《Maiden Of The Splitting Moon》


 Chapter 1 - Green Orchid Village

    In a remote area of Blue Bamboo Province, a youth could be seen in the forest. It was a girl of around 13 to 14 years old. She had a basket with her filled to the brim with herbs and other medicinal nts. But her eyes continued to scour the area, looking for more.


    "Ming Yue! It''s time to go!"


    She turned around and saw her father, Rou Meng, He was a kind-looking man in his 40s, walking with a basket on his back and a simple walking stick in his hand.


    Ming Yue moved towards him, showing the full basket.


    "Look! I got so many nts for the vige, I want to stay for a bit longer and get more!"


    There was a proud look on her face as he gave her a warm smile.


    "Silly girl, We''ve gathered enough, let''s go back home. Besides, don''t you feel tired at all? I''m barely able to keep myself standing."


    "Aww, fine, but we cane back tomorrow right?"


    "Haahh, what will I do with you? Alright, we wille back tomorrow, ok?"


    Having said this, the young girl beamed with joy as she followed after him.


    "Yay! Let''s get home!"


    They slowly walked through the forest until a small vige came into sight. This was Green Orchid Vige, a simple home surrounded by nature. Everywhere, all manner of nts and wildlife could be seen, it was a sight to behold! A beautiful ce of peace.


    Ming Yue and her father lived here, working as the vige doctor.


    As the two entered the vige, some boys saw them and their eyes soon shifted to Ming Yue.


    "Look! it''s Rou Ming Yue, she''s back from foraging with Mr.Rou."


    Of course, they all liked her.


    She was slim and her skin was clear and white like the moon. Her face was without ws but the biggest part of it was her bearing.


    She was a kind girl who cared for all those around her. There have even been several asions where she would bring back an injured animal and nurse them to health. Although she would eventually release them back into the forest, they would oftene back to y with her.


    All of these things had made up a beautiful maiden, iparable to a field of white peonies.


    Ming Yue saw them and waved away while the boys waved back. One of them was Chen Xiao, a robust youth who wanted to take her as his bride. He was easily the strongest out of the bunch as well as the best-looking. He fantasized along with the others until a fist smacked them all on the head.


    "What are you guys looking at? Get back to training!"


    The voice came from Da Fan, a stern-looking man, who was a former soldier that had retired several years back. Now he lives here, teaching students and going by the title of, Teacher Fan.


    "Ughhh."


    "A."


    They were unhappy but followed him to a field where they soon began sparring with each other.


    As they left, Ming Yue had gone back home and set the basket full of nts down.


    "Alright then, help me separate the herbs and have them dry, Ming Yue. Don''t forget, one pile is for external injuries and the other is for internal injuries", her father instructed.


    Ming Yue nodded, working quickly.


    After an hour, her basket was empty as she tied them into bundles and hung them outside.


    "I''m finished! Can I go and watch Teacher Fan''s ss? Chen Xiao and the others should be done sparring now!"


    Rou Meng went silent for a moment before nodding.


    "Alright then, but when they''re done,e back, okay?"


    "Mm!"


    Just like that, his daughter swiftly left the house, making her way towards the fields.


    "Ah, none of them better approach her... I''m not going to let some boy take my daughter away, not on my watch. If she''s going to choose one of them, they bettere to me first!", he thought to himself.


    This was the mindset of a father, the solemn promise to protect his daughter from anything at any cost. Unfortunately, such thoughts were a waste.


    As she arrived at where the ss was, everyone was seated on the ground, listening to Teacher Fan.


    "Remember children, cultivation is a long and arduous path. You are all at the first stage of the Human Realm, there are still three more realms: Earth, Sky, and Heaven. Of these realms, the Human Realm has 9 levels each numbered from first to ninth. The Earth realm has 7, Sky has 5, andstly Heaven, which has 3."


    Holding a sword in his hand, he drew on the dirt, creating the divisions while writing the names of these realms.


    "While Earth, Sky, and Heaven''s levels have names, you are still too weak to know yet. However, just because there are fewer stages doesn''t that mean it is easier. In fact, in the entire Province, the number of cultivators at the Earth Realm number in the tenspared to the hundreds of thousands living here. Even in the entire Red Lotus Country, the number of people at the Sky Realm can be counted on one hand."


    One of the students raised his hands and asked, "What level are you, Teacher Fan?"


    Everyone looked at him curiously, especially Ming Yue.


    He replied, "Heh, I am at the fifth level of the Human Realm, a couple more steps and I will be at Earth."


    Then, Chen Xiao suddenly raised his hand and yelled out.


    "I''m already at the second level! I bet I''m going to reach the third level in a couple of months."


    All of them had a look of surprise as they heard him.


    "What? No way?!"


    "How? I''m still stuck at the first level!"


    "Yeah, prove it to us!"


    He looked at them all with a coy smile, standing up and walking to a nearby tree.


    "Here''s your proof!"


    He took a stance and punched forward, leaving an imprint of his fist on the tree trunk. Teacher Fan looked in surprise as did the others, none of them had expected him to achieve this.


    "Congrattions, Chen Xiao!" their teacher said, "For you to reach the second level so young is a good sign! You might even be someone great in the future!"


    Chen Xiao looked on proudly, ncing at Ming Yue, only to find her lost in her own thoughts. He felt a little dismayed at this.


    "Is she not impressed?" he thought.


    Then, Ming Yue looked at Teacher Fan and asked, "Is there a level beyond Heaven?"


    She was curious about it and this question soon sparked more looks of curiosity. He rubbed his chin a few times before answering.


    "Hmmm, Although it is only a legend, there is a realm beyond Heaven, but no one has ever reached it. I believe that it is called the Immortal Stage, where you can go beyond this world and throughout the stars. If that were possible, who knows what we will find."


    Teacher Fan paused, looking at his students while they were all lost in the thought of traveling through the stars, and said, "Alright, the day is ending, go home and rest. But I expect you back here tomorrow in the morning!"


    Everyone had dispersed and went back.


    Ming Yue was no different but as she was walking back home, she thought about the Immortal Stage.


    "I wonder what it would be like? To be an immortal? It would be very pretty to see the stars more closely."


    She arrived and saw her father collecting all of the dried nts outside of the home. These nts would be stored and ground tomorrow morning into medicinal powder. She walked towards him and helped out while talking about what Teacher Fan said.


    "Don''t you think about how fun it would be to be among the stars?" She asked


    He replied, "Heh, what do you think your name means? Rou is our family name and it symbolized kindness. When your mother gave birth to you she wanted to call you Ming Yue, a bright moon, because she believed that you will reach the moon and with the stars."


    At this point, Ming Yue''s father stopped working, his face had a slight sadness to it.


    "If only we were not attacked by beasts, she would not have died."


    "It is not your fault, I know you tried your best to save her," said Ming Yue as she tried tofort her father.


    Then Rou Meng''s face went to a smile and said, "Let''s go back inside and have dinner shall we?"


    "Let''s go back inside, It''s my turn to cook this time!"


    "My daughter''s cooking is always delicious, hehe, I''m in luck."


    Yet on this very night, hidden within the forest were a group of men, staring at the vige with malicious eyes.


    Then one of them, the leader no doubt, spoke.


    "This vige is ripe for the taking, plunder it and raze it to the ground!"

 Chapter 2 - The Wolf Bandits

    There were 15 of them in total, nodding their heads in excitement.


    Their leader was a sinister man, he was known throughout the southern part of Blue Bamboo Province as "Blood Wolf." His group of bandits was known as the Wolf Bandits.


    This was due to the fact that every time a vige was attacked by them, no one was left alive. Everyone was to be ughtered, women and children were no exception either. It was as if a pack of wolves had run through, destroying everything in their path.


    They waited until midnight before they struck.


    Blood Wolf stood up, looking back at his men with an evil grin.


    "Leave no one alive, except for that girl, she looks quite delicious. Let us capture her and give our brothers a little fun!"


    The men were excited, they couldn''t wait to taste her flesh. Blood Wolf even had a disgusting look on his face, it was obvious that he was already nning all of the vulgar things that he would do.


    Within minutes, they had arrived at the front of the vige and attacked. Soon, screams could be heard, scenes of men and women being cut down everywhere.


    In an instant, Teacher Fan had run out of his home with a sword, screaming at the top of his lungs.


    "It''s an attack! If you cannot fight then run! If you can, pick up anything that can be used as a weapon and defend with me!"


    He then charged towards the closest bandit, fighting him furiously.


    Any able-bodied man took whatever could be used as a weapon: sickles, machetes, etc. The elderly, women, and children ran towards the opposite end of the vige where there was another entrance.


    "Run! Escape if you can!"


    "We can''t hold them off for much longer!"


    "Bandits! Bandits!"


    The fighting was gruesome and unfortunately, the vigers were taking heavier losses. They were not as experienced in fighting as these bandits despite having more numbers.


    As Ming Yue and her father could not fight, they quickly packed up and joined with the escaping group while the others stalled. As they reached the exit, they saw a man there holding a saber menacingly.


    With that very de, he began cutting down anyone who tried to escape.


    "Just try to get past me, Blood Wolf! You''ll just end up dying! Ahahahah!"


    The bandit leader cackled as he spun his de around. He was walking towards them and sliced whomever he could reach. Horror soon crossed through everyone''s face and they panicked even more.


    "What do we do?! Where do we go?"


    With no choice, they were pushed back to the center of the vige where Teacher Fan and what was left of the vige forces were fighting. At this point, It was only him and three other vigers out of around thirtypared to the five remaining bandits.


    Blood Wolf looked at the scene.


    "Hmmph, what is going on? Howe so many of our brothers have died?" He said.


    As he watched, he soon realized that Teacher Fan was different, he was adept in battle and quite skilled. The fight was nearly at its end and Teacher Fan had just cut down thest bandit. Then he saw Blood Wolf, looking at him with rage.


    "You must be the leader, you will pay for what you have done to this vige!"


    "Hah, I have plundered countless of unfortunate viges, this is not the first time someone had said this and this will not be thest! Come!"


    Both of them brandished their weapons before charging at each other. It was a wild fight with each swing they made aimed at their vitals. But Teacher Fan was already tired, he could barely attack and mostly defended.


    With each swing, Blood Wolf became even more ferocious and attacked faster, adding more pressure on his opponent. A manic look could already be seen on his face as victory was soon his. Teacher Fan''s body was riddled with cuts and gashes. But then, a boy ran in with a knife and stabbing the bandit in the back.


    "Agh!"


    It was Chen Xiao! Seeing his teacher in such a desperate situation, he rushed in to help, with a victorious look on his face, he believed that with this, the bandit would die. However, that was not the case for Blood Wolf turned around and saw him.


    "You little shit!"


    Then, he chopped off his head in front of whoever was left. No one was able to stop it.


    Chen Xiao''s body fell to the ground and his head rolled towards the remaining vigers, one of which was his mother. She had a look of shock and froze up. Evidently, the scene of her son being beheaded in front of her was too much. But soon after, she was sobbing as she held her son''s head in her bloody arms. She was wailing, calling for her son toe back to her.


    "Cheh, your crying is annoying. Shut up" said Blood Wolf.


    Then he walked up to her and cut off her head as well. Afterward, he started beheading the rest of the vigers until the only ones left were Ming Yue, her father, and Teacher Fan. Rou Meng, Ming Yue''s father, held her tightly using his walking stick to defend them. However, his face was that of a pleading man, hoping for something.


    "No, please sir, not my daughter, Forgive us, I beg of you."


    Blood Wolf saw the look on Rou Meng''s face and sneered.


    "Heheheh, Don''t worry I won''t kill your daughter. Not until she services me and the entire Wolf Bandit group."


    It seems that Blood Wolf did note with his entire group but rather a small detachment. He did not think that this vige would be hard to conquer.


    "You animal!"


    Hearing such words, a look of anger could be seen on Rou Meng''s face as he pointed his stick at Blood Wolf. But Blood Wolf did nothing, the stick could not threaten him at all. He knocked the stick out of Rou Meng''s hand and looked at him straight in the eyes.


    "Say goodbye to your precious daughter, but don''t worry, she''ll join you soon enough"


    Then he started attacking Rou Meng, but he didn''t just kill him immediately. Instead, he intentionally missed, creating small incisions on his back. It could not kill Rou Meng but it was excruciating.


    Rou Meng hugged his daughter tightly, groaning with each attack but he managed to whisper into her eats.


    "That walking stick is a sword. I''ll give you some time but when you reach it, pull it out and attack him. Urgh!"


    Ming Yue was surprised.


    "A sword?"


    She did not think that the walking stick that her father always used would be a sword. However there was no time, she silently agreed and waited for her father''s signal.


    "Okay, I love you."


    Then, Rou Meng shot towards Blood Wolf and tackled him to the ground.


    "Agh, still want to struggle?!"


    Ming Yue rushed towards the sword and pulled it out of its scabbard. It was a beautiful single-edged de. It was taller than her and had a length of over five feet, the width was two fingers apart, the thickness was seven millimeters, and it weighed around five pounds. Ming Yue was only four feet and six inches and the sword was too long for her to hold correctly.


    Nevertheless, It was a pristine de that sparkled under the moonlight. It was had a simple handle but the de itself had a name etched on it. It was the name of the de and it was called "Parting Sun". Ming Yue did not know the meaning of the name and She turned around to assist her father.


    However, Blood Wolf had kicked him off and turned his attention to her. He saw the de in her hands and lowered his saber with a cocky smile.


    "A girl like you shouldn''t be holding a sword like that. Come to me, I''ll show you what a real man can do."


    Ming Yue was scared, she had never touched a sword before and she could feel her body freeze. Blood Wolf noticed this and had a disgusting smile on his face.


    "Hah, too easy! Once, I''m done with her, she can die but that sword... it looks quite expensive.


    Believing that this girl could do nothing, not even with such a sword, he lowered his guard.


    Unfortunately, this mistake was a fatal one. As he approached Ming Yue, he had his arms open preparing to snatch the sword.


    Suddenly, Rou Meng screamed out, "Swing! Don''t be afraid! Just swing it!"


    MIng Yue suddenly awakened from her state and swung towards Blood Wolf''s torso without thinking. She closed her eyes as she attacked, not wanting to look.


    "Wha-"


    He was surprised and tried to defend against it or dodge it but the strike was too fast. Not even a breath had passed and Blood Wolf was split in half. He could not see the de, all he saw was a sh.


    The final look on his face was shock, but nothing could be done, he had died then.

 Chapter 3 - Leaving Her Home

    After realizing what she had done, Ming Yue dropped the sword and backed away.


    "O-oh... oh... I..."


    Her entire body seemed to tremble and quake, she was scared and she had every right to be so.


    Such a pure girl who could never hurt someone had killed for the first time. She dropped to her knees and started crying, not knowing what to do next. The only ones still alive were Rou Meng and Teacher Fan, but they were very hurt.


    Both of them looked at the girl in pity and slowly approached her, limping to her.


    "It''s ok now, the danger has passed, we are safe."


    Her father tried his best to console her but even he knew that there was no hope here.


    They might have won but the cost was too much, the entire vige had been destroyed and they were what was left. Unfortunately, that will not stay true for long.


    Both her father and Teacher Fan groaned in pain as they fainted on the ground.


    "No, father, Teacher Fan!"


    She helped them back to the medicinal hut and dressed their wounds in vain. It may have slowed the process but it would not stop their impending death. The medicine in her home was not enough.


    "Ming Yue, you should leave us, we will only slow you down, get away from here", said both Rou Meng and Teacher Fan.


    "No!" She said," I can''t leave you here, what will I do without you?"


    "Please, do not worry about us, depart from here."


    "I want to stay here with you for as long as possible!"


    "Go! We''re both on our death beds at this point! Just go!"


    "But..."


    Despite her protest, she could only follow what they said. And so, she had begun to pack up her belongings and prepared to leave. Although both Teacher Fan and Rou Meng were unable to move much, they did what they could to help Ming Yue be prepared for a life outside of the vige.


    Teacher Fan told her that in his home is a manual.


    "It''s a simple manual from when I was in the army and it has my notes and understandings about using the sword. This should help you, especially now that you have a sword of your own. Although this isn''t some great martial art, Hopefully, it will aid you at the start of your journey," he said.


    Her father had then called Ming Yue and decided to reveal a small secret. He looked at the sword with a sense of regret.


    "This sword Is called Parting Sun and was originally created along with another sword called Splitting Moon. Although I do not know the exact origins of these des, there is a story behind these des."


    "The cksmith who created these des was a master. At the time, his wife had just given birth to a beautiful boy and he was extremely happy. In such a state, he created two swords, Splitting Moon, a smaller de that was for his wife, and Parting Sun, a gift for when his son grew older."


    "Unfortunately, some corrupt officials heard of these des and wanted them but no matter what they offered, he would decline. In anger, he ordered the deaths of him and his family. They tried to escape but did not have much luck. Only their son had survived, holding the two swords. Yearster, he woulde back as a powerful cultivator and killed the corrupt officials but he had been poisoned and also died. The swords were missing and never to be found."


    Ming Yue''s father ced his hand on the sword while looking at her.


    "I found this de when I was scavenging through the forest but I never used it. I vowed that it would only be drawn if I had no choice. I feel like such a fool, pleading with that bandit. I should''ve taken it out instead."


    After that, he revealed a heavy sigh.


    "If only I had this de before your mother died", he spoke weakly, showing a tinge of grief in his eyes.


    But they were soon reced with some hope for his daughter.


    "Now, I entrust this de to you and perhaps you might find the Splitting Moon. However, you must remember one thing, once you go out into the world, it is incredibly cruel. You must learn to steel your heart and prepare your mind. The next time, you see another scene like this, you would not be so helpless, okay?"


    She nodded, trying her best to hold her tears in.


    With his dying breath, he said one final goodbye, "You will forever be my precious daughter."


    With that, his hand which had been caressing Ming Yue''s cheek fell to his side.


    Despite such a sad moment, She did not cry. Not a single tear fell. She only looked at her father''s peaceful face.


    "To think... this is how my life would end. I hope that you live well in life Ming Yue, whatever trials there will be..."


    And then, Teacher Fan had fallen to his injuries and died on his bed.


    Ming Yue looked at them both before walking outside. She dug graves for them and buried them with the proper respect, doing it silently.


    As for the rest of the vige, she had burned it all down, leaving not even a trace. Her home was gone, the only traces of it ever existing were the pile of ashes drifting into the wind.


    Once the vige had stopped burning, any resemnce of Ming Yue was gone from her eyes. What was left was a cold and heartless girl.


    From this point on, she was alone.


    She carried a small bag on her back and her sword in its sheath, fulfilling its duty as a walking stick. With each step she grew colder, her emotions locked away. The joyful smile on her face had been reced with an ice-cold frown.. Her kindness was no longer there, gone like her home.

 Chapter 4 - Encounter

    Sitting by a river, a girl could be seen fishing for her next meal. She wore a simple white robe with her sleeves rolled up as she focused on her fishing rod. However, it did nothing to tarnish her beauty.


    This person was none other than Ming Yue.


    Several months have passed since her time at the vige and much had changed about her. She had a much more mature look on her, a calm atmosphere surrounded her as she fished.


    During this time, she did not waste any of it, reading Teacher Fan''s sword manual and practicing her skills with the Parting Sun de. The manual was very basic, giving exnations on cultivation along with swordy.


    Ming Yue had a much better understanding of how the world of cultivation worked. There were 4 realms: Human, Earth, Sky, and Heaven. Human Realm was something she already knew about.


    But the other three realms were something she knew little about.


    "Earth had 7 levels: Core, Mind, Sight, Feel, Emotion, Soul, Edge. Sky had 5 levels named the 5 Skies and Heaven had 3 levels which were Lower, Middle, and Peak."


    But the manual only told her this much. There was nothing to describe these stages, even the Human realm had sub-par descriptions.


    "The Human Realm is where one trains the body, as one progresses, all of their physical capabilities will improve. Once you breakthrough, you will hear various clicks throughout your body as a surge of strength courses through you."


    As of right now, Ming Yue was at the 2nd level of the Human Realm. She had broken through a month ago from training. Despite that, the journey there was extremely dangerous. There have been several situations where she had fought with wild beasts, suffering multiple injuries.


    Fortunately, Ming Yue was quite adept in medicine and all of these experiences had honed her mind as well as her skills.


    "Ssh!"


    Ming Yue''s fishing rod trembled as a trout had grabbed onto the bait.


    In one fluid motion, she lifted the rod up and caught the fish in her hands. Having obtained her meal, the young girl went back to a small camp that she set up. Grilling it over a fire, she ate it off of the stick, eating the ky white flesh.


    Although it was delicious, she showed no sign of emotion.


    After her meal, she stood up and took out her sword. It was a beautiful de, longer than her but she held it with a sense of familiarity. Then she had begun her practice.


    "Stab, Parry, Slice, Lunge, Left, Right..."


    As she practiced, Ming Yue fell into a state ofplete concentration, repeating this string of moves over and over again.


    "Split."


    At this final move, She held her de in one hand and swung it horizontally. It was swift and the momentum from such a long de gave it more power. In one move, the tree that she had been practicing on had been bisected. If someone''s neck had been there, their head would have surely flown off.


    This was the move that killed Blood Wolf, a simple slice that contained invisible power.


    With her practice finished, she re-sheathed her sword and turned in for the night.


    Suddenly, a scream could be heard. It was full of pain and then it was cut short. Ming Yue woke up and put up her guard. She immediately hid on a tree and waited.


    Soon enough, a boy came running, he had a scared look on his face, tripping and falling to the ground. He attempted to crawl away as he looked in terror. Soon enough, a beast had arrived, it was a giant snake that was five meters long!


    With its dark green scales, it slowly moved onto the boy, eyeing it as if it were a cornered mouse.


    "Why?! I''ve only just be an outer disciple. Why is my luck so bad?" the boy thought.


    He had been outside for some experiential training with a fellow disciple. Never would he have thought that they would encounter a Rank 2, Jade Snake. Now his partner was dead and he was next.


    As the snake moved closer, he closed his eyes as he waited for his death but it never came. Instead, he heard the snake hiss as sounds of fighting started. He opened them and saw a girl fighting it with Parting Sun.


    It was Ming Yue, waiting for the right time to drop from the tree and attack the snake. Although she did not kill it from that surprise attack, she left arge gash on the snake''s body. The Jade Snake then changed its focus to her instead. It eyed her carefully, wary of this little girl who had left such an injury on it.


    Ming Yue looked at the boy coldly and said, "Run".


    Although he was surprised and was almost at the jaws of death, he took out his sword and circled the snake, opposite of Ming Yue.


    "You can''t take it on by yourself! It''s a Jade Snake! It''s Rank 2!" he called out.


    She couldn''t bother with him and ignored his actions, watching the snake carefully. This beast was the toughest enemy that she had encountered so far and she was on high alert.


    Then the snake attacked her, aiming to bite her arm but she dodged and shed at the snake. It had tried to dodge but could not leave her attack range in time, suffering a small but noticeable injury.


    The boy then took this opportunity and attacked the snake''s blind spot, stabbing it in the tail. The snake hissed in pain as the attacks from both ends had weakened it. Despite only meeting each other, they worked together, attacking while the other was defending.


    With them on either end, the Jade Snake could not attack one without the other attacking it. Slowly, its body began to bleed from all sorts of ces. It lost blood profusely, feeling weak and its sight grew blurry.


    If it was not careful, it would die.


    Realizing this, the beast chose to retreat and tried to escape through the boy, charging towards him.


    However, Ming Yue had noticed this and was one step ahead. She jumped onto the snake and dashed for its head. As she reached it, she pointed her sword at the snake''s head. Then in one smooth motion, she stabbed the snake right through its skull, going through its entire head.


    The snake pulled back as it jerked and trembled before finally falling to the ground dead.


    She then pulled Parting Sun out and proceeded to cut its head off.


    The boy saw everything, he was amazed, he had never seen someone his age this powerful before.


    "That was amazing! How are you that strong?!" he asked.


    Ming Yue only ignored him and began packing up, evidently, she had wanted to leave. The boy was surprised, he didn''t think that such a pretty girl was so cold. When she was about to leave, he quickly introduced himself.


    "My name is Fei Xian, I''m a disciple of the Eternal de Sect. Can I have your name?"


    Ming Yue looked at Fei Xian.


    "Ming Yue," she answered, and then she dashed away.


    "Ming Yue..." muttered Fei Xian, "What a pretty girl."


    As much as he wanted to get to know her more, he could do nothing about it. He was too weak but seeing her motivated him.


    "I need to train harder."


    Then he started to walk back to his sect and noticed something by his side. It was a little package, a folded piece of paper with something inside. He opened it up and saw some medicinal powder, one seemed to be for his cuts and bruises.


    He thought, "It must have been from her."


    Fei Xian smiled as he folded it back up and put it in his pocket, making his way back to the Eternal de Sect.. There would be much for him to say when he got back.

 Chapter 5 - Reaching Luan City

    As Ming Yue moved away, she thought about Fei Xian as well as the Eternal de Sect. Although she knew nothing about these names, shemitted them to her heart.


    "I should go there sometime", she thought.


    With that in mind, she had reached a crossroads. There were 4 destinations she could go to: Luan City, Tian Vige, Death Wind Mountain, and ck Rock Forest. Seeing as Ming Yue had juste from ck Rock Forest, she opted not to go back and instead chose Luan City. She had some materials from her time in the forest and decided to sell them as it was starting to slow her down.


    Furthermore, she had never been to a city before so she was curious.


    After deciding her next course of action, she immediately started walking towards Luan City.


    Soon, the city came into sight, It was quiterge and beautiful. When Ming Yue entered, she saw streets bustling with people and full of life. Wandering around, she found a random store and entered while preparing to take out her materials.


    It was quite small but rtively clean. There was only an old man behind the counter while all matter of items were shown on the walls. He saw Ming Yue but thought nothing of her. He believed that she was only browsing and would buy nothing.


    But much to his surprise, she went straight to the counter and asked him, "You will buy anything right?"


    "Yes, in my store, we buy and sell all sorts of items."


    Then Ming Yue proceeded to take out all that she had hunted during her time in the ck Rock Forest.


    "How much can I get for these items?" She said.


    Piled in front of the owner were multiple animal parts ranging from wolves to other small beasts.


    There was also a small pile of herbs that Ming Yue had collected but she had no use for them as she had a surplus of medicine and she had no way of refining some of these nts. While she could just ingest them, their effect would not be as strong and it would leave impurities in her body.


    Being the daughter of a doctor, she could naturally distinguish nts and she had a basic knowledge of both human and animal anatomy so she did not have much trouble dissecting animals.


    Most of these items were been somewhatmon but there were some special items.


    "Blue Wind Grass, Red Iron Stalk, Green Wolf Fur..oh my god, the poison dder of a Jade Snake!" the owner thought.


    How could such a young girl kill these?


    After all, a Jade Snake was Rank 2 much stronger than a Rank 1.


    Monsters and beasts were separated into 10 ranks with 1 being the weakest and 10 being the strongest. Rank 1 monsters take several men to defeat while rank 10 took at least an army of millions, of course, these beasts were quite rare and could only be found in unique danger zones.


    Furthermore, there was a rank beyond titled "legendary". It was home to creatures such as true dragons, phoenixes, and many other jaw-dropping existences. The only people who could stand a chance were those that stood at the peak of strength.


    nts and other herbs had a simr system. There were ten ranks but each rank had 3 ssifications: Ten Years, Hundred Years, and Thousand Years. This was because a nt went through a qualitative change at these time frames. For example, a Red Iron Stalk had the ability to strengthen one''s body, at Ten Years, it would give 50 pounds of strength. At 100 years, it would be 500 and at 1000 years, it would give 2000 pounds. Furthermore, there would be fewer impurities so refining it was easier, even ingesting it raw would not cause many issues.


    The owner''s eyes twinkled at the sight of it all.


    If such a young girl could already contend with Rank 2 beasts, imagine what other items she could obtain in the future.


    "Dear Customer, the total price for these materials is 36 silver and 42 copper", the owner said with a smile, "I''ll even throw in a discount if you''re looking to buy anything.


    He gave Ming Yue the money and even gave her a discount in order to get in her good graces.


    She was a bit surprised by this gesture and soon started examining the many items in the shop.


    There were a multitude of weapons and armor as well as shelves of books and medicine. This shop really had everything despite the somewhat low quality. When she went to the section full of armor and other protective items.


    Ming Yue looked down at her robes, realizing that she did not have any protective clothing and that several sets of clothes have already been destroyed. With this, she decided to look at these items and see if there was anything that could rece it.


    Armor had its own ssifications as well, It was Mortal, Sage, Divine, World, and Star grade. Furthermore, each grade had 3 levels: Lower, Middle, and Peak. This was because armor of the same grade may have different effects that change their level. Perhaps there are two shields, they are exactly the same but one has an effect and one doesn''t. Thus they would be both Mortal Grade but one would be Lower while the other was Middle or even Peak. Mortal and Sage Srade weapons were somewhatmon, Divine Grades were only found in the hands of great warriors. World-Grade weapons are quite legendary and very few have actually been found to have existed. Star-Grade weapons are a myth and are only found in stories. However, those stories were nothing but incredible. These weapons were capable of cutting worlds or even space itself.


    Suddenly, Ming Yue stopped in front of a light blue hanfu which was adorned with white decor, it was quite pretty and suited her looks. However, she wanted something suited for both travel and fighting so she passed. However, the owner saw her pause at it and took this chance to curry her favor.


    "Do not underestimate the Floating Breeze Robe, although it may seem easy to rip, it is very durable and is slightly less weak to steel. However, the greatest thing about this is its recovery ability. No matter how damaged it is, it will take less than a day to fully repair itself. Furthermore, it is incredibly light and will not hinder your movements as it alsoes in with a pair of slippers of the same name. It originally costs forty silver but for you, it will be twenty. It is a Middle Mortal grade item."


    Ming Yue thought to herself but before she epted, she asked the owner why it was priced so cheaply.


    He sighed and looked at her.


    "Ai, this was an armor meant for women, but how many women have actually be legendary figures. There weren''t many idols to look up to and so they were not as motivated to cultivate and explore the outside world. However, there are still some figures that have reached the peak such as the Fire Deity Hong Mei or Merciful Nun Liu Qing, "


    "Perhaps she will be a top figure", he quietly thought.


    Then the owner packed up her item and gave it to her. Ming Yue epted it and left. She was happy with her purchase. Now she had both a weapon and armor so she decided to find an inn to stay at.


    However, there were so many other interesting things that she had been sidetracked. Stalls littered the streets with all kinds of different foods and other misceneous items and she began looking at all the small wonders that she never knew existed.


    Night had begun to fall and she was still looking around. As she was walking she noticed a woman with a man. The woman was quite pretty and curvaceous as well but she had an ufortable look on her face. The man was dressed in some nice garments, he looked like a gentleman but he had a lecherous look on him.


    Evidently, something was wrong here so Ming Yue followed them from afar.


    Sure enough, the woman had been taken to an alleyway where two other men were waiting along with the one that was with her.


    "Heh, don''t worry, once we''re done with you, we will leave your daughter alone. Call it bad luck that you work in a brothel, you slut."


    They looked at her pervertedly, eyeing her whole body.


    "As long as... my daughter is safe."


    The woman had resigned to her fate, she did not regret working there, it was a dirty business but everyone was quite weing. Whenever one of them had financial issues they would pool in some money to help. Everyone seemed like a family. This sort of behavior was incredibly rare and she was eternally grateful. They were even nice to her daughter and had taught things like cooking and sewing in their free time.


    But these men had noticed her daughter around the brothel and decided to use her to get some free service. It was extremely despicable but she had no choice. She wanted her daughter to be safe.


    Soon, she began to undress as the three men stared at her like she was meat.


    "Shiiiinng."


    The woman heard a sword being unsheathed and saw a girl behind the men. The girl had an extremely cold air surrounding her as she held a sword longer than her in her arms.. It shined against the moonlight as she slowly walked towards the group of four.

 Chapter 6 - Cui Fen And The Brothel

    The three men seemed to have noticed her and turned around. Fear swept over them as they looked into her eyes, it was cold and ruthless.


    The leader of this group of three, the one who took the woman away, had barely recovered from his state and slowly sneered.


    "Brothers...It is only a young girl, what can she do with that sword?" he said.


    The other two soon recovered as well and began to approach Ming Yue.


    The woman feared for her and said, "Run! You will only hurt yourself!"


    Ming Yue paid no mind to her warning and prepared herself. These men are evil, to use someone''s daughter for their own gains is unforgivable. She sympathized with the woman who worked for her daughter as Ming Yue''s father had also sacrificed much for her. Now she was going to end the lives of these men who had no ce in this world.


    "Come on, girly, you want to join in on the fun, don''t you?"


    "Your skin looks so clean, makes me want to dirty it...''


    They walked closer and closer with their hands ready.


    Being in such a small alleyway, she could not use wide swings or attack even horizontally, thus she took this chance to work on vertical attacks as she never really used them. The moment the two men reached her attack range, she struck with such incredible speed, however, it seemed that they were somewhat skilled as they dodged.


    But as the fight went on, they had suffered small nicks and they no longer treated her like she was a girl but an actual fighter.


    "She is dangerous." they both thought.


    They took out their own des and began approaching her but this time they were prepared. Ming Yue noticed this but she struck again, aiming for the man on the right. He blocked it and then the one on the left rushed forward with a fast de that seemed like a shadow. She then pulled her de back and defended against his attack.


    The one from before saw the opportunity and tried to run behind her and grab her. Ming Yue then pushed the man in front of her away. Before he could react, she stabbed his foot and the man fell back, screaming in pain. But in such a ce like this alleyway, no one could hear him.


    Then she turned to the man that tried to grab her and swung her de upwards, cutting off his arm. He shuddered and was in shock. He could not see such a swing!


    The third man saw this scene and felt scared in fact.


    "It''s impossible!" He thought.


    Yet it was happening right before his eyes.


    "Do you know who we are?" the 2 men threatened, "We are the Dark Shadow Trio! Our leader is stronger than the both of us!"


    They thought they could scare her but it didn''t work. They were part of the Dark Shadow Trio, who have attacked and killed before. They were beginning to build up a name for themselves, but now they were going to be taken down by a little girl!


    Ming Yue had never heard of this Dark Shadow Trio and she didn''t care, they just needed to die.


    With that thought, she cut off their heads, leaving only their leader. The leader was scared but he could not escape. But then he thought of something and immediately looked at the woman next to him, suddenly he grabbed her and put a knife to her neck.


    "Don''te near me! O-or I''ll kill her!"


    Ming Yue momentarily stopped but it was only for a moment as she continued walking towards the two. At this point, no one knew what she was thinking. The man was scared, extremely scared as he continuously told Ming Yue to step away.


    Then when she was only several feet from him, she stopped, her de pointed at the ground. The man sighed in relief, a feeling of victory washed over him but it did notst long.


    The moment he rxed, Ming Yue stabbed her de into his foot and twisted it, causing immense pain and agony to spread up his leg. The leader tightened his grip from the pain but he felt much weaker now and the woman saw this chance to escape. She pushed out his arm, running to Ming Yue, who stepped forward.


    The man knew that his time was up but he did not go down before secretly pulling out some more knives. As Ming Yue approached him, she pulled her de up and prepared to kill him but at that moment, he struck out, throwing knives at her.


    She tried to dodge but still got cut in the shoulder.


    But that did not deter her as she attacked him and pierced him through the heart.


    With all three of them dead, she put away Parting Sun and then rummaged through their clothes, finding multiple items that were of use to her.


    There were some gold and silver coins, a de manual titled, "Shadow de Arts", and a ring. She didn''t know what the ring was but the other two things helped a lot. Especially the Shadow de Arts, although it wasn''t suitable for her style of fighting, it could help her improve and maybe she could create some techniques from it.


    With the end of that, she began to leave again to find an inn and recover but then the woman grabbed her arm.


    "Wait, please. I need to thank you for your help. My name is Cui Fen,e with me, we can''t have you walking around with that shoulder."


    She was right. Although Ming Yue had managed to dodge most of the knives, she did suffer a somewhat deep wound on her shoulder. She silently agrees and followed her back but not before introducing herself.


    "Ming Yue..." She said quietly.


    "Oh, what a pretty name! It quite suits you."


    As they walked, Cui Fen talked along the way, she needed to take her mind off of what had just happened and tried to keep herself from breaking down. Or rather, the shock of what she saw had yet to settle in. Then they stopped in front of a building. It was quiterge and fancy with all sorts of colorful decor. But the most eye-catching thing were the women right outside unting and flirting to the men on the streets.


    It was a brothel, to be specific, the one that Cui Fen works in.


    "Oh! Cui Fen, where were you? Who is this?" said one of the brothel girls.


    She had not been here for several hours since her work was supposed to start and now she came with an injured girl.


    Cui Fen replied, "I''ll tell youter, just let us in first."


    The girls decided not to interfere any longer and chose to wait until they were done to hear her story. Ming Yue felt somewhat ufortable here.


    Cui Fen seemed to have sensed her unease and reassured her that this ce is different from what she may think.


    "They''re like family. They''ve treated me and my daughter well. You don''t have to worry about a thing."


    Ming Yue rxed after hearing that but she still kept her guard up.. After all, this was a brothel and she had heard a few things about such ces from her father.

 Chapter 7 - Resting At The Brothel

    Cui Fen then bought her to a room that had a bathtub.


    "Tsk, look at how dirty you are! A girl like you shouldn''t have to be in this state forever." She said.


    Ming Yue had a dangerous feeling but before she could move, Cui Fen had already stripped her and pushed her into the bath.


    She got a good look at Ming Yue''s body and was slightly surprised. Her skin was smooth and without blemishes. It was still underdeveloped but she knew that in due time, Ming Yue was going to be a beauty.


    Whilst cleaning, the both of them talked. They conversed about each other and had begun to bond. The both of them led harsh lives and they were d to have found someone that shared a simr pain and understood each other.


    Cui Fen was forced to work as a prostitute to make ends meet. It was tough as her daughter was quite young, so she couldn''t find the time to work. The owner of the brothel was understanding and helped to take care of her daughter.


    Soon, everyone that worked in the brothel had known about her and worked together to clear off their debts. This meant that Cui Fen didn''t have to be a prostitute. But she stayed, however this time she was only an entertainer meant to do dances and such.


    Cui Fen stopped reminiscing and rigorously wiped her clean while Ming Yue could do nothing to stop it. Of course, she knew that it was for her own good but she still wanted a little warning beforehand. After the ordeal had passed, Ming Yue got out and felt very refreshed. For the first time in a long time, she could fully rx. These past months have always kept her on her toes and she never had a decent rest.


    "Here, you should wear these. And don''t worry they''re clean and haven''t been worn by anyone."


    She was given some undergarments by Cui Fen as the rest of her clothes were to be washed. Then Ming Yue was led to her own room where she was told to rest for the night.


    She was tired but she couldn''t sleep, she was a little excited and decided to take out the Shadow de Arts that she had taken. The basic swords manual no longer had anything else to teach and she needed a way to improve her skills. Although the Shadow de Arts were not suited for her, it could at least give her some ideas on how to improve her skills or perhaps create some new ones.


    Thus, she opened the book and started reading.


    "The Shadow de Arts focuses on speed and silence, It is not just for assassination but allows the user to send out killing blows duringbat. By using light and darkness, you will confuse your enemy and take their attention away from you. Thus you will be able to attack them in a weakened state."


    Ming Yue was slightly happy after reading the introduction. Her swordsmanship is primarily focused on speed and with this art, she could be even faster. As she continued reading, she became happier and happier. Although she was technically was at the basic level of sword fighting, she was quite good at it, coupled with a decentprehension ability and she could be considered talented.


    The book described 7 moves: Shadow sh, Hidden Darkness, Descent of the Twilight, shing Light, Flickering Shade, Eclipse. The first three moves are quite easy to learn but the difficulty spiked after that. Especially the final move, Eclipse, It was not the fastest move in this set but it was the deadliest.


    The Dark Shadow Trio was only able to learn up to Hidden Darkness. Although it cannot be considered a top martial art, it was still decent enough.


    By the time, Ming Yue had finished looking over the book, the sun had begun to rise. Realizing that the night was already over, she decided to cultivate for a bit. After the multiple fights, she wanted to check the changes in her body.


    While the Human Realm focused on training the body, there was internal and external training. While external training could be done with body tempering, internal training was done by moving your inner force all throughout the 12 channels of your body, strengthening the bones, blood, organs, etc.


    Both ways are quite painful but not excruciating, of course, pills can be taken to lessen the pain or improve your cultivation rate. Although the cultivation stage is a general indicator of strength, it does not dictate everything. There are also other things like talent, skills, weapons that affect your strength. It is possible to defeat someone of a higher stage but even then it is a difficult feat to achieve.


    As of right now, Ming Yue could be said to be closing in at the peak of the 2nd level. Before she was at the middle stages, however, with her current ability, she could contend with someone of thete stages of the 2nd level.


    She winced in pain as she moved her inner force throughout each meridian. She was still not quite adept at using it and so she could only cultivate slowly and carefully. If she did not do so, she would risk causing severe damage. She didn''t have a proper cultivation method, and could only pass her inner force through points where the pain was bearable. This method was crude but with practice, she found a rtivelyfortable method that seemed to give the best results.


    Her body had begun to show signs of improvement and Ming Yue''s breathing evened out. Several hours passed as her cultivation continued. Then, someone began knocking on the door.


    "Ming Yue? It''s time to wake up!"


    Opening her eyes, she got up from her bed and went to the door. She felt quite rxed and refreshed, her mind was clear and she even had a little smile on her face. She opened it and was greeted by Cui Fen, who had brought a bowl of congee with her. It was simple but it had lots of toppings on it like green onions, bits of fish, and other things.


    It was a light but filling meal.


    After Ming Yue finished eating, Cui Fen brought her around and introduced her to everyone.


    "This is Ming Yue, the one who saved me from the Dark Shadow Trio."


    They allplimented her beauty while thanking her. Then a girl around ten years appeared out of nowhere. She was cute and had a bright smile on her face.


    "This is my daughter, Rou''er. Rou''er, this is Ming Yue", said Cui Fen.


    Rou''er turned and faced Ming Yue.


    "You were the one that saved my mother?", she asked as she stared at Ming Yue''s face.


    Ming Yue nodded and was pleasantly greeted by a hug from her.


    "Thank you!" said Rou''er.


    She smiled and hugged her back, quietly talking to her.


    "You don''t have to thank me."


    After meeting with everyone, Cui Fen left Ming Yue as she had some tasks to do. Taking this opportunity, she put on her Floating Breeze Robes that she bought and went to find the same shop from before. She was curious about the ring that she had taken from the trio and wanted to see what secrets it had.


    After putting on her clothes and slippers, she took her sword and went out into the city.

 Chapter 8 - Appraising The Spoils

    When she arrived, the owner was outside sweeping the front of his store. He suddenly noticed her and nodded his head.


    "I''ll be finished soon enough, go in and wait inside!"


    After hearing his request, Ming Yue went in and decided to look at the store once again. This time, however, she decided to look for cultivation methods and sword manuals.


    But nothing caught her eye.


    Most of these books didn''t seem spectacr and as for cultivation, none of them could help her as the way she had cultivated seemed to be better. It didn''t mean that these books werepletely useless but none of them really suited her.


    "I should just stick to my own way."


    At this point, Ming Yue decided that she would continue cultivating the same way she did before, and she would try to improve it. In terms of sword manuals, they were all mainly focused on power but few were for speed-based attacks. But there were a couple that seemed interesting like the Falling de Manual and Sonic Edge Book. Finding interest in these books and she decided to skim them.


    While both manuals were speed-based, Sonic Edge focused on extreme speed, to strike within a single moment. Falling de was more about momentum. By striking in certain ways, the attack would start out slow but it would speed up and within a second the speed from the beginning would multiply by five times using the momentum of the de! This was perfect for surprising opponents as well as those who underestimate you, as they would not expect such a strike to suddenly speed up.


    Of the two, Ming Yue decided on the Falling de Manual, although the strike itself seemed simple, much of the difficulty came from how you handle the sword. The way you hold it, as well as how you distribute your strength mattered greatly. Furthermore, The Parting Sun de isrge and each swing carried a lot of momentum giving it power, If Ming Yue was to learn how to use that momentum for speed, her attacks would be much deadlier.


    The owner looked at her and saw the book in her hand. He was about to approach her until someone else came into his store. It was a youngster with an arrogant look on his face, he had two guards with him as he slowly walked around.


    "Look at this sad store! Why would my father want me toe here?" he thought.


    Then he saw Ming Yue looking at the sword manuals and approached her.


    "Such a pretty girl looking at these books, you shouldn''t have to learn such things, you don''t even have a sword, just a walking stick! If you need some protection, this brother here has the power to keep you safe."


    Ming Yue ignored him and went to the shop owner.


    "How much is this?" she asked.


    This young master was surprised, he did not think that she would be so cold. But for him, no one would escape his grasp, he was the son of the Xu Family, someone with both power and money.


    After Ming Yue finished her purchase, she was about to ask the owner to look at the ring before the boy came to her and introduced himself.


    "My name is Xu Tian, I am the young master of the Xu Family, May I have your name?"


    Ming Yue ignored him again but this time Xu Tian was being more persistent.


    "Please, I have given you my name, it would be rude to not give yours."


    Suddenly, Ming Yue grabbed her "walking stick" and unsheathed her sword, cing its edge against his neck. Everyone was surprised, none of them expected that the staff she used for walking was really a sword!


    Xu Tian starting sweating as he tried to back away, Ming Yue stared at him with her cold eyes. Even the bodyguards felt pressure from her stare.


    "Think about what you are doing. I am the young master of the Xu-"


    "Thwack!"


    Just when Xu Tian tried to persuade her, Ming Yue smacked his face with the scabbard. Then without any time to breathe, she kicked Xu Tian out of the store.


    "Stop bothering me", she warned him and then went back into the store.


    Xu Tina could do nothing and he left with an ugly face.


    "Just you wait, bitch, I wille back", he thought.


    Ming Yue then returned her sword back into its scabbard and went to the owner who was still a bit shocked. He managed to recover but he couldn''t get his mind off of her sword. Then she proceeded to ask him about the ring.


    "Oh! Where did you get this? It''s a spatial ring. Although it seems like a small one, not many people have such an item."


    "Spatial Ring?"


    Ming Yue didn''t think that she would get a spatial ring! She had heard of this item that was able to store items within it without it decaying.


    The store owner continued, "This ring is quite small, it can only carry 3 cubic meters. You should know that these spatial rings could even hold their own world. Unfortunately, those were pretty much legendary and no one knew if they existed."


    It might be small, but for Ming Yue, it was already a big help to her. She could carry more things now and didn''t have to have a bag on her back, slowing her down.


    The owner handed it back to her along with a few words.


    "If you want to use it, you just inject some inner force into it. You''ll feel it hum and then just throw in whatever you want to throw into the ring."


    She put it on and did as he said. She sensed the space and noticed that there was some money and other bare necessities but nothing of great value.


    She thanked the owner and was about to leave.


    Suddenly, he stopped her once again.


    "That sword...there is a shop several blocks ahead, it is owned by a friend of mine who works as a cksmith, If you want to change anything about your sword or you just want to get it fixed, go to him. Tell him, that you just came from Old Su", he said.


    She was surprised that he would say such a thing but she thanked him for the information.


    "Next time youe here, just call me Owner Su."


    She nodded, hearing what she said, and walked out of the store heading for the cksmith. She felt a pair of eyes follow her and she quickened her pace. The feeling soon disappeared but now Ming Yue became wary and didn''t let down her guard. Several blocks away, a man started to walk away, he had seen the whole incident between Ming Yue and Xu Tian.


    He smiled and said, "Interesting."


    Then he disappeared without anyone noticing.

 Chapter 9 - The Parting Sun Blade

    Ming Yue found the shop that owner Su talking about but instead of seeing a normal shop, she saw an open forge that looked like a tornado went through it!


    Weapons and pieces of equipment littered the floor, some were exquisite while others weren''t worth mentioning. In the middle of all this was an old man, he was fixated on his newest creation. It was a broadsword with an ornate handle, it looked quite excellent but he had a disappointed look.


    "Peh! Another failure", he said as he tossed the de onto the floor, letting it ng on the ground.


    Afterward, he was about to start forging again until he noticed a girl at the front. It was Ming Yue. Having seen that the old man was busy, she decided to wait a bit.


    "What do you want?" he spoke frankly as he reached for his hammer.


    Ming Yue was a bit surprised by his straightforwardness but she liked it nevertheless.


    "Could you have a look at this sword?" she asked.


    Unsheathed the de, she held it in her hands and passed it to him. The old man''s eyes showed a tinge of shock that the staff she had was a sword and he became curious, inspecting the de in his hands. He noticed the name "Parting Sun" etched on it and was surprised once more.


    "To think that young girl had such a legendary de, who is she?" he thought.


    "Do you know what this sword is?" he asked.


    She nodded, rying the story herte father had told her.


    "Hmm, you are right. The Parting Sun de was made a grandmaster and used by his son to kill corrupt officials. However, there is an extra part to it, if Parting Sun were to be used with Splitting Moon, the user would be powerful enough to cut open the sun, the moon, and the stars in one move. This was a legend among cksmiths because it was believed that before his death, the grandmaster that made these des had cut a mountain apart while testing them on a whim", he exined.


    The cksmith gave it back to her while shaking his head.


    "The de has no issue and even if it did, I would not have the skill nor the materials to fix it", he exined.


    Ming Yue was disappointed and she turned around to leave.


    Suddenly, the cksmith spoke up.


    "Although I cannot do much, I am still able to make slight adjustments to the hilt and such. If there are any changes to those things, I can do them."


    Ming Yue stopped and went back to the cksmith, she requested two things. She wanted him to redo the sword hilt as well as the scabbard. Although she had been using the de for a fair amount of time, there were some imbnces that she could never get used to.


    The scabbard was notpletely finished by its creator and while it could hold the de, drawing it took some effort. In a battle, taking too long to draw your weapon will definitely end in loss and she did not want that. Thus she wanted the scabbard to perfectly fit the sword.


    As for the hilt, while it was a good fit, it had taken a fair amount of damage and needed a recement.


    This was within the old man''s ability and he agreed.


    "Come back in four days", he told her


    She felt ufortable having to leave without the sword but she could not just stay there for four days. Thus, Ming Yue left but she did get the old man''s name.


    "I am called Tie Xuan but it is better to just call me Tie Di, okay?"


    After leaving, she decided to go back to the brothel. The night was beginning to fall and there wasn''t really anything that she wanted to see.


    When she came back, the brothel had opened up for business, and women could be seen flirting and unting their assets. She went in and walked to her room, swiftly and quietly. There, she undressed and went to bathe herself.


    After she finished, Ming Yue went to her bed and decided to read the Shadow de Arts, although she now had the Falling de Manual as well, she wanted to focus on one thing at a time and had bought the manual to read for the future.


    She was contemting on how to incorporate the techniques of the Shadow de Arts into her style of swordsmanship. Her sword wasn''t a dagger or a short de so it was not suited for silent assassinations. However, the book had emphasized speed which was definitely arge factor in her sword skills.


    Of all the moves, only Descent of Twilight and Eclipse werepatible. What these moves required was only speed, they were killing moves that were to be used if the initial assassination was to fail.


    To Ming Yue, Descent of the Twilight wasn''t too hard understand but Eclipse was on a different level. This move required concentration and contained several mysteries that she could notprehend.


    As she continued to ponder about Eclipse, she sensed something and immediately put her book down. She looked up and noticed a man sitting by her table with a cup of tea. He had a rxed expression on his face as he took a sip.


    Ming Yue tried to reach for her sword only to realize that it was still with Tie Di. However, she still had a dagger and pointed it at the mysterious man.


    He smiled and said," You don''t have to be worried, I have onlye to thank you for saving my nephew. He was the one that ran from the Jade Snake."


    Ming Yue didn''t drop her guard but she replied to him, "I was only passing by, there is no need to thank me."


    The man was a bit surprised by her response but liked the fact that she had some backbone.


    "Even so, you saved him from certain death, and for that, I will grant you one request", he said.


    Ming Yue wasn''t sure what to ask for and thought for a bit. She did not really need anything at the moment but then she noticed that the man had a sword by his side and got an idea.


    "I want to spar with you", she said, "However, my sword is being altered right now and I can only ask that we fight in four days."


    The man was curious about her odd request but thought nothing of it, after all, it was only a spar, she probably wanted topare sword skills.


    "Sure, where do you want to do this?" he asked


    The man agreed and talked about where they could fight.


    "Outside of the city, in a clearing near the east side. We can spar there", she told him.


    He chuckled before finishing his tea and standing up.


    "I am Fei Yun but you can call me Elder Fei. I''ll see you in four days then young one."


    Although he was in his forties, he looked a dozen years younger. He also gave Ming Yue a token with the Fei etched on it.


    "If you need help, you can just go to the Fei n," he told her.


    Afterward, Ming Yue wasn''t in the mood to continue her studies and went to bed. For the next several days, she focused on strengthening herself and rarely went out. The only times she did was only to y with Rou''er. On the day of the fight, she went out to retrieve her sword.


    When she arrived at Tie Di''s forge, the old man was waiting for her with a smile on his face. It seemed like the alterations were a sess. He gave her the sword and let her inspect it.


    It was still the same length and dimensions however it weighed a bit lighter. Tie Di had fixed the handle and the scabbard as well as carving some detailed work on it. From afar, it still looked like a staff or a walking stick, however, there were metal iys that were shaped into a phoenix that wrapped around the scabbard while the hilt was redone with a metal cord wrapping for a better grip. It looked much more beautiful and when she drew the de, it came out smoothly and without difficulty.


    She liked the new changes to it and was happy.. With her sword in hand, she left and arrived at the meeting ce waiting for Elder Fei.

 Chapter 10 - Sparring

    Elder Fei had arrived minutester and they headed for the ce where they would fight. He sized her up as they moved.


    "Hmm, she is now at the peak of the 2nd realm, even Fei Xian had only just reached early 2nd realm and that was with some pills to help with his breakthrough. It seems that she is quite talented."


    Elder Fei was actually at the 9th level of the Human Realm and had traveled back home to tell the family that he will be attempting to breakthrough to Earth Realm, which could take several years. He had been traveling throughout the province, fighting beasts and ying bandits. He had made a name for himself as a righteous hero.


    Elder Fei had suddenly began telling Ming Yue these stories. He wanted to see how she would react to these stories as well as take this chance to learn more about her. As for Ming Yue, she was a bit shocked and didn''t know that she would be fighting someone like him. However, this was a good chance to improve her sword skills and gain some pointers. She herself did not talk too much. She only answered questions in one sentence or even one word. Elder Fei did not mind this at all and felt that she must''ve had a painful past.


    They arrived at the clearing and then took their stance. Elder Fei took his sword and held it forwards. Ming Yue unsheathed her de and pointed it to the ground with both hands on the hilt. She immediately changed and a cold aura surrounded her.


    Elder Fei''s face didn''t changed as he faced his opponent. Then they began.


    Ming Yue attacked first and Elder Fei went into a defensive position. She attacked continuously aiming for specific spots while Elder Fei defended and would asionally send out an attack.


    As the fight continued, she began to feel pressure from Elder Fei and soon she became the one defending. he did not go easy on her but he did limit his strength to that of a 2nd realm cultivator. Even so, he still held the upper hand but that was due to his experience and skill.


    She started using different techniques, even testing out things like Descent of the Twilight but they were all broken by a single swing. However, ideas and improvements appeared in her head as she slowly perfected her skills.


    She started to exhaust herself and stopped attacking. Elder Fei had no changes in his face but on the inside he was surprised, He had to exert about 30 percent of his strength to keep up with her. Her attack speed was quite fast and had a lot of power. While her defensive capability was decent it was her offensive power that was amazing. Furthermore, her sword skills seemed to inhabit a certain power to it but he wasn''t sure what it was.


    Knowing that she could not fight for much longer, she prepared one more move, although it did not have a name, she often rted it to the idea of splitting. It was the move from before where she hadpletely bisected a tree in one cut and cut Blood Wolf in half. But to be more specific it wasn''t a move but a state that she was in. A state ofplete control and focus, where she was one with the sword.


    Elder Fei noticed this change and took his defensive stance. He waited for her final move.


    Suddenly, Ming Yue dashed forward cutting horizontally in an incredible speed.


    His eyes widened and he immediately used 50 percent of his power. This next swing wasn''t simple and it seemed capable of cutting anything in its way. He took the hit and was pushed back several feet. Although he was uninjured, his arms shook continuously.


    It ended with Ming Yue''s victory as she had forced Elder Fei to use more strength than he had intended. Ming Yue dropped to her knees in exhaustion and Elder Fei helped her stand up and rested her against a tree.


    Then he began to talk to her about her skills and what shecked.


    "Your skills are quite good and don''tck power, however, you are missing experience the most and your techniques aren''t perfect. However that final move was incredible. It seems that you arepatible with the Dao of Wind."


    Ming Yue was curious, she didn''t know what these daos were.


    "The Dao of Wind is only one of many others. It is an attribute that people are skilled in. Some may be better at fire than at water. Others may excel in the Dao of Metal. There are countless ones but they are separated into levels: Minor Daos, Major Daos, and Grand Daos. When choosing your Dao, it will begin as a minor dao but as you grow more ustomed and improve your understanding, it could be a Major Dao and ultimately a Grand Dao. Reaching the Grand Dao eans that you have reachedplete mastery. There is no true way of learning the dao, it is only how you perceive it that shows your ability. You seem to have talent in Sword and Wind Dao which is quite fitting. Wind equates to speed, it can be a calm and gentle breeze as well as a cruel and destructive storm. The sword is a tool for attack and defense, it can be a tool to kill or to protect. It all depends on how you think of it."


    After he finished his lecture, Ming Yue thought heavily on what she learned. This waspletely new to her and while she did not fully understand, she had a general idea.


    "Thank you for teaching me", she said.


    Elder Fei smiled, he quite liked this girl and thought about recruiting her but then he stopped himself. He could feel that she liked to be free and chose not to ask. Instead he talked to her about the future.


    "If you are not sure as to where to go next, try going to the Jade Dragon Pavilion. It is an organization run by the Emperor himself. It has a variety requests made by both the people and the nobility. Furthermore, you can get rewards and points to exchange for many different items. Anyone can register as well. I suggest that you go there to get some experience and earn some money."


    This wasn''t a bad idea and she thought about it carefully before deciding to check it out once she rested. After resting they went back to the brothel where she was staying. When they walked to the front. Ming Yue say Cui Fen outside, but there was a group of men talking to her.. They had lecherous looks on their faces as they grabbed at her.

 Chapter 11 - Joining The Pavilion

    Ming Yue was about to move but Elder Fei moved first. He went to Cui Fen and grabbed the hand of the leader in this group. His face had a serious look as he moved her behind him.


    "Tch, what do you think you are doing? We only wanted a little touch", said one of the men, "She works as a brothel, we should be able to get this much."


    Elder Fei was calm and he replied," I don''t believe that she agreed to anything outside of this business, so fuck off."


    After he said thosest words, he released a bit of pressure scaring them away.


    "Alright, you win. But we wille back next time", they said as they ran away in fear.


    Elder Fei then turned to Cui Fen and asked if she was hurt. She blushed little bit and said that she was fine, unable to keep her eyes away from him.


    Elder Fei was by no means a handsome man however he had a feeling of reliability and a calm aura. Coupled with the fact that, he just saved her, Cui Fen quite liked him. On the other end, Cui Fen was a beauty and Elder Fei couldn''t leave her alone like that, even if she did work at a brothel.


    Suddenly, Cui Fen noticed Ming Yue and went to her.


    "Where were you?! You were gone the whole day!" she said.


    Ming Yue had a small smile, it''s been a while since she had felt such warmth from someone.


    "So she can smile", Elder Fei thought, he never saw her smile at all and was under the impression that she was without much emotion, only knowing coldness.


    Ming Yue looked at Cui Fen and pointed at Elder Fei.


    "I was with him. We were sparring after I picked up my sword", she said.


    Cui Fen looked at her incredulously and then changed her focus to Elder Fei. He felt a bit shy from her stare and nodded.


    "Yes, I was sparring with her. She had saved my nephew and so I told her that I would fulfill one request from her. This was what she wanted. Oh, I almost forgot to introduce myself, My name is Fei Yun."


    "I am Cui Fen, Ming Yue had rescued me from a group of men. If it weren''t for her I might have died."


    "It seems that both of us have something inmon", Elder Fei said.


    Their conversation stopped there as they could not find a suitable topic to talk about. The both of them were a bit shy with each other. After all, they were both simr in age and quite attractive. Ming Yue noticed this but ignored it, promptly going inside to sleep. Both adults then followed and began conversing again talking to each other to what they did.


    The more they talked, the more they werefortable with each other. Cui Fen saw a heroic spiritbined with a kind soul in Elder Fei. While he thought of her as a woman who cared deeply about family and friends. He didn''t mind the fact that she worked in a brothel.


    For the next couple of days, Ming Yue would often spar with Elder Fei and her swordsmanship had gone up another level,pared to before, her skills were much more smoother and carried more power. This was because she went to Owner Su''s shop to buy a book on the Dao Of Wind because she did not know where or how to even begin. The book was quite general and didn''t have much information, but it helped her find her own way of using wind. Furthermore, with an opponent like Elder Fei, there were many ws that she had found and many enlightenments as well.


    As for Elder Fei, he often went to the brothel with Ming Yue after their sparring to talk with Cui Fen. It seems like a rtionship was beginning to bloom. Even her daughter, Rou''er was beginning to warm up to him.


    After several weeks, Elder Fei told Ming Yue that he had to go, he could not dy any longer and went to try and break through to the Earth Realm.


    "After I leave, please tell Cui Fen that I wille back as soon as possible. Also do not forget to go to the pavilion I told you about. You will gain much more than just experience."


    Ming Yue nodded and Elder Fei soon left. She went back and told Cui Fen, who took the news quite well.


    "He wille back, I''m sure of it", She said.


    Afterwards, Ming Yue went to the Jade Dragon Pavilion and saw a grand building appear before her eyes. It was big and decorative with a statue of the emperor in front of it. When she entered, a spacious area filled her view, there were areas for rest and a fair amount of people were here. Opposite to the entrance was a counter with 2 women in the front, who seem to be the receptionists. To the right and the left were walls filled with all kinds of requests. As she walked to the counter, she noticed that the requests closer to it were increasingly difficult. One of them even requested the head of a rank 7 beast. Once she arrived, one of the women greeted her.


    "Wee to the Jade Dragon Pavilion, would you like to post a request?" she said.


    Ming Yue then replied, "No, I would like to register as a member."


    The woman was surprised, like the people around her, she did not think that this young girl would be registering. However, she kept her calm and brought her to another room in order to be tested. When Ming Yue entered, she saw an old man on a chair drinking some tea as if he knew she wasing. In front of him was a circle. The man had a friendly expression but he seemed extremely mysterious. He had no power or pressureing from him, one would even think that he was a harmless old man.


    "Hello there, I am the registrations elder, youngdy. Please stand in the middle of this circle", he said.


    She followed his directions and walked over.


    "You may put down your things over there, you will not be needing them", he said pointing at a chair.


    She left her sword and bag and went back to the circle awaiting her test.


    "Now then, let''s begin."

 Chapter 12 - Taking Missions

    Suddenly, Ming Yue felt slight pressure on her body but paid no attention to this.


    "You must endure for as long as you can", said the registrations elder, "Your result will dictate whether or not you qualify."


    As time passed, the pressure slowly increased. At one minute, Ming Yue was beginning to sweat. At the third minute, she could barely stand. The weight on her body was enormous but she still held on. It felt like she had two boulders on her shoulders pushing her down. However, she refused to copse, she was determined to get the best possible result.


    Even the elder was impressed with her performance. Not many could hold out as long as her, although this pressure tested their physical capabilities, it also tested their mental power as well. Soon, five minutes passed and the weight had be a mountain. At this point, she could no longer hold on and fell to her knees, signalling the end of the test. She hoped that she did not do bad and that she would be able to join the pavilion.


    The Elder got up from his seat and helped her stand up. He set her down onto another seat and gave her some time to rest. After Ming Yue caught her breath, he told the receptionist toe in.


    "She passed. Furthermore, put her in the Jade Fox rank", he said.


    She was surprised, she didn''t think that the girl would make it. Her previous assessment of Ming Yue changed and she brought her back to the counter to give her some paperwork.


    "I didn''t think that you could make it", she said, "and you even got into Jade Fox too, you must be really strong!"


    Ming Yue didn''t understand these terms as she filled out her form, which asked for her name, birthday, and current age.


    Then the receptionist continued to exin the process of the Pavilion.


    "Requests and our members are ssified in the same ranking system: White Sparrow>Jade Fox>Bronze Bull>ck Turtle>White Tiger>Nine-Headed Phoenix >Azure Dragon> Royal Qilin.


    Members are able to take missions of the same rank as well as one rank above and one below. In order to rank up, there is a yearly examination in order to reassess your strength and change your rank. All missions have rewards whether it is in the form of money or items. Furthermore, you will be awarded contribution points that you may use to exchange for skills, items, etc. If you fail however, you will lose twice the points and be forced to only take missions below your rank for a certain amount of time."


    Ming Yue listened to all this andmitted it to her memory as she gave in her paper. Minutester, the receptionist came back with a jade token with her name etched on it and gave it to her.


    "If you need any help pleasee ask but if you are looking for a mission, then check the walls for anything that fits."


    Ming Yue took her token and looked at it before tying it to her robes and going to the wall. There was an enormous number of papers, detailing the missions. Each had a stamp on the top to designate its rank. She stopped at the jade fox section and began looking through. A fair amount of people were surprised to see her there but that was it. After all, The Jade Dragon Pavilion is never wrong with their rankings, furthermore there are numerous experts, she was just one of them.


    After several minutes of deciding, she picked out 2 missions, one for herb collecting and another monster extermination. She brought the two to the counter and asked for these missions.


    "Two Jade Fox Missions. You must travel the the base of Death Wind Mountain to find a rank 1, 100 year, Jade Dew Flower. Furthermore you are to find a vige in that area that is being attacked by a rank 2 Snow Ape. The reward for these two missionsbined is 150 gold coins, and 400 contribution points" said the receptionist.


    Ming Yue had chosen these missions because they were in the same area, furthermore she is quite adept in medicinal nts and knew what a Jade Dew Flower was. As for the Snow Ape mission, she wanted to gain some experience killing different beasts, considering that she only killed wolves and the one snake. Immediately, she left and prepared toplete her missions.


    After grabbing her things from the brothel, she said goodbye to the women at the brothel and left for Death Wind Mountain. But before reaching there, she would first go to the vige to y the Snow Ape. After several days, she finally reached her first destination. It was a small little vige named, "Lotus Vige." It was somewhat destitute and signs of damage were everywhere. There was a solemn look on her face when she saw this. As she entered, the vigers looked at her in fear and curiosity.


    As she continued walking, an old man approached her.


    "Are you here to kill the Snow Ape?" He asked.


    She nodded, to his surprise and showed him her Jade Fox Token as proof of her identity. The man was skeptical but he had no other way out of this situation.


    "I am the vige chief, Tian Kun, our vige has been attacked by the snow ape multiple times in thest several months. Although we tried to chase it away, the beast would alwayse back to steal our crops and kill us. Everyone has been living in fear and some have even left. If this continues any longer, we will no longer exist. We believe that the Snow Ape wille back in several days", he said.


    After hearing all of this information, Ming Yue thought for a bit before asking the vige chief where the ape resides.


    "You want to kill it at it''s own dwelling!?" he said incredulously.


    She nodded and asked again, waiting for his reply.


    "It...lives in a cave west of here. We had followed it the second time we were attacked but by the time we followed it to its home, the snow ape attacked us. It knew that we were following it and killed some of us as we tried to escape. Out of 20 men that followed, only 5 survived", said the vige chief.


    Ming Yue understood that the Snow Ape was somewhat intelligent, considering the circumstances, the best way to defeat it would be to ambush the beast. After Ming Yue had her directions she went for the cave and waited nearby. Hourster, she saw the snow ape leave its abode. It was 2 meters tall and had white fur. There was a ferocious look on its face as it looked around before leaving its home.


    She started following it and realized that the it was heading for the vige!

 Chapter 13 - The Snow Ape

    She could not allow the ape to attack again and moved ahead of it before finding a suitable area to ambush from. The snow ape was walking closer and closer to Ming Yue as she prepared to attack it, aiming for the leg. The moment it was within 2 feet of her, Ming Yue attacked.


    "Descent of the Twilight"


    A dark de shed at its leg, leaving arge gash there. After attacking she hid once more. The ape was surprised, he did not think that someone would attack him and he became enraged, beating his chest and roaring loudly. The ape could not see where or who attacked and it began scanning its surroundings.


    As for Ming Yue, she had used Descent of the Twilight on it and was surprised that she did not hack off its leg. Throughout her time training with Elder Fei, she became skilled in using Descent of the Twilight and was beginning to understand Eclipse from the Shadow de Arts. It was a shame that these were the only techniques that werepatible with her sword. Knowing that she had learned all she could from it, She decided to look at the Falling de Manual.


    In it, were three parts, The first part was how to use momentum to your advantage. Things like timing, stance, grip, etc were already exined allowing Ming Yue to only need practice before she had sessfully strengthened her strikes. As for the second part, this dealt with adding inner force in order to push it up another level. This part was much harder for her as she never really used inner force for anything other than cultivation. Furthermore there was the final part, it was tobine the two parts together. It was extremelyplicated as she could not control her inner force too well. Even with all of the practice, she could only bring out 30% of its strength.


    However, this was plenty enough when it came to dealing with the snow ape. She hid behind a tree, preparing for her next strike. This time she started infusing it with inner force. The ape was still looking around, and the moment his back was in front of her, she attacked.


    "Cut!"


    She was extremely quick, however, the ape noticed and turned around, managing to block the attack with its arms. Unfortunately, his arms suffered damage and could not fully mitigate the force. The bones had already started cracking as blood dripped down from therge shes. Then, the snow ape immediately attacked Ming Yue before she could escape, swatting her with his right hand. The force had thrown her against a tree causing an impact. It was strong enough to create cracks on the trunk and she starting tasting blood in her mouth.


    The Snow Ape sneered as he approached her but it did not dare to drop its guard. It had already suffered several injuries and wanted to finish this fight quickly. However, Ming Yue was not as injured as she looked and stood up, taking her stance. She pushed forward and struck the ape.


    "Eclipse"


    Using the strongest move that she had, she attacked, aiming for the left arm.


    The snow ape saw her attack but the strike was too fast for it to dodge. Within a moment, the ape had lost its arm which had fallen to the ground, twitching as blood poured out. The ape put his remaining arm on what was left of the left arm and felt extreme fear. If the fight continues, he would die.


    Immediately it ran and tried to escape. However, Ming Yue did not let it escape, chasing after the ape. As they went through trees and bushes, Ming Yue was gaining on the ape. She was just a bit faster as the snow ape had lost too much blood therefore, it could not run at its top speed. Soon she caught up and dispatched the creature immediately, cutting off the head without hesitation. She then packaged it and put the head into her spatial ring to bring back as proof.


    Afterwards, Ming Yue went to the cave that the snow ape lived in. She wanted to see if there was anything of use in there before she left for the vige. She spotted some rare herbs as well as some medicinal pills. She didn''t know what these pills were but judging by its strong scent, these were quite potent. As she packed these up, she noticed a strangely shaped stone at the deepest part of the cave and inspected it.


    It was round and smooth with a white sheen. After some thought, she believed it to be an egg, as for what beast it was, she did not know. It could not be a snow ape because it was a male and there were no signs of any female either. As she was unable to make anything of it, she put everything into her spatial ring and left. When she goes back to the city, she would get someone to appraise it.


    Several hourster, she made it to the vige and showed proof that the snow ape was killed. The vigers were happy especially, the vige chief, he did not want the home that he worked so hard for to disappear. Afterwards, Ming Yue stayed in the vige to recuperate before moving onto her second mission.


    As she continued on to Death Wind Mountain, she encountered several dangerous beasts but she was able to fend them off, even killing one or two. She collected any materials from those beasts and put them into her ring.


    It was very useful despite having little space and Ming Yue appreciated it greatly. After a week or so, she reached the base of the mountain and began looking for a Jade Dew Flower. It had 7 petals which glowed a light green and could be used in multiple pills for healing. In this environment, it wouldn''t be hard to spot but it was quite rare and she could not find it despite spending several hours looking.


    Then she decided to venture deeper into the mountain, preparing herself to escape if she found a threat that she could not handle. There was quite a bit of trees and shrubbery that were in her way as she continued onward. Suddenly, she heard a booming roar and immediately hid. She could not see the beast and slowly moved until she heard sounds of battle and spotted 2 gigantic beasts shing with each other.


    She saw arge Earth Tortoise charge at its opponent, a Thunder Roc. It was a rank 5 monster that was fighting against another rank 5!


    Each sh produced tremors as lightning scattered all over the battle area and much of the earth was overturned. They were both simrly injured but the fight was fierce. Ming Yue could do nothing but watch.. The battle was too chaotic for her to move and one wrong step could end in her death.

 Chapter 14 - Risky Gamble

    As she continued to watch, she spotted the cause of this fight. The Earth Tortoise had been defending a small medicinal garden. Thunder Roc must have wanted to take it for its own.


    When she examined the garden, she noticed a flower that looked just like the Jade Dew Flower. It was near the edge of the garden and somewhat close to her. She began thinking about her chances of getting it, nning her next course of action. Who knew when she would find another one in the mountains. It could take days or weeks just to find another one and she decided to try and obtain the flower.


    "I probably have a 10 percent chance of getting it but if I wait for these two to get serious injuries. I have about a 40 percent chance of getting it", she thought.


    With her final decision made, she slowly moved around the edge of the battle, towards the garden as the fight intensified. With every second passing, more and more injuries appeared over their bodies but their attacks were increasingly ferocious.


    Then the Thunder Roc flew down heading straight for the tortoise,unching continuous streams of lightning onto the tortoise. However, despite the constant attacks, the tortoise did not budge, Its body remained unmovable. The Roc had flew too close to it giving the Tortoise a oppurtunity. The Earth Tortoise immediately attacked biting one of the Roc''s wings and tore it off with great strength. It left a bloody stump,


    The Roc screeched in extreme pain and attacked in retaliation, scratching the tortoise''s head with its w, managing to cut the tortoise''s eye.


    Without its wing, the roc''s fighting ability had been halved and it tried to escape. However, the tortoise would not let it go and chased after it.


    Knowing that this was her chance, Ming Yue rushed for the garden and harvested the Jade Dew Flower as well as some other nts. Furthermore, she went to the area where the Thunder Roc''s arm was and harvested what she could get.


    Many of these things were useful to her as the Thunder Roc''s body had both lightning and wind elements contained in its body. Consuming these items would aid in her cultivation greatly and even allow herpatibility with wind and lightning to increase. Soon her spatial ring was filled to the brim with bottles of blood and medicinal nts


    She was almost done harvesting when the Earth Tortoise came back and noticed that much of the garden was gone. Then it saw Ming Yue and roared in anger. A puny human had stolen from under its nose. It moved towards her rapidly.


    Ming Yue ran as fast as she could and the Tortoise chased after her. Being a rank 5 beast, It had a great amount of strength as well as some intelligence although it could not speak. Furthermore, even thought it was a tortoise, it was in no way slower than her and was getting closer by the second. She tried multiple methods to shake the tortoise off but it would always find her. After an hour of chasing, she noticed a group of rank 3 True Fire Lions and immediately ran towards them. After she passed them , the tortoise followed, stomping on their territory with no regard.


    The True Fire Lions were angry and attacked the Earth Tortoise, slowing it down. With no other choice, it let Ming Yue escape and fought against the lions. As for Ming Yue, she did not stay to see the result and immediately ran away. After she made sure that she was not being chased, Ming Yue found a small cave and rested in it. She also took this time to reorganize her things.


    She had her sword on her and a small bag containing some rations and money. In her spatial ring were several bottles of thunder roc blood, the snow ape''s head, the Jade Dew Flower, some rank 2, 100 year nts, and even a rank 2, 1000 year old Fire Lotus. The lotus was a deep red and exuded a bit of heat. She nned on using the Fire Lotus as well as the thunder roc blood to increase her cultivation. After all, cultivating in the Human Realm required one to strengthen their entire body from the organs to the skin. As for the rest excluding the mission items, she would sell it as it was of little use to her.


    After organizing, she went into a cultivation state to recover and to think about the fight between the earth tortoise and the thunder roc. She began formting moves based on the Thunder Roc. while it had mostly fought using lightning, it alsounched wind des and other wind attacks. Unfortunately, she could not make anything substantial and only had some basic ideas in mind. There was nothing usable as of yet but that was expected, she wasn''t a genius after all. She could only progress step by step.


    After recovering, she went straight to Luan City toplete her missions. This journey was about a month long but she had gained a lot and nned to breakthrough to Human Realm Third Rank. When she reached the Jade Dragon Pavilion, she greeted the receptionist andpleted the missions, gaining 500 contribution points and 175 gold coins. This was more than the mission detailed but the receptionist soon exined.


    "The Jade Dew Flower that you gave was of better quality than needed, thus we rewarded you with a bit more", she said.


    Ming Yue understood and after taking her gold, she went to the exchange hall. It was an equallyrge areapared to the main hall with 3 people at the counter. Chairs and tables filled the room and people were seen looking through a book. When Ming Yue went up to the counter, she was also given the same book, which turned out to be a catalog showing all items that were exchangeable and how much contribution points they were worth.


    There were hundreds of items and soon she took a seat and began looking through each page. There were multiple sections:Pills, nts, weapons, armor, skills, cultivation manuals, even beast materials, and pet eggs. There were also services that could be exchanged like appraisals, healing, examinations, you could even exchange for a chance to spar with an expert and learn something from them. She did not know what to get but did make note of some things such as appraisal and sparring but she decided to save her points and went back to the brothel.


    The brothel, especially the boss weed her back. They didn''t have an issue having her stay in one of their rooms. There was space and Ming Yue would often help the brothel whenever scuffles between the customers happened.


    In any case, this was her home here and it was nice. Later that night she prepared a bath and poured in the thunder roc blood. Afterwards, she had the blood lotus on hand and ingested it before taking off her clothes and dipping into the bath. When cultivating in the Human Realm, one had to strengthen their entire body from the organs to the skin. Soon, fiery heat came from within while the lightning and wind essence tempered her body from the surface. This way she would have a higher chance of breaking through as the pressure from these items would push her body''s limit. It was more dangerous as if one lost consciousness the energy and pain could kill them or at least cripple them. However, surviving would offer great strength, something that shecked.


    Thus Ming Yue had begun her attempt at breaking through.

 Chapter 15 - Breakthrough!

    As she continuously absorbed the Blood Lotus, the thunder roc blood tempered her body, shocking it with small amounts of electricity. After an hour of agony, her body finally broke into the third level however instead of stopping, her cultivation continued to rise. Suddenly it reached the peak of the third level but even this bottleneck could not stop her sudden burst and she pushed into the fourth level.


    Various cracks and pops could be heard as her body readjusted itself and slowly transformed. The bath was slowly reced by any impurities that her body had expelled. Minutester, she got out of the bath and wiped herself down before putting on some robes.


    Ming Yue seemed a bit more mature after her breakthrough. Her skin was even more wless and shined against the moon while her eyes were more sharper and her face became even more beautiful. Now she seemed like a child of the stars, bright and glowing. One would not think that she was only 14 years old.


    This was all because of her breakthrough to the fourth level. She had been at the second level for quite some time and had gained a huge amount of experience frombat and training. Ming Yue understood that she was no genius and only hard work and persistence would help her. Not a single second was wasted. She always cultivated everyday, making her foundation very solid and practiced constantly. Coupled with the fact that her body had never experienced the efficacy of a cultivation nt, the effects of the Blood Lotus and the thunder roc blood doubled. Thus she was able to breakthrough two levels.


    She cleaned up the tub and went back to her room. The first thing she had to do was to consolidate her cultivation. If she did not, it would lead to many problemster on. After several hours, she woke up from her state and examined her power. As she was now, her strength was 4 times what it was before. If she fought that snow ape from before, she would''ve killed it in one move. She was extremely happy with her progress but knew that she had a long way to go. After readjusting to her newfound strength, she rested for the night.


    The next day, she went back to the pavilion to take on more missions as well as to test her strength. When she came in, the receptionist noticed something different about her but refrained from asking, after all people had right to their own privacy.


    Ming Yue looked at the board and scanned through the missions. She was about to choose one until one of the receptionists called for their attention.


    "An unknown set of ruins has appeared about several hundred miles away. The king has issued a country mission to all Jade Dragon Pavilions in the area to explore them. Of course any treasure that you find will be yours. Anyone in the Bronze Bull Rank and above can join, Jade Fox may also join but it is not rmended", she said.


    An unknown set of ruins! Everyone''s minds turned greedy from the thought of it. After all, it was unknown and untouched meaning that there were bound to be loads of treasure.


    As for Ming Yue, she decided to join as well however it was not for treasure but to hone herself and get more ustomed to her new cultivation state. This was her main goal but of she were to find anything suitable for her, she would try to obtain it. She approached the counter to sign up and left the pavilion afterwards. The mission was set to start in 2 weeks and everyone was to leave together.


    She went to Owner Su''s store afterwards for the mysterious egg that she obtained from the Snow Ape''s cave. She was curious about the egg and wanted to see what kind of beast came from it. When she reached the store, she noticed that the outside had been a little destroyed and entered to see several men surrounding Owner Su.


    "Heh, Old man, if you weren''t helping that girl, we would not be here right now. Unfortunately for you, she has angered our young master and now anyone that knows her must be punished", said one of the men.


    At the end of that line, they felt a chill on their backs. It was as if a scythe had been pointed at their necks, ready to behead them. They slowly turned around, only to be greeted by a cold stare from Ming Yue. She approached them, gripping her sword and then struck the heads of the men except for one. They could not defend quick enough and were knocked out by her scabbard. The remaining one had buckled under her stare and fell to his knees, sweat covered his entire body as he tried to hold himself together.


    "Who sent you?" she said icily.


    The man feared for his life and quickly replied, "It...It was master Xu Tian."


    She didn''t remember this person and asked.


    "He was... the one you kicked out of the store."


    Only after hearing that did she remember, that young master was annoying her so she kicked him out. She did not think that he would be so petty as to attack this store.


    Then she walked up to the sweating man and whispered in his ear, "Tell your young master that the next time he does something like this, I will personallye and slice his head off."


    After saying this, she kicked all of those men out and helped Owner Su up, asking if he was okay.


    "I am fine, this man may be old but he isn''t that fragile", he said, "Anyways, what brings you here?"


    Ming Yue told him about the snow ape mission and then pulled out the egg, asking if there was a way to identify it. Unfortunately, while there were ways, it would be a waste. This egg was most likely something normal. It did not exude any pressure or aura nor did it have any interesting characteristics. She was somewhat disappointed with the egg but kept it anyways. Owner Su then gave her some advice as to how to take care of it.


    "It only needs time and a warm ce to incubate. If you want to quicken the process, you could inject some inner force into it. This will also allow you to forge an early connection with the egg", he said.


    After taking care of smaller matters like buying rations and such, she left and went back to the brothel. After taking a bath and refreshing herself, she took the egg out and looked at it. The shell was smooth and bright white like a pearl. It was about half the size of a ostrich''s egg and quite light. She then put her hand on it and started moving some of her inner force into the egg. It began to glow as she injected more force. Thinking that this was normal she continued to feed it some more inner force before stopping for the night.


    Little did she know after she went to bed, cracks started appearing in the egg.. A pair of silver eyes could be seen through them.

 Chapter 16 - Xiao Yin

    Ming Yue felt something warm and fluffy under her nkets. It was a veryfortable feeling and she started to cuddle it. Suddenly she heard multiple chirps and opened her eyes, only to see a pair of silver eyes looking at her. She rushed out of bed and moved away for the creature, preparing to attack if it was hostile. However, it was nothing of the sort. Instead of a fearsome animal like she thought, there was a small little owl on the bed looking at her. It had bright silver eyes, and grayish feathers.


    Ming Yue noticed the broken eggshells by her bed and realized who the owl was. It came from the egg she picked up from before!


    After realizing this, she lowered her guard and slowly approached the owl. As she walked towards it, the little owl flew andnded on her shoulder nuzzling against her cheek. Ming Yue was surprised from the owl''s actions and reached for its neck, stroking it. It purred in delight as she continued stroking. She smiled at its cuteness and started thinking about a name in the mean time.


    "Hmm, since you are a girl, how about Xiao Niu?" she asked.


    The owl shook her head, she didn''t seem to like the name and wanted something different. Minutester, they finally decided on a name.


    "How about Xiao Yin? Since your eyes are bright silver", she said.


    Xiao Yin tweeted happily as she epted the name. Xiao Yin seemed to have a degree of intelligence despite being born just yesterday. Ming Yue thought about this as she changed into her clothes and left her room. As she walked around brothel, everyone noticed Xiao Yin andmented on how cute she was. Her silver eyes were quite adorable.


    Ming Yue went to Owner Su''s shop with Xiao Yin, she wanted to know if he could recognize the race that Xiao Yin was from. When she entered, he immediately noticed the owl perched on her shoulder.


    "Oh, is that the creature from the egg? I didn''t think it would hatch so soon!" he said.


    "I was wondering if you know what kind of owl Xiao Yin is?" Ming Yue replied.


    "So you''ve already named her, interesting. Let me get a better look at Xiao Yin then."


    Owner Su approached Ming Yue, inspecting Xiao Yin. After several minutes, he went to the back of his shop and came out with arge book. He opened it, flipping pages frequently until stopping near the end.


    "Aha! I found it!" he said, "It is a rank 2 Star Owl, While it does not have much offensive capabilities, it has incredible senses and can detect danger from miles away. Furthermore, it is a great tracker and can spot things that were easy to miss. Star Owls are also known for their intelligence."


    Ming Yue was somewhat surprised at Xiao Yin. She didn''t think that she would have such a pet. She wouldn''t have to worry about any assassins and be able to avoid any dangerous situations. Both man and beast were be hard pressed to try to ambush her.


    She thanked Owner Su and left the store.


    "Don''t forget to sell me anything interesting that you find!" he said as she left.


    Ming Yue nodded and went out to do some other errands. There was only 2 weeks before the expedition and she wanted to prepare ordingly. She went to Tie Di''s forge and asked him to check on her de and make sure that it is in good shape. After leaving it to him, she went toplete some small herb collection missions for the pavilion. Considering that she had Xiao Yin with her, who had good tracking skills, they were quite quick and easy to do.


    Time passed by quickly and the day of the expedition came. Ming Yue prepared to leave and told everyone at the brothel that she would not be back for quite some time. After saying her goodbyes, she left and headed for the pavilion. She arrived to the pavilion and saw a group of around 100 people. After everyone had arrived, they were separated into around 20 groups. ording to one of the mission organizers, each group was to be responsible for exploring a specific section of the ruins.


    As for Ming Yue, her group consisted of 3 men and 2 women including her. Everyone had excited looks and began conversing with each other, introducing themselves as they traveled to their destination.


    There was a muscr bald man named Ming Gang, he had a giant axe and wore dark green clothes. The other two men were blood brothers named Shen Hou and Ling Rong, who both had matching clothes and held a sword and spear respectively. They had a heroic demeanor and were very humble about their background. They were known as the Long Feng Brothers due to their fighting style where one followed the moves of a dragon and the other a phoenix. Then there was the fourth member, Lan Jia, she was extremely pretty and could be considered a beauty. She was quite shapely and her lips were cherry red. Her hair was deep blue and long enough to reach her waist. However the most interesting part was her weapon, while most female cultivators preferred the sword, she had a pair of gauntlets and fought using her fists. Ming Gang and Lan Jia were of the Bronze Bull rank, Shen Hou and Ling Rong were at ck Turtle and Ming Yue at Jade Fox.


    Out of the entire group, Ming Gang was the most excited. Unlike the others, he had never really left Luan City and had only gone as far as Death Wind Mountains.


    "I wonder what the ruins could have? Money, weapons, skills, maybe inheritances?" he said.


    "From what I hear, this set of ruins is a pce that once housed a lord at the Sky realm. It is believed that he was a demonic genius who surpassed many others with his fire techniques and ultimately made a name for himself as the Blue Fire Scion", said Lan Jia.


    "Such a terrifying name! He must''ve been quite the character", said Shen Hou.


    Ming Yue was somewhat interested in this Blue Fire Scion but because he was better known for cultivating with fire, there was most likely nothing rted to wind in the ruins.


    Everyone continued talking about themselves, the things they did, where they came from. Of them all, Ming Yue spoke the least. She was more focused ying with Xiao Yin.


    Suddenly, Ming Gang decided to ask her why she was a member of the pavilion at such a young age. He himself was around 25 years old while the others were at theirte thirties.


    "I have no family left, they were killed by bandits along with my vige. The only thing I have left to remember them by is this sword", she said, showing them the sheathed de.


    She smiled afterwards, "You do not have to console me, I am fine. The best thing I can do right now is live."


    Everyone went quiet, surprised by her words. As they thought about this, constant howls were resounded in the air. They immediately raised their guard. Several hundred meters away from them was a forest where the howls seemed to originate from. As they looked onward, shadows started started to pass through the trees as they moved towards the group.


    As they continued appearing, someone yelled.


    "It''s a pack of ck Root Wolves!"


    They were rank 2 monsters and weren''t too dangerous by themselves. However as a group, they were a force to be reckoned with. ck Root was part of their names because their bodies were fused with nature. Dark nt roots covered their legs like armor and even covered their ws, making them much more resilient and able to do more damage.


    Everyone prepared for the iing attack circting their force and brandishing their weapons.. The wolf horde was only 200 meters away and everyone readied themselves.

 Chapter 17 - Fighting The Wolves

    The fight began as soon as the wolves reached the group. There were several hundreds of them as they rushed the cultivators. Chaos ensued as every team separated, defending only themselves. Scenes of battle urred everywhere as everyone fought with extreme fervor.


    Ming Yue''s team was at the front of the group and were under extreme pressure from the onught.


    "Behind me!" said Ming Gang.


    He rushed to the front of the team, defending with his axe. Everyone else covered his back, attacking any wolves that came close. They killed as much as they could, shing and stabbing nonstop. Of them all, Ming Yue was killing the most. Every strike that she made executed at least 3 wolves. If not for her expertise in the sword as well as the length of her sword, she would not have been able to kill so many at once.


    Her group was surprised by her ability and they saw her in a new light. The pressure on them was significantly reduced because of Ming Yue. However, many other groups struggled to survive the assault. Some have already sustained multiple injuries.


    "We cannot hold on for much longer!" said one of the teams. Several of them were hurt, one even had a broken leg.


    "If everyone stays like this, we will die", she thought.


    Ming Yue then broke away from the group and began attacking on her own. She moved around to other groups, killing the beasts and relieving the pressure off of everyone. Everywhere she went, bodies of wolvesid on the ground, some were beheaded while others were cut in half. It was extremely brutal to watch and the air seemed to freeze around her. At that moment, she became a god of death, reaping the lives all that stood in her way.


    The battle slowly came to its end as the remnants of the wolf horde retreated. But before anyone could rx, a deafening howl could be heard. Everyone looked at the source of the roar, they stared at the source, afraid of what was toe. It was most likely the leader of the wolves. From the came a giant wolf with emerald fur and a dark green horn on its head. Simr to the ck Root Wolves, rocks covered the wolf''s body like armor, especially around the legs. It was a rank 4 Terra Wolf King.


    Everyone was exhausted, none of them would be able to contend with the wolf in their current state. Together, they might stand a chance but they had little strength left. Suddenly, a dark shadow passed by and confronted the King Wolf. A battle ensued between the two, everyone was shocked by this intrusion but sighed in relief as they had time to recuperate. However, they knew that this stranger might not be able to beat the Terra Wolf King alone.


    "We must attack the King Wolf while its preupied! Anyone who can still fight has to go!" said one of the cultivators.


    Everyone agreed and a small group of people including Ming Yue went to help the stranger. As they approached, everyone could feel the sparks in the air as the two characters fought. On one side was a king of his race while on the other was a lone man wielding two swords. As they fought, the man attacked, fusing the element of ice into his attacks. Each strike he made caused ice to appear on the wounds. While they were preupied, Ming Yue and the rest of the fighters moved around the King Wolf, surrounding it and sending attacks whenever it was upied in another direction. More and more injuries appeared on its body and it fought even more violently.


    Soon, the beast fell after suffering innumerable wounds. Everyone finally rxed. As for the stranger, it turns out he was sent by a neighboring province to hunt down the King Wolf. It had already decimated multiple viges with its wolf horde and he ordered by the Provincial Lord to find it.


    "My name is Ye Jian, thank you for helping me. If I understand correctly you people must be here for the ruins. I am to report this mission at Blue Cloud City which is somewhat close to your destination. If you do not mind, I would like to apany you there."


    Everyone agreed and traveled all the way to Blue Cloud City. Once they had recovered, they would go to the meeting point, outside of the ruins by the Flowing Thunder River. Dayster, they finally reached Blue Cloud City, It was much grander than Luan City and had so much more to see. This was after all, closer to the capital where the Emperor resided. When everyone entered, Ye Jian split away to report his mission while everyone else had found an inn to stay in. Ming Yue stayed in the same inn as her group members and decided to explore the city. She wasn''t too injured, at most, she had some bruises and scratches.


    She first entered the many stores and shops to see what they had. It was not often that she would enter a city like this so she used this chance to her fullest. She had a fair amount of money from selling many of the things that she had no use for. As she continued to check out the many businesses, there wasn''t much that interested her. She was quite satisfied with what she had.


    Ming Yue then stopped at arge store named the Immortal Rain Establishment. She entered in curiosity as the name had peaked her interest. As she entered, a worker approached her and brought her along, exining the background of this business.


    "We are called the Immortal Rain Establishment due to a special item that only we have, The Immortal Rain Wine, it is an excellent drink that can improveprehension ability as well as boost cultivation. We sell a multitude of things but we are best known for our medicinal drinks and pills. They are categorized in the same way as beasts, numbering from Rank 1 to 10, however legendary pills do not exist. This is because a rank 4 pill is already extremely rare in the country while a rank 5 is rare in the continent. Something like a rank 10 is already legendary."


    After listening, she asked to be brought to the medicinal section and started looking at the items. Ming Yue was amazed, there were tons of different medicines, each with its own specific purpose. If she wanted a pill or elixir specifically toprehend the Dao of Wind, there would be tens of options to choose from. Each had simr effects to each other but differed in strength or had different effects regardingprehending wind. She decided not to buy anything as she would not have much opportunity to use it but once this mission was over, she would definitelye back.


    She left and decided to spend the next several days cultivating in her room and thinking about a set of moves that would suit her. What she had now was good, but it wasn''t perfect. Ming Yue knew that there was much to improve on, tweaks needed to be made to Eclipse and Descent of the Twilight. She still looked back at the thunder roc''s fight and continued to formte a set of moves or at least one move. The days went by fast and everyone prepared to leave for the ruins.


    They moved together and quickly met up with some other Dragon Pavilion groups along the way. A towering mass soon appeared in front of them. It was the ruins, a giant and ancient structure that stood in front of them. However, no one entered.. Everyone understood that it would not be wise to rush in without any knowledge and waited for a preliminary report by a scout team. After all, who knew what dangers there could be?

 Chapter 18 - Ruins Exploration

    ording to preliminary reports, the ruins consisted of 4 wings and 5 floors. In addition, there weren''t any traps or arrays but people should still tread carefully. Several groups were assigned to each wing on every floor as the ruins were extremelyrge. For Ming Yue''s group, they were assigned to the north wing of the 3rd floor along with 4 other groups. Before they left, everyone checked to see that they were prepared and marched onward.


    As they entered the ruins, everyone looked in awe. The interior was grand and extremely ornate, paintings and other decorations covered the walls. They slowly walked around, taking in the view. These decorations were extremely alluring but no one would take them. They were here for treasure, these decorations were of little value to them.


    Ming Yue''s group was the first to arrive to the area and began exploring one of the halls, not waiting for everyone else. The other groups that were assigned to the same area soon arrived and split off into separate halls, searching on their own. Everyone began looking through the rooms but as they searched, their spirits lowered and lowered. There were many items but much of it was too old or damaged to be of value. However, this was just the beginning, there was still much more to discover. This was an unknown set of ruins that had been long abandoned after all. It wasn''t an inheritance or a ce where fortuitous encounters were certain. But this does not mean that it did not have something, there are always treasures to find. It was a matter of whether or not one was destined for this.


    In any case, the first several days did not have much but as people continued to explore deeper, more and more treasures were found.


    "Hah! what luck!", a voice echoed throughout the hall as a man starting flipping through some books.


    It was Ming Wang, who had just found some body cultivation manuals that fitted him. He was going to focus on body cultivation after breaking through to Earth Realm. Once he embarks on this road, he must go through seven levels: Outer Shell, Inner Core, Earth Frame, Metal Bones, Golden Veins, Immortal Physique, and Deity''s Form. Not many cultivated the body and even fewer were able to reach the peak. Not only was it extremely painful, it represented a risk in destroying your body. While inner force cultivation also contained much risk, it was somewhat lower than that of body cultivation and it was easier to recover from.


    These cultivation manuals of his could only support him to the peak of Outer Core but even that was enough. Ming Gang was only in the 5th level right now, he still had a ways to go. Sone timeter, Ling Rong and Lan Jia found some weapons as well. They weren''t good enough to rece their weapons but were worth something. Everyone had alsoe across numerous herbs and pills, grabbing whatever was still good. But for Ming Yue, she couldn''t find anything, she only moved forward, asionally ying with Xiao Yin. Nothing had really interested her as of yet and she could only continue onward.


    As they moved further in, something strange had urred. They had begun to feel a slight pressure in one of the corridors but they paid no mind to it. It was somewhat dull and empty, having no decor. There was very little to look at. However, that pressure increased the further they went, slowing them down. This was a sign.


    "It seems that this area is not simple", they thought.


    The team slowly moved closer as the pressure grew upon them. A shining light appeared at the end of the hall. The moment they were within 10 meters, the pressure suddenly doubled and everyone struggled to move but managed to get closer. When they were close enough to get a good look, they saw a room at the end. There, in the center was a stone pedestal holding something. They squinted their eyes to try and see what the item was.


    "It''s a hairpin!" said Lan Jia, who recognized the shape.


    It was incredibly ornate and a light purple water lily was at the center of it. The hair pin was a sight to behold and Ming Yue was instantly attracted to it. She felt a strange connection with it and pushed forward.


    Interestingly enough, Lan Jia did not want it and retreated, the pressure was extremely heavy, and she felt that the pin did not suit her. As for the other three, there was no need to exin. They had no use for this hairpin nor did they have anyone to give it to. Furthermore, everyone respected Ming Yue, she had contributed a lot to fighting against the wolf horde. They also knew that she had not gotten anything yet.


    Thus Ming Yue was the only one that approached it, Xiao Yin had flew away, unable to handle the pressure. She walked with heavy steps, sweat covered her body. This pressure was even heavier than the time she was being tested by the regtions elder. The hair pin continued to hum and released an even heavier aura. She was only one step away now and struggled to reach for it. The moment her fingers touched it, a blinding light covered her as she closed her eyes.


    Suddenly, a woman''s voice appeared in her head.


    "From now on, you are the owner of the Dusk Lily Pin, I hope that it will serve you well", she said.


    The pressure disappeared and Ming Yue held the pin in her hands. It stopped glowing andid silently in her hands. As she held it in her hands, the pce began rumbling.


    "Its breaking down! We must get out of here!" said Ming Wang.


    They rushed out and saw that every other team had run out as well. As they looked at the ruins from the outside, they realized that it was not crumbling.


    It was transforming!


    The 4 wings split apart revealing a hidden staircase leading to a secret area. The rumbling stopped and everyone moved closer to the staircase.


    "These ruins have much more than we thought. This might be the true treasure room", said one of the leaders as they walked forward, inspecting it.


    Soon, he walked down the stairs after seeing that there was no danger. The others followed him as they also descended the stairs. Once everyone was inside this hidden area, they gazed in amazement. The stairs had led them to a hidden hall! All sorts of treasure covered the area and people rushed to grab what they could. Fights broke out over all kinds of items.


    "I dare anyone to fight me for this Fire Spring Fruit!" said one person.


    Another wielding a heavy sword responded, "Cheh, you are only at the 5th realm, stop acting like a big shot. This one here is going to make you call him grandpa."


    "I dare you to try!"


    The area descended into chaos as numerous fights urred. Everyone but Ming Yue was fighting.


    She chose not to partake in this chaos. She already gotten something that she liked and decided to explore the area rather than try to grab any of the treasures. She looked around before stopping in front of a portrait. It was of a woman, possibly a lover but the most interesting part was that she wore the same hair pin that Ming Yue obtained. She noticed some words etched at the bottom.


    "Tian Xing, the Twilight Valkyrie"


    The owner of that voice from before must''ve been her.. She repeated the name several times, imprinting her name into her memory before bowing in respect.

 Chapter 19 - Trap

    As she continued to move around, the fighting for the treasure intensified. People ganged up on others for all kinds of items. No one retreated, everyone continued to fight with even more ferocity. Even friends were at each other''s necks. Ming Yue had a strange feeling about this and decided to look around. She and Xiao Yin seemed to be unaffected and Ming Yue decided to investigate.


    "There must be something around here that is causing this", she thought.


    Ming Yue looked around the first area from afar, she did not want to be sucked into the fighting. The hall itself wasn''t very decorative, there were blue banners on the walls as well as stone statues. Then, she noticed something peculiar at the end of the hall. Beyond the fighting was another statue. Howeverpared to the other ones, it was muchrger and much more detailed. It was of a man wearing armor, he had a deranged look in his eyes as he wielded a sabre on one hand and his other hand was covered in fire.


    "This must have been the Blue Fire Scion. What an expression he has", she thought.


    Ming Yue sent Xiao Yin ahead and moved closer to the statue, avoiding the eyes of anyone who wanted to fight. Fortunately, everyone was too focused on the treasure and none of them noticed her. When she arrived at the statue, she inspected it. The statue was pristine and must have been made by a master sculptor. There was such detail to the expression, it was almost life-like.


    Xiao Yin then tweeted at her and flew to one of his arms, pecking at it. She looked at the arm which held the fire, touching it before trying to move it around. When she pulled it down, the arm suddenly moved down like a lever. From there, the noise of gears and mechanisms resounded throughout the hall.


    During themotion, the statues from before started moving. They moved away from the walls and went towards the statue of the Blue Fire Scion. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at the moving statues. At this point, the statues had formed a line facing the cultivators, some of people had noticed that something was amiss and decided to escape only to find that the entrance had closed.


    As everyone started recovering from their crazed condition, a voice was heard from the statues.


    "Wee to my domain, I see that you have alle here to raid my master''s home."


    A clump of blue fire then appeared, it was somewhat small and did not have a form. However, the fact that it could speak showed that it had intelligence. It floated above them, moving around the halls.


    "I believe that you have all experienced the Demon''s Greed Incense as well. That was just the beginning, unfortunately, none of you can leave now. You will all suffer for intruding and you will fulfill you fate as sacrifice for my master", said the fire in a unemotional tone.


    Everyone suddenly realized something. This was a trap, one that would lead to their death.


    The fire spirit then continued, "You see, my master, the Blue Fire Scion was not a very righteous man. He did all he could to increase his cultivation. He killed and bathed in blood, did all kinds of things, just to reach a higher level. However at one point he fell in love with someone, she was beautiful and extremely strong. She was one of the few who cared for him and he loved her the most. After tens of years, they were about to be married. It was to be a joyous asion but a week before their day, she was killed by one of his enemies. In rage, he hunted and killed all of them them, burning them before attacking their homes and families. At the end, he knew that she would note back, but what if there was a way to bring her back from the dead? My master searched everywhere for answer before he finally found something. From there, he worked like a madman to bring her back."


    Ming Yue could not help but think about the Dusk Lily Pin and the portrait Tian Xing. She had a feeling that this woman was most likely the Blue Fire Scion''s wife to be.


    After pausing, fire moved around before speaking again.


    "Before he could finish, time had taken him. The final thing my master needed...was a body, one that would fit his wife. Unfortunately he could not find a suitable one and settled for a different method. To create one from the lives of thousands", it said.


    "Before he died, hemanded me toplete his final wishes of making that body, which means that you all must die."


    When the spirit finished, it sent out smaller mes from its body towards the line of statues. The statues from before were engulfed in fire, stone melted revealing something else. In ce of these statue were metallic skeletons. They had mes in the empty sockets of their eyes and their hands were covered in blue fire. They slowly approached the people with ghastly grins on their faces. Fear began to crawl inside of everyone as they slowly moved back.


    It was twenty of these monsters against a hundred cultivators. The spirit moved towards thest statue and then spread through out it, melting the stone. Slowly the statue revealed itself to be a corpse wielding a sabre on one hand and fire on the other, just like its original form. It was different from the skeletons as the corpse had flesh and blood. As it moved behind its minions, it began talking but it was the spirit''s voice.


    "Perhaps of such an event did not happen, you would not have had this fate. s, it is toote to save yourselves. Resign to your fate!"


    Ming Yue and the others could do nothing but prepare to fight. One of the teams charged first shing with the skeletons while everyone followed suit. Several teams took care of a skeleton leaving only the one controlled by the fire spirit alone. However, this could not happen and any team that had more than 4 members, sent one of them to fight it.


    As for Ming Yue''s group, she was sent tobat the corpse. In terms of strength she was equal, if not stronger than any of her other team members. Thus a group of 17 formed to deal with the corpse warrior. Losing meant death, and none of them could afford to die just yet.


    "Oh, someone actually obtained the Dusk Lily Pin, a possession of my master. Unfortunately, it will continue to stay like that. In the end, all that matters is that you will be part of my master''s n", the corpse said in an icy tone.


    Everyone had heavy expressions as the corpse approached them, readying their weapons and circting their energy.

 Chapter 20 - Secret Of The Fire Spirit

    Everyone''s faces turned grim. They knew that they would not be able to escape easily. They circled the corpse warrior before one of them attacked. He moved with extreme speed and managed tond a hit but before he could retreat, the corpse retaliated and knocked him away. The force was enough to send him crashing to the wall and knocked him out. Taking this chance, the corpse broke out of the enclosure and threw a ball of fire at them.


    They chased after it and one of them, who wielded a whip for a weapon, managed to get its left arm and slow it down. In the momentary pause, the remaining 16 rushed forward attacking with all they had. All kinds of weapons shed towards the corpse. However, the corpse was extremely resilient and all that they left were scratches. These scene left the group speechless. They had done little to no damage to it and that was their fully-powered strike. Even Ming Yue could not deal any more than the others.


    "We need to think of a better n", said Ming Yue.


    Everyone agreed and thought quickly while they still had the corpse restrained. Secondster, someone spoke up.


    "Let''s stall it for a while and send some people out to help take care of the skeletons. Anyone that is able to restrict the corpse will be in charge of stalling. Everyone else should spread out to help the teams."


    There was little time and everyone had no choice but to agree to this n. Ming Yue and 7 others departed, leaving only 9 to slow it down.


    The corpse smiled, "That n will lead to nothing, you will soon understand that this is your fate."


    At this moment, one of the skeletons had fallen and the team rejoiced. However, just as quickly as it fell, it came back to life ready to fight again. The me in its eyes burned even stronger.


    "The skeletons are immortal!" everyone thought.


    Hope had started to vanish as they could do nothing. Every time the skeletons went down, they woulde back again and get even stronger.


    Ming Yue also realized this but unlike the others, she did not lose hope.


    "There must be some way to stop these skeletons, perhaps a source of power that they draw from", she thought.


    She decided to look through the other areas and find some sort of clue. Everyone saw her move away from them.


    "Could she have given up on us?" they thought, however they could not follow her due to the skeletons.


    Ming Yue quickly searched with Xiao Yin but there was nothing. It was only the portrait of Tian Xing and some dusty books. She looked at them, trying to find something that could help. Unfortunately, there was nothing that could give her a lead. She felt frustrated and attacked the painting in anger, piercing through it. Was there nothing here that could change the situation?


    At that point she realized something. If the painting was hung on a wall, how could she have pierced through it? She immediate cut open a hole and saw a hearth that had been lit up by a blue me. She smiled in joy, suspecting that this was the source to the me spirit''s power. She quickly tried to extinguish it, breaking the hearth piece by piece. At the main hall, the skeletons and the corpse itself trembled before slowly bing weaker. The fire in their bodies lowered in intensity and their strikes were no longer as powerful as before.


    "No!" said the spirit, "Stop please!"


    No one knew what had happened but took this chance to take down the skeletons. This time, they stayed on the ground. Everyone surrounded the corpse and began sending attacks at it. Ming Yue came back with a stick that had a small me left. This was the remaining piece from the hearth. The spirit saw it and turned towards her, dropping to its knees.


    "Please do not destroy that final spark. I will let you go, just do not destroy it. I beg of you", it said.


    Ming Yue did not respond, only staring at it. After the silence, she spoke.


    "Are you really the spirit of this hall or are you what is left of Tian Xing, The wife-to-be of the Blue Fire Scion?" she asked.


    Everyone was shocked by her question and stared at the spirit. Could it really be the soul of Tian Xing, the Blue Fire Scion''s wife? The spirit did not answer, evidently she had been right about her hunch. It was strange after all. Not only was there a hair pin that Tian XIng owned, but there was even a portrait of her. Furthermore, The source of the fire spirit''s power was hidden behind the portrait. Ming Yue had also remembered that the Blue Fire Scion only needed a body to revive her, meaning that he had created something simr to a soul. The closest thing to it was that fire spirit. Hence, she suspected that the fire spirit was actually Tian Xing''s revived soul.


    With no other choice, it started talking.


    "Indeed, my master created me in hopes that I would revive his lover. He used what was left of her body as a catalyst and spentrge amounts of money to find more ingredients. Soon, all of his wealth was gone but he had obtained every item. After getting all that he needed, he dumped it into a cauldron and melted it down before turning it into gas. Afterwards, he spent almost 168 days condensing it and feeding it his inner force. When I was created, he smiled in excitement. But before he could find a suitable body or even reawaken any memories, he copsed from over exhaustion and died. Thest thing he said was the name Tian Xing, before the light in his eyes disappeared. That was several hundred years ago. I''ve been exploring this entire estate and I still remember nothing. Only names that had no value to me hade back, no memories, no feelings, nothing else. In the end, I am still left with Tian Xing."


    The spirit sighed, it had no way of awakening its memories. Nothing in the ruins could do a thing, it could only stay wondering about what memories it had. Everyone felt pity for the couple. After all, even though the Blue Fire Scion was not a great man, he wasn''t exactly a demon either. He deserved to be loved but in the end, he lost it. Even with his power, he had no way of reviving his love, that was only a legend. The chances of his n actually working was almost non-existent.


    Then the entrance opened up.


    "You may go. There is no point in trying to keep you here. I cannot die just yet, all I ask is to give me that final ember."


    As people had begun to exit the area, Ming Yue approached the spirit to give it back its remaining embers. After doing so, she went for the exit.


    "That hair pin", said the spirit, "I hope that you treat it well. This was given to Tian Xing when my master professed his love for her."


    Ming Yue didn''t stop moving, she left the underground hall and finally enjoyed some fresh air. But in her mind, the spirit''s words left an impression on her.


    She silently muttered, "I will."

 Chapter 21 - Return

    When she came out, the entrance closed up and the ruins went back to what they originally looked like. Ming Yue looked at it before going to meet up with her team. After their ordeal, they would be going back to Cloud Dawn City. Everyone was exhausted but happy, they might not have gotten any amazing treasures but at least they managed to live. No one would''ve thought that this mission would be so dangerous.


    After they arrived back at the city, everyone went to separate inns to rest before sending in a report to the Jade Dragon Pavilion. Each and every city had a pavilion and they were all part of onework tracing back to the emperor himself. Each of them was the same, reporting and taking a mission here was no different than back at Luan City. With this, they did not have to go back to report, everyone could take their time resting and recuperating. Furthermore, each and every one of them had gained their reward from Cloud Dawn City''s Pavilion.


    Ming Yue, herself, now had some wealth and over 2000 contribution points. ording to the pavilion, she was instrumental in saving the exploration group from certain death and uncovered valuable information. She took a seat at one of the benches with a Jade Dragon Catalog and started flipping through the tens of hundreds of options. Of the many choices, she only wanted two things: the appraisal for her equipment and sparring with an expert. She wasn''t too knowledgeable on equipment and wasn''t sure about the rank of Parting Sun de and the Dusk Lily Pin. She wasn''t even sure where to estimate. If she didn''t even know this basic information, how can she have the right to own them?


    As for thetter option, she wanted to know how strong these "experts" were. The only person that she couldpare herself to was Elder Fei, he was the strongest person she has met after all. With just Elder Fei, she didn''t really have a goal, no one to aim for, no way topare herself. She didn''t have a direction, so to speak.


    The appraisal was 500 contribution points per item while the sparring was 2300. Ming Yue had just enough for thetter but wasn''t sure which one to go for. Both options were equally important. She needed to know the full capabilities of the things she used, so that she would better understand the best way to use them. On the other hand, sparring gave her more chances to improve her skills and think of new moves. After several minutes of thinking, she finally chose the appraisal option. This was because she had already gained an abundant amount ofbat experience from this mission already. She still needed time to fully assess her gains before testing herself.


    Without waiting any longer, she went up to the receptionist and asked for the appraisal of her sword and her hair pin.


    "Please wait for us to call you while we get someone", said the receptionist.


    He then sent a message to someone for an appraisal and asked Ming Yue to sit and wait. After several minutes, she decided to get up and check the mission board. It was muchrger than the one at Luan City and probably had 4 times as many requests. She read through several of them and considered taking one before she went back to Luan City. She still had to go to the Immortal Rain Establishment after all.


    Before she could finish looking through the board, the receptionist called for her.


    "Please follow me", he said.


    The receptionist led her into a small room with an old man, seated behind a table. The room was quite in with only torches for lighting, a wooden table, and 2 chairs. Ming Yue felt that there was something familiar about this old man but she could not think of a reason why. He had quite a mysterious aura around him as he looked and smiled, waiting for her. She inspected him as she sat on the chair opposite of him.


    "If you would, please give me the items that you would like to be appraised", he said.


    She handed him the sword and her pin, to which he began to examine. The man was maybe around 60 years old, he had a little beard and a kind look on his face. He wore blue robes with some gold decor on it. Even his voice was familiar. She felt as if she had seen him somewhere but couldn''t put her finger on it. After several minutes, he had several looks of surprise before sighing and handing it back to her.


    "To have obtained two treasures is quite lucky for you. If I''m not wrong this is the Parting Sun de and the Dusk Lily Pin", he said.


    Ming Yue was surprised, she had said nothing about these items but he had already guessed their identities. Then again, he was an appraiser, he should have known this information.


    The man then continued.


    "The Parting Sun de was said to have been created by a grandmaster for his son. It was to be strong enough to be able to cut the sun in half, thus the name Parting Sun. This sword is considered to be a legendary sword due to its sharpness and durability. However, it does not contain an element which makes it somewhat ipatible with many swordsmen who generally use the elements in their techniques. If they were to use it, their strength would have decreased by 20 percent than if they were to use an elemental weapon. Furthermore, the grandmaster had made another sword to pair with it, Splitting Moon. It is at best a Lower Divine-ranked weapon by itself, if you had Splitting Moon then it would''ve been Peak-Divine Rank."


    Divine Rank weapons were incredibly strong and rare. Out of possible 10 million weapons, there was 1 Divine-Ranked weapon. This was because Divine weapons were masterpieces, they are said to be 5 times as strong as Sage weapons and 100 times the strength of Mortal weapons. It would not be a lie if people say Divine weapons were capable of destroying armies. Above Divine weapons were World and Star weapons but those were even rarer, numbering at 1 out of 100 million for World and 1 out of a billion for Star.


    "Now there are ways to alter the weapon so that it can contain an element, but the price can be astronomical depending on the grade," he said.


    As the old man gave back her items, he began to talk about the Dusk Lily Pin.


    "The Dusk Lily Pin was a gift from the Blue Fire Scion to Tian Xing, the Midnight Valkyrie. This is a Sage-Ranked item. It is a protective item that grants the wearer 2 uses a day to block an attack from anyone below the Sky realm. At the time, they were both at the Sight stage of the Earth realm. Who would''ve known that this would be in those ruins from before."


    "So the sword is divine ranked and the pin is Sage-Ranked. Hmm, I''ll think about altering it since I use the Dao of wind," she thought.


    Although other people would be surprised or even shocked by this information, Ming Yue took it well but that was mostly because she didn''t know much. These words of sage and divine didn''t carry much meaning. But the extra information that the appraiser gave her about equipment ranks was quite helpful. She might not be able to identify the exact rank of a weapon, but she would be able to give a rough estimate.


    After getting back her items, she took in the information before looking at the appraiser. He looked back and smiled, before drinking some tea. Her mind suddenly clicked.


    "It''s him!" she thought.

 Chapter 22 - Meng Zhao

    She finally realized who this man was. It was the regtions elder that tested her! The old man then smiled and took off his disguise, revealing his original face.


    "What gave it away?" he asked, he realized that she had recognized him.


    "It was the way you drank your tea, I recognized it from the first time we met."


    "Discovered by a mannerism, either you have sharp eyes or I''m getting worse at this," said the elder.


    "Come with me."


    He left the room, leading her down a corridor before entering an extremelyrge office, where he promptly went behind his desk and sat down.


    "Please, sit", he said.


    Ming Yue took a seat, looking around. The office was quiterge but it was quite in. There were windows revealing the city.


    "You must be wondering about why I''m here or why I''m even talking to you. But before that, let me introduce myself. I am Meng Zhao, a high elder of the Jade Dragon Pavilion. Being a regtions elder and an appraiser are just hobbies of mine. I enjoy seeing the next generation and examining items. You can refer to me as Grandpa Meng" he said.


    "I see..." she said.


    She really didn''t have anything to say. There was no connection between the two and she wasn''t sure how to respond.


    Seeing her confusion, he exined his reason for being here.


    "The truth is, I knew your father. He was a member of the pavilion, he mostly did quests for herb collection, but he was one of our top medicine suppliers. He has worked as a doctor on multiple group missions. Many of us, including me would''ve died if not for him. When his wife had died, he retired from this and went to live in a remote vige with you. He came across the Parting Sun de there and brought it to us. However, we wanted him to keep it to protect himself. It was a shame that he died. The moment we heard news of the attack, many people rushed out but who would''ve known that by the time we arrived, the vige had been burned to ashes" he said.


    His expression full of sadness as he recounted the details.


    "I was sure that you had also died, but then you appeared out of nowhere, asking to be a pavilion member. I wanted to see if you were really his daughter and I recognized the sword on your back. It is good to know that at least you were safe."


    After talking, Meng Zhao looked at Ming Yue and smiled.


    "Your father was my benefactor, now this is my chance to pay him back. If you would like, I can take you under my wing. My family is based in the capital, I can have you join as my granddaughter", he said.


    Ming Yue was surprised by his offer. If she agreed, she might not have to fight again. She could live infort, without ever going through any more hardship. After thinking, she finally made her decision.


    "I decline", she said with a firm look on her face.


    Meng Zhao didn''t seem to be surprised as if he had expected this.


    "It seems that you have be ustomed to this lifestyle. I will not force you then."


    The incident in the vige had changed her. Going back to a normal life was out of the question and she knew that. Both of them understood that. Meng Zhao sighed and stood up, he walked to one of the cabs and grabbed something. He gestured her to follow him as they left his office and walked towards a pair of grand doors, adorned with metal engravings. He revealed the item to be a key and opened it.


    Behind those doors was a room, an empty room with no decorations. However, there was something peculiar about this room. At the center of it was a sword, floating above the ground. It was a simple de yet it gave off a feeling of power.


    "Wee to the Sword Domain, this is one of our services in the catalog for training. Compared to sparring with an expert, this is ten times better. Here, you can focus solely on fighting for as long as possible. Each pavilion has these doors that are connected to a hidden dimension. This is for those who need to something more than just teachings. They are here toprehend their own Dao. The way they fight, the way they live and breathe. It can be done in many ways but for fighters, battle is the most suitable way. From what I understand, you are already quite adept with your sword. This should prove to be helpful in training."


    Ming Yue approached the sword slowly. As if sensing her presence, the sword hummed and flipped towards her, beckoning to fight. She unsheathed her sword and held it towards the ground. Then without hesitation, she attacked the floating sword.


    "Strong!" she thought.


    Her attack could not push back the sword and instead it pushed her back. At first, she only used her sword techniques, but soon after, she began infusing inner force into her body and then using the Wind Dao with her techniques. However, as she increased her power, the sword also powered up. It was ever so slightly stronger than her and fought without ever stopping.


    Ten moves, a hundred moves, a thousand, as time went on, Ming Yue felt an increasing pressure from the sword. This might be training but between the two des, it was a battle to the death. Each move was aimed to kill, tension saturated the air, as she did her utmost to contend with the sword. Sparks flew as sounds of metal grinding against each other echoed through out the room. Suddenly, the sword flew several meters away for her and began vibrating strongly. It continued to vibrate even more intensely until it turned into a blur. Then to her surprise, the sword split into two identical des and then rushed back to fight Ming Yue.


    Now the pressure on her had skyrocketed, she was fighting against 2 swords. What made it worse was that instead of weakening after splitting, both swords grew even stronger. She gritted her teeth as she continued to fight it out. The des weaved in and out, shing and cutting whenever there was a chance. Her breathing was ragged as she struggled to keep up. Her unending determination drove her to continue to fight, she would not give up under any circumstances. A fire was lit inside her as she continued to battle without rest


    Slowly but surely, she adapted to this and held on. Being under such tremendous pressure had awoken the potential within her. Her body adjusted itself bit by bit, changing and bing stronger. Her skills and techniques continuously improved and was ever so slightly closer to perfection. It was not a overstatement to say that this speed of improvement was equal if not better than those of demonic geniuses.


    However, anyone would feel the same effects as her under this situation. It was a matter of whether or not they would break under such extreme conditions.. To be able to improve in such a fast rate will also have its own risk.

 Chapter 23 - Youth Dragon Tournament

    Ming Yue continued to fight the swords, she didn''t know how much time passed nor did she care. It was an unending battle, the des constantly met each other at every point. They weaved around as if they were water, flowing and flexible. Suddenly she felt hand resting on her shoulder and she stopped. The two swords had also stopped and merged together as one before going back and floating at its original spot.


    "Its time for you to rest, you''ve been fighting for several hours now," said Meng Zhao, "Look, its almost night. You should go back and take this time to examine what you''ve gained."


    Now that she thought about it, Ming Yue could barely move around and suddenly copsed from exhaustion. She was in a state of extreme concentration for several hours, it was more stress than her body could handle. Meng Zhao saw this and picked her up, carrying her back to his office and letting her rest on a futon. When she came to, he helped her up and gave her some tea. The tea was light blue and suffused a sweet smell. Ming Yue drank it and felt a refreshing feeling course through her body. The tea has some recovery effects and she felt much better. Meng Zhao waited for her to recover before asking her something.


    "You know, there is going to be apetition half a year from now at the Capital, Five Element City. It''s called the Youth Dragon Tournament, Anyone under 20 can enter and there was no limit to cultivation level. If you want to look for the Splitting Moon de, there is a chance it is there," he said.


    Her face lit up, when she obtained Parting Sun, she made finding its sister de one of her objectives. She wasn''t sure where to search and only looked randomly. However, now she had a lead to go on. After resting and conversing with Meng Zhao, she left his office and went back to the inn.


    "The next time, we meet, just call me Grandpa Meng", he said, smiling and waving goodbye.


    Ming Yue thanked him and left. As for Meng Zhao, he went back to his desk and looked at a small nt with a soft expression. It was a purple flower given to him by Ming Yue''s father as a farewell gift from when he decided to live in a vige. It was supposedly good for rxation. After, Meng Zhao had been healed by him, they quickly became extremely good friends going on the same missions. In fact, Meng Zhao was the first person he went to tell him about his wife giving birth. He was also among the first to hold Ming Yue as a newborn baby. He sighed and went back to his work, reading through paperwork, etc. The next several days were quite peaceful.


    After Ming Yue recovered from her first experience with the training room, she continued to challenge it and only stopped when she could no longer fight. Every time this happened, Meng Zhao would take her away to rest and talk to her about cultivation. On one such asion, they talked about how Ming Yue had been cultivating for thest year or so.


    "The way you are cultivating isn''t the best. In fact, it is quite dangerous. Yet, it is not as umon as you may think. Cultivation manuals set down a path for people. They have been perfected to suit the popce but in the end, they are not perfect for each individual, only suitable. Many people knew this and wanted to forge their own path rather than taking one that has already been made. They start by circting their inner force all throughout their body, finding ways to improve it. To make it unique only to them. But by doing so, they risked destroying their body, those who fail are either crippled or dead", he said.


    "Let me examine your body. I need to see the state of it and whether or not it is in a dangerous condition."


    He put his hand on Ming Yue''s back, sending in his force. After several minutes, there was a surprised look on his face.


    "Your body isn''t in as bad as a situation as I had thought. You must have been going about it quite carefully"


    That was an understatement. When she first began, Ming Yue was extremely cautious with this. Even the slightest pain made her withdraw her energy and direct it somewhere else. Its been almost a year since then and she knew that it wasn''t perfect yet but it was at leastplete. She could circte her energy throughout her entire body but there was still pain in parts of her body.


    Then Meng Zhao said, "Let me help you quicken the process."


    He sent in more of his energy and helped her polish her cultivation method. His energy guided hers throughout her body while nourishing and healing the meridians. Her body went though multiple cycles until she reached the peak of the 4th Human Realm. Her cultivation efficiency had also increased by 20%.


    "Thank you, Grandpa Meng!" she said with a small smile.


    These past several days had allowed them to get closer. There was a sense of kinship between the two. After all, he was friends with her father and he had helped her immensely. She left after today''s session and Meng Zhao went back to his desk in a happy mood. However that did notst long.


    A messenger soon came in bearing grim news.


    "A rank 5 monster is causing chaos in Death Wind Mountain. Due to the continuous destruction, a monster horde is forming and the closest city to it is Luan City. Based on early reports, If we don''t do something, the city will be destroyed!"


    Meng Zhao''s face turned serious and immediately made orders.


    "Send this out to all of the other Pavilions. This is a defense mission, the reward will 1000 contribution points along with whatever they harvest from the monster corpses!"


    "Yes sir!"


    The messenger left and prepared send out the orders.


    Ming Yue had already left and walked back to her inn. She decided to have a quick bite and went into a restaurant, ordering some simple dishes. Suddenly, some people rushed in and started talking to the other customers.


    "Did you hear? Luan City is in danger because of a monster horde. The Jade Dragon Pavilion had already created a mission. The rewards are quite nice and I hear that the monster leading this horde is a rank 5."


    "Hm", she thought, "Luan City is in danger!?"

 Chapter 24 - Luan Defense Mission

    She rushed back to the Jade Dragon Pavilion, and saw a crowd of people waiting for the announcement. Secondster, someone came out and everyone turned silent.


    "Attention! this is a mission for all ranks, Luan City is in danger of a beast horde led by a unknown Rank 5. You do not have to worry about the Rank 5, we have already notified the higher-ups and they are currently sending in several experts to deal with it. Your task is to defend the city! If the mission is sessful, you will be awarded with 1000 contribution points. Furthermore, anything you harvest from the corpses will be yours", he said.


    After finishing, numerous murmurs erupted throughout the crowd. The reward was quite nice but they were up against a beast horde. It was even had a rank 5 in it. After several minutes of discussion, a group of five walked forth and volunteered.


    "Look! Its the Iron Fist Mercenaries, everyone there is at ck Turtle Rank, Their leader, Yan Jian, is extremely strong! He might reach White Tiger Rank in next year''s ranking examinations", said one person.


    "If such a strong group is going, we will go as well", another group also walked forward and many other groups joined as well.


    Ming Yue saw this and also joined in but she did not join as a group, she signed as a independent member. After doing so, she immediately asked to see Meng Zhao, the receptionists allowed her in, knowing that she had a connection with him.


    When she entered the office, Meng Zhao was seen looking through multiple documents, undoubtedly this was for the defense mission. If the beast horde did not include a rank 5, he would not have needed to do so much work. After all, a rank 5 had enough power to destroy multiple cities on its own, if not, the entire province. Only a team of Earth Realm cultivators could contend with them but they only had a slight chance of winning in a head on fight. They needed a fair amount of preparation before taking on a rank 5.


    "When is the beast horde happening?" she asked.


    "At least a week, the beast horde is still forming, it will take time to grow. At best, we have a month, before they attack", he replied.


    "At least a week", she thought, "But Luan City is 2 weeks from us, even if everyone rushes, we would barely arrive in one week."


    "I know what you''re thinking", said Meng Zhao, "The team of experts have already been sent to deal with the Rank 5, furthermore, the city has already begun fortifying itself for the horde. Even if we don''t make it, they should be able to hold on for another several days."


    "If you want to depart now, go down and ask for a sky boat, with it, you will reach the city in 3 days."


    After hearing this, she rushed out after thanking him. He looked at her with a worried face. This was the daughter of his benefactor and dear friend, it would do him no good to lose her too. He went back to his desk and finished his work quickly. Once he was done, he would immediately depart for Luan City.


    In the sky was a silver boat holding a girl, It was Ming Yue and she was already heading out for the city. She had already spent some time traveling and waited impatiently.


    "I hope that I''m not toote", she thought.


    Dayster, she finally reached the city only to see that attack had begun! It hasn''t been a week yet, but the beast horde had already charged out. In addition, the horde was almost double the size that the pavilion had predicted. Several thousand beasts rushed forth from very side, crashing into the walls. The boat descended down onto the southern side of the city but before itnded, Ming Yue jumped off and immediately rushed down the southern gates. This was the main gate as well as the side that had the most pressure.


    Almost two thousand beasts rushed this area while around 4 thousand attacked the other sides. Both city guards and cultivators defended the city walls, there were around two thousand of them making it so around five hundred were delegated to each side. Each and every one of them were armed with either bows, swords, spears, etc. Multiple teams handled ballista, poured boiling oil and throwing down rocks.


    Several people were surprised by her appearance as she ran up the walls.


    "Hey, what are you doing here?!" said one of the guards.


    Ming Yue didn''t listen to him and jumped off the wallnding in front of the beasts. Xiao Yin flew off of her shoulder, surveying from the air.


    "Hey! stop!" said some of the defenders.


    This action of hers was practically suicidal. No one would leave the city walls and tackle these monster alone, doing so would definitely result in their death. But no one bothered to save her, they were too busy trying to defend the city to even look at her. However, they began paying more and more attention to her.


    All of them had one thought, "She didn''t die."


    They were shocked to see her, fighting the massive amount of monsters. She killed her way through, leaving a trail of bodies. She didn''t stay in one ce, weaving around and avoiding their attacks. Due to her bond with Xiao Yin, theymunicated with each other, directing Ming Yue to wherever there was arge cluster of monsters. Any of the beasts that approached her would die in one swing.


    "Shit!" she thought.


    One of the beasts had managed to get close to her and she couldn''t dodge fast enough. It lunged at her, jaws wide open, aiming at her arm. She prepared to take the hit but an arrow pierced its head and fell to the ground.


    "Hurry! Support the girl!"


    She noticed one of themanders, yelling for a group of archers to focus on her.


    "If you don''t want to be a corpse, support her!" he said.


    A group of 6 or 7 archers drew their bows shooting at any creature that approached her.


    Knowing that she did not have to worry about any hidden attacks, she started attacking without holding back, focusing only on what was in front of her. The team supporting her was extremely surprised. Ming Yue fought with even more ferocity, attacking twice as fast as before. Each time her de moved, lives were taken. It didn''t matter where the beasts attacked from, they either died from arrows or by he sword.


    She continued like this for several hours, killing hundreds. Not even the most experienced veterans could match her endurance. By the end, they avoided her like she was death.. None of the beasts approached her, they knew that being within 5 feet of her was certain death.

 Chapter 25 - Meeting Again

    The sun began to set as the horde retreated and everyone took a breath of relief. They had survived the first day.


    People went out to gather the bodies of the creatures. These corpses had some value and the city needed whatever they could get to pay for reparations. With such destruction, the city would need to spend arge amount of money for repairs.


    Beast hordes usuallyst several days and night attacks weremon as well. This made the threat of these events much worse, knowing that they could attack and retreat at any moment.


    This was also one of the reasons why the Jade Dragon Pavilion existed, humans were ultimately weaker than these beasts. Rank 1 beasts needed several men to fight, while rank 5 and above could decimate cities and even countries. The one advantage that humans had was intelligence, with such a connected system like the pavilions, information traveled quickly, allowing reinforcements and other means of support to arrive much faster.


    Ming Yue went back into the city walls, earning numerous gazes from everyone. Her clothes were covered in blood as she walked back to the medical tents.


    Suddenly a man approached her.


    "It''s you", he said.


    Ming Yue looked at him and recognized him. It was the boy from when they fought the snake together, Fei Xian. He wore green robes and carried a simple sword. Compared to before, he wasn''t as weak looking or pathetic. His eyes had a look of confidence but when theirs eyes met, that confidence was reced by timidness.


    "What are you doing here?", she asked him.


    "Don''t you remember? Ie from the Eternal de Sect. Even sects have a responsibility to protect the people. "


    Afterwards, they both walked to the medical tents, she looked at him weirdly, wondering if he was following her. Noticing her gaze, he quickly exined.


    "I''m a member of the medicinal side of the sect so I won''t be fighting anytime soon. Probably thought, I was here to fight, right?" He said.


    Fei Xian felt slightly embarrassed, he did not think that Ming Yue would be here, prompting his awkwardness.


    "She must think I''m strange", he thought.


    She didn''t really notice this and continued walking to the tents. When they arrived, it was extremely busy. While casualties weren''t extreme, there were still at least 200 injured and 100 dead. Out of two thousand people, there were only 1700 men who were able to fight against the several thousand beasts. Fei Xian left her to fulfill his duties as a medic while she, herself, went off to help as well. She was the daughter of a doctor after all. Ming Yue helped around, bandaging patients and distributing medicine.


    Some of the people there recognized her as the one that jumped off the wall, going on a rampage against the massive number of beasts. They either looked in respect or saw her as a insane human. Night soon fell and the city was lighted up with torches. Ming Yue rested outside of the tents after treating someone. Their arm had been mangled from a Howler Ape but was able to kill it before it could bite their arm off.


    She sat down and leaned against a tree before cleaning her sword. It was still had some blood on it and she wiped it down with a wet towel.


    "Ming Yue!"


    A familiar voice enter her ears and she turned to see Cui Fen and her daughter. It had been several months since she saw them and knowing that they were fine made her relieved. She stood up from her spot and went to embrace them. After doing, she asked about the rest of the brothel members.


    "Everyone''s fine", said Cui Fen, "We''ve been worried for you when we heard the beast hordeing. None of us were sure if we would see you again."


    Her heart warmed at Cui Fen''s words, they were the closest she had to family. Being treated with such kindness was something Ming Yue rarely had anymore.


    "When all of this is done,e back and stay with us"


    At this moment, arge rumbling resounded in the air. Horns suddenly blew from every corner of the city, signaling one thing.


    "A night attack!" she thought.


    She quickly said goodbye and went back to the walls. This time, only around half of the horde had arrived but the city could not take it easy. Even if it was half, this was still enough to trample a city. Ming Yue was still tired from before and chose to stay on the walls, helping to clear out any beasts that got close to the top. Xiao Yin flew up into the air, asionally warning her of any particrly strong-looking ones.


    "Kill as many as you can! The more they die now, the less there are going to be tomorrow!" a husky voice yelled across the walls.


    Ming Yue saw that it was the captain from before who assigned a team to support her. After getting a better look at him, she noticed that he looked familiar. He noticed her stare and looked back before waving at her.


    "Hello there! Must be surprising to find out that a simple store owner like me is really themander of the city''s army, eh", he said.


    "Owner Su!", she recognized him now.


    The owner of the store she always goes to was high ranking figure in the city.


    "But why are you doing this?" Ming Yue asked.


    "I am a former soldier, being a store owner was just my retirement. Besides, I''m only here to help out with the southern gate. In any case, I was quite the capablemander in the past and I managed to gain a bit of fame from that. Some families would even send their young masters to see if they could be my disciple. Hence, the issue with the Xu Family from before. If you weren''t there that time, this old man would have had to stretch his muscles."


    Owner Su chuckled a bit before turning serious again.


    "In any case, this beast horde is much more dangerous than I had anticipated. I have already conversed with the city lord to prepare for the worst. I know about the reinforcements from Cloud Dawn City, a team was also sent for the rank 5 by the emperor.. As far as I know, they are currently searching for the beast."

 Chapter 26 - Golden Claw Bear

    While Luan City was defending itself, another fight was underway in the forest. Ten figures darted around, surrounding an enraged beast. It was a bear, three times the size of a man and covered in ck fur. Its ws were several inches long and shined with a golden hue. Every time, it swung its arms, golden arcs shed out, slicing through the air. However, that was all it cut, the figures weaved around the trees attacking from every direction.


    "Hmph, howe we have to go fight this beast? Its so annoying!" a woman''s voice was heard, loud and defiant, it would seem that she was quite unhappy.


    Her hair was dark blue and her face had delicate features, she wasparable to a lily, bright and vibrant. She wielded 2 short swords, asionally cutting at the creature and making shallow cuts. It didn''t cause much damage but it was extremely painful.


    "Ai, it can''t be helped. It''s a rank 5, Golden w Bear. Other than us, who else can deal with it? Besides they promised us some pretty good awards so we better kill it and take its body back. Don''t forget that the ws are the most valuable parts," said another member, his voice was deep and gravely.


    He was quite big and carried a red halberd, striking with enough force to destroy the ground. His face was adorned in scars and he had a firm expression on his face. He was a tough man, no doubt. Very few would be able to stand their ground against him.


    "Shade, Tower, focus at the task at hand, the faster we kill it, the faster we can go aid Luan City."


    A man looked at them coldly. He was quite handsome and had fine features. But his eyes gave off an extremely ufortable feeling. It was as if it could pierce through your body. Oddly enough, he was unarmed, there was no weapon in his hands, not even a scabbard or a fan.


    "Yes, captain," they replied.


    The entire team continued to circle the bear, throwing attacks left and right. Slowly, more and more wounds appeared on the creature''s body but that did not hinder it at all. It even began to attack more ferociously, golden arcs shed around it. It had to end the battle quickly or else it would die.


    "Ugh, this is getting even more irritating. How long is Earth going to take with the array?" said Shade.


    She was beginning to find it hard to dodge its attacks.


    "I''m almost done, keep it upied for several more minutes", someone replied in a meek voice.


    The source of that voice was a man holding several gs, cing them at specific points. He was quite thin and weak-looking, however he was covered in sweat and full of concentration. There was no sign of weakness in his eyes, only confidence. After cing thest one, he yelled out.


    "Now!"


    The other nine figures suddenly stopped andnded by each g. They started inserting power into each g forming an array. It started to light up from under the Golden w Bear who was confused by the glowing symbols.


    "Ten Thousand Chains Array! Activate!" Earth yelled.


    The array shed as invisible chains wrapped around the beast''s body, restraining it to the center. It tried to get out but the more it struggled, the weaker it became. The chains continued to siphon its life force and it thrashed out, attempting to free itself. The team tried their utmost to keep the array on. The bear was extremely powerful, if it weren''t for the fact that it was already injured, they would not have been able to trap it into the array.


    Time slowly moved and the Golden w Bear only attacked with even more ferocity.


    "Hold on! we''re almost there," said Earth, "Three more minutes and it is dead."


    Everyone focused more of their energy into array and new ethereal chains appeared, wrapping the creature. The Golden w Bear noticed the increase in strength and began struggling even more. The shock waves caused by its constant attempts to escape were enough to destroy the ground. Even the array was on the brink of breaking. Sweat covered their faces as they kept adding in power, spawning more chains.


    Cracks started to appear on the array as chains started to fade away and lose power. The Golden w Bear could sense its impending freedom and fought against the chains with all of its might. The team struggled to keep the array alive. Secondster, the beast had lost its strength. With the chains siphoning his life and the numerous wounds, it could not fight against the array for long.


    Finally, it fell to the ground, unable to move itself. However, it was not resigned to its fate and roared defiantly. It stared at the team in hatred, if not for them, it would have already arrived to the city and destroyed it. The leader stared back with indifference before leaving his position and moving towards the bear.


    A sword of wind materialized in his hand before he ced the edge on the its neck. It was already cutting into the skin, showing just how sharp this de of his was.


    "Hmph," he stared into its eyes with indifference.


    He immediately cut through its neck and beheaded it in one motion. As the head rolled off, a face of hatred stuck onto the bear''s face giving off a feeling of ferocity. The sword disappeared and he picked up the head, looking at it without any emotion.


    "Phew, good thing it was dumb enough tond into the array," someone said.


    "Pfft, Mountain, don''t tell me you were scared," said Shade.


    She looked at the burly man with ridicule.


    "W-what are you talking about!? I wasn''t worried at all!" Mountain said.


    He went red in embarrassment, flustered by herment. Of the entire team, he was the youngest and the physically strongest, wielding an spear that took around twenty people to lift. To be called scared was an insult to his face.


    "Lets go, clean up and head for the city," the captain said.


    "Yes, Captain."


    The team cleaned up quickly before moving towards Luan City. The fight hadsted for less than an hour. One could only guess how strong these experts were. Once they arrived to the city, defending against the horde would be much easier.


    It was still night time as they traveled through the forest.


    "We have just gotten information from the Pavilion. The horde has already begun attacking and its size is two timesrger than we expected. As for reinforcements, they will being in 2 days and we will arrive in one," said Earth.


    Sky was silent before finally speaking, "This rank 5 was supposedly the cause of the horde. If that is true, then there must be another rank 5 creature that is part of the horde. "


    Everyone''s faces darkened, if this really was the case, then the situation was much more serious then they had previously thought.

 Chapter 27 - Grave Threat

    "We must hurry then, there is no one there able to even stall a rank 5 monster", Tower said.


    With that said, everyone stopped talking and focused on reaching Luan City as fast as possible. At this moment, the night attack had just ended.


    "They won''t be attacking for several more hours, I suggest that you rest," said Owner Su to Ming Yue.


    She was worn out from the constant work and followed his instructions, leaving the walls and slept in one of the medical tents. She didn''t change out her clothes and just plopped on the floor before going straight to sleep. Her clothes were quite damaged with blood stained through out it. Fortunately, she wore the Floating Breeze Robes, which had a recovery feature so it pretty much fixed itself as she slept. She had been fighting non-stop and helping out with the treatment of any injured. She barely had a rest before the night attack happened whichsted until the sun rose.


    This rest was well deserved and she slept like a log. When she woke up, it was already midday and everyone was busy. The horde hasn''t even attacked yet but everyone seemed extremely tense. Ming Yue wasn''t sure what was going on and decided to ask but no one stopped to listen, they were all busy fortifying their building and creating weapons. It wasn''t until she met with Owner Su that she found out.


    "There is another Rank 5 and it is within the beast horde!" she said, shocked by this new information.


    "But how can that be?" she asked.


    Owner Su replied, "It is the only exnation. How is it that only one rank 5 could cause a beast horde of this size? Furthermore, It took much less time to for it too. What else could cause this?"


    Ming Yue was dispirited, she knew the strength of a rank 5. It wouldn''t matter if it was now or if it was before, she and everyone else in the city could not stand a chance against one even if there was not beast horde.


    "Don''t worry," said Owner Su, "the team that was sent to defeat the first rank 5 has already done their job and are heading for our city. They will arrive in a day so all we need to do is tost today and we will have survived. Furthermore, the reinforcements from the other cities are arriving in two days."


    He smiled at Ming Yue, who felt more optimistic about their circumstances. They only needed to hold out for today.


    The sounds the horns suddenly filled the air and everyone started running to their positions. The beast horde hade back once again!


    However it was different this time. Instead of attacking from all for sides, several thousand roaring beasts rushed at the east side. It caught the defenders by surprise as they moved closer to the eastern gate.


    "Quickly, Support the eastern wall. They are going to try to break in from one point," Owner Sumanded his men and Ming Yue followed suit.


    She rushed to the eastern walls, helping to clear out any creatures climbing up the walls. They continued to climb the walls as some of them rammed into the gate. Each time, they crashed into the gate, it creaked ever so slightly. Splinters fell from the giant wooden door every so often. While it


    waspletely wooden, the gates had metal studs running across it along with a giant wood bolt. The gate was extremely sturdy but not even the soldiers were sure that it wouldst.


    The ones on top of the wall focused more and more on the beasts around the gate. If they manage to breach it, they city was gone. She wanted to jump down and attack again but decided against it. There were much more beasts than before, making it harder for her to even move around. Jumping down was akin to suicide and she did not want to die just yet. She could only help by stopping anything that reached the top the walls.


    It was a battle of attrition.


    This went on for hours and bodies began to pile up against the wall. Both sides suffered casualties but the beast horde continued to rush at them. The beast bodies were being used by their ownrades to reach the walls even quicker. Any one of them charged at the closest person, jaws open and ready to tear their heads off. However, each attempt was met with spears and des, ripping their bodies apart. They fell back down the walls, crashing onto any other climbers in their way onto the pile of bodies. But it quickly disappeared under the ws of other fiends, taking their ce and climbing up the walls.


    While they continued to attack the walls, the gate was not in a good situation. It was groaning even more loudly. You could hear the horde crashing into the gate, wing at it and slowly making dents. It was barely holding on and a team was already sent to support the gate. They brought wooden beams to support the gate and braced themselves. They stood in ce like stone statues, using the beams to keep the gate alive.


    It was only until the sun began to set that they stopped attacking and retreated. Everyone sighed in relief. They had managed to live and the rank 5 did note out.


    The defenders smiled in victory. Although the beast horde has not ended yet, they were able tost until reinforcements arrived. After such a intense fight, the beast horde had lost their momentum and would not be able to attack for at least a day. Everyone went to celebrate but what happened next caused everyone to go cold.


    "SKKRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"


    A blood curdling screech echoed throughout the city. A dark cloud appeared in the sky, approaching the city. It grewrger andrger until some recognized it.


    It was certainly rank 5 but it wasn''t just one, it was a swarm.

 Chapter 28 - Shadow Blood Crows

    "Shadow Blood Crows..." Owner Su muttered.


    Everyone in the city turned towards the ck cloud and looked in despair. Each crow was about the size of a man. Their feather were were but had streaks of crimson running through their wings. The most terrifying aspect about them was the speed at which they could fly at. They''re fast enough to create a dark blur and their long ws were sharp enough to cut metal. The fact they always traveled in groups was why they were considered rank 5 monsters. These beasts could decimate a small city within minutes.


    As the cloud became increasinglyrger, there was one in front that stood out. It was more menacing and shrieked constantly, as if it was crying for the inevitable fate of the city.


    Suddenly a thundering voice shocked everyone from their state.


    "WE MUST SURVIVE AT ALL COSTS! REINFORCEMENTS ARE JUST HOURS AWAY! IF WE LAST UNTIL THEY ARRIVE THEN VICTORY IS OURS!"


    Everyone looked at the source of the voice before finding the city lord before them. But unlike the other times that he had appeared, this time he was adorned in silvery armor. On one hand he held a saber while his helmet was in his other hand. The de was etched with the words, Silver Howl, the handle had a simple design but arge green jewel was set on the guard.


    He donned his helmet before giving out orders.


    "This is ourst stand to save this city, reinforcements are to arrive in 4 hours. If we can defend until then, the city will stay standing. Furthermore the team in charge of killing the first rank 5 has alreadypleted their task. They are said to be arriving within the time it takes for incense to finish burning. Until then, we must defend this city. I want everyone to take up whatever ranged weapons you have and there should be multiple squads manning the ballistae", he said.


    Everyone followed his orders and groups of bowmen and ballista covered the wall.


    The city lord walked up and faced the Shadow Blood Crows before raising his hand up. The crows grewrger andrger as he continued to stare at them.


    Then, as if lightning struck, he threw his hand down and everyoneunched their attacks. The sky was immediately filled with arrows and bolts.


    Seconds passed as they flew through the sky before finally colliding with the crows.


    Secondster, another volley wasunched as a rain of arrows tore though the air.


    But it did nothing to stop the crow''s advance. It was as if the arrows never existed. Still, bodies dropped from the sky and the blood crows slowly dwindled but it was not enough. Minutes passed until they finally reached the walls and unleashed their wrath. They began swooping down with their ws wide open and caught any unlucky soul only to crush them within their grip.


    "They''re too fast, I keep missing!"


    Chaos erupted as soldiers frantically shot in every direction.


    "Aaahh! Save me!"


    One of the soldiers had been caught and screamed for help but no one was able to save him. Hisrades could only grit their teeth and continue fighting to save themselves. This soldier had resigned to his fate and awaited his death but it never came. He opened his eyes to find a young girl carrying him in the air.


    It was Ming Yue and she managed to get back to the wall.


    Few people noticed here back and even fewer noticed her save the soldier. But for those that saw the whole event unfold, it was a sight to behold. She had managed to jump up and fly to the crow before cutting it in half and grabbing the soldier. From there, she was able to fly back to the city walls safely. But it should not have been possible, flying was an ability that one would obtain when they had reached the Earth Realm but she was only at Human.


    "Whew, that was close", she thought.


    Ming Yue looked at the soldier before dropping him to the floor and leaving. He stared at her in a daze before waking up and going back to battle. He still had a responsibility to protect this city.


    "That was the first time I ever tested it out in realbat!" she thought, "who would''ve known that the Dao of Wind would be so helpful. I even flew for a little!"


    As it turns out, Ming Yue could not really fly but rather float in the air for several seconds due to her affinity for wind.


    She felt extremely happy that her skill had worked. During her time with Grandpa Meng, she had learned a lot about the many Daos and was told to always think about it. Things like how she could use it as a weapon and as a support as well asprehending what fit her best. From the beginning she knew that she was the mostpatible with the element of wind, if she wasn''t fighting in the Sword Domain then she would spend her time ying with wind and its many forms.


    From there she came up with three uses: to coat her sword for a more lethal strike, a ranged weapon in which she could throw out wind des from either her sword or her hands, and a way to fly. The first use she had done many times in battle, the second she had yet to try out, and the third she had only practiced for a bit.


    After silently thinking in glee of having "flew", she went back to fighting off the crows with the soldiers and proceeded to save as many people from the crows as possible, often jumping off the wall and floating through the air. More and more crows began to drop from the skies but only one had yet to enter the fray.


    It was the leader of the Shadow Blood Crows and despite losing over half of its troops, it has yet to move. What was even more stranger was that a figure stood on top of this beast.. There was no doubt that this person was the one that had instigated the unusual horde as well as the rank 5 monsters. However the fact that they were able to achieve this meant one thing, this person could not be trifled with!

 Chapter 29 - Evil Arises

    This hooded figure stared at the battle ahead and stood still.


    "Hmph, a beast horde and multiple rank 5''s and this city still has not fallen yet. If it does not fall within the hour, I''ll have to finish it myself. I cannot fail the task that the n has given me", a deep, hoarse voice came from him as he continued to watch the battle.


    Evidently, this mysterious person was impatient with the destruction of this city. After waiting for mere minutes, he was bing more and more impatient.


    "Screw it, I will end this city myself and collect their bodies with the remaining crows", the man took off his hood revealing a gnarled face that can only be described as horrifying. Parts of his face were scarred as if he had been burned, his mouth was partially stitched up and his eyes were of a dark green color. He could only bepared to that of a ghoul.


    Hemanded his Crow King to enter the fray and proceeded to jump off and onto the city walls.


    Every soldier in the area noticed him and kept their distance. There was no doubt in their minds that this man was the cause of this. As much as they wanted to fight him, they feared for their lives.


    "Oh, if you aren''t going toe to me first then I guess I''lle to you", a vicious smile appeared on his face as he said those words.


    Immediately, he dashed towards the nearest soldier and grabbed him by the throat before cutting his head off. From there, he began a massacre on the walls, killing whoever stood in his way. Blood flowed on the walls as bodies fell to the ground. He was killing them like flies and did it so gleefully.


    "Send someone to inform the others, we must capture him at all costs!", one of the captainsmanded.


    The mysterious man chuckled ,"Yes, please do so, sending everyone here will just make it much easier to kill you all".


    As he continued his killing, the city lord was soon informed of this. With these new developments, he ordered that capturing this man was of the highest priority before heading towards the man''s location. Minutester, the city lord arrived only to find the man ripping one of the soldiers in half. Fear ran rampant in the soldier''s hearts after that scene.


    "So are you the one in charge of this city?" asked the man who was wiping the blood off of his face in a rxed manner.


    "Indeed, may I ask for your name?" the city lord calmly said.


    "You don''t need to know my name, all you need to understand is that I''m going to kill everyone in this city and take their bodies with me."


    Suddenly, the man rushed at the city lord and attacked him with his fists but the city lord was prepared and deflected it.


    "Hoh, an earth realm cultivator, too bad you''re only in the lower ranks", the man said.


    The city lord trembled before returning to his calm demeanor, after their first sh he knew that defeating the person in front of him would be next to impossible. While they were both in the Earth Realm, he was only in the early stages of the Sight level while the other was at least at the Soul Level. However, he did not need to win. So long as the city lord couldst an hour, the earth realm cultivators that had taken care of the rank 5 would arrive and together, they should be able to detain this man for interrogation.


    Thus their battle began but the city lord was doing worse than he had previously thought and struggled to keep up with the man''s attacks. Each strike was extremely quick and ferocious and the city lord could only defend. No one could help him because they weren''t able to. Entering into the middle of this fight was the same as forfeiting their lives. They could only do their best to kill off the rest of the crows. As the battle continued between the man and the city lord, it was bing more and more one sided as the city lord continued to be pushed back. There was no opening as the man struck out incessantly leaving no time to breathe.


    "ENOUGH!" the city lord screamed, he inserted his inner force into Silver Howl causing a projection of a wolf to appear behind him.


    "A peak sage weapon and it even has a strengthening effect!", the man said, his tone was extremely serious and his eyes narrowed.


    "Thundering Howl!"


    The city lord swung his de down sending off a stroke of lightning apanied by a thunderous roar. It was extremely fast to the point where blinking would cause you to miss it. Arge explosion followed after the lightning struck the ground with enormous power. Dust flew everywhere as everyone but the city lord covered their faces. He stared towards where his attacknded and waited.


    "If you think that yourst attack would have killed me, you''re wrong. You are going to have to do more than that to hurt me."


    A voice spoke from the settling dust and to everyone''s fear, the man was still alive and to make matters worse, he was able to survive the attack with nothing more than some cuts.


    "Do not worry, that was only the first attack. I wonder if you can handle the next several moves", the city lord replied.


    What took ce after those words could only be described as awe-inspiring. The two figures turned into blurs as lighting and thunder struck the battlefield. w marks and explosions covered the area with holes. At this point, most of the crows had died with the help of Ming Yue and the remaining soldiers but they were extremely tense.. They could only watch this battle unfold, not even themanders could aid the city lord.

 Chapter 30 - Reinforcements

    As the battle drew on, it only became more and more chaotic. The city lord suddenlyunched a terrifying wave of lighting from the swing of his sword.


    "Rage of the Thunder Wolf!" he yelled out as the lightning turned into a massive wolf of lightning that rushed at the man.


    There was an ugly look on his face as he uttered, "Demon''s Avatar."


    A figure made of darkness appeared in front of the him and took the enormous wolf head on. However, the wolf''s charge was too strong and destroyed the avatar before crashing into him. However, the avatar had managed to give him a second or two to evade it. Unfortunately, he did note out unscathed and his right arm had been hit causing him to feel enormous pain. Burnt to a crisp, it fell to his side unable to move.


    The fight came to a stop as the both of them struggled to stand. Even though the mysterious man was of a higher cultivation, he did not have any special equipment like the city lord. Furthermore, he did not expect this fight to be as long as it is. Fortunately, the city lord was in an even worse situation than him. To continuously fight like this must''ve been extremely exhausting, the city lord could barely stand up and used his sword to support him.


    The man sneered as he started walking towards the city lord.


    "It seems like this battle is over", he said, "Such a shame, but don''t worry, I''ll be sure to put the bodies of your people to good use."


    The city lord was furious but could barely move around, thatst attack of his had used up the rest of his inner force. He could only await his death but if that should be the case, he would detonate his body and kill the man in front of him. He was responsible for the city and his citizens! To be unable to protect them would make him a failure as their lord.


    The man slowly walked towards him and stretched out his hand for the city lord''s neck. Several soldiers tried to block him and take him down but all it did was send them to their graves.


    As the city lord gritted his teeth and prepared to detonate, but the he heard a swift cut followed by the sound of something falling to the ground. He opened his eyes to find the man''s hand on the floor, leaving a small pool of blood. When he moved his eyes, he saw a girl wielding a sword taller than her, it was clean of blood as if it had never been used before despite having just severed a hand. The city lord then recognized her as Ming Yue, someone that formermander Su had mentioned to him.


    Everyone was shocked. When did she move and most importantly, when did she attack? It was so sudden that no one knew what had exactly happened. They stunned by this sight especially the man who had just lost his hand. To think that she would attack when his guard was down was preposterous. He was close to reaching the Heaven Realm, a feat that could happen to one out of several million people. Yet a little girl in the Human Realm had managed to harm him, this was humiliating and he would not let this go without killing her.


    "If you think that your little stunt is going to save him-".


    Ming Yue immediately attacked him but the man dodged. She didn''t give him any chance to recover and attacked constantly. Sweat covered her body as she concentrated immensely, her goal was to stall him until reinforcements came. She knew that she would not win this due to the cultivation difference as well as the difference in their fighting style. Ming Yue was like a ss cannon sending out powerful attacks but unable to take much of a hit unlike her opponent who was more of a berserker and could take extreme amounts of punishment while dealing just as much.


    Her only advantage was the range of her attacks as Parting Sword was over several feet long, much longer than the man''s attack range which amounted to only his hands. She made full use of it and struck from outer reach of her sword. The man could do nothing but take her attacks bing much more frustrated in the process. She danced around him and attacked constantly.


    "AAHHHHHHH!" he screamed in rage and swung out managing to grab Ming Yue''s sword with his hand.


    He swung it with her still holding onto the hilt and threw her on the ground forcefully. She yelled in pain from the impact, her ribs were most likely cracked and she could hardly stand up.


    He walked up to her and encased his hand in a dark aura moving for her arms.


    "I''m going to break your limbs one by one before I crush your skull in", he said.


    With that he struck her, aiming to destroy her right arm. However, such a thing did not happen. Ming Yue activated the Dusk Lily Pin, creating a translucent barrier that surrounded her and blocked the man''s attack. It cracked under the force but had not yet been broken.


    At that very moment, Ten figuresnded on the ground surrounding the him.


    "It would be best if you let her go before we make this spot your grave", one of them said. He walked forward with his hands empty and looked at the man coldly.


    Reinforcements! Everyone finally felt a wave of relief wash over them, they had survived until reinforcements came!


    As for the man with no weapons, the city lord recognized him as one of the leaders of the 48 Demon Brigades, Sky!

 Chapter 31 - Aftermath

    Ming Yue looked at them in awe.


    "Strong!" she thought.


    That was her only impression of them but that was enough for her to realize the road she had to take. In her eyes, this was the level of power she longed for, her desire to for strength only grew. She watched and looked at everyone. Of the ten figures, there were 6 men and 4 women, they wielded weapons of all sorts, ranging fromrge clubs to fans and even a guqin. However the most terrifying one would be the man with no weapon. She felt an unprecedented amount of fear from him. Compared to his group, he felt like a giant among men.


    The group approached the mysterious man slowly, ready to strike at any time.


    Sky restated his words, "Come with us and if you cooperate, the emperor may let you go."


    The man smiled andughed out loud, "Don''t think that this has changed anything? In the end, my master, the Lord of the Azure Souls, will have his revenge and destroy Red Lotus Country! AHAHAHA HAHA-heuk-huk".


    He fell to the ground and convulsed before blood dripped from his mouth.


    "Che, he killed himself before we could do anything", Sky said.


    He picked up the man''s body before looking back at his team, "Our mission here isplete, I will report this to the emperor. The rest of you help kill off the remaining beast of the horde and guard the city in case of another attack. Once the coast is clear, you will meet me at our next mission location. Is that clear to all of you?"


    Several groans were heard before they responded with a yes.


    "Good", Sky immediately departed and was soon out of sight.


    "You heard what the leader said, let''s go finish this up", said one of the team members.


    "Earth, stay back with them and help with the wounded, the rest of us will go out and hunt the rest of the beasts. Mountain and Lotus will stay here with you to guard the city", she said.


    "Yes, Shade", they replied.


    The group immediately split up and went on their way. Earth, a thin and meek looking man asked for the location of the medical camps before heading there. As for Mountain and Lotus, they began to help clean up the city clearing debris and carrying out any who were still alive.


    Ming Yue looked at them in curiosity before one of them, arge muscr man approached her with his hand out. She looked at his hand before grabbing it and getting up. It was Mountain, his counterpart Lotus carrying a pair of metal fans aided in the recovery of any injured. She was dressed pink gold robes which wrapped her petite body, her face was pretty although there was quite a bit of make up on her. She wore a calm expression and carried a serene aura.


    "You''re quite the brave one", he said, "choosing to fight an opponent that''s easily over five times your power."


    He looked at her before smiling.


    "Come on then, help me clean this area up."


    Ming Yue took his hand and stood up before helping with the rescue efforts.


    Dayster in the emperor''s pce, Sky had reached the emperor and reported the events that urred from the unusual horde to the mysterious man on hisst breath, screaming out loud in confidence of the fate of their nation before convulsing into a bloody mess. After hearing such news, the emperor rubbed his forehead and sighed.


    "After going into hiding for so long, he finally makes his move. Tell the 48 Demon Brigades to stand by their stations and be ready to be called at any moment. I want you and the 7th Brigade to stay at Luan City until further notice. This incident is only the first of many toe. I expect that it will only get worse. That is all, you may leave."


    "Yes, my lord."


    Sky left the throne room, leaving the emperor by himself.


    "To think that you would attack now. This time I will personally execute you myself", Sky muttered. He walked and left for Luan City with an abnormal degree of killing intent in his eyes.


    Somewhere in a grand valley, was a house, and within it was a man drinking a cup of tea while gazing at his courtyard. It was adorned with a pond of fish and its own waterfall, surrounded by an array flowers. It was a beautiful sight. He was quite handsome and his face had a kind expression. He wore blue robes resembling a calm sea and sipped his tea without a care in the world. Without a doubt, this must be the mysterious Lord of Azure Souls.


    As he continued to drink, a voice suddenly spoke yet he was the only one in this residence.


    "He failed to capture the city and even died."


    "That was to be expected. he is but one man", the man replied.


    "Well, that was a waste of a tool. What did you expect to aplish there?" the voice spoke in a angered tone.


    "Do please rx," the man said, "I''ve already aplished my objective".


    "Hmph, would you like to borate?"


    "Ah ah ah, not yet. It is a bit early for me to tell you all of my cards."


    A moment of silence passed, the Lord of Azure Souls looked at the courtyard with his cup of tea sitting beside him.


    "Fine, you can hide your little tricks and secrets but I expect you to honor your side of the deal. I better see Red Lotus Country in mes with the head of its emperor on a stick. You have two years. If it is not done, you can consider forfeiting your own life", after speaking, the voice spoke no more as if it was never there, leaving the Lord by himself.


    He smiled and continued to drink his tea, "By then, I will have your head as well."

 Chapter 32 - Traveling To The Capital

    Several weeks after the attack, Luan City was back to being a bustling city once more. The streets were littered with stalls and children yed with some of the left over rubble. The recovery of the city went quite well due to aid from the government as well as the materials obtained from the dead bodies of the beast horde. While many of cultivators took materials as part of their spoils there was too much for even them to take. Much of it was sold to help pay for the broken walls and buildings. A fair amount was used to create weapons, armor, and other types of equipment in order to reward those based on their contributions to defending the city.


    Out of the several hundred members that took part, Ming Yue was ranked quite highly due to her achievements for attacking the culprit and killing close to three hundred beasts on her own. But her rash behavior caused her to lose out to some of the others. She was rewarded ordingly and movied to the Bronze Bull rank from Jade Fox for the pavilion and she was given a knife made from the tooth of a Rank 3, Iron Tusk Elephant. A creature known for its tough bones andrge body, it is said that they are able to crush stone walls like paper.


    The knife itself was very pretty. The de was white like snow, the handle was wrapped in leather and the pommel was made of True Steel and engraved with a dragon symbolizing the Jade Dragon Pavilion. What made True Steel different from regr steel is that it forms by being naturally refined by its surroundings. In this case the natural element of earth from the mountains refines it, making what is formerly regr steel much more durable turning it into True Steel. This ismon for many metals which are shaped by the elements that nurture them creating miraculous materials like Purple Thunder Iron or Darkfire Ore. Both of which are refined by the earth.


    Ming Yue was quite content with her reward, having a second weapon was reassuring in case there was a situations where she did not have the Parting Sun de.


    She sheathed the de and ced it within her robes, keeping it hidden. After doing so she left the Pavilion and went back to the brothel where Aunt Cui Fen and Rou''er were, where to proceeded to pack her belongings. After seeing the Demon Brigades in action, she realized that she needed to travel the world and get stronger. With that in mind, she though about her next destination before recalling Youth Dragon Tournament at the capital that Grandpa Meng talked to her about. After all, he did tell her that she might have a chance at finding the Splitting Moon de at the Capital. There was still several months before the tournament began and the Capital wasn''t extremely far.


    Thus, she decided to travel there by foot. In the morning, she said farewell to everyone at the brothel.


    "We''re going to miss you girl," the brothel owner said.


    "Yeah, without you, whose going to keep those men from causing trouble for us," said one of the brothel girls.


    Aunt Cui Fen and Rou''er looked at her before giving her a big hug.


    "You''ve only been here for a couple of months and you''re already going. None of us want you to leave especially Rou''er," Aunt Cui Fen said.


    "Yeah! I don''t want you to go anywhere sister Ming, stay with me and y," Rou''er said pleadingly.


    Ming Yue felt somewhat sad that she had to go and triedforting them.


    "Don''t worry, I''lle back and visit. Don''t you also have Elder Fei as well, even though he isn''t here, I''m sure you keep in touch with him," she said.


    Cui Fen''s face turned somewhat red,"Well, he has been sending me letters, talking about his travels and I''ve been... writing him back a little."


    "That''s good to hear," Ming Yue said. It looks like their rtionship was moving a bit.


    After concluding her goodbyes, she left the pair and the brothel, heading for the gate. Nearing the gate, she recognized Owner Su waiting there with a small package in his hands.


    "Ah there you are," he spotted her and walked towards her, giving her the package. It was wrapped in cloth and was a bit bigger than her hands.


    As she held it in her hands, Owner Su exined, "This is a small parting gift from me and Tie Di, the old cksmith. Furthermore, there is also a letter in there from Meng Zhao. I hope you have a safe journey out there."


    Ming Yue opened it and found a small pendant along with a book and the letter. The pendant was and shaped like a star, made from some sort of metal and a green gem was embedded into the pendant shining brightly. Putting it on, she felt an unknown forceing from it and surging through her body. It was refreshing and cool. Afterwards she examined the book, reading the title,"Flowing Wind Manual."


    "The pendant is from Tie Di, by wearing it, you will be able to recover your inner force much quicker. As for the book, that is from me. After watching you fight, there is one w in your swordy. It is much too rigid and the way you use your inner force to strengthen your strikes is somewhat crude. Without some form of flexibility, each and every move you make are like straight lines, unable to bend. It can be easy to dodge it before you even finish your move. This book focuses on that missing flexibility and it is quite detailed on the usage how inner force can be used. Hopefully, this will help you", Owner Su said.


    She then opened the letter from Grandpa Meng and started reading it. It was quite long and talked about how he knew that she would be going to the capital, wishing her a safe travel and telling her that when she reaches the Capital, to immediatelye to the Jade Dragon Pavilion there and send him a message telling him that she made it.


    Ming Yue gazed at these items before putting them into her spatial ring. She thanked him and exited the city into the wilderness where she headed in the direction of the Capital. She would have to cross the Purple Vine Forest into the Firelight Ruins before reaching the Capital of Red Lotus Country, Five Element City.. She disappeared into the forest, a young girl embarking on the next leg of her path.

 Chapter 33 - Darksun Marauders

    Within the Purple Vine Forest, a girl dressed in light blue robes hid among the trees watching intently as a rabbit dashed through. Suddenly, the rabbit felt something grab its leg before it was flung into the air, dangling with a rope tied to its ankle.


    The girl jumped down revealing herself, it was Ming Yue approaching the poor creature..


    She grabbed the rabbit by its ears and cut off the rope.


    "It''s rabbit meat today," she thought.


    Ming Yue walked back to her small camp and proceeded to kill and skin the rabbit. She set up her campfire and waited for the me to gain strength. She had been traveling for several days now, fighting beasts, cultivating and collecting herbs. Interestingly, she had yet to bump into another person and generally foundpany in Xiao Yin, her pet owl.


    The rabbit meat was put into skewers and ced by the me, slowly cooking. As she tended to her meal, Ming Yue took out a book from her spatial ring, cing it by her. She silently waited for the meat to cook before finally grabbing a stick and started taking bites.


    Xiao Yin rested on her shoulder taking some small mouthfuls as well. She wasn''t very focused on enjoying her meal as she read the book that she took out previously. It was the Flowing Wind Manual given to her by Owner Su. She read it intensely only stopping to take another bite of rabbit meat. After what he had told her, she decided to read this book first before going onto the Falling de or Sonic Edge manuals.


    It was an enlightening manual to her and introduced a way of using her sword and body different from what she knew. Her rigidness came from the using her body''s strength at its utmost to deal a powerful blow. However, the Flowing Wind Manual described that rxing the body will allow you to change the orientation of the strike mid-air. Although the strike would not be as powerful as before, this can be fixed by concentrating your inner force into the arms and torso. The sections of the manual that talked about inner force was extremely helpful to her.


    Before, she would just push it into her arms or other body parts without directing it into specific areas. Doing so would juts exhaust her even quicker.


    Ming Yue finished her meal and Xiao Yin had already left her shoulder and perched on a tree branch going to sleep. She then proceeded to put what she had learned into practice, bringing out her sword and attacking the empty space in front of her. Her progress was slow but it was quite steady. She was not a genius but herprehension was decent and the effort she exerted. It was well into the night before she stopped training, the fire had already burned out and she spent the past hour training in the dark.


    She wiped her sweat and climbed up a tree resting in the same branch as Xiao Yin and slowly falling asleep.


    As the night carried on, several shadows approached where she slept but they weren''t focused on her. Instead they stared at another figure who found their back pressed against the tree.


    A weak voice came from the them, it was the voice of a young man,"Please let me go. I have given everything I have to you already. What more do you want?"


    "Heh, did you think we were only after your valuables? Did you think that we took this time to protect you only to rob? We are from the Darksun Marauders and our boss wants someone to warm his bed tonight," one of the shadows spoke he approached her revealing a nasty grin.


    "But I am a man!" he eximed.


    "It doesn''t really matter to him, if anything you look more like a woman than a man. Besides, he doesn''t mind if we take a turn first," he continued, holding his arms out ready to grab the man''s clothes.


    Unfortunately, the marauder could not do so, for his hands had been cut off. He looked at his arms in surprise before screaming in pain.


    "AHHHH, IT HURTS. IT HURTS!" he wailed incessantly.


    "Third Brother!" one of the marauders eximed.


    Everyone brandished their weapons and stared into the darkness. They looked around furiously trying to find the one who had attacked their third brother but it was in vain for the one they were looking for was above them. Silently they died one by one as Ming Yue cut their throats with her dagger. The remaining people left was her and the young man.


    The young man was shocked by this disy, although he could not see clearly, he knew that he had been saved. He finally saw who his savior was and felt surprised that it was a young girl holding a dagger. He could not move and only stared at her as she grabbed her sword and put back her dagger. She started taking the possessions of the dead bodies, cing them within her spatial ring.


    He woke himself from the shock and quickly ran up to her.


    "Wait, please help me save my younger sister! We were separated when these men revealed their true intentions. I tried to run with her but she was caught before I could escape," he said.


    Ming Yue turned around, looking at the young man. What the marauder said was true, this person really did look like more like a woman than a man. She thought about his request. She still had four months before the Youth Dragon Tournament started and it would only take her two months to reach Five Element City from where she was. In any case, she could take this as morebat training.


    The young man was afraid that she would decline. After all, they knew nothing about each other. She had no reason to agree to his request. He looked at her waiting patiently and after giving it some thought, Ming Yue nodded, silently agreeing to his pleas.


    The young man was grateful, quickly introducing himself.


    "Thank you! I am Yu Fengtian. May I have the pleasure of knowing your name?"


    Ming Yue said nothing. After all, she rarely spoke to others even with the people at Luan City. However, Yu Fengtian wasn''t bothered by this, he knew that there many kinds of people out there with entric behavior. He was just happy that this savior of his was one of more benevolent ones.


    Afterwards, Ming Yue jumped into a tree and rested on a branch. Xiao Yin followed her, this timending next to her, going back to sleep. Yu Fengtianid his back against the tree Ming Yue was on, exhaustion overtook him and he soon fell asleep as well.


    Night turned to day, Yu Fengtian woke up to Ming Yue training. He watched before getting up and waited for her to finish. With the sun out, both of them had a much better look at each other. Yu Fengtian was definitely a man, but he looked incredibly feminine. His petite body and girlish face would cause some to mistake him as a woman. He wore light yellow robes which were somewhat dirty fromst night''s ordeal.


    Ming Yue walked up to him, it was most likely that his sister was brought back to their hideout. The most important thing is to find their location.


    "What can you tell me about the Darksun Marauders?"

 Chapter 34 - Infiltration

    Yu Fengtian paused before answering,"The Darksun Marauders are quite infamous formitting many treacherous actions such as robbery and kidnapping especially with merchants and nobles. Many of their crimes go unnoticed as they prefer to act undercover using the fake identities and other various means. Furthermore, they do almost all of their work in the night. As far as I know, their base should be in this forest but no one knows the exact location. "


    "Is that why you and your sister were attacked by them?" Ming Yue asked.


    "Yes," he replied.


    Yu Fengtian paused before telling his story. As it turns out, he and his sister came from a small branch of a noble family. His sister was a genius cultivator while he was unable to cultivate at all leading many to shun him as a cripple. However, his sister never thought of him that way and loved her older brother dearly. Several weeks ago, the family had prepared to send her to Five Element City to the main family branch where they would hold apetition among the younger generation and send the winner to the Youth Dragon Tournament. If she was to win thispetition and enter, then it would give the branch family a higher status.


    During the preparations she wanted to bring him with her to cheer her on. Their family didn''t really care and told her that she could bring him along. The main family had arranged some guards for them and sent them off. Who would have known that these protectors were actually criminals.


    "Her name is Yao Xian, Yu Yao Xian."


    Yu Fengtian''s face was filled with grief after recalling her name.


    Ming Yue thought to herself, slowly digesting the information. She then took out the belongings of the men from yesterday and rummaged through them. There was a fair bit of money, some trinkets and weapons, and finally a rolled up paper.


    She unfurled it, recognizing it as a map and started looking over it. There were several red marks on it, scattered throughout the map, some seemed to designate outposts or meeting points. Within the Purple Vine Forest, she noticed a red and a ck mark near each other. If she was not wrong, the ck mark is most likely the main base. It was located in one of the more dangerous areas of the forest where rank 2 and rank 3 beats were frequently found. Furthermore, the vegetation is much more thicker making concealment much easier.


    "We go here," she pointed at the ck mark, telling Yu Fengtian.


    He had already stopped grieving over his sister and looked over at Ming Yue curiously, watching her actions. When she showed him the map, he realized that it was from the marauders yesterday.


    "Let''s set off immediately, the faster we get there, the higher chance that Yao Xian is still alive," he spoke urgently ready to move out.


    And so, the pair went deeper into the forest and traveled towards the base of the Darksun Marauders. It took a day and a night to reach their destination and once it was within their sight, Yu Fengtian had lost hope. It wasn''t because they were toote but because he felt it was impossible to save her. The base was more like a stronghold with watchtowers everywhere and the walls were fortified with stone.


    Dejected, he faced Ming Yue and apologized, "I''m sorry for implicating you like this, it seems that saving my sister is not possible anymore."


    He looked at her, surprised that there was no difference in expression, she just continued to watch the stronghold. Suddenly, she spoke to Xiao Yin and sent her off into the sky.


    "What are you doing?" he asked.


    "We should attack when the sun is at its highest, I sent Xiao Yin to see where the security is the mostx. Once we determine its location, I will distract them while you go off and find your sister."


    Fengtian almost called her crazy out loud, to attack in broad daylight was insane and a stupid move to make. Seeing his disbelief, she didn''t bother exining her actions.


    Soon, Xiao Yin flew back and led them to a section that had the least security. the vegetation was especially thick and it seems that only one or two watchtowers had a clear view of that section. This was the best spot to get into the encampment but it was still day. It didn''t matter where they would enter from, they would be spotted immediately.


    However, none of that happened. In fact, it seemed like no one was even here.


    "Strange, why is it like this?" he said.


    "You said before that they operate at night. This must mean that they should spend the day asleep," she said.


    She was not wrong, even though it was midday, the stronghold was somewhat quiet with the exceptions of the sounds of animals. Of course there were guards but most of them spend the day napping. It was a concealed base after all, no one has yet to discover it so there was no reason to worry. The numerous watchtowers were really just for show, they were upied by sleeping men.


    The both of them enter quietly, climbing up a tree and jumping over the wall. Fengtian had trouble getting over but Ming Yue simply lifted him onto her shoulder and brought him over.


    "Let''s go find your sister then," she said.


    They set off exploring the area and entering buildings, searching for her. Every now and then they would hide, waiting for the passing patrol to leave. Yu Fengtian stopped in one the buildings, a storeroom, grabbing something. It was a Guandao*, a polearm weapon. It had a crimson red body with a lion''s head. It''s mouth was gaping wide and a de came out from it. The de wasrge and shaped aggressively as if meant for war.


    "It''s my sister''s weapon," he said, carefully wrapping it in cloth and carrying it on his back. Ming Yue didn''t question him and left the storeroom.


    They stopped by a shabby building and entered it. The interior was dark and messy. It was filled with all sorts of people from old men to young girls and even small children. Their clothes were stained in dirt and blood, ripped up in all manner of sorts. These were prisoners possibly from kidnappings to robberies and vige attacks.


    Fengtian hurriedly looked through them all. Some were curious about the two that had entered while others cowered in fear. Ming Yue looked at them all, feeling angered and disgusted by these Marauders. Such people did not need to exist in this world, she needed to take this opportunity to end them.


    "I found her! Yao Xian! Get up, we''re leaving!" Fengtian helped up a young girl. She was injured on one arm and stood weakly.


    She spoke in a weak voice, "Brother? Why are you here? It''s dangerous to be here, you should leave now."


    "I came here to take you away, you are my sister, I can''t abandon you like this. Look, I even have your Lion''s Pride. Quickly now, we must go."


    "But... I can''t leave them here, these people live like dogs here. We should do something," she said.


    Fengtian looked at her unable to say no to her request, he looked back to Ming Yue as if asking for her opinion. She thought about it before nodding slowly.


    Suddenly, they heard a voice, "Hey, who left the door open?"

 Chapter 35 - Destroying The Stronghold

    Ming Yue spun around immediately attacking and killed the approaching marauder.


    "Take everyone and leave!" she ran out and started attacking the nearest patrols, leaving the prison house.


    Minutester a bell rang from one of the towers, "We''re under attack!" yelled one of the guards.


    Yu Fengtian did not spare anytime and tried to get everyone in the prison to leave.


    "Forget about us," some of them said, "We can no longer move like we used to. We are barely able to walk much less run. We can only stall for time, get the young ones and go."


    They held sticks and stones in their hands and positioned themselves at the back like cannon fodder. Yu Fengtian lead them towards the nearest gate, hoping that they could escape without any issues.


    At this time, the Darksun Marauders were on high alert. Every one of them rushed out of their homes armed with swords and spears.


    "Who is this attacker of ours?" a voiced growled out, a man walked out, carrying a saber in his hands. He was plump man dressed invish clothes but that did not take away the dangerous aura that he emitted. His face was rough, tanned by the sun and scarred from numerous fights. It did not match the his body nor his clothes. This was Wei Lian, the leader of the Darksun Marauders. Despite hisrge size, he was known for his swift speed and his positions as leader of the marauders.


    "Boss!" men greeted him as he strolled through, obviously he was not very bothered by this disturbance.


    One of the men came up to him,"It seems to be young girl, she has released the prisoners as well."


    "Hmm, what about that girl that I gave orders to watch?" he questioned.


    The man paused before finally answering, "She has also been released...and her weapon has been taken too."


    "Idiots! we have been given a job to keep her from entering the capital. Our employers have already promised us enough money to live the rest of our lives infort. If we fail to take her back, I will personally castrate everyone responsible. Now find her and stop that other girl, they''re only little children," he barked orders before moving out as well.


    In the meantime, Ming Yue wrecked havoc wherever she went. She kept her watch on the prisoner group using Xiao Yin, who flew above their location. She attacked every enemy she saw, disposing them in seconds. For her, this was an opportunity to try out what she has learned from those manuals she read from. It wouldn''t be impossible to say that she could already change the direction of her sword mid-strike. Although it wasn''t perfect, it was enough for these marauders. Most of them were cultivators at the human realm, some were at the 4th or 5th level simr to her. These were skilled men who have taken part in many missions butpared to Ming Yue, their power was paltry.


    Her swordsmanship focused on killing moves, taking as many lives as quickly as possible. Her techniques were polished through continuous battle from defending Luan City to constantly training in the Sword Domain. Her greatest aspect was her offensive power. Not to mention, she focuses on the elements of wind and lightning which enhances her speed and power. She held nothing back in this fight. Even though she acted as a decoy for Yu Fengtian and the escapees, she fully intended on destroying this ce.


    She moved swiftly, cutting down men and setting fire to the buildings. She paid no mind to the mes but the marauders cared deeply. Where did this girle from and why would she rescue the prisoners? First they had to worry about her but now they had to stop the fires from running rampant. There was too much happening at once and they had just woken up. She was just too fast, running nonstop and decimating everything in her path.


    Xiao Yin screeched near the gates where the prisoners were, gaining the attention of Ming Yue.


    "They must be in trouble!" she thought.


    She changed her directions and ran towards where her pet was. Minutes after she arrived to their side, she saw Yu Fengtian and some of the escapees struggling to open the gate. At the same time, the older ones defended them, attempting to fight off some of the marauders. However, they could notst long, unable to contend with their weak bodies.


    "Push harder! We have to escape while we can!" Yu Fengtian screamed out, pushing the gate with as much power as he could muster.


    "Hah, there is no way for you to open the gate. It takes ten men to push and all of you are too weak to even make it budge!" one of the marauderughed at their hopeless attempt.


    "Once we deal with you, we''ll take care of that other girl," he said.


    A shadow dashed passed them striking the gate in a sh. The sound of a clean strike could be heard as the gates were suddenly cut down as if it was paper. It fell to the ground with a loud bang as Ming Yuended in front of it.


    "Go through now, I''ll hold the gate. Xiao Yin will lead you to a safer area," Yu Fengtian heard Ming Yue''s voice, sparing no time to stand in awe of what had just urred.


    "Let''s go now! Don''t waste this opportunity!" he yelled, leading the group out of the encampment and into the forest, following the little owl.


    Ming Yue stood at the gates giving precious minutes for them to escape. She pointed her de to the ground beckoning anyone of these marauders toe. Her small figure did not seem to fit the tall sword that she wielded. It might have looked a bit odd or awkward, but these men looked at her with fear. The gate might have been made of wood but it was extremely thick. To cut it down in one strike proved her strength. Anyone here would be hard-pressed to attempt the same feat. They circled her, unable to step forward and afraid of losing their lives.


    "I''ll take care of her, the rest of you go after them. Don''t forget to keep that girl alive," The boss of the marauders, Wei Lian, appeared carrying his saber.


    "Ye Feng, Du Tuan, stay here and help me capture her. We will punish her for this tonight," he spoke as two men stayed back while the rest gave chase.


    However, Ming Yue did not yet let them through attacking them as they tried to get passed her. The three men didn''t let her do as she pleased. The two men were armed with a meteor hammer* and a spiked shield. The man on the right flung one end of the meteor hammer while the other charged forth. As for Wei Lian, he stood back watching them as if she was already doomed to be captured. Obviously, he didn''t think that girl would win against his lieutenants and was instead imagining her warming his bed. His face turned even more twisted as he remembered the one leading that group, Yu Fengtian. It was definitely a man, but he looked too feminine and was too good to pass up.


    "It wouldn''t be too bad to have him too," he thought, quietlyughing.


    He looked back at the fight between the three and felt shocked. The girl was actually fighting his lieutenants move for move. She was in no way at a disadvantage despite fighting against two opponents. Ye Feng stood behind Du Tuan and threw the meteor hammer. He moved non-stop flinging one of the heads from every angle possible, while Du Tuan used his spiked shield to obstruct her view and stop her from attacking Ye Feng. This duo was a potentbination who have killed their fair share of fighters. But Ming Yue was not suppressed by their attacks, deflecting all of their attacks and striking back.


    Neither of them were able to pressure the other enough. Ming Yue fought intensely, attacking at every minuscule opening. Slowly but surely, she was winning this fight but this was too slow. She needed to run after the group and protect them but she could not break away. She thought of some solution to end the fight quickly.


    Without warning, she backed off immediately, barely dodging Wei Lian''s attack.. Now the bnce had tipped and Ming Yue had to battle three fighters at once.

 Chapter 36 - Escape

    The situation had taken a turn for the worse. Although she had expected this to happen, Ming Yue felt even more desperation. She did not know the current situation of Yu Fengtian and his group but she knew that they were in danger.


    Fortunately, Wei Lian had jumped in without a warning to either side causing a brief pause in the fight. Taking this chance, she retreated behind the broken gate and pushed the pieces off the ground,unching them towards the trio. She immediately ran off and rushed towards direction of where the escapees were, following their tracks.


    "Dammit, What are you two doing? Chase her! She will lead us to those prisoners," Wei Lian screamed out, he red at his two lieutenants before the three of them chased after her.


    Far from the encampment, Yu Fengtian followed Xiao Yin leading the group further away from the Darksun Marauders. He did not know where they were but the vegetation was extremely dense, he could not look further than a few feet. Using his sister''s weapon, Lion''s Pride, he cut through the bushes and create a path for everyone else. Xiao Yin paused and stopped above a tree, a sign that it was safe and they chould stop and rest here. Everyone crowded around the tree sitting by it, covered by the foliage. They were still on guard ready to escape at the slightest sound of steps.


    Yu Fengtian helped his sister rest by the tree. She crossed her legs and straightened her back, attempting to recover as much as she could before they had to run again. He looked at all of them with concern. They were ragged and barely able to catch their breath. He did not know where they would end up after this. Some had their viges destroyed, their homes gone. Knowing his sister, she probably wanted to take them in and have them join the Yu family.


    Yu Yao Xian opened her eyes and spit out a mouthful of some ck blood. She stood up grabbing her Lion''s Pride and threw a few swings.


    "Sister! Are you okay?" Fengtian looked at her in worry, afraid that she would overexert herself.


    She looked at him warmly, "I''m fine, Fengtian. Some of the poison that those marauders used to suppress my strength has been expelled from my body. They were able to kidnap because of that and forced me to ingest more of it, leaving me weak. Although it will take time to recover all of my power, I have around 10 percent of it. It is enough to fight them. "


    "What about your arm?" he looked at her, unsure of her condition to fight.


    She looked at him in confidence, "Don''t worry, I only need one arm to wield Lion''s Pride."


    Fengtian was about to speak in protest before he heard the rustling of leaves. His sister Yao Xian brought her weapon forth, ready to attack. No one thought that they would be found so quickly. As they readied themselves, Ming Yue appeared from the trees with Xiao Yin on her shoulder.


    "Are you alright?" she asked, looking at them with a concerned expression.


    "Everyone is more or less good. Luckily the forest was able to cover our tracks a bit," Fengtian responded, "I''m so d you came out alive. How did you find us?"


    "You have Xiao Yin with you, I saw her on top of the trees and went straight to your location. Now stay here, I''ll be back," Ming Yue left the area by herself, no one knew what she was going to do next.


    Minutester, she came back and lead the group outside. What they saw on their path was nothing more than surprising. There were corpses all throughout their walk. Each and every one of themid on the floor with their heads severed from their bodies. They saw more than 40 bodies on their way out of the inner regions of the Purple Vine Forest.


    "You did all of this?" Fengtian''s sister Yao Xian asked.


    Ming Yue nodded, acknowledging that she killed them all. She had done so to secure the area and a safe path for the group. The thick vegetation was perfect for her to assassinate them. Furthermore, she had the techniques from the Shadow de arts which were made for assassination. She was unable to find Wei Lian and the other two men but that did not matter. The Darksun Marauders were dealt a serious blow, recovering could take them years especially with their reputation. If word got out that they were decimated by only one girl, no one would fear them anymore.


    Hourster, they finally reached a stream and stopped by it. Everyone took mouthfuls of water, appreciating the refreshing sensation.


    "I haven''t had a decent drink in months!" one of the prisoners, a middle aged man, spoke excitedly drinking more and more.


    Everyone could agree with his statement, this water was nothing short of a godsend. They were finally able to rx after running away for hours, they were tired. This became their campsite for the night. Ming Yue went out to hunt for food while everyone else collected herbs and edible nts. They had also taken this opportunity to wash themselves. That night, everyone ate in glee,ughter sounded throughout their meal.


    "I can''t believe we escaped that hellhole," a young woman spoke, sitting by the fire.


    Everyone nodded in agreement, even Ming Yue. After all she saw the conditions that they were living in, They slept on dirt and straws with barely any room to breathe. Sleeping here by the stream was several times better than inside that small building. Everyone found their own little spot and slept for the night. The only ones still awake was Ming Yue and the Yu siblings, who sat by the fire, silently watching it.


    "I want to thank you for helping me," Yu Fengtian spoke up, "If it weren''t for you, I would have never been able to save Yao Xian."


    Following his expression of gratitude, Yao Xian also thanked her as well. She resembled Fengtian butpared to him, her eyes were sharp and she had a warrior''s disposition with calluses on her hands and a fit body.


    Ming Yue looked at them, "You don''t have to thank me, this can be considered part of my training."


    She grabbed her sword, walking off to practice what she hadprehended from the recent fighting.


    "Who is your master?" Yao Xian asked with a curious look. For someone so skilled, their master was definitely a famous cultivator.


    "I don''t have one," Ming Yue unsheathed her sword and started attacking the empty space in front of her.


    Both Fengtian and Yao Xian were taken aback by her response. Especially Yao Xian, Ming Yue had no master but was still able to take down a group of famed criminals on her own. If she was in Ming Yue''s shoes, Yao Xian was not sure if she could reach her level of skill without a teacher. Having a newfound respect for her, Yao Xian watched her practice her sword techniques. Each and every strike was swift and powerful. With the inclusion of what she had learned from the Flowing Wind manual, they became fluid and graceful, able to change within a moment''s notice. A thrust became a upwards sh, an attack from the right turned into a diagonal cut. Speed altered between fast and slow increasing theplexity of each move. It was like wind, a spring breeze could be roaring wind in seconds.


    Yao Xian watched in amazement, onlymenting that she could not fight Ming Yue with her injured body. Fengtian had already fallen asleep, leaning his head on her shoulder.


    The moon was bright in the sky and the three of them went to sleep. As the sun rose, everyone was stirred by the sound of horses. Yu Fengtian was the closest to the noise, waking up first and staring at the figure by the stream, recognizing him.


    "Young Master?"

 Chapter 37 - One Strike

    "Hmm?" the figure turned around, revealing a young man drinking water from the stream. He was dressed in blue robes, carrying a noble air. His face was ordinary, coupled with a long nose and somewhatrge ears. However, the expression on his face when he saw Yu Fengtian and Yu Yao Xian was that of shock.


    "What are you doing here?" he looked at them with surprise, as if he never thought they would meet.


    Fengtian was somewhat confused by the his words. Everyone had already awoken and looked at him with curiosity.


    "Who is this? Do you know him, Master Fengtian?" one of them said.


    He looked back,"This is the third young master of the Yu Family, Yu Ao Long. Unlike me and Yao Xian who are from a branch family, he is from the main family. This is great! With him here, we can help all of you."


    Yao Xian carried a glitter of hope in her eyes. If he was willing to ept their request, these escapees would not have to survive on their own. However, Yu Ao Long did not act as they had thought.


    His expression of shock became anger, "Guards! I want you to capture Yu Yao Xian and kill everyone else."


    A dozen armored men approached the group of people, pulling out their swords. Everyone''s joyous expression became confusion and finally fear.


    "Why are you doing this?!" Yao Xian yelled out, standing between them and the guards.


    Yu Ao Long sneered, "I had thought that the Darksun Marauders could at least hold you for several weeks. Such a useless bunch! Ah, I guess I''ll deal with this myself. After all, I can''t have you participate in thepetition. How can me and my siblings allow someone from the branch family to contend with us? Think about the shame it would bring if you defeat one of us."


    "Don''t worry," Yu Ao Long spoke arrogantly,"If you promise to stay out of the way, I won''t have my guards kill all of those prisoners."


    "Shameless!" Fengtian and Yao Xian thought the same thing.


    How can someone be so shameless, especially their own family? Yao Xian wanted nothing more than to fight but she couldn''t do it. Not only was Yu Ao Long a figure from the main family, but the people behind her were being held hostage. She thought carefully, this was possibly her only chance to break free from the branch family after all. The Youth Dragon Tournament happens every five years and onlypetitors under 20 could enter. The next one would happen when she was twenty, by then she would be unable to attend. She could not give this opportunity up but at the same time, she was unable to fight back.


    Yu Ao Long sneered at them, he could not lose in this situation. In fact, this was pretty much all within his control. However there was one thing he did not know about.


    He felt the edge of a sword on his neck, barely cutting into it. Fear coursed through his body and he started sweating, shaking from the killing intent this de emitted.


    A cold voice spoke into his ears,"Call your men off."


    It was not a request but amand from Ming Yue. How she had managed to escape everyone''s detection was a mystery. How she managed to get behind Yu Ao Long was an even greater mystery, especially for him. Everyone was too focused on the situation for them to notice her.


    Yu Ao Long was afraid to move but his pride as a noble got the best of him.


    "Do you dare to attack me, the third young master of the Yu Family?" his voice, trembling as he questioned her.


    Her silence was scaring him, he did not know what she was thinking and he was afraid of that.


    "She really might do it, she really dares to kill me!" he thought.


    "Retreat!" he quicklymanded his guards to back away.


    "Please let me go, I''ve done what you asked," he said, waiting for her to remove her sword.


    Ming Yue looked over, making sure that Yu Ao Long''s guards had moved away and that everyone was safe. She slowly removed her sword but as she began to rx, three figures came out of the trees attacking her and the group of escapees.


    It was Wei Lian and his two lieutenants!


    Wei Lian rushed towards her while his lieutenants went for the others.


    "I found you girl, do not think that you can hide in this forest forever with me here!" he said menacingly, brandishing his saber.


    She released Yu Ao Long and dashed away, dodging his strike. Yu Ao Long recognized Wei Lian, the leader of the Darksun Marauders and felt joy inside.


    "If you kill her, I''ll double your reward!" he yelled out quickly. This was how scared he was a Ming Yue, to be able to take advantage of the situation and get behind him and his guards was terrifying. She posed an unexpected amount of danger to him.


    Wei Lian put out a greedy expression, double the reward just to kill this girl was enough for him to waste away for the rest of his life. She was the cause of immense trouble for him after destroying his entire group. Even if Yu Ao Long did not increase the reward, he would have done so happily.


    He faced Ming Yue, circling her as they stared off. Wei Lian felt somewhat fearful, after all she did kill off most of his men by herself. However, he trusted his higher cultivation, being at the 6th level of the human realm. What he didn''t know was that she had enough power to injure someone at the Earth Realm. After all, most people of Red Lotus Country were at the Human Realm. Out of the millions of cultivators, only hundreds were at the Earth Realm while Sky and Heaven experts were extremely rare. People who could contend with those of a higher realm were either geniuses or monsters. Ming yue was neither but she closed the gap through sheer willpower and training.


    Ming Yue wanted to end the fight quickly and gathered her inner force to its peak. She slowly infused it to her sword rather than covering the surface like before. This method brought out even greater power and was much harder to control. She wanted to end it in one strike, targeting his neck. This was a technique that she thought of back when she cut off the hand of the earth realm cultivator that attacked Luan city. One strike with the utmost lethality, meant to cut down whatever stood in her way. After experiencing that sensation, she practiced hard to recreate it, only managing to achieve 40 percent of its power. However, It was already strong enough to cut stone. This was the same technique used to cut down the gate of the Darksun Marauder''s stronghold.


    Before Wei Lian could realize what had happened, Ming Yue dashed forth almost disappearing from his sight. He was confused looking around to find her, only to realize that he could not turn his head. Then everything he saw turned upside down before he hit the ground. Rather, his head had fell to the dirt while his body stood, poised to attack. Secondster, his body followed along, dropping to its knees.


    She chased after the two lieutenants of Wei Lian, who were in an intense battle with Yao Xian. She ran past Yu Ao Long, ignoring his horrified look.


    "One strike! One strike was all it took!" he thought,"I have to tell first brother about this! Rather, I have to stay alive first!"


    He knew that if he stayed any longer, he would be next.. He quickly ran with his guards, abandoning thest men of the Darksun Marauders.

 Chapter 38 - Parting Ways

    Yao Xian was at a disadvantage against Ye Feng and Du Tuan, Wei Lian''s two lieutenants. They were a duo that Ming Yue had a difficult time dealing with. It was without a doubt that she was in a worse state. The duo''s cooperation was impable, a perfect form of offense and defense. Yao Xian could not see when and where the meteor hammer would attack as Du Tuan''s spiked shield blocked her sight. She could only act defensively, dodging and blocking with her crimson guandao, Lion''s Pride.


    Yao Xian was extremely focused, she only had a split second to react to every attack. If she missed even one attack, she would be unable to keep up with them for any longer, ending in her loss. Her situation grew worse and worse, she slowly found it harder and harder to keep up. She had been exhausted from the constant pressure and her body had yet to fully recover. Even though she had removed the all of the poison, there were still side effects from the suppression of her body.


    Her only choice now was to force her way through and break the shield. She slowly cycled her inner force, focusing it into her weapon. Lion''s Pride slowly glowed, its de carried a red sheen. She thrusted forth, creating a stream of fire from her de. It was as if the lion head had awakened in anger, breathing down fire on those who disturbed it. Du Tuan could not withstand the power of her attack and was thrown back. The mes had melted parts of his shield rendering it unusable. He was without a weapon and Ye Feng had lost his partner.


    Without hesitation, she put an end to Du Tuan, stabbing him in the stomach. Ye Feng had be fearful, turning around and running in the opposite reaction. Without Du Tuan, their duo had lost its effective and Ye Feng could no longer attack wantonly. Unfortunately, he turned to find Ming Yue only meters in front of him. She brandished her sword and cut him down, leaving him in two pieces. With this, the Darksun Marauders were no more, they were just bloody corpses.


    Despite the end of the battle, Yao Xian''s anger was not gone.


    "Where is he?!" she looked around, trying to find Yu Ao Long, only to realize he had retreated, abandoning the men he hired to kidnap her.


    She was furious, not only at him but at the current generation of the Yu Family. For them to resort to such despicable means in order to keep their status, to suppress their own family was disgraceful. This was not the behavior she expected of them, they were not going to go far with that thinking. One day, their actions woulde back to haunt them.


    "Sister, please calm down. We can only sort this out when we reach Five Element City," Yu Fengtian consoled her.


    Minutester, she was able to calm down and stopped thinking about Yu Ao Long. She and Fengtian walked to Ming Yue to discuss their next move.


    "Are you also going to Five Element City?" she asked.


    "Yes, I n to join the Youth Dragon Tournament as well," Ming Yue replied, "However, I want to travel around the Firelight Ruins beforeing so I cannot apany all of you."


    Yao Xian was disappointed, she looked at Fengtian who looked a bit more dejected than her. She quickly realized something but did not speak her mind.


    "Then let us meet again at the Capital," she said.


    They traveled together for a few more days before splitting off. Ming Yue''s next destination was the Firelight Ruins while everyone else was headed for Five Element City. Although they needed to pass through the Firelight Ruins, they only had to travel through the outskirts while Ming Yue was headed deeper into the ruins. She gave Yao Xian and Fengtian the heads of Wei Lian and his lieutenants to bring to the main family. Not only would this help Yao Xian settle her disputes with the young masters and madams, but it could elevate her status, having killed the infamous Darksun Marauders. With this, she would be able to help the escapees of the stronghold get back on their feet.


    During their time together, Yao Xian would often talk about Fengtian, teasing him every now and then. Ming Yue smiled at their behavior, reminding her of life at the vige. It was a lonely smile and while Yao Xian didn''t catch it, Fengtian did.


    "She smiled," he thought, "but...why does she seem so sad?"


    It was first time, he saw her smile, probably the first time she ever really showed some sort of emotion. From the first time they met, she barely had any changes to her expression. He was curious about her. From her origin to her ns for the future, he wanted to know more. This sudden interest stemmed from one rather surprising development, he had feelings for her. It was too early to call it love but it was a growing affection. Yao Xian had noticed it when Ming Yue told them that she could not apany them. His look of dejectedness could not escape her sight. She did not know if this was temporary and chose not to interfere. This was something he had to figure out himself


    Fengtian wondered about her expression but chose not to ask. They barely knew each other, having only spent days together. It was not his position to ask.


    He was a passive person, he would keep to himself most of the time. Only when he was with her that Fengtian could speak without inhibition and after knowing him for so long, she could tell what he was thinking.


    When it came time to depart, he did not know what to say to her.


    "Thank you. Thank you for helping me. I hope that we will meet again at Five Element City," he spoke with sincerity before bowing to her and leaving with the others.


    "Yes! when you reach Five Element City,e find me and my brother and the Yu Household," Yao Xian followed.


    Fengtian looked back and watched Ming Yue leave, walking down another road. Her figure slowly disappeared into the ruins.


    "Do you like her?" Yao Xian suddenly asked, unable to keep her curiosity from overflowing.


    He was flustered by her sudden question.


    "I...I''m not sure," His mind was in disarray, he could not think of a definite answer.


    Fengtian truly wished to see her again, at that time, he would surely ask her about that smile.

 Chapter 39 - The Firelight Ruins

    It took Ming Yue half a day to reach the actual Firelight Ruins, located in the inner regions. The outer regions are considered the domain of the owner, Yan Hui Zhu, the Fury of the Light. This great figure was a powerful cultivator thousands of years ago, when the continent was broken into smallnds, controlled by the strong. Known as the Warlord Age, it was an era of destruction and chaos.


    The Firelight ruins was originally a city governed by him, named Firelight City. At the time, He was known for his skill of the light element and was a renowned healer. But the light energy in his attacks could not just heal but cause mayhem inside the bodies of his enemies. If he wanted to, he could easily cripple someone so long as a speck of his energy was inside them. This strength of his allowed him to obtain his ownnd, turning it into a city. It flourished under his rule and epted people of all races. It was a center of trade and had a wealth of natural treasures. But because of this, many were envious and wanted to take this city for themselves. Even kings of neighboring countries wished to have it. They secretly joined in an alliance and sent their armies to conquer his territory.


    In one fell swoop, Yan Hui Zhu sent out a ray of light from the highest tower, causing great destruction to their army camps. Many died a horrible death, unable to stop his energy from rampaging in their bodies. What made him even more terrifying was what happened after this battle. The lords and kings who had revealed themselves as his attackers soon found their territories razed to the ground and their people without homes or crops. Thesends were soon abandoned, considered to be riddled with misfortune after what he did to them.


    After this incident, any who had thoughts of his city no longer dared to dream of it, afraid of incurring his wrath. Even after his death, they were still afraid of him. However, his city was not fated to live on. Nearing the end of the Warlord Age, a great disaster erupted, the ground broke, destroying many cities and lightning from the skies rained down for days on end. It was as if the heavens wanted to erase everything in the world. Firelight City was one of thest strongholds to survive the onught but it could notst, ultimately breaking from the constant destruction.


    Very few survived the ordeal and banded together, leading to the current Sovereign Age, where many of the oldnds had unified, bingrge nations. As such, the Firelight Ruins came under the rule of Red Lotus Country. Although it was no longer a bustling city, there were many treasures to be found within it such as rare minerals and old artifacts. But the greatest treasure inside the ruins was the inheritance of Yan Hui Zhu. This included techniques and treasures that he has amassed during his lifetime. No one has managed to obtain it yet due to the numerous restrictions surrounding it.


    However, Ming Yue did note for his inheritance, instead she aimed to collect rare herbs and minerals. The ruins were considered a treasure trove because of its abundance of natural resources. However, it was also dangerous for many, as beasts would im some of these treasures as their own, attacking any who came close. Furthermore, there was the risk of fighting other cultivators for the same items. Robbery and murder was not an umon case.


    She explored the area, feeling curious. This was the first time she had seen the remains of another age. Their were many peculiarities to the architecture. The style was unlike what she had seen, it was extremely detailed with strange patterns and the material itself was unusual. A bright white stone that hasn''t faded despite several thousand years, preserved for some unknown reason. Among the numerous empty buildings and rubble, there was a tower at the center of the ruins. It was the tower believed to be used by Yan Hui Zhu and the location of his inheritance.


    Ming Yue approached it, looking at the tower. There was only one entrance and it was surrounded by people. They were cultivators, trying their luck with the tower, hoping to reach the top. She did not bother to join and only watched them with interest. Some were able to reach middle floors while many could not even enter, thrown out by some invisible force. Others waited out of sheer curiosity, hoping to see someone reach the inheritance so that they could know what it was.


    She soon lost interest and left the area, exploring other parts of the destroyed city. While she did not find much, the experience was very beneficial to her. To expand one''s horizons was to explore and learn more of the world. Even if she did not gain anything from this trip, it was not a useless venture.


    Some of the buildings resembles restaurants, shops, homes, etc. There were still several intact signs although thenguage it was written in was different from the current one. She walked casually, bumping into other cultivators from time to time. Although they were curious about her being here, a young girl with a tall walking stick, apanied by an owl. Some even wanted to capture her but ended up departing from the world.


    She left the city ruins, satisfied with what she saw and explored the outskirts. She collected a fair number of herbs with the rarest being a rank 2, 200 year Meteor Grass, It was a deep red nt that emitted enough heat to melt metal. For cultivators who have an affinity for fire and earth, this was a great herb to improve their power and control over the elements. Furthermore, it is also suitable for those who cultivate solely the fire or earth element. It was not very helpful for her, but it would definitely sell for a lot.


    As she ced the nt into her spatial ring, there were sounds of battle just ahead of her. She slowly crept up watching the battle. A group of people circled a giant white-speckled lizard, attacking it with caution. She examined the fight, recognizing the lizard as a rank 3 White Star Dragon. The dragon was known for its breath attacks, the fire from its mouth was hot enough to turn into white mes. The white specks of its skin would start to glow when angered.


    As for the group, itprised of 4 men and 2 woman, all of whom wore the same purple robes, signifying that they were of the same sect.


    "Junior sister! hurry up and grab that Starlight Flower!" one of them yelled out.


    Although they were able to take down the White Star Dragon, doing so would expend too much energy and they were only aiming for the flower. There was no need to kill it, they only had to push it away from the flower so that one of them could grab it.


    The one they called junior sister had managed to dig out the Starlight Flower from the ground.


    "I got it!" she put the flower into her spatial ring and joined her fellow disciples as they quickly retreated.


    "Stop right there!" a grisly voice yelled out as a group of men came out, "I''ll let you live if you give us the Starlight Flower. If not, you can only me your luck that you had to meet us."


    Ming Yue had yet to move from her spot, quietly observing the situation.


    The sect disciples were unable to move escape. They faced robbers in the front and a rank 3 beast closing in.


    The junior sister who held the Starlight Flower looked desperate and held the spatial ring close to her chest. This flower was too important to them but if they were to fight the chances of surviving was extremely low.


    After several seconds, one of them, a handsome young man spoke up, "Fine, you can have it. As long you let us go."


    The man grinned, "Hah, so the young ones can make the right choice. Unfortunately, you took too long to answer so, I changed my mind.. You can all die now."

 Chapter 40 - The Violet Sun Sect

    The faces of the disciples darkened as they pulled out their weapons. Today might be theirst day to live, but as long as they could deliver that Starlight Flower to the sect, they would havepleted their mission.


    "Hahaha", the man continued, "You disciples of the Violet Sun Sect are so unlucky. You''re part of such a trash sect, only good at pill-making. It is a shame but your struggling will only dy the inevitable."


    The handsome disciple turned to his junior sister, "Hua Xiong, on my mark, run away as fast as you can. Me and the others will try to stall for you. As long as you can bring it back to the Violet Sun Sect, our deaths will not be in vain."


    She was extremely scared but nodded, understanding his instructions. Of them all, she had the lowest cultivation and did not have manybat skills. Furthermore, all of this trouble was because of her.


    This flower was needed for a pill that would purify her body, for she had the light element in her. Earlier, when they attempted the tower of Yan Hui Zhu, she went up the farthest, almost reaching the top. As long as they could purify the element of light and strengthen it, the chances that she could obtain his inheritance was high.


    The Violet Sun Sect was a small power in a neighboring city. It was known for its pill-making, considered to be one of the best within the city. Almost all of their disciples were of the fire or earth element, a necessary requirement for pill-making. However, their lesser known division was healing andbat, a sector that Hua Xiong was a part of due to her affinity of the light element. This disparity in the Violet Sun Sect caused them to diminish in power causing them to be overshadowed by other schools and sects.


    Hua Xiong became their hope, her ability in healing was top notch and gave their sect a good reputation. But other schools have been pressuring them to give her up to them under the guise that she would have better teachers. In reality, they would take advantage of her healing ability, using her without regards for her well being.


    If she was able to obtain Yan Hui Zhu''s inheritance, the powers suppressing her sect would think twice before acting. Without a doubt these men were hired by those same powers to stop her.


    She hesitated, unwilling to leave them but she could do nothing but run.


    "Agh-",she heard the cry of a man before it was cut short.


    She turned to see a bunch of headless corpses, still standing as if their head never came off. Everyone of them looked in shock and fear. Her senior brother barely saw a thing, a sh of light flickered for a second before the heads of those robbers fell. He did not known what had happened but knew that this was their opportunity to escape.


    "Let''s retreat now!" he shouted leading his group away.


    The White Star Dragon roared in anger, unhappy that it was unable to protect its treasure and it couldn''t even kill the humans that disturbed it. However, it did not dwell on it for too long and began wandering into the wilderness, looking for another to rece the Starlight Flower.


    None of them knew what had happened, perhaps an expert had secretly helped them. But that did not matter much, they managed to live through the ordeal.


    Ming Yue saw them off before turning away and leaving. It would not sit well with her if she had left them alone. She quickly dispatched those men with ease, due to their own carelessness, none of them even noticed her. She did not reveal herself to them, choosing to move stealthily as she did not want to draw attention to herself. She wanted to move about by herself without distractions.


    Days slowly went by as she traveled all throughout the Firelight Ruins. Nothing drastic had happened during this period, she would spend her time collecting little treasures and fighting off beasts.


    A month had passed since then and she felt that there was nothing more to see here. There was still plenty of time before the Youth Dragon Tournament. She did feel close to breaking through to the 5th level. Ming Yue decided that it was time to break through and looked to find a quiet ce for her to do so. She chose to stop at a small clearing, secluded and peaceful.


    She chose a spot and sat down, closing her eyes and began to circle her energy. To breakthrough each level of the human realm required cultivators to temper their body using their inner force. To reach the threshold required cleansing the body of impurities and constant refinement of their inner force. As they progress to a higher level, their body would achieve new levels of toughness and power. By doing so, they are preparing for the Earth Realm in which they are to train their mind and soul. However, to do so, they must suffer extreme pain and their bodies must be able to endure it without breaking in the middle of each breakthrough.


    To break through to the fifth level, Ming Yue had to cycle her inner force through her body 55 times. Doing so will allow her body to break and reform into a stronger vessel. This process could take hours toplete but she had plenty of time spare.


    As she quietly broke through, the Firelight Ruins was in a uproar. The reason being that someone had taken Yan Hui Zhu''s inheritance! However, what happened after had caused this development to explode, as it turned out, the one who obtains his inheritance gained control over the Firelight Ruins. No one knew what had happened but before they knew it, the tower of Yan Hui Zhu shined, shooting a beam of light into the sky. Suddenly, everyone was sent out of the city ruins, watching the beam of light form a barrier, covering the ruins. Everyone was confused and did not catch a glimpse of whoever had done it.


    They could only wait for the inheritor to appear.


    Inside that tower was only one person. If Ming Yue was there, she would recognize her, for it was Hua Xiong!


    Ming Yue''s aid had allowed her return to her sect and refine a pill from the Starlight Flower. She quickly ingested it and began absorbing and refining it. Her power and control over the light element had almost doubled after several days of refinement. Her climb to the top of the tower was difficult beyond reason. As she went higher and higher, as oppressive force weighed her down and an even more incredible force pushed down her very soul. It took her several hours to reach thest two levels and almost took a day for her to reach the final floor. After reaching it, she discovered a ne, floating in the middle of the room. It was a simple string ne with a small circr pendant, embedded with a white stone. Up close, the "simple string" was made of an unknown metal, braided into a intricate pattern. The pendant itself was embedded with white jade, shaped like a tear.


    There was nothing but this ne and Hua Xiong reached out and grabbed it. The moment she touched the ne, it shines brightly and wrapped itself around her neck. Her consciousness disappeared from her body and she fell to the ground. Perhaps this was another trial or an ancient method for bestowing the inheritance. No one would know.


    Around this time, Ming Yue was close to breaking through only needing to cycle her inner force three more times. As she finished up, her body had visible cracks, with blood pouring out. It was a painful sight to see. Even her clothes had been dyed red. Once shepleted her final cycle, blood stopped running from her body and almost immediately, her body began to reabsorb the blood. Internally, her heart pumped incessantly and a rush of energy came about. Her eyes opened and she spit out the impurities of her body. ck sludge that disappeared into the earth. She felt much stronger than before and was eager to test out her strength.


    She felt the presence of a beast closing in on her. Lightning crackled through her fingers as a de of wind formed in her hand. She sent it straight to the iing creature. A sharp wind covered in lightning flew faster than the eye could see but it only hit empty space.


    The beast had actually dodged the strike. Ming Yue saw this and unsheathed her sword.. This was a great chance to consolidate her cultivation.

 Chapter 41 - A Mysterious Pond

    She barely saw the shadow of the creature much less its appearance. Its small frame flickered about and rushed forth. Ming Yue prepared to guard against the oing attack when the shadow suddenly changed directions, sending out a de of wind from the left. It shot around, bouncing from tree to tree, circling her and sending out more attacks.


    It was too fast for her to chase after and so, she could only defend herself. She watched carefully and waited for an opportunity to strike. Her only chances ured when the beast changed directions. However such openings were extremely short, she only had milliseconds to react and she had to predict its moves as well.


    She concentrated, slowly building up her inner force. She needed just one strike to stop it in its tracks.


    As the shadow reached the ground to the right of her, her sword blurred as she struck at the very moment, the shadownded.


    It yelped in pain and dropped on the ground. Ming Yue''s sword had cut its leg, rendering it unable to move. It snarled at her but felt fear towards her.


    She approached the mysterious creature and recognized it.


    "A Mistral Fox," she eximed in surprise.


    The Mistral Fox was a rare creature, known for its speed and more for its fur. The fur of a Mistral Fox had a rare silver gray hue and despite having little practicality, it was a beautiful fur that many noble woman longed for. However, the elusive beast was hard to catch because of its agility. Killing it was of no use to her. Although, it could strengthen her wind affinity if she consumed it, it would not help much as she had already absorbed the blood of a Roc. Furthermore, she was curious as to why, the Mistral Fox attacked her. They were very passive creatures who used their speed to escape rather than attack.


    She walked up to it and carefully picked it up, not caring for the blood in her clothes. It struggled to break free but found it impossible to escape her grasp. Xiao YIn cooed at the fox, as if it was trying to say that it was safe.


    Ming Yue walked to a nearby stream, proceeding to clean its leg and bandaged it. It was extremely confused by her actions. However she was a young girl after all, it would be hard for her to not help it.


    She left her cultivation spot and brought the fox along. It had a small frame was only a bit bigger than Xiao Yin, who was about a foot tall. Ming Yue still wanted to explore the rest of the area before she left.


    As the three of them walked around, the fox''s ears perked up and began sniffing around. As if it found something, the Mistral Fox struggled intensely to get out of her arms, even more so when they first met.


    Ming Yue saw the desperation in its eyes and ced the fox on the ground, following it. When the fox finally stopped, she looked ahead, wondering what it could''ve been that made it so excited. However, excitement was thest thing she thought when she saw what it was, the bloody corpse of another Mistral Fox.


    Its body was ripped up and left in a bloody pool. There were signs of battle all throughout the area. It was aplete mess as if a disaster hase across this ce. The ground was riddled with holes and treesid on the ground, broken and lifeless.


    The small Mistral Fox walked to the dead body and whimpered, rubbing its head and licking the bloody wounds. Ming Yue understood what had happened immediately. This dead Mistral Fox was his mother, she must''ve fought another to protect him.


    These scars of battle were a clear sign of how hard she must''ve battled. Ming Yue looked at the pitiful sight, a young cub mewling for his mother.


    "Aoooooo!!!" a howl sounded off, a ck winged wolf flew down from the skies.


    It opened its jaws, waiting to devour the little fox. However, its swift attack was not quick enough as Ming Yue drew her sword and defended the fox. The wolf bit nothing but metal and could not even crush it with its jaw. Of course, Ming Yue''s sword was not a normal one after all. The little fox stayed close to Ming Yue, hoping that she could kill the winged wolf. It snarled with defiance at the wolf.


    The winged wolf retreated and attacked again. This time, it beat its wings sending out gusts of wind, strong enough to destroy trees. She did not recognize this beast but found its power to be almost borderline rank 3. It was possible for the wolf to destroy viges and small towns.


    The wolf flew around and charged at her while sending out more deadly winds. She dodged all of its attacks and jumped up, propelling herself towards the wolf with wind. It was surprised with her sudden actions and tried to fly away. Unfortunately, she was too close and there was little time to dodge, she shed forth, cutting off one of its wings.


    The winged wolf fell to the ground but it did not lose one bit of its ferociousness. It wanted to kill the small Mistral Fox for this was originally his mother''s territory. The wolf wanted to finish the job and prevent any chance of losing it. Furthermore, it desired the treasure that the Mistral Fox protected. But with this human girl here, it had be extremely troublesome.


    After losing its ability to fly, the wolf resorted to other methods. It charged forward, attempting to get onto Ming Yue so it could bite her throat out. Ming Yue knew what it was doing and stabbed forth but the wolf dodged it. It was hoping for her to attack like so, for she would be left unable to stop it.


    Such things did not happen, the wolf felt a sharp pain and found itself unable to run anymore. It realized that it could no longer feel its legs. But it had dodged her strike, the wolf did not understand what had happened and felt despair. The limbless wolf bled from its stubs and cried out in pain. There was nothing it could do now but die. Ming Yue left the sad creature and in her ce was the little Mistral Fox. It felt fury for the one that killed its mother and attacked the wolf, devouring its flesh.


    She watched quietly and waited for it to finish. Once the fox finished thest morsel, he looked to her before going to its mother. She left it alone to mourn and explored the area. She entered a cave a ways off and looked around. Inside, it was hard to see but there was a cold aura that came from the core of the cave. As she walked closer and closer, the cold aura grew stronger before she finally reached the source.


    A small pond lied at the end of the cave. It was extremely cold to the touch and the water was crystal clear. She peered into the pond and saw no end to the bottom, only darkness. She cupped the water into her hands and drank it. Surprised to see that, it was full of energy, it reinvigorated her and left her body with a cool sensation. In fact, this pond might bepletely made of inner force!


    This was definitely a treasure, but Ming Yue wondered why none of the previous beast did not use it and felt that there was definitely much more to this pond.. Without much hesitation, she dived into the pond, curious as to what wondrous secrets this pond held.

 Chapter 42 - The New Inheritor

    As she dove down the pond, the situation of the Firelight ruins grew even more tense. The barrier had yet to dissipate and everyone had be impatient with it. Some even had ideas of forcefully breaking the barrier and entering the ruins.


    "I''m tired of waiting! When can we see this mystery inheritor?!" some of them expressed their discontent. Others quietly waited and sat down, cultivating.


    Within this group were the several disciples from the Violet Sun Sect, who discussed amongst themselves about the inheritor..


    "Do you think it was sister Hua Xiong?" one of them asked.


    "If she wasn''t the inheritor, she would be with us right now. Right?" another answered.


    "I hope so," their senior brother spoke with concern.


    They looked at the tower, feeling anxious for their fellow disciple. Hua Xiong was a kindhearted person, coupled with her beauty and healing ability, she gained the title, Fairy of Jin*, a reference to the Flower Fairy, a member of the previous generation whose exploits involved healing people from all walks of life. From kings to beggars, she treated everyone with the samepassion, healing them with no desire forpensation.


    Hua Xiong was the same, she healed all that sought her help and never asked for money or treasures. Now she was undergoing one of the harshest trials of her life. In the tower, She sat cross-legged in the empty room and the ne shined brightly. She wore a pained expression, constant sweat had dampened her clothes. Whatever she was going through must''ve been pushing her to the limits.


    "Urgh....aagghhh," she screamed and opened her eyes.


    Light shined from them, in fact her entire body began to glow. She continued to scream as powerful energy began to envelop her body and she disappeared within an instant. After disappearing, the entire ruins began to rumble, even Ming Yue felt it from the depths of the pond.


    She ignored them and dove even further into the pond, she wanted to know the source of this pool. Yet, there did not seem to be an end and soon she gave up. The coldness of the pond had grown too harsh for her to bear. Rather, she swam back up to the top of the pond and kept her body submerged. Such a wonderful opportunity would save her months of cultivation. She was still curious about the source of this mystery pond, too be filled with such dense energy was amazing. Unfortunately she was too weak to find out for herself. The shock waves had stopped minutes ago, if she remembered correctly, it was in the direction of the city ruins.


    "Someone must have gotten the inheritance," she thought.


    She wondered who it could''ve been, not knowing that it was the Violet Sun Sect disciples that she had saved. Ming Yue changed her focus to the pond and began cultivating. This energy was excellent for any cultivators of the ice or water element, but for her this was an great opportunity to temper her entire body. The cold energy prickled her like needles, poking into her skin, she endured and cultivated quietly.


    She exited the cave after cultivating in the pond for several hours, finding Xiao Yin ying with the little Mistral Fox. The corpse of the little''s fox''s mother was nowhere to be seen, probably devoured by the him. They were beasts after all, something like a burial was a foreign concept to them. It had not even been a day since she entered the cave but the mistral fox was much bigger than before and had a much stronger aura. Its silver fur was also darker than before, possibly a mutation from devouring the dark winged wolf. The both of them noticed Ming Yue and stopped their ying.


    She looked at them before changing her focus to just the Mistral Fox.


    She squatted down and motioned for the fox toe to her.


    "Do you want toe with me?" she asked.


    The fox didn''t quite understand. Despite being a rank 2 beast with a fair amount of intelligence, it was still a cub and still had much to learn. However, it knew that she was a good person and wanted to stay with her. It walked up to her and affectionately rubbed its head on her hand.


    Ming Yue found the little fox exceedingly cute at this moment and thought of a name. She thought for several minutes before finally finding one that she liked.


    "Do you like the name, Hei Yue?" she asked.


    The fox looked up before nodding, it didn''t really care for the name. Anything was fine as long as she would take him.


    She smiled at Hei Yue''s reply and stood up. "I suppose I should check out the city again to see who the inheritor is. After that, I''ll travel to the capital city", she thought.


    She traveled back to the ruins, ying with Hei Yue and Xiao Yin along the way. As she grew closer and closer, there was an eerie silence and when she arrived, there were little people left. In fact, the entire Firelight Ruins seemed to had lost its luster.


    She approached one of the remaining cultivators, who scoured the vicinity for any leftover treasure.


    "The inheritance had been taken by some sect disciple," he exined," because of that, many had no reason to stay, most scattered into the outer regions looking for other treasures. After all, the main attraction of these ruins was the Fury of Light''s inheritance."


    After his exnation, she understood why it seemed so empty and quiet. The lure of an ancient inheritance was hard to ignore, but without it, these ruins would not be as popr as before.


    However, this did not bother her, after all her main objective was to train. Something like the inheritance was just an attraction for her. She was already quite content with what she gained from this experience.


    With nothing left to do, her only objective was to go to the capital, Five Element City, and join the Youth Dragon Tournament. Furthermore, she had to find the sister de of Parting Sun, Splitting Moon.


    Ming Yue left the ruins and headed towards her destination. She still had around a month before the tournament starts and it would take her a week to two to reach the city. She was excited to see what the Capital looked like. Time flew by quickly, especially with Hei Yue, he had a yful personality and was extremely curious about everything they came across. He would run off on his own ande back covered in dirt and dust. It wasn''t long before she saw a giant city peaking over the trees. The road started to fill with more and more people. She finally reached the gate of Five Element City and showed her Jade Dragon Permit before entering.


    FIve Element City was even grander than Luan City in every aspect. If she had to guess, Five Element City was at least triple the size of Luan City. The streets were filled with all sorts of decorations and vendors. Everything seemed incredibly morous and bewitching, but such things were merely empty objects. At the center of the city was a great pce, the home of the emperor and the imperial guards. Ming Yue enjoyed the sight but made it her first priority to get to the Jade Dragon Pavilion. She strolled through the streets with Xiao Yin and Hei Yue, thetter who seemed much more entranced by the sights than the former, who merely perched herself on Ming Yue''s shoulder


    "Eh, is that a Mistral Fox? How cute! Brother Shao, can you get it for me?" a sweet voice spoke, behind Ming Yue''s back.


    "Don''t worry, Lan Ying. I''ll definitely get it for you," the young man spoke, assuring her. He looked at MIng Yue and sized her up, seeing this as an easy chance to impress his girl.


    She felt that a headache wasing andmented that it happened right after she entered the city.

 Chapter 43 - Five Element City

    "Hey, how much do you want for this Mistral Fox?" Brother Shao spoke with a fair bit of arrogance. As the young master of the esteemed Shao Family, he carried a bit of hubris within him. He was without hair, but he had a confident expression on his face. His clear eyes and and thin lips was enough to make him one of the more handsome men of the city.


    Ming Yue ignored and continued walking, looking around for the pavilion. She did not have time to deal with this nor did she even want to partake in it. Now that she has reached the capital city, there were many things to do.


    The young master did not expect such a response from this girl.


    "May I ask again? How much for your Mistral Fox?" he repeated with an authoritative tone.


    And again, she ignored his questioning.


    "Fucking bitch," he thought, being treated like this was like pping his face. He wasn''t going to let her off this easily.


    "Tie Yu! Take that fox away!" hemanded.


    Arge man stepped forward, his tall stature and muscr build caused many to shake. Not to mention, his ferocious face with an eye-patch and an ugly grin, he resembled more of a bandit than a bodyguard. He walked towards Ming Yue attempting to grab the fox in one move, but it was too quick for him and escaped before he could even touch it. For the next several minutes, he chased the little fox around unable to even touch it.


    Hei Yue continued to run circles around him, he looked extremely happy as if he found a new ymate. Everyone in the streets stopped to watch the spectacle, a scary looking man chasing around a cute little fox. Brother Shao looked at the scene, feeling frustrated that his guard is being yed like a fool.


    He leaped forward and pushed back Tie Yu, immediately making a move on Hei Yue. But his hand was met with another as he felt himself flung into the air and mmed into the ground. The impact alone was able to crack the stone pavement and left him dazed and surprised. He did not anticipate that any of this would happen.


    Unlike Tie Yu, Ming Yue saw that this Brother Shao was not very weak and his clothes showed that he was definitely someone important. She let him off with only a small bruise and left the area without sparing a nce.


    "Young Master, are you alright?" Tie Yu ran to help him stand up but he pushed him away.


    "You oaf! Go chase after her!" he yelled out, angry by what she had done to him.


    Tie Yu hesitated, after seeing what had just happened, he felt somewhat apprehensive of Ming Yue. Although he was Young Master Shao''s bodyguard, he wasn''t as strong as him, only acting as a deterrent for any small problems that weren''t necessary for the young master to deal with.


    Master Shao saw Tie Yu''s hesitation,"Screw it, we''ll deal with this when I talk to father."


    He wasn''t in the mood to continue this dispute but silently swore to humiliate her the same way she humiliated him. He looked around, ring at the bystanders.


    "What are you all looking at?! Do you all want to die?!" he yelled out.


    Everyone quickly scrambled and went back to their work. News of a young girl thrashing the young master of the Shao Family spread quickly. Everyone grew curious of her identity, after all the Shao family was one of the great five families. This groupprised of the Yu, Gong, Jian, Bing, and Shao ns. The city was controlled by these five ns who were subsequently under the Emperor''s rule.


    Each n held a unique aspect. The Yu excelled inbat, boasting a collection of over one million techniques for every weapon known. The Gong were famous for their forging, creating numerous weapons for many sect leaders and prominent figures. Some of the Emperor''s weapons also originated from the Gong n. Alongside the Gong were the Jian, a n of crafters who create a variety of formations and talismans from teleportation to recovery. The Bing n specializes in medicine and was also the birth family of the Flower Fairy, Bing Chun Sheng. Lastly, the Shao Family was one that focused on wealth, owning a third of the businesses and stores in the city continuing to spread their influence to the entire country.


    Having offended the Shao, it was no doubt that living in the city would be impossible with them. Especially with that young master, the son of the current head, he was extremelyzy and chose to y all day, treating money like water. Yet he was extremely strong and a self-proimed genius, but many knew it was because of the money his father had invested in him, using rare pills and elixirs to aid his cultivation. He was notparable to the other geniuses of his generation.


    As news of this event continued to spread, Ming Yue reached a tall building and entered. The entrance was held by two great doors etched with a dragon and a phoenix on them. A sign above the doors had two words, Jade Dragon. Compared to the one in Luan City, the style was very simr and it was much more spacious. All of the seating had been taken and it was rather crowded. She pushed her way through and carried Hei Yue in her arms. She did not want to the little fox to get trampled by the numerous cultivators. Many of them held the Jade Dragon Catalogue in their hands, looking through the pages for something to spend their contribution points. Others surrounded the mission board, looking for jobs to take. Many had noticed her enter but only gave a nce before going back to what they were doing.


    It took her several minutes to reach the counter. One of the attendants, a young women smiled and went to her.


    "Wee, what business do you have with us today?" she said.


    Ming Yue brought out her badge showing that she was a member of the pavilion.


    The attendant, Zhi Shu, took it and verified the badge, somewhat surprised that this young girl was of the Bronze Bull Rank.


    Ming Yue received her badge, "My name is Ming Yue, I would like to send a message to my grandfather, Meng Zhao."


    "You''re Ming Yue?" Zhi Shu said with some shock.


    She quickly regained herposure, bringing back a sense of calmness.


    "Pleasee with me", she said, leaving the counter and leading Ming Yue up some stairs.


    After walking up several flights, Zhi Shu brought her to in front of a doors, knocking on them.


    "Come in", a melodious voice spoke.


    The both of them entered the room which turned out to be an office. It wasrge with a desk centered at the middle of it. Large windows reced the walls behind the desk, revealing a great view of the city and piles among piles of papers covered the room. Tall stacks of papers blocked much of the room, Ming Yue couldn''t even see the person behind them.


    "I''ve brought Miss Ming Yue here", Zhi Shu spoke respectfully.


    "Oh", the voice sounded surprise,"You can go now. I''ll talk with her."


    "Yes, Elder", Zhi Shu bowed before leaving the room.


    "Hello there, Meng Zhao sent me a message saying that you would being", Ming Yue heard the sound of a chair moving before a figure emerged from the pile of paper.


    It was a middle aged woman, she was quite ordinary with a thin face and sporting a hair bun. Her eyes were somewhat dark and sunken, signs that she had not slept for some time.


    "I am Elder Yin, I''m sorry for such a disy, after the incident at Luan City. I''ve had much more work to do and I believe that Meng Zhao is in a much worse predicament than me", she spoke with a soothing tone, a voice of that which resembled calm oceans.


    Ming Yue shook her head, "No, Elder, I understand. I just hope that you would send a message to Grandpa Meng, telling him that I arrived."


    Elder Yin smiled, "Do not worry, I''ve already done so. Meanwhile, I understand that you are looking for the Splitting Moon de right?"

 Chapter 44 - Registering

    "Yes!" Ming Yue spoke with some excitement.


    "As for as I know, it is being auctioned in the city", she said, "However, this auction will not be happening for another year or so. It is the nation-wide General Auction, an event that happens every 10 years. You are quite lucky that you only have to wait one year. After all, this event requires an ample amount of time to obtain various items,mon or rare."


    Ming Yue was both disappointed and happy, She knew that the sword was within this city, but it would not be another year before she could obtain it. This did give her time to gather money for the auction. The more she thought about it, the more grateful she was for the extra time. All she had right now were a couple hundred gold, which came from selling all of the items she had gather from her time at the Firelight Ruins and Purple Vine Forest as well as any spoils from the Marauders and other criminals she hade across.


    She did not know how much money it would take to get the sword, only understanding that she would need a fair amount. Compared to those from noble families and sects, her wealth was meager.


    She thanked Elder Yin for the information and turned to leave, before elder Yin stopped her.


    "Wait", she said, "I still need to talk to you about the Youth Dragon Tournament."


    Ming Yue listened to her carefully.


    "The requirements are for you to be under 20 and to pass their basic testing. There are almost one thousand participants including the geniuses of the Five Families. The deadline to register is in a week and thepetition officially starts in one month", she exined, "There will be three rounds testing yourbat capabilities, those three are the most important and will decide whether you are eliminated or not. Afterwords, the remainingpetitors will go through 100 battles among each other throughout five days. The number of wins they get will determine their ranking. The top one hundred get a peak mortal ranked item of their choice. Those in the top 50 will obtain a lower sage ranked item. Then the top ten will be given a opportunity to pick a technique from the Imperial Archive, the emperor''s personal collection of martial techniques, one even greater than that of the Yu family. Finally, the top three will be able to enter the Lotus Domain and cultivate there for as long as they could endure the pressure. The Lotus Domain is the prized treasure of the country and meant to train only the most demonic of young cultivators. Those who have entered it, came out as legends. However no one knows the mysteries of the Lotus Domain. That''s all I know, do you have any questions?"


    Ming Yue thought about the information given to her, Other than her, there were close to a thousand people in thepetition and if she were to pass the first three rounds, she would have to go through 100 battles in five days. This was a test of stamina and wit, choosing when to surrender and when to fight. It would not be wise to take on unfavorable fights, for even if one were to win, they still had a number of fights toplete that day. Wasting their energy for just one fight was unwise.


    After thinking, she looked at Elder Yin before asking her, "What do you think I amcking?"


    She looked at Ming Yue as if she expected this, "Meng Zhao did tell me you were a training fanatic."


    Ming Yue was embarrassed by her statement but nheless wanted to know.


    "Show me some of your moves," Elder Yin said.


    Ming Yue then demonstrated in front of her, unsheathing her sword and attacking the empty air. She used all variety of skills from her swordy to her usage of inner force and wind. Each attack was swift and unpredictableing from many directions. It was not a wild rush of attacks but polished and calcted strikes.


    Several minutester, Elder Yin asked her to stop and began contemting on what she should say.


    "In terms of your general fighting capability, I believe that you have a good chance at passing the testing rounds. However what you currentlyck the most if your Dao of the Wind", she said.


    Ming Yue was somewhat confused, asking her to to borate.


    "You have great control and power of the element of wind, but the way your use it is very basic and easy to see through. You incorporate wind into your weapon to strengthen your attacks, but do you have any techniques that specifically cater to wind?" she asked.


    "Just because you focus on the dao of the sword does not mean that you can ignore the dao of wind", she added, "Only by bncing both will you improve your ability."


    Ming Yue never realized this or rather she hadpletely forgotten. She was only using the element of wind to power her attacks, none of her techniques actually utilizes it. Furthermore, her understanding of wind was extremely sparse. After all, wind is an ever changing force, one that can transform at any given second. Off all the elements, this was one of the most irregr, with so many paths to choose from, so many aspects to think of. From techniques as destructive as typhoons to silent des hidden behind a summer breeze, there were many choices.


    What shecked was direction.


    After understanding where she needed to improve, Ming Yue quickly thanked Elder Yin and excused herself. She wanted to take care of any errands she had before contemting on her dao of wind.


    Elder Yin smiled after she left, "Ah youth, so impatient."


    She sat back down onto her chair and continued her paperwork.


    Meanwhile, Ming Yue headed for the registration area for the tournament. She reached arge arena where a table and a man stood in front of the entrance. Next to the table was a stone pir, probably what they use to administer the test. There was a sign in front of it with the word, "REGISTRATION" and a line of people to go along with it.


    She joined the end of the line waiting for the 70+ people to sign up and go through with the registration test.


    As time passed, she finally reached the table, looking at a unusual white b of stone.


    "ce your hand on the stone b and it will tell me your age and cultivation", the tournament official exined.


    "Hmm, 15 years old, Human 5th level", the official read her information, before looking at her.


    "If you can damage this pir, you pass", he stated.


    Ming Yue approached it and unsheathed her sword, surprising those behind her that the staff she held was really a sword. She built up her energy and took an overhead guard stance*, focusing on it. The stone pir had all sorts of nicks and cuts from all of thepetitors before her, weathered down by countless strikes but still standing proud.


    "Begin!" the official spoke.


    She struck fiercely into the pir before retracting her strike. leaving behind a deep cut. She was disappointed that she could not cut it cleanly. The stone pir was definitely not normal, it might be made out of a special material or reinforced with formations. However the mark she made was quite visible, in fact, there were not as many marks that could match hers.


    The official examined the cut before making his decision.


    "Pass! Thepetition will begin in one month, be here by then or else you will be disqualified", he said.


    Then he gave her a lion-shaped crest, "Keep this crest with you, it is proof that you have passed. You will need it to enter the arena."


    Ming Yue promptly, happy that she had made it. She did not think that the test would be so simple and straightforward. After leaving the vicinity, she looked around the market area before entering a store. She wanted to sell off all of the items that she gained from her travels and chose the "Gold Honor Shop", a fancy three story building. The interior was somewhat ordinary, there were novish decorations, different from what the name said. However, all sorts of items were put on disy from normal equipment to rare herbs and potions, it was truly a sight to behold.


    One of the workers greeted her, "Wee to our Gold Honor, are you looking to buy something?"


    "No", she replied, "I want to sell some items."


    "I see, let me bring you to the third floor then, that is where our appraisers will assess the value of your wares."

 Chapter 45 - The Dao

    Ming Yue was then led up to the third floor where she entered arge room. Inside was arge work bench with brushes, knives and arge ss lens on top. These were most likely tools to inspect items for authenticity and identification.


    "Please sit while we send someone in", the worker instructed before closing the door and leaving.


    She sat down on front of the workbench and quietly waited. It was not long before an old man entered the room.


    "Ah, I''m sorry for the wait. What would you like to sell?" he asked, pushing the tools to one side and clearing up the table.


    Ming Yue activated her spatial ring and several piles of items flew out from the small trinket. Of course, she kept any that had value to her, mostly wind-attributed herbs. The appraiser looked surprised at the numerous items.


    "This will take some time to sort through, miss", he said, "I would rmend perusing our goods at the first floor while waiting. We will inform you of the total value of everything."


    "I''m fine waiting here", Ming Yue replied, she had no need to check out the store. She has a divine ranked weapon after all. Furthermore there was no need to change her clothes as well, the self-repair feature was handy.


    The appraiser did not expect her to respond like this, "Do as you wish then."


    Several hours passed as he worked nonstop, examining and noting any umon items. There were some expressions of surprise and other times even shock. Ming Yue waited quietly, watching him work. It was definitely boring but she passed the time ying with Hei Yue and Xiao Yin. After finishing thest of the piles, he calcted the amount before presenting her with the number.


    "For everything here, Gold Honor is willing is pay five hundred gold", he stated.


    She didn''t think much of it and epted the offer before promptly leaving, having almost a thousand gold on her. Before she left, she asked one of the workers for a good hotel to stay in.


    "I would suggest the Jing Ping Inn, you can find it just several streets to the left", they answered.


    Following their directions, she reached the inn, asking for a room with a courtyard. She was going to spend at least a year in the city and paid in advance. With all of her errands done, she could cultivate in peace, contemting on the dao of wind.


    Many people may believe that the most important thing about cultivation was power, however that is not the case. In fact, it isn''t even the second most important thing. When cultivating one must pay attention to their foundation making sure that it is firm and without w so that it will not impede your future progress. The second ispatibility, why is it so? That is becausepatibility impacts your progression speed.


    Like a fish out of the water, you will only have drawbacks from practicing something you are unfit for. Choosing a path that is unsuitable for you can stunt your growth and ruin your future. Furthermore, changing would require your to destroy your cultivation and return to the bottom. Hence, Ming Yue needed to think carefully of what aspect she wanted to embody in her martial arts.


    Destructiveness did not fit her, nor does extreme speed or even gentleness, none of her strikes truly embodied these aspects and this issue had stumped her. She spent the next several weeks thinking, scouring the few manuals she had to form some sort of idea. Every now and then she would leave and visit a multitude of shops, skimming through the many manuals of wind techniques. However, they all spoke about the same three things. It was only a week before the tournament started and she still had no idea. In the end, she gave up and began practicing her sword, experimenting with the wind element. She was merely using wind but did not fully understand the concept.


    Ming Yue practiced in the open courtyard, she thought about her swordsmanship. What made her swordsmanship unique? Certainly they were powerful strikes and fast as well but anyone could do that. The she realized something, her attack style was fluid, ever changing just like wind. She could change the angle of the strike, the speed even the technique. It was unpredictable and this was something she found easier to understand.


    The inconstant state of wind. The Dao of Everchanging Winds.


    This was her path. A strike that cannot be foreseen is one that cannot be stopped. Even the strongest attack could be dealt with and the fastest can be dodged. Solving this predicament made her ecstatic and she began to apply this concept to her swordsmanship. If she was only coating her sword with wind before, she began to control it this time. In turn with her control, she practiced her sword while simultaneously using her the wind energy to improve her fluidity. However it was difficult for her, to do both at the same time was mentally taxing and she could only keep a perfect bnce of both for mere seconds.


    If Elder Yin were to know what she had chosen, she would look at Ming Yue with both shock and doubt. Focusing on changeable nature of wind was a path that very few took, hence Ming Yue never saw a manual for it. The reason was very simple, it was too difficult to understand. If something was ever changing, there would be an infinite number of states to think of. With wind, there were too many variables to think of, a path of no progression. Not one person can im to have mastered the element of wind, yet, Ming Yue chose to do this. Elder Yin could only see it as fate that this was her path.


    Ming Yue had only days toprehend this state but so long as she could utilize even an ounce of it, she would be content.


    On the first day of the tournament, themotion was even louder, but there were no one in the streets. It was empty but the sounds of excitement filled them. Where was this noiseing from and where did everyone go? The answer lies within the arena which stood at the center of Five Element City in front of the emperor''s pce. Titled the "Thunder Colosseum", it was a massive arena with enough space to seat several million people. The stage itself was enormous, arge formation encapsted it, most likely to reinforce it for destructive battles.


    Almost every citizen of the capital city was here within these walls, sitting and waiting for the tournament to start. While they upied ordinary seats, there were many booths and private seating areas set closer to the stage. These spaces were reserved for sect leaders and nobles, mainly those whose disciples were part of the tournament.


    Among them were the Five Families, thispetition was important to them. After all, it served to prove their superiority to the others. Essentially, it was bragging rights, despite it being a friendlypetition between the five of them.


    Everyone conversed with each other, predicting on who would win this battle.


    "I bet the Yu Family wille out on top again."


    "But I heard that the ones that have entered aren''t from the main family but a branch family. I bet it will be the Gong or even the Bing this year."


    "Don''t forget about the others, we still have the geniuses from the likes of the Storm God Sect and the Heaven String Sect. Also, if I remember correctly, even the Sky Dragon n has sent someone for this tournament."


    "Pfft, you are all forgetting that just because they are from famous groups doesn''t mean there are others better than them. I bet you that none of them are going to win first. More than likely, there will be some dark horses this time."


    With such lively conversations, even the nobles and sect higher ups began conversing with each other.

 Chapter 46 - The Three Trials

    "I heard your Yu Family decided to have someone from a branch family enter. Are you that confident that you would use some countryside nobodies?" one of them said. He was a tall and thin man, with small eyes and a thin beard. Dressed in yellow robes and covered in jewelry, anyone could recognize him as the Patriarch of the Shao Family, Shao Jin.


    "Background doesn''t matter, so long as they prove their strength, Shao Jin", a woman spoke coldly. Her cold stares contributed to her beauty.


    "Just because my husband is not here, does not mean you can so easily trample on us."


    She looked at Shao Jin with cold eyes, evoking some fear within him. This was the wife of the Yu Family Patriarch, Yu Ci Hua. Her husband, Yu Feng Long could not join her for he was themander of the city guards. He still had a responsibility to fulfill. She herself was a warrior who used the spear, nicknamed the "ming Spearhead" her techniques in the dao of me was without equal.


    "Calm down you too, let''s just enjoy ourselves. There is no need to bicker", the voice of a man broke the tension. From the first look, one could see that he went through numerous battles. His face was scarred in many ces. He had a warrior''s disposition with sharp eyes and a muscr body, dressed in white robes. However the most eye-catching feature to him was his hair. Long and glossy, most women would envy him.


    "Hmph, just for you Bing Shan, I will let this go", Shao Jin snorted before looking away.


    Simrly, Yu Ci Hua also stopped pursuing this matter, choosing to focus on the stage.


    This scar-faced man named Bing Shan, was the patriarch of the Bing Family, who specialized in the healing arts. His intimidating appearance came from working as a doctor in the front-lines of many battles. Both and healing at the same time, he was known as the "Bone Doctor" for both breaking the bones of his enemies and fixing the broken bodies of his allies.


    "The tournament will begin in five minutes, all participants enter the stage!"


    Everyone stopped their idle chatter, instead staring at the stage as streams of young cultivators entered. Among them, Ming Yue walked with a random group. She had left Xiao Yin and Hei Yue back at the inn as animals/pets were not allowed to join.


    It did not take long for the stage to fill up, almost fifteen hundred youths gathered on this stage.


    "The Emperor will deliver a message!"


    Everyone stood quietly bowing to the emperor, who sat and watched from his own personal seat.


    He stood up, clearing his throat, "Wee to the 72nd Youth Dragon Tournament! I hope to see an excellent performance from you all."


    A short message but one that everyone appreciated, after all, none of them could wait for the tournament to begin, not even the Emperor. This was a chance to assess the younger generation and maybe take note of any outstanding talents.


    The tournament announcer, a young woman floated in the sky, "Let the tournament officially begin!"


    Despite being in the air, everyone could hear her clearly, She was definitely not an ordinary figure.


    "The first part of this tournament are the three trials. These trials will test your willpower, strength and perseverance" she spoke eloquently, exining the tournament for everyone.


    "The formation that you are standing one serves two purposes, it strengthens the arena but is also an illusion formation. This is the first of the three trials, testing your heart and mind. If the formation deems you unable to survive, it will immediately kick you off of the arena. The illusion will continue to work until there are only one thousand of you left", she exined, "Now I want you all to find a spot and sit."


    Everyone did as they were told, crossing their legs, waiting for the trial to begin.


    The formation shined spewing mist from the ground. As their sight became cloudy each and every one of them had entered the first trial. Of course, although they could not see, the many spectators could see them clearly. It may seem quite boring just watching people cross-legged and barely even moving, they looked on with anticipation as if something amazing was going to happen.


    Soon enough what they were waiting for happened.


    ~whoosh~*


    One of the seated cultivators, a young man flew out of the arena, tumbling onto the ground andnding on his head. It was a very amusing sight to see and everyoneughed and smiled. This was what they were waiting for! Aedic show of bodies flying through the air ending up aughable mess. Of course, this was all in good fun but one could not help at the thought of seeing young warriors


    Despite theedic outlook, those in the arena had serious expressions, some were desperate, others showed nothing. This trial meant to test their heart and minds showed a variety of scenes, some catered to their fear and others, their greed, lust and hatred. Those who sumbed to any of it or are unable to break the illusion would be expelled by the formation and thus expelled from thepetition.


    As for Ming Yue, she was brought back to the beginning of her story, where her vige was still brimming with life. It all felt so real, even the smallest of details were there.


    She looked around, gazing at the many people she once knew.


    "Teacher Fan..."


    "Chen Xiao..."


    "..Father.."


    There she saw her father, working away at a grinder, making medicine. He worked hard and sweat dropped from his forehead.


    "Do you want toe back?"


    Ming Yue turned around, finding herself in front of her.


    "Don''t you miss this life?" she said, "Where life was simple. Every morning was herb gathering with father and every afternoon was ss with Teacher Fan. Come back to us, throw your sword away."


    Her other self spoke calmly, staring into her eyes.


    Indeed she missed all of them, she missed her old life. She missed her father. All she had to do was take those steps, forget about exploring, having to kill, to hurt others. Then she could go back to her happy life.


    "They''re dead. Nothing I do now can bring them back", she said.


    Her other self smiled, "Of course they''re dead, They all died in front of your eyes."


    She slowly walked forward, "They died and you did nothing for them."


    Materializing a sword in her hands, she drew it out, revealing Parting Sun.


    "Now you can join them!" she attacked Ming Yue, charging at her.


    Ming Yue reacted quickly to her body double, unsheathing her sword and shing it with the copy.


    "What have you done exactly?" her copy said, "You burn their bodies and scatter their ashes. Then what, you run off on some idiotic journey. That is nothing more than your excuse to escape everything! You know in your heart you wanted to die with them! At that moment, you wished that bandit had killed you, so that you didn''t have to live with the guilt of being the only survivor. Hating yourself for not doing more for them!"


    She attacked even more fiercely with Ming Yue only fighting passively. She did not attack for her mind was wavering. These were her own thoughts in a physical form, everything that was said, she pushed to the back of her mind. These thoughts and feelings were always suppressed but every now and then, her mind would wander back.


    Would it had been better if she died back then? Could she have done anything to change the fate of her vige? What use was her cultivation if she could not even save her own family? What exatly was the purpose of her staying alive?


    These thoughts continued to collect itself and now they had burst out.


    She was in disarray, barely able to think properly. Her sword fell from her hands and she stood still.


    "Perhaps it would be better if I had died", she thought.


    Her copy approached her, "Just give in and die, I''m sure father would want yourpany."

 Chapter 47 - The Three Trials (2)

    "father..."


    The thought of her father made her remorseful.


    "Would he have wanted this?" she thought.


    "No, he would''ve wanted me to live!" something sparked within her and before her copy struck her down, she charged forward pushing the de out of her hand.


    "Just because they''re dead doesn''t mean I have to join them, I live for their sake. This journey is not an excuse! It''s my way of fulfilling my father''s wishes, to live and survive!" she said.


    Holding the sword, she cut down her copy and her view changed. Everything turned to mist before Ming Yue opened her eyes, finding herself back at the arena.


    As it dissipated, the figure of her copy slowly disappeared.


    "Then I hope you do so", it said itsst words before vanishing.


    Feeling a lump in her heart gone, she felt much better as if a weight had been lifted from her body. Being able toe to terms with the destruction of her vige was difficult. She never talked to anyone about what she had experienced not even to Grandpa Meng. If anything the illusion kick-started the process but she had the rest of her life to heal. At the very least, she was able to face her own negative thoughts. As for the death and despair, this was something she could never heal from, something that changed her for good.


    Ming Yue examined the changes in her mind and body from the first trial before looking at the other participants. She was not the first to break the illusion with around a hundred who idly sat and waited for the trial to end. There were others still within the illusion and those who had been thrown out by the formation. As she looked around, she noticed a few familiar faces like Yu Yao Xian as well as Fei Xian, both of which were still stuck inside the illusion. Afterwards she went on to study those who had broken the illusion before her. All of them had strong auras, many of theming from famed sects and noble families. Nevertheless, there were some that stood out, a ck robed boy, a girl dressed in pure white, a young boy wearing farmer''s clothes. There were several others but she did not bother to pay too much attention.


    Half an hourter, only a thousand remained. Yu Yao Xian was able to break the illusion while Xu Tian managed tost inside it until enough people failed.


    "Congrattions on passing the first trial everyone," the announcer said, "We will now begin the second trial. This trial will test your endurance, we will be having several experts here. If you can stay conscious under their pressure, you pass."


    As the second trial was being set up, everyone felt that this second trial was too straightforward and simple. These three trials would change every tournament from fighting puppets to hunting beasts. Something like just withstand pressure seemed a littleckluster.


    Ming Yue thought this as well curious as to what this trial could hold. Four pirs were then erected on four points of the square arena and each one had a figure standing on them.


    "Good luck on this next trial everyone", the announcer spoke before floating away.


    Everyone looked at the pirs, waiting for the trial to begin. At that moment, a gigantic ball of fire manifested in the middle of the arena, a storm of wind and lightning struck down from the air, numerous phenomena came about. Hurricanes and arctic gales pounded them. Boundless energy poured out from the pirs, feeding these forces as they continued to release waves and waves of destruction. Everyone tried to evade but found themselves barely able to move, the pressure on them was too overbearing. Even standing was a difficult task for them, they could not even protect themselves with energy.


    Not in a million years would Ming Yue have thought that they woulde up with something like this. One second she was hot, the next she felt like freezing. des of wind cut into her body as lightning continued to discharge all around her. It was extremely painful for her, with every passing second she could feel herself closer to copsing. As someone who focused more on attack then defense, she was already at a disadvantage.


    Not even five minutes have passed before people lost consciousness, dropping to the floor. They were brought out by tournament officials, who were unaffected through special talismans.


    The trial slowly grew in intensity, Ming Yue could feel herself slowly slipping away. She barely saw anything in front of her, surrounded by the elements.


    "I must hold on!" she told herself.


    Suddenly arge bolt of lightning rained down and struck her, sending shocks throughout her body. It was excruciating and for a split second, she had passed out.


    She stood and endured the pain, supporting herself with her sword.


    "Aghhhh!" cries of pain rang out as more and more people found themselves unable to hold on.


    As much as she wanted to drop out, she forced herself to keep going. The pain grew worse and worse, there was no way to describe what she felt. A hundred things happened at once: the shock of lightning, the sharp winds, a zing ball of fire, freezing ice, this was torment.


    Ming Yue stood for as long as possible, barely holding on with only sheer willpower. This trial truly tested her limits. It was not long before she fell to her knees, clinging to her sword for support. Only one thought was in her mind, to stay awake.


    At this point, over half of the participants had fallen, failing the trial and yet it had not stopped. What felt like hours to them were mere minutes, the many onlookers watched the sight, looking at all those who still stood in the arena.


    "The geniuses from the five families are still standing. It seems that one of them might really win this."


    "What are you talking about? Don''t you see all of the others?"


    "Yeah, and how many of them are in a better situation?"


    "Hah! none of you see those kids over there. The one that looks like a farmer is barely fazed by this. That one over there even looks bored. I say, this is going to be a very interesting tournament."


    "I''m not going to lie, I bet my money on that girl over there."


    "Cheh, she''s about copse any second now, why would you believe in her?"


    "What? I can''t? Besides, that type of determination is hard to find."


    That girl was Ming Yue and although she was in a sorry state, despite that, she continued to endure. Her performance could be considered mediocre, but her perseverance had earned her a few fans.


    Thirty minutes went by and the number of people on the stage had decreased by half, leaving only five hundred left. It was not very long before the second trial had ended. What can only be described as utter chaos covered the arena. There was rubble and blood everywhere, almost everyone copsed to the floor, reeling from the pain. Ming Yue was no different and she immediately tried to circle her energy in an attempt to heal quicker. Her clothes were torn, burnt, some of it was encased in ice and blood was spattered all of it. In fact, blood flowed from her wounds as she healed, mending her wounds. She suffered from both external and internal injuries to her organs. This was something she could not recover from quickly.


    Fortunately, the third trial would not happen immediately.


    "Congrattions to those who have passed the second trial. Due to the damage done to both the arena and to all of you, the third trial willmence tomorrow", the tournament announcer spoke before withdrawing and everyone began to leave. Many of the tournament participants chose to stay here and recuperate rather than leaving.


    Ming Yue did not do so and left after regaining some ability to walk. The sun started to wane as she entered the inn and went to her room. Her clothes and external injuries was mostly restored by the time she came back. Her body felt extremely heavy and both Hei Yue and Xiao Yin greeted her from the courtyard. Knowing that she was not in the best condition, they turned in for the day andforted her.


    She made a bath and filled it with some of the medicinal herbs she found in the wilderness. Submerging herself, she closed her eyes and let her body absorb the restorative energy, enjoying the cool sensation. By the time she finished, night had fallen.


    She went to bed, apanied by the soft pillow of that which is Hei Yue. The little fox curled up next her, its dark silver fur was better than silk, its softness was undeniable. Even Xiao Yin, who generally slept on the top of her sword chose to cuddle with her, taking up the other side of the bed.. She did not have the energy to think about today''s events and only wanted to sleep.

 Chapter 48 - The Three Trials (3)

    The following day, Ming Yue woke up, brimming with energy. In fact, she felt even stronger than before, sensing that she was close to breaking through. Those trials had truly pushed her beyond, bringing out much of hertent potential.


    After studying the state of her body, she left the inn and arrived to the arena quite early. The second day of the tournament had yet to start but many people were seated and waiting. Furthermore, many of the remaining participants were already on the arena, iming a space to sit. Following their behavior, she found a empty spot in the farther end of the arena and sat down.


    "Ming Yue! Its so great to see you here!" a cheerful voice entered her ears.


    She looked up, finding Yu Yao Xian standing in front of her. She had a happy look on her face and seemed have recovered from yesterday''s ordeals. In addition, Ming Yue sensed that her strength had vastly improved.


    "It''s good to see you too", she said with an amiable tone.


    "I should thank you for before. If it wasn''t for your help, I would not be here right now. I''ll tell you everything that happenedter, looks like the announcer ising out", Yao Xian then looked up with Ming Yue and waited for the announcer to officialy begin the third trial.


    Ming Yue felt content knowing that she and her brother were doing well. Especially now that they met in the tournament, she had been wanting to speak with her since seeing her in the second trial. Then she remembered seeing Fei Xian, Elder Fei''s nephew during the second trial as well. She looked around but could not find him, guess that he did not pass the trial.


    This little exchange between the two did not go unnoticed. After all, Yu Yao Xian was the representative of the Yu Family and she hade from a branch family. With such a background, she had many eyes on her. Many onlookers as well as those in the arena looked at Ming Yue, curious as to who she was to have such a friendly rtionship. But it was pushed to the back of their minds, as the announcer made herself known.


    "Wee to the Youth Dragon Tournament, the third trial willmence immediately!" she said, "This one is going to be a bit unique. In order to qualify for the second half of the tournament, you will all be fighting this rank 4, Thunderhide Ape, together."


    Everyone was slightly confused, 400 young geniuses would make this fight rather one sided, even if it was rank 4. Exactly how could this be even considered a challenge?


    But the announcer did not stop there, "This ape is no normal ape but the pet of the head administrator of the Jade Dragon Pavilion and the Emperor''s sworn brother, Lord Tang Guang. As his pet and partner, this Thunderhide Ape is quite formidable. Those who are knocked out by him are immediately disqualified, you are to work together to defeat him. Good luck!"


    After speaking, a giant golden ape entered the arena. Small amounts of electricity discharged as he walked up to the small figures, standing at almost two stories tall. It stared at them and roared with enough power to stun several of them.


    Almost immediately, it charged forth, crashing into the crowd and pummeling its lightning d fists at them. Not even ten seconds have passed and already there were losses.


    "Everyone evade him! We can''t beat the ape in a direct fight!" Yu Yao Xian screamed out, warning everyone to avoid the Thunderhide Ape.


    Many did as she told, understanding that blindly attacking it would not end well. However there were those who didn''t listen.


    "What should we be afraid of?! It''s just one giant monkey and there are several hundred of us. Let''s just attack it all at once", the arrogant voice of Young Master Shao spoke out.


    His confident demeanor had convinced some to join him and charged towards the ape. However, this small group started to feel fearful as the Thunderhide Ape grinned from their actions, as if they were just a meal running to him. They did not know what to do and turned to look for Young Master Shao only to see him dashing away.


    "Idiots! Did you think I really wanted to attack a Rank 4 beast directly?" he ridiculed them before leaving the scene, "I have to thin out thepetition after all."


    "Despicable!" everyone thought the same thing except for his father, Shao Jin.


    "Hahahaha, That''s my boy. Good work, Shao Huang", heughed loudly, obviously proud of his son.


    As for the unlucky souls who believed in Shao Huang, it was toote for them to turn back. The Thunderhide Ape started glowing, covering itself in electricity and emitted arge ring of electricity. The golden hue was mesmerizing and shined brightly but as soon as it touched the closest body, cries of pain showered the arena as bodies spasmed on the ground unable to move.


    The remainingpetitors felt their bodies go cold, the sight of such a thing was enough to scare them. They were extremely vignt watching the ape from afar, waiting for its next move. The ape turned around, facing them, it looked at them with ridicule earning hostile res from many of them.


    "Let''s just charge now!" one of them readied their weapon but was stopped by others.


    "Did you not just see what happened to the other? Just charging in will lower our chances of winning. We need a n."


    Everyone understood this and tried to figure out a way to take down the ape. However, it did not give them the time to think. Leaping into the air, a bolt of lightning manifested in its hand and the ape threw it down from the sky sending shock waves all throughout the arena.


    They shielded themselves together and managed to stop the shock wave from hurting them. After blocking it, a shadow ran out and leaped into the air, grabbing the ape and throwing it down onto the arena. It was the farm boy that had just done it, shocking many. This was a rank 4 beast, how could it be possible for some unknown cultivator to have that type of strength?


    He was definitely not ordinary after disying such power.


    "A body cultivator!" Everyone realized at this moment, understanding why he was barely fazed by the second trial.


    As a body cultivator, his physical state is much stronger than that of a normal cultivator despite losing out in terms of inner force. Even at human realm, body cultivators have a much stronger body, often facing worse tempering than normal cultivators.


    After throwing down the ape, he dropped to ground and began wrestling the ape. His body emitted a scarlet hue as he kept the ape in ce.


    "Attack him now! I can only hold this state for thirty seconds", he yelled out, struggling to keep an even ground with the ape.


    Following his advice, all of the young cultivators sent out a flurry of attack at the ape. Fromunching icicles to earthen spikes, there was even a cultivator of poison, throwing darts filled with strong poison. Ming Yue had positioned herself behind the ape, sending out des of wind. Even Shao Huang contributed as well, after tricking some of the participants in front of everyone, no one would fall for his tricks anymore.


    The Thunderhide Ape could do nothing but take the attacks, it could not escape the grasp of the farm boy and tried its best to break free. The farm boy tried his best to keep the ape down but his technique was almost finished, the scarlet hue on his body had lost its luster. In a desperate attempt, he thrashed the ape around, mming it onto the floor with as much force as he could muster. The sheer impact caused cracks into the arena and had knocked the ape out for only a seconds. Unfortunately, it was still recovering from the impact and could not move away from the others, suffering a few more strikes.


    After regaining its consciousness, it roared in anger, realizing that it was losing to these weak humans. It jumped away from their attack before holding its hand up into the air. Letting out a defiant roar, a great bolt of lightning struck its body leaving a sword in its palm.


    "Was the ape just ying with us?" the farm boy thought.


    Even after sending out their strongest attacks, the ape was still moving as if it had never been hurt. After obtaining its weapon, the ape grinned with glee.. Now, it was truly time to test them.

 Chapter 49 - Conclusion Of The Three Trials

    It unsheathed the de, revealing a giant saber. It was a simple weapon, adorned with only a yellow tassel made with its own fur.


    After brandishing the saber, it swept the de across the arena, sending out a wave of lightning. Following the attack, the Thunderhide Ape beganunching more and more waves, swinging its weapon like a maniac. The way it used the saber was brutal and had no technique, pure power made up for any weaknesses it had. Everyone dodged as best as they could but some could not move quickly, struck by the wave and convulsing on the floor.


    Around 100 have already been disqualified, leaving 300petitors left. Unfortunately, none of them coulde up with an adequate strategy to defeat the ape. Their best chance was gone for the farm boy did not have the strength in him to activate the technique a second time.


    "We cannot just give up here! This trial will not stop until either we defeat the ape or it defeats us. We must fight to the end!" Yu Yao Xian tookmand of everything, her mentality could not be so easily broken.


    "Attack in groups, surround and whittle him down. Ranged or melee, it does not matter. As long as we coordinate, he will not have a chance to fight back", she spoke with confidence, believing that it was not unscathed.


    Everyone followed, quickly dividing themselves and began the process of attacking. Left, right, the back, the front, above, and below, the ape was attacked from all sides. It was annoyed that it could do nothing. Everyone advanced and retreated in seconds, leaving no time for the ape tounch a counter attack. It was somewhat slower than them, even more so with the damage it had received.


    "Hmm not bad", a figure rubbed his chin, sitting next to the emperor, this was none other than Lord Tang Guang, the Thunderhide Ape''s master.


    "This will end soon", he continued to watch their performance.


    "If you have any more trump cards, best do it now!" one of thepetitors said. It was the girl in white, retreating and began building up her energy.


    Other''s felt the same, realizing that it would take too long to bring down the ape. The consumption of their energy was too high and would notst.


    "We need time, dy it!" several of them also began to charge up their skills.


    Those that did not have any trump cards had to upy the ape. As a part of this group, Ming Yue was at the front, taking on many of the wild strikes from the ape. In terms of sword skill, she was one of the best, deflecting many of the attacks and even disrupting the ape''s lightning strikes. She made it her responsibility to prevent any more of those attacks. Others would take advantage of those moments, whittling away at the ape. Rock dragons, beams of light, sword strikes, fist stances and many other techniques appeared, there was not a single second where the ape was not in pain.


    It tried its very best to defend itself, blocking and dodging as many attacks as possible. But it was getting furious, with the saber in hand, it stabbed the de deep into the ground. Beating its chest and bellowing in rage, it began rampaging. Ignoring the attacks and grabbing anyone in its reach. Several unlucky souls were thrown out of the arena, crashing into the wall. If it continued to rampage, there would be no one left to fight it.


    "We just need to hold out a bit more", Ming Yue thought.


    At that moment, she felt someone kick her back right into the ape''s hand.


    "Serves you right bitch," hearing a familiar voice, she turned her head to find Shao Huang grinning viciously at her, "You should''ve given me the Mistral Fox when you had the chance. After this, be sure toe to my family, I''ll definitely treat you right."


    She felt rage in her heart, to be victim to his detestable behavior infuriated her. A rush of power coursed through her as wind began to blow violently. Her anger only grew as more power umted with in her body. Before long, it began to encase her body cutting into the ape''s palm. Where this power came from, not even she knew. Perhaps it was from anger, that she could muster this strength. In the few seconds, that the ape held her, intense pain ran through its arm. Letting her go, it grabbed its hand in pain, bloody and covered in gashes.


    As for Ming Yue, all of that wind umted into a small tornado upon which she stood on. Realizing what had just urred, she was surprised. When was she able to produce something like this?


    Many others were equally surprised, she had even injured the ape. Tang Guang looked at her with curiosity, even the emperor did so too.


    "What power!" he said, "Her control over wind is too good. Why have I never heard of her before?"


    Indeed, Tang Guang had seen through the secret of this phenomenon. What Ming Yue pursued as the changeable state of wind as well as the bnce of sword and wind, lead to a vast improvement of control. Thus, it had grown to the point where wind would respond to her emotions, taking up a form befitting of such emotion. In this case, she had formed a tornado based on her anger.


    Shao Huang stared in horror, "I was just joking with you. I never meant any of those words."


    He backed away, fearing for his life. There was a feeling that he might really be killed by her.


    She approached him slowly, "Do you think I will let you go?"


    Before she got any closer, someonended in-between the both of them. A man, possibly around the age of forty, had stopped her. With a friendly demeanor and simple clothes, one could mistake him as amon person.


    "Please rx. The third trial has ended", he said.


    Ming Yue was not that impulsive and quickly dissipated the tornado below her.


    "Lord Tang Guang, I apologize for my negligence. I should''ve stopped them earlier", the tournament announcer quickly walked up and knelt before him.


    "No, no, its quite alright. It was my fault for not giving clear instructions. The moment Hou Huang called his saber, they had already passed the trial", he said.


    Tang Guang walked to the Thunderhide Ape, "Hou Huang, show me your hand."


    The ape followed hismand, letting him examine the state of his body.


    "Thankfully, it''s nothing too serious," he said, "I''ll get you healed up."


    The both of them then disappeared, leaving the arena without a trace.


    "The trial has officially ended! Those are still stand in the arena will advance to next half!" the announcer quickly concluded the trial, before leaving.


    Everyone was surprised, "That''s it?"


    "The third trial ended just like that?"


    Many of them were slightly unhappy but epted the result. After all the fight was truly a sight to see. Ending it so abruptly was disappointing but they did get to see Lord Tang Guang up close, that of itself was an experience to boast about. However none of the young cultivators reallyined. After all, they knew that killing a rank 4 was beyond their capabilities, as long as they passed the trial, they did not care for much else.


    After the end, everyone was given three days to recuperate while the tournament prepared fro the next act. Ming Yue said farewell to Yao Xian, confirming that she will visit her after the tournament.


    Her mind was still preupied with the sensation from before. She had never done something like that, to create a small tornado was new to her. She wanted to go back to the inn and contemte her actions, hoping to recreate that scene.. If she could sessfully create natural phenomena with the same power and control as what she did before, she could begin to create her own unique style.

 Chapter 50 - Start Of The Second Act

    Those three days were spent in vain. No matter how hard she tried, she could not create a tornado at the same scale as she did before. The act felt so natural to her before, but now she could not even visualize it.


    "Haah, at this rate, It will most likely take me a year or two to fully understand it", she thought.


    Arriving at the arena, she was directed by several officials to wait in the lobby, where many of thepetitors rested. She was curious about what was happening but could only wait.


    15 minutester, a young man entered the room,"Alright, everyone is present. Once your name is called out,e with me."


    Following his instructions, he began to call out names one by one. Each and every one of them was lead out to the arena.


    "Yu Yao Xian!"


    "Jian Bai Hu!"


    "Duan Kong!"


    "Shao Huang!"


    "Gong Chui!"


    "Hua Xiong!"


    Yu Yao Xian and Shao Huang, Ming Yue was already acquainted with. Jian Bai Hu was the body cultivator, Duan Kong was the ck robed youngster that used poison. Gong Chui was most likely from the Gong Family, with a strong muscr body and skin tempered by heat. He wielded an iron staff, six sided and brutal looking with detailed tigers on its body. Hua Xiong was a name that surprised her. The girl was dressed in white robes, her fragile appearance was reced by an icy re. She did not think that Hua Xiong could changed so drastically.


    Of course, she also did not know that Hua Xiong was the inheritor of the Firelight Ruins. After absorbing all of the techniques of the Light of Fury, she was sent out of the ruins where she awakened and quickly found her way back to her seniors and juniors. She quickly grew in power, making a name for herself and helped her sect, slowly alleviating the pressure they had from the other sects within their city. What she endured in those trials made her much stronger but she did not seem as gentle as before, sometimes acting without emotion. With this newfound power, she went to participate in the tournament, in order to gain recognition for her and her sect.


    After several more names were called, he called out hers. She stood up from her ce and followed him into the arena. There she saw all those named before her, standing in a line.


    "Rank 87, Rou Ming Yue!"


    She was somewhat taken aback by the cheers and apuse, standing somewhat awkwardly.


    "Next up, Rank 88..."


    The announcer continued to call out names until the 100th one came out. Afterwards, those who weren''t called were lead out into the arena facing the line.


    "These are the current top 100 cultivators, these three days were spent assessing your strength based on you performance from before", she exined, "However nothing is ever set in stone! All of you have 100 battles or rather 100 chances to change that! In the next several days, you can challenge those in the top 100 for their spot. If you win, you will take their spot and if you lose, then you cannot challenge them again. As for those who are ranked, all of you can only challenge other ranked individuals, the same rules apply to you. If you lose, then you cannot challenge them again and you will stay at your rank. If you win then you will take their ce."


    Everyone was feeling restless, some had already set their sights on specific people. Ming Yue thought about her current situation before looking at the other rankedpetitors. Yu Yao Xian was at rank 13 and Shao Huang was rank 58, the other three were spread across. As for the top three, if she remembered, rank 3 was Bing Yun Zhi, a young girl wearing purple robes. She had a elegant aura and a gentle expression, with a long braid of hair. She was from the Bing Family, well versed in hand to handbat and known for her ice element attacks. In the fight with the ape, she had been sealing parts of his body in ice, slowing him down. She might not have the best affinity for the light element but her her medical knowledge and prowess was more than enough to make up for it. After all, those with great affinity for light are rare, at best there were mediocre talents. The one in second was Shu Zhi, a schrly young man with gray clothes, he had a very mysterious aura to him, showing barely any emotion. Short hair and ordinary face, the only noticeable feature to him were his blue eyes. Ming Yue remembered seeing him in the back line, merely observing the fight. She did not know what made him so highly ranked but something about him made her on-edge.


    As for the one in first, it was none other than the emperor''s son, Qing Lei Jiang. he wields two short halberds, one in each hand and used thunder and lightning at will. Both halberds were identical with moon shaped des on both sides and a jagged spear head. The shaft was made of an unknown material but had a dark blue color to it. He was at the front line with her, due to his element being the same as the Thunderhide Ape, he was not at his best but his physical strength was enough to contend with it.


    At this time, she did not know who to target and chose to stay silent and wait. While she believed herself to be quite strong, these were all geniuses and she could not underestimate any of them.


    As the announcer finished speaking with the spectators, she officially began the second part of the tournament, unsurprisingly she was already being challenged. In fact, almost everyone was challenged except for the top ten. None of them were fierce enough to challenge them. With all these challenges issued, the arena rumbled, surprising Ming Yue.


    It broke into six tformsrge enough for a duel.


    Afterwards, referees stood on each one.


    "If you want to challenge them, then take an arena!" the announcer said.


    The six tforms were soon upied and the others waited in the side lines. Of these six battles, Shao Huang stood on one. With a rxed expression, he did not seem even the least bothered by his opponent. A young man with a whip.


    "I still have not forgiven you for tricking me before!" he shouted angrily. He must have been one of the few lucky enough to survive the third trial after Shao Huang''s dirty tactics.


    Shao Huang only looked onzily, "It''s not my fault you were dumb enough to believe me. Let''s start already, you''re too boring."


    With even more fury, he charged forward, swinging the whip at him. The whip itself was covered with a blue aura and a sharp de of water flew at Shao Huang. Unfortunately the de of water did notnd and was easily broken by his bare fists. That did not stop him from attacking again, except each de grew stronger and stronger, like the grow waves of the ocean. It kept building up more momentum before his 11th strike.


    "Converging Flood Dragon Wave!"


    Hisst attack took the form of a dragon almost 10 times as strong as his first attack. It''s swift speed and power charged at Shao Huang, only this time he looked somewhat serious. Taking out his weapon, a golden short sword, he ran forward, facing the dragon head-on.


    "Golden Grace!"


    His sword shined beforeunching a sword strike, a crescent wave of golden energy formed from his attack, cutting the dragon in half beforending on his opponent. The one strike pushed him back, causing him to spit out some blood.


    Shao Huang looked at the sorry sight and sighed, "Again, you''re too boring. Give up. You''ll never beat me in this lifetime."


    "Hateful!" he looked at Shao Huang with anger. As much as he wanted to continue, he knew that anymore fighting would result in hit loss. It would be better to stop now so he could recover faster and recuperate.


    "I forfeit!" he spoke begrudgingly and left the arena.


    "Shao Huang has won!" the referee announced before sending him out of the arena.


    "Next, Rou Ming Yue and Chu Jian!"

 Chapter 51 - First Duel And Many To Come

    "Rou Ming Yue! Chu Jian! Enter the arena!" the referee called her name along with her challenger, beckoning them.


    She looked at the young man opposite of her. Well dressed and holding a fan in his hands, he looked more like a noble than a fighter. In truth, he is a disciple of the Soft Willow Sect, one that specialized in illusions and other mystical attacks.


    "Don''t me me for challenging you, there weren''t many choices", he spoke elegantly.


    "It does not matter, there is bound to be someone to challenge me," she responded.


    The both of them stared at each other, cupping their fists and bowing.


    "Begin!"


    Ming Yue took her stance, gripping the handle of her sword, still sheathed. The moment she made a move, she almost disappeared from her spot, turning into a blur. Chu Jian was not prepared for her swiftness and before he could make a move, she was already behind him.


    "Fast!" he thought, quickly dodging her attack.


    If he waste by the slightest, he would have lost.


    "It looks like this will not be as easy as I thought" he said, opening his fan.


    It was not some normal fan but a ded one and by the looks of it, the sharpness was undeniable.


    Ming Yue did not give him much time to recover and attacked once more. However, Chu Jian held hid fan up, deflecting the strike and making an opening. He returned the attack by thrusting his fan forth, aimed at her throat. She backed away from him, evading the attack.


    "Seven Stars!"


    Chu Jian eximed, creating six copies of his ded fan, circling them around him. With several hand motions, he controlled them, surrounding the her with the seven fans.


    "Is this an illusion?" she thought, this was the first time she had encountered something like this.


    She did her best to defend against the attack but was struck several times. She could not discern which was real and which was fake. Most of the time, she had attacked the air. This frustrated her as she could not find a way to break out of this onught. Anymore of this and she could lose. Meanwhile, Chu Jian seemed slightly unwell, most likely this technique drained him and he could not maintain it for much longer. This could quickly turn into a battle of endurance but Ming Yue did not want to expend any more of her energy.


    She needed some destructive power to escape. Knowing this, she chose to try out this technique that had been created from her training over her ever-changing dao of wind. Coating the sword with wind, she erged it creating a thick de of wind that encapsted her de. Triple in size, it might not be a silent strike but it was extremely powerful. Wielding the massive de of wind, she struck down the formation. As if a furious storm had struck the arena, brutal winds erupted from her attack.


    The powerful attack had broken Chu Jian''s concentration and pushed him out of the arena, leaving her to stand alone.


    "Ming Yue wins!" the referee announced, seeing as Chu Jian was no longer fit to fight.


    Hearing the results, she left the arena and sat down to recover. This attack expended quite a bit of energy and required a lot of concentration to control. However, using it in actualbat, she found it quite helpful, something she could use to deal withrge amounts of enemies. With time, she might be able to execute such a feat at a moment''s notice.


    "I think I''ll call it, Savage Tempest," she thought.


    The attack was simple and brutish, yet it created such ferocious gales.


    As for Chu Jian, he could only smile with disappointment and challenge another.


    The next following matches for her ended in with all victories. Targeting her due to her low rank, they did not believe that they would lose to her. Unfortunately, many ended forfeiting due to her first strike. Such speed had surprised them, not expecting her to have almost disappeared from their sight. As for those who managed to defend against her, they were unable to keep up with her swordsmanship. With such fluid movement along with her unpredictability, it was difficult for many to fight her on equal standing.


    The only opponents she had trouble with was a cultivator who was ranked at 92 and another who specialized in the spear. The first was a young woman who used a pipa* and attacked with sound. Formless and unnoticeable, Ming Yue did not know how to defend against her. She had won by trading blow for blow before overpowering her. As for the spear cultivator, he was a shadow element user whose strikes were swift and came from the dark. She could not lower her guard as his attackse from her own shadow, attacking from below. In the end, she got close to him and dodged a shadow spear, one that was aimed at her back soon found its way to his neck.


    On this day, she had gone through eighteen battles and won every one of them, keeping her rank at 87. During her resting time, she would often observe the others, gaining some insights as well as deciding on who she would challenge.


    The second day was almost the same. She won fourteen fights, still keeping her rank at 87. At this time, those who upied the lower ranks changed often while the higher ranked ones had changed maybe once or twice. Including the top three, she was one of the few to have kept her rank, winning all of her challenges. People began to challenge others, seeing as she was immovable. Her sword skills and fighting style was top notch, not to mention each fight seemed to help her improve. She was most definitely a dark horse.


    On the third day something changed, she challenged someone else. It was rank 58, Shao Huang. Simrly he had also won all of his fights managing to keep his rank. What he held in advantage was his wealth, having built up a cultivation from an extensive use of pills and rare herbs. Furthermore all of his items were top quality items, one of which was a sage grade sword with everything else mortal grade.


    But at this point, she was quite confident in taking him down, not to mention, she still had to pay him back for before. In response, Shao Huang epted it with the least bit of worry but inside, a part of him was fearful of her. Ever since, he saw her on that tornado, he was afraid. Her expression of silent rage resembled that of an angry deity, one that embodied death and destruction. Knowing that she woulde for him, he reassured himself that he would win with his higher rank.


    Walking onto one of the arenas, he was overbearing and acted as if she was nothing more than an ant.


    "I hope you''re ready for your first loss," he said.


    Taking out his golden sword, he prepared his stance and waited for the battle to start. As For Ming Yue, she began the fight the same way she began all of the others. Dashing forth, she became a blur, only to reappear behind him. However, just as she has been observing other challengers, he had done so as well. Anticipating this, he did not dodge but attacked her, sending out a wave of golden energy.


    MIng Yue backed off, not wanting to face this wave head on, however this had confirmed her guess that he was a fire cultivator. That golden wave was made of bright mes simr to the light of the sun. Getting hit by this would guarantee her defeat.


    But she did not falter, what Shao Huang had was a higher cultivation and a number of good equipment but he would definitely lose to her in swordy.. Not to mention, the Parting Sun de is a divine weapon, something worth more than all of his equipmentbined.

 Chapter 52 - Payback

    Taking opposite sides of the arena, their little skirmish ended in a stalemate. This result had cemented her confidence, she could win this.


    Ming Yue took the first move, going for a direct confrontation. She would not allow Shao Huang to make a move. Her body coursing with energy, she bombarded him with powerful blows, forcing him to act defensively. With each second, his body bent lower and lower, beneath her sword.


    From the spectator stands, a furious voice bellowed, "Shao Huang! You are the genius of my Shao Family! My own son! Are you really going to lose to some peasant?!"


    His father Shao Jin was red in the face, obviously furious that Shao Huang was losing. As for the other four families, they looked at him, amused by his sudden outburst. Noticing their expressions, Shao Jin quickly regained hisposure but still had a tinge of anger in his eyes. If his son really lost this, they would be aughing stock in the city.


    On the arena, Shao Huang very clearly heard his father''s angered voice. This time, he really had to win this. He let out an outburst of radiant energy, forcing Ming Yue off of him. A fiery aura surrounded his body as four arms of me appeared from his back. Each arm carried a weapon made of fire.


    A spear on one, a shield on another, a saber and a club.


    "Wrath of the Infernal Asura", Shao Huang spoke, revealing his technique.


    His entire being changed, being ranked in the 50s he was a mediocre talent, but now he could most likely contend with those at the top ten. As for Ming Yue, there was no way for her to counter him. She had no techniques to match his and Savage Tempest was not a suitable technique to use here. Her only choices was to wait it out and hope that his strengthened state would expire soon. Shao Huang let out a war cry, charging at her. Each arm attacked in a wild fashion disrupting the pacing of the fight and ultimately obtaining the upper hand.


    Shao Huang let out a slew of techniques, his berserk state had almost tripled hisbat power. These powerful blows were not something Ming Yue could handle, barely able to fend off the attacks. Parts of her clothes and hair were singed from the heat, she herself had already suffered some slight burns. Being attacked from 6 directions was difficult, not to mention, they were each a different weapon. With shield bashing, spear thrusts and de strikes, it was like 6 different people charged her at once.


    "You cannot escape forever, Hellfire Grasp!"


    As he shouted, two of his ming arms merged together, forming a giant w. It grew more and more until it wasrge enough to hold a person. It attempted to seize Ming Yue, who was still stuck under his onught. She broke towards the left, narrowly dodging the ming w and sent out several wind des. The ming w could not avoid it at such a lose range and scattered into small clumps of fire.


    Unfortunately, the w was only dispersed for a second before reforming. In this situation, she was truly stuck and Shao Huang showed no signs of exhaustion. She did not know how long this state wouldst. She might have to worry about two less arms, now she had to watch out for one giant w. It would grab her in every waking moment, rushing worth whenever she showed a sign of weakness.


    In the middle of all this, Shao Huang backed off, separating his giant w back into arms. His ming weapons all changed into spears and he began throwing them at her. He had changed tactics, opting for a ranged bombardment.


    "Can you handle this?" he yelled out mockingly.


    At first, she began to slice them up while they were still in the air. However, each spear she broke became two sometimes three smaller spears.


    "Annoying!" she thought.


    This state of his was not only suited for one on onebat but groups as well, maybe armies. She sprinted around, with each spearnding where her foot had left. She avoided the spears until he could no longer make more. By then, the floor was stabbed with countless ming red spears.


    Shao Huang was panting, drained from the continuous use of the Asura state. Yet, he was smiling, not because he had epted his fate or went crazy, but that he still had one more move.


    Ming Yue was still near his spears and he whispered one words.


    "Explode."


    In the blink of any eye, three quarters of the arena was filled with explosions, small andrge. There was no sign of Ming Yue any where. The sts left all sorts of craters and a enormous cloud of dust covered the arena.


    The fiery arms and red-hot aura surrounding Shao Huang''s body dissipated, signaling the end of his technique. His body was extremely weakened and he could barely stand.


    "What are you waiting for? Announce my victory", he looked at the referee waiting for him.


    But he found the referee to be looking at him or specifically, behind him.


    "Surrender", Ming Yue''s cold voice echoed into his ears.


    Fear rattled his mind, "How did she make it? When did she move?" many thoughts raced through his mind. A mix of shock and terror gripped him.


    Especially Shao Jin, not even he was able to see what she had done to escape.


    "She cheated! She must have!" the both of them could not ept this result, protesting her victory.


    But the referee saw very clearly as to how she had escaped. It was the Dusk Lily Pin. Ming Yue used it to protect her from the attack, realizing that this attack may kill her. Although she now had only one use left, using it here was not a waste. If she could rank higher, she might be warded with more money, improving her chances of getting the Splitting Moon de. The Dusk Lily Pin had protected her from all of the sts and she used the cover of dust to make her way behind Shao Huang.


    It did not matter if his cultivation was higher, Shao Huang''s own negligence made him weak. This victory was rightfully hers.


    "Ming Yue wins! She is now rank 58 and Shao Huang, rank 87!" the referee announced oue.


    She felt very good about herself, much of it was satisfaction from giving Shao Huang a much needed blow to his ego. As she left the arena, the referee called out the next fighters.


    "Rank 1, Qing Lei Jiang and Rank 2, Shu Zhi! Come up!"


    Her ears perked up after hear the names of the next two fighters. This was something she wanted to see! A fight between the top two was bound to be a magnificent fight! She could watch the performances of two top tier geniuses in her generation.


    As the two went up on the arena,rge cheers erupted from the stands.


    Facing each other, they wereplete opposites. Lei Jiang had a warrior''s disposition with his short halberds. Not his mention, his muscr body and handsome face. It was not an exaggeration to say that many women swoon over him. He wore a set of gauntlets resembling dragon ws to match his halberds. As for Shu Zhi, he was quiet and calm, wearing light grey robes. But his blue eyes were remarkable, a deep blue as if an ocean resided in his pupils. Unlike his counterpart, he had only his hands, his delicate looking hands. His origin, nobody knows, many assumed that he was some cultivator who trained in some secluded area.


    "I hope that you will not treat me differently just because I am royalty", Lei Jiang said.


    Shu Zhi did not reply, merely taking a stance, putting his fists in front of him.


    "Good! Good!" Lei Jiangughed, "I like this."


    The referee waited for them to prepare before starting the fight that changed the country.

 Chapter 53 - Battle Of The Strongest

    Lei Jiang made the first move, stabbing the end of his halberds into the ground. At the same moment, a golden circle appeared under Shu Zhi before lightning erupted from his feet.


    But Shu Zhi was quick, leaping out of the way.


    He would not let Shu Zhi go just yet and rushed forth, pointing one of his halberds at him. Shu Zhi met his spears with open fists. However, they were not his, two giant, blue arms floated above him. Compared to Shao Huang''s ming w, these translucent limbs were much more refined and held a lot of power behind them.


    The arms followed his every movement, carrying them out dutifully. Shu Zhi opened his right palm, facing it towards Lei Jiang and the arm on his right flew forth in the same motion.


    As the two met, neither could move forward or back. His halberd was stopped!


    The hand grabbed the halberd and lifted Lei Jiang off the ground, most likely to m him down.


    "Break for me!" Lei Jiang screamed out, as lightning energy flowed through his arms and into his halberds. With his other one, he smashed it into giant fist. The sound of thunder resounded all over the arena as lightning crashed into the hand.


    The giant arm faltered for a second and gave in, turning into wisps of light. But Shu Zhi formed another in seconds, this time he went with them. What followed was a nonstop barrage of lightning and shock waves, the two of them were nearly equal not giving nor gaining an inch.


    As the fight continued, the emperor watched very closely, not at his own son but at Shu Zhi.


    "Why does he feel so familiar?" he thought, "How strange."


    "Tang Guang, what do you know about Shu Zhi?" he asked.


    Tang Guang rubbed his chin, thinking about his question, "If I remember correctly, this person was brought up by a small noble family in the city. As for his martial arts, it was through a fortuitous encounter that he obtained an old manual. This was several years ago but I did not think that he would be so strong now. During the fight with Hou Huang, he was at the back-line, providing support. Hisbat control was pretty good, he sent out blue arrows and managed to route Hou Huang towards the others, maintaining control over the pacing of the battle."


    Back in the arena, the both of them were still fighting blow for blow. Neither backed down and attacked even fiercer, Lei Jiang had already begun to utilize his lightning and Shu Zhi manifested a third arm. Lei Jiang was too quick for Shu Zhi to match with only two mystical arms, a third was needed to match his power.


    "I have not enjoyed a fight in a very long time. Only those at the Earth Realm could satisfy me. This is wonderful!" Lei Jiang was very excited, he was definitely a battle maniac.


    Shu Zhi was still the same, barely showing emotion, only focused on controlling the giant arms. The bystanders as well as Ming Yue watched them with excitement. The numerous explosions and non-stop action was spectacr. She was mesmerized with their skill. Lei Jiang''s lightning flowed with his actions, his control was nothing more than incredible. As for Shu Zhi, his quick reflexes andmand of the giant arms was almost scary. At every move, he was able to counter Lei Jiang, managing to predict his next moves.


    Lei Jian began to grow impatient, backing away from Shi Zhi.


    "Come on, show me your real power", he taunted Shu Zhi.


    Afterwards, his arms began to absorb lightning,bining them with his gauntlets and turning them into dragon arms. With dark blue scales and sharp ws, they deeply resembled that of a real dragon. Furthermore, two horns sprouted from his forehead, lightning discharged from them.


    "Dragonification, he has the blood of a dragon within him!" everyone gasped at the idea.


    Dragons have not appeared for hundreds of years. To have obtained some of their blood was life changing. By absorbing it, one could gain many abilities such as transforming their body parts into those of a dragon, great strength, and a higher affinity for the elements. How he managed to have some was a mystery. It could be a gift from his father, the emperor, or something he found during his travels.


    But that did not matter, this had cemented his victory. Unless Shu Zhi has something of better, he will lose.


    Much to everyone''s surprise, Shu Zhi did nothing or rather he was frozen stiff. His floating arms still glowing a bright blue.


    "Could he have been so shocked by the dragonification that he fainted?" one person said.


    Even Lei Jiang was somewhat dumbfounded by this, fainting in the middle of a fight was rare. In fact, it had never happened in any of his battles. Suddenly, Shu Zhi''s eyes glowed like two little stars as a great deal of power radiated from his body. It kept growing and growing, encapsting the arena. The sheer power was oppressive and Ming Yue, along with many others soon found it hard to breathe.


    "Haaaaah, I''m tired of this farce," Shu Zhi spoke, revealing an aged voice, calm and serene, tempered by time.


    His body began to inte before exploding from the abundant energy. In ce of his body, was a mysterious being made of blue energy.


    "Kneel."


    Onemand, one word was all it needed to force everyone to their knees, except for the few experts, namely the emperor and both the leaders of noble families and sects.


    "Who... are you?!" Lei Jiang slowly spoke, unable to stand up.


    "Who am I? Well, I am known by a lot of names but the one name I like the most is..."


    "The Lord of Azure Souls", many of the experts called out his name, recognizing his energy.


    "Ah yes, I did not think that my reputation would be so illustrious to be known by you all. Indeed I am him or I suppose an avatar would be better to describe me", the blue being exined.


    "48 Demon Brigades, capture him!" the emperormanded.


    Numerous masked figures appeared, surrounding the avatar.


    In front was none other that Sky, the leader of the 7th brigade.


    "I swear that you do note out of here unscathed, bastard", He spoke coldly.


    "Are you sure you want to do that?" he questioned, "At any moment, I could detonate this avatar and take this entire arena with it. Everyone here will disintegrate into nothingness. I believe that you should rethink your actions. Don''t think that it won''t happen."


    They stopped approaching him, staying several meters away, but kept their stances, ready to attack in a heartbeat.


    "Why act now?" the emperor asked him.


    "Well, I''ve been nning for quite a while. This is just one of many designs, all I did was give this poor boy a copy of my techniques. I tweaked them a little bit so the moment, he started practicing, his soul was connected to mine and well, I just erased it. But I suppose that it was mostly good timing. You have many enemies, oh emperor. In fact, one of them would very much like you dead. Now normally, I wouldn''t work with someone else but this person is a little specialpared to the others. This person most definitely piqued my interest. He offered me so many things in return for your head and I yed with him for a bit. But its boring now, so I killed him. You can have his head back", the avatar threw out a head several feet ahead of him.


    Its shocked eyes and scared expression was still on its face.


    "Uncle?" the emperor spoke, unsure if it really was his uncle.


    "But..but why?"


    "Well, its quite obvious isn''t it. He was jealous!" the avatar said, "He could''ve been emperor but was stuck as a prince, all because of your talent too."


    "As for me,", he said," I might as well get what I came for....your seal."

 Chapter 54 - Sudden End

    However, none of that registered with the Emperor, he was too distraught over this. His own uncle, the one whom he had the greatest rtionship with, wanted him dead. He could not believe but at the same time, his head was right there. Undeniable evidence right in front his eyes.


    "Give me your Phoenix Dragon Seal and I will leave you all for good", he repeated, "If you make me wait any longer, I don''t mind getting it myself."


    "This..this", the emperor was at a loss for words.


    "I would rather you give it", the avatar added, "It would be annoying to have to kill everyone."


    "Why do you want it?" Sky asked, "Why is it that the seal is the only thing you want? It is merely a symbol, a decorative piece."


    "That is something you do not need to know. All there is to be said is I will no longer bother you, once I gain the seal. Furthermore, it will not be used for evil", he answered.


    "Evil...not be used for evil. You, the Lord of Azure Souls promises that my Phoenix Dragon Seal will not be used for evil. HahahahahaHAHAHAHA", Skyughed hysterically, "What you had just done can only be considered evil. The past hundred years of you terrorizing my country is PURE AND UTTER EVIL! AND NOW YOU TELL ME THAT THIS WILL BE FOR GOOD? What have you done to deserve our trust?! Tell me how exactly are you going to do some good with that seal?!"


    After his outburst, Sky looked straight at the avatar, he stared into the faceless being with a furious expression.


    "ANSWER ME!" he screamed. A powerful shockwave rumbled through the arena.


    The Lord of Azure Souls''s avatar stared back at him.


    "A war maye within a hundred years", he said, "In our vast world, we have three races: humans, beast men, and demons. Separated by our own continents and connected through numerous teleportation channels, there was amon ground between all of us. However, that was over a several hundred years ago, a peace broken through trial and tribtion, as you may know, it was what brought about the end of the Warlord Age. The great destruction of thend did not affect just our continent but theirs as well. We do not know the current state of the other races and so we can only prepare for the worst. A council was formed, created for the sole purpose of guiding our race to prosperity or rather, survival. I am a messenger from that council, sent to do their bidding. While I do not know exactly how it will be used, your seal will be among several others to protect our race."


    The emperor pondered this information while everyone else felt shock. Something like the beast men and demons were old legends, races that no longer existed. None of them would''ve expected this.


    "Why do all of this then? Terrorize us for century", he asked.


    "Your nation is considered one of the weakest, using force and fear felt like the better option than diplomacy. Destroying your nation would diminish our power as the human race, so I went for less bloody options. Hence, I used soul attacks, gaining the name, Lord of Azure Souls. Furthermore, this is information that generally the strongest kingdoms know. Although one hundred years was a fairly short time to obtain your seal. Besides I did you a favor by giving you one less enemy and a traitor no less", he said, a slightly proud tone could be heard in his voice.


    "Haah, as much as I do not want to believe you, I do not have a choice. You are most likely at the Sky Realm. No one here could beat you", the emperor said dejectedly, "Take it and leave us for good."


    Throwing out the golden seal, he left the arena and retreated into his pce.


    The blue avatar held the seal in his hand, opening a portal and leaving. The oppressive energy left and everyone could finally breathe, but worried thoughts and expressions showed on their faces.


    A war? Beast and demon races still existed? What would this mean for our kingdom? What will we do now?


    Seeing the turmoil within the people and with the Emperor still distraught with all of this, Tang Guang took it as his responsibility to calm them down.


    "Everyone please listen, the only thing that thing needed was the seal. He did not ask for manpower or anything else. Most likely there is already a n in ce. Everyone should just carry on with their lives. As for the tournament, It will officially end today. We will proceed with rewards and celebrations once my lord brother has rested", he announced.


    Everyone exited slowly, many of thepetitors went back to their sects and families, still stuck on the Lord of Azure Soul''s words.


    Ming Yue left as well, curiosity filled her more than dread. She was not very bothered by this news, she was only a small character in this after all. Instead, she wanted to know what the other races looked like, what the other continents were like. She had only ever known about the human race, it would be amazing to learn more about the others. After all, the avatar did state that a war could happen, there was a chance that war may not ur. If it did not, it would be easier for her to travel between continents.


    But for now, she only needed to focus on her own strength. Lei Jiang''s performance cemented the her thoughts, she still had a long way to go. If she was to fight against him, 99 out of 100 battles would end in her loss. Leaving for the inn, she was met by Xiao Yin and Hei Yue, who were quite happy to see her, oblivious as to what had happened today. She smiled at theirpany and rested for the night.


    The next following weeks was nothing more than tense and gloomy, everyone was quite worried about a possible war. The emperor had yet make an appearance, some say he was bedridden both from the shock and grief of what the Lord of Azure Souls had said. However, this was dispelled when he made an announcement addressing everything.


    With it, he had done extensive investigations, finding more evidence of his uncle''s treachery. As for the news of other races and continents, he has begun contacting other neighboring nations conversing with them about this topic. Bits and pieces of information began to coalesce.


    What he had gained from these talks was somewhat relieving, the continent''s teleportation channels have yet to be fixed and will most likely take time to do so. Therefore, this "council" made up of Heaven Realm cultivators were preparing for the worst, it was likely that the demon and beast races would not be hostile.


    He apologized for his inability to act as their leader, asking his citizens for forgiveness.


    His actions were able to dispel the tense atmosphere, with many believing that it was not his fault. In due time, the country went back to its normal ways, with talks of war happening every once in a while. The tournament that ended so abruptly continued once more, with the rewards and such. Ming Yue at rank 58, gained several thousand gold, to which she put into her spatial ring.


    After several festivities, she met with Yu Yao Xian and conversed for a bit.


    "After this, You shoulde with me to the Yu Family, Fengtian has wanted to see you ever since he saw you atpetition", she said.


    Ming Yue epted her invitation, after all she did promise to visit and this was as good a time as ever.


    High above thend, within the skies and among the clouds, arge mass floated about. If one was to see it clearly, they would be shocked! For it was a fortress! With 8 spires surrounding arge castle, connected by stone walls, it was ancient and toughened by countless ages. What ability was needed to create this?


    Inside itsrge halls was a kneeling figure, it was the Lord of Azure mes, looking down before 8 thrones. Each one shaped differently, with seven seats filled and one empty.


    "I have retrieved the seal from Red Lotus Country, High Council", he said.

 Chapter 55 - The High Council

    "Indeed, it is the Phoenix Dragon Seal."


    "With this, we only have one more nation seal to go. Well done, Di Mu."


    "Once An Ripletes her mission, we will summon the Thirteen Messengers together. Until then, maintain watch over your district."


    "Yes, High Council", Di Mu stood up and bowed before leaving the great hall.


    With the high council by themselves, it was silent. Not even the sound of wind was present.


    "Should we really go through with this? Such a n is too risky."


    "It matters not, we are only one step away. Do not forget, too much time has passed, who knows what wille out from those brokennds."


    "If this is what you deem best, I will not argue."


    The seven figures sat quietly, some pondering their n, others merely waiting. It was not clear how life would be once the continents reconnected. Years would pass before anything drastic happens but those years are mere seconds to them. All that can be done is to continue with life.


    Dayster, Ming Yue was led into a grand mansion, big and beautiful but not overly luxurious. Inside, she waited quietly, sipping some tea. It was quite simple, paintings of lions and dragons hung against the walls. Apanied by these paintings were numerous racks of weapons. This truly was the family which boasts the best martial ability. This was the home of the Yu Family, she was invited by Yu Yao Xian and with no immediate errands to do, she took her up on that invite. She did not bring Hei Yue or Xiao Yin as they would attract too much attention.


    "I''m sorry for making you wait", Yu Yao Xian talked happily before grabbing Ming Yue''s hand, taking back to her own quarters.


    "I really should thank you for helping me and Fengtian before. If it wasn''t for you none of this would have happened", she said.


    What followed was a long story of their time within the main family. After bringing the head of the leader of the Darksun Marauders, The both of them were held with high regard by the older generation. At the same time, the young masters and mistresses of the family had be dismayed and threatened by their newfound status. At first, there would be slight harassment and the Yu siblings would endure for weeks before they increased the intensity. It started with snidements and a bit of pushing around, but Yu Yao Xian was tired of their act once they had ordered their servants to attack Fengtian. Once the older generation caught wind of all this, these so called young geniuses were punished, sent to train with the imperial guards. Furthermore, It was already established that Yu Yao Xian was stronger then them. It was apparent that theycked discipline.


    Ming Yue was somewhat satisfied with this result. After meeting that third master of theirs, she did not find him pleasant and was d that they got their just deserts.


    "...so, about that tournament, what do you think about that war and this mysterious council?" she asked.


    Ming Yue was a bit surprised by this question. She did not think that people were still worried and as if Yu Yao Xian had read her mind, she quickly exined.


    "I''m a part of the Yu Family. many of us join the army or the guards, working to protect ournd. With news of a possible war, everyone has been working much harder in preparation, myself included."


    Ming Yue found this reasonable, having a responsibility to protect, the news of war can be quite unsettling.


    "I do hope that a war would note. I''ve been traveling for a while and it would be a shame to be unable to see what these continents looked like", she responded.


    "Oh, I never took you to be the type to travel", Yao Xian spoke with a bit of surprise.


    Ming Yue never really spoke much, Yao Xian really did not know what went through her mind. But traveling was thest thing she thought Ming Yue would be interested.


    "Anyways, do you want to spar with me? We have thisrge open courtyard that many people use for duels", she said.


    Ming Yue had no reason to reject, following Yao Xian into an open field. It was filled with many fighters either dueling each other or practicing on their own.


    Finding a small empty space, the both of them grabbed a wooden version of their respective weapons. Ming Yue was slightly surprised that they had a practice sword with a simr size and shape to her Parting Sun de. The Yu Family really does live up to their reputation to having almost every type of weapon and with techniques to pair as well.


    The both of them took their positions and waited. They were quiet, the sounds ofbat surrounded them. At the sound of a swords shing, they beganbat. From the very beginning, Yao Xian did not hold back. She knew that the distance advantage that she had when using a guandao was neutralized by Ming Yue''s sword being the length of five feet.


    This fight was of pure skill and technique. Yao Xian mixed her techniques, thrusting and shing. But it was all countered by Ming Yue, her skill with the sword was exquisite. They were simple attacks from the exterior but each attack was carefully thought out and controlled. Even so, what Yao Xian saw was random attacking, no real pattern or rhythm. It was always changing and she could never stayfortable. Her only path to breaking through was with sheer power. Yao Xian grabbed the guandao by the end of its handle, spinning her body around she smashed de down onto Ming Yue. Rather than dodging the hit, Ming Yue parried it away, the attacknded on the floor, pounding the ground. However, she did not have an easy time doing so. Fast and strong, Yao Xian''s attack had made her arms slightly numb. If she was struck by that, there was no guarantee that woulde out unhurt.


    "You can stop now, Yao Xian, anymore and you will lose", with a stern voice, the duel had stopped.


    As for the one that interrupted, it was an elderly man wearing gray robes. With a little hair bun and a well kept beard,


    "Ah, Caretaker Jian, why do you say that?" Yao Xian questioning his judgement. After all, she had just broken through Ming Yue''s attacks, in several minutes, she could''ve won.


    Caretaker Jian exined, "With thatst attack, there is no doubt that you had a chance to win. However, more than likely, She could have backed off and regain herposure. Then if the fight had continued, you would have started back where you began. If she wanted to, she could have retaliated right after deflecting your attack. You had only one opportunity to win, one that you have to make yourself. But she has multiple ways, you were too impatient and your skill is inferior to hers."


    "As for you, If I remember correctly, you were the one that won against Shao Jin, obtaining rank 56", he said, "Good work kicking him down, the Shao family has been an eyesore for us for very long. They always think that money is superior than power. It was quite nice to see their reputation a bit soiled. But enough of that, your swordsmanship is quite mysterious and very unique, something that I have not seen before. Your grasp at the mysteries of the sword is quite in-depth, having understood grip, momentum, and flexibility. What youck is experience. Once you are able toprehend the more intricate mechanics of the sword, you will reach the next level of sword mastery."


    Ming Yue remembered his words but still had many questions. What did her mean by the next level of sword mastery? What could be the intricate mechanics of the sword? Simrly, Yao Xian also had questions regarding her skill and improvement.


    "The both of youe with me", he said, "I''ll teach you."

 Chapter 56 - Mysteries Of The Sword

    "After watching Yao Xian speak with you, many of us were somewhat curious about your rtionship with each other", he said, "If you''ve guessed, I am given the title "caretaker" and it has been my responsibility to tend to the martial library and the training grounds. It was my duty to find more weapon techniques and styles to add to the library and record them as well. When she talked about your skill. I had wanted to converse with you for a little. After seeing you in action, I have never seen a style such as yours, although there are several principles that resemble one or two styles."


    Bringing them to another hall, only this one was empty, devoid of any decorations and distractions.


    "Please", he gestured Ming Yue for her practice sword.


    Not wanting to lose an opportunity to learn, she did so, handing over the sword.


    "Now, a sword of this size and weight is very much difficult to handle, especially for someone of your frame. With such an imbnce, you remedied the problem by adjusting, being able to understand how to handle your weapon."


    He swung the sword several times before stopping.


    "You have reached something akin to a teau. You have begun to intertwine the sword with inner force but I''m sure that you feel as if you arecking something", he said.


    This much was true, Ming Yue had reached that point. Back when she tried to recreate the tornado from earlier, she found it incredibly difficult. At best, she could make a much smaller version. However, when she applied it to sword techniques, she could not find a way to merge the two. If she could then she would be able to create much more intricate attacks rather than forceful ones like Savage Tempest.


    Noticing her expression, he smiled.


    "Ah so I was right", he said, "What youck is thought, feeling, vision. Have you used the sword as if it was a part of your body? Have you ever focused on the immaterial rather than the material? Your mind is the greatest weapon and the greatest obstacle. You need to feel the sword, treat it like another limb. You cannot just focus on an image but meaning when ites to techniques. The mystery of every technique is the meaning, the intent."


    After speaking, he began to move, attacking swiftly and with a degree of ruthlessness. Ming Yue watched finding her skill to be inferior to his. It was smooth, his swings flowed with the rest of his body. There was a certain aura to it all. This degree of mastery was incredible. Even Yao Xian was captivated by such skill work.


    He stopped afterwards, handing her back the sword, "Something like that, is what your swordsmanship is missing. Unfortunately, this is something not book or master can teach, you can only rely on yourself to find a way."


    "Ah," he winced in pain, rubbing his hand.


    "This is what age does, I''m not as good as I use to be, hahaha", he chuckled, continuing to massage his hand.


    Ming Yue walked up to him asking for his hand.


    "Hmm, is it an old injury?" she asked.


    "Oh, how did you know? But yes, when I was younger, I took part in the defending of a town. A group of killers had targeted it and I was struck in the hand by one of them. However, this did not stop me, I killed him and spent theing years practicing with my other hand. Though, I can use this hand for a little bit before some pain starts to settle in."


    She took out several herbs and gave them to him.


    "These nts can be ground into a paste, It should help alleviate some of the pain and heal some of the bone fractures", she said.


    Her actions surprised both Caretaker Jian and Yao Xian, thetter who had no idea that she had experience with medicine.


    "Where did you learn this medical knowledge?" he asked curiously.


    "Myte father was a herb collector and a doctor. He taught me a lot and gave me many books to read", she responded.


    "Oh, I''m apologize for bringing up such a topic", he said, "Anyways, feel free toe by any time."


    "It''s fine. It has been almost a year since then. I havee to ept it."


    Leaving with Yao Xian, Ming Yue left the training hall and Yao Xian began showing her around the estate.


    "Ah! it''s Fengtian!" Yao Xian eximed, "Brother! Look who I brought with me."


    Fengtian was busy reading books and studying in the library. With his sister training, he did not have much to do and so focused his time on studying. He had set his sights on bing a military tactician, s his girlish appearance has given him some trouble. Very few have taken him seriously but even still, he continued to work hard.


    He looked up from his books, finding Yao Xian and Ming Yue by her side.


    "Yao Xian, why didn''t you tell me that Ming Yue was here?" he said, feeling a bit embarrassed by his messy appearance.


    "Well you were so absorbed with your books and I didn''t want to bother you. Also, I called you earlier and you didn''t even hear me. You don''t even want to go outside with your sister", she pouted, annoyed by his tone.


    "Hmph, and now you pay attention because Ming Yue is here. It seems like you don''t care about your own sister. Let''s go, Ming Yue, this brother of mine is so thoughtless", she said, leading Ming Yue away.


    "Wait! I''m sorry", he held his hand out, helpless from her act.


    Yao Xian grinned, happy from teasing her Fengtian.


    "I''m just teasing you", she said, "Come with us, Ming Yue hasn''t seen the entire city yet and I want to show her around!"


    Fengtian readily agreed, changing into new clothes before joining them.


    "This is the ssy River Restaurant, they have the best seafood!"


    "That is the general market, they sell almost everything but you should watch out for thieves and scammers. But the street food is delicious!"


    "Here is the ming Forge. The front is a huge smithy but behind is the Manor of the Gong Family. On the other side of the road, is the Jian Family''s trinket shop as well as their workshop. Their residence is actually quite close to the Yu Family''s location. On the corner of this street is a little stall that sells really good haw ke candies.*"


    Ming Yue was somewhat amused by Yao Xian, almost all of her introductions were followed withments on delicious food. She really did not expect Yao Xian to be so excited. Afterwards, they reached a familiar looking building.


    "The Jade Dragon Pavilion..." she said.


    "Oh I see, you already know this ce. Are you a part of it?" Yao Xian asked, "Being part of the Yu Family, I was automatically a part of it. Furthermore, everyone has toplete abat mission every two weeks."


    Fengtian had a gloomy face, "Ah, I hate this the most."


    "I need to go in and speak with someone. Can you guys wait for me? It will be really quick", she said.


    The Yu siblings agreed.


    "We''ll just be over there, by the skewer cart", Yao Xian said, she brought Fengtian away asking him about what skewers he wanted to eat.


    Ming Yue entered the pavilion, asking to see Elder Yin. It had been several months since theyst met, she wanted to ask her if there was anymore news about the Splitting Moon de. The same attendant from before, Zhi SHu recognized her and lead her to Elder Yin''s office.


    As they entered, Ming Yue stood in front of numerous piles of paperwork.. Thest time she was here, it only took over the desk but now almost every inch of the room was filled with documents.

 Chapter 57 - Taking On Missions

    "Who is it?" Elder Yin''s tired voice echoed through the room.


    Her figure emerged from the piles, her eyes had dark circles, worn out from constant reading.


    "Ah Ming Yue, what brings you here?" she asked.


    "I hope that I did note in at a bad time", Ming Yue said, "If so, then I cane back another time."


    "No, no. It''s quite alright. After what had happened at the Youth Dragon Tournament, both the military and Jade Dragon Pavilion have been working even harder to prepare for war. After being called one of the weakest nations by the Lord of Azure Souls, everyone has been working hard to bolster our strength. Even the five families have begun to research better ways of strengthening themselves", she exined.


    "It would not have mattered if youe now orter. More than likely, there would be no end for this. Anyways what did youe here for?" asked Elder Yin.


    "I just wanted to know if there were anymore news about the Splitting Moon de", Ming Yue replied.


    "I see. If I recall, there has already been movement by both the Yu and Shao Family as well as several sects and other prominent figures. More than likely, the de could be sold for millions", she said, "I suggest that you spend the next several months getting money if you want to have a chance at getting it. Even then, it will be quite difficult to achieve."


    Ming Yue felt somewhat daunted by the task, She would need at least several million gold coins topete with the others. As of now, she had a little under ten thousand. This much wealth was enough for a family to live off of for ten years. However, she brushed off her hesitation, this could be her only chance to get it and she would not let this opportunity go.


    "Thank you for the help", Ming Yue bowed in respect and left.


    Time was of the essence! After her little excursion with Yao Xian and Fengtian, she would spend the next several months focusing on missions and such.


    Leaving Elder Yin''s office, she went back down to the first floor and took a quick look at the request board. She took off a page and gave it to the reception desk, specifically Zhi Shu.


    She read over the contents before looking at her.


    "Are you sure you want to take this one?" she asked.


    Ming Yue nodded resolutely.


    "Alright, you have a maximum of 6 months toplete. Good luck!" she said.


    Why she needed to ask Ming Yue if she was sure was because this mission was perilous. What it entailed was to search for an item, a rare magical fruit called "Dragon Whisker Berries." A fruit with an outer shell covered in little whiskers.* It is said that these fruits carry the essence of a dragon. Although the essence is not very potent, one berry is enough to give themon man twice his strength. If one were to ingest more, their physical strength would increase greatly. These magical fruit can be found by the Raging Mountains. These mountains would explode now and then showering their surroundings in me and ash. It has be home to many dangerous creatures. But the pure energy radiating from these mountains have also made it a heaven for cksmiths and physicians alike, bringing about numerous ores and mystical treasures, the Dragon Whisker Berries being one of them.


    It was a mission for those at Bronze Bull and above, thus Ming Yue qualified. However, Zhi Shu could not help but worry for such a young girl. Ming Yue promptly left the pavilion, joining the Yu Siblings, who were busy gobbling up numerous beef andmb skewers.


