young now, but doesn’t this mean I’ll turn into an old man when I reach the Nine-leaf cultivator? How can that be? I’m so handsome and suave…”