    Noticing her return, they shared some with her before bringing her throughout the rest of the city. Infected by their energy, she had enjoyed herself very much, showing a rare smile which Fengtian noticed.


    "So that''s what she looks like when she smiles. How beautiful", he thought. His feelings for her did no waver, it only grew with time, the only way for him to stop thinking of her was to dive into books. Her being here had satisfied him, her smile eve more so. He burned the image into his mind, promising to never forget it.


    As the day ended, they said their good byes and split off at the Yu Family Estate. Ming Yue went back to the Jing Ping Inn and prepared for tomorrow. She yed with Hei Yue for while before going to bed.


    As she fell asleep, she couldn''t help but think about the auction. What was it like? Could she do it? Will she be able to get the Splitting Moon de? If she couldn''t then would she just give up?


    There was a certain amount of doubt within her, taking over her mind.


    Suddenly, a warm body cuddled next to her. Hei Yue seemed to have sensed that something was wrong and did its best to alleviate it. It was the right choice, for Ming Yue felt calm from hispany and slept without issue.


    Waking up the next day, she prepared to leave and went back to the Jade Dragon Pavilion to look over the request board once more. After several minutes, she took off 2 other requests, both of which were on the way and only needed a small detour toplete. The first was a hunting request, to kill a Blood Edge Swallow and bring back its body. The second was to help with the recovery of a town, which had recently suffered a tornado, destroying much of it and harming many residents. There was ack of doctors which had made the town vulnerable to beast attacks.


    After taking in these requests, she went on her way, leaving the capital city. Her first destination would be the Blue Willow Town, of the three locations, this was the closest but it would still require a full week to travel on horse. For Ming Yue, it would take a little over a week, possible a week and a half.


    She walked alongside the road asionally meeting other people. Some were merchants, others justmon citizens, as she moved further away from Five Element City, there were less people. She was fortunate to have not encountered any dangerous beasts, only stopping to rest or gather medical herbs. She did not bother buying them as it was much simpler for her to just get it from her surroundings.


    Time flew by quickly as she continued her way. Numerous medicinal herbs piled up in her spatial ring. Next to it was a much smaller bundle containing several umon nts, mostly those that improve elemental affinities. There were several beast carcasses as well. This was one of the few times where she truly appreciated having a spatial ring, even if it wasn''t very big, it was better than carrying it on her back.


    Soon enough, the silhouette of a town slowly appeared. As she walked closer, she saw the extent of the damage that it had sustained from the tornado. It was a wretched sight. Many buildings were utterly destroyed, homes and shops alike did not escape the destruction. In ce were just tents and makeshift shacks for the homeless. Fortunately, reconstruction was underway and much of the rubble was cleared. Several guards were stationed outside, patrolling the area in anticipation for any attacks.


    Approaching the gate, she was stopped by two guards. Taking out her badge, she was quickly led into the town and found herself inside arge building. The exterior was slightly damaged but for the most part hade out nearly unscathed. Inside, she entered arge hall. Much of the furniture was cleared out and instead reced by makeshift beds and injured bodies.


    One of the guards that led her quickly informed one of the doctors before leaving.


    It was a young woman who briskly made her way to Ming Yue.


    "Thank you foring to help", she said, "There are only four of us and over a hundred patients, it has been quite hard watching over all of them. Youing has already relieved much of the load. "


    "It''s fine", Ming Yue said, "I will do my best."

 Chapter 58 - The Willow Tree

    She quickly got to work, taking out multiple stalks of Marrow Ginger, White Spot Leaves and other nts, grinding it into a paste with water. Her two pets were outside, joining the guards in patrolling the suroundings


    The others watched with curiosity, rather than using pills, the neer had instead used medicinal paste.


    Medicine could be used in three ways: pills, a paste, or as it is. Pills are considered to be the best way, healing from the inside. It leaves few impurities and is brings out the best efficiency. Requiring cauldrons, it is quite expensive and time consuming. Paste is a much more older method, meant to smear over the body and work from the outside. Its potency lowers at a faster rate but it is much more convenient to use as it is easy to make. As for using it without refining it is generally a method for emergencies, if the energy from these nts be rampant, it could cause great injuries.


    Pill-making was a dominant practice, not many others chose to study medicinal paste. Despite its convenience, Pills were seen as a better alternative. Not to mention, pill masters were highly sought after by many nobles and famous characters.


    Finishing her paste, she grabbed several rolls of bandages and went to those with the worst injuries.


    She rubbed the light red mixture onto the cloth before recing the blood soaked bandages with these fresh ones. She spent the entire day tending to as many people as she could. The paste proved to be effective with many of them able to sleep soundly at night. It was not long before everyone''s bodies will heal.


    One of those days, she took a stroll around the area. With everyone resting and treated, she had time on her hands and decided to check out the town. She walked to the center, staring at a gigantic willow tree. It''s small branches swung gently in the wind. Under the moon, there was a light sheen to its leaves. Ming Yue watched, entranced by the peaceful sight. It still stood, enduring countless years and numerous disasters. She was in a bit awe from that thought.


    "I''m quite grateful for your help", turning around, Ming Yue saw the young doctor from before.


    "I forgot to introduce myself earlier. My name is Yong Jing, the others are my fellow disciples. Our teacher heard about the disaster and sent us here for training. Unfortunately, we did not prepare well and were overwhelmed by the work", she said, "Due to our inability, the best we could do was dy their injuries with the pills we had. Your presence has relieved a lot of our troubles."


    Yong Jing was genuinely grateful. With Ming Yue''s help, they were able to set aside time to make pills. After another week of care, their work would be done.


    "There is no need to thank me", she said, "I took this request because it was on the way to another destination. I had no reason to not take it."


    "Oh", Yong Jing said, "Where are you headed, if you don''t mind me asking?"


    "The Raging Mountains."


    Yong Jing was surprised by her answer, "I see."


    She did not know how to respond to that. Although she had never been to the Raging Mountains, she knew it was a dangerous ce. It was almost dangerous enough to be called a death zone, one with great risk but equally great rewards. In an attempt to break the strange atmosphere, Yong Jing started rambling on.


    "Did you know that this town is named after this willow tree?" she said, "It was said that it was such a beautiful tree that the founder decided to start a life here. As time went on, more people joined him bing a small vige. When it was still developing, a storm hade, bringing about enough rain to flood the area. However, the flood had avoided the tree entirely, allowing the others to shelter themselves from the destruction. Many people started flocking to the tree in hopes that good luck would fall on them. It was not long before a town was formed with the tree in the center."


    "I see", Ming Yue replied, It was no wnder the tree gave her such a calm feeling. It was a tree of miracles.


    The next day, Ming Yue left the town to go gather more herbs. With arge basket on her back and Hei Yue apanying her, she looked like a normal girl, out to gather in the forest. Using her sheathed sword as a staff, she traversed the area, searching to replenish her supply. Hei Yue started wagging his tail, sniffing something in the air.


    "Hm, what is it?" she asked.


    Following it, they reached a small ravine, where Hei Yue turned even more excited, staring into the deep crevice. Looking down, She noticed a little cave on the other side of the walls. Guessing that there was some sort of treasure, she put down her basket and grabbed Hei Yue with one hand. Without a moment''s notice, she jumped down, floating towards the cave. It was not very low and she could definitely reach the top without much issue.


    Hei Yue wriggled out of her grasp and ran into the dark. Before following, she pulled out a torch, lighting it and walked into the cave. At first, she thought that it would be a quick trip but the cave seemed endless. She soon found Hei Yue staring in front of a dead end.


    Confused, she walked forward, examining the walls. However, she could find nothing strange about them. She looked back at Hei Yue, who still seemed entranced by whatever it had smelled. Curiosity got to the best of her and she started feeling the walls. Sure enough, there was a contraption in between two stones. It was a finger sized hole with a button inside. With a quick press, she heard several nks as a stone door opened up, revealing a secret room.


    Hei Yue quickly ran in, not waiting for Ming Yue. She followed him, entering the room. It was rather spacious, upied by arge tform.


    "Is this an underground arena?" she thought.


    It was covered in dust and cobwebs, cracks riddled the floor. This ce must not have been used for a very long time. After looking around, she found Hei Yue, greedily looking at some beast bones. He gnawed at it before cracking one open and began eating the marrow. She let Hei Yue enjoy his meal and explored therge arena.


    It was very simplistic, there were no engravings or symbols, no form of decor on the walls. She found another doorway and checked it out. There was a much smaller room filled with dead bodies, both beast and human. She rummaged through the room, finding some jewelry and rusted weapons. Moving onto their bodies, she found two spatial rings and kept them. She did not want to stay for long and decided to search the ringster. Hei Yue finished his meal and was ready to leave.


    Exciting the cave, she jumped up, hopping from one rock to another, reaching the top in seconds.


    "What a strange ce", she thought, "Was this some sort of secret gathering or hidden gambling ring?"


    She could only specte as the day moved on but she stopped, realizing that she would go nowhere just specting. She returned to Blue Willow Town with a basket filled to the brim. A weekter, many people had healed from their injuries, getting back to rebuilding their town. With this request done, Ming Yue was given a letter of confirmation by the mayor.


    She left swiftly moving on to her next goal, the Stone Forest, to kill and bring back a Blood Edge Swallow.

 Chapter 59 - Stone Forest

    On her way to the next destination, she spent her time training and practicing her swordsmanship. The words and moves that the caretaker of the Yu Family showed had captivated her. It seemed natural and yet not natural, somehow unrestricted byws of the world.


    To treat the sword as if it was a part of the body.


    Focusing on the immaterial rather than the material.


    How could she achieve this?


    The way she moved with the Parting Sun de felt natural to her. She was ustomed to the size and weight. But she and the sword were two separate entities, it was her tool and she was its owner. Ming Yue did not understand Caretaker Jian''s advice, maybe her skill was too low or she was not smart enough.


    "I should stop for today. I''m sure it wille to me sooner orter", she thought, "I should check out those rings instead."


    She remembered seeing Hei Yue sleeping for several days straight before waking up but there was no discernible difference from before he ate those bones. Taking out the rings, she sent a wisp of power into them before taking everything out. Within the first ring were some books as well as a small dagger. The second had some gold coins as well as another dagger identical to the one before. The books were just collections of stories, these would help entertain her for a bit. The two dagger were a bit strange, The handle and sheath was made of a leather and wood, they resembled ordinary weapons. But pulling them out, she was surprised by the de. Blood red in color and a jagged edge, it seemed like a weapon meant to cause pain. Not to mention, a faint but vicious aura poured out from the des and the smell of blood began to spread throughout the air.


    "What ominous des!" she thought, quickly sheathing them.


    Multiple thoughts ran through her mind before she examined the daggers again. She noticed some symbols engraved on the pommel, a pair of wings. What was the purpose of these des? Were they used for some nefarious n? Ming Yue put them away along with everything else into her spatial ring. She would have to show these to Elder Yinter, she might know the truth of these daggers.


    Ming Yue could not fall asleep that night and decided to just travel under the stars.


    Several dayster, she finally reached the Stone Forest, now she had to hunt the Blood Edge Swallow, a rank 2 beast. It was swift creature and its small size make it quite hard to catch. Its crimson ws were quite valuable. Durable and sharp, they were perfect materials to make fist weapons like ws and gauntlets.


    The Stone Forest was named so because of its stone formations. Numerous towering rocks came out of the ground. Their rough edges and thin frame resembled trees but with so many of these tree-like rocks, it felt more like a maze than a forest.


    Entering the Stone Forest, she surveyed her surroundings. It was quiet, only the sound of the whistling wind traveled through the air. She did a fair bit of reading about the Stone Forest and the Blood Edge Swallow. It was a mysterious ce, home to many birds and flying beasts. No one knows for sure how this so called forest came to be. Some believe it could''ve been natural, born from the earth. Others say that it was originally a mountain, destroyed to smithereens from some epic battle.


    She searched all day, unable to find the swallow. This went on for several days and Ming Yue started to be a little impatient. She had seen a glimpse of it once or twice but the little creature would disappear before she could even follow it. Even Hei Yue was unable to catch up with it and Xiao Yin couldn''t even react. Eventually, the owl flew onto one of the rocks, showing that she had given up on chasing it. However, Hei Yue thought it was fun and turned it into a challenge for himself.


    "We have to catch it when it is the most vulnerable", she thought, "If I cannot chase it the I will have to trap it."


    After several more days of looking, the three of them finally found the Blood Edge Swallow, perched upon one of the stones. But at this moment, Ming Yue was not sure as to how she would trap it, she did not know what it ate or what would catch its attention. A normal trap would not work but she had no knowledge or experience with formations. Could it be that she had no options but to give up?


    While pondering her dilemma, the Blood Edge Swallow was feeling a little bored, it was one of the greatest birds in this forest and yet he did not have a woman. No one to marvel at his beauty and strength. It looked around, checking to see it anyone was around him. Then heid his eyes on another bird several meters away, a cute owl with beautiful silver eyes.


    "What a beauty!", he thought, "I must make my move before anyone else gets her."


    He flew to her, sitting next to the little owl, who was none other than Xiao Yin. He was in for a rude awakening with this bird. Trying his best to show off, he chirped incessantly, bragging about his speed and power. His valiant stories of killing numerous humans and monster alike, telling Xiao Yin that she was lucky to have met him and that he had chosen her as his mate. But she was anything but happy. Perfectly enjoying her little spot on the stone, her happiness was quickly ruined by this stupid swallow. Unable to handle anymore of this annoying bird, she did what Ming Yue would have done, she swung out her wing, knocking him into a daze.


    The Blood Edge Swallow waspletely unguarded easily falling for Xiao Yin''s attack. It fell to the ground, right in front of Ming Yue, who saw the entire affair happen.


    "This...", she could not help but speak. She could not believe what had just happened, a swallow faster than the eye could see, known for its sharp ws, had just been knocked out by Xiao Yin. Just like that, Ming Yue had captured the Blood Edge Swallow. This was just too unbelievable. She could only count her good fortunes that this had happened otherwise she would not know how toplete this mission.


    She used her dagger that she received as a reward from defending Luan City to kill the swallow and drain its blood. The space within the forest was too narrow for her to use the Parting Sun de. She put the carcass into a bag before sending it into her spatial ring. There was not much space left in it. She would most likely use one of the spatial rings that she took from before or get a better one at the city.


    "The second mission is done, onto thest one", she thought.


    Suddenly, she lunged to the right, dodging an arrow that flew by her. If she was even a secondte, it would''ve pierced her heart.


    "Little friend, I hope that you are willing to give that swallow to me", a young woman''s voice echoed throughout the area.


    Ming Yue looked at the direction from where the arrow came from but found no one.


    "It''s no use trying to find me, now are you willing to hand over the swallow?" the voice said.


    She weighed the consequences in her mind before making a decision. Ming Yue ran off as quickly as possible. It was likely that this stranger had been waiting for her to catch just so she could take it from her. She would not have guessed that Ming Yue would not give up.


    "Shit", the stranger chased after her, a shadow through the forest.

 Chapter 60 - Xuan Yin

    After running for an hour, Ming Yue finally stopped at small clearing followed by Hei Yue and Xiao Yin.


    "Whoo, have you finally given up?" a clear panting sound was heard as the stranger spoke, tired from chasing Ming Yue.


    Out of hiding, Ming Yue saw a young woman, possibly in her twenties, carrying a recurve bow. It was a beautiful weapon. ck and metallic, its sleek design gave it a sense of power. The young woman was a head taller than her. Unlike Ming Yue and many others, she did not wear a hanfu or any robes of some kind. Instead, she wore a dark green tunic tucked into her ck trousers entuating her athletic frame. She had a clear brown eyes, a scar running across her lips, her hair was tied into a bun. She was a beautiful woman.


    A grin of victory on her face, she held her hand out, waiting for prize. But it did not end as she thought, instead Ming Yue grabbed her sword and unsheathed it.


    "Eh! that was a sword? I thought it was a walking stick", she said, shocked by this development.


    Without saying a word, Ming Yue attacked, swinging at the woman. The woman dodged, drawing her bowstring, andunched an arrow at her. She deflected it and started chasing after her. Sending out one or two arrows at every step, the woman darted around shooting at every step of the way. But none of them hit their mark, after all, Ming Yue''s speed was top notch. Skirting past every one of them, she slowly gained on her. Another minute and Ming Yue would catch up.


    "Grrrrr, you forced me to do this", she said.


    With her next attack, she held four arrows between her thumb and the bow string. The bow began to hum, multiple engravings on it glowed with a ck aura, covering the arrows themselves. As she drew the bowstring, the aura within the arrows began to spin violently.


    "The Four Sins, Hatred"


    The first arrow aimed for her hands was deflected by her sword. It fell to the ground bursting into ck mes.


    "Lust."


    The second arrow, faster than before, was targeted her loins and missed. She had avoided it, sidestepping to the left.


    "Sadness."


    It was slowerpared to the other two but followed her wherever she moved. She caught it with one of her bare hands and snapped it in half.


    "Corruption."


    The final arrow was different. The spinning dark aura merged with its body, creating apletely ck arrow. With this, Ming Yue swung forth, the de met the arrow head for a split second before it was cut in half. A resounding ng between metals thatsted seconds. The arrow, now split into two, hit the ground and everything within a meter of it withered away.


    "I don''t believe it. She survived that move", the archer muttered in disbelief, "That was my strongest one."


    A feeling of dissatisfaction welled up within her, this was her strongest attack and a little girl dealt with it so easily. She drew another arrow before a hand took it from her grasp.


    "Hah, give it up Xuan Yin. It looks like this Blood Edge Swallow is not meant to be yours" an old man appeared out of no where, standing right next to her. His energetic voice did not match his aged face.


    He was dressed simrly to her with a small beard and a pony tail as well as a fair number of wrinkles on his face. Unarmed, he seemed like a cheerful elder but there was a very mysterious feeling. Ming Yue sensed nothing from him but that was enough for her to stay on guard. If he turned hostile, fighting or even escaping would be difficult.


    "But grandfather, that swallow was mine!" she whined, annoyed that he had stopped her from fighting.


    "Don''t try to trick me, I was watching you the entire time. I know you were just waiting for that girl to get it just so you could take it", he scolded her, a stern tone in his voice, "Now look what you did, this young girl managed to beat you! I hope you learn that no one is what they seem to be. This young girl was actually a master swordsman and if I didn''te out, you would''ve died. Nothing is easy in life, now go back and hunt another Blood Edge Swallow! Once you do, I''ll think about letting you explore the world."


    "Wha-fine", she sighed and left the clearing, audibly groaning as she dashed away.


    The old man turned his attention back to Ming Yue, who had already sheathed her de. After that little exchange, she had guessed that he was not an enemy.


    "I apologize for that little one", he said, "Take this for your troubles. I hope that you can forgive her actions."


    He tossed a bag to her before disappearing into mist. She took a look inside, finding several exquisite animal pelts and a couple of other materials like ws and bones. She was unsure as to what she would sell and keep, she would need to consult with someone. Putting away the bag, Ming Yue sat and rested in the clearing. Those four arrows exhausted her both mentally and physically. It was a profound move that tested her limits. If that Xuan Yin had mastered it, she would have definitely lost the fight. That battle had pushed her to the utmost limits of her current cultivation level, she was a step away from breaking through.


    "Tonight", she thought, "I''ll get into the sixth level tonight."


    Within the confines of the Stone Forest, Xuan Yin''s grandfather thought quietly.


    "That girl could not have been any more than 15 or 16 years old and yet her swordsmanship is excellent. I wonder who her master is, I''ve never seen a style quite like it. I suppose I''ve been out of the loop with the new generation now. I just hope Xuan Yin will have enough strength", he thought.


    Then he chuckled a little, "Still, I can''t believe she got a Blood Edge Swallow just like that! Maybe I should get myself a Star Owl and see if I can catch one too."


    Since he had been watching Xuan Yin, it was without a doubt that he was also watching Ming Yue. That scene of Xiao Yin knocking out the swallow was fresh in his mind. Never in his entire life had he seen something like that.


    As for Xuan Yin, she was quietly moving through the Stone Forest looking for another Blood Edge Swallow to hunt. If she couldplete the task her grandfather gave her, she could finally get out into the world.


    "Next time I see that girl, I''ll duel her again and win this time", she made this one of her goals.


    The shock from having her strongest attack broken had made her determined to get stronger.


    Night came and Ming Yue reached the bottleneck, then she pushed forth revolving her inner force through every part of her body. Several hours passed before her body fractured and reconstructed itself, signalling the sess of a breakthrough. As painful as the process was, it had gone without so much as a hup. With nonstop training and goodprehension, this result was bound to happen.


    Born anew, her body was much stronger than before. Over a year had passed and she had managed to go up four levels from when she first started. This speed was definitely umon but it was not yet at the level of geniuses. After all, the Youth Tournament had given her a rough estimate of her strength. She might not be able to contend with top geniuses but she would put up a good fight. Ming Yue had plenty of time to catch up.


    She cleaned herself and practiced until the sun rose.. Adjusted to her newfound strength and with nothing left to do, she left for the Raging Mountains.

 Chapter 61 - Danger Zone

    Another day passed before she finally left the forest, on her way to thest destination, the Raging Mountains. She followed a long, winding road, seeing several mountains from afar after a week of travel. One or two of them had smoke billowing from the mountain peaks. The air was somewhat grayish in color due to the constant smoke. The smell of fire and ash entered her nose, causing her to wrinkle her nose.


    "That must be the Raging Mountains", she thought, quickening her pace.


    The Raging Mountains was not quite considered to be extremely dangerous and fell under the category of a pseudo-danger zone. This mission of hers required a bronze bull rank, something she already had. But the Raging Mountains was a ce where one had to be at least in the Earth Realm to have a chance of surviving. Of course, despite being of the human realm, she had to ability to contend with those at the Earth Realm but winning against them would require a miracle. Thankfully, the Dragon Whisker Berries could be found in the outskirts of the Raging Mountains, there was no need to travel further into them.


    Arriving at the mountains, she noticed other cultivators scattered throughout the area. Simr to her, they were exploring the mountains for treasures. Reaching the base of the mountains, she started looking for the berries. Rumbling sounds echoed through the area, originating from the mountain summits. At first, it was low and weak but as time went on, it grew stronger, loud enough to be heard through all the mountains.


    Soon enough, a rumble and crack resounded within the zone as one of the mountains erupted! me and smoke danced through the air asva spewed from the peak, it ran down the sides of the mountains. Everyone had already evacuated but were eager to go back, with every eruption came a new wave of rare materials.


    Ming Yue was not among this group for she was at another mountain, searching for the Dragon Whisker Berries. She needed to collect twelve of them and had only found three, which is quite lucky of her. Usually it takes about a week to find one but she managed to find three. With the help of Hei Yue and Xiao Yin, finding these berries were not as difficult.


    "At this rate, I might finish in another month", she smiled quite happy with her progress.


    Almost a weekter, she found had a bush with six berries. However, it was being guarded an armored pig or rather a boar. Recognizing it as a rank 3, Molten Boar, its body was covered in rocks forming patterns all over its body, glowing a reddish orange. With two short tusks and arge body, it was a tough beast that could survive being bathed inva. Asleep, it rested by the bush, waiting for its treasure to mature.


    Ming Yue silently moved around it, walking past its snoring body. Slowly, she plucked the berries one by one, carefully trying not to awaken it. But luck was not on her side, on the sixth andst berry, the Molten Boar stirred, waking from its slumber. With no time to waste, she quickly took the berry and ran off as quickly as possible. The boar, somewhat lethargic noticed its bush, empty of its treasure and woke up fully. Roaring in anger, it saw Ming Yue running away and chased after her.


    The boar quickly caught up with her, readying its tusks to rip her apart. Ming Yue did not let this happen, she leaped out of the way, avoiding the boar and ran behind it. Taking out her sword, she jumped on the back of the boar and started attacking it. If it was any other normal sword, the de would''ve broken in pieces. However, the Parting Sun de broke off pieces of the thick armor, slowly revealing the skin of the boar. Creating a small hole, she stabbed the sword right into it, causing the boar to scream in pain. Still holding the sword, she twisted it around before moving it in different directions. She noticed that the boar would turn in whatever direction she moved the handle. A very dangerous idea began to form in her head and she directed the Molten Boar deeper into the mountains. This was a chance for her to explore the inner regions and possibly find some rarer materials. She had plenty of time toplete the mission, she should take this opportunity to see what interesting treasures awaited her.


    Ming Yue passed by several people, stunned by the sight of a girl riding a giant boar rushing past them.


    "I-is that girl riding a Molten Boar up the mountain?" one of them asked with disbelief, tempted to pinch his cheek.


    Finding a little area, she used the boar to clear it of any enemies, of course this meant charging at them and turning their bodies into mush. With its purpose fulfilled, she took the sword out of its wound and killed it. It was already weak and tired from Ming Yue''s forceful use, dying from a swift cut of the neck. Then she proceeded to skin it along with any other beasts that she killed on the way and collect all of the seble material. Her first ring was already full of things and so she moved on to filling up one of the spatial rings she took from that hidden room.


    Afterwards, she surveyed the area before walking around. It could be said that she traveled up to the middle of the mountains, between the base and the peak.


    "Hmm I wonder what this area might have", she thought.


    The middle regions of the mountains contained rank 3 and rank 4 monsters and area that could very well be her grave. As long as she moved with a bit of caution, the chances of running into one of them was low.


    With no immediate danger around, Ming Yue began filling up her second ring with any items that looked interesting. Some she recognized but there were many others that were unknown to her. She found a flower that emitted heat from its petals, shining brightly like the sun. There was a golden ore to the left of it filled with lightning, gray grass surrounded by the aura of death. Among numerous things, she even found another bush of Dragon Whisker Berries, enough to fill small basket. Even Hei Yue and Xiao Yin did a bit of treasure hunting, asionally finding something that they liked and eating it.


    Being in such a dangerous area meant that there were less people to im its treasures. But whether or not her decision was correct will depend on once she leaves or rather, if she leaves.


    Ming Yue found a small cave to rest in and started going over her spoils. Her second ring was almost full and it had about twice the amount of space as the first ring. Numerous herbs and ores littered all over the ground as she began reorganizing. Her first ring held only her belongings and beast materials while the second contained all of the little treasures she found on the mountain.


    Feeling tired, she traveled deeper into the cave to make sure that there was no one else but her. Afterwards, she started covering up the cave entrance, making it as hidden as she possibly could. She did not want to have any unwanted visitorsing in. Covering with rocks, a cool breeze brushed against her body. She entered the cave through a little hole she made in the camouge. Surrounded by warmth, emanating from within the mountain, she found afortable spot and turned in for the night.


    Her sleep was interrupted by some loud rumbling. She rubbed her eyes, still recovering from her lethargic state before a loud boom shook her awake.


    "What''s going on?" she looked around her cave, finding her pets still fast asleep.

 Chapter 62 - Eruption

    She exited her cave and saw the mountain peak exploding in mes. Fire andva erupted and constantly flowed down the mountain. The sky was ck with smoke as if the end of the world was near.


    "We have to leave", she thought.


    Ming Yue went back into the cave and woke up Hei Yue and Xiao Yin. The both of them were irritated from having their peaceful sleep interrupted, but a loud explosion made them fully alert. The three of them quickly ran out of their cave and escaped down the mountain. All around them, a number of beasts ran away as well. It did not matter if it was friend or foe, they all ran for their lives.


    This eruption was the worst one she had seen during her short time here. Eruptions happened daily but this one was on another scale. Ash and me rained down from the sky, molten rock smashed into the ground destroying any unlucky souls in its impact.


    Just to the left of her, a ming leopard lunged forward, barely dodging a partially melted stone. Not even a secondter, it died, decimated by another rock. A gray scaled lizard had its front half crushed in front of her.


    Fear coursed through her body after watching that happen, running as fast as she possibly could. Of the three of them, she was the slowest, trailing by a hundred feet. Circling the element of wind, she was much quicker than before barely managing to keep up with Hei Yue. All around her were the sounds of constant explosions as numerous rocks mmed on to the ground. Smoke and ash stung her eyes and burned her throat but she kept on running, there was no time for her to stop and rest.


    Until she reached the bottom of the mountain, she was not safe.


    A shadow loomed over her as the sound of hooves came crashing down. She took a quick look behind her, finding a group of ck horses galloping in her direction. Each and every one them had a metallic horn on their heads and they were gaining on her fast. There were at least thirty to forty of them and there was no way for her to get out of their way.


    "I have to get on one of them", she thought.


    Left with only one choice, Ming Yue leaped towards them,nding on one and quickly held close to the horse, riding it to safety. None of the horses cared about a human riding one of them, they were too concerned about escape to even spare a nce at her.


    With this, she could rx a bit, these horses were very fast and agile. Despite the sheer destruction surrounding them, none of them were hurt or even touched. They evaded every chance of being hit.


    After riding for a little bit more, she deemed it safe to get off. She jumped off from the galloping horses, who stopped not long after, watching the mountain. MIng Yue copsed to the ground, exhausted from that ordeal. Both Hei Yue and Xiao Yin rested on the ground with her, equally tired from escaping. This escape was both exhrating and terrifying for them. If they did not leave earlier, they would have been buried underva and rock. Escape would have been near impossible for them to achieve.


    Her eyes and throat still stung but she was happy to have survived the eruption.


    Unfortunately, this was not the end, for a ear-splitting roar echoed from the mountain she came from. Arge crack formed from the top, reaching all the way down to the base of the mountain. From it, a hand made of molten rock came out, followed by another as they grabbed both sides of the mountain and opened it. From this, a giant figure made of fire and stone revealed itself.


    "What is this?" she said, "Is that an Ignited Titan?"


    A rank 7 beast, born of me and earth, an Ignited Titan was something that had the potential to destroy cities. A newly born one was the size of a small mountain and only had the strength of a rank 5 beast but as it matures, it would be capable of destroying countries. At itsrgest, an Ignited Titan could reach up into the clouds. Its hulking body resembled a human but had two extra arms and three horns on its head. An Ignited Titan would take several hundred years to be born, even then waking up required huge amounts of energy.


    The titan roared before leaving its birthce, walking in a random direction. Most likely, it was looking for more energy to feast on. Before it could take another step, a wave of cultivators attacked it, pushing the titan back. Most of them were earth cultivators, most likely trying to kill it for materials and fame. Except for them, all other living creatures had left the mountains, observing from afar.


    Ming Yue chose not to join this fight, she was too tired to contribute and she was too far away. There was no point in taking more than she already had. Greed was not a good trait to have. She did not bother watching and left, with the number of cultivators attacking the titan, it was a sure win for them.


    After an several hours of battle, her prediction came true. The titan died, crumbling to pieces. As for the ones that killed him, a quarter of them died, burned to ashes by the titan''s mes. Some were victim to its molten fists and others died to a fiery breath. There were giant craters everywhere, left by both the Ignited Titan and the cultivators. But the greatest impact was after this battle, for one question was on everyone''s mind, Why was it born now?


    The Raging Mountains had always been an origin spot for these creatures, having produced Ignited Titans before. However, only one was produced every couple hundred years due to the sheer amount of energy needed. Thest one to be born was several thousand years ago, it was believed that the Raging Mountains did not have enough energy to create another. And yet now, one had appeared out of nowhere. This was a very strange event, one that needed careful investigation.


    Could it be that someone was behind all this?


    Or, was it a sign of dark times toe?


    Ming Yue did not know the sheer influence that this event had on Red Lotus Country. She traveled back to the bustling capital and walked straight to the pavilion to turn in her missions. Along the she heard all kinds of news and gossip.


    "Did you hear about the Ignited Titan at the Raging Mountains? First one in over a thousand years!"


    "Of course I did! Everyone knows about that. People say that something drastic will happen soon. Apparently, a lot has been happening since the tournament. Almost every young genius has gone into closed door training or were sent out for experiential training. Even the emperor''s son had left to train. Many of them have already made a name for themselves like Hua Xiong, the sessor to the Light of Fury or Jian Bai Hu, Vessel of the Deity"


    Taking note of this, Ming Yue had an urge to go back to the Raging Mountains for training. She did not want to fall behind any of them and she wanted to have sufficient strength for the auction. Even if she were to obtain the Splitting Moon de, chances were, she would be targeted being just one person. She had around six months before the auction happened and in that time, she needed to strengthen herself.


    She reached the Jade Dragon Pavilion to turn in missions, meeting with Zhi Shu. She gained around three thousand contribution points and almost forty thousand gold coins from the three missions. She was about to take on more missions before Zhi Shu stopped her.


    "The elder would like to speak with you", she said, "It is very important."


    Ming Yue was curious about what Elder Yin wanted to talk about and followed Zhi Shu to her office.

 Chapter 63 - A Solution

    Entering the office, it was the same as before. Papers were everywhere and covered almost every inch of the room. The only difference was that Elder Yin was with someone else. Next to her was an older man, dressed in the same uniform.


    "Grandpa Meng..." Ming Yue recognized the other figure.


    "Ah, Ming Yue, you''re here! I was worried for you when I heard news that an Ignited Titan was born where you were. I see now that you are fine", he spoke calmly.


    "Don''t listen to him! The moment he heard about the Ignited Titan, he almost wanted to rush there and save you. You should''ve seen how panicked he was", Elder Yin said quite abruptly, causing Grandpa Meng a bit of embarrassment.


    "Well, she''s pretty much my grand daughter! I have the right to be worried!" he sputtered out.


    "You should have a little faith in her then. Besides she''s here now, safe and sound."


    Ming Yue felt slightly awkward in this situation, two elders were bickering like children in front of her. She stood to one side, watching the two stare at each other. Soon enough, they seemed to have remembered that they were not alone and quickly cleared their throats, going back to their dignified selves.


    "Anyways, I just called you up to show this old man that you were okay", Elder Yin said.


    "Ah, I see", Ming Yue was unsure of what to do, should she just leave now?


    but then she remembered the daggers from before, quickly taking them out she showed them to the two.


    "Elder Yin, Elder Meng, do you recognized these daggers?" she asked, handing them each a dagger.


    The two elders examined them, unsheathing them and then putting them back. During this time a number of expressions showed on their face, shock, confusion, sadness. When the bloody aura showed itself, a very grim expression appeared on their faces.


    The first to speak was Elder Meng.


    "These daggers are sacrificial daggers used to kill man and beast, offering their bodies to the gods. The group that owned was the Azure Mind Path, as you can guess, this was a group that followed the Lord of Azure Souls. A religious group that viewed him as god, they often kidnapped both people and beasts to sacrifice in his honor. Such a group was eradicated years ago, there are only stragglers and we have been hunting them for quite a while", he exined.


    "Where did you find these? Judging from the aura, they are quite old but were used to take hundreds of lives" Elder Yin said.


    Ming Yue then proceeded to tell them about the ravine and the secret rooms. The numerous bones and corpses within it as well as the strange markings that she saw. Now she realized that the arena she saw was really a sacrificial altar, most likely the owners of the two rings were members of the Azure Mind Path.


    "So there was an old hideout there!" Elder Yin said, "It''s quite close to the capital as well. We should send people to investigate immediately."


    She immediately called for people, giving out orders before dismissing them.


    "Thank you for the information, Ming Yue" she said.


    "Indeed, all traces of this cult must be eliminated. Although the Lord of Azure Souls is not as sinister as we had thought, his followers still continue to see him as a god. They''ve been a thorn on our end for a long time now. ", Grandpa Meng said.


    "I see", Ming Yue said. She knew that those daggers were not good news but she did not think that they would be used for such evil means. It was disheartening to know that these people still existed, sacrificing their own kind.


    "I also need some advice on another matter" she said.


    "What is it?" both of the elders listened intently as Ming Yue exined that she only had six months left before the auction. Even if money was not have an issue, she still needed a way to protect herself from any who may want to take the Splitting Moon de and possible Parting Sun too. This second hurdle was going to be the hardest one. After all, with both des being divine ranked, she would be targeted by many for carrying them both.


    "Hmm, that is a problem", she said.


    "Our help would only be temporary, we can''t exactly protect you at every waking moment", said Grandpa Meng.


    "While you do are in good rtions with Yu Yao Xian, the Yu Family might not necessarily help you."


    "Considering most of your wealth, you have around a hundred thousand gold."


    "What you need is strength but six months might not be enough time to obtain an adequate amount."


    "I have an idea although it will be quite dangerous", Elder Yin said, "Hunt criminals, bandits, killers, robbers. Many of them have bounties on their head and have quite heavy pockets as well. It should help you with money, experiential training, and you could make a name for yourself. Having fame should give you some leeway."


    "I object, that''s too dangerous for her", said Grandpa Meng, "Besides, I don''t think she has killed another person before."


    "What do you mean? If I remember correctly, Ming Yue was the one thatpletely destroyed the Darksun Marauders", she said.


    Ming Yue was slightly stunned, how did she know that?


    "Did you think I wouldn''t know? I have all sorts of connections, I am the manager of the Jade Dragon Pavilion branch in the Capital City", Elder Yin spoke, reading Ming Yue''s expression, "The Marauders have always been a menace to the capital city. The moment the Yu Family announced their end, I had dispatched a team to investigate. All of the evidence made me suspect that it as you and then the genius of the Yu Family, Yu Yao Xian came and told me that you were the one that killed off most of them."


    "Is that true, Ming Yue?" asked Grandpa Meng.


    Ming Yue nodded, confirming this piece of information.


    "If that is true, then you will not have much problem hunting down criminals."


    Elder Yin smiled before asking Ming Yue, "Are you okay with this?"


    She looked at her straight in the eyes, "Yes."


    "Okay then, take this and make your preparations. If you want to go after any of them, you must go to Mist Valley. The valley itself is shrouded in mist and was a perfect ce for criminals to escape to. It was not long before amunity was made and a city was formed, Redmist Sanctuary, a haven for criminals", she exined, handing over a small book.


    Ming Yue skimmed through it, finding numerous portraits of people. Rapists, killers, kidnappers, all sorts of criminals were within these pages. Many of the portraits resembled viins and horrible humans, but there were those who looked like average people that could be found on the street. She put the book away and thanked the two for their help.


    "Remember these are despicable people, they will have a number of tricks on them. You should be careful", Grandpa Meng warned her, a worried expression on his face.


    "Don''t worry", Ming Yue showed a little smile, "I''ll be fine."


    She left the office, heading for Gold Honor to sell her items. She would rest for the night and then leave the next day.


    "Are you sure she will be fine on her own?" Grandpa Meng asked.


    "Don''t worry, I''m having someone watch her. They will only intervene if she is in a life or death situation", Elder Yin replied.


    "Did you see that Mistral Fox she had?"


    "Yes, it''s quite cute. How much do you think that fur is worth?"


    "Don''t you even think about it."


    "I''m only joking, Meng Zhao. Now stop bothering me, I have all this paperwork to do. Unlike someone here, I don''t run from my work."


    "Ah....."

 Chapter 64 - Shopping

    Arriving to Gold Honor, the worker from before, recognized her and approached her quickly.


    "Do you need any help, miss?"


    "I need to sell some things", said Ming Yue.


    "This way please."


    He led her up to the third floor, entered one of the appraisal rooms. She sat down and waited studying the room. It was the exact same as the one before, although, she was at another room further down the hall.


    Several minutester, an appraiser entered the room. Ming Yue recognized him as the one from the first time she came.


    "Hello there, one of my employees had informed me of your arrival. I came as quickly as I could", he said, "So, what will you be selling us today?"


    Ming Yue motions her hand and emptied out, both rings on her fingers. Neatly stacked piles of materials appeared on the floor, causing a great shock to the appraiser. Afterwards, she even tossed in the two spatial rings that she obtained.


    "This much... I''m sorry, I will need to call over several other colleagues to help me sort this out. Will you be staying and watching us or going out?" he asked, somewhat distressed over the sheer number of things inying in front of him.


    "I''d like to look around or shop for a bit", she said.


    Ming Yue realized that her current spatial ring had too little space, barely enough for anything other than her personal belongings. There was only several meters of space within it. Furthermore, using more than one ring would be too ufortable for her to wield her sword. She needed a better ring and this would be a good chance to see if there was anything else she may need.


    The appraiser called someone over to guide her.


    "Give her a silver card as well", he told her, "She is a very good patron, treat her with respect."


    Why he did this was a mystery to the worker. However in his mind, it was a good decision. Ming Yue had brought a months worth of goods in two visits. Not to mention, the quality of everything was very good. The beast skins were undamaged, the nts were at least one hundred years old. The metals and ores needed a bit of cleaning but nheless it was in good condition. All of these items could go into clothes, armor, weapons, medicine. If she were to be a regr patron of their shop, they could get even more profit.


    The appraiser was happy that she hade to their store.


    "Now, I''m going to need a fair bit of help", he sighed, looking back at the numerous items that needed appraising.


    Ming Yue followed her guide who gave her a silver colored card, on it were the words "Honorable Friend".


    The guide quickly exined its purpose.


    "This is an Honor Card meant for those who the shop deems as good customers. There are three ranks to the cards: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. With each one, you gain a discount as well as news of any rare items that the shop hade across. In addition, with each tier, you will gain ess to several secret floors. With a silver tier, you will have ess to the fourth and fifth floor and a 20% discount on your purchases. If you have a request for a specific item, we will send the news of obtaining one to you first. Those in bronze only have ess to the fourth floor and a 10% discount and gold tier gives you the sixth and seventh floor as well as a 40% discount."


    "I see..." Ming Yue listened well, these benefits are quite helpful to her especially thest one about requests. If there was an item she wanted to find, she could just ask them. She might not have the highest priority, being silver tier, but it was better than nothing.


    "Now, are you looking for something specific?" asked the guide.


    "A spatial ring, with at least fifty square meters of space", she said.


    The guide led her to a section of only spatial rings. There were at least two hundred of them and each one was different, a variety of metals and engravings separated each one.


    "These are the ones we currently have. The ones at the bottom have several meters of space while those at the highest are at several hundred. This section here is around fifty to sixty meters", he pointed out the many rings, telling her their sizes.


    She looked at each one, looking for a in looking ring. Gaudy items are not her style, her clothes and sword could be considered quite in as well. After all, the Parting Sun de looked like a walking stick with some engravings on it while her robes were a gentle blue color coupled with some small white embroidery. It was nothingpared to those shining, jewel encrusted des or any lustrous clothing. Her only jewelry was the Dusk Lily Pin. Eventually, she chose a ring.


    It was a very in ring with fifty five square meters of space, this was already twice as big as all three ringsbined. Simple engravings were etched on the surface, there was no symbol on it, just patterns of curved lines resembling waves.


    "Ah, good choice. This was made by a wandering cksmith who sold it to us a couple years ago, he named it the "Reflecting Pond". Despite, its simple design, the work was immacte and very good. The price is twenty thousand gold", he said, "Is there anything else that you need?"


    Ming Yue shook her head and spent the rest of the time, wandering the store. She even looked through the upper floors. Compared to the first two, these floors were not as crowded with only five or ten people. As for the items, they were of a much higher quality and rarity. There were weapons that dated back to the Warlord Era. Many of the herbs could only be harvested every hundred years, possibly even longer.


    She waited for several hours before the guide from before informed her that the appraisal was finished. She entered the room, finding all of her items organized as well as the appraiser, who was apanied by four others.


    "With all of these items here, we will buy it for 130,000 gold coins. If we factor in the spatial ring, you will get 110,000 gold coins. Is that alright?" he asked.


    Ming Yue nodded. Now that her wealth had increased by over 100,000, she had a little more than 200,000 gold saved up. She changed her old ring for the new one and transferred all of her things. As for the old ring, she sold it off. It was a ring that she obtained from bandits, there was no reason for her keep it anymore.


    She left Gold Honor, nning to rest for one night at an inn before setting off for Mist Valley. Along the way, she bought amb skewer and strolled down the street. She decided to sit down for a bit and look over the book that Elder Yin gave her. It was a collection of every known criminal, there was a portrait along with information about their crimes, their martial arts and their bounty. If she was going to go bounty hunting, she would at least familiarize herself with them.


    "I found you!" someone shouted.


    Ming Yue looked up from her reading and found Shao Huang walking up to her.


    "I''ve been looking for you for the past several months", he said, "Ever since you defeated me in the tournament, I''ve be aughingstock among the noble families. Now I''m here for payback. Fight me now."


    He was smiling, happy to have found the one that disgraced him. He had been training non-stop just to fight Ming Yue again. However, she did not do as he expected and just went back to reading.


    "Yo-Yo-You fucking bitch!" his face was red with rage and suddenly attacked her.

 Chapter 65 - Heading For The Valley

    Ming Yue did not seem bothered by his actions. In a blink of an eye, she dodged his fist, took out her dagger and pressed it against his neck.


    "Stop bothering me", she spoke coldly, withdrawing her dagger and leaving.


    He could not move at all, if he did, he would surely die. But he looked at her with indignant expression. He had the higher cultivation and yet, he could do nothing to her. She outssed him in skill and grace. Not to mention, his rage clouded his judgement. Even after losing to her the first time, he still looked down on her. Shao Huang had wanted to embarrass Ming Yue the next time thy met, but now he was defeated in a worse fashion than before. Losing in mere seconds, this result only made him angrier.


    "I''ll get you soon", he turned back, scheming a n to deal with her.


    Ming Yue was annoyed by his appearance, Shao Huang had interrupted her reading. But she soon forgot, nning to finish before she went to bed. Returning to the inn she first came to, she read through the book before going to bed.


    The next day she woke up, checking her items and equipment before leaving the inn. Walking through the main gate, she took a road east of the city in the direction of Mist Valley. It was a three week journey, one that went by quickly.


    As she moved closer and closer to Mist Valley, she started to encounter bandits and robbers. She dispatched them quickly, taking their stolen goods. Mist Valley really was a haven for criminals. She was several days away from it and she had been attacked more times in one day than the past two weeksbined. At some point, she decided to travel through the trees and sneakily attack the bandits before they even noticed her. It was much more efficient than just waiting to be attacked.


    "This really was a good ce to train", Ming Yue thought.


    The atmosphere was extremely tense, at any moment someone could be attacked. In addition, this was an opportunity to polish up her assassination skills since every one of them are usually in hiding. Her ability in stealth was already quite good, having killed much of the Darksun Marauders by sneaking around them and killing them. It had been a while since she practiced her killing techniques. All of her victims were beheaded, something that she had always done, a clean cut through the neck. Many unsuspecting bandits fell victim to her, unable to react to her speed.


    Some were small groups that had 2 or 3 members, others were part of a muchrger circle. She must have killed at least fifty bandits. It was unfortunate that none of them had a bounty as they were mere underlings.


    When she arrived at the Mist Valley, the whole valley was concealed with thick mist. Entering it, she could not see thirty to forty feet in front of her. She walked through cautiously, wandering around the valley. Heading straight for Redmist Sanctuary would be a bit suicidal for her.


    "I should stay out here", she thought, "Killing in the sanctuary would attract too much attention. All of them may target me."


    Ming Yue was not confident that she would leave unscathed for acting so brazenly.


    "How rare! Little girl, are you lost perhaps? Do you need big sister to help you?" an alluring voice spoke behind her, it was soft and seductive.


    A woman stood behind her, dressed in provocative clothing with her breasts practically spilling out of her clothes. Her beauty andrge bosom could cause any man to lust after her. However, Ming Yue recognized her immediately from the list of criminals.


    Pin Yao Ci, The Lone Rose


    A widow charged with the deaths of over forty women, all of whom were known beauties. Their bodies ended up damaged beyond recognition, their faces were covered in bloody gashes. Each one died a gruesome death, the prettier they were, the worse they died. It was believed that she saw these women as threats, people who wanted to take her husband away. Soon after her husband disappeared in the dead of night, never to return. She wanders thend in search of the woman who took her husband. In actuality, Pin Yao Ci''s husband was her first victim and that was what threw her down a path of insanity, a path of eternal revenge. Within one year, she had killed thirteen well-known beauties but who knows how many more women she''s murdered.


    "Don''t worry about a thing, this big sister will protect you...forever", Yao Ci lunged at Ming Yue, throwing her hand forth in a grabbing motion. Her nails were beyond sharp, like the ws of a tiger.


    She shed at her face, intent on defiling her face. The speed at which she moved was incredible, as if she was a phantom. Her face was twisted, her eyes full of crazed fury and yet she grinned in tion.


    "I found you! I found you!" she screeched, "You bitch! You slut! you whore! Give me back my husband!"


    Ming Yue ran off into the mist. She could not move as quickly as her attacker as she was still unfamiliar with the area. She was caught by surprise, with no time to take out the Parting Sun de. She only had her dagger on-hand to fight off Yao Ci.


    Off into a distance, she could hear wild cackling as a figure rushed towards her. Yao Ci appeared from the mist, only several feet from her.


    "Where is he!?" she hissed at Ming Yue, trying to grab one of her arms to bring her closer.


    She avoided Yao Ci''s advances and struck back, cutting a part of her face. This only incited her wrath and attacked with even more furor. At this point, she had barely any semnce of a human, only a carnivorous creature that wanted nothing more than blood. Secondster, Ming Yue slipped on some damp soil, falling to the ground.


    Yao Ci smiled,nding on top of Ming Yue, "I caught you", she said.


    "You should never have taken my dear Chen''er from me."


    Yao Ci moved her hand forward, ready to cut up Ming Yue''s face.


    Suddenly, Hei Yue appeared out of no where, biting onto her other arm.


    "You fucking mutt!" Yao Ci screamed, violently throwing her arm to get him off. However, Hei Yue clenched his jaws even tighter, trying not to let go.


    This was a chance! She grabbed Yao Ci''s hand and pulled it, bringing her closer to Ming Yue. At the time, she brought her dagger forward, stabbing right into her chest. Yao Ci screamed before jumping away from Ming Yue.


    Her distorted expression, full of rage and hatred, staring at Ming Yue. Her hand covering the wound.


    "I''lle back for you! I''ll take Chen''er away from you!" she spoke before disappearing into the mist. Her words slowly echoed throughout the valley.


    Ming Yue breathed a sigh of relief, she did not want to chase in this unknown territory. Instead, Ming Yue climbed up one of the trees and hid within the branches to recover. Yao Ci''s appearance had surprised her, she was not prepared at all. This was very different from her past experiences. Within the valley, the hunters could very quickly be the hunted.


    "I can''t rx at all", Ming Yue felt a different kind of pressure. It was her realization that she could die at any moment.


    She could never drop her guard, not even for a second. Luckily, her first encounter with one of the more well known criminals ended well for her. She might not have been able to kill Pin Yao Ci, but at least she knew killing her was possible.. In the future, Ming Yue would not act so passive against the residents of Mist Valley.

 Chapter 66 - Reaper

    "Hey, did you hear? There''s a hunter outside of the sanctuary. They''ve been beheading all sorts of people. This is just like the Darksun Marauders, all of them were beheaded too."


    "Do you think it''s the same person?"


    "I don''t know. But there have been more groups allying themselves to hunt this person down. This time, one of the kings is a part of this operation."


    "I hope they find this hunter, the sooner the better."


    Inside of an inn, many viins and criminals spoke amongst each other, specting the identity of this mysterious killer. With such unusual sightings, many had though that it was a beast at first but the clean cuts and missing heads was evidence that it was person hunting them down. Of course, it was none other than Ming Yue who caused these deaths. It has been a month but she was not just idly waiting but moving around constantly, finding her next victim. Some had their heads taken, proof to show that they were dead.


    Unknowingly, she had gained a nickname from her exploits, "Reaper". From the execution style to the numerous killings, she really was a bringer of death. Her skills with assassination had improved greatly, she moved with much more efficiency having be ustomed to the environment.


    Currently, she was chasing her next target, a group known as the "Jade Hand". This was one of the many named criminals with bounties she was hunting. The first being Ping Yao Ci, the Lone Rose, followed by a pair of killers called the Twin Moons who wielded a pair of crescent shaped des.


    The Twin Moons were a very violent pair often killing whoever angered them. Their most famous story had them killing a noble and his family, just for bumping into them. Despite their strength, they were not very bright creatures. Believing that no one would dare try to kill them, the pair never bothered to have their guard up. They were quickly dealt with in the dead of night, a silent cut to the throat ridding them from the world.


    The third encounter was this very group, five men and women who were responsible for the numerous kidnappings of children and holding them ransom. Even when receiving the money, they would send back the families a corpse. This coordinated group known as "Jade Hand" had noticed Ming Yue''s approach but did not mind her, thinking that she posed no harm. It was quite unfortunate that one of them had died by her hand.


    "Shit. Shit. Shit! Why the fuck is this girl after us?" one of them yelled out.


    "How should I know?" another one replied.


    "You don''t think it''s that so called reaper right?"


    "Fuck, a little girl like her?!"


    The four of them could not help but run in fear. After all, Ming Yue had killed their partner in such a ruthless fashion. She chased after them, running through the mist as the four ran for their lives.


    "Ah fuck it, let''s just fight her. There''s four of us and only one of her", the one that spoke before, stopped in his tracks to face Ming Yue.


    A sword in his hand, he brought his de forth,unching a bolt of lightning. Ming Yue dodged the attack before sending her de through his neck and taking his head. Lightning may be fast but it was rigid, far too easy to dodge.


    The other three only continued to run, they would note back for their friend, they were criminals after all. Their own lives came before those of theirrades.


    Ming Yue continued to chase them. Hei Yue and Xiao Yin did not help her, she wanted to train on her own, asking them not to participate in this chase. They only followed and watched her. With her sword, she struck forth, stabbing into the chest of one of the women. With the length of her sword over five feet, along with extending her arm, her reach was at most eight feet and that was enough to im her next victim.


    With two more left, she hastened her speed, the sounds of leaves and branched crackling under their feet broke the silence of the valley.


    "I hear noises! Someone is around here" a voice yelled out as torches neared Ming Yue''s location.


    "Tch", she clicked her tongue and stopped pursuing the remaining members of Jade Hand, disappearing into the night.


    Her targets smiled with joy, d to have bumped into their kind.


    "We saw her! The reaper! She''s here, she was after us!", they gasped for air, tired from the constant running.


    "Slow down,e back to the sanctuary with us. We will discusster", one of the group leaders spoke, "I want all of you to search the area! If there are any unusual things, report them to us."


    Ming Yue watched the group from above, her small figure was well hidden within the trees. These were the first to have escaped her and now the situation had turned for the worse. They saw her face and now the entire valley would no it. Shemented over the fact that she did not get a mask or some form of cloth to cover her face.


    That night, everyone in the Sanctuary knew what Ming Yue looked like. To think that the so called reaper was a young girl no more than fifteen or sixteen. Furthermore, one of the sanctuary lords was moving out.


    These lords were the overseers of Redmist Sanctuary. Four of the strongest cultivators within thismunity watched over the others, keeping order. Furthermore, they have their own factions within the sanctuary. Their existence is what impedes the government from cracking down on them.


    It is said that the strongest among them was a man who cultivated an evil art. In order to attain the greatest power, he had to sever his emotions and desires, this also meant severing his own genitalia. His emotionless self caused many to die by his hand even his family. With this, his mind was only filled with thought is training and growing stronger, The Lifeless Lord they called him, only steps away from Sky Realm. However, he rarely left his room, instead, spending every day cultivating.


    The Lustful Lord was a woman who kidnapped men and absorbed their life energy to increase her cultivation and prolong her youth. She lured her victims with her beauty and used a whip for a weapon. Some say that she is well into her sixties but still looked like she was twenty.


    The Lord of Torment could be considered the most depraved one of all. Often taking abandoned children and torturing them for his own amusement. Not a single day was without screams as he conducted his own "experiments" and "studies" on their bodies. His so-called institution was littered with strange tools, each with a different purpose for the body.


    The fourth lord is the Bandit Lord and is considered one of the more debatable ones. While his strength is undeniable, second to only the Lifeless Lord, his many exploits often involved robbing the rich and giving to the poor. Many argue that he was on the side of good, helping the weak and unfortunate while others see him as a criminal, robbing nobles and merchants for their treasures.


    Now of course, these four lords did not personally move but instead sent out their own underlings to capture Ming Yue. Of them all, the Lord of Torment was the most excited.


    "Capture her and bring her to me! I cannot wait to get my hands on her body!" he cackled wildly.


    "You never learn do you? Tong Ku".


    "Shut up! Why do you even care anyways? You only go after men you old hag!"


    "Such a young girl and yet so skilled. I want her to join me. Besides, do I look that old to you?"


    The two lords bickered. One was a natural beauty, a seductive body and luscious lips, not to mention long flowing hair, the other was almost a skeleton, thin andnky, his hair was messy and his eyes had a crazed look.


    "Calm down you two, whoever gets her first, keeps her", a burly man covered in beast skins stopped the two.


    "What you want her too? Aren''t you just a bandit?" Tong Ku responded.


    The Bandit Lordughed, "What? so just because I stopped the two of you from bickering means that I want this "reaper"? I just don''t want you to start making a mess out of the sanctuary. Besides, Huo Li is still inside his home cultivating, do you think he wants her?"


    The two lords looked at him before staring at each other.


    "Hmph", said Tong Ku, "Old hag, whichever one of us find her first then."


    "Ugh, I have a name you know. Stop focusing on those dead bodies and remember some names next time."


    "Yeah yeah, Miss Daiyu."


    "That''s much better."

 Chapter 67 - Hunted

    Ming Yue was somewhat worried over these developments. While she did not know the extent at which the Sanctuary would do to find her, it would be at least two or three time harder to move around. Her prediction had indeede true, now the many lord''s underlings were actively searching for her.


    Ming Yue only had two advantages over them, her divine ranked sword and the fact that she is only one person. Trying to find her in the Mist Valley is like trying to find a needle in a haystack and that gave her a fair bit of relief.


    "This could be good", she thought, "At least there will be more people to find."


    She would have to be very careful, if she was too slow then more people would be alerted of her presence. Sheid low for the next several days managing to snag some lone cultivators. It was not long before she bumped into a familiar face.


    "Yao Ci, are you sure that the reaper is that girl you met before?"


    "Of course, Bai Meng, I could recognize her in a heartbeat!"


    It was Pin Yao Ci along with some of herrades, presumably looking for Ming Yue. Both women were incredibly beautiful, wearing revealing clothes.


    "Do you think Miss Daiyu will let you kill her? Bai Meng asked.


    "I am a lieutenant of her faction. As long as I capture her, Miss Daiyu will most likely give her to me", she responded confidently.


    "Capture me? Not unless I kill you first!" Ming Yue watched from the trees before silentlynding on soft dirt.


    She quickly closed in on the pair, throwing out her dagger at Bai Meng before brandishing her de. She would kill the both of them at the same time.


    Unfortunately, that did not happen. Yao Ci seemed to have sensed something strange and looked behind her. Finding Ming Yue just several feet away she pushed Bai Meng away and faced her head on. The dagger just barely missed her neck, fly past her and striking a tree trunk.


    "Damn", Ming Yue cursed that her n did not work and immediately evaded Yao Ci, grabbing the dagger and disappearing again.


    "I''m not going to let you leave just like that!" Yao Ci chased after her, slowly shedding her human nature.


    Just like their first encounter, Yao Ci became a cackling creature, hellbent on capturing Ming Yue.


    "Where are you! Come back here you wench!" she screeched, practically chasing Ming Yue on all fours.


    But Ming Yue was not afraid, this time she was prepared. She hid behind one of the trees with the dagger hidden in her arm sleeve. Waiting for Yao Ci to find her, she brought the Parting Sun de close to her body. As the cackling grew louder, she could hear Yao Ci''s approach, jumping out of her hiding spot to attack her.


    Yao Ci blocked it with her nails before using her other hand to attack. Ming Yue responded by meeting her other hand with her dagger. Thus, they were at a stalemate with no way to move forward. But then, Ming Yue had another y in her hands. Hei Yue leaped from its hiding spot, biting Yao Ci constantly. Xiao Yin aided him in the attack, scratching her face with its ws.


    "Aghh, you fucking beasts. I''ll kill you!" she shouted wildly, attacking Xiao Yin and Hei Yue.


    Taking advantage, Ming Yue stabbed Yao Ci in the stomach.


    She screamed from the pain and pushed Ming Yue away.


    "Just because you have some stupid mutt to help you doesn''t mean I''ll let you off!" Yao Ci threw Hei Yue away from her arm. Still biting hard, his jaws ripped off a piece of her flesh before he was flung off of her.


    Bleeding profusely, she charged at Ming Yue, her hands ready to tear her throat apart. With her dagger, Ming Yue stabbed it right into the palm of Yao Ci''s hand before using it as a handle to pull her arm away. Throwing Yao Ci off bnce, she created an opening for herself and brought down her de, swiftly cutting Yao Ci''s neck.


    A quick end to an evil being. Her crazed expression still present on her face as her head fell to the ground. As strong as she was, Yao Ci was simply to narrow-minded only focusing on one thing at a time. Ming Yue had noticed this when she did not bother to look at Ming Yue when Hei Yue attacked. Taking full advantage of this weakness, Hei Yue and Xiao Yin were both acting as distractions in order for Ming Yue to deal a deadly blow. Although her initial n did not work, they managed to weaken her by a great deal allowing Ming Yue to fight her one on one.


    She quickly took the head and fled the scene.


    "Scatter!" she yelled at Hei Yue and Xiao Yin. It owuld be much easier for them to escape if they took different directions.


    Minutester, multiple groups had converged on Yao Ci''s location.


    "The wounds are still fresh! She is nearby!" one of them said.


    "Yao Ci!" Bai Meng called out her name in shock, staring at her lifeless corpse.


    Everyone quickly searched the area leaving only Bai Meng, shocked by the death of her superior.


    "Miss Daiyu will get revenge for you. I''ll make sure of it", she said, vowing to avenge herrade.


    Ming Yue continued to run, she could hear the sounds of crushed leaves and twigs behind her.


    "I see her! Over there!"


    "Surround her!"


    Multiple figures emerged from the mist, encircling Ming Yue.


    "Finally caught you", one of them said, "Come with us, the sanctuary lords will deal with youter."


    Surrounded on all sides, Ming Yue thought quickly, trying to formte a n to escape. However before she could execute such a n, all those that surrounded her bowed in front of her. Rather, they bowed for the one behind her.


    "I will surely avenge my lieutenant, girl. So if you don''t want to die right now then behave yourself", Ming Yue looked behind her, finding the Lustful Lord standing there. Her beautiful face had a slight hint of rage, losing one of her own angered her.


    With no other options, Ming Yue sheathed her sword and surrendered.


    Daiyu smiled, "Happy to know that you surrendered so swiftly. I guess you are a really smart girl. Bring her back! We four lords will decide her fate."


    Everyone went back to Redmist Sanctuary, putting her in a prison cell before celebrating their catch. Along the way, Ming Yue took a good look at the sanctuary. It was very different from what she would expect of a town of criminals. It was not shabbily made with little make-shift houses. There were numerous buildings, an auction house, restaurants, inns. It looked like any other city but there was a faint scent of blood in the air.


    Reaching the prison, it was an oppressive sight. No form of decoration or color, just metal and stone formed thisplex. Some of the jail cells were empty but others contained other criminals or even normal citizens. Why they were inside was beyond her. Perhaps they broke some rules or started a fight, she did not know.


    Stripped of her weapons, she sat inside the cell. Only a small window on the wall illuminated her surroundings.


    "Hah, wait till tomorrow. Your fate will be decided soon." one of her captors said.


    She could not get out of the cell and waited to be taken out. If she was going to escape, that would be the best time to do so. She waited, sitting on the cold stone floor.


    "Hey, you need some help?" Ming Yue heard a voice outside of her cell and looked up.


    "It''s you, from the Stone Forest. What are you doing here?" the huntress who battled her for the Swallow stood outside of her prison cell.


    "First off, My name is Xuan Yin. Once I caught my own swallow, my grandfather sent me on another mission to go kill some bandits here. When I entered the sanctuary, I saw your face on some posters and the rest I could deduce. Anyways enough of that, do you want to get out?" she said.


    Ming Yue was stunned, "But I have to get my weapons."


    "Do you mean these?" Xuan Yin tossed out her sword and dagger, "I really don''t understand how someone like you uses a sword this long."


    Ming Yue did not know what to say, she was fully prepared to fight her way through but now, luck was truly on her side.


    "Let''s get out."

 Chapter 68 - Escape

    Xuan Yin fidgeted with the lock, opening it with a set of strange tools. Most likely, they were lock picks.


    "My grandfather taught me more than just hunting", she said, "..and there, it''s open."


    With a little click, she opened the lock and pulled the cell door away. The two quickly left the prison, silently moving through the sanctuary. Many citizens of Redmist Sanctuary were out drinking, celebrating Ming Yue''s capture. Some drank happily on the streets, others spent the night in brothels and restaurants. They were finally able to relieve the stress that she had caused.


    With all of thisughter and festivity, none of them noticed that Ming Yue had escaped. The duo slipped past them all, taking empty streets and hiding in the shadows. It was not long before they reached the gate and rxed.


    "What are you going to do now?" Xuan Yin asked.


    "Hunt again", she responded without hesitation.


    There were less than five months left until the auction. In terms of her gains, she felt that it was not enough. At most, she had several hundred thousand gold coins saved up. The constantbat and dangerous environment had improved her cultivation but she had not yet reached the bottleneck, still sitting at the sixth level. If she really wanted to rush this, she would have to kill one of the sanctuary lords. However she could not aplish this, the chances of taking down one of the lords were extremely low. Unless she could increase her strength by leaps and bounds, this was something she could not take on.


    "You aren''t leaving?" Xuan Yin asked with a bit of disbelief, "You''re going to get caught again."


    "I won''t", she spoke confidently and moved towards the valley.


    Xuan Yin stared at her before following along.


    "I''d rather not have to save you again", she said.


    Walking away from the sanctuary, the both of them conversed or it was mostly Xuan Yin that spoke. Ming Yue really replied with one word or one sentence, she wasn''t very used to traveling with other people. However, this was a nice change of pace for her.


    The following day, the joy of Redmist Sanctuary was reced with anger and despair. First thing in the morning, they entered the prison only to find that she had escaped.


    "How did she get out of the prison? Didn''t we have some guards here!? What the hell happened to them?" the Lord of Torment screamed out in anger.


    "M-my lord, we found the guards."


    "Show them to me now!"


    "The-they''re dead."


    "What? How could this happen?"


    "Tong Ku, calm down. Most likely that girl has an ally otherwise how would you exin their bodies", the Lustful Lord, Daiyu walked up to the seething man.


    That much was true. When Tong Ku saw the bodies of the dead guards, even he knew that Ming Yue had a friend. They''re were punctured by two arrows, one in the heart and one in the head. Whoever thispanion was, they were a skilled archer.


    "Hmph, to hell with all this, I''m going to find her myself. Are you going to search for her too?" he looked at Daiyu, who shook her head.


    "At this point, it''s too annoying to catch her. She''s not worth it even if she killed one of my lieutenants", she responded.


    To the side, Bai Meng looked at her with surprise and desperation,"But, Miss Daiyu, what will we do about Yao Ci then?"


    Daiyu looked at her before answering.


    "From now on, you will take Yao Ci''s ce as one of my lieutenants. If you still want to avenge her then go for it" she answered nonchntly before walking away.


    Bai Meng paused, did she really want to hunt down Yao Ci''s killer or would she just leave it as it? After all, the Lord of Torment was going to find her and now that she is a lieutenant, there really was no reason for her to avenge Yao Ci. As heartless as it may seem, she did not choose to pursue this matter anymore. Everyone here were criminals of some sort, their own lives were much more important than those of theirrades. As much as she wanted to avenge Yao Ci, she was joyful of her sudden promotion.


    "Have it your way", Tong Ku scoffed at Daiyu before leaving.


    "I''m not going to let such a great toy leave so easily", he said.


    He left the sanctuary, slinging a cloth bag over his shoulder.


    Outside of the sanctuary, two women were busy sparring with each other. After meeting her here, Xuan Yin took this chance to fight Ming Yue again. Their first fight had ignited her determination, being beat by someone several years younger then them was a bit humiliating. She trained much harder under her grandfather''s watch. Despite catching her own Blood Edge Swallow, her grandfather sent her to Redmist Sanctuary to train even more.


    The both of them used the cover of the mist and trees to their advantage, often trying to attack each other''s blind spot. Arrows flew threw the air, some hit close to Ming Yue, others missedpletely. As good of a shot she was, Xuan Yin could never get a clean hit on her. She was just too fast for her.


    "Okay, okay, we can stop here", she said, lowering her bow.


    "My god, why are you so quick? Killing a Blood Edge Swallow wasn''t as annoying as this", sheined, trying to catch some of her breath while doing so.


    Ming Yue only shrugged, "I have a great affinity for the element of wind, that''s probably why."


    But Xuan Yin shook her head, "No, that much I could guess. But your movement is so random and disorganized and it somehow works against my archery. It''s almost like your swordy, always changing."


    "Almost like my swordy, hmm", Ming Yue thought about herments. Suddenly, her face changed, Xuan Yin had given her the answer to the caretaker''s teachings!


    She looked at Xuan Yin before thanking her and began meditating on her newfound insights. Quickly finding a space to sit, she fell into deep meditation. Whatever these insights were, they must''ve been very important.


    Xuan Yin was slightly confused and decided to go do her own training while Ming Yue concentrated. In the midst of all this, she wondered if any of this was her grandfather''s n. After all, it was too good of a coincidence that she would meet Ming Yue at the same ce her grandfather sent her. Perhaps she knew that by meeting with her, she would grow stronger. This could also be an opportunity for her to make friends.


    She wondered these things whilst collecting her arrows from their spar. All the while Tong Ku, the Lord of Torment, continued to travel through the valley.


    "Ugh, I forget how annoying it is to travel through here. I should''ve just stayed in the sanctuary and sent out some people to look for her instead", he said, having spent most of the day inside his boratory".


    However, there was an upside to this. It felt much more exciting for him to do the hunting. When he finally catches the Ming Yue, it would be the greatest sensation, to catch his own prey. The thought of hunting her personally excited him, spurning him on to search even harder.


    He searched through the bag that he took with him, rummaging through it before taking out three jet-ck crows. Despite their normal appearance, an odd feeling came from looking at them. It was like they were unnatural creations born from a twisted mind.


    "Find her for me", he spoke to the crows before letting them fly.


    They showed no emotion nor did they make a sound, only nodding their heads as though they understood his orders.


    Sending them off, he smiled, "Just wait, I''ll find you soon."

 Chapter 69 - Lord Of Torment

    The following days were spent in peace as Ming Yue had finished her contemtion and began testing her ideas. Xuan Yin was excited for a moment but soon lost interest when Ming Yue did not want to spar.


    "I still need time toprehend", she said.


    Xuan Yin looked at her, "Ugh, fine. Have it your way. I''m just going to look around then."


    Despite being the older one, Xuan Yin really was quite childish. Ming Yue did not mind her behavior, after all she did give her some insights to improving her swordsmanship.


    To be one with the sword is to move like it, this must''ve been what the caretaker meant. The more she thought about it the more it made sense to her. She had only ever focused on the hands and grip, she never bothered to adjust her entire body to her style. As of right now, her body merely mimics the aspects of her swordy, its ever-changing state. She needs to instill the idea, the essence of her swordy onto her entire being.


    Knowing what to do, she began experimenting and practicing, modifying her movements and familiarizing herself with them. At first, it felt quite strange and awkward, some moves didn''t seem to fit, others seemed to work for no apparent reason. However, she practiced and continued to hone her skills, eventually getting confident enough to try it in battle.


    Xuan Yin smiled by the sudden request,"Finally, I was getting bored just idling about. I wonder what insights you''ve gained."


    Readying their weapons, the spar began. Utilizing what she had learned, Ming Yue found it much easier to avoid her arrows. Compared to practicing on her own, fighting had allowed her to fine-tune her movements, taking away any wasted actions. Furthermore, she began to emit an aura from her body, it was not a ruthless one but rather gave off a mysterious feeling. In Xuan Yin''s eyes, it became much harder for her to anticipate Ming Yue''s next moves. Before she could tell the direction in which she would move but now, she could barely determine it. If she predicted the left then Ming Yue would move forward. If Xuan Yin thought she would step back, Ming Yue would really attack the arrows head on.


    After several minutes of battle, Xuan Yin gave up. She looked at Ming Yue with disbelief, how much could she have improved in several short days?


    "I give up. At this rate, we will only end in a stalemate. Besides, a battle of endurance is not my strong suite", she said.


    Ming Yue looked at her before putting down her de, "I see."


    She quickly went over the battle in her mind, taking note of the minute changes that she made. Above them was a little crow nesting on a tree branch, watching them.


    "Oh, so that''s your friend. Oh well, one more toy to y with!" the Lord of Torment spoke. Those crows must''ve been able to share their sight with their master. He was in another section of the valley, waiting for his crows to track Ming Yue down. Seeing their little spar, he felt confident in capturing the two. After all, he was still a earth realm cultivator, capturing two human realm cultivators would not be that difficult.


    "Hmm, not too far. Well then, let''s hurry up a bit."


    Unbeknownst by the two women, they were about to be ambushed. The both of them had begun moving around the valley, presumably searching for targets to kill. But after a full day of looking, they found no one. The valley was empty, void of any life. The both of them found it strange.


    "There''s no one. Not even a search group to find you. What''s going on here?" Xuan Yin felt that something was amiss.


    Just as confused as her, Ming Yue was not sure what was happening. Could they have given up on capturing her? Were they too afraid? That would not make sense, the four lords of Redmist Sanctuary were much stronger than her. They had no real reason to fear her. As the two of them looked around, Xuan Yin noticed a little crow following them. Everywhere they went, it followed, quietly watching from above.


    Realizing something, she raised her bow up and shot the crow, aiming for its heart. Her actions were too sudden for the crow the react and could not dodge the shot. Falling to the ground, it convulsed in pain as she approached the crow and grabbed it by the neck. She examined the bird as Ming Yue quickly walked up to her, curious as to what made Xuan Yin so high strung.


    "This crow has been tampered with", said Xuan Yin.


    Hidden under its feathers, the crow had several stitches along with numerous markings and symbols.


    "There is only one person who could do this" she thought, "The Lord of Torment, Tong Ku."


    She looked at Ming Yue telling her this news. It was no wonder the valley was empty, it had be a hunting ground for him to use and they were his targets.


    "We have to go", Xuan Yin said.


    Ming Yue agreed, now that one of the sanctuary lords are hunting them. The risk was too high for her to stay here anymore. As much as she did not want to leave, she could find another alternative to reaching her goals.


    As they turned to escape, they turned to find Tong Ku in front of them. He smiled menacingly, looking at them like they were already his.


    "Ah, unfortunately, you were toote. If only you had noticed it sooner", he said, "But this is so much better, I''m going to have so much fun!"


    His happy tone only added more to his vicious image. He took off his bag and ced it by him. The two of them needed to run. With the both of them together, winning was a slim chance. This was the so called "Lord of Torment" after all, losing to him meant a fate worse then death. There were many stories about his atrocious deeds, almost too many. He tortured abandoned children, often harvesting their organs to use. What he uses their bodies for was a mystery. Some say he is trying to create an ancient weapon or some ominous creature, others believe that he does it for his own amusement.


    With what he has said so far, it was safe to say he does this for fun.


    Ming Yue circled her energy as she imbued it throughout her entire being and sword. Xuan Yin took off her arrow quiver and aimed her bow at him. On her other hand, a ck arrow formed. Made from pure energy, it was extremely powerful, each shot would be fatal for themon man. Neither knew of each others full power, after all, their spars were only of skill. They weren''t fighting to kill and had no reason to use their full strength. The two of them readied their weapons, this fight was one that they could not hold back.


    Tong Ku smiled at them, "Good, I like it when I have to fight for my prey."


    He put his hands into his bag and took out numerous weapons. Dagger and needles, he had a number of light weapons on him. Among these weapons was a strange knife, the de was curved and rugged. It was a small weapon* but it had quite a bloody aura, simr to that of the sacrificial daggers that Ming Yue found. The handle fit snug in his palm and the de was barely any longer than his hand, perhaps several inches.


    She wrinkled her nose at the smell, this dagger has been bathed in the blood of countless people. She held her weapon tightly, staring at him.


    "Well then,e on. Let''s get started."

 Chapter 70 - Close Fight

    Xuan Yin made the first move, sending out a pair of ck arrows. Like two rays, they shot forth in a straight line, aimed at Tong Ku''s heart.


    He sneered at the sad attack, easily dodging it.


    "Was that really the best you had?" he asked mockingly.


    Xuan Yin merely waited, watching him. Looking at her, he felt that something was odd and before he knew it, a piercing pain burned through his body. He looked at his back finding the two arrows that she shot wedged in his back.


    "But how?" he thought, "Could those arrows have a homing ability?"


    Tong Ku touched the arrows and ripped them out, grunting in pain. He may have a rough idea of their strength but the two women had many cards up their sleeves.


    Taking him by surprise, Ming Yue took this chance to attack him. But his awareness was too good, he saw her approaching and dashed away, throwing a number of needles at her. Dark green in color, they must have been dipped in some sort of powerful poison. She made a quick sidestep to avoid them and retaliated with a de of wind. Cutting through the numerous branches, it quickly reached his position and missed after he ducked under.


    Both Ming Yue and Xuan Yin chased him through the trees, sending arrows and wind des at him. Getting pushed around by these two had angered Tong Ku. He stopped running and charged back at them. With the short dagger on one hand and a hook and chain on the other, he fought them to a stand still. His short dagger was quick enough to keep up with Ming Yue''s sword while he used the chain to keep Xuan Yin away. The chain seemed to follow her wherever she went, his control was almost perfect. On its end was a meat hook, the type that butchers used to hang pigs. It was not well maintained, rusted from blood. Even so, the hook was extremely sharp.


    She had barely any opportunity to shoot at him, she was too focused on dealing with the chain.It was not long before she slipped up,nding sloppily on a patch of wet soil. With no time to recover, the hook stabbed right through her forearm.


    "Arghh!" she screamed in pain as Tong Ku yanked the chain and brought her to him.


    However, she would note to him without resisting, shooting a barrage of ck arrows. Each one was more powerful than thest.


    But Tong Ku was prepared for this and covered himself in ayer of energy to defend against them. At the same time, Ming Yue took out her dagger and stabbed it forward, past his guard. With both arms preupied, he could not deal with her dagger and took the hit.


    Lucky for him, it did not break his protectiveyer, merely cracking it. But Xuan Yin followed up with several shots, making a hole in his defense.


    "Ah, fucking hell! Get off!" he yelled out.


    A shockwave emitted from his body and knocked back Ming Yue. Afterwards, he grabbed Xuan Yin and held his knife to her neck.


    "If you don''t want her dead now,e back with me!" he yelled out angrily.


    Ming Yue did not know what to do at that moment but Xuan Yin did.


    She spit on him before berating him, "Fucking kill me now, you asshole. I want to see you try!"


    An arrow formed in her hand as she grabbed it and stabbed the arrow deep into his thigh. Releasing her from his grip, he looked at his thigh and screamed in pain. Xuan Yin had broke off the arrow, making it harder to take out. She faced him and aimed her bow at his head.


    In the face of her weapon, he onlyughed at her.


    "Oh, you have no idea what you''ve done", he said.


    Tong Ku suddenly threw something at Xuan Yin. It was a pure white ball that exploded into mist when it hit her. At first, Xuan Yin felt nothing but then her knees gave out as she fell to the ground.


    "What..did you..do?" she spoke weakly, losing control of het body.


    "Paralysis poison, one of my own creations. How do you like it? It''s quite a fast acting one" he smirked at her limo body.


    With Xuan Yin out, he only had Ming Yue left to care care of. Rather than continue fighting, she made rescuing Xuan Yin her highest priority. She built up her energy for Savage Tempest, Xuan YIn had given her enough time to umte it. The power expanded around her sword, three times its size. She mmed it in to the ground causing cracks and tremors all over the area. Tong Ku was surprised by the sudden attack and lost his footing. Under the confusion, Ming Yue sent Hei Yue after Xuan Yin and started running.


    "I''m not going to let you go that easily!", said Tong Ku.


    He chased after her throwing more needles while he tried to capture them with his chain. In the midst of running, she took out some herbs and stuffed them into Xuan Yin''s mouth. Then the two split off into separate directions. After splitting, Tong Ku chased after Ming Yue as she was his goal from the beginning.


    Knowing that she could not outrun him, she began moving in a strange fashion. Turning, diving and jumping, her movement made it difficult for Tong Ku to follow. This was her dao in y, darting and dashing at every moment, her unpredictable movements made her a hard target to chase. But she was not good enough, following her, he threw a number of knifes and needles at her eventually hitting her in the shoulder.


    Ming Yue winced from the daggers cutting through her left shoulder. She could feel numbness passing through her arms and into her body. She quickly circled her energy to slow it down but it did not do much. In ast ditch attempt, she turned around and burst forth, the added momentum from running made her extremely fast. Her left arm was limp from the poison while her right held her de. She charged straight for him before changing directions, creating faint afterimages of herself.


    "Stop running like a mouse!" his eyes tried to catch her but only found blurs.


    Spinning the chain in his hand, the hook began to glow red.


    "Bloodhunt", Tong Ku threw it at her, letting go of the chain in the process. The chain began chasing after her, hungering for her flesh.


    "That chain will follow you so long as you bleed. You cannot escape it", heughed in contempt.


    Ming Yue felt a bit frustrated by this. She had nned on showering him in attacks but this chain kept her quick on her feet. It looks like he really wanted to capture her or at least get her body. By now the paralysis had begun to spread past her arm and into her other limbs.


    She dashed towards him and attacked him head on. Tong Ku was ready for this and blocked her strike, making an attampt to grab her. Ming Yue was not quick enough and he took ahold of her sword. Just when he felt victory in his grasp, she let go of the de and instead grabbed the hook of the chain that was just inches from her back.


    Gripping it tightly, she stabbed the hook right into his neck, puncturing it deeply. Shock emerged from his eyes as he struggled to breathe, coughing up blood.


    She fell to the ground unable to move her body, the numbness had spread to the rest of her body. He took out the hook, blood constantly ran down his neck.


    Tong Ku looked at her with hatred speaking with a gargled voice, "You caused me so much trouble, making me go out of my way to hunt you. You little bitch, when I bring you back, I''m going to make sure you suffer until yourst breath. I''ll keep youpany with that friend of yours once I find her."


    He reached for her body with his arm outstretched. Then a ck light passed through ripping through his hand. Another followed it and came for his neck. Taking him by surprise, he could not defend himself and hoarsely screamed as his neck bled profuselg from the arrows. Secondster his screams stopped as the arrow in his neck corroded his neck. It turned gray and melted, his head fell off a slimy mess as his body soon followed.


    From afar, Xuan Yin barely held her bow up and Hei Yue carried her on his back.


    "Haah, that was close, too close forfort", she said.

 Chapter 71 - Victory

    The both of them moved towards Ming Yue, whoid on her back just a few feet away from Tong Ku''s corpse.


    "Are you okay?" Xuan Yin asked. Hei Yue and Xiao Yin also looked at her with worry. The both of them could not participate in the fight as they were too weak to help her.


    Ming Yue looked at them, "There should be a light green nt and a blue flower in my ring. Take those out and feed them to me."


    It was fortunate that the poison was not lethal. Although she was somewhat relieved that she wasn''t hit with the same poison as Xuan Yin or she would not have been able fight back at all.


    Xuan Yin hastily looked through her spatial ring and took out the said herbs before pushing them into Ming Yue''s mouth. This might not have been the best way to cure her but they were both severely weakened. As the both of them recovered, Xuan Yin could not help but look at Tong Ku''s body.


    "I can''t believe we killed one of the sanctuary lords", she thought.


    Indeed such a thing would have not been possible for two average cultivators but these two weren''t normal after all. Both Xuan Yin and Ming Yue had excellent cultivation foundations as well as high ranked weapons, the Parting Sun de and Xuan Yin''s ck bow. After sparring with each other a number of times, the both of them already knew a bit about each other''sbat habits an werefortable enough to fight as a team. Furthermore, Tong Ku isn''t the strongest or even the second strongest sanctuary lord, less powerful than the Lifeless Lord and the Bandit Lord. He wasparable only to Daiyu, the Lustful Lord, but she only ever attacked men, women did not interest her.


    Another factor was luck, as mysterious as it is, many inexplicable results can be chalked up to luck. In their case, Ming Yue was quite fortunate for Xuan Yin to have recovered enough strength tond a finishing blow or for even arriving at thest moment to stop him.


    Xuan Yin looked at Ming Yue before asking her a question, "How did you know which herbs to give me earlier? There was barely enough time to run."


    She looked at her before saying two words, "I didn''t."


    Xuan Yin looked at her face before breaking out withughter, "You guessed?! You just gave me some random nts to eat and you didn''t even know if they would work.... I don''t know whether to hate you or thank you. Then what about those nts you told me to give you just now, do you know actually know what they do?"


    Unfortunately, Ming Yue was too busy ingesting the nts and recovering to really answer her. It is wasn''t for those herbs she would not have been able to save Xuan Yin but at the same time, they were just randomly grabbed from her spatial ring. If it were any different herbs, the oue of their fight would have ended differently.


    They rested for day, slowly expelling the poison from their bodies. Tong Ku''s corpse was still next to them, lifeless and already showing signs of decay. After recovering for a bit, they looked through his body and took his spatial ring and the bag he had from before.


    Laying everything on the ground, both of them examined all of the items. There were strange vials, possibly filled with poison or some potions, numerous throwing weapons, some rare herbs and a number of trinkets that came with. Furthermore, the Lord of Torment was quite rich with a fairlyrge pile of gold coins.


    "Let''s split it, I might have killed him but you did a lot of the work", Xuan Yin gave Ming Yue first choice. There wasn''t much that she wanted and Ming Yue really did contribute a lot to the fight.


    She did not restrain herself and started looking through everything. At first, she was going to take his head and the gold coins but the head was a bit too revolting for her to grab. Xuan Yin''s arrow had more or less melted his neck, leaving it slimy and gross. She took his main weapons as proof of his death instead, the gold coins and some of his other throwing weapons. As for the rare herbs, she was notpatible with any of them and didn''t take them. Simrly, Xuan Yin also took some of his throwing weapons, some daggers and needles as well as those vials and his gas bombs, the same ones that he used on her. Anything that wasn''t taken would be split between them and soldter.


    After dividing the goods, they left the area, leaving Tong Ku''s corpse to rot.


    "What are you going to do now?" asked Xuan Yin.


    "I''m going back to the capital city" she replied to her question bluntly.


    Ming Yue had already killed one of the sanctuary lords. If she were to stay here any longer, the other three will probably chase after her. If that happens, she would not be so lucky fighting against them. She had around three months left before the auction, so until then, she would probably take on some missions when she returns.


    "Hmm, I''lle with you, I''ve never seen a city before. Since my grandfather isn''t watching me this time and I''ve alreadypleted the assignment. I don''t think he''ll be angry with me if Ie back a bitte ", she spoke happily.


    She looked at Xuan Yin before walking away, "I doubt it."


    Considering her time in Mist Valley, she had made a lot of progress with pretty much everything. She still had room for improvement in her swordsmanship and more opportunities to grow stronger. In addition, she would definitely be known to the country for killing Tong Ku but she did not think it would be so quick. All she thought of now was leaving Mist Valley.


    Days after their fight, multiple teams had been sent out into the valley after no news of Tong Ku came. Finding only his dead boy in the beginning stages of rotting, the three lords felt a bit apprehensive after hearing news of their deadrade.


    "We should kill her at once. She cannot live after killing so many of us!"


    "What are you going to do? She probably left the valley already, none of the men found her."


    "Does that mean we are going to sit around, twiddling our fucking thumbs?"


    "Everyone calm down! Finding her in the valley is already difficult. She could be anywhere in Red Lotus Country. However, there are many of us scattered throughout the country.", Daiyu silenced everyone, "I propose a bounty. Anyone that captures or kills her will be rewarded generously, keeping her alive will double the reward."


    Murmurs erupted in the crowds after she spoke.


    "A bounty, Would that work?"


    "What kind of reward would the lords give? I hope that it will be quite good,"


    "I should start spreading the news to the others."


    Daiyu smiled as everyone grew excited over the bounty. With this, the unrest in Redmist Sanctuary would be under control and the fear of Ming Yue would be dispelled. This was the best solution that she could think of. The Bandit Lord never really bothered with Ming Yue and the Lifeless Lord was too busy cultivating to care about the issues of the sanctuary. With Tong Ku also dead, Daiyu was more or less the sole overlord of Redmist Sanctuary.


    Knowing this, she saw it as her opportunity to grow even stronger and eventually force the other two to step down. Once they do, she truly would be the overlord of Redmist Sanctuary and potentially Mist Valley. None of this would''ve happened if Ming Yue didn''te.


    "I really should thank her," she thought, "But oh well, this can be considered my gift of appreciation."

 Chapter 72 - Detour

    Several days after they fought Tong Ku, the two of them finally left Mist Valley.


    "Hnngg, finally out of that ce, I can see the sun for once", Xuan Yin stretched out her arms and basked in the sunlight, enjoying its warmth.


    Mist Valley was called such because of the thick fog. There were times where it would thicken to the extent of which day and night could not be determined. The temperature was always several degrees colder. Although if it wan''t for such conditions, it would not be a popr spot for criminals toy low.


    Ming Yue also weed the change, the valley may be a great training ground for her but even she had grown tired of the atmosphere. Their journey back to the capital city was quiet. Every now and then they would encounter a wild beast but it was usually a quick fight, often bing their meal for the night.


    Following the road, the sounds of battle reached their ears as they quietly sneaked and watched the battle. Down the road, they saw a carriage being defended by five guards while eight hooded people attacked them.


    "You''ll nevery your hands on the young miss!" one of them shouted, an older man whose hair was beginning to gray. He used a broadsword and summoned three balls of fire that chased after his opponent.


    The unknown attacker retaliated with a sword strike of his own, cutting the balls in half.


    "Do you think that would stop me? Take it as your fate that the Zhao Family will submit to us!" heughed haughtily.


    "You! Everyone, Rumbling Fire Formation!"


    The five guards quickly arranged themselves in a circle before cing down a talisman on the ground. The moment they touched, the talismans glowed as mes spewed out of them, covering the ground in fire. The eight attackers charged into the formation, barraging the formation with a number of attacks.


    "Hmph, do you think this will stop us? You are only prolonging the inevitable."


    Inside it, the older guard faced the carriage and bowed, "Young Miss, please leave while we five guards dy those bastards."


    The carriage door opened as a beautiful girl got out, she had scarlet colored hair and a mature expression, ruby earrings and a long pink dress. Her hair was tied up in a bun with a lotus shaped hair pin. Despite her mature bearing, she was no older than Ming Yue, possibly 15 or 16.


    "No, I cannot have all of you sacrifice your lives for me. What he said is true, we are only dying the inevitable. We will surrender", she spoke resolutely.


    "But-"


    "I''ve made up my mind, You Qian. Dispel the formation."


    "Young miss" You Qian hesitated before ordering the other guards, "Release the formation. This is our loss."


    All of them were hesitant, they were unwilling to give up like this. He looked at them before barking out, "Are you going to defy me!? Release it!"


    They all went to their positions and took off the talismans. The mes were sucked back in, leaving them unprotected. Ready to throw down their weapons, they waited for the hooded figures to capture them.


    "Hm? What is this? What happened?" You Qian looked forward, finding all of their enemies lying on the ground, dead.


    Off to the side, he saw two young women standing there watching them. A tan woman armed with a ck bow and another in a light blue dress that held a incredibly long staff, next to her was a small fox and an owl. This was a rather strange sight for him to see.


    "Took you long enough!" the tan woman spoke, waiting for them to deactivate the formation. The other quietly stood.


    She quickly summed up what had happened. It was Xuan Yin and Ming Yue who had saved them. Overhearing their conversation from earlier, Xuan Yin jumped straight into action, shooting arrows as she moved towards them. Unlike her direct approach, Ming Yue had moved away from her and nked the eight figures from behind. Before they even understood what had happened, four of them were killed. Their leader, the one that fought You Qian had put up a decent fight but died by their hands. After killing everyone, they looked at the fiery formation and waited for the six toe out. Although, she did omit the fact that they searched everyone''s clothes and took most of it.


    The young miss from before stood in front of her guards and bowed to the two.


    "I am Zhao Liqiu, the daughter of the Zhao Family, how can I ever thank you, my benefactors?" she said.


    Xuan Yin chuckled, "Don''t worry about it. These viins were more than enough to reward us. But tell us, why were you attacked in the first ce?"


    All of them had a gloomy expression on their faces when she asked Liqiu.


    "An arranged marriage", she answered.


    "Let me exin", You Qian interrupted, "As the young miss said, an arranged marriage. She is the only child of the Zhao Family, a noble family from Maple Root City. The Zhao Family is one of the stronger powers within the city along with two other ones, the Shi and the Yong. As ofte, the two families have joined together in an alliance in order to push us down. In order to fight back, the patriarch of the Zhao Family had proposed an alliance with another family from the capital city. As proof of our alliance, the young miss was sent to marry the son of their patriarch. However, it seems that the two families had caught wind of this and sent assassins against us."


    "The capital city.." Ming Yue muttered.


    Xuan Yin looked at them and said, "Well, it looks like none of you want this marriage to happen as well."


    "This...is because the one she is marrying is the young son of the Shao Family, Shao Huang", You Qian said.


    Xuan Yin did not know much outside of the Stone Forest and had never heard of Shao Huang, she asked them why they had such a indignant expression when hearing his name. Even their young miss showed slight disgust. But Ming Yue had a firsthand experience of what he was like.


    "Arrogant, lecherous, he has all the qualities of an ipetent person. Everything he has was built on money, nothing was earned by him" the young miss described with a bit of hatefulness.


    "When he heard of our predicament, he came with a proposal. Our young miss was well known for her beauty in Maple Root City and if she were to wed him, we would have the financial power of the Shao Family on our side. But knowing him, she would be tossed away once he had his fun", You Qian''s hands became fists as did the other guards, "The thought of this makes me angry but what can we do, the two families are preparing an all-out war with us. If we do not do something, the Zhao Family will not thrive again."


    "Well you don''t have to go through with the marriage", Xuan Yin said, "Why don''t you go through with the war? We could help you guys."


    They looked at her with surprise, almost happiness but then it returned to gloomy expressions, "Even if you both help, will you be enough to change the tides? And the marriage as well, how can we renege on that agreement?"


    This time, Ming Yue spoke, "Don''t worry."


    Her two words had somehow lifted a weight off of their shoulders. Was it her bluntness? or confident tone that did so? What made her so sure that they would be fine? A glimmer of hope began to grow in their hearts but none of them dared to trust it. Their fate depended on the marriage but if-if these two could change it, this debt be too much to repay.


    Xuan Yin looked at them and smiled, "Trust her, she is quite reliable. We''ll escort you all to the capital."


    The group of eight continued on their way to Five Element City.. It would not be long until they reached the gates.

 Chapter 73 - Turning In The Bounty

    Entering the bustling city, all of them went to stay at an inn for the time being. Liqiu and her guards stayed in and rested from their journey. Ming Yue wanted to sell off her spoils and go to the Jade Dragon Pavilion to collect the bounty on her kills. Xuan Yin followed along, at first she had wanted to explore on her own but the capital city was toorge. If she went off on her own, she could very easily get lost in the busy streets.


    Walking down the streets, Xuan Yin''s eyes kept flickering about, looking at the many street stalls and businesses. Her excitement could barely be contained.


    Arriving at the pavilion, the both of them went in and walked up to the counter. However, the atmosphere was unusual. Everyone that saw her started whispering with each other.


    "Isn''t that her?"


    "Why is she here?"


    "Do you think she really did it?"


    She paid no mind and walked up to the counter where Zhi Shu was. She looked at Ming Yue quite nervously before taking her to the elder.


    Walking up the stairs, she asked her, "Did you really kill him? The Lord of Torment, Tong Ku?"


    Ming Yue nodded while Xuan Yin chimed in, "I helped too."


    "I see", muttered Zhi Shu, "Then do you know what happened afterwards?"


    The both of them had confused looks and shook their heads. Looking at them she exined what had happened, "The other sanctuary lords, namely the Lustful Lord, Daiyu has issued a bounty on your head for killing Tong Ku and creating chaos in Redmist Sanctuary. The news has spread to every corner of the country. There is without a doubt that you will be hunted."


    "I see", Ming Yue found this a bit surprising but she was not afraid. After going through so much these past two years, she was not fazed by much.


    They reached Elder Yin''s office and went in to find the same sight as before, a room filled with papers.


    "Ah Ming Yue, you''re finally here", Elder Yin popped out from one of the piles, "and I see you have a friend."


    Xuan Yin respectfully bowed and introduced herself, "My name is Xuan Yin, I met Ming Yue at the Stone Forest and again at Mist Valley."


    Elder Yin looked at her, "That ck bow... Do you know someone named the Dancing Hunter?"


    "Oh yes, that is my grandfather. You''ve heard of him?"


    "Yes, yes, the Dancing Hunter is quite a famous figure, known for his skill in archery. He''s hunted numerous beasts on his own, having soloed a rank 5 after fighting for three days and three nights", she exined, "But I digress, I assume you know about the bounty, Ming Yue but did you really kill him?"


    Ming Yue nodded and brought out his weapons, the knife and the chains, giving them to Elder Yin.


    She confirmed their authenticity and gave it back to her, "I thought you would only be going after the residents but you killed one of the Lords,. Not to mention, it was the Lord of Torment. He is responsible for over a hundred reported disappearances but there is most likely around three hundred people that he''s taken. No one knows what he does with them, reports of screams and cries for helping from his property could make one wonder of what sort of torture he does. Now that he is dead, there is one less killer in the world. Wait for me here while I handle the reward for killing him."


    She left the office and came back with a ring in her hand as well as a letter, "Inside the ring is the bounty money for killing him. As for this letter, the leader of the Pavilion, Lord Tang Guang had written it specifically for you."


    Ming Yue took the ring as well as the letter. She took half before giving the rest to Xuan Yin who happily took it. As for the letter, she would read itter tonight.


    "And that''s about it, if you have any other bounties you can give it in at the receptionist counter. Ming Yue, before you, please be safe. The old man would be heart broken if you were to die", Elder Yin said.


    Ming Yue nodded before leaving with Xuan Yin. Leaving her office, she turned in the other bounties that she had obtained.


    "The heads of the Lone Rose, members of Jade Hand and the Twin Moons! Oh my!" Zhi Shu looked at the severed heads before quickly giving Ming Yue her bounty money.


    Afterwards, She left the pavilion and went to Gold Honor to sell off everything that she obtained in Mist Valley. While she waited in the appraisal room, Xuan Yin spent her time checking out their wares. With her newfound wealth, she felt like buying something but nothing there had interested her. Instead she spent her money buying food and trinkets from the street stalls. From puppets to a bowl of noodles, she spent a fair bit of money on anything that had piqued her interest or tickled her nose.


    By the time everything was done, night had fell and the city''s market lit up the streets. The both of them came back to the inn and turned in for the night. Beforehand, they discussed with You Qian and Liqiu about breaking off the engagement tomorrow.


    "Are you sure that this will work?" Liqiu asked.


    Ming Yue looked at her, "It will. I''ll make sure of it."


    Her grudge with Shao Jin may be over but she did not like him one bit. Even after the two beatings, he did not change his ways. This time she give him a lesson he would never forget.


    After their discussion, everyone rested in their rooms. Ming Yue opened up the letter that Elder Yin gave her, curious as to what Lord Tang Guang had to say. After seeing him during the tournament, she did not have much of a impression on him. The letter itself was not a very long one, in it, he thanked her for killing the Lord of Torment, Tong Ku and wanted to meet with her and her aplice tomorrow at the Four Seasons Restaurant to thank them personally.


    She was somewhat surprised by the contents of this letter. She did not think that killing Tong Ku would cause all of this to happen. A bit of excitement grew inside of her, but she quickly quelled it and slept for the night. Tomorrow would be a busy day for her.


    The morning sun shined as everyone woke up. Ming Yue was the first to awaken and started the day with some training before stopping for breakfast. With everyone awake and ready, they left for the Shao Mansion, their hearts were resolute. Walking through the city, Liqiu''s carriage caught the eyes of many passersby and some even followed them, curious of what was going on. Arriving at the Shao Mansion, You Qian walked forward and stopped at the front gate.


    "The Zhao Family''s Zhao Liqiu has arrived!" he announced, waiting for the gates to open. The gates slowly opened, as an attendant weed them in.


    "Pleasee in, the Young Master is waiting for you."


    As they walked into the Shao Estate, there were a number of boxes most likely dowry for the marriage. Liqiu made a little scoff before muttering, "If he thinks he can convince me with his money then he should stick to whores."


    As a member of a noble family, she had some degree of pride and this was below her.


    "Ahahaha, it''s so good to see you all. I can''t wait to look at my bride to be" a haughtyugh followed by arrogant word came from the main hall as Shao Huang emerged from it, arms open and smiling happily.


    Before he could reach two feet from the carriage, You Qian stopped him.


    "What is the meaning of this?" he asked slightly confused but nevertheless still smiling.


    "I''m sorry to say this but we have decided to break off the engagement. There is no need for you to get married to a lowly noble family like ours. You may also keep all of the gifts that you have prepared", speaking in a t tone.


    "Huh?"

 Chapter 74 - Breaking Off The Marriage

    "Zhao Liqiu, what do you mean by this?" Shao Huang looked at Liqiu''s carriage. Looking past You Qian, he asked her directly.


    "Like my guard has said, the marriage is broken off. There is no need to invite me in, I havee just to say this. You Qian, let''s go." As quickly as they came, the walked away, leaving Shao Jin in shock from the rejection.


    "After all I''ve done, you reject me? Why?!" he chased after the carriage out into the streets, "How can you break it off with me? It was your father who agreed, are you going to against his wishes?!"


    The carriage stopped and Liqiu got out of it, staring face to face with him, "You do not have to worry about our family anymore. Naturally I will discuss with my father about these things. As for why, well I have no need for your help anymore. It has been an honor meeting you but I must go now."


    After saying her piece, she left with her guards. Ming Yue and Xuan Yin were watching from the crowds, they would only interfere if Shao Jin were to do something drastic. But how could he? Liqiu''s carriage had brought about many onlookers who saw the whole affair happening. They began whispering each other, some even snickered at his predicament.


    He was angry, furious that she woulde to humiliate him.


    "Please wait!", a figure came out of the estate and stopped in front of the carriage. It was Shao Huang''s father, Shao Jin.


    "If my son has done anything to upset you, I''m sure we can at least talk it out" he said. On the outside he seemed quite amiable but inside he was furious because he did not know what was going on.


    "Oh my son, my dear son, why do you cause me so much trouble? Did you think it would be smart to not tell me these things?" he thought. Now he had to clean up this new mess.


    But Liqiu did not bother to listen and continued to leave. There was nothing they could do to convince her toe back. However, Shao Jin could not restrain himself any longer and attacked Liqiu. The sudden attack caught everyone by surprise but his body was forced to the ground in an instant. Ming Yue had moved, pinning him to the ground. He struggled to get back up, only able to shift his head. He recognized her, both surprised and angry.


    "Why are you here?" he hissed.


    "Miss Ming Yue is my benefactor, not only did she save me from certain death but promised to assist our family as well. I do not believe that you have done anything of a simr caliber as her" Liqiu looked at him, "I am sorry Shao Huang, perhaps there will be another chance to talk."


    "What can she do? How can one person turn around your situation?!" he yelled out, circling his energy, mes covered his body as he pushed off Ming Yue.


    "Shao Huang! Stop!" Shao Jin yelled out, attempting to stop him.


    As Shao Huang attacked Liqiu, a saber flew from the sky as a giant ape followed suit. With its giant hand out, the ape smacked him to the ground.


    "Young Master Shao, I do not think that it is a very good idea to use such dangerous techniques in the public", a figure emerged from the masses, walking towards them.


    "It''s Lord Tang Guang!"


    Recognizing him, everyone knelt in front of him in respect. He was the Emperor''s blood brother, someone akin to royalty.


    Shao Jin walked up to him and bowed, "The Shao Patriarch, Shao Jin pays his respects Lord Guang."


    "Ah, Patriarch Shao, it would be best if you could discipline your son. If not, I could discipline him in your stead", he spoke with a pleasant tone but the feeling he exuded was anything but.


    "Hou Huang, let him go", the ape that had pinned Shao Huang loosened its grip and threw him towards Shao Jin.


    "Y-ye-yes Lord Guang! I will do my best!" Shao Jin stuttered as he grabbed his son as quickly retreated into his home.


    Watching the two disappear, Tang Guang turned around and faced Ming Yue.


    "I was wondering what themotion was, I did not think you would take part in this" he said, "Anyways, let us walk to Four Seasons then. Your friends maye as well."


    Everyone was surprised to find him speaking to Ming Yue. After all, he was of the same status as royalty and this unknown girl was speaking to him on almost equal terms. Along with Xuan Yin, Liqiu, and her guards, everyone walked with him on foot, following him on the carriage would be disrespectful. It was quite a spectacle to see on the streets, even more so than what had transpired in front of the Shao Estate.


    On the way there, Tang Guang had made light conversation with everyone, quite a different image from before. He did not seem to put on a facade or act like royalty, he seemed like any normal person. Looking carefully, this middle-aged man wasn''t even dressed in any shy clothing, wearing simple robes and pants. He asked questions about their day, any interesting stories, and such. He was a very amiable man and everyone, especially Liqiu''s guards felt much morefortable with him. Xuan Yin was the least bothered with his presence and spent most of the time ying with Hou Huang, the Thunderfire Ape.


    They stopped at a little restaurant, a signboard to the left of the entrance said "Four Seasons." It was very quaint and had three floors. Everything was well-kept and clean. The group was led up to the third floor where only Tang Guang and the other three entered. Liqiu''s guards stood outside to watch for any dangers, and Hou Huang returned to his master''s residence.


    After ordering a few dishes, Everyone ate and conversed quite happily.


    "I cannot thank you enough for killing Tong Ku", he said to Ming Yue, "He was a horrible man who has eluded us for the past ten years. I don''t know how you did it but you have rid us of a demon."


    "Well, she had help from me!" Xuan Yin chattered on about their adventures in Mist Valley and their fight with the Lord of Torment.


    Both Liqiu and Ming Yue merely ate and listened, sometimes nodding to show that they were still paying attention.


    At the end of it all, Tang Guang gave her an interesting proposal, "Would you like to join me as my protege? or enter one of the Demon Brigades?"


    Liqiu gasped at this question, To be the sessor of the Jade Dragon Pavilions or join one of the 48 Demon Brigades was the dream of many people, bothmoners and nobles. Now Ming Yue was given a chance for either, perhaps even both. Contrary to what she thought would happen, Ming Yue did not take much time contemting this question before giving an answer.


    "I thank you for the offer but I rather enjoy exploring and wandering thends. I will have to turn down your offer", she spoke without faltering.


    Tang Guang was not very surprised by this answer, "Yin Shu and Meng Zhao have told me that you would not ept it. I won''t force but just know that our doors are open."


    He felt somewhat disappointed that she did not ept the proposal. Her talent was above average and her mentality was quite good. Furthermore, she had a very keen battle sense, having been able to contend with Earth Cultivators. Not many couldpare to her. But even if she rejected him now, it could always change in the future.


    Their meeting did notst very long and everyone said their farewell.


    Tang Guang gave her a gift, a sort of talisman, "This talisman can only be used once. Doing so, it will teleport you away in a random direction by a hundred kilometers. Good luck in your endeavors."


    She thanked him and left with the others.


    "Are you sure you want to let her go, my lord?" a figure appeared out of thin air, standing by Tang Guang.


    "It''s quite alright, as long as she is on our side. That is all I can hope for. News of a possible war with the other continents is quite frightening. I may not be alive when it happens, so preparations should be made."


    "I see."

 Chapter 75 - Leaving For Maple Root City

    Ming Yue kept the talisman with her, cing it in her spatial ring. With these tasks done, she could now help the Zhao Family with their dilemma. Everyone spent another day or two enjoying the captial city before setting off for Maple Root City. During their four day journey, Liqiu and You Qian filled Ming Yue in about the inner workings of the city.


    "The Shi and the Yong were always at odds with each other which allowed us, the Zhao to flourish and grow in power. Due to their constant fighting, neither bothered to care about our growth but we did not dare to grow even stronger for fear that they would attack us instead. It has stayed this way for years, however something changed. Oddly enough, both families hade to terms with each other, even forming and alliance to kick us down. At first, we believed that they had only wanted to weaken us to their level but instead they want topletely push us out of the city. First there were small quarrels between us but it has escted to point of harassing out stores and attacking our men. Nobody knew why the Shi and the Yong had be to aggressive but we did not have much choice but to seek help outside of Maple Root City. This led us to Shao Jin offering his help if he were to have the young miss''s hand in marriage."


    Ming Yue digested the information and thought about a solution. She also found it strange that these two families that have been feuding for years are suddenly in an alliance. If she wanted to help out the Zhao Family, she must know what is motivating the Shi and the Yong to suddenly join together.


    Four dayster, they reached Maple Root City. It was quite different from any other city that Ming Yue had seen. Centered in the middle of a forest, it was named Maple Root due to arge number of trees that oozed a sweet sap. ording to Liqiu, it ismon within the city to chew in the roots and branches as a sweet snack. Amber red in color, the sweet sap had a unique taste to it and was used for a number of dishes and sweets.


    A feature unique to only this city, not even the capital city had it.


    Inside, the architecture was not as grand while many decorations were made of wood. Intricately carved, multiple sculptures were spread throughout the city. Famous figures and mythical creatures, each one was incredibly detailed, from the facial expressions to the smallest of furs.


    Liqiu led them to the Zhao family estate, arge manor with two wooden sculptures of guardian deities. Both Xuan Yin and Ming Yue were free to explore the city while Liqiu spoke with her father.


    "How exciting!" Xuan Yin said, "I want to try those maple candies I saw earlier."


    On her own path to find food, Ming Yue separated from Xuan Yin and continued to stroll around the city with Hei Yue and Xiao Yin. As she walked down a random street, the figure of a man was thrown out of a restaurant followed by more figures being tossed out. Thrown into a pile, they groaned in pain as their bodies were riddled in bruises.


    "Hahaha, you Zhao weaklings, Lucky Autumn Restaurant is our property now! Now get out of here before I send you back with some more bruises" a young man walked out, followed by four others, most likely his guards.


    The men groaned as they helped one another stand up and stared at the four men with detest, "Yong Ren...you bastard, you dare take our restaurant like this. The Zhao will not forget this."


    "Pfft, with the Yong and the Shi together, your Zhao Family is nothing. Consider it your fate, that you will lose your home soon. Our benefactor has foretold it and soon the city will be ours alone! Men! Go have some fun with them", Yong Ren announced arrogantly, his handsome face was ruined by the ugly expressions he made.


    His four guards walked forward, readying their fists for another round. The five rugged men of the Zhao stood with the support of each other and faced the guards.


    "This is the young miss''s favorite restaurant, we will not let you take it so easily", they groaned weakly, putting their fists up.


    The four guards smirked at them. The closest one threw the throw the first hit, his fist already passing through the air and hit one of them. But rather than push them back, the guard found himself on the ground. Stunned he tried to stand and found that he couldn''t.


    Everyone else were just as surprised, at that moment the Zhao members should''ve been pushed down. Instead they found the guard on the ground, he struggled to get up but couldn''t. Every time he tried, he felt a gust of wind push him back down. Each time would sink him further and further into the pavement, his bones fracked under the constant pressure as blood flowed.


    From the crowds, Ming Yue had manifested this wind to keep the guard down. She never neglected training her control over wind, it slowly became much easier to create some phenomena. This was only a small application of it. She did not want to openly show herself or create any enmity between her and Yong Ren yet.


    While this was happening, she sent Xiao Yin to the injured Zhao and led them away. No one was paying attention to them, the other guards had broken from their trance and tried to help theirrade but even they were pushed away. It would not be until an hour until he was finally set free albeit all four guards ended up in a worst state that the Zhao. By then, the Zhao had already disappeared from the area.


    "Those weaklings still had some tricks up their sleeves but it won''t save them for long", a vicious smile formed on Yong Ren''s face. He did not seem to think of the Zhao Family as a danger, believing that their destruction wasing closer.


    Ming Yue brought them away and took them back to the Zhao estate. They were all too haggard to express their gratefulness to her. Inside the main hall, Liqiu greeted her and saw the men behind her.


    Seeing her, they dropped to their knees, "Young Miss, we apologize for our uselessness. We could not protect Lucky Autumn Restaurant."


    "It''s fine, go inside and get yourselves treated. I feel much happier knowing that you are all safe", she helped them up, assuring the five men that it was not their fault.


    Sending them away, she looked back at Ming Yue.


    "Time and time again, you have helped me immensely. I really cannot thank you enough", she said, "I''ve talked to my father and he is open to your help. He was opposed to the marriage from the first ce but found no other choice but to go through with it. It was somewhat difficult to convince him but once I told him of your achievements, he epted my proposal."


    Ming Yue was relieved that Liqiu''s father was not opposed to her help. Liqiu led her a room with a small courtyard. This would be her residence during her time in Maple Root City. She ced her things down and let Hei Yue out into the courtyard to y. Xiao Yin stayed in, probably to sleep.


    As she slowly made herselffortable, there was a knock on the door. She opened it expecting Liqiu toe in but saw a middle-aged man, somewhere in his forties. He had a noble air surrounding him and had the same red hair as Liqiu. This must be her father.


    "Hello there, do you mind if Ie in?"

 Chapter 76 - Investigation Of The Yong-Shi Alliance

    "Not at all, please" Ming Yue answered.


    Liqiu''s father came in and found a seat, facing the courtyard.


    "I see that you have made yourselffortable" he said, "I''m not going to beat around the bush, why are you so ready to help us? What are your intentions? If I find anything strange then I will have to ask you to leave. My daughter speaks highly of you and even I have heard of you before, however you are still a stranger."


    With that, he released a faint bit of power from his body, pressuring Ming Yue. Of course, this was not enough to scare her and she looked at him, right into his bright red eyes.


    He stared back and stood up, "At the very least, you are a just person. However, you are but one person going against two noble families. As much as I want to trust my daughter''s belief in you, I just cannot see you rectifying our predicament."


    This was a ratherrge problem, Ming Yue had only herself and Xuan Yin helping them. Hei Yue and Xiao could also be considered part of their force as well but they were against maybe hundreds. Exterminating them would be an impossible task. But confidence was not the driving force in her decision to help, of course she knew that she would be going against people above her in status and power.


    Rather it was conviction that drove her, to help those in need, those who are taken advantage of, the victims. She could not help everyone but she would do as much as she could. Ming Yue may be a warrior but at heart, she was a healer, one raised by her own father. Nothing could change that. Even if she could not fix the situation, she would alleviate to the best of her abilities.


    She said nothing to him as he left but he could almost sense the determination within her. Her eyes were clear, her judgement was not clouded. She knew what she was getting into.


    "If you need any help, please do not refrain from asking me directly", he said, leaving her room.


    She looked at him as he closed the door before looking back at her sword.


    "Wow, that was a bit intense", from the courtyard, a shadow jumped down from the roof. Xuan Yin walked into Ming Yue''s room with some snacks in her hands.


    "You want any?" she pushed her hand outward, shoving a wad of treats and food in front of her face.


    "I ate already", Ming Yue nodded, tending to her sword, cleaning and sharpening it.


    "So, I''ve been outside for a bit and heard some interesting things", she said, popping a piece of candy in her mouth, "There is someone from outside the city that apparently saved the Yong and Shi Family from certain doom."


    "I know, I saved several guards of the Zhao from one of the young masters of the Yong Family, Yong Ren. He was boasting about some benefactor for helping them" said Ming Yue.


    Xuan Yin smiled, "Bet you don''t know that this benefactor is actually a woman. People say she offered her body as a reward to which ever family takes down the Zhao! She must be quite pretty to do so but I wonder why she has such hatred for them. Maybe we should ask the Zhao Patriarch?"


    "No, we should determine whether these rumors are true or not. We''ll make a visit to them at night", Ming Yue interjected.


    "Sure, which one you want to check?"


    "Doesn''t matter."


    "Okay! I''ll check out the Shi estate and you get the Yong then."


    Deciding their n, the both of them prepared for theing task. Ming Yue switched out her clothes for jet ck robes, something she had bought from Gold Honor as a back-up to her Floating Breeze Robes. As for Xuan Yin, she already dressed for stealth. As the moon rose, the two of them vanished from the Zhao Estate, running off to their destinations. They blended with the crowds, sometimes taking empty streets and alleys.


    Ming Yue traveled for several minutes beforending on the roof of a store, opposite of the road to the Yong Estate. Arge mansionprised of three houses, stone walls and multiple guards enclosed the space. Compared to the Zhao estate, it was half the size. Their coffers were most likely used with their conflicts against the Shi. However, she noticed a fair bit of construction with the roof of the houses. Despite their inadequate wealth, they were still able to improve their estate, adding another floor and there were numerous additions for decor.


    Finding an opportunity, she slipped in, moving on the rooftops. She dropped down onto the garden and hid herself behind some bushes. Ming Yue did not bring Parting Sun with her and only had her dagger. Xiao Yin was high up in the sky, watching for any iing patrols.


    As she moved around the mansion, she overheard some discussions from the passing guard patrols.


    "Why do you think the patriarchs of the Yong and the Shi are following that woman''s orders? Is she that pretty? I always see her face covered with a mask."


    "With a body like that, how can she not be a beauty. Maybe she is so pretty that she has to hide her face in case she charms us by ident, hehe."


    "That can''t be it! She provided the two families with chests of gold. She must be someone of power."


    "That''s true. But still, why is she so hellbent on destroying the Zhao Family? It''s to the point where she would even offer her body."


    "Her body? Why would she do that?"


    "Just money isn''t going to convince the two families to just forget their enmity. She must have offered something else. If anything, she probably offered her body."


    "Ah, I swear. The only thing in your mind is women and sex. Come on, we should stop talking and focus on our duty."


    As the guards passed by, Ming Yue hid behind a rock.


    "So that''s it", she thought, "she must have something other than just gold to convince the two families."


    Ming Yue continued to lurk around the estate before finding Yong Ren strolling around with his guards.


    "If I ever catch those guards again, I''m going to deal with them myself", he huffed, still angry from today''s earlier demonstration.


    "I wonder what father called me for. The servant said that I must meet with him and our benefactor to discuss some things" he talked to himself, walking through the garden.


    "A meeting!? I should follow him" Ming Yue stalked him from the shadows until he entered one of the smaller houses. From there, she followed him from the outside, leaping from the first floor to the second and then the third. Hearing his footsteps stop, she stopped as well and proceeded to move one of the roof tiles. It was just enough for her to look inside but not enough to be noticed by the people below.


    Inside, she saw multiple figures. There was Yong Ren, an older man that looked simr to him, most likely his father, the Yong Patriarch, and a masked women. This was the benefactor, that Yong Ren spoke about, the one that supplied them with gold.


    "Miss Ling, about the agreement", the Yong Patriarch said, " Have you given it some thought?"


    A sweet voice came out from under the mask, "I''m still deciding. To marry into your family once you have destroyed the Zhao Family is a rather important decision. However, that is if you manage toplete this task before the Shi. Until then, this question will remain unanswered."


    "I see... Well then, I bid you a good night."


    "Wait, that was it?" Yong Ren asked questioningly.


    "Of course not, Yong Ren, escort Miss Ling back to her quarters and do it properly" the Yong Patriarch ordered.


    Yong Ren straightened and led her away. Ming Yue looked from above and followed them back to Miss Ling''s room where the two said their farewells. Ming Yue did the same as before and watched her from the roof. Miss Ling sighed and moved around the room, walking towards a small table with a mirror. She put her hand on her mask and took it off. Her hair blocked Ming Yue from finding out what she looked like but when she turned, Ming Yue could not help but be shocked.


    She did not have the face of a beauty, instead it was a face with innumerable scars!


    They ran up and down her face, across it, diagonally. She stripped down her clothes, revealing a body filled with even more signs of injuries. Burns, cuts, everything one could imagine, it was on her body.


    Ming Yue stepped back without thinking, snapping a twig in half. The crisp crack broke the silence of the night.


    "Who''s there?!"

 Chapter 77 - Cursed Body

    "Damn", Ming Yue cursed herself for being careless and ran off, not bothering to cover her tracks anymore.


    "You cannot escape me!" Miss Ling shouted.


    She quickly clothed herself and chased after Ming Yue, holding a jade flute in her hands. Putting it to her mouth, an intense howl came from it, chasing after Ming Yue. Each note produced continuous howls, like the cries of a wolf. These howls became sharp des that chased after her like hungry beasts.


    Ming Yue avoided most if not all of them, running towards the forest outside of the city. She sped into the trees, nning to use the shadows of the trees and maze-like environment to lose this woman. Each attack that Ming Yue dodged had cut through the trees as if nothing was there. Deep scars ran down the bark, it was likely that they could cut right through. If they were any ordinary trees, this feat would not he anything worth mentioning. However, these were the Maple trees that Maple Root City was known for. The whole forest is cared for by the city and has lived for almost a thousand years, furthermore, any or the sweet sap that isn''t harvested hardens into a protectiveyer. Ordinary people can''t even scratch it, so for a single attack to cause that much damage was something to fear.


    "She''s about as strong as me", Ming Yue thought as shepared herself with Miss Ling. She was not a cultivator of the Earth Realm, instead she was at the Human Realm like Ming Yue. But the flute was definitely not an ordinary one. She was''t sure as to what grade it was but at the very least it was on par with her sword.


    After several rounds of chasing, the attacks stopped but she could still hear the shrieking notes of the flute.


    Miss Ling must have lost track of her, randomly attacking everything in her path. She chased her for over an hour, creating innumerable cuts and gashes on the trees. The sweet smell of its sap permeated the air. If one was to explore and examine the trees, they would be shocked to find cuts deep enough to see the core.


    "Damn it", she grit her teeth, having been unable to capture the one that saw her face and body. Miss Ling turned away and left the forest, bitter about the result.


    Ming Yue watched her leave and breathed in relief. She chose not to enter the city immediately, in case that woman was still there. With time on her hands, she thought about what she had gathered today. The mastermind behind this was most likely not this woman. Considering what she had shown Ming Yue, there was definitely someone else controlling the strings.


    The resources she had were unusually high quality and she gave out gold like it was nothing. Judging by her scarred face and body, she must have gone through intense torture or training. Either way, this Miss Ling definitely had someone backing her up. After all, why would such a powerful person take such secretive measures instead of outright attacking the Zhao? This was no ordinary situation.


    Ming Yue pondered these details and covertly went back to the city, making sure that no one spotted her. Sneaking back into the Zhao Estate, she entered her room to find Xuan Yin asleep, cuddling with Hei Yue. She chose not to disturb her sleep and spent the morning cultivating, circling her inner force and adjusting her body.


    Hei Yue was the first to awaken followed by Xuan Yin. She rubbed her eyes as she walked up to Ming Yue''s cross legged position. Thetter was finishing up her cultivation session and with the two together, they began discussing about what they learned.


    Ming Yue spoke about the benefactor, her weapons and skills, as well as her distinctive features. Lengthening the discussion andplicating the mystery as she began to share her own thoughts and theories. Xuan Yin talked about a number of things, some of which Ming Yue had already known but there was a ring difference with their experiences.


    With the Yong Family, she had offered her body to them for marriage. But ording to Xuan Yin, the Shi Family were interested in the offer for another reason.


    "She has a unique constitution, I think they called it the "Rampant Outburst Body". I overhead them discussing their ns over using it to strengthen the younger generation. With some ancient techniques, they would absorb a bit of her blood in order to breakthrough at least once.", said Xuan Yin.


    With a body titled "Rampant Outburst", Ming Yue understood the reason why Miss Ling had so many scars on her. The constant outburst of inner force would run the risk of a body explosion, those scars were probably proof of the many close calls she had trying to control her energy. It seemed like her body was cursed, brimming the energy and yet unable to control it. A treasure for others but a lifetime of misery for the owner of such a body.


    But this detail had further cemented the idea that there was someone else watching from the shadows.


    "Should we bring this information to the Zhao Patriarch?" Xuan Yin asked, ready to talk with him.


    But Ming Yue was not as impatient, "I have to ask him several things beforehand. There are some things that I want to confirm before we reveal all this."


    The duo left their abode and asked around for the Zhao Patriarch, finding him within his personal quarters. He sat in his desk, reading through a number of documents. Behind him were shelves filled with scrolls and papers, most likely about the family businesses and other issues. His red hair was tied up in a bun as he scanned through the words before looking up and finding Ming Yue and Xuan Yin.


    "Ah, has something happened?" his voice was indifferent, neither cold nor warm as he spoke to them.


    "No, not much has happened yet", Ming Yue replied, "I just wanted to ask you a few things."


    "What is it? What would you like to know?" he asked.


    "Just two things, Do you know anything about the benefactor that is supporting the Yong and Shi Family?"


    "Outside of giving them gold to fund this fight, she has even offered her own wretched body to whichever one defeats my family first. My advisers have been informing me of all the rumors circling the city. I honestly do not know why she would go through such lengths to attack us" his tone was a bit different this time around. He sounded a bit flustered, disgruntled when reminded of this mystery.


    "Then do you know the families have nned for if they aplish their goal?"


    "This...most likely marriage. What do you mean by asking me these questions?" he became a bit unhappy with her questioning, "Shouldn''t this knowledge bemon?"


    "I just wanted to confirm some things" Ming Yue answered, "You can''t always trust rumors, some things should be seen with our own eyes."


    "What do yo-"


    In the middle of speaking, the three of them heard the loud marches of men, growing louder and louder.


    "Zhao Chang Yu! Come out of there!" the voices of two men shouted, carrying a bit of energy in their voices.


    "Damn, why are they in such a hurry?" he asked himself before leaving his quarters with his weapon, a hexagonal club.


    Ming Yue and Xuan Yin followed him closely, it seemed like much of the Zhao Family was prepared for this. Everyone stood by the gates with their weapons drawn, facing thebined forces of the Yong and Shi. Patriarch Zhao stood at the front with his club as he smiled at the other two patriarchs. The Shi Patriarch looked like a schr. Having an aged face as well as dressing up in white robes coupled with a fan, h seemed more attuned to books than fighting. The Yong Patriarch was a short and stout man who worevish clothing and wore gauntlets on his hands. Despite his small stature, hisrge frame was more than enough to make up for it.


    "Zhao Chang Yu! We will give you a choice, either leave Maple Root City with you whole n or we will do it ourselves."

 Chapter 78 - Confrontation At The Gates

    "Hmph! Do you think that I don''t dare to fight the both of you?!" the Zhao Patriarch looked at them with confidence but inwardly, there was desperation.


    It has only been a few days since his daughter hade back with the others. He was not prepared for such quick action by the two families. Nevertheless, it seemed that he has no other choice now.


    He stepped forward and held his club up, a faint aura of metal emerged from his being.


    There was a bit of ridicule on the faces of the Yong and Shi Patriarchs before shock overtook them.


    "You''ve broken through?" they both pointed at him, "You were at the Mind Stage just two weeks ago."


    "While the both of you were busy bickering, I have been working quite hard. You can''t expect me to not have any secrets or trump cards", the Zhao Patriarch spoke as his aura grew stronger.


    Ming Yue could faintly feel the cultivation of these three men, all were within the Earth Realm but the Zhao Patriarch was stronger than them by a fair margin. He was probably a stage or two higher then both of them. Judging by what the patriarchs said, the Zhao Patriarch must be in the Sight Stage.


    The Earth Realm had seven stagespared to the nine levels of the Human Realm. The Human Realm focused on tempering the body, the physical vessel of energy. The Earth Realm was slightly different, this was the stage where one had to attune themselves to the world. Core, Mind, Sight, Feel, Emotion, Soul, and Edge were the names of the seven stages, each one focused on an aspect of the mind and soul connecting with thews of nature.


    This was the highest that most cultivators could go and it was because of the final stage, Edge. To break out of the world and reach the high heavens, it was more of a test than anything. Non-stop cultivation would do nothing here, instead the method to passing was unique. The world would summon a tribtion to those who want to pass, from lightning to fire, every person''s tribtion was different. But those that survive would undoubtedly reach the Sky Realm.


    Although, the Zhao Patriarch had only recently broken through to the Sight Stage, he did not seem very far from reaching the next bottleneck.


    "Even if I lose here, I could take the both of you with me. Do you still wish to continue with this?" he threatened, raring to fight them. Behind him, members of the Zhao readied their weapons. They were not going to leave without putting up a fight.


    The Yong and Shi felt hesitant, if they were to die here then all of their effort would be in vain. Someone appeared out of nowhere, most likely with a secret technique. Emerging from the shadows, it was the woman Ming Yue had seen before, Miss Ling. She walked up and whispered into the ears of the two patriarchs, who looked surprised from her appearance. She finished talking and left in the same way she entered, leaving the two patriarchs on their own. Before she left, she took one look at the Zhao Patriarch, not bothering to pay attention to anyone else.


    "Good, good! You win! Everyone withdraw!" the Shi Patriarch announced angrily. They ordered a retreat and left quickly, leaving their sight within minutes. Their faces were somewhat bitter, unhappy that their ns were for naught. However, they were able to keep their lives for today.


    The Zhao Patriarch sighed in relief before going back in to the estate, where he copsed to the floor. Exhaustion had overtaken him and his servants quickly brought him to his room.


    "I only need time to rest. Do not worry" he told them, walking with the help of his daughter.


    Ming Yue took another look at his cultivation again, finding it to have decreased by arge margin. His body was severely weakened and his meridians were slightly damaged. This would take at least a month to recover from but he probably has some medicinal pills to hasten his recovery.


    "So it was a technique that allowed him to temporarily increase in power", Xuan Yin realized this, conversing with Ming Yue.


    But she was too busy thinking about the entire situation. This attack seemed very random and at the same time, very strange. Why did Miss Ling want them to leave? If she hated the Zhao, then she would''ve helped the Yong-Shi attack rather than think of retreating. It all seemed unusual to her. The mysteries continued to grow with each minute.


    "We should follow the woman and see what we can uncover" she suggested to Xuan Yin, who agreed.


    "She is definitely the most mysterious one. We have to keep a close eye on her."


    That night, Liqiu knocked on the door before letting herself in. Both Ming Yue and Xuan Yin were busy preparing for the night.


    "What are the both of you nning tonight?" she asked.


    "Just a bit of tracking" Xuan Yin answered cheerfully.


    "I see..." Liqiu looked around awkwardly before finding a spot to sit.


    "Do you think that this situation could be remedied?"


    "Mmmm, I certainly hope so. It would be a bit sad to have your family leave their home."


    "Yes, that''s true..." Liqiu looked troubled by today''s event. Evidently she felt a bit guilty about it.


    "Was I too selfish to reject Shao Jin''s proposal? Perhaps, If I had epted it, my father would not be in the state that he is. If it weren''t for the two of you, I would not have been able to live. I am at a loss as to what I want to do to help. I feel powerless..." she opened up to them about her doubts. Being the daughter of a noble, her cultivation and general ability was greater than themon man and yet, these past few days, she had not contributed much.


    Liqiu was beginning to doubt her own ability as a noble. She was to be calm and decisive, able to understand the bigger picture. But with every decision she makes, the doubt in her heart grows. Were the choices she made correct? Was there another way? The more she questioned herself, the more depressed she felt.


    Ming Yue was the first to speak up, "You did nothing wrong. If there was nothing else that you could''ve done then you did your best. There is nothing wrong with doing the best you can. Rather than wallow in self-pity, persevere instead. Talent can take you to the top but determination stops you from falling off."


    She spoke from experience. Having decent talent was certainly helpful but her own grit had allowed her to survive a number of dangerous situation.


    Liqu felt better about herself and thanked her before leaving. Ming Yue''s words of encouragement had lifted her spirits. But since then, she started visiting and talking to Ming Yue and Xuan Yin, curious about their experiences. Despite being of a simr age to Ming Yue, Liqiu did not see the world, having only stayed in Maple Root City her entire life. The trip to the capital had been her first time outside. Xuan Yin did most of the talking, sometimes exaggerating her time in the Stone Forest as well as the fight with Tong Ku, the Lord of Torment. As for her partner, Ming Yue did not reveal much about herself, telling them that she hade from a obscure vige.


    "Maybe we should visit sometime!" Xuan Yin suggested, travelling with Ming Yue had piqued her curiosity for the longest time. Now this was an opportunity for her to find out.


    She paused at her suggestion before answering, "You can''t, it doesn''t exist anymore."


    She did not expect Ming Yue''s answer and chose not to pursue it any longer. A vige that doesn''t exist anymore means one thing, it was destroyed.


    "Come on, let''s go watch her again", Ming Yue paid no mind to Xuan Yin''s strange expression and left the courtyard. She recovered from her slight shock and followed her.


    For the past several days, they''ve been keeping tabs on Miss Ling, watching her every move. However, she did not do much, only moving between the Yong and Shi Estates to maintain contact. At this point, there was no use in continuing to watch her, if this was all she did. Instead, they would probably help retake the properties that the Yong and Shi had taken.


    They found her within the Shi Estate, strolling around her room. This was probably another day of nothing, no new information of developments. They watched for several hours from a roof top opposite to her room. But, their waiting was not for nothing, as she quietly left her room after blowing the lights out.


    The both of them became fully alert and followed her as she left the city and entered the forest.


    Was she meeting with someone?

 Chapter 79 - True Identity

    She waited in a small clearing. Standing in the center of it, she looked out into a distance, facing towards the city.


    Both Ming Yue and Xuan Yin hid in the tree''s branches, watching her in the outskirts of the clearing. Minutester, a figure emerged from the trees, arriving at her feet. She cupped her hands and bowed to the mysterious person. Wearing a cloak over their head and body, neither girl could discern anything about them. They could only deduce that whoever this person was, it was the mastermind behind all of this.


    A dark aura seeped from Miss Ling''s body as it encased her before dissipating, leaving apletely different person. The feeling that she emanated now was different, almost foreign. Ming Yue was shocked as was Xuan Yin, as they looked at her.


    She still resembled a human but her aura was unlike that of a cultivator. It was a dark red color, bloody and menacing. Her hair was no longer ck but in the same color as her aura. The only thing that stayed the same from her disguise were the scars on her body, numerous and in a variety of sizes. Her face was also simr but had additional markings on them. They were tribal like and made her seem more intimidating.


    Could she be a demon?


    The thought of it crossed their minds but Ming Yue could not believe it. After all, the changing of ages had brought about cataclysm, splitting the three continents off. Humans, Demons, and Beastmen were split for thousands of years now.


    "Could it be that the continents are connected again? Has a war already broken out?" she thought.


    Her thinking was interrupted by Miss Ling''s conversation with the hooded figure, who started off the conversation in anger.


    "Ling Xue, why did you let those two idiots fight so early?! It almost ruined my ns!" his tone was cold and unforgiving as he chastised her.


    "I apologize, my lord. This lowly one did not think that the Yong and Shi Patriarch would be so brazen to act without my knowing", she looked down, not daring to face her master.


    "Agh, all of this would not have happened if that girl had done her job and brought the young master of the Shao here. Then there''s the two other girls she brought back, I''m guessing one of them is responsible for tracking you the other day. Did she see your true form?"


    "No, I was still disguised when I heard her outside."


    "Good. They probably still think that you are behind all of this. If they were to know that you are a demon, that would greatlyplicate things. Those two have already made things worse with the Shao Family. Hmph, I might as well use them."


    "So she was a demon!" both women were shocked especially Ming Yue. Have demons already infiltrated the Human Continent?


    They stopped thinking about this and continued to listen in.


    "Ever since that Azure Soul Lord appeared in the capital and revealed the truths of the world, the entire country has been tense. I have to infiltrate the Capital City and find out the situation of the other two continents. Originally, the Shao Patriarch''s son would be the best vessel to house my soul but now he isn''t here. I will have to settle with one of those girls", he spoke to her, updating the n as he continued to think.


    "Yes, master", Ling Xue replied before turning back into her previous form.


    "Ugh", the hooded figure groaned as he dropped to his knees.


    "Master!" she hurried to him and helped him stand.


    "That show I put up earlier has weakened this body, I only showed a fraction of my power and it is already beginning to wear it down. It will notst long before it disintegrates", he grimaced in pain as he spoke. His hood pulled back as Ling Xue supported him, revealing his face.


    Again, they were shocked to find that the true mastermind was actually the Zhao Patriarch or rather, it used his body. If this was the case, then the true Zhao Patriarch has already died, his mind and soul erased by the new owner of his body. Furthermore, when he had "showed his true cultivation" to the other patriarchs, that was not some technique but the demon''s soul increasing its power. It was no wonder, the meridians were damaged and his bod seemed so weak.


    "If you have the chance, I want you to subdue the smaller girl with the long staff. From what I remember, she is a pretty well known person. She has ties with the president of the Jade Dragon Pavilion, Tang Guang. Now go back, tell them to attack in a week by then the preparations will be done" he ordered before looking off into the sky.


    "It shall be done" Ling Xue nodded her head with a resolute expression before leaving her master.


    Minutester, he sighed before talking to himself.


    "Over a thousand years have passed since then. I wonder if my nsmen are still there. Will there be a home left for me in the demon continent?" he looked dejected as these thoughts took over his mind.


    He has spent over a thousand years in the human continent, stuck after the catastrophe happened and unable to return. Like many others, he was always hopeful that he would return and took over human bodies to stay alive. But after such a long time, many demons had perished under the hands of time, destined to die without their family.


    He too was about to give up, until he found himself at the Youth Dragon tournament. He watched as the Lord of Azure Souls came and reinvigorated him with news of the other continents. He began to hatch a n, to infiltrate the royal pce and take over the body of a high ranking official. Once that was done, he could find out more information about the continents and hope to return home. He had to start somewhere and took over the body of an unfortunate soul, the Zhao Patriarch.


    He stopped thinking these thoughts and reminiscing about his n, dashing away from the clearing and back to the city.


    Meanwhile, Ming Yue and Xuan Yin waited in their spots, trying to absorb all of this information. After so long, there were still demons who lived among humans. Neither could wrap their heads around the Zhao Patriarch being the mastermind. Even though it was not really him, just the sight of him speaking and revealing it was a surprise to them.


    They were at a dilemma now. What could they do to solve this?


    If the Zhao Patriarch''s body was to break, the demon''s soul would lock onto someone else''s body. From what he said before, he would need to weaken Ming Yue to take her body, so his soul must not be very strong. Transferring into so many bodies will have taken its toll on him.


    "Let''s go back first", Xuan Yin spoke first before Ming Yue agreed.


    They left the clearing and dashed back to the Zhao Estate, still somewhat shaken from before. That night, they discussed ways of disrupting the demon''s n but none of them could stop himpletely. In the end, he could easily take another body and start over again. That was their biggest problem. Neither had a method to deal with the soul nor did they have experience. One week was too short for them to really think of a way of dealing with his soul. At best, they could trap it using some treasure or formation. But to do so, they would need to find something that could hold it.


    After hours of thinking, Xuan Yin had thought of something but felt unsure as to whether it would work.


    "It could work...."

 Chapter 80 - One Week

    Ming Yue''s ears perked up to her words. After thinking for so long, she realized that no normal method could be utilized against a person''s soul. Not to mention she knew nothing about it. Xuan Yin was a bit more experienced in this, considering she was mentored by her grandfather, a well known expert.


    "This might work but I''m not sure" Xuan Yin was still hesitant about speaking, clearly this had a w to it.


    "There is this technique that my grandfather uses when he hunts strong beasts", she began to describe and exin this wondrous skill.


    "By infusing two arrows with inner force, they must hit the head and the heart. Doing so will allow the energy to invade the body and enter the core where the soul lies. Once it reaches the soul, the energy from the arrows will wreck havoc on the soul by going berserk. It is simr to my skill, the Four Sins. If the technique is sessful, the victim would lose their mind and ultimately be an empty shell. However, if the beast can withstand the strike, they would still sustain damage to the soul. This could have a number of effects such as memory loss and a decrease in cultivation."


    This seemed much easier then trying to find a item to trap the soul. Such things were too rare to find but this technique had solved their issue.


    However, Ming Yue did not smile or feel relieved.


    "What is problem with it?" she asked.


    Xuan Yin hesitated to speak but exined the issue, "I''m not confident in executing it. Chances are, it could damage his soul but erasing it is much harder. The energy within the arrows must be controlled during the technique or else it would just mindlessly move around. Furthermore, If we shoot him, I do not think the rest of the Zhao Family would be too happy. Only the two of us know his true nature. I doubt Liqiu would believe us if we told her that her father was taken over by a demon."


    This was certainly an issue. Fighting him would be simple but doing so in front of everyone would be difficult. Perhaps it would be possible during the chaos of battle but even then, someone would notice them. Once they subdue him, they would be assaulted by everyone, the Zhao for attacking their "patriarch" and the Yong and Shi due to Ling Xue.


    "Do you think you can do it?" Ming Yue asked.


    "I''m unsure but we have to try."


    They prepared until night passed and went out to a branch of the Jade Dragon Pavilion. Neither women were sure that they could stop the demon soulpletely. Thus they sent out a letter to the capital city, exining the situation and asking for help. Furthermore, a n was formed in regards to attacking the demon discreetly.


    With everything in order, they spent the next few days monitoring everyone while awaiting a message from the capital city.


    During this time, tension had begin to grow throughout the continent. The High Council''s castle was filled. Thirteen figures knelt in front of seven thrones, awaiting their orders.


    The seven members of the High Council spoke out, a booming voice filled the halls.


    "An Ri hase back with thest seal."


    "The formations are nowplete. Inform all nations that everything will begin two days from now when the auspicious time arrives."


    "You thirteen messengers will be tasked to defend the teleportation circles as they are activated. If the demon or beast cultivators attack...kill them."


    "Yes! High Council, we will obey!" they voiced their agreement and quickly set off to prepare.


    Following theirmands, the countries and kingdoms closest to the teleportation circles prepared for battle. Even if that was not the case, they needed to maintain some degree of vignce. The hustle and bustle of their cities were reced with the sound of metal and horses as armies marched toward the circles.


    There were four teleportation circles ced on four ends of the continent and each one was surrounded by thousands upon thousands of warriors. Two were linked with the demon continent while the others were linked to the beast continent. From the armies of nations to numerous sects tasked with protecting their home. They stood silently waiting for the circles to activate. Apanied with them, were the messengers, split into four groups to oversee and speak with the iing races.


    The High Council disappeared from their castle, reappearing into seven different points. Circling their energy, symbols emerged from their bodies as a formation formed.


    At the moment ofpletion, two of the teleportation circles began to glow a bluish color before a pir of light crashed down one of them.


    "Someone is already using it!?" one of the messengers, Su Yao spoke with disbelief.


    These circle was linked to the demon continent. As the light dissipated, a group of demons appeared. An ancient aura surrounded them as they looked around, facing the massive armies of man. There was a variety of them, demons with wings, horned ones, those with death-like skin. As they looked around, the messengers that were assigned to this circle flew down.


    The demons noticed their arrival and gave a slight bow in respect.


    "The High Council wees you back to the Human Continent. We will bring you in for a bit of discussion", it was Su Yao who spoke to them.


    He quickly recovered from his shock and greeted them. He was a part of the High Council and needed to act the part.


    "Yes, please. We of the Demon Continent have been trying to connect for years. There are many matters that must be discussed", the demons seemed quite amiable and their response was intriguing.


    They''ve been trying to travel to the other continents for years now? Exactly what has the Demon Continent been through after the changing of ages.


    Su Yao led them back to the High Council''s castle as the others continued to watch the circles.


    Arriving at the castle, the High Council were already inside, seated on their thrones as if waiting.


    "We seven members of the High Council wee you to our little abode. Please, there is no need to bow. Just speak your mind."


    The group of demons did not seem surprised by their appearance and stood upright. One of them, a man with wings spoke first.


    "We demons are a group sent by thestst of our kind to ask for help. The Demon Continent was thrown into chaos and we demon races fought against each other. Our wars and battles have ravaged thend, our numbers dwindled from starvation and constant fighting. Even now, there are battles happening all through out the continent. What we ask of you, is for your aid in helping us quell these fights and reunite the Demon Continent."


    The High Council was silent, pondering this call for help. The situation was still unknown. For all they know, this could be a trap. However, if what these demons said was true, then the human race should aid them.


    "Have you any news of the Beast Continent?" one of them asked.


    "No. Although our teleportation circles are active, we have been unable to travel there", the winged demon replied.


    "I see. Well then, I shall have several men scout the Demon Continent first. Until then, please rest here and recover. Time has been harsh on you all."


    The winged demon smiled and bowed, "Thank you! I am Gao Ri of the Winged Demon Race. This is Hui Zhou of the Giant Race...."


    After introducing everyone on the group, Su Yao led them into a separate hall to rest while the High Council continued to contemte the current situation. There were many thing to consider and the best they could do was tread carefully.


    With all of this happening, Maple Root City was beginning its own battle.

 Chapter 81 - Fierce Combat

    The streets were empty, not a soul could be seen. All of them knew that today was the day, a day where blood would be shed. None of them wanted to be a part of this battle, no one wanted to get hurt. Some watched from the cracks of their windows, waiting to see the oue of the fight.


    It was silent. The sun slowly rose up until it reached the peak, showering everything in its light. At that moment, a group walked forth, heading for the Zhao Estate.


    "Zhao Chang Yu! Your time is over, get out of your little hole!" the Yong Patriarch shouted arrogantly.


    Secondster, the Zhao Patriarch emerged from the estate, followed by the members of the Zhao Family. Ming Yue and her two pets stood at the front with her sword unsheathed, garnering the attention of many who did not recognize her. Liqiu apanied her, simrly wielding a club like her father. As for Xuan Yin, she was nowhere to be found, possibly hiding somewhere, waiting to attack.


    "You do not have to do this, Yong Wu. You and Shi Fan can stop before it starts", the Zhao Patriarch spoke earnestly, as if he truly did not want to fight.


    "You cannot stop us. We''vee too far to step back. Our benefactor has rewarded greatly for attacking you and frankly, you''ve be to big for your own good. If you truly do not want to fight, then leave the city. The Zhao will have to find a new home", the Yong Patriarch answered, still maintaining his confidence.


    Although the two patriarchs were afraid of the Zhao Patriarch''s cultivation, their benefactor, Miss Ling reasoned with them.


    "There''s no way his cultivation could increase so fast. He must have used a technique to temporarily increase it. His body should be weakened now", she exined.


    That felt that it made sense, to breakthrough a stage in the Earth Realm took years and yet he did so in a month. This was not logical, such speed was simply inhuman. Only the stuff of legends could do such things. Their confidence surged and the two prepared to attack the next day only to be stopped by Miss Ling.


    It was strange that that she wanted them to attack a week from now but neither really cared. So long as they could defeat the Zhao Patriarch, nothing else mattered.


    "Well then, I see that none of us are willing to budge today..." the Yong Patriarch stepped forth, his gauntlets glowing green. He had an affinity for wood, a sign of vitality and strength. It was not the sharpest or the most powerful but it was boasted the best resilience. No matter what will befall a tree or grass, it will alwayse back stronger than before. This quality was what made the element of wood so special.


    The Shi Patriarch followed as well, bits and pieces of ice began to form around him. Slowly they merged, creating severalnces of ice. An affinity for ice, cold and unforgiving, its greatest quality was firmness. The harsh power of the cold can wear a person down, weaken them, break them. Its power to invade and pierce whatever''s in its way is fearsome.


    All of their members marched forth, wielding their weapons as ice formed and a brilliant green covered their bodies.


    The Zhao Estate walked forth in response, the temperature suddenly increased. Molten rock formed into pieces of armor and adornments to their weapons. A dual affinity of fire and earth! Abination of destruction from fire and resilience from earth made for a powerful mix.


    Such things were quite rare but there have been cases of ns sharing the same affinities and the Zhao was one of them.


    As for Ming Yue, she circled her energy to its peak. A thinyer of wind coated her sword, causing the de to be even sharper. It was not as shy as the others but it was the deadliest by far. However, she was not here to go on a massacre.


    No, her true goal was taking down the demon in control of the Zhao Patriarch''s body. But first, there was one obstacle she faced before targeting him, his servant, Ling Xue. No one noticed her but she was there, hidden within the groups of ice and wood cultivators.


    As everyone moved closer to each other, Ming Yue looked at Ling Xue, watching her every move. Ling Xue had noticed her from the very beginning and waited. She waited for her to make the first move.


    Neither moved, waiting until the two sides finally met. The Patriarchs were at the front, their energy circling to its peak as their weapons crashed into each other. At the sound of the first shing of weapons, the two women moved.


    They were blurs, attacking each other within the chaos of the battle. One held a flute to the opening of her mask, the howls of each note tore through stone and flesh alike. The other flickered about, attacking whenever there was an opportunity. As the battle continued, Ling Xue was surprised to find that Ming Yue''s cultivation was less then hers and yet she was slightly weaker.


    The thought of this gave way to fear and anger, that someone so young could have such strength. Despite her damaged body, Ling Xue cultivated hard reaching the higher levels of the human realm. With the help of her master, her rampant energy was kept in control but she could not utilize it. Until she reached the Earth Realm, her body would not be able to handle the power. But once, she did, her power would skyrocket. She would not let this girl stop her.


    She channeled energy into the flute and released a piercing cry, knocking out everyone around her.


    Ming Yue did not expect the attack and was hurt but did not lose consciousness. However, she had a slight pause to which Ling Xue took advantage of and she punched Ming Yue, sending her into the air. Before she could follow up, a figure stood between them, blocking her way. It was Liqiu, her club was covered in spikes made of molten rock. A crude armor made of the same material covered her body while her head was hidden within a helmet with three horns.


    "I will not let you hurt MIng Yue anymore", she spoke resolutely, raising her club towards Ling Xue.


    Ling Xue smirked and attacked her without hesitation. Liqiu stood there, preparing to endure the hit when her guardian, You Qian jumped in front of her and took it instead.


    "You Qian!" Liqiu caught him before he fell to the ground.


    "Do not worry, young miss. I am fine", He groaned in pain, the attack was not strong enough to kill him but it dealt quite a bit of pain to him.


    Ling Xue prepared to attack again when an arrow struck the flute, stopping her from blowing another note.


    "I was getting a bit bored just hiding. Come on then, let''s see how strong you can be", Xuan Yin stood in front of the two, an arrow ready to be released.


    Ming Yue recovered from the attack and joined Xuan Yin. The damage she sustained was not much and she prepared to fight again.


    Ling Xue''s situation was not looking good. Through the teamwork of the two cultivators, she was pushed back, suffering injuries from the both of them. The pressure she faced was daunting, both were too quick for her to catch and there was no choice but to act passively in this fight.


    The battle grew fiercer as everyone attacked with more zeal. The three patriarchs continued to fight intensely. Shock waves formed from each impact as the Yong and Shi Patriarch continued to assault the Zhao Patriarch with a barrage of punches and icences. Despite the disadvantage in numbers, the fight was even, neither was able to topple the other.


    "Zhao Chang Yu! Give it up!" said the Shi Patriarch, "You will notst long enough to the this day end!"


    The demon within the Zhao Patriarch''s body could feel it weakening, it would disintegrate soon enough.


    Suddenly, he retreated, much to the surprise of everyone. A look of confusion was on the Zhao Patriarch''s face, reced by shock and excitement. Thenughter came from him, loud and wild, everyone paused to look at him.


    Could he have gone crazy?

 Chapter 82 - Return To The Capital

    "I feel it! My kin is here! Hahahaha, I will be free!" the Zhao Patriarch looked on in happiness, staring off into the sky.


    Everyone could not help but pause and watch himugh as if he had obtained the greatest treasure in the world.


    "He must have turned insane", they thought, "Driven to the brink because of his situation."


    But Ming Yue and Xuan Yin knew what he was talking about. They did not think less of him like the others but grew fearful from his words.


    His kin? Have demons entered the human continent? Was what the Lord of Azure Souls said true then? That they had activated the teleportation circles and reconnected the continents?


    "Stop him!" Ming Yue yelled out and charged at Ling Xue.


    Xuan Yin awakened from her stupor and shot out two pitch ck arrows. They were ethereal, almost formless, shooting through the air and straight into his body. His body crumpled from the impact but he still stood, unfazed from the attack. His happiness from before was still present, as if he didn''t care. But soon his expression changed as the two arrows disappeared into nothing, entering his body. Once they disappeared, Xuan Yin formed several hand signs and began controlling the energy from the arrows.


    "No! What is this?" he yelled out with desperation, trying to fight off the rampaging energies.


    His physical body could not handle the fight between powers, it began to morph and bend into ungodly shapes.


    Ling Xue realized that her master was suffering from those arrows that Xuan Yin shot and headed towards her. However, Ming Yue was already several feet in front of her and knocked her away. She chased after her and pinned her body to the ground. The edge of her sword pressed against her neck, ready to cut down.


    "Wait, what are you doing? Why did you shoot him? Why did you shoot my father?" Liqiu looked towards the two, asking them in shock.


    They promised to save her family but now, they''ve doomed it. Without her father, no one would be able to support their family against the Yong and Shi Family.


    "Urgh...Ah....Aaahhhhhh!" the demonic soul screamed as the body could not handle the energy any longer.


    Cracks formed all over it before disintegrating right in front of everyone, revealing a ball of ck mist. Released from it vessel, it took the shape of a person except that there were tworge horns on its head. Like the horns of a deer, they grewrge and grand, nearly two feet in length with multiple branches to it. Compared to its appearance, the power it gave off was enormous causing many to drop to their knees.


    The figure writhed in pain, unable to control his power. Xuan Yin''s two arrows continued to cause havoc on him.


    Ling Xue struggled to break free from Ming Yue but was helpless.


    "Stop! Don''t do this!" she cried out.


    "What? What is this?" the Yong Patriarch spoke with awe, he was able to withstand the demon''s aura and did not drop like the others.


    This was supposed to be a fight among three noble families, humans! but now, this was no human. The feeling it gave off was different, like a demon.


    Realization suddenly hit him as he looked at the dark figure.


    "That''s a demon! The Zhao Patriarch is a demon!" he yelled out with disbelief.


    Everyone was hit with another wave of shock especially the Zhao Family.


    A demon? Their patriarch was a demon? How could that be?


    Liqiu could not believe it.


    "Did they know?" she thought, "Did they know that he was a demon?"


    She looked at Ming Yue and Xuan Yin, who were busy dealing with the demon and his servant. If it was like this, then no matter what had happened, her father was already dead. She focused back at the soul with newfound hatred. This demon had ruined her family and their livelihood. She could not let it live.


    While it still struggled to rid its soul of the berserk energy, she trapped it within a prison of magma. A bright red ball of melting earth encased the demon, before condensing itself. But it barely did a thing, bursting open from the demon''s power. Everyone else followed her actions, attempting to weaken and subdue the demon while it was still preupied. Ice, wood and rock formed a prison to contain the demon.


    "Stop!" a thunderous shout knocked everyone away, stopping them from containing the demon.


    Three figure flew down from the sky,nding in the center of it all. They looked around before one of them noticed Ling Xue and took her off of Ming Yue''s grasp. She could do nothing to stop it for he was too strong. The one in front was the most eye catching as she was a demon, a horned demon, just like the demonic soul. She stared at the soul, dispelling Xuan Yin''s technique almost instantly.


    "This is the soul of my ancestor, he had been stuck in the Human Continent for over a thousand years. Please let him go, he does not have much time left to live and we would like for him to see his home once again", she cupped her fists and bowed.


    "Where did youe from? What is going on?" the Shi Patriarch spoke out, demanding answers to everyone''s thoughts.


    One of the three, a man, exined.


    "We have activated the teleportation circles and sessfully linked with the Demon Continent. In doing so, we as the human race have begun exploring the continent to assess the situation. She is a representative of the Horned Race from the Demon Continent, sent for peace talks when suddenly she felt the aura of an ancestor and immediately set off to his location. This girl here is also a demon so we will be taking her back. Now then, may we go?" he asked the Horned Demon.


    "Yes, let''s leave", she agreed and they flew off with Ling Xue and the demon''s soul. No one could stop them.


    Those three left as quickly as they came, putting an end to this conflict.


    In theing days all three families stayed within their abodes to recuperate. Of the three, the Zhao suffered the most in both power and reputation. They had lost the strongest member of the family and they had lost it to a demon. Most likely, they would fade away, unable to rise up having lost something that could not be recovered.


    Ming Yue and Xuan Yin left quietly. Neither were able to see Liqiu who had be bedridden from the shock. They offered their help within theing years to repay the family and while You Qian thanked them, his eyes showed a great sorrow that could not be fixed There was bitterness in their hearts as they left the city, the Zhao Family had lost its spirit.


    They journeyed back to the Capital in silence, hearing news of the Demon Continent''s connection. There was a number of emotions, curiosity, excitement, fear. What could the Demon Continent bring? No one knew what treasures or unusual items were within it. What sort of dangers could there be? It was unfortunate that traveling to the teleportation circles on the road could take upwards to a year, by foot it was even longer. But for cultivators it was a matter of months.


    At the gates, Xuan Yin split off with Ming Yue, exining that she had learned a lot and wanted to returned to the Stone Forest to think about her experiences. She must have felt useless after how the situation yed out and wanted to get stronger. Ming Yue did not me her, she felt the same as well. It wasn''t so much that they did nothing but that they could not affect the result. The Zhao Family was not kicked out but it would never be able to recover.


    Perhaps if they were still around while she was stronger, she woulde back to help them. If only she was more powerful. If she wanted to change something, she needed power and right now, she felt as if she had none of it.


    She consoled herself before thinking about the task at hand, to obtain the Splitting Moon de from the auction. This sword was another step to improving herself and the urge to obtain it grew stronger. Perhaps without the sword, she could still go on, but this was a goal. It was something she gave herself toplete.. If she could not go through with it, then this meant that she did not have the resolve.

 Chapter 83 - The Auction

    The General Auction, a week-long event that urs every ten years in order to procure numerous items. Because of the preparation and thought that goes into it, it is the biggest event in the country with hundreds of items being auctioned off as well as an innumerable number of stalls and shops. Hundreds of thousands of people attend in hopes to obtain something or sell off their winnings.


    It is housed in the Bright Treasure Auction Hall near the center of the city. Its size is second to the Emperor''s castle and is able to amodate millions of people. Furthermore, even the arena that was used for the Youth Dragon Tournament was being used for the auction.


    It was mostly used by themon citizen to fight for items that were considered umon and below but for those rarer things, they were done within the Auction Hall.


    Everyone moved around excitedly, the General Auction was starting tomorrow and everyone was working to get as much money as they possible can to use for the auction.


    Ming Yue was the same, trying to gain more gold. Despite her experiences in Maple Root City, she dove herself into doing herb collecting and healing to forget it. Doing so was not very good for her, but there was nothing she could do to rid her conscious of it so quickly. She had already obtained over a million gold from this past year and continued to gain more. She sold the herbs that she found and any weapons or treasures she obtained from bandits and other ill-willed cultivators.


    Xiao Yin and Hei Yue tried their best to cheer her up but they could not remove this stain from her mind. This matter with the Zhao Family had weighed her down. She spoke with Elder Yin about this when she came back from Maple Root City, needing someone to listen to her.


    She listened carefully, giving her own opinions and thoughts on the matter.


    "It''s not your fault, the same goes for Xuan Yin", she said, "His body was already taken over before you had interfered. If anything, you had prevented him from infiltrating even further into the country. Albeit, after the Demon Continent linked with our continent, his soul was picked up by the demons. You are young and still have a long way to go, your strength can still improve."


    Despite listening to her, Ming Yue still felt that she could''ve done more. But in the end, it all came down to power, she needed more. She needed to get stronger if she wanted to change something in this world. That feeling of being powerless was something she did not want to experience again.


    When she left Elder Yin''s office, the elder handed her something. It was a card of some sort, simr to the silver card from Gold Honor but it was a shimmering purple color instead.


    "This is an entry card for the auction. There are multiple grades to it that let you ess certain types of auctions. This purple one should be enough to get you to the Splitting Moon de, however, getting it is another story", she said.


    Ming Yue quickly thanked her before leaving. Days after their meeting, she made good use of her time obtaining more gold. Now, the General Auction was starting tomorrow.


    A wisp of excitement passed through her eyes as she thought about it. Thergest event in the country, something that happens every ten years. There was bound to be all kinds of strange and wondrous items to see.


    If Xuan Yin was here, she would be much more excited than her. Ming Yue thought this, missing the energy that her friend have.


    She quickly dismissed these thoughts and rested for the night. The auction for the Splitting Moon de would happen on the fourth day. Until then, she would probably spend the first several days looking around.


    At the break of dawn, the General Auction had officially begun!


    Stalls were set up all throughout the city, shops put out discounts and sales, people had already started bidding crazily over little treasures.


    Unlike the people here, Ming Yue was not so desperate as to wake up before the sun even rose. Instead, she had a great rest and woke up feeling energetic and excited. Her ce of rest was not too far away from where the auction was being held and she could here the mor of people from here.


    She dressed up and left the inn with Hei Yue and Xiao Yin. The trio reached the edges of the auction and began exploring it casually. There was nothing here that Ming Yue really desired and she did want to save up her money for the Splitting Moon de. They looked through the streets with curiosity, perusing the many venues and sellers who set up their wares on the ground. There was shouting on every corner, trying to entice these potential buyers. Crowds of people strolled through the streets, looking and examining the items that wereid out.


    From exquisite jewelry to broken weapons, iplete manuals, rare fruits and medicines, each one had some value to it.


    As Ming Yue continued to look around, she noticed a big crowd in front of her, surrounding this one seller.


    "You''ll never find this in a thousand years!" he yelled out, holding something in his hands,"This is the egg of a Orchid Fang Snake, a rank three beast! My brothers and I fought hard to take this from its mother and we are willing to part with it for nine thousand gold!"


    This was indeed a rare find and many people began offering him their price. Ming Yue was also intrigued by this but chose not to join. After all, she had Hei Yue, a Mistral Fox, and Xiao Yin, a Star Owl, there was no need to have more beasts join her.


    As she thought this, a voice silenced all the others within that crowd.


    "Twenty thousand gold, take it or leave it", it was a clear and sweet voice that spoke out, offering this outrageous sum of money.


    Everyone grew quiet and looked for the source of this voice. Ming Yue also searched wondering who would offer such a number. As they looked around, their focus descended on a young girl under the age of twenty. She wore bright purple robes and carried a very dignified air. Her face had a gentle expression and her hair was braided into one long lock. It was to the point where it reached her ankles.


    "Bing Yun Zhi?" Ming Yue thought.


    It was the young daughter of the Bing Family, one of the five noble families of the capital city and best known for medicine. She was second in the tournament after her predecessor, Shu Zhi revealed himself to be a vessel for the Lord of Azure Souls.


    Bing Yun Zhi was much stronger than before, most likely in the Earth Realm, but that was to be expected.


    Being second gave her ess to a number of treasures including a chance to cultivate in the Lotus Domain. A secret realm where only the strongest were allowed to enter and train. The pressure that it exudes onto those within the domain would be enough to force out anyone''s untapped potential.


    It seems that she had benefited greatly from the domain.


    "I hope that no one will fight me for this egg. I need this for my studies", she said, letting out a cute little smile to everyone.


    They did not reply, showing their willingness to surrender the egg. None of them expected someone of the five noble families to be here, walking around the streets. Usually it would be servants doing such things while they were in the auction hall.


    Bing Yun Zhi walked forward to the dumbfounded seller and handed him a bag full of gold. Afterwards, her maid walked forth and took the egg from him.


    Ming Yue had stopped watching and continued walking through the streets. She did not know the young daughter of the Bing Family personally and had no reason to speak with her.. It was certainly interesting to watch these things unfold.

 Chapter 84 - A Strange Treasure

    She continued to explore the streets around the auction hall, eventually reaching the arena where the less significant items were being auctioned off.


    "What''s this?" she thought.


    Nearing the arena, her eyes caught a rugged book, on the faded cover was the image of a thunderous storm. Ming Yue did not know why she was drawn to it but she wanted to look through the book. She walked up to the little stall and picked up the book before flipping through it.


    There were no words but pictures, drawings of wind and lightning in all of its glory. Despite the condition that these drawings were in, they were extremely detailed and almost lifelike. Ming Yue could feel herself being drawn to the artwork as if her mind was being pulled in.


    "If you want this book, I''ll sell it to you for ten gold coins", said the trader.


    She was a young woman with dark brown hair. All of the things she was selling seemed to be of a simr quality as the book, damaged and old. It was likely that she was selling off any old items that she had lying around.


    "This book is a manual that my great-grandfather found when he was out exploring the continent. Unfortunately this book did not hold any benefits for him but he kept it anyway, believing that some great figure created this book. He passed away several years ago and it was passed on to me but I have no use for it either", she said.


    Ming Yue listened to her story while continuing to examine the drawings within it. After a bit of consideration, she decided to purchase it purely out of curiosity. While it may not have any face value, she felt that there was more to this manual. It has almost put her into a trance.


    After paying the vendor, she ced it within her spatial ring, adding another book to her little collection of manuals. Leaving the vendor, she entered the arena and walked up to the highest seats before sitting. Under her were millions of people, all bidding over fifty or so items that were disyed on the stage.


    "Blue Thunder Sword sold for thirty thousand gold! A set of twelve Yuan Pills sold for twelve thousand gold! Four kilograms of Ocean Bronze Metal sold for twenty three thousand gold..." the announcer at the stage continuously spoke, notifying the masses of every little bid made. Several items were changed by the minute. Not even ten minutes have passed and every item that Ming Yue saw when she entered the arena was already reced by another one.


    Ming Yue was expecting it the move so fast. Many people furiously bid on anything they wanted, their eyes were glued to a small paper in their hands. There would be number and images of the items on it, constantly changing as the auction went on.


    Ming Yue took a peek at the papers of those below her, curious as to how an auction thisrge worked. But it was much too strange for her to understand. Simple swipes with a finger would cause the image of an item to change to the next one. Making a bid required writing on the paper but it would soon disappear, a sign that the bid was epted.


    Perhaps this was something made by the Jian n, after all they were craftsmen that specialized in trinkets and formations.


    She could only specte and continued to watch the auction. It was very interesting to watch even though she was not participating herself. The faces on many of the bidders always ended in joy and satisfaction, any grief from being unable to win an item would be quickly washed away by the sight of another item. In the end, everyone was able to get something.


    The auction within the arenasted until midnight and by then, hundreds of people left, happily holding their newly gained treasure. Ming Yue left as well, Xiao Yin and Hei Yue felt bored several hours ago and spent the time napping while their master watched with interest. When she stood to leave, they bolted awake, happily leading the way out.


    It seems that they truly did not like the auctions at the arena.


    Back at the inn, Ming Yue took out the book and began examining it. The incredible detail to each drawing was enchanting to her. Every page was filled with sketches and painting of storms onnd and the ocean. Some had fierce rain, dark clouds and others were apanied with typhoons and tidal waves. Each and every one was different, some gave off the same feeling of power, free and unrestrained strength. Others felt controlled and hidden, like the calm before the storm.


    Perhaps if she could replicate such a feeling, her strength could undergo another qualitative change. Not to mention, these images could serve as inspiration for creating new techniques. She was close to mastering her swordsmanship on a physical level, now she could focus on techniques and skills as she was severelycking in those parts. After all, she only had "Savage Tempest" and "Eclipse." The former depended on brute force and thetter was focused on sharpness but both were somewhat unrefined and could still be improved.


    She felt happy that this book was not bought in vain. There was something to gain here. She looked through the bookte into the night.


    The second day was spent just like the first. Ming Yue took her time exploring the auctions and eventually entered the Auction Hall. This time, she left Hei Yue and Xiao Yin at the inn. They did not want to go through another day of torturous boredom.


    One of thergest building in the capital city with over twenty floors and a hundred rooms per floor for each auction. The twenty floors were divided into four sections: equipment, medicine and pills, raw materials, and items. Each and every item was on another level whenpared to the those at the arena, often selling for hundreds of thousands of gold. There were gold adornments everywhere and sculptures of dragons and phoenixes. People walked in and out continuously, like a river, excited and determined to get what they wanted.


    Some rooms were filled to the brim with people, others were in an even worse situation with bidders outside of the room, trying to push their way in.


    Moving around, Ming Yue bumped into a familiar pair of siblings.


    Yu Yao Xian and Yu Fengtian were both happily walking around the halls. With their siblings sent off to the army as punishment and to discipline them, the both of them lived peaceful lives. Yao Xian''s talent was above average and her performance during the Youth Dragon Tournament was worthy of respect. Furthermore, her cheerful personality was cherished by the Yu Family. While Fengtian was not as physically talented, he was quite intuitive and excelled in his studies.


    Their hardworking attitude had elevated their positions from being branch family members to the main family. The both of them had already gained a number of fans and admirers, especially with Fengtian. Despite being a man, his girlish features had garnered the attention of men and women.


    The two of them chatter happily before Fengtian looked around and spotted Ming Yue. Their eyes met and he quickly looked away, somewhat embarrassed and surprised to see her. Ming Yue did not mind it but Yao Xian saw everything and spotted Ming Yue.


    "Ming Yue! When did youe back? Howe you didn''t tell us?" she asked.


    Fengtian followed up with a quiet greeting, still blushing from meeting her eyes.


    "I came back just a couple days ago. Have you guys gotten anything yet?" Ming Yue replied.


    "Yeah! I bought a new guandao* for myself and Fengtian bought some more books. Are you looking to buy something too?"


    "Yes, I''m going to bid on a sword. The auction isn''t until tomorrow but I thought that it would be nice to look around."


    "Want to walk with us? We''re going to another auction room for a weapon for Fengtian."


    Ming Yue had nothing else to really do and joined the siblings.

 Chapter 85 - Star Seeker Blade

    Auction Room 4-64, the 64th room of the fourth floor was where the trio was headed. There was still time before the auction had begun but the room was already full of people. Ming Yue could not see a space for them to sit.


    "Oh, we don''t sit here", Fengtian quickly exined, "As high ranking members of the Yu Family, we have our own personal booth. We can bid and watch from there."


    "I see..." Ming Yue did not know of this, after all, this was her first time participating in an auction.


    Unlike what she had seen at the arena, the people here did not have those strange papers but instead had a card. It was somewhatrger than the card she was given by the Gold Honor Shop and it was had a metallic ck color with the words "Bright Treasure" etched on it. Since Ming Yue was only here to watch, she was not given one but Yu Fengtian had the ck card.


    An attendant saw them enter and quickly led them away from the masses and into their booth. Although it was called a booth, it was more of arge room, fully furnished with a seats and tables as well as food and drinks. It was rather fancy with a chandeliers and intricate carvings on the wall.


    MIng Yue felt out of ce but the Yu siblings already seemed used to thevish style.


    They took their seats as the auctioneer came out. Apanying him were two women who rolled out a stand covered with a silk cloth. Just from the silhouette, Ming Yue knew that it was a sword.


    "Wee to the Bright Treasure Auction Hall, this is our next item of the day. A special sword made by sword smiths hundreds of years ago. Their secret techniques have imbued the de with an uncanny sharpness and a beautiful star pattern. A bnced de suitable to any swordsman and it has two sockets for elemental cores handling up to rank 4 beast cores. Starting at 200,000 gold coins, this is the Star Seeker de, a middle-sage weapon!"


    At once, many murmurs and numerous discussions had run rampant among the bidders. No one had made a bid yet, not because this item was undesirable but they waited for someone else to start.


    Bidding wasn''t just quickly shouting the nextrgest sum of money. It was a battle of the wits. How much money would it take to make people give up on the item? How much can they themselves afford to bid on this item? Would it be worth it?


    "220,000 gold to #346!" the auctioneer spoke out in a resounding voice.


    The moment someone made a bid, everyone started bidding like a giant wave and he began a long stream of announcements for each and every bid.


    "250,000 gold to #563!"


    "289,000 gold to #142!"


    "300,000 gold to #434!"


    Minutester the price had already hit 500,000 gold and people had begun to give up on their bidding. At this point there were only six bidders still fighting for it. However, Yu Fengtian had yet to make a move. He waited until there were less people before making a bid.


    Fengtian could''ve made arge bid from the very beginning to take out hispetitors but this way he could make a more conservative bid as he wanted to get the sword with as little money as he could use. This money might have been the Yu Family''s wealth, but he managed to collect arge sum of money for taking quests and other jobs. Although it was under their name, it was his hard earned gold.


    He was not the type of person to spend it wantonly and saved diligently.


    Fengtian waited until the price had hit 700,000 gold and only two bidders continued to fight. #316 and #492 continued to outbid each other at increments of 10,000 gold but after 700,000 gold, it became progressively slower and slower going up by only one or two thousand.


    This was his opportunity to attack!


    He circled his energy into the ck card and choose an amount to increase the bid. The card hummed after his bid, signalling that it had been made.


    Secondster, the auctioneer spoke.


    "750,000 gold to #592! Do we have anymore bids?" he asked.


    Fengtian had added several thousand gold to the bidding price, silencing everyone else, especially the two bidders.


    Ten seconds passed and no one else had made a bid to fight him. The auctioneer smashed his gong and announced the winner of the auction.


    "The Star Seeker de goes to#592 for 750,000 gold coins!"


    No one fought him or even made an attempt. In the Bright Treasure Auction Hall, it was money that held the greatest power here. Status did nothing to help someone and no one would be able to attack the the bidders that won. This was right next to the Emperor''s castle after all. No one would dare make a scene and the auction hall had a reputation to uphold.


    Minutes after the end, an attendant walked in with the Star Seeker de in their hands while Fengtian gave over his ck card. At the same time, he also handed over a spatial ring that contained the 750,000 gold coins for the sword. The attendant bowed before leaving to process the payment and Fengtian examined the sword before testing it out in the room.


    It was a beautiful de and in his hands, it was a sight to see. He smiled after handling the sword, content with his winnings and sheathed the de, carrying it in his hand. Both Yao Xian and Ming Yue watched, happy that Fengtian was able to get what he wanted.


    "Congrattions brother!" said Yao Xian, "You finally found the sword you wanted."


    "I really did", he replied,


    He was looking for a sword that would match him and the Star Seeker de caught his eye. The pattern was exceedingly beautiful and the dimensions fit him perfectly. After seeing it and using it, he felt even more sure that this was the sword for him.


    The attendant came back with the ring empty and the three of them left the room. He did not bag it or cover it like his sister as he was not afraid of being attacked for it. There were even people unting their winnings to others.


    Something like robbery and assault could not happen. The auction hall would not allow someone''s hard earned bids be taken and so ced many hidden guards on surveince especially since this was the General Auction.


    Ming Yue learned a great deal of about the auctions and how they worked. She spent the rest of the day with the Yu Family, rxing and enjoying the General Auction to its utmost. The next several days proceeded in a simr manner. She would wake up and practice for a bit before going out to explore the General Auction. Even after several days of looking, she had estimated having only seen 60% of the auction.


    It really was an eye-opening experience for her. The sheer number of items being sold was enormous. Even though, she had no need for them, it was really a sight to behold.


    Rank 1 and Rank 2 nts and materials were sold on every stall as well as a multitude of weapons and armor, all of which was under Sage Rank. The Auction Hall was where the true treasures were and after several days, the fourth day had arrived.


    Ming Yue had her purple card that she was given from Elder Yin to gain ess to the Auction. Now the true trials fall within whoever will be fighting her for it. She walked up to the room where the Auction for the Splitting Moon de was being held, it was the 18th floor and the 78th room.. She entered the room expecting it to be as crowded as the other rooms were but to her surprise, it wasn''t.

 Chapter 86 - Broken Sword

    The room itself was very spacious, able to hold up to a several hundred people. But this auction only had two hundred at most. There was plenty of seating for Ming Yue and she chose a random spot to sit.


    She looked around, curious as to who else wanted the Splitting Moon de. Of thepetition, she recognized a few people. Some were cultivators who used the sword while others were cksmiths or collectors, hoping to obtain the de to study it. After all, this was a divine ranked weapon from hundreds of years ago, there could be many untold secrets within it.


    The one she was most familiar with was Gong Chui, the sessor of the Gong Family, a n best known for their forging abilities. He sat at the center while she was in the far right side of the room. Gong Chui must have wanted the de to study it as well.


    Everyone sat and waited quietly. They were all quite excited to see a divine ranked de as an item of such quality could only exist in one out of several hundred thousand.


    They stared intensely at the stage as the announcer along with his assistant walked out. His assistant, a beautiful young woman, carried a case covered in cloth and set it on the table. Doing so, she took off the cloth, revealing the de within.


    Everyone looked it shock!


    "What is this suppose to mean?"


    "Why is it like this? Are you trying to cheat us out of our money?"


    They were furious at the sight of the de for it was in pieces. The case contained a pristine handle but the de itself was shattered into thirty pieces.


    "Everyone please calm down, I will exin everything!" the announcer pacified the masses with his voice and waited for them to settle down.


    "The Splitting Moon de, two feet in length, weighing two and a half pounds, and a thickness 4 millimeters. This lower divine de is one of the sharpest swords ever made. Along with its sister de, Parting Sun, it has killed many corrupted men and saved an equal number of lives", he said.


    "Several hundred years ago, a grandmaster cksmith made these two swords for his wife and son. An evil government official had asked for these two swords but was refused and killed his family in retaliation. In anger, the cksmith went on a rampage and killed the official before going of to execute any who he deemed evil. After his death, both des were believed to be lost but a warrior in the north of the continent had obtained this sword and used it until the de shattered. Our personnel had traveled through harshnds to collect the pieces and bring them back. However as far as repairing it goes, it is not our responsibility to do so. As such, the starting price is 400,000 gold."


    Finishing his little speech, he looked at everyone and gauged their reactions. Everything he has said was true but it was up to them as to whether they believed him.


    The bidders hesitated. Not only would they have to think about the bidding price but also consider the resources that would be needed to repair it. If it was like this, not many would be willing to spendrge sums of money for this sword.


    Ming Yue was one of the few willing to fight for it. Even if it was broken she would still get it because this was a goal she set upon herself toplete. She had the rest of her life to have it repaired.


    Learning from Fengtian, she waited for someone else to start the bid.


    "Agh, even if it is broken, it is a lower divine weapon. I can use it in other ways!" someone said before making a bid.


    "450,000 gold to #54! Anyone else?" the auctioneer asked.


    "Indeed, the Splitting Moon de is still a unique item. I must have it!"


    "500,000 gold to #185!"


    The price slowly increased by fifty thousand gold. Ming Yue waited patiently, the most money she could expend on this auction was 1.3 million gold. All of it saved up from collecting bounties and selling herbs and other items that she had collected. Gong Chui was definitely someone she had to watch for. As the sessor of the one of the Five Noble Families, he definitely had ess to the family''s entire wealth.


    The number soon reached 1 million gold and only four bidders continued to fight for the de. #74, #189, #11, and #56 were all slowly bidding, increasing the price by 10,000 gold every time. By the looks of it, Gong Chui was still bidding for it, a look of desperation was present on his face. Ming Yue studied everyone else and spotted the other bidders. Other than Gong Chui were two young women, a middle aged man, all of which had the same pained look as him. The two women were equally charming but one had a gentle aura while the other had a quality of shrewdness. The former wore purple robes and a lc shaped brooch on her hair and thetter wore crimson robes with a bronze hair pin. The hair pin had a small tassel on its end, two maroon ribbons dangling in the air.


    The middle aged man was the opposite of these women, closer to Gong Chui. He had a rugged appearance, in and simple. His style was one that focused more on utility and his body was tanned, tempered by the mes of a forge. On his back was a great sword, a double edged de ofrge proportions, while it was only four feet in length, less than the Parting Sun de, its width was six inches and it had a thickness of 15 millimeters, the handle was long enough to hold with two hands. Beautiful and brutal at the same time, there were no fancy carvings or adornments but the craftsmanship was impable and the sword was well kept.


    These four were very determined to get the broken sword. Each had their own reasons for doing so but they were all equally desperate.


    At 1,060,000 gold, Ming Yue immediately made a bid pushing the number to 1.1 million gold.


    "1.1 million gold to #197!"


    "Who!?!" the four bidders were shocked.


    Who would''ve thought that someone else had been quietly biding their time, waiting for them. The purple robed woman face was gloomy while middle aged man was clearly angry. Gong Chui and the other woman were not as dramatic as them, their faces only changed slightly. Clearly, this sword did was not as important to them.


    Secondster, Gong Chui stood up and left, having given up on buying the sword. Perhaps this was not a purchase that he felt was worth it. However, the middle aged man gnashed his teeth before making up his mind.


    "1.15 million gold to #11!"


    The two women turned a bit ghastly at the price. Before they could even think of it, the price had reached a new point.


    "1.2 million gold to #197!" the auction announced.


    Ming Yue had nothing to lose here, she spent the past year collecting for the sword and went through life and death to do so. She looked only at the man for the two woman had already resigned to their fates. it was between him and her for the Splitting Moon de.


    "Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" he shouted, his face turned red as veins started to swell from his rage.


    "Fine! Take it, you win!" he left the auction room, stomping though the door.


    Gong Chui had already left the room and those two women stopped bidding. Now this middle aged man stomped his way out, angry from his defeat. No one else was willing to bid against Ming Yue, this broken de was not worth it to them.


    After counting for ten seconds, the auctioneer had announced the results.


    "And the Splitting Moon de goes to #197 for 1.2 million gold!"


    Just like that, Ming Yue had obtained the sword. It may be in pieces but she had done it. A wave of relief overcame her, she hadpleted a stepping stone in her life.


    Now she just had to find a way to repair it.

 Chapter 87 - Discussion

    Ming Yue walked to another room and handed over the gold to the attendant. Within seconds she was given the sword pieces in a fancy bag which she ced in her spatial ring. Counting her wealth, she had a little less that 100,000 gold, still a hefty sum of money for her. Several hundred gold was enough for a family to livefortably for ten years.


    Leaving the auction room, someone stood right outside, waiting impatiently. She recognized the figure as that middle aged man from before. Despite calming down a bit, there was still a noticeable vein on his head, bulging outwards.


    Ming Yue tried to slip away quietly but he noticed her and quickly walked up.


    "So it was you!" he shouted, "you were the one that made a bid at the end!"


    He grabbed her hand and tried to stop her from walking but she quickly retaliated, throwing him on the ground. She took out her knife and pressed it against his neck. If she was going to pacify him, this was the quickest way. Many passersby looked on before going back to their business. As orderly as the auction hall tries to be, fights were bound to ur so this was nothing special.


    "Wait! Wait! I''m innocent! I only wanted to talk to you about the sword! I meant you no harm!" he loosened his body andid on the ground, a little frightened by her outburst.


    She let go of the man, who quickly stood up, dusting his clothes off.


    "Let''s talk somewhere else" he said, leading her to a small courtyard outside of the auction hall.


    "I am Li Gang, Ie from Rong Lu City to collect both the Splitting Moon de and the Parting Sun de", he exined, "The story behind these swords are true but theyck a single detail. The grandmaster forger did not die in some random ce, he was in fact one of the founders of Rong Lu City and rests within the catbs of this city. His dying wish was to find these two swords and give them a new master. These were not the greatest des that he made but they held a great deal of importance. He did not want these swords to collect dust but to be used in battle. As the newest sessor of his legacy, it is my mission to find the two swords and now that I have found it, I must obtain it."


    Ming Yue listened carefully and thought about his words before asking him, "What is Rong Lu City?"


    Li Gang was slightly surprised and quickly exined, "Rong Lu City borders the north of Red Lotus Country and sits on the intersection between two other countries. An entity of its own, it is a city of cksmiths and crafters. Not only is it a city of greatmerce but itsnd is full of rare metals and gems, a number of mines cover the underground. This is why many craftsmen flock to this city."


    "Now then", he continued, "Will you allow me to have the pieces of the Splitting Moon de? Once I have this de, I will havepleted half of his wishes and continue on to find the Parting Sun de. It could take me years to obtain it, but I must do so."


    "Rong Lu City", she thought, "I will need to go their to get the sword fixed. Might as well tell him."


    "The truth is..." she looked at Li Gang, "I...also have Parting Sun."


    "Huh."


    Within the castle of the High Council, a group of demons convened at the main hall.


    "High Council, have you made your decision?" the representative of the winged demons, Gao Ri, asked. His demonic brethren stood behind, waiting for their answer.


    "Indeed, we havee to a conclusion", one of them said.


    Another continued, "Our forces have met up with your ns and verified that everything you have said is true."


    "We have also conducted our own investigations of the situation in the demon continent. We have found news of a "Kong Zhi" who wishes to take over all three continents."


    "Kong Zhi is the lord of the Stone Race, he is the one who we are trying to stop. A terrible man who has done a number of evil deeds", Gao Ri said.


    "The Demon Continent was broken after the cmities, barren and wasted. Ever since then, all demon races hade together to survive but that was until Kong Zhi took charge. From the very beginning he had hated our way of life, scraping everyst bit just to see another day. The moment he became the leader of the Stone Race, he began rallying the other races to support him and take over the other continents. He believed that we had a right to thesends and that humans and beastmen alike should suffer what we had suffered. Many joined his cause but the others saw through his facade, a brutal man who wants nothing but to conquer. Any who opposed him died a miserable death."


    "My brother was skinned alive and left to die", one of the demons, a female fox demon, remarked bitterly, "His body was already a corpse when we found him."


    "My daughter was captured years ago and never to be found. Even now, I wish to see her again but I know that it will not happen", said another.


    "As you can see, Kong Zhi has done many unforgivable things. If he is allowed to roam free and find out that we have activated one of the teleportation circles, he will use it to invade your continent" Gao Ri added, he spoke solemnly, looking straight at the High Council.


    "Indeed, we havee to this conclusion ourselves and so we have chosen to help you get rid of Kong Zhi. It is within our best interests to deal with him quickly. We will make proper preparations to enter your continent", said the High Council.


    Gao Ri smiled and bowed, "I thank you all for your aid, High Council."


    "What of that demon soul and the girl your brethren has taken?" one of the council asked.


    "He is an ancestor of the Horned n, their representative, Lan Jinjing has already spoken to her ancestor", he replied.


    "Yes, I have exined the situation of the Demon Continent to him. While he does not truly agree with our alliance, the n takes highest priority in his heart and he has agreed to help us", a beautiful woman with a horn on her head walked forth and told the High Council.


    "Yes and we, as the High Council, will provide him a body, a puppet of sorts. While it may not bepatible with him, it is the only one that can contain a soul such as his."


    "Thank you! We as the Horned n will not forget this favor", Jinjing was excited by this as was the other demons.


    Gao Ri quickly spoke about Ling Xue.


    "The girl, Ling Xue is a special case, she is from an ancient n know as the Yao n. They have been hidden away for years and none of us know of their whereabouts. But they are a powerful n of cultivators who train their bodies to near godhood. As for her, Ling Xue''s blood as a Yao and her unique body makes it possible for her to cultivate both paths of body and energy. Right now, it is more harmful for her but with the correct teaching, she can be one of the strongest cultivators."


    "Hmm, so be it, you may all return to the demon continent. Thebined armies of our kingdoms have already gained a foothold in the demon continent. We have also sent in supplies and such to aid you."


    The demons bowed respectfully and left the castle, barely able to contain their excitement. As for the High Council, they sat on their thrones and pondered.


    "The times have begun to change."


    "Yes, the new generation is brimming with geniuses."


    "Is this a sign of good fortune or an omen of disaster."


    "We can only wait and see."


    "Indeed."


    Through the teleportation circle, a raging battle took ce in the Demon Continent. An army of demons circled a great dragon, three heads and 4 wings. It roared loudly in defiance and breathed mes onto its victims.


    Screams could be heard throughout the battlefield and fire razed the ground.


    Miles from this was a giant man, human-like but his skin was thick and gray, like stone. His expression was one filled with wickedness, no hair of any sort but sharp eyes and a thick nose. He wore armor, one made from metal and chains. Originally a beautiful piece now turned crude and barbaric, there were cracks and chips all over it, proof of the many battles it has gone through. In his hand was a giant hammer, as tall as him and the head was the size of his head if not bigger. A skull carved onto the face of it, and its tail was split into three spikes, like a w. This was Kong Zhi.


    "Do not kill it!" hemanded, "Capture it! It shall be my steed for when we meet those fools again! If they still refuse to join me, then death is their fate! Hahahaha HAHAHAHA!"


    He roared withughter, watching as his army fought the dragon.


    "My Lord!" a lowly soldier ran up to him and knelt by his side.


    "What is it?"


    "We have found human soldiers to the east!"


    "Humans?! So those fools activated the teleportation circles. Hmm, no matter, keep tabs on them and report anyrge movements back to me!"


    "Yes my lord!" the soldier ran off, delivering orders to the others.


    "So the human continent is linked.... then that is the next step."

 Chapter 88 - Rushed Confession

    "You...You...You have Parting Sun as well?!" Li Gang said each word with an increasing amount of shock and disbelief.


    "This...this...is this fate?!" he said, talking to himself. He began muttering to himself like a madman.


    Ming Yue was not expecting him to react like this. Although she knew that these swords had great importance, she did not think that Li Gang would give such a reaction to her.


    "Will youe with me to Rong Lu City? I must take this to the Forgelord and talk with him" Li Gang said.


    She agreed quite easily to his request, she did want to go and see what a city for crafters was like. She quickly made preparations to depart, speaking with Elder Yin as well as the Yu siblings before taking onest look at through the General Auction.


    "Going so fast? You''ve only been here for a few weeks!" Yao Xian said, "I haven''t even showed you my favorite restaurants. Fengtian hasn''t even showed you his sword in action."


    "I know but I really want to go to Rong Lu City. I''ll still be here for the rest of the General Auction", Ming Yue replied.


    With a little less than 100,000 gold, she purchased some medicinal pills and cultivation pills.


    Bone Mending Pills and Blood Wheel Pills for injuries and emergencies as well as two Three Thought Pills for cultivation. All of which costed her sixty thousand gold and left her with around thirty thousand. The two sibling apanied her, eating and talking happily. Ming Yue was a wanderer, the both of them understood that and did their best give her a good time.


    At the end of the day, Fengtian did the unexpected, he confessed to her in a somewhat empty part of the Capital city. They walked into a garden of sorts before Fengtian spoke out.


    "I-I do not know what these feelings may be", he said, "Love, infatuation, obsession, I can only think of you and no other woman. Ever since I met you, I have always had you in my eyes. Your courage and your softness have captured me. Even though I know that you will not return these feelings to me, I want you to know that...I love you."


    His cute appearance only added more power to his confession. If it were any other girl they would have fallen for him in an instant.


    But Ming Yue was not one of them, she was shocked for sure but she could only respond honestly.


    "You are a great person and these feelings are something that I cannot ept. This is something I am inexperienced in and I do not n on finding a partner", she said.


    "Perhaps in time, your love will fade and you will find another. I''m sorry."


    Fengtian felt somewhat bittersweet. He was able to confess and he had expected this response but to hear it in person was so much harder to ept. After this day, Ming Yue would leave the Capital for Rong Lu City and no one knew when she woulde back. Yao Xian looked from afar, saddened that Ming Yue did not return Fengtian''s feelings but she could do nothing. After all, Fengtian had wanted her to stay out of it.


    "Maybe...maybe", he muttered. The final day of the auction ended quietly. Stores and stalls closed up for the night. The streets were cleared and cleaned. Everyone went home, some happier than others and others sadder than some.


    Ming Yue did not feel right declining his confession but she could do nothing. With no experience and no real interest in love and romance, she had no reason to ept. A lover was the least important thing in her mind and Fengtian was more of a friend than anything else.


    With her preparations done, she met up with Li Gang the next day and they walked to the northern areas of capital city. There she saw magnificent ships made of wood and metal floating in the sky. She never quite paid attention to the other parts of the city and did not realize that this was a skyport!


    For journeys that could take months or even years will be no more than a week on these ships. They looked like any ship found in the sea but the hull of the ship was engraved and multiples stones were embedded into them. They glowed brightly and pulsed with power, running through the engravings. These formations were what kept these ships afloat and they were different from what Ming Yue had seen. They were not natural, there were no curves but rigid lines branching off.


    She looked in awe and astonishment.


    "Amazing isn''t it?" Li Gang said, "There are gems in nature that are so full of energy. We humans could not use it for ourselves but have found ways to harness it. From weapon sockets to powering great contraptions, although we cannotpare to ancient techniques, we havee far. I have already purchased our tickets,e with me."


    They walked into one of the skyports, a fairlyrge building that was quite fancy. A number of decor on the walls referenced the sea and ships, carvings of fish and sculptures of aquatic legends like sea dragons and great sharks.


    Li Gang walked up to the counter where he showed the attendant the tickets and they were led into the ship.


    Ming Yue had never seen something quite like this and examined everything she passed by. The ship they took was one of thergest and looked more like a hotel than an actual ship inside. It had around one hundred rooms and arge viewing deck for its guests. Many other guests were merchants and nobles all of whom wanted to travel to Rong Lu City.


    Li Gang and Ming Yue were in separate rooms but next to each other. During this time, she asked him many questions regarding the swords such as repair and refinement.


    She herself had no talent in such things but she was quite curious in these processes. he exined quite briefly the many parts to weapon making.


    "The most important part to making any weapon is the usage of one''s inner force. Each hit from a hammer or stitch from a needle can infuse some of the crafter''s force into the sword. Depending on how it is infused, you can potentially affect the quality of the item. Specific materials also y a role with the stronger ones obviously improving the quality. Of these materials is the core, usually gems but it must contain some element. The core of a sword is what can bring it to the next level. A fire type gem can increase the power of a fire technique, the same goes for any other element."


    "Can I see Parting Sun?" he asked.


    Ming Yue passed him her sheathed de and he examined it.


    "The craftsmanship is quite good. If one were to see it for the first time, they would not guess that this "walking stick" was a sword. While the de is untouched, the guard and the handle has been altered topliment your size. If you did not notice, the one who made the sheath and redid the handle infused some of his own energy into them. However this sword did not have a socket for a gem unlike Splitting Moon and Parting Sun was focused on extreme sharpness", said Li Gang.


    He continued to look at the sword and sheath,menting on Tie Di''s work. The old cksmith from Luan City was skilled and spent a fair bit of effort to make the sword easier for her to handle. Afterwards, he examined the broken pieces of Splitting Moon and sighed minutester.


    "Repairing it is beyond me but the Forgelord may be able to fix it", he said, "The structure is in shambles and repairing would most likely mean melting it down and making an entirely new sword."


    "I see", Ming Yue replied, the process of forging and crafting was a meticulous one. Even though Li Gang tried to make his exnations brief, they were long and filled with information.


    All of the sudden, they heard yelling from the deck.


    "Pirates! Pirates areing!"

 Chapter 89 - Skulldrop Pirates

    "Pirates?" they thought.


    "We should check the deck", said Li Gang.


    The two of them quickly walked up to the deck and looked out. Groups of sailors rushed about carrying crates of ammunition. Cannons were wheeled out and ced on the right side of the deck, facing the small group of ships. These cannons were different from any ordinary ones, arge yellow gem was embedded to the barrels of each cannon. If one was to examine it closely, they would find that these gems were filled with the energy of lightning.


    "Thunder Cannons! and so many! What sort of pirates could we have encountered?" Li Gang questioned.


    One of the sailors noticed them and walked up.


    "Dear guests, please stay inside! These are the Skulldrop Pirates, unless you want to defend this ship with us, we advise you to stay in", he said.


    After speaking, loud cracks resounded through the sky as the Thunder Cannons shot out streaks of bright yellow. A perfect arc made its way towards the pirates,nding on one of the ships. On impact, a bright sh colored the sky as lightning crashed down, burning parts of the ship.


    The pirates fought back with their own shots. These were unlike the thunder cannons however, they were ordinary steel balls that sunk itself into the ship, weighing it down and slowing them.


    "Damn bastards! Shoot! Shoot! Give them hell for attacking a ship of the Blue Skies Caravan!" the captain yelled from his cabin. A scruffy man that wore a white sailor uniformmanded his men.


    Many of the passengers stayed in their rooms as suggested, none of them were great fighters and those who were could not do a thing in a battle of this scale. However, Ming Yue wanted to help, she defended the ship with Li Gang, who had already pulled out his great sword. They knew that the pirates would reach them and board.


    The captain turned the ship around, trying to lose the pirates but it was in vain. The gap between the ships grew closer and closer until they were only a hundred meters apart. The cannonballs from the pirates had slowed them down.


    A closer look at the ships had shown Ming Yue why these pirates were named Skulldrop. Almost every part of the ship had some skull decorating it, from humans to beasts, there were skulls all over. Furthermore, each one had something engraved on it, a character of some sort. It resembled something from a nightmare.


    Giant chained harpoons shot out of the pirate ships and gripped onto the hull. They had the teeth of a number of beasts put into the chains. Attempting to pull the chains out could cause a lot of damage and walking on them was near impossible to do. More cannon shots were exchanged between the two as the pirates started running on the chains and boarding. Their nimble steps evaded the spiked chains easily and it took mere seconds for them to board the ship.


    "Bwahahahaha, take everything you see! Plunder for the Skulldrop Pirates!" a voiced out from the cabin of one of the pirate ships.


    At hismand, the pirates whistled and screeched like madmen, brandishing their weapons.


    "Prepare to defend the ship!" the captain yelled.


    The sailors as well as any guards that their guests had hired to apany them on their journey went face to face with the pirates. Metal shed against each other as they fought for their lives.


    It was a chaotic battle. Broken pieces from the ships splintered off as the cracks of cannons sounded off continuously. Some were killed by a cannon shot, others were pushed off the ledge and fell to their deaths. The Blue Skies Caravan stopped using the Thunder Cannons as the pirates were too close to them, using those cannons would risk injuring themselves.


    Among them, Ming Yue and Li Gang joined the fight. Hei Yue and Xiao Yin helped the others, scratching and biting the pirates. They could not kill them but their actions had greatly decreased the pressure that the sailors faced. But there was no end to the pirates, a total of six pirate ships hade and over two hundred pirates boarded. There were probably another couple hundred waiting to rece their brothers. Against a force thatrge, Ming Yue''s group of less than one hundred did not seem hopeful for victory.


    No one had expected to be attacked by pirates of such a caliber, nheless they managed to fend off the Skulldrop Pirates. Of everyone there, Li Gang seemed to be the most eye-catching, his great sword cleaved through a four bodies at one point. He swung with enough power to even deflect a cannonball, something that had a force of several hundred pounds. He yelled with each swing and starting using techniques to deal with them. Swords that were left on the ground by the dead bodies floated towards him before forming an evenrger sword, one that was slightly bigger than his great sword. Merged, it began sweeping the ground, destroying anything in its way.


    A dao of metal! This must have been Li Gang''s dao. The dao of metal was versatile, it could be anything and at the same time be firm and unbending. Weapons, armor, trinkets, toys, all of these things could be made of metal but to try and destroy it would be difficult.


    Ming Yue dealt with her opponents quickly and efficiently, moving on every time she killed. However, there must be a better way to deal with this. Then she looked at the chains that the piratesunched out.


    "You failures! Can''t even take over one ship?" emerging from the cabins of the pirate ships were the captains.


    All six of them were slightly different from the others but it was safe to say that they were six brothers.


    "As the Six Dagger Fleet of the Skulldrop Pirates, we cannot fail our reputation as one of the most fearsome pirates of the sky!" one of them growled.


    All of them unsheathed their weapons, most of them had sabers but one used a sword and the other used a halberd. Each weappn was decorated in a different way, the skull of different animals were etched on the handles.


    To their surprise, they did not have a chance to join their brothers for the chains they used to take ahold of the ship''s hull fell one by one. The pirates who were still fighting noticed the chains and tried to grab onto them and rejoin their crew. Some managed to make it but others were not so lucky either falling to their deaths or stuck on the Blue Skies Ship. The ship itself flew off as fast as possible, away from the Skulldrop Pirates. Released from their grasp they escaped quickly.


    "What? What happened?" one of the brothers spoke incredulously.


    These chains were not top quality items but they were definitely not flimsy. Made from True Steel, a stronger variant of steel, it was a material that could not be broken so easily. Yet, the chains were cut off cleanly.


    But for Ming Yue, it was not impossible. Parting Sun is a divine ranked sword, it might not have a core but its sharpness was among the best. Cutting these chains were not very difficult but required precise control and a fair amount of strength. Any other sword cultivator would leave a sizable dent but to cut it off cleanly was a different story.


    Li Gang saw her performance and was surprised. He did not think that she would just simply cut the chains off or even be able to cut them off. He re-evaluated her in his mind, at first he thought that she was a normal cultivator but her skills said otherwise. The same could be said for himself, his performance was quite enlightening for Ming Yue, who had thought that he would not be much of a help.


    The Blue Skies Crew shouted with joy as they chased off the remaining pirates, tying them up and leaving them on the deck.


    The pirate ships chased after them but could not catch up, the cannonballs that were meant to slow the ship down were dealt with quickly. The crew removed them and reused them, shooting back at the pirates.. This little barrage was enough to deter them.

 Chapter 90 - Effects Of The Demon Continent

    The captain approached Ming Yue in a happy mood.


    "Young one!" he said with a booming voice, "I should thank you for helping us escape. If not for you cutting those damned harpoons, we would not have been able to escape so easily. Hahahaha!"


    He gave pped her on the back before turning his attention to the captured pirates.


    "Now if you will excuse me, I need to interrogate these damned creatures."


    The both of them followed him, curious as to what he was going to ask.


    "Why did you attack our ship?" he yelled out, grabbing the cor of one of the pirates.


    "Why should I tell you anything?" the pirate fought back, spitting at his face.


    "I see..." the captain dragged him to the edge of the boat and threw him off, his screams followed him on his descent.


    "We are currently above a mountain range, the Bog Mountains to be exact", he said.


    "I''m sure many of you have heard of it. One of the most dangerous ces in this country, filled with wicked creatures. Now we are not high enough to fall to your death, unless you''re unlucky. But you will certainly break something and your scent will certainly attract one of these creatures. So, even if you fall to your death, it is a much better alternative to staying alive. I''m sure I don''t have to tell you what sort of creatures reside here."


    Soon enough, after throwing off three of them, the fourth one gave in and exined everything.


    "Please don''t throw me over! I still have so much to do in this life!" the pirate pleaded after revealing this information.


    "With the opening of the Demon Continent, there is sure to be fighting involved. The leader of the Skulldrop Pirates saw fit to attack more ships since much of every country''s military was sent off. There was less pressure when it came to attacking ships so we have been doing just that to any ship we saw. In fact, ever since the demon continent was opened, many bandits and pirates have be much more bolder with their targets. The only fears that we have had were against other cultivators especially those from sects. With the military most out of the way, the martial world had taken their ce as peacekeepers, now they put out bounties for their disciples to take as experiential training."


    "So it was like that", everyone thought.


    No one would think that the Demon Continent would bring about such effects. With the military focused on the Demon Continent, the bnce of power was tipped and criminals could roam with much more freedom. While there were sects around, they were not as reliable as the government when it came to keeping order and hunting criminals. The effects were not very prevalent in Red Lotus Country but in the countries closest to the teleportation circles, crime was beginning to run rampant and government power was stretched quite thinly.


    Red Lotus Country was near the center of the continent and quite far from the formations. Thus their military wasrgely intact. But with the other countries where criminals were beginning to gain more power, their influence had spread into Red Lotus.


    "Even if their military was still here, it will not be long before they too get sent off", this was the thought that many had and so they have mostly disregarded their presence.


    "Traitor!"


    "We should have never let you join us!"


    The captured pirates bashed on him to speaking and revealing information about them.


    "I won''t throw you all over but you will all be spending the rest of your lives in prison. Once I get to Rong Lu City, I''m handing you over. But in case I get bored during the rest of this trip, I might throw someone off", the captain grinned wickedly before leaving them.


    They all stopped talking. A shiver ran down their spines as he walked away, fully aware that he would do as he said.


    The Skulldrop Pirates had piqued Ming Yue''s interest and she asked the captain about them during their meals. She had never encountered pirates before and had only dealt with bandits and other criminals.


    "Ah, little girl, the Skulldrop Pirates are one of the most fearsome groups of them all", he said.


    "Lead by the infamous Skulldrop Plunderer, Zong Liao Tian, they have attacked a great number of ship over thest several decades. Those chains that you cut off are a signature move that they use to capture ships. Capturing them is near impossible with the Skulldrop Plunderer around. His presence as a Sky Realm Cultivator makes it hard to deal with the pirates. Other than the Skulldrop Pirates, there are many other groups: the Red Hand Pirates, Gazing Vultures, etc. Each of them have their own unique tactics and preferences to capturing their victim."


    "Anyways, we were lucky that this was just a small fleet from his group. If it were anyrger, our escape would not havee so easily. Now then, I should get back to work. Rong Lu City is only two days away!" the captain stood up and left the ship''s canteen.


    Ming Yue was surprised and thought about his words, pirates in the skies was something she never heard of. It was quite exciting for her to learn all of this. She spent the next several days speaking with the captain, learning more about sky ships and pirates. Li Gang was busy examining the two swords although there have been some peculiar moments of him getting quite touchy with the des. Hei Yue and Xiao Yin happily ran around and asionally tormented the captured pirates with the captain.


    While there was no physical pain, the scent of fox piss encapsted them.


    "There it is! Rong Lu City!" the captain announced.


    Ming Yue looked ahead anticipating the city.


    Through the teleportation circles, massive armies have taken control of the areas surrounding the teleportation circles. Constant streams of supplies were sent through. Inside of a military tent, demons and humans spoke with one another.


    "Has everything been prepared?"


    "Yes general!"


    "Alright, ording to our intel, Kong Zhi is to the west of us, near this forest. Do any of you have an idea as to what he is doing here?"


    "Kong Zhi is continuing to amass an army and he is traveling around, finding ways to increase his power. Very recently, he subdued a Three Headed Hel-fire Dragon to be his mount, but he sacrificed a fifth of his armies to take it."


    "Then that means he is currently weak right?" one of the generals said.


    "Not necessarily", the demons responded, "He would be weak until the dragon is tamed by him. Once that happens, he can sweep through the continent. A Three Headed Hel-fire Dragon is a fearsome creature. Killing it is an incredibly difficult task."


    "Then what can we do?"


    "We take it one step at a time", one of the thirteen messengers, Su Yao entered the tent.


    "We have to build up our own power in this continent, rescue as many demons as we can before he can get to them. At the same time, we should take this time to slow him down. Destroy his supplies, sabotage his campaign, tire him and his troops. We have six generals here, including me and all of you from the Demon Continent. Everyone should take up a task."


    "Hmm, I suppose we should tread carefully. This is unknown territory for us, although for you demon cultivators, you are all much more familiar with the terrain than us. We should n out our campaign."


    Everyone within the military tents agreed and began nning, choosing several strategic points. Of them all, the demon representatives were the most hardworking and equally excited. After such a long time, they did not think that the people of the Human Continent would help them regardless of their differences.


    Even though the three continents had lived in peace back then, they were demon cultivators, different from those of humans or beast cultivators. They possessed features unlike that of the other two, a distinct aura and bloodline powers unique to demons.


    Beasts have bloodline powers as well but they were inherently different from that of a demons and Humans had no such thing as a bloodline power. However they can gain such a thing by absorbing the essence of a creature of their choice. Such as Qing Lei Jiang, who gained the powers of a dragon by ingesting a drop of dragon''s blood.


    They had thought that the humans would have feared them or be disgusted with them, but this pleasant surprise was something that gave them hope.

 Chapter 91 - Rong Lu City

    Past the clouds, Ming Yue saw Rong Lu City under her and she looked on with excitement. It was certainly different from any other city she saw. The architecture here was unlike anything she had ever seen. Buildings were clustered together, forming one great mass. Connected through a great number of bridges and walkways that twisted and winded, this city had no rhyme or reason to its design. As if they were cobbled together in a hurry, there was no order to it. The surroundings of the city were bare, there were no trees or any nt of some sort, possibly to avoid causing a fire. The ground around the city was covered in a field of gray grass instead.


    She could see mes and smokinging from them and the smell of metal strengthened as the ship got closer and closer. Minutester, the sky shipnded on the port and everyone exited.


    As Ming Yue and Li Gang left, the captain gave her a few words.


    "If you ever need to get somewhere in a hurry, show this to the people of the skyport", he said, giving her a small coin with the characters for Blue Skies on its sides.


    "Its proof that you are an honored guest of our caravan."


    The captain had grown quite fond of Ming Yue, her constant questioning and curiosity had reminded him of his own children. Not to mention, she was a great help to that pirate attack, even going out of her way to help treat the injured.


    She thanked him for the gift and left the skyport with Li Gang.


    Contrary to what she had thought, the air within the city was clean. There was no smell of metal or soot to be found.


    Li Gang saw her confused and surprised face, "You must be surprised that this city doesn''t smell like crap. Despite the somewhat chaotic city that is Rong Lu, we have multiple underground systems that filter out the air and send it off to our surroundings. Some of the crafters here had created a nt that feeds on the fumes, some type of grass and nted it around the city. Those grass are harvested every now and then, having then feed on the fumes turn them gray and it would turn metallic. If we didn''t do this, we would die from the fumes as the mines would be impossible to enter anymore. Come with me."


    Ming Yue followed him as he began to introduce her around the city.


    "We do have our fair share of food and entertainment. We sit in the middle of three countries and countless others havee from far awaynds. The outer levels are where the restaurants, hotels, and markets are. The central area is where the forges reside."


    The city really did seem like a mess from the outside. As they continued to move, Ming Yue could somewhat understand the thought behind this wit a bit of help from Li Gang.


    The outer section was where people lived a congregated: homes, businesses, etc. The closer one walked to the center of the city, the more forges there were. The middle sections were where most of the forges ran but the center had only one forge, the Forgelord''s personal workshop.


    It was the biggest building within the city.


    Li Gang took her in and the rush of heat washed over her as the door opened.


    She stood in front of a huge hall. There was stone head of a dragon on one wall and a phoenix head on the other. The dragon''s head had water flowing from its mouth while the phoenix hadva pouring from its open beak, falling into their own tubs. The center had a great anvil and it was surrounded by racks and racks of hammers. The ceiling was full of contraptions for forging as well but she could not discern their specific uses. Along with the hammers were sharpening wheels. Numerous torches filled the hall with light and she saw everything clearly.


    The constant ring of metal resounded throughout the hall.


    At the anvil was a man who hammered away at a piece of metal, Secondster, he held it close to his face. It was a sword, burning bright. He walked over to the tub of water and ced the zing hot weapon in. Water fizzed as steam rose from the tub.


    He took it out and inspected it.


    "Pah! trash!" he said, annoyed, he threw it behind him, onto a pile of unfinished weapons.


    Afterwards, he picked a ingot of metal that was sitting above the tub ofva, ready to be forged. cing on the anvil, the man started hammering away.


    "Fu Shan! How are you?!" Li Gang spoke happily as he walked towards the man.


    Getting closer, Ming Yue realized something about Fu Shan. He was quiterge, giant even. Ming Yue herself was a little under five feet tall, shorter than Parting Sun but this man was almost twice her height. Maybe 9 feet tall and he was not thin at all, his bulky arms and protruding belly made him quite intimidating.


    "Li Gang, my friend! You''vee back! How was the General Auction at Red Lotus Country?" the man turned around and spoke with a deep and gentle voice.


    "It was pretty good! I''ve finally found the swords!"


    "Oh, what fortune! Does it have anything with this youngss next to you?"


    "Yes! If it wasn''t for her, I would not havepleted my lifelong goal!"


    Fu Shan looked towards Ming Yue and gave a little bow.


    "Let me introduce myself again. I am Fu Shan, master of the Jun Heng Forge that you are in right now."


    Ming Yue responded with a small bow.


    "My name is Ming Yue, it is a pleasure to meet you."


    "Hah! There is no need to be no formal, I am not some noble or fancy person."


    Ming Yue quite liked Fu Shan, he seemed like a very humble person.


    "Anyways, Fu Shan, where is the Forgelord?" Li Gang asked.


    "His favorite ce as always, you remember don''t you?"


    "Of course I remember! I haven''t been gone for that long!"


    After exchanging a few more words, Li Gang and Ming Yue left Fu Shan to continue his work. Leaving the Jun Heng Forge, they walked back to the outer levels of the city. During their stroll, Li Gang talked to Ming Yue about the Forgelord.


    "The Forgelord is an old geezer and he only likes two things: forging and gardening. He''s quite the entric. Even among other entrics he is the most unusual one in this city. The only time he epts requests is whenever he feels like it. Sometimes, he will forge a sword for a king or fix a toy for a child. Sometimes, he will do it if you do what he requests of you. There''s no telling what he will do. As a cksmith, he is incredible, someone whose talent is highly sought after. But as for his gardening skills..."


    "What about my gardening skills, you brat?"


    A wild and energetic voice spoke out from above them, as an old mannded on the ground right in front of them. He was a small man whose clothes were very dirty. His hair was messy and yet he had a well kept beard that was braided. His wrinkled face carried a sense of energy and excitement and his eyes were still bright. His two hands carried severalrge sacks of dirt and he had a bag slung on his back, carrying a number of tools.


    He looked mockingly at Li Gang, who was shocked from the Forgelord''s sudden appearance.


    "Ah...Old man Qin!"


    "Quiet! We''re in front of guests, call me Lord Qin!"


    "Yes, Lord Qin!"


    "Now follow me! I''ve got something to show you!"


    Lord Qin quickly ran off while Li Gang and Ming Yue chased after him.

 Chapter 92 - Complications

    The three moved quickly, reaching an open space with a sign that read "Qin Gardens". Ming Yue looked at the sign and the fencing. Everything must have been forged by Lord Qin, they had a sense of grandeur and were very well-made.


    Unfortunately, the interior was much different from the exterior. The difference was shocking to the say the least.


    The garden itself was bare, there were weeds growing on random spots. Any nt that still lived did not grow much nor did they produce anything. Some things she could not even recognize, not because she did not know what they were but because they grew so gnarled and twisted.


    Compared to their faces of shock and confusion, Lord Qin''s face was one of pride and pure joy.


    "Look! Look at all these beautiful nts! Is my garden not amazing?" he chattered on.


    After showing them the garden, he tossed the sacks of dirt to the side of the garden and began introducing each nt to the two stunned people.


    "This was a persimmon tree that I was given as a gift by a king from the northernnds."


    "I found these flowers when I was wandering the continent sixty years ago."


    "These berry bushes were taken from the forest right outside the city."


    The persimmon tree was small and barely had any fruit. Those flowers were almost dead, wilting and dull in color. Then those bushes, they were healthy and vibrant but the berries were poisonous. While it wasn''t lethal, it could leave someone in bed for weeks. Not even Xiao Yin or Hei Yue were willing to get near it.


    This was Ming Yue''s thoughts on his nts. Each and every one was either dead, almost dead, or dangerous.


    Lord Qin then stopped at the very center of the garden where a small flower lived.


    "A small chrysanthemum flower, the first nt I ever took care of and the most beautiful one here", Lord Qin spoke with passion as he gazed at it.


    Compared to the others, this really a pretty flower. It was a wonder as to how he managed to grow this one so well. He tended to his garden, showering them with a small watering can. Then, he proceeded to take out a small scissor and cut out any unruly branches or leaves.


    "I know why you''re here girl", his back facing towards her, he spoke calmly and with dignity.


    "I cannot help you repair Splitting Moon."


    Both Li Gang and Ming Yue were surprised by his reply.


    "But Lord Qin, what of the founder''s wishes? What am I to do with a broken de?" asked Li Gang, "Could it be that Splitting Moon is beyond repair?"


    Right then and there, Li Gang was smacked on the head with Lord Qin''s watering can.


    "Idiot! Let me finish!" he barked out.


    "Ahem, I cannot help you repair it but I will reforge it along with Parting Sun."


    "What do you mean?" Ming Yue questioned.


    Why would the Forgelord choose to reforge both swords rather than repair just the one? It would be a difficult task and one that would require an enormous amount of supplies.


    "It was his wish", Lord Qin said.


    "The grandmaster smith that created these two swords had passed down his request to find the swords and give them a new owner. But there was a second request known only to the Forgelords. In fact, each and every legendary forger that rest here have made simr requests. This request was to make the swords unique to their new wielders. As such only those with the best skills can fulfill these requests, that is my duty as the Forgelord.", he told her.


    "Now why you ask? Each and every legendary piece of equipment is made with specific intent. Perhaps they serve a purpose but most of the time they were made with the user in mind. Tailored to their every request, only in the wielder''s hands would their true power be unleashed."


    He walked over to another bush, continuing to tend to his garden.


    "The same goes for Splitting Moon and Parting Sun. Splitting Moon was made for the cksmith''s wife while Parting Sun was made for his son. You are neither and so you have not truly unlocked their full potential. Thus, your swords must be reforged so that they can only be used in your hands. Their true strength can only be revealed by your touch."


    "Follow me", Lord Qin ced his watering can down and dropped his scissors into his pocket.


    He left the garden and closed the gates before walking back to the center of the city, back his forge. Along the way, people bowed respectfully as he walked by, Li Gang and Ming Yue followed closely. They walked passed Fu Shan''s Jun Heng Forge where he continued to forge inplete concentration. Past it, they reached Lord Qin''s quarters.


    It was different from what she had expected of the forge of the Forgelord. There was a small hut in arge and spacious courtyard. There was no hammer or anvil, no mes or spring water, no sign of a forge anywhere. It was like a small house within a clearing of a forest. A small world of silencepared the bumbling city of crafting.


    In front of the small hut, the three of them stopped at the door.


    "Li Gang", said Lord Qin, "I will handle the rest of this. Go back and rest in your quarters, it has been a long journey for you."


    "Yes Lord Qin", Li Gang left the vicinity, leaving only Lord Qin and Ming Yue.


    The two of them quietly entered the simple hut and Lord Qin made himself a pot of tea.


    "Give me your hand", he said.


    Ming Yue followed his instructions letting him examine her limbs, weighing her and measuring every inch. He did not stop to write down each measurement, he just continued, muttering quietly to himself. Each and every note he took was done so in his mind. After finishing, he examined Parting Sun and the shatter Splitting Moon.


    "Hmm, the work on Parting Sun isn''t too shabby", he said, feeling each groove of the swords.


    Afterwards, he put down the broken shards of Splitting Moon and Parting Sun.


    "Good, now fight me."


    He spoke without any hesitation and stood up, holding his fists towards her. She copied him, holding her fists up as well somewhat unsure of his request.


    "With your sword, fight me with your sword."


    Ming Yue was a little taken aback, unsure of why he was doing all of this.


    Sensing her confusion he exined calmly although he was visibly annoyed.


    "How can I forge a sword for someone without knowing everything about them? Their body, their behavior, how they fight, I must experience all of it personally, especiallybat skills. You do not have to hold back, nowe."


    They walked outside and prepared their stances. He with his fists and she with her sword.


    Lord Qin had no sign of the giddy old man from before. Instead, he produced a type of pressure, traceless and barely felt by anyone. But Ming Yue felt it.


    This invisible pressure had no rage within it, no form of excitement or emotion. It was calm, collected, focused like his face. There was no emotion, just pure concentration. She could not help but fight with her strongest after seeing him in this state. Lord Qin''s cultivation was something she could not see through but one thing she was sure of was he is strong.


    She took the same position as always, her sword gripped with both hands and pointed towards the ground. She stood straight and faced in front of her, towards her opponent.*


    "Let''s start!"

 Chapter 93 - Hers And Hers Only

    At the sound of his voice, the match began!


    Ming Yue stepped forth, dashing towards Lord Qin. She started off with a flurry of swings attacking from every angle possible but he had deflected each one with his hands easily.


    "Hoh, this is quite interesting", he said, continuing to stay on the defensive.


    She hastened her pace and attacked even quicker than before. In mere seconds, she had attacked more than a dozen times, each one as unpredictable as the next. But Lord Qin was rxed, each strike was easily dealt with.


    As they continued to fight in the field, he thought to himself about her talent as a swordsman. Gradually he became excited over reforging the swords. Why? because she was different, in his mind, she had qualities that separated her from others. Those that stand out could prosper for years or die in mere seconds, but each and every figure would bask in glory. What cksmith would not want their weapons to be famous?


    But what made him think this way? It was not something like her eyes or her facial expression or her behavior. It was her way of fighting. Flexible and yet inflexible, each attack would be different but the intent was the same, to defeat the opponent. It mirrors her personality, willing topromise, to change but never forget. Never forget what each attack will do, the course of each attack could change but it will always reach the mark. Like the wind, it will reach its goal but the path it takes will always be changing.


    A quality that even Lord Qin rarely saw and he was delighted.


    Ming Yue was already circling her energy, sharp wind enveloped the de as her speed had once again increased.


    "Come on! Show me more! Show me something better!" Lord Qin yelled out, spurring Ming Yue.


    She jumped back in an instant and prepared her stance. She focused on herself and her sword.


    One strike, one move that epassed everything she had learned.


    To cut down everything in her path.


    She breathed deeply and moved.


    "Oh shit", Lord Qin sensed a faint bit of danger from her, speaking those words but doing nothing.


    The moment, Ming Yue breathed out, she almost disappeared from her position, reappearing in front of Lord Qin with the sword on his throat. A gentle wind passed through him.


    "Good, so you can control yourself. If that strike had gone through, you might have taken a part of the city down. Anyways, a quick spar was quite good for the both of us, now let me n a bit and you can go rest or cultivate or something", Lord Qin quickly left and disappeared into his hut.


    Indeed, Ming Yue had gained something with this fight. She had gained a new technique! Although, she had always had it but never recognized it until now.


    The same technique she used to cut down the gates of the Darksun Marauder''s base.


    Using the Shadow de Arts as a base and then modifying it with her own style and energy, this technique was only one strike meant to kill. A quick and silent death that cannot be seen nor felt, moving at an extremely high speed. A single instant of death that cannot be avoided nor stopped, perfect for assassinating someone in the open. Cold yet merciful for a gentle wind apanies the strike to caress the victim in their final moments.


    "I think I''ll call it Spring Breeze", she thought.


    Now she had two techniques, Savage Tempest and Spring Breeze. Afterwards, she began to cultivate and meditate, asionally bringing out that book she bought from the General Auction to study.


    Ming Yue could feel herself reaching the bottleneck of the sixth level, soon she would reach the seventh level. This was probably a good time to use a Three Thought Pill. She had to strike while the iron was hot, there were many things she wanted to look over and this pill would help her. The Three Thought Pill could triple a person''sprehension speed for several hours allowing them to lower the time it needs to understand a concept.


    The moment she ingested one of those pills, her mind cleared up in an instant and she felt as if a number of things had be clear to her. Those several hours she spent mulling over all of herbat experiences and studying the book. What she gained in that time would have taken her months and up to a year to gain.


    Why was it so?


    It was because this was her first time using a pill like this and so the effects were quite apparent. Afterwards, she began putting all of her thoughts into fruition testing them all out, finding what worked and what did not. The next several weeks were spent in this fashion for Lord Qin had yet to leave his hut. She had several ideas for techniques in the works, especially merging it with the concept of wind and thunder.


    On one such day, Ming Yue was practicing a new technique. She took her stance and lunged forward before spinning once and shing diagonally. This attack formed a de of wind that spun and became a tornado in seconds but quickly died out. Another asion, she made a number of quick attacks, each one sent out a de of wind. A total of 16 attacks brought about sixteen des of wind which attacked in a constant stream. However the power was a bit too weak. On thetest day, she was unarmed and slowly formed a ball of wind in her hands. She expanded them and shaped them into very misshapen arms.These twisted arms also held swords made of wind but it was too difficult to control. This technique, she had been inspired by the Lord of Azure Soul and that young master from the Shao Family, Shao Huang.


    Li Gang and Fu Shan woulde in and speak with Ming Yue, talking about crafting and thoughts on the ideas she came up with. They were quite shocked with the amount of destruction she had caused but chose not to say anything. Lord Qin had like his home peaceful and orderly and the both of them chuckled at the though of seeing him shocked by how much of his home had changed.


    At the end of a month, Lord Qin''s little hut was surrounded by upturned dirt and destroyednd. There were marks everywhere as if a powerful storm had passed through.


    "Hah! I''m done!" Lord Qin ran out of his hut with excitement not caring for hisnd at all.


    He hopped around the brokennd andnded in front of Ming Yue who was recovering from testing out her ideas.


    "I''ve finished with the nning but now, we must go find the materials!" he said.


    "Come!" Lord Qin ran off and Ming Yue followed, finding this situation simr to the first time she had met him.


    The two people ran around the city, stopping every now and then so that Lord Qin would go into a shop and look through for materials. This went on for several hours and he had already bought a fair amount of precious metals and gems. He had arge bag in his hand although Ming Yue was sure that he had a spatial ring.


    After running around like a madman, they went back to his hut. It was already midnight by the time they returned.


    He left the bag of metals and gems outside while he entered the hut,ing out with a small fist sized hammer. Kneeling by the bag, he tapped the ground with it and a low rumbling came from below. Following it, the ground split open revealing a giant workshop in the ground, one even more majestic that that of the Jun Heng Forge.


    Outside, everyone heard the rumbling and gasped.


    "The Forgelord is crafting again!" they thought.

 Chapter 94 - The Forging Process

    Both Xiao Yin and Hei Yue looked with curiosity as the ground split open. The ground did not stop shaking until the entire forge could be seen.


    Large steps descended into the giant forge, Lord Qin slung the bag over his shoulder as he walked down. He went to work, setting up the forge and opening everything. Small gems on the wall lit up the hall and there was a slow hum with each one.


    The small hammer that he used to open the forge was ced on a workbench.


    Ming Yue followed him into the space. Hei Yue chased after her but Xiao Yin stayed outside, possibly sleepy and wanting to rest.


    She was given one surprise after another by Lord Qin. All of this was new to her and to see a giant underground forge was truly shocking. It waspletely different to the Jun Heng Forge. Large enough to fit a small ship in, Lord Qin''s personal forge was filled with nothing but racks and racks of weapons and armor.


    The center of the forge had only an anvil and a stone bed on opposite sides. Outside of the stone beds were a number of work benches, some were empty while others had unfinished works. She looked around, surveying the whole forge. Some of these weapons looked incredible, exuding an certain aura around them. Not one thing was the same as the other. Hei Yue ran around, stopping once in a while to look at the various creations.


    "Many of these weapons are treasures from past cksmiths, some are of course made by me. They stay here locked away because they have no master."


    Compared to these creations, the anvil and stone beds seemed out of ce, average and ordinary although the stone beds seemed very out of ce. She knew that they were important but wasn''t sure exactly what they would be used for.


    Seeing her stare at the anvil and the stone beds, Lord Qin exined their history and purpose.


    "This anvil is made of a mixture of special materials that I had personally concocted myself. The stone beds radiate heat. The one on the right is used to melt down metals while the one on the left nurtures the de with a gentle heat. My little hammer is handed down from my master, the previous Forgelord who obtained it from his predecessor. With each wielder, the hammer changes and grows. Each and everything here is a treasure that is made specifically to help me forge."


    Lord Qin carried the bag over to the stone bed on the right dumped everything on it. To her surprise, these precious metals began to melt in an instant. Following this bag of metals, he dumped the pieces of Splitting Moon into the mix. Turning red hot, the metals became a liquid, almost likeva. He took out an ingot mold and pushed the melted metals in with his bare hands. Afterwards, he grabbed Parting Sun and took it apart before tossing the de in as well.


    He took the little hammer from before and it began to glow red before transforming. What was once a ordinary hammer was now arge war hammer. The face was t and smooth but the sides of the head had carvings of hammers striking anvils.


    By this time, the ingot had begun to solidify and harden.


    He pried out the ingot with his bare hands and ced it on the anvil.


    "Girl! Get over here!" he called out to her.


    "I want you to fill the ingot with your energy", he added.


    She did as he told, slowly sending her power into the block of metal. It was the same sensation as sending her energy into Parting Sun, having it course through the red hot ingot.


    Lord Qin grabbed a pair of tongs and held the ingot in ce as he hammered down with the giant hammer. It would be ttened into a long piece of metal before being folded on itself.


    Thus came several hours of hammering and heating the ingot. Ming Yue had lost count of how many times the ingot had been folded. She just continued to feed the de her energy. Hei Yue had left the forge by then, bored of the forge and wanting to y outside.


    Every now and then, he would ask her to stop so that he could examine it. Therge hammer would transform again and be much smaller and more ornate. He would tap it every now and then. His own energy coursed through the hammer and into the unfinished de. Each time he did so, a resounding ring would be made and a spot of red would appear.


    She watched while recovering, curious about what he did and could not understand what was happening. Nheless, she felt excited to be a part of the forging process.


    The forgingsted another two days as she continued to fed the metal bar her energy. As time passed, Lord Qin became more and more delicate with the de, spending more time looking rather than hammering.


    It was beginning to take shape.


    No longer was it a rectangr bar but a long and beautiful de quite simr to Ming Yue''s Parting Sun.


    Atst, Lord Qin had finished the forging. With hisst hammer strike, he took the de and ced it onto the stone bed to the left of the anvil.


    "Give me your hand", he asked her.


    "Thest thing to do now is to give it a drop of your blood, nothing more nothing less."


    He handed her the hammer which had now be a simple knife. She made a small cut on her palm and squeezed out a drop of blood whichnded squarely on the de.


    "The forging is now done. This is the second phase, molding", he exined, "What I have just done is create the temte. As it is now, the weapon is in a simr state as Parting Sun, with no elemental power within it but incredibly sharp and durable. However, it cannot bepared to Parting Sun''s quality. By feeding it your energy and blood, the internal structure of the de will begin to change based on what you have given it. Once the molding process is finished, you will understand what a divine weapon truly feels like."


    Ming Yue nodded, understanding that the reforging was almost finished.


    She looked at the sword noting all of its differences with Parting Sun. It was an inch or so shorter and the thickness was several millimeters thicker. It was also slightly wider than before. Her excitement began to grow with each passing moment.


    A little bitter, Lord Qin took the de away and examined it once more.


    "Hmm, how interesting", he said, turning the de around.


    "Theposition is different from what I had thought. Eh, doesn''t matter."


    Heid the de on one of the workbenches and asked Ming Yue some questions on the scabbard and the handle. She answered them without hesitation, asking that it would be simr to what she had before. Something that wasn''t very eye-catching and easy for her to use.


    In a matter of hours, he finished everything and began the final assembly. Compared to the forging, this process was quite quick. Then again, he isn''t called the Forgelord for nothing.


    He held up the final piece and looked at it.


    "Mmmm, a masterpiece!" he announced.


    He walked outside with Ming Yue and gave a casual swing at the sky. The attack was silent and incredibly quick. With it came a swift wind that shot through the sky.


    "What sort of skill is this?" she thought.


    To be able to cut so far was something she believed to be impossible for her, yet the Forgelord had done it.


    "This is a wonderful sword!" Lord Qin eximed, feeling happy that his handiwork was good.


    He handed it over to Ming Yue, who was still shocked by the Forgelord''s strike.


    "Well now, what would you like to name it?"

 Chapter 95 - Rebirth

    "Name it?" Ming Yue said.


    She had to rename the weapon.


    "Of course, to reforge a de is to breathe life into it. Giving it a new life also means giving it a new name", Lord Qin said.


    "Don''t worry, I won''t rush you. Giving a weapon their name requires a fair bit of thinking. Now then, since I opened this up, I should probably work on some other projects."


    He quickly ran off, picking up an unfinished chest te. It was designed quite strangely, the front had an engraving of the words "Stupid" on it for some reason*. There were a number of questionable spikes on the back as well.


    Ming Yue watched him set off before looking back to her new sword. It was shorter by an inch or so, a width of three fingers, and a thickness of 9 millimeters. The weight had stayed the same at around five pounds.


    The handle was quite nice, made from a block of dark stained wood and the center was wrapped with thin silver rope. On its own, the handle was seven inches long but not very thick, maybe an inch or so in diameter. The sword guard was small and thin. Made of the same materials as the de, it had a bright silvery color and the top and bottom had simple engravings on them. The pommel was a simple one-inch-long cap of the same color as the guard.


    The scabbard was truly special. Created from the same wood as the handle, it was somewhat flexible but durable. Shallow carvings of mountains and clouds covered it and a moon and sun took on both ends of the scabbard. The sun at the top and the moon at the bottom.


    Holding the unsheathed de in her hand, she gave it several swings to test it. The sensation she had when she swung was different. The bnce of the sword was done differently and it seemed to glide through the air, so much sharper than before.


    "That is why I had you feed it your blood and energy", Lord Qin said, his back facing towards her as he continued to hammer down random spikes of the chest te.


    "During the molding phase, the energy that you gave it was fully activated by your blood. With the help of the heat from the stone bed, it will integrate with the sword and imbued it with certain properties, therefore changing the internal structure. The whole thing with gems is modern technique, this is the ancient stuff."


    "So now, It is much easier to swing it and feels much sharper as it now has the element of wind within it. Whenever you use techniques, it will be much easier to execute them."


    She stared at the sword in wonder and began testing outside of the forge.


    What he said was true!


    It took her much less effort to execute something like Savage Tempest, it was even stronger than before. After a bit more testing, she went back to naming it. What would she name it? A mix between Splitting Moon and Parting Sun? Somethingpletely different?


    She knew she wanted to keep it simr to their names, something simple.


    At this time, she heard someone call out.


    "Is the Forgelord here?" A small figure ran through before stopping in front of Ming Yue.


    Wearing trousers and wielding a ck bow in her hands, Xuan Yin had arrived.


    "Ming Yue? What are you doing here?" she said.


    She looked back and showed her the sword.


    "I''''m getting a new sword."


    "I see, I''m also getting a new bow."


    Neither really knew what to say. After Maple Root City, the both of them split up in silence. Xuan Yin wanted to go back to get stronger. After a month or two of no contact, neither could really do anything to break the awkward silence.


    "Oh girl! You''re back again! Did you get what I asked for?" Lord Qin came out of the forge with the chestte still in his hands.


    "Ah, it seems like the both of you know each other. Come on girl, give me you bow and the things I asked for! After that, go spend time talking with that otherss!"


    Xuan Yin gave him her ck bow and a small bag. He retreated back into the forge, leaving the both of them alone.


    After several minutes of silence, Xuan Yin was the first to speak.


    "Have you been well?"


    "Yes."


    "Is your new sword good?"


    "It is."


    This was followed with a number of questions to which Ming Yue answered with a simple yes or now. It was quite hard to break the ice between them.


    Lord Qin must have heard them because he yelled at them.


    "Come on! You can do better than that! And I mean the both of you!"


    With a little encouragement from him and a bit of time, speaking with each other was much easier.


    Xuan Yin learned of the General Auction as well as Ming Yue''s time in Rong Lu City.


    "Damn, it happens every ten years? And I missed it? Agh!"


    As for Xuan Yin, she had been spending more time training and traveling with her grandfather. She even visited Liqiu in Maple Root City twice to check up on her. She was no longer bedridden but was still weak. The three families had yet to make any moves, obviously still trying to recuperate from the incident.


    Ming Yue was relieved to hear that she was feeling better. That much was enough to ease her mind.


    "What are you doing right now?" Xuan Yin asked.


    "I need to give this sword a name."


    "Oh, have you thought of anything yet?"


    "No, not really. It is a lot harder than it sounds. This is going to be my sword, it will be by my side to the end."


    "How about something with the stars? There was Splitting Moon and Parting Sun, so maybe naming it after stars wouldn''t be too bad. Or..or maybebining both the moon and sun together?" Xuan Yin thought hard on making more suggestions.


    Ming Yue smiled, happy that Xuan Yin still had the same energy as before. She thought about her suggestions before contemting between different names. Something that felt natural to her. In an instant, it came to her.


    The perfect name.


    "So far, Kong Zhi has not yet made any moves."


    "What? How strange, could he be nning something?"


    Within the demon continent, things have been somewhat quiet. Not even themanders nor the allied demons knew what to do. While there were skirmishes every now and then, it was not very chaotic. The human armies continued to retake thend, rescuing more demons and ridding thend of any ungodly creature.


    In fact, these creatures were bigger headaches than Kong Zhi. He merely continued to travel thend, growing his power. He has made no moves against the humans, no deration of war, he just traveled around.


    "I suggest we fight it out!" a burly man wearing heavy armor spoke out. His fist balled up and his face was fierce. He had an eye-patch on his left eye and a scar running down his face.


    "Commander Nie Xia, I know you and your Yan Fu army is raring to go out in battle but now is not the time. We still have too little information about Kong Zhi, this could very well be a trap."


    "Indeed Commander Nie, It has only been a month or so since we arrived into the demon continent. Even though we''ve been tracking Kong Zhi, we have only mapped out a fifth of the continent with all of our scoutsbined. There is a chance that he may be looking for something."


    "Hmph, I could say the same about him. We''ve only been here for a month after all. I doubt Kong Zhi would know everything about us. We could take him by surprise."


    At the head of the nning table, an old man in armor was deep in thought. With short hair and a small mustache, he seemed like a gentle old man but hisrge frame said otherwise. He was nothing but an experiencedmander, a warrior of the highest degree.


    "Commander Nie Xia", he said, "Exercise some restraint. If you''re getting restless then go to the southern part here. ording to some scouts, we have a small army from Kong Zhi trying to tame more beasts. Go stop their tracks."


    Nie Xia had a look of excitement, "Then let us depart!"


    Quickly he ran off to mobilize.


    "Commander Zi Jing, Yu Zhen, It was a good attempt to try and pacify him. Commander Nie Xia is a man who acts more than he speaks. It would be better to have him move a bit."


    Commander Zi Jing was a young man who wore white schrly robes. He carried five white swords and seemed nothing like themander of an army. He had a calm demeanor and a face that could charm many.


    Commander Yu Zhen was a middle-aged woman who was dressed in a mix of leather armor and chainmail. At her side was arge saber wrapped in cloth. She had dark blue hair and a curvaceous but well-trained body. Her charisma was among the best and she is an idol to many in her kingdom.


    "Then Commander Du Xiu, what do you suggest?"


    "We can only move passively.. There is nothing else we can do."

 Chapter 96 - Perfect Timing

    "So, the humans are ying safe, hmm? That''s fine, there is no need to-"


    "Gah! Kong Zhi! None of us will join you! You might as well kill us now!"


    Several struggling demons were pinned on the ground by a number of demons. In front of them was Kong Zhi, a hulking man with stone-like skin and arge hammer on his back. They looked hatefully at him, the one that interrupted him even had the gall to spit at his feet.


    "Hahahaha", heughed mockingly.


    "Oh I honestly do not understand you. Why would you not join me? Are you not sick of living like this? In fear? Having to suffer everyday while the other races are living in bliss?" he looked at them, "You would even throw away our pride to join the humans?"


    "Why do you think that, you bastard. You think we would join someone as merciless as you? Do you think we cannot see past your facade? You im to be fighting for the good of our kind but we can see that you only fight for yourself!" they looked at him, each and every gaze locked onto his eyes.


    But it was brushed off.


    "Boring, kill them. We move in two hours."


    Kong Zhi turned around and walked away.


    "You fucking monster! You have no mercy! No heart! No morals! I hope you die a torturous death!" the demon shouted away, berating him as he and the others were dragged off.


    Nothing he said budged Kong Zhi.


    "Hm, having a heart is only a weakness. Mercy and morals do nothing", he muttered.


    "My lord!" a messenger bowed before him, "An army of the humans are heading towards the south to interfere with our detachment!"


    "Really? Let them skirmish for a bit. It is not yet the right time to confront them. I need more power, enough topletely crush them."


    As the demon continent''s situation continued to stir, Ming Yue had thought of a good name for her sword. One that fit her quite well.


    "Drifting Sky."


    "Drifting Sky?" Xuan Yin was a bit unsure as to what led to this name.


    "Yes, drifting like the wind, wandering, just like me."


    "What about sky?"


    "This sword has both Parting Sun and Splitting Moon, naming it with Star doesn''t seem right. Only the skies can contain the sun and moon, thus sky was a good choice."


    "Hmm, simple but direct. Quite like you."


    "Quite a nice name, a bit poetic I might add", Lord Qin walked out of the forge carrying Xuan Yin''s bow.


    "Here, I didn''t change too much of it. Your grandfather would kill me if I did anything more than this", he gave the bow back to her, almost identical to before.


    "Ah Drifting Sky, pretty good, drifting like the wind yet carrying the vastness of potential. Surpassing the celestial bodies and going beyond", he said.


    Secondster, multiple bells started ringing throughout the city. Li Gang ran into the field hurriedly.


    "Old man! There''s a beast hordeing!" he yelled out.


    "Oh, what good timing! Why don''t the both of you try out your new weapons?" He smiled at them before tapping the ground twice with his hammer, now small.


    As the forge began to close again, the two women ran off to help defend the city.


    "Is it a big one?"


    "Larger than normal, our spotters have seen up to rank three beasts."


    "Eh, those two will be enough to help out. Anyways, help me out! My little home has be a mess because of Ming Yue, help me tidy it up!"


    "What...but...fine."


    "That''s what I like to hear! Hah! Catch this!"


    He threw a shovel at Li Gang and went back to his home.


    "What? You expect an old man like me to do all this work? Come on, you''re still young! I better see this done by the end of the week!"


    Li Gang was exasperated and could do nothing but follow his orders. As he went to fill up the innumerable craters, the city was in an uproar.


    The moment those warning bells were heard, everyone had gone into a defensive state, closing their stores and workshops. From the looks of it, it seemed that they were all quite used to these attacks, knowing their positions and running about without panicking. Many headed to the walls, manning multiple wall cannons and other defensive structures. Others went outside of the walls, acting as a defensive line. While Xuan Yin went to the walls, Ming Yue joined the front lines.


    Fortunately it seemed that the beast horde was onlying from the west side. The sounds of stomping grew louder and louder, following them, a mass of beasts emerged from the forest. Many of them were blood red, had saggy skin, and ghastly, their faces were human-like, a vicious expression on each one. Big or small, one horn or six, these four legged creatures were something born from a nightmare.


    "Blood Fiends! Fire!" an order was shouted out from the walls.


    Loud cracks reverberated as the sky was lit with fire. Raining down on them, the ground was filled with explosions and sts. Bodies were incinerated from the st barely able to pass survive the barrage. Some of the stronger ones were a bit more resilient, able to take several hits before going down.


    "Blood Fiends?" Ming Yue thought, "What were these creatures and where did theye from?"


    "Hmm, something must have happened in the Bai Yan ins. For so many of them toe, it might be something big", someone spoke beside her, slightly bothered by this horde.


    Secondster the barrage stopped, only those with bows continued to shoot.


    "Hold them off while we reload!"


    Hearing this, those at the front lines moved forward. A sixth of the horde was decimated from the cannons but it did not deter their ferocious charge. Everyone prepared themselves and waited for the horde to arrive.


    The first one arrived only to be smashed down by a hammer, the rest followed, lunging at them. As the fighting ensued, dead fiendsid on the ground. Any injured just attacked once more.


    Ming Yue was one of the few who struck out on her own. From her first attack to hertest one, she was greatly enamored with Drifting Sky. The sensation was different, the bnce was different, but it was good. It felt much easier to wield. She did not have to expend too much strength to cut down these Blood Fiends.


    Running her own energy through it, the de was covered in an invisible force, increasing it''s sharpness by leaps and bounds. The whole process was smooth, almost effortless. Sheunched out a wind de, cutting through tens of fiends.


    Her kill rate was among the highest, bodies left on the ground by the dozens. Three fiends jumped at her, their jaws filled with sharp fangs. In an instant, she cut off their heads in one fell swoop.


    To her right, she noticed Fu Shan charging about, flinging bodies away with his fists. Hisrge bronze gauntlets flew about in a furious rage. Each strike ruptured the ground as rock spikes pierced any unlucky fiend.


    Other figures were just as brilliant as his. One carried a plethora of strange creations, each one deadlier than thest: an electrified, a contraption that shot out spears, small handheld bombs, etc. Another controlled five identical swords with their hands, waving about while the swords cut through any in its way.


    Minutester, a loud voice shouted out.


    "Retreat! We''re finished reloading!"


    Everyone ran back and watched the horde get decimated once more. Any stragglers that managed to get through were swiftly dealt with. They took this chance to rx and recover for bit. Those Blood Fiends were not extremely strong but they were quite forceful and gave no one a rest.


    During this brief rest, Fu Shan walked up to Ming Yue.


    "Hey Ming Yue", he said, "You aren''t too bad of a fighter!"


    She looked back and gave a little smile.


    "I trained a lot'', she replied.


    "Whose this?" at this moment, multiple figures appeared from behind his back.

 Chapter 97 - The Six Pillars

    "Ah, this is Ming Yue, the girl that Li Gang brought!" said Fu Shan.


    "Ooh, I see. Well, I am called Mei Yuan. Nice to meet you!"


    "Hello, My-my name i-is Qing Z-zhi."


    "I am Wu Dao."


    Mei Yuan was a female cultivator that used a pair of daggers. Her slim and nimble body made it quite hard to track as she could easily slip through small openings. She had short hair and a cheerful disposition. In addition, she wore a tight body suit with some light armor around her joints. As frail as it looked, there were no signs of damage despite fighting against Blood Fiends minutes ago.


    Qing Zhi did not have the same confidence as the others. Ming Yue had recognized him as the one with the numerous contraptions. A young boy with a figure even smaller than hers, he carried arge bamboo box on his back. His hair cut like a bowl, he was a cute one who would rather hide behind his box of contraptions. He wore light brown robes with his sleeves rolled up, showing his little forearms.


    Wu Dao was a bit more stoic than the others, only sharing a few words before leaving the little group. This was the fighter with the flying des. Each of the five swords were strapped to his back. He himself, wore a hat which covered the top of his face.


    "So you''re the one Li Gang brought back", said Mei Yuan.


    "Then that must be the sword that the Forgelord made!" she looked at Ming Yue''s sword.


    Fu Shan then gave everyone a much more formal introduction to Ming Yue.


    "These three including me and Li Gang make up the Six Pirs of Rong Lu City. All of us reside in our own respective workshops but wee together whenever the city is in danger. Of course, our positions aren''t fixed, anyone willing to challenge our position and defeat us will of course take our ce", he said.


    "I''m a cksmith focused on all types of equipment, quite a bnced craftsman. Li Gang is a weaponsmith who likes to work with strange designs. Mei Yuan''s area of expertise is engraving and talismans. Qing Zhi is best known for his inventions and many contraptions and Wu Dao is a gifted desmith, famed for a fair number of his single edged swords."


    Ming Yue made some quick bows before asking him a question.


    "What about the sixth pir?" she asked.


    "Ah the sixth pir is busy up on the walls. I''m sure you can recognize him from his loud voice. He spends his time with things such as siege weapons, quiterge and destructive objects. Not to mention, he is quite the strategist", Fu Shan replied.


    Momentster, that same voice barked out once more.


    "We''re going to reload soon! Be ready frontline!"


    Hearing those words, everyone walked forward, waiting for the barrage to end. Smoke rose from the impacts before a giant figure pushed through. With it''s red sagging skin, this Blood Fiend was different, walking on it''s hind legs and roaring out loud. Wings formed on its back as it staggered forward, severely injured from the cannons. Its skin was burned, boils formed and pus came out. It''s shoulder was blown out, limping to its side and yet it walked forth with the same fervor.


    "A Blood Imp? How rare!" Fu Shan said, "You normally don''t see them here."


    Following the Blood Imp''s roar, its smaller counterparts, the Blood Fiends rushed about and the battle was once again plunged into chaos.


    In a bid to hasten this fight, Ming Yue send out wave after wave of wind des, slicing through dozens of bodies before dissipating. Simrly, Wu Dao''s five swords started fly on their own, going about in varying directions. Qing Zhi''s bamboo box suddenly manifested a small tube that spewed a liquid from its mouth, pretty much melting anything it touched. No one else came close to the deadly power of these two, whether it was the sharpness and swift speed of Wu Dao''s swords or the corrosive power of Qing Zhi''stest creation.


    The whole fightsted half an hour before thest of the Blood Fiends fell to the ground. Thousands upon thousands were killed, many of their bodies were already turned to nothingness by Rong Lu City''s defenses. The aftermath ended with everyone cleaning up the surroundings, refilling the holes, dismantling the bodies for materials. The body of a blood fiend is quite handy, many of its parts could be used for cultivation and pill creation. They were separated into organs, skin, and bones, each one having their own purpose. Surprisingly enough, Ming Yue did not think that a beast horde would be dealt with so quickly. The preparation and skill that was put into the city''s defense were good, not to mention, everyone seemed quite experience with it.


    As the cleaning was just about finished, another bell rang out but this one was much more high pitched.


    "Hm, the Forgelord is calling for a meeting? Could this be rted to the horde of Blood Fiends?" Mei Yuan said.


    "Possibly" said Fu Shan.


    "May-maybe he''s here to congratte us on defending against another beast horde", Qing Zhi added.


    "Who knows, I just want to go back to my forge already", said Wu Dao.


    "Oh shut up you, stop whining and go to the center", a figure joined them, smacking Wu Dao on the head. This one was an old man, possible just as old as the Forgelord.


    His wrinkled face and shrinking body showed no signs of that powerful voice thatmanded the walls. He wore his hair in a pony tail, tied by a metal ring and his body smelled of a mix of gunpowder and ash. His strict expression made himparable to that of a stern parent.


    As everyone gathered at the center where Lord Qin''s home and forge resided. Thend around his hut was pristine and almost perfect. To the side was a very tired and very exhausted Li Gang, angry that Lord Qin decided to turn his one week deadline to just one hour. Of course, failing or refusing would result in a fate much worse than death.


    Lord Qin came out out his hut, carrying a cup of tea and a small wooden stool which he proceeded to sit on. He gestured for everyone to sit.


    "First off, I''d like to celebrate another beast horde fended off", he said, followed by a bit of pping. "Now the bigger issue that I''m sure you are all wondering is why this beast horde is mainly Blood Fiends from the Bai Yan ins. That is because the Bloody ins will be reappearing again."


    "The Bloody ins? It wille again?"


    "It is going to get busy again", everyone spoke excitedly, it seems that this Bloody ins is a time of great fortune.


    "For those of you who do not know, the Bai Yan ins was a ce where many battles took ce. There was great bloodshed and resentment as well as a treasure every now and then. The umting bloody aura has long since seeped into the ground giving form to what you call Blood Fiends. Every now and then the aura would burst out and the ins would once again be the battlefield it once was. Because of this, many fighterse and use this oppurtunity to sharpen themselves and improve their cultivation", he said.


    "Of course this means more business for us!" a grin formed on his face as he said those words.


    "Alright, that''s all I have to say! Everyone should be ready, I estimate that the ins will reappear in a few days."


    The people of Rong Lu City dispersed, anticipating the business that they were about to have. Ming Yue stayed back, wanting to ask Lord Qin a few more questions about the ins.. The Six Pirs also stayed behind, visibly excited.

 Chapter 98 - Bloody Plains

    He looked at them.


    "Well now, what is it girl?" he asked, "Want to go see the Bloody ins?"


    Ming Yue nodded.


    "You can find it west of Rong Lu City, in the Guang Yang Kingdom. You will know if you''ve reached the ins when you start encountering blood fiends and the ground is a dyed a deep red" he exined patiently, ending woth a little smile.


    Turning towards the Six Pirs, his expression changed bing stern with a tiny bit of annoyance.


    "Let me guess, all six of you want to go as well", they nodded quickly in response, unable to restrain their excitement.


    His eyes squinted, staring into their very soul.


    "Go then, I expect a gift from all of you", he answers, turning his stern expression into a smile.


    "Yes Forgelord! We will deliver!" all six of them ran off after saying those words, preparing to make the journey.


    "Heh, those bastards" he turned around and picked up the stool, patting it clean.


    "If you are going to go to the Bloody ins, I will have to warn you. It is quite a treacherous ce. In order to hone your skills andprehensions, you must seek out the Sanguine Wraiths, lingering souls that are bound by thend. They are not easy opponents but considering your skill, I think that you''d stand a decent chance. However, these wraiths have different levels of ability, do not overestimate yourself", he added.


    Ming Yue gave it a bit of thought before making up her mind, she would go join. She still had one more of those cultivation pills and wanted to take this chance to gain some umtions. Leaving his courtyard, Xuan Yin met up with her and had also been thinking of checking out the Bai Yan ins.


    The both of them nned to leave the city in several days. Groups were already beginning to form as more and more cultivators entered the city. Every one of them had chosen to leave at a simr time.


    In total, there were several hundred cultivators, wanderers, sect disciples, etc. Well known figures from other countries had alsoe to the city. There was also a familiar face as well, Qing Lei Jiang, the emperor''s son was also there, surrounded by hisrades. After not seeing him for so long, he had be much more stronger.


    Being genius and having ess to numerous treasures, his cultivation was definitely within the Earth Realm. In a duel, her chance of victory was not great, possibly twenty percent. His two halberd were noticeably different, much more striking and sharper. The design was a bit more extravagant, the pattern of lightning was present on the moon shaped de.


    Outside of this group were several other eye-catching ones, there were a group of seven female cultivators that used the sword. Each one of them had a degree of grace and beauty, turning a number of heads around. Judging by their clothes which were white robes withvender embroidery, they must''ve been part of the same sect. Another group had 6 members, a haughty young master and his servant followed by 4 guards, he walked around arrogantly while his men were busy carrying his things.


    Not even seconds passed before he began to drum up trouble and with none other than the seven women too! The servant quickly ran up and cautioned him, warning that it is not a good idea to approach others with such arrogance. However, this young master would not hear it, brushing him off and walked up to the female cultivators.


    "Ah, such beauty, it is rare to find seven women, each more graceful than thest in one ce. Tell me what brings you all to a city like this?" he asked.


    His question was met with silence and cold stares, but he was not deterred and made a second attempt.


    "Would it be fine if I apany you?" he goes, smiling at one of them.


    Finally, one of them answered. Her hair was tied up into a long braid and she had beautiful blue eyes. She faced him before giving a curt bow.


    "We apologize but we seven are here to train under the instructions of our teacher. We do not have the time to y with someone who does nothing but y", she spoke in a very sweet tone, almost as if she were speaking to a child.


    Afterwards, she went back to her group, ignoring his existence. The young man was nothing more than shocked by her reply and very soon that shock was reced by anger and resentment. Right when he was about to say one more word, the servant pulled him back and stopped him from speaking.


    "Do you know who you''re talking too?" he said, "They are disciples of Clear Spring Mountain, angering them would mean bringing trouble to the family. You''re lucky that one of the guards recognized them or else, your father would punish you and kill us all."


    The young master quickly shut his mouth.


    "Clear Spring Mountain? But that sect is in the east where the Clear Sky Kingdom is!" he thought, "Why would they travel for the Bloody ins?"


    Ming Yue was close enough to hear the conversation, she had been spending these past days exploring the city. She just so happened to be within the area, perusing the wares of a peddler.


    "Clear Spring Mountain?" she thought, "Must be a really prominent sect."


    Qing Lei Jiang must have also heard the conversation for he approached the Clear Spring Mountain disciples, cupping his fists and bowing in respect. Unlike with the young master, they had noticed him and faced his direction.


    "Greetings, my name is Qing Lei Jiang, prince of Red Lotus Country. I have long heard of the illustrious name of Clear Spring Mountain and had chance to visit before", he said.


    "Of course Prince Lei Jiang, Clear Spring Mountain remembers you. I was the one that you dueled when you first came. My teacher was very impressed with your talent and mental state", one of the disciples spoke out with a calm tone.


    She had a much more mature aura and was notably the prettiest of the seven. Her hair had several pins, pulling them behind her ears but the most dazzling part about her was her eyes. One golden and one indigo, they were mesmerizing and carried a deepness within them, as if she could not be seen through.


    Lei Jiang paused before smiling, "Ah, miss Jing Hai, I apologize for not remembering you. It has been a long time and I have gone through numerous battles. I truly apologize."


    "No matter, are you also here for the Bloody ins?"


    "Yes, yes I am, I want to sharpen myself there and was told that the Bloody ins would open up soon. What about you?"


    "I am here with my junior sisters to train them. My master sent me to watch as part of my training."


    "I see, well good luck then", Lei Jiang bowed again before leaving.


    Jing Hai watched him leave before facing her junior sisters, conversing about their ns once they''ve reached the ins. Ming Yue observed their conversation again before leaving with Xiao Yin and Hei Yue, both of which caught one of the Clear Spring Mountain disciple''s eyes. An expression of desire, yet she restrained herself and looked away.


    That young master was overshadowed long ago, he could only swallow this bitterness and walk away.


    "Come on!" he shouted at his guards, "We''re going to the Bloody ins now."


    He left quickly unable to stay here any longer.


    The Six Pirs had all grouped together outside of the city. Ming Yue met up with them, finding that Xuan Yin had already arrived. The both of them had already spoken with the Six Pirs, agreeing to travel to the Bloody ins together.


    "See anything interesting?" asked Xuan Yin.


    Ming Yue responded with a shake of her head.


    "I''m ready, we can go now", she responded to everyone else.


    All of them left the outskirts of the city, heading west towards the territory of the Guang Yang Kingdom.. Following their departure, many other groups left the city, ready to take on the dangers of the Bloody ins.

 Chapter 99 - Sanguine Wraith

    Traveling to the west, their journey was quiet and uneventful, but that was to be expected. The Bloody ins was a ce of misfortune, no beast would want to linger and went into hiding.


    The only creatures that they encountered were Blood Fiends.


    Ming Yue took this opportunity to learn more about the Bloody ins from the Six Pirs. Only Fu Shan, Li Gang and Mei Yuan answered her questions. Qing Zhi was too shy and focused on tinkering with his bamboo box. Wu Dao spent most of his time tending to his swords, thest of the six introduced himself as Old Huo and mostly looked at a map, guiding them to the Bloody ins.


    "So you''ve already seen what a Blood Fiend or a Blood Imp looks like but there are several other things you should know. The strength of a fiend and an imp is determined by its size, the smaller it is the more dangerous. Large ones have a lot of strength but aren''t very fast, as they grow stronger, their bodies bes more condensed. The strength of a wraith is determined by how deep the color of their body is. They are apparitions formed by killing intent and lingering thoughts, as their power continues to umte, their hazy bodies would be less transparent", Fu Shan exined.


    Following his words, Mei Yuan and Li Gang told her about some of their insights with the Bloody ins.


    "Being a ce bathed in war and battle.." said Li Gang, "can have an effect on one''s mental state. Lose yourself to the ins and you would be a mindless killer, unable to recognize friend or foe."


    "Wraiths are the most dangerous of them all", Mei Yuan added, "Defeating them would release all of the hatred and viciousness. Getting caught in it will not end well, those who fell victim would almost always lose their minds."


    "I see", Ming Yue replied, taking all of these factors into ount.


    Her mental state was not very weak, having broken out of an illusion before, she felt a bit confident. However, this explosive death is quite troublesome, she needed to devise a way of minimizing this problem.


    Several days passed before they finally reached the ins. The ground was colored scarlet, simr to the color of blood. The metallic spell of it was somewhat overpowering and invaded their noses. However that was not the most eye-catching part.


    It was the air, it was tense, heart-pounding. The pressure that one felt was almost imperceptible but it was enough to bother them, like an itching sensation that never leaves. Staying here for too long would not be a wise choice. With such an environment, Hei Yue and Xuan Yin stayed out and chose to hunt around instead.


    "When the day ends, we meet at this spot. Does everyone agree?"


    Reaching the outskirts, everyone had made this spot theirs before splitting up. While the Six Pirs were off collecting materials or looking for opponents, Ming Yue and Xuan Yin went off searching for beasts to kill.


    Getting closer to the center, the pressure grew stronger and they started to encounter more Blood Imps than Fiends.


    Walking on their hind legs, these Imps wandered the ins, asionally stopping and absorbing the bloody aura. Every time they did so, their bodies would get ever so slightly smaller.


    "I''ll stay here and hunt around", Xuan Yin blurted out, "They would make great target practice."


    She drew her bow and began her hunt. Ming Yue continued to press on. She avoided the Imps and Fiends, wanting to save her energy for the Wraiths.


    After half an hour of searching, she finally found a wraith!


    It was a cloudy red mist, formed into the silhouette of a warrior, a crimson spear in its hands. It seemed to have noticed her for the wraith turned around and charged.


    It executed a number of techniques, its effects were emted by the mist. She dodged the first attack and struck at the wraith. But defeating it would not be so simple, using the body of the spear, it deflected the attack, responding with a low sweep. The force from the spear caused a great wind blowing away dust and debris.


    Ming Yue lunged forward, jumping over the sweeping spear and sliced off one of the wraith''s arms.


    However, the wraith was unaffected, made of a bloody mist, such physical attacks would do nothing.


    Still above it, she kicked the back of its head, causing it to stumble forward. Taking this opening, she attacked once more, this time infusing her inner force with the de.


    The wraith was not so simple, it twisted its body, barely dodging her second attack. However, it was grazed, the spot where it was hurt began to spew out some sort of steam. It was a different color than his body, a mixture of red and purple.


    "Was this the umting hatred and resentment?" she thought.


    She dared not to confirm and moved around the wraith with caution.


    The wraith changed up its stance, the spear now held up to the head, parallel to the ground. It made another sweeping motion, this time sending out a wave of red. Then it followed with a second one, this time it was a vertical sweep. A cross made of red mist quickly flew towards Ming Yue. But its characteristics were unusual, it did not seem like mist at all. Rather, the waves seemed to crackle like lightning!


    She shed eight times, sending off eight des of wind in session. As each one collided with therge cross, it began to weaken. On the sixth one, it had lost a quarter of its size and momentum.


    Ming Yue jumped back and attacked once more,unching a muchrger de of wind. shing with the red cross, it stopped it in its tracks, fighting for supremacy. Soon enough, the wraiths technique broke and the de of wind passed through, hitting the ground and creating arge gash.


    A fair amount of distance was between them. The wraith attacked again, thrusting the spear forward five times. Each time he did so, the mist would emte its technique, forming five ghostly dragons that chased after Ming Yue. They shouted with a thunderous roar as they soared through the air.


    In retaliation, she spun forth, creating a tornado from her de and sent it at the dragons.


    The dragons tried to circle around the tornado but could not avoid its grasp. Unable to break free, they shed in a furious fight. Ming Yue continued to fuel the tornado with her energy and in seconds, the five dragons were ripped apart by the violent winds.


    Under her control, it burst forth towards the wraith who took the technique head on. In itsst moments, it was destroyed in the tornado and that umted resentment was released from the vessel.


    To her surprise, the magenta colored mist was contained by the tornado. But as a mix of lingering hatred, it had a will of its own and fought back against the tornado, attempting to take over it. It struggled for mere moments before dissipating into the air, losing against the tornado.


    With the battle ending in her victory, she stopped controlling the tornado and it disappeared in a blink of an eye.


    There were a of things that she learned especially with the Sanguine Wraiths. The deeper the color, the more powerful they were but their techniques did not follow the same rules. With this spear-wielding wraith, its power was not very great as it lost to Ming Yue''s unfinished technique. However, its skill and techniques was on a higher level, it hadbat experience.


    In a fight of pure skill, Ming Yue would not have won so easily. In fact, if their strength was simr, she would''ve lost. This much goes to show the ability of ancient techniques, intricate and strong. Ming Yue''s techniques paled inparison, there was much more that she had to learn before she could improve.


    She contemted for a bit before setting out to find more wraiths.. The more techniques she could experience, the more insight she could gain into improving her own techniques.

 Chapter 100 - Deeper Into The Plains

    In another direction, Qing Lei Jiang''s group had dispersed as arge purple cloud covered the area.


    It seems that they had just defeated their own wraith.


    "Hmm, that''s the sixth one. It seems that we''re going in the right direction, they''re growing stronger. Hai Tian, Ru Gao, we should rest for the night. Let''s set up camp", Lei Jiang instructed his two other group members.


    They nodded in agreement and started to work. Hai Tian, a young man who carried a broadsword, started cing small gs in a small formation. Chanting a short incantation, the gs gave off a white glow as the bloody aura was warded off, cleansing the area. Ru Gao set up a small campfire, using his own energy, he lit it up quickly and started working on tonight''s dinner, cooking some stew. Lei Jiang set up tents and organized their supplies. Both Lei Jiang and Hai Tian finished quickly and sat by the fire, enjoying the warmth and the smells that came Ru Gao''s cooking.


    His cooking skill was something that surprised many. Ru Gao was somewhat intimidating, a tall andnky man who used a quarterstaff. Yet now, he hummed a little tune while tending to his stew, a hearty dish made of good quality meat and a number of vegetables and herbs.


    "It''s finished!" he announced anddled three portions for the group.


    Everyone ate slowly, enjoying their meal.


    "How far do we have?" asked Lei Jiang, looking at Hao Tian.


    Hai Tian answered without much thought, "Several more kilometers, then we will have reached the point where the wraiths will be strong enough. By then, we should all be somewhat ustomed to fighting them. We may also encounter a Revenant, that I would like to avoid."


    "I see", Lei Jiang went into deep thought. "We should rest for the night and begin again when the sun rises."


    Deep into the night, when everyone else was asleep, the group of Clear Spring Mountain disciples moved about in the night. In their hands, they held goldenmps, strange treasures that seemed to absorb the red aura of the Bloody ins. It sucked in the aura, turning it into a golden color and cleansing it.


    At the front was Jing Hai who leaded the group deeper into the ins.


    "Come on, the faster we finish absorbing this cursed aura the earlier we can get out of here" she said.


    The others were visibly tired, having walked in this miasma for a full day, it was starting to wear them down. Not to mention, they were moving closer to the center where the aura continued to grow thicker.


    No one but them know of themp''s purpose, but whatever it may be, it seemed quite strange.


    Some distance away from them was the young master and his group, tailing the disciples. The young master watched with curiosity while his servant and the guards had worried expressions on their faces.


    The old servant looked at him, practically begging him to stop.


    "Young Master, please! Any further and none of us will be able to protect you!" he gave a rushed whisper.


    But the young master did not listen and continued to follow them. He had wanted to teach them a lesson but their strange actions had piqued his curiosity.


    "What could they be doing?" he thought.


    Following these two groups was a pair of eyes, ghastly and frightening, there was no shine in its pupils as it stared at them. Who these eyes belonged to was a mystery, but it was one that very few would dare to find out.


    As the day came along, Ming Yue and her group woke up quite early. Unlike Lei Jiang''s group, they did not bring any formation or treasure to clear the bloodthirsty aura. After all, they were only here to collect some materials from the fiends and imps. Only Ming Yue and Xuan Yin ventured towards the center of the ins.


    One day, two days, three, the bloodthirsty aura slowly grew in strength. At this point, the both of them did not need to travel far before finding a suitable opponent.


    Fighting over ten of these wraiths, Ming Yue gained a fair bit of insight with her techniques, how to strengthen it and make them much more efficient. She could feel herself at the cusp of breaking through to the seventh level. If she yed her cards right, she might be able to break past the seventh and onto the eighth.


    Xuan Yin had reached the Earth Realm not too long ago, while the Six Pirs varied as their focus was in crafting. Compared to those in her generation, she wasgging behind those like Bing Yun Zhi and Lei Jiang who were well within the Earth Realm. Even Yu Yao Xian was attempting to break through to the Earth Realm.


    She needed to catch up. With nothing in her way, she needed to reach the pinnacle, to stand among the stars.


    Presently, she had spotted her next wraith to kill. This one''s body was made of a much thicker mist than the spear-wielding wraith. Its gender-less figure carried a pair of swords, both of which were quite lengthy. These swords were four feet in length and quite broad.


    It sensed her and looked her way. Holding its swords, it sent of a wave of red, attempting to gauge her strength. She dealt with it quickly and went into her stance, as did the wraith.


    Lunging forward, their des crossed in the middle. The wraith''s strike carried a bit of weight, slightly suppressing her.


    Ming Yue pushed back, sending him off by several feet. The wraith closed the distance by running forward before sidestepping and sending both of his swords towards her waist. She blocked the strike and parried, taking advantage of the small window take out her dagger and throw it. It deflected the dagger wit one of its swords before pointing the other towards her. Three crimson spears of wind formed and flew towards her.


    She shed upward, creating a gust of wind that send the spears up towards the sky. Afterwards, she got close to the wraith and decided to test something out.


    She attacked the wraith and kept the fight to a standstill, both were locked in this sh. Rather than create something likences or spears of wind, she created small needles instead. They shot forward faster than the eyes could track. At this pace, they could pierce through stone like it was paper.


    These wind needles were small but they spun at such a pace that there was a faint whistle as they flew by.


    Surprisingly enough, the wraith backed off, avoiding all but one of the needles which tore through its left shoulder. As purple fumes began to leave the wound, the wraith began to retreat. Apparently, strong enough to have formed its own consciousness, it did not want to disappear today. But how could Ming Yue let it leave so easily?


    She ran after it, creating more of those wind needles and sent them coursing through the air. The wraith must''ve sensed them for it leaped to the side, stabbing into the ground.


    Ming Yue instinctively jumped forward, the ground beneath her erupted with earthen spikes, which were colored red from like the wraith''s body.


    Seeing as she dodged, the wraith made a stand and attacked with all it had. A barrage of spears and sword waves pummeled Ming Yue''s location. But Ming Yue moved quickly, getting behind the wraith and stabbing it in the back. She sent her inner force coursing through Drifting Sky and the sword began to reverberate, causing mayhem inside of the wraith''s body.


    She pulled out the sword and ran out of the way, creating wall of wind that protected her as the wraith''s body exploded into a violet cloud. The cloud slowly disappeared, getting reabsorbed into thend.


    While waiting for this gas to dissipate, she began thinking about the small wind needles.


    "Quite powerful", she muttered, "but too hard to control."


    As strong as these needles were, they were quite difficult to maintain. Not to mention, its speed and piercing power, it was just too hard to use it with precise aim.


    Still, she though that this was a potential technique and made note of it.


    From a distance, she heard a shrill scream in the direction of the ins center.


    "I wonder what happened?" she thought.

 Chapter 101 - Violet Revenant

    Others must have heard the scream too for Ming Yue came into contact with three other groups. Furthermore, the Six Pirs and Xuan Yin had alsoe. A total of 22 cultivators moved together. Some looked quite shady while other were amicable but all of them were a bit curious as to where that scream originated from. Theirbined power made it easier to traverse the crimsonnd.


    Twenty minutes of running led them to a dead body, bloody and mutted. It was like a pack of animals feasted on this poor soul''s body.


    "What could''ve done this?" some of them looked away, others paled at the sight.


    It was a sight beyond sickening.


    As they continued on, they spotted another body mutted in the same fashion.


    Ming Yue recognized him, it was the servant of that haughty young master!


    This time, his face was untouched and it showed an expression of great fear and shock, his eyes wide open and mouth gaping wide.


    What exactly could have caused this?


    Was there some sort of internal strife or a powerful creature?


    Deeper into the Bloody ins, they heard another shriek different from before but equally terrifying.


    More and more people joined the group, searching around. Everyone here hade to train in peace, if there was trouble at hand, then it must be dealt with swiftly. If not, then the next to die could be one of them.


    In mere minutes, they had caught up with Lei Jiang''s group who were resting and recovering.


    Noticing the group of people, he looked at them with a bit of confusion, his group followed his actions, looking confused.


    "Is something the matter?" he asked.


    "Did you not hear the screams?" one of the cultivators said, "Loud enough to hear from even outside the ins."


    "Screams? What screams? We''ve heard nothing", one of Lei Jiang''s members, Hai Tian answered.


    "But that''s impossible! We even found two dead bodies not far from here. Surely you must have noticed something?"


    "What? How could this be? We have seen nothing."


    Lei Jiang''s group made a quick decision to join them, searching around. By then, the sun was setting and the night came along. After walking for several hours, some were beginning to doubt even themselves. Perhaps they had stayed in the Bloody ins for too long and their mental state had beenpromised.


    "Look! Over there!" one of them shouted out, pointing off into a distance.


    They quickly ran up and found another body but this person was still alive! Everyone recognized her as one of the disciples from Clear Spring Mountain. Her eyes slowly opened and looked around in confusion before desperation began to settle.


    "Please help me! Save my senior sisters! They''ve been attacked by a revenant!" she spoke quickly, attempting to stand up and run back.


    "Hold on girl, tell us what happened first!"


    She took in a deep breath and began to recount the events. She and her fellow disciples were on a mission to temper themselves but they were also given the task of refining the blood energy within this domain. The night before, the haughty young master from before had run towards them, nearly pissing his pants. Only then did we realize that we were being followed by something. That thing was a revenant but it was not a normal one, her senior sister had called it a "Violet Revenant".


    Their group tried to fend off the revenant but were being suppressed. She was instructed to flee and find help. Exhausted and mentally strained, she copsed here.


    Hearing her story, the more experienced cultivators sucked in a cold breath.


    "A Violet Revenant. This is both a good thing and a bad thing."


    Ming Yue along with several others were confused. What good thing cane out of a creature this vicious.


    Seeing their confusion, it was quickly exined.


    "A Revenant is another monster born from the Bloody ins but they were on another level. If fiends and wraiths were made from the lingering resentment of warriors. Revenants were born from the dead bodies of heroes, powerful cultivators who once roamed the world. Very few have ever seen them but those who have say that these revenants are the key to a secret realm within the ins. A hidden tempering ground filled with the marks of many fearsome battles, one could learn numerous insights from such things. This is a risk but the opportunities outweigh such things. A violet one is a sign that it is an existence that has been around for hundreds of years."


    At this point, Hai Tian spoke up.


    "In the past, the Bloody ins was where many battles from the Warlord Age took ce. It was both a chaotic time as well as an era where power and strength towered over everything else. Everyone sought ways to strengthen themselves, a time of great bloodshed but a time where powerful fighters emerged. Examining the ways they fight would be an opportunity of a lifetime."


    "Still for you to have not heard a sound is strange", someone quickly pointed out.


    "Not necessarily, with revenants, they may have some sort special ability. In this case, this one may be capable of silencing themselves. All of you must have been outside of its effective range."


    "That is certainly usible. Now that we know what has happened, who wants to return and who wants to march forward?"


    Everyone came to a consensus after discussing among themselves. Some chose to return while others stayed and continued to move through the night, searching for the remaining disciples of Clear Spring Mountain.


    Under the bright moon, they spotted tracks, following them into a small cave. It was obscure and well hidden, covered by brush and branches.


    "This might be where they escaped too!"


    They entered it, holding some treasures that lighted the way.


    The deeper they entered, the cleaner it began to look. The wall slowly became smooth and pristine, as if carved and sanded.


    "Wait, this is no mere cave. This is... an entrance!" one of them eximed.


    Excitement began to grow within them, at the same time there was a sense of dread. They walked and walked, an hour or so passed but there was no end in sight.


    Suddenly, Xuan Yin slowly moved towards Ming Yue and the Six Pirs, leaning closer to their ears.


    "Be careful, we''re reaching the end", she whispered, gripping her bow tightly.


    The rest of them found her behavior strange but chose to trust her, readying their weapons.


    The sounds of battle began to grow louder, everyone started to get tense. The entrance grew closer and closer until they reached the end, exiting this seemingly endless hallway.


    What they saw was nothing short of incredible, a great hall filled with statues and stone steles. They marveled at the sight, it was enormous hundreds upon hundreds covered thend. After admiring the sight, one of the cultivators broke from his stupor and pointed outwards.


    "Look its the revenant and those disciples, that young master is also there! But they aren''t fighting!" he shouted.


    Everyone else followed his fingers, staring at the group. Rather than fighting the revenant, it was as if the revenant was guarding them!


    The revenant must have heard them for it turned its head and stared at them. At this moment, all of them felt chills. They all understood why a violet revenant was so special. It was the eyes, a bright violet color glowed from its eyes. It carried an invisible power, like a bottomless ocean, calm yet ready to explode.


    It scanned them, looking at everyone of them. Its eyes seemed to have looked into the very mind and soul. Minutester, it pointed out several times, picking Xuan Yin, Lei Jiang, and Ming Yue.


    "You may enter."

 Chapter 102 - Hidden Grounds

    They were stunned.


    Not just the three that the revenant pointed at but everyone else as well.


    What did it mean, that only these three young ones could enter? What about the rest of them?


    "An opportunity for the younger generation, something that we of the older generation would squander, hah" some sighed, epting the result and began to leave. Evidently, their time was over and the younger generation would take the spotlight.


    Of course, there were those who chose not the ept such orders from the revenant.


    "What is this? I refuse to be given such a result!" one such person spoke out with indignity, a scrawny old man wearing dark green robes and numerous rings on his fingers.


    "I, the poison master, Gu Tian, refuse this result! Give me an answer you filthy corpse or I will make you!" he said.


    His rat-like face had a ghastly expression of rage, hisrge nose red up in anger. If anything, he seemed more like a filthy corpse than the revenant did.


    "Gu Tian!? Fuck, we better leave quickly" someone whispered and many tried to retreat.


    Gu Tian was not a very amazing cultivator, stuck at the first level of the Earth Realm for the past thirty something years. However, he was a gifted alchemist and created a number of poisonous concoctions. He gained a fair amount of wealth and fame from selling these poisons as their potency was incredibly strong.


    It has been rumored that one of them was used to kill a cultivator who was only a step away from reaching the Sky Realm, an existence that numbered in the hundreds out of the trillions of cultivators within the Human Continent.


    Not to mention, the way that these poisons worked were nothing less of disgusting. Some of them would corrode the body from the inside, turning its victims into a bloody puddle of sizzling slime. Some could cause mes to erupt, burning their bodies, others would cause boils to appear on their bodies before exploding into a mess of pus and filth.


    "Not so fast!" he said, "Anyone that leaves will die from my poison, including you three!"


    Staring at Ming Yue and the others, he gave them a wicked re before looking back at the revenant who continued to ignore them.


    "I do not believe that you have the power to stop me. One drop of my poison and your body will melt in seconds!" arrogance was written all over his face as he walked forward, entering the secret realm.


    They were all watching him stride forward, some believing that he would face bacsh while others wanted to see what would happen.


    Several stepster, he entered the realm, secretly surprised. He had thought that there would be some repercussion for entering without the revenant''s permission but nothing happened.


    He smiled and boasted to everyone else.


    "Hah!" heughed, "This stupid corpse has no power over the hidden realm. Trying to scare us? I think not. What are you waiting for? Let''s enter!"


    Gu Tian walked forward, his heart full of greed and desire. What treasures could this realm hold? How much were these statues worth? He could not wait to find out.


    On his very next step, an invisible force shook the halls before smashing into his body. Sent back into the tunnel, his body flew past everyone and out of the realm. In the few seconds they saw him, some had already noticed the numerous injuries to his bones and organs. In those few moments, they had already decided to leave. Even if they would not die from such an attack, being sent to the entrance and having to walk back in such shape was already enough to deter them.


    As for Gu Tian, his desires disappeared as soon the invisible force came. It caused all sorts of mayhem on his body: broken bones, ruptured organs, his energy had gone beserk as well. Such injuries would take months to fix. It felt like he was being smashed down by a giant fist.


    The group started leaving one by one, disappointed that this journey held no benefits, but satisfied that they had found the secret realm of the Bloody ins. How many others were fortunate enough to find something like this? This experience qould be a fine story to tell.


    The only ones that stayed were the Six Pirs, the youngest disciple of Clear Spring Mountain, and Lei Jiang''srades. All of them had walked in stopping just inches where Gu Tian was repelled and sat, waiting for everyone to return.


    After that little show, Ming Yue, Xuan Yin, and Lei Jiang felt a bit apprehensive, afraid that the revenant would lie and they would experience bacsh. They slowly approached that invisible line, bracing themselves for any impact. Yet it never came, to their surprise, they walked in without much effort.


    A noticeable breath of relief came from all of them as they began exploring the hall.


    Rows and rows of sculptures lined up. If Ming Yue had to guess, there were at least a thousand of them, each one different from thest but all were made with masterful skill.


    "What are these?" Xuan Yin asked curiously.


    The revenant turned around, hearing her question and exined.


    "This space is a graveyard, a memorial to all past heroes and legends. Depictions of their final battle on thisnd. Each statue is an ode to their power and reputation. Every century or so, one of us are to be revived and tend to the halls, making sure that it is protected. Furthermore, we are given a duty to find good seedlings in order to impart some knowledge onto the future generation. When this ce was created and who created it is beyond my knowledge. As for all of you, you must find a statue here and immerse yourself into their final battle, gaining some sort of enlightenment. I cannot help you in this, you must do it yourself."


    The three of them listened carefully to his exnation, shocked by the origins of this space. It was practically an ocean of knowledge. All of them quickly split apart looking around for a suitable statue to choose.


    It was hard to choose. Each one had their own aura and style, some werepatible while others were conflicting. They wanted to choose the best one and continued looking.


    Xuan Yin was the first, sitting in front of the sculpture filled with grace. An elegant archer who seemed to flutter about, a bow in their hands and an arrow nocked on the string. In front of it was a fearsome beast, a six winged tiger that emanated great power. It had six eyes andrge fangs, a vicious face with ws that looked sharp enough to cut down steel.


    Following her was Lei Jiang who sat in front of the statue of a charismatic warrior who wielded a great hammer. The head of the hammer was ginormous, its face wasrge enough to crush another person. The warrior was dressed in full te armor and held the hammer up towards the sky, as if he was calling down the wrath of the heavens. He faced towards arge army, one man alone against hundreds of thousands.


    As for Ming Yue, she had yet too find one that she liked. It was not as if there were statues to fit her but she felt that there was something better.


    She looked and looked but to no avail.


    This one was too fierce.


    This one did not have much power.


    This one used a pipa.


    As she traveled deeper into the halls, she found these statues to be quite rxed but each one had a slight feeling of danger. Just as she was about to give up, one statue caught her eye.


    The statue or a young and beautiful woman.


    The stars, the sun, and the moon all seemed to apany her.. She stood in front if it and could not help herself from looking. In a blink of an eye, her consciousness was taken to another realm!

 Chapter 103 - A Wondrous Battle

    "What is this?" she thought.


    This was definitely an experience unlike any other.


    Ming Yue found herself in a grassy in. There were no trees as far as the eye could see and the night sky was clear. The moon was unusually bright and the stars sparkled like precious jewels. She admired the sight, it was calm and pleasant. A cool breeze brushed her face. It all felt so rxing, as if she had care in the world.


    Yet with this ethereal ce, there was one thing that was amiss. One thing that shook her awake from this fantastical feeling.


    It was in the air, the scent of blood.


    She looked around and wandered the ins, trying to pinpoint where exactly this bloody stench came from.


    It would take mere seconds to find the cause. Several steps through the ins and she noticed two figures facing each other, surrounded by small hills.


    It was different from Lei Jiang''s or Xuan Yin''s experience. There was no mythical monster, no army, nothing grand and epic.


    Just two figures looking into each other, still and rxed.


    She got closer and closer before being able to see who exactly these two figures were. As she got closer, a sense of shock and horror came about as she noticed what was around them.


    Corpses, those hills were corpses, dead bodies that numbered in the thousands. Each one was dyed red in their own blood as well as others.


    "What could''ve happened here?" she thought to herself.


    She stared at the two figures. One was the woman that the statue resembles, graceful and refined. This woman had tied the bottom of her hair with a small ribbon. She wore a simple white hanfu*, tied with a light purple sash. Four short swords floated behind her, each one was identical to each other. The only difference was the etched on the sword guard: the dragon, the tiger, the phoenix, and the tortoise adorned the des. There was a slight huming from them, quiet yet melodious.


    The other figure was also a woman but carried a different feeling to her. She was free, unrestrained. She had an expression of pride and confidence, there was no fear to be found. Her hair was let downpletely, resting on her shoulders. Unlike her counterpart, she did not wear anything like those robes. Rather she was fully dressed in armor, a mix of thick te and chainmail covered her body. Her shoulder pieces were in the shape of a lion''s head and much of her armor were inyered patterns.* It was dyed in ck and red. There was no cloak or mantle. Her helmet was by her side, decorated with ck wings and two crimson tails.


    She wielded a ck spear, the metal spear head was ornate. The sides of the head extended into two tail des with jagged edges. The pole itself had something akin to a scene engraved on it. If Ming Yue looked closely, she would''ve seen a great dragon wrapping around it, rushing towards the sky.


    As Ming Yue continued to observe.


    The armored woman spoke first.


    "It had been a long time since I''ve seen you, sister."


    "Yes, it has", the other replied.


    "Sister?" Ming Yue thought, "They are sisters?"


    She stopped thinking about it and continued to watch.


    "When was thest time we spent time together?" the armored woman asked.


    "I don''t quite remember. It has been close to a hundred years since west saw each other, probably much longer since we''ve spoken like this."


    The both of them were rxed, possibly going down memoryne, their time as close sisters, as family. A look of reminiscence as they missed those days, when times were simple.


    This moment of silence was then interrupted by the woman in white robes.


    "You know, one of us will die tonight."


    "Indeed, one of us..."


    "Do you still remember what happened back then?"


    "Of course, you abandoned me."


    The armored woman''s words made her sister tense up, a slight hint of anger in her eyes.


    "Abandoned? No, I refused to join you."


    "And look where that left us. Me, Lord General of the Xia Empire and you, the leader of some puny sect. You should have taken my hand when you had the chance. You could''ve basked in glory by my side."


    "And what? Massacre millions? You follow the orders of some empire like a dog, killing anything and everything on their behalf. You think this was what I wanted? To be a mindless killing machine? You aren''t some lord general but a mere puppet! Just because I''ve gotten in their way, they''ve sent you to get rid of me. I never took that hand because of what I saw in you, craving for blood and battle. Look around us, all of this blood and carnage. I watched you smile happily as you cut down all that was in your way."


    The white robed woman spoke with distaste for her sister, who looked back with disappointment.


    "After all, we had been through as children, you still cling to your beliefs. Power is everything! Without, how do you think we survived all those years? We had no one but ourselves and we fought to live one more day-"


    "Enough. I''ve heard enough of your nonsense. When I refused to join you, I stopped regarding you as my sister. Come, we will end this, Lord General Yong Zi You."


    The armored woman closed her mouth, there was rage within her and she let it loose.


    "Fine then, Sect Leader Yong Zi Zai, after I kill you, I''m going to trample on your San Guang Sect."


    They faced off against each other. As Ming Yue watched from the side, she couldn''t help but notice their auras. It was like an raging storm going against a calm sea.


    Yong Zi You''s spear pointed straight towards, Yong Zi Zai while her four swords pointed back. Without saying another word, the fight began.


    One move, two moves, four, ten, fifty, one hundred, both figures fought in an amazing pace. Seconds passed before another hundred moves was exchanged. It was almost too quick for Ming Yue''s eyes to follow.


    The sounds of shing weapons broke the calm atmosphere of the ins. Zi You''s spear moved about, twirling and thrusting in the air parrying the four swords of Zi Zai, who stayed back, controlling the swords with the motions of her hands.


    After five hundred moves, the fight had stayed a standstill. Both had yet to sustain an injury.


    Suddenly the four swords retreated and Zi Zai grabbed the first one that returned. Her de flickered about,unching a wave of dragons. Formed from the light of the moon, it was snow white and otherworldly, charging towards Zi You.


    Clouds churned in the skies as Zi You umted her power. With one powerful thrust, lightning shed as an army flew down from the clouds. Hundreds of knights and their horses galloped, their bodies made from pure electricity.


    They engaged in battle, figures of lightning crashed into the light dragons.


    But neither was finished. Zi Zai let go of the first de and grabbed the second. Thrusting forth, a fiery bird emerged, with four giant wings, it screeched out with defiance and flew forth. With the third, a white tiger formed from the stars charged ahead. With the forth, a giant tortoise, ck as the night, roared and followed the other beasts.


    Zi You followed up her thunderous army with several other techniques. She spun her spear around, wind began to blow before an enormous tornado formed before her. It moved forward, intercepting the crimson bird. Then it started to rain and a great figure began to shape. It was a giant warrior! Formed from the storms, it grabbed the tornado and carried it like a spear. Its armor and body was made of clouds and water. It had four arms, each one holding a different weapon, a spear of wind, a shield made from clouds, and two sabers of lightning.


    Thus these phenomenons fought with each other. A great warrior battling against these fearsome beats. In the midst of all this, the two sisters fought with out slowing down.


    Ming Yue saw all of this with her own eyes. What kind of powerhouses were they? To create such scenes!


    All of their attacks seemed so simple yet it carried an unfathomable amount of ideas and concepts. A simple thrust can create an army, a small sh can summon beasts, what kind of level did she need to be to achieve this?


    It was fundamentally different from her own techniques. If she had to exin the difference, it could be summed up in one word: substance!


    The meaning, the idea, the concept, shecked all of those. Her own techniques were simply ways of using her energy, something that many have described as crude and brutish.


    She merely used her energy without understanding it. Thus, there is no substance in her technique.


    This battle showed how much room she had to grow and it only boosted her determination.


    She focused back on the battle, trying to absorb as much as she could. In those few seconds of enlightenment, the battle had grown out of proportion. There was devastation everywhere. The giant warrior was severely injured, having lost two of its arms and much of its armor was broken. The beasts were in a simr state, most of the dragons were dead, the tiger''s fangs were broken, the shell of the tortoise had cracks and some of the crimson bird''s wings had snapped.


    But they continued to fight with an unending ferocity. The beasts wed and bit and charged while the warrior smashed down with his tornado spear and fended of the beasts with hisst lightning sword.


    The two sisters fought in the same fashion. Their weapons were on the verge of breaking yet they carried on, fighting to the end.


    In the middle of it all, Zi You''s spear broke!


    It snapped in front of her eyes, filled with shock. Zi Zai took the opportunity and her four swords shot forth, skewering her sister''s body.


    Zi You stared at her, trembling as she fell to her knees. The giant warrior disappeared followed by Zi Zai''s four beasts.


    "It seems... that you are victorious. Your... Four Nights Technique has defeated me. How far...the both of us havee is truly amazing."


    Zi You struggled to say another word as Zi Zai looked on, then she turned away.


    "Your Thunderous God technique has been renowned throughout the world. After seeing it in person, it deserves the fame, farewell."


    "Hahaha..."


    Finishing her statement, Zi Zai left.


    Zi You had diedughing but it was not one of content but of madness. Then in a matter of seconds, her body had exploded.


    She had detonated her own core as ast ditch attempt to kill her own sister!

 Chapter 104 - Great Opportunity

    The moment her body exploded, Ming Yue found herself back inside therge hall, seated in front of the statue.


    Staring at the beautiful sculpture, she found some words carved at the bottom of it. Slender strokes that had the same grace as the figure in the statue


    "Yong Zi Zai, Sect Leader and Founder of the San Guang Sect, Fairy of the Radiant Moon. In her greatest battle, she fought her sister, Yong Zi You, the Lord General of the Xia, poprly known as the General of the Storm. After defeating her sister, Yong Zi Zai led her sect in a sessful rebellion against the Xia Empire, forming her own alliance made from small kingdoms and other secr powers. It is said that her only regret in life was never being able to reconcile with her sister. She died within the grounds of her sect as the Warlord Age was nearing its end. Her famed Four Nights Swordy was taught to future sect leaders but never executed at the level that she showed. Both sisters had reached the Immortal Rank before perishing."


    "The Immortal Rank!" Ming Yue read, "That is a battle between Immortal Rank experts!"


    It was nothing short of amazing!


    To think that she had witnessed a battle between the strongest was an opportunity unlike any other.


    She did not squander anymore time, taking out and eating herst Three Thought Pill. She sat down and began cultivating. If there was any good time to do so it would be now. Witnessing such a grand battle had given her much to think about not to mention, her body was beginning to show signs of breaking through. With all of these factors in y, she was almost certain that she could charge past the seventh level and into the eighth.


    The Three Thought Pill boosted her mental capabilities by arge margin.


    As her inner force cycled through her body, there were numerous minuscule cracks in her meridians and it dispersed into them. Breaking down and healing over and over again, her body experiencedrge amounts of pain as it began a new rebirth.


    While her body continued to cultivate, her mind was busy tinkering away. Shecked understanding of the world, how it works, all of the little differences. What is thunder and lightning? Why do we have so many types of wind? How does fire work? Why does a sword cut the way it does? What do all of these things represent? In the end, what was the Dao?


    All of these little intricacies, these mysteries of the world that she needed to understand, she calmly meditated on. She reyed the battle of the Yong Sisters over and over again, studying the way they moved. Experiencing something firsthand was over hundred times better than reading the words off of a book or listening to a lecture. The others were in a simr state,prehending and cultivating. As time went by, they woke up one by one, returning to the entrance with the Six Pirs and the others. Only Ming Yue remained and the Violet Revenant watched her closely.


    Her body exuded a red mist that circled around her. Her breath was slow and calm.


    This was a sign of the eighth level!


    The Human Realm was where cultivators refined their own bodies, ridding it of impurities and tempering it. As they progress from the first to the ninth level, the process bes much more precise. From refining the skin and bones to each and every single fiber of her being, the seventh level refined her meridians while the eighth refined her blood.


    The ninth level would refine the only thing that has yet to be touched, your own energy. By condensing it and filling the twelve meridians of the body, it would slowly condense into a more physical form. From its gaseous form, it would slowly be drops, filling those meridians like a bottle.


    Right now, Ming Yue had just entered the eighth level and had considerable slowed down. With each breath, the bloody mist would return to her body, nourishing it.


    Her eyes slowly opened, the aura in her body had rescinded. She was like a hidden de, quiet yet ready. She had cultivated for a whole month, managing to achieve what would''ve been a year''s worth.


    She stood up and looked back at the statue before bowing in front of it and then bowing in front of the revenant. As she left the halls, the revenant smiled and rxed itself.


    "Finally, I havepleted my duty" it said, before turning to dust.


    She met up with the Six Pirs and Xuan Yin, who waited for her to finish. Lei Jiang and the others had already left, that haughty young master from before followed the Clear Spring Mountain disciples back to Rong Lu City.


    ording to them, that revenant was indeed the guardian of these halls and had a responsibility to find some good seedlings before resting. Clear Spring Mountain had known many secrets of the Bloody ins and therefore sent their best disciples off to gain the revenant''s approval. In order to do so, they used a bit of trickery giving the disciples a set ofnterns that would convert the bloody aura into power, luring the revenant to them. In the revenant''s eyes, thesenterns were a part of the disciples and so they had sufficient power to enter.


    However, the weakest disciple had fallen victim to the bloody mist, bing violent and killing the young master''s guards in a rampage. They tried to stop her but found it quite hard as she was one of their own. However the Revenant hade and knocked her out, judging her to be unfit and took everyone else. The Young Master had grabbed ahold of thentern and was judged to be strong enough toe.


    Everything after that, they had already known about.


    That being said, this was truly a wonderful fortune that Xuan Yin and Ming Yue had walked upon.


    Everyone packed up and left, judging from how long they''ve spent in the Bloody ins. The phenomena should''ve ended and it would once again be the Bai Yan ins.


    Walking down that long hallway, the Six Pirs couldn''t help but ask questions of what the two experienced. None of them were very envious of the two as martial arts was not their interest, they were all crafters at heart. But, it was always interesting to know what these experiences were like.


    "It was amazing!" Xuan Yin exined excitedly, "It was as if I was in another realm, watching this great battle between a hunter and his prey. They fought in this giant forest and nearly destroyed half of it! Thanks to that, I think my strength has increased by a quarter. That hunter''s skill was on another level. Even with such a opponent, he took control of the fight but that beast was no pushover, it was unfazed despite having hundreds of arrows pierced through its body. They fought for nine days before the hunter let out this extraordinary arrow. It transformed into a silver dragon that knocked away the beast and blew its neck out! What kind of power would someone need to replicate something like that?!"


    All of them were greatly interested by her experience with one of the statues. ording to Xuan Yin, this was nothing but a battle between legends. A level of skill and strength that has yet to be seen in the Sovereign Age.


    After telling her story, she looked at Ming Yue, gesturing her to tell the everyone what she had seen.


    "Yeah, what did you see? You were thest to find one and you were in a much deeper region too" said Mei Yuan.


    "Really?" Xuan Yin looked at her with curiosity.


    Everyone else was just as curious. As Ming Yue was about to tell them, they reached the exit and left the hidden realm.. Outside, the so called "Bloody ins" had lost its crimson glow, bing a verdant field of grass.

 Chapter 105 - Next Step

    "Ah, how nice to see the sun again!" Fu Shan said.


    Everyone agreed with him, staying inside those halls for days was quite boring. Now that they were outside, they could finally stretch their bodies.


    "Even though the bloody aura has receded back into the ground, there are still Blood Imps and Wraiths around. They are a bit weaker now but we should still be careful", Wu Dao mentioned this little detail, reminding everyone not to lower their guards.


    They had seemingly forgotten about Ming Yue''s experience, focusing on leaving the ins first. It was a rtively quick journey. Without that bloodthirsty atmosphere, traveling was much easier. They reached the outskirts and decided to rest for the night.


    "So, what do the two of you n to do now? We, Six Pirs, are going back to Rong Lu City, we''ve gained a lot of materials from this and we itching to use them", Mei Yuan said.


    Xuan Yin was the first to answer, "I''m going back to my grandfather. My task with the Forgelord is alreadyplete and I need time toprehend this new experience. So a bit of closed door cultivation and after that, I''m going to travel around the continent, hunt some rare beasts, something like that."


    Ming Yue paused at this question, before answering.


    "I''m going to wander for a bit."


    A simple answer but one she liked, she was going to explore and take her time. After all, she needed to consolidate her cultivation and gain a bit more experience, practice with her new de, Drifting Sky.


    "Ah, I see" said Mei Yuan. She had thought that Ming Yue would stay at Rong Lu for a bit more but for her to move around so quickly was a bit surprising.


    "Say, you never got around to telling us what you saw", Fu Shan interrupted, changing the subject.


    Their eyes lit up in excitement and curiosity.


    Ming Yue showed a little smile to their child-like behavior and began retelling the story: the sisters and their history, the fight, and the end.


    Deep into the night, Ming Yue finished telling everyone what she saw and they all had a good rest. Hearing such stories from the two gave them all quite exciting dreams, full of adventure and action.


    The following day, everyone had gone their separate way. The Six Pirs returned to Rong Lu City, Xuan Yin went back to the Stone Forest, and Ming Yue decided to travel up north.


    There was no real location in mind so, she walked along the border of the Clear Sky Kingdom and the Jade Swallow Country.


    Traveling upwards, she asionally encountered new beasts, ones unlike those in Red Lotus Country. Of them all, the strangest was this pig like creature that walked on its hind legs. The meat was quite delicious but a bit peculiar.


    The scenery was certainly quite beautiful, a mixture of mountains and valleys all along the road. As a group, traversing this terrain would be quite difficult but Ming Yue was with her two pets, she could stop whenever she wanted.


    Dayster, she found herself resting near a small waterfall, washing her clothes and cleaning herself in the brisk pond water. Hei Yue swam around while Xiao Yin nestled on a tree. The sound of rushing water and rustling leaves was quite pleasant. The sky was quite empty, having only one or two passing clouds. The warmth of the bright sun bathed their bodies. Using a warm wind, she quickly dried her clothes.


    Ming Yue enjoyed this change of pace, it was quite pleasant.


    Within an earshot, she heard a twig snap. Partially clothed, she grabbed her sword and unsheathed it, ready to fight. But, there was no enemy there but a small deer who hade to the waterfall for a bit of a drink. It seemed not to care for Ming Yue''s appearance and continued to drink from the small pond.


    She watched it before sighing a breath of relief, putting away her sword. As secondter, she heard an explosion not far from her. Slightly annoyed but nevertheless alert, she quickly packed up her things and quickly moved to where the sounds of battle hade from.


    "You lecher! To dare watch me while I bathe! I will strike you down where you stand!" a woman''s voice shouted angrily.


    "Wait, wait, it was an ident! Please hear me out!" the voice of a man begging desperately followed her voice.


    "Hmm, that voice, I recognize it" Ming Yue thought.


    "I already have someone, why would I want tomit such perverted acts? Really, it was all a coincidence, I was just trying to return to my home!" he cried out.


    "Wait, that''s Elder Fei!" she realized.


    The cultivator who thanked her for saving his nephew was now being chased off by an angry woman!


    "I should go help him", she ran out, attempting to stop Elder Fei''s impending death.


    Seeing the scene with her own eyes, she saw the same middle aged man from Luan City, dodging in the air and attempting to pacify the fiery eyed woman. His helpless expression was a stark contrast to her look of fury, clearly she was not strong enough to subdue him but he did not want to attack someone whom he had wronged. He was a man of morals and wanted to mediate this situation by talking but she was too hot tempered, unwilling to listen to reason.


    Elder Fei seemed slightly younger than before, sporting a little beard and a tied hair bun. The hairpin itself, she recognized as one of Cui Fen''s possessions, most likely a gift from her. He wore a mix of white and silver robes, he carried a slim broadsword on his back. Despite these differences, he still had the same calm demeanor as before, cool and collected.


    The furious woman was nothing more than a young girl. Her clothes were hastily worn, white robes coupled with a light blue sash. Her weapon of choice was arge saber, which she swung around with haphazardly. A bit surprising considering her small frame, she might be even smaller than Ming Yue herself, who was a little under five feet. Her ligtht brown hair was untied and iled in the wind.


    Before, the woman could send off another attack, Ming Yue leaped forward, knocking the saber out of her hand.


    "Please wait!" she said, "I know this man and he is not some pervert. Please let him go."


    Both Elder Fei and the woman was surprised by her sudden appearance.


    "Ming Yue?" Elder Fei questioned.


    As for the angry woman, she did not move an inch and her expression showed no signs of faltering.


    "Why should I? He has wronged me by peeking on my naked body, He should pay the consequences for doing such a thing!" she hissed.


    "Like I said, it was only an ident!" he exined, "I was just collecting some flowers along the way and happened to pick one up near the pond you were bathing in! Look at my hands, I still have all of them!"


    He showed them the bouquet, an assortment of red flowers, all in different shades. It was a beautiful bouquet, one look and anyone who know that much thought and care has been put into it.


    "This is going to be a gift for when I propose" he said shyly.


    Ming Yue looked back.


    "Really?", she said.


    "Yes, I have already reached my goal and there is nothing left for me to do. I want to settle in Luan City with Cui Fen and I''m going to stay at the Eternal de Sect to watch other Fei Xian", he exined.


    Ming Yue was quite happy, after all, she had known that the both of them had been exchanging letters. When Cui Fen stopped receiving them, she had asked Ming Yue to help her find Elder Fei. But now, it seems that her worries were all for naught.


    Despite this joyous news, the young woman did not budge.


    "He must pay! He must pay! He must pay" she shouted madly, suddenly having a tantrum like a child.


    "Stop it, Kui Hua!" a stern voice echoed through the forest as a neer flew down from the skies.

 Chapter 106 - Clear Spring Mountain

    Hua Kui''s tantrum was cut short, she quickly stood up and cleaned herself. Her fearsome appearance transformed into one that was gracious and elegant, a transformation that was probably quicker than Ming Yue''s fastest attack.


    "Master Jing", she addressed the woman standing in front of her, who looked at her with a stern expression.


    Master Jing was not a very beautiful woman, rather quite ordinary. She didn''t wear robes or a skirt like her disciple but rather light leather armor. Her hair was cut short and her skin was slightly darker from the sun. She had quite the muscr body and was rather tall, maybe around six feet.


    "Hua Kui! You decide to ditch training and go out to y. What do you have to say for yourself!" she said.


    Hua Kui could not retort but wanted to get away with a lighter sentence and she went with her next option.


    "But that man over there! He saw me bathing! I had to punish him formitting such an act!" she answered, attempting to shift the focus onto Elder Fei.


    However, her master was not that simple.


    "Did you think I wasn''t watching you the entire time? I saw very clearly what had happened, he was only collecting flowers and happened to be in the same area as you. He even apologized profusely but you had to attack him like that. You didn''t even bother listening to him. When wee back, I''m going to decide on your punishment. My decision is final,e back with me" Master Wen grabbed Hua Kui by the ear, giving it a little twist.


    She winced in pain but did not resist, resisting would probably result in more suffering.


    Master Wen looked back at the two and gave them a polite smile.


    "I apologize for my unruly disciple", she said, "Pleasee with us, I would like to at least repay you for having to put up with her. My name is Wen Jing, one of the teachers of Clear Spring Mountain."


    "Clear Spring Mountain?" she thought, it was the same sect as those girls from the Bloody ins.


    After seeing them, she was curious about their sect and had wanted to check it out, now was a pretty good time to do so. Elder Fei must have been thinking something simr, after hearing the name "Clear Spring Mountain", his eyes lit up.


    "Clear Spring Mountain?! Such a famous sect! I have always wanted to see it for myself!" he said with a bit of excitement.


    Wen Jing smiled, "Please, follow me."


    She began walking towards the east, having let go of Hua Kui''s ear who had quite the sullen expression. The four of them walked together, traversing through the forest. Along the way, both Elder Fei and Ming Yue were catching up with each other.


    After leaving Luan City, Elder Fei went on a journey toprehend the Dao and reach the Earth Realm. With his dao being that of Taiji, he focused on the concept of duality and bnce. Many of his skills pertained to giving and taking, to reverse someone''s attack and use their power against them. This was a rather obscure dao and quite difficult to learn, but it was a path that fit him quite well.


    Comprehending the Dao and cultivating were two intertwined paths, if one grows the other will follow. It is not impossible to cultivate and notprehend a dao, but without it, it would be much harder to control your energy, causing it to go rampant often. If youcked the cultivation rather than the Dao, then you would not have the strength to show what you haveprehended. Thus, without one or the either, it would only be a dead end.


    Elder Fei traveled throughout multiple kingdoms in hopes of improving himself. He went through multiple trials with strong beasts and ghostly apparitions, braving the harsh cold of the mountains and the heat of dry desserts. Through it all, he gained a few treasures and his Dao had gone through great changes. After experiencing things life and death, coldness and warmth, suffering andfort, he had finally reached a new level, turning his minor Dao into a major Dao. In doing so, his cultivation had been smooth and he reached the Earth Realm several months ago, close to reaching the Mind Level as well.


    Ming Yue had also told him of her travels, the Youth Tournament, Redmist Sanctuary, and Rong Lu City.


    An hour or so passed before they reached the famed Clear Spring Mountain, it was a majestic sight. Thergest mountain among the others. Small waterfalls flowed down intorger rivers, trees grew here and there, at the front, they reached a grand gate, pure white and made of stone. At the top were the words, "Clear Sky Mountain" and a long road of steps came after it.


    "Wee to Clear Spring Mountain, pleasee with me", Wen Jing said, walking up the step with Hua Kui following her.


    They walked up the stairs, looking around their surrounding and admiring the scenery. The mountain was not very steep and it had many t areas around it. Those areas were turned into tforms, holding a few houses here and there. Some had gardens filled with a vast amount of herbs and medicinal treasures. There were a few disciples spread throughout the mountain, cultivating on their own or talking with each.


    Ming Yue found it all quite interesting, weirdly enough she saw no male disciples walking up the mountains.


    "I suppose this is an all female sect", she thought, but that was quickly dispelled when she noticed several boys dueling each other. All of them wore the same signature white robes but their strength was not very high, somewhere in the middle levels of the Human Realm.


    While they were dueling, an older female senior watched them, asionally stopping the duel to point out ws.


    "You must be wondering about our sect", Wen Jing said, "It''s true that our sect is famed for being a female sect, but we do have a small section for men. Most disciples follow the Pure Body cultivation method, a unique method of ours that fits both genders but has a focus on softness. Not many men are willing to do such a thing but there are some that choose this path. Our sect was originally a special group of guards created for and by the first queen of the Clear Sky Kingdom hence the simrity in the names. After her death, we were given the task to defending our kingdom and so became a sect in order to recruit others and be stronger."


    "The Pure Body cultivation method is the basis for many of our techniques, where brute strength is not the answer but gentle power. If you are interested I could have someone demonstrate for you", Wen Jing looked at Ming Yue, perhaps attempting to recruit her or just being polite.


    As they climbed higher and higher up the mountain, there were less houses and gardens, instead there were small arenas. A simple white stone tformrge enough for two people to fightfortable. Past that, they were nearing the middle sections of the mountain whererge halls existed.


    There was a total of four halls, all of them were identical buildings made from stone. At the front were some words carved on each of them, there was a "Medicinal Hall", a "Technique Hall", a "Mission Hall", and a "Weapon Hall". Here the disciples were crowded around each of them, mainly the mission hall the practically surrounded.


    Ming Yue could guess what these halls were, the Mission Hall was to obtain points to use when purchasing items from the other three halls.


    Wen Jing led them past the four halls where the disciples waited patiently to enter. A few minutester, they reached a building much more exquisite than the rest.


    Trees and nts surrounded it, all of them neatly trimmed and taken care of. At the front was a small gate with the words "Clear Spring Hall", the wood and stone that made the walls formed an intricate painting, one of mountains and clouds. Behind the hall was a small courtyard which had a little pond and a fair bit of wildlife residing within it.. It was quite beautiful.

 Chapter 107 - Meeting The Elders

    They entered the great hall, a spacious ce filled with some very fancy furniture, all of which were made from a light brown wood, there was a slight sheen on them, glistening as the sun hit their surfaces. A number of windows andrge entrances allowed for a lot of sunlight to enter, brightening the interior.


    Wen Jing walked up to the center, a small bell sat on a table there and she grabbed it, ringing the little bell for second or two before setting it down.


    Not long after, several experts entered the hall, taking their respective seats, however the one at the front was empty. Most likely, the Sect Master was busy with their own tasks.


    "Ah, how nice to see you again, Hua Kui", one of them said, an old woman who smiled kindly at her spoke first. Her body was slightly bent over and she supported herself with a cane made of dark jade. She wore white robes and had a thick brown cape that looked quite warm.


    "Hmph, what did you do this time girl?" another one asked, a fierce looking man with golden hair. It was very unkempt and his clothes were simple, he seemed more like a violent killer than anything.


    The others merely watched and waited, listening as Wen Jing began exining the whole situation.


    "Even if you are a genius of our sect, you are too rash! Go repent by tending to the 62nd Garden for four months!" the golden haired man swiftly handing down the punishment.


    Hearing her punishment, Hua Kui immediately argued his decision, calling it unfair and too cruel for something so trivial. But the old woman silenced her.


    "Trivial?" she said, "What is so trivial about trying to kill someone? You refused to listen to his reasons nor did you think of the consequences! He had already apologized and epted that it was his fault, yet you were the one that took it too far."


    "What consequences?" Hua Kui asked, "Is he not some lowly cultivator? What sort of consequences would I give for killing a pervert like him?"


    "Silly girl, look at his robes. If you had looked carefully, you would recognize him as an elder of the Eternal de Sect. We are in friendly rtions with them, attacking one of their elders would cause our reputation to falter. What if they came asking forpensation? Asking for you? You would have implicated the entire sect because of your actions."


    Hua Kui had gone silent from the old woman''s reasoning, realizing her faults.


    At this point, Wen Jing gave a final push, bringing up Ming Yue.


    "You know that girl next to him?" she mentioned, "If I did not stop you in time, you would not be standing here let alone able to receive punishment from the Disciplinary Elder."


    Hua Kui was surprised, perhaps feeling a little fearful, a genius like her would have died? Then, was Ming Yue a monster?


    "Fine, I ept the punishment" she said, leaving the hall silently.


    With that, there was Elder Fei, Ming Yue and the five elders of Clear Spring Mountain within the hall.


    The old woman spoke first, "Please forgive that girl, she has yet to gain experience of the world."


    The golden haired man''s expression softened, speaking with a much more polite tone, "Please stay at the mountains for a day or two, at least to rest, before continuing your journey. That is the very least we can do for you."


    Elder Fei gave a small bow, "Thank you for this opportunity, I''ve always wanted to see Clear Spring Mountain for my own eyes. I am called Fei Yun and as you''ve guessed, I am an elder of the Eternal de Sect. This young one here is Ming Yue, she does not speak much so please do not mind her."


    Ming Yue gave a polite bow.


    "Hmm, Wen Jing said that you could''ve killed Hua Kui, I see that this is true", this time one of the other elders spoke, a fairly young looking woman with her hair tied in a ratherplicated braid, somewhat resembling a flower. She had a cheerful and happy expression but her eyes had a strange nkness to them. Her clothes were a mix of white and purple in the patterns of clouds.


    "Unfortunately, your body is not suited for our school of training", she continued, pointing out one or two peculiarities about Ming Yue.


    "Just based on your countenance, you are much more adept in killing than you let off."


    This much was true, Ming Yue''s offensive power was quite high although her ability to take a hit was less than average. She focused on killing blows more than anything, to kill with one strike was her goal. But she could not focus on one technique for the rest of her life, that narrow-mindedness would eventually lead to a dead end. She needed to explore other ideas and concepts. Hence, traveling and experiencing the world would yield the best results.


    Ming Yue nodded, confirming the young woman''sment.


    "Would you like to duel some of our disciples?" she asked.


    A question that stunned everyone.


    "Wait, wait, wait", the golden haired man spoke out, "VIce Sect Leader, why do you want to do this? This is much too reckless for both sides!"


    The old woman followed his words, asking if she was being a bit too rash. After all, to request their own guest to fight was a bit unreasonable.


    "Of course, she is not going to fight every disciple, only a couple would suffice. Everyone else can watch. As for why, well, they need to learn. With our illustrious reputation, disciples like Hua Kui have be shortsighted and arrogant. They must understand that the world is not as easy as they think it is, just because they have a strong backing does not mean they can get away with everything. Besides, this girl seems like she has wanted to duel as well, don''t you", the vice leader stated, looking at Ming Yue.


    She nodded in response.


    "I have been only begun traveling recently and I hade into contact with some of your disciples at the Bloody ins, and so I learned of your sect. I have wanted to experience the many fighting styles that the world has to offer, Clear Spring Mountain is one of those destinations" she replied truthfully.


    The vice leader smiled, "Perfect! As for the rest of you, the sect leader had also wished for something like this, so I am acting on her orders."


    "What? Has the sect leader finished her closed-door training?" the golden-haired man questioned, everyone else had looks of anticipation.


    "She is nearing it", the vice leader answered, "Soon, she will attempt to reach the Sky Realm. A catastrophe wille and we must be prepared for that, this is also why she wanted this to happen. We will need as much power as possible to survive such a thing."


    A catastrophe, that was the first time Ming Yue had heard of such a thing.


    But what did this mean? What would happen when this catastrophe came?


    "Leave it, it would not happen so soon. Now then, Ming Yue right? Would you like to duel some of our students?" the vice leader asked.


    She did not hesitate in epting, causing the vice leader to have a good impression of her, cool headed and decisive.


    "Well then, it will take ce tomorrow and we will choose your opponents. Until then, you and Brother Fei here can explore the sect. If you would like to purchase anything from the medicine hall or the weapons hall, we do allow exchanges with outsiders. This also goes for the technique hall but as I have said before, none of techniques would suit you. Wen Jing here will lead you to your quarters.. I look forward to tomorrow."

 Chapter 108 - Direct Challenge

    The elders of Clear Spring Mountain left as quickly as they came except Wen Jing was tasked with seeing their two guests to their rooms.


    It didn''t take long for the two of them to settle down, Wen Jing gave them both a small medallion to show that they were guests of the sect. Ming Yue set off immediately to check out the rest of Clear Spring Mountain. Elder Fei followed, moving towards the technique halls in hopes of studying some of their techniques.


    She was much more interested in thend herself, admiring the gardens and little houses that dotted the mountain.


    Her little fox, Hei Yue, followed her around wagging its tail as it excitedly sniffed the entire ce. Xiao Yin was resting on Ming Yue''s sword which she carried in her hand, using it to traverse any difficult obstacle in her path.


    She passed by the same group of boys from before, still fighting each other. She stopped for a bit and watched, studying the way they fought. They were fluid and slow yet carried a bit of power with each attack, this must have been the "gentle power" that Wen Jing had mentioned. However, she could not decipher its mysteries, it would''ve been better if she had experienced it herself. But that would happen tomorrow and it wouldn''t be too long.


    She stood up from her spot and stretched around, only to find that Hei Yue had run off, most likely bored from watching.


    Ming Yue looked around, calling out his name before spotting him getting surrounded by a number of disciples, all of whom seemed o be gushing with desire over wanting to own the little fox.


    Hei Yue was a mistral fox after all, a creature whose fur was highly sought after. Despite his mutation with darker fur, one good look was all it took to recognize his race. He was a nimble beast but this time, the hands of these disciples seemed to be even nimbler.


    Hei Yue was in quite a dire situation, he cowered in the center of the crown, whimpering for his master as these disciples started cooing it with some rather fake voices.


    "Hei Yue!" it heard.


    The little fox perked up and rushed through, forcing its way past the crowd. Seeing his master, Hei Yue leaped forward right into Ming Yue''s arms. She held him for a bit before letting him down on the ground where he clung to her legs.


    The many disciples of Clear Sky Mountain was both surprised and disappointed, the little fox had a master.


    "Who are you?" one of them asked.


    "I am a guest of your sect, I was just wandering around the mountain for a bit", said Ming Yue, she took out the medallion that Wen Jing gave her.


    It was a small silver medallion with the symbol of honored on it. Just seeing it had already deterred many of the disciples who wanted to take the fox.


    She was let go quite easily as the group of disciples dispersed but now every time she passed, there would be people pointing and whispering at her. After all, a young girl like her was a guest, why was she here? People felt a bit envious of her two pets, both were very cute.


    As the sun began to set, she went to the medicine hall and studied the catalog, looking through the many materials that it had. There were pages among pages filled with at least several thousand herbs that were worth either next to nothing or almost priceless. Some things she had never even heard of before like a Clover Pill or Redsin Grass.


    It was all quite interesting to read as each thing had a small introduction, detailing their origin and their effects and uses. She sat by one of the many benches, reading quietly to herself, not knowing that a small group of disciples had been watching her.


    "You go-"


    "No, you go-"


    "What about you?"


    They bickered to each other about approaching Ming Yue. News of a cute fox had spread throughout the sect and many of them wanted it.


    What the vice sect leader was true, many of their disciplescked restraint, sending them out into the world would only bring trouble. Even now, they began thinking about how to approach Ming Yue and take Hei Yue away. The only thing holding them back was the medallion that Wen Jing gave. If it wasn''t for that, one or two of them would definitely try to snatch the little fox.


    However this problem has always gued the sect. As one of the more prominent sects out there, many of the disciples did not have simple backgrounds. Furthermore, the sect leader was currently in closed door training. Having to discipline the more unruly disciples were a bit difficult to achieve. Without the sect leader, it would be much easier for other powers to pressure them.


    Finally one of them was brave enough to walk forth only for everyone to notice someone else walking towards Ming Yue.


    "Damn, it''s Ling Cai Yun! None of us have a chance now, she''s an inner disciple", one of them said.


    This Ling Cai Yun was a rather plump girl, a bit roundish and she carried herself in a noble manner. Although, one could see a greedy and arrogant person within her eyes. Her hair was tied onto two little buns and her white robes was paired with a rosy sash. Rather than a sword, she carried a circr shield that wasrge enough to cover her back.


    Ming Yue looked up at the encroaching figure, wondering what business she wanted with her.


    "You there, how much would it take for you to give me that fox of yours?" Ling Cai Yun questioned, speaking in a deep andmanding voice.


    Ming Yue was a bit annoyed but did not want to cause a scene and rejected her advances politely.


    "He is not for sale nor will he ever be, if this is all that you have wanted then please leave" Ming Yue responded.


    But Ling Cai Yun was not bothered by the slightest continuing to push for a price.


    "Listen here, I am a daughter of the king''s counselor. As long as it is within this kingdom, I will surely give it to you."


    "And again, I must refuse, he is not for sale."


    "Are you absolutely sure about that? Do you really want to turn down my offer?"


    "Yes, now please, I am leaving now."


    "Hold on for just minute, did I say you could leave?"


    At this moment, the both of them were standing up face to face. Their little conversation had already caught the eye of many others, all of whom silently watched. Ling Cai Yun continued talking without any care.


    "I have offered you anything within my power and you can''t go of one mangy mutt?" she said, suddenly attacking Hei Yue, who had not expected such a strike.


    Her fist aimed towards the little fox, smashing down onto the floor. Small cracks formed from the impact but Hei Yue was no where to be found. A bit of surprise shed through her face as Ling Cai Yun felt the cold edge of a de, barely touching her skin.


    With one hand, Ming Yue carried Hei Yue and with the other, she held a knife, one that pressed gently on Ling Cai Yun''s neck.


    "Nothing of yours can change my mind", she said to her, retracting the de.


    Ming Yue put the little fox down and walked away, leaving Ling Cai Yun by herself. But she was not angry or resentful but rather happy, her expression could be described as ecstatic, excited. One disciple couldn''t help but ask her senior sister why she seemed to happy.


    "Haah", the senior sister replied, "You have not been around for long so you do not know about Ling Cai Yun. She might be the daughter of the king''s counselor but here, she is better known for being a battle maniac.. She never wanted to take the fox, she just wanted to test her and it looks like she passed."

 Chapter 109 - Dueling The Five Disciples

    That night, Ming Yue and Uncle Fei had a little spar before going to bed. But for the elders of Clear Spring Mountain, they were quite active, discussing with each other about tomorrow''s event.


    "Do you truly think that this is necessary, Vice Sect Leader?" the golden haired man asked.


    "Elder Xuan Han, this decision was decided by both me and the sect leader. This is only a temporary measure until the sect leader is finished with her training", the vice sect leader replied, calming everyone down.


    Other than the two was the old woman with the jade cane and a rather short and stoutdy as well as Wen Jing. All of them thought deeply over the situation before speaking up.


    "Does everyone agree with the disciples that will face her tomorrow?" Wen Jing asked.


    "This should be alright, all five of them are quite strong and well known. What I am more worried about is whether or not our guest will be able to win against them" the old woman said, instantly pointing out the fact that Ming Yue was only one person and she would have to fight against 5 others.


    Not to mention, the battles are to be done sessively. Ming Yue would be exhausted from the previous fights and having to win against all of them would be quite a difficult feat. Fighting them all at once would be much quicker and should she win, the effect would be that much greater. But the chance of losing would increase at the same rate.


    "Dong Kuai, do not worry about it. By my calctions, she should be able to win against three of them. Although she hides her strength quite well, she should be able to contend with an Earth Realm cultivator."


    "If that is so, then I do not have any problems with this."


    "Everyone else?"


    The elders all nodded their heads, agreeing on the ns that they have created. The battle would start when the sun was at its highest and it would not be too long.


    Ming Yue started her day in the same fashion, some early training and cultivation followed by a bit of ying with Hei Yue and Xiao Yin. Her mind was at ease and she felt refreshed.


    As she chased around Hei Yue in the small courtyard that came with her room, she heard a little knock on the door. Stopping her activities, she went back into the room and opened them, recognizing the one of the faces in front of her.


    It was Jing Hai, the one who lead the group of disciples in the bloody ins.


    Ming Yue let them in, brewing a pot of tea while greeting all of them. The four of them introduced themselves. She had already known about Jing Hai, a senior within the group. As for the other three, she could only assume that they were her servants or subordinates.


    Why they hade, she did not know but she would soon find out.


    "We meet again", said Jing Hai, her cool and graceful demeanor made quite it quite difficult to see through her.


    "To be honest, I was a bit surprised to see you within the secret realm of the Bloody ins and now I see you here in Clear Spring Mountain. When everyone else was finished with their training, you were stillprehending and that was when Prince Lei Jiang recognized you. You''re quite strong he says, no teacher or hidden treasures, growing with your own strength", Jing Hai spoke without much change in her tone.


    Ming Yue wasn''t sure what she meant from saying all of this. Was she looking down on her? Was she amazed or showing respect? She could not tell.


    "Well, I am here on the orders of the elders to talk to you about today''s duel" she said.


    "You will be fighting against five disciples, all of them range from outer disciples to core disciples. It will not be all at once but one at a time, however, the order will be randomized so I do not know who your first duel will be with. However, I do know that you should watch out for two disciples, not for their strength but attitude. One of them, you have met before is Ling Cai Yun, the one who provoked you yesterday. She might not be the strongest in terms of cultivation, she is addicted to battle and loves to fight strong opponents. Her actions yesterday was only to probe you and test your strength. She is already set to be a core disciple in several months. The second is a disciple who has no morals, Kuang Li, he is a rather violent character. He does not know when to stop and is quite brutal with his fights. He can only be stopped when one of the elders interfere. Despite all of this, his talent cannot be dismissed, he is already a core disciple and has been for almost a year now. Even I would have reservations about fighting him."


    Ming Yue was a bit dismayed, her opponents seemed a bit too bloodthirsty. This was a duel, not a battle to the death.


    Sensing her dissatisfaction, Jing Hai quickly tried to exin.


    "These disciples were chosen with you strength in consideration. None of them are too unreasonable to deal with. Furthermore, these disciples are some of the most well-known disciples. You could say that they are the reason why we have some rather belligerent disciples. Defeating them would have a great effect on their behavior. Also, you will be rewarded by the vice sect leader herself."


    Hearing her reasoning, Ming Yue understood what the vice sect leader wanted.


    "Then, when you are finished preparing, please follow me. I will be the one guiding you to the arena."


    Ming Yue nodded, grabbing her sword and calling Hei Yue and Xiao Yin. She did not need to prepare too much and followed Jing Hai.


    Leaving the halls, they descended down the mountain, reaching the area where it was most popted. Taking a small winding path through the mountains, it did not take long for them to reach the arena. It was already filled with people, talking loudly and excitedly. The arena itself was elevated from the ground. The polished stone surface was circled with several pirs where judges stood upon to watch.


    "After you", Jing Hai said, pointing her hand towards the arena.


    Ming Yue looked at her before staring at the arena, walking up the steps. The audience quieted down, from excited conversations to small murmurs. She could hear some of them, curiosity, disdain, ridicule. Some wanted to know who she was, other didn''t care, they were confident in her loss and their victory.


    A bit of hubris was reasonable but the amount that Ming Yue could sense among the disciples was beyond that. Someughed loudly, announcing to the others that even they could easily beat her.


    "Is that a staff? Seems more like a stick to me!"


    "Do you think you can win against any of us?"


    "What''s with those clothes? Are you really a cultivator or someone posing?"


    The more she heard the worse of an impression she had of sects. These insults did not bother her but if this was how sects were like, she would rather continue training on her own. This sort of behavior was truly awful.


    She stood on one side waiting for her opponents toe. Hei Yue and Xiao Yin were with her. While they were not going to fight, she did not want to risk them getting captured by any other of the Clear Spring disciples. Even now, she feel the stares falling upon her two pets.


    Minutester, her five foes had arrived. Each one was different from each other. They entered the arena and bowed.


    Ming Yue followed with her own before straightening herself. Four of them left and only one off them remained on the arena.


    A person with arge figure, covered from head to toe in thick armor. Despite this, Ming Yue recognized the shield in their hands.


    To think that her first opponent was Ling Cai Yun!

 Chapter 110 - Ling Cai Yun, The Battling Clouds

    Ling Cai Yun, officially known as the Battling Clouds in the sect, she was a battle maniac to the highest degree. In her eyes, strength was the deciding factor for everything.


    Born to the High Counselor of the Clear Sky Kingdom, her father was the emperor''s right hand man. She was taught to be a graceful woman, one of nobleness. However, her plump body and round face made her a target for ridicule. No matter what clothes she wore or how extravagant she acted, there were those who talked behind her back, making snide littlements about her weight. Back then she was shy, unable to speak forth and endured the constant mockery. She knew fully, that all of her friends were not true friends, forced to do so out of courtesy.


    Cai Yun felt lonely, she hated her life, hated how she looked, hated these political games.


    Then she found something, something that made her fearless. She had talent, talent for martial arts.


    Perhaps she was not as pretty or as elegant but there was no doubt she would best them in strength. Finding her grace in battle, she made a ce for herself in Clear Spring Mountain for her techniques using her shield.


    In front of her now was a new opponent for her to battle, d in armor she slowly walked to the center of the arena.


    A full head taller than Ming Yue, she looked down on her, taking off her helmet so their eyes could meet. Ming Yue did not feel any disdain for her and neither did she, both of them were formidable in their own ways.


    Those judging from the pirs watched closely before nodding to the them both. Paying their respects and bowing towards each other, they stepped away without saying a word.


    Ling Cai Yun put on her helmet and put her round, silver buckler in front of her while Ming Yue unsheathed Drifting Sky.


    Many disciples were surprised by her sword, all this time they had thought it was a staff. To think she was a sword master gave them a bit of surprise.


    "That sword... is it divine ranked?" the judges thought, they could not tell.


    Drifting Sky seemed like a normal sword but it had this quality of sharpness to it, none of them could urately gauge the rank of Drifting Sky. However that did not matter, one of them hopped down to start the duel.


    "Ready! Begin!" a small shockwave came from the judge''s voice as he started the match.


    Surprisingly enough, Ling Cai Yun moved first, what was even more surprising was how quick she was. Even with all of that armor on her, she was still swift enough to keep up with Ming Yue.


    She was an aggressive fighter, smashing down with her fist and shield at every opportunity she had. Ming Yue dodged each one with ease, even if Ling Cai Yun could keep up with her at this speed, this was not her top speed.


    She watched Cai Yun move, finding something strange about her martial arts. Even though all of themnded on the ground, they did not have much effect. It wasn''t even that they left a mark or a crack but rather there was no sound. She could not hear the impact of the strike, even though she felt the power of each one.


    Why was this?


    Where did this energy go?


    Ming Yue was unsure and yed it safe. She would attack every now and then, but therge shield made it somewhat difficult.


    Onlookers watched, scoffing at Ming Yue.


    "Ling Cai Yun has already begun. It is toote for her to win now", one of the disciples said.


    "How do you know?" another asked.


    "What do you think is the basis of the martial arts of our sect?"


    "It is softness right?"


    "Yes and what do you think softness means?"


    "To be flexible and not forceful, To yield but never break. Is this not the principle of soft martial arts?"


    "What you said is correct, however there are so many different other paths you could take. Softness has more than one meaning, flexibility can be understood differently, there will always be an infinite number of differing views. In this case, Ling Cai Yun''s unique understanding of softness is focused on pliancy, bending but never breaking. If you''ve noticed, all of her strikes have hit the ground but did they make an impact or a sound?"


    The younger disciple felt enlightened and then confused, "If that is so, then where is that energy?"


    "Inside her body, with every attack, the energy returns to her body only to be reused in the next strike, stronger than before. Like a spring, the energy bounces back. Until she hits her target, it will continue to grow and grow until it is released onto her victim."


    "Then what happens if she umtes too much? Would she not be injured?"


    "Idiot, its her own energy of course she could release it whenever she wants. However the most terrifying thing about her is not the strength of the strike but her endurance. A technique like that takes both precise control and mental fortitude. Having to control that energy and make sure it does not go out of control is difficult. Yet she is able to do so for fifty moves, if that first strike could crack stone, the fiftieth could probably crush boulders to dust. To be able to control that power is a feat of itself."


    "Then wouldn''t that mean that one strike would be all it takes to win?"


    "Possibly, we know barely anything about that girl. Who knows what sort of trump card she has."


    By now, Ling Cai Yun was on her 34th strike. Ming Yue had already faintly guessed her technique. She could could feel each strike growing stronger and stronger.


    At this point, attempting to take that strike head one would definitely end in her loss. However, something like this had to have a weakness. She did not change her speed, trying to think of a way of breaking it.


    Every time, she attacked, the force within each strike would grow stronger. If there was no impact on the ground then the energy would have returned to her body, a cycle that grew stronger and stronger.


    To break it, she needed to find a weak point and only one came to mind. Her only chance to attack would be when the energy is midway through strike. If she were to disrupt the process, Ling Cai Yun would receive bacsh.


    But even if Ming Yue knew when and where to strike, Ling Cai Yun''s shield blocked her. It was not even the size that stopped her but the skill. In all of her strikes, Ling Cai Yun has managed to parry all of them with her shield. It was annoying but currently, this had be a stalemate, one that was disadvantageous towards Ming Yue.


    It there was any a good time to use more of her strength it would be now.


    This was the first time that she would fully utilize her cultivation at the 8th human level. She was testing herself, slowly adjusting to just adequately fight Ling Cai Yun. But now it was time to end it.


    In the middle of the fight, she had almost vanished from everyone''s eyes. For a split second, Ming Yue was no where to be seen. No one but the judges could track her. Her aura was withdrawn as she ducked down and went behind Ling Cai Yun. She was extremely quick, too quick for even Cai Yun and she attacked her arm.


    The de itself hummed as her inner force joined together and umted itself. One downward sh cut down Ling Cai Yun''s arm but contrary to what she thought would happen, her de was stuck!


    Cai Yun''s armor had managed to stop her attack but under the force of it, cracks started to spread throughout the armor.


    She dashed away, her armor slowly falling apart. Rather than let it fall, she took it off herself. Under it she wore well fitting clothes, a silver tunic with white pants. She still held her shield, standing tall.


    "You are one of the few to have broken this technique", she said.


    Blood began to flow from her mouth as she stood but she did not copse, instead, she mmed her shield onto the ground. The impact reverberated the area, impacting her the most.


    "She...she took control of the rampaging energy like that?" she thought, feeling a bit shocked.


    Cai Yun was definitely someone to respect, despite taking recoil damage, she was still calm and quickly solved the problem.


    She raised her shield again and advanced.

 Chapter 111 - The Coming Duels

    Rather than go on the offensive like before, Ling Cai Yun walked forward slowly. Her shield was raised up high.


    Without her armor, it would be much easier to take her out but her calmness was a bit unnerving to Ming Yue.


    "You may have broken my Revolving Fist Technique but I still have other cards, that I can use", she said.


    Ming Yue could feel Cai Yun''s energy rising, with each step her energy grew. However, she would not let it happen so easily. Running forward, she formed numerous small needles of wind, sending them off. They shot forward before bending, avoiding the shield and heading straight for Cai Yun''s body.


    She was not troubled by this move, bringing her fist up, she parried each one, sending them to the ground. She then used the energy from the attacks to punch forward, sending off a st of power at Ming Yue. But Cai Yun did not stop there, the energy that welled up inside of her suddenly burst forth. Her whole body encased in power. Then it concentrated towards her right foot, with one step sheunched forward like a spring.


    It was a casual step, ordinary, something anyone could do.


    But it took not even a second for her to reach Ming Yue in that step, a distance of thirty feet. In that span of time, the energy moved towards her shield arm, which she thrust forth. The giant shield moved forward with an immense amount of momentum.


    Ming Yue had no choice but to take the hit, blocking the initial impact with her sword before leaping away.


    Her arm had gone numb from that frightening power. But Cai Yun was not done, the same ball of energy went back to her feet again and she sprung away.


    "That other technique was something I had devised not too long ago. Some Ibined with the fist techniques that I learned here. But this one is different. I call it the "Erupting Body Technique", where I condense my force into one entity and have itunch towards which ever part of the body I wish it to go. This one is not as destructive as the other, but I can guarantee that you will have a much harder time dealing with it."


    This was true. The pace at which the energy moved was much faster, requiring a precise strike no slower than the blink of an eye to break it. It bounced around her body with speed and without much effort. Without the armor, Cai Yun moved at a much faster speed.


    With the power in her feet, she circled around Ming Yue, kicking up dust. Her body was already quick enough to form afterimages.


    But this match was already over, in terms of speed, Ming Yue was still faster. She kept up with Cai Yun, exchanging numerous moves with each other.


    Small cracks began forming on the tform, the impact of Cai Yun''s steps were strong and explosive. But the softness of her energy was anything but brutal, its destructive power was controlled, moving like water in a river, flowing through her body.


    Cai Yun''s fist flickered about, giving Ming Yue little space to move freely. It was a flurry of blows, each one seemed ordinary but the strength they contained was strong enough to knock out Ming Yue.


    At the center of the arena, their weapons shed again. Sword against shield, Cai Yun punched again, targeting Ming Yue''s chest.


    Ming Yue dodged the punch, leaning to the right where her shield arm was.


    The energy from Cai Yun''s fist left, instead rushing towards her shield arm. The switch was quick and suddenly it was her shield that was thrust forth.


    Ming Yue had expected the strike, this time, she made an upward sh causing a powerful gust of wind toe from the ground and erupt into the sky. The attack had lifted the shield, taking Cai Yun by surprise. Without thinking, she pulled the shield down to which Ming Yue responded by jumping up and mming her sword onto the shield. The sword, encased with wind, fell upon the shield like a boulder.


    The shield dropped to the ground and found itself wedged into the cracks.


    Before Cai Yun could pull it out, Ming Yue already had her sword on Cai Yun''s neck.


    This was Ming Yue''s victory!


    The disciples who glued their eyes to the fight found themselves to be astonished. One of the best fighters of the outer disciples, set to be a core disciple in several months had lost to an outsider.


    What they did not know was that it would''ve been her loss even if they fought any longer.


    The reason being was her endurance. Breaking Revolving Fist Technique had caused a fair amount of damage to Cai Yun''s body. Even if she grows stronger as the fight continued, her body would not have been able to hold out for much longer. If the fight was drawn out, she would have lost due to exhaustion.


    Ling Cai Yun was not very surprised, knowing her body she could only keep up for another teno or so minutes. Afterwards, her mind would be too fatigued to maintain the state of the "Erupting Body".


    "It is my lost", she said, smiling a little. She let go of her shield and stood up.


    Moving towards Ming Yue''s ear, she whispered, "Be careful of Kuang Li."


    After giving her a warning, Cai Yun took her shield out from the ground and left the arena.


    One of the judges flew to the ground announcing Ming Yue''s victory and calling for a short break to give her some rest.


    The next three duels had given Ming Yue all sorts of ideas. The way softness was perceived by her opponents was enlightening. Cai Yun''s concept of pliancy had made it possible for her to fight with explosive power but with the gentleness of her energy.


    Her next duel was with an assassin.


    This was a rather quick fight that ended in Ming Yue''s victory. The silent steps of the assassin was certainly imperceptible. Her main weapons was a set of 36 knives which she used to throw. Other than those daggers, she used numerous hidden weapons that proved to be quite a headache. Ultimately, Ming Yue''s experience in actualbat was what decided the result, having assassinated people before.


    It was quite an annoying fight as those weapons were well aimed, she was constantly peppered with needles and darts. Ming Yue had few chances to attack. She ended the fight with a small tornado that threw the assassin off bnce. She pinned her to the ground, ending the fight,


    The third was a musician who used a flute.


    The music she made was beautiful. Sadness, happiness, She created these wonderful songs that symbolized the many emotions of people. Her Dao of Music influenced the mind greatly, forming illusions and thoughts that were not Ming Yue''s.


    This fight was a loss for Ming Yue. She found herself unable to break out of them. They were carefully formed and interwoven like arge web. After breaking one, she found herself within another. From the facade of a happy life to one of riches, it felt like an unending chain.


    The fourth was a sword user.


    This one was a bit arrogant. Constantly attempting to provoke Ming Yue with insults and gloating, her sword skills were quite good. Many of Ming Yue''s strikes were quickly dealt with, parrying and countering. Fighting blow for blow, this was quite a drawn out fight.


    She moved swiftly and gracefully like a dancer but ultimately lost to Ming Yue. She did not have as much stamina as Ming Yue and could barely deal with her attack speed. Unable to keep up, she slipped, giving the opportunity for Ming Yue to attack.


    Now, it was three wins and one loss for Ming Yue. By now, no one had doubted her ability as a fighter, rather many of them would like it if they did not have to fight her in battle. Ming Yue was quick and decisive, there was no hesitation in her attacks. Not to mention, the way she fought would already give many of them a headache. Quick and controlled, they came from any direction at any angle, even though her opponents were able to keep up, they were barely able to.


    But now, it was the final fight against Kuang Li!

 Chapter 112 - Tensions Within The Demon Continent

    While Ming Yue''s duels were underway, the situation within the Demon Continent had be a mix of uncertainty and restlessness.


    The Human and Demon armies had a total of five armies, led by their own respectivemanders. Three of the Thirteen Messengers from the High Council apanied them, the rest were back in the Human Continent as a final line of defense. Numbering in the millions, each army has been dispatched throughout the continent, daring not to make any direct moves against Kong Zi.


    As for Kong Zhi, his armies wereprised of demons and beasts. Estimated to be five to six million, they were still able to contend with the six armies.


    Currently, there were three battlefields, each one proved to be at a standstill.


    At the southwest was a giantke that was discovered by scouts, within was a vein of Deepwater Steel, a bluish-green colored metal that was quite heavy but very firm. This resource would be perfect for things such as armor, weapons, and camp fortifications. Upon the discovery, Commander Du Xiu sent Zi Jing along with Nie Xia, who was already in the south, to acquire the metal before Kong Zhi. Kong Zhi having heard the news of this precious metal sent off a little under a third of his army to take it.


    Nia Xia''s armies were mainly closebat ground soldiers while Zi Jing''s army was abination of archers and siege weapons. At theke, they were confronted by Kong Zhi''s armies, a mixture of flying units such as winged horses andrge birds as well as a fair number of ground soldiers.


    At the core of the continent was arge forest filled with all sorts of creatures. Commander Yu Zhen and the Commander of the Demon Army, Gao Ri were sent there to clear it out. Doing so would prevent Kong Zhi from capturing more monsters. Furthermore, the forest seems to have a number of treasures as it was an area that has not been touched in possibly centuries.


    Here, they were met with Kong Zhi''s more light-footed soldiers. But Commander Yu Zhen''s army was trained in hit-and-run tactics, most were scouts ranging from archers to assassins. Gao Ri''s Demon Army mainly took care of the monster subjugation while Yu Zhen''s Army fought off Kong Zhi''s soldiers.


    With these two regions under battle, Commander Du Xiu had sent off the messengers of the High Council to search the continent for any resources that Kong Zhi may try to take advantage of.


    In doing so, rumors had begun to spread. Rumors that both the Yao n and the Mu n, ancient and mysterious ns that have existed for centuries, have been found, residing in the numerous mountain ranges of the northeast.


    The Yao n, descendants of the Yao Beast, were powerful fighters whose bodies were filled with abundant strength. The Yao Beast was a terrible creature, its giant body had dark red skin and it was covered in vein-like tattoos. A four-legged creature whose head resembled a mix with a lion and a dragon and three tails that whipped about. Its ferociousness was unparalleled and only the gods could y it.


    Months ago, Ming Yue has had the opportunity of fighting one of its descendants in the Human Continent, Ling Xue, the aplice of the demonic spirit. She was certainly powerful but with inadequate teaching, she could not handle the power contained in her body.


    The Mu n was said to havee from the deity Er-Lang Shen, famed for his truth-seeking third eye. Their third eye is said to have a variety of powers, looking from long distances, tracking insanely fast targets, seeing through illusions. They are best known for their mental attacks, able to defeat an opponent without even making a step.


    These ancient powers have long since been hidden from the world, allowing none to discover them.


    But with rumors of their location, neither Kong Zhi or Du Xiu could miss this opportunity. Whoever got hold of those ns would definitely skyrocket in power.


    With these three points, both sides vied for control and neither was willing to budge. The sixmanders continued rying reports to the High Council who were constantly speaking with the leaders of the Human Continent, making ns and contingencies.


    "From thetest reports, it seems that we are at a slight advantage against Kong Zhi."


    "Hmm, we should start sending in more supplies. Once the situation is stabilized, all armies should start establishing settlements."


    "Then how goes our other objective?"


    "This...we have not found any significant treasures. The Dark Starlight Manor has yet to be found and the Great Beast Graveyard might not even exist. Although, if we do find a way to speak with the Yao and Mu ns, we might be able to gain some information."


    "Do not forget, everyone has been cooperating together for a very long time. Who ever decides to take the manor for themselves will suffer from the rest of us."


    "Yes, yes, of course."


    The High Council watched quietly as these kings and queens spoke with each other.


    They might all be apart of an alliance but everyone had ulterior motives, no rtionship is as straightforwards as they seem. These were leaders after all, with millions of lives on their shoulders. Who would not want to gain an edge over the others?


    "A report for the High Council!"


    A messenger hade marching into the great hall, bringing everyone''s attention to him.


    "Shen Yi, please speak", said the High Council.


    "Yes my lords, Kong Zhi has officially dered battle against us! He is moving towards Commander Du Xiu''s location to find the Yao and Mu n."


    "Hmm, for the sake of these ancient ns, he has dered war?" one of the human leaders pointed out this detail.


    "Indeed" the High Council said, "The Yao and the Mu n are very old and ancient powers, existing even before the Warlord Age. We of the High Council suggest that you do not attempt to use them, lest you want to bring trouble to the rest of us."


    The council must have guessed correctly as the kings and queens had all kept their mouths shut, restraining their thoughts and desires.


    After Kong Zhi''s deration of battle, it would be a very long time before the war wasplete. He might''ve been a cruel person but he was a smart leader. While unable to take control of the three points in the continent, he lost merely hundreds in the fight to prevent the sixmanders from taking control. This was a small sacrifice to pay.


    However, the Demon Continent was vast, even greater than that of the Human Continent. Only a third of it has been mapped out by the human armies but they were only casual sketches, these areas have yet to be fully explored.


    The areas that have been stabilized had begun to be popted with settlements. Merchants and wandering warriors have already entered the continent in hopes of fortuitous encounters. Anynd that could still be used was cultivated carefully, both demon and human civilians worked hard to make sure that it was healthy and strong enough for farming.


    The Demon Continent was full of destruction, thend was dead and terrible creatures wandered about. However now, the demons that had been rescued found hope, hope that their home can be revitalized.


    But the road was long and difficult, it would take time for the continent to heal from the great disasters.


    Compared to these regions, the frontline was incredibly violent. Some days, there would be nonstop battle and other days it would be unusually quiet. Du Xiu, Nie Xia, Zi Jing, Yu Zhen, and Gao Ri all kept in contact with each other, discussing ns and reporting the movements of Kong Zhi''s armies.


    Today was a rather peaceful day, everyone was able to take a breathe and rest. Of course, this came after three days and nights of constant battle.


    "How is the situation for everyone?" Commander Du Xiu asked.

 Chapter 113 - A Time Of Rest

    Everyone reported their situation, speaking through a medallion that each of them owned.


    Several thousand soldiers have died in the past several days, even more were injured. Despite these numbers, they all seemed content. These losses were much less than they had anticipated.


    "Any news about Kong Zhi?" asked Du Xiu, he had a calm and gravelly voice.


    "No, nothing."


    "His forces are still present."


    "Yes, there have been no strange movements."


    "Hmm."


    "Why do you seem so afraid?" Nie Xia asked, his hearty voice came through the silver medallion.


    "Our losses aren''t so bad and as far as I know, we''re winning on all three fronts! If anything, we''re all going to be home in no time, isn''t that right, men!"


    In the background, the othermanders could hear confident shouts and yelling from his side.


    "Exactly! The reason why Commander Du Xiu is so concerned is because we are winning. If you are on the losing side, you would change tactics but Kong Zhi has done nothing. What do you think that means?" Yu Zhen interjected, sounding a bit annoyed with Nie Xia''s attitude.


    "Then should it not be a good time to swiftly take over these three points? Even if Kong Zhi is nning something, we would have three footholds against him."


    "That is not the point. What do you think Kong Zhi is nning? If he is willing to lose these things, then he must not value them that much. These might just be distractions!"


    "What about it? Distractions or not, our strength would increase."


    Du Xiu quickly put an end to their bickering.


    "Stop it, arguing will do nothing... Gao Ri, can you think of anything that Kong Zhi might be looking for?"


    There was a pause before Gao Ri answered.


    "It might be possible that he is looking for legendary treasures."


    The demonmander''s tone seemed a bit uncertain as he gave his thoughts out.


    "As for what, I am unsure. Kong Zhi is a brutal man but he is far from stupid. There are some treasures thate to mind but these are either lost or they only exist in legend."


    "What do you mean?" Zi Jing asked, his soft-spoken toneing from the medallion.


    "Considering his character, Kong Zhi will only go for the Dark Starlight Manor or Sword of the Huang Xing. Either one would give him great power. The Dark Starlight Manor is said to be the home of the greatest demon cultivator in the past several thousand years, the Master of Six Skins. He cultivated a unique method that allowed him to gain the bloodline powers of five other demon races. Originally, he was a stone race cultivator like Kong Zhi but with this cultivation method, his strength was easily the strongest. After his death, he left behind the Dark Starlight Manor along with this cultivation method. However, the manor has been lost for centuries and no one was able to find out exactly where it is."


    "The Sword of the Huang Xing is an ancient weapons that was rumored to have been forged by the heavens themselves. Born from a mountain and tempered by heavenly lightning, this sword brought about the greatest war that engulfed the entire continent. With the sword in hand, anyone who wields it would feel the power of the gods course through them. It could turn an ordinary person into a master fighter. But this sword is only a legend and even if it did exist, taking it was another story. The Huang Xing Sword was apparently broken into seven pieces and scattered through thend. Finding it and fixing it would be almost impossible."


    After finishing his exnations, everyone went into deep thought.


    "Du Xiu, do you think Kong Zi is only using these as a distraction? Could he be looking for treasures?" Yu Zhen said.


    "It is not certain, but his inactivity is a bit worrying to me. If anything we should watch out for any strange ruins or treasures that we may run into."


    "Hah, if that''s all then, I''m off! I''ll talk to you allter! If I hear any news, I''ll be sure to share with all of you!"


    "Wait a minute!"


    Just as Yu Zhen was about to stop Nie Xia from leaving, he had already let go of the medallion.


    "Damn that simple-minded fool, how did he ever be a general?" she spoke with exasperation, like a mother and her irresponsible son.


    "He''s a straightforward man, not one to hide secrets. His charisma is what makes him a good leader, he cares for his soldiers, wanting to end things quickly so that they could all go home", said Du Xiu.


    This time Gao Ri spoke up.


    "To be honest, I agree with Commander Nie Xia, we should take over these areas quickly. Turning them into strongholds is not a bad idea. Furthermore, even if Kong Zhi was looking for legendary treasures, it could take years before he could even find a clue."


    "Yes, that''s right", Du Xiu added, "We should focus on the task at hand. Take over theke in the south, the forest in the middle, and the mountains at the north, from there we could focus on following Kong Zhi''s steps. Is there anything else?"


    After setting up brief ns and countermeasures, all sixmanders finished their meeting and went back to watch over their positions.


    In the midst of all this, Kong Zhi was nowhere to be seen or rather, he seems to have never left his camp. So, what could he be doing during all this time?


    His base camp, in the far west where a desert lied, was quite busy. Food and other supplies often went in and out of the camp. This much, scouts were able to find out but that was quite normal, after all this was a time of war.


    What they did not know was what was happening inside the camp. In fact, much of what they had seen was all a lie, an illusion.


    The camp was being protected by an illusion formation!


    Sure, the camp had supplies and men but there was one thing different about it, there was a mine. A great, gaping hole in the ground, filled with giant four-legged lizards and many ves, all equipped with a pickaxe and a shovel. Kong Zhi''s soldiers walked around, watching them like a hawk while he was at the bottom, studying the ground.


    The enved demons were all ragged, thin from theck of food, and tired. They''ve been digging for so long and yet none have them had found something. There would be some veins of ore, maybe some caves that may have treasures, but Kong Zhi did not seem that interested in them. He instead opted on giving it to his men.


    At the bottom of the mine, Kong Zhi looked around, asionally digging up the ground with his hammer. As he broke through the ground, he noticed an opening that lead to another area.


    "Could this be it?" he thought.


    He quickly smashed through it and entered, finding himself in an empty hall. As he looked around, there was excitement within him. He called over his men and lit up the entire hall with torches.


    It was a simple ce, only one room but it was gigantic. Great white pirs supported the ceiling while the floor had the imprint of someone''s foot, trailing from the beginning to the end of the room. Opposite to Kong Zhi was a simple mat on the ground. In front of it was a great statue, a man with a vicious face and a body simr to that of Kong Zhi. With two clenched fists, the figure was in a stance, ready for battle.


    "Is this the Dark Starlight Manor?" one of Kong Zhi''s men asked, looking at the statue, he was unsure.


    "Maybe", said Kong Zhi, "Go back out, tell the ves to go continue mining. No one is to know."


    "Yes, my lord!"


    Everyone but Kong Zhi left, who continued to stare at the statue, a figure of power and strength.


    "My ancestor", he said, "Let this young one seed you!"


    His eyes stared with determination and desire as he stepped forward.

 Chapter 114 - The Violent Kuang Li

    As the clouds above the Demon Continent began to churn, the stares of the many Clear Spring Mountain Disciples intensified.


    Thest to enter the arena, Kuang Li hade.


    Ming Yue waited on the other side, sitting down with her legs crossed. She used her time as best as she could to recover, wanting to be at her peak state for this fight.


    Looking at Kuang Li, she sized him up.


    He was a handsome boy, his long hair was kept together with a simple gray ribbon. His facial proportions were bnced and his body was thin but muscr. Wearing white robes, his arm sleeves were rolled back, revealing snow white skin. But there was one striking feature that he revealed, a great long scar that wrapped around his left arm, like a dragon that coiled around it.


    Despite his beautiful face, his expression showed nothing. There was no emotion within his eyes. It felt like he was not staring at Ming Yue like a human, but as prey.


    He cupped his hands and bowed.


    "This one would like to battle", he said, speaking very little.


    His eyes were unnerving but that only served to ignite Ming Yue''s spirit. He showed a great intent to battle and she would not disappoint him.


    Kuang Li carried nothing in his hands, he stood straight up, rxed and his hands were open. Palms facing towards Ming Yue, his knees were slightly bent, one foot in front of the other.


    Ming Yue took a different stance than her other duels, her legs were bent and her body leaned forward. Drifting Sky was unsheathed and facing the ground, both hands gripped the handle tightly.


    At the sound of the judge''s voice, the match began.


    In less than a second, Ming Yue burst forth, swinging her sword at Kuang Li. She was just shy of a foot when she found herself thrown into the air. Turned upside down, she saw Kuang Li jump after her, his hands open and prepared to the grab her leg. Rather than dodge, she pushed herself down with a gust of wind, her foot aimed at his face. However, it did not meet its target. Instead, she was thrown down towards the ground, mming onto it with a great impact.


    The air was knocked out of her lungs and she gasped for air.


    "What sort of techniques is he using? Is Kuang Li using my own power against me?" she thought quickly.


    Her arm and leg that Kuang Li grabbed was numb with pain, he gripped her like the talons of an eagle, capturing its prey. With a quick look, Ming Yue noticed red hand prints where she was grabbed.


    "He''s doing much more than redirecting my power", she thought.


    Kuang Li stood in front of her, waiting for her next move. His eyes had a look of boredom, it seemed to him that Ming Yue was a bit of a disappointment to him.


    "I wonder if she has figured him out", one of the judges spoke his thoughts, sharing them with the others.


    "Even if she did, Kuang Li has been practicing these palm techniques for all of his life. In the end, he will win through experience", another judge replied.


    Kuang Li''s techniques were hard to decipher, he did not add much power, only borrowing from Ming Yue. However, the way her body reacted to his attacks showed that there was much more to it.


    He has a strong grip but there must''ve been another factor.


    Ming Yue formed small wind needles before sending them off. A piercing move that Kuang Li took care of easily, pushing them away with his open palms.


    "If you will not move", he said, "Then I shall begin."


    With both hands on front of him, He opened them into palms creating a circling motion. Power began to well up in his arms, slowly leaving his open palms. The energy began to coalesce, forming intricately designed circles on each hand. At the center was the Yin Yang symbol and the outeryer was the 8 trigrams, forming the Bagua.


    Kuang Li moved forward in slow steps, every part of his body changed stances at each step. The two Bagua''s slowly grew in size and power until they were three times the size of his palms. At the 8th step, he sped up, running towards Ming Yue, who fought him head on.


    Every strike she made was deflected by the Bagua Circle on his hands.


    Palm against sword, Ming Yue found herself at a disadvantage. Kuang Li attacked at every opportunity possible, giving her no room to move forward or back. Ming Yue had to pay attention to his hands, making sure that he would not grab a hold of her.


    He did not seem impatient and showed little emotion, in fact he did not seem very enthused to fight.


    "I should end this soon", he said.


    Kuang Li brought his palms together, forming arger formation. He turned it towards Ming Yue and a suction force came from the Bagua.


    Ming Yue was slowly pulled in, countering the force with a strong gust of wind. But Kuang Li got what he wanted, bringing Ming Yue close to him.


    With his right palm, he attacked three points of her body, the head, the heart and the stomach. Ming Yue was pushed back from the attack but managed to not fly out of the arena.


    Kuang Li did not stop there, he rushed forward and grabbed Ming Yue by the wrist, throwing her into the air. He followed up with a palm strike against her stomach again sending her down to the arena.


    Ming Yue could do nothing, there might not be many injuries externally but internally, her body was in a state of chaos. Her organs had been damaged and blood slowly trickled down her mouth. Caused by Kuang Li''s three strikes, her force had gone rampant and out of control, creating all sorts of damage within her meridians.


    She could only focus on resolving the issue as Kuang Li threw her around.


    Recovering from the fall, she knelt on one knee, supporting herself with Drifting Sky.


    Kuang Li stood and watched, there was a barely any sign of emotion. Perhaps this was why many people feared him, he wasn''t crazy or wild but calm and emotionless. With this sort of mentality, his techniques were quite vicious. If anything, he was aiming on crippling Ming Yue rather than killing her, a fate that some consider worse than death.


    Yet, the judges did nothing, they only watched and waited. It was only at the critical moment that they would interfere, if they didn''t, they would not be able to see an awe-inspiring sight.


    "I would suggest surrendering", said Kuang Li, "Your energy has gone rampant due to my Needle Point Palm Technique. I''ve attacked you at three points of your body causing your body to be unable to regte itself. If left alone, your energy will continue to rise until there is nothing left and your body could detonate."


    Detonation?!


    With this technique she would detonate? What sort of technique would do this?


    At this point, Ming Yue could choose to surrender. She already had three victories, something that she and the vice sect leader agreed upon. However, she was not one to surrender, especially against an opponent such as this. Unless, she had no other option, she would not yield to Kuang Li.


    But she did have an option, an option that many would deem unreasonable but she would not go down so easily.


    If all of her energy was being drawn out, then she would use all of it.


    She forced the energy into submission, making it flow through her body again. On the outside, a pale blue aura emerged from her body. It was barely under control, but her body burned through the power. Power coursed through her like a raging river, full of power.


    Kuang Li looked surprised, "Why are you not surrendering?"


    This weaker opponent of his did not surrender like he had expected.


    Ming Yue was too focused on herself too even hear him.. From here on out, she would on focus on one thing, the opponent in front of her.

 Chapter 115 - Discipline

    Kuang Li could not understand her actions. This choice of hers was dangerous and something that few had the courage to do.


    This was one of the few times where he felt movement in his heart, hesitation, a bit of trembling, a bit of fear.


    Despite being one of the few men within Clear Spring Mountain, he rose up steadily before reaching the rank of a core disciple. He had gone through may trials to get to where he was, he practiced his palm techniques night and day, going out for experiential training often. Yet, despite all of this, his hands trembled. Perhaps it was fear, excitement, he was not sure.


    He brought his palms forward, the Bagua Circles formed once again taking a different appearance. Rather than a pale white color, it had be golden and the structure was much more intricate. With the Yin and Yang and the eight Trigrams were twoyers of circles interconnected with a hexagon.


    Facing the golden formation, Ming Yue took a step, leaving behind an explosion as she became a pale blue blur. Kuang Li put forth the Bagua activating the skill.


    The golden Bagua exerted a great pressure on Ming Yue, the weight of a mountain suddenly dropped onto her shoulders. But her body was moving at its limits, this mountain crumbled under the rushing power of her body. She moved towards Kuang Li unhindered, he was surprised and found it toote to attack. He prepared himself for the sh, taking up a defensive stance.


    Suddenly, he found himself at a disadvantage. Trying to divert Ming Yue''s blows had be so much more difficult, an unending stream of attacks that had both speed and power. It was explosive, her swordsmanship had no rhythm to it and so, each strike had to be dealt with within a fraction of a second. Her sword was an amazing treasure, Kuang Li could not ignore that fact. He knew that it was part of the reason why each strike was so swift and heavy. A de that was longer than his arms but Ming Yue swung it like it was part of her body.


    It truly felt like fighting a wild beast, aplete difference from before where Ming Yue''s attacks were calcted, perhaps even restrained.


    Above, the right, from below, diagonally, the lower left, in a matter of seconds, over a hundred moves were exchanged.


    Ming Yue could feel her energy losing control. She possible had another minute or so before it would be rampant again. In one strike she would put everything into Drifting Sky.


    The blue aura disappeared from her body and moved to her sword, strange patterns slowly lit up on the de.


    Ming Yue attacked Kuang Li from the side, smashing the de into him. He blocked it with the Bagua circles, cracks formed on them as his body was thrown off by the strike. Despite stopping the attack from going even further, the sheer power that was exerted was enough to damage his bones and organs.


    Two figures dropped into the arena, one went to Kuang Li while the other caught Ming Yue, who was about to copse. Both of them checked their conditions, making sure that there was nosting damage,


    The figure who was with Ming Yue, quickly struck multiple points of her body. Ming Yue''s energy was brought under control and then worked on healing her. Hei Yue and Xiao Yin had already taken their stand in front of Ming Yue, ready to defend their master.


    "I''m here to heal her, let me pass" the figure spoke to them with a kind voice. It was soothing and something about it made them less wary, allowing this person to approach Ming Yue.


    "If I waste by even a second, your body might have been beyond repair", the person with Ming Yue spoke, sighing with relief. Her voice was soft, caring, different from that of the Vice Sect Leader who spoke with a tinge of cunning.


    Kuang Li was in a much better state although his injuries were somewhat severe. He might''ve won the match but in a real fight, the result would''ve been much different.


    Everyone that watched were unsure of their emotions. It might have been Kuang Li''s victory but Ming Yue''s actions gave them a sense of fear and shock. At the same time, there was a sense of admiration and respect for her.


    Ming Yue was put into a state of meditation, her legs crossed and her hands resting on her knees. The figure with her stood up and walked towards the center of the arena.


    All the judges that watched the arena jumped from their pirs and bowed towards the figure.


    "We pay our respects to the Sect Leader!" they spoke with courtesy.


    The many disciples were confused.


    "That is the sect leader? Wasn''t she suppose to be in closed-door training?"


    "No, it''s her! I recognize her. She is definitely the sect leader!"


    "Why is she here though?"


    As murmurs circled around, the sect leader of Clear Spring Mountain looked at her disciples. She looked young like a woman in her twenties, her hair was stark white and put in a simple braid. She wore the signature white robes which had the words Sect Leader stitched on the back. The robes were also trimmed with a gold ribbon, outlining the cuffs of her sleeves. Her face was stern and her eyes showed great wisdom. A pair of sparkling eyes and luscious lips could easily make one of the most beautiful fighters.


    "I hope that all of you learn from this", she said.


    "All of you are blinded by arrogance, going around and doing whatever you like. Picking fights with other and acting as if you are superior just because you are a part of Clear Spring Mountain", she sounded off, making every disciple feel shamed.


    "Look at this girl here", she pointed at Ming Yue, "She fought five opponents with barely any rest and won three of them. She knew almost nothing about them but fought calmly. If anything, she could''ve easily won all five duels."


    "What I want to ask you all is whether or not any of you are willing to fight her?"


    No one responded, some pondered the question while others just waited.


    "Since none of you volunteered, I want to ask one more thing. How many of you though that she would be a weak opponent?"


    Again, no one responded, perhaps too prideful to admit their mistakes.


    "I see", the sect leader said, "I want you all to remember this, if this was outside of the mountain you would''ve all been killed. It does not matter where you are from or how strong you are. There will always be someone stronger than you and that person could be anyone. When any of you go out, understand that empty boasting will do nothing for you. Your background will not matter because there will be someone out there who does not care. The will be someone who will stop at nothing to kill you. Do not let your pride overtake you, be rational."


    After speaking out, she left the arena bringing Ming Yue with her.


    It was silent. It was difficult to decipher what everyone was thinking.


    But one thing was sure, all of them have learned something.


    The vice sect leader stayed back, looking at all of them.


    "All of the elders including me and the sect leader made this duel happen to teach you all a lesson. I hope that you''ve learnt it", she spoke, ending her words with a dark tone.


    She brought Kuang Li away to heal while the other elders let the disciples return.


    In the meantime, the sect leader brought Ming Yue back to the great hall to continue treating her body.


    Following her, the other elders returned to the hall.


    "Have you reached it?" Xuan Han asked, "The Sky Realm?"


    "I''m just a step away. I''m merely waiting for the tribtion toe" the sect leader replied, "As for when, I''m not sure. At the very least, it wille within the month maybe in just a few moments."


    "Really?" everyone gasped, some in shock, some in excitement.


    "Only sixty years old and already reaching the barrier between the Earth and the Sky. Do you know what tribtion it will be?" asked Dong Kuai, the hand that held her cane quivered with excitement.


    "It is a heart tribtion for sure", the sect leader answered tly, "Go back to the disciples, make sure they remember this day. I need time to regte this girl''s body."


    "Yes, Sect Leader!" all of them bowed and took off, leaving the Sect Leader and Ming Yue alone.


    "Ah this girl, you were too reckless this time", she said.

 Chapter 116 - Treasures Of The Mountain

    Ming Yue''s injuries were severe but they were not incurable. It took several hours for her to regain her consciousness.


    At first, she was confused and surprised to find out that the sect master of Clear Spring Mountain was personally tending to her. But she spent the next day or twopletely immersed with recovery.


    With all this time, the two began to talk. First and foremost, they talked about the duel.


    "Why was I chosen to do these duels?" Ming Yue asked bluntly.


    The sect leader''s face was unchanged, her eyes full of wisdom and her expression calm.


    "Why did you ept the offer?" she said, answering with another question.


    Ming Yue paused at the question, thinking of an adequate answer. She wanted to experience and learn more about other martial arts styles. Clear Spring Mountain was one of them but if anything, she could''ve asked one of the elders or disciples. These five duels were probably just quicker and straightforward.


    Before she could answer the sect leader''s question, the sect leader stopped her by saying just one word.


    "Fate" she said.


    Simple and yet mysterious, such was the nature of fate.


    The sect leader continued going into a speech of sorts.


    "Perhaps, you believe that it was coincidence that you would be chosen, a fluke that had led you to my sect. A stroke of luck that led you to this little mountain of the world," the sect leader''s calm tone had no signs of changing, no tremor or hesitance.


    "This could all be attributed to fate, the inner workings of the heavens", she said, "Fate that which allowed you to give an impact on this sect. Now we are intertwined because of it. You have helped me and now I must repay you."


    Ming Yue was silent.


    "Fate?" she thought, it did not seem like the correct answer to her.


    She had fought every step of the way, luck was on her side but fate? Fate was something altogether, a force that seemed to do whatever it pleased.


    "It does not matter now, we should be discussing my repayment for your deeds", the sect leader interrupted her thoughts, changing the subject.


    "You havee at a rather opportune time and may have possibly helped my sect avoid extinction", she said.


    "Think about the impact you''ve made on them all. All of the disciples know that there will always be someone stronger but they never know who. They are blind, blinded by arrogance and that could not stand. Then they see you, a girl younger than most of them, someone whom none of them really know about. They thought of you as a side character, a weakling. Suddenly, their pride is gone. Seeing your battles, they start to realize that you aren''t as weak as they thought. In fact, they might be weaker than you. That wave of shame should make them remember that they have a ce in the world, a ce that could disappear within the blink of an eye."


    Ming Yue hadn''t really considered what effects her actions made on others. She was still a small character, someone who had not yet reached the Earth Realm. Someone who was still very inexperienced with the world.


    "Yes, senior", Ming Yue replied with those two words, unable to think of any other alternatives.


    "Please, address me as Senior Qing, you could be considered to have be a friend of the Clear Spring Mountain. Speak your mind."


    "Then, Senior Qing, I do not have anything that I desire. I had only wanted to experience what "soft" martial arts is like. There is no need to reward me. I have learned plenty from those duels", Ming Yue spoke honestly.


    She had her divine ranked Drifting Sky and her clothes and essories were still quite useful to her. There really was nothing that she really desired. Furthermore, asking for techniques from the mountain would not benefit much. After all, these skills were meant for those who cultivated the Pure Body method and she had her own unique method. Things like medicines and pills were considered but she did not want to depend on them too much for cultivating. Exining all of this to Senior Qing, Ming Yue told her that she was already happy to have experienced their martial arts.


    But Senior Qing was insistent on some form of reward, just gaining umtions in battle was not enough. She thought for as long as it took for water to boil beforeing up with a idea. Before that she offered Ming Yue a myriad of things. Strange medicinal nts and old treasures but Ming Yue did not feel that she deserved such treasures. Almost out of ideas, Senior Qing suggested a rather interesting reward.


    "You could step into our tempering grounds if you''d like. It''s a ce for core disciples to test themselves in both a physical and ethereal level. I can let you enter it for a day. I can guarantee you that there will be progress made", she added thatst detail, ending with a small smile. Hoping that this would be able to convince Ming Yue to ept.


    Ming Yue was both enticed and curious, what could these tempering grounds be?


    "Can you tell me more about it?" she asked, showing interest.


    Senior Qing did not mind, saying that their tempering grounds was what made Clear Spring Mountain famous.


    "Known as the Unstable Peak, it is one of the highest points of the mountain. What makes it so special is that a formation wasid down by the first leader of Clear Spring Mountain, in other words, the first queen of Clear Sky Kingdom. This formation gathers the force of the world, making cultivation much quicker. However, gatheringrge amounts of power does note with some circumstances. Violent winds and the freezing cold gue the peak during the winter. In the summer, it bes scorching hot, drying the ground and ridding the entire peak of water. Despite these conditions, those who havested inside that peak are the ones with true talent. Not to mention, that turbulent energy will strengthen your meridians and purify your body. Inside the mission hall, you will find a wall that carries the names of the top hundred that stayed the longest. The one at first ce is none other than the first queen, having stayed on that peak for no more than ten years. By the end of it, it was said that she had reached the Immortal Rank in just one year."


    After exining, Senior Qing waited for Ming Yue to give her an answer.


    This was certainly an attractive reward. Furthermore, this was not the first time Ming Yue had encountered the freezing cold, having gone through the formations of the Youth Tournament as well as that mysterious pond near the Firelight Ruins. She did not have much to lose but plenty to gain so she epted this proposal.


    It was not often that she had the opportunity to experience something like the Unstable Peak. A bit of excitement welled up within her.


    "Hm, good, now then I should make the appropriate arrangements for this to happen. It shouldn''t take much to convince the others. Well the-", Senior Qing paused, clutching her chest she fell to the ground.


    "Senior!" Ming Yue yelled out, hurrying to support her.


    "It''s begun...the heart tribtion", Senior Qing groaned as she spoke to Ming Yue.


    A dark aura seeped out of her body, it was menacing, full of negativity. Ming Yue could feel her heart racing from the aura, her mind was suddenly being tested. Finding herself unable to move, she could not break away from its grasp. Strong emotions and thoughts gued her mind but she managed to endure it.


    The tribtion had begun.

 Chapter 117 - Tribulation

    Thoughts of death, rage, sadness entered her mind. Ming Yue managed to fend off these thoughts but she felt horrified by its power. She was no even the one enduring the tribtion but her mind was almost taken. If she had not fought those thoughts off, she might have lost her mind forever.


    "Kill them! All of them are below you! If you cannot even do such a simple task then what are you! Take their treasures, cut off their heads, make them all suffer!"


    Whispers drifted into her ears, surrounding her like evil spirits. She was not even the one undertaking the tribtion and yet, she was already affected immensely. If it was like this, then Senior Qing was in a much more perilous situation.


    The other elders must have felt the energy of the tribtion, all of them returned to the hall shortly after.


    Wen Jing was the first to arrive, followed by Xuan Han, Dong Kuai and the rest of the elders. The vice sect leader arrivedst, immediately issuing orders to everyone.


    "Wen Jing, Xuan Han, close down the area, make sure no one enters the hall. Everyone else will stay with the Sect Leader and guard her!" shemanded.


    Everyone went on their way and Elder Fei emerged from one of the rooms within the hall. He looked around and spotted Ming Yue, her legs crossed and sitting several feet from the sect leader. A dark aura that surrounded the sect leader had attached itself to Ming Yue, small strands of ck that stretched across her body.


    "Ming Yue!" he shouted with concern.


    "Don''t get near them!" the vice sect leader stopped Elder Fei froming even further.


    "You should know the dangers of a tribtion, especially a heart tribtion. Getting near those two right now will only get you trapped within it", she said.


    "Then what can we do about her?" Dong Kuai asked, pointing her cane at Ming Yue, "If she continues to stay like this, she could lose her mind. If it happens before the sect leader can clear her tribtion, the girl might attack her."


    "Yes, she had only just recovered several hours ago", said another elder.


    "We can save her", the vice sect leader said, "but in order to do so, we will need to help the sect leader first. Set up the Lotus formation around them, it should weaken the power of the tribtion."


    Including Elder Fei, all of them arranged themselves into a circle before shifting their positions into twoyers. Along with some formation gs, they covered eight points, forming a lotus where the sect leader and Ming Yue sat in the center of. As the formation activated, a light pinkish energy began to radiate from everyone and was directed towards the center.


    As if afraid of it, the ck aura receded a bit from the sect leader''s body. The ck threads on Ming Yue were weaker than before, visibly thinner. Both of their faces rxed a bit as the pressure lessened.


    "We will stay like this until the sect leader awakens. If the girl is unable to hold on, then we will have to subdue her", said the vice sect leader.


    While they were all focused on the two figures, Ming Yue and Senior Qing were both continuing with the tribtion.


    Sweat dropped down their foreheads as the illusions and emotions continued to pound into their minds. Only a few voices continued to talk within Ming Yue''s mind, telling to her to do her heart''s desire, to kill without end. But this was nothingpared to Senior Qing''s situation. It was not several voices that talked inside her mind, it was a whole sea of whispers, screams, anger, wickedness. A sea of ck that left Senior Qing all by herself, surrounded.


    Hundreds of voices that flooded her mind, each one asking her, begging her to reach into the darkest crevices of her heart.


    This scene continued for hours, the ck aura flickered about. Sometimes it grew fiercer and sometimes it would reduce to almost nothing.


    Everyone waited and watched.


    All of the sudden, Xuan Han burst through the doors, walking quickly towards the formation.


    "There''s trouble. The Tao Feng Sect is here. They must''ve known about the Sect Master leaving her closed door training", he spoke with urgency, "What should we do?"


    "Dy them, they are trying to humiliate us again. Whatever you do, do not let them in. They will try to cause chaos within", the vice sect leader answered and Xuan Han quickly left.


    "Why did they have toe back again? Especially at a time like this", one of the elders said.


    "It is indeed strange. A sect like theirs had only emerged several years ago and yet they have been trying to swallow us this whole time", said Dong Kuai.


    "The Tao Feng Sect?" Elder Fei said, "I''ve heard of them before. A recent power that has sprung up in the north and quite aggressive as well. If I recall, they have spent thest several years expanding as much as possible. But I have heard nothing of why they would do such a thing. Rumors say that it is for power and fame, but it doesn''t seem like it."


    "Who knows, but these bastards have been trying to beat us time and time again, resorting to many despicable methods. This time will be no different", said the vice sect leader.


    Down the mountain, were two groups of people separated by their uniforms. One was a light blue or white color and the other was a deep purple. Meeting at the gateway of Clear Spring Mountain was Xuan Han and facing him were two figures. Both of them looked at the golden haired man, expressions of friendliness were stered all over their faces.


    But everyone could see through the fake smiles, rather than friends these two were more like con men than anything.


    "Is it not a good time toe in?" one of them said, a tall and thin man who was quite average looking.


    His hair was neatlybed and put together by a jade hair clip. Small, round eyes, a somewhat bulbous nose as well as a scruffy beard formed his face.


    Xuan Han smiled, "I apologize for being unable to amodate you. I know that you are here to meet with our sect leader but she is currently busy with other affairs. She has already instructed us to turn everyone away."


    "Oh its quite alright. I understand that Sect Leader Qing is currently upied right now", the man said, "But we do need a ce to rest, is there no other way?"


    "These bastards!" Xuan Han thought, "They know that she is under going the tribtion so now they''vee to cause trouble. But how is that possible? It has only begun hours ago and they already know? Unless..."


    It didn''t take long for him to think of an answer.


    "They must have someone in our sect, a spy!" he thought.


    Xuan Han was infuriated. As the punishment elder, he had a very decisive heart and a temper that few would dare provoke. He was truly and very angry. This Tao Feng Sect was overbearing and constantly provoked Clear Spring Mountain. Like an annoying bug, they came back despite suffering loss after loss.


    The more he thought about it, the angrier he became but as an elder he had to stay calm.


    "I really do apologize but the mountain will not be epting anyone", he repeated.


    The thin man did not seem discouraged or even bothered by Xuan Han. In fact, his smile grew any bigger.


    "Are you sure?" he asked, "I don''t think that sect leader Qing would punish you for letting us in, at least for the night. It''s starting to get terribly cold out here."


    "...Or is it that she does not want to meet us?"


    At this moment, his partner spoke up. An older man whose voice was quite irritable to listen to.


    "Could she have failed?" he said.

 Chapter 118 - Xuan Hans Rage

    His high pitched voice seemed to cause a bit of pain in everyone''s ear. Like a screeching bird, he spoke with a certain squeakiness to it and it did nothing to curb Xuan Han''s fury.


    This older man had a head of hair, neatlybed and colored with a bit of gray. Shorter than his partner, he was bald and his face resembled that of a rat, a rat that has seen better days. Perhaps in his younger years, he was a strapping young man but time was not gracious towards him.


    A small mole took ce on the right of his upper lip.


    Saying those words, he walked forward, noticing the pause within Xuan Han.


    "Could it be that this one''s guess is right? Has your Sect Master failed her tribtion?" his words grew louder and louder, reaching the ears of everyone around him.


    A sudden effect could be seen on both sides. Those of the Tao Feng looked on with mocking smiles, some even dared to provoke the disciples of the mountain. Xuan Han was quiet and this only spurred on this rat to poke at his pride.


    "Am I not correct? Junior Deng, do you think I am wrong?" the man looked back at his partner.


    Brother Deng looked at him, "No, I don''t believe so but perhaps, Senior Hao is wrong. After all, how could we ever know the situation within. Hmm, Elder Xuan Han, would you care to rify for us?"


    Xuan Han was silent, no one knew what went on in his heads. Senior Hao took this as a sign, a very good sign.


    "Well, now you hear it. Your elder here did not disagree with me. What''s the point of staying with Clear Spring Mountain? Your sect leader is probably forever stuck at the Earth Realm, maybe even crippled" said Senior Hao.


    He circled Xuan Han with his head held up high.


    "Now, we aren''t here to fight this time. No, we are here to recruit."


    Whispers and looks of confusion and curiosity were on the faces of the white uniformed disciples.


    "Recruitment?" some muttered.


    "Yes, yes. We are here to wee you all into the Tao Feng. There''s no point in staying with your sect leader almost crippled. All you have to do to join is toe to my side", Senior Hao looked at them with his arms crossed behind his back.


    At a moment''s notice, someone had joined them, a young man whom everyone could recognize.


    It was Kuang Li who joined first. He came to Senior Hao''s side. Turning back to the others, he looked at his fellow disciples, expecting them to join him.


    Xuan Han was surprised, everyone else was equally shocked.


    "Kuang Li... Why would you join them so easily?" one of the disciples asked, "You''ve worked so hard to be an inner disciple and now you''re joining the Tao Feng just like that?"


    The others shouted their disapproval for him. His strength was undeniable and he spent years training at Clear Spring Mountain. He turned his back so easily and they felt betrayed.


    Xuan Han looked at him, unable to utter a word.


    "Don''t attack me like that!" Kuang Li talked back, "I live for strength and I knew long ago that the Tao Feng would be powerful. The sect leader disappeared just as fast as she reappeared. She''s probably crippled by now. There was no point in me staying here anymore, the Tao Feng has more to offer than this god forsaken mountain!"


    The moment he finished that sentence, a heavy fist came across his face and his body was thrown back from the strike.


    "There is only so much I can endure", said Xuan Han, who retracted his fists back.


    "So you were the rat, the mole" he said, staring at Kuang Li''s crumpled body.


    There was no discernible emotion on his face, only an indescribable calmness. But everyone could feel it, the raging force of his power, the menacing aura that came from his body.


    "And for the rest of you...", he looked back at the disciples of his sect, "If any of you dare to turn your back on the sect like him, I will personally banish you from the mountain."


    After his little threat, Xuan Han looked back at the Tao Feng, his golden hair rested on his shoulders.


    "I do apologize but Clear Spring Mountain is currently not epting any guests. If you cannote back at another time then I will certainly help move you", he repeated his words again, this time it sounded a bit more forceful perhaps even a little threatening.


    The two elders were at a loss of words. Xuan Han''s actions had simply surprised them. Both of them hoped for a fight but to think he would strike one of his own. They did not think he would act so decisively. But Senior Hao quickly recovered from his shock, he looked back at Xuan Han with a smile.


    "Oh, we will be leaving...", he walked towards Xuan Han, facing him up close.


    There was a difference in their stature. One was a golden haired man with a cool expression and the other was a rat faced man, thin and perhaps an inch or two shorter than the former. However that was enough for Xuan Han to tower over him.


    Behind Senior Hao''s smile were numerous thoughts and emotions. Some sort of invisible pressure came down upon him as he walked closer. By the time he was face to face with Xuan Han, the pressure was more than suffocating. There was fear within him. Some sort of battle was what he had wished but with the way Xuan Han was like right now, victory woulde at a rather grave cost.


    But it wasn''t just his anger that made him afraid but that pressure, it was much stronger than he anticipated. But it did not seem possible that Xuan Han could exert such power. Was there someone else helping him or was he merely hiding his strength.


    From the corner of his eye, Senior Hao saw a figure up the mountains. It wasn''t the sect leader but someone else. someone he did not recognize. But that could not be possible! The Tao Feng had collected all kinds of information about Clear Spring Mountain, even recruiting one of the inner disciples to act as a mole for them. So who was this person?


    He looked at them, attempting to see their face but all he saw was a lonely figure that stood in one of the gardens.


    As if sensing Senior Hao''s stares, the pressure had suddenly doubled. He almost dropped to his knees from the sudden pressure. It was unbearable to him.


    This wasn''t something someone from the Earth Realm could muster, This was definitely the Sky Realm!


    "Is that the Sect Leader of Clear Spring Mountain?" he wondered, "But how could that be possible? She had only juste out of her closed door training not too long ago."


    "I would do as he says, unless you looking to stay here indefinitely", a voice whispered into his ear, gentle and aged like that of a grandmother.


    He did not have to think twice before turning back and leaving.


    He looked at Kuang Li before facing his sect, "We''re leaving, quickly."


    Kuang Li had recovered from the blow and left with the others, he rubbed the cheek that Xuan Han struck. There was arge bruise there and he could feel the emptiness of where some of his teeth should be. He looked back at them with arrogance, running with the Tao Feng.


    Turning back to Brother Deng, he asked, "The deal is done, am I now a core disciple of the Tao Feng?"


    "What are you talking about? You don''t get that ce until we take over Clear Spring Mountain. Until then, you will stay as an outer disciple", he said tly.


    Kuang Li was dismayed but there was nothing he could do, he had already shown his colors to his former sect. He doubted they would ept him again.


    After answering his question, Brother Deng spoke with Senior Hao.


    "What should we do now?" he asked.


    "I had originally nned to break their spirit and take control of the sect from the inside out. This would''ve been the perfect time, but there were some factors that I did not ount for", said Senior Hao.


    "What factors? We have several years worth of information over them."


    "That much is true, but there are still some hidden experts that we did not realize existed."


    "What? Then what do we do now?"


    "Don''t worry, Clear Spring Mountain is too precious to give up on. The mountain itself is full of treasures. The sec Leader will probably give us more manpower to take it from them."


    As the two elders continued to talk, Clear Spring Mountain was in a state of disarray.. After Senior Hao''s words, news spread throughout the sect that Sect Leader Qing was crippled after failing to pass her tribtion.

 Chapter 119 - Revelation

    This piece of information was met with all kinds of responses: shock, confusion, doubt. Some chose not to believe these rumors, others were unsure. Some had thoughts of leaving the sect behind. If the leader was gone, was there a point to even stay?


    As these thoughts circled around, a ck wave burst out from the sect halls, an ominous feeling washed over their bodies.


    Xuan Han spun back towards the mountain, staring at the origin of the ck wave.


    "Oh no", he thought.


    He rushed back up the mountain. Those that saw him followed along, curious as to what had caused such amotion. Running up the mountain, Wen Jing joined him along the way. Both were incredibly worried for Sect Leader Qing.


    Reaching the sect halls, the dark energy that came from the main hall beared down on everyone. It wasn''t suffocating but it was as if your energy was being consumed. The closer one was, the higher the consumption.


    "Get back! Do not enter within a hundred meters or else you can consider your life forfeit!" Xuan Han warned the disciples.


    No one dared to move any closer, the hall was within view but reaching it would without a doubt end with death.


    Another pulse of dark energy emitted from the hall, forcing the doors open and pushing back everyone outside.


    From the open doors, everyone saw the situation within.


    Numerous elders including the Vice Sect Leader sat in formation, surrounding Sect Leader Qing. Off to the side, Ming Yueid on the floor unconscious as Elder Fei quickly carried her away. He ran out of the hall towards Xuan Han and Wen Jing with Ming Yue in his arms.


    "Quickly get out of here!" he yelled out, "You sect leader''s tribtion is reaching a very sensitive state. If she is disturbed for even a little bit, she will be crippled."


    Hearing his words, everyone breathed a sigh of relief inwardly. She was still undergoing her tribtion and she did not fail it yet. They backed away from the main hall but watched intently. This would be a pivotal point in their sect.


    The energy surrounding the sect leader''s body varied greatly, the intensity shot up and down. The elders''s that surrounded her no longer focused on helping her but protecting the disciples from the energy waves. They could barely keep up with the tribtion and so those weaker than them will certainly not fare well.


    Clouds began to gather upon the mountain, the sounds of rumbling thunder coursed through the sky. Suddenly a sh of light lit up the clouds as a lightning crashed down onto the sect halls, directly into the body of Sect Leader Qing.


    As if in defiance, the dark energy exploded forth, attacking the roaring energy!


    Her head snapped back as the ck aura escaped from her body, light began to emit from her eyes.


    Having awoken, she stood up and grabbed the aura with the motion of her hand. The energy found itself pulled down andpressed into a little ball. The lightning retreated but the clouds did not, as if waiting for Sect Leader Qing''s decision.


    After all, the Human Realm dealt with the physical form, the Earth Realm focused on one''s own energy and learning the secrets of the world. The Sky Realm, however, was where one could go beyond the worldly form and understand the intricacies of the celestial powers.


    Those same powers are the origin of a cultivator''s tribtion and so they watch over all who choose to cross the threshold.


    A small ck sphere floated in her palm, sparks flew from it as though the energy was trying to escape. The sect leader stared at it. Her white hair hade undone was flew wildly from the power that came from the sphere. Sometimes, voices would whisper into her ears, trying to convince her to give in.


    "Hmph", she snorted as her hand closed on the sphere, crushing it out of existence.


    She looked around and saw her entire sect looking at her.


    As a sign of approval, a sh of lightning followed by the the clouds disappearing. It left as quickly as it came, leaving Clear Spring Mountain alone. Looking around, she saw Ming Yue still copsed and taken care of by Elder Fei.


    "Hmm...", she began to think before the vice sect leader approached her.


    "Ruo Yu, are you okay?" she asked Sect Leader Qing.


    "Yes, Lu She, tell everyone to gather around me. There are some things that I have to tell the sect. As for Ming Yue over there, take her somewhere to rest. If I remember correctly, she was part of the tribtion for a little bit. Even though she did not face the worst of it, she will need a bit of rest", she said.


    "Yes, Sect Leader", Vice Sect Leader Lu went back to her formal speaking.


    She asked Elder Fei to move Ming Yue to the medicine hall before gathering up all of the sect members including the elders. Everyone waited for her to speak.


    "As many of you have guessed, I have passed the tribtion", she said, "I am now in the Sky Realm."


    There was excitement in the crowd, their sect leader had seeded in bing what few were able to do. Sky Realm cultivators were few and far between. Less than a hundred lived on this continent, Experts that no longer cared for the world. Now one more had joined them.


    "Which is why I have two orders!" she continued, "Clear Spring Mountain will be under lockdown for half of a year, all disciples are to return to the mountain and train here. Secondly, Elders follow me to set up a formation around the mountain. That is all."


    There were murmurs of curiosity and confusion. Why did the sect leader decide to close Clear Spring Mountain? This felt like they were preparing for an attack.


    "I''ve recently broken through to the Sky Realm", she exined, "The kingdom as well as many other powers wille with gifts hearing the news. But without a doubt there will be someone with ill intentions. We must be prepared for that."


    Hearing her reasoning, they understood what her intentions were. There would be a gathering of powerful figures soon. There was no doubt that someone would try to do something to disrupt the asion.


    The next few days were incredibly busy, everyone prepared and nned in anticipation. Stations and responsibilities were assigned, a great formation was created. It formed an invisible barrier but upon testing, one would find that such a thing could transform into an undetectable fist of power.


    Ming Yue had also woken up from her sleep. She held her head with both her hands, feeling a rather massive headacheing along.


    "Ming Yue? Are you feeling okay?" asked Elder Fei, he had been by her side, watching over her.


    "Yes, yes I''m fine. My head just hurts a little", she replied.


    "At least, the tribtion did not harm you too much", he spoke with relief.


    "Yes, the tribtion..."


    "Wait, what about the sect leader? Is she okay?" Ming Yue had remembered about Senior Qing.


    "Yes, she has cleared her tribtion and ascended to the Sky Realm", he answered.


    "I see", Ming Yue thought to herself.


    She still had to check out the special peak that Senior Qing had told her about.


    "Ah, you''re awake", Xuan Han had appeared in front of the door, seeing that Ming Yue had awoken.


    "The sect leader had wanted to see you for days now.. You can find her in the main hall", he said before leaving.

 Chapter 120 - The Unstable Peak

    Ming Yue nodded at him.


    "I''ll go get you some tea", said Elder Fei, leaving the room as well.


    She circted her energy, checking to see if there were any issues with her body. The numbing pain in her head slowly dissipated. Minutester, she stopped and stood up from her bed, feeling much better than before.


    By her side, Xiao Yin and Hei Yue stared at her with worried looks, nestling their bodies close to her as if she was freezing in the cold.


    "Hehe, I''m fine you two", she looked at them and smiled warmly.


    Looking around, her room was a rather ornate one. Green and gold colored the walls, there wasrge shelf with a desk next to it. Within the shelf, there were small y jars, suffusing a medicinal aura. Sweet and earthy, the smell gave her a sense of calmness.


    In the middle of the room was a small table along with some stools. The top was made of a white marble while the legs were a dark colored wood. On the table, there was a white pot of tea as well as a cup.


    Elder Fei must have not wanted to bother her and left the pot of tea. Ming Yue walked up and poured herself a cup. Still warm, she took a sip and enjoyed the taste, a gentle mix of herbs that warmed her body.


    After several minutes of getting used to her surroundings, she left the room with her two pets. As she walked around, Ming Yue noticed the sect''s state. Everyone seemed to be busy, rushing to go somewhere or do something. She wondered what was going on as everyone seemed to move twice or even three times as fast as her. No one seemed to take note of her.


    She strolled through and reached the main hall in a rather carefree manner. She didn''t even have her sword with her, having left it in the room.


    Looking in, she saw Xuan Han, Wen Jing, and the other elders all talking with the vice sect leader. They stood around a table, staring and pointing at different parts of it. She was noticed quite quickly as the vice sect leader looked at her and smiled.


    "Don''t mind us, the sect leader past this corridor. She is currently recuperating from her tribtion", she exined.


    Ming Yue nodded and thanked her. She walked past the group, catching a glimpse of what they were all looking at. It was a map of Clear Spring Mountain and the area surrounding it. There were numerous dots on it, written in such a way that she recognized it as a formation of some sort. Multiple patterns and arrays that made up a muchrger circle, one that covered the entire mountain.


    This made her even more curious as to what was happening.


    She moved through the corridor, reaching a quaint little room. It was simple and had two other doors that she could only guess lead to a courtyard. The room itself had a stone in the shape of a lotus with Senior Qing meditating on it.


    Her eyes opened, a pair of sparkling white that quickly turned back to brown pupils.


    "Ming Yue, it is good that you are well", she said.


    Getting up from her seat, the stone lotus gave off a faint glow before turning back. Senior Qing walked towards her.


    "Sit down, I want to check your body first", she told Ming Yue, who promptly sat on the floor.


    Senior Qing ced her hand on her back and began examining her body.


    "Hmm, there doesn''t seem to be any issues. Strange, I thought there would be some effects for pulling you into my tribtion", she said, "Well, no matter, I''ll take you to the Unstable Peak."


    She withdrew her hand and opened the doors to a small path that led up the mountain. The verdant scenery and lusciousndscape slowly faded as the air had begun to grow colder.


    Lifeless trees and cold, hard soil reced them. Walking up the path, it was strangely silent, not even the sound of wind was present.


    The path began to splinter off into different regions and Senior Qing had taken one of paths that veered towards the right. It grew colder and colder, forcing Ming Yue to circle her energy in order to keep warm. The path they followed leaded to a small mountain peak. It was quite calmpared to how Senior Qing had described it. There was a stone tform, justrge enough for one person to sit. It was circr in shape and surrounded by numerous misshapen stones.


    Ming Yue felt quite confident that she wouldst a fair bit on it.


    "In case you''re wondering, I have yet to step activate the formation", said Senior Qing, quickly dispelling Ming Yue''s confidence.


    However, she was still quite interested in the peak and wasmitted to entering.


    Senior Qing stopped just meters from the tform and turned around.


    "I should warn you now. On a quiet day like this, not even I can predict how the formation will react. All I can tell you now is that once you step onto the tform, the formation will activate and the power will gather quickly. The one who created this formation, the first queen has separated its strength into five levels. I don''t believe that you have ever experienced something like this before, so I will put you on the first level", she said.


    "You can cultivate here for three days. Once that time ends, I will send someone to stop the formation and get you down."


    Ming Yue understood and gave her a reassuring nod. She stepped into the tform and looked around.


    For what it was, the view was quite nice. She could see the many houses and buildings of Clear Spring Mountain beneath her. She sat down and crossed her legs, waiting for ther formation to activate.


    Senior Qing looked at her quietly, before tapping her feet on the ground three times. A slow hum began and wind started to gather.


    She watched as the formation started up, making sure that Ming Yue was not going to be in serious harm.


    Ming Yue herself, felt the tform vibrate before a faint pressure began to bear down her. Suddenly, the wind began to circle her, they began to sharpen. Some winds came closer than others, barely touching her face. At first there were scratches here and there. Her face, her clothes, her hands suffered from these light scratches.


    This was certainly different than anything she had experienced before. There were constant feints, waiting for her to fight back. If that weren''t enough, the mounting pressure from the gathering energy had begun to exert herself onto her body.


    She focused solely on cultivation, absorbing as much energy as she could. The power was strong and incredibly rough. Ming Yue could only incorporate it bit by bit, circting her energy throughout her body.


    Refining it was already difficult, but this formation made it quite difficult to keep her body under control. However, she was hanging on.


    Senior Qing had deemed it safe for her and so she left Ming Yue alone.


    Walking down the mountain, she met up with the elders to discuss their preparations.


    "Is she doing fine?" asked Wen Jing.


    "Yes, how are the preparations?"


    "We are almostplete. The formation only needs another day to finish."


    "Alright then, send out the news about my breakthrough...rather send out invitations. If anything, they probably know by now."


    "Yes, Sect Leader!"


    As Senior Qing descended the mountain, she looked back up at where Ming Yue was.


    "I hope that you will not disappoint me", she muttered under her breath.

 Chapter 121 - Complete Concentration

    Up on Ming Yue''s position, the formation had begun to take its toll on her. The sounds of thunder boomed in her ears. Lightning and rain fell from the sky. Gathering the energy of the world brought about numerous effects. She felt the force of the world crashing down on her.


    From outside, Xiao Yin and Hei Yue watched from a distance away. The gathering energy from the formation was too strong for them and they did not want to get sucked in. Not wanting to bother Ming Yue, they wandered into the mountain.


    Three days passed by quickly with the sect put into full gear, everyone had something to do. Whether it was a menial task like training or remembering their stations, all of them had tasks. Perhaps it was their leader breaking through or Ming Yue''s performance but they were all on their best behavior. No one seemed to bezing about or neglectful.


    In that time, numerous invitations were sent out throughout the kingdom as well as their neighboringnds. Invitations toe and celebrate Senior Qing''s sess in breaking through.


    One of the elders, Wen Jing, arrived to the Unstable Peak. Looking around, she saw the figure of Ming Yue sitting on the tform. Surrounding her was a fearsome storm, merely the size of a small cloud but it raged on. Torrential rains battered her body, lightning struck close enough to singe hair, fearsome winds scratched just the surface of her skin, prickling her.


    Few are able to stay calm in a situation such as this. Trying to keep their concentration unbroken was a difficult task.


    Ming Yue was no exception, she struggled to keep herself under control. There were moments where it seemed as if her energy would run wild.


    But she could feel it, every single pore in her body drank the energy that was gathered. Ever so slightly, she could feel her body grow stronger. The rain cleansed her internal organs, the wind toughened her skin. The roaring and crackling of lightning made her blood boil and rush.


    She found herself in a state of bnce,plete and utter concentration.


    Wen Jing was slightly shocked at the sight. With everything surrounding her, Ming Yue was like a statue. Out of those who have used this peak before her, not many could achieve what Ming Yue had done, especially because this was her first time using it.


    She took a quick scan at Ming Yue, finding that she had reached the bottleneck of the eighth level. Tapping her foot on the ground once, the formation deactivated and the energy had dispersed.


    Ming Yue opened her eyes and saw Wen Jing.


    "My three days are up?" she asked.


    That was a strange experience to have. It felt like forever in that formation and at the same time, it felt as if no time passed at all. What felt like months and years had be mere seconds to her.


    "Yes,e with me. We''ll get you some new clothes as well. You can toss away those tattered rags", Wen Jing replied.


    "That won''t be necessary, these robes fix themselves", Ming Yue declined the offer. After all these robes of hers might not be great in terms in defensive capabilities but its self repairing function was quite handy.


    Furthermore, she quite liked the faint blue color it had.


    On the way down, Xiao Yin and Hei Yue had ran towards her position. Sensing that the energy disappeared, Ming Yue must''ve been done. Together, the four of them descended the peak and Ming Yue''s tattered clothes and body had mostly healed itself.


    "By the way..." Ming Yue spoke up, "Is something happening in the sect right now? It has been quite busytely when I looked around."


    "Oh yes, I forget that this is the first time you''ve seen a sect", said Wen Jing.


    With a quick smile, she exined the affairs of the sect to her.


    "You see, now that our sect leader has be a cultivator of the Sky Realm. She is one of the strongest figures in this kingdom. After all, she had both talent and luck on her side, bing one of the youngest to reach that level. Of course, with news of this spreading around, there will be many people who want to befriend her in some way. They may bring gifts to curry her favor and perhaps ask for her in the future. So as a way of organizing all of this, we as the sect send out invitations to other strong cultivators and influential powers. You can see this as a way of gaining allies and hidden cards in case the sect runs into trouble. Both sides would benefit greatly and the value of the gifts they bring would be nothingpared to aid from a strong group", she exined.


    "So, it''s like that", Ming Yue understood what was happening.


    The sect was preparing to receive their guests.


    "Then...should I prepare a gift as well?" she asked, unsure of what she should do.


    "What? Of course not, you are already a friend of ours. You do not need to bring something. If not for you, the chances of the Sect Leader reaching the Sky Realm would have been lower."


    "Oh, I see."


    "Hmm, this event will be grand. We''ve sent the invitation to the king''s castle as well as the sect leaders of many powerful groups. Hopefully, nothing will go wrong. We''ve already set up two formations and all the disciples have returned to the sect to guard."


    "Then, Senior Qing must be a very influential person", said Ming Yue.


    "She really is an amazing person", Wen Jing began praising the sect leader.


    "Sect Leader Qing is one of the strongest figures of her generation. Personally guided by the previous sect master, she was well known for her martial arts. She uses a specific style of soft martial arts that focuses on damaging the internal organs of the body. Her level of expertise has gone to the point of only needing a single tap to subdue those weaker than her. People began calling her the "Bane of Wolves" after the flower because those who were touched by her would fall in seizures, sometimes even death. These weremon effects when one dares to even touch a petal of Wolf''s Bane."


    "Really?" Ming Yue spoke with a bit of surprise.


    She didn''t think that Senior Qing would have such a background. Then again, Ming Yue had little experience with these types of things. The notion of sects was something she never bothered to pay attention to. She wasn''t part of one after all and she did not want to join one.


    It didn''t take long for them to reach the main mountain and Ming Yue was surprised to see the amount of change that happened on the mountain. Numerous decorations were stered everywhere. The arena that she fought in suddenly had twice as many seats as before and there were partitions to separate all of the different parties. Every disciple she saw was standing tall with their weapons sheathed, stationed in groups and patrolling everywhere.


    Ascending the mountain, she saw many of the empty houses have banners next to them with the names of the figures that would temporarily live in them.


    "Wait right here, I''ll go speak with the sect leader first and see when she can see you. I will be back in a few minutes", said Wen Jing, who ran off, leaving Ming Yue at one of the empty houses.


    Although this particr house was not empty. This simple hut had a small garden next to it. Despite its size, both the house and the garden were well kept. It wasn''t a spectacr ce but there was a decent view and it was fairly quiet.


    Ming Yue looked around and noticed Hei Yue getting his belly rubbed by an old woman.

 Chapter 122 - Allies And Enemies

    "He''s quite cute", the old woman chuckled after Hei Yue happily indulged in his belly getting rubbed.


    Ming Yue did not notice her at all.


    This woman seemed slightly younger than that of Dong Kuai, the old elder who used a cane. Her hair was neatlybed, cut to the length of her shoulders. A light gray color thatplemented her simple clothes, a light brown hue resembling that of fresh y. Her skin was aged and wrinkled but porcin white in color. Her face showed years of wisdom despite the carefree expression.


    "This one greets senior", Ming Yue gave a slight bow and cupped her hands.


    If she had to guess, this old woman was definitely an elder of the sect. She did not want to disrespect her in any way.


    "Oh, do away with that nonsense! I''m just a simple old woman now, tending to my little garden", she gave a small chuckle, "Come here, sit and talk with me."


    The old woman patted the grass beside her just as Hei Yue flipped over, letting her pet his head. He looked at Ming Yue with begging eyes, hoping that he could continue to enjoy this treatment.


    Looking at the both of them, Ming Yueplied, promptly sitting next to the woman. Her legs stretched out, she sat and looked around.


    "So, what brings you here?" she asked Ming Yue.


    "...Nothing really. Things just fell into ce and here I am. I don''t think it has even been a month yet and much has happened, almost too much."


    "Ah yes, life tends to be that way. Quite hard to predict, you know. Of course, the things that you do find out can be controlled."


    "Is this why I''ve suddenly found myself to be allies with a sect like this? There are plenty stronger than me, those who have already made names for themselves."


    "You could consider this luck, destiny, opportunity or all three. After all, things are starting to stir up in the world. Perhaps you may not understand it, well, most of us can''t understand it but something ising. Those with sinister intentions are making their moves. Choosing sides wille soon, perhaps this experience will help you."


    "What do you mean?" Ming Yue turned around to find herself alone.


    "Wha-", she felt a bit exasperated.


    Of all the things she needed, a mysterious figure giving her advice was not one of them. Although, she started thinking about the woman''s words. "Sinister intentions", if the world was to be thrust into chaos, she would need to be strong enough to survive maybe make a difference.


    "Ah, here you are!" Wen Jing''s appearance interrupted her thoughts.


    "The sect leader just finished her meeting and wants to meet with you", she said.


    Ming Yue got up and followed her into the sect hall where Senior Qing sat on the innermost chair.


    "Ah, Ming Yue, how do you feel?" she asked.


    "I should thank you for letting me train on that peak. It was a very rewarding experience", Ming Yue answered.


    "Yes, in the times I came to check on you, you were getting quitefortable with it. Perhaps I should''ve activated the second level", said Senior Qing, "Anyways, would you like to stay for the gathering that will happen in a few days? Many renowned figures and their disciples wille. This could be a chance for you to gain some valuable experience."


    "You treat me too well, I do not think that I can ept such goodwill."


    "Please, consider this as putting my trust on you. You have done much for me."


    "This...there must be something else? I''m merely a stranger and yet, you put so much care towards me. You say it''s destiny but I cannot see it as that way."


    Ming Yue voiced her thoughts. It wasn''t that she was ungrateful but she needed to know why Senior Qing would treat her so well.


    "So it was like this. Well, I''m not particrly hiding much, I suppose I''m just betting on you. You see, one of the disciples that I have personally taught spoke about you. If you remember, it was Jing Hai during the time at the Bloody ins."


    "Yes, I remember but that was a while ago. What does it have to do with what is happening now?"


    "Ah, I''ve actually wanted to meet you for a while. Jing Hai had told me of her time there, including details of a young girl who she found difficult to see through. Having stayed in the secret realm through your own power and the fact that one of the older statues had epted you showed that your potential was great. I believed it to be fate when you hade to the mountain, took it as a opportunity."


    "But were you not in closed-door training? Preparing to reach the Sky Realm?"


    "What? Just because I was in training doesn''t mean I should not know the affairs of my own sect. Anyways, I thought to make early preparations for the future. The more I invest into you now, chances are, in the future your help could prove to be invaluable. Right now, there is too much that you need to understand. If you die before anything could even happen, then my decision was made in vain."


    Ming Yue kept silent, unsure of what to say. Fortunately, Senior Qing had more to say.


    "Life was probably much simpler before you''ve entered the martial world. Most if not everyone within it look for opportunity, perhaps in the form of treasures or people. You''re a straightforward person, quick-witted in battle but the human heart is incrediblyplicated. You must decide who to trust and who to kill, everyone has ulterior motives. What matters is whether they align with yours."


    Senior Qing stood up from her chair and walked towards Ming Yue.


    "You should stay for the gathering. Maybe rub some shoulders at the very least", she said.


    Senior Qing seemed different from before, not has gentle or benevolent. Rather, Ming Yue saw a resolute woman, one with cold and calctive eyes. The countenance of a leader is what she saw. Ming Yue wasn''t afraid by this but she was not enchanted by it either, that coldness in Senior Qing''s eyes was unsettling. There did not seem to be a shred of empathy, not an inch of emotion.


    "Remember this feeling", she said, "There will be others who are like this, perhaps even worse. In times where you find yourself against another person, think about what you''re feeling today."


    She returned to her usual self, calm and soft.


    "This was a lesson", Ming Yue realized. It certainly was true, dealing with those in power required strength of mind. Her martial prowess would mean nothing.


    "Indeed, the stronger you be, the moreplicated the world bes. Numerous forces and countless sects and organizations reside on this continent, talking to people is the least of your issues. You must learn to maneuver your way through many things. You should go now, take this time to consolidate your cultivation. I''ll send someone to take you to the gather when it begins", Senior Qing replied.


    Ming Yue bowed and left, feeling a bit enlightened and at the same time, rethinking her past choices. Understanding the intentions of others, when she gave it a bit of thought, she never truly cared to think on it.


    "You really are invested in this girl aren''t you?" the old woman from before had appeared behind Senior Qing.


    "When Jing Hai described the figure of the statue that epted her, I had be interested. Then you came with information about her. She will surely be in the thick of the future cmity."


    "Heh, I happened to know people and heard news of a skilled young woman. If you truly think she will bring change then I will support you. After all, you are the sect leader now."


    Senior Qing turned around to find the old woman gone.


    "Senior....", she spoke with respect.

 Chapter 123 - Gathering Of The Powerful

    Ming Yue spent much of her time out and about in the mountain. Rather than stay in and cultivate like a madman, she took this time to rx and explored, focusing on other things. She felt that staying in would do her no good, instead she looked through the wild forests around the mountain. She gathered a fair bit of herbs to replenish her supplies, even going to the medicine hall to read some book.


    Practicing medicine was something she had not done in a long time. With her being focused on fighting and getting stronger, she had forgotten how soothing it can be. Especially because of the herbal smell, a mixture of sweetness and bitterness.


    There were herbs separated into two piles, both of which she grinded into a mushy paste. From there, she rolled into into several small balls before wrapping them in white cloth. They were very thin but absorbed the medicinal liquid well, slowly turning into a light brown color that smelled of earth. Most likely, they would be used to dress open wounds, relieving pain and giving light aid. Another was redder than the former, a more potent version of it.


    She packed them into a bag before cing it into her spatial ring.


    Time went by slowly as her days consisted of cultivation and medicine making.


    Breaking through the eighth level into the ninth was a matter of when she wanted to do it. But for now, Ming Yue did not want to. She had realized that she had rushed here and there, now she wanted to y more safely. Her foundation was important and she wanted to make sure that there were no problems with it.


    A booming horn sounded off at the dawn of the next day, signifying the start of the gathering. Outside of the mountain, people began to trickle in, wandering masters apanied by their disciples. But as the sun grew higher, that slow trickle became a stream of people, leaders of their own respective ns and sects entering the mountain. Banners of all sorts fluttered in the wind, Clear Spring Mountain weed them all.


    Of the many that hade, there were several that stood above them all.


    Wang Yuan, known as the Fisherman, was a simply dressed man with a quant bamboo hat. On his back, he carried a small bag along with a silver colored fishing pole. He wanders the continent, fishing wherever there was water. During his lifetime, he had saved many people from certain death, often encountering situations where people found themselves without escape. With his fishing pole, he could urately hook someone by the cor and toss them off like fish. He caught the eyes of others with his two disciples, in disbelief as they think that someone like him would have student due to his wandering nature.


    Fu Men, Sect Leader of the Eternal de Sect from Red Lotus Country, hade with a group of 20 disciples. The Eternal de Sect was a well known sect whose influence had continued to grow. Originating from Ming Yue''s home country, they were best known for their greatest technique, "Eonic Stance", a move that was said to have limitless potential with years spent on improving it. Elder Fei, who was a member of this sect, quickly approached them and greeted everyone with warmth. The sect leader, Fu Men was especially happy to see him.


    Following them was none other than the emperor of the kingdom, Qiu Bing, who hade with a detachment of guards and his son and daughter. Arriving in a golden carriage, he seemed like a benevolent person. There was no arrogance in his voice or in his face, but there was a certain coldness to his eyes perhaps a characteristic of being king.


    But with such famed figures of the older generation, there were going to be those of the new generation that came.


    News traveled quickly through mountain as they came.


    Lan Huang, a young man carrying a dark red bow and quiver. He gained the name, "Fiery Archer" for his temper as well as his preference of lighting his arrows ame. Rumors say that he once destroyed a bandit stronghold all by himself when he was still in the Human Realm. Despite his violent temper, he was often found hunting numerous beasts, selling the materials while giving the meat and some of the money away to the poor.


    To Ming Yue''s surprise, Qing Lei Jiang, prince of Red Lotus Country, had also arrived. While he still carried his two lightning axes, he was dressed much more formally with blue and gold robes. He must''ve returned home after leaving for almost a year. His strength did not increase by much but it felt as if he held it all under his control.


    Then there was a young woman, one that caught everyone''s eyes. She was exceedingly beautiful, with skin white like snow. With long purple hair, a small nose and a pair of pink lips, her eyes were bright with the color of wine and they had a bit of yfulness in them. Wearingvender colored clothes, she had probably taken the hearts of the many young men that came. Apanied by a group of female servants, she almost seemed to float like a goddess.


    She looked around with a coy smile, almost swimming in pleasure from grabbing the hearts of these young men.


    "Du Hua, cut it out", a voice rang out, breaking the spell that these men were under.


    In front of the young woman, was Vice Sect Leader Lu, who greeted her with a smile.


    "Couldn''t let me have some more fun, hmm?" Du Hua''s glowing body dimmed out.


    Rather than seeing a beautiful goddess, all these young men saw an old and very wrinkly woman. She had very heavy make up and wore some extravagant clothing along with countless pieces of jewelry. The hearts of those young men that fell under her spell turned to stone, some even dropped to their knees asking for their goddess to return.


    Funnily enough, the female servants were still the same, looking at them in disgust and disappointment.


    "It''s good to see you again, Lu She", said Du Hua.


    "Same to you", the vice sect leader answered back before chuckling.


    "Come", she said, "We should find a ce to sit down over a cup of tea."


    "Yes, yes", the both of them walked into the mountain followed by Du Hua''s servants.


    Ming Yue, who was watching from the mountain, felt a bit sorry for those young men. They seem have fallen in quite the pit.


    "Don''t worry about them", said Wen Jing.


    "Du Hua is a high ranking elder of Heaven''s Gate and the head of the healing division there", she continued.


    "Heaven''s Gate? What is that?" asked Ming Yue, never hearing such a group before.


    "Really? You''ve never heard of Heaven''s Gate before?"


    Ming Yue nodded.


    "To be short with it, Heaven''s Gate is a sect supported by multiple kingdoms, including ours. They are incrediblyrge with their own city and have many different divisions. They are separated into three categories:bat, forging, and medicine making. These three categories are then separated into numerous divisions such as sword, spear, poison, healing. The forging category has the fewest divisions, one aptly named the "Forging Division" and the other titled, "Crafting Division". The skills of the elders there are second to the experts of Rong Lu City. Heaven''s gate is a group that epts and wees everyone so long as they have the potential and the desire to improve. Many people go there at least once to see what they can achieve."


    "Heaven''s Gate", thought Ming Yue.


    Perhaps after this, she could go there and see what she could get.


    The air suddenly grew colder as the happy talking andughter was no more. At the front of the mountain was a group of very familiar people.


    In their purple uniforms, everyone recognized them as the Tao Feng Sect!

 Chapter 124 - Intrusion Of The Tao Feng

    In this group of a hundred or so, there were four people that lead them, three of which Clear Spring Mountain was acquainted with. The hunched figure of Senior Hao, and Junior Deng''s thin body was recognizable.


    As they stood next to each other, Kuang Li was behind them. His clothes were different than that of the other disciples. It was a deeper shade of purpleplemented with silver stripes around his sleeves. It was likely that he was now a core disciples of the Tao Feng.


    The fourth figure, walking at the front was quite different than these three. Standing tall, this one has a great smile in his face. He was certainly younger than those two elders, somewhere in his twenties, closer to Kuang Li''s age. His ck hair was cut short and his eyes were nothing short of bright and energetic. He had a charismatic presence and paid no mind to the cold states that people have him. Although, many of them were aimed towards Kuang Li.


    Kuang Li himself, did not mind the hostility. Despite theck of emotion on his face, it did not take too much to understand that he looked down on them. Friendships and rtionships meant little to him if he could gain more power.


    As the group approached the gateway, many of the disciples of Clear Spring Mountain gathered, blocking them from entering.


    Pausing in front of the gate, the expression of Senior Hao and Junior Deng did not seem to change. In fact, none of them seemed to be worried or annoyed by the sudden blockade.


    "Stop! Let them enter, I sent them the invitation", the voice of the Senior Qing echoed down the mountain.


    Hearing this, everyone parted, giving a path for the Tao Feng to walk in. But the expressions in their faces were unchanged. If it wasn''t for Kuang Li bing a mole for the Tao Feng, they would''ve been more weing but even Xuan Han, who oversaw the entrance had an urge to hit him again.


    The young man at the front smiled even bigger before bowing.


    " Many thanks, Sect Leader Qing", he said, leading his group into the mountain.


    They were one of thest to arrive and the gateway to the mountain had closed.


    "Ah, Zuo Er, good work!"


    "Indeed! It is no wonder the sect leader made you his personal disciple!"


    The two middle-aged men showered the young man withpliments, most likely wanting to forge a good rtionship early on. This disciple of their sect leader is the only disciple he took in, chances were Zuo Er was going to be the next sect leader.


    "Seniors please, I barely even lifted a finger. There is no need to praise me for such a little thing", he turned his head and smiled.


    "I can let those peoplee, but that bastard Kuang Li, I cannot ept it!"one of the disciples muttered angrily towards the others.


    "Calm down, none of us like him at all but now is not the time to look for a fight", one of her friends answered back.


    She might have spoken quietly but it was certainly loud enough for Kuang Li to hear.


    They were there when he revealed himself to be the mole. They watched as he swiftly came to the side of Senior Hao, disrespecting their sect. But they had to bear with it, this day cannot go wrong.


    With all of the guests here, the sound of a low hum came from the ground as the protective formations activated. A dome of energy encircled the mountain, a faint white that quickly became transparent.


    Everyone gathered at the arena rather than the halls, it was the only cerge enough to hold them all.


    They talked and introduced themselves, speaking about the matters of the martial world. News of uing talents, secret realms and areas that may open up soon. Mingling with one another, they patiently waited for Senior Qing to arrive.


    It did not take long before she took to the stage. Wearing much more luxurious clothes, they were a soft gray color with the pattern of a spider''s web stitched onto it. Her hair was tied up with more than one hair pin, both of which were a mix of silver and gold.


    "I''d like to wee all of you to Clear Spring Mountain", she said.


    "I''m sure all of you know why I have invited you here. I have broken into the Sky Realm, a level where few could dream of and I want to celebrate with all of you. Please enjoy yourselves here, I wille around to thank all of you for joining me on such an asion."


    With her small introduction done, many of the onlookers got off of their seats and began presenting her their gifts.


    "20 kilograms of Amonite Ore, a unique metal of ours that is both durable and flexible. This is a gift from the entirety of the White Crane Sect", an old man, whose beard grew down to his waist presented a small chest.


    "We of the Meng Pu Valley are happy for your breakthrough. Here is a sapling of a Ster Bark Tree that we have cultivated for several years now. If you continue to let it grow and flourish, it will allow your the efficiency of your gardens to increase by reinvigorating the soil", this one wearing dark green robes, was a young woman carrying a pot with a little sprout on top.


    "This is a Blue Ink Fish that I caught in the northernnds, a beautiful one full of vigor and strength. By my count, this one is mostly likely two hundred years old. Eating this will no doubt improve the quality of your body", said the Fisherman Wang Yuan, who brought out a shining blue scaled fish that was the size of Senior Qing!


    The gifts continued toe one after another.


    Fu Men of the Eternal de Sect thanked her for taking care of Elder Fei, gifting her a rare de they had recovered years ago.


    The emperor as well as many of the younger generation congratted her with rare pills and herbs as well as gold and special equipment. The emperor''s own children presented Senior Qing with a new spatial ring, which they described "can carry enough to fill a vault". Qing Lei Jiang had given her the fur coat of a Pure Winter Mink, a very soft piece.


    And like before, the Tao Feng were thest to congratte her.


    "We would like to present you with this, the Shattering Heart Manual. It was something that my master had obtained in his travels. After a fair bit of deduction, he realized that it belonged to Clear Spring Mountain and wanted to return it to you", the young man of the Tao Feng handed her a ragged book with no title.


    Hearing the name of the manual, the many elders of Clear Spring Mountain looked with shock.


    "The Shattering Heart Manual?" they all thought.


    Senior Qing took the manual in her hand, giving it a quick nce.


    "Thank you for returning such a valuable technique. I should thank your sect leader when he decides to visit us", she answered with a smile.


    "Certainly, when the chance arrives, my master wille to talk for a bit", Zuo Er smiled back before leaving.


    Ming Yue noticed everyone''s reaction. What was so important about this manual?

 Chapter 125 - An Elaborate Scheme

    With the formalities over with, everyone dispersed and strolled around the mountain. The many powerful figures had dismissed their disciples so that they could talk privately. Small groups formed up as people joined with those they were familiar with.


    In the meanwhile, Senior Qing and the other elders returned to the halls. With the Shattering Heart Manual in front of them, they all took a look at the pages.


    "This isn''t fake, it''s the real manual", said Wen Jing.


    "Everything in here had been recorded word for word", Dong Kuai added on.


    "How can they have a copy of this? It was lost to us years ago, burned in the fire!" Xian Han stated at the manual with disbelief.


    "No, this isn''t a copy of it. It''s the original one", Senior Qing confirmed the manual''s authenticity.


    "It''s the same one I used to study with", she added.


    Indeed, this manual was what brought her fame and strength. The foundation of her martial arts, it helped create her own unique version. This manual was the most difficult but it was definitely one of the deadliest techniques. Through the use of one''s energy, the user would infiltrate their opponents body, wrapping their heart with energy. With a single thought, the heart would shatter under the pressure, an instant death. But it took incredible amounts of focus and a certain mindset to use such a technique.


    Through her own ingenuity and years of practice, Senior Qing had altered the technique, creating several versions. Changes in power would affect the chance of killing, targeting different parts of the body have varying effects. But the truly terrifying part of her skills was the execution. Attacking the inner organs without them noticing, winning the battle with just one move. Such ability was very fearsome.


    How she achieved such level of control is a mystery. It wasn''t just inserting their inner force into someone else''s body but integrating it, weaving it in so that it would be undetectable.


    But with such renown, there were those that did not wish for another like her to appear. Losing through one move was humiliating and such humiliation could bring rash decisions.


    It did not take too long for Senior Qing to guess how the Tao Feng Sect got a hold of this manual. The Tao Feng had always been setting their sights on Clear Spring Mountain, trying to find opportunities to swallow them up. However, Senior Qing and the other elders would always prevent such a thing from happening.


    But on one such asion, the Tao Feng had arrived with hundred of disciples, looking to take the mountain by force. What came after was a swift and violent battle that ended with multiple destroyed buildings one of which was the technique hall. In the middle of such a battle, the Tao Feng took advantage of the chaos to attack their resources, setting fire to much of the mountain. Hence, this was the reason why there were so many little houses with gardens to tend to.


    Despite putting out the fires and driving the Tao Feng away, multiple manuals and rare treasures were lost. But now, with the Tao Feng returning this manual to them, the original no less. This meant that they did not destroy but rather stole them.


    Senior Qing felt enraged by the thought of such a thing but kept this to herself. She would not dere battle with them nor would she make some rash decision. But she would not let them off so easily.


    Returning this manual to them was like a p to the face. A message that they will be the ones to humiliate Clear Spring Mountain. There was no doubt in her mind that the junior sect leader of theirs would attempt something.


    She looked back at the elders.


    "Stay vignt, watch the Tao Feng Sect carefully", she said.


    Everyone nodded in agreement, knowing that something will happen on this day. They left to entertain the guests of their celebration.


    Meanwhile, Zuo Er spoke with the two seniors as well as Kuang Li. Their entire group had been isted from the others as no one wanted to approach them. It was clear that they were not wee but Zuo Er was not bothered by such a thing. Rather be found it perfect because now, no one would know what he would be nning.


    ''Well then seniors, now that I have returned the manual. There is no doubt that they would be on guard now. Kuang Li, I trust that you know what to do when I make the sign. Out of everyone here, you should be most familiar with the mountain. Once you make that opening, send out the signal and finally we will be able to control more than just this mountain", he looked at Kuang Li with the same smile he always wore.


    This time however, there was a sinister feeling with it, changing from a charismatic leader to that of a scheming criminal.


    Kuang Li nodded in assurance, once he was done with this. He would be allowed ess to almost all of the resources in the Tao Feng. This was the reward he had waited for. With it, he was sure that there was nothing that could stand in his way.


    As for the two seniors, this was perhaps the event they waited for. If they were to seed, they would gain praise and rewards. More than that, they would be known throughout the world for doing what many would think to be impossible.


    But of the four of them, Zuo Er was the most excited. As the sect leader''s personal disciple, he was set to be the next head of the Tao Feng. This was a n he had long be working on and seeding upon it would only cement his ce even further.


    With everything under his calctions, he only had to wait for the celebrations to proceed.


    Not long after, Senior Qing and the other elders returned to speak with the other leaders.


    "Soon", Zuo Er thought, "All of you will be my stepping stone."


    He looked at all of the older generation cultivators with contempt.. He looked past all of them, setting his sights on something much greater.

 Chapter 126 - Learning Experience

    As the day proceeded, everyone only sat and drank tea, enjoying the beautifulndscape. Many had surrounded Senior Qing wanting to talk to her about what she had experienced in her breakthrough. They exchanged pointers and talked about the Dao, their own personal understandings of the topic and how they implemented it into their techniques.


    Ming Yue could be found mingling with the other disciples of Clear Spring Mountain. After spending some time staying here, she had be familiar with a few of them, namely those that she had fought before.


    It couldn''t be said that she was in good rtions with them but they had reached a form of understanding. Although, many of them were quite curious about the rtionship between her and Senior Qing.


    In any case, they found her to be quite an interesting character, especially with the way she fought.


    "How did you get your strength?"


    "What kind of sword is that?"


    "Whose your teacher? Where did you learn to move like that?"


    Seeing her in action made them curious about her background. After all most of them came from well known families while few came from random viges or even abandoned by their families.


    Of them all, it was mainly Ling Cai Yun who asked the questions. After apologizing for provoking Ming Yue earlier, she spoke with a carefree manner and asked many things about Ming Yue''s style of fighting.


    She was a little overwhelmed by the interrogating. But since none of them were made with ill intent, she took her time answering. She even took this opportunity to learn more about soft martial arts. As the conversation continued, Ming Yue''s curiosity continued to grow as she listened intently to everyone''s thoughts and understanding of their martial arts. Sometimes she would interrupt and give her own advice or ask about any parts she did not understand. Her earnest attitude and curious nature was cute, the many disciples who had reservations about her began to feelfortable talking to her. Most importantly, everyone had improved to some capacity.


    Slowly but surely a group began to form up with disciples from other sects joining them in curiosity. Most of them were quite bored having been been dismissed by their elders. Free to roam, they had nothing to really do but talk among themselves. The sight of this gathering attracted them.


    Some even took the time to demonstrate their attacks and do some light sparring.


    Ming Yue was very surprised at the various styles she saw. Weapons of all types and designs, skill sets that ranged from brute power to pure control. Not to mention, all of the disciples from the many sects were high ranking and skilled. Some had already made a name for themselves during their time traveling the continent.


    It was at this time that Ming Yue learned about the greatest geniuses of her generation.


    Outside of those like Ling Cai Yun and Qing Lei Jiang, there were many others that are of the same caliber. Among these many young martial artists there are six unique characters that stood out. Known as the "Six Stars", they were the strongest of Ming Yue''s generation in the entire human continent.


    The Human Continent was a vastnd with billions of people. And divided into numerous kingdoms and six regions: the Tri-Colored Sea in the north, Southern ins, Xue Mountains in the west, and the Eastern Eonic Wastnds. The remaining two regions take ce in the middle, one to the east and one to the west. In the west, there was the Four Swords Regions and in the east, it was the Seven Gates Domain.


    Each of these six regions were named such due to their special features. The Tri-Colored Sea was a gigantic sea that filled most of the northern side of the continent. Separated into three sections, each one disyed a different color: crimson red, emerald green, and azure blue. Dotted with inds of varying shapes and sizes, only the crimson sea was devoid of people. Filled with unholy beings, it is a dangerous territory that few would dare to enter. As for the other two, the emerald region was said to house dragons in the past. Now people enter it in hopes of finding their bones, perhaps some flesh that had yet to rot. Even absorbing a drop of blood could turn an ordinary person into a powerful warrior. The Azure Region is a bountifulnd full of beauty, the weather was simply perfect all year round. It is an ideal ce for those looking to rx or retire.


    The Xue Mountains was different than that. A mountain range that featured hundreds of towering rock. It snowed in the Xue Mountains all year round and because of this there were many beasts that inhabited these mountains. Highly sought after for their bodies, multiple cities were founded there in order to make it easier to hunt them down. Furthermore, the high level of natural energy and the cold environment made it a haven for those who cultivated the Dao of Ice.


    The Eastern Eonic Wastnds was an example of the former glory that was the Warlord Age and the other eras before it. Despite the barrennds and destroyed architecture, it is a treasure trove filled with powerful and rare objects that cannot be found outside of it.


    The Southern ins was where Ming Yue and everyone else was from. It is a beautiful region that holds many sights and treasures. But this region was considered the weakest as it did not have as many resources. Many view this region to be ordinary with itsck of any special features. At the very best, the Southern ins was filled with numerous herbs and rare medicines.


    As for the Four Swords Region and the Seven Gates Domain, these were titled this way due to the powers that watched over their territories. The Four Swords Region found itself under the influence of four sects, each of which represented a different form of the sword. There was the Evesting Sword Union, the Rushing Saber Manor, the Hundred Dagger Realm, and the Circling Spear Faction. The Seven Gates Domain was only controlled by one power, Heaven''s Gate. Of course, Heaven''s Gate was a group powered by many other kingdoms and powers. That being said, the Seven Gates Domain is mainly a neutralnd that any power could enter.


    This was the Human Continent.


    Hearing all of this, Ming Yue was incredibly shocked at the size of the Human Continent. Something that everyone else had no problem epting. What came after her shock was excitement, after all there were five other regions she had never seen before and numerous territories that she wanted to visit now.


    Those that told her more about the world found themselves amused by Ming Yue''sck of knowledge. It was amusing because despite that aspect, they themselves had secretly sized her up along with each other. The feeling she gave off was almost non-existent, like a hidden de. At the same time, it felt like a storm that could be released at any moment. Thus when met with this genuine curiosity and pureness, they found it a little shocking. When she demonstrated some of her skills and talked about how she had developed the basis for it, they were impressed. She had achieved as much as they had without any real form of guidance.


    "What''s going on here?" a rather loud and obnoxious voice asked.


    Despite this, few bothered to see who it was. Those that did turn around to see found a group of purple uniformed young woman who was surrounded by male disciples. Realizing that they were members of the Tao Feng, none of them bothered to respond.


    To them, the Tao Feng was a greedy sect that was always looking for someone to swallow. Through the use of shameless actions and schemes, the Tao Feng was seen in a very bad light. In a gathering such as this, it was no wonder they would be isted.


    But it seems that this disciple was not willing to be ignored. Instead, she looked to one of her followers and pointed into the crowd.


    "Go and find out what''s happening", she said.


    He was a small and thin boy with an ordinary appearance, yet he followed her orders like a dog. Pushing his way through, he took note of the situation and found Ming Yue to be the core of it all. He quickly returned and told the young woman before retreating back into her group of followers.


    "Hmph, all this for a girl?" she said, "I wonder how special you are."

 Chapter 127 - Out Of His Control

    The young woman brought out her sword and confidently stepped forward until she was only a few feet from Ming Yue. Still focused on the conversation, she did not notice her walk forward.


    The young woman stared mockingly and she attacked. Flicking her wrist forward, the sword bent like a snake as it separated into small pieces connected by a metal wire. The de whirled around like a snake and extended itself.


    The shimmering tip was mere seconds from cutting Ming Yue''s neck before she unsheathed Drifting Sky and blocked the strike. But she did not stop there.


    There was killing intent on that strike, not a request to fuel but a wish to kill.


    Ming The had practically disappeared from her ce and reappeared with a white knife pressed on the woman''s neck.


    Shock and fear coursed through her mind.


    When did Ming Yue get behind her? Rather how did she get behind her?


    When the young woman''s followers noticed her, they quickly pulled out their weapons.


    "Release her right now!" one of them yelled out.


    "She is a core disciple of the Tao Feng Sect, Yen Fen! Attacking her is tantamount to attacking the entire sect!"


    Ming Yue ignored their threats and put her mouth close to Yen Fen''a ear.


    "Please think before you act", she spoke in a quiet yet sincere voice, taking her knife away from Yen Fen''s neck.


    To Yen Fen, it sounded like the voice of a reaper.


    There was a visible red line from where the knife was.


    It wasn''t until a few secondster that she realized Ming Yue was back where she was. In that one instant, she felt her life slip from her fingers. Her hands trembled from the thought.


    That feelingsted until a pair of warm hands grabbed her shoulders.


    "Sister Yen, are you okay?" with a concerned voice, Zuo Er appeared from behind her.


    She turned around and saw his worried expression. As for him, he noticed her neck. Touching the mark, he looked at her before looking around.


    "Who attacked her!?" he shouted angrily, "Was it you or you?".


    "Don''t bother!", someone shouted back, "She made the first move and attacked without warning! Too bad she acted so recklessly, one more wrong move and she might have lost her head."


    Zuo Er left Yen Fen''s side and dashed towards the voice. In an instant, he found the source of that voice and grabbed the person by the neck. No longer did he have that smile from before or even that charisma. He lifted the person up, revealing a young man with hair down to his shoulder and wearing some white and gray robes.


    "There is only so much that I am willing to put up with...", he said, "...especially with some nameless student like you."


    The young man struggled to release himself from Zuo Er''s grip. Despite using both his hands to pry into Zuo Er''s grip, he was unable to escape.


    He stopped trying and smiled at Zuo Er instead.


    "If this is all you can endure, then the Tao Feng must be a joke to have someone like you in their ranks", he mocked, "Losing yourposure over a woman, what kind of idiot are you?"


    Pushed even more, Zuo Er began tightening his grip on the man''''s neck, who began choking and gasping for air. But even as he struggled, he smiled at him. There was no fear in his eyes and this made Zuo Er even more furious.


    "Then let this idiot be thest thing you see", he said, squeezing even harder.


    "Friend, lets stop it here. There''s no reason to go so far", Qing Lei Jiang had appeared from nowhere, grabbing Zuo Er''s wrist.


    He grabbed his wrist tightly, pulling it down. Zuo Er looked at him, resisting his attempts but he found it difficult. Lei Jiang calmly looked at him as he slowly strengthened his grasp on Zuo Er''s wrist. In seconds, Zuo Er could not help but release that young man.


    He was irritated but quickly regained hisposure.


    "It seems that we are not acquainted with each other, I am Zuo Er, the Junior Sect Leader of the Tao Feng", he said.


    "Qing Lei Jiang, I am a prince of Red Lotus Country."


    "This is unexpected", Zuo Er thought, "I did not expect someone like him to appear here."


    "Ah, Prince Lei Jiang, I apologize for my rude behavior. Perhaps we can reconcile over some wer."


    "Oh, it''s fine. I will be leaving soon anyways. I just did not anything unfortunate to happen on a day like today."


    "Well then, I shall be leaving. I need to care for my fellow sister here."


    Zuo Er quickly brought Yen Fen away.


    Lei Jiang turned around and lifted the young man to his feet.


    "Thank you for saving me there", he looked at him gratefully.


    Lei Jiang smiled, "It is not a big problem. Although you did not have to go so far with your words."


    The young man''s face suddenly turned dark, "You do not understand, that Zuo bastard may not remember me but I remember him clearly. It was because of him that my teacher lost her arm. Sooner orter, I will get my revenge."


    "In any case, thank you again for stepping in, Prince Lei Jiang. If you find yourself in the Kun Peng Basin, the Silver Waters n is there. Just ask for Yu Ban and I will be there in seconds", he finished and left quickly.


    "Oh, thank you for the invitation", Lei Jiang replied before looking around.


    Those that watched the whole affair quickly went back to their business. However, Ming Yue was nowhere to be found and he was looking for her. He had seen the entire fight that happened between her and Yen Fen. Despite only being in the Human Realm, her strength was nothing to scoff at and her speed even more so. He recognized her from the other times that they had crossed paths but never had a proper talk. He was very curious as to how she developed her skills.


    Unable to find her in this crowd, he wandered the area, asionally greeting others.


    As for Zuo Er, he strolled down the mountain with Yen Fen, holding her hand.


    "If he had chosen to stay, I might have needed to change my n a little", he thought, "Still, if I could win him over, I might be able to get my hands on Red Lotus too."


    Looking at Yen Fen, he smiled with warmth.


    "You shouldn''t worry me like that. What were you doing with them?" he asked.


    "Oh, they all seemed to crowd around this girl but...she is too terrifying. I thought I could have gained more followers, however..." she paused, there was still a lingering fear in her eyes.


    "She stopped me so easily. If she had pressed any harder, I would not be standing next to you", Yen Fen trembled ever so slightly as she spoke those words.


    "What?" Zuo Er spoke with shock and doubt.


    As Yen Fen described Ming Yue, the worried face of Zuo Er only grew more apparent. Moving around like a phantom, almost unnoticeable to others, this was the type of person he was afraid of.


    That was because Ming Yue would be a variable in his n that he could not control.. Luckily enough, Yen Fen was able to warn him about her before he started anything.

 Chapter 128 - Beginning Of A Scheme

    Ming Yue was nowhere to be found. Those who had been speaking with her before looked around for her but found nothing.


    So, where could she have gone?


    None of them knew where she had gone. Some believed that she had retreated in fear or needed medical aid. Some were worried and set off to find her while the others did not bother. It wasn''t that they did not care but they believed that she would be fine. If anything, they''d rather her disappear for a little. The


    It would be wiser to do so. Who knows what the Zuo Er and his fellow disciples were willing to do for revenge.


    While that gray clothed young man Yu Ban had endured a bit of his anger. There was no doubts that Zuo Er and Yen Fen still wanted to punish Ming Yue.


    The further she was, the easier it would be to pacify them.


    But Ming Yue was not thinking about any of this.


    After letting Yen Fen go, she slipped away quietly from the masses. She was not afraid of the Tao Feng not was she hurt. Instead, she noticed something, something very peculiar.


    Kuang Li had disappeared from Zuo Er''s side, she found him sneaking away from the crowds. She was curious and believed that he was plotting something. Perhaps wanting to take revenge on Clear Spring Mountain.


    She followed from afar, watching as he looked around for something, asionally stopping to examine the ground or the nts around it.


    "What could he be looking for?" she thought.


    It was strange for him to just wander like this.


    "It''s not here. No, not here either. I shouldn''t be too far from it either. Where is it?" he kept talking to himself, agonizing over this problem.


    She could barely hear the words being muttered from him.


    Kuang Li continued to walk through the mountain, moving through the forest until he reached the edge of Clear Spring Mountain''s territory. Soon enough he reached the boundary of the barriers set up by the sect''s elders.


    "Stop! Kuang Li, what are you doing here?" an angered voice shouted out.


    A group of disciples surrounded him with their weapons drawn out.


    He didn''t pay any attention to them and asked himself, "Is it here?"


    Looking around, Kuang Li seemed to have spotted something and smiled.


    "With that out of the way, Master Zuo''s n will work" , speaking to himself, he walked towards one of the trees.


    "Stop, don''t you dare walk any further!" one of them warned.


    Disregarding their words, he walked until their swords touched his chest. He paused at this point and looked at them all.


    "Do you really want to get in my way?" he asked.


    Looking at them all, his face was expressionless. He eyes seemed to pierce into them, fear walked up inside them but they had a responsibility to uphold. At once, they attacked Kuang Li using a variety of attacks. Powerful energy welled up from each of them as they fought together. A group of ten against one and despite that, Kuang Li was in equal ground with them all.


    Although they attacked together, it was unorganized and messy. Trying to attack Kuang Li was difficult enough but they must be mindful of each other and avoid getting into each other''s way. Not to mention, they could injure themselves. Such uncoordination made it easy for Kuang Li to stand his ground.


    Swords and sabers danced about as the ten disciples circled Kuang Li, showering him with attacks. A method that relies on numbers, all of them understood that straightforward attacks worked better than attemptingplicated moves.


    "I don''t have time for this", he said.


    Kuang Li defended himself, his hands had already begun to shine a golden light asrge circles formed. A suction force manifested from his hands, absorbing the energy of each attack.


    Kuang Li formed several hand gestures before pushing them outward. The golden circles that had been taking in all that energy turned into a mix of ck and white.


    A ball of energy began to grow, pure energy that radiated brilliantly. He raised it above his head before condensing it into ten small spheres. Each of them shot forth and wrapped themselves around the bodies of Kuang Li''s opponents.


    Trapped and unable to move, all of them tried to break it but could barely move.


    "What are you trying to do, Kuang Li?" one of them asked.


    "Don''t get any closer!"


    Ignoring them, Kuang Li strolled towards an ordinary tree. It was somewhat thin and weak, it might even die in theing the months. Exactly how was this tree part of the barrier formation?


    He examined it closely before putting his hand on it.


    "Oh, an illusion", he found his hand going through the tree and waved about.


    The image was unable to keep itself and dispersed into mist, revealing a golden g. There was an ink drawing of two circles, one within the other and both had been bisected by two straight lines. Despite the simple design, there seemed to be some hidden markings on the g. It seemed to glow every couple of seconds.


    "If you disrupt the formation, the barrier will be destroyed..." one of them said.


    "I know. That''s the reason why I am here", he replied to them.


    "You, you bastard. You''ve been part of this sect for years. You''ve been here before any of us and this is how you treat everyone? Do you have no shame?!"


    "Hah, why do I need to feel shame? Clear Spring Mountain was just a step and you were all stones. I''m looking much farther than a mere sect, I aim for the apex of the world. When I be an immortal none of you will matter", Kuang Li stood beside the formation g, his hand was ready to remove it.


    "If you dare to remove that, the elders will be notified immediately. They will not let you escape so easily!"


    "Of course I dare to break the formation! Do you know why? Because at the signal of the Junior Sect Leader, thousands of cultivators from the Tao Feng will surround the mountain. With the barrier removed, there will be no defense or tricks to prevent us from entering. We will force all of those old wretches to surrender and swallow their sects. Then I will have ess to even more techniques and skills."


    Those disciples were shocked, to think that the Tao Feng Sect would have the guts to attempt something like this. There were more than twenty high ranking members from various sects. There was even one from Heaven''s Gate.


    If this n really seeded, then it wouldn''t be a lie if they be one of the strongest powers out there. But there were too many things to consider, such as how the other kingdoms may react. If the Tao Fen took it too far, they could risk suffering their wrath.


    Even more shocked was Ming Yue, who still watched from afar. She wasn''t sure what was going on exactly but, she did know that they were all in danger. Luckily enough, Xiao Yin was with her quietly flying from above. Hei Yue had gone off to another part of the mountain. Mostly because there were many people in the gathering that had been eyeing him for sometime.


    Ming Yue quickly sent off Xiao Yin to go warn one of the elders. She ripped off one of the pages of her old manuals and quickly wrote some words before tying it to Xiao Yin''s leg.


    "Go, find one of the elders", she quietly whispered to Xiao Yin.


    The little Star Owl flew off, leaving Ming Yue by herself. She did not want to move just yet. Kuang Li was just standing there, waiting for Zuo Er''s signal. It was not the right time to reveal herself.


    Too early and the element of surprise would be lost, if she was toote then....she could only run.

 Chapter 129 - A Celestial Goddess

    Far into the main facilities of the mountain, Senior Qing had just begun one of the main events, a bit of sparring between the younger generation.


    Of course, a gathering such caliber would be too boring if all they did was converse and demonstrate techniques to each other. There had to be some sort of excitement andpetition. Furthermore, it was an opportunity to show off.


    Returning to the arena, everyone had taken their side and watched as a duel was about to begin. Those of the older generation sat closer to Senior Qing while the others watched from behind.


    Currently it was someone from the Eternal de Sect against a core disciple of Clear Spring Mountain. In fact, it was Jing Hai, the one from the bloody ins. Her eyes shined brightly, one golden and one indigo like the sun and the ocean.


    She faced her opponent, wielding her de with both hands. It was a tall and slender de that was pure white with small holes lined up where the one edge of the de met with the other. Each hole had a gem inserted in each one. Jet ck in color, it was a sharp contrast to the rest of her equipment.


    "If I remember correctly, there was a peculiar student who has a weapon such as yours. Could you be Wan Li Quan?" she asked.


    The one against her was simr in age, somewhere around his early twenties. In his hands were daggers but these were unlike any other. He gripped them backwards with the de facing behind him. The edge was serrated in the pattern of waves. The de itself was simple, only curved slightly. The handle seemed to fit perfectly in his hands, a grayish hilt with a hole* where his index finger wrapped around.


    "Indeed, that is me. The daggers of mine were something I found during my time travelling", he replied.


    "Miss Jing Hai, I hope I do not disappoint you", Li Quan continued, "Your reputation as the "Celestial Sword" of Clear Spring Mountain is far above mine."


    Jing Hai smiled, "It is just a name. I do not care to boast my strength. Now let us begin."


    She held her de towards Li Quan, who also took his stance.


    With one leg forward and the other behind him, he crouched lower to the ground. His hand were positioned in front of him with his daggers led backwards.


    With the both of them prepared, Senior Qing stood up from her seat.


    "Begin!" she yelled out.


    The first to move was Li Quan, dashing forward as his daggers glinted under the sun. His hands moved swiftly as he attacked from two directions.


    Jing Hai stood still with her de upright. She waited for him to approach her before stepping forward. As soon as they were only a meter away from each other, their weapons shed in the air.


    From there, they stood their ground battling for some sort of advantage. Their des were locked between them and the shrill sound of metal scraping each other screamed out.


    In this deadlock, Li Quan pushed away the young woman''s de before attacking. Swift and forceful, he sent in a flurry of attacks, shing and stabbing. It could be described as wild and yet controlled like a chained up tiger. Despite the strength put into each strike, he was able to control it and urately aim for weak spots.


    However, this was suppressed by Jing Hai''s swordy. It was elegant to say the least. Her sword danced in the air as she blocked and parried each strike. There was a rhythm to her moves, like she was dancing and yet, she had barely moved from her position.


    As they continued to battle, Fu Men, Leader of the Eternal de Sect, spoke with Senior Qing. He was an old man with neatlybed hair and a clean shaven face. He seemed more like a government official that an martial artist. Wearing emerald robes, he carried with him a sword sheathed in a ck scabbard.


    "The younger generation truly surprises me. It''s only been a year or so and yet Jing Hai has continued to improve by leaps and bounds", he praised.


    "She''s been cultivating and training nonstop", said Senior Qing, "Not too mention, she is rarely here, always taking on a mission of some sort. In any case, this disciple of yours seems quite interesting."


    "Oh, he has been part of the sect for a long time now. Fortune smiled on him as he found those daggers in some ruins. It seemed to be his calling as they suited him perfectly. When he came back, he created his own fighting style and techniques to match", Fu Men exined.


    "I see."


    The two of them looked back at the tform as the intensity of the fight had begun to ramp up. Now, they no longer stuck to pure skill and began showcasing their techniques.


    Li Quan''s strikes began to warp space itself, strikes that seemed to go in one direction had suddenly appeared somewhere else. His attacks would be feints and his feints would be real attacks. It was difficult to determine where and when he would attack.


    This was the Dao of Space!


    A rare and difficult concept to pursue and excel in. To appear elsewhere or just vanish, to twist one''s vision and trick. Space is a powerful thing and at the same time, it was easily one of the most difficult things to understand.


    Few would dare to venture into the Dao of Space but those that understood it were feared. After all, the further they achieved, the more one could bend thews of the world.


    Jing Hai began to struggle under his techniques.


    "Curling Tiger!" he called out.


    Li Quan jumped back and shed the air upwards with both his daggers. The air suddenly twisted and contorted itself.


    Jing Hai sensed her surroundings and her instincts kicked in as a feeling of danger closed in on her. She quickly turned around and brought her sword down. In that motion, the crisp sound of des crashing into each other rang out as space seemed to warp. Two ethereal strikes emerged from that space only to be blocked by Jing Hai''s sword.


    In response, Jing Hai began using her own skills.


    Her body exuded a fearsome aura as all sorts of phenomena appeared behind her. The illusion of stars within the sky stood behind her. Each star radiated a faint and gentle light, there was warmthing from each one.


    What dao was this?


    With the teachings of softness from Clear Spring Mountain and her own umtions, she began to form her own Dao.


    Created from the Dao of Fire, It was the Dao of Stars!


    But how was this possible?


    From fire, Jing Hai focused on the warmth that is produced. Of course, the closer someone is, the hotter it bes. But she did not feel satisfied and believed it to be insufficient in power. Thus after months of testing and brainstorming, she finally gained inspiration from something.


    A celestial body that ruled over the world, the Sun.


    Indeed, the Sun was what inspired her to create this dao. After all, the Sun was a great ball of me and full of power, yet its heat gives nourishment to the world. Outside of that, it was a star and there were countless of other stars, some filled with even more explosiveness than others.


    Thus from that, she strived to further improve her dao, trying to expand upon it. This was how her name as the "Celestial Sword" came to be. The phenomena that her techniques created resembled that of stars and other celestial bodies. The light that it produced made her resemble that of a goddess.


    "ring Sun..", Jing Hai spoke those words as her de began to glow. In fact, it seemed sizzle in the air.


    The stars merged together to build onerge body before merging with her de. The tender heat suddenly shot up to a scorching me.


    What sort of technique was this?


    The pressure from her slowly grew on Li Quan as she walked forward. Her de shined brightly, from the heat.


    Li Quan felt fear but at the same time there was excitement.. It was rare that he felt such an aura from an opponent.

 Chapter 130 - Let It Begin

    His hands gripped onto his dagger tightly as he took up a different stance. Still crouched down, his daggers hummed with power.


    "Vorpal ws!" he shouted out.


    He made several quick movements and the space he had cut twisted and warped. Almost immediately, the space around Jing Hai twisted and turned as invisible des ripped at her robes. But before it could even touch her skin, they would be obliterated by the sheer aura she exuded.


    After all, her body was like the sun. From afar there was little effect but as one got closer, they would start to feel the fearsome energy.


    She did not let Li Quan attack without consequence. Walking closer towards Li Quan, she raised her sword up. The light that she emitted was almost blinding to Li Quan but he could not find a way to escape her grasp. Finding himself unable to move, he could only attack.


    In a final attempt, he shed at the air, creating wide marks almost cutting the actual space. From it, there was a force that came from those marks. A sharp and unbending attack that could not be stopped.


    But Jing Hai had a response to such a move. As she attacked, her sword glowed before it smashed the ground creating a powerful shockwave. Like an exploding star, it happened in one instant and it was devastating.


    Everyone watched closely to the fight and found Li Quan down to one knee. Jing Hai stood tall, almost as like she towered over him.


    "This is my loss", Li Quan spoke first as he breathed heavily, "It took several moves to match just one of yours."


    "But it was a good fight", she answered back, "I had to use a trump card to deal with your attacks."


    Jing Hai offered her hand to Li Quan, who took it and stood up. The spectators pped to show their respect for the both of them as they left the arena.


    Following their duel were many others, Qing Lei Jiang fought against the prince of the Clear Sky Kingdom. The prince, named Qiu Daohen, used a sword whose most striking feature was its blood red sword. He seemed to follow the Dao of Massacre and attacked with a certain fervor. That energy and bloodthirstiness was well under control.


    Unfortunately, against Lei Jiang, Qiu Daohen had lost. This was not very surprising to many parties. Lei Jiang''s own progress in his Dao of Lightning had reached a certain threshold. One where he can branch off and form his own Dao.


    Compared to before the lightning that he controlled was much stronger than when he fought at the youth tournament and that was due to his time at the secret realm of the bloody ins.


    Although the statue he chose was unknown to him, what he saw and experienced had changed him. A battle of god and man where one faced against millions. It was awe inspiring and yet solemn. For the end of such a battle left the god all alone.


    His Dao of Lightning now had a majestic and grand quality to it. Each strike was true and straightforward, without an ounce of trickery.


    This was what he called, the Dao of Unyielding Lightning.


    To what umtions he made into developing this was uncertain, he had certainly reached minor perfection.


    After Lei Jiang''s victory came the man with the red bow, Lan Huang as he faced against one of the Fisherman''s disciples, a young girl who carried a simple fishing pole in her hands.


    In all honesty, Lan Huang really resembled that of a bandit. His face had a vicious expression and that red bow did nothing to aid his appearance. Not to mention, his hair, wild and unkempt, it seemed he did not bother to clean up his appearance. Furthermore his clothes were quite different, a mixture of leather and chainmail, it did not have the same extravagance as some other uniforms. The most striking part about his attire was the fur pelt that out lined his leather vest, a deep violet color thatplimented his red bow. Most likely it was from a beast he hunted.


    Lan Huang was quick to anger and ruthless, yet his reputation was quite the opposite. Much of the money he earned would be donated to orphanages or poor viges. Some stories say that he even wove clothing for some of the children with the materials he harvested from the beasts he killed. People believed that he himself came from such an origin, lucky enough to have been taught by a master.


    As for the young girl, she moved in the same manner as her master, even dressed the same way. Put in a crowd of vigers and she would blend perfectly. Her looks were ordinary, a freckled face and a slim body. Her fingers were wrapped tightly with bandages, she wielded the fishing pole loftily.


    Their battle was quite interesting. As Lan Huang fought from afar, his opponent would have a hard trouble battling him. But instead, it was the other way around. He could only attack from afar. If he got closer by even an inch, retreating would be difficult.


    Why is that?


    The girl was too skilled and her weapon was truly unusual. She moved the fishing pole with finesse and the fishing line seemed to go where ever she pleased. But for Lan Huang, it was hard for him to track where she would attack next. Not only could she control where the fishing line moved but she could even lengthen or retract it.


    It was undoubtedly worse than a whip.


    Lan Huang moved around quickly, shooting an arrow every now and then. His bow was different from the conventional ones. The body of it was much more curved and shorter while the string seemed to be thicker. With both these elements, his firing speed was incredibly quick and powerful.


    As the battle continued both of them began using their moves. The girl manifested waves of water from her fishing pole. As for Lan Huang, his signature fire arrows came into y but even more was revealed than that. He did not delve into the Dao of Fire. Rather those fire arrows were inventions of his. His Dao of Archery had contraptions and pure ingenuity merged together. He had all sorts of arrows from ones that created smoke to another that turned into a.


    In the end, he came out as the victor after trapping her with a of rope. Despite the Fisherman''s disciple having skill, she barely even moved after all she was able to deflect his arrows with the fishing line. Ultimately, that made her a much easier target.


    Following their battle came numerous others, someone that used hidden weapons, another who excelled in the Dao of Music, a swordsman that focused on the Dao of Shadows. There was a fan user that focused on the Dao of Illusion, a body and martial cultivator whose fists was alight with me. There was even a participant who used a giant jade brush to paint images that woulde to life. This was the Dao of Ink.


    In the vast world, anything could be the Dao. So long as one had proficient understanding and their line of thought was sound.


    After all of these duels, everyone was excited and satisfied from seeing such sights.


    However, there was only one party that had yet to participate, the Tao Feng Sect. No one forgot about them and at the end of everything, they looked to the young master, Zuo Er.


    He stood up and walked to the arena. There was a paper talisman in his hand, already crushed in his hands.


    "Truly I am grateful to have been invited to an asion such as this.. An opportunity I could not refuse", he said, "But now, I say that the real battle will begin."

 Chapter 131 - Surrender To Me

    "Hm", Kuang Li looked at the direction of where Zuo Er was.


    "So he wants to start now", he said.


    Walking towards the formation g, he reached out to remove it from it''s position. Doing so would render the barriers ineffective and allow the forces of the Tao Feng to converge on the mountain.


    "Stop! Don''t do this!" the disciples begged.


    They could not do anything to stop him, unable to even move. Kuang Li paid no attention to their pleas.


    Suddenly, he turned away from the g and stepped back, avoiding a wind needle that was aimed for his head. There was a faint whistling sound that came and passed. Following the first attack, Kuang Li was bombarded with wave of a hundred of them.


    He crossed his arms and formed a golden bagua in front of him. The bagua circle acted like an imprable wall as the needles bounced off like pebbles.


    "Get out here!" he shouted out, "There''s no point in hiding, I know who you are!"


    He looked around him, through the many trees that surrounded him. There was only one person that used such a technique, Ming Yue!


    This girl who he had not seen in his life, never heard of before. Younger than him, weaker than him, yet out of all of his opponents, she gave him fear. Why was it so?


    He had cultivated and worked his life to achieve the apex of power. Nothing mattered to him in the pursuit of strength, he was barely bothered from having to lie, to betray, to kill. It did not faze him one bit that he was going to destroy the ce he''s resided in for years. Not even the fact that what he would do could end in endless amounts of bloodshed.


    All he cared for was further improving himself, even if it meant having to act despicable.


    Now she was in his way. If Kuang Li did not take care of her now, her existence would leave a stain on his soul.


    He looked around carefully, trying to determine where she was.


    A twig snapped and he immediately turned towards the right. In almost an instant, his face was met with Ming Yue''s foot and his body flew several feet. She immediately pinned him to the ground with her sword pressed tightly onto his neck.


    In a environment such as this, Ming Yue had the advantage here!


    Kuang Li chuckled beforeughing wildly.


    "Did you think I would not know what you were trying to do?" he grinned at her with his right cheek purple and swollen.


    A tooth or two had been knocked out and his face had streaks of blood. Despite this, he was smiling.


    "What?" asked Ming Yue.


    She turned around and found the g removed. Then she looked up and watched as the barriers slowly withered away, turning into motes of light.


    Looking back at Kuang Li, she found the g gripped tightly in his hands.


    "It''s toote!" he said, "You cannot stop anything."


    Ming Yue turned solemn, this situation had gone out of control. Should she escape?


    In that moment of thought, she had lowered her guard and Kuang Li took full advantage of it. He threw her off of him and immediately ran. His objective had beenpleted, there was no reason to stay any longer. With the g in his hands, he broke it in half and tossed it away.


    Ming Yue turned to chase but stopped, fixing the barrier was more important than catching Kuang Li. As unhappy as she was, she could not give in to her own thoughts.


    She rushed back to the disciples in charge of protecting this spot, asking if there was a way to fix it. But fixing such aplex formation was not an easy task.


    "The formation g can be reced easily but we need one of the elders to personally ce the g. A formation such as this requires a specific method of setting up the barriers", one of the disciples exined.


    If that was all she needed, then all was not lost. After all, she had sent Xiao Yin to alert the elders. But was there enough time to do such a thing?


    As for the elders, the arena was in a very tense atmosphere. Zuo Er stood at the center of it all, smiling proudly.


    Something wasn''t right and everyone knew it.


    "What do you mean?" Senior Qing asked him.


    Zuo Er didn''t bother answering her and turned back, staring into the sky. It was a nice day, the sun was bright and there weren''t many clouds.


    Seconds after he faced the sky, the barrier had begun to disintegrate. The transparent dome of energy slowly fell apart, much to the shock of many.


    "What''s going on here?" someone eximed, "What is the meaning of this?"


    As the barrier broke apart, a group of figures dropped from the clouds,nding around Zuo Er. Each and every one of them were powerful, their auras was equal to that of an Earth Realm cultivator. Many of them were steps from reaching the Sky Realm. They all looked around before looking back at Zuo Er.


    "Hmm, your n really did work", one of them said.


    "Pulling that kid in early really saved us some trouble. Destroying that barrier might have taken days", said another.


    Zuo Er smiled and looked at them all.


    "Thank you for thepliments Elders", he answered back, his eyes were full of anticipation. This was the moment he was waiting for.


    "This...", he said loudly to the many sect leaders, "...is the time where all of you surrender to me."


    Upon hearing such words, many of themughed and chuckled.


    Lan Huang was the first to speak.


    "Surrender to you? Why would I surrender to someone who I can kill in an instant?" he answered back mockingly, readying his bow.


    Others voiced out the same response, why would they have to surrender?


    The mocking mor and insults flew at him. Someughed at his face, others dared him to attack.


    "Even if the barrier was broken, just this group is not enough to scare us", Wang Yuan, the Fisherman, smiled as he pointed out this detail.


    "Of course not", Zuo Er replied, "But do any of you know just howrge the Tao Feng is? Sure, I have these elders of mine but without that barrier, I have others entering right now. Do you think you can talk so nonchntly?"


    Just that fact was enough to deter many of them. They might all be experts in their own caliber but there was no guarantee that this young man did not have some tricks up his sleeve.


    "Then what are your conditions?" Senior Qing asked.


    She sat coolly on her seat backed by all of the elders of Clear Spring Mountain.


    Zuo Er smiled, "That''s simple. Submit and join the Tao Feng. All of your students, techniques, and resources will belong to us. Of course, you''re all free to continue maintaining your statuses as sect heads and go on teaching."


    "What?!" everyone gasped at the thought.


    To give up everything they''ve done for the sect and join Zuo Er''s sect, it was preposterous. All of them had their pride and to submit like this was nothing short of humiliating.


    "Forget it, why would we agree to such things?" Fu Men spoke up.


    The sect leader of the Eternal de Sect was calm and collected as he talked.


    The junior sect leader of the Tao Feng was unfazed.


    "Fair enough, I suppose I would have to try a more forceful method. This could''ve gone much more simpler if you had given up but so be it."


    Numerous purple informed disciples surrounded the arena, blocking the exits. It was likely that there were many more. The many leaders in the arena had grave expressions on their faces. All of them knew thating out alive would be a difficult task. Their students grew somewhat fearful, would they be able toe out alive?


    "Yes, yes, yes!" he thought excitedly, "Everything is in ce. It is perfect, although it was a shame that it must end like this. A few more pawns would make everything else so much easier.. But, their resources are much more important."

 Chapter 132 - Rushing In

    A figure ran up to him and they embraced each other. It was the girl with the extending sword, Yen Fen.


    He looked at her and smiled. She smiled back, the man she chose to stay with for the rest of her life. At this very moment, he was the one who held all the cards and Yen Fen knew that.


    Watching this disy, many of not everyone was angry.


    Qiu Bing, the lord of Clear Sky Kingdom, was the most furious out of everyone else.


    "You cocky boy, just because you are part of the Tao Feng that you dare to act like this? I have long had enough of your sect! Do you dare try to block me?" he questioned angrily and threw out his fist. A red ball of energy formed and flew towards Zuo Er.


    It was blood red and exuded a scary amount of pressure. Unfortunately, it had dissipated into a golf ball sized attack that was easily crushed by Zuo Er''s hands.


    "Oh, yes, the emperor of the Clear Sky Kingdom...", he called out, "Since you do not seem to be giving up, I suppose you can leave your life behind. Your children seem to have good potential, they could prove to be useful."


    Thatstment of his had fully enraged Qiu Bing, who suddenly released all of his energy. Like his son, he also followed the Dao of Massacre. The energy being released seemed to disturb the minds of the weaker disciples.


    They felt bloodthirsty, aching for battle. Soon enough des were drawn and the chaos of battle had begun.


    To incite such a scene was shocking, Qiu Bing pulled out a saber of silver and crimson.


    "You dare target my children in front of me?! I do not care what tricks you have, no one will stop me from crushing your neck!" He pointed the sword at Zuo Er.


    His kingly stature was reced by the dominating nature of a tyrant.


    "Come on let''s break out of this encirclement! Take that bastard over there, use it as a warning for the rest of the Tao Feng Sect", Lan Huang raised his bow and aimed it at Zuo Er.


    "Wait! Stop..." Wen Jing moved to prevent the fighting but Senior Qing stopped her.


    She shook her head at the elder, "There is no use. He has already shown his true intentions."


    At this moment, Xiao Yin had arrived and flew to Senior Qing.


    "Hmm? If the little bird is here then Ming Yue must need help. Wen Jing, follow the bird and see what has happened!" she said.


    "Yes, Sect Leader!" Wen Jing quickly left with Xiao Yin leading the way.


    Xuan Han and the other elders looked at Senior Qing.


    "What should we do?" he asked, "We can''t exactly just stand and watch. They''re almost at each other''s throats."


    "I know", Senior Qing replied, "I knew that junior sect leader would attempt something but never did I think his appetite would be so big. Our first priority is to repair the barrier and secondly, we should try to minimize the casualties."


    "You can leave the second part to us", offering help, Du Hua stood up from her seat, "This would be a good experience for these youngdies here."


    "Always the type to find the positive in every situation, hm?", Vice Sect Leader Lu answered back.


    "Please, I''m the head of the medical division of Heaven''s Gate. I have a reputation to uphold", her chest puffed out as she smiled with her wrinkly face.


    By now, everyone had their weapon''s drawn. All of them were waiting for each other to make the first move.


    "If you take back what you''ve said. I will let you live but only after I take both of your arms", Qiu Bing gave Zuo Er a chance.


    After all, this mountain was a backbone to his nation. He did not want it to be a battlefield.


    "You say you''re going to crush my neck and now you want to give me a way out? Oh no, this is an opportunity I can''t pass up", Zuo Er looked at the emperor cockily.


    "Why you!" Qiu Bing leaped from his seat and headed straight for him.


    Following him, everyone left their seats to fight. The only ones that have yet to move were Senior Qing and Vice Sect Leader Lu. Many of their elders had already moved out to inspect the barriers.


    From Zuo Er''s side, almost all of the elders moved forward to meet them in battle.


    Of those that remained, there were the two elders that came with him before, Senior Hao and Junior Deng. There was also a third elder that stood by them. This one seemed to be weaker than the others, wearing light violet robes along with a small bag on his back. He was the most ordinary of them all with pale skin and ck circles around his eyes.


    All four of them retreated from the chaos and moved outside of the arena.


    Out of sight, Zuo Er whispered into the ears of the pale skinned man before sending him off with the other two elders.


    What he had asked of him, no one knew.


    Once he did so, Zuo Er re-entered the arena and quietly watched. There was no reason for him to join the fight when he had others to do it.


    "You! Since when did you join the Tao Feng?" Wang Yuan spat out as he fought a middle aged man who wore simr clothing.


    in, gray robes put together by a silver sash, this opponent of his battled against Wang Yuan''s fishing pole with his bare fists.


    "Hah! It was an easy decision to make. Especially when they provide almost unlimited resources. Wang Yuan, I''d suggest you join us. They even have a stalk of Silver Stemmed Bamboo."


    "What? That''s impossible! Even after searching for years, I have never seen it. Don''t y tricks on me, Dian Zhe"


    "Why would I? After all, they give me this."


    As the two acquaintances continued to fight, the one named Dian Zhe backed off and released his energy. A gray colored aura began to gather and shape itself into a tiger.


    Dian Zhe went into a stance, with his legs spread apart and his fists were bent forward.


    As he attacked in this state, illusions of a gray tiger followed his strikes. It roared and lifted its paw, striking at Wang Yuan. Faced with such as attack, he spun his fishing pole around andunched a wave of waterparable to that created by a storm.


    Seemingly equal in strength, both attacks exploded on impact.


    "So they gave you lower divine techniques? You would join them for that?" Wang Yuan questioned him with disappointment.


    "Please, this is only the beginning. I''ve achieved so much because of them", Dian Zhe answered back.


    As they continued to fight, there were others that seemed to have reached an intensity that few would dare try to enter.


    Some fought in the air while others fought on the arena tform.


    Those of the younger generation fought around them. Needless to say, they were encircled. The Tao Feng had the advantage in numbers, they seemed to be endless and none of them could be considered weak.


    The only reason the disciples of these sects have been able to hold on was the inclusion of the many talents that gathered.


    Qing Lei Jiang and Lan Huang were all taking on forty or fifty by themselves. With Jing Hai, the three of them were able to hold a side at bay while the others held off the other sides.


    "Come! After I''m done with the lot of you, I''ll go after your little leader. In fact you know what, I''ll get him now."


    After provoking the many purple colored disciples in front of him, Lan Huang leapt up and flicked his bow string twice, sending off two arrows at Zuo Er.


    Aimed for his heart, they arced through the air only to be stopped by Yen Fen, who struck it down.


    "Hmph, Going to hide behind your woman?", Lan Huang taunted.


    "There is no need for me to move at all. I''ll just watch you struggle from here", Zuo Er smiled and watched without care.


    From his view, this was all to buy time. They can fight all they want.


    Of all of them, the Sect Leader of the Eternal de Sect, Fu Men and the Emperor, Qiu Bing faced the most pressure.

 Chapter 133 - Targeted

    The two of them faced off against two elders each.


    Both were cultivators of the Sky Realm, a level suitable for their positions. One was the king of a nation and the other was the leader of a prominent sect. Despite their superior cultivation, their opponents were quite the threat.


    It wasn''t that they were outnumbered but these elders carried a number of treasures on them.


    "So you rely on external objects to keep up with us. Were there no Sky Cultivators in your little sect?" asked Qiu Bing.


    "Such figures have already established themselves in the world. Not to mention, they can be difficult to find", a much older woman answered his question as she sent off an icy cold beam of light from her sword.


    His other opponent was someone much younger than her, perhaps in his mid twenties.


    "What''s the difference? We are more than enough to deal with you!" he spun a hooked chain and swung it at Qiu Bing.


    Both wore violet uniforms but differed in style. The woman wore a gray mantle over her plum covered robes. Her hair was adorned with many pins and essories, one of which was extremely eye-catching. A bright pale blue hair pin that sported three small icicles, each of which had been carved with geometric patterns.


    The young man''s clothes were fitted, showing a muscr form. A ck ribbon wrapped around his waist and had several small knifes hidden underneath it.


    Met with two different attacks, Qiu Bing did not dare to take them lightly. Unsheathing his sword, it was unlike any other. It was muchrger than most des and sported a much longer handle. Two crimson gems were socketed into the center of the guard and the de was pale white, almost ivory. This was a weapon meant to used held with two hands.


    Qiu Bing''s energy stirred and surged into his sword. The feeling of death and rage arose from him. There were illusions of warriors behind him, injured but still full of spirit. This Dao of Massacre had gone through numerous changes to be what was uniquely his.


    The Dao of Undaunted Massacre, fearless and unafraid of witnessing scenes of death. Unafraid ofmitting such heinous crimes.


    To produce such scenes meant he had reach major perfection.


    With one swing, he deflected the ice beam but the hooked chain had caught onto his de. Wrapped around it, the young man quickly pulled in.


    "Zhou Dong, now!" he called out to the old woman.


    Zhou Dong did not even hesitate and sent off more beams of ice. It seemed as if Qiu Bing was in trouble. He had been overwhelmed by the sudden momentum


    "Father!" his children, who fought close to him were worried but they were not close enough to help.


    Qiu Bing did not seem perturbed and grabbed the chain, yanking it back towards himself. Secondster, a sh of light passed by and knocked out Zhou Dong''s ice beams.


    He turned to the left and looked at Fu Men, who was busy fighting his own enemies.


    "There was no need to help! You are a guest of my kingdom and as its lord, I should be the one aiding you."


    Fu Men only chuckled, "We are all friends here."


    His opponents were both desmen, one fought with a jade cleaver and the other used a deep blue three-pointed spear.*


    These two seemed to be opposites of each other. The one with the jade cleaver was a rather plump man with hair shaped into a bun. In fact, he seemed to be enormously fat*. Yet he moved without much difficulty and never seemed to tire out. He was certainly the stronger of the two and had much more explosive power. He wore the same purple robes but both his leg and arm sleeves were rolled up.


    The one with the three-pointed spear was different. His attacks were much more precise andcked the power of his partner. The spear''s body was engraved with two serpents intertwined with each other and wrapped around it. Unlike the others, he wore matching robes with his spear but it did have somevender ents all over it.


    "Come on you youngsters! Is that all!" Fu Men yelled out.


    His eyes were full of vigor and they were ravenous, craving for battle. The facade of the kindly, old man disappeared, instead it was a warrior who only knew battle.


    "Yu Chen! Let''s go!" the cleaver-wielding man moved forward followed by his counterpart.


    They sent off all sorts of attacks, from sharp shards of rock and thunderous lightning. But it was all dealt with by Fu Men, whose swordy seemed to transcend what a mortal could achieve. It was strange and mystifying, no power behind these strikes, no uniqueness. It was ordinary and yet it wasn''t.


    Stabbing and shing, parrying, simple moves that contained years on knowledge.


    Against their opponents, both Fu Men and Qiu Bing had no problems holding their own. Perhaps they might have had an advantage in power. However, these four elders were equipped with numerous treasures.


    The old woman''s mantle, the young man''s uniform, the jade cleaver and the three-pointed spear were all treasures that were at least Peak Sage Grade. Furthermore, they could have more hidden away. This made the Fu Men and Qiu Bing somewhat wary. After all, such treasures could really impact one''s strength.


    Like Ming Yue''s previous sword, Parting Sun, it allowed her to injure an Earth Realm Cultivator while she was at the lower levels of the Human Realm. This was because it was a Lower Divine grade sword. If it were any weaker, such a feat would not have happened.


    But now she had Drifting Sky, specially made by the Forgelord, it had be a Peak Divine de. It was capable of much more.


    Thus with Sage Grade treasures in the hands of four Earth Realm Cultivators, they really were enough to contend with Fu Men and Qiu Bing.


    Apart from their battles, Du Hua, an elder from Heaven''s Gate found herself surrounded by three women, beauties nheless. One was dressed in full armor and carried arge club, another wore revealing robes and used a pair of pale pink fans, and the third was dressed in the signature purple robes but carried a ferocious ive in her hands.


    "Oh, someone seems to have expected mying here", Du Hua smiled.


    None of them bothered to answer back, watching her coldly.


    "Really now? You''re going to just watch me? Might as well just sit and chat instead."


    Du Hua neither moved or attacked, she just sat and smiled at them. All of her students had left her, most likely aiding the others.


    The three women remained vignt and circled her, cutting off any form of escape.


    Being so focused on her, none of them seemed to realize that someone seemed to be sneaking behind them.


    Although they couldn''t help it. In the end, theycked the information of Du Hua. Her charming illusions against men were certainly a specialty. But, that did not mean her proficiency in other forms of illusions and mind attacks were sub-par.


    Before they knew it, a shadow was upon them and it struck the fan wielding woman on the neck, almost knocking her out.


    These three were not experts for nothing. In the final moment, she managed to move avoiding a strike to her vital points. They turned around to see the vice sect leader behind them. In her white clothes, she wore gloves on her hands made from an unknown material.


    "Ah, close enough", she said bluntly and began fighting the fan wielding woman.


    At the same time, Du Hua moved out and struck the armored woman with an elegant looking de. Created from white jade, it was a fragile looking sword but she wielded it with grace and power.


    As their fight began, Ming Yue was in the middle of her own battle. Minutes after the barrier opened up, the Clear Spring Mountain disciples in charge of that node had ovee the restraints made from Kuang Li.


    Having already sent Xiao Yin to find one of the elder, she stayed with the others to guard this point.


    From the higher regions of the mountain, Hei Yue came down after being alerted by Xiao Yin.


    Then the group found themselves surrounded by groups of Tao Feng disciples.


    Kuang Li must''ve sent them to deal with her.


    With no other option but to fight, Xiao Yin and the others unsheathed their weapons. Hei Yue growled at them and was ready to attack.


    With Drifting Sky out, she ran towards one side and took on as many as she could!

 Chapter 134 - A Field

    Ming Yue''s disy was frightening to the others. She fought exactly the way she did in her duels but the way they saw it, she did not hold back.


    She fought to kill and left many in near death states.


    Quick and decisive, Ming Yue fought with an intense fervor.


    At one point, she had taken on six at once. Bearing the brunt of theirbined strike with her de with both her hands on the supporting the sword, she broke the attack and quickly took care of them. Some fell after losing one or two limbs, othersid on the ground in pain from broken bones. Then she moved on.


    With each attack, she took down two or three and left bodies in her path.


    As long as they lost their ability to fight, she went on to a new enemy.


    This was perhaps her most terrifying trait, she felt nopassion for them and she moved like a phantom. As soon as she appeared, she would be somewhere else in seconds.


    "Watch out for her!"


    "She''s over there!"


    "Agghhh! My leg!"


    "Where is she?!"


    "Damn it! Why can''t we catch her?!"


    "If we don''t get her, then that Kuang Li won''t give us our reward!"


    Her presence caused chaos in the crowds. The pressure that the Clear Spring disciples faced had greatly disappeared. This had given them the much needed rest they needed and an opportunity to escape. So long as Ming Yue held on, they would be able toe back with aid.


    Ming Yue had to be dealt with or else they would face defeat. Some had already begun to feel regret in joining the Junior Sect Leader in this, unfortunately Zuo Er really did have mind bending charisma. But now, they had no other choice but to go through with it. Even more so, Kuang Li had promised them a great reward for who ever took her head.


    At this point, they tried to avoid where she moved. Simply using numbers did not seem to work, they had no coordination. Thus, only the stronger disciples began approaching her.


    "Let me take care of her! She''s not the only one who can move like that!"


    Everyone backed off while a purple haze met Ming Yue in the middle of a circle that formed. It was a man much older than her and he carried a short, single edged de. He had a pony tail and a clean shaven face.


    "It''s Yan Xia. He might be able to do it!" everyone spoke to each other and watched.


    But he was not the only one, two others joined him.


    Two young maidens, one carried a pair of ws and the other had a sword. Both wore deep violet clothes that matched each other. Equally beautiful, both of them had their hair flowing down, a lovely brown hue that paired well with their charming faces.


    Strangely enough, Ming Yue felt as if she had seen them before.


    "Back off, Yan Xia! She''s ours!" talking at the same time, they brushed him aside and stared at Ming Yue.


    "What?! I finally have an opponent and you''re going to brush me off like this!" Yan Xia was furious.


    This could''ve been a battle of speed! But they had to interfere with it. He didn''t make a move and stood back. As much as he''d like to, he did not want to create a bad rtionship with this two.


    "It''s the Yen Sisters! Quick back off!" recognizing them, groups of the disciples backed off, afraid of getting in their way.


    The sisters smiled.


    "Kuang Li told us about what you did to our younger sister, Yen Fen. Since you tried to kill her it''s only fair that we repay you in kind!" one of them said.


    "Yen Hua! Let''s start, I''m going to rip her face to pieces!" the one with the ws urged her sister to begin.


    So they were Yen Fen''s older sisters! Ming Yue was surprised, mostly because she didn''t think Yen Fen had siblings. Her attitude seemed far too vicious to mix well with other siblings. But thinking about it now, Ming Yue understood where Yen Fen learned it from.


    The two sisters lunged towards Ming Yue with their weapons drawn.


    With two opponents, it was difficult to match them in battle. Especially because both were in the Earth Realm, their attacks were powerful and their techniques refined. However, Ming Yue was able to match them in this battle.


    She suffered a slight disadvantage but it could be easily changed.


    Those three days in the Unstable Peak were immensely helpful to her, not to mention her fight with Kuang Li. It helped her hone in her concentration, allowing her to better control her energy. Furthermore, she trained under the pressure of rain and lightning, perilous winds and crashing thunder.


    Her Dao of Everchanging Winds slowly developed, deepening as sheprehended all that she knew. The Peak forced out her potential and she used every bit of it.


    Ever changing, wind is a mysterious force, going wherever it pleased. Ming Yue matched her style of fighting under that idea. To match she had modeled her movement under it as well. But she found herself unable to improve it. Controlling the direction and the movement of the sword, she had a great grasp at it. But then , she did not know where to move towards, what direction to take.


    Then it came to her, she had to focus on the immaterial. That is to say, her own energy, changing its intensity, direction and position, how it moves both inside and outside her body.


    While her physical form had limits, her energy and mind did not. To continue honing and practicing her control, understanding the properties of her own power. From there, she made all sorts of advancements and in this battle, her progress was clearly shown.


    What shecking in cultivation, she made up with her improved techniques as well as some newer ones. One of the first ones she created made its debut just then.


    Her sword was coated in an invisibleyer of energy but it gave off a low hum. If one inspected it closely, they could feel a small breeze of winding off from the de.


    As Drifting Sky met the Yen Sister''s weapons, the screeching sound of metal scraping each other was heard. Strangely enough, their weapons were riddles with marks and chips but Ming Yue''s weapon was mostly untouched.


    This was more than just the quality and as the fought carried on, there were more and more signs of damage.


    Yen Hua noticed this and eximed to her sister, "Nu''er, look at our weapons! What did this bitch do!?"


    She was furious, her precious sword seemed like it could break at any moment. Her sister, Yen Nu, took note of this.


    "Let''s stop fooling around then", she said.


    Raising her ws, Yen Hua cycled her force and her ws began to morph. The four des on each knuckle became thicker and sharper, straightening out these ws took on a more simpler design.


    Yen Nu followed suit. Spinning her sword several times, the handle detached itself revealing a chain that connected the two parts. The de morphed and expanded, six des came out from it. It resembled that of a seven branched sword* but much deadlier.


    The Dao of Metal!


    Yen Fen''s chain whip sword was certainly interesting, but her sister''s weapons were even more intriguing.


    "Let''s see you try the true forms of our weapons!" Yen Nu yelled out before attacking.


    She swung the de forward and controlled it with the chain and handle. It whistled through the air, reading to pierce a hole through Ming Yue''s body.


    Yen Hua followed up and charged, ready to strike Ming Yue after Yen Nu''s attack.


    Ming Yue had no time to think and dashed away. However, she could not evade the strike for Yen Nu tugged the chain and the de followed Ming Yue.


    Those in the way of the the seven branch de tried to avoid it and ran in fear. But some were unfortunate and their bodies were cut through by the de. If that wasn''t horrifying enough, their would quickly festered and boiled and they howled in pain.


    "Poison!" thought Ming Yue.


    This must''ve been why everyone retreated from this fight.


    Meanwhile, Yen Hua changed course and moved in front of Ming Yue''s way. She then rushed forward and produced a rush of attacks.. Caught in the middle and with no real space to dodge, Ming Yue had no choice to but face these attacks head on.

 Chapter 135 - Murderous Trance

    Despite trapped between the two sister''s attacks, she did not panic. Instead, she flew up with the help of a strong gust of wind. This left the two sisters to attack each other.


    However, such a thing could not happen.


    Yen Nu pulled back the de while Yen Hua hopped away, avoiding each other. Directing their attention towards Ming Yue, neither was willing to let her go so easily.


    "Don''t run so quickly", said Yen Hua.


    "You still have toy down your life for attacking our sister", Yen Nu grinned.


    Knowing that they would pursue her, Ming Yue took what little time she had and created ance of wind. It spun furiously and she directed it towards Yen Nu, who was preparing another attack.


    Thence pierced through the air and headed straight for her heart!


    Yen Nu quickly brought her de up, colliding with thence. It grinded into the de, creating sparks. She had thought that Ming Yue''s attack would dissipate on impact but to her dismay, it did not break. In fact, it had even pushed her back a few steps before she dug her feet into the ground.


    "Hnng, Break for me!" Yen Nu pushed back against thence, gaining momentum before shattering thence.


    In those few seconds, Ming Yue headed for Yen Hua. Aiming to take her down quickly, she attacked Yen Hua with ferocity. Her breath quickened as she struck blow after blow.


    Yen Hua found it difficult to trade blows with Ming Yue. Her moves were quick and random, making it hard for her to track. But that sword of hers was simply too good, a divine grade de, a treasure found in one out of ten million others.


    "My ws!" shemented in her mind.


    Yen Hua''s own treasured weapons, the Steel Crane''s ws, were riddled with scratches and small fractures. The glove part were amber colored which slowly faded into a bright sterling with the des. Judging by its look, it was created from True Ochre Steel, it was a beautiful piece of work and was created just for her.


    It showed in her exchange with Ming Yue. She fought as if she danced, twirling around and whirling her amber ws. But she was like a caged bird, locked down by Ming Yue''s unending barrage of attacks. There was no chance for her to retreat for Ming Yue would not give her any opportunity to slip away. She was frustrated with Ming Yue, having damaged her ws to such a degree and for pushing her like this.


    "Yen Nu, Help me!" She shouted out, looking at her sister.


    Having just rid herself of thence, Yen Nu rushed to help her sister. A silvery aura encircled her body before moving into her Winged Qi Chain de, showcasing the Dao of Metal.


    This dao is one synonymous with forgers as they spend their days working with ores and other materials. With that said, warriors who pursued the Dao of Metal were plentiful. Why? Because this dao had many qualities that was suitable for battle: sharpness, firmness, flexibility, and much more. Skills such as enhancing one''s weapon on battle or even reshaping it was unique to this dao.


    In this instance, the Winged Qi Chain de had repaired itself and seemed to grow even sharper and stronger.


    Different from how Ming Yue encircled her de with wind that twisted violently and against other surfaces, her de would cut through so much easily. But at closer inspection, that rotating wind simply tore through it all, grinding away whatever was in its path.


    While what she did was an external effect, Yen Nu changed the internal structure of the de, enforcing every inch of it with her energy.


    Charging towards Ming Yue, she began swinging her de by the chain. It spun faster and faster bing a blur in seconds.


    "Once we kill you, I''m going to take that de and give to Yen Fen. She''s going to carve your body up like a pig!" she shouted.


    "Soaring Chaser!" Yen Nu threw the de forward and it sliced the air, travelling towards Ming Yue.


    Yen Hua quickly circted her energy and that same metal aura exuded from her. The aura carried a powerful sharpness to it, she crossed her ws beforeshing out. Six silvery waves of light cam out in the form of a diagonal cross.


    "Crossing Cranes!" she eximed, "I''d like to see you try to escape this!"


    Again Ming Yue found herself at the middle of their attacks. The Yen Sisters were confident, after all the only reason Ming Yue could contend with them was because of her sword. But against their full powered strikes, she could not stand a chance.


    This time, Ming Yue had no choice but to deal with both of these attacks. With a split second to decide, she took out her Ivory Dagger and imbued with a massive amount of power. A silhouette of the dagger grew and quickly expanded to twice its length.


    With Drifting Sky on one hand and her Ivory Dagger in the other, she resolved to dealing with both attacks.


    She attacked as soon as both strikes were within an arm''s length of her body. The Ivory Dagger faced against Yen Hua''s Crossing Cranes technique while Drifting Sky shed with the Winged Qi de.


    The pressure from these techniques was enormous. Two strikes from Earth Realm Cultivators came crashing down on her. She stood like a statue and stopped the techniques. Drifting Sky was grinding into the Winged Qi de, producing enough sparks to light up the night. The aura surrounding her dagger had bursted on impact with Yen Hua''s technique. Powerful winds pushed back against the ethereal cross.


    Shaking under the force of both attacks, Ming Yue could feel her body scream out in pain. But her eyes were still alive, under that piercing sensation, she was determined toe out alive.


    Her unwillingness to lose grew as did another emotion.


    All she had to do was break this attack and kill those two sisters. She thought and thought, those two needed to die. She would cut off their heads and then start attacking the rest of them. If she wanted to survive, she had to kill whatever was in her way.


    That fire in her eyes disappeared, leaving only an empty void. It was soulless, like a pit with no end.


    The feeling around her had changed rather, it disappeared, simply vanished.


    The Yen Sister''s found this to be strange, a feeling of difort arose. Something wasn''t right and they knew that Ming Yue was the cause of it.


    "Quickly attack her!" Yen Hua shouted towards the onlookers.


    She felt slight fear from her and did not want to risk her life just yet.


    As for the many Tao Feng disciples, they had no choice but to follow the orders of their seniors especially because it was the Yen Sisters. One was the Junior Sect Leader''s woman but all three came from the Yen Family, an extremely affluent family. With all this power, these sisters acted arrogantly and wildly, caring little for the consequences of their actions. Even then, they were powerful fighters.


    Several of them slowly approached Ming Yue. Yen Nu felt her chain loosen and immediately called out.


    "Stay back! Stay away from her!" she warned but it was toote.


    Ming Yue had disappeared from her spot and the two attacks shed with each other. A powerful st of wind shocked everyone but Ming Yue had yet to make a move. Like a ghost, she just vanished from everyone''s eyes.


    "Where is she? Where is she!?" Yen Hua shouted angrily.


    Everyone looked around except for those closest to Ming Yue. They were frozen still, just standing there.


    Yen Hua was currently enraged and she rushed up to that group that had yet to move.


    "Are you going to just stand like that?" she yelled and grabbed the shoulder of one of them.


    She turned the poor young man around only to find his head fallen on the ground and blood erupting from his severed neck. Following that head, the others found their heads on the ground before copsing to the ground, dying the grass in blood.


    Yen Hua was covered in blood and she felt a cold air brush her neck.

 Chapter 136 - True Massacre

    She let go of the dead disciple and quickly jumped forward. Yen Hua turned around only to find empty air. She touched the back of her neck and felt blood dripping from a shallow cut.


    "Where is this bitch?! Spread out and look for her!" she muttered angrily, seemingly unshaken from the blood.


    But everyone else was afraid now. What exactly was going on? Where was Ming Yue?


    Their eyes darted around looking for any sign of her. It became quiet, eerily quiet as everyone strained their ears and eyes. But there were only trees and grass surrounding them. The sun had begun to set, casting shadows over everyone as they had begun to spread out.


    Hei Yue had long disappeared from the fight, having followed the Clear Spring disciples that had run to get reinforcements.


    "Hey... Did you see anything yet?" a young woman whispered to her friend.


    "No, maybe we should just give up. She isn''t worth the reward."


    "What do you mean? Kuang Li is willing to give a hundred thousand mission points for her head. That''s enough to get Peak Mortal Grade equipment!"


    "Still, this is just too strange. Besides we already get mission points for joining the Junior Sect Leader. The better the results, the more points we get. We have to think about the bigger picture here."


    "Ah but.. I guess so."


    The pair were both outer disciples who had joined the Tao Feng through luck. Friends since they were young, their goals were like any others, fame and power. It was enough to say that they had endured their fair share of battle and hardship. But nothing could prepare them for what would happen next.


    Someone suddenly crumpled and fell down right by them.


    "Hey, what happened over there?"


    They walked closer to investigate only to find their fellow disciple with his head severed. His expression showed no sign of shock or fear, as if he didn''t even notice his death.


    "Hey isn''t this Duan Yu?"


    "It is..."


    "Then Ming Yue is around here. We should alert the others quickly and get away.... Wei Qing? Wei Qing?"


    The woman looked up to her friend who seemed to have stopped moving. A thin red line appeared around Wei Qing''s neck and blood began to seep out. As she fell down, her head came off and rolled away, carrying a face filled with fear.


    Blood seemed to drain from her face as she screamed in horror. Wei Qing had been killed and soon she would meet her end. That horrible shrieksted maybe two seconds before it was cut short.


    But it was long enough to alert everyone.


    "I heard a scream over there!"


    "Come quickly!"


    Everyone ran to the location quickly and found the three corpses.


    "Oh shit..." this was the collective thought of everyone.


    If that scream wasn''t enough to affect them, then this scene did the trick. One had died before even noticing, another lived long enough to fear for their lives. The third everyone assumed was the one who screamed out: a face devoid of color, wide eyes, and a gaping mouth. This poor girl had died miserably.


    "I can''t do this anymore. This is too much."


    "I''m getting out of here."


    "We shouldn''t stay here any longer."


    "Kuang Li''s reward isn''t worth this."


    Some had turned away and ran but they were stopped.


    In front of their eyes was Ming Yue walking slowly towards them before fading into the shadows of the trees.


    A feeling of death washed over their bodies like ice cold water.


    In that one instant, they felt a tingling sensation in their necks before their heads fell to the ground. The sight made everyone else sweat in nervousness.


    The two sisters saw this from afar.


    "How is she doing this?" Yen Nu spoke in a heavy tone.


    "Yen Fen told us about her speed but this is just too ridiculous. She is like a ghost", said Yen Hua.


    They were anxious, waiting for Ming Yue to make her move.


    Ming Yue''s mind was overtaken by the thought to kill. It wasn''t blood thirst or rage that spurned her on. Her only thought was to kill, like a cold blooded soldier, she attacked without hesitation. She was in a trance of some sort and she could not break out of it. But what could''ve happened to have caused this?


    Was it the pressure or the desire to survive?


    She moved around constantly, hiding in the shadow of the trees. Whenever she struck, she killed. Appearing from behind to behead them, stabbing them through the heart, whatever was quicker and deadlier.


    This was what she excelled at,ing from one of the first manuals she used, the Shadow de Arts. A manual that relied on blending with the darkness to achieve a silent kill.


    The kill count grew quickly and there seemed to be more blood than grass. The stench of death was powerful. There were bodies everywhere with looks of despair on their faces.


    Ming Yue moved without tiring, she killed quicker and quicker. Her opponents had been overrun with fear, there was no fighting spirit left. Those that ran made it easier, those that stood their ground were too scared to even realize her presence. Few had the courage and willpower to suppress that fear.


    In the end, the Tao Feng''s only advantage was numbers. The quality of their members was merely mediocre.


    Kuang Li''s efforts was in vain as the most of forces he sent had perished. Close to a hundred had been reduced to less than ten. All that was left was the two Yen sisters and some lowly outer disciples. Yan Xia had long escaped fearing for his life.


    "Sister, what do we do?" Yen Hua asked.


    "We have to escape. Our chances of winning is barely half. It might be in our favor but we will suffer too much to make it worthwhile. Let''s go, quickly break the talisman."


    The both of them took out a wooden coin and crushed it in their hands. Then they turned into bits of light and disappeared.


    But how could Ming Yue let them go so easily. Noticing their hasty retreat, she disregarded hiding in the shadows and headed straight for them. She brandished her de and sent off a de wind. Unfortunately, it barely touched them before they left. The sisters saw her a second before they vanished, locking eyes.


    It was a dreadful experience, a tingling sensation that none of them could forget. Looking into her eyes felt like staring into the darkest pits of the underworld. They were both paralyzed and mesmerized by Ming Yue''s emotionless eyes.


    Yen Hua and Yen Nu were fearful and relieved, Ming Yue''s current state was just too strange. Nheless, they had avoided her and escaped a death zone.


    With the remaining disciples either dead or had escaped, Ming Yue moved on, wandering the mountain. With no mental inhibitions, she was like a soulless puppet, aimlessly wandering.


    Not long after, Wen Jing arrived to the scene with Xiao Yin. The disciples came back with others to aid Ming Yue. But they were all shocked, surprised by the amount of bloodshed they saw.


    "Little owl, do you know where Ming Yue is?" Wen Jing asked.


    Xiao Yin and Hei Yue met with each other and began searching around. It seemed that their mater was nowhere to be found. Everyone else looked around but none could find her.


    "Did she do all of this?" Wen Jing thought.


    It was simply too horrifying for her to believe. There were countless of bodies littered across the area and a thick stench of blood permeated the air. Wen Jing did not think that Ming Yue was capable ofmitting such acts.


    She looked at the white robed disciples, instructing them.


    "Tell the others that if they find Ming Yue, alert me", she said, then the elder left on her own to search for her.

 Chapter 137 - Asking Again

    Back in the arena, all of the high leveled battles were reaching a conclusion. In the end, the elders of the Tao Feng were too weak. Even with numbers and treasures, they could not defeat the likes of Du Hua, Fu Men, and Qiu Bing.


    Zuo Er''s side of elders were gasping for breath, tired and cornered.


    The only ones that were evenly matched was the Fisherman Wang Yuan and Dian Zhe, a slovenly dressed man. In the end, they stopped fighting as they could not gain an advantage over the other.


    "Heh, little boy, do you still have anymore tricks up your sleeves? If so, you better use it now or I''m afraid people would call this bullying!" Qiu Bing taunted Zuo Er.


    The rest looked towards him, openly releasing their energy. Lei Jiang, Lan Huang, and many of the younger generation knelt to their knees from the pressure. Many more had been knocked unconscious.


    "This is just too much..." Lei Jiang grunted.


    He himself was at the Earth Realm nearing the bottleneck of the first level, the Core Stage. Comparing himself to these experts, Lei Jiang was like a bug. Even if he activated his draconic bloodline, battling any one of them would end in his loss. The gap was just too much. They were all either at the Sky Realm or just steps from reaching it.


    Despite the enormous pressure, Zuo Er stood tall and gave a small smile. He was neither shaking or struggling from their exertion. Like him, Yen Fen was also unaffected, staring at them all arrogantly as she clung to his side.


    Senior Qing rose up from her seat and walked towards Zuo Er. Despite not openly making a move earlier, she looked at him coldly. The elders that remained followed her, sharing the same hostility as before.


    "I too am curious, what more do you have to offer?" she questioned.


    "Why? Are you going to make a move now?" he replied.


    "Depending on what your next response is, I don''t mind killing a junior. We all have our bottom line, one wrong step and that would be the end for you."


    "Interesting....unfortunately, it''s a bitte for that now isn''t it."


    Something felt off, why was Zuo Er so calm? Exactly what did he have nned next?


    "Toote? We''ll see about that!"


    Qiu Bing could no longer restrain himself and attacked, waving his crimson saber. From the arena floor, he rose into the sky and flew straight for Zuo Er. Like a red meteor, the emperor of the Clear Sky Kingdom shot through the air and pointed his saber towards him.


    In a seconds, he was only several feet from Zuo Er before his power scattered and left him falling towards to the ground.


    "What?! What happened to my energy?" Qiu Bing quickly recovered but could not muster the strength to attack again.


    At the same time, Fu Men, Du Hua, and the others had also found themselves unable to bring out their power. In fact, it seemed that their meridians had been locked up. The pressure they emanated was gone and the younger disciples weakly stood up.


    "This is a formation", Du Hua quickly realized.


    "Indeed, the Ground Seal Formation was something I had set up while you were all busy fighting and watching", Zuo Er exined, "Subduing you all with brute force was a task even my teacher, the sect leader would have trouble aplishing. But as long as I can suppress your bodies, it would not be an issue. After all, you are nothing more than amon mortal now."


    "You think...that a formation like this is going to be enough?" Qiu Bing grunted and forced out his energy.


    Wisps of red leaked from his body as he clenched his fists.


    "Wait, stop!" the others warned.


    "Do you want to end up a cripple?" Fu Men asked Qiu Bing.


    "If you''re an emperor then act like it. Just because your children were threatened by him doesn''t mean you can act so recklessly. Have some back bone!", Du Hua scolded him.


    "Urgh", he could not respond for she was right.


    He may be a father but he was a king first and foremost, he had responsibilities to take up.


    Zuo Er watched the events unfold and walked down from the arena seats. Leaving Yen Fen, he stepped down and looked at the various leaders in front of him. In his hands, he held a small ck bell. Simple in appearance and spotted with rust, but as Zuo Er''s weapon this was no ordinary bell.


    "So, do you want to ept my terms now? So long as you join the Tao Feng and relinquish your treasures and manuals, we will let you move freely. I''d rather not waste people such as you." he said.


    "This..." everyone hesitated.


    "Still thinking about it?" he said, sounding slightly annoyed, "What more can you do to stop this from happening? Your martial prowess has been sealed. Even if these elders of mine had been defeated, there are many of other countermeasures that I have in mind."


    "You!" Qiu Bing was about to talk back when Du Hua pulled him back.


    She stepped forward in her gaudy clothes and looked at the young man.


    "Do you really think that you have the power to swallow us all? Rather, do you think you will be ready to take on the full force of the Heaven''s Gate?" she asked.


    After all, Du Hua was a high ranking elder of Heaven''s Gate. Targeting her meant enmity with the powers behind her and Heaven''s Gate is backed by numerous countries. She did not believe that he would dare to continue if he understood the full gravity of his actions.


    Despite the threat, Zuo Erughed out loud. In fact, his whole appearance took on a new look. He was not the charismatic leader that he seemed to be when he first arrived. His face twisted and turned, his eyes turned to slits and his smile curled up. His once ordinary appearance turned into that of a maniac. He looked at them with ridicule.


    "Ready?" he said, "This is merely a step of my grand n. You are all pebbles off the roadpared to what I am aiming for!"


    "Then what are you aiming for?" Senior Qing asked.


    "Hmph, that is something none of you need to know. So long as I gain his approval, nothing will stand in my way!" he said.


    Then he rose the bell up high.


    "In fact, I''m finished with being nice. None of you seem to be willing to join me. Even if you did, you would surely try to revolt against me. So, It''s much better to just do this", with the rusted bell up high, Zuo Er ring it.


    It wasn''t a melodious sound that came out but the noise that resembled ones made from a giant bell. The constant loop of a loud and deep toll entered everyone''s ears. It was a droning sound that was both magical and mysterious.


    Despite it being aimed towards Senior Qing and the others, those surrounding them still suffered from the sound.


    They covered their ears to stop the bell''s ringing from entering but it was in vain. Their minds were affected, they screamed in pain as the sound ripped into their minds. They felt a head-splitting sensation that drowned out all thoughts.


    But the ones that suffered the most were the many seniors. The pain they felt was several times more intense, it was almost unbearable for them. Any normal person would have died and they were not too far from it. Tired from fighting and stripped of their powers, they all suffered immensely.


    Zuo Er rang the bell, incessantly. The space around it began to distort as he exerted more power from the bell.


    Soon enough, Du Hua was the first to faint and everyone else followed suit, knocked unconcious from the bell.


    Confirming their state, Zuo Er stopped and quickly put the bell away. His hand was visibly shaking, and dark red.


    "It seems that I am still too weak to use this bell", he sighed looking at his destroyed arm.


    The blood vessels seemed to have popped from the pressure of that mysterious bell.


    Then he looked at that bodies of the fainted experts.


    "Right, let''s chain them up and bring them back to the sect. Afterwards, we''ll release news of their capture" he turned to the Tao Feng Elders and gave out orders.


    As he walked out of the arena with the remaining forces of the Tao Feng, the thick stench of blood struck his nose.


    "What happened?!"

 Chapter 138 - Overtaken By Fear

    He whipped his head around and scanned the area. The Tao Feng elders and remaining disciples quickly put up their guard. A group of fifty or so people slowly walked through the woond areas of the mountain.


    Fear and tension coursed through their being as they saw body after body cut to pieces.


    "What is this?" one of the elders asked incredulously, "Could beasts have entered the mountain in all this chaos?"


    "That''s not possible", Zuo Er answered, "We still have some groups outside of the mountain. They would''ve alerted me if something went awry."


    "But...what if they didn''t have the chance?"


    "This..." Zuo Er was confident in his nning but this was something he did not expect.


    But he had no choice except to traverse through the mountain. He had no way of sending a group thisrge away from the scene. Such treasures were too difficult to obtain. As if it wouldn''t get even worse, that long-forgotten humming of the ground returned as the barriers slowly recovered.


    "Shit, what the hell is going on?" Zuo Er''s mood took a turn for the worse as his face went gloomy.


    "What do we do now?" everyone behind him muttered among themselves.


    "We leave though the main gates. Don''t forget that I still hold the cards here, I doubt they will stop us with their precious leaders in my hands", he looked back before walking forward.


    As they gradually made their way down the mountain, those that weren''t within the arena started gathering together. Ming Yue was still no where to be found but the likes of Wen Jing, Xuan Han, and Dong Kuai were still active. Several of the guard patrols had managed to fight off the Tao Feng''s onught.


    While Wen Jing was looking for Ming Yue, the other two elders were busy with the barriers. More than one point of the formation had been dismantled and it was none other than Kuang Li who did it.


    After destroying the first formation g, he knew that it would not be enough dy the mending of the shields. He also knew that Ming Yue would hunt him down. The thought of this sent a small chill through his body. With that in mind, he had to get rid of her now. So he promised mission points and rare treasures to whomever defeated her.


    "Hmph, let''s see you survive this!" he thought to himself.


    Ming Yue was a thorn in his mind and if Kuang Li wanted to improve himself, he needed to deal with her first.


    Never would he had believe that he would end up in a situation like this, running for his life. Gasping for every breath of air and haggard from moving about, he no longer had that stoic appearance from before.


    From behind, a shapeless shadow followed him from above, moving through the trees. He did not need to look back to know that it was her.


    "Why is she still alive? How did she find me?" the thoughts raced through his mind.


    After destroying another patrol with several other disciples of the Tao Feng, he got rid of the formation g and prepared to move on. Suddenly their surroundings turned silent and each one of them felt a stare from behind. It felt piercing and the feeling drilled into their very core.


    Then Ming Yue appeared. Like a ghost, she walked slowly and her aura was almost non-existent. The sword in her hand was stained with blood, some of it still fresh and dripping from the edge.


    It didn''t take Kuang Li even a second to think before he ran off. The rest followed suit, running for their lives.


    Perhaps this was his true nature, cowardly and fragile. He ran frantically, changing directions whenever he found a clear path. He didn''t know where he was anymore, he barely even had the time to think. Clear Spring Mountain was filled with trees and numerous flora, it was difficult to maneuver through when all that one saw was a sea of branches and leaves.


    The group slowly dwindled and disappeared, probably dead and it wasn''t long until Kuang Li was alone with her.


    Avoiding her strikes as best as he could, his body was riddled in small cuts and gashes. His dark violet uniform was ripped and covered in blood and dirt.


    He sent out various attacks, breaking trees and trying to impede Ming Yue. The fear had overtaken him and he could no longer think properly. His concentration was scattered and his mind in disarray. After an hour of chasing, he slipped up. He failed to notice a sharp root sticking out of the ground and stepped on it.


    "Aghh!" he yelped in pain and fell to the ground, clutching his foot.


    That root punctured an inch wide hole through his boot and into his foot. It bled profusely and blood covered his hands. Kuang Li grit his teeth and looked at his injured foot. He tried to get up but couldn''t, he could barely even move his other foot.


    This was the end for him.


    The feeling of crept closer than ever and what he feared the most hade. Ming Yue stood in front of him, just looking at Kuang Li''s miserable state.


    "Wait, wait, please let me live!" he cried out, quickly turning on his knees and kowtowing to her.


    "I''ll give you anything! In fact, if you join me in the Tao Feng, I promise that you will have ess to everything treasure and technique. Just let me live, I beg you", he spoke as quickly as he could hoping that she would leave him.


    Kuang Li looked up at Ming Yue and stared into her eyes.


    "This..this..." he thought.


    Her eyes were empty and emotionless. Her face was calm and undisturbed. Nothing of what he said had gotten through to her. During that thought, Ming Yue struck, killing him quietly. In hisst moments, Kuang Li''s eyes seemed subdued. He had resigned to his fate.


    If Ming Yue was fully conscious, she would feel nothing but disdain for him. For him to act so miserable was opposite of his character but what could she have known.


    He was someone who strived for strength, obsessed with it. He was at a level higher than most of his peers, defeat was something he had long since forgotten. Yet Ming Yue changed all this, her actions sprouted fear in him. Her determination and sharpness rocked him. As much as he tried to forget her, he couldn''t and suddenly his thirst for power was no longer genuine. Instead, it masked his fear of defeat. It clouded his thoughts and changed him but he disguised it, lying to himself and calling that fear "motivation" for him to push harder with his cultivation and his techniques.


    He knew that unless he took care of Ming Yue once and for all, this fear would overtake him. Unfortunately, his willpower was too weak. He had a chance to kill her but squandered it running away to destroy more of the barrier''s formation. Then he just offered a reward for whoever would kill her, not wanting to encounter her again. That fear was the end of him, his desire for power was nothing more than a mask.


    Perhaps if he was not so narrow minded, so focused on being the best, that fear would not have taken ce. He could have avoided this but he could not ept that he was afraid if a junior.


    Ming Yue stared at his dead body before moving away.


    "Ming Yue!"


    From a distance, a voice called out for her but she did not hear it and vanished. Secondster, Wen Jing arrived to Kuang Li''s corpse with surprise and shock.


    "This girl...what exactly happened to her?" she thought.


    Wen Jing looked at the direction of where Ming Yue was headed. A kilometer of so away was the arena, it was strangely silent and Wen Jing could not sense the energy of Senior Qing, Vice Leader Lu, and the others.


    "Something must have happened", she thought and quicklymunicated with the Xuan Han and Dong Kuai through a jade talisman before moving towards the arena.

 Chapter 139 - Ming Yues Appearance

    The situation within Clear Spring Mountain was unclear and at the center of it all was Ming Yue, a lowly Human Realm Cultivator.


    With Zuo Er''s ning into fruition, all he had to do now was leave the mountain with the unconscious bodies of the various leaders. However after leaving the arena, he had found that most of forces he brought have either retreated or died a bloody mess. With fear gripping him and his group, he must traverse the mountain and escape through the main gates for the barrier had been repaired.


    Those that remained at the arena such as Lan Huang, Jing Hai, and many other young talents were knocked senseless by the mysterious bell that Zuo Er used.


    Away from this area, the elders that Senior Qing sent out had begun moving back towards the arena. Dong Kuai and Xuan Han had repaired the barrier to a degree, recing the formation gs and redoing the array. Wen Jing, who discovered the countless bodies caused by Ming Yue had gone to search for her. The disciples of the mountain stood guard of these points in order to make sure, it would not be tinkered with.


    With everyone converging back to the arena, timing was critical.


    It did not take long for the elders to return to the arena. There they saw numerous bodiesying on the floor. However, Du Hua''s students had hidden themselves earlier and were now aiding the injured. Utilizing their energy, these girls quickly went to the heavily injured first.


    Lei Jiang was the first to recover on his own due to the properties of his draconic blood. Jing Hai, and Lan Huang followed after with the Emperor''s children Qiu Daohen and Qiu Xiahua. One by one the younger generation awakened, suffering a rather painful headache.


    "Agh, my head", Lei Jiang groaned and rubbed his temples.


    "Fucking bastard, I''m going to skewer him with arrows and roast him alive when I find him", Lan Huang followed after.


    "Ugh...wait, where is he? Where is my father? Where did they go? Brother, what should we do?" Qiu Xiahua looked at her royal brother panicked.


    Qiu Daohen was dumbstruck, unsure of what to say or what to do.


    "Do not worry, our master has an amulet that we can use to track him", off to the side, Fisherman Wang''s two disciples reassured the siblings that they would find Qiu Bing and the others.


    His disciples, a girl and a boy, both fished out a talisman from their simple gray robes.


    "He often wanders around so he gave us this jade talisman to use to track him down", said the girl.


    "The old man is one annoying teacher but he has his moments", the other added on.


    Xuan Han quickly walked through the arena and went to them.


    "Is it possible to use it now?" he asked.


    The two nodded and crushed one of the talismans into dust. After crumbling and a small white light appeared from its remains and started floating away. Upon its appearance, Xuan Han quickly followed it with the several others, namely Lei Jiang, Lan Huang, and Jing Hai. The three of them went to support the elder although, Lan Huang really did want to skewer Zuo Er.


    As for Zuo Er himself, he was moving closer towards escape.


    Step by step, he led his group through the gardens of the mountain. Having passed the wooded road down the mountain, everyone had begun to rx for a bit. Now that they were out in the open, it would be much easier to detect any attackers. Night was quickly approaching.


    Passing by the little huts, the elders suddenly stopped and looked towards one of them. This small and ordinary hut built atop the edge of a cliff had a strange feelinging off of it. However, there was no one there.


    "Hmm, strange", one of them said.


    Looking away from the hut, everyone refocused on the path in front of them only to find an old woman standing there.


    The thin man with the spear walked forward and attacked. However, he struck nothing but air as the spear went through her like nothing.


    "This is an illusion!" he eximed, "Someone is ying tricks on us!"


    "Oh no, this is not a illusion", the old woman quickly silenced him.


    "It is a bit simr, I''m more of a...strand of will, watching over the mountain. I''m unable to touch you much less stop you from leaving. It is quite disheartening that my true body is elsewhere or I would''ve smite you this very moment. s, I''m in the demon continent right now so it really is useless to justin over this matter", she droned on and on for several minutes.


    Zuo Er was already unhappy with the losses he had and now he was listening to an old woman ramble.


    "Speak now or I will destroy you", he said, readying his sword.


    "Oh gosh, the younger generation these days, so impatient. I''m just here to tell you something", she smiled as she spoke with a wizened tone.


    "What? Speak now!", the elder with the spear pointed it at her.


    "Hmm, not very bright are you? Well, I''m waiting for something to happen", the old woman looked past them as she spoke, "Oh look at that, she''s here."


    Before any of them could turn around, the sound of flesh being cut entered their ears. Zuo Er and the others found one of the young disciples staring down at his chest where a sword pierced straight through.


    The poor soul trembled with wide opened eyes as he struggled to utter some sort of sentence. The sword slowly pulled back and he copsed on the ground.


    The one holding that de was none other than Ming Yue, nkly staring as blood flowed from her victim''s body.


    "It''s you!" Yen Fen said incredulously.


    Zuo E looked at her in confusion.


    Yen Fen pointed at her, "She''s the one who attacked me, Zuo Er! That''s Ming Yue!"


    She looked at her disdainfully, "I''d like to see what you can do now bitch!"


    Ming Yue looked into her eyes, chills went down Yen Fen''s spine.


    "Kill her, kill her...", those two words repeated in her mind as she looked at Yen Fen, the younger sister of Yen Hua and Yen Nu.


    Killing Intent began to seep out. Of everyone in this group, she needed to die first.


    Yen Fen looked at Zuo Er, clutching his arm.


    "What are you doing?" she asked him, "Get rid of her now!"


    Despite her pleas, he did not make a move.


    "Everything will be alright", he looked at her confidently, "If I''m not wrong, she was the one behind all those killings we saw."


    "What?" everyone found this hard to believe.


    This girl here wasn''t even at the Earth Realm, how could she have killed so many?


    "If this is so, we should kill her immediately!" the spear wielding elder along with the others quickly pointed their weapons at her.


    "Wait!" Zuo Er called out, "Don''t kill her, she may prove to be useful. Don''t forget none of us were able to detect her until it was toote. Think of her potential in the future, she could be a valuable asset."


    "But..." Yen Fen was about to object when he shot a menacing re at her.


    "I''ve already used up so many resources for this", he said, "If I have the chance to lessen them, I must take it. Don''t you dare say otherwise."


    "Be careful with her, she seems to be in some strange state", he added, watching Ming Yue''s movements.


    "Hmph, let me try her out first! I don''t believe that I can''t take her down in ten moves", the spear wielding man walked forth proudly.


    The others stepped back and watched.


    "If it doesn''t end in ten moves, I''m going to tell everyone you failed to subdue a human realm cultivator", the plump elder wielding the jade cleaver teased his partner.


    "Hmph, wait and see! Nowe and fight me!" the man stared at Ming Yue intensely.


    She slowly walked forth and swung her sword out.. Moving quick enough to leave a faint afterimage, Ming Yue made the first move but it wasn''t for him.

 Chapter 140 - A Damaged Soul

    "Fast!", the elder thought, "Where did she go?"


    Ming Yue''s blur of a body suddenly became clear as she stepped behind Yen Fen. Baring her sword, she went for the kill. But it was not going to end so simply, Zuo Er pulled Yen Fen away, evading the strike. Ming Yue stepped back, still focused on Yen Fen.


    "What''s wrong with her? Didn''t she hear my words?" the spear wielding elder was furious that he had been ignored.


    "Of course not, her mind is no longer there. Nothing you say will affect her", getting a closer look at at Ming Yue, Zuo Er was able to discern a few things.


    Indeed, how could such remarks reach her when she was still like this, controlled by the urge to kill. Seeing this, Zuo Er decided on what to do with her.


    "You can always fight herter. But elders, can you restrain her for me? I''m going to use the Shen Shatter Bell on her."


    "But Junior Sect Leader, your body? Will it be able to withstand another use?" one of them asked.


    "Don''t worry about me, just restrain her quickly", Zuo Er ordered.


    Thus all of the elders surrounded her, a total of eight Earth Realm cultivators at varying strengths. This left Zuo Er, Yen Fen, and several other lower disciples to guard the unconscious bodies.


    Ming Yue had struggled immensely against two Earth Realm cultivators, going against eight was already a lost cause. No matter, how good her skills were, shecked the benefits of a higher cultivation.


    It was a quick battle. There was no way for her to attack and so she could only move defensively. Ultimately, she was pinned to the ground and couldn''t move under the force of everyone''s grip.


    "She has quite the talent."


    "Her sword seems very unique. It was be at least peak sage grade."


    "This young one might prove to be terrifying in the future."


    "Her ability is better than I thought."


    All of them could not help but praise her, she might have persisted for a short time but that was impressive for someone at her cultivation. She was able to hold her ground to an extent against 8 experts of a superior cultivation. Not many could achieve such a feat.


    Zuo Er walked towards Ming Yue and crouched in front of her. He took out the rusted Shen Shatter Bell and brought it close to her ear.


    He shook it softly, producing a much weaker ring. It was not as deep as the one that subdued Senior Qing and the others. Despite the restrained power, the sound went directly into Ming Yue''s ear and it shook her from her trance. Her eyes had life in them and the strange thoughts in her mind disappeared. She experienced a moment of rity.


    It was only a moment however.


    Her mind had been cleared only for her to experience unbearable pain. The Shen Shatter Bell rang incessantly into her ears. Gritting her teeth, she tried to endure and shake off the bell''s effects. But it was all in vain, that mindless trance had left her body and her mind was exhausted, pushed past the limits.


    "Aghh! Ughh! Haghhh!" trying to fight back against the pain, Ming Yue could not help but yell in pain.


    She could only hold on for so long and just secondster, her body went limp as she fell unconscious.


    "Is she... is it safe now?" Yen Fen asked from afar, somewhat shaken.


    Ming Yue''s attempt to kill her was far too close. If she wasn''t pulled away quick enough, she would have died. Her eyes were fearful and her hands trembled as she stared at Ming Yue.


    "Yeah, now let''s restrain her and leave quickly! We''ve wasted too much time."


    Zuo Er brought out a pair of stone cuffs for Ming Yue, this was the method he used to restrain the others. Opening the cuffs, he ced her hands within them.


    "Ming Yue!"


    "Get away from her!"


    Arrows tore through the sky and lightning began to sh all around the members of the Tao Feng. Wen Jing rushed forth with a bronze mace, the head of which was engraved with petals. Xuan Han followed after, a golden aura surrounded him as he donned a pair of shining gauntlets. They covered his fists and forearms, resembling the ws of a lion. Dong Kuai''s cane shined brightly, the emerald gem that adorned it sharpened and became a short spear.


    Lei Jiang arrived with his body already in its draconic state. His arms turned azure as his skin became scale and it spread to his shoulders. A ck horn grew from the right side of his head. His eyes widened as the pupils turned beast-like. Since the youth tournament, he has drawn out much more power from that drop of dragon''s blood.


    Jing Hai had begun building up her energy. Small stars surrounded her, slowly growing brighter and brighter. Her white robes floated under the power she emanated


    Lan Huang appeared with another arrow drawn on his bow, lit ame. He eyed Zuo Er and grinned. On his back, he carried a crimson quiver that still had a dozen or so arrows.


    "Bastard, don''t think you can leave after what you did to me!" heughed out loud and let off the arrow.


    He aimed it up high and let it soar through the air. As it flew up, the arrow shook and glowed before it exploded showering Zuo Er and the elders in me and ash.


    Catching them by surprise, all of them attacked leaving none of the Tao Feng any time to think.


    "Screw this!" the remaining disciples lost their will to fight and ran, leaving captured Senior Qing and the other experts on the ground.


    Only Yen Fen stayed behind, she could not leave Zuo Er like this.


    "Fight back! We outnumber them!" he yelled out and everyone quickly recovered.


    The two sides collided and the fight descended into chaos. All manner of attacks destroyed the area around them, Zuo Er did not dare to use the Shen Shatter Bell again. His arm had already been rendered useless by its power. Any more would leave permanent damage to his body.


    "Fight me! I will show you why I am the Punishment Elder!" Xuan Han yelled out.


    He mmed his fist into the fat elder''s body and sent him flying. His golden aura had formed a lion''s head that roared angrily. After sending the elder off, he chased after until the elder wielding the hooked chain attacked. Xuan Han noticed the approaching weapon and grabbed it out of the air. With the weapon in his grasp, he yanked the chain down and mmed that elder into the ground. The former battled against Fu Men while thetter attacked Qiu Bing.


    "I will not be restrained by any of you!" he screamed out as his power rose.


    The three elders that fought against Du Hua and Vice Leader Lu were besieged by Wen Jing and Jing Hai. Wen Jing''s mace hummed and she spun it in her hand before mming it onto the fully armored elder. Despite the difference in equipment, Wen Jing had the upper hand. The other two elders, one that wielded a ive and another that used a fan, were in fact suppressed by Jing Hai. Due to her unique dao and techniques, she was able to overpower them but maintaining this level of strength strained her body. The stars behind her floated about before attacking the two elders. They exploded on impact, creating an almost blinding light.


    "Can you survive against my Budding Stars? I wonder how many it will take before your body is torn apart" she said.


    Dong Kuai and Lan Huang took on the spear wielding elder and another that wore a glowing blue hair pin. She was the one that fought against Qiu Bing whilst the other had battled against Fu Men.


    "Come one you! Let''s see how good you are with that spear!" Dong Kuaiughed loudly.


    Despite being the Medicinal Elder, she was quite terrifying in battle.


    In the middle of this chaos, Zuo Er and Yen Fen quickly began to gather the unconscious captives and started to escape. But they could not escape Lan Huang''s eyes.


    "Do you think I wouldn''t notice!" he said, drawing an arrow from his quiver.


    This was different from the other special arrows he had, this one was muchrger and the arrowhead had six headsbined. It was like he merged six arrows into one. He pulled the bow string back and let it loose.


    The arrow whistled through the air, aimed straight for Zuo Er''s head.

 Chapter 141 - A Truly Despicable Act

    The elder with the ice-like hairpin shot off a beam of cold energy in an attempt to stop the arrow but she was too slow.


    "Junior Sect Leader!" she cried out.


    Zuo Er''s senses were on edge, the feeling of danger quickly grew. How was he going to avoid Lan Huang''s arrow?


    It had several times more power than a ordinary one and it would surely kill him. But he could not have that happening. He had ns and his own death was not part of it.


    With no other choice, Zuo Er did something truly shocking. He looked at Yen Fen and dropped the bodies that he carried.


    Without even speaking, he grabbed her arm and pulled her in front of him. Yen Fen could not even think of what happened before the arrow pierced her shoulder. The pain came quickly and she let out a piercing scream.


    "You were useful for once", he muttered into her ear and moved while she covered him.


    At this point, the only thing that mattered wasing out alive. His attempt to capture everyone had failed but there will always be other opportunities.


    As for the girl he held onto, she was in shock. Yen Fen couldn''t believe it, he treated her like a tool. She was his woman and she was worth something in his eyes if he kept her around him. But was this why he did so? Was she worth this much to him? All for his goals, he would use her as some meat shield?


    "This little!..." Lan Huang immediately drew another arrow and aimed it at Zuo Er again.


    Having seen what he just did, Lan Huang and the others were all equally disgusted with him.


    "Twisted Dragon!" the arrow he used glowed as Lan Huang shot it away from Zuo Er.


    "Don''t you even think about it!" the middle aged elder''s hairpin began to glow as she formed a great block of ice.


    She sent it forth, aiming to block the arrow but it failed.


    The arrow flew towards the rightpletely avoiding the ice before curving and shooting straight for Zuo Er''s body. From the arrow came out an ethereal dragon''s head as it headed for Zuo Er''s leg. However, Zuo Er was truly heartless. He shifted Yen Fen''s body to face the arrow which lodged itself into her shin, the shadow-like head opened its mouth and bit into her leg.


    "Aghhhhh!" she screeched in pain as the arrow dug itself further into her flesh, "You bastard! I don''t care if you toss me away like trash or leave me to die! I''lle back and curse you to the deepest pits of the underworld!"


    "Shit", Lan Huang did not dare use another arrow.


    Yen Fen might have been an enemy but he was not so cruel as to attack her like this. He was angry and his eyes shot back to the elder. She didn''t allow him time to move and formed a cage of ice around him.


    "You fucking coward, despicable piece of shit!" Lan Huang couldn''t help but curse out loudly.


    He grabbed the ribs of the cage and tried to ripp it apart. As a hunter of many beasts, his physical prowess was incredible. However, that hairpin had increased the elder''s powers. Under its influence, the ice cage showed no signs of breaking. Suddenly, Dong Kuai reappeared by him and with her cane, she thrust it through the cage.


    Under the force of her strike, cracks began to appear all over the cage before it broke apart.


    "You?" the elder said questioningly, "What happened to Yu Chen?"


    Dong Kuai smiled, "Him? He was too weak! I wonder if you are the same."


    The elder looked around before spotting her fellowrade dead with a gaping hole in his chest.


    "He was the weakest of us all, although I do not recall you having suchbat strength", she said.


    "Everyone has secrets", Dong Kuai replied.


    She tossed a small gourd towards Lan Huang and quickly gave him instructions.


    "When you open it, ce the opening under their noses. ording to what the others have said, the bell put their minds under great strain. Most likely, they''re just unconscious or under some sleeping spell. This medicine here should wake them up", she said.


    He understood and ran off. The elder tried to chase after but Dong Kuai stood in her way.


    "So what is your name?" she asked.


    "Zhou Dong."


    "Hmm, maybe you''ll prove to be more entertaining."


    Dong Kuai made the first move, the emerald jewel in her cane glowed. As their fight had begun, everyone else found was at a stalemate. Wen Jing and Jing Hai started to lose their momentum as thetter found it harder and harder to maintain the pressure. The heavily armored elder was battered up, cracks and dents covered itpletely. The other two were still bombarded by Jing Hai''s "stars", as they did not have the initiative they could not break out.


    All of the Tao Feng elders were still tired and injured. They barely had time to rest. If they were all in their peak, this battle would''ve ended long ago.


    Lei Jiang and Xuan Han worked together against Dian Zhe, the slovenly dressed elder, the fat elder wielding the jade cleaver, and the third elder which used a hooked chain. Although the two were working together, it could be said that Lei Jiang was only supporting the Punishment Elder. He covered his back, making sure that Xuan Han would not be attacked when he was vulnerable. The short halberds in his hands sparked with lightning as they shed with the jade cleaver or the hooked chains.


    Xuan Han had been restraining his fury for most of this but now he had a chance to release it all.


    With his lion faced gauntlets, his power was near awe-inspiring. The sheer energy of his aura made his hair float about like a wild lion''s mane. Each strike he made produced a lion''s roar. His attacks weren''t very quick but they were powerful. The cleaver wielding elder took the most damage of the three. Each time each time Xuan Han''s fist met his stomach, violent energy would be imparted and it would wreak havoc within his internal organs. Blood trickled from his mouth as he tried to fight back.


    Dian Zhe tried to fight back using his own fist techniques but to no avail. He did not have the energy to continue. In fact all three of them were sluggish and weak.


    After all, none of the elders had any time to recuperate. They might havee in order to stall Qiu Bing and the others but in that battle Qiu Bing, Fu Men, and Vice Leader Lu fought to kill. The injuried these elders sustained were not easy to repair.


    Lan Huang quickly opened the gourd to which a sharp minty odor suffused into the air. One sniff from it had made his mind clear and fresh.


    "What is this?" he thought, but there were more important things than to ponder this question.


    He went to Senior Qing and ced the gourd under her nose, allowing the smell to permeate into her nose. After she stirred and woke up from her state, he ced the gourd into her hands.


    "I''m going to chase that Tao Feng bastard. The medicinal elder gave me this to awaken you. The other seniors are right by you", he said quickly before running off to chase Zuo Er.


    Senior Qing was still dazed but managed to piece together what he had said. Slowly, she moved towards to others to awaken them.


    In all this chaos, Dian Zhe noticed what was happening and immediately tried to stop her while he could. But Lei Jiang had seen it as well and quickly moved to defend the sect leader of Clear Spring Mountain.


    "Boy, get out of the way!" he yelled out.


    Lei Jiang ignored his words and shed against him.


    All the while Zuo Er was almost at the gates. There he saw several groups of purple uniformed disciples awaiting him outside. He dropped Yen Fen on the ground and quickly moved towards the main gates.


    Rage and fury kept the woman alive as she showered him with insults and threats.


    "It''s the Junior Sect Leader!" they noticed Zuo Er and murmured to each other, preparing to receive him.


    None of them dared to enter the mountain after what Ming Yue had done.


    "Soon!" he thought, after escaping he woulde back.


    His failure would mark him for humiliation but he would return. This was for more than strength and reputation, there was more at stake.


    Just meters from the gates, an arrow suddenly flew by and struck one of his calves!

 Chapter 142 - Crippled

    "Arghh!" Zuo Er yelled out in pain.


    After seeing what had happened to him, Yen Fen was suddenly joyful. Through out the remaining journey as his shield, her hatred for him grew stronger and stronger.


    Her throat was already sore from the constant screaming but she was able to muster a weakugh.


    "I hope you die bastard", she thought to herself.


    She looked on as Lan Huang appeared from behind her with another arrow ready to be released.


    Zuo Er wasted no time and limped forward quickly.


    "Come here and protect me!" he yelled at the spectating disciples.


    Looking at their miserable leader, they had no choice but to grit their teeth and cover him. In the seconds it took to bring him out, Lan Huang released three more arrows. One struck his other calf and the other two pierced through his spine.


    Zuo Er howled under the pain as several disciples of the Tao Feng quickly shielded him. He turned back and red at Lan Huang with fury. Almost immediately, his expression of anger became shock and fear.


    "My lower meridians...what did you do?!" he screamed out.


    However Lan Huang ignored him and turned back.


    "I swear I will repay you tenfold!" Zuo Er spoke menacingly, "Agony and torment is nothingpared to what I will do with you!"


    Thus, he left the mountain, his voice slowly drowned out.


    Despite not killing him, Lan Huang looked satisfied with what he had done. However, Yen Fen was not.


    "Why didn''t you kill him?! Why?!" she asked him.


    "Hmph, the next time you see him, you will understand that death is not the worst punishment in this world", he answered before looking at her body.


    His arrows were still stuck in her body. The fact that she was still conscious was rather impressive. Lan Huang walked up to her and knelt down.


    "What are you doing?"


    He reached out for the arrow in her shin.


    "Don''t move", he calmly spoke and concentrated.


    In one smooth motion, he took out the arrow and the wound began to spout fresh blood. He took out a white bandage and quickly wrapped it around the wound. He quickly moved, grabbing onto the six-headed arrow and broke off the shaft.


    "This arrow needs to be removed a certain way, taking it out now would tear your shoulder apart. For now, it stays in there", he told her.


    He helped Yen Fen up and moved back towards Wen Jing''s group. Walking up the mountain, four shadows flew past the as a recently awakened Qiu Bing chased after.


    "Retreat! The Junior Sect Leader has escaped, there is no point in staying for much longer", the voice of Zhou Dong entered their ears.


    After giving a closer look, Lan Huang recognized her along with the fat elder, Wang Yuan, and the elder that used a fan. As for the rest, he didn''t need to think very hard to know what happened to them.


    "Come on! Where''s that little bastard of yours?!" Qiu Bing yelled out.


    Despite having just awoken from the effects of Zuo Er''s Shen Shatter Bell, the emperor seemed almost unstoppable.


    None of them noticed Lan Huang and Yen Fen passing by. Senior Qing, Fu Men, and Du Hua chased after Qiu Bing but stopped when they saw the pair.


    "Where''s Zuo Er? What happened to him?" Senior Qing looked at Lan Huang.


    "He''s escaped but you don''t have to worry about him. He will spend the rest of his life a powerless cripple", he smiled at her.


    Senior Qing pondered his response before turning back.


    "So be it", she said, "He may be a cripple but he is still alive, there''s no telling what he''ll do. In any case, we should return to the main hall and recuperate. Afterwards, the fate of the Tao Feng will be discussed."


    Having chased out the remaining elders, Qiu Bing hade back with an unhappy expression. He was not yet satisfied and wanted to kill the rest of them.


    "Cheh, those cowards can run better than they can fight", he spouted.


    Despite his grumbling, everyone could agree that they needed time to recover.


    At the end of this ordeal, Clear Spring Mountain was aplete mess, littered with corpses and the once beautifulndscape was filled with signs of battle. Ruptured ground, burnt shrubbery, severed trees and copsed buildings was all that could be seen. It seems that there were numerous battles that had taken ce throughout the mountain.


    Theing days were spent in peace. Surprisingly enough, none of their forces suffered too greatly. In fact, many of the dead bodies found were from the Tao Feng and they were disposed of ordingly.


    At the same time, a shocking piece of news hade about.


    The Clear Sky Kingdom, Eternal de Sect, Heaven''s Gate, several other smaller sects and some famed experts had dered enmity against the Tao Feng Sect. Anyone associated with them or is a part of the Tao Feng were to be captured. Especially in the Clear Sky Kingdom where its emperor, Qiu Bing, had announced that any trace of the Tao Feng found within the kingdom were to be put to death. The act of Zuo Er threatening his children had incurred their wrath.


    Furthermore, since Clear Spring Mountain was a part of the Clear Sky Kingdom, they were all at odds with the Tao Feng. Qiu Bing''s power only reached the edges of his kingdom but those of Clear Spring Mountain could travel past that. With that in mind, he passed down an order to Senior Qing to have bounties on the entirety of the Tao Feng.


    With the sudden deration, other sects made their moves, either shunning the Tao Feng or dered hostility towards them.


    During their time in recuperation, many of the experts that resided int he mountain began talking about how they would deal with this troublesome sect. The Tao Feng were an eyesore of a power and this time they''ve gone too far. At this time, Yen Fen stepped up and revealed what Zuo Er was chasing after. Being betrayed by him, she no longer wanted anything to do with him and had in fact wanted the see the destruction of the Tao Feng.


    Her leg and shoulder was wrapped in clean bandages after Lan Huang was able to remove the six headed arrow. Yen Fen''s pretty countenance was reced by a rather vengeful expression, speaking each word with hatred. She stood in front of the many experts and revealed Zuo Er''s motives.


    "Zuo Er and the sect master, Dai Mian, spent most of their time together. Zuo Er was eager to learn and Dai Mian saw his potential. It didn''t take long for him to be favored and his ce as the next sect leader was set. Even before it was official, some had already began calling him the Junior Sect Leader", Yen Fen paused, slightly ufortable before saying her next words.


    "Before he had reached such a height, I was there for him. I protected him. As the daughter of the Yen Family, I had the power and he came to it. He was a perfect man but after he became Dai Mian''s personal student something changed. He became conniving and cold. Once the Tao Feng began what Dai Mian "the Conquest", Zuo Er revealed to me why this had begun. Dai Mian had believed that a cmity woulde but he wasn''t too sure. However, once the Demon Continent had revealed itself, he had be certain. He wanted to gather the strongest of the continent in order to prevent this cmity. He needed to sacrifice them in order to appease the heavens. This was why Zuo Er was especially targeting you all, especially the head of Clear Spring Mountain, a new Sky Realm cultivator."


    Hear what she had to say, many of the older generation were lost in thought.


    "Okay, you may leave now girl. There is much to discuss", Qiu Bing sent Yen Fen out before returning to the table.


    "This type of information...is a bit difficult to handle" one of the experts spoke.


    "We should inform everyone but at the same time keep it private. Only we of the older generation should know of this. These younglings do not yet have the power to do anything."


    "Indeed, preparations should be made."


    "We must also speak with the High Council about this."


    "Yes, but until then the Tao Feng should be suppressed for now."


    These talks continued until the next day as everyone exited the main hall with a goal in mind.


    "Well, I must go. There are things that I must attend to", Qiu Bing said his farewells and left with his two children.


    The Fisherman, Wang Yuan, had mysteriously disappeared and his two disciples left hurriedly to find their master.


    Of the guests that came, only Fu Men and Du Hua stayed.. The former was waiting on Elder Fei while thetter wanted to rx.

 Chapter 143 - Rumbling Of The Lands

    While those of the older generation talked, the younger generation spent their time training.


    As they didn''t sustain any longsting damage, it wasn''t long before they began training again. In the now ruined arena, Jing Hai and Lei Jiang dueled each other while Lan Huang stood back and watched. Several others like Wan Li Quan observed from the sidelines, wanting to glean some inspiration or insight from the techniques.


    They were all doing quite fine except for one, Ming Yue.


    She had not awoken, not even from Dong Kuai''s medicine or with the nursing of Du Hua.


    Ming Yue rested in one of main hall''s room, he breath was still there but it was faint.


    Elder Fei sat next to her sleeping body worried. During Zuo Er''s attack, he had spent most of it with the students of the Eternal de Sect while Fu Men, the Sect Leader was busy fighting two of the Tao Feng Elders. Being an elder of this sect, he had a responsibility to uphold and needed to keep them alive. He did not think that Ming Yue would end up in such a state, unable to wake up.


    Elder Fei was quite disappointed in himself despite the consoling words of Fu Men.


    "Fei Yun, there is no reason to continue dwelling on this. You may me yourself for not helping this young girl but she would not me you. It is impossible to protect all that you care for", the head of the Eternal de Sect rested his hand on Elder Fei''s shoulder before leaving the room.


    "You should return with us. You have already reached the Earth Realm so there is much for you to do at the sect", he said.


    As much as Elder Fei did not want to, he knew that Senior Fu Men was correct. There was nothing he could do here but once he returned, he would go and see Cui Fen. But she and her daughter would definitely ask about Ming Yue and he did not know what he would once that happened.


    Meanwhile, Senior Qing met with her elders along with Du Hua. Sitting together, they listened to Wen Jing''s exnation of what she had seen. Ming Yue''s strange behavior and the fact that she was the one behind the bloody massacre. Before that, those that were in charge of the g point that Kuang Li took down described everything that they saw. Ming Yue''s sudden change after being suppressed by the Yen Sisters, the feeling they felt from her.


    In their words, she was like a "personification of death". She didn''t kill indiscriminately as none of them had been attacked by her but she killed with a startling amount of efficiency. Only targeting those in the purple uniforms, she left bodies everywhere she went. It was to the point where even Senior Qing was slightly shocked at the amount of bloodshed.


    On that note, none of the seniors knew what to do. They could only specte the cause of her current state as well as this disy of deadliness. Perhaps this was her without any sort of inhibitions, there were neither mental nor physical limits.


    "But what could have done this?" they thought.


    Sure, there were multiple techniques that would allow someone to battle beyond their limits or significantly boost their power. But, it was unlikely that Ming Yue learned one of them as they were deemed too dangerous and kept in secret.


    It was quite simr to those techniques. When she was first examined, her body was almost it its breaking point. Her energy was dried up and she was incredibly weak, yet there was nosting damage.


    This detail was certainly strange but it narrowed down the source of heratose state. If it was not physical damage that she underwent, then it was damage to her mind and soul.


    As the elders continued to talk, they felt that waking her was a lost cause. After all, studying the soul was a difficult subject. Only those that were well-versed in mental techniques had a better understanding of how one''s soul moved. Yet, such people were few and far in between.


    Despite such odds, Du Hua had a possible solution to Ming Yue''s condition.


    "Let me take her to Heaven''s Gate", she said, "I do believe that there is an expert on the soul within the institution. He may have a chance of helping her."


    "This..." Vice Leader Lu was a bit hesitant at agreeing with her.


    "If you think that it will be too troublesome for me, don''t worry. After hearing you all describe this girl, I''ve be a bit interested in her. Besides, you said she makes medicine too right?" Du Hua smiled, "Come now, we''ve known each other for so long."


    "It''s fine. You may bring her there", Senior Qing said, "Should she awaken, Ming Yue would likely flourish at Heaven''s Gate."


    "Hm, Excellent. I''ll be on my way then", Du Hua left the hall with a coy smile.


    "What should we do now?" Vice Leader Lu looked at Senior Qing for orders.


    "First we recuperate at the mountain and repair the huts and gardens. Then, we start hunting down the Tao Feng."


    Everyone nodded at her orders and quickly moved. As Clear Spring Mountain began their operations, many waves of events washed over the continent. The Tao Feng had be confined on all sides, there was no chance for them to recruit and going outside of their territory meant death or capture. Wandering cultivators like Lan Huang and Lei Jiang went off on their own. The former began hunting again while thetter returned to Red Lotus Country.


    In the Capital City of the Clear Sky Kingdom, Qiu Bing rested on his throne within his pce. Looking over the many documents, he read them one by one, issuing orders and checking reports. Suddenly a obsidian mirror ced by his tale began to glow, he looked at it and stood up, walking towards the mirror.


    As the ssy surface glowed and shimmered, it revealed a old woman.


    "I''vee to report, my king", the woman spoke in a soft tone.


    If Ming Yue was here, she would recognize her as the one from the small hut! But who exactly was she?


    "Don''t call me that senior, You best me in both strength and age", Qiu Bing smiled.


    "Is that an insult?"


    "Heavens no, so what do you need to tell me? What is happening in the Demon Continent?" he asked.


    "As it is, the continent is peaceful to an extent. Kong Zhi seems to have disappeared into thin air. The sixmanders are currently discussing whether they should allow the popce to enter, namely we of the martial world. However, they might allow merchants and craftsmen toe as well."


    "That would be for the best. We could im a stake for thend for ourselves, maybe find some treasures."


    "Indeed, but there have been movement within the armies. After all, just like us, many smaller kingdoms and sects sent in their own groups and units to aid the armies and to observe the continent. To many, the Demon Continent provides a wealth of the unknown. I''vee across numerous strange nts and objects. Demon Cultivators are incredibly different from us. From innate powers to unique methods, there is much that could be learned."


    "True.."


    There was a sight pause, both were pondering what the next move should be.


    "We should wait and see", Qiu Bing spoke aftering to a decision.


    "Quite passive I see, different to what my strand of will witnessed", the woman gave a little smile at the emperor.


    "That..that was different. War is all about strategy, waiting around is a legitimate stratagem. My children were being threatened, I wasn''t going to allow that", Qiu Bing sputtered.


    "Oh, I''m just teasing you."


    His kingly disposition suddenly broke, revealing his childishness. He pouted just a tad bit before returning to his original state. Showing this sort of behavior was surprising, if others saw him they would be ck jawed to see their lord like this.


    "Although, there is something you must know. The Tao Feng Sect did send in their own group to one of the armies. They''ve begun allying themselves with several others. They might be attempting something soon."


    "I see... Well senior, if there is nothing else that needs to be reported. You can go now."


    "Not going to call me grandmother, is it?"


    "Urgh... good bye, Grandmother."


    "Hm, good. Oh... and what about that girl? Ming Yue I think, what do you think of her? Qing''er seems to have attached some importance to the girl. Well to be fair, she is good stock."


    "This... is a bit troublesome to talk of. She has talent but as of now, I''m not sure she would ever awaken from her injuries. The Medicinal Elder Du Hua has taken her back to Heaven''s Gate to see if someone could heal her."


    "I see. Well then, good bye Little Qiu. I''ll be back to report if something else happens."


    With that, the mirror began to shimmer as the image of Qiu Bing''s grandmother disappeared.


    "Agh, Grandmother...always jumping forward", Qiu Bing smiled before returning to his work.


    She was no ordinary figure but the previous empress of the Kingdom, Qiu Cang Long. On top of that, she was the previous Sect Leader of Clear Spring Mountain and Senior Qing''s mentor. Such a powerful figure set off on a new chapter of her life, traversing the Demon Continent with a group of elite soldiers that she herself had raised.* With her cultivation at the Sky Realm, her strength was slightly lower if not equal to that of one of themanders!


    In the Demon Continent, Qiu Cang Long finished speaking to a small obsidian piece before looking back. Staring at her group, she smiled helplessly.


    "Guess, we just stay put?" she said looking at the eyes of herrades.


    Far to the west where Kong Zhi forces resided, they too were just idly standing by. Every now and then there would be some skirmishes with the humans but nothing too major. This was due to Kong Zhi having barely left the catbs of his ancestors. He was still within the ominous rooms but with every passing day, his aura would emanate from it growing stronger.


    "When do you think he wille out?" said one of them.


    "Who knows? But when he does, that will be when we take over the Human Continent!"


    "How are you so sure?


    "One of the Kings said it, you know Irond Tie Jia."


    "Really?"


    "Of course, the three Kings have all been saying the same thing. Once Kong Zhies out, victory is certain. Until then, we continue growing our armies, gain more warriors, breed more creatures."


    "I see. Say, what do you think the Human Continent is like?"


    "I don''t know, maybe green, luscious? As long as there''s food I don''t really care."


    "Guess so."


    Simr conversations happened throughout his forces, curiosity and excitement but most of all hunger. There was a type of yearning within their hearts.


    As for Kong Zhi himself, he was at the end of the great halls, meditating in front of the statue of his ancestor. Multiple scrolls were sprawled around where he sat. His eyes slowly opened, revealing a grayish sea within his eyes, like clouds that blocked the sun. A dark power manifested within him.


    "I need more", he muttered to himself as his eyes closed once again.


    Within the skies of the world, the High Council summoned their messengers to the main room. Their thrones stood tall and firm.


    "All of you, the Thirteen Messengers."


    "The Demon Continent may be calm but trouble will ensue."


    "Kong Zhi may have disappeared but he is not gone."


    "His search for more power has led him to the graves of his ancestors. With each day, he grows stronger."


    "Find his location and disrupt him at the critical moment."


    "Go now and with haste."


    From their floating castle, thirteen figures flew out and headed for the transportation circles. Among them was Su Yao, An RI, and Di Mu.


    Below them was a lonely road, there was a small group walking through. Wearing white and pink uniforms, these were the student of Du Hua, members of Heaven''s Gate. Arge carriage moved about in the middle of their formation. Within the carriage that floated down was Du Hua and Ming Yue, apanied by Du Hua''s personal attendants.


    Their travel was a lengthy one but one without much interruptions. However, it wasn''t long before a mystical city appeared a distance away. Numerous towers and grand buildings could be seen from afar. The most eye-catching of it all were the gates. Made from a pure white material, it glowed under the sunlight and brightened thend.


    "We''re almost there, It''s Heaven''s Gate."

 Chapter 144 - Heavens Gate

    Heaven''s Gate, the main power of the Seven Gates Domain, a neutral ground of the Human Continent known to many as the Heart of the Continent. It is an institution formed from the pact of the six dominant kingdoms of the continent: Bright Star, Azure Wind, Golden Treasure, Raging Sun, Endless Peak, and Dark Water. Half were positioned near the center of the continent while the other half were located in the outer reaches. These six kingdoms were the strongest of every other and excelled at certain aspects.


    The inner three kingdoms were Azure Wind, Golden Treasure, and Endless Peak.


    Azure Wind is a kingdom that treasured its secrecy, often carrying out their actions through quieter means. It did notck in scouts nor assassins and had the best informationwork there was. It was both orderly andwless for many lone warriors reside within the Azure Wind Kingdom.


    Golden Treasure was like its name, it valued treasure the most. Medicine, materials, rare items, all of these things could be found within the Golden Treasure Kingdom. In fact, some say that it feels more like a giant marketce than a kingdom. Wide scaled auctions were held almost every day, featuring things that some may believe to be long gone.


    Endless Peak is a realm that lived in the Xue Mountains. Their people were physically strong due to the harshndscape. With icy peaks, perilous winds, deadly beasts, many became body cultivators as these conditions made it much easier for them to temper themselves.


    The outer three were equally unique.


    Bright Star is known to be the most advanced kingdom, boasting the highest numbers of craftsman and researchers. Here, there was a myriad of wondrous things to be found. The mostplicated of formations to the most bizarre of weapons and contraptions would be found here. Each and every day would be a new discovery: improving forging techniques, creating new inventions, discovering different purposes for materials. The only other domain that could rival this kingdom was Rong Lu City, although Rong Lu City did not have as much variety.


    Raging Sun is and where strength was the deciding factor. There was no need for such things like formations and treasures when one had the strength to break through it all.Only focusing on strength was not the best thing but to the people of Raging Sun, it was an ideal vision. The many cities had ack of decor and design, it was quite bare. Their military is believed to be the strongest and they are thergest kingdom of the six.


    Dark Water was the most mysterious of them all. What is known is that they practice arts different from the norm. Strange and enigmatic, they practice with the energy of the heart, the soul, and the mind. Perhaps, it is fundamentally different from traditional martial arts. Some even call it magical or immortal arts but no one truly knew.


    These domains were collectively known as "The Celestial Lands", something above that of Holy Lands and Secret Realms.


    Long ago, as the Sovereign Age had begun, these six powers grew quickly and vied for control over the entirety of the continent. However, after years of war and battle, they were locked in a stalemate that saw no end. And so, these six entered a pact with each other, to respect their boundaries and guarding the continent from danger but agreeing on mere paper made this alliance too weak. It would be easy for one to ally itself with other kingdoms against another.


    Thus they created Heaven''s Gate, pouring their resources into it. Heaven''s Gate grew into a bustling city that embodied the aspects of all these kingdoms. With it, each kingdom contributed skills and methods of their own to the libraries of Heaven''s Gate.


    While their most incredible secrets were locked up, those who gain recognition from any of these powers would gain ess to these safe-guarded techniques and items. Now, Heaven''s Gate is considered its own power, controlled by a board of members from each kingdom. It is a ce many dream to join, certainly entering and partaking in auctions and such was open to the public. But to be a member of Heaven''s Gate took a different set of requirements.


    Outside of the grand city was the Great Heaven''s Gate wide open, all could enter through whether it was a single peasant to a king among kings. The gates practically glowed with power, made from some sort of marble. Clouds were carved at the bottom of the gate doors and as one looked higher, mystical beasts filled the middle while at the top was a imposing sun. It was like heavens itself looked down upon all beneath it.


    Crowds of people walked through the gates: caravans, carriages ranging from sub-par quality to the luxurious. At the sides of the gate were numerous guards, making sure that none would daree with ill intentions. All were at varying levels of the Earth Realm with the strongest not far from reaching the bottleneck of the final level.


    But that is not our focus, rather there was a much less impressive gate far from the first. It was smaller, adorned with the image of two dragons and guarded by two statues. Made in the image of two great warriors, they wore heavy armor and carried a foreboding gaze. It was as if they coulde alive and kill you at any moment.


    To the masses, this door was of no importance but those who knew the secrets understood the terrifying purpose of this gate.


    This gate was meant for the members of Heaven''s Gate, elders and students that came with. It was this gate that Du Hua''s group approached.


    Standing in front of these statues, a terrifying power emanated from them as if they were alive and stared into their being. But as quickly as it came it disappeared and the gate opened for them.


    Quickly and quietly, they entered Heaven''s Gate and the doors closed behind them.


    Several saw them enter and grew curious, standing in front of the statues. In the next several seconds, their body went through some sort of hell for their bodies were drenched in sweat and their knees buckled in fear.


    While these unlucky few ran off in fear, Du Hua''s group walked through a unique passage way. As they walked up some stairs and reached the main pathway, they found themselves above the street level looking through the city.


    Their destination was the many spires in the center, surrounding arge tower. It was aplex building connected through bridges.


    Walking along the path, Du Hua gazed at the greatnd from above. There were a variety of structures, ranging from towers to houses and open markets. Everything seemed to glow with splendor and yet it was blinding but gentle. The streets were bustling with people, stall and street markets flooded the open areas. The wild smells of food rose to the sky. Hei Yue and Xiao Yin moved about, enamored with the sight.


    The design felt very natural, no rigid lines or box-like buildings but curves and shapes thatplimented each other. It was a beautiful sight.


    Du Hua smiled at the sight of Heaven''s Gate, she was back and now she could go to work.


    The walk from the gate to the Heaven''s Gate Institution was a little less than half an hour. Reaching the end of the long pathway, they were in front of a pair of doors that opened up on its own. Within wererge halls filled with all sorts of people, old and young, men and women. What they all shared was an emblem on their chest, it was a simplistic design that resembled a sun revealing itself from a cloud.


    Upon the entrance of Du Hua''s Carriage, they stopped and bowed to greet the elder before returning to their activities.


    "Hmm, All of you may return to your abodes. It has been a tough journey on all of us", said Du Hua dismissing her students.


    Thus she was left with Ming Yue, who rested with her in the carriage, her two attendants, and Ming Yue''s two pets.


    "Let''s go.. I''m going to meet with Elder Shen", her carriage slowly floated through the institution.

 Chapter 145 - The Spirit Elder

    Moving through the many halls, Du Hua''s carriage reached a rather deste one, somewhat dark and dreary, devoid of people. In front of the entrance way was a white que at the top, the words "Spirit Hall" etched deeply on it. At the end of the hall were a pair of doors, pure white and outlined with a golden strip.


    "Wait here", Du Hua, still inside her carriage, ordered her two servants who stood and watched their master approach the doors.


    "Hm, wee back from your trip, Elder Hua. Pleasee in, the Star Owl and that Mistral Fox maye as well", an ancient voice resounded within the halls and the doors opened up.


    With that said, Hei Yue and Xiao Yin hopped into the carriage and rested by Ming Yue''s body.


    Looking through, there was nothing to see, just darkness. If others were to see this perhaps they would believe it to be a gate to some forbiddennd maybe even the underworld itself. Perhaps this was the reason few dared to linger in this hall for long.


    But, the Medicinal Elder continued onward without a care and as soon as her floating carriage disappeared into the empty void, the doors closed on their own.


    On the other side was a very strange sight indeed. Needless to say, it was like another world.


    The carriage found itself floating on water and under the night sky. As far as the eye could see was the calmness of the sea and several hundred meters away was a small ind. One could see the silhouette of a house apanied by a strange tree, one whose branches extended along the ground and towards the sky. Its leaves drooped down and swayed in the breeze. With the light of the moon shining upon it, you would find the tree to be violet pink in color. It was a sight to behold.


    Du Hua motioned forward, moving the carriage towards the little ind.


    The two beasts looked out with curiosity, there was a strange and mystifying feeling that came with this domain.


    "Elder Shen, what happened to your previous look?" she asked.


    "Haha, I lost interest in it. Looking at an endless sea seemed more appealing than a field of flowers. A different type of peacefulness you know. Besides, this Celestial Wisteria Tree* is quite beautiful to watch", the ancient voice answered back.


    Certainly there was a feeling of wisdom from it but at the same time, it was calming and quiet.


    "You being here must pertain to that girl yes?"


    "Indeed, when I left to congratte the sect leader of Clear Spring Mountain, the young master of the Tao Feng saw it fit to try to capture us all. Fortunately enough, such a fate was avoided and this girl here is one of those reasons. But personally, I''m quite interested in her."


    "I see, well this girl is certainly quite intriguing. Let me have a closer inspection."


    The carriage was only halfway to the ind before it suddenly reached the shore. Rather than it going towards the ind, the ind went towards the carriage. The carriage''s door opened and Du Hua exited with Ming Yue floating behind her. Hei Yue and Xiao Yin followed after but continued looking around with eyes full of curiosity for they could not shake off this feeling of strangeness.


    As the four approached the small house, the wooden doors opened as an old man appeared from within. He seemed both older and younger than Du Hua. While he did not have as many wrinkles as her, his hair was snow white, his beard grew down to his waist and his eyebrows were long enough to reach his chin.


    His back was slightly hunched and his hands were behind him. He wore a ck and white robe, carrying a in gold chain around his neck.


    "Elder Shen", Du Hua bowed in front of him.


    "Oh please, we''re all of the same status besides no one''s here besides us. Come in" Elder Shen said, leading them into his little home.


    Within it was just one round room with a simple bed and table. It was a bit bare but there was a shelf opposite to the bed and it was filled to the brim with books. The table itself had several papers and book spread across the top.


    Oddly enough, a small catid sprawled out by the table, its shimmering white fur slowly rose up and down from its breathing.


    "Put her there, let me examine her", he told Du Hua, pointing at the bed.


    With a single thought, She moved Ming Yue''s body onto it and Elder Shen pulled up a chair. He sat down and immediate went to work. Making several hand signs, the image of a heavenly eye manifested in front of his face, staring down at Ming Yue.


    The entire process took several hours to which Elder Shen filled with murmurs, muttering things to himself.


    In the meanwhile, Du Hua rested on chair, sipping tea that she brewed herself. Ovee with boredom, Hei Yue and Xiao Yin explored the ind rather quickly and ended up sleeping near their felinepatriot.


    At the end of the examination, the eye slowly disappeared as Elder Shen stood up, pondering about Ming Yue''s state.


    "Can you awaken her?" Du Hua asked.


    "That is a rather difficult subject considering the state of her mind and soul", Elder Shen replied.


    He continued, "To be blunt, yes. I can heal her. However..."


    "What is it?"


    "Her soul injured and her mind is fractured into mostly two pieces. These two things are bound to heal on their own but they could take mere seconds or eons to do so. In her case, she has been under too much stress causing her consciousness to shut down and create a new one to suit the situation. Because of this, her soul was became unstable as it could barely support what is now two minds. In order to fix this issue, those two minds must now merge back to one. Thus her soul will heal as well."


    "That doesn''t sound very serious."


    "No, you do not understand. Merging back these two minds is incredibly difficult, more than likely they will reject each other. Forcing it could result in her losing her mind forever."


    "Then what do you n to do?"


    "I can urge the two minds together but in order for her to fully recover, she must do it herself. So long as I can ease her two minds and put them into a peaceful state, the chance of them merging will increase."


    "And what are those chances?"


    "...it is about a tenth..."


    "A tenth?"


    "If it was someone else, then those odds would be less than one in a thousand."


    "Hmm, I suppose that''s true. You are the Spirit Elder of Dark Water Kingdom, if even you can barely do it, no one else could. Well then, I should leave you to your work, I must inform the rest of the Heavenly Board about the Tao Feng. I will send you something for helping more with this" Du Hua stood up, leaving a finished cup of tea on the table.


    "I don''t needpensation. This is a rare condition that few had seen, studying this is enough for me", Elder Shen looked at Du Hua.


    "Oh, I''ll send you something anyways. Whenever she stirs, inform me immediately."


    "Of course."


    The Medicinal Elder left Elder Shen''s home and exited his domain. As for the Spirit Elder himself, he quickly went to work as his surroundings suddenly shimmered and disappeared, revealing a room filled with all sorts of markings, books, and materials.


    Xiao Yin and Hei Yue stirred and looked around in surprise as thefy little home had be a vast room. The walls had all sorts drawing pinned to the ground, there were several tables with books opened up to random pages. Random markings and formations were drawn on the floor.


    "Oh, we''re starting something?" the white cat suddenly spoke and stared at her master.


    "Indeed, this one will quite possibly be the most difficult thing I will attempt", Elder Shen answered his pet.


    Both of Ming Yue''s pets stared at the two in confusion.


    Exactly what was starting?

 Chapter 146 - Taking Action

    "Bai Ying, grab the Seven Wood Tub" Elder Shen quickly instructed the cat while he grabbed several medicinal treasures and a liquid of some sort.


    As for the cat, Bai Ying, it stood up and walked through the messy room, slowly growing in size until it wasrger than a normal man. It approached arge seven colored wooden tub that wasrge enough to fit several people.


    "Where do you want it?" Bai Ying asked.


    "ce it on the Tranquility Formation, fill it with water and throw in the bones of a Severing Sloth."


    "A Severing Sloth? That''s a bit too much for just a girl", Bai Ying questioned.


    "Don''t doubt me."


    "Okay then."


    Quickly, the Seven Wood Tub was ced on top of a ratherrge formation, one that of the stars in the sky. It was filled to the brim with water to which some carved up bones and numerous nts were thrown in.


    "Alright then, time to put her in", Elder Shen approached Ming Yue and quickly undressed her before dipping her body into the tube, cing her in a cross-legged position.


    He then looked at Ming Yue''s two pets, "You twoe help me out."


    Both of them quickly approached him in a somewhat dizzy state as they watched the Spirit Elder move at such a quick pace.


    "When I activate this formation, the two of you should add a portion of your energy into it as well. Since the both of you have been with her for such a long time, the addition of your energy should improve her chances of recovering her mind", he said to them.


    As if understanding him, they moved about happily and moved towards the Seven Wood Tub.


    The tub itself was quite small, onlyrge enough to fit one person. Yet the formation it sat on wasrge, in fact one of thergest formations that marked the floor.


    The three approached the formation while Bai Ying stood back and watched.


    Carrying a bottle of some sort, Elder Shen removed the plug and poured out a viscous ck ink onto his hands. With his ink covered hands, he began drawing strange marks on the outside of the tub. The ink snaked around, forming all sorts of images and symbols. Once hepleted it, he stood at the outside of the formation and looked at the two beasts.


    "Are you ready?" he asked them.


    Both gave him a resolute look and began to circle their own energy. Without taking another breath, the Spirit Elder ced his hands on the formation and began chanting.


    Slowly but surely, the Tranquility Formation began to glow slightly absorbing the energy that Hei Yue and Xiao Yin gave. The Seven Wood Tub''s contents mixed together turning into an amber color as the formation began feeding energy into it. The amber water began to ripple gently, converging onto Ming Yue who sat in the center of it.


    Once it was activated, the three watched before Elder Shen turned back.


    "All that''s left is to wait", he said.


    Although he walked off, Ming Yue''s two pets stayed and watched with hope and anticipation.


    "At any moment now, she could awaken", they thought and thus they waited.


    Bai Ying returned to its original size and walked next to them.


    "Don''t just sit and wait like this", the cat said, "Something like this could take forever to recover from, you should return to the Medicinal Elder and rx. Once she awakens, you will naturally know."


    Despite Bai Ying''s advice, they barely budged, watching Ming Yue.


    "Hm, what loyalty."


    Indeed, the three had been together for almost a year now, forming a close bond. Things like sharing meals and hunting together was amon activity for them. Not to mention, both Hei Yue and Xiao Yin gave Ming Yue a sense offort and family.*


    As they watched Ming Yue, Du Hua returned to her quarters. Compared to Elder Shen''s ce, her''s was quite different. It suffused the sweet aroma of medicine. There were numerous pill bottles ced within a shelf that covered the entirety of a wall. Opposite of it was a plethora of nts, a variety of colors and shapes that brightened a room that did not need brightening. Large windows made for allowing plenty of sunlight toe in and several cauldrons that sat over a raging fire could be found at the middle of her room.


    Although calling it a "room" was too modest, rather it was arge workshop with enough space to hold hundreds of people.


    As for Du Hua, she had changed clothes and redid her makeup. She looked at the boiling cauldrons before leaving her workshop. Her two attendants waited outside and followed her. Walking through the institution of Heaven''s Gate, she reached arge set of doors and entered. Behind those door was a grand room which had a oval table in the far back. Behind that table was a young looking man reading through some books. He seemed younger than twenty with quite boyish looks, short hair and some freckled cheeks that made him quite cute.


    Despite his young appearance, those who stood in front of him could not shake off a feeling of smallness. It was as if they stood in front of a god. Even someone such as Du Hua felt this way. Perhaps he was at the Heaven Realm but if not, then he was ever so close to reaching it.


    "Du Hua", he said, "What brings you here?"


    "Grand Elder Huang, I came to talk about the Tao Feng."


    "Them? What happened?"


    Du Hua recounted what had happened at Clear Spring Mountain, all the while the Grand Elder held a pondering expression. At the end of it, Grand Elder Huang sat back in his chair before standing up.


    "I suppose we should take care of them", he said.


    Far from Heaven''s Gate, in a deep valley with mist thick enough to block the sun, there was a fortress of sorts. It was imposing, a mix of the ominous and the magnificent. On one end, it was an awe-inspiring sight but the aura seemed less than weing.


    Was this where the Tao Feng resided?


    Within this fortress, in a great hall at the highest level of this great structure, was Zuo Er cowering in front of a figure seated upon a gray throne. The figure''s face was hidden under a hood but with the way Zuo Er acted in front of him, this was none other than the Sect Master of the Tao Feng Sect.


    "You attempt this great n of yours and return a failure", his voice boomed throughout the hall.


    It was deep and powerful, a type of grit found in that of cold blooded killers was heard in every word he spoke.


    "I have no excuse, I have failed you master" said Zuo Er.


    His body was covered in sweat under the immense pressure that the Sect Master evoked. His legs were in crutches.


    "You have more than failed me. You have disappointed me. More than just a failure, you returned as a cripple. You''ve lost control over your legs and you can no longer use martial arts. I put so much resources into you and now? What use do you have?"


    He looked up still with determined eyes.


    "Next time, I will not fail you!" he answered back with assurance.


    "Next time? Indeed next time...", the Sect Master looked at him.


    His eyes were fearsome, piercing in fact.


    "Well then, let''s make sure that this time, you won''t fail" he stood up and walked to his protege.


    Holding his hand out, energy gathered in his palm and entered Zuo Er''s chest.. From it, Zuo Er suddenly lost consciousness and his master carried him into a hidden hallway, one that led to the deepest parts of the fortress.

 Chapter 147 - Within The Uncolored World

    What would be of Zuo Er, no one would know yet.


    What the Grand Elder of Heaven''s Gate nned to do would not take ce untilter.


    None of this mattered yet as the most important thing was Ming Yue''s recovery. As the days went by, she showed signs that she was not gone yet. Ever so slightly her eyes would twitch, then her face, then her arms, and finally her legs. Her expression changed to one of concentration, her eyes furrowed and beads of sweat that fell from her head.


    Elder Shen would only take a quick look before smiling and going back to his work. It seemed that it was working!


    Hei Yue and Xiao Yin practically jumped for joy at the first sign, watching closely only to find their master still unable to awaken.


    Under the encouragement of Bai Ying, the two beasts decided that waiting would do nothing to help her and instead began assisting both Elder Shen and Elder Hua. Most of the time it was to deliver something but on some asions, either elder would bring them out to explore the vast city of Heaven''s Gate.


    Meanwhile Ming Yue found herself in a world she could notprehend. It was a world devoid of color, without even a breath of life. Her light blue robes had lost their color and she was without her sword. She could not recognize where she was, nothing but ashen grass surrounded.


    "What is this?" she thought to herself, turning and looking all around.


    There was nothing but endless gray and without a clear goal, she began to wander.


    Seconds became minutes, minutes became hours and hours became days. There seemed to be no end to this world. Ming Yue had lost track of time long ago. In this world of gray, day and night did not exist. She felt numb and mindless, aimlessly wandering.


    Why was she here?


    How could she break out?


    Time flowed without end and still she did not know what this world was. It was certainly not some illusion and she felt a sense of familiarity with this ce. There was a connection here but she could not deduce what it was.


    "Are you bored yet?"


    She whipped around, looking for the source of that voice and faced against herself. That figure was her but the feeling she gave off was different. It was cold and unnerving. It was as if this version of Ming Yue was created from unnatural means. More than anything her eyes were different, there was no color in them. Her pupils were ck as the night and seemed like an endless pit.


    Ming Yue was shocked to find herself staring at her but kept herposure.


    "Who are you? Where am I?" she asked.


    "I''m you or at least a part of your consciousness as you are of mine. As for where this is, this is the space within your soul."


    "This...is my soul? How could this be?"


    "What do you mean? Your body is in a state where it cannot wake up. The two of us were formed from the fragments or your mind and this is where we reside in now."


    "How can I get out?"


    "Escape? If you want to escape, you must take control of this space."


    "How?"


    "Well it is ''our'' world, how do you think you are going to control it?"


    At the end of that question, the emotionless copy rushed forward and grabbed Ming Yue''s neck. She was far too quick and Ming Yue could barely react before she found a slender hand mped on her neck. In her eyes, she looked at Ming Yue struggle to get out before scoffing at throwing her on the ground.


    "This is too easy. Why are you so weak?" she looked at Ming Yue, who coughed for air.


    "We are one and the same yet, I can overpower you so easily. Can you even fight?"


    Ming Yue looked at her lookalike with surprise, "Why were you so quick to attack me? If we are not one and the same, battle should not be the answer."


    "Stop talking and fight back. If you want to escape then take me down", the lookalike didn''t give Ming Yue anymore time to rest.


    She attacked once more but this time, Ming Yue was prepared and fought back.


    "Defeating one another cannot be the only way, there must be another" she said pleadingly.


    "One of us needs to lose to leave, there is no other way"


    "What do you mean?"


    Her copy stopped at looked at her. In that emotionless face, there was a sense of hatred, jealousy.


    "I found myself in this world long before you came. I wandered this ce, catching glimpses of the world you live in, the true world. Yet, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn''t get out of this ''fake'' world. Then suddenly, I found myself in control of our body and I battled in your stead. I killed your enemies for you when you were too weak to do so. I massacred all of those purple robed bastards. Then at the final moment, I was sent back here. There were no longer any scenes of the world I saw and here I was wandering again. I wondered what had happened after I was forced back. Then I found you and I realized, when I took control, you were here and in reverse I would be here when you take control. Since the both of us are here, one of us must get out."


    "This...how can you be so sure?"


    "One of us will be free while the other stays a prisoner. This is the only way."


    Their fight continued in this colorless world, slowly it began to intensify. As Ming Yue began to struggle, her counterpart seemed bored. Every move she encountered was easily dealt with.


    "Why are you so slow? So inefficient. I''ve seen you fight, you should be better than this", she looked at her in disdain.


    Her movement suddenly sped up and she grabbed Ming Yue''s fist and pinned her to the ground.


    "So simr and yet such a difference, what is it that youck?"


    Ming Yue''s copy began talking to Ming Yue about her ws. If she wanted to take control and win, she would have done so but was there another motive?


    "Why? I understand you more than you even think and yet now, you feel like aplete stranger to me. Where is that sharpness of yours? Your determination, what happened?"


    Ming Yue struggled under her grip.


    "If we are one and the same, why is there a need to fight?"


    "Because, you are too different. You''re too weak. When I was out there I was unstoppable, I almost killed those two Yen bitches. I killed so much and that is proof of the potential within me. I could do so much more than you. Haah, I wanted you to understand what it feels like to be stuck here, to be a prisoner, an observer. Now, you should just disappear."


    Ming Yue heard the sound of a sword exiting its sheathe and quickly pushed off the ground, escaping her copy''s hands. She turned around and jumped back in an instant, narrowly missing the swing of a de, her de.


    Her copy held the de with familiarity and looked at it, "This is our world, naturally we can do whatever we want in it. Drifting Sky is in much better hands now."


    The copy''s aura suddenly exploded, ck energy seeped from her very pores.


    "Come here and die, or are you going to fight back?"


    Ming Yue looked at her and opened her hands, if this was her world, then she will have her sword back. Her hands closed back, gripping onto the familiar handle of Drifting Sky. Her own power skyrocketed, her energy was colorless but its strength was undeniable.


    "Hmph, so you do have some capability. Maybe you might put up a decent battle before your inevitable end."


    Ming Yue did not bother listening to her copy and took the initiative.


    Outside of her soul, where her physical bodyid. Rounds of energy pulsated from her body. Wisps of ck came out, it felt ominous and yet it was heavenly.


    Elder Shen looked at it with surprise.


    "This is not just two halves of the same person, there is a third", he thought.


    "This energy....we should take her to the courtyard and get several other elders to watch", his face had a grave expression as he quickly called for Bai Ying.


    Why was he so serious all of the sudden? That was because this ck aura was no ordinary one.


    This was the energy of a heavenly tribtion! But why was it here?

 Chapter 148 - If I Want To Live, Then You Must Die

    "Just what exactly did this girl do?" he though to himself.


    Elder Shen quickly packed several items and left his halls. At the base of the institution was a number of courtyards and he went to one of thergest ones. Located at the edge, it was arge field the size of an arena.


    Bai Ying followed after with its tail wrapped around Ming Yue''s tub. From behind, Elder Hua, Hei Yue and Xiao Yin, came walking.


    "ce it there", Elder Shen pointed at the center of the field.


    With Ming Yue inside, Bai Ying quickly put down the tub and leaped away. A violent sh of energy emerged from Ming Yue, her expression was conflicted and in pain and her body writhed under the power.


    "What''s going on?" Elder Hua asked.


    "I said I could possibly heal her split mind. I didn''t say I would go against the Heavens to do so", he said.


    "What? That''s impossible. There were no signs of any effect when she was struck by the heavenly tribtion of Clear Spring Mountain''s Sect Leader. Why would it take effect now."


    "Hah, you underestimate the power of the Heaven''s. A tribtion will affect all those in its way. Perhaps she managed to ovee it but that doesn''t mean that she has the capabilities to deal with it fully. Perhaps a trace of it never left and it seeded deep into her mind. Now it has sprouted. It is toote now, she is undergoing a tribtion. Not even I could help her."


    "But that doesn''t make sense, how could this be?"


    "The Heavens are a fickle entity. It will not leave just because one measly tribtion didn''t do the job. You of all people should know, heaven-defying pills go through waves of tribtion lightning do they not. This is no different. It seems that the Heavens are trying to snuff a genius before she could even make her mark. Never mind that, get some more elders to help me detain her. We cannot let the tribtion energy leak around the institution!"


    Secondster, several figures descended from the air garnering the attention of multiple students of the institution.


    In total, there were nine of elders that have gathered.


    "We felt the energy of a heavenly tribtion here, it wasn''t extremely powerful but we had to investigate", said one of them.


    "Ah good, surround that girl over there. She is the source", said Elder Shen.


    He ruffled through the items her brought before giving them all an orb.


    "Hold this and stand at these points. It will detain the power of the heavenly tribtion."


    "Who is this girl?"


    "Stop asking questions and do as I say, before the situation bes worse!"


    With that, everyone went into positions that Elder Shen assigned them and the orbs began to glow, forming a barrier around Ming Yue''s tub. Once everything was settled, Ming Yue''s energy could not break past the barrier.


    "Wait, Elder Hua, isn''t that the girl you came back with a while back?" one of elders said.


    "Er, yes. I didn''t think she would have such a condition. I do apologize for implicating you all."


    "Hey, it''s that Star Owl and the variant Mistral Fox. I see, so she''s their master. I''ve always been curious about how she came across a variant. Perhaps when she wakes up, I could ask her."


    This elder was muscr and deeply tanned. His hair was put into a long ponytail. He had a somewhat rough face but his expression was quite gentle and full of curiosity. Although he wore yellowish robes, it would not be able to hide the scars on his neck. They were numerous and resembled w marks from various beasts. If there were so many on his neck, just how scarred was the rest of his body?


    "You brought someone back Elder Hua?"


    "Oh yes, when I came to congratte the Sect Leader of Clear Spring Mountain. She piqued my interest and she is pretty handy with a sword. You might find her peculiar as well, Elder Xiang."


    The one named Elder Xiang was simply a rugged old man. His dark blue robes were well kept, decorated by an emerald ribbon that wrapped around his waist. His grayish hair was tied to a small bun and his face carried apathetic expression.


    "Who knows?" he said.


    "Will you all shut up?" Elder Shen yelled out, "The energy is beginning to grow stronger now!"


    At the center of the barrier, Ming Yue''s body showed signs of struggling. She thrashed about violently before raising her hand up high. In an instant, a shing light flew through the barrier to which she grabbed onto tightly.


    As the light disappeared, what was in her grasp revealed to her sword, Drifting Sky. Clouds started to gather as the sky darkened before they quickly dispersed.


    Then the Grand Elder made his appearance and looked at Ming Yue''s current appearance.


    "To think she would undergo a heavenly tribtion right now. Fortunately, it is a minor one or else I would not have been able to hide it from the Heavens."


    "Grand Elder!" the other elders called out his name with respect.


    "Hm, continue watching her. She may awaken soon", after saying his piece, the Grand Elder left silently.


    Ming Yue''s energy only grew more violent by the second and she clung to Drifting Sky with great strength. The Seven Wood Tub could no longer contain her as she flew out of it. Pushed into a blind rage, she sent off attacks randomly, shaking the barrier constantly.


    "Damn it! The barrier might not hold!" Elder Shen yelled out.


    "Should I step in?" Elder Xiang pulled out a simple dagger.


    "Hold on, don''t you even think about hurting her!" Elder Hua red at him.


    Ming Yue''s energy grew more and more violent as her internal battle grew closer to a climax.


    Facing her other self, the two of them were locked in battle. Both of them used the same moves, their timing was impably sharp. With Ming Yue determined to defeat this fragment of her consciousness, she slowly adapted and matched her opponent.


    Two des blurred in the air, sharp ngs and rings sounded off as the des cut down on each other. Their power simply flowed out like rivers, each attack they made created chasms in the ground. The colorless world of her soul was suddenly filled with upturnednd, craters, and rifts.


    "Come, prove to me that you ought to remain in control, that you are better than me! That moment of time I spent in control was nothingpared to the eternity wandering this world! In that moment, I did so much better than you! I killed your enemies!" her copy yelled at her constantly, goading her to push harder.


    "Fight, fight, fight, is all that you is how to fight?" Ming Yue yelled back.


    "Why is that so wrong?! You must kill to survive! You must be strong to thrive! If you are incapable of either one, then death is the only end for you! Is that not what you wanted? The moment I took control, thest thought you had was to survive. Even if you had to massacre your way through, the only thing that mattered was to survive. That was what I did, I killed my way through and lived. That was what I wanted! I wanted to live! Not stay here and merely watch. I wanted to experience what you had!"


    Saying those words, Ming Yue''s counterpart looked at her with rage, jealousy, and emotion.


    "And if I want to live, then you must die", Ming Yue looked at her as she spoke.


    "So be it, do you dare to end this in one strike."


    "Stop talking, this must end."


    The both of them rescinded their auras, instead focusing it into their swords. The next move would decide this fight. Quick as the wind they moved, in that split second time seemed to slow. Ming Yue found herself to be slower by a single instant. Once it passed, the de of her other self would behead her.


    Her counterpart smiled, victory was at hand!


    Then, she faltered. Suddenly, two beasts materialized out of nowhere. Only their silhouettes appeared and they attacked the arm of Ming Yue''s copy, slowing her down before disappearing.


    "Hei Yue, Xiao Yin!" Ming Yue thought excitedly and then she pushed herself, forcing Drifting Sky into the heart of her other self.


    "This...don''t forget this..", she struggled to utter those words as her body turned into dust.


    As that dust scattered about, it began to fill the damage in thend.


    Ming Yue looked around before a wave of lethargy washed over her. She felt strangely weak but nheless she was grateful for the aid of her two little friends.. She could no longer fight the weight of her eyelids as they closed.

 Chapter 149 - Strength Through Adversity

    Her eyes opened shortly after and Ming Yue found herself on a simple bed within a small round home.


    "Why do I always end up on a bed?" she thought to herself.


    She sat up and looked around, her clothes were neatly folded and her things were organized on a small table at the center of the room. Instead of her blue robes, she wore simple white ones. It was peaceful to say the least, somewhat soothing. However, it would seem that she was by herself.


    Getting off of the bed, she felt a weak, struggling to keep herself steady. In the end, she grabbed the sheathed Drifting Sky off of the table and used it as a staff to support her. With several gentle steps, she reached the door and opened it, finding herself on a small ind surrounded by water.


    Not far from her was a great tree with leaves resembling wisteria.


    "Oh, you''re awake. It''s about time", the voice of an old man surprised her.


    He stood next to the tree, looking out into the endless seas.


    "Who are you? Where is this?" Ming Yue approached him, still supporting herself with Drifting Sky.


    "I am the Spirit Elder, Shen Zhong, but you may call me Elder Shen. As for where we are, this is my personal quarters. The Medicinal Elder, Elder Hua, brought you here for me to heal you. Your mind and soul were incredibly weak."


    "Then...what about Clear Spring Mountain? What has happened there?"


    Ming Yue was worried, she did not know how long she had been unconscious for and wanted to know if Clear Spring Mountain was safe.


    Elder Shen turned around and smiled at her.


    "You do not need to worry, all is well there."


    "And the Tao Feng? What about them?"


    "They have been reduced to almost nothing. After offending an elder of Heaven''s Gate, the grand elder made an order to suppress them fully. As far as I know, all that is left is to find their main headquarters and detain the sect master."


    "I see... Then how much time has passed since I''ve been unconscious?"


    "This makes it almost six months, give or take one to two weeks. But you should rest now, I will go get Bai Ying to inform your two pets about your awakening."


    Several days passed after Ming Yue woke up, she found Hei Yue and Xiao Yin different than before. Hei Yue''s fur took on another level of softness and Xiao Yin grew to the size of a human head. Furthermore, Elder Hua made her appearance and asked how she was doing.


    With her strength returning, she found several differences with her body. The most surprising of which was her cultivation. She had reached the final level of the Human Realm and was even close to breaking past the barrier to reach the Earth Realm!


    But how could this be?


    Both Elder Shen and Elder Hua examined her body and exined to her the events that urred while she was knocked out. From the massacre of Clear Spring Mountain to the Heavenly Tribtion, her body had undergone punishment like no other.


    However, undergoing a tribtion was shocking to her.


    Then something came to mind when she thought of it.


    "Could it be?"


    Ming Yue looked at the two elders before telling them.


    "When Senior Qing, the sect leader was undergoing her tribtion, I was pulled in by ident. We had been talking to her when it had happened. But it was fortunate that both of us came out unharmed, I did not think that the energy of the tribtion would have stuck with me for so long."


    Hearing her thoughts, both elders were slightly speechless and looked at each other helplessly.


    "You are either the luckiest girl I''ve met or the unluckiest", said Elder Shen, "Those in the way of the Heavens usually end up heavily injured or dead. But, it seems that you are one of the few to have survived."


    "Not to mention, the benefits you have reaped", Elder Hua added.


    "Your body had undergone punishment that many in your generation would find next to impossible of enduring. Thus, your physical body had reached a higher level."


    "And your heavenly tribtion did not leave you empty handed. The barrier we trapped you in also stops any sort of energy from entering or leaving. Since that heavenly energy had no way to return to the world, it surrendered to your energy and merged. With it coursing through your body, it purified and concentrated your cultivation base, allowing your the reach the final level before the Earth Realm."


    "Yes, while you were recovering, we two took the time to examine your body and make sure that everything was in order."


    "You really are an example of strength through adversity. From what we''ve seen, it doesn''t look like you had a teacher either. Your meridians are somewhat damaged and your foundation is well done but there are some cracks. I took the liberty of fixing that," Elder Shen smiled as he said those words.


    Ming Yue seemed quite excited after hearing what they had said.


    "How can I ever thank you?" she gave a respectful bow, cupping her hands together.


    "Please, you don''t have to bow. You''re still recovering", Elder Shen quickly walked to her and helped her stand.


    "Indeed, I brought you here because you were quite interesting and I was correct. This leads to some other matters that we should tell you. Here, this is for you", Elder Hua held out a small badge, shaped with a sun rising from a cloud.


    It was slightly different from those of the normal members of the Institution of Heaven''s Gate, sporting a darker grayish shine.


    Ming Yue took it and began to examine the small piece.


    "After a fair bit a deliberation, we are going to admit you into the Heaven''s Gate as a Specialized Student", Elder Hua exined, "What this means is that you have a higher position than those of normal students and it is proof that your ability has been acknowledged. Therefore, you did not need to undergo a test of some sort."


    "This...I don''t understand. I don''t believe that I have the ability to enter so easily", Ming Yue answered back, thinking that there must have been a mistake.


    "Don''t worry", said Elder Shen, "In due time, you will learn much more about the world. Until now, you will be under the guidance of me, Elder Hua, and another named Elder Xiang."


    "Yes, Elder Shen will be assisting in your cultivation technique. I will be going to teach you more about medicines and Elder Xiang will be helping you out with your sword training."


    "However, all of this cer. For now, you should focus on recovering. If there is anything you need help with please feel free to ask."


    With their conversation reaching an end, Elder Hua left the ind while Elder Shen helped Ming Yue to her bed. Meanwhile, Hei Yue and Xiao Yin spent their time clinging to their master. After all, they have been waiting for her to awaken for almost half of a year. From Clear Spring Mountain to now, they only had each other and Bai Ying forpany. Six months without Ming Yue was very difficult for the two.


    As Ming Yueid on her bed, she felt somewhat bored. Laying there and unable to really do anything else, though it didn''t take long for Elder Shen to notice. A dayter, he came back with some books and spent the time talking to her. Elder Hua had evens sent some books on rare nts and strange medicines.


    Then, she learned more about the world and there was much that she never knew.


    The four great kingdoms, hiddenmunities, the history of great figures, the differences in medicine, there were all sorts of things that she absorbed.


    Ming Yue had always been a curious person so this was perfect for her: satiating her mind and curbing her boredom. There were even books regarding the ancient history of the three continents.. She learned of the eras that came before the Sovereign Age, even before the Warlord Age.

 Chapter 150 - The Immensity Of Heavens Gate

    Another week passed before she was fully recovered. Able to move freely now, the first thing she set out to do was to explore all of Heaven''s Gate.


    As Elder Shen was upied with other matters, he sent Bai Ying to guide her.


    Apanied by the small cat and her two pets, Ming Yue walked through the many buildings of the Institution before trailing into the city around it. The gray badge swayed about as it hung from her wrist like a bracelet.


    Bai Ying took the three through all of the spires of the Institution, numbered well over one hundred with many kinds of facilities: cultivation rooms, training fields, gardens, workshops, forges and much more.


    The Institution was incredibly beautiful and seemed to cater to the faculty. Elder Hua''s section was filled with numerous pill-making rooms and medical gardens. Elder Shen''s domain was much more mysterious and always carried a strange atmosphere.


    Having seen most of the Heaven''s Gate, Hei Yue and Xiao Yin walked with Bai Ying leisurely while Ming Yue''s eyes darted around.


    Every hall she looked at seemed to have its own unique appearance, some sort of special decor. Whether it was physical objects like statues to pieces of art, each elder must have decorated their hall personally. Otherwise, she could not think of another reason for the colorful sights. The halls themselves were both the Elder''s personal home and had some special features. Giant cauldrons, intricate forges, vast libraries, each hall had something.


    Being a "specialized" student really had its perks. The more she walked around the more she realized how much power that badge had. All it took was one small look from the overseers before she would be allowed in. Of course, with Bai Ying, there were other procedures that were skipped.


    Contrary to that, a normal badge would require one to state their purpose and pay to use these areas for a limited time. While the badge could not fully waive the need to pay, it would allow her a rather hefty discount.


    After walking through various ces, they reached the "Beast Hall", where loud and powerful rumbling came from within.


    "What exactly is inside? Could it be beasts but how could they be kept in here?" Ming Yue thought.


    "This is the Beast Hall", said Bai Ying, "Past these doors is one of the more unique ces. A spatial world, created by one of the first founders, especially for keeping and caring for creatures. Something like this cannot be copied since it requires the skill of someone at the Immortal Realm. Though, thest Immortal Realm Cultivator existed during the Warlord Age."


    Out of curiosity, she walked towards it and looked inside. What she had opened to was something that exceeded her imagination.


    What Bai Ying said was right, it really was a world of its own. All sorts of creatures ran about as several groups of people ran about with some strange equipment. Some were being fed, others cleaned, there were even several who sparred with some of the Bestial Halls members. Wearing dark yellow-colored robes, their clothes were wrapped tightly around their limbs and were quite easy to move in. The words "Beast Hall" were embroidered on their sleeves.


    They were all too upied to see the strange groupprising of three beasts and a young girl.


    "Ah, you''re that girl! You''re finally awake", a tanned man who was upied with feeding what seemed to be an infant bear with streaks of bright violet fur, noticed her entering.


    "Come over!" he said.


    With no reason to decline, she walked forward and sat next to him.


    "I am the Beast Elder, you can call me Elder Zhou", he looked at her with a bit of excitement.


    "Now that you''re here, I''ve been curious about your Mistral Fox there. How did youe across him?" Elder Zhou asked earnestly.


    "Oh, um, I saved him while I was out traveling", she answered, not wanting to speak about his origins.


    Saying that he was found after the death of his mother did not seem appropriate to say.


    "Hm, you must be lucky then. There aren''t many asions where one can see a variant of a beast much less something as illustrious as a Mistral Fox. Judging from his size, he was a child when you found him although he has only grown a bit more", he said.


    "Variant?" Ming Yue was confused, Hei Yue was different from a normal Mistral Fox.


    "Ah, Elder Hua did say you haven''t seen much of the world. I''ll exin", Elder Zhou had just finished feeding the little bear and let it sleep in his arms.


    Feeling a lengthy conversation was about to unfold, Bai Ying rested on herp. Hei Yue decided to y with some of the other beasts and Xiao Yin chased after.


    "As you may know, Beasts are divided into ranks from 1 through 10. Anything above that would be considered a legendary beast like dragons and phoenixes. Rank 1 through 3 can be dealt with by Human Realm Cultivators or even ordinary people if they have the right tools. From Rank 4 to 6, Earth Realm Cultivators would be needed to subdue them. Finally, those from 7 to 10 would need at the very least several Heaven Realm Cultivators to contend. These ranks only indicate the general strength of these beasts. In this hall of mine, we have numerous beasts from rank 1 to rank 7. Although that one is currently asleep", said Elder Zhou, who looked off into a distance, staring at a lone mountain.


    "With that said, there are many variables that can affect their strength and thus affect their ability. These can lead to variants, much rarer and usually much stronger in some aspects. Your Mistral Fox is one such example."


    "How are you so sure?" Ming Yue understood that the little fox had differently colored fur but that did not seem like it would make him a variant.


    After all, Hei Yue''s dark fur was due to him absorbing the essence of a winged wolf, the one that killed his mother.


    "Heh, I''m not the Beast Elder for nothing", Elder Zhou smirked, "His bones are inherently different, much stronger than his own race. It doesn''t seem like he was born this way but gained it through some beast."


    "Oh, he did run off while we were exploring some ruins. Perhaps that was what did this."


    "Do you happen to know what it was?"


    Ming Yue shook her head. When she hade across an old hideout of some Azure Mind Fanatics, Hei Yue had run off on his own but came back satisfied and incredibly lethargic.


    "Ah how unfortunate, I would have loved to find out. I should probably get back to my duties. I still have several other children to feed", Elder Zhou stood up, carrying the bear in his arms with ease.


    "Wee to Heaven''s Gate, young one", saying hisst words, he almost disappeared in her eyes.


    "Hmm", she thought, "He seems like a nice person."


    "Let''s go, girl, we might as well check out some of the more special ces", the small cat stretched its body before leaving the small world of the Bestial Hall.


    "Can we go to Elder Xiang? The other elders told me that he was interested in teaching me but so far I have yet to see him", Ming Yue.


    "Don''t be so impatient, we''re getting there", Bai Ying answered backzily.


    Soon enough, they reached the personal hall of Elder Xiang. Compared to the others, this was quite bare. Even if it were put side to side with Elder Shen''s dreary hall, Elder Xiang''s hall had nothing. Rather than a que, the entrance had a pir on each side. The words "de Hall" were carved elegantly on the two pirs.


    With a closer look, Ming Yue found these words to have been carved with a sword! Each stroke that was made had some power to them as they gave out a feeling of sharpness.


    "Come on, let''s go see the boring geezer", Bai Ying walked past the pirs while Ming Yue and the other two quickly followed.

 Chapter 151 - Blade Of The World

    Upon opening those doors, the four were greeted by a small arena surrounded by rows and rows of weapons. Along the walls were statues made in the image of a different warrior, swords, sabers, clubs, there were countless of weapons, some of which were shaped strangely. She was captivated by the variety and the odd shapes that presented themselves.


    The atmosphere was full of fierceness, a type of pressure that emted having a sword pointed at you. Ming Yue felt restless, the hand that held onto Drifting Sky tightened.


    "Hey! Elder Xiang, where are you?" Bai Ying stepped forward and looked around.


    "What?" Elder Xiang emerged from one of the rows of des, looking over at Bai Ying before spotting Ming Yue.


    "Oh, you''re awake", he said.


    He stood up and walked towards the group, standing in front of them. In terms of appearance, he was not as old as Elder Shen but wasparable to that of Elder Hua. His ruggedness came from his facial features. His expression was indifferent but showed a wealth of experience. His skin was somewhat rough, akin to leather. He was like an old sword that hasn''t been used in ages but even after all this time, he still had his sharpness.


    Elder Xiang looked at Ming Yue before suddenly releasing his power.


    The de Hall was his domain and as such, every weapon began to tremble as the atmosphere had coalesced into one. So much so that it took on a physical form, the form of a sword.


    Under such pressure, only Bai Ying seemed unaffected.


    Hei Yue bared his fangs at the Elder.


    Xiao Yin brought her wings together to defend herself.


    Ming Yue immediately took out her sword and went into her stance. The single edge de faced towards the ground.


    Elder Xiang did not move under all this, he merely looked at them. But, those eyes of his revealed a fierceness that could only be sharpened from constant battle. It was a dreadful feeling, almost suffocating.


    He smiled at Ming Yue''s actions and the pressure had disappeared. The sword that had been created suddenly dispersed as he turned back. Everyone slowly calmed down although, they were still a bit vignt towards the Elder.


    "Good", said Elder Xiang, "It seems that you are better than I thought. You have talent for the Sword Sage Path."


    "Sword Sage Path?" she said questioningly.


    "Yes, Elder Hua told me that you did not have a proper teacher when ites to your techniques and knowledge. After seeing you run wild while you were unconscious, I felt that there was it would be worth guiding you on some things."


    Ming Yue felt slightly embarrassed at Elder Xiang''sstment.


    "Now, the Sword Sage Path or Path of the Sword Sage, however you want to call it, is the formal and original path to mastering the sword. As you begin to learn more and more, you will naturally create your own path. Like the sword, the Sword Sage Path is flexible and varied in many styles. Of course you may choose to stay rigid and persevere on the sword only."


    Ming Yue thought about what the Elder said, believing that it would be better for her to focus on more than just the sword. Solely working towards the sword is a dangerous path, one where she could easily get lost in. At its worst, she could stagnate and never be able to reach a new height.


    "All right then, take this manual here and read it. Don''te back until you''re stronger", the de Elder suddenly tossed a rather thick manual to Ming Yue before disappearing into the sea of weapons.


    Ming Yue was rather surprised that their meeting ended like that.


    "Ah, that''s how Elder Xiang is. Quite the entric, he won''t teach someone until they''ve reached a level where he feels like they are worth teaching", said Bai Ying.


    "But he just said I was worth guiding?" Ming Yue found this a bit strange.


    "There''s a difference between teaching and guiding. Now then do you still want to explore the city? Its getting dark so the night markets are opening up."


    Ming Yue declined and instead returned to Elder Shen''s hall. As she did not have her own home yet, she stayed with Elder Shen. Albeit, when the illusion of the peaceful ind revealed a spacious but very cluttered workshop, she was quite surprised to say the least.


    Her declining resulted in the three animals going off on their own, most likely to feast on the many delicacies that the night market offered.


    Ming Yue did not mind, feeling very excited in reading the manual that Elder Xiang gave her. The manuals she had were either of little use or were strange and too difficult for her toprehend. Outside of these books, she had only herself and some minor teaching from various experts to go off of. But with this, she had a clear path to improving her skill with the sword.


    She opened the book upon reaching the little house and started reading.


    "Path of the Sword."


    "Throughout the ages, many swordsman sought the ultimate path of swordsmanship. With determination, they paved the way, findingmon ground among each other which led to a culmination of several millennia of knowledge and experience. What was born from this is now known as the Sword Sage Path."


    "This path is split into six stages: Mortal Sword, de of the World, Sharpness of One''s Soul, Return to Simplicity, Realm of a Hundred Swords, The Sage''s Sword. Each stage is more difficult than thest. Of these six, many are blocked by "Return to Simplicity" due to it''s incredibly confusing nature..."


    Ming Yue read the manualte into the night. Even if she could notprehend much, it was all interesting to read. Still, she did manage to understand a few mysteries regarding sword techniques.


    The next day, she woke up quite early and felt excited.


    Next to her, Hei Yue and Xiao Yin rested next to her with expressions of satisfaction after a night of eating.


    Upon reading the sword manual, she quickly realized that she had long mastered the stage of the Mortal Sword and stood at the beginning of de of the World.


    After all, the mortal sword focused on the physical control of one''s de. This was something she had more or less perfected through battle. Her next step was to improve her control of energy, something that de of the World focused on.


    She left Elder Shen''s hall and walked outside to one of the training fields. As the sun had barelye out, there were few that trained as early as her.


    "de of the World, a stage that requires one to feel the movement of the world''s force. But what is the energy of the world? It is everything within it, the wind, the rumbling of the ground, every small movement is part of the world. To reach this stage requires one to connect their de and themselves to the energy around them. Split the wind before you even cut through it, break stone before you even touch it, this stage does not focus on brute strength but through the control of energy."


    Ming Yue felt that this stage was within reach. In fact, based on the introduction given, she thought of her first technique. One strike, where she infused her energy into her de, where her focus was at its greatest, this technique was what allowed her to end battles quickly. It was something of a sure-kill move. She never gave it a proper name but she remembered the sensation. It was a feeling of being able to cut everything in her path, whether it was steel or stone.


    It wasn''t brute strength or explosiveness but rather an insane amount of control. Presently, she had good control of her own energy but in regards to the energy of her surroundings, this was harder.


    Ming Yue was merely guessing but she believed that if she could achieve that state once more, she would be that much closer to achieving de of the World. She stood still with her sword drawn and closed her eyes, trying to feel the power in the air.


    From a distance away, Elder Xiang watched her.


    "Interesting...." he thought.

 Chapter 152 - Moving Step By Step

    As time went by, Ming Yue''s progress was not incredibly quick but it went at a steady pace. Her day was split into three sections. The morning was spent studying the sword manual, the afternoon was spent with Elder Hua studying medicine, andte into the night, she spent several hours with Elder Shen cultivating.


    With the help of Elder Shen, she was able to refine her cultivation technique. The Human Realm was to refine her body and to breakthrough into the Earth Realm, she needed to cycle the energy throughout her body 99 times. Doing so would allow the energy to saturate her body and refine every single cell.


    Once it has been done, the power that has filled her body will begin to condense into a physical form. For some, it could be a pond or tree, perhaps even a mountain. But once all of it has been condensed, that is a sign that you have reached the Earth Realm. When reached, you will then focus onprehending thews of the world. Connecting one''s mind, body, and soul to everything around it, each stage would reveal truth and in doing so, the physical manifestation of one''s energy would grow and be exceedinglyplicated.


    Ming Yue had yet to undergo this process as Elder Shen had advised against it. There was much more to improve about her cultivation technique but still, after several says of his guidance, there was a visible improvement whenever she cultivated.


    Every time, she tested herself with the 99 cycles, her body would be able to endure an increasing amount. However, she was only testing the waters. The moment, she felt some sort of pain or difort she would stop immediately.


    Ming Yue was incredibly happy though.


    She would be able to temper her body so that it would endure the refinement of 99 cycles. Furthermore, her technique would be improved and she would grow more experienced with manipting her energy.


    It was like killing three birds with one stone.


    "All right, that''s enough for the day. We will continue tomorrow", said Elder Shen.


    Ming Yue breathed out and opened her eyes. She stood up and bowed to him before leaving. She returned to her room, an ordinary one located near Elder Shen''s Spiritual Hall. It was not a tough decision as his hall was mostly vacant as many of the students were too disturbed by the eeriness that his hall exuded. But for Ming Yue, she was quite used to it and did not seem bothered in the slightest.


    The room itself was quite spacious, equipped with a bed and a desk along with a shelf. There was enough space for her and her two pets to stretch. She switched her clothes, donning a white robe simr to that of the Elder Hua''s students.


    She took off her the Dusk Lily Pin, her ne, and her spatial ring, cing them on the desk. Carefully moving for her bed as she avoided the sleeping bodies of Hei Yue. Xiao Yin had flown out, perhaps to find a tree to rest on.


    Laying on her bed, she could not sleep. She thought about her day and excitement bubbled in her body. It didn''t quite click with her that Ming Yue was now a part of Heaven''s Gate, a ce that many wished they could join. But with that excitement came a bit of anxiety.


    To be perfectly honest, she felt somewhat out of ce here. Although her day was busy enough with the elders, she spent a bit of time walking around the institution.


    During those little strolls, she realized that the other students to be inherently different from her. They were all geniuses no doubt, originating from across the continent. An air of pride and superiority surrounded them. Most were nobles, sons and daughters of royalty, powerful ns, and here she was, with background that could not bepared to them. Many of them were of an ordinary ranking but she was given a unique badge and that had garnered some attention from the others.


    Not to mention, this was apletely new experience for her, who had spent much of her time travelling. She didn''t really understand the nuances with this type of life.


    Being alone didn''t really bother her, being surrounded by geniuses only spurred her on. It was the fact that she could not adjust to this life. It was unsuited for her, to be stuck in one ce when she would be much more rxed wandering the world.


    Life here was perfectly fine but it wasn''t for her.


    She stopped thinking about it and went to sleep. There was no use dwelling on this. In time, she would get ustomed to this life. But she knew that she would have to leave.


    The next day, she woke up early as usual. Cleaned herself, changed back to her light blue robes and grabbed her sword before leaving for the training fields.


    As the sun peeked from below, she walked to her usual spot only to find someone else there.


    Younger than her, it was a girl practicing with her sword. Younger then her but Ming Yue knew she had a higher cultivation than her.


    Wearing ck and emerald robes, she moved with sense of wildness and force. As she moved about, a bright green aura emerged from her body as the ground began to rumble. Almost resembling a liquid, the soil surged and moved as she moved.


    Each attack made the soil flow forward like waves. With an upward sh, the soil resembled a wave crashing onto a cliff face, engulfing what ever was in front of it.


    Ming Yue watched with curiosity. Even with her control of wind, she could not move it like what this girl had done.


    However, she had ideas and learned a bit from what the girl had done. Ming Yue left and found another ce to train, beginning to try and sense the world''s energy. She slowly released her energy, letting it roam about. Rather than using her physical senses, she instead relied in her aura.


    Perhaps she thought wrong of what the world''s energy is.


    What if the world had multiple energies, the energy of wind, of the soil, of fire?


    Interconnected yet separate, different. It was all part of the world but they were their own entity.


    Like them she was her own entity. Her attacks used her own energy thus they did not use the world''s power. Her use of wind was not truly wind but wind created through her own power. It was not natural per se.


    Knowing this, Ming Yue had to find the energy of the world. She had to understand what it felt like but it is easier said then done. Even after days of trying, she could not find a thing.


    This time she tried something different. With her energy slowly expanding, she only focused on the cool breeze that brushed by her, trying to interact with it through her aura.


    In those moments, she felt something. Foreign but familiar, it was a constant flow and a gentle one. It was a only for a moment before that feeling disappeared but she was certain, it was the true force of wind, the real energy of the world.


    She tried again but could not feel it anymore. However, there was a result. She had felt it and now she knew what to look for.


    As for that young girl, she sensed Ming Yue''s energy and watched her.


    "She''s getting quite close", the girl said.


    This was not the first time she had seen her. The girl trained early in the morning to avoid any noise and believed Ming Yue would ruin it.. However, she was pleasantly surprised, finding Ming Yue''s dedication and focusmendable.

 Chapter 153 - Making Medicine

    With each day, she found herself growing more ustomed to feeling the energy of the world. But she would not be satisfied until she could merge this energy with her own and use it in a technique. Only then would she have sessfully reached the next stage of the Sword Path.


    With training and cultivatinging along, there was only one elder that has yet to make her formal appearance, Elder Hua.


    Ming Yue''s time with Elder Hua was an interesting one to say the least.


    Pretty much everyone under her sought the way of pill-making. Yet Ming Yue, who had no business with that, was given the same ess to the materials but used it for paste-making*. More than that, she spent much of her time alone with Elder Hua, conversing about medicine with each other.


    On one such day, Ming Yue was busy grinding up some dried herbs in her own personal workroom. It wasn''t an actual workroom but a space given to her by Elder Hua. She sat before a table with several bundles of nts by her. Dried stalks of red grass and various trimmed leaves and roots piled on the table. Next to it was the mortar and pestle she was using to grind the medicine. A bucket filled with water stood by her as she dumped the ground up herbs into it.


    All around her were jars that suffused a sweet floral scent, most likely carrying all sorts of medicine that she created herself.


    Xiao Yin was with her, helping to ce new stalks into the mortar. Hei Yue could not handle the smell of the medicine and returned to Ming Yue''s room on his own. This process would take all day and the fox''s nose could not endure for that long.


    Ming Yue was immersed in her work until someone knocked on her door beforeing in. It was Elder Hua that came. The two greeted each other followed by Elder Hua asking what she was making.


    "Bone Setting Bandages", Ming Yue replied as she went back to her seat.


    "Oh, it seems like every day you are making something different. Well, I hope you''re ready. I''m going to test you for a bit", said Elder Hua.


    Ming Yue nodded allowing the Elder to continue. Although paste-making wasn''t Elder Hua''s expertise, her medical knowledge far surpassed Ming Yue''s. With her teaching, Ming Yue learned much more about the ways of medicine. Elder Hua was an expert with high pedigree but when it came to Ming Yue, she was like a young woman.


    When she first watched Ming Yue make medicine, Elder Hua would assault her with all kind of questions.


    Where did she learn this?


    How did she end up bing a cultivator?


    Was there anyone she liked?


    What was her final goal?


    She was incredibly interested in Ming Yue''s upbringing but she was careful as well. Some questions, she chose not to pursue any further. Elder Hua noticed the changes in Ming Yue''s eyes as she asked about the girl''s father. It was hard to describe, it wasn''t necessarily sadness but a mix of reminiscence and mncholy.


    As for Ming Yue, she found Elder Hua''s personality quite different from what she had expected. The first time Ming Yue saw her, she thought the Elder would be more mysterious or entric. After all, she arrived to Clear Spring Mountain under an illusion just to y some trickery.


    Never would she have thought that Elder Hua was so chatty.


    As the two grew morefortable with each other, their conversations went from medicine to everyday life. Though, it was mostly Elder Hua that talked. Sometimes, she would answer questions that Ming Yue had and other times, she would talk about all kinds of things. Gossip that she learned from her students,ints about her day, ranting over the medical concoctions she carried with. But as the Elder, she did test her students and Ming Yue was no exception.


    "What are the three forms of medicine?"


    "Unrefined, paste, and pill."


    "...and the difference?"


    "Directly consuming the herb will give the strongest results. Whether it is medicinal or for cultivation, the energy will be more potent but it will leave impurities in ones body. As a paste, this is a method used by body cultivators. It is also a popr method for small viges, although it is only in the form of simple remedies. But for body cultivators, paste are best used for training the body. Furthermore, some concoctions can even nourish the physical body better than pills. However, pills are by far the most versatile one. Its potency is slightly weaker than eating the herb raw but in exchange it leaves little to no impurities in the body. It can be for medicine, cultivating, boosting one''s power, increasing onesprehension ability but it is the most expensive method. Pill-making needs both a cauldron and a furnace. In addition, there are chances of failing the process, wasting the materials."


    "What about ranks?"


    "nts, materials, and beasts all fall under a simr system with ranks from 1 to 10. The difference is that the potency of medicinal nts are ssified by age while the rank indicates their rarity. There is ten year, a hundred year, and a thousand year. Anything in the ten thousand or hundred thousand range no longer exists, even if they do, someone would have taken it quickly."


    Elder Hua was satisfied with her answer and then decided to ask a different question.


    "Why is paste-making better than the other two?"


    Rather than see the young girl stutter, Ming Yue did not seem bothered. Her position as a doctor''s daughter was not some empty title.


    "It isn''t better it is just different. The potency isn''t as strong as the other two forms but the gap is quite small. The process is quicker but requires urate measurements to get the best effect with the least impurity. You don''t need much to make it, maybe a mortar and pestle but you could optionally just chew it. It might be best suited for body cultivators but that doesn''t mean it is useless to normal cultivators. Pills are popr because they''re simple to use. You can just put it into your mouth and let it dissolve. Ingesting the unrefined nt gives you raw energy, powerful but hard to control."


    Elder Hua nodded approvingly with her answer and continued to question her for the rest of the day. Ming Yue had to identify all sorts of herbs and exin their uses and effects.


    Time went by quick and Ming Yue finished several batches of what she called the, "Bone Setting Bandages". It was a reddish pink sludge to which she soaked bandages in them. This method allowed the bandages to absorb the medical efficacy but left out most if not all of the impurity that came from the sludge.


    Elder Hua finished Ming Yue''s personal test and stayed a little afterwards to talk a bit.


    "You know, one of my old students came back after traveling. The little boy even had a couple of disciples too. We had a fair bit of catching up to do."


    As Elder Hua spoke, she helped Ming Yue organize the many jars of medicine in her workroom.


    "When I spoke of you, he seemed to be a bit surprised, telling me that one of his students had met you some time ago. It was at a ruined town named Blue Willow, if I recall."


    Upon hearing the name, Ming Yue looked at Elder Hua.


    "What a small world", she said, "Is that disciple named Yong Jing?"


    "Oh yes, it is! How fascinating, would you like to meet her now?" Elder Hua asked her with anticipation.


    "Maybeter, I''m a little bit tired right now."


    "Oh... sure, tomorrow then yes?"


    "Mm."


    Elder Hua left Ming Yue alone, returning to her quarters. As for Ming Yue, Blue Willow Town caused her to reminisce about Red Lotus Country. It has been a year since she was there, now she''s sixteen years old. Two years have passed since her vige had perished and quite a lot has happened since then.


    She gave a quiet sight and cleaned her workroom, thinking about the things she had experienced. Finishing up, Xiao Yin followed Ming Yue to her bedroom and nested on her shoulder.


    Herst thoughts as she went to sleep was how far she hade.

 Chapter 154 - Catching Up

    "I can''t believe it''s you! You came out of the Raging Mountains in one piece!" an incredulous voice spoke with wonder.


    In Elder Hua''s personal workroom, several people gathered and sat around, surrounded by some bubbling cauldrons. Ming Yue was currently talking with Yong Jing, who was the eldest disciple of Elder Hua''s student, Fu Yuan. In other words, Elder Hua was Yong Jing''s grandmaster and Ming Yue was her Martial Aunt. However, Ming Yue found this to be unsuitable and asked to just be addressed by her name.


    Yong Jing was a year or so older than Ming Yue. She had a very gentle bearing and a sense of fragility to her. Contrary to her looks, her purple colored eyes showed a strength in them. Her experience in the outside world tempered her mind, still she could not help but be surprised by Ming Yue''s appearance.


    When news of an Ignited Titan appearing in the Raging Mountains reached the towns, Yong Jing had thought the girl she met in Blue Willow Town was dead. After all, an Ignited Titan was already strong enough to destroy cities at birth and it took arge group of Earth Realm Cultivators to kill the one in that danger zone.


    But Ming Yue was alive and in Heaven''s Gate too.


    As the two conversed, Ming Yue could not help but ask about Blue Willow Town. She wanted to know if the people were doing well.


    "Oh yes, the people are in good health. We stopped by not too long ago. Most of the destroyed buildings were rebuilt and are much sturdier too. Along with that Willow Tree, it''s be quite a popr ce to visit", Yong Jing answered nonchntly.


    Ming Yue was d, she left after treating the townspeople and never went back to check on the town. Having suffered a natural disaster, the town was in a miserable state. It was good to know that they were doing well.


    The two conversed a bit more before separating. Yong Jing as well as her fellow disciples were going to be official members of Heaven''s Gate so they were going to see each other often. As for their teacher, Fu Yuan, he was going to stay as an assistant elder to Elder Hua.


    Ming Yue did not make more medicine that day but instead went to trade it away. With her spatial ring at hand, she stored enough medicinal bandages to heal a hundred people and brought them to a densely packed hall.


    Rather than a que, arge banner hung from the top of the ceiling of this hall with the words "Contribution Hall" painted on it. Underneath were three marble counters, each with several figures behind them wearing light gray uniform and etched with the title of "Administrator". At the front of each counter, words were carved, denoting the purpose of each one.


    The Contribution Hall is one of thergest halls in Heaven''s Gate as they follow a point system. One can rack up points by contributing through missions or exchanging materials and treasures. When using those points, they can then use thousands upon thousands of these points to rent a ce to work or cultivate for months or even years.


    To the right was the Exchange Counter, the left was the Mission Counter, and at the center was the Services Counter.


    Of these three, the Service and Mission Counter were subject to hundreds of visitors every day. Some came to rent out cultivation rooms and the like, others arrived for the purpose of epting and turning in missions for points. Most of the time, people would go to both.


    The Exchange Counter was not as filled but it had its fair share of people. Most were there to exchange materials and items for points and in reverse, these items could be bought by others.


    Ming Yue waited in line for the Exchange Counter in order to turn in her bandages for contribution points. With those points she would be able to continue using her workroom as well as the equipment.


    The line slowly moved along until it was Ming Yue''s turn at he counter. Sitting at the counter, a middle aged man looked at her and smiled.


    "Ah, Ming Yue, back again with more medicine, I see", he spoke quietly but just loud enough for her to hear.


    "Yes Administrator Hui, these are Bone Setting Bandages. It has already been approved by the Medicinal Elder and here is a description of its effects."


    Ming Yue slowly began transferring the bandages to the middle aged administrator, who counted the them one by one.


    "Let''s see. There''s a hundred of them right here and ten is worth 15 contribution points. That''s 150 points in total. Will you be dividing it as before?" Administrator Hui transferred everything into a small box while Ming Yue handed him her badge.


    Under his control, the badge hummed and projected an image, revealing the total amount of points she had gathered.


    "Yes, thank you", Ming Yue replied as she watched him work.


    The badge showed that she only had 200 points and of the 150 that she exchanged for, only 10 of it went to her. As for the remaining 140 points, 40 went to her living space while the rest went to continue renting her medicine making room. With the numbers done, Administrator Hui gave back the badge and smiled again.


    "That''s another week for both the workroom and your personal quarters. Is there anything else you would like to do?" he asked.


    Ming Yue shook her head and left quietly. She looked at the ashen colored badge before wearing it on her wrist.


    If it wasn''t for the benefits of that badge, she would not have been able to skirt by with such an amount. In fact, it would''ve costed a little more than double what she had just paid. But she could not do anything about it. She had just started out and needed to improve on so many things. Of the many aspects, she needed to work on, the most important was to break through to the Earth Realm. Once she grew in strength, she could start taking on difficult missions and partake inpetitions to win points.


    She quickly left the Hall and walked to Elder Shen''s hall for cultivation.


    Upon her departure, Administrator Hui looked at the small box that carried Ming Yue''s bandages. His colleagues gave a quick look at him before starting a mental conversation with him.


    "Shouldn''t you be giving her more points for those bandages?" one said.


    "Maybe 20 or even 25 points is worth it. These are pretty popr items with the general disciples."


    "I know," Administrator Hui answered, "They''re a much cheaper alternative to medicinal pills and their effectiveness is a bit weaker. These bandages are pretty much a godsend for them. But in the grand scheme of things, they are useless for the Elite Disciples and Inheritors. Even if they''re popr, these points are based on how useful they are. After all, these only work on external injuries."


    Indeed, these bandages of Ming Yue''s had be quite a hot item. At first, no one even gave it a look but some poor disciples had no other choice but to take a couple on a dangerous mission. Upon their return, they spoke many good things about Ming Yue''s product. It was well-made and worked quickly.


    Soon, it gained notoriety among many of the lower students as being cheap and reliable. It was a good alternative to medicinal pills. Some had even inquired about the producer of these bandages but not a word was revealed.


    Now, the girl quietly cultivated under Elder Shen''s supervision.


    As she slowly cycled her energy, she could feel it gathering at the center of her body. It moved about and drifted around like smoke. With each cycle, it began to solidify into a a scene where clouds drifted above a floating ind. But it was barely a solid piece and could easily break with a single breath. By the time she reached the 98th cycle, her body barely felt anything. There was nothing left to improve.


    Her constant training led to a sturdy foundation and Elder Shen helped with her cultivation. She feel that she was just a step away from breaking through but between her and that final step is an endless chasm.


    She stopped cultivating and opened her eyes, looking at Elder Shen.


    "You can feel it can you not? The limits of the human realm...."

 Chapter 155 - The Earth Realm

    Ming Yue nodded before looking to Elder Shen for guidance but he shook his head.


    "Whether or not you want to breakthrough is up to you. If you do not feel prepared, you can wait but if you do, we will have to move outside", he said, looking at her seriously.


    Ming Yue thought to herself and quickly made a decision.


    "Where should I go?" she asked him.


    Elder Shen smiled and led her to the outskirts of Heaven''s Gate, outside of the city. Bai Ying, the little cat, followed along and both of Ming Yue''s pets noticed that something was about to happen.


    The day was a bit cloudy, barely any sunshine broke past theyer of clouds. A cold wind began to pick up as the group found an empty clearing near the walls of the city.


    On the way, Elder Shen reminded her of the process of breaking through to a new realm.


    "At the Earth Realm, the heavens will always attack you. Whatever methods they use will also determine your future potential. The stronger it is, the greater your potential and the more dangerous your path will be", Elder Shen spoke solemnly.


    Ming Yue nodded, understanding the risks and sat down. She crossed her legs, resting her hands on her knees.


    The other four watched over her as they waited for her to begin.


    Thus, her breakthrough had gone underway.


    The first ten cycles went by quickly and smoothly. It only took the time of one breath toplete a cycle.


    By the twentieth, it took two or three breaths per cycle.


    By the thirtieth, it took her several breaths toplete a cycle.


    At the fiftieth cycle, each cycle took several minutes.


    At the seventieth, the time it took was equal to burning an incense stick.*


    At the nieth cycle, it took her a full hour toplete the cycle.


    From the first to the nieth cycle, it was a smooth ride and one where she took her time. Perhaps it was because she was trying to breakthrough but Ming Yue felt a pressure she had never felt before.


    Elder Shen and the three beasts watched her carefully. Bai Ying would nce at the skies every now and then, anticipating something.


    She cultivated through the whole night, reaching the ny eighth cycle. On the ny ninth cycle, her energy had reached an almost solid state. The image of a small ind grew clearer and clearer as her energy flowed through each meridian of her body.


    Small fractures spread throughout her entire body and it felt as if her body could burst at any moment. Ming Yue grimaced at the sensation but she pushed through.


    Then the sky began to rumble. Whatever weather the sky was, it was no longer there. Clouds began to gather, forming a great cluster.


    The closer she was to finishing the ny ninth cycle, the louder the rumbling and the darker the sky became. The heaven''s have noticed her but what will it do to Ming Yue?


    What methods will it use to impede her?


    A great storm began to form justrge enough to epass Ming Yue''s surroundings. Lightning cracked all around her and sharp winds blew by her.


    Elder Shen took out a small mirror and looked at Bai Ying, who had grown to his full size. They could feel the divine power of the Heavens gathering.


    Ming Yue''s body began to break down and reform itself, the energy that once flowed through her had retreated into the small ind within her. At this critical moment, she took that final step and suddenly, power surged from the clouds as a bolt of lightning shot down.


    This was no simple lightning but one of a pure white color.


    Even more shocking, it took on the form of a dragon with its mouth gaping open, ready to devour the meal before it.


    Upon its appearance, Elder Shen and the others sprung into action. He rode atop Bai Ying and held up the mirror in his hands. The mirror hummed before emanating a divine radiance pushing back the draconic lightning.


    Both Hei Yue and Xiao Yin stood in front of Ming Yue, shielding her from the impending strike.


    But could a mere mirror stop this ferocious attack from the Heavens? Would such a thing be allowed?


    Angered by this defiance, a second bolt of lightning fell, then a third, and a fourth. Each one deadlier than the thest however, it was only able to stagger the Soul Elder. Then there was a fifth bolt, different from the others.


    A dragon like the others but thicker and with three heads!


    With its appearance, Ming Yue''s eyes opened and she unsheathed her de. It would not be a true breakthrough, unless she basked in the power of the Heavens!


    Drifting Sky gleamed under the shocking light of the three headed lightning dragon. She leaped past Elder Shen and faced the ferocious lightning dragon. The three heads stared at her and converged on to her.


    Within Ming Yue''s body, the mist like ind had be be a flourishing one. With clouds and rivers hat flowed, energy rushed out and enveloped her. It was a sensation like nothing she had experienced, it was exhrating.


    Her sword hummed with power as she shed at the dragon. Lightning discharged from the dragon''s body as its heads fought to suppress Ming Yue''s de. Under its might, Ming Yue''s power churned incessantly.


    Bathing in the pressure, Ming Yue stood tall and barely budged.


    And in this fight, she had won. the three headed dragon''s power waned and with all her might, she pushed it aside with Drifting Sky.


    The Heavens had failed in their attempt and the lightning dragon disappeared. The clouds scattered and sunshine returned.


    Ming Yue had reached broken from the chains of amon mortal and reached the Earth Realm!


    What changes it had brought!


    Herbat strength must''ve nearly doubled. The energy within her improved in both size and quality. She gave herself a quick examination, feeling shocked.


    "Is this what the Earth Realm is like?" she thought to herself.


    She felt much more sensitive to the flow of her energy. In fact, she could even detect the energy not of her own. She looked at Elder Shen, sensing a tranquil power from him. To understand thews of the world, this was the essence of the Earth Realm.


    Ming Yue saw the world in a new light and it was fascinating to her. What she did not notice were the crowds of onlookers who were shocked by the disy.


    Elder Shen smiled.


    "Congrattions", he said, "Let''s return to Heaven''s Gate and teach you a bit more about the Earth Realm."


    Around this time, a much more ominous sky took ce in the Demon Continent. Within its depths, where the demonic forces of Kong Zhi resided. Thest several days have been quiet. The energy emanating from Kong Zhi''s body was all but gone and some began to think that their leader was no more.


    What they did not seem to notice, was the gathering clouds above them. Tenseness filled the camps, some were restless not wanting to wait for Kong Zhi and other chose to wait more.


    The three kings sat idly and meditated. They gave no orders, merely waiting for Kong Zhi to emerge from the tomb of his ancestors. One by one they opened their eyes and looked at the sky.


    Thunder began to rumble and without hesitation, the Fury of the Heavens struck down. From within, hundred of lightning bolts rushed down. They transformed in soldiers, heavenly warriors that formed a great army of blinding light. It came crashing down wave after wave, scaring the demonic forces.


    Then a great fist emerged pushing back the lightning army. Rather, it obliterated them. It was a fearsome sight, thend was filled with holes, trees were disintegrated and those who could not escape were killed.


    Despite its attempt, the Heavens suffered its second defeat this day.


    A great figure came out from the destruction practically unscathed. A giant of a being, with thick stone like skin. He looked around and gazed at his men, those that looked back were paralyzed by his eyes.


    A cold gaze with a hint of viciousness.


    The three kings suddenly appeared and knelt in front of him.


    "Kong Zhi, it is good to see you are well!" one said.


    He looked at the three before walking past them.


    "Get me something to eat.. I''m starving."

 Chapter 156 - Quintessence Force

    Ming Yue continued to check herself, trying to see what else had changed about her. Meanwhile, Elder Shen gave a quick lesson on the stages of the Earth Realm.


    "The Earth Realm isprised of seven stages, each one corresponds with your synchronicity of the world. The Human Realm focuses on body tempering which will allow your body to absorb a much purer form of energy, Quintessence Force. It is formed by the five great worldlyws: Earth, Fire, Water, Air, and Metal. These are the five supremews that govern the subws of things such as wood and space. Now cycle your energy", Elder Shen instructed.


    Ming Yue sat down on the picturesque ind of his and began cultivating.


    "Can you feel a foreign energy?" he asked softly.


    Ming Yue paused before answering.


    "This is the world''s energy", she said, "I''ve felt it before when I was attempting to achieve the second level of the Sword Path. This is also the Quintessence Force?"


    Ming Yue was a bit surprised, she did not think that this energy was the same. It was delicate, ethereal, different.


    "Mm, good, so you''re familiar with it. Now then, try to absorb it. Imagine that it is a medicinal bath and slowly bring it into the little ind of yours", Elder Shen was surprised and watched her carefully.


    She did as he said and tried to take in the Quintessence Force. However, it was difficult to do so. It was ethereal and demanding, like a picky child. The energy slipped away from her grasp like water. After several hours, she could only obtain a single droplet.


    However, the Elder was content with this progress.


    "The fact that you have experienced Quintessence Force before puts you ahead of many others. This was your first attempt at this and you''ve absorbed some of this force. For many others, it takes somewhere close to a half of a year to reach that point", he exined.


    Ming Yue was happy with what she had learned, feeling eager to test her newfound strength. But before she could do so, she wanted to ask Elder Shen a question.


    "Why is it that only you call the world''s energy Quintessence Force?"


    She found it strange that after hearing about the Earth Realm from many others, Elder Shen was the first to call it Quintessence Force.


    He paused, slightly stunned by her observation. He gave aplicated expression, a mixture of solemness and mncholy.


    "Ie from one of the Six Great Kingdoms, the Darkwater Kingdom. I was one of the top researchers, exploring the intricacies of our world. We made great strides and hoped that with Heaven''s Gate, we would be able to elevate teach others and bring about a stronger generation of cultivators", he said.


    He opened his hand gathering a dark azure energy and began to y with it. It flickered about as he spun it and morphed its shape.


    "But our solemn nature separated us from other cultivators. Our thinking was too different from the rest of the world, some had even considered it unnatural. Studying the power of the soul and the heart, finding ways to utilize it all but such ideas were shunned. Being rejected, my kingdom had cut off contact with the rest of the continent but I stayed back hoping to find someone to pass on my knowledge."


    Elder Shen sighed as he looked at the small ball of energy before extinguishing it.


    "As you can see, I''m not very popr", he said, "However, your curiosity piqued my interest. Your talent and potential is quite good. That gave me a bit of hope. But did you want to learn more? I wasn''t sure."


    He looked at Ming Yue, the usual expression of calmness was reced with a spark of hope.


    Ming Yue wasn''t expecting Elder Shen to say all of this but she could not help and but be interested in his work. The energy of the soul and mind, the more she thought the more she wanted to learn about it.


    What kind of uses would it have? What strange properties could there be?


    Her thirst for knowledge returned.


    "I do want to learn, I want to know more."


    The Elder could not help but smile, even Bai Ying looked at his master with surprise.


    "Good, good!" he said.


    The illusion of his home disappeared and a messy workroom returned. He walked around quickly, gathering books and drawings with excitement. A number of books sat on the table as he began to teach Ming Yue more about his research.


    Dayster, Ming Yue was awake at dawn, carefully moving through the sleeping Hei Yue. She grabbed her sword, washed herself, and headed for the training fields.


    Gradually getting use to the Earth Realm, she found her strength to have increased.


    A few tests showed that her attacks had be much stronger. A casual attack sent off a de of wind that was much denser then before, enough to cut down a boulder with ease. Things like her wind needles and even a little tornado were much more powerful.


    However, what if she utilized her full power? That is to say, if she controlled the Quintessence Force inside of her?


    In that little ind within her, those droplets of Quintessence Force had begun to transform the ind. Patches of grass had a robust and strong presence that distinguished itself from the rest of it. Perhaps, if this entire ind became like that, she would havepleted the first stage of the Earth Realm.


    As she began to activate her energy, the ind pulsed with power, filling her with strength.


    She slowly breathed and held her sword. As that energy flowed through her and into her de, she faced the empty field and sent out a full-powered strike.


    A massive moon shaped de of wind shot from the swing of her de, cutting into the dirt. It left a narrow fissure as it cut though before crashing into the training field''s barrier and dissipating. She examined the damage and felt surprised.


    It was a clean attack that pretty much bisected the ground. Even stones and pebbles stuck in the soil had been sliced with out so much as a crack.


    It wasn''t destructive but it was certainly sharp!


    If she were to go against those Ying Sisters, her chances of winning would have skyrocketed.


    "Do you want to go kill them now?"


    A voice much like hers spoke in her mind. Ming Yue was shocked but recognized who it was, her other self, cold-blooded version of her that had no sympathy.


    "Are you surprised? Because I am."


    "How are you still here? You turned into dust"


    "I might be a part of you but I''m also my own being, although I have no control here. I''ll just be a voice in your mind."


    "What? You..." Ming Yue was dismayed by this thought.


    To have this murderous personality within her, it was not an ideal thing to have.


    "I can hear your thoughts, you know."


    "You!"


    "You should probably call me something else", the voice became slightly proud as it spoke, "Being called "you" doesn''t seem very good. Hmm, Xue Yue, that sounds good. Call me that."


    "Why do I have to call you that?" Ming Yue suddenly spoke out but the voice of Xue Yue did not reply.


    She was both confused and flustered, thinking to herself that she would go to Elder Shen for this predicament. Focused on this sudden development, she did not notice a figure walking behind her until they raised their hand and brought it down on her.


    A killing aura woke her up and she spun around, defending against the attack with her sword.


    To her surprise, that hand that should''ve been sliced in half had stopped her de in its tracks.


    "Good, so you''ve entered the second stage of the sword path and you''re in the Earth Realm. You''re decent enough to work with now", the owner of that voice was none other than Elder Xiang.


    He withdrew his hand and walked away.


    "Come with me!"

 Chapter 157 - Lack Of Understanding

    Ming Yue followed him back to the de Hall, where he grabbed a chair and sat down.


    She looked around for a chair but found that he had the only one. She could only me it on his entricity and sat on the floor.


    "I didn''t tell you to sit! Stand! And draw your sword!" he barked out.


    She did as he said, casually holding her sword.


    "Good", Elder Xiang looked at her, opening a jar of wine and guzzling it down.


    Where he had obtained it, she did not know.


    Suddenly, an invisible de conjured itself and flew at her. Sensing its energy, she struck back, deflecting it into the ground. An even stronger one took its ce to which she sent off a de-wind*, which destroyed both itself and the attack upon impact.


    "Alright enough, I''ve seen what I needed to see", he said, casually tossing several books to her.


    "Study these manuals ande by for some sparring at dawn."


    Ming Yue felt content and excited. She would be able to spar with the elder himself! She took the books and gave him a respectful bow before leaving.


    As for Elder Xiang, he continued drinking his wine, staring off into space.


    "More or less self taught, shecks the proper knowledge. How she managed this far is quite surprising", he assessed her quietly as she departed.


    "So you just tossed more books at her?" Elder Hua appeared by him, giving a rather disapproving look and the apathetic middle aged elder.


    "Mm, you were watching us."


    "Don''t change the subject, you gave her more books to read. You aren''t even going to teach her?" she was steadfast, not giving Elder Xiang a chance.


    "I am, she''s going to do some sparring. Those books are to supplement what shecks."


    "What is shecking?"


    "A proper teacher"


    "Wha-don''t give me that!"


    Elder Hua''s aged appearance truly did not match her current childish act. Despite her attempts to pry more information from Elder Xiang, the Sword Elder no longer spoke to her, focusing on his wine jar.


    In the end, she gave up, leaving in a huff.


    What she didn''t notice was that Elder Xiang seemed a bit uplifted.


    "Finally, someone interesting", he thought, looking the many racks of weapons around him.


    As for Ming Yue, she returned to her room to skim the manuals. There were a total of four.


    "The Formless Sword Manual"


    "Veiled Death Sword Technique"


    "Martial Wind Arts" and "Martial Thunder Arts"


    The first focused on her sword skill, emphasizing the idea of finding order within the chaos. It would aid her in perfecting her style of fighting where attacks were unpredictable and random. With this manual, her attacks may be unpredictable to others but to her, they would form a pattern or rhythm that only she knew.


    The second was an assassination technique, hiding the killing intent and the feeling of death until the veryst moment. It focused on controlling one''s aura to achieve assassination without their victim ever noticing.


    The third wasrger than the others, containing a collection of techniques revolving the Wind Dao. In fact, she found techniques simr to the ones she thought of herself. Things like her wind needles, Savage Tempest, de-winds were all within it. However, these were much more sophisticatedpared to her simple renditions. This would massively improve herbat strength and her understanding of the Wind Dao.


    As for thest book, "Martial Thunder Arts", Ming Yue found it strange that she was given this book. She had a bit of affinity for thunder and lightning but as a Dao, she did not pursue it. For now, she put this away forter.


    Both "Martial" books were simr,piling numerous techniques as well as cing importance on several skills that indicate one''s mastery of their Dao.


    Ming Yue was surprised by Elder Xiang''s choice of books. It was hard to believe he could determine so much about her through two invisible des. She put down the books forter and headed off to doplete her daily training with medicine.


    Several hours of studying and experimenting passed by quickly and she moved onto cultivation with Elder Shen.


    She quickly confided in the existence of Xue Yue, asking why this was happening to her.


    Elder Shen was both intrigued and stumped by her condition.


    "Perhaps, your soul has be something of a variant itself. Housing another consciousness is not something new but the fact that it is another version of yourself makes it a incredibly unique situation. Unfortunately, I do not think that there is a way of getting rid of this Xue Yue. Maybe it will fix itself if you breakthrough, but I can''t say for sure."


    Ming Yue was disappointed but resolved herself. Xue Yue''s voice did not seem toe out very often so it was not unbearable. She only hoped that nothing bad woulde out of this.


    From the afternoon to midnight, she cultivated and learned more about Elder Shen''s research with what others called as "Immortal Arts". But due to her low cultivation, she could not practice it yet. She absorbed more of Quintessence Force as small patches of her ind took on a more vibrant aura.


    That night, she slept feeling more tired than usual but she woke up at dawn and left for Elder Xiang''s sparring.


    When she entered, the elder was already on the dueling tform.


    "Mm, took you long enough! Get up here", he said.


    Ming Yue walked onto the tform and drew her sword out. What came after was endless shouting and the ring of swords shing.


    "Is this all you can do?!"


    "Are you an idiot?! Utilize your sword more, just because there are several des does not mean you must always use a powerful strike!"


    "I can predict your next six moves! I thought this was supposed to be unpredictable?!"


    "Think more, do not just rely on your instincts. A battle of des is the same as a battle of the minds. Control the fight!"


    "You must know why you attacked in this way! If you do not understand the value of your movement, you''re just a sword user! You have yet to master anything!"


    From dawn to midday, Elder Xiang did nothing but yell insults and advice. He sent off wave after wave of invisible des that forced Ming Yue to the brink. However, it brought to light how much she had to improve. Having good instincts could only carry her so far, she needed experience and that she sorelycked in.


    At the end of this session, she was covered in sweat and gasping for air. But she gained much in this spar.


    "Good, think on what you experienced ande back tomorrow."


    "Yes!", Ming Yue left and quickly went back to her room to clean herself.


    When she left the hall, she passed by another girl who entered the de Hall. With a quick look, she recognized her as the girl in the training fields, who controlled the earth like water with her sword.


    Was she also a student of Elder Xiang?


    Ming Yue did not give it much thought as she headed for the Medicinal Hall.


    As for the girl, she had also recognized Ming Yue on her way in, giving a slightly stunned look. She entered the de Hall and found Elder Xiang grabbing for a sword.


    "I didn''t know you took her in as a student", she said.


    "You know her?"


    "She is the only one who trains as early as me. She doesn''t seem to bother me like the others."


    "That girl''s an interesting one and besides, give her a bit of time to catch up. She might be able to match you, Qing Cao."


    Qing Cao thought about what he said and smiled.


    "I look forward to it, besides, isn''t the Ren Huan Battlefield opening soon?"


    "Oh that''s true, in three months if I remember. You''re not thinking of attacking her, are you? The institution will not tolerate such behavior", Elder Xiang gave a stern face as he wagged his finger at her.


    "What do you take me for? We''llpete on who contributes the most."


    "I''m joking, get on the tform."

 Chapter 158 - The Archive Of Six Gates

    Within one of the spires was a library, twenty levels filled with books of history and knowledge. In one such floor is a vast chamber, where one could see shelves upon shelves of books, reaching up to the ceiling. The decor was simple yet extravagant. The shelves were made withcquered wood. The floors were created with over fifty varieties of stone, creating a colorful image.


    There were many people here, some were leisurely reading while others studied hard.


    However, one such person stood idly as if waiting for something or someone.


    "Thank you for waiting, one of the librarians will be with you shortly."


    A white robed man spoke to this figure before taking his leave. This figure was none other than Ming Yue!


    But what was she doing here?


    "You know, rather than studying medicine, you should spend sometime outside. You''re too young to be holed up inside."


    "All you seem to do is get beat up all the time! No sparring until I say so! Go experience what it''s like to get beat up and win!"


    "You don''t have to cultivate for the next few days. I need to take care of some things. I''ll notify you of when I am finished."


    Going to all three elders, Ming Yue was given the same answer, she was given a day off.


    She wasn''t narrow-minded and understood their intentions. If she were to continue training like a tireless puppet, her body would be harmed and she could reach herst bottleneck.


    With that in mind, she spent much of the day reading in what is known as the "Archive of Six Gates", a collection of books that came from all over the continent. Bai Ying had shown her the archive in all of its glory but she did not find an opportunity to check it out. However, now that she did have time, the archive was the first thing toe into mind.


    As she entered the archive, she did not fully know what she wanted to read and asked for a librarian. It was quiet except for the asional turning of pages.


    "Hello there, is there anything you need help with?"


    Caught by surprise, Ming Yue noticed a young man wearing a tea-colored uniform standing in front of her. He had a gentle aura but quite a schrly appearance, especially with his tidy uniform, empty of wrinkles and dust.


    Was this the librarian?


    "Ah, um, are there any books about the experiences of sword users?" Ming Yue stammered from the sudden question. She thought that it would be someone much older, feeling surprised by this young man.


    The young man smiled.


    "Is there anything in particr?"


    Ming Yue paused and gave it some thought. Were there some particr figures she wanted to check out?


    Her eyes lit up as a particr person came to mind.


    "Is there anything about Yong Zi Zai and Yong Zi You? Leader of the San Guang Sect and the General of the Xia Empire?" she asked.


    "Oh, we do have some records of them somewhere. Let me take you around, do you need a introduction of them while I take you there?" he said.


    Ming Yue had no reason to deny his offer and epted. The both of them strolled to the upper levels of the archive while the librarian paused for only a second to put a book back in its ce.


    "These two figures actuallye from the early centuries of the Warlord Age, where chaos and destruction had begun to spread. There were few domains that existed but they have lived for centuries only to be broken during this turbulent time. One of these empires was the Xia Empire, which controlled a third of the continent. There were many dazzling figures from the Xia but some of the more powerful ones liked their privacy. The two figures you mentioned are quite private people, but when they wanted to be known it would be known by all."


    "These two were siblings, sisters to be specific. Yong Zi Zai was picked up by a wandering cultivator while Yong Zi You was abandoned and had to fend for herself. Both believed that the other was dead until they found each other on the battlefield. The Xia Empire had be tyrannic, trying to control everything and so, almost every martial sect revolted. By then, they had be prominent figures. One was the personal disciple of the sect leader of the San Guang Sect. The other had be a minor general of the Xia Empire. One tried to amend their rtionship while the other felt that it could no longer be fixed. As their strength grew, so did their battles until they killed each other. In a decisive battle that shattered the Xia Empire, they dueled until Yong Zi Zai defeated her sister but was severely injured in the battle. She never quite recovered from the loss of her sister and spent the rest of her life within the confines of the San Guang Sect."


    Ming Yue felt surprised but satisfied at the same time. When she had seen that duel in the secret realm, the scene ended once Yong Zi You detonated her core and Ming Yue did not know what had happened afterwards. But now, she knew what had be of them.


    Ending his exnation, the librarian stopped at a more vacant area before picking out several books and handing them to Ming Yue.


    "Here is all we have recorded about these two. Is there anything else you need help with?" he sped his hands together.


    Ming Yue gave a quick look before putting the books on a nearby table. Afterwards, she took out a book from her spatial ring and held it out to the librarian.


    "Is there any way you can identify this?" she asked him.


    It was that book she found in the auction from Red Lotus Country, the one that had nothing but images of storms. It was all life-like pictures of thunderstorms and lightning and she did not know what to do with it. Despite giving it numerous looks, even after she reached the Earth Realm, she could gain nothing from the paintings. Perhaps she was too weak to understand it but she knew nothing about this book. But Heaven''s Gate might have a chance at recognizing it.


    The librarian took the book from her hands and carefully opened it, looking through the pages. He could not help but show surprise on his face as he sensed the power that each painting had.


    "This...I will need to give it to my seniors to examine. Is it alright if I can take it for several days?" he asked in an earnest tone.


    "Yes, you can take it", Ming Yue replied.


    The librarian thanked her and quickly left as Ming Yue watched him leave. She looked back at the books and started reading. She readte into the night, only stopping when her eyes were a bit strained. By then, the sun had begun to rise again. She closed her eyes and rested them for several minutes before diving back into the pages.


    Ming Yue could not help but be amazed by these two sisters. The experiences they went through werepletely different from each other. She did not stop reading until she finished them all. She sat on that same spot for three days and nights, only stopping to wash herself or stretch.


    She sympathized with both women. One underwent harsh training to be one of the greatest generals while the other went on fantastical adventures and battled for freedom. If she could have even an ounce of their achievements, she would be happy.


    Ming Yue grabbed the books and walked back to the shelves, cing them back where they belonged. She prepared to leave and go out to explore the city before someone came pacing towards her. In their hands was the book and a piece of paper.


    As they walked to her, Ming Yue recognized them as the young librarian from before.

 Chapter 159 - Identity Of The Mysterious Book

    The librarian walked up to her, keeping a calm and cool demeanor.


    "I thought you had left already but my seniors told me that you would be here", he handed her the wordless book.


    "Did the senior librarians discover anything about this?" Ming Yue asked.


    "Indeed, which is why my seniors asked me to pass on this letter", he said, holding out a piece of parchment folded in half.


    Ming Yue took the letter and read it quietly.


    "To specialized student, Ming Yue,


    This letter is to inform you about the object in discussion. This book is a personal art book used by Huan Shi Ti, the Savant of a Hundred shes. He was a distinguished cultivator several hundred years ago who suffered a bottleneck as he tried to reach the Heaven Realm. During this time, he chose to quietly cultivate and refine himself in order to loosen the bottleneck. One of the byproducts that came from this were arge amount of artwork that he personally created. As a cultivator of thunder and lightning, he would paint storms and try to capture all forms of it in order to further his understanding of the Dao. Ultimately, he did break through to the Heaven Realm but developed a love of painting.


    This is one of those collections, its authenticity is proven by the unique aura that each brush stroke released. Because of its identity, we would like to add this to the archive. Furthermore, given that you are the one the have found it, we will award you ordingly.


    You will be given ten thousand contribution points and you will also have free ess to this book. Should you agree, my student will give you the rewards."


    This rugged book was such a thing?!


    Ming Yue knew that it was unique but she did not think it would have such value. She looked through the letter to make sure she had not misread. She then faced the young librarian and handed him the book.


    "You can add this to the archive", she said.


    The young man smiled, "May I have your badge?"


    Ming Yue passed it to him, who activated it and added the points along with a symbol underneath the projected numbers. Given back the badge, Ming Yue looked at it with a strange smile. Just this book was equal to hundreds of hours of making medicine, the thought was quiteughable.


    She hung the badge on her wrist and gave a polite smile to the librarian.


    "Thank you for your help earlier", she gave a small bow before leaving. Although she could spend days if not weeks in this archive, she still wanted to explore the city.


    The young librarian looked at her before staring at the damaged book and returning to inform his seniors.


    Ming Yue walked outside of the archive''s spire and gazed at the Institution. It was like a castle, a cluster of towers tall enough to touch the clouds.* Surrounding it were the many training fields filled with the members of Heaven''s Gate.


    She breathed in the fresh air and gave a quick whistle before heading towards the main building of the institution. Out of nowhere, Hei Yue, Bai Ying, and Xiao Yin appeared, running towards her. She crouched down and met them with open arms, petting Hei Yue''s head.


    "Hmm, did something change about you all?" she suddenly asked, feeling that something was amiss about her two pets.


    "Hmph, girl, you''re always off to do something, leaving these two children alone all the time. Because of that, I have been watching them in your stead. If you haven''t noticed, these two have grown quite considerably", Bai Ying snorted at her question before lecturing her.


    Ming Yue looked at the two beasts, finding both Hei Yue and Xiao Yin to have grown slightly. Hei Yue''s appearance was much sharper than before, with small fangs visible from his closed mouth. Xiao Yin''s eyes seemed less child-like, gaining a more wiser feeling. Furthermore, the silver color in her pupils became much darker.


    The two looked at her with a little sadness. While they did not want to bother her, it has been quite some time since she had yed with them.


    Ming Yue looked into their eyes and smiled.


    "Don''t worry", she said gently, "Once I finish up thisst task, we can go explore the city."


    As if understanding her words, they seemed quite happy and energetic, pushing Ming Yue''s legs to move. She chuckled from their actions and walked to the Contribution Hall together. As busy as ever, she motioned her pets to wait by the side while she stood in line for the Exchange Counter. When she reached the counter, one of the administrator greeted her, this time a middle aged woman.


    "Wee again, Ming Yue. Are you here to exchange more bandages?" she asked.


    Mign Yue nodded and took out some left over batches. The woman counted them and calcted the points. As she calcted, Ming Yue told her of the main reason for hering here.


    "I''d like to extend my use of the workroom and my personal quarters for the rest of the year", she spoke bluntly.


    "Yes, yes... wait what?" the administrator could not believe what she had heard.


    As far as she remembered, Ming Yue was barely scraping by even with the privileges that she had. After all, she only gained points through these exchanges and have yet to go on any missions. What exactly happened to her?


    "Yes, I would like to extend my time to the end of the year", Ming Yue repeated herself and handed the ash colored badge.


    The administrator left the bandages on the counter and looked into the badge.


    "This... she has over ten thousand points?" the administrator thought to herself.


    She stammered before fulfilling Ming Yue''s request. The number quickly decreased before stopping at around five thousand points. The administrator handed back the badge and exined the transaction.


    "Extending the time to the end of the year will cost around five thousand points. That is 140 points per week for 35-36 weeks. Is that all?"


    "Yes."


    As Ming Yue put back her badge, the administrator couldn''t help but get close to her. Her uniform flowed, revealing the character "Song" on her sleeve, most likely her family name


    "Say, how did you get so many points?" she asked covertly.


    Ming Yue thought nothing of her actions and answered, exining that the librarians at the Archive of Six Gates rewarded for giving a rare book. The administrator could not believe what she heard but regained her calmness.


    "Regardless, it is good to see that you are doing well", she said.


    Ming Yue also felt quite good and thanked her before preparing to leave. As she was about to call Hei Yue and the others, she was stopped by a person''s voice.


    "Stop there!" the sound of a haughty young man had silenced the whole hall.


    They turned to see who that person was and who the unlucky victim would be. A handsome youth with long hair flowing down his back pointed at Ming Yue. He wore a red tunic under the white uniform and carried an light beige colored sword in his other hand.


    If it wasn''t for his arrogant expression, perhaps he would be much more popr with others. However the way he looked at Ming Yue was disrespectful, it was as if he saw her as nothing but a lowlife.


    Upon recognizing him, everyone went back to their business, uninterested by thismotion. It seemed that this man has made a name for himself.


    "Are you the one that creates those bandages?" he asked.


    Ming Yue took one look and knew immediately that this would not end well. She did not have the patience to deal with this and ignored him.


    "Come, let''s go, quickly!" Ming Yue said, slipping from the man''s grasp.


    Before he could even say another word, she had already disappeared.


    "Wait! I need your help!" his arrogant nature suddenly switched to a meek personality but Ming Yue was long gone.

 Chapter 160 - Exploring The City

    "She mighte back, I''ll wait here", he spoke to himself and sat on one of the benches, waiting for Ming Yue.


    As for those that saw him, they could only sigh in pity.


    "Haah, Brother Xukun, don''t sit here like this. If she doesn''t want to help us then so be it. Let''s go into the city and see if we could find some medicine for our next mission", a young girl quickly approached him, grabbing his arm and lifting him up.


    She was could not be more than fifteen, wearing a uniform that seemed a bit toorge for her. The sleeves were long enough to barely show the tip of her fingers. Her hair was cut short, only reaching below her chin. She wore a brooch adorned with violet pearls on the back of her head.


    As for Xukun, he looked up dejectedly and followed the girl in silence.


    Despite his conceited appearance, he was a good person but due to his habits, he was quite a misunderstood person. Being bad with people, he could not help but take on an arrogant personality when speaking, often insulting his partners.


    With that said, he had difficulty findingrades to go on missions as they would all find his behavior unbearable.


    There was only this girl, who was kind enough to stick by and understood his problem.


    As for why he wanted to talk to Ming Yue, Xukun had been healed by those bandages and wanted to see if he could get them for a cheaper price. s, his habit of speaking had robbed him of the chance.


    As the pair left for the city, Ming Yue strolled through the markets of Heaven''s Gate. The first time she was led through, it was only a cursory introduction. However, this time she would explore to her hearts content.


    The bustling streets were filled with all sorts of stalls, both sweet and savory lived together on the stone roads. Elegant carriages would sometimese through, most of the time it was wagons, carrying ughtered beasts or fresh vegetables. Common men mingled with cultivators, some haggled with each other, others conversed about life.


    The architecture was truly well-built, sturdy wood and stone bricks formed many buildings. The style was fluid and exquisite, done with arches and curves.


    As Ming Yue walked with the three beasts, she stopped by a stall that sold sweet tofu. It was several copper coins for a small bowl and a single silver coin for three times the amount. She checked her wealth and found a thousand or so gold coins, leftover from the auction almost a year ago.


    With a quick exchange, the stall owner uncovered therge pot and poureddlesful of the steaming soft tofu into a porcin bowl. Filling it to the brim, the stall owner grabbed a spoon and a jar full of sugar syrup.


    "How sweet would you like it?" he asked Ming Yue with a happy tone.


    "A little bit sweeter than normal", Ming Yue answered back and quickly received the warm bowl along with a wooden spoon.


    She took one of the seats by the side and enjoyed her dessert. The simplebination of soft tofu and syrup melted in her mouth.


    Suddenly, she looked at the stall owner and asked for three small bowls. She filed each with a fair bit of the sweet tofu and ced them on the table.


    "I know you all want to have some", she looked at Bai Ying and the the others.


    It didn''t even take a moment of hesitation before they jumped up, taking the bowl closest to them. She watched them and continued to eat. All four finished their bowl without leaving an ounce of tofu left. They were quite satisfied and set off, returning the bowls to the stall.


    Their next destination was a stall that sold grilled pork belly seasoned with a tingling spice.


    The one after that were fish balls cooked in a delicate chicken broth. After that, it was marinated cow tongues, then steamed ms and finally they ended with stuffed squids, filled with a savory sticky rice.


    Throughout it all, they watched some street performers and even a little puppet show. By the end of it all, the sun had begun to set and whitenterns were strung up across the roads, lighting up the streets like stars. Many of the stalls that sold meat and vegetables disappeared, reced by food stalls that brought even more interesting and delicious foods.


    Feeling particrly full, Ming Yue started looking at the shops rather than the food. They were all eye-catching, featuring all sorts of items. But, Ming Yue wasn''t in need of anything and mostly spent her time browsing the items.


    Still, there were definitely some things that caught her eye: throwing daggers that she could hide in her sleeves, a ring that could hold a medicinal garden, a White Lotus Root that could boost her cultivation by five years. While they were all incredibly helpful, she did not need them dearly. Furthermore, their prices were a bit too much for her. Even the daggers were six thousand gold each.


    Still, she kept them in mind for another time.


    As she left the store, a body flew past her down the street, crumpled on the ground.


    "Hmm, what''s happening here?" she thought.


    She looked to the opposite side to find several members of the Institution looking at the crumpled body with disdain.


    "Wu Xukun, I''ve long had enough of your conceited nature!" a young man that stood in front of the group spoke with indignance.


    This figure seemed quite dazzling, a cultivator at the Earth Realm and a leader judging by his followers. His ck hair was carefullybed and well maintained. His features were soft and gentle, he seemed more like a schr than anything. However his actions were anything but gentle.


    As for Xukun, he stood up from hended, staggering before he red at his enemy.


    "Jia Xiang! You shameless bastard! Bullying us with numbers, fight me yourself and we''ll see who is really the conceited one", Xukun yelled out angrily.


    The streets were no longer filled with people as they moved away and watched from the sidelines. Ming Yue joined, recognizing Xukun''s voice as the one from before. She looked at the two sides, noticing a young girl on Jia Xiang''s side, looking worried for Xukun.


    The girl could not move for she was held down by two of Jia Xiang''s followers.


    "Why should I?... Hmph, you act so high and mighty all the time, good thing you had such a soft spot for this girl!" said Jia Xiang, who looked at the scared girl behind him.


    "You bastard!"


    Xukun rushed forward only to be tossed back as three of Jia Xiang''s men fought him. He was beyond furious and at the same time, he knew he could do nothing. These three were weaker than him but he could not win against three. After all, all of them were at the Mind Stage of the Earth Realm.


    "Poor man, he always gets bullied like this."


    "Yeah, but with an attitude like that, no one would like him."


    "If you knew him a bit more, you would understand that he is gentleman."


    "Still, it looks like this has gone too far. Now, his partner has been targeted. He might be alone again."


    Hearing the conversations around her, Ming Yue felt that she had misread Xukun''s character. To think, he was the one getting bullied. Perhaps, he had wanted to ask her for some help.


    She quickly made her decision and went off to help him. She took out her ivory dagger and moved quietly through the crowd.


    Appearing behind Jia Xiang''s group, she suppressed her aura and switched the end of her dagger so that she used the pommel instead of the de.


    This was the Veiled Death Sword Technique. At least, it was one she had been able to achieve with the technique.


    Without speaking another word, she struck with swift power!

 Chapter 161 - Helping Hand

    She hit the back of the necks, knocking out Jia Xiang''s followers one at a time. While she was skilled in hiding her aura, she could not figure out how to release it as described in the Veiled Death Sword Technique.


    "Eh?! It''s you!" the girl looked back after noticing the grips of her captors loosen.


    Ming Yue did not stop to greet her and continued to knock them all out until only Jia Xiang and Xukun''s opponents were left.


    "You could''ve killed them instead you know", Xue Yue''s voice whispered in her mind.


    "Shut it", Ming Yue bluntly shut down Xue Yue''s advice.


    "I''m just saying, it would''ve been easier", Xue Yue''s voice trailed off, annoying Ming Yue.


    She quickly moved.


    Jia Xiang and his three followers were all too busy attacking and ridiculing Xukun to even notice her movements. He was already knocked on the ground, surrounded by the four.


    "You know, despite your appearance, I learned some interesting things about you", said Jia Xiang.


    "Son of the Venerable Wu n that had ceased to exist years ago. Hah! What right do you have to speak to me in that fashion?! You''re nothing but the leftovers of a fallen n!"


    Xukun looked up at Jia Xiang with his bruised face, gritting his teeth.


    "Am I wrong? Would it have been better to call you trash instead? How you entered Heaven''s Gate is beyond me, you would''ve been better off in some third rate sect!" Jia Xiang was emboldened by Xukun''s angered expression.


    Before he could utter another word, Xukunshed out with a burst of strength, smashing his fist into Jia Xiang''s jaw. He was quick and none of Jia Xiang''s followers could stop it.


    It was only then did they notice their unconscious friends.


    "What''s going on here? Did that girl do this?"


    They looked at Xukun''s partner with shock and confusion only to receive a strike form Ming Yue and fall. All that was left was Jia Xiang and Xukun, both of whomid on the ground wrestling each other.


    Just as Ming Yue was about to move, someone quickly approached the two and ripped them apart.


    "You two! Both of you are idiots! Members of the Heaven''s Gate reduced to fighting a stupid brawl. Do you want me to kick you out right now?!"


    It was Elder Xiang!


    "Go back and repent!" he yelled at them, holding them by the cor.


    He looked back at Ming Yue and Xukun''s friend, "Both of you! Help me carry the rest of these idiots!"


    They gave each other a dumbfounded look before doing as he said, carrying the unconscious bodies back to the Institution. As for Hei Yue and the others, they helped as Bai Ying grew in size to carry two while Hei Yue and Xiao Yin carried one.


    As for the streets of the city, they quickly forgot about what had just transpired and went back to business. Fights like this weren''t umon but it had been a while since they''ve seen something so entertaining. It was more like a brawl than a duel, chaotic and messy.


    As the group walked back to the Institution, Ming Yue became much more acquainted with the other girl. Her name was Wen Anqing, another student of the Institution, She and Xukun had been out in the city, looking for some medicine. Xukun''s demeanor and history had marked him for ridicule but this was the first time she had been implicated as well.


    "Why do you stay with him? If he has such issues", Ming Yue asked.


    "Because he isn''t the type of person you think he is. Although, he is a strong cultivator, it was difficult for him toplete a mission or find a partner because of the way he acts. Brother Xukun just has problems speaking with others. If you knew him, you would know how lonely he''s been!" Anqing spoke fiercely, defending Xukun.


    It surprised MIng Yue, causing her to re-evaluate Xukun.


    "Then... he was looking for me about medicine then?" she asked.


    "Yes! On ourst mission, he was injured after fighting off bandits. We didn''t have many points and could only afford some bandages. As they were a recently added item, not many people chose it but we did because it was all we could afford. Xukun noticed you handing over bandages and wanted to ask if he could get some for a lower price."


    "I see."


    In the back of her mind, Xue Yue''s voice returned.


    "Do you believe them?" she asked


    "It doesn''t seem like they''re lying. Besides, I have no grudges against any of them. Unless this is some borate scheme thought up by Elder Xiang, I have no reason to doubt them."


    "Really? The Sword Elder? He doesn''t seem like the type."


    "You never know..."


    At the end of their conversation, everyone had entered the gates before Elder Xiang tossed the two on the ground. Immediately after, he turned to grab the other bodies and tossed them along. Smacking them awake, he looked at them with disdain.


    "Look at all of you! Princes, nobles, prized geniuses, all of whom are a part of Heaven''s Gate, a ce many dream of entering! Now, you''ve all been fell to mere bullying and brawls. This is only a warning but if I see something like this again. You can suffer some hellish training from me!"


    Despite these words, Jia Xiang and the others wanted to dispute but restrained themselves. This was the Sword Elder, an entric expert who was apathetic to most things but quick to anger. They picked themselves up and left, Jia Xiang stared at Xukun before he red at Ming Yue.


    Anqing dashed to Xukun and helped him up. Ming Yue walked up before pulling out a small package, wrapped neatly.


    "Take these. They are more potent than what I have exchanged before, my own creation of sorts. If you need help for something, you can find me in this room", she said.


    Anqing held them with surprise, giving a quick thanks before showing Xukun.


    Elder Xiang watched the exchange before looking at Ming Yue.


    "Girl,e with me. We have something to discuss", he said.


    The two left quickly, leaving Anqing and Xukun by themselves.


    "Do you think she will join us?" Xukun asked her.


    "Maybe, still, it is the Ren Huan Battlefield. I doubt she would be uninterested in it. Let''s get you recovered first and take on some missions, there''s still three months until the battlefield opens", Anqing replied.


    Anqing supported him as he stood up, before walking back into the main tower of the Institution.


    As for Elder Xiang and Ming Yue, they quietly walked back to the de Hall. The elder lost all of his anger as if it was just an act. He turned his head and smiled at her.


    "Didn''t think you would get into a brawl so quickly", he said.


    Ming Yue paused before replying.


    "It wasn''t really a fight. They were all too busy to notice me", she said.


    "That''s like them. Remember, not everyone is as idiotic as them."


    "I understand."


    "Alright, take this too", Elder Xiang tossed another manual.


    Ming Yue caught it and read the title.


    "Basics of Assassination?"


    "Yes, I saw the whole brawl from the beginning and I realized that you really do know nothing about battle. Assassination is more than just controlling one''s aura, there are techniques unique to assassins. What you did was mostly brute force", Elder Xiang exined.


    "I see...Wait, you were watching the entire time?"


    Elder Xiang''s bored expression did not change. In fact, he seemed more disappointed than anything.


    "It looked like it might turn into something amusing but all I saw was a group of idiots."


    Ming Yue''s opinion of him lowered, this elder was more shameless than entric. She gave a quick bow and left his hall.


    "Don''t forget! No sparring until you taste victory, this joke of a fight doesn''t count!" he yelled out.


    Ming Yue turned back briefly before walking away, staring at the manual in her hands. Weeks passed by quickly as her time with the elders had been reduced to an hour or so. But, she focused on improving herself fully knowing that she could not rely on them for every step.


    As she cultivated in her room, filling the ethereal ind of her with Quintessence Force, someone knocked softly on her door.. She stopped her cultivation and opened up the door, seeing Anqing and Xukun together.

 Chapter 162 - Ren Huan Battlefield

    As Ming Yue let them in, Hei Yue looked at them for a moment before rubbing Ming Yue''s leg.


    "Oh, how cute!" Anqing noticed the little fox and kneeled down.


    She seemed hesitant before holding out her hand to pet him.


    Remembering her from earlier, Hei Yue walked forward, allowing her hand to pet his head. Xukun stood behind, not knowing where to look or what to say. He seemed like a shy child hiding behind his mother.


    "Isn''t this the fox that wanders between the Soul and Medicine Hall?" she recognized Hei Yue, eximing with surprise.


    "I...guess so", Ming Yue replied, not thinking that her own pets had a reputation.


    She led them into her room and had them sit on her bed as she sat on her desk chair. Hei Yue seemed to have loosened up around Anqing but he sat beside Ming Yue in the end. Xiao Yin had been watching the whole time, perched on Ming Yue''s sword that leaned against the window. The Star Owl''s eyes followed the two closely, observing them.


    "What did you want to talk to me about?" Ming Yue asked the pair.


    Anqing was about to speak before Xukun spoke first.


    "I want your help."


    Speaking bluntly, his tone seemed more demanding then respectful.


    "With what exactly?" asked Ming Yue.


    This time Anqing spoke, cing her hand on Xukun''s mouth before he could even open it.


    "There''s an annual eventing in a month, the Ren Huan Battlefield. We wanted to know if you would like to join our group."


    "Ren Huan Battlefield? What is that?"


    Anqing exined, finding Ming Yue''s clueless face strange.


    "You don''t know? It is a special domain found several hundred kilometers from here, where all members of the Heaven''s Gate Institutions can enter. Originally thend of the Ren Huan Empire from several millennia ago, it was soon became and of death after a devastating battle had wiped out the empire. Now, it has be a ce for those to find treasures and opportunities. Most if not everyone join in groups as this battlefield is filled with danger, like beasts and even other wandering cultivators. That is why we wanted you to join us. With you, we would not have to worry as much. So, are you willing to ept us?"


    "I''ll join you", Ming Yue agreed without wasting a breath.


    This was an opportunity for her to broaden her horizons. This was also her reason to leave the Institution and find something interesting.


    She might be a diligent person but she was bored to say the least. Anyone would feel the same if they had the same routine for days on end.


    Both Anqing and Xukun were rather surprised by Ming Yue''s quick response.


    "Are you sure?" Anqing asked.


    "Yes, but I do need to know more about this Ren Huan Battlefield", Ming Yue replied with a polite smile.


    As they talked and discussed about the battlefield. They found out that Ming Yue was a special member who had just recently joined Heaven''s Gate. This exined herck of knowledge.


    Thankfully for Ming Yue, Anqing began to exin the many affairs of Heaven''s Gate to her: celebrations,petitions, training events, and more. There was something happening almost every day, but Ming Yue had no knowledge of these things. She hasn''t even touched any missions yet.


    Hearing this from her directly was incredibly surprising to the two.


    For her have solely focused on training alone was a rare thing. Most of the time, this was a trait found in those who could not pass their bottleneck and could only cultivate bitterly. But that did not matter anymore, the Ren Huan Battlefield would be her first as a member of Heaven''s Gate.


    The month passed by quickly and Ming Yue spent much of it strengthening her foundations: practicing her movements and strengthening her cultivation. Throughout that time, she acquainted herself with the two and began to learn about the daily happenings of the Institute.


    She began making more bandages and used higher quality herbs since she had the points to spend.


    Her bandages were not as strong as a pill of the same rank. However, the best she could make was a paste equivalent to a rank 3 pill. That was strong enough to help a low leveled Earth Realm Cultivator.


    She put her thoughts aside and exited her workroom.


    The atmosphere as she walked down to the first floor was filled with excitement. Crowds of people gathered waiting for to enter Ren Huan Battlefield.


    With a few minutes of looking, Ming Yue spotted the pair in the midst of people and joined them. Along came Hei Yue and Xiao Yin following after her. While they may have attracted some looks, they were nothing too amazing. There were many others who had brought along some pets, much rarer and eye-catching than those two. Not to mention, there was the Beast Hall, where many rare and amazing beasts were cared for.


    She looked around as she moved through the crowds, observing andparing herself to the others. The strongest she had seen was a cultivator at the Soul Stage while the weakest was at the peak of the Human Realm.


    Ming Yue estimated herself to be slightly weaker than the average, though she didn''t feel discouraged. After all, many of them had trained from a young age and had ess to all sorts of treasures. It was only a matter of time before she would catch up.


    Anqing was the first to see her and quickly waved her little hand.


    "Ah it''s good to see you!"


    Xukun stood behind her before greeting Ming Yue. Rather than his usual tone, he gave a quick little bow and looked away. He seemed quite anxious, shaking ever so slightly. She looked at him with a bit of concern.


    Seeing this, Anqing exined his nervousness.


    "This is his second time doing this and... it will be my first. Although, I''ve been here longer than you, it isn''t by much. But with you here, we shouldn''t have to worry too much! Ah, we will be going for the Ninth Flower Garden," speaking optimistically, Anqing gripped her weapon tightly.


    It was an exquisite weapon. A short spear whose head was as long as its handle. Straight and sharp, the de was etched with the character "Wen", her family name, etched at the base. The handle was a little over a foot long and wrapped in dark brown leather. Smooth and glossy, the leather was sown around the handle leaving a clean finish.


    "I see."


    Ming Yue wasn''t too bothered by this piece of news. At the very least, they were trustworthy. As their conversation continued, everyone paused and looked forward, finding six elders in front of them.


    Of the six, Ming Yue recognized Elder Hua, Elder Xiang, and Elder Zhou. They had also spotted her but said nothing, scanning the hundreds of students before them.


    "There are almost a thousand of you here for the Ren Huan Battlefield! Wait for your assignments by the elders!" one of the Elders announced, "Elite disciples and Inheritors wille with me, we will be entering the core zone!"


    He was olive skinned and exuded a ferocious aura. His face resembled such with a bushy beard and fierce eyebrows. Sporting gray and maroon robes, he carried a pair of axes on his back.


    At the end of his words, he held a small object in his hand which glowed. He tossed it out as it continued to shine and transform into arge battleship. Not quite asrge as the ship Ming Yue was in but it was filled to the brim with an assortment of weapons.


    He looked back at the onlookers and gestured for the called disciples to follow him.


    Of the thousand, only a hundred or so followed him. Most were Elite while only ten to twenty were inheritors. Ming Yue looked at them, checking their cultivation and remembering their faces. With Anqing''s exnation, Elite disciples were higher ranked from the normal ones and could only be gained through achievements and contributions to Heaven''s Gate. As for Inheritors, they were the personal disciples of Elders and were much more stronger than the elites. They spend much of their time in closed-door cultivation or traveling the world for experience.


    Among those that she saw, Ming Yue recognized one of them. The girl from Elder Xiang''s Hall, wearing ck and emerald robes. Could she have been an inheritor?


    That group left swiftly and everyone else began to be sorted with the elders. Rather than by rank, everyone was sorted based on their goal. The Ren Huan Battlefield had five major points and a core zone which was where the elites and inheritors went too.


    As Ming Yue''s group wanted to go to the Ninth Flower Garden, they were assigned to Elder Xiang to her surprise. Since it was a medicinal garden, she would think that Elder Hua as she was the medicinal elder.


    Around three hundred followed Elder Xiang as he had also summoned a ship to carry them.


    He looked behind him with a bored stare before yawning.


    "I hope you are all prepared."

 Chapter 163 - Poison Body

    Elder Xiang began to snooze away as everyone else sat in their respective groups,yingzily within the captain''s cabin.


    Ming Yue and the others found a little corner at the front of the ship, near the elder. Xukun began to quiver a bit morepared to before. Hei Yue and Xiao Yin sat around her before going off to bother Elder Xiang. Having noticed them, he chuckled and allowed them to nap with him, much to everyone else''s surprise.


    At that moment, they had all taken note of Ming Yue,mitting her face to memory.


    "You''re in good terms with the Sword Elder?!" Anqing eximed.


    "I wouldn''t say that. But he has been teaching me for a little", Ming Yue replied, it seemed that she really didn''t know what has been happening with her pets.


    It was surprising to see the elder greet someone to warmly.


    "Anyways, can you tell me more about the Ninth Flower Garden?"


    "Oh, yes! As you know, the Ren Huan Battlefield has five other ces as well as the core zone. There is the Enduring Battle Hall, a ce to learn techniques and skills if one has the ability. The Seven Stringed Fort, which holds ancient contraptions and formations. Here, crafters could learn from the old knowledge and improve on their skills. The Imperial Hall, which holds few but incredibly powerful items. However, it is riddle with traps and barriers making it incredibly hard to enter. The fourth is the Bound Waterfall, a ce for those wanting to improve their Dao of Water and Earth. Then there is the Ninth Flower Garden, a vast garden filled with energy and all sorts of nts. This is a dream ce for medical disciple."


    As Anqing continued, she also spoke of the dangers of each area, traps, evil spirits, fearsome beasts.


    "And the garden is... um. Brother Xukun, what was the danger of the Ninth Flower Garden?" she turned around asking him with an innocent expression.


    Having heard her, he seemed to have snapped out of his nervous state and began to speak.


    "You don''t remember?" he said, "It''s insects,rge and disgusting insects..."


    He shuddered as he spoke those words.


    "Yes! Insects, they''re plenty strong and should not be underestimated. They could be *venomous! Not to mention, poisonous nts also exist in that garden."


    Ming Yue thought over what she had heard and understood why they wanted someone like her. In a ce with poison and venom, having someone skilled in medicine would be extremely beneficial.


    "Hmm in that case, I should make some preparations", she said and quickly went to work, creating some simple decoctions that would at least slow down the poison.


    Knowing the elders, they most likely prepared for the worst but it helped to have a back up just in case.


    It was going to be several hours before they reached the garden and that was plenty of time to create some things.


    As she worked, she noticed those around her taking nces at Xukun and Anqing. She wasn''t sure why they were so fixated on these two but those quick looks had something mixed between pity and fear. Even more than that, Anqing garnered many more eyes than Xukun but those looks were full of vignce.


    Was there something about these two that she did not know about? Though, Ming Yue found Anqing to be a bit strange. As much as Anqing talked, she did not speak much about herself. Ming Yue decided against prying and did not want to push her. Everyone had secrets and it wasn''t her ce to ask.


    She stopped thinking about this and went back her medicine making. As she did not have a mortar and pestle with her, Ming Yue took out her knife, slicing the herbs before crushing them together and storing it in a small bottle. In front of her, she ced three more to fill up and saw that her team mates had walked off.


    Most likely to join the small ring that formed on the ship. Others gathered about to watch people spar with each other.


    Currently, it was between a older man and a boy, the former wielded an elegant blue long-sword and thetter held arge hammer with one hand. The one with the blue sword did not attack with speed but with ease, as if he was a flowing river. He carried a serene aura and his thin beard flowed with each move.


    "Your skills are good. I wonder how much time you''ve put into training", he said.


    The young man moved his hammer wildly, smashing down on his opponent. In the span of ten breaths, the hammer fell on him like a boulder, crashing straight down. His sleeveless gray uniform wrapped tightly around his muscr body as he moved with ferocity. But the middle aged man was not perturbed and parried each strike skillfully. At the end of that exchange, both of them stopped attacking, ending the spar.


    "I could say the same for you. I did not think that you could deal with my Thunderous Earthfall Strike so easily. It is my loss", the young man spoke respectfully.


    "Nevertheless it was a good spar!" the middle aged man cupped his fists and bowed.


    As they exited the circle, murmurs began to spread around.


    "Who did you think would win in a real fight?"


    "Shanguan Lei no doubt! Can''t you see his hammer strikes? That Thunderous Earth Fall Strike wasn''t even at full strength! Don''t forget, he still has four more moves after that!"


    "What? Hang Xuhu would win. His Flowing Water Swordy has been trained to near perfection, he hasn''t even executed any of his techniques!"


    "What about the others that fought? Yu Song and his Frost Iron Chains? Ge Yun and her Demonsong Harp?..."


    "What about them? They aren''t much."


    "Hah! Forget it, each one could probably beat you in one move. They might not be Elite Disciples or Inheritors but they aren''t far off.


    As the many onlookers continued to discuss, a new pair of fighters entered the little ring. As for who entered, everyone suddenly stopped and stared.


    "It''s her, that girl with the cursed body."


    "Her?"


    "Ah, whoever decided to fight her should give up."


    As for who they spoke of, it was none other than Anqing. Ming Yue soon noticed and moved to the roof of the ship cabin.


    She spotted Xukun watching right behind Anqing who had brought out her short spear. As for her opponent, it was actually Shanguan Lei that entered.


    "So you are Wen Anqing? The girl with the poison body?" he said.


    Anqing smiled cheerfully.


    "I see that you''ve heard of me. Don''t worry about any poison. It''s only a spar so I won''t be doing anything like that."


    Her sweet expression seemed strange, it seemed sickeningly sweet as though it was all an act.


    "Poison Body?" Ming Yue thought, was that why Anqing was given those looks?


    "A girl with a poison body? Maybe that''s why those two are looked at like creatures. One is a snake and the other its prey", Xue Yue muttered.


    "We don''t know that yet. Be quiet."


    "I''m just saying, keep a watch on her...."


    As Shanguan Lei held out his hammer, Anqing held her short spear with both hands, as if anticipating the powerful strikes.


    Anqing was the first to move, thrusting her short spear forward. She held it from the end of the handle, increasing its reach. Shanguan Lei sidestepped and swung his hammer from the side but Anqing moved quickly.


    Retracting the spear, she gripped it tightly with both hands and shielded herself. There was no chance for her to dodge and so she could only brace for the strike. Everyone that watched couldn''t help but look away. Just because Anqing had a poison body didn''t mean she was strong, only dangerous.


    As that hammer brought a swift end, it was met with a single hand.


    No one heard the sound of impact, only a weak ng between weapons. Ming Yue was one of the few that didn''t look away, she watched carefully and saw Elder Xiang standing in front of the hammer.


    He held his hand out nonchntly, stopping Shanguan Lei mid-strike. The elder gently pushed it off, knocking Shanguan Lei several steps back.


    "Alright!", he shouted, "No more ying around, we''ve reached the Ninth Flower Garden! Everyone make your preparations to depart!"


    Everyone dispersed and began preparing, leaving only Anqing and Xukun at the center. Ming Yue had left her spot, joined up by Hei Yue and Xiao Yin.


    "Are you alright?" she asked as Xukun supported Anqing.


    "Yep!" she answered back, "Let''s go and prepare too!"


    Minutester, the ship that carried them all descended,nding gently on the ground.


    "Alright, remember, the Ninth Flower Garden is as dangerous as the other areas. Should you be poisoned just return to the ship and I will get you fixed up. A map has been put into your badges, just send some energy into it and it will appear. There is an area towards the back of the garden that has been shaded in red. If you enter there, prepare to lose your lives! You have one month! Now then, off you go!"


    With that Elder Xiang sent off the disciples while he returned to the ship, most likely to nap again.


    As Ming Yue left with the others, she was met with a great sight.

 Chapter 164 - Land Of Danger

    The Ninth Flower Garden was filled with all sorts of sights. A vast field as far as the eye can see, with colorful flora and vegetation spread through out. Under the daylight, each de of grass seemed to shine


    Standing at the entrance, ruined walls seemed to surround the garden. Rusted gates that were wide open, shattered stone bricks that rested have rested on the soil for innumerable years.


    As Ming Yue looked around, she could smell a faint bittersweet smell in the air. Most of the others had already swarmed in, ready to find treasures.


    She spread her energy into the badge, projecting a map of the garden. Rectangr in shape, she examined the map noticing fourrge pavilions that preceded one another. Positioned like a straight line, the first wasn''t very far from the entrance while thest stood close to end of the garden.


    She turned to Anqing and Xukun who had also brought out their maps.


    "The garden is fifty kilometers long and twenty kilometers wide. It is separated into five zones by these pavilions, with each zone ten kilometers long. The zone before the entrance is the least dangerous while the innermost is almost certain death", said Xukun, who attempted to keep his calm.


    "We need to reach beginning of the fourth zone", Anqing added on.


    "What are we looking for exactly?" Ming Yue asked.


    "A Purple Adder Moss, grown on the bark of a Violet Cassia Tree. It can only be found in the third zone and it is said to be plentiful there. It cannot be found outside of that area", said Anqing.


    "I see, should we go then?"


    "Yes, let''s enter quickly."


    As they started to walk, Ming Yue paused and looked behind her. Hei Yue and Xiao Yin followed dutifully before looking at Ming Yue.


    "Stay with me, don''t touch any of the nts. Xiao Yin, tell me if anythinges", she said.


    The Star Owl blinked as if understanding and flew up watching from above. As for Hei Yue, he nodded his head and walked next to Ming Yue. With that done, they entered the first zone of the garden.


    Upon entering, the air suddenly changed. It was eerily calm, quiet except for the sound of rustling leaves. While the day was still bright, they slowly moved through the first zone. There was no clear road, just uneven soil, numerous trees and bushes, vines and other kinds of vegetation that covered the way.


    Moving through, Ming Yue spotted several patches of wild herbs. Crimson stalks that were smooth to the touch, azure roots that smelled sharp and pungent, she gathered a bit of everything she wanted. Although it interrupted the journey often, the other two were not bothered. They knew she made medicine and understood that those herbs would be useful.


    Unfortunately, this peaceful time was soon broken.


    A faint buzzing sound could be heard as Xiao Yin screeched. Everyone quickly drew their weapons while Hei Yue bared his fangs. As the buzzing grew louder, arge shadow shot from the foliage, flying towards them. Soon, a group of thirty or so followed after, surrounding the three.


    Revealed, one could find them to berge hos! Covered in short fur, ck in color, wings that pped about in a blur! It had six legs with the front-most shaped into spiral drills. Despite their ck bodies, the drills were a cream white as if it was created from bone.


    "ck Auger Hos! We can''t outrun them, we have to fight!" Xukun shouted.


    He swung his sword, a double-edged de with a beige colored handle, and took on three hos.


    Anqing moved quickly, stabbing and shing with her spear.


    Ming Yue held Drifting Sky with one hand, shing down the closest one by her. But to her surprise, the ho managed the block the sword with its drill arms. Pushing the sword away, it rushed forward, preparing to pierce her body. But Ming Yue did not panic. Pulling out her dagger, she moved to the side and stabbed the ho''s body as it passed by her. Catching it with the dagger, the ho squealed before Ming Yue surged her dagger with power. A small but dense ball of wind formed at the tip of the dagger and tore the ho''s innards apart.


    Ming Yue pulled out the dagger and attacked the next ho.


    Hei Yue ran about, battling a ho with Xiao Yin. A nonstop barrage of bites and scratches ultimately killed it and the two sounded off in victory before going for the next one.


    Anqing struggled to battle a ck ho and her back was pushed to a tree. She thrusted her short spear only to be countered by the ck Ho''s drills. Fed up with this, she pulled out a small vial filled with a purplish red liquid and threw it at the ho.


    Covered in whatever she threw, the ho seemed unhurt and ignored her actions. It charged forward, ready to pierce a hole into her body. It would be a quick kill, a straight path until it''s wings stopped fluttering. The ho fell to the ground, twitching constantly. Anqing walked forward before stabbing the ho multiple times.


    "Paralysis?" Ming Yue thought, "Was that vial full of her blood?"


    She ced these thoughts away and focused on killing the rest of the hos.


    Xukun''s battle against the three hos ended in his victory. Although, he had several cuts around his body, the hos were sliced up. His sword gave off a silent hum but what was even more surprising was that it floated. With his hands, he made motions calling it to fight once more. It was swift and flew like a bird. Upon its next victim, it shot about littering the body with cuts. Still, the sight of such bugs seemed to disgust him immensely.


    Within an hour, they got rid of thest of the hos and Xukun started cutting off the drills.


    "These can be exchanged for contribution points. The crafting halls use them", he exined, putting away the drills carefully with two fingers.


    Following his advice, Ming Yue started cutting off the drills from each ho while her two pets kept watch.


    "What was that vial?" Ming Yue looked at Anqing as she asked.


    "Oh, it was something I had created myself. It''s nothing much", Anqing replied quickly, dodging the question.


    Ming Yue nced at her before she went back to harvesting more drills.


    "It''s definitely made with her blood", she thought.


    "What do you expect?" said Xue Yue, "She had a poison body, no?"


    "That''s true. Though, she most likely added some other thi-"


    "Someone ising."


    Ming Yue stood up and looked around, Hei Yue''s ears perked up. Everyone heard it near them, a rustling soundbined with footsteps. Emerging from the bushes, it was another group of disciples, who stared at Ming Yue''s group with surprise.


    They were a group of six, three men and three women, all of whom carried sabers. At the front, a young man wearing yellow and white robes walked forward. His hair was at a shoulder''s length and his eyes carried a sharp and tyrannic feeling. On his back was arge saber,


    "We heard some sounds of battle and came to see if there was any help. I suppose this answers our question", he said with a surprisingly courteous tone.


    "Yes, we''re quite fine. There is nothing to worry" said Xukun.


    "I see. Well, while we''re still here. I want to propose something to you?" he said.


    "What would that be?"


    "An alliance of sorts. Are you journeying to the third zone by any chance?"


    Xukun paused before Anqing answered for him.


    "Yes, we are-"


    "Perfect, what do you say we all join together? It would be much safer!" the man said his words confidently, as if he was sure Anqing would agree.


    "I''m sorry but we will be fine with just us three", Anqing smiled politely.


    "Are you sure?"


    "Yes! There is no need to worry about us."


    With her answer, one of the member of the saber users spoke out.


    "You would deny a chance for help? This is Li Baojun, a student of the Saber Hall that can match with any of the Elite Disciples! Do you dare to deny his help?!" he spoke out haughtily, taking his saber out.


    It was a thick and broad de that carved upwards and he pointed it at them.


    "Stop Hun Zao! Put that saber away!" Baojun shouted angrily at Hun Zao, ring at him.


    "But, Brother Baojun, they-"


    "Enough, since they are not seeking help then so be it. Let us go", he turned away from Anqing and left with his party.


    Hun Zao looked at their group, ring at them before following Baojun.

 Chapter 165 - The First Pavilion

    Leaving Ming Yue and the others, the group of six continued onward towards the next zone.


    "Brother Baojun, are you going to let them off like that? That girl embarrassed you!" Hun Zao looked at him, a scornful tone could be heard from his words.


    As for Baojun, his tyrannic eyes turned cold.


    "It doesn''t matter. I was going to use them as bait anyhow. It doesn''t matter, this time we will gain entry to the Third Pavilion. However, a cursed girl and a lonely idiot, it doesn''t matter if they have one more or ten more people, I''ll teach them a lesson soon enough."


    His smile curved upward into a chilling grin. He wasn''t going to forget this meeting. As they ventured further into the garden, Ming Yue and the others pushed onward until night broke.


    Gathered over a small campfire, Ming Yue looked over the map, examining the five pavilions.


    "Is there anything more to these structures or are they just markers?" looking at Xukun, she wanted to see if there were any secrets.


    "Those pavilions were former facilities used to refine medicines, so there are quite a fair bit of equipment in each one. However, such items resulted from old knowledge and using them would require an intense amount of research. Thus, they are untouched. Apart from that, you could find rare pills and the like though the first two pavilions are most likely empty. Coming here is an annual event and has been for the past hundred years or so. Real treasures could only be found in the final three pavilions."


    As Xukun exined, Ming Yue looked back at her map, thinking about her objectives.


    She definitely wanted to have a look at the tools used for refining medicine.


    Throughout the night, Ming Yue took watch, swiftly moving onto the higher branches of a nearby tree. Time passed by quietly and day returned.


    As predicted, they reached the first pavilion by the third day having encountered Vine Scaled Beetles and Iron Bite Ants. Sharing simr characteristics to the hos, they were somewhat tough to cut through but their movements were simple. It wasn''t extremely difficult to fight them.


    Though after the encounter with the hos, Ming Yue used her dagger quite a bit as well as the same tactics. Letting them charge at her while she stabbed it from behind and pulverized their insides with a violent sphere of wind. A technique which she had named, "Torrential Wind".


    It wasn''t necessary to use Drifting Sky yet, it would be saved for stronger beasts.


    Upon their arrival to the pavilion, the trio were met with several groups who spent their time resting outside. Of course, there were those who entered the pavilion, either hoping for some forgotten treasure or studying the contents within.


    "This is...quite beautiful", Anqing said.


    While they had seen what each pavilion looked from the map, looking in person was much different. Built with stone and ented with green tiling on the roof, it was simply designed but gave a serene feeling. With no walls, it was supported by six pirs, positioned in a way that it formed a hexagon. With its age, there were vines wrapped around the pavilions, snaking its way to the roof. Moss grew at the base of each column, some even grew four feet up. Flowers of many colors surrounded it.


    Large and spacious, over seventy people gathered here with plenty of room to spare. At the center was where no oneid for a trapdoor resided there. Most likely where the medicinal refining took ce.


    Still, this area seemed like a wonderful ce to rx and gaze at the garden.


    This was exactly what Anqing and Xukun did.


    Finding some empty space, they sat and began nning the route to the third zone. Meanwhile, Ming Yue went towards the trapdoor. Made from wood and bolstered by iron tes, it was a small opening that revealed adder leading downwards. Climbing down, she entered a room muchrger than the space above.


    Several other people wandered around examining the equipment, none of them noticed her arrival.


    Ming Yue followed suit, walking through the room slowly, looking at everything.


    From cauldrons to strange metal structures, ss bottlesid scattered everywhere and faint wisps sweetness drifted about. Despite learning much about medicine, she could only guess what each contraption did.


    "These little tubes... were they used to extract the pure essence of medical ingredients?" she wondered.


    As she looked around, her eyes wandered towards a mortar and pestle, which seemed to have been dropped on the ground and forgotten. Perhaps, in the final moments, the garden had been evacuated.


    Small in size, she could grasp it in her hands and she did just that. Holding it up to her eyes, she inspected the items.


    Made of steel and stone, she could tell that it wasn''t any ordinary item. The pestle was made with white colored stone, she could see the faint engravings on it. Rubbing her fingers through each groove, there was a faint energy within it. It was almost impossible to sense but she felt it for a moment.


    There was something special about it.


    "A treasure perhaps?" she thought to herself.


    "Just take it. It''s not like anyone else has use for it."


    Xue Yue''s t tone had resolved Ming Yue to silently ce it into her spatial ring. She went through the rest of the room before leaving.


    As she returned to the surface, she saw Xukun shielding Anqing from who seemed to be Hun Zao. Hei Yue bared his fangs while Xiao Yin revealed her talons.


    While she was pre-upied, Li Baojun''s group of Saber Hall disciples had arrived. Having seen Anqing and Xukun by themselves, Hun Zao saw fit to go and harass them. Though, it seemed that no one stopped him, not even Baojun himself.


    Perhaps this lesson would begin now, maybe Baojun had changed his line of thinking.


    Were these these really worth his time? It was probably better if one of his junior brothers dealt with it instead.


    How embarrassing would that be?


    To be defeated by an underling.


    As these thoughts rolled through his head, Baojun couldn''t help but smirk as he watched Hun Zao reach for his saber.


    Unfortunately, these thoughts were just thoughts, none of this came to be true.


    He could only watch with surprise as Hun Zao casually grabbed for his saber, only for someone''s de to meet his neck. No one could see it, they only saw a girl suddenly appear with her sword just barely scratching the neck.


    Exactly who was she? How did she move so quickly?


    "We are all on the same side. Is there a need to attack one another? Is there a need to target my people?"


    Ming Yue''s words cut into Hun Zao. Her emotionless voice seemed to bring nothing but fear within him.


    If he wasn''t careful, he would die. He didn''t see hering, not even the faintest clue of her existence. Yet, here she was, her sword ready to reap life.


    "I-I-I was just ying around. After all, we''re all on the same side right? Certainly, some humor is needed betweenrades", he stuttered as he spoke, visibly quaking to his knees.


    He was not ready to die just yet.


    Seconds passed before the sword rxed and disappeared. Ming Yue no longer stood behind him, instead standing with by Xukun.


    "Should we get going?" she asked.


    The two looked at her, surprised to see her right next to them.


    "Oh, uh, yes we should."


    They were slightly dumbfounded and Xukun led the way. Exiting the pavilion, they disappeared into the second zone.


    Hun Zao returned to his group shaken. Baojun looked at him with dismay.


    "Trash."


    With that one word, Hun Zao mental fortitude took another hit as he looked up at Baojun, whose eyes were filled with nothing but disgust. He looked back down and moved himself to the back of the group.


    "That girl...her cultivation is only at the first level, not even at the peak. How did she move like that?" Baojun thought.


    Although Li Baojun was at the third stage of the Earth Realm, Sight, his eyes could barely track her.


    Defeating Ming Yue would take quite the effort.


    Who would''ve known that she practiced every day for hours to hone her skills. Not to mention, passing into the Earth Realm had greatly improved her ability. After hearing of what she did in Clear Spring Mountain, she practiced hard and even conversed with Xue Yue about how to improve her movement.. She was simply of a different leaguepared to when she was at the Human Realm.

 Chapter 166 - Dao Roots

    They day after Ming Yue made a move on Hun Zao, the group had traveled deep into the second zone. With Xiao Yin watching from above, they were always prepared for an attack.


    Thendscape was different from before. It was not as well maintained at the first zone, filled with with much more vegetation. It looked less like a garden and more like a forest. The creatures here were stronger. They seemed to have more intelligence, able to move with a bit of gracepared to those hos that only knew how to charge forward.


    But with that heightened danger, the quality in nts was also greater. No longer were there rank 1 or 2 medicinal herbs but rank 3 and 4 herbs that had many more purposes than just for medicine. Just like before, Ming Yue gathered a bit of everything, roots, sprigs, flowers.


    However these were rtively young, only between the ten to hundred year mark. Real treasures were guarded, protected by strong beasts that wait for its maturity before taking it. There could be treasures that are several hundred years in age, perhaps in the thousand range.


    Ming Yue and the others were currently hiding behind some bushes, peeking over as arge mantis stood guard. Behind it was a small clearing to which none of them knew what was within. Whatever it was, a strong and sharp energy emanated from it which they had noticed earlier.


    It was the energy of Metal!


    "Should we fight it?" asked Xukun.


    "That depends on you. You practice the Dao of Metal and behind that mantis is a source of pure metal energy."


    Ming Yue''s response made him think hard. After all, this was no ordinary mantis but a rank 3 Emerald Fang Mantis!


    Two meters tall and a brilliant green shell, this fearsome creature stood on four legs. It''s two arms revealed razor sharp ws, with edges that gave off a metallic sheen. It must''ve been feeding on the Metak Energy to have gained such an appearance.


    Two bulbous eyes that flickered around, watching its surroundings.


    Still, whatever was giving off this Metal Energy must''ve been alive for at least a several hundred years. With it, Xukun''s Dao Comprehension would reach another level, his Dao of Metal could reach the state of a Grand Dao.


    "Is there anyone around us?" Anqing asked Ming Yue.


    "...It doesn''t seem so. I don''t think there is anyone within a kilometer of us", she said.


    "It should be so. Each zone is ten kilometers long and twenty kilometers long. Not to mention, there are around three hundred other people, all spread out. Most generally stay in the first zone", Xukun added.


    He wasn''t afraid of dying to this monster. With the three of them and Ming Yue''s pets, defeating the mantis would not be an issue. However, should they be found by another group, there lied the problem. He did not want to waste time and effort only for it to be stolen from him.


    "Should I try poisoning it?" Anqing suggested.


    She pulled out several vials of a purplish red liquid.


    "That wouldn''t work" he said, "The shell of an Emerald Fang Mantis is thick and sturdy. Unless, you force your poison down its throat, it would not work."


    "Then, our only way is to kill it?"


    "I suppose so."


    "Can the both of you stall it?" Ming Yue interjected, "If you can preupy it, I could sneak past and grab whatever it was protecting. Once I''ve returned, we can just run."


    "That could work... especially with your movement", he said.


    "We should do it quick. Before anyone else find out."


    Ming Yue prepared to move, circling to the side of the mantis. From where she was, Xukun''s sword left its scabbard, floating on the ground.


    Noticing the movement, the mantis''s eyes suddenly focused on Xukun''s position. From its mouth came small dribbles of drool, was this an opponent or a morsel?


    Like a sh of light, the sword flew straight for one of it''s eyes. The mantis was quick,shing one of its arms out and blocking the sword. Still, Xukun''s sword was most likely a peak sage weapon, for the tip of the de dug several inches into the metallic w.


    The mantis began to screech angrily as Xukun controlled his sword, forcing it to go even deeper. At the same time, Anqing made her move, tossing out a small vial of her blood poison. Breaking it on the ground, it turned into a gas that surrounded the giant insect.


    "Go!" Xukun yelled out.


    Ming Yue made her move and dashed past the mantis. For a split second, the mantis locked on to her. It''s eyes sharpened as the mantis turned towards her, attempting to stop Ming Yue from entering its domain. But neither Xukun or Anqing would let it do as it pleased, taking advantage and attacking it. Hei Yue had also made his move, leaping up and biting one of the mantis''s legs.


    In those few moments, Ming Yue left its grasp and entered the clearing. There the Metal Energy grew thicker, it was sharp and unrelenting. Moving towards the center she saw what the Mantis had been guarding!


    "They''re Dao Roots!" she eximed.


    It was a mystifying sight. Two sprouts nted in the ground, several feet from each other. Each one seemed to emit their own energy. One had turned the surrounding grass into sharp des, the tips of were colored to resemble steel. The other seemed to spark with electricity, the grass around it was singed as if it had been struck by lightning.


    Dao Roots were quite rare and unique, only able to grow if arge amount of energy gathered in one ce. That energy would find its way into a de of grass, feeding it and transforming it into a Dao Root. Not to mention this is one of the few items where rank was determined by age. The older it was the higher the rank.


    Still, to find two of them in one ce was very lucky. She did find it strange that two different Dao Roots grew side to side.


    Perhaps a great battle took ce here. It would exin why nothing but grass grew here. Compared to the what she had seen of the garden, this seemed quite barren.


    With her dagger, she carefully dug out each root. The Metal Dao Root was almost a foot long, an indication that it was reaching five hundred years. This was equivalent to a Rank 4. The Lightning Dao root was merely four inches, only two hundred of so years. This root wasparable to a Rank 2. That would exin why the metal energy was so thick, overpowering the lightning energy.


    She stopped lingering on her thoughts and wrapped the two roots in some leftover cloth. cing it within her ring, she left the clearing and found herrades in the thick of battle. The mantis had sustained several injuries. One of its eyes were stabbed, bluish blood flowed down its face. Its legs were covered in bite marks.


    But it was still brimming with life, continually growing more and more aggressive.


    "I got it!" Ming Yue called out, capturing their attention.


    Hearing her words, everyone quickly dashed back as the mantis chased furiously.


    From its mouth was an angry screech as it charged forward.


    Running through tree and brush, Anqing pointed to their right and yelled out.


    "Towards this direction!"


    No one questioned her and followed. Where she pointed, the vegetation was much thicker. Arge cluster of bushes and trees stood ahead.


    Ming Yue turned at the mantis behind her, quickly forming a windnce that shot forth. Unfortunately, it could not pierce through the creature''s body but that did not matter. It stopped the mantis, knocking it to the side.


    Everyone jumped into the bushes as the mantis recovered and looked around.. As it began to search the area, they all breathed silently waiting for it to leave.

 Chapter 167 - Stone Lion Centipede

    The mantis crawled around, its only working eye continued to flicker rapidly. As it searched around, a twig suddenly snapped and the mantis turned towards the source. It chased after, leaving Ming Yue and the others.


    They waited silently to see if it would return but Xiao Yin flew down,nding in front of the bushes where her master was hidden.


    One by one they emerged from their hiding ce, cleaning off any leaves and twigs on them.


    Ming Yue looked to her side as Hei Yue popped out, walking cautiously. She couldn''t help but snicker when she saw the Mistral Fox.


    "Come here", she said, gesturing the fox towards her.


    Hei Yue wasn''t sure why she snickered but came to her. With a few quick pats, she took off the many leaves that clung to the fox''s dark gray fur. If she didn''t do so, Hei Yue resembled more like a bush than an actual fox.


    "What was that mantis guarding anyways?" Xukun asked excitedly.


    Anqing was equally excited, waiting in anticipation.


    "I''ll show it to you once we find somewhere safe to rest. But it was a Dao Root!" Ming Yue spoke quietly but that did not hide her excited tone.


    "A dao root?! In the second zone!?" Xukun eximed before Anqing''s hand mped tightly on his mouth.


    "Shhh, talk quietly. Someone might hear us", she looked at Xukun with serious eyes before taking away her hand.


    Xukun paused before talking in a more restrained voice.


    "Do you know how old it is? What rank it is?" he asked.


    "Rank 4, five hundred years."


    Ming Yue stated bluntly.


    "Rank 4...Fi-five hundred...years."


    Xukun slowly repeated her words, unable to believe their luck. A treasure like that was more than enough to boost his ability in the Metal Dao. Perhaps he could also diverge and create his own personal path of the Metal Dao.


    After all to convert a Minor Dao into a Major Dao or even a Grand Dao, an increase in power would be enough. But if one truly wanted to elevate their ability, they must forge their own unique understanding of their Dao, to create a True Dao. Qing Lei Jiang''s Dao of Unyielding Lightning or Jing Hai''s Dao of Stars are such examples. Such things could only be done with goodprehension and a clear vision of what they wanted their dao to be, something that they believe to be true and just.


    Strength did not matter here. Even if it was a Minor Dao, making it a True Dao would be possible. It would then be called a True Minor Dao, then True Major and so forth.


    However such a thing could not happen so easily. Cultivators could go years without creating a True Dao, even if they''ve reached the level of a Major Dao. It required timing, luck, and inspiration.


    Even Ming Yue''s Dao of Everchanging Winds was not considered a True Dao. She had the inspiration but shecked timing and luck, having no resources to achieve a True Dao.


    Xukun continued to be dumbfounded from what he had heard, it took several minutes for him to recover from his stupor.


    "We should go. We can take it outter but not here", said Ming Yue.


    Xukun nodded his head and followed.


    The group slowly made their way through the second zone before resting in a small space surrounded by trees and shrubbery.


    That night, Ming Yue passed the Metal Dao Root to Xukun, who held it in his hands and unwrapped it slightly. The root itself resembled that of steel, as it it were made of it. The aura was dense and sharp. He quickly wrapped it again and ced it within his ring. In his mind, he felt thankful that both Anqing and Ming Yue were helping him.


    Anqing seemed equally excited and smiled at Xukun''s good fortune. She seemed genuinely happy for him.


    As for Ming Yue, she was upied over the Lightning Dao Root and her mind wandered to the Martial Thunder Arts manual that Elder Xiang gave her. Perhaps, his choice of books were not misguided. She now had a reason to take a look at that manual.


    All three of them felt that luck was on their side.


    The following day was proof enough that it wasn''t.


    "Two more kilometers and we would have reached the second pavilion. Once we''re there, that''s the border between the second and third zone", Xukun told everyone as he looked at the map.


    As they walked, the sounds of battle echoed through the garden.


    They looked at each other before slowly making their way towards that noise. Several hundred meters away from their route, they spotted a group of two taking on a massive centipede. The surrounding trees had been smashed down, any living creature there was most likely dead. The ground had been ttened from the ensuing battle.


    The insect must''ve been at least thirty meters long, with countless legs protruding from the sides of its body. Moving about in a strangely fluid manner this thing was as fearsome as it was disgusting. However, the most prominent feature of this creature was its head and skin.


    The centipede suddenly gave a mighty roar as its head was that of a lion!


    Its skin colored gray like stone, it was like a massive statue that had life breathed into it.


    "That''s... a Stone Lion Centipede! What is it doing here?" Anqing eximed.


    "A Stone Lion Centipede?" Ming Yue was curious.


    Was this creature special?


    "You don''t understand, the Stone Lion Centipede is one of the great dangers of the Ninth Flower Garden. A rank 5 monster that dwells in the fourth zone and this is the second zone", Xukun exined.


    They looked at the scene before them.


    "Wait... isn''t that Shanguan Lei and Ge Yun?"


    Anqing pointed out, looking straight at the center of the encircled couple. Both were covered in scratches and small injuries, looking exhausted and desperate. However, it was not hard to recognize them. Shanguan Lei had his hammer out,nding many thunderous strikes on the centipede''s stone like body. His sleeveless gray uniform was ripped up and covered with dust and blood.


    Ge Yun was no better, her long ck hair was disheveled. Her pure white dress had been dirtied ck and brown. She seemed much more mature for her age. Her appearance was simple and her countenance was elegant. Ge Yun carried a harp, an obsidian ck instrument that produced lovely music from its strings. That music became formless waves that caused several sts, cutting into the Centipede.


    However this was a Rank 5 beast, a creature that requires a group of Earth Realm Cultivators to deal with.


    Not to mention there were only two of them but that centipede has been alive for countless of years, feeding of the treasures of the garden. It was definitely mush stronger than a rank 5, it could possibly contend with a rank 6! If not, why would it be considered a great danger?


    "Do you think they stole a treasure from the centipede?"


    Anqing asked as she continued to assess the situation.


    "It''s likely but we should alert the Elder about this, going against this thing is almost certain death."


    Ming Yue spoke out as she took out her badge and activated it, sending a message to Elder Xiang. After doing so, she unsheathed her sword and started gathering up the Quintessence Force within her. A thinnce formed above her as she held her hand up. Several inches at its thickest and two meters long, she slowly condensed it pushing her control to the brink.


    "What are you doing?" Xukun sputtered out in shock and fear.


    "We can''t go against that thing! You''ll get us killed!"


    "If we don''t help them, they''re going to die before the Elder evene here", Ming Yue replied with a determined tone.


    Far from them, the pair''s situation only grew worse and worse.

 Chapter 168 - Unstoppable Force

    She looked at both Anqing and Xukun.


    "Both of you seem like good people, I''d hate to see that go unnoticed", she said.


    Surprised by her gesture, neither knew how to reply. After all, this was the first time they had seen her speak warmly of them.


    She looked back at the centipede, focusing on thence. It had shrunk down to an inch at its thickest and a little over a meter in length, but its power had tripled. It was incredibly dense and could pierce stone with out an issue, but would it be able to damage the insect''s carapace?


    She wasn''t sure but at the very least it would be enough to take it''s attention away from Shanguan Lei and Ge Yun.


    If she were topress thence even further, she would risk losing control over it. Ming Yue looked at the centipede and waited for the opportunity.


    The insect slowly tightened its circle around the two and as much as they struggled. The space around them grew smaller and smaller.


    The centipede reared its lion head, readying to gorge itself. As it watched from several meters above them, something flew through the air, aiming straight for its head. A loud bang came from the impact as the centipede was knocked down.


    The sudden attack had caught it off guard and it crashed down to the ground.


    Its body loosened and its grip over Shanguan Lei and Ge Yun loosened. Neither knew who had helped them but did not want to linger here.


    "Ge Yun, let''s leave quickly! Whoever was willing to help us has probably left."


    Shanguan Lei grabbed her hand and the pair that were moments away from death, quickly took this chance to escape. They climbed over the centipede''s thick body using its stone like skin as footholds. Running towards Ming Yue position, the two escaped with newfound energy.


    As dust and smoke settled, the centipede raised its head and looked around, having forgotten about the two. The side of its face had small hole with numerous fractures that spread across its cheek. It looked towards where the attack hade from, trying to identify who had the gall to ambush it.


    But Ming Yue had already formed anothernce and did not give it a chance to rx.


    The moment the centipede faced her, she sent it off. With its explosive speed, thence smashed into the beast''s head. The impact itself was incredible, knocking the Stone Lion Centipede into the ground.


    "We should go", Ming Yue suddenly spoke and everyone ran away.


    This time the centipede was thoroughly angered, letting out a ground shaking roar as it began running towards the group''s position. With its many legs, it covered a hundred meters in seconds. It wasn''t a rank 5 for nothing and its sharp eyes saw Ming Yue and the others running.


    Behind them, the sounds of crushed vegetation and broken trees followed.


    The group changed directions often but could not shake off the centipede. It didn''t matter if there was another beast or cluster of trees, the centipede blew past it all. It seemed determined to kill these humans and the chase only made it resolute.


    Slowly but surely, it was catching up to them. Inching by until the head was only fifty meters behind Ming Yue. All three of them did what they could to slow it down. Anqing pulled out several vials of poison and tossed it at the centipede to no effect. Xukun controlled his sword to cut down trees that were blown away by the centipede. Ming Yue sent off a de-wind but it only left a scratch. She needed to make a windnce but under such conditions, that would be difficult to achieve.


    Despite their attempts, the centipede was unstoppable.


    "Where is the elder?" Anqing yelled out in desperation.


    "I knew it! We shouldn''t have attacked the centipede and saved them!" Xukun whined out loud.


    The centipede closed in on them, just meters away. It raised its head and readied its jaw, preparing to swallow them all in one bite.


    Suddenly, a loud bang rang out as the centipede''s head was shot down by whats seemed like ck iron ball.


    Above them, a ship blotted the sun as it hovered over the centipede. That cannon shot was the first of many as the ship sent off a barrage at the centipede''s position.


    "The elder!"


    All three of them called out with relief and stopped running. But it was a short-lived emotion. The ground shook beneath them and without another thought, all of them jumped away from where they stood. The next moment, the ground exploded and the centipede emerged from where they use to stand.


    It was intent on swallowing them whole.


    But Elder Xiang would not let it do as it pleased.


    Several feet above the centipede''s head, a great earthen de formed. A double edged sword, two meters wide and fifteen meters long, pointing down on the insect. Floating above the de, the elder stood firmly controlling the de with his hand.


    Without warning, he pointed downwards and the giant rock de smashed into the centipede''s body. It roared in pain as the de had broken off parts of its shell, revealing a slimy interior that was bright pink in color.


    The giant insect trembled and dug back into the ground, retreating to wherever it came from.


    "Hmph, filthy insect", the elder muttered under his breath before going back to the ship.


    Gradually, the ship descendednding on the smashed ground where the centipede was. The elder then hopped off, walking towards Ming Yue.


    He gave one look at them before turning back.


    "Good none of you guys are hurt, I''m leaving", he said.


    As an elder, he was to watch over them and save them at critical moments. Outside of those two objectives, he would not interfere. After all, they needed to have their own experiences. Ming Yue knew this and so did the others, so they did not find his behavior odd or insulting.


    They prepared to leave for the third zone before Shanguan Lei and Ge Yun emerged from the surroundings. They were dirty and tired, covered in injuries and their clothes full of rips.


    "Hm, its you", Shanguan Lei recognized Anqing and Xukun, looking at them with surprise.


    "Was it you that helped us?" he asked.


    "It was her that made the first attack, after that it chased after us to here where the Elder scared it off."


    Anqing pointed at Ming Yue as she spoke.


    "I see. In any case, thank you for saving us, all of you", he spoke with a whole-hearted tone and bowed with Ge Yun.


    "It''s..it''s fine", Anqing stuttered a bit, surprised by their actions.


    Xukun walked up to them and supported the two, leading them to Elder Xiang''s ship.


    "Please, there is no need to bow. You are both injured", he said.


    Elder Xiang looked at them solemnly.


    "You ventured into the fifth zone, didn''t you?" he questioned. .


    The two paused before their faces turned gloomy.


    "Yes, we did", Ge Yun answered.


    "Hm, how many?"


    "There were seven of us and now we are the only ones."


    "I''m not going to ask you what you went there for, but I hope you do not overestimate yourselves next time. Are you going toe back with me and stay here?"


    "We''re... going to leave."


    The pair spoke in a somber tone and followed the Elder back into the ship. He turned back and looked back.


    "Girl! I hope you learn from this!" he yelled out.


    They watched as the ship floated up and flew off.


    "Hmm, I wonder what they took that made the centipede follow them all the way to the second zone?" said Anqing.


    "Whatever it was, it is definitely some great treasure", Xukun responded.


    Ming Yue only watched quietly but she thought about Anqing''s questions.


    What were they looking for to have traveled into the fifth zone?

 Chapter 169 - The Third Zone

    She was curious, tempted even. But Elder Xiang''s words deterred her. Out of a seven, only Shanguan Lei and Ge Yun survived. All of them had a higher cultivation so the chances of her doing better was next to impossible.


    Anqing looked at the map, determining at their position and gauging the distance. They had a couple of kilometers before they reached the second pavilion.


    "Let''s go, its been almost seven days and we only have thirty. We shouldn''t squander it", she said and looked at herrades.


    "We should rest for the night. I''d rather not bump into that centipede again."


    Xukun walked towards the broken trees, grabbing twigs and branches to make a fire.


    "I guess you''re right. As much as I''d like to keep moving, I think I''ve had enough for today. Ming Yue, what about you?"


    She gave a nod and helped set up for the night. In the back of her mind, she thought about the fourth and fifth zones, where monsters like the centipede dwell. What would thest three pavilions hold? After all, it was a point where few people dared to travel to.


    The following day, they reached the second pavilion without so much as a hup. The journey there was quiet, as if the inhabitants were still afraid of yesterday''s carnage.


    This pavilion was different from the first. Simr in style but this one stood above a pond, one that flowed into a multiple streams that splintered into the third zone. There were much less people, only twenty to thirty. Ming Yue took a quick look at the lower floor before leaving the pavilion. There was nothing here that she had not already seen before.


    "We should be careful here. I''ve never gone this far but from what I''ve gathered, this is going to be different. Many of the insects reside within the water so we must be careful with any surprise attacks. Furthermore, don''t fall into the water, it isn''t normal water and once you fall in, you cannot get out."


    Xukun looked at the two as he spoke.


    "Of everything here, the most dangerous thing that we should watch for is the Diving Dragonfly. It likes to dive into the water ande from below, using its speed to knock us into the water. Unlike the Stone Lion Centipede, it is much smaller and is said to be the size of an average man."


    This area was certainly different from the first two zones. From the map, there was more water thannd, which had been separated into inds. Stone bridges connected one to another as a single path. These bridges had no rails to them, it was merely a pathway. If one wasn''t careful, they could lose their bnce and fall.


    Ming Yue walked into the Third Zone to study the water.


    It was somewhat green, perhaps from moss or any nts that lived within. Strangely, it seemed incredibly still and she decided to dip her finger in.


    "This...how heavy!" she thought.


    This water was unlike anything she''d seen. It was dense, incredibly so. She cupped some into her hands and weighed it. Just a handful felt like she was holding fifty kilograms. Letting it flow from her fingers, she watched as it joined back without so much as making a ssh.


    If she were to fall, death was a certain fate.


    At the same time, she felt a bit of fear for the creatures that inhabit in these waters. If they could swim through and move about with such weight bearing down on them, how tough would they be if they fought?


    How strong would their limbs be?


    Rather than falling to her death, it was possible that she would smacked to bits.


    Everyone rested for a bit longer before walking the first bridge.


    This time, Xiao Yin stayed on Ming Yue''s shoulder rather than flying up high. There was no need to do so as many of the inhabitants here attacked from below. Keeping close, they traversed the first bridge. It was half a kilometer long but only several meters wide, barely enough space to fit ten people.


    As the group made their way into the Third Zone, another group followed close.


    "Look! they''ve entered, what do you n on doing Brother Baojun?"


    Entering the pavilion, Li Baojun watched closely as his band of saber users followed behind him. In his golden and white robes, he touched the saber on his back before looking away. Hun Zao looked at him, clearly wanting to suck up to this brother of his.


    "We''ll wait, wait for them to reach the deeper areas and see if that Diving Dragonflyes. It is bound to attack them on the bridges and once it does, we''ll trap them in between and force them into the Emerald Deepwater. They can never get out nor can anyone save them."


    Li Baojun was quite ruthless with his methods. To use them as bait, trap them, and then force them into death, this type of thinking was indeed cruel but that was his character. As a well known disciple of the Saber Hall, he was prominent and steps away from bing an elite disciple. As long as he did something of great value, he would be promoted to that rank. Something like killing a great beast of the Ninth Flower Garden worked. His path towards this position was filled with deceit and blood, often using others to help him.


    He watched as Ming Yue''s group disappeared and started to follow. So long as they were within his detection range, he would know what was happening. Of everyone there, Anqing and Xukun would not be extremely hard to deal with. The owl and the fox were easy targets too. It was Ming Yue, he was concerned with.


    Having neither seen her or heard of her, Li Baojun didn''t know exactly how strong she was. Even when he asked his group, none of them knew of her. All that he could dig up were things about her two pets, Xiao Yin and Hei Yue. As they had been out and about quite often, helping the Medicine Elder deliver medicine or do other little errands. There was nothing about Ming Yue herself.


    Such a thing was expected, she never participated in any events and with the way she conducts herself, few people notice her.


    He brushed those thoughts away and led his group into the next zone. There was no point worrying. They outnumbered her and had a better cultivation, there was no way he would lose to them. Yet, he couldn''t shake off the feeling of anxiousness.


    As for Ming Yue, she was busy looking at the garden, admiring the style. It seemed there was only one pathway as each ind was connected by a single bridge. It wasn''t straight path but instead a winding path that connected the scattered inds into one body.


    Having counted them on the map, they found that there was exactly a hundred inds connected to each other. It snaked around the area touching all four edges of the ten by twenty kilometer area.


    Every one of the inds were simr to each other, incredibly dense and full of intriguing medicines and treasures. There were rank 3 and even some rank 4 nts, thoughpared to the Dao Roots that they obtained far exceeded the values of the things they saw. Some of the trees and nts grew by the edge, their roots exposed and reaching into the water below them.


    The first several inds didn''t have many creatures and it was a rtively peaceful journey. As they made their way deeper into the zone, they started to experience a certain pressure in the air. It wasn''t very strong but it was enough to make them ufortable.. It was as if something powerful had awakened, watching them.

 Chapter 170 - No Way Out

    As they moved to the twentieth ind, they encountered their first attack. With a shell-like body the size of a small dog and four extremely long legs, this insect was incredibly light as if walked on the water with ease.


    Noticing the group on the bridge, it began dashing madly towards them, letting out a small but constant chirp as it came.


    "Watch out, it''s a Mist Strider!" Anqing called out.


    Standing on the middle of the bridge, everyone prepared themselves as the Mist Strider quickly approached them. Every step it made caused a small ripple on the water. Within seconds, the insect had reached the bridge, hopping onto it.


    It was quick and nimble, using its long legs to stab at the group. Everyone jumped back as the initial attack came. The spear-like legs that were aimed for their chest, stabbed in the stone bridge. Well made as it was, the Strider''s leg did not pierce the floor but they left small cracks on the surface.


    "Be careful of its legs! If we aren''t careful, we could get swept by it and fall to the water."


    Xukun was the first to make a move. With his flying sword, he attacked the Strider''s legs but it barely scratched the creature. Still, it was enough to grab it attention and the insect swiped at the sword. Despite its attempts to smack it away, Xukun''s control over the sword was incredible. The movement was erratic, hard to predict as it continued to attack the shell of the Mist Strider.


    At the same time, Anqing held her short spear and took a stab at the Strider''s body. Running under, she managed to pierce the thick cobalt shell and retreated. A hissing sound whispered under the Mist Strider as small melted shards of its shell fell to the floor.


    A putrid smell wafted in the air, sour and metallic.


    Searing pain reached into the Strider''s body and it''s chirping became screeches of pain. It was not weakened by the least but angered to the extreme. The antennae quivered as its four pitch ck eyes stared at Anqing. Disregarding Xukun, it charged after Anqing, who tried to back off.


    Her strength lied in opportunistic attacks and support, a direct sh would not end in her favor.


    Anqing grew fearful and held her spear in a defensive position, ready to use it to absorb the Strider''s attack.


    "No!" Xukun called out, trying his best to get the creature''s attention.


    It raised one of its legs and stabbed at Anqing, looking to skewer her through the chest. Anqing yelped at the oing attack and braced herself.


    But such a thing never came to pass. Between her and the Strider''s leg, Ming Yue stood tall, revealing her de. It hummed as she filled the de with her Quintessence energy. A thinyer of wind wrapped around it, increasing its power by several times.


    Brandishing it in front of the Strider, she repelled the leg into the stone bridge. Following that parry, she put both hands on Drifting Sky and jumped up, reaching the height of the Mist Strider''s body. She struck down with her full strength, cutting off the creature''s leg at its root. The insect recoiled in pain and backed off.


    The dismembered leg fell to the ground, quivering as pink blood seeped out.


    "Tough!" she thought.


    As clean as she made the attack look, she really did need all of her strength to achieve such a result. Xukun''s sword barely made a scratch on it and her attack just now had confirmed how tough the shell was.


    Ming Yue looked at the cut off leg before looking back at the Mist Strider.


    It hesitated, contemting whether it should retreat or not. That moment of weakness allowed everyone to push forward. Suddenly, the Mist Strider was cornered. Xukun was behind it while Ming Yue and Anqing stood before it. At the same time, Xiao Yin flew above it as Hei Yue crouched below.


    "We should kill it, the Mist Strider''s innards can be used for body strengthening pills."


    Anqing moved forward, determined to y this creature. As they circled it, a quiet buzzing sound could be heard. It was almost imperceptible but everyone heard it. They paused and listened.


    Ming Yue looked at the water and noticed something strange about it. The surface seemed to tremble ever so slightly. She looked back at the Mist Strider. It stood still as if paralyzed with fear.


    Fear of something, perhaps a fear of death.


    Even with all the pain it felt, the creature dared not to move, neither did they.


    The buzzing slowly grew louder and louder until it was the only thing that filled their ears. It was a foreboding sound, music that brought nothing but anxiety. What were seconds seemed like hours to them all. What was it that came? What could it be that made them all uneasy?


    All of them could not help but feel their heart pumping. It felt as if any movement would lead them to their deaths.


    Suddenly, the buzzing stopped and the water no longer trembled as it did.


    The first to rx was the Mist Strider as it stopped paying attention to its opponents and instead, peered into the water.


    Anqing felt impatient, deciding to take advantage of the distracted beast. Just as she stepped forward, a shadow shot out of the waters, sting through the Mist Strider. It was so quick that only blink of an eye was enough to miss it.


    Having grabbed the Mist Strider, the shadow dived back down andnded on the stone bridge gently.


    As itnded, the creature''s jaw loosened up, dropping the crushed body of the Mist Strider. Then, it began to feast on it, eating with ferocity and savageness. With its front most legs, it pushed the dead corpse into its mouth. A crunching sound apanied the meal, breaking the silent atmosphere.


    The sight of it was beyond disgusting. The sour smell that came from within the Mist Strider only magnified as its flesh was ripped apart.


    "That''s...that''s the Diving Dragonfly!" they all thought simultaneously.


    Indeed, it was the Diving Dragonfly. The length of its body was as tall as the average man. From head to tail, the shell was an azure color that faded into a dark verdant shade. It resembled ted armor, one piece ovepping the other. Its four wings spanned the length of two meters, transparent but stained emerald like ss. Its bulging eyes were as disturbing as they were mesmerizing.


    Engrossed with its meal, the Diving Dragonfly did not notice Xukun rejoining the others and walking away carefully.


    "Let it finish and fly away. Any sudden movements and we''re dead."


    Xukun slowly moved everyone back. His sword stood guard by him, pointed at the dragonfly.


    Anqing felt weak in her legs.


    If she had taken that step and went towards the Mist Strider, the Diving Dragonfly would have blown her to pieces. It would''ve been her body that the creature munched on.


    Ming Yue restrained herself, resheathing her de. It took merely a nce at it for her to know that killing this thing was next to impossible.


    None of them wanted to rm it or grab its attention.


    "Duck!"


    Xue Yue''s voice resounded in her mind and without question, Ming Yue grabbed the two and pulled them to the ground.


    "What are you?!"


    Both Xukun and Anqing were both shocked and confused by her actions. A single momentter, several flying shes passed over them, hitting the dragonfly. Made from pure energy, they were quite powerful and managed to injure the insect, cracking the shell a bit.


    "What?"


    All three of them looked behind and noticed a small group of people, all of which had their sabers at hand. At the front was none other than Li Baojun, smirking at them. They were all smirking, watching the situation unfold from a distance away.


    "Those bastards! All because I denied their request?!"


    Anqing was furious, these people deserved to die. Everyone thought the same, seething with anger though Ming Yue did not show in her face. But those thought were quickly interrupted.


    They turned around to find the Diving Dragonfly staring back at them.


    It screeched with anger, its bloodied jaw only made it more intimidating.


    They could not retreat. Li Baojun''s group blocked one end and the dragonfly blocked the other. They couldn''t jump in the water for that was certain death.


    There was no other way but to fight.

 Chapter 171 - Battle From Both Sides

    "Shit, what do we do?"


    Xukun couldn''t help but panic. He was afraid, scared that death was the only choice.


    "We''ll fight it..."


    Ming Yue drew her sword and faced the quivering Diving Dragonfly.


    "Then what? That Li Baojun is just going to watch us die! He trapped us here!"


    "We won''t fight to kill it, just enough to trick them. At the right moment, we''ll lead the Dragonfly to them."


    "That sounds better than nothing."


    Anqing brought out her spear, epting that this was their best chance. It was only Xukun that seemed both shocked and afraid.


    "This is..."


    He could not produce any words and understood that this was the only way. But it did not change the fact that death was almost certain and it was a fate he did not want.


    As they quickly spoke out their thoughts, the creature before them began to fly up. The buzzing sound that it produced was the only thing they heard, almost numbing their ears. It floated just a foot from the ground before diving into the water.


    All three of them tried to sense where the Diving Dragonfly woulde from but the Emerald Deepwater did not allow such a thing.


    From afar, everyone watched Ming Yue''s group, waiting for a chance. As members of the Saber Hall,rades of Li Baojun, they were all quite arrogant but they were some of the strongest disciples within that hall. So long as it wasn''t an inheritor or certain Elite Disciples, none of them were afraid.


    Like now, they viewed little of the individuals that they have trapped. In their mind, Ming Yue and the others were as good as dead. Though, one or two of them had desired to obtain Hei Yue and Xiao Yin.


    But the greatest prize would''ve been the Diving Dragonfly.


    Indeed, so long as they obtained its corpse, everyone would have gained recognition. This was especially for Li Baojun, once he gains the credit for killing it, he would definitely be an Elite Disciple. That position came with ess to better treasures, but the reputation was what he wanted. The title was everything to him.


    He wouldn''t just stop at Elite Disciple but the position of Inheritor. It didn''t matter what it would take to get there, he would have it one way or another.


    As Li Baojun nned away, the Diving Dragonfly shot out of the water with great speed. Just meters from the bridge, it angled itself such that it could take Anqing in its jaw.


    However, all three of them were expecting it toe and jumped out of the way. The dragonfly flew up and circled the from above. Then it dive-bombed straight to the bridge before moving slightly and re-entering the water.


    It was a cycle of ambushing from the water and the sky.


    The speed and power that it used caused furious gales of wind.


    If they weren''t going to be caught by the creature, they were bound to lose bnce and fall into the water. There was no way to attack for the dragonfly was too quick. Even Ming Yue found it difficult to keep up.


    On one attempt, Xiao Yin was caught in the path of the dragonfly''s ascent. Although the little owl managed to move out of its immediate path. She was knocked by the winds created from its flight and fell towards the water.


    "Xiao Yin, no!"


    Ming Yue screamed out and jumped past the bridge. Using a gust of wind to propel herself, she flew over the Emerald Deepwater and grabbed hold of Xiao Yin''s unconscious body. With another wave of her hand, she supported herself with wind and flew back to towards the bridge.


    From afar, Li Baojun and the rest of his crew were shocked.


    "Flight?!" they thought.


    "That was something one could only achieve once they reach the level of Perception! How was she able to fly."


    What they did not know was that it was not true flight, but a pseudo version using Ming Yue''s control of wind. Still, they felt wary towards her.


    Was she an Elite Disciple? Perhaps a Inheritor?


    If she was either, then her death would be investigated. After all, these disciples usually went to the forbidden zone of the Ren Hua Battlefield, a ce several times more dangerous than the Ninth Flower Garden. It would be quite rare for them to die here. Even if they were to go against something like the Stone Lion Centipede or the Diving Dragonfly, they would have a means of escape.


    None of them dared to think what would happen if they were found to have killed one of their own but it was toote.


    As Ming Yue made her way back to the bridge, the Diving Dragonfly flew down. Having seen her above the water, it flew towards her at a shocking speed.


    It would take seconds for the creature to reach her and that wasn''t enough time for her to reach the bridge.


    Anqing and Xukun had their hands held out, ready to pull Ming Yue back in. Even Hei Yue stretched his body to its utmost to help her. However, Ming Yue had other ideas, one that could hasten their deaths or let them all free.


    Without a moments hesitation, she tossed Xiao Yin to Xukun and faced the Diving Dragonfly. WIth one hand, she held her de and in the other, she took out her dagger. The white ivory de shined and hummed with power.


    "Wait! What are you doing?!"


    They watched her as the Diving Dragonfly flew down, taking her into the water. Shocked, they couldn''t help but walk back and drop to the ground.


    No one would believe what she had just done.


    Seconds past but neither the Dragonfly or Ming Yue emerged.


    "What should we do now?"


    Hun Zao looked at Li Baojun with concern. It was likely that Ming Yue was dead and the Diving Dragonfly had left after eating its fill. The buzzing sound was no longer there.


    "Kill them, no one should know about this."


    Li Baojun was unhappy, the n did not go as well as it expected. Most likely it had returned to its home and this had soured his mood. Now it would most likely take another week or two to find and kill the Dragonfly.


    He had to use more time in achieving this goal.


    Perhaps killing these two would alleviate his frustration.


    As they walked towards Anqing and the others, they heard the return of the dragonfly. The buzzing came quick and loud.


    The water trembled and suddenly, the Diving Dragonfly appeared mming into Li Baojun''s group. Both the impact and the shockwave that followed forced them to scatter. Of the six, three were unfortunate enough to have lost their step and fall into the water.


    "Save me! Save me!"


    They yelled out, waving their hands and struggling to stay afloat. But the Emerald Deepwater clung to them, just a mere handful weighed several kilograms. Now that their clothes had absorbed more than just a handful, they slowly sunk into the water, screaming for their lives.


    On the bridge, Anqing and Xukun watched in disbelief as Ming Yue stood atop the Diving Dragonfly with her dagger stabbed deep into the head of it. She was soaking wet and her body was battered ck and blue. Her left arm was limped on her side, there were bloody bites from the dragonfly near her shoulder. It cut deeply into her, bits of her bone could be seen.


    Li Baojun and the rest of his group recovered and look at her with fear.


    "What are you going to do?" he asked, "Kill us?"


    Despite the developments, he tried to put on a facade. Ming Yue looked at him before grabbing the knife in the Diving Dragonfly''s body for a few seconds.


    The creature quivered under her before slumping. From the crevices of its shell, a bluish blood leaked out as the beast died.


    "That''s... impossible. How did you kill it!?" Hun Zao saw it and yelled at her in disbelief.


    But she looked at him coldly before ripping the bloodied dagger out of the Diving Dragonfly''s corpse.

 Chapter 172 - Sudden Abandonment

    Something about her didn''t seem right. She didn''t speak and merely looked at Hun Zao, who looked with disbelief that she killed a rank 4 beast all on her own.


    Having recognized this state before, Hei Yue quickly moved towards Anqing and Xukun. Biting the bottom of their clothes, he pulled them away from her. Confused and surprised, they followed him and moved back several meters.


    As for Li Baojun, he slowly moved his hand behind him, reaching for his saber. While she was still focused on Hun Zao, this would be an opportunity to attack her and take the dead dragonfly.


    Inching closer to the saber, he wrapped his hand around the handle and quickly unsheathed it.


    As quick as he was, Ming Yue was quicker. Like eyes behind her head, she didn''t look back as her armshed out. The dagger in her hand shed against the saber and managed to force it out of his hands and into the water.


    Li Baojun was unperturbed and took out a jade talisman. He lunged towards the Dragonfly''s corpse and disappeared, transformed into motes of light. He left Hun Zao and whatever remained of his group at the mercy of Ming Yue.


    "No, wait!" they crawled desperately towards their leader only for him to disappear in front of their eyes.


    Abandoned so easily by the one they considered their senior.


    Cursing themselves, the pair stood up and took their sabers out, ready to fight. It wasn''t likely that Ming Yue was going to let them go. They faced her with as much courage as they could muster. Still, their legs were quaking. After what they''ve just witnessed, there was fear inside them. Under the cold stare of the one before them, they felt as if death approached them.


    Ming Yue stepped forward, walking over the bloody puddle that the dragonfly left.


    Hun Zao was the first to move. He yelled out and lunged forward. With the silvery saber in his hand, he stabbed once but the images of two other sabers appeared. Three simultaneous strikes aimed at Ming Yue.


    One for the head, one for the heart, and one for the stomach.


    "Take this! Trinity Lotus Stab!"


    The three attacks formed three lotuses, each one flew to their respective positions. This was his greatest skill, a lethal strike aimed at three vital points. A technique he practiced hard and made it his killing move. Hun Zao was sure that she would not be able to avoid it but that was only wishful thinking.


    Ming Yue swung her sword and brought it down on the three lotuses, breaking the technique.


    "What! Impossible! How can you break it so easily?!"


    Whatever courage he had was overtaken by fear. His best technique was dealt with ease, how could he not be afraid?


    Ming Yue took one more step forward before vanishing in front of his eyes. The next moment, he felt the cold dagger piercing his neck before lopping his head off.


    "That''s...impossible."


    He spoke hisst words as he dropped to the ground.


    As for thest member of Li Baojun''s group, she had already ran off. Taking advantage of Hun Zao''s struggle to escape. Ming Yue turn towards the direction of her and tried to chase after her. But on her next step, she fell to her knee before copsing on the bridge.


    "Ming Yue!"


    Anqing and the others ran to her, checking for any signs of life. Hei Yue seemed especially worried for her and watched his master carefully.


    "Oh thank goodness, she is still breathing. Quick, let''s give her some medicine before her situation gets even worse. Where is that rank 2 pill? The Cleansing Sea Pill?"


    Anqing worked quickly and with Xukun''s help, they managed to bandage up Ming Yue''s more dire injuries and gave her a water-colored pill. Fortunately, both medicines worked quickly and Ming Yue''s ck and blue body regained some color.


    "Let''s move to the next ind while there''s still sun."


    Having finished up the treatment, Xukun carried Ming Yue in his arms and started moving. Meanwhile, Anqing still had the unconscious Xiao Yin and Hei Yue carried Ming Yue''s sword in his mouth. Despite her heavy injuries, she was still alive.


    Ming Yue''s mind was active and within it, she conversed with the voice of Xue Yue.


    "What happened? Have I died?


    "You survived, though your body is in a pretty nasty shape. Your friends are fine as well and most of those people that trapped you are dead."


    "I see. That''s good."


    Ming Yue paused and breathed with relief before realizing something strange.


    "Wait, I thought you said that you had no control over my body anymore? Why is it like this?"


    "What do you think? After you dove into that water with the dragonfly, your body was put under extreme pressure. Not the mention, the thing took you by the arm and almost ripped it off with its jaw. As strong as your mind was, you barelysted several seconds before passing out. In such a state, I was suddenly pushed into control. Luckily, you managed to force your dagger into its shell. If not, even if I took control, we would''ve died long ago, drowned underwater. "


    "What? What else did you do?"


    "Why are you so concerned? I killed your enemies and that dragonfly, shredded its innards with Torrential Wind. Oh, but their leader ran with the corpse and ditched his ownckeys. Is there anything else you need to know?"


    "I suppose not."


    "Good, you''re going to wake up soon. I''ll talk to youter."


    Xue Yue''s voice faded away, leaving only Ming Yue to ponder the strange situation of her soul. Perhaps, Xue Yue was a way for her to move in case she lost consciousness. If it were like that, Ming Yue would be a much more dangerous opponent. Knocking her out would only result in having to fight another persona, albeit a more merciless version. The thought of it was quite strange for her.


    In the real world, her eyes moved just a bit before they opened. Her body was covered with bandages and her shoulder felt incredibly sore. Internally, it was nothing more than a mess. Her energy was spent as was shown in the almost lifeless ind within her. Many of her meridians were damaged though it wasn''t as severe as she thought.


    She couldn''t help but groan against the pain.


    "Oh, she''s awake!"


    Xukun was the first to notice and quickly helped Ming Yue sit upright. Compared to Anqing, he seemed much more nervous about Ming Yue''s condition. This was pretty much the second person he had managed to befriend. Anqing quickly followed as did Ming Yue''s two pets.


    "Agh, where are we?" Ming Yue asked.


    "The next ind, the twenty-first one."


    "Oh good."


    "How are you feeling?" Anqing asked, "Do you need any more medicine?"


    "No, no, you practically covered my body in bandages. I feel much better than I did before. If I circte my energy for the night, I should have recovered enough strength to at least walk."


    "That''s good news."


    "Yes, it is."


    The two paused as they looked at Ming Yue kindly.


    "You shouldn''t act so recklessly, what if you had not survived?"


    "Even if I didn''t, we would''ve died either way. Besides, we''re alive now, aren''t we?"


    Neither could refute her and sighed with dejection. Anqing''s rejected face soon turned to a furious one.


    "That bastard Li Baojun escaped with the Diving Dragonfly''s corpse. The next time I see him, I''m going to give him some real poison."


    Her eyes showed no yfulness or kindness but fury.


    "Let''s get that ck Adder Moss first and then we can talk about dealing with him."


    "Oh yes, you''re right. Let''s grab a fair amount of it. Afterwards, we can go deal with Li Baojun."


    Ming Yue was a bit surprised by the sudden change. Perhaps, Anqing was less like a snake and more of a frog. After all, the smallest of frogs can kill a man with merely a touch. It was easier to think, that someone with a poison body has more than dabbled in poison.


    In any case, she was somewhat happy that Anqing was her friend. She would not be a fun opponent.


    The night passed by as Ming Yue slowly recovered. At the same time, she told the others about her quick trip into the Emerald Deepwater and how she managed to kill the Diving Dragonfly. But, she did not speak of Xue Yue as a detail like that should be kept a secret.. Who knows what sort of people may want to capture her for such a thing.

 Chapter 173 - The Halfway Point

    The following days were met with a bit of chaos, both inside and outside of the Ninth Flower Garden.


    Outside, there was greatmotion among those that have returned from the garden.


    "That''s- isn''t that Li Baojun and that thing in his hands! That''s a Diving Dragonfly, that''s Rank 4!"


    "Do you think he killed it on his own?"


    "That can''t be, he came in a group of six. Seeing him by himself, they must''ve suffered greatly to have killed that thing."


    "That must be what happened! The Diving Dragonfly is a very agile creature. It must have taken an enormous amount of effort to catch it and kill it."


    "But now that he does have it, he will probably enter the ranks of an Elite Disciple."


    "Yeah, still I feel like something isn''t quite right about this. He is barely injured except for a few bruises and scratches."


    "That''s true butpared to everyone else in that group. He is the strongest one. He is at the third level of Earth Realm, Sight. Last I heard, he was getting closer to breaking through to the Perception level."


    As the others looked on and whispered to one another, Li Baojun walked proudly with the Diving Dragonfly''s corpse slug over his shoulder. Though this one seemed to have more wounds than before, his attempt to mask what really killed it.


    With it, he entered Elder Xiang''s ship and approached him.


    The elder was where he had been at the beginning, casually resting at the bow of the ship.


    He whistled when Li Baojun threw down the dragonfly''s corpse on the floor. Elder Xiang got up from his resting spot and crouched down, examining the dead beast.


    "Impressive. It must have taken a lot of effort to kill it."


    "Yes, I lost everyone in order to kill this beast."


    "Tell me, was it worth it? Five lives for this one bug."


    Li Baojun did not seem perturbed by the elder''s questions and put on a sorrowful face.


    "I managed to avenge them with its death. Still, I wish I was stronger and then I would not have suffered such a cmity. "


    "I see. Do you n on returning to Heaven''s Gate early?"


    "If possible yes, I don''t want to stay in this wretched ce anymore."


    "Hm, alright. One of the elders will being at the halfway point to pick up those who have no more business here. There''s still six more days, until then, you can toss the corpse into the storage unit of the ship."


    "Yes, elder!"


    Li Baojun took the corpse and turned around. His mouth curled into a smile. He was in the clear. So long as he returned, the position of Elite Disciple would be his.


    At the same time, Elder Xiang went back toying on his back. His eyes looked at the wandering clouds. He seemed deep in thought, pondering a few things.


    "Hmm, I wonder if she was the one that killed it", he muttered, "Oh well, I guess I''ll know if she survives."


    Within the Third Zone, Ming Yue and the others sat close to each other at the twenty-second ind. It did not matter if it was day or night, there were constant sounds of battle. With the death of the Diving Dragonfly, many creatures that would have stayed hidden are now battling each other. That dragonfly was a leader, an insect that reigned over the Third Zone. Now that it was gone, the position was empty and someone needed to fulfill it.


    Buzzing, ticking, cracking, these were just a fraction of the things they heard. It was utter chaos for the next several days. Those who were already in the Third Zoneid low, trying to wait out the battles. But there were also many who saw this as an opportunity.


    To kill those that have been weakened, to take while these beasts were out in battle.


    It was chaotic indeed.


    "You should go and try to find some treasures without me. It will take me more than just a few days to reach my peak state again", Ming Yue felt that it was better this way.


    Although she was strong enough to walk, she could barely hold her own against a Rank 1 beast. Killing the Diving Dragonfly left her half dead and this wasn''t going to heal in just a day or two. She needed at least a week.


    "No, we aren''t going to leave you just yet. Besides, do you want us to call the Elder and pick you up?" Anqing retorted.


    "That''s..."


    "I thought so. You aren''t ready to leave yet and we''re not going to leave you so easily."


    Ming Yue stopped speaking. Evidently Anqing was right, she still wanted to explore the rest of the garden. She was especially tempted to seek out the final zone of the garden.


    They made their way through each ind slowly. Xukun stood at the front, prepared for any attacks. Everyone stuck close to each other and several days passed by before they reached the fiftieth ind, the center of the zone. It was by far thergest ind they''ve seen and it was the most riotous.


    Crushed grass, broken trees, there were sounds of cracked shells and dying beasts. The entire ind seemed to have been piged by a violent gang, devoid of any treasures.


    "Damn it, why are there so many of them?!"


    Xukun readied his de as he watched over a hundred beasts battle each other. If it wasn''t for the fact that he was currently the strongest of the group, he would''ve ran behind Anqing.


    Of all the things that the garden had to have, it was bugs.


    It was both fear and disgust that he had for them and this sight made his legs weak.


    Fang Castor Spider, Five Eyed Worm, Stone Jawed Beetle, Scarlet Blood Moth, these were just a few of the creatures that were in the thick of battle. They were all rank 3 and judging by the carnage, there was a lot more at stake than just being the lord.


    He put his hand over his mouth, almost gagging from the ripped limbs and crushed bodies.


    "Let''s-let''s hurry up. We should leave before any of them notice us."


    Xukun carefully led the way, moving around the scene. It wasn''t until night came when they reached the end of the ind. It was only then that everyone, especially Xukun, let out a breath of relief.


    "Oh thank goodness, we managed to avoid that cmity", he said.


    Ming Yue looked back at the ind. By now, she had recovered eighty percent of herbat prowess. Perhaps, if she was at her peak state, she would dare to challenge the denizens of this ind. That fight with the Diving Dragonfly had given her a good idea of her strength. She could probably obtain many things on the ind. Unfortunately, such a thought was dismissed.


    After all, the final goal was the fourth zone, an area with much more rarer items and much more danger. More importantly, there was the Violet Cassia Tree that they needed to reach.


    As they walked towards the bridge, they heard a echoing screech that reached the edges of the ind. Trees rustled as a wave of power passed through the ind, it seems that there was finally a victor.


    "Quick, let''s leave before things get worse."


    Everyone agreed and went off. At the same time, the ind began to shake slightly as insects of all sorts escaped the ind. These were the ones that chose not to join the fight, more concerned about their survival than anything. Like a wave, they rushed out of the ind while something chased after them. It had no wings but it flew about, dark blue in color. It chased after the escaping insects, killing them ruthlessly.


    "What the hell!? What is this?!" Xukun yelled out and looked at the others in panic.


    "Let''s run!" Ming Yue yelled out.


    With the wave of insects behind them, they sprinted through the bridge.. Getting caught would do nothing good for them.

 Chapter 174 - The Final Bridge

    "Over there!"


    Anqing pointed at the next ind.


    "We should hide there!" she yelled.


    "We shouldn''t, we have to keep running", Ming Yue shot down the idea.


    "I think that the new lord is trying to make its name known. So it might be going through the entire zone in a massacre. If it isn''t going to be killing everything in its way, it will probably leave its victims in a half-dead state. These things are territorial, aren''t they?"


    Hearing her exnation, Anqing and Xukun understood her thinking.


    "In that case, let''s try to reach the next zone then."


    What came after was constant running. From one ind to the next, they dared not to stop. The new leader of the Third Zone seemed toing closer and closer. It was only when they reached the sixtieth ind, that they managed to catch a glimpse of the creature. It was then that they realized two things.


    It was following them and it was another Diving Dragonfly.


    This one was sleeker, a bit smaller than the one they faced. With two wings on each side and a dark blue shell, it seemed hellbent on chasing them.


    "Don''t tell me we killed its parent!"


    Xukun couldn''t help but curse his own luck. He looked back before sending off his sword but this dragonfly avoided and attacked him, swiping its two foremost arms at him. Anqing grabbed his hand and pulled him forward, evading the strike.


    "Let''s just run!"


    Both Hei Yue and Xiao Yin moved to the front. With their keen senses, everyone steered clear of any unforeseen dangers. Under the ind''s foliage, it was fairly easy to pause for a few minutes and rest but that was all they had. This creature was unlike the previous one, tenacious and violent. It wasn''t until the ny-ninth ind that they managed to lose the dragonfly.


    The fact that they were able to evade the dragonfly for so long was a feat of itself. It was a game of cat and mouse between them. Having to hide behind trees and bushes only to be found minutester. It hade to a point where constant attacks were needed to fend the creature off.


    Traversing the bridges were the worst part. With nowhere to hide, they could do nothing but run. There were multiple times where one of them were almost caught, nicked by the creature or even taking a misstep and nearly falling into the water


    At the ny-ninth ind, it was empty. There were no trees or any foliage, just a t field. It was then that they stopped to face the Diving Dragonfly. There were no other creatures left, they were either killed or in hiding.


    The dragonfly flew above them as they breathed heavily. Both mentally and physically exhausted from several days of running, they stopped and tried to recover as quickly as they could. There was nowhere to hide and they stared at the insect.


    "Should we just fight it here? There''s nothing here. It''s just us and that damn dragonfly."


    Anqing breathed heavily as she looked at the others.


    If it was before with that wave of beasts, they would''ve continued running to thest ind. However, it was just them and the dragonfly. It would''ve been better to have escaped to the next pavilion but after being chased day and night, Anqing was feeling fed up.


    She red at the dragonfly.


    It looked back at them, thinking that they had given up.


    Three humans and two beasts!


    Such a feast was more than enough for it! In a moment''s notice, the dragonfly screeched loudly. It was ear-ripping and it echoed through inds.


    "What is it doing?"


    Xukun stared in confusion.


    "Maybe it''s celebrating its victory, thinking that it has avenged its family."


    Ming Yue could only specte, she wasn''t an expert in these types of things.


    "It''s mouth is open, I''m going to toss the most agonizing poison I have into it."


    Anqing readied herself, pulling out a small ck pellet. It brought out a sweet scent, a mixture of fruit and flowers. For something so sweet to be called her "most agonizing" made it all the more scary. Unfortunately, she had no chance to use it.


    Upon the dragonfly''s call, a group of insects followed after. In fact, it was a group of seven other Diving Dragonflies. Each one in varying colors of emerald and azure. Flying behind the leader, they waited in tow.


    "What? Where did theye from!? How are they here!?"


    Anqing put back her poison pellet and turned to the others.


    "We should probably run", she said, "It''s the next ind anyways, right?"


    Everyone had decided at that moment, and sprinted hard. With newfound strength, they ran with all their might. On tnd like this, they headed straight for the final bridge. In a distance, they saw a towering citadel, most likely the third pavilion.


    "Let''s go, past this bridge and they shouldn''t be after us anymore."


    Xukun ran forward, eager to reach the next pavilion. The quicker they arrived the less time they had to spend with these damnable dragonflies.


    All they had to do was pass this bridge, something they''ve done for the past week. However, such a venture would not be easy. It was bad enough having to run from one dragonfly by to deal with the attacks of seven more made it exponentially worse.


    Stepping foot on that final stone bridge, the dragonflies dived into the water before shooting out, aiming to take one of them into the waters.


    "Come here!" Ming Yue grunted, grabbing Xiao Yin in her arms and keeping the owl close to her.


    She wasn''t going to have a repeat of before where that Rank 4 dragonfly knocked, Xiao Yin out of the air. Hei Yue didn''t need to be carried. He was a Mistral Fox, a creature with speed much greater than Ming Yue. If anything, he had the best chance of surviving.


    Just a quarter of the way through the bridge and everyone already had several close calls. If not for each other, they would''ve died ten times over.


    "Ahh!"


    One of the dragonflies flew out of the water and went straight for Xukun. In his high strung state, he was too focused on running and did not notice ite. It was only after it left the water that he saw it but by then it was already reaching over the bridge. There was not enough time for him to fully avoid the attack, he would have to sacrifice his arm to survive.


    Suddenly, Ming Yue jumped forward just enough to get to the side of the dragonfly. Strengthening her body as much as she could, her arms wrapped around the neck of the dragonfly and she mmed it headfirst into the stone bridge. The impact was enough to crack the dragonfly''s head and Ming Yue hopped over it and continued running.


    Too shocked to even react, Xukun continued to run through the bridge.


    After that move, the dragonflies started to be more aggressive. Rather than ambush tactics, theynded down on the bridge and screeched at the group. Half in front of them and half behind them, there was no way to run. The leader stood closest to the group and prepared to attack.


    Without missing a beat, Anqing pulled out several vials and tossed them on the dragonflies''s bodies. Each one produced a gas that they breathed in and in seconds, they started to stagger.


    "Run over them and don''t breathe it in!" she instructed.


    Everyone put their sleeves over their moves as they ran past the dragonflies in front of them. The ones behind them approached their kin with curiosity, avoiding the gas. Seeing what happened to the others, they found that this meal wasn''t exactly worth the trouble and flew off.


    Anqing looked behind them and breathed out in relief.


    "Oh good, they stopped chasing us."


    By now, the sun was beginning to set and they reached finally reached the third pavilion. It was a great castle of some sort, heavily fortified with stone and steel. There was even a gate at the front but it was wide open.


    "Hooh, we''re finally out of the third zone."


    Xukun plopped on the ground and tried to catch his breath.


    "But, we''re finally here, the fourth zone."


    Past the castle was another bridge, one that lead to a great forest.

 Chapter 175 - Sheltered In The Pavilion

    The fourth zone was a ce they knew very little about. Outside of the dangers, it was also home to many intriguing treasures and creatures. But there was one aspect of it that everyone knew, it wasrge, everything wasrge, giant beasts, trees, even grass grew several feet. To some, it was as if they had shrunkpared to the sights they saw.


    Two weeks had past since they''ve entered the garden and everyone took shelter in the third pavilion. There seemed to be no one else but them. The third pavilion was a great castle, rectangr in shape with a tower on each corner. If one were to climb up the walls and explore, they would find cannons on each tower. Each one was a hulking chunk of metal, carefully forged and made tost. What made these interesting were the empty holes along the sides of the barrel, linked together by a long groove. Most likely, elemental cores are entered to power the cannons and with the number of slots on them, the power was more than terrifying.


    Past the fortified walls were several buildings, none of which was used to make medicine. Instead, they were all for battle. Two had racks of weapons in them, another carried food that had already rotted away. Behind those three was a warehouse that carried resources for the walls. In fact, there were more siege weapons,rges to capture beasts, catapults, shields, and more.


    Ming Yue looked around the equipment in the pavilion, admiring the work done. There wasn''t anything that really interested her. Nothing here was good enough to match Drifting Sky nor was there any armor that suited her.


    She left the area and rejoined the others.


    There Xukun pulled off a sword and looked at it, examining the de. It was pure white and thin, much thinner than his sword. Still, when hepared his beige colored de to the one next to it, the white de seemed much more impressive.


    It was pristine, straight and sharp. There was no guard. The handle was iid with obsidian jewels and wrapped delicately in white silk. It was a beautiful sword and Xukun marveled at the work.


    "This sword..."


    He waved it around in his hands before inserting his energy into it. With both swords under his control, he made them attack each other.


    "Find something you like, Brother Xukun?"


    Anqing noticed the scene and walked up to him with curiosity. Ming Yue also joined in and watched.


    "Oh yeah, this sword is great. It''s beautifully made, durable, and flexible as well. Not to mention, it isn''t very heavy. I could definitely use this. It is on par with my Scattering Light Sword if not better even!"


    "Really?"


    "Mhm, I think I might use both actually. It is unfortunate that I could not find the scabbard for it but I could have one made at Heaven''s Gate."


    Xukun ced the sword in his spatial ring and looked at the others.


    "Did you guys find anything you liked?" he asked.


    Anqing and Ming Yue shook their heads.


    "Let''s rest for the night and n everything out for tomorrow. Now that we have reached this point, it is going to be much more dangerous", said Anqing.


    Everyone agreed and made a small campfire outside of the buildings, eating dried rations and whatever supplies they could salvage from the pavilion.


    During this meal, Anqing took out a drawing showing some purple nts.


    "So tomorrow when we enter the fourth zone, we have to find the Violet Cassia Tree. It isn''t too hard to locate as the trunk is dark purple in color and the leaves are a more lighter shade. The Purple Adder Moss grows on the trunk of the tree as well as the surroundings. I just need to collect several kilograms of it. But we have to be careful when handling it. If you manage to crush it in your hands, it will cause irreparable damage to your body."


    "So, it''s for poison?" asked Ming Yue.


    "Not exactly...it''s...a cure of sorts."


    Anqing hesitated to speak even Xukun looked concerned for her.


    "I think you can tell her", he said, "She is someone we can trust is she not?"


    Anqing''s eyes nced at him, feeling relief from his confident face.


    "It...is a cure for my body. Since, well, I have a poison body."


    On that first line, she poured out her entire story.


    "You see, this body of mine is quite rare and because of that I was hunted for experiments. Having such a body was harmful to myself and there were times that I would lose control. My body would release a poisonous aura that killed anything within ten meters of me. That aura would use up my energy and once expended, it would use my own life force. If I did not have it under control, I would have died a long time ago. That was until I was saved, saved by an elder from Heaven''s Gate. She was the Poison Elder Mi Gui, and she had great interest in my body."


    "You mean, she experimented on you?"


    Ming Yue was surprised, she knew that such a body would bring attention but she didn''t think it would bring such consequences.


    "You could call it that, but all she did was take a vial of my blood to study. Outside of them she helped me control my poison aura and even strengthen my body. Thus my attacks became less frequent and I had also be much more deadlier. However, it was not perfect and I had to cultivate my poison body even further. That is why I need the moss, an extremely deadly nt. With it, I will be able to fully control my attacks."


    "Then if you do have these attacks, why has it not happened in the time we spent together?"


    "That is because of these vials."


    She then pulled out ten or so vials, each one was a reddish color.


    "Drawing my blood would weaken the poison aura. Thisbined with certain herbs would make a number of poisons. Hence, that gas one or that corrosive one. The first had strong alcohol that I personally made and the other had acid from a Pink Spotted Scorpion."


    "Then that pellet?"


    "That...was a new creation made the elder. I have yet to use it but she has told me that it is deadly enough to kill anything under rank 5."


    "I see. Then how does Xukun know?"


    "That-"


    Xukun stopped her from speaking and answered in her stead.


    "I found her copsed on one of the training fieldste at night. She stopped me before I entered the poison aura. I went to get the elder for her and since then, we slowly got to know each other. I was worried for her and visited often. Seeing as we were both outcasts of sorts, me with history with people and her with the poison, we found sce in each other."


    "Xukun''s story of being the son of a fallen noble family made him a target for bullying. Because of that, he had always spoke to others in a haughty manner, calling people trash and other things. Even I was hesitant to receive him until I leaned more."


    "I see."


    Hearing such a story, Ming Yue felt apologetic towards Xukun as she had ignored him the first time he spoke.


    "Now it''s your turn!"


    "What?"


    "Yeah, tell us a bit more about yourself! It''s not very fair that the both of us had to spill everything out."


    "Since, we''re pretty much done once we obtain the moss, we should talk some more."


    "Like that sword where did you get such a thing? Can we see it?"


    Seeing their excitement, she brought out Drifting Sky and let them hold it.


    "Oh! It has weight to it!"


    "The length! It''s taller than me! Xukun look!"


    She watched the two and thought about their behavior. They didn''t seem to bothered from the predicaments that they were in, or even the history. It showed in the way they spoke, how quickly they moved from a somber tone to a happier one. With each other, it seemed that the pain wasn''t so horrible and she had be a part of it.


    She had more people she could call a friend.

 Chapter 176 - Gargantuan Lands

    After ying with her sword a bit more, everyone rested for the night. It was a peaceful night and it was rxing, something they would need for this next zone.


    If the Third Zone had Rank 3 and Rank 4 treasures and monsters, then the Fourth Zone had Rank 5. This particr number was a threshold. Anything above was capable of massive destruction, crushing cities and even small kingdoms. At this rank, such beasts were equal to early Sky Realm Cultivators and would require several high leveled Earth Realm cultivators to kill. Such as the Golden w Bear, which was only defeated after falling into a formation and getting surrounded by the 7th Demon Brigade. It was dangerous, much more dangerous.


    Once they entered this area, any creature they find should be avoided. If not, they might be chased all the way back or worse, killed.


    Everyone awakened to a somewhat cloudy day. There was little sun and no breeze. It had drizzledst night, making the ground soft. It seemed like a slow day, a day where one would have liked to sleep in. Unfortunately, this was no time to rx.


    They left the pavilion and walked on a stone pathway. Further and further they walked, the grass began to grow taller, the trees were a little thicker. Before long, the grass reached to their chests and the trees towered above them.


    "Look at this!"


    Anqing pointed at a bush and took off what seemed to be a berry. She looked in amazement at the brilliant red fruit in her hands.


    "This is as big as my hands!"


    She looked at everything around her.


    "It''s all so...big, makes me feel smaller than I already am."


    Everyone felt the same. They felt small when theypared to everything else. To be the smallest thing here, it was strange and eerie.


    They walked for hours and hours, feeling lost in their surroundings. It was only until the sun fell before they found what they were looking for.


    "Hey, isn''t that the Violet Cassia Tree?" Xukun called out.


    Among the great trees before them was one very unique tree, with a deep purple trunk and violet leaves that shimmered under the moon. On the surface of the trunk was the Purple Adder Moss, it was a simr shade of color to the Violet Cassia Tree but it glowed ethereally.


    It wasn''t tremendously bright but the moss gave off a gentle glow, just enough to separate it from the trunk.


    Reaching the base of the tree, Xukun looked up at the moss over a hundred meters above him. The others joined, staring at the tree.


    "Now, its a matter of how we''re going to get it", he said.


    Purple Adder Moss grew directly on the trunk and never touches the ground. It was a byproduct of the tree, created as a protectiveyer and a trap. After this moss was poison, any being unlucky enough to have been afflicted would find themselves frothing at the mouth and dead on the ground. Those victims would be rejoin thend and be food for the tree. If they were unlucky, they would meet the same fate.


    "Don''t worry, my master prepared me for this."


    Anqing took out several small pouches from her spatial ring and gave it out.


    "These bags all have protective equipment for harvesting. With it, you shouldn''t be affected by the moss. We don''t need to collect too much, just a kilogram each should be enough."


    After receiving her pouch, Ming Yue opened it and took out a pair of white gloves. Blue embroidery decorated the gloves and revealed the words "Poison" on the top of them. Putting them on, the gloves shrank to fit her hands and the blue embroidery glowed for a moment.


    A refreshing wave of energy passed through her and she examined the gloves closely.


    "Okay, now we should get climbing."


    Anqing moved first while the other two looked over their gloves.


    Taking out her spear, she stabbed it into the trunk and looked for nooks to grab onto. Starting the climb, she carefully rose up. Ming Yue spoke to her pets, instructing them to stay down here and take watch but to be careful as well.


    The two stood guard and watched their surroundings.


    Then, Ming Yue started to climb as well. Taking out her dagger, she rose up the trunk, stabbing and looking for footholds. The climb was long and arduous, not to mention it was a tad frightening. The higher they climbed, the smaller everything seemed. It wasn''t until Xiao Yin and Hei Yue were dots that they reached the bottom of the moss.


    "Is everyone okay? If we want to harvest the moss, we have to shave it off from the trunk. Even though the gloves protect our bodies from the poison, it''s a different story if we ingest any of it."


    After warning everyone, Anqing began to take off the moss bit by bit with her spear. With the empty pouch in the same hand, the moss fell into the opening. Following her example, the other two started harvesting the Purple Adder Moss.


    Ming Yue didn''t have much trouble, this wasn''t her first time harvesting nts after all.


    On the other hand, Xukun had plenty of trouble. Having little to no experience with these types of things, his sword often got stuck cutting into the trunk of the tree than the actual moss. Still, like the others, he managed to collect a kilograms worth of the moss and descended.


    "Great! We''re finished here! Let''s go move deeper into the Fourth Zone now", said Anqing.


    She collected the gloves and the pouches of moss before walking further into the area.


    "Wait, I thought we were finished here? Once we collect the moss, we''re leaving, no?"


    Ming Yue was confused, weren''t they in the garden for the sake of the the Purple Adder Moss?


    Xukun looked at her puzzled expression.


    "Well, Anqing has the moss and I got that Metal Dao Root from before. You haven''t obtained any significant treasures you know, just some medicinal nts. Besides, we still have a little more than twelve days left, plenty of time."


    "Oh, that''s true I suppose."


    Ming Yue really didn''t gain much from this. There was that second dao root but it wasn''t really that valuable to her. Still, she was plenty satisfied from the trip. Although she didn''t show it, she learned quite a lot from this experience. Although, it wouldn''t hurt to explore the more dangerous parts of the garden.


    "Then, let''s go!"


    Xukun followed after Anqing and Ming Yue began to walk as well. Although it was night, they weren''t tired and traveled along. Furthermore, it would be troublesome if they attracted anything while they were asleep.


    "Wait, isn''t that...that''s a Immortal Siren Flower!"


    Stepping through the tall grass, they walked into an open pasture where the grass grew to their normal size. At the center of it all was a beautiful flower with numerous petals of varying colors. The stem itself was positively glowing and shined under the moonlight.


    The treasure was surely a cut above the rest. But that also applied to the beast that guarded it. To their surprise it wasn''t an insect of any kind but rather an enemy of insects. It was a bird, a crow to be exact. A great crow whose wings were of two different colors, each overtaking one half of its body.


    It slept quietly, nestling around the Immortal Siren Flower.


    "An Immortal Siren Flower...", Ming Yue thought.


    A Rank 5 treasure that helped to both consolidate and boost ones cultivation. After all, this field was caused by that flower, absorbing the energy around it. If it weren''t for it, the area would''ve looked the same as the others. If she had this, chances were she might be able to break through to the second level. This much shows just how strong it is.


    Unfortunately, it was something else that made it a highly sought treasure especially among women.

 Chapter 177 - Moonlit Chase

    "That flower, anyone that uses that flower will find their beauty to have reached another level. This is definitely for you, Ming Yue!"


    Anqing was extremely excited for this flower, it increases cultivation and even beautifies the user.


    "Oh, yeah", Ming Yue replied.


    She wasn''t as excited for the beauty effect as she was for the cultivation increase.


    "How are we going to get it? That crow over there, I''m not sure what it is but if it can sleep soundly in the open, it has to be strong."


    Xukun took a closer look as did the others. After several minutes, a light seemed to popped in his head as he recognized the creature. Soon after that was the realization and the look of horror.


    "Rank 6! That''s Rank 6! We have to get away from here! Quickly!" he looked at them and pointed in the direction of the pavilion with urgency.


    "What? Rank 6? What is it? Tell us!"


    Anqing was both shocked and curious. An existence above Rank 5 was right before them, such creatures roam thends and go wherever they pleased. This was no exception.


    Xukun pulled everyone back.


    "That thing is a Luminous Ink Crow. The ck part of its body is an ink coating that can be used to armor parts of its body. It can weaponize its ws, wings, pretty much every part of its body. Trying to break through thatyer of ink is like trying to cut through a block of steel. Killing it is impossible for us. We should get away from it. There are plenty of other treasures to be found, we don''t have to get this."


    As he nced at the Ink Crow as he spoke, checking to see if it had awoken.


    Despite his words, Anqing seemed quite set on this flower.


    "But that''s an Immortal Siren Flower. Not to mention it''s rare but by the looks of it, it has more than matured. It improves one''s beauty, is that not enough a reason to get it? Also, the crow is asleep. It''s not going to notice us if we''re this weak."


    "But that''s...it''s too dangerous! What if it wakes up? We''re dead at that point."


    "That''s only if it wakes up. Once we get the flower, we''ll leave as soon as possible!"


    "You know what, we should ask Ming Yue first before we decide. This is her treasure anyways."


    "...You''re right. Ming Yue, what do you- Where is she?"


    "What? Did she-"


    Upon their realization, they walked back to the clearing, finding Hei Yue and Xiao Yin waiting idly at the edge. Their eyes stared intensely at Ming Yue''s figure, who was about fifty meters away from the sleeping crow. Crouched down, she moved quickly and silently towards it. Fortunately for her, the soil was quite soft and made little sound.


    "Ming Yue, What are you doing? It''s too dangerous!"


    Anqing called for her fervently, trying to stay as quiet as possible. But it was toote, Ming Yue closed in on the crow, who nested by the flower.


    She sneaked around its feather body, watching its chest puff in and out as it slept soundly. It was merely feet away from the flower and she approached it, careful to not wake up the crow beside her. More than that, she controlled her power and aura. After all, physical senses could only go so far but spiritual senses were much more sensitive.


    Ming Yue inched closer towards the flower, getting a closer look at the nt.


    The flower was beautiful and brilliant. The appearance resembled that of a chrysanthemum flower, with hundreds of rounded petals. Each one was tipped in pure white and appeared in a plethora of vibrant colors. It radiated a gentle aura but that was not enough to relieve Ming Yue''s tenseness.


    Taking out her dagger, Ming Yue slowly dug out the Immortal Siren Flower. She was extremely careful, keeping her hands still and making sure no to damage the flower. Her concentration reached to a point where she held her breath.


    It was only until she held it in her hands that she could rx a little.


    Without much thought, she ced it within her ring and crept back towards the rest of the group. As she passed by the crow, she looked at it only to find it staring at her. It''s shining ck eyes looked at her as the crow stood up. Its head twitched to one side so that only its right eye stared at her.


    Anqing and Xukun watched in horror as the beast towered over their friend.


    Why did it awaken?


    Was it because of the flower?


    Without it, that gentle aura was gone. The crow must''ve sensed that something was amiss when that gentleness was gone.


    After looking at Ming Yue, it started to scan the area before its eyesnded on the upturned soil where the flower it has been guarding for hundreds of years was gone. A moment of thought was all it took to realize that it had been stolen by the girl before it. Only she was long gone, sprinting as quickly as she could.


    Now that she has been found, her only choice was to run.


    "Let''s run!" she yelled loudly, waking the others form their shock.


    Everyone took off, running through the tall grass and back towards the pavilion.


    The crow cawed at them as the ck ink on its body shimmered before splitting into two and coating its wings. The ink covered them like armor and even lengthened the wingspan by a full foot.


    Three times the height of Ming Yue and with a wingspan that could blot out the moon, it spread its wings and took flight.


    The Luminous Ink Crow waved its wings and swung them together. From the tips of the wings, the ck ink formed sharp nails which shot forth and rained on ground. Even though they were made of ink, these nails could not be less dangerous, piercing through the thick trunk of trees and digging into the ground.


    There was destruction everywhere as bits of wood and dirt scattered in the air.


    "Why did you have to get the flower?! There were plenty of other things we could''ve found!" Xukun shouted out, panic and concern was written across his face.


    "This was probably the best one!" Ming Yue yelled back at him, "Why else would there be a Rank 6 guarding it?"


    "But still, what are we going to do now?"


    "Can the both of you stop talking and focus on running? Don''t forget this thing can kill us in pretty much one move!"


    Anqing retorted angrily and even overtook them.


    "Follow me! We''re going back to the Violet Cassia Tree!"


    After speaking, she ran even further ahead.


    "The tree? What can it do for us? The crow practically treated those other trees like nothing."


    "She must have a n. Let''s just get there first."


    They stopped speaking and focused on escaping the crow above them. Being almost covered by the tall grass, it would be difficult to find them. Even with the crow''s spiritual senses, there was so much in the way that the attacks it sent would just barely miss them.


    But it was not flustered and knew that eventually, it would kill them and take back its treasure.


    The group used whatever methods they needed to survive this ordeal. Ming Yue evenunched an attack back at the crow. Several windnces that flew up at the sky to which the ink on the crow''s body churned and covered its belly. Much to its surprise, thosences were made in mere seconds and barely had any power to it. It just turned into a puff of hair on impact.


    The crow seemed to sneer as the ink moved towards its ws. Then it dove down with its wings tucked in. Ming Yue looked behind to find the crow flying towards them.


    "Watch out!"

 Chapter 178 - Taken Away

    Upon her warning, Anqing and Xukun looked back and sprinted even faster.


    The Luminous Ink Crow flew towards the ground before turning up. It spread its wings apart revealing the obsidian ck talons, wide open and ready to grab any one of them.


    Everyone jumped in different directions, nearly avoiding the ws.


    But the crow was swift and moved quickly. It ignored the others and turned towards Ming Yue. It grabbed forward, attempting to snatch her but she twisted around with her sword drawn out.


    Using the t side of the sword, she pressed it against the ws with both of her hands. However, this attempt seemed to be in vain as she could not stop it or even slow it down. But she was not nning on stopping it.


    With her de caught between the ink covered talons, she leaped up and grabbed ahold of the crow''s thin legs.


    Her hands were shaking from what she had just done. That moment of impact felt like someone had thrown a mountain for her to catch. Although she managed to use most of that force to propel herself onto the crow, it took a toll on her.


    The leg that she grabbed into began to shake violently as the crow tried to get rid of her. Having distracted it, the others recovered quickly and continued to run away. Then with Ming Yue on it, the crow began to fly off, taking her away.


    "Wait, Ming Yue! Jump off! Quickly!"


    Anqing yelled out but it was toote.


    Ming Yue could not escape for the crow had already reached a height where falling equated death.


    Rather than run away, they began to chase after her but the crow was much quicker than them. Hei Yue and Xiao Yin were thest to give up on following them as they could not match the crow''s speed. Even though Xiao Yin had the edge as a fellow bird, she could not reach the same heights as the Luminous Ink Crow.


    "What should we do now, Xukun?" Anqing asked.


    "We need to call the elder, we should send a message with our badges. Then, I suppose we wait at the pavilion. We can''t do anything now."


    They stared towards the direction where the crow left. The both of them were incredibly worried, they did not think that Ming Yue would act rashly to save them. It was just like the Diving Dragonfly, sacrificing herself for them. They now owed her their lives twice now, perhaps even more than that.


    Meanwhile, Ming Yue clung tightly to the crow''s leg and noticed the ink liquefying.


    The ink on its body surrounded her, trying to cover her hands and imprison her.


    It crept towards her and she knew that if she were to be caught by that ink, she was as good as dead. Ming Yue quickly climbed up the crow, grabbing the feathers of its underbelly. As if it had its own mind, the ink followed her. It might be extremely powerful as armor but it took a second or two to solidify. That was enough time for her to move. Time and time again it would manage to touch her but before it could take form, she would escape its grasp. Each time she did, she would attack the crow but she could only produce light scratches. Even with her sword, she could not cut into the crow''s skin. The feathers acted like a secondyer of armor.


    The crow continued to control to ink separated it into four pieces. Those individual ink blots attacked her from different directions, each one aimed at taking her hands or legs. Still underneath the crow, she used her sword and stabbed into the belly, managing to pierce at least an inch of its skin. It was enough for her and Ming Yue swung up from the belly.


    She propelled herself with a gust of wind andnded on top of the crow''s body. Standing upright, she nced at thend beneath her, not realizing just how high the crow had flown. She could see the entirety of the Ninth Flower Garden, all one thousand square kilometres of it.


    She saw the four pavilions that separated the five zones and with a bit of focus, she could even spot the Elder''s Ship.


    Looking back at the crow, Ming Yue scanned the creature, trying to find any sort of weak spot but to no avail. Wielding her sword with both hands, she attacked the crow''s skin furiously, focusing on one point. With her on its back, the crow had to rely on the ink to deal with her. If capture was not possible then it was time to kill.


    It transformed the ck ink into spikes aimed towards her. There seemed to be an impossible amount of spikes that attacked. ck obsidian spears shot out from the ink, ready to fill her body with holes. She jumped off to the side, grabbing ahold of the feather''s of it left wing. Even with her agility, she could not evade all of them and one rather sharp and thin spike pierced the side of her stomach.


    "Urgh!" she winced in pain but did not falter.


    It was neither a shallow or deep wound, piercing her skin but not her internal organs.


    She attacked as much as she could, trying to cripple its wing. She was a little bug to the Luminous Ink Crow, annoying and hard to kill. She was tenacious.


    It was then that the crow, knowing Ming Yue was riding on top, dove down. If she could not be shaken off then she would be thrown off. The crow pulled back its wings and the glowing ck ink covered its head and neck. Sharpening and its beak and smoothing out the feathers, the crow flew down at twice the speed. Then the beast slowly spun and it turned quicker and quicker.


    She held onto the feathers and tightened her grip. Wind pushed down on her, forcing her hands to slip on quills. She inched away from the crow''s wings before nearly reach the end of the feathers.


    Using Quintessence Energy to strengthen her body, Ming Yue pulled against the wind, grabbing onto the other feathers. Slowly, she climbed back to the top of the wing and onto the back. She left bloodstains wherever she moved. Clinging to the crow''s body, she braced herself and even went as far as to stab into a previous wound she made just to have better footholds.


    Seconds passed before the crow was within several feet of the ground and the beast pulled up, spreading its wings with an explosive power. That pent up energy burst forth like a shockwave as the crow suddenly broke its descent. The grass beneath it ttened and even the trees swayed from the the power.


    Despite all that she did to cling to the crow, the outburst of power blew of off and sent her flying to wherever. She flew through bushes and grass before skidding on the soil. Luckily for her, the soil was soft enough to weaken the impact and she managed to get away with nothing more than one or two broken bones.


    With her nowhere to be seen, the crow searched around before examining its own flower. After searching with its spiritual senses, the crow no longer felt her presence and believed her to be dead. While it was peeved that this weak human had stolen from it, the crow flew off in search of another treasure to find.


    If Ming Yue wasn''t dead from the impact then she would most certainly have died from the blood-loss. However, that crow underestimated the abilities of this "weak" human.


    Still alive, she limped away while quickly bandaging the hole that was in her stomach. She had to move away or the blood would attract some unwanted neers.


    She did not know where she was and did not recognize her surroundings.


    However, half a kilometre away, Ming Yue saw a grand building and started limping towards it.. Whatever it was, going there would be better than staying out here.

 Chapter 179 - Unknown Surroundings

    It was not like the fourth zone where everything wasrge. She passed some rivers and ponds but it was nothing like the third zone. It could not be the second or first zone for the atmosphere here was tense, not eerie. In fact, she felt pressure. Everything here exuded power and it felt slightly suffocating. Being heavily injured made it even worse to bear.


    With that building ahead of her, Ming Yue began to suspect that she was in the Fifth Zone and what was ahead of her must be the final pavilion.


    It was that or the crow had taken her somewhere outside of the garden. Either way, she was stranded.


    It wasn''t until she reached the building before her that she could rx and recover. Afterwards she would attempt to deduce her exact location. It was different from the others, it was more of a mansion than a castle. Scanning the area, she noticed something of a garden behind it. Next to that garden was a simple cottage.


    Not giving much thought, she entered the cottage. It was close to the garden and didn''t seem as troublesome as the actual pavilion.


    The cottage was small but well maintained. Everything was in one room. There was a full set of furniture, a firece, a desk with multiple books on top. On both sides of the desk were worktables, full of strange and peculiar equipment. She went towards the desk and pulled the chair out. Her wound was still bleeding profusely as she took her hand away to examine the wound.


    With her cultivation, that wound would have begun to heal but instead it grew worse.


    A hole that pieced through her stomach yet narrowly missed her innards. Rather it struck through her muscles from the front to the back, leaving a clear hole for one to see through.


    Looking at it, she noticed splotches of ck ink still present inside that hole.


    "How terrifying!" she thought.


    To think that the ink of the Luminous Ink Crow would cling to her wound like this. It was like a barbed arrow that someone pulled out of her. The ink continued to cut through her wound, slowly expanding it.


    "I have to get rid of it!"


    She went down on the floor and crossed her legs. Beginning to meditate, she cycled her energy and began to cleanse her body of this blight. As her energy tackled the ck ink, the ink began to steam and dissipate. But the process of was long and difficult, the ink was full of energy despite being separated from the crow''s body. She had to endure the sharp pain of the ink digging into her flesh.


    It wasn''t until the next sun rose up that she had expelled all of it and the wound had stopped bleeding.


    Her body was covered in sweat and the wound slowly shrunk. In the end, the hole that once went through her body was no more. However, she could not prevent scarring and now the lower part of her stomach and back had scars an inch wide. They weren''t difficult to hide under her clothes but they were visible on her bare body. She wasn''t very bothered by it and continued on to her recovery.


    Being heavily injured within the span of ten days is bound to have some hidden damage. If it wasn''t properly dealt with, it could harm her in theing years. She took advantage of the garden as well as the other resources here.


    At the same time, she was amazed at the vastness of the garden. It was several acres in size and absolutely filled with medical nts, from the mostmon to things she thought were extinct. Taking what she needed, she spotted arge tub behind the cottage. Luckily, the tub was made of metal and made it easier for her to just dump everything in and boil the water, like arge pot of soup. Dumping in the medicinal ingredients and water she took from a nearby stream, she created a medicinal bath.


    This was a rtivelymon recipe that she learned from Elder Hua though the things used were of a much higher age and quality.


    She stirred it around with her scabbard and watched it go from clear to milky. It had be slightly thick and produced a smell simr to finely brewed tea, bittersweet and gentle. After an hour, it waspleted and the bath had cooled down to afortable temperature. She undressed herself and dipped inside the tub.


    A gentle warmth entered her and began to nurture her internal body, that energy showed her the extent of the damage caused from tangling with beasts way above her strength. The flesh was riddled with tiny rips, her meridians were slightly cracked with some looking as if they could rupture. Small injuries that were difficult to detect slowly mended and returned to a perfect condition.


    Crossing her legs and meditating, Ming Yue basked in the milky bath for half a day before getting out. It wasn''t until she got out of the bath that she felt the effects of that bath. She felt refreshed and energetic, any aches and pains that she had previously were dealt with.


    She clenched her hands and began to toss out some casual swings before smiling.


    "Good", she smiled and sheathed her sword.


    Staring at the mansion, she turned away and walked back inside the cottage. She examined the insides before going back to the desk ad picking up one of the books.


    "Research Notes: 86th Edition..."


    She read out the title before skimming through the book. After that, she looked at the other books on the desk before moving on to the shelves. While each one was slightly different from the others, she found that they were all essentially the same. Journals filled with the ounts of medicinal research, particrly, they spoke about breeding and caring for nts.


    From the 1st edition to the 96th, thetest one she could find, they all talked about different techniques and even something such as crossbreeding, to mix several nts to together in order to achieve a more potent species.


    "...you must bind the roots together..."


    "...cutting into the main stem diagonally, not deeply but halfway in..."


    "...using the scraps of fruits and vegetables seems to more provide food and energy, boosting growth..."


    "....after a hundred tries, I''ve found thatbining two different nts can create a single one that has both effects, that is if the process is done correctly..."


    "...mixing the same herb at different ages seems to have little effect on its growth..."


    "...the ratio doesn''t seem correct, how can I create the same results again?.."


    To many these seemed quite boring but to her, it was an untapped wealth of knowledge. She took no time to ce it all into her spatial ring. Even going to far as to organize everything even though she had plenty of space. After all, the things that were inside were supplies and rations, as well as a purse containing her money.


    Other than her personal belongings, there were several piles of flowers, roots, and other medicines that she had collected along the way. Furthermore, there was that mortar and pestle she found at the first pavilion as well as that Thunder Dao Root. Now there were several stacks of books, neatly piled beside everything else.


    While she was incredibly excited to read, this was not the time or the ce. Still, grafting parts of nts with one another, mixing the pollen, there was even information detailing ways of producing high quality nts and curatives.


    As much as she wanted to test things out, she left the cottage and walked towards the mansion.. Meanwhile, a ship appeared above the Third Pavilion, where Anqing and the others waited in.

 Chapter 180 - A Strange Artifact

    As it descended to the ground, they left the pavilion and greeted Elder Xiang.


    "Come with me first, I''ll take you back to the beginning and then I''ll start searching for Ming Yue."


    He turned around and walked back to the ship. Anqing was taken aback before walking up to him.


    "Wait you''re not going to look for her right now? She might not live long enough toe back!"


    Elder Xiang turned around to face her.


    "Don''t worry about her, she''ll survive. ording to her badge, she''s in the fifth zone but it doesn''t look like she''s dead yet. Don''t bother arguing with me, none of you have the ability to survive in there. Not to mention, I can''t guarantee your safety if you''re so adamant on saving her now."


    He looked at the group of two along with Ming Yue''s pets after lecturing them, waiting to hear Anqing or Xukun speak up. However, such a thing did not happen. They could only grit their teeth and clench their fists, epting that the elder was right.


    "Now all of you will do as I say ande back with me to the gates of the garden."


    He gestured for the to follow while holding his hand out for Xiao Yin tond on. Perched on his forearm, Xiao Yin stepped towards his shoulder. Her feathers were somewhat ruffled and she couldn''t rest on his shoulder, readjusting her position every several seconds.


    "Don''t worry, we''ll get her back", he whispered to the owl, seeing the agitation in the eyes.


    Hei Yue had followed Xiao Yin, walking next to Elder Xiang. His head drooped down and Elder Xiang took note of that as well.


    "Hmm, they really like her, don''t they", he thought.


    As the ship returned to the skies with everyone, they left the third pavilion without a sound. In the meantime, Ming Yue entered the mansion that was the fourth and final pavilion.


    Inside, she was met with a elegant and grandiose hall, one filled with bright. Pirs lined the halls, carved with an assortment of flowers that wrapped around them. Each flower was meticulously made, studded with multi-colored gems. Each pir had their own unique variety of flowers and resembled that of an exquisite flower arrangement.


    That was the first thing she saw, the shine of gems and beautiful architecture. The roof was made of ss, the floor was made of green marble iid with gold. It very much suited its position as the final pavilion of the Ninth Flower Garden.


    Looking around, Ming Yue noticed that there were six floors including the halls, each with dozens of rooms. With walkways going around, she went up the second floor, casually ncing down at the hall beneath her.


    Despite the beauty inside, there was a strange feeling that she got from this. At the same time, there was an almost inaudible sound. A sound that resembled that of a heart, pulsating with power.


    She took note of it but only believed it to be part of the mansion''s inner workings. Perhaps, the sound of its power source.


    Checking every room, she could not help but be more and more confused. Each one was the same as the other, a workshop filled with gardening tools.


    "Were these used to care for the garden?" she thought.


    Grabbing the equipment, she examined it but found nothing extraordinary about them. They were normal shovels and watering cans. Every room she looked into was the same, they all had the same set of tools. Yet, there were no personal rooms, there were no beds or any sign of people living here. The cottage seemed to be the only one but if that was true, then why were there so many sets of tools?


    Stranger even, she saw that each room had a light at the ceiling but no way to turn it on. Each room was not lit and darkened, only brightened by the light of the hall.


    As much as she could rack her mind, Ming Yue did not know why the pavilion was set up like this.


    As she rose to the higher levels, it was the same for every room but now, the sound of a beating heart had be clearer, distinct.


    The sound of the beating heart grew louder and faster.


    "Where is thating from?"


    Ming Yue only felt confusion and nervousness as she climbed up to the sixth floor. It was then that her senses seemed to re up, it was dangerous here. She walked up to the first room, hesitating ot open it. It was the same as all of the other rooms in the past four floors, a simple wooden door coated in a verdant greencquer.


    Was it going to be another set of tools or something else?


    She did not know but she was prepared, her hand ready to grab her sword.


    Ming Yue opened the door slowly until it was wide enough for her to look in. Within that room, she saw the shadow of a figure, sitting on the floor andying against the wall. They seemed unconscious with their arms limped to the side.


    She opened the door fully and walked in. The light from the hall illuminated the room and revealed the identity of the mystery figure. As her eyes, focused onto the limp person, she was more than shocked.


    "What is that? Is it a puppet?"


    She couldn''t help but say it aloud as this was something she had never seen before.


    This "puppet" was featureless, resembling a marite. Even then, it must''ve been made with skill for it had all of its limbs, all ten fingers and toes. It was a stone puppet though, she wasn''t exactly sure if it was stone. It had a grayish color but was smooth enough to reflect the light from the halls. The stone sparkled with silver and bronze that had been inserted into the puppet like veins.


    A puppet like this, she had only read about in the books of the Institution''s archive. Not to mention, Heavenly Gate had an elder for puppetry and a sizable division.


    Ming Yue had visited their workshop before but only found there to be puppets that resembled animals. There were no human ones, especially not something like this. Even in terms of size, the elder''s puppets were half asrge as the one before her.


    The Dao of Puppetry was difficult after all. It required knowledge of the various bodies of beasts, skill in sculpting and binding, and demanded all sorts of materials. However, a master of puppetry was someone to be feared. They could control multiple puppets to fight and such puppets had no feelings. They would follow the orders of their creator until the end. High quality puppets could contend against experts and dangerous beasts. Their bodies could be made from anything: wood, stone, metal.


    With that said, this puppet was made skillfully but the material did not seem as precious as she thought.


    Ming Yue slowly approached the puppet and tapped it with her hand. Despite her actions, the puppet did not wake up and she investigated the puppet.


    The stone body was sturdy but after exerting some strength, she managed to crack its arm. At the same time, she felt relieved.


    "I suppose I was afraid for nothing."


    She turned back and walked out of the room but suddenly stopped. The mansion was quiet. The sound of a beating heart was no longer there.


    "What happened?" she thought, "Was it because of the door?"


    Her relief disappeared and she became tense again. This time, she brought her sword out, pointing it in front of her.


    The silence did nothing to soothe her.


    It was then that she heard a sound behind her, a strange clinking noise. At the same time, the doors to all of the rooms of the mansion opened up. Each and every room was lit up on their own and revealed they contained.


    She turned around to find the puppet having awakened and it charged towards her!

 Chapter 181 - Chuangxin Garden

    The stone puppet lumbered towards her, the arm that she broke limped to the side. Although the stone was cracked, it was held together by the bronze and silver veins.


    As it charged at her, she moved forward to attack but suddenly missed!


    "What?!"


    To her surprise, the puppet turned after it left its room and walked down the stairs, ignoring her. As she watched it leave, she found that every room on the sixth floor had the same puppets descending to the lower floors. Each one went to their own rooms, grabbing the tools inside.


    In a matter of minutes, they gathered in the halls and created a square formation. Each one equipped with watering cans and little shovels, ready for the day''s work


    Ming Yue watched from the second floor with amazement.


    With all of them together, she counted a 12 by 12 square for a total of 144 of these puppets. She noticed some words painted on the backs of all of them.


    "Chuangxin Garden? The Garden of Innovation?"


    Reading it to herself, She began to specte many things about this ce. Although this ce and the others were known as "Pavilions", it seemed that they seemed more like research stations. With strange apparatuses made from ss and steel, furthermore the books she had taken from the cottage were filled with all sorts of notes pertaining to botany. It was possible that the garden was lead by one person and this person lived here. With the number of puppets she saw, it really was believable. Just one person and their army of puppets, the thought of it was terrifying.


    With the Ren Hua Battlefield being a former great empire, it would be scary to imagine their strength in the current times. If such a person could control hundreds of human puppets, who knew what kind of experts existed back then. Ming Yue couldn''t help but respect this person as she watched the puppets prostrate in front of the hall. As for what, Ming Yue had noticed that the front of the hall had a banner that unfurled just now. It revealed the words "Chuangxin" written in bold green letters.


    A minute passed and then they proceeded to exit the mansion and work in the garden. Even though they were puppets, they worked with skill, harvesting and maintaining the garden. Some carried baskets on their backs.


    Despite being out in the open, the puppets did not care for her. Even the one who she had broken did not care for her. In fact, its arm had been fixed though she did not know when or how it happened.


    She noticed a small group of puppets that went off in different directions toward the fifth zone, carrying their shovels and watering cans.


    "Strange, where are they going? They couldn''t possibly be going off to hunt", she thought.


    Judging by the strength of the first puppet she examined, thebined power of all of them was equal to that of a powerful Rank 5 beast. This was only a group of ten and yet they walked into the fifth zone.


    Was there some sort of secret to them?


    Were they just going out to gather herbs?


    Even if it was, they still risked battle with the other denizens of the Ninth Flower Garden.


    Ming Yue took another look at the puppets working tirelessly before tailing one of the groups.


    As she followed, the puppets continued to go deeper and deeper into the garden. Strangely enough, she saw nothing in their journey. There were no beasts, not even a sound from them. Hours passed and there was still no sign. There were even times where they stopped to gather and the things they took were of a quality simr to the Immortal Siren Flower. Despite all that they had in their baskets, it seemed that no creature dared to approach them. Strangely enough, she could hear the sound of a beating heart, the same one from the mansion.


    Knowing that the puppets seemed to ignore her, she walked up to them and looked at them, trying to see what exactly was going on. Then she saw something that she had never seen before.


    "The-their chest! It''s open!"


    She looked in shock as the chest of the ten puppets showed a void to which an emerald light shimmered at the end. Despite this change, she felt unbothered by the light. There was no energy or force that acted upon her. Though, she could hear a beating hearting from these voids.


    Ming Yue looked in amazement at the empty void. She tried to see what it was that produced that green light but it was too bright for her to make out what it was. Fortunately, now she knew what caused the puppets to move around the garden freely. It must be repelling any oing beasts.


    For a second, she thought about breaking one of the puppets and taking that source but decided against it. It would be rash of her to take it so forcefully. Chances were, this void could be a portal to another location, probably somewhere in the mansion.


    When the day ended and the sun set, that was when the puppets returned to the mansion. All that they collected went to the garden which had been cleaned up considerably. The puppets were quite efficient and finished in a span of an hour.


    Then night came, they returned to their rooms and slept. As for Ming Yue, she had yet to sleep. Instead, she went back to the mansion to explore.


    If there were six floors above ground, then was there something below?


    She entered the main hall, finding that the banner was gone. With the lights off and the ss roof, the light of the moon shined in. Under that light she searched around, looking for something like stairs that descended. However, even after searching the entirety of the main hall, she found nothing of the sort.


    No stairs, no switch, no lever, there were no signs of a lower floor.


    "Was that it?" she thought, "This ce is just a storeroom for puppets? That can''t be it."


    She looked around, scouring every inch of the ce. She even went as far as to look through the upper floors, despite knowing that all there was were garden tool and puppets.


    Even with her efforts, she could not find any secrets of this mansion.


    With the moon directly above her, she left the mansion with disappointment and returned to the cottage. She lit up several candles and sat down with the desk in front of her. With all of the books she found, she never took the time to examine the rest of the cottage.


    The shelf that once held all of those research books had only one or two books left. Both of which were novels that spoke of treachery and espionage. The workbench that sat next to the desk carried the same tools as those she found in the past three pavilions.


    Other than these two objects, everything else was quite ordinary except for one thing.


    "The desk...", she gazed at it.


    Sure, it was fancy but that was it. Touching the wooden surface, it was cold but smooth and the design might''ve been simple but it was meticulously made. The dimensions made it a prefect fit to ce by the workbench and allowed a smooth transition between testing and writing. There was a cab under the desk that carried ink and brushes as well as other writing supplies.


    Ming Yue looked around fervently but found nothing in that cab that had treasures.


    Then she spotted it.


    Atop the desk was a small jade container that would be used to contain the ink. This jade piece was intricate and engraved with the image of flowers and fruits. It was a fitting part of the desk and had every reason being there. Yet, Ming Yue could not stop but think there was something strange about this ink container.


    Giving it a closer look, Ming Yue saw something. It was too small for her to see and she reached out to grab it.


    "What?!"


    Grasping it in her hands, she pulled it up only to find that it seemed to be stuck to the desk!

 Chapter 182 - Hidden Passageways

    Despite her attempts to lift it, the jade ink container did not budge. She let go and thought to herself.


    "Something is strange about this. If I cannot lift it then maybe there is something else I should do."


    She fiddled with it, pushing it in different directions, twisting it both ways. Then, she began to exert even more strength on the jade ink container but nothing she had done worked. However, all of this proved that this was no ordinary object.


    If she could not move it, then there must be something she had to do with that container.


    Ming Yue decided to look closer at what had grabbed her attention in the first ce. On the rim of the jade, she saw something inscribed, some words that she could not make out. It wasn''t until she was an inch from it that she was able to read the words.


    "The ink is my mind, the brush is my sword, and paper my body."


    She repeated those words in her mind before moving towards the cab. Taking out a bottle of ink, a simple brush and a piece of paper, she ced it all on the desk.


    With that bottle of ink, she poured some of it into the jade container. With the brush and paper at hand, she dipped into the ink and was about to ce it onto the paper but she paused.


    What would she do now?


    "Is this right?" she thought, "Was there something she missed?"


    She had all of the items: the pen, ink, and paper. So, what was left?


    They had to be used, but what should be written?


    With the first paper, she casually wrote characters but nothing seemed to happen.


    "Should it be something connect with the garden?" Ming Yue thought.


    She brought out another piece of paper and began to ponder on what had to be written. At the same time, she began to doubt herself. Could she have interpreted this incorrectly? Was here something she had overlooked?


    She went through all that she had seen in the garden: the puppets, the words on their backs, the voids in their chests. Then something crossed her mind and she grabbed the brush, dipping it in ink. With some simple but confident brushstrokes, she wrote a few words on the paper and watched the ink glow with power.


    The firece suddenly burst ame and the paper flew into the raging fires, turning to ash. Suddenly, the firece rumbled before moving backwards and revealing a hidden passageway!


    "Yes!" Ming Yue rejoiced and looked at the floating ashes of the paper


    "Innovation!"


    That was what she had written on that paper. When the mind and body is ready, one needed innovation! Ideas, changes, revolutions! Such a thing applied to warriors, schrs, everyone! Changing one''s techniques,bining and separating strategies, it needed innovation, inspiration, that stroke of brilliance that allowed one to evolve!


    She was an example of this, creating and studying cultivation and medicine, finding ways to improve her skills.


    Ming Yue stood up and walked towards the firece, still zing away. At the entrance, she felt a cold rush of aire forth and she entered.


    As she descended down, the passageway lit up through torches and showed what seemed like an endless set of stairs spiraling down. The further she descended the colder the air became and she felt energying from the deeper regions of the spiral staircase. Reaching the bottom took several minutes but at the end of the it, she found herself in pathway that splintered off into many others. Each one seemed to have multiple rooms.


    Everything was well made, built upon stone bricks and steel frames. It was all lit up with torches that seemed to burn onmand. Strangely enough, it was clean, devoid of dust or cobwebs. There were no signs of age, not even rust on the steel. Despite all of this, the air was cold and musty. Even though it looked clean, it smelled as if it hasn''t been entered in ages.


    She entered the nearest path by her and found signs at the front of each room.


    "Ironroot Grass Flower, Third Eye Vineleaf... Were these, the creations that this person considered failures?" she thought.


    If these herbs were not failures, then why would they be caged away here?


    She wasn''t sure. Furthermore, she did not know the names of these herbs though she found parts of them simr to other herbs. It was possible that these were created through what the researcher called, "crossbreeding". Even then, she found little to no information to these locked away herbs. There was maybe a note or two, a little scribble but that was too little to go on.


    "Wrong."


    "Wrong."


    "Wrong."


    That was the only thing she found at every room she entered. A strange creation and the word "wrong" written beneath it. At first, Ming Yue didn''t know why this researcher would consider these things as failures but as she ventured further in, she found her reason.


    Every one of the rooms had names like this, amalgamations of words from all sorts of herbs. The first few pathways had only two nts mixed in but the further she went the crazier the names got. At some point, she lost count of how many pathways there were and by that point she could only guess that this room contained a creation that had six herbs in one or that room which might have had eight. She had only the name and the word "wrong" to go on.


    Ming Yue dared not to enter some these rooms for the energy of these nts were incredibly chaotic. Just being near them made her somewhat nauseous and her own internal energy had be restless. If she were touch it or even enter its aura, she could risk losing control of her energy and exploding.


    With them being in a state like this, she could see why they were locked up. These things were practically unusable, who knows what sort of effect they could bring to the user. Death is almost certain but if someone did seed in absorbing one of these herbs, what would happen to them?


    Would they be some monstrous being? An ungodly abomination? Or a god?


    Ming Yue knew that releasing them into the world could lead to some devastating oues and so she continued onward.


    Somewhere along the way, the chaotic energy within these halls thickened and Ming Yue found it difficult to walk down this path. It hade to a point where she had to coat herself with Quintessence Energy to continue on. Even with that extra protection, she could feel the ferocious pressure that these things brought on.


    It pummeled her violently but she pushed forward. Soon enough, Ming Yue saw a magnificent emerald lighting from the end. Then the sound of a heartbeat echoed her ears, beating in her own heart.


    "Is this it? The source of the puppet''s power, possibly the source that powers this ce?"


    Thoughts raced through her mind as she walked forward with renewed power, excitement filled her as she reached the entrance. The green light grew brighter and the beating of the heart was even stronger.


    Ming Yue could not begin to imagine what was inside thatst room.


    She crept inside and looked in both awe and shock.


    The room was muchrger than any of the previous ones, It was a heart, a beating heart that took root to the floor and from it, a great tree sprouted. It seemed to have transcended anything that she had ever seen before, an object that defied any sense.


    She walked back and looked for a name for this creation. There her eyes locked onto a tattered sign where even the ink seemed to fade away.


    "The Evergreen Heart"

 Chapter 183 - Heart Of The Garden

    Ming Yue read those three words several times and walked back into the room where the Evergreen Heart grew.


    She couldn''t help but circle around the Evergreen Heart and look at it.


    It was arge tree resembling that of a conifer tree* with the difference that a great beating heart formed at the base. Circling around a few more times, she noticed that the atmosphere within this room was not chaoticpared to what was out there. Instead it was calm and pristine, the aura it gave off was peaceful and she stopped coating herself in Quintessence Energy.


    With her bare skin in front of the Evergreen Heart, its power seemed to coax her and she slowly ced her hand on the smooth bark of the trunk.


    "How strange, this energy is different from anything I''ve felt", she thought.


    It was different from the energy of the world and resembled the curative energy of herbs. At the same time, it was not violent but extremely refined. It was like this tree was some sort of world changing treasure.


    Ming Yue stood closer and allowed the energy to flow through her body.


    A look of surprise came from her face as she let go of the tree and stepped back. The energy that she had absorbed was thick and boundless. More than that, it moved on its own and attached itself onto her meridians. She sensed as the energy merged with her body and found that they had be firmer, more resiliant.


    Ming Yue stood and began to gather as much power as she could into her fists. Not wanting to damage the room, formed a ball of energy in her palms. In seconds, that ball had expanded and shrunk several times. She gathered more power and condensed it as much as she could. She did so to the point where she could barely control it but the results were incredible.


    The power that she held in her hand was equal to a fully formed windnce. If she were make one right now, it would take just a few seconds to do so. When she had used this against the ck Liion Centipede, it had taken her close to minute to form one windnce.


    The energy of the Evergreen Heart had strengthened her meridians and therefore improved both her defense and her offensive power. She could control her energy much better and her capacity to gather more seemed to have multiplied. Furthermore, the increased resilience of her meridians made it difficult for opponents to make her energy chaotic. If she were to pass through the hall of crossbred medicines and their chaotic energy, she would have a much easier time.


    Ming Yue dispersed it and stepped towards the Evergreen Heart, intaking more of that energy would definitely help her.


    Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a tattered book in the corner and approached it. It was somewhat dusty and the words were faded but it was solid enough for her to read it.


    "Reseach Notes: 97th Edition? Why is this here?"


    She opened the book and flipped through the pages, finding numerous writings about the Evergreen Heart.


    "Experiment: Evergreen Heart #109


    Like the past logs I''ve put into these books, I believe this log shall be no different but I am wrong.


    The Evergreen Heart...my greatest creation, formed by hundreds of nts and treasures, incubated within a cauldron for a hundred days, drinking the water of an Eternal Spring. Even with the wrath of the Heavens, it only flourished. After so many failures, this was the sole creation that I believed would change the world. A source of energy that could cate beasts, heal the masses, strengthen our warriors. Of course, that was what I had thought at the start.


    As the head of medicine for the Ren Huan Empire, I had advanced our medicines by leaps and bounds. And yet, at this very moment, a cmity had struck us. Our golden age was toe to an end but this was not the end I wanted. We are under attack and we are losing.


    This garden is one of thest remaining bastions of the Ren Huan Empire and the only thing that has kept us safe was the Evergreen Heart. Rather than change the world, I believe that the Evergreen Heart will prevent this change, that it will prevent the destruction of the empire. I hope that in due time, we will survive this cmity and thrive."


    After reading this log, Ming Yue looked at the Evergreen Heart.


    "So this person was the head of medicine and the Evergreen Heart... was his greatest creation", she muttered and continued to read the book.


    "Experiment: Evergreen Heart #121


    It seems that the war has lost. There is no point in continuing these logs so I might as well make this a journal.


    Some of the refugees have left to find a different life. Others continue to stay here and work in the gardens. As smeone whose worked with nothing but his puppets, I found this experience oddly satisfying. Citizens, warriors, schrs, nobles, speaking with them has been somewhat refreshing.


    As far as how we have been surviving, the Evergreen Heart has kept everyone strong and healthy and no creatures came close. I''ve been shocked by its growth and power. Many ordinary citzens have be martial experts in the few months they were here. Warriors found their strength to have doubled or tripled. As I continue to monitor the growth of the Evergreen Heart, I find that this treasure is too dangerous.


    In other new, there have been reports that the Jing Wei Kingdom seemed to be looking for me in the Ninth Flower Garden. They might know that I am here but reaching me will be difficult."


    Ming Yue flipped through the book, finding simr entries of this man''s daily life. She skipped to the end and found the final log. It was a short message but with it came the most shocking of words.


    "#1079


    I''ve been alive for too long, the Evergreen Heart seemed to have given me immortality of some sort. I seemed to have taken enough energy to live with out food or water, my aging has slowed. I don''t really seem human anymore. It''s strength has gone beyond whatmon sense is. I am afraid of what will happen if it is revealed to the world.


    While venturing out, I''vee to realize that millenia hade and gone and now this was the Sovereign Age.Everyone else has left to live new lives. This time, I''m going to leave for good. The Ren Huan Kingdom is no more, it is nothing more than the words of a history book. The Jing Wei Kingdom is now different.


    On this note, I say this, If you manage to find this book then you have found the Evergreen Heart. Destroy it. It is a treasure many would kill to obtain. If you n to take it, then be prepared to die. If you are not, then destroy it. Even without it, the garden will continue on though this ce may be destroyed. That is all I will say, everything else is in your hands. Consider this my inheritance to you, for you have braved the dangers of the garden to reach this point."


    Reading thosest words, Ming Yue could not help but look at the Evergreen heart with disbelief. It could grant immortality so long as you absorbed enough energy.


    She though to herself, thinking about what she should do. This thing could give immortality!


    That is a gift anyone would desire, especially older cultivators and powerful figures.


    But if Ming Yue were to bring it out, could she protect it?


    She was not strong enough to do it on her own. But what if she gave it to Heaven''s Gate, could they protect it?


    She shook her head. Such a thing would be difficult, especially if the entire continent hears of it. Multiple kingdoms would be pressuring them, the Evergreen Heart could cause wars.


    But destroying it was a waste, this was a treasure that defied logic, a lifetime of work. She couldnt do such a thing.


    However, she had to do something. She could not leave it alone.. If someone else were to find it, then what if they brought it to light. What would happen then?

 Chapter 184 - Hard Choices

    "What should I do?" she thought.


    It was difficult to just destroy the Evergreen Heart and forget about it. It would be a waste to destroy something as world-shaking as this. At the same time, the amount of attention and danger it would give her did not seem worth it. Even being associated with it could bring trouble much less finding it. There were people out there who would do anything for near-immortality. She would be wanted everywhere and Ming Yue did not want this.


    She thought long and hard but could note to an answer


    "I should take advantage of this energy first. Destroy it or not, I should use it at least", she sat down by the glowing tree and began cultivating under its influence.


    Days passed by as her body was continually nourished by the Evergreen Heart. Bathing in this miraculous energy had filled her with power, strengthened her body. Her cultivation skyrocketed until she reached the bottleneck of the Core stage, arriving at the Mind Stage. Even then, breaking through was rtively easy for her.


    The ind within Ming Yue''s body was glowing with energy. Suddenly all of it exploded forth and the energy had caused the ind to expand, forming a great mountain next to it.


    With the Mind Stage, one''s mental capabilities would improve. Theirprehension and thinking is quicker and much stronger.


    Once Ming Yue had reached it, information bursted into her mind. Every battle she had witnessed or participated in, every skill that she had created or used, everything that she had experienced zed through her mind. She saw her shorings, weaknesses and improvements. In the span of several hours, she had rewatched her entire life.


    As this happened, she never stopped cultivating and continued to devour as much of the Evergreen Heart''s power as she could.


    The Mind Stage was only a cursory thought as the mountain began to rumble and split apart, transforming into two. From its depths, streams of water spewed out and a great waterfall formed. It flowed down and cascaded towards the edge of the ind, falling to the depths of the empty space within her body.


    This was the Sight Stage, where one would view the world in a new light. They could easily discern the differences in energy and their properties. Whether it was the world''s energy or someone''s life force, one could discern evil from good, chaos from serenity, softness and firmness.


    Of the seven stages in the Earth Realm, Ming Yue had gone from the first stage of Core to the third stage of Sight. Though she had managed to break past two stages, crossing them was nothingpared to reaching the stage of Perception. This stage is the gate-keeper that kept many cultivators back. It is also the most important one second to reaching the Sky Realm.


    The Perception Stage can be considered an evolution to the Sight Stage. Where one can see the subtleties of countless types of energy, the perception stage would give you the ability to interact with these energies. Hence, it was at this stage that one could achieve true flight, to soar in the sky and go wherever one pleased.


    Unfortunately, Ming Yue could not reach this stage at this moment. Even with the miraculous powers of the Evergreen Heart, that flourishing ind of hers did not expand even further. Nothing improved from cultivating here anymore. Rather, she was too weak to enjoy all of its benefits. Her body could not refine as quickly as she could absorb and in a week, her body was absolutely saturated. Filled to its utmost, absrobing anymore only ended up being dispersed from her body.


    "Haah", she stood up and turned towards the Evergreen Heart.


    The great tree continued to release more of its powers, like ripples in a pond it washed over her gently. She could not bear to destroy it but she knew it was the best thing to do. She took out her sword and held it tightly with both her hands.


    Power surged through her as wind wrapped the de, strengthening it ten times over. She raised it high above her head, prepared to chop it in one move.


    "Ugh, damnit!", she cursed herself and released her energy, lowering her sword.


    She sheathed it and instead brought out her dagger. Coating that with her energy, she walked up to the Evergreen Heart and found a small branch. It was only an inch at its thickest and thirteen inches long. WIth that dagger, she cut of the branch carefully and ced it within her spacial ring.


    "Destroying all of it really is too much of a waste. At least, I should keep this branch just in case."


    Its power might diminish greatly but it would be extremely useful for desperate situations. If she had it made into an essory, it could be life saving. She reaffirmed herself and brought her sword out again. This time, she was resolute and prepared to cut down the Evergreen Heart.


    She chopped it into halves before cutting them into smaller pieces. Afterwards, she brought these broken parts out into the surface. Exiting the spiral stairs and stepping back into the small cottage, the floors rumbled as the firece that was still lit returned to its ce.


    The zing fires within it was fierce and with her cultivation, she found that this me was no ordinary one. Even after a week, it continued to burn violently. It didn''t take much to know that it was special but Ming Yue determined much more than just that.


    "I guess, the head researcher was prepared. An ordinary me probably wouldn''t do a thing to the Evergreen Heart."


    Ming Yue took about all of the pieces of the Evergreen Heart except for that branch and looked at them. Even after reducing it into bits and pieces, they were all still pulsating with power. She gave them one look and tossed them into the mes, watching them turn to ashes as the power evaporated.


    She studied the powers that fueled this me, it was violent in nature and seemed to feed on the Evergreen Heart''s power. With each piece, it would grow stronger and stronger. Part way there, the red mes suddenly turned blue and the raging mes reduced down to small fire. However, its power only grew stronger and the violent nature had transformed. Instead, it released a baleful aura, full of death and despair.


    Each piece she tossed in had disappeared the moment it entered the fire. The pure and calm energy would be overtaken by the deathly aura and absorbed.


    Once day broke, she was finished. The Evergreen Heart was no more, a treasure that has stayed hidden for millenia only to be destroyed without anyone''s knowledge. Though it was not entirely true as she still had one branch from it. If luck is on her side, she could have the oppurtunity to regrow it. Of course, such a thing would not happen for years toe.


    She left the cottage and watched as the sun rose. Then she remembered something.


    "Fuck! The thirty days!" shepletely forgot about the deadline and smacked herself.


    "Damn it, did it already end? No that can''t be, I should still have at least a day. I''ve only been in there for a week! I should send a message to the elder!"


    She quickly held her badge up and then looked back at the buildings before her. Although the Evergreen Heart was destroyed, the me within the cottage had yet to disappear most likely taking its time with the Evergreen Heart''s energy.


    "I should send a message to meet in the third pavilion."


    She sent a message to the elder and began ran off, leaving the pavilion and heading into the fourth zone.


    Ming Yue looked at the map from her badge as she ran, navigating through the overgrown grass and towering trees. Just a kilometer in, she felt a powerful energy approach her and looked up into the sky. There, Elder Xiang''s ship floated above and descended down.


    "Where the hell did you go?" Elder Xiang yelled out, "Even after tracking your badge, I couldn''t find you!"

 Chapter 185 - Returning To Challenge

    "I was hiding away and recovering from my injuries", Ming Yue replied nonchntly.


    "Oh I see, so when the signal from your badge disappeared for over a week, you were hiding, hmm?"


    Elder Xiang looked at her carefully, seemingly doubting that this was all that happened.


    Despite his words and action, Ming Yue did not crack and nodded.


    "Yes, I hid within a small cave and chanced upon some medical herbs. The cave turned out to be a tunnel that led deep underground. I must have missed some incredible treasure if you could not find the signal."


    As she lied, the elder stared at her and grinned.


    "Hah! I''ll stop prying now. An opportunity you find yourself is for your eyes only. At least I know that you are not as naive as I had thought. Let''s depart. If you hadn''t sent me that message, I would''ve given up and left you."


    The both of them boarded the ship and set off to the gates of the garden.


    Stepping onto the deck of the ship, Ming Yue was greeted by the fluffy embrace of her pets. Both of whom had charged towards her the moment they saw her. She couldn''t help butugh at their actions and embrace them tightly.


    She looked at the elder, who had found afortable spot on top of the captain''s cabin.


    "Did my friends return safely?" she asked him.


    "Yes, I picked them up and took them back. They''re currently waiting at the gates and hoping that youe back alive. You know, there was only two more days until the thirty day deadline. Once ites and goes, those that returned safely would have left regardless of whoever was still inside. After all, those that didn''t return were probably dead. "


    Ming Yue nodded. She really had gained much from this, more than she would have thought.


    "Ah, almost forgot. They had informed me of a scuffle with one of the Saber Hall disciples, right? What was it?...Li Baojun, I think."


    He rolled over and stared at the sky with amusement and interest.


    "As far as I know, he has stolen your kill and returned to Heaven''s Gate on the interim return ship. Well, now he''s be one of those Elite Disciples after handing it in and so he''s thrust himself into closed door training."


    Ming Yue listened carefully and looked down at Xiao Yin and Hei Yue.


    "I see."


    "Yes, so...this is your chance to finish up that assignment I gave to you. To fight someone and win. remember?"


    He sat up and grinned at her.


    "Well so far, nothing has reached the criteria until now. You see, the Ren Huan Battelfield trip is one of therger events that we have. We also make several other expeditions and whatnot to danger zones and all that. There are also manypetitions as well, one of which is the Heavenly Gate Tournament. It''s not a very creative name but it really is the best way to call it. It is thergest and most important event for everyone. The reason being is the prize, a day inside the "Empyrean Paradise" which is behind, as you may have guessed, a gate. This gate is known as "the" Heaven''s Gate and can only be opened with the powers of the grand elder."


    "So you want me to enter it?"


    Ming Yue knew where he was going but she did not expect his next words.


    "Yes, I want you to enter and to win first ce. If not, then at least ce top ten or else I''m not going to teach you the perfect technique."


    "The perfect technique?!" Ming Yue was taken aback by his ims.


    How could there be such a thing? A perfect technique could not exist! It was not possible.


    Elder Xiang saw her reaction and his grin curved even more.


    "Hah, I can tell you don''t believe me. However, I am not an elder of Heaven''s Gate for show. Alright, It''s settled then, enter thepetition, beat up that Li guy, and win! "


    He wagged his finger at her, seemingly enjoying the teasing. Afterwards, he hopped off of the cabin''s roof and retreated inside, leaving Ming Yue to her still cuddling pets. She could not imagine what technique the elder had in store and tried to take her mind off of it in vain.


    In the hours it took to return, she spent all of it imagining what it would be. Powerful? Fast? Impactful? Difficult? Deadly? She didn''t know what this perfect technique could be.


    Even after arriving, she couldn''t think of something and was interrupted by the Elder''s calls.


    "We''re here! Hop off and go rx for a bit. We''ll be leaving the next day."


    Ming Yue did as he said and left the ship with Xiao Yin on her shoulder and Hei Yue walking next to her. Finding herself at the gates of the Ninth Flower Garden, she looked around, gazing at the tents and the people. Of the several hundred that came, there was only less than a hundred that were here.


    She walked around until finding a tent, lit from the inside and revealing two familiar silhouettes.


    "I hope she''s okay..."


    Anqing''s generally cheerful and caring voice was instead somber and worrisome.


    "I mean, the elder has returned. We should go to him and see if he found her."


    Xukun''s silhouette sat close to Anqing and his arm wrapped around her. His hopeful voice seemed to ease her a little but in both their minds, they knew that the chances were slim.


    Then the p opened and Ming Yue appeared. She dropped her sword to the side and both pets curled around her as she sat down. She looked at the two, giving them a small smile. If she had waited any longer, the atmosphere between the two would''ve be even sadder and she did not want to hear anymore of it.


    As for her two friends, they were shocked, even speechless. They couldn''t utter anything more than the first syble of their words.


    "Uh-ah-you-"


    "How-ah-"


    She didn''t bother to wait for them to collect their thoughts and spoke first.


    "Yes, I managed to survive and I did not get killed by the crow."


    She couldn''t help but chuckle at their stupor and after several minutes, Anqing was the first to return to her senses.


    "You didn''t die!" she jumped forward and embraced her.


    Xukun was still shocked but nevertheless, the night was spent with Ming Yue detailing about her escape from the crow and how she had been surviving until the elder saved her. Of course, she had omitted her time at the fourth pavilion, sticking to the lie with the cave.


    Friend or foe, what she had experienced was a secret that should not be spoken.


    Still, both Anqing and Xukun were surprised and enthralled by her story.


    The following day, they returned to the ship along with everyone else and prepared to leave.


    "I can''t wait to return, I''m going to hunt that Li Baojun down", Anqing rubbed her hands together in anticipation.


    "Sure we can challenge him, but he''s probably holed himself up in closed-door cultivation. We should focus on improving ourselves and wait for him to get out. Still, he''s an Elite Disciple now, with much more resources too."


    Xukun looked over her worriedly.


    He was somewhat confident after obtaining a Metal Dao Root and the white sword from the garden. With both of these, he could focus on theter levels of his swordy. It had stringent requirement for what swords could be used and as well as the level of attainments he had in the Dao of Metal. He thought himself incredibly lucky to have found these items. Still, he was unsure as to whether to could go against someone like Li Baojun.


    Speaking their piece, Ming Yue looked at the two and shook her head.


    "No, I''ll take him down."


    She spoke with detest and gripped her sword tightly. His methods were distasteful and his actions were shameless.


    Once she returned, the first thing she would do was to go off into the world for experiential training.. She had to solidify her new cultivation and the best way to do so was through battle! Once the tournament came, she would be ready.

 Chapter 186 - The Contribution Hall

    "Agh, who are you? Why are you doing this?!"


    In a city far to the east, the burning halls of the Yellow Leaf Sect cracked and splintered, showing signs of copse. There were corpses of the disciples and elders everywhere, cut up and mutted ruthlessly. Within the main hall, there was only one still alive but barely breathing. Laying on the floor whilst the banner that carried the name of his sect burned away.


    He was none other than the sect master, a powerful expert whose cultivation was in the beginning stages of the Sky Realm. He must''ve been somewhere in his sixties, with messy hair and wrinkes on his face. His clothes were tattered and painted red with the blood of his disicples. The short saber that was his hadid on the ground, cracked and bent.


    Years of work burned away before his eyes as a masked figure stood before him.


    "Why?" he asked, "Why have you done this? We should have no emnity between us, please tell me the reason!"


    He could not fathom the reason for such an attack. What sort of reason must this attacker have for the sect to be utterly destroyed like this?


    The masked figure said nothing and instead stabbed the sect master in the heart. Seeing the blood spill out and the sect master choking on his own blood, the figure removed the de and cleaned the blood off with his sleeves.


    "Too weak."


    He uttered two words before leaving the zing sect halls that once housed the Yellow Leaf Sect. Now it burned away, ransacked of their treasures and with no chance to be revived. It took the full night to douse the fire and the next day, all that was left was ckened wood, capsed beams, anf burnt corpses. The city was in uproar.


    News of this incident travelled like lightning, it was like a warning to all of the sects and martial institutions out there. Bounties were set out and many started the hunt for this masked criminal. Expert or not, this was a massacre of hundreds, such a thing could not be ignored.


    Those at Heaven''s Gate were not any different. The Contribution Hall was packed with people as posters were distributed and details were announced. There were at least a hundred cultivators gathered around the Mission Counter, listening in and studying the poster.


    Meanwhile, Ming Yue stood by the Exchange Counter, where Administrator Hui counted the bandages she had given in. Just a week before, she was in the Ren Huan Battlefield and now she had returned to her usual routine.


    Both Anqing and Xukun had entered closed door cultivation. The former needed time to perfect her poison body and thetter needed to absorb the Metal Dao root. Both of them had much to do with what they''ve gained.


    Ming Yue returned but did not follow the same actions as the others. Instead, she had been training with the Elder Xiang, focusing on refining her techniques. She had nned on taking missions but instead the elder had instructed her toe and learn. However, thest few days she came, he was nowhere to be found. Thus, she decided to organize her gains and exhange them.


    With the words "Administrator" on the back of his uniform, Administrator Hui focused on the bandages, paying no attention to the crowd of people by him.


    "Alright, let''s see here. There are a hundred of these Bone Setting Bandages. So that would be a 150 points which will be distributed as usual, yes?"


    Wearing his monocle, the middle aged man looked at the bandages before putting them away. He looked at Ming Yue, expecting her to nod as always but such a thing did not pass.


    "I''d like to exchange these things as well."


    Grabbing from her spatial ring, she removed several piles of medicinal nts from it and ved them on the counter.


    "This is all from the Ren Huan Battlefield Expedition, to the Ninth Flower Garden. I would''ve exchanged this earlier if not for the lines from everyone else", she exined.


    "That was a good choice. Being one of the bigger events, me and the other administrators have been very busy. You know, someone came in with the corpse of a Diving Dragonfly? The innards were quite damged but the shell was still usable. After that, they''ve managed enough achievements to reach the Elite rank."


    Administrator Hui chatted with her as he sifted through the items.


    Ming Yue knew that it was Li Baojun that he spoke of but decided against speaking out.


    Even if she or the others had revealed Li Baojun''s true face and spoke of his shameless actions, chances were people would not believe it. It was their word against his and with his reputation as one of the strongest of the Saber Hall, revealing these things would not do them justice.


    Ming Yue thought about asking Elder Xiang to vouch for them but she doubted that he would do such a thing. After all, it would probably not be as entertaining to him as battling it out at the Heavenly Gate Tournament.


    She was dismayed by her options but pushed those thoughts aside. She watched and waited as the Administrator worked through the things on the counter.


    "You sure collected a lot. How deep did you travel into the garden?"


    He was quite surprised at the variety and rarity of the items he saw.


    "Oh, I managed to reach thest zone but I had been thrown there after encountering a Luminous Ink Crow."


    She spoke quietly, just loud enough for him to hear but that was enough for the administrator to feel shock.


    "The fifth zone? A Luminous Ink Crow? That''s insane. How did you survive?"


    He did not doubt her words as she was not the type to lie but he still found it hard to believe.


    "I was half dead after that. I hid in a cave to recuperate and called for the Elder to rescue me."


    "Oh my, I suppose that exins how you managed to get some of these treasures. In any case, all of this in total is 40,940 points and added to what you have saved, that is 45,090 points. A fair number of these are at the thousand year age range and they are all undamaged."


    He counted with a impressed look.


    "This is quite the haul you''ve kept. Is there anything else you need?"


    Ming Yue nodded her head and passed the elder her badge for the point transfer.


    She watched as the number of contribution points jumped by a digit and recieved her updated badge.


    As she turned to leave, Ming Yue stopped and looked back.


    "Do you know what Li Baojun did with points he recieved from the Diving Dragonfly?" she asked.


    This was a good chance for her to find some information about him.


    "Hmm, let me see here."


    Administrator Hui pulled out a rather fat book, flipping through the pages before stopping near the middle.


    "Ah, Li Baojun, Elite Disciple. He exchanged the Diving Dragonfly for 12,660 points due to its condition. With the amount he had saved, he exchanged over a hundred thousand points for a lower-divine ranked Jade Emperor Saber. Oh yes, I remember now! He had been unting it to everyone before leaving."


    "A lower-divine ranked saber?" Ming Yue was a bit surprised.


    That was equal to her Parting Sun de. As for her current de, Forgelord Qin had told her that Drifting Sky was equal to a peak-divine sword so it was stronger than his saber. She felt reassurance from that fact and said her farewells to the administrator.


    Her next destination would be the de Hall, to see if Elder Xiang was there. If not, she would return to work on medicine and do her daily training. If he was there, she could finally start the training that he had told her.


    As Ming Yue walked down the halls, she noticed a ck blur and quickly caught up, finding Hei Yue running around.


    "Why are you here? Where''s Xiao Yin?" she asked the ck-furred fox.


    Hei Yue seemed to understand her questions and quickly led her to his destination. Upon reaching it, she found that they were all going to the de hall, where the elder was finally present for once.. He sat on the dueling ring, which stood at the center of the Sword Hall.

 Chapter 187 - Refined Techniques

    "Oh you''re here and you''ve brought the little fox too", he saw them enter together but did not move from his seat.


    Looking at him, Ming Yue saw a wooden de in his hands as well as a chalkboard next to him. She only grew confused at to what he would be training her on.


    "I came by thest several days but you were never there."


    "Ah, I was busy with my duties, had to make a few trips to the Forge Hall. Alright then, get up here."


    He stood up from his seat and began writing on the chalkboard. He only wrote one word, "Technique" and looked back at Ming Yue. She stepped into the ring and looked at the word.


    "So, what do you think a technique is?" he pointed at what he had written and waited for her to answer.


    "A form, a stance?" her unconfident answer only made the elder shake his head.


    "Not exactly, think of it as more of an idea, a concept"


    Elder Xiang turned back and began writing furiously on the board.


    "Techniques isn''t just making simple movements. Their names and origins are derived with what you envision the technique to be. They should have a purpose, some sort of impact in a fight."


    The words "purpose" and "idea" were written and connected to each other through lines. The elder looked at her and grabbed the wooden sword, using it a like a stick.


    "What we are going to do is refine what you have right now, turn them into proper techniques. You''ve been depending on your instincts to fight. As good as they are, you need to learn a bit of strategy. Knowing what techniques to use, when to attack, predicting the opponent''s actions, momentum are all important and you will learn in due time."


    The elder erased what was on the board and moved it next to his seat.


    "Now then, let''s start."


    The following month was spent on improving Ming Yue. While those two were busy, Hei Yue and Xiao Yin went off to y elsewhere, most likely at the Beast Hall.


    Even with her mastery of the sword and wind, the elder was still able to find ws in it all. At the same time, he taught her all about the essence of a technique, the types that existed, how to properly create one. By the end of it, she had created a total of nine formal techniques of which she created two sets. Both sets were three moves each and the remaining three techniques were unique and could not be put on their own.


    The first of the nine as well as the first move of the three move set was a technique she had devised long ago.


    Where she imbued her sword with her energy and condensed it into a thin coating of sharp winds. Using the utmost of her concentration, ignoring all that surrounded her except for what was in front of her, she would produce an impossibly swift strike that could cut metal as easily as she cut behead an enemy. With the empowered de, she could dash forward and attack before her opponent would realize she was gone. An imperceptible attack, one that no one would expect. Thus, she called it, "First Wind: Phantasmal Wind" for when she moved, it would be quick enough to leave a image of herself where she once stood.


    If that strike did not kill, then she had her second technique. An improved version of "Savage Tempest", where thatyer of wind would burst out whenever her de struck something. Meant to overwhelm and suppress, a flurry of attacks would be enough to knock anyone off their feet. This was, "Second Wind: Tempestuous Storm", a nod to the original name.


    The third and final technique to this set, was extremely deadly and certain to kill. The second technique would leave the opponent weak and unable to move. If they were thrown off from the consecutive sts, That coating of wind would no longer be condensed, expanding until it was three times the size of the de. A two handed technique, she could drive the de into the body causing the sharp winds to mutte the internal organs. This, she called, "Final Wind: Squall Strike". Unless the victim had a rare and powerful medicinal pill, death was certain.


    The fourth technique took over Savage Tempest''s ce as the most destructive technique. By using her quintessence energy, she would form a tornado, controlling its size and strength. So long as she fed it more energy, this technique could go on forever, terrorizing those in its way. If you were caught by the winds, you would suffer constant pain from the sharp winds and incredible pressure. Knowing its effects, it was named, "Wrath of the Winds."


    The fifth technique revolved around the formation of her windnces. With her current abilities, it would take just seconds to create a spinningnce powerful enough to pierce a boulder. What made this truly special was itsposition. Thence head is hollow and upon impact, the st would be exponentialy more explosive. But rather than just have one, Ming Yue found that she could have four of them simultaneously and anymore would greatly weaken her control. This she had named, "sting Gale".


    The sixth, seventh, and eighth techniques are part of the second set with assassination in mind, quick, deadly, and unnoticable. With her aura restrained and quick reflexes, she could pull of one of these three killing moves maybe using all of them in order.


    The sixth technique worked on her wind needles. Small and thin but with enough power to prate metal much less bone, she found a unique way to utilize them rather than just shooting them. By cing them at the tip of her fingers, these wind needles turned her hands into a deadly weapon. Whether it was grabbing someone by the neck and stabbing with her off hand, the needles could pierce flesh like nothing. They were like ws that could retract and with that in mind, Ming Yue called it, "Zephyr ws".


    The seventh technique is simr to the first in that she moved with such speed that she would leave an illusion in her steps. She would end up behind the her victim to which she could behead them in a simple fashion. This one was made to be used by her sword or dagger. This was named, "Reaping de", taking lives like it was harvesting medicine from a garden.


    The eighth technique required precise control and could be utilized at any moment, whether it was a crowded area or a quiet forest. By using a sharp wind carefully aimed at the neck, she could behead a person within a hundred meters. Quick and simple, a thin knife-like wind that would cut through and disappear in a moment. The only downfall was the speed at which it happened. It was quick enough to produce a whistle but outside of that, it was undetected. Because of the whistling sound, Ming Yue called it, "Whistle Wind."


    The ninth technique was the ace in the hole. The trump card for when nothing else worked. This revolved around empowering her body with her own energy, evidently overloading her meridians with power. Doing so would increase her strength by many times. Furthermore, it caused her aura to leak out uncontrobly, the color of which was pale blue.


    But the strain was immense, under the elder''s supervision, she could onlyst in that state for no more than a minute. Anymore could lead tosting damage but just being in that state could render her immoble for a day or two. Using any techniques would lower that minute down to seconds. So she chose to only use this technique only if she had no choice. This technique she called, "Pale Moon", for the pale aura she emitted and the "Yue" in her name that stood for "Moon".


    These nine techniques were strong but they were just made, with potential to improve even further.


    With her ability, the elder was secretly impressed with her though he chalked it up to her increased cultivation. But with this, he no longer taught her and instead sent her off.


    "Alright then, these past few weeks have been spent on these nine moves. From now on, I want you to get to work, grab some missions and go out into the world. The Heavenly Gate Tournament starts at the beginning of the new year, so that would be about seven months. That''s it. Oh, and return my manuals, you don''t need them now."


    In that hall, the chalk board was incredibly messy, words written everywhere, parts were erased to make room for other things. The amount of time they spent working on these techinques was nothing more than ghastly. The wooden sword Elder Xiang used was cracked everywhere and the edge had be dull.


    Ming Yue had the manuals in her hands before holding out the Martial Thunder Arts manual in her hand. She hadpletely forgotten to ask about it and found it to be the perfect opportunity.


    "Elder Xiang, why did you give me this manual? My affinity for wind is much greater than lightning, no?"


    The elder looked back and stared at the book. He grabbed it and flipped through the pages.


    "Hmm, barely touched. Well, wind and lightning go quite well together and it seemed that you tempered your body with some lightning attributed materials. I thought this was a good move for you but it seems that you are going solely for the Dao of Wind, so I''ll be taking this back."


    "No! I was just curious that''s all. I''d like to look though the manual a bit before deciding."


    The elder looked at her with doubt but handed it back to her.


    "Alright then, but you better return it soon."


    Ming Yue looked at the book with renewed interest. She hadpletely forgot about tempering her body with the Thunder Roc''s Blood. It had helped her break through several levels of the Human Realm. She was so focused on the Dao fo Wind and her sword skills, that she had forgotten about this. Furthermore, she had a Lightning Dao Root!


    She could start learning the Dao of Lightning with the Martial Thunder Arts. In addition, if she were to nurture the Dao Root, it would be a handy tool in improving her skill in controlling the element.


    Ming Yue continued to ponder about this as she left. As the excitement went away, she moved on to other things, such as the Immortal Siren Flower!

 Chapter 188 - Using The Immortal Siren Flower

    The Immortal Siren Flower, a rank 5 treasure that was incredibly rare, especially considering how long it has been maturing for. It was most likely at the thousand year range and that made it quite powerful. It was no wonder that a rank 6 beast had been guarding it.


    Ming Yue moved towards the Medicinal Hall to find Elder Hua.


    If anyone knew how to use this it would be her.


    Upon arriving, she entered and found Elder Hua focused on her work.


    With several cauldrons at work, some were bubbling away while others had been closed shut. Elder Hua stood on a stool, looking within one of the cauldrons from above.


    Ming Yue was never interested in learning pill-making. It was expensive and time consuming, one could make money just as easily as they could lose it. Still, she found the process somewhat captivating, magical.


    Elder Hua was focused on the cauldron. Both of her hands were at opposite sides, feeding the bubbling mixture her energy. The teal colored liquid swirled around, transforming into mist before condensing into a batch of pills. Six in total, they sported the same teal color and rity.


    She emptied the contents, holding up the pills to her eyes before cing them within a bag.


    The elder turned around and stepped off of the stool, noticing Ming Yue watching her.


    "Oh, when were you here? How long have you been watching?"


    Elder Hua walked briskly towards a shelf that span the entirety of a wall. She grabbed adder, wheeling it to the center before climbing up. Reaching the higher levels, she pulled out one of the small drawers and the bag of teal pills were dropped in.


    "I had juste recently, it''s only been a few minutes. I came here for some help."


    The elder stepped down thedder with a friendly smile.


    "What do you need help with?"


    Ming Yue looked aorund to see if there was anyone else before pulling out the Immortal Siren Flower.


    Elder Hua''s eyes lit up and she gave an audible gasp before her lips pursed together.


    "Oooooh, where did you find this?"


    She walked up to Ming Yue and took the flower. Looking closely, the elder spun it around, admiring the vibrant glows that it gave off. The gentle aura from the flower coaxed her in.


    "You might just be the luckiest girl ever!" excitedly, the elder seemed to jump with joy.


    "An Immortal Siren Flower, one of few things that can beautify someone! It wouldn''t matter if you were the ugliest woman or the prettiest one, this flower will find a way to make you dazzling. To make things even better, this is over a thousand years old. It might be around three thousand years even. The colors of the petal are extremely vivid. At a hundred years, the stem of the flower begins to glow, by five hundred, the petals brighten up and by a thousand years, the flower emits a gentle aura. It is said that at ten thousand years, the flower would reveal a much prettier image of oneself, a result one would get should they use this flower!..."


    Watching her babble on, Ming Yue listened to her and waited for the elder''s excitement to subside. Minutester, Elder Hua had run out of things to say and finally calmed down.


    Finding her chance, Ming Yue spoke up about her request.


    "A way to increase its strength in exchange for the beauty effect?! Don''t tell me you''re serious?"


    Elder Hua was shocked, this flower was a dream to many female as well as some male cultivators.


    It was often that one would forgo the cultivation boost in order to keep the beautification effect. Yet, Ming Yue wanted the opposite of this. She really could not fathom why Ming Yue chose to do this.


    Even she desired this flower to some extent, though with her age it was probably a waste.


    Ming Yue nodded.


    "I''d rather much have that than the beauty effect. I need to improve my cultivation for the tournament", she was fully intent on this.


    With or without Elder Xiang''s instructions to defeat Li Baojun, she had already nned on using the flower this way.


    Elder Hua could see the resoluteness within her and sighed.


    "Oh, the Heavenly Gate Tournament, I see. Well then, this flower can be used for two recipes: the Extreme Charm Pill and the Immortal Enchantress Pill. Both of them are Rank 5 pills that should have a significan effect on you. The former will forgo the cultivation effect in order to magnify the beauty effect. Thetter is a bnce between the cultivation and the beauty. Unfortunately, no one has created a pill that relinquishes the beauty for the power. It is quite difficult to do so and well, no one has really thought about using the flower like this."


    "Really?" Ming Yue was surprised, to think there was no recipe to improve its power.


    "Yes, after all, what makes the flower unique is its effect on one''s beauty. There are hundreds of other nts that could match its strength but few have that property. Thus, there are only these two pill recipes."


    Ming Yue began to think, should she save it for another time or use it now?


    "Then what would it take to create the Immortal Enchantress Pill? What sort of pill is it?" she asked.


    Upon hearing her question, the elder walked though the Medicinal Hall and grabbed one of the books.


    "Let me see here... Ah, the Immortal Enchantress Pill, it requires the Immortal Siren Flower, six stalks of Blood Leaf, a High Spirit Sapling, and water infused with Gold Source Berries. All of these items are rank 4 except for the the High Spirit Sapling which is Rank 5. We do have everything but the Gold Source Berries. it shouldn''t be too hard to obtain. The pill itself bnces the beauty with the power. With that said, the energy within it is gentle and quite easy to absorb though you must have force it to permeate your skin then flesh and finally you internal organs. Doing so would maximise its effects on you."


    Elder Hua looked at Ming Yue after reading off of the book.


    She was thinking quite hard about this situation. Was it worth saving it for something else? But what would she be saving it for? These two pills were the only things that this flower could be used for. If she didn''t use it now, then what else could she use?


    As she spent time contemting her decisions. The elder began flipping through a few pages, looking confused.


    "Hmm, strange. I thought there were only two pills but it seems that there is a a third", she said.


    Ming Yue''s ears perked up, "What? Can you tell me about it?"


    "Yes, though reading through it, This pill is quite shocking. I was surprised to see that there was another recipe but I can see why I forgot about it. It is too difficult to procure all of the ingredients. The bones of a Crescent Cloud Wolf, a Flicker Starfruit, a Radiant Carnation, and a Lightning Dao Root are needed. Not to mention the other items, but a Lightning Dao Root is already difficult enough and it has to be a thousand years old at least. A Crescent Cloud Wolf is an illusive rank 5 beast, who wanders as freely as the clouds. The Flicker Starfruit and the Radiant Carnation are both rank 5 treasures that cannot be easily obtained either. The only good thing is that you can find them all in one ce."


    A lightning dao root? Didn''t she have one of those already? Ming Yue was already extremely interested in this pill just from hearing the recipe. In her mind, she knew that this is the pill she needed.


    "What is the pill called? Where can I find the rest of the ingredients?"


    "It is called the Thunderous Fairy Pill and to the things you need, you have to traverse to the Merciless Storm Peak."

 Chapter 189 - Merciless Storm Peak

    "The Merciless Storm Peak? What sort of ce is it?"


    Ming Yue had never heard of such a ce but with a name like that, it was certainly not a safe ce.


    Elder Hua ced the book down on her table as she turned towards Ming Yue.


    "The Merciless Storm Peak is one of the five "Continent Marks". It is called such because these ces are marked on every map there is as a warning to never enter. They are dangerous ces that kill almost everyone that dare toe but people still go without hesitation. As dangerous as they were, the reward was just as good."


    "Continent Marks? What are the other four?" Ming Yue had never heard of these ces before. Havinge from a small vige, her knowledge of the Human Continent wascking.


    The elder walked behind her desk, pulling out one of the drawers and grabbing a map. She unfurled it and handed the map to Ming Yue.


    "This is the most recent edition of the map", she said.


    It was extremely detailed, every kingdom, city,ndmark was drawn with detail. Clear ck lines, marked the borders of each domain, thend and the water were drawn with intricacy. Every tree was different, there were bodies of water, towns, and much more. Ming Yue located the Red Lotus Country south of the continent, a rather nd drawing of a kingdom with little unique aspects. Above that was where Rong Lu City was, a great mountain riddles with small houses and quirky buildings. farther north was Clear Spring Mountain, drawn with the main halls near the peak. Above that, towards the center of the continent was Heaven''s Gate, depicted by many towers grouped together, connected by bridges.


    Opposite to these ck lines were very distinct red ones, a shade of red simr to blood. These were the Continent Marks and there were five, all spread across the map.


    Srudying each of them, Ming Yue found these five ces to be vastly different but with ominous names.


    There was the Merciless Storm Peak, a lone mountain surrounded by the images of dark clouds.


    The River of the Yellow Springs, a strange river that winded down but seemed unfinished, as if the river led to another ne.


    The Scorching Drnds, characterized with cracked ground and having not one but two great suns.


    The Ivory Forest, thick with trees but there were bones drawn all around it. If that was not enought, Ming Yue saw that some of the trees seemed to be made of bones.


    The fifth mark was perhaps the strangest and most perilous. There was nothing there but arge red circle covering barrennd. At the center of it was a tower, on that was taller than anything else on the map, so much so that clouds covered part of it. As for the name, it was known simply as the "High Tower".


    Elder Hua gave Ming Yue a few minutes to look through the map before pointing at the Merciless Storm Peak, which was far to the east and close to the Darkwater Kingdom, one of the SIx Great Kingdoms.


    "The Merciless Storm Peak is by far the deadliest of the five marks. Only those with unwavering determination and can endure the worst of pain could enter. Constant lightning, harsh winds, and cold rain is what you will experience but these are no ordinary elements. It is said that all of these things have gained the divinity of the heavens, a sense of their own. Lightning will chase you down, the wind and rain will seep into your skin, causing damage to your organs. The suffering is so great that some sects have used the peak as an execution ground."


    She looked at Ming Yue with a serious and concerned expression.


    "I know what you''re thinking Ming Yue, but it is not worth it for Merciless Storm Peak. At your speed, it will take two months to reach there by foot and another two months to return in time for the tournament. That leaves you only three months which is not enough to gather the materials. You should opt for the Immortal Enchantress Pill instead. Unless, you are cultivating the Lightning Dao, the Thunderous Fairy Pill is not suitable."


    Despite the advice, the elder could see that Ming Yue was set on this pill recipe and saved her breath. Of course, she did not know that this pill was extremely suitable for Ming Yue''s needs.


    The Thunderous Fairy Pill was much stronger than its counterparts, containing the beautification effects of the Immortal Siren Flower and the lightning energy from a Lightning Dao Root. Not only would it have a drastic effect with her cultivation but also her umtions with the Lightning Dao. Furthermore, she already had two of the five items needed.


    "Thank you for the warnings, but I have decided to go", Ming Yue rolled the map and handed it back to Elder Hua.


    The elder pushed the map back to her.


    "Keep it, I have plenty. I just hope that you know what you are doing."


    Ming Yue bowed and left the Medicinal Hall. Knowing that the Merciless Storm Peak was near the Darkwater Kingdom, she went to the Soul Hall to find Elder Shen, a member of that kingdom. Walking there, Xue Yue''s voice suddenly perked up.


    "Are you sure that this is a good idea? You''ve increased your cultivation just days ago. You need time to solidify it and to familiarize yourself with your strength."


    Ming Yue was quiet as she moved through the hallways but her mind was turbulent. She was calcting the needed to do everything, weighing the benefits of her options. Elder Xiang''s words about how to spend the next few months were vague. He had bascially told her that what she does now is up to her.


    "I have seven months, four of which will be spent travelling. I could spend that time focusing on my cultivation", Ming Yue felt that this was the right move, dismissing Xue Yue''s remarks.


    "That is true, but you should think about this carefully."


    "When did you care so much? Aren''t you always talking about killing and murder?"


    "Yeah, and if you die, I die. I''d rather that not happen. Besides, if you want to survive, you have to kill, no?"


    Ming Yue kept quiet and continued on her way. Still, it felt as if Xue Yue was smirking at her, having won this little conversation.


    Walking into the ethereal gates, she found herself standing over the waters where a simple ind sat a short distance away. Of course, this was a simple illusion but an effective one as it gave off a calm aura. It was enough to quell the turbulent thoughts in her mind.


    As she began to stroll through, Elder Shen''s aged voice filled the illusion.


    "Ah, you''re back. How was visiting the other Elders? You seem quite troubled."


    The small ind was suddenly much closer to her, just a few steps away.


    "I need your advice, Elder."


    Ming Yue entered the quaint house, finding the Elder rxed and sitting on a cushioned chair. There was a book in his hands to which he read with great interest. Despite her entrance, he did not turn his head towards her.


    "What do you need help with?"


    "I''ll be going to the Merciless Storm Peak-"


    "There?! What on earth would you need to go to that wretched ce?" the elder spoke abruptly.


    He looked at Ming Yue not with concern but with disbelief.


    "Do not go there, you are too young and weak to survive", he put down his book and spoke sternly.


    In his mind, he could not understand why Ming Yue would want to go to such a ce. The Merciless Storm Peak was where people are sent to die. Some were perhaps brave or crazy enough to enter, even fewer returned alive, much less unscathed.


    Then Ming Yue ryed what had transpired in the Medicinal Hall, causing Elder Shen to furrow his brows.


    Afterwards, he pointed out a rather ring issue with her n.

 Chapter 190 - An Overlooked Detail

    "Isn''t the dao root that you have is only a couple hundred years old, the pill recipe requires one that is at least a thousand years. I don''t believe you can substitute it for a much younger one", he said.


    Ming Yue was struck with surprise, how could she have overlooked such a detail! In her excitement, she had forgotten such a simple thing, the required age of each ingredient for the medicinal pill.


    To her annoyance, Xue Yue''s voice perked up, giggling at Ming Yue''s forgetfulness.


    If it was like this, it was not quite worth it to head to the peak anymore but then what should she do now?


    Ming Yue had thought this n would work however, this had changed it all. Now, she wasn''t sure how exactly she would spend the seven months.


    If she pushed forward and marched into the Merciless Storm Peak, it would take more time to gather the materials. On the other hand, she could follow Elder Xiang''s advice, taking on missions for experiential training. She also had the option of just staying and entering into closed door training. She had many choices ut choosing the best one proved to be difficult.


    As the gears in her mind spun, Elder Shen suddenly coughed to grab her attention.


    "Going to the Storm Peak may not be the best idea but you can still go east", he said and continued without letting her ask what he meant.


    "Rather, you can head to the Dark Water Kingdom instead. It''s in the same direction and just a bit past the Merciless Storm Peak, only a few day''s walk."


    Ming Yue thought about his suggestion, it was certainly an option but even if she went, she would not know what to do once she arrived. She knew little of the mysterious kingdom, closed off tot he rest of the continent.


    Elder Shen seemed to have read her thoughts for he began to exin his reasoning behind this.


    "You have just passed through two very important stages of the Earth Realm and now you must pass the chasm that is the Perception Stage. As I have taught you before, things such as flight can be achieved once you have reached that stage. However, just doing breaking through is not enough to fly. Rather, you must be adjusted with viewing the world through its energy. You must understand the principles of how the world truly works. After reaching the perceptoon stage, you will gain the ability to directly affect the world around you but you must learn how it all works."


    The elder stood up and waved his hand around. Like mist, the illusion dissipated, revealing the true appearance of the Soul Hall. As always, it was a messy ce filled with an assortment of books, drawings, and more.


    He walked around, looking for something as he continue to talk.


    "What I''ve taught you about soul energy and heart energy is only rudimentary, merely skimming the surface. While you can now delve deeper into such things, my tools here are not enough to truly show you. However, if it is the Dark Water Kingdom, I believe that you will learn much more."


    Taking out a small but rather thick book, he flipped through a few pages before handing it over to Ming Yue.


    "This is a manual regarding the study of energy, it had the crux of the Dark Water Kingdom''s research and should be an interesting read for you as you travel there."


    Ming Yue opened it and looked through. Despite its size, the manual was neatly written and organized. On the cover, it was simply named, "Profundities of Energy".


    "Give me your arm", said the elder.


    Bringing it out, he ced his hands on her forearm and closed his eyes. Ming Yue felt a strange energy enter her body but allowed it to run free. It was extremely faint and gathered at the point where the elder''s hands were. Once he removed it, what remained was a ck symbol on her forearm.


    It resembled that of a fire though at its core, there was a ck circle with three dots within it.


    "This is my sigil, showing it at the gates of the kingdom should get you in and bring you to the Ster Sky Foundation. That is where I spent much of my time beforeing here. When you''re there, find someone named "Ou Fenhuang", tell her that you are a student of the one named "Shen Zhong", she will do the rest."


    Ming Yue examined the mark on her arm before she thanked him wholeheartedly, knowing that his help was more than enough.


    "Alright then, make your preparations and set off quickly. You have much to do."


    Elder Shen waved his hand once more, reforming the illusion and went back to reading his book. Though this time around, he had small smile as he read.


    Ming Yue left quickly and went off to find her two petpanions. After close to an our of searching, she found them running around with the Bestial Elder in one of therger training fields.


    "Elder Zhou?" she called out.


    "Ah, girl! Right on time! We were just about to watch some sparring matches. Care to watch with us? It''s your two small friends against two of ours", the bestial elder turned around and spoke with a carefree tone, managing to convince her to stay and watch.


    Joining the group of Beast Hall disciples, she sat on the soft grass and watched the fight in front of her. None of them really cared that she was here, there were often others who woulde nd watch the outdoor spars of the Beast Hall''s creatures.


    At the center of therge training field, she saw both Hei Yue and Xiao Yin fighting together against another pair of beasts, a small red furred monkey and a auburn horse with a ck horn. Both beasts, she was not familiar with.


    The monkey rode on the horse''s back, wielding a wooden staff. Spinning it around with ease, the pair ran circles around Hei Yue as the monkey''s staff struck at the ground. Dust began to pick up, covering the fox''s eyes. He did not move but the other two were already tightening the encirclement. His eyes tracked their bodies, waiting for an oppurtunity to strike.


    Xiao Yin was already flying in the sky, looking at the situation below her.


    "Who do you think will win?" asked Elder Zhou, he looked for her opinion with interest.


    "I don''t know, I''m not familiar with these types of fights."


    It was true, Ming Yue did not know who would win. Perhaps if it were a match against people, she might have some input but between beasts, she could only guess. The principles of fighting were different between cultivators and beasts, different actions and thoughts.


    "Oh, well I think that your little friends will win. You''d be surprised by how much that Bai Ying had taught them", Elder Zhou spoke confidently.


    This had piqued her interest. What had they been up to when she was with Elder Xiang?


    Her eyes returned to the fight, and watched as the monkey and horse pair closed in on Hei Yue. Enough dust had gathered that neither they nor Hei Yue could be seen, only their silhouettes. The ck horned horse suddenly charged at the fox as the monkey leaped off of its back, aiming tond behind their victim. With staff in the monkey''s hand, it spun faster and faster as the monkey gathered momentum. The horse had lowered their head, the sharp horn raced forward, aiming for Hei Yue''s body.


    A pincer attack!


    It was a coordinated move that anyone would find difficulty breaking.. But such a thing would not happen so easily for as they made their move, so did Hei Yue and Xiao Yin.

 Chapter 191 - Journeying To The East

    Xiao Yin suddenly dove down before beating her wings with enough force to disperse the dust. Hei Yue followed, leaping forward and grabbing onto the horse''s ck horn. The horse began to thrash around, trying to toss Hei Yue off but the fox clung tightly and wing at the horse when the opputunity presented itself.


    Seeing that the pincer attack did not work, the monkeyunched itself with the staff. Quickly, it flew through the air and tried to reach the itsrade but Xiao Yin interrupted his return. The Star Owl grabbed onto the red monkey''s staff and spun around. After a few turns, Xiao Yin let go, throwing the staff along with the monkey off to the side. While it was still dazed, Xiao Yin charged, scratching the monkey in multiple ces. Without the staff, the monkey could only suffer the attacks.


    Spreading her wings, she suppressed her opponent as best she could.


    Despite their current advantage, the monkey and the horse were not defeated just yet. Xiao Yin and Hei Yue were not very powerful beasts, they were unable to put down their opponent and soon enough, the two found themselves encircled by the monkey and horse.


    Hei Yue could not hold onto the horse and was thrown off by the violent thrashing


    The monkey was much stronger than Xiao Yin and under the assault, it grabbed Xiao Yin''s wing and threw owl off.


    Pushed into each other''s backs by their opponents but Hei Yue and Xiao Yin did not seem distressed at all. Despite the situation, it seemed that they had a n to take down their adversaries.


    The two swapped opponents with Xiao Yin against the horse and Hei Yue against the monkey. It seemed that their strategy has begun.


    They moved, approaching their adversaries with swift speed. What theycked in power, they made up for in speed and maneuverability. As nimble as the monkey was, it was difficult to keep up with Hei Yue.


    In its frustration, the staff brightened as the monkey fueled it with power. Suddenly the staff glowed bright red as fire enveloped the ends. Spinning the staff around, rings of fire lit up the field, singeing the grass.


    Battling it out, Hei Yue dodged the mes and suddenly became a shadowy blur. ck fog emerged from Hei Yue''s body as it covered the two. It was thick, so much so that the monkey could not see anything. Waving the fiery staff around, the little beast tried to scatter the fog and widen its view.


    It was no ordinary fog but a technique from Hei Yue. Under its influence, the monkey was like fish out of water, unable to do anything.


    Outside of the fog, Xiao Yin was directly shing against the auburn horse. The horse''s ck horn shined as crimson-streaked obsidian conjured from it and became armor. Covering its joints and hooves, the horse suddenly leaped up, strengthened by the obsidian armor. It soared through the air, the horn aiming for Xiao Yin.


    Her small body seemed even smallerpared to the hulking size of the horse.


    The silvery eyes of Xiao Yin''s glowed as power seemed to well up within her body. The Star Owl beat her wings together and shot off a shining white de of energy. An ethereal sight and a powerful strike that cut into the horse''s armor. The impact alone had slowed the horse''s flight, sending it back to the ground.


    No one could see what was happening and Ming Yue was surprised. She had never seen these two do something like this. Was that what Bai Ying had taught them?


    "Every beast have powers unique to their species. The ck Horn Stallion can armor itself with an obsidian-like stone, formed from its own energy. The me Fist Monkey can control mes, often using those mes to empower a weapon of their liking. The Star Owl can harness the energy of the stars sending off sts of energy. The Mistral Fox is quick and illusive, often relying on its speed to fight or flee. However, your variant has the ability to create thick fog, perfect for escape or for battle."


    Bai Ying''s voice surprised her as he appeared out of nowhere, sitting next to her.


    "Those abilities you see them make were always there however, those two did not know how to properly use them. Usually, a parent teaches them but I suppose such a thing did not happen for them."


    Ming Yue didn''t really have a response. She found Xiao Yin as an egg and Hei Yue had lost his mother when he was little. She had never seen them use anything other than their physical abilities so she had assumed that this was all they had.


    She continued watching the match and found her littlepanions victorious.


    Xiao Yin had shredded the obsidian armor to nothing and the ck Horn Stallion had conceded, kneeling on its knees. The me Fist Monkey had lost its staff and was pinned down by Hei Yue.


    "Alright that''s enough! The winner is the Mistral Fox and the Star Owl!"


    Elder Zhou stood up, taking the beasts off to the side as the next group began their match.


    Ming Yue approached them to which, Hei Yue''s head perked up and looked towards her. Walking up, she began petting the two and cuddling a little.


    "So this was what both of you have been up to", she yfully talked to them.


    She turned and thanked the Bestial Elder for taking care of them.


    "Oh don''t worry", he said, "The others are always happy to have more friends to y with."


    Pointing at the other beasts, he looked back at her with an friendly face.


    "Are you nning to go off somewhere?" he asked.


    Ming Yue nodded, saying that she was heading east.


    "Mmm, don''t forget to say farewell to the other elders."


    She gave a simple bow before leaving with Xiao Yin and Hei Yue.


    With the day ending, she rested and prepared for the journey. Elder Xiang merely gave her a nod and a few teasing words. On her way out, he muttered few words.


    "Good luck, girl."


    Elder Hua looked relieved, it was good to know that Ming Yue was not headed for the Merciless Storm Peak. Even still, the elder had prepared something for her. A small bag containing a life saving pill.


    "This should be enough to save you from a fatal strike", she said, "Let''s hope it doesn''te to that."


    Elder Shen gave her a paper talisman that brought good luck.


    "Something traditional from the Dark Water Kingdom, that talisman should be enough to vouch for your identity", he said, "Be safe."


    After epting the gift, Ming Yue left Heaven''s Gate with her littlepanions. She had looked around for Anqing and Xukun but both had entered into closed door cultivation. The former was prefecting her poison body and theter began training on his sword arts.


    Ming Yue looked back at Heaven''s Gate, the gleaming white walls and the great spires that stood at the north of the city.


    With the map Elder Hua had given her, she gazed at the route. There were one or two kingdoms along the way, though she would not be passing through them directly. Ahead of her was the Four Season Forest. Past that were the ckpeak Mountains, followed by the Ying Long Sea that flowed into the Ocean of Easterly Winds.


    The Dark Water Kingdom was located near edge of the continent, sitting by the southern border of the Ying Long Sea. It was muchrger than the Ying Long Sea and spanned the entire southern border.


    Within the entirety of the Human Continent, its size was second to the Raging Sun Kingdom which lied in the west and was a thirdrger.


    Mapping her route, she headed into the Four Season Forest.. It was a little over a month before she would reach there and she had seven months before the tournament.

 Chapter 192 - The Strange Merchant

    The Four Season Forest was thick and full of colorful trees, it wasn''t a particrly dangerous ce but it was enormous in size. It took several days of travel before the emerald colored trees turned reddish brown, shades of orange and yellow. The ground was covered in a softyer of fallen leaves. The sound of rustling leaves was soothing and Ming Yue quite enjoyed being on her own.


    Apart from a few encounters with some wild creatures, the trip wasn''t bad. Hei Yue and Xiao Yin had proven themselves stronger than she had thought. It was a pleasant surprise to find that both of them had taken care of a rank 3, Earthbound Imp. Connected with the forest, it would appear and disappear quite quickly, popping out of the ground of the trees. Every time the imp reappeared, it would shoot off a number of things, from pebbles to small boulders and even swords and javelins.


    Not knowing where it would appear, having to anticipate its next move, it was not a fun opponent to deal with. Yet with Hei Yue''s ck fog, it was quite easy.


    The sudden change had scared the imp, who could not see anything in front of it. In that moment of fear and hesitation, Xiao Yin had managed to cut the tree, severing the connection between the imp and the ground. Without a ce to escape, Hei Yue quickly reached the creature and rip it out of the tree with his jaws, killing the creature.


    Apart from this particr beast, Ming Yue spent most of her time exploring the forest as she made her way through. The change appearance of the trees also brought about a change in the atmosphere. When she first entered, it was like springtime, warm andforting. Now it was life fall, colder and with the autumn leaves.


    On a certain night, she had caught a couple fish from a nearby river. While she could also eat the beasts she had fought, something like the Earthbound Imp was a bit too much.


    Ming Yue sat in front of a small, crackling fire, cooking the fish. She turned it every now and then, making sure that it didn''t burn. Ming Yue''s skill in cooking wasn''t incredible but it was clear that this was not her first time.


    Everyone sat around, resting for the night.


    Just as the fish was done, Hei Yue''s ears perked up as did Xiao Yin who suddenly stared at the area right of them.


    Some rustling noises and a few steps came to pass as a figure appeared from the sea of trees. Under the night sky, Ming Yue could only see the shadow of this person. They wererge and must have had strength for their steps were heavy and powerful.


    As the light of the campfire gleamed upon their body, it revealed a rather different person. It was an young man, slender and wearing a hooded cape. The interesting part was what he carried on his back, a wooden box muchrger than his own body, with darkquer and a steel brace. There were two straps that wrapped over his shoulder.


    It was no ordinary box for it had dozens ofpartments within it. There were several cloth bags, tied to the knobs and dangling under the wooden box.


    The young man was quiet and spoke in a polite tone.


    "Is it fine if I can sit here for a little?" he asked.


    Ming Yue nodded and continued tending to her cooking and the two beasts rxed, returning to theiridback postures.


    With a quick look, she could not feel the cultivation of the one before her but she knew that he was quite strong. His true strength was deeply hidden, it was as if he was an ordinary person but no ordinary person would travel here on their own.


    She stopped trying to study him and gave a happy look as the fish was done cooking. Both of her pets already had their meals in the form of prey that they had hunted previously. Still, Ming Yue passed them a steaming fish, light and ky.


    They epted the snack and the two began eating while Ming Yue offered one to the stranger.


    "It''s quite alright. I had my dinner not too long ago. I just want to enjoy the warmth."


    Being politefully declined, Ming Yue did not think much of it and proceeded to eat her fill. The meal was quiet, save for the sounds of Hei Yue and Xiao Yin munching on their portion of the food.


    Having put his wooden box beside him, the young man began sifting through it, going through eachpartment until he found what he was looking for. A small earthen jar which when he opened, suffused a fragrant smell. It was stinging to the eyes and smelled somewhat sweet and sour. Its powerful scent was alluring.


    It was strong enough for Ming Yue and the rest to smell it.


    "What is that?" she couldn''t help but ask.


    Giving it a small whiff, the young man produced a satisfied smile and passed it to Ming Yue.


    "You should try this, it goes well with the fish but you should dab just a little bit. It is quite powerful", he warned.


    Ming Yue held the small jar in her hand and looked in. The contents was intrigueing, it was a sauce of some sort. Crimson red like the color of blood but contained a number of ingredients: green onions, apples, soy sauce, and more. Furthermore, there these sparkling flecks of red dust that she could only assume to be a spice powder of some sort.*


    She did as he said, using a knife to take a bit of this concoction and cing it on the flesh of her half eaten fish. Several bitester, she was a bit red, blowing air out of her mouth.


    "It''s quite spicy but delicious!" she eximed.


    The vor was a mix of heat and salt brought together by a bit of sweet and sour. Of course, this was only a simple description that did not do justice to the myriad of vors she tasted.


    "Of course it is, this is a sauce I had procured from a small kingdom in the far south!" he said excitedly.


    His quiet demeanor had suddenly changed. He began spewing about this mysterious product, its origins and uses.


    Ming Yue was quite surprised by his outburst of energy trying to find an oppurtunity to interject. However, he continued to rant more and more, moving onto his journeys ross the continent, searching for interesting ingredients and different cuisines.


    Minutes passed by before she interrupted him.


    "Are you a chef by any chance?" she asked.


    His little speech stopped and he began to shake his head and raise his hands.


    "Oh no, I''m not a cook! I''m a merchant, one that specializes in rare ingredients", he exined.


    "This thing I carry with me are for foods that need to be fermented. As for raw meat, I keep that in my spatial ring", the young man showed off his collection of jars withi. the several dozenpartments.


    Ming Yue listened with interest, it was not often that she met a travelling merchant especially one that specialized in food.


    The young man suddenly paused.


    "Ah, I''ve forgotten to introduce myself. I am Lao Gan, a travelling merchant from the North Sea Kingdom."


    "I am Ming Yue, amon cultivator from the Red Lotus Country."


    "Red Lotus Country you say, I''ve heard that the food there is quite good! It is home to a variety of fresh herbs and vegetables."


    Ming Yue couldn''t really confirm if that was true. She was a vige girl after all.


    Lao Gan sighed, "In any case, it is good to speak with someone. I''ve been travelling alone for the past several months trying to reach the Ying Long Sea.. I can''t wait to get there, it supposedly has the best seafood in the continent as well as a certain mythical beast."

 Chapter 193 - Deer Of The Forest

    "Oh, you''re going to the Ying Long Sea? I''m actually going in that direction myself."


    Lao Gan was surprised by her suddenment.


    "Really? Where are you headed?"


    "Oh, I''m going to the Dark Water Kingdom, I''ve heard of its mysterious reputation and wanted to see what it is like."


    Ming Yue lied partially, she wasn''t so naive as to reveal her real intentions to a stranger she had just met.


    "The Dark Water Kingdom huh... That ce has closed itself off from the rest of the world. Some say that everyone else had disregarded them for their entric research. I hear that the denizens of that kingdom experiment on their own bodies, for the sake of understanding the world."


    Lao Gan rubbed his chin, trying to recall all of the things he heard of the illustrious kingdom.


    Through him, Ming Yue learned a bit more about her destination.


    She never did ask Elder Shen about his past in the Dark Water Kingdom. It felt like it was a topic that shouldn''t be touched.


    Being sent to Heaven''s Gate and then to have lost contact with his home, it was sure to bring up unwanted emotions.


    Ming Yue thought this as Lao Gan continued speaking. She looked at him with curiosity, it was strange to see him talk so much when he was incredibly quiet minutes ago.


    The night continued on as Ming Yue continued listening to Lao Gan and the next day, they had decided that it was better to travel together.


    At first, Ming Yue thought that Lao Gan would be able to defend himself without her help. Instead, at every encounter with a beast, he simply pulled out a talisman of some sort. It was a small silken bag that seemed to ward off the beasts. Whatever it had, any crearue that came close would cower away, wrinkling their nose.


    While he had this little trinket, Ming Yue opted to not take advantage and battle it out with whatever stood in her way. This was a perfect opportunity to improve her proficiency of the skills she had created with Elder Xiang. With the amount ofplexity in these techniques, she needed ample time to perfect them.


    However, she focused on the first three techniques that she had nicknamed, "The Three Winds". The first move was the most important, "Phantasmal Wind" could finish a fight the moment it began. The sess of such technique hinged on timing: knowing when to move, when to disappear and then when to strike.


    To create an illusion and trick her opponent, moving when they think she still stood there, and defeating them before they could even act. That was the concept behind "Phantasmal Wind".


    With every fight, she was able to advance it bit by bit. She was a little bit faster, she became more ustomed to it. Several fightster, Lao Gan had stopped relying on his trinket as it wasn''t quite as useful. Ming Yue was always up for a fight and not many lived past the first move.


    As they traveled further into the forest, their surroundings slowly changed. All but a few leaves were left on the trees, the onesying on the ground had be damp and dimmed in color. The air grew colder as frost appeared on a few branches.


    It was then that they encountered their most dangerous opponent.


    A monstrous deer that stood on its hind legs and their forelegs were not hooves but ws with jagged talons. It resembled a deer and yet it was nothing like it. Its head was a skull without flesh, two beady blue eyes that stared into one''s being. Its body was thin but muscr and its movements were unnatural to say the least.


    Quick to move and incredibly forceful, it seemed to snake its way around the winter trees like some deathly spirit.


    As for what it was, Ming Yue could not identify it for it was always moving. She only caught a glimpse when they had first encountered it before the creature vaulted away. However, Lao Gan was able to recognize it.


    "Miss Ming, we should escape it! That is a Primal Frost Deer, one of the rarest creatures of the Four Season Forest and it is incredibly dangerous. It is rank 4! We will not be able to defeat this beast. Not even my Beast Warding Bag will have much effect", he warned her, readying himself to run.


    But it was toote. The Primal Frost Deer had seen them and it has marked them. It did not take much to understand that it was hunting them now. The beast released a deep and gutteral roar that echoed within the forest.


    In that moment, it revealed itself and locked eyes with the two.


    Lao Gan was afraid, he knew that the Primal Frost Deer would chase after them if they ran. However it was the better option than standing their ground and fighting. The creature would hide under the shadows and strike with an unreal amount of ferocity.


    He had heard stories of this beast: how it would hunt and attack one by one. He was frightened to say the least. The journey to the Ying Long Sea was the most dangerous one that he had undertaken. There were little to no roads or establishments on the way there, it was absolutely wild. Though he was willing to make the journey, death was the more reasonable result. So he prepared, grabbing talismans and the like to protect himself.


    He was no fighter nor did he really bother with cultivation. Him being able to carry the amount he carried came from years of traveling the continent by foot. He had managed to get through many of his endeavor through preparation and a burning passion to try the wondrous variety of food. But he was not prepared for this, an encounter with a beast that lived in legend.


    The merchant had seen many things but at this moment, he was not expecting this.


    Ming Yue stood her ground. Brandishing her de, she prepared a different stance where she moved her off hand in front of her. Wisps of air gathered before forming sharp needles at the ends of her fingers. Like an extension of her hand, they followed the movement of her fingers andacted like ws.


    It was the "Zephyr ws" technique, one of the assassination techniques she had created. However, was she nning to assassinate the Primal Frost Deer?


    Almost simultaneously, Mign Yue and the monstrous deer charged forward.


    With one hand outstretched, the deer had the same reach as Ming Yue with her sword. It opened its hands and grabbed at Mign Yue as they drew closer. However, it did not notice Hei Yue, who had released the ck fog, blinding the creature.


    Ming Yue had avoided its grip, using her Zephyr ws to stab into the beast''s body and climb it.


    The needle like ws pierced deeply and caused an enourmous amount of pain. Every time they entered the body, each one would tear into its flesh, causing the holes to flow with a greenish blood.


    This was a rank 4! Like the Diving Dragonfly!


    Certainly Ming Yue had killed the dragonfly but it was already injured and the experience had left her half dead. However, it was different this time. She was much stronger than before.


    The Primal Frost Deer had turned and twisted, grabbing hold of Ming Yue''s leg before tossing her against a tree.


    She managed to prevent the impact, digging her sword into the ground to slow herself and recover. Afterwards, she threw herself back into the fray as Hei Yue and Xiao Yin provided support, attacking the beast and sending off waves of energy.


    Lao Gan could not believe his eyes as he watched her battle the beast. It wasn''t often that he would see a rank 4 and even less so to witness a battle with one. Just one rank 4 could tear through towns and required a group of Earth Realm Cultivators to defeat it.


    Yet, how strong was this young girl for her to fight something that required multiple experts?


    He could not fathom it.

 Chapter 194 - The Worst Of Smells

    The Primal Frost Deer flung its arms, outstretched and grabbing at Ming Yue. With bounding leaps, It charged at her, trying to gain momentum and control of the fight. The bleeding holes in its body did not slow it down nor did it seem affected in the slightest.


    Watching ite closer, Ming Yue jumped up and over the deer as it run under her. The needles that were her Zephyr ws left her fingers, flying and digging into its body.


    With a simple hand motion, the ws grew out of control before bursting and tearing the surrounding flesh. However, this much was not enough.


    The Primal Frost Deer howkled with pain, ring at Ming Yue with its ghostly blue eyes. Suddenly it noticed Lao Gan, turning towards the young merchant. Ming Yue was quite a distance away but he was much closer and by far, the easier target.


    "What?!" he was taken aback and began fumbling through his pockets.


    From where it stood, the Primal Frost Deer began sprinting towards Lao Gan. This time, it ran on all four of its limbs, giving barely anytime fo Lao Gan to act.


    Ming Yue chased after the beast but she was not quick enough and could not reach him in time!


    Lao Gan''s hands moved furiously, going through every pocket in his clothes, desperately trying to get something. He stepped back slowly, focused on himself. With every passing second, the PRimal Frost Deer came closer, it released a deep roar from its jaws.


    Suddenly, the merchant''s eyes lit up has his hands suddenly put forth a small vial. It was clear ss vial, its contents was somewhat brown and reddish. It was a thick liquid but had small chunks as if it had been submerging in that thick concoction. That moment of happinenss was reced with urgency as Lao Gan noticed the Primal Frost Deer was soon to be upon him.


    He pulled out the cork and bared it at the beast. What was inside that he thought could deal with the creature?


    The Primal Frost Deer did not seem bothered or suspicious and charged at him. Nearing closer, the beast stood back on its hind legs, towering over the young man.


    Lao Gan had shut his eyes, hoping that this vial would save him.


    The deer moved to grab him when suddenly, a odor entered its nose.


    It was...foul. No, it was beyond that.


    Walking back a few steps, the beast writhed in pain and tossed its head around, trying to lose the smell but it was impossible.


    The vial gave off a strong scent, it was as if every possibly disgusting thing hade together to create this. It was like atrine that had not been cleaned for years, trash that basking in the hot summer sun. It was worse than a dead corpse, worse than anything the deer had encountered.


    Lao Gan grinned as he waved the vial at the beast.


    "Heh, who would''ve thought a beast such as yourself would be victim to this."


    With his cocky voice, he stepped forward, forcing the deer back as it covered its sensitive nose. He yelled at the beast, trying to get it to run.


    The Primal Frost Deer could not take the smell anymore and attacked the young man, batting him away. Lao Gan was too close to dodge, flying off and mming into one of the surrounding trees. Fortunately, Ming Yue was able to reach him and conjured a gentle wind to weaken the impact. Lao Gan was left with only a few bruises as he quickly closed up the vial.


    Meanwhile, the Primal Frost Deer struggled to recover after what it had just been exposed too. It was a lingering scent that could not go away. It tossed and turned as the smell traveled deeper into its body.


    Out of fear and disgust, it began to retreat, staggering backwards before rushing off to find a stream of water to cleanse its nostrils. The group watched it run, crashing through the trees and leaving a path of destruction.


    Ming Yue managed to catch a whiff of whatever that vial had and wrinkled her face. Hei Yue and Xiao Yin apanied her, both of them cowered away from just one sniff.


    "Ugh, what is that?" she couldnt help but ask him.


    Lao Gan answered with a hapless smile.


    "Something I procured in the Chou Kingdom, which exists on an ind by the northwestern corner of the continent. It is a popr fermented sauce that is incredibly smelly and equally delicious. It was one of the worst and yet most satisfying experience. This was a bit of a gamble but with its smelliness, I thought this would work", he exined.


    "Oh", Ming Yue certainly underestimated this man''s dedication for food.


    Traveling for something like this seemed incredibly stupid but it certainly showed his determination. The fact that he ate this fermented sauce served to reinforced this.


    She helped him up and they both looked in to the direction of where the deer escaped. It left broken trees in its wake. In a distance, they heard its pained cries as it continued suffering the pungent smells.


    Lao Gan patted his clothes and checked his wooden backpack, making sure that nothing was broken.


    "Well, that was certainly an encounter. One that I do not want to experience again."


    He sighed a breath of relief knowing that there were just a few surface scratches.


    "Well then, I suppose we should get away before the Prima Frost Deer returns", he said.


    Agreeing to his suggestion, they quickly fled the area, getting as far away as they could. They travelled without resting, only stopping when the moon was directly above them. That night, Ming Yue had hunted a small boar for everyone to eat.


    At that time, Lao Gan fished out the same vial from before. He looked at Ming Yue and the others before holding the vial at them.


    "Do you guys want to try some? It''s not the best smell but it has a fascinating taste, it goes especially well with wild game" speaking enthusiastically, his eyes glowed as he shared the vial with them.


    Ming Yue hesitated before declining, just that first whiff was enough to ward her off. As much as she trusted his words, she was not ready for that. As for the two beasts by their side, Hei Yue grabbed his piece of boar meat wiht his jaw and quickly retreated as Xiao Yin did the same.


    Lao Gan merely shrugged and opened the vial, pouring the thick reddish brown sauce onto his meal. He then devoured it cleanly and enjoyed everyst part. From then on, Ming Yue did not breathe when she spoke with him, his smelly breath was truly putrid and not even the clearest of spring water could get rid of it.


    But like magic, the smell suddenly disapeared from his mouth after a few days. There wasn''t even a trace of it left. Soon enough, The winterndscape had changed and resembled the summer season, with the humid air. The trees were incredibly healthy and flowers bloomed. The bussing of insects was the only thing they heard. The heat was enough for Lao Gan to roll up his arm sleeves all the way to this shoulder.


    As for Ming Yue, she wasn''t quite bothered by the warm air and barely sweat while Lao Gan breathed heavily and fanned himself.


    Apart from the numerous bugs, this area wasn''t incredibly dangerous. It was certainly annoying with the bug bites but luckily, Lao Gan had another trinket ready for this moment. It was just another few days before they reached the end of the forest and saw the mountains before them.


    There was a countless number of mountains, sharing one particr feature. The peaks were dyed ck while the summit of thergest mountain was surrounded with ck clouds.


    That particr mountain was the infamous Merciless Storm Peak.

 Chapter 195 - Monsters Of The Storm

    Although they stood at the border between the ck Peak Mountains and the Four Season Forest, they could hear and even see small bolts of lightninge down from the clouds.


    There was a reason why these were called the ck Peak Mountains, Originally full of life an beauty, these mountains were struck with disaster as the world suffered cmity. Constant storms and thunderous power gathered above, striking with enough power to shake the core of the mountains.


    With each strike, they rumbled and when it could no longer endure, each one erupted. Spewing fire and me, ash rained down from the sky and painted the peaks ck. Lightning only served to make it a permanent feature.


    Even after subsiding, the dark clouds and rumbling thunder persevered. As time moved on, the storms gathered to one point, that was Merciless Storm Peak.


    Ming Yue gazed at the distantndscapes, this was going to be extremely dangerous. Although she stood at the outkirts of the mountains, she could feel the dense electric air.


    Lao Gan inhaled sharply, "The ck Peak Mountains.... Deadly animals and danger is everywhere in those peaks. Though, it makes me wonder if any of these beasts are delicacies."


    He was certainly afraid but he was excited, this was a ce he has never entered until now.


    "Let''s go", Ming Yue walked forward, stepping into the mountaineous terrain.


    She was curious as to what this ce held.


    Lao Gan grabbed ahold of the straps on his shoulders, readjusting the wooden backpack beore follwoing after her. Together, they ventured forward, traveling towards the first of many mountains.


    The scenery was incredibly different from what they had experienced. There was nothing but cold stone, a sea of gray and the air buzzed with energy. If one looked closely enough, they might see a spark of lightning in the air. There was no open area but winding paths that revealed nothing but stone.


    Everyone traveled close to each other, covering their backs. Xiao Yin did not fly for she could be the next target to be another beast''s meal. Instead, the Star Owl rested on Hei Yue''s back, keeping her eyes open and watching everyone''s surroundings. With her sharp eyesight, Xiao Yin would be the first to notice any danger.


    But there was little to see, they had yet to encounter anything, not even weeds grew here.


    Even with everyone''s guard up, they found nothing.


    Then they heard something, the sounds of lightning, quick and sharp, followed by snarls and hissing. Several hundred feet from them, there seemed to be a battle in a clearing between mountains. They quickly approached, hiding behind some small boulders and watching the ensuing battle.


    It was by no means a small one, there was a group of wolves facing against a simrly sized group of rabbits. These were no ordinary animals.


    The wolves had gray fur and sharp eyes. Growling at the rabbits, their mouths revealed fangs tipped in a bright blue color. Azure sparks came to and from their fangs, a painful bite no doubt.


    As for the prey they were hunting, the rabbits had pure white fur that stood on its ends. There was a horn sticking out of their heads, shining with a bright light.


    As Ming Yue''s group continued watching, she recognized the creatures before her. It was a gang of Lightning Fang Wolves and Huang Horn Rabbits, both were rank 3.


    The two groups circled each other, waiting to see who would make the first move. If they were two ordinary animals, then the wolves would most certainly win. However, this was the ck Peak Mountains, and of constant danger and any beast that lives here could kill.Suvival was the ultimate goal here.


    Both sides did not underestimate each other, their bodies were ready and they were prepared to strike in a singr moment.


    Then, a single Huang Horn Rabbit could no longer wait and its horn brightened as yellow lightning discharged. That bolt of lightning shot forth, crashing into the Lightning Fang Wolves. It was extremely powerful and cracked the rocky ground. While most of the wolves had dodged the attack, one was unlucky, bing a crisp corpse.


    That began the fight, for the wolves rushed forward with thei rjaws wide open. The Huang Horn Rabbits released the power from their horns sending off a ferocious wave of yellow.


    Howling in defiance, the Lightning Fang Wolves summoned azure lightning from its ws and attacked the wave. Those that broke through rushed forward, mping their fangs onto the nearest rabbit. Electricity coursed through the fangs and into their prey, those caught by the wolves spasmed uncontrobly.


    It was a frightening sight, wolves chasing after rabbits as lightning shot at every direction. Burnt corpses and blood spilled ont the gray stone floor.


    As for the onlookers, Lao Gan was shocked by the sight and he felt anticipation for what came after the fight. As a merchant he was always looking for opportunity, perhaps, he could collect the salvageable flesh from the bodies of these wolves and rabbits. He was curious as to what they tasted like and who would be willing to buy them.


    Ming Yue watched with interest, this was a good time to study the properties of lightning. Fast and ruthless, rigid and pure, it was power at its purest form, unfettered and untainted. She watched the movements of the battle before her, studying it all.


    With her improvedprehensional ability, she understood a fair number of things about the mysteries of lightning. Along with what she had read in the Martial Thunder Arts Manual, she was confident in practicing the Lightning Dao.


    At the same time, she was curious about one particr thing, the color. There was blue and yellow lightning shing before her. There didn''t seem to be much difference in nature and yet the color was different. Why was it so?


    Perhaps this, she would learn at the Dark Water Kingdom.


    Momentster, the battle suddenly froze. Nothing moved for every beast looked towards the same direction, facing the mountains.


    A screech echoed from one of the mountain summits as tworge bodies seemingly fell from the sky. In an instant, the beasts below them ran off, leaving the bodies of their deadrades.


    What appeared were two giant monsters, locked in battled. Crashing into the ground, one of themid half-dead under the powerful talons of a rank 5, Thunder Roc. The feasome beast screeched at its dying opponent, a tiger whose body was streaked with what resembled lightning. These marks pulsated with energy but it slowly lost its glow. The tiger bled heavily, one arm had been ripped to shreds by the talons of the Thunder Roc, its body seemed to have gone through a ferocious storm.


    The Thunder Roc was not as injured, one of its wingsid by its side, unable to move. The neck had a deep bite mark and flowed with blood.


    As the tigerid there, its heavy breath grew quicker as the lightning marks on its body shined purple. A wave of violet lightning exploded from its body,unching the Thunder Roc away. It did not roar and struggled to stand up. But once it stood on its four legs, the tiger rushed the Thunder Roc, leaping forward with outstretched paws.


    With its broken wing, the Thunder Roc could barely fly, standing on its feet. It shrieked with rage as it waved its other wing, releasing a tornado at the tiger.


    The tiger attacked it head on, swiping the tornado away and wing at the Thunder Roc. Purple lightning arced from its ws as it tore through the Thunder Roc''s body.


    Blood spurted from the strike before the Thunder Roc stabbed the tiger with its beak, digging into the sides. Both wrestled each other, attacking with all of their strength.


    Everyone''s thoughts disappeared and they had nothing but nk shock.


    Compared to the battle they had seen, this was something on another scale.. But it did not stop there, for something else lurked in thesends.

 Chapter 196 - Hungry Eyes And Ambitious Thoughts

    The smell of blood was thick, it was metallic and had a slight tinge of sourness. It wafted through the air, attracting many beasts to watch the fight and to wait.


    Ming Yue and the others hid themselves well, covered by the shadows of the boulders they crouched behind. They saw a variety of creatures arrive at the smell of blood. Hundreds of beasts watching as the tiger and the Thunder Roc fought each other with recklessness.


    Entangled in their battle, neither creature noticed the watchful eyes.


    "We should leave..." Lao Gan whispered with urgency, "It''s be too dangerous."


    Despite his pleas, Ming Yue did not move and watched carefully. Like those around her, she too waited for an opportunity.


    "What are you doing?! Don''t tell me you''re going topete with the rest of these beasts? That''s insane!"


    Lao Gan let out an exasperated breath and saw her serious expression. In that moment of thought, he stayed put. Whether he left her or not, death was most certain. If anything, the chance of survival lied in her.


    As for Ming Yue, a n formed in her mind, one that could very well reward her greatly or leave her dead. The parts of either the Thunder Roc or the tiger would be extremely helpful to cultivating the Lightning Dao. Bathing in its blood, absorbing the bones, eating the flesh, any of these things could attune her body to the element of lightning and improve her control. So long as she took something, it was akin to finding treasure.


    She gestured for Hei Yue, whispering in his ear. Afterwards, she looked at Lao Gan and Xiao Yin.


    "Stay here, when you find the chance, run and look for a ce to hide. Xiao Yin wille with you and through her, I will find you", she said.


    Lao Gan nodded, at this point, all he could do was trust her. He looked at Xiao Yin, who stared back.


    "I guess, I''m in your care" he whispered.


    The silver-eyed owl blinked, understanding his thoughts. With everyone ready, they waited and watched for the Thunder Roc and the tiger was about to have theirst exchange. This one would decide it all.


    The two beasts stood against each other, gathering their energy. Their postures were upright and steadfast.


    The tiger''s body glowed purple as the Thunder Roc shrieked to the sky. ck clouds gathered and rumbled, purple and yellow lightning arced between the clouds, vying for control. Suddenly, bolts of lightning struck the ground around them, causing explosions and rifts. The pressure exerted from this battle was great, every person and beast there struggled to stand and endure the weight.


    With one final roar, they charged at each other, empowered by the electric energy in the air.


    Talons and paws raised up as both beasts struck each other.


    However, the tiger''s reach was just shy of killing the Thunder Roc, only leaving shallow cuts into the body. The Thunder Roc''s talons came swiftly. Of its three toes, one stabbed into one of the tiger''s eyes while the other two punctured its skull.


    The tiger cried out in pain as it tried to struggled to rid itself of the piercing talons. Its body weakened before going limp.


    The tiger was dead and the Thunder Roc screeched out victoriously. With its beak, the beast tore through the corpse, steam rose from its warm flesh as the smell of blood thickened intensely.


    It was then that the watchful eyes became watery mouths. Each and every creature there rose from its hiding spot, revealing themselves to the Thunder Roc. Even those Huang Horn Rabbits and Lightning Fang Wolves reappeared.


    Having noticed them, the Thunder Roc gazed around, blood continued to leak from many injuries it had sustained. With its broken wing, it could not fly away.


    To the eyes of many, both of these beasts were as good as dead.


    But the Thunder Roc did not surrender to its fate. It shrieked at the onlookers, daring any of them to step forward. With its remaining wing, it beat the air, almost creating a drumming noise. Perhaps, this will be the day it dies but it will not go so quietly.


    With all of them focused on each other, none noticed a small blur running towards the Thunder Roc. ck fog emerged from its body, spreading everywhere and blocking everyone''s sight. Fearful and confused, heads looked around, trying to find the source of this mysterious fog. They could not see anything, not even those next to them. That was how thick the fog was.


    Wary eyes shifted around as none of them had expected this.


    Every beast growled and snarled at the fog, furious at who would blind them like this.


    As the mastermind, Ming Yue had followed after Hei Yue, hiding in the fog. She took note of everyone''s location especially that of the Thunder Roc.


    With the fog expanding, the Thunder Roc tried to disperse it to little sess. However, it was able to find the source of this mysterious mist, staring at Hei Yue''s little body. It felt humiliated, that a small and insignificant beast approached it. At the same time, the Thunder Roc looked at Hei Yue with disdain, all it took was a smack to knock the fox away.


    What it didn''t see was Ming Yue hiding in the fog.


    With Drifting Sky unsheathed, she ran under the cover of the fog, reaching the tiger''s corpse. With all of her strength, she forced the de through the corpse, separating one of its legs. Blood sprayed onto her as well as all around her as she grabbed the cut-off leg. Upon touching her skin, the blood gave off a tingling sensation that entered deep into her body. Coupled with the heat and scent of the tiger''s blood, it was a bit of dizzying experience.


    If she had taken the whole body, it was sure to alert everyone, just one limb was more than enough.


    Grabbing the leg, she ced it into her spatial ring. Just that limb wasrger than her and weighed several hundred pounds. Carrying it would not be easy for her but she didn''t need to do that when she had her spatial ring. It sucked in the tiger''s leg with ease and with that she had gained an incredible treasure.


    However, she was not out of the woods yet.


    Where she stood, the Thunder Roc was several yards away. With Hei Yue as a distraction, the giant beast had its body turned, with its broken wing facing towards Ming Yue.


    If she acted quickly, she could also obtain that broken wing.


    She had already gained a lot from this, making an attempt on the Thunder Roc might be pushing her luck. She was already incredibly lucky that she was able to go unnoticed.


    "Take it or not?" she thought to herself.


    Without a second to spare she made her mind to take the wing. Even if she failed, Hei Yue''s fog ability was enough to hide her tracks.


    She looked at the broken wing and hopped on top of the tiger corpse. Empowering her de, the energy expanded and erged the de. WIth the increased size, it would be much easier for her to cut off the wing in one swing though she would need all of her strength to do so.


    Ming Yue jumped up, elerating herself with a burst of wind. Her body crept towards the edge of the fog, revealing her silhouette to any who noticed.


    With both hand gripping the sword, she swung, cutting through the joint that connected the wing. She could feel the resistance as she cut it apart. It was difficultpared to cutting the tiger''s leg off. Sinew and bone did not cut easy.


    Still, she managed to hack off the wing, causing immense pain to the Thunder Roc.


    It felt the sword cut through and its head whipped around.


    Two murderous eyes searched around, spotting her shadow.


    It screeched at Ming Yue with rage and that was enough of a warning for her.

 Chapter 197 - Escaping A Beast Horde

    "Shit!" Ming Yue cursed herself.


    She quickly stored the wing into her spatial ring and ran.


    Hei Yue''s body began to slow and weaken. He could not continue sustaining this much fog for so long. His pace began to slow as the fog emerging from his body began to thin and dissipate. He was panting heavily and his body felt heavy.


    Ming Yue dashed towards him, grabbing the fox and making her escape.


    Without Hei Yue releasing more of the ck fog, her existence was revealed to all those around her.


    With the fog thinning out, every beast there spotted her before looking back at the scene of the battle, finding parts of the tiger and Thunder Roc gone. Realizing that she had taken it from under their noses, they were angered and many began chasing after her.


    Ming Yue was barely out of the encirclement when they started pursuing her.


    Fortunately, they weren''t extremely powerful, being weakerpared to those that stayed behind.


    When choosing between a small human or a Thunder Roc, it was an easy choice to make. Killing Ming Yue was simpler than fighting against the Thunder Roc and they had an actual chance to win. If they were topete for the full corpse, it would take a miracle for them to win. The reward wasn''t as great but having a decent chance was more than enough.


    There were over a hundred beastsing for her.


    It was to some extent, an actual beast horde. At this size, it would pose a problem for small cities and they were all chasing after her.


    There was an assortment of creatures there from goats that had cloud-like wool to vultures with de like feathers. Each one carrying their own type of lightning: sharp, ferocious, quick, explosive, and many more. Onnd or on air, they chased her down with determination.


    Ming Yue passed by her previous hiding space, ncing at the boulders where the group hid. It seems that Lao Gan and Xiao Yin had made their escape already. That was good to know.


    Looking around, she noticed marks on the ground, made by Xiao Yin no doubt, and followed them. They were small but distinct, a curved cut across the rocky surface, something that only Xiao Yin could make.


    As for the scene she left, the Thunder Roc was full of rage, wanting to chase Ming Yue down. But the beast found itself surrounded by the rest of the creatures that chose to stay. Without its wing, the Thunder Roc was as good as dead. Not to mention, it was losing too much blood.


    The eyes of every creature there sharpened before both sides lunged at each other. It was a quick but destructive fight and it ended with the copse of the Thunder Roc. Despite its struggle, the beast died but killed many, some ended up crushed by its talons, burnt to a crisp, smashed to the ground.


    Now, the victorious turned on each other, whoever would win this bloodbath would gain the corpses of two rank 5 beasts. Absorbing both would without a doubt transform one''s strength, giving them immense power and control over lightning.


    As that shmenced, Ming Yue continued to run from those that chased after her. She followed the trail left by Xiao Yin that led into a obscure cave underneath one of the mountains. However she could not enter just yet. Doing so would reveal the cave to the wrathful creatures behind her.


    It wasn''t an issue to entering but doing so without exposing everyone else.


    She looked at Hei Yue in her arms, thinking that he could produce some more fog but thought against it. His eyes were half closed and his body limp, his energy was already spent. Instead, she looked around her surroundings, trying to see if there was a method she could use.


    There was little to see, everything around her was just stone, rocks and boulders. Being called the ck Peak Mountains, the rocky area was maze like with tall walls and winding paths. She could take advantage of the confusing terrain to try and lose them.


    What could she use to get rid of her pursuers?


    Ahead of her was a thin ravine that had bits of moss and dust.


    An idea came to mind, she wasn''t sure if it would work but it was better than nothing. At least very least, it would ce their attention away from her. This idea used the technique, Wrath of the Winds, to achieve her goal.


    Running past the cave, she headed for the ravine. It was narrow enough that only five or six bodies coulde through and plenty of space for her.


    Ming Yue entered the ravine with Hei Yue in her arms. Holding the little fox in one arm, she held out the other arm and gathered her Quintessence Energy onto her open palm. The beasts chasing after her forced their way into the ravine, trying to get in as quickly as possible.


    "This should be enough", she thought to herself.


    She paused at a certain distance and watched her pursuers squeeze through the ravine. She waited until most of them were inside it and then climbed up the walls. Midway to the top was a small cliff where Ming Yueid Hei Yue on the floor before jumping back down.


    Putting both of her hands forward, a small tornado had already formed and took shape. She made it thin and turn extremely fast, feeding it more energy. She had maybe ten or so seconds before they would reach her and that was enough.


    As it grew, she sent the tornado down, giving it more and more energy until it had reached a height of five meters and filled the width of the ravine. It charged at the beasts and those at the front took the brunt of the strike. The poor creatures could only suffer a painful death.


    Those that watched it happen tried to retreat but the narrow ravine made it difficult to turn back. Not to mention, those at the back could not see what was going on. They had be victims to a trap, torn to shreds by the tornado.


    Blood sttered all over the walls as bodies were pulled into the tornado, suffering more than a thousand cuts. Then they were spat out and left on the ground, gasping for life or dead. Slowly but surely, the tornado shredded through whatever was in its way. Given life threatening injuries, many died and the lucky few escaped before the tornado reached them.


    Ming Yue watched it all unfold and escaped the ravine, making sure that she was not noticed. Making her way to the cave, she entered it and made a quiet whistle, checking if Lao Gan and Xiao Yin were still there. At the end of the cave, she heard another whistle and moved into the depths.


    Going deeper, there was a small glow at the end of the cave, which she realized was another trinket of Lao Gan as she walked closer. It was a wooden stick embedded with a white gem, a simple thing but quite useful.


    Sheltered by the light, Lao Gan had taken off his wooden backpack, resting on one of the cavern walls. Xiao Yin settled on top of the backpack and flew towards Ming Yue once she appeared.


    "That...was dangerous, far too dangerous. I think my heart almost stopped when I saw you rush in. Did you fight your way out?" Lao Gan looked at Ming Yue like she was crazy.


    Her clothes had a few tears and they were red with blood from what she had done at the ravine. In Lao Gan''s mind, he was shocked as he could not believe she survived.


    "No, I did not." she replied,ying Hei Yue''s tired body by the light trinket.


    "But your clothes? It''s so bloody."


    Ming Yue looked down, not realizing the state of her clothes.


    "Don''t worry about it. None of it is my blood", she told him tly.


    "Oh um, so what did you get?"


    Lao Gan changed the topic, not wanting to linger on the bloody mess that was Ming Yue.


    Ming Yue gave him a doubtful look.


    "Why? Do you want to buy it?" she asked.


    "Of course!" he nodded excitedly.

 Chapter 198 - A Good Transaction

    "For a pound of tiger meat, I am willing to pay a a thousand gold. You can keep everything else, I only want to buy the meat", he was extremely excited, rank 5 beast meat was a treasure.


    This was something he had to have. He wanted to know the taste of it, was it a strong vor or a gentle sensation? How much would people be willing to pay for this?


    If sold to the right people and he could make a profit, famous restaurants would pay thousands for something like this. His mind spun, thinking of the possibilities that this meat brought.


    "Hmm, how much would you pay for the Thunder Roc''s flesh?"


    Lao Gan''s jaw almost dropped to the floor when he heard those words.


    "You have both?" he asked, barely containing his already spilling excitement.


    "I do. I grabbed its broken wing and chopped it off."


    "Yo-what?! How much did you get?!"


    Lao Gan was shocked. He did not think that Ming Yue was so ambitious to have taken from both.


    "I can''t show you now. The smell might attract some unwanted attention."


    Ming Yue did not have the time to properly process the parts. If she were to take them out now, the scent of blood would waft out of the cave.


    "That''s alright, I have these Null Sense Formation gs. If I set it up around us, it will be as if we don''t exist. I would''ve used it earlier but doing so would have revealed our location."


    Lao Gan pulled out three white gs with strange golden symbols drawn on them. He moved to the entrance of the cave, peeking out to see if there was anything out there before setting up the gs. With all three ced around the cave entrance, the g glowed and hummed before a subtle wave of energy washed over them.


    "There we go", he sighed with relief and returned to Ming Yue, only to find that she had gone deeper into the cave.


    He followed after her, stopping when he noticed a hulking massying in front of him. In fact, there were two of them, emanating a bit of warmness. It was extremely fresh.


    Ming Yue had gone deeper to find somewhere more spacious to take out the tiger''s leg and the Thudner Roc''s wing. Several hundred feet further was arge cavern where she took out the parts and began cleaning them up.


    She knew a little bit about butchering due to her upbringing but this was different from what she was used to. It was on a muchrger scale. Using the light from Lao Gan''s trinket, she started carving away and Lao Gan watched.


    He was absolutely starstruck, Ming Yue must have had over a thousand pounds of materials in just those two parts.


    He fiddled with his spatial ring, taking out a number of supplies. There was a massive tarp to put the parts on and giant tubs to store blood. Heid it all out and let Ming Yue do her work. These items were forrge purchases and this one might be thergest one he would make.


    It took Ming Yue six hours to do everything: collecting the blood, skinning the fur, taking out the feathers, separating the flesh from bone. At the end of it, it was an enormous haul, much more than she would''ve anticipated.


    When she was finished, Lao Gan had already calcted how much he would gain from this and made his proposition.


    "Five thousand gold for a pound of the tiger meat, this is a Purple Storm Tiger. I didn''t get a good look at it before but now I''m sure of it. Same price for the Thunder Roc as well. Twenty pounds each, which makes it a hundred thousand gold."


    His merchant sense hade out as he began negotiating for the price.


    Ming Yue was slightly taken aback by his aggressiveness but she was not about to be defeated to easily. This was the flesh of two rank 5 beasts, it carries the essence of their power. It was certainly worth more than five thousand gold a pound.


    "Ten thousand gold", she answered back.


    "Ergh, Seven thousand!"


    "Nine thousand."


    "Eight Thousand! That''s the best I can do!" he said.


    "Hmm. Fine, eight thousand gold per pound for twenty pounds of each beast. That is 320,000 gold total."


    "Yes, yes! That''s good!"


    Ming Yue weighed the meat in her flesh, cutting off about twenty pounds of the Purple Thunder Tiger meat and the Thunder Roc meat. She handed it to Lao Gan, who wrapped it in cloth and ced it into his spatial ring. She stored everything else in her spatial ring.


    "The butchering is a bitcking but its freshness should give me a good price. Though the smell, different from what I had expected", Lao Gan thought.


    He had taken a whiff of both meats, expecting a very strong and gamey smell, something earthy. However, he was pleasantly surprised to find that both had a distinct smell. It resembled something that had been smoked with wood chips. It was certainly a meaty sort of smell but there was a hint of savoriness. In any case, he was extremely happy. If it weren''t for Ming Yue, he would not have had such quality ingredients.


    Meanwhile, Ming Yue moved all of the materials into her ring. She couldn''t help butugh at herself. Who would''ve thought she would get so much money in just a day. When she was saving money for the Splitting Moon de, it took her over a month to get that same amount. This time, it tooke her only a day.


    "We should leave quickly. I''d rather not stay here any longer", said Ming Yue, who finished pakcing everything up.


    "Ah yes, we should."


    Lao Gan agreed. If he stayed here any longer, he might not live long enough to sell his newly aquired wares.


    Thus, they made their way out of the cave and carefully walked through the mountains. Ming Yue carried the exhausted Hei Yue in her arms. The little fox would not awaken for another day or so. Ming Yue kept in mind to not have him use the ck fog too much. As useful as it was, the power took quite the toll on his body. Even after waking from his slumber, Hei Yue was still somewhat weak. He had never had to use the fog in such a way, continuously producing as much as he could.


    It was only after a week that he had fully recovered.


    By then, the group was halfway through the mountains. The Merciless Storm Peak was much closer now and with it, came an oppressive aura.


    "Stop, let me rest for a bit", Lao Gan panted before dropping his wooden backpack on the ground.


    "We should find somewhere safer, this is too open."


    Ming Yue didn''t stop and continued onwards, looking around for somewhere with cover. Further down the path was another cave, it seemed much smaller but it was more than enough for a short rest.


    "Over there, we can rest in that cave", she pointed and went in, checking to see if there was anything inside.


    Fortunately, there were no traces of anything living here so she walked in. Lao Gan didn''t bother putting on his backpack, instead he slung it over his shoulder and carried it like that.


    Inside, he took out his light trinket and ced it in the center. Grabbing a bottle from his backpack, he drank from it, taking heavy gulps. Afterwards, he wiped his mouth and held it out to Ming Yue.


    "Something to drink?" he offered.


    "No, I''m alright", shaking her head, Ming Yue sat down quietly and stared at the light trinket.


    She was halfway through her journey. Once she passed the Merciless Storm Peak, she would have reched the Ying Long Sea.. Form there, she would take a boat to the Dark Water Kingdom.

 Chapter 199 - Beneath The Merciless Storm

    Lao Gan looked at Ming Yue, his eyes were somewhat peculiar He retracted his arm and took another swig of water.


    "How did you be so strong?" he asked, "You are so young, much younger than me. Yet, you''ve managed to contend against countless beasts. You did not lose your ground against that Primal Frost Deer and you even hacked off the wing of a Thunder Roc. It makes me wonder about how far the younger generation hase."


    Ming Yue was confused.


    Younger generation? What did he mean by that? He didn''t seem much older than her, perhaps a few years but that wasn''t arge enough gap.


    "Young? Aren''t we of a simr age?" she asked.


    "Are we? I''m going to be thirty two this year", he acted surprised, as if it was an obvious fact.


    "What?! You''re thirty one right now? You look more like twenty two."


    She was just as surprised as him. Lao Gan looked like a young man. He had a lively expression, barely any wrinkles on his face. His face was well-maintained and his ck hair was tied into a bun. Hisck of facial hair lent to his youthful appearance.


    He rubbed his chin and chuckled.


    "I know I look quite young but I am in my thirties. I''ve been travelling for fifteen years, hence my vast collection of wares. Well, I suppose my enthusiasm for such wares also made me seem beneath my age."


    "I see."


    Ming Yue believed him, he has no reason to lie to her though she found it a bit dubious.


    "If that is true then we are in different generations. I will be seventeen this year."


    "Really? Nearly half my age but many times stonger, hah! You must have had quite the upbringing"


    "I suppose so. What about you? You are no cultivator but you carry that backpack like nothing. You call yourself a merchant, but it feels as if there is more to it."


    Ming Yue was spoke little about herself and Lao Gan understood her, choosing not to ask about her past. Instead he exined himself, perhaps a sign of trust or just enjoying some conversation.


    "You''re right, I do not cultivate. I have little interest in it. As for my strength, I''ve been carrying this backpack of mine for about seven years. During my travels, I''ve realized that some foods cannot be stored in a spatial ring. Some things require time to develop, so I had this created by a friedn of mine. At first, it didn''t weight much but as time went on, I''vee to fill up everypartment."


    He admired his backpack, caressing it and feeling proud about himself. He reminisced about his travels, feeling the wear and tear of his belongings.


    "I suppose when you think about it, food has a great influence on me. To try all the cuisines is my passion! Being a merchant helps me get around and it pays for my meals."


    Ming Yue saw the look in his eyes. It was emotional, showing his love for food.


    "I see."


    "What about you? Do you have a passion? Your final goal?" he asked.


    "My goal? I suppose it is the same as most cultivators. To gain strength and be the strongest."


    "Really? Nothing in particr."


    "...Strong enough to drift freely, without a care in the world", she thought carefully to herself.


    To roam the continent witout concerns or worries, that was her new goal. Back in the vige, she had wondered about what it would be like to be among the stars. To explore the realm above, wander through the heavens, find all sorts of wonders. Though reminiscing about her childhood brought back some other memories.


    "That''s enough, we should keep going", Ming Yue stood up and left the cave with her littlepanions.


    Lao Gan stood up, feeling somewhat recovered and followed her. Intrigued by her answers, he found her to be much more interesting.


    Leaving the cave, they continued onward. There was a constant rumbling of thunder and the sun had be obscured by thick clouds.


    The Merciless Storm Peak grewrger andrger by the hour. The strength of an era-long cmity gathered above this bleak mountain. It was powerful, shocking, and awe-inspiring.


    The pressure forced onto the bodies of Ming Yue ad the others had doubled and the rests became increasingly longer. At first, they needed only half an hour before moving on but now it took several hours of rest.


    The pressureing from the peak was different. Like lightning, it was pure strength. It did not leave one breathless but made them feel as if they were carrying weight on their shoulder. Every step was slow and heavy, beads of sweat fell from their heads.


    "Ah, that''s it! I can''t walk anymore. Let''s rest for the night! I''m going to trip over my feet at this point."


    Lao Gan was in the worst state. Constantly enduring the weight, he was exhausted physically and mentally. Not the mention, his backback felt like a boulder on his back. Although everyone else seemed to be in a better condition, they were all feeling fatigued.


    They situated themselves in a small ditch. That night, everyone had some of the Purple Storm Tiger and Thunder Roc meat, grilled over a campfire. It was a filling meal and the essence of both animals contained within the meat had invigorated them.


    It had the greatest effect on Ming Yue, who had been diligently practicing the Dao of Lightning. The lightning energy had gathered in her body, spreading into the meridians.


    Within her body, her meridians gained some new features. The energy that circted throughout her body had the features of wind, waving about and resembling wisps. But now, these wisps would spark a bit, a shine of violet light that buzzed about.


    For the entire night, she refined the energy and incorporated it into her body. Under the influence of the Merciless Storm Peak, Ming Yue felt a rush of energy flowing through her. Having studied the Martial Thunder Arts manual, she understood the basics of cultivating the element of thunder and lightning. Furthermore, the dense energy surrounding her was beneficial, her cultivation speed was much faster now.


    She improved quickly in the Lightning Dao and her cultivation level slowly firmed up. As quickly as she went, Ming Yue took her time, making sure to saturate her body in the lightning element. With her umtions in the Lightning Dao, she slowly adjusted to the pressure of the Merciless Storm Peak.


    The next day, the pressure she felt the night before had slightly decreased. The lightning energy no longer affected her as much.


    She began spreading her energy out, protecting the others from the heavy pressure. It might not have eliminated itpletely, but it did lower the burden on everyone else. But even with thatyer of protection, the pressure grew exponentially as they came closer to the Merciless Storm Peak.


    When they reached it, there seemed to be a perpetual storm, Harsh rain, powerful lightning, and ominous clouds was all that they could see. It was the final mountain and one that they could not avoid.


    It reminded Ming Yue of the Unstable Peak from her time at Clear Spring Mountain. It was chaotic and passing this hurdle would be difficult. However, this was the only route they could take.


    "Damn, I''ve been dreading this for the entire trip. Going through the Merciless Storm Peak, even walking in the outskirts is a dangerous path. Few would dare to make this journey, those who do,e to die."


    Lao Gan spoke in a fearful tone, he was certainly afraid. He could not help be but be in awe of the experience, the sheer terror of this demon-like storm would be something that stayed with him forever.


    Even with the fear in his heart, he steeled himself as did the others and they entered what many considered an execution ground.

 Chapter 200 - A Place To Die

    The weather of the Merciless Storm Peak was definitely fitting for the name. Perhaps "merciless" was too weak of a word, cmitous energy gathered here. From the ebony colored clouds to the chaotic lightning strikes, not to mention the heavy rain and powerful winds, it was a grim sight.


    The lightning of thisnd had a particr feature, it sought out those with life. Man or beast, so long as there was a heartbeat, the lightning would chase after them. This was why many considered it an execution ground, the most dangerous of the five Continent Marks.


    Lao Gan took a few paper talismans from his spatial ring and pped them onto his backpack. Created from yellow paper and a unique red ink, the characters for "lightning" was written on all of them. Afterwards, he brought out the light trinket from before.


    It was a white gem embedded on the top of a wooden rod.


    Under his control, the gem shined brightly, illuminating the dark atmosphere. After glimmering for a few seconds, the gem dimmed to a gentle glow.


    "I bought these Lightning Ward Talismans and a Staff of Leigong from an auction in the Golden Treasure Kingdom, one of the six great kingdoms. It was a costly purchase but it shoulde in handy for our needs."


    It was true.


    With the talismans and the staff, it seemed that the storm wad not targeted them. Every now and then there would be a stroke of lightning that came close to decimating them. Each time, they would be scared out of their wits. Watching as the shing bolts came and destroyed their surroundings.


    Although they''ve managed to deal with that, there were many other things that hindered them.


    Because of the wind and rain, walking through the terrain was rough. Sometimes, they''de across a slippery slope, holding each other together to keep from falling. The sheer stress that they felt was exhausting, the environment left them wet and ragged. Even though they had cloaks to shield themselves from the weather, it was hard to endure.


    After what felt like hours, they found shelter under a short cliff jutting out of the mountain. It was not perfect but provided enough to shield them.


    "It''s just this damned mountain that''s left, then it will be the seafood of the Ying Long Sea."


    Lao Gan was battered up and weary, keeping himself optimistic.


    Ming Yue was in a simr state, tired and drained but hopeful. Once she crossed the ck peak Mountains, it was ony another day''s walk before she reached the Dark Water Kingdom.


    However, this final step proved much difficult than she had expected. Despite shielding the others with her Quintessence Energy, it provided no help under the influence of the Merciless Storm Peak. The air was dense and chaotic. Even if she were to use all of her energy, it would not survive more than a few minutes.


    She brought out a towel from her spatial ring and began drying Hei Yue''s wet fur. Xiao Yin''s feathers were in disarray, the two beasts found protection within Ming Yue''s rain cloak. If they had not stuck close to each other, both would''ve been thrown off by the winds.


    "I wonder how much time has passed, how much do we have left to walk?"


    The clouds above the Merciless Storm Peak covered the sky, blocking the moon. They did not know whether it was day or night.


    Resting both their minds and bodies, everyone turned wary from the sounds of foot steps. A figure slowly appeared from the heavy rain, they walked with ease, unaffected by the storm around them.


    Emerging from the rain anding under the small cliff where the others were, Ming Yue and the others saw a masked man, dressed inconspicuously in ck. The mask was made of ivory and had no decoration. It was a simple, oval piece that had two slits for eyes, though it was obscured by something.


    They could not see this stranger''s face in any way but their faces were uncovered.


    The man looked at them before lingering on Ming Yue''s face. He said nothing and turned away, leaving them and walking off.


    Ming Yue noticed his gaze on her, finding something familiar about this mysterious person. She thought hard, trying to remember who it was that this person reminded her of.


    The others found him strange but thought little of it. He was only here for a moment and did nothing but look around. Lao Gan was a bit intrigued by this person.


    "Perhaps, he is one of those people, someone that is looking to die", he said.


    Ming Yue shook her head, believing it was not the case.


    "It doesn''t seem like he wanted to die, it felt like he was on some sort of mission."


    That was what she thought. The gaze she felt was spirited, strong, almost hateful. Someone looking to die would not have such a powerful gaze.


    "If that''s the case, I wonder what his goal is", Lao Gan rubbed his chin.


    They pondered in silence, listening to the sounds of thunder and rain. After a less than decent rest, they continued their walk.


    As for that masked figure, he trekked up the Merciless Storm Peak, climbing up steep slopes and braving the dangers. Despite hours of climbing, he did not seem tired in the slightest. Close to the top of the mountain, the masked figure climbed into a giant cave and walked in.


    If anyone else was here, they would be shocked beyond belief. Within this cave was a castle hiding in the shadows, it wasn''t veryrge but it was fortified with all sorts of formations and enchantments. Thick, gray bs of stone formed the walls and at the center was a tower that reached to the roof of the cave.


    Entering the castle, the man took off his mask and went to the main hall, where he kneeled in front of a hooded figure.


    In fact, this hooded figure was none other than Dai Mian, the sect master of the Tao Feng.


    As for the masked figure, his face had been tattoed with four ck linesing down his forehead to his chin. However, he seemed incredibly familiar.


    "I''ve returned, master", the masked figure spoke in a cold tone.


    "Good, how was it at the Yellow Leaf Sect? Was there anyone useful?" Sect Master Dai Mian rested his chin on his fist, leaning to one side.


    "There was no one. The sect master of the Yellow Leaf Sect was quite strong but he is too old."


    "Hm, what a shame. Ever since, Grand Elder Huang from Heaven''s Gate began hunting us down. We had to rely on the hidden castle to survive, forced to hide and work in secret. The n for "The Conquest" has been slow, too slow. We need more sacrifices or the true cmity wille. More than that, we need more people to join us."


    Sect Master Dai Mian paused to think, before giving new instructions to Zuo Er.


    "Go to the southern kingdoms and search the sects there. The Eternal de Sect is also there so be wary. Take anyone you deem useful back to me."


    "Yes, master."


    The mysterious figure set off immediately, leaving Dai Mian by himself. The Sect Master of the Tao Feng left his hall, walking into the deeper reaches of the castle. He stopped in front of arge stone pit, it was dark and incredibly deep.


    Taking off his hood, Dai Mian was a middle aged but a very muscr man. If it wasn''t for his pale skin, he would''ve resembled something of a heroic figure. Long white hair and sharp eyes were the prominent features of his face. He wore a frown, an unhappy expressioin, something akin to an impatient man.


    He looked down and into the pit.


    It was unlit and standing above it, one would see little. However with enough focus, they would find that the pit was filled with bodies.


    Men and women, all of whom were poweful cultivators, had their cold bodies thrown in. No one but Dai Mian knew how deep the pit was, however, there were over a hundred corpses within it. Some were rotting, others were still fresh.


    "Far too little", he said, before falling into the pit and bathing in the bodies.

 Chapter 201 - Reaching The Ying Long Sea

    "Be careful!"


    Ming Yue''s hand reached out, grabbing Lao Gan by the edge of his cloak.


    A careless step made him lose bnce, almost slipping off the mountain. With Ming Yue''s assistance, he recovered and checked his belongings before looking at her.


    "Thank you", his tone was grateful but weak, almost shaking.


    That was amon urence for the group: slipping on the wet stone, tripping on uneven ground, losing bnce from the strong winds. If not for their vignce and looking after each other, they would have died long ago.


    It was a perilous path and one with few opportunities to rest.


    Despite trying to keep themselves going, there didn''t seem to be an end in sight. There was only more stone and grayness as they continued further. Ming Yue had lost the spirit to cultivate under these conditions. Perhaps this was a great ce to focus on the Lightning Dao but with her current strength, she was more likely to die before furthering her umtions in the Dao. Lao Gan stopped speaking about the Ying Long Sea for it no longer had any effect on his mentality.


    All that mattered was to pass this forsakenednd.


    Along the way, they felt something strange. Gazes on their backs, looking at them, as if waiting for them to drop from exhaustion. There were constant stares, watchful, and patient. No doubt, these were the denizens of the Merciless Storm Peak, powerful beasts that thrived in the chaotic storms. Fortunately, it seems that they were not very interested in Ming Yue or Lao Gan.


    However, that difort only added to the stress they felt.


    It wasn''t long enough before they found themselves close to one of these beasts. It was one of the rarest but deadliest.


    Hiking through a rather even mountain pass, they found themselves standing in front of a Qilin. It wasn''t hiding or waiting for them. It was just there, out in the open for all to see.


    Smaller than the Thunder Roc or the Purple Storm Tiger, its body resembled that of a goat with hooves and a tail. Its head was that of a dragon with one ivory horn. Its skin was not fur by scaled like a dragons''s, colored gray to match the stone of the mountains. If it weren''t for its eyes, they would''ve believed that it was a statue.


    They stood still, facing the stone colored Qilin in front of them. Xiao Yin and Hei Yue''s head emerged from the opening of Ming Yue''s cloak, staring at the Qilin. They too, found themselves mesmerized by the Qilin.


    Its eyes gazed at them. They were calm and lucid but there was power within them. It had authority and those eyes were piercing.


    It didn''t feel as if the Qilin gazed within their souls, it was more than that.


    Ming Yue felt trapped within its gaze. Suddenly the Qilin seemed to tower over her, studying every fiber of her being. The ferocious storm surrounding them no longer existed, it was only the eyes of the Qilin she saw. Nothing seemed to matter when one stood before the Qilin.


    Mere seconds passed before the Qilin''s eyes changed, revealing an uninterested look at them group. It said nothing to them, as if allowing them to pass.


    Ming Yue turned towards Lao Gan, seeing that he had also recovered from its stare. Looking at each other, they turned to the Qilin before bowing and leaving it alone. They were silent, not daring to show any disrespect.


    Qilins were rare and peaceful beasts, who did not eat flesh and this one was not an exception. They were considered heavenly beasts and highly auspicious. It was said that benevolent rulers and great heroes would be approached by a Qilin and given a blessing of good luck. To meet one was a blessing in of itself.


    But apart from these features, there was one detail that many omit.


    Qilins were also known as executioners of evil. True heavenly judges that killed whoever had an evil nature. With their horn, they would charge into the body, piercing the soul and destroying it.


    It would be nigh impossible to avoid such fate, should one be deemed evil.


    The fact that the Qilin had not made its move, showed that they were not of evil nature. Still the experience was certainly something they would not forget. This was a creature that would rarely appear, a meeting that would happen to one out of millions.


    After a short distance away, Lao Gan spoke of the encounter. In his mind, he could not believe what had transpired and at the same time, he wondered about something else.


    "I wonder what it''s meat tastes like", he muttered just loud enough for Ming Yue to hear.


    "Don''t even think about it", Ming Yue looked him straight into the eyes.


    Even as a young girl, she had heard stories of the Qilin. Their title as both an auspicious creature and judge gave them a special status.


    Lao Gan saw the look in her eyes and gave up. Still, he pondered when he would meet a Qilin again.


    Ming Yue lingered on what she had felt. She thought about the piercing gaze and wondered if that masked figure hade across the Qilin like them. This person must have a good nature if he was able to pass by. Then again, there were many paths when traveling through the ck Peak Mountains and Qilins were wanderers. It was unlikely.


    Pushing those thoughts away, she looked at Lao Gan, seeing him energetic and motivated.


    Meeting the Qilin renewed their spirit. It was a sign of good luck and it smiled upon them.


    The group trudged on, slowly the stone became muddy dirt. The bottom of their clothes were brown from the wet soil. Mud stuck to the bottom of their shoes.


    Then the rain weakened, the gales of wind lost its strength, turning into a gentle breeze. The storm clouds passed by, revealing the night sky as a glittering sea appeared in their view. The sky was clear of clouds and sprinkled with stars. There was a half-moon gazing down, relecting on the sea.


    Lao Gan''s eyes strengthened as the weak dim in his eyes grew brighter.


    "There it is! The Ying Long Sea!" he pointed and yelled to Ming Yue with happiness.


    He didn''t wait for her to respond before running forward to admire the sea. Ming Yue took off her cloak, letting Xiao Yin and Hei Yue out in the open.


    Actually seeing the night sky and the sea was refreshing. Something different from the ocean of gray they passed through.


    "Hahah! We''re finally through the ck Peak Mountains."


    Lao Gan grinned as he took in a big breath of air, enjoying the calm weather. Everyone else could not help but do the same.


    There was satisfaction in those sighs, the thought that they finally made it was truly rewarding. Making their way down, the mountainous terrain became a lush forest as they stopped in a valley to rest.


    Not far into the valley, there was an inn. It was a simple one, two floors and with several dozen rooms.


    A quick exchange and a bit of gold was all it took to sevure two rooms.


    "Finally, a bed!" Lan Gan rushed into his room after say good night to Ming Yue.


    From the halls, you could here a muffled thump as he dropped his wooden backpack on the floor.


    Ming Yue nced at his room before entering hers. It was a simple room with a bed, a closet and a table with stools. Still it was a wee sightpared to what she had been sleeping in for the past several weeks. She washed her clothes and bathed herself, switching into some white robes. She also washed Hei Yue and Xiao Yin, cleaning the dirt and grime off of them.


    "Just another day", she thought, "Another day before I reach the Dark Water Kingdom."

 Chapter 202 - Parting Ways

    That night was a blissful one and the next day, Ming Yue woke up feeling refreshed.


    Switching back to her sky blue robes, she packed up and left the room. She walked to Lao Gan''s room only to hear heavy snoring behind the door. For a non-cultivator, he needed a lot more time to recover. She paid no more mind and left for the first floor.


    Walking down to the counter, she ordered some food for breakfast and ate quietly. It was a bowl of congee and fried dough sticks, a delicious mealpared to the rations and grilled meat she had for the past month.


    Find a table in the corner, Ming Yue sat down and scanned her surroundings. It was quite busy despite the early morning. Most tables had been upied by others. There were merchants and their bodyguards, wandering cultivators, but there seemed to be one group in particr that stood out.


    Wearing tattered yellow robes, this was a group of seven sect disciples. From where they came from she did not know, however it seemed that they havee across some misfortune. Perhaps it was a dangerous encounter with a beast or an ambush by bandits.


    As she ate, she listened to the many conversations. Perhaps there was some information that mighte in handy.


    Some spoke of the mysterious person responsible for destroying multiple sects. Others talked about the developments in the Demon Continent, mostly merchants interested in its potential for profit. Though, there were a few who discussed the current situation.


    It seemed that the group was currently discussing their next move. The eldest disciple, a middle aged woman, looked to her juniors.


    "After this rest, we have to hurry to Heaven''s Gate. We must tell them that Tao Feng are here, the one that killed the sect elder is one of them."


    They nodded to her instructions.


    "We are thest of the Yellow Leaf Sect. None of us can die before we reach Heaven''s Gate."


    Ming Yue was surprised, to think that there were still remnants of the destroyed sect. It also seems that they know something about the one that people have been hunting. While she wasn''t specifically looking for this person, she was curious about them.


    Not to mention, she was a part of Heaven''s Gate.


    Finishing her food, she walked up to them and in turn, the Yellow Leaf Sect Disciples turned towards her. Some had their hands on their weapons, ready to draw.


    "Hello, my name is Ming Yue and I am a member of Heaven''s Gate", she introduced herself and showed her gray badge to them as proof.


    They looked at her dubiously but the badge had cleared their doubts. It was a symbol synonymous to Heaven''s Gate that something that cannot be easily copied. The middle aged woman looked to the others before speaking to her.


    "Please sit down, I am called Ye Hang and these are my junior brothers and sisters. Are you truly a member of Heaven''s Gate?"


    Ming Yue nodded, "Yes, and I wanted to know why you think it was the Tao Feng that did this."


    "It has to be them! Who else would dare to do such a thing to my master!" another disciple, a young man spoke out.


    "Liu Wang, stop it! This is not the time or palce to lose your temper!"


    Ye Hang lectured her junior brother before turning back to Ming Yue.


    "To be truthful, me and my juniors were out for some experiential training. When we came back, the sect was already in mes. All of us were about to jump in until we saw someonee out of the destruction. Wearing a mask, this man walked away before disappearing from. We did not wait and immediately rushed to try and save anyone that was still alive. But it was toote, all of out brothers and sisters were killed. Our elders died in battle."


    They all had somber expressions, unable to contain the sadness that they felt. Ye Hang looked at Ming Yue gravely.


    "We know it was the Tao Feng because they had tried to aquire our sect and force us to join them. However, we resisted it and the sect leader personally led a force to stamp them out. They are the only group with a grudge against us."


    Ming Yue took time to digest what she had learned.


    Was the masked man the same one that had crossed paths with her?


    "I bet they''re nning something! They have to be! We''re not the only sects that were destroyed like this!" Liu Wang blurted out his thoughts.


    Ming Yue looked at him, before asking them all a question about the mask. The Yellow Leaf Sect Disciples looked to each other before one of them answered.


    "I didn''t quite get a look at him but it was a very simpe mask. There were two holes just for the eyes and that was it."


    It was the same person that she and Lao Gan met in the mountains!


    Ming Yue thought about this. Who was the identity of this masked figure? If the Tao Feng were nning something, what was it? Were they continuing their "Conquest"? Didn''t the Grand Elder of Heaven''s Gate suppress them? There were many questions that she had.


    The biggest one was, what were these sacrifices used for exactly?


    She knew that strong cultivators would be sacrificed to appease the heavens and prevent the next cmity. However, if it was such why was it called a conquest? There had to be something more.


    Thanking them for the information, Ming Yue gave her some of the medicinal bandages that she made.


    "When you reach Heaven''s Gate, show this to the Medicinal Elder and they should not turn you away."


    She wasn''t sure how much power she had but hopefully, these disciples would be listened too.


    "Thank you for your help!" Ye Hang bowed as did the others and left for Heaven''s Gate.


    Ming Yue walked back to her room and saw that Lao Gan was awake. She walked in as he did some maintenence on his wooden backpack.


    "Oh, Ming Yue! Did you already have breakfast?" he asked happily.


    "Yes, I''vee to tell you that this is where we part ways."


    Lao Gan''s hand slowed before continuing to clean his backpack.


    "I see. Well, it was bound to happen. I doubt you were going to the Ying Long Sea to get some rare seafood. Heh, I hope we meet again, perhaps you might be willing to try that smelly sauce next time."


    He turned around and bowed to which she did the same.


    "Thank you for helping me. I am indebted to you", he said, speaking in a warm tone.


    "I bid you good luck", she responded and left the inn.


    Though they''ve only been working together for a month, they went through a number of tough trials. From the Primal Frost Deer to meeting the Qilin, they had be ustomed with each other. Lao Gan was a quirky person but she enjoyed his talk of food and the extensive number of things he had collected. It was interesting and showed her just how vast the continent was.


    She hoped that they would meet again, perhaps somewhere other than a forest.


    Ming Yue took out the map that Elder Hua gave her, looking at where she was. The Dark Water Kingdom wasn''t too far from the inn. She might be able to reach the gates by the end of the day if she hurried.


    Followingrge and open path, she made her way to the Dark Water Kingdom, a ce that closed itself away from the rest of the continent. Hopefully, Elder Shen''s insignia would make it easy for her toe in but in her mind she had doubts.


    However, one can only know once they were there.

 Chapter 203 - The Dark Water Kingdom

    The day passed by quickly. As far as the path she traveled, it was well maintained but empty. Even after several hours, she had not seen a soul. A sign that the Dark Water Kingdom truly closed itself away. Not even peddlers or farmers could be seen, much less farms and stalls.


    As the sun began to set, Ming Yue had arrived at the gates of the Dark Water Kingdom. She looked at the map to make sure that this was the correct ce before approaching.


    Strangely enough, there was only a stone gate but no walls. As imposing as the gate was, there was no point to it if you could just walk around. But it wouldn''t be so easy to enter a ce like the Dark Water Kingdom.


    Ming Yue knew that there was something strange about this. Walking to the edge of the stone gate, she looked past it, seeing nothing but a lush forest behind the gate. She couldn''t help but feel something familiar when she got close, an energy of some sort.


    "This looks like the same illusions that was in the Spirit Hall..."


    She examined it upon realizing that it was all an illusion. But with her limited knowledge, she could not find much.


    Her two pets stood back, watching her figure out this strange gate.


    She walked back and faced the gate, studying it. It was an incredibly ornate design, carved with circr patterns. At the center of the gate was a deep hollow sphere, something resembling an eye of sorts.


    There were no guards here, so how would she be able to enter?


    She walked up to the gates and pushed but it did not budge.


    "Right...", as much as she hoped it would open, she had expected such a result.


    "Then should it be like this?", rolling back one of her sleeves, she revealed the sigil left on her arm by Elder Shen.


    Walking in front of it, the hollow sphere suddenly hummed with power. White wisps of energy gathered forming a ethereal eye that scanned her body and locked onto the sigil. It thrummed with energy as if analyzing the authenticity of the sigil. The white eye turned blew and disappeared.


    The gates suddenly opened, revealing a scene much different from what she saw before. There was no sign of any forest but a t field of grass with a single road. It was made of ck bricks and led her to another set of gates which had stone walls higher than the ones in Heaven''s Gate.


    The walk to the next gate was strange. The atmosphere was eerie as she could feel strange forces all around her. It did no feel like she was being watched but rather a gentle shing of energies. Even Hei Yue and Xiao Yin looked wary, ncing around and looking for the source of it. It was very faint feeling but she knew that it came behind the next gate.


    This stone gate had guards, though it was hard to consider them ones. They wore no armor and carried no weapons outside of a rather borate staff. Their uniforms were quite light, merely a thinyer of clothes. They wore masks on their faces, simrly patterned like the gates with some added details. They were dark blue in color and had streaks of cking down.


    When they saw Ming Yue arrive, they held their staffs at her, looking at the fox and owl standing next to her


    "Who are you? I have never seen your face before. How did you pass the first gate?" they questioned.


    The staffs in their hands lit up, the markings on the surface glowed with power. One sparked with lightning, the other started to smoke with me.


    Ming Yue bowed before introducing herself.


    "My name is Ming Yue and Ie from Heaven''s Gate. Elder Shen Zhong is my master and I''vee here per his instructions. I am to find someone known as Ou Fenhuang, perhaps they are an elder here?"


    Revealing the sigil on her arm, she showed it to the two guards.


    They examined the sigil and gave an audible gasp.


    "This is the sigil of a High Assayer!"


    The guards looked at her and straightened up.


    "I will bring you to Grand Researcher Ou, please follow me."


    With their staffs, they opened the gates and one of them led the group in. It was another empty field past these gates but the difference was that there was a small building not far from the gates.


    Inside, it was spacious with a desk and supplied for the guards, food and what not. At the center was a stone circle carved with a veryplicated formationposed of strange symbols. Ming Yue understood that it was a transportation circle and will probably lead her to the capital of the kingdom.


    Standing on the center of the circle, the guard stabbed his staff into the centermost point of the circle. Inserting the staff, it dropped in and enter the stone circle. The formation glowed and their surroundings began to twist and turn, changing into apletely different scene. Walking out, she found herself in a vast hall, lined with some gnarled pirs and a stained ss piece at the end.


    Stranger than that, she realized that those gnarled pirs were not pirs at all but giant trees that supported the hall.


    The guard led her through the hall towards a set of stairs that led her to the second floor. There was a single pair of ck stone doors.


    "Grand Researcher Ou! There is a student of a High Assayer by the name of Shen here! Theye from Heaven''s Gate!" the guard announced.


    The stone doors rumbled and opened, as the voice of a young woman called out.


    "Let her in."


    The guard stood to the side, allowing Ming Yue to enter. She walked in and the gates slowly closed behind her. Inside, she saw a very familiar scene.


    Floating above an endless sea, there was a small ind a distance away. This ind had a singr tree and small hut, it was just like the one within Elder Shen''s quarters. In fact, it was the same.


    The trio floated towards the ind as their feet descended onto the soft soil. Standing there, the same voice from before called them into the hut.


    "Pleasee in, my master is eager to see you."


    Entering the hut, Ming Yue was treated to the pleasant scent of jasmine tea. There were two people, a young woman that seemed to be around her age and a much older woman who sat on a chair, looking out of the window. She held a cup of tea, sipping it every now and then.


    The former was dressed in a simple deep blue uniform while thetter wore a gray one. The only difference was that the gray uniform had the image of a white crane standing within a shallow pond. As for her aura, it was withdrawn, making it difficult for Ming Yue to urately estimate her cultivation. But she knew for sure that the old woman was at least of the Sky Realm.


    The young woman stood behind dutifully. In her hands was a pot of tea that she used to fill the cup of tea for her master. Her aura was not kept in secret and Ming Yue saw that she was at the peak of Earth Realm.


    "My name is Ming Yue. Are you Ou Fenhuang? The one Elder Shen told me to find?" Ming Yue bowed to the two before asking.


    The old woman spoke quietly. It was lower than that of a whisper but it seemed that the young woman heard her clearly.


    "Yes, my master is Grand Researcher Ou Fenhuang and I am Zhi Qing, her student. My master would like to ask you for the full name of your elder. She must verify something."


    Ming Yue abided, rolling up her sleeve once more to show the sigil of Elder Shen.


    "The name of my teacher is Shen Zhong. He told me that you will bring me to the Ster Sky Foundation."


    Zhi Qing looked slightly surprised.


    "The Ster Sky Formation? For you?"


    As for the Grand Researcher, she set her cup of tea down before whispering some instructions to Zhi Qing.


    "Yes master, Miss Ming, my master will need some preparations to take you there. For now, you must have been travelling for quite some time. Please follow me, I will take you and your little pets to a suitable room."


    She took Ming Yue and the others away, leading them to a spacious room with a wide courtyard. Grand Researcher Ou continued to watch outside of the window in her hut.. She gave out a long sigh and took another drink of her tea.

 Chapter 204 - The Stellar Sky Foundation

    The following day, Zhi Qing stood outside of their room, waiting for them toe out. Having finished her daily training, Ming Yue left her quarters with Xiao Yin and Hei Yue.


    "Good morning, my master is waiting for you at the Ster Sky Foundation. Please follow me."


    Zhi Qing led them outside, walking through the capital city of the Dark Water Kingdom, aptly named, "Dark Water Capital."


    Despite seeing itst night, Ming Yue couldn''t help but be amazed by the architecture. It was very different from what she had seen, even more unique than the spires of Heaven''s Gate. Everything seemed to be melded with the ground, built inside gigantic trees. These trees were certainly tall, perhaps several meters but it was extremely thick. There were dwellings and businesses in the roots and trunk. The roads were made with the same ck stone like the paths of the gates.


    The style within Heaven''s Gate was beautiful, fluid and glowing. But the Dark Water Capital was something else.


    It was as if human creation was perfectly merged with the world.


    It was a bustling ce, filled with the same things one would find in other cities but mixed with new and interesting things.


    Along the way, Zhi Qing would give brief introductions to the many parts of the capital.


    "This is our market district, where you may find all sorts of foods and little trinkets."


    What surprised Ming Yue was the poprity of tea and the many strange snacks. She heard the stalls shouting out and presenting their foods: maple candy, fried honeyleaf, marinated crabs, and an assortment cooked meats. Still, she found it familiar with the busy nature.


    "Here is our craftman''s district, you may find numerous stores catering to the creation of tools and armor."


    Here, it was much more organized with buildings made from stone and wood, unlike before where they were built into the ground and inside trees. It was certainly a dazzling sight, for every storefront had numerous items to show. There were fancy swords and armors, nes and rings. More than that, she found that each store showcased enormous ores and gemstones, each one well protected and exuding energy. From lightning ores to me gems, there was an uncountbale variety.


    "We also have districts for residents as well as cultivators, government officials and researchers. Speaking of, the most important district is the research district. That is where the Ster Sky Foundation is as well as our continuing study of energy."


    As they reached the research district, Ming Yue understood just how important it was to the kingdom. It was by far thergest and most impressive ce she had seen. Resembling the market district, the buildings were all built within giant trees. In fact, it seemed that they had been interwoven with the trees, like a massive fortress of stone and earth.


    It was on a muchrger scale that the market district. The trees were much tall and wider, the color of the leaves were shades of green but they also glowed. Even during the day, you could see the glowing branches and in the night, it was all the more apparent.


    Zhi Qing led them inside the giant cluster of towers and trees and within, Ming Yue was not expecting to see that it was all one interconnected ce. Everything inside had been hollowed out and filled with numerous rooms and halls.


    It was just as busy as the market. All sorts of people dressed in differently colored robes, carrying papers and strange tools. Some gave Ming Yue a nce but most did not seem to care.


    Zhi Qing led them away from the busy area, taking them up several flights of stairs to more secluded area.


    There, they approached a set of doors with a symbol etched on them. These symbols were the exact same as Elder Shen''s sigil and past those gates, was arge room. It wasrgely empty except for a work table and some simple furniture. It was all set to one side while the rest of the room had nothing within it.


    At the end of the room, the wall had been reced byrge windows that carried a view of the capital city. There Grand Researcher Ou stood, looking at the passing scenery.


    Zhi Qing walked to her side as her master turned around and smiled.


    That was the first time Ming Yue had seen her face and she was taken aback by the sight.


    Ou Fenhuang was incredibly old and wrinkled and her skin was paler than that of porcin. Her hair was the braided and sported a hair brooch shaped like a jasmine flower. Her gray robes covered her body except for her hands and feet. Though Ming Yue could see at the edges of her sleeves, hints of a muchrger tattoo.


    The Grand Researcher walked to the center of the room and gestures for Ming Yue toe forward.


    Meeting at the center, Grand Researcher Ou took off her gray robes, revealing a sleeveless top. Showing her tattoed arms, it was a strange sight to see. Her wrinkled arms were inked with red markings, strange symbols akin to some ancientnguage.


    She held her hands out, looking at Ming Yue.


    Ming Yue followed along and ced her hands onto the hands of the Grand Researcher.


    Zhi Qing watched from afar, quietly studying the movements of her master.


    Upon meeting hands, the tattoos of the Grand Researcher pulsated with energy and glowed. Wisps of golden light emerged from her body. As for Ming Yue, her pale blue energy emerged from her own body amdbined with the golden light.


    Together, the power filled the room to which all manner of symbols begn to glow, fueled by their energy.


    From where they stood, a burst of power came about, expanding into giant sphere of swirling energy including theirs.


    Letting go of each other''s hands, Ming Yue looked around in amazement. Like her, Xiao Yin, Hei Yue, and Zhi Qing, stared with wide open eyes.


    "Everytime I see it, it still amazes me..." Zhi Qing muttered those words, finding the sight both strange and enlightening.


    As Ming Yue looked around, a voice spoke within her mind.


    "Wee to the Ster Sky Foundation, the fruit of your elder''s research and a ce many have entered."


    She looked at Grand Researcher Ou, finding a calm but prideful glint in her eyes as the Grand Researcher continued speaking.


    "The Spirit Elder Shen Zhong, formerly known as High Assayer Shen focused his research on the forces of the heart and soul. In fact, he led the research in that field, finding ways to utilize that power whether it was through techniques, items, or formations."


    "The Ster Sky Foundation, this room, can amplify those forces and help to control them. Though, I assume that he sent you here for more than that."


    Ming Yue nodded, exining her jumps in cultivation andck of experience with the energies of the world. Though Elder Shen could help, he suggesteding here to better learn how to adjust to her new abilities.


    Grand Researcher Ou listened and nodded to her words before speaking.


    "That is fine, Zhi Qing will help you with this. We will also be using the Ster Sky Foundation to help with your learning. But first, we should get you aquainted with everything."


    Stepping away from the center of the room, the swirling energy and star-like structures faded away. The Grand Researcher put on her robes and walked to Zhi Qing, giving her instructions to which she nodded in understanding.


    Leaving her side, Zhi Qing went towards Ming Yue with a graceful smile.


    "It seems that you will be in my care for now. Let''s take you to the Heaven Earth tform."


    Leaving the room, the Grand Researcher was once again left alone and she was smiling.


    "How long has it been since you were here, Shen Zhong? How many years?" she thought to herself.

 Chapter 205 - Seeing In A New Light

    Moving along the corridors, Zhi Qing led the others to a higher floor and one without walls or doors. This new ce was much more spacious, perhaps spanning one side of the research district to the other side. There were other people around, some sitting and others standing. But they were all incredibly focused.


    From the Dao of Fire to the Dao of Light, there was all sorts of energy in the air. Each person had their own unique energy from its color to its nature.


    Being at the Sight Stage, Ming Yue could see that they were moving their energy inplicated ways, forming images and symbols through the control of their hands and minds. She was amazed by the skill at which they did so.


    There was certainly a gap between her and them. She couldn''t do anythingparable for the best she could do was shapes.


    Zhi Qing allowed Ming Yue a few seconds to ustom to this ce before speaking.


    "This is the Heaven Earth tform, where peoplee to practice their skills. It covers much of the research districts and is connected to all of our departments. Master has told me that you have not learned much about the Mind and Sight Stage, which is why we will being here to help you."


    "I see. What should I do about them?", Ming Yue knew this would take time and pointed at Hei Yue and Xiao Yin.


    If anything, they would be very bored watching her but Ming Yue did not know where they could go. However, Zhi Qing was not bothered by this fact.


    "They can stay with you. In fact, they could help you as well", she said.


    "Really?"


    "Yes! Let''s start now, you have much to learn."


    Zhi Qing sat down and took off her robes, revealing the same sleeveless shirt that Grand Researcher Ou wore. The difference was that her arms were no heavily tattooed, only sporting a few marks.


    They glowed and gray wisps of light energy from her body, forming a sphere of gray in front of her.


    "Let''s learn about the nature of one''s Quintessence Force. Then we will move onto improving your control."


    The gray sphere began to spin rapidly, changing in appearance every several seconds.


    "This is a bit of my energy right here. As you can see, It is taking on many changes, from calm to wild, good to evil, and much more. At the stage you are at, you must learn these differences and understand that everything has their counterparts. Know this and you could break apart your opponent''s skills, render them useless, and even understand the essence of their techniques."


    Zhi Qing began manipting the sphere to a much more refined degree, taking on the appearance of weapons and the like.


    "Let''s take a look at your energy", she said.


    Ming Yue brought her hand out, following Zhi Qing''s actions and gathering her energy into a sphere. Just like that, a thick ball of wind gathered above her open palm, calmly swirling around. That ball turned dark as sparks crackled about.


    "Hmm, the Dao of Wind and the Dao of Lightning, flexible but sharp, a very goodbination. However, that can be dealt with rigidness."


    Zhi Qing''s energy took on the form of a small shield, hard and unyielding, sending it towards Ming Yue''s sphere. Her wind sphere became a littlence that shed against the shield. Despite both spheres containing the same amount of power, thence broke under the power of the shield, dispersing in the air.


    Ming Yue looked with curiosity as Zhi Qing continued to teach her.


    "Of course, this result is not absolute. There are many factors and strategies to ovee such weaknesses. Furthermore, once you can control your energy well, you could mimic different states of energy though they will be weaker than the real thing."


    With this their practice began, Zhi Qing was surprised by Ming Yue''s studious nature. While she had some problems understanding the moreplicated details, Ming Yue was able to grasp most of what Zhi Qing taught.


    When it came to the varying forms of energy, Ming Yue was able to discern them after several seconds. However there was much to learn as this was only the surface.


    The pair enjoyed the session and so did Hei Yue and Xiao Yin, who had their energy ssified by Zhi Qing. Hei Yue was the Dao of Shadows and his energy had the quality of softness. Xiao Yin''s energy was the Dao of Light with the quality of sharpness and celerity.


    The two watched Ming Yue and Zhi Qing converse, seeing them constantly form balls of energy and send them at each other. Each and every time, these spheres changed in some way. Most likely showing how different states of energy interacted with each other.


    In the next several days, Ming Yue was much more proficient in reading another person''s energy. Zhi Qing was also impress by her progress. So much so, that her teach began to ramp up.


    "Alright, since you''ve learned the basics of quintessence force. It is time to teach you a bit about other types of energy, namely the world''s energy as well as heart and soul energy. The world''s energy is the natural energy of our surroundings, from the life of trees to the strength of fire. At the Earth Realm, you are able to absorb these energies to increase your cultivation and increase your umtions in the Dao. At a high enough level, you could call for rain, control storms, move mountains and more. This is what that energy is. However when ites to the energy of the heart and soul. It is much different."


    As she spoke, Zhi Qing brought out some formation gs, putting them all around her. Upon their activation, the gs glowed and an illusion formed around them. The Heaven Earth tform disappeared and was reced by an empty space filled with nothing but light.


    "This illusion is formed by these gs, yes? If so, what energy do these gs use to create such a thing?"


    Ming Yue paused for a moment before answering.


    "Our own."


    "Correct, in order to activate this formation we must give it our energy. It could not be the natural energy of the world after all. If we were to make the same formation but instead of feeding it our energy, light it with fire, we would end up with some burnt gs. At the same time, should we use our own energy to form these formations, it would not work. We need the formation to convert our energy into an illusion."


    Zhi Qing stood up and removed the gs, picking them off of the ground. Despite breaking the formation, the illusion did not disappear, it did not disperse like it should have and Ming Yue noticed this.


    "Years ago, researchers such as High Assayer Shen believed that there must''ve been a way for people to create the same effect as a formation without it. After years of research, they came to the conclusion that it was not possible. Our energy needed catalysts to do such things, hence trinkets like gs and more. But the High Assayer did not give up and then he fell upon the energy of the heart and soul. It was by chance that he had discovered it but it changed it all. From there, he called it, Mental Force."


    She looked around before turning back to Ming Yue.


    "This illusion has not broken because of the mental energy that I have. And this power is something everyone has but difficult to unlock. For that, we must go to the Ster Sky Foundation now. While you had experienced it before, this time it will be much different."


    The illusion dissipated and they returned to the Ster Sky Formation.


    Upon reaching there, Zhi Qing warned that Hei Yue and Xiao YIn should note in for it could be disorienting to them.. Inside, Grand Researcher Ou was stood by, waiting for them.

 Chapter 206 - Combining The Heart And Soul

    Zhi Qing left the two alone inside the Ster Sky Foundation.


    Once again, Grand Researcher Ou and Ming Yue activated the room.


    "Good, your energy is much more refinedpared to before", Grand Researcher Ou''s voice spoke within her head.


    Their energy swirled around in arge sphere, encapsting the two within. Under the Grand Researcher''s control, the sphere began to convert their power, taking it as its own. The sphere suddenly dispersed into particles, covering every part of the Ster Sky Foundation. It shined and shimmered, changing the surroundings and transforming it into a field of grass.


    It was very calm and the weather was peaceful.


    However the transition was incredibly strange, the sensation was different from that of an illusion. Ming Yue''s head began to ache and her eyesight was blurred. She rubbed her temples while GRand Researcher Ou walked around.


    "I assume that Zhi Qing has given you a short introduction to Mental Energy?" she asked.


    Ming Yue nodded.


    "Yes, Elder Shen was the one who had discovered it and created this room to make it easier to foster that energy."


    "That is correct. Shen Zhong was the one who found it and researched it to its utmost capabilities. Mental Force is fundamentally different than anything else because it has no physiscal form. It is ethereal, more so than that of our Quintessence Force and the World''s Energy. It deals with the matters of the mind, influencing them through illusions like this. This is also how I can speak to you directly through your mind and how I know that there is another you inside. Speaking of, you can speak now."


    Grand Researcher Ou smiled as she spoke those words.


    "What? How did you detect me?" Xue Yue''s voice perked up.


    Ming Yue was surprised but quickly understood that someone like Xue Yue could not be hidden. After all, Elder Shen was able to detect her, it was no different for Grand Researcher Ou.


    She only smiled at Ming Yue while answering Xue Yue''s question.


    "Shen Zhong''s sigil had a message hidden within it, telling me of your unique situation. I confirmed it the first time we had activated the Ster Sky Foundation."


    "I see", Xue Yue''s voice turned quiet as Ming Yue asked a question.


    "If the elder has told you about Xue Yue, then it must mean that you can do something about this?"


    "To an extent, with the help of the Ster Sky Foundation, I can improve the connection between your two minds. But sensing it now, merging them together is next to impossible for they have be two seperate entities."


    "Oh..." said Xue Yue.


    She was silent as was Ming Yue Yue. Though they did not speak, it was simple to see that such words had caused waves in their emotions. Though most of their conversations had been telling each other off and arguing, the idea of bing one was strange. As low of a chance as there may be, there was still a chance.


    "That cer. First, we must start on unlocking your Mental Force."


    Grand Researcher Ou saw the strangeness in Ming Yue''s eyes and changed the topic.


    "Come sit here. Close your eyes and do not use any of your Quintessence Force. Rather feel the energy that the Ster Sky Foundation emits that is what your are looking for. That is what Mental Force feels like. Now, it is the energy of the heart and soul. Thus look inwardly, find the different powers in your body. Once you''ve grasp onto them, merge them together and push it into your mind. Let it expand from there."


    Her voice spoke softly in Ming Yue''s mind as she watched the young girl follow her instructions.


    Ming Yue slowly calmed herself, Xue Yue no longer spoke. Perhaps, thinking about what the Grand Researcher said.


    The Ster Sky Foundation''s illusion was strange, different from that of an illusion from formation gs or one''s techniques. She couldn''t quite understand it. It was such a different sensation but how was it that Zhi QIng was able control the illusion from before without Mign Yue even noticing. This was something she would askter.


    In any case, the energy she felt was strange. It was slightly disorienting, as if a veil had covered her eyes. She grasped the sensation and began searching her own body, trying to find the forces within. Outside of her Quintessence force, she found two other energies within her body. The first was vigorous and powerful, flowing through her body by way of her veins and muscles. This must have been the energy of the heart, one''s lifeforce and vigor.


    The second energy was strange. It epassed only two points of her body, her core and her mind. It was a faint, difficult to take ahold of.


    "Judging by how you look, it seems that you have located the two energies. Now try to merge them together and bnce them. Once they are linked, cycle it between your heart and mind", Grand Researcher Ou watched over her, helping her on each step.


    Unfortunately, after a full day, Ming Yue was unable to create her Mental Force. It was incredibly difficult to bnce the two energies. One was much more powerful than the other. Even after hundreds of attempts, her soul energy would retreat into the depths of her mind.


    "Do not worry, it has only been one day. In fact, you''ve made quite a bit of progress. Most would not have been able to make more than ten attempts."


    Grand Reseacrher Ou sat down in front of Ming Yue, looking around at the illusion.


    "These energies have long existed and are utilized in cultivation. That strong, robust energy that you feel is the source of strength for Body Cultivators as they focus on their physical prowess. As for the other, that energy resides in the artistic daos. Art, music, and more use this energy as their techniques focus on illusions and emotions. Though, they need instruments and tools to convey them."


    Holding her hands out, golden energy emerged from her arms and formed three different spheres. One grew in size while the other two shrunk.


    "As you know, one tends to specialize in one thing, of course there are those that try to do more than one: omni-cultivators. However, such a thing is impossible to achieve. Even something like cultivating two different paths is difficult and few would find sess in it. However, Shen Zhong found something akin to a shortcut."


    The two smaller spheres came together,bining into a sphereparable to the first one.


    "Bybining the two energies in a certain ratio, you would essentially cultivate both martial and mental techniques with rtive ease. After making this discovery, Shen Zhong had done it to himself, quickly bing a master in creating illusions. Unfortunately, he could not find a way tobine the two energies to create a force focused on one''s physical strength rather than their mental ability."


    Listening to her words, Ming Yue thought back to when she first met the elder. Realizing that in all her time there, she had never seen any formation gs set up. All of the illusions she had seen there was his doing!


    The more she thought about it, the more astonished she became. What if those illusions was merely some casual creations? How far had Elder Shen gone in cultivating his Mental Force.


    She wasn''t sure and began asking Grand Researcher Ou many questions regarding Elder Shen and Mental Force.


    "If the elder made such discoveries, why has the rest of the continent not known about this?"


    Why was it like this? A way to dual-cultivate sessfully would be incredibly shocking to all cultivators. Yet, it is not revealed to them. What could''ve happened?


    Grand Researcher Ou''s eyes dimmed as her face filled with sadness and disappointment.


    "That stems from the early years of the Dark Water Kingdom, before our time.. It was when our ancestors knew no restraint for their thirst of knowledge."

 Chapter 207 - Built Upon Sacrifice

    "The Dark Water Kingdom was originally a coalition of thinkers and those who wanted to explore the potential the human body and find ways to further that. This led to the experimentation on each other as well as those willing and to some that weren''t."


    Grand Researcher Ou continued to speak in a somber tone. She was sad, almost ashamed of her predecessors.


    "We came to understand more of ourselves and of the world, realizing what could and could not be done. Eventually, the kingdom grew in power but by that time, the rest of the world seemed to have shunned us. They could no longer bear to hear of the gruesome things that had been done for the sake of knowledge. They viewed the kingdom as one filled with only the insane. Since no one was ready to listen, the kingdom had shut down practically all contact with the continent, except for the other five kingdoms."


    "It is not like that now, is it?" asked Ming Yue.


    "Goodness no, years after we closed ourselves off. People came to understand the hical practices and changed their ways. Now, we''ve found alternatives to continue to work of our predecessors."


    Suddenly, Xue Yue''s voice chimed in.


    "Then why have you still closed yourselves from the world? Surely, if the Dark Water Kingdom has changed, the rest of the world will ept it."


    "Hm, it isn''t that simple. Changing people''s view of us will be difficult to seed in but not impossible. It''s just that, everyone here has be used to the istion. We have little need to open ourselves up."


    "So it is like that..."


    Ming Yue did not think that the Dark Water Kingdom was seen in such a way. She knew there was something wrong when she saw Elder Shen''s hall empty and she had heard a few things about him from the other Heaven''s Gate disciples. However, she really underestimated the negative view that everyone had towards him and the Dark Water Kingdom.


    To what extent had the founderr of the Dark Water gone through to achieve this notoriety? What sort of experiments had been done? She couldn''t help but feel a chill at the thought of such things.


    "Then what of Elder Shen? Why was he sent to Heaven''s Gate?" she asked.


    "He was one of the few who wanted to venture out of the kingdom and change our reputation. What better ce to start than at Heaven''s gate, the culmination of the Six Kingdoms. Though, contact with him was sparse and those few messages only spoke of hisck of students. However, he garnered some sess in you and knowing that, sent you here."


    Ming Yue didn''t think that Elder Shen thought that highly of her. Though it made sense, his warm eyes and happy glow from epting her as a student was reason enough to show his joy. She was touched by his actions and felt sympathy for he sought a student for many years. She fullfilled that desire.


    "Now then, before the day ends, I should show you the other uses for the Ster Sky Foundation."


    Grand Researcher Ou stood up and the endless feld of grass congerged into a sphere of white energy before expanding once more.


    This time, it kept its shape but the contents were very much different. Within its erged ball of a body, small twinkling dots of energy floated about. At the center was a fist sized ball that resembled the world. As it spun, Ming Yue could see the outline of the Human Continent as well as the Demon and Beast Continents.


    "The Ster Sky Foundation is also an observatory made to chart out the stars. Those with enough Mental Force will be able to project themselves into the Celestial ne, allowing for exploration. This has been the work of me, Shen Zhong, and a few others. If you are looking for a quiet ce to meditate or find inspiration, this is it."


    Hearing her words, Ming Yue was beyond surprised. It was through this ce, that she could actually see the stars up close. Having always looked at the night sky, she wanted nothing more than to see it right in front of her.


    "In any case, activating it and controlling it shouldn''t be too difficult. That desk over there has a few mechanisms to turn it on. You could change between the observatory and the illusion state. To fully control it, you need your Mental Force."


    Ming Yue looked at the desk finding several switches and turned back to the Grand Researcher.


    "If that is all that is needed to unlock this ce, why did you need my energy for it?"


    "Oh, I have an incredibly quiet voice. It is something that I had been born with and gave me quite a lot of trouble. When Shen Zhong made his discovery of Mental Force, it was the solution to my disposition and allowed me to speak with others through their mind. However, that requires both sides to share their energy with each other. Sometimes, it takes mulriple times to have a clear connection."


    Her voice suddenly disappeared from Ming Yue''s mind and Grand Researcher Ou began to speak with her mouth. Despite going as loud as she could, it took Ming Yue quite a bit to hear her speak. But she understood that Grand Researcher Ou did it to prove her point.


    "Then Zhi Qing could hear you because of that connection..." Ming Yue realized.


    Grand Researcher Ou nodded and her voice suddenly returned within Ming Yue''s mind.


    "Indeed, that student of mine seemed quite troubled when we first met. She didn''t know how we were going tomunicate until I showed her. Though I''d like to say, Zhi Qing is a good person, dedicated to her work. It would do good that you two get acquainted with each other."


    "She has been incredibly helpful with teaching me about cultivation and taking me around Dark Water Capital", Ming Yue found Zhi Qing to be knowledgable and a good teacher.


    Would she have had an unpleasant attitude, it would have been a much more different experience.


    After deactivating the Ster Sky Foundation, the pair left and found Zhi Qing along with Xiao Yin and Hei Yue ying together. That came to to quick when Ming Yue and Grand Researcher Ou appeared.


    "Master..."


    Zhi Qing stood upright and went to her master''s side.


    "We''ll gather here tomorrow for some more practice. Zhi Qing, take Ming Yue back to her quarters, she is not yet familiar with route" Grand Researcher Ou''s voice spoke and Ming Yue bowed before departing for her room.


    With Zhi Qing apanying her, they talked more about the other districts as well as what Ming Yue would be practicing for tomorrow.


    "The Craftman''s District isn''t quite as bustling as our the Market District. However, it is where people from the Research District frequent the most. Mainly because many work in these stores, using their knowledge to forge items, finding ways to utilize one''s Quintessence Force in more creative and manners. All of those gems are natural element ores that form from dense energy."


    She pointed at the varying jewels that were shown at the storefront, with varying colors and strengths.


    "Does it have to be a gem?" asked Ming Yue.


    The piece of Evergreen Heart within her Spatial Ring came to mind. Perhaps, she would be able to find a ce that could create something out of it. It was too useful of an item to leave in her ring.


    Zhi Qing looked at her with a bit of curiosity.


    "No it doesn''t have to be gem. So long as it is a physical piece of condensed energy, it can be used. However, such things that aren''t gems are rare. Do not tell me that you have something like that?"


    Ming Yue gave a slight nod.


    "Something I found in my travels."


    She would not reveal everything about it or it would lead to some unwanted attention. Zhi Qing understood her intentions and did not press her for more information.


    "If its like that, then I know a ce that would work perfectly."

 Chapter 208 - Three Bickering Seniors

    Zhi Qing led Ming Yue and the others into the Craftmen''s District, walking past the many workshops and stores. The deeper they went, the more opulent the surroundings became. Suddenly, the gems that were showcased seemed much purer. Even things like formation gs and equipment were noticeably higher in quality.


    Then they reached the center to which multiple roads lead to and formed a circr path. In the middle was a tree sapling, only several feet tall and quite thin. That sapling was surrounded by several feet of grass then the circr path.


    Outside of this path were three buildings, all of which was equally shy in their respective ways.


    The one in front of them was less of a store and more a massive forge. ck stone made up this building as multiple pipes popped out of the roof, spewing smoke and dust. There were several panes of ss at the storefront, featuring a mess of weapons and armor. Ming Yue could hear fierce hammering from within as thick, metal doors blocked the way. Two pirs stood by either side of those doors carved with the name, "Forge of 81 Fires".


    To the right was an incredibly sparkling business. there was as many gems as there were equipment in the first store. From the size of a pea to one asrge as her own body, that one was a emerald gem wrapped with chains and locked behind sevaral ss boxes. The doors had been bejeweled as was the rest of the building. The store itself was just asrge if notrger than the first. Arge golden sign hung above the doors with the words, "Treasured Gem Hall" painted in some sort of glowing ink.


    To the left, the third store was not as shy as its neighbor but it was certainly unique. Rather than a store, it seemed more like a garden wrapped around a stone building. Rather than doors, there were wooden gates with a thick wooden board, etched with its name, "Wildwood Pavilion". Rather than gems or metal weapons, it was stone and wooden items like rings and other pieces that were showcased.


    Ming Yue looked at the three stores, wondering which one would best fit her needs. Just as Zhi Qing was about to give an introduction to them, the bedazzled doors suddenly mmed open as a thin, bald-headed man came out with a fearsome expression on his face.


    He wore bright purple robes with golden embroidery and a monocle on his right eye. He must''ve been around forty to fifty years old, his forehead had a fair number of wrinkles and his lips were thin and gray but well-maintained.


    The bald man stormed over to the Forge of 81 Fires and mmed his fist on the door.


    "How many times have I told you to keep the noise down?! My people need some peace and quiet to work!"


    He continued to m the giant metal doors, each time producing a resounding bang. Despite his looks, Ming Yue could see that he was strong.


    After a few more knocks, the doors opened wide as a burly woman emerged from them, looking just as furious as her counterpart.


    "Hah! My noise? What about your store?! Its so shiny, its practically blinding my eyes and the eyes of my workers!"


    She carriedrge hammer in her hands, holding to her side. Its handle was short enough to grab with one hand but the head was massive, like a block of raw metal. If it had a longer handle, it could''ve doubled as a warhammer.


    Her skin was extremely tanned and covered in soot. She wore a leather apron over her workclothes whichprised of heavy pants and a short sleeved shirt. Her body was well-proportioned and somewhat bulky as the work she did required strength. She tied her hair up into a bun and wore a headband as well. Compared to the store owner of the Treasured Gem Hall, she towered over him. Even then, he did not seem tock in pressure against her.


    "Blinding?! My doors have been tainted by the ashesing from your roof pipes!"


    "Oh that''s good! If it were any more blinding, it would damage my eyes. Are you willing to take the responsiblity?"


    "I''m pretty sure your eyes are already damaged from all that soot and me you stare at!"


    Despite being professionals, they were bickering like children, slinging insults at each other.


    "It seems that they''re at it again..."


    Zhi Qing looked at them helplessly but did not move to break off the quarrel. Rather it seemed like she was waiting for something to happen else.


    The spat slowly grew louder and it seemed that the two were about to fight each, one with his fists and the other with her hammer. Ming Yue had thought that the workers woulde out but there was no movement from either side. Instead, the wood gates of the Wildwood Pavilion opened and an extremely old man came out.


    His hair and beard was pure white and his earthen colored robes seemed to be made of sturdy cloth. He wore an emerald bangle on each wrist and carried a stave to help him walk. The old man walked up to the other two and gave a small cough.


    "Zhang Guang, Mei Zhen, you two always fight and bicker with each other, why can''t you two get along?" he said.


    The two looked at each other before looking at the owner of the Wildwood Pavilion. Compared to the other two, he was quite small and did not have much of an aura. However, they did not ignore him and instead spoke with a certain level of respect.


    "What can I do, Senior?" the woman said, "Zhang Guang''s store is aplete eyesore. I don''t think I can endure looking at it any longer."


    Zhang Guang''s face went red as a tomato as soon as she said those words.


    "What did you call my store? An eyesore? Mei Zhen, your store is going to make me deaf by the end of the night!"


    Though the owner of the Wildwood Pavilion sought to calm them down, in a matter of seconds, ir had gotten worse. Rather than arguing, it was beginning to turn into a shouting match.


    Clearly annoyed, he discarded his stave and the emerald bangles glowed. In seconds, his body grew in size before standing a head over Mei Zhen. His face was as calm as ever but there was an ominous aura surrounding him.


    "It''s been years since we''ve opened our stores together. Before that, we just fellow researchers who worked together for years. Even after all this time, the two of you still can''t get along?" he said.


    His aged voice came with a deep and rather threatening tone, something that contradicted his peaceful expression. As for the other two, they immediately backed up and lowered their heads, feeling ashamed from his words.


    "I suppose I can live with Mei Zhen''s noise."


    Zhang Quang was quick topromise and he turned to face Mei Zhen.


    The old man looked at her, waiting for a response.


    Mei Zhen''s stubborn expression softened as she sighed.


    "Years of friendship is not worth breaking just because of some dumb stones."


    Zhang Guang''s face twitched from thest few words but nheless it seemed that everyhting as resolved.


    "It seems that the three seniors are still as close as ever!" Zhi Qing''s voice chimed in as she approached with Ming Yue.


    The trio looked over and smiled at her appearance.


    "Zhi Qing, it''s good to see you! How is Grand Researcher Ou?" Mei Zhen asked.


    "She''s still going strong. I''m here because of my master''s guest."


    She stepped aside and guestured towards Ming Yue.


    "This is Ming Yue, a student of High Assayer Shen. She has some materials that she wants to use for crafting."


    The trio of store owners looked at her and itroduced themselves. Mei Zhen was the owner of the Forge of 81 Fires. Zhang Quang owned the Treasured Gem Hall. The owner of the Wildwood Pavilion was named, Cheng Wei. They were all master craftsmen and retired members of the Research District.


    Upon hearing about Ming Yue, they had all be interested in what she had to offer.

 Chapter 209 - Revealing A Secret

    "Would it be possible to do it inside?" she asked.


    "Yes, let''s head into my store, we''re in front of it anyways", said Mei Zhen.


    She turned round and pushed open the gates of her store, a burst of hot air came from within.


    Entering the store, Ming Yue couldn''t help but be enamored with the sight. The walls were filled with all sorts of weapons while ss cabs showcased intricate pieces of armor and jewelry. In the far back was an open doorway that revealed groups of smiths and craftsmen working on their respecitve pieces. It was incrediblyrge but absolutely packed with items. There were customers gazing at some of the pieces, attendants walking around the floor.


    Like the other stores, it had multiple floors and was rather busy.


    "Let''s head up."


    Mei Zhen led them up to the highest level where it was quiet. There was a corridor lined with numerous doors, all of which led to appraisal rooms.


    With only her and the three seniors inside the closest one, Ming Yue took out the piece of the Evergreen Heart that she kept. It was a branch the size of her arm and it looked like any other branch except for the fact that it gave off a jade-like glow. She ced it on the table allowing the others to see.


    At once, the three seniors held their breaths and began examining the branch.


    "What pure energy! It resembles the World''s Energy but in a more concentrated form..."


    "It''s restorative and beneficial for cultivation! And that glow is beautiful!"


    "The branch itself is springing with life, tough but supple."


    They looked at her in anticipation and curiosity.


    "Where did you get this? It resembles something from a journal I read."


    Cheng Wei looked at the young girl, his aged face full of curiosity.


    "This...I cannot exin well. I found it during my time in the Ren Huan Battlefield of Heaven''s Gate. It was hidden away in an obscure ce but It was due to luck that I happened upon it."


    Hearing her answer, his face had a look of excitement as he approached her closely.


    "I see, I think that this be a piece of the Evergreen Heart", he said.


    Hearing those two words had shaken her but she did not show it on her face.


    "What is the Evergreen Heart?" she asked in an innocent tone.


    From what she remembered, no one should''ve known about this it was something meant to be locked away. She had to find out what Cheng Wei knew of it.


    His eyes lit up and he began to speak of his past. At the same time, the other two seniors looked at him with some sympathetic expressions.


    "When I was younger, I hade across some tattered papers detailing of the creation of a tree whose trunk was shaped like a heart and had leaves that glowed a verdant color. I had tracked it back to the Ren Huan Battlefield but found that no one had ever seen nor heard of such a thing. In my mind I had though that it was destroyed. However, I had be enamored with the idea and made it my goal to pursue."


    That bright expression of his was full of energy and excitement but then his voice changed, bing wistful as the energy was lost.


    "Unfortunately after many years, I could not recreate another Evergreen Heart. I managed to make many discoveries in the path to it but I could not reach the end. I realized that it was an impossible dream to aplish in my lifetime."


    Then the other two store owners spoke up, each talking in a regretful tone.


    "Both of us knew of this goal and tried to help him."


    "Despite the efforts of us three, we could note close. The methods were tooplex to decipher and the materials needed were extremely rare."


    Cheng Wei looked at the branch on the table behind him and turned back to Ming Yue.


    "But, to have the real thing in front of me is a different story... I am willing to give anything to you for this piece, in fact I will give everything for it."


    "What?!"


    Everyone collectively said the same thing in that tone of surprise. Even Ming Yue was taken aback by his words but when she looked at him, she found that he showed no sign of wavering. She paused to think before giving an answer.


    "Forgive me but I cannot ept your offer. However, I have something else that I could give. While I did find this because of luck, it was not just the branch but the Evergreen Heart itself."


    Ming Yue reached into her spatial ring and took out one of the journals of the creator of the Evergreen Heart. She handed it to Cheng Wei while exining what it was.


    "This is one of many journals that speak about the Evergreen Heart. I have read them all but I do not have the skill to understand all of it. However, If you read this, I hope that you understand why no one has heard or seen it."


    She understood that he would not give up even if she declined so she had done this instead. Although they had just met, Ming Yue could tell that he was not someone with evil intentions. Cheng Wei found a chance tor each his goal and was willing to risk everything for it, either he was desperate or determined. From the fire in his eyes, Ming Yue knew that he was thetter. Thought she told herself not to share this with anyone, he has known about it much longer than her.


    Upon holding it, Cheng Wei flipped through the pages and read it quickly before looking up. He looked enlightened and then, his face turned solemn.


    "This is... certainly a development. I suppose I understand why it has been kept hidden away. It''s capabilities are truly terrifying. I had thought that it would be a source of healing but this...this is much more than I had anticipated."


    He turned to the worktable and picked up the piece of the Evergreen Heart.


    "Then if you had cut off this piece, what happened to the Evergreen Heart?" he asked.


    "I followed the instructions of the creator."


    Ming Yue answered bluntly but the others knew what she meant, expecially Cheng Wei. The Evergreen Heart was no more. The senior sighed but produced a smile nheless.


    "A shame but a necessary action, I suppose. I doubt that it could be recreated but at the very least, these journals would help to further my knowledge."


    "As for this branch, I suppose you want it turned into something?" he asked.


    "Yes, something like an essory maybe a ring."


    "Hmm, I could do that but it will take some time. As for the price, you don''t have to worry", Cheng Wei held onto the branch and ced it inside his emerald bangles.


    As he did, Mei Zhen grinned as the muscr woman took notice of Ming Yue''s sword.


    "Heh, Would you mind if I take a look at your sword?"


    Ming Yue did not mind and handed it to her. As for Zhi Qing, she did not expect for Ming Yue''s stave to be a sword. Watching Mei Zhen unsheathe it, she could not help but be surprised as she had thought Ming Yue used a smaller weapon due to her frame.


    Mei Zhen whistled as she examined the sword while Zhang Guang took a gander at it.


    "Oh, there''s a socket as well, near the hilt", he pointed out.


    "I can see it very clearly. Heh, a peak-divine sword, I''m guessing you had this made by the Forgelord of Rong Lu City", Mei Zhen nced at Ming Yue as the cksmith continued looking at the Drifting Sky Sword.


    Ming Yue nodded wondering what the two wanted to do.

 Chapter 210 - Treasures Of The Sea

    "Hmm, no wonder the handiwork is so good. Still, it can be improved upon. You won''t mind if we two work on this right? You don''t have to worry about the price either", said Mei Zhen.


    "Hey wait a moment, that depends on what I''m going to put into that socket."


    Zhang Guang red at his counterpart but did not seem to be against working on the sword.


    Ming Yue was confused by their actions.


    "Why are you doing this?" she asked.


    The two looked at each other before looking at Cheng Wei.


    "We three have gone through many challenges together, bonding as lifelong friends. We knew that it was Cheng Wei''s goal to create the Evergreen Heart and we three tried to reach it. Even after so many years we tried and failed. That dream had stayed a dream but you revived it. For that, we must repay you for helping our friend and for helping us."


    To Ming Yue, the Evergreen Heart was a miraculous thing but to the three seniors, it was so much more than that. It was dozens of years worth of work, thousands of attempts, and thousands more of failures. For her to show them the real thing was more than what they could''ve wanted. In that, they had to repay her in some way.


    "Then, I will have to bother the three seniors", she cupped her hands and bowed.


    "Hah, you could just call us elders. There is no need to address us so formally."


    The three looked at Ming Yue with gratefulness and glee. Helping her was nothingpared to how much she had helped them.


    "Come back in a week for some testing. We have a lot of work to do."


    The three seniors guided Ming Yue and the others out of the store and returned to their respective domains. The pair started walking back to the residential area as Hei Yue and Xiao Yin followed along.


    As they walked, Zhi Qing smirked at Ming Yue.


    "Well, you certainly gave me a shock", she giggled.


    "You bring out an item coveted by my seniors. More than that, it is a legendary item as well. I can''t help but wonder what you''ve encountered out in the world."


    Ming Yue looked at the young woman. Zhi Qing was a bit older than her, yet she carried a very childish air around her. It didn''t necessarily help that she had quite a baby-face as well. She thought back to what Grand Researcher Ou said, how the people of this kingdom have be ustomed to staying within their boundaries. She wondered just how different the world would''ve been if the kingdom had not shut itself from the world.


    "Not to mention that sword! How do you even wield that? I though you used a staff" Zhi Qing words shook her from her thoughts.


    Ming Yue smiled.


    "It is a memento from my father, I had it reforged after finding its sister de."


    "Oh how curious! The de is almost as tall as you! Would this mean that you are also nning to go to the Ying Long Sea?"


    "The Ying Long Sea? Why do you ask?"


    "Oh, you don''t know about it? The Ying Long Sea is ce of great mysteries and treasures."


    "Oh, I thought that it was a ce for fishermen. I have heard that there are rare creatures but those are mainly for food."


    That was what she had heard from Lao Gan. He traveled there for the cuisine and the rare beasts that are used to cook.


    "That is only part of it. The Ying Long Sea is extremelyrge, bordering one side of the kingdom. The outskirts of the sea are full of fish and other sea creatures thus the fishermen. However, as you go deeper you will find underwater caves that are filled with all sorts of treasures."


    Zhi Qing grabbed a small map form her spatial ring and continued talking as they walked through the Market District.


    "The Ying Long Sea has another name. It is also known as the Sea of Heroes and Dragons where it was said that many warriors came to battle the dragons that dwelled. But once every ten years, the Ying Long Sea would part at the center revealing a massive grave site that contains the bodies of dragons and their challengers. You are bound to find ancient treasures there."


    She pointed at the map, showing the shaded area of the Ying Long Sea where it would part. It was smallpared to the rest of the sea, only taking up a tenth of it.


    "Though you might not be ready yet at lest not on your own. The energy gathered there is very dense and requires a few tools to disperse it. It is something that cannot be endured through strength as it will seep into your body and dig deep into your bones."


    For the Ying Long Sea to have such history was news to her and Ming Yue wasn''t sure if she wanted to tackle it just yet.


    "Have you gone to the gravesite?" she asked.


    From the sound of it, Zhi Qing must have some experience there.


    "Oh, we take expeditions there to study the Dragon Energy and take its scales and bones. It''s a very powerful energy and it carries a sort of heaviness that dragons have. It has been one of the chief goals to fully repicate that energy. Of course, we can achieve a simr result by using the parts to create armor or weapons but if we can sessfully recreate that energy, then it would be easier to just imbue existing items."


    "Such a thing is possible?" asked Ming Yue.


    "Indeed, we''ve only been able to produce something that has half the strength but just that can boost the strength of anyone below the Heaven Realm."


    "Then, when is the next expedition?"


    MIng Yue asked as the dragon corpses piqued her interest. She''s never seen a dragon''s corpse uch less a real one and thought that it was something that she should experience.


    "That should in three months time. Are you thinking about joining?"


    "Yes, I want to check out the gravesite and see these dragons for myself."


    In three months, a lot could happen, perhaps she could even breakthrough and achieve flight at the Perception Stage.


    "Well then, the expedition is in three months and if you want to join, you must ask Grand Researcher Ou for approval. These expeditions are generally in groups of thirty but there are times where we have a few more or a little bit less."


    By now, they reached the residential areas and Ming Yue returned to her courtyard. By the time she bathed and cleaned Hei Yue and Xiao Yin, it was midnight. Before going to sleep, she organized her thoughts and nned ahead. In terms of cultivation, she was at a bottleneck, nearing an inch away from the Perception Stage. To take that inch, she had to consolidate her foundation and understand how to read and use different energies.


    On that note she had to focus on two things, Mental Force and the Sword Sage Path. Training in the former was underway but she has neglected thetter. She had yet to advance to the next level, "Sharpness of One''s Soul", staying at the second level "de of the World".


    Fortunately, she had read the "Path of the Sword" manual thoroughly and memorized it. This was something she needed to work on and most likely would be practicing in the early morning.


    Aside from that, she had two goals in mind, the expedition for the Ying Long Sea and the Heavenly Gate Tournament. The first three months away and the second was six months away now. There was also the matter with Xue Yue and the possiblity of merging their conciousness together.


    As she nned and thought, she couldn''t help but breathe deeply. There was quite a lot for her to do and even more to achieve. She looked off to the side, spotting her twopanions sleeping soundly.


    She smiled at them and her mind rxed. There was no point wracking herself over this and resolved to deal with it one day at a time.. Though the next three months would prove to be quite hectic.

 Chapter 211 - Eternal Heart Ring

    Ming Yue worked diligently and with effort to learn from Zhi Qing and Grand Researcher Ou.


    The early morning was spent practicing the sword and meditating on what "Sharpness of One''s Soul" meant. Understanding the essence will allow her to advance to the next level.


    Still, despite the steps taken and the exnations for this stage, she did not understand it.


    What did those four words refer too? She knew that it focused on the soul to transform it into a sharp de. That was what the manual said but she did not know how to do it. After all saying it was much easier than doing it.


    How could she manipte her soul? The energy of the soul was light and ethereal, hard to grasp. How could she make it sharp? Did it refer to her willpower or mentality? She had to use the sword as the mold but how could that be done?


    There were many things to ponder and many paths to take but she was unsure of what to do. As helpful as the manual was, she found parts of it vague and confusing.


    With this dilemma, she thought that Grand Researcher Ou would have an answer. After all, this was about the soul but when she asked, the Grand Researcher only smiled and spoke one line.


    "What I say does not matter, it is what you think is correct."


    This left her pondering and feeling stuck. What frustrated her even more was that she could not form Mental Force despite an innumerable number of attempts. Trying to merge twopletely different energies was incredibly difficult. As careful as she could, she tried to bnce them but only managed to get them to touch before the control was lost and all of her hard work disappeared.


    Just a wisp of Heart Energy could overpower all of the Soul Energy she could muster. Soul Energy was too weak, it had no substance and easily dissipated with just small hup.


    Grand Researcher Ou had nothing else to instruct her and only watched Ming Yue try and try again. Each failure led to a simple sigh and a tired look as she attempted once more. She was irritated by herck of progress and it showed. It was not even the end of the day and her control over her energy had degraded.


    She was at the cusp of forming Mental Force but missed one thing and that soured her mood.


    After a week of trying, Grand Researcher Ou told her to stop practising and to instead meditate on her own. Ming Yue''s frustrations had gotten the best of her and she could not help but scowl. Her mental fortitude was quite good but after failing so much, anyone would act like she did. Perhaps this week-long rest would prove to be helpful.


    Her control over energy had certainly improved but she did not know what to do.


    She needed to calm down and think carefully, deciding to take her mind off by going to the three seniors at the Craftmen''s District. She had been sent a letter by Cheng Wei toe to the Wildwood Pavilion and see of his new creation fit her fingers.


    Walking through the gates of the pavilion, she found there to be a sizable and dense garden full of odd nts and herbs. It wrapped around the building, a wooden structure made from ck wooden nks. Vines and moss wrapped around the walls, there were even flowers and buds that sprouted all through out the exterior.


    Coming with Hei Yue and Xiao Yin, she found that the pair stuck close to her. They seemed slightly wary at a few of the strange shrubs they passed by. At the sight of a rather strange nt, their guard was fully on though it was not unwarranted. This strange nt had arge bulb that seemed to split in half, like the jaws of a beast.*


    Inside the pavilion was wholly different from the exterior, there was emerald marble flooring and ss counters filled with numerous essories and a few sets of armor.


    There was an attendant waiting for her wearing earthen colored robes. It was simr to Cheng Wei''s robes with the shades of dark green and red but his had vines and moss on it.


    The attendant led the trio down a few flights of stairs, walking past numerous workshops before stopping at thergest one.


    "Senior Cheng is in here", said the attendant and opened the doors for Ming Yue.


    Entering this workshop, she saw several workbenchs as well as a number of tools that she was not familiar with.


    Cheng Wei was sitting down by one of the workbenches, his hands moved were slowly and carefully. There was a bright light in front of him, illuminating every spot of his current work. Hearing the gates closed, he turned around and saw Ming Yue standing there.


    "Ah, you are here", he said, "Come here, I need to check something with what I''m making for you."


    Ming Yue saw him wearing a strange headpiece that had several pieces of ssyered in front of his right eye.


    She followed him and saw him return to the workbench, removing what he was working on and handing it to her.


    With it in her hands, she saw that it was a ring, a wooden one made out of the branch of the Evergreen Heart.


    "Thesest few days have been incredibly rewarding. The journals and the piece of the Evergreen Heart have taught me a lot and helped me in creating this ring. The notes on selective and cross-breeding has been incredibly helpful in further cultivating my garden."


    He looked at her, removing the head piece and watching excitedly.


    "Please, try it on."


    She looked at the ring, a smooth piece that gently glittered with flecks of green. She tried it on, putting it on the index finger of her right hand as her spatial ring took her middle finger. It was a bit tight but not extremely hard to put on and take off.


    However the effect it had on her body was extraordinary. It coursed into her body and invigorated her, it even cleared her mind as well. If it had an effect in her cultivation, this ring would be in a league of its own. s, it was not strong enough for that.


    However, this was perfect for recovery.


    Ming Yue took out her dagger and made a small cut on her arm. She watched it mend and fix itself in seconds. Without the ring, a small injury like that would have taken a minute or so.


    "Senior, this is amazing", she spoke with shock as the ring had surpassed her expectations.


    She handed it back to Cheng Wei, who started working on it immediately upon noticing that it was a little small for her finger.


    "I''m going to name it the "Eternal Heart Ring", a nod to the Evergreen Heart."


    With a few tools in his hands, he started shaving off the inner part of the ring.


    "At first, I was not sure how to tackle making a ring out of this but a few tests made it much easier. Come back in a few hours and it should be done. Oh, and the other two seem quite excited with your de, you should go to them as well."


    "Really? Then I will return in a bit."


    She left the Wildwood Pavilion and headed to the other two stores. On her way there, she saw Mei Zhen burst out of the Forge of 81 Fires with her de wrapped in cloth and run to the Treasured Gem Hall.


    "Senior!"


    She called out but Mei Zhen was too hurried to hear her and disappeared into the bejeweled doors. Following the hammer-wielding senior, Ming Yue entered the Treasured Gem hall to find her and could not help but to pause and look at the inside of the Treasured Gem Hall.


    There were rows of ss countersplete with hundreds if not thousands of gems. Multiple attendants stood by their own counter and walked along, asking any customers if they needed help.


    Ming Yue looked around and saw Mei Zhen''s silhouette ascending the floors.


    She followed up the stairs not knowing what was in store for her.

 Chapter 212 - Outfitting The Sword

    "Senior! Senior, please wait!"


    Ming Yue called out to Mei Zhen but her words fell short. The senior of the Forge of 81 Fires rushed up to the highest floor where Zhang Guang stood, studying a plethora of silver colored gems that heid out on a stone workbench..


    "Try it."


    Mei Zhen quickly unwrapped the sword and ced it on the workbench.


    With tweezer in his hands, Zhang Guang worked quickly and skillfully, inserting one of the gems in before frowning and recing it with another. However, all of the gems he chose were unsatisfactory and he went into deep thought.


    "Really? None of them work?"


    Mei Zhen looked at him incredulously, she did not expect such a thing.


    "They do work but not perfectly."


    "How can that be? It can''t be that hard to find a core that fits. Are you sure none of them can do the job?"


    "Hah, whose the expert here? There is a lot of intricacy when you insert gems into someone''s personal sword. If it was the core of a tool then it wouldn''t matter but this is different."


    As the two spoke, Zhang Guang noticed Ming Yue waiting by the door. Noticing his eyes, Mei Zhen turned around as well.


    "Ming Yue? When did youe here?" she asked.


    "I... saw you leaving your store and running in here. I tried to call for you but you did not respond so I followed you."


    Mei Zhen felt slightly embarassed that she ignored Ming Yue but exined her hastiness.


    "Ah, I see. I was in a bit of a rush trying to get the sword outfitted with a gem. I had just finished altering it and went to get it done while the de was still warm. Though it seems that my efforts were in vain."


    Zhang Guang snorted at her remarks.


    "You don''t have to worry about that. New or old, It doesn''t matter to me, I can still do good work. In any case, did youe to check on your sword?"


    Ming Yue nodded, telling them that she had juste from the Wildwood Pavilion.


    "Ah, checking on the Cheng Wei''s work right? Heh, he always does good work. Well here is your sword."


    Mei Zhen grabbed Drifting Sky by the hilt and gave to her.


    Looking at it, there wasn''t much difference. In fact, it was identical to before.


    "The work of the Forgelord of Rong Lu City is impable. The ancient techniques he used really does make this de incredible. You would be hardpressed to find a cksmith that can work on it. Give it a try, in fact, try it on me but remember to cycle your energy through the de."


    Mei Zhen stood in front of Ming Yue, wielding her one handed monster of a hammer. She held up her arms and guarded herself, standing tall and towering over Ming Yue. She gave off a powerful aura, it was vigorous and dense. mes rose from her body causing the room to rise in temperature.


    Hei Yue immediately bared his fangs as Xiao Yin flew up, star energy began to gather at her ws. However, Ming Yue looked at the two, telling with her eyes to not make a move.


    "Hey wait, this is my workshop!" Zhang Guang tried to stop them but he spoke toote.


    Ming Yue took up the sword and power coursed through the sword. She used her first technique, "First Wind, Phantasmal Wind" and the de was encased in a thin coating of sharp winds.


    She stepped forward and disappeared from their eyes, reappearing at the de met the head of Mei Zhen''s hammer. Mei Zhen stood her ground but her eyes had widened in surprise as Ming Yue seemingly vanished and reappeared like a phantom. She held her ground against Ming Yue, not giving an inch.


    A sharp ring followed by the grinding of metal was all that they heard before the Ming Yue backed off.


    She looked at the sword in surprise and began inspecting closely, empowering the de with more and more of her power.


    "What a move!" Mei Zhen eximed, Zhang Guang was just as surprised.


    "If your cultivation was higher, I would''ve had to exert a bit of strength."


    Mei Zhen grinned before looking at Zhang Guang. Along with Cheng Wei, these three seniors were all at the Sky Realm though Cheng Wei was above them by a fair bit.


    Ming Yue didn''t hear those words as she was too entranced by her sword. What did Mei Zen do to it?


    She found it strange that upon using her technique, the energy running through the de had been amplified. The strength that she exerted had nearly doubled but the de also drained much more of her energy.


    "How did you do this?" asked Ming Yue.


    She looked to Mei Zhen with both curiosity and surprise.


    Mei Zhen''s grin grew wider.


    "That is the result of years of study from me and my peers. If you didn''t already know, we three have specialized in different things. I focused on improving the flow of energy in weapons and armor. Zhang Guang here, focused on the gathering energies of gems and other physical manifestations. Senior Cheng studied the natural energies of flora."


    Zhang Guang coughed and chimed in.


    "We were formally in high positions as Division Heads and led the threergest departments. We more or less, towered over every other department heads. You know I-"


    "Ahem, now isn''t the time to listen to your tales. I still have to exin a few things."


    Zhang Guang felt stifled as Mei Zhen no longer gave him a chance to speak.


    Hooking her hammer onto her belt, Mei Zhen walked up to Ming Yue and held the sword in her hands.


    "Considering the unique structure that this sword has, I had to take some measures to make sure that I wouldn''tpromise any part of it. In simple words, I had bathed it in the natural energy of the world, tempering it and making it a better conduit for your energy. There were a hundred other little steps but that is the gist of it. You should have found it much easier to execute your techniqes and that the strength of them had increased."


    Then she pointed at two little holes on either side of the de. This must have been where Zhang Guang had been inserting his gems.


    "Unfortunately, without filling these gem slots, this de is still at the Peak Divine Grade. If it weren''t for that, then this de would have reached the Lower World Grade maybe even the Middle World Grade."


    "I see."


    Ming Yue looked at Drifting Sky, studying the little gem slots.


    "You don''t have to worry, I have many gems in reserve. I will find a pair that works, mark my words."


    Zhang Guang looked prideful as he spoke those words, puffing out his mediocre chest.


    "I cannot thank you enough for the help", Ming Yue bowed to the two seniors.


    She did not think that they would be willing to do this much for her.


    "Don''t worry about that. Your journals have contributed a lot to us seniors and to the Dark Water Kingdom. Besides, you''re the student of Shen Zhong, the High Assayer."


    "Indeed! Cheng Wei kept secret of the Evergreen Heart''s abilities but wth everything about cultivating nts and breeding them, he added it to the archives."


    The two seniors showed their gratefulness and stopped her from bowing.


    "Anyways, you should return to Cheng Wei. I''m sure that he is done now."


    "Take the sword with you too. Zhang Guang here, will have to search through his inventory again."


    Mei Zhen returned the sword to Ming Yue and suddenly remembered something rather important.


    "I almost forgot! You can insert more than just your Quintessence Force now. It should be much morepatible with Mental Force, Soul Energy, and Heart Energy."


    "What?" Ming Yue paused and turned around.


    "Yes, while bathing the de in the World''s Energy had improved its conductivity it is also much easier to feed it different types of energy. What''s wrong? Have you never tried?"


    "No, I haven''t."


    Ming Yue''s mind began to run with thoughts as something crossed her mind.


    What would happen if she fueled her sword with Soul Energy?

 Chapter 213 - Inspiration Of The Soul

    "I suppose that''s to be expected. You''ve only just discovered the different forces of your body after reaching the third stage of the Earth Realm. From what Zhi Qing told us, you haven''t really fully adjusted to your cultivation."


    That was true. She had only learned about Quintessence Force from Shen Zhong and found out about everything else from her time with Grand Researcher Ou and Zhi Qing.


    "Well, it shouldn''t matter too much now. You probably have a decent grasp at it all. Anyways, you should return to the Wildwood Pavilion. Cheng Wei is probably done."


    Ming Yue went for the doors and bowed to the two seniors before exiting.


    "What was actually wrong?"


    Mei Zhen looked to Zhang Quang, who sighed and looked at the wind gems.


    "It seems that the de won''t just ept anything normal. Even if I were to force a gem onto it, it would ultimately lead to the destruction of both."


    "Hmmm, the methods of the Forgelord is very ancient. I suppose that finding something appropriate would be difficult. But what do you think about her?"


    "Hard to say but from that move, she has certainly gone through an experience."


    "Hm, that is true. I wonder how long she is going to stay here."


    "A few months if I remember, I guess you better get to work and find something that works. Else, she leaves with an unfinished sword."


    "Of course! It''s going to tarnish my reputation if I can''t do something as simple as this."


    "Simple, huh."


    Outside of Zhang Guang''s Treasured Gem Hall, Ming Yue went back to the WIldwood Pavilion as the two pets of hers followed along. Returning to the lower floors, She saw Cheng Wei finishing up on the Eternal Heart Ring.


    He had a small rod in his hand, rubbing at the surface of the ring before blowing any dust away.


    "There... it''s finished."


    Cheng Wei studied it, looking at the ring from every angle to find any imperfections. He looked satisfied, smiling at the piece.


    "Ming Yue! You''ve returned at the right time. Try it and tell me how it feels."


    He handed it to her and watched as she put it on the ring.


    Ming Yue felt the familiar energy of the Evergreen Heart flow into her body, a cool but refreshing feeling filled her. The ring itself had easily slipped into her index finger. It was a thin but sturdy wood band with those green specks of light.


    "It''s amazing."


    "Heh, this is probably one of the best pieces I''ve made. Still, this ring barely fits the price for what you have given me."


    "Please, senior, this is more than enough. I cannot ept anymore of your gratitude or I would feel guilty."


    Ming Yue seemed a bit flustered for once, the Eternal Heart Ring was more than enough. Not to mention, this wasn''t even the reason she came to the Dark Water Kingdom for. All of this was pure luck and coincidence was what she thought.


    Cheng Wei gave a short smile as he looked at her.


    "Quite the humble one, aren''t you? I won''t pressure you then but if you return to the shop,e find me."


    Ming Yue said her farewell, promising toe back and left returned to her quarters.


    There was a lot on her mind but most importantly, she had to address the new capabilities of her sword.


    "Soul Energy, Heart Energy, and Mental Force..."


    She stared at Drifting Sky, standing still as Hei Yue and Xiao Yin looked at her curiously. Neither really knew what their master was doing but nheless, they went into the courtyard and began ying together. Though it seemed more like they were sparring with each other. There were puffs of ck smoke and little cuts on the ground as they circled each other and attacked.


    Meanwhile, Ming Yue still continued to stare at her sword, scrutinizing it to find what had changed. Even though, Mei Zhen had told her what was done to the de, she did not believe that there were no physical changes.


    "What are you looking for?"


    Xue Yue''s voice popped in, sounding somewhat irritated.


    "If you''re going to do it then do it."


    Ming Yue sighed and gave up on trying to find anything. Instead, she urged the Heart Energy into her de first. It hummed with power and with a few swings she found that the sword''s weight had changed, bing heavier. She walked outside and found a stone on the floor. Attacking it with her de, the small stone cracked at the point where the de attacked and crumbled.


    Heart Energy was one''s physical prowess, the main source of power for Body Cultivators. It seems that the vigorous attributes of this energy had transferred onto the de, leading to less of a sharpness and more brute strength.


    If she were to attack someone, it would feel less like cutting them and more like smashing into their innards, a rather brutal way of attacking.


    "How interesting. So the sword has such capabilities now", said Xue Yue.


    Ming Yue was also taken aback by these things but she still had one more thing to try.


    "But the more important thing is what it would be with Soul Energy."


    Ming Yue replied and rescinded her Heart Energy, bringing on her Soul Energy and empowering her de with it. When she was trying toprehend what the next stage of the Sword Sage Path was, she had tried a multitude of things. Trying to shape her soul into a sword led to nothing as it was too light topress. Though, it never crossed her mind that her soul energy could be sent into the de.


    Drifitng Sky slowly became transparant, losing its physical capabilites. But, she felt strange feelinging from it, some sort of unease.


    "The sharpness of one''s soul..."


    She fueled the de with more Soul Energy,pressing it into the bounds of her de. Slowly but surely, it took shape, filling every part of her sword with soul energy. Attacking with it led to a strange sensation, she stabbed into the ground and found that it did not pierce it but the soil had loosened, bing a crumbly texture.


    "Strange", she thought.


    "Using the sword as the mold..."


    Certainly, this was what she had one but what was the next step?


    Ming Yue thought back to the manual, remembering that it must be within one''s body for them to have reached the next stage.


    "What if I seperate it?"


    Without missing a beat, she ced both hands onto the sword and pulled them apart. Suddenly, Drifting Sky was in one hand while the other had another Drifting Sky, only this one was made entirely of Soul Energy.


    She continued to put more and more of her Soul Energy into thetter until she barely had any left.


    Ming Yue felt lethargic from doing this, her knees were about to crumple as she became dizzy.


    However the Soul Energy that formed her sword was finished, the de was glowing in a silvery color. If she wanted to put it back into her body without dispersing it, there was only one way it could be done. The manual described it as merging the sword with the body. In other words, one must strike themselves with the physical manifestion of their soul.


    Knowing that and feeling the exhaustion rising, she stabbed the soul de into her body and fell asleep.

 Chapter 214 - Tempering The Soul

    Having fallen to the ground, Hei Yue and Xiao Yin stopped what they were doing and rushed to Ming Yue''s side. They looked incredibly worried and moved her body inside. Her body was weak and sapped of energy and theyid her onto the bed.


    Fortunately, she was still breathing so the two did not seem quite worried. At the same time, they were confused as to what had happened. She seemed fine, waving her sword about and suddenly she copses without warning.


    "What about the old woman?" they thought, refering to Grand Researcher Ou.


    Perhaps she knew what happened to Ming Yue.


    The pair set off to find her as Ming Yue''s conciousness went through a number of changes. She found herself in a different space but it was a familiar one. It was the gray world where Xue Yue resided in, the space within her soul.


    Ming Yue looked around, wandering for a few minutes.


    "Hm, you''re here."


    Xue Yue''s voice whispered into her ear as Ming Yue turned around to find her counterpart standing in front of her.


    "Why am I here?" she asked, "Is it becasue of what I did?"


    Xue Yue shrugged, giving Ming Yue an annoyed look.


    "What do you think? How else would you exin this?"


    At this time, the gray world began to rumble and crack as the sky turned ck and millions of twinkling lights appeared above them. There was a countless number of them and it resembled the night sky.


    "What''s happening?" Ming Yue called out as she tried to maintain her bnce.


    "I don''t know."


    Opposite to her, Xue Yue revealed a troubled expression as she gazed around.


    The twinkling lights began to shine even more brightly, growing in size. The pair looked up and the feeling of danger loomed over them. It wasn''t until seconds before they realized that these lights were not gettingrger but insteading closer. In fact, they wereing down at an rming speed.


    Both Ming Yue and Xue Yue jumped away avoiding the first few that fell. As it reached the ground, they pierced it with ease.


    These lights were not stars of the night sky, they were swords. Swords made of soul energy, each and every one of them were all the same, taking on the same appearance as Drifting Sky.


    Ming Yue looked in surprise before Xue Yue grabbed one of those swords and used it to defend herself. She followed after, taking up a sword and began deflecting the rain of des that came down.


    Each time a de pierced the ground, the space around it would turn to dust.


    More importantly, the numerous swords that fell upon them grew in strength. They were heavier, sharper, and gave off an aura of danger.


    The swords in their hands had taken a beating. There were cracks in the edges and pieces had been chipped off. The sharp pressure they felt was overbearing, it was like a knife constantly pressed against their throats.


    Ming Yue found something familiar about this aura. It was simr to that of Elder Xiang, who had revealed his strength when they had first met. The only way it could be described was that it was extremely sharp and tyrannical.


    What she faced right now did not have that tyrannical feeling but there was an undeniable intensity. It was like facing a thousand swordsmen at once, a thousand des all pointed at her.


    Both Xue Yue and Ming Yue had separated from each other, too focused on what was above them to care about each other. The moment their swords had broken, they tossed it aside and grabbed another continuing to brave the onught.


    "How do you even stop this?!" Xue Yue yelled out.


    "Endure it!"


    Ming Yue replied but she didn''t know if that was the correct answer. If this was a tribtion or trial, then she had to endure it, to survive until the end. However, Xue Yue was not satisfied with such an answer.


    "I''ve been enduring for a long time. I''m not going to act so passively!"


    She grabbed another de, wielding two in her hands and sent off a wave of energy towards the sky. She flew up and began sending off one attack after the other, getting higher and higher.


    "Wait! That''s too dangerous!"


    Ming Yue watched as her counterpart charged at the sky while she stayed behind, dodging and deflecting. She did not think Xue Yue would be so reckless and could not help but show concern for her.


    "Damn it", she cursed herself and chased after Xue Yue.


    Meanwhile, it took a bit but Hei Yue and Xiao Yin were able to find Grand Researcher Ou. After running off to find her, they returned to the Research District and dashed through the main building until they found Zhi Qing. She had been carrying some documents before two blurs of a beast charged towards her.


    Seeing their fearful eyes she knew that something had gone wrong and went to get her master.


    Upon seeing the trio burst into her quarters, the Grand Researcher realized that something must have happened to Ming Yue. However in her position, she could not leave the halls so easily and had many things to do. Instead, she gave Zhi Qing a medallion and sent them off.


    By activating that medallion, it would send out an astral projection of her so that she could view the situation.


    With it, Zhi Qing travelled to Ming Yue''s courtyard and found her unconsious but still breathing.


    "What happened?" she looked around, finding Ming Yue''s swordying on the ground outside.


    Picking it up, she studied it and found remnants of soul and heart energy on the de. Looking around, Zhi Qing noticed the broken stones and realized that Ming Yue must have been testing her improved sword. But that did not exin her current situation.


    She stepped towards Ming Yue, whose body was pale and the energy within her was weak. She looked internally, finding that Ming Yue''s soul was incredibly weak. Examining it even closer, she saw a sword of soul energy stabbed through Ming Yue''s soul.


    "What? She damaged her own soul?"


    Zhi Qing was surprised and could not fathom why Ming Yue would do such a thing. She removed the medallion given to her by the Grand Researcher and activated it. The medallion glowed and sent out a white, transparent projection of Grand Researcher Ou.


    She faced Zhi Qing before looking at Ming Yue and examining her.


    At first, she felt shock and concern but then it changed to understanding. This damage was intentional and she realized that this was to temper the soul!


    Projecting her voice to the others, she exined what exactly was happening.


    "She is tempering her own soul, so you do not need to worry as there will be nosting damage. However, do not interrupt her or awaken her or you will have disruppted the process."


    Zhi Qing was surprised.


    "She is tempering her soul? But this method, it is too dangerous is it not? She formed a sword of her own soul energy and stabbed herself! This is too cruel of a method."


    "You forget, she is not from here nor have our research been made public to the rest of the world. We should keep watch to make sure the process goes well but assuming she knows what she''s doing, Ming Yue should recover."


    Looking at Ming Yue, everyone wondered why she would temper her soul at a time like this.


    Then, without warning, Ming Yue''s body trembled as she suddenly spit out a mouthful of blood.


    They felt shock and checked to find that her soul was slowly growing smaller and smaller, with the sword absorbing it until only it existed.. Her soul was no more.

 Chapter 215 - Sharpness Of Ones Soul

    Within, Ming Yue and Xue Yue fought their way up, forcing a path towards the sky. The higher they went, the worse the situation became. It seemed that something sensed their approach and tried to impede them as much as possible. The pressure skyrocketed and the number of swords had nearly tripled. Their attacks weren''t enough to fend off these des anymore and soon enough, one slipped through.


    Shooting down on them, this one sword identical to Drifting Sky had stabbed Xue Yue on the thigh. She faltered, yelping in pain as another de came down and pierced through her shoulder.


    "Xue Yue!"


    Ming Yue went towards her, protecting the both of them. But on her own, she could no longer push forward and fell down to the ground. On her way there, she felt something tear through her right side and a searing pain followed.


    Xue Yue grunted in pain, looking irritated as she looked at the sky.


    "What the hell are we suppose to do? If this continues, we''re going to die, this space will be destroyed along with us."


    Ming Yue grit her teeth, not knowing what to do.


    She did not think that this would happen when she stabbed herself with a sword of her own energy. Thinking hard, she recited the words of the manual, trying to understand what should be done.


    Sharpness of One''s Soul, what did that mean? It could not just be about sharpness, there must be a hidden meaning.


    Then Ming Yue realized something.


    She stabbed herself a sword made of her own energy, a sword modeled after her own, energy that came from within. There were no outside sources, no variables or factors that changed this. All of this was hers and if it was hers, could she not control it?


    The sharp and ferocious aura of these des originated from her and to be sharp was to be ruthless, to be harsh. One could not be more ruthless to anyone but themselves and she knew that. She knew that killing required a cold heart and mercilessness. Perhaps this was why everything around her was devoid of color, there was little emotion in her.


    She looked up to the sky and saw thousands of raining des. She looked around and saw the graynd pierced with even more swords.


    This was the measure of her soul and if she broke under its strength, she could no longer grow. If she lost to her own sharpness, what did that mean when she battles another swordsman? If she faltered here, would she not falter in battle. She had to be ruthless, she had to take control, she had to be in control. She had to be better, to strive for a higher peak.


    But was that the right way?


    She did not know but there was only one way to find out. She focused, sensing the soul energy around her. It was abundant and it felt familiar. The glowing aura of these swords manifested themselves and she willed it towards her.


    Watching her action, Xue Yue picked herself up and defended Ming Yue from the iing des.


    The swords that pierced the ground trembled before one by one, they lifted out of the ground and surrounded the pair. Then they came by the dozens and formed a barrier of swords, circling around them and parrying those that came from the sky. The constant ring of shing swords filled their ears as the barrier slowly grew.


    Ming Yue continued to spread her control and with each sword, her strength grew. Xue Yue watched all of this unfold. Certainly, she was a part of Ming Yue and she had a part within all of this. But she was not the one in control and thus there was only so much she could do.


    The power that Ming Yue felt meant nothing to Xue Yue for she felt the connection but she could not manipte. Thus, she could only watch as Ming Yue gathered the des. Xue Yue did not feel envy from this, in her mind, all that mattered was survival and this was a step closer. It mattered not what Ming Yue did, so long as they live, nothing really mattered.


    Then the rain of des stopped and instead a massive sword formed, pointed right at them. It was hundreds of timesrger and its power was not to be trifled with. If Ming Yue did not know any better, this was the final step. This de epassed everything else, it was the embodiment of her soul, the umtion of her ability.


    It was a fearsome feeling, chilling to the core as this de would definitely kill her. Whether or not this was a figment of her imagination or that this sword was a part of her, she knew that this de meant nothing more than death. It floated above her idly, perhaps waiting to see what she would do.


    Ming Yue thought about her next actions, this shield of swords would shatter under the weight of that sword. Instead, she moved the swords together, merging them into one. Even the ones in Xue Yue''s handsbined into that one sword.


    She held it in her hands, wondering if this was enough to fend it off.


    "What are you doing? Don''t just wait for it toe."


    Xue Yue''s voice broke her from her thoughts.


    Yes, this what the only thing she could do now. Without a doubt, she knew it was death whether or not she approached it. However, if she was going to face this thing, she would not go down without using everyst bit of her strength.


    Gently, she lifted herself off the ground, moving towards the giant sword. With the one in her hand, she held it with both hand, gathering as much power as she could.


    Having sensed her approach, the sword shook before falling from the sky. The impending sh came in seconds, the de of one against the de of many.


    Ming Yue held her sword forward and met the giant de in the middle of the air. She felt an immeasurable weight from that impact. The sword in her hands cracked as her body was pushed down.


    She pushed back with all of her strength but she could not take on the full force and was brought down. With her two feet, shended on the ground and went down on one knee. She would not let that de go past her and her body shook under the weight.


    In those moments of struggle, Xue Yue went to her side supporting the cracked de with her own hands.


    "If you''re this weak-why would I let you take the reins?" putting her weight behind it, Xue Yue grit her teeth and pushed back.


    With a shout of defiance, Ming Yue stood up and pushed the sword back. This final burst of strength exploded forward and the sword in their hands shined. The cracks disappeared as the sword dug into the body of the giant de.


    Even as their bodies bled, their limbs ached, and their bones shaked, the pair stood their ground and they pushed with all of their might.


    The giant de before them pushed even harder but there was only so much it could muster.


    As the small sword cleaved into its giant body, the de began to lose strength.


    "You damned thing, fall already!"


    Ming Yue shouted out as she ced everything she had into the sword and sent off a massive wave of power that split the de in half and turned into motes of light. Exhausted, she fell down with her back on the ground and watched as everything turned to light.


    She did not know where Xue Yue was nor did she have the strength to look around.. Her eyelids grew heavy and she could not stop them from closing.

 Chapter 216 - Reaching The Next Stage

    "Her soul-it''s gone! How can that be?"


    Zhi Qing was extremely shocked, even with all that she had learned, she did not expect a conclusion like this. She knew that it was perfectly possible for this to happen but she dared not to believe it. A soul extinguished before her very eyes.


    Much to her surprise, Grand Researcher Ou did not react like her. Rather, she stared intently at Ming Yue, as if waiting for something to happen and then somehting did happen.


    The soul sword had crumbled and reformed back into a soul. The sharp aura that the sword exuded did not disappear but rather empowered the reformed soul. It was a radiant sphere of soul energy that brought life back into Ming Yue''s pale body.


    Her eyes trembled before they opened, revealing her twinkling brown eyes.


    "She''s awake!"


    Zhi Qing eximed as she watched this unfold.


    Unfortunately, Ming Yue was still quite weak and her eyes did not stay open for long. She fell into a deep sleep, even as color returned to her face she was quite far from looking healthy.


    "Hm, she needs a few days of rest. I will send someone to care for herter but for now, we should let her sleep."


    Grand Researcher Ou turned to Zhi QIng as she spoke. Her aged face had a calm expression which was a stark contrast to Zhi Qing''s, whoserge eyes had further widened form surprise.


    "But was she not dead moments ago? How did this happen?" she asked.


    "Your eyes are yet to reach that level yet so you did not see what had truly happened. Only a small fleck of her soul remained as it met against the tip of the sword. It was incredibly close but that tiny piece persevered, managing to push the sword back and destroy it from within."


    Grand Researcher Ou''s exnation only caused Zhi Qing to ask more questions.


    "I''ll exin it to you when you get back but for now we should leave."


    Before the projection disappeared, she looked at Hei Yeu and Xiao Yin, projecting her voice into their minds and telling them that everything was fine.


    The pair showed confused expressions towards the mysterious voice in their heads before realizing that it was from the Grand Researcher. Hearing her words ahd calmed them down, it was good to know that Ming Yue was in no danger anymore.


    Still, she was incredibly drained and stayed in a deep sleep for a few days. When she came to, she was met with Hei Yue''s wagging tail and the gentle coos of Xiao Yin. Having sensed the stirring of their master, they came with glee upon seing her well.


    "Heh, you two seem quite happy, don''t you?"


    They looked a bit offended from herment. She was alive and well, of course, they were happy.


    "Ah, I shouldn''t have made you two so worried."


    She giggled a bit from their hugs before feeling a growing hunger within. Looking out into the window, it was night time and the night market was certainly bustling.


    "Let''s go get something to eat", she said to the two and left for the market.


    She spent a few gold pieces on tonight''s meal but that amounted to alot. After all, this was no fancy restaurant but food stalls that lined the roads. The trio had everything from cold noodles dipped in this spicy peanut sauce, grilled mushroom caps, raw fish fresh from the Ying Long Sea and much more.


    On the next day, Ming Yue felt much better. She was energetic and excited especially. Ever since she had awakened, she felt something change within her and she knew that it was her soul that changed.


    The light and delicate soul energy had gained a new aspect to its aura, a sense of coldness and sharpness.


    ording to what she had read, this was a sign that she had sessfully entered the next stage, Sharpness of One''s Soul. She had only just entered it and now, she had to cultivate it.


    Waking in the early morning, Hei Yue and Xiao Yin were still asleep but Ming Yue grabbed her sword and walked out into the courtyard.


    She gave a few casual swings to warm up before empowering the de with her soul energy. This time, the de did not turn transparent but gave out a much stronger aura of unease. It wasn''t just a feeling but it had made her soul tremble.


    In terms of physicality, it did not do much to the ground or any random stones.


    But then she tried it with some of her techniques finding little difference in its nature but realizing that the feeling these attacks gave off was different. They were a bit stronger but the aura had be much more forboding. It was as if you would be cut down to your very essence, that is, your soul would be cut down.


    She found it very interesting and spent the entire day testing it out.


    As she became much more ustomed, she began to ponder the uses and understand just how amazing this was.


    In a battle between two fighters, it always begins with a battle of one''s willpower, their aura, their "sharpness". If one towered over the other, then battle would not be necessary as the victor was already clear. Whose mentality was stronger would determine the fight and in Ming Yue''s case, she had quite the mentality. In fact, the sharpness that she exudes was a cut above the rest and that came from her experiences in thest few years.


    But in her mind, Ming Yue still had a lot to do. If she were topare her sharpness to that of Elder Xiang, it was nothing. She produced a feeling to the soul but not the pressure that the elder produced.


    If she had to improve this, she had to learn how to use her soul energy and incorporate it better into her techniques. She also had to temper her soul energy and strengthen it but that was not something she would be doing anytime soon. That first experience was taxing and it would be stupid to do it again so soon.


    "Hmm, I wonder how I would fare against someone else. I should ask Zhi Qing and Senior Ou."


    She thought and decided to see them tomorrow as sun had already set. In any case, she had spent most of the week that the Grand Researcher gave her to break into the next stage of the Sword Sage Path. Today had been the seventh day soing to see them was already a given.


    A quick exnation was all that they needed to understand what had happened to Ming Yue in the past few days. Even then, Zhi Qing had scolded her for this.


    "That was too dangerous! Your soul almost disappeared because of what you did. If you wanted to temper your soul, you could''ve asked me or Master about it. We have much more refined methodspared to what you''ve just done."


    Her small stature nearly towered over Ming Yue from her anger.


    On the other hand, Grand Researcher Ou merely had a small grin on her face as if she knew something else. Of course,pared to her disicple, she knew much more of what had happened. It wasn''t merely a tempering of the soul but more of a transformation to attune to the Sword Dao. Tempering the soul did not lead to such a dramatic change nor was it that dangerous.


    She could sense the aura of Ming Yue''s soul, the sharpness and strength that it had was much different than before. It was controlled and focused. Even she was a bit surprised by the changes to Ming Yue but nevertheless, she knew that Ming Yue needed to improve.


    As her voice entered Ming Yue''s mind, she asked a simple question.


    "Are you ready to try again?"

 Chapter 217 - Creation Of Mental Force

    Ming Yue nodded and followed the Grand Researcher to the Ster Star Foundation, where she once again attempted to form Mental Force. This time she was much more rxed and just as confident this time.


    As the scenery changed to the same grass field, Ming Yue sat down and began under the supervision of Grand Researcher Ou.


    Gathering both energies, she slowly made them touch and merge together. This time, the Soul Energy did not dissipate in an instant. It went about and intertwined with the Heart Energy. This was progress! However, Ming Yue was not done yet.


    She ced all of her focus into this, slowly feeding this mass of energy with more energy.


    As it turned and twisted, the mass of energy had be colorless and the surface had be calm, forming a perfect sphere.


    "Don''t lose focus just yet. This is just the start, now you have to move it towards your mind and let it seep into it."


    Grand Researcher Ou''s voice was the only thing Ming Yue heard as she followed every instruction.


    The Mental Force that she had created slowly moved its way through her body and into vessel that was her mind. It casually entered it and Ming Yue felt a headacheing and suddenly her head felt like splitting. She groaned under the pain as the Grand Researcher watched.


    "Endure it, it will pass in a few moments", she said.


    And it did pass, the pain subsided and Ming Yue opened her eyes. In those moments, she could feel the energy of the Ster Sky Formation''s illusions much more finely. Her mind showed no changes but she could feel them.


    "Try it, form an illusion of your own", the Grand Researcher whispered and Ming Yue did as she said.


    Activating her Mental Force, the colorless energy flowed from her mind and through the tips of her fingers. As it took control of the Ster Sky Formation, the grass field shimmered and shined before changing scenes. Ming Yue wasn''t sure what sort of illusion to make, would she try something simple or test her limits?


    Since she had managed this far on her first try, thetter option seemed to fit but what sort of illusion should she try?


    It had to be something she was familiar with, something very close to her heart. Then it came to her and the shimmering grass field slowly changed. It became a lush forest where a vigeid within, in fact it was a very familiar one. There was a small home with racks of dried herbs, an empty field on the other side where youths came to train. This was Green Orchid Vige, her home, a memory of the past.


    The Mental Force drained from her mind as she continued to form this illusion. It was incredibly detailed, so much so, that it could almost be seen as real. However, unlike the home of her past, this ce was empty, devoid of people except for her and Grand Researcher Ou.


    Ming Yue looked around, taking in the sight of it all. She stood up, feeling a bit dazed from the budren her mind was put through. However, it wasn''t enough to stop her from walking around.


    Everything looked the same as it did years ago. The little wood houses and the peaceful environment. She felt reminiscent and thought about her time here.


    "Is this your home?" asked Grand Researcher Ou.


    Ming Yue nodded.


    "It was", she said, walking towards her family home, feeling some form of anticipation.


    She went past the drying racks and opened the door to find nothing but a nk space. Though she didn''t show it, within her was a sense of disappointment. At the same time, she wondered to herself as to what she had expected to see once she opened those doors.


    "You have just formed Mental Force, creating high levels illusions will take a lot more power."


    The Grand Researcher exined as Ming Yue relinquished control over the Ster Star Formation, The illusion of her home was gone, reced by the gray walls of the room.


    "Congrattions, you''ve sessfully created Mental Force and now you are capable of the unique techniques thate with it. Once we get started on that, you will find it much easier to form an illusion without the help of the Ster Star Formation."


    Ming Yue turned to her and bowed in respect and gratefulness.


    "Thank you for guiding me this far, Senior Ou."


    "Ah, you should thank Shen Zhong for he was the one that sent you here. In any case, is there anything else, you want to ask me about?"


    "Yes actually, would it be possible for me toe onto the next expedition for the Ying Long Sea?" Ming Yue asked, hoping that the Grand Researcher would agree.


    "Oh, the Ying Long Sea? Why are you interested in such a ce?"


    "Zhi Qing had told me of a gravesite where dragons and those that challenged them that lies at the center of the sea. I was curious and had never seen nor heard of such a thing, so I had wanted toe and see it for myself. I will not get in the way of the research that is being carried out, if that is what you are worried about."


    Grand Researcher Ou pondered over Ming Yue''s request.


    "Well, this time, the expedition will have around twenty people. Considering your strength, adding one more shouldn''t be bad. I will have to speak with a few others about this matter but expect my answer within the week."


    MIng Yue thanked her and went on her way to Zhi Qing, to practice controlling her energy. In the next several days, Grand Researcher Ou did note to the Ster Sky Formation, leaving Ming Yue to practice on her own. Even without her instruction, Ming Yue practiced creating illusions with the help of the formation and became much more ustomed to the process.


    When the Grand Researcher returned, she brought with her some good news. She hade to the Ster Sky Formation with two others, a man and a woman.


    Opening the doors, the trio entered within to find themselves standing over water where there was one ind in the distance. It was the illusion that both Elder Shen and the High Researcher had set up in their quarters, the lone ind within the vast sea, aodnred wiht nothing but a small hut and an ancient tree.


    As for Ming Yue, she stood at the center, between the ind and the Grand Researcher. Having sensed them enter, she broke the illusion returning the formation back to its original appearance.


    "Seniors."


    She turned around and greeted the three.


    "You''ve made quite a bit of progress I see."


    Grand Researcher Ou was surprised by how far she had gone in a few days, what she did not know was that MIng Yue spent much of her time here, testing and refining her use of Mental Force.


    "I still have much to improve on."


    "Hah, you humble yourself. I''m here about your entry for the expedition of the Ying Long Sea and after some deliberation, we''ve agreed to put you in."


    "Really?" Ming Yue felt excited, it was not an understatement to say that she had been hoping for this.


    "Yes, these two behind me will be in charge of the expedition and wanted to see you in person. Please introduce yourselves."


    The pair walked forward in a simr fashion, wearing the same red and gold robes and moving in the same way. In fact, everything about them was the same, their posture, the round eyed sses on their face, an ivory bracelet on their left wrists. The only difference was that one was a man and the other was a woman, even then they looked incredibly simr. Their faces had a sharp nose, a square jaw, and downturned eyes.


    They even spoke together too.


    "Greetings, I am Long Wei", said the man.


    "Greetings, I am Long Wang", said the woman.


    "We are siblings, who also lead the research on dragon energy and we also lead the expeditions. We''vee here to find out who was so interested as to join us.. We''ve alsoe here to determine your strength."

 Chapter 218 - A Taste Of A Dragons Power

    "My strength?" asked Ming Yue.


    "Yes, although you will being with us. We have to know the limits of your strength to determine what sort of equipment we must bring to keep you safe. As you know, the gravesite contains the corpses of dragons and so the pressure exerted by their bodies will be difficult to withstand without proper preparation."


    As the Long siblings spoke, they brought out four ivory gs.


    "These gs will simte the environment there and under its influence we will determine how well you will persist when we get to the gravesite."


    "I see. We should start then."


    The two then put their hands forward, stopping Ming Yue.


    "Wait, we will not be doing it here but at the Heaven Earth tform. This ce is much to valuable to do it here. Please follow us."


    Ming Yue found the pair quite strange but nheless saw them as another one of the many entrics. WIth the Grand Researcher follwing them from behind, they headed to the Heaven Earth tform, finding an empty space to set up the ivory gs.


    "Please", the pair finished and allowed Ming Yue to enter this formation.


    "There are 10 levels to this formation, each one represents the areas that we have traveled through. Of course, we will be starting at the first level."


    Ming Yue nodded, showing her readiness.


    Standing by idly, she waited for the formation to activate. With Long Wei and Long Wang on either side, they made several hand symbols and turned it on.


    "This is the first level."


    Ming Yue felt slight pressure but it was nothing to be distressed about.


    At the second level, the pressure increased. At the third, there were traces of dragon energy. At the fourth, the dragon energy had be much thicker. By the fifth, Ming Yue was struggling to stand up as the dense dragon energy weighed on her.


    It was certainly an experience. Dragon energy was much more than mere pressure but carried an aura of awe. Even if she couldn''t see it, she could feel a sense of inferiority like she was below that of a dragon. It did not attack just her body but her soul and mind, filling it with instinctual veneration.


    "This is the fifth level, can you go on?" the pair asked.


    MIng Yue nodded, though her body was shaking under the pressure.


    "Are you sure? At this level, you are already fit enough to enter the depths of the gravesite. You do not need to go further", Grand Researcher Ou looked concerned over Ming Yue. She did not want her to push herself when the expedition would happen in a few weeks.


    Ming Yue only nodded, signalling that she wanted to go further.


    At the sixth level, the shadow of a dragon head began to appear as the dragon energy grew stronger. All of her senses were assaulted under the pressure but she still held on. The Eternal Heart Ring glimmered and glowed, fueling her body and lessening the burden on her entire being. If it weren''t for that, she would''ve been in a much worse state.


    The Long siblings looked at her in both surprise and approval, they did not think that she could hold on for so long as even they would have trouble. Though, considering that they were researchers and not fighters, their cultivation meant little in terms of physical strength.


    "This is the seventh level", changing their hand signs as they spoke.


    The dragon head fully materialized as the energy had exploded in power. The oppressive aura pushed Ming Yue down onto her hands and knees, it felt as if she had to prostrate herself in front of this dragon head.


    At that moment, the ivory formation deactivated and the dragon head disappeared.


    Ming Yue gasped for air as she struggled to stand up. That feeling of awe that the dragon head gave off was still ingrained in her mind. It wasn''t something she could forget so easily.


    "Are you okay?" asked Grand Researcher Ou, who approached her as the Long siblings picked up the four ivory gs and ced them into their spatial ring.


    "Yes, I''m alright, just a bit drained", Ming Yue recovered and with the help of the Eternal Heart Ring, she recovered quite quickly.


    "It seems that we should not have to worry too much. We will meet at the main teleportation channel in three weeks to get to the docks at the north of the kingdom. Do prepare well for this journey as we will be at sea for around a month, farewell."


    "Grand Researcher, We bid our farewell."


    Having cleaned it all up, the Long siblings said their goodbyes and left the tform, going back to their department.


    Ming Yue wiped her head of her sweat as she thought about what she had just experienced.


    "Are you regretting it?" asked the Grand Researcher.


    "No, I had expected something like this for a ce that contains the corpses of ancient dragons and old heroes. Besides, this is something I''ve decided for myself, I won''t give up so easily. This experience has only shown me what I should expect when we are at the gravesite."


    "Hm, your spirit ismendable. Let''s make the most of our time before the expedition, I will also be telling you a bit more about it."


    Ming Yue nodded and left with the Grand Researcher. Apart from her time spent at the Research District, Ming Yue wasted no time and focused on improving her use of Mental Force as well as the Sword Path.


    Throughout the weeks, Ming Yue had made several trips to the Craftmen''s District for the three elders as her sword did not have a gem inserted yet. Despite that time and the massive inventory that Zhang Guang had, there was no gem that worked well with Drifting Sky. Certainly they worked but something about it made it feel iplete.


    Zhang Guang could only scratch his bald head and go back to the drawing board.


    "This isn''t quite right", he would say before delving back into his warehouses.


    Time went by quickly and soon enough, the day came for Ming Yue embark on this expedition. As she could onlye by herself, she left Hei Yue and Xiao Yin in the care of Zhi Qing and the Grand Researcher.


    Though the pair were sad that they could note, they had grown ustomed to Zhi Qing as her child-like appearance and naivety made herfortable to be around.


    Ming Yue packed the things she needed for this trip, extra clothes and other necessities for this long trip. She made her way to the transportation channel that the Long siblings had spoke about. She arrived at the central building of Dark Water City and entered the main hall. Upon reaching the transportation circle, she found that everyone except the Long siblings were already here.


    Most of them wore the same red and gold robes as them thought it was not asvish. At the same time, they had heavy backpacks lying on the ground next to them, filled with all sorts of equipment.


    She looked around and studied them all finding that their cultivations had varied along the spectrum of the Earth Realm though a majority of them were at the Perception Stage, just one stage above of her.


    When she arrived, they nced at her before returning to their own activities, talking with each other or inspecting their equipment. Considering their behavior, it seems that they had been told of the her addition to the group. Though they didn''t necessarily look down on her, they did not feel a need to greet her or show much respect.


    MIng Yue was not bothered by this. After all, she was an outsider and only here to see the gravesite.


    Minutester, the Long siblings arrived and every stood up straight. Unlike the others, they did not haverge backpacks, most likely it was all in their spatial rings.


    "It looks like everyone has been ounted for. Let us depart."


    Everyone else put on their backpacks and walked on to the carved circle on the ground.


    One of the siblings, Long Wang, took out a staff from her ring and pressed it into the center of the circle, activating it and disappearing on the spot.

 Chapter 219 - To The Grave Of Dragons And Heroes

    Ming Yue watched as the scene warped and changed into a simr looking room. Only this time, she could hear the crashing waves of the sea. She followed everyone out of the room where they entered a muchrger building. Large ss panes reced much of the walls and showed a splendid view of the sea. Several stone counters were ced at each corner where purple robed receptionists stood behind.


    Other than their group, there was a many others standing around: fishermen from nearby towns and viges, merchants, and ship captains with their crew. They only nced at the group before going back to their own business. Ming Yue looked around as she walked behind everyone else. Most of what she saw was new to her, especially the sight of the sea. It was quite a sight for her to see.


    The day was incredibly early as the sun barely peeked over the Ying Long Sea. It was incredibly calm outside, the surface was clear and without any movement. It was beautiful to look at and brought out the emotion of calmness from within her.


    "Let''s go, everything has already been prepared."


    Exiting the building, the Long siblings lead everyone to the docks, which could only be seen as massive. There were hundreds of ships ranging from small wooden boats to massive vessels armed with cannons.


    As for the one they would be boarding, it was mid-sized ship, capable of holding over a hundred people. Of all the ships there, this was one of the more fearsome ones. It was heavily armored with a dark green metal, which the Grand Researcher had told her was Deep Sea Iron. It was an extremely tough material that became even stronger when met with water. There were several Roaring Thunder Cannons on either side of the ship, made from a unique stone and Gold Spark Brass. They had already been embedded with lightning cores for use.


    As they walked down, Ming Yue noticed a very familiar person, boarding one of the small fishing boats: a young-looking man who carried a muchrger wooden backpack.


    "Lao Gan?" she thought to herself.


    She thought about saying hello to him but time did not allow it as they had begun boarding the ship one by one. As she had begun to step onto the ship, she nced back him, finding that he had already begun speaking to the fishermen about what she could only assume was food. He seemed incredibly excited about this trip.


    There was a small smile on her face as she turned back. As entric as he was, Lao Gan was an interesting person to be around.


    Being thest person the board the ship, everyone else had already begun setting up the equipment for this trip. This included a wide array of tools that she had never seen before. At the same time, both Long Wang and Long Wei went to the captain''s cabin and began navigating the ship out of the docks.


    On their way out, Ming Yue looked outwards and back at thend. To her right, she saw Lao Gan''s boat riding by them.


    The pair locked eyes as Lao Gan looked at her with surprise and stupor.


    "What''s she doing here?" he thought, "and what sort of ship is that?!"


    He could not believe his eyes as he watched the ship pick up speed and practically zoom out of he sea. He tuned to the fishermen of the boat he was on asking them about the identity of that ship.


    "Oh them? That ship is from the Dark Water Kingdom. They usually ride out into the deepest part of the sea as that ce contains the corpses of dragons and ancient warriors."


    "Yes, it''s quite a dangerous journey but one that they make time and time again. Surprisingly, I''ve never seen them use the ship to fish before though."


    Lao Gan was quite surprised by their talk.


    "The Dark Water Kingdom? Didn''t they close themselves off from the world?" he asked.


    "Hah, the Ying Long Sea can be considered one of the special cases where they appear outside of the kingdom. However, they are a quiet bunch. Though we know that they are headed to the center of the sea, we don''t know their purpose or actions for going there."


    "Indeed, the Ying Long Sea is a ce open to all so they don''t act arrogant, though I''ve never seen them acting in such a way ever. It really does make me wonder what business they have at the gravesite."


    The fishermen leaned in speaking in a much lower voice despite there being no one else around them.


    "I hear that theye to take the corpses for study. One of the receptionists had spoken of it."


    "Probably, after all, this is the Dark Water Kingdom, a ce known for their desire of knowledge and as I hear it, a ce of gruesome experiments."


    "I thought they stopped doing those types of things."


    "Maybe, but you never know. Anyways, why are you so interested in that ship anyways? Aren''t you here to find that Winged Puffer Tuna? On a day like this, we might be able to catch one."


    Lao Gan nodded.


    "Yes, of course, I''ve always wanted to have a taste of it. I haven''t had luck in any of the markets at the cities I''ve been to. I''ve heard of its peculiar yet addicting..."


    As he spoke on about himself, he thought about Ming Yue in the back of his mind. What was she doing with them? Was she also part of the Dark Wate Kingdom? As curoius as he was, he had to put it aside. Perhaps, they would meet again in the future.


    Though the person in question was well on their way to the gravesite. Everyone in the group except Ming Yue was extremely busy, setting up the various tools and outfitting themselves with the proper equipment. They put on two gold and ivory bangles on their wrists.


    Long Wang came out of the captain''s cabin and walked up to Ming Yue, handing her those same bangles.


    "Please wear them. They will help dispel some of the pressure that you will feel once we reach the gravesite", she said.


    "Thank you", Ming Yue recieved the bangles and wore them immediately.


    "No problem, we will arrive at the gravesite in two days", Long Wang left without saying another word, returning to the captain''s cabin.


    Standing by the bow of the ship, Ming Yue looked around, studying the people she would be with for the rest of this trip. There were certainly a few that caught her eye in this group of twenty or so.


    At the back of the ship was an old woman, who was busy putting together a multiyered umbre that had been covered in markings. Despite her age, her hands were quick and meticulous, the umbre which had hundreds of pieces were built together with speed and skill. This woman had gray straw-like hair and a grandmotherly disposition. On her back was a pair of shortswords while a third much longer sword hung from her waist.


    At the right of the ship was a young and incredibly beautiful woman, whose bnced proportions and pale skin attracted many eyes. However, her eyes were fully focused at the task at hand, drawing and cing a giant formation all throughout the floor of the ship. Her hair was tied back so that it would not cover her eyes and she worerge sses that entuated every other part of her face. On her hip was an elegant mace that had a gold gem embedded on it.


    Near Ming Yue by the bow of the ship was a bearded man who had bushy brows and hair shaped into a bun. He worked on assembling multiple identical shields, oval shaped and made from steel and other materials. His well maintained hair and beard made him look like a schr. Furthermore, he carried a white fan with him adding to his schrly appearance.


    Compared to the others, these three caught her eye for they had not given off a feeling of danger. Some instinct within Ming Yue told her that these three have had experience in battle. Everyone else did note close to the sensation that these three exuded, not even the Long Siblings.


    "Two days..." she thought.


    Two days until they reached the gravesite.

 Chapter 220 - Crossing The Sea

    Those two days passed very quickly.


    Much to some of the group member''s surprise, Ming Yue seemed quite curious as to the uses of the many things they had brought. Though she didn''t shower them with questions, it was enough for them to see her in a better light.


    They did not regard her as much, merely a spectator who was only there for the experience. She had no idea what their purpose was and probably didn''t care. That was what they thought of her.


    However, Ming Yue did her studying, speaking to Zhi Qing and the Grand Researcher to learn more about the expedition. Certainly, she did not know the finer details but she had a rtive understanding a to what happened. This show of knowledge warmed the others up to her.


    As for what she gathered from them, much of the equipment on the ship was for gathering the dragon energy and protecting them from it as well.


    By the bow of the ship where Ming Yue sat, she was having quite the spirited conversation with one of the members, Xin Kuo.


    Xin Kuo was the woman in charge of creating the massive formation on the floor of the ship. Speaking to her was easy as she had a friendly appearance and spoke with a soft voice. ording to her, this formation would protect the entire ship from any tempestuous waves and help keep the ship bnced. Without it, the ship would capsize the moment they entered the gravesite. This formation had been used for years and it became a subject of study for her to which she improved on its efficiency and strength.


    Conversation with her was fun at times as they were simr in age where Xin Kuo was only a few years older. Though in their first conversation, it was Xin Kuo that started it. Curious about Ming Yue, she asked questions about where she was from and why she came to the Dark Water Kingdom. They came to know more about each other and through Xin Kuo, Ming Yue became more familiar with everyone else.


    The old woman who assembled the umbre was known as Sheng Bei or Senior Bei as she is the oldest of everyone here and has been in the department from before the Long siblings. While she had a chance to be the head of the department, she did not pursue it for some odd reason. Though it might have had to do somehting with that umbre she has. It has been her sole project that she uses to deflect the attacks of any dragon spirits.


    As for the bearded man carrying the fan, Xin Kuo warned Ming Yue of him as he seemed to always have some ulterior motive. His name is Tian Zhui and despite his schr-like appearance, he was very ambitious. On one hand, he worked the hardest out of everyone, even going out into the wilderness to gather his own materials. On the other, he always had something to say, a criticism towards another person''s work or aint about their actions.


    "Don''t bother speaking to him, he sees everyone a stepping stone", said Xin Kuo.


    "Really?", Ming Yue nced at him as he kept on inspecting the shields he assembled.


    She saw him secretly take nces at the work of others, there was a sense of mockingness from his eyes though he hid it quite well.


    Xin Kuo saw her look at him and sighed as she did.


    "Still, his work is undeniable. Those shields were something he has a personal hand in though they were a group effort. Due to a few unique materials that he gathered, these shields act as a secondyer to the protective formation I made. Though if worn, they serve another purpose and lessened the pressure given off by the dragon corpses. It is very helpful when we need to go out and gather dragon bones."


    "I see. Then what about the department heads, Long Wang and Long Wei?" asked Ming Yue.


    Out of everyone here, the twin siblings were the most entric. They spoke together and practically breathed together. Everyone here certainly had their quirks but the Long siblings were the strangest.


    "Those two?" Xin Kuo paused to think before answering.


    "I don''t know much about them personally but their reputation is something everyone knew about. They are geniuses who obsessed over the strength of dragons and had joined this department early on in their years. They did quite a lot of work and elerated the pace at which we replicated dragon energy. In fact, they were the ones who managed to produce something that had half of a dragon''s power."


    "Really? I didn''t know that it was them who had done it."


    Ming Yue was surprised. Those two were only in their thirties but they already had so many achievements.


    It was then that the siblings in question emrged from the captain''s cabin.


    "We''re arriving at the gravesite. Everyone prepare yourselves and be ready."


    "Oh, we should get ready", Xin Kuo stood up and went to activate the formation.


    Everyone stood up from their ce and went to their positions. Xin Kuo''s formation glowed and hummed before creating a transparent barrier all around the ship. The umbre of Senior Bei glowed as the multiyered top spun slowly. The shields of Tian Zhui were set up and different points of XIn Kuo''s formation, fortifying it and creating a second barrier albeit a bit thinner.


    Everything about the ship had activated, the cannons were manned, the armored hull transformed and moved upwards to protect the ship deck.


    Everyone was extremely quiet and waited. Ming Yue stood to the side and looked downwards. To her shock, the water had be shallow, only several meters thick. The clear blue water reverberated against the ship.


    They slowly moved, quietly traversing the sea.


    The water slowly became rougher, pushing against the ship.


    Suddenly, something crashed into the hull of the ship and one of the Roaring Thunder Cannons shot. A surge of lightning came out from it struck the water below.


    A small shadow came from below, its wing partially torn by the cannon shot. With scaled body, beady eyes, and horns on its head, it roared at them before shooting off a ball of water from its mouth. The barrier stood in ce protecting the ship from that attack as another cannon shot it down.


    "Hmm, was that a stray?", someone muttered.


    That was a Dragon Fish, one of the descendant races of the dragon. It had a bodyparable to that of a young man.


    That was the purpose of the armaments of the ship. The gravesite did not just carry the corpses of dragons but their descendants dwell here to protect the gravesite from any would be intruders. That Dragon Fish was the first of many toe. Deeper into the gravesite, they maneuvered around any would be beasts, only attacking those that came close.


    MIng Yue could do nothing but just watch as everyone else had either took control of a cannon or brought out a harpoon gun. Every now and then, one of them would make a move, killing it and pulling it onto the ship to take back.


    It ranged from simple fish to giant sharks, all of them shared simr features with horns on their heads and whiskered on their mouths. Though they were descendants, they still had value in research, some more than others.


    "Over there! an Electric Dragon Eel", someone called out, pointing towards the left of the ship.


    The ship turned as everyone spotted a serpent-like eel, ten meters in length and probably several thousand kilograms in weight.


    They chased after the eel, who sensed its pursuers and did not try to escape but instead attacked them head on. Sparks came from its body as a shockwave burst out and shook the ship. Several cannons built up power before shooting off rays of lightning.


    However, all of them missed the eel, what more they were weakened from the shockwave.


    The eel swam forth and suddenly leaped from sea, ready to pounce on the ship.

 Chapter 221 - Spirits Of The Dead

    "It''s quick!"


    The Electric Dragon Eel seemed to fly in the air as it flew above the ship. However, it could not enter it for the barriers stood in its way. Instead, its body mmed into them before falling into the shallow sea. The impact was incredibly loud and shook the waters but the ship was steadfast and did not waver. If it were any other ship, they would''ve been smashed to pieces.


    The cannons turned to face the Electric Dragon Eel before sending off another barrage of lightning.


    The eel roared like a dragon, angry and defiant as it tried to evade them but was struck on its tail.


    It did not retreat, like its predecessor, the Electric Dragon Eel was proud and aggressive. Its injury only spurned it on to attack.


    "Hide behind the shields! Its going to attack!" Long Wei yelled out.


    Everyone took cover behind those shields as the beast mmed into the hull of the ship. Clinging tight to it, the eel''s body glowed before releasing another shockwave, much greater than the first one. The electric discharge was so great that the barriers had cracked just a bit and the ship''s armor had been bent.


    The ship rocked as creaks could be heard in the depths of the ship. Everyone scrambled for the cannons, trying to get the eel off of them. As they aimed and shot at the massive eel, Ming Yue did not just stand by and watch.


    For such arge beast, she had the perfect technique, sting Gale.


    Four spinningnces formed above her head: two meters long, a two inch diameter, and a hollow core. Under her control, she sent them out of the ship, chasing after the Electric Eel.


    Everyone who saw her, had to take a moment to watch.


    "That girl..." Tian Zhui looked at her, his eyes revealed surprise before showing hostility towards her.


    He as did the others were surprised by her physical capabilities. Certainly, the heads of the department, Long Wang and Long Wei had told them of her, speaking of how she managed tost up until the seventh level. However, seeing it in person was different. It didn''t help that Drifting SKy remembled a walking staff more than a sword, an appearance that made her look like a observer.


    But she wasn''t using her sword, she wasunching offnce afternce, controlling them with her hands. One by one, thosences shot into the sea, causing the water to erupt in session. But the an eel is still an eel, slipping past thosences and skirting by the explosions.


    Unlike the attacks from the Roaring Thunder Cannons, thesences were not as quick but with Ming Yue''s control, she could alter their path. Better than that, with the Eternal Heart Ring, she could create hundreds of them without breaking much of a sweat.


    Explosions and shockwaves came in the dozens as Ming Yue attacked the eel with fervor and control. She gave no chance for the beast to attack, not even an inch to move freely. It thrashed about rushing towards the ship only to be knocked back by one of thences.


    Once that momentum was lost, the eel''s fate was sealed.


    It wasn''t long until the beast died, skewered by Ming Yue''snces and burnt from the cannonshots. Even then, it took quite a lot to kill it, taking on a multitude of injuries before ultimately dying. Perhaps if it was not so aggressive, it might have been able to escape.


    With hernces still piercing the body, she brought it onto the ship for the others to store.


    Many of them were still shocked by what they had just seen. However, the Long siblings showed little interest and continued moving the ship. It wasn''t that they weren''t surprised but now was not the time to lose focus.


    "We''ll be reaching next region soon", they announced.


    Several kilometers away, there were small shadows beneath the sea. It resembled nothing like a beast, rather they were skeletons, human skeletons. Furthermore, there was ancient ship wreckage scattered everywhere, somerger than their own ship. Broken pieces of once great vessels that held hundreds, perhaps thousands of men.


    ording to Grand Researcher Ou, there had been many before them that sought the gravesite for treasure and renown. However, this was at a time where dragons still lived and defended this ce. Some of these ships had famed warriors who went intobat against them. However, fromt he looks of it, few have managed to get past this point.


    Of course, there was no need to worry now as dragons have be legendary creatures. Thest known sighting of a true dragon was hundreds of years ago. Now only those descendant races dwell here.


    Strangely enough, the ship passed by with ease and without interruption. Perhaps it was the amount of destruction or death in this area but no creature could be seen for as far as the eye could see.


    During that entire time, Ming Yue surveyed the area. Sometimes, she could see a shine or glint of treasure but some instinct told her that it was a bad idea.


    "Ming Yue, you should activate those bangles now."


    Xin Kuo advised her as everyone did the same. In fact, Ming Yue spotted Senior Bei carrying her umbre. The tool pulsated with power, letting off a white ghostly glow.


    Suddenly, a cold feeling washed over her body and Ming Yue whipped her head around, staring at the skeletons.


    Wisps of white energy flowed from their bones, manifesting into frightful specters. The apparitions resembled an amalgamation of bone and flesh. Parts of their ghostly bodies seemed to have transformed, their skin turned to scales, one or two of their limbs looked like that of a dragon''s.


    They were frightening sights and the aura they gave off was like nothing Ming Yue had ever felt. Resentful, evil, chaotic, everything about them was a mess, they were like bombs ready to explode at any moment.


    There were dozens of them, all around the ship, staring at the empty space in front of them. Some looked at the ship but did nothing.


    Even as it seemed that they would not do a thing, everyone was quiet and extremely tense. They''re eyes wandered through all of these spirits, watching for any movements.


    Ming Yue couldn''t help but be slightly frightened by this. For such a thing to happen, the energy outside of the barriers must have been extremely dense and chaotic. The aura of death and resentment and the dragon energy formed together to create this ghastly spirits. These dead men were unable to get past this point, defiant to the end and bitter even past death.


    She could see it in their eyes. Even as these spirits looked into nothingness, their eyes were angry, impatient, indignant. Even in this state, they did not seem to give up, they stared towards the deeper regions of the gravesite but did not move. Though it was not by choice, but that they could not move. They could not venture furthermore, they given not even a glimpse and that left them nothing but bitterness.


    The ship moved passed these still figures, slowly trudging through the wreckage.


    No one spoke but on the back of their minds, they felt that something was amiss. The closer they came to the end of this ce, the worse that feeling became. But none of them knew it, perhaps it was a premonition of something bad toe. Perhaps it woulde now, maybe in a few minutes or muchter, what they knew was this this expeditions was different from thest.


    This time, there were too many of these spirits around. Had the energy been gathering for too long? They were not sure.


    Senior Bei held her umbre tightly, she looked around and stared behind the ship. All of these apparitions stared towards the front, not even paying attention to the ship or her eyes.


    Her eyes looked from one to the next.


    As she looked over to another, its eyes looked back.

 Chapter 222 - An Inhuman Horde

    She felt as if she had aged ten more years as sweat dropped from her forehead. Then, hundreds of gazes looked upon the ship.


    "What is this?"


    Senior Bei could not help but gasp as this change, she had never seen them move before. Each and every time she came here, these spirits had always just stared into empty space. What had changed now?


    Momentster, a wave of energy came over everything, it was oppressive and imposing. It was simr to that of what Ming Yue felt in that formation only much more powerful. It washed over everything in a instant but that instant nearly pushed everyone down to their knees. Even the ship creaked and groaned from this.


    As that wave of energy washed over these spirits, their empty eyes seemed to glimmer with life as one by one, they began to blink and look around.


    "We must leave! The spirits are alive!" Senior Bei shouted out.


    "What? Why now?"


    "That can''t be..."


    "How is that possible?"


    Everyone looked around and found that the senior was right. Both Long Wang and Long Wei had left the captain''s cabin to see as well. On their apathetic face was now an expression of surprise and disbelief. None of them knew what had happened nor did they understand what was happening now. This was the first time they had seen this and they were stuck in a trance of shock.


    "What are you all doing?! We have to leave now!"


    Senior Bei yelled out, knocking Long Wang out of her trance. Long Wang shook her brother, waking him as well and they headed towards the captain''s cabin.


    The ghastly spirits looked around and their eyes locked onto the ship.


    "Ship. Ship. Ship. Ship", they chanted as if this was the only thing in their minds.


    Wading through the waters, they moved closer to it. Was this their chance to once again take the helm and explore these waters. Their chants grew louder and soon it turned to shouting and screaming before devolving into gargled screams and guttural roars.


    "Everyone, prepare to protect the back!" the siblings called out form the cabin.


    The ship slowly moved forward and the dark green armor on the hull shifted towards the front, leaving the back exposed. As they began to pick up speed, the spirits did the same. Their slow gait became running until some began to sprint on their four limbs.


    With multipleyers of armor at the front, the ship charged through whatever wreckage was in front of them. Even with these hindering their path, they did not lose speed and tore through whatever was in their way.


    But in no way have they escaped this predicament yet. In fact, it had only begun for these spirits seemed to mutate on the spot. The limbs that were that of a dragon''s slowly took over the rest of the body, transforming them into hideous dragons that looked more like a winged lizard. They had be mutated dragon spirits, any trace of humanity was gone from them.


    Some flew, others chased on the waters, leaping out to grab ahold of the ship. In the front, the armor went through anything in its path but there was bound be be a few who clung to the small crevices and climbed up.


    "Protect the ship at all costs!" Tian Zhui yelled out as he took out his fan and began to attack the creatures climbing up the sides.


    Everyone did the same either taking out their weapon or manning the cannons to attack.


    With her umbre, Senior Bei pointed it at the mutated dragon spirits before activating it, shooting out a beam from the point of the umbre. When one came close, she would open it, sending out a wall of energy that pushed them off. At a touch of this energy, these spirits began to melt, slowly turning back into energy.


    Tian Zhui waved his white fan as crescent waves of wind came from each swing. He protected nearly a quarter of the ship''s hull on his own. Standing on the edge and attack with speed and uracy. Sharp and austere, these waves cut through the bodies like it was nothing. With his other hand, he shot out balls ofpressed wind that propelled the bodies off of the ship and forced them back into the water.


    With her mace in hand, Xin Kuo pointed it at the ascending spirits. The gold gem glowed, imbuing the mace head with golden lightning. Holding it like a wand, thick lines of lightning coursed from its head and into the first spirit before splintering into the ones below it. Convulsing and roaring in pain, they could not hold onto the hull and fell back to the water.


    The Roaring Thunder Cannons attacked constantly, shaking the earth and creating loud booms all over the sea. Unfortunately, as powerful as they were, the sounds only attracted more of these mutated spirits.


    Like hordes, they chased after the ship, climbing up like ants on a mound. These inhuman creatures, neither man nor dragon, flocked to it, surrounding it. They piled onto each other as they dug into the exposed hull. The dense wood that made up its body was punctured with hulls but they were not deep enough to go through it.


    But with these countless monstersing onto the ship, its speed slowed down even as the Long Siblings pushed its power to the limits. The mechanical rudder could only do so much.


    Ming Yue walked towards the front of the ship. The armored bow of it was damaged and covered in these spirits, all clinging on with their misshapen ws and slowly making their way up. Using Wrath of the Winds, she created a massive hurricane with enough power to pull them off of the hull. She pushed it forward, clearing the path of any approaching creatures and allowing the ship to push forward.


    That move drained her Quintessence energy by a third but that hurricane had shredded through everything in its path. Any spirit caught in it was dead and turned back into dragon energy.


    From the air, several mutated dragon spirits came down, shooting orbs of fire and me. She unsheathed her sword and pushed off of the shipdeck. Supporting herself with a burst of wind, she flew up and sliced the orbs before cutting the spirits in half.


    "They''re endless!"


    One of the researchers yelled out as they spin their spear about and threw it down. Under their control, the spear flew about, piercing bodies in fluid motions.


    Everyone tried their best to ward off these spirits.


    Senior Bei held the umbre on one hand before pulling out the sword on her hip. The longest of the three, she opened up apartment of the umbre, recing the handle and shaft with the sword. She closed the umbre and wielded it like a sword. At the tip, energy gathered before forming a de three meters in length. She swept it across the back of the ship, ridding it of the massive number of sprits.


    Even with everyone working together, they could not continue like this. They were getting tired, the Roaring Thunder Cannons were losing power. If something didn''t happen, they would be overrun.


    As Ming Yue looked ahead, she noticed something strange. Many of these spirits hadrgely ignored the ship and opted to move forward and go deeper into the gravesite. But something had blocked them forming further. Even as they wed and struggled their way in, they could not move even an inch further.


    Ming Yue ran back to the captain''s cabin and quickly entered. She saw the two siblings hard at work,manding a massive table full of levers and buttons.


    "There''s something up ahead and its blocking the spirits from going any further."


    She informed them as they stared at the controls, looking up to see her as they heard those words. Something must have clicked as they moved quickly clicking a few buttons and pushing a lever forward.


    There was a loud bang outside as the ship suddenly gained speed. It plowed through everything in front of it and charged forward.. As they reached closer to this invisible barrier, the spirits began to lose focus and stopped paying attention to the ship, instead rushing towards this barrier.

 Chapter 223 - Corpse Of A Dragon

    Ming Yue looked out finding that the firstyer of armor had been let go and left behind. Dozens of spirits that still clung to them were crushed under the weight.


    With the ship speeding towards this strange barrier, Ming Yue braced for impact, clinging closely to the control desk of the cabin. If it blocked all of these spirits, chances were, it would block them as well. If that was the case, the ship might have to fight its way back out of the gravesite.


    Much to her surprise, the ship passed with little effort. It was as if the barrier wasn''t there but it truly did exist. As they passed through, all of the spirits that continued to ascend the ship found themselves repelled and thrown back to the sea.


    Everyone saw it happen and looked past the ship to find thousands of these mutated spirits, trying to w their way through the barrier. Some threw themselves into it but ended up smashing their bodies into an immovable wall. They piled onto each other, forming a small wall of flesh and w.


    Breathing hard, Senior Bei looked over as she wiped the sweat from her chin.


    "What is this? In all of my years, this has never happened before."


    Letting go of their cannon, one of the research members had a look of relief, though their arms shook from controlling the cannon''s massive frame.


    "Who knows, maybe a dragon came back. I just hope we get out of here alive."


    "That''s what we all want. But perhaps there is something to find when we explore the other parts of the gravesite. Though, if a dragon dide back, that would certainly be something", said Tian Zhui, his tone ridiculed the idea of real dragon returning but his eyes showed a different emotion.


    Everyone was quiet as they looked back at this barrier. What was important was that they were still alive.


    The grating sounds of metal broke the quiet atmosphere as the armor shifted back to their original positions. With the lose of oneyer, the ship''s hull was a bit thinner than before, the ship itself was quite beat up.


    Long Wang left the captain''s cabin and looked around, quickly examining everyone.


    "Obviously, something has happened that''s affected the entire gravesite. First that wave of dragon energy and the mutation of those spirits. Now, there''s that barrier blocking them. As strange as it is, we will be moving forward. If that barrier was just erected, perhaps there may be an opportunity that we cannot miss. The fact that it did not reject us should mean something."


    She looked at their faces, some were still shaken by what had happened others looked at her with anticipation.


    With such danger, there would surely be rewards of the same proportion.


    No one objected to this, rather they couldn''t object. Going back meant having to go through that mounting wall of spirits and the first time was already dangerous enough, turning away could mean death.


    "Good, we should reach the main grounds soon enough" Long Wang returned to the captain''s cabin as the others began to murmur amongst each other.


    Some were curious, even excited as to what awaited them. Others quietly prayed that they would return with their lives. But everyone went back to work, repairing the ship and rearming the Roaring Thunder Cannons.


    Ming Yue did what she could to help, hammering at the armored hull and recing the wood nks of the interior.


    From here on, the ride was peaceful though Ming Yue began to feel faint traces of dragon pressure. It wasn''t enough to bother her but if she were to remove her bangles and leave the barriers, it would be much greater.


    This was a sign that they had reached the main grounds. The gravesite was seperated into twoyers. The outer, which they had passed, was the gravesite of champion where all those that fought or sought to fight a dragon had failed. The inneryer was the true gravesite where dragon corpses lied.


    Though Ming Yue didn''t quit understand how it all worked, from what the Grand Researcher and Zhi Qing say, replicating dragon energy required multiple refinements and many other steps. But the higher quality samples that they brought back would produce better results.


    Every expedition had the purpose of studying these corpses, taking samples so as to not defile or show disrespect to them. Though descendant races could give them what they needed, actual dragon corpses was the best to study from. Taking a scale or collecting some of its energy was worth more than that Electric Dragon Eel.


    She was curious about it all, asking questions here and there about all of the things she was unclear on. Though the true secrets were not given, the research group taught her a lot, exining that replicating dragon energy required a variety of samples to do fully recreate it. Each corpse had their own unique dragon energy and the department aimed to create the perfect dragon energy, not just replicating it. Thetest rendition was certainly powerful but it was a farcry to what one would feel when they stood in front of a dragon.


    Days past before the ship lookedpletely new and everyone began searching for dragon corpses. They had telescopes and maps out, searching around. There were markings on the map, showing that they had already been there or taken samples from previous expeditions.


    "Over there!"


    Someone called out from above as Ming Yue worked below. Everyone stopped to look as the source of that voice, a short haired young woman who pointed to the right with a telescope in her hand. There was something several kilometers away and the ship had begun to turn towards it.


    Ming Yue squinted her eyes but could not make out what was ahead. As they came closer and closer, this mound grewrger andrger. So much so that as the ship came right next to it, it was smallpared to this object.


    Her eyes widened in amazement as she recognized what it was.


    A massive dragon corpse thatid partially submerged under the sea. From the looks of it, It must have died in peace, curled up as if it were sleeping. It''s expression was serene but there was no life in the body. There were long beautiful whiskers above the mouth, two pairs of white horns and a tinum silver mane. The white scales were beautiful and sort of sparkled under the sun, eyecatching but not blinding to look at.


    As amazed as she was, Ming Yue felt smallpared to this legendary creature. Even with it being dead, it still exuded a massive amount of pressure. Even with all of the protection she had, it felt as if she was an ant about to crushed.


    "This is...beautiful!" the Long Siblings cam to look.


    Both of them were awestruck as they admired the corpse for several minutes. However, their expressions changed as did the others.


    "This corpse was not here before" said Senior Bei.


    "Indeed, ourst expedition was to this specific area but we never encountered this corpse before" said the Long siblings.


    "Perhaps... it had died between then and now", Xin Kuo reasoned as she looked at this white dragon corpse.


    Tian Zhui looked at it as well as he walked forward and studied it.


    "What if...what it if died just several days ago, you know, when those dead spirits mutated. When that wave of dragon energy passed and a barrier was erected."


    Everyone''s mind clicked.


    What if that was the case?


    If it was so, then this was closest thing they had to a living dragon and so the sample they''d take would be of the highest quality, second to that of a living dragon.


    But there were far too many questions to ask.. The situation seemed too strange. Was this really the corpse of an ordinary dragon?

 Chapter 224 - The Last Dragon

    "We should stay for a bit, find out what secrets this corpse may have."


    Long Wei, Long Wang''s brother, spoke as he returned to the captain''s cabin. Long Wang nodded in agreement with her brother.


    "This might not be any ordinary dragon corpse. This might be the oppurtunity we needed. Perhaps with this, we might be able to fully realize the goal of the department."


    She descended to the lower regions of the ship where momentster, the sounds of rumbling and heaving echoed from below. The hull''s armor lowered, revealing strange structures that unfolded into small bridges. These bridges extended past the barriers,ing up to the dragon''s scaled skin.


    Everyone began to take out a multitude of small bags from their spatial rings. They were all identical ones that carried an assortment of tools. They also had special suits made of durable cloths and metals that had to be put on if they did not want to be crushed by the dragon''s aura. They had to go beyond the barriers to touch this corpse and needed the extra protection.* The barriers were only there to protect the ship.


    Other than Ming Yue who stayed back and watched, everyone else quickly went to work as they walked the bridges up to the dragon corpse. Several of them carried a strange metal box which glowed as they opened it in front of the dragon.


    ording to Xin Kuo, who had exined these tools to her, those boxes are used to absorb the dragon energy that it exuded. They used a small hammer and vials to collect a bit of the scale. As dragon scales are extremely dense and hard, those hammers vibrate upon contact, making collection much easier.


    Even then, all of them were extremely shocked to find that these hammers did nothing to the scale and the boxes had little effect. Despite hours hammering away, there was no sign of damage. In fact, everything that they had were not effective.


    "What kind of scales are these? They''re so strong, our hammers cannot break it. Not even our Dragon Harnessing Boxes could absorb the energy here, its too strong for them."


    One of them showed their tools, the hammer seemed worn out and the head was beginning to warp. As for the Dragon Harnessing Boxes, there were tiny cracks on them.


    "I suppose we just have to keep hammering away."


    "At this rate, we might have to leave without bringing back any of this. Hell, even standing in front of it is exhausting. This might be the strongest dragon we''vee across."


    "We should return to the ship for now. Our suits are nearly at their breaking point."


    That day ended with little to nothing gained as everyone came back to the ship sweaty and tired. The ship moved away from the dragon to lessen the pressure on it as no one would be able to sleep under this situation. Furthermore, theck of progress and curiosity left them irritated.


    They spent the night discussing with each other, browsing the records they brought with them to find out what kind of dragon this was.


    That was the biggest mystery. What was the identity of this dragon? Its body was nearly pure white, stronger than anything they had ever encountered. The energy it gave off was different, more than just powerful it was almost godlike. Having felt it, they knew that the wave of dragon energy came from this corpse.


    As the moonlight grew brighter, the discussion only became more heated and it ended with one conclusion.


    "Is this something we have never seen before? A new discovery?" said Tian Zhui, whose eyes were lit with ambition.


    "That can be the only answer. Even with all of my years, even after going through our records, there has been nothing about this dragon before, not a drawing, not even a word of it. We don''t even have anything close to what is in front of us."


    Senior Bei flipped through the pages of a thick book which could only be a collection of every dragon and their descendants that thay had discovered.


    "It''s very strange. I wonder what this dragon could be. It is the only one to have a white body", Xin Kuo''s eyes furrowed as she looked to the others but none of them had any ideas.


    Long Wang looked out of the ship, staring at the dragon corpse just meters from her.


    "Whatever the case, this is an opportunity we cannot miss. This is a monumental discovery to make, we have to record it. We have to get samples of it, even if we have to go past the time to depart. Does everyone understand me?"


    The research team nodded and went to their rooms to rest after a bit of nning. They would have to wake up early tomorrow if they wanted ot make some sort of progress.


    Only Ming Yue stayed up, standing out on the deck to gaze at the dragon corpse. The white scales seemed to glow under the night sky, making for an enchanting sight. Even though, she looked from afar, it was like seeing a beast in deep sleep.


    She couldn''t help but wonder what this dragon was. An ancient beast that has probably lived for thousands of yearspared to her, who wasn''t even twenty years old.


    Having seen a dragon up close, she did not regreting on this expedition. How many people could say that they had seen a dragon, much less one that has never been seen before?


    As she continued to gaze at the dragon, Long Wang and Long Wei walked from behind and stood next to her.


    "It seems that we are not the only ones who could not sleep", they said, speaking in unison.


    "This is my first time ever seeing a dragon. In fact, I never thought I''d get to see one."


    "We seen countless of dragons before, whether in drawings or with our own eyes. However, we have never grown tired of it. It has be our obsession."


    Still speaking in unison, they looked at her before looking towards the pure white body of the dragon, admiring it.


    "Though, this is the first time we have felt so afraid."


    MIng Yue turned to them, looking somewhat confused and surprised.


    "Afraid?" she asked.


    "Indeed, we''re afraid. Afraid that this is thest dragon left in the world. That with this, dragons would no longer exist."


    Ming Yue could see it in their eyes, a tinge of sadness.


    "It had been our dream to see a living dragon, but it seems that it may not happen. Thest known sighting of a dragon was many years ago. Who knows when we will see another."


    "But wasn''t that dragon described as a fiery red beast? This one is pure white, is it not? Is there not hope for that?"


    The Long siblings smiled.


    "The chances are too small. Perhaps it has already died as did this one. It matters not, Once we gather what we need from this corpse, we will return to the kingdom. It shouldn''t take more than a week but you never know."


    They returned to their rooms, walking down the steps into the ship.


    Ming Yue was left alone once again.


    "Thest of its kind", she muttered.


    It was sad to see it that way. But it was probably true. This pure white dragon could be thest of its race and with that, the dragon race was all but extinct. There was aplicated expression on her face, to witness the end of such a legendary race of beasts was unsettling. At the same time, she hoped that it was not so.


    Ming Yue took another look at the dragon corpse before giving a silent bow in respect and going to sleep.

 Chapter 225 - Rage Of The Fiery Dragon

    The day really started quite early. Having stayed upte, Ming Yue did not wake until the sun was nearly above her, a sign that lunch was close. When she awakened, she was greeted by the sounds of hammering on the scales and the sight of a a dozen men and women take turns working on the scales. Some even changed tools, opting forrge pliers to try and pry a scale off.


    Walking outside, she realized something was different.


    "What is this?"


    She walked towards the side of the ship and looked down at the hull, finding that it had split open at the center revealing arge formation set up with steel pirs and colorless stones. At the center, there was a glowing ball that seemed to suck in the dragon energy.


    "That is the Dynamic Dragon Harnessing Formation, something we have in case a living dragon were to attack us. Now, it''s been repurposed to collect the dragon energy of this corpse."


    Senior Bei''s calm voice entered her ears as the elderly woman stood next to her.


    "Senior, I thought you''d be working with the others", Ming Yue turned to her, surprised that she was not there.


    "I''m too old for this type of work. I don''t have as much strength as I used to. My hands still tremble from using the hammer"


    Senior Bei looked at her wrinkled hands, which trembled very gently, and sighed.


    "Despite my old age, I cannot help but wonder just how much this would affect our research. The importance of discovering something as unique as this."


    Ming Yue looked at the senior, finding the tone simr to that of the Long siblings.


    "We did it!" several people yelled out with excitement as the sound of grinding filled the air.


    Everyone at the front gathered, grunting and heaving as they pulled a dragon scale out, separating it from the body.


    "How heavy!"


    Everyone struggled to bring it back to the ship as it took nearly everyone to carry it. Slowly, they ced it down onto the ship deck and began to study it. For such arge body there would be equallyrge scales and the one they brought back was so. It was diamond shaped, only a inch thick, and the size of a child. On the outside, it was white and glossy but the other side was different, smoother in texture and grayish.


    Ming Yue touched the scale, surprised at how how it felt. To be fair, she wasn''t sure what to expect but there wasn''t enough time for her to dwell on this as th eothers moved on quickly.


    "Come, look at this!"


    As many looked at the scale, others were more concerned about what was underneath the scale, the flesh and blood of this mysterious dragon. It was a whitish color, resembling milk almost. Like impatient children, they touched it, marvelling at the sensation.


    "How strange! This is soft and supple, is this really a dragon?"


    "Indeed, the flesh should be taut and rough. No matter the type, every dragon''s flesh is so due to their constant time in battle. But this, this is as if it had never gone through battle, much less a fight."


    Whipping his fan, Tian Zhui was the first to make a move, slowly cutting into the flesh and collecting a vial of a glowing crimson blood. Unlike the scale, the flesh seemed to part like it was nothing but as soon as he cut it, the wound slowly sealed itself. It did not fester or anything of the sort but merged back together as if it was never cut in the first ce.


    He had a looked of surprise on his face but conintued on, cutting it once more to collect another vial.


    The others did the same, but unlike him, they only collected one vial. To them, anymore was already too much and would further disrespect the corpse. However, Tian Zhui did not stop before collecting more than ten vials. He looked at thest vial, studying the vibrant red color with interest.


    "With this, I can go further..." he thought to himself.


    He must have had a n for this blood, though nobody knew what he would be using it for.


    The others looked at him but did not say anything. They knew his character and knew that he would go further and beyond for his work. Still, he had cut into the dragon''s flesh to the point that upon its recovery, there was a scar left on it, a blemish that would never disappear. But Tian Zhui was not bothered by this, instead he felt a bit of regret for not bringing more vials. Unfortunately, his spatial ring was already filled with other items for this expedition or else he would have tried to get more dragon blood.


    He felt everyone''s stare on him but paid them no mind. To him, they were all stepping stones.


    Ming Yue only watched from the ship as she did not have her own suit to leave the barriers.


    Everyone rested at the ship with satisfied smiles. Rather than get bits of dragon scale, they managed to obtain a fully intact one. More than that, they obtained its blood, a sample whose quality far surpassed what they had ever obtained.


    The Long siblings turned the ship back to its original form and met with the others with food, mostly dried rations and water.


    "I suppose it''s time to leave now. With just this, we can return to the shore again, or do you all want to explore more of the gravesite."


    Before any of them could even respond, an absolutely thundering roar came from the sky. Everyone turned their heads, looking for the source of this fearsome call. A shadowy blur flew swiftly from the clouds and towards the ship.


    As it came closer, they had recognized it.


    "That can''t be..."


    None of them could believe it.


    The zing red body with yellow horns and whiskers, sharp ws and an expression fll of rage and anger. It was a dragon, a true living dragon. In fact, it was the same one that wasst seen several hundred years ago and it came for them.


    "What have you done?!"


    A deep, angry voice came from its mouth. It had dignity and gravitas to it, the voice of a legendary being. But the rage could be felt with each word.


    "How dare you soil her body! You will not leave this ce alive! I will obliterate all of you!"


    From its mouth, the fiery dragon blew waves of fire into the air. It shouted into the sky, causing the clouds to clear away and reveal the glowing sun.


    Everyone on the ship scrambled as they prepared to escape. With the Dynamic Dragon Harnessing Formation still altered, they had one less tool to help deal with this furious dragon. Long Wei quickly ran into the captain''s cabina nd Long Wang started shouting orders.


    "Get the cannons ready! Strengthen the barriers! Go below the deck and prepare the harpoon guns!" she shouted, grabbing a harpoon gun herself.


    "Do not dare move from this spot! This ce will be your grave! It shall be your punishment for besmirching the body of my beloved!"


    The dragon continued to shout and yell as it flew down, bellowing mes down onto the ship. The heat was fierce and the me intense as it scorched parts of the ship. Even the barriers began to show cracks.


    "We must escape! Slow the dragon down, we cannot battle it like this!" Long Wang yelled out.


    Even as she looked desperate, there was undoubtedly excitement in her eyes. A real dragon was in front of them, this was a chance that might nevere again.


    As the dragon came down once more, itnded next to the white dragon''s corpse, looking to see if anything was wrong with her body. His golden eyes closed in on the missing scale and what more, the scars left by Tian Zhui''s dagger. That anger within him burst out as the dragon rose its head and looked towards the ship.


    With its jaws opened wide, it let out a me like no other. Blue and clear, it was much stronger and caused the water to evaporate in an instant. The outer barrier of the ship was broken as the shields created by Tian Zhui cracked from the damage.


    The fiery dragon approached them slowly, its voice calm and restrained.


    "As my name is Xiu Luo Yang, Dragon of the Sun, I condemn you all to death for disrespecting the body of my beloved wife."

 Chapter 226 - Battling Against The Flames

    Hearing the words of Xiu Luo Yang, the faces of everyone on the ship turned dark and grim. Condemned to death by a dragon, perhaps a satisfying way to die for others but for them, this was the worst situation it could happen in.


    To die right after collecting everything that they needed.


    Even if they wanted to avoid such a fate, an encounter with this dragon could only end with losses


    They stared at this so called "Dragon of the Sun", clutching their weapons tightly.


    Xiu Luo Yang''s golden eyes narrowed as he walked closer to them. The dragon was just as big if notrger than the white dragon corpse. His whiskers quivered with silent anger as he bared his teeth. There were two fangs that outgrew the rest of his teeth, reaching below his chin. Everything about him was beyond what they had ever seen.


    Everyone prepared themselves.


    "Now!" Long Wang yelled out.


    The ship suddenly roared with life as the rudder activated, pushing the ship along. At the same time, every Roaring Thunder Cannon shot at the dragon, a storm of golden lightning thundered and crashed into the beast.


    Those who had harpoon guns used them immediately as the barrels glowed, each harpoon that was shot out seemed to unify. They lined up and projected the image of a powerful silver colored dragon, it roared with power before entangling with the enemy.


    The ship quickly moved away as everything was put in a constant barrage of attacks. Wave after wave of lightning came as multiple silver dragons continued to wrap around Xiu Luo Yang''s body.


    "What is this? This paltry imitation of yours is pathetic."


    From the explosions, a scaled w emerged as it grabbed one of the silver projections. Tightening his grip on it, Xiu Luo Yang ripped it off of is body and crushed its body. Compared to him, these projections were like children both in size and strength. He towered over everything, the glowing rays of the sun showered over him.


    "You will not leave so easily"


    He brought his left w forward, grabbing at the ship as the outer barrier tried its best to protect them. Cracks covered the entire barrier as the dragon''s ws dug into it.


    "Strengthen the barriers, Tian Zhui! Xin Kuo! Everyone else, continue attacking the dragon!"


    Long Wang shot another harpoon before going below deck to grab something. The two that she called moved immediately towards the barrier formation. Tian Zhui took out more shields and reced the cracked ones while Xin Kuo began to redraw the formation and rece the gs. Theplex symbols andyers in each formation glowed as the two barriers mended and strengthened.


    They moved as quickly as they could, managing to finish in time as the others aimed for the dragon.


    Ming Yue joined as well, shooting off multiple windnces at the beast but it had little effect. Xiu Luo Yang barely slowed his advance as he opened his jaws to breath another st of fire. This time, he was nearly on top of the ship, those mes would cover the vessel.


    His throat slowly glowed red as he prepared to attack when he felt something enter his mouth. He nearly choked on it and closed his jaws instinctively before it exploded inside his body. Purple smoke seethed from his mouth as his head thrashed about in pain.


    "Gah, what is this gas? Poison?"


    He looked down and searched for the source of that attack.


    On the ship deck, Long Wang stood upright, carrying small cannon on her shoulders. Smoke came from the barrel as she quickly loaded a paper shell inside.


    "A sedative made from Purple Dream Grass and Golden Lavender Flower. Both are rare rank 5 herbs thate from a batch that has been cultiating for a hundred years. Just one shell is enough to put hundreds to sleep."


    Long Wang aimed and shot once more. The ball left a purple smoke trail as it flew towards Xiu Luo Yang''s face and exploded on his face. The dragon pulled his head back, trying not to breathe in any of the purple fog.


    "You will not stop me! This poison of yours does nothing!"


    The fiery dragon opened his jaws and let out a bellowing me that covered the outer barrier. It onlysted seconds before cracking and breaking under the dragon''s might. The shields that Tian Zhui painstakingly created shattered, leaving only the barrier that Xin Kuo maintained.


    Narrowing his eyes, he continued the breathe fire onto the ship, not letting up. The mes were intense, the metal harpoons melted upon touching it and the Roaring Thunder Cannons could not pierce this thick wave of fire.


    "Agh, its too hot. The inner barrier is going to melt."


    "What is this power?!"


    "The ship cannot hold on for much longer."


    Xiu Luo Yang wrapped his body around the ship, slowly crushing it as he gained momentum. Everyone scrambled, using whatever they had to push him off but he walk practically unfazed. All that they''ve done were mere scratches.


    "The barrier is going to break!" Xin Kuo yelled out as she frantically tried to keep it alive, powering the formation with her own Quintessence Energy.


    "Tch! Long Wei, how is the ship!"


    Long Wang looked for her brother who had been inside the captain''s cabin the entire time, manning the ship.


    "Not good! We might have to make some sacrifices!"


    At that moment, the inner barrier could no longer hold and splintered into pieces. Xin Kuo yelped, thrown against the side and knocked unconscious from the bacsh.


    "Hmph, weak, too weak and you dare defile the corpse of my beloved. More than that, you dare defile the bodies of my kin! I will not let you die so easily. I will be giving you the most horrendous of deaths."


    Xiu Luo Yang growled as he scanned the boat, he spotted the unconcious body of Xin Kuo and extended his other w to grab her. Closest to her was Tian Zhui but he only jumped away, not wanting to get caught by the dragon''s grasp. If he tried to pull her away, he would gain the attention of Xiu Luo Yang.


    Everyone was too preupied with attacking, none of them had a chance to attempt to save theirrade. Everyone but Ming Yue who dashed and wrapped her arm around Xin Kuo''s waist. With her other hand, she directed a windnce into the dragon''s palm.


    Feeding it her energy, she pushed it against ws, managing to slow it down by just a fraction. She quickly ran and ced Xin Kuo within the captain''s cabin, where Long Wei stared at the controls, trying to think of what he could do.


    As she left the room, she felt a dangerous pair of eyes, looking down upon her.


    "You, the source of those winds. Perhaps, you will die first."


    Having caught his attention, Ming Yue tried her best to avoid his grasp but his own ws nearly covered a quarter of the ship. There only so much she could do.


    In fact, there wasn''t much anyone could do. All that they had did nothing to this dragon and they were beginning to lose hope. Escape wasn''t even possible for the dragons had already surrounded them.


    Was there a weakness that this dragon had?


    None of them knew quite for sure but there was one final trump card that they had. If this did not work, then death is inevitable.


    "Everyone, prepare the ballista!"


    Long Wang yelled out to the others, as they looked to her in surprise. Nheless, they dropped everything and went below deck.


    "Where are you all going? Hiding now that you know that everything you do is futile? You pathetic humans."


    As he spoke, steam and wind sted from the seams of the hull as the tes of armor jettisoned from the ship, revealing the wooden hull.. As the ship turned to face the dragon, the front hull split open, revealing a tform where a massive ballista stood.

 Chapter 227 - Dragon Emperor

    It was a giant creation, nearly half the length of the entire ship, and loaded with a very unique bolt. In fact, the entire contraption was unique in its own right. Made with care and precision, wood and iron made up the frame which had been carefully carved with the images of fearsome lions and tigers. There were six arms in total, each connected to each other with steel wire rope that has been nocked behind the bolt.


    The bolt that these ropes had been nocked behind, featured a charcoal-colored shaft created from wood and some strange powder. The bolthead was a deadly one, a steel-made tip that was six-sided and hollow within. Each edge was sharp and jagged, coated with purple-colored liquid, a concentrated dose of poison no doubt. It was almost as long as the ballista and thicker than a full-grown man''s leg.


    Nearly everyone stood around it, helping to load and ready the ballista.


    "What is this? Your final attempt to hurt me? I have been alive for nearly three thousand years, do you think this is going to hurt me?"


    Drunk in his own rage and arrogance, Xiu Luo Yang faced the ship head-on. His ferocious eyes looked upon this ballista with an almost mocking tone. He did not fear it in the slightest.


    "I have been alive long before your kingdoms existed before your families existed! I have been revered as a deity of the mes, a god of the suns, a destroyer of life. I have seen the births and deaths of many kingdoms. I have shown my wrath to those that dared to defy me. However, this is the first time I have felt such hatred for you humans."


    The dragon''s body slowly coiled around the ship, tightening the encirclement. His words only grew more and more hateful.


    "You defiled my beloved''s body, who had passed away merely days ago. Worse, you did so while I was gone, away to find some tributes for her grave. In my fit of grief, you have reced it with anger!"


    "Ready the Dragoon Ballista and shoot on mymand."


    Long Yang yelled down as she loaded another shell into her small cannon. Once more, she aimed it at the Xiu Luo Yang''s head. With the front of the ship split open and exposing the inner regions, Long Wei controlled the ship carefully, turning it to face the dragon directly.


    Ming Yue moved to the side and had been forgotten by the dragon. Perhaps, there was an opportunity of attack here but she needed to wait and watch. Though, what could she do against a dragon?


    On the ballista, there were four people on each side, pulling the bolt back as far as they could. Senior Bei stood at the front, gripping a lever, ready to let the bolt loose. Everyone else quickly carried another bolt to the ballista. Once that first bolt was shot, the next would be loaded immediately.


    Xiu Luo Yang moved his head closer, a fire began to gather in his throat and peek from his fangs as he prepared another breath.


    "Now!"


    As the dragon''s mouth opened wide, Long Wang shouted out and shot her little cannon. Senior Bei pulled the lever and let the bolt loose.


    Both projectiles flew towards Xiu Luo Yang''s open mouth and he breathed fire on them both. The ck bolthead was lit from the mes as well, a fiery beam that came for the dragon''s throat. The speed and power were beyond anything the dragon had faced. The six-sided head pierced the red scales and dug deep into the dragon''s flesh.


    The paper shell burned under the intense mes before exploding, this time it was a deeper shade of purple fog that seemed to sparkle with red dust. Unlike before, Xiu Luo Yang could not scatter it so easily and was forced to breathe it in.


    Xiu Luo Yang winced in pain as his body thrashed around. His senses were thrown off by this red dust as the bolt piercing his skin began to flow with his steaming crimson blood. He roared as he held the bolt with one w and ripped it out with no hesitation. Even more blood spewed from the wound, now a gaping hole whose edges sizzled from the burning bolt.


    "Agh, what is this? My face burns and this bolt, what did you do to it? What sort of poison have youced it with."


    He growled at the ship, tossing the bolt aside. With his throat in pain, he raised his ws which began to shine red as fire came from his palms. By then, another bolt had already been loaded into Dragoon Ballista as multiple people pulled the bolt back. Ready to shoot again, Long Wang stepped forward, having the cannon raised and ready.


    "Please, we mean you no disrespect! We''ve onlye to this gravesite to learn more about your legendary race."


    She yelled out to the dragon, who merely red at her.


    "Disrespect? You took a scale from my beloved''s body and even left a scar where it was. A scale perhaps, I may have forgiven but that scar is something I cannot look past. Not to mention, what you''ve done to me, do you think I would let you off? What''s the point of speaking now?"


    Despite the injuries he took, Xiu Luo Yang seemed rather unbothered by them. In fact, if one watched the hole that the bolt left, they would find that it was already healing at a remarkable rate. It was this that Long Wang noticed and a fact she could not ignore. They only had a limited supply of those bolts and they might not be enough to fend off the dragon. Perhaps words may work.


    "I know that we may have gone past certain lines but your race has been thought to be extinct. Other than us, there are those who think to butcher the bodies of your kin. We only collect a bit of blood and dragon scale, thus we use to learn more about your bodies and understand your ways. Furthermore, for you toe with the intent to kill, we had to defend ourselves...."


    Long Wang began to spout numerous words in an attempt to reason with Xiu Luo Yang. He only looked silently, his face still carrying a murderous intent.


    "Do you know who she is? Do you even know our identities? I was a dragon among dragons, an emperor and she was my equal. She was the only one to best me in battle and capture my heart. A dragon whomanded the light of the moon, opposite to me who controlled the fires of the sun. Together, we became one of the strongest Dragon Emperors. We spent over half of our lives together, traveling the world and watching time pass until our final moments."


    Everyone fell silent, feeling shocked that the one before them was a Dragon Emperor. Long Wang faltered at Xiu Luo Yang''s words, trying to think of what to say next. That title was only given to those who surpassed the realm of ordinary dragons. From what was known, to be one required a trial of a thousand victories against their kin. Very few have managed to obtain that title but now there was one in front of them. It signified overwhelming strength and superiority, to be an emperor among their own.


    "Well..."


    She stuttered as words tried toe out but she truly did not know what to say. It was already a miracle that this Dragon Emperor had stopped to listen to her. They would''ve been dead if not.


    "Hmph, if you have nothing else to say then perish. I doubt any of your words can convince me otherwise."


    Xiu Luo Yang''s aura suddenly bore down upon everyone, making it barely breathable. Rather than breathe fire on them, he was going to get rid of that ballista first. For some human creation to be able to pierce his skin was surprising to him and certainly the biggest threat.


    Raising his w, he swung down as everyone jumped away, narrowly dodging as the w ripped the ballista off and crushed it. With it out of the way, he swung down again, this time aiming to quash Long Wang.


    Under such conditions, she could not dodge it. Instead, she faced it head-on.. If death was inevitable, dying to a Dragon Emperor was not a bad way to go.

 Chapter 228 - Who Will Die?

    As his w came down, Long Wang closed her eyes and awaited her death. Suddenly, Ming Yue jumped in with her sword in both hands. Empowered by her Quintessence Energy, she smashed the de into the palm of the dragon and she carried Long Wang away. With her speed, she nearly disappeared in front of everyone''s eyes and reappeared at the back of the ship where she dropped the woman off.


    "You again, first the woman in charge of the barriers and now, you protect her. Do you wish to die first then?"


    Xiu Luo Yang eyed Ming Yue''s position, locking onto her. She felt his sharp gaze pierce her body but she looked back at the dragon, not showing any fear. Even as her mind trembled, her voice did not, she spoke with rity and volume.


    "These people do not deserve to die, none of them do. They did note here to plunder from these graves but to learn and understand more about the lives of dragons. Theye for knowledge not glory."


    "Then these weapons of theirs, are they not used to kill my kin? That poisonous gas and the heavily armored ship, what is there to fear in a ce of the dead?"


    The Dragon of the Sun questioned her ims but it was the others who answered that question.


    "All of this is for our protection against the descendant races. Not to mention, the restless spirits of those that have lost their lives here."


    "Those things were monstrous, neither man nor beast. You cannot expect us to pass here without some protective measures."


    "We aren''t fighters. Our experience inbat is nearly non-existent."


    "We could not take bits of your beloved''s scale as it was too strong so our only choice was to extract one. As for the scar, one of us were a bit too excited over finding a dragon as unique as her."


    "Indeed, we''ve made countless of expeditions all for exploring and studying the gravesite that lies at the center of the Ying Long Sea. All we''ve done is take samples of their scales and ws, collect some of their residual energy but no more."


    "We are not like those who would butcher corpses."


    Their words came like a continuous stream, pushing back at Xiu Luo Yang''s. Clearly the dragon did not expect such replies from everyone.


    "Hm, I suppose you are correct, not many can injure her so I shouldn''t expect much. You''re lucky that I am able to control my anger. If not, I would''ve turned everything here into ash and used you all as tributes to her death. Though I suppose, she would not like such a thing."


    Xiu Luo Yang rose his head as he gazed at the ship. Although he surrounded the ship with his own body, it looked less like he was trapping them and more like he was resting here.


    At the same time the others nearly spit blood at his words. For them to be lucky that this great beast could restrain his anger was aughable idea. If they did not make all of these preparations, they would''ve been dead long ago. Not to mention, the only things he had said to them before were threats to their lives and ims to give them horrible deaths. The ship was already in shambles. If he did not kill them now, they would surely die on the return trip.


    This time, Long Wang recovered and together with her brother, they walked forward and looked at the dragon, staring straight into his eyes. Courage gathered within her as she realized that he was beginning to hesitate in his words.


    "No one here meant for the scar to happen and we certainly did note here with ill intentions. I assume for someone of your stature, you can oversee this, no?"


    The dragon thought on her words beforeing to a conclusion.


    "I suppose that you are correct. However, while scales could grow back, a scar will never fade. I could let you all free but one of you must stay behind to die. It would be best if the one who caused the scar was left behind but anyone would do. I will ept whoever you choose. Now, go on and discuss."


    With his rather carefree tone, he spoke some very serious words.


    For everyone''s life, they had to give one up to the dragon. If they were to give someone up, it was obviously Tian Zhui that they would choose. However, the thought of condemning one person for the sake of themselves was prizing. Although his character was slightly insufferable, in their eyes, he did not deserve death. But if they did not choose someone, their only choice was to ept death.


    Tian Zhui saw their hesitation, not knowing that they were thinking of choosing him. In this moment, he believed that it was his time to take charge and show his worth. He believed that he had chosen the perfect candidate and thought that everyone else would share the same thoughts.


    "I believe that we should elect the old woman, she is the oldest."


    Not mincing his words, he had chosen Senior Bei. For such a schrly man to utter such speech was surprising. Worse than that, he did so without much hesitation. Even as everyone thought carefully, he was quick to choose. Perhaps his quick judgement was a good thing but morals, that was something everyone else valued more.


    "How could you say that?"


    "She is the oldest and most experienced of us all. She has contributed more than you have."


    "Why would you choose her?"


    "You have given her no respect when she has given you more than you deserve."


    "She was the one who allowed you to join the department and you call for her death?!"


    Everyone had nothing but harsh words for his choice but Tian Zhui did not back down rather he offered another choice.


    "What had she done for this expedition? She could barely use any of her tools with that fragile body of hers. If we have to choose someone, we should give up the weakest link. If not her, then that girl. She has nothing to do with us. She only came to sightsee."


    Tian Zhui then pointed at Ming Yue, who looked back at him with anger. He may be a hard worker, but his mentality wascking. It was one thing to be arrogant and ambitious, it was another to show little concern for life.


    "What are you saying? Sightseeing? Did she not help us in defending the ship? Capturing that Electric Dragon Eel?"


    Long Wang looked at him with disgust as did the others. So easily, he was willing to sacrifice someone for a chance at life.


    "You speak with such gusto as if you had nothing to do with it. If not for you, we would not be in such a mess."


    "You had to take not one but multiple vials of blood. You just cut into the flesh and treated it like some insignificant beast."


    "You left that scar on her body! You did not care about the corpse, you only cared about your own research!"


    "It has always been like that with you. Quick to judge others and put down their hard work while youpliment your own."


    "When you first started here, you did nothing but suck up to the previous heads of the department. No one can deny that you worked the hardest, gathering your own materials and such. But your behavior, no one can deny that you are intolerable to work with"


    Tian Zhui looked at them all with a look of offense.


    "Intolerable you say? Perhaps, I wouldn''t have been so intolerable if the work you people do was good. All of you going after me? Hmph, Its only because I threaten your positions. You are afraid that I will over take you. and be the next head."


    They looked at him with shock at those words.


    "Threatened? No, none of us feel threatened by you. We feel nothing but disdain for you."


    Any conversation had be nothing more than bickering. It seemed that they had all but forgotten their situation as everyone unloaded their frustrations for Tian Zhui.


    "Enough, I will choose who will die."


    Xiu Luo Yang stopped the bickering and immediately approached the broken ship, reaching out for someone. But who?

 Chapter 229 - Burned To Ashes

    As the dragon moved forward, everyone stood upright, facing the dragon. With his w held out, he reached for one of them and grabbed. As for the one he chose, It was Tian Zhui that he made a move for. But would this schrly man ept his fate so easily.


    "You bastards, I will not go down like this."


    Tian Zhui scowled as he made for an escape. But there was no ce to run, unless he nned on jumping into the sea. It seemed that he did have a n however.


    Wielding his white fan, he ran through the ship and towards the shields, tapping them in the center with it. The oval-shaped bulwarks hummed and floated from the ship deck before chasing after Tian Zhui.


    No one realized what he was doing with them until he hopped off of the ship. The shields flew under him, banding together andbining into a small boat that he stood on. He looked back at the others before focusing on his escape. But escape was not so simple.


    Under the eyes of Xiu Luo Yang, escape was nothing more than a false hope.


    "Hmph, do you really think that you can use tricks in front of me? Get back here!"


    He thrusted his w forward where red energy emerged from his body and formed arge transparent w. It towered over Tian Zhui who urged his boat forward. He turned around and attacked the w with sts of wind, waving his fan with power and grace. With each wave, the strength behind his attacks increased, pushing against this descending w.


    Even as he struggled, his attacks did nothing. In one fell swoop, the red w grabbed both him and boat, bringing it back. Tian Zhui struggled, cursing and spouting all sorts of words.


    Everyone looked at him disapprovingly, even Xiu Luo Yang looked at him with disdain. The Long siblings looked at him, distrust and anger were what filled their eyes. For a these two who showed little emotion, this was the first time they had felt such anger.


    "Were you going to tell us about that function or were you going to keep it a secret, using it for yourself?" they asked.


    "Hmph, what''s the point of keeping it a secret now? Of course, I did it for myself! You are all idiots for not having personal safeguards! That''s it, that is all I think of you people, idiots! My work is not for you to use to readily."


    He enunciated those words, drawing fury within everyone. His appearance was no longer the schrly man he once was but someone whose arrogance knew no bounds. Even under the pretense of death, his ego inted. Perhaps it was fear that pushed him, with impending death, there was no point in hiding behind a facade.


    "You scoundrel, if we had known of your true colors, we would''ve kicked you out of the Research District."


    "What? You can''t me me for thinking ahead", He sneered at them, "You cannot me me for making the choice when everyone else was dawdling around. You should''ve chosen the old hag or that stupid girl."


    "You!" Long Wang stepped forward, her voice full of anger but a hand stopped her.


    As for whose hand it was, Senior Bei was the one that stopped her from speaking. The old woman walked forward, her face was calm as she stared at Tian Zhui''s expression of mockery.


    "Tian Zhui, all of us had known of your prideful behavior but we endured it. As the one who recruited you and watched over you for the past years, I''ve watched your growth and believed that you woulde to join us asrades. You''ve certainly shown your dedication but you iste yourself, going out on your own to gather materials when we have groups that you could join. Even with these shields, a project that required multiple people, you barely spoke and just tinkered away. You did note to any of the gatherings. You just keep to yourself and now that you''ve revealed everything, I can see why you''ve chosen to live like this."


    TIan Zhui looked at her, getting annoyed from her words.


    "Are you done scolding me? Get to the point."


    Senior Bei paused and stared at him before shaking your head.


    "Your work is certainly a cut above the rest but your temperament is pure idiocy and utter trash. As the one who allowed you into the department, I will also be the one to expel you from it. Your life is no longer our concern."


    Her words struck him with surprise but he shook it off.


    "You can''t do such a thing. You need me. This department needs me!"


    "I''m sure they''ll do fine without you. Let''s get tot he next bit of business."


    Xiu Luo Yang turned the bearded schr around and locked eyes with him. He sharpened his gaze and began tough. yeh


    "You know, I had nned on letting you all decide on who to sacrifice until I heard some very interesting words. Unlike the others, you followed your greed and continued to stab and cut into the flesh of my beloved''s body. When everyone else had stopped, you went even further and left a blemish on her body. What more, it seems you cared little for what you''ve done. You foul excuse of a human, worse than the warriors who challenged our kin, worse than those who coveted our powers. You have no respect for your peers or for others. I won''t give you a quick death."


    As he spoke, Xiu Luo Yang''s voice became calm and quiet but his body said differently. His whiskers quivered as the dragon energy welled up within the dragon. His piercing eyes turned murderous, an unspeakable aura came from him. It was the same lofty aura but it carried intense ferocity, igniting fear into everyone, especially Tian Zhui.


    His body was turned over into the Xiu Luo Yang''s real ws by the ones made of his energy.


    Slowly, the ws tightened around both Tian Zhui and his little boat. The boat creaked and twisted before splitting back into the shields. They crumpled and fell into the sea, leaving their creator slowly suffering.


    "I''m going to break your body before I incinerate you", menacingly, Xiu Luo Yang almost whispered those words into his ears.


    Energy travelled through his body and into his ws, covering Tian Zhui and pushing him to the edge.


    He struggled under the tightening grip. Twisting and turning, he tried his damnedest to break out as his body began to bend. Bones began to snap as he screamed out and tried everything to get out, even biting the ws that held him.


    "I don''t deserve this! I''m better than all of you! Gah!"


    He yelled frantically, beating and hooting about. Everyone was silent and looked away as Xiu Luo Yang opened his mouth. Fire built up from his throat before he tossed Tian Zhui''s broken body up in the air and bathed it in mes. When he was done, Tian Zhui''s body was nothing more than ash scattered in the sea.


    Xiu Luo Yang turned back to the body of his beloved and gazed at it. Within this nearly pure white body of hers was a small but noticeable scar on her body.


    "Hmph, you probably wouldn''t want me to kill them would you?"


    Thinking to himself, he sat silently before twisting his head up, looking up at the sky in surprise. The sky seemed to have begun to shatter and break into pieces.


    "How can this be?" he could not help to speak as the barrier was broken.


    "You humans, when you spoke of those restless spirits, how many were there?" he looked back at the half-broken ship.


    "There were hundreds where we were, there are probably thousands all over the sea. Has something happened?"


    Long Wang looked at the great dragon with concern.


    "Yes, the barrier that I created has been destroyed.. Those spirits may being here now."

 Chapter 230 - Corruption Of The Sea

    "What!?"


    Everyone eximed in shock.


    "Indeed, I did not think that this would happen."


    Looking at each other, those at the ship were unsure of what to do now.


    "Considering their speed, it would take them a day to reach us. If they were all around the barrier then we have no way of escaping."


    "We could fight but in our state, we might not be able to do anything."


    "What if we remodel the ship? It''s not as if we don''t have the means to do so."


    Xiu Luo Yang floated up, leaving the ship on its own.


    "I will go and survey the gravesite, see the situation. I will be back in half a day."


    This Dragon Emperor flew off swiftly and the others began to work on the ship despite having witnessed the death of one of their own. The killing of Tian Zhui weighed on their minds but now they had something to distract themselves with. There was no time to dwell on this when both their lives and the existence of the gravesite was a stake.


    Time passed by quickly and the ship was taking on a new appearance as the metal armor had been repurposed at the new bow of the ship. Xin Kuo, who had woken up, started redoing her formations and restructuring them.


    Xiu Luo Yang returned, a grave expression on his face as he looked back at the rather misshapen ship.


    "It seems that I have been careless with my actions. Those spirits you spoke of, those with lingering regrets had been tainted by dragon energy. That which hade from my beloved, who released it as she passed. Having broken my barrier, they''ve entered the gravesite and havee to corrupt it all. They''ve gorged on the dead and are slowly growing in power, though their nature have grwon chaotic. Some of them have burst from the excess power. Now that they have been tainted by my beloved''s energy, they will try to get to her, the source of that energy that first touched them."


    At the reveal of this news, everyone sucked in a cold breath.


    "But how is that possible?" asked Senior Bei, "Why is it that their spirits corrupt now? There has been countless of dragons that passed here, yet it happens now. Even in our past expeditions, we''ve never seen somehting like this."


    "Do not forget, like me, she is also a Dragon Emperor. Our power is much stronger and purer. Not to mention, those spirits have been here for years. Their spirits were bound to change and it seems that thest burst of energy pushed it."


    Xiu Luo Yang flew up and looked around the sea. It was a vast ce with nothing but calm waters.


    "It seems that we will have to stay here and defend her body. Should they reach it and take it for themselves, they could run rampant and the gravesite would not longer exist. I doubt I would forgive myself for letting this happen. Make your preparations, they will being soon. If wee out of this victoriously, I will personally reward you."


    Their eyes lit up at those words but it quickly changed back. This ordeal could not be dealt with so easily. They could care less about the reward. With all that had happened, it was enough if they came out of this alive.


    Everyone went to work, doing their best to transform the ship into a little stronghold. Much of it had been remodeled, cing more weight at the bottom and widening the ship deck. The cannons had been fixed up and refitted, the Dragoon Ballista was rebuilt though it was not asrge as before.


    Xiu Luo Yangid down and ced his hands together. From his palms, red dragon energy spread out into a barrierrge enough to cover everyone. Afterwards, he set up multiple formations which had apletely difference appearance to any normal formation. Ancient and primordial, it took the shape of a hexagon filled with all sorts of strange characters. Primitive symbols that resembled nothing like what anyone had seen.


    Both the Long siblings and the rest of the department stopped to watch him work, studying it. Xin Kuo especially, whose focus was formations, sketched the symbols and the orientations of it all. She couldn''t help but ask Xiu Luo Yang about it, its purpose and creation.


    "This is something you all should know if we are to work together. I have created four formations along with this barrier. There are three outside and one within. The one within is a weakening formation in which anything other than us that go past the barrier will fall under my influence. Upon this, they will have the bear the full weight of my aura either destroying their spirit or forcing them down into the sea. The other three will be illusions and offensive formations. The furthest formation will force them into an illusion of fog. The second will form a wall of fire, burning their bodies as they pass through. The third will be a wall of wind, pushing them back out."


    Xin Kuo furiously wrote down what he spoke as the others took note.


    "This is the extent of my strength. Unfortunately, formations aren''t my strong suit so there will be some that pass through."


    "Then we need to n for this, assign everyone roles", said Long Wang.


    "Indeed", the dragon replied.


    "You there, girl, you''reing with me. Those spirits are quite small and considering myrge body, I will need someone to take care of some of them for me. Since you aren''t a part of them, you will do better with me than with them."


    Xiu Luo Yang pointed his w at Ming Yue, who looked surprised but nodded. She knew barely anything about this ship and the limited space would restrict her fighting.


    "Good, me and the girl will be outside to try and thin the hordes, any that pass through will be left to you. I assume you all are prepared", he looked to the others, who nodded.


    Their hearts raced. It was one thing to have theit lives on the line but it was another to have a dragon depend on you.


    Xiu Luo Yang extended his arm, allowing Ming Yue to climb on and rest on his head. Compared to him, she was like a bug on someone''s arm. He slowly flew up and left the barrier.


    "I will give you a signal for when theye. Prepare yourselves."


    Those were hisst words before exiting as everyone worked to improve the ship any way that they can.


    Outside, the duo watched from above, looking to see who woulde. It was quiet, the only sounds was they heard was the passing winds and their own breathing.


    "What was her name, the name of your beloved?" asked Ming Yue.


    As it was just them, Ming Yue decided to ask as they waited.


    "Yue Hua Yin, Dragon of the Moonlight as opposed to myself, Dragon of the Sun."


    He paused before answering. The dragon did not mind, although they were the ones who had disturbed her peace. He had put all of his rage onto Tian Zhui and forgave them. As violent as dragons were known to be, there was no doubt that they could also be understanding as well.


    "What about you? What is your name, young one?"


    "Ming Yue, Yue as in moon."


    "Just like her... Hmph, how unexpected."


    With that exchange, they began to have some light conversation. Someitmes it was questions about the past, what has the dragon seen in his lifetime? What sort of fantastical sights were there? Xiu Luo Yan entertained her with stories. He had a wealth of knowledge as a being that has lived for several thousand years.


    As the sun began to set, they had appeared. First it was a few then followed by waves of them. These dreadful spirits who knew nothing but hunger and rage.


    Xiu Luo Yang noticed them as did Ming Yue.


    "They''ve finallye. You best prepare yourself, girl. You will witness how a Dragon Emperor fights."


    His head rose up and faced the sky before sending out an ear-splitting roar of anger.


    That was the signal.

 Chapter 231 - A Night Of Slaughter

    Under this setting sun, the darkening red horizon and scattered clouds highlighted the swarm of mutated spirits that came. Just as many flew as they sprinted their way to the Dragon of Moonlight''s corpse, the source of their transformation and a well of power to gain from.


    As Xiu Luo Yang''s resounding roar shook the sea, it forced these spirits to stop in both fear and awe of this Dragon Emperor. But it was only a momentary pause before they returned it with countless of screeches and cries.


    Within the barrier, the roar echoed within, notifying the ship of the impending horde. The ship circled around the white dragon corpse. The cannons were manned and the others had their weapons ready, Senior Bei with her three swords, Xin Kuo with her mace. The Long Siblings brought out scaled gauntlets, resembling that of dragon ws.


    The outer formations blocked their sight but the sounds of battle could be heard, brutal and chaotic. There were explosions, screams, the sound of flesh being torn apart. They watched the barrier carefully for any that came through, prepared to kill.


    As for the chaos outside, it was nothing short of incredible.


    These mutated spirits had changedpared to before. Their appearance took a turn for the worse, an amalgamation of flesh and bone, parts bloated and ripped out. The chaotic energy had taken its toll on them, any resemnce to human or dragon was gone. In turn, they only grew in ferociousness and savagery which could only be dealt with in kind.


    With Ming Yue on his neck, Xiu Luo Yang soared above the sea water. His mouth gaping wide as mes spewed from within, incinerating these monstrous things. His ws grabbed ahold of whatever unlucky spirit was there and crushed them into a paste. Red energy emerged from his body, forming even more ws that trampled on anything in their way. He roared thunderously, striking fear to all that heard it.


    "Come you damned spirits! Come and face me!" he shouted out.


    As for the one sitting on top, Ming Yue had no time to admire the way this great beast fought.


    In order for Xiu Luo Yang to do as he pleased, Ming Yue had to protect his blind spots. With his big body, he was bound to have a few escape him. Those were her responsibility, anything that came close to the dragon would be shot down by wind needles. Those that managed tond on his body were dealt with swiftly by Ming Yue''s sword. She moved around his body, almost dancing as she attacked constantly, fending off these wicked spirits.


    There were many, thousands and thousands that came and surrounded them.


    With the barrier and the formations in ce, reaching the corpse of Yue Hua Yin was nigh impossible. They were forced into a maze of fog that left them lost before mes scorched their bodies and a powerful gale pushed them back out.


    However, there was only this Dragon Emperor and Ming Yue that worked to thin the crowd. Two against countless others and worse than that, the formations that had been set up were unable to keep up with this mass of bodies. It wasn''t long before a few began to slip in and approach the barrier. But they were quickly disposed of by a ray of lightning shot by the Roaring Thunder cannons.


    It was endless, just horde after horde of these mutated spirits, whose only goal was to reach what was within that barrier. Their tenaciousness knew no bounds, so long as they could still move, they headed for the barrier.


    mes lit up the night sky as bodies fell and melted into ck sludge. Lightning sparked the air and thunderous sounds filled the air.


    "Damnit, this is neverending. Just how many are there?!" Xiu Luo Yang felt a tinge of tiredness as his mouth was sore from constantly spitting out mes.


    Then distant roars thundered as shadows approached the pair.


    "No, that can''t be..."


    The Dragon of the Sun looked towards these shadows. Under the moonlight, they were dragon corpses, tainted and corrupted by the mutated spirits.


    There was a group of them, fifty or so which were all in varying degrees of deformation. Some resembled an actual dragon, others were nothing like a dragon.Their flesh gnarled and contorted, small heads sprouted all over their bodies, yelling and screaming in pain. These corpses were beyond warped, they had been overtaken by these spirits,bined and transformed into ugly things. They twitched every now and then, their expression without emotion and their eyes were ck.


    "How can they do this?"


    Xiu Luo Yang could not believe what he was seeing. The bodies of his kin were taken and turned into nothing more than soulless beings filled with agony and rage. He was furious, angry, enraged even. Rage filled every fiber of his being as he red at them.


    "Ming Yue, do not move and cling to my body."


    She did as he said, returning to his neck and sticking close to him.


    "These cursed spirits, I will end your lives."


    He rose his body upwards, looking down on all that there was. The light of the moon bathed his body as he brought his ws close together. Heat gathered and a ball of me appeared, it grew in size until reaching it was as wide as his arms could go. He held it with one w and raised this ball of me. The heat and power was intense, it was bright, resembling that of a sun but much smaller.


    "Sunlight Radiance", he spoke coldly.


    This miniature sun began to emanate waves of energy down onto the sea. Each wave pushed the horde back, as for the corrupted dragons, they held on, moving forward without slowing down.


    Their bodies began to burn as the many faces filled the night with sceams of agony. They came closer and closer and these corrupted dragons made their move, charging at Xiu Luo Yang. With their sharp fangs, they opened their mouths to try and bite the crimson dragon.


    "One Sun, Ten Thousand Sparks."


    Upon those words, the sun above him suddenly burst into countless little mes. Intense heat washed over everything as these little mes flew off.


    Ming Yue watched, absorbed with the scene.


    Ten thousand mes chased after these fifty-odd dragons, clinging to their bodies and burning their flesh. One by one, they exploded, destroying chunks of their bodies. They thrashed in the air, trying their best to disperse these small fires though such action was done in vain. Some took their chances and charged through only to be reduced to broken bones and burnt flesh as they could not avoid these fires.


    In just two moves, Xiu Luo Yang had taken care of them but his face showed nothing but dissatisfaction and disgust. His own kin had their bodies robbed, desecrated and ruined. Fightning them brought nothing but a bitter taste in his mouth.


    He turned around and surveyed the area. There weren''t many of these mutated spirits anymore. Those still alive were near death, barely struggling to reach the barrier. The barrier itself was cracked in some parts, the formations were barely holding on. Inside it, the ship was still intact as everyone looked tired but all were alive.


    "Let''s finish these dregs and let this ordeal be done", he said, turning around and flying towards whatever still moved about.


    Ming Yue, still sitting on him, looked around and back at the now destroyed dragon corpses. Like the others, they turned into sludge, melting into the sea but there was something odd. Something that she noticed.


    The sludge gathered together, bing one mass. It was not just the remains of these dragons but the remains of the other spirits as well that joined together.


    "Wait, they aren''t dead yet!"


    She called out to the dragon, who looked behind and noticed the growing mass of ck sludge.


    "This is..."


    From that ck sludge, a massive w emerged from it grabbing at Xiu Luo Yang.. Two beady eyes shined from within as a screeching roar pierced everyone''s ears.

 Chapter 232 - Wicked Black Hydra

    The mere power of that roar was enough to shatter the barrier. The ck sludge from its body slowly washed away as not just one pair of eyes glowed but four more followed suit. Five heads emerged from within, staring at Xiu Luo Yang. As it walked forward, the beast fully showed it itself, dwarfing the Dragon of the Sun.


    Three times his size, this beast roared once more before a ck fog suffused from its body and into the air. Its five heads were like a dragon''s butrger and with wild fangs. Their glowing eyes were golden, a stark contrast to their ck body. It had no wings but four stout legs and a serpent like body.


    It was like a hydra but no hydra was as monstrous as this.


    It did not share the same features as its kin, none of it was gnarled or chaotic. It was a fully developed body with ck scales. There were no extra heads screaming out in pain, just the five. Most of all, it seemed as if it had a will of its own, not just uncontroble anger and hunger. ckened whiskers quivered upon its mouths as each head breathed out ck, putrid air.


    It was an evil thing.


    Everything it touched seemed to turn ck and thicken like mud. Its wicked aura brought about a feeling of nausea and disgust.


    A Wicked ck-Scale Hydra, that was the only way to call it. As for its rank, it was beyond any of that. The power it showed was equal if not greater than that of Xiu Luo Yang, a legendary beast.


    "Hmph, if I have to obliterate you, so be it."


    The Dragon of the Sun squared off against this hulking beast.


    As for those on the ship, they were shaking in their knees. If not for the barrier or any of the formations, they would have already been knocked out or even dead. Their ears still rang from the roaring of this hydra.


    For one, they no longer had to watch for any oing spirits. However, now they had to deal with this hydra. It was instinct that everyone knew this hydra was not to be trifled with. The ship idled as fear gripped them, they watched as Xiu Luo Yang took on this Wicked ck Hydra.


    The five heads spread out, nearly surrounding the dragon as their eyes stayed glued onto him. All at they they snapped forward, trying to take a bite out of him.


    "Armor of the Sun!"


    Xiu Luo Yang flew up, avoiding the attack and mes gathered aorund his body. Surrounding him and solidifying into shining red armor, covering his body from head to tail. It was intricate te armor, designed to easy movement despite covering the entire body. me patterns covered it all, the chest te, greaves, shin guards, tail armor, etc.


    Still clinging on to him, Ming Yue found that this transformation did not affect her. In fact, the armor seemed to have altered slightly to allow her to continue riding the dragon.


    "Ming Yue, there is no time put you down. Cling tightly but attack as you see fit. This battle might be ourst one."


    Just forming this armor was proof enough that he was not going to hold back.


    The armor radiated light as a ring of fire formed behind Xiu Luo Yang. He flew down with his ws ready to attack. Now armored, each nail was much deadlier, greater in length and serrated on the lower edge. He aimed for the middle head, making an attempt to rip the neck apart.


    But the hydra was fast and alert, the middle head whipped back, avoiding the attack. But Xiu Luo Yang was not finished, he was going to rip that neck apart and with both his ws, he grabbed the neck, pulling it with all of his might. His ws was red-hot, and the flesh of the hydra burned under his grasp.


    It screeched in pain before the other four heads surrounded the pair and opened their mouths. A bevy of ck me enveloped them as the heads let out a continuous stream.


    The ring of fire on Xiu Luo Yang''s back protected them, emitting a wave of fire that pushed these balck mes back. But like the hydra and those spirits, it was a tenacious fire, clinging to the ring, almost biting at it, trying to devour it. It did nothing to stop Xiu Luo Yang from gripping one of their necks.


    However, even with his strength, the hydra''s neck did not give way. It was dense and taut, furthermore, its skin seemed to corrode his armored ws.


    He bellowed in anger, pushing more power into his arms as they grew in thickness. With his strength, he pulled the hydra by one of its necks and throwing it up. Confused by what was happening, the hydra heads stopped breathing down fire and began wriggling around, it struggled to release itself as it was thrown in the air before it was mmed down into the sea floor.


    He was not finished yet as he pulled the hydra again before throwing it back down again and again. The seafloor cracked under the weight of the. Rumbling boomed throuout the entire sea as even the fisherman at the shores could hear, even feel the shaking.


    The hydra howled, not in pain but anger and confusion as it was being thrown.


    But was the beast truly helpless, of course not. The four heads, free from his grasp, charged forward with their mouths gaping wide. Their fangs wet with saliva and sharp to the point. BIting down, their teeth were blocked, denied by the fire-patterned armor. Rather, they did nothing but scratch it, dent it almost.


    "Hurgh", Xiu Luo Yang grunted under the pressure of these attacks.


    He let go of the hydra head and pushed off the others, jumping back and inspecting his armor. That saliva seemed to corrode his armor and it took more than a few seconds for him to cleanse it.


    Recovering from the beating, the hydra was wary of him as was he. Xiu Luo Yang overpowered the hydra but its body seemed to corrode his armor, eat away at his strength. If he was quick enough, the battle could be won but only if he was quick enough. An exchange of just a few seconds long but it was enough for him to understand their situation.


    His arm shrunk back to their original size and ring of fire behind him had split into nine pieces and transformed into giant arrows.


    "Sun yer Bow, Arrows of Hou Yi"*


    A bow appeared in front of him and the first arrow floated towards it, Xiu Luo Yang readied it, nocking the bow string.


    Ming Yue took it as a signal and prepared her own attack. She had yet to find a chance to as the battle had barely begun. She formed onence, pushing its power until she could feel her control slipping. It was a third of the sizepared to the arrows that Xiu Luo Yang used but for her, this was thergest one she had created. With the help fo the Eternal Heart Ring, thisnce only used up a tenth of her power but that was already equal to over hundred normalnces.


    At the same time, they let it go and the two attacks flew forward. The fiery arrow pierced the hydra''s leg, digging deep into its flesh. Thence followed the arrow and pushed it further into the hydra''s leg before bursting with explosive wind.


    Under Xiu Luo Yang''s control, the fire arrow had burst as well and burnt a hole in its leg.


    The hydra screamed in pain as it stumbled forward. But then the wound left the two attacks had already begun to mend itself.


    Xiu Luo Yang nocked another arrow just as Ming Yue formed anothernce. Shooting once more, thet aimed for the same leg. Already weak, it was sted apart, severed from the hydra.. But that leg was still alive, wriggling before crawling towards the hydra.

 Chapter 233 - Thunderous Assault Of Lightning

    The pair readied another attack but the hydra retaliated. In an attempt to stall for time and allow the severed leg to reconnect, balls of ck fire shot from its five heads. A wild attack that rained down on their enemy, they exploded on contact, spreading ck mes everywhere.


    Unlike the hydra, Xiu Luo Yang was agile and aimed once more, this time for one of the heads. One the other hand, Ming Yue sought to destroy that already broken limb. She would not let it heal so easily.


    As he shot another fiery arrow, the hydra attacked it,one of the heads breathed out a breath of me which weakened the attack. Two others let loose more mes at Xiu Luo Yang. The remaining two heads sought to protect its severed leg, shielding it while watching for any oing attacks.


    With those two in her way, Ming Yue opted for multiplences. They might be able to block a few of them but not all. A barrage ofnces hailed on them, though theycked power it was enough to distract them and slow down the healing.


    As all of this happened, the ship was idle as everyone watched the fight. It was certainly intense as Xiu Luo Yang flew about, dodging the many mes while attacking. Though they could not see Ming Yue well, they certainly saw the flurry of windnces, battering down the hydra. A monstrous creature, an unholy aura that gued everything it touched.


    Long Wang moved for one of the cannons, turning it to aim at the hydra.


    "We must help. We cannot just stand here and do nothing."


    One by one the others joined her. They could not just watch this and not help. They were not fighters but they had their own pride as researchers and as people. As little help as they may give, every little bit counted. Manning the cannons, they aimed for the hydra, careful not to hit the others.


    "On my mark, aim for the left-most head!"


    Long Wang shouted out as every cannon began to charge their shot. The one they aimed for was stationary, shielding its divided limb, enduring the assault of windnces. A total of eight cannons hummed with power, sparks of electricity gathered at the barrel. Blue lightning cores shined as everyone watched and waited.


    "Now!"


    In the thick of the fight, eight rays of lightning surged through the sky. Thundering roars echoed throughout the gravesite as these lightning bolts merged together in the final moment before hitting the hydra head.


    Unprepared for this sudden strike, the hydra head yelped in pain before twitching from the coursing electricity. The other four heads felt it and began looking around for the source of that attack. This moment of disregard gave a chance for Xiu Luo Yang to fly towards that twitching head and grabbed it.


    With only two more of his arrows, he grabbed one of them from behind and stabbed it right into the hydra''s eye. The second arrow, he pierced the flesh neck and pushed the arrow until it the tip emerged on the other side.


    He opened his mouth and a breath of red fire came from within, burning the head.


    The other heads turned back towards him to retaliate but another wave of lightning struck their bodies. If not for the fact that the hydra had put most of its focus onto reiming its lost leg, the Roaring Thunder Cannons would have had little effect.


    The hydra was outnumbered and it was angry, furious even. In a moment of rage, one of heads pushed through the pain to look at the little ship, still floating in front of the white dragon corpse.


    ck fire flew from its mouth in a wild fashion, spraying all around the ship. It was wide and reached far, nearly covering bot the ship and the white dragon corpse.


    "No!" Xiu Luo Yang''s eyes followed the mes and found that it would touch his beloved''s corpse.


    But he could not retreat, even if he did, he would not make it. He did not want her body to be tainted like this and watched as the wave of corrupting mes loom over.


    "Barriers, quick!" Long Wang yelled out as she aimed her cannon at the mes.


    Xin Kuo quickly activated her barrier, shielding the entire ship. But they knew that it would not hold against this many attacks.


    Senior Bei grabbed ahold of her spinning umbre, opening it. Taking off her three swords, sheid them atop the umbre, causing them to spin in the opposite direction. The umbre glowed as a silver colored barrier emerged to which she aimed it at the iing attacks.


    They charged the cannons and quickly as possible, focusing the shots at the spray of fire. They not only had to protect themselves but protect the white dragon corpse as well. After all, this was the corpse of Xiu Luo Yang''s partner as the dragon entrusted her protection to them. They would not fail him.


    Before it reached them, the cannons shot once more, cutting through the wave of mes and weakening it. But it did not stop it and the ck wave fell upon the first barrier. The ship had taken on all of the mes, not even letting a wisp touch the dragon corpse.


    "Department Head, the Dynamic Dragon Harnessing Formation! I''m going to activate it" Xin Kuo told Long Wang before descending down the ship to activate it.


    "Long Wei! Open the boat!" Long Wang shouted towards her brother as she continued to shoot the cannon at the mes.


    Within the captain''s cabin, Long Wei quickly pulled down two levers and boat began to creak. The side split open, revealing a grand formation that had been modified with the Dragoon Ballista. gs and empty white cores were embedded into the ballista, connecting it with the Dynamic Dragon Harnessing Formation.


    cing her hands onto it, Xin Kuo activated the formation and a sucking force formed, inhaling and gathering the ck mes. It twirled about as if struggling to escape but the formation ultimately absorbed it. The cores embedded on the ballista slowly darkened and small wisps of fire slipped from the crystalline cores. The ck mes dissipated as the formation continued to pull them in and make it their own.


    The mes slowly infused with the loaded bolt, turning jet back and emitting an evil aura.


    "Turn the ship, turn left!" Xin Kuo shouted from below to which Long Wei heard and steered the ship around.


    Xin Kuo stepped forward, grasping the lever at the front.


    Ming Yue turned around and saw the ship open, revealing the formation and the ballista.


    "Xiu Luo Yang, step back! The ship is shooting their ballista."


    She warned the dragon who wrestled against the same hydra head, still stabbed with the two arrows.


    The Dragon Emperor did not speak and pulled at the hydra head. The arrow still embedded into the neck had detonated, sting the flesh and bone and turning it to ash. He yanked hard and ripped the hydra head off before backing away.


    The other four heads let out a ear-piercing scream out of pain as it lost one of its heads.


    Xiu Luo Yang made a move for the leg, flying towards the limb that had only just begun merging with the hydra. Like the head he held, he ripped off the leg and retreated.


    Its eyes red with pain and anger, the hydra red at Xiu Luo Yang, who held the severed parts of its body.


    Standing before the hydra, this great dragon seemed to taunt it, tossing both the head and the leg int he air before burning it to ashes. It was a clear sign of arrogance and a signal to attack. The hydra stumbled forward, walking with only three of its legs. Hatred blinded it as the remaining four head opened their mouths to tear the dragon apart.


    Hiding behind Xiu Luo Yang, the ship sent off the shot as Xin Kuo pulled the lever down.


    Then it tripped forward, as a ck bolt shot through the air and impaled the other front leg. THe size and force of the bolt had pushed the leg back, causing the hydra to fall.


    For such a fearsome enemy, it was clumsy and simple.. With it on the ground, it was an easy target for Xiu Luo Yang.

 Chapter 234 - Reward And Repose

    Xiu Luo Yang formed another ring of fire. He deactivated his armor partially melted and eaten away by the Hydra''s aura. Unlike the first ring, this one was smaller and condensed. Rather than fire, it had be a solid ring of light.


    "Providence of the Sun."


    Xiu Luo Yang controlled this ring, which flew above the hydra''s body. It shined and hummed as the hydra tried to get up but found that it could not. This ring of light then split into five concentric circles, the first smaller than the next and so on.


    The mere energy had forced the hydra down, pushing it into the seafloor.


    Xiu Luo Yang''s body slightly trembled as the hydra tried its utmost to break this entrapment. The rings of light stood above the hydra, like an inevitable fate. Strangely enough, no blood came from its ripped head or leg and despite the losses, this hydra was as lively as before. The four heads struggled to spew mes out as its jaws were shut under the pressure.


    Slowly, the rings lowered onto the hydra, growing brighter and brighter as it pressed down the beast. The dark aura was nothing under the light of this attack, weak and reduced to mere wisps.


    Upon touching the flesh, the rings branded themselves onto the hydra''s body, who wirthed and cried out in pain. The smell of burnt flesh wafted into the air as the rings pressed down, burning deep into the hydra''s flesh, turning those ck scales into nothing more than ash.


    Sensing its impending doom, the hydra used all of its remaining strength to break this. An explosion of dark fog burst from its body as it grew twice the size.


    With a mighty roar, it pushed the rings back, inching further up.


    Xiu Luo Yang''s face turned grim as he tried to keep the beast under control. From behind, the ship shot their cannons constantly, raining lightning down.


    "Get back down!"


    Xiu Luo Yang forced the rings down onto the hydra, burning through the flesh as this beast tried to run forward. However, itsst spurt of strength was nearly gone and its body could not handle the rings of light. Like a quillotine, the rings came down, slicing the hydra''s body and the outermost ring, severed the rest of the heads.


    In its final moments, the hydra toppled over and the four heads rolled off. Its body slowly melted into ck sludge to which Xiu Luo Yang incinerated with a breath of me. He was not going to take any chances with it, destroying it before it turned into anything else.


    The ship closed up, returning to its original form as everyone let out a breath of relief.


    They were sessful! What more, no one lost their lives. Had they not made ample preparation, there would''ve been a different result.


    Returning to the ship, Ming Yue hopped off of the dragon as he left to check on his beloved''s body.


    "Ah, good."


    Xiu Luo Yang looked up and raised his hands, energy pulsed from his palms, forming another barrier that spanned across much of the gravesite. This one was noticeably stronger then the previous one.


    Afterwards, he floated towards the ship, watching the crew gather themselves and rest.


    All of them sat by the cannons, resting their backs on them. They were tired, both physically and certainly mentally. They had little rest before hand, focusing on improving the ship up until thest moment before manning the cannons, not to mention attacking the hydra. It took a special sort of mentality to not break under the sight of that horrific creature.


    Just the size was enough to intimidate most people.


    "It seems that we have all survived this ordeal", said the dragon.


    "I just hope we don''t have to go through it once more."


    Long Wang replied, feeling tired and sleepy however, she stood up and faced the dragon. Everyone else followed her, pulling themselves up.


    "Please sit back down and rest. I know that you are all exhuasted and I am no tyrant, especially to those that I deem honourable. I too need a bit of time to recover."


    Hearing those words, everyone sat back down, recovering their energy. The moon was still high above them, caressing them in a gentle light. The sea returned to its serene state and slowly lulled them all to sleep.


    Except for Ming Yue, unlike the others, she was used to battle and did not feel very tired. She only sat down and recovered her energy while thinking about the battle. She was somewhat lost, not knowing what to make of it. Though she helped Xiu Luo Yang battle against the hydra, it was hard to determine how effective she was.


    Did any of her attacks truly damage the hydra?


    As far as she knew, hernces were nothing more than an annoyance to the beast. As for the one she used on its leg, she knew that it was Xiu Luo Yang''s arrow that severed the leg. Still, she learned quite a lot about her limits and understood that there was a fair bit of improvement to do.


    "Girl, you''re awake."


    Xiu Luo Yang''s gravelly voice gently entered her ears.


    She looked up to find the dragon weakened the luster of his body dimmed. His whiskers lowered as he looked upon her with calm eyes.


    "You''re quite the brave one. Out of all the warriors that I have seen, your mental fortitude is much stronger than most of them. Your attacks had no fear nor did you waver under the sight of the hydra. Imend you for this."


    However, Ming Yue did not pay much attention to hispliments.


    "Your body..."


    Her expression full of concern as she found this Dragon Emperor aged and weak.


    "Ah, I am dying as you can see", he spoke nonchntly, as if him dying did not matter to him.


    "This was bound to happen soon, the battle with the hydra only hastened it. I''ve been alive for several thousand years, now I probably don''t have much time left. Since, you are still awake, I shall have to depend on you to pass on this message. After this, I will be taking my beloved somewhere else, somewhere quieter than this. I will of course leave something for you and the others."


    He brought forward his w and revealed a glowing gray gem and a vibrant violet one.


    "I noticed your sword, a beautiful piece but iplete. These two cores should work. Both were formed in a great storm, one thatsted years as it had been formed by the remnant energies of the previous cmity. Its age might be even greater than mine."


    Ming Yue received them, feeling the power emanating from these two stones. The pale green one resonated with her Dao of Wind while the violet one resonated with her Dao of Lightning.


    "This- this is too much", she could not ept them for they were almost priceless.


    From what he said, these two cores must''ve been obtained at the Merciless Storm Peak. Even as they resonated, she could feel the wild powering from them both. If Drifting Sky were to have these two gems, what grade would it be? World? Perhaps, even Star, the highest one?


    It was already Peak Divine on its own, these two gems could push it.


    "Bah, I obtained them by chance, furthermore, I have no use for them. Here are the other things, several scales, and this jade slip."


    He ced the crimson scales on the ship and gave her the jade slip.


    "The slip entails my experiences as well as the inner workings of the dragon race. This is for them and it is time to say farewell."


    He turned away, carrying the body of his beloved.


    "Wait, are you thest one? Thest dragon?" she had to ask.


    He looked back at her, a tinge of sadness came and passed in his eyes as he looked away.


    "Indeed, the both of us are thest of our kind. Sad, isn''t it?"


    With those words, he flew off, bringing his partner away and off to a peaceful.. Once there, he would wait to die and join her in the afterlife.

 Chapter 235 - Returning With Mixed Feelings

    As he disappeared beyond the clouds, Ming Yue was sorrowful for this dragon emperor. He was thest of the dragons and his time wasing soon. Once it came, the dragon race would no longer exist. She looked at the items he had handed her and held the jade slip in front of her.


    This jade slip was several thousand years worth of history. For the researchers before her, this was a priceless artifact. Though she felt curious, she restrained herself as it would take more than a night to go through it all. Furthermore, this was for them.


    She ced it aside and decided to examine the cores he had given her.


    From the description, it was possible that these had originated from the Merciless Storm Peak. Formed from the energies of a great storm that had been birthed from thest cmity, there was only one ce that fit those words.


    Though they resonated with the wind and lightning dao within her, that was it. After all these were extremely powerful items and if she was going to use them, she had to be in control. That is to say, you had to be abe to withtand the power that these the gems contained. For that to happen, she must improve her connection with the corresponding elements. This much had been taught to her by the owner of the Treasured Gem Hall, a master in this field.


    Ming Yue sighed, she had quite a lot to do when she returned.


    She put them away and waited until the sun rose and everyone had awakened. Hunger overtook their minds and they ate up three days worth of food and rations. Engrossed with their meal, it wasn''t long before they noticed the disappearance of Xiu Luo Yang and the white dragon corpse.


    That was when Ming Yue revealed the jade slip as well as the dragon scales. Afterwards, she told them what he had said to her, seeing their faces darken and their head lowered to the ground.


    There was disappointment in their eyes, a bit of sadness as well. The dragon had left so quickly and under the cover of the night.


    "What are you feeling down for?"


    Long Wang spoke to them, a bright expression was on her face.


    "We''ve met a real dragon, even fought by its side. We were gifted a scale and this jade slip containing several thousand years worth of history. What is there to be sad about?! We should be happy, joyful for these."


    She gazed at all of them, looking into their eyes.


    "Let us return. We have a lot of work to do."


    She turned around and stepped into the captain''s cabin. The ship rumbled as it slowly left this ce. Much of the clean water had be murky and ck, corrupted by the remains of the mutated spirits and the corrupted dragons they fought. Although they had returned to the ground, it would be a long time before this gravesite cleansed itself.


    Touched by her words, everyone held their heads high. They''ve achieved more in these few days than the department had done in the past several decades.


    As she had said, they had a lot of work to do and so, everyone started organizing and preparing all that they had gained. Once they reached the shore, all of it would be transported and sent to analyze.


    Long Wei walked into the cabin and looked at his sister, who was focused on steering the ship.


    "Stop pretending, I am your brother", he spoke bluntly, a serious but tender expression towards his sister.


    She stopped what she was doing, pausing as if to keep herself together before looking at her brother. Long Wang looked distressed, seemingly wanting to cry.


    "Indeed but the others do not need to know. Let''s just return and get to work. Too much has happened and I''m not ready yet. I''m not ready to ept it."


    "I know, sister. Do not think that you are the only one. Before, we had dream and it was aplished but now, there will never be another chance."


    Long Wang looked back at the control panel, her hands gripped the levers tightly.


    "Dragons...they no longer exist."


    The siblings stood in silence. They were grateful for this opportunity but now they realize, it will never happen again. The dream was gone and the hope had disappeared.


    The ship returned to the shore and everyone moved out, taking with them carts containing the dragon scales as their spatial rings contained the other equipment. As they arrived and exited the ship, everyone looked at them in confusion. Having modified the ship, it took on a different appearance which left the fishermen with questions.


    They had even noticed signs of damage and battle to which they knew on instinct, the source of the roaring and thunderous sound was rted to them. But what had happened? Did they encounter some great beast? Could there have been a dragon dwelling there?


    If they had known what truly happened, it would leave them in shock and awe.


    Though they were curious, these fishermen did not approach them. Perhaps it was out of few but none of them were curious enough to ask. After all, it was rude to pry into other people''s business, especially for these researchers whoe and go silently.


    Ming Yue nced around to see if Lao Gan was around but he was nowhere to be found. Feeling somewhat disappointed that her friend was not here, she followed to other back to the Dark Water Kingdom. Upon this, they went their separate ways as Ming Yue went to find Zhi Qing or Grand Researcher Ou.


    Questioning a few people, she found them both in the Grand Researcher''s office to which they looked at her in surprise.


    "Ming Yue? You''re back already? It''s only been three weeks. Has something happened?"


    Zhi Qing bombarded her with a flurry of questions. Her oversized sleeves swayed in the air as she walked up to Ming Yue. Coming right behind her was Hei Yue''s happy little figure and Xiao Yin''s cheerful chirps,ing to greet their master.


    Ming Yue revealed everything to the two and spoke for the entire day. Hearing her words, the pair were shocked from this news. Grand Researcher Ou went into deep thought, wondering what to make of this.


    "Ming Yue, you should be feeling tired. I will send Zhi Qing toe with you while I deal with some matters. Remember the both of you, this sort of news should not be shared."


    Quickly, Grand Researcher Ou sent them away as she too stood up and left, presumably to the research department.


    Walking to her quarters, Ming Yue and Zhi Qing took a detour instead and made way for the Craftmen''s District. There, they entered the Treasured Gem hall, descending to the lower levels where they found Zhang Guang, the master of the hall, hard at work.


    He looked over a pile of colored gems, studying them before tossing them into another pile. He let out a sigh of disapproval before hearing the steps of his visitors.


    He turned around, showing a pair of goggles strapped to his head. Taking them off, he saw Ming Yue along with the others and looked surprised.


    "You''re back?! So quickly! I''m-I''m not even done finding you something for your sword. How are you back already?"


    He looked at her with his mouth hanging down.


    Ming Yue walked up and held out the two cores to him. Their shine and power grabbed his attention as he grabbed them from her hands and studied them.


    "I obtained these during the expedition. I was hoping if they would work."


    He looked at her before looking at the two cores.


    "These-maybe, maybe it could work. Leave your sword here and give me some time to think."


    Zhang Guang was feeling muddled in the head. Suddenly, Ming Yue returns with two extremely high ss cores. These might even be the best ones he had seen.. He needed time and soon became engrossed with this new work as Ming Yue and the other left him.

 Chapter 236 - Fitting The Blade

    It had gotten incredibly busy for Ming Yue as she had appeared in multiple meetings with the upper echelon of the Research District regarding the expedition. What had happened was too great a news to just ignore. It had to be noted and carefully analyzed. Along her were the others, those who participated in the expedition as well as Long Wang and Long Wei.


    Each time she came, she was questioned intensely and made an oath to reveal none of this.


    Despite these constant meetings, Ming Yue had some interest as she learned more about the Dark Water Kingdom.


    As a ce of research and knowledge, there was no king or any sort of royalty governing this ce. Rather, the kingdom was governed by a group of people, all of which were renowned in their own way. Of course, Grand Researcher Ou was one of them. There was a mixture of ages from young to old but they all had a certain amount of merit to their name. They had titles such as Lord Crafter, Prime Architect, High Assayer. Thest of which Ming Yue recognized as Elder Shen once held that title.


    Though the younger ones did not pay her too much attention, the older generation seemingly sized her up without giving much of a response.


    "So this is Shen Zhong''s disciple..."


    This was something they all said but Ming Yue did not know if this was good or bad. She did not care for it deeply but it was something that bothered her. At the end of it all, these high-ranking officials had the information they wanted and released everyone.


    None of them knew what would happen but the Long Siblings and the other researchers returned to their department. They all looked tired but excited, as the scales of Xiu Luo Yang and his beloved yielded all sorts of information. Not to mention the jade slip, which had been fully copied down already.


    Ming Yue still kept in touch with them, visiting once in a while. Most of the time, she just watched for a moment before leaving. They were all scurrying about in theirbs and thest she had seen them, they had ordered a special weapon from the Forge of 81 Fires. Whatever it was, they kept it a secret but Ming Yue believed that it would be a vessel carrying true dragon energy.


    She did manage to see the previous item that had been imbued with dragon energy. Their greatest achievement, a ive that carried half the strength of dragon energy. It was massive with a ck, sleek handle and a very special de that had been carved such that it emerged from a dragon''s mouth.


    As enamored as she was, she could barely contain her excitement when it came to her own weapon. Days after themotion, Zhang Guang sent an attendant to notify her that the gems had been inserted and were ready.


    She quickly ran along with Hei Yue and Xiao Yin following as she reached the workshop below the Treasured Gem Hall. There, she saw the elder sitting down and resting his eyes. On the stone worktable behind him was Drifting Sky, fitted with the wind and lightning gems.


    "Ah, you''re here. Help me carry the sword to Mei Zhen''s forge. This is not the ce to test the sword out."


    Hearing her steps, the bald man stood up and turned around, covering Drifting Sky in a thick yet soft white cloth. He gave it to her to carry, feeling weary as he began walking up to the first floor. The trio followed him to the Forge of 81 Fires where Mei Zhen, a hulking woman hammering away at the anvil saw them.


    "Ah, you''re here. Come and follow me."


    Rather than walk up, Mei Zhen led them down several flights of stairs where there was arge and spacious room. Along the way, she looked at her friend and gasped out in mocking shock.


    "Oh my, you look terrible", she said, sounding worried but trying her hardest not to smirk.


    "Oh stop it, you hammer of a woman. Yes, I look terrible now leave it be, and let''s get this done with."


    He turned to Ming Yue, gesturing for her to uncover the sword and wield it.


    Unwrapping the sword, she grabbed it carefully before giving it a few casual swings. Despite the slight increase in weight, it was negligible to her as she attacked the air. Finding that nothing had changed, she moved onto the real test, using a technique.


    These cores were the physical umtion of energy and to be used, it had to be activated. Such as the cores used in the Roaring Thunder Cannons and many other tools, certain formations were used to harness them. Without some form of control, these cores would either bepletely useless or explode.


    As with the cores on Drifting Sky, as Ming Yue had not activated them yet, they were no more than stones. She had to awaken the dormant power with her own energy, but there were dangers to these things. Especially with cores such as these which were extremely powerful. If she wasn''t careful, Drifting Sky could shatter, or worse, she could explode.


    Slowly, the gems began to glow ever so slightly as Ming Yue poured her power into the sword. It was a minuscule change, a very weak glow in fact. However, in that change, she felt a torrent of power flowing from the two gems. It coursed through the sword and through her body.


    She had barely tapped its power but already, she was barely holding on. But she was determined to see, just how powerful would a sword strike be?


    She struck forward, towards the empty space and watched a condensed wave of energy fly forth. It slowly grew and lightning sparked throughout it. It cut through the air, producing sharp and powerful winds. It continued to fly to the other end of the room where it carved into the stone walls.


    Ming Yue dropped the sword, drained of her stamina before sitting down to rest. That attack was at least twice, maybe three times stronger than if she did it without the gem''s power. Perhaps if her cultivation and her umtions in the Dao of Wind and Lightning were higher, she could have mustered even greater power.


    The other two were surprised by the attack. It was extremely powerful for one but it also highlighted the quality of these gem cores. Just a slight activation and the attack was already several times stronger. Not to mention, Ming Yue was tired after one use.


    "This is...too good."


    Zhang Guang was the first to speak, though his tone was filled with shock. Internally, he felt relieved that his work was done. He could actually sleep now.


    As for Mei Zhen, she looked at Ming Yue before grabbing the sword and examining it.


    "Still good, no cracks...." she muttered before handing the sword back.


    After that, Ming Yue was let go. Of course, it was not without a bit of consultation and warning from the two elders. While she should get used to activating them, she had to be careful with using the cores.


    "Do not forget to polish it all and maintain it."


    "Be conscious of the cores, don''t let its power leak."


    After some stern warnings, Ming Yue left and moved onto the Wildwood Pavilion, where Senior Cheng was. Asking around, she entered his workroom and found him focused on a staff, carefully carving it with an elegant knife.


    She stayed for only a few minutes, exchanging pleasantries with him before letting him examine the Eternal Heart Ring, making sure that there were no defects with it which there weren''t. On that note, she returned to her room and decided to just rx.


    She scratched Xiao Yin''s chin while rubbing Hei Yue''s belly. The soft and furry sensation was calming to her and the two beasts quite enjoyed this treatment. Enjoying it, she began to think and n forter.


    "Three months left..." she reminded herself.


    Three months until she had to return for the tournament.

 Chapter 237 - Mental Force Techniques

    Considering she did not have too long, she should make the best use of her time and fulfill what she came here to do. Sitting down in the Ster Sky Foundation, she continued to cultivate her Mental Force.


    Within her was the floating ind that represented her cultivation, the grand mountain, and the flowing waterfall. Looking upwards and into the space of her mind was where her Mental Force resided, a colorless and calm sphere of energy.


    She took her time growing it, merging together more and more heart and soul energy together. There were no changes on the outside of this sphere but within, its strength grew denser. Every day was like this, under the watchful eyes of Grand Researcher Ou, Ming Yue cultivated her Mental Force, essentially exhausting her heart and soul energy each day. Then she found that she could no longer pour more energy into this colorless sphere.


    "So this is your limit... Not bad."


    Grand Researcher Ou spoke, her voice echoed in Ming Yue''s mind.


    "This limit can be surpassed as you be more ustomed to using this power. Furthermore, it does require your mental fortitude to be at certain thresholds. For now, this much enough to use techniques."


    Looking at Ming Yue, Grand Researcher Ou took out a few scrolls from her ring and handed them to her.


    "These are the four basic techniques to utilizing your Mental Force. The first is illusions and what not, while the other three refer to mental attacks. Sending a sharp but condensed burst of Mental Force into your opponent''s mind will disrupt their thoughts. A continuous stream could influence their thoughts and decisions without noticing. You could insert nightmares and hallucinations, drive a person mad."


    The first three she handed to Ming Yue while the fourth one she still held.


    "This one is more dangerous than the others as it will have a much worse bacsh. By bringing out the full force of your Mental Force, you overwhelm your opponent''s mind and potentially destroy it. However, sess hinges on your mental fortitude, if you are the weaker one then your mind will be damaged or destroyed. Do you understand? This is meant to be ast resort."


    Ming Yue nodded as she received the fourth scroll and began skimming over them.


    "These scrolls contain the general method and can be altered to your preferences. You may choose to change them to fit your style but refer to the scrolls as you do this. There are some instructions rting to this"


    Grand Researcher Ou gestured for Ming Yue to stand up as she activated some mechanism to the Ster Sky Foundation. An illusory puppet formed, standing idly in the center of the room.


    "This puppet here is used to mental techniques. A work of genius by Shen Zhong as this puppet will also simte the general response to any technique."


    She turned around and fed her Mental Force into the puppet. After a moment, the puppet looked around, walking one way before turning and walking another way. Then she sent a burst of it into the puppet, to which it froze in ce as if forgetting what it was doing. Finally, a wave of energy came, washing over the puppet, who still its frozen state had suddenly dropped to the floor.


    It did not move in the slightest. If it was a real person, they would have dropped dead right then and there.


    "That is how each technique works in its essence. You can practice anytime you''d like."


    She shut down the Ster Sky Foundation afterward, the puppet turned into bits of light that disappeared.


    "Do remember that thest technique will destroy a person''s mind and that is something that cannot be recovered. No miracle pill or medicine can do it. The same goes for the user if they fail."


    This warning was nted firmly in Ming Yue''s mind. She nodded in understanding and left the Research District for the Craftsmen District where she entered the Forge of 81 Fires to work on her control over the new additions to her sword.


    Other than these two goals, she spared no attention to anything else. It was two months, two months of bitter cultivation where she did nothing but eat, sleep, and train. Despite an invite from Zhi Qing to rx and check out the rest of the city, she did not ept it.


    Ming Yue absorbed as much as she could, even going so far as to ask for ess of the Dark Water Kingdom''s library where she would gather reading material on Mental Force. There were few who had seeded in this but those who did, left detailed ounts of their experience. Among those included ounts from Elder Shen and the Grand Researcher.


    There was a small pile of books in her room which only grew as her studying extended past the scope of Mental Force.


    Two months came by very quickly and soon, it was time for her to leave.


    She said her farewells to the three elders in the Craftsmen District. The Long Siblings as well as the rest of the researchers. In those two months, they had achieved a lot with the Dragon Emperor Scales and were preparing their first attempt at fully replicating dragon energy. Perhaps the next time she came back, they would have sessfully done it.


    As she made her way to Grand Researcher Ou, she found her along with Zhi Qing within her private quarters, where the old woman quietly drank tea. Rather than an ind on the sea, the scenery had changed to a simple cottage in the forest. Though Ming Yue was able to see through the illusion to a degree.


    She bowed in respect and gratefulness to the Grand Researcher for helping her so much. In response to this gesture, the Grand Researcher smiled at her.


    "You are Shen Zhong''s disciple and he is a friend. This much should be expected of me."


    She said as she raised her hand, signaling for Zhi Qing, who walked in front of Ming Yue before handing her a medallion.


    "This item my disciple has given you is a gift from the higher-ups, including me. It is a reward for your hand in the expedition to the Ying Long Sea. They had concluded that without you, the expedition would not have obtained the items that it did. That brand Shen Zhong gave you is only temporary. This medallion here is for you so that you may enter the kingdom with ease."


    Ming Yue held the medallion in her hands and studied it. Made from a dark blue piece of jade, it was small and rectangr in shape sporting a simple engraving of the words "Dark Water". Outlining those words was gold wire, iid and highlighting them.


    "Thank you for this."


    She thanked the Grand Researcher as well as saying goodbye to her and Zhi Qing. As she made her way through the capital city, she bought a bit of the food and some trinkets in the Market District. Feeding herself and her two pets as she reached to the teleportation circle, there was a guard who awaited her, masked and armed with a staff.


    Pressing down on the teleportation circle, the scene changed around her as they entered an empty and familiar room. She bowed to the guard before exiting where she saw the illusionary barrier and the stone gate. She opened them and walked through where there was a single path through a clear field.


    In one month, she would be back for the tournament. However, the journey itself was going to be dangerous. After all, if she wanted to make it, she had to go through a few hurdles. The first of which was the Merciless Storm Peak, it was also the deadliest.. Surviving it the first time took a bit of luck and this time might require a bit more.

 Chapter 238 - Taken

    Within thends of Red Lotus Country, chaos was on the rise. A masked man who could not be caught, wreaking havoc all over the country. One by one, sects began to fall, destroyed and burned to mes. Worse, no one knew his purpose for all of this. However, he was extremely powerful and could not be beat.


    Worse yet, even with the aid of the emperor who sent out all of the 48 Demon Brigades, this elusive figure had evaded even beaten several of them.


    Without a doubt, they knew this man was the one who caused the destruction of multiple other sects in the eastern part of the continent.


    Who else would it be but the junior sect leader of the Tao Feng, Zuo Er.


    Under the cover of the night, he traveled through one of the many cities, this one was called "Luan City". It was a medium sized city who was only dwarfed by that of the capital city. However, what made this one special was that it neighbored the territory of the Eternal de Sect.


    Though he was warned by his master, the sect leader, Zuo Er wanted to scout it out and see if he could find anyone fitting for his n. Quickly moving through the roofs of the city, he happened upon a brothel. He looked at it, thinking carefully before deciding to make his move.


    Within that brothel was an Earth Realm cultivator, one whose cultivation was well maintained and full of potential.


    Zuo Er sneaked inside, his white mask covering his face as he avoided the prostitutes and servants running about. Within one of the courtyards, he found his target. A middle aged man, somewhere in his thirties, sitting and sipping on tea as he spoke to a woman sitting by him. She was dressed differently from the prostitutes, her body was fully covered but it was not enough to hide her curvacious body.


    "Ah, perfect", Zuo Er thought.


    This target of his wore a green uniform of sorts and it resembled much like that of the Eternal de Sect. Considering the high quality, this man must''ve been an elder of the sect.


    Without making a sound, Zuo Er cracked open his index finger, revealing a strange mechanism. A small click came from it as a dart shot out, aimed for the man''s neck.


    But as an elder of the sect, would he be so easily subdued?


    With a wave of his sheathed sword, he swatted the dart away and immediately stood up. He looked around, alert and watchful, looking for whoever shot him.


    As for the woman, she looked surprise as his sudden actions before showing concern.


    "Fei Yun, is something wrong?" she asked.


    He looked at her calmly before studying the area. He slowly unsheathed his sword.


    "Cui Fen, go back inside. I will be back soon. Don''t forget, we''re taking Rou Er to the sect tomorrow."


    None other than the same people that Ming Yue had met, the pair had been together ever since Fei Yun returned to the Eternal de Sect and became an elder. Soon after, they had spent the past few months bonding as a family. But they had yet to be married, for them, it was too soon to tell whether or not this was the right path.


    Cui Fen did as he said, understanding that it was not safe. Quietly, she retreated into the brothel as Fei Yun jumped up, flying to the roof. Landing one the same space as Zuo Er, he recognized the mask on his face.


    "You, you''re the one responsible for the destruction of nearly six sects. Are you here for the Eternal de Sect now?" he asked Zuo Er but did not receive a response.


    "Hmph, it does not matter. I will not allow you to target my sect. This will end now."


    With his sword at hand, he dashed forth to sh against this masked figure.


    As soon as the sun rose, neither of them were found, seemingly disappeared. The only proof of a fight was a single sttering of blood that covered the courtyard. It was massive and diagonal, produced by a single blow.


    Cui Fen looked out, fear crossed her eyes as she saw the horrific scene.


    "Mother, is Uncle Fei Yun here yet?"the voice of a little girl emerged from the room.


    Cui Fen stopped her froming and seeing this, looking to her daughter with a smile on her face.


    "Oh, Rou Er, he said that we will be meeting him at the Eternal de Sect. Come, let''s go now."


    She quickly brought her daughter away, taking her to the sect. Having been there before, the guards smiled and allowed them in. Within the sect, they knew that this was Elder Fei Yun''s wife though it had yet to be official. Many of them joked about the two getting married but they knew that the elder was happy with her.


    Thus, for her to appear in such distress was rming. Her face was somewhat pale, her eyes showed fear as she brought her unassuming daughter with her.


    "Has something happened?" they asked her as she reached the gates.


    "Fei Yun, he hasn''te back. I fear that he has been taken away by someone."


    The sect was then in an uproar, one of their elders had been attacked and have yet to return. It didn''t take long for people to be sent out, patrols increased as they were on alert. It didn''t take long for the sect leader as well as the other elders to reac their conclusion. It must have been that mysterious figure that had been attacking other sects and theirs was next.


    Considering the news this person has created and the fact that they had attacked an elder, this was the only usible exnation.


    The problem was, where is Elder Fei Yun? Was he alive or dead?


    They did not know but they had to prepare for anything. News of this reached the government and with Cui Fen''s plea, Meng Zhao, a high ranking administrator as well as a friend of Ming Yue''s father, had written a letter to inform Ming Yue of this development.


    She had bumped into Fei Yun before, perhaps, luck would chance upon another encounter.


    Back towards the east of the continent, Ming Yue trekked her way through the empty path, making her way towards the Merciless Storm Peak. She would certainly take this chance to improve her Lightning Dao.


    Furthermore, there was also the Thunderous Fairy Pill, where all of the ingredients could be found within this peak. It wasn''t very necessary to make but considering she had one of them, she made it a point to look out for any of the ingredients.


    As she reached the peak, she heard the familiar sounds of thunder and rain. Following the rocky path, she found that the Qilin was no longer there. Of course, it had already been several months since she first met it. There was no reason for the beast to stay.


    Making her way through the vast mountains, Ming Yue suddenly froze as she noticed something swaying in the wind. A small flower that glowed under the stormy sky, if she remembered correctly, it was a Radiant Carnation, one of the items needed for the pill!


    It was above her, poking out of the stone ground like a sore thumb. It wasn''t terribly far but she had to climb up the mountain side, a rather perilous move but one she was willing to take. As Hei Yue and Xiao Yin clung to her in order to bear this weather, she looked around for a safe space to hide them before deciding on arge stone b that hung over them. It wasrge enough to relieve much of the pressure.


    She left the two under there, covering them with a heavy robe before making her way towards the Radiant Carnation. Grasping for a foothold, she made her way up slowly and carefully.. The wet stone and powerful winds only made it much harder to climb.

 Chapter 239 - Climbing The Peak

    Lightning struck all around her, shaking the mountain. Sometimes pebbles or evenrger bs of stone would fall, scratching her clothes or even scraping her skin. It was somewhat perilous to climb but she did so with little regard for the falling rubble. Even with the constant rumbling from the lightning strikes, she scaled the mountainside calmly.


    "This..."


    Midway up, Ming Yue found that there was nowhere else to grab for. Taking out her dagger, she strengthened it with her own energy and stabbed it into the wall. Creating her own path, she scaled up, reaching the Radiant Carnation before cutting it at the stem and storing it in her spatial ring.


    A quick detour that took no more than half an hour and she returned without much injury.


    Walking back on the road with her two pets, there was a lingering thought within her.


    "That was quite simple..." she thought.


    It was strange that a Radiant Carnation, a rank 5 nt, did not have any beast coveting it. It stuck out like a sore thumb in the drearyndscape. How was it that no creature had taken it? No creature stood by to keep watch?


    What she did not realize was the abrupt changes that had happened within these mountains after she had left the first time. The death of not one but two Rank 5 beasts, the Thunder Roc and the Purple Storm Tiger, had caused an uproar within thise mountains. Battle for their flesh had left many beasts dead which caused a splintering effect as everyone was enticed by this opportunity.


    Those lucky enough to have some of that flesh would find themselves stronger and brimming with power. Feeling high and mighty from this, old leaders would be challenged and new ones woulde. In the end, all those that lose would be nourishment for the victorious. As for the victorious, they would once again challenge those above them and the cycle continues.


    Theck of beasts came from the constant battling. She did not notice it before but as Ming Yue walked deeper into the mountains, she could smell the metallic taste of blood. It grew extremely heavy, to the point that there was a light red mist. It was then that the trio walked upon a bloodied path.


    "What is this?" she muttered under her breath before taking out Drifting Sky and readying it.


    They walked past bits of flesh and sttered blood before finding two beasts in the heat of battle. Two wolves with gray fur and glowing blue ws growled at each other. Both were heavily injured, bite marks on their throats, gashes all over. They were not small but were nearly the size of Ming Yue and they were too focused on each other to notice her.


    Seeing as this was the only path to walk through. The group watched and waited for the fight to end. There was no point in interrupting them and killing them both did not yield any benefits to her. Besides, it seems that it was going to end soon.


    The two wolves did not have the energy to call upon the lightning and settled for a wild exchange of w and fang. They wrestled each other to the ground, biting at each other''s necks. Finally, one of them could no longer hang on, their strength failed and their opponent pinned them to the ground. Just as victory was a hand, a echoing howl froze the two as another wolf-like creature suddenly appeared.


    Compared to these gray-furred wolves, this one was of another league. It had white fur and glowing silver eyes. Its pupils were in the shape of a crescent as it towered nearly two feet above the two wolves. It red at them, angered by the disturbance within its territory.


    It snarled at them, circling the two wolves who both suddenly forgot about their battle with each other and stood together. They barked at this giant wolf, baring their fangs at it.


    "That...isn''t that a Crescent Cloud Wolf?" she thought with disbelief.


    "First the Radiant Carnation, now a Crescent Cloud Wolf, is my luck that good?"


    She had encountered not one but two things that was needed to make the Thunderous Fairy Pill.


    Too many good things have happened and though she wanted to question it, she dared not to or else she might be ruining this streak of hers. With that, she decided to make her move. What she needed from this Crescent Cloud Wolf were its bones. If she was going to do this right, she needed a quick an powerful strike.


    Ming Yue made her move through the use of Phantasmal Wind, her sword silently moved under the stormy weather as she aimed for the neck. Like a ghost, she disappeared from where she stood and appeared right behind the massive white wolf.


    But then a feeling danger washed over her to which she backed off immediately, jumping away. What came after was not an attack from the Crescent Cloud Wolf for it had yet to notice even her. Instead, lightning struck down, cracking the stone and turning it ck. If she had continued with that attack, the lightning would have struck her and death would have been waiting.


    "Damnit, too close", she grit her teeth, annoyed that her attempt had been thwarted.


    On the other hand, she was relived to have not lost her life to some random stroke of lightning.


    "Perhaps, my luck isn''t that good."


    Ming Yue muttered as she prepared another attack. Unfortunately she no longer had the element of surprise as the lightning had caught the attention of the three wolves. She only had a small window to make a move and attacked the Crescent Cloud Wolf once more.


    However, a Crescent Cloud Wolf was rank 5, a being on par with the Thunder Roc and the Purple Storm Tiger. Unlike the other two, its focus was on speed and it dodged the attack, leaving merely a blur in its wake.


    She saw it run up the mountain in a straight line, an attempt to escape.


    "Hei Yue! Xiao Yin!" Ming Yue called as the two little beasts came to her side.


    Together they chased the Crescent Cloud Wolf, leaving the other two wolves to their devices. As much as these two wanted to chase, they had exhausted each other and could barely move their bodies. Rather, they focused back on each other.


    A victor was almost found but now there was a second chance.


    As for Ming Yue, she followed the white wolf up and through the mountain.


    A Crescent Cloud Wolf lived up to its reputation as an illusive beast, its movement was difficult to track. It was certainly quick but what made it so hard to follow was that it directly ran up the mountain. The wolf moved naturally and with grace, as if the steep climb was nothing more than a ordinary run. It didn''t seem like it was running up a mountain, rather more like a t grass field.


    It was unfortunate that Ming Yue had no movement technique. Her small but agile body was enough to meet her needs though now it was clear that she might not be able to catch up.


    However she tried her utmost, summoning a burst of wind tounch her and her two pets up. They practically shot up the mountain as Ming Yue urged the wind even further. The Crescent Cloud Wolf, saw her from the corner of its eye and began to run even faster.


    With her hand, she summoned a few needles and shot them at the wolf. Ance here would break her concentration stop the wind from supporting the three.


    There were five needles, one for each finger of her hand that she shot. Small and extremely fast, the Crescent Cloud Wolf might have noticed hering but it did not notice her attacks and felt sharp pain on five different parts of its body.


    It winced in pain, nearly tripping before growling at Ming Yue.. Then it leaped off with its jaws wide open as it took the group down.

 Chapter 240 - The Crescent Cloud Wolf

    Ming Yue brought out her sheathed sword, using the scabbard to block the fangs of the Crescent Cloud Wolf. However, she could not stop the attack as the weight of the wolf pushed them down. They were free falling down the mountain and just as the wolf was about to retreat, Ming Yue grabbed onto its fur as it returned to the mountain face.


    The wolf shook his body trying to get rid of them but Ming Yue clung on. Rather than run straight up, the wolf''s path began to twist and turn. Slowly, Ming Yue could feel her grip loosening but this was her chance! With her sword at hand, she unsheathed it and stabbed deeply into the back.


    Wincing in pain and feeling rage well up, the wolf snapped at her, trying its best to grab her.


    It did not want to fight her if possible. With the chaotic state that the mountains were in, the wolf wanted to save its strength against any beast that wanted to challenge it. Victory against this girl was sure to happen but in doing so, the Crescent Cloud Wolf would be open for other beasts to attack. If this were to happen, the wolf would surely lose its life and its standing in thesends.


    Unfortunately, it seems that this could not be avoided.


    Too focused on Ming Yue, the wolf slipped on a loose stone and began tumbling down. Ming Yue did not give it a chance to recover, attacking it violently as together they descended.


    From below, a mountain cliff appeared to which they mmed into and the wolf''srge body was turned into a cushion for Ming Yue. The resulting impact had split them from each other, rolling to opposite ends.


    The white furred wolf growled, thatst impact had fully unleashed its rage. To it, this little creature kept on annoying it, attacking with such arrogance.


    Was this girl hunting it?


    The wolf thought this and only grew angrier at such an idea. A Crescent Cloud Wolf was a beast that could not be restrained and it was the hunter. The roles were reversed but it did not believe that Ming Yue would seed.


    It stood up, slightly dazed but nothing more than that. The wounds that Ming Yue inflcited were already healing and some were nearly disappearing as well. It was a rank 5 beast after all and though Ming Yue attacked many times, the damage was only minor.


    As for Ming Yue, she slowly recovered from the fall but felt dangering close. Instinctively she jumped away, avoiding the wolf''s ws. It shook her awake and her mind quickly began to n. Both Hei Yue and Xiao Yin followed her but bared their ws at the wolf.


    "It''s too quick..."


    Ming Yue quickly thought of how she would attack this beast as the wolf followed its first strike with another. With where they were, standing atop a cliff, the wind and rain was especially harsh, hitting the stone floor with power.


    As she avoided the second attack, her back hit against the wall of the mountain


    "This ce is too small, I need to lure it somewhere else."


    Indeed, the cliff did not provide much space for Ming Yue to move around which made it even more difficult to avoid the wolf''s ws. It''s eyes began to glow and the crescent-shaped pupils erged, beams of light emerged and locked onto Ming Yue''s two pets.


    The Star Owl and Mistral Fox saw this and immeidately separated, running in different directions. The beams glowed before solidifying into light, chasing after the two as it left a trail of ck on the stone floor.


    Xiao Yin flew up, bringing the light beam up the mountain as her ws glowed white. The owl turned around, swinging its ws and releasing a moon-shaped wave of light. Hei Yue attacked at the same time, releasing a small puff of ck fog as the wolf''s beam attack could no longer track the little fox.


    Hei Yue emerged from the fog, running towards the wolf with his ws releasing a ck glow. He wed at the Crescent Cloud Wolf, leavng a small wound on its leg. The ck glow seemed to transfer from tthe fox to the wound, making it much more difficult to heal.


    The moon-shaped wave of light shed into the giant wolf''s body, cutting into the skin before losing its strength and dissipating.


    MIng Yue took advantage, timing her attack with the other two. The wolf had lost concentration and the eyes no longer glowed. It was pushed back by an inch just as Ming Yue made her move.


    She brought out her sword, thrusting her sword at the wolf''s shoulder. The de pierced the fur and straight into the flesh. Brimming with her power, the de was imbued with both the element of wind and lightning, shredding the flesh it touched and nearly paralyzing the areas she stabbed into.


    The wolf howled and shook Ming Yue off before biting down on her.


    Ming Yue dodged the attack only to find her body mmed back to the mountain as the wolf pushed her with one of its paws.


    "Ugh, damn it", she grunted from the pain before gripping her sword and attack once more.


    The cliff was simply too small and allowed nothing other than a frontal attack. She had to push it off. If it could cushion this fall, it could do it again.


    The wolf weed her to attack, showing its fangs and ws, growling at her.


    Ming Yue ran forward, shing with the wolf who swiped its paws at her. She leaped forward avoid the strike but the wolf''s fangs were waiting for her and they chomped down. But she was prepared and stopped the attack, pushing against the fangs with her sword which had been sheathed. She spun around,nding on the wolf''s head with the scabbard still stuck between the jaws.


    Ming Yue sat right in front of the wolf''s eyes, just a few feet from the snout as she grabbed both ends of her weapon and pulled back.


    She was too quick and before the wolf knew it, its head was pulled back to the point where the beast stared at the sky.


    MIng Yue turned the sword, forcing the wolf to follow where she wished. It staggered walking every which way before getting closer to the edge.


    "Just a little bit more..."


    She was holding on with every fiber of her being, trying to keep the head under her control. But she was just a bit short as her grip slipped and the wolf''s head threw forward,unching her off the cliff. In that moment, Lightning struck and cracked the cliff, sending it and the wolf down with Ming Yue.


    Fear and shock ran through her but she kept her mind as clear as she could. She had to act and quickly. Her sword was still within the wolf''s jaws and she reached for it. Pulling out Drifting Sky, she stabbed into the wolf once more, catching it from just the tip.


    With a flick of her wrist she pulled herself forward andnded on the white fur before clinging close to it as they fell even further down. Both Hei Yue and Xiao Yin chased after. The owl flew towards the falling bodies as the nimble fox leapt onto the falling cliff before making another one and catching onto the Crescent Wolf''s fur.


    Ming Yue could not help but close her eyes but she felt a shadow cover her.


    They fell for more than a few seconds before crashing through ayer of stone andnding on a rock floor. It created a shockwave and dust blew up.. The impact had knocked out the wolf and Ming Yue and within this unknown ce, theyid unconscious.

 Chapter 241 - Stuck In The Unknown

    "Agh, my head..."


    After some time, Ming Yue woke up from her unconscious state. She rested her head on her hands, taking a bit of time to gain her bearings. Her body was bruised and sore as she sat up and looked around.


    She looked down and found herself on top of the Crescent Cloud Wolf''s body, who was still alive but barely. Meters away from them was Hei Yue''s little body lying on the stone floor. Xiao Yin seemed to be caring for the two, watching for any unwanted guests.


    Ming Yue jumped off of the wolf body and approached Hei Yue. She knelt down and examined the little fox''s condition. Outwardly, the his body was limp on the floor but his chest bobbed up and down, proof that he was still alive though unconscious. His ck fur was still damp from the rain and quite messy.


    "A few cracked bones but nothing else, that''s good."


    Ming Yue took out medicine from her spatial ring along with a few of her medicinal soaked bandages. Quickly she began bandaging and nursing the little fox before focusing on her own recovery.


    Hei Yue had gotten off pretty lucky as thatst fall was too dangerous. Even as Ming Yue was cushioned by the Crescent Cloud Wolf, her body was shaken and quite injured as the impact of such a fall ruptured some of her internal organs. With the help of the Eternal Heart Ring and her own ability, she managed to mend those wounds in a hour or so.


    She opened her eyes upon finishing and looked back at the Crescent Cloud Wolf, who still breathed but weakly. It had taken the brunt of the fall and so, sustained some major injuries. Broken bones, ruptured organs, internal bleeding, even with the wolf''s natural healing ability, it was not quite enough to tackle all of this damage.


    A single strike was all it took for her to kill the beast and grab the materials: the fur pelt, ws, teeth, etc. Anything that wasn''t damaged, she took.


    The sound of her knife cutting through flesh and bone echoed about her. It grabbed her attention and she looked around. Feeling much more awake, she hade to realize strange things.


    "This is... a cave and the walls... they glow!" she was taken aback by her surroundings.


    Halfway through the job she stepped off and began looking around, studying the area.It was a stone cave that somehow glowed with a white, ghostly light. She looked up and saw a narrow crack in the ceiling, most likely where she and the others entered from.


    From the where she saw the crack, she determined that this cave was an enormous one and there were many peculiarities with it as well.


    "The Dao of Light is present within these walls, it''s-it''s incredible."


    Looking closely, she sense a vast yet calm mass of Light energy, the source of these glowing walls. Was there some ancient figure that used this ce to cultivate? How strong would someone have to be to produce all of this power? She had many more questions upon the answer of the first one. However, none of that exined one other strange detail.


    "Hmm, it is so quiet."


    It was certainly strange. How was it that in such a ce like this where even the sounds of her sword echoed about, she heard no thunder nor rain?


    She quickly returned and finished butchering the Crescent Cloud Wolf before carrying Hei Yue''s body in her arms. She wandered the cave, calling for Xiao Yin to scout out parts of it. This cave only had one way to go, a tunnel that went downwards.


    The Star Owl flew about excitedly, it even began to chirp loudly and start urging Ming Yue to move faster.


    "Xiao Yin? Is there something special here?"


    She had never seen her so energetic before. Perhaps, there was something here that would be beneficial to her. With these brightly lit walls and Xiao Yin''s connection to Star Energy, what they had inmon was the element of Light.


    Light is present everywhere, the brightness of the sun, the stars, the light of the moon. It is an ethereal force that is difficult to cultivate as it is mysterious in its own right. Fire and water could be easily deduced and described, but light...that is another level of intricacy and understanding needed. Light could be nothing more than a gentle caress such as sunlight but strenghten it and it will burn, focus light and it will pierce, condense and it will cut. It can heal and destroy anything it touched an example would be Yan Hui Zhu, the Fury of the Light, a famed healer who governed his own city and killed those who encroached in his territory.


    Ming Yue thought that perhaps Xiao Yin may gain a lot from this venture.


    She quickened her pace, making sure that Hei Yue was not ufortable. The medicines she administered had begun to show results as the Mistral Fox slept soundly.


    Minutes down this path, the group arrived to a simr room with its ghostly lit walls but there was one ring difference, an enormous white statue that had been engraved into the wall.


    It was the statue of a swordsman with his de out. He was in some sort of stance, strange and hard to describe. His knees were straight, one foot before before the other and both hands on the hilt of his sword. There was an expression of calmness on his face but she could see that behind that calm exterior was a focused mind.


    It was as of this one strike determined everything, the result of victory or defeat, life or death, heroism or viiny, one choice against the other.


    It was an entrancing stance. The more Ming Yu looked, the more she came to understand her own way of fighting. Whoever created, this, whoever this swordsman was, they were at a level beyond grandmasters. This type of enlightment was hard toe by.


    She had no words and merely looked away, studying the rest of the cave which carried little more than glowing stone. She approached the foot of the statue and found a small gem that shined and glittered.


    "Wait a minute, that isn''t a gem. That''s a fruit!"


    Upon close inspection, she found this glittering fruit growing from a small tree, whose roots dug deep into the stone floor absorbing the Light Energy within them.


    "A Flicker Starfruit, another part of the Thunderous Fairy Pill! With this, all I need left is a thousand-year Lightning Dao Root!" Ming Yue thought to herself.


    With this, the pill''s creation was only one step away!


    She really did have luck to encounter all she needed to find in the Merciless Storm Peak. However, there was a slight issue. Another coveted this fruit and it was none other than Xiao Yin. The owl stared at the fruit, wanting to devour it. Within her eyes, Xiao Yin saw that this fruit would be greatly beneficial for her.


    It seemed that they both needed it but Xiao Yin was waiting for Ming Yue to decide.


    She began to think, sitting down and staring at the Flicker Starfruit.


    "Either way, one of us will benefit greatly. Do I need the Thunderous Fairy Pill?" she thought.


    The purpose of that pill was to bolster her umtions in the Dao of Lightning and better prepare her for the tournament at Heaven''s Gate. But how much did it matter to her?


    After a bit of thinking she made her decision, plucking the Flicker Starfruit and giving it to Xiao Yin, who gobbled it up and flew to a quiet spot to digest ot all. When it came to what she attained in these past several months, the pill wasn''t very important. She gained the abilities of Mental Force as well as the two gems from Xiu Luo Yang. That was two incredible trumpcards that she obtained and the Thunderous Fairy Pill did not seem to great.


    In any case, there would always be another chance toe back and search for those materials.. The Ficker Starfruit would be much more useful if it went to Xiao Yin.

 Chapter 242 - Cut Down Everything

    Forgetting about the Starfruit, Ming Yue examined the statue''s pedestal and found some words engraved onto them. It was a mantra of some sort but the meaning of these words, she did not understand it quite well.


    "One strike and ten thousand lives are taken, yet when I strike the water, the moon''s reflection does not fall, should I cut the moon instead?"


    At the bottom, separated from these few phrases was a single question.


    "Should I cut down everything?"


    She read it several times but did not know what to make of it.


    "A clue to his stance perhaps? But cutting the moon, how does it rte this this stance? Thesest words as well "...cut down everything", what does that mean? The way it''s engraved is different, like its been carved with a sword", she pondered what these words meant before her eyes wandered between the statue and these words.


    Since both Xiao Yin and Hei Yue could not move, she chose to stay here and wait for them. If worstes to worst, she would have to rush back to Heaven''s Gate.


    Ming Yue muttered those words over and over, even going so far as to copy the stance and try it out. It seemed like such a simple stance and despite that notion, the statue''s stance seemed infinitely better than hers.


    "Hm, this stance is quite awkward to use. It isn''t quite suited for me considering my bodypared to Drifting Sky. But perhaps I could alter it maybe create something new. One strike and ten thousand lives are taken... one strike, what if I don''t focus on the stance but the strike."


    It didn''t take long for her to give up on reproducing the same stance as the statue. It just did not match her well. Her movement could be described as erratic, quick, ghost-like but this stance was much more straightforward and direct. It was a simple stance on the surface but there were all sorts of intricacies with it. But if it was about one strike, there she had something.


    There was one technique that she had, one that she and the Sword Elder had yet to touch. There wasn''t a name for it but to Ming Yue, this was the closest thing she had to what this statue showed.


    It had no stance and was a strike she could use from any position but difficult to pull off. She had to reach a state ofplete concentration, focusing on nothing else but the sword and the enemy. It was one move that carried all of the different energies in her power.


    It was powerful but there was much to be improved upon. Perhaps this was her chance to work on it.


    At first, Ming Yue had trouble finding a ce to begin but as she continued to ponder and test, she grew more and more invested in it. The words engraved on the pedestal echoed in her mind as she tinkered and toyed with the technique, not knowing that Xiao Yin and Hei Yue had both awoken from their slumber.


    "Still iplete."


    When she exited out of this trance, Ming Yue made a few advancements with this new technique but she was not satisfied yet. She felt that there was a boundless potential because of the simplicity of the technique. That simplicity made it so much easier to be creative and transform the technique''s nature and execution.


    As fo her direction, she wanted this technique to follow the words of the statue, "to cut down everything". A single strike that will kill and destroy, that was the sort of technique she wanted, something of an ultimate skill.


    As far as she knew, what she had right now was a farcry to what she wanted.


    "We should find a way out. Hei Yue and Xiao...Xiao Yin?"


    Ming Yue stopped herself from getting sucked back into perfecting her technique. She looked around for an exit as she called her pets. Hei Yue''s ck-furred body was fully healed and the bandages had been removed. The little fox seemed quite cheerful, almost forgetting what he had experienced earlier.


    As for Xiao Yin, the Star Owl had grown muchrger, bigger than a human head, and a wingspan of four feet. The owl was too big to perch onto Ming Yue''s sword and instead rested on her shoulder. Itsrge silvery eyes gained a glowing aura and its gray feathers took on a brighter tinge.


    Such arge change in appearance caused Ming Yue to falter but nevertheless, it was the same owl she had always been with. It looked quite happy, even taking a moment to show off its great wings.


    Hei Yue circled the pair, staring at Xiao Yin with confusion. To the little fox, there was something different about Xiao Yin and it took quite a bit of time for him to realize just what. At some point, he wasn''t even sure if this was the same owl as before but it wasn''t long before Hei Yue finally recognized the Star Owl.


    He began to yip and yap at the owl with a questioning and curious tone, wanting to know what he had missed. However, there were much more pressing matters at hand. FOr one thing, they needed to get out of this cave system.


    The three of them split apart to explore therge cave room before XIao Yin chirped upon finding another passage, slightly hidden as it resembled closely to the room.


    Once again they walked through, going past several rooms and descending even further down. It was an endless pattern of empty rooms and a single passage connecting each one. By the tenth room, the trio finally found their way out into a dense forest. Warm air brushed her face as the sound of crickets and buzzing insects filled the air.


    "How strange, we''re in the Four Season Forest. The ck Peak Mountains take at least a week to travel through and yet, it felt like only a day since we entered it."


    She felt slightly confused, looking behind her to find the ck Peak mountains off in a distance. Did she really travel through all of this underground? She stared at the entrance to the cave system, finding that it was shimmering, the sign of an illusion. Moving away, Min Yue found that the entrance was no longer there and instead, a mass of trees stood where it was.


    "An illusion! This cave has too many mysteries, especially that statue. A swordsman...perhaps, Elder Xia might know the identity of such a person."


    When she returned to Heaven''s Gate, she would definitely ask the de Elder about this. Furthermore, she needed his knowledge to help improve her techniques. There were many things to do once she returned and there was no time to waste. She turned around and faced the Four Season Forest. Shemitted this location to mind and began marking the sounding trees with a single wind needle.


    Should shee back to the forest, Ming Yue would know where to go.


    With her business done, she made her way through the dense forest with her pets. She spared no attention to any creatures along the way, though it seemed that one beast, in particr, noticed her presence.


    A pair of supernatural blue eyes fluttered awake, as the scars of Ming Yue''s Zephyr ws began to sting with pain.


    Its deer-like head looked up into the sky, sniffing the air. This horrifying beast turned its head towards her general direction and began chasing after her.


    Entering the wintry part of the forest, Ming Yue felt the ground rumbling as a deep and beast-like roar echoed.. The ground shook from this beast''s galloping body as it suddenly leaped up, smashing through the trees with its mouth opened wide.

 Chapter 243 - Returning To Heavens Gate

    With no time to unsheathe her sword, Ming Yue whipped out both de and scabbard, pushing it into the Primal Frost Deer''s jaws. The beast mped down on the scabbard but even with its strength, it could not bend this wooden piece no matter how hard it clenched its jaws. It''s skull of a head was a things of fear and certainly surprised her but Ming Yue was not going to buckle so easily.


    "Coming back for revenge?"


    Ming Yue looked at the beast, holding off the jagged fangs which began to salivate.


    Both Hei Yue and Xiao Yin sprung into action, attacking in unison as Xiao Yin''s w glowed and shot a crescent wave of Star Energy as Hei Yue wed and mangled one of the legs. The white and ethereal wave of energy cleaved into its shoulder, digging deep into the flesh.


    With one hand grasping her scabbard, the other began to encase itself in wind, forming her Zephyr ws. Each w spun rapidly as she thrust her hand into the Primal Frost Deer''s neck. Thin and taut skin that covered its flesh were pulverized as she pushed the ws in. She ripped her hand away, leaving a bloody injury within its neck which began to spill out with turquoise blood.


    Pain broke the deer''s concentration, forcing it to loosen its jaws and let go of Ming Yue''s weapon. The Primal Frost Deer leaped back and faced its prey. Its beady blue eyes stared at Ming Yue before the beast cast his attention upon her two beastlypanions.


    Standing on its hind legs, the deer stood heads above them all. Its thin and muscr frame was adorned with tiny ice crystals as short white fur covered the rest of its body. While the legs were hooves, the arms of the beast were ws, long and resembling that of bone.


    The beast ran forward, heading straight for Ming Yue before turning to attack Hei Yue. It swung slow, aiming to throw the little ck fox away. However, suddenly all thought seemed to freeze for a moment as it had seemingly forgotten what it was going to do.


    "Oh, it worked."


    Ming Yue was surprised at herself as she had sent out a burst of Mental Force into the Primal Frost Deer''s mind. A momentary disruption of the mind that was enough for Ming Yue to attack without restrain and she disappeared and reappeared in front of the deer. As the beast recovered, she struck, slicing off one of its arms cleanly before punching the deer back. Dazed from all of it, the deer stepped back, stumbling on its hind legs beforending on its back.


    She hopped onto the beast''s body and raised her sword high before stabbing into its chest and killing the Primal Frost Deer.


    The beast struggled, not knowing what had just happened but in the end, it had died from its injuried, bleeding from several parts of the body. Just like the Crescent Cloud Wolf, She butchered it and took any materials that she could exchange in Heaven''s Gate.


    "I can''t believe it worked."


    Ming Yue let out a sigh of relief as she began to analyze the fight. Most importantly, her use of Mental Force. Considering that it was a Rank 4 beast, it drained her of a third of that energy and managed to stop it in its tracks for not even a second. That paused was enough to decide the battle and it cemented her thoughts on how powerful Mental Techniques were.


    At the same time, it also showed her strength. It was certainly much easier to deal with a rank 4 beast as she barely had any injuries. However, her hands were slightly numb from cutting off the Primal Frost Deer''s arm. Not to mention, that arm had already been injured by Xiao Yin''s attack. It still took some effort to deal with a rank 4 but she felt much more confident.


    "Hm, I wonder how high I would rank among the others of Heaven''s Gate. I wonder if I could go against the Elite Disciples, maybe even the Inheritors. I should hurry back. Hopefully, I won''t bete."


    Weekster, she arrived at Heaven''s Gate, showing her disciple badge and entering the Institution.


    While the city was bustling, the Institution was oddly quiet, there were few people still travelling to and from the many spires. As stalls and such were being set up for the Heavenly Gate Tournament, it seems that none of that energy was found here. It was tense as everyone she walked past seemed anxious.


    She first visited the Spirit Elder, who was found quietly reading a book. This time, there was no illusion so she saw him sitting among a mess of papers and documents.


    "Elder Shen, I''ve returned."


    The elder looked at her, his aged face took on a smile and a rather excited expression.


    "Good, I trust that my colleagues did not make it difficult for you."


    "No, Grand Researcher Ou took care of me and I''ve gained a lot since going there. Thank you for giving me this opportunity."


    She bowed to with gratefulness in her heart.


    "Grand Researcher Ou...heh. In any case, tell me about your time there."


    Hearing the title of his friends, Elder Shen showed a wistful expression before he turned his attention to Ming Yue, who told him of everything from the Ster Star Foundation to her time in the Grave of Dragons and Heroes. Upon finishing, he had a look of surprise before rubbing his chin.


    "It seems that you have experienced some incredibly rare things. A Dragon Emperor you say... I suppose that the research department for Dragon Energy is having a great time."


    He smiled before standing up from his chair.


    "Since you''ve formed and learned the basics of Mental Force. We can work on fine-tuning all of it and perhaps help you design some techniques. But this can be done after the tournament. It''s only a day or so before it begins so you should finish your preparations."


    Ming Yue nodded leaving Elder Shen to his thoughts as she walked to the Medicinal Hall, where the Medicial Elder, Elder Hua was. This elder who was not much older than Elder Shen did not have her heavy make up or expensive jewelry on but she was surroudned by several disciples. Elder Hua was concentrated on this one pill cauldron that stood at the center of the workshop, tending to it as she instructed the disciples to grab certain ingreidents from her medicine cabs.


    Ming Yue stood back and watched, not wanting to interupt their work.


    They were all concentrated as Elder Hua added things such strange roots, flower petals, and more. She did it wih precision, controlling the fire as the caldron steamed and bubbled. There were over a hundred things added before all of them rxed.


    "In one week, this bubbly mixture will be a batch of Godly War Body Pills and that will signify your graduation. This is proof that you have the ability and will rank among the most skilled of pill-makers. As for your reward toing this far, you will get one of those Godly War Body Pills."


    These disciples looked excited and began to talk among each other as the elder dismissed them. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Mign Yue standing there and watching.


    "Oh Ming Yue, when did youe back? Come,e, tell me what you''ve experienced these past few months!"


    Suddenly, her tired eyes turned excited and energetic as she took Ming Yue to sit with her.


    "It seemed that I was going to interrupt something important so I just stood back and watched."


    "Ah, yes. Those disciples of mine have proved themselves after passing my final test. Thus as a ceremony and celebration, we go and create the Godly War Body Pill. It''s was Rank 6 pill used as ast resort, eating one will multiply your bodies strength by the dozens and leaves little bacsh. The only issue is the many ingredients needed to create it but nevermind that, tell me everything!"


    For the second time, Ming Yue recounted the details of her time travelling, putting more emphasis on her experiences at the ck Peak Mountains where the Merciless Storm Peak was.

 Chapter 244 - Witnessing The Ability Of An Inheritor

    "So you''ve not only found most of the ingredients of the Thunderous Fairy Pill but even gained the bones and flesh of a Primal Frost Deer. Oh my! Even meeting a Qilin as well! You''ve certainly had quite a bit of luck on your side."


    Elder Hua looked surprise by what she heard. Ming Yue''s luck was truly hard ote by.


    "About that, I''ve decided to put the Thunderous Fairy Pill to the side. I''ve been thinking for a while and wanted to see if perhaps there was another pill."


    MIng Yue informed the elder of her thoughts. After giving away the Flicker Starfruit, she began to re-evaluate the importance of the pill. Travelling back gave her plenty of time to think and so she did, beleiving that she did not have to cling to the Thunderous Fairy Pill. She wanted to stay flexible and free, understanding that there were other options. Perhaps, she did not need to use the Immortal Siren Flower. If ites down to it, she could just exchange it all at the Contribution Hall.


    "That is alright, who knows, we may find the absolute perfect pill for you. As for the Flicker Starfruit, I can see that your owl has benefited a lot from ingesting it. I''ll be checking the archives for a bit, perhaps there is a pill that you may like. Once the Heavenly Gate Tournament ends, we can work on it together."


    "Yes elder, I will be taking my leave."


    Ming Yue bowed and left, heading for the Sword Hall to meet with Elder Xiang. This was the meeting she anticipated the most. The statue and those engraved words left a deep imprint within her and she wanted to know about them. The other two elders had no knowledge of this but if it was the de Elder, then there was a chance.


    She quickened her pace followed by her twopanions who could sense the impatience and excitement within her.


    Upon reaching the Sword Hall, she saw Elder Xiang standing to one side. A number of weapons floated in front of him as he faced off against someone else. His opponent a young girl, who Ming Yue had seen before. It took her a moment to remember and she realized that this was the same person she saw in the training fields. Her ck and emerald robes were hard to forget.


    If she remembered correctly, this girl was an Inheritor of the Sword Hall.


    Watching up close, Ming Yue found that while this girl was younger than her in appearance. Her eyes and aura took on a feeling of maturity. Her hair was at shoulder length. Her facial-features were soft, sporting ratherrge eyes and brilliant green pupils.


    In her hands was a rather unique sword, Ming Yue did not realize it until now but it was this was the first time she had seen a weapon like this. It was somewhat short, merely two feet in length but it was six inches in width. The edge of the de ran straight before turning up at an angle. It was like a long cleaverbined with a single edged de.*


    Wielding it with two hands, she swung in a tyrannical way, cutting horizontally on all of Elder Xiang''s floating weapons. As she did so, energy welled inside as stone and earth formed around the de, increasing its size.


    Bringing two weapons together, a sword and a spear, Elder Xang blocked the strike and retaliated, sending a saber aimed at her stomach.


    The earthenyer split apart, allowing the girl to pull her sword away and parry the saber. Taking it as an opportunity, she stepped forward, attacking the elder with her sword.


    Ming Yue watched and felt the soul energy coursing though the girls body and saw it sh against a pair of daggers. The tyrannical aura seemed to explode as the girl revealed her sharpness. It was like a giant cleaver stood behind her ready to hack down whatever was in front of her.


    Elder Xiang smiled as the two daggers could not block this attack. However, he was not goig to give in as he revealed his own aura, one filled with nothing but a suffocating sharpness. It was as if there was a sword pressed against your neck, ready to pierce.


    The elder grabbed the floating sword, imbueing it with that energy before striking. The two auras shed just as the two des met.


    While the inheritor pushed as much as she could, Elder Xiang showed nothing but a little smile. Perhaps, it was smile of approval. Finding that she could not push back the elder, the inheritor stepped back and recalled her aura as did the elder.


    "Are you finished yet?" he asked her but she did not answer.


    Instead, she restrained her self and let no energy leak out. She took a deep breath and then switched her stance. The sword in one hand while the other was in front of her, she lowered her body and bent her knees. The de pointed behind her like it was sheathed.


    As she exhaled, she stepped forward and attacked, a diagonal strike. It was a simple and ordinary strike but Ming Yue felt that there was so much more than that. If she were to block that strike, she would lose for sure.


    A simple strike that carried a sea ofplexity, as within that attack was natural movement yet a well thought-out n.


    The elder blocked the first strike only for the inheritor to step around and attack once more. It was one attack after the other and soon a tempo was set and the inheritor looked like she was dancing.


    Each strike was simple but each one only became harder and harder to deal with.


    "Is this the next stage of the Sword Sage Path? Return to Simplicity?" Ming Yue thought.


    She couldn''t help but watch the inheritor''s movements, trying to learn from it. However she was too far away to reach that stage and found that there was little she could figure out about these movements. For someone who was proud of her speed, that was not enough to deal with an attack such as this.


    "Return to Simplicity, it cannot just be using simple strikes. Is it to simplify your attacks? What does it mean to return? From those movements, each attack seems basic and yet they are too mysterious. Is it to appear simple in appearance? No, that doesn''t seem right."


    Mign Yue began to think and try to understand what Return to Simplicity was. The manual she was given did not give much instruction. Rather it seemed that theter stages did not carry much information as they depended on one''s interpretation. From what she read, reaching this stage depended on how one viewed simplicity.


    Lost in thought, she did not realize that the battle had ended with the elder having his sword pressed against her neck.


    "Hmm not bad, Yu Hua, your progress wiht Return to Simplicity is good enough to reach the top ten among your peers."


    The elder began to correct of few of the ws with her attack and sent her away. Looking at the entrance way, the both of them saw Ming Yue sitting there and watching. Hei Yue and Xiao Yin the approached the elder, giving him ratherrge glittering eyes.


    "Ah, I don''t remember you being this big."


    He looked at Xiao Yin, marvelling at her newfound growth.


    "So, did you remember what I asked of you before?"


    Not looking up, he presented this question to Ming Yue. At this moment, the inheritor, Yu Hua, had left them alone. From the looks of it, it seemed that the elder wanted this to be private.


    "Yes, I remember. I must go for first ce or at least top ten."


    "Right and if you seed, I will teach you the "perfect technique". That is if you seed."


    "I am confident."


    "Oh so you''re confident.. Well then,e up and show me."

 Chapter 245 - Lunar Executioner

    The battle ended in ten moves. Each move Ming Yue showed something different. Her control in the Wind and Lightning Dao, her umtions in the Sword Sage Path, everything other than her trump cards.


    Each move with met with a strike of the same strength with the elder attacking with ease.


    It ended just like the previous fight, with sword to her neck. Ming Yue admitted defeat and sheathed her sword as did Elder Xiang, retracting his de.


    "Hmph, so you''ve reached the next stage of the Sword Sage Path. Not to mention, the obvious progress to your cultivation. I can see why you''re so confident now."


    He put away his sword and left the little arena in the Sword Hall. There was a seat waiting for him as he rxed on it and took out a gourd of wind. He took one swig, breathing out in satisfaction before looking at Ming Yue. Hei Yue seemed curious of the drink, studying the gourd but the Elder did not give the little fox any.


    "Before you head for the tournament, there are some things you should know", he said.


    "This tournament will include all disciples, that includes Elite Disicples and Inheritors. However, considering their strength and standing, they will not have to participate in the earlier rounds. As for that, there are ten rounds in total, the first three is to weed out the weak ones and the next six will be group fights and duels against each other. Standings will be based on your performance, the more you win, the higher your standing. Thest round will be between the top twenty and will strictlyprise of duels with each other. Everything is randomly chosen to keep it fair."


    Looking at her seriously, Elder Xiang gave her a warning.


    "Do not growcent just because you have progressed well. Most if not all within this tournament have made simr gains. If you aren''t careful, you may find yourself out of the tournament in the first run."


    "Yes, elder", she replied, nodding her head.


    "Now is there anything you want to ask of me?"


    He took another swig of wine from his gourd only adding to his rxed attitude.


    This was when Ming Yue asked him of the strange statue as well as the words she found written at the pedestal. As she spoke, the elder''s face turned into a surprised expression before ending with a serious tone.


    "This...I do not know much of. Based on your description, it can only be a ce of bitter cultivation for an expert of a previous era. Those words do sound familiar though. "Cut down everything..." those words show confidence, bordering on arrogance almost and yet it shows their dedication. I suppose this could only be from one person, a rather old and hidden piece of legend."


    Setting the gourd down, the elder stood up allowing his dark blue robes to flow. He walked into the depths of the Sword Hall, digging aorund before finding a very old and thin book. Wiping the dust off, he looked at the words, feeling doubtful of his guess but nevertheless telling Ming Yue.


    "As you know the Warlord Age came before our current time, the Sovereign Age. It was a time of constant battle and chaos but also brought about a wealth of talent that we may never see again. From this abundance of talent, there were many famed figures, godly warriors, holy healers, and much more. As for the one I speak of, this person is a very mysterious and secluded. No one knows if this person was a man or woman."


    The elder then handed the book to Ming Yue, who then read the words on it.


    "The Lunatic Sword..." she mouthed the words, reading them in her mind.


    "Yes, the Lunatic Sword was their official name. However, they were better known as the Lunar Executioner. Why, you may ask? That is because this person is the only one who has been able to slice the moon. Standing at the highest mountain peak, the Lunatic Swordunched one devastasting attack that reached the moon and marked it."


    As he spoke, his showed a rare emotion of passion.


    "This was an event everyone had seen and felt however, that was the only feat this person had. Outside of this, no one has seen nor heard any news of this person. They could only guess that this person has pursued the path of the sword to the point of insanity, hence the "Lunatic Sword" title. However with how mysterious this person was, many did not believe that a person such as this existed. Even the strongest of warriors believed that but that may be because no one could replicate such a terrifying attack as that."


    The elder pointed at the book, exining its origin.


    "There were some who believed that the Lunatic Sword existed and traveled extensively to find this person. This book is a record of anything that could possibly rte. This is also why I''m am hesitant that my guess is correct. What you''ve discovered may just be a space for cultivation or a shrine to some ancient master. The chances that this could be from the Lunatic Sword is low. At the same time, the ck Peak Mountains are some of the tallest ones out there with the the Merciless Storm Peak towering above them all."


    Ming Yue flipped through the book. She was interested but also skeptical, a master swordsman that might not even exist. Was there a point in pursuing this? She wasn''t sure and gave back the book.


    "A master like this, I wonder how many years it took to reach that sort of level."


    "Hah, don''t count on it. You''d have better chances winning the tournament than being able to match that sort of power."


    Heughed out loud and sent Ming Yue on her way. As she left, he looked at the aged book in his hands before putting it away.


    "The Lunatic Sword huh."


    He turned quiet, setting his wine gourd down and leaving the Sword Hall. Where he went, no one knew.


    With her business and errandspleted, Ming Yue trained until midnight and spent the early morning cultivating. It calmed her mind and allowed her to collect her thoughts. She did not think of anything but the tournament. After that, perhaps she will think of her next step.


    She opened her eyes and left her quarters. Xiao Yin was perched on her shoulder while Hei Yue walked next to her. She walked through the halls just as many other disciples. Like a river, they all headed to the same direction and the same ce. Rather than go the training fields where it was sapciaous, they gathered at the center of the Institution, surrounded by the many spires.


    Ming Yue hade here before but found nothing special about this ce. This was arge garden inbetween the towers and facilities of the Institution and it was meant to be a ce to be outside and rx under the sky. There were a few pavilions and small rivers and ponds. It was a well-maintained ce.


    "Ming Yue! You''re here!"


    Standing around, Ming Yue heard a cheerful girl''s voice as two people came up to her.


    "Anqing, Xukun, It is good to see you two."


    She spoke to them in a warm tone as the three began to talk with each other. It seemed that the two had been sessful in their respective cultivations. Anqing had brought her Poison Body under control while Xukun had be proficient in using two flying swords at once. It could be said that they had reached apletely new realmpared to before. Not to mention, their cultivation in which both were at the fourth stage of the Earth Realm, Perception. At this stage, they had the ability to manipte the World''s Energy well and gained the ability of flight.


    Despite Ming Yue being a stage below the two, they did not treat her any differently. This was a friend that risked their lives for the pair and cultivation was not everything. Although Ming Yue''s cultivation did not change in these past months, they could feel the jump in herbat prowess.


    Deep into their conversation, someone appeared within the biggest pavilion of the garden, a very young boy to that.

 Chapter 246 - First Round Of Culling

    Ming Yue was not close enough to see what this person looked like, only that it was the figure of a young man.


    "It''s the Grand Elder!" Anqing eximed, "The tournament must be starting now!"


    "The Grand Elder, you say."


    Ming Yue tried to take a better look at him and found him to be quite young. He had short golden hair and freckles on his cheeks. If she didn''t know any better, she would''ve believed that the Grand Elder was another disciple. Considering how she entered Heaven''s Gate as a special case, she did not get to meet nor see the Grand Elder. Though there was a strange air around him, it was almost weightless but all-epassing.


    Shemitted the face to memory and waited for him to speak.


    Appearing under the roof of the pavilion, Grand Elder Huang walked out and floated above everyone.


    "Wee to the annual Heavenly Gate Tournament! I am the Grand Elder, Huang Tiankong!"


    He introduced himself, speaking normally though his voice projected into everyone''s mind.


    "Mental Force?" thought Ming Yue, "Perhaps he learned it from Elder Shen."


    "As you know, everyone will be rewarded for their efforts. Victory or loss, it does not matter, so long as you do not hold back and perform your best. Whoeveres out on top shall enter the Empyrean Paradise!"


    At the sound of those words, the garden began to rumble as the spires surrounding them separated. The garden split apart as the entire Institution slowly descended into the ground, reced by an enormous stone coliseum. At the center was arge square arena, big enough to fit all the disciples with plenty of space.


    Surrounding the arena were tall walls filled with rows of seats.


    The sound of this rumbling and the changing scenery made everyone''s heart beat as the atmosphere grew intense. Then the Grand Elder''s voice boomed out loud.


    "Make your preparations! The first round shall begin in an hour! All of you must be within this arena."


    He then disappeared, leaving a crowd of people who immediately went to work, checking their equipment and adjusting their mentalities.


    Having done so the night before, Ming Yue sat down and waited quietly. Anqing and Xukun were preupied, checking their weapons and what not.


    Minutester, the seats of the coliseum began to fill. Those closest to them were special booths,plete with cushioned chairs and a rooftop, they were like little gazebos and those who upied them seemed to be extraordinary nobles, royalty, high ranking elders from other sects.


    There was a special space reserved for the elders of Heaven''s Gate. They were high above everyone else, within a tall tower and watched through projections. As there were almost a hundred of them with many being entrics, most took their ce elsewhere to watch. Only the Grand Elder and a few others watched within the tower. Two of which were Elder Hua and Elder Xiang whom Xiao Yin and Hei Yue were with.


    This was where every disciple looked at as the hour was almost up, waiting for instruction.


    As soon as the so-called hour ended, the arena rumbled once more.


    What would this first round entail?


    Among thousands of disciples, five holes opened up in the arena floor as a single puppet emerged from each one. Faceless and made of some bone-like material, they had six arms, each wielding a different weapon. At the same time, the floor changed shape, bing a mountanous terrain.


    Upon their appearance, those watching from the sidelines began to hoot and shout in excitement.


    "So this is the first round! They''ve brought out the Ivory Asura Puppets, this will be fun to watch."


    "How many do you think will fail? A hundred? Two hundred? Half of the group?"


    "I hear that among these ordinary disciples there are a few that stand out. Perhaps, we may see someone actually destroy one of these puppets."


    "Ivory Asura Puppets?" Ming Yue looked around but found that she was nowhere near them.


    However, their presence was undeniable. Each puppet was twice the size of the average man and their weapons were far from humble, adorned with gold and silver. They stood still like statues for seconds before springing into action, swinging down on whoever was closest. Those few seconds that they stood still for allowed the others to make their moves but they did not attack. Instead, they avoided these puppets like their lives depended on it.


    In an instant, Anqing and Xukun pulled Ming Yue away and far from the puppets.


    "We must keep away from the Ivory Asura Puppets. Combat with them will result in nothing but our loss, those things will chase the closest one and attack", said Xukun.


    "Even if they won''t kill, if they send you out of the arena, you won''t be very worried about losing this tournament."


    Just as Anqing spoke, a body flew out. Right before them, they shot out of the arena, tumbling into the ground. Their body was crumpled and weak, covered in dust and many injuries. Then just as quickly as they left the arena, those under Elder Hua''s Medicinal Hall came and brought them away.


    The trio did not bother looking for where that body hade from and ran far from there.


    While many tried their best to avoid these five puppets, there were some that tried to fight back. Perhaps they did not know just how powerful these puppets were or perhaps they were confident.


    North of the arena was a single puppet rampaging and attacking wherever it pleased. With its sword, it swatted three disciples like flies. There wasn''t even enough time to scream before they flew out of the arena.


    Just from this disy, everyone stepped away from the puppet except for a group of six, all of them held a shortsword in each hand. Considering their weapons and stances, they all must have learnt the same techniques.


    "Flying Fish Formation! Rise of the Flying Carp"


    One of them, a young man, yelled out and the six went into formation, resembling that of the Fei Yu Constetion. With their arms crossed and their short swords brandished, they rushed the puppet in unison.


    Three waves of attacks came as the puppet did not care to dodge them. Instead, it seemed to wee the attack, raising its six arms in preparation to strike back.


    First only one came, slipping through the puppet''s grasp and stabbing into the puppet''s right side. Pulling the sword out, the wound suddenly burst open as water flowed from it. Then three followed and surrounded the puppet before sending off a wide beam of blue energy from their short swords. As they collided into the puppet, the three beams converged forming a geyser of water thatunched the puppet into the sky. Finally, the third wave, where the remaining two joined the puppet in the air. They brought their swords together and attacked the puppet''s body.


    Their energybined into a ethereal flying fish that chased after the puppet and engulfed it. Inside, the wound inflicted by the first member had be aggravated, ripping at the puppet''s side. Pummeled by the energy of this flying fish, the six spread out into another formation.


    One by one they jumped up and attacked, water seemed to flow from their des as they struck the puppet at its core.


    "Leaping Over the Dragon''s Gate!"


    They yelled out as this flowing waterbined and smashed into the puppet, bringing it down onto the arena floor. As itid on its back, the puppet''s body had been sliced across the stomach and parts seemed to crumble.


    As for the six, they panted heavily as beads of sweat fell from their heads. They looked at each other before smiling triumphantly.


    "That wasn''t so difficult. I wonder why our elder disciples warned us to never sh with this thing. With the Flying Fish Formation, even a Sky Realm cultivator would lose to us."


    "There are still four more of these puppets, we need to quickly find a ce to recuperate a little bit."


    As they turned to move, they felt vibrations from the floor as the puppet began to float.

 Chapter 247 - The Destruction Of A Puppet

    As it did, the two pieces merged and repaired itself and the puppetnded on its own two feet with no sign of damage. In fact, the aura this one puppet emitted had doubled and now, red and purple wisps of energy floating from its body.


    The six that had sessfully destroyed it the first time, now found themselves in a grim predicament. The leader of them had an especially dark expression. Having just questioned the strength of these puppets, he wanted to swallow those words.


    "Scatter!"


    He did not hesitate to call for a retreat and the six split apart, taking different roads. The arena rumbled once more, changing the terrain into a new maze of sorts but the puppet paid no attention and began chasing.


    Just as this battle had just begun, others have started to challenge these puppets.


    There were no instructions and rules given to them but it was clear to see that one thing mattered, survival. Whether through battle or retreat, they could not leave the arena.


    The other four puppets were scattered throughout the arena and each one had been challenged. To the east of the arena were a puppet that had been smashed up and taking much more damage than its counterparts. It was surrounded by a group of ten incredibly different cultivators. Each of them used increasingly stranger weapons from a giant writing brush to paper talismans. There even seemed to be one using giant shears simr in size to the brush. Despite these odd choices, their teamwork was more than perfect. Each of them had a clear role: attacking, defending, restricting. The six arms of the Ivory Asura Puppet could not quite keep up with them.


    In the west, there was a rather shocking scene to behold. Two puppets working together against only one person, a body cultivator.


    Short hair and a muscr frame, he was by no means a giant but he was not small either. He wore a sleeveless uniform, an orange color that was ented with white. With his arms revealed, it showed ck tattoos that were tribalistic, shapes and patterns that circled around his forearms, spreading into his shoulders. His expression was calm but fierce, thick and sharp browsbined with gentle eyes made for a strangebination. Nheless, the opponents in front of him were not simple.


    Against these puppets, it seemed that he might not be able to hold on. What made it even more dire was that these puppets seemed to understand each other, attacking in a quick tempo and trying their best to knock this one disciple away. However, their attempts were less than sessful.


    While others were knocked away like flies, he stood firmly and endured the strikes, waiting for an opportunity. Using nothing but his fists to guard against the onught of attacks until both puppets charged forward and attacked simutaneously.


    He smiled at the iing attack and his hands and feet glowed red like fire. In quick session, this body cultivator executed three moves.


    "Step of the Red Giant!"


    He stomped forward, causing a massive shockwave that broke the stone floors. The puppets that charged at him lost their footing and were pushed back. The pressure caused tiny fractures on the surface of their bodies and that was not the end of it.


    As this disciple stepped forward, he raised his fist and punched straight and fast.


    "Fist of the Raging Sun!"


    The fire-like glow radiating from his fist seemed to ignite and a fist-shaped fire flew forth. It set the puppets ame, seemingly hot enough to start melting them. With his third move, he brought out his other fist which he changed into an open palm.


    With the closest puppet in front of him, he ced his palm on the puppet''s chest and pushed.


    "Palm of a Shattered Star!"


    The palm strike did not seem powerful but as he spoke those words, the puppet was thrown back, taking its partner with it. The already damaged exterior of their bodies slowly fractured as pieces fell from their bodies. Hurtling towards one of the artificial mountains, their bodies mmed into it and suddenly shattered in pieces.


    It seemed that with each strike, this man injected turbulent energy into the puppets which would erupt upon the final strike.


    As the first puppet shattered, a glowing white gem fell from its body, twinkling in the light. Though the second did not meet the same fate, it was one hit away from splintering apart.


    His face was white and full of sweat but he looked extremely satisfied. The strength it took to use those three moves had drained him greatly. He stepped forward albeit weakly and looked at them before picking the gem up. The broken pieces of the puppet have already begun gathering together at his feet. With the gem in his hands, he crushed it, releasing a beam of light that moved him out of the arena.


    That light could be seen from everywhere and the crowd cheered loudly. Nobles and high ranking elders,mited that person''s face to their memory as the Grand Elder paid a bit of attention to that beam. However, his observant expression did not show anything.


    "That light, what does it mean?"


    In the south, MIng Yue saw that beam of light as she and the other two ran off.


    "A puppet has been sessfully defeated and whoever did it will be exempt from the first three rounds. Depending on how it was done, they might be able to be an Elite Disciple after this."


    Xukun gave a quick exnation that surprised Ming Yue.


    "To think there was a requirement like this in y", she eximed but Xukun quickly stopped her form having nay thoughts.


    "Those puppets are extremely difficult to destroy. Even with my current cultivation, I would surely lose against one of them. With the three of us, perhaps we have a chance but it''s too risky."


    Just as he finished those words, a shadow loomed over them as an axe shed across the air.


    "Stop talking and focus on getting away!"


    Anqing''s face was hurried and desperate as she pulled the other two away from the Ivory Asura Puppet that chased them. They did what they could to slow it down, corrosive poison from Anqing and sword strikes from both Xukun and Ming Yue. However, none of it was quite effective on the puppet for it repaired itself as the attacks came. They did not have enough time to form a decent strike. No matter how quick they were, this puppet seemed to gain on them .


    "This isn''t working", Ming Yue looked behind her, finding that the puppet was unperturbed.


    They ran about, travelling through the rough terrain, jumping over stones and keeping steady on this uneven ground. Those that saw them being chased, avoided them like they were cursed. At the same time, they had a feeling of relief over this as they were not the ones being chased. But that feeling of relief hade and gone in mere seconds for the puppet''s purpose was to take out as many disciples as possible. Not to mention, it chased after three people but it did have six arms, one of which had a whip.


    The sound of it cracked in the air like thunder as the puppet waved it about.


    In seconds, the whip wrapped around the bodies of several disciples, throwing them out of the arena. It took only a moment and that was a moment of opportunity for the trio turned around, power welling up in their bodies as they attacked.


    The puppet''s remaining five arms attacked having sensed their charge to which Ming Yue dealt with swiftly. Acting as the vanguard, she shed against the remaining five arms. Having empowered her sword, theyer of sharp winds that covered the de grinded into the puppets arms. She pulled the de back and smashed it onto the arms once more.


    "Second Wind: Tempestuous Storms"


    Upon that impact, the winds suddenly burst out and sted the forearms apart.. She followed with a flurry of strikes, pushing the puppet back and allowing the other two to attack with no fear.

 Chapter 248 - Break The Seal

    Xukun''s two swords floated, strengthened by his energy, they shined and shimmered. Together, they stabbed into the puppet''s faceless head which he followed and grabbed. They produced a harmonious sound that rang into everyone''s ears and began to split the head apart. With Xukun''s umtions in the Dao of Metal, the extent of which he could strengthen and control his weapons reached a new level.


    Anqing followed with her short spear which had been modified. The spearhead was given multiple fullers as the hollowed parts of the head was filled with vials of poison. As Xukun pulled his swords out, Anqing stepped forth and pointed the spear at the puppet. Its broken head made it look offputting and creepy.


    She pierced the puppet''s body and twisted the spear shaft. Compressed air shot from her spear as the poisoned vials emptied themselves into the puppets body, gnawing the inside of the puppet.


    Pushed back by the attacks, the puppet trembled as the poison slowly broke it apart. It fell on its knees as each limb fell to the floor. Its chest slowly melted into a puddle, leaving behind a white gem.


    "The Ivory Asura Puppet left behind a gem. It must be the core of the body."


    The closest to the puppet, Anqing grabbed the gem and held it in her hands, showing it to the others. Ming Yue studied the gem and found that the energy it exhibited did not resemble nythign she had seen before.


    "It must be the Dao of Puppetry", she thought.


    "We should destroy it, right?"


    She spoke right after, looking at the gem.


    "If it is destroyed, then we would be exempt from the next two rounds."


    As they spoke, the limbs of the puppet slowly floated back to its body. But its melted chest did not seem to reform for the corrosive poison of Anqing was active and powerful. Then suddenly, the gem shined a disappeared, reappearing inside the puppets body as it fully reformed in mere seconds. There was a surprised look on all of their faces as the Grand Elder spoke.


    "That concludes the end of the first round. You will have the time it takes to burn this incense stick before we begin the next round."


    Floating above the arena, his voiced echoed in everyone''s mind as he returned to the tower. There he lit a single incense stick giving them about an hour to rest.


    The arena floor reformed as the puppets descended below the floors. Those that survived sat down and recovered their strength. As for the trio, they could only give a hapless smile and me themselves for not destroying the gem sooner. They looked around before sitting down like the others.


    "That felt very quick."


    Speaking her thoughts, Anqing didn''t think the first round would end so abruptly. It felt like only few minutes had passed from when the round started. However as the most oldest disciple of the three, Xukun exined that it was far longer. He looked at the sun''s position, gauging how much time had past.


    "It only feels quick when you''re in the moment. From the looks of it, this roundsted over an hour. Time is only a seconday detail when ites to this tournament."


    "A secondary detail... I wonder what the next round will be."


    "No one knows, the elderse up with hundreds of different formats that are randomly chosen. We may be asked to battle a massive beast, endure violent weather, or fight each other. In this way, it keeps the tournament interesting and unpredictable."


    Ming Yue silently listened to them, thinking of what the next round could be. Though she hoped that it would be something that she was confident in, some form of battle or a test of her swordsmanship. Things like illusions and formations were her weakness, not to mention, her offensive power was great but in terms of defense she wascking. She might have formed Mental Force but she was not as proficient as she would like to be.


    With everyone preparing for the next round, the crowd was filled with discussion. Some wondered what the next event could and a few prominent figures kept eyes on any talent that caught their eyes.


    Heaven''s Gate was a ce that fostered all sorts of aplished people. With its influence and connection to many powers, it became a ce to scout for the next generation. Leaders of different organizations, nobles and royalty alike, they all murmured amongst each other, discussing any prospective choices for positions as personal guards, military positions, perhaps teachers for their children.


    There had even been a few watching Ming Yue''s group. While they did not fully destroy a puppet, they did defeat it once. However, these thoughts could change easily. What would develop in theing events of the tournament would greatly influence them and the second round was beginning.


    The incense stick was nearing its end and the Grand Elder stood up, appearing in the air above the arena.


    His presence alerted everyone as they watched him, ready for the next event.


    "The second round shall begin! Please prepare yourselves for this time, you will have to break a rather troublesome binding."


    Suddenly, a mark appeared on everyone''s body, resembling that of the Heaven''s Gate insignia. It was a sun rising above the clouds but there was the addition of a gate beneath the clouds. As soon as it appeared, everyone''s body was constricted and forced into the lotus position. In seconds, many people attempted to break out but found that they could barely budge. Those that were body cultivators were able move much more but the seal only shimmered and snapped them back to position.


    The onlookers slowly quieted down and watched intently. Certainly, there wasn''t much going on but the excitement was in who and when will someone be able to break it. The arena was quiet as each disciple focused on trying to break this strange seal.


    "What sort of seal is this? No matter how much power I use, it won''t break!"


    "There must be sort of trick to it! Maybe there was a clue in his words!"


    Some had already expressed their frustration over this situation. Many of them were confident in their strength but when it came to this seal, they were powerless. Every attempt only resulted in returning to the lotus position.


    "Hm, look! Someone has already seeded!"


    A young woman stood up with a happy face as the insignia on her body faded away. She wore a pale red hanfu along with an elegant sword on her back. Her ck hair was cut short, reaching down to her chin. Looking around, the expression on her face turned even more gleeful upon seeing that she was the first to seed. Then without missing a beat, she turned into a beam of light and was sent out of the arena.


    This only ced more pressure on everyone else and they scrambled to figure this out.


    Ming Yue, Anqing, and Xukun tried to force their way out of the seal but their attempts ended in the same way as the others. The more power they used, the stronger the seal would be.


    "Just using brute strength would be difficult. There has to be some sort of trick."


    Anqing was not flustered and began to think as to how this seal could be dispelled. The other two also began to think and examine the seal. Xukun then found a few characteristics to this seal.


    "It affects our entire body, flowing through our internal organs and splintering into different paths. From the looks of it, the seal must be binding our pressure points and meridians.. If we expel it, then we should be able to get rid of the seal."

 Chapter 249 - Too Close

    Suggesting it to them, the other two found that what he said was true and began to push the energy out of their bodies. However, it was not as simple as they believed it to be. The energy they expeled would certainly disappear, but that was only a section of it gone. The moment they freed one of their meridians, it would once against be filled by the energy of the seal.


    "Damn, what is this seal? How are we suppose to break out of it.


    Xukun vented his frustration as his idea had failed however, Ming Yue had an idea.


    "If we cannot force it out one by one, then we should expel it all at once."


    If it was this energy within their pressure points and meridians that binded them to this position, they should be free if they get rid of it in one fell swoop. Doing it bit by bit did not seem to work, so this was the other alternative. But this was easier said than done.


    The energy that binded their bodies permeated every part of it, gathering into small beads within their meridians and pressure points. To expel it all at once required a very precise control over one''s own energy and body.


    The three of them slowly built up energy within their core.


    In the meantime, more and more people were able to release themselves and advance to the next round. Over a hundred had seeded before Anqing expeled the energy from her body.


    "Yes!" she nearly jumped in happiness before being whisked away from the arena.


    Not long after, Xukun had also seeded, standing up and leaving.


    "Good luck..." he looked at Ming Yue, who was still pushing the energy out.


    She was thest of the three and struggled the most. In her attempts to break this seal, she seemed to becking just a tiny bit as some of the seal''s energy would slip past her.


    "Is it because of my cultivation?" she thought.


    "Both Anqing and Xukun are at the Perception Stage while I am still at the Sight Stage. No matter how powerful I may be, I do not have the same capabilites as someone in that stage."


    The issue wasn''t herbat power but her cultivation. The Earth Realm definitey improved a person''s strength but it was also where they are given certain abilities such as flight. But the crux of this realm was one''s understanding of Quintessence Energy, World Energy, Mental Force. The further one advanced, the easier it would be to manipte these energies.


    Of the seven stages, the fourth stage, Perception, was a major bottleneck for many as it could only be passed based on their proficiency in using energy. After all, flight is achieved here due to the improved control of one''s energy Ming Yue was able to achieve a pseudo form of flight by supporting her body with wind butpared to true flight, it was nothing.


    Thinking this, Ming Yue came to a conclusion. She had to breakthrough.


    No matter how much power she brought forth, just a fraction of the seal''s energy would slip back and bind her. Compared to all of the other disciples, her cultivation was among the lowest though her actual strength was much higher.


    Having stayed at the Sight Stage for nearly a year, her foundations were solid and firm. Not to mention, the creation of Mental Force had given her some much needed experience in handling Heart and Soul Energy. There was also her advancement in the Sword Sage Path, which required her to control Soul Energy.


    These two forcesbined with her umtions in the Wind and Lightning Dao made up her Quintessence Energy.


    If she were to break into the Perception Stage, she was to gather all of her energy into a single mass before cing it into the acupoints of her meridians in which there were 670 of them all across her body. If that wasn''t difficult enough, they had to be uniform pieces and once all were set, they had to connect with each other through the channels within her body.


    "Doesn''t seem too difficult but, how much time do I have?"


    For Ming Yue, she was confident breaking through considering how much she prepared during her time in the Dark Water Kingdom. But to seed before the round ended was an entirely different challenge. Already, the number of people on the arena floor was dwindling.


    She began to attempt her breakthrough and did it as fast and as carefully as she could. With her energy retracted, the seal took control once more but she paid no attention to it.


    Her energy gathered and formed a singr sphere before she started splitting it bit by bit. They were like little droplets, putting one in each of her acupoints. They were stable and uniform, floating at the center of each acupoint.


    In minutes, she was halfway there,pleting over three hundred of her points. As she continued, her control began to weaken and her focus was wavering. It wasn''t as if she could just separate it and leave it in her acupoint. She had to maintain its position as well.


    From the outside, her expression was calm and focused, with her aura restrained and her body not moving in the slightest. Some that had been watching her no longer paid any attention for they believed that she had given up.


    "What is she doing? We found the correct solution but she hasn''t seeded in breaking the seal."


    Anqing and Xukun watched from outside the arena. None of them knew what Ming Yue was trying to do. Xukun furrowed his brows, looking at Ming Yue his face lit up.


    "Could she be trying to break through?"


    Anqing looked at him before looking back at Ming Yue.


    "That''s far too dangerous and a risky move! Why would she do that?"


    "Perhaps, she could not expel the energy due to her cultivation. Don''t forget she is only in the Sight Stage."


    Upon this conclusion, the two of them could only watch and hope that their friend would seed.


    Time passed quickly and more people left the arena. Ming Yue had reached the upper limits of her willpower as she only had ten more acupoints to fill. Slowly, she filled them one by one, taking care not to let it dissipate. She knew that if she made even one mistake, all of her progress would be lost. She could feel her mind barely hanging on as she filled thest of her acupoints.


    Then after much effort, shepleted the first step of the breakthrough and now it was time to attempt the second step. With all 670 acupoints filled, she must connect all of them at once thus strengthening the pathways in her body and signaling the entry into the Perception Stage.


    She breathed in deeply and began. Her expression was focused and calm as she moved all 670 fragments of energy at once. The energy within her acupoints trembled before transforming into threads that extended through her body. The threads within her lengthened and spun about,, connecting and intertwining with one another.


    It filled her body with an invigorating sensation as the threads seemingly glowed. Within the core, where her floating ind was. It shined and expanded, revealing a massive valley to add to the scenery. A mountain split into two, a waterfall flowing off the edges of the ind, and now a valley had joined them. The floating ind began to look more like a paradise: lush grass and plenty of vegetation. It was a vibrant green view.


    "Sess!"


    Ming Yue was excited and felt the energy from these threads flow out and expel the seal''s power on their own. In seconds of her breakthrough, she dispelled the seal and was transported out of the arena.


    Just as she disappeared, the Grand Elder appeared above the arena.


    "The second round has ended! You have as long as it takes for this incense stick to burn! Those who failed to break the seal, please leave the arena."

 Chapter 250 - Irrational Fear

    Ming Yue opened her eyes and found herself outside of the arena. As she looked around, she found that there were still people in it though their faces were dejected. The seal on their bodies disappeared as they stood up with their slumped shoulders.


    "I made it..."


    She was astounded by the fact that she managed to advance. Standing up, Ming Yue felt slightly dizzy and leaned against the side of the arena. Anqing and Xukun soon found her and ran up with a relieved expression on their faces.


    "I thought you weren''t going to make it! That was really too close. What you did was risky! What if you had failed in your breakthough?"


    Anqing pretty much scolded Ming Yue for attempting something as wild as that but she did have a a smile on her face. She was happy that Ming Yue was able to make it. Xukun walked up, helping Ming Yue stand and supporting her.


    "One more second and you might not have advanced to the third round", he said.


    With the arena now empty, those that passed the second round returned to the arena floor. There were over several thousand when the tournament began. The first round had disqualified several hundred while the second round had disqualified over a thousand. This left about two thousand disciples left and in the massive arena, the difference was easy to spot.


    "I''m surprised myself but this is not the time to celebrate. The third round will begin once that incese stick burns up. We should recover as much as possible and prepare."


    Although Ming Yue was happy that she managed to breakthrough and make it to the second round, she now had to worry about the next event. It could be anything, perhaps even another binding.


    The trio understood that time was of the essence and they sat back down on the stone floor. Of the three, Ming Yue was the most exhausted. She meditated and began to solidify her cultivation realm, spending the entirety of this rest period in familiarizing herself with the Perception Stage. While her mind was not fully refreshed, she no longer felt dizzy nor did she have a headache.


    She decided to take a quick moment to attempt natural flight. ording to what she learned, flying required a thought and circting her energy, which now naturally flowed through her acupoints.


    "Let''s try, floating above the ground" she thought.


    In moments, her body lifted up just an inch above the floor before dropping back down. She slightly wobbled about before steadying herself.


    "That was much more difficult than I thought, it''s like trying to walk again."


    Though Ming Yue expected flight to be difficult at first, she was not prepared for the amount of control it needed. However, after several more attempts, she adjusted quickly and was able to sustain herself for more than a few minutes.


    As the incense burned down to itst ember, the Grand Elder stood up, showing a little smile on his face as he revealed himself floating above the arena.


    "The incense stick has burned out! I hope that all of you are prepared for the third round because this time, I will be participating."


    Suddenly, he vanished and reappeared, standing on the stone floor. This young-looking man held his hands behind his back and began strolling around.


    His words were quite shocking for everyone to hear.


    "He''s part of the third event? What is the Grand Elder nning?"


    "Whatever it is, it will definitely be entertaining!"


    Those in the special seating looked both surprised and curious as to what the Grand Elder was nning. Though those standing on the arena were bewildered, not knowing what to expect. All that they saw was the Grand Elder walking around carefreely. With his hands behind his back and a rxed smile on his face, he simply wandered the arena.


    After doing nothing, a few rxed perhaps thinking that the third round was not actually fighting. Some were still wary but the Grand Elder just strolled around.


    Ming Yue, Xukun, and Anqing were still guarded, watching closely.


    Moments passed and then he reached the center of the arena, looked around, and took a deep breath. He closed his eyes for a second and opened them but this time, his eyes were not calm or happy.


    No, they were murderous and wild. Just as he revealed those eyes, his body burst out with a bloodthirsty and battle-hungry intent. It was an aura of crimson and violet, covering the entire arena.


    It was heavy and suffocating. It did not matter if you stood next to him or you stood at the edge of the arena, it was all the same. A suffocating aura that brought nothing but fear in everyone.


    "What-what is this?!"


    "I can''t beat this thing!"


    "I don''t want to die here!"


    Some were blinded by the fear, the cruel and violent aura reminded them of a wild beast. If they stayed any longer, they would die. Secondster, a hundred fled the arena in fear, some with their trousers soiled. Others with their faces white and showing nothing but sheer dread and horror. Several have even fainted where they stood, falling to the ground.


    As for the onlookers, they were stunned by the scene. The Grand Elder released his killing intent and though he restrained it to only the arena, even their hearts wavered from the pure ferociousness. They could not speak, only watching as they were captivated and shaken by the sudden developments.


    Those that sat closer to the arena, the nobles and elders, were just as surprised but quickly returned to their calm expressions.


    "So he is testing their mentality, a rough method but effective."


    "Perhaps the Grand Elder wanted to have a little fun. Still, this seems more like bullying."


    "I just hope my son did not run like those other cowards."


    "Hah, this sort of killing intent could be found in battle. How many of them have experienced a life threatening battle before?"


    Quietly, they discussed with each other,menting on the Grand Elder and showing their amusement from his actions. Some even took the opportunity to boast their own children or take a few jabs at the others.


    On the arena, the Grand Elder started strolling around the arena once again. He looked around, perhaps seeing if there were any potential disciples here. There were a few that caught his eye. They were the least affected by his killing intent, some even had a unyielding gaze as they looked at him.


    "Hmm, not bad. Some of them are new as well."


    There was a young man, a member of the group of ten that used strange weapons. His was silver disks that seemed to be forged with a mixture of rare metals. They floated behind his back, lightning seemed to arc between each disk. On one hand was a hammer and the other had a mallet, he resembled the God of Thunder, Lei Gong.*


    Another was short and muscr, he wielded massive gauntlets on his arms and had a ribbon tied aorund his bicep. A body cultivator by the looks of it, he had a sleeveless uniform that was green and white. Unlike those that cowered around him, this one faced the Grand Elder was a confident face.


    There were several others, one of which was Ming Yue.


    While Xukun and Anqing were certainly affected by the killing intent, she was mostly fine. Xukun''s face was white as a sheet while Anqing trembled, her hands gripped tightly onto her spear. However, Ming Yue faced the Grand Elder with unclouded eyes, this sort of killing intent was not much in her eyes.


    The amount of people that which Ming Yue has killed numbered in the hundreds. She had seen her fair share of death and close encounters. Furthermore, she had Xue Yue within her mind, awakened by the killing intent.


    "This is certainly an interesting situation."


    Her voice echoed in Ming Yue''s mind.

 Chapter 251 - End Of The First Day

    "Are we going to attack him or do you want to run?" asked Xue Yue.


    Her tone was wary but the word she spoke was the opposite. She wanted a fight with the Grand Elder for the bloodthirsty aura her exuded had aroused her lust for battle. Having been asleep, she did not know who this was person was, only that he is powerful and seemingly vicious. The Grand Elder was a threat in her eyes, the choice here was to fight or escape.


    "We do nothing. Xue Yue, this is just a test of our mind. Those who run in fear will fail."


    Ming Yue knew the situation and chose neither. Instead, she stood upright and faced the Grand Elder, staring straight into his eye as he looked at her. His eyes seemed like dark pits that seemed to radiate with death as if he had seen countless of lives taken perhaps by others or by him.


    "So we aren''t going to fight him, but it seems that he wants someone to attack."


    Xue Yue''s voice echoed in her mind, still convinced that Ming Yue should make a move.


    Conversing among themselves, Ming Yue did not notice the Grand Elder''s mouth curl into a smile. He looked around, gauging just how many were still on the arena.


    "Hmm, a little bit over a thousand, not bad, not bad at all. Though, this is a bit too much for the dueling rounds. Let''s increase the strength just a tad."


    The Grand Elder took in a deep breath. As he exhaled, a breath of crimson mist manifested itself. Suddenly, the killing aura he emitted nearly doubled in strength. In an instant those who weren''t quite affected began to feel the pressure and those who barely hanged on either lost conciousness or fear had overtaken them.


    Ming Yue was taken aback by the outburst. She whipped her sword out due to instinct, raising it at the Grand Elder. Several others did the same, brandishing their weapons against the Grand Elder.


    "Fight or run, we have to make a move. If not now, he will kill us."


    Xue Yue''s voice grew serious as even she had been affected by the dread that this man showed.


    Everyone knew that this was a test and that the grand Elder would not kill them. But the killing intent he gave off, made them uncertain.


    Would he really kill them?


    Ming Yue tried to keep her calm and stay level-headed but the amount of killing intent around her was almost too much.


    She turned around to find both Xukun and Anqing still awake though the state they were in was severe. Anqing trembled uncontrobly, she had her spear out ready to use the poison contraption on it. Xukun''s swords flew out of his scabbards, floating in the air as they were pointed at the Grand Elder. Both of them were covered in sweat, eyes wide with shock and fear, unable to utter a single sound.


    They stuck to each other and stayed close to Ming Yue.


    The Grand Elder paid no attention to their actions, only checking to see just how many people had fallen.


    "Good, we have exactly a thousand."


    He smiled and the murderous aura he sent out suddenly vanished. The killing intent was gone and all those still on the arena floor and conscious found themselves gasping for air. Even after the end of it all, they trembled and sweat ran down their faces. There was no fight, no enemy, but the fear had been deeply ingrained within them.


    The Grand Elder flew up and announced the end of the third round.


    "The third round has ended, which concludes the first day of the Heavenly Gate Tournament. Of the several thousands of you, only a thousand remain for the dueling rounds. The elite disciples and Inheritors will now be joining you all. Those that did not make it will be rewarded in ordance to when they were eliminated. That is all. Take this time to rest and reflect on yourselves."


    Ming Yue watched him leave and saw that everyone else had begun to clear out of the coliseum. Those on the arena were still shaken by the third round. Evidently, they needed time to calm themselves.


    "Anqing, Xukun, are you two okay?"


    She looked around and saw that the two were still frozen on the ground. Even though the killing intent was no longer there, it had left too great of an impression on them. Shaking them, Anqing and Xukun awakened from their dazed state though their pale faces and wide eyes did not change.


    "Huh, oh, uh."


    "We-we made it to the next round."


    "Yeah, we did, didn''t we."


    "Yeah, yeah..."


    They were still shocked and could not say much. In the end, Ming Yue hoisted them to their legs, leading them out of the coliseum. With everyone gone, the coliseum descended into the ground as the Institution took on its original appearance.


    "Hm, they might notst long in this tournament, don''t you think? After all, their strength was below yours when we were in the garden."


    Having been awakened, Xue Yue began observing everything. As she was in Ming Yue''s mind, Xue Yue sees what Ming Yue sees and remembered the couple that Ming Yue dragged back.


    "You don''t know that. They''ve been cultivating hard these past months."


    "Please, you had to save them more than once."


    "Xue Yue, be quiet. They were the reason we even went to the garden."


    "Peh."


    There was a small silence between the two before Xue Yue spoke up again.


    "What do you think about tomorrow? The dueling rounds that the Grand Elder spoke about."


    "I''m not sure. It could be one on one or group battles."


    From what the elder''s told her, the dueling rounds were random. Everything from the people to the set up would be chosen for everyone. It was hard to predict or even estimate their chances.


    "Hm, It doesn''t quite matter. I will be there to take control if you lose."


    Xue Yue''s voice trailed off but it left a rather yful tone. It was almost as if she was expecting Ming Yue to lose conciousness, that would be her time to act.


    Ming Yue paid no attention to her. She had won against Xue Yue and she could do it again. Furthermore, It wasn''t as if Xue Yue had bad intentions but Ming Yue did not entertain the idea of losing control over her own body to another, especially to a more cruel version of her.


    With the night almost arriving, Ming Yue decided to take Xukun and Anqing to the Spirit Hall. Considering the reputation that the Spirit Hall had, they might have refused to enter. Fortunately, they were too shaken to do so and found themselves inside a serenendscape.


    The illusion of the ind within the endless sea was soothing. The crashing waves and gentle wind calmed their minds and rxed their hearts. If not for this, Anqing and Xukun might not have been able to sleep at night for they were both restless and nervous. Not to mention, the fear cast by the killing intent had faded away.


    "Thank you, Ming Yue. I needed this."


    Xukun gave heartfelt thanks as he would have found it difficult to sleep after experiencing such intense killing intent. As someone who was difficult to speak to, he seemed to have improved especially as he spoke with someone other than Anqing.


    A bit of recovery within the illusion was all it took and everyone rested for the night. The next day was a simr scene to yesterday, a crowd of disciples waiting at the center of the insititution. The ground rumbled and split apart, revealing the coliseum once more.


    However this time, the arena took on a different appearance. The once massive tform had split into ten smaller stone tforms and everyone gathered around them.


    The fourth round would start soon.

 Chapter 252 - Twenty Man Squads

    Once again the Coliseum filled up and everyone was eager to watch, especially because it was the dueling rounds. It was the best time for these cultivators to distinguish themselves and it was most exciting to watch.


    Down on the arena grounds, Ming Yue stood with Anqing and Xukun, examining the ten tforms.


    "What do you think the duel format will be for this round?"


    "Maybe groups? Perhaps a battle until one of us stands? It could just be one agianst the other."


    "There are so many of us, it has to be group battles."


    The two discussed while Ming Yue listened. As the least experienced in these matters, she did not have much of an opinion for what format will be chosen.


    "No matter what, we should try not to show all of our techniques."


    Xue Yue''s voice echoed in her mind. There was caution and seriousness in the tone she spoke with. Everyone had trump cards and hidden techniques, things that they would like to keep a secret. It would be unwise to show their entire hand in the first fight.


    "I just need to end these fights as quickly as possible."


    Ming Yue replied, understanding Xue Yue''s thoughts. Though she could not see Xue Yue, Ming Yue could sense her agreement.


    "A quick battle is for the best."


    She spoke out loud to which Anqing and Xukun also agreed.


    "Anything drawn out would be disadvantageous for us if we were to go into another battle", said Anqing.


    While this applied to the three of them, it was especially important for Anqing. Compared to the other two, she had the least stamina, a minor limitation due to her Poison Body.


    "We should check our weapons and prepare. There is no guarantee that we will all be together."


    Xukun reminded them of this fact as much of these next rounds would be random. The trio did as he said, making sure that everything was in order. Anqing looked up and noticed someone famr, they were quit far away from this person but she recognized them in an instant. She poked at Ming Yue and Xukun and pointed quietly.


    "Look, it''s that scumbag, Li Baojun."


    Ming Yue and Xukun turned and gave a quick look at him. He was dressed in different clothes, much nicer ones with a golden color scheme. A very eye-catching choice of uniform but eye-catching was something Li Baojun wanted to be. Strapped to his back was a beautiful saber, a handle ented by jade rings and a scabbard decorated with a brilliant green gems. It was the Jade Emperor Saber, he bought with the points from Diving Dragonfly, that same one he stole from them.


    "Look at him standing there, so proud and arrogant. I should go over there and stick my spear at his face, give him a little gift."


    Anqing''s voice was filled with scorn. These were words she was willing to act upon.


    "Don''t, now that Li Baojun has be an elite disciple, he has ess to much better resources. Just because we''ve gotten stronger doesn''t mean that that he has not been training."


    Xukun ced his hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her down.


    "Hmph, you don''t know that. He barely fought for the Diving Dragonfly, he just grabbed it and ran."


    Despite her words as well as her fuming face, Anqing did not maker her move. Ming Yue only nced at him before turning back.


    "We should save it for the dueling rounds", she said and began inspecting her sword.


    "If we meet him in battle, we will deal with him properly."


    Xue Yue''s voice offered a much colder tone than what Ming Yue had. Obviously, Xue Yue did not think highly of Li Baojun, he took something that should''ve belonged to them.


    Xukun was busyforting Anqing, fearful that she really would attack Li Baojun right now. Fortunately, she didn''t, bottling in her contempt for him and inspecting her spear. Though Li Baojun didn''t know it, three people were out for him.


    As they did return to their preparations, someone appeared above the arena. This time it was not the Grand Elder but in fact, the Sword Elder, Elder Xiang.


    His appearance was the same as ever, a bit grungy but nheless, he had a serious expression on his face.


    "Wee to the second day of the Heavenly Gate Tournament, where we shall conduct the fourth and fifth rounds. Today, the format shall be twenty man squads with two battles per squad per round. This means that everyone will be participating in four fights today on one of these ten tforms."


    He then pulled out a paper from his sleeve and began reading off of it.


    "There are 2400 of you in total. That means 120 squads and 24 rotations for each tform. I will now show you your groups."*


    He turned the paper around which began to glow and explode with light. It shined upon everyone before disappearing, the paper in his hands turned to dust. Suddenly, information entered everyone''s mind and they made their way to their assigned groups.


    "It looks like we will all be in different groups."


    Unfortunately, the trio would not be in the same squads which wasmentable but something they had expected.


    "Good luck, I hope that none of us will have to encounter each other."


    Anqing spoke before making her way to her assigned squad. Xukun followed, moving towards a different direction than the others.


    Ming Yue went to her assigned group and stood to the side. ording to the information, she was given, the squads were randomly chosen but it was done so that each one would be equal in power with each other. With an equal amount of ordinary disciples and Elite Disciples, the squads had a fair number of each group with only one or no inheritors.


    Though Ming Yue was considered a special case, her standing was still below that of elites and inheritors.


    In the group she was in, there were twelve ordinary disciples including her, seven elite disciples and only one Inheritor. In this group of twenty, there were only two that piqued her interest, one was the Inheritor and the other, an ordinary disciple.


    Wenqin Yan, the Inheritor was a young man with short hair, who wore light silver te armor and a sky blue sash around his waist. His weapon of choice, a short spear that was a bit longer than the one Anqing had. The only differences was theck of poison vials and the wings of the spearhead, which was shaped into falcon wings.*


    No doubt, he took the position as leader of the squad with his title as an Inheritor. Furthermore, he did carry such qualities to be one. A rather heroic-looking man with a stern expression but he was polite and respectful to the rest of the group.


    In fact, he was currently greeting everyone and helping to consolidate the squad. Almost perfectly, he asked everyone of their strengths and weaknesses, discussing strategies with them. In an instant, the entire squad began conversing with each other.


    But like her, there was another person who stood back. Another young man who was in fact, reading a book.


    This was the second person that caught her eye and his name was Yin Zhu, an ordinary disciple.


    Due to theirck of a presence, they were the only ones that did not really take part in the discussions. Though, they did introduce themselves to everyone else. However, while Ming Yue spoke about her general skills, Yin Zhu merely gave his name and returned to his reading.


    The others merely shrugged it off. Some found it rude and disrespectful while others only chalked it up to his entricity.. After all, everyone was checking their weapons and making necessary ns while he was casually reading.

 Chapter 253 - Xukuns Battle

    In terms of appearance, Yin Zhu was well dressed with gray-colored robes and sleeves that covered his hands. He had long ck hair with a white streak running down it. It had been been tied down with a simple ribbon. There were no weapons on him though his loose sleeves said differently.


    "Hidden Weapons? Or does he use his fists?" she thought.


    She looked at him a few seconds before the looking back at her sword. Yin Zhu barely moved from his position, only running his fingers through the words and flipping the pages. His face showed nothing except for interest in this novel in front of him.


    Elder Xiang was still floating above them, watching and waiting for eveyone to organize themselves. He saw a 120 little groups dotting the arena grounds and proceeded to announce the first rotation of battles. Those groups ascended the tforms while the rest stayed back and watched.


    Of the ten arenas, Ming Yue paid attention to specific one, positioned close to the center of the coliseum.


    Two groups met face to face but on one group, three people had mocking smiles and arrogant eyes as they all looked at one person. Opposite to them was Xukun with his swords sheathed, his expression was calm but his eyes betrayed the hatred he held.


    This trio of people were ones that Ming Yue found familiar.


    When she had first encountered Xukun and Anqing, they had been bullied by a group of disciples led by Jia Xiang. They had ridiculed him for his attitude and jabbed at his origins as the son of the fallen Wu n. Now, not only was it two of his followers but Jia Xiang himself was on the opposite team.


    In fact, Jia XIang looked Xukun directly and spoke a few words to him. His face did not contain as much disdain as before, instead he had a look of spite. He must have wanted revenge for earlier and this was his opportunity to do so.


    However, Xukun did not respond to his mockery. Instead, he waited silently for Elder Xiang to start the first battles.


    The battles were set and weapons were drawn, it was about to begin.


    The elder checked all ten arenas and he gave a look towards the tower, where the the Grand Elder was. He gave a quick nod to the Grand Elder and shouted out.


    "There will be a mark on your bodies! Should you experience a fatal strike, you will be sent out of the arena!"


    No one seemed to acknowledge what he said, they were all focused on the enemies before them. The elder merely nodded andmenced the round with a single word.


    "Begin!"


    In an instant, shes of light and explosions sounded off across all ten arenas. Each tform had the same intensity as the next.


    Ming Yue watched Xukun''s arena closely.


    His two swords were out but this time, there was one floating behind his back and the other grasped tightly in his hand. They were thin swords, the one that floated was pure white and it was what he obtained at the Ren Huan Battlefield. The one in his hand was his first sword, the beige colored de.


    With it, he charged at Jia Xiang, who wielded a single edged sword. It was a fancy sword with pearls embedded on the handle. Jia Xiang smiled, cackling as his sword shed against Xukun''s. All around them, the other members of their team began their fight.


    "You fool! Don''t forget that I''m not alone! Take care of him before anyonees to his aid!"


    From behind Jia Xiang were his followers, who ran to either side of Xukun and struck. One had a mace that sparked with lightning, the other used a warhammer covered in mes.


    "Lightning Beast m!"


    "Shattering me!"


    Holding it over their heads, they smashed down on Xukun''s position, who could not back off because of Jia Xiang. But he was not flustered. The white sword that floated, hummed and shined before splitting into three.


    "Veil of Swords, Three des: One Life!"


    The swords spun like a shield, blocking both of the attacks and deflecting them.


    "Split! Three Lives, Three Minds!" Xukun shouted as the three white des separated and did battled against Jia Xiang''sckeys.


    With its thin but durable body, the white des contended against the mace and hammer.


    "Damnit, these swords! When did this bastard even get such a thing?!"


    "It was less than a year, when did he get so strong?"


    Jia Xiang''s followers found themselves pushed back and unable to help their leader. The quick strikes made it difficult for them to move. Worse because they were floating swords, it was difficult to catch them or match their speed. The three swords flew about, attacking whichever it they pleased. It was as if they had a mind of their own.


    With those two under control, Xukun sought to take care of Jia Xiang, whose smile had frozen.


    "Don''t think that I can''t deal with you myself! You''re still a weakling trying to climb out of the debts of your failure of a family! Blessing of the Earth" he shouted and his weapon began to glow.


    The single-edged sword glowed green, transforming into arger saber. Dark brown wood encased his once beautiful de into a cruel weapon. The saber''s edge was serrated with thorns that could tear through skin.


    But Jia Xiang was not finished yet, tree roots and stone covered his body like armor. Just like that, he gained several inches above Xukun and his strength skyrocketed.


    He pulled his saber back and attacked swiftly, catching Xukun''s sword in its thorns.


    "Twisted Grasp!"


    The thorns elongated tisting around the beige sword and trapping it. Having caught the de, Jia Xiang pulled back both his saber and the beige de. To his surprise, Xukun did not pull back or even try to resist, allowing himself to be pulled forward as he twisted and spun the de.


    "Coiling Dragon Thrust!"


    He thrusted forward, allowing the sword to leave his hands and dig into Jia Xiang''s armor. Then he kicked the sword, driving the sword deeper into the stomach.


    Propelling himself back, Xukun held his hands out as two of the white des flew to him.


    He dashed to the side, stabbing the two swords into the hammer-wielding follower. The follower seemed to panic and swung his hammer wildly. Xukun was fast and weaved through the swinging hammer strikes. He crossed his swords and attacked, piercing the follower in the chest. In that moment, the mark on his body activated, sending him out of the arena.


    The follower with the lightning d mace stepped back in shock before charging. At the same time, Jia Xiang finally ripped the beige sword of of his armor and threw it to the ground.


    "Take this! Thunderlight Strike!"


    He thrusted the mace, summoning a beam of lightning from it that shot towards Xukun.


    "A Thousand Thorns, A Battalion of Spears!"


    Jia Xiang pointed his saber towards Xukun as thorns grew from his saber and armor. They lengthened and shot forth. Like spears, they were aimed at Xukun, ready to skewer his body and riddle it with holes.


    "Shift! de and Shield!"


    Xukun called for his beige sword, which flew to his hands and the three white swords converged, spinning as they floated in front of him.


    Controlling it with one handed, hemanded the swords to block Jia Xiang''s attack while he went to deal with the beam of lightning. He rolled to one side, dodging the attack and attacking, stabbing into the follower''s chest.


    There was surprise on his face as the mark on him glowed and transported him out.


    The shield of des spun at an extreme speed, shaving the thorns down and keeping them away from Xukun.. Seeing this, Jia Xiang face scowled as he retracted his thorns and went for a direct sh with Xukun.

 Chapter 254 - Dominating End

    "Don''t think that just because you got a little stronger, you will be able to beat me! Vilethorn Lash!"


    Jia Xiang dashed forward, wielding his saber with one hand and the other hand formed a whip like vine that was covered in thorns. He waved the whip with skill, cracking it in the air before attacking. The whip flew forward, aimed to wrap around Xukun''s neck and pierce it in countless different spots.


    Xukun brandished his beige sword and attacked. A sh of light came as he thrust forward, allowing the whip to wrap around his sword.


    "All you do is bark! Shut up and get the fuck over here! One Life, Three des!"


    Unable to endure Jia Xiang''s insults, Xukun released his rage.


    He yanked the whip towards him and pulled Jia Xiang, who quickly tried to resist. But that moment where his whip was caught had cost him his momentum. As Xukun tried to pull back, the white swords split apart once again, flying towards Jia Xiang''s position. All three of them pierced the ground, surrounding him and creating a barrier of Metal Energy that trapped him in. A translucent and triangr cage that gave off a glowing gray light.


    Xukun merely looked at him coldly.


    "You piece of shit, remember this sensation, this will be your death should you try anything on Anqing."


    The barrier began to shine even brighter, growing in strength. The surface of it seemd to vibrate just a tad resembling water under a gently drizzle. It seemed as if something was trying to emerge from the interior.


    "From three des, one death."


    Xukun watched as swords shot out of the barrier, skewering Jia Xiang before his body disappeared. He merely looked at where Jia Xiang was before scoffing and the three white des became one, floating behind his back.


    Finishing his business, he ran off to join the fray of the battle. Those on his team had kept watch, prepared to intervene, should he be in trouble. However it seems that their worry was for nothing. In fact, a few showed surprise by his techniques and strength. Certainly a different way of battle for his techniques had a type of versatility that anyone would find difficult.


    "Those idiots!"


    As for those on the enemy team, they all silently cursed Jia Xiang and his followers. Even after formting a n, they did not follow through and did their own thing. Now the group was at a disadvantage, losing three while the other side had not lost anyone yet.


    Ming Yue felt relief and surprise. She did not expect Xukun to deal with them so quickly. At the same time, she had not expected the Metal Dao Root to have such a profound effect on him. Furthermore, the white sword had certainly elevated his skills. Those seven months had brought great changes.


    She continued to watch and at the end, it was an incredibly close victory for Xukun''s group.


    The advantage in numbers did not mean much for the inheritor in that group was extremely powerful. A woman who uses dualnces and practically danced around the arena. She was quick and a user of a Dao Ming Yue had never seen before, the Dao of Blood.


    In her case, this inheritor grew stronger the more injuries she sustained. The blood seeping from her wounds hardened into armor and strengthened hernces. A light red mist of blood surrounded her, intoxicating those who came close with the lust for battle. In fact, Xukun had been eliminated by her. Despite keeping his distance and using his flying swords to attack, she closed the distance, trapping him in a bloody aura. With his mind ovee by the need for carnage, he attacked recklessly, allowing her to pierce his chest with hernce.


    Because of the way she moved, she never had any major injuries and in the end, it was only her and the inheritor in the Xukun''s group. This man, who used a sword and shield, was a user of the Dao of Fire.


    As the bloody aura had no effect on him, they had a straightforward fight with neither backing down. In the end, the Blood Dao Inheritor lost after losing too much blood, fainting on the floor.


    That was thest battle to end of the first rotation and it was a very exciting one.


    Ming Yue took note of what she saw as the crowd mored with enthusiasm and the arenas reformed.


    Though she paid the most attention to Xukun''s battle, she did study the other arenas as well. It was truly an eye-opening experience for she saw a variety of different fighting styles and daos. From the main four daos of Fire, Wind, Earth, and Water, there were hundreds of variations stemming from everyone''s unique ideas.


    From an aura of snow that pierced one''s skin to a soft me that revealed an explosive power, there seemed to be an infinite number of iterations. Truly it seemed that everyone had reached the level of a True Dao, forming and following their own thoughts and ideas of the Dao.


    What interested her the most was the Dao of Swords for it seemed that there were many styles. Some focused on flexibility, others did rigidness, some even took a strange route following a mixture of things.


    There was a lot to learn and she watched these battles with great zeal.


    The arenas had fixed themselves and the second rotation began and ended just as quickly as the first rotation did. Then it was the third rotation where it was her group''s turn.


    As they entered the arena, the Inheritor Wenqin Yan gave a few words of assurance.


    "Be sure to aid each other when you can. This is team against team, there''s no point in showing off if you lose in the end."


    The group gathered, facing against the other side. With their weapons drawn, everyone prepared to fight. Ming Yue took her stance, Drifting Sky was drawn, and pointed to the ground.


    "Let''s go for her."


    Xue Yue''s voice spoke up targeting a girl off to the side. Of the twenty, she was the easiest target. Ming Yue did not reply, a sign of her agreement, and waited.


    "Begin!"


    As soon as Elder Xiang spoke, everyone moved.


    "Phantasmal Wind."


    MIng Yue disappeared from her spot. Like a ghostly wind, everyone in her path felt a chill but could not detect her until it was toote. Just as she attacked, Ming Yue reappeared in front of empty space for someone was just a step ahead of her.


    Her target had been eliminated by none other than Yin Zhu, who revealed his weapons, a pair of two-sided knives. Both incredibly sharp and ornate, the des were hinted with the color of teal while the handle was created from high-quality wood and leather. One look was all it took to know that these were made for him.


    But what surprised Ming Yue the most was his speed. Considering that Phantasmal Wind was her fastest technique, not many could match its speed, and to find someone faster than that was surprising.


    But the answer soon revealed himself as he disappeared, turning into a shadow that could not be spotted. Just as quickly as he eliminated the first one, the second was gone in no less than a second. Appearing behind his victim, he stabbed into their back before slinking away once again.


    "The Dao of Darkness and Assassination?" she thought in her mind.


    "A natural-born killer..." Xue Yue said.


    As much as she wanted to watch him fight, they were in an arena and someone had targeted her.


    She dashed to the side, avoiding the attack of a man in a sleeveless uniform. Her previous spot had been smashed to bits by his fists.


    Using Phantasmal Wind once more, she disappeared and returned behind him, striking at his neck only for her sword to be caught by his bare hand. He turned and punched with his other hand.


    "Fist of the Raging Sun."

 Chapter 255 - Chaos In Battle

    Ming Yue let go of her sword and dodged the attack. The attacker''s fist, red-hot and radiating with power only met empty air. From it, a massive fist-shaped fire shot out and it nearly singed her clothes.


    "Zephyr ws."


    Her right hand turned into a w of wind and she threw herself behind her opponent. Forming her hand into a knife, she stabbed his shoulder.


    "So dense! A body cultivator!" she thought.


    She showed surprise as her ws only prated the skin. They grinded into the shoulder, trying to go deeper but it seemed as if a block of raw iron was in her way. It took less than a moment for her to realize that he would be a tough opponent.


    However, such a tough body was expected as this person had sessfully destroyed an Ivory Asura Puppet. Not to mention, taking attacks from three of them could not push him back. It would take an exceptional attack from Ming Yue to injure him.


    "We should avoid him for now" said Xue Yue.


    Fighting him now would not be wise, especially in a setting like this where it was not one against one.


    He let go of her sword and turned to grab Ming Yue''s hand but she pulled her ws out and jumped back. She dived for her sword before disappearing, leaving nothing but a faint mirage.


    "Damn, how quick! No, I shouldn''t go after her, I need to head for the core of the battle. Once their numbers dwindle, she wouldn''t be harder to catch."


    Giving up on Ming Yue, he jumped into the fray of the fight, enduring the attacks of the opposing team while hisrades attacked. In fact, his presence had forced much of Ming Yue''s group to deal with him.


    Upon disappearing, she headed to one of the emptier corners to catch her breath before heading back in. She took a nce at counted how many people were left.


    "It''s even, fifteen against fifteen."


    She counted before returning, brandishing her de in the air before leaving another mirage in her steps.


    Considering much of the group were fighters, she along with Yin Zhu and a few others did assassinations, quietly dispatching of the enemy team whenever they could. This was a good time for her to practice her assassination techniques as she never had much of a chance to use them.


    Unfortunately, Yin Zhu seemed to have taken care of the easier targets while she had been attacked. Thus the only choices here was to deal with the other assassins of enter the chaotic battle taking ce in the center of the arena. Here, she chose the former, hunting for them and countering their attacks.


    In the thick of battle, an elite disiple fought intensely with several others, covering each other''s blindspots. He shed and thrusted, sending off a de of wind with each strike.


    "Unbridled Wind!"


    With a shout, he thrusted his sword forward,unching a massive st of wind that forced its way into the enemy, throwing a few off of their feet.


    Then, he felt a cold de on his neck that was about to kill him and he barely had to time to realize it was there. But as it did, the sensation disappeared as he heard someone groan in pain. He nced behind him, watching the sight of Ming Yue with her sword piercing the heart of a girl dressed in white and holding a strangely shaped dagger in her hands.


    "Damn, how did you catch me?"


    She muttered those few words before the mark on her body glowed, sending her out of the arena.


    "Wha-?"


    He did not even have the time to process what had happened before Ming Yue disappeared once more. His confusion was then reced with a sense of relief as he continued the fight.


    "That''s one more" Xue Yue counted.


    Since the escape from the body cultivator, she had taken care of two of the enemy, relieving the pressure from her team. With this one, she had dealt with three in total. Of course, this had been done without them truly noticing for they were all too focused on the battle to see her.


    As she scanned the arena and looked around, she found something strange.


    "Where is Yin Zhu?" she thought.


    Was he hiding or just waiting for an opportunity to attack?


    She could not find him nor detect his presence anywhere but that should''ve been something she expected. After all, he had a talent for assassination, better than Ming Yue at the very least. She shook her head and stopped thinking about him. Instead, Ming Yue moved around the arena, looking for another target.


    Just as she did, Ming Yue found one of herrades sent out after they had been struck in the back of the head with a palmstrike. Then this figure attempted to knock Wenqing Yan out only to find that he was expecting the strike. He turned around and faced this attacker, grabbing for the hand only for it to slip away. He was nothing more than mist, hard to find and even harder to capture.


    "Hah, Wenqin Yan, will this be the time you defeat me?"


    A sly and very mocking voice echoed as Wenqin Yan chased after.


    "Yan Xian! You slippery bastard, I''m going to beat you here or in theing rounds! You can save your arrogance forter! Grasp of the Abyssal Ocean!"


    He yelled out and swung his spear, creating waves of indigo-colored water that almost epassed the arena. Everyone within it, friend or foe, had their movement restricted even his target. Resticted by these waters, Yan Xian finally revealed himself, wearing purple robes along with a white sash wrapped around his waist.


    His hair was at shoulder length and untied, freely flying in the wind. He had shrewd eyes and a mischevous smile on his face. Unarmed but not harmless, he seemed like a rogueish man who tried to be a schr but failed.


    "Come!" he called out, awaiting Wenqin Yan.


    "I will take care of him! Everyone focus on the main battle!" he yelled before spinning his spear.


    Wenqin Yan leaped forward with the spear in his hand striking at his opponent. mming onto the ground, waves formed in the indigo waters he created. He stepped forward, thrusting his spear and spinning it around his body. The spinning created wheels of water that began flying towards Yan Xian, who shattered them with his palms. Then they engaged in a fierce fight, palm against spear. Wenqing Yan''s opponent was certainly a slippery one, transforming into mist to escape as he chased after. They were all over the arena, causing mayhem just by their shes.


    Unlike Wenqin Yan''s rather tyrannical way of using his spear, Yan Xian was much more calmer and gentle. They were neither slow nor quick and moved with the smoothness one would find in flowing water. However, his movement was truly strange sometimes his body would just partially turn into mist which made it difficult to determine where he would strike or if he was going to slip away once again.


    The chaos caused by this battle had thrown everyone off.


    This was a battle between Inheritors and it was something no one could interfere in. Watching it from afar was one thing but actually being in the same arena was entirely different. The pressure caused by these two had pushed everyone even further. Worse yet, they fought wildly, throwing attacks without care for eveyone else.


    With how it was Ming Yue could no longer continue moving as she once did, instead she joined the battle directly. It was very different from anything she had experienced for it was chaotic.


    Jumping in, she deflected the oing attack of the opposing team before sending several needles in that direction. However, it met the body cultivator that attacked her before and left nothing but a scratch on him.


    "If that won''t work then perhaps this will, Whistle Wind."


    With a thought, she summoned a knife-like wind which left nothing but a whistling sound in its wake. She targeted everyone in the opposite side and struck.


    They heard nothing but a sharp whistle in the arena.


    "Something is wrong!" they thought and immediately retreated.


    Unfortunately, some were either too slow or didn''t know what was happening and found their neck sliced clean off before they were sent out of the arena. In the chaos of this battles, they simply could not react fast enough when there was so much going on.


    Those that survived were slightly dumbfounded by the sight even Ming Yue''s group was a liitle shocked as they thought the whistling sound was an attack on them.. Ming Yue quickly moved, striking at this golden opportunity.

 Chapter 256 - Hard-Fought Battle

    By now a majority of the ordinary disciples were gone as did a few of the elite disciples. Now it was four against six with Ming Yue''s group ahead by two people.


    The body cultivator from before took on the strike with little issue and scanned the arena before locking onto her. He rubbed his neck, finding a bit of blood on the wound her attack created. His face showed a bit of surprise before it lit up in realization.


    "It must be her that did this. If she is capable of this, it would''ve been better if I had chased her earlier."


    Thinking this, he leaped forward, ready with his fists to strike as he aimed for Ming Yue.


    "Embrace of the Demonic Sun"


    "Fist of the Raging Sun"


    He punched out before pulling his fist back creating an emptiness in the air that seemed to pull everything in, including Ming Yue who could not seem to escape it. Then she saw the fist-shaped fireing for her, ready to smash her into the arena floor and leave her burnt up.


    "sting Gale!"


    She pointed her hand forward and a windnce formed above her shoulder. It flew forth, shing with the fist of fire before erupting into a burst of air that ripped the fist apart. Then she jumped forward and held her weapon high. As it met the fists of her opponent, he spoke to her.


    "I did not think you would go for directbat but that will be your mistake."


    As he spoke, another voice spoke followed after, cold and emotionless, causing a chill on his back.


    "No, it would be your mistake for being unable to watch your surroundings."


    The body cultivator swung his fist back and turned to find who was behind him. His forearm was swift as it hit someone''s body but they weren''t thrown back like he had expected.


    Ming Yue looked finding Yin Zhu with his two daggers pierced into the enemy''s arm, preventing it from smashing him though he was thrown back. He pulled them out and quickly melted into the shadows on the floors.


    "We will take turns grabbing his attention and attacking when the chance arises."


    Right next to her, his voice whispered into her ears, a softspoken but dead tone. She didn''t bother turning around and instead made her move, sending off another sting Gale that forced the opponent back several steps.


    He grit his teeth, grappling the tip of thisnce with his bare hands.


    "Mountain Crushing Vice!"


    *Heart Energy gathered in his palms as he crushed thence between his palms. Upon its destruction, thence erupted with a st of air that nearly lifted him off of his feet.


    "Heartshade Strike."


    Still off bnce, the body cultivator felt a sharp pain in his chest and looked down to find Yin Zhu''s two knifes being pulled out by shadowy hands. It left two holes that were an inch deep but it was not enough to piercing his knife.


    He grabbed at Yin Zhu''s hands only for Ming Yue attack with Phantasmal Wind. Disappearing, she aimed for the same spot her Whistle Wind had cut and opened the wound even further.


    "Agh!" he yelped in pain, feeling fresh blood flowing down his neck.


    In these several exchanges, he could not catch them and suffered wound after wound. They were simply too quick for him, who had focused on his endurance and strength. But he could no longer endure this anymore.


    "Get off of me!"


    He yelled out, causing shockwave just from his voice and pushing the two away. He then took on a stance and brought his hands together. Heart Energy gathered together, a red and fiery aura coated his body and bing a shield.


    "Origin of the Fiery Sun"


    He then walked forward and both Yin Zhu and Ming Yue began attacking but they could not prate this aura of his. What made it worse was getting close to him as the power he weighed on their bodies and slowed them down. Then Ming Yue slipped up, an opportunity the body cultivator waited for. She attacked only to retreat a second toote as he grabbed her by the wrist.


    "You are a good opponent, I should not have let you go earlier and this time I won''t."


    He readied his fist to strike as one hit was all it took to take her out. Yin Zhu attacked but the fiery aura was barely affected by his attacks.


    Just as the body cultivator punched, Ming Yue retaliated with another sting Gale, throwing it directly at his fist and stopping it in its path. He pushed back but in the end, they were at a stalemate. Yi Zhu tried once more to break the fiery aura but found no luck. Instead, he vanished perhaps abandoning her.


    "It seems he has given up", the body cultivater noted and it spurred him to push thence back.


    WIth the help of the Eternal Heart Ring, Ming Yue was able to maintain and fortify thence.


    Ming Yue did not me Yin Zhu for leaving. This body cultivator was simply too difficult to take on. She wasn''t sure how long she wouldst but she conintued to endure.


    That is until a spear shot through the sky and pierced the nigh inprable aura. Wenqin Yan followed,nding by the spear before swatting the opponent away with it. The body cultivator who had endure countless of attacks found himself thrown out of the arena and grinding into the soil. Because of Wenqin Yan''s attack, he lost control of his fist and was thrown off by the sting Gale. Thebined force of both strikes had knocked him unconscious.


    "It looks like we won."


    Yin Zhu reappeared and the three looked around, finding that they were the only ones left. Furthermore, they were thest group to finish.


    From the crowds, everyone was both excited and a little disappointed. Ming Yue''s sh was very close and they wanted to see the conclusion. For it to be resolved with the Inheritor was a little bit dissatisfying.


    Nevertheless, there were plenty of battles to watch on this day.


    MIng Yue left the arena and noticed the marking on her body glow and heal all of her energy.


    "Are you okay? That was really close!"


    Wenqin Yan looked at her with concern. She nodded and assured him that she was fine.


    "I suppose, but that body cultivator is a special case. If I remember correctly, he managed to take on multiple Ivory Asura Puppets" he said.


    The others chimed in.


    "He is quite the dark horse, I think his name was Xing Juren."


    "If I remember correctly, he was on track to bing an Inheritor, skipping past the Elite rank."


    "If we encounter him again, we will have to deal with him first."


    At the end of this battle, everyone began discussing with one another. This fight had given them much to think about with each other, quickly thinking of methods to synergize and improve their teamwork. This was especially so for the veterans of the group, who had participated in previous tournaments.


    There was much to discuss and even more to brainstorm, strategies and ways to utilize everyone''s abilities. In group battles, teamwork is everything. After all, Yin Zhu must have realized that fighting Xing Juren was a lost cause and instead help Wenqin Yan fight the other Inheritor as he was the only one who could help. At the end, those two finished off everyone else and then moved to help Ming Yue.


    She listened in and watched the next rotations to which the sixth and final rotation came. Now it was Anqing''s turn to fight and unfortunately, it ended quite quickly being one of the first to finish.


    As for the result, her group had lost though it was quite close.. Furthermore, the battle had certainly made her stand out especially with the poison.

 Chapter 257 - Meeting Again

    Those victim to her poison were met with a quick end. Of course, it was not lethal poison but the vials within her spear transformed her poison into gas. All who breathed it in felt their lungs burn and found it incredibly painful to breath. The sight of this made everyone fearful of her. The excrutating pain brought on by her poison was a thing of terror.


    Unfortunately, this also made Anqing an important target and as someone who isn''t verybat oriented, she was sent out quite quickly.


    In her final moments, her split the spear apart, releasing a noxious gas cloud that no one on the opposing team could have avoided. But several disciples were users of the Wind Dao and it took them a few seconds to disperse it.


    At the end of it, while she did manage to incapacitate a number of people, it was not a lethal strike and so they were not sent out like her. She did give her team an advantage but it was not enough for their Inheritor had been surrounded and eliminated quickly. A loss of power like that could never be recovered from.


    Then the sixth rotation came and passed, ending the first set with three more sets to go.


    The second set was much more refined and less chaotic then the first set as everyone had a general idea how to work with each other.


    Xukun alone was able to take on more than one opponent. Furthermore, his versatile skills made him excellent in attacking, defending, and supporting. Like this, he followed the inheritor, a Fire Dao user who wielded the sword and shield, covering his back and attacking for him when needed. Their skillsplimented each other for the Inheritor usually strengthened himself with fire, nearly bing a ball of fire that charged anywhere he pleased. Xukun only furthered the Inheritor''s freedom to attack. With the white sword split into three, he could cage people and shut them down, making them easy targets for the Inheritor.


    Their second battle was an easy victory. It was difficult to eliminate the Inheritor with Xukun with him and vice versa.


    The opposing team''s inheritor was young man with long hair, wielding a sword whose de was shaped like a needle. It could not cut but it could pierce and his attacks were faster than the eyes could see. He used the Thunder Dao, apliment to his quick strikes. He would send lightning javelins with each thrust, piercing through the enemy.


    This might have been a victory for him if not for the three white swords that had took him off guard. Even with his quick attacks, three swords was enough to fight all of his moves. The fire ball that was the Xukun''s Inheritor, rammed into the long haired man who was thrown out after the fire had coalesced into a fearsome and fiery bull.


    If Xukun''s battle was such a simple victory, Ming Yue''s was even simpler.


    That first battle showed Ming Yue''s group that both her and Yin Zhu were extremely fast and quite suited for quick eliminations. In the first few seconds of battle, the pair worked together to get rid of as many of the opposing team as they could.


    Using Zephyr ws, Whistle Wind, and Reaping de, made her as fearsome as Yin Zhu, who attacked by appearing from the shadows. Ming Yue left nothing but an illusion in her wake, stabbing in the back, ripping the neck with her Zephyr ws, attacking with the knife-like winds of her Whistle Wind. Reaping de was very simr to Phantasmal Wind, but had two different purposes. The former needed one to diminish her presence. Furthermore, she had to block her senses and focus on ntohing but the target. It was a testament to her Sword Dao and relied on nothing but the Sword Dao.


    Because of these two, the battle ended in a minute with the elimination of half the group before they even realized anything. By then the strength in numbers was apparent and under Wenqin Yan, they swept the arena with ease.


    As for Anqing, her second battle ended in a victory.


    Though she was not asbat oriented as the other two, her poison made up for it. Her team worked their strategies around the use of her poison, taking advantage of its effects. With her focus on the Poison Dao, she revealed more about her techniques as well as the various non-leathal poison that she had.


    With her Poison Body reaching a perfect state, she now had control over all of the poison as it was created from her blood. Rather than a gaseous cloud like before, she controlled it with the motions of her spear, transforming the magenta colored poison into snakes that slithered through the arena floor.


    Everyone else took to defending her as these poisonous snakes had forced the opposing team back. The pressure she exerted on the arena truly fearsome.


    At the end of the second set, there was now a clearer divison between the squads with a majority of them having one victory and one loss. The rest either stood at the top with two victories or fell to the bottom with two losses.


    That marked the end of the fourth round. At this time, it was noon and the viewers took a small break, either to stretch or have a quick meal. But for the teams, this meant even more time to strategize and perhaps improve their actions.


    Then the fifth round began and the first set proceeded with a victory for both Anqing and Ming Yue and a loss for Xukun.


    His loss came at the beginning of the match where the team targetted and eliminated him quickly. It also did not help that one of the disciples practiced the Dao of Music, ying the flute and producing melodies influenced the minds of Xukun''s team. It caused confusion that ended in their downfall.


    Anqing''s control over poison had caused her presence in battle to skyrocket as the opposing team tried their best to avoid these magenta colored snakes. Furthermore, she even revealed the other poisons she had which caused paralysis and hallucinations. These were certainly trump cards that changed the course of the fight, leading to her victory.


    Ming Yue''s victory came the same way it did previously, only quicker. Wenqin Yan as well as a few others used several techniques that slowed down the enemy and restricted their movement. In their state, the opposing team became easy pickings for the duo, who had a tacit understanding of each other.


    Then came the second and final set of the fifth round.


    Xukun won this time around as did Anqing, cing their respective groups in the upper echelons with three victories and a loss. Xukun''s uniques skill-set allowed him to work well with the team while Anqing was one of the few cultivators who practiced the Poison Dao. Furthmore, her physique being that of a Poison Body made her much more powerful. The former was versatile while thetter could influence the entire battle.


    Both had fought in the second rotation, leaving Ming Yue thest one to fight.


    Her battle started at the fifth rotation and it would be a spectacr one at that. Furthermore, it was something looked forward to as the opposing team had someone she was waiting to fight.


    Standing there with his Jade Emperor Saber, Li Baojun looked at Min Yue''s team with a smug look on his face. But then, there was slight chill on his neck, a stare piercing his body. He looked aorund but could not pinpoint where exactly it came from. Ming Yue was nearly hidden behind her team so she could not be found.


    "Let me take control here."


    Ming Yue could feel her mind slip a little as Xue Yue wanted control.


    "What, why?" she replied, feeling surprised and annoyed by Xue Yue''s intrusion.


    "Because, you will just end it quickly. Li Baojun needs to suffer a bit. He ran so quickly at the Ren Huan Battlefield but he won''t be running away this time."


    She spoke with a yful tone, though her words were less than that.


    "What? No, I can''t have you do that."


    Ming Yue wasn''t going to let it happen. After all, she did not want to risk losing her body permanently.


    "Why are you scared? You are at the top and I''m am at the bottom. Even if I take control, you could force me out in the end.. Besides, I''ve returned your body before, so trust me."

 Chapter 258 - Nothing But Empty Decorations

    Ming Yue thought to herself about this. What Xue Yue said was true, in the end, Ming Yue could force her out. Furthermore, Xue Yue has turned over control of her body. She was reluctant about this but in the end, Xue Yue was still a part of her. She probably felt bored and stifled being inside Ming Yue''s mind.


    "Fine, I will trust you but just this once."


    Ming Yue agreed, believing that with her and Xue Yue, there needed to be a trust built between them. Then she allowed Xue Yue to take over, her mind fully slipped and she was now the observer.


    "This will be fun."


    Now in control, Xue Yue looked around and took a breath of fresh air. She curled her fingers, feeling the sensations. On the outside, there was little change that one saw but everyone felt a slight change, not knowing it came from Ming Yue.


    Only Yin Zhu and Wenqing Yan could trace it back to her. There was bloodlusting from her, emanating form her eyes which now took on a different color, pure white pupils.


    They''re were about to say something when Elder Xiang appeared.


    "Fifth Rotation! Begin!"


    The fights began and everyone made their moves.


    "Grasp of the Abyssal Ocean!"


    "A Hundred Stinging Tendrils!"


    "Frozen Ground, Blistering Naraka!"


    Wenqin Yan and two others found this chain of techniques to work the best, executing thisbination in a few seconds.


    The opposing team found their bodies grow several times heavier from the indigo water drenching their clothes. Lightning sparked, coursing through the water and into their bodies, coiling around and numbing them. One or two were even paralyzed. If it wasn''t enough, the atmosphere grew cold as the ground seemed to freeze over and creep up their legs. Unless they had the strength, they could not break out of these shackles.


    But there were several that managed to avoid these techniques, one of them being Li Baojun.


    Xue Yue and Yin Zhu went to work, quickly disposing of the unlucky few.


    "Move quickly! We cannot let then continue their attack! Break their momentum."


    The remaining opponents quickly retreated and regrouped, preparing for a counterattack. They took to the air, flying about and avoiding the icy ground. The Inheritor made their move.


    "Wenqin Yan! Get over here!"


    A tan skinned women with long red hair charged at him. In her hands was a bow to which she shot arrows formed from her Quintessence Energy, like the color of her hair they were crimson in color and emitted a gentle warmth.


    However, she was far from gentle. Four arrows shot from her bow, piercing the ground as Wenqin Yan ran off.


    "Raging Sun, Sr Rain!"


    Her next arrow shined as it flew, splitting into a countless number of arrows that covered the arena.


    "Lin Xin Jian! That''s not going to work! Eye of the Immeasurable Typhoon!"


    Wenqin Yan spun his spear, creating a massive typhoon that shook the arrows from their course. The typhoon stopped and he brandished his spear, trasforming the indigo waters into four great serpents.


    "Dance of the Four Seadragons!"


    The serpents followed Lin Xin Jian, circling and surrounding her as they danced around.


    "I''ll deal with her! Everyone else, focus on eliminating the enemy team! We have the advantage, do not waste it!"


    He shouted to his group before leaping up with his spear, following this huntress.


    Everyone began to diverge, some worked together while others went alone. Xue Yue was of thetter as there was only one person in her eyes. She found Li Baojun off to the side of the arena, swinging his jade colored saber against one of herrades. An unlucky person who found herself targeted by Li Baojun.


    "Fall for me! Six Point Strike!"


    Now an elite disciple of the Saber Hall, his techniques were exquisite, fancy,plex. It seems that he practiced solely on Saber Dao and nothing else. With his saber, he stabbed forward, producing five more copies of his saber. Six brilliant jade sabers shed in the air as they aimed for his opponent, who could not fend nor avoid this strike. Wielding a three section staff, this ordinary disciple shaped it into a triangle which produced a barrier. Unfortunately, a defensive technique like this would shatter under that attack.


    Yet, it did not. These six shes of jade were countered, shattering when it should''ve been the barrier.


    "What!?"


    Li Baojun could not understand what had happened for it was too quick. He looked at this cowering prey of his only to find someone in front of them.


    "It''s you..."


    He recognized Ming Yue in an instant. But how could he forget about her? In that battle for the Diving Dragonfly, he could do nothing but steal the corpse and run. He could never forget the terror he felt from her, the thought that she would kill him without hesitation. It made his heart tremble faintly.


    But what of it? He had be an Elite Disciple, dove into the manuals and cultivated for over half a year! The resources he had ess to were leagues beyond what he had as some measly disciple. He was an elite! One more step and it would be Inheritor for him! Why should he be afraid of someone he had duped once. What more, he could tell that she was only at the beginning of the Perception Stage unlike him who was at the edge of breaking into the next stage, the fifth stage of Emotion.


    The more Li Baojun thought of his own achievements, the more he felt confident, cocky even. WHat was there to fear?


    He held his Jade Emperor Saber, pointing it at Xue Yue.


    "Hmph, Do you want to have a look? This is what I obtained with the points from the Diving Dragonfly."


    As if showing it off, he maneuvered the de, allowing the sun to shine upon it. The saber itself was excellent, intricate, and well made. The body of the de was covered in ayer of bright jade whereas the edge was resembling that of steel though there was a green glow to it. The handle was simrly made of jade and steel, a dragon was etched, coiling around the handle and through a third of the jade de. Furthermore, the dragon''s front ws were carved out on both sides of the guard, it created the illusion of the dragon gripping it.


    What more, there were five ws on each pawpared to those that had two or three. A five wed dragon is a symbol of the king. Carved out of jade, it only added to thevishness.


    "I hope you like it because this will be the end for you."


    With the saber still pointed at her, Li Baojun attacked immediately.


    "The One Saber!"


    It was a quick strike and it was perfect, strike of pure skill. It was only the saber and nothing more, a simple strike that some may find impossible to break. Upon this attack, Ming Yue felt his saber release an air of piercing sharpness. It was obvious that he had reached a simr level in master to the saber to hers with the sword but it was only simr.


    Her soul energy surged into her sword as she utilized her umtions of the Sword Sage Path.


    If Li Baojun wanted a battle in weapon skills, he will have it.


    Xue Yue smiled as she attacked. Drifting Sky cut through the air, strengthened by the sharp aura. It was by no means casual attack as she used her full strength on it.


    As the two des met, Li Baojun''s saber flew out of his hands,nding right behind him. Before he realized it, Xue Yue''s sword was at his neck.


    "That saber? In your hands, it''s nothing but an empty decoration."

 Chapter 259 - The Absolute Saber

    Li Baojun felt a chill down his neck but thatment Xue Yue made had stoked the fires within him.


    "An empty decoration?! I''ll show you what an empty decoration is!" he shouted.


    He held his hand out, calling for the Jade Emperor Saber. The saber trembled on the ground before flying towards his hands.


    "Take this! Oppressing the Lands!"


    Grabbing the hand of his saber, he swung down. The sharp air of the saber gained a new quality, a domineering strike full of power. As the reciever, it was more than a saber and felt as if there was a tyrant in front of Xue Yue.


    Like the wind, she was swift, attempting to parry the strike but this saber did not slow down and it sent her flying back.


    Li Baojun gave chase, pushing her back. Xue Yue was forced to use both hands on Drifting Sky as she lost the initiative of the fight.


    She shifted her weight, allowing the saber to slide off of Drifting Sky as she escaped the attack.


    "Saber of the Unstoppable March!"


    Not wanting to lose his momentum, Li Baojun turned aroung with his saber swinging. The tyrannical aura grew into a dense force. An "unstoppable march", something that could not be oppressed or defeated. It would march on, no matter the cost. The saber seemed to follow Xue Yue and if it made contact, the saber would not cut. Instead, it would feel like a massive stone boulder smashed into her. It would be as if ten thousand men rushed her at once.


    Xue Yue was not perturbed by this. The soul energy within her sword slowly built it up, condensing and growing. None of it leaked out, it was all perfectly contained in Drifting Sky. She focused, slowing her breathing down, ignoring what was happening around her. She merely thought of the saber that followed her.


    Perhaps the march did not need to to be stopped. Why would it matter if ten thousand men chased after her or a massive boulder wasing her way? All she needed to do was to cleave it.


    One breathe was all she needed.


    She turned and looked, seeing the overbearing aura of the Jade Emperor Saber. It was controlled and yet just a step from bursting out. It was a divine grade weapon but it was nothingpared to Drifting Sky.


    It contained a third of her soul energy, condensed countless times into its thin de.


    Li Baojun could feel glee rising from his chest as he saw her face the attack. This was a technique that took him nearly a year to perfect. The elder of the Saber Hall saw his talent and give him a lower divine grade manual to learn from. Known as the Absolute Saber Manual, it had five techniques with three of them having made their appearance. The essence of it was in the meaning of absolute: pure,plete, universal.


    What is more universal than strength? It is a principle every living being understood.


    The manual suited him as it aligned with his thoughts. Li Baojun cared for nothing but power, even if it meant using those around him. But then Ming Yue appeared, throwing him off. She left a shadow in his heart, a murmuring in his mind.


    What could be more universal than strength? The principle of death.


    "But what does it matter?" he thought.


    This girl is moments away from loss! The moment his sword meets her, she will be smashed out of the arena. Then that shadow within him will no longer exist.


    However, it was only a dream, wishful thinking for him.


    Xue Yue gave nothing more than a simple chop. As it met this unstoppable force, Drifting Sky divided this tyrannical energy in half. Then their des met, there was no grinding or any sparks. There was only the sound of a clean cut as Drifting Sky cleaved the Jade Emperor Saber.


    Li Baojun could not believe his eyes as half of his saber fell to the ground. Itid there, broken and unmoving.


    Xue Yue returned to her normal state and looked at him, a pair yful eyes that showed nothing but contempt.


    "Nothing more than an empty decoration. Though, I suppose now that its nothing more than trash, like you."


    Her words stabbed into him. The shadows grew within him, the constant murmuring of "trash" became incessant. It was merely three moves and he lost just like that. The thought of it was outrageous to him. He could no longer take it, the humiliation, the defeat, the loss of his precious saber.


    "I didn''t lose yet. This isn''t the end yet!"


    The thoughts repeated in his mind, then he broke.


    "You dare call me trash, you bitch? I''ll show you whose trash! The Absolute Saber!" he screamed with the broken saber in his hands.


    The fifth and final technique of the Absolute Saber Manual had made its appearance. He had yet to master it but in his fit of rage, he no longer cared, he would kill Ming Yue.


    The saber suddenly howled as the overbearing aura exploded forth. It was everything, all of his soul energy thrust into this broken de. It was so strong that it expanded through out the arena, grabbing the attention of everyone. Even those on the other arena''s had paused for a moment.


    Li Baojun held the saber up high as the howling energy gathered a formed a massive saber. Then he swung down and the gigantic saber which towered before everything, descended at a dizzying speed.


    Xue Yue''s face was grim.


    This time, she utilized everything in her power. The two gems socketed into Drifting Sky gave off a gentle glow. Thebination of her Soul Energy, the Lightning and Wind Dao, and her Quintessence Energy converged into her sword, feeding into the gems.


    She struck out, producing a massive wave of azure-colored lightning.


    It howled and thundered as this radiant crescent shaped attack soared up.


    By now, all eyes were on this fight. Themotion caused by these two was enough to capture everyone''s attention.


    As this massive saber came crashing down, the wave of wind and lightning collided. Xue Yue felt her body getting crushed by the sheer power of this strike. She pushed back, stopping the saber in its tracks. So easily, she could just dy the attack and eliminate Li Baojun. But that was too simple, she wanted to suppress him fully. What was the best way to break his spirit even more than to decimate his strongest technique?


    "Fucking break for me!"


    She shouted as her aura exploded. Pale blue wisps of energy escaped her body as she jumped up and drove the saber back. Cracks appeared on Li Baojun''s Jade Emperor Saber as it could not bear the pressure of both attacks.


    Shards of jade and steel fell to the ground as his saber was no more. "The Absolute Saber" lost its strength and faded away, leaving Li Baojun with nothing.


    Xue Yue gave him one look before stabbing him in the heart, sending him out of the arena.


    "Well, that was certainly fun. Here you go."


    Xue Yue muttered a few words before relinquishing control to Ming Yue. Her voice was quiet and showed a weary tone.


    "That was very reckless!"


    She couldn''t help but chastise Xue Yue, who was too tired to respond. Xue Yue even used their final trump card, the ninth technique, Pale Moon. Ming Yue had hoped to save it but now there was no point. She reversed the technique and reverted to her original state before looking around. As she only used Pale Moon for a moment, the bacsh was not severe.


    The arena was cracked everywhere and the battle still raged on. The fight was not over yet and she made her move, going off to help the others. However, the battle was already won. Yin Zhu managed to take care of several disciples. Wenqin Yan was at a disadvantage against the enemy Inheritor but he managed to keep up with her.


    At the end, they were victorious and became one of the few to have four wins and zero losses.

 Chapter 260 - Elimination Through Loss

    "The fifth round has ended! As per the discussions between the Grand Elder and the other elders, the groups that have not lost even one of their matches will be gven a secondary reward. It shall be decided and given at the end of the tournament."


    Elder Xiang announced this, reading off of a paper. Upon this piece of news, Ming Yue and everyone in her group was delighted. An additional reward on top of the resources they would already get!


    "This will also mark the end of the second day! Tomorrow will be the sixth and seventh round and it is singlebat. There will of course be a special rule implemented. Until then, rest, recover, and prepare for the next day!"


    He finished his speech and exited, allowing everyone to leave. Those still on the arenas were sent out, the marking on them glowed. It flooded their bodies with a curative energy, healing whatever injury they had sustained.


    As everyone left, the many participants within the tournament felt that they have gained much in these group battles and needed to reflect. This applied to Ming Yue especially as she rarely used a few of her techniques, especially against other cultivators.


    Anqing and Xukun met up with her, congratting her about the four victories. At the same time, they had a little chat about what special rule would be put in ce. Though, everyone thought about this, wondering what would be used.


    "Maybe they''ll put in another Ivory Asura Puppet."


    "They could also be changing the terrain."


    "Perhaps the participants will be put under restrictions."


    In the end, there was no point in thinking and trying to deduce it. Some returned to their rooms, others traveled to the field to practice. Ming Yue returned to her room where Xiao Yin and Hei Yue were waiting.


    "I hope you two weren''t too worried about me."


    She spoke softly to them, running her hands through Hei Yue''s fur. With her little index finger, she rubbed Xiao Yin''s chin and petted her forehead. She spent an hour pampering them and took this time to rx.


    The two beasts quite enjoyed the treatment, so much so, that they fell asleep.


    Ming Yue took her hands away and sat on her bed, meditating the night away. She recalled her four fights, spotting ways to improve and diversify her techniques. She found inadequacies in them, ws that needed to be fixed. One night wasn''t enough to achieve all of this but it was enough for her to identify what needed to be fixed.


    On another part of the Institution, Li Baojun had a sullen expression, sitting out in the Saber Hall. The Saber Elder looked at him and shook his head before walking up. He had a few rough features on his face and exuded an overbearing aura. His eyes were incredibly sharp but now they showed nothing but disappointment.


    "You were too brash in using the final technique of the Absolute Saber Manual. You used a technique that you have yet to master. Losing is something that is bound to happen and yet you tried so hard to avoid it. Now your saber is no more. How will you fight in theing rounds?"


    He lectured him only to be responded with nothing. Li Baojun just stared into empty space with the handle of his broken saber. The Saber Elder shook his head once more before tossing a saber towards Li Baojun.


    "As an Elite Disciple, you should have some integrity. Take this saber, it is of a simr quality of the Jade Emperor Saber. I hope that you will be smart next time."


    He left him alone with the undrawn saber at his feet. Li Baojun''s eyes moved, looking at the saber before holding it in his hands. His eyes glossed over it before looking back at his broken saber. His mind returned to Ming Yue.* The moment she broke the "Absolute Saber" and the instant what remained of his saber shattered, leaving nothing but the handle in his hands.


    "What kind of weapon does she have?"


    He focused on her sword. It looked ordinary but as he dwelled on it, he remembered seeing a slight glow from the gems. The more he thought, the more he realized that it was no ordinary weapon.


    "That must be it! Her weapon is the reason!"


    The more he thought of it, the more sure he would be.


    "Without it, she is nothing! Without that sword, I would have been victorious."


    In his maddened state, he attributed his loss to Ming Yue''s sword. He no longer thought of his defeat and began to n for the next rounds. But the Saber Elder overheard his words and shook his hands.


    "Such a poor excuse, this could have been a good thing for him but now, he has squandered it", he spoke to himself, knowing that there was no point in convincing Li Baojun otherwise.


    As the sun rose, she opened her eyes with a refreshed and clear expression. It was the third day of the tournament and she returned to the coliseum.


    As everyone was arrived, the third day officially began.


    This time it was different person, a tall and slender woman with a light brown hair. She was dressed in a white and blue robe and her hair was let down. The length of it reached down below her back. She was calm and collected, resembling that of a bureaucrat or administrator. Everything about her was formal.


    Ming Yue had never seen her before but the others recognized her easily.


    "It''s the Disciplinary Elder! It''s very rare for her to make an appearance."


    "Doesn''t she oversee the Heaven''s Skyguard? Don''t tell me they actually exist?"


    "What do you mean? Obviously, you haven''t been here for a long time. The Heaven''s Skyguard is meant to keep the peace of the city and the Institution. However, who would dare to make trouble here? Not even the elders dare to do so!"


    "Then what do they even do?"


    Within this discussion between two disciples, the veteran disciple''s voice went quiet as he whispered his words.


    "I hear that they go on missions now. Half of the force had been sent to the Demon Continent to deal with that Demonic Warlord Kong Zhi. Ever since, he reappeared, his army had been pushing back on thebined forces of the hundreds of kingdoms and sovereignties. People say that Kong Zhi obtained some treasures or ancient legacies and his strength has multiplied."


    Ming Yue was a bit surprised by this news. She didn''t realize that the Demon Continent was in such a state. There wasn''t much information about the Demon Continent and even less news as to this war. There could be a time where she might make her way there.


    But there were more pressing matters right now.


    The Disciplinary Elder stood above everyone, looking down and waiting for everyone toe in. When time came and the doors closed, she announced the start of the third day.


    "Wee to the third day of the Heavenly Gate Tournament! On this day we shall have the sixth and seventh round of singlebat. Here your matches will be randomly chosen and arranged for you. There is only one fight per round for each person. Is that clear?"


    Her voice was clear andmanding. It was deep and seemed to wake everyone. After this quick pause, she continued.


    "Of course, Elder Xiang spoke of a special rule that will be ced. This rule is rather simple. In these two battles, should you lose one of them, you will be eliminated from the tournament. It does not matter if you lose the first or the second fight, once you lose, you will be eliminated. Each of the ten arenas will have an administrator to watch. They will also announce who will be fighting who and when. That is all."


    Then she vanished, transforming into a cloud.


    Everyone was surprised, many looked at each other. People began to murmur. This sort of rule added pressure to everyone. If they lose, they would be out of the tournament. More than that, it would cut their numbers down by an incredible amount.. Out of 2400 of them, only six hundred would be able to advance to the final three rounds.

 Chapter 261 - Tricky Opponent

    But no matter how much issue some may have for this, nothing would change. They had to ept it and go through with it. Now that they were half-way through, there was no backing out and the pressure on them to seed only grew.


    Thus the third day began as singlebat was underway.


    At each of the arenas, there was a figure flying above them. A judge of sorts, dressed in ck robes, overseeing their respective ces. One by one they spoke, announcing the two fighters for their arena.


    In minutes, some had already concluded and the next participants flew up.


    Those who lost could only hold their head up high and leave quietly. For some, this was the furthest they had ever made and for others, they could only me their luck for losing this early. Those who won felt a bit of relief, though it was short-lived as they still had one other battle to partake in. The first victory meant nothing if they lost in the second round. For them, the pressure only increased even further.


    "Ming Yue and Qing Zhao,e up!"


    After several hundred battles, Ming Yue was called up. Her opponent, Qing Zhao, was another young woman with a simr build, slim and short. Unlike Ming Yue, she wore light yellow robes and her hair was tied into two buns. She had a very lively expressionprised of a smile and cheerful eyes.


    Her weapon was that of Butterfly Swords*, a pair of sharp des the length of her forearms and a width of seven inches. The de was slightly curved and featured a wave like pattern on the edges. It was simple but a beautiful pair of weapons.


    Both had a simr cultivation, being at the Perception Stage but there was something about Qing Zhao. Akin to a mysterious air but Ming Yue knew that there was more to her. Unfortunately, she did not know much about Qing Zhao other than what she saw. After all, it was nigh impossible to know who she would fight. Thus, she did not even know whether Qing Zhao was an ordinary disciple or an Inheritor.


    The pair bowed and took their stance.


    Qing Zhao spun her butterfly swords and pointed them at Ming Yue, one sword before the other. MIng Yue unsheathed Driftng Sky, cing the scabbard in her spatial ring.


    The judge looked at the two before speaking.


    "A mark will have appeared on your bodies. Should either of you forfeit or experience a fatal strike, you will have lost."


    He descended down to the arena and stood between them.


    "Begin!"


    As soon as he backed off, the pair moved. Ming Yue started with Phantasmal Wind, disappearing and leaving a ghostly figure in her steps. Emerging behind Qing Zhao, she attacked, aiming for her neck but Qing Zhao was swift. She spun back, crossing her Butterfly Swords together and stopping the de from touching her neck. Then Qing Zhao retaliated, stabbing forward with her right sword only for Ming Yue to block it with her sword guard.


    Ming Yue half-expected Phantasmal Wind to fail. Now that she was in theter stages, her usual tactics would not work as easily.


    They began to exchange moves through nothing but their weapons. Neither took a step back, circling each other as their des danced in the air. With each second they tested each other, both of them tried to feel each others limits.


    The des grew faster and faster, nearly bing blurs before Ming Yue retreated first.


    To her dismay, she could not keep up with Qing Zhao''s two swords. They were swift but more importantly, they way she moved them was uncanny. It was different to Ming Yue''s swordy which capitalized on irregr movements, chaotic attacks which seemingly had no rhythm. She could change her attacks seamlessly, from a thrust to a sh, a chop to a smash. Her attacks couls bepared to a wild tempest.


    However, Qing Zhao was like a gentle river. There was a flow to her attacks as her des danced. It was opposite to Ming Yue as she had a rhythm and Ming Yue found herself caught in it.


    As soon as Ming Yue dealt with one attack, another was already underway. Qing Zhao''s des would find their way past her guard. Even if Ming Yue stopped her swords in their tracks, they would slide past Drifting Sky. It was like a dance: a graceful and fluid flow of attacks.


    What Ming Yue couldn''t keep up with was not the speed but that Qing Zhao''s attacks was like water. No matter what she did, she could not interrupt Qing Zhao''s flow. However, she was not going to be discouraged by this.


    If Ming Yue wanted to break her rhythm, she needed something big. With a thought, a simple windnce formed abover her shoulders.


    Qing Zhao looked at her before resuming her stance.


    "I guess we''re done ying", she said.


    Her butterfly swords began to shimmer under the sunlight, it was as if a thinyer of mist covered it. Ming Yue off-hand had transformed as wind gathered, bing the Zephyr ws.


    They moved almost simultaneously, one left a fading image in their wake while the other simply vanished into mist. At the core of the arena, their des met with the sharp ring of metal hitting each other. This time Qing Zhao blocked Ming Yue''s sword with only one of her des while the other slipped through, aimed for her neck.


    However, Ming Yue was prepared for it. With the Zephyr ws, she grabbed the de as it came inches to the side of her neck. With the ws grinding into it, she gripped tightly, not allowing Qing Zhao to pull it back.


    Then the windnce came, bursting through the air as it descended onto Qing Zhao.


    "Serpent of the Mist!"


    Qing Zhao surrounded her body in mist, slipping away and avoidng the windnce.


    "World of the Spring Mist"


    Suddenly, the mist began to thicken and expand, surrounding the arena and making it difficult for one to see in or out. Surrounded, Ming Yue saw nothing but the hazy white of this mist. It seemed to dampen her senses but she was alert. She formed another windnce and prepared to disperse the mist.


    Then, a chill ran down her neck and she immediately pulled her head back. A single sword flew past, missing her by a few centimeters. Then it disappeared into the fog, she attacked only to catch air. The mist was so thick that she could not even see the hand that held it. The windnce tht she tried to form was gone.


    "This isn''t good", she thought.


    Any attempt she made to disperse the fog would be interrupted by an attack from Qing Zhao. If she divided even a fraction of her concentration, she might fall victim to the fog. She needed that fog gone or she was nothing but a sitting duck. What was worse was that she could not even sense Qing Zhao''s presence which had been masked by the fog.


    As she found herself in this predicament, Elder Xiang and Elder Hua were watching from the tower. With the fog in their way, they could not see what was happening inside.


    The Grand Elder seemed to notice their attention towards Ming Yue''s fight.


    "She''s the girl you brought back right, Elder Hua?" he asked.


    "Yes, Grand Elder."


    The Medicinal Elder looked at him and nodded, giving him a curt reply.


    The Grand Elder watched MIng Yue''s arena, his eyes seemed to glimmer with a golden light before returning to their normal luster.


    "Not a bad, not bad at all. I can see why you wanted her to join the Institution.. Though, her opponent is a bit troublesome, Qing Zhao, an Inheritor of the Assassin Hall."

 Chapter 262 - Surrounded By Mist

    The Grand Elder continued to stare at the arena though he saw nothing but Qing Zhao''s mist.


    "Because of her techniques, she made a name for herself as the Hunter of the Mist. Trapping her victim in a domain of mist, they would see nothing and can do nothing against her. They be her prey as they are stuck in her territory."


    His eyes glowed once more as he viewed the situation within. Ming Yue stood still at the center of the arena. She had her sword in front of her and her off-hand facing the side. In this way she would be able to anticpate an attack form two directions. However, with the predicament she was in, it might not even matter. As for Qing Zhao, she merely circled around Ming Yue, watching and waiting patiently. She attacked once or twice, testing Ming Yue and exhausting her mentally.


    "World of the Spring Mist, it is a technique few people practice and one that even less excel at."


    From behind, a figure emerged from the shadow of the Grand Elder''s seat. Standing tall, this man looked to be about fifty or sixty years old. He had short hair and beard, dark gray in color and neatlybed. His eyes were sharp and focused and expression showed little as it seemed to be in a permanent frown. His attire was light ck armor: a mixture of cotton, leather and steel parts. It was made to protect and for quick and quiet movement. On his back was two swords, one short and one long though their appearance was the exact same.*


    "Qing Zhao is the only one to have master it and altered it to her liking. Just that warranted her promotion to an Inheritor however, her mission count and high sess rate further showed her potential."


    He spoke inly and bluntly, and did not speak formally to the Grand Elder, who noticed him long before.


    "Ah, Elder Fang, here to see your personal disciple?" he asked.


    The Elder of the Assassin Hall did not speak, he merely watched the fight below. It seemed that such behavior was expected as the Grand Elder did not seem bother in the slightest. Instead, he asked another quesiton.


    "Do you think she''ll win?"


    Elder Fang''s eyes seemed to wrinkle a little.


    "Perhaps, nothing is for sure."


    The Grand Elder seemed to smile at his response before continuing to watch the many battles.


    As for the two in question, it seemed that Ming Yue might lose here. Qing Zhao was not giving her a chance to breath as she attacked at every minute opportunity. It was annoying, it was exhausting and Ming Yue knew that it would lead to her loss if she continued like this.


    She had to move but where could she move? One wrong step and she could find herself outside of the arena.


    "Damn it, there''s no point in thinking, I have to move!"


    Ming Yue dashed forward, running through the mist.


    Qing Zhao watched, the yful expression on her face was reced with a stone cold stare.


    "Perhaps, I should end this."


    She vanished into the dense mist, her des shined as it had be wet from the mist. Ming Yue saw it. From the corner of her eye, she caught the glint of the Butterfly Swords in a distance. Immediately, she ran towards it only to find the two des crossed together and aimed for her neck.


    Ming Yue brought Driftng Sky up, blocking the attack. She couldn''t help but grimace as the impact had pushed her back.


    Qing Zhao was silent as she came face to face and vanished into the fog. Her face showed nothing, not even an inch of shock or surprise.


    Being able to avoid this attack and Ming Yue now knew how to predict the next. But it wasn''t simple as that. That glimpse of light only came when Qing Zhao made a full hearted attempt to attack. Any simple or casual strike needed Ming Yue''s pure instinct to avoid as there was no sign. Only when both des showed themselves would they produce a light bright enough for her to see in this fog. She managed to grasp the timing and waited for Qing Zhao.


    "Where are you?"


    Ming Yue watched carefuly, her eyes nced around and about. She turned around, keeping her speed and waiting.


    "There!"


    Out of the corner of her eye, in the far right of her, she noticed a faint sh. Immediately, she turned and prepared to receive the attack. Qing Zhao appeared once again, the butterfly swords were instead pointed straight, aimed for the neck.


    "What?"


    Ming Yue attacked but her sword caught air as Qing Zhao''s body turned to mist.


    The next moment, she turned back, materializing behind Ming Yue. The butterfly swords were thrusted forth, barely piercing the skin of Ming Yue''s neck as she stopped the des in their tracks. One with her sword and the other with her Zephyr ws.


    There was barely enough time for her to react, turning around as quickly as she could.


    Now that she caught Qing Zhao, she was not going to let go.


    Thin and sharp needles shaped with wind formed in front of her and shot forth. Qing Zhao could not pull back but she dipped down, avoiding the needles which turned back and pierced her in the back.


    "Gurgh, damn it."


    She grit her teeth as the needles dug into the flesh. Then she pushed forward and forced Ming Yue back several steps. The Butterfly Swords seemed to lose its physical form and turned to mist, loosening from Ming Yue''s grip as Qing Zhao ripped her swords away.


    But Ming Yue was not going to let her get away. She leaped forward with her hand outstretched, extending Drifting Sky forward. This sword was over five feet in length and with such a long de, Qing Zhao could not keep away from it. She dodged to the side but the sword pierced her shoulder.


    Then the Quintessence Energy surged from Ming Yue and through her sword. The razor-sharp winds encased the de and tore through Qing Zhao''s shoulder. She yelled in pain and shifted her weight, allowing the sword to pass through. She responded, stabbing with her other side and forcing the Butterfly Sword into Ming Yue''s forearm.


    She flinched in pain as a huge gash formed on the hand that held Driftng Sky. The grip on her sword loosened as it fell to the floor. But with the Zephyr ws on her other hand, she chased after QIng Zhao.


    Qing Zhao jumped back, retreating into the fog but Ming Yue would not let her escape so easily. Since she backed off, Ming Yue had the opportunity and she used it. Forming a sting Gale, this dense and massivence of wind was thrown straight into the arena. As it met the floor, it burst apart, powerful gales of wind blew the fog away. The energy contained broke Qing Zhao''s technique and now she was had be a fish out of the water.


    "There you are!"


    Ming Yue released her Zephyr ws and held Drifting Sky with her undamaged hand. She charged forward as her injured arm limped to the side. Qing Zhao was in simr shape but she still wielded both of her Butterfly Swords.


    "Whistle Wind."


    Ming Yue muttered under her breath as the knife-like wind formed, producing a shrill sound as it cut through the air. QIng Zhao blocked the strike with her swords only for another to form and attack. One by one they came and gave her no opportunity to retaliate unless she forced her way out.


    The energy surging in Drifting Sky returned to Ming Yue as she dashed forward and vanished, leaving a shadow behind. She was silent and without presence.


    Qing Zhao did not notice until the Reaping de came for her. By then, it was toote and her life was forfeit. The mark on her glowed as she found herself out of the arena and healed on any injury.. Meanwhile, Ming Yue still stood on the arena, injured but victorious.

 Chapter 263 - A Small Change

    "It seems that she lost", the Grand Elder spoke up after the conclusion of their fight.


    However, Elder Fang''s face did not show much change though he did respond to the Grand Elder''sment.


    "This would be good experience for her to draw from. She should learn not to depend on this one technique for there is bound to be someone able enough to see through it."


    The Grand Elder smiled, showing his agreement to Elder Fang.


    Down below, Qing Zhao approached Ming Yue, bearing a few questions in her heart.


    How was Ming Yue able to percieve her attacks? This among other matters weighed on her mind the most.


    Ming Yue found no malicious intent in her words and wholeheartedly answered.


    "Because of the fog, your swords be wet and shimmer, especially when you use them both. I had to watch carefully for that glint of light which was the only way for me to anticipate your next move."


    Qing Zhao looked at her swords, noting their wet exterior which made them shine under the sunlight.


    "Ah, I see. Since, I always make my move in the night, I never expected that this would be my w."


    Afterwards, the pair began topare notes with each other,menting on any mistakes they had made.


    Contrary to her face on the arena, Qing Zhao had her cheerful expression on and was friendly speaking to Ming Yue. After a bit of conversation, Ming Yue learned more about her and Assassin Hall. To her shock, she did not know that Qing Zhao was an Inheritor nor did the other know that Ming Yue was admitted through special circumstances.


    "Well, I''ve only been an Inheritor for less than half a year. Before that, I''ve only been in Heaven''s Gate for three years but you''ve been here for barely a year at this point. The fact that you haven''t be an Elite Disciple or even an Inheritor yet is a bit shocking."


    Qing Zhao was surprised to learn that Ming Yue had not been in Heaven''s Gate for very long. At first, she had thought Ming Yue was perhaps another Inheritor like her. But Ming Yue barely did anything to distinguish herself nor did she feel very connected to a ce like this. Hence, most of her time was spent outside of Heaven''s Gate.


    "If you have the time afterwards, you should definitelye to the Assassin Hall. Elder Fang, who leads the hall may be able to help you with a few of your techniques."


    Qing Zhao then invited Ming Yue to the Assassin Hall for some guidance to which Ming Yue epted. There were over a hundred different halls, each with their own specialty but Ming Yue had only went to three, four if she included the Beast Hall. It would be a good idea to seek out any other halls that she was interested in.


    After giving a sincere invitation, Qing Zhao then left the coliseum. With her loss, she had no reason to stay and did not bother watching. Rather, she returned to the Assassin Hall to cultivate.


    Ming Yue went to the sidelines and contiued to watch the many battles ahead. Surprisingly, the sixth round ended quite quickly though the results were grim. There were over a thousand eliminations leaving only 1200 participants left.


    Unfortunately, it was also this round that Anqing had been eliminated.


    The odds were not in her favor as her opponent was proficient with the Dao of Wind, wielding a massive fan in their hands. Just seconds in, Anqing''s poisonous gas had been blown away and forced her to go for a head-on attack. Her opponent wielded their weapon great strength, producing massive gusts of wind that beated on Anqing.


    She tried her best to break past them and attack but this opponent of hers understood Anqing''s dependence on her poison. They kept their distance and pushed Anqing back, not lettinge close with that spear of hers. This gave them time to build up power before releasing a massive swing that created a extremely powerful wind.


    With her small frame, Anqing could not help but be swept off by her opponent and was sent off the arena. There was an satisfied but helpless look on her face as she epted her loss. It wasn''t so much that she lost than the fact that she lost so easily. However, this was the furthest she had ever been in the Heavenly Gate Tournament,pleting five rounds and reaching the sixth.


    Ming Yue saw the loss and walked up to Anqing tofort her as did Xukun, who had won his battle earlier with his sword skills.


    "Don''t worry, I''m fine! You two should focus on your fights! I''m going back to the Poison Hall."


    Evidently, Anqing was not as dispirited about the loss as she seemed. From her words, it seemed that she understood her weaknesses and wanted to work on them.


    "Are you sure?" Xukun asked.


    He still seemed concerned about her but Anqing had told him off.


    "I''m fine."


    She looked at him straight in the eyes, reassuring Xukun that she was not going to break down over this loss.


    "I half-expected that I would have lost in the first three rounds if not for the both of you. In fact, I''ve more or less depended on others for these fights. Just seven months is not enough for me to dive into the full capabilities of my Poison Body, I just need more time. Next tournament, I''ll do much better."


    After speaking, Anqing wished them good luck on theing rounds and left the coliseum. It was an unfortunate defeat for her but she knew where to improve.


    Ming Yue and Xukun looked at each other before separating to focus on their next battle.


    The former cultivated, gathering more of the World''s Energy to strengthen the threads formed by her Quintessence Energy. Thetter focused on his swords, fine-tuning his control over them.


    The sixth round came and went, ending in the afternoon. Just like that 1200 disciples could no longer progress in the tournament. Now that it was the seventh round, 600 more would lose their right to continue on. This was the most important round as it cemented the ce of remaining winners in the final three rounds.


    As the seventh round was underway, the Grand Elder, who still watched from the tower, had a little smile on his face. An amusing thought had entered his mind and he gathered the elders in tower.


    "For the eighth, ninth, and tenth round, why don''t we change it up a little bit?" he said.


    The elders around him had a number of looks on their faces. Some were curious, others were straight-faced, and several of the older elders seemed to have expected the Grand Elder to have thought of something special. They looked at him, waiting for his words.


    "What if webine the final three rounds into one?"


    The others showed their confusion.


    "What do you mean, Grand Elder? Combining all three rounds?"


    "Rather than three rounds, let''s give them three chances instead. It should make for a much more interesting finale."


    The Grand Elder borated his thoughts and reasonings to them. The others began to talk and converse amongst each other over his suggestion. It was certainly different and umon but most of all, it really did seem like an interesting change. Within the span of an hour, the elders were in agreement with this new change, scrapping what they had nned previously.


    Below, the seventh round had already gone through a hundred battles with Ming Yue and Xukun still waiting for their names to be called up.


    "Ming Yue and Xing Juren! Come up to the arena!"


    One of the ck robed judges called her name up along with her opponent. As for her opponent, his name and stature was one she had seen not long ago.


    "How fortunate that I will be facing you again."

 Chapter 264 - Rematch With A Dark Horse

    Xing Juren, a powerful body cultivator who was a member of the Physique Hall and was seeded to be a Inheritor. He practiced the Daystar Fist Manual. A set of techniques created by the Master of Ten Fists, a mighty body cultivator whose skills were inspired during his tempering. He climbed one of the highest mountains and bathed in the sun for ten years. The sunlight both nourished and tougthened his body. Under its presence, he learned of its movements and strength, eventually forming the Daystar Fist, which had be one of the ten fists he was known for.


    As for Xing Juren himself, he cultivated the Dao of Fire and as he progressed in Body Cultivation, he tempered himself through the fieriness of mes and the heat of the sun. With this in hand, the Daystar Fist Manual was extremely suited for him as he was not only talented but dedicated. As far as his upbringing, people say he came from a tribe of warriors in the northwest. Though how he ended up in Heaven''s Gate was a mystery.*


    Due to his constant training and ventures into the outside world, he did not make much of a name for himself to the entire institution but his reputation was well-known within the Physique Hall. It was only when news of him possibly bing a Inheritor came to light that others started paying attention. But he did not care, he only cared about his training. Though, some say that he goes to the Beast Hall to wrestle with the denizens there and had created quite a bond with some of them. There have been rumors of his liking towards animals.


    This was all that Ming Yue knew of her opponent. After their first encounter in the group battles, she knew that he was incredibly strong. Her former group had begun talking about him after their victory and that was where she learned of his history. But when it came to his cultivation and martial skills, she could only go off of what she had experienced.


    On the arena, Xing Juren and Ming Yue faced off, him with his bare fists and her with Driftng Sky.


    "Now that it is just the two of us, we can finally have a good fight."


    He spoke proudly, cupping his fists and rousing his heart energy. Those tattooed arms of his glowed faintly, radiating a faint warm glow. His sleeveless uniform of orange and white seemed topliment this change of his. The expression on his face slightly different, his fierce brows was paired with eyes of anticipation for theing fight. With one fist before the other, he took his stance.


    Ming Yue followed, unsheathing her sword and wielding it with both hands. The Quintessence Energy flowed as both the Dao of Wind and Lightning imbued themselves into the de. The two cores by her guard gave off a dim light as it felt the presence of these two energies.


    "Indeed", she responded, "I hope that it does not end quickly."


    The judge nced at the two before beginning the fight.


    "The rules apply as before, a fatal injury will mark your loss. Begin!"


    "Fist of the Raging Sun!"


    Xing Juren made his move, punching forward and releasing a fiery fist of me.


    Ming Yue sprinted forward before sidestepping the attack. With her speed, she closed the distance in a matter of seconds. She leaped up, bring down the de onto her opponent. Xing Juren was prepared, he crossed his fists and defended himself, pushing Ming Yue off.


    "Embrace of the Demonic Sun!"


    Rather than one fist, he punched with both before pulling back with all his strength. The space before him seeemed to have warped just a bit. The emptiness within it seemed to cave in, pulling everything towards it.


    "Fist of the Raging Sun!"


    He did not wait for her to be pulled in and instead walked forward. His right fist was ming red as he punched forward.


    Having seen this before, Ming Yue prepared herself.


    "sting Gale, Threefold Lance."


    Before she was pulled in any closer, three sting Gales quickly formed. They were by no means her strongest but it was enough. They flew forward,ing faster than Xing Juren but then they would not touch him. Rather, Embrace of the Demonic Sun would grab ahold of them.


    "What could she be nning?" he thought.


    Of course, sting Gale was no ordinary windnce. Hollow at the point, they would detonate on impact and that was exactly what she was aiming for.


    The three sting Gales sped up, pulled by Xing Juren''s technique. They met at the core of warped space and exploded with enough force to push Xing Juren back and surprise him. The oppurtunity was made and Ming Yue capitalized on it.


    "Wrath of the Winds!"


    Wind swirled about, growing in strength and size until it encapsted Xing Juren. Ming Yue controlled it, keeping its size small but condensing the power. With the help of the Eternal Heart Ring, she kept the tornado alive and strong, forcing Xing Juren away from her. Like that, she trapped him within this tornado, suffering cuts from what seemed like a countless number of knives.


    A direct sh might have been what he wanted but she wasn''t going to y into his hands so easily.


    "So this is what she nned, I need to break out of this."


    Inside, Xing Juren could feel the paining from this technique. With his body cultivation, it felt nothing more than a pinch but that sensation slowly grew in intensity. In seconds, his body began to exhibit a few scratches before growing intorger cuts. The longer he stayed the worse his injuries would be.


    "Palm of the Shattered Star!"


    He brought his palm forward as a wave of Heart Energy moved out. It trembled before shattering into small fragments, unable to contain the power. Like that, a hole was torn through the side of Ming Yue''s technique where Xing Juren attacked.


    "I won''t let you out so easily!"


    Ming Yue brought out more of her Quintessence Energy, burning more than the Eternal Heart Ring could generate. That hole began to close up but Xing Juren thrusted his hands outward, tryng to keep the it from fully repairing. His hands were bloody as the skin were ripped apart. Try as he might, he could not open up the hole. However, he still had a few cards left to y.


    "Origin of the Fiery Sun!"


    As he shouted, the Heart Energy within him exploded forth covering hs body in a ming red aura. The initial outburt was anough to shake Ming Yue''s technque but it still held on, though, not for long.


    He pushed his hands through the tornado and promptly walked through as if it was nothing.


    "What will you do now?" he asked her.


    Ming Yue stopped maintaining the tornado, allowing it to fade away. She could not cut through his aura nor could she pierce it. She thought quickly but there wasn''t enough time before Xing Juren made his next move.


    "March of the Red Giant."


    Rather than a single step, he merely walked forward but each step he took shook the arena. Then he began to run towards her and every step he took produced an even stronger tremor. Ming Yue then vanished from her spot and reappeared elsewhere.


    Wind needles appeared form her hands and condensed them, making it sturdy and sharp. With these needles, she shot them all at once and watched as they pierced the Xing Juren''s aura but disintegrated soon after.


    "That won''t work", she thought.


    Though she had already knew from the beginning that it would not have worked. In fact, she knew that none of her techniques would work on that fiery aura. It was dense and powerful. This left her with only two options.


    She could try to oust him as using a technique as strong as that would be taxing on his body. However, it was not certain and chances were, she might be the one left exhausted. The second option was to send him out of the arena, uprooting him from the floor andunching him out.


    That was what happened in their previous fight, with a move from her and the Inheritor Wenqin Yan, they sent him flying out of the arena, knocked unconscious and leaving them victorious. Unfortunately, achieving this required her to produce an attack strong enough to match thebined might of her and Wenqin Yan.


    These were the only two options she had and neither of them seemed good.

 Chapter 265 - Everything She Had

    Both of them had low chances of working which forced her to think of what else she could use. This led her to the two cards she had yet to use in real battle, the gems on her sword and Mental Force. The former was more unreliable than the first two options as they required a lot of her power.


    That left her with Mental Force, that colorless sphere floating about in the depths of her mind.


    While she had used it on beasts and monsters, it was apletely different matter when it came to the another person. The threshold to seeding was much higher but she wasn''t going to try to overtake his mind.


    "I don''t need to control him. I just need to interrupt him, just enough for him to stop forming that aura. But what then?"


    Quickly, Ming Yue formed a n as she continued to evade Xing Juren. She was like a phantom, disappearing and reappearing elsewhere but Xing Juren was relentless. Though she surpassed him in speed, he surpassed her in pure power seeking to find her through his steps which have already caused cracks to form on the arena floor.


    "She is biding her time. Is she waiting for me to tire myself out?" he thought.


    Origin of the Fiery Sun was a powerful technque but also quite costly. It drained his Heart Energy and pushed his body under pressure but in exchange, it not only became his inprable armor but also strengthened his body. But he had been training this technique like a madman and was able to stay in this form for at most an hour. That was enough time for him to snuff her out.


    He wasn''t going to just chase her around the arena, that would be foolish.


    "I''m not going to y this game of yours!" he shouted.


    Xing Juren stopped at the center of the arena while Ming Yue was still on the move and raised his foot.


    "Step of the Red Giant!"


    He stomped down, sending cracks all throughout the arena and had absolutely smashed the stone flooring. Just that stomp had caused a shockwave and stopped Ming Yue dead in her tracks.


    "I''ll admit it, this has been a fun duel but I cannot just have you running about. Come!"


    He readied his fists once more, his body glowing as the red hot energy surrounded him. It seemed that he would not let her bide for more time.


    Ming Yue was drawn by his fighting spirit and stood where she was, preparing her sword.


    "There is no need to run anymore", she said.


    She no longer needed to stall for she had already thought of a n, one that required a single strike and everything she had. She was silent, focusing on her energy. Her sword surged with even more energy as the two socketed gems glowed ever so slightly.


    Xing Juren seemed to sense her desire to end it the next move and followed. He did not speak, he merely acted, preparing his right fist. The Heart Energy gathered around, filling the crevices of his closed fist.


    In battle, one should not speak with words but with their actions.


    These were words that he followed by.


    He stood tall and firm, building up his power.


    Themotion brought out by these two had taken a turn. In this ruined stage, they stood silently and waited for the right movement.


    The colorless sphere rippled as Ming Yue sent out a st of Mental Force. The next moment, Xing Juren felt his mind shake as if lightning had struck him. The act was sudden and something he did not expect. His concentration nearly broke and he wavered for just a moment but that was not enough to stop him.


    Ming Yue sprinted forward, she had this one chance to take him down for that aura of his had weakened.


    She swung her sword, the gems on it glowed as she released a massive sh that soared through the air. Wind and lightning merged together with the Quintessence Energy and her Soul Energy, it formed a crescent shaped attack that seemed nigh unstoppable. As soon as it left her sword, she could feel all of the energy drained from her body. With thest of her strength, she prepared one more strike.


    "There isn''t enough time but I''ll take it head-on."


    Xing Juren could feel the powering from this move. There was no time to mend that fiery aura of his and it left him so choice but to strike it down. If he had to endure and break the technique then so be it.


    "Fist of the Raging Sun!"


    With all of his might, he punched out, sending off a massive fist of fireparable to that of Ming Yue''s attack. However, when this ming fist came against the crescent sh, the difference was all but clear.


    What was Heart Energy and the Dao of Fire whenpared to thebined might of four different energies? More than that, the gems within Ming Yue''s sword not only strengthened the Wind and Lightning Dao Energy but it added certain qualities that made it even more powerful.


    The two moves met and the ming fist broke under the crescent sh. It flew through and struck Xing Juren, piercing his aura but it could notpletely break it. Rather neither energies seemed to back down from each other but Xing Juren was thrown back and forced to the edge of the arena.


    "Mountain Crushing Vice!"


    He grit his teeth, covering his palms in Heart Energy as grabbed the crescent sh. He would not let it push him back any further as his hands tried to bend the attack. The energy surrounding Ming Yue''s attack ced immense pressure on him and his fiery aura was barely hanging on. The bright glow it gave off dimmed as he began to struggle under the attack.


    He grunted and nearly grinded his teeth as he tried to break this attack.


    Ming Yue watched him struggle, her body was weak and she barely had any energy left. She was at her limits but she needed to push harder. She was not going to lose this match. Mustering what she had left, a single wind needle formed in her hand.


    She sent it off, aiming for his head.


    "Damn it! Break!"


    He shouted at the top of his lungs as he ripped Ming Yue''s attack apart. But in doing so, he was met with a st of wild energy as he felt a sharp pain deep in his heart. It snuck in through the cracks of his aura and entered his skin, piercing his heart.


    In hisst moments, he found himself outside of the arena as any injury he had was healed.


    Ming Yue was on herst legs, supporting herself with Drifting Sky. However, she was victorious and the judge announced her victory. With this, she had now cemented her ce in the final rounds of the tournament.


    The mark on her body glowed and sent her out of the arena. Her body had been healed and her energy restored. The cooling sensation was refreshing for her as it washed away all of the fatigue.


    She was overjoyed but more importantly, she felt relief. These two matches could have easily ended in her loss if she had not been vignt and determined. But now she knew, she had a real chance at reaching the top ten.


    Xing Juren approached her, giving a bow of respect for this had been a battle he very much enjoyed.


    "Thank you for this fight. You have shown me my inadequacies", he said.


    His thick brows softened up considerably as his eyes were calm and kind. She responded in kind, cupping her fists and bowing.


    "It should be me to thank you. This had been an experience that taught me much."


    "Hah, nevertheless, you can find me in the Physique Hall for another battle or perhaps, I will find you."


    After speaking, he left the coliseum to continue his training. With her battle ended, Ming Yue stood to the back to rest.. Physically she was fine but mentally, she was quite drained.

 Chapter 266 - A Brief Calm

    As she rested, Xukun''s battle came up but ended quickly. He had been quite lucky this round as he fought an ordinary disciple. A young woman who used a rather strange weapon, a giant brush. Her focus was the Dao of Ink to which she formed from her own energy. She drew all sorts of magnificent beasts that fought for her but Xukun seemed to put her in a disadvantage.


    As quick as her brush was, Xukun''s swords were even faster. The white sword became three and tore apart anything she brought out. Three white shes that flew about while Xukun dealt with her. Despite his opponent''s strange techniques, he won against her with ease.


    In the end, she could not keep up with Xukun''s swords and forfeited.


    After his victory, the remaining duels came and passed and the six hundred disciples had been determined.


    With that, the Disciplinary Elder reappeared and spoke out.


    "That is the end of the sixth and seventh round! Due to a few changes, the final three rounds will ur after a day. This will be due to a few preparations that the elders will need to make. Until then, I hope that all of you will take that time to rest and prepare because this time, the format will be quite vexing for you all."


    After this message of hers, the Disciplinary Elder vanished and left everyone in confusion and curiosity. This year''s tournament has been quite distressing for them. For those who have participated before, these sudden changes were subject to their surprise. Those who joined for the first time found this randomness to have thrown them off. Now there was this sudden break in between.


    But that only made everyone curious.


    What did the elders or perhaps, what did the Grand Elder have in store?


    The next day proceeded in a rather quiet and tense manner for many had focused on their cultivation. Though, it was many and not everyone as Ming Yue spent the day walking around with Xiao Yin and Hei Yue.


    Like her peers, she would have spent this time cultivating if not for a few words from Elder Xiang. At the end of the Disciplinary Elder''s announcement, she prepared to leave when Xiao Yin and Hei Yue returned to her with a letter. But this letter only had a few words written on them.


    "Sleep and go y tomorrow!"


    Of the people she knew, only Elder Xiang spoke like this. His rather entric and yful nature was something unique to only him. Though using a letter rather than speaking seemed quite strange of him.


    When she read the letter, she believed it to be some joke but nevertheless followed his words.


    "I suppose it wouldn''t be good for the heart and mind to obsess over this tournament", she thought.


    With that said, she decided to visit to Beast Hall, a ce she had not gone to in a long time.


    She entered the hall and stepped into the massive world that was the Beast Hall. A space created by a Divine Realm expert for the purpose of caring and raising beasts. Compared to the rest of the Institution, this ce was as lively as ever. There were a variety or creatures running about and followed by the many disciples of the Beast Hall. Considering the nature of the Beast Hall, few participated in the tournament as they had a seperatepetition.


    It was the same as when she first came. Though the Beast Elder, Elder Zhou, was now wrestling with a violet furred bear that was slightlyrger than himself.


    "Isn''t that...the bear he was feeding?"


    Ming Yue found this beast to be familiar, especially with its violet streaked fur. Then she remembered it to have been the cub Elder Zhou was caring for almost a year ago.


    "To think it grew so fast!"


    She was shocked as her knowledge of beasts was quite limited.


    Ming Yue watched as Elder Zhou battled with this bear, throwing the beast down beforeughing. He turned and noticed her watching before carrying the violet bear in his arms.


    "Hello there young one! It has been quite a long time since you''vee to the Beast Hall! With that said, is there something you need of me?"


    He ced the tired bear next to him and sat down, petting the beast as it was exhausted from ying with the elder.


    Ming Yue shook her head.


    "No, elder, I just came to visit and to let these two run around for a bit. Considering that they''ve done nothing but watch me fight all this time, I thought that they might have be a bit restless. I hope that I am not intruding or being disrespectful by doing this."


    The elder gave her a heartyugh as he spotted the two beasts by her, looking around eagerly.


    "No, it''s quite alright! You can let them free as much as you like. Now then, I must go and care for this young one right here."


    He lifted up the beast gently and with ease, taking the bear off to arge building of sorts.


    In the meantime, Ming Yue watched as her twopanions moved about and yed with the other beasts. The pair moved together, going from one point to another as the many beasts seemed to greet them with cheerful noise. To them, it was nice to see some new faces apart from themselves.


    Half a dayter, Xiao Yin and Hei Yue seemed to have tired themselves out though it was bound to happen.


    At the beginning, they yed a game of chase with the other beasts in the open field before starting a game of hide and seek in a massive forest beyond. After that, they had their own littlepetition, pitting one against the other. By then, they were all drained and tired from the fun they had.


    The pair returned to Ming Yue''s side who had been watching them the entire time. Of course, there were several other disciples who took watch in many parts of this small world.


    As she rxed with both Xiao Yin and Hei Yue resting on herp, someone had entered the Beast Hall and seemed to be raring to go. He cracked his knuckles and neck as the Beast Hall disciples nodded and greeted him. As he walked through the area, he noticed Ming Yue rxing with her beastpanions.


    Ming Yue turned around to find Xing Juren staring at her in surprise.


    "To think we would meet so soon and here of all ces" he said.


    He walked up to her taking note of Xiao Yin and Hei Yue, thetter especially caught his eye.


    "I did not know that you had thesepanions of yours."


    MIng Yue looked at the two beasts before giving a polite smile to Xing Juren.


    "Because of the sudden break in the tournament, I thought that I should spend some time with these two."


    She replied, stroking the fur and feathers of her beasts.


    "Oh yes, my fellow juniors told me about this. It does make you wonder what they have nned."


    Xing Juren spoke in a friendly tone. After all, they are not in a match against each other nor do they have any grievances. However, Ming Yue did notice his eyes wander on Hei Yue''s fur. In fact, Hei Yue could sense a gaze upon himself. It was not a malicious gaze but there was a sense of yearning in Xing Juren''s eyes.


    "You can touch him if you''d like", she said.


    Xing Juren was taken aback before showing an embarrassed expression.


    "Ah, was I this obvious?"


    Ming Yue shook her head.


    "I''ve heard that youe to the Beast Hall to wrestle so I believed that you might have a liking for beasts and animals alike."


    Xing Juren seemed slightly restless as he walked forward and squatted down.


    "Well if you don''t mind this, little fox."

 Chapter 267 - Making A Wager

    Hei Yue lifted his head and looked at Xing Juren. The little fox remembered him to be one of Ming Yue''s opponents but seeing that they were friendly with each other, he did not reject the body cultivator''s advances. Seeing the fox''s actions, Xing Juren''s hands moved closer until they touched the tip of Hei Yue''s fur.


    "How soft! What sort of fox is this?"


    He could not help but exim as he ran his fingers through the sleek ck fur which was extremely soft. It was an exquisite sensation and something he had never felt before. Softer than silk, Xing Juren felt that he could fall asleep to this sensation.


    Ming Yue watched this rather amusing sight.


    Xing Juren was gentle with his hands and slowly stroked the fur on Hei Yue. The pair seemed to enjoy their experience, so much so that Hei Yueid bare his stomach. The former began rubbing it with a bit of excitement.


    This went on for a few mintues or so as Xing Juren got his fill.


    "Never would I have thought that there would be a beast with fur as soft as his! Thank you for letting me touch him."


    He spoke with amazement as he took his hand away and looked at Ming Yue with gratefulness.


    "It''s perfectly fine. Besides, it seems that this little fox enjoyed it as well."


    Hei Yue did quite enjoy Xing Juren''s touch. There was a happy pair of eyes that looked at the body cultivator, they were approving of the petting.


    "I usuallye to the Beast Hall to relieve my stress and y with the many beasts here. It has been one of the few things that have kept me in high spirits. Though this may be the first time I''ve ever touched fur as soft as his."


    He looked at the little fox once more before turning to Ming Yue.


    "Since you''re going to be part of the six hundred in the final rounds, you should be careful. Almost all of the Inheritors and Elite Disciples have passed and will be pursuing the top spots. That being said, they will be looking to suppress any of the normal disciples as quickly as they can. Though with this sudden development, this may not be the case."


    His face was somewhat serious as he warned her.


    "While the Elite Disciples would not be much of a threat to you. The Inheritors are a different story, especially those in the upper echelon. If you recall, Wenqin Yan, the Inheritor in your group is one of those top Inheritors. Along with him are several other''s whose ce in the top ten are guaranteed. You should forfeit if you ever face them."


    Ming Yue thought back to the group battles, focusing on Wenqin Yan. The Inheritor''s skill was certainly excellent but his raw power was on another level. That was made apparant when he threw Xing Juren out of the arena with one strike. If possible, she did not want to fight someone like him. It wouldn''t be a one sided battle but victory was not going to be easy.


    While it was not pleasant to hear, Ming Yue knew when it would be time to concede.


    "Forfeiting is always an option. But don''t you think it would be far more interesting challenging one of them."


    Xue Yue''s voice popped in for a moment, giving a littlement before disappearing. Ming Yue certainly thought about it but if the situation did not arise, she would not want to fight another Inheritor.


    "Thank you for the advice."


    She was grateful for his advice to which he smiled.


    "You are a good opponent. Besides, this is known information. If you have the time, you could go the Contribution Hall to exchange points for more details."


    Afterwards, he stood up and dusted off his pants.


    "I should stop taking you away from your little beasts. I will be off for a bit of wrestling."


    He chuckled and went off, leaving Ming Yue''s group alone. She watched him speak with a few of the Beast Hall disciples before moving towards one of the empty fields. What followed were some massive beasts, most likely his opponents, who were just as and if notrger than him.


    At that moment, Ming Yue felt a bit funny as she truly did not think she would have been able to defeat him inbat. She had risked it all on a gamble but it paid off. Now she had to think about the final three rounds.


    "Come on you two, I''m sure you''ve rested enough now."


    Hei Yue stood up whilst Xiao Yin perched on Ming Yue''s shoulder. The pair had their fair share of fun and while they did not want to leave, they knew they could not stay.


    Ming Yue said her farewells to the Beast Elder, who was feeding the violet furred bear with bs of meat.


    "See you again girl! Perhaps the next time youe will be the Heavenly Beast Tournament."


    He gave a nce at Hei Yue and Xiao Yin, giving a few hints.


    "Maybe, but for now, I will just focus on the Heavenly Gate Tournament."


    A polite rebuff to his reply, though Ming Yue was a bit curious as to what that tournament was like.


    They left the Beast Hall and made their way through the empty halls of the Institution. Ming Yue reached the Contribution Hall which was somehow quite crowded. There were a number of people who were turning in their missions and taking on new ones at the Mission Counter. Furthermore, the Exchange Counter had a fair amount of people as well.


    "This can''t be for the tournament, could it?"


    She looked around before finding arge andvish board filled with names and numbers that changed every so often. The board itself had a tinum and obsidian frame carved with a number of mythical beasts.


    As for the names and numbers on it, there were six hundred names with numbers next them that constantly changed.


    "Ten thousand points to Wenqin Yan for top ten!"


    "Two thousand points to Yan Xian for top hundred!"


    "Hundred points to Ming Yue for top three hundred!"


    When she listened to the conversations on the Exchange Counter, she did not believe that it was in fact for betting. What was more surprising was that there were a few people people betting on her. She looked at the board and found her name near the midle of the board. As for the number next to it, it wasn''t much.


    "12,000 points to my name... 246,000 points to Wenqin Yan... Then there''s Zha Tian Yun, with 1.64 million points, the highest number there is."


    She looked at the names, finding that this Zha Tian Yun was very favorited. Whoever, this person was, they were definitely going for the top spot.


    The line quickly moved with many standing behind her and it was soon her turn.


    "Oh Ming Yue, it has been quite a while since you''vee. What whould you like to do? Are you thinking of betting on yourself?"


    The administrator recognized the young cultivator as she often came to exchange her medicine.


    "I wanted to see if there is some information I could obtain about the tournament", she said.


    "Ah, it will be a thousand points."


    "That''s fine."


    The administrator then handed to her a small book to which she gave him her medallion. After making the exchange, Ming Yue was about to turn before looking back at the administrator.


    "Can I put a thousand points to my name? For the top ten", she spoke softly though such words were heard by everyone on the line.


    Though they did not speak, some were ridiculing her to making such a wager. There were a few who felt that she was overconfident. But no one knew her name nor did she distinguish herself too much. Many of them wondered who she was and what made her so confident.


    The administrator was surprised by the wager but did it nheless.


    "Good luck", he said.

 Chapter 268 - Three Chances

    Ming Yue left with her two petpanions. As she walked through the Contribution Hall, she could sense eyes on her, trying to gauge her strength. However, she kept her strength in check and they could not find out much about her. This only made them curious as her wager was strange.


    A thousand points for her to reach the top ten.


    It was a small amount for the lofty goal she made.


    When she left, some of those making wagers after her decided to put a few points to her name. At the same time, they tried to gather some information about her. She did not realize any of this nor did she think that such a thing would happen.


    However, Ming Yue underestimated the gravity of the wager that she made. The top ten spots were bound to be filled with Inheritors and well-known ones at that. Thus for an unknown disciple like her to aim fo that meant one of two things. She was either overconfident or she had the strength to do it.


    Ming Yue no longer thought about the tournament and instead spent the rest of the day exploring the city.


    "Do you want this? How about these? I wonder what that smell is."


    The noses of this trio led them through the city from stall to stall. She bought a number of different snacks to share with her two beasts: fried dough covered in sugar, dried meat that tasted of smoke and spice, a milky drink containing some glutinous balls, and much more. As the sun set, they returned to the Institution where the two beasts slept soundly, satisfied with the the day''s experience.


    Ming Yue sat beside them, resting her hands on their snoring bodies. She stood up and took out her sword, unsheathing it and shining it in front of the moonlight. She took out a few other things, some supplies from the Dark Water Kingdom to maintain her sword.


    She spent an hour or two polishing and sharpening it. Though her skill was not a good as a master cksmith, it was enough to get the job done. Holding the sword up, she felt satisifed with her work and began the second part of the maintenance.


    At the Dark Water Kingdom, Mei Zhen had made her own alterations to Drifint Sky which required anotheryer of care.


    "Let''s see. I have to "soak" it in my Quintessence Energy?"


    Ming Yue was not all too clear as to what the Master of the Forge of 81 Fires wanted but she tried her best.


    She began to circle and gather the energy around her as if she was cultivating. Then, she directed it towards Drifting Sky, where it filled every part of the sword from the de to the handle. It was saturated in her energy and seemed to absorb some of it.


    This, Ming Yue noticed and found very intriguing.


    "I wonder what exactly Mei Zhen did to this", she thought.


    She knew that it was much easier to use and execeute her techniques but it seemed that this was not all that had been done.


    "There''s no use thinking about it now, I''ll find out in due time."


    Ming Yue could figure it out another time but for now, she did as instructed and continued the sword maintenance. It was quiet and calming as she thought back to the past several days. When recalling today''s events, she found that Elder Xiang''s words were helpful. The amount of stress that had been built up from fighting was mentally exhausting.


    Maintaining a calm and healthy mind was extremely important as it could have detrimental effects to one''s cultivation. Without a clear mind, it would be very easy for one to deviate from their cultivation. Furthermore, it could lead to bottlenecks that could never be broken.


    Ming Yue''s mental fortitude was not weak but even she was drained from fighting numerous opponents who were as strong, if not stronger than her.


    Though she spent the day unwinding, she felt fullt rested and focused. There was confidence growing within her that she would reach the top ten in this tournament.


    However, she did not think about the format it would be in.


    The sun rolled out and a new day started, this time the air was slightly different. For those that were eliminated, they filled the seats with the city locals. Thoseing from a noble or otherwise famous background sat with their families.


    The remaining six hundred were all awaiting at the floor of the coliseum.


    Soon enough, the Grand Elder appeared. The stone arena rumbled and shook as it formed a massive pir that he stood on. Looking down, he gazed at the many faces below with a rather cheeky grin on his face.


    "Wee to the Heavenly Gate Tournament, I''m sure all of you are wondering what sort of changes have been made. Which is why, I am here to inform everyone."


    As he spoke, the arena began to shift and change, transforming into a massive mountain of stone. But it was not just that, trees and grass began to grow at the base of the mountain and even all throughout the field of the coliseum. Suddenly, it became a lush forest where a mountain stood at the center.


    "Rather than having three more rounds of more duels and what not, I believed that this would be much more interesting. In other words, this will be the final round."


    Upon those words everyone''s thoughts began to rush and blur.


    This would be the final round but with an arena like this, there was nothing that could have prepared them for this.


    "Now as you can see, we''ve made a few changes to the arena and that leads us to our rules. First of which is that, rather than three rounds, everyone will have three chances instead. Three chances to climb the mountain and reach the peak, that is if you don''t get eliminated first. All six hundred of you will have to fight to reach the top but there is one other factor you should consider. I will also be a part of this so do make your preparations, you will all be sent to different areas after a single hour."


    The pir the Grand Elder stood on turned to dust as it returned to arena, leaving him to return to the tower.


    As for everyone else, this piece of news was too shocking for them but they had to muster their courage. For those that had been eliminated and watched in the sidelines, a few felt relieved that they did not have to participate in this. Something like this was bound to do more than give stress and anxiety.


    To be in a setting like this where everyone was your enemy would strain their nerves. They would have to be alert at all times for there could be an attack form anywhere, especially in a thick forest. If that wasn''t enough, the mountain was more or less open and climbing it would only put a target on your back.


    There were many factors to consider and many risks to ount for.


    Ming Yue stood back and calmed herself. She was surprised by this and needed time to digest all of this. A forest like this was good for her as it gave cover. However, against six hundred others including the Grand Elder, it was going to be very difficult.


    As she had made her preparationsst night, she began to think and strategize about this situation. There were a number of options but also unknown dangers within this mountain and forest. The fact that she had three chances to climb was reassuring but it also showed how easy it would be to die, either from battle or something else.


    "Three chances....I must make the most of it."

 Chapter 269 - Taking The Initiative

    A mark appeared on the top of her hand, signaling themencement of this final stage. It glowed and like everyone else, she was whisked away and found herself in the dense forest. Immediately, she hid in the treetops and surveyed her surroundings.


    "How strange...Is this some sort of formation?"


    She felt a strange and very faint energy at the edges of the arena. Looking around, she no longer saw the coliseum walls but instead an endless forest.


    "It must be to prevent any distractions from happening."


    It was clear to her that everyone had to focu on one goal, reaching the mountain peak.


    "I hope that everyone is prepared. I will be entering now."


    The Grand Elder''s voice echoed throughout the ce, as this would be his one and only warning. After that wasplete and utter silence, there was no wind, no steps, no movement. It was unsettling to the mind just how silent the arena had be.


    Hundreds within this ce and yet not a single breath of sound. They were nning, thinking, and deciding on their next move.


    "I could choose to stay hidden or make my move. Which one would be better?" Ming Yue began to think.


    In a ce like this, she held the advantage and she should use it.


    "We should travel through the treetops and eliminate the others. That would be the best way, to kill as many as possible while preserving our chances. It would be like Clear Spring Mountain again."


    Xue Yue''s voice echoed in her mind, reminding her the forest battle that took ce nearly a year ago.


    "Yes, although this time, we are not killing anyone and none of them can be underestimated."


    Ming Yue rebuffed her, there was no need to mercilessly kill. This was apetition and not a fight to the death, she understood that.


    "You could say that but you know that it is simr. This forest is the hunting ground, our hunting ground."


    Xue Yue spoke bluntly and Ming Yue did not speak for a moment.


    It was true that this reminded her the Clear Spring Mountain, when her mind and soul first split and gave birth to Xue Yue. But this time the objective was much different.


    "We should be covert and sieze the first move."


    As Xue Yue spoke again, the sounds of battle erupted on the mountain-side.


    Ming Yue looked up from her position and found multiple figures already in the heat of battle. It was an intense fight that caused the mountain to tremble. A number of phenomena ured, adding to the chaos of this fight. There were only a certain group who could produce such a thing.


    "Those must be the Inheritors and they''re already on the mountain."


    Upon this sight, Ming Yue changed her ns.


    "No, we shouldn''t focus on fighting the others. The goal is to reach the top ten and the clearest way to do so is to climb the mountain and reach the peak. We will waste too much time doing anything else. We should eliminate whoever is in the way as quickly as possible."


    There was no time to waste, Ming Yue had to reach the mountains while the Inheritors fought.


    She had to be quick and speed was something she was confident in.


    As for the battle on the mountain, it was intense and only grew, garnering the attention of everyone else. Furthermore, the number of participants only grew as more and more Inheritors joined the fray. But it was not by choice that they wanted to fight.


    "If only I didn''t get caught..."


    This was what they would think before getting noticed. The battle would suddenly stop and everyone chased after, trying to prevent whoever it was from getting ahead. The moment anyone found out, they would inform the others and the one trying to reach the peak would find themselves facing the wrath of the numerous.


    "Wenqin Yan, you might have beaten mest time but let''s see if you can do it without any help!"


    Wenqin Yan''s short spear circled about, creating sharp waves of indigo colored water at his opponent. Heughed as he did so.


    "Yan Xian, I would''ve defeated you with or without someone else. It only made the process quicker."


    Who could it be but Yan Xian, this rogueish man in a purple robes and a white sash. He dashed through the rocky terrain with his fists up. He seemed to weave in and out of Wenqin Yan''s attack, leaving a strange mist in his steps.


    Suddenly ance flew in between them just as a stone spike erupted from the floors.


    "You two are getting somewhat far from the main fight."


    What followed were two other inheritors, the owner of thence was none other than the dualnce wielder. Her body had only a few cuts on it but a light red aura had begun to form. As for the stone spike, it was Elder Xiang''s disciple, Yu Hua, who wore ck and emerald robes. She was silent but her eyes showed a glint of warning towards the two men.


    "Tang Zhan, Yu Hua, when did you two have gall to interrupt our fight?"


    Yan Xian''s mood seem to sour as his battle with Wenqin Yan had stopped.


    "Hmph, do you have a problem with that?"


    Tang Zhan pulled hernce out form the ground. Her tone was filled with viciousness and it seemed that not enough blood had been spilled yet. The armor she wore was light and did not cover much for she grew stronger the more blood she spilled.


    "Then what do you n to do now?"


    Wenqin Yan spoke, his short spear was now not pointed towards Yan Xian exclusively. His eyes gazed at the two other inheritors. Their weapons were readied as they looked at one another. They were seperated from the main battle where there were now twenty other Inheritors. Furthermore, they were closest to the peak, only several kilometers left to climb.


    Yu Hua was the first to make her move, swinging her sword forward. Everyone moved in response, attacking just as a figure soared through the air. This person was loud and eye-catching, a handsome young man dressed in white robes. He carried a ck sword and rode a dragon of light up the mountainside.


    His hair was let loose at shoulder-length and his facial features were sharp and filled with confidence. His aura flourished and seemed to suppress everyone elses.


    "Zha Tian Yun!"


    Everyone who saw him, spoke his name in their minds. This was one who had the most points and was expected to get the top spot. In other words, he was the strongest Inheritor and the stronget disciple of Heaven''s Gate. However, none of them were going to let him get away so quickly.


    "Get back here!"


    Tang Zhan held on of hernces up and hurled it at him. It was crimson red, strengthened by her blood as thence shot forth and pierced the dragon of light. It dimmed slightly from the spear as the blood seemed to tear at it. Everyone else followed, throwing all sorts of attacks as they caught and surrounded him.


    Zha Tian Yun simply hopped off of the dragon and turned around. He smiled and seemed to be brimming with confidence as the declining dragon of light circled him and shielded him from the wave of attacks.


    "Don''t think that we''re going to let you reach the peak so easily, Zha Tian Yun!" one of them yelled out.


    He merely chuckled at their remarks as he unsheathed his pitch ck de.


    "You can''t stop me alone so you need everyone else to challenge me? I don''t see the point of stopping the inevitable."


    The sword seemed to transform in an instant as the ck de turned pure white and began to beam in a white radiance.

 Chapter 270 - Arrogance Of The Strong

    "All the more reason to suppress you now!"


    Wielding their weapons, the other Inheritors made their moves, rushing towards Zha Tian Yun. He may be the strongest of them all but they would not let him reach the peak without a battle. It was a single person against nearly twenty others but he did not seem very worried.


    "Hmph,e then!"


    His sword shined and shimmered before moving. Brandishing his sword, it seemed to disappear as it left shes of light. It was so quick that it left nothing but flickering lights which seemed to dance about.


    "Dance of the Radiant Yang."


    Zha Tian Yan''s body began to glow as he moved at an impossible speed. Like his sword, he became nothing but flickering light. With such speed, he did battle with the others, moving from one spot to another as he created chaos.


    Everyone else focused on him, following his movements and waiting for him to slip up.


    He may be the strongest Inheritor but against twenty other Inheritors, he would most certainly be defeated. Furthermore, every one of them were powerhouses, the strongest of the pack. Yet, there was a chance for him.


    "Did you just try to attack me?"


    "He is too quick! You think I want to attack you?"


    "Don''t hide it, you were targeting me! Do you think I am stupid?"


    This fragile alliance was nothing to the pride that these Inheritors held but that was the price of strength. It was that same pride that would not allow them to endure an attack from their so called allies, whether or not it was intentional. But even as they fought each other, they kept Zha Tian Yun in mind. To some extent, everyone was a target but he was an existence they all aimed to topple.


    Unfortunately, he was not going to let them stall him for long. All he needed to do was wait for the chance. So long as the chaotic battle grew, his opportunity woulde closer. Slowly, he gathered his power, waiting for the moment to erupt and race to the peak of the mountain.


    "With such weak teamwork, such tactics are useless", he thought.


    He didn''t quite care about the other Inheritors, they were stones that he had already stepped on. He was more interested in entered the "Heaven''s Gate" where he could cultivate in the Empyrean Paradise. All he needed was that single day inside and he could finaly break through the bottleneck and reach the final stage of the Earth Realm, the Boundary Stage. He had been at the sixth stage of the Earth Realm for a nearly a year.


    "I need to go there once more and I can reach the Boundary Stage. The power of the Empyrean Paradise let me reach the Soul Stage from the Emotion Stage in one leap. I need that energy to make one more leap."


    Zha Tian Yun could not wait to reach that mountain peak and im the reward.


    Within the Earth Realm, the Perception Stage is said to be the wall that stopped many cultivators. It required knowledge and understanding of the worldlyws and the energy of them. However, that was not the say that the final three stages were any easier. There was the Emotion, Soul, and finally the Boundary Stage before one could advance to the Sky Realm.


    The stages of Emotion and Soul focused on those exact things as one needed to use the Quintessence Energy within them to connect to their mind and soul. The threads created from the Perception Stage now needed to reach these two ces. But such processes were difficult and required a massive amount of power and skill.


    Zha Tian Yun had been a part of Heaven''s gate for over five years, entering at the tender age of twelve. In the first year, he had reached the Earth Realm and continued to advance each stage. By his fourth year, he found himself stuck at the Emotion Stage and instead focused on solidifying his cultivation. Furthermore, he used the Dao of Light, practicing the Dragon of Light Swordy, a unique style that was both difficult to master but very powerful. However, he could not seem to break past this bottleneck but a miraculous opportunity came, the Empyean Paradise.


    From the first year he arrived to this year, he had participated in the tournament, slowly climbing the ranks before reaching first cest year. A single day in the Empyrean Paradise was all he needed to breakthrough and make substantial progress at the Soul Stage. The sheer energy within that ce was almost intoxicating, it was a sensation he could never forget.


    As he recalled his time within it, a feeling of hunger and desire arose. Zha Tian Yun knew that he needed the Empyrean Paradise again and the only way was the tournament. He needed to leave escape the battle and reach the peak of the mountain.


    "I just need to wait. The time wille soon."


    He flickered about attacking when he could and defending at every other moment. There was a fervent look on his face whether from his desire to win or his anticipation for escape.


    "Damn, they''re making such amotion."


    "Could I reach it before they could make a move?"


    "I know that we have three chances but this is the only chance."


    Down below, within the forest, there were eyes watching and waiting. Many of them were Elite Disciples and Inheritors biding their time. None of them had a chance in joining the battle of these prominent figures. However, perhaps they had a chance to slip through.


    But this battle became nothing more than a wall to them, one that was nigh imprable. But then, It seemed that everyone forgot about something, a variable that could change everything.


    "All of you are quite confident, fighting out in the open like this."


    A calm voice spoke out and everyone suddenly froze. They looked for the source as the Grand Elder stood at the peripheral of the fight, watching them with a yful smile.


    "You should know that reaching the peak of the mountain is never that easy. For that matter, your arrogance as an Inheritor certainly shows. None of you bother hiding and charged for the mountain. did you perhaps think that my entrance to this stage was a bluff? If so, it seems that I must destroy that arrogance of yours."


    As he spoke, the grand elder suddenly vanished and found himself standing next to an unlucky individual. With just his hand, he gave a small tap on their shoulder and the mark on their body glowed, sending them off to another part of the arena.


    He gave no warning and no sign, he merely moved and sent someone down.


    "Shit, scatter!"


    One of the inheritors yelled out but none of them needed to hear it to know. But a few took this as a chance and charged for the peak. Zha Tian Yun did the same but shing past everyone as he reached just a few meters from the top.


    "I suppose the arrogance is greater from some than for others."


    The Grand Elder''s calm voice seemed more cold and emotionless as he emerged from nothing and stood in front of Zha Tian Yun.


    "Hmm, didn''t you winst year?" he asked.


    Zha Tian Yun was too focused to hear and he tried to weave past the Grand Elder.


    "Light Step, Draconic Flight!"


    On his next step, his body grew resplendent of light as a dragon emerged from his body and charged with him. This glowing white dragon bared his fangs against the Grand Elder who stood their and waited.


    "Not bad but the intent iscking."


    He nodded his head and watched as the dragon passed by. But it was not without his hand thrusting into its body and pulling Zha Tian Yun out.


    "Hmm, you should learn when to retreat and when to move forward."


    Zha Tian Yun slowly turned to motes of light as he was sent to another part of the arena.. His face was unwilling but he was powerless against the Grand Elder.

 Chapter 271 - Cultivator Of The Brush

    Those who watched from the sidelines felt a cold chille down their backs as they were reminded of the Grand Elder''s existence. Indeed, the Grand Elder''s presence certainly changed everything. They had hoped that he would y a minor role but it seems that they were foolish to think that was possible.


    "So the Grand Elder can take away one of your chances with just a single touch."


    Ming Yue stopped by the base of the mountain and saw what had happened. While she had expected the Grand Elder to act, she did not expect him to be so straightforward. Furthermore, she did not think a single touch from him resulted in losing one of her three chances. After all, to lose one chance required a fatal strike.


    As she considered her options, she noticed a few figuresing her way.


    "It''s the Inheritors...."


    Ming Yue quickly hid among the trees, withdrawing her presence and watching the mountain closely. The Inheritors that scattered had run in different directions and a few of them moved towards her. Luckily, they did not notice her as the only thought on their mind was to escape the Grand Elder. Knowing that he would not let them reach the peak left them no other choice but to eliminate the others.


    They had to find a ce toy low beore making another move.


    Ming Yue watched them pass her and turned back towards the mountain.


    "Should I go for it?"


    She stared at the mountain peak where the Grand Elder still stood, overlooking the entire arena with a yful smile on his face. It was then that he vanished from his position, most likely looking for someone else to eliminate.


    "A chance!"


    She nearly jumped out but held herself back in thest moment. Unlike her, several others made their move, rushing up the mountain only to end up battling each other. But it seems that they were too hasty for the Grand Elder reappeared, almost expecting this to happen.


    "Did you think I wouldn''t know of you all? Watching from afar like some vultures?"


    Just like that, those who ran up the mountain found themselves back in the forest. Many of them cursed their own impatience. It seemes that they were rather unlucky this time around. After that, no one dared to scale the mountain again, even after the Grand Elder left. It had be too risky to attempt. But they could not stay put for long and soon enough, multiple battles erupted through out the arena as the Inheritors began searching for disciples to eliminate.


    Reminded of what happened earlier, Ming Yue was correct on staying put or she would have ended up losing one of her chances.


    "Hm, someone''sing."


    Xue Yue spoke as the two noticed a fight breaking out close to them. There were over twenty disciples battling it out in the forest. All of them spotted each other from a distance away, moving forward the secure the kill. s, they all converged on one another and running meant bing the kill.


    "Flying Phoenix Chop!"


    "Eight Trigrams, The Gentle Palm!"


    "Jade Dragon Twist!"


    "Ink Dragon, Jiao Long!"


    All at once they attacked, bringing out their greatest strength and shockwaves pulsated from the sh. The ground rumbled as trees fell down, either uprooted from the soil or cut down.


    "Hmph, Ba Shou, I see that your Eight Trigrams Fist has improved but it isn''t enough!"


    Carrying a saber in his hand, this cultivator yelled out towards Ba Shou before charging towards him. The de was alight with me as he attacked.


    "Let''s see if your mes are strong enough first!"


    Ba Shou was another young man who had a very unique appearance, resembling that of a taoist priest. Bare handed, his hands formed the shining white Bagua Circles as he readied himself for the attack.


    "This isn''t time for your little quarrel! Jiao Long, attack!"


    As for the owner of this voice, it was a young woman holding a massive brush in her hands. Known as Guan Yan, she was a member of the group of ten from the early stages, users of strange and unique weapons that could be described as rare and powerful.


    Outside of battle, she was a gifted painter and spent most of her time doing just that. Though for her, painting was her way of cultivation.


    WIth the brush at hand, shemanded a ferocious ck dragon. Painted with her own brush. the dragon was notrge,parable to only her body but it began to grow as it flew towards the others.


    It roared loudly as it charged forward, growing to the full length of a real dragon.


    Ba Shou and his opponent immediately turned silent, avoiding the ink dragon''s advances. The others followed, jumping back and retreating into the trees. But the ink dragon was not going to let anyone leave without taking one of them. It charged, crashing into the trees and leaving a path of destruction and ink. Even as the sea of trees came its way, the dragon did not falter and did not slow, smashing through the trunks like air.


    Even as the others attacked it, the wounds given to it would disappear as the ck ink reformed itself.


    "Damn it! We can''t destroy this dragon! Aim for Guan Yan! Eliminate her first!"


    Everyone darted away before turning back and charging towards the brush wielding woman. Some jumped through the trees while other revealed themselves and flew through the sky.


    She noticed theming and immediatelt dispelled the ink dragon. As the great beast charged forward, its body suddenly dispersed as ink sttered all over the area.


    Ming Yue watched with interest, wondering what Guan Yan would do.


    "ck Tortoise Shell!"


    She waved her brush, painting a ck sphere that surrounded her and transformed into a tortoise shell. It was visible for all to see but none of them were going ot retreat. They pushed forward and released an onught of attacks but this ck shell did not break under all fo this pressure.


    "Damn this woman! How long is she going to stay in this shell?!"


    They were exasperated at this situation. It was without a doubt that she had to be eliminated first. That Ink Dragon was too fearsome of an opponent to deal with, fast and nearly invincible. If Guan Yan were to summon it again, they would have a hard time.


    "If we can''t crack this shell, we canunch it out of the forest."


    Suddenly ance fell from the sky as another intruded onto the fight.


    "Why is it that I find trash like you ganging up on a single person? If there''s someone you should gang up on, it''s me."


    As this figure dropped down from the sky, she grabbed the handle of thence and took it out from the ground. With one at each hand, she looked towards this group of nearly twenty others, all of whom were shocked by her intrusion.


    "Shit! It''s the Bloody Lances, Tang Zhan."


    They did not expect her toe. Of all the battles happening, having top Inheritor join theirs was incredibly bad luck.


    "Well then,e on! Let''s start this already!"


    Like the battle maniac she was, Tang Zhan immediately charged forward, swinging hernces like they were nothing.


    All the others could do was curse their luck and fight back. Their cultivation levels were perhaps one or two levels apart but one or two levels was arge gap. Furthermore, whenparing Inheritors and Elite Disciples or even normal ones, the gap was immense.


    Tang Zhan ran forward recklessly, charging at the ten plus people in front of her.


    "Surround her! We have to deal with her quickly or else her Crimson Hysteria will grow!"

 Chapter 272 - Garnering Attention

    They circled around Tang Zhan, giving her no chance to escape before showering her with attacks. The longer she stayed in battle the more injuries she would sustain which only gave her strength. That was her way, the Dao of Blood. No matter how small or miniscule they were, so long as blood flowed, it would fuel her with power and strengthen her teiques. Thus, defeating the Bloody Lances meant doing so as quickly as possible or ousting her inbat.


    "Southern Phoenix Cleave!"


    "Canglong''s Wrath!"


    "Hundred Knives, Snake Path!"


    A wide array of attacks came her way but Tang Zhan did not stop her advances and bore the brunt of it all. Dust and debris flew everywhere as the ground the Inheritor stood upon had be a crater.


    "Don''t rx just yet! Continue attacking or else we will all suffer!"


    They were not finished, even if all of their attacks hit, none of them let up the onught of attacks. This was the only opportunity they had to stop her froming. The dust continued to gather up as they threw as many attacks as they could. There was barely a second in between each one, just a continuous stream of destruction.


    Unbeknownst to the others, Guan Yan was gone.


    "I need to form a trap, while they''re all preupied with each other."


    Having heard it all from within, she undid the ink shell that protected her and immediately hid. She quietly held her brush and draw three ck crows that flew off. Despite the position she was in earlier, she saw this as an opportunity to defeat them all in one fell swoop.


    "Ugh..."


    Unfortunately, she was too focused on them to notice Ming Yue''s figure. With her hand outstretched and aimed at Guan Yan, a single wind needle formed and took flight, piercing Guan Yan''s head. She did not even have the time to find who had killed her before she was sent to another part of the forest.


    "I should get away from here. It''s be too dangerous."


    Ming Yue looked towards this one sided battle and quickly left. If she stayed here any longer, she would not be able to leve so easily.


    After a full minute, the attacks began to slow as one by one, they all stopped, tired and in dire need of breath. The dust had grown thick enough that not a thing could be seen. More importantly, there was not even a sound.


    Could it be that Tang Zhan had fallen?


    In this silence, they were all wondering, waiting for the dust to settle to see.


    "Qilin''s Lance"


    Then, a single blur shot through the dust and pierced one of them, throwing their body back until it stabbed into a tree trunk.


    "She''s not dead! How could she have survived all of that?!"


    They were all shocked as both fear and confusion rocked their minds. Tang Zhan''s figure emerged from the dust as she ran forward and grabbed thence. As for the one whose stomach had been torn to pieces, Tang Zhan whipped hernce, throwing them off.


    As they bled out, the mark on their body glowed and sent them to another part of the forest. Their bodies were fully restored but their minds were fresh with shock and fear. Such effect on their mental state was not good and there would be little opportunity to restore it here. It could be said that this person''s chance at a high ranking was no more.


    As for Tang Zhan, her appearance waspletely differentpared to before. It was imposing and gave off a fearsome feeling. Her body was fully enveloped in a crimson crystalline armor, a sleek and smooth design covering everything from her head to toe. It was skin tight and followed ayered pattern, segmented by numerous lines. The style resembled something otherworldly, as if it came from another time.*


    Thence in her hand had begun to transform as red blood flowed through it, giving it a new and sinister look. Red thorns grew from the surface, like the armor they were crytalline and gave a red shine udner the sunlight.


    She turned around and the crystalline helmet on her head seemed to melt away, revealing her face.


    "You were right to attack as much as possible. Unfortunately, the power in your techniques is a bitcking. Even more unfortunate for you is that you''ve let me form my Lifeblood Armor."


    Everyone backed away in fear, it seems that they were truly unlucky. From here on out, it became a one-sided battle. Though, it could not be considered a battle but rather aplete and utter domination.


    With the Lifeblood Armor of hers, Tang Zhan seemed even more reckless and attacked them, leading each and every one to a gruesome fate.


    "Is this all you can do? Aren''t you all disciples of Heaven''s Gate? You seem too weak to be befitting of such a position!"


    She shouted and cackled loudly, piercing and smashing bodies with those rednces of hers.


    "She''s...too strong!"


    "Run! Escape! We have to get away her!"


    "Scatte-urgh!"


    Her next kill could not barely finish his words before his body was beaten to the ground. The wind was knocked out of his lungs as his entire midsection had been crushed. He threw up blood, barely able to move as all he felt was excrutiating pain.


    But she did not care, Tang Zhan moved on to another until they were all gone.


    She looked around before sitting down and recuperating. The Lifeblood Armor as well as her enhancednces reverted as the blood returned to her body, healing her injuries and the like. However, her face was slightly pale and her body weak. Being an Inheritor, her strength was far beyond that of those disciples but even she would have trouble going against nearly twenty of them.


    "I guess whoever was watching has left."


    Tang Zhan nced around her surroundings. The only reason she would dare to focus on recovery was that she was alone. Long before the battle started, she noticed a stareing from deep within the forest. It was unsettling that she could not pinpoint the source but it no longer mattered, it was gone.


    "That ck shell isn''t anywhere to be found either. Did they escape or did someone make a move?"


    In any case, she circted her energy and her blood in harmony, something unique to her Dao of Blood and martial skill. She still had all of her three chances which was something to be relieved about.


    But for others, three chances was barely enough and for some, it was too little. Those who escape one battle would find themselves in another. A few would lose their lives without them even noticing. This forest felt both immense and small due to the number of people within it. The intensity of this stage slowly grew.


    "Hm, already a few of them have been fully eliminated, was three chances not enough?"


    The Grand Elder spoke to himself as he stood in an empty part of the forest. He looked at a small talisman on his hands. It was a light piece of jade, showing the numbers of those who were still in the confines of this stage. Furthermore, those numbers were broken down into three categories.


    "41 Inheritors, 293 Elite disciples, and 187 normal disciples remain out of 600 of them. This is only the first hour as well....not a bad pace but it could be a bit faster."


    The next moment he left his spot, looking for someone to eliminate.


    For the most part, he appeared wherever the fighting was at its worst, forcing everyone else to scatter. His presence was a massive burden on Inheritors and normal disciples alike.. With him here, no one dared to climb the mountain again.

 Chapter 273 - Impending Battles

    As for those watching from the outside, many of them were glued to the events in this stage. However, there were a few of those who were more preupied on certain details. Various n elders and people of power were puzzled by the Grand Elder''s actions.


    "He has participated not once but twice in this tournament. In all of the previous ones, this has never happened before."


    "What is the Grand Elder thinking?"


    "Something about this is strange, there must be a reason for his actions."


    They could only form theories and guess the intent behind these events. Several have even sent out men to investigate, asking around and collecting information. There was bound to be some clue to this peculiar development.


    Yet, during all of this, there was no rhyme or reason that could be found and this left them all stumped.


    "Someone of his stature would not do this on a whim."


    "If it was once, perhaps, but twice...something is happening."


    This may seem overboard for them, paranoid even. However, these various figures were experts, experienced in the ways of the world. All of them knew that someone like the Grand Elder acted with motive. They looked at each other silently, speaking with their eyes. Once this was over, they would request a meeting with him. To their surprise, a small slip of paper was handed to them, an invitation to a meeting with the elders of Heaven''s Gate.


    But if they were puzzled, the elders of Heaven''s Gate were even more so as the Grand Elder seemed to hint at something.


    "I wonder what Grand Elder Huang is nning. He wanted a congregation with all of us and even had us send out invitations to the others. It''s very strange is it not?"


    Elder Hua watched the arena but spoke with the others, wanting to dicuss it.


    "Who knows what he is announcing, maybe a deration of war. Maybe he wants to send these disciples to the Demon Continent."


    The one that spoke was a bald man with a small and gray mustache, the ends of which curled upwards. His size and build was equallyrge, towering two heads above Elder Hua. His limbs were muscr though his belly was quite big. The clothes he wore fit him well, a sleeveless white tunic and pants, tied together with a red sash. His round eyes and sharp nose gave him a friendly and untamed expression.


    His voice was the same, light and jokingly, though one would find it hard to tell when he was joking.


    "Oh, Elder Lee, don''t say such grim things! They''re too young and naive for this."


    "Hahaha, Elder Hua, something like war may be all that is needed to teach someone about life. Battle is an important experience to one''s cultivation."


    "Maybe for someone like you who uses their fists, I just make medicine."


    "Don''t try to make yourself seem so innocent, I may be the Elder of Fists but you seem to like fighting more than me."


    He grinned at her, a silly and giant grin that hid no ulterior thoughts. The Elder of Fists was a simple and earnest man who preferred directness. With his words, he poked fun at the Medicinal Elder who did not seem to enjoy that remark.


    But she did not refute it, rather she looked back at the arena, searching the thick forest for something.


    "I hope Ming Yue is doing fine", she said.


    "She''ll be alright, if she says she''ll reach top ten then she''ll reach top ten."


    While the various elder stood or sat on chairs to watch, Elder Xiang sat atop the tower, hopping down and jumping inside as Elder Hua worried over Ming Yue.


    "Why aren''t you worried? You spend more time with her than me!"


    Elder Hua turned towards the Sword Elder, scolding him for his behavior. Her eyes were sharp as she stared daggers into him.


    "Oh please, I''ve mentored countless of people, do you think I care about them all as much as you do?"


    He brushed off her knife-like gaze before showing a rare look of solemness.


    "Rather, I''m a bit more interested in what the Grand Elder is thinking. Whatever will happen in that meeting is bound to make waves, Don''t you agree, Elder Shen?"


    He called out the Spirit Elder, who had watched in the sidelines with his cat, Bai Ying, nestled in his arms. Taking on hand away, Elder Shen began to stroke his beard slowly as he seemed to be lost in thought for a moment.


    "Elder Hua, you don''t have to be so worried about her. She had quite a few trump cards that have yet to be shown. As for what the Grand Elder is thinking, this I don''t know, it could be a number of things."


    "Ah, but Elder Shen, out of all of us, you are the most senior and know the Grand Elder much better than any of us. Only the Disciplinary Elder isparable to you but you know how she operates, she isn''t even here anymore."


    Elder Xiang reasoned with the Elder Shen and the other elders looked towards Elder Shen with interest. The Spirit Elder''s age was unknown but it is said that he had been here when Heaven''s Gate was founded. That put him well over a hundred years, giving him seniority second to the Grand Elder within the Institution.


    "I suppose...since you''re all so curious as to what the Grand Elder wants to talk about."


    Elder Shen stroked his lengthy beard, a river of white hair that had been neatlybed and cared for. His long brows furrowed for a moment before rxing.


    "There would only be two things this meeting is about. It could be the Demon Continent or the Tao Feng Sect."


    Everyone listened carefully and took some time to digest what the Spirit Elder said.


    "Hmm, either one is equally likely. The situation within the Demon Continent is beginning to shift against us. That leader of theirs, Kong Zhi, is said to have found some treasure that caused his strength to grow."


    "On the other hand, the Tao Feng Sect has yet to be fully destroyed, only suppressed. There has been little information on their ns, not the mention their sect leader is still alive. But there has been no trace of them since then."


    Elder Shen then interrupted them, not wanting mislead them in any way.


    "This is only my guess. After all, these are the two problems at hand. For all we know, this meeting could be about both these things or it could be about somehting entirely different. For now, we should focus on the tournament first. If anything this is also important to the meeting."


    With his words, he released an aura of calmness and rity, allowing everyone to refocus.


    "You''re right. There is no reason to specte now, besides I finally found Ming Yue."


    Elder Hua followed up with her own words, staring intently in the northern part of the forest. Both Elder Shen and Elder Xiang looked as well, spotting Ming Yue, who travelled through the trees and found herself in a dire situation for she was not alone.


    There were others that chased after her, sending out attack after attack and forcing her to run.


    "Damn it, to think I would have been spotted."


    Ming Yue was slightly annoyed with herself. Getting further away from the mountain was important as was avoiding any of the Inheritors. Against someone like the Bloody Lances and Wenqin Yan, she had a twenty percent chance at victory and even then she was being optimistic.


    As she traveled through the forest, she tried to be as covert as possible but slipped up. She had paused for a moment to take a breath and gauge her position. But now, her presence was found and a group pursued her.


    After all, Ming Yue was alone and that for some made for an easy target.

 Chapter 274 - You Cannot Escape!

    Within the forest, alliances had been made and groups have formed, mostly filled of Elite and ordinary disciples, who made up the majority of those within this stage. A tactic like this was uselesster on but as of now, it was all about survival and for that, the weak had to be taken out.


    This group of eight was one that deemed Ming Yue a simple and easy target. Her aura was miniscule, she was alone and there didn''t seem to be anything extraordinary about her.


    "She stopped, she must have run out of energy. Let''s go eliminate her!"


    At the front was a young woman followed by three men and four other women. All of them wore different colored robes but wielded the same weapon. It was a very strange one, a metal rod topped with a demonic-looking w. Known as the Zhua, the nails were deadly, able to pierce flesh and rip it apart. It is a heavy weapon for just the w itself could smash tree trunks. A niche weapon but a powerful one nheless.


    It seemed that all of them were from the same hall, which could only be the Zhua Hall.


    Ming Yue turned towards them, hearing what that woman said.


    It was obvious that they were not going to give up on chasing her, which meant that she had to make the first move.


    "Hmph, she must have given up, it took her long enough."


    "I''m done hunting down these weaklings. After this, we head south, we should target an Inheritor next!"


    All of them felt quite satisfied as confidence surged within them. To think they would be so brazen after a few sessful kills. They quickly closed in on her location for once this one was defeated they would hunt for stronger. At the front, the young woman held her Zhua up high and swung down, aiming to rip Ming Yue''s shoulders off.


    As she swung down, the w caught nothing as Ming Yue''s body seemed to be an illusion.


    "Reaping de..."


    To this young cultivator''s shock, Ming Yue had vanished and only the sound of someone''s body dropping to the ground was heard.


    They turned around to find one of theirrades turning into bits of light. None of them saw it happen, it was unexpected and simply too quick.


    "Stick together, watch all angles! She must still be here."


    None of them knew what had just happened but they could not just stand there.


    "That''s one... Should I go left or right?"


    Ming Yue hid behind one of the trees and studied the remaining seven. That first kill was wholly lucky for it was unexpected and their guard was down. But now it would be much more difficult. Alert and aware, they held their Zhua in front of them, ready to attack at the slightest movement.


    In a dense forest like this, Drifting Sky''s length made it unsuitable to use but she still had ways of attacking.


    "Zephyr w..."


    Those ws of the Zhua were sharp but Ming Yue had ws of her own. She quickly moved, shifting from tree to tree, allowing nothing more but a shadow to be seen.


    "Over there!"


    "She''s here!"


    "Behind that tree!"


    For every shadow, these cultivators attacked swiftly. Cracking sounds and demolished trees was all they found as the Zhua felled tree after tree but each one revealed only another tree. They walked further away, smashing one tree after another to find her.


    Their young leader was the only one to have yet to make a move as she closely scanned her surroundings. But then her eyes lit up as she realized something and quickly shouted out orders.


    "Regroup! She''s trying to separate us!"


    She was a second toote for Ming Yue had split them apart far enough and a target was found.


    "Damn it, stop running around and fight! You cannot escape!" one of them yelled out in frustration.


    With the next tree, he saw another shadow and immediately moved. There was a look of determination and focus in his face as energy coursed through his body and weapon.


    "Wrathful Grasp!"


    The Zhua in his hand seemed toe alive as this demonic w revealed a powerful aura, forceful and tyrannic. With its power, the tree before it turned into splinters revealing a shadowy figure. He smiled at this sight and moved in to kill.


    "I''ve got you now!"


    He was quick but she was a step ahead. With her Zephyr ws, she leaped forward, grabbing his neck and ripping it off, killing him in an instant. Then she vanished once more like a ghost.


    By now, the sun was beginning to set within this arena and it was getting darker by the minute.


    As Ming Yue''s hunters gathered together, their number had decreased by one more.


    "Elder sister, perhaps we should retreat..."


    One of them spoke to their leader, the young woman thought for a moment. She hesitated at this decision before choosing her next action.


    "No, we should continue. Don''t forget we have three lives, even if we lose to this person we still have two more."


    Having Ming Yue''s body disappear in front of her and kill someone in her team was damaging to her pride. Some unknown disciple was able to do this to an Elite Disciple like her, to some extent she felt helpless.


    "But this person has three lives as well. It is not worth it to sacrifice ourselves for this one person. Why can''t we wait for someone else to target her?"


    They were right, eight against one and they''ve already lost two people. All of them though this, it was not worth it to be this aggressive.


    "Fine, we should find a ce to recuperate. Let''s leave."


    Personally, it pained her to leave like this and let Ming Yue get away, but thetter was not going to let them get away. It was about survival where the strong stood above the weak.


    Just as they turned around, Ming Yue attacked. Five wind needles all flew in a line, piercing the skulls of two more people. As they dropped to the ground, the others whipped around, as they found more of theirrades turning into motes of light.


    "Damn it!"


    They cursed out loud, searching in this waning light for Ming Yue''s figure. Her presence was simply hidden, they could not sense her whereabouts at all. With in this darkening forest, they became the prey within her hunting ground.


    "Make a clearing, smash the trees away so that she has nowhere to hide!"


    They moved madly, swinging their Zhua around and smashing the trees. Soon enough, they cleared several meters worth of space but that did nothing to curb their racing hearts.


    There were only four of them left and they stuck to each other like glue. She waited as did they, trying to anticipate when and where the next move would be. Minutester, there was no sound made, no movement of any sort, nothing at all.


    "Where is she? When is she going to move?"


    They were all so focused on their surroundings that they did not notice a figure emerging from their shadows. Two daggers showed themselves held by darkness, they shined against the moonlight as each one charged into the backs of two of them.


    "Urgh!"


    "Argh!"


    Stabbed in the back, they fell to the ground, curling in pain but the strike was not enough to kill them yet. The other two could didn''t even realize before the two daggers were pulled out and attacked them.


    "It''s someone else! She has an aplice!"


    The elite disciple called out and immediately defended herself swatting the dagger away. However, the one beside her was too slow and the dagger pierced her heart. The shadowy hands that held it, gripped tightly, pulling the dagger out before retreating into the shadows.


    Suddenly the group of eight had be one but who was it that came?

 Chapter 275 - Hidden Battle

    "Yin Zhu?!"


    Ming Yue immediately recognized the daggers and the style of fighting. Yin Zhu, a quiet cultivator, who had been her teamate during the group battles. Unlike her, he was focused on the Dao of Assassination and excelled in the Dao fo Shadows. He was truly talented in stealth and execution.


    "Where are you?! Come out of here!"


    The Elite Disciple had lost her calm, she could do nothing but see her own fellow disciples get killed.


    "What are you waiting for?" Yin Zhu''s cold voice spoke into Ming Yue''s ears.


    She saw his daggers peeking from the ground, understanding what he wanted to do.


    The Elite Disciple looked around, turning non-stop as she waited for something to happen. She gripped her weapon tightly, readying herself to attack. To the left of her was glint of light as Ming Yue rushed forward with her dagger at hand.


    "There you are!"


    Her Zhua glowed as she began her attack.


    "Torrential Gra-"


    Both daggers moved, Yin Zhu''s stabbed into her back, pushing her forward where Ming Yue''s dagger stabbed into her neck. A single moment was all it took to kill, not even enough time for this unlucky disciple to finish her technique.


    But the battle was not done.


    Ming Yue spun around, using the white dagger in her hand to block Yin Zhu''s sneak attack. The dagger slinked away but she had locked onto his presence and chased after him.


    As they were both skilled in hiding their presence, doing it against each other had little effect.


    Ming Yue expected the attack. For him to have taken the initiative to help her meant that he had a n. Furthermore, it meant that he had been watching as well. Yin Zhu was not here to help but to take advantage and get rid of thepetition.


    He was a shadow and she was a ghost traversing the forest. Every several seconds, the sound of des shed against each other.


    Yin Zhu''s daggers were hard to catch, appearing wherever darkness showed itself. Ming Yue''s fighting style made it difficult to predict and defend. She attacked without rhythm nor pattern. Even then, they were at each other''s throats, each strike from both were killing blows aimed for the vitals.


    Neither spoke as they were immersed in their fight, not caring for whoever came their way or spotted them. In fact, some were caught in the fight, killed by an umbral dagger or a swift wind.


    It was a game of cat and mouse where the roles switched constantly.


    "Shadow y, Full Act."


    Yin Zhu''s figure began to blur and transform, splitting into numerous shadows that carried a number of weapons. From swords to knives, there were nine others copies of him that followed after.


    As a group, they melded into the silhouettes of the trees and Ming Yue found herself surrounded at all sides.


    With Yin Zhu, these shadows attacked in coordination with each other. Like a practiced performance, they moved with grace and uracy.


    A swording from the left and right, a knifeing from above, a saber from below.


    Ming Yue dodged as best she could but was given some small cuts. She could barely keep up with Yin Zhu, much less these shadows. Knowing this, the young cultivator looked for a way out, a way to break this formation.


    But this was not just one part of a performance but the full act. The attacks became increasingly faster and harder to deal with. Yin Zhu had yet to make his move, leaving the shadows to keep her upied. The first act was underway and far from ending.


    "Zephyr ws!"


    With her wed hand, she pierced the chest of one shadow, which melted away and began eliminating each one as they came. But it was futile, those that she destroyed would reform and rejoin the group.


    Her Zephyr ws slowly disappeared as she tried a new strategy. She focused on defending as power gathered within her.


    The attacks became even more ferocious as the shadow''s pace quickened. The weapons in their hands morphed as they now held two daggers, resembling that of Yin Zhu''s. It was the next act.


    Eighteen knives in total and nine figures that she had to keep up with. She did her utmost to deflect each attack, moving at her highest speed but even then she was barely able to deal with them. However, Ming Yue was still calm and concentrated, the energy within her slowly seeped into Drifting Sky.


    "Second Wind: Tempestuous Storm."


    Each time her de made contact, it created a st of wind that pushed the shadows back, disrupting the pace. It gave her a second to rx but just a second more was good enough.


    The pressure on her slowly lessened but his technique had yet to end. Yin Zhu had not made his move and Ming Yue knew what this technique would lead to. None of these shadows were created to kill her but to distract her, an borate way to kill but one that would be hard to escape.


    Her only chance at victory would be when he makes his move. It was sure to be the killing move and she had to prepare for it.


    "Where are you? When are you going to appear?"


    Ming Yue closely watched her surroundings. In this dark forest, Yin Zhu could strike at any moment from any position. She kept her dagger close, ready to pull it out when he appeared.


    As for the shadows, they stopped their assault, retreating into the darkness of the forest. Ming Yue stopped moving and descended from the tree branches to ground below. Yin Zhu''s voice then echoed through the trees.


    "Final Act, Eternal Rest."


    The nine shadows leaped forward from all directions, their daggers were poised to strike. All of them were the same, aiming for her heart at every side but Yin Zhu was nowhere to be found.


    Ming Yue spun around, creating a veil of wind that impeded their lunge. A tenth shadow appeared and attacked her, the two knives shone in the light.


    "Yin Zhu!"


    It was different than the others and Ming Yue released a burst of energy. The nine shadows were pushed back and she charged forward, not allowing any time for him to get away. He began to slink back into the darkness but he was too slow and Drifting Sky pierced his chest.


    Behind her, another shadow emerged, melting away and revealing Yin Zhu''s true figure as he drove the dagger into her back.


    Ming Yue let go of Drifting Sky and turned around, revealing the dagger in her hand and attacked him.


    At the same moment, their daggers pierced each other, stabbing deeply into their flesh and cutting the heart. All of this happened in seconds and the pair dropped to their knees but they did not let go of their daggers. They pushed further, driving their daggers deeper into each other. Ming Yue could feel excruciating pain from her chest as the dagger pressed down. It was a sharp and burning sensation as the cold dagger punctured her heart.


    "That was...entertaining..."


    Yin Zhu was the first to let go as he strength left him. He struggled to stay upright but ultimately fell to the ground.


    Ming Yue''s grip on her dagger loosened as she let him fall and transform into light. But she would soon follow him. She knew something was strange and realized as soon as she stabbed the tenth shadow. It was not him and she immediately understood that he would attack now. But with Drifting Sky thrusted into that shadow, she could only use her dagger to retaliate.


    In the end, they both managed to kill each other.


    "Damn..."


    Ming Yue muttered that final word before her body turned into light. Momentster, she found herself somewhere else, another part of the forest. Looking around, there was no one close by and Ming Yue hid, checking her weapons and body.


    "Now, I only have two lives."

 Chapter 276 - Aiming For The Peak

    "One life left, damn it."


    Ming Yue''s body reappeared as she fell to her knees, panting hard and gasping for air. Her hands curled into fists as irritation welled up within her.


    Just like that her second life was used up.


    After dying to Yin Zhu, she looked for a ce toy low and watch the situation. Hours passed and more people were sent out of the arena, eliminated for a number of reasons. In fact, quite a few of them were eliminated. Many of the Inheritors started hunting others, getting rid of the weak. They were responsible for most of the eliminations, often joining thergest battles and sweeping everyone away. But the mountain was empty, no one dared to climb it again.


    This was when the intensity of the stage peaked as various battles unfolded.


    But she was safe, asionally moving from one ce to another. From time to time, she would spot others, finding them in battle, hiding, or running away.


    Ming Yue was lucky enough to avoid too much confrontation, having fought three more times and surviving them all. However, that luck did notst long for she found herself in the center of a battle with three other groups. But they were not the reason she had died again.


    "To think the Grand Elder would appear..."


    Indeed, this fight was quite big and it brought a lot of attention. But of all the people that could havee, the Grand Elder himself joined the fray.


    "Hmm, quite a big haul we have here I wonder how many of you can escape."


    All he did was release the full extent of his power, the pressure itself beared down on everyone in that battle and in the entire arena. No one was able to move, some like Ming Yue could only stand up while others were down on the ground.


    After that, he walked around and tapped everyone on the shoulder. A few lost their second life but for many, that was theirst chance at a higher ranking. They could only chalk it up to their ability and luck that they were able toe this far. Even if they were unable to obtain the grand prize, being in the final stage had brought them plenty of rewards.


    But those that remained still had hope, though it was slowy fading.


    "Should I risk it?"


    Ming Yue was on herst life and a position in the top ten was still far away from happening. There were at least a hundred more disciples left and the pressure was beginning to mount up. Now was not the time to move carefully but to take risks. Her goal was not to be in the top hundred but the top ten, perhaps even first ce.


    She looked around, trying to gauge her position.


    "I''m quite far from the mountain but it shouldn''t take me too long."


    She made way for the mountain, nning to climb the peak. Two of her lives were lost fighting it out in the forest. On her third life, she would aim for the mountain peak, which has been empty for much of this stage. By the time she reached the base of the mountain, the numbers had dwindled even further.


    At this point, Ming Yue was the only normal disciple left. Those that still remained were the strong, the best of the Elite Disciples and the Inheritors. By now, there were a few groups left and the battles that once covered this ce had all but ceased. With so little people in such a vast ce, the chance of encountering one another was low. Actively searching for others was somewhat of a waste and the risk was not worth it.


    There was a delicate bnce where none of them dared to make a move but all of them waited on each other. If it was like this, there was only one thing they could do.


    "There''s no point in waiting any longer. I need to reach the mountain quickly."


    Like Ming Yue, they all had a simr idea. Now that it hade to this, they would meet at the mountain, all aiming for that top spot.


    Light shed through the forest as a figure traveled towards the mountain. This was of course, Zha Tian Yun, using his utmost speed to reach it. As the strongest Inheritor, he was heavily favored in winning this tornament.


    He won the year before through abination of skill, luck, and strength. He was just another Inheritor, cultivating for the purpose of greater strength but he found himself in a bottleneck. Spending a day in the Empyrean Paradise was all he needed to breakthrough to the sixth stage of the Earth Realm. It propelled him to greater heights and gave him the reputation as the strongest Inheritor.


    With another day in the Empyrean Paradise, he could reach the final stage of the Earth Realm, the Boundary Stage.


    "Once more and I could be the youngest cultivator to reach the Sky Realm", he thought to himself.


    He would be the youngest by arge margin, several years at least. But more than that, he wanted to enter the Empyrean Paradise again. The rich energy within that ce was enough for him to obsess over it. Of all those that entered the Empyrean Paradise, he was the only one to aim for a second time.


    "I need it, I want all of it..."


    Just the remembering spurned him on as he sped through the forest, not caring to hide his attempt. As he reached the base, a battle was about to begin at any moment as the remaining cultivators found themselves at odds against each other. Zha Tian Yun''s body of light reverted as he arrived and looked around.


    Most if not all of those that first fought him on the mountain were here, watching each other closely with their weapons drawn.


    "Hmph, strongest culivator my ass, more like the slowest", Tang Zhan spoke out, resting one of hernces on her shoulder.


    She looked at him with defiant eyes, prepared to attack as was everyone else.


    Zha Tian Yun''s face was dark as he looked at them all.


    "To think you are all still here. If you n on stopping me, then you best hope that that you still have more than one life. I will return to the Empyrean Paradise."


    He whipped his ck sword out, which began to shine to turn pure white.


    "Zha Tian Yun, don''t think we''re here just to stop you. You might have the title of the strongest but that does no mean we aren''t strong ourselves."


    Wenqin Yan stepped forward with his short spear ready, his light silver armor was weathered with dirt and scratches.


    "Hmph, Wenqin Yan, we still have a battle to finish. I''m done warming up. None of you better interfere."


    Yan Xian looked at him from the side, his fists were curled and he was ready to throw down. His eyes then moved down everyone else, eventually lingering on Tang Zhan and Yu Hua.


    "Fuck your duel!" Tang Zhan red at him.


    As for Yu Hua, she nced at them before looking away. Her cleaver of a sword seemed to glow with energy. Small bits of stone and dirt trembled under her as she prepared to fight. Considering that they knew each of other, none of them bothered to restrain their auras, fully letting it loose. At this point, none of them cared whether or not the Grand Elder came.


    But he didn''te, he noticed them gathering long ago, deciding to step back and watch this unfold. He looked down at the little jade screen in his hands, reading the numbers.


    "Oh, how interesting, 32 Inheritors, 9 Elites, and a single ordinary disciple. I wonder what will happen."


    There was a small silence now as they all watched each other.. Too focused, they did not notice Ming Yue''s presence, watching them nearby.

 Chapter 277 - Crazed Chase

    Zha Tian Yun gripped his sword before loosening a bit. The sword in his hand began to glow and became resplendent with light. In his impatience, he was the first to move, transforming into a sh of light as he sprung into action.


    In an instant, he was right in front of Yu Hua and his sword left nothing but an arc of light. Yu Hua was quick as she swung her sword upwards, deflecting the sword before jumping back. The dust and stone beneath her trembled even more intensely before flying up and cover her sword, making it thicker and sturdier.


    She jumped back and pointed up with one of her fingers. The ground rumbled as multiplestone spike erupted from the ground, trying to pierce into Zha Tian Yun. The sh of light that was his body retreated, flickering about.


    No one else spoke anymore, they just moved and began this grand battle.


    Seeing Yu Hua battling it out with Zha Tian Yun, Tang Zhan charged towards another person.


    "Liu Xing! Let''s see if you win this time!" she shouted out loudly, swinging hernces.


    The one she had targeted was none other than the Inheritor that defeated her in the group stages. Wielding the sword and shield, he was fully dressed in scaled armor.


    "We shall see! I ousted you once and I will do it again!"


    He marched forward, his shield held up in front of him, a circr piece carved with the body of a dragon that circled the sun. His sword was double-edged and short, its length was just over two feet. It was a beautiful weapon, smooth and etched with the patterns of fire.


    It spun in his hand before holding it close to his shield. Practicing the Dao of Fire, his body emitted mes as he became the center of fiery ball. It was dense and the light it gave off was harsh.


    "You think your Sun Heart Body will stop me?"


    Tang Zhan charged,unching one of hernces at this sun-like me. It soared through the air and collided in the center of Liu Xing''s shield. Despite having enough force to decimate a thick tree trunk, it could not even scratch the shield. But the impact forced Liu Xing to take a step back and Liu Xing pounced on him.


    She leaped forward and dived into the mes as shended onto his shield. Grabbing thence to supprt her foothold, she thrusted with her othernce, going around the shield and aiming for his head.


    Liu Xing would not go down like this and pushed her back with his shield. He spun his sword one more and attacked.


    "Come Wenqin Yan! Let''s continue this fight!"


    Yan Xian looked at him before throwing his fists.


    "Hmph, let''s see if you are going to keep that same arrogance when I beat you again!"


    Wenqin Yan waved his spear and shed against Yan Xian''s fists. Mist covered the ground as Yan Xian disapeared into it.


    "Get back here! Abyssal Ocean Horse!"


    He swung his spear outwards, releasing waves of indigo-colored water. Then he stabbed into the ground, gathering the water until it formed into a horse. Jumping on, he led it by the watery reins and chased after Yan Xian, running into the mist. WIth his spear pointed out, he searched for his opponent, stabbing out and forcing Yan Xian to reappear.


    As boundless as this mist was, the strengthing from their attacks resounded in a thunderous manner, distorting Yan Xian''s mist.


    "Could I even win against any of them?"


    Ming Yue began topare herself with them. These were the strongest of Heaven''s Gate and in front of them, she did not have much of a chance in victory. Thus there was a second question in her mind.


    "Can I outrun them?"


    Her fastest speed as was when she used Phantasmal Wind but that was only for short distances. Climbing up a mountain was a different matter. Whether she could even maintain that sort of speed for such a trek was something she had little confidence in.


    It was a very big gamble but with all of them stuck in battle, she had at least a few seconds before they would notice her.


    Was it enough? This was another variable she was unsure of.


    This mountain wasn''t terribly big but it wasn''t a simple hill. Running straight up would take a minute for her and a lot could happen in a single minute. While focusing on the fight, she began to n her path up to the mountain.


    "If I maintain my top speed, I would have covered a third of the mountain in ten seconds. If that''s the gap between me and them, Zha Tian Yun would be able to reach me in thest few seconds. He could stop me..."


    She wracked her mind over the odds before stopping altogether.


    "I should just do it, there''s no point in thinking any longer."


    She knew deep down that this was risky, stupid even but it was her best chance. Not to mention, the reward was worth it, a day within the Empyrean Paradise, Elder Xiang''s so-called "Perfect" technique, and numerous other resources.


    Ming Yue looked at the mountain, getting as close to the base without getting noticed by the others. She could not even circle to the other side for the battles had spread all around the mountain. Staring at the peak, the goal seemed so far and so close.


    A singr minute would determine whether or not she would seed.


    Unsheathing her sword, Ming Yue prepared herself, circling her energy and gathering it. She uttered nothing, silently moving and leaving nothing behind. LIke that, she ran up the mountain, going at a straight line. There was nothing to see but small shade that seemed to fade in and out of the air. Every time this happened, it was her constantly trying to maintain this speed of hers.


    A quarter of the way up, someone noticed it out of the corner of their eyes and immediately stopped their fight, pointing towards the mountain.


    "Someone''s trying to climb the mountain! Quick, stop them!"


    Everyone stopped their fights and stared at the mountain, spotting Ming Yue''s figure which was now fully visible. She could no longer keep at her top speed but continued to rush up the mountain. They converged on the mountain and began to ascend the rocky slope.


    "No!"


    Zha Tian Yun shouted out loud and transformed into light, racing up the mountain at a much quicker pace than Ming Yue. Everyone else chased after her, throwing all sorts of terrifying attacks.


    Crescent waves of energy, arrows of fire, stone spikes was just a fraction of the flood of attacks that followed.


    "I won''t let you!"


    Tang Zhan immediately raised hernce and hurtled it towards Ming Yue.


    Sensing her pursuers, she ran up with as much fervor as she could muster. But thence was fast and it would almost reached her. Ming Yue turned around with Drifting Sky guarding against thence. Supporting the de with both hands, she braced herself and allowed thence to hit her sword.


    "Gah!"


    With a body as small as hers, thence had shaken her entire body but it also sent her even further up the mountain. She rode thence as far as she could before side stepping and continuing on her path. Turning back, she saw the peak and nearly let the excitement ruin her concentration.


    Zha Tian Yun was the closest to her and quickly closed the gap but he wasn''t sure whether he could make it or not.


    "I can''t let her take it! I need the energy of the Empyrean Paradise!"


    The thought of losing it made him panic and in that panic he attacked her instead, relinquishing a second or so of time.


    "Binding of the Light!"


    From his sword, a massive white beam shot from the tip, roaring and crashing into Ming Yue, stunning her.. She could barely move and the strength of the attack was too much.

 Chapter 278 - One More Step

    "Damn..."


    In that moment, she knew that it was over and it pained her greatly. She was only a few steps from the peak, so close that she saw what was on top, a small g fluttering in the wind. With her hand outstretched, the distance between her and the g was mere inches. But her strength left her and a single step could not be taken. She struggled but Zha Tian Yun''s attack had taken everything out of her.


    "So...close..."


    In the end, she could feel her consciousness fading, as darkness graced her eyes. In the veryst moments, she heard a voice, her own voice.


    "Hah, in thest moment, I can finally step in."


    When darkness filled her mind, Xue Yue took control.


    As the closest to her, Zha Tian Yun felt tion that Ming Yue had fallen. He ran up to the peak, not noticing the g at his feet. In his frenzy, he turned around, looking from the top of the mountain. Heughed out loud.


    "HAHAHA, I''ve won once again! I can enter the Empyrean Paradise again!"


    The others stopped on their tracks, staring deeply at the peak, looking at the two figures. They could hear Zha Tian Yun''s wildughter, stinging their ears as the top spot had been taken by him. Unbeknownst to them all, it was not over yet.


    In all hisughter, he did not notice Xue Yue''s body trembling. Lying on the floor, she slowly moved her hands, pushing herself up. She struggled to speak and felt extremely weak but Xue Yue''s mind was fresh, unaffected by what Ming Yue had experienced.


    The body was weak but the mind was strong and with that, she would go beyond her limits.


    "Pale Moon!"


    She roused what energy was within her body and forced it toe loose. The pain was enough to shock ordinary people, a burning sensation as if her insides was scalded by a river of boiling water. Wisps of blue energy left her body before a wave burst out.


    With a rush of power, Xue Yue took that one step before anyone could even notice and grabbed the g. A beam of light shot up from it and whisked her away.


    "Damn...one step and...I''m already so...tired..."


    Deactivating Pale Moon, Xue Yue rxed herself and slowly slinked back into Ming Yue''s consciousness. Despite being in good condition, having to take control of Ming Yue''s spent body and use Pale Moon took nearly everything out of her. Still, they did it, they were able to take the g and take first ce.


    "What? No, no! What is this? How?!"


    Zha Tian Yun spun around, finally seeing the g in Ming Yue''s hand.


    "A g?! It was a damn g?! I thought it was to reach the peak of the mountain! What is this trickery?!"


    He was angry, furious, rage burned every fiber of his being as the thought of it all lingered. As loud as hisughter was, his rage was even louder and everyone on that mountain heard his plight. There was a relief in their hearts, perhaps a bit of joy even. But then they were curious as to who that mysterious figure was.


    Ming Yue left barely a silhouette as she scrambled up the mountain.


    Not even Zha Tian Yun knew who she was for he never spared a nce at her face. His hands curled up into fist and he punched the mountain peak, forcing cracks to run down. Rxing afterwards, he took a deep breath and gathered himself together.


    "Without the Empyrean Paradise, there is no point to this damned tournament."


    He looked down below, finding that everyone else had stopped in their tracks. It was only for a moment before they all began to move, fighting each other once more. None of them seemed to pay much attention to Zha Tian Yun, but he did not move from the peak of the mountain.


    His sword was still glowing white and he stood there solemnly.


    Zha Tian Yun needed the Empyrean Paradise, such a ce was fitting only for him. The "strongest" Inheritor felt helpless without its energy, he could not breakthrough. Now that it was gone, he saw no real purpose in fighting. Thus he only stood and waited for someone toe.


    As the tournament came to a close, the battle among Inheritors was nothing short of amazing.


    The once towering mountain was riddled with craters and cracks sprawled down to the ground.


    Wenqin Yan''s battle with Yan Xian ended in his victory, as the horse riding Inheritor managed to outpace Yan Xian''s mist-like body, piercing him in the chest. Between Tang Zhan and Liu Xing, the two faced off in the same fashion as before, pushing against each other and refusing to step back. Zha Tian Yun was challenged multiple times but it was only against Yu Hua that he faced difficulty and ultimately died to her.


    "How strong! To think she has such skill!" he could not help but praise Yu Hua.


    Yu Hua had truly hidden herself and improved greatly. With the teachings and lessons of Elder Xiang, her sword skills had vastly grown, allowing her to better use her techniques and Dao. Practicing the Dao of Earth, she had control over the ground, hard soil could be quicksand in moments, spikes could shoot from below.


    In their battle, the stones of the mountain seemed to move wherever she attacked. Sometimes they were like waves, other times it was like a wall, or a weapon and so much more. Despite Zha Tian Yun''s seemingly lightspeed attacks, she dealt with them all with her cleaver de. Eventually, she struck him down with enough power to nearly split the mountain in half.


    Some of these Inheritors still had one or two lives left. After dying they returned to the mountain once again to fight. They swarmed the ravaged mountain and the numbers dwindled.


    Only two remained, Zha Tian Yun and Tang Zhan, both on theirst lives. It was a drawn out battle betweeen the two as thetter was able to form her Lifeblood Armor, enhancing hernces and overall strength. Tang Zhan didn''t speak at all in this battle, she was focused and cared about nothing but taking down her opponent.


    What concluded the battle was an exhcange of attacks. Against this armored Inheritor, Zha Tian Yun allowed a small gap in his defense. A very risky move that had paid off in the end.


    Tang Zhan immediately took full advantage, forcing hernce towards his thigh. He lunged forth, allowing his leg to scrape by the spiked surface of thence. It ripped through his flesh but he pushed forward. His white sword shined ever so brighter and he thrusted it into her armor. A burst of light brightened the whole arena as Tang Zhan''s Lifeblood Armor cracked under the pressure and his sword went through.


    As the light dimmed, Tang Zhan''s body seemed to convulse as the energy within her turned wild. A few more seconds and her body would have lose control and she would have died. But the mark on body sensed this and took her away, leaving only Zha Tian Yun to ept this victory.


    But it meant nothing to him for he could not enter the Empyrean Paradise. It was no longer about furthering his cultivation but the paradise instead. He yearned for its energy but it seemed that he could not have it.


    "You know, even if you had taken the top spot, I would not have allowed you to enter the Empyrean Paradise a second time."


    Standing there, the Grand Elder appeared right next to him. Zha Tian Yun turned towards him and bowed respectfully.


    "Such a ce is truly mysterious and magical, the energy within it is of the highest quality and would be hard to forget.. However, such a ce also has its dangers."

 Chapter 279 - The Empyrean Paradise

    Zha Tian Yun looked at the Grand Elder, listening to his words. Why was it that he could not enter a second time. The Grand Elder looked at him and sighed.


    "After you left, I had been watching you especially when you showed interest in entering again. Normally, those who have entered would resolve themselves and ept that they should only enter once."


    The Inheritor was confused.


    "Is that wrong?" he asked.


    "Ha, think of the way you''ve been acting. You have always been a level-headed person but have you not shown any restraint? You might not have said it but it is clear that you did not want to enter the Empyrean Paradise to breakthrough but because you had be addicted to the energy within it. You reason with yourself that it is for the sake of cultivation but you only want the sensation."


    The Grand Elder began to walk around the peak, looking at the damage done to the mountain. On his face was a nk look with wandering eyes, he surveyed this sea of a forest. Within his words was a touch of disappointment but a overarching tone of caution for Zha Tian Yun.


    "The energy within it is miraculous, it will improve anyone''s cultivation with ease. It does not matter what Dao you cultivate, what techniques you use, the Empyrean Paradise is a ce for all cultivators. But such a thing does note without side effects. While it aids your cultivation, it will target your mind, greed and obsession will begin to fester as that energy could give birth to a heart demon."


    He looked at him.


    "Perhaps you are one the strongest of this generation but even the strongest can fall to their own imperfections. The Empyrean Paradise is a ce to cultivate but it can also reveal those imperfections. Just one visit and you''ve decided to rely on it, as the so called "strongest" you should have more confidence in yourself."


    Zha Tian Yun was quiet, his sword was sheathed but his hands seemed ot tremble slightly. His fingers curled and curled as the Grand Elder spoke these words. He took in a deep breath and bowed.


    "I understand."


    Those two words were in and simple but carried a number of emotions: anger, disappointment, enlightenment, regret.


    In his mind, he realized that he had been blinded, blinded by greed and most importantly by fear. At the position of the top disciple, he had a reputation and a level of skill to uphold. Perhaps it was the pressure he felt that he no longer had confidence in his own skill. He was afraid of failing his breakthrough, depending on the Empyrean Paradise to do it for him.


    The Grand Elder could see that Zha Tian Yun had begun to realize the path he was going in. Whether or not, he could stop himself from deviating was another matter.


    "Good, I have a mission for you and the other Inheritors when this is over. I will have the elders call for you. Perhaps some time out in the world will do you some good."


    After speaking, thest two people in this arena turned to light, whisked away from this stage. Thus the tournament was called to an end. From the outside, no one knew what had happened but shouted and hooted as the arena changed back to its original state.


    The six hundred participants that were part of this final stage were now waiting on the arena.


    "Whoo! What an end! This tournament was one of the best ones I''ve seen. To think the Grand Elder would participate so much."


    "There were so many good battles I couldn''t just look at one of them!"


    "I can''t believe that young girl managed to reach the peak! That was so risky for her to rush up the mountain. She was getting chased by all of those Inheritors!"


    "And, who would''ve thought that she had the strength left to take the g?! That final burst of power was incredible!"


    All of the citizens of Heaven''s gate were deeply entertained and Ming Yue''s performance left an impression on them. However, the many disciples that watched and betted on the results could not have expected this.


    Zha Tian Yun, the strongest of the inheritors with the highest odds, did not take the top spot. That was hundreds of thousands of contribution points lost. But for those who saw Ming Yue betting on herself, those who bet on her, they made back several times over what they had bet. A few cursed their luck for not betting more on her name. s, the tournament ended and the Grand Elder reappeared, standing at the center of the arena.


    He spoke gently, projecting his voice for all to hear.


    "Congrattions to all of you! To those standing in front of me and to those who had been eliminated, your performance has been more than ster. To the final six hundred, all of you have performed better than I had expected with these changes. Now it is time for you all to recieve your rewards."


    One by one he called out their names to give them their rewards. They walked up handing him their badge to which he added the inscriptions to them. From there, they would go to the Contribution Hall to im.


    Ming Yue stood by waiting and watching. She could feel a number of gazes from those around her and those at the stands. Many of them were piercing, trying to see what they could gather from her, trying to find what sort of secrets she might have.


    It was ufortable but she beared with it.


    Nearly six hundred names were called out, fromst ce and arriving at first ce where her name was called.


    "Ming Yue! The winner of this tournament! Pleasee up."


    The Grand Elder called out her name and she answered, walking forward with her badge in hand.


    "Please, stand by me. I will be taking you to the Empyrean Paradise after this."


    He quietly spoke, beckoning her to his side. She stepped next to him, standing at the same height as he.


    "I hope that this has been a helpful experience for all of you. Next year, I hope to see you perform better."


    Along with Ming Yue, the Grand Elder disappeared, marking the end of the Heavenly Gate Tournament. Many left the stadium, thinking of the events that had transpired over the past few days. But of those that left the stadium, a select few went another route, entering the Institution. These individuals had a meeting with the Grand Elder, a matter or two to discuss.


    But first, there was the Empyrean Paradise to tend to.


    With the Grand Elder, Ming Yue found herself in another part of the Institution, deep within the depths. An empty hall except for a grand door, that which was carved with stone. The size of it as massive,parable to a giant, and as detailed as a painting.


    The scene carved upon it was almost lifelike. It was a star chart, filled with over a thousand stars that which formed numerous different patterns.*


    "How strange..." she thought.


    There was a sort of mysteriousness to it, something she could not quite put her finger on.


    The Grand Elder walked forward, stepping in front of these massive stone doors. His ced his hands on them and pushed. In that moment, all of his energy was released sting through this empty hall.


    Slowly, the doors opened, a slow grinding sound echoed as the Grand Elder pushed even harder. A crack of light opened and what came was a gentle breeze that coaxed Ming Yue. The energy of within it was difficult for her to describe.


    It was...free, untouched, clean. Absorbing it and refining it took barely any effort from her, it was as if she breathed in air. However, this energy was incredible, already it had pushed her cultivation further.


    The Grand Elder opened the gates wide enough for her to slip in.


    "Enter, after a single day this mark here will send you out."


    He pointed at her hand which now had a small "Huang" symbol.


    "Thank you, Grand Elder..." she bowed her head and stepped into the Empyrean Paradise.


    A single day was all she had and she must make the most of it.

 Chapter 280 - The Hunt Will Begin

    Entering the Empyrean Paradise, the doors closed behind Ming Yue and the Grand Elder left this empty hall. He vanished from these stone doors and reappeared in his office, sitting on his cushioned seat.


    In front of him were multiple figures, all seated and apanied by their confidantes. Many of the Elders were here as well and they were all waiting for him. There were many others who were not present at the tournament that hade as well, answering an invitation from Heaven''s Gate. From the six great kingdoms and the six regions of this continent, there were over a hundred lords and leaders here. Their aura was restained but their presence was made clear.


    The Grand Elder looked around and surveyed everyone, giving a quick count before speaking.


    "I''m sure many of you are curious as to why we are meeting."


    "Indeed, Grand Elder Huang, you''ve gathered people from not only the six kingdoms but the other five regions as well. What exactly do you want to discuss?"


    The source of that voice was a thin man who could only be described asvish. He wore purple and gold robes and numerous pieces of jewelry. He had multiple rings on each finger, nes ranging from gold chains to pearl ones, and bangles of gold and jade. He wore a monocle on his left eye and his hair was gelled back. Slick ck hair that reached the nape of his neck. His nose was bulbous and his eyes were astute. His thin lips were pursed together as he looked at the Grand Elder, trying to gauge him.


    "Ah, I will get to that, Financier Jin. I hope that your journey from the Golden Treasure Kingdom was not harsh and that your king is doing well."


    Financier Jin seemed to squint his eyes even further before breaking into a smile.


    "Ha, business is business, the King is doing well and the Kingdom is doing just as good if not better. The Demon Continent has made us quite a bit of profit."


    "Good, that is good to hear. How about the rest of you? General Li? Vice-Chief Qiang? The elders of the Four Swords Region? And the Ten High Captains of the Tri-Colored Sea, was your journey here peaceful?"


    The Grand Elder looked at them all and they responded in kind.


    "It was peaceful."


    He had a look of satisfaction as none of them had much of a problem.


    "Good, I suppose I should stop stalling as I''m sure you are all wondering what I have called you for."


    The room was silent as everyone looked at him, this young-looking man who did not quite fit with this group but belonged to.


    "There are two matters at hand, one being the Tao Feng Sect and the other being the Demon Continent and their leader, Kong Zhi. Elder Kan, please."


    From the group of elders was Elder Kan, the Disciplinary Elder and the leader of the Heaven''s Skyguard, who walked and stood by the Grand Elder. Dressed in her white and blue robes, she looked at all of them before speaking.


    "I am Elder Kan, the Disciplinary Elder of Heaven''s Gate. It is an honor to stand in front of all of you."


    After she introduced herself, the Grand Elder spoke again.


    "After issuing an order against the Tao Feng Sect over a year ago, we have sessfully stopped them from spreading and contained them. However, we were unable to find their Sect Leader."


    "Indeed, we could only find traces of him."


    "Yes, what he left behind were mere clues to whatever he was nning. In light of this, I sent Elder Kan here and a few others to track him down, find where he is holed up. After several months, Elder Kan found him atst, in a stronghold within the ck Peak Mountains."


    "By one of the Continent Marks? the Merciless Storm Peak? Damn it, I should''ve known!"


    The one named Vice-Chief Qiang cursed out loud, hitting his side of the table. A body cultivator, she was a muscr woman with pale skin and her clothes were not elegant, they were made tost and with purpose. Animal pelts and hide were used to make it, part clothing, part armor.


    "Did something happen?" the Grand Elder asked.


    Vice-Chief Qiang had a look of agitation and anger.


    "As one of the Hundred ns of the Xue Mountains, we of the Qiang n were closest to the ck Peak Mountains. As a trial, our disciples and nsmen travel to the ck Peak Mountains to survive for a week. However, more and more of them went missing in the past few months. We had assumed that they could not survive the trial but the numbers were much too high to be that. Damn, to think that this was the reason. I am ashamed of my ability."


    The Grand Elder was silent as he listened to her. His expression was emotionless as he began to think. Then he motioned for Elder Kan to speak.


    "As the Grand Elder said before, my men and I have found a stronghold where the Tao Feng are. We''ve been keeping watch and found that the Sect Leader has been sending out disciples to collect bodies. They are not just any normal bodies but the bodies of cultivators. Whatever, he is nning requires bodies numbering in the hundreds. Unfortunately, we have no way of knowing as multiple barriers had been set up around the fortress."


    She pulled out a talisman and ced it in the middle of the table, allowing it to project a map of the Human Continent. The image slowly ergened as it focused on the ck Peak Mountains towards the east of the continent.


    North of it was the Xue Mountains and further east was the Dark Water Kingdom.


    The Grand Elder then stood up and took control of the map.


    "Knowing this, I gathered all of you here under the pretense of watching the tournament. For him to have eluded us this far means that he is getting information from someone and I would rather not risk it. Now I suppose you all more or less know my intentions before I have even spoke but I will make it clear."


    The Grand Elder then pointed towards the Merciless Storm Peak.


    "I, along with a few other elders and disciples will be entering the fortress and cut the Tao Feng at the root. I''m hoping that all of you will also send aid and help us in doing so."


    Everyone had a look of surprise and went into deep thought.


    "It is certainly a proposal."


    "I don''t see why not."


    "Very well, I will send out a group as well."


    A few minutes of thought was all it took for many of them to agree.


    The Tao Feng Sect was akin to a cancer within the Human Continent. They grew and expanded aggressively, fighting and plundering numerous other sects to gain strength. While their actions posed a threat to the powers of the continent, there was more to that.


    They had orchestrated numerous events from the shadows and engaged in all sorts of activity. The biggest of which was their attempt to swallow Clear Spring Mountain, a major sect that was also the backbone of the Clear Sky Kingdom. A gathering of numerous experts became the target for the Tao Feng but they had failed due to Ming Yue''s interference.


    Such actions were irredeemable and showed that their arrogance had grown too much. Their methods were despicable and they had drawn a target on themselves.


    "But there is more to that isn''t there, Grand Elder Huang."


    Financier Jin interjected, his words caused everyone to stop and think more carefully.


    Indeed, there was the matter of the Demon Continent.


    The Grand Elder smiled.


    "Yes, there is much more to that. With your help the sess of the operation will shoot up and then there will be one less danger. With that, we can turn our attention to the Demon Continent."


    The map moved and shifted. Instead of the Human Continent, it now showed the Demon Continent, a massrger than its counterpart. On it were masses of red and green dots on this blue projections, red which represented the demonic forces and green representing the human forces.


    "As you all know, the situation is slowly getting worse. Whatever Kong Zhi had obtained managed to reverse the situation in a matter of weeks. While the Six Great Kingdoms lended their armies and other various forces also sent in manpower, we of Heaven''s Gate have also sent out the Heaven''s Skyguard. But it does not seem like it is enough."


    He began pointing at the areas where the masses of red seem to overtake the green masses.


    "Of course, we could expend more if not for the risk of instability within our ownnds. Without someone to keep the peace, how can we safely send more men there? We would need some way to improve or lessen the risk."


    "But what does that have to do with the Tao Feng?" asked Financier Jin.


    This shrewd man had an inkling of what the Grand Elder would say but he needed to hear it from his mouth.


    "Well, does the Tao Feng not pose a risk to ournds? Furthermore, they pose the biggest threat no? Their reach spanned across the continent and even now there are small groups here and there. If we all worked together, we won''t have to worry about them anymore."


    "Then you mean..."


    "Complete eradication of the Tao Feng, find out what the Sect Leader has nned and destroy it all. With them out of the way, we will be able to pour our resources into the Demon Continent and subdue it.. It is the only way, unless you want to see everything in the hands of Kong Zhi."

 Chapter 281 - A Letter

    Within a ce of light, an empty area that contained nothing but pure energy. Ming Yue walked around, studying both the surroundings and the energy around her.


    "This is the Empyrean Paradise..."


    She turned around, wandering this seemingly boundless ce. The only thing here that stood out was her and therge stone gate that stood upright. It was so easy to cultivate here, just breathing and moving around allowed the energy to prate her body and cleanse it. The core of her body seemed to radiate with power as it gorged on this wondrous feeling.


    "This is... too amazing! What sort of energy is this? Where does ite from? Who created this?"


    There were many questions on her mind but none of them could be answered. Even as she tried to trace this power, it was virtually impossible to do so for this energy was everywhere. It was as abundant as the air she breathed.


    "Wow, this was certainly worth the trouble."


    Even Xue Yue could not help but be impressed by this. Although she was not in control, she could feel the energy coursing through Ming Yue''s body.


    They were in awe and enjoyed the pleasant sensations. With both of their minds, they kept their calm and did not allow this feeling to sway them.


    "I should try to reach the peak of Perception and consolidate my foundations."


    There was a purpose toing here and Ming Yue needed to focus. Then, she felt her spatial ring hum as Drifting Sky seemed to... twist and turn?


    "How...how is this even possible?"


    Ming Yue held the sword in her hands, it tried to escape her grasp but she clutched it tightly. She was dumbfounded and her face waspletely nk. She unsheathed it and held the de up, watching it absorb the energy of the Empyrean Paradise. Her mind was nk while her sword seemed to move on its own.


    "What was going on here?"


    In the back of her mind, Xue Yue seemed to snort a little at Ming Yue''s shocked state. However, she too did not expect such a thing to ur.


    Holding it close to her, Ming Yue studied the twitching de and looked inwardly.


    "Was this Mei Zhen''s work?" she thought.


    It was the only way for this cksmith studied the movement of energy, whether it came from the world or the body. Furthermore, maintaining the de required her to bathe it in her energy. But for it to move on its own was another level of strange that she was not expecting.


    In the rush of the moment, Ming Yue had another idea.


    "What if I cultivated with the sword?"


    If she were to absorb, refine, and cycle it through her body and de, what would it do?


    It seemed like a good idea and Ming Yue did not hesitate. The only risk she ran was absorbing too much but she was far from the next bottleneck. She had only broken through to the Perception Stage days ago. She was a distance away from the Emotion Stage, a stage that required her to refine her heart and mind, thus strengthening her mental fortitude and allowing her to add another dimension to her attacks. But it was too early to think of it now.


    She quickly sat down and began cultivating within the Empyrean Paradise, holding Drifting Sky close to her.


    Staying perfectly still, she soon fell into a trance as her de stilled. Whatever effects this had, she would not know until after as this young cultivator lost herself in this state.


    Within the Dark Water Kingdom, Mei Zhen suddenly stopped her work and looked towards the direction of Ming Yue. There was a look of interest on her face before transforming into satisfaction.


    "So it''s begun, I wonder if the fruits of mybor will flourish."


    With Drifting Sky, this master cksmith had done more than improve it, she experiemented on it. Such a high quality de personally forged by the Forgelord of Rong Lu City could endure all sorts of trials and with it, Mei Zhen used it to its full advantage.


    Of course, she did not tell Ming Yue of these various secrets she''s added for the young girl would not understand. However, she would learn over time and whether or not it will work depended on her. Mei Zhen certainly hoped that this would work.


    Unfortunately, this excitement and curiosity did not seem to exist within the Grand Elder''s meeting.


    "Complete eradication.... then subdue the Demon Continent..."


    Everyone other than the Grand Elder thought of these words seriously.


    For such a simple sounding n, there was numerous conditions and variables to consider.


    "I will let you all decide but this is the best course of action to take."


    The Grand Elder spoke inly and confidently, driving the idea further in. But despite his words, they were all silent and he was not going to push any further.


    "I''ll let you all go and speak with your leaders but keep this of the utmost secret. We do not know where the Tao Feng have infiltrated. I will await your responses in the next month and from there we will coordinate our movements. Should you join, only allow those that you trust. I hope that you will agree to this."


    Everyone stood up and bowed, leaving one by one.


    Financier Jin was thest to leave and gave one more look at the Grand Elder. Perhaps, it was in his nature to be this dubious but he was a businessman and there was something that did not quite seem right.


    "Is that all you are after, Huang Mo?" he asked, addressing the Grand Elder by his full name.


    "Yes, this is the only way to protect the continent."


    The Grand Elder looked at him staright in the eyes and spoke. They were crystal clear and carried a golden hue. Such eyes sowed nothing but sincerity.


    "I see, I will speak with my king and you will recieve a response shortly."


    Financier Jin then left, closing the doors behind him and leaving the Grand Elder with the other elders.


    "So this was your n, I must say, it is quite bold."


    Elder Xiang spoke and looked towards Grand Elder Huang, who returned to his seat.


    "It is for the best. Time is of the essence after all."


    "I see."


    The others looked at the Grand Elder before taking their leave. While there were many questions to ask, they saved it forter. It was clear to them that the Grand Elder needed time to think and that they needed time to prepare.


    The Tao Feng was one thing but the Demon Continent was entirely different. The goals that were set out was going to be difficult.


    As for what they were preparing for, it was obvious that this was for a war.


    Of course, none of this would truly begin until a letter arrived.. Laying on a desk was a simple, handwritten letter addressed to Ming Yue.

 Chapter 282 - Incredible Changes

    To some, a single day was plenty of time to do work and if spent correctly, one could do many things within that time.For someone like Ming Yue, she certainly spent it well in the Empyrean Paradise but a day felt like a few minutes for her.


    The abstract attempt at cultivating with her de seemed to be a sess. But it only seemed to be a sess.


    Her cultivation suddenly came to a pause as she was sent out of the Empyrean Paradise. Awakened by this sudden change, she found herself in front of the stone gates and alone in the empty hall.


    "A day passed already?"


    She looked around before studying herself. A full day of cultivation had pushed her to the bottleneck of the Perception Stage despite her focus on strengthening her foundations. Cycling her energy hundreds of times had caused the thread that linked her acupoints to be thicker and supple. Now she was at the brink of breaking through to the Emotion Stage.


    The difference was immensepared to before.


    "I could...see so much more. To think, I could even discern the strands that formed the thread."


    Looking inwardly, she was able to see a level of detail she had never thought possible. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder that shook her of this state.


    "I see that you''ve made quite a lot of progress...good."


    Standing to her left was the Grand Elder, who had given a quick nce and already determined how much she had gained.


    "Yes, this has been a good experience", she replied, "It is unfortunate that I can''t enter again."


    The Grand Elder looked at Ming Yue, perhaps trying to gauge her reaction to the Empyrean Paradise. But her expression showed no intense desire, no form of obsession but a pair of clear eyes.


    He smiled before taking her away.


    "Come, I will lead you out of here."


    Just like that, they vanished from this empty ce and reappeared in the middle of a hallway. In front of a simple wooden door, the door to her room in fact.


    "Thank you, Grand Elder. This experience had given me a lot to think about."


    Ming Yue turned to him and bowed before showing her gratitude.


    "Hah, do not worry. In fact, I should be thankful to have someone with your talent in Heaven''s Gate", he answered, "In any case, I have much to do. Heaven''s Gate is about to be very busy."


    With that, he disappeared once more, going off to do his duties.


    As Ming Yue saw him off, she opened the door to her room only to be assaulted by two very fluffy beasts. Indeed, both Hei Yue and Xiao Yin had been deprived of their master for several days now and they sorely needed her.


    "Oh, I''m sorry for being away for so long. Here you are, you two."


    Despite being with them just two days ago, she did miss herpanions. After being in constant battle and focusing on the tournament, shecked their touch. Ming Yue closed the door behind her and spend some time, scratching their chins. Whether it was rubbing a belly or ruffling some feather, she couldn''t help but giggle a bit at the excitement the two beasts showed.


    The fox and owl enjoyed this bit of caressing, snuggling by her side. Looking out of the window, Ming Yue found that it was almost night, around the time she had entered the Empyrean Paradise.


    "Oh wait, my sword!"


    Ming Yue suddenly remembered how Drifting Sky had behaved within that ce. Sensing her urgency and excitement, Xiao Yin and Hei Yue looked towards her, curious as to what she was doing.


    She took out the sword and began inspecting it, dueling it with her own energy to see what changes had happened.


    "How strange, there''s nothing."


    Much to her disappointment, Ming Yue found that Drifting Sky had no discernible changes to it. There was nothing different about its appearance or the sensation she felt when making a casual strike.


    "Why is it like this? I don''t believe that Drifting Sky has not changed one bit."


    With her newfound cultivation, Ming Yue tried to delve deeper into her de, trying to see the intricacies within them. However, she found nothing, not a single difference to any part of Drifting Sky. Though now, she could percieve the pathways through which her Quintessence Energy coursed through.


    She racked her mind but ultimately gave up.


    Seeing her dismayed expression, the pair of beasts tried to cheer her up. A single attempt was enough for her to have a little smile again and let go of this.


    "Perhaps, it has not collected enough power" she thought.


    For it to even act like that was a mystery to her and one that could only be solved when she found another master cksmith like the Forgelord or Mei Zhen. If she found the opportunity, she may even try toe back and ask them to inspect the de.


    But for now, she sheathed the sword and leaned it against her desk where she found a letter sitting squarely.


    "What''s this?"


    Grabbing the letter and opening it, Ming Yue read its contents.


    The words were written in a shaky manner, almost as if the the person who wrote it was in shock or fear. The style was soft and carried a sense of sincerity though, it was clear that there was urgency to this matter.


    "Hmm, this letter is from Cui Fen. I wonder what happened."


    As for the content of the letter, reading it had put a grave expression on her face.


    "Ming Yue, I do not know when you will be able to read this. Perhaps, it may even be toote but I must try. Fei Yun has been taken away. By whom I do not know but...."


    The letter recounted the events.


    How Elder Fei had sent Cui Fen and her daughter back into the brothel and the sounds of battle Cui Fen heard, but there was more.


    "...afraid for him, I cracked the doors open with enough space to look through with one eye. Fei Yun was in an intense struggle with this mysterious figure and their bodies were almost too fast for me. But one such moment, I caught a glimpse of this attacker and saw his mask, looked into his eyes. They were cold, empty, dark and when my eyes met his, fear washed over me. I could do nothing but step back and quietly pray for Fei Yun''s survival. But in the end, they were both gone and the only thing they left was the sign of battle and blood covering the courtyard. I''ve already gone to the Eternal de Sect for help and I ask that you help find him. I''ve drawn a sketch of the mask with this letter. If you can, please help us."


    Behind that letter was a piece of paper, folded in half. Ming Yue opened it up and immediately recognized the mask. It was a in oval mask with two slits for the eyes to see through.


    It was by no means an umon mask but there was one figure that stood out in her mind.


    "The one from the Merciless Storm Peak..." she muttered.


    Indeed, in her journey through that treacherous ce with Lao Gan, the pair hade across a strange man who walked through the mountain. She remembered how his eyes had lingered on her.


    "He must have a connection to me but what could it be? Who is he and why would he attack Elder Fei?"


    There were questions that needed to be answered and Ming Yue determined that the only way to find them was toe back to the Red Lotus Country and investigate it herself.

 Chapter 283 - The Winnings

    Theing days was mostly her preparing to leave once more. One of the first things she did was go to the Contribution Hall and go to the exchange counter to make some purchases. It was mostly some medicinal pills and other supplies for the journey.


    "Ah Ming Yue, you''ve arrived! Are you here to spend your contribution points?"


    As a frequent visitor to the exchange hall, the administrator recognized her immediately and spoke in a friendly tone. She nodded and made her request to which the administrator raised a brow.


    "Are your sure about this?" he asked, showing her the amount of points that she had.


    "Wha-what?! 132,810 contribution points... Wasn''t it only around 45,000 points?"


    Ming Yue was surprised by the amount of points and didn''t quite understand where it came from.


    "Hm? What do you mean? You bet a thousand points on yourself and seeded! Out of everyone here, you were one of the biggest winners because of your victory. Don''t tell me that you forgot about that?"


    With the administrator''s exnation, Ming Yue could not help but let out a helpless smile as she had mostly forgotten of her little bet.


    "With this amount, there''s quite a lot that you can obtain."


    The administrator spoke with a smile before opening arge catalog of items and handing it over to her.


    "These items here cost around a hundred thousand contribution points. Here, take a look."


    Caught in the flow, she took it and looked it over. There were about a hundred or so items to look at and she did so with some interest. WIth that amount of points, she might as well use it. But there wasn''t much that she needed.


    But she inspected herself and her equipment before making a decision.


    "While I don''t need a new sword, I might need a new dagger and perhaps better clothing."


    This much was true. Out of everything she had, the dagger, and her robes and slippers were beginning tog behind. It was especially apparent whenpared to Drifting Sky, a peak-divine grade weapon. The dagger was a reward for her actions with Luan City, where she and many others fought a beast horde to defend. Her clothes were one of the first things she bought when she reached the city.


    The fact that they were both at the mortal grade, the difference was staggering. Ming Yue took out her dagger and inspected it before looking at her hanfu.


    "I really do need a recement for them both. They might notst much longer."


    The dagger, created from the tusk of a rank 3 beast, showed wear and tear, losing its luster and containing small fractures. Her clothes on the other hand looked good as new from its ability to self-repair but it could only do so much. With every battle, the repairs took longer and longer, and its defense wascking as she fought against stronger opponents.


    "With these items, I can only choose one to change. I should go for something more reasonable."


    She turned a few pages over scanning items that ranged in the tens of thousands. Looking over her choices, she found a few items that interested her before making her decision.


    "I''ll have these."


    Walking over to the administrator, she chose two items to exchange.


    "Mmm, interesting choices, the Pearlstone Dagger and the Changing Clouds Armor. Let''s see here, that is about 120,000 points in total. Hand me your medallion and your items will be sent to your room."


    With that the exchange was made and Ming Yue made a few other minor purchases and finished her business.


    "I should go tell the elders about my departure as well. Elder Xiang still has to teach me his "perfect technique as well."


    Hei Yue and Xiao Yin followed after her as she moved from one elder to the other. Strangely enough, their meetings were quick. She found that something was amiss but did not ask.


    While Elder Shen said a simple farewell while reading his book, Elder Hua did so with a strange smile as she tended to multiple bubbling pots of medicine. Out of the three elders, Elder Xiang acted the strangest.


    She did not find himying around and drinking some wine. Instead, he was practicing in the arena. In his hand was a sword, a beautiful de that was neither too long nor too short, too wide or too thin.


    There was little decor or engraving on it except for the patterned leather handle and the mark of the symbol for Jian near the base of the de. A double edged sword made with care and precision and in the Elder''s hands, it was nothing more than a de.


    Elder Xiang barely moved from his position, attacking neither too fast nor too slow but with control and uracy.


    Ming Yue watched and could not seem to understand it. She could see every attack but when it came to dodging or parrying them, such a thing seemed impossible. Studying it even further, she managed to catch a glimpse of some strange energy that encased the sword before it vanished and Elder Xiang sheathed it.


    "Hm, girl, so you''vee for the "perfect technique" haven''t you?"


    He spoke as he walked down the arena, taking a chair and a gourd of wine out of nowhere. He sat down and took a swig before looking at her. She looked at him nkly before speaking.


    "Well, I did obtain first ce."


    Elder Xiang chuckled before taking another drink from his gourd and putting it away. Standing up, he took out a wooden sword from his spatial ring and took his stance.


    "Then have a good look, I''m going to show you this only once."


    He built up his power, allowing none of it to leak from his body. Pointing the sword at Ming Yue, he took a step forward and attacked.


    It was a simple attack, like the ones he made on the arena but less than a secondter, Ming Yue immediately dodged. But the sword followed her and before she knew it, the edge of it touched her neck.


    Elder Xiang smiled before putting the sword away.


    "Whether or not you understand it is up to you, now go. You must have some things to take care of but so do I. It will be a while before I return and when I do, I shall see how much you''veprehended from that."


    In her heart-thumping state, he shooed Ming Yue off, sending her back to her room. Turning back, Elder Xiang shut the doors closed and took out his sword.


    "Such a thing might not even happen."


    Contrary to his slovenly appearance, his expression was serious and different. He gave off a rather ominous a grim aura as he continued his practice.


    As for Ming Yue, she returned with her beastlypanions with a distraught expression.


    "What kind of attack that? How does it even work?"


    She simply could notprehend the attack and tried her best to understand it. It was terrifying, a simple attack that gave off a feeling of no escape. Palpable fear rose up in her heart when she recalled it. Try as she might, reying the attack in her head did little but the experience was ingrained.


    Slowly, she calmed down and refocused, returning to her main goal.


    "I should leave for Red Lotus Country before I do anything else. I could take a sky ship from here to there..."


    Plotting her course, Ming Yue found the items she purchased waiting by her bed. There were a few medicinal pills, some herbs and other supplies, and there was her new equipment: the Pearlstone Dagger and the Changing Clouds Armor.


    Donning her new equipment, she looked at her old ivory dagger and her Floating Breeze Robes and Slippers. From the beginning, she had used them to their fullest and now, she could retire them.


    "I should get going now."

 Chapter 284 - Traveling Back To Red Lotus

    Up in the sky where the clouds floated about, a massive ship floated among them. Large and daunting, it was a beautiful ship with four emerald-colored cores embedded at the bottom of the hull. Both the exterior and interior were equally luxurious, varying types of marble formed patterns on the floor as the walls were built from a brilliant white stone, ented with tinum and gold.


    The hull of the ship was built from a beautiful sea green metal along with polished steel. The deck was made from a darkcquered wood apanied by a massive cabin for those who wanted to watch the sky view inside. The crew numbered over a hundred, controlling the sky ship, maintaining it, and serving the passengers aboard.


    Despite its fanciness, this ship could be boarded by anyone as this was Heaven''s Gate''s personal sky ship, supported by the Institution itself. Frommon citizens to the rich and high ss, there were all sorts of people for it sailed across the continent. Of course, those who were among the ranks of the Institution could ride it as well.


    On the deck of the sky ship, Ming Yue stood by the side, leaning over the railing and watching the clouds go by. With her heightened cultivation, she watched the colorful energy of the world swirl about in a strange dance.


    Wearing her Changing Clouds Armor, she was still and became a sight for those who passed by.


    "A young beauty..."


    "I wonder where she is headed to."


    "How pretty! Where did she get such clothes?"


    Those who saw her would think this but none would approach her. She felt too distant for them, not because of her appearance but something far more instinctual, like a gap in strength.


    Her armor only widened the gap. It was a hanfu in varying shades of blue and a robe of white beneath it. Along with widened sleeves and a longer dress, a thick white sash wrapped around the thinnest part of her waist. The varying blue shades of the outer robes blended with each other and created a soft color, contrasting the white sash and the white robes under it.


    It was very beautiful, giving her a elegant and graceful appearance.


    But there was more to it that just some pretty clothes, it was a unique piece of equipment. Hinted by its name, this was armor and under Ming Yue''s control, it would transform into one. Doing so would drain her energy but boost her defense and even strengthen her speed. She had given it a few tests before leaving, finding herself satisfied and shocked even by this.


    She left the Institution and boarded the sky ship. Both Hei Yue and Xiao Yin went off on their own to explore the ship after being imprinted with a special mark on their bodies.


    While they were gone, the young cultivator was deep in thought.


    "Should I head to the Eternal de Sect? Hmm, I should see Cui Fen and Rou''er first, I have to make sure that they are safe. But that masked figure...perhaps I may find a clue in the ck Peak Mountains."


    There was much to think about and things she needed to prepare for. It would be about a week before the ship would reach the capital city of Red Lotus.


    Until then, she could only wait.


    "Mm, I wonder where Hei Yue and Xiao Yin are. I hope they haven''t caused any trouble."


    Ming Yue walked off and delved into the sky ship, searching for her twopanions. Despite such a grand ship, it didn''t take long for her to find them along with somepany.


    Down the hall, the pair seemed to be stopped by pair of men and a young girl standing behind them.


    "Wei La, Zuan Gan! Can''t you get them for me? They''re so cute! I have to have them, please!"


    The girl was about ten years old and dressed very cutely with purple and pink robes. Her hair was tied into a bun and held in ce with three gold hairpins. Her button nose and big eyes entuated her each other as she tried her best to plead with the two men.


    "But young mistress, we cannot just take someone else''s beasts. Look at the imprint, that''s the one signifying a disciple of the Institution. Doing this would anger them and your father told us not to get you in trouble."


    They had a rather helpless expression as they tried to reason with her. However, she did not falter as she looked at them before turning towards Hei Yue and Xiao Yin.


    "Hmph, with my father, I bet he could get it for me."


    "Yes, but he isn''t here and we have to keep you safe. Master Cai is busy doing business in the Demon Continent."


    The young girl pouted, looking a bit angry at her two guards.


    "We''re going on this ship to visit him! I don''t care anymore, I want that fox and owl!"


    She yelled at them in a high pitch voice, pushing Wei La and Zuan Gan into a corner. Being guards they couldn''t just go against her but under her father ordered them to keep her safe. While they could just pull her away, Master Cai was a doting father and any word from her could end with their heads in the floor.


    "I hope they run off or their masteres quick!"


    This was what they both thought for they were stuck in this situation.


    "Xiao Yin! Hei Yue!"


    Ming Yue''s voice echoed down the hall, melodious and sweet. Hearing her, the two beasts immediately turned around and returned to her side.


    "Let''s leave quickly", she whispered.


    Ming Yue knelt down and petted the two before leaving as quickly as possible.


    "Wait! Stop!"


    The young girl yelled out and ran after her but the trio was nowhere to be found. She looked around and found nothing, stomping her foot in anger.


    The two guards breathed out a breath of relief for they had escaped this predicament.


    Their young mistress turned around, pouting as she returned to them.


    "Hmph, wait until we reach my father, I''ll tell him all about this."


    She spoke angrily and walked off, leaving her two guards exasperated and following after her. Meanwhile, Ming Yue breathed out a breath of relief as the trio returned to their room. It took her not even a second to realize that this would''ve been a troublesome situation if she had escaped any slower.


    "Such people are too bothersome, that girl needs to be taught a lesson."


    Xue Yue''s voice spoke out with a tone of annoyance and contempt.


    "And that would invite more trouble, no?" Ming Yue responded.


    It was met with silence for Xue Yue could not refute it.


    "In any case, there''s only a few more days before we reach Red Lotus. It''s been a few years since I left, I wonder how everyone is doing."


    She began to reminisce a little before it quickly ended from a sudden announcement from the sky ship''s captain.


    "All crew members prepare for battle! I repeat, prepare for battle! It is the Gold Monkey Pirates! The Gold Monkey Pirates! Passengers, please stay in and lock your doors. We will inform you when it is safe!"


    At the end of this announcement, the ship churned as multiple hatches opened up, revealing cannons. Its speed began to slow as power was diverted into the cannons and the pirates gained on them.


    A fleet of twenty ships, marked with the g of a golden monkey, followed. They wererge and ornate, carrying strange contraptions but no cannons of any sort. A total of a thousand members prepared their weapons and watched the sky ship.


    At the helm of the first ship, a rugged man stared at the ship closely. He wielded a thick and heavy saber and wore ck leather armor over his clothes.


    "We have quite the prey in front of us! Let''s see if we can find what we''re looking for!"


    His voice thundered and everyone heard it, not just the pirates but those within the sky ship as well.

 Chapter 285 - Defending The Ship

    Xing Dao, Captain of the Gold Monkey Pirates, raised his saber up high before pointing it at the sky ship.


    "Such a wonderful ship is sure to have a few treasures and beauties! Come men, let''s have us a good time!"


    Every ship he lead met his words with shouts and hoots of excitement. Quickly, they scattered and began their operation, looking to surround the sky ship.


    "Move the power towards the cannons! Fight them off!"


    The captain of the Heaven''s Gate sky ship began shouting orders as everyone took to their positions. It was not long before the cannon fire started. From the sky ship, booming beams of light arced throught the clouds as the hull revealed numerous cannons. However, the pirate ships were swift avoiding a fair number of shots.


    Ming Yue left her room with Hei Yue and Xiao Yin and ascended the deck, where several members of the crew memebers prepared to fight.


    "Wait! Please return to your room, it is not safe here."


    One of them stopped in front of her, directing the trio back but she did not budge. Instead, Ming Yue showed her medallion to them, identifying herself.


    "I am a disciple of Heaven''s Gate. Let me help you defend this ship."


    Of all the things to happen, she did not want a pirate attack to dy her like this. A much older man heard her and approached Ming Yue with a somewhat relieved expression. He wore steel armor and had spiked guantlets for weapons.


    "Hello there, I am the vice captain of this ship, you can call me, Boss Hang. It is good to have some more aid, especially from one of our own. To think the Gold Monkey Pirates would strike! What bad luck!"


    Ming Yue was confused. Her only experience with pirates had been the first time she rode a sky ship, fighting against the Skulldrop Pirates.


    Was there something unique about these pirates?


    If anything, the Skulldrop Pirates sounded more intimidating than them.


    "Are they incredibly dangerous? Boss Hang", she asked.


    Boss Hang nodded.


    "Very. Their fleet is rtively small but that is because they capitalize on their speed. They do not depend on cannons or any of that to rob ships. Rather, they use harpoons and ropes to board the ship and take it over as quickly as possible. The name of "Gold Monkey" stems from this as they are fast and nimble like monkeys. More than that, every one of them howl like beasts as they board the ship."


    He looked around, checking to see if everyone was fully armored and prepared to fight.


    "If I remember correctly, there should be a few others from the Institution that are also helping out. In any case, we have to keep them on the deck and away from any entrances to the lower levels. That is the only thing I will say."


    From afar, the ships of the Gold Monkey Pirates came closer. The sounds of howling and whistling grew louder. The fleet had all split into different directions. With their swift, they managed to avoid the cannon shots with a few scrapes. Only one or two had slightly more damage but the enire fleet moved forward, looking to surround the sky ship.


    Ming Yue looked around, taking note of all twenty ships before making a move.


    "I wonder if they''re fast enough..."


    She muttered before wind gathered above her. They gathered and spun, growing in power before fully forming into twenty of her sting Gales.


    With a thought, she sent them out, soaring through the skies as each one went to their own target. Compared to the ships, they were small and none of the pirates seemed to even care. Xing Dao noticed thences but was the same as his crew, he thought little of this attack.


    It was so much so that he yelled out, insulting those on the sky ship.


    "Is that it? A little bit of wind? Is that going to stop the Gol-"


    All at once, thences met their target and exploded, shocking the fleet as they all tried to keep the ship bnced. While the sting Gales did not manage to make a hole, cracks had formed and the hull was creaking.


    The captain of the Gold Monkey Pirates, steadied himself and eyed the sky ship.


    "Speed up! Avoid the attacks! Another twenty seconds and we can board the ship!"


    He turned serious and barked out ordered before retreating from the front of his ship. Walking down, he moved to the sides and grabbed one of the harpoon guns on the floor.


    One by one, the ships grew closer and the men at the sides of the ship readied their harpoons.


    "Here theye! Everyone, prepare yourselves!"


    Boss Hang yelled out, shaking his hands ready and curling them into fists.


    Ming Yue did not take out her sword, in fact, she didn''t seem very tense.


    "Are they really that dangerous?" she thought.


    From the skies, numerous harpoons flew up in the air, flying down towards the ship deck and the sides.


    "They''re more annoying than anything..." Xue Yue spoke out and Ming Yue moved.


    Under her control, she formed a wall of wind that slowed the harpoons and threw them off course. Of the hundred or so harpoons, only six managed to reach the ship, piercing the wood flooring.


    As more and more ships arrived, the number of harpoons grew and wave after wave, they came. Ming Yue could not stop all of them and the boardingmenced.


    "Forward! Overrun them!"


    Xing Dao pointed his saber forward and his men ran up the side of their ships. They sprinted over the ropes tied to the harpoons with ease.


    "Hmph!"


    Ming Yue threw forth another st of wind, shaking the ropes and pushing some of them off. But true to their name,, they grabbed onto the ropes and continued, moving along like monkeys climbing vines.


    They jumped onto the ship in droves and rushed those defending on the ship.


    "Get them! Run for the lower levels and grab whatever looks shiny!"


    Some of the pirates cackled out loudly as they brandished their weapons.


    "Fight them back! Hold your ground!" Boss Hang yelled out before jumping into action.


    The vice captain was quite monster in battle, as he took on multiple pirates. With his spiked gauntlets, he punched and threw his fists around, causing small shockwaves with each attack. The others followed, dressed in armor, they fought the pirates with swords and sabers.


    "Hey there, pretty girl! Are you looking for a husband yet? How about this big brother here?"


    Ming Yue found herself surrounded by several pirates, all of them looking at her lustfully. One of them walked forward, a pot-bellied man in his twenties with an impish face and a gold cuss, a short and rather gaudy weapon.


    "Come on, I don''t think you need to fight, right? Juste over an-"


    Unable to finish his words, he dropped to the floor, convulsing as he choked on his own blood and died there. Ming Yue didn''t move from her position, rather a single wind needle did the work. It pierced his neck and obliterated it. Outside, it was a singr hole with the thickness of one centimeter and within, it was a bloody mess of destruction as the needle tore through it.


    "What the fuck?!"


    The other stepped back out of fear, they could not understand what had happened for they saw nothing.


    Ming Yue looked at them and took out her sword. Unsheathing it, the long de released a melodious ring as she held it in her hand. As her opponents were still in a state of shock, she ran forward and swung her de.


    In one horizontal swing, Drifting Sky cut through them all.. Six lives had been taken in that first move and it had only just begun.

 Chapter 286 - The Harpoon Wielding Captain

    In the chaos, the crew members of the sky ship found that something was amiss.


    "This pressure...it''s not very high", Boss Hang thought.


    They were outnumbered by arge margin. There were only a hundred of them while the Gold Monkey Pirates had over a thousand members. Yet, despite these odds, the situation did not seem as bad as they thought it would be. It felt manageable to them.


    The same could not be said for the pirates.


    They were in disarray and too many of theirrades had died. It came to a point where even Xing Dao found the situation to be troublesome. He looked at the sky ship, trying to locate the source of this problem.


    "What is...a young girl? A little girl like her is able to do this much? Are my men that weak?"


    He spoke with disbelief and anger as he watched Ming Yue''s figure, shing about.


    She moved quickly and effortlessly, killing three or four of the pirates in one fell swing. Some were perhaps a bit stronger and managed to avoid death. But they could not avoid it for much longer. With her off hand, she sent out numerous wind needles to finish them.


    She looked towards another direction where arcs of light and ck fog shed about.


    "Those two must be having some fun."


    Xiao Yin and Hei Yue moved separately from her, taking control of one section of the deck. Hei Yue hid within the fog, the Mistral Fox''s dark silver fur shined as it bit and wed the ankles of any unsuspecting pirate. Xiao Yin flew up in the air, its ws glowed with a luminescent light as it threw crescent arcs of light energy.


    The pair made for a troublesome team as entering that fog was most certainly death.


    Seeing that they were not in a danger, Ming Yue did as she pleased, pushing back and defending a quarter of the ship on her own.


    "Damn it! Surround her! We have to stop her immediately!"


    More and more of the pirates began to pursue her.


    She was now the greatest threat but Ming Yue could not be caught. If need be, she could just enter Hei Yue''s ck fog.


    "Quick, Wei La, Zuan Gan! Go and protect the ship!"


    From the stairs that descended down, two figures shot out and took their stand at the frontlines. One wielded a spear and the other used a round shield as a weapon. They were the guards from before and the one they protect, their young mistress, watched from behind.


    Their presence brought the attention of Xing Dao, who now found his own target.


    "Hmph, interesting. The guards are quitepetent and they serve that little girl. I wonder how much she would be worth."


    Holding his harpoon gun, he aimed carefully and shot, shooting for an obscure part of the ship.


    Ming Yue noticed their presence as well but thought little of it. With those two guards, the little girl was quite safe. Even still, it was quite rash of her to act in this way.


    Both Wei La and Zuan Gan held their own as together, they were able to take on multiple pirates at once. From the looks of it, these two were at the Earth Realm while these pirates were mostly at the Human Realm. As a pair, they did well to keep a distance between their young mistress and these unsavory people.


    "Blue Dragon Burst!"


    "Ox-King''s Hammer!"


    From Wei La''s spear, an azure dragon of water flew from the tip of his spear, charging ferociously at the pirates. Its jaws were gaping wide as it engulfed them within its body and drowned them. Zuan Gan was a body cultivator as his body went into a stance. Bringing his shield forward, his body produced a bull''s roar as he charged forward, crushing the iing pirates with sheer force.


    The young girl had a very proud expression and looked towards Ming Yue, trying to show her superiority in some way. Unfortunately, Ming Yue wasn''t looking nor would she have cared that much.


    "Hmph! Wei La, Zuan Gan! You better not disappoint me!"


    She pouted and yelled out to her poor bodyguards.


    "Yes, young mist-"


    The two guards were suddenly thrown back, sent flying into the cabin walls as a towering man stood in front of the young girl.


    "Well hello there! I wonder whose child you are. A merchant? A high standing official, perhaps? It doesn''t quite matter, as long as you''re worth something."


    It was Xing Dao, sneering at the little girl as he brandished his thick saber. The handle itself was long enough to grasp with two hands. It was a mixture of purple and brass, while the de itself was made from a golden tinted metal.


    "Young Mistress! Run! It''s too dangerous!"


    Wei La yelled out as he supported himself with his spear and Zuan Gan stood up, faring much better as a body cultivator. However, they were too far away and several pirate stood in their way.


    "If you dare touch her, the Golden Treasure Kingdom will not forgive you!" Zuan Gan shouted at Xing Dao, whose eyes lit up.


    "The Golden Treasure Kingdom? Really now... If that''s the case, I certainly can''t let you go."


    How much could she be ransomed for? If it was from the Golden Treasure Kingdom, that number was limitless. He threw his hands forward, looking to take this young girl away. Unfortunately, he was not quick enough.


    "Phantasmal Wind."


    Ming Yue''s sword appeared, aimed for his neck. Xing Dao immediately turned blocking the strike with his saber.


    "Urgh..."


    Despite his stature, the force of the strike pushed him back and caught him off guard. Ming Yue''s body materialized like a ghost as she stood between him and his prey.


    "You..."


    Regaining hisposure, Xing Dao sharpened his eyes as he looked at her. Unlike most of the people here, she was strong. He could sense it, the lingering aura of death and blood.


    "Were you the one that attacked my fleet earlier?" he asked.


    Ming Yue did not respond, readying her sword and protecting the young girl. Mist began to seep from her clothes as the armor she wore transformed.* No longer was it a simple and beautiful hanfu, her sash morphed into a white metallic waist armor and her sleeves changed as well.


    Her right arm featured a gauntlet and vambrace that red out. Her left arm was different, it was fully covered from the hand to the shoulders. Rather than a red out vambrace, it was the pauldron that extended past her shoulder, ring out.


    This was the main aspect of her Changing Clouds Armor, it transformed and improved her defense without sacrificing mobility. Furthermore, it even improved her speed. Outside of these two reasons, it could also repair itself, a feature that Ming Yue thoroughly needed. It was simply too convenient to not have.


    Xing Dao whistled.


    "I wonder how much that''s worth!"


    He attacked, thrusting his saber forward as the gold tint gleamed under the sun. Some sort of gold aura surrounded it, it gave a feeling that touching it would not be a good idea.


    "Lightning?" Ming Yue thought.


    She took a step back sheltering the young girl behind her as she dealt with the attack. Parrying it, Ming Yue then moved forward, going on the offensive.


    "Men! Take the girl, she''s worth something and give me my harpoon!"


    Xing Dao yelled out before focusing on the opponent before him.


    "Come, little girl! Let''s see how strong you are!"


    He gave a heartyugh and surged with power as he jumped back. From the air, one of the pirates threw a harpoon to him, it was connected by several meters of rope. It was a strange weapon to have but he wielded it well.. With a saber in one hand and the harpoon on the other, the captain of the Gold Monkey Pirates charged forward.

 Chapter 287 - Killing The Pirates

    Being leader of such a band of pirates meant that his strength was above them all. Not to mention, his movement was swift and limber. He was by no means an easy opponent. Perhaps his cultivation was not as great as herself but he more than made up for it through experience and instinct. Xing Dao used the surroundings to his benefit, swinging about as he attacked.


    He''d throw his harpoon down, using it to further increase his movement. By tugging on the rope, sharp turns and sudden changes in direction was a simple task.


    Ming Yue did not chase him and stayed close to the young girl. Whilst Xing Dao took to the air, these two had been surrounded by his men.


    "Why are you protecting her? She tried to take Hei Yue and Xiao Yin. Look where we are now! Surrounded by these fucking pirates."


    Xue Yue''s voice seemed quite annoyed by Ming Yue''s actions.


    "You know full well, I wouldn''t have left her alone."


    Ming Yue took little heed to her words, responding calmy as she surveyed the men circling her. She turned to the young girl and grabbed her by the waist.


    "Wha-"


    She could barely let out a word as Ming Yue jumped,unching herself over the pirates. In one leap, they flew over them,nding in front of the two bodyguards.


    "I''ll clear the way! Take her and leave!"


    Ming Yue threw her at them before creating a simple windnce. With it, she sted apart the pirates, creating a path for them to escape.


    "Thank you!"


    "Quickly, let''s go!"


    The two poor guards carried their young mistress away, who red at Ming Yue.


    "Did you have to be so rough?!" she shouted, rubbing her bruised back.


    Ming Yue didn''t look at her focusing on the situation.


    "I knew you couldn''t help yourself."


    Xue Yue spoke in a satisfied tone.So much so that Ming Yue could imagine her pleased smile.


    Just as the two guards ran off, a harpoon flew down, piercing the floor in front of them.


    "I''m not going to let you go!" Xing Dao yelled out.


    Pulling on the rope, hended in front of them and pointed his saber towards them.


    "Thunder Crashing Strike!"


    His saber shed with light as gold sparks coursed through the de. Zuan Gan jumped forward, helding his shield to face the saber strike. It fell down as lightning crashed into the shield but this bodyguard stood firm.


    Ming Yue flew forward and attacked the pirate captain.


    "Phantasmal Wind..."


    Drifitng Sky moved forward as Ming Yue aimed for his heart but Xing Dao was quick enough to deal with the strike. He kicked Zuan Gan back and pulled his harpoon out, parryng the sword strike. She pressed on, this time assaulting with with a flurry of strikes.


    "Tempestuous Storm..."


    With her sword empowered, the force of each attack was several fold stronger.


    Xing Dao''s arms had grown numb from the impact and each strike served to push him back another step.


    "Grah! Don''t push your luck!"


    He exploded with energy and distanced himself from her. He held his harpoon like a javelin that began to glow with an golden electric light. Winding his arm back, the lightning gathered and condensed itself into the javelin.


    "Lightning Bolt!"


    He hurled it forward and it shot out, leaving an arc of gold light. It was quick, leaving behind the sound of a thundering crack. It was so fast that not even Ming Yue would be able to dodge this attack. Just as she prepared herself, the other bodyguard Wei La jumped in front of her.


    "Hah! Blue Dragon Burst!"


    He trusted his spear forward, letting loose another dragon of water that roared against this golden javelin.


    Not sparing a moment, Ming Yue left the javelin to him as she made her way towards Xing Dao.


    Still using Tempestuous Storm, she pushed him even further as her attacks suddenly grew in strength and speed. The explosive impact was something Xing Dao could barely endure. Furthermore, without his harpoon, he could not escape so easily.


    As much as he tried, he had lost his momentum and the rhythm of battle had been disrupted.


    Ming Yue swung upwards, sting the pirate captain into the air. Wind gathered around her sword as it erged threefold.


    "Squall Strike."


    She flew up and drove her sword into his body. The wind that encased her sword were like razors. If it were to cut wood, the sword could grind it away. Against flesh, the results were much more drastic.


    As Drifting Sky pierced Xing Dao, he could feel his innards being shredded apart as blood sprayed out. He barely held his consciousness but the strength in his body had left him. Ming Yue pulled her sword out of his limp body and left him to bleed out on the floor. She looked at the pirates all around her, fear and shock could be seen in their eyes.


    Their captain, the one who had led them through a decade of robbery had died to her. But who would''ve known? To havee across a magnificent sky ship also ran the chance of strong passengers. But to think, that their captain died to someone like Ming Yue came as a shock them.


    She was no ordinary passenger after all.


    The head of the snake had been cut but there was still the body left.


    "Re-retreat! Retreat! Run away! The captain is dead! He''s been killed!"


    The pirates began to scatter, running back to their ship. With their captain dead, there was no one to lead them but escape was just a hopeless dream. Their withdrawal posed an opportunity for Ming Yue.


    What followed was a shock towards the crew and the passengers of the sky ship.


    A simple one-sided massacre.


    With her current cultivation, her control and use of the energies in her body was smooth and nearly perfect. From the deck of the ship, she moved incredibly fast, leaving images in her step as she wielded Drifting Sky in one hand and shot wind needles with her other hand.


    Each time she struck, a handful of bodies fell to the floor. Some had small holes in their heads and necks, others had their necks cut off, their hearts pierced.


    "Scatter! Get away, she''s a monster! Steer the ships away!"


    Some of them yelled out in horror and desperation as they tried their best to run. As for those safe within their pirate ships, They moved to cut the ropes from the harpoons they shot. One by one they cut away the ropes as quickly as they could, hoping that whoever was left on the sky ship could spare them more time.


    "Please what are you doing?! We''re brothers!"


    One of the pirates yelled out, running across the rope as quickly as possible. But the rope was a strand away from breaking and when he was halfway through, the rope broke. His expression was a mixture of fear and unwillingness, he grabbed at the rope but his hands slipped and he fell from the skies. Death hade for him but the others were not willing to ept it.


    "Quickly! Pull the ship away!"


    The one who cut the ropes yelled out, watching the sky ship for any sign of Ming Yue. He searched the deck, finding the dead bodies of hisrades. The sight of it chilled him to his bones.


    "Where is she? Where did that girl go?"


    He looked and looked but found her to have disappeared.


    "That''s...impossible..."


    The pirate ship began to pull away as relief began to settle in. Just as this ship let out a breath of relief, a loud crash shook them as they turned to find one of the other ships broken and falling to the depths.


    Then, he heard a loud crack on the floor as it burst apart from a sting Gale. Ming Yuended with a gentle tap and looked at this deserted pirate.. Her sword glinted under the sunlight as she came for his life.

 Chapter 288 - A Small Detour

    One by one the ships fell, destroyed by Ming Yue and the crew was all but dead. At the end of it, she flew back to the sky ship. Her clothes were stained red and her sword dripped with blood. Landing on the deck, she wiped the blood off her sword with her sleeves. The Changing Clouds Armor changed back to its original form, cleansing itself of the bloodstains.


    In seconds, it was as if she had never gone to battle at all.


    But everyone else had witnessed it, the destruction of a pirate fleet in her hands. An entire fleet, twenty ships in total had been decimated by her. For some it hadn''t quite settled in and for others, there was a bit of fear and awe in what they had seen.


    "How did she achieve this?" they thought, it couldn''t be fathomed.


    But they saw it all, heads lopped by the dozen, pools of blood that dyed the ships red, and the ghostly figure of Ming Yue, whose presence seemed to epass everyting. If one looked closely, they would find the rolling heads to have expressions of fear and shock frozen on their faces. Their skin devoid of color, their eyes and mouth wide open as if to scream but no voice could be found.


    Some shuddered, unable to look Ming Yue straight for the carnage she had brought.


    The young cultivator did not seem to care, she looked around before aiding everyone.


    "Please, let me help you."


    She spoke calmly, retrieving medicinal bandages and pastes from her spatial ring. Fortunately, no one had died but a few had been heavily injured, specifically, the two bodyguards from earlier.


    Both Wei La and Zuan Ganid against the side of the ship, breathing heavily. Of the two, Wei La was in a much worse situation. Having to deal with the harpoon from Xing Dao, he could not stop it and endured the pain as it had pierced the side of his stomach.


    "Agh, this damned harpoon!"


    Zuan Gan was hesitant, his friend was injured but he was not confident in retrieving the harpoon.


    "Let me see it."


    Ming Yue walked up to them and inspected the injury. It was lodged deeply in Wei La and pulling it out could cause even more bleeding, making the wound worse. Kneeling down, Ming Yue grabbed the harpoon by the shaft and the slightest movement had caused Wei La to grown in pain.


    "This will be painful but I will be as quick as possible. "


    She looked at Wei La who nodded and grit his teeth, prepared to endure the pain.


    Ming Yue pulled out the Pearlstone Dagger, a weapon featuring a small white pearl inserted into the pommel. The de was thin and long, six inches in length and the width was less then two fingers.


    Slowly, she opened the wound and widened it. Using the dagger, she slowly cut it open, allowing the harpoon space to loosen up. Zuan Gan watched closely, making sure that Wei La was still conscious. The young girl that they worked to protect tried to look away. However, she could not help but look at Wei La, concerned for his well-being.


    "Almost there..."


    Ming Yue cut deeper into the wound, freeing up the harpoon and taking it out. She moved fast, applying some red paste to the wound and then wrapping his abdomen with bandages. The paste quickly worked, festering and bubbling as it began to close up the wound.


    "Hoo..."


    Wei La breathed out feeling alleviated and relief as the pain was reced by a cool sensation.


    "Hm, good, with an injury like that, it will take at least a week to fully recover. I''m not very skilled with this sort of work so it would be better to see a doctor. You may have incurred some internal injuries that only a medicinal pill could fix."


    Ming Yue quickly exined while handing over a bundle of bandages to Zuan Gan.


    "Rece them once a day. You could risk things like sickness and infection. It would be even more costly to heal him."


    Handing them off to him, Ming Yue stood up and moved on to the other injured. Before she did, the young mistress from before ran up to her. Looking a bit awkward, she mustered up the courage to speak.


    "Thank you for helping my bodyguard...I''m sorry for trying to take your pets..."


    Her voice was quiet and after she finished, she grew silent. After seeing Ming Yue''s actions, her mind changed after realizing that Ming Yue had saved her and treated her bodyguard. She was not stupid or stubborn enough to not understand this. She waited for Ming Yue''s response only to be met with silence.


    Rather, a dark silver furred fox, walked towards her feet and rubbed against her clothes. Hei Yue looked at her, perhaps forgiving her for her actions before returning to Ming Yue.


    The young girl looked at them before being led away by her guards.


    The remainder of the trip was quiet and went without much problem. Of course, with Ming Yue around, there wasn''t much to be worried about. However, the passengers and even a few of the crew had mostly avoided her.


    The scenes of her destruction was heavily imprinted in their minds.


    The only ones who didn''t seem to mind her was Boss Hang and the young mistress, who introduced herself as Cai Kuihua. The former thanked her for her help and even answered a few lingering questions she had about sky ships. Thetter asked her many questions: her past, her connection to Hei Yue and Xiao Yin, where she was headed.


    She seemed very intrigued by Ming Yue, wanting to know what sort of person she was. Where others were afraid, Kuihua''s young age came with ack of fear.


    The journeysted several more days before the sky shipnded in the capital of Red Lotus, Five Element City. Ming Yue left, thanking the crew for their hospitality and giving Wei La another inspection before going.


    As for Kuihua, she had a slightly disappointed expression as Ming Yue exited the ship. Once more, she was apanied by no one but her two guards.


    "Mm, I''m back."


    MIng Yue looked around with her twopanions, recalling her time here. The auction house and the Youth Dragon Tournament that she took part in. The tournament took ce every five years and Ming Yue had entered when she was fifteen. She still had another chance at twenty as the participants had to be twenty or younger.


    But for now there were better times to reminisce.


    From the capital city, she traveled for a few days before reaching a very familiar ce along the way.


    "This is...the Firelight Ruins."


    Just a distance away was the Firelight City, this had been where people fought over the inheritance of Yan Hui Zhu, the Fury of the Light. Such an opportunity was not meant for her and instead, a member of the Violet Sun Sect had grasped it.


    Even without getting it, Ming Yue chanced upon other encounters.


    "Hei Yue, do you remember this ce?"


    She looked towards the fox, whose eyes seemed to wander around the area. The beast''s eyes were a bit somber, remembering what had happened here. The death of his mother and meeting Ming Yue were memories that emerged within him. If it was not for meeting the young woman, where could Hei Yue had gone?


    Perhaps, he would''ve died to the same beast that killed his mother.


    However, it was the beast that died, killed through the duo''s cooperation and devoured by Hei Yue.


    The fox looked up at Ming Yue, rubbing against her leg.


    "Hm, how could you not have forgotten this ce?" she smiled, scratching his head.


    Upon finishing, her face took on a strange expression as if she had remembered something.


    "I wonder, is that pond still there?"

 Chapter 289 - Secret Of The Pond

    Tucked in the back of her mind was the memory of the strange pond she hade across. Found deep within the cave, it was cold and crystal clear but there was no end to the depths of it. Back then, she had been too weak to fully descend and knew little of the properties it held. She merely cultivated within the shallow parts of pond, using it to temper her body.


    But this time it was different.


    The trio moved about as Ming Yue searched for the cave.


    A single hour passed before she saw wisps of a strange milky colored energy out of the corner of her eyes.


    "This energy...could it be from the cave?"


    She followed them before standing in front of the same cave years ago. The faint cold aura wafted out, brushing her cheeks as she gazed into the darkness.


    "Come on, you two. It might be time to find out the mysteries of this cave."


    She entered the cave followed by herpanions. The deeper they went, the colder it became. The darkness of the cave slowly disappeared as the glowing pond illuminated the end of it. The same white light from before had been magnified as she reached the edge of the pond.


    "Hmm, this is made from Quintessence Energy but, what sort of Dao is this?"


    She peered into the pond but found it to bottomless. Furthermore, the energy that it radiated was something she had never seen before. It was very soft,cking in power but as she moved to touch it, a cold and restless aura followed. It did not resemble that of the Ice or Snow Dao due to its restlessness and itcked the intense chill as well. If anything, it resembled more like the Light Dao but there was a sort of mystical aspect to it.


    "This energy is too strange... I suppose, I can call it luck that it did not harm me in any way. But the source of it, I might have to dive in. You too stay back, okay?"


    Ming Yue looked at Xiao Yin and Hei Yue before turning back to the pond. Her hanfu transformed into armor as she dived into the pond.


    "What is at the bottom? Where does this pond lead to?"


    These thoughts lingered in her mind as she swam deeper into the depths.


    The aura slowly became denser as she went further down and the light grew brighter. The strange mystical feeling stayed light and airy, yet it seemed to be suffocating. But she continued, the difference in strength from when she first entered to now was immense. Ming Yue would not be stopped.


    "That light, there''s something there."


    Descending down, she noticed the light strengthening and spotted a bright light, like a star of sorts at.


    "What could it be? Some sort of treasure? A rare vein of ore? Some sort of nt? Perhaps and item?"


    Her curiosity spurred her on as she swam even faster. But the closer she came, the harder it was to move about. The feeling of suffocation was hard to ignore. Even as she cycled her energy and activated her armor, it was difficult to continue forward.


    The boundless aura surrounded her and it beared a weight upon her body. It was not as if she was shouldering a mountain but rather she was approaching some sort of celestial realm. It was a ce someone like her did not belong in yet. There was a feeling of grandness epassing her and a feeling of smallness growing within her. She was merely dust within this realm.


    Even then, she pushed on, ignoring the feeling and steeling herself. She did not waver and swam further down.


    Then just a distance away, she was able to make it out, the source of this phenomena.


    "A corpse?!"


    Her eyes widened as they gazed at the skeleton lying on the ground. It was glowing white, dressed in tattered clothes and carrying it a rusted sword. She did not linger for very long for the pressure here was beginning to overwhelm her.


    Quickly, she ascended and jumped out of the pond, surprising the fox and owl, who had been napping close by. She stood there, pondering what she had seen.


    "A skeleton corpse is the source of all this. If that is so, then what kind of person was this corpse? How strong could they have been? Perhaps there is something more to this cave."


    Without drying herself, Ming Yue began to study the stone walls that had been illuminated by the light of the pond. Looking around, she spooted something strange, a corner of the cave that seemed quite polishedpared to the rest of the cave and there was something engraved upon it.


    "What is this? A tombstone?" she looked at it, trying to the read the letters.


    "Here lies a disciple of the Lunatic Sword, dead after failing to master the Moonlight Guillotine Stance."


    "What?!"


    That was the only thing that came to mind.


    To think that this pond held a dead disciple of the Lunatic Sword, better known as the Lunar Executioner! Just this was enough to shock the continent let alone her.


    But outside of these words, there was nothing else. No clue of some sort as to what the Moonlight Guillotine Stance. However, this is solid proof, evidence that the Lunatic Sword was real.


    "But this stance... Could it be the stance that the statue took in the ck Peak Mountains?"


    She thought back to that ce, remembering the simple yetplex stance the statue had taken. Even if the stance refers to something else, these two had to be connected in some way.


    "I should leave for Luan City first but before that, I should soak in the pond for a little. Perhaps, If I try to understand this Dao, I may have better luck the next time I return to the Merciless Storm Peak."


    Ming Yue undressed and cultivated in the pond for a full day, while Hei Yue and Xiao Yin went off hunting to pass the time.


    "Damn, nothing."


    Her eyes opened as her expression was that of disappointment.


    Unfortunately, a day was far from enough and Ming Yue gained little from this. Outside of solidifying her cultivation, she could not make heads or tails with the properties of this energy. The Dao that this disciple practiced was simply beyond her understandings.


    "Hmm, perhaps, I may need to be in the Sky Realm or even the Heaven Realm to fully grasp it. But I''ve already spent too much time here, I need to leave."


    Putting on her clothes and calling for her two beasts, she took note of the cave and went on with her journey. But her mind was upied with nothing but the Lunar Executioner and that disciple. Her mind seemed to run amok as she tried to specte how the technique worked but even then, she did not understand. At the same time, how did he end up here? Did his failure to master the technique result in his death? Then, what was the Lunar Executioner doing?


    In this state, time went by quickly and soon she reached her destination.


    In front of her was a bustling city filled with people. It was certainly not as grand as Five Element City nor was it as elegant as Heaven''s Gate. Even Rong Lu City had a uniqueness to it. However, this city was like any other one, an ordinary ce that held a special significance in her heart.


    "I''m back", she thought, feeling numerous emotions within her.


    It was Luan City, the ce where everything had begun. ''


    Entering the city, she was met with familiar sights and smells, food stalls andnterns strung across the street. However, she did not take in the sight and moved straight for the brothel, finding it the same as ever.


    A four story building with women looking out of the windows, gazing at the streets. Many of them waved their handkerchiefs at the passerbys, giving seductive looks at the men. Then, one of them noticed a familiar young woman standing outside of the brothel.


    "Oh, It''s Ming Yue! Everyone! Ming Yue is here!"

 Chapter 290 - Consoling The Sorrowful

    "Where''s Cui Fen? She needs toe see her!"


    One of them spotted her arrival and immediately signified the others. All of them then turned towards her, waving their greetings as Ming Yue returned it with a wave and entered the brothel.


    As she did, the brothel workers inside greeted her warmly and began talking to her.


    "Oh it''s so good to see you again!"


    "You''ve grown quite a bit! How long as it been?"


    "You were such a cute little girl when you first stayed here!"


    "You''ve got to tell us where you''ve been!"


    "When did you have a fox? It''s so cute! Your little owl has grown too!"


    They all spoke excitedly, trying to catch up with her before moving onto the main subject. She had stayed with them for several months, acting as their guard whenever a customer had be too rowdy and helping to clean when necessary. Her actions had made their lives much easier in those months and they were grateful for such a thing. Because of her, it had be much more umon for customers to misbehave.


    But now, it was not them that needed help the most.


    "You should talk to Cui Fen. Ever since Fei Yun had disappeared, she hasn''t been quite the same!"


    They all looked at each other before looking at Ming Yue. Their faces were filled with concern and worry for their friend.


    "Perhaps, she might feel better after speaking to you for a little."


    They led her to the back of the brothel in the courtyard where Cui Fen sat on a stool, staring at the sky. Rou''er, her daughter, was by her side, sticking close to her as she also looked up at the night sky.


    Hearing the many steps of the brothel workers, Cui Fen turned around, seeing Ming Yue and vice versa. Ming Yue saw Cui Fen''s face, a tired and empty expression. Her eyes were dull,cking in emotion and filled with sadness.


    "Oh, Ming Yue, you''re here..."


    As Cui Fen spoke, Rou''er turned around, spotting Ming Yue. Her eyes widened as she ran up to her, embracing the young cultivator.


    "When did youe back? I''ve missed you so much."


    The young girl spoke with a sort of excitement, shoving her face into Ming Yue''s clothes. Rou''er looked up, somewhat teary-eyed from earlier but nheless happy. Her hair was tied into a little bun, kept together by a green silk ribbon.


    "You''ve grown quite a bit, haven''t you? Rou''er."


    Ming Yue knelt down and wrapped her arms around her, hugging her for a few seconds. Her expression was soft, caring and gave a gentle smile. Seeing Rou''er''s teary face left a wistful feeling within her heart and to see the both of them like this made the feeling stronger.


    "Why don''t you y with these two? They''d be very excited to have a new friend."


    Hei Yue ran up to Rou''er, whose eyes lit up at the appeareance of the Mistral Fox. Apanied by Xiao Yin, the pair could sense the sadness in her. In a matter of moments, the trio went off to y, leaving Ming Yue alone with Cui Fen.


    Having seen her daughter act so cheerful, Cui Fen had a small smile as Ming Yue joined her, sitting on another stool. In front of them was a small table that had few desserts on them, a te of buns with sweet fillings and several egg tarts.


    "Please have one..."


    Cui Fen quietly offered them as she looked off into the starry sky.


    "Have you been well?"


    Ming Yue asked her, speaking with a tone of concern.


    Upon a closer look, she noticed many things that only strengthened such emotions. Cui Fen was not one to have make up on or rather, she was a beauty with or without it. Then again, it might not have been able to conceal the sadness on her face. Her eyes were tired, deep and dark circles surrounded them. Her skin was a bit gaunt and wrinkled, her back was slump, making her look much older than she was.


    Elder Fei''s disappearance had taken a toll on her.


    "You''ve grown..." she said.


    Cui Fen looked at Ming Yue, her eyes seemed to glitter for a moment.


    "It''s been what? Nearly three years since you saved me from those men, a young girl with nothing but a sword. You were smaller back then and now, you''ve grown taller and your eyes aren''t as cold as they once were."


    She turned away, looking up at the night sky.


    "Because of you, I met Fei Yun and everything became so much more colorful."


    As she spoke, her eyes were red from the tears and soon they began to well up.


    "Hah, I just don''t know what to do anymore. We-we were going to be a family."


    She seemed to linger on the thought of family, her words were rife grief and longing. With Ming Yue here, she could not hold herself back and tears began to flow, trailing down her cheeks.


    "A family... that was what we could''ve been."


    Looking at the table, Cui Fen took out a emerald hankerchief, wiping her tears and trying her best to restrain herself.


    "Haah, when Fei Yun returned, he stayed and became a full-fledged elder of the Eternal de Sect. Every day, he would return to visit Rou''er and I. Sometimes he would bring gifts but his presence alone was enough. When we spoke, there were so many things we had inmon. The letters we wrote to each other seemed to brighten our days. There were things about each other that we were captivated by at the beginning and things that we had grown to love as time passed."


    She looked back, staring at the brothel. In a distance, Cui Fen could hear the faintughter of her daughter, ying with Hei Yue and Xiao Yin.


    "Rou''er had grown to love him, his stories captivated her, excited her even! Because of Fei Yun, she had be such an expressive girl. When she joined the Eternal de Sect, she had grown to have so many friends. It used to be just us and the girls at the brothel, she was so quiet before. Even when she smiled, I knew what was happening, I knew that she was enduring for our debts..."


    Cui Fen looked at Ming Yue, her face filled with sorrow.


    "Because of you, I would have never met Fei Yun and because of him, life woud not have been so joyful. Without him, I''m not sure what to do anymore. Even then, I know that there is nothing I can do for I am just an ordinary woman and Rou''er is too young. So please, you have to find him. I beg of you..."


    Ming Yue looked back at her, gazing into those eyes. They were filled with sadness, exhaustion, and surrender for this mother was truly helpless. She was trapped, backed into a corner with no way to escape. That was what Cui Fen''s eyes showed, the sorrow that filled every fiber of her being.


    "Even-even if he''s dead, I want to see him one more time", Cui Fen seemed to choke up as the thought came to pass.


    Ming Yue ced her hand on the shoulder of Cui Fen, reassuring her.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll find him, even if I must risk my life."


    Cui Fen had been her caretaker when she first began this journey of hers. When everything had been destroyed, Cui Fen and Rou''er were one of the first to warm her heart. If not for them, she might''ve been devoid of emotion now, cold and distant. To an extent, they were the closest thing to family.


    She took in a deep breath,posing herself once more.


    "Haah, thank you, thank you...I should stop now. You''vee a long way and surely, there is much that you want to say. I''m sure, Rou''er will enjoy hearing about your adventures."


    For a little bit, Cui Fen could forget the sorrow.

 Chapter 291 - The Eternal Blade Sect

    When day came and the sun rose, Ming Yue walked out of the brothel. Everyone else had gone to sleep, except for a few in charge ofundry, such a ce operated during the night. She turned back finally noticing the name of the ce.


    "Hmm, Baimei''s Garden*, what a fitting name."


    The day was early as business had just begun, stalls were still being set up as the street markets slowly opened. Ming Yue headed off with Xiao Yin perched on her shoulder and Hei Yue trotting along.


    "I wonder if it''s still open."


    Walking down one of the lesser known streets, she came across a simple store and found a bit ofmotions from inside. Momentster the doors opened as a young man ran out with his tail between his legs. His attendants followed suit, chasing after him. He seemed to be the young master of one of the many families and to her, he seemed very familiar.


    "Damn it! This is thest time I evere back to this store! When did that old man get so strong?!"


    As he ran off, this young master ended up running into Ming Yue. Looking forward, he saw her and also found her somewhat familiar.


    It did not quite click in with the two of them until their faces met.


    "Oh no, not you!"


    Looking at her, he took off at an even faster pace as his attendants trailed behind.


    "Wait, Master Xu! Please, slow down!" they shouted desparately but he was too far to hear them.


    "Master Xu...that must''ve been the same young master from before. To think that he stilles to harass Owner Su..."


    Ming Yue nced at his fleeing figure and turned back to the store he had run out from. The doors had closed shut but overall, it had stayed the same. Moving to open the doors, she walked in and her entrance prompted a pair of eyes to look up.


    "Hm, Ming Yue? It''s been quite a long time since Ist saw you. You''ve be very strong, so much so that I can barely sense it."


    Sitting behind the countertop was Owner Su, the one managing this shop and a formermander to Luan City''s army. Whilst sitting there, he was polishing a sword with a piece of cloth, perhaps having used it to scare off that young master.


    "Owner Su, It has been some time", she said, "I just saw that Master Xu run out of your store."


    "Hah, him? Ever since the beast horde years ago, he''s been adamant about bing my student. Unfortunately, his behavior could be better. Every time, hees, he does it the same way, demanding it from me and somehow he never changes. Even after beating him, he stilles back and every time he would swear never to return but he woulde back. Out of everything, his strong will ismendable."


    He looked at the polished de in his hand before sheathing it and putting the sword away. The store owner turned around, taking a more upright position on his seat and looked at Ming Yue. There was a friendly expression on his face.


    "So, what brings you here? I don''t think that it is just to talk is it?" he said.


    Ming Yue took out her old robes and her dagger, cing it on the counter for him to see.


    "I''m here to sell some items."


    Speaking with a smile, she looked at him, pushing them forward. Now that she had no need for these items, it seemed right to sell it. And who better to sell to than the person she had brought it from.


    Owner Su looked at them and smiled.


    "A hundred gold, how does that sound?"


    "That''s more than enough."


    Just like that the exchange was made and Ming Yue conversed a bit with Owner Su before leaving.


    "I wonder what sort of value these will have in the future..."


    He spoke loudly as she left and his words, prompted her to smile. After her little visit to the store Ming Yue strolled around the city, taking it all in. When she first arrived, she never quite bothered to enjoy the sights. It was certainly not a grand or elegant city but for her, it had significance.


    For a few copper coins, she brought a freshly steamed bun and ate as she walked. It was soft and had quite a pillowy texture. From another stall, she purchased a few other foods to feed her two beasts. Both of them enjoying some steamed sweet potatoes and stuffed meat buns.


    "Hm, I wonder if the city lord is doing well. I wonder what the Demon Brigades are doing as well."


    The thought suddenly appeared into her mind.


    During the beast horde, he suffered many wounds from battling the mastermind behind the attack. It was only in thest moments that she jumped in to save him. It also reminded of the Demon Brigade that were sent to aid the city. With her Dusk Lily Pin used up, she would''ve died if not for their appearance.


    "Perhaps they were sent to the Demon Continent. Though, that Lord of Azure Souls did say the kingdom was not strong enough to make a difference there."


    Her mind began to wander, specting the situation but s, she did not have enough knowledge.


    She bought a few other items for breakfast to bring back and saw Cui Fen getting ready to see her daughter off.


    "Hm? Are you going to the Eternal de Sect?" she asked.


    Rou''er looked at her and smiled. She showed off her sword and green uniform, both of which fit her quite well. Last night''s events had brightened the girl up as she looked happily toward Ming Yue.


    "Yeah! But this time, I''ll be going away for a bit longer so I won''t be able to see mother for a bit."


    "I see, I''lle with you. I''ve been wanting to visit the Eternal de Sect."


    She looked at the little girl and then towards Cui Fen, who looked somewhat betterpared to before.


    "Rou''er, why don''t you lead Ming Yue to the sect?" she said.


    "Oh, oh, follow me! Good bye mother!"


    Rou''er ran off, pulling Ming Yue by the hand. Quickly, they left the city and ran off.


    "How has it been in the sect?" Ming Yue asked her as they traveled down the road.


    "It''s been fun. With Uncle Fei* there, I haven''t had a lot of trouble, it''s hard but I really like it. I didn''t know how fun it is to use a sword. But,tely the sect has been strange."


    "Strange? what do you mean?"


    "After Uncle Fei disappeared, the sect sent out multiple people to find him. After a few days, they stopped and began gathering people for some reason. This is actually why I''ll be gone for a bit, some of the elders told me that my talent was good and that they were gathering all of the talented disciples to go through some experiential training. I asked around but no one seemed to know anything more about this."


    Ming Yue furrowed her brows at this.


    "Really now, that is quite strange, I wonder where they''re taking you.When we get there, I will be trying to meet with Fei Xian, Uncle Fei''s nephew. "


    "Oh! Brother Fei Xian! He''s been very busy at the sect, making medicine and doing his own special training. If I remember correctly, he has also joined this group. In any case, we''re almost there. I''ll make sure the guards let you pass through."


    An emerald building slowly grew as they came closer and as it became clearer, Ming Yue could see the gates up ahead. There were guards at the side of each door, dressed in a dark green uniform and carrying a sword by their side.


    As the pair arrived, the guards suddenly blocked the door.


    "Halt, you cannot enter the sect at this moment."

 Chapter 292 - Speaking With Fei Xian

    "What? What do you mean? I''m a disciple of the Eternal de Sect!"


    Rou''er took out a small jade medallion with the character for "Eternal" on it. She showed it to the guards who looked and then opened the way.


    "Since you have the medallion, you may pass however, we cannot allow this guest of yours to enter."


    They gestured towards Ming Yue who half-expected this to happen. The disappearance of Elder Fei must had put the sect on high alert. It was especially so for the identity of the masked figure who took him, a criminal responsible for the destruction of numerous small sects. It was without a doubt that the Eternal de Sect could be their next target.


    With that said, they could not allow any mysterious stranger to waltz into the sect.


    "My name is Ming Yue. I am an acquaintance Elder Fei and I just wanted to speak to Fei Xian for a little. Is there no way for me to enter?"


    As she introduced herself, the two guards looked somewhat surprised but they did not let her pass.


    "It does not matter who you are, we cannot let any strangers in. We apologize but this is under Elder Jia''s order."


    "I see."


    Ming Yue found it bit strange and now she wasn''t too sure as to what to do now. She had wanted to ask Fei Xian and possibly their Sect Leader about Elder Fei''s disappearance.


    "What are you doing? Just storm the sect! Those two guards are only at the 8th level of the Human Realm. Just go in, ask and get out."


    Within her mind, Xue Yue''s disdainful words seemed to make the situation sound simple. Ming Yue did have the strength to force her way through the sect. If anything, she could just fly over the walls and bypass their defenses.


    However, she did not want to be disrespectful especially to the sect of Elder Fei.


    "Is there an issue? Who is at the gates?"


    Walking down the road from behind, a figure appeared, a young man dressed in light green robes with a sword by his side and a basket on his back. Following him were several others, mostly female disciples, dressed simrly, carrying baskets filled with herbs picked from the outdoors.


    "Senior brother Fei Xian, you''ve returned from your trip!"


    The guards stood upright, showing their respect to him.


    "Yes, I''m back and these two are..."


    Fei Xian looked at the backs of Rou''er and Ming Yue. While he recognized the former, thetter seemed somewhat familiar to him and it took a few seconds before it came to him.


    "Hm? Is that you, Ming Yue?" He asked.


    She turned around finding Fei Xian among his juniors. Like her, he had grown as well, getting taller and taking on a more mature appearance. His face was simr, only having a sharper jaw and calm eyes. Compared to when theyst met, he had experienced much more in the continent.


    "Fei Xian, it''s good to see you again. I wanted to talk about Uncle Fei but it seems that the sect is not taking visitors."


    His eyes sort of widened in surprise as he looked towards the guards.


    "When was this? Why was I not informed? I''ve only been gone for three days",he spoke with a certain firmness and authority.


    "It is under the orders of Elder Mian, senior brother. He gave it out a day after you left for your training."


    The guards answered truthfully, not wanting to anger him.


    "Hmph, Ming Yue is not only my benefactor but also my uncle''s benefactor. She will be entering the sect with me."


    Fei Xian stepped forward, standing in front of the two guards. His aura slowly rose, pressuring the two Human Realm cultivators.


    "Yes senior brother!"


    The guards bowed and opened the the way for them all, to which they passed.


    "Thank you Brother Fei!"


    Rou''er walked up to Fei Xian, who smiled and greeted the two warmly.


    "Come one, let''s go in."


    He moved forward, retracting his aura as he led them into the Eternal de Sect.


    Entering, Ming Yue looked around, studying the Eternal de Sect. Built with a dark mahogany wood and beautifully carved, each building was simple yet elegant for each piece of them fit perfectly with each other. Even if the earth rumbled and thundered or storms shattered thend, this sect would not fall. It seemed to fit with the meaning of "eternal", forever standing and evesting.


    Surrounding the sect were multiple fields and dueling rings to practice one''s skills. Each one had multiple disciples, most of whom seemed to be practicing one technique, though each one seemd to have their own version of it.


    She nced at them, admiring the stance and studying it. With her understanding of sword techniques, she could see that the crux of the technique was the position that all of the disciples took. Their legs were spread apart and their sword pointed forward, a very basic stance. From there, they struck, attacking in a number of ways.


    Rou''er saw her interest in the stance and began to exin cheerfully.


    "That''s the Eonic Stance, a technique that everyone has to learn regardless of what they sort of attribute they focus on. Elder Fei said that the technique has limitless potential and could be improved for eons toe. Every year, we all write down our understanding of the technique and it is then used to make the stance even stronger. But it''s confusing because even though, it is called a "technique", there are so many ways to use it."


    Fei Xian then spoke, adding on to her exnation.


    "Yes, it is the prized technique of the Eternal de Sect. Although it begins from one stance, the technique focuses on numerous things from control to timing. There is a lot ofplexity to the technique as the stance is a set of over a hundred moves that are chained one by one. To improve the technique is to improve one of the hundred moves or switch them out with something new and different."


    He then turned around and looked towards the disciples he had taken outside.


    "You may all disperse, I''ll being seeing you in the Medicinal Hall. Next time, we''ll be going over how to properly cultivate and maintain a rank 1 medicinal garden. Rou''er, you should go and practice as well. Ming Yue and I need to discuss a few things."


    "Aw, okay, I''ll see youter, Brother Fei, Ming Yue!"


    Rou''er ran off with her sword, entering one of the halls.


    "Follow me."


    Fei Xian then led her to his abode, a small, modest hut equipped with a garden and a courtyard. He opened the door, revealing a simple ce with a few books and other pieces of furniture. Off to the side were some gardening tools and pots filled with saplings.


    "I apologize for no thaving better aadations. I decided to focus on medicine making and herbal cultivation, hence, I settled for this."


    "No, this is perfectly fine. I quite like this ce."


    "Hah, that''s good."


    Fei Xian pulled out a seat for her as well as one for himself. Sitting down, he looked at her calmly and spoke.


    "I know that you''re here to ask me about Uncle Fei and to that, I do not know anything. Nor do any of the elders in the sect, not even the sect leader could find any news of him."


    He spoke earnestly and with truth, Ming Yue could tell from his tone. Still, it was somewhat disappointing to hear it. Her only other lead was to head for the Merciless Storm Peak and search for any clues of the masked figure.


    "I see. Then, Rou''er spoke to me about some trip for experiential training but there doesn''t seem to be any information about it. Do you know anything about that?"


    Fei Xian furrowed his brows, thinking of a way to exin.


    "This....this is a little strange."

 Chapter 293 - Looking Around The Sect

    "What do you mean?" Ming Yue asked.


    "Well, the one who organized this is Elder Jia, the one who ordered the guards to keep strangers out. He had only just recently returned from his personal experiential training and spoke of a ce he hade across of. But he had not told anyone except for the other elders of this location. Since Rou''er had been called to join, I decided toe along in case something happens."


    Ming Yue found it strange, why was it that this Elder was so intent on taking disciples to this mysterious ce? Even going so far as to recruit those that were talented.


    "If the other elders allowed this to happen, then it must be quite a ce..."


    "I do not know much but he intends to gather up everyone tomorrow night to speak about this endeavor, perhaps it will be revealed then. In any case, I should show you around the sect, Uncle Fei would''ve done the same."


    Gesturing Ming Yue, the pair left Fei Xian''s house and he lead her all around sect. From the many practice fields, to the halls as well, however when standing in front of one specific building, he warned her not to enter.


    "This ce contains the record of the Eonic Stance, apiled collection of several hudnred years worth of knowledge pushed into it. It is heavily guarded and personally watched by the Sect Leader as well."


    He pointed at a tower that was at the center of the sect. It was a nine story pagoda with six sides, shaped into a hexagon. It gave off an ancient and solemn aura, a feeling of threat emerged as she looked at it.


    She lingered for a bit before following him deeper into the sect as the sweet scent of medicine wafted into air.


    "This is the Medicinal Hall of the Eternal de Sect in which I am a core disciple of."


    Fei Xian spoke proudly as he led her into the building. It was a three story building surrounded by multiple gardens, where disciples maintained the herbs they grew. It was built to be sturdier than the other buildings with thick beams of a reddish mahogany wood acting as supports.


    Entering the hall, Ming Yue was met with the familiar sight of medicinal pots filled with bubbling liquids. However, they were much smallerpared to the massive bubbling cauldrons that Elder Hua had. They were much smaller, easily carried with two hands andrge enough to hold several liters of water.Each one had a person handling it, looking into the mixture as they continued to tend ot the fire and feed it their energy.


    No one looked up to see their entrance, all of them were focused on their own mixtures.


    "These pots are property of the sect and can only be reserved a week in advance. However, only the first floor is only like this. The second floor is for inner disciples and the third floor is for the elder as well as the core disciples. It is only on the third floor that there is a Grandmaster''s Cauldron. Here, let me take you to the gardens."


    Through the first floor, they passed through the many disciples, all of whom had sweat running down their faces as they fully concentrated. Leaving the hall, Fei Xian opened a set of doors that led to the outside, revealing massive gardens nearly twenty times the size of his personal one.


    "We have four gardens. Three of them are for the disciples to maintain and contain herbs ranging from rank 1 to rank 4. The fourth garden is for inner and core disciples to use."


    Ming Yue looked at them, each one had a variety of different herbs that made for a very colorful view. It was very beautiful and gave off a simple yet calming sensation.


    "Hm, Fei Xian, is that you? So you''ve returned from teaching the new disciples I see. How was it?"


    A female disciple stood up, carrying a small sapling in her hand. She wore a white and green uniform with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows. Slightly muscr and a bit tan, this perosn had spent time in the gardens and was certainly experienced. Her face was bnced, neither her eyes, nose or mouth was disproportionate, making for a charmful appearance. She spoke with a friendly tone and her expression showed that she was happy to see Fei Xian return.


    "It was fine, Qi Yao. There wasn''t any sort of danger so the ss went smoothly. Oh, this is an aquaintance of mine, Ming Yue. Ming Yue, this is my junior sister, Qi Yao."


    Quickly he introduced the two together before speaking again.


    "Ming Yue came to visit and I decided to show her around."


    Qi Yao smiled, her expression did not change as she looked at Ming Yue.


    "Oh, so you are Ming Yue. I''ve heard quite a bit about you from Fei Xian and Elder Fei. I''ve always wondered about meeting you in person and it would''ve been better at a different time. As you can see, I''m not quite empty handed."


    She looked towards her hands, covered in dirt from working in the garden.


    "Hm, let me help you. Though my expertise might becking, it''s better than working on your own. Fei Xian, is there perhaps a set of tools for me to use?", said Ming Yue.


    "Oh-oh, here...you don''t have to force yourself. Besides, you are my guest, I cannot allow you to dirty your hands and do our work for us."


    Fei Xian tried to persuade her otherwise but he handed her the tools.


    "No, no, what else could I be doing? I have the rest of the day anyways."


    She rolled up her sleeves and looked at both of the disciples, who looked at each other before taking up their own tools.


    "If that''s the case, we might be able to finish early today."


    The trio then moved, examining the garden, watering and cutting away any dead parts. From her childhood, Ming Yue was no stranger to gardening. Coupled with what she learned from Elder Hua, her skill was quite good. It was somewhat nostalgic for her and became a bit therapeutic, calming her heart and mind.


    At some point, Fei Xian left toplete some minor errands, leaving Ming Yue with Qi Yao to finish. The task was done by the time the sun shined directly above them. Both worked up a sweat and entered the Medicinal Hall, to rest for a bit.


    "You know, you are the reason Fei Xian entered the Medicinal Hall."


    Qi Yao abruptly spoke, revealing a secret about him.


    "Is that so?" Ming Yue replied, not knowing how else she could respond.


    "From what I hear, you saved him with several years ago from a Jade Snake. You gave him a small slip of medicinal powder for his wounds. From there, he took on an interest of medicine before fully joining the Medicinal Hall. Though he does still practice his sword skills as much as possible."


    "Really now? I didn''t expect that to have happened."


    "Hah, To you that might not have been worth noting but it changed his life and mine..."


    Qi Yao''s voice turned a bit quiet, her face was not as bright and cheerfulpared to earlier.


    "In truth, we were going to be Dao Companions but ever since Elder Fei disappeared, he has been different. Suddenly, he''s been working even harder, taking on numerous tasks and responsibilities and I fear for him."


    Then she looked at Ming Yue, revealing her worried expression.


    "I know that you are not here to visit. Even though Fei Xian said so, I know that you came to investigate Elder Fei''s capture.. Perhaps, he doesn''t know anything but there is something I should tell you."

 Chapter 294 - Secret Plan

    Ming Yue leaned in, her face was serious as she paid full attention to Qi Yao.


    "If you may have learned earlier, there is an elder assembling a group of all the talented disciples. He is called Elder Jia and he ns to take them to some secret realm. The night before the elder announced it was when he proposed it to the other elders and the Sect Leader."


    This was when Qi Yao''s voice turned very quiet as she spoke her next words.


    "I happened to have finished tending the garden that night and eavesdropped on their meeting. However, there was no meeting at all! On the night he gathered them, Elder Jia poisoned them with some sort of hypnotising incense, strong enough to even work on the Sect Leader, an expert at the SKy Realm. Afterwards, a figure emerged from the shadows, a man wearing a mask, and they spoke of them their n. Tonight, Elder Jia will use the same incense on them and take them all to the ck Peak Mountains."


    Ming Yue''s face was unchanged as she heard this information. If they were being taken to the ck Peak Mountains, then it was likely, that they were headed for the Merciless Storm Peak. Which meant that their base had to be there.


    However, Qi Yao was not done.


    "When I listened in, I heard the elder call the masked man, "Zuo Er" and speak about the Tao Feng Sect."


    "Zuo Er? Tao Feng? So he was not dead yet. But his legs were broken, walking should''ve been a dream to him", Ming Yue thought.


    She remembered hearing from the cultivators at Clear Spring Mountain that his legs had been shot out and his meridians destroyed. For him to be active should be impossible.


    "Then, did they say anything about Elder Fei?" she asked Qi Yao, who was reluctant to speak.


    "The masked man had captured Elder Fei but because he was too old, he was of no use. But Elder Jia wanted him, as for where he was taken, I do not know. Please, you have to find him, you have to help us!"


    Qi Yao begged Ming Yue, who began to think.


    "Why did you tell anyone about what you heard?" she asked.


    "How could I? All of the Elders and even the Sect Leader are under Elder Jia''s control. Even if I told the other disciples, they would not have the strength nor would they have believed me. There was no one that I could really turn to. Telling Fei Xian would not end well, he loves his uncle and Fei Xian might go and attack Elder Jia in broad daylight if I had told him."


    Qi Yao exined her predicament. So long as it was someone within the sect, teling them would be useless. Even with her position as a core disciple, she was nothing to an elder. Ming Yue thought carefully about what she heard, trying to devise a n.


    "This... if it is the case, then I will need you to help me. The most important thing is to stop Elder Jia from seeding the n. Once I interrupt it, I need you to lead the disicples away to somewhere safe. More than likely, I will be fighting the other elders. With that said, I need to make my own preparations."


    "Okay, I will. But please be careful, each of our elders are experts at the Earth Realm and our Sect Leader is at the Sky Realm. Perhaps you could contend against them but with the Sect Leader, you could die."


    "Don''t worry, I will have something prepared. Where is he going to gather the disicples?"


    "The sect hall, you will see it immediately after entering."


    "Hm, okay."


    Ming Yue briskly returned after asking a bit more about the where Elder Jia was gathering the disciples. She examined her equipment: her weapons, her armor, and her trinkets.


    What may truly save her was the Dusk Lily Pin, something she hadn''t been using due herst few battles. After all, so long as she was quick enough, she could avoid most attacks. But this time was different, her opponents were not some disciples but seasoned experts who had simr cultivation levels. Their experience in battle most likely exceeded hers and so her only advantage was the element of surprise. She had to be swift and urate.


    Along with the Eternal Heart Ring, she couldst in a prolonged fight but it wouldn''t be for long. If it came to it, she would have to use Pale Moon to finish the fight.


    She stepped out while the sun was still up and wandered the sect, taking note of theyout as well as the main hall.


    "Where could I enter from? What would be a good vantage point?" she thought.


    "Hah, so we''re actually going to storm the ce. Why don''t you let me take the reins?"


    Xue Yue''s voice perked up, revealing her excitement at these developments.


    "Shut it, let me think."


    "Hmph, if you''re going to scout the sect, why don''t you find out who Elder Jia is?"


    "I''m getting to it."


    Ming Yue looked at the tower that held the history of the Eonic Stance. It stood at the center of the sect and in front of the main hall.


    "That doesn''t seem like a bad point enter from."


    With its height and location, she could enter at ease and hide away, though there was an issue.


    "It won''t work, the ce is heavily guarded. Even the Sect Leader personally guards it."


    "But if that Elder had taken control of them with hypnotic incense, their senses must still be dull. AT the very least, you probably won''t alert them if you stay outside."


    "That''s true..."


    She was deep in thought, silently discussing with Ming Yue before someone came up to her.


    "Hm, Ming Yue? What are you standing here for?"


    Standing by her, Rou''er looked at Ming Yue with a curious face.


    "It''s nothing. I was just looking around."


    "Hmm, if that''s the case, let me bring you around some more. I just finished my training!"


    She grabbed Ming Yue by the hand and pulled her around, showing off to her friends and such. The day slowly ended and Ming Yue made sure that everything was ready. Rou''er left her to join Elder Jia''s gathering and under the cover of the night, she made her way to the pagoda at the center fo the sect.


    "So it hasn''t started yet."


    Ming Yue watched from above, seeing the disciples enter the main hall one by one until no more came. Silently, she entered the building through one of the open windows and made her way down.


    "I''m sure that all of you are curious as to where I am taking you to. After Elder Fei and I split, I happened upon this ce in theter days of my journey."


    She heard a voice from below, It was loud and heroic, there was a certain charisma to it that few had.


    "That must be Elder Jia."


    Finding a good spot to hide, she watched from below finding the numerous disciples all seated and listening to the elder. But then she noticed something hidden within the eaves of the ceiling, a bronze item of some sort which had a snake shaped spout, spewing out a sweet white smoke.


    "What is that?"


    She eyed it just as Elder Jia continued his talk.


    He was a well kept man, a person who focused on his looks as much as his sword skills. Despite being somewhere in his thirties, he looked more closely to a twenty year old,plete with shoulder-length hair and a clean-shaven face.


    He spoke with rity and volume, capturing everyone''s attention.


    "Hehehe, that incense burner should start working about now. In a few minutes, these poor children will have their minds dulled. A few simple instructions and I could take them all back to the fortress. The Sect leader should be pleased with this batch."


    Despite his good-natured smile and captivating voice, Elder Jia hid some ominous intentions.

 Chapter 295 - One Against Five

    Within the crowd was Fei Xian, Rou''er, and Qi Yao, the former two were intrigued by Elder Jia''s words while Qi Yao fidgeted around. Her eyes kept darting between the elder and the doors leading out to the sect grounds. The three of them sat in the back, closest to the doors.


    "Qi Yao, is there something wrong? You don''t look very well."


    Fei Xian noticed her nervousness.


    "No, it''s nothing. I''m just feeling a bit tired today. Let''s just finish listening to the elder."


    She reassured up, keeping up a smile but it was not enough to convince him.


    "Are you sure? I think that It would be better to leave and I''m sure Ming Yue could help look after you."


    Just as he was about to stand, Qi Yao grabbed his sleeve, keeping him seated.


    "When the timees, I need you to help me lead the disciples away."


    Her face was serious and her tone quiet but urgent.


    "Wha-what do you mean? Is there something happening?"


    From above they heard a ttering noise as something fell from one of the nooks of the pirs. The sound wasn''t very loud but it disrupted Elder Jia''s speech and silenced the entire hall. Itnded right next to Fei Xian, who picked it up and inspected it.


    "This...this is an incense burner but... what is it doing here?"


    It was a brass piece of a snake emerging from a sphere, from its pursed mouth was a white smoke that smelled sweet. It was most simr to honey and citrus and it seemed to overpower his nose and begin the cloud his mind.


    Elder Jia''s eyes closed in on the burner, as surprise filled his mind.


    "The Valerian Serpent Incense, no!"


    He suddenly spoke without thinking as Qi Yao smacked it away from Fei Xian. Descending from above, Ming Yue flew down and drew her sword. She threw out several wind needles at Elder Jia before turning back to Qi Yao.


    "Take everyone away from here!" she yelled out.


    Qi Yao nodded and with everyone in confusion, she began to direct them out of here.


    Elder Jia dodged the needles before whipping out his own sword, pointing it and Ming Yue.


    "You there, who are you?! Why did you disrupt my ns?!" he yelled out.


    Ming Yue did not bother answering him and swiftly attacked, using Phantasmal Wind.


    Earlier, she had noticed the Valerian Snake Incense begin to suffuse with smoke, realizing that it was what he used to hynotise the elders. She attempted to disarm it quietly but the contraption was too intricate for her to deal with in a quick manner. On that note, she merely caused it to fall, serving as a signal for Qi Yao to move.


    "Hah, you think you will be enough? Elders! Sect Leader! Surround them!"


    As he called out, five sources of energy rose up as five figures emerged from the shadows of the halls. Each one of them covered a different section, blocking the doors and windows. With them in the way, there was no ce to escape to.


    "Elder Jia, what''s going on? Why are the other Elders here? Even the Sect Leader is here..."


    "Hm? There''s something strange about them."


    "Don''t their eyes look empty? Elder Kong? Elder Ci? Sect Leader?"


    "They''re not responding. What''s going on, Elder Jia?"


    Soon, the many disciples began to notice that something was wrong. All of the of elders had nk looks on their faces. Even as their own students called out to them, their faces emained unchanged.


    "Qi Yao, what''s happening? Why does Elder Dai look like this? What is Ming Yue doing here?"


    Fei Xian looked at his loved one, confused and in shock. There were too many things happening at once and there was not enough time to digest everything.


    "Help me clear the way! We have to take everyone out of here. Elder Jia is trying to kill us!"


    She tried to speak as concisely as possible but what she spoke of was easier said than done. WIth the elders blocking their way, the only option was to fight them.


    "Elders, save me!"


    Elder Jia cried out in fear as Ming Yue pushed him to a corner. An elder of the Eternal Sword Sect would be skilled with the de but it seemed that Elder Jia wascking. His opponent was quick and fearsome, taking him off-guard as she fought with a certain ferocity.


    He was at least able to defend against her wind needles and Phantasmal Wind. However, she cloaked her hand in wind, transforming it into a w. Try as he might, he was barely able to match her speed.


    "Damn this girl, when did shee here? How did she know about my n? No matter, so long as I can detain her with the elders, I can still seed."


    Elder Jia was at his limits with her and so he called the elders to help him.


    On hismand, the five figures left their positions to intercept Ming Yue, who had already noticed their approach.


    "Go now!"


    She shouted towards Qi Yao.


    "We''re under attack! Run! Follow me to the Medicinal Hall! The elders will take care of it!"


    Qi Yao called out, pulling Fei Xian away and led the disciples away. However, Fei Xian resisted, staring at Ming Yue who had begun to fight with the the upper echelon of the Eternal de Sect. He turned back to Qi Yao, looking at her in confusion and anger.


    "Tell me, Qi Yao. What is going on exactly?"


    She looked at him desperately before speaking.


    "If you want her to save Elder Fei and then follow me and help me get them out of here."


    She did not want to reveal everything nor would time permit her. Even if they was able to do so, she did not know what Fei Xian would do. If anything, he may join the fight and this was not something he could enter so easily. He looked into her eyes, finding she did not lie but there was something else that she did not tell him. If it was to save his uncle, then he would listen to her.


    "Fine, but you have to tell me everything."


    With her, they rallied the disciples and brought them out, all but one remained. Rou''er clutched her sword tightly as she watched Ming Yue fight.


    "Ming Yue, what are you doing?! Why are you attacking the elders? Stop fighting!" she yelled out.


    Fei Xian quickly went over to her, grabbing the young girl and taking her away. But it was not without her shouting at Ming Yue, pleading with both sides to stop fighting.


    Ming Yue did not hear her pleas for she was too upied with the fight. Her armor had already transformed and she was contemting using Pale Moon. She was beginning to lose control of the fight.


    "Damn it, I need to do something. Going against five of them was too much."


    Against five seasoned experts, Ming Yue could only go on the defensive. Each one had their own style of fighting which made it difficult for her to anticipate their moves. Even if their minds were clouded and their senses dulled, their skills were mostly there. Even worse was the Sect Leader, Fu Men, a sky realm expert and the one that posed the most danger. Furthermore, she could not kill them, they were not her true enemies, merely puppets used by another.


    "At least, they can''t execute their techniques in this state" she thought.


    Hypnotised by the incense, they could not muster the focus to do so. If they could, the battle would''ve ended in her loss.


    Their swords shed as Ming Yue moved from one spot to another, trying to find a way to lessen the pressure. Sparks flew as their des crossed each other. They were everywhere, damaging and destroying through the support beams and the furniture. The ground was already a mess from the impacts of Ming Yue''s strikes.


    Of the five, the Sect Elder was closest to her, his Sky Realm Cultivation revealed itself in this fight. His sword was swift and true and with each strike able to overpower hers. The gap was simply too wide and she need to do something.


    "I have to incapacitate the weakest one."


    She flew up,nding in one of the upper corners of the walls before turning back. Thowing her hand out, a powerful st of wind charged forth and slowed her pursuers.. In that moment, the young cultivator shot towards the elders, smashing the t of her de into two of them.

 Chapter 296 - Where Did You Take Him?

    "Puha!"


    They coughed up blood as their bodies fell back to the ground. The other three noticed this and chased after her, brandishing their swords as she rushed to knock out the fallen elders.


    Elder Jia merely watch from afar as she fought, nning his next step.


    "I have to leave and find those damned disciples!" he thought.


    The elder looked around before locating the Valerian Snake Incense, he ran to it and swipped the brass incense burner before making his way towards the doors.


    "He''s leaving!"


    Xue Yue spoke out, alerting Ming Yue who turned to see hs fleeing body. She changed directions, heading for him instead. In an instant, she vanished and reappeared behind Elder Jia, cing the edge of her sword on his neck.


    The hypnotised elders followed after her, readying their swords to attack.


    "What are you going to do?"


    Elder Jia said, sweat began to fall down his head at the fear of losing it. However, she grabbed him and faced the iing attack, readying him as a shield.


    "Wait! Wait, stop!"


    He cried out and they stopped only inches from him. Their swords already touching his clothes, especially the Sect Leader, whose de pricked the skin on his chest.


    "You-you, what are you doing here? Why do you want to stop us? I am a member fo the Tao Feng, do you know what will happen if I die?"


    His mouth began to run but it did not deter Ming Yue. She grabbed the Valerian Snake Incense, destroying it with her Zephyr ws. Under her vice, the incense burner crumpled up before being ripped apart.


    "Where did you take him? Where is Elder Fei? Depending on your answer, you could die a painless death."


    She spoke coldly towards him, not giving an inch to him.


    "Heeeh!" Elder Jia whimpered, "He-he''s chained within the tower the elders guard. Take him, he''s still alive but please just let me go!"


    "Where''s the medicine to detoxify them? Hand it over."


    The elder was reluctant but he ruffled through his sleeves, being careful so as to not enrage.


    "It''s...here!"


    He threw something down that exploded in a white mist, surprising Ming Yue and escaped her grasp.


    "Kill her! Kill her!" he shouted out crazily as the four elders and the sect leader charged forward.


    They were too close for her to avoid it and took on the attack. The Dusk Lily Pin activated as all three uses were used to protect her, all of thembined to defend against the five swords. However, it was could not endure the impact and Ming Yue burst out of the main hall, flying across the air.


    "This bastard..."


    She flipped,nding on the top of the pagoda that held both the Eonic Stance and Elder Fei.


    Coming for her were the experts of the Eternal de Sect while Elder Jia had seemingly vanished from her sight.


    "Damn it, Pale Moon."


    Cursing once more, Ming Yue grit her teeth before entering into battles once again. Her power fully exploded as a ghostly blue aura rose from her body. She attacked, splitting the air apart as a moon shaped arc of wind flew forth.


    From a distance, Hei Yue and Xiao Yin arrived, noticing her explosive aura.


    "Find Rou''er! Protect them!"


    She shouted out at them before shing swords with the five experts. If Elder Jia was going to go somewhere, it would be where the disciples were. The fox and owl departed as quickly as they came, following her instructions and chasing after Rou''er.


    Fighting against them was much easier this time around. Herbat strength was nearly three times as strong and here, she managed to stay her ground.


    "You''re not going tost long, Ming Yue", Xue Yue said.


    "That''s obvious, but what do you expect me to do?"


    Ming Yue was at her wit''s end, there wasn''t much she could do against her opponents. They weren''t at their best and even at her strongest, she could barely push them back.


    "Free the elder, at the very least, the situation would be a bit better."


    "If I can even do it, but it''s worth a try."


    In this quick exchange, Ming Yue sought for an opportunity. She retreated several meters back before sending off a wall of wind that drained a third of her energy. The mindless elders charged forward without a care but piercing this wall was difficult for even them. It was thick and dense, providing her with a bit of time to break into the pagoda.


    She descended and attacked the doors but they were locked shut. Even after several tries, she could only scratch it or cause it to tremble. It must have been supported through special tools and formations but there was not time to decipher it.


    "sting Gale..."


    Floating above her shoulders, a singrnce of wind formed, condensing until it was the size of her arm but carried the power of a hundrednces. Something like this was enough to cause a Sky Realm expert to feel fear, let alone a pair of locked doors. At a time like this, brute force was the solution.


    She retreated it and send thence forward, shooting through and crashing into the tower. The ground shook and a shockwave spread through out the sect grounds. The impact was so loud that even those within Luan City heard it. Nevertheless, the pagoda did not fall. It was created to protected a several hundred year old technique, the foundation of the Eternal de Sect. Even under a cmity, it would not fall. However, the doors had cracked, shattering the restrictions that binded it.


    "Yes!"


    Ming Yue jumped forward with her quickest speed, just as the other elders broke past her wall of wind. None of them were quick enough for her as she burst past the doors.


    "A spiral staircase!"


    She immediately climbed up, ignoring what surrounded her. The walls were shelves filled with books and scrolls, each one containing a life''s worth of knowledge and practice. There were hundreds of them, all for the sake of improving one technique, one stance.


    Ascending the pagoda, she noticed a haggard figure, chained up upon one of the shelves. Hanging from the walls was Elder Fei, his clothes ripped and shredded from battle and torment. There were wounds covering his body and arge gash across his chest, deep and barely healed. It was a crimson red, as if one touch could break it again.


    "Elder Fei!"


    She called out to him and ran up, cutting his chains.


    Outside, her five pursuers stopped in front of the pagoda, not daring to enter for their purpose was to guard this tower. No amount of hynosis or poison would change that.


    Towards the Medicinal Hall, Qi Yao and and Fei Xian led everyone there. They were in shock, surprised to see their elders appear so strangely and for them to battle Ming Yue. That was especially so for Rou''er, who was still hung up on what she had seen.


    "Qi Yao, tell me. What is going on? What does this have to do with my uncle?"


    Fei Xian looked toward her, pleading with his eyes that she would tell him.


    "Sister Qi, do you really know what''s happening? Why is Ming Yue fighting with the elders?"


    Having heard her, Rou''er turned around and walked up to her senior sister. Her face was somewhat empty, shock still gripped her, and relunctantly, she told them what she had heard days ago. Then she spoke of what Ming Yue had nned to do. The pair listened intently, their faces showed little emotion as they tried toprehend what they had just heard.


    Before Fei Xian or Rou''er could even speak, a figure entered, opening the doors.


    His handsome face was somewhat pale and his clothes a bit scratched up, Elder Jia looked a bit miserable as he looked at the many eyes around him.


    "We''ve been attacked!"

 Chapter 297 - Burden Or Not

    He yelled out, walking towards them.


    "The elders and the Sect Leader have gone off to fend off this mysterious attacker and they have left me with the duty of bringing you all to safety. Come! Follow me!"


    All those that stood there looked at him nkly, not knowing whether to do so or not.


    "Should we go?"


    "But what about the elders and the Sect Leader? Will they be fine?"


    "You felt thatrge shockwave, how can we match that strength? We will be killed in an instant."


    "For all you know, they might not be enough."


    Murmuring and whispers broke out as they all thought, too afraid to move forward or move back. They knew too little of what happened outside those doors. It was then that Fei Xian stepped forward, his hand gripping tightly on his sword.


    "You! What have you done with my uncle? Where is he?!" he shouted out.


    "What do you mean? What are you trying to do? We must leave immediately!"


    Elder Jia spoke out with urgency, his voice and appearance lended to this act of his but Fei Xian was not having it.


    "I saw that that incense burner! That was Valerian Snake Incense, a powerful hynosis drug! What were you nning to do with it?"


    "That-that wasn''t mine, it was the attacker who hid it up there! Please stop and listen to me! We have to go now!"


    Fei Xian pulled out his sword,shing out at the elder.


    "No! I know what you''ve done! Qi Yao heard everything! Siding with the Tao Feng! Drugging the Elders and even the Sect Elder! And taking my uncle! Why did you do it? Tell me!"


    Elder Jia looked at him and his demeanor suddenly changed, no longer did he seem has panicked as before. Instead, he looked coldly and showing disdain for Fei Xian.


    "Elder Fei, it''s always Elder Fei, isn''t it?"


    He looked at Fei Xian before looking at everyone else.


    "Why did I do it? Isn''t it obvious?" he asked.


    His sword shed, knocking away Fei Xian''s de before cing it on his neck.


    "I was jealous, of course! He and I are from the same generation and yet, even as elders, our positions differ. I do not understand, why is he so important? So much so that even the Sect LEaderes to pick him up when he went to Clear Spring Mountain. If not for Fei Yun, Sect Elder Fu would have just sent a gift. Now he has a woman too? What kind of luck does he possess to have so many people pine for him?"


    Elder Jia spit out a wrathful speech towards Fei Xian. His face twisted and turned red as he spoke of all the wonderful things he did not have. But then, it turned to a smile.


    "I was approached by someone, a member of the Tao Feng who could help me. He attacked Elder Fei, capturing him and handing him over to me. In exchange, I had to do a request for this man but that doesn''t matter. Your uncle... I strung him up in the pagoda that holds the Eonic Stance. When you find him, his meridians will be ruined and his cultivation destroyed. Though I doubt you''ll ever see him again, right? Young Master Zuo Er."


    Entering through those same door was a masked figure, dressed in ck with two swords on his back. The mask he wore was simple, marked with two holes that revealed a pair of ck eyes.


    He did not speak and looked coldly at them all, ignoring Elder Jia''s words.


    "Hmm, not bad."


    Zuo Er turned to him, immediately stabbing him in the heart. He twisted the de, tearing a hole as the sword was slowly pulled out. Elder Jia did not expect such a thing to happen and his eyes widened at the wound left on his chest. The blood that left it was ck, it was unsettling and he looked back at Zuo Er.


    "You-you promised me. In the new world, I could be my own Sect Leader, why?" he asked.


    "You failed, we have no need for failures. Perhaps, if you had taken them to the Merciless Storm Peak, I would have thought differently. But you didn''t, and the incense burner has been destroyed. Now I have to kill them all before returning."


    He gave one look at Elder Jia, whoid on the floor as ck blood flowed. The mask he wore hid everything but his eyes, the expression and emotions one his face could not be seen. However, his ck eyes said it all. He felt disdain for Elder Jia.


    "You''re just a small man jealous over some shallow desires. The fact that you acted so proudly while barely doing a thing shocks me. You are better off a corpse and one my master shouldn''t use."


    The elderid there silently. His face contorted as these words pierced him like arrows. He had been used, insulted in this way. Foolishness and spite clouded his judgement, if not for these feelings he would''ve known that this would happen. s, he could onlyy here and die.


    But there was so much more he wanted to do. He wanted to achieve and do greater things but now...he dies as a fool.


    Zuo Er looked at the many disciples, all of whom were scared and unsure of what to do. He wiped his sword clean and retrieved his other sword from its scabbard.


    "You should all be grateful, that you will die now rather thanter."


    Back within the pagoda, Ming Yue supported Elder Fei up, holding him with his arm over her shoulders.


    His eyes barely opened as he saw the blurry image of his savior.


    "Ming-Ming Yue, How did you? Why are you here?"


    He spoke weakly, his voice barely contained any life in it. It was such a difference from the first time they met, there was no longer that friendly voice that which had true charisma.


    "Don''t speak, save your strength. I came after Cui Fen sent me a letter. If I hade anyter, I would not have been able to save you. Although now, we are stuck here."


    She quickly brought him up to speed, speaking of his druggedrades to which he felt shock. However, his mentality was not weak and he came up with a solution.


    "There is an underground pathway leading to the outside. We can escape through there, leaving them to stand outside. They will not have known you left at all."


    "Then we must hurry."


    She flew down the stairs, quickly descending into the underground passageway. It was dimily lit and built through stone, a straight pathway that led outside of the sect. It was quiet, there were no sounds except for their foot steps.


    "You''ve grown since thest time we''ve met."


    "Yes, Heaven''s Gate has been quite an experience for me."


    "Hah, you''re only a level below me in cultivation. Putting me to shame here, aren''t you? Though I suppose it does not matter anymore."


    "Do not say that. Fei Xian is waiting for you, not to mention Cui Fen and Rou''er as well."


    "My meridians are a mess and my cultivation destroyed, I am merely amon man now perhaps a burden rather."


    Elder Fei''s voice was wistful, sad as he thought of the irreparable damage done to him.


    At the end of the passage, they emerged within a thick forest not far from the sect. Close by was a hut carrying supplies and what not, Ming Yue took him there andid him to rest. She looked at him before going for the doors.


    "When I return, I will bring you back to Cui Fen and I will heal you.. Burden or not, they need you and you need them."

 Chapter 298 - You Did This

    Just as Zuo Er was about to begin, a white beam of light flew towards the sky aimed right for him as two blurs rushed inside. He turned around and shed the beam apart, dispersing it into bits of life.


    "Damn, pests."


    He looked at them, his two swords drawn and pointed down. Baring their fangs and ws at him, Hei Yue and Xiao Yin stared icily at Zuo Er, readying another attack.


    "It''s Hei Yue and Xiao Yin! Did Ming Yue beat the elders?" Rou''er eximed.


    The other members of the Eternal de Sect were confused, though they now understood that someone was protecting them. At the same time, Zuo Er seemed to pause a little after hearing Ming Yue''s name called out. He didn''t quite remember who she was but there was a growing hatred at even hearing her name.


    The pair of beasts moved forward together, one on the ground and the other in the air. ck fog puffed out at every step of Hei Yue''s as the dark-silver furred fox rushed forward. Swiping forward, he attacked the ankles, wing and biting away before vanishing into the dense and ck fog. Simultaneously, Xiao Yin readied her ws before releasing numerous arcs of light energy. Formed from the energy of the stars, these crescent moon strikes rained down on their enemy like cannonfire.


    Their teamwork was nearly impable, leaving barely any opportunity to strike back or even move. The ck fog made it difficult for Zuo Er to anticipate where the attacks woulde from. He could only cross his sword and defend against them. However, he wasn''t going to be defeated so easily.


    He moved forward, bearing the brunt of the attack as he emerged from the fog.The power of these attacks were strong but they weren''t enough for him to care that much


    Looking towards Xiao Yin, he sought to take the Star Owl down first.


    Zuo Er swung his right sword in a sweeping motion, it produced a sh of brilliant light before a gray colored beam soared up. It was fast and strong, reaching Xiao Yin in less than a second. She closed her wings, diving down and barely dodging the attack.


    But he wasn''t done yet, Zuo Er sent off another strike just as Hei Yue charged at him. The Mistral Fox had done a number to his legs, bloody and covered in scratches and bite marks. Yet, Zuo Er seemed to show no sign of backing down or even an ounce of pain on his face. He merely turned towards the fox and delivered a swift blow with his foot, kicking him out of the doors.


    As for Xiao Yin, she might have been able to avoid the first attack but it was toote for the owl to avoid this one. This gray beam of light was sharp but seemed to carry a deathly aura around it. Zuo Er''s attack clipped her wings as it flew up to the roof, cutting through cleanly. What it left was an injury of strange conditions.


    Her wings were left ck and almost as if decaying, like a corpse rotting in the ground. Her feathers fell as the the life within her was slowly sapped out. Her body fell, limp on the ground and breathing hard.


    Everyone saw it happen. The effects it had not only on the owl but even the building of the roof were the same, decaying and turning to dust.


    Hei Yue recovered from the kick and rushed in, finding his partner on the ground and injured. Anger welled up as the fox charged once more. At his highest speed, he was a blur and his aim was not to bite or w Zuo Er but tear his leg off.


    Unfortunately such a thing did note to pass for as Hei Yue''s mouthtched onto his leg, it did not budge. The flesh was dense and hard like metal or stone. Zuo Er merely looked at kicked him off, throwing the beast by Xiao Yin.


    "Nothing more than a few pests."


    He looked at them coldly before preparing his des to kill them.


    "No, don''t! Don''t hurt them anymore."


    Rou''er ran forward, shielding them from the him.


    "So, you want to be first then, the first to die. It does not matter, you will all die here and then, you will serve as a sacrifice for an even gretaer purpose than this low-standing guild."


    He looked at her, not seeming to care much. He only raised his sword, aiming to kill Rou''er as cleanly as possible. A stab through the heart was all that he needed. In one fluid motion, he thrusted his sword forward.


    Fei Xian readied his own de and was about to charge, to bear the strike when someone else came quicker than him.


    To everyone''s surprise, someone stood by Rou''er, embracing her with one arm while the other was outstretched. Zuo Er''s sword found only empty space but their sword found its way into his heart and it was only an inch away from piercing it.


    He looked forward and saw Ming Yue standing there. Dressed in her armor with eyes full of life, she had a few scratches but nothing more than that.


    "You, so you are behind this."


    She spoke coldly to him, her eyes seemed to pierce through his emotionless body.


    Ming Yue turned around and saw Hei Yue and Xiao Yin. Her twopanions on the ground were injured, bleeding and breathing heavily. Most of all, she saw Xiao Yin''s wings, her feathers cut up and ck. Parts of it turned gray and seemed fragile, a single breath could turn even more of her body into nothing but dust. Xiao Yin looked miserable and in so much pain.


    Seeing such a scene lit something within Ming Yue as she let go of Rou''er.


    "Take care of them for me, Rou''er, please."


    She spoke softly towards the young girl before looking towards Zuo Er. That icy stare of hers intensified.


    "You did this."


    Her tone took on a stark contrast, much colder and emotionless. That soft and gentle voice became ice in an instant. She stepped forward, pushing her sword further into his chest. The de began to hum as Zuo Er''s chest was eviscerated by the razor-sharp winds that ran through the sword. The pain would be beyond anything anyone could experience.


    Furthermore, Ming Yue forced her body and activated Pale Moon once more. Sapphire wisps of light floated from her body as a terrifying pressure came out. Her full wrath was to be unleashed and Drifting Sky began to howl from the wild wind that enveloped it.


    The power was enough to cause cracks to form on his mask. Piece by piece, it fell apart, revealing Zuo Er''s face, a handsome face with white skin. Four ck lines ran down his face,ing from his hair and ending down to his chin.


    His expression was nk.


    The pain he felt was torturous and yet, Zuo Er did not move an inch. He took the strike, even as his flesh was being ripped apart, he showed no change. More than that, the blood that flowed was ck, like some evil being had ced their influence onto him.


    "So it was you, little bastard. I wonder if you have your damn bell!"


    Xue Yue spoke out, remembering how he had dispelled her control over Ming Yue with the Shen Shatter Bell.


    Ming Yue narrowed her eyes as she looked at him.


    "I saw you at the ck Peak Mountains. I heard that you had lost control over your legs and yet you are standing now. Tell me, why did you do this?"


    Questioning him, she needed to know what he was doing to do to this sect. At the same time, his appearance was different from when shest saw him. There was no arrogance or slyness left in him, rather there seemed to be very little of him left. It seemed more like an empty husk. More than that, it seemed that he did not recognize her, at least not fully.


    Zuo Er looked at her before looking at the sword in his chest. He grabbed it with his bare hands and pulled it out, letting the wound widen and allowing more of the ck blood to spew. It began to bubble and fester before closing up, he held his swords tightly, preparing to attack.


    "You....you will be a perfect sacrifice."

 Chapter 299 - Come To The Peak

    His voice was almost puppetlike, as if someone was controlling him. It was eerie to say the least and the way he looked at Ming Yue was strange. His eyes locked onto her in an obsessive way and yet the pupils were ck. There was some movement in them, almost as if there was something lurking within the depths.


    Ming Yue steeled herself and stepped forward


    "Sacrifice? No, this is your death."


    She moved immediately, brandishing her sword as she aimed to destroy him. With Pale Moon in y, she pushed him back as far as she could, not giving him even an inch of space, a second to breathe, no opportunities to retaliate.


    She would not allow it, but how long could she continue doing this?


    Her body could not handle the power that she released and fighting in such a state exhausted her energy. Pale Moon greatly improved her strength at the expense of burning more of her energy and putting her pysical body to the brink. Before such a thing happens, Zuo Er needed to die.


    It was clear to her that in his current state, he would not answer any of her questions.


    But most importantly, he had touched what shouldn''t be touched, hurting those without knowing who cared for them. It enraged her to the highest degree and such wrathful anger could be felt by everyone. The coolness in her eyes and voice did nothing to hide the fiery fury that revealed itself in her movement and her aura.


    Everyone in that room was stifled, fear ran through them as they buckled under that wild rage. They could only watch the fight. Even Fei Xian, Qi Yao, and Rou''er watched, caring for the Ming Yue''s two furrypanions.


    The pressure on Zuo Er was much worse for it was all directed towards him. This blue ghost of a figure attacked with such ferocity and strength that his arms shook to their very bones.


    Ming Yue chased after him and Drifting Sky howled as it cut through the air. Like a vengeful ghost she was, the sounds her de made mimicked the anger she felt. She wielded it with one hand, smashing down on Zuo Er, who had to use both swords to defend.


    Despite it, he was brought to his knees under the weight of this attack.


    "Damn it, so I have failed it seems but I will be back!"


    He slipped out, escaping into the open and heading towards the forest. Ming Yue followed him in where he slinked into the shadows. It was a dense forest covered in the veil of the night, a sea of darkness was all she saw. Zuo Er was nowhere to be found but escaping her was not so easy.


    "You cannot hide from me!"


    She shouted out, using her senses to hunt him down.


    Her time at the Darkwater Kingdom made her quite sensitive to the differing energies, finding Zuo Er did not take much as she soon burst out, attacking one of the indistinguishable trees.


    Drifting Sky cut through the trunk like it was air, the falling tree revealed a dark figure who ran off.He barely avoided a fatal strike but lost his arm in the process. With his remaining arm, he sent off several gray beams of energy in an attempt to slow her down.


    Ming Yue dodged easily, soaring through the air as she chased after him.


    Despite the loss one arm, he seemed to bepletely fine, moving through the trees even quicker than before.


    "Does he feel nothing?"


    She found it strange, what had happened to him? From his inability to feel pain to the ck blood, what had been done to his body for it to end like this? Even now, his wounds left a trail of bubbling ck blood. Her nose wrinkled at the scent, it was vulgar, a sharp stench reminiscent of rotting flesh.


    "Damn it. I do not have much time left, I have to finish this!"


    She thought to herself before pushing her body even more. At her current speed, she was slowly closing the distance. Zuo Er was only a hundred meters away and yet, it would take much more than a few minutes to reach him. She would run out of energy before reaching him.


    Ming Yue did not need time, only more power, a single spurt of strength to reach him in less than an instant.


    "This is the only way to reach him in time!" she thought and concentrated.


    Whatever energy she had left in maintaining Pale Moon condensed into a few meager seconds of power but her aura strength skyrocketed and her speed multiplied by the tens. She was so much faster that she nearly vanished from her position, even quicker than using Phantasmal Wind. Just as she disappeared, four lights shed and Zuo Er, who continued to flee, found himself on the ground.


    In front of him, his body fell, piece by piece, limb by limb and they dropped to the ground limp and dead.


    "What? What happened to me?" he thought.


    ck blood flowed from every end, seeping into the ground and corroding it.


    Then he felt a hand grab his hair and hold him up high. Ming Yue looked at him. She was still standing, though barely. More than that she was surprised, even after chopping him up into pieces, he was still alive.


    "What-what happened to you?"


    She asked him.


    Looking at him, his eyes were still open and still moving, he still breathed and had some semnce of a conscious. It was unsettling for her. He was only a head and whatever remaining blood was left had all but trickled from his neck.


    Locking eyes with Zuo Er, it finally clicked as memories flowed back in. With his body in this state, the changes made to him had begun to dissipate and break down.


    "You...It''s you! Once again, you''ve dared to ruin the grand n! But it does not matter, you have merely stopped a single drop from entering the bucket."


    His eyes turned wild and crazy upon this revtion of his.


    "Grand n? Sacrifice? What exactly are you nning?" she asked him.*


    "You do not have the right to know! The time ising soon and you cannot stop it."


    His head slowly began to melt into ck sludge. His breathing quickened and Zuo Er''s face slowly dissolved. In hisst moments, he spoke one more sentence.


    "Come to the peak, if you dare."


    His head melted off, slipping through her fingers and falling into the ground. She looked at the rest of his body and saw that the rest of him had the same end, melted into dregs of dark slime.


    "The peak...So it really is the Merciless Storm Peak."


    Ming Yue stood there silently and thought before making her way back to the sect. But she had to go somewhere first.


    Within the sect grounds of the Eternal de Sect, the four elders and Sect Leader recovered from their hypnotised state. They were stunned and surprised to find themselves looking at the pagoda with its broken doors. The ground was cracked, the very foundations of her sect had been damaged.


    "What...what happened here?"


    They looked around finding the sect to be damaged from battle.


    The many disciples who took shelter in the Medicinal Hall finally left. There were no more sounds, no shing swords and wild energies, it was silent. Fei Xian was the first to gather up his courage, he slowly stepped forward and walked out of the hall. His sword was still within his hands, he looked around cautiously before spotting the elders in their confused states.


    "Elders! Sect Leader Fu! You''re no longer poisoned!"


    The others heard him speak and looked out in surprise.


    "It''s safe now?"

 Chapter 300 - Broken Shells

    "The elders are no longer being controlled!"


    They soon exited the hall and approached the Elders.


    "Fei Xian? What happened here? What do you mean poisoned?" one of the elders asked.


    This one was an old man with a gray beard reaching down to his knees. He wore a light green uniform and a short sword in his hand.


    "Elder Dai, I''m so d that you are safe!"


    "What do you mean? The tower has been broken into! The sect is a mess. What exactly happened here?"


    "Indeed, tell us! What exactly happened here? Where is Elder Jia? He spoke of taking you all to a secret realm of some sort, no?"


    The other elders were equally confused and concerned. Everywhere they looked, there were traces of battle, they needed answers.


    "Wait, stop. We must fix this up and it seems that we have some visitors as well."


    The Sect Elder Fu Men, looked towards the gates, where two figures entered the sect. Both of them were injured and slowly limping but their figures were familiar.


    As they came close and the sun began to rise, the Rou''er recognized one of them.


    " Ming Yue and... it''s Elder Fei! He''s alive!"


    "Uncle! Ming Yue!"


    Fei Xian looked them as everyone rushed towards the two. Ming Yue weakly moved forward before handing Elder Fei off to them. The moment she returned Elder Fei back to them, her body loosened as Rou''er ran to catch her.


    As Elder Fei was brought away, the remaining elders approached her with their sword unsheathed.


    "Where- How did you find him?"


    "Who are you? What business do you have with the Eternal de Sect?"


    "Did you do this?"


    The elders began to batter her with questions before Sect Leader Fu Men stepped forward with a smile.


    "Ming Yue, It seems that we owe you for saving Elder Fei. Please, let''s head to the Medicinal Hall first."


    After speaking to her, he turned to the other elders.


    "She is a guest and we shall treat her as such. We can ask her after she is properly cared for, until then, let''s clean this ce up."


    Afterwards, Ming Yue buckled under her weight and fully relying on Rou''er, who supported her with her shoulder. She was too tired to speak and her body was extremely weak.


    That short battle with the hypnotised elders was a taxing one. She would not have survived if not for the fact that their minds were dulled. Furthermore, she had activated Pale Moon twice, which strained her body even more. Though the first time was the match the elder''s strengths and the second time was out of pure anger.


    But what truly caused internal damage was condensing her remaining energy into one spurt of power. Such a burst had caused cracks in her meridians and acupoints, something that may not heal for at least a week.


    Fortunately for her, she had the Eternal Heart Ring. which was slightly glowing as it worked hard to mend her body.


    At the site of her battle, the ck sludge had yet to stop moving. Slowly but surely, it gathered together, what remained of it merged into a ball before transforming. It slowly lost its sheen and solidified, resembling that of a rock.


    It trembled ever so slightly, before cracking to which a hand emerged. Bit by bit, the shell broke apart revealing a naked Zuo Er. His body had be paler than before and much more thin. Most importantly, a fifth ck line ran down his face. He looked to the north before walking into the depths of the forest, heading back to his master.


    There was a nk look on his face, as if he was a puppet once more.


    In theing days, the Eternal de Sect returned to its original pace. Ming Yue awakened only a day after with the help with the Eternal Heart Ring and other medicines. It was then that she was brought along to the main hall where the elders were, all of them seated with the sect leader at the center.


    "Let me give you a formal wee to the Eternal de Sect, Ming Yue."


    He greeted her warmly while the others all had stoic expressions. Sitting with them was Elder Fei, who was covered in bandages but he looked much healthier than before, no longer as thin or haggard as before. Upon a close look however, he was no longer a cultivator but amon man now.


    Standing next to her was Qi Yao and Fei Xian, all three of them faced the upper echelon of the sect.


    "Well then, all of us had heard Elder Fei''s story. His battle with the masked figure which ultimately ended up in his capture..."


    Sect Leader Fu''s voice was gentle butmanding. He had short gray hair, a wrinkled face simr to that of an old man but clean shaven. His eyes were soft but something about them showed a fiery spirit, one filled with vigor and perseverance. A person of small stature, the other elders seemed to be much bigger than him but he had the strongest presence. As a sky realm cultivator, his strength was defeinitely the highest out of everyone and it would seem that he was at the gateway of the Heaven Realm.


    "...And the matter of Elder Jia has been revealed to us. I knew that he has alwayspared himself to Elder Fei but it had always been friendlypetition between them. To go so much as to torture was something unexpected."


    There was a look of disappointment and regret on his face.


    "Furthermore, to collude with the same man that took Elder Fei, a member of the Tao Feng no less, this was very unexpected."


    The other elders looked down to hide their disgruntled faces.


    "I never would have expected that he would poison us and tranform us into his underlings as well" one of them said.


    "Valerian Snake Incense... I should have identified it as soon as it hit my nose. I cannot excuse myck of experience."


    Elder Dai, the elder of the Medicinal Hall, was especially frustrated with himself. As an expert in medicine and poison, he had a chance to prevent all of this from happening.


    "Elder Dai, please don''t say that. Even if you had managed to figure it out, stopping it would be close to impossible. You of all people should know that it is a fast acting poison, especially since we were all in a smaller room."


    "But Sect Leader..."


    "Stop, you became an elder for your hard work. Nobody is perfect and everyone is bound to make mistakes. This time all of us made one and it nearly cost us the sect itself. In any case, we should thank these three for stopping what would''ve been the end to hundreds of years worth of history."


    They all stood up and gave the trio a bow of gratitude.


    "Please elders! We do not deserve this treatment. It was Ming Yue who had saved us all."


    Both Qi Yao and Fei Xian spoke the same words, neither of them had the strength to achieve what Ming Yue had done.


    "Indeed, that is true. Ming Yue, if there is something that you would like, so long as it is within my power I can give it to you. I know that you have been spending quite some time at Heaven''s Gate, so our umtions are not asrge but please, let me reward you."


    Sect Leader Fu looked at her, his eyes were clear as they locked eyes. She bowed and cupped her fists to them.


    "I do not need anything. Knowing that Elder Fei is alive and safe is all that I needed" she said.


    "No, you should be rewarded. If not for you, our sect might have stopped existing. How about this? If you ever find yourself in trouble, you can return here for safety. I must give you at least that."


    Ming Yue turned quiet before bowing.


    "If that is the case, thank you for this.. I will certainly return again but I must go now."

 Chapter 301 - Asking For Help

    "What do you mean? You are not fully recovered yet, you still need to rest for a few days. Don''t forget your twopanions too, they still need time to recuperate. Is there something wrong?" the sect leader asked.


    "It is about that masked figure. It was Zuo Er, the Junior Sect Leader of the Tao Feng Sect" she answered bluntly.


    "What? How is that possible? Was he not crippled?"


    Sect Leader Fu was shocked. From his understanding, the Tao Feng had been deealt with and Zuo Er was no longer an active member of them.


    "I do not know but something has been done to him."


    She began to exin his changes: theck of emotion or feeling for pain, the ck blood, how he melted into sludge. Finally, she spoke of hisst words.


    "Come to the peak... Such strange words but... if you''re in a hurry then you must know what he meant. However, you cannot go in this condition, you still need time to recover. Even you should know this."


    His words rung true to her. Ming Yue was not fully recovered, she was far from it and the Sect Leader saw this. In the end, she backed down and focused on recovery instead. With the help of the Medicinal Hall, she nursed Hei Yue and Xiao Yin, especially watching over thetter.


    While Hei Yue was let off with a cracked bone or two, Xiao Yin''s right wing was still ck. The energy from Zuo Er''s attack had prated deep into her wings, eating away at her body, feeding on her lifeforce.


    Hei Yue had already awakened and looked on the bed where Xiao Yin was, whimpering towards his friend. Ming Yue looked at the Star Owl, who trembled and squirmed from the pain.


    "Xiao Yin... Is there no way to heal this?"


    Ming Yue turned around, looking at the Medicinal Elder.


    "In order to stop and reverse the damage, the remaining energy needs to be expeled and only a external force could do it. Things like pills and medicines cannot do that though it could slow it down."


    Elder Dai stood by her with a somber face.


    "If you want to fully remove it, we would need an expert of the Light Dao to do so. Only with their unique grasp of one''s Quintessence Energy could such a thing be done. It is especially so in this case, the energy this little owl has been inflicted originates from the Dao of Death. If one of us were to do it, the energy would not be fully dealt with. In worse cases, the little owl would die."


    She looked at Xiao Yin before turning to the elder.


    "Then, is there perhaps a Light Dao Cultivator we can find or contact at least?" she asked.


    "This..."


    He paused, hesitating to speak.


    "Have you heard of the Violet Sun Sect?" he said.


    "It is a familiar name, is there a Light Dao Cultivator among them?"


    "Well, it is a small sect in one of the neighboring cities, a sect best known for their pill-making. Though theck of martial ability has made them easy to bully. That changed several years ago when one of the disciples obtained an inheritance. Her name is Hua Xiong and she found her opportunities at the Firelight Ruins, gaining the legacy of Yan Hui Zhu-"


    "The Fury of the Light..."


    Slowly, the memories of her time in the Firelight Ruin resurfaced and she began to remember her interaction with a group of disciples from the Violet Sun Sect. She had just been there too, for the pond where she discovered a dead disciple of the Lunar Executioner.


    "Indeed, after obtaining the inheritance, Hua Xiong became highly sought after as a healer. The Violet Sun Sect grew in power and reputation because of her. However..."


    Elder Dai paused once more.


    "What is it?"


    "Err- Due to the constant and frankly, threatening requests, she stopped healing and has now focused on her cultivation. When it first happened, there was an outcry as her talent was too great to ignore. At the same time, the neighboring sects found this as an opportunity to get back at the Violet Sun Sect''s growth. Thus the city had grown chaotic and the situation seemed grim. However, Hua Xiong alone quelled the uproar and that was when she gained the name, The Second Fury."


    "What happened?"


    "...In the same fashion as her predecessor, she sent out a ray of light from the highest level of her sect. In particr, she attacked those who had previously threataned her and those who tried to uproot the sect. Though she did not kill them, they were left convulsing on the streets and unable to cultivate. After that, no one dared to make a move, whether it was a request or even. You''re better off finding someone else."


    "But I have to try, Xiao Yin''s condition is getting worse and worse. Please, tell me where the sect is, Elder."


    Elder Dai had aplicated expression on his face,he saw her attempt to be in vain but also understood that this was her best choice.


    "I suppose there is no better option. The Violet Sun Sect is not far from here, it is to the north of the sect in Red Earth City. It is merely a day if you run there but only if you run continuously, if you fly it may take only half a day. While your condition is mostly restored, doing this is rash and you must be careful not to exert yourself too much, please understand that."


    Ming Yue stood up and walked towards the doors. As she left, she thanked the elder and rushed out, leaving Hei Yue and Xiao Yin in his care.


    Her quick walking slowly transformed into running before she leaped up and took flight. Circling her energy, she then dispersed it from her body, propelling her through the air.


    "Damn, I should''ve practiced more before. At this pace, it will take me several days, I''m too slow."


    She grimaced at this.


    Normally, flight was at least twice as fast as running but her flight speed was slightly above her running speed. Her cultivation was high but she had spent little time practicing flight. She was not skilled enough and far from mastering it. After all, She barely flew and often opted to walk instead with her twopanions.


    However, this was not the time to be so slow.


    With the Eternal Heart Ring providing her with energy, she could fly nonstop. Her speed began to pick up as she flew, slowly increasing the output and speed. Controlling this state was difficult at the start but she soon fell into a rhythm, matching it with breathing and such.


    As she stabilized herself, she flew even faster before attempting to support herself with wind.


    "I need to get there as fast as possible. This is a bit risky but I don''t have the time."


    Doing so would boost her speed by arge margin, but it required control if she were to do this and fly at the same time. Despite Ming Yue''s ability, such a thing proved to be difficult as flying had taken much of her mental capabilities. Everytime she tried to merge the two together, there was some sort of friction happening, like two pieces that did not quite fit in. Adjusting it proved to be difficult due to her unfamiliarity andck of ability.


    "Let me help you."


    In that moment, Xue Yue stepped in, takng control of the flying herself.


    "What?.."


    Ming Yue was surprised as Xue Yue''s forceful control nearly through her off-bnce.


    "I''m still you, I also know how to control our energy. Besides, you want to save the little owl, don''t you?"


    Ming Yue didn''t speak and instead focused on merging the two forces. But she smiled, this was a good thing. No longer bothering with flight, Mign Yue coused on merging the wind energy with the energy she used to fly. They came from the same source but had two different purposes, however, merging them did not take long for this was her energy after all.


    "I got it!"


    The moment she was sessful, her speed skyrocketed and thend below became a blur as she soared through the sky like one of hernces.

 Chapter 302 - Returning A Favor

    After half a day, a city appeared in front of her. It wasn''t bigpared to something like Five Element City but there were a few aspects that separated it from the other cities.


    As Ming Yue came closer to the city, she descended and entered through the gates.


    "So this is Earthfire City...


    Walking through the bustling streets, there was plenty of stalls selling food and other wares. However, she found that many of the stores sold nothing but earthenware. There were hundreds if not thousands of different items all on disy: elegant vases, tes, tea sets, and much more. Outside of those mundane things, they also created medicinal pots and cauldrons here, ranging from y to metal.


    As she looked around, she found many workshops withrge ovens built for the purpose of creating those very things. But there were other surprises to this city, the energy here was different than she had thought.


    "Earth and Fire energy, there''s so much of it here."


    She was surprised from when she first entered. The dense energy of the Earth Dao and Fire Dao was everywhere, making it a haven for those cultivating one of these daos. Perhaps, it was a byproduct of all this focus on earthenware or there was more to this city than she thought.


    "I need to find the Violet Sun Sect."


    As curious as she was, she put it aside and searched for the Violet Sun Sect, asking a few of the locals here.


    "They''re not very hard to find, just follow this road until you see a massive building that smells of medicinal herbs. But I suggest turning back, if you are here to look for the Second Fury, don''t bother. She will not take anymore requests, no matter who you are or what you offer."


    "Yes! Even the city lord hase several times but he too has been rejected. Rich merchants and other nobles would be met with the same result. They''ve all been pushed away."


    Ming Yue looked towards them and bowed in gratitude.


    "I understand your worries but I must try."


    As she turned and left, the locals she had asked gave her a look of pity.


    They sighed,menting her situation without knowing everything. But they were all normal folk after all, none of them would have believed that she was a powerful cultivator.


    "Such a young girl, she must havee from outside. What a harsh journey it must have been for a girl like her" one of them said.


    "What do you think will happen?"


    "Probably another rejection..."


    She quickly made her way and soon the scent of fragrant medicine wafted in the air. Not far from her was a grand building with the words "Violet Sun" engraved at the gates.


    "That must be it, the Violet Sun Sect!"


    Standing in front of the gates, she knocked on them several times and waited patiently. Secondster, a cold young woman''s voice answered out from above.


    "If you are here to ask for my services, I decline. Please leave, this is your only warning."


    It was a blunt and quick response that surprised Ming Yue.


    "Was that her? Hua Xiong? It must be..." She thought.


    From the tone of her voice, she realized that Hua Xiong was adamant on refusing her request. The rumors were indeed true that she no longer used her skills to heal. However, Ming Yue still had to try and she had something those before her did not.


    "I do not know if you are the same one or even part of the same group. But back in the Firelight Ruins, there was a group of young disciples from this sect who had found themselves surrounded by numerous men and a White Star Dragon. One of them carried a Starlight Flower and was about to attempt her escape. I was there when this happened and I was also the one who-"


    "Get to the point."


    In her mind, Ming Yue could feel Xue Yue''s growing annoyance at Hua Xing''s tone.


    "...I saved your life and I ask that you return the favor."


    There was a silence in the air as Ming Yue waited for a response. This was the only thing she had to convince Hua Xiong but it was no minor thing. Still, with this continuing silence, she had begun to lose faith in this attempt. She began to think of other methods though they were less than satisfactory.


    "Either I find someone else or I force my way through."


    Light Dao Cultivators were hard toe by so the chances of finding another was low. Forcing her way in was easier said than done. Ming Yue was not yet fully recovered and she was tired from the contant traveling. Though even if she was at her top state, storming a sect was difficult to pull off and dangerous.


    Pondering her options, the gates slowly opened, beckoning her in.


    As she walked in, the gates closed behind her back and a ray of light shot down from the sky.


    "What?"


    She dodged it, jumping to the side as the white beam pierced the gorund she had stood on.


    "What is the meaning of this?" she called out loud, feeling dismayed by this development.


    A figure descended from the top of the sect,nding in front of her. She had very delicate features which made her seem quite soft and warm. Her ck hair had a streak of white and it was braided back into a simple bun. Pinks lips and a small nose had been grouped with a pair of eyes that stood out and did not fit the rest of her face. The irises were of different colors, one was pure white and the other was a deep brown color.


    Furthermore, they showed a calm and rather apathetic emotion. Her expression was stone cold.


    Hua Xiong looked at Ming Yue, sizing her up as did her counterpart.


    "This is Hua Xiong?" Ming Yue thought, "She''s so different from before."


    Through her faint memories, she recognized Hua Xiong, remembering her to be a very shy and dainty. But this was a drastic change, almost too drastic. She was like a flower that had been frozen solid by the harsh winter snow.


    "How do I know that you are not lying?"


    Hua Xiong questioned, her hands were glowing faintly, ready to attack at any moment. It was strange that someone like Ming Yue knew of such details.


    The events she spoke of seemed so long ago and yet, Hua Xiong did not forget it. If not for the death of those evil cultivators, she would have died. Furthermore, she would not have been able to obtain the power she now had. The scene of all those heads falling off for no rhyme or reason was ingrained in her mind.


    "How do you know such things?" she asked, "Who are you?"


    "I know because I was the one who saved you. Why else would I know all of these details?"


    Ming Yue quickly answered, introducing herself and telling Hua Xiong that she was the one who saved them. Hua Xiong''s eyes narrowed as she looked at Ming Yue.


    "She is certainly quite strong but it can''t be her..."


    Hua Xiong had thought that some expert had taken pity upon them, not a girl who seemed to be at the same age as her. Not to mention, this had happened several years ago. At that time, Ming Yue would have been much younger back then.


    Ming Yue could see the doubt in her eyes and retrieved her sword from her spatial ring. She unsheathed it, pointing the de at the ground. The best way to remove that doubt was to show her.


    "Reaping de."


    Hua Xiong saw the sworde out and immediately attacked. She jumped back, shooting rays of light from her hands. But those attacks hit the empty space and Ming Yue vanished.. The feeling of danger surrounded her even as she tried to escape it and the next moment, Hua Xiong felt a de upon her neck.

 Chapter 303 - He Did Not Die

    In one move, Ming Yue stood behind her and Hua Xiong''s life was at her hands. However, Drifting Sky pulled away from her neck and Ming Yue put the de away before looking at her opponent.


    "I hope that this is proof enough. In case you wanted to know just how I killed those men."


    Hua Xiong turned towards Ming Yue with a surprised expression, she did not expect Ming Yue to be so quick and decisive. She was no longer as cold as before, cing her hands down. It seemed that she was now convinced that Ming Yue was the one who saved her as well as her senior brothers and sisters.


    "To think that it was someone like you... I will hear out your request", she said.


    Ming Yue was overjoyed.


    "Good, great! We must go to the Eternal de Sect. If not, mypanions could die."


    "If that is so, let us depart."


    The two immediately left the city, passing by many of the locals who were shocked to find Hua Xiong out and about.


    "That girl... she actually managed to convince the Second Fury to help her!"


    "How did she do it? What could she have offered?"


    They were all surprised and dumbfounded, unable to figure out how it happened. What they believed would not have happened actually did and none of them knew why. The two women headed out, flying through the sky.


    Ming Yue was a bit surprised to find that Hua Xiong could fly. Her cultivation was only at the Sight Stage and far from the Perception Stage so flight should not be possible. More than likely there was a method of flight with Yan Hui Zhu''s inheritance. That would also exin the motes of light, fluttering from her body.


    "So, who is it that you wish for me to heal?" Hua Xiong asked.


    "A Star Owl, my beastpanion..."


    Ming Yue began to exin her predicament. How Xiao Yin had been inflicted with Death Dao Energy and the best method was to find a Light Dao Cultivator to deal with it.


    "I see. That is quite rare, I wonder what sort of opponent you havee across. I wonder who it is... However, it should not be too difficult", said Hua Xiong.


    Indeed, what sort of opponent was Zuo Er?


    He cultivated the Dao of Death, something even rarer than that of a Light Dao Cultivator. It is a difficult path to walk down for it was not a Minor or Major Dao but a Grand Dao. After all, Daos were categorized into those three levels for their power and rarity. Something like the Dao of Wind would begin as a Minor Dao and grow, ending in the level of a Grand Dao.


    However, the Dao of Death was already at that level because of its strength and difficulty. Even if one had a basic understanding, they would be able to rival those with even a True Dao. What were True Daos? They are the ultimate form of a Dao, abination of the worldlyws and one''s own understanding, a result of paving their own path.


    The difference between a Grand and True Dao was immense and yet, if you were to pit the Death Dao with someone''s True Dao, the difference would be miniscule.


    That was the power of the Death Dao or for that matter, rare and difficult Daos. Their requirements were stringent and harsh but the power was just as equally great.


    After hearing that Ming Yue fought someone like that gave Hua Xiong a bit of shock. But, perhaps it should''ve been expected if Ming Yue could dispatch of over ten men without being noticed. To her, such a feat was difficult even at her current state.


    As they traveled back to the Eternal de Sect, the two began to converse. Ming Yue asked about the inheritance while Hua Xiong questioned her over her skills.


    "Your eyes... and your hair, was that an effect of the Inheritance?" Ming Yue asked.


    Hua Xiong was silent before answering.


    "Yes, in order to sessfully gain Yan Hui Zhu''s inheritance, I had to go through multiple trials as they were meant to test my mental fortitude. After sessfully passing, the knowledge and power had been passed down to me. As my hair gets whiter and whiter, I will gain more ess to his techniques and such. As for my eyes, it was a result of being my body being unable to contain all of the inheritance. Now it is all stored within this eye and I can no longer see clearly, only the movement of one''s life force."


    Her voice carried a relunctant tone as memories of her tribtions rose up. It was far from a pleasant experience for her. After all, all of the Inheritance entered her body and mind, the vastness of which nearly broke her.


    "Then, it is simr to the sight you achieve at the Perception Stage, being able to see different energies", Ming Yue replied.


    "Yes, though it is just life force that I can discern and manipte. Among other things, I lost part of my sight for this ability."


    "As for your refusal to heal anymore-"


    "That was a difficult decision to make but it had to be done. A constant stream of demands and requests for me to sift through, every day I would get pestered by nobles and merchants. Whether it was to heal, join a partnership to make money off of my abilities, forced to enter another person''s service, It was annoying and bothered not only me but the sect as well. The amount of greed and disdain I saw disgusted me and so, I refused all requests. When news of my choice was made, other sects jumped to uproot me and the Violet Sun Sect but I would not allow that to happen."


    Hua Xiong''s expression stiffened as she spoke of this. There was a look of contempt and scorn as she thought of all those people, wanting to use her for their own gains.


    "And that was when you gained the name of the Second Fury."


    "Indeed, what about you? I cannot imagine gaining your strength without some hardships."


    Hua Xiong looked at her, interested in the one who had changed her life.


    "I doubt my experiences are as great as yours."


    And so, the pair exchanged stories, finding that they shared simr thoughts and experiences. Bing much more acquainted with each other, they were something like kindred spirits.


    As they came closer to their destination, Hua Xiong''s face took on a strange expression as her blinded eye began to glow slightly.


    "Stop, there is something strange here" she suddenly spoke out.


    "What is it?"


    Ming Yue looked at her and followed Hua Xiong as the two descended down into the forest. Studying the area, she recognized it to be where she had killed Zuo Er. However, his body was no longer there, only ckened shells.


    "The energy here is strange, there is too much Death Dao Energy here. Furthermore, this specific one..."


    Hua Xiong looked towards the broken shell pieces and picked a piece of it up, studying it closely. Upon her touch, the shell began to wriggle and melt, the darkness of it attempted to seep into her hands. But it could not do so, her hands glowed with a white light and it disintegrated into dust.


    "What happened here?"


    She furrowed her brows before throwing the dust away. Looking to Ming Yue, Hua Xiong found that she was searching the area before returning to the site of these broken shells.


    "That''s...impossible. I killed him, cut off all of his limbs. He revived himself?!"


    Ming Yue couldn''t believe it, the thought that he still lived was hard to swallow. More than that, it showed just how hard it was for him to die. What exactly would it take to kill him for good?


    "Where did he go?" she thought, "Where is he headed to?"

 Chapter 304 - Joining Forces

    She looked around but found no traces of him. There was only cracked pieces of shells where she could only assume he emerged from.


    "Now was not the time to find him, I have to get to Xiao Yin first."


    She turned back to Hua Xiong, who studied the broken shells.


    "Let''s go, I will exin it all to you when we reach the sect."


    Hua Xiong did not ask questions and nodded. She knew that it would all be revealed in due time.


    Quickly, they reached the Eternal de Sect and Ming Yue quickly took her to the Medicinal Hall.


    "Oh Ming Yue? You''ve returned and you''re with... the Second Fury?!"


    Elder Dai saw the two approach and felt a bit of disbelief that she had managed to convince Hua Xiong to help.


    "Elder! How is Xiao Yin?" Ming Yue asked.


    "You should see for yourself."


    Elder Dai spoke in a darker tone and led them in.


    Entering the room, they saw Hei Yue on the bed with Xiao Yin, keeping her warm with his body. The fox kept watch of her, making sure that the Star Owl wasfortable. But Xiao Yin continued to shiver and trembled, quietly crying in pain. Her wing was nearly all ck as the energy continued to seep into her body. Around them were her feathers, crumbling into dust.


    Ming Yue rushed forward to check on her but Hua Xiong was even quicker.


    "Let me."


    She ced her hands on Xiao Yin, one on her head and the other on her wing. Her hands began to glow and emanate with a calming aura. Light Energy entered Xiao Yin''s body, circting thought out it and slowly pushing back the Death Energy.


    Hua Xiong''s face showed surprise before focusing on cleansing the energy from Xiao Yin.


    Xiao Yin no longer trembled as her body rxed and the ckish feathers turned back to a vibrant gray. An hourter, Hua Xiong retracted her hands and turned towards Ming Yue, who looked at her with hope and concern.


    "She is fine now. A few days of rest a bit of nursing will do the trick."


    Ming Yue breathed a sigh of relief as she heard Hua Xiong''s words.


    "Thank you so much", she gave a heartfelt thanks and bowed to her.


    But Hua Xiong had a look of contemtion on her face. It was as if she found something strange about that energy


    "Who was it that attacked you? Was it perhaps a masked figure?" she asked.


    "What? Yes...yes it was."


    Ming Yue was surprised but answered honestly.


    "And you fought him off, that is... that is unexpected."


    Hua Xiong paused, unable to think of her next words.


    "Why, what do you mean?" Ming Yue asked.


    Could Hua Xiong had been attacked as well? Or was it the Violet Sun Sect that had been attacked? Ming Yue thought back to when she first entered the sect gates.


    "Was there anyone else in that sect?" she thought.


    The only person she had seen was Hua Xiong and for a sect, it was awfully quiet


    "Wait, we have to speak with the elders of the sect first."


    Ming Yue stopped her from speaking and the two left the Medicinal Hall, bumping into Elder Dai. Through him, they asked for an audience with the Sect Elder, and in an instant, the elders gathered. Among them was Elder Fei, who seemed to be recovering well. Color had returned to his face and he took on a happier expression.


    "So it is the Second Fury, Hua Xiong. Your umtions are nothing to scoff at. The younger generation is truly blessed."


    "Is there something wrong? Why have we been gathered?"


    All of them looked and listened intently to Hua Xiong, who stepped forward and told her story. She sounded wistful as she spoke.


    "Months ago, I was awakened to a sweet scent and noticed a white haze all throughout the sect. As I looked out, I noticed my fellow disciples and elders march out, walking in a straight line towards the opened gates. I realized that something was not right and went out investigate. As I did, a masked figure appeared in front of me and attacked. He called me a "pleasant surprise" and a "great sacrifice" but I wasn''t going to surrender so easily. We fought for a whole day and night before he gave up and escaped. I chased after him but soon lost track in the forests. When I returned, I realized that I was the only one left. In the end, I stayed within the sect to guard it while investigating on my own but I had no leads to go on, until now."


    Hua Xiong looked at Ming Yue before speaking again.


    "When we were traveling back to the sect, we found traces of Death Energy. Then, again I found the same Death Energy sustained by her beastpanion. I soon realized that this is the same as the energy of the one I fought against. Without a doubt the same person that attacked the Eternal de Sect attacked my sect. Do you by any chance know who he is?"


    The elders and sect leader all furrowed their brows at this news.


    "The Violet Sun Sect had also been attacked? To think that there were others sects that had been attacked as well."


    "That makes you wonder just how many have fallen."


    "How many lives have been taken..."


    One of the elders answered Hua Xiong''s question.


    "He is known as Zuo Er, the Junior Sect Leader of the Tao Feng, however some sort of sorcery has been done to him, for he is no longer himself."


    "Zuo Er, the Tao Feng Sect you say..."


    She was unsure of how to interpret this information. More importantly, She wasn''t quite sure what to do with it.


    "Indeed, he was originally crippled but now he seems to have regained control of his legs. But now he had been killed by Ming Yue, though he did leave her with a few words."


    It was then that Elder Fei looked towards Ming Yue before speaking, his eyes revealed a bit of realization as something clicked.


    "When he said those words to you, it was an invitation and an act of provocation. "Come to the peak"... it refers to ce and you knew what it meant. You knew where he was refering."


    They all looked at her, did she truly know where the Tao Feng''s hideout was? That sort of information was both hard to find and vital. If they knew, the elder could gather a force to attack the Tao Feng. The wrongs that had been done to them must be remedied and paid back.


    Ming Yue looked at them all before answering, knowing that they had all the right to know.


    "Not exactly, but I have an idea. It is the Merciless Storm Peak."


    Upon hearing the name, their hearts sunk.


    The Merciless Storm Peak, it is one of the Continent Marks and the most dangerous of them all. So much so that it had grown the reputation of being an execution grounds where who fell to eternal despair came to die. Going there was almost certain death and for the Tao Feng toy ground there was on the border of madness. From the unending lightning storms to the ferocious beasts, there was nock of danger.


    "The Merciless Storm Peak... If they are truly there, then there might nothing we can do. Even amassing a force would be difficult let alone traversing the ck Peak Mountains. We would all die before finding where they''re hiding."


    Ming Yue nodded.


    "That is why I hesitated to tell you all. I may know their general location but finding them within the mountain would be a challenge in of itself."


    "But Ming Yue, you dare to go there? Are you not afraid?"


    Elder Fei looked at her, his eyes softened as he showed fear for her safety.


    "I have crossed it once, I could do it again."


    She answered with full confidence.

 Chapter 305 - Preparing To Move

    "You crossed it?"


    The elder''s eyes showed shock as he heard her words.


    "Yes, I had to in order to reach a specific ce. It was dangerous but I survived going there and returning as well."


    Now his eyes were nearly bulging out of their sockets.


    "Twice! You''ve crossed the Merciless Storm Peak twice and lived without so much as an injury!"


    "Yes, and once Xiao Yin, Hei Yue and I are fully recovered, I will be going there for the third time."


    Elder Fei stood up from his seat, hobbling forward to Ming Yue. He moved as quickly as he could before standing front of her, cing his hand on her shoulders.


    "It''s too dangerous, you of all people should know that! Why enter again? Those words of his were to provoke you, you don''t have to go there."


    Ming Yue shook her head, showing her resolve.


    "I have to go. Perhaps you are all safe now but there are those who did not end up so lucky. The Tao Feng need to be stopped. I know that I am just be one person but I will do everything I can to destroy them. In any case, Zuo Er is not dead. I do not know how but he revived and I presume that he is returning."


    All around, they looked at each other in disbelief, murmuring to each other.


    "What? He revived himself?"


    "How is that possible?"


    "He has to be dealt with", Ming Yue interrupted them, "No matter what, this has to end."


    Now that she knew he was still alive, his revival would be shortlived.


    "Let mee with you."


    Hua Xiong spoke up, her request surprising the others.


    "You only know their general location but searching the peak will take too long for you. But I could track the energy down, finding them will not be that hard", she exined.


    That was true. With her unique sight, tracking down one''s life energy would make it easier to find them. After all, there were ways to mask Dao Energy but the one''s own life force could never be altered.


    "But this is the Merciless Storm Peak, if youe I cannot guarantee your safety."


    Ming Yue stressed the dangers that woulde with joining her. After all, that ce was an execution grounds.


    "Do not worry, I have my own methods.


    Hua Xiong was steadfast as she locked eyes with her.


    "Please", she said, "I have to know where my sect has gone, what has been done to them. I won''t rest until I find out what happened"


    Her divergent eyes seemed to echo the determination in her voice. They were clear and unwavering. Ming Yue understood that the Second Fury could not be dissuaded.


    "Fine, but again, I cannot guarantee-"


    "The danger means nothing to me, so long as I rescue my sect members nothing else matters."


    "Then, once Xiao Yin is healed and able to fly, we will set out."


    "That''s fine, I will return to the Violet Sun Sect to settle a few things. Where shall we meet?"


    "I will meet you at FIve Element City in a week. That should be long enough for Xiao Yin to heal, no?"


    "Yes, a few days of rest is all the owl needs. I''ve already helped mend its body but it needs time to regain its strength."


    "Thank you."


    Ming Yue cupped her fists and in gratitude. If Hua Xiong had not epted her request, she would not have known what to do.


    "Ahem, if that is all. Ming Yue, We and Elder Fei have something to tell you in private. The Second Fury, Hua Xiong, it has been a pleasure to meet your aquaintance. I will send someone to bring you out."


    Sect Leader Fu gestured for one of the disciples, who lead her out, leaving Ming Yue alone.


    "Is there something wrong?" she asked them.


    "I am going to retire as an elder of the sect."


    Elder Fei spoke inly, revealing his decision.


    "What? Why? You still have a chance. Even if your meridians are destroyed, there has to be someone who can heal. What of Hua Xiong? We can ask her."


    "No stop, this is something that I have decided. Even the other elders have tried to convince me otherwise but I will leave the sect."


    As he spoke, his eyes stared straight into hers and his tone was straight and calm. He was not making a rash decision but one that he had thought about for a long time.


    Ming Yue looked to the other elders as well as Sect LEader Fu Men, who shook his head.


    "Despite our efforts..." he said, "Elder Fei has stuck to his decision."


    "Indeed I have, I''m going to leave this life behind and live as amon man... with Cui Fen."


    "..."


    Ming Yue tried to speak but no words came from her mouth.


    "It is your choice, I won''t stop you."


    She finally found the words, knowing that she could not dissuade him and epted it this choice.


    "Haah, that''s good, that''s good. I thought you would''ve rejected my decision, that would''ve been difficult."


    "It is what you chose, I have no right to interfere. Though telling Cui Fen would be more difficult than telling me."


    Elder Fei looked at her warmly and smiled at the thought of seeing Cui Fen again. Then he looked at the other elders and nodded, fishing out something from his spatial ring.


    "Now that the elders and I know where you''re headed, it makes this gift a bit more useful to you."


    He handed her a book, a manual of some sort. On the front were the words, "Stormde Dance", she skimmed the manual, finding that it was a set of ten moves focusing on the Dao of Lightning.


    "This is-"


    "A gift, whether or not you wanted one, the elders all agreed that if it wasn''t for you, the sect would have been done for. Besides, this will prove to be helpful in the Merciless Storm Peak", Elder Fei exined.


    "Indeed, this will help utilize the Dao of Lightning in your body and help harness the energy when you are at the peak. It was derived from the Eonic Stance years ago by a genius who excelled at the Dao of Lightning."


    The elders all spoke out, a tangible reward made them feel much better about owing Ming Yue.


    "Then, thank you all for this treasure. I will use it to its fullest."


    "Good, good, now let us help you preapre for this journey. You may have treaversed it before but the danger will not have decreased by one bit."


    Everyone dispersed as Elder Fei lead her away, continuing to exin the manual to her. He might have lost his martial prowess but the years of knowledge was still there.


    Time passed and soon enough, Xiao Yin was well enough to fly freely, a sign that it was time to go. Ming Yue said her farewells, especially taking her time Elder Fei, Rou''er and the others.


    "I had hoped that you woulde with me when I tell Cui Fen of this. With you behind me, the news might be easier for her digest."


    Elder Fei stood by the others, saddened that she would be heading straight to Five Element City.


    "You don''t need me in this. Besides, it is a lover''s quarrel now, isn''t it?"


    Ming Yue smiled as she joked with him. Then, Rou''er ran up to hug her.


    "Are you really going? You haven''t been here for that long", the young girl muttered quietly.


    "Yes, I do. But I''ll be back and next time, you might be able to y with these two all day."


    Upon hearing these words, Rou''er looked up with a smile.


    "Really?"


    "Of course."


    Xiao Yin and Hei Yue stepped forward and nuzzled against Rou''erforting her. Their fur and feathers tickled her skin, causing her to giggle just a bit.


    Both Fei Xian and Qi Yao walked up together, their hand wrapped in each other''s palms.


    "Are you really going?" asked Fei Xian.


    "The Merciless Storm Peak is too dangerous!" Qi Yao followed up.


    Though they saw her risk her life multiple times, this time, they were truly scared for her. But Ming Yue reassured all of them.


    "Don''t worry, I will not die there."


    Then she left as others arrived to their destination.

 Chapter 306 - Starting The Operation

    Far into the ck Peak Mountains, a group moved covertly through the wild winds and thundering lightning. Each and everyone of them were beyond powerful, most of them were at the upper levels of the Sky Realm lead by a figure who stood at the Heaven Realm. Unlike them, he was not as bothered by the storms that rumbled. His young face and golden hair stood out in this drearyndscape.


    It was the Grand Elder Huang, the highest figure within Heaven''s Gate


    "We''re almost there, Elder Kan has set up a small campsite just outside of the Tao Feng''s influence."


    He turned to the others and checked on all of them.


    They were all tired and fatigued, having traveled and climbed without rest. Hearing that they were close to camp gave them thatst spurt of energy as they stepped within a small cave. As they entered, they felt a wave of warmth wash over them.


    "Finally, some rest."


    All of them found a ce to sit and enjoy this brief respite.


    It wasrge enough to fit their group of fifty and carried a number of supplies like food and other small items. The ce was dimly lit from glowing white crystals that had been embedded into the the walls and ceiling.


    "The Merciless Storm Peak truly lives up to its name as one of the Continent Marks, not even the Xue Mountainspare to its harshness."


    "Indeed,ing back here has brought up a few unsavory memories."


    This person came from the tribes of the Xue Mountains. Known as Tuan, he was one of the strongest Body Cultivators of that region. Once passing the Earth Realm, he continued onto his body cultivation technique, Stone Monkey''s Repent. It was a method that focused on weight and endurance to whichplete mastery would allow one to lift mountains like nothing, crack the earth in a single step. Tuan is one of the few who have a chance to achieve this level of strength and used a metal staff that was slightly thicker at the ends.


    "Though this ce is very suitable for learning the Dao of Thunder and Lightning, it is unfortunate that the beasts here are more than just dangerous."


    "But the Tao Feng were able to make a stronghold here, they must have a method to thriving in a ce like this."


    "Most likely it is the barriers that had been set up. Though, I am not too keen on the methods to creating them. You never know what the cost could be."


    These experts all came from varying backgrounds but they were just as if not stronger than Tuan. Theye from the Six Kingdoms, the other five regions such as the Four Swords and the Tri-Colored Sea.


    There were also several from Heaven''s Gate, namely Elder Xiang, Elder Fang, and Elder Kan. Out of a hundred elders, these three had the most experience with killing.


    Presently, they were with the others, discussing and nning.


    From her Spatial Ring, Elder Kan took out a small talisman and ced it on the floor. From it, the talisman projected an image, a map of the Merciless Storm Peak.*


    "This is where we are and this is where the Tao Feng are."


    She pointed close to the top of the mountain, at a cave too small to discern from the naked eye. Then her finger shifted up to the very peak of it, where arge castle stood, the Tao Feng''s fortress.


    "So what should we do? I assume we don''t just charge in" one of the experts chimed in.


    Certainly, there was a n.


    "Of course not, there are several barriers and formations interlocked with each other. Should one fall, the others will strengthen and rm the fortress. Rather, we will be entering through this very cave."


    Elder Kan then looked towards the other end of the cave and pointed.


    "It is safe to assume that those barriers would also protect them from the underground. The end of this cave has two paths. One leads to the outside, the other is directly under the fortress. Through this path we can disable the barriers here and out of sight."


    The Grand Elder then spoke.


    "Once that happens, we can split and attack from three separate directions. So long as we can disable them all at once, we canunch an attack. Furthermore, once we have a teleportation circle created, we can send in the others to aid us."


    This n was simple enough but it also required timing and patience. The moment the barriers were dispelled would be the time to attack. The rest of this group thought about this before voicing out their thoughts.


    "So in this way we are the vanguard", one of them said.


    Elder Kan nodded.


    "Yes, after all, we are the strongest of our respective groups. Once we push our way through, we can deal with the Tao Feng''s Sect Elder while our disciples and such will deal with the others."


    "An attack from three directions and we have the element of surprise, this is not a bad n. Though is it a good idea to send out the younger generation, there is no guarantee that they are strong enough."


    What this expert pointed out was right but Grand Elder Huang was not perturbed.


    "They are not there to join the main battle. After all, they are not strong enough to so. However, we are the distraction and they will help put a stop to whatever is being nned."


    "But they''re young and inexperienced, are we going to let these greenhorns have so much responsibility?"


    "Qi Dian, you do not have to worry. They will be led by the rest of our group, you should learn to trust your allies."


    "If that is the case then so be it."


    Qi Dian spoke back, not liking this part of the n but epting it nheless. This one was an old woman from the Four Swords Region. On her waist was a belt with seven daggers, each one sporting a different style and color. Her fighting style was different, using her daggers in such a way that she would give the illusion of trapping her enemies.


    "Good, does anyone else have any questions? If not, then we can begin the operation."


    And so the preparations had begun for them just as Ming Yue and Hua Xiong met at Five Element City, the capital city of Red Lotus.


    They had prepared everything but found themselves somewhat stuck.


    They could not find a flying ship or at least, one that was willing to head to the Merciless Sotrm Peak. They asked around but failed to find anyone brave enough to make the trip.


    They stood at the Skyport, tiny figurespared to the massive ships anchored here. Each and everyone of them were floating just inches from the ground. They were magnificent and well-made, the cores embedded into the hull glowed ever so slightly.


    "What should we do? Every ship we have asked has turned us away", Hua Xiong asked.


    "It''s not too big of an issue. Worsees to worst, we can find a ship that is willing toe close to the ck Peak Moutains and travel there. The trip would be longer but at the very least we are there."


    Ming Yueforted this idea though she too, was disappointed in being unable to find a ship. The ship of Heaven''s Gate was long gone and would not return for at least another month. Even then, there was no guarantee that the crew could even go to the Merciless Storm Peak.


    Time was of the essence but this little hup was nothing to be upset about.


    "I suppose so. Let''s go to that ck ship. If I remember, they were the ones willing to evene close to there."


    The pair walked on towards one of the ships when another ship arrived. It was brilliant blue and white. Its size was massive, almost intimidating even.. However, it was somewhat familiar to Ming Yue as she read the name, "Blue Skies" engraved on the side of the ship.

 Chapter 307 - Finding A Ship

    "Hmm, this ship... Where have I seen it before?"


    Ming Yue ced her hand on Hua Xiong''s shoulder, stopping her from moving.


    "That ship just arrived, maybe we can ask them", she said, pointing at the Blue Skies Ship.


    Hua Xiong looked at the ship, giving it a doubtful look.


    "This is more luxurious than any of the ships here. Do you really want to ask them?"


    "Might as well, though I feel like I might have been here before."


    She couldn''t quite put her finger on it but she had definitely seen this ship before. Not to mention, both Hei Yue and Xiao Yin found this ship familiar as they looked at it, furrowing their brows and trying to remember where they had seen it before. It certainly wasn''t something they gave a quick nce at, there was a connectin but what was it.


    As they approached the ship, the doors opened, releasing hundreds of passengers ranging from merchants to noble ns. What followed after were the crew, whose uniforms she recognized.


    "Oh that''s it! This is the ship I took to go to Rong Lu City and I think I have that coin as well."


    Ming Yue looked into her spatial ring, fishing out a coin marked with the words "Blue Skies"on each side. It was given to her by the captain for helping them against a pirate attack.


    "I wonder if I can use it and ask for our request."


    Hua Xiong saw the coin but stood behind Ming Yue, letting her do the talking. The crew of the ship saw them approach and stood up straight to meet the two. As members of a famed caravan, they understood that no one should be underestimated or treated with disrespect. After all, you may never know who might be standing in front of you.


    "Hello there, I was wondering if I can meet with your captain."


    Ming Yue was returned the respect and showed them the coin.


    "Oh, an honored guest of the Blue Skies Caravan! While we can certainly help amodate you, our captain is currently busy. I cannot say for sure when he will be avable but perhaps I can help you. Are you looking to purchase a ticket?" the crewman asked.


    Ming Yue shook her head.


    "I''m afraid that my request is moreplicated than that. The truth is, I''m looking for a ship willing to go to the ck Peak Mountains, specifically the Merciless Storm Peak. However as long as you can get close, that is also good enough."


    The crewmen stepped back in shock of this request.


    "The Merciless Storm Peak?!"


    "Going there means risking our lives!"


    "Just the ck Peak Mountains themselves are dangerous, let alone that very peak."


    They all shook their heads and looked at Ming Yue. The one that spoke was very apologetic.


    "I apologize but this request, it is too much for us. In fact, even getting close is a major risk for us as this ship caters to thousands.", he replied.


    "ept it!"


    A loud voice shouted from the doors as a scruffy man in a white captain''s uniform stepped out. He was short but stout, sporting a heavy build fit for a experienced ship captain. His beard was gray and short though it was shaped into pointed beard. Looking forward, he spotted Ming Yue and smiled at her.


    "To think it was you, young girl! I haven''t seen you in several years! You''ve grown much bigger! Gahahaha!"


    He gave out a heartyugh before looking at the crewmen beside him, all of them saulted in respect.


    "Ah right, a fair number of you are new, this girl here helped fend off a pirate attacks some years ago."


    The captain pointed at Ming Yue as he exined how she obtained the coin.


    "In any case, we can ept this request and set off immediately. Come girl, bring your friend up so we can depart immediately!"


    He gestured for the two young women to enter the ship before the crewmen began to speak up.


    "But Captain Hai! They are only two people but our ship has hundreds of rooms. Won''t this end up being a huge loss."


    "Yes, Captain! Not to mention, this is the ck Peak Mountains and they want to go to the Merciless Sto-"


    "I know where they''re headed and I know the risks! You do not have to tell me. We are still epting it", the captain barked back and then sighed.


    "You should know to never judge people from their appearance. These two are heading to an exceptionally dangerous ce and so they themselves are just as exceptional. Do you know who these two are?" he asked, pointing at Ming Yue and Hua Xiong.


    His men were silent and after a moment, shook their heads.


    "She is a member of Heaven''s Gate and she is the Second Fury of the Violet Sun Sect. Surely you know just how unique these two are. Forget the risks and think about the rewards, just a favor from these two is a value equal to the ship."


    The crewmen were surprised as they looked back to the young women. Though it was easy to tell that they were of a unique background, they didn''t think that it would be like this.


    "Let this be a lesson to you. As one of the best caravans in thisnd, information is everything, know who is in front of you."


    "Yes, captain!"


    "Alright, let''s head out! Cancel the rest of the requests, this is a big job!"


    The crewmen headed back into the ship as Captain Hai looked at the two women.


    "Ah, I hope my words were not too disrespectful. My men and I are blunt fellows so straightforwardness is the only way to really speak to them."


    He apologized with a grin. After all, he did just say that he would ept their request under the pretense of getting a favor out of them. However, they shook their heads and paid no mind to it.


    "If that''s the price to take this trip, I''ll dly pay it!" said Hua Xiong.


    "We should be the ones thanking you. It was hard finding a ship willing to make this trip."


    Neither of them really cared for his words. After all, they knew the consequences of heading to such a ce.


    "Alright then, as for your destination, the closest I can get to that wretched ce would be the base of the Merciless Storm Peak, any further and we may note out alive. Is that fine?"


    "Yes! That''s more than perfect!"


    "Good, good, let''s head in! We''ll get there in a week at our highest speed."


    The trio then made their way into the Blue Skies Ship and within minutes, it headed off towards the ck Peak Mountains. As for their destination, a real storm was brewing.


    Lightning and thunder roared, the wind howled and the rain battered the stone.


    It was as if the chaos within the dark clouds had grown restless, a sign of something toe.


    At the peak, where the fortress of the Tao Feng stood, people entered the castle in droves. Their minds taken away by the Valerian Snake Incense. They gathered within therge halls, standing there like puppets. Among them were a group dressed in violet colored uniforms, staring nkly towards the Sect Leader of the Tao Feng, Dai Mian.


    His face was hidden away under the shadows of his cloaked figure as he looked that this batch.


    "Almost enough", he spoke.


    By his side was Zuo Er, whose face now had five lines on them, his eyes were just as empty as the ones he kidnapped. Dai Mian looked at him coldly.


    "It is a shame that you''ve failed once again. Go and join the others."


    Under his orders, Zuo Er slowly walked away, disappearing into one of the floors.


    "Hmph, failure, Why did I ever decide to take on a disciple like you?"


    Dai Mian turned and entered one of the other dark halls where that massive pit of dead bodies were. Strangely enough, these rotting bodies did not stink or give out the heavy scent of blood.


    Rather than dive into the pit as he does, Dai Mian went to work, grabbing chalk and red formation gs to create a strange formation.. As he began his work, those within the cave under the fortress were nearly done.

 Chapter 308 - The Black Fortress

    "How much longer before you can disable these barriers?"


    "Don''t rush me! These formations have been altered and strengthened through nefarious methods. Examining and desciphering this will take a fair bit of time. But don''t you worry! With the foremost best Formation Master Qi at your side, it won''t take long! I just need to deal with this one small detail."


    Beneath the castle was a cave where numerous experts hid within, readying themselves to fight. Some of them were feeling antsy like Tuan, who had just asked Master Qi about the barriers.


    He barked back at Tuan before focusing on the barrier. An old man wearing yellow robes and a little hat, he was a thin and gaunt man whose eyes were filled with a strange fanaticism.This self-proimed "Best Formation Master" held many strange tools like a Trigram Mirror and a sword wrapped in paper talismans.


    Tuan gave him a look before turning back.


    "Formation Master... Acts more like a quack but entrics will always be entrics."


    He merely shrugged at stood back.


    As the for the others, they stood against the walls with their weapons sheathed but ready to grasp.


    They were all waiting as the storm outside intensified. Lightning cracked every second, smashing into the ground and ckening the stone. There was so much rain that it felt if it could flood cities and the wind was the worst. It was powerful, strong enough to uproot trees with ease.


    Suddenly, Grand Elder Huang''s voice entered their heads.


    "The time to attack will arrive soon. Do not forget, we will separate into three groups, two groups of twenty and one group of ten. The groups of twenty will attack from th front and back while the group of ten will enter from below. I will lead the frontal assault with Elder Xiang. Elder Fang will lead the attack at the back and Elder Kan will lead the attack from below. Does everyone understand?"


    Everyone gave a silent nod and no one spoke up, they knew what to do. Before, they were at a loss for words, filled with shock as this cave was where the Grand Elder divulged a secret of great magnitude. Something that could shake the continent in its entirety.


    None of them would have guessed it, the true identity of the Tao Feng''s Sect Leader.


    The sound of the storm filled the cave as they all centered their focus, checked their weapons, and scouted the pathing.


    The churning clouds spun faster before a bolt of lightning shot down, striking the very peak of this mountain. It was ck, filled with chaotic Primodial Energy, the same energy that caused the end of an era. It was the same force that brought cmity to the world. On impact, the mountains shuddered and shook to their very core.


    The endrils of energy that came off of it attacked the Tao Feng''s fortress but were blocked by the barriers. But they dimmed and weakened for just a moment and that one moment was enough for Master Qi.


    "Hah! I got it!" he yelled out in joy.


    The Trigram Mirror glowed as he stabbed his talisman-wrapped sword into the barrier. With the sword, he tore a hole into the barrier, ripping it open like paper. Just like that the barrier shattered and the remaining energy from that ck bolt of lightning struck the fortress.


    Everyone sprung into action, dividing into their groups and moving out.


    "Let''s begin"


    The Grand Elder lead his group out of the cave and under the storm. They marched up the mountain, arriving at the the Tao Feng''s hideout. The fortress was ominous in nature and appearance. It did not belong in such a ce but it matched the gloominess of this mountain.


    It wasrge, built from stone and steel with a tall gate of ckened metal. A towering structure that was smaller than the Institution at Heaven''s Gate but did notck in aura. It was not a sect building and resembled more of a castle whose purpose was for battle. There were no decor or style to it. Everything was made with a purpose: to defend, to fight. There was no doubt that this ce was massive and to some degree, immeasurable. It was not elegant or detailed.


    With the barriers shattered and the appearance of Grand Elder Huang''s group, the gates of the castle opened and out came numerous masked figures and a cloaked man leading them. The masked figures were nearly identical to each other, wearing the same mask as Zuo Er as well as a ck and purple uniform. Held within their hands were a pair of swords, the same as Zuo Er and they were just as puppet-like.


    The cloaked man was only a few inches taller than the others but his presence overshadowed them all.


    The Grand Elder faced him as did his counterpart.


    "So you''ve finally decided to make your move, Huang Bo."


    The hooded man took off his hood and revealed his face. His skin was pale white, resembling that of porcin. His hair was of the same color and his sharp eyes revealed shining red pupils. It was Dai Mian, the Sect Leader of the Tao Feng Sect but there was so much more.


    "Teacher Dai, to think that you would stoop so low. You''vee so far from being a member of the High Council, now you resort to these methods: forming the Tao Feng Sect, stealing techniques, and kidnapping others. How would your brothers and sisters of the High Council think about this?"


    Grand Elder Huang eyed him, looking at this cloaked figure. His gaze was filled with pity and regret for his former teacher.


    Dai Mian merely sneered at these words.


    "What a silly question, How would they think of my actions? They can say nothing because I am not only the eldest among them but I was the founder of the High Council. I was the one who set it upon myself to save our world. The others were content with watching over the continent. Perhaps it was their youth that blinded them from the gravity of our situation. But I understood, I knew that soemthing needed to be done."


    Dai Mian pointed at his chest as he spoke, his words became more impassioned as he continued.


    "There is no one else I could rely on but myself. Those I once regarded closely, I left behind for they sought to wait. They sought to wait until thest moment, until someone did the work for them, until they would breathe theirst breath waiting. But something needed to be done, a solution needed to found and I took that responsibility. If you choose to stop me now, I will not stop until all of you be a part of my n! Even if it is you, my greatest disciple."


    He moved his hand away from his chest and pointed at the Grand Elder. His sneer disappeared as it had been reced by a look of anger and hatred. Indeed, he would not spare even his own disciple.


    His aura exploded, pressuring those on the Grand Elder''s side.


    "Agh, to think we would be pressured like this."


    "He is definitely at the Heaven Realm..."


    While the Grand Elder did not seem very bothered by this show of force, the others felt it grasp onto their necks. Taking another breath was taxing on their bodies.


    "To think, our several hundred year rtionship as teacher and student has meant nothing to you. Perhaps, it ended when I realized what you truly were.


    The Grand Elder released his own aura, lightening the pressure and shing against his teacher. The sh energy was powerful, creating shockwaves that seemed to overpower the lightning that fell from the skies. Thebined force seemed to attract the churning clouds as lightning crashed all around them.


    "And what would I be, Huang Bo?"


    Dai Mian looked at the Grand Elder, a small tinge of curiosity followed those words.


    "A deranged animal."

 Chapter 309 - Clash Of The Heavens

    The constant thunder beat the moutain like drums. The storm only grew more chaotic as the silence between these two sides continued.


    "A deranged animal..."


    Dai Mian repeated these words slowly, taking his time with each one.


    "If that is the case, so be it. Come, I doubt you are here to just stand!"


    He ripped off his cloak, revealing what was underneath, a jet ck hanfu wrapped with a white sash. It was a simple design but one that fit him well.


    As he did this, the energy he put out strengthened and turned into a ck color. But it was more than that, it resembled darkness, the kind that you find from looking into the depths of an endless pit. Wisps of crimson flowed from this dark energy. The feeling of death and despair seeped into the Grand Elder''s domain, corroding and corrupting.


    "Let''s see just how powerful you''ve be, Huang Bo."


    Dai Mian leaped forward and threw a palm forward. From it, a beam of that darkness pierced the air, aiming for the Grand Elder''s heart but such a thing would not happen.


    The energy that he exerted transformed, turning pitch ck as shining specks of light covered it. It was beautiful, like glittering stars in the night sky. It gave off a feeling to vastness and eminence.


    The Grand Elder ced his hand forward, it began to glow before another beam of light shot forth.


    Both beams shed in the air, ending up in a loud explosion that shook the ground.


    He jumped up and moved to face his former teacher. Their eyes locked, both of them prepared to kill one another. Their long history has teacher and student was nothing but air to them.


    Then the battle began.


    The masked army of Dai Mian ran forward with their swords drawn. Like a wave they crashed into the other side, enveloping them with sheer numbers. There were hundreds facing against neen individuals, but these were no ordinary cultivators.


    "HAAAH!"


    In a collective shout, their auras shot up, joining together into a mssive shockwave to blew back this inital assault. These were Sky Realm Experts, masters in their own right, numbers were only paltry tricks in their eyes.


    Powershed out as each of them attacked, knocking back these masked disciples.


    Numerous weapons made their appearances from swords to ws to warhammers and so much more. Their opponents were like bugs to them, unable to take even a strike before being knocked back. But even as their bodies flew back, crashing into the stones, each and every one of them stood back up and rushed forward.


    Their bones had definitely shattered and their organs ruptured and bleeding heavily. Some had their limbs twisted or ripped off only to be ced back, the joints reconnecting through a festering ck sludge.


    They might be bugs to these Sky Realm Experts but these bugs were tenacious.


    "Damn it! They should be dead by now!"


    "How are they still alive? What sorcery has been done to them?"


    "This is not ordinary. Their bodies must have been modified in some way."


    It did not take time to realize what was happening. These disciples returned to battle no matter the condition they ended up in before. It was just like Zuo Er.


    "Everyone, we must be careful. All of their attacks contain Death Energy!"


    Elder Xiang shouted out loud as he stabbed his sword into one fo the masked disciple''s chest. Whipping his sword, he threw the body back, sending it into the ranks of the other disciples. Having a second to rest, he looked outwards at the Grand Elder and Dai Mian, their battle took ce in the storm. Their figures stood on opposite sides, battling it out with a beams of ck energy.


    "Grand Elder, I hope you know what you are doing."


    In the skies, the two Heaven Realm fighters soared through the air, attacking each other. The phenomena they created outshone the thunderous storm around them.


    One resembled a crimson darkness, a well of eternal depth, filled with blood. The other was a starlit night, a vast ocean of beauty and twinkling light.


    These two sides shed with each other, shockwaves exploded at every meeting of their energy.


    "I see that you''ve gotten much better at controlling your energy. Not to mention, your True Dao seems a bit differentpared to before", said Dai Mian, "Still, there must be more than just this in the time we haven''t seen each other. Something new like this, Deathly Void Disk."*


    He ced his hands together, gathering energy into a crimson ck disk that he threw out. It cut through the air, leaving behind a path of darkness. The edge was sharp, extremely sharp and it spun forward, narrowly missing the Grand Elder. But it continued on its way, piercing several mountains and slicing their bodies in half. However, they did not tumble down, crash or even make a noise. Instead, these sliced off mountains slowly disintegrated into dust, transformed into ashes. This was a show of force and a feat that all others would find difficult to replicate.


    "Do you see that?! That is the extent of my power, the power needed to ovee even a cmity itself! Several hundred years and I''ve furthered my research of the Death Dao to its current state. Do you see the battle below us? Those masked disciples are the fruit of my study. To what extent can the human body endure? To what extent could it be altered? How many times do you think they need to fall before they die?"


    He pointed at them, smiling at the Grand Elder.


    "They are my army, my Immortal Army. And once the final step is done, the next cmity can be ovee. You could''ve joined me, in fact, you still can."


    The Grand Elder nced at them, watching as they fell and rose up again and again. They were all mindless puppets, attacking again and again without hesitation.


    "This is what you''ve been nning? This is how you''ve spent your time? Committing sin after sin, going against the natural way of the world? Indeed, theing cmity would arrive soon but this...this is not the path."


    He ced his hands together, gathering his own energy before pulling them away. From his palms, the star-like energy extended before forming ance that he held in his hand.


    Gripping it in one hand, he spun it before hurling the spear at Dai Mian. The Tao Feng''s Sect Leader did not dodge and stood forward, readying to disperse this paltry attack.


    "Eternal Darkness, sh of Life."


    The spear suddenly exploded forward, the aura expanded, nearly covering the stormy sky in darkness. The sight of it made one feel small, insignificant, despair. It was as if death was the only path.


    Like teacher like student, just as Dai Mian cultivated the Death Dao, so did the Grand Elder. However their paths, their True Dao''s differed and such distinction showed in their attacks.


    In this overflowing darkness, where death has surrounded Dai Mian, a single dot of light flickered before a beacon of light shot forward. Dai Mian only smiled, unfazed by this sight as he ced his palm forward. A ray of Death Energy exploded from it as it took on this beacon, only to be met at a standstill.


    But the Grand Elder wasn''t going to stand by and watch.


    "A Thousand Lights, Heartfelt Departure."


    Suddenly, a thousand more beacons shot out and Dai Mian''s smile turned into a grim expression. He crossed his arms, forming a shield to defend as these rays of light came down upon him. In this onught, Dai Mian pushed forward, shooting a massive st of Death Energy that broke the vast darkness of the Grand Elder''s attack.


    Fighting in the skies, their figures was obscured by the sheer power and gravity of their attacks. Darkness covered the churning clouds above, the storms could not find a way in. It was as if the Merciless Storm Peak was in their own domain, their own world.


    This was a battle between Heaven Realm Cultivators: mountains destroyed, storms stifled, and worlds created.


    As this battle raged on, the underground team finally reached the base of the Tao Feng''s lowest level.

 Chapter 310 - The Depths Of The Tao Feng

    Somewhere deep inside the Tao Feng, the ground shuddered before bursting out as Elder Kan''s group emerged. Among them was Master Qi and a bevy of other Formation Masters and the like.This group of ten did not have muchbat power but when ites to traps, tricks, and mechanisms, each one of them were masters.


    "We''re here to explore and make of path for the other members to infiltrate. If there is anything important, we must take it. We should not fight unless we have to."


    She spoke to them before getting a bearing of her surroundings.


    The others did the same, looking around while holding the many tools and instruments in their hands. After examining where they were, there was shock in their faces.


    "What...is happening here?"


    The room they stood in was arge hall that contained tables and papers scattered about. It was an absolute mess of things and in the dark corners of this ce, there were bodies of the dead, paired with wooden puppet bodies. In fact, there were numerous different materials used for alchemy, formations, and a number of other fields of study.


    "Let''s go have a look around, this ce must have numerous secrets. Just look at all these things!"


    Master Qi spoke while making his way towards the arbitrary formations drawn on the floor and walls. The others all did the same, moving into different parts of the hall where their expertise mattered.


    As for Elder Kan and a few others, they stood guard and took note of the doors before scouting out the ce. Soon, the first of the younger generation came.


    There were a hundred or so in total that would being. All of them were at the peak of the Earth Realm and the early steps of the Sky Realm. Geniuses among their peers, the disciples with the best potential, alling from different powers and domains. This included the Inheritors from Heaven''s Gate, warriors from the Xue Mountains, disciples of Four Swords Domain and a variety of others.


    One by one, they all gathered by Elder Kan as the halls was searched up and down.


    "Ooh, what are these ns?"


    "How did he get these ingredients? Some of these are nearly extinct!"


    "These journals and manuals, I think I wrote one of these."


    "Agh! Why can''t I take my time to analyze these?! Whatever, I''ll just grab them and look at itter."


    These many masters scoured what could only be Dai Mian''s research study. As time passed, they quickly took what seemed interesting or important. If possible, they might be able to reverse the things Dai Mian had done. But for now, they must focus and all eyes went to the far corners of the hall, where bodies and puppetsid side by side. Their bodies were covered in formation markings and magical circles.


    Master Qi walked forward and studied it further. Several other masters did the same, muttering to each other. They did not care for the dead bodies and focused on the strange markings. They were freshly-drawn in dark red ink, not quite blood but pehaps a mixture containing it.


    "This symbols don''t quite fit with the rest. It is too archaic."


    "What are these patterns? The method is rather strange."


    "It resembles something closer to a demon''s formation...or is it beast? Actually, is it self-made?""


    "What kind of research is being done here? Each stroke carries quite a fearsome aura."


    Of course, none of them knew what was happening outside and had no knowledge of Dai Mian''s Immortal Army. But a few like Master Qi had an inkling.


    "Are we finished here, masters?"


    Elder Kan looked at them all, crowding around the dead bodies.


    "Just about...", Master Qi replied, "For it to be Grand Elder Huang''s teacher and a founder of the High Council, this man is a genius artificer as well."


    The others nodded in agreement.


    "This sort of research is a tad beyond us. It will take time to analyze it all."


    Seeing that they were ready, Elder Kan noedded at them and signaled the others.


    "Stay at the center, we have to take over the fortress before the battle outside is done."


    And the group assembled before moving on.


    Having explored this level earlier, they climbed up the levels as quickly as they could but it took time. Despite having little to no one guarding this ce, the fortress was littered with barriers and formations,yers andyers of security slowed them at every step.


    "Damn this ce! First it was soul-tethering, now it''s Heart Demons... I thought it would get easier climbing from the lowest levels but it''s only gotten even more difficult with each floor! We''re almost back to the surface too!"


    Master Qi rapidly shifted his eyes between his Trigram Mirror and the formation before him. An arrangement of pattern and symbols that which made up a fearsome formation, one that released a temptuous whispers and shadowy beings. They were physical manifestaions of Heart Demons, beings that could break even the strongest of cultivators, turning them towards greed and lust.


    No one dared to enter it.


    Those who weren''t as well-versed in formations stood back and watched. After all, there wasn''t anything else to do. Elder Kan merely watched. She had already given her orders to the others, sending them back down to see if there was anything they missed.


    "How much longer?" she asked.


    Master Qi''s talisman-wrapped sword hummed with power and he pointed it towards the formation. Like a brush he waved it, slowly dispelling oneyer after another, weakening the formation.


    "Nearly there!" he said, "This might be thest one, you all can feel it, can''t you? Grand Elder Huang is fighting."


    Indeed, as they climbed the floors, they could feel the shing power of two Heaven Realm Powerhouses. It shook the mountain itself, causing waves of power to wash over everyone. They were all ready to join the fight.


    Minutes passed and the whispers of the Heart Demons turned to echoing screams as they could feel the destruction of the formation. The power began to grow even further as people began to feel the pressure of it. Their minds were being battered from the screams and somewhere in them were sweet words, trying to coax someone to kill another.


    "Damned voices, shut it!"


    Master Qi''s aura exploded, a light of five colors assaulted the formation and restrained the voices. His sword shined as he stepped into the formation, creating a path into the center and stabbing right into it.


    The Heart Demons cried out as they vanished into resplendent light, dispelled and destroyed.


    "Hah, let''s go."


    He stumbled forward, trying to catch his breath.


    "That was rash, Qi Li."


    Elder Kan walked forward to support his body.


    "Hmph, that was most likely thest one. Let''s just get to the next floor."


    Everyone gathered and climbed up to a great hall, the same one where Dai Mian gathered the sacrifices. It was a grim ce, silent and dimly lit with mes. There were no windows or seats, just a throne and an empty hall with doors leading to the outside where a battle raged on. The sounds of weapons shing with each other, pulsing energy passing through, it only grew stronger and wilder as time passed.


    "Alright, once we search this floor, we will reinforce the Grand Elder''s team. Elder Fang''s group should have arrived already", said Elder Kan.


    Master Qi stopped leaning on the elder and looked around before his eyes locked on a rather in pathway in the back of the hall. It was simple, positioned behind the throne without any real decor on it but something caught his eyes.


    "That''s... that''s an Immortal Severing Formation!"


    He quickly ran towards the formation and studied it. Many others surrounded him, curious by his sudden outburst.


    "What is it?"


    Elder Kan saw him stare at this pathway with excited eyes as he goggled at the corridor.


    "Hah, just wait and see!"


    He took out his Trigram Mirror, facing it towards the corridor. It shined brightly and revealed a massive formation that seemed to cover the entirety of the path. The walls, ceiling and floor covered in intricate and detailed markings.. This was a level beyond anything they had ever seen.

 Chapter 311 - Chained Formations

    "An Immortal Severing Formation... An ancient piece of history used to kill an Immortal Cultivator", Master Qi looked at the formation, praising its power and admiring its structure.


    "Killing an Immortal? Is that even possible?"


    The others looked at this terrifying formation, wondering whether it was true.


    After reaching Heaven Realm, there was only one more realm beyond it, the realm of the Immortal, essentially Godhood. But very few in the entire history of thisnd have reached that realm and there is even less information as to how to achieve it or whether there was something beyond it. Despite it, the stories about them were plenty. If Heaven Cultivators like Grand Elder Huang and Dai Mian could destroy mountains and change the skies, Immortal Cultivators could do such things on a whim. The destruction of kingdoms and countries could be done on a simple flick of the hand, that was the best way of describing and Immortal''s power.


    However, with such power, Immortal Cultivators were not unkible.


    "Hahahaha, it really is an Immortal Severing Formation. To think that I would see one here of all ces! None of you dare enter it, the pressure would kill you in an instant. If you were an Immortal then maybe you wouldn''t die as quickly but still. If they enter it, the formation will force itself into the body, cutting off the meridians and destroying their cultivation. Therefore, it severs the Immortal, leaving behind amon man who will be crushed by the formation then."


    Master Qi exined before immediately going on an attempt to break it.


    "Master Qi, what are you doing? This is a formation for killing Immortals and we''ve already covered most of the fortress."


    They looked at him with surprise and concern. Why would he do this? Was it out of curiosity?


    "There is a formation meant to kill Immortals, what do you think the Tao Feng''s Sect Leader is hiding behind it?"


    Master Qi smiled at them before focusing on the formation.


    What he said was true. For the formation to be this great, whatever it was protecting was be equally as great. Along with a few other Formation Masters, they took on the challenge of breaking the Immortal Severing Formation. If they seeded, such an achievement would cause their prestige to skyrocket and the knowledge they would gain from this would be immense.


    Just as they had begun, something hummed with power before the entire floor of the hall glowed.


    "Oh no! Several formations have activated, something must have triggered it!" one of them yelled out.


    "Damn it, so they were chained! Give me time to break this formation, it should be the core so breaking this one should break the others simultaneously."


    Master Qi set to work, attempting to break the Immortal Severing Formation.


    Having touched it, a chain of formations activated, one after another caused a number of events to happen. The first was the immediate pressure, then numerous shadow phantoms formed, and finally, chains shot out of the ground, wrapping themselves around the wrists and ankles of everyone.


    The situation looked grim but everyone was prepared.


    "Protect Qi Li and the other Formation Masters! If you were not caught by the formations, rush out and help the Grand Elder''s group!"


    Elder Kan yelled out and withdrew her weapon from her spatial ring, a massive spiked club the dwarfed her own body. She wielded it with ease, swinging it around like a stick. Those chained by the formations took out their own weapons and began to fight off these shaowy warriors.


    And the few that didn''t get caught rushed off to aid the battle outside.


    As for the situation, it was equally as grim. The many Sky Realm Experts were beginning to tire out as they fought and fought against the Immortal Army. There were hundreds of them and with their ability to regenerate, they might as well number in the hundreds of thousands.


    "Damn it, is there no end to them? When will they stoping back?"


    "Stand your ground, with each death, it takes them longer to regenerate! There will a point where they can''t regenerate anymore!"


    Up in the skies, there was a dizzying color of darkness and death, the power that it emanated was enough to make people faint on the spot and even kill. Two figures flew about, shooting rays of Death Energy from their palms and fingers, one was tinted in crimson, the other sparkled like stars.


    "Hmm, so it seems that I have a few unwanted guests in my sect. How unfortunate for them."


    Dai Mian spoke, confident look on his face said everything. He was prepared for anything, even something like this. In fact, it could be said that he expected this toe sooner orter.


    The Grand Elder was silent and continued to battle.


    "So Elder Kan''s team entered. For him to know, they must have activated a formation and with Master Qi with them, that formation must be quite fearsome. Whatever is past that formation must be important..." he thought.


    The Grand Elder looked towards Dai Mian, who did not seem very concerned about it. It was obvious that whatever formation he ced was of an extremely high level.


    "All the more to keep him here!"


    The Grand Elder suddenly stepped up his power as he pointed his hand forwards. From all of his fingers, he shot out sts of Death Energy. It was a sudden attack containing hundreds of sts travelling wildly towards Dai Mian, who suddenly took on a grim expression.


    He waved his hand, creating a crimson ck veil that flew out. It epassed the Grand Elder''s attack and trembled as each st exploded. But no sound came out as they burst out with Death Energy, attempting to epass the veil. It was a struggle of who would destroy who but Dai Mian shut it down.


    "That''s quite a dangerous attack. I wonder who taught you that."


    Dai Mian closed his hand, controlling the veil as it condensed into a little ball before vanishing taking the Grand Elder''s attack with it.


    "I have been studying myself. Did you think you were the only one?"


    The Grand Elder opened his palm and formed another st of Death Energy, readying himself.


    Each time their attacks shed, it was a battle of whose energy would devour the other. If it were something else, their attacks would just swallow up the attack and destroy it. After all, the Dao of Death meant the end of a life, where their energy was no more and their bodies would be swallowed by the world.


    The Dao of Death is difficult to master after all, it meant understanding the concept of Death. There are endless possibilities to each Dao but the ones to the Dao of Death had a thorny path. What was it? Was it the end of all things? Was it destruction? Was it the beginning of a cycle? There are many ways to interpret Death and none of them are incorrect. But to what degree would that interpretation lead them? When would the path be unclear for them? It is difficult to say.


    But for these two, they had reached a level that was unprecendented.


    "Using the Dao of Light to bnce the Dao of Death... I did not think you would actually achieve it."


    Dai Mian spoke words of surprise though his face showed nothing of the sort. There was a certain confidence to it, sly as if this was all calcted.


    "It isn''t anything to boast about. This is the path I took", the Grand Elder responded.


    "I see, the bnce of Life and Death or Death and Destruction. Which one do you think will swallow the other?"


    Dai Mian formed another Deathly Void Disk.


    "From Emptiness, Overflowing Life."


    The Grand Elder''s sphere of Death Energy turned into Light Energy as the two ended their short exchange.

 Chapter 312 - True Dao

    The sphere of light split into thousands of tiny wisps, each one smaller than a child''s finger but brimming with power. The Grand Elder moved his hand forward, beckoning these lights with his will as they flew forward and rained down on Dai Mian.


    Dai Mian clicked his tongue and he suddenly spun his arms, creating a ck tornado that began to absorb the light energy.


    "Death God''s Gaze!"


    The pupils in his eyes turned to darkness and beams shot out from them. In a straight line, they pierced through the Grand Elder''s attack, aiming for his head. But they missed their target as the Grand Elder vanished and reappeared elsewhere with another sphere of light, repeating his attack in another direction.


    Dai Mian chased after him, parrying the showers of light with a shroud of darkness.


    "Warlord''s Executioner" he muttered under his breath.


    He would not ying this game of chase any longer.


    The shroud suddenlytched onto Dai Mian''s body, tranforming into armor, shadowy pieces that which formed a suit epassing his body. The only things you could see were his eyes, no longer ck but red again, this time they glowed in an eerie fashion.


    The aura of death coaxed him. It was so close to him and anyone near him could feel it, the cold touch the death, the realization of it, and the fear that would settle in. This frightening aura was not the only thing that this armor had..


    Dai Mian''s movements became erratic as he began to fade in and out of this dark world of theirs.


    "What is this? An empowerment? No, there is something else..."


    The Grand Elder studied this, realizing that there was something strange about it. The he noticed it, finding that everything around Dai Mian seemed to crumble to nothingness. The stones of the mountainside, whatever grass there was, all of it turned gray and splintered apart.


    "So he is just destroying it all, everything around him just dies..."


    He grimaced at the thought. Such a technique was dangerous and hard to pull off. If Dai Mian lost control, the Deathly Aura would consume him as well. Though, it seemed that he was in perfect control.


    In his shadowy armor, Dai Mian pulled out an obsidian colored sword that which glowed with crimson markings. From his side of the world, the sounds of war and battle grew louder: the beating drums, shing des, and violent screams.


    Truly, he would now take this battle seriously. His True Dao fully revealed, War and Death. Delving in the Dao of War and Death, this form of his was the conclusion he came to when he sought a greater power.On its own, death is a fearsome thing but to a certain degree, few fear it. Thus he seeked a way to make death even more fearsome, even more powerful. Thinking towards destruction, it lead him to War, an object that brought fear, death and destruction, everything he needed.


    "War begets Death and Death begets War, the way to ovee the next cmity is through battle. Grappling fate with your own hands, defying the Heavens with your own actions. No matter what wrath it brings, the only way is to return it with even greater wrath. Huang Bo, this is thest time I ask you, will you join me?"


    The Grand Elder said nothing, only staring at Dai Mian with his eyes still clear and without fear.


    "So be it."


    Dai Mian fully materialized and rushed forward with his sword that which cried the sounds of war. He was quick, swinging his de and releasing a wave of crimson-tinted ck. From it came that overwhelming fear of death as it soared through the sky.


    The Grand Elder kept moving, shooting out beams of twinkling darkness. He avoided that first move and returned it with a Spear of the Twilight. It passed by Dai Mian but burst out, creating a ck void in that empty space.


    Their battle was within another level as they exchanged hundreds of moves. Each move was not a sword swing or punch but attacks with enough power to destroy cities. Death Energy flew about, going to from one direction to another as they traded attacks.


    Beams, sts, and waves shook the mountains as these Heaven Realm Cultivators began to shake the world itself.


    For Dai Mian, the battle was taking longer than he had expected. As of right now, so long as he touches it or wills it, whatever he chooses will die and turn to dust. With the aspect of war, the sounds of beating drums, shing des, and violent screams served to attack the mind and overwhelm their senses.


    After all, a moment of hesitation, surprise, weakness could decide a warrior''s life.


    But for the Grand Elder, he was not affected. Rather his body glowed as an intricate circle formed behind him. Light and Death Energy came together, forming a Yin Yang circle at the center of it which then spread out to the outer circle.


    "Light and Death, Equilibrium."


    The Death Energy that formed their own world shuddered and cracked, revealing light shining down upon them. The Grand Elder seemed to be bathed in this heavenly light but surrounded by the darkness of death. It was perfectly bnced, it was the form of his True Dao, Mortality.


    Death does not exist without life and Darkness without Light, the life of amon man embodied that. They live their lives under the sky, the warmth of the sun, the cold of the night, the beauty of the stars. Perhaps, they understood hardship and reward, experienced victoy and loss. One''s own mortality, allows them to understand that time was limited and it should be used to its fullest. Death is imminent, inevitable but it shall not discourage them to act and move. Even with death, life should not be squandered.


    This was what the Grand Elder believed, what he knew to be right.


    From his circle came hundreds of sparks both light and dark that rushed towards Dai Mian, battering his armor and slowing him down.


    Then the Grand Elder charged forward. With his body brimming with energy, he did not fear Dai Mian''s armor. He brought his hands forward, aiming towards Dai Mian. The circle behind him moved forward and in front of him, glowing with power.


    "Passage of Death, Bursting with Life!"


    It shot forth a massive beam of light that overshadowed Dai Mian''s aura and sted him back. His armor seemed to burn under this power as he felt the Grand Elder''s Death Energy pave the way past his defenses. From it, Light Energy burst forth, wreaking havok on his body.


    "Geh! Roaring War!"


    Dai Mian shouted out, letting out a shockwave of Death Energy as he expelled the attack from his body. Then he pushed forward with his sword, cutting through the attacks as he shot forth.


    "Chasing the Kill!"


    He stabbed with his sword, transforming into a de of darkness that followed the Grand Elder.


    The Grand Elder dodged Dai Mian''s attack and noticed it turn around and return. The glowing circle moved on his will and went to take on this ck sword. Then it vanished as Dai Mian returned to his original form. He threw his sword forward with so much force that it threw the Grand Elder off.


    The Yin Yang shook as Dai Mian grabbed the Grand Elder by the throat and threw him down.


    His body fell down to the battle below, crumpled as heid next to the Sky Realm Experts.


    "Grand Elder Huang!"


    They shouted out attempting to shield him before Dai Mian flew down, pinning the Gran Elder by his throat and pointing his obsidian de into his chest. Still dressed in his shadowy armor, the Sky Realm Experts and the Immortal Army fell to their knees, shaking in fear as all of them were unable to look at Dai Mian.


    All but two.

 Chapter 313 - Hidden Blades

    Just as Dai Mian pinned the Grand Elder to the floor and raised his sword to kill. But two shadows moved as their des came into contact with the obsidian sword, parrying it away from the Grand Elder. Then their swords shed, weaving through the cracks of this shadowy armor and finding their way onto Dai Mian''s neck.


    Wielding those swords was Elder Xiang and Elder Fang, topping their swords at thest moment.


    "Release the Grand Elder" said Elder Xiang.


    Though they deflected his sword, Dai Mian''s other hand tightly grabbed the Grand Elder''s neck, choking him ever so slightly.


    Everyone stopped moving as he chuckled.


    "To think there are a few able to resist the fear, you must have seen your fair share of death. Though, you are both are quite close to the Heaven Realm."


    Both elders had stone-cold faces as they watched Dai Mian''s every movement.


    He looked at them with a sinister grin, all while clutching the neck of the Grand Elder.


    "Do you think you can stop me from killing Huang Bo?"


    He asked in a very light tone, as if this was an easy job for him.


    "Huk!"


    The Grand Elder choked but his eyes never left Dai Mian and they were still clear and unclouded. He grabbed Dai Mian''s wrist and ced his other hand onto his helm. The Yin Yang circle formed on his palm as power overflowed and flooded Dai Mian''s helm. The move surprised Dai Mian as the power rushed into his body. He felt his body wither and weaken like an old man.


    "They do not need to stop you, they just need to buy me time."


    He stood up just as Dai Mian was on his knees. The hand that choked his neck weakened and let go. The Grand Elder grabbed his former teacher by the helmet as more energy flowed from his palm and inside the armor.


    Twisting his body, he threw Dai Mian back up into the sky and chased after him.


    Both Elders flew up and followed the Grand Elder.


    "Do note into direct contact with him. You will be affected by the armor andyour swords are already damaged."


    Hearing his words, the two elders nodded, having noticed their swords weaken and dull. Elder Fang sheathed his two swords as did Elder Xiang, they were now empty handed but not unarmed.


    Up above, Dai Mian stopped flying up, still struggling with the flowing power of the Grand Elder. He shouted out and erupted with power and his withered body became young once more.


    "Hmph!"


    Holding his sword tightly he flew down and came directly to sh agaisnt the trio.


    With the Yin Yang Circle floating behind him, the Grand Elder circled around Dai Mian with open palms, shooting spiral beams of light and darkness.


    With his bare hands, Elder Xiang pointed at Dai Mian, shooting off swords made from a metallic energy. It was lustrous and contained a sharp aura, piercing and powerful. As the Sword Elder, anything could be his sword, a stick or his own energy.


    Elder Fang was a swift and limber man whose hands were a blur, each move from him came hundreds of knives, needles and other throwing weapons. A master of assassination and hidden weapons, he was not to be trifled with.


    Together, their attacks battered Dai Mian, slowing him down but not stopping him.


    "Paltry tricks! This is a real technique!"


    Heshed out, releasing a moon shaped arcrge enough to destroy mountains. The body of it was pure death and darkness while the edge was crimson in color, revealing images of warriors on their dying breath.


    Thus the battle renewed itself with even greater intensity but those fighting below were still shaking to their feet. They had yet to recover from the frightening aura of Dai Mian.


    "Damn it, those four are monsters! Even more montrous than these puppets!"


    Tuan, a body cultivator from the Xue Mountains, cursed at the and stood back up. He let out a heroic shout, helping the others wake from their fright. He spun his iron staff, smashing it into the ground and forcing the Immortal Army to fracture.


    Elder Fang''s Team had joined them long ago and the pressure greatly lessened on them. With forty Sky Realm Experts at hand, the Immortal Army''s momentum faltered and were even getting pushed back. Even if they couldn''t die, their strength was not extremely high. At best, there were a couple at the Sky Realm but the rest were Earth Realm or even Human Realm. This mch proved that they were wed and have yet to be improved. Furthermore, their regeneration had be weaker.


    "They''re getting slower! Everyone push forward, drive them back!" Tuan shouteed out charging forward with his staff.


    The Immortal Army was ragged, their armor and masks were torn and broken, revealing the faces beneath. Gray skin and a nk expression was all they had, whatever had been done to them had left them husks of their former selves.


    "This Dai Mian, I can''t believe he would do such things."


    The otheres were appalled and disturbed by this sight. using human bodies and turning them into whatever this was. It was sickly to think of what had been done.


    Out from the side of his eyes, Tuan noticed something and paused for just a moment before continuing his attack. ''


    "Wei... To think my younger brother has turned into this."


    He shouted in rage and stormed through, knocking out everything in his way. He snatched the swords from one of the soldiers and grabbed them, looking closely. Then he threw them down and smashed the body apart until it was a ck mass.


    "That bastard... I''ll kill him!"


    Tuan looked at Dai Mian''s figure before facing the remains of his younger brother. The ck sludge that was his body wriggled and only rejoined but Tuan would not let that be. He destroyed it again and again, anyone who even came near him were thrown back by the shockwave of his strikes.


    "Gragh! I won''t let you be desecrated like this!"


    After a hundred strikes with each one more terrifying then the next, the ck sludge was no more, decimated and destroyed. Whatever magic and sorcery done to his brother could not bring him back. But it was better this way, better to pass on then continue living as a empty husk.


    The others looked at him, not knowing what had happened but understanding that Tuan knew one of these soldiers.


    "So there is a limit to their regeneration."


    Every one of them noted this and confidence began to flow. However, those within the formations of the Tao Feng were in a grim situation.


    "How much longer do you need?"


    Elder Kan shouted out as she battered away the shadowy demons that came from one of the formations. Along with her, only four were fighting with her, the remaining five of the team were all glued to the Immortal Severing Formation.


    "Just give me more time!"


    Master Qi yelled back, waving his talisman-wrapped sword and Trigram Mirror wildly.


    The Disciplinary Elder looked at them before defending the small corner they had. It could be said that she was the only one actually taking on the manisfestations of these formations. The others did not have the samebat prowess or power to help.


    Along with the disciples that came, she guarded the group as best she could. But the younger generation were at best a step from the Sky Realm, they could not contend with the shadowy demons.


    "Gah! What are these?! They keep fuckinging back."


    Among the younger generation was Tang Zhan, Zha Tian Yun, Yu Hua and several other Inheritors of Heaven''s Gate. These three had the easiest time fighting then the others, having yet to show any real trump cards. Still, as the fight continued it became harder and harder to keep up.


    Other than the formation spawning these shadow figures, a second chained their wrists and ankles, slowing them down. The third exerted weight onto them, slowing them even further.


    Their situation was grim and Master Qi gave a quick nce before making up his mind.. From his sleeved, he took out another Trigram Mirror made from gold that sparkled and ck jade.

 Chapter 314 - Signs Of Battle

    "Just give me time!" he shouted, "As much as possible!"


    Revealing this mirror, he began to chant and activate this special mirror which began to glow, shining a resplendent light onto the Immortal Severing Formation.


    "That''s the Heavenly Beast''s Mirror! To think that you would reveal it now!"


    The others pointed and looked in shock.


    "Shut it and help me out! The faster we deal with this formation, the less years I''m going to have to sacrifice!" Master Qi barked out.


    As the Heavenly Beasts Mirror shined, Master Qi could feel his life force slowly drain as four beasts manifested. The Azure Dragon, Vermillion Bird, White Tiger, and ck Tortoise appeared. Known the Four Guardians, the Four Auspicious Beasts, they came with a regal and god-like aura.


    "Follow each beast! Wherever they go, you go and attack the points they stop at! Now hurry, I cannot use this cursed thing for very long!"


    The four beasts split off and slowly revealed the intricacies of the formation. The other formation masters quickly followed after with their own tools and worked to quickly break the formation. Elder Kan noticed themotion and immediately made orders to the others.


    "Stay close together, stick to the defensive!"


    Everyone did as she said, especially those from Heaven''s Gate, who knew and understood the authority she held. Everyone stuck close and grouped up, taking up an even smaller corner of the formation. It became easier to defend but the pressure did not disappear.


    "These fucking chains!" Tang Zhan yelled out, "At this rate, I''m going to die!"


    She waved hernces wildly, trying the break the chains to no avail.


    "Leave it, you''re only going to waste your energy. You have to destroy the formation to get rid of the chains."


    Zha Tian Yun looked at her seriously as he waved his sword around, light shed as he fought off the shadowy demons.


    "Look at you, acting all humble now that you lost to that random girl, pathetic."


    Tang Zhan spat out a few words but no longer bothered with the chains. Yu Hua only looked at them quietly while moving swiftly with her cleaver sword, hacking at the shadows.


    Zha Tian Yun looked at them before focusing on the task at hand. Indeed, he had changed after the tournament. Rather than focus on his cultivation, he instead worked on his mental state which had led him to Elder Shen, the same one that healed Ming Yue.


    Even without improving his cultivation, his mental state and greatly improved leading to smaller imrpovements on hisprehension and what not. Now he saw things in a clearer way and here, he knew just how grave the situation was.


    Indeed, the formation that exerted pressure on them and the one creating these shadowy demons were dangerous but the true danger was the one that created these chains. The Shackled Soul Formation created chains that which wrapped around one''s wrists and ankles, siphoning thier energy from it.


    That energy would then go to empower the formation and make it stronger. Once no more energy could be taken, the life force would then be targeted. Even if one were to fall to the shadowy apparitions,


    With these three formations, a quick death was not going to happen. Rather, they would suffer a long one. At the beginning, one would feel hope that they could escape but the longer they struggle, the weaker that hope bes. At their final moments, they would feel despair as they lose their strength. This was a slow and insidious death, a trap only a malevolent mind could think of.


    "Whoever created this...is not a sane man..." he thought.


    But Zha Tian Yun focused himself and worked together with the others to fend off the shadows.


    With battles raging inside and outside of the mountain, themotion was massive. If one were to be careful, they could feel the tremors emanating from this fight but they would not be able to find the source of all this noise.


    That is, except for a blue ship soaring through the skies. In the few days that the Grand Elder set up this attack, the Blue Skies Ship flew through the clouds at their highest speed, carrying only two passengers.


    In the cracking thunder and rushing winds, the crew of the ship were at their highest guard, watching the storm and steering the ship carefully. Seated on the captain''s chair was Captain Hai, who watched the ck Peak Mountains closely. His eyes furrowed as the ship neared closer.


    "Something''s not right, the storm is much more ferocious than it usually is. Something is restraining it..."


    In the deak of the ship, Ming Yue and Hua Xiong readied themselves to leave at any moment. The former held Xiao Yin and Hei Yue tightly as she looked at the churning ck skies. Her Changing Clouds Armor had already changed into its battle state.


    Her eyes narrowed at the sight of the Merciless Storm Peak just as Hua Xiong''s eyes began to glow.


    "There''s somehting happening at the top of the Merciless Storm Peak. There... seems to be a fight happening!"


    "Yes..."


    Ming Yue nced at Hua Xiong before turning towards the peak. Examining it even closer, she could feel the shing of energies. For the crew, they might have believed it to be from the heaven''s itself but Ming Yue and Hua Xiong could discern it. The battling energies and the sense dreading from this.


    "Do you think you can see whose fighting?" Ming Yue asked.


    With Hua Xiong''s abiity to see life forces, she should be able to see through the storms.She looked towards the battle only for her eyes to widen and for her to step back in shock.


    "There are two sides but one outnumbers the other by arge margin. But that side, they have the same time of life force as the remnants of Zuo Er. But more importantly are the two figures flying in the skies, at the center of the churning clouds. Do you see it? How it darkens suddenly, thats because of those two. The storm is restless because of their battle."


    She spoke, pointing at the general direction of the Grand Elder and Dai Mian as well as the other points of battle on the mountain.


    "Then... that means someone is already attacking the Tao Feng! We should help!"


    Ming Yue went into the cabin where Captain Hai and his crew were.


    "You can stop here, the rest of the way can be traveled on our own", she said.


    "Are you sure, young girl? We''re nearly there", Captain Hai asked with a very serious experession.


    The others looked surprised, they were already quite close to the base of the Merciless Storm Peak. Why would they stop now?


    "The storm is different from thest time I came here. The cause of that is a battle at the very top of the Merciless Storm Peak, right under those spiraling ck clouds."


    Ming Yue moved to the front and pointed towards it. The churning sky that seemed almost alive was full of fury, sending down bolts of lightning constantly.


    "Really?! What sort of experts could have caused this to happen?!"


    They crew was shocked, there was actually a battle under this great storm, fighting in a ce where people came to die. Indeed, should theye even closer, they could be coteral.


    "If that is the case, farewell girl."


    Captain Hai gave her a solemn salute as he knew that she was aiming for wherever that battle was. He could say nothing but send her off and pray that this group would live.


    Ming Yue cupped her fists and left the cabin. She looked towards Hua Xiong who understood tha it was time to go.


    "Flying there is too dangerous but this might work."


    Ming Yue opened her hands and conjured up a sword of wind, one dense and solid enough to hold her and the others.


    She jumped on to test it out, finding that it was stable enough to hold her. But to create such a thing, a tenth of her energy was used. Still, this way, they would be able to reach the Merciless Storm Peak in minutes. She looked back and shouted through the cracking thunder.


    "Let''s go!"

 Chapter 315 - Entering The Fray

    Hua Xiong hopped on and the pair held onto Xiao Yin and Hei Yue tightly.With a single thought, Ming Yue urged the sword forward and they shot through the air.


    "There they go..."


    Captain Hai and his crew watched as they vanished into the storm.


    Surrounded by wind and lightning, the scenery blurred as the group stuck close to the sword. Ming Yue tried her best the divert the winds but such a task was difficult when it was both everywhere and extremely powerful.


    "Hold on! We''re nearly there!"


    In the few minutes they traveled, the Merciless Storm Peak was tens of timesrger than when they were at the ship. The pressure from it was equally as terrifying but Ming Yue urged the sword of wind to move faster, pushing more of her energy into it. The longer they were in the air, the higher of a chance they would get struck down from the storm. If that were to ur, death was most certainly inevitable.


    She squinted her eyes, trying to see where they were going in this heavy storm. Drawing closer to the peak, she finally spotted the flying figures who were in the thick of battle.


    "Isn''t that...the Elder Xiang and the Grand Elder? They''re the ones attacking the Tao Feng?"


    Ming Yue immediately recognized them, feeling surprised. However, there wasn''t enough time to stop and check the situation, not when she was only several hundred meters away from them. The pressureing from their battle was beginning to affect her. The first thing she felt was the impending dreading from this sh, the feeling of death like ice water washing down her neck.


    "Who are they fighting? "


    She quickly scanned around and found a shadowy armored figure, who wielded a ck sword which shined with a crimson glow. Just looking at this person made her fearful but she pressed forward.


    "This... this is too dangerous to interfere in."


    Xue Yue suddenly spoke up, as if awakened by this sensation. Despite her words, she knew that it was toote. At the rate they were going, they would fly straight for the Grand Elder''s battle. It was easy to tell that this battle was above their league but controlling this sword was getting harder by the second.


    Ming Yue quickly spotted the battle below and grabbed the others, hopping off and flying down to Tao Feng''s fortress. As for the sword, she aimed it downwards but didn''t know where it would go exactly. At a time like this, it was the best she could do.


    As theynded on the ground, the sword reached its destination, the Tao Feng''s fortress. It had the same power as her sting Gale Lances if not more and without the barriers to protect the fortress, it was open for an attack.


    The sword of wind crashed into the fortress''s roof and sted apart the highest level, while shattering the lower floors. The structure shuddered and there was a loud bang as pieces fell down.


    Everyone gave a quick nce before focusing on the battle before them. There was bound to be coteral damage, this was nothing. But they did notice the arrival of Ming Yue''s group.


    Elder Xiang noticed her entrance and his eyes widened in surprise.


    "What is she doing here?" he thought.


    Of all the ces toe, why was Ming Yue here? What connection did she have with the Tao Feng? He wanted to know this.


    As for Dai Mian, he did not pay any attention to Ming Yue nor did he even notice her, instead he looked at the destroyed fortress. Clicking his tongue, he showed a look of annoyance and dissatisfaction.


    "It was shoddy but it worked its purpose I suppose", he said.


    Looking towards his three opponents, he brandished his de and headed straight into battle.


    Below them, the battle was still intense as the Immortal Army charged in again and again. The many Sky Realm Experts who saw Ming Yue and the others paid little attention to them. If anything, they would run off in fear.


    "Some Earth Realm Cultivators? Why did theye?" they thought.


    None of them knew nor did they quite care. After all, someone the Earth Realm was nothingpared to someone at the Sky Realm. Their arrival would have little effect on this fight but that thought would soone to pass. Those who could cross the Merciless Storm Peak were not ordinary figures.


    Ming Yue and Hua Xiong immediately jumped into the battle.


    "We fight together!" Ming Yue shouted.


    Hua Xiong nodded before running in with her.


    "If you knock them out or incapacitate them, leave their remains to me."


    It was a strange request but Ming Yue epted it nheless. However, it would soon be revealed as to why she asked such a thing.


    Along with Hei Yue and Xiao Yin, they helped the Sky Realm cultivators fight off the Immortal Army. At first, it didn''t seem like much but this group of four were able to do something they could not.


    The moment Ming Yue moved, she had already dealt with several of the soldiers. Her sword was nothing but a sh as she carved her way through the army. She took apletely different directionpared to the experts who worked as a group, throwing herself into the deepest parts of the army. With Xiao Yin and Hei Yue at her side, doing such a thing was not reckless.


    ck fog suddenly covered half of the battlefield as Xiao Yin flew high up, sending off beams of Star Energy from above.


    With these two, Ming Yue had control over a portion of the fight and within it, she could do anything.


    One hand carried Drifting Sky and the other hand was cloaked in wind, her Zephyr ws. None of the puppets could react quick enough to stop her from cutting their limbs and shredding their bodies with the Zephyr ws.


    But the ck blood they had did not fester and bubble like Zuo Er. Rather, they moved in a strange fashion, stretching out to reconnect itself.


    "Damn, to think there were more like him. At the very least, they''re quite simple-minded."


    This time, Ming Yue had a somewhat easier experience fighting the Immortal Armypared to her battle with Zuo Er. These ones were more puppets than anything, they did not even have the ability to speak. However,pared to him, their regeneration was much stronger. In that respect, they were harder to kill.


    However, they were only harder to kill, not impossible.


    Ming Yue pushed even deeper into the ranks of the Immortal Army, fighting multiple at once. Outside of Pale Moon, she used everything at her disposal to fight. With her speed and Drifting Sky, she practically ran threw them, cutting off heads and limbs. With the Zephyr ws, she pierced their chests and bore holes into them. But none of this mattered for she was searcing for one person, Zuo Er.


    Hua Xiong stuck close but she was not fighting as intensely as her counterpart. However, she was doing something much more important.


    Her differently colored eyes suddenly glowed into a white color as she gazed at the dismembered bodies, all of which crawled on the ground to reconnect with one another. The ck sludge seemed to have a mind of its own, moving towards its main body.


    Her hands glowed with Light Dao Energy, a pure white coupled with a golden glint. She ced her hands on the ck sludge from the bodies that which began to shudder as if fearful of this power. Suddenly, it threw itself up, trying totch onto Hua Xiong. But they could note any closer for her glowing hands grabbed the ck sludge and crushed it.


    It struggled to get out of her grasp but was ultimately destroyed, returning into that of blood. Then the body she treated stopped regenerating and melted away.


    "With this, you will no longer suffer anymore."


    She then looked towards Ming Yue, who fought intensely against multiple soldiers at once. Between them was a trail of wriggling ck sludge and dismembered bodies, some had already began to reconnect until Xiao Yin flew down and threw another beam of Star Energy, slowing down the regeneration.


    "I hope the my seniors and juniors have not be these monsters yet."


    She was hopeful but in the back of her mind, she prepared for the worse.

 Chapter 316 - Disappointing End

    "Is it me or has it there been much less of them?"


    Tuan looked around with his staff before smashing one of the soldiers to the ground and tossing them off.


    Everyone nced at each other before nodding.


    "Perhaps, their regeneration is finally at its limit", they thought.


    However, they then noticed themotion brought by Ming Yue''s group and the bodies they left. All of them felt shock by this.


    "Who are they? One focuses on the Wind Dao and the other is talented in the Light Dao. Their cooperation needs work but, for them to do this? They aren''t ordinary."


    With their experience and cultivation, they noticed several aspects about these two. Most importantly, Ming Yue and Hua Xiong was on their side. With the pressure lessening on them, they took the opportunity to study the two young cultivators.


    "The one with the sword is good. Quick, decisive, and urate, she has definitely killed many before. Her potential is excellent."


    "A Mistral Fox and a Star Owl, what an interestingbination."


    "What about herrade? A Light Dao Cultivator? It is rare to find one talented in that regard, even more so one that is practiced inbat. Not to mention, she is actually able to dispel whatever has been done to these people."


    "That is true. Either they have encountered this before or that Light Dao Cultivator is a monstrous genius."


    "Ha, the younger generation... We are already being outshined here."


    "If that''s the case, we should show our strength. Push these damned soldiers back and make it easier for them to be dispeled."


    Their conversation was quick but a new n had already formed. Immediately, they exerted much more power and began to force the Immortal Army back. The ones dealt with by Ming Yue and Hua Xiong had melted into a gray sludge. There was no movement, no attempt to regenerate, and just like that the Immortal Army quickly dwindled. With the help of the Sky Realm experts, Hua Xiong worked even faster as she grew more ustomed to destroying what had been done to them.


    The battle was now practically won. All the Immortal Army had was numbers and regeneration, their biggest advantage. Without that, numbers meant little to the the experts they fought against.


    With Ming Yue''s search for Zuo Er, she scanned the surroundings, knocking off the masks of the soldiers to see if he was among them.


    "Where is he? Don''t tell me he hasn''t returned yet?"


    She looked around furiously, the thought that she had arrived before him wasughble but could be true. With each face, she only grew more frustrated. None of them were him but there were still plenty to more fight.


    There were several hundred of them, nearing a thousand even and she had only gone through a fifth of them.


    Ming Yue was practically a whirlwind as she tore through the army. At one point, she summoned a sting Gale and sent towards wherever it was dense with the army. It was bing even more chaotic but Ming Yue thrived in the disruption, usig it to take down even more of these soldiers.


    "Geh!"


    She swiftly turned after hearing a cry and saw Hua Xiong getting grabbed by one of the soldiers. But thetter did not need help.


    With an open palm, she shot off a st of energy that blew out her attacker''s midsection. The attack left only the legs and everything from the chest up.


    "You''re going too fast, she''s barely keeping up."


    Xue Yue immediately pointed out the issue, one that the other experts noticed before. The pace at which the two fought at was different and while Hua Xiong tried her best to catch up, she was stillgging behind. As powerful as she was, close rangebat was not her forte.


    Ming Yue looked at Hua Xiong, breathing hard and fighting whatever slipped through Ming Yue''s influence. She whistled, calling back Xiao Yin and Hei Yue, who were in the middle of attacking the soldiers.


    "Protect her, don''t worry about me", she spoke to them bluntly, not allowing the two beasts to fight back.


    They were concerned for her, looking with unease before going to aid Hua Xiong.


    Facing the Immortal Army again, she did not rush in as recklessly as before and instead began to actively look for Zuo Er.


    "Where are you, damn it?" she cursed silently, scanning every face she saw.


    Then after many more soldiers, she finally found him. But there was something strange about his behavior. His mask was broken, revealing his pale and sly face. Unlike the others, there were five lines on his face, an additional one from when they had met before.


    She quickly moved only to find him blindly charge at her, thrusting his swords forward.


    "This is..."


    Ming Yue shook the attack off and threw him back. Zuo Er just stood back up and charged forward like a simple puppet. He did not speak nor did his face show any sign of life. Zuo Er was just liek the others, certainly he was quick and powerful but his movements were just simple and predictable.


    She looked at him in confusion and disbelief.


    "Is it because of that fifth line?" she thought.


    When they first fought, Ming Yue had always taken note of the lines on his face. Before there were only four lines but now there was a fifth one.


    "Does...does that signify his failures? Or the changes done to him?" she thought.


    She was partially right. These lines did represent the times he failed but also the times in which a certain mechanism was to be activated, specifically the rebirth from an egg. There were special methods to creating this technique as it was meant to be life-saving once the regeneration failed.


    But none of that mattered, it seemed that Zuo Er had used them all and now, he became an ordinary member of the the Immortal Army.


    Ming Yue was disappointed and dissatisfied, killing him when he was like this would not make her happy.


    "At the very least... I won''t have to deal with you anymore."


    She moved quickly, dismembering him before tossing his parts towards Hua Xiong.


    "He''s the one."


    Once she spoke, Ming Yue moved forward, culling whatever was left of the Immortal Army.


    As for Hua Xiong, she looked at Zuo Er''s face and body before destroying it with her energy.


    "I suppose I should thank you for letting me understand how to dispel the curses done to your bodies."


    If it wasn''t for the remains of Zuo Er''s rebirth, she would not have been able to do any of this.


    Hua Xiong had kept several pieces of the broken eggshell, studying it and using a number of techniques before figuring out the nature of the Death Energy. From there, she tested it out and refined the technique on the Immortal Army. With the knowledge she gained from the Light of Fury''s inheritance, such a feat was not impossible but she did not rest she had made a breakthrough.


    Looking at Zuo Er''s melting corpse, she felt nothing for him, neither gratitude for giving her this information or hatred for harming her sect.


    "You''re just a puppet now. What is the point in staying hateful of you? I just hope my juniors and seniors are safe."


    Indeed, all she really wanted was to save her sect. Despite her cold demeanor, she still cared for life, especially towards those she knew.


    At this very moment, this the battle was over. The Immortal Army had been cut down in half and those that remained were too weak to sh against the Sky Realm Experts.


    And the battle in the skies was looking grim for Dai Mian.


    "Your Immortal Army is gone. Surrender, master."


    The Grand Elder spoke once more, pointing out this defeat.

 Chapter 317 - A Speck Of Light

    "Pah, they were not perfect, I could just make better ones. Although, the effort and treasures I used might have been wasted now."


    Dai Mian brushed them off like dust off his shoulder. All that pride that he had shown earlier was gone, as if the Immortal Army''s value was lost the moment they failed.


    "Even if they lost, what can yourrades possibly do? Even if they storm the fortress, they will not be able to leave with their lives."


    The Grand Elder sharpened his eyes and nced towards the two elders with him, motioning them to back off.


    They nodded and descended down, back to the others and left the Grand Elder alone with Dai Mian.


    The Grand Elder looked at him. His eyes sharpened as he moved silently, forming a sphere of light in his hand.


    "I did not want to do this. I had hoped that I could have brought you back tot he High Council but it seems that such a thing would not happen. It is a good thing that the Elders have brought me enough time."


    The Grand Elder''s face was stone cold as he began his attack.


    The sky darkened all around the Merciless Storm Peak as the domains of Dai Mian and the Grand Elder stopped shing. Rather, the Grand Elder''s phenomena of a star-lit sky suddenly vanished, leaving only darkness that seemed to meld into Dai Mian''s Death Energy. Rather, it had absorbed his domain.


    If the chaotic energy of the mountains could barely intrude, now it could not enter at all. This was truly a world of its own.


    At this moment, the world seemed to have stopped for a moment. It seemed to have lost all of its color, devoured by the eminent darkness of the Grand Elder''s. It was pure, like the bottom of an endless abyss, untainted by something like blood and war.


    "What? What are you nning?"


    Dai Mian tried to move but found that he could not do so. Under the presense of this ever-expanding darkness, he was nothing but flicker of light. He could not move and this frightened him. He did not expect something like this, the aura his student exuded and the path that was taken to reach this stage.


    "That which has be dark, makes the light ever so bright. The Northern Star leads the way through the nightly sea, upon which the path is shown, life is brought forth."


    The sphere of light suddenly condensed until it was the size of a pea, rather it condensed into a single point. It was infinitely smaller and just as bright.


    In this world of darkness, the only source of light, of color was that small light floating on the palm of the Grand Elder. As he spoke those words, he blew a small breath at the tiny piece light that intensified in brightness as it flew out.


    "Beginning of Life, the Cycle Restarts."


    That pea sized light slowly moved towards Dai Mian, glowing brighter and brighter as it slowly lit this deathly world with light.


    It stopped just inches away in front of him.


    "This..."


    He looked towards the Grand Elder, noticing that he was not there. It was just him, alone in this darkness. Fear began to rise up, different from the fear he exuded. It was slow, almost torturous even. Even for someone like him, Dai Mian felt it and he knew that death came for him.


    There was only this speck of blinding light right in front of him.


    It slowly made its way to him and entered through his chest.


    "What.. is this feeling? It''s calming. What did you do? Where are you?! What did you do to me?!"


    There was no pain as the energy moved to his heart and stopped. Slowly, it began to melt away, flowing through his veins and meridians. It was a warm feeling, one that epassed his entire body. To some degree, itforted him in this moment. Then, in an instant, the energy grew wild and to condensed power could no longer be contained and it burst out.


    "Aghhhhh!"


    All he could do was scream in pain as he felt his body being ripped apart.


    "You think you''ve killed me with this? You are mistaken! I prepared for decades to destroy the cmity! This is nothing! Nothing!"


    As Dai Mian shouted, light shone through his body. The shadowy armor he was so proud of began to crack and fragments of light appeared. Then all at once, it disintegrated and his entire being was engulfed in light as it spread to the edges of the Grand Elder''s Domain.


    The Grand Elder left the battle and joined the others. Above them was a massiveck sphere, his domain that now kept Dai Mian contained. He turned around and nced at where his former master was before moving towards the fortress.


    As for the ck sphere, it shattered to pieces, leaving a decimated body to fall. ck ooze seeped from the wounds as Dai Mian''s broken bodyid on the ground. He no longer moved and no longer lived.


    "Quickly, let''s go!"


    The Grand Elder did not spare another nce at his former master. In his eyes, Dai Mian was only another dead body. He looked at everyone before noticing Ming Yue and Hua Xiong with everyone.


    Elder Xiang stood in front of them with a surprised look on his face.


    "What are you doing here? Don''t tell me you came on a whim with your little friend here and don''t even think about lying to me!"


    He spoke with an incredulous and scolding tone, as if a parent was reprimanding their child.


    The others looked at him befroe looking back at Ming Yue''s group.


    "You know them?" they asked.


    Elder Xiang turned around, looking at all of the curious experts.


    "Introduce yourself to them and then exin to me why you''re here", he said.


    The Grand Elder then ced his hand out and stopped the conversation.


    "We will have plenty of time to ask these two after this. She is a member of Heaven''s Gate and she is herrade. Let us enter the fortress and see the situation. If I am correct, Elder Kan''s Team is in grave danger."


    The others looked towards him and nodded, but not before giving another look at the two young cultivators.


    Together, they entered the ck castle, rushing into the main hall.


    "Stop! Do note any closer!"


    The clear and resounding voice of a women echoed out, warning them not to walk even further. From where they stood, they saw the situation within and it was just as chaotic if not more so.


    With her giant spike club, Elder Kan batted away numerous shadowy figures as the hundred or so varying disciples took on a defensive position. All of them took a single corner of the hall next to the throne, protecting the formation masters and other artificers as they tried to dispel all of this.


    There were chains wrapped around their wrists and ankles, shadowy apparitions that kept rising form the ground, armed with swords and sabers. On the floor was a glowing formation, an intricate one that seemed all too strange to decipher. But it was glowing a silvery color as pressure was exerted on everyone within it.


    "They''re trapped in several formations, getting in is difficult but escaping is much more difficult. If they want to do so, they must dispel the master formation which must be why they''re in that corner over there."


    The Grand Elder exined as he scanned the hall and looked at their positioning.


    As for Elder Kan, she could only give a quick nod before focusing on the fight. As of now, her strength was beginning to falter as the chains continued to siphon her energy.


    Then the four beasts of Master Qi''s Heavenly Beasts Mirror roared out as they continued to decipher the Immortal Severing Formation. All of the masters worked as quickly as they could, thye faces haggard as each piece they unlocked took their energy.


    But the one who sacrificed the most was undoubtedly Master Qi. His manic energy from before was reced with weak feebleness. His appearance took on a drastic change, much more wrinkles and a thinner body. It looked as if he aged a decade in only an hour and that was exactly what happened.


    ''Damn it, hurry it up! I don''t have many years left!" he shouted out.

 Chapter 318 - Breaking Past The Formation

    "We''re doing all we can, shut it already!"


    The other masters yelled back as they walked further into the hallway, deciphering this monstrous formation. The four beasts fluttered throughout the formation, unobstructed by its power. With each step, they marked different points for the formation masters. As helpful as it was, there were over a thousand points to break before dispeling the Immortal Severing Formation.


    For an ordinary formation master, it could take decades to achieve this and that was with the help of a unique treasure like the Heavenly Beast''s Mirror. But these several figures were masters in this field, their knowledge was unparalleled.


    For them to work together, breaking this formation wouldn''t take very long. But could they break it in time?


    Master Qi''s aged face wrinkled up as he yelled out once more.


    "Then do more! I don''t have many years left in this body of mine! If I die, I''m going to haunt all of you until you join me in the afterlife!"


    Indeed, he could feel his life force flow from his body and into the golden mirror. His cranky voice could be heard by everyone, revealing the dire situation.


    The Grand Elder''s team looked at each other, half wanting to jump in and help and the other half knowing that entering could mean death.


    "If we enter, we may note out."


    "If we don''t go, they could very well perish."


    "Think about the formations. Should we break one, the others could grow stronger. It could even affect the one they are working on. What if it resets? Then all of their work is in vain."


    "Standing here and waiting will do us no good."


    "Whatever they''ve found must be of high importance if this monstrosity of a trap is protecting it."


    As they discussed among each other, someone stepped forward.


    "I should enter..."


    Hua Xiong stepped forward and made her way towards the formations before being stopped by Ming Yue.


    "Are you sure? This is very risky to do. You might die before finding your sect."


    She was surprised, not expecting Hua Xiong to volunteer to step into the formations.


    "I can see his life force already and it is starting to wane. He could very well die in the next few minutes. While I cannot replenish his life force, I could prolong it."


    Hua Xiong exined and then prepared to join Elder Kan''s group. Her words entered everyone''s ears, cing both shock and more pressure on them.


    "Grr, I''ll join you as well! There is no point in waiting around and watching."


    Tuan joined the young cultivator, gripping his staff in preparation for battle.


    "There is no better option."


    "I suppose so."


    "I can''t just let them die."


    One by one, those from the other two groups walked forward. Then the Grand Elder moved and directly entered the three formations, his aura expanded as he exerted more power and suppressed the formations themselves.


    The pressure that Elder Kan''s group felt had been cut down by a third. The chains seemed to loosen, the weight on their bodies lightened, and the shadowy warriors weakened.


    "Whatever the Tao Feng''s Sect Leader is protecting must be of great importance to his n. It could very well exin what he has been killing cultivators for", said the Grand Elder, "Not to mention, I''d rather not lose anyone from Heaven''s Gate."


    All at once, everyone entered and Hua Xiong immediately rushed to Master Qi''s side. She supported his back with her hands and began to work, strengthening his life force. While she could not increase his life span, Hua Xiong slowly improved his body.


    "Ah, girl! When did you get here?!"


    Bit by bit, Master Qi began to feel better, stronger. Although his appearance has not changed, hisplexion was better and he did not seem as feeble as before. There was joy and excitement on his face as he began to pour more of his life force into the Heavenly Beast''s Mirror.


    "Good! Good! It seems that I''ll be alive long enough to break this ancient thing! Watch the full power of a treasure I spent a lifetime strengthening!"


    He cackled loudly as the mirror glowed with even more power. Suddenly, the four beasts did not just prance around and mark points of the Immortal Severing Formations. Rather, they seemed to battle it, ripping apart the formation itself with their ws and fangs.


    The other masters paused in awe, watching for just a moment before returning to the task.


    "It won''t take long!" said Master Qi, "Give it just a few more minutes."


    At this stage, the situation was not as dangerous as before. With the Grand Elder and numerous Sky Realm experts, the three formations that trapped them was only half as deadly. So much so, that even those of the younger generation had actually went on the offensive. From the desmen of the Four Swords Region to the warriors of the Xue Mountains, they began to cover the hall, iming it inch by inch.


    "With a Heaven Realm Cultivator like the Grand Elder, this has be much easier."


    Zha Tian Yun moved like light, flicker here and there. Although he was not talented in the Dao of Light like Hua Xiong, he was a skilled swordsman focusing on the Dao of Swords and using the Dao of Light to support it. His style focused on speed and uracy much like Ming Yue, though his swordsmanship was more rigid and inflexible.


    In front him were five of the Shadows with their weapons ready, his body turned into light and shed five time. In that moment, all of them dispersed from his attack and he returned to his normal form, looking for the next target.


    In the corner of his eye, he noticed Ming Yue, waving her sword in a strange fashion. Like leaves dancing in the wind, she moved with a beautiful and perplexing manner. It was hard to predict where she would go or even attack. More than that was herck of aura, which made it even harder to track her when she chose to vanish and reappear elsewhere.


    "She is here?"


    He was surprised, not expecting her in the slightest as this operation was kept in secret. His heart seemed to waver as he saw her, but soon he shook it off and felt gratitude instead.


    "If not for you, I would have fallen down the wrong path", he thought.


    Likewise, Yu Hua also noticed Ming Yue and her eyes showed aplex emotion. There was confusion and curiosity but she stayed silent and continued to fight. Whatever she was thinking, no one knew, not even Elder Xiang, her master.


    "Hah! We got it!"


    All the formation masters yelled out in unison as this unassuming hallway suddenly glowed. The Immortal Severing Formation trembled and shuddered, affecting the entire mountain before disappearing.


    The three formations stopped as well, the chains dissipated and the shadowy figures vanished.


    "Finally!"


    Master Qi stopped activating the Heavenly Beast''s mirror and quickly returned it to his sleeves. Not even moment''ster, he stumbled and fell back onto Hua Xiong''s hands.


    "Ah damn, I must''ve lost at least twenty or thirty years right there. I wonder if I can get my hands on some life-extending treasures..."


    He muttered before standing up and supporting himself with his talisman-wrapped sword. He turned around and looked at the others before shouting.


    "Let''s go in! Let''s see what this crafty bastard is hiding!"


    Everyone looked at him, silently having a breath of relief. If he had died while trying to unlock the formation, they would''ve done all of this in vain and even died too. If that was the end, this would have been a foolish operation.


    As they all collected themselves and gathered, a shadowy blew past them all and entered the hallway, barreling into the depth of the fortress.


    "Oh no! It''s Dai Mian! After him!"


    The Grand Elder suddenly took flight and chased after the Tao Feng''s Sect Leader.

 Chapter 319 - Final Destruction

    Everyone scrambled in thier surprised and rushed through the hallway.


    "Was he not dead?"


    "How was he still alive?"


    They all thought this. How was it possible that he was alive? Not even the Grand Elder could kill him?


    "Or was it..."


    "If the Immortal Army had regenerative abilities and even the ability to revive, then he could do it as well!"


    At this moment, they all felt foolish to not have checked his body. But the Grand Elder was thinking differently.


    "I should have killed him. That attack decimates his body beyond repair or even revival for that matter. No treasure could have prevented it. What had he done to his body?"


    The Grand Elder thought carefully. Indeed, that move destroyed his body, from his mind to his meridians, all of it waspletely and utterly annihted. He had even sensed Dai Mian''s body after the attack, finding not even a shred of life force or even an inkling of energy. But if that was the case, then how was he able to revive himself?


    "Watch out!"


    The Grand Elder stopped and created a barrier that covered the path. Secondster, jade-colored mes billowed from walls as if they had erupted from the cracks of hell. They licked the Grand Elder''s barrier, trying to melt it but to no avail.


    "This hallway is full of traps! Everyone, be careful!" he yelled back to the others.


    Now their speed was drastically slower than before. Not to mention, they were arge group as well.


    Dai Mian was far ahead of them and no one knew what awaited at the end of this hall. No one knew what exactly was there. Walking through this hallway, it lead them down into the bowels of the fortress, deeper into the Merciless Storm Peak.


    Everyone was tired and weary, their breath was ragged and sharp. They were still alert and vignt, their eyes flickered about, watching closely. From raging fire to poisonous des and verious formations, there were numerous traps all through out it. With only dimly lit torches, even finding your next step was difficult.


    Time passed as they went further down. They could not even hear the sound of the storm anymore, only their steps and breaths echoed through the hallway.


    Then, as if they skipped time, they found themselves in arge cavern. It was so dark that they had not even noticed that they had reached the end of the path.


    "What is this ce?"


    As everyone entered therge cavern, they looked around in awe and wonder for the cavern was not empty. They were not alone.


    There was utter silence as they delved into the cavern and suddenly, torches were lit and the entire space was illuminated. The glow of fire gave off a dark orange hue to the rest of the cavern. It was eerie within this ce, chilly but not damp, it was bright but there were shadows cast in every corner.


    There was a sense of dread here, a slow growing anticipation of what awaited them.


    After a moment of surprise, everyone quickly shifted and looked around for Dai Mian.


    "He''s there... and there''s someone with him!"


    One of them pointed out his figure, standing tall with someone''s neck in his hand.


    Hua Xiong''s eyes widened as she looked at them.


    "Senior Brother, no!"


    She immediately opened her palm and shot out a st of Light Energy. It flew at a blinding speed but it dissipated into nothingness, failing to even touch him. Dai Mian did not even flinch at the attack as he broke the neck of her Senior Brother and tossed him down.


    The others looked at him and then they noticed the horror he stood by. A massive pit that was now filled to the brim with bodies and most recently, ones dressed in violet colored uniforms, hailing from the Violet Sun Sect.


    It was the same one Hua Xiong wore and everyone saw it.


    The Grand Elder furrowed his brows and looked towards Dai Mian.


    "What is this? You died on thatst move and suddenly you are brought back to life. Those bodies as well... How far down does that pit go? How many bodies did you use to fill it? How many lives did you take?"


    Despite his calm voice, the Grand Elder could not help but leak out the killing intent through his aura. It was heavy, as if you would be unable to breathe standing next to him.


    His words were met with silence as Dai Mian looked at this pit of bodies. A glowing formation circled the pit, siphoning what could only be the energy from the bodies. An ethereal white mist formed and was continually sucked into the formation.


    Lines appeared on the stone ground, riding up to the walls and the roof of the cavern.


    The Merciless Storm Peak shuddered as life force seeped into the cracks.


    "You want to know what I n? You want to learn my secrets? It''s toote for that now."


    Dai Mian turned, revealing the appearance he now took and the horror he had be.


    His pale skin was partially melted into ck slime but there was no bone or flesh. His face was liquefied like candle wax and it exposed what was underneath, a sleek ck sheen from that of obsidian. What was in ce of his eye was a red jewel that radiated a crimson glow.


    His true body was that of a puppet!


    Everyone stepped back in surprise and Dai Mian grinned with whatever facial features he had left. His expression was truly gnarled and twisted as he answered the Grand Elder.


    "Are you shocked? Surprised that this is my body? The task I brought upon myself required ability beyond the mortal man. So I prepared a new body, one able to endure the weight of the burden."


    He extended his arms and revealed what his true body was.


    The mountain shuddered even more fiercely and pebbles began to fall from the roof of the cavern. The walls cracked and all at once, the roof shattered andrge boulders fell from above.


    "Be careful, everyone!"


    While Dai Mian stood still, everyone started knocking away the falling pieces of the mountain. It rumbled and cracked until the sky was revealed. Everything above them had broken and fell away, exposing the storm above.


    The ck clouds that churned ferociously was apanied by endless lightning, rain, and wind.


    When the chaos stopped, everyone was drenched in rain and Dai Mian stepped forward.


    "Do not tell me that you dont have even an inkling of what I n. The Merciless Storm Peak is named so for the storm above us, but do you know the origin of such a storm? It is said that this storm has gained sentience, divinity from the heavens."


    He looked up and pointed at the sky with his ck puppet fingers. There was a smile on his face as if he had nned this all along.


    "However, there is truth to that as well as a little falsehood. This great storm that which matches the Heaven''s Wrath did not gain divinity. Rather, this single point is the origin point of thest cmity. What fuels this storm is the remnant energy of it."


    Lightning crashed down as the pit of bodies slowly melted and disappeared.


    "Sometimes, you have to fight fire with fire."


    Dai Mian then fell into the pit from which countles bolts of ck lightning followed. Then the clouds condensed and fell into the pit. Everything that formed the Merciless Storm Peak was drained into that pit. Nothing was left, not the lightning, the rain, or even the wind.


    For once in over a thousand years, the sky was clear and it was a beautiful day.

 Chapter 320 - The Wrath Of Heaven

    It was silent as no one could believe what they had just witnessed.


    "The storm... It''s gone."


    "It all disappeared into that pit he fell in."


    They looked at the pit which had be a pool of clouds as it now contained the power of the Merciless Storm Peak. It contained the primordial energy that which fueled the cmity centuries ago. The same one that ended the Warlord Age and brought out the current Sovereign Age. This same power severed the connection with the three continents and fractured thends. It was equal to, if not the embodiment of the Wrath of the Heavens.


    Now, that ancient energy was within that very pit, churning and releasing waves of power.


    And then, a ck hand emerged, holding onto the edge of the pit. Slowly, Dai Mian emerged with his true body fully revealed, wreathed in multi-colored lightning.


    Markings glowed on his body like branches wrapping around his limbs.


    He looked at himself, studying the changes to his unhuman body.


    "Amazing... It truly worked."


    Standing tall, his shadowy armor materialized, covering every inch of his body and its appearance was slightly different. It was more refined but there was a strange air.


    What was just tendrils of darkness had reformed in armor that was ominous, revealing visages of skulls and bones. His cape and mantle was dark as the night but sparked with an electric fury. His red gems for eyes pierced through his dark helm. Even though they were not his real eyes, you could see it, the madness within him.


    Everyone else readied their weapons at once, their des shining under the bright sun.


    "You still n to fight me? It''s stupid to struggle now, not when I have the power of the Heavens at my grasp."


    In this new form, Dai Mian casually stepped forward and erupted with energy. The cold Death Energy had been overpowered and reced by rush of chaotic energy. It was a ferocious force that could not be controlled and the feeling one felt facing against it was unlike anything.


    "Can you feel it? The despair? I will protect the continent from its next cmity! I will lead it to an era greater than the Warlord Age!"


    It was god-like and for everyone, they felt as if they were facing against the Heavens themselves.


    For Ming Yue, it was different from anything she had ever felt. Stronger than the aura of the Dragon Emperor and wilder than anything she had felt. It was as if life was being choked out of her and she could do nothing about it. Her fate was death and she could not go against such a power.


    But she had to.


    "Resist it! Push back against him!"


    Xue Yue urged her to stay awake, to keep fighting on. If Ming Yue died, it would be the end of her as well. Everyone else was in a simr situation, sticken with fear and theck of strength.


    "Xiao Yin... Hei Yue..."


    Ming Yue looked around, searching for herpanions before finding the two beasts on the ground. They trembled, struggling to get up and they could not even breathe. Everyone else was the same, even the Grand Elder, clutching their throats in a struggle.


    "...No..."


    She looked towards Dai Mian, who merely just watched them all suffer. All of this came from his aura alone, just the thought of that gave rise to fear in their hearts.


    "Push back! Fight it! Ming Yue, fight back! Survive!"


    Xue Yue''s voice echoed within her.


    "Survive!"


    And through sheer willpower, she broke out of this pressure.


    Ming Yue''s eyes glowed a pale blue as she activated Pale Moon. Her aura exploded with power as she unsheathed Drifting Sky and attacked. At that moment, she poured all of her energy into her de and the gems given to her by the Dragon of the Sun, Xiu Luo Yang, glowed with a resplendent light.


    Wind and lightning merged together as the gems flowed with power, flooding her sword and body with it.The azure aura she released was enhanced even further with purple lightning and violent wind, magnifying her power by the tens. Her strength right now could perhaps topple the Grand Elder himself.


    She swung her de and snapped her wrist, releasing a massive arc of wind and lightning. It crackled and boomed, moving at a speed faster than anyone could see.


    "Hmmm...."


    Dai Mian was unperturbed by this attack and flicked his hand in an attempt knock it away. But his eyes suddenly widened as the attack threw him back and smashed his body into the broken rubble.


    "Geh, how did you resist me? "


    Ming Yue sprung into action, attacking him violently. She did not give him even a moment to breathe. She did not know how long she could maintain this strength of hers. The gems in her de glowed even brighter, continuing to strengthen her attacks.


    "What is she..."


    The others looked at her in surprise as they recovered from the initial pressure. They were stunned, unable to believe that Ming Yue was the first to break out of Dai Mian''s influence and even push him pack.


    "Can we- can we even help her?"


    All of them were at a loss for words.


    How was it possible for someone like Ming Yue, a cultivator realms below them, to utterly decimate Dai Mian, somone who had just absorbed the entirety of the Merciless Storm Peaks power? His armor was being ripped to shreds and each attempt to retaliate was shut down by her sword.


    The Grand Elder watched and his eyes looked upon the gems on her sword. These two cores were full of wind and lightning energy, pure and powerful. Then his eyes lit up in realization as he understood their origin.


    "Those gems on her sword is from the Merciless Storm Peak! A culmination of several hundred years of that same energy that brought forth the cmity!"


    "What?"


    They were shocked to hear this.


    Indeed, when Xiu Luo Yang had given it to her, he spoke of how he discovered them. Born at the very peak of the mountain, they had been absorbing the chaotic energy for years. But while she could resist him through their power, he had absorbed the storm itself. There was something else.


    "Agh!"


    Dai Mian screamed and his body burst out with an aura of obsidian colored lightning. It was uncontroble and forced Ming Yue to back off. He screamed out as his puppet body began to crack, the energy he once contained had been fully released.


    His puppet body writhed and trembled as he tried to stay in control.


    "He hasn''t fully absorbed it! We still have a chance! Attack together!"


    The Grand Elder shouted out and everyone roared out, mustering all the strength they had left. With theirbined might, they fought back the raging aura, moving to suppress Dai Mian.


    "Take him down! This may be our only chance!"


    "You can do nothing to me!"


    Dai Mian roared out in anger. His body began to disintegrate under the sheer power he contained. But he pushed himself like a madman, forcing this energy under his control. The ck lightning he emitted shot everywhere, destroying everything it touched, turning it to dust.


    "Push! Resist his aura!"


    The Grand Elder and the others drove themselves into the wild energy. So long as their attacks touched him, they could interrupt him and his body would fail and crumble apart.


    Ming Yue stood back, leaning on her de as she gasped for air. The power she revealed faltered as her body was overtaxed. She barely had the strength to stand after what she had just done. Her eyes were heavy and not a momentter, she copsed. Her sword pierced the ground and stood straight as her bodyid next to it.. Her hand still gripped tightly onto the de.

 Chapter 321 - The Calamity Begins

    "Ming Yue!"


    Hua Xiong called out her name and rushed to her. Her eyes and hand glowed as she worked to heal the bacsh from Ming Yue''s actions.


    "Oh no, her body is spent. All of her meridians could copse at any moment! I must act quickly!"


    The energy she expended was not minor in the least. Ming Yue''s body was on the verge of breaking, if not for the Eternal Heart Ring she might as well have crippled herself. In this state, not even Xue Yue could do anything.


    As Hua Xiong worked hard to restore her, the battle had be a sh between auras.


    Even with all fifty experts and countless geniuses of the younger generation, they could not reach Dai Mian. The power he struggled to control was dense and wild.


    The beautiful sky above them began to grow dark once more, called out by the energy Dai Mian had taken.


    "You''re toote now!"


    His faceless visage seemed almost joyful as the energy bursting from his body returned once more.


    Those pushing their way through, charged forward and attacked with all their might. But Dai Mian summoned his sword and swung it. Just one swing and he brought forth a wave of ck lightning that which threw everyone back.


    "You''re toote! You''re all toote!"


    Though his body was partially destroyed, Dai Mian had brought this great power under control.


    He no longer touched the earth, floating just inches above as he came closer. With his sword at hand, he waved it menacingly, readying it to kill.


    "You- what do you n to do?"


    The Grand Elder was the first to recover but his clothes were ripped apart, revealing a massive gash across his chest. The wound was deep and ck, seeping with ck sparks. Of everyone there, he took the brunt of the strike.


    But it was over for them, despite Ming Yue pushing Dai Mian back, they were not strong enough to finish the task.


    Dai Mian looked at him with his red gems for eyes. Despite theck of features, you could tell that he was delighted in this victory.


    "What do I n to do? Do you think I will reveal everything? All you need to know is that with this power, I can prevent the next cmity and save the continent from destruction. Unlike the fools who chose to wait for their deaths, I made my choice to act."


    Then he turned to Ming Yue''s lying body, eyeing her sword.


    "But first, I should gather whatever good seeds there are. You can all sit and watch quietly."


    The Grand Elder suddenly felt his body shut down as he dropped to the floor, unable to move a muscle. Everyone else was the same, unable to open their mouths or move a finger. Only their eyes moved, following Dai Mian''s back as he approached the young girl.


    Out of everyone, Elder Xiang''s eyes stared daggers into him. He struggled as much as he could but the de Elder could not do anything to save his young student.


    "Don''t you daree any further..."


    Hua Xiong turned, one hand still healing her friend, the other aimed at Dai Mian. This time, her full strength was revealed as her entire body glowed in a fiery white light. Xiao Yin and Hei Yue stood in front of Ming Yue, baring their fangs and ws at him.


    "Hmph, what a sad threat" he said.


    Dai Mian''s sword vanished into ck mist as his hand went towards Drifting Sky.


    "To think, someone as measly as you could beat me down. It may be thanks to your sword but your mental strength is nothing to scoff at, managing to break out of my influence."


    His fingers slowly wrapped around its handle and firmly gripped it, taking it out of the stone floor.


    But this de did not listen, a piece worked on by multiple grandmasters is no simple sword. It trembled in his hands and released a furious howl. The two gems suddenly glowed as Drifting Sky flew out of his hand and turned, pointing its de at him.


    Then the skies thundered, a bolt of lightning crashed down and it was no ordinary bolt. It was thergest and the loudest one to havee and it was not ck or purple but multi-colored.


    "What?!"


    The Heavens had been silenced, suppressed as part of it had been stolen by Dai Mian. Such a thing could not pass, these grand forces were enraged. But that was not all, it was not just the ck Peak Mountains that began to thunder and crack, it was the entire world.


    Above all three continents, the skies darkened and rumbled. The feeling of dread and horror crept up, an uneasiness that could not be shaken off. All of it originated from the Merciless Storm Peak.


    Drifting Sky rung with a sharp cry, resonating with the power above.


    "It can''t be... So the Heavens could not wait, so be it. If the Cmity hase, then I shall face it."


    Dai Mian looked up into the ck clouds as multi-colored lightning shot down. Each one shattered the surface of the ground, piercing deeper into the world.


    Indeed, the destruction of the world had begun.


    There was chaos everywhere.


    "Bring everyone to shelter! Hurry! Death waits for no one!"


    "Yes, elder!"


    In the Red Lotus Country, people scattered everywhere, trying to find protection for themselves and their loved ones. But those in power had to take charge and protect, among them was Meng Zhao, Ming Yue''s grandfather-in-name.


    His face was creased as he headed out to protect what he could.


    "Activate the defenses, closes the forges! Either Rong Lu City lives or we die with it!"


    In the city of crafting, the Forgelord barked out orders and the many craftsmen worked to protect their home. Walls were built up, barriers created but even then, the city trembled and shuddered under each lightning strike.


    "Defend the city, all elders activate the formation!"


    In Heaven''s Gate, all the citizens had escaped to the Institution as a golden barrier had been erected. Among the elders working was Elder Hua and Elder Shen, the former operating a hospital for the injured while thetter took contro of defensive measures.


    "What is this? Could the cmity had begun?"


    The Dark Water Kingdom had already prepared defenses and for now, the situation was under control. However, Grand Researcher Ou looked out of her windows, gazing at the ckened sky. There was worry on her face as she watched the unending lightning.


    As for the Demon Continent, Kong Zhi stared at the sky before looking at his army. He stood up from his stone throne and looked at his generals before yelling out.


    "This is a sign! Men, we move now. This time, we will destroy the armies of Man and take what we deserve. The bountifulness they once enjoyed shall be ours! We will march into their camps! We will kill them all!"


    His four generals stood up as his armies shouted out. The beasts they took control of roared out. Together, their voices drowned out the lightning as all of them took up their arms.


    "No, so it has started. We are toote... Could it be? Eldest Brother has done this?"


    Floating through the numerous bolts of lightning, was a floating castle, helmed by the High Council. All of their faces seemed to age even further as the shock had overtaken them. Perhaps, they should''ve followed their eldest brother and acted. But s, all of them knew, the horrid thought he carried in his mind.


    And as we return to the Merciless Storm Peak, Dai Mian faced the cortex of the swirling clouds. No matter how much lightning came, he was unfazed. No longer did he pay attention to Ming Yue or her sword, not even the Grand Elder and the others.


    "So you''ve done it now! But I prepared! I''ve always been prepared! For the Heavens to be so fickle is such a hateful thing. Angry because I have taken your powers! That I have defied you! Is that it? Come then! I will not falter here!"

 Chapter 322 - Bolt Of The Heavens

    A ck aura slowly rose from his body, slowly it grew denser and even more powerful. No longer was it as wild as before but smooth and under control.


    "Are the Heavens truly all-powerful?"


    Dai Mian''s voice reverberated in the skies as he rose up.


    As if angered at this act of defiance, the core of the whirling clouds opened up and revealed a pocket of crackling light. Each spark gathered, umting power into a single bolt. You could almost hear roaring as if this lightning was a ferocious beast.


    As these two forces made their stand off, everyone else could only watch.


    With Ming Yue no longer targeted, Drifting Sky trembled and lost power, falling to the ground. Whatever had just happened, no one could quite understand. Any secrets it contained would only be revealed to Ming Yue in theing years. By then, she would realize the extent at which the various craftsmen had worked on the sword.


    For now, she was too young to understand it.


    And the others, all of them watched in despair, understanding that they were witnessing the final moments of the Sovereign Age. That was of course, unless one of them decided to act.


    But that bolt of lightning waited for no one, it grew in strength and size, matching the power of a hundred bolts. Various colored lightning formed together, encased by a blinding lightparable to the sun''s rays.


    It crackled and thundered, roaring out as Dai Mian faced it alone.


    He no longer spoke, forming his armor and sword. His right arm and left leg were gone, crumbled to dust from the pressure of controlling this power.


    Enveloped in darkness, the Tao Feng''s Sect Leader charged forth to achieve his purpose.


    "A Heaven''s Bolt? Are you that afraid? I will defy you! I will overtake you! And I will end you!"


    He shouted out and swung his sword. The bolt lightning shot down like a piercingnce, its size dwarfed whatever power Dai Mian exhibited but thetter was no fazed. He pushed back with a wave of darkness, the ck lightning now sparked with crimson. It was small but it flew straight, shing with the bolt of the Heavens.


    It left a echoing crack as Dai Mian''s attack cleaved into the Heaven''s Bolt before the man himself charged forward. His de elongated as he took it on himself. And to everyone''s shock, Dai Mian was not being pushed back but the Heaven''s Bolt instead.


    The Grand Elder looked up, staring at the scene before focusing on recovering his body. The quicker he regained control, the better chance he had of stopping this from getting even worse.


    "A Heaven''s Bolt? A phenomena that has not happened in millenias! An event of legend! To see it right here means... his existence has gone far against the natural way fo the world. He has taken what is not his and incured the Heaven''s Anger. But, it seems that he might actually defeat it. This... could be my only chance."


    With Dai Mian''s energy gathered, the Grand elder began to feel his limbs once more. It truly was his only chance to stop this.


    "Is this all that you have? If so, then you have disappointed me! I will bring you down to your knees and I will lord over you! I will lord over everything!"


    Dai Mian''s aura exploded as he pushed the multi-colored bolt even further back. Even with its power, it could not destroy what was in front of it. Then the thundering slowly stopped as each bolt retreated into the ck skies.


    The Heavens knew it, this defier before them would not be destroyed so easily.


    The Heaven''s Bolt shed and glowed, bringing out a shockwave of power as its size was cut down in half but its strength multiplied. Dai Mian felt it and his body was thrown down by the sudden increase.


    "So there was more! But I was prepared for this!"


    As he shouted like a madman, his puppet body shuddered as markings appeared on the surface. Then the dark aura around him flew forth, piercing the tip of the bolt and slowly taking the energy for itself. Indeed, with his unhuman body, he siphoned more and more of the Heaven''s strength, slowly growing stronger as it grew weaker.


    As each second passed, his puppet body reformed into that of a man''s body, resembling flesh and blood.


    The Heaven''s Bolt nearly crushed him into the ground but his sudden growth had stopped such a thing. Just above the rubble of the Merciless Storm Peak, he stopped the bolt in its tracks but he did not push back either.


    Just like this, shing against each other but neither of them retreating, in this position his aura slowly engulfed it and the Heavens could do nothing.


    This was an prime opportunity for him as it was for another.


    But at this moment, themotion had awakened Ming Yue, who felt pain radiating from every inch of her body. The rippling energies washed over her as her eyes focused onto the scene before her.


    "What... what happened?" she thought.


    What was originally a ck puppet with red eyes was reced by Dai Mian''s original appearance. Though he was obscured with the armor he created, it was certain that he had be youthful again.


    But the Heaven''s Bolt was even more shocking to her. In all of its blinding light, she could not fathom how this was reality. What was in front of her carried power and served to remind her that this was level of strength beyond her. This was something she could very well achieve as she progressed.


    "Ming Yue, you''re awake!"


    Hua Xiong was relieved to see herrade awaken, propping her up.


    "What happened? Is this the end? Of everything?"


    Ming Yue looked at her, as strong as her mentality was, this was simply too much for her to take. She needed some sort of exnation to this but Hua Xiong had nothing to say.


    "This... this is a fight we should not be part of. There is nothing we can do but watch."


    Even now, she was reminded of her own strength. This time, their anger had taken the best of them, clouded their judgment. They had took on a battle they were too weak for. In front of Dai Mian, they were powerless now. In fact, everyone from the younger generation felt it, the gap between their strength.


    But now, it was time for the older generation step in.


    The Grand Elder''s face turned dark as he slowly rose up, regaining full control over his body. Life and Death came together, Yin and Yang formed behind his back. His body glowed in a gentle light as one hand held a sphere of Death Energy and the other held a sphere of Light Energy.


    "There is no beginning and no end, only a of cycle of infinite lives."


    He sped his hands,bining the two energies, continuing his mantra.


    "To end is to reach the Four Truths. To break out of this cycle is to reach Enlightenment."*


    His power skyrocketed, so much so that Dai Mian nearly lost focus for a moment.


    "Don''t you dare do this! Do you know what will happen? The world will be remade and the Sovereign will end! What happens then? We could end up like the Demon Continent! Ruined! Destroyed! Huang Bo, do you not understand the consequences of your actions! If you do this, the cmity to continue!"


    He screamed out, his words reached everyone''s ears, especially that of his former disciple.


    The Grand Elder looked at him, his eyes revealing sadness but determination.


    "Even if you stop this cmity, no one will be able to stop you."


    He muttered those words before attacking, pushing his hands forward and opening them.*


    "The Third Truth: Nirvana"

 Chapter 323 - Worlds Destruction

    From his hands, the two spheres of energybined and shot out, forming a spiral beam where one energy did not overtake the other. There was perfect bnce and it was a massive beam, thicker than a lightning bolt. All of it was aimed directly at Dai Mian, who could not ignore it.


    "Damn you! When this is over, I will strip you of your skin and cripple your cultivation! I will bring onto you the worst of tortures, Huang Bo!."


    With one hand gripping his sword, he used the other to block the Grand Elder''s attack. Dai Mian was pushed back, but not yet defeated.


    His face was contorted, anger mixed with desperation as he clung for his life. His body shook under the weight, his flesh and skin cracked, revealing the unhuman body beneath that fake shell. But he still stood, quickly absorbing as much as he could.


    As for the Grand Elder, his eyes were clear but as much as he tried, this was all the strength his could bring out. All that was left was thatst bit of hope that Dai Mian would fall.


    "It''s not enough."


    Everyone else hoped but only Elder Xiang came to that conclusion. In this three way sh of energy, he realized that Dai Mian would win. The longer this struggle continued, the stronger he would be.


    Silently, he took back the control over his body, circling his energy and taking out a thin silver sword. It was double - edged, paired with a simple guard and an elegantvender - colored grip. On it was a simple engraving of two words: Xue Qing.


    The slovenly dressed elder suddenly changed in aura, turning sharp and pure. All of it was pure Sword Dao Energy, as if he himself has be the sword.


    As quickly as he changed, he also moved.


    "One Stroke, Wandering Dragon."


    His sword shed forward as did his body, his aura coalesced into numerous swords before turning into a roaring dragon. Its body was a shining silver color, drawn like a painting with a ferocious maw and ws. Massive and powerful, it howled to the skies and charged at Dai Mian.


    "Xiang Qing! Don''t!"


    The Grand Elder yelled out but he could not move from his position. If he did, he would lose concentration and his attack would break. Even then, it was toote for anyone to stop Elder Xiang.


    The dragon surged with power and raised one of its ws at Dai Mian.


    "Do you even have the right to stand before me? Die!"


    With both hands upied, Dai Mian looked at the dragon with his glowing red eyes. Lightning shot our from them, striking for the elder only to miss, barely scratching it. But he attacked once more, shooting out more bolts of lightning from his eyes. Each one that struck the ground ckened the rock and cracked it.


    A direct attack could very well stop this charging beast.


    Under this slew of attacks, Elder Xiang''s dragon pushed forward, enduring any strikes that razed him.Then the silver dragon came just meters from Dai Mian, its piercing eyes locked down its victim.


    "If I have the chance, why not exact my revenge now?" the Elder muttered.


    And with its raised w, the dragon swung down and Elder Xiang''s sword shown. It was one strike,right down the arm that blocked the Heaven''s Bolt. All of that built up power condensed into the sword, cutting through the flesh and body.


    Elder Fang''s sword did not stop until he chopped off the sword cleanly.


    "Elder!"


    Ming Yue yelled out, wanting to move, hoping that he could escape.


    But the Heaven''s Bolt was quick and cruel. The moment Dai Mian lost his sword arm, the multi- colored bolt crashed down, engulfing both of them in all of its fury. However, it went further than that, piercing the mountain deeply.


    At first there was rumbling before the entirety of the ck Peak Mountains cracked, some shattered as the Heaven''s Bolt burst apart, spreading beneath thend. Like a wave, the bolt split into hundreds which drilled through dirt and stone. Everything it touched turned to ash, devoid of life.


    Everywhere the ground shuddered and cracked, minutes passed but the rumbling did not stop. Cities and kingdoms shook, rubble continued to crumble and fall, everyone prayed for their lives.


    Their eyes were closed out of fear. They prayed for it to stop, hoping that thend would not break apart, that it would not be ruined. What seemed like seconds were hours to them all.


    Then it finally ended, the shaking stopped and the cracking ground was on the edge of breaking apart. The noise and the destruction had turned to silence.


    One by one, people emerged from their shelters, looking at their former homes. There was almost none of it left, only glimpses of what used to be.


    "It''s all gone, the stalls, the stores, the markets... our homes."


    Destruction and rubble was all that they saw: shattered windows, broken walls, snapped signboards. The streets cracks apart, rifts appeared on the surface, reaching deep into the depths of the earth. The faint smell of burnt soil wafted into the air. There was simply no way to describe the feelings they felt. The overwhelming sadness and the rising despair that took root in their hearts.


    As for the High Council, their expressions were mixed but ultimately, showed some relief. Although the damage was severe, it was not enough to destroy the continent. Still, full recovery from this would be a long time.


    But the emotions felt by those on the remains of the Merciless Storm Peak were worse for wear. None of them knew whether they had seeded or lost. Yhey witnessed the bolt pierce the mountain, not knowing whether that was enough to cripple humanity once again.


    "Did we... stop him?"


    "I don''t know. I don''t even know if the world has been ruined or not."


    That was all anyone said. As experienced as they were, this was simply something they had not anticipated. Perhaps, they had defeated Dai Mian but at what cost. To what extent had the world suffered before they stopped it? Even if they stopped him, would they have been able to prevent the Heaven''s from striking down? There was simply no telling of the destruction.


    They could only hope and pray, return to their homes and survey the damage.


    Ming Yue ran forward, her body limped towards the ce where the bolt struck. A crack split the mountain open, going deep into the depths of the world. The rock surrounding it was ckened, seared by the lightning.


    Just on the edge of it was the remains of Dai Mian''s body, only from his chest up and with both od his arms broken. The flesh he remade had been destroyed, his puppet body cracked and on the verge of copse. One of the red gems were gone, leaving the other on its own.


    "Elder? Elder?"


    Ming Yue looked around, trying to find even a piece of Elder Xiang.But there was nothing, not even ashes of his body could be found.


    She stopped, fully knowing deep within that he had sacrificed himself.


    Of all three elders, she had spent to least time with him but each exchange had helped her immensely. Through Elder Xiang, she gained a better understanding of her own path of the sword. With his nonchnt attitude and little entricities,


    "I still haven''t understood that "perfect" technique", she said.


    "If you did, I''d have nothing left to teach you."


    A weak voice spoke out as she spun around finding Elder Xiang in the arms of Elder Kan, the Disciplinary Elder. There was a smug smile on his face though he was covered in sweat and his skin was extremely pale.


    "You lived, but your body..."


    As Ming Yue''s eyes settled on him, they fell upon his body. Elder Xiang''s sword arm was gone and half of his body was burnt to a char. No medicine could heal these wounds, if anything, it seemed that he might not be able to hold a sword ever again.

 Chapter 324 - It Is Never Over!

    However, Elder Xiang did not mind it.


    "A few lost limbs is nothing! I can still hold my position as the de Elder!"


    "Elder Xiang, we must bring you away quickly. We can still repair what remains."


    The Grand Elder looked at him with worried eyes, Hua Xiang attempted to heal him but she did not have the power. At best, a bit of color came back but nothing more.


    "Ah stop it, I''m fine. Focus on the others, many of them haven''t recovered yet. We should at leeast be able to move and return to Heaven''s Gate."


    Everyone began focusing on their recovery and a blue ship appeared, rising from the edge of the broken peak. A g fluttered in the air with the words "Blue Skies" on it.


    "Is everyone alright?"


    A voice rang out from the ship, rough but energetic, it was the voice of the captain. The ship of the Blue Skies Caravan hovered of them and moved to the edge of the mountain. Parts of it were slightly singed but other than that, the ship was practically untouched.


    "Hm? The ship? The captain and his crew came back?"


    Ming Yue had not expected them toe much less stay.


    The others looked in curiosity.


    "A caravan ship? What is it doing here?" they thought.


    "This is good, we can all board it and recover there safely. This way we could even return to our sects and homes quicker", said the Grand Elder.


    Everyone nodded, epting this proposal. With the amount of damage done to the mountains, their camp was most likely destroyed. If they wanted to return, they would have to do it by foot or flight.


    Bit by bit, those still alive regained feeling over their bodies but the emotions that ran through were mixed. It was especially so for those of the younger generation, who did not expect to witness and experience these things.


    Was this what absolute power was?


    How long would it take to reach that level?


    Could they face that sort of strength?


    The gap in power was simply too shocking, too much for them to handle. For many this had be a heart demon for them, the fear and uncertainty of strength. Suddenly, they did not feel proud of their talent and current strength, even doubting if they were truly geniuses. Certainly, they were the younger generation but the shoes they had to fill seemed a bit too big for them.


    The older generation noticed it but said nothing.


    This was a good experience for them, a way to show that is will always be someone above you. It would serve to humble them and to test their resolve.


    "Please,e in! Come in! It is an honor to serve you as guests of the Blue Skies Caravan!"


    As the ship settled down and a bridge extended outwards, Captain Hai and his crew came out, nearly stumbling forward. Quickly, they moved to help carry out whatever needed to be moved. That included any remaining treasures and materials that survived the battle.


    As things were getting underway, Ming Yue approached the captain, her eyes somewhat widened in surprise.


    "You stayed here, captain?"


    The stout man looked at her with a smile.


    "It did not feel right to send a passenger off to battle, perhaps even death. Furthermore, this would do well to improve our reputation as a good caravan! It was quite shocking when the storm suddenly vanished and came back with even more lightning. That was almost too risky but this was a gamble I won."


    He exined, looking up at the sky which had be somewhat cloudy.


    "It''s strange... There is no storm anymore, just clouds. As much as I''d want to know what happened, It may not be my ce to do so. s, the Merciless Storm peak will no longer live up to its name. Though I''m sure this could be something else. In any case,e aboard!"


    Having regained a bit of her strength, Ming Yue nodded and then went to help the others.


    A slow stream of people entered the ship, finally rxing inside. And thest ones to board was Ming Yue, Hua Xiong, and the elders of Heaven''s Gate.


    "Where will you go now?"


    Ming Yue looked towards Hua Xiong, presenting this question to her.


    "I... I do not know, perhaps return to the Violet Sun Sect but..." she replied.


    Hua Xiong had be thest of her sect. How many years had she spent there? How many memeories had she made? Now, there was no one left. If she were to return to Earthfire City, she would be met with emptiness.


    Ming Yue could see it in her eyes, they were nk, lost. Her eyes drooped, filling with an unspeakable sadness. Without her sect, Hua Xiong no longer had a home.


    "Would you like toe with me to Heaven''s gate?" she asked.


    Hua Xiong looked at Ming Yue, pausing to think before shaking her head.


    "The Violet Sun Sect will always be my home. At the very least, I need to pay my respects to them. After that... perhaps I will visit Heaven''s Gate."


    As cold as she had be, seeing the demise of her own sect was something that she needed time to ept. Having to see the death of her senior brother only made it even harder to do so.


    Ming Yue did not pursue it, respecting Hua Xiong''s choice.


    As they walked on bridge and made their way to the ship. The mountains rumbled as a voice rumbleed outwards.


    "It isn''t over! IT IS NEVER OVER!"


    Suddenly, the floor glowed as a massive formation appeared. It hummed with power as Dai Mian''s upper half floated upwards, the red gem that was his eye glowed brightly.


    "You did not win yet! Victory is not yours! The Heavens are still mine!"


    Like a vengeful ghost, his voice seemed to haunt the skies as the formation glowed brightly.


    "We have to go! Get in!" the captain yelled out.


    The Blue Skies Ship rose up with Ming Yue and Hua Xiong still on the bridge.


    "Get back here! Give me your sword!"


    Dai Mian''s body trembled as a single dark hand flew out. It chased after the ship, aiming to nab Ming Yue. The hand was wide open and headed straight for her. He needed her sword or rather, he needed the gems on them. With them, it could hasten his recovery and even strengthen him.


    As of now he was too weak but more importantly, everyone else was shocked to see him alive for a third time. But there was more to it.


    "Give me the sword! Give me it! Give it to me! I need it! I need it!"


    He kept shouting like a madman and it was clear that he had lost all reason. He might still be alive but he did not fully recover and he may never.


    But who could stop the hand, the ship was not go quick enough to escape it. No one was fast enough to stop it. All they knew was that it was aimed towards Ming Yue.


    Her eyes sharpened as she unsheathed her sword and readied to meet the shadowy hand. Ming Yue was in no state to fight back and no one else was close enough nor had the strength. It was a surprising attack and her only option was to fight it off.


    Then she felt some hands push her into the ship as the shadowy hand grabbed someone else.


    In front of her, Hua Xiong destroyed the hand with her Light Dao Energy but could not disperse it fully. She fell off as the remnants of the hand pulled her down. The formation hummed with power before shining with power before shing brightly.


    "Wait, no!" she shouted, looking out of the ship''s entrance.


    Ming Yue watched as Hua Xiong vanished into motes of light along with Dai Mian. With her back turned, she could not see the expression on Hua Xiong''s face as she fell and vanished.


    "Why would she do that?" thought Ming Yue, "Why would she do such a thing?"

 Chapter 325 - Meeting With The Experts

    Ming Yue could not believe it, why would Hua Xiong save her? Of all the possibilities, this one was not what she had wanted.


    "Close the doors, hurry!"


    Elder Kan pulled her in and closed the door. But Ming Yue did not move from her spot, she was stunned by what had happened. It was too quick, far too quick. All that remained in her mind was the Hua Xiong disappearing into bits of light.


    "You need to rest first. This... What happened... We can discuss itter" said the Disciplinary Elder.


    Elder Kan was closest to them but was too far away to help. However, she had seen what had happened but that did not help. In the end, she did not know what to say.


    The Disciplinary Elder brought Ming Yue to a room and left her alone for a bit.


    Time passed as Elder Xiang watched over Ming Yue before he finally entered to speak. He entered into the room finding it darkened and noticing Ming Yue hugging Hei Yue tightly. Xiao Yin was perched above the bed, watching over them.


    "...Ming Yue, get up ande with me. We have some things to discuss."


    He spoke in a different tone, much gentler and calm. Seated in a wheelchair, he made his way to her bed just as Ming Yue rose up. Where one of his arms and legs used to be was now a bandaged stump.


    "Elder..."


    She spoke quietly, releasing Hei Yue from her embrace who merely just wrapped himself around her.


    The de Elder''s expression was soft as he looked at her. His eyes carried a rare bit of sadness.


    "I am sure that your friend''s actions still bother you. Perhaps, you me yourself for their sacrifice."


    She looked down before speaking.


    "We weren''t very close friends. In fact, we''ve only known each other for a week or two. Despite that, for her to take attack for me and forfeit her life. Something about that does not seem right."


    Certainly, they''ve had a few connections and understood each other well but they were not close friends. It bothered her greatly, to have someone she''s barely known throw their life for her. But Ming Yue had an inkling in her mind as to why she would do this, it was grief.


    "Her entire sect has been killed, she saw her own seniors and juniors dead. Perhaps, she could not bear to live knowing she was the only one left."


    Elder Xiang paused before sighing.


    "It could be so, we all saw it, how he had killed her senior brother. Something like that can''t be brushed off so easily."


    Then he looked up and rested his only arm onto her shoulder.


    "But chances are, she is not dead."


    Ming Yue suddenly looked up at him, her eyes slightly widened as she heard his words.


    "What? What do you mean? She vanished into thin air right in front of me-"


    "-along with Dai Mian and nearly everything on that broken mountain. Chances are, that was a teleportation formation. As for where it sent them, that is why I need you toe with me. Along with the Grand Elder, we''ll be discussing out next moves. We cannot leave such a dangerous person alive."


    As he spoke, his tone grew denser and encouraging. Looking into his eyes, Ming Yue found them to be clear and unwavering. Even after losing some of his limbs, he was not ready to give up.


    "Come on then girl, let''s go."


    She stood up and straightened herself, regaining her previousposure and grabbing her sword.


    Xiao Yin pped her wings and perched onto Ming Yue''s shoulders. But for Hei Yue, the dark silver fox circled around Elder Xiang before climbing onto hisp.


    "Heh, little fox. Are you really that interested in my wheelchair? You know, it cost me an arm and a leg to get this! Gahahaha!"*


    He chuckled inughter before leading Ming Yue to arge room at the center of the ship. He didn''t even have to use his hands to move it, only powering it with his energy and driving it with his mind.


    They stood in front of tworge doors protected by two members of the ship crew. Upon seeing the elder and Ming Yue, they opened the doors, allowing them in before closing it behind their back.


    Just stepping in had put her under pressure but it was not on purpose. Seated in front of her was the Grand Elder along with all of the Sky Realm Experts, that pressure came from only their presence. All of these experts in one room caused to air to grow heavy, as spacious as it was, the pressure could not be so easily dispersed.


    The young cultivator beared the pressure and kept her calm, bowing and cupping her fists.


    "Greetings seniors, I am Ming Yue, a young cultivator from a Heaven''s Gate."


    Her entrance had caused them all to look in her way, it was just a nce but they seemed to see through much of Ming Yue.


    The Grand Elder looked at her warmly before speaking.


    "Hello there Ming Yue, I''m sure you''re wondering why we called you here. It is just that, your appearance at the Merciless Storm peak was surprising. We did not expect to see others in what we considered a ndestine operation. Do tell us why you and your friend was there."


    "Yes, Grand Elder."


    MIng Yue nodded and began to exin how she hade across Zuo Er several times especially with thetest being the Eternal Sword Sect. From there, she spoke of meeting Hua Xiong and her connection with Zuo Er, how the Violet Sun Sect had been drugged and captured for sacrifice. Then she moved onto deterining the location of the Tao Feng Sect and getting there.


    Throughout the story, many of the experts had a various number of faces before ending in an expression of shock.


    "To think that this was how he gathered more people. How despicable!"


    "We must chase after him, he''s weakened!"


    Several began to speak out, breaking into conversation before the Grand Elder raised his hand up.


    "While we can go after him, we must first focus on ournds. None of us know to what extent this cmity has hurt the continent. Most likely it is weakened fom Dai Mian siphoning its power but the damage is there."


    Everyone turned silent. Even after speaking of Dai Mian, many of them still worried for their homes.


    "It is obvious that Dai Mian had teleported somewhere else, taking along herrade", said the Grand Elder.


    He looked at all of them before continuing, watching their reactions.


    "Of all the ces he could turn to, it is without a doubt that he has gone to the Demon Continent."


    Everyone looked at him incredulously.


    "How can you be so sure?" one of them asked, "He could have gone to some other mountain to hide."


    "That is because of the formation used, it is simr to the ones that connect the continents together both in power and design. Furthermore, I am his former student, he''s always had an interest in the Demon Continent", the Grand Elder answered.


    "This leads us our next topic, the Demon Continent", he said.


    Everyone went into thought, furrowing their brows and rubbing their chins.


    "With the situation now, we cannot immediately charge into the Demon Continent."


    "Indeed, recovery is important. Furthermore, with the destruction there is bound to be chaos."


    "It is a time for lesser evils to rise up. The wicked and corrupt could take this opportunity."


    That was the general consensus, it was simply to rash to go after Dai Mian and ignore these problems.


    The Grand Elder smiled before looking at Ming Yue.


    "That is why we can ask Ming Yue to help us."

 Chapter 326 - Making A Choice

    Ming Yue was suddenly shaken by this proposal as were the others who flipped back to the Grand Elder.


    "What do you mean by this? She is of the younger generation! Not even someone at the peak of the Earth Realm!"


    "Do you n to send her on a mission of certain death?!"


    Many of the experts were somewhat appalled by this decision, believing it to be rash. But there were a few who were silent, understanding the reasoning behind it.


    "Hmm... I see."


    Elder Xiang muttered before looking at Ming Yue, who did not expect such a responsibility to be given to her.


    "Are you sure about this? After all, she is still a greenhorn, perhaps notpared to the others butpared to us, she is still inexperienced."


    Qi Dian stood up and asked the Grand Elder directly. An expert from the Four Swords region, she was an old woman with a thin but muscr figure. Wearing ck and magenta colored clothes coupled with some leather vambraces, there was a belt wrapped around her waist with seven nothces for her daggers.


    Her face was stone cold and calm, looking at the Grand Elder with a certain scrutiny.


    "I understand that she is young and perhaps, weaker than us. However, was she not pushing Dai Mian back in that fight?"


    The Grand Elder replied, reminding everyone of the scene they saw, how Ming Yue had utterly destroyed Dai Mian for a full minute or two. The strength she put out was shocking to say the least. But it was not enough to convince them.


    "But much of that strength came from her sword."


    "Yes, not to mention, after the battle, she copsed and her body was past its breaking point. The only reason why she is standing right now and still not in bed is due to her friend."


    "It is too much for her to bear. Furthermore, do you expect her to kill him? He revived several times already!"


    "Indeed! That bastard is only a step away from being a monster!"


    Despite these reasons, the Grand Elder was steadfast, sticking to his proposal.


    "You all misunderstand, I am not asking her to kill him but to find him. It would be even better of she could dy him or weaken him even further. I am well aware of his constant revivals which is why I only ask that this young one only finds him. All of us will be upied for at least a few months with the damage done to thend. Of everyone we know of, she has the highest chance of surviving a battle with him."


    He then stood up, cing his hands on the table as he looked at everyone.


    "Do you understand? We have no choice but to ask someone else. The chaos in the continent will ensue and all of us have our own responsibilities in keeping the peace. Who knows how long the dust will settle after an event like this."


    No one in the room spoke, fully understanding the reasoning behind his decision. Now was the best time to chase after Dai Mian but with the continent brought to its knees, it was too rash for any of them to go. Furthermore, there were few with an actual chance of dueling Dai Mian. Of them, Ming Yue was one.


    The Grand Elder then looked at Ming Yue, with a stoic face.


    "I understand that this may seem like a burden too heavy for you and perhaps it is but the options are limited. You may choose to reject it or ept, none of us will think worse of you."


    Ming Yue was quiet, deep in thought before looking up at the Grand Elder.


    "Could you give me a day to think it over?" she asked.


    The Grand Elder smiled.


    "Certainly, all of us understand that this is not an easy choice to make. You may leave now, there is still much to discuss."


    MIng Yue was sent out and she returned to her room. Her two beastlypanions sensed the turmoil in her mind and stuck close to her, trying to soothe her mind.


    "Should I go or not?" she thought.


    As much as she was interested in the Demon Continent, the task asked of her was a heavy one. Furthermore, she was an outsider, not a part of this group but connected nevertheless.


    "Do I want to do this?"


    Ming Yue was unsure of herself.


    "Xue Yue...."


    "I don''t have anything to say. The choice is yours."


    Despite asking her for rity, Xue Yue had no answer for Ming Yue.


    "It doesn''t matter to me whether you want to go or not. I am only a passenger in your soul. If we do go, it would make for an interesting journey."


    "I see."


    Ming Yue stayed in her room to ponder for several hours before going out to the deck. Alone, she moved silently, carrying her sword and looking out. It had grown dark but the sky was clear and the stars lit up the night.


    "Hm, there''s someone here."


    As she was about to unsheathe her sword, Ming Yue noticed someone else standing towarded the front, gazing at the night sky.


    "That''s one of the inheritors, Elder Xiang''s Inheritor..."


    Indeed, it was Yu Hua, leaning against the fence as looking out at the stars. Ming Yue recognized the de by her side as well as her emerald colored robes. As if sensing someone''s gaze, Yu Hua turned around and locked eyes with Ming Yue.


    She then gestured her hands, calling Ming Yue to join her and thetter did so.


    As she came closer, Ming Yue had a much better look at the Inheritor. Despite having a rather intimidating weapon, Yu Hua had the appearance of a young, frail girl. She seemed at st a few years younger but Ming Yue did not treat her without respect.


    "Greetings, Inheritor."


    Ming Yue cupped her fists and bowed but Yu Hua stopped her.


    "We learn under the same elder. It is more appropriate to call me Senior Sister."


    Yu Hua''s voice was somewhat high- pitched but carried a tone of responsibility and maturity. Her behavior did not quite fit her appearance.


    "Then... Greetings, Senior Sister."


    "Hm, what brings you here, Junior Sister? Is there something weighing on your mind perhaps?"


    "Uh... yes... I''ve been given a task to go to the Demon Continent but I am unsure of whether I should go or not."


    "Really, interesting..."


    "Yes, I decided to go outside and have a breath of fresh air to clear my mind."


    "I see."


    Yu Hua paused, her eyes still looking at the starry sky.


    "I suppose you''ve seen Elder Xiang already."


    "Yes, yes I have."


    "You know, there have been talks about him retiring but at the end of it, he made his decision and chose to stay as the de Elder."


    "Really?"


    Ming Yue was surprised to here that but at the same time, she realized that it would''ve been discussed sooner orter. After all, Elder Xiang lost one of his legs and his sword arm, having that same strength as before was only a dream.


    "I was there when he made his decision. He did not skip a beat to reject retirement and continue his position as the de Elder. You know his character, don''t you? He only does things if it interests him."


    "I do."


    "Then you know that whatever choice you make, it should be the one that interests you."


    Yu Hua turned to looked at Ming Yue, her eyes revealed sea-green irises that were spirited.


    "He may be a entric, middle- aged old man with a penchant for wine, but it isn''t as if he makes decisions on a whim. So long as he still finds interest in what he does, nothing will stop him. So if, you can''t choose, think of what interests you. Overanalyzing will justplicate your thoughts and cloud your judgement."


    Ming Yue looked down before turning towards the sky, looking up at the stars. In that moment, she thought about the elder and all the experiences she had gone through.. All of them were dangerous, risky, deadly and after it all flowed through her mind, she made her decision.

 Chapter 327 - The Painting Swordsman

    Yu Hua looked at her before giving a small smile.


    "It seems that you''ve made your choice, that is good."


    Ming Yue bowed with gratitude.


    "Thank you for your guidance, Senior Sister!"


    "Please, if you ever need help, you cane find me."


    Yua Hua gave a polite smile as she responded with kindness.


    This had been their first proper conversation with each other. Befoe that, they had only crossed each other and gave nces. But actually speaking with other had not happened until now. For Yu Hua, she cherished it.


    "The elder is a entric man, doing only what interests him. In that respect, he only has four students including you and me. I''ve actually wanted to have a junior and now I do" she said.


    "Only four students? Then the other two-"


    "They''re wandering the continent, honing their swordsmanship against other masters. Those two are senior to me and are also Inheritors though they don''t bother with what goes on."


    Ming Yue found it surprising that Elder Xiang has only had four students. He seemed to be one of theexperienced elders. There was no doubt in her mind that he has been a part of Heaven''s Gatte for several decades now.


    And Yu Hua seemed to know exactly what she was thinking.


    "Yes, I know. He''s been an elder for close to forty years but he''s only had four students. In truth, he does sses every now and then in the fields. Anyone is wee to join and it often ends with everyone feeling as if they''ve improved by strides. Despite hundreds asking for his personal guidance, he has always refused. Though that may be due to his reputation as the Painting Swordsman."


    "The Painting Swordsman? Was that what he was known as?"


    "What? You never knew about this?"


    Yu Hua was quite surprised that Ming Yue didn''y know and thetter paused before speaking.


    "I haven''t been in Heaven''s Gate for very long. Even before, I hade form a small vige and knew little of the world. As for the time I spent at the Institution, I never did ask the Elder about his past. We only sparred and spoke about the Sword Dao."


    "I see. Well then, Elder Xiang was known is the Painting Swordsman as his particr style was unique. He based many of his techniques on paintings as well as brush strokes. Many describe his battles as if he was painting a scene. However, that was not all. With this unique style, he has incredible control over his aura and energy, morphing it into hundreds of weapons and fantastical beasts. He wandered the continent doing whatever he pleased but always helping others."


    Yu Hua''s eyes seem to glimmer with awe as she spoke of Elder Xiang''s skills.


    "It is said that hees from a family of artists though, there is little known about that. Still his reputation is partly to me for the amount of people who want to be his disciple. For us to be epted is a dream to others. I''m very surprised you didn''t know any of this."


    Ming Yue only shrugged.


    "He never spoke of his past nor did I ask. Still, thank you for telling me this."


    She found it rather funny that Elder Xiang was known as the Painting Swordsman. It just didn''t quite fit the image she saw him as.


    "Hm, that''s quite alright. In any case, I''m sure you have somewhere to be."


    Yu Hua reminded Ming Yue of her original purpose, giving a pleasant smile.


    "Yes, thank you, Senior Sister."


    Ming Yue cupped her fists and left, leaving her senior sister alone.Yu Hua watched her leave before looking back out into the endless sky. What thoughts and emotions she had were hidden behind her little smile.


    Down below, Ming Yue reutned to the door of that massive room and knocked.


    "Come in."


    From within, the Grand Elder''s voice echoed.


    She opened and entered the room, finding him along with the other three elders.


    "Have you decided, Ming Yue?"


    The Grand Elder looked at her as did the others, all of them awaiting her decision.


    "Yes, Grand Elder, I will go and search for Dai Mian. If it is in my power, I will kill him."


    She answered in a blunt manner but none of them cared for such tone.


    "Good, good! If that is the case, then there is much to be done. You must learn about the Demon Continent before you go. Furthermore, the ship will be heading to the continental teleporation circlesst, giving us a month or so. Elder Kan will call for you shortly to inform of what needs to be done. Until then, please continue to recuperate. You have my gratitude for doing this."


    With that Ming Yue bowed and left, leaving the four figures to themselves.


    "That girl really decided to do it. Hah!"


    Elder Xiangughed out loud, surprised that Ming Yue would ept. But inwardly, he knew that she would do it.


    "Why are you so happy? Just because she decided to ept does not mean that the situation as changed. The Demon Continent is about to have its bloodiest battles soon enough. My men have told me that Kong Zhi''s army have fully mobilized. They may being to defeat the Five Armies in one fell swoop."


    Elder Kan looked at the de Elder menacingly. Her watchful eyes seemed to stare down his body.


    "Oh, are you gong to bully me? A cripple? How mean!"


    He joked while pointing at his lost limbs.


    Elder Kan snorted, looking annoyed by his behavior.


    "We all know that your strength is still there."


    "Heh, and you thought I would choose to retire. Pah!"


    The two elders were about to continue bickering before Elder Fang put a stop to it. He walked forward and pushed the two apart.


    "Stop it, you two are better than this. Besides, the Grand Elder has something to say."


    Grand Elder Huang coughed before looking at them.


    "Good, you two are finished. In any case, it is true. Her epting may not change the overall situation of the Demon Continent. Which is why, we must deal with the issues quickly before moving to aid the Five Armies. Time is our greatest enemy now."


    He looked at them, his golden eyes gave off an ethereal glow.


    "No, she''ll have an effect on the situation. I''m sure she will."


    Elder Xiang looked at them, his eyes were clear and confident as he spoke those words.


    "Hm, no matter what, we have to prepare her for what maye."


    Everyone nodded at these words and now, a second operation had begun, one smaller in scale but with equal importance.


    As the days went by, more and more of the passengers left, returning to theirnds. Some were met withrge responsibilities, others saw only destruction in their homes.In their hearts, they could not call this a victory or a defeat. They were only grateful that the damage was not irreversible.


    Soon a month had past and the Blue Skies ship had only two passengers, Ming Yue and Elder Xiang. The Grand Elder and the others returned to Heaven''s Gate to survey the damage and focus on recovery.


    The teacher and disciple were both on the deck of the ship, looking at the chaotic scenery beneath them.It has been a sight they''ve seen everyday but even then, it was simply daunting to them.


    The only word that could describe it was "fractured". There were rifts scattered everywhere, running deep into the depths. These rifts were even more apparent in the nds and mountainous areas where even the mountains themselves were split apart and crumbling.


    "Hah, I don''t think I''ll ever forget this sight."


    Elder Xiang looked before turning to Ming Yue.


    "All right, we''ll be at our destination soon.. Before that, there are some thing I should remind you.

 Chapter 328 - An Important Lesson

    Ming Yue looked and listened carefully as Elder Xiang began to speak.


    "I know you''ve been to the east, having entered the Dark Water Kingdom. But now, we''ll be entering the Raging Sun Kingdom in the far west. It is thergest of the six kingdoms and values strength greatly. There are two teleportation circles that lead to the Demon Continent. Of the two, one of them are within the Kingdom. The other one is in the Bright Star Kingdom in the northwestern corner of the continent, above the Raging Sun Kingdom."


    "Aren''t there four in total?"


    "Yes, two in the west for the Demon Continent and two in the east for the Beast Continent. However, thetter three have yet activate but there are eyes watching it and guarding it."


    Ming Yue nodded, she faintly remembered hearing about these things in her travels. But with Elder Kan telling her more of the inner workings, she realized just how important this was.


    Reconnecting with and after being separated for hundreds of years, such a thing had many implications to consider. From trade routes to alliances as well as the overall situation of its people, all of these things needed to be thought out.


    With the reconnection of the Demon Continent, that mean that there was a chance that the Beast Continent may reconnect as well.


    "Then the Raging Sun Kingdom?"


    She asked, moving back to the original topic.


    "Yes, we will be entering that kingdom and heading for the Hundred Fists ins. That is where you will be entering the Demon Continent."


    The Elder then fished something from his pocket and handed it to Ming Yue.


    "Here, this is to rece your other badge. It will allow you to gain entry through the armies and enter the Demon Continent on your own."


    As Ming Yue recieved it, she looked at the new badge before handing her other one. This one was a bit more ornate, created from a dark golden jade. Upon it was "Heaven''s Gate" engraved on both sides. It was also tied with a small gold tassel.


    "Thank you, Elder Xiang."


    She bowed and wrapped the badge around her wrist like a bracelet.


    "Alright good, I''m sure Elder Kan has given you a map of the Demon Continent."


    Ming Yue nodded, taking the map out of her spatial ring.


    "Okay, in that case, then you are ready for this mission. All that is left is a little lesson from me."


    He gave a little grin as he looked at her surprised face.


    "Yes, it''s time to talk about the "perfect technique" I showed you. Have you figured it out yet?" he asked.


    Ming Yue shook her head, showing a bit of helplessness on her face.


    "No, I haven''t had much time toprehend it. At best, I can only describe it as "perfect" but I''m too inexperienced to understand it fully."


    That much was true. When the Elder had shown her this strike, it felt as if she could not escape it. No matter what she did, it felt as if that attack would make its mark. She could not even detect it. In the end it was truly a "perfect" attack, going where it needed to be and with no way tp avoid or counter.


    "Hah, if you did understand it, I would have nothing to teach you. In any case, this strike is rted to the next stage of the Sword Sage Path, Return to Simplicity. You have reached a proficient level in Sharpness of One''s Soul, having good control over your soul energy and merging it with your sword. Now we must focus on the next stage, it is the hardest stage to reach as the principles are easy to say but hard to achieve."


    Elder Xiang then formed a sword from his own energy before empowering it with his soul energy. Ming Yue felt her body tremble and her mind and soul shake under this power.


    "That strike epassed the main concept, "harmony". With that said, you must merge all of your differing energies into the sword, keeping them bnced."


    The de hummed as it grew even stronger and more chaotic. Several different powers entered this illusory de, making it even more terrifying.


    "As said in the Sword Sage Path, to Return to Simplicity is to simplify your attacks. To merge your energy and make it more efficient."


    As Elder Xiang spoke, the sword suddenly stopped humming and gradually became still, as if it was an ordinary de. However as Ming Yue studied the sword, it made her feel uneasy.


    "If bnced, it bes like this, a in sword with no real discernible features. But if I strike..."


    Under his control, the sword swung and on instinct, she dodged. It felt inescapable to her but she jumped back and attempted to strike back. Even then, the sword found itself touching her neck, then it vanished.


    "By merging your energies, all of their properties arebined and be interconnected, supporting and strengthening each other. From there, it is a matter of bncing it. Through bnce, it ends up in the state of Halcyon as you see here. Of course, it gets difficult when you have more different energies but that is the essence of this stage."


    Elder Xiang looked at her before facing the view ahead of them.


    "That is the lesson I shall give you. The path to reaching it will be difficult and that is something I cannot help you with."


    Ming Yue looked at him, his expression was calm and tranquil.


    "Thank you, elder."


    She bowed and gave a heartfelt thanks. In her mind, he had given her a gift to prepare her for this, a personal lesson.


    "Heh, okay. We''re nearly there. Gather your things and prepare to leave. Remember, the Demon Continent is about to enter its most bloodiest battles as of yet. Keep your mind strong and your heart steady."


    Ming Yue nodded and the ship made its way to the Hundred Fists ins.


    As the name said, it was a massive set of nds that contained a very special aspect, a temple known as the Hundred Asura Pagoda from which is guarded by the Ten Fiends. Every year, hundreds of thousands enter in hopes of learning the Path of a Hundred Fists, however, less than twenty are epted.


    These disciples woulde out as experts and masters of fist techniques and many of them answered the call to enter the Demon Continent.


    As the ship made its way through the ins, Ming Yue spotted the teleportation circle that connected the two continents.


    "...Wow..."


    That was all she could say for what she saw. A massive stone tform raised up several feet over the ins. It glowed with an ethereal blue light and pulsed with a strange power. The formation on it was unlike anything she had seen in size andplexity. It was ancient and no matter how she looked at it, this formation was simply amazing to look at. It wasrge enough to fit the entire ship ten times over.


    Surrounding it was a military camp filled with hundreds of tents and such. There were soldiers marching, men and women tending to their equipment, supplied being moved and stored. Some of those tents were uniquely colored, representing different factions and powers but they all had a singr purpose.


    To enter the circle and join the war.


    The Blue Skies ship slowly descended down in front of the military camp and Ming Yue stepped out. She turned back and waved a hand towards the ship as it floated up and left. Hei Yue and XIao Yin were by her side, looking at the departing ship.


    Looking at the military camp, she approached the front entrance, a wood gate supported by a stone wall that encircled the camp.


    At the top was a signboard with something engraved on it, she looked up and read it before going forward.


    "Five Armies Camp."

 Chapter 329 - Five Armies Camp

    Stepping to the gates, she was stopped by guards who pointed their spears at her neck. Above were stone towers carrying archers who readied their bows at her.


    "Halt! State your business, warrior!"


    Their eyes watched her every movement as Ming Yue showed them the dark golden badge. It took them a moment but their spears retracted as they saluted her.


    "We greet a member of Heaven''s Gate. Please enter, someone will bring you and your beasts to the Camp Commander!"


    The soldiers stood back and opened the massive gate, allowing her to enter.


    Ming Yue cupped her fists and bowed to them before going in. Walking in, she was met with a strange air, different from what she was used to. It was stern to say the least. There were hundreds of soldiers training together, grouped in an orderly square. With each swing and thrust, they shouted in unison, giving off a feeling of strong solidarity. None of them were off-beat, following the same rhythm and techniques.


    She could hear the sounds of horses as cavalrymen practiced riding and striking. There were other cplit into small pockets, dueling each other and honing their senses. The smell of polished leather and metal was thick.


    No one here was rxing or taking a break. They were all readying themselves, preparing to go at any moment.


    Hei Yue stuck close to her, feeling somewhat intimidated by the atmosphere of this ce.


    As Ming Yue looked around, a young woman approached her. Dressed in heavy patterned armor, she was slightly taller than Ming Yue, a few inches shy from six feet. Her face was stiff, with fierce eyebrows and pursed lips. Her eyes had emerald colored irises that carried a sense of stoicism. Her hair was sleek ck, tied up in a simple bun.


    She was certainly pretty but not in the sense of gentleness or fragility.She brought power and authority with her presence. To her hip was a sword three timesrger than the average de. The hilt was white and carved in the image of a tiger. The pommel was its head and the handle was its body.


    "Are you the one from Heaven''s Gate?"


    Her voice was husky and had a deadpan tone which had thrown off Ming Yue but she quickly recovered.


    "Yes."


    She nodded and showed the soldier the dark gold badge.


    The soldier looked and nodded.


    "Come with me."


    She turned and brought Ming Yue through the camp. Eyes turned with many of themnding on Ming Yue but more so the soldier who was leading her.


    "It''s the Guardian Fang, Hu Baihe! What is she doing here? Who is that person following her?"


    "Isn''t she being sent to the Demon Continent today? I thought she would be tending to her equipment."


    Some gave quick whispers to each other, pausing what they were doing for a just moment. Ming Yue felt their stares but noticed something interesting. Despite their stares, it seemed that none of them dared to look at Hu Baihe''s face. It was not out of fear but respect.


    "She must have quite a reputation", Ming Yue thought.


    "Do you think? She''s at the Sky Realm while all these other soldiers are at the cusp of the Human Realm, some might have even entered the Earth Realm. There is no doubt that she is strong."


    Xue Yue''s voice popped up, speaking in an strange tone as if excited. It felt as if she was anticipating something to happen.


    "And I thought an ordinary soldier would be leading me..."


    "There''s probably a reason why. After all, the reason why we''re here is not ordinary."


    "True."


    As the two conversed in their mind, Hu Baihe lead them to therge tent situated close to the formation. One could hear a quiet hum of power emanating from that circle, strange but soothing to the ear.


    Hu Baihe stood outside and turned to Ming Yue.


    "Before you enter, I must inform you that we are meeting the Camp Commander. He will be talking and borating on the situation of war. I will be waiting outside so you must enter alone."


    Ming Yue nodded and stepped forward, opening the tent ps and going in.


    In front of her was a war table, circr in shape. Behind that wasrge desk with a man seated, looking over report after report. He was somewhere in his forties with a full head of hair and a beard , which was lied at the end.


    He looked up, having heard someone enter and spotted Ming Yue standing there.


    "Ah, you''re here. Ming Yue, I presume."


    He put down the reports and stood up, revealing himself dressed in full te armor. It absolutely made him a giant of a man towering over Ming Yue. Over his armor was a red cowl that came down to his ankles and was wide enough to cover his body.


    Each step had a audible thump lending to the magnitude of his weight and size.


    "I am the Camp Commander Tian Bi, you may call be Commander Bi. Wee to the Five Armies Camp. I have been notified of your arrival by the Grand Elder of Heaven''s Gate."


    Ming Yue greeted him, cupping her fists and bowing with respect.


    "I was rather surprised by the sudden message and seeing you here is even more surprising."


    Commander Bi rubbed his chin, his face showed mixed emotions and hesitation.


    "Before we continue forward, I would like to test your strength. I do not mean to insult you in any way but the Demon Continent carries a number of dangers. Furthermore, it will likely get even worse with theing conflict. It does not feel right to send a girl as young as you into a something like that, not to mention, your little fox and owlpanions. Thus, I must see your strength in person."


    His voice was deep and gravelly but also soft. Through his words, he seemed to be a caring man who understood the hellscape of war.


    "No, I understand. Should we do this here?" Ming Yue asked.


    "Ah no, we''ll go out to the training grounds. The current drilling session should be over soon. Come follow me."


    Commander Bi hunched over and exited the tent, followed by Ming Yue.


    "Baihe, follow me" said themander.


    "Yes, Commander."


    As a trio they moved through the camp, everywhere they passed, soldiers would stop and salute to Commander Bi before returning to their task. Of course, they had a quick look at Ming Yue whom they had never seen before.


    In a ce with various armies and groups, they''ve done drills and exercises together, recognizing at least their uniforms. However, Mign Yue was dressed differentlypared to the others. Her Changing Clouds Armor stood out as well as Xiao Yin and Hei Yue.


    Minutester, they reached one of the training grounds. A group of a hundred men shouted and moved together before doing one final strike.


    "Stop! Salute themander!"


    The drill instructor shouted out and everyone did as was told, saluting Commander Bi.


    "Please, the drill has ended yes? I need to borrow this space for a bit."


    "Of course, Commander! You heard him, get off the grounds and return to your tents. Clean yourselves up and return in one hour!"


    "Yes, Instructor!"


    The soldiers shouted and promptly marched away together.


    "Thank you."


    Themander then led them into the grounds and turned to the two women.


    "Unfortunately, I''m not much of an opponent to you due to my size so Baihe will be battling you. I will of course be watching on the side."


    Ming Yue nodded.


    "I understand."


    She then looked at Hu Baihe before turning her attention to Xao Yin and Hei Yue.


    "Go with him and watch, okay?"


    The two beasts blinked, understanding and took their positions with Commander Bi. Xiao Yin perched atop his shoulder and Hei Yue stood by his leg.


    "Good, whenever you are ready them."


    As Commander Bi stepped back, Hu Baihe began to take off her armor. After all, She was fully covered while Ming Yue only had a hanfu but thetter stopped her.


    "You do not need to do that", she said,


    With a single thought, Ming Yue''s armor changed and shifted into its second form. Mist seeped out from it as her sash turned into white metallic waist armor that flowed with the skirt of her hanfu.Her right arm which held her sheathed sword with a gauntlet and a red out vambrace. Her other arm was fully covered in armor with a pauldron that red out. It matched with the various shades of blue and the white robes underneath.


    Commander Bi whistled, looking impressed and Hu Baihe looked before smiling.


    "In that case, let us begin."

 Chapter 330 - The Guardian Fang

    Hu Baihe took out her sword which nearly matched Drifting Sky in length but was thicker and wider several times over. Ming Yue followed, unsheathing her sword and putting her scabbard into her spatial ring.


    "The Guardian Fang, Hu Baihe, will be your opponent."


    She wielded her sword with one hand, spinning it with ease. A helmet emerged from her spatial ring and she put it on, taking her stance. With the sword in one hand, she faced Ming Yue head on.


    "Ming Yue of Heaven''s Gate."


    With Drifting Sky out, she readied herself.


    "Hah, I knew we were going to fight her", Xue Yue spoke out excitedly.


    Commander Bi looked at the two, making sure these two were prepared. After a quick nce, he nodded and spoke.


    "Remember, this is not a fight to the death but a test of strength and skill. You are not to kill each other. Begin!"


    At the sound of those words, Ming Yue moved first and reached Hu Baihe before thetter had even reacted. She dashed and leaped upwards, aiming to chop down with her whole weight.


    However, Hu Baihe would not go down so easily.She brought her sword forward, shing it with Drifting Sky and stopping the attack in its track. The strike had pushed Hu Baihe back a step but Ming Yue''s initial momentum was lost.


    Rhe Guardian Fang pushed forward, throwing Ming Yue back with her sword. .


    "You''re fast but is that it?"


    Hu Baihe spoke confidently before marching forward.


    She swung from the right and the sword came whistling by as it cut through the air. Ming Yue did not dare take the strike and stepped back before countering. She moved forward only to find Hu Baihe''s other hand move. Her fingers curled into a fist as she punched Ming Yue''s abdomen.


    "Gah!"


    She coughed out as the blow pushed her back even further, punching air out of her lungs.


    "Come on! No one will wait for you!"


    Hu Baihe yelled out as she advanced.


    Ming Yue gasped for breath but immediately moved, recovering as quickly as possible. She gripped her sword with two hands and walked forward to meet Hu Baihe. With each step her aura began to wither and vanish as her body disappeared from sight.


    Hu Baihe suddenly tensed up, her eyes sharpened as she searched for Ming Yue.


    But this seasoned warrior took a second to react and Ming Yue needed less than that.


    Just as quickly as she vanished, Ming Yue reappeared. Her body leaned forward and close to the ground as she attacked, striking the shins and vanishing once more. It was quick and elusive for Ming Yue attacked a different part at every instant.


    Just as she felt a tinge of pain in her shins, Hu Baihe felt her right shoulder driven down as Ming Yue smashed Drifting Sky into her pauldron. Before she could even react, Ming Yue disappeared once more, leaving a noticeable dent on her armor.


    Hu Baihe endured the strikes and waited. WIth her armor, Ming Yue''s attacks did not have much of an effect. But as special as this armor was, Drifting Sky was a Divine Grade sword and soon the de began to bite deeper into the thick armor.


    Waiting even more would bring her closer to defeat but Hu Baihe moved about, constantly changing her position and buying more time.


    In seconds, small bits of metal began to fall as Ming Yue dug deeper into the armor.


    After a half minute, this soldier made her move.


    Ming Yue attacked, this time aiming for the neck. As it it struck the armor, Hu Baihe suddenly grabbed out with her open hand, taking ahold of the sword.


    ''"I''ve caught your timing! Haah!"


    The Guardian Fang pulled the sword and Ming Yue towards her. With her monstrous de, she thrusted forward at Ming Yue''s shoulder but thetter let go of Drifting Sky. She took out the Pearlstone Dagger and her other hand was encased in wind as the Zephyr ws formed.


    A burst of wind propelled her forward as sheshed out, manging to avoid the strike.


    The Pearlstone Dagger shed as it dug into the cracks between her helmet and chest armor, loosening it. Following it was the Zephyr ws from which she grabbed the helmet and pulled it off of Hu Baihe, revealing her face.


    With the helmet out of the way, the Pearlstone Dagger moved towards the neck only for the match to stop.


    "That''s enough! I''ve seen what I needed to see."


    Commander Bi suddenly rushed forward, cing his bare hands on the two des before they moved any further.


    The Pearlstone Dagger was inches from Hu Baihe''s neck and the Guardian Fang''s sword was seconds from cleaving into Ming Yue''s side.


    Commander Bi looked at the two with a vignt look as their grip on their weapons loosened.


    "Good, let''s go back to the tent then."


    Having lost their battle intent, their weapons were sheathed and they quietly followed themander back. They left behind a crowd of soldiers who had been taken aback by the fight. There was silence and then discussion erupted.


    "Who was that fighting the Guardian Fang? Such a young girl can take on a seasoned soldier like her?"


    "From what I hear, she''s from Heaven''s Gate. That would exin the clothes and techniques. They''e nothing like I''ve ever seen before."


    "That fight was so quick. My eyes could barely catch up. Still, who do you think would have won thatst exchange?"


    To Human Realm Soldiers like them, a fight like this was difficult to keep up with. Still, to see such a fight seemed to have ignited their spirit. That was especially so when it came to the topic of who would''ve won.


    "Surely not the girl, even though she avoided the sword thrust, the Guardian Fang immediately changed it to a swing. If not for the Camp Commander, that girl would have been cleaved in half."


    "I would think otherwise! The girl''s dagger was only inches away from the neck. How are you sure that the dagger would not have reached first?"


    "Stop it! You understand that this was a friendly fight, not a death battle. Neither of them were using their full strength. There''s no point in specting."


    As these talks continued to grow, more and more people learned of this match.


    As for those at the center of it, they were simply strolling back to the main tent. Ming Yue wasn''t even bothering with that could have been the result but the fight itself.


    This had been the first time she used the dagger. A beautiful white colored de resembling pearls that was nine inches in length and double-edged at that. This dagger was on par with her Changing Clouds Armor as the material made from it was known as "Pearlstone", hence the name. Pearlstone is a rare material found at the depths of the sea and known for its beautiful color. More importantly, it was extremely durable and sharp beyond imagination.


    Not to mention, it had a rather unique effect to it too.


    If thrown, the Pearlstone Dagger would triple in speed and if empowered, that speed could go even further. Unfortunately, she had yet to test it out in battle.


    Still, Ming Yue found that battle to have brought some weaknessed into light. She began to ponder these things all while being led back into the tent to which Hu Baihe stood outside.


    The Camp Commander walked to the war table, ncing at it before looking towards Ming Yue.


    "Given your strength, the Demon Continent shouldn''t be much of an issue.. With that said, I will be sending you off tomorrow but before that, I must inform you of the current situation as it has changed."

 Chapter 331 - State Of War

    "What do you mean?"


    Ming Yue looked at him as she looked at the war table which was sorge that she could not even touch the middle of it without her sword.


    While Elder Kan had given her a map of the Demon Continent, the war table had an incredibly sophisticated model of it. From its mountains to its rivers, everything had been replicated to match the real thing. On top of the map small figurines on it, shaped into different warriors and beasts. Each one represented a different unit or army with numerous ones together indicating the size of the force.


    Studying the war table, she noticed that three points were especially full of men. One was at the north, the second at the center and the third at the south. Furthermore, these locations had their own special model to show their importance.


    "A pickaxe, a fang, and an eye?"


    She looked at these strange pieces, suddenly blurting out her words as they were at the center of these battles.


    Commander Bi took out a pointer and tapped each one.


    "These three are very important as they are rted to special resources and groups. At the very beginning of this war several years ago, these three points were once the biggest battlefields but with Kong Zhi''s disappearance, themotions had lessened. Now that he has reappeared, these ces have be the main battlefields once more."


    He pointed towards the northernmost one, the eye.


    "This battlefield is over two ns, the Yao and the Mu n. Out of the hundred demonic races, these two are said to be some of the strongest but are also hidden and nearly impossile to find or even contact. In the end, both ns were found and the Yao n sided with us and the Mu n sided with the enemy."


    Ming Yue looked at the eye before gazing at the war table and asking about these ns.


    "What makes them so unique?"


    "Ah, it is their bloodlines. The Yao n originates from the Yao Beast, a terrifying creature that boasts incredible deadliness and power. But most of all, The Mu n are said to be descendants of the Deity Er-Lang Shen and have a third eye just like him. That eye has a number of powers but all of them target the mind. Without good mental fortitude, you could sumb to their techniques and end up under their control or worse, with your mind broken."


    Ming Yue found this information intriguing, especially with bloodline powers. It is said that bloodlines are what separate demons from humans. It gives them abilities unique to their races such as the Mu n''s third eye.


    "Then the other two?" she looked at the other models, the pick axe and the fang.


    "Ah, this fang represents the Boundless Beast Forest, a ce which houses all sorts of creatures. After the cmity years ago, thend was drastically changed and the creatures living there adapted and changed to endure the cruel environment. Kong Zhi had begun to use that forest to find more creatures to add to his army. If he has full control over it, who knows what godly beast he could obtain."


    Commander Bi then pointed at the pickaxe with aplicated expression.


    "This is where a massiveke resides, the Cerulean Serpent''s Lake. In the depths of it are various veins of different ores and metals but it is most abundant in Deepwater Steel, an incredibly durable metal that is also quite easy to forge. It can be used to create armor and weapons. This metal also has two unique aspects which are a mild healing ability and the ability to reflect the force of anything that strikes it. This is a wondrous metal though it is difficult to mine because of these very things. Still, the benefits outweigh the trouble."


    After exining these three things, the Camp Commander then looked at Ming Yue, trying to see if she understood what he had said.


    "So these three are the main battlefields then, are there any other ces to know about?"


    Ming Yue continued to study the war table, pointing out the numerous clusters of figurines scattered throughout it.


    "As far as you need to know, those three are the most important. These smaller fights are skirmishes between the two forces."


    The Camp Commander pointed at the many clusters, highlighting the model of a tower in each one.


    "Now that Kong Zhi has fully mobilized his army, he is looking to overtake the continent. Numerous camps and outposts had been made as they are rapidly expanding. Our Five armies have all taken over parts of the continent and are looking to push back. Several forts and strongholds have been created here and there. Once you go through the portal, you will be sent to this stronghold.


    He pointed toward the north where the model of a castle stood, under it was the name "North Fort". The other ones were found on the eastern side of the continent where the Five Armies had influence.


    "North Fort, Southern Tower, Demon''s Gate, Iron Citadel, and Guardian''s Keep..."


    Ming Yue read out their names, noting their positions.


    While the North Fort and Southern Tower''s locations were easy to tell, the other three were spread out towards the center of the continent. Most noticeable was the Iron Citadel which was closest to the heart of the continent, situated between the Boundless Beast Forest and the Yao and Mu ns.


    "Then this Iron Citadel, its position seems rather dangerous", she said.


    "The Iron Citadel is headed by Commander Nie Xia who leads a force mainlyprised of heavy and light infantry. Nie Xia himself is a man whose physique is like mine or even better. He''s a straightforward man whose blunt and usually acts as the vanguard. Despite what people may see as rough behavior, he is a caring man who values family and camaraderie. He is a good general. and a dear friend of mine."


    Commander Bi had a look of respect when speaking of Nie Xia.


    "Okay then, we''ve covered the main points that needed to be spoken of. Is there anything else you would like to know?" he asked.


    Ming Yue nodded and began asking away.


    The day slowly turned to night before they were done talking. By then, Hei Yue and Xiao Yin had found a spot to sleep in a corner of the tent.


    As the talking ended, Ming Yue gently shook them awake.


    "Come on, you two. It''s time to get up."


    Slowly, they awakened still yawning and their eyes were droopy. As the trio left the tent, Ming Yue turned and bowed, having learned a lot about the Demon Continent.


    "Thank you for your help."


    Commander Bi replied in kind and watched her go.


    "To be sent to the Demon Continent at a time like this... She''s simply too young to experience such a hellish ce."


    He spoke to himself, looking at her with a bit of pity in his heart. As someone who had experienced war, such a thing should not be experienced by someone like Ming Yue who was not yet twenty. He could tell that she has killed before but the life of a cultivator is different from that of a soldier. The scale of blood and carnage is muchrger than a battle between cultivators.


    Shaking his head, Commander Bi returned to his desk and began reading the numerous documents.


    As for Ming Yue, she exited the tent to find Hu Baihe waiting outside.


    "Please follow me, I will be taking you to your quarters."


    She looked at Ming Yue before turning and walking off, bringing Ming Yue away. Her appearance this time was slightly different as she did not have her armor on. Theck of it revealed a muscr figure that made Ming Yue look thinnerpared to her.


    The walk was silent as Ming Yue felt even more eyes on her. She quickly nced around, finding the many soldiers giving quick looks as they continued their duties.


    "Don''t mind them. It seems that news travels quite fast."


    Hu Baihe turned her head slightly, studying the young girl.

 Chapter 332 - To The Continent Of Demons

    "You have quite the skill. Did you have a teacher?"


    Hu Baihe asked, evidently curious about Ming Yue''s past. Although it was a quick fight, she could not dismiss the skills she saw. Rather, the sensations she felt from fighting Ming Yue. That was something she could not ignore.


    "No, I have no formal teacher. I''ve only been learning here and there but I am mostly self taught."


    "I see. Despite your age, it seems that you''ve gone through a number of experiences. Now you will be sent into the middle of a war. At the very least, you have the skill to fight back and escape on your own."


    Hu Baihe did not speak with a tone of pity, it was t and cold, solemn even.


    Ming Yue found it strange as the atmosphere between them was unusual.


    "Is there something wrong?"


    She asked, not wanting to beat around the bush.


    The two continued walking as the question was asked. There was a slight silence before the Guardian Fang spoke.


    "The way you fight is unlike something I''ve ever really seen. Your speed is one thing but so is your way of vanishing, diminishing your own presence. You are more like an assassin than a warrior. But the one thing that makes me wary of you is your intent."


    "My intent? What do you mean?"


    Ming Yue did not understand what Hu Baihe was saying.


    "In war, the ability to kill is important but the intent to kill is even more important. You have both, killing without batting an eye. There is no doubt in my mind that you have killed many. In that regard, you are less suited to be called a cultivator but rather, a killer."


    She stopped walking and turned around, facing Ming Yue. Her eyes met with Hu Baihe''s stare and within that very stare were eyes of sincerity.


    "And a killer in the battlefield will thrive like wolves in a field of rabbits. The intent to kill will grow and if you let it, it will overtake you."


    Ming Yue looked at her with curious eyes.


    "Why would you tell me this?" she asked.


    Hu Baihe''s lips trembled before she took control over her emotions. Her eyes continued to keep contact with Ming Yue''s eyes, emphasizing the importance of her words.


    "This is war, a thing that overflows with bloodshed and violence. It will be unlike anything you''ve seen. For someone like you who has never experienced this, you could lose yourself in an endless battle. I''ve seen many soldiers sumb to the horrors of war, bing scarred by it. Some cower in fear for the rest of the lives and others wind up in their own delusions, believing that the battle is never over."


    She looked down at her sword before turning away, no longer facing Ming Yue. Who knows what emptions were running through her. As a soldier, there is no doubt that Hu Baihe has experienced the worst that war had.


    "Pray that you do not end up like this."


    Hu Baihe then pointed at an empty tent that had bed and a few provisions.


    "This is your tent and these supplies are for you to take when you head into the Demon Continent. When the sun rises, it will be your turn to go."


    She saluted and left Ming Yue and her two beasts alone.


    The young girl looked at Hu Baihe before entering the little tent with Hei Yue and Xiao Yin. It was a simple tent, justrge enough for the three of them. The bed itself took half of the space and it was a small bedroll. Next to it were the provisions, a weeks worth of dried food and other small items like torches and extra clothes.


    She ced them into her spatial ring along with the provisions she was given to on the ship.


    "Come on you two, we have a long day ahead of us."


    Hei Yue looked at her before snuggling into the bedroll with her. The Mistral Fox wriggled in, trying to find afortable position to sleep. Xiao Yin did the same and all three of them shared the rather small bed roll.


    It was somewhat tight butfortable. It helped that the fur and feathers were incredibbly soft and fluffy.


    Despite that, Ming Yue didn''t sleep until muchter into the night. Her mind was upied by the thought of entering the Demon Continent. But that was soon reced with the thought of war. She understood what war was and she knew what a terrifying thing it could be.


    But reading and hearing about it was different to experiencing it firsthand.


    "Even entering this camp, the feeling is too strange", she thought.


    "Are you afraid?" Xue Yue asked, sensing the emotions.


    "I''m not sure. War is something I''ve heard stories of. Battles on the scale of millions, castles and fortresses besieged, I''m not exactly afraid but I can''t say that I am not afraid."


    Xue Yue paused for a moment and then snickered.


    "Neither of us know what war truly is. It is something we have never experienced. To be afraid of something we don''t know is only right."


    "That is true. But still, I don''t know what to think of this. As much as I agreed to take this mission and go to the Demon Continent, have I overestimated myself?"


    "Why do you say that?" Xue Yue asked.


    Ming Yue thought whether what she had chosen was right. Suddenly, it felt as if she was thrown into a position she knew nothing about. She began to have second thoughts about it all.


    "Are you really going to hesitate now?"


    Xue Yue''s voiced turned sharp, sounding annoyed by this.


    "It''s toote to renege", she said, "If you have second thoughts now, it will be the end of you. A moment of hesitation is all it takes."


    "You''re right. You are right, Xue Yue. It is going to be a long day."


    Ming Yue''s mind slowly calmed and her resolve stood firm. With Xue Yue around, there was a bit of rity to the decisions she made. After all, a second opinion does make the difference.


    With her heart settled, Ming Yue fell into a slumber and the sun gradually came.


    On daybreak, her eyes opened up and she awakened her dreamingpanions.


    "Wake up, it''s time to go."


    Her lips broke into a smile as the two slowly aroused from their sleep.


    "Xiao Yin... your feathers..."


    She picked up the Star Owl, studying the ruffled feathers which seemed to go in every direction. She quicklybed it with her fingers.Xiao Yin purred* under the touch of her gentle fingers which shook Hei Yue awake, who seemed to want some of that pampering.


    Suddenly, her hands were upied with softness as she ran her fingers through the fur and the feathers.


    It was a nice way to start the day, reminding Ming Yue to appreciate little moments like these.


    Minutester, she stopped and the trio quickly left their tent, heading towards the formation. Despite the early start, the camp was as busy as ever, soldiers tending to their daily duties. Ming Yue had a quick look along the way as she arrived to the massive formation.


    In front of her was the very thing she say up in the skies, a massive teleportation circle big enough to fit thousands of soldiers. But right now, it was only for her.


    The formation was on a raised tform, several feet above the ground. There was a set of stairs leading up to it.


    From afar, she felt its pulsating power, dormant but restless. Up close, it felt like standing next to a massive drum, banging at the rate of one''s heartbeat.


    Commander Bi stood there waiting for her. His face was stone-cold as he looked at her nad gestured her toe up.


    "Stand at the center of it and do not move. The process will only take a few seconds and there will be someone standing by to get you. Stay safe and farewell."


    Ming Yue did as he said, stanidng at the center of the great circle.


    The pulsing energy of this massive formation stopped as the strange blue glow dissipated. Then the formation almost roared to life as it glowed with a prismatic light.. The clouds in the sky churned and spun as a pir of blinding light shot from the formation, sending its passengers to the Demon Continent.

 Chapter 333 - North Fort

    Ming Yue saw nothing but light though it did not blind her. It was not painful to look. Seconds passed and the light soon dulled and vanished. Her vision returned and she was met with a rush of wind as all around her was dry, crackednd.


    "This is the Demon Continent?" she thought.


    The air was thin and arid and the sky was dim, a grayish color with clouds scattered across the sky.


    Looking down, she examined the teleportation circle, finding it to be the exact same as the one in the Human Continent.


    Hei Yue sniffed the air, the little fox''s eye darted about as it gave a low growl.


    As Ming Yue looked around, she noticed a figure standing outside of the tform, waiting for her.


    She turned and walked off of the tform, greeting this person with cupped fists.


    It was a young man dressed in light, leather armor, a scout it would seem an his cultivation was at the early stages of the Earth Realm. His hair was of an auburn color and tied back into a ponytail. His skin was tan and his eyes were energetic and excited.


    "Miss Ming Yue?"


    He looked at her, confirming her identity.


    Ming Yue nodded and showed her badge to him.


    "Ah yes, my name is Liu Wan from the North Fort. I am to take you there and bring you to Commander Du Xiu."


    He turned and pointed off into the distance where a massive stone castle stood. Tall and imposing, the castle was surrounded by a stone wall, fortified with steel. There were openings within them, made for archers to shoot out of. Numerous weapons from small boulders to hot oil were built into them. The fort was heavily armed and daunting to look at. There was no decor for it was built to stand through the worst of onughts.


    Despite its simple name, It was the most impressive of all the structures Ming Yue had seen.


    "All right then, let''s go, miss. We can''t keep themander waiting."


    Liu Wan immediately dashed off, leading these neers to the fort. As they made their way there, he made a bit of small conversation, asking questions and talking about the Demon Continent.


    "I''m sure this is not what you expected to see in the Demon Continent or maybe it is. But not all of the Demon Continent is like this. There is still a bit of forest and a fair bit of life here and there. You wouldn''t believe it if I told you it was much worse when we first arrived. It was truly lifeless."


    Ming Yue looked around as he spoke, finding small sprouts scattered about. The closer they came, the lusher thend became. The dry ground was reced by fertile soil as she spotted several soldiers tending to the crops.


    "But we brought in some experts and a few treasures to try and revitalize thend. Furthermore, a fair number of us are from viges and farms. Even the Commander himself spends time tending to the crops. It''s been hard work but many of us enjoy it, always thinking about the war can weather the mind."


    "In any case, it has been a long time since we have had visitors. That is especially so for someone like you. Are you here on some sort of task?"


    He turned and looked back at her, his eyes were curious.


    As far as he knew, Ming Yue was a young cultivator apanied by a dark silver furred fox and a gray feathered owl perched on her shoulder. Despite her age and appearance, he could tell that she was strong and that the equipment she wore was not ordinary.


    What business did someone like her have in the Demon Continent? This he wondered.


    "Yes, I have been given a task."


    Ming Yue nodded and confirmed his question but did not speak further as such topics could not be divulged so easily.


    "Is that so? Well then, we''re almost there to the North Fort. It''s just a few minutes ahead."


    He looked forward and gestured for Ming Yue to see.


    Her eyes widened just a tad as she had a much closer look at the North Fort. The walls that enclosed the fort had to be close to be thirty meters in height. The gate was half of that height and wide enough for even thergest of caravans to enter.


    Liu Wan looked towards the gate and shouted out.


    "It''s me, Scout Liu! I''ve returned with the neer!"


    There was a short silence before the gates rumbled. There were numerous nking sounds as the bolts keeping them closed were shifted and the gates slowly opened. They opened enough for the two to walk in and closed behind their backs.


    Within the fort, Ming Yue took this new ce.


    "This seems more like a small city than a fort", she thought, "But... it''s quite quiet."


    It was not as bleak as she believed it to be but at the same time, the streets were empty but there were stores lined up. Walking through, there were few people out and more soldiers patrolling the area. Liu Wan nced over at her, noticing her gaze at her surroundings.


    "Ah, you must be wondering about what''s going on. We''ve previously allowed only the most trusted of merchants and craftsmen to enter as liaisons to the other kingdoms. Whatever treasures and strange objects we find, we bring to them to appraise and to send back to the Human Continent. At the same time, it is a good way to generate money and help pay for this war."


    "However, most of them have left due to the iing sh. It is too dangerous for them to stay here and those that stayed only do so under the order of their superiors. Where there are battles, there will be corpses and there will be things to take from them."


    His face turned slightly grim as he continued to walk towards the center of the fort.


    "You may think that such things are dishonorable or immoral but in war, especially something like this, morality as little value."


    Ming Yue looked at his figure, finding it slightly tense as he spoke of this. She did not reply to his words and merely followed him. It was not her ce to judge something she knew little about.


    As they moved through the fort and approached the center, it was a bit more livelier but the atmosphere was tense. Liu Wan took her into arge building, which could be considered a fort itself. He led her up to the highest level, the fifth, and stopped at a pair of imposing doors.


    "We are going to meet Commander Du Xiu, a well-respected warrior from the Raging Sun Kingdom and one of the strongest as well. He is a former disciple of the Hundred Asura Pagoda and was personally taught by two of the Ten Fiends, who guard the pagoda. Talented and hardworking, themander is the reason why the Raging Sun can maintain its position as thergest kingdom. But do not be intimidated by him and when you enter, steel your resolve."


    Ming Yue nodded and prepared herself. She turned around and looked at Xiao Yin and Hei Yue.


    "You two should stay here, I''ll be out in a bit", she said.


    They had sad eyes and understood, stepping away.


    "Don''t worry, I will be outside to watch them. It will just be you and him."


    Liu Wan smiled and then took a deep breath before knocking on the door.


    "The neer is here."


    "Bring them in."


    A calm voice spoke out, it was low but had dignity and grit to it.


    The doors opened and Ming Yue walked in, seeing Commander Du Xiu upfront. He looked back and their eyes met. There was no smile on his face, only a serious expression.


    "I am Commander Du Xiu, wee to the Demon Continent."

 Chapter 334 - To The West

    Commander Du Xiu had arge frame though he paled inparison to the Camp Commander. Outside of size, he was muscr and toned, trained tost in battle. In terms of age, he seemed to be around his sixties or seventies, having a wrinkled face and a small deep gray mustache but his eyes were piercing and somewhat fierce. His hair was of a simr shade of gray and tied into a small bun.


    He was seated behind arge oak table with papers neatly piled on both sides. There was a brush in his hand and several documents that needed to be read and signed in front of him.


    The room itself was simple but it was not barren in the least. There were multiple maps ced on the wall, a rack carrying a halberd axe and a mannequin wearing what could only be his personal armor.


    One of the more eye-catching things in this room were two banners hanging behind him. Each one was written with one part of a phrase.


    "In the midst of chaos..."


    "... there is also opportunity."


    Ming Yue saw all of this and quickly bowed.


    "Greetings Commander Du Xiu, I am Ming Yue from Heaven''s Gate."


    There was a short pause before themander stood up, cing his brush down and stepping away. His eyes lost their fierceness, reced by a more amiable grace.


    "I hope that your travel here was not terrible nor have any of our soldiers mistreated you in any way."


    Ming Yue shook her head.


    "No, it was perfectly fine."


    "Good, I was surprised to have a message sent to me by both the High Council and the Grand Elder of Heaven''s Gate. Though after learning about the reason for this, I could not reject such a request. You are here to find the sect leader of the Tao Feng, yes?"


    She nodded.


    "I have already been given the necessary tools to find him", she said, revealing apass in her hand.


    "I see, I suppose that was given to you by the Grand Elder to track him. But it only gives you the general direction, you will still need any information about his sighting."


    He stroked his chin before turning back to his desk and picking up one of the papers, skimming through it. As he did, themander moved towards thergest map in the office and pointed at where the Mu and Yao ns were found.


    "This is where he was transported to..."


    His finger moved down before going towards the west where a mountain range was drawn.


    "And this was where he wasst seen. This mountain range in the north west. The issue is that this is deep into Kong Zhi''s territory, close to the heart of his forces. Furthermore, this is a ce he has dared not to enter and for good reason. That is where the remains of the previous cmity was."


    "Just like the Merciless Storm Peak..."


    "Indeed but there is more to that. That remaining energy has already been imed by another, the Hundun n."


    He then took out another map which entailed a poor sketch of the mountain range.


    "This is the best our scouts could get. They could not enter any further for the energy is too strong and that the Hundun* n protects those mountains. It is both their home and sacred ground, they''re like fanatics."


    "Is there no way to speak with them or negotiate?"


    "Unfortunately no, in fact they could not be persuaded by either side to join them and for good reason. No one has truly seen them. Some believe that they are spirits, others think they don''t exist. But there is certainly something living in those mountains."


    Ming Yue''s eyes furrowed as those words.


    "What do you mean?"


    "No one knows of their true appearance for it would be too dangerous to find such information. As it is their home and sacred ground, there are naturally protective barriers and formations. Of them are these balls of Chaos Lightning, ck in color and dangerous to the highest level. I''m sure you''ve encountered it before with the Tao Feng''s Sect Leader."


    Ming Yue thought back to him, recalling the prismatic lightning that came from the Heavens and the ck lightning that he had absorbed.


    "That''s... a bit terrifying."


    "Indeed, thus the war is not actually a two way struggle but three ways."


    Commander Du Xiu pulled down another map, revealing a different version of the continent as it was separated into three lines.


    "The east is under our influence, the west is under Kong Zhi''s and that corner in the North West is the Hundun''s. Their''s is drastically smaller than both of ours but their power is not less. At first, they remained within those mountains but then the skies turned dark and the Heavens grew angry, The Hundun n took it as a sign to spread their own influence."


    "And despite that, no one knows what they look like?"


    "Those who encounter them can only describe shes of lightning. Not even a silhouette could be seen."


    "And that is where he is headed?"


    "That is what our scouts say."


    Ming Yue went into deep thought.


    If Dai Mian went to such a ce, was it worth gong after him? If anything, he might have died to them.


    "Wait, was he seen with another? A young woman."


    "A young woman you say..."


    Commander Du Xiu looked through his documents once more to check if there was such a thing.


    "I don''t see anything about a young woman. Is there something wrong?" he asked, his voice full of concern.


    Ming Yue then spoke of Hua Xiong and how she had been taken after sacrificing herself. His face turned serious after hearing such a story and he began to reassure her that Hua Xiong would be found.


    "Any information about her will be sent to me as soon as possible. Do you have a map of your own?"


    She nodded, producing a map given to her by Elder Kan. It was just as detailed as the one on the walls if not better drawn.


    Themander took the map and unfurled it, cing it into his desk. With his brush, he drew a thin line connecting the North Fort to where the Hundun n was and began to draw more things, adding onto the map.


    "This is the safest path to take. There are multiple smaller outposts and camps that are manned. You will be able to rest at these points and perhaps aid them in times of need. The journey itself will be at least half of a year to two years to make but that depends on you."


    He gave it back to her.


    "You must head west and it will be perilous. At a time like this, a battle could erupt at anytime, anywhere. Never lower your guard."


    MIng Yue nodded and bowed.


    "Thank you for your help."


    "No, no, this is something I must do. I pray that you survive."


    He cupped his fists and led her out.


    Exiting, she saw Liu Wan petting Xiao Yin and Hei Yue with a smile on his face. He looked up, finding Commander Du Xiu stading behind her and quickly stood up, saluting to him.


    "Commander!"


    "Mm, make sure she is properly prepared, Liu Wan. I have a few matters to attend to."


    "Yes, Commander!"


    Commander Du Xiu returned to his office and closed the doors behind him, leaving thes four alone.


    Liu Wan rxed afterwards and then looked towards Ming Yue with a rather silly smile.


    "Ah, I couldn''t help myself. I do apologize for touching them without your permission."


    Ming Yue shook her head.


    "No, it''s quite alright. If those two like it then its perfectly fine."


    The scout scratched his head, keeping his silly smile.

 Chapter 335 - Speaking To A Familiar Face

    "In any case, I should show you around the fort. If there are any questions, please ask me!"


    Liu Wan then lead her out of the main building and brought the trio through the ins and outs.


    "This here is the general canteen that everyone uses. The cooks here are pretty amazing and the food is always changing."


    "This is our armory here coupled with several forges and workshops. This is where most of our equipment is repaired. If you ever need to have your sword cleaned and restored, you cane here."


    "These are our storehouses..."


    "Training grounds and dueling arenas..."


    The group went through the entirety of the North Fort as Liu Wan introduced Ming Yue to everything. She found it all interesting to look at, slowly adjusting to the atmosphere here. Not to mention, Liu Wan''s cheerful voice made it easier to listen.


    "We do also have a room prepared for you unless you n to go on your mission immediately."


    He stopped in front of what seemed to be a simple house, pointing at it while looking towards Ming Yue.


    She nodded.


    "Yes, I n to go as soon as possible", she said, "I apologize for having you show me all of this when I would not be using it at all."


    "Nonsense, just because you are leaving does not mean that you won''t returnter. It is better to know and not need it than to need it and not know."


    He waved his hand, dismissing her apology.


    "In any case, do remember that we are an army made of many other kingdoms and forces. If you had not noticed already, we have those of the demon race in our quarters. If you have any preconceptions about them, do away with that. They may be different in appearance but inside they are like us."


    Thosest words were spoken in a sharp and serious tone as Liu Wan suddenly changed his attitude. Such as shift had made Ming Yue a bit curious.


    "Has there been any incidents?"


    Liu Wan''s face darkened slightly.


    "At the beginning, there had been a bit of friction between a few groups from varying kingdoms about helping those who did not join Kong Zhi''s side. In their mind, the Demon Continent was ripe for the taking and the demons that were still alive were dregs that were barely staying alive. The higher-ups sought to shut down any thoughts like those and immediately made an example of them. More than that, they constantly drilled into everyone that this is not some conquest but aid. The first year was chaotic but now the Five Armies had be much more cohesive."


    "At first, the demon''s formed their own army but that was changed as all armies were restructured to be more bnced. Hence an army like General Nie Xia''s is mainly footmen and shieldmen but were given siege weapons as a way of weakening the enemy before entering battle. Sometimes, it could even prevent a battle from urring if the enemy were to suffer too much damage."


    Liu Wan continued to exin the inner workings of the Five Armies while Ming Yue listened carefully. Like this, she slowly learned more about war tactics, finding it intriguing.


    After all, managing millions of soldiers is a daunting task.


    By the time, they finished speaking, the sun was beginning to wane. as it was now the afternoon. The conversation ended as Ming Yue realized that the day would be gone if she continued asking questions.


    "Thank you for showing me around, Liu Wan."


    She cupped her fists and gave a small bow.


    "Please, this has been a fun experience for me. I hope I wasn''t speaking too much. I know I tend to be a chatterbox sometimes."


    Liu Wan smiled and bowed in respect.


    "To say once more, wee to the North Fort."


    With that, he left her, returning to his original duties.


    Ming Yue then walked around the fort before heading to the canteen. As the time for lunch had already passed, it was quite empty and there were not too many choices left.


    "I should have at least try the food before going", she thought.


    Normally, she wouldn''t care but she was curious about what the soldiers ate.


    After choosing and grabbing, she ended with a bowl of steaming rice paired with some pork belly and a mess of chopped vegetables. WIth that was a bowl of soup made from oxtail, potatoes, and various herbs.


    All of it was delicious, the pork belly had crisp skin. The chopped vegetables had many different ingredients such as lotus root, carrots, snow peas. All of it cooked so that it had a nice crunch and a light vor. The soup was meaty and thick, warming her body to its very core.


    Hei Yue and Xiao Yin each had a bowl of that soup with the both of them gnawing on the bones for any meat left in the crevices.


    The meal was refreshing and delicious, helping to relieve any anxiety or pressure that weighed on her mind. It was not hard to tell that she felt a burden upon her shoulders. As much as she tried to get rid of the doubt, it was somewhat difficult to ignore. This was new and different, exciting but worrying.


    As she thought quietly in front of her empty tray of food, a group of people approached her with one of them sitting in front of her across the table.


    Ming Yue had long noticed them but did nothing, that was because of the one in front of her, their leader. This person was someone she had seen for only a few minutes during her time at Clear Spring Mountain.


    "I thought you were a simple old woman, tending to your little garden, Senior", she said.


    The old woman in front of her chuckled.


    "Hahaha, I still am. Though, it''s rather surprising to see you here, little one. Furthermore, you''re in a simr situation tost time."


    "Just like before, things fell into ce and here I am."


    "It would seem so. But it could all be attributed to the same three things."


    "Luck, destiny, and opportunity."


    The old woman nodded.


    "Yes."


    MIng Yue looked at her in the eyes.


    "May I ask for your name, Senior?"


    "Ah, I suppose now would be the appropriate time."


    She stood up, not wearing those in y-colored robes likest time but full ted armor in a white silver color. Compared to her men, she had the most impressive set, with clouds carved into every piece. Her weapon, a pair of short swords sheathed by her hip. There was a noble air around her as she spoke.


    "I am Qiu Cang Long of the Clear Sky Kingdom, the former empress and previous Sect Leader of Clear Spring Mountain. However, now I am just an old woman answering a call to duty. You can just call me Senior Qiu."


    Ming Yue stood up and bowed.


    "Greetings, Senior Qiu."


    "Ah,e with me. This ce is not safe to talk about. Your littlepanions cane too."


    Senior Qiu looked around before leaving with Ming Yue, taking her to their personal quarters within the North Fort. It was a small mansion with thirty rooms and enough space to fit a hundred people. In appearance, it was not very extravagant, only made to serve its purpose.


    Inside, her men returned to their rooms leaving the two in the main gathering hall. Both Hei Yue and Xiao Yin took their ce next to Ming Yue, silently watching Senior Qiu.


    Senior Qiu''s eyes were a bit difficult to read, a result of experience and knowledge.


    "In any case, where are you headed? As far as I know, you are on a mission given by the Grand Elder. If I guess correctly, it has to do with the Tao Feng and their Sect Leader, Dai Mian, was it?."


    Ming Yue was surprised by the guess but nodded nheless. There was no point in denying it.


    "Ah, I knew it. I was sent a message to join and help but as I am in the Demon Continent, I could note. But if they have sent someone here, that means that the Tao Feng''s Sect Leader is also here.. Thatplicated things."

 Chapter 336 - The Time To Hunt

    "What do you mean?" Ming Yue asked.


    Senior Qiu looked at her before ncing away.


    "Do you know why I took you back to our quarters? It is because there are others watching us."


    She then took out a small booklet and handed it to Ming Yue for her to read.


    Opening it, Ming Yue read it contents before realizing what it was.


    "This... is a list."


    "To be precise, it is a list of all of the different kingdoms and sects that joined the army. This includes their numbers and their names."


    "How do you have this?"


    "Hah, every side has a list like this. It is normal here. Though tell me, what name there catches your eye?"


    Ming Yue looked down and continued to read through until she realized it.


    "There is a group of Tao Feng as part of the army!"


    Senior Qiu nodded.


    "Indeed, and this group is like all of the other ones, they are all elites. Elders and strong elites of the Tao Feng Sect."


    Ming Yue then thought back to the battle at the Merciless Storm Peak. Was there anyone there other than Dai Mian and his Immortal Army?


    "No, there were no elders or even disciples. But most of them must have be part of the Immortal Army" ,she thought.


    But if that was the case, what made this group so special?


    Senior Qiu seemed to understand was Ming Yue was thinking and began to exin the identities of those within the Tao Feng.


    "All of them are the personal disciples of the Tao Feng''s Sect Leader. Fourteen cultivators with varying skils had been sent here under the guise of experiential training. However, they are really searching for treasures and forgotten skills."


    "Do you remember the one named Zuo Er? He was a personal disciple and gained the name of "Junior Sect Leader" but in truth, he was the weakest of all fifteen disciples. He was chosen as sessor to the Tao Feng due to his potential being the highest. But then, he was crippled and subsequently vanished from sight."


    "He is dead now", Ming Yue blurted out, surprising Senior Qiu, who then went deep into thought.


    "Interesting... Nevertheless, you must be curious as to where they are headed."


    "The Hundun n, right?" said Ming Yue.


    "Unfortunately not, all of them had mobilized several days ago, splitting into five groups of three. Each one has their own destination but that information is difficult to get. The only one we know of the one closest to us, the Yao n''s territory. Over there, the Yao and Mu are in a bitter struggle as they have always been."


    "Their movement... it matches when the Sect Leader vanished with Hua Xiong."


    "In terms of, their goal... the Yao and Mu are currently vying over a secret realm, built by their ancestors as an act of friendship. It is said to contain energy that is extremely beneficial for beasts and cultivators alike, especially those from the Yao and Mu. Not to mention, it contains numerous herbs and treasures within. Rather than a secret realm, it might as well be an inheritance."


    Ming Yue listened carefully,mitting this information to heart.


    "But if it was created as an act of friendship, why would the two ns fight each other?"


    This little detail was strange to her.


    "The Yao n originate from the Yao Beast and the Mu originate from Er-Lang Shen, a famed killer of beasts. Do you think they would continue to be friendly with one another? However, they had always been on bad terms. ording to what the Yao n says, this secret realm was created by force."


    "By force?"


    "Indeed. It is said that a third party was there and had actually brought the two ns to their knees. A single man was what they said."


    Ming Yue felt a bit of shock after hearing that.


    "A single man did this?"


    "Yes, apparently he forced them into a truce thatsted generations. Though now, it has been too long and that truce has crumbled to dust, and now the realm the two ns shared is now the center of their struggle."


    It was somewhat unbelievable to hear of a figure capable of bending two demon ns to their will. Such a thing was near impossible even if it was two ordinary ns because of the number of people within them. Furthermore, ns had their own resources with an amount proportionate to their size. For Ming Yue, taking down a n in a small city would be difficult and the chance of sess was only a third.


    But this person did it with two of the strongest demon ns in what she could only guess was a direct confrontation. That sort of thing required an unimaginable amount of power. Perhaps, someone like the Grand Elder could achieve such a feat but it was more likely that this figure was much stronger.


    "In any case, if you want to know more of their ns. You may have to find them or hunt them down, starting with the group there. There is no time to waste, that group should arrive there in two weeks. Perhaps, you could catch up to them."


    "I understand. Thank you for this information."


    Ming Yue cupped her fists and bowed.


    "Bah, you should thank the current Sect Leader of Clear Spring Mountain as well as the King of the Clear Sky Kingdom. They ce a lot of value on you as do I. Here, a copy of the list, you should know the basic internal affairs of the Six Armies if you are going to be in this continent."


    The trio then went on their way after being handed a copy of the booklet.


    They walked through the North Fort, looking at it one more time before leaving. By now, it was the night, numerous torches and other sources of light brightened the interior as soldiers changed shifts.


    She walked past the night patrols before stopping at the gates.


    The gate guards stopped her only to open them as she showed her badge.


    Stepping though, the gates closed behind her with a low thud as she gazed at her surroundings.


    "Let''s go then, shall we?"


    Looking down at Hei Yue and Xiao Yin, the trio headed towards the west where the Mu and Yao ns were.


    Ahead of them, walking down a rough path were three figures. Two men and a woman dressed in the Tao Feng''s uniform, colored in a deep violet. Their sleeves had pure white stripes and they were pieces of armor over their uniform.


    "How long until we get there, Junior Sister Feng?"


    One of them, a man around the age of thirty spoke up. Among the three, he was the most intimidating having heavy gauntlets for weapons as well as armor that covered the rest of his arms and up to his shoulders. His hair was tied back into a small ponytail which would have blocked a cross-shaped scar on his forehead.


    "At most two weeks, Fourth Senior Brother", she replied.


    Junior Sister Feng was by no means ugly nor was she extremely beautiful. She was pretty, having a pair of enchanting gold eyes and gentle pink lips. However, what was most eyecatching were her sleeves which covered her hands and were long enough to reach her ankles. Apart from the white stripes, the sleeves revealed a colorful visage like a dancer''s uniform.


    "Mm, I see. Junior Brother Shou, are you clear as to what the n is?"


    Junior Brother Shou walked behind those two and was followed by a pair of wolves. His stature was smaller than his seniors but his pets were by no means weak. Rank 3, ck Fang Wolves, swift beasts with jaws strong enough to crush metal and bone. Furthermore, these were adults, well-nurtured and cared for. It was without a doubt that these two could take on a Rank 4 beast by themselves.


    "Yes, Fourth Senior Brother, we are to head for the Realm of the Red Eyed Moon and take one of the treasures there for the Sect Leader."


    "Good, although the n has been slightly rushed, the first part has beenpleted. As his disciples, we must help carry out the second part of it."


    The Fourth Senior Brother, turned back as he looked at his juniors.


    "Creating a stronger body for him."

 Chapter 337 - Ling Xue

    A week into traveling, Ming Yue''s group of three quickly made their way towards the Yao n''s territory. Despite their speed, it would seem that they could not catch the first group of Dai Mian''s personal disciples before getting there. However, there would always be opportunitiester.


    More importantly was the journey there, as it was extremely shocking for Ming Yue.


    Being that this was not the Human Continent anymore, she saw things she had never seen before. Some of it was beyond her wildest imaginations, whether it was a strange nt or beast, all of them had strange qualities that she had never seen before.


    "This green root... Is this poison or medicinal energy? Why does it have green spots? And this smell... it tingles the nose..."


    "Is that a tree or a bush? There are branchesing out from all over the trunk!"


    Throughout the days, the trio had lived off of the dried rations and drink. However, Ming Yue''s curiosity had gotten the best of her and she hunted one of the strange beasts.


    "This... rabbit? White fur but six red eyes... I wonder if it will taste good. There was that bird but... bones for feathers... that''s a bit too strange."


    To her shock and being a pleasant surprise, the meal was not horrible. Due to its wild nature, the taste and smell was a little strange but it was not unpleasant. The meat was of a pinkish color than red and the bite was a bit chewy and tough as there wasn''t much fat on it. Still, it was better than she had thought.


    During her meal, she looked at the map, going over the path.


    "Only a few more days and we''ll reach the Yao n. I''m also a sixth of the way to where the Hundun n is. If I were to ignore everything and head straight there, it should take more than two to three months. But I don''t have the supplies to do so. I did make contact with a couple of outposts though."


    The outposts she saw were well hidden, built into the ground. With the overall environment of the Demon Continent being nearly lifeless, there was little tree or grass that made cover. Fortunately, as one traveled towards the west, thend became more mountainous withrge caves and many ces to hide.


    With their help, Ming Yue was able to restock on supplies and also gather more information about the war which has begun to grow in intensity.


    Past that, she made her way towards the Yao n, pondering about that situation.


    "Hmm, the secret realm they share with the Mu n. I think it''s called the "Realm of the Red Eyed Moon". What a strange name. Not to mention the origin of it, created all because of one person. I wonder who it could be."


    She had an inkling of this person''s identity but found it too unbelievable to be right.


    "Let''s just get there first before making any more spec-"


    Ming Yue suddenly stopped, flying up onto one of the crags of a nearby mountain face. She gave a small whistle as Xiao Yin flew up and Hei Yue stood close up.


    As they slowly made their way, hiding above the ground, the sounds of battle could be heard, swords nging along with the sounds of a flute.


    The Star Owl flew around for a moment before returning to Ming Yue''s shoulder chirping four times before pausing and chirping one more time.


    "Four against one? Is it the two ns?" she thought.


    Ming Yue crept closer and closer until she could finally see the fight.


    Below her, battling it out on the rocky path was a young woman cing a jade flute against her lips. With each note came out wolf howls that turned into flying des of sound, sword howls to be exact. Her figure was familiar, tribal-like markings and scars on her face and dark red hair that glowed of a bloody nature. It was wild and beast-like and she moved almost on instinct, jumping and leaping around.


    But she was injured, bleeding from numerous cuts on her body.


    "Isn''t that the demon from Maple Root City, Ling Xue? So she is a member of the Yao n?"


    Ming Yue then turned to look at the four figures, all four were warriors with white and silver guandaos and more importantly, a third eye on their foreheads. Unlike the red aura of Ling Xue, these four were dressed in ck and silver armor, covered from head to toe. Each of their third eyes glowed of a different color, perhaps signifying what actions they were doing.


    "Should I help her? Or kill them all?" she thought.


    All of them were at the Earth Realm and had their bloodline powers active in this fight. Whether or not their cultivation was lower did no matter that much due to those very abilities. It would not be easy for her to turn it around.


    Looking at Ling Xue, she quickly pondered.


    "Letting none of them live is a good option but saving her is better", said Xue Yue.


    "She may have some helpful information... Alright, we save her."


    Ming Yue crept closer and waited for a moment, watching the battle closely. With none of them noticing her, this was an opportunity to kill one of the Mu nsmen.


    "How long will you run, Ling Xue? Your strength is waning and soon, the Yao n will lose one of their only kin."


    One of the Mu nsmen shouted out and he charged forward, swinging his guandao. His eye glowed of a white color as Ling Xue suddenly felt a mental attack. Her mind suddenly assaulted with thoughts of fear and panic.


    "Geh, to think you would ambush me like this! Do you have no shame?!" she shouted out.


    As quickly as she could, Ling Xue shook off the attack and blew into the jade flute, sending out waves of sword howls at them.


    "Hmph, that damn flute of yours won''t save you from this!"


    This nsman shot a ray from his third eye but it missed, striking and cracking the stone.


    Ming Yue continued to track the fight, nning her attack before a thought came to mind.


    "If the Mu n are capable of sending out mental attacks, are they resistant to it as well?"


    She wasn''t entirely sure that this gamble would pay off but at least it would be an opportunity to use her mental techniques.


    The colorless sphere in her mind rippled as she gathered the energy into four dense needles. With a thought she sent it forward, entering the mind of the four Mu nsmen. At that moment, all of them felt their mind go nk as they could not think at all. They froze in ce as their thoughts had been disrupted.


    "Whistle Wind."


    Four des of wind formed almost at the same time and flew forth, aimed for the cracks between their helmet.


    Two heads flew, decapitated by the strike while the other two nsmen managed to recover quick enough to avoid the attack.


    "Damn it, there''s someone else! Who''s there?! Show yourself!" they called out but nothing happened.


    Instead, a ck fog began to manifest, slowly covering the road. Ling Xue looked at it, gritting her teeth before entering the expanding fog. As it grew closer and closer towards the nsmen, they struggled to make their choice before tightening the grip on their weapons and entering as well.


    They could barely see a thing, turning and spinning around, trying to find something.


    "Who are you? Why would you dare to interfere in the Mu n''s affairs?"


    "If you allow us to take that woman''s head, the Mu n will reward you!"


    Both of them spoke out but were met with silence. And that silence gave rise to fear, growing in their hearts.


    All of the sudden, the fog twisted and turned as Ming Yue appeared behind one of them. With her Pearlstone Dagger in one hand and her Zephyr ws in the other, she silently came up. Neither of them noticed her as they were slowly being overtaken by fear.


    In a single move, she ced the Zephyr ws on the helmet of one of them, grinding into it and blocking their view and stabbed the Pearlstone Dagger into his neck. Just like that she killed him and dragged him into the darkness, leaving only one on his own.


    When he turned, he could not find hisrade and his face turned white.

 Chapter 338 - The Yao Clan

    The nsmen spun even quicker, his eyes ncing about wildly as he pointed his guandao whichever way he looked. All he could see was darkness, a fog so thick he could barely see himself.


    "Damn it! Eye of Verity!"


    As he shouted out, his third eye glowed as a white ring emerged from within it. The ring expanded and began to illuminate the area. Its light spread out and began to disperse the ck fog, destroying it.


    Even then, all he saw was an endless field of fog. No matter where he went, it was nothing but that.


    Then his third eye spotted something, a flicker of light, what seemed to be a crack in the fog. Relief washed over him as he ran towards it only for that flickering light to shoot forward and pierce his third eye and destroy it.


    It was the Pearlstone Dagger, empowered by Ming Yue. It flew three times its normal speed, too quick for the nsmen to react.*


    "Agh, ugh.."


    He could not even utter words before copsing to the ground, dying without knowing who killed him.


    Then the ck fog dispersedpletely, revealing Ming Yue standing in front of him. She walked forward and ripped the dagger out, cleaning it with her sleeve before putting it away.


    Hei Yue suddenly came up to her, asking for apliment or reward to which she gave.


    While scratching his chin, Ling Xue emerged from her hiding spot, just behind a few rocks, and looked at Ming Yue.


    Her aura retracted but her jade flute was still readied in her hands.


    "Who are you? Why did you help me?" she asked.


    Ming Yue looked at her.


    "Do you not remember me? Maple Root City..."


    "You?!"


    Ling Xue''s eyes widened, her aura began to rise up as she ced the flute on her mouth.


    Although it has been some years, she could not forget Ming Yue and her friend, Xuan Yin. Those two had ruined her ancestor''s ns. And now, she was here!


    "Wait, I just saved you, do you think I would do that just to kill you?"


    Ming Yue put her hand forward, stopping Ling Xue from moving.


    The woman stared at her, before putting her flute away.


    "Then tell me, why are you here? Is it about the secret realm between us and the Mu n?"


    "Not exactly, I''m looking for someone, three people to be exact", Ming Yue exined.


    "The Tao Feng, is it?


    She nodded, "Yes, those three, I need information from them."


    "Mm, let''s go to the Yao n first, there is a lot to talk about."


    Ling Xue started walking, leading Ming Yue and the others back to the Yao n territory. Before going, she went to all of the Mu nsmen and gouged out their third eye, cing them inside a small bag and putting it away.


    "Those three that you speak of, they came to the n days ago. In their words, they said that they were here to help us take control over the secret realm. However, many of us can tell that they have something else nned. The seniors all beleive that they are searching for one of the treasures in there."


    With what Ling Xue revealed, Ming Yue began to ponder what exactly these Tao Feng disciples were looking for.


    "Do you have any idea what it could be?" she asked.


    Ling Xue shook her head.


    "Not exactly, the Secret Realm is only helpful to the Yao and Mu n and there are very little benefits to anyone else. It is most likely that they are searching for something by the Heaven yer."


    "Heaven yer?"


    "It is who we two ns call the one that forced us into a truce and helped to create the secret realm. It is said that the Heaven yer saw our two ns and wanted us to make peace. Despite using the full force of both our ns, we could not defeat the Heaven yer. In the end, he made us submit after striking the sky and splitting it apart, revealing total darkness. Hence, he is called the Heaven yer."


    "But there is more to that."


    Ling Xue''s pace slowed down as she began to recount what she had learned when she first heard about the secret realm.


    "My ancestors say that the Heaven yer built himself an abode within it. He stayed there for several days before suddenly vanishing. Both ns searched for that very home but could not find it. Still, they believed that it was there somewhere and within it, would contain the secrets to his power."


    "In that case, are those three really searching for it?" Ming Yue questioned it.


    For something as mysterious as that, for it to be the Tao Feng''s goal seemed unlikely.


    "That is what the seniors think but more likely, they are searching for a specific treasure. Nevertheless, we must gain control of the secret realm if they want to do so."


    "Then, what is needed to do so?"


    Ling Xue then took something out from her spatial ring, a red jade medallion with the Yao symbol carved on it.


    "This is one part of the key needed to open the secret realm. The Mu n has the other part. Once we obtain that, we will be able to open the secret realm whenever we want to. But that is only to open it. To take full control, there is a third part which can be found in the secret realm. But that part is only obtainable through a series of tests and trials devised by the Heaven yer, himself. That third part is the true objective between our ns."


    Looking at the medallion, Ming Yue felt that something was wrong.


    "How strange... Wouldn''t this third key make the two ns fight again? If this Heaven yer wanted peace, why would he do such a thing?"


    Ling Xue shrugged, putting the medallion away.


    "He is an entric. Those with power tend to have their own quirks and peculiarities. He is no different."


    "Anyhow, we are almost there. the Yao n''s territory is just up ahead on this mountain side."


    Moving through the rocky terrain, Ming Yue finally saw the Yao n''s home. It was carved into the mountainside, taking up a majority of the interior.


    Rectangr in shape, the many houses were neat and pleasant to look at. They were somewhat unique in design, well built with stone and wood. There was a bit of ir to each one as they had red ents on the steep roofs as well as a carved head of a Yao Beast on every corner.*


    Ming Yue looked up, finding small houses dotted throughout the mountainside, each one had small fields and farms. Above those houses were huts near the mountain peak, for hunters to shoot down any flying beasts.


    "Come, we should meet with my ancestor."


    Leading her in, Ming Yue admired the Yao n''s style, finding it pretty.


    Many of the nsmen and women noticed her but when they saw Ling Xue, they nodded in respect to both of them even more so towards Ling Xue.


    The clothes they all wore were by no means extravagant but they were not viger clothes either. Their tunics were fit to form with severalyers. The outeryer have a side slits up to the hips, worn over pants.* While they were long, reaching down to their feet, it did not flow like Ming Yue''s clothes. They were straight and thin. Furthermore, there was no sash around the hip but buttons running down the cor.


    Ling Xue was dressed simrly with a dark red tunic dress and long white pants.


    They moved towards the deepest part of thend where severalrge and ancient mansions stood. The color on them were faded and the decor was older, more intricate.


    Walking in, Ming Yue felt numerous eyes on her as she stood in the main hall. Except for them two, there was no one else.


    "Ancestor! We have a guest!"

 Chapter 339 - Realm Of The Red Eyed Moon

    As soon as she spoke, someone entered the hall.


    "You, why are you here?"


    This person spoke out with a vicious tone and Ming Yue felt pressuree upon her entire being. Xiao Yin and Hei Yue were not affected as they were not the target but they noticed the sudden change. They readied their ws, growling and chirping viciously.


    "Ling Xue, exin, why did you bring this girl here?"


    She walked forward, standing in front of Ming Yue, who stood strong.


    "Ancestor, please stop! She is not our enemy anymore!"


    "What do you mean? Has she done anything to you? Don''t forget her meddling in Maple Root City!"


    "She saved my life! She is not here to kill me! She''s looking for the Tao Feng!"


    With those words, the pressure dissipated and Ming Yue was able to rx and finally saw the ancestor.


    Without a doubt, it was the same one from Maple Root City. Ling Xue''s master and the one who took control of the Zhao Patriarch''s body. Though now, he had his own body, a puppet body made from mahogany colored crystal. It was somewhat transparent, revealing pure white bones, covering it all was a simple tunic.


    However, the most striking part was his head which was a a deer skull with two glowing white beady eyes.


    "Hm, is that so? You''re here to deal with those three... Tell me, why is it so?" he asked.


    His voice was beast-like, rough, as if he was growling.


    "I cannot tell you everything but I am only here those three. They have information that I need."


    The ancestor''s eyes glowed intensely as he stared at Ming Yue, trying to peer into her intentions.


    "Why should we help you?"


    Ming Yue looked at him straight into his eyes.


    "Despite our past rtions, I bear no ill will towards you or Miss Ling. Furthermore, this is of utmost importance. It is rted to the Cmity, something happened about a month ago, did it not?"


    The white flickering eyes of the ancestor''s deer skull did not move as he pondered silently. Ming Yue could not figure his thoughts out and but believed that he would ept.


    "Is that so... Come with me."


    The ancestor looked away and walked towards the back, leading the group into the inner chambers. Taking them to another room, there were several others, all of whom were dressed simrly and had an overwhelming aura. It took less than a nce to see that they were all at the Sky Realm.


    He took his seat at the head of the table and looked towards Ming Yue. Everyone else did the same, looking for an exnation.


    "Ling Xue, tell me everything from the beginning."


    The ancestor''s voice was much more restrained and carried a sort of echo within. There was a sort of regalness to it, as if facing a noble whose tongue was sharp.


    Ling Xue walked forward before tossing a bloody bag onto the table.


    "On my way back to the n, I was ambushed by several Mu nsmen, their ive Guards. They took me by surprise and injured me before I could move but they could notnd a killing blow. I would not have been able to survive if not for her..."


    She continued to retell the events from the ck fog of Hei Yue to the killing of the four ive Guards.


    Afterwards, the ancestor looked around, gauging everyone''s reaction.


    "She is here for the Tao Feng and is rted to what had happened over a month ago."


    They pondered quietly before discussing in front of them


    "Should we ept her?"


    "She doesn''t seem quite as strong as those three. Would she evenst in the secret realm?"


    "But Princess Ling Xue was saved because of her, we should at least hear her out."


    "Don''t forget, she took on four ive Guards. That requires a certain level of strength."


    They talked and talked before looking towards the ancestor.


    "Lord Ancestor, what do you think?" they asked.


    He was silent, sitting calmly in front of them all and after a moment, he sighed.


    "I have been in the Human Continent for over a thousand years, split apart from my home here. Throughout that time, I hade across and made dealings with the Tao Feng. The one who leads them is a fearsome man who had seen through my diguise but let me go."


    "His cause is noble but his methods... they are sinful, heinous. I have no doubt that his disciples are the same. All of you know, you can tell that they are here with other intentions. Is she the same?"


    He looked at Ming Yue and everyone looked as well. Suddenly, their eyes turned into a mix of red and ck, and their gaze seemed to pierce her.


    She beared with it, knowing that the oue would be different.


    After several moments, their eyes returned to their normal colors as they looked amongst each other.


    "Then we shall help her", they spoke in unison.


    "Ling Xue, please bring our guest to a room and exin to her about the true situation", said the ancestor.


    "Yes, ancestor!"


    She bowed and took Ming Yue away, quickly bringing her to one fo the rooms in the upper levels.


    "What do you mean by true situation?" asked Ming Yue.


    "I only told you of the process as it should be, that both keys are needed to open the secret realm. In truth the realm was already open and has been for the past month", Ling Xue exined, "This urred after the Heaven''s Wrath nearly came down with another cmity."


    "Suddenly, the secret realm opened and our keys had be obsolete. That is why I could bring it out of the n grounds. However, the Mu n must''ve believed that they still had a purpose, hence the ambush on me."


    "Is that so?" Ming Yue thought back to the ive Guards, finding their fervor and enthusiasm a bit strange.


    "Can you tell me more about the secret realm then?" she asked.


    "The secret realm... It is known as the Realm of the Red-Eyed Moon for the only thing in the skies was a crimson moon shaped like an eye. For everyone, their first entrance would begin with the eerie feeling that something was watching them. However, that moon is also the sole reason for the realm. By cultivating under its presence, our individual bloodline powers would grow to their greatest potential. It is extremely beneficial for our bodies and is one of the reasons why our two ns are one of the strongest."


    "Then how do you enter?"


    Ling Xue took out a small map of the mountain range and pointed at a ce between the two ns.


    "This is the Yao n in the East and the Mu n in the West, the entrance to the realm is here in the center of it. You could just enter on your own but it is risky. If you are from neither ns, the Red Eyed Moon will bear its power upon you. Should you withstand it, you maye and go as you please. But if not, you will be sent out with your very soul damaged."


    "Then if I want to find the Tao Feng..."


    "You must enter then. They are already inside, fighting for the third key. All three of them have managed to pass the test. If you are worried about your two pets, they will not be tested on."


    Ming Yue thought carefully, forming a n.


    "Then I will go, I have to go."


    Trying to kill all three of them inside would be too difficult but if it was only one, she could do it.. If things went right, she might be able to obtain the information she needed.

 Chapter 340 - Ling Xues Past

    Ling Xue nodded, stopping in front a pair of sliding doors.


    "This is your room. There is a small balcony for you to look out of and plenty of things to see in the n. I will send someone up for your meals. We will set out tomorrow."


    Ming Yue nodded and bowed, entering the room and clsoing the doors behind her.


    Looking around, she found the room to be simple and elegant, with all fo the necessary furniture as well as a bit of style. It was not gaudy in the slightest but a vibrant scheme or red and hazel giving a sense of warmth.


    "How nice..." she thought.


    The night passed by smoothly as Ming Yue enjoyed her first good meal in several weeks. Arge bowl of noodles and lightly-vored broth which must have been cooked for hours to achieve its delicate tast.* Atop it was thinly sliced meat along with a bevy of herbs and vegetables making it well rounded and satisfying.


    Both Xiao Yin and Hei Yue had their own meals as well, various seasoned meats stewed together to the point of melting in ones mouth.


    Feeling well rested and energetic, the trio exited the room and walked down to the first floor where Ling Xue was waiting.


    Together, they left the n, taking a path into the deeper regions of the mountains. It was silent. Nothing could be heard, they were surrounded by stone and the echoing of their own steps. That is until Ling Xue spoke up.


    "How strange it is to meet like this..."


    Ming Yue nodded but stayed silent. There was a pause before she finally asked a question that had pricked her mind ever since she saw Ling Xue.


    "Back then, at Maple Root City, why did you and your ancestor do it?"


    She was curious, having never known their true intentions.


    Ling Xue continued to walk as if ignoring the question but in truth, she pondered on how to answer this question.


    "That... in short, it was to return to the n", she said.


    "To return?"


    Ling Xue sighed as she recounted her own story.


    "I didn''t remember much of my childhood, it is nothing more than a blur in my mind. I can barely remember my own parents, only that they died protecting me from a beast. I wandered for twenty-odd years, blending in with human society while not knowing what I was, only that I was different. Because of my scarred face, I had to wear a mask. hiding it all away. "


    "After wandering for so long, the ancestor found me and he became my only family. Even though we came from different ns, he nurtured me, teaching me of my bloodline from its history to how I can use it. He was like me, alone and without a home. From then on, we moved together, trying to survive until we heard news of the activating teleportation circles to the Demon Continent."


    "From there, we scoured for more rumours. What happened in Mape Root City was a n to gather resources and obtain an identity that would allow us to gain entry. After all, we''re demons. In some ces of the continent, demons are the bane of one''s existence. We had to keep our identies hidden. As for our methods, I''m sure that you did not approve of them or that they were evil in a sense but at the time, it was a gamble we took to try and find our way back to the Demon Continent."


    "Of course, then we were discovered by his nsmen and we were brought back . It went by so quickly and I soon found myself here in the Yao n, my people. And I''m sure that you must''ve realized that I am a princess here."


    Ming Yue nodded, remembering back at the main hall that they refered to her as Princess Ling Xue.


    "Yes, when they first called me "Princess" it was shocking. To think my parents were royalty, even with my scarred face, I was a princess to them. But I never wanted that, I asked to be called by my name rather than that title but there are a few who still call me that."


    "It must have been quite hectic, to be suddenly thrown in a palce you do not know of", said Ming Yue.


    "It was but it did not take long for me to adapt. The ancestor helped as well. Although he was not a Yao Demon but a Horned Demon, the Yao n epted him for protecting me all this time. If it wasn''t for him, adjusting would''ve been more difficult", said Ling Xue.


    There was a small smile on her face.


    "If it wasn''t for the ancestor, I might still be in the Human Continent, wandering it. For that, I am truly grateful for him."


    Ming Yue stayed quiet. She understood the feeling of being thrusted into a new environment. But like Ling Xue, they survived, finding a way to get through the hardships.


    "We''re nearly there, it may get hectic but do not make a move", Ling Xue instructed.


    Walking down this straight path, it opened into a clearing in which a temple of sorts stood.


    It was small and pure white but it was eyecatching as a swirling portal opened at the doorway. The portal of red and white, giving off several types of energy.


    "Strange, one of the energies seem rather familiar. Where have I experienced it?"


    Ming Yue stared at the portal, trying to figure out what that energy was.


    As the group made their way to the temple, Ming Yue noticed that they were not alone.


    There were others, another group to be exact and they all had a third eye. As soon as Linf Xue made her appearance, one of them, a young woman, stepped forward with a cocky smile.


    "So you survived? How amusing", she said to Ling Xue.


    This person was not dressed in armor like the rest of her group but instead wore avish silver dress which had a white sash around her waist and a white mantle as well. It was a stark difference from Ling Xue''s whose clothes were more simple and elegant.


    "So it really was you, Mu Jing. To send those four ive Guards to their deaths, do you believe that I will not kill you right now?"


    Ling Xue''s tone turned dark and ice cold. Immediately, she took out her jade flute, holding it for the others to see.


    "So what? They were ive Guards, don''t tell me you don''t recognize the people beside me?" Mu Jing said.


    Her third eye narrowed, as if mimicking the disdain for Ling Xue.


    "I''m not blind. They are your personal guards, ive Protectors. But do you honestly think, that they can stop me from killing you?" she threatened, her bloodline power suddenly activated and her aura exploded for just a moment.


    Mu Jing flinched taking a step back as the ive Protectors stepped forward to shield her.


    "Fucking pitiful."


    Ling Xue deactivated and released her energy, returning to her original form. She looked at Mu Bing and spit on ground in front of her.


    "Let me take you to the secret realm then, Ming Yue."


    Speaking calmly, Ling Xue no longer bothered with the Mu n and lead the group away.


    As for Ming Yue, she looked at Mu Jing''s group before following. Quietly, she dispelled the Zephyr ws and put away the Pearlstone Dagger, having prepared it in case a fight broke out. If such a thing had happened, it would''ve been a very bloody end.


    Mu Jing''s group only looked at them go and the she could only have a stifled and enraged look at the humiliation she was given.


    "How long will youst until Kong Zhi''s mene? Then we''ll see whose pitiful."

 Chapter 341 - Under The Glaring Moonlight

    "Why not just fight?"


    Ming Yue looked at Ling Xue, curiously.


    With how she had reacted to Mu Jing, Ming Yue had beleived that Ling Xue would''ve fought to kill them.


    "Like me, Mu Jing is also a princess but of the Mu n. Unlike me, she has been pampered all her life. As annoying as she is, killing her outright would start a bloody war between the two ns. For now, we''re only skirmishing with each other and the main goal is the secret realm. After all, an all out battle would incur severe losses to both ns and that is something neither sides want."


    "So an ambush like before would have worked?"Ming Yue spoke with doubt.


    Such an underhanded method would suffice but killing them right now would start a battle? She found it rather silly.


    "You don''t understand. If I died in that ambush, I would only be considered lost or missing and the Yao n would not move without concrete evidence", said Ling Xue, "Furthermore, are you confident that we can kill them and leave no witnesses? This ce is under surveince by both ns, attacking here is akin to foolishness."


    Ming Yue went silent, contemting the situation. With every passing second, things became more and moreplicated as she went deeper into the affairs of these two ns.


    "Ah, I should stop. I''m not here to interfere with the two ns. The Tao Feng is the goal" she thought.


    Looking at the swirling pool of energy in front of her, she watched as Ling Xue stepped in calmly.


    "Do not be afraid but be prepared, the realm will test you as soon as you step in", she said, entering the portal.


    Ming Yue looked and walked in as well.


    Her sight was covered, surrounded by darkness and for a few moments, there was silence. Then, she was blown back a rush of crimson light as a wild, demonic energy flowed out. She raised her hands up, covering her face as she stood upon an empty in from which a bright ruby-colored eye rose up from the void.


    Its light showering her and then the test began. In that moment, Ming Yue clutched her head tightly as her own voice began to shout inside her mind. It was vicious and wild as this other voice of hers shouted madly, it shouted to kill.


    "Kill! Kill them! Kill them all! None of them deserve to live! Their lives are meaningless! Kill everyone! Kill everything! Kill! Crush! Break! Shatter! Destroy!"


    She felt a splitting headache, groaning from the pain.


    "Urgh. Resist it! Don''t let it... take over your mind!"


    Xue Yue struggled to speak as she too felt that same pain. After all, she was a part of Ming Yue''s consciousness. There was no doubt that she too would be affected.


    "Fight back that urge. That desire to kill will mean your death!" she continued.


    Despite her talks of battle and killing others, that was differentpared to what was currently happening. Xue Yue would not agree with any of it.


    This was Ming Yue''s pure desire to kill. It was utterly mindless as there was only the thought of murdering. It was different to Xue Yue, born from the desire to survive even if it meant to kill.


    Even with her words of encouragement, Ming Yue found it hard to contain it. The sheer scale and chaos of this murderous hunger took her by surprise as was the sudden eruption of it.


    "Kill them! None of them should live! I must kill them! I must! I must!"


    She groaned and twisted under the pressure of it all. With every passing moment, it only grew harder and harder to resist.


    "Agh, no!"


    Ming Yue shouted out as she looked at and stared at the massive eye above her. Its gaze drilling into her very core.


    "I do not kill for sport! I do not kill without reason! This is not me!"


    The shouting voice within her faltered as she pushed back, focusing on herself. As this happened, she continued to face the eye-shaped moon, standing tall and not faltering. Then she saw it.


    Through the wild energy the moon gave off, she found a ce of peace within it, stillness. Through all of that murderous intent, she discovered the calmness within herself, within her heart and mind, within her very soul. She found that small spot of serenity.


    The voice suddenly stopped as the ruby-colored eye shed with a bright light.


    And then it turned silent as Ming Yue found herself standing next to Ling Xue, who just turned around. Looking into her eyes, Ling Xue gave a small smile.


    "Good, you passed the test."


    Ming Yue looked at her before looking down, seeing Hei Yue and Xiao Yin look at her slightly confused. She then looked around, seeing the same view as before as well as that very ruby-colored eye looking down from above.


    She looked at it, finding it eerie. In fact, being here felt very strange to her, as if there was a slight tingling in her body.


    "That test, it was quite terrifying", she said.


    "Indeed, that was what the other three said as well. Althoughpared to them, you''re not exactly drenched in sweat", Ling Xue replied and began to walk.


    "What was the purpose of that test? Why does it test only outsiders?" Ming Yue asked.


    "It is a method of making sure that these outsiders are able to endure the environment of this realm. After all, the Realm of the Red Eyed Moon is fit for only the Mu and Yao ns. As for the test, I do not have the specifics but it tests your bloodthirstiness and whether you can control yourself", Ling Xue exined.


    "Is that so..."


    Ming Yue thought back to the test, finding it both terrifying but enlightening. She could control herself, her mental state was strong enough. Knowing that made her feel a bit of glee.


    "Let''s go. The third key is over there."


    Ling Xue pointed in front of them where a mountain stood. On its peak, was a shining white light as it could only be the third key of the Heaven yer.


    As they made their way towards it, Mu Jing and her guards entered as well. She saw Ling Xue''s group walking towards the mountain.


    "Hmph, so she''s going for the third key again. I''d like to see her try this time. Protectors, send a message to Tie Ja, he may find interest in killing them", she ordered.


    They looked at each other before looking at her.


    "Princess, are you sure? This is Tie Ja, one of the Three Kings of Kong Zhi''s army, Irond Tie Ja", they asked.


    "Just do it! Even if her face is ugly, her body isn''t. I''m sure he will be interested in it. Not to mention, that girl she was with too. I''m sure, these two would be enough to tempt him. I''m tired of Ling Xue stifling me like this. How dare here out of the woodworks and call herself a princess! I am the only princess here!"


    Sheughed wickedly, as her protectors carried out her orders.


    Off into a distance was a thin but muscr demon leading a small group of other demons. He looked at them before looking at the mountain in front of him. A tall and imposing peak that which had a single pair of stairs narrow enough for only one person to step on.


    "So the third key to controlling this ce is up there. Damn it, this is too annoying to deal with."


    He grunted before turning to his men.


    "Alright you fucking weaklings, we''re going to climb this stupid mountain and get the key. Once we do it, we''re getting out of this ce."


    His word was of azy tone, full of annoyance for having to do this much.


    "Ugh, I wish I could raid a vige or one of the forts instead of this", he muttered.

 Chapter 342 - The Crimson Mountain

    Irond Tie Ja was of the Warding Demon Race who excelled in defense, hence his title being "Irond". With that said, his body was thin but his iron- colored flesh was dense and tough. So much so that a sword could barely scratch his skin. Even then, with his body, Tie Ja was a swift fighter who used his fists. With the toughness of his body, he built up those fists to be hard enough to crush stone to smithereens.


    But for now, he could not use those fists of his here.


    What was before him and his group of men was a tall mountain, the one thing that everyone saw.


    "Whose there?! Come out right now!"


    Tie Jia yelled out, looking around to see who had juste. A figure faded into view, one of the ive Protectors of Mu Bing, who began to walk towards one of the Three Kings.


    "Hmm, a ive Protector? What does the Mu n want, for them to have sent a ive Protector to me?" he asked.


    The ive Protector stopped several meters away from Tie Ja and his men, beginning to talk.


    "This is not from Mu n but the Princess. Tha Yao n''s princess has returned to the secret realm for another attempt and has brought a human ally with her as well."


    He then fished something out from his pocket and tossed it on the ground.


    "These are their portraits. Take this information as you will but the Princess wants to see them gone."


    Immediately after speaking, the ive Protector turned around and vanished the same way he appeared. Tie Ja watched the Protector leave before picking up the portraits. He looked at it before looking to the direction where the Protector had left, spitting at the ground.


    "This damn n, treating us like dirt just because they''re one of the so-called "strongest". Just you wait when I get my hands on your princess. Let''s see if you''re willing to go against Kong Zhi."


    He cursed in his mind before looking into the portraits giving to him. They were not perfect pictures but had enough detail for Tie Ja to identify those two if he saw them.


    "These two... the one in red must be the princess judging by the garb... The other... not a soldier it would seem. Interesting, this will be fun."


    He had a vicious smile on his face as he crushed the portraits with his hand.


    As for Ming Yue, their group took their time getting there. They did not rush and Ling Xue walked at a calm and rxed pace.


    "In order to get that third key, we must climb the stairs and rach the peak of the mountain. When it first opened on its own, both ns fought fiercely to reach it, believing that the quickest would win. Unfortunately, those thoughts came to pass when one by one, those that failed were sent out of the realm with terrible injuries. I, myself have attempted it once, but after a ny eight steps, I could not withstand the pressure and copsed."


    Ling Xue raised her hands, looking at them as she walked.


    "When I reawakened, I was back in the Yao n with several broken bones and crushed organs. I had only just recovered days ago. At that point, I went out to hunt one of the beasts and make sure that I was fully restored. I don''t know how the Mu n found out but they ambushed me on my way back. Now here I am, back for my third attempt."


    Ming Yue raised her eyebrow.


    "Third attempt?" she asked.


    "Yes, my first time was when I returned here with the ancestor. I was only able to climb fifty steps before failing but that was among the highest. The second time, I reached ny eight, which was a new record for n. This is the third time. Out of the one thousand steps, I at least want to break one hundred. Besides you are also here, the you from Maple Root City is nothingpared to you right now. Perhaps you might be able to break a hundred steps", Ling Xue exined.


    "Then what exactly is the test like?"


    Ming Yue wanted to know. After all, Ling Xue was not a weak person, to Ming Yue she was a good opponent. For her to barely reach a tenth of the way said something about this trial.


    "The test?" said Ling Xue, "It is a test of talent and potential but that is all everyone knew of it. With each step you would find yourself under a greater weight than before."


    "A test of talent and potential?"


    "Yes, sometimes the weakest of men could climb more stairs than the strongest, so it had to be something other than strength. That was what both ns surmised. But we should be careful when we get there. It is not as if those taking the trial would allow others to enter especially me, one of the people that had climbed the highest. You may think that trying again might be seen as a waste but it is not as if potential and talent cannot be changed."


    "I see."


    "We have to be on our highest guard."


    Ming Yue nodded, following Ling Xue through the grand and vast ins. There was little in the way of looking and the ring light of the red moon illuminated everything. Hei Yue and Xiao Yin looked around warily, scouting the area.


    Soon enough, the group came closer to the mountain, the color of it was a deep red like that of blood. The stairs that ran up towards the peak were of the same color but there was a strange detail to it.


    The first hundred steps were a bit worn down while the first ten were in an even worse shape. But past that, the next nine hundred steps were clean, untouched even. It seemed that in the entire lifetime of this realm, no one has gone past one hundred steps.


    Standing all around those steps were numerous demons though it was mostly those of the Yao and the Mu n, separated into two sides.


    Among them was Tie Ja and his men as well as the three disciples of the Tao Feng.


    Despite the arrival of a new group, no one paid attention to them, all of them looked toward the step as a single figure walked up those deteriorated steps.


    His steps were slow and calm, walking at his own pace.


    At thirty steps, his pace slowed to that of a snail''s with each step taking a full minute. By forty, it took five minutes to take another step. By fifty, he was at a full stop, unable to advance or retreat.


    His right foot moved up but he stumbled and fell as his position suddenly glowed with bright red wisps, vanishing and sent out of the secret realm.


    "Fifty steps, not bad but... this is simply impossible, isn''t it?" someone said.


    "Perhaps, but someone else will try and perhaps that next person will be you."


    "Pft, you think? A new persones to try do you think they won''t try to stop it?"


    With the stairs unupied, that meant someone else must step up but who would dare?


    It was then that people noticed Ling Xue and the others.


    "Princess? You''re back."


    Those of the Yao n recognized her and immediately recieved her with Ming Yue. The Mu n all had sour looks on their faces but the more experienced of them pad a bit of attention to the human by Ling Xue''s side.


    "Yes, I''vee with a guest to attempt this trial."


    Ling Xue greeted her nsmen while introducing Ming Yue to them.


    "A guest? And a human at that? Is she from the Five Armies?" they asked, "Do you think she can do it?"


    Everyone gave Ming Yue a bit of a doubtful look at this young girl.


    How well would she do against this seemingly impossible challenge?

 Chapter 343 - Fighting The Ironclad King

    Ming Yue looked at them and followed Ling Xue''s charade. Her true goal of hunting the Tao Feng was something that could not be revealed.


    "She saved me from an ambush by the Mu n. I''m sure she can do it."


    Ling Xue defended her from those who felt a bit uncertain as to whether Ming Yue could really do something.


    "An ambush by the Mu n?! They''ve done such a thing?"


    The nsmen looked both surprised and furious at the same time. Their eyes turned towards the Mu n with murderous looks but the Mu n brushed it off. Unlike the Yao who wore light armor and clothes, the Mu nsmen were all dressed in heavy armor simr to that of the ive Guards and Protectors.


    "Those bastards, to think they would try to manipte the entrance and now, they dare to attack the princess?! Outrageous!"


    The fire in their hearts began to grow as they red at the Mu.


    "Calm down! This is not ce to fight!" Ling Xue tried to cate her n while Ming Yue searched the area.


    It didn''t take long until her eyes fell upon three figures dressed in violet colored uniforms, Dai Mian''s personal disciples.


    "Two men and one women... One of them is a Beast Tamer, the other uses gauntlets, the woman... Is her weapon her sleeves or hidden within them?" she wondered.


    Ming Yuemited their appearance to mind, nning on how to deal with them.


    "Fourth Senior Brother, someone is looking at us..."


    Junior Sister Feng whispered into his ears and the Fourth Senior Brother did not move but responded.


    "I know. But I cannot pinpoint where exactly it ising from. Junior Brother Shou, can you find it?" he asked.


    The Junior Brother quickly nced around before whistling to his ck Fang Wolves. The two wolves sniffed the air but only whimpered, unable to help.


    "I cannot, whoever is watching us must have concealed themselves well", the Junior Brother said.


    "Is that so? Then we must be on our guard and watch for whoever is targeting us."


    "Yes, Fourth Senior Brother."


    The three disciples noticed Ming Yue''s stare but didn''t know that it came from her. She had concealed her presence, making it almost unnoticeable to everyone else.


    Despite that there was someone who noticed her.


    "So Ling Xue and that girl is here now... That''s good, less work for me."


    Tie Ja saw the two as soon as they mingled with the Yao n, long before Ming Yue had hidden her presence.


    However, the crux of the situation was still unresolved. Who was going to walk forward and attempt the Heaven yer''s trial?


    No one could make a decision and it was especially difficult for those who had never attempted it before. After all, no one would know how neers would do and there was a certain fear that perhaps the next neer could obtain the third key.


    For a while, no one came up until Mu Jing and her Protectors arrived, joining with the Mu n. She nced at Ling Xue before looking towards the steps.


    "No one is climbing it then?"


    She spoke loudly toward her nsmen who shook their heads.


    "No one has dared for the past several hours", they replied.


    "Is that so? Then I shall go."


    Mu Jing looked at it before taking off her mantle revealing a fancy and exquisite set of armor, made to fit her slender body. Her third eye glowed with power as a white ring emerged.


    Without caring of the others, she confidently approached the set of stairs while all of her nsmen moved with her, protecting their princess.


    Ling Xue snorted, "I doubt she''s going to reach high. A pampered child whose never even fought a battle in her life."


    The others like Tie Ja and the Tao Feng looked but showed no change to their emotions. After all, they did not have a grudge against the Mu even though their curretn behavior was overbearing.


    Mu Jing then stepped forward and walked the Heaven yer''s Trials.


    The first ten steps were quite easy and she was quick. Her smile grew to one of cockiness as she climbed the eleventh step and suddenly copsed, sent out of the secret realm.


    "Princess!" they called out.


    The protectors immediately activated a medallion in their hands, leaving the secret realm to protect Mu Bing.


    The Yao suddenly burst intoughter at Mu Jing''s sad disy.


    "That''s how much your princess could do?" they ridiculed, "A measly eleven steps? Is she even that talented?"


    "Our princess nearly broke one hundred steps, what can your princess do?"


    The Mu n did not speak, looking away to hide their faces which were twisted in anger and humiliation. Ling Yue watched them retreat, unable to look at the Yao n. She then turned to the stairs and walked forward.


    Her face was focused as she stepped to the trial.


    The Mu n watched her, hoping that she would be unable to break one hundred steps. Unfortunately, someone stood in her way,


    "Seeing you in front of me... you''re passable, I guess."


    Tie Ja casually strolled in front of her.


    "You, Irond Tie Ja, what do you want?"


    Ling Xue looked at him icily, her voice matching the cold re she gave him.


    "Although the Mu n''s Princess didn''t do quite well, I''ve been asked by her to step in."


    His voice was of a higher pitch, sharp and a bit annoying to the ear. To add to that, he spoke with a cocky and lustful voice as his eyes looked up and down Ling Xue''s body. It was unsettling for her, almost to the point of disgusting her.


    "Step in? To do what?" she said.


    "This-"


    His fist flickered forward at quick speed, aiming to grab her by the neck. Ling Xue did not expect him to move so suddenly and was too slow to avoid his hand.


    "Eh."


    Rather than grab her neck, Tie Ja''s fist was grabbed by someone else. That person was the Fourth Senior Brother, who grabbed his wrist tightly. From his hands to his shoulders, they were covered in armor, thick ted gauntlets tightly grasping Tie Ja. He stood in front of Ling Xue, protecting her from the Irond King.


    "Do you really want to do such a thing?" he said, his voice carrying a trace of warning.


    Tie Ja chuckled, he tried to pull his arm away but could not and he looked at his wrist. To his surprise, the dense flesh that he was known for was slowly being crushed as the one in front of him tightened his grip.


    "Interesting, what a pleasant surprise. I wonder if you can put up a decent struggle."


    His other fist whipped forward, flying towards his opponent''s face and smashed into his cheek. Tie Ja''s smile turned into a surprised expression after finding that his strike did nothing to the Fourth Senior Brother. His face didn''t even budge from the strike.


    "Is that it?" he asked, "Can you take my strike then?"


    Raising his other fist, the Fourth Senior Brother struck in the same fashion as Tie Ja. Colliding into his cheek, Tie Ja''s wrist was let go as he flew back and his body smacked into the ground like a stone skipping on water.


    But he spun andnded on his feet, recovering in an instant as he touched his bruised cheek.


    "Not many can hurt me..."


    Tie Ja rushed forward and began to let loose a flurry of blows. His fists like a hammer beating down on his opponent but it was not some one-sided beatdown.


    The Fourth Senior Brother fought back, punching back for every hit he took. The two began to trade blows with each other, not caring to block at all. Each strike was like a small shockwave. The fight was like a wildly beating drum that gave rise to one''s own fiery heart, a battle of pure strength and power.


    They did not back down, fighting to move forward, to push the other one back.

 Chapter 344 - Within Chaos Is Opportunity

    Tie Ja''s voice then shouted out to his men.


    "What are you doing?! Deal with her!"


    They jumped into action, following his orders and moved to attack Ling Xue. Various demons charged at her with their weapons drawn.


    Ling Xue stepped back and pulled out her flute to attack.


    "Protect her!"


    The Yao n moved in to defend their princess and a battle erupted in front of the mountain. Mayhem ensued as weapons struck against each other, Tie Ja''s men pushed forward, trying to grab at Ling Xue as the Yao nsmen pushed back.


    "Let''s go, we should look after the Princess."


    "But Tie Ja, what if he is killed? What will Kong Zhi do?"


    "Pah, who cares about them? Do you think they can do anything to us? The Mu n? We are going, that is it."


    The Mu n watched and then retreated, not wanting to enter the fray. Depending on the oue, it would only be beneficial to them. Either Tie Ja seeds or he and his men and the Yao n end up weakened by this. It would only serve to increase their chances of getting control over the secret realm. Even if they could not get the third key, getting the Yao n''s key was just as good.


    Thus they left and no one could stop them, after all the Yao n were busy fighting. They did not have the strength to stop the Mu.


    Tie Ja''s squad of men were all elites within their own right, powerful warriors that could match against the Yao n. However, neither side had activated their bloodlines yet.


    "Feng Qian, Shou Lang, help me fight this demon!"


    The Fourth Senior Brother continued to trade blows with Tie Ja and suddenly called out his juniors, asking them for aid.


    Tie Ja''s smile suddenly turned to a look of scorn.


    "What is this? Are you feeling weak already? Was that previous strike all for show?" he taunted.


    The Fourth Senior Brother showed no change to his expression but one thing was for sure, he was calm. He replied to Tie Ja''s taunt with a few simple words.


    "This is boring me, when are you going to activate your bloodline? If this is it, I might as well finish you off with my juniors, end it quicker", he said.


    Tie Ja''s face twitched in anger.


    "Is that so? Let''s see just how powerful your juniors are."


    Junior Sister Feng quickly ran forward and began to twirl around Tie Ja, her sleeves flew in the wind as her arms swung about gracefully. It was like she was dancing, enticing his eyes with her body. But within her sleeves was a glint of red light as they revealed her hands armed with whip-like ws.


    With each twirl, theyshed out at him, marking his body with scratches before smallcerations began to appear.


    And Junior Brother Shou whistled, calling forth his wolves who ran towards Tie Ja and leapt with their jaws wide open. With one on each side, their fangs glowed with a ck light, giving off a ethereal glow and each wolf bit down on his legs.


    In an instant, the pressure on the Irond King had more than tripled. With the Senior Brother in front of him, he could not deal with the other two''s attacks and slowly his body began to fill with wounds that continued to grow.


    "That''s enough. If you want to save that woman, then you will all die trying!"


    Tie Ja yelled out as he activated his bloodline which served as a signal to his men, who all activated their bloodlines.


    Everyone from the Yao n did the same, their auras burst out, turning crimson and flowing wildly. Their strength grew several times over as their form changed as well, growing more muscr. Their hair turned into the same shade as their aura and ck tendrils covered their bodies like tattoos.


    Together, the strength they put forth was overwhelming and Tie Ja''s side could not match their power. Still, they were notcking in it either and the fight elevated to a new level of chaos.


    The king himself, transformed, his iron-like flesh turned a grayish color that carried a shine to it like real iron. In fact, it seemed like his whole body became iron but it was much stronger than that. His fists that once gave the Fourth Senior Brother bruises began put dents into his body. It seemed like each strike could make him keel over and fall.


    "Ahahaha! What can you do now? Your juniors can''t even scratch me and you? You seem barely hold on the second I attacked. Do you regret it?"


    Heughed out loud andshed out at the two juniors. Ignoring the Fourth Senior Brother, he grabbed the two ck Fanged Wolves, wrenching them from his legs. He did it with such strength that their fangs were ripped off, still stuck to his flesh.


    Tie Ja then threw them down and smashed their skulls in with his foot, not even letting them utter a sound before dying.


    "Nooo!!"


    Junior Brother Shou cried out but could do nothing, as a tamer, he was not a good fighter and knew that entering would spell death. He could only retreat after the loss of his pets.


    But Tie Ja wasn''t done yet. He moved incredibly fast, catching the Junior Sister''s ws and pulled them in along with her.


    "Hmph, you''re not even that pretty."


    He spat out before caving her face in with his other fist, sending her flying. He did not even watch her and looked back at the Senior Brother, showing a vicious grin.


    "Is this boring to you?" he asked in a yful way.


    His opponent, the Senior Brother, merely looked at him and nced at his gauntlets which was now covered in dents from the constant striking.


    "Not anymore", he replied, proceeding to take off his metal gauntlets and reced them a different pair of gauntlets.


    Tie Ja waited, interested in what tricks this man had in front of him.


    This pair was much more sleeker with a ck steel color and the knuckles were reinforced with thicker armor. Furthermore, as he put them on, they tightened around his arms and shoulders, wrapping in a cloth like material.


    He looked at Tie Ja and dashed forward with his palm open wide.


    "One Strike, Palm."


    One step away, he nted his feet and threw his palm forward, sending Tie Ja flying into the mountain face. Then, he chased after and the fight truly began.


    And in all of this chaos, where was Ming Yue?


    She was hidden away but she participated in the fight, deflecting any strikes that would kill or harm the Yao n. With the use of Whistle Wind, no one noticed it except for the sound of a whistle but those that heard it only attributed it to Ling Xue''s flute.


    As for why she did not reveal herself, Ming Yue found that this was an opportunity to interrogate one of the Tao Feng. Of all three choices, there was only one she could look to, Junior Brother Shou, who escaped the fight but did not go far as he could not abandon his fellow seniors. He looked back and watched but there was grief on his face. He had lost his two pets to Tie Ja, watching them perish in such a gruesome way.


    She surveyed the fight and found that the Yao n were at an advantage. They no longer needed her help and the young cultivator left the fight.


    "Xiao Ya, Xiao Ding..."


    Junior Brother Shou mourned the deaths of his ck Fang Wolves. They had been with him since their birth. He had taken care of the two wolves for years and now they perished. He could do nothing but grieve.


    Unfortunately, there was no time for him to do so.


    "Tell me what you and the other disciples n to do, now that your sect leader is here. Where are their locations?"


    The next moment, he felt a knife pressing into his back.

 Chapter 345 - Silent Execution

    Ming Yue was behind him, positioned in such a way that the Junior Brother''s silhouette covered her. He did not dare move, not even to look behind.


    "You... Were you the one watching us?" he questioned but the knife only pressed harder.


    The only thing he had to go on was her voice, delicate but firm.


    "Answer my question! What are you and the Tao Feng nning to do? Where are the other four groups headed?" she pushed for answers but he did not falter.


    "I am a loyal disciple of Sect Leader Dai and I will not say a thing. You are better off killing me instead. If you do, my seniors will avenge me."


    Junior Brother Shou spoke defiantly and even went on to threaten her instead. She frowned from this response, unsure of what to do now. From his tone, he did not lie and was ready to die here. As easily as she could kill him now, this was a chance and she wasn''t going to waste it.


    Ming Yue thought quickly before settling on a different method.


    "Do you not want to punish that demon over there?" she asked, "If you tell me what I want, I will help you exact revenge."


    Junior Brother Shou paused, faltering in his defiant stance and Ming Yue continued to speak.


    "Your two wolves must be dear to you, no? I understand how you feel, I have two little beasts of my own that I''ve cared for. Their deaths would destroy me and the deaths of your beasts must be so."


    He stuttered after hearing these words.


    "I...I''ve cared for them since they were born. It''s been over ten years that they have been my partners. For them to die like this... Even though the sect leader said we could find stronger beasts for me, I knew that these two were for me.


    "They didn''t deserve to be killed like this, to die so brutally."


    Ming Yue''s voice became much more gentler, more caring.


    "As long as you tell me what I want to know, I will help you avenge them."


    "But...I..."


    He was conflicted, extremely so and his mind was weak, his judgment clouded. As loyal as he was to the Tao Feng, his pets meant everything to him. From the sorrow he felt, there was a rage and burning hatred towards Tie Ja. He looked at the demon, watching as he fought without holding back against his senior brother.


    The more Junior Brother Shou looked at his grinning face, the more that hatred grew and his mind was made up.


    "Fine, fine, I will tell you all I know."


    "We fifteen disciples of the Sect Leader split into five groups of three as soon as we received word that the Sect Leader came here. He had made preparations in case his n failed, ordering us to scout the continent and gather information about the various demons and treasures. In that moment, he had chosen five items to gather in order to for him to create a new body."


    "A new body?"


    Ming Yue found such information astounding. His current body, damaged and broken, was going to be reced. In a sense, he was going to be reborn.


    "Yes, we came here for the Yao n''s so-called ancestor, his crystalline body to be specific. But that seemed unlikely to seed so we are looking into their mines for Yao Blood Diamonds which are here", he revealed.


    "Then what of the other four groups?" she asked.


    "Two are headed to the Boundless Beast Forest, one is hunting a Gold Tusk Elephander and the other is searching for a Five Element Parasol. The fourth group is going to the Cerulean Serpent''s Lake where the Deepsea Steel is. And the fifth group is going to a temple in the southwestern corner of the continent, over there is a Three Life Lotus. That is it."


    He had revealed all he knew and Ming Yue took in the information before asking one more question.


    "Then, where is the sect leader now?"


    "I do not know. Even if I did, I would not tell you."


    "Hm, okay."


    Ming Yue''s expression turned somewhatplicated as she hesitated to move. This part, she found difficult to do but she knew it had to be done.


    "Thank you for your help."


    She then pulled the knife away and moved it over his neck, slitting his throat.


    "Heuk, you- you promised me..."


    He tried to speak as the blood welled up his throat and Ming Yue ced her hand over his mouth, dragging his body away. There was a bitter look on her face as she disliked having done this. To use his emotions and execute him gave a bitter taste in her mouth but she moved on nheless.


    Any remnants of the Tao Feng she let go of woulde back for revenge.


    She looked around spotting the junior sister, still unconscious from Tie Ja''s strike, and quietly disposed of her.


    Finally, there was the strongest one of them all, the one fighting Tie Ja to a standstill.


    Their fight was elsewhere, far from the others as to avoid any disturbances. Ming Yue watched as one body slung the other across the air, mming into the mountainside. But there must have been some sort of barrier or restrictions, for the body bounced back, flying towards the other.


    "Are you finished yet?"


    The senior brother watched Tie Ja fly back towards him and sped his hands together tightly.


    "Sixth Strike, Warhammer."


    His arms seemed to thicken and grow as blood rushed. The moment Tie Ja was in front of him, he raised his arms and struck the back, sending him straight into the ground. The moment he struck, there was an audible bang like an actual warhammer smashing into the ground.


    The area where Tie Janded cracked under his fall and he was on his back, grinning at the red sky. His body was bruised. a deep bluish blood trickled down his chin.


    "Come on then, I haven''t got all day!" he shouted out.


    He stood up before falling to a knee. As one of the three kings of Kong Zhi''s army, his strength was overwhelming and the senior brother saw it. From the ground, Tie Ja''s body tensed up as he leaped forward, covering over a hundred meters in seconds.


    The senior brother raised his arms to guard but Tie Ja was swift, grabbing him by the face and grinding his body into the ground.


    Ming Yue watched, sucking in a cold breath. Both of these two were monsters in their own right. Both were equivalent to an expert of the Sky Realm, the upper levels at that, which made this quite difficult. Not to mention, the senior brother was most likely a body cultivator while Tie Ja had an extremely tough body.


    Their bodies were battered but she found that killing either of them would be a hard task.


    "Hmm, although Tie Ja is in a worse state, the other disciple will probably lose the fight", she thought.


    "Still, I might be able to kill them both..."


    Although he did his best to hide it, the senior brother was actually getting exhausted. He used six techniques going several hundred moves and each one took a big toll on his body.


    "Three left... If he doesn''t die then, I may have to retreat" he thought, "I should y it safe, his body won''tst much longer."


    "Do you have anything else?!"


    Tie Ja taunted as he continued to drag the senior brother through solid ground before throwing him forward. The senior brother quickly recovered and jumped forward, grappling Tie Ja''s waist and pinning him to the ground.


    He did not give let Tie Ja rx, pounding his head into the ground. Still pinned down, he flipped the demon around and wrapped his arm around the neck, putting him into a chokehold.


    "Hurk- huk- is this- what you''ve turned to?- not even using your fists?"


    The arm around Tie Ja''s neck only tightened as he tried to get the senior brother off, elbowing his sides. They were both struggling to end this fight.


    And then Ming Yue moved.

 Chapter 346 - Killing The Others

    Both of them were in one ce, unable to move as one tightened their grasp on the other. They were both injured and their bodies were weakened. Ming Yue could''ve waited until one of them won but this was a chance she didn''t want to waste. In this moment, she could kill them both at once.


    Unsheathing Drifting Sky, she empowered it, driving her energy into the de and the gems began to glow slightly, strengthening it even further.


    "This... might not be enough", she thought.


    After all, those two were body cultivators, their physical prowess were on a level of their own. To add on, Ming Yue had little experience and superficial knowledge on Body Cultivators. Though both mehtods of cultivating started at the Human Realm, Body Cultivating branched off into a different version of the Earth Realm and she had no knowledge beyond that.


    If Ming Yue wanted to kill them both confidently, she might need to use everything.


    "It may be excessive but, I have to take them in one strike."


    She activated Pale Moon and the Changing Clouds Armor shifted to its battle form. Immediately after, she moved towards the two, quickly building up her power.


    "Phantasmal Wind."


    The next moment she vanished and reappeared behind the senior brother.


    "Wha-?!"


    Both of them had noticed her approach but were too entangled with each other to move away. They watched as her aura leaked out, a ghostly blue that which stuck out in thisnd of red. Her sword shined under the red moon and glowed of a ethereal light.


    Ming Yue was in the air, appearing just a few feet above them. As she dropped down, both of her hands gripped tightly onto the handle as she thrusted it into their abdomen. As soon as Drifting Sky pierced the senior brother''s back, there was an immediate resistance as she pressed downward. The dense muscles tightened around the de, trying to stop it from going further.


    However, the sword was empowered by Ming Yue, encased in a thinyer of sharp winds that moved continuously. Whatever flesh touched it was slowly grinded away.


    The two gems which further enhanced her strike had not only made thatyer even more sharper but sent out sparks of lightning, singeing the flesh and shocking the body.


    No matter what, Drifting Sky dug deeper into the senior brother who screamed in pain. But his grip on Tie Ja did not loosen yet. If he was going to die here, Tie Ja would join him in the afterlife.


    The demon tried to break free, struggling to rip the arm off of his neck.


    "Are you- insane?! Trying to kill us both?" he yelled out.


    By then, the sword had emerged from the senior brother''s body and began to cut into Tie Ja''s body. The same pain that the senior brother felt, Tie Ja felt, but this time, it was much worse. After all, his body was strong, what could pierce it?


    This demon may have gone through many fights but his body had been cut very few times. His tolerance for this sort of pain was low, extremely low. His screams were even more harrowing that the senior brother''s. His throat grew hoarse as he tried to handle the pain but it was simple too much.


    For Ming Yue, the moment her sword entered his body, it felt like trying to pierce a stone with a toothpick. Even as the sword winds grinded away at the flesh, it was at a snail''s pace.


    "Squall Strike."


    She grit her teeth, putting more power into it as thatyer of wind expanded and exploded in power. This third technique of hers was gruesome as the sword seemed to grow in size, mutting whatever flesh or organ was in its path.


    The pain was so immense that the two men screamed out horribly. It was so loud and terrifying that the battle between the Yao and the other demons had been brought to a stop. All of them pausing and looking towards where the screams were.


    "That''s where the leader is! Go!"


    Tie Ja''s men recognized his voic and immediately ran off to help him.


    "Don''t let them escape! They will die here!"


    Ling Xue pointed her flute at them, leading her nsmen to chase.


    The two groups quickly approached Ming Yue''s location, throwing attacks towards each other as they ran through.


    Less than a minute passed before, they reached where the three figures were but only found the Senior Brother and Tie Jaying on the ground. Their bodiesid dead on top of each other as the scent of blood wafted in the air.


    A mixture of red and blue blood puddled around their body, flowing from therge cavity in their abdomens.


    "Leader!"


    The men shouted and they ran towards Tie Ja, flipping the senior brother''s body off. His breathing was feeble but he was still alive, though barely.


    "R-run, get away from here..."


    He spoke weakly, almost unable to utter those words.


    "What do you mean? Who did this to you?"


    They were bewildered by this sight. Their leader, the Irond King was near death, where his stomach used to be had be a gaping hole. His eyes were frantic as he grabbed one of his men by the shoulder.


    "Run! RUN!"


    Tie Ja shouted out, spitting blood from each word. Despite his warnings, it was far toote now.


    None of them knew it, none of them realized it. Stunned by the sight of Tie Ja, none of them noticed as Ming Yue''s sword cleaved cleanly through their necks. One by one, their heads fell until there was only one left. It was the demon whom Tie Ja grabbed the shoulder of.


    He heard the soft thud of falling heads and turned to find hisrades dead. Each one of them stood up as if they had not been beheaded only to drop to the ground momentster. Blood spilled from the stumps of their necks and thest remaining demon could feel his blood run cold.


    Slowly turning back, he looked towards Tie Ja and saw Ming Yue standing before him. Her sword pierced into Irond King''s body, ending his life. The blue aura of Pale Moon was still rising from her body. The Changing Clouds Armor shined under the crimson moonlight.


    "Yo-"


    He whipped out his weapon but found his hand cut off as Ming Yue quickly disposed of him.


    Looking around, Ming Yue noticed the Yao n and released her energy, returning to her original form.


    They all looked at her, having seen it from afar. It was nothing short of shock and those who felt doubt over her power now felt silly for thinking so. None of them could fully track her movement, only catching the moments when she made the killing blows.


    Walking towards them, Ming Yue looked to Ling Xue.


    "I''ve gotten what I needed to know. Let''s go try the Heavenly yer''s Trial."


    She spoke as if nothing had happened and the others watched as she went back to the stairs. Ling Xue looked at her, feeling strange about Ming Yue. She then turned to the many dead bodies, finding the scene hard to look at.


    To some degree, she felt pity for them.


    "Let''s go back."


    Quietly, they all returned to the mountain and Ling Xue studied the stairs. After what she had witnessed, she had lost the drive to climb them but she knew she had to go.


    She focused, calming herself before taking that first step.


    Step by step, the Yao Princess took her time walking up and it didn''t take long before she was a few steps from a hundred. It might be far from a thousand but it was closer than before.


    "The ny-ninth step! One more and she''ll reach a hundred!"


    They held their breaths, praying that she would make it.


    Ling Xue took a deep breath and took that step. The moment, she stepped onto it, the Red Eyed Moon shined upon her.

 Chapter 347 - Climbing The Stairs

    As it glowed, focusing its light upon Ling Xue, she felt reinvigorated as energy flowed into her body. Her body grew hot as blood rushed and her bloodline activated on its own. The dark red shade of her aura and hair took on a vibrant brightness asshe felt her strength grow.


    Feeling renewed, she continued to climb the steps, breaking past a hundred and climbing towards the two hundred mark.


    "She''s doing it!"


    The nsmen cried out in shock and joy as they watched her go higher and higher.


    Soon, Ling Xue broke past two hundred steps and headed straight for three hundred. By then, she slowed down and moving at a snail''s pace by the time she reached the 280th step. At that point, she stopped and retreated, exiting the trial.


    "This is as far as I can go. Any further and I will have overtaxed myself. I''d rather not end up likest time or for that matter, like the Mu n''s Princess."


    Ling Xue looked to her n, who were somewhat baffled by her actions. Nevertheless, she was the first of the n to break the hundred step mark.After congratting her, the ns then turned to Ming Yue in anticipation as Ling Xue walked to the young cultivator.


    "Those Tao Fang had yet to take the trial before you... disposed of them. Because of that, you will be the first human to take the Heavenly yer''s trial. With that said, No one knows what happens if another person or a human takes the trial. Up until now, it had always been the Mu or Yao n. If you do not want to do this, you do not have to."


    She warned Ming Yue, asking if she wanted to reconsider.


    "No, I will do it."


    Ming Yue answered her and stepped up. She wanted to do this to both test herself and find out more information about the Heavenly yer. Looking to Hei Yue and Xiao Yin, they left her side and waited patiently for her.


    Standing in front of the first step, she ced her right foot upon it and in an instant, she vanished from sight.


    "Where did she go?"


    "What happened?"


    Those that saw it were stunned. They all walked up to the steps and looked around, examining. However, she was nowhere to be found.


    The two beasts that were just by her side, looked around franctically before staring at the stairs, but their master was gone. There wasn''t even a trace fo her.


    For Ming Yue, her view changed from that of the mountain steps to a massive pce. It was wide and spacious but empty as well. Made from a white marble, the interior was decorated with ents of ck and gray along with banners and such of the same color scheme.


    "Where is this?"


    She looked around, sensing her surroundings but found that there seemed to be nothing outside of this home. It was as if it was inside an empty ne, as if this pce was the only thing here.


    Walking around, she explored it, walking through the halls. There were no rooms here, onlyrge, open chambers.


    "What is this ce? There are no treasures here, weapons, jewels, nothing. And... the energy here... Where have I felt this before?"


    The more she looked around, the more she felt that this ce was familiar to her. It wasn''t until she reached the main chamber, thergest one within this pce, that she realized her guess was right.


    "It really is him! The Lunar Executioner!"


    Within this grand chamber was a single statue, in fact it was equally identical to the one she found in the Merciless Storm Peak. The only difference was that this was clearly higher in quality, more detailed and created with better material. In fact, it seemed as if every strand of hair could be picked seen.


    However, just like the other one, the face was hard to make out. As if whoever designed it, wanted to remain unknown, or perhaps, there was another reason.


    "It''s truly the same, even the stance!" she thought.


    Straight legs, one foot in front of the other, standing tall and firm, this swordsman took on the same position with both hands on the hilt of his sword. Ming Yue looked closer, slowly being drawn in by the pose.


    Far from here, in the mountains of the Hundun n, there was a broken puppet''s body, crackling and trembling. Above it all were the churning clouds of remnant Cmity Energy, only this was bigger and much more turbulent that that of the Merciless Storm Peak. The lightning was more powerful, cracking boulders with one bolt. The wind was constant, like a thousand daggers cutting through you at every waking moment.


    And the rain, which fell with such strength and speed that it could tear holes through flesh. No human nor demon could enter for evething here would grant them a quick death.


    But the puppetid within one of the caves, itid there in a half dead state as the weak voice of Dai Mian called out.


    "I need her."


    "I need it."


    "Give it to me."


    He was in a destitute situation with a majority of his body shattered apart. Even now, parts of him crumbled away as whatever remains of Cmity Energy was leaving him. He grew weaker by the second and his mind could only be described as broken.


    There was no one by his side, just him.


    After taking Hua Xiong instead of Ming Yue, he tossed her off and ran away. His body which, during that time, still contained some of that Cmity Energy had felt that same energy here. With his mind broken, he was drawn to it, eventuallying to these mountains.


    But by then, he neither had the strength or mind to absorb it. Doing so, would only destroy his body. After all, this was the energy of a Cmity, it could not be so easily taken. Dai Mian would not be able to refine it quick enough before it would run rampant and destroy him. Perhaps, his mind is too shattered to even attempt it.


    "I need her."


    "Give me those gems."


    All he did was drone on and on about taking Ming Yue and the gems within Drifting Sky. They contained the same energy as the Cmity but these were naturally refined so absorbing them would be much easier. If it was a human body, that would''ve been impossible but his puppet body could''ve done it.


    s, he could not obtain them in the end.


    But there was hope for him, his disciples, who were automatically informed of his arrival. He had made ns for such asions, long before. Even if he was in this state, so long as his disciples reached him, he could return.


    But for now, he could onlyy here in this sad state.


    His voice constantly talking, murmuring, echoing within the cave he was in. Like a quiet hum, it spread out and fell into the ears of a few beings.


    Momentster, a few lights were glowing outside of the cave, flying about. These small balls entered the cave and surrounded Dai Mian''s body. They were bright, so bright that they illuminated the entire cave.


    Just trying to look at them was difficult but with the right protection, you could look straight into them. If you did, you would be shocked to find what caused this electric light. Small beings were within them, about the size of a person''s head. In fact, they looked exactly like a human except for the fact that they had small sparks of lightning for hair and wings like a butterfly''s.


    As for their speech, it was different, like buzzing noises.


    There were three of them and they looked at Dai Mian with both confusion and curiosity. Examining his body, wondering just how exactly he entered their sacred grounds. Looking inside, their eyes widens as they found remnant of Cmity Energy in him.


    Without question, they encased him with their energy and brought him away.

 Chapter 348 - The Heavenly Slayers Abode

    It would be hours before Ming Yue reawakened from her state. She was simply mesmerized by the stance, her mind paced around as she found ways to improve her techniques and sword skills. More importantly, she had begun to understand the principles behind the way she fought. After all, she knew how to utilize the different energies but she did not know everything about it.


    Just as Ming Yue knew how to empower her de, she did not know why until now.


    "The sword is the vessel, I am what fills it. These different powersy dormant in different parts of my body, my head, my heart, my meridians. There is a system, each piece is a segment of it, all working together..."


    She muttered to herself, suddenly returning to the lesson Elder Xia had given her. Reminded of the demonstration he gave, Ming Yue realized that she was getting closer to understanding "Returning to Simplicity".


    Looking at the statue, she found it both mysterious and profound.


    Why was this so? How could a statue like this enlighten her to such a degree?


    The young cultivator walked closer, examining each and every curve and crevice.


    "This is- this is all carved by a sword!"


    Making the realization as she felt the subtle energy of the Sword Dao throughout the statue. She was in awe, utterly starstruck by this.


    "Such flow... Each strike is like a stroke on a painting... Such control... It''s all... harmonious."


    It was hard for her to describe what she saw as it was a level of skill simply beyond her understanding. Even when looking into the energy of the statue, she could not fathom how it was done. Merging numerous energies and bncing them all so that not one was greater than the other, it was perfect to say the least.


    Despite all of this, ideas formed in her mind as she studied it all. Ming Yue stayed here until she was satisfied by it all, until she could no longer perceive anything else for she was limited, limited by her own experience.


    Then she practiced and tested all that she had learned. Eventually, she found sess. In an attempt to merge her energies, shebined the two most rted ones, her normal Quintessence Force and the Wind Dao Energy.


    "Merge them together, bnce them. One should not assist the other butplement each other" she thought.


    Ming Yue focused but found it difficult to achieve what she had sought. After all, the Wind Dao supplemented her Quintessence Energy. It had always been this way.


    "I have to break out of this habit, form a different link but... this is easier said than done. If I slip, I lose control and it returns. But I''ve done something like this before, it''s like creating Mental Force all over again" she thought.


    But even if she had this experience, she did not have an easy time. Ming Yue tried once, twice, a hundred times over before finally she seeded.


    Focusing inwardly, the strands that connected her meridians, made from Quintessence Forcebined together with the Wind Dao Energy within her core. The strand which was pure white in color took on a light cyan color as both energies had fullybined.


    "I''ve done it!"


    She rejoiced, losing control in the moment and have the two energies separated. Ming Yue had found the method and now she needed practice.


    Looking around, she stared at the statue before standing up.


    "I can''t stay here forever, there is still things to do. I have not even fully explored this ce."


    She knew these things and while she felt somewhat upset, it would not be right for her to disappear like this.


    Looking towards the statue, she attempted to copy the stance but nothing came of it. Whatever technique this statue was showing her, she was not skilled enough toprehend it.


    GIving up quickly, Ming Yue looked around, exploring the pce and trying to find a way out.


    "Hm, what''s this?"


    Walking through the many halls, she noticed a chamber, unlike the others. There was a circr stone for one to stand in and a podium with a small piece of jade embedded into it.


    She entered the room, looking around to see if there was anything else but there were only these two things. Approaching the podium, she examined it, the jade was a rich verdant color, a piece of the highest quality. Her hand reached for it, slowly but she gave it a simple touch with her finger.


    The gem glowed and hummed as words entered through her mind. They were not teachings but a message instead, a message from the Lunar Executioner.


    "If you have touched this stone and received this message, then you are the first toe here since I have left. If you are wondering how, then it is quite simple. You are not of the Yao n or Mu n, but a third party as I was.


    If you do not know who I am, I am called by many names, "Heavenly yer, Lunar Executioner", but I am only a humble swordsman who dedicates to the sword.


    And this ce, it is considered to be one of several ces that I have created in hope of passing on my skills and teachings. For this realm specifically, I shall even pass on a few secrets to you."


    Ming Yue was both surprised but half-expected this. Of the many legends she had heard about, only this person was capable of such feats. She read on, wanting to know what he had to impart.


    "By now, I''m sure that many have attempted the trial and have perhaps figured a few things out. In truth, the trial measures one''s confidence and bravery. Weak or strong, having the proper mindset was necessary or how else would one progress in their journey. But do not confuse it with arrogance, that is a foolish path.


    If you are confident and believe that you can reach the top, then you will make it.


    As for the reward, it is as I said, control over the realm. By the one-thousandth step, the moon will have fully entered the body and unlock the full strength of one''s bloodline. At the same time, they will be one of the strongest beings in the three continents. However, even the strongest have their weaknesses, for them, it shall be you."


    After reading it, the words within her mind glowed and transformed into a singr word that which branded itself onto the very core of her being. The luscious ind and mountains shook as a pir emerged from the ground, standing tall and firm.


    "Cut down everything."


    Those were the words the pir was carved with and from it, a great power that filled every part of her body andbined with all of the various energies. As all of this happened, her cultivation spiked and broke into the Emotion Stage before passing into the Soul Stage. That pir seemed to defy logic as it bypassed the requirements of the Emotion Stage.


    All of the energy she umted and constant refining had finally exploded forth, carrying her to the Soul Stage. The thick strands in her meridians now connected her mind with her core and now utilizing the energy in her body was incredibly easy. At the Soul Stage, the strands expanded to her soul and once they wrapped around it in aplete shell, she would enter thest stage of the Earth Realm, the Boundary Stage.


    But as of now, it only covered a tenth of it.


    She could not utter any words toward these changes before being sent out of the pce and the secret realm.


    However, the Lunar Executioner gave her onest message before she was gone.


    "Do not side with either n or it will be your end."


    With that, she found herself outside of the temple which was empty.

 Chapter 349 - A Third Party

    She looked around, even using sensing her surroundings but found that she was all alone.


    "Has something happened?"


    Ming Yue immediately left and quickly made her way to the Yao n. As it entered her view, she felt the tense atmoshere and saw two groups facing against each other.


    None other than the full forces of the Yao and the Mu, they stared daggers at each other, wielding their weapons in hand. At the front of both sides was Ling Xue and the Ancestor facing Mu Jing and a heavily armored but young man.


    "Bitch, I know you and your nughed at me. I''m not going to leave until you go on your knees and beg."


    Mu Jing called Ling Xue out almost in a pouting fashion, like a angry little child. The young man by her then stepped forward, his expression was icy as he looked at the Yao n.


    "You''ve heard what my fiance said. We will not leave until this wrong has been righted."


    His voice was charismatic, heroic even. His armor began to glow in a radiant glow as he revealed his strength, activating his bloodline. The third eye was surrounded by feather shaped marks as the pupil turned golden.


    If it were anyone else, perhaps they would kneel.


    But not one person in the Yao n did, none of them even twitched at his show of force.


    "To think you would be willing to do this for her. Risking war on whim? You infatuated fool!"


    The Ancestor pointed at him, barking out one insult after the other.


    Ling Xue walked right to Mu Jing''s to be husband before looking at her.


    "Really? First, you send the Irond King after me now this? Were you expecting me to die that easily?" she asked, enunciating each word.


    Each word was like a poisonous de stabbing into Mu Jing''s ego.


    The Mu n''s princess faltered as she gripped her fiance''s shoulder.


    "Stop it, you dare talk to her like that?"


    He spat at her and Ling Xue turned her attention to him.


    "Mu Yunfei, as it is now, the Mu n will die in your hands. If you really dare to start a war now, thene."


    Her aura exploded forth as crimson hair donned her head. She was a tall woman, just a inch or so taller than Mu Yunfei. And with her current disy, she seemed absolutely towering to him.


    "She''s be much more stronger", Ming Yue noted, finding the aura denser but under control.


    It seemed like a fight could break out any moment, a fuse that was already lit.


    Just as was said, this would bring about war between the two ns. After being at each other''s throats for so long, neither group wanted to back down now.


    Ming Yue watched from afar, thinking back to the words the Lunar Executioner left.


    "Don''t take either n''s side..."


    Slowly rolling over each word, she pondered on what she should do.


    "I suppose I understand what he meant. There is no doubt the Yao n will be curious as to where I had gone. On the off chance, perhaps both ns will put aside their differences to go after me."


    Such a thing was possible. After all, the crux of this situation was the secret realm which contained the supposed key to controlling it. From what Ming Yue understood, the secret realm was of the highest priority for both ns. For her to have vanished and returned, it would raise suspicions.


    In the end, Ming Yue decided her course of action.


    "For them to fight here and now, I''d rather not be a part of it."


    "You could just abandon them. They think you''ve vanished so just do it" Xue Yue chimed in, finding this alternative quite enticing.


    "Then how am I supose to get Hei Yue and Xiao Yin then? Do you want me to sneak around until I find them? That''s be wasting time."


    Ming Yue shot back.


    "And what you''re thinking is better? I am you, do you think I don''t know what you''re trying to do?"


    Xue Yue''s voice had a tinge of disdain for she found Ming Yue''s idea to be too much of a hassle.


    However, thetter ignored those words. She then looked out and moved, releasing a long whistle for her two beasts.


    As the two ns grabbed their weapons ever so tightly, a rather mysterious ck fog emerged, slowly crawling through the the roads, nketing the air.


    "What? What is this? Is this one of your tricks?"


    The ancestor shouted out at the Mu n as the other n members also believed so. Versed in illusions, it was not unlike the Mu to produce something like this. Only Ling Xue recognized this ck fog as she looked around.


    "Step back, Ancestor. We should stay close."


    She looked at him, holding his body back and ordering everyone to stay close.


    But the Mu n was in disarray for a moment as none of them had expected this fog to appear.


    "This must be an illusion from the Yao n! We must dispell it quickly!"


    Mu Yunfei tried to calm the n, using his third eye to try and break the fog. Unfortunately, he could not, in fact none of them could. This fog was no illusion, not a mind trick, but real charcoal colored fog emanating from Hei Yue''s body.


    Not even seconds passed before Mu Yunfei heard a yelp as he felt his fiance''s grip disappear. At the same time, Ling Xue felt a hand grab her and pull her away.


    "Follow my lead."


    Ming Yue''s voice turned cold, sending a chill down Ling Xue who allowed her capture to happen.


    And as quickly as the fog came, it vanished revealing Ming Yu in between the two groups with the Pearlstone Knife on Ling Xue''s neck and her donned Zephyr ws just millimeters away from Mu Jing''s.


    "Princess!"


    "Princess!"


    Both ns shouted out as they watched Ming Yue put them under her control, some were about to lunge forward before she gave them a deathly cold gaze.


    "One more step and both of their heads fly", she warned.


    All of them swallowed their tongues and chose not to move. In their mind, there was no doubt that Ming Yue would do it.


    "Get her off me, kill this bitch! Ugh! Yunfei, save me!"


    Mu Jing cried out for her fiance, who could not help but point his ive at Ming Yue.


    "Release her now! If you do, the Mu n will be light on your punishment!" he threatened.


    But that threat did nothing for Ming Yue merely moved the Zephyr ws closer to Mu Jing''s neck.


    "You-"


    She then looked at Mu Yunfei.


    "Utter one more word form that mouth of yours..."


    He silenced himself immediately but you could see his eyes grow more and more furious at this sight.


    Looking at the two ns, her eyes shifted from one side to the other and back.


    "I understand that you two ns are ready to kill each other at this very moment. Convincing you otherwise would be wasted effort, I''m sure you all understand that this is the only way for me to do so."


    "By taking them hostage, that is despicable!"


    One of the nsmen yelled out, followed by shouts of agreement from both sides.


    "Would you rather just fight each other so that I or perhaps, someone else can clean up whatever remains of your ns?" she retorted.


    Her words shut those voices down.


    "I understand that the Yao and Mu n hate each other to the bone. But surely, you both understand that entering a war with each other would mean the death of both ns. Despite having taken sides in the war between Kong Zhi and the Five Armies, I''m sure that such matters mean little to you.. But, should your ns be reduced to nothing, yournds and history will be washed away by the tides of blood. Do you truly want that?"

 Chapter 350 - See It To The End

    As the words continued to flow, the atmosphere loosened as both ns began to have second thoughts. The fiery rage that clouded their judgement subsided as Ming Yue reasoned with them.


    "That is true, the nes first."


    "We shouldn''t have acted so hastily, especially at a time like this."


    "Agh, what she says is right."


    Their hands released the weapons they held as one by one they all sheathed them.


    Soon enough, Ling Xue and Mu Yunfei put their weapons away. Finding that everyone had done so as well, Ming Yue released the two princesses.


    "Good."


    Putting away the knife and the Zephyr ws, she began to step back until Mu Jing suddenly brought out a knife, aiming to stab Ling Xue. She was quick and silent but Ming Yue was quicker.


    As soon as the Mu n''s princess moved to attack, she suddenly stopped noticing three needles in front of her, one just inches away from each eye. If she had continued, she would have blinded herself and lost all three of her eyes.


    Then she felt a eerie feeling crawl up her back as her eyes met Ming Yue''s. At that moment, she felt the full brunt of Ming Yue''s killing intent, cold and unchained. Like a reaper had ced their scythe on her life, beads of sweat began to form as Ming Yue walked up and pushhed the knife away.


    Then she moved up close, whispering into Mu Jing''s ear.


    "I''ve already spared you twice."


    Afterwards, she pulled back and walked to Ling Xue.


    Mu Yunfei quickly ran up to his fiance, checking to see if she was injured in anyway. He breathed a sigh of reliefe finding her untouched before noticing the fearful expression on her face.


    "What''s wrong?" he asked, "What did she say?"


    Mu Jing quickly shook her head, stumbling over her words.


    "No-nothing, it''s nothing at all. Le-let''s just go back to the n."


    She turned around, pulling him closely as the Mu n left. The Yao watched before all of them turned eyes to Ming Yue. Ling Xue immediately moved to shield her.


    "I trusted her. If you question my judgement than tell me right now!"


    Putting on a strong stance, no one in the Yao n dared to do so and they all returned to their city.


    "Thank you."


    Ming Yue gave a small bow for doing so and Ling Xue shook it off. Rather, she was more curious about where Ming Yue had gone.


    "What happened in the realm? Where did you go? More than a few days had gone by before you reappeared."


    Ming Yue turned silent, thinking of how to respond.


    "I found myself in a strange ce but it waspletely empty. There seemed to be nothing around and so I wandered before suddenly getting sent outside."


    "Really?"


    Ling Xue felt a bit suspicious about this. It did not seem right that Ming Yue would be sent to a ce like this.


    "Yes... I had believed that it was the Heavenly yer''s abode but there was nothing within that told me any clues."


    "Is that so? I see."


    Ming Yue could see the doubt in her eyes but felt that it was not enough for Ling Xue to press her. After all, she did just stop the ns from fighting to the death.


    "In any case, I must go."


    "So quick! Are you sure?"


    "I''ve aplished what I needed to do and now I have to act quickly. I am heading for the Boundless Beast Forest."


    "Really? That ce is quite far and honestly, incredibly dangerous. But if that is the case, at least stay for the night. In fact, we are celebrating my achievement of having reached the 500th step."


    Ling Xue looked forward with a confident smile.


    "I feel as though, I could go higher the next time."


    Giving Ming Yue a look, Ling Xue was sincere with this invitation and Ming Yue obliged. It seemed that more than just a few days had passed for the Yao n''s Princess to have progressed so quickly.


    The earlier heavy atmosphere was reced by a joyful mood as stalls were set up and decorations put on. Everyone was in high spirits for Ling Xue only climbed higher and higher. It felt as if it wouldn''t be too long before she reached the top.


    Ming Yue took her time exploring the city, taking a deeper look into the beauty of this ce. Various stalls had their own unique broths and noodles. Furthermore, some had these tters filled with numerous toppings from which one could pick and choose, wrapping it in rice paper or a leaf of lettuce.


    She acted as she always did, purchasing whatever delicious food fancied her.


    She found an empty ce to sit and watched the street. Both Hei Yue and Xiao Yin were beside her, their eyes wandering through the bright lights and colorful decor.


    "There you are."


    As soon as she sat, Ling Xue appeared beside her, carrying a te of food.


    "I thought you''d be eating at that banquet of yours."


    Ming Yue looked at her, surprised by the sudden appearance.


    "Ah it isn''t very fun eating with those much older than me. I excused myself and went to find you", Ling Xue responded, ncing at her before taking another bite of her food.


    "Tell me, what did you really see there?" she asked.


    Ming Yue stopped eating and the air turned a bit strange.


    "Do not worry, I am alone. I am just, curious as to what happened."


    Ling Xue looked straight to Ming Yue, showing that she was speaking the truth. Ming Yue matched her gaze, making a decision in that moment.


    "There was little to find. Only a few statues or so but the Heavenly yer left a message. All that I can say is that the path you are taking right now is the correct one. Forgive me but, that is all I can reveal."


    Ling Xue trembled a bit before turning to her food, hiding a portion of her face.


    "As strange as our connection is, hearing that from you has been a bit relieving."


    She took another bite before looking out, watching the people of her n walk by excitedly.


    "Nearly three years have gone by since I''vee here. I know they''ve weed me as princess but... a part of me does not feel at home here. As much as I try to integrate myself into their world, I know that inside, they do not yet see me as one of their own. To the elders, I am only a pawn in their eyes. To call my path the right one is reassuring but a quiet voice inside me says otherwise."


    She turned to Ming Yue, her eyes began to shimmer as traces of tears began to form.


    "I want to reach the top but I fear what wille afterwards."


    Sucking in a cold breath, Ming Yue thought back onto her own experiences, going silent. She looked out towards the street before choosing her words.


    "Unlike you, I lost my home a few years ago. I may have epted it, found those whom I can call friend or family even. However, I have yet to find a ce I could call home. Now I travel the world and search to grow stronger. I''ve turned from a young vige girl to this cultivator shouldering a responsibility that seems far too heavy sometimes. I fear if I would fail, if I did not have the strength to carry on."


    As much as she was consoling Ling Xue, she was also consoling herself. For the first time in a long time, she spoke about her past with another. She acknowldged the thoughts she tried to push away. In this moment, she felt vulnerable but that sense was shared with Ling Xue.


    "But I will move forward because this is what I believe will fulfill what I''ve lost. Even if I am afraid, I have to move on. In some ways, this is the only thing I have in this life. This path of mine could have no end or even lead to no where.. But at the very least, I will see it to end."

 Chapter 351 - Leaving The Clan

    "See it to the end, no matter what..."


    Ling Xue went into deep thought, thinking of what Ming Yue said.


    Ming Yue ced a hand on her shoulder and stood up to go, leaving Ling Xue with somest words.


    "Perhaps, my words helped you or maybe it has no meaning to you at all, Ling Xue. But I believe that you should do what you believe in. Even if you fear whates next, see it to the end."


    As she walked away, the Yao Princess looked to her.


    "This responsibility of yours, this search... Do you think that it is worth it? Do you not feel as though you should abandon it?" she asked.


    Ming Yue stopped in her steps and turned around.


    "If I abandon it all, then the progress I had made is all in vain."


    "Even if it will be so in the end?"


    "If it ends in vain, so be it. I will find sce in knowing that I have done all I could."


    She then left, leaving Ling Xue to ponder on her own.


    Despite the ongoing festivities, Ming Yue left quite early, letting Hei Yue and Xiao Yin to run around the city. Leaving the hustle and bustle, she walked through the quieter streets, thinking back on her words.


    "If it was all in vain..." she muttered.


    That sprout of doubt from before was beginning to grow.


    "A rather sad conversation you just had. You, yourself, doubt your choices and actions. Dony forget I''m in your mind, I hear everything."


    Xue Yue''s voice stopped her thoughts.


    "Is it wrong? To doubt myself?" Ming Yue asked.


    "Doubt is what kills. Hesitation in a fight means death. You know that do you not?"


    "What of it? That disciple... I did not kill him, I murdered him. How can I stay unbothered when I''ve done such a thing?"


    "Him? You''ve killed over a hundred, probably several hundred other people ad countless other beasts! How does he matter to you? Because you used words? What of it? He is just one more head to your count."


    "Even if he needed to die, killing him like that... Who deserves to die feeling grief and betrayal like that?"


    "He''s dead. There''s no point in feeling remorse. I do not know what else you want but that is it."


    "This..."


    Ming Yue stopped herself and let the conversation go.


    She might be this strong warrior but in the end, she is only barely a young woman. Where was she now? In the midst of a war. Not even eighteen years old but tasked with a heavy burden


    "Is this what I want?" she thought.


    Ming Yue had no answer to this. Walking through the quiet streets, she did her own pondering, reflecting on herself. In the end, she pushed it aside, unable reach an answer. It was not indecisiveness but ack of understanding that barred her.


    Returning to her room, Ming Yue unfurled her map and began plotting her course. She marked the map with the symbol of Tao Feng on the locations that she acquired.


    "If the Tao Feng Sect Leader cannot survive without the help of his disciples, they should be the next ones."


    Looking over the Boundless Beast Forest, it was ced at the center of the continent and covered much of it. It seemed to be asrge as one of the Six Kingdoms in the Human Continent but the Demon Continent was muchrger than that.


    "If I go south, I could go to the forest, then theke and finally move towards the west for the temple. With none of them able toplete their mission, the n would fall through."


    WIth that, she confirmed her next destination, marking the forest. Rolling it away, she suddenly heard a sound.


    "Who woulde at a time like this? When everyone is celebrating?" she thought.


    Slinking into the dark corners of her room, she blew out the lights and hid among the shadows. From the cracks of the door, she noticed a tube sticking through it, suffusing the room with a sweet smell.


    Ming Yue took a small whiff, wrinkling her nose at the scent.


    "Sleeping poison..."


    Creating a gentle breeze, she quietly opened the window, funneling the poison out and waiting for someone to enter.


    Momentster, the poison stopped as the doors cracked open. Several men entered, a few of the nsmen whom Ming Yue had recognized to be some of the elders. They looked around, shuffling through the room as they did not bother to see if Ming Yue was even asleep.


    She watched them, evidently understanding that they were not here to kill her.


    The doors closed behind them as Ming Yue emerged from the darkness. Wind needles formed by the dozens as they moved, surrounding the necks of everyone like a neck cuff.


    "Why are you here?" she asked.


    None of them dared to move or even turn their heads, having noticed the needles being dangerously close to their throats.


    But the elder spoke quickly.


    "You suddenly vanish and reappear as if nothing has happened in the Realm of the Red Eyed Moon. I found it suspicious and felt that you were hiding something! Perhaps, you''ve obtained something from the Heavenly yer!"


    The needles came ever so closer to his neck, threatening to ear it apart.


    "So you felt the need the act like this? she asked, adding a menacing tone to her words.


    However, the elder snorted and snapped back, his voice quick and irritable.


    "How can we trust you? A former enemy of the Princess and the Lord Ancestor? Not to mention the way you killed those other demons, even your own kind! How can the n be so sure that you do not hide any malicious intent? Perhaps those two vouch for you but you cannot expect everyone else to do so after seeing what you''ve done in there."


    Ming Yue was slightly taken aback, realizing that someone must have seen her kill the other disciples, but she stood firm.


    "Not to mention grudges, this is a war. If I have to kill in such a way then so be it. As for the secret realm, if you think I was sent to the Heavenly yer''s abode, then you are correct. However, there were no treasures or secrets inside. All I did was wander there until I was sent out. I''m sure that you have all realized that I''ve found nothing."


    "Then information, you must have learned something! I''m sure of it."


    She shook her head, hiding what she had learned.


    "What have I found out that both ns don''t already know?


    "That, that can''t be? You just wandered there? How is that possible?"


    "It does not matter anymore, I will no longer be apart of this. You will be freed once I am gone."


    Ming Yue quickly gathered her things and flew out of the windows. She whistled for Hei Yue and Xiao Yin and the trio gathered outside of the Yao n''s territory.


    "Let''s depart, it is no longer safe here", she said to them.


    The two beasts were somewhat confused but followed nheless. They looked back at the Yao n somewhat longingly, as if wanting to explore more but their bellies were full and they were satisfied to a degree.


    "I really cannot side with either n", Ming Yue thought.


    As for the Yao n, the those that broke into her room were set free but faced punishmentter on for chasing away Ling Xue''s guest. As much as that elder believed that Ming Yue was hiding something, the matter was put down. But Ling Xue was ever so closer to reaching the end of the Heavenly yer''s Trial.


    From where the two ns were to the Boundless Beast Forest, the trip took a month or so as the trio moved quickly. Unfortunately, the trip was more than eventful as she stopped at the smaller camps and outposts. At this point, she was within the midst of the heavier conflicts, aiding the Five Armies whether it was through battle or healing.


    Eventually, a name began to circte through the Five Armies, Fairy of the Moon.

 Chapter 352 - Beasts At Every Moment

    It wasn''t long before Ming Yue reached the Boundless Beast Forest. As the name implied, it was a massive forest filled to the brim with all sorts of beasts. The deeper one went in, the more dangerous it became.


    The Iron Citadel, which stood between the two ns and the Boundless Beast Forest, poured most if not everything into the forest.


    Unfortunately, the more they tried to push in, the forest pushed back. Every expedition would be met with countless beasts from tigers with six legs to giant snails with spiked shells. These creatures were among the hundreds of thousands of others seen to be strange and unusual. Most of all, many of them were hunters. In this forest, the strong did not rule the weak, the strong consumed them.


    And in this very moment, a group of twenty soldiers was all scattered around a single beast under the moonlight. Their freshly- made camp, destroyed by the beast, a man-sized creature, a two-legged serpent with the head of a rooster, a Draconic Ji.*


    These Human Realm Soldiers, led by an Earth Realm Captain surrounded it. Half of them brandished their shields and swords, taking to the front lines while the backline had archers nocking their arrows.


    They eyed the beast, watching for any sudden movements. Some trembled in fear, others faced it with the experience under their belt.


    As for the serpent, its rooster head twitched from one side to another before giving out a terrifying screech.


    "Take turns grabbing its attention! Do not let it go after the archers!"


    The captain yelled out as he wielded his own weapon, a spiked club that he wielded with two hands. After shouting hismands, he charged forward and leaped up swinging his club in a slow and wide arc.


    The Draconic Ji stepped to the side, avoiding the strike only for several of the soldiers to stab its wing. Pain spread across its limb as it screeched out, throwing them back with its tail. Then it eyed the captain and moved forward, thrusting its beak to his chest.


    "Geh, I won''t let you! Boulder Smash!"


    He raised his club upwards as it was encased in stone and swung down, timing it perfectly as the club smashed the creature''s head right into the ground. All the while archers took shots whenever they could, managing to pierce the body several times. But in this dark forest, there was barely any light for them to see.


    "Kill it quickly! The faster we do it, the less attention we will bring!" the captain shouted.


    In pairs, the soldiers advanced as the beast pulled its head out of the ground, trying to shake off the impact. It stood unsteadily, trying to gain footing as the men and women shed and stabbed. Knowing the danger they were in, they attacked as fast as possible. This was no time to pace themselves.


    Soon enough, its body was riddled with injuries and but the beast only screeched with rage as it shook off the pain. It spun around, smacking the captain and the other soldiers away before looking towards the backline.


    "Shit, scatter!"


    The captain stood up, wiping the blood from his mouth, and swung while the beast was looking away.


    Pressing into its body, he pulled the club out, ripping away some of the flesh. A searing pain forced the beast to cry out as it turned its beady eyes back to him.


    The archers followed hismands, moving to different positions before taking aim once more.


    "Damned beast! Stone Giant''s Protection!"


    The captain seemed to grow in size as rock and stone covered his body in a shell-like armor. Switching to one hand, the captain stared the beast down. The eyes of the rooster head, red at him as its beak was slightly bent from the earlier strike. Blood trickled from the numerous injuries on its body but still, it was alive and had yet to show its strength.


    He swung from the side only to miss as the creature backed off and stepped back in. But he was waiting for this moment, swinging his other fist into the monster''s cheek and forced it to go down into the dirt.


    "Kill it now!"


    A shower of arrows came down skewering the beast all the while the captain wrestled it on the ground. It struggled to break free, attacking the captain and tearing his armor apart before biting into the exposed flesh.


    "Agh"


    He flinched but tightened his grip on the beast, not allowing it to leave him.


    "I cannot hold him for much longer!"


    Bleeding profusely, the captain changed his grip, jumping onto the beast''s back and choking it from behind.


    But the archers trembled as they reached thest remaining arrows in their quivers. Trying to make everyst shot count but fear gripped them. Even if they won this, there was no doubt that they had attracted unwanted attention. Even if they were to retreat from this fight, they would be prey. There was no option but to fight.


    The trees began to rustle as an owl and fox appeared, charging towards the creature. The owl flew above it, bright white arcs of Star Energy cut through the air and into the beast''s flesh. The fox was nimble, climbing up the body with the arrows as footholds. Reaching the head, the little fox swung their paw out, scratching the beast''s eyes before retreating into the darkness.


    Blinded and injured, it was enraged and shook violently, throwing the captain off.


    But without its sight, it could not see Ming Yue emerging from the trees and stabbing her sword into the body. She pulled down, cutting the joint that connected its left wing from the body and lopping it off cleanly.


    Not allowing it to move, the young cultivator jumped back before leaping forward, swinging with both hands as she cut the head off at its thickest point.


    In seconds, the creature trembled and shook before falling to the ground, purplish blood seeping from the headless stump.


    Ming Yue looked at it before turning around and gazing at the others, checking their condition. She then moved to the captain, bring out some of her salves and bandages. Expertly, she applied it in a quick and clean manner.


    "Wha-"


    Surprised by her appearance, the captain couldn''t speak before feeling an overwhelmingly cool and refreshing sensation from the gaping wound on his leg.


    "Are you all from the Iron Citadel?" she asked.


    "Ye-yes, we were sent here to scout the area."


    Snapped awake, he quickly answered her, trying his best not to disrespect her.


    "Could she be the Fairy of the Moon?" he thought, "She does fit the description we were given..."


    After dressing his wound, she went to check everyone once more before whistling for the owl and fox toe with her.


    "Are you headed there?" he asked, "The Iron Citadel is only a three days trip. Furthermore, there should be an outpost not a day away. If you are looking for Commander Nie Xia, he is further in the forest."


    She then turned around.


    "He is not in the Iron Citadel?"


    "No, themander thrives in the frontlines and has been leading a force to both suppress Kong Zhi''s men and establish more outposts."


    "Is that so?"


    Ming Yue thought carefully. She first nned in cutting through the forest to get to the Iron Citadel. From there she could have gathered information about the Tao Feng or Hua Xiong for that matter. But if this was the case, it would be better into the deeper regions of the forest.


    Looking back to the captain, she asked a few questions.


    "Do you happen to know of a Gold Tusk Elephander or a Five Element Parasol? Have you or anyone from the Iron Citadel, encountered a young woman named Hua Xiong? She is a Light Dao Cultivator, skilled in healing and attacking."


    The captain''s eyes shed as he did know a few things and what he told her was more than interesting.

 Chapter 353 - Fairy Of The Moon

    "A Gold Tusk Elephander and a Five Element Parasol? Why are you looking for such things?"


    The captain''s eyes sharpened upon hearing those names. Why would someone like her ask about this?


    She came closer, whispering into his ears.


    "I''m not looking for them specifically but those that are searching for it."


    His eyes widened.


    "The Tao Feng..." he whispered.


    "While I have not seen these items with my own eyes, they had been recorded in apendium when the forest was first mapped out. Even now, there are many creatures and objects that we have yet discover or identify. But those two things are not only incredibly rare but dangerous to collect."


    He then leaned in.


    "From what I hear, the Tao Feng are searching for them, a group of six split into two groups. They had purchased information about them from a few brokers. But as far as I know, no one else has this information. At best, I can only tell you the general location. As for this person you are looking for, unfortunately, I have not heard nor seen a person like this. Though..."


    Hesitating, the captain wasn''t sure if he should speak of this, not because it was taboo but because such information seemed to unbelievable to be true.


    "Speak, what is it?"


    Ming Yue could sense the hesitation but she did not care. She had to find any and all leads about Hus Xiong.


    "It is said that within the Boundless Beast Forest, lies a third power who only awakens at the most chaotic of times. Thest time was several years ago when the shing of the two armies were extremely bad. In one particr battle, Commander Nie Xia and Commander Gao Ri joined together to stop one of King Zhi''s three kings form taming another beast. If I remember correctly, it was a Totem Asura, a sentient tree with spear like branches. With it, they would''ve gained a powerful foothold in the forest."


    "It was a ferocious battle, one that I will never forget."


    His voice shuddered as he relived those moments, there was both fear and awe in his eyes as he retold this story.


    "When the battle grew to its peak, there was a thunderous roar, something only a king among beasts could produce. It emerged from the ground, cracking it in half. It was massive, enormous, towering over everything. Its size wasparable to mountains. It was a massive tortoise with dragon scales for skin. The shell itself could be considered its own forest. When it appeared, the tortoise took a single step, crushing the Totem Asura under its foot before roaring at everyone. Afterwards, it seemed to have fallen back asleep."


    "That day, no one won the battle. From then on, no one dared to act so brashly against the tortoise. No matter how fast one was, no one would be able to escape its foot. But that was the only time the tortoise moved. But I remember the feeling I felt, how small I waspared to it."


    Ming Yue looked into his eyes, watching them go through numerous changes: dread, terror, and respect.


    "But how does this rte to my question?" she asked.


    His trance broke and he looked at her with serious eyes.


    "Although we have avoided that area, both armies had kept eyes on it. Recently, ther had been reports, of a young woman wandering the area. Sometimes she would stop and pick fruits but no matter if it was us or Kong Zhi''s men, none of us could approach her. It was as if we would die if we did."


    "Could that be her?" Ming Yue thought, "But these reports... it does not seem right but it is worth finding out further."


    She took out her map, asking him to mark the areas of the Gold Tusk Elephander, Five Element Parasol and where the tortoise was. Thanking them, she went on her way, leaving the group of soldiers with a few more bandages to rece.


    The entire exchange was only ten minutes or so and everyone felt like a whirlwind just came by.


    "Who... who was that?"


    Someone finally spoke up, asking the captain, who watched as Ming Yue ran off. He then looked to his men, gazingat their stunned faces.


    "That was most likely the "Fairy of the Moon", we''ve heard so much about", he said.


    "That was her?"


    "Really? She seemed too young to be so?"


    "Some people might even consider her to be a girl still."


    None of them could quite believe it but as they thought more and more, it made sense.


    "She fits the stories and descriptions."


    "Usually moving during the night, she is apanied by an owl and a fox, skilled in battle and medical treatment, white robes that can transform into armor. And her sword, it is nearly equal to her in height. If she was younger, that sword would''ve been taller than her. Now it seems to reach up to her corbone."*


    "Still, Fairy of the Moon... She is pretty but she also keeps her distance. I can see why people say she feels unreachable like the moon. Even then, those skills, rather than unapproachable, I''d say her skills are unreachable."


    "Hah, we''re only soldiers. All of us basically practice the same martial arts and cultivation mehtod. Of course it would be like that."


    "If we were someone like the captain, we would have more resources and skills to choose from."


    They all looked to him who examined the bandages before putting them away.


    "Alright, stop joking! We nearly lost our lives and you still have the energy tough? Let''s return to the outpost and recover there. I expect all of you to train with me", he reprimanded them.


    "Ughhh, damn it."


    His men grimaced at the thought of more training, it would be a gruesome few days for them.


    As for Ming Yue, she quietly went on her way to the deeper regions of the forest before stopping and camping as the sun rose. The forest was much more active during the day but that was not saying that the night did not have their own predators. Still, it was safer to move during the night.


    She looked at the map, eyeing the marked locations.


    "The Gold Tusk Elephander is furthest from me while the Five Element Parasol is the closest. Commander Nie Xia isn''t too far from either locations as well. But for the tortoise... This is going to be interesting."


    On the map, there was a mark in the south western area of the forest for the Elephander and the Five Element Parasol in the center. However, these two items were also in the vicinity of the tortoise which took the entire central area of the forest.


    Not to mention, Commander Nie Xia was quite close to that area.


    "If it is like this... I should go to the Commander first. See if I can gather more information about this."


    She looked in the direction of themander, trying to gauge the distance before stopping and putting away her map. Looking around, Ming Yue kept watch of her surroundings.


    "This makes the twentieth group I''vee across in the forest. With beasts, this is probably close to a hundred now. It certainly lives up to the name of the Boundless Beast Forest. You could find one at every moment."


    "As for that beast, it must be somewhere around Rank 3 in terms of strength, if it were a Rank 5 I would have had to run away. Still, I haven''t seen anything stronger than a rank 4 yet. That is too strange."


    "Could it be that Kong Zhi''s armies have been trying to tame monsters that were rank 5 and above?" she wondered.


    "Still that tortoise... Could it be a rank 10? Higher than that maybe? It''s about as big as a kingdom... If Hua Xiong is there, was she being protected by it? If no one was able to approach her..."


    There were many things on her mind and each one weighed on her heavily.. However, she could onyl find out when she reached her destination.

 Chapter 354 - Commander Of The Iron Citadel

    It was only when the sun set that Ming Yue began moving once more. She ran by foot for no one dared to fly lest they wanted to attract more attention to themselves.


    Making her way to Commander Nie Xia, she spotted footprints, cut branches, the faint smell of oil and blood. They were very recent, only a day hours old.


    "I shouldn''t be far from them now", she thought.


    Her speed quickened as she ran through the thick forest, following these tracks until she had caught up after two days of travel.


    Soon enough, she heard the sound of armor rattling and clinking. When they came into view, she saw a small force of a hundred soldiers. What was said about Commander Nie Xia''s forces was true, they were all closebat experts. They had all sorts of weapons: swords, hammers, gauntlets, and more. Each one of them were elite soldiers, early Earth Realm cultivators armed with their own unique weapons.


    They all walked on foot and led by none other than Nie Xia, whose size towered over the others. Compared to the Camp Commander, he was a head taller.


    He wore incredibly thick and heavy ck armor that covered him from head to toe. Each step he took left a deep imprint in the dirt and his weapon of choice, a pair of shields that he carried on his back. How they wre used she wasn''t sure but he was a powerful man, someone at the Sky Realm and the aura thismander gave off was terrifying. Despite being so far away, he felt enormous, like a colossus standing over everyone.


    Ming Yue did not make herself known just yet. She watched from the trees, getting a sense of this force and looking for any interesting details.


    "Hmm, they aren''t here..." she muttered to herself, "Then they are moving separately."


    Within this force, she did not see any of the Tao Feng Disciples.


    "But this direction... They''re heading straight into the tortoise''s territory. Are they nning to set up another outpost?"


    With the way they were going, Commander Nie Xia''s group would reach the tortoise''s territory in less than an hour. What was he nning?


    She lurked around them as they made their way through the forest, only to stop at the cusp of the tortoise''s domain.


    "Stop, we set up here." Nie Xia raised his hand up and turned to his men.


    "Reports say that a detachment of the enemy has been lurking around this area. They seem to be trying to converse with the tortoise. We make an outpost here and see if we can make contact with the tortoise. If not, we will destroy that detachment. Let''s finish quickly and go back to the Citadel, eh."


    Everyone nodded and moved quietly, building up a camp to rest in.


    Nie Xia worked with his men, having a few chuckles with them. Despite the atmosphere, he was able to lift it just a bit. Tents were built and food was made, patrols began and everyone else went to sleep for the day.


    There was only a single tent still lit, themander''s tent.


    "Wait here, you two."


    She looked at Hei Yue and Xiao Yin, pointing down at her position. The two beasts nodded their heads and stood where they were. Albeit, they had a tinge of longing as they wanted to check out the camp as well.


    Ming Yue left her hiding spot, slipping through the patrols and evading any lit areas until she reached the tent. Opening the p, she entered and found Commander Nie Xia sitting behind a makeshift desk. His eyes were droopy as he nearly dozed off before noticing someone''s arrival.


    "Hm, huh, what? Who are you?"


    Sobering up, he became much more alert albeit somewhat confused and surprised. Ming Yue shed her badge, verifying her identifty before introducing herself.


    "Ah, so you''re that girl Du Xiu told us about. Hahaha, so, what brings you here, sneaking around like this? "


    He had a look of realization before breaking into a friendly grin.


    Upon closer look, Ming Yue found thismander to be very different from his appearance. His hair was on the grayer side, pulled back into a small ponytail. His skin was of a fair tone, his eyebrows were thick and fierce and there was an eyepatch covering his left eye. Apart from that was a scar running down his face from the forehead to his lips, cutting through the eye his eyepatch covered.


    Furthermore, his size was enormous, the makeshift desk of his seemed just a tad too small to fit him.


    "He could probably smash the Draconic Ji into a pulp with one strike", she thought.


    Compared to the average man, Commander Nie Xia was one and half times bigger in size. After making notes of his appearance, she went straight to the point.


    "I am here to look for certain information regarding the Tao Feng Disciples. There should be six of them here. I did not want to make myself known if they were a part of your group", she exined.


    He leaned back on his chair gently, rubbing his chin.


    "It is as you say, they aren''t here. Those six had been doing their own thing ever since they came here. They aren''t the most amiable of people. Hell, one of them even started a fight in the Iron Citadel. I had toe personally to break it off. Furthermore, I''ve read reports of a few missing soldiers."


    "I don''t suppose you''re looking for them to..."


    He looked at her, finding no need to gesture it.


    Ming Yue nodded, reaching a mutual understanding.


    "I''ve already met a few of them", she replied.


    "I see, I see... Well then, what sort of information are you looking for?" he asked.


    "Those six spit into two groups of three. One is looking for a Gold Tusk Elephander and the other is looking for a Five Element Parasol. I wanted to know if there was more information on their locations."


    "This... Wait a moment, I have a few documents on those things. Let me just find them here."


    He searched through his desk, flipping through pages and generally making a bit of a mess.


    "Let''s see here..."


    He took out a few document, skimming them over and affirming that these were the right ones.


    "Here you are, the Gold Tusk Elephander and a Five Element Parasol. It''s a good thing my lieutenant told me to get this information, you know. He''s been watching them like a hawk and I''ll be honest, I don''t quite like them either."


    "Well, these are thetest sighting as of a week ago and is the same information they have. The second paper is about the disciples. Out of the six, you should watch out for two of them."


    "Their positions as disciples signify their strength. Of the fifteen, the top five are the strongest and the ones within the group are the fifth and second senior disciples" he exined.


    "Fifth and second..."


    Ming Yue thought back to the first group.


    "That was the fourth, eighth, and thirteenth that I killed", she thought, "The fifth position might be easier to kill but the second... that is a bit worrying."


    She could only kill the Fourth Senior Disciple after he was weakened and in battle. Killing the Second Senior Disciple would be more than just difficult.


    He handed her the documents to read. Skimming through it, she went to the location of the Elephander and Parasol*,paring it to the locations given to her by the captain.


    "Same areas although, they''re both deeper within the tortoise''s territory and close to each other than I thought. Hm, and the Five Element Parasol is guarded by a Luan Xiang Toad?"


    While she expected a beast to protect it, she did not expect it to be something like this toad, a creature unique to the Demon Continent. The description of it was nothing less than scary. And as she learned more and more of the situation, the more daunting of a task it became. In the end, she returned the files, epting this information.


    "Finished? So quick. Is there anything else you need?" asked themander.


    She nodded, asking about Hua Xiong and repeating what she had learned from the captain.


    "Ah that story, it is certainly true but as far as the reports go. They are all the same, a oung woman grabbing fruit from the trees. Anyone who would dare approach her would feel a dense killing aura and the girl would flee. No one has been able to even catch a glimpse of her face. It could be your friend but I doubt it."


    "Then, if there is any other report of her..."


    "Do not worry, If I find something, you will be the first to know!"


    "Thank you for the help"


    "Ahhh, don''t mind it. It''s not everyday that you meet someone so young adn aplished. I hope you seed in you mission!"


    Commander Nie Xia beat his chest with approval as she bowed and left. After leaving, he went back to his work, looking over the papers he had given her.


    "Hmm, there should be a third document but it''s not here.... What was it about? The Hel-Fire Dragon?.... Ah, I''m sure it wouldn''t matter to her."

 Chapter 355 - Splitting Up

    Ming Yue left the camp in the same way she came, returning to where Xiao Yin and Hei Yue were.


    "Come on, you two. Let''s go."


    She called out to them, silently leaving the area and heading straight into the Tortoise''s domain. While not quite at the heart of the forest, she was only a week or so away.


    "Hmm, the outer regions had Rank 3 or 2 monsters, sometimes Rank 4. Now that we''re getting to the inner regions, there might be creatures at the level of Rank 6. The core region would have much higher ranked beasts."


    Ming Yue looked at the map, marking it with the specific locations of the Gold Tusk Elephander and the Five Element Parasol, sighing as she did so.


    "At least, I don''t have to go into the core regions. That would spell certain death for me", she thought.


    Within the deeper parts of the Boundless Beast Forest were six figures all camping together. None other than the disciples of Dai Mian, they were not separated into two groups of three but stayed together as a group of six.


    Donning some armor on their violet uniforms, they all elegant white stripes on their sleeves except for one, a old man whose sleeve had a silver colored stripe. Beside him were two other men and three women, all of whom looked at him for instruction.


    The elderly man had light gray hair tied into a bun and a shaggy beard running down to his chest. He seemed experience and almost harmless but there was a sinister air around him.


    Held between his hands was a map of the Boundless Beast Forest with the exact same markings as Ming Yue''s map.


    He looked to his juniors before showing them the map.


    "This is where the Gold Tusk Elephander is. We''ve all confirmed that it resides by a pond in the Northwest. In the Southeast is the Five Element Parasol guarded by the Luan Xiang Toad. As of now, we are in between these two."


    "Then what do you suppose we do? Second Senior Brother."


    "We could still split into two groups but that is a rather dangeorus move. What do you say, Fifth Sister Fu?"


    The one he addressed was a woman much younger than him, Fu Zi. In fact, she looked as if she was only in her twenties but appearances could be decieving. Rather than wear her uniform normally, it seemed to have been tailored to fit her body. There was no dress of sorts but a shirts and trousers. She even had on a ck mantle that could not hide what could only be her weapon, wrapped in cloth. Whatever it was, the weapon wasrgepared to her body.


    Unlike the sinister aura of her senior brother, she had the feeling of a young and naive person. Her voice echoed those same feelings as well.


    "I don''t think it will be too difficult. Perhaps, we split into two groups and do it. You can deal with the toad and I can have a little fun with the Elephander", she answered, giving a cute smile at the end.


    He sighed, shaking his head.


    "If you''re so sure then so be it. But, try to keep the tusks intact. The rest of the body you can do whatever."


    Most likely, he knew what she wanted to do and just let her do whatever she pleased.


    Fu Zi only giggled at her little victory.


    "Thanks, I''ll bring Ninth and Tenth Brother then!"


    She looked at the two and pointed at them, gestuirng toe to her side.


    The so called Ninth and Tenth Brothers were actual brothers, Chen Liu and Chen Qiu, twins no less. One carried a sword and the other a saber, both had different hairstyles, one had a bun the other had a pony tail.


    The pair followed hermand and stood by her side.


    The Second Brother raised his eyebrow but ignored it and said nothing.


    "Then it will be Seventh Sister Wu and Twelfth Sister Fei with me."


    The ones he called up stood by him. They were vastly different in appearance. The Seventh Sister, Wu Hong was quiet and seemed to never speak. Her hair was pitch ck and long, reaching down to her waist. Not to mention her bangs which covered much of her face as well as her size as she was the tallest one out of them and somewhat bulky as well. The Twelfth Sister, Fei Man, had more confidence to her. She had faded green hair tied into two buns and an expression of fearlessness. Hanging by her waist was a blowgun and a small pouch that could only be carrying darts. She was smaller and thin, able to dart around and move quickly.


    "Yay, we''re going now right?" Fifth Sister Fu asked.


    "No, we''ll act tomorrow during the night. The Gold Tusk Elephander will be asleep then but the Luan Xiang Toad is awake at all times."


    The Second Brother shook his head and exined.


    "What? Why not now?"


    "Ack, I need to rest my old bones that''s why!" he barked at her.


    "Hee hee, Da Xian, you old man..."


    "What? Old Man?"


    As these two had their spat, the other juniors looked at each other in sort of a helpless state.


    "That makes it the fifth time, brother."


    Chen Liu sighed at looked to his twin, who shared the same feelings.


    "But we''ll be with Fifth Senior Sister! I''ve actually never seen her fight!" he replied.


    "That is true. I wonder what weapon she has wrapped on her back."


    "What about you two? Have you seen Fifth Senior Sister''s weapon before?"


    Chen Qiu looked to the two sister disciples, asking them with a light tone.


    "Nope, I''m just want to fight the Toad already. I wonder if my poison will work on it..."


    Fei Man responded excitedly as she ced her hand onto her blowgun. As for Wu Hong, she shook her head, confirming that she had never seen the weapon before but she looked at the two brothers with a look of pity. Though her hair blocked it all and these juniors of hers could not see it.


    The day passed as the Second Brother and Fifth Sister continued to shoot insults at each other.


    "Do you need a cane now? For your old bones?"


    "Old? Don''t talk to me about being old! You might look twenty but you''re a bag of bones like me!"


    "What did you say?! You dare call your cute junior a bag of bones?!"


    Fu Zi reached for her weapon and Da Xian took out talismans and a wood sword. Their auras began to rise as they stepped up to each other, barely able to keep their rage in check. Before they could go even further, they were stopped.


    Stepping in between them was the Seventh Sister, Wu Hong, who ced her hand on their shoulders, preventing them from moving any further. The other juniors followed her lead, locking the two seniors down with their weapons drawn.


    "Seventh Sister, you better stop me now before I put this old bastard into his grave."


    Fifth Sister huffed and puffed, gripping the cloth that hid her weapon.


    "Step away, Seventh Sister! She''s a hag, damn it! I''m going to rip that fake face away!"


    Waving his wood sword threateningly, the Second Brother scowled and barked out.


    They were like two dogs in a scuffle with each other. But the Seventh Sister did not budge, she titled her head allowing her hair to reveal a sliver of her eyes. She looked at them, grabbing their attention in an instant.


    The two disciples stopped immediately and backed off, a slight shiver ran down their spines. They tried to look away but could not stop themselves from staring into her eyes.


    It was offputting to say the least. Wu Hong''s eyes were normal on the surface, brown pupils, no real strange features. Even then, should one look into them, they would find a bottomless pit of crimson, pure and utterly full of blood and gore. All they heard were screams and cries of horror, they began to see themselves ripped apart and with their entrail sttered on the ground.


    It was a chilling thing to see. The rage they felt was suddenly abated and the Seventh Sister backed away, her eyes covered again.


    They looked at her before looking at each other.


    "Let''s... split up and head to our destinations. If either side find trouble, activate the talisman and it will notify the other."


    Da Xian handed his junior sister a paper talisman and looked at Wu Hong who merely walked to his side.


    "Yes, we...uh... we should... Let''s go, you two!"


    The group split and went off while Ming Yue came closer to their locations.

 Chapter 356 - Toad Of Madness

    "Hah, the gall of that hag. Let''s go you two, the damn toad isn''t going to kill itself. "


    Da Xian sighed as he cursed out his Fifth Sister in a bitter tone. But he felt the cold stare of his Seventh Sister and shut up immediately. Wu Hong eyes no longer pierced through him any more.


    "Ah, Seventh Sister, you should know as well as I do about Fifth Sister. The twins are as good as dead."


    Wu Hong nodded gently as she gave off a feeling of sorrow.


    "Hm? What do you mean, Second Senior Brother? What''s going to happen to Chen Liu and Chen Qiu?" Fei Man asked.


    He sighed at her question and shook his head.


    "Twelfth sister, you don''t need to know this, you haven''t been the Sect Leader''s personal disciple for more than a few years. Just be grateful that you aren''t either of them right now. Scratch that, be grateful that you aren''t a young man."


    "Oh, okay then."


    It was clear that she was still confused but she let it go, understanding that her seniors would not speak more of it.


    Traveling through the forest, Da Xian raised his hand up and stopped, silenting pointing through the brush.


    "There it is, the Luan Xiang Toad and the Five Element Parasol", he whispered.


    In front of them was a massive toad,rger enough to swallow several men whole. This was the Luan Xiang Toad, the Toad of Madness, a beast that many demons feared and avoided. Its massive body was a plethora of colors from red to purple to blue, there was a sligth sheen to its body as a thingyer of slime coated it. Its eyes were wide open and bulging out as the pupils had a swirling energy inside them. The most terrifying part of this creature that which gave it the name Toad of Madness, was the way it moved.


    It did not leap or hop like a normal toad but instead, it teleported, vanishing from one point and reappearing in another. On top of that, it emanated a aura that affected the mind, creating illusions of itself to trick and scare its enemy. The Luan Xiang Toad''s movement was so erratic it it earned the "Madness" title, a creature that could not be predicted.


    It was a Rank 6 beast, capable of killing hundreds and it could only be dealt with by several Sky Realm Experts. Even then, it would be hard to do so. Fortunately, these three disciples were not only at the Sky Realm but prepared to dispose of the beast.


    Da Xian looked at it and took out talismans and ck formation gs.


    "I will set up the formation first. With it, the toad will be confined to one space. Once it is done, you two need to ce as many talismans onto its body. The more you put, the slower it bes. By then, killing it will be a simple task."


    The two junior sisters nodded, understanding his instructions and waited for him.


    Leaving them, he began cing the gs all around the toad, surveying the area.


    "Hmm, the Five Element Parasol... Getting it might be difficult", he thought.


    The Five Element Parasol, a small multi-colored mushroom that gave off the energy of the numerous elements, grew right under the Luan Xiang Toad''s belly. It looked as it the toad could crush it so long as it stepped wrong but the toad was still.


    Every now and then, it would release a low croak from its belly.


    Strangely enough, the toad didn''t blink at all and its eyes didn''t even move. Only the pupils showed any sort of life as a fog- like energy churned within.


    As he nted his ck gs, Wu Hong and Fei Man prepared to fight. The Seventh Sister took out her weapon, a double ded ive that was equal to her in height. It was a strange and beautiful weapon, the de itself was embedded with several ck gems and the ck handle was adorned with the gold engraving of ocean waves. Wu Hong spun it gently and with ease, she seemed quite happy and excited to use it.


    "I''ve actually never seen your weapon, Seventh Senior Sister. Has this always been your personal choice?"


    Fei Man looked at it with curiosity as she cleaned her blowgun, a dark jade piece with a opening for darts to go through. Around her were several pouches which came from her spatial ring, each one had a different appearance to signify the type of poison it had.


    Wu Hong nodded and held it out for her to hold. Changing hands, Fei Man felt a heavy weight and immediately bent over as the ive fell to the ground.


    "Ugh, this is heavy. Seventh Senior Sister, you use this?" she asked, "How do you even fight with it?"


    Wu Hong grabbed it from Fei Man''s hands holding it with ease. She spun it with her hands before holding it to her side.


    Suddenly, the two of them stopped talking and stood still. In the lush forest, it had be silent and the croaking had stopped. They looked to the toad''s location finding the Five Element Parasol unprotected.


    Appearing just behind them was the Luan Xiang Toad staring at them. In an instant, its mouth opened wide as a thick tongueshed out. Wu Hong turned around, standing in front of Fei Man as she spun her ive with a ferocious speed. She reacted quick enough, deflecting the tongue at thest moment.


    However, the strike was quick and immensely powerful, pushing her back several steps.


    "What? Damn it! It noticed us. Rather, it must''ve sensed us the moment we came. The charms didn''t work."


    Hearing the noise, Da Xian saw themotion and worked even quicker.


    "Keep it by the Five Element Parasol!" he yelled out, "Don''t forget about the talismans!"


    Fei Man leaped away, putting the blowgun to her lips, she shot put several darts in quick session. She was fast and urate, for each dart was aimed at the toad''s joints or eyes. Unfortunately, they all missed as the toad vanished in a puff of smoke, reappearing next to her.


    But Wu Hong kept up with the toad, dashing towards it as she gripped her ive tightly. It spun constantly in her hand, growing with power as she swing down with all her might. However, the toad was elusive, vanishing once more as the ive cut deeply into the ground.


    The Toad moved constantly but the two disciples were able to match it, managing to keep it in one location.


    Darts flew through the air like a blur as Wu Hong''s ive kept it at bay. In time, talismans stuck to its body.


    "It cannot move that far and it takes a moment to do so!"


    Fei Man yelled out as she took out a dart from each of her pouches, six in total with a different color. One by one they shot out from her blowgun hitting the Toad ust as it prepared to teleport.


    Silent, Wu Hong looked around, trying to see where it would go.


    "Nearly there! Give me another minute!"


    Da Xian only had a few gs left in his hand. Finishing it up, he took out his wooden sword and pointed at the formation g in front of him.


    "Chains of the Ten Hell Courts!"


    The ck g he pointed at glowed of a sinister light as chains shot out from the ground, connecting it to talismans on the toad''s body. It felt a force pull it down as the chains yanked the toad back to the center of the formation. It''s body was pinned down and the more talismans were on it, the more chains came out.


    It felt danger, death woulde for it but the Luan Xiang Toad did not show fear. From its pupils, the fog left them, billowing out and covering the forest in a thick nket.


    Momentster, the toad was no longer there.. Instead, there were five of them, all surrounding the three disciples.

 Chapter 357 - The Murderous One

    On the other side, the trio that was the Fifth Sister, Fu Zi, and the Ninth and Tenth Brothers, Chen Liu and Chen Qiu, walked rather nonchntly through the forest. They looked at the back of her, staring at the wrapped weapon that dwarfed her size.


    "Say, Fifth Senior Sister, what sort of weapon do you use? To have it wrapped up seems a bit strange."


    The Ninth Brother, Chen Liumented as the curiosuty began to grow within him. The more he looked at it, the more he wanted to know what it was. But Fu Zi only giggled at his question.


    "Why do you want to know so badly, Chen Liu? You''ll get to see it soon enough when we meet the Gold Tusk Elephander."


    She spoke yfully, teasing him with her weapon.


    "I suppose so."


    He shrugged and instead began to converse with his brother, Chen Qiu.


    "You know brother, it doesn''t seem quite as bad being here than at the Iron Citadel", he said.


    Chen Qiu snorted at thisment.


    "Pah, Iron Citadel? They''re all such annoying people. Just because we''re from the Tao Feng, they think they can look at us like trash. If I ever see that damned soldier again, I''ll beat him to a pulp."


    He raised his fist up into the air, clenching it tightly.


    "Stop it, Chen Qiu! The Commander had toe personally to stop your little quarrel. As if we didn''t want anymore attention. Besides, I heard that soldier you fought... his body was found dead dayster."


    "What? Really? How strange?"


    "Indeed, as far as I know, they had believed it to be you but you were drunk when you fought him. Furthermore, the way he died... it was messy. Ripped apart like some beast killed him."


    "That''s so... Wait a minute, weren''t there more victims? Didn''t they all end up like that? Should they have not searched for this beast?"


    "They have been searching. Nearly doubled the patrols too but not a thing was found."


    "How peculiar..." said Chen Qiu, "Fifth Senior Sister, what do you think?"


    Fu Zi continued walking and didn''t turn back, not showing her face but she shrugged.


    "I wouldn''t know. I was too busy looking after my youth to bother. Perhaps it was a beast, perhaps it was a person. It doesn''t really matter to us, does it?" she answered nonchntly.


    "I suppose so but still, I would have liked to know", Chen Liu grumbled a bit, feeling dissatisfied


    "Ah, you two brothers are the same, too curious for your own good. You should learn that some things aren''t worth questioning."


    She teased them once more before looking in a distance.


    "Look, over there. It''s the Gold Tusk Elephander."


    Getting closer, she pointed at a massive, hulking beast. The Gold Tusk Elephander that which had thick, stone-like skin and a long trunk, a Rank 5 beast.


    Like its name, it had golden tusks, four of them and each one was sharp likence. If one wasn''t careful they could find themselves, gouged apart by the tusks. As it was the night, the creature was asleep, lying down on the ground under the trees. Despite that, it was massive, like a boulder itid there undisturbed.


    "Get ready, you two. I won''t be waiting for you."


    Fu Zi grabbed the wrapped weapon on her back and unveiled it, revealing a bone white scythe, fitted with two desrge enough to cut a horse in half. But it seemed that it was not the weapon''s true size for the des extended outward as she swung it forward and leaped in.


    "Her weapon is... a scythe?"


    The two brothers were taken aback by its appearance. There was something off about the weapon as one of the features was a man''s skull that attached the des to the staff. It was a bit forboding, ominous even. As much death as these two brothers had seen, just looking at the scythe made them feel ufortable.


    They took out their weapons, a sword and a saber, and followed their senior sister to fight.


    The Gold Tusk Elephander didn''t even seem to notice they were quickly approaching. It only continued on with its slumber as Fu Zi was the first to arrive.


    She leaped up and swung her scythe down. The eyes of skull glowed of a ck light as the scythe came down. The two des quivered and opened apart as fangs grew out, ready to cut the beast apart.


    "Devouring Fangs."


    The des mped down, trying to pierce the Elephander''s skin but went no further than a few centimeters. Fu Zi only smiled at this as she willed the scythe even further into the flesh. Suddenly, red veins began to appear on the surface as the fangs seemed to suck the life out of the beast.


    It was then that the Gold Tusk Elephander awakened, rousing from its sleep in anger. From its trunk, it released a furious trumpeting* as the golden tusks began to glow with sparks.


    Lightning shot out from each of them, cracking about wildly as it all targeted the Fifth Senior Sister. She tugged at the scythe and the des stopped biting down, releasing the flesh as her small figure hopped away.


    One by one, golden lightning shot out, chasing after her as she moved from one side to another.


    "Hee hee, are you going to be able to catch me?" she taunted at the beast, talking to it with a yful tone.


    In that moment, the two brothers jumped into action, throwing their de at the beast.


    "Six Petals of the Lotus!"


    "Six Arms of the Asura!"


    They formed hand symbols as the two weapons theyunched forward mutliplied into six, making for twelve des in total.


    With slight movements from their hands, the des danced around the Gold Tusk Elephander, cutting away at its tough skin. If it were any other expert, they would''ve died by now, chopped into a thousand pieces. And with the beast focused on Fu Zi, it did not see where the des came from and could not find where the brothers had gone.


    Awakened so suddenly and now unable to chase after the one that did it, the Elephander was enraged by it all. It stopped moving and raised its trunk up into the night sky, releasing an ear- shattering scream.


    "Oh no, retreat you two!"


    Fu Zi suddenly realized what it was trying to do and called out to her juniors.


    All four of its tusks glowed brightly, illuminating the forest before the beast emitted a shockwave of lightning. The twelve swords and sabers were blown back as the multiples dissipated under the power of this attack.


    "Chen Qiu, run!"


    Chen Liu was able to notice it beforehand and pulled his brother back.


    The trio retreated several hundred meters whereas the the area around the Elephander had turned to ash. As for the beast itself, its power did not dissipate. Lightning cracked from its tusks, blowing away the ashes as it hit the ground beneath the creature.


    After that attack, it began to walk forward, having noticed where they had gone. Each step was a heavy thump as the air was buzzing with energy.


    "Alright my little juniors, I hope that your weapons aren''t useless already."


    Fu Zi spun her scythe once more as the skull atop it glowed with an even strong darkness. The two fanged des trembled as if hungry for more, The red veins it once had seemed to have been sucked dry.


    "Of course not, Fifth Senior Sister!"


    The two brother''s spoke in unison as they dashed forward, forming more hand symbols and summoning their weapons once more. The sword and saber hummed and floated up, flying back to their hands as they swung out together.


    As for the Fifth Sister, she looked at them before staring at the beast.. She smile at it, a yful smile but also carried a bit of viciousness to it, as if it was her next meal.

 Chapter 358 - Eternal Despair

    Running through the forest, Ming Yue suddenly heard numerous explosions in the distance.


    "What was that?"


    She suddeny stopped and took out her map, looking over her locationpared to where themotion was.


    "The noise ising from two directions, then they''ve separated into two groups. The question now is who to go after first", she thought.


    It wasn''t as simple as whichever one was closest but who was in which fight. After all, she could not guarantee that she could deal with one group quick enough to take care of the other. Worse yet, it she waited too long, one group might finish quicker ande to help the other one.


    MIng Yue looked at the two locations, going over whatever information she had.


    "The Gold Tusk Elephander or the Luan Xiang Toad? There are six of the disciples. The second and the fifth are the strongest of the group so each one might lead their own squad. Or work together to deal with the Luan Xiang Toad. It is Rank 6 so it requires several Sky Realm Experts."


    After thinking, she ran toward the direction of the toad, finding it to be more beneficial.


    "If the second and fifth are there, I might be able to kill them both with the help of the toad. Xiao Yin, go to the other side where the Elephander is, if they finish before I am done,e back."


    The Star Owl gave a small tweet of understanding before leaving the two.


    "Come on, Hei Yue."


    Beckoning the fox, she took her Drifting Sky and shifted her armor, doubling her speed in a second. Hei Yue matched her speed evenly as the two made their way towards the Luan Xiang Toad.


    As for the battle it was currently in, the three disciples had found themsleves within the illusions of this creature. Surrounded by five toads, Da Xian waved his sword in a strange fashion as if using it like a brush and writing numerous characters. He then bit his finger and let the blood spray out.


    "Yama''s Gaze!"


    He yelled out, a ferocious man''s face manifested by his shoulders with eyes glowing of a piercing rage. As if the King of Hell hade out to pass judgement upon this beast, the eyes saw through the illusion, shattering it and revealing the Toad''s true body, trying to break the chains that binded it.


    "Seventh Sister, stop it from making any more illusions! Twelfth Sister, get the Five Element Parasol!"


    On his orders, the two juniors moved out.


    As the Seventh Junior Sister ran forward, the wind blew her hair apart and her face was uncovered. It was nothing short of beautiful from the pale skin to the thin nose. If it wasn''t for her hair, she would''ve made many heads turn. Unfortunately, it had to be this way.


    As her eyes were no longer hidden, she stared at the Toad, forcing it to lock eyes with her. Suddenly her pupils were of a different color. Rather, the entirety of her eyes had turned into pitch ck as crimson markings appeared.*


    They were strange, hypnotic even and the toad could not look away even if it tried.


    It let out a weak croak as its mind was struck with fear, images of its death, gruesome and chilling. If even a Rank 7 Beast fell to these eyes, what would happen to another person?


    "So that''s Seventh Sister''s Yong Juewang, the Eyes of Eternal Despair. I knew I''d see it but..."


    Fei Man shivered at the sight of those eyes. Even if they weren''t directed to her, she still felt a bit of apprehension towards them. The eerie mixture of ck and red made for a chilling sight.


    "All because of those eyes, Seventh Sister is stuck at the position of Seventh", she thought, "She probably would have been Second or even First, if she could control it. Rather, if she had been orn with those eyes instead having them transnted by the Sect Leader."


    As Wu Hong continued to activate her eyes, blood began to trickle from them as the pain began to settle in. It was as Fei Man thought, her Seventh Sister could not handle the power of those eyes.


    "I better grab the Parasol..."


    Locating that very item, Fei Man sprinted towards the Five Element Parasol with a dagger in hand. All she needed to do was carefully dig it out and preserve it within a jade box.


    A shadow suddenly appeared, releasing a trail of fog around the Parasol. Needles of wind shot out, piercing the air as they all flew towards her.


    "What?!"


    The sudden development had surprised Fei Man as she backed off, avoiding all but one of the needles. Blood dripped from the cut in her cheek and she put the blowpipe up to her mouth, responding with several darts of her own.


    "Is someone targeting us?" she thought.


    In a few leaps, she hid among the trees and watched the fog slowly dissipate.


    "Here you are."


    A chill ran down her spine as Ming Yue was behind her. The Twelfth Disciple immediately jumped out just as she attacked her, aiming for the neck.


    Lurking through the trees, she watched the disciple move, tracking her location. ncing at the Luan Xiang Toad, the beast was preupied with the two other disciples. None of them noticed what was happening at the Five Element Parasol.


    "Kill her first, then destroy the formation and the Toad should deal with the rest."


    Eyeing the one in front of her, Ming Yue moved quickly. Like a blur, she charged towards Fei Man with her sword drawn out, dodging the dart as they came.


    "Who is she? Why does she know our location?"


    Fei Man''s mind raced as she kept her distance from Ming Yue, trying to slow her down with the darts. Even then, speed was Ming Yue''s forte, as hard as this disciple tried, Ming Yue was catching up.


    "Shit, I didn''t want to use it but..."


    Putting away her blowpipe, she instead took out a pair of curved knives, which were dyed with a tinge of a yellowish green. Stopping her tracks, Fei Man ran towards Ming Yue, her hands were hidden behind her back, covering her daggers.


    "All I need is one little cut and you''ll be on the ground wriggling in agony as your innards melt."


    Running towards each other, she suddenly whipped out her daggers, releasing a quick string of attacks. The knives came without warning, quick like a snake''s bite. But Fei Man could notpete with Ming Yue in speed.


    "Phantasmal Wind."


    Even as they were face to face, Ming Yue seemingly vanished from her sight as she reappeared behind the disciple, ready to lop her head off.


    "Behind me!"


    That was what Fei Man''s instinct''s screamed out to her but she was far too slow. Before she could even retaliate, she was dead.


    Watching her head fall, followed by her body, Ming Yue turned towards the toad. It seemed much weaker now, its lifeforce gradually sucked up by the chains upon its body.


    "The seventh and the second disciple... The twelfth is dead", she thought.


    With the help of the booklet given to her a the North Fort, she had long familiarized herself with their faces. She was even given some basic information about their Daos and skills.


    Looking at the scene, she heard a snap as Hei Yue broke off one of the gs with a bite.


    The chains began to crack just a bit as the Mistral Fox began to break even more of the gs until the Toad felt a weight lifted from its shoulders.


    Unable to keep it under control, the Seventh Sister forced her eyes upon the Luan Xiang Toad. A piercing pain almost made her cry out as the eyes changed into a different form. And to Ming Yue''s shock, Wu Hong''s body began to age, every second her body grew weaker and thinner as her life was being used.


    "Seventh Sister!"


    Da Xian called her out, wracking his mind.


    "What happened? Why did my formation break?" he thought.

 Chapter 359 - Roots Of Hell

    He tried to think of a countermeasure as quickly as he could, taking out more gs from his spatial ring.


    "It''s already quite weak, I just need to create a smaller formation", he thought.


    However, Ming Yue would not let him move.


    "Whistle Wind."


    des of wind flew out from nowhere, leaving a whistling sound. They were quick and sudden, snapping the gs before the formation could even bepleted.


    Da Xian narrowed his eyes.


    "Someone is here!" he realized.


    He stabbed his wood sword into the ground which began to tremble as ashen roots and vines emerged, wrapping around the toad. Even more shocking then that was the roots had formed their own formation and began take the creatures energy for its own.


    "Ten Thousand Hellish Tendrils!"


    With the toad locked down, even more roots shot out, twisting through the forest and looking for Ming Yue.


    "There is someone else here, Seventh Sister! Keep the toad from moving! The formation was broken and this one can only trap it physically. If you lose control, it can still teleport out!"


    Da Xian yelled out to her before riding one of the roots to check on Fei Man. Surprise overtook him as he saw her headless body by the Five Element Parasol.


    "No, Twelfth Sister!" he shouted out but kept his distance.


    "This could be a trap. Whoever did this must be watching right now!"


    His eyes nced around, watching for any movements as vines shot out, searching the area.


    "Where are you?" he muttered under his breath.


    But even after expanding to over a hundred meters, he found nothing but he refused to believed that it was so.


    "Someone tampered with the formation and Twelfth Sister was killed. If they aren''t here then... Seventh Sister!"


    He spun back and rushed to Wu Hong.


    But Ming Yue had long gone to her, she watched Wu Hong keep the Luan Xang Toad in its ce.


    "Her eyes... Was she born with it?" she thought, "Or... was it given to her? Either way, her body can''t handle it."


    The Yong Juewang had a unnatural look to them as the crimson patterns seemed to change endlessly from one pattern to another. Ming Yue was apprehensive for those eyes gave her an uneasy feeling. She could not carelessly approach her.


    Instead, she formed a single sting Gale, adding enough power to equal ten of them. Sending it forward, this singrnce flew out, aimed directly at Wu Hong''s body.She could not avoid it for she was too focused on maintaining her eyes.


    But the sting Gale was stopped as a wall of ashen roots shot out to protect her, splintering into pieces as it exploded on impact.


    Da Xian was able to protect her in time as he returned, pointing his sword in the direction of where the attack hade from.


    "Who are you?! Where did youe from?!" he roared out, beckoning even more roots toe.


    She didn''t answer him, Ming Yue moved along the tree, whistling for Hei Yue. A ck fog covered the trees, surrounding the toad and the Tao Feng Disciples.


    From within them, windnces and needles rained down on them as she sent out an onught of attacks.


    Da Xian shielded Wu Hong, standing in front of her back as he put up a wall before him. Directing with his sword, he moved sharp roots forward, piercing whatever was in their way. There were hundreds of them making it diffcult to dodge but she did not have to.


    "If you won''t answer me, then I''ll have to torture you for it!"


    Raising her sword up, a sharp updraft forced the root upwards before taking her dagger out. Charging forward, Ming Yue revealed herself and cut the roots apart.


    "There you are!"


    He immediately saw her and sent another wave of roots at her.


    With Drifting Sky, she cut them apart, jumping on one of them and leaping into the air. Flying foward, she empowered the dagger and sent forth another sting Gale before throwing the dagger. With thence as a spear head, it broke apart any walls that Da Xian built up as the dagger struck his shoulder.


    "Uegh!"


    He winced in pain and ripped the dagger out. Then he pointed his sword at her, making the roots chase after Ming Yue.


    "Wrath of the Winds."


    A tornado formed and quickly grew, destroying the roots that followed her before wreaking destruction upon the ground.


    At the same time, sheunched herself with a fierce gale, flying down and straight for the Seventh Sister. But the moment, she reached Wu Hong, a root stopped her sword strike.


    "I won''t let you!"


    Da Xian flew into a fury as he summoned even more roots, circling Ming Yue in an attempt to overwhelm her. But Wrath of the Winds prevented him from doing so, the tornado only grew stronger and wilder as it continued to destroy his roots.


    She turned back, facing the Second Disciple.


    "I do not know who you are but you will pay dearly for this", he spoke viciously at her.


    Cutting his palm, he let blood flow into the roots, strengthening them. The ashen color took on a darker hue as the tornado could not blow through them as easily.


    Brandishing Drifting Sky, Ming Yue charged forward as she shed the roots apart. But she could not reach him.


    "There are too many roots... No wonder he is the Second Disciple", she thought.


    Because of those roots, she could not do a thing. Even as her sword cut them apart, it could not cut through all of it. Sooner orter, she would be overwhelemd and her usual tactics did not work.


    It was then that a strange thought came to mind.


    "What about the stance of the Lunar Executioner? Would that work?"


    It was simple enough to copy but to execute it correctly was hard to say.


    "No, trying that would take too long. I''ve never even used it before."


    But the thought lingered, as long as she produced a strike strong enough to cut through it all, it would work. She didn''t want to use Pale Moon just yet.


    "I could try it."


    She whistled once more and Hei Yue''s body ran into action, releasing a amassive ck fog as she retreated.


    From a distance, Ming Yue stood there, assuming the position the statues took. One leg in front of the other, standing straight and tall with both hands on her sword. She took in a deep breath, falling into a flow and rhythm.


    Meanwhile, Da Xian looked around, trying to disperse the fog.


    "Don''t you dare run away! Come back here and suffer the consequences of attacking the Tao Feng!" he shouted.


    His power skyrocketed as roots exploded outward, reaching everywhere, spreading into every little corner of the area. All of that in mere seconds but for Ming Yue, time barely moved.


    Looking inwardly, she followed the flow of her energy.


    "The stance created a natural course, all of my energy can be moved into the sword but then... I would have to merge it all, wouldn''t I?"


    Puzzled by this direction, she decided to follow it, slowly feeding all the different energies into her sword. Strangely enough, her legs seemed to lock into ce as Quintessence Force coursed through her body and into her sword.


    "It could be used like this?" she thought.


    She had always seen Quintessence Force as the energy of the world, used to nourish but now it had be a part of her attack. With that very energy, it pushed her understanding of it all to another level.


    "To bnce it all out and merge it, I need the Quintessence Energy..."


    Before she could even ponder it, her sword began to hum with power, greedily filling up on all of this energy.


    Now all she needed to do was swing her sword.

 Chapter 360 - One Swing

    A shiver came down the spine of Da Xian. In all his years of being a cultivator, this was one of the few times he felt that he would die here. He was a Sky Realm Expert, a master of Formations. This disciple of Dai Mian might not have been the best fighter but his techniques and skills more than made up his strength.


    "What is she doing?"


    There was a bit of fear within him.


    Who was she? Where did shee from? Why was she here? Most importantly, how did she know of their ns? In that moment, various questions ran through his head.


    He didn''t dare underestimate Ming Yue, even if she was a whole realm below him.


    "Was she sent here to hunt us down?" he thought, "I know the sect had been stomped out but... Out enemies shouldn''t have been able to send someone for us. Not with the chaos that should''ve been created in the Human Continent."


    "Damn it!" he cursed in his mind, "I just have to hold out until the toad is dead. Then I can put all of my attention to this assant of ours."


    Against the uneasy feeling, Da Xian began to build up wall after wall of roots, entertwined with each other into a small fortress of sorts. It covered the area, enveloping him, Wu Hong, and the Luan Xiang Toad. With this fog, he would have to disperse it or fight blindly, both of which would simply take too long. From the outside, he heard the sound of a sword humming as a fusion of energies threataned to release.


    And Ming Yue stayed focused on her attack, building and building until Drifting Sky barely hummed anymore, it howled.


    "Now!"


    The moment it began to howl, she swung her sword in a clean and even horizontal sh. It was not fast nor slow, it was natural, melding with the flow of the world. Her body seemed ot move on its own, guided by the flow of energy.


    As she attacked, Drifting Sky released a white crescent shaped sh of energy. It wasrge and absolutely gave off that feeling of inevitablity. Whatever it passed through would be cut, that was the end of it. There were no exceptions, nothing could avoid this fate.


    It cut through the fog, the air, the roots and even the fortress Da Xian created. All of it was cut through like nothing. It cut through it all, going far past the fight.


    What followed was silence.


    The fog vanished as Hei Yue dispersed it, revealing the results of Ming Yue''s attack.


    Da Xian''s fortress stood for moments before crumbling. However, those within it were still alive although barely.


    "Hah hah, if I hadn''t dug us down, we would''ve died."


    Da Xian was feeling drained, maintaining the formation as well as his Ten Thousand Hellish Tendrils, was exhausting him of his energy. However, he smiled in the end, turning towards the Luan Xiang Toad. Its body shrunken and turned to dust as Wu Hong stood strong, still facing the beast.


    Looking towards Ming Yue, he leaped out with his wooden sword, pointing it at her.


    "This is my chance, that attack should''ve used up everything she had", he saw the opportunity and took it.


    But he saw wrong for Ming Yue came to him.


    With the Eternal Heart Ring at hand, she still had some amount of strength left.


    But when she executed that strike, she was shocked.


    "That...that worked?"


    While she expected something to happened, she didn''t think it would produce such a result. But there was no time to even think about this. The moment she saw their silhouettes, she knew that this wasn''t finished.


    Before he could even react, her Zephyr ws flew forward catching the sword and grinding into it. With her other hand, Drifting Sky came close to his neck before he let go of his sword and ducked down.


    From his sleeves came out a handful of talismans to which he activated with his blood.


    "Spirits of the Damned,e out and cage this unchained soul!"


    From these pieces of paper came forth shadowy apparitions that gave silent screams and an unsettling aura. But Ming Yue was unperturbed as she stayed close to him, keeping Da Xian upied.


    But he was no fighter, just as these damned spirits came to suppress her, Ming Yue struck him in the arm, lopping it off.


    "Agh, wait, wait!" he shouted out.


    Dropping to his knees in pain, he looked up at Ming Yue, getting a close look at her face.


    "A young girl?" he thought, "What does she have against us?"


    He began to ask, "You... Who are you? Why attack us? How did you even know about our pl-"


    She killed him then and there, beheading him in an instant. As soon as she did, the talismans lost their power and the roots wilted away.


    Then she looked to the final disciple of the group, Wu Hong, who stood still like a doll. Furrowing her brows, Ming Yue found something to be amiss.


    "She''s dead."


    Wu Hong''s body had shrunken to just skin and bones. The only thing that seemed to be brimming with life within her were the eyes.


    The Yong Juewang were still open, flicking around until it caught sight of her. But she did not dare look into them. Such an unnatural thing looked at her, perhaps trying to coax her intoing closer but she wouldn''t do it.


    "A thing like this... It should not exist", she was not dumb enough to understand that those eyes were dangerous.


    Putting her hand out, she formed two wind needles and shot them at both eyes, piercing them and destroying them.


    Finally there was silence, as she looked around at the scene, the bodies three disciples on the ground along withe the Luan Xiang Toad.


    "One more group left."


    She looked at her sword, cleaning off the blood off with her sleeve. There was a some blood on her armor, some came from her own wounds that Da Xian''s roots had inflicted onto her.


    "Do I even have the energy to do it?" she thought.


    "Hm, Xiao Yin isn''t back yet but... it doesn''t seem like she''s in danger. If anything, they''lle here. With the amount of blood here, there''s no chance they won''t notice it."


    Ming Yue gazed around her surroundings while Hei Yue walked up to her.


    "Come on, let''s go hide for a bit", she spoke gently, rubbing his back.


    The pair left the scene, retreating to one of the trees where Ming Yue focused on recuperating. With this battle finished, the other was still raging on.


    From above, Hei Yue watched from a distance as the Gold Tusk Elephander stumbled forward. Its body was riddled with cuts and gashes as well as a broken tusk. The field of gold lightning it produced was much weaker now, as the strikes were only strong enough to singe the ground but not break it.


    On the other side, were the three disciples, Fu Zi and the Chen Brothers, all of whom were panting heavily.


    The Fifth Sister then rested the scythe on her shoulder, standing tall as she looked towards the Elephander.


    "If you two can slow it down one more time, I can break off one more tusk. Don''t forget, we only need one of them intact."


    She looked back at them, carrying herself in amanding manner.


    The two looked at each other before looking at her.


    "We will try."


    They gripped their weapons tightly though the state of them were a bit dismal. Bent and cracked, it seemed that the sword and saber of theirs might notst one more sh.


    Running forward, they split up, charging from opposite sides of the beast. Throwing their weapons forward, they formed several hand symbols which caused their des to ergen in size and power.


    Flying forward, they stopped at the lightning field but tried to pierce it. Following that, Fu Zi charged towards it, leaping up as she readied her de behind her.


    A murderous glint in her eyes as she whirled her scythe around.

 Chapter 361 - Just Another Meal

    "Break!"


    The two brothers shouted out loud, pushing themselves even further. Cracks spread throughout their weapons as they pierced the field of lightning, stabbing into the Elephander''s body.


    Crying out loud, the beast''s body pulsed with gold lightning, turning the weapons to dust just as the Fifth Sister arrived.


    "Bite!"


    She grinned as the two des of the scythe opened wide, putting one of the tusks within and cutting it off. Pain shed through its body as Fu Zi continued to dismember it limb by limb.


    Its eyes were red with rage as it trumpeted in anger. Its trunk moved quickly, wrapping around her as its remaining tusk began to glow.


    "Is it trying to take me with it?"


    She realized its intention and did what was least expected. Opening her mouth wide, her teeth transformed into sharp fangs as she bit down on the trunk and ripped its flesh off, bite by bite. Her fangs tore the trunk right off, freeing her just as the Elephander burst out with power.


    Her body was blown back by the st, mming right into the tree trunks. However, Fu Zi got up like nothing happened, then she looked down.


    "Ah, I really hoped it wouldn''t havee to this."


    Her body was bent in an abnormal way, like she should not be able to walk or move at all. Her spine seemed to have snapped in half and her limbs twisted in numerous ways. But she acted as if this was normal.


    Rather, she seemed more annoyed than anything.


    "Ah, a waste, a waste."


    With a single thought, her body trembled and cracked, returning to their orginal ce as the bones reaaanged itself. At the same time, her appearance changed as well.


    The Gold Tusk Elephander before her dropped to the ground in a heavy thud, having sustained too many injuries and lost too much blood. Death woulde for it soon. As for the two brothers, they ran up to Fu Zi, bringing her scythe back with them.


    "Fifth Senior Sister!" they called her out but paused just a few meters away.


    Their faces were filled with confusion.


    "Fifth... Senior Sister?"


    Chen Qiu''s eyes simply widened as did his brothers as they were not expecting this in the slightest. Fu Zi''s appearance had changed drastically from what she originally looked like or perhaps, this was her original appearance all along.


    Her cute and small stature was reced by an old woman, whose back was bent over and hair was falling out. She was disturbing to look at, boils on her skin, not to mention yellow nails that were like talons.


    She looked at the two brothers, revealing a pair of dull, sunken eyes and fang-like teeth. And her voice, weak and weary but shrill like a crow''s caw. Nothing about her was soothing as she resembled something closer to a witch than anything.


    "Oh why thank you, my little juniors. Thank you for helping me retireve my scythe!"


    She still spoke in that same yful tone but now it seemed more creepy than cute. Grabbing her scythe, Fu Zi looked at it before smiling to her two juniors.


    They looked at her, astounded by this sudden reveal.


    "Fifth Senior Sister, is that really you?"


    Chen Liu asked as he stepped forward but she ignored him, only staring at her scythe. Chen Qiu stopped him from moving any further. His eyes seemed to sh as he made his own revtion.


    "This was why Second Senior Brother called her "Old Hag". She''s actually older than him!" he thought.


    They looked at her, unsure what to do or even say.


    "Haah, I suppose I should''ve been watching my skin better. It''s quite hard to maintain my youth."


    She sighed, shaking her head in a tired way.


    "Then, is there a way to help you, Fifth Senior Sister?" they asked.


    Fu Zi was silent, the grip on her scythe tightened as the skull''s eyes burst out with life. Unlike her frail appearance, she was quick, far too quick for the two brothers to act as she swung her scythe. The fangs of the two des grew even more jagged as it bit into Chen Qiu.


    With her talon- like nails, she struck out, pulled Chen Liu in from the back of his neck.


    "Time for a meal!"


    Her mouth opened wide as she bit into Chen Liu''s neck, ripping the flesh off.


    "No, brother!"


    Chen Qiu screamed all the rage and sorrow as he watched his brother get devoured by her.


    And then the dots connected.


    "You... you were the beast! The one killing all of those soldiers."


    This realization gave rise to the horror in his very core. The wounds on his brother were simr to the victims More than that, she confirmed it herself. Looking back at Chen Qiu, her appearance slowly returned to a youthful one, giving a naive and innocent smile.


    "Like I said, I was too busy looking after my youth to care."


    She dropped Chen Liu''s corpse and held up the other brother by the des of her scythe. Red veins glowed upon it as the fangs absorbed Chen Qiu''s life force.


    "Truly, the best meal of them all."


    Fu Zi stabbed her hand into Chen Liu''s chest, ripping out his entrails and eating it. Chen Qiu could do nothing but watch as he had the strength sucked out of him. In hisst moments, he could only speak a few words.


    "Why? Fifth Senior Sister? Why?" he asked.


    As his body shrunk to skin and bones, she answered him.


    "I would have prefered not to but I haven''t had a good meal in so long. Keeping up this form takes quite a bit to maintain."


    By the time Fu Zi finished talking, Chen Qiu was dead and her fanged scythe, cut him in half. The skull returned to having nk expression.


    "Hmm, let''s go get that tusk and return to the others. As for these two, I suppose we can just say they died trying to protect me."


    Giggling at that thought, she walked up to the dying Gold Tusk Elephant, which was barely breathing. But its stare was still full of life, ring at her as she came. Fu Zi stared back, her eyes carrying a yful look.


    "Hee hee, what? Still want to fight? You''re just a few breaths from death, you know."


    Spinning her scythe, she stabbed straight into the beast''s neck, cutting it open and letting the blood spray out. The light from its eyes vanished as it died. After extracting the unbroken tusk from the Elephander, she left the scene as someone watched her from a distance away.


    Fu Zi turned around, looking at her surroundings before continuing her way.


    "Must be my imagination. It''s quite quiet, is Second Brother done now?"


    She muttered quietly before leaping away. Moments past before a figure looked out, checking the vicinity before walking out into the open. This mysterious figure looked at the two bodies before checking the Elephander.


    "Poor thing... I can''t save it."


    They seem dejected, unable to prevent the beast''s death. Looking towards the direction of Fu Zi, there was a look of determination on their face as they chased after her.


    "I can''t let her do something like this and leave so easily. Her aplices must be there!"


    Stealthily, this person followed Fu Zi towards where Ming Yue was. As for Xiao Yin, the Star Owl was long gone, returning as soon as the Elephander had been defeated.


    Ming Yue''s eyes opened as soon as she sensed Xiao Yin''s return.


    "They''reing."


    She grabbed her sword and prepared herself, hiding among the trees. Both of her pets were by her side, ready to support her.


    "I''m not fully recovered, about sixty to seventy percent there. This is going to be difficult."


    Unfortunately, there was not enough time for her to fully recuperate.. Fu Zi had already arrived.

 Chapter 362 - Hua Xiong

    As soon as the Fifth Senior Sister arrived, she smelled the faint scent of blood. Not wanting to think otherwise, she quickened her pace, arriving at the site of her dead brothers and sisters.


    "Who did this?"


    Her eyes shed as she spun back, swinging her scythe defensively as scanning the area but Fu Zi saw nothing. She still kept her guard up.


    "Only the fifth position disciple is here... Shouldn''t there be three?"


    Ming Yue felt somewhat confused. She had been expecting three but there was only Fu Zi.


    "Were they killed in earlier fight? Or are they somewhere else?"


    She did not make a move yet, wanting to wait and make sure. If the Fifth Senior Sister was truly alone, Ming Yue would make her move. So she waited, minutes passed as Fu Zi continued to wacth her surroundings before suddenly shouting out.


    "Come out here! I know you''re watching me right now."


    Her voice echoed through the trees only to be met with silence. However, Fu Zi looked towards a single direction, her eyes confident as she pointed her scythe there.


    Ming Yue watched the scythe go in the opposite direction of her.


    "Who is she pointing to?"


    Following the scythe, she looked at the same direction, trying to see who was there.


    Momentster, a figure emerged from trees and stepped forward.


    "Hmph, you''ve been following me since we fought the Gold Tusk Elephander. Who are you?" Fu Zi asked.


    She lowered her scythe, staring at this mystery person.


    "Indeed, I noticed themotion and watched as you not only ughtered that poor beast but your ownrades as well."


    Revealing herself, Ming Yue was shocked to find that it was Hua Xiong!


    But there was something different about her. Apart from her clothes which were simple white robes, her expression and behavior waspletely different. There was all but a trace of that apathy from when the had met. Rather it seemed like, Hua Xiong had reverted to her softer and kinder self.


    The white streak of hair had grown thicker and was let down, reaching her hips. As for her eyes, the white iris seemed to shine brightly as the other had a greenish glow to it.


    "What of it?" Fu Zi snapped back, "What does it matter to you?"


    The grip on her scythe tightened as she grew wary of her.


    "Earth Realm? What is a young girl like her doing here? There is more to her."


    Watching her every move, the Fifth Senior Sister began to circle around Hua Xiong, spinning her scythe slowly. The des began to open wide as fangs grew out and the eyes of the skull began to release a dark light.


    Her eyes stayed on Hua Xiong like a hawk, waiting for her to move.


    "I can''t let you continue on like this. Someone as brutal as you should not have entered these grounds."


    Hua Xiong did not move from her ce as she continued to speak but Fu Zi scoffed at those words.


    "And what can you do? If talking is the only thing, I''m afraid that its going to take more than that."


    "No, of course not, but this is where it ends."


    Hua Xiong''s hands began to glow of a white light which seemed to emit motes of emeral light. Pointing her hands forward, she began to shoot out beams of light at the Fifth Senior Sister.


    "Hmph, so you made your move."


    Fu Zi''s expression grew serious as she dodged the attack. It wasn''t just one or two beams but a constant stream, all aimed towards where she stood.


    She yed it safe, no daring to approach Hua Xiong just yet. At the same time, Ming Yue watched the fight.


    "She''s alive but... she is different. I have to help her either way", she thought.


    Turning towards Hei Yue and Xiao Yin, she had them both stay before readying herself. Forming her Zephyr ws, she quietly left her spot, running through the trees to get closer and find a chance to strike.


    Meanwhile. Fu Zi carefully looked at Hua Xiong, eyeing her up.


    "Her attacks, it doesn''t seem like she was the one that killed the other group. Then that means that there is someone else."


    It wasn''t hard for her to figure this out but upon realizing this, she did not dare take any chances. If she revealed any sort of weakness or blindspot, that other person would strike. Unfortunately, staying defensive against Hua Xiong was beginning to be more difficult. She had switched from attacking her hands to her fingers. The beam attacks had grown smaller and numerous, she could not dodge all of it.


    "Might as well kill her first. It doesn''t seem like she has any other cards."


    Fu Zi suddenly changed directions, going from circling to charging towards her.


    "Do you dare?!"


    Hua Xiong stepped back and swung her arm out, releasing a moon- shaped beam of light at her enemy. It illuminated the ce, flying through the air and aimed towards Fu Zi''s waist. But this disciple swung her scythe down, cutting the attack right down the middle and continued her way.


    The two fanged des split apart, ready to chomp down on Hua Xiong''s body. The ck light within the skulls eyes grew even stronger as if it was hungry for fresh meat.


    Hua Xiong retreated, attacking with every step she took but Fu Zi gained on her. The attacks she sent out while urate and strong, were somewhat easy to predict.


    "I guess I was afraid for nothing."


    Fu Zi was only a few meters away when she thought this but the next thing dispelled her sense of security. Just a momentter, she felt an intense aura around her. It was as if every tree was filled with murderous intent. Every de of grass was a warning to her to note any closer. Furthermore, this pressure was not pointed solely towards Fu Zi but Ming Yue as well who had been following the pair.


    "Could it be... the tortoise?" She thought.


    She remembered what the captain had said, anyone who dared toe close to Hua Xiong would would be met with power withoutpare. Even though she wasn''t receiving the brunt of it, that strength was shocking for it rivaled that of Rank 5 beasts.


    For Fu Zi, it was like facing something along the lines of an army of Gold Tusk Elephanders.


    "Is this... rank 9? 10?"


    She could barely think, retreating at once. Looking at Hua Xiong, she had only be more wary of her.


    "Who are you?" She asked.


    Hua Xiong looked at her, preparing to attack once more.


    "No one, I am just a caretaker. And the one I''m caring for would like for you to die here."


    Fu Zi spun her scythe as she looked at her.


    "I have the tusk buy it seems that the Parasol hasn''t been taken yet. If I retreat, I doubt she will be able to keep up but... would the tortoise be able to?"


    She had figured it out when that pressure made its appearance. There was only one beast who could do that. She was still shaken but, her mind was firm as she nced at the Five Element Parasol, whichid on the ground. Themotion between Ming Yue and the other group had uprooted much of the ground including the Parasol.


    Thinking for a moment, Fu Zi made up her decision, looking at Hua Xiong. In a split second, the fangs on her scythe retracted and the des closed up as she turned and ran.


    "Stop!" Hua Xiong yelled out and chased after her.


    Heading towards the Parasol, she went to snatch it but Ming Yue was a step ahead of her.


    "Reaping de."


    She emerged from the shadows of the trees, attacking from the side as her sword revealed itself.

 Chapter 363 - Hags Form

    "Who-"


    Fu Zi swung her scythe to stop Drifting Sky. It was a weapon made for her, something Dai Mian had created personally. It took the essence of a hundred evildoers to create but against Ming Yue''s sword, it cracked.


    She could barely even think before Ming Yue''s strike pushed her back.


    Not to mention, she wasn''t even given a chance to think of her next move before Ming Yue attacked. Her Zephyr wsshed out as grabbed the scythe and pulled it closer to her. Fu Zi felt her body jerk towards Ming Yue''s sword, swinging towards her side.


    "Don''t get cocky!"


    In a rage, Fu Zi yanked her scythe back, pulling Ming Yue in as she punched out.


    From behind, Hua Xiong saw it all unfold, pausing for a moment when she saw Ming Yue''s face. But it was only for a moment as she flew towards the two. Her hands shot out another beam of light, aimed at Fu Zi''s back.


    Letting go of the scythe, Ming Yue avoided the punch as her sword swung into the damaged scythe. More and more cracks appeared on the weapon worrying Fu Zi even further.


    "One more hit like that and it''ll break!"


    She backed off, avoiding Hua Xiong''s attack as the scythe returned to her spatial ring. As much as she didn''t like it, Fu Zi did not want to risk breaking her scythe. However, what happened to her next shocked both of her enemies.


    "What?"


    Their eyes widened in surprise as Fu Zi''s arms took on a new appearance, bing pale and thin. Her fingers grew longer as the nails turned into that of talons. Her mouth morphed, growing slightly longer as her teeth became fangs. It was like she had be a monster, a witch of some sort.


    "You forced me to do this! Don''t think either of you will live now!"


    Her voice had changed as well, taking on a more guttural sound and screechy.


    She leaped forward with her arms outstretched as she went to grab them by the throats.


    "Die!"


    Ming Yue charged forward with Drifting Sky as Hua Xiong stood back, providing support. Seconds passed before, her sword shed against Fu Zi''s talons. But this monstrous person moved her head forward, opening her mouth to take a bite out of Ming Yue. Thetter was quick, pushing Fu Zi back.


    Slobber and drool dripped by the side of her mouth as she leaped forward wildly at Ming Yue. Fu Zi was like an animal now, charging like a boar. Her mouth was outstretched revealing the jagged fangs that were once her teeth.


    "She''s quicker now..."


    Fu Zi''s speed nearly doubled but more importantly, her ferocity had grown to a new level. Every time she was pushed off or thrown back, Fu Zi would lunge back. Regardless of any injuries she sustained, she only grew more savage and wild.


    "Grrr- Rrauw!"


    Words could barely form at this point as her mouth had fully morphed, full of fangs along a tongue only a snake had.


    "Damn it, I have to take the offensive."


    Ming Yue looked at her, brandishing Drifting Sky before charging forward. As Fu Zi''s ghastly figure leaped towards her, she dipped below, grabbing her by the ankle and throwing her into the ground. With her Zephyr ws, they tore through the tendons and bones, causing Fu Zi to screech in pain.


    "Lightfall!"


    Hua Xiong flew up and shot out a rush of Light Dao beams, crashing into the ground where Fu Zi was. Ming Yue jumped away and avoided this barrage before jumping back in. Only seconds had passed before the monstrous hag was sent flying out, mming into one of the tree trunks.


    Fu Zi sputtered out weakly as blood dripped from the various wounds. She fell down, breathing harshly but ring at Hua Xiong and Ming Yue. With every second, her body turned more monstrous, her skin lost its healthy color as the blood that flowed had be a murky brown.


    She started moving forward before running at her highest speed.


    Ming Yue readied her sword as well as her Zephyr ws.


    "Have to kill her quick before one of us makes a mistake."


    Drawing out more power, she prepared to end it all in one strike.


    Fu Zi sprinted forward, eventually running on all fours as she approached Ming Yue. Just meters away, she jumped to the left and went past her, instead aiming for Hua Xiong.


    "Shit!"


    Knowing her capabilities, Ming Yue chased after her only to see Hua Xiong prepared for such an attempt.


    "Light of Disintegration!"


    Hua Xiong pointed her index finger at Fu Zi, a small dot of light began to form at the tip. A thin beam of white light shot out, entering her forehead.


    She trembled before twisting in pain as that beam of light wreaked havoc on her meridians. It went from one ce to another, destroying her cultivation. Just like that, the rest of her body returned to its original form.


    "Is this what she truly looks like?" Ming Yue thought.


    Reverted to her true form, Fu Zi was simply an old monstrous looking hag. The nails, the fangs, her skin had boils and pus, any sense of that prettiness from before was gone.


    "Killing others just to preserve your own youth..."


    Hua Xiong looked at her and watched her body get destroyed her attack.


    Ming Yue walked up and watched as Fu Zi convulsed uncontrobly. She couldn''t even speak anymore but her eyes seemed to beg for mercy. Raising her sword, Ming Yue chopped down, killing her and finishing up thatst of this group.


    "That''s nine dead, six more left", she thought.


    Just like that three groups were gone, there were only two left. Even if all she needed to do was to kill one group, she did not want any chance of Dai Mian being reborn.


    "Next is the temple and theke. But I should send Hua Xiong back first."


    Thinking to herself, Ming Yue turned around only to find that said person pointing their finger at her. Jumping out of hiding, Hei Yue and Xiao Yin went to her side, staring icily at Hua Xiong. Even if Hua Xiong had helped them before, they would not tolerate her threataning Ming Yue.


    "If you move, I will do onto you what I did to her", she said.


    Ming Yue looked at her and put away her sword.


    "I had thought that you would be dead but I did not think that I would meet you here, Hua Xiong."


    She spoke in a relieved tone but her counterpart still continued to aim at her. Hua Xiong looked surprised but what she heard, her eyes widened in a bit of shock .


    "What! How do you know my name? Who are you?"


    "Did you- do you not know who I am?"


    Ming Yue wasn''t expecting that response and realized what had happened.


    "Could she have lost part of her memory?" she thought.


    After pondering for a moment, she looked back to Hua Xiong, trying to exin herself.


    "I saved you several years ago and asked for your help not too long ago. That request of mine had ended in you sacrificing yourself and being sent here. I''ve had been searching for several months now, almost half a year to find you. What happened, Hua Xiong?"


    Hua Xiong looked at her, trying to detect any sort of lies in those words. Her hand lowerded as the speck of light vanished.


    "Then your name?"


    "It is Ming Yue."


    "Ming Yue..."


    Repeating the words in her mind, a sh of light appeared in her eyes as that name seemed to have triggered something. She looked at Ming Yue and walked up to her.


    "While I do not think that you are lying, you muste with me, Ming Yue. I have to have you meet with the Forest Keeper."


    She then walked past Ming Yue, leading her into the depths of the Boundless Beast Forest, deeper into the tortoise''s domain.

 Chapter 364 - Breaking The News

    "The Forest Keeper?"


    The small group casually walked through the forest as Ming Yue and Hua Xiong conversed. It was strange to say the least.


    The Boundless Beast Forest is a ce of immense danger with no end to powerful monsters. Danger was everywhere, there are always eyes watching you, the thought that death coulde at any moment is a lingering one. The invisible pressure of it all is enough to break ordinary people, even those who have faced danger before dare not to stay in one ce for very long.


    And yet, standing beside Hua Xiong, Ming Yue felt none of that. That tense and heavy atmosphere was nowhere to be found. It was like they were just strolling through an ordinary forest.


    She found it strange but knew that it had to have been because of the tortoise, the one Hua Xiong refered to as the Forest Keeper.


    But who was this beast exactly?


    What rtionship did it have wth Hua Xiong?


    More importantly, what happened to her in these past few months?


    The young cultivator intended to find out.


    Hua Xiong looked at her before answering.


    "The Forest Keeper is the guardian of the Boundless Beast Forest. It is the oldest beast alive and isparable to the forest''s caretaker. Should arge incident ur, it will make its move."


    "Like it did some time ago?" said Ming Yue, referring to the story told by the captain.


    Hua Xiong let out a sigh as her eyes turned a bit moist.


    "Yes, before I met the Forest Keeper, the one known as Kong Zhi sought to capture a beast and headed into the very depths of the forest. The Human Armies came to stop him but the battle ahd grown so uncontroble that the Forest Keeper had to put a stop to it. But due to its age, it could only move so much. It I was not there, the Forest Keeper might not have been able to live for much longer", she exined.


    "Then how did you and the Forest Keeper meet? Dai Mian took grasp of you when he teleported to the Demon Continent. You would''ve been in the northern moutains but you''re here. At least month''s travel away if not more if you were wandering."


    Hua Xiong then stopped and looked at Ming Yue, her eyes showed indifference to what she heard.


    "Is that what happened? When I came to, I had awoken by the Forest Keeper''s side. Apart from that, I barely remember anything from the past, only my name and my sect. I hope that my brothers and sisters are alright. Do you by any chance know what happened to them?"


    Ming Yue turned silent. She had long knew this but to think that Hua Xiong had reverted this much.


    Looking at her face, she found the Hua Xiong now seemed more innocent. Her words had emotion to them, kindness, something that she had lost when obtaining Yan Hui Zhu''s inheritance.


    "Your entire sect was killed, sacrificed by the Tao Feng Sect''s Leader, Dai Mian. By the time, you and I had arrived, it was already toote."


    She broke the truth while looking at Hua Xiong. In a matter of seconds, she saw her eyes flicker as her face turned stiff. There was a river of emotions coursing through Hua Xiong as she heard those words but her eyes turned hopeful. She stood there, looking at Ming Yue.


    "Are you sure? That can''t be right. The entire sect is gone?"


    Ming Yue nodded.


    "We were there when Dai Mian killed thest member of your sect. You screamed out for your Senior Brother."


    "Stop! Stop..."


    Hua Xiong cried out as she clutched her head with her hands.


    "You''re lying, how can they all be dead? How?"


    Looking at her now, Ming Yue felt pitiful for her. Hua Xiong had to know experience this news a second time. She waited for her, watching her struggling with what she learned.


    "They are dead but Dai Mian isn''t. He was near- death when he escaped and took you with him."


    Hua Xiong slowly put her hands down as she looked at Ming Yue in the eyes.


    "You said I sacrificed myself in the end. What did you mean?" she asked.


    Ming Yue silent for a moment, choosing her words wisely.


    "In the battle against Dai Mian, there were various experts who worked together to stop him. He had begun his n to absorb the energy of the Merciless Storm Peak and seeded. However, with everyone''s cooperation, we managed to stop him. His body was lifeless when we won but it turned out that he was still not dead. When we prepared to leave, he rose back to life and tried to grab me and take my sword."


    She paused here, remembering the moment it happened.


    Dai Mian''s illusory hand flew out, trying ot grab Ming Yue only for Hua Xiong to push her into the ship. That hand that tried to get her and taken herrade. All she could watch was her back as she fell to the depths.


    In Ming Yue''s mind, she knew...


    "But in that moment, you took my ce and let yourself get taken by him. At first, I wondered why, I couln''t sleep for several nights, wondering if that was what you wanted. In the end, I was unsure."


    "I see."


    Hua Xiong looked away, her eyes in contemtion as she began walking through the forest again. She was silent, perhaps still in shock of what Ming Yue had told her. Looking forward, it was hard to see what exactly was going on in her mind.


    "Was all of this true?" she thought, "Would Ming Yue lie to me? No, if she did lie why would she make such an borate one? But if... if everyone is dead...what will I do now?"


    Although Ming Yue couldn''t see it, she knew that Hua Xiong was pondering about the future. With her entire sect dead, what happened now?


    "The sect halls... was it all destroyed? Did those other sects take anything?" she suddenly broke the silence with those questions.


    "This I do not know. During the fight, he had begun absorbing the energy of the heavens themselves and trying to prevent another cmity. In doing so, he called it down prematurely. The skies tured dark and thunder came down constantly, safe to say all three continents were affected by this. On that note, everyone is trying to save whatever they can and try to rebuild."


    "Then... you''ve seen the aftermath, no?"


    "I have..."


    "How is... how is everything?"


    Ming Yue was silent for a moment before speaking, her eyes showed various emotions.


    "If we had stopped it anyter, the continent would have been shattered into pieces. Even more lives would have been lost to the utter destruction the Heavens caused."


    "I see... I see."


    They stopped speaking after that, walking through the forest until dawn where they reached the deepest parts of the forest.


    And Ming Yue was shocked to find a vige in front of her. Even more shocking was that there were demons living there, children even, running around happily. It wasn''t just one race of demon either but multiple races all within this vige. There were at least a hundred here if not more.


    ""Where...what is this?" Ming Yue asked.


    "Its a haven... for those who do not wish to enter war. All of these people wish to live in peace. At the same time, there are many here who escaped from Kong Zhi, looking for shelter. This is what the Forest Keeper sought to protect as well."


    "Really..."


    Ming Yue looked at this vige, finding it to be peaceful in a way. None of them had unhappy expressions, seemingly moving about with little to worry.


    Hua XIong then looked at her.


    "Come, we will meet the Forest Keeper."

 Chapter 365 - The Forest Keeper

    As they drew closer to the vige, a few of the demon children noticed the Hua Xiong and Ming Yue.


    "Look, Sister Hua Xiong is here!"


    They all ran up to her with bright expressions on their faces, excitement in their eyes.


    Crouching down, Hua Xiong showed a warm smile to them, patting one of them in the head.


    "Sister is still a bit busy right now. When I''m done, I''ll go and y with you all. Is that okay?" she asked.


    Some looked down in disappointment, others looked at her and nodded.


    "Okay, we''ll wait", they replied.


    Just then, Ming Yue looked to Xiao Yin and Hei Yue, who locked eyes with her. She gave a slight nod and the two beasts moved up to the children. She then walked up to them and crouched down with a small smile.


    "I know you can''t y with her right now but maybe these two could y with you for a bit."


    Their long faces quickly turned into big smiles as the mismatched group of children and beasts began running about in the vige.


    Looking at her, Ming Yue and Hua Xiong shared a look before moving along.


    "Thank you."


    She thanked Ming Yue in a manner of gratefulness, thetter nodded.


    Finally entering the vige, there were a fair number of things that she noticed about the vige.


    It wasn''t extravagant or amazing in any way but it was well maintained and clean as well. The wooden houses were small butrge enough to fit a family of three. There were various facilities from amunal eating area to a small pond and a well too. It reminded her of many things, one of them being her own home.


    The older members of this vige met Hua Xiong with open arms while some stood back and looked at Ming Yue. Some with curious eyes and others with wary stares.


    "This way, the Forest Keeper lives here."


    Hua Xiong lead the way, taking her to the back of the vige where a small hut stood. On the outside, it was the least impressive one but what truly mattered was what was inside. There was a slight pressure emanating from within, not hostile but felt as if this being was of another caliber. Like Elder of Heaven''s Gate, the power she felt was faint but that small bit was enough to show the gap between her and the Forest Keeper.


    By the hut were various pots and baskets filled with dried medicinal herbs, there was a faint sweetness to them.


    "A doctor?" she thought.


    "Let''s go in."


    Hua Xiong opened the door gently and brought Ming Yue inside the little hut. When the door closed behind them, they were met with a strong medicinal smell, a flowery sweetness with notes of bitterness.


    At the center of the hut was arge cauldron of boiling water from which she saw hundreds of different herbs swirling around.


    Sitting cross- legged by the pot was an elderly demon, perhaps ancient even. His body was that of a tree''s, with roots and leaves for limbs and hair. He wore no clothes, revealing hisnky figure to the two.* Ming Yue didn''t even know what kind of demon he was but she was shocked to say the least. She had never seen such a being before.


    "Senior Shu, I have returned and brought someone back."


    Hua Xiong sat down on her knees in front of the cauldron.


    It was silent fro a mintue before the demon moved, turning his head to looked at her and Ming Yue. Opening his eyes, Ming Yue found them to be filled with an indescribable amount of experience and wisdom.


    "Reminds me of the Ancestor from the Yao n", she thought.


    After looking at two, he went back and closed his eyes once more.


    "I know", he replied with a quiet and mellow voice, "I was watching over you."


    "Yes, my guest and I have dealt with the problem but we were toote. Both beasts have been killed."


    Senior Shu sighed before he looked at Ming Yue.


    "Come and sit, please."


    Sheplied, sitting next to Hua Xiong and watched quietly.


    "So then, Hua Xiong, why have you brought a guest over?" he asked.


    "She knows who I am and how I came to this continent."


    "I see, do you trust her?"


    Hua Xiong nodded.


    "Good, good."


    Elder Shu then turned to Ming Yue locking eyes with her.


    "You must be here with questions about Hua Xiong and her time here."


    Ming Yue leaned forward.


    "Yes, I had been looking for her ever since she had been taken by a man named Dai Mian."


    "And this Dai Mian?"


    "I have yet to find him but I have been hunting down his personal disciples."


    "Ah those people..."


    "Yes."


    "I see, then now that you''ve found her, what do you n to do?"


    "I n to bring her back, unless..."


    Ming Yue then looked at Hua Xiong, whose face carried aplicated expression, one filled with conflicted thoughts. Then she realized it.


    "You don''t want to go, do you?" she asked.


    Hua Xiong hesitated for a moment but nodded yes.


    "At least, I don''t want to leave now. Not at a time like this, Elder Shu still needs me, this ce still needs me."


    Ming Yue then turned to the Elder.


    "Indeed, I do need her."


    "It has to do with the war, doesn''t it."


    Elder Shu let out a long sigh.


    "Indeed, it does. I have been the Forest Keeper since the beginning of the cmity. After several thousand years, I am reaching thest sparks of my life. And yet, I cannot leave the forest in good conscience for this war threatans the forest itself. The leader of the Demon Armies, Kong Zhi, along with his three kings have been trying to take control of the Boundless Beast Forest, monopolize it to capture the beasts for war. I could not allow such a thing to happen."


    "Like the Totem Asura..." said Ming Yue.


    "But with my waning strength, there is only so much I can do. That time was when I had only half of my strength. Of course, that was until I found Hua Xiong", he exined.


    "My mind is connected to the forest itself, the central region is under my watch. Months ago, I found her unconscious andying on the ground. I did not know how she got here but it was because of her that I am still able to move."


    Hua Xiong then spoke.


    "I was able to prolong Elder Shu''s life and heal some of his injuries. At the same time, I helped heal a few of the older beasts and maintain the vige."


    "Her kindness and earnest attitude had made many of the old monsters both appreciate and ept her. Which is why I made my decision to have her take my ce", said the elder.


    Ming Yue immediately thought back when she saw Hua Xiong earlier.


    "The green glow in her other eye..." She muttered.


    "Indeed, the other power within her was strong and overtook much of her emotions. As I began to give her my powers, a bnce was found", he exined.


    "But then what about her memories?"


    Both Elder Shu and Hua Xiong hadplicated looks before the former spoke.


    "This... I do not know. The loss of her memories could be caused by a number of things. In this matter, I cannot help with."


    "Is that so..."


    Ming Yue thought carefully before talking.


    "If you do not want to go, then I have no right to stop you. I only hope that you are safe and well. Knowing that you are alive puts me at ease."


    Hua Xiong smiled but her eyes still showed the pain of knowing her sect was gone.


    "Please, stay here for a bit, at least a day or two. I... I want to know more of what happened", she requested.


    Ming Yue nodded.


    "Of course."

 Chapter 366 - Advancing Into The Forest

    In the western outskirts of the Boundless Beast Forest was an army, a million men strong. And at the helm was none other than Kong Zhi, wielding his war hammer in one hand. The head of it was massive,parable to a small boulder and shaped with a skull at the face of the hammer.


    He was a monstrous demon, with gray stone- like skin and a massive figure. He was several heads taller than his men and solemn expression on his face. He had no brows but a pronounced brow ridge and his nose was a bit sharp. However, the most important part were his eyes that which carried a pale magenta color.


    They were piercing, one could not help but look into those eyes. When they did, they would find a fire within them, a determination that showed that he would stop at nothing.


    Kong Zhi wore demi- te armor, thick armoryered over chain mail making it heavy but durable. He wore a helm as well, one resembling the head of a dragon. It was fully ck with gold ents. The design of it all was not exquisite or pretty but brutal. It further supported his tyrannical aura.


    Camped outside of the forest, he looked at it before turning to his right where one of the three kings stood.


    "Both Tie Ja and Hai Zhu have yet toe back from their missions. However, the Boundless Beast Forest needs to be ours. We have to make it our foothold, Shi Hou."


    "Yes, leader!"


    Shi Hou was known as the Roaring King due to his booming voice. He had a stocky build and four ck horns on his head, a member of the Horned Demon Race and one of many ns. His skin was of a reddish color and he wore full scale mail armor, having even a helmet made for his horns to go through.


    "As for the Forest Keeper... That beast will be dead by my hands", as Kong Zhi spoke, he gripped his warhammer tightly as wisps of purplish- red energy rose out.


    What sort of power did he gain from the Dark Starlight Manor? What had he obtained from his ancestors?


    As he eyed the forest, he looked back to his men. His entire forceprised of six million beasts and soldiers. All of them stood still, waiting for their orders.


    "Get me my Hel-Fire Dragon, we''re going."


    "Yes!" Shi Hou cupped hist fist, leaving his leader alone.


    Kong Zhi stared at the forest but his eyes moved beyond it. Even though it was out of sight, he looked to the direction of the Iron Citadel.


    "Just wait Du Xiu, after, I take care of Nie Xia, I wille for our rematch."


    There was a grin on his face, one of rare excitement as he thought back to his first encounter with Commander Du Xiu.


    Shi Hou promptly returned with a thick chain wrapped around his hand, cored by this chain was the Hel-Fire Dragon.


    From when it was first captured, the beast was muchrger now, covered in all sorts of scars from the constant battle. It''s body was covered in crimson scales and had four wings. It had three heads that breathed out mes hot enough to melt steel with mouthsrge enough to swallow a man whole. This beast was a rank 7 and capturing it took a ten thousand men, of that number only a thousand lived. It wasn''t even fully grown either.


    It''s eyes were sharp, most important of all they were defiant. Even after falling under Kong Zhi''s control, the Hel-Fire Dragon would love nothing but to chew him up.


    Kong Zhi looked at it and smiled, sheathing the warhammer to his back.


    "Still baring your fangs at me? Good, it means that you can still fight."


    Taking the chains from Shi Hou, he walked forard and hopped onto the beast, standing on it back. He pulled the chains back, rearing all three heads as the fire shot out of their mouths into the sky. He turned the beast around and looked to his men, raising his fist.


    "One month! One month and the Boundless Beast Forest will be ours! From there, we will destroy the human bases! Finally, we will enter their and let them know what hell truly feels like."


    His words were met with a uniting shout by his men as they were all raring to go. They raised their weapons together, trembling with excitement.


    Kong Zhi then urged the dragon to move forward and his army of a million men were on the move.


    With suchmotion, the many scouts of the the Iron Citadel quickly sent back news of this. Within a day, Nie Xia read a letter in his hand, his face was of a grim frown.


    "They didn''t send a detachment to find the tortoise, they were scouting the forest out. To n to conquer the forest with an army thatrge... What can we do?" he thought carefully before turning to his subordinates.


    "Captains, what do you all think?" he asked.


    There were three others beside him, all three of them wielded spears but hadpletely different auras to them.


    "Commander, I believe that we should call for reinforcements! Send a message to the othermanders asking them toe as well."


    This soldier wore a pale green and gold armor and a helmet shaped like a eagle''s. His spear was of a green shaft and the spear head was a forty centimeters long. There was a weight to it, two or three times heavier than the average spear head. He had a very stern expression, a person who sought only justice and righteousness. Strangely enough, his brows were white, split into two at the end.


    "While Captain Shan''s suggestion would be the best, there is simply no time. Kong Zhi''s army has most likely begun invading the forest. Rather, we shouldy traps and focus on ambushing them, weaken the army and let the forest finish them off."


    Standing by Captain Shan was a soldier dressed in very light armor on his gray clothes. It was mostly ckened leather armor with metal greaves and shin guards. His spear was much thinner and slightly shorter, focusing on speed and flexibility. His appearance was quite handsome, a thin nose, sharp eyes, and sleek ck hair tied to a ponytail.


    Nie Xia looked at the two, nodding at their suggestions. He then looked to the third one.


    "What do you think, Captain Yang?" he asked.


    The third captain, Captain Yang was rubbed his chin. Unlike the other two captains, his armor seemed more standard to that of a soldier''s, his spear too. However, it didn''t take more than a look to know that he was the strongest of the three. Captain Yang''s expression was calm andposed, opposite to his rather fiendish looking face, the face of a bandit. He was Nie Xia''s most trusted friend, arade who had been with him from the beginning.


    "Hmm, both Captain Shan and Captain Liao have good ideas. But such desperate times would require risky measures."


    The others looked at him with interest and curiosity.


    "We will notify the othermanders, slow down Kong Zhi''s army long enough for them toe. Finally, we should go to the heart of the forest and find that Tortoise. Converse with it if we can. Better yet, if ites out, we will aid it as best we can", he exined.


    "But what about the Hel-Fire Dragon? There is one wandering around that area. It would take more than just us to try and get by it."


    Nie Xia immediately brought that up, remembering that third document. However, Captain Yang shook his head.


    "As long as we do not disturb it, it will be fine. Better yet, if the beast knew that Kong Zhi woulde, it would run off to fight him.. After all, he took its child."

 Chapter 367 - Learning A Bit Of Medicine

    Back in the small vige, Hua Xiong took Ming Yue to her personal home. A small hut that had little interesting features but there was a sense of warmth to it.


    The two both sat in front of each other, drinking tea from wood cups as Ming Yue retold the entire ordeal to Hua Xiong. From finding her at the Violet Sun Sect to watching her falling body. Her face barely changed as she listened to Ming Yue''s story.


    Hua Xiong just listened. She listened to every word and when Ming Yue was done, she was silent. Her eyes moistened as she processed through it all.


    Ming Yue could see that, the river or emotions running through herrade.


    "I''ll be outside, I''m going to speak with the Elder."


    Standing up, she walked towards the door before turning back to Hua Xiong, trying her best to hold the tears.


    "He''ll be inside his hut..." she spoke softly, her voice trembling ever so little.


    Ming Yue nodded and left.


    Strolling through the vige with a heavy heart, she saw Hei Yue asleep with the children under a tree. Xiao Yin was perched above, watching over them.


    "Hm, at least they''re having a bit of fun."


    She smiled at the sight before deciding to check out more of the vige. The various demons here all gave polite greetings as did she, giving a small bow. As she walked around, she noticed a few things, namely the food and one other strange detail.


    "There''s a lot of beast pelts... And the food here... they have meat."


    At first she thought that it was Elder Shu or Hua Xiong but they both didn''t seem like the type to hunt down beasts. Not to mention, most of the vigers were either women, children, or the elderly. There weren''t many fit for battle either. But if that was the case then who provided the meat?


    As much as she wanted to ask, everyone was busy with their own chores and tasks. There was no opportunity. She only looked a bit more before heading to the elder''s abode. It didn''t take long for her to reach it, still surrounded by baskets of herbs, fragrant with that sweet bitterness.


    Peering into the baskets, Ming Yue found interest in these herbs for she had never really seen them before.


    "Please,e in."


    The elder''s quiet voice spoke from within, beckoning her.


    Taking one more nce, she went in, her eyes met with the same sight of the elderly demon seated by a steaming pot of medicinal water.


    Elder Shu looked at her with a gentle smile.


    "You must have an interest in medicine if you stood outside for so long", he said.


    "I studied medicine under my father as well as a few other masters. The medicines here are much different from what I''ve seen before", she replied.


    The elderly demon chuckled.


    "The materials might be different but the methods are still the same. It is still pills, raw form, or a refined form", he exined.


    "Refined? LIke this?"


    Ming Yue took out thest few rolls of bandages along with what was left of her medicinal paste. They were of good quality, standing at Rank 3. Not to mention, they were personally created by her. Something like this could not return lost limbs but serious wounds would only take a few days to fully heal.


    "Oh, interesting... Medicine- soaked bandages and a paste... May I?"


    Ming Yue handed it over to him as he studied their make.


    "Grinded and mixed with water... There''s at least five different ingredients and all of it must have taken time to make. With bandages, its much easier to absorb and helps staunch the wound. The paste is quick acting and concentrated, well-suited if one is on the move."


    "So quick!"


    She was shocked to see the Elder understand the method of her medicine so quickly. The fact that he was able to determine the exact number of ingredients was even more surprising.


    "These do fall under the refined category."


    Ming Yue''s brows furrowed in curiosity.


    "What do you mean by "refined" exactly?" she asked.


    "Mmm, from what I recall, humans had generally perfected the method to pill- making. However, these pills are not the best for us demons."


    "But why? Pills are supposed to be the highest form of medicine, a point where it cannot be improved upon."


    "For humans, Yes, they are. But demons are different. How many different humans are there?" asked the Elder.


    Ming Yue paused beforeing to a conclusion.


    ".... One, no?"


    "Indeed one, there is only the human race but for demons, there are over a hundred different races. Each race further segmented into various ns. For some, pills might work just fine but for others, they may only be a quarter as effective. I am one such example."


    Elder Shu then pointed towards the pot of steaming medicinal water.


    "As a Liferoot Demon, my body is simr to that of a tree. My bark- like skin and body make it so that absorbing pills take over a day. Even then, its effect is weaker. However, by refining medicines into this soup and allowing it to boil and steam away, it takes only half a day for twice the effect."


    He then stood up and slowly hobbled over to his bed where he took out a small booklet.


    "This here is a manual containing all of the basic methods over refining methods that demons use. Such methods include cooking it, making a bath, boiling and absorbing the vapor."


    Handing it to Ming Yue, she looked through it, flipping the pages quickly.


    She absorbed the information quickly and was surprised to read of these strange methods. Of all these methods, she was only familiar with medicinal baths, havingin done it to cleanse her body of impurities. At the same time, some of these refining process were incredibly strange.


    "Mixing your blood and cooking it... Combining beast meat with certain herbs... Using a specific type of water to create a medicinal bath... Boiling to the point where you extract all of its efficacy... Why did you let me see this?"


    She looked at the Elder with serious eyes but he merely smiled.


    "You seemed quite interested. Besides, it is not as if this information is important. This sort of knowledge ismonly known. Every race has their own unique way of making medicine and many saw fit to record it. In the end, it was realized that these unique methods had simrities and only differed in things like time and ingredient", he exined.


    After listening, Ming Yue looked back at the manual.*


    He chuckled before going quiet, thinking of a way to ask this next question. In the end, the elder just asked.


    "How is Hua Xiong?"


    Ming Yue stopped flipping through the manual and looked at him. There was silence between them befroe she finally answered


    "I don''t know. After telling her everything, I left to give her time. The current her is much differentpared to the one I had seen. She was much moreposed, almostcking in emotion because of that inheritance. But now, It''s as if she had returned to her original self", she said.


    Elder Shu had a concerned look on his face and gave a long sigh.


    "She is still young and her mental state is fragile. From losing her memories to finding out that everyone she knew is dead now. More than anything, she needs time toe to terms with it all."


    He then faced her, his eyes shimmered for a moment.


    "Though I suppose, you have been met with a simr tragedy. Perhaps, it is what built your strength in the beginning. It may be the same for her", he said.


    Her eyes widened in surprise.


    "How do you-"


    The elderly demon straitened his body as he looked away.


    "I''ve been alive for hundreds of years.. There isn''t much my eyes cannot see through."

 Chapter 368 - The Matron

    Elder Shu continued to talk.


    "Tragedy is a trial of the greatest caliber, it can serve to break and crush your very spirit. To fail this trial is to be blinded by a veil of your own sorrow, a veil that which you may not even notice. That sorrow be disillusionment, misery, a lifetime of pain. But to seed, is to be destroyed and reformed, to rece what was lost. It is to see the veil and tear it away."


    His head looked down for a moment before looking at Ming Yue, who quietly listened.


    "I will not ask you of your past nor will I guide you through this trial. I can only say that you walk a fine line between ripping that veil or letting it blind you."


    Once hearing his words, she was silent, mulling over what Elder Shu said.


    "A fine line..." she muttered.


    Her mind suddenly moved as memories rose out of the shadows. Her days as a young vige girl gone as the destruction of her home surrounded her. It had been a few years since then. Even as she tried to get past it, she couldn''t.


    The sight of her dying father weighed upon her mind. The sensation of killing that bandit was fresh, as if it happened only yesterday. At that point, she knew, she knew that all she had done was suppress those emotions.


    Studying her current expression, the Elder was silent for just a second before speaking.


    "You do not have to force yourself, it wille naturally. Tragedy is not something you can ovee in a short time but a long and arduous process."


    He then ced his rough bark hand on her shoulder before looking at the manual.


    "Go on and read it. If you have any questions, you can ask me."


    He chuckled before meditating in front of the pot.


    Ming Yue seemingly snapped out of this state of hers. She could not obsess over it, trusting in his words. She took a deep breath before turning to the first page of the book.


    Excitement sparked within her as she no longer stopped her curiosity and began to devour each and every word in this manual. The day came and passed as she asked one question after another to which the Elder answered to their full extent.


    With these methods, she found that there were many things she could try, many ways to change her medicine and perhaps improve it. If time permitted, she would most likely experiment. Such things furthered her unerstanding of medicine and would serve to imrpove her own mastery.


    At some point, he began to show the many herbs in his home. From themon to the rare, Elder Shu seemed to have everything. So long as it grew in the Boundless Beast Forest, it was most likely within his possession.


    By night, Ming Yue''s thirst for knowledge was satiated and she handed the book back to him.


    "Thank you for teaching me."


    She was filled with gratitude for the help he provided.


    "Ah, there is no need to thank me. To pass on knowledge is one of the responsibilities of the older generation."


    Elder Shu smiled at her as the door to his home opened. A young demon woman came in with a polite smile as she bowed to the two figures.


    "Ah, is she here? Good, good."


    MIng Yue was curious.


    "Who is here?" she asked.


    He chuckled before getting up and stepped out of his home.


    "You will see very soon."


    She followed him as he stood to his full height, being a whole meter taller than her. As for his words, Ming Yue understood what he meant. This person he spoke of was not a person at all but a beast, a fully grown, adult Hel-Fire Dragon.


    Just like the one Kong Zhi possessed, it had three heads and wings but its scales were of a darker shade of crimson. It was much older and shockingly enough, it dragged back two dead beasts.


    "Two Rank 5''s, a Vigorous Hornbull and a Snowlight Hare. What a good haul! Come and say hello."


    Elder Shu was quite happy and lead Ming Yue straight to the beast.


    The Hel-Fire Dragon stood with a smile on its face as it greeted the vigers, who bowed to the creature before taking away the beasts for butchering.


    One of its heads looked around, spotting the elder.


    "It is good to see that you''re still alive, Forest Keeper."


    It spoke with a woman''s voice, deep and a bit guttural. But her tone was warm and friendly.


    Ming Yue was taken aback. The only other dragon she had met was the Dragon of the Sun, Xiu Luo Yang. Although, he was a True Dragon and a Dragon Emperor at that. On top of that, this Hel-Fire Dragon was the only other beast she had met that spoke. That much showed just how ancient and powerful it was.


    "And it is good to see that you are doing well, Matron Shuang."


    After greeting each other, Matron Shuang nced over at Ming Yue before fixing her three heads onto her.


    "Another human? And that scent... Have youe across a True Dragon?"


    Walking towards the young cultivator, this massive beast towered over Ming Yue, looking at her with curious eyes. They were ck and gold color, the pupils were sharp and piercing.


    "How do yo- yes, I have."


    "Interesting, the scent was somewhat faint but the gems on your sword emanate with a dragon''s aura. Either you found it or it was given to you. For a half-dragon like me, I can even feel a connection."


    Matron Shuang then turned to Elder Shu.


    "You''ve found another interesting human, Forest Keeper. Where is she even?"


    He chuckled.


    "It was not me that found her but Hua Xiong. Perhaps it is fate or mere coincidence but she and her know each other."


    "Oh, that is peculiar."


    Matron Shuang clicked her tongues before transforming, taking on the appearance of a motherly woman. Contrary to the fierceness of her other form, she had a kindly expression on her face. Her ck hair was tied into a bun as she was dressed in simple red robes. She was on the heavier side but had a rather curvacious body.


    "Ah, it does feel better to speak like this."


    She then noticed Ming Yue''s surprised expression.


    "Are you surprised? The stronger a beast is, the less time it takes for them to grasp things likenguage and transformations. Something like this is only possible if you have lived for several hundred years like me", she exined quite proudly.


    Elder Shu then continued.


    "Matron Shuang is one of the strongest beings in the Boundless Beast Forest. The only other beastsparable to her can be counted on your two hands.


    Ming Yue nodded.


    "I see."


    Matron Shuang walked up to them.


    "Of course, there aren''t many that have lived for as long as us. The Boundless Beast Forest is too wild of a ce. Although, it is not unlike the Beast Continent."


    "The Beast Continent?"


    Ming Yue had known of the existence of the three continents: Human, Demon, and Beast. However, the knowledge of the Beast Continent was almost non-existent. At most, she knew that they were inherently different from the beasts she hade across. After all, in the Human Continent, beasts were a general term for monsters and what not. Along with that, she only knew that beasts had their own unique bloodline powers that worked differently.


    "Come, I''m sure we can discuss more about this over a cup of tea."


    Elder Shu smiled and turned only a quarter before stopping. His rxed face turned somewhat grave. He then looked back to them before locking eyes with the Matron.


    "He ising."


    Matron Shuang''s eyes widened in surprise before fiery aura filled with rage emanated from her.


    "That sniveling little bastard, so he''s entering the forest again?!"

 Chapter 369 - Saving Ones Kin

    Ming Yue could almost see fire spit from her mouth as Matron Shuang''s eyes reverted to their draconic form.


    "Where is he?" she asked Elder Shu, "I''m going to incinerate him for what Kong Zhi did."


    Sparks flew as each word was filled with viciousness.


    The Elder held his hands forward, trying to cate her.


    "Calm down, he isn''t alone. In fact, we have to gather everyone here and leave this ce. It is no longer safe and I simply do not have the strength to repel this many. We have to head for the human settlements."


    "What? What do you mean?"


    The mes surrounding Matron Shuang died down as her eyes were filled with dissatisfaction.


    And themotion had attracted many of the vigeres, surprised by the Matron''s sudden outburst.


    "Is something wrong, elder?"


    "What is it, elder? Has something happened?"


    Everyone began to gather around as did Hua Xiong, who exited her small home and joined.


    Elder Shu looked at them all. Everyone''s eyes were filled with a bit of fear, worrying that the worst was toe. He sighed, his face was grim as he revealed the news.


    "Kong Zhi has brought an army numbering in the hundreds of thousands. A few minor formations had been tripped by them but it wouldn''t be long before they reach this ce. With that said, all of you must leave, head towards the human territories. Take what you can and go, leave now."


    They were all shocked.


    "But Elder Shu, what about you? Will youe with us?" they all looked at him, concern written across their faces.


    But the elder shook his head.


    "I have been the Forest Keeper for several centuries and I am at the end of my lifespan. This ce shall be my grave. Go now, leave while there is still time."


    No one moved, they were unwilling to go. For the duration of this war, many of them had fled, searching for a peaceful life, looking to just survive.


    Then one person stepped forward and kowtowed to him.


    "Thank you for all that you have done."


    They then stood up and left. Following this first, everyone else did the same and they shwoed their gratitude in unison.


    "Thank you, Forest Keeper. We will not forget the kindness you have shown to us and we will not let it go in vain."


    One by one they went to their homes and began packing. Those sleeping children were awakened by their parents, surprised to find that they had to go. Some cried while others kept their tears in. Hei Yue and Xiao Yin were also surprised to watch them go, the two beasts saw the saddened faces and returned to Ming Yue.


    She looked at the two but gave a helpless look.


    "I can''t do anything here."


    The injured, the elderly, women and children, they all left with heavy hearts, knowing that this home of theirs would be gone.


    Elder Shu watched them go before looking at who was left, Hua Xiong, Ming Yue, and Matron Shuang. His eyes then rested upon Hua Xiong, a green light shimmered within his pupils.


    "Hua Xiong,e with me."


    He then brought her away, back to his home, leaving the Matron with Ming Yue.


    It was just Hua Xiong and the Elder in his little abode. She looked at him, her eyes glistening with tears, ready to fall at any moment.


    "No, it can''t be this way, Elder Shu. First the sect and now the vige, I cannot just lose two homes like this. There has to be another way. There has to be."


    Her voice was trembling, weak and incredibly soft. She could barely keep herself together. The Elder looked at her tenderly.


    "It has only been a few months since I found you and yet you have be a part of the vige in mere days. Your kindness is what has brought more joy and life, never forget it."


    Afterward, he ced his finger on her forehead, an emerald light glowing from where it was.


    "Within thesest moments of mine, I will bestow my strength, my dao, the Dao of Flourishing Life. All of my experiences and knowledge in your mind and within your heart, memories of this ce."


    "Wait n-!"


    Before she could even protest, it had begun.


    Matron Shuang was quiet but it wasn''t hard to see that she was trying her best to restrain her anger. Even now, her eyes were still in their draconic form, glowing with a bright golden color. She then noticed Ming Yue''s stare at her.


    It was then that she stopped her fit of anger and tried to rpose herself.


    "I apologize, I must have frightened you", she said.


    "No, I was just curious. What did Kong Zhi do? I have heard of his tyrannical nature but I''ve never seen him before."


    Ming Yue shook her head and instead asked the Matron.


    Despite being here for half a year, she never quite invested much attention to the war itself. Now it seemed that she truly was gonna be a part of it.


    Hearing her questions, Matron Shuang let out a long sigh.


    "He''s a brutal man, only searching for more men to join him and more ways to increase his army. Those that refused faced death. Those that died in battle were deemed weak. There is only one goal in front of him, to enter the Human Continent and take it for himself."


    "After all, the Demon Continent is a ruined ce, the Cmity destroyed it to the point where survival of the strongest mattered. You must''ve seen the state of things, the ground is nothing but dead soil, barely anything grows. This forest only came to be from as the constant bloodshed wet the soil and revitalized it. Even then, no fruit grew out, you would find no food here, not even a berry bush."


    "Kong Zhi was one of many youths who fought to live another day. Fed up with this life, he sought to take control of the continent and then move to the Human Continent. In this conquest of his, he has done many things, killing, conquering, destroying."


    Her face was bitter at this point.


    "About two years ago, he ventured into the forest with his men and captured one of my kin, my child in fact. I had been away to hunt and came back to find my child nowhere to be found. By the time I had realized what had happened, it was toote. They were long gone."


    Her aura rose up as she raised her fists.


    "Now that he has decided to return, I will get my child back and show him the wrath of a mother. I don''t suppose that you will also be fighting."


    Ming Yue nodded.


    "My friend is here and I owe her my life. If she is prepared to fight, then I shall join her. If anything, we also have this tortoise, no?"


    Matron Shuang looked at her strangely before understanding.


    "That is no tortoise, rather it is not even a living being". she exined, "That is the culmination of the Elder''s power but whether or not he can do it again, that I am unsure of."


    "A culmination of his power? What do you mean?"


    "Elder Shu has been the Forest Keeper for a very long time. Along with him being a Liferoot Demon, he has gained a connection with the forest itself. The trees, the nts, the roots have be his eyes and ears. If he exerts enough strength, he can utilize the forest in various ways such as creating that tortoise. That is his strongest technique and to use it would require immense power, somehting he might not have enough of."


    Matron Shuang then looked at Ming Yue with a serious face.


    "With that said, are you still willing to stay here and help him?" she asked.


    Ming Yue nodded.


    "With or without, I still have a debt to pay to her."


    The Matron smiled.


    "Good."


    At that moment, the Elder''s Hut began to shuddder and hum as a glowing emerald aura leaked through the cracks.


    Matron Shuang''s eyes widened in shock.


    "So he''s really going to do it and to a human at that."

 Chapter 370 - Passing On Ones Legacy

    "What do you mean? What is the Elder doing?"


    Ming Yue looked at the house worriedly before flipping towards Matron Shuang. Thetter was more resolute although, there was sadness in her eyes.


    "This is something only those who have reached the highest level of Dao Mastery can do. They can pass it on to another", she exined.


    "Such a thing can happen?"


    Ming Yue was shocked, she had never thought it to be possible but Matrong Shuang confirmed it.


    "Daos are separated into three categories: Minor, Major, and Grand. That is determined by the rarity and strength of it. Wind, Sword, Metal, these are basic Daos for they are basic concepts. Something like Life and Death, Bnce, Eternity, these are considered Grand Daos. Above these daos is True Dao, where one''s understanding andprehension allows them to form their own unique Dao. In this case, Elder Shuang''s True Dao is the Dao of Flourishing Life."


    "But a True Dao is not the end, that is the stage where one finds their path. To walk this path to the very end is the final stage. That is called the Trancendant Dao, where one gainsplete mastery over their Dao,plete control. And if they so wish, they can pass it on but this is akin to passing on their legacy."


    It was then that the Matron transformed into her Hel-Fire Dragon form, watching as the emerald light slowly dimmed.


    "If they do choose to do this, it means one thing, they are prepared to die."


    When the light was gone, the Elder walked out, carrying an unconscious Hua Xiong in his arms. He approached Ming Yue and held Hua Xiong out for her to carry.


    "Take her and leave this ce. Go back to the human settlements, where you will both be safe."


    His voice was especially soft though it was a bit weak as well.


    "But what about you? What about Matron Shuang?"


    He smiled and looked towards the Hel-Fire Dragon.


    "I will make an opportunity for you. Use it and leave after, do not try to save me."


    The Matron looked at him, grumbling in protest but it was then that the Elder''s face was firm.


    "Don''t, just leave", he answered.


    "You know I can''t do that. The others wille out as well. This is our home and it has been for hundreds of years."


    Elder Shu was silent, his eyes were somewhat empty.


    "So be it, let''s move then."


    Before Ming Yue could even utter another word, the pair left and this once bustling vige was empty and quiet. The young woman stood there silently, looking around this lifeless ce. Then shestudied Hua Xiong, whose face was peacefully asleep, breathing ever so slowly. She was safe although, Ming Yue could sense the increase in her strength, a change in her energy.


    "We should go", Xue Yue said, "Lingering here any longer will be dangerous."


    Ming Yue looked around and left quietly. Xue Yue was right, she couldn''t stay here any longer. Strangely enough, the forest was just as quiet, no beast was here.


    Where could they have gone? Escaped the forest? Or had they gone to to defend it instead?


    She only moved quickly, bringing Hua Xiong away.


    "When I send her off, I''m going back."


    She made up her mind then and there.


    "What? That''s insane. What can you do against an army of demons?" Xue Yue asked.


    "Don''t even try. You are not the one in control, Xue Yue."


    "I am only here to make sure you are alive. Even when you felt that hesitation, that doubt, I helped to clear it away because that would have hastened your own end. I was born out of your desire to survive, Ming Yue."


    "And you are the one who told me to use my instincts."


    "This is not instinct! This is just idiocy, Ming Yue! Use your instincts in a fight, utilize your killing intent, battle to survive."


    "Then this is a fight."


    "No, this is a war. And this is more than helping Hua Xiong, this is about what that demon said to you, isn''t it?"


    Xue Yue went straight to the point, forcing her counterpart to go silent.


    "Perhaps, you tried to hide it but the Elder noticed it. It''s only been a day and you''ve be attached to this vige."


    "And is it wrong of me? Elder Shu''s words made me realize it. He was right, oveing this tragedy takes more than just a few years. Underneath it all, I still miss my home but it is gone, everyone is dead except for me. Is it wrong to try and save this one? Be it bandits or soldiers, I have the power to do something."


    "And if you fail?"


    Ming Yue stopped walking, her eyes grew increasingly more resolute. Her two beasts stopped as well, looking at her. They could feel the tenseness of the conversation and stayed silent.


    "I won''t."


    Xue Yue kept silent, taken aback by this sudden stance but she relented in the end.


    "Fine, but if Ie out, I will be thinking about our survival."


    Carrying Hua Xiong away, Ming Yue continued to make her way through the forest.


    Further down, she heard the sounds of nging metal and heavy steps as a small group of twenty soldiers appeared. Leading them was none other than Commander Nie Xia, they were all in full armor and had their weapons out, careful to not attract any beasts.


    Themander''s eyes blinked once or twice before widening in surprise.


    "Oh, Ming Yue! To think that we would cross paths again!"


    He hastened his pace, walking right up to her. Seeing her, his eyes furrowed as he saw Hua Xiong in her arms.


    "Is that the one you were looking for?" he asked.


    She nodded.


    "I must bring her somewhere safe beforeing back here", she answered.


    "Yes, I know. Me and my men had bumped into some fleeing demons and they told us everything. The situation is much more grave than I had anticipated but those demons are being escorted back to the Iron Citadel. Furthermore, messengers have been sent to notify the othermanders, reinforcements should being soon."


    He quickly exined the circumstances before offering to have one of his men bring back Hua Xiong for her.


    "The trip is several days at least. By then, the forest would be a much different ce."


    Ming Yue looked at him, her eyes asking if he could be trusted.


    Nie Xia did not hesitate to grin and puff out his chest.


    "We might not be the most gentle but none are more trustworthy than me and my men!"


    She thought carefully, before handing Hua Xiong off to one of the soldiers, a woman carrying two swords. By the time, Ming Yue reached the Iron Citadel and returned,


    "Be careful with her! If I hear even aint from this youngdy, I will personally beat you! You got it!"


    He warned the soldier before sending the two off and looked to the others.


    "Everyone, some of you may recognize her, some of you might not. This is a special guest from Heaven''s Gate. I know some of you lot have been talking about the "Fairy of the Moon", well this is her."


    Upon his introduction, Ming Yue stepped forward and cupped her fists.


    "I am Ming Yue, it is an honor to join you in this."


    The armored men and women all began to murmur as they gauged Ming Yue, trying to estimate her strength. Unfortunately, all they could see was her cultivation, the Soul Stage of the Earth Realm. She did the same, finding them all to be in the early levels of the Sky Realm with Nie Xia very close to the Heaven Realm.


    "They must be the strongest among that elite force", she thought.


    Nie Xia looked at the two sides in interest before finally stopping at his own soldiers.


    "Do any of you have anything to say to this?"


    He asked but the question was met with silence.


    Even if Ming Yue was a realm below them, these soldiers relied on their senses. With those senses, they all knew that she was much stronger than she looked.


    Nie Xia smiled.


    "Good, let''s move."

 Chapter 371 - Entering Hell

    "Alright, let''s move! The quicker we get there, the better! We are there to hinder Kong Zhi''s army and to weaken them!"


    Nie Xia yelled out before marching forward and everyone followed.


    What began as a slow walk turned to a jog but they were much quicker than that. Even if it looked like they were having a slow run, they moved at a fast pace. They marched in unison, walking to a rhythm.


    "They''re quick! I''m going to need to speed up to match them."


    Ming Yue had never experienced or seen something like this, a group of marching soldiers moving at the speed of a horse. She thought that she would have to slow down but her usual speed was just a tad below this pace. But this was not a difficult pace to keep up and with the Eternal Heart Ring, she could keep this pace for a long time.


    Everyone was focused, still wary of any beast that maye but nothing of the sort happened. It was quiet, as if there was nothing here, a forest with no life.


    During the march, Nie Xia nced behind him before suddenly yelling out.


    "It seems like the entire forest has either run away or gone to fight Kong Zhi! We''re going at top speed then! I expect everyone to get to the battlefield by the time the sun rises!"


    Ming Yue looked up at the moon which shined directly above them.


    "That''s only half a night, are they going to be able to do it?"


    The forest was enormous! Even she wasn''t sure if she could cover that much distance in that short amount of time.


    Upon his orders, the soldiers switched gears, going from a jog to a full sprint. Their speed had grown at least ten times their previous pace. As soon as it did, Ming Yue and her two pets sped up as well.


    The whole group nearly became a blur.


    At the same time, Nie Xia, who was still at the front, equipped his two shields and charged forward in a straight line. From now until the dawn, his shields smashed through whatever tree or bush was in the way, giving Ming Yue a shock.


    "What strength! He''s barely even slowing down! At this pace, we really might cross to the other side of the forest by sunrise."


    She was surprised to see that brute force, the amount of pure strength and endurance it took. The whole group just moved in a straight line, breaking through anything in their way. With Nie Xia opening a path, everyone else moved without so much of a care. They moved so quickly that any debris left from Nie Xia just flew past them.


    Thus, they sprinted under the night and when the sun barely peeked out, they had reached their destination.


    "Stop."


    Slowing to a halt, Nie Xia ced his shields onto his back as the entire group waited. Even without hismand, they would''ve done so.


    His nose wrinkled as he sniffed the air.


    "Blood, what a thick stench", he muttered.


    Ming Yue looked up into the sky, noticing smoke billowing from the trees in many ces. Although they were still quite a distance away, the intensity of the battle had spread far into the forest.


    When everyone turned silent, they could hear it, the faint roars of beasts and the screams of men.


    All of their faces turned grim as a wave of dread fell over them all. Whether or not one was a veteran or a fresh recruit, the moment before entering a battle is the most important. It was the moment where nervousness and fear came, the moment their resolve was tested.


    Even now the screams were terrifying to listen to, hoarse voices crying for dear life, shouts of desperate rage, the thunderous roars of beasts. A chaotic mix of noise that made one''s heart tremble, made their blood boil, their skin tingle with a plethora of emotions but dread was the most present feeling.


    That same went for Ming Yue. This was a battle, a battle within a war. In that moment the words of the Guardian fang, Hu Baihe, echoed in her mind. That soldier''s face which showed both sadness and worry for Ming Yue came to mind.


    "War, a thing that overflows with bloodshed and violence, It will be unlike anything you''ve seen."


    Hu Baihe''s words lingered as Ming Yue looked towards the ensuing battle. Even if those words were true, she had already decided to fight this. There was no turning back now.


    Nie Xia looked in the direction of the battle before turning to face his soldiers.


    "This is it. Remember, we are here to slow them down, to weaken Kong Zhi''s army. Watch the beasts of the forest closely, do not get in their way but aid them when it is possible. Do not forget about the Forest Keeper and the Matron that the vigers told us about. One is a demon and the other is a Hel-Fire Dragon! They are not the enemy! Now, is there anything any of you want to say before we enter hell?"


    He looked at all of them, seeing the determination and resoluteness in their eyes.


    "Good, the longer we stall for time, the better the fight will be for ourrades! Do not forget to depend on each other! Do not forget to cherish your own lives! I want you all to survive and I want you all to go back to your families in one piece! Not even the depths of the underworld will stop us!"


    "Yes,mander!"


    Everyone shouted together, the energy in their voices was absolutely full of power as they all put on their helms and took out their weapons. From fist weapons to swords and sabers, these men and women were resolving themselves.


    "Let''s head out!"


    They rushed forward through the forest and into the battle. The scenery took on a drastic change as the lush trees and flora was reced with destruction. Trees were knocked down or blown apart, mes licked the ground, threatening to spread out to other parts. The earth was cracked and utterly broken.


    Blood pooled around as bodies of demonsid scattered on the floor. Some were burnt to a crisp, others shredded apart from ws and fangs. Ming Yue felt a chill looking at this grim scene for it wasn''t just a few dozen bodies but hundreds. There were literal mounds piling up in some ces, some faces still showed the horror in their eyes.


    "Just how many have died? How long has this battle been going on?" she wondered, "How much blood has been spilled?"


    Even with all this bloodshed, the battle still raged on. Demons and beasts fought each other at a ferocity above anything Ming Yue had ever seen. It was brutal to watch.


    Kong Zhi''s demonic soldiers just charged into the fight, fighting whatever beast stood in their way. But the beasts fought with zeal and rage, thrashing about as they swing at the soldiers, biting at their armor.


    From fire to earth, these varying beasts let out terrifying roars as they unleashed an offensive upon the demons. Even then, the soldiers were endless, pushed back only to rush forward and continue to fight. They swarmed the beasts, using those that they had captured before hand to fight.


    The eyes of them were unwilling but helpless for they were cored and chained, they had no choice but to fight.


    It felt as if she had entered hell, a hell of seemingly eternal bloodshed.


    It truly was something she had never experienced before.


    The smell of blood was intense, that metallic scent only grew stringer fom the weapons and armor those demon soldiers wore. Blood gathered in pools, forming streams even as it flowed from the bodies.


    But among all of this death, where was Kong Zhi?

 Chapter 372 - Utter Slaughter

    As everyone charged out, they stayed together as a group, running towards the beasts. Even as they had prepared themselves for the carnage, there was still some shock to it all.


    On the ground were thousands of beasts from many facets of the forest, working together to repel Kong Zhi''s army. From the weakest to the most ancient of beasts, they made their appearance for this fight. Their own home and livelihood were at stake. Most of all, Kong Zhi had done far too much for them to ignore him.


    "A Silver Fur Ape, Bog Serpent, Midnight Sun Tiger, they''re all Rank 7!"


    One of the soldiers shouted out, identifying all of the rare beasts.


    Among the countless beasts, there were dozens that were considered Rank 5 and above. Any one of these could destroy towns and cities, the amount of Earth Realm cultivators to stop this force would be astronomical. However, the most terrifying of them all was none other than Matron Shuang and Elder Shu. The Matron herself was Rank 7 but among the others, she was the most terrifying of them all.


    She is one of the closest descendants to a True Dragon, her aura alone caused hearts to tremble. It did not bring about awe or wonder but despair. Her entire being exudedplete and utter rage as the three heads spewed out golden- red mes. Those who could not escape were simply burnt to a corpse.


    And her voice inspired fear within the demons.


    "Where is he?! Where did you take my child, you wretches?! How many more will die until you learn?!"


    She roared at the little demons below her, swooping through the air as she left behind trails of dead bodies. This Hel-Fire Dragon simply ruled the skies, killing dozens with each breath of mes. Matron Shuang rained chaos above this army.


    "You little demonic bastard! Come out here, Kong Zhi!"


    Even after a night of battle, she only grew quicker and more furious. Even after the deaths of over a hundred thousand men, he still had not made his move.


    When Nie Xia''s group came closer, Ming Yue saw Elder Shu up close.


    He was on thend fighting with the other beasts butpared to when Ming Yue saw him, his appearance was drastically different. His tree- like body had be much more monstrous as the Elder had grown thrice his size. Stones and boulders were wrapped into his body by tree roots, making him much bulkier.*


    But this wasn''t the important part, it was what the Elder did that in this battle that changed how she saw him.


    "He moves so slow but those tree roots... they''re killing the demons and... Is he absorbing their life force?" she thought.


    Apart from this bulky body of his, the Elder barely moved and instead sent out hundreds of roots and vines at the demon soldiers. Some wrapped around them, others pierced their bodies, the method of capturing and killing didn''t matter. In the end, those struggling soldiers would grow lifeless, ending up as empty husks.


    Compared to his kindly demeanor, this form of his was more wicked than anything. But there was more to this than just sucking the life out of these demons. Elder Shu wasn''t alone, in fact, he was surrounded by what she could only assumer were his own creations, wolves made from stone and wood.


    Was this his Dao? Flourishing Life?


    But what did it mean for life to flourish? It was to grow, to blossom, to thrive. But for life to thrive, something was needed, food, energy, sacrifice. After all, life and death is a cycle, one cannot function without the other and this was the prime example.


    Using the lives of these demons, Elder Shu created life within these puppets of his. The more he killed, the more he created and that is a terrifying thought.


    s, he was the first to notice the approach of the humans. Among them, he saw Ming Yue and his gem-like eyes glowed in surprise.


    "Humans are here! Do not attack them!"


    He then shouted out at the other beasts, his voice was gravelly and deep, warning them. In response, the other beasts roared as if understanding his words.


    Nie Xia was shocked before looking at the others.


    Carrying a tower shield on each arm, he mmed them together, one edge to another. Ming Yue hadn''t noticed it before but those shields were in fact two halves of one design. Each one had half of a bull''s head, each one seemed more like a hunk of metal than real shields. They were thick and much too heavy for ordinary soldiers to carry. But in his hands, it was like an unstoppable bull''s rush.


    "Separate into two teams, one on each side!" he shouted.


    Knowing what to do, the soldiers acted in an instant, splitting into two different squads lined up on both sides of Nie Xia.


    "Fairy of the Moon! You''re free to move on your own if you''d like but If you find yourself in trouble, you can depend on us!"


    Ming Yue nodded and whistled loudly for Xiao Yin and Hei Yue.


    "Keep watch, if someone dangerouses, tell me."


    She quietly spoke to the two beasts who nodded and immediately took off. Following this, her sword was unsheathed and her Zephyr ws made their appearance. Her body turned into a blur as she took off, running straight into the thickest parts of the Demon Army.


    "So quick but we aren''t going to be shown up by her, are we?"


    Nie Xia yelled out and his soldiers responded in kind.


    "Come on then! Survive until the reinforcementse, soldiers of the Yan Fu Army!"


    After speaking thosest few words, Nie Xia leaped forward, raising hisbined shields up high before mming into the ground. The shockwave ruptured the ground, sting apart a rift between the forces of the forest and Kong Zhi''s demon soldiers.


    The two shields rang out like a bell as Nie Xia''s body flexed and bulged out. His power as a body cultivator made its presence.


    Separating the two forces, he and his soldiers turned to face the sea of demons ring at them with their weapons in hand.


    "Five Hundred Kilogram Bash!"


    The ringing shields were filled with power as he pushed forward, pushing into the front lines. On impact, his shield exploded outwards as an illusory metal bull came out, blowing through hundreds of soldiers. The force of five hundred kilograms smashing bodies apart.


    And the battle was renewed with an even greater intensity as the beasts and the human soldiers worked together to fight this endless wave of demons.


    But Ming Yue was far deeper within this army, she was in the middle of it, surrounded at every direction and angle. However, these demons were surprised by her sudden appearance, killing several of theirrades in a single Phantasmal Wind.


    "What? A human?! How did they get here?!"


    "Kill them, kill them quickly!"


    "So quick, where did that human go?!"


    "Here!"


    "No, here!"


    "They''re over there!"


    Even if they knew of her existence, she was too quick and much too difficult to catch. Her sword was nothing more but a sh as she killed her way through this army. Chaos ensued as heads fell and bodies were left.


    "I have to be quicker, the more their numbers dwindle the weaker they be. "


    Disregarding her own defense, Ming Yue fought with an even greater speed, reaching the upper limits of her physical strength. She moved only to attack now for each one she killed, ten more took their ce.


    From above, Xiao Yin rained down various beams of starlight, helping to ease the pressure on her by just a bit. And Hei Yue was even quicker than her, bursting out with ck fog as the Mistral Fox ripped necks apart.


    But they were surrounded, encircled. This was an army of one million demons, no matter how many died, even more came.


    That was the reality she faced.


    But the one who led this army, where was he?


    The answer was in the skies as another Hel-Fire Dragon made its appearance and Kong Zhi rode on top.

 Chapter 373 - Sacrifices Should Be Made

    Looking down, Kong Zhi''s expression barely changed as he saw Nie Xia and his soldiers fighting along with the beasts.


    "A small group of human soldiers? Along with one of themanders it seems, interesting. The front line is taking quite a few losses but that is to be expected. Still, those beasts are putting up a bigger fight than I thought. Fifty thousand are already dead, no doubt that tree and your mother have done a big part. But fifty thousand is just a small fraction of a million men."


    Kong Zhi then knelt down.


    With his warhammer in one hand and the chains in the other. he whispered into the ears of this scarred beast.


    "Soon, the forest will be under my control, this ce you call your home will be mine."


    The Hel-Fire Dragon''s eyes turned back, ring at him murderously. The beast produced a low growl to which Kong Zhi yanked the chain, pulling the head back until their eyes were inches away.


    "I wonder how it would feel to see your own mother killed. Especially by you, her own kin."


    Pushing the head away, he steered the dragon through the air, watching the battle from above. His face barely changed as he studied the situation.


    Suddenly, he looked up and smiled as Matron Shuang came barreling towards him.


    "I''ve found you! Release my child or I will turn your very being into ashes!"


    Her voice thundered as mes spewed out of her three heads.


    "Come then, I want to see just how you''re going to kill me."


    With the Hel- Fire Dragon under his control, he yanked the chain, forcing the beast to fly forward.


    "Do it, attack her!"


    He yelled at it, pulling the chain even harder.


    The beast was unwilling, hesitating as it looked to its mother but it had no choice. Each head opened its jaws, breathing out three streams of fire. Compared to its mother, this attack was weaker but Matron Shuang backed off.


    She stopped, flying idly as her eyes centered on this demon.


    "You degenerate bastard! Using my child as a shield?"


    Kong Zhi followed, stopping in the air as he looked at her.


    "This is war, beast. Sacrifices should be made."


    "War? You''re nothing more than a power- hungry lowlife. And I am no beast, I am the Matron."


    Her speed nearly doubled as she shot towards them, closing the distance in a matter of seconds. But Kong Zhi was ready, swinging down his warhammer. Loosening his grip, the warhammer slipped out, extending until he grasped the end of the shaft.


    The Matron flew down, avoiding the strike as one of her heads raised up, trying to take a bite out of him. Kong Zhi yanked the Hel- Fire Dragon''s chains, veering to the side before flying off.


    And then a game of chase began as the two dragons pursued each other, flying higher and higher into the skies. From the ground, they only appeared as small silhouettes from which their mes would ze about like fireworks.


    The skies and thend had then split into two battlefields.


    Down below, Nie Xia''s group fought wildly but together, the pressure of facing tens of thousands was shared among them. Of everyone, Nie Xia faced the most pressure but he was also the most prominent.


    So much so that even the beasts could not help but respect this human.


    "One Thousand Kilogram m!"


    Power built up within his body as thismander raised up his shields and mmed them onto the ground, causing it to crack and shudder. A shockwave blew out,unching hundreds away. Those closest to him spit out blood as their organs ruptured and their bones were broken.


    "Gah! He''s so strong! What kind of monster has that sort of strength?!"


    "What?! Even with our bloodlines activated?!"


    "It doesn''t matter! There are so many of us, he won''t have the strength to fight us all!"


    Even as they tried, Nie Xia was a powerhouse, smashing down demons to a pulp. With his soldiers watching his back, he was free to move as he wished. He was a bull, one that could not be stopped.


    But the demon soldiers weren''t going to falter so easily.


    Nie Xia charged forward and leaped into the air, his body bulged and flexed as he raised his shield over his head.


    "Quaking Smash!"


    He roared out loud as he descended, hitting the ground with his shields and caused an even bigger rift to open up in the ground.


    In that moment, arge shadow was cast over him as a beast followed up on the attack. It hooted and howled loudly as the beast jumped over him with their arms raised, following his movements and smashing down with both fists.


    "The Silver Fur Ape!"


    Nie Xia looked at the giant ape in surprise. The rank 7 beast was humongous, ten times the size of themander. With its shining silver fur, the ape howled loudly while beating its chest and began smashing down on the demons.


    "Man fight good! Fun!"*


    The ape''s words were simple but nheless, it wasn''t difficult to see that the beast took a liking to Nie Xia. Heughed loudly, fighting alongside the ape.


    "Good, good! Ahahahah!"


    Together, they thrashed even more soldiers. The beasts were beginning to push the demons back but such a change did notst long.


    "Siege Engines! Ready the Siege Engines! Move all of the beasts to the front!"


    As the demons shouted to each other, they quickly moved, bringing the chained creatures that they captured to the front.


    "What are they doing?"


    The beasts of the forest and Nie Xia''s forces all stopped in confusion, finding themselves face to face with the chained creatures.


    The Silver Fur Ape turned silent, its eyes red intensely at a few of them, specifically several younger apes. But their necks were cored and their bodies were thin and scarred. It then roared out loud at the demons.


    "Release! Children!"


    The demons were silent, keeping a wall of these bound beasts as a shield. In the meantime, six giant cannons moved forward,rge but not well made. Created from iron, they were simple in design as a squad of twenty men controlled it. They loaded in a cannonball before activating it.


    At the back of the cannon was a red gem that began to glow until it sparked and exploded, shooting the cannonball over the armies and between the two lines of beasts.


    "Damn it! Behind me!"


    Nie Xia nted his shields together, protecting his men as the other beasts were puzzled over these cannons.


    Spiraling through the air, six cannonballs crashed into the ground and burst out in me and shrapnel. Those closest to it were blown back by the shockwave. Unlike Nie Xia''s group, the beasts did their best to defend though Elder Shu''s roots were quick, slithering through the ground before shielding everyone from the sts.


    However, the same could not be said for the other side.


    When the dust subsided and Elder Shu''s roots returned, the devastation revealed itself. The ground before them was decimated, sted apart by the exploded shells. Most harrowing of all this were the bound beasts who could not shield themselves.


    They bled heavily and the broken shrapnel pierced their bodies. Many were gravely injured, falling to the ground in pain. The shock itself, rocked their bodies, cracking their bones. It was somewhat quiet, save for the whimpering of them.


    The many beasts of the forest looked at the scene with shock and rage. The ape was howled as loud as it could, banging on its chest angrily.


    Themotion was so great that the two enemies in the skies stopped and looked down. The Matron saw it all.


    "You cruel man, you would do this? Using children as a shield?" she questioned him.


    Kong Zhi looked at the scene below him before looking at her straight in the eyes.


    "Sacrifices should be made, it is inevitable in war."


    Swinging his warhammer, he pulled on the chain and charged forward, reigniting their battle.

 Chapter 374 - Blinding Flash

    Within this sea of demons, Ming Yue could not be caught. With everyone else fighting further away, she was deep behind enemy lines, rather she was in the thick of it.


    "That''s the three hundredth one."


    In her mind, Xue Yue counted the kills, announcing each milestone as it came. For Ming Yue, she just fought and killed nonstop.


    But the element of surprise was lost and the opponents only grew stronger. Most of them were somewhere around the Human and Earth Realm and with their bloodlines activated, their strength varied from the lower stages to the upper ones. After all, demons didn''t follow the same systems as humans, their strength depends on their bloodlines.


    The purer their bloodlines became, the stronger they would be, such a process required constant battle and cultivation. For some, they had been strong since birth and for others, it required years of cultivation and suitable environments.


    But none of that mattered to her, she was focused, only looking for the next enemy.


    In the end, these demons only had their bloodlines, the equipment they wore could notpare to the Peak- Divine Grade sword, Drifting Sky.


    That de constantly moved, dying in fresh blood every second as Ming Yue never stood still.


    True to her style, she was unpredictable and she was quick. Vanishing and reappearing, she would be in one ce for a moment before attacking somewhere else. But when the explosions came, her head snapped towards the direction go the noise as what followed was the harrowing roar of the Silver Fur Ape.


    "What happened?"


    Her eyes focused on the smoke and dust that blew up.


    "I have to get there!"


    Ming Yue changed course, charging through the demons from behind, massacring them. But there were too many demons and they knew her intentions.


    "That human trying to retreat! Get her!" one of them yelled out.


    Suddenly, the pressure on her grew higher as the demons became more reckless and wild. They swarmed around her only to be chopped down in one or two swings.


    "Damn it, it''s too early to use Pale Moon!"


    She had only just entered the battle, not wanting to use this trump card to run back. Seeing her getting surrounded by even more demons, Xiao Yin chirped and hooted before diving down. Hearing the warning, Hei Yue quickly returned to Ming Yue''s side.


    Her wsshed out, sending down dozens of rays of starlight. Then Xiao Yin''s body began to glow with a white light as energy gathered around her. Growing brighter and brighter, the gray feathered owl flew down and spread her wings apart as shended on top of Ming Yue''s head. And the power she gathered in her body burst out into a blinding light.*


    "My eyes! My eyes!"


    "Agh, it burns! What happened?! What happened?!"


    All the demons that looked found themselves blinded, clutching their eyes as they fell to the ground. In fact, everyone within several hundred meters had gone blind to some extent. Those closest to it had blood leaking from the cracks.


    But Ming Yue was not affected for she did not look directly at the light nor did Xiao Yin direct to her. All that she saw was a sh of light before she felt Xiao Yin perch on her shoulder. When the light vanished, the young cultivator saw hundreds of demons wriggling in pain. Suddenly, she had space to move but it was not enough.


    "Even if I run again, I''ll be stopped by the countless other demons. But this, I can work with. Thank you, Xiao Yin."


    The owl gave a proud chirp before flying off.


    With all of this open space, Ming Yue flew up without having to fear any attacks from below. Gazing at the situation, she saw the devastation caused by the cannons before identifying those very weapons. The demons worked quickly to load them for a second round but such a thing would note to pass.


    "sting Gale."


    Pointing her sword at the six cannons, she formed not one but ten of them and without missing a beat, they flew off. Soaring through the air, these sting Gales shot forth and crashed into the cannons. A wave of explosions were set off as the cannons discharged when they were destroyed.


    Screams of the demons filled the air as the fire and shrapnel mutted their bodies. Hundreds were caught in the attack and many were heavily injured. Suddenly, the front line began to crumble but Ming Yue wasn''t done yet.


    With that sh of light, it seemed as if everyone was notified of her existence and the hundreds that took after her became thousands.


    "Kill that human! They destroyed the cannons!"


    "How did she get so far into our ranks?!"


    "Kill them! Kill! Kill! Kill!"


    They chanted as demons charged after her, their weapons rose up in the air, ready to strike her down. She had long known that they would go after her and she acted ordingly. Looking at them, her eyes turned cold and solemn as she raised her other hand up. A windnce formed every second until a hundred hovered above her, all of them pointed straight down at the ground.


    All of them charged without a care, their own aim was to kill her. She waited for them toe closer.


    Three hundred meters. Two hundred meters. One hundred meters.


    "Fall."


    When they were just fifty meters from her location, her hand went down and all one hundrednces fell from the skies. All at once, they hit the ground and exploded in a st of wild winds. None of the demons had a chance to even turn back in fear as their bodies were shredded apart.


    In seconds, she created a field of blood and mangled flesh. The ground was riddled with holes and cracks from which that very blood collected itself.


    "That''s the thousandth one", said Xue Yue.


    Ming Yue looked down at it all, finding the scene a bit unsettling to her. This was the first time, she had seen so much blood. However, now was not the time for this, there was still fighting to be had. After that show of force, the demons grew somewhat hesitant now. In a single move, she killed hundreds of theirrades.


    What she had done captured the attention of everyone.


    Nie Xia couldn''t help but smile at her.


    "To think we''d have such talent!"


    He gave out a heartyugh, impressed by her strength. Elder Shu was silent but his eyes showed nothing but joy from Ming Yue''s help.


    In the skies above, Matron Shuang had long noticed Ming Yue''s appearance but this was the first time she had seen her fight. Even if she didn''t show it, she was smiling at this.


    "Someone with the scent of a True Dragon is certainly an extraordinary person", she thought.


    As for Kong Zhi, he too had seen the scale of Ming Yue''s attack.


    "That human... she''s going to be a problem. I might have to send another section of the army, along with Shi Hou."


    Quickly, he began to rethink his ns, having not considered the appearance of someone like Ming Yue. In the end, he was not very flustered, this was only a portion of his force. He did not need to exhaust them all just yet, not when he would have to deal with the Five Armies as well.


    "Sixty thousand out of two hundred thousand now... hmmm."


    "What? Are you worried?" the Matron asked in a mocking manner.


    Kong Zhi smiled as he turned his attention back to the dragon before him.


    "Not really, I have men to spare and plenty of strength. If they can''t do it, I can just do kill that human myself."


    Back to the ground, Ming Yue looked at the wary looks of the demons and began to form a sting Gale.. If they weren''t going to attack, she would.

 Chapter 375 - No Longer A Mixed Blood

    One by one, she sent forth a sting Gale at the demons who were simply eviscerated by the attack. All she had to do was stay still and shoot. No demon here could avoid or even defend against them. They were quick, powerful, and worst of all, it felt as if there was no end.


    It took seconds before the next one came, making craters in the ground and shredding bodies apart.


    With the Eternal Heart Ring recovering her energy, she didn''t have to worry about exhausting herself. She barely felt a thing when summoning a hundred windnces at once and so, Ming Yue took it up a notch.


    One became five as she poured more energy into each one, the explosions grew stronger and more demons died.


    "Fifteen hundred dead", Xue Yue counted.


    There was no end to these demons but she had plenty of strength to spare.


    "Where are the ranged units?! We can''t get close to the human!"


    The demons suddenly stopped as they realized that brute force would not cut it. She was much harder to kill than they thought. And thus, squads of archers and other ranged attackers gathered, loading their weapons and preparing their attacks.


    "Archers! Aim at the little human! Fire!"


    From arrows to javelins, hundreds of them flew out, blocking out the light of the sun. All of it flying to her location, aiming to pierce her body.


    "Wrath of the Winds."


    Ming Yue was quick, putting her open palm forward as she summoned a great tornado that sucked up all of it. Then she grabbed Hei Yue and flew over it before entering into the eye where it was safe. Xiao Yin followed after her entering the tornado as well.


    "What is that human doing? Did she just kill herself?"


    The demons were stupefied, not knowing the properties of a tornado. Some found itughable that this powerful foe had just killed herself but that belief was far from the truth.


    Within the tornado, she stood in it and started walking. The tornado followed, keeping her at the center.


    "It should berger, quicker, stronger."


    Taking it even further, she burned more of her energy into the tornado which nearly tripled in size and strength. The wind had be so powerful the demon soldiers had trouble sticking to the ground.


    Her walk slowly sped up to a sprint as she flew back up with Hei Yue and charged straight into the demons. With the tornado beneath her, anything that stood in its way was pulverized. The wind took on a reddish color as the blood turned into a fine mist. A red tornado had been created and it was an ominous sight.


    "Ahhh! Run! Run!"


    "Avoid it! Avoid the tornado!"


    They ran for their lives lest they wanted to be nothing more than minced meat.


    Seeing it all unfold, Kong Zhi was unsettled.


    "How can this human have all this strength?" he thought.


    Yanking the chain of the Hel-Fire Dragon, he dived down, heading straight for her. What more, he activated his bloodline. His body trembled as wisps of white energy flowed out from within. The heavy armor he wore shifted and revealed his back. His stone skin trembled as four bulges emerged for transforming into four different arms to which the armor shifted back, fitting around them.


    "You! What did you do?"


    The Matron chased after him but not even she would''ve expected this. Heughed at her in arrogance as a vicious smile formed after.


    "I found my ancestors in the Starlight Manor! I''m no longer a mixed- blood demon but a pure- blooded Vajra! Ahahaha!"


    Kong Zhi then turned on her as half of his fists began to shine with an ivory glow. With the Matron flying down as he flew up, his three glowing fists punched together with a quick fierceness,nding a powerful blow on her cheek. All three of them made contact, the force behind it was so powerful that Matron Shuang was sent tumbling down to the ground.


    "The Matron!"


    As this great beast fell, Ming Yue was the first to notice it but she could not catch her in time. The Matron crashed into the ground, crushing any demon under her. But she was surrounded and worse than that she was nearly unconscious.


    "Burst!"


    Under hermand, the tornado exploded beneath her, cutting up everything within a hundred meters as the trio went to save Matron Shuang.


    "Lord Kong Zhi has defeated another Hel- Fire Dragon!"


    "Quick, capture it before it recovers!"


    The demons around the Matron were quick to respond, bringing over chains and cuffs to bind her.


    Ming Yue didn''t even make a sound as she flew towards the dragon. Swinging Drifting Sky around, twenty lives were lost as their heads were severed from their bodies


    And in the frontlines, the many beasts saw Matron Shuang fall and it brought them into a rage. An earsplitting collective of roars caused the air to trembled as they pushed the demons even further.


    "Matron! Help!"


    The Silver Fur Ape shouted out as the beast began to pummel away.


    "Matron?... The Hel- Fire Dragon! Ming Yue is there as well!"


    Nie Xia quickly realized it and began to shout orders.


    Everyone, we have to head for the fallen Hel- Fire Dragon! Ming Yue is there as well! We must help her! Into formation!"


    The soldiers all nodded and lined up behind Nie Xia, who nted his shield in front of him. Just as he was about to push forward and run through the army, a shadow flew over them!


    "I will not let you!"


    Shi Hou, the Roaring King, appeared in front of Nie Zha and pulled his shields apart before lowering his head, aiming his four horns at themander.


    "Bull Rush!"


    Stomping his feet, he charged forward, leaving dust in his wake. Nie Zha was quick, letting go of his shields before grabbing the Roaring King by his horns. He could barely stop the charge, getting pushed back several steps.


    "Damn it!"


    His muscles in his body bulged out as he grabbed the horns tightly and threw Shi Hou up into the air.


    "Ten- Hit Nail!"


    He leaped up and punched Shi Hou square into the stomach. He only struck once but the Roaring King trembled as Nie Xia''s technique burst out ten times. It was only one punch but it felt as if he had endured ten of them.


    Nie Xia quickly looked for his warriors, wanting tomand them to go without him. However, even if he made that order, they could not go through with it.


    "I am not alone, Commander Nie Xia! I will not allow you and your soldiers to help that human! Come! I am here for a fight!"


    Shi Hou''s voice echoed out as this demon fell back to the ground,nding on his feet. The Horned Demon removed his helmet as he let out a roarparable to that of the forest''s beasts. His four ck horns shuddered and grew, doubling in size and branching out. What was four has be eight horns and they were incredibly menacing.


    "With my bloodline, do you think you can survive one charge from me?" the Roaring King said.


    Nie Xia looked at him as he cracked his fingers and his neck, taking off the top half of his armor. His chest revealed scars of any kind but there was a tattoo on his chest, one resembling that of the ck Tortoise''s Constetion.


    "Physique of the ck Tortoise."


    Flexing his body, various cracks could be heard, hundreds of acupoints in his body seemed to burst open. The air around him changed as his body seemed to be brimming with strength. Was this his real strength? The power of a Body Cultivator?"


    "Surviving one charge? Can you survive one punch from me now?"

 Chapter 376 - Reinforcements Have Come

    "Seven Gate Pagoda Stance."


    He ced his palms together as if praying and his legs were nted to the ground. Nie Xia stood still, waiting for Shi Hou to move. The air had grown heavy around them as no living thing dared to enter their path.


    For the weak, it was out of fear.


    For the strong, it was out of respect.


    Neither warriors wanted any interruptions.


    "One hit, you say... Then prepare yourself!"


    Shi Hou lowered his head, pointing his obsidian- colored horns at Nie Xia. They crackled and buzz with energy, threatening to impale themander with all eight points.


    "Thrusting the Titan''s Trident"


    The Roaring King shouted as he charged forward, only the power behind each step left deep imprints on the ground. Opposite to him, Nie Xia did not move, he was perfectly still with his palms pressed together.


    He waited before suddenly shouting out.


    "Open!"


    Like a gate, his arms flexed out as his hands split apart and grabbed the two closest horns. Shi Hou felt himself stagger as he was caught.


    "So he can stop this much but that is not enough!"


    A second passed before, Shi Hou prepared to lift his head along with Nie Xia but the Commander wouldn''t allow such a thing


    "Reject!"


    Grasping the horns even tighter, Nie Xia was the one that lifted him just a few inches above the ground. With his physical prowess, he pulled the demon closer before pushing back, releasing the horns.


    "Wha-"


    He was only pulled back an inch but Shi Hou found himself flying back into the demon army. There was so much force behind it that he rammed into twenty other demons and they all flew back with him. Tumbling through the ground, Shi Hou got up with little injury while the men behind him had their bones broken and their bodies smashed down.


    *Crack*


    He heard that small little crack and then went to feel his horns before ultimately finding one. It wasn''t veryrge or noticeable but to Shi Hou, it was as clear as day. On one of his horns was a small fracture, his fingers ran along it constantly as he was stupefied.


    "He cracked it. He actually managed to crack it. Good, good, finally a worthy opponent."


    Smiling, the Roaring King took out his weapon of choice, a pair of metal rods that were four feet in length and thicker than a man''s arm. They featured a simple spiral pattern and were well maintained as gave a ck glint.


    He looked at his weapons with excitement as if happy to finally use them again. Then he looked towards the small figure of Nie Xia, slowly walking to him with his twin shields.


    "Perfect! Finally, someone that can match my strength!"


    And Shi Hou ran off to do battle once again.


    But with everyone busy at the frontlines, no one could aid Ming Yue as she sought to protect the Matron. Killing the first wave of demons had forced everyone to step back from the small group as Xiao Yin and Hei Yue went to check on Matron Shuang.


    "Matron Shuang!" she shouted


    Ming Yue looked at the demons coldly before ncing over at the Matron.


    "Oh, girl, you''re here. I didn''t expect you to be protecting me."


    The dragon coughed out as her body writhed about, trying to shake off the impact of Kong Zhi''s strike.


    "But you must go, you aren''t strong enough yet. You cannot face him for he is a Vajra now."


    As she spoke, Matron Shuang struggled to stand up, supporting herself one step at a time.


    "The beast is recovering! Quick, bind it before it can fly again!"


    Desperate, the demons swarmed around them, trying to capture the Matron but Ming Yue was there, all of their attempts were in vain. As her eyes swept around her, she suddenly whistled as Hei Yue''s ck fog billowed from his body.


    It spread out, concealing everyone and covering their eyes.


    "What happened?!"


    "This ck fog! Clear it now!"


    "Charge forward, they couldn''t have moved so quickly!"


    The demons were unperturbed by this development and moved with chains and weapons on hand. But with this ck fog, their senses were tampered with and soon enough, they were lost.


    "Where are they?! Where is the human?!"


    "This fog! What kind of fog is this?! Why won''t it vanish?"


    The fog only grew more and more, enveloping demons by the hundreds. They weren''t exactly helpless but in this situation, Ming Yue had the absolute advantage. Within this ck fog, death was unavoidable.


    Ming Yue didn''t even bother with defending and swung freely. Drifting Sky was swift, cutting through flesh and bone like nothing. But she did more than that.


    "sting Gale."


    From outside the fog, those trying to peer into it saw nothing as sting Gale''s flew out wildly. Shockwaves and explosions happened everywhere as there were simply too many to ount for. Furthermore, they were both fast and unpredictable, striking randomly.


    She didn''t bother aiming and just shot them out without a care. There was no need to aim when only enemies surrounded her.


    "Where are the other kings?! We can''t deal with this human!"


    "Damn it, there''s only the Roaring King but he''s fighting somewhere else!"


    "Where is the lord?!"


    They cried out in fear as it finally dawned on them that they could not deal with her. No matter how many bodies charged at her, she did not seem exhausted in the slightest. The sense of helplessness grew within them as the demons hesitated toe forward.


    But all of that changed as another Hel-Fire Dragonnded down from Kong Zhi had arrived.


    He stared at his fearful men before looking at the fog.


    "Fog? You are afraid of fog?!" he shouted out.


    Three of his fists glowed with a white color as he punched out and blew the fog apart. Revealing Ming Yue and the others, Matron Shuang was up and alert now. With the fog gone, they stared at the one who did it as he stared back at them, specifically he looked at Ming Yue with interest.


    "Lord Kong Zhi is here!"


    "The Lord is here! Human, you are dead!"


    All around them, the demon soldiers shouted out and taunted them, fully believing that it was the end.


    But Ming Yue did not hear any of this, she only looked at Kong Zhi.


    "That is him?" she thought, "The one leading these demons, waging this war... Kong Zhi."


    With hisrge stature, his gray stone skin and his six arms, he was an intimidating figure. But his eyes stood out the most as if clouds of magenta were within his pupils, paired with sparks of golden lightning.


    There was something strange about him. The pressure he gave off was heavy but it was not unbearable. It did not fit his appearance for she expected it to be worse.


    "No, he''s stronger than this."


    It took only instinct for her to see this. She then nced at the Hel- Fire Dragon he controlled, smaller than the Matron but whose body was scarred. No doubt, this beast had been tortured and forced to do battle.


    There was no doubt that this beast was the Matron''s child.


    She took note of the chains that wrapped around the beast''s neck and wings. She saw how Kong Zhi held onto it so tightly.


    Ming Yue thought carefully about her next decision.


    "To use Pale Moon or not?"


    It was then that something else happened. Horns blew out as an army of human soldiers emerged from the forest. It had only been a few days* but soldiers from all of the bases had arrived.


    And who else was leading them but Du Xiu, themander of the North Fort. Apanying him was Gao Ri of Demon''s Gate and Yu Zhen of the Southern Tower.


    Reinforcements had arrived.

 Chapter 377 - Cutting The Chains

    As war horns red out, Du Xiu charged forward as hundreds of cavalry and thousands of soldiers followed after him. Donning his silvery armor and raising his halberd axe, he shouted out, leading everyone into nking the demons.


    "Aid Commander Nie Xia! Repel the Demons! Defend the Boundless Beast Forest!"


    His booming voice reached through the entire battlefield. Everyone paused for a moment, stunned by this show of power. Even more so the appearance of three of the humanmanders had put a stop to the demon army''s momentum.


    Elder Shu saw all of this and there was relief in his eyes but also resoluteness.


    Seeing this development, the Forest Keeper''s titan-like body shuddered as he burst out with power.


    His voice echoed out along with his energy.


    "Humans... My strength is waning so I cannotst much longer. This is the final act as the Forest Keeper."


    His body of tree and rock slowly thinned as what were hundreds of roots became thousands, slithering through the demons and impaling into their bodies.


    "Blossoming Life."


    Over a thousand demons lost their life as thest embers of Elder Shu''s withered away. Slowly, his mind faded away as he breathed hisst. His body grew smaller and smaller until there was nothing but a sprout where the elder stood.


    And finally, the roots receded, digging themselves into the ground along with the bodies they took. All of it became nourishment for the sprout that Elder Shu left behind.


    "No, the elder!"


    Matron Shuang''s head turned to where the elder was, her voice carried a mournful tone. Ming Yue broke her stare with Kong Zhi and looked as well. She sensed it, the elder was far so his presence was faint but she felt it. He was gone.


    "How can I tell Hua Xiong? The elder has passed away."


    There was a lump in her throat as she thought this. She knew it would happen but even then, it was hard to ept.


    "He''s dead, don''t let it go to waste."


    Xue Yue reminded her of where she was and Ming Yue grabbed her sword tightly as she turned back to Kong Zhi.


    "Pale Moon."


    Power flowed from her body as energy coursed through every part of her. A ghostly blue color emerged from her, wisps of it rose out.


    Kong Zhi smiled at this.


    "Can you even entertain me? I''d rather fight yourmanders than you."


    His voice and calcting wasced with arrogance. Yanking the chain of the Hel- Fire Dragon, he flew off, heading for Du Xiu.


    "Get on!"


    The Matron shouted out as Ming Yue leaped onto the dragon and flew after them.


    "Get me close enough and I will free your child."


    Ming Yue spoke confidently as she stood on the Matron''s back and readied her sword. Matron Shuang nced at her as she spoke.


    "If you can do such a thing, I, Shuang Qiang, will be in your debt.


    Kong Zhi scoffed at them and turned back, punching out with his fists. Each strike created a shockwave that shook the Matron''s bnce. She was unsteady, trying her best to avoid the attacks.


    "Curse him, to think he had the blood of a Vajra Demon running through him. But he has yet to fully control his power, we still have a chance."


    Slowly, she condensed her strength as Pale Moon''s duration decreased. As she was now, she could use Pale Moon for ten minutes, multiplying her strength by ten times.


    But Ming Yue only needed a minute, perhaps not even that much.


    No matter how unsteady the Matron was, her bnce was not broken. Perhaps it was from the statues of the Lunar Executioner but her stance was simr to that. Her feet were firmly nted to the Matron as they came closer and closer, she was unshakable even as the ride became more unstable.


    Her eyes focused on the chains that Kong Zhi held.


    When they were only fifty meters away, Ming Yue''s breath slowed, time seemed to grow stagnant as she targeted that one thing.


    "I just have to cut it. Cut it."


    Her eyes sharpened as her instincts screamed out loud.


    "Phantasmal Wind."


    She vanished from her ce, leaving wisps of her energy.


    "Whe-"


    Before Kong Zhi could even think, he heard a piercing ringing sound as Ming Yue appeared for only a moment. Her sword swung out, cutting through the chains that he held. They showed no resistance, sliced apart like she was cutting the air.


    But Drifting Sky was nearly five feet in length, those chains were not the only thing she cut. Attacking from below, her sword was aimed up as when the chains gave way, so did the arm that held them.


    All of this in a single instant, a single swing, and Ming Yue vanished,nding back onto the Matron who saw it all. She then roared out to her child but that was not needed.


    This battle- scarred Hel- Fire Dragon felt the chains loosen, a sliver of freedom regained. Finally, free from the punishment and abuse it took, the dragon turned its heads back to Kong Zhi and breathed fire on him without warning.


    "No!"


    Kong Zhi roared out in anger, holding the stump that used to be one of his arms. Losing his bnce, he fell off, plummeting down to the ground. His body crashed into the ground in between the demons and the beasts of the forests.


    "Lord Kong Zhi!


    The Roaring King, still fiercely fighting with Nie Xia noticed his descent and retreated. It was so sudden that themander was not quick enough to stop him.


    Shi Hou charged through the battlefield before stopped at where Kong Zhi had fallen.


    "Do not dare attack the Lord or you will face my Oxen Emperor Rods!"


    He shouted out loudly at the approaching enemies, human and beast alike. But of them all, Du Xiu was the one who stepped forward without a care.


    "Kong Zhi, get up. You and I have yet to conclude ourst battle."


    His voice was different from when he was in his office, they were cold and beyond that, ferocious.


    Du Xiu was the oldest of themanders but that meant that he had the most experience. More than that, he had the greatest presence.


    His silvery armor covered him from head to toe, it was different than the usual armors. It was not ted armor or chain mail but banded mail armor. It was simple but served to emphasize his build. He was not as big as Nie Xia and he was not thin. But his body was harder than stone, his muscles heavily condensed as of he was a body cultivator.


    However, his ck halberd axe began to glow red as the Dao of Fire coursed through his weapon. His whole body began to emanate a harsh heat that caused some of the nearby grass to singe. He practiced the Dao of Fire like a normal cultivator.


    He had the attributes of both paths but that was the thing.


    Du Xiu practiced both body cultivation and martial cultivation, a path few take and one that is incredibly difficult.


    This of all things was what made him so powerful, he had obtained high levels in both paths.


    His eyes stared intensely at where Kong Zi had fallen, waiting for him. And the Vajra Demon did not disappoint.


    "Commander Du Xiu, you''ve managed to find some talented humans to help you."


    Emerging from the broken ground, Kong Zhi stood up, his body had burn marks and one of his arms was gone. But that did not stay for long, in a matter of seconds, the injuries he sustained were healed and his arm returned.


    Du Xiu looked at him.


    "So this is what happened when you were missing", he said.


    Kong Zhi gave him an eerie smile.

 Chapter 378 - A Veterans Skill

    "Of course, after finding the Starlight Manor, this was my chance to cleanse my impure blood and be a Vajra Demon", he said.


    "A Vajra Demon?"


    "A human like you wouldn''t know, the Vajra Bloodline is one of the ten great bloodlines that boasts the greatest strength. Battle is where they thrive because of one thing, endurance."


    Kong Zhi then widened his arms and revealed his body.


    "Despite all of the injuries I suffered, none of themsted. Even a lost limb is recovered in mere seconds."


    He smiled, showcasing the magnificence of his power.


    Du Xiu looked at him quietly, studying his body. Despite that that Kong Zhi showed, themander showed no reaction to it. It was as if he was unimpressed by what he saw and that unnerved the demon.


    "You will understand soon enough, Commander Du Xiu."


    Kong Zhi''s aura began to rise as he raised his warhammer, wielding it with three of his hands and pointed it at Du Xiu. Themander was silent but he took a stance, widening his legs as his glowing halberd axe went behind him. His other hand in front of him, palm facing his opponent. mes began to emerge from his entire being before coalescing into a pir of fire that he stood within.


    "Understand? There is no need for that, not when this is the end."


    This was the point where the entire battle had grown still. Demons, Beasts, and Humans all watched this scene. That was the presence of an expert, the strength of two powerhouses, the skills of a veteran, all of this sought nothing more than tomand the attention of everyone. Even in the skies, Ming Yue, the Matron, and her child watched from above. With everything in this battlefield frozen, the tense air and the thick smell of blood was all they had. Their hearts thumped quietly and yet, it was drumming in their minds.


    And then the ground shook for the sprout that Elder Shu left behind blossomed into a white peony. A secondter, the ground erupted into a massive white tree, one that emanated a gentle green glow that soothed humans and beasts alike. In fact, it began to heal them, reinvigorate their bodies and take away their exhaustion. This was the elder''s final act, Blossoming Life. All of the beasts looked at the tree before crying out, mourning the loss of their guardian.


    But Kong Zhi looked at it menacingly, he did not expect the fight to be this difficult but he was grateful as well.


    "Call for the rest of the army."


    Shi Hou looked at him with confusion as if he did not hear correctly.


    "Summon everyone, all one million of them, Shi Hou."


    "But Lord Kong Zhi, what about the human fortresses, will we have enough strength?"


    He looked at the Roaring King with fierce eyes.


    "Four out of the five humanmanders are here, If we kill them, the fortresses will fall easily. Now summon the rest of them!" Kong Zhi''s voice shouted out.


    Shi Hou gave another nce before taking out a horn from his belt and blowing into it. A long five- second long re resounded throughout hundreds of kilometers.


    "The signal! The Lord is summoning us! Come, men!"


    In the horizon was the remainder of the million- man army, charging towards the forest. Compared to the force currently fighting, it was three or even four timesrger.


    "Hmph, what you''ve seen is only a portion of my army. You might be strong but no living thing can defeat an army of this magnitude. It will be your loss,mander."


    Du Xiu chuckled.


    "Is it now? Why would I need to fight a million men when I only need to kill you?"


    Themander looked at him and leaned forward. His feet pressed down, leaving imprints on the ground as he lunged at Kong Zhi, swinging his burning halberd axe upwards. mes flew outwards as an arc of fire formed from his attack. Kong Zhi swung down with his warhammer and the two warriors shed. The ear-splitting ng of both weapons served as a signal for the two forces to charge.


    Shi Hou then tookmand and began to bark out orders.


    "Our brothers areing! Destroy that tree! Kill the beasts! Kill the humans!"


    The demons chanted as they fought.


    "KILL THE BEASTS! KILL THE HUMANS! KILL THE BEASTS! KILL THE HUMANS!"


    With Du Xiu battling with Kong Zhi, Yu Zhen and Gao Ri took tomand their respective armies.


    "Repel the Demons! Protect the Boundless Beast Forest!"


    Yu Zhen of the Southern Tower, the only femalemander among the five armies, was a middle- aged woman. Wearing leather armor and chainmail, she unwrapped her massive saber and brandished it in the air. Her dark blue hair flew widely as she led her soldiers forward. Unlike Nie Xia''s or Du Xiu''s army, there were many archers and spearmen who rushed forward and positioned themselves by Elder Shu''s remains.


    Taking their ces, they shot volley after volley into the demons killing them by the hundreds.


    "Kill Kong Zhi''s army! They are not your brethren anymore! These demons are not our kin! Treat them like your enemy! There is no mercy for they have given us none of that!"


    Gao Ri especially shouted out at his small army of ten thousand, whichprised of demons, all of whom resisted Kong Zhi from the very beginning. He, himself, was of the winged demon race, his skin was of a pale blue as his four wings resembled that of a bird''s.


    Rallying the various demons, all donning their own armors and unique weapons, he held a sword spear with both hands and flew off.


    They weren''t particrly organized but they were united. This army of ten thousand featured all sorts of demons from the hundreds of different races. Every one of them activated their bloodlines as a collective explosion of aura burst out.


    They shouted together and followed Gao Ri attacking from the nk.


    Ming Yue watched from above, simply in awe of the sight.


    "This is..."


    "A battle", said Matron Shuang, "This is a battle one where two armies collide."


    Ming Yue was too focused on her battles to really witness the sheer scale of it. The view from above simply shocked her, hundreds upon thousands attacking, each person was like a small ant from where she watched. And as an observer, she saw the battle for what it truly was, a massacre on both sides.


    There was death and destruction everywhere she looked, bodies skewered with arrows or eviscerated by des and ws. If she looked closely enough, Ming Yue would see the moments before someone''s life was taken. She couldn''t look away from it all. The smell of blood was so dense that even she could smell the metallic scent from above.


    Then Ming Yue remembered something.


    "That horn..."


    The one that signaled for the rest of the army toe, she felt some unease for the iing forces.


    "It must be for reinforcements from Kong Zhi''s side but what should I do now."


    Indeed, Ming Yue was at a loss for words and didn''t quite know what to do. She could fight but... was there more to be done? She then looked at the Matron.


    "Matron Shuang, what will you do now?" she asked.


    The Matron was silent as she looked at her child, their eyes met at that moment and she answered.


    "We fight, this is our home after all. There is no option but to fight, will you do the same?"


    When met with the question, Ming Yue answered firmly.


    "Of course, I will fight but in something like this, I don''t quite know where to start."


    The Matron chuckled.


    "Have you ever fought while riding a dragon before?"

 Chapter 379 - Raining Down Fire And Wind

    "Take cover! Protect yourselves!"


    "Watch for the skies! The two Hel- Fire Dragons are loose!"


    "Is there no way to stop them?!"


    "They''re working with the human! How is that possible?!"


    "Our numbers are dwindling! Where is the rest of our men?!"


    From above, the Matron and her child flew about freely, breathing mes from their heads. No demon could go against them whether on the ground or in the air, even those the flew were no match. The demons cried out to each other, trying to regroup and defend themselves.


    "Damn it! What about the cannons? The ballistae that we had? Where are they?"


    "They''re all destroyed! We tried to set them up but something keeps attacking them!"


    Aside from the bodies were piles of rubble from the aforementioned cannons and ballistae, each and every one of them ruined by Ming Yue. With her around, the two dragons could rampage as much as they wished.


    zing fires and powerful gales forced the remnant demons to panic and chaos ensued in their ranks.


    "Burn! Burn! All of you deserve death for capturing my kin!"


    The Matron''s voice roared out as all three heads looked to the skies and breath out mes. Her show of power brought fear into demon''s hearts.


    Down below, Du Xiu and Kong Zhi fought each other fiercely. The shockwave that came from their blows was enough to cause the ground beneath them to crack. The warhammer against the halberd axe shing against each other, created resounding ngs resembling the sound of a gong.


    Kong Zhi fought with both strength and speed, wielding his warhammer like it was a stick. Each hit was enough to crush a man and Du Xiu knew it. Even now, his body could not quite endure the strength of each strike. But what thismandercked in strength, he made up in speed and technique.


    His body was still within that pir of me and with each second, it grew hotter and hotter. His weapon glowed brighter and brighter, he was growing stronger.


    "It is your loss, Kong Zhi. This revolution of yours is over."


    Du Xiu''s voice was loud but still maintained that calmness. However, Kong Zhi smiled at those words.


    "My loss? It is not over yet, it is still undecided!"


    The Vajra Demon raised his warhamer over his head and behind his back, holding it with all six of his hands. It took a second but he swung out with a strike strong enough to smash a mountain.


    The Commander quickly sidestepped as the warhammer fell upon the ground. He put his foot on it, keeping the warhammer stuck as he thrusted his halberd axe forward.


    "Hou Yi''s Arrow"


    The de of his weapon glowed white from the intense heat as his thrust was swift, aiming to pierce Kong Zhi in the heart. Like an arrow, it flew straight and true.


    The demon let go of his warhammer and grabbed the halberd axe with all six arms, trying to stop the strike.


    "Urgh! Aghhh!"


    He gritted his teeth and screamed out as his hands burned away from grabbing the halberd so tightly. But he did not let go, instead, he tried to bend it, to break the de of it.


    "Hmph, stop struggling. You act proudly but you were no match for me then, and you are not one right now."


    With Kong Zhi still grabbing onto the halberd axe, Du Xiu pushed forward and shoved him to the ground.


    They struggled as the mes of themander began to sear the demon''s flesh. As much pain as he was in, Kong Zhi had to focus on pushing the halberd axe away. It inched closer and closer to his heart before he finally diverted the strike to the side, hitting the ground instead.


    "What?"


    With his halberd axe stuck in the ground, themander did not have enough time to pull it out before suffering a strike from Kong Zhi, knocking him back.


    But Du Xiu shook it off quickly and recovered, charging straight at the unarmed demon. Unlike the Matron, he has had a wealth of experience in taking hits. After all, this was a soldier at the cusp of the Heaven Realm and cultivated two paths.


    It could be said that he was the only one to have aplished so much.


    "This is the end, demon!" he shouted out while hacking down, mes burst out from his swing.


    Kong Zhi leapt away avoiding the strike as he ran towards themander, grabbing him by the head and driving it into the ground. There was so much force that Du Xiu''s head was stuck but he wasn''t going to go down easily.


    "Agh!"


    Kong Zhi winced from the pain as touching Du Xiu''s ming body came with a searing pain and this human wasn''t done yet. With his other arm, he grabbed the hand that gripped tightly to his face, keeping the demon where he was. The halberd axe swung out from the side and chopped down swiftly, biting into the demon''s back and burning the wound.


    The pain he felt was immense, like a poison that sought to melt his flesh.


    Kong Zhi pulled away quickly before running to grab his warhammer.


    Du Xiu''s body was still on the ground but slowly, he began to rise as if he didn''t feel a thing. There were perhaps a few bruises here and there, some small cuts but that was it. But his face said it all, downcast eyes and a frown was his expression.


    "I am disappointed in you. In our first battle, you retreated and promised to bring me down the next time we fought. But just like before, you back away from me. This so- called power of yours, what is the point of it if the result hasn''t changed."


    Kong Zhi red at him, the burns and injuries on his body slowly vanished, reced by new skin and flesh. But he was seething with anger, frustration that perhaps Du Xiu''s words were correct.


    "This is the power of my ancestors! You think that the result has yet to change?! You dare to insult the power of the Vajra Demon?! You don''t understand what it was like living in this hell! Where each day you fight some rotten scrap of food! There is nothing here for you to depend upon! Whether it is thend, the skies, or your ownrades, none of these things will give aid or mercy! And yet, you humans lived in such lushnds andfort!"


    His words echoed out, flying into the ears of everyone.


    Each line he spoke caused his men to feel that same anger, hatred for such unfairness. All of them had gone through those very experiences, where one could do nothing but depend on themselves. It was unfair, why was it that they had to suffer like this? Why was it that the humans did not suffer as they did?


    "You think that my Vajra Bloodline is a disappointment? You may feel disappointed for me but rage fills my very being when I see humans like you!"


    He then roared out loud as his magenta- colored eyes glowed and turned pure white. The power in his body exploded as he drew out more of his bloodline. His body began to change as the six arms were no longer that gray or even flesh. In fact, they vanished, leaving behind six stumps where all the energy he put out condensed into ethereal arms. They were white and featured tribalistic designs, exquisite patterns that which resembled the constetions of stars.


    The warhammer he carried fell to the ground as he took on this new form.


    Breathing out heavily, Kong Zhi stared at themander with his white eyes to which thetter returned with an equally intense re.


    "Come then, let me see if you are going to disappoint me once more."

 Chapter 380 - The Idol Of Chaos Arrives

    Ming Yue suddenly looked toward the location of those two, sensing the intensity and power of their battle. At the same time, Matron Shuang looked over as she focused on Kong Zhi.


    "A True Vajra Form... To think he is able to achieve this already."


    "True Vajra? What do you mean?"


    "Kong Zhi was of the Stone-skin demons but he must have had traces of Vajra Demon. Having found the Starlight Manor, he managed to change his bloodline and transform it into the Vajra Bloodline. For him to have achieved this form means that he is beginning to integrate even further with it", the Matron exined.


    "Now that he has activated this form, he is nigh unstoppable now", she said, "But that human is putting up a good fight, we should continue to thin out the demons before dealing with the next wave of demons."


    Ming Yue looked around, her eyes then showed a bit of confusion as she looked towards the advancing demons that were called.


    "Is something happening over there?" She asked.


    The Matron turned around and surveyed them before her eyes widened in surprise.


    "Someone else is there!"


    Off into the distance, they saw the oing army but they had been intercepted, slowed down by someone or something. From the skies came down lightning, pure white from which it changed into ck sparks crashing down. The clouds began to swirl wildly and more and more lightning crashed down.


    "This is... Primordial Lightning! It''s the Hundun n!"


    As the clouds churned and the thunderous lightning fell, a massive formation appeared in the skies, formed from the ck and white lightning. More and more of it gathered and coalesced and formed a chariot of lightning from which small spheres spread out, members of the Hundun n.


    And with them was a being of obsidian and lightning, it took Ming Yue just a split moment to recognize who it was.


    "It''s Dai Mian..." she muttered.


    "Who?"


    The Matron asked.


    "Who''s Dai Mian?"


    However, Ming Yue only stared at that man or perhaps it was better to describe him as a thing. What used to be his red ruby-like eyes were iridescent ones that shined of various colors. His once broken body seemed to be patched up with lightning but there was something very strange about him.


    "It''s not him... It''s not Dai Mian anymore..."


    The more she looked, the more she was sure of it, there was no trace of him in that body. It was like they reced him with something else. And when he spoke, it confirmed her thoughts.


    "Demons and Humans, feel the power of the Idol of Chaos, join the Hundun Sect or face death!"


    His voice was stiff like a real puppet and most importantly, it wasn''t even his real voice. It was like hundreds of voices meshed into one. Even if his voice was still there, it would be drowned out by the countless others.


    Matron Shuang nced over at Ming Yue before looking at the now named "Idol of Chaos" grimly.


    "Whoever that person was, they are gone now. The Hundun n must have destroyed their mind and used it for their own purposes. Calling itself the "Idol of Chaos", the situation is beginning to getplicated."


    The battle had grown to a greater height with the Hundun n''s entrance, all three powers were present now, a three- way struggle for power.


    "Tremble under the God of Chaos! Worship the one true lord! Fate is nothing but a paltry illusion! Destiny is but a false idea! Chaos is the truth!"


    The Idol of Chaos continued to spout words as its voice was magnified to reach everyone''s ears.


    But rage still fueled Kong Zhi, the words he heard only made him more furious.


    "The Hundun n?! Shut your fucking mouths!"


    He leaped away from Du Xiu and grabbed a spear from the ground with three of his ethereal hands. Filling it with his power, he threw it into the sky, straight at the Idol of Chaos. It flew fast, producing a booming sound as it shot up, piercing the Idol''s body only to disintegrate into nothing. But the attack caught the Idol''s attention, or rather it caught the attention of the entire n.


    "Lowly demon, you may have transcended to a higher level but you are no true Vajra. Repent and return to the Primordial Chaos!"


    Pointing its finger down, lightning crackled and thundered before a massive bolt came down from the skies, striking the spot where Kong Zhi stood.


    "You dare?!"


    In his True Vajra Form, he did not dodge and took the attack head- on. With all six of his glowing fists, he began to punch the lightning bolt, dispersing it bit by bit with each blow. Suddenly, everyone turned to the Hundun n with the fourmanders recognizing Dai Mian''s puppet body.


    The Idol of Chaos looked around before speaking once more, this time with a sadder tone.


    "It seems that no one here is willing to join the true cause. If that is the case, then the Primordial Chaos will be your end."


    Raising both of its hands, the clouds churned and churned with Ming Yue fully recognizing this energy. It was the remnant energy of thest Cmity and with the Idol of Chaos, the Hundun n could now utilize that power.


    Thundering echoed through the clouds and lightning cracked within them, the members of the Hundun n, those small sprites within their aura of lightning dancing around madly. It was like a ritual as lightning snaked down and touched their bodies.


    They were filled with joy and delight as their bodies turned to dust, waiting to join what they called "Primordial Chaos".


    And the lightning that absorbed them turned into various colors: violet, ck, crimson, white, and much more. The gray clouds then turned into a deep shade of violet before going pure ck. The thundering and cracking grew louder and deeper before finally, the Idol of Chaos pulled their hands down, facing towards the victims beneath it.


    "Shield yourselves! Run! Retreat! Find cover!"


    Everyone ran and shouted, trying to find somece to hide. Many of the humans and beasts retreated below Elder Shu''s tree which emanated a feeling of warmth andfort. The demons huddled together, forming shield walls and taking on defensive stances.


    Even as they tried, massive bolts of lightning struck down but they were no ordinary bolts. Other than the ominous colors, each bolt of lightning took on the shape of flowing rivers. They crashed into the ground and began to spread out, shocking whatever touched even a spark of it.


    Those already injured or weak died in an instant but with the Elder Shu''s final gift, the beasts and humans were able to survive with light losses. However, it wasn''t one wave of this. After all, those bolts were shaped like flowing rivers, it only continued to fall, killing more and decimating the ground. Even the demon reinforcements that Kong Zhi summoned faced losses from this.


    And with the Idol of Chaos up in the clouds, they had no way of retaliating, that was except for Ming Yue.


    "The gems!"


    She looked towards the cores in her sword before kneeling down to Matron Shuang.


    "Fly me up there and I can stop it!"


    The Matron did not even question it and began to circle around before flying towards the Idol of Chaos. Ming Yue''s condition was still good even after using Pale Moon, the bacsh was not as bad as she had thought forpressing its power down to a minute. The issue was whether she could repeat it once more, this time using the power of the gems in her sword.


    "I still have a fair amount of strength. Even if I don''t kill it, I will at least stop this."


    So long as her attack could disrupt the Idol of Chaos, it would give time for the others to escape.

 Chapter 381 - Weakness Is Defeat

    Through the lightning and thunder, the pair flew straight towards the Idol. Circting her energy, it coursed between her sword and her body, activating the two gems which began to glow.


    "Ugh..."


    In moments, the gems greedily devoured two- thirds of her energy, taking on a much brighter shine and Ming Yue poured even more of her strength. Her sword began to hum as the various forces came together, using her Quintessence Force as the vessel that carried the others.


    "You pitiful souls, do you wish to join our n? Come and see the truth of the world!"


    The Idol of Chaos was a mere puppet for the Hundun and it could not see their true intentions. It opened its arms wide as if to wee them but small bolts of lightning shot out.


    Matron Shuang flew swiftly, avoiding the strikes as they came closer to this ungodly being.


    ''Whatever you n to do, now would be the best time!"


    The dragon shouted out as Ming Yue focused.


    "Merge, merge together!"


    Return to Simplicity, if there were a time to reach the next stage of the Sword Dao, it would now. At this point, she was on the brink of it. Ming Yue knew the principle, now she had to put it into practice. She had seeded once against the Tao Feng and now she would need to seed again.


    Her whole being was ready for the constant battle had sharpened her mind. The young cultivator gripped her sword tightly and swung out in a natural manner, releasing an attack of wind, lightning, sword, soul, and mental energy. It flew out as a massive arc that which resembled a crescent moon, five different powers all meshed with the help of her Quintessence energy.


    All those on the ground couldn''t help but feel a sense of insignificance, a sense of dread.


    In front of this attack, they were simply nothing and there was nothing they could do to stop it. That was the sensation they felt when Ming Yueunched her attack, it could not be stopped nor could it be avoided, like a truth that could not be denied.


    From her simple swing came out a fearsome attack and the Idol of Chaos could not help but falter as the collective minds of the Hundun n felt a bit of fear within their hearts. However, they weren''t going to cower away, not when they had their Idol.


    "Insolent human! You dare attack the Idol of Chaos!"


    The many voices shouted out in anger as it directed its attention towards the attack. Its eyes glowed as two beams of lightning shot out but against this attack, it did nothing.


    Rather this brilliant crescent moon flew forth and through the Idol''s body, leaving behind a massive gash that ran from its chest down to its legs. Within it was the white and ck lightning that had condensed into its internal body. There was so much of it within its body that it all spilled out at once, sparking with an electric fury.


    "Aaagghhhhhh!"


    The collective voices screamed in pain and the Idol''s focus was broken. The flowing lightning ceased as it clutched the open wound.


    "Lowly being! You will pay for this! You will suffer the retribution of the Hundun!"


    The lightning formation crumbled as the chariot brought the Idol of Chaos away, retreating from the battlefield. And for the fight between Kong Zhi and the others, it had ended long ago.


    Why?


    Because both sides had been dealt massive losses and with the Hundun n''s sudden interference, they had another thing to be wary of.


    Du Xiu and Kong Zhi stared at each other, they locked eyes for just a few moments.


    "Shi Hou, we''re retreating."


    The Roaring King looked to him and nodded before turning around, his voice boomed out loud.


    "Retreat! The Lord demands it!"


    There was a silence before the demons of his army turned back. Some were unwilling but most understood, they were in no shape to continue. And Kong Zhi wasn''t stupid enough to just throw more bodies into this battle not when he knew that the Hundun n had finally made their move.


    "It is far from over. I will take this forest and destroy your strongholds."


    Speaking hisst words to Du Xiu, he released his True Vajra Form and turned back, leaving with his men.


    "Shi Hou, when we return, summon the other two. We have some things to discuss."*


    "Yes, my lord!"


    As he walked away, Ming Yue and the two Hel- Fire Dragons dropped down to the ground. Matron Shuang snarlednded right in front of Kong Zhi, all three of her heads pierced into his body as she snarled at him. However, he only chuckled and walked past her.


    "You can''t kill me now, your child still needs you."


    He taunted her before leaving and the Matron let him. If they fought now, the result would end with both of them dead. She would have obtained revenge for her child but that very child would be left without a mother. In the end, he walked away freely.


    But Kong Zhi felt only bitterness.


    "If only I had the power..." he thought, "I could destroy Du Xiu and that Hundun n."


    s, retreating was the only option he had.


    And so, the demons retreated, leaving the human armies and the beasts of the forest. This attempt of theirs to conquer the Boundless Beast Forest had failed but it did not mean that they would give up like this.


    Fortunately, for now, this was a victory for the others, one that came at a great cost.


    When the demons were gone, the various beasts gathered under the tree that Elder Shu left behind. Those that were free from the demon''s control returned to their families. Many of them were young, forced to fight each other as a way of entertainment. Now that they were free, these beasts could not help but shed tears.


    Ming Yue jumped off of the Matron and watched as she and her child gathered by the tree as well.


    The tree itself was beautiful, white leaves and flowers adorned it as petals fell with each passing second. Born from Elder Shu''s sacrifice, mournful howls and mews filled the air as the beasts rested by the tree.


    "I should bring Hua Xiong here, she would want to see this."


    Ming Yue looked at this scene, feeling the somber atmosphere. She then turned and looked to the soldiers of the Five Armies. Their weapons were sheathed whilst many of them dropped to the floor from exhaustion. But with the losses they incurred, the injured needed to be tended to. At the very least, Elder Shu''s tree was able to prevent many who would have died long ago.


    "If only I was stronger..." she thought, "Perhaps, Elder Shu would not have died. Perhaps, I could have ended this at the Merciless Storm Peak."


    Ming Yue began to walk towards them, taking out the medicine from her spatial ring. Whistling out loud, two shadows emerged from their hiding spot,ing up to her.


    "Hei Yue, Xiao Yin, help me treat the soldiers."


    The owl and fox blinked and nodded, understanding her instructions. Carrying the bandages and salves for her, they faithfully followed Ming Yue as she began to apply medicines to those that were heavily injured.


    "Oh thank you, Fairy."


    "It- it doesn''t hurt as much anymore."


    "Urgh, my arm..."


    "These bandages... thank you."


    "Fairy of the Moon, my wounds, thank you."


    Ming Yue was more than overwhelmed by this sight, so much pain and suffering in front of her. No matter how strong her mental fortitude was, she could not help but feelpassion for them. Bloodied faces and wrecked bodies, it was just a constant stream of one injured person to the next.


    It didn''t take long before she ran out of her own personal medicines.


    "If only I made more."


    There were at least several hundred that were injured but there were no pills to help heal them. After all, pills were expensive to make and even more expensive to purchase. Having enough for every soldier would cost over a hundred fortunes and no country had that amount of wealth.


    And the fourmanders gathered together as they looked around.


    "Damn it, our losses are much worse because of the Hundun n."


    "It couldn''t be helped, who would''ve thought that they would obtain something like this."


    "If only we were quicker."


    "If only we prepared better."


    "If only..."


    In this battle, they might have sessfully repelled Kong Zhi but it did not feel like a victory. Everyone realized it, their shorings, their weaknesses. It was a time of reflection for neither side gained anything, they only lost.


    But the war was not over, rather it was just getting started. Even more battles like these would erupt, more bodies would be piled on, more blood would be spilled.


    It was war and in war, weakness is defeat.

 Chapter 382 - The Next Step

    Days passed as the various groups just camped by the tree, resting, recuperating, enjoying this rare moment of peace. The blood from that battle had long seeped into the ground, bing food for the dirt. The beasts and soldiers who were unhurt worked to remove the bodies and bury them, even the demons too. They were enemies but they were not savages, there was a certain respect that all sides had.


    Other reinforcements and supplies came from the various strongholds to help with the recovery. Among them was Hua Xiong, who was immediately drawn to the tree. She walked towards it and the beasts made way for her toe right to it. cing her hand on it, tears began to form on her face.


    She said nothing and only mourned for Elder Shu.


    But soon after she stood up and walked away, going to the soldier camps. Many of the injured had already been bandaged up and watched over by Ming Yue and her two beasts.


    "Hua Xiong, you''re here."


    Ming Yue had long noticed her but did not greet her immediately. She wanted to give herrade a bit of time to mourn.


    Hua Xiong took in a breath before answering.


    "Yes, I''m here... I''m here."


    She looked around, gazing at the hundreds of injured men and women. Some had lost limbs, others suffered cuts and burns, many injuries. The sweet scent of medicine wafted into the air, mixing with the ever- present scent of blood.


    "There''s so much pain here."


    Her eyes showed nothing but sadness and mncholy. Then she opened both hands and ced them in front of her mouth. Her palms began to glow white and gold before a soft green color encapsted them.


    "A Single Breath of Life."


    Hua Xiang gently blew out, letting the energy scatter like dust and fall upon each and every soldier. In moments, their countenance was no longer as pale as many of their pained expressions softened.


    Ming Yue looked around, feeling the gentle warmth of this energy.


    "I am the new Forest Keeper now. This is something he would have done for helping us", said Hua Xiong.


    She then turned to Ming Yue, her eyes were soft, filled with a sense of eptance.


    "I know that you have been searching for me but I don''t want to leave this forest. This is the only thing I have left to call home. I''m sorry."


    Hua Xiong gave a small bow in gratitude to which Ming Yue raised her up.


    "No, If this is what you want, it isn''t my ce to force you otherwise. I hope that you will rebuild that vige and keep it safe."


    Hua Xiong nodded.


    "Thank you, thank you everything."


    The new Forest Keeper turned and left, joining the denizens of the forest in their grieving. Ming Yue watched her go and Xue Yue suddenly spoke out.


    "So you didn''t fail this time."


    "No, I survived and the forest was not taken. You didn''t even need toe out either."


    "I did not but... what do you n now?"


    Ming Yue paused, thinking about what she was to do after this. Things have changed massively in the past several months and it hade to a point where she wasn''t sure she could continue.


    "I have to inform the Grand Elder and those in the Human Continent. After this, I suppose I will continue to fight in this war", she answered.


    "Are you sure? You''ve seen the carnage, do you think you will bear with it?" asked Xue Yue.


    She looked around as she heard that question.


    The scenes were still very fresh in her mind but to some degree, she wasn''t as bothered as she thought she''d be. Having killed before, the blood and viscera was nothing new but she was so used to clean kills. a single swing to end a fight.


    The savagery and brutality waspletely new, the scenes were fresh in her mind. What seemed just as daunting was the scale of it all, it was not dozens but hundreds of lives being lost every second.


    Her heart trembled ever so slightly as the scenes reyed themselves. Her view from the skies and her time being surrounded by demons shed in her mind, she never quite paid attention to the bodies she killed, Ming Yue only focused on the next target. It was beginning to dawn on her, the amount of death she had created but she shook it off.


    "Yes, I''ll be fine."


    She turned and began to patrol through the soldiers, making sure that none of them were getting worse.


    "1600 demons."


    "What?"


    "That''s how many you''ve killed in this battle and that number will go up."


    "It doesn''t matter how many I''ve killed, I will kill more until this all ends."


    "I see."


    Xue Yue no longer spoke and Ming Yue continued her work. After making her rounds, she asked around for themanders before being led to their tent.


    "They''re all in this tent and we''ve already informed them that you''re here, pleasee in."


    One of the soldiers opened the tent p, allowing Ming Yue to enter ande face to face with fourmanders of the Five Armies.


    Du Xiu sat at the back of the tent while the other three sat by the sides. All of them turned to look at her.


    "Ming Yue or shall I call you Fairy of the Moon?" Du Xiu chuckled.


    "No, just Ming Yue is fine, Seniors."


    She cupped her fists and bowed to greet them.


    "Ah, the one sent by Heaven''s Gate, that is you?" asked Yu Zhen.


    "Yes, I was sent here by the Grand Elder himself", she responded.


    "Interesting, you are not a soldier but you fight very well for someone of your age, young one."


    Gao Riplimented her and gave a nod of approval.


    "Yes, Ming Yue! Ahaha, you fought incredibly, that sh of light, those powerful winds. That final attack on the Idol of Chaos! You''re talented! Incredibly so!"


    Seated by the right of Du Xiu was none other than Nie Xia who had quite a number of bandages but still carried a smile on his face.


    "Thank you."


    Du Xiu looked at hisrades and then turned to her.


    "So then, what is it that you wish to tell us?" he asked.


    She looked at them all and began to speak.


    "I need to inform the Grand Elder about what has transpired here. I wanted to know if I can perhaps send a message to him quickly. The one that I have been searching for has died but still lives on."


    All of themanders put on a serious face as their eyebrows furrowed.


    "We can send a message to the Grand Elder through the High Council but... what do you mean?" Du Xiu asked, "How could that man have died but still live?"


    "That Idol of Chaos is Dai Mian, the Tao Feng''s Sect Leader, the one I have been tasked to look for. He is dead for his mind has been destroyed but still lives for the Hundun n has taken control of his body. He has turned from one evil to another", she exined.


    "That thing is him?" Nie Xia eximed, "...Shooting lightning from his fingertips and eyes?!"


    They were all surprised by this revtion. Who would have thought that such a thing would ur?


    "Are you sure?" Yu Zhen asked.


    Ming Yue nodded.


    "I can recognize his appearance from anywhere and his powers... they are the same as they were in the Human Continent. The only difference is that they are much more powerful this time."


    Du Xiu rubbed his chin as he thought carefully.


    "If that is the case, then we must tell the High Council immediately and wait for their wisdom. As for you, will you be waiting or will you still go after that man?" he asked.


    "I will wait, he is not alive and yet he still walks among us.. As for what I will do next, I will wait for the Grand Elder first before deciding."

 Chapter 383 - Wasted Potential

    "In that case, you cane with us back to the Iron Citadel. Once we return, this information will be sent and a response wille in a few days", said Du Xiu.


    The othermanders nodded in agreement before fixing their eyes on Ming Yue.


    "Thank you, I will be on your care then, Seniors."


    She cupped her fists and bowed before exiting the tent, leaving themanders by themselves. They all looked at each other before Nie Xie spoke up.


    "So, she''s talented, isn''t she?" he said.


    The others looked at him and nodded beforementing.


    "The next generation is certainly a terrifying one."


    Yu Zhen chuckled as she went to sip her cup of tea.


    "She has talent but she also has worked incredibly hard to get to where she is."


    Gao Ri crossed his arms, still thinkong about what he was able to surmise about Ming Yue. Du Xiu looked at them all before making his own evaluations.


    "She is strong and decently experienced for her age but some of her potential is wasted. Do you remember thatst attack she made aginst the Idol of Chaos?" he asked.


    "Yes, it was beautiful, almost like a moon in the sky. Although, trying to counter something like that would be difficult for any one of us", Yu Zhen replied.


    "It is strong but there''s something missing, don''t you think? It''s as if she had not utilized one of her strengths."


    "What do you mean?"


    The other threemanders were rather confused by Du Xiu''s words. He chuckled at them.


    "If Zi Jing was here, he might''ve noticed. Didn''t any of you realize that while she ispatible for the Wind Dao and the Sword Dao, she has also tempered her body with something else? That energy is present in her body but she doesn''t utilize it, Imagine if she did. how much stronger do you think that attack would''ve been? If she properly cultivated that, she will have trouble taking that final step into Return to SImplicity."


    Through his words, themanders reyed the scene over again in their hands. It took a minute or so before they understood that he was right, Ming Yue had yet to reach her full potential.


    "You are right, it really is missing something, an iplete attack, and just on the edge ofpletion..." said Nie Xia.


    Gao Ri''s face turned to a frown, understanding what he meant.


    "It''s a fearsome attack but it could certainly improve. If she doesn''t cultivate that path of her''s, then it would be a waste."


    "Then what? Do you want to tell her?" Yu Zhen asked.


    Du Xiu shook his head.


    "There''s no need to, she''s bound to realize it herself, especially after attcking the Hundun n. Whether she wants to or not, it is something she will need", he exined.


    Bringing his hands together, he rested his chin on them.


    "In any case, we will be heading off soon. Most of our soldiers have recovered enough to make the journey back. Fortunately, this event has allowed us a chance to forge some rtions with the beasts of the forest. With this, we will be able to create some outposts and keep watch. We''ll set them up..."


    Themanders began their strategic meeting in private as Ming Yue vetured into the outer reaches of the destroyednd. Finding a spot, she sat down on the ground, leaning on the tree whilst her two pets snuggled in with her.


    Alone with these two, she looked at camps and the gathering beasts, watching with a bit of interest. She then looked up at the sky from which the gray clouds covered the skies and thought back to thest attack she made against the Idol of Chaos.


    Looking at her hands and back to her sword, she recalled the sensation, how the varying energies merged andbined. Considering that this was her second time, she felt it much more closely, the finer details and became more ustommed to it.


    "I could probably recreate that much more easily now but..."


    Indeed, Du Xiu was right, she would realize it soon enough but he didn''t think it would be this soon.


    "Something''s missing but what?"


    Of course, the answer was quite obvious but she had nearly forgotten about it.


    "What could it be? What could it be?"


    The question repeated itself in her mind as she tried to find out what exactly she was missing. She began to fish through her spatial ring, taking out the contents within. Rations, beast materials, medicine ingredients and finally a few books came out, neatly stacked on top of each other. All three of them were new, probably untouched even and that caught her eye.


    "Hmm, a copy of that book of paintings I gave to the Archive of Six Gates, then the Stormde Dance Manual from the Eternal de Sect and finally.... the Lightning Dao Manual from Elder Xia."


    She looked at all three of the books, suddenly realizing what she was missing.


    "The Lightning Dao!"


    "So you finally remembered. As much as you like using the Wind Dao, it isn''t a good idea to just abandon the Lightning Dao."


    Xue Yue''s voice teased her which in turn had made Ming Yue just a little bit angry.


    "I didn''t abandon it, it was suppose to support the Wind Dao." she replied.


    "But did you actually use it? Did you even incorporate it to your attacks?"


    Those questions came in quick and left Ming Yue silent.


    "I thought so. Ming Yue, you''ve been cultivating the Lightning Dao when it was convenient. It was more like an afterthought for you but you should now what sort of opportunity you''re wasting."


    "I don''t need you to tell me, Xue Yue. I know it well."


    Considering that she''s tempered her body and absorbed quite a bit of power from the Merciless Storm Peak, she had a wealth of Lightning Dao Energy within her. If It weren''t for that, she wouldn''t have been able to get close to the Idol of Chaos without getting hurt.


    "Good, I''m going back to sleep."


    And Xue Yue''s voice vanished, leaving her counterpart to think.


    Ming Ye had all of that energy, waiting to be utilized yet she ever did but now she had to think.


    "How can I merge it with my Wind Dao? It''s already at the True Dao Stage."


    Indeed, her True Dao was the Dao of Everchanging Winds. Wind that flew wherever it pleased, attacks that could not be predicted, anticipated, how could she merge it with the Lightning Dao?


    "I''m going to have to read through those books", she thought and picked up all three of them.


    Of them all, she opened up the Lightning Dao Manual and began to peruse it. She continued to read until the sun rose up and finally put the book down. Having given it serious attention, she began to exercise her control of lightning but it was still rough.


    Opening her palm, she focused on the Lightning Dao Energy, letting ite out of her body. Sparks flew out before forming a ball but it burst out and vanished.


    "I thought so, I''ve only been able to cultivate it but as far as using it... It''s going to be troublesome."


    Unlike wind, lightning was much quicker and much more powerful which made it hard to control. She spent to entire morning trying to create a ball of lightning ad maintain it but each attempt ended with failure.


    "Damn it, If I had focused on it earlier, it woudn''t have been so hard to control. But I''ve absorbed so much of it, its difficult to even draw out a little bit of it."


    Strangely enough, she was met with a problem that few encounter, she had so much power that she could barely control it without having it go berserk. Something like this was even more troublesome as she could risk losing control and hurting herself internally.


    At worst, she could destroy her internal organs if the Lightning Dao Energy was let loose.

 Chapter 384 - The Book Of Paintings

    Ming Yue didn''t have much time to practice as she had to make her rounds through the injured soldiers and after another day or two, everyone was packing up to leave. A few detachments were left behind to help Hua Xiong guard the forest, a gesture she epted kindly.


    As the armies lined up and organized themselves, Ming Yue walked back to her friend to say onest goodbye. In their final moments in front of each other, Hua Xiong stepped forward and hugged her closely.


    "Thank you."


    She whispered into Ming Yue''s ears before letting go of her. They looked at each other before Ming Yue cupped her fists and bowed.


    "If you ever need help, just ask and I wille. If the Boundless Beast Forest were to find trouble, I will do my best to help", she replied before departing with the soldiers.


    As she turned, she saw Matron Shuang and her child look at her and lower their heads in gratitude for it was she that freed the young Hel- Fire Dragon. She nodded towards them and turned back.


    Thus, Ming Yue moved with the soldiers back into the forest, a trip that took several days from which it was quiet and peaceful.


    For a time, blood was not shed for too much had already been spilled and to fight would be disrespectful to Elder Shu''s passing. Along the way there the various soldiers all ced their attention towards her, often sneaking nces and whispering among each other. It was in this battle that she made herself known to the martial world.


    "Isn''t that the Fairy of the Moon?"


    "She was at the battle, wasn''t she?"


    "From what I hear, before we arrived, she dived right into the enemy ranks and starting killing them off by the tens."


    "And that sh of light from before! If it wasn''t because of that, we wouldn''t have been able to find where the battle was so easily!"


    "You know, I asked around and talked with the soldiers from Commander Nie Xia''smand, she''s not even twenty and already has the power to contend with themanders!"


    "Don''t you think that''s a little too farfetched? I mean she''s so young! Or maybe, she''s one of those old monsters..."


    Just as these two began whispered amongst themselves, a third soldier joined in.


    "Psh, you guys must not have seen it! She rode one of the Hel- Fire Dragons and fought Kong Zhi, even managed to free the other dragon! If you don''t believe me, ask around! Plenty of us saw it!"


    "And don''t forget thatst attack when the Hundun n arrived! Do any of you think you could''ve dodged that? Such a beautiful attack?"


    "Ah, that was... that was something."


    "Beautiful yet distant, cold yet kind, and strong... Fairy of the Moon, hm... A rather fitting name."


    "Hah, are you a poet now? A fan? Come on, let''s get going! We''ve got a lot of ground to cover!"


    "Yes, sir!"


    Conversations like these sprouted throughout the armies making it impossible for Ming Yue to not catch wind of it. However, she wasn''t bothered by it, rather she ced more attention on cultivating the Lightning Dao instead.


    Even as they marched, she would circte the electric energy within her, trying to control it as she formed it from her palms. There was certainly progress but not to a point where she was satisfied. It could only be described as a snail''s pace.


    After all, she had several years of carefully cultivating and practicing the Wind Dao. At this point, she only had perhaps a month''s worth of experience with the Lightning Dao if she included her time in Merciless Storm Peak.


    "Damn, this ispletely different from the Wind Dao, so wild and disorderly. Trying to control at the same level is going to take a while", she thought.


    It was like she went back to being a beginner again.


    Small sparks shot out of her fingertips, threatening to strike anything close to it. Hei Yue and Xiao Yin weren''t even by her side, rather they were just a bit behind her. After an idental zap, neither of them dared to stay close to her.


    Ming Yue tried to be as careful as possible, letting out just a tiny fraction for her to use. But the amount of Lightning Dao energy in her body was immense and the moment she used it, the energy surged like a rushing river. She had to watch it carefully or else she would end up bursting out with a field of lightning.


    After marching and practicing for the whole day, the armies camped for the night where Ming Yue found a more isted area to practice.


    She sat cross- legged with the Lightning Dao Manual in one hand and lightninging out of the other. Reading the manual carefully, sheprehended the words quietly.


    "Lightning, quick and fierce, powerful and unrelenting, of the various Daos, this is a difficult path to walk for it is dangerous. Lose control and you will be dust... Creating different forms with lightning requires the outer body to be able to handle the power. Thus, one must temper the body in order to withstand the pain..."


    These things she had already understood before, her body had been tempered by lightning several times already. She read further in, slowly getting lost in the words.


    "Attack with the Lightning Dao must be swift and without hesitation... It is a beast of its own, unruly in its own way... To master it and make it a True Dao is to understand its nature and control it as if it is you... Observe the clouds, the storms, the air and you will realize the intensity and power that the Lightning Dao has."


    "Observe the clouds, the storms, the air..." she repeated.


    Ming Yue then put away the manual and took out a copy of the book of paintings, looking at it with interest.


    She sighed as it brought up her earlier years. This was one of the first treasures she ever found, a ragged book of paintings whom she found out to have been a collection of paintings by an expert known as the Savant of a Hundred shes.


    In an attempt to reach the Heaven Realm, this expert sought to study the storms and paint them, creating various collections. In time, he did break through but found a new hobby as well, painting storms when he had the time.


    Opening up this book of paintings, she studied them, trying toprehend the secrets. The paintings were of storms in every form, from their creation to their end. There was one depicting the calm before the storm.


    "It''s certainly not the same."


    Shemented, finding that while the paintings were urate, they did not carry the same feeling as the original. Of course, this was only a copy, if Ming Yue wanted to see the real one, she would''ve needed to go back to Heaven''s Gate. For now, though, this copy was enough.


    She flipped through each page, studying themte into the night.


    Despite having all of this energy, she had little knowledge of the origin of lightning and its nature.


    How does lightning form? In what shape does it take? How does it move? What sort of power was behind each bolt?


    Thinking on these questions, Ming Yue thought back to her past experiences with this part of nature, the tenseness of the air, the electrifying sensation, and the raw power it gave off. From the Unstable Peak of Clear Spring Mountain to the Bolt of the Heavens summoned forth against Dai Mian, she gathered these memories together, using them to further her understanding of the Lightning Dao.


    Slowly but surely, she was making progress, day after day.


    But time was not on her side as she continued to march with the armies before arriving at the Iron Citadel, the ce that Nie Xia oversaw and it was a fortress- like no other.

 Chapter 385 - A Chance To Relax

    The Iron Citadel, situated near the center of the Demon Continent could be described with one word, hectic. It was a solemn- looking fortress with very heavy defenses including several walls and various towers. There were soldiers everywhere, training hard and doing mock battles with each other.


    As it was Nie Xia''s fortress, many of them were experts in closebat, using one''s own hands to fight along with swords and other types of weapons. But it was differentpared to the North Fort, the atmosphere wasn''t quite as tense.


    Rather, everyone seemed to move with a smile, they were very friendly with each other.


    Everyone arrived in a tired manner but was weed by the soldiers of the Iron Citadel.


    The gates were opened wide as everyone was lined up outside. As soon as the fourmanders arrived they marched forward and saluted.


    "The soldiers of the Iron Citadel wees the Commanders!"


    Nie Xia stepped forward with a proud look on his face.


    "Good! Good! It is good to be back! Ahahahah!"


    Heughed out loud before entering, leading everyone in.


    When Ming Yue entered, she couldn''t help but feel amazed at the sheer size of the Iron Citadel.


    "It''s like a small city!" she thought, "No, it is a city!"


    The Citadel itself was encircled by three walls, each one thicker than thest and fortified heavily. But there were things between each wall, barracks, training grounds and a number of other establishments. There were hundreds of soldiers along with craftsmen and cksmiths.


    But when she finally went past the third wall, there was a town inside, with houses and shops, ces to eat and rx in. The armies stopped walking here and the fourmanders turned around to them.


    "Alright! We will rest here for the day and return to our bases! Is that clear!"


    They shouted out instructions and their soldiers responded with a


    "Good! Dismissed!"


    Slowly, they drifted apart, wandering through the Iron Citadel. Some took it as an opportunity to sleep, others chose to explore the ce, but everyone spent this day rxing. The same went for Ming Yue who walked around with interest.


    "I wonder what is around here?"


    Noticing that she wasn''t shooting out lightning from her hands, Hei Yue and Xiao Yin walked back up to her and stuck close to her this time. Strolling through the cobbled streets, there were plenty of ces to eat but many of them sold grilled and barbecued meats.


    It didn''t take long for her stomach to gurgle and for the two beasts by her side to drool from their mouths.


    "Hm, I think I''ll go here."


    Stopping at one of the stores, this ce had the most fragrant of smells,plex in vor but more importantly, delicious. Ordering her food, she sat by one of the empty tables and waited for the food toe.


    "Here you are! And for your furry friends too! Our Braised Duck, Crispy Pork Belly, Broli and Oyster Sauce, and some white rice!"*


    The waiter came quickly with several tes of food along with a separate tter for the fox and owl. All sorts of smells wafted into the air as Ming Yue began to divvy the food up for the two beasts, giving them both a drumstick along with a bunch of other parts.


    All three of them enjoyed this dinner, taking their time and savoring the taste. The mix of aromatics used in each dish seemed to fill several different tastes: salty, sweet, sour, etc. It was a refreshing meal, especially after several months of dried rations and water.


    She finished by the time the sunset and went off after paying for the food.


    Wandering through some more, Ming Yue returned and found herself at one of the many barracks. Considering that her face and clothes were easily recognized by the soldiers, she was led to one of the empty rooms immediately.


    "There is a public bath here and it is separated into two different times for men and women. Currently, it is the men''s turn but the women''s wille shortly. If you would like to bathe your beasts, you can do so in there."


    They casually exined the rules and whatnot before saluting and leaving her to her own devices.


    She looked around before sitting on the bed. It was quite spacious, having a small table and a chest to put her things in. There was a window facing towards the walls, allowing a bit of the moonlight toe in.


    She took a deep breath and fell back onto the bed, looking up at the ceiling.


    "What is the next step..." she thought.


    "I have to wait for the Grand Elder but what would he say? Will I return to the Human Continent? Stay here? No, I''ve already thrown myself into this war, I can''t just go so easily. They''ve already ced a target on my back, that is without a doubt."


    Not only did she catch Kong Zhi''s attention but she also killed one of his three kings. On top of that, she already angered the Hundun n by attacking their Idol of Chaos.


    "This... is quite a situation."


    Mentally, she took a step back, thinking about it from arger perspective. At that point, she couldn''t help but smirk and chuckle.


    "How did I end up here?"*


    She asked herself this but couldn''t answer it. She was young and up until a few years ago, she was just a simple vige girl. But the thought quickly faded as the memory of the demon vige resurfaced.


    "Ah, I wonder what happened to those demons... Will they ever go back?"


    Her eyes showed a tinge of sadness, the few scenes of peaceful happiness she saw there.


    "Where do I go from here?"


    That was the one question she always pondered. Moving from one ce to another, she was nothing more than a wanderer. Before the loneliness could set in, she heard a bell chime.


    "Must be the baths... Come on you two, we should get you cleaned up."


    Heading towards the baths together, Ming Yue undressed and ced her clothes into a basket before entering.


    "Woah..."


    Inside, there was a gentle mist from the warm water constantly passing from the spouts and into the baths. It wasrge and open, equipped with stools, buckets, and towels. Considering that the switch had just happened, there were several dozen other women bathing and washing off the scent of blood and metal.


    The sounds of conversation andughter echoed in the air only to suddenly turn dead silent as soon as these neers came. Ming Yue looked around, covering herself with a towel as did a few others.


    She walked through with Xiao Yin and Hei Yue clinging closely to her as she sat on one of the stools and began to fill a free bucket with water.


    "Is that her?"


    "I think it is."


    "She''s so young... and her skin is like porcin!"


    They began to whisper amongst each other as the topic of their whispers washed the owl and fox, cleaning them of any dirt and grime. Ming Yue noticed it but ignored this, not letting such things bother her. It didn''t take long before one of them gathered the courage to step forward.


    "Hey, you''re the one called the Fairy of the Moon, right?" she asked.


    Ming Yue turned and nodded, wondering what would happen next. Were they going to pick a fight? Make some snide remarks? Compliment her? Ask for a sparring session. There were many things that could happen but of all the things she thought could''ve happened, she wasn''t quite expecting this response.


    "How do you keep your skin so clear?"


    The female soldier suddenly blurted out in a curious voice.


    "I''m sorry, what?"

 Chapter 386 - Lord Of Azure Souls

    "Your skin, it''s so clean and clear. How do you do it? With the constant fighting and what not, you haven''t had any scars or blemishes? How do you do it?" she asked.


    Ming Yue was dumbfounded by the question.


    "My... skin? I don''t do anything special..."


    Her words were quiet but it got everyone riled up.


    "Nothing?"


    "What? Really?"


    All of the sudden, they crowded around her in curiosity. Dozens of them surrounded her, taking closer glimpses and looking at each other in shock.


    "How is that even possible?"


    "You look so delicate! Does cultivating to the Earth Realm do this to you?"


    "How old are you?"


    "What kind of experience did you have?"


    Ming Yue was taken aback, bombarded by questions she wasn''t even sure how to answer.


    Hei Yue saw her helpless state and leaped out looking at the other soldiers with a cold look. Not to mention, that Snow Owl of hers was about to p its wings and attack.


    "No, stop you two!"


    She scolded them quickly before answering the curious soldiers as best as she could. Strangely enough, she found this experience somewhat familiar.


    "This is like when I first came to the brothel. All of the women there kept asking me questions, Cui Fen protected me that time but I''ll be on my own this time", she thought.


    It was a strange feeling but a sense of closeness began to form between her and the soldiers.


    "You''re already at the Earth Realm and you''re not even twenty years old!"


    "You must be a genius! And you''re not even one of those nobles or from a n but a vige girl like us. How exciting! Where in the continent are you from?"


    "Did you learn from a master? What sect did you go to?"


    "Ah, we''re barely out of the Human Realm ourselves..."


    "Well, there''s only so many resources that we can get. In the end, it''s all about talent, isn''t it?"


    Theymented while learning more about her as she did to them.


    Man or woman, they were just ordinary soldiers, many of whom were farmers or vigers that joined in hopes of making a name for themselves or to secure a better life for their families.


    "Barely out of the Human Realm..."


    Ming Yue looked at the soldiers, finding that all of them were at this very Realm. The highest of which was at the Ninth Level, just one shy of reaching the Earth Realm. Most of them were older than her by a few years, even as they conversed excitedly with her, she could see that they were weary. It was a detail that seemed to stick with her even after she left the bath.


    The conversation had slowly transformed into gossip from which she could barely follow, thus she excused herself. Returning to her room with the well-cleaned fox and owl, she promptly went to bed but she couldn''t go to sleep. As good as that bath was, there were simply too many things on her mind, of them all were the soldiers.


    "They were all Human Realm, weren''t they?"


    She couldn''t help but get hung up on this.


    "What? Do you think they''re too weak?" Xue Yue blurted out.


    "No, no. It''s just... no, it''s nothing."


    Covering herself in the nkets, she soon fell asleep, awakening to a fresh day.


    Ming Yue saw the sun rise up and got out of her bed, leaving her sleeping pets whilst she went out. It wasn''t particrly busy outside, there were patrols here and there. Some of the training fields were being used but she soon found one that was unupied.


    She took out Drifting Sky, checking the de for any nicks but there would never be one.


    Then the young cultivator took a stance and began her sword practice. At first, they were simple swings, one step forward, one step back. They were slow and controlled but as time passed, she went faster and faster, practicing only the techniques that required her sword.


    She was focused and she wasposed, her body moved from one corner to another as her de flickered. Light would sh in a split second whenever the sunlight hit the t of her de.


    Up until it was time for breakfast, she practiced without rest.


    And when she stopped, she felt someone''s eyes on her.


    Ming Yue looked and found someone watching her, their hands rested behind their back as they did so. This person was familiar, a cold aura that which emanated a chilly feeling. His eyes carried a deep blue color as his hair was shaved on one side, the rest was flowing behind his back. His clothes were exquisite, patterned robes of white and blue, ented with a bit of gray.


    His face was emotionless, a handsome man with a nk look. Something about him didn''t seem quite right.


    It didn''t take long for her to recognize this person, especially when he spoke.


    "I didn''t think I''d see you here, girl. I thought you''d still be in that little country, fighting in tournaments and whatnot."


    Talking with a bit of surprise, he walked closer to her and examined the young woman.


    "Nearly at the Sky Realm... Talent like yours is somewhat hard toe by."


    She did not turn her de towards him but instead sheathed it.


    "The Lord of Azure Souls... Why are you here?" she asked.


    "Why do you think? The war, no? When the High Council heard the news of what had happened here, they quickly dispatched all Thirteen Messengers, me being one of them."


    "The High Council? The one you mentioned at the tournament, you are with them?"


    "Smart, yes, I am. I am also here with a message from the Grand Elder for you."


    He then passed on a letter to her before promptly floating and flying towards the inner regions, most likely to speak with the Commanders. However, Ming Yue suddenly called out to him.


    "Did you really have to terrorize the Red Lotus Country? Taking over bodies and killing others just to cause fear?" she asked.


    He stopped mid-air and turned back to her.


    "I suppose you''re strong enough to know the truth..." He said.


    Coming back down he walked up to Ming Yue giving her a contemtive look.


    "I deemed it a necessary action, yes. Bing a viin just so your country would not join this war effort, was the most efficient way. After all, fear is a very powerful tool and I''ve done this to several other countries as well."


    He chuckled as he spoke.


    "I''ve gained quite a number of titles though, Lord of Azure Souls was my favorite."


    "So you could not have warned us? You had to put on a show at the tournament?"


    Ming Yue was somewhat surprised and irritated at his words.


    "Sometimes a show is needed and besides, warning your little countries? You''re naive. Protecting those countries, keeping them from the war is the best course of action."


    "Why?"


    "It is a measure of safety, a n in case something worse is toe. What little strength these small countries have should be preserved and allowed to grow because... Should we be pushed back into the Human Continent, should the Six Kingdoms and the High Council fail, these small nations will be thest bastion of hope."


    As he spoke, his gaze turned very serious and his voice had be solemn. But it was only for a moment as he rxed his expression and turned to leave.


    "Of course, that is if that were to happen. Now I have my own things to do, you should go read that letter and decide on your next course of action."


    Just like that, he flew off, leaving Ming Yue with the message in her hands.. She looked at it and returned to her room.

 Chapter 387 - A Target On Her Back

    Opening it up, she began to read the letter from the Grand Elder.


    "Ming Yue,


    With the recent developments of this war, I cannot in good conscience ask you to continue to keep watch of what remains of my master. At the same time, I feel as if your presence in the Demon Continent is needed.


    Our ownnds are still a bit chaotic as criminals and evil cultivators have run amok. However, recovery is growing smoothly. If it serves to ease you, your home of the Red Lotus Country is faring well. The damage from the Heavens was not as bad as we had initially thought. With that said, that badge I handed you will allow you to pass between the two continents. If you wish to return, you can do so at any time.


    I wish you good health and thank you for your help."


    She looked up from the letter with a contemtive expression.


    "So I''m free to do anything then. I thought that there would be more but... what do I want to do now?"


    Ming Yue wasn''t quite sure.


    "Wait, the map!"


    Remembering that she had such a thing, she took it out and unfurled it, studying the ces around her. Even after looking everywhere, she couldn''t decide on where she was headed to now.


    "I could always hunt down the rest of the Tao Feng but there is no point anymore. Maybe south?"


    In the end, she wasn''t sure and so, this decision would be put off forter.


    "Ah, breakfast first, I should eat something."


    Putting the letter away, she left her room once more, this time with Hei Yue and Xiao Yin.


    But while she went off, the undercurrents of the Demon Continent grew ever fiercer.


    In the northwest, where the Hundun n flourished in the mountains under the remnant Cmity Energies, the Idol of Chaos stood at the center, slowly absorbing that energy and healing from the wounds. As for the demons of this n, they all surrounded the Idol, chanting and praying in front of it.


    The clouds churned ever so violently as ck lightning cracked down. There were no homes here, no sign of any buildings, not even caves to shield other beasts from the constant storms. It was just the Hundun n, these demons that which emitted a sphere of lightning, obscuring their figures from anyone''s eyes.


    But their true appearance was like no other, small fairies whose hair seemed to be made out of lightning. Their wings were that of a butterfly''s and their naked bodies resembled that of a person but ethereal as well.


    However, their faces were enough to horrify a person. Twisted in anger and rage for the injuries that the Idol sustained.


    "HERETIC! SINNER! TAKE REVENGE ON THE ONE THAT DENIES THE CHAOS GOD! PUNISH AND DESTROY! ALL WILL RETURN TO CHAOS!"


    The collective voices of the n echoed from the Idol''s body, talking with an anger that could not be subdued.


    "BE HEALED AND RETURN! KILL THE HERETICS! KILL THE ONE THAT DARES HARM US!"


    The Hundun n were beyond angry. In their mind, Ming Yue was the first person they had to eliminate, the first to punish. But with no way to find her, she could only let their anger seethe.


    "SHOW THE WORLD THE TRUTH! ENTER THE ENCOMPASSING VOID!"


    They continued to chant, guiding the Cmity Energy into the Idol, healing the huge gashes in its body. The Idol itself, stood still, unmoving and just epting this power. Any semnce of Dai Mian was nowhere to be found, destroyed by the Hundun n.


    It wouldn''t take long now and soon, the Hundun n will make their move.


    Their territory only included the very mountains they lived in. Whatever action they take, battle was sure to break out.


    In the South West was where Kong Zhi''s forces resided, various camps were created all throughout the region. They were crudely made, tents created from the pelts of dead beasts, fire pits used to cook whole bodies. There were even small arenas for warriors to battle.


    But in onerge tent was where Kong Zhi resided, he sat on this earthen throne, staring at the two demons in front of him. One was Shi Hou, the Roaring King, his horns which had cracked against the fight with Nie Xia had been bandaged up. The other was Hai Zhu, the Tide King, tasked with taking over the Cerulean Serpent''s Lake.


    He was in fact, a Water Demon, his bluish body was scaled and slightly moist. His matted hair was untied andid behind his back and his fingers were webbed. Hai Zhu''s face was strange to say the least, he had no nose, only two holes for nostrils. His eyes were muchrger and bulged slightly outward. More than likely he fought underwater.


    There wasn''t much emotion on his face, perhaps it was because his face was incapable of doing so. It was stiff and almost unmoving.


    His weapon was the nine-pronged trident that shimmered like water under the sun. His armor was the same, it was also scaled and flexible, sticking close to his body. All of it must have been created by Deepwater Steel.


    "So he''s dead then."


    Kong Zhi muttered quietly before scoffing.


    "Yes, my lord, that is what we learned from our contacts with the Mu n", said Shi Hou, "He and his squad of men were all killed by a human."


    "Hmph, he was the weakest one anyways. Still, it was that girl who did it... She has the potential to match themanders or those Messengers in strength, she might even grow stronger than that."


    Immediately, the image of Ming Yue popped into his mind, making him grimace in realization. That was one more person he had to watch for. She was already a thorn by his side and in time, she would only grow sharper. But there were other matters to attend to.


    "Hai Zhu, how goes theke?"


    The Tide King stepped forward, cupped his fists and bowed before speaking.


    "The past few weeks have been advantageous for us. With the majority of the forcesing to stop you, we have managed to take control of half theke. Just that onemander is not enough to push us back."


    His voice was unlike Tie Ja or Shi Hou, much calmer and quieter. At the same time, it wasn''t a cold tone but very t, emotionless. It was somewhat unsettling to hear him speak.


    "Good, good, we will push forward through the north and south then. Have the Mu n eliminate the Yao and take full control of theke and its mines. You may leave now."


    "Yes, my lord!"


    The two kings bowed once more before leaving the tent, leaving Kong Zhi alone with his thoughts.


    "Damn it, even after all this time, I''m still like a child to that Du Xiu! How! How is that possible?! I have the bloodline of a Vajra now!"


    He raised his two fists, clenching them tightly. The aura around him began to grow restless before restraining itself under his control.


    "No, no, I still have plenty to improve. I was too hasty this time, too foolish to see that it was still too early. But once I have full control of this power, not even thatmander will stop me."


    Kong Zhi knew, he knew that with time he would grow stronger but would he be strong enough?


    After all this, Ming Yue''s thoughts were right. With that great battle, she made herself known, her name would certainly spread across thends. But with that, she had be a target of these two fearsome foes. And surely, these two were just the beginning.


    For now, however, it would be calm once more. This would be a chance, an opportunity for her to re-evaluate her own strength, understand what shecked and what needed to be improved.


    After all, her potential has yet to be fully realized.

 Chapter 388 - Why Not Just Do Nothing?

    Still feeling a bit aimless, Ming Yue wasn''t sure about where she would go next. In the end, she could only look for someone else''s advice.


    And who else would be more willing to do so than Commander Nie Xia?


    By now, the various forces that once made of this great army, left the Iron Citadel along with their respectivemanders, returning to their stations.


    After meeting with the messenger, the Lord of Azure Souls, or better known as Di Yu, it seemed that the air was tense. But their faces showed no worry or concern. Whatever meeting they had, the news could only be good or bad. Whatever the case, it would not be revealed just yet.


    And Nie Xia himself returned to the towers of the Iron Citadel, recuperating from his injuries.


    After asking around, one of the soldiers led her to where he was, climbing up several flights before letting her in.


    "Excuse me, Commander Nie Xia?"


    She entered arge room that had all of the furnishings but none of thevishness. The decor here included maps and as well as little trinkets from his hometown.


    Nie Xia was seated behind arge table covered with documents but various little toys like pinwheels and puppets.


    There were several bandages wrapped around his arms and most likely his waist too. Although he didn''t show it, his battle against Shi Hou had caused injury to his internal organs. His bones were fractured from taking the horned demon''s charges head- on.


    When he saw here in, he smiled and put his papers down.


    "Come in,e in, Ming Yue! I thought you''d be long gone by now, wandering to another ce! To think you''d still be here, is there something you need?" he asked.


    She took note of his room, finding that his armor and shields weren''t here. Looking at him, she began to exin her conundrum.


    "...now I''m not sure what to make of the situation. I don''t know where to go now. I was hoping that you could help me find some sort of connection."


    Nie Xia rubbed his chin and furrowed his eyes.


    "Why not just stay here for a while?" he suggested.


    "What? What do you mean?"


    Ming Yue was slightly confused.


    "Hah, so young and energetic, you always want to go somewhere. Since you have no destination, why not stay here for the time being? Perhaps take this time to rest and focus on your training. As far as I know, you''ve been fighting nonstop ever since you came to the Demon Continent. You''ve probably had only a day of rest at most."


    He chuckled before picking up one of the pinwheels from his desk, ying with it.


    Ming Yue thought about it.


    "I really have been fighting constantly. I should take this time to unwind and to cultivate the Lightning Dao."


    While she had never stopped training, she never let herself get lost in it. Not when she could be attacked at any moment. After deciding, she cupped her fists and bowed, thanking him for his advice before leaving.


    As he watched her go, Nie Xia went back to his documents with a small smile on his face.


    "Hah, so young... I''m sure she would find this a good time to further her strength."


    Meanwhile, Ming Yue went straight back to her room and took out the books rting to the Lightning Dao.


    "There isn''t much to use for cultivation here but that''s fine. If anything I just need the space..."


    She thought carefully, creating a path for herself.


    "Focusing on the Lightning Dao is the highest priority but afterward, I should try to merge it with the Wind Dao. Perhaps use the Stormde Dance Manual as a basis, try to formte a few techniques solely for lightning."


    Once Ming Yue figured out what she needed to do, she set out to do it, spending her days in something akin to closed- door cultivation. She was mostly out in the training fields alone, letting her power out without having to worry.


    Just as she learned in the baths, there weren''t too many resources to use. Much of the things found in the Demon Continent were either sent back or sold to the merchants. Either way, such items needed to be studied for much of it was new to them. Who knows what sort of effects using herbs from here would have?


    Fortunately, they have managed to catalog a majority of the beasts and natural treasures but their effectiveness was questionable. For now, using them was forbidden.


    That also goes for the herbs and such that Ming Yue collected during her travels in the boundless Beast Forest. She handed it all off to the army, asking for it to be sent to the Medicinal Elder in Heaven''s Gate.


    Time passed by quickly as she grew more ustomed to the Lightning Dao. It had different principlespared to the Wind Dao, wilder and unruly. It needed a different control than wind, not gentle but firm.


    Soon enough, she could conjure a ball of pure lightning and even maintain it. But Ming Yue wasn''t satisfied there, the young cultivator continued and her determination began to spread out.


    "Isn''t she always training? Wake up or sleep, she''s always on the same field either swinging her sword or practicing her dao! Has the fairy gone mad?"


    "Hah, what do you know? And you said she was all talent! Well? Is she?"


    "So, she trains... What of it?"


    "Are you going to get shown up by her now? Because it looks like she''s working harder than you!"


    "You want to say that again? Come on, let''s spar then!"


    She was there every day, from sunrise to sunset, and her disy had garnered the attention of the Iron Citadel. Of all the things these soldiers felt, it was a sense of respect above it all. From above, Nie Xia watched her with a bit of a helpless smile.


    "I don''t think I can consider this resting but... sure."


    Heughed to himself.


    And for Ming Yue, she progressed every day. If not in one thing then it was another, creating and testing new techniques, improving her control, merging the two daos. The more sheprehended and understood, the more ideas came to mind.


    "What about the ws? needles? thence?"


    All three formed in front of her: the Zephyr ws, the wind needles, and a windnce. Using a sting Gale was a bit too dangerous for her to test just yet.


    But with these three she began to experiment.


    With several wind needles floating in front of her, they spun quietly as she looked closely. The Lightning Dao Energy slowly circled through her body as she imbued the needles with it. It crackled and zapped but with this small amount, she still had control.


    "Let''s see. How about over there?"


    Pointing with her other hand, she shot it straight into a dummy that had armor on it. The needles cracked and flew, striking on the chest before releasing a powerful shock. If it were a person, armor might protect them from the needles but it would not save them from what came next.


    "Then the ws..."


    Doing the same to the Zephyr ws, lightning crackled between the fingertips. As she swung down, it left behind a small trail of lightning. Then she swung out, sending off an arc of wind and lightning, through the air.


    "So it can be used like this? Then thence?"


    At this point, she was feeling a bit excited. This was new and quite frankly, it was very interesting to her.


    Ming Yue looked to the windnce floating by her and urged some of her energy into thence. In moments, it took on simr properties, as lightning coursed through its body. Without thinking, she sent it forth crashing down onto the dummy, destroying it with a thunderous boom.


    In its ce, was cracked ground that was also burnt from the strike. It was as if a lightning bolt struck down and themotion had many of the soldiers running to her.


    "What happened?"


    "Is something wrong?"


    "What was that noise? An enemy attack?"


    They had their weapons out only to realize that it was just her.


    "Ah..."


    And Ming Yue realized her mistake.

 Chapter 389 - The Next Path

    Six months came and went and at this time, it had begun to snow, some days it was light and other days it was heavy. Within these six months, the war had found itself a bit of peace but of course, that only came to be in the Boundless Beast Forest.


    Just as Kong Zhimanded, his two kings split into the north and south, where the air had grown tenser and fights have broken out. But another battle on the same scale as before has yet toe. Even as the five armies sent in reinforcements to these regions, there have yet to be any major battles.


    And in this entire time, Ming Yue stayed in the Iron Citadel, training and cultivating. Her appearance changed little except for another inch in height but she was eighteen now. No longer a young girl but a woman, she seemed less fragile and even gained a bit of muscle.*


    Of course, that came from the training and sparring she had done.


    "Li Wenhai requests a spar!"


    In one of the training fields, Ming Yue stood there, apanied by over a hundred soldiers. They formed a circle with her in the middle and a soldier in front of her. A middle- aged woman dressed in standard te armor and carrying a sword and shield in her hands, stepped forward and took a stance. She was one of the elites that moved with Nie Xia, a cultivator at the Earth Realm.


    "Please."


    Ming Yue cupped her fists and bowed before unsheathing Drifting Sky, as the stronger one she did not make the first move. The other soldiers watched quietly before Li Wenhai made the first move.


    She charged forward with her shield covering the top half of her body. Several steps in, the soldier pulled her shield away and thrusted her sword forward. Ming Yue took a side step and swung from the right only for the shield to block it.


    And the sparring had begun.


    From the first move, it was a dance, the two moved around the circle as their weapons shed. And then onlookers continued to have their eyes glued onto the fight, trying to learn as much as they could.


    "Good!"


    The soldier backed off and began to hit her shield with her de, producing a loud nging. But that was not for show, the air trembled and Ming Yue reacted quickly. She lunged forward to attack while the ground she stood on cracked. With each sound, the stone ground caved in.


    A cultivator of the Sound Dao!


    Just as Ming Yue charged forward, Li Wenhai acted immediately, running her sword on her shield and creating a screeching noise. It rippled through the air trying to push Ming Yue back but she was far too quick. Slipping through this barrier and pointing her de at Li Wenhai''s neck.


    The sound stopped as the soldier raised her hands in the air.


    "It is my loss."


    Li Wenhai chuckled and walked back into the group of soldiers which had only grownrger.


    Ming Yue smiled and put her sword down, she then looked around her.


    "Please."


    This was how she spent her days, if not sparring with the soldiers then experimenting with the Wind and Lightning Dao. Unfortunately, she couldn''t quite merge the two daos together or rather she could, but it was not at a level she was content with.


    By the end of the day, she had fought at least a hundred times before retiring to her room, talking with the soldiers along the way. Having spent some time here, she had made a fair number of friends and acquaintances, one of them being Li Wenhai.


    "So, you''re leaving now?" she asked.


    Ming Yue nodded.


    "Yes, I''m going to go south, for the Cerulean Serpent''s Lake", she answered.


    "Really, why there? Why now?"


    "...It''s thest ce that I haven''t gone to and I''d like to explore the continent more."


    "Is that so? Alright then, but you should be careful. The south seems to have be the new focus for Kong Zhi. After all, they''ve always held an advantage there."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Demons have bloodline powers which makes them unique to their own races. That includes those that thrive underwater. Unless you have a good grasp of the Water Dao, fighting there is much harder."


    "I see."


    "Yes but that isn''t all. The Cerulean Serpent''s Lake is named so for the serpent itself, a legendary beast that has yet to make its appearance. But it has certainly awakened before. Should it appear, it could be worse than what happened in the forest."


    "Thank you for telling me."


    "There is no need to thank me, this is something you have to know."


    By then, they entered the barracks and Ming Yue spoke farewell to the soldier, returning to her room for onest night.


    Xiao Yin and Hei Yue were nowhere to be found, most likely walking around the Iron Citadel or hunting outside.


    "They''ll probably back by midnight."


    She didn''t pay much mind to it and just prepared for the baths. With the two of them together, she did not have to fear them being in danger. Even if they were in danger, the two beasts were quick and elusive, escaping wouldn''t be a problem.


    She took a quick bath and had a nice meal before going back to her room. Seated on the bed, she held her hand out, forming lightning in her palm. With the other palm, a sphere of wind collected itself.


    "Hmm, how do I even want to do this?" she thought to herself.


    The two energies merged together, meshing together perfectly. But now that they were merged, she wasn''t sure what direction she wanted to take with it. There were so many choices that Ming Yue didn''t know which one to take.


    "The Lightning Dao should support the Wind Dao but something''s missing from this. It shouldn''t just be Lightning, I should focus on an aspect of it but which. My True Dao is the Everchanging Winds so to add in this second dao, what should I do?"


    This was the new problem she faced.


    "What do Wind and Lightning share?"


    The energy dispersed as she took out the Lightning Dao Manual, reading it and trying to see if there was something that could help her. In the end, she didn''t know what to do.


    "Hah, maybe I''m rushing this. I''ve already made a lot of progress. Perhaps, if the inspirationes, it wille."


    She sighed and put the manual away, sleeping soundly for the night. And when she woke up, the young cultivator found herself sandwiched between Xiao Yin and Hei Yue. Both of whom were sleeping soundly.


    Ming Yue chuckled and got out of the bed, putting on her slippers and her outer robes.


    "Come on you two, wake up."


    She put each hand on their bodies and shook them awake.


    "Come on, wake up, we have to get going."


    It took a few minutes as the two beasts rolled around, wanting to sleep for another minute. But soon enough, they awakened and got off of the bed slowly. Hei Yue even opened his mouth wide, letting out a yawn.


    She packed her things, making sure that the bed was made and that the room was clean. Then the trio made their way towards the main hall, climbing up the level where Nie Xia was.


    "Come in."


    Knocking on the door, Nie Xia called her in but he was not alone. Rather standing by him was Di Yu, the Lord of Azure Souls.


    "Oh, you''re still here."


    He looked at her with a surprised face while she looked back somewhat coldly.


    "And you?" she asked.


    "I''m here with a few of myrades. In case, Kong Zhi tries to attack the Boundless Beast Forest again. What about you?"


    Nie Xia looked at the two before butting in.


    "I told her to stay here for a bit and recuperate. Is that any issue?"

 Chapter 390 - Heading South

    Di Yu looked at themander and shook his head.


    "No, no, I''ll leave you two to it then. We can finish our businesster, Commander Zi Jing."


    This messenger quietly left, giving Ming Yue another look before closing the doors.


    Nie Xia sighed before chuckling.


    "So you know him..."


    He spoke with a face of slight disbelief.


    Ming Yue nodded and replied.


    "He was known as the Lord of Azure Souls, who terrorized my home country in order to stop us from entering the war. Because of his actions, a cult of believers formed although, I believe that they have been quelled."


    "Hah, yes, the Thirteen Messengers, they''re a strange bunch."


    She then looked at him.


    "Have they been here the entire time?" she asked.


    "In the Iron Citadel? No, not really. They made their own little camp of sorts outside and make their presence as scarce as possible. The soldiers tend to get a bit too high- strung knowing that the Thirteen Messengers are here."


    "Really now? The Thirteen Messengers, is that what they''re called?"


    "Yes, the Thirteen Messengers, a group of monstrous cultivators who only answer to the High Council. Not to mention, they are personally chosen and taught by the High Council. They might not be Heaven Realm Experts but their strength could almost rival one. The one that just left is Di Yu, one of the stranger messengers and also one of the strongest."


    Nie Xia paused for a moment before exining, wondering if it was a good idea to tell her about his identity.


    "He practices the Soul Dao which I''m sure you realized earlier. With a thought, he could attack the soul, break a person''s fighting spirit, and if the gap in strength is wide enough, he could extinguish the soul, killing someone without lifting a finger. But like any other expert, he is entric, focusing on what he deems the most effective path, not in terms of difficulty but on impact. He will do anything so long as he believes that the result will be tremendous, that includes fear tactics and murder."


    His face turned solemn as he leaned back on his chair, recalling a past memory.


    "In one of the previous battles, when the war had just begun, the High Council had sent out the Messengers to help the war and search for Kong Zhi''s whereabouts when he was hiding. Di Yu made a grand entrance, killing a dozen demons by destroying their souls. However, he kept one alive and grabbed him by the throat."


    He stopped, reliving the memory in his mind. His voice was soft, quiet even but it was sad.


    "In front of both sides, he went and killed the poor demon, slowly burning his soul away. Blue mes erupted from within as the body was destroyed, all to bring fear and repel the demons but to be truthful, it worked. However, the scene was gruesome for any soldier to see, no one dared to approach him nor did he want to be approached."


    He looked at her afterward, giving her a warning.


    "Try not to associate with them too much. They only listen to the High Council,manders such as I have no power over them."


    Ming Yue nodded in understanding. Even if he didn''t warn her, she would not make contact with them unless she absolutely had to.


    "So then, enough of that, you must be here to tell me that you''re leaving", said themander.


    "I''m heading to the south, where the Cerulean Serpent''s Lake is."


    "Ah the Southern Tower then, that is where Commander Yu Zhen resides. Her forces of mostly scouts and assassins, they''re skilled in hit and run tactics as well as assassinations and infiltration."


    He took out his own map, beckoning her toe and look.


    "That''s the Southern Tower here, created close to thekeshore. It''s about three months on foot at our quickest speed. It might be quicker for you, considering yours", he said.


    Pointing at the map, his finger fell upon two drawings of a cylindrical tower and a gate, ced side by side.


    "They''re in charge of protecting and watching over theke itself. Further behind the tower would be Guardian''s Keep, headed by Commander Zi Jing. His forces are more defense- oriented if not siege tactics, his forces are mainly ranged and uses massive weapons like cannons and catapults. And if you''re wondering about Demon''s Gate, that''s between the North Fort and the Iron Citadel up north."


    Ming Yue listened carefully before asking a few questions.


    "I hear that the Cerulean Serpent''ske is where you can find Deepwater Steel as well as hundreds of other minerals and metals. If so, do you employ miners and craftsmen?"


    Commander Nie Xia nodded.


    "Yes, but it is moreplicated than that. You see, in order to mine it, you must be underwater and that requires special equipment and people that have an affinity for the Water Dao. Thus, trips to mine are by heavily guarded boats. That is why we have both the Southern Tower and the Guardian''s Keep near each other. The former acquires it while thetter processes it."


    "Why not just attack the demons then? Keep them away from theke."


    He chuckled.


    "We call it ake but it''s enormous, it might as well be a sea on its own. The manpower needed to protect the entirety of theke is just as costly. Doing it would weaken the other fronts and we could not spare that."


    Folding up the map, Commander Nie Xia put it away and looked at her.


    "The twomanders are quite serious. Yu Zhen has seen you fight before and you two will probably be on good terms. However, Zi Jing is a different case."


    "Is there something wrong?"


    "He''s the youngest out of all of us, probably no more than a decade older than you. He is the most ingenious out of all of us, using tools and machines. Unlike the othermanders, he prefers to battle through innovation and ingenuity, often working with the craftsmen to devise new weapons and whatnot. With that said, he''s a little bit like Di Yu, pragmatic and insensitive at times. Although he joins in our meetings, he mostly keeps to himself. It can be difficult to know what he''s thinking."


    He sighed before leaning back on his chair.


    ''When you get there, do not mind his entricity. If you have any requests for him, just ask. Though, I believe that he mighte to you first."


    Gesturing towards her sword, Nie Xia smiled warmly.


    "Alright then, thank you for helping me all this time and for letting me stay here."


    She cupped her fists and bowed only for Nie Xia tough out in a rxed manner.


    "Please, there is no need to thank me! It is the duty of the older generation to help the younger generation after all. If you''d like, I would have sparred with you but certainly not within these walls."


    Ming Yue couldn''t help but chuckle at his happy demeanor.


    "Thank you."


    She spoke those words once more, with a sincere tone. In those six months, the young woman seemed to have found a new goal.


    Turning around to go, she left themander''s quarters, heading out with her two beasts and quietly left the Iron Citadel. Passing through the walls, she took another looked before walking heading south, traveling through a dirt road.


    Thinking about what Li Wenhai and Nie Xia said, she decided on her course.


    "First the Southern Tower then the Guardian''s Keep, but I should at least look at the Cerulean Serpent''s Lake. I wonder what it looks like underwater."


    She couldn''t help but feel some sort of excitement for this new destination.. Her fingers crackled with sparks of lightning, moving about excitedly.

 Chapter 391 - Lost Child

    Running across an open field, a pair of demons, children, trying to escape the pursuit of a squad of demons. Brother and sister, whose bodies were frail but covered in indigo scars, escaping for their lives.


    "Get them! Don''t let either of them escape!"


    One of them shouted out viciously, running after the two children.


    "Their bloodlines are rare! We can hand them over to King Hai Zhu."


    They shouted out, chasing the children down.


    The two looked at each other, their eyes were desperate, holding hands tightly.


    The brother looked back, ncing at the demons behind them. He then looked to his sister and pulled his hand away.


    "No, what are you doing?! Brother!" She cried out.


    "Go! Run to the humans! You''ll be safe there!"


    Pleading her to go, he turned back, his indigo scars glowed as water emerged from his body. Two streams that which formed a dozen serpents, flew forth snaking around the demons, restraining them.


    He grunted and struggled before shouting out towards his sister.


    "Run, I can''t hold them for long!"


    But she didn''t move, her eyes lingering on her brother.


    "What are you doing? Run!" he shouted.


    "But brother!"


    His eyes were getting misty, tears were about to form. Their eyes met for another second just as the watery serpents slowly dissipated.


    "Please, before they get both of us..." he pleaded with her.


    She was hesitant about to shake her head in protest before one of the pursuers broke free. One by one the others freed themselves, ripping apart the watery serpents. Brandishing his saber, he approaches them, looking to capture them both.


    "Let''s see you try to stop me now!" he shouted.


    Taking one more look at her brother, the young demon fled for her life, not even stopping to look back.


    And the brother, he charged forward, sending out even more watery serpents.


    "Damn it! Chase after her!"


    As much as they wanted to, the serpents tried to coil around them, slowing them down until the sister was no longer in sight.


    Exhausted, the brother''s indigo scars stopped glowing with power as he fell to the ground.


    "What are you doing? Go after her!"


    The leader yelled out as half of the group went off to track her. He then looked at the exhausted child, kicking him in the sides. But the brother was unconscious, exhausted from running and fainting from overexerting himself.


    "You little shit, do you know how much trouble you gave us? When we bring you back for King Hai Zhu, you better do as he says."


    Grabbing the child, he gestured to his other men and returned first.


    Whatever purpose the Tide King had in mind, it was sure to be nefarious. However, it had to do with theke, whatever it could be.


    Meanwhile, Ming Yue quietly moved towards the Southern Tower, having traveled for a month now. She looked up at the sky before looking around her and studying her map. Hei Yue followed her faithfully while the Xiao Yin circled from above.


    "Hmm, at this pace, I can reach the tower in two months, maybe a little bit less."


    Making her way down, it wasn''t as hectic as she had thought the trip would be. Apart from one or two encounters with Kong Zhi''s armies, Ming Yue reached the outposts with little trouble.


    She put away the map and continued to make her way down the road, stopping from time to time over a strange nt or beast.


    "Oh, I haven''t seen this before, I wonder if this has been cataloged or not."


    It was reasonably calm, putting her mind at a certain peace.


    Then suddenly, Hei Yue stopped, his nose up in the air as his eyes darted around, his hair was raised up high. Noticing it immediately, Ming Yue looked around her.


    "Is there something here?" She thought.


    Ming Yue whistled out for Xiao Yin before getting off the road, moving into the sparse and dead forest. There wasn''t much cover but she made do with it.


    "Pursuers? A group of demons perhaps?"


    She watched the roads and stayed still but she thought wrong. Rather, Hei Yue tugged at her robes with his mouth.


    "What is it? Where do you want to go?"


    Letting the Mistral Fox pull her away, she followed the beast through the trees for several minutes before finding what made him agitated.


    Hidden within the brush was a young demon girl, eight or nine years old, thin and covered in bruises and dirt. Her clothes included a pair of battered slippers and simple robes which had been ripped up in multiple ces. She was curled up into a ball, asleep and breathing weakly. How many days had she gone without food or water?


    Ming Yue looked at the child and then studied their surroundings.


    "No one else is here but her. What happened then? Pursuers?"


    She moved closer, examining the frail body before noticing the indigo scars peeking out of the edges of her clothes.


    "These scars... or markings perhaps, she must be special."


    After all, the only demons she knew that had scars or markings of any sort were the Yao n. But she managed to deduce more than just that.


    "If she''s by herself and in such a state, she must have been chased by someone. Maybe the demons then?"


    Looking at the girl in the face, she noticed her body trembling as she whimpered quietly. Gently, a tear or two formed, falling across her face. Ming Yue sighed before looking at the fox by her side. She ced a hand on his head, patting him.


    "Go stay by her for a little, I''m going to hunt for dinner."


    Hei Yue dly obliged, letting out a soft purr beforeying by the little demon,forting her. Ming Yue took off her outer robes and draped them over the child before going. As she left, she produced a low whistle while holding her arm out, letting Xiao Yin perch on it.


    "Let''s hunt for a bit, we have another mouth to feed", she said to the Star Owl.


    Xiao Yin let out achieve before flying off, scouting for a target.


    It didn''t take long as they hunted what she could only consider a boar and a deer. The difference being their thick hide and things like fangs and horns. Even then killing them was quick and painless.


    All she needed were two wind needles, both of which carried a heavy dose of lightning energy.


    Like arrows, they flew forth, nting onto the beast''s heads and stunning them. Compared to before, there was even less mess and the whole body was practically intact. All she had to do was walk up and drain their blood before bringing them back in her spatial ring.


    "Still asleep?"


    Ming Yue returned to where the child was, finding that she sleptfortably with Hei Yue, even hugging the fox. She couldn''t help but smile before getting to work, starting a fire and butchering the boar first.


    As night fell, she roasted the meat over the fire, letting the fat drip out. A bit of seasoning caused the aroma to change, bing much more savory and fragrant. The smell of it along with the sounds of crackling fires caused the child to stir.


    Her eyes opened just barely before widening in shock. She quickly rose up, backing away from the trio.


    Hei Yue turned around and looked at her before walking back to Ming Yue''s side, who was busy with the boar meat. She then turned around, keeping a gentle face as she held out a slice of the meat to her.


    But the demon girl was afraid, her eyes darted between Ming Yue and the other beasts. She was wary, daring not to move any closer.


    "You, who are you?"

 Chapter 392 - Shen Varuna

    She then put the meat back before introducing herself and the two beasts by her.


    "I am Ming Yue. This is Xiao Yin and this is Hei Yue."


    Following their introductions, the two beasts let out a chirp and a happy yip.


    "We''re headed towards the Cerulean Serpent''s Lake, where the Southern Tower is", she exined.


    Upon hearing theke be mentioned, the demon child pulled back, her eyes full of fear.


    "Why are you going there? Don''t go there", she muttered, "Those demons- they''re dangerous. They... they took my brother."


    Raising her arm, the child wiped away the tears on her face. Trying her best to hold back, she couldn''t help but shed a few tears, whimpering at the thought of her brother''s sacrifice. Momentster, she felt a soft sensation coax her as Hei Yue moved tofort the child.


    Ming Yue then slowly approached her, holding out a slice of the boar meat.


    "You should eat first and then tell me what happened."


    Her voice was very light, very gentle, as she looked at the child who looked back. She then nced at the meat and took it with her hands, taking a small bite. It wasn''t amazing but the young girl hadn''t had a decent meal in the entirety of her escape. Still, she took her time, eating and chewing, savoring the taste.


    Ming Yue nced at her before eating her own meal as did the other two.


    "Can I have your name?" she asked.


    The girl looked at her, still a bit wary and hesitant before finally giving it.


    "I am Shen, Shen Varuna of the Varuna n."


    "And why were you here?"


    "I- me and my brother had escaped from the fortress across theke, where the other demons were."


    "Other demons?"


    Ming Yue''s eyes furrowed. It must have been the forces of Kong Zhi.


    "We were a n of Varuna Demons, whose bloodline came from the God of Oceans, Varuna. We lived by theke, surviving off of it. But then the war started and the other demons came to theke. At first, they were really nice, helping us get food but then when they asked to submit to them we couldn''t."


    "Why not?"


    "They wanted us to go down into theke and mine it but that would anger the Cerulean Serpent. And doing this was disrespectful, especially because theke gave us food. The leader even wanted us to attack the humans, destroy their ships. Since none of us wanted to do it, they attacked, locked everyone in chains, separating our parents from us. All the children were locked up in cages, if any of us whimpered or cried, they would hit us. Sometimes, they would take us out just to vent their anger. My brother and I stuck close, trying our best to survive until we saw a chance to escape but..."


    Shen Varuna stopped talking, suddenly reliving the moments she was split from her brother. Ming Yue then moved closer tofort her.


    "It''s okay, you don''t have to say anymore."


    She was able to piece it together, realizing that her brother had been captured. Looking at the demon''s body, there was faint bruising on her arms and legs. Considering, how much time must have passed since she escaped, it must''ve been severe.


    "Bastards, to think they would stoop so low."


    Reaching into her spatial ring, she took out a salve and moved closer to the young demon.


    "What are you doing?"


    She cowered, backing away until she found herself against the tree.


    "It''s just medicine, for your wounds."


    Ming Yue moved closer and took a bit of the salve with her fingers. She gestured with her other hand, waiting for Shen Varuna toe forward. The demon nced at the salve before looking at her face. She was still careful but let Ming Yue apply the salve.


    "Since I''m heading to the Cerulean Serpent''s Lake, would you like toe with me? I''ll be going to where the other humans are", she said.


    The demon looked at her with a scared look.


    "Are you sure? It''s dangerous!"


    She was concerned for Ming Yue, scared that she wouldn''t survive. However, the young woman was unafraid, her face was calm and confident. So much so that Shen Varuna couldn''t help but believe in her.


    "Don''t worry, Shen. Once we get to the Southern Tower, there will be people to help you. You''ll be safe there. Then, we can go save your brother and the rest of the n as well, I promise."


    The little demon''s eyes began to look hopeful, there was a bit of light in her pupils.


    "Really?"


    Her voice was upbeat as if she couldn''t believe what she was hearing.


    "Of course. You should rest for now, the quicker we get there, the quicker we can go save your family", Ming Yue responded.


    Shen Varuna nodded, but there was excitement in her eyes. In the end, she asked all sorts of questions to Ming Yue untilte into the night, where she fell asleep on Hei Yue''s body.


    Seeing her happier now warmed her heart but Ming Yue quickly thought back to what she learned.


    "Would this mean that the Tide King is enving other ns? To think, children would be used as hostages. If I want to save them, I''d have to sneak in, I can''t just blow through it all. Not to mention, the Tide King himself, I wouldn''t be able to deal with him."


    Thinking up of a few options, she stayed awake all night and kept watch. The day soon came and the little demon soon awakened, feeling much better now. With the salve, much of her injuries were healed and her body had recuperated.


    Considering, she was a demon, Shen Varuna''s recovery speed was quite strong.


    She looked around and saw Ming Yue quietly training off to the side. Drifting Sky was a blur in her hands as she stood in one ce, striking the air. Then her body vanished, reappearing and striking a bush dozens of meters away.


    "Whoa..."


    The demon girl was shocked and amazed as she watched her train. Another hour passed as the day had begun but the skies were gray and clouded. It seemed as if it would rain soon.


    When Ming Yue finished, she sheathed her sword, carrying it in her hand while walking back.


    "Ming Yue, you''re so fast. I bet you can kill those demons in an instant."


    Compared tost night, she was much more energetic, happier too. She was apletely different person now.


    Ming Yue smiled.


    "Let''s go eat and get going then."


    "Mn!"


    With Shen Varuna with them, their speed was considerably slower but Ming Yue didn''t mind. Rather, she took this time to ask the little demon more about the base that she was caged in. While doing so, she learned a bit more about theyout as well as the other demons.


    Outside of this, their travels together were quite peaceful but by the look of it, it might take them an extra month to get there. Meaning, they were three months away from theke.


    Unfortunately, this calmness was soon broken as several demons appeared on the campsite they were at. There were five in total from various bloodlines. These were the same ones from before, still determined to capture Shen Varuna. Even after several days of pursuit, they would not give up.


    Some were on one knee, studying the campsite.


    "It''s still fresh, only a few days old."


    "Good, she''s not far from here! Once we capture her, we can throw her back in with that brother of hers. There is no failure, either we get that little demon or the Tide King kills us."


    They nodded to each other, understanding that it was sess or death for them.

 Chapter 393 - The Tide Kings Plans

    In the south where the Cerulean Serpent''s Lake was, the Southern Tower and the Tide King''s base were on opposite sides. Within, the Tide King, Hai Zhu, inspected the grounds where arge group of demons stood weakly in front of him. Cuffed and chained to each other, they were none other but the Varuna n and various other ns, looking at Hai Zhu with hatred.


    But they said nothing, only eyeing him viciously.


    He looked at them all with a nk expression. His bulging ck eyes only stared, they didn''t seem to move, not even to blink.


    Then the Tide King spoke, his voice was t, emotionless.


    "The humans on the other side seem to be preparing another mining trip. We''re going to go and attack them when such a thing happens. Perhaps kidnap or even destroy it, I hope that none of you hold back on your attacks. If so, your children will be punished and you will watch. Do you understand?"


    None of them responded, they could only grit their teeth and stay silent.


    "Good."


    He then turned and left, leaving the many demons to just stand there. They all looked to each other, anger and helplessness strewn across their faces.


    "Damn it, how much longer can we do this?"


    "A water demon, why would he do this to us? We are like kin."


    "My children, my poor children."


    All of them echoed these very thoughts amongst each other, feeling despair for all that has happened. Then a group of demons returned, dragging a child across the dirt. Walking through the chained- up prisoners, one of them recognized the child, the young Varuna boy.


    "Long''er! My son! What happened? Where''s my daughter? Where''s my daughter?!"


    A man shouted out, his body covered in the same ivory markings. His body was thin and his face gaunt, but he shouted out with a burst of energy for his children.


    The demons stopped and looked at him. The one carrying the child walked forward before tossing him onto the ground, in front of the father. He dropped to his knees, caring for his son before noticing all of the bruises and cuts on his body.


    "My son, why would you do this?" he asked.


    The demon smirked andughed.


    "This is your child? Hah, he was a nuisance to catch but I disciplined him well! As for your daughter, she might be dead by now!"


    He then stepped forward and yanked the child away,ughing as he left.


    And the father knelt on the ground, tears began to form.


    "Long''er, Shen''er, please, survive, for your mother''s sake and for mine"


    He muttered underneath his breath, trying to hold back the tears. The others looked at him, trying to help him up.


    "Please n head, we will be free soon. It wille, it wille."


    Within the inner regions of the demon''s base, Hai Zhu entered his tent and sat behind his desk. There were no papers or documents here, just a map with various pieces representing their locations. On that very table was also a box filled with various wooden pieces, each one symbolizing a different thing.


    Even on a scale, the distance between here and the Southern Tower was immense, ced on opposite sides of the table and separated only by the Cerulean Serpent''s Lake.


    The demon stared at the table for a long time, perhaps devising a n or some tactics.


    "Obtaining total control of theke... I suppose that is the best choice."


    Putting his hand into the box, he then took out a few pieces and scattered them across the part of theke closest to the Southern Towers. They were shaped strangely resembling spiked balls but they certainly weren''t any ordinary weapons.


    This time there was a slight smile on his face.


    "Nearly there, once all of their ships have been tagged, it will be time to attack and theke will be fully under our control."


    Whatever his n was, it woulde to fruition soon. Perhaps on this next mining trip, maybe the next, it was too difficult to tell.


    Meanwhile, far from theke, Ming Yue''s group quietly made their way through the Demon Continent, finding themselves in a field of tall grass.


    "Hm, I wonder howrge this field is, anyone could get lost here. It''s a good thing I have Xiao Yin to help guide me", the cultivator thought.


    Indeed, this ce was all grass. there was no road and trying to even navigate this area was difficult. But with Xiao Yin, it wasn''t terrible. After all, the Star Owl was best at scouting and quite intelligent, with it guiding them, it was not as difficult as it would''ve been without.


    Ming Yue turned back, checking on Shen Varuna. The little girl was certainly not as frail as before. After being properly fed by Ming Yue, the color on her face returned and her body had grown less scrawny. But above all things, she seemed much happier now.


    She followed her savior, staying close to her. Despite moving quickly, the demon was able to match Ming Yue''s speed.


    "How long until we get there?" Shen Varuna asked.


    "It shouldn''t be more than a month."


    Ming Yue replied before stopping soon after for the sun had set and night came.


    Taking out her sword, she cut down the grass around them, making a small clearing before using that grass to create little fire. While eating their meal and watching the fire, Shen Varuna looked at Ming Yue with shy eyes before building up her courage.


    "Can you teach me?" she asked.


    "What?"


    Ming Yue was taken aback by the question.


    "Teach you? Teach you what?"


    "To fight, you know, with your sword. Can you teach me a little bit?"


    Shen Varuna looked at her with expectant eyes, hoping for a good answer.


    "Where did thise from?"


    Ming Yue asked the young girl, curious as to when she took an interest in her swordsmanship.


    "When I saw you practicing, you always wake up early to do it. Sometimes, I wake up and watch you. It''s really pretty so I wanted to ask if I could learn it."


    The child spoke innocently, exining her motivation.


    "Pretty? That''s what you would describe it? Of all the things?"


    The cultivator couldn''t help but find it strange that her style of fighting was "pretty". Still, hearing that gave her a sense of delight.


    "That was the first time someone''s ever called it that", she thought, "Usually it''s just screams or silence..."


    She then looked at the demon.


    "What makes you think it''s so pretty?" she asked.


    Shen Varuna furrowed her brows, trying to find a way to exin.


    "When- when you move, it''s very elegant and graceful. You vanish and appear like a fairy and when you swing your sword, it sort of glows. Sometimes it''s quick like lightning and other times you make a crescent moon. It''s all really pretty... are you going to say no?"


    While saying such things, her eyes began to growrger and teary as she looked pitiful to Ming Yue.


    "I won''t say no but... I''ve never taught someone before. If you really want to learn, I can only teach you through sparring. Even then, my style of fighting might not be right for you", she exined.


    "Oh, I see."


    The little girl looked down with dejection, seeing as her request was denied.


    "I mean, I can''t teach you my specific style but I can help you with creating your own."


    Ming Yue quickly spoke, trying to appease the child, who looked more than happy.


    "Really?! Thank you, Ming Yue!" she nearly squealed in happiness


    Then Xiao Yin flew down onto Ming Yue''s shoulder, giving a cautious squawk. Immediately, she blew out the little fire and took Shen Varuna by the hand.


    "Come, it isn''t safe here anymore."


    Suddenly, the happy atmosphere had be tense as they entered the tall grass, hiding under the night.

 Chapter 394 - Silent Assassination

    Leaving this little clearing, they moved only a few feet before turning around to watch. With the remains of the fire still fresh, a trail of smoke wafted up into the sky.


    "Are you sure? If it is the demons, we should go, shouldn''t we?"


    Shrn Varuna was confused, not knowing what was happening.


    "If it is those demons, we have to deal with them first. They''re getting close and should''ve noticed the smoke by now", Ming Yue exined.


    Just then, the grass moved as five armed demons emerged from the other side. All of them moved and surrounded the fire, watching the smokee out. One of them knelt on the ground, studying it before looking to the others.


    "There''s still a few embers left. They can''t be far, this fire was snuffed only recently, very recently", he said.


    The demons looked to each other, each one with different thoughts.


    "To think that little demon was lucky enough to have found someone to help her", one of the muttered.


    "But it''s only one other person and another beast, some pet probably."


    "Hmph, whatever the case, they''re on their way to the human''s side of theke. Whoever found the girl is most likely a human and if they traveled alone before, they must be strong."


    "It doesn''t matter, we must find the girl and bring her back. You know how King Hai Zhu is, a meticulous person like him hates it when something is wrong. Just kill the human and take the girl."


    The onemanding this group was a demon of strange origins. He looked very human- like if not for his six bug- like eyes. Not to mention, this particr demon carried no weapons either.


    "Yes!"


    Immediately, they brandished their weapons, readying themselves for a battle. These five immediately split apart to look around but none of them realized that the ones they were searching for would be so close. Worse than that, none of them saw Drifting Sky unsheathed, hidden by the grass.


    She turned to Shen Varuna who covered her mouth, trying her best not to make a sound. Xiao Yin and Hei Yue were by the little demon, guarding her.


    Ming Yue put her finger to her mouth, motioning to stay quiet and still.


    "It will be over very quickly", she whispered.


    The little demon nodded quickly, staying put.


    Giving her one more look, Ming Yue studied the area, peeking around and taking note of the demon''s positions.


    "Five in total spread out like a circle... Where should I start from?" she thought.


    "The one with six eyes is the strongest without a doubt. I should deal with himst. In that case..."


    Ming Yue then resheathed her sword and ced it into her spatial ring before taking out the Pearlstone Dagger instead. And then wind gathered in her hands, forming the Zephyr ws only, they were a bit different.


    "This is a good chance to try something different."


    The ws themselves were much thinner but carried an electric blue sheen. It was a different version of her usual technique, something more discreet and less visceral. They did not cut easily but they could pierce nearly anything with ease.


    "Boltwind Nails."


    Just like that, she moved to her first target, a gray- skinned demon carrying a metal club. He was the closest to her and sadly, the least attentive. As he looked around his eyes scanned the area, trying to find and tracks left by the group.


    Then he felt something like a prick on the back of his neck before the so-called "nails" discharged, sending currents through his body. Before he could even utter a sound, his body went stiff and numb as he fell down. But Ming Yue caught him before he made any noise before stabbing him into the neck with her dagger.


    It was a clean kill and above all else, it was quiet. the demon''s disappearance was unnoticeable.


    Then she moved onto the next, quietly sneaking through the grass as the remaining demons continued to search the area.


    It seemed to get quieter and quieter as the demons died one by one, gently beingid down to the ground. She took her time, waiting for the right opportunity to strike. By the third, she had be much more limated to the situation and looked to the fourth demon, who was walking straight towards where the others were.


    "Oh no!"


    She pointed the Boltwind Nails straight at him, condensing them into needles before firing off.


    This demon kept looking around before parting some grass with his saber. Hiding in front of him were Shen Varuna and the two beasts. The girl''s eyes widened in shock and fear as a smile formed on his face.


    "They''re he-"


    Just as he spoke the needles pierced deep into his body before bursting out with lightning and burning him from the inside. He fell and died immediately as one of the needles pierced his skull and destroyed his mind.


    Making an audible thud and dying in front of the little girl, she couldn''t help but whimper and nearly cry out. All of this noise caused thest demon to turn around and he noticed something.


    "Everyone''s dead."


    There was a look of surprise on his face as he realized this, not expecting his men to die without him even noticing.


    "But if they''re dead, that means that the girl is here."


    This little detail seemed to mean nothing to him. It seemed that this demon was unlike the others.


    His six eyes scanned the area before heading towards the direction where thatst of his men died. His armor shuddered before opening up and revealing his back but that was not all. One by one, six spider legs emerged from behind, stretching out before taking their natural position, facing in front of him. Each one of them was incredibly sharp, the tips were like scythes, taking a dark purple shine under the moonlight.


    He was a Zhizhu Demon and he wasn''t done yet, activating his bloodline as well.


    The six limbs the grew out of him be longer and the color had be an even darker shade of purple. The scythes began to drip with some sort of liquid, poison no doubt.


    Confident but careful, this spidery being watched his surroundings, stepping ever so closer to his target''s location.


    "Reaping de."


    A white dagger flew out from the tall grass, shining under the moonlight and the demon noticed it. Two of his limbs struck out to deflect the de but as soon as he touched it, the dagger seemed to pass on some energy into him.


    "Arghh!"


    A single burst of lightning passed through his body, shocking him. Unfortunately, he did not notice Ming Yue''s appearance until it was toote. She emerged from the shadows with Drifting Sky shing out, she swung up cutting off two of his limbs before vanishing into the tall grass.


    Reaping de, a technique ofplete silence and speed.


    It is pure sword skill merged with stealth, perfect for assassination. It was different from Phantasmal Wind, she was more like a shadow and less like a ghost using Reaping de.


    But in a single breath, she was there and then she was gone.


    "Where are you?!"


    As for the demon, he recovered quickly,shing out with his other three limbs. They whipped about, cutting the grass around him to shreds as he searched for this attacker. Poison flew out, hissing as it melted the grass in seconds.


    "Come out here!" he shouted.


    Several feet away was the hidden group of three and Shen Varuna could not stay put for much longer. The Zhizhu Demon was getting dangerously close, his spidery des were inching closer to her as they cut the grass apart.


    Unable to stay put any longer, she stood up and ran, causing movement in the grass. And the demon noticed it immediately.


    "There you are!"

 Chapter 395 - The Tower Will Fall!

    He ran straight towards their location while the remaining ded limbs cut the grass apart. Soon enough, Shen Varuna was in his sight, running away before stumbling and falling onto the ground.


    She turned around with fearful eyes as she saw the blood- covered demon chase after her.


    "Ahh!"


    The little girl shrieked as the demon attacked, the remaining four limbs of his drove forward. Each one looking to impale her hand and feet. Suddenly Ming Ye appeared and attacked those outstretched limbs, cutting off the ded portion of each one.


    Then she turned and charged straight at him with her Boltwind Nails, striking him in the stomach and bringing him down to his knees.


    The Zhizhu Demon could not find the strength to stand anymore as his body had be numb. But he was able to look up, getting a good look at who killed him and his men.


    "So it is a human! Ahahahaha, it really is a human, wandering these wretchednds."


    Heughed loudly with a bloody smile as bluish blood trickled out.


    "You must be going to the human territories, where that damn tower is. Well, I''d have to say that it will be toote for you", he said.


    "What? What do you mean? What will happen to the Southern Tower?"


    Ming Yue looked at him, putting her sword right by his neck.


    "Tell me", she threatened.


    However, the dying demon could onlyugh and smile.


    "Just this one child is worthless, when the Tide King''s nes to fruition, the tower will fall!"


    As soon as he shouted it out, he ran his neck across the de, killing himself.


    "It will fall?" she thought, "So another major battle wille, won''t it? I should hurry, perhaps there is some trap."


    MIng Yue then looked to Shen Varuna, grasping her hand and lifting her up to stand.


    "It looks like we''ll have to go faster now", she said, "Hold on tight."


    A de of wind formed from underneath their feet, lifting them up just a few inches from the ground. The little demon girl looked down in amazement as this strange sword appeared beneath her feet. Hei Yue and Xiao Yin also got on, hiding within Ming Yue''s clothes.


    As the sword floated up, it rose several feet until it was above the grass and shot off, moving several times quicker than the fastest horse. She didn''t want to do this, flying and anything like that would bring quite a bit of attention. However, it seemed that time was of the essence as she was not wrong.


    As for their destination, the Southern Tower was preparing for their mining trip. Both Commander Yu Zhen and Zi Jing were there, overlooking the operation. After all, Southern Tower and Guardians Keep were quite close to each other, only a day''s walk between them. Together, they supported each other in fighting for the Cerulean Serpent''s Lake.


    And the Southern Tower stood only meters away from thekeshore where a dock had been built. Within the dock were various ships, heavily armored and carrying an array of weapons. One of which was currently being loaded up, men and women carried diving equipment and other tools onto it as the crew worked on their preparations.


    The twomanders watched over it all.


    "What do you think about this, Commander Yu Zhen?"


    Zi Jing looked at her. He was quite a young man, only in histe twenties and very schrly in appearance. His face was clean- shaven, showing off a pronounced jawline, a thin nose and somewhat sharp eyes. He had the resemnce of a fox, quiet and good at hiding their thoughts.


    "Mm, considering the location, it is going to be even more dangerous but if we even have mild sess. The amount of Deepwater Steel and any other ores will be double the past hauls", Yu Zhen replied.


    Dressed in her light leather armor, she carried her massive saber on her back, wrapped in cloth as usual. She was certainly older and more mature but her body was taut with muscle. Her ocean-colored hair was tied back into a ponytail as themander of the Southern Tower looked at him.


    "You do not have to worry, Commander Zi Jing, you will have materials for your creations", she said.


    "Our stock is running low and there is much to research and create. The metals and minerals found in thiske are of superb quality and incredible origin, to not use them is a waste, don''t you think?"


    Yu Zhen shrugged.


    "My forces are here to extract the materials. What to make of them is up to you, it is not my expertise."


    he replied with a frank tone, not caring too much for other matters.


    "I know, I know, but be aware, the demons most likely know about this operation. They will try to stop it and sink the ship", Zi Jing warned.


    "I know,mander. This is not the first time we''ve done this."


    As they spoke to each other, the preparations were done and a crew of over a hundred entered the ship. All of them had an affinity for the Water Dao, allowing them an easier time mining underwater. Once boarded, the ship was no longer tied to the dock and the engines activated, humming with power.


    This ship along with the others was quite simr to each other, heavily armored at the hull with a metal frame. It was muchrger than the others, sporting three sails and fans underwater, propelling them forward.


    As the ship sailed off, Commander Yu Zhen turned back and started walking back to the Southern Tower.


    "Where are you going,mander?" asked Zi Jing.


    "To rest, the operation is three days long. I don''t suppose you want me to just stand there and wait for three days."


    She didn''t stop walking and continued further, answering his question


    Zi Jing watched her go before looking back at theke, watching the ship leave his view.


    "I should check the ships, make sure that they are properly cared for."


    He made himself busy, heading for the dock.


    Meanwhile, on the other side, the Tide King, Hai Zhu, as well as the shackled demons stood by thekeshore, boarding several small ships. On these ships were crates filled with some unknown items and apart from these chained demons, several soldiers boarded as well, carrying their weapons and dressed in armor.


    It was strange, for their main attack force to be unarmed and chained together. Were they going to be freed to attackter?


    As the ships set out one by one, Hai Zhu looked at each one with his bulging ck eyes. He wore his personal armor as well as his nine- pronged trident.


    "The mining ship from the humans should''ve set off by now, it is the biggest one they''ve nned so it is an opportune time to attack. Once we get there, they will have begun, we attack then. Open those boxes and shoot the contents inside straight at the ship. Is that clear?" he said.


    The various demons looked at each other before one of them asked.


    "What is inside?"


    Hai Zhu was silent for just a moment before answering.


    "Preparations for the next step."


    He then walked away and moved below deck where there were a dozen more of these boxes. Opening one of them, he moved his hand in and took out what seemed to be a spiked ball, resembling the wooden replicas in his quarters.


    They were pitch ck and created from a mixture of metals. There were no carvings or letters on it, making it all the more mysterious as to what these things did.


    Hai Zhu inspected the one in his hands, turning it around before putting it back. He then held his trident out, filling it with his power and making it tremble and hum.


    Then every crate reacted, producing clicking sounds from within.


    He smiled before stopping, seeing that most if not all of them worked.

 Chapter 396 - Lake Assault

    Soon enough a day passed as the mining ship from the Souther Tower found its location, stopping in the middle of the calmke.


    The captain of the ship then exited his cabin and looked at the many members, a rather thin and old man whose voice was tough and loud.


    "Alright! Get into your gear and split into groups, there are a hundred miners so ten groups of ten. One group goes out to mine and we''ll switch off by the hour. Those who will not be mining for at least four hours can go back and rest first. As for the others, you know what to do."


    After shouting the n and setting up the order, everyone did as they were told. Six of the groups returned to bed while the other four groups dressed up, donning diving gear and carrying pickaxes.


    It wasn''t anything incredibly special, just sleek metal armor that wrapped around the body and a mask to help them breathe underwater.


    With the ship stopped, the engines paused and the captain pressed a few buttons and pulled a lever.


    The ship rumbled as the deck split apart and lowered. In moments, it formed a tform that was several feet above the water, making it easier for the divers to jump in and out. Furthermore, all they had to do was dump out what they''ve mined for the others to store before jumping in.


    "Good luck everyone! Let''s have a good harvest!" the captain shouted.


    Everyone shouted in agreement before the operation truly began.


    The first group dived, controlling the water, they swan down quickly to theke floor which was glowing. Numerous lights came from the metals and materials at the bottom of theke, making for a dazzling sight.


    They looked to each other and nodded,nding down and digging away. They swung their pickaxes nonstop, each one choosing a vein to mine away. It was certainly a good thing that these were no ordinary pickaxes.


    With each swing, they hummed with power, breaking the ores apart with ease.


    Then those broken pieces were collected into spatial rings.


    And so, it continued like this for the next few hours. Mining, dumping, and gathering until it was time for the next group to start.


    Soon enough,rge wooden crates were being filled and organized, with most of it being Deepwater Steel. Unlike its reflective and shiny appearance as armor, this unrefined metal was of a murky silver color. It still had a sheen but it looked as if it had been dirtied.


    The captain looked out, whistling in surprise at the harvest.


    "It''s only been a few hours and we''ve gained this much. It really is true, the closer to the center of theke, the more plentiful the treasures."


    He leaned back on his chair and rxed, enjoying the stillness of theke.


    "What a nice day today", he thought, "Some sun, a few clouds, and a nice breeze, a nap right now doesn''t sound that bad."


    In the minutes that passed, his eyes slowly drooped, getting smaller and smaller. With such nice weather and really nothing going on, the captain slowly dozed off, his captain''s hat covering his eyes.


    As so this was how the day went, it was peaceful, frighteningly so.


    However, it wouldn''t be long.


    It wouldn''t be long at all before the little ships came from the other side, swift and agile. Soon enough, the mining ship was in sight and the Tide King looked at it before holding his trident up high, signaling the others.


    "Follow my orders! Attack the ship!" he shouted.


    In that moment, he dived into the water whilst his chained prisoners activated their bloodlines. As their strength was brought out, the water trembled before rising into pirs. Then they morphed and faced the ship, transforming into massive serpents that dove back into theke before charging through theke like sharks.


    There were over a dozen of them,rge enough topare to cannons. And as the serpents swam through the waters, they slowly grewrger, swelling until each one was simr to the size of a river. But it was not just the Varuna n that was here but various other demons who could control water. And now that they were above such a massiveke, their strength nearly tripled.


    The ships continued forward, trailing behind the serpents while the other soldiers began opening the crates, preparing to dump them out into theke.


    Such a scene was not hard to miss and the divers noticed the iing attack.


    "Get back on the ship! We''re under attack! Where''s the captain, damn it?! We need to get the defenses going!"


    As the divers shouted and ran, those below deck awakened from the mor, climbing up from under.


    "What happened? Is something wrong?" they asked.


    Those already awake were already trying to move their harvest under, shouting out loud while doing so.


    "Attack! It''s an attack! The demons areing to attack!"


    Finally, the captain awakened in a daze, confused by all of the rushing, before quickly going into action.


    "Come on, you demon bastards. You want to take on my ship!"


    Getting out of his seat, he manned the vessel, pressing a series of buttons that caused it to tremble. The split deck rose up and joined together, while the parts of the hull shifted away, revealed little windows where cannons were rolled out. Above the deck were even more cannons and other forms of artillery, being loaded up by the crew and the miners. The sails were rolled up as the three masts split into four pieces and revealing a metal rod inside.


    It crackled and buzzed with power as the cores within the engine room glowed with a magnificent silver color.


    Momentster, a barrier formed covering the whole thing in a transparent shield. Except for the sound of rushing water, the ship was silent, waiting for the demons toe within range.


    It wouldn''t be long now and finally, they came.


    "Fire the cannons!" the captain shouted.


    On hismand, every piece of artillery shot with a resounding bang as rays of lightning and fire zed through the air. They flew in an arc, soaring over the water andnding into theke in explosions.


    The waters rocked wildly, causing several of the chained demons to lose focus.


    A few of the serpents shrunk in size, one or two even broke apart. But the rest were undamaged and there was no time to destroy them before crashing into the ship.


    The moment they hit, the barrier trembled but stood strong and the ship was pushed back. Everyone grabbed whatever they could to keep themselves from losing bnce. As for the captain, he clung to the wheel and kept his bearing before looking furiously at the ships.


    "If that''s the game you want to y then so be it!"


    Grabbing the lever to his right, he pushed it forward, moving the ship at full speed towards the smaller ones.


    "Come on then! You want to smash into each other, no?"


    He grinned and cackled, controlling the ship like a maniac while moving.


    As swift as his ship was, it was not as quick as these ones, quickly avoiding his charge and going around the ship. But he did not stop, instead, he turned and charged once more. Lightning and fire shot out from the vessel, causing chaos as it disrupted the water.


    "We must slow it down, quick! For our children!"


    The chained demons looked to each other and acted desperately. The water in front of the mining ship churned into a whirlpool as water serpents circled around, drawing the ship in.


    "Damn, we''re going to be trapped!"


    The captain turned as best he could but it was far toote, the ship had been caught.

 Chapter 397 - Chance To Escape

    "Aim at the waters around us! Disrupt the attack!"


    Stuck within these circling serpents, the captain shouted out to this crew before pressing a few other buttons. The barrier protecting them grew weaker and power was being diverted somewhere else.


    Meanwhile, the serpents continued to surround the ship, tightening their grasp.


    "Keep it going, destroy the barrier!" the demons shouted together.


    And then the barriers began to crack as the pressure mounted before it broke, shattering into pieces before disappearing.


    The watery serpents roared out as they closed in onto the ship, trying to keep it from moving. However, the cannons were loaded and all of them were aimed at the waters. In a single shot from all of them, they sted theke surface, causing giant waves and pushing the serpents back. Even the smaller ships were blown back.


    "Get ready and hold on tight!" shouted the captain.


    Free for just a few moments, he turned the ship and pressed a red-colored button.


    The propellers underneath began to spin and spin before bursting out with speed, sending the ship off at an incredible speed. It was so fast for the first few seconds that it looked like a stone skipping on water, escaping the attacks.


    "Chase after them! Go!"


    The demon soldiersmanded before Hai Zhu emerged from the waters, climbing back onto the ship. He looked around and saw the mining ship sail off before looking at the demons before him.


    "Good, the n has been set. We''ll return to the camps and set off immediately with the full force."


    Everyone nodded to hismands and the ships turned around, quickly leaving the site. As they left, theke returned to its serene state from which the surface was unbroken. It was clean and empty, devoid of any sign of battle.


    Which begged the question, what happened to the contents of the crates that they tossed into theke?


    Unfortunately, neither the captain, the crew, or the miners noticed it. They were too focused on the attack to really notice anything else. In fact, the captain was too busy celebrating in the cabin.


    "Ahahaha! Did you see that? That''s why I''m known as the Bull Shark Captain! No one dares to go against me!"


    The miners looked at him with a weak smile, clutching their stomachs tightly.


    "Damn, this is why I prayed that we wouldn''t get attacked. He''s too crazy of a captain to ride with."


    "It''s one thing to join the naval force with your own ship but to augment it so much..."


    "I don''t... I don''t think I can stomach another jump like that... urgh..."


    Those who have experienced this captain''s wild riding looked fine and even went below deck to check their harvest. Within the confines of the lower levels were dozens of crates filled with the metals and gems, they''ve obtained. Some were filled to the brim while others were partially filled.


    Looking at it all, the miners had a difficult expression on their faces. Some even went into deep thought, rubbing their chin with their hand.


    "Hmm..."


    "This- this can''t be considered a bad harvest but..."


    "It''s not as much as we hoped for."


    The miners looked at each other, trying to gauge their reactions.


    "Should we return?" one of them suggested.


    "No, it''s too dangerous. It doesn''t seem like they giving chase so we could just find a different area to mine this time."


    They all nodded in agreement, bringing it up with the captain who found no issue with it.


    "Ah, the operation will be a bit longer but there''s no harm in beingte is there?! Ahahaha!"


    Manning the ship, it coasted through theke, bing calm once more. Hourster, the day had be night and the ship stopped for the miners to do their work. And while doing so, they began to talk amongst themselves.


    "The ores here aren''t as plentiful but as long as we don''t exhaust the veins, they should grow back."


    "It''s the Cerulean Serpent''s Lake after all. The amount of Quintessence Energy here is incredible but it is a shame that it cannot be utilized."


    "Of course not, the energy is too wild to control. We have to wear this armor just to endure the pressure. Trying to absorb and refine it is too difficult. Its only purpose is to keep theke alive and strong."


    "That is true."


    "In any case, let''s finish up harvesting and be on our way."


    Following the same pattern as before, groups of ten took turns to mine, unearthing what they could. Focused on their work, all but one did not notice a peculiar detail on the hull of the ship.


    "Strange, was there always these ck spots?" they thought.


    Looking from below, the armored hull of the vessel was dotted all over with ck spots. But it was difficult to see underwater and they only gave it a cursory nce.


    "Must be some new creation from themander of Guardian''s Keep. He''s always tinkering away with the ships and all of that."


    This miner merely shrugged and went about their work. If they were to look closely, perhaps even feel the surface of the ship, such thoughts would note to pass.


    Those ck spots were the spiked balls that Commander Hai Zhu embedded into the hull. Not one of them was out of ce, fully pushed into the hull.


    How strong did one have to be to do such a thing? To be able to pierce severalyers of armor?


    What exactly did the Tide King do and what was he nning to do with this ship?


    For the moment, no one knew except for him.


    As soon as he returned to the base, Hai Zhu gathered everyone, from his soldiers to his prisoners. He gathered them all and stood in front of thekeshore, where a massive warship along with several other ships made their appearance.


    Looking at them all, he nted the butt of his trident into the ground and spoke.


    "The n has been set into motion. We will be leaving soon. Make any preparations and prepare. This time, we will take full control of theke!"


    He raised his trident as the soldiers before him, shouted together with excitement. Only the haggard prisoners were silent, looking at him with dread.


    Hai Zhu then looked at them especially.


    "You all will be the vanguard and assault the human bases. Is that clear?" he said.


    All of their eyes widened in shock.


    "But our children? What will happen to them? What if we were to die?" they asked.


    "Then don''t die."


    He replied with just those three words in his cold voice and turned away to leave. Some were unable to endure it anymore and shouted at him.


    "How can you do this?! Are you not one of us? A demon whose bloodline is blessed by the waters?!"


    Hai Zhu stopped and turned around. With theck of emotion in his face, it was difficult to read his emotions. That made facing him even more terrifying. He seemed to be devoid of any feeling. He just stared at the prisoners before answering them.


    "I am a Water Demon. Sea,ke, or river, it doesn''t matter to me. I have no n, no family to turn to because that was howmon water demons were, like fish in the ocean, there were countless others. Unlike you lot, the Varuna n, and all the other little ns, why is it that you''re named so? Why is it that you have such a unique status, unlike the lowly demons who have no ce to call home."


    Walking forward, he stepped right up to the prisoner that shouted, the n head and the father of those two children.


    "You may think of me as kin but I assure you, everyone here, they are just tools.. Pieces on top of a game."

 Chapter 398 - Incoming Battle

    After hearing such things,the Varuna n Head could not say anything. The t tone that Hai Zhu spoke in was terrifying to him. A silent fury was what thismander had, all of his emotions bottled up, restrained, and pushed down.


    But those words he spoke, the n Head could not ovee the momentum and so he was silent.


    The Tide King continued to look at him, staring into his eyes with his fish-like pupils.


    "Hmph, get onto the smaller ships. Whether or not you want to see your children again is dependent on whether you survive."


    He then turned and left, going back to his quarters before putting his trident away and sitting down.


    "Damn, I nearly lost control."


    The demon sighed, cursing himself with a disappointed look. He took a deep breath and looked back at his table where piecesid strewn across it.


    "Once this is over, It''s time to get rid of them and their children."


    He did not hesitate in his words, showing ack of sympathy for the lives he had taken captive. When the night was over and the sun rose up once more, he stepped out, dressed in his armor. Therge warship floated by the shore and waited for him.


    The smaller ships had already been filled with the chained demons. They all looked at him with weak gazes, waiting to set off.


    Hai Zhu boarded the ship and stood at the helm, looking forward.


    "Let''s go."


    The soldiers by his side nodded and signaled to the others, from there a small fleet of ten ships sailed for the Southern Tower. The trip would take less than a week to get there, maybe four days at its quickest.


    As for the mining ship, it had left, making its way back. They were only a day away.


    That meant three days to prepare for an attack but that was assuming they knew of it. By the time they were to spot these ships, Commander Yu Zhen would only have hours to prepare and Guardian''s Keep was a day away. Still, they would not easily fall even against a surprise attack.


    However, nothing is certain, it would only happen once the battlemenced.


    And far from all of this was Ming Yue''s little group, hurrying towards those said ces. The sword of wind under their feet, flew swiftly, flying across the air at an incredible pace. The scenery around them blurred just slightly as they traveled above empty ins.


    They had long passed the field of tall grass and now, they were out in the open.


    Getting to the Southern Tower would be faster but there was no doubt that this would attract some unwanted attraction. Most of the time, they were quicker but this time, they could not outrun this beast.


    "Stay close to me!"


    Ming Yue shouted as she held Shen Varuna and her two pets closely with one arm. The cultivator turned around and formed windnces that were also imbued with lightning. These spinning spears crackled as light snaked across their bodies.


    "Storm Lance!"


    With over five of them, they floated above her, shooting off with a thunderous crack.


    Up in the skies was a horrifying screech as a beast, flew over them, diving down to attack.It was a strange and terrifying creature, an eagle with three heads and a sizeparable to Matron Shuang.* Brown feathers covered most of its body while the edge of its wings was white. Its eyes were fierce, gold and ck pupils that followed its prey no matter how quick they were.


    And of all these things, there were the talons, long and gray, they were undoubtedly sharp and strong enough to tear bodies apart.


    There was no name for this creature for it was native to thesends and undiscovered by the Five Armies. Knowing this, Ming Yue had no idea as to its strength and powers.


    As the beast dove down, its wings retracted and barreled towards them at a blinding speed. However, it could not change course so easily and dodged only two of the Storm Lances. The other three struck its body, bursting out in wind and lightning, singeing feathers and cutting at flesh.


    It cried out in pain, slowed by the attack but its eyes continued to stick onto Ming Yue. Anger and rage filled it as it gave chase, recovering from the attack in moments.


    "Shit."


    She saw it all happen, finding the situation difficult. After all, she had her attention divided between keeping her group safe and maintaining the speed of the giant wind sword that carried them. Not to mention, using these new techniques put a strain on her. She wasn''t quite used to doing all this at once but the young cultivator was determined.


    Ming Yue looked at the three-headed bird fly after them before calling forth several more Storm Lances, sending them one by one. But the beast dodged them, choosing not to dive towards them. She only needed to slow it down but not even that was going to happen. It was agile and its pace only grew quicker and quicker.


    It screeched loudly, opening its ws to grab at them as it came closer.


    "Hmph, if I can''t escape it then I can only kill it."


    Ming Yue no longer shot thosences but took out Drifting Sky, wielding it with that same hand. Shen Varuna and the two beasts stayed close to her, daring not to move or they would fall off.


    Putting her power in the de, wind and lightning encased, Drifting Sky in a thin but dense shell, making it even sharper and deadlier.


    "Grab tightly to me."


    She looked to her passengers who nodded and did as she said.


    Ming Yue felt her energy drain even faster as the wind sword grew even faster, nearly tripling in speed. In an instant, they all felt a burst of wind push them and try to knock them off but she was unmoved. Rather, she watched the beast carefully.


    Seeing them move even quicker, it chased, speeding up as if pped its wings vigorously. The wind sword slowed, allowing the beast toe closer.


    "Nearly there."


    Tightening her grip on Drifting Sky, Ming Yue continued to watch the beast, waiting for it toe closer until it was only a dozen meters away.The three-headed bird looked at them with anticipation as it came closer to its next meal. Its talons were open wide and its wings were spread apart.


    Picking her target, Ming Yue forced the wind sword to stop and even reverse, heading straight for the beast. Drifting Sky was swung, cutting into the joint that connected the right-wing to its body.


    The distance was so close and the exchange was quick. By the time the beast realized what had happened, it felt a numbing pain in its wing as it limped to the side. Without it, the three-headed bird lost control, crashing into the ground.


    It twisted in pain before looking up, finding its prey flying off and disappearing from its sight.


    With its broken wing, the beast could not give chase.


    "Alright, we managed to get away from it."


    Ming Yue eyed it until they were safely out of its sight. It was then that she was able to rx a bit, allowing the young demon girl and the two beasts to have a bit of breathing room.


    "That was a Cerberic King Gryphon! That creature would take at least a hundred demons to fend it off. I can''t believe we managed to escape it, how strong are you?"


    Shen Varuna had widened eyes as she stared at Ming Yue with both awe and shock.


    Thetter looked at her before looking towards the direction of the Southern Tower.


    "It won''t be too long before we reach the Southern Tower.. I just hope that we get there in time", she said.

 Chapter 399 - Raiding The Tower

    Three days passed after the mining operation wasplete, the harvest could only be described as good but not great. Still, it was satisfactory for Zi Jing, who had the various crates loaded into his spatial rings.*


    "With this much, it shouldst us the month."


    He spoke happily, rubbing the rings with his other hands. Yu Zhen was next to him as they stood on the docks where everything had been unloaded.


    "That''s good to hear. The crew had been attacked but luckily no one was lost", she replied.


    "Good, good. Let me just inspect the ship and I''ll get going."


    He then walked towards the ship, asking for the engineers to pull it out of the water. It didn''t take long for the ship to be fully exposed onnd. His eyes widened immediately as he saw the hull.


    "What the hell? What happened here?!"


    Zi Jing shouted out angrily as he stomped forward and touched the deeply embedded spiked balls.


    "Where is the crew? Tell me why the hull is like this?!"


    His sudden outburst took everyone by surprise, even Yu Zhen came to check out what had happened. The miners and the captain came soon enough, surprised by his anger.


    "Why are there these balls stuck inside the ship?"


    Zi Jing turned around and looked at them all.


    "Is it not your doing?" said one of the miners.


    He looked at this person with incredulous eyes, shaking his head.


    "Who in their right mind to ruin their own creation like this?" he said.


    Then Yu Zhen came forward.


    "It must have been the demons, they did this during the attack, didn''t they? But why?" she said, trying to calm her fellowmander.


    "What? What could they be trying to aplish here? A waste of materials and it ruined the ship, trying to fix this is going to be a pain in my ass", he said angrily.


    Just then, a bell rang out several times from the highest level of the Southern Tower. Voices shouted out from above as men stopped in confusion.


    "Demons! The demons areing! It''s an attack."


    Just under an hour away, The giant warship along with its fleet made its entrance, surging towards them. Standing at the bow of the ship was Hai Zhu, the Tide King, gripping his nine- pronged trident tightly as he looked at the tower.


    "What?"


    Yu Zhen took out a spyss from her waist, opening it and putting it to her eye. All it took was a second for her to spot those very ships.


    "They really areing for an attack, but why? Damn, there''s no point in wondering. Prepare for battle! Push back these demons!"


    She shouted out as everyone scrambled for their weapons and armor.


    "Commander Zi Jing, go get your men and get your siege engines ready! You can worry about the shipter!"


    Zi Jing stared at the ship before leaving, doing as she had asked.


    "Board the other ships! We will meet them on the waters! Get the defenses ready! Hurry!"


    "Yes,mander!"


    From the other side, Hai Zhu saw themotion in the Southern Tower and smiled.


    "Good, the n has been set in motion."


    He turned around and walked away, raising his trident to the other ships as a signal. The captains of each ship saw it and yelled to the others.


    "Prepare for battle! Kill the humans!"


    And as they readied themselves, brandishing their weapons, the shackled members of the Varuna n and other demons all activated their bloodlines. The water around them began to ripple as they took control of it.


    As they came closer,rge serpents began to form, swimming through the waters below.


    And the ships docked by the Southern Tower were quickly armed as everyone moved as quickly as they could. Crewmen and captains boarded their ships except for the Bull Shark Captain, whose ship had been beached.


    "Ah damn, what the hell happened to my ship? Now I have to stay back and fight onnd? I shouldn''t have gone for a drink when we came back."


    He was both disappointed and angry, mostly at himself for not checking on his ship earlier.


    On the ground, several cannons and other grand machines made their appearance. Standing at the front of it all was Zi Jing, overlooking all of it while squads of men and women, engineers and craftsmen, manned these weapons.


    "Let''s get going! Load up the Thunder Gauss Cannons! Get the shields up!"


    He yelled out orders while summoning his five swords, all of which floated behind his back. Soon enough a massive barrier formed all throughout the Southern Tower, covering up the docks even.


    By the time all of this happened, the warship and the fleet were only a thousand meters away. But that distance shortened very quickly.


    Hai Zhu watched as the barrier formed but he was not worried in the slightest. He only held out his trident and cycled his energy into it, making his weapon shudder and ring out.


    Within that very ship, the dozens of spiked balls trembled, called out by the ringing of the trident. All of this caused the hull to creak and crack, splintering as the balls broke it apart.


    "The ship, what''s happening to it?"


    Zi Jing noticed it immediately.


    But that was just a side effect, it was not its main purpose. As the trident trembled, Hai Zhu then mmed the butt of it onto the floorboards, silencing it.


    "Explode."


    The spiked balls rattled even more fiercely as if they could no longer contain whatever was inside. And without missing a beat, they burst out in a chain of fiery explosions. But there were hundreds of them, all embedded into the ship''s hull and the initial shockwavesunched them out, scattering them across the docks and the ground.


    Before anyone could even scream or shout, their bodies were ripped apart from the sts. All of the ships that were docked with this very vessel were destroyed. The crew on them were all but dead.


    Many morended by the siege engines and near the Southern Tower, destroying everything. The barrier vanished as the very things that powered it was gone. Many of the defenses that had been taken out were destroyed in a ze of fire.


    The tower itself trembled from the shockwaves as its foundation was shaken to the very core. It tried to stay firm but in the end, it crumbled down to the grounds.


    When it was finally over, hundreds of lives were lost, and even moreid on the ground half dead or injured.


    "No, how did this happen?"


    Yu Zhen was knocked back by the explosions but she was unhurt, protecting herself in thest seconds with herrge saber. She looked around, trying to assess the situation as best as she could but the only way she could describe it wasplete destruction.


    It was their defeat.


    "Escape to Guardian''s Keep! Those that aren''t injured should help recover those that are. Abandon everything else!"


    She screamed out her orders while running across the carnage searching for Zi Jing. Looking around, she hurried towards where the ruined siege engines were.


    ''Commander Zi Jing!"


    She shouted, seeing herrade pinned underneath some of the rubble. The five floating swords by him were cutting away at it while he struggled to get out. But he was feeling weak, there was blood flowing out from his body.


    "I''m here! Help get me out!" he shouted.


    She ran towards him and swung her saber, cutting through the wood and stone before pulling him out.


    "Your stomach, we need to get it treated!"


    Looking down, Yu Zhen saw his hand pressing down on a fist-sized hole in his waist.


    "We have to go back to Guardian''s Keep. Prepare to defend, message the othermanders."


    He spoke weakly, but he wouldn''t die so easily.


    Together, they made their escape, leading any stragglers to escape.


    And that was when Hai Zhu, hopped down from his warship and looked around at his handiwork.


    "Kill any humans that are still alive! Then, we push even further" he ordered.

 Chapter 400 - Utter Massacre

    Walking around with his trident, it looked as if he was taking a simple stroll. But the demon soldiers around him ran around killing anyone that was barely even breathing. The group of chained demons all just stood there in shock at it all.


    "Those explosions... Were they caused by those things in the crates?"


    "What have we done? How can we face our children knowing what we''ve justmitted?"


    "They''re dead. They''re all dead."


    Some fell to their knees, unable to handle all of what they witnessed. Any semnce of life here was burnt to ash, destroyed by an explosion strong enough to level cities. It was a horrific scene made worse by the screams of dying men.


    The demon soldiers reveled in it while Hai Zhu acted as if nothing was wrong. He just scanned the area for any survivors anyone that was still alive. Those that still breathed were met with a swift end by his trident. But the Tide King didn''t enjoy this one-sided victory at all, he only looked further into thend, towards where Guardian''s Keep was. He wasn''t going to leave so quickly, he was going to capitalize on this momentum.


    "Finish up here. Then we move further in. I will not be satisfied until we take full control of theke!"


    He shouted, raising his trident high. His men all yelled out in excitement whilst the chained prisoners looked in horror.


    "You aren''t finished yet? You''ve won. Everyone here is dead, everything is destroyed. Aren''t you satisfied?"


    He turned back to them, giving them all a look with his fish-like eyes.


    "No, I''m not satisfied. I will continue this until every human learns of this incident. Until my name is like a sh of lightning, I want them to quake when my name is mentioned. Even after I am dead, I will get the recognition I deserve. I am not some lowly demon, I am the Tide King and you are useless to me now."


    Without hesitation, he pierced the demon in front of him and went on to ughter every one of his prisoners.


    "No, please! Don''t do this!"


    "Run! Everyone run! Back to the waters!"


    They tried to escape but with their shackles, they could only struggle to the end. Hai Zhu was quick, killing each one of them with a single strike. None of them could fight back, they were scared and shaken. Their minds were weak and their will was frail. Perhaps they could''ve overpowered him together but none of them were of a sound mind.


    It wasn''t long before there was only one left, surrounded by his dead kin. It was the father of those two children, the Varuna n head, himself.


    And tears were running down his face.


    "Then... our children? What will be of them?"


    He asked weakly, a defeated tone in his voice.


    The Tide King looked at him.


    "The same fate as you, death. Or perhaps, I shall raise them as my own personal soldiers. What would you think of that?"


    The demon replied not even giving the n head any time to speak before stabbing him in the chest.


    "Ah-ugh, yo-you monster. Even in death. I will haunt you for the rest of your life. This recognition you crave, I hope that you will never have it."


    With his dying breath, the n head fell to the ground as blood flowed from his wounds.


    Hai Zhu stood over him, over all of the bodies. He wiped the blood from his trident and turned away, leaving this bloody scene.


    The soldiers before him gathered around, eagerly waiting for his next orders. They were grinning from ear to ear, asking to chase.


    "Come on then, let''s go hunt them down."


    Merely a day passed before Ming Yue''s group made it to the site and Shen Varuna hid behind her. Something like this was not for the eyes of a child.


    The young cultivator unsheathed her sword, ready for any attack but there was no one here.


    "What happened here?" she thought.


    The Southern Tower was in ruins. The fires still burned brightly and bodies were strewn about. Blood no longer flowed but they collected into pools.


    "Stay close to me, okay?"


    Ming Yue looked to the little demon, who clung tightly to her armor. She shook her head, taking peaks from time to time.


    Xiao Yin flew up to see the situation from above and Hei Yue sniffed the air. Coming from the north, they moved by thekeshore, finding the situation worse to look at. It wasn''t until they reached the main site that Shen Varuna peaked out once more and noticed the pile of dead bodies.


    "No!"


    She cried out before running forward, stopping right in front of it.


    Ming Yue chased after her before stoping as well for she realized who these people were. Mixed within these bodies were those with indigo scars. She was silent, looking at the little girl.


    She just stood there in shock, her body trembled for a few minutes. Then she walked forward, going over the bodies until she stopped at the corpse of her father.


    Falling to her knees, this young girl, not even ten years of age, hugged the cold body and whimpered.


    Ming Yue did nothing, what else could she do?


    She looked to Hei Yue, signaling the fox to guard her, while she checked out the rest of the grounds. The further she moved, the heavier her heart became. There was nothing here but death and destruction.


    "We were toote."


    She looked around before stopping in front of some tracks, leading towards the east where Guardian''s Keep was. Her eyes widened as she realized it.


    "They''re going to attack the keep as well. Then there''s still chance a chance to turn this around."


    She turned back and came to where Shen Varuna was. The girl still whimpering while embracing her father. But when she heard Ming Yue''s steps, she slowly turned around. Her big eyes still had plenty of tears. She was beyond mere sadness, she was stricken with grief. Filled with emotions a young child should never feel.


    "It''s toote," she said, "There''s no one here, there is nothing here. You said everything would be okay and now they''re dead. My father is dead. All of the children, my brother, are they dead too?"


    Ming Yue looked at her with a soft expression. Shen Varuna''s face was filled with sadness and despair but the tears stopped. The shock of it all had gone to her head and the tears stopped.


    She looked at that face and then steeled her resolve.


    "No, it''s not toote, there is still a chance. I can''t bring your father back but I will end it before it continues."


    A wind sword formed under her feet and lifted her above the ground. She whistled for Xiao Yin and held her hand out to the little demon. Hei Yue hopped onto the sword and looked towards the demon as well.


    "Once this ends, we''re going across theke to your brother. And I will promise you this, even if you''re alone, you will have me."


    Her voice did not exude confidence but determination and a touch of cold rage. That much gave a tinge of fear within Shen Varuna but she relented, looking her at father one more time.


    "When wee back, I''ll bring them back to your home and help bury them. But for now, I will avenge them all", said Ming Yue.


    The little girl wiped away her tears and stepped onto the wind sword, grabbing her hand.


    Lifting up from the ground, they flew above the trees and went east where Guardian''s Keep was. It was a day''s walk but on this sword, it was an hour at most.. It wouldn''t be long before they arrived and death would surelye for the Tide King.

 Chapter 401 - Thunderous Arrival

    Guardian''s Keep was led by Zi Jing and built as a support to the Southern Tower. Thetter did most of the battle and mining while the former focused on crafting and processing. With that said, those that resided in this base were craftsmen and researchers, not soldiers. There were certainly defenses and what not but the number of people that could fight inbat was pitifulpared to the other armies.


    Still, among the strongholds, Guardian''s Keep had the greatest defense.


    What was the need for soldiers when there were walls fortified withyers of Deepwater Steel, towers with cannons and artillery, all manner of tricks and innovation.


    All of these things born from the minds of Zi Jing and his men.


    Just outside was the Tide King and his men, camped outside of the stronghold. They were stopped at the gates, blocked by a barrier. But it wouldn''tst for long especially from the constant attacks. After all, it was just a few dozen men but all of his soldiers, hundreds upon hundreds.


    They even had crates of those spiked balls, their own cannons, and other weapons, all brought in by that warship. Under Hai Zhu''smand, theyid siege to the keep, shooting at the barrier, trying to breach it.


    And at this moment, Guardian''s Keep was in chaos.


    "Get the defenses going!"


    "How much of our stock is left? Do we have enough ammunition?"


    "Come on, those demons aren''t going to just wait for us!"


    "Gah! Get the twomanders safe and cared for! Don''t forget about ourrades from the Southern Tower! We have to hold until reinforcementse!"


    The various craftsmen and anyone else who could move scrambled about. The rumbling of explosions could be heard from the walls, making it even tenser for them. All of it was so sudden for them.


    The arrival of their half-deadmander, the news of the Southern Tower''s destruction, and the advent of the demons.


    One thing came after another, like a chain of events that rocked the men to their feet.


    "Come on! Aim at the demons!"


    "Someone help load up the cannons!"


    "Whose watching the artillery?!"


    "When did they have bombs? Were they hiding this the whole time?"


    The counterattack was weak as best as they tried,posed of a wild barrage of shots and explosions. The only word one would use to describe it was "messy" and their disy of prowess only made the demonsugh out loud.


    "Ahahaha! Were the humans always this weak?! Let''s break the barrier and kill them!"


    Wheeling their cannons closer, every demon knew their job, partly because of Hai Zhu''s leadership. They moved quickly, loading up the barrels and nting more of those spiked balls or bombs rather. Piling it on in one spot, everyone retreated while those manning the cannons aimed at that very spot.


    Hai Zhu stepped forward and held his trident out, filling it with power and causing the bombs to tremble.


    "On my mark!"


    From within, the many men and women grouped together, protecting themselves. They watched the gate closely, readying their personal weapons. It ranged from hammers to crossbows and even a small cannon, a hand cannon to be exact. It was etched with red and carried a small gem above the trigger*


    "They''re about to breach the keep! Defend it! Live or die, this is our home!" one of them shouted.


    The other roared out but their hands trembled. For some, it was their first battle. They were craftsmen at heart, after all, war was not in their blood.


    And outside, Hai Zhu looked waited, there was silence in this ce. Staring at the keep, he knew that the humans were preparing for the barrier to break. This was the moment he would relish in.


    "Once I have control over thiske, I could do so much with it. I wouldn''t have to work under Kong Zhi. Vajra bloodline or not, he''s going to have to ask me for the resources. He''s going to have to bow down to me!"


    On that note, he mmed the trident down, signaling to his men and detonating the bombs. The cannons fired and the bombs exploded, blowing a hole in the barrier and rupturing the gate too.


    "Charge! Take the stronghold! Kill the humans! Go!" hemanded.


    Happy to follow his orders, they ran forward, sprinting towards the open gates with their weapons swinging about.


    The explosion could be heard for hundreds of kilometers and Ming Yue heard it clearly. Rather, she saw the pir of fire and ash and the barrier that shattered to pieces.


    Looking at Shen Varuna, whose eyes were fearful, she took out Drifting Sky. Her other hand formed the Zephyr ws for there was no need to be silent here. Then ghostly blue energy flowed from her body as she let go of the child and her two beasts.


    "I''ll be sending you three into the base, okay?" she spoke with a smile.


    The little demon stood back in shock at this power but nodded, hugging Hei Yue instead. The moment, she turned around, her face went cold like ice.


    "Storm Lance."


    Six cracklingnces of wind formed as she stepped off the wind sword and dropped down, flying straight for the demons.


    The wind sword continued to fly beforending inside the stronghold, right in front of the crafters. Their eyes widened in shock, unable to fathom the sudden appearance of this demon child as two beasts.


    Before anyone could even think past that, their ears were struck by the sound of thunder as the stormnces sted apart everything in its st.


    Ming Yuended in front of the gates, right in the middle of the demon army. With just her entrance, dozens of demons had died, some had their bodies ripped apart from the shock, others were vaporized.


    "What?! Who?!"


    Hai Zhu''s men stopped moving, staring at the fluttering dust where an eerie blue light glowed from within. Then it vanished and everything had be quiet once more. All of them turned around took at each other, confused as to what just happened.


    The Tide King, himself, knew that something was wrong, someone had arrived.


    "Stay wary! Someone else hase!"


    He warned them but it was toote. Several thuds were heard as bodies dropped to the ground.


    "What?! What happened?"


    The soldiers were stunned, unable to see how theirrades had died. But the state their bodies were left in sent chills down their bodies. Their faces were shredded apart, separated from their body with a clean strike. But that was it, there was no sign of anyone or anything. The only proof was the dead bodies.


    "Damn it! Charge into the fortress! Whoever this person is, they''ll have to reveal themselves!"


    Hai Zhu stamped his trident on the ground, causing the remaining bombs to fly out.


    "Explode!"


    At hismand, they burst out in a fiery explosion in the sky allowing the demons some few seconds of cover. Steeling themselves, all of the demons ran for the fortress confident in their leader.


    As expected, the eerie light appeared, flying through them and killing those in her way. Then Ming Yue stopped at the gate, looking at this mob of demons.


    "A human girl!"


    "Kill her!"


    Those closest to her began to swell in power as they activated their bloodlines, raising their weapons to attack her. She only looked at them, taking note of their positions. Even then, there were several hundred of them.


    "I should finish this quickly. That demon with the trident, he must be the Tide King, I should''ve gone for him first."


    She tightened her grip on Drifting Sky, preparing to make her move. Just then, she heard a loud bang as a fist-sized ming ball shot past her, hitting the nearest demon in the stomach and throwing the soldier into those behind him.


    "Help the girl! Defend Guardian''s Keep!"


    Standing by the crafters of this ce was Commander Yu Zhen, wielding her giant saber with both arms. She was sweating heavily and the armor she wore covered the bandages.. But she was awake and she had some strength, she wasn''t going to just stay in the backlines.

 Chapter 402 - Defense Of Guardians Keep

    She pointed her saber forward,manding the men and women around her.


    "Form the ranks! Melee in the front! Ranged in the back! You''re not going to let some little girl fight alone, are you?"


    They all shouted, getting into a formation. With someone leading them, they were no longer confused. Creating two lines, they made their stand outside of the gates, aiding Ming Yue in this defense.


    Commander Yu Zhen then walked forward, extending a hand toward Shen Varuna and the two beasts.


    "I can watch the child, why don''t you two help her?" she said.


    The little demon gave her a wary look but Hei Yue and Xiao Yin recognized themander. After all, she was at the battle within the Boundless Beast Forest. The two beasts looked at Shen Varuna, nudging her to take themander''s hand. The little girl hesitated but she walked towards themander and hid behind her before peeking out.


    "Be safe..."


    As the beasts ran off to join the fight, she quietly prayed for their wellbeing, hoping that Ming Yue would win.


    It had grown chaotic for both sides fought with wild fervor. With their bloodlines activated, the various demons fought, shooting out spears of water and pushing forward. But on the other side, the craftsmen relied on their tools and traps to fight back.


    "Give me time to load up the hand cannon!"


    "Where are the talismans! We need some formations set up!"


    "Hmph, they might have bombs but we''re leagues beyond that!"


    Various colors lit up the battlefield as they fired off attacks, putting down formation gs, and sending paper talismans flying. Carrying a two-handed hammer, one of them swung horizontally, the back of the head blew out with a st of wind, making the attack faster and stronger. Another wielded and crossbow, loading up five bolts at once before shooting them in session. One carried nothing more than a chisel, stabbing it into the ground and summoning forth a golem!


    Looking from the back, the Tide King felt anger rise up from within himself. The momentum he had was lost and now he needed to reim it.As much as the Water Demon would''ve wanted to charge forward, he felt a stare lock him down. Suddenly, he spun around, deflecting a sword clearly aimed for his neck.


    "You! You dare ruin my ns!"


    He shouted and gave chase to Ming Yue.


    Swinging his nine-pronged trident, the demon threw it forward, aiming to pierce her body. But she was quick, parrying the trident away before charging towards him. Hai Zhu was taken back by surprise but he ducked forward, holding his hand out and calling for his weapon.


    "Rising Wave!"


    He spun his trident and swung out a dozen times, each swung produced a force greater than thest. But theypounded into each other, meshing andbining into one massive attack. It blew through everything from trees to rock, smashing through it all.


    "sting Gale."


    Ming Yue avoided the attack before destroying it with this attack. Sending it dead center, it exploded and caused the attack to burst out and release a shockwave in all directions. And she didn''t stop there, she flew towards him, attacking with a diagonal chop. He blocked it only to see her other hand, d in the Zephyr ws strike from below.


    He jumped back, slipping through the attack, and then stood face to face with her. Taking a closer look, Hai Zhu had a look of realization.


    "You... you''re the one Shi Hou was talking about, the human girl in the battle. Of all the things I could''ve ounted for, to think I''d see you here. I would''ve expected you to havee muchter."


    Unfortunately, Ming Yue was in no position to talk, Pale Moon acted on a time limit. Even without it, she would not give him even an inch of space to breathe. The young cultivator took a stance and vanished from his sight before reappearing right in front of him, swinging at his legs.


    It was too fast and unexpected, the Tide King couldn''t block the attack but he didn''t have to.


    Her de was stopped ringing out as it shed with his armor, she retracted her sword and retreated. Looking at where she attacked, Drifting Sky left nothing more than a small dent.


    "That armor... it must be made from Deepwater Steel", she thought.


    ording to what she knew, this miraculous ore had two unique abilities, it can heal small injuries and reflect attacks to a certain degree. Its quality and durability were above that of normal armor. With a Peak-Divine Grade Sword like Drifting Sky, normal armor was akin to cutting paper. So for the Tide King''s Armor to have nothing more than a dent showed the difference.


    She looked at her sword, checking for any chips or cracks.


    "An attack of that power is enough to go over the reflect ability but I only managed to make a dent. Then what would a full-powered strike do?"


    Suddenly, her sword began to hum before releasing a low howl, feeling the energy circte within its body.


    "She''s trying something!"


    Crossing his arms, Hai Zhu put the trident before him, making it tremble before forming a barrier of water. He wasn''t going to dodge to try to avoid it because he knew that there would be no point.


    Ming Yue raised her sword and swung it casually, in a natural manner to be exact.


    Within those three months, she made progress in developing this attack, an umtion of all she learned in the stage of "Return to Simplicity." As her sword moved, all of the various forces within herbined into a crescent-shaped attack that flew forward. It released an iridescent light as it crashed into the barrier, cutting through it before flying past the demon and cutting everything in its path for the next ten kilometers.


    She looked at him before gazing at her sword, her hand trembled from the bacsh of executing that attack.


    "Hmm, I still can''t quite control it", she thought, "Adding in the Lightning Dao Energy really makes it more difficult."


    She tightened her grip to counter the trembling and looked towards the Tide King, who inspected his body for any injuries before looking at her.


    "Hmph, you''re strong and you were able to contend with Kong Zhi. I should end you now before you get to turn into a problem."


    He then took off the top half of his armor and activated his bloodline. Gray energy flowed from his body as water seemed to seep from his pores. But it wasn''t ordinary water, rather it was more viscous. Soon enough, a puddle formed beneath him before growing and morphing into fish.


    They swam around, leaving behind trails of this slippery water. As they did so, he stepped forward, spinning his trident while eyeing her.


    "I am a Water Demon. We are the lowest of all demons that control water because we produce impure water."


    He held his hand up, showing up the gray water spinning forth from his palm.


    "I worked hard to hone my ability, to control it to the most precise degree. Thus, I created this, Corrupted Sea, my own personal prison for you."


    Suddenly the fish jumped out, dozens of them flew into the air with their fanged jaws open.


    Ming Yue looked around andshed out, destroying the fish only for them to return to the water and reform. And they continued to swim, circling around her like sharks.


    "I wonder if you can stop me from destroying all that you tried to protect."


    His voice grew lower and sharper, like a dagger that was unsheathed.


    Ending his words, he leaped forward,nding on one of the trails and sliding through towards Ming Yue.. His trident was pointed forward, aimed at her heart.

 Chapter 403 - The Tide Kings Wrath

    Ming Yue jumped away only to lose her footing on the slippery ground.


    "Damn!"


    She cursed inwardly, swinging her sword to meet his trident. As strange or difficult of an angle it was, she managed it and deflected the attack. Her Zephyr ws vanished and was reced by a ball of lightning.


    Regaining her footing, the cultivator jumped back and off of the wet ground before shooting the lightning ball into the water. It quickly spread through the water, shocking everything but the fish weren''t real, they were made of water. Such an attack had no effect.


    "Did you really think that would work?"


    Hai Zhu shouted as he slid on the water, gaining on her quickly. He leaped forward and swung out, releasing a dangerous pressure. Ming Yue dodged the attack but by the time she could counter it, he slipped away.


    "It''s like trying to catch a fish!" she thought.


    It was hard enough trying to predict where or when he would attack but what made it worse were the murky fish, swimming around her.


    "Basket of the Devil Fish."


    As he turned around and called out this name, the various fish all turned and swam straight towards Ming Yue.


    "What is this?"


    She ran forward, changing her positions constantly only for the fish to chase after her. Then they leaped out, attacking from all directions. But it wasn''t all at once. It was a pattern, five from one direction, five from another direction, and so on. After ten seconds, there had already been ten waves.


    All of it missed but they left behind a trail of murky water in the air as the fish weaved together a basket of water.


    "A trap! I have to break out!"


    Ming Yue realized it quickly and charged forward, trying to break out. But this watery prison was durable, not breaking from her first strike. As she tried to escape the many fish swam up the basket, covering nearly every foot of it. There were dozens upon dozens of them, waiting to leap out and attack her.


    And with nowhere to go, she would have to endure the pain.


    She thought quickly beforeing up with an idea.


    "Storm Lance."


    Going to one side, she formed ance above her and shot it point-nk into the cage. It exploded, causing lightning to burst out as well as a shockwave of wind, blowing a hole in it. She moved quickly, escaping just as the watery fish attacked.


    Hai Zhu was waiting for her toe out, thrusting his trident forward. She ced it in front of her, blocking the attack but was thrown back, hitting against the tree trunk.


    Riding the waters, the demon gave her no chance to recover, throwing his trident at her. Ming Yue rolled to the right before running forward,


    "How do I attack?" she thought.


    Of all her opponents, Hai Zhu was difficult, evenpared to Kong Zhi. Unlike him, the Tide King didn''t have the raw power but instead, he was tricky. With the wet ground beneath them, Hai Zhu was hard to catch, he was simply too slippery.


    Before she even knew it, he retrieved his trident and went in for another attack.


    Ming Yue parried the attack before forming the Boltwind Nails, trying to strike him down.


    "Do you think that would reach me?"


    The Tide King avoided the strike before slipping through her reach. But as he spoke, he felt a jolting pain in his back, sharp and unexpected as the lightning passed through his body. He grunted in pain before ring at Ming Yue.


    She wasn''t looking to rip his flesh but rather aimed carefully, shooting the nails into his back.


    "He can only take the paths created by those fish. I just have to find out which path he takes", she thought.


    Indeed, while the murky water continued to flow from his body and from those fish, they would dry up within half a minute. Although the paths changed constantly, all she needed to do was to observe the paths and remember them.


    Knowing this, Ming Yue moved, touching only the ground that wasn''t wet. While she was adapting to the slipperiness, chances were she wouldn''t be fully limated in time.


    Her other hand formed the Boltwind Nails once more and she chased after him. Hai Zhu kept his distance,manding the watery fish to attack her.


    "How long will youst?!" he shouted.


    Dozens of them leaping out to bite her but she cut them into halves with ease. Her speed didn''t slow and she gained on him until they were only meters apart.


    "Phantasmal Wind."


    Like a ghost, she faded away from her position. Sharpening his eyes, the demon scanned the area, looking for any movement before holding out his trident, blocking Ming Yue''s sword. Emerging from thin air, she appeared by his right side. Pulling Drifting Sky back, she spun and attacked once more,nding right in front of him.


    Their weapons shed once more as Ming Yue stared into his ck eyes.


    "Tell me, are those children still alive?" she asked.


    She pushed him back, sending out an onught of attacks. Suddenly the roles had changed and she had taken control of the battle. The Tide King could not back off or try to escape or else he would suffer an attack.


    However, he smiled at them.


    "So you know about them... You must have run across that little girl, haven''t you?"


    He spoke with a cold tone that carried a sense of victory in his voice.


    "Then that means that you''vee across the tower but the sea. I wonder, how did you enjoy the scene? I''m sure that among the dead, that the Varuna child found her dead father. How did she seem? How do you think she would feel about her brother? They''re still locked up and considering that there''s no one there, they''ve gone without food or water for days. Do you think they starved to death yet? Do you still think that you can save them?"


    His words were beyond ridiculing her, it felt as if he wasughing at her.


    It was a message.


    Even if he were to defeat her, she would have to cross theke to save those children. And by then, they would be dead.


    If it were any other person, they would''ve lost themselves to anger and rage. But Ming Yue knew what he was trying to do and she wouldn''t let him. Slowly the pressure on Hai Zhu increased, he felt himself losing ground as the fish that leaped at her were all destroyed. All she needed were wind needles, piercing the fish and sending them back into the murky water.


    Even then, she could feel the anger seething within her.


    "I will not let those children die!"


    She shouted, taking out the Pearlstone Dagger and thrusting it into his stomach. It pierced his skin, digging deeply into his flesh. He screamed in pain and grabbed her, throwing her off and into the water.


    "That''s enough! Struggle as much as you want, it is my victory! My name will be written down in history and you are only a stepping stone!"


    He pointed at her crumpled body.


    "Jaws of the Abyssal Fish!"


    The murky water gathered around her and enveloped her body. Try as she might, Ming Yue sank deeper and deeper, unable to escape. She felt sluggish and the air in her lungs was beginning to run out.


    "No! I won''t lose here! I have to escape, I have to save them! I promised!"


    But her consciousness slowly faded away as she could not find the strength to escape.


    Would it truly end like this?


    Hai Zhu looked at the puddle of water before him, containing her body. She had descended so far down that he couldn''t even see a shadow of her. Then he turned around, assessing the situation. The craftsmen fought desperately to defend Guardian''s Keep but their situation was more than dismal. Even Commander Yu Zhen joined but in her injured state, she could only provide so much help.


    In the end, his side was winning.


    "Hmph, once I im thiske, I will be my own lord."


    Muttering to himself, Hai Zhu began to walk forward before stopping to turn around, staring the puddle.


    It was rippling.

 Chapter 404 - Execution Of A King

    The puddle surface continued to ripple before him.


    "What? She isn''t dead?!"


    Hai Zhu walked forward, tightening his grip on the trident. The murky water continued to tremble before suddenly exploding and bursting out with the fury of a storm. Wind and lightning rushed out, destroying everything around it and forcing the water to dispel.


    And then a hand came out, grabbing onto the edge as Ming Yue emerged but the aura around her was different. She turned and looked at Hai Zhu with a pair of cold eyes. So much so that it brought fear to him.


    "You... you''re different from before", he said.


    Indeed, It wasn''t Ming Yue, it was Xue Yue.


    She continued to stare deep into him while wiping the sword clean with her arm.


    "It has been quite some time since I''vee out. Ming Yue truly decided to push herself and to be fair, I don''t me her. You are a disgusting sight for me and I will end you."


    That was all Xue Yue said for she vanished from his sight.


    "Reaping de."


    Hai Zhu looked around but saw nothing. Despite theck of cover, she was nowhere to be found. He couldn''t even sense her. He turned and turned, holding his trident defensively.


    "Are you afraid? You should be. You said all those things about letting those children starve to death. Who knows what else you''ve done to them. You threaten her with their lives? You threaten me? Perhaps she would send you to a quick death but me, you will suffer."


    Her voice echoed around him, sometimes it felt like she was talking in his mind or whispering in his ears.


    "Where are you? Where did you go?"


    He shouted out before seeing a glint of light and defended against the attack but it was only the dagger.


    "Agh!"


    Hai Zhu shouted in pain just as Drifting Sky was pulled out of his shoulder. He turned but found nothing.


    "Those bruises on that girl, they were done by your men. And you allowed them to do so. What do you think that means?"


    Fear continued to rise up as he turned constantly. His eyes flickered about, trying to find her but Xue Yue was simply gone. But he felt it, his impending fate, the end wasing for him.


    "This is the end? My n for several years is impeded?" he thought.


    Then, the demon did something. An action that his own men had never witnessed before, not even the other kings or Kong Zhi, himself. He gnashed his teeth and his fish-like face was warped with anger. All the emotions, the rage and the contempt, the shock and the hatred, welling up from the very beginning, all of it seemed to burst out in that expression.


    "You won''t stop me! Nothing will! I will obtain my power! I will obtain the recognition I deserve! It should''ve been me that led the demons in this war!"


    He spun his trident and pierced the ground.


    "ckened Water!"


    The grayish water gathered by his feet before spreading out but the water was had turned pitch ck. Like waves, they washed over the entire area. It even came close to the walls of the keep.


    "Retreat! Retreat! Back behind the gates!"


    "Don''t let the waters touch you!"


    Everyone ran back, defending themselves from within Guardian''s Keep. But the demons were not so lucky.


    "Shit, the king used his technique! Don''t get touched by it, run! If you touch it, you''ll be trapped and pulled in!"


    They yelled out to each other, trying their best to avoid the water but some could not escape.


    "Pull me out! Pull me out!"


    "No! I can''t escape!"


    Those were thest words as these poor souls were pulled down into the ck water. They screamed and cried out but found themselves engulfed by the water, unable to breathe theirst breath.


    Everyone else looked in horror, demon or human, the sight was chilling to the bone.


    And as the source of this technique, Hai Zhu took out his trident from which a giant fin emerged, swimming around him. His bulging eyes looked around carefully, searching for Xue Yue, who was still nowhere to be found.


    "Is that it?" her voice echoed out.


    From the skies came down a dozen sting Gales, blowing holes into the ck water only to be refilled.


    "What will you do? You can''t break this technique! Not while I am still alive!"


    The Tide King shouted, searching for his opponent.


    Suddenly, Xue Yue appeared, thrusting Drifting Sky forward only for him to deflect it. But she was quick, flipping over his head as she ced her hand on his head. Lighting shot out, electrocuting him from top to bottom. Then she vanished once more, flying off.


    But the attacks didn''t stop there.


    "Whistle Wind."


    A whistling sound came as a small de of wind cut into his shoulder. Then it was his chest, then his back, his other arm, it grazed his neck once or twice. And the attacks didn''t stop, Xue Yue used Whistle Wind constantly, conserving her strength.


    "Ah, as much as I like to be in control, I alwayse out in such bad situations."


    She clicked her tongue while looking at her body.


    "With Pale Moon gone, the bacsh is alreadying. And, I don''t even have that much energy left after using it. Which means that all I have left to reliably depend on is Drifting Sky."


    She looked back at Hai Zhu, studying him while he defended against the Whistle Winds.


    "He has armor on his legs but not his top half... Why?"


    The Whistle Winds were entirely powerful or lethal but there were so many of them that Jai Zhu couldn''t help but defend.


    "Damn! What is she nning?" he thought, "She''s just buying time... No matter, Even if I''m here, I can still attack her."


    The giant fin swimming around him descended into the waters, looking for Xue Yue. However, she never stopped moving, constantly flying around Hai Zhu. She thought carefully, trying to see if there was something she could exploit. Then her eyes widened and she understood.


    "His skin, the wateres from his skin so he needs to take off the armor. Then what if... I were to stop it?"


    Soon enough an idea formed as she began to gather her strength.


    "All I have to do is to dry his skin and pull the waters back." she thought.


    "Wrath of the WInds!"


    Putting her hand out, the wind began to pick up, circling around him. Slowly, it began to grow and grow and before he realized it, Hai Zhu stood within the eye of a hurricane. In the moments before it drew the ck water in, the giant fin emerged before leaping out, revealing itself to be a monstrous shark.


    Its jaws were wind open, ready to rip Xue Yue apart.


    "Did you think I wouldn''t notice?"


    She looked at the shark before slicing it apart with Drifting Sky and turned her attention back to Hai Zhu. Within the hurricane, all of the watering from his body was taken by the strong winds. And it only grew stronger before forcing the water out of him.


    "No! I have to escape!"


    He was shocked, trying to make a hole through this cage only to have his trident bent and broken. His hand was ripped to shreds.


    "No! No! My bloodline! I can''t maintain it for much longer! This can''t be the end! It can''t! There is so much I have to do!"


    He could feel it, his strength was waning and he could do nothing about it.


    Xue Yuended on the ground and walked closer, feeding more energy into the attack. The Eternal Heart Ring tried its best, healing her body and giving her more energy. But at this rate, she was spending more than the ring could rece.


    It didn''t matter though.


    She tightened her grip on Drifting Sky and dispelled the hurricane.


    In one quick and fluid motion, Xue Yue swung out. Just as his body reappeared, her sword sliced through his head, executing him in that instant.


    And the Tide King died.

 Chapter 405 - Heading To The Other Side

    His head rolled away, revealing an expression of shock and horror. In the end, he didn''t realize that he had been killed. Xue Yue looked down at him, grabbing his head and body to bring back. She dragged the corpse along the ground, slowly making her way back.


    With the ck water receding, the demons and the craftsmen looked in the direction it came from.


    "What happened?"


    They heard Ming Yue''s steps, quiet but firm, as she appeared with the dead demon.


    Her armor had reverted to the robes, slowly repairing itself and cleaning the blood off. Still, it did not do away with the blood and injury on her body, more so the blood on her face. She walked towards Guardian''s Keep with the dead demon in her hands, ignoring the other demons who looked at their leader in shock.


    "The Tide King is dead?"


    "Our leader died to a human?"


    "What do we do now?"


    "Retreat, retreat! Run back to the ships!"


    Panic and fear had set in as they backed away, preparing to turn tail and run.


    "Whistle Wind."


    As soon as they took their first steps to run, a de of wind came and cut their necks off cleanly. Those who saw theirrades end up like that stopped in their tracks only to hear that whistling sounde for them.


    The sound of heads and bodies falling was a simple but haunting sound.


    This wasn''t Ming Yue after all, it was Xue Yue and she wasn''t going to let any of them escape. She didn''t even look back, she walked to the gates and dropped Hai Zhu''s body before entering.


    The craftsmen looked at her, wary of her presence. They knew that she was not their enemy but at the same time, the feeling Xue Yue gave off was frightening. A cold aura that which caused Shen Varuna to hide behind Commander Yu Zhen.


    Themander herself, put away her saber but also studied Xue Yue.


    "You... Who are you? You aren''t that girl, you look the same but you''re different."


    Xue Yue smirked.


    "If she wants to tell you then she''ll tell you. But right now, I''m in control and I''m leaving."


    She then turned to go only for themander to stop her.


    "Wait, you are in no condition to fight, where are you going?" she asked.


    Xue Yue turned and pointed at the little demon, who clung tight to themander, looking at her with fear.


    "She''ll tell you but there is no time, I need to cross theke to the other side. Oh. and my two beasts will stay here."


    After speaking, Xue Yue walked out and flew off, lifting herself with a sword of wind. Both Xiao Yin and Hei Yue walked back into the Keep and stood by the little demon, watching as she left. Everyone else watched her go before looking at Shen Varuna. Commander Yu Zhen turned and knelt down to look at the little girl eye to eye.


    "Did something happen?" she asked.


    Shen Varuna looked at her and nodded. Momentster, everything was revealed and everyone had grave expressions on their faces.


    "We should make haste! Who knows how long those children have left?!"


    "But the Keep! It''s going to need repairs! Without the Tower to help us with protection, we''ll need everyone."


    "How are we going to divide the work?"


    As everyone brought out their own suggestions, someone came out of the keep itself. They were limping forward while supporting themselves with a stick.


    "You all go repair the Keep! Commander Yu Zhen and I will bring the girl across theke on my personal boat! Is that clear!"


    Standing in front of them was Zi Jing, still injured but awake. Hearing his voice andmands made everyone nod quietly and go off to work.


    "Hmph."


    He hobbled forward, clutching his side while gritting his teeth. A single day of recovery wasn''t enough to heal everything.


    "Are you okay?" asked Commander Yu Zhen.


    She looked at him with concerned eyes but he nodded and took a deep breath.


    "Yeah, yeah. The bones have already been pieced back together, they just need some time to mend. It''s just... a bit... annoying."


    He grunted in pain holding his rib cage as talking too much would agitate it.


    "Ah, you are in no shape to go out, you should stay back", she said.


    The youngmander shook his head as he pointed at his bracelet.


    "If what that demon girl said is right, then we don''t have any time to waste. We''ll be going on my personal ship, which only I can control."


    He exined while hobbling towards the gate. Stepping outside, Commander Zi Jing looked around and surveyed the damage.


    "Ah, this is going to be annoying to fix" he muttered.


    Taking off his bracelet, he tossed it out before chanting a few words and it began to glow and shimmer. Then it transformed into a small silver ship equipped with gem cores, cannons, and sails. It was a rather fancy ship, ented with obsidian lines and built with the utmost care and precision. Every detail on it was precisely carved or forged onto it, befitting of his personal ship.


    Although it was a small ship, it was still a ship,rge enough to hold a dozen people.


    "Get on!"


    He shouted to the other two and they boarded the ship. The two beasts followed as well, sticking to the little demon dutifully.


    "With this, we should be able to catch her and cross theke within two days."


    There was no cabin on the deck, only a captain''s wheel, equipped with several other buttons and levels. He stepped up to it and dropped his walking stick to the ground before holding the wheel.


    "But this is a ship... onnd", said Commander Yu Zhen.


    He looked at her and chuckled.


    "It''s my personal ship. Do you think I wouldn''t have ounted for this?" he replied.


    Looking to the side, he pressed a button, activating the ship. The cores shined and hummed as power coursed through the ship. He then pressed another button and the ship took flight, going higher and higher until it was above the Keep and the trees.


    "Whoa..."


    The little demon looked around her, watching as they took off. It was the first time she''s ever been or even seen something like this. The excitement overcame her as she let go of Commander Yu Zhen to the side fence, looking at the ship in wonder.


    Meanwhile, the twomanders discussed with each other.


    "As strong as she is, that girl isn''t going to be able to cross theke like that. She wouldn''t have the stamina nor the energy for it. It''s more than likely that she''ll fall to her death", said Zi Jing.


    He continued to steer the ship, taking it towards theke.


    "If that''s the case, we have to catch up to her quickly. She''s an important figure and has been a tremendous help to the armies. Her death would be a great loss."


    Commander Yu Zhen nced at him before stepping forward to the bow of the ship.


    "Say, is what the girl said true?'' he asked.


    She was silent before nodding.


    "She had the same markings as some of those chained demons. More than likely, her parents are ready dead. But it seems that we still have a chance to save the children."


    "I see... In any case, we have to seize the opportunity. With those demons dead as well as that damn king, we can take full control of theke", Zi Jing said.


    "Easier said than done. We don''t have the manpower to keep theke ours. We have to wait until reinforcements from the otherse. At the very least, we can start a foothold there."


    Commander Yu Zhen turned back to meditate and heal her injuries.. She had to be prepared for anything.

 Chapter 406 - The Cerulean Serpent

    The Cerulean Serpent''ske is massive enough to be called a small ocean, taking several days to fully cross. Travel far enough and there was water as far as the eye could see. It was certainly a serene ce, quiet and calm. The surface of theke was calm and unbroken, it was almost like a mirror.


    After all, thiske had nothing else but the Cerulean Serpent within its depths. Even then, you would not find it, especially if it does not want to be found.Flying over it all was Xue Yue, standing on her sword of wind. She stood there, holding her sheathed sword.


    She sped up as much as she could but tried her best to conserve her energy, soaring over theke.


    "Ah damn, she really went overboard this time."


    Xue Yue muttered quietly as she scowled at her other half.


    "It''s one thing to get injured, it''s another to just overexert yourself like this. I even had to push it further after escaping that trap you got yourself into. The meridians are a mess and so is the rest of the body. Ah, why even bother, you''re not even awake yet."


    She was annoyed, there was no doubt about that but at the same time, she wasn''t very angry. In fact, Xue Yue took this as an opportunity to enjoy this little outing of hers.


    "This... might be my first time outside in the Demon Continent. How curious... Thiske seems untouched by everything else, a beautiful, pure blue. What a nice view."


    Despite herpliments, she did not daree any closer. There was a bit of apprehension within her heart as she admired the water. It might''ve looked like ordinary water but it was dense with dragon energy, wild and powerful. The Cerulean Serpent had been bathing here for hundreds of years. Even the ores and gems grew because of it, greedily absorbing the abundant energy.


    "If I fall too deep, my body would probably be ripped apart by the energy..."


    But as she said such things, her legs which were already feeling weak, nearly gave out. Xue Yue immediately stabbed her sheath into the sword of wind, steadying her footing. A momentter, it expanded with enough space for her to sit down on and then she crossed her legs to meditate. It was quiet, a good time for her to stabilize her condition.


    With Drifting Sky in her hands, she began to circle her energy through her body and through her sword. Closing her eyes, Xue Yue didn''t notice the slight movement down below, a little ripple in the water.


    It was very small, unnoticeable even, but it happened. Something was there.


    But Xue Yue didn''t care whether she saw it or not, she was more concerned over her body. Beads from sweat dripped down her forehead as both her body and her sword emanated with energy.


    This time Drifting Sky did not greedily absorb her energy but instead, imbued it with the energy of the two gems. Doing so helped to replenish her power and even strengthen it. Even then, the process was a bit on the difficult side. She had to repair her body but also maintain the sword of wind that carried it. And the bacsh from Pale Moon was a problem as well.


    "As long as I don''t lose focus, I should be fine", she thought.


    And soon after, Ming Yue awakened, standing in the colorless world of Xue Yue''s.


    "Wha- damn, I lost consciousness."


    She cursed silently but that did nothing for Xue Yue heard it.


    "Yes, and I came out", she replied.


    "What happened?"


    "He''s dead and we''re going to save the children, just like you wanted."


    Ming Yue looked at her confused, not expecting that.


    "You would do that? Even after telling me to abandon that before?" she asked.


    Xue Yue scoffed at her counterpart.


    "Hah, did you think I didn''t hear all the crap he said? Bastard scum like him deserves death.", she answered, "And that girl, you promised her you''d do it. I know you, convincing you otherwise would''ve been useless, so I held my tongue. But after fighting him, I would want to save them as well."


    Ming Yue rxed, breathing out a sigh of relief.


    "Then, when do I get back control?" she asked.


    "Not now, I''m trying to repair our body to at least a decent state. Switching now would break my focus and that means that everything we do will stop. The healing process will stop and the sword will disappear. If you get back in control, you''ll need to form a new sword while we fall to our deaths", said Xue Yue.


    "Alright then, but I''m getting back control once we''re safe."


    "Fine by me."


    After discussing it, Ming Yue sat and watched, sensing the state of her body.


    "Ugh, I really did a number to myself", she thought, finally seeing the state of her body


    Some time passed by before two things happened. Xue Yue opened her eyes and looked behind her. Several hundred meters away was Commander Zi Jing''s ship, slowly closing the distance but a meter every few minutes.


    "The girl is on it as well", she thought.


    But the second thing grabbed her attention as she took a peek below her.


    "This is..."


    Her eyes widened in shock as she saw theke surface. It was no longer motionless like a mirror but instead, there were waves. They were small but slowly grew more and more powerful.


    "Is it the serpent?" she wondered.


    The next moment, arge shadow revealed itself, swimming just under the surface of theke. It swam past her before circling around, it wasrge, massive even. A long snake-like body that seemed to make theke look more like a pond.


    It circled once, twice, before it shot out of the water.


    The Cerulean Serpent revealed itself with cloudy blue scales and a pair of white and ck eyes. It stared at her curiously as she stopped in front of it. With that, the serpent absolutely dwarfed her, she was slightlyrger than its eye. That was how big the serpent was.


    If it so pleased, the beast could swallow her and the boat whole.


    As for Zi Jing and Yu Zhen, the twomanders looked in horror as the ship stopped where it was.


    "That''s the Cerulean Serpent... Why did it awaken?"


    "Is it going to eat her? Can we even attempt to save her?"


    Neither of them knew what to do, they were dumbfounded by this sudden development. Shen Varuna yelped in fear as the serpent emerged. She fell down in fear, feeling the strength leave her legs.


    At the same time, Xiao Yin and Hei Yue looked on with both worry and anger. But they knew that the Serpent was nothing something they could contend with. The aura it emanated was both immense and grand, befitting of an ancient and powerful creature.


    And the legendary creature looked at Xue Yue curiously, before speaking in an older woman''s voice.


    "Strange, how strange... You have the aura of a dragon on you, a very familiar aura at that. But you are human, very much so. I wonder why?" she asked.


    Xue Yue was quiet, trying to think of something to say before finally speaking out.


    "You must mean this sword."


    She held it out and unsheathed it, revealing the two gems on the guard.


    "These gems here were a gift from a dragon known as Xiu Luo Yang, Dragon of the Sun."


    The serpent pulled back in surprise beforeing even closer to inspect.


    "It is true, you do have his energy... How strange to think you would have met him."


    "Do you know him?" Xue Yue asked.


    "Of course, he is my younger cousin!"


    "Your.... younger cousin?"

 Chapter 407 - Yin Bing, The World Serpent

    "Yes, Xiu Luo Yang, the one you call Dragon of the Sun, is my younger cousin. Then again, they''re all younger cousins to me."


    The serpent chuckled as she looked at Xue Yue curiously. The pressure lessened as she restrained her aura.


    "Say, you have another voice within you, how peculiar. I wonder whom I am speaking to."


    She looked back at the creature, trying to speak under this pressure.


    "It doesn''t matter to you, does it? She woke up recently and our body is weak. Whether or not, you want to speak with the other voice, you can only speak with me, the current owner", she replied.


    "I see, I see. Well then, you''ve met my younger cousin then. How is he doing? Ever since the three continents were broken, I haven''t seen him at all. I''ve been too focused on my own recovery", the serpent asked.


    Xue Yue then exined quickly of what had happened between her and Xiu Luo Yang only to get a wistful stare from the serpent.


    "Is that so? That is... sad to hear. Then again, it is always sad to see those of the younger generation die before you. A shame but three thousand years, that''s quite good for being a Dragon Emperor. I should thank you then, for helping my kin."


    The serpent looked at her before straightening herself.


    "I am Yin Bing, the World Serpent. Xiu Luo Yang may have thanked you before but I will thank you as well. Even a favor is not so unreachable, he was one of my more cherished cousins."


    She lowered her head just a bit but that simple act gave the twomanders even greater shock.


    "Who is that girl?" they thought.


    Shen Varuna gasped as she watched the exchange.


    Xue Yue looked at the World Serpent in surprise.


    "The World Serpent?"


    Yin Bing looked up beforeughing.


    "Ahahaha, yes, yes, I forget you''re a human and I have yet to appear in some several hundred years! Yes, I am the World Serpent, a being that has been alive for over ten thousand years. You could consider me... a god perhaps."


    "A... a god? Then what are you doing here?" Xue Yue asked.


    "Perhaps, deity or something like that. In any case, wherever I am, life will bloom. When the world was destroyed by the Heaven''s Anger or the Cmity as some may call it, I am here to revive it. That is my purpose as the World Serpent, I am a healer."


    "Then thiske? The fact that you''re in the Demon Continent..."


    "Of the threends, this one was in the worst state. You''ve seen it, haven''t you? The destructionid upon it. Thiske used to have nothing, it was only a quarter of its size and so cramped to rest in. But now, you''ve seen it, the World''s Energy ising back, returning and coalescing into thiske. And after another thousand years, it will burst out and rejuvenate the rest of thisnd."


    "A thousand years?!"


    This time Ming Yue spoke out.


    "That would be too long, by then the war would be over", she said.


    "You''re correct", the serpent answered.


    Suddenly, both Xue Yue and Ming Yue felt shocked.


    "If I can see that there are two of you, it is quite obvious that I can also hear both of you. In any case, that would be good, wouldn''t it? Thend would be healed once again and that war would be long finished."


    Yin Bing looked at them nonchntly.


    "But tha- so many more demons will die. By then, there might be no one."


    Ming Yue looked at the serpent from within her own mind, trying to reason with her. However, Ying Bing only spoke in a calm and unconcerned manner.


    "What of it? Even if there are no demons, there will always be life. Perhaps, there will no longer be demons but there are other beings. Flora and fauna, ores, gems, so long as thend is flourishing, that is all I care about. I''ve been alive for over ten thousand years, little child, I have seen races spring forth and recede to nothingness. One more will only be reced by another, that is life, an endless cycle."


    Ming Yue was silent, fully knowing that the serpent had no reason to help stop the war. However, Xue Yue had other ideas. She looked at Yin Bing with a look of interest.


    "You said that a favor would not be impossible right?" she asked.


    "What are you nning, Xue Yue?" Ming Yue asked, carrying a tone of warning in her voice.


    While she knew that Xue Yue would have good intentions, there was no doubt that her other self was more ruthless and violent.


    "Don''t you dare go too far or I will force back control."


    Xue Yue smirked, not responding to Ming Yue but instead looking at the serpent.


    "Would it be possible to take me to the other side of theke as quickly as possible? There are children that we both want to save", she asked.


    Ying Bing blinked beforeughing at this request.


    "This I can do easily, you will be there in mere minutes."


    She then descended back to theke, showing only a sliver of her body which was plenty of space for one person.


    Xue Yue smiled beforending on that spot and bowing.


    "Thank you, senior. If I had been up there any longer, I might have fallen into the sea and died."


    Ying Bingughed once more before going.


    "Well then, let''s depart!"


    The serpent moved, picking up speed with every second until they were going at a speed that neither Ming Yue nor Xue Yue had gone. It was at least a dozen times quicker and yet, they weren''t blown back by the winds. It felt nothing more but a gentle breeze to them.


    While on this short trip, Xue Yue had something of a smile on her face, conversing silently with Ming Yue.


    "What? Don''t trust me? What did you think I was going to ask?"


    However, all Ming Yue did was sigh in relief.


    "I don''t know but I''m just happy you didn''t anger her", she replied.


    "Hah, I might not be you but I''m certainly not an idiot. Still, if we stayed in the air any longer, our body would not be able to handle it. We actually would''ve fallen and both of us would be in that little world of ours", said Xue Yue.


    "Could that really happen?"


    "I don''t know but I certainly don''t want to find out."


    Just then, Yin Bing spoke up.


    "Considering that you''re both parts of the same soul, It''s strange to find that the both of you are so bnced. It''s rare to find something as peculiar as you."


    "Is it that rare?" Ming Yue asked.


    "Of course! Most of the time, the soul would crumble away and the body would nothing else but an empty vessel. Other times, they woulde together only to cause chaos and send themselves into madness. You are a chance within millions", the serpent exined.


    "Really?"


    The both of them were slightly dumbfounded by this, not knowing that they were this lucky.


    Momentster, the other side came into view.


    Xue Yue looked forward.


    "There it is, let''s hope that we aren''t toote", she muttered.

 Chapter 408 - The Empty Camp

    Not long after, Yin Bing arrived at the shore to which Xue Yue got off and charged forward towards the empty camp. She looked around carefully before shouting out.


    "Hello, is anyone there?! Can you hear me?! Shout! Say something!"


    But there was no responseing from anywhere in this camp. Still, she continued to search for any sign of them.


    It was empty, to say the least. The camp wasrge with dozens of cloth tents and arge stone building, devoid of any decor. There was a small pit with dried blood sttered all over, most likely a ce for entertainment.


    "The demons are gone now! I''m here to rescue you!"


    She searched and searched but found no one.


    "This ce is empty... There''s no one here, not even a body in sight. Where could they be?"


    Xue Yue stopped at the center of the camp and looked around, trying to think of a way to perhaps gain their trust quickly. Then Ming Yue spoke up.


    "Shen Varuna has a brother, if you say her name, he mighte out", she said.


    "Unless the brother is dead but I''ll give it a try."


    Xue Yue took another look before shouting again.


    "I''m here because I saved a demon child, her name was Shen Varuna. She has a brother, no?! We made a promise to say you as well as everyone."


    Despite that, there was no sound.


    "Switch with me, Xue Yue. Let me try."


    Hearing her other half''s request, Xue Yue was silent for a moment but relented.


    "Fine, but know this, as much as we both want to save them all, it might be toote."


    "Just switch with me."


    A moment passed as everything turned ck before Ming Yue found herself back in control. In an instant, she felt the exhaustion and weakness in her body.


    "I really did a number to myself", she thought.


    "Yeah, you did. I honestly wasn''t sure if we would''ve made it across theke."


    Xue Yue retorted with an annoyed tone to which Ming Yue shook it off. Rather, she looked around, studying the ce with her own eyes, before talking.


    "I don''t know your name but I made a promise with your sister. I promised her that I would save everyone here. All of the demons that captured you and even their leader, they''re all dead. I made sure of that. So, please,e out. I''m not here to hurt you."


    After speaking, she waited for some sort of response. At that moment, she feared the worst but it was quiet for just a few seconds.


    From the shadows and the crevices of the camp, children walked out. Little demons from various ns, all of whom had wary and fearful eyes. They were all thin, dirty, scared. Their clothes were rags, covered in holes and tears. It was a wretched thing to see all of these children lie this.


    And then one of them stepped forward, a young boy with simr markings to Shen Varuna, unlike everyone else, his eyes carried a tinge of hope.


    "Is that true?" he asked slowly and weakly, "Is my sister really alive?"


    She knelt down and smiled at him.


    "Yes", she answered, "In fact, she''ll being in a few days."


    His eyes widened as his face was nk before tears began to well up. They flowed down as his face was scrunched up, crying in front of her.


    "I- I was so scared that she was... dead."


    He sniffled, trying to talk and hold back his emotions. All the other children emerged and walked closer, surrounding Ming Yue. Tears formed in their eyes as well before one of them could no longer hold back and cried, and then everyone followed, crying out loud.


    She looked at them all with a slightly dumbfounded look.


    "What do I do?"


    With so many crying children, she didn''t know how to soothe all of them.


    "It''s okay. I''m here."


    "I''ll keep you all safe so you don''t have to cry."


    And with so much noise, it would surely attract some unwanted attention.


    From the outskirts of the camp came a loud roar as the ground shuddered.


    Ming Yue stood up immediately as the children all screamed, cowering behind her.


    "Stay back!"


    She shouted to the children before unsheathing her sword.


    "I might not be in the best state but I have no choice, do I?"


    From afar a shadow came before revealing itself from the trees. Stepping forward slowly with drool dripping from its mouth, a beast resembling that of a wolf, only it had two heads and was about a several timerger than her. It wasparable to a small house in fact.


    It red at her with both heads as each pair of blood-red eyes carried a sense of hunger. Then it looked around her, noticing all of the little demon children.And then the beast grinned, revealing the fangs that were covered in drool.


    There was a feast before it, how could it not ignore this?


    Walking forward, this two-headed wolf casually approached Ming Yue and the children, confident that this would be over quickly.


    She stared at the beast, mustering whatever strength she had left.


    "I have enough to strengthen Drifting Sky... This might work."


    Gripping her sword tightly with both hands, the young cultivator was exhausted but she was not going to fall so easily. Just as she was about to make her move, a shadow covered the sky, blotting out the sun and darkening the area.


    "Wha-"


    Before she could even look up, this shadow fell down as a massive tail pointed downwards and crushed the poor beast in one instant. Like a hand crushing a bug, this massive white tail squashed the beast t, turning it to utter mush and a voice echoed out.


    "Did you forget about me?"


    As the tail retreated, Yin Bing arose from theke, looking down at everything. The sheer size of the World Serpent was already scary enough but her eyes seemed to glow with an iridescent light.


    "A small insignificant beast like that is worth nothing."


    Her head lowered until her snout was only a hundred meters above them.


    "In any case, it is good to know that you asked me this favor for the sake of others. No matter how small or insignificant it is to me, it meant a great deal to you as to these children."


    Ming Yue turned around and bowed.


    "Thank you, senior! This time, I owe you the favor for saving me."


    The children looked at Yin Bing in both awe and shock, some even prostrated themselves to her.


    "The Cerulean Serpent! She''s real!"


    The serpent chuckled before retreating to the sea.


    "You should rest, I can watch over you for a few days. It''s not as if I have anything else to do."


    Hearing this news, Ming Yue felt relief.


    "Thank yo-"


    This time, she could no longer hold on and stumbled forward before losing consciousness. She had exerted herself too much for too long. Whether or not her mind was fine, her body was in dire need of rest.


    Yin Bing looked at her before looking at the many children, whose eyes stared back in shock and awe.


    "Well then, you shouldn''t leave her there, find somecefortable for her. She''se quite a long way for you all."


    The children nodded before carrying Ming Yue away, leaving her sword on the ground. Yin Bing looked at it, studying it curiously before calling one of the children.


    "That sword... could you take it and bring it to thekeshore?" she asked.


    The young child looked at Drifting Sky before picking it up and ran towards theke, dropping it in.


    "Thank you, child. As I thought, I can''t just let her go without some decent reward."


    As the serpent receded into theke, but not before breathing out. From her breath came the World''s Energy that formed into a barrier around the camp, shielding them from those who dared to harm.


    As for what she nned to do with the sword, that was a mystery.

 Chapter 409 - Fulfilling The Promise

    "Come on you all, help me gather up everything! We haven''t got all day!"


    A man''s voice shouted out, stern but not punishing. The sounds of crates moving and grunting filled the air.


    "I would help you all but I can barely walk myself, so get a move on!"


    From this noise, Ming Yue''s eyes fluttered open as she awakened from her slumber. Sitting up, she held her forehead and groaned, feeling both soreness and a headache, a nastybination.


    "Ahhh, how long was I out for?" she thought.


    Looking around, she found herself within a room,cking everything except the stone bed she was sleeping on.


    "Where am I?"


    Ming Yue stood up and looked around before seeing Xiao Yin perched by the window. The Star Owl pped her wings and flew towards her,nding on her shoulder. It got very close, cuddling with her cheeks.


    "Xiao Yin! I''m fine, it''s okay."


    Sheughed at the owl and looked towards the door in front of her.


    "Well if you''re here, then so is Hei Yue. Let''s go find them."


    Xiao Yin cooed with a happy tone, staying on her shoulder.


    Without a moment''s notice, she left the room, walking down an empty hallway before exiting what she realized to be the stone building, the Tide King''s quarters. She was met with a sight slightly different from when she first arrived.


    All of the tents had been knocked down and that pit was filled up. Everything except for the stone building she came out of was gone.


    Instead, wooden beams and stone bricksid piled together, waiting to be used. There were craftsmen running around, moving over supplies and whatnot, soldiers were stations all across the area. Encapsting all of it was a shimmering shield that Yin Bing formed.


    She walked around, passing by everyone who was too busy to notice her. And again, she wondered how much time had passed exactly.


    Then, the young cultivator heard the sounds of childrenughing.


    "They''re safe?"


    Following theughter and giggling, she walked through the camp, all the way to thekeshore.There, dozens of children yed with each other, messing around in the water and the sand. With them was none other than Hei Yue. The dark, silver-furred fox ran about, chasing after the children before suddenly stopping and looking up.


    Then the fox looked towards the direction of Ming Yue and happily ran towards her, leaping into her arms. Snuggling into her, Hei Yue yelped out in joy before licking her face a few times.


    "I''m sorry I made you worried or ran off but everything is good now right?"


    As she soothed both pets, the demon children all ran up to her with smiles. Standing in front of them all were Shen Varuna and her brother, both of whom looked at her.


    Ming Yue let go of the fox and knelt down to look at the little girl eye to eye.


    "I didn''t break your promise, did I?" she said.


    Shen Varuna teared up before charging forward and hugging her tightly. In a quiet, trembling voice, she spoke, a few tears streaked down her face.


    "Thank you."


    She was taken aback by the young girl''s actions but she embraced her. They let go after a few moments as Ming Yue stood back up. She looked at her two pets and gestured towards the children.


    "Why don''t you y with them for a little while longer? I''ll be back."


    Xiao Yin and Hei Yue looked at her before going off. The little fox ran back the children, tipping and skipping about. Xiao Yin followed suit, watching over them from above. Ming Yuelooked at Shen Varuna and her brother. The two siblings turned to each other and giggled before running off.


    Seeing them off, she turned around and explored more of what used to be the camp.


    "Are they making a stronghold here?" she thought, "There were a few ships at thekeshore too. Then again, with the demons gone, there is no one else fighting for control."


    Walking through this busy ce, she noticed arge tent, strung up near the back of the camp. She headed towards it and opened the p before walking in. Once inside, she saw a war table along with the twomanders, who looked up to see who had just entered.


    Commander Yu Zhen smiled.


    "Ah, Ming Yue, you''re awake, you''ve been asleep for over ten days now."


    Her eyes widened when she heard the number.


    "Ten days?"


    Commander Zi Jing looked at her and smirked.


    "Yeah, ten days and you slept like a log. I am Zi Jing, Commander of Guardian''s Keep, thanks for defending it."


    He responded quickly, introducing himself as well.


    Ming Yue cupped her fists and bowed.


    "No, it is something that I nned to do from the beginning. There is no need to thank me."


    Zi Jing looked at her, gauging her strength at this point.


    "After seeing the Cerulean Serpent for the first time, you are no ordinary person and I''m grateful for your help. So, there''s no need to be so humble, credit is given where it is due. The Southern Tower may have been lost but we gained control over the Cerulean Serpent''s Lake."


    Yu Zhen then took over the conversation.


    "The news of your contribution has spread throughout the Five Armies. I wouldn''t be surprised if you get offers to join some sect or powerful organization after this."


    Ming Yue nodded, looking somewhat embarrassed by thepliments as themander continued to talk.


    "In the days, you were asleep, the Cerulean Serpent watched over you and the children until we arrived. After confirming that there was no one else but them, Commander Zi Jing sent for men and supplies to build a base here. There were also reinforcements from the other armies that helped to move and guard this ce."


    Zi Jing then chimed in.


    "All in all, it has been a very busy time and for the next few months it will be incredibly busy."


    He then gestured for her toe forward and to look at the war table, where several pieces wereid strewn across theke.


    "The Iron Citadel is at the center of the continent and closest to Kong Zhi''s territory. However, now that the Tide King is dead and we are here. This base is going to be inside his territory. There is no doubt that we will be attacked while setting up. Furthermore, with both of us injured, defending is going to be much more difficult", he exined.


    "There is no doubt that Kong Zhi will know and he will surely act on this. The Cerulean Serpent''s Lake is incredibly valuable to both sides. Without it, they would lose a major source of resources. With that said, we have to ask that you stay here and help us, at least until we are finished building."


    Ming Yue took note of the war table, seeing a miniature castle ced on the other side of theke. It was certainly deep within Kong Zhi''s territory, lying southwest of the continent.


    "What do you n to make here?" she asked.


    Zi Jing answered quickly with a rare moment of excitement.


    "Just like that wooden figure looks like, it is going to be a castle of sorts, abination of the Southern Tower and Guardian''s Keep. The scale of it will be double the size of any of the structures here. And it will function as both of them, there will be a refinery and a forge as well as multiple look-out towers. Both of our armies will be residing here. Guardian''s Keep will be kept as a secondary base in case this one falls...."


    A constant stream of words came out of his mouth as Ming Yue tried her best to keep up. When he was finished, she asked him one more question.


    "What is this ce going to be called?"

 Chapter 410 - The Two Commanders

    "Name?"


    Zi Jing looked at Ming Yue with a confused face but quickly shook it off.


    "I didn''t take you to be interested in the name of this ce but if you want to know, we haven''t decided yet", he answered.


    "Oh really? I was just curious as the other bases all had their own names. I just thought this ce would have one already."


    She backed off, trying to show that she wasn''t interested but more so, curious. Themanderughed as he reached for a chair and sat down, resting his injured body.


    "In any case, a name doesn''t matter too much right now. We just have to build it and make sure that it is well defended. There''s no reason to get attached to this ce if it''s not going tost."


    Yu Zhen nodded before stepping away from the war table and walking up to Ming Yue.


    "Yes, for now, we should focus on securing this ce first. You should rest and focus on your recovery first. Right now, we''re in a very vulnerable position with Commander Zi Jing still injured. It would take at least another week for him to fully recover. Though..."


    She paused here and thought about her next few words.


    "I remember that you are skilled in medicine. This might be a bit much to ask of right now but we would surely need those skills as soon as possible."


    Ming Yue didn''t hesitate to ept this.


    "That''s fine. There''s no reason for me to not ept."


    Thismander smiled and went so far as to cup her hands and bow.


    "Thank you, knowing that we have you to help is a relief."


    Ming Yue did the same, bowing and cupping her fists.


    "Then, I will be going now", she said.


    The twomanders gestured for her to leave, looking towards the tent ps.


    As she left, the two looked at each other.


    "So, now that you''ve met here, what do you think?" Yu Zhen asked.


    Zi Jing looked away, showing a frown on his face.


    "What is there to think? Just the fact that she spoke with the serpent already proves her worth. Add in her contributions to this war in the past year or so and she could probably be the youngestmander if she wanted to. Having her here certainly makes things much more manageable, she has highbat power and is skilled in healing."


    "And yet, you do not seem so happy?"


    Yu Zhen had long noticed the frown he had. Her fellowmander just shook his head.


    "I am happy that she is here and helping but... it''s a strange feeling to see the younger generation so close to overtaking you in achievement. I''m the youngest among the fivemanders and am still the greatest genius of the Bright Star Kingdom. I managed to invent new techniques and inventions from when I was a child. I had hastened the research and knowledge by two decades. All of these des and soon someone greater than me wille. It''s a bit disheartening", he replied.


    She looked at him and chuckled, trying to soothe him.


    "Then that means you are maturing. To us, save for Gao Ri, you are the generation after us and that girl is the one after that. To understand that glory and fame don''tst is something everyone is bound to realize. Besides why does that even matter, she is a swordswoman and you are a crafter. Your paths don''t align."


    "Still, what is her history? To have been able to speak with some legend like the Cerulean Serpent."


    He rubbed his chin before resting it on the handle of his cane.


    "Hmph, you didn''t even bother to read her file like the rest of us, always busy tinkering away. If you did read, you''d understand why. All you really need to know is that she was sent here by the Grand Elder of Heaven''s Gate", she answered.


    Zi Jing scoffed.


    "I know that already, my subordinate told me. I''m talking about any other tidbits about her", he said.


    She chuckled at him before looking back at the war table.


    "In any case, we managed to find a leftover crate of those bombs the Tide King nted on the boats. Have you managed to find their origin yet?" she asked him.


    Zi Jing was silent before sighing.


    "As far as I and my men could find out, those bombs are unique. Most likely a creation of the Tide King himself, made from the same ores and metals in theke. By no means would it be difficult to make but it is no simple invention. For him to have been able to activate so many at once requires an enormous amount of energy or some sort of technique. I had hoped to find clues about that but there is nothing. Most likely, it is a part of his bloodline powers."


    He held one of those bombs in his palm before calling out one of his five swords. It flew towards him before swiftly cutting the bomb in half, revealing the contents inside. It was just a bag of dust and a ckish powder.*


    "As for the contents inside well, you can see it for yourself. The only way to activate it is to shake it enough for this ck powder to ignite. And the dust will create the explosion itself."


    He handed it to Yu Zhen, who examined it as he spoke.


    "Either he created it or he obtained it from somewhere. That is the gist of it."


    "I see. Then I suppose we wait for this castle to be done. After that, we have to have a n forter. There will be a meeting with allmanders soon so doe. Injured or not, you still have to attend."


    Yu Zhen grabbed her saber and moved towards the tent ps before stopping to nce at her fellowmander.


    "You know, you could just ask her to treat you. It would make the process much quicker for you or does your title as "genius" of the Bright Star Kingdom not allow you?"


    ZI Jing scoffed as he stood back up, leaning slightly on his cane.


    "Nonsense, this will heal in another day or so. If she had woken up earlier then I would have asked but now it''s toote!" he retorted with a frown.


    "Fine then, suit yourself."


    She smirked at him and left after saying thesest few words.


    Zi Jing stood back down before looking at the opened bomb in his hands, fiddling with it.


    "I wonder what sort of techniques they use? Is it only limited to the bloodlines? Is there perhaps a way to emte it?" he wondered.


    Being the "greatest genius" of the Bright Star Kingdom, he was still young and still so very curious. This creation of the Tide King had interested him greatly, it puzzled him, and that only made him want to know more, understand how it works, and recreate it. He was a craftsman at heart and right now, it was burning with curiosity.


    Meanwhile, Ming Yue walked around the camp, exploring it once more, and seeing all of these people hard at work. Lumber and stone were being moved constantly, scaffolding had been set up, and the foundations of a great castle were beginning to form.


    And then she happened upon arge tent off to the side, one that seemed to have little activity. However, the scent of blood was present.


    "What''s happening here?" she thought.


    As she walked inside, she saw over a dozen men covered in bandages and injuries. Several doctors around, moving constantly to change the cloth for fresh ones and check on their patients'' state. And her entrance was quickly noticed.


    One of the doctors walked up, a young woman slightly older than her.


    "You, you''re the one that defended the keep, right?"

 Chapter 411 - A Peerless Sword, One Without Equal.

    Ming Yue looked at her and nodded.


    "Yes, I just recently woke up and decided to look around for a bit. Have I intruded on something?" she asked.


    The doctor shook her head.


    "No, no, seeing you alive is a good thing. In a better situation, I would not be so unkempt but it has been hectic."


    Taking another look at her, Ming Yue found this doctor''s clothes and hair to be a bit disheveled. Her hands were still covered in blood and her face was dull. She was tired, to say the least, perhaps exhausted would be a better word. Still, her eyes showed a bit of light, especially after seeing Ming Yue well.


    The cultivator looked around, studying the injured.


    "Did something happen? I thought that a barrier had been put up by the Cerulean Serpent?" she asked.


    The doctor sighed as she looked at the ground for a moment.


    "Yes, the barrier is still there but soldiers still have to be sent out to scout the area. This ce ispletely unknown to us outside of some cursory scouting from before. With that said, there are also many dangers that are unknown to us", she exined.


    She then looked at her patients.


    "The injuries they sustained outside are by no means minor. Attacks from beasts, deadly poisons, trying to deal with it all is difficult enough. But we are also running low on medical supplies. Medicinal pills don''t seem to be quite as effective and the amount needed is twice what would usually be given. At this rate, we might not even be able to save them."


    MIng Yue looked at the various doctors and then at the patients. She then reached for her spatial ring and took out piles and piles of medicinal nts along with her own special bandages.


    "These might help for a bit but I will be back."


    Leaving them to this doctor, she turned and briskly left. As for the doctor, she was dumbfounded by the amount as it was enough to grab the attention of the other doctors.


    "We should refine these quickly and use them! With this, we can save these soldiers!" the doctor muttered.


    The others looked to each other, reinvigorated as they took the nts and went off to create medicine.


    As for Ming Yue, she went quickly made her way to Xiao Yin and Hei Yue.


    "Scouting the area and forage for medicine, that is what I must do. That barrier is protecting us but it must''ve also attracted some attention. I should prepare ordingly."


    Quickly moving, she reached for her sword only to find it nowhere to be found.


    ''Hm? My sword..."


    She checked her spatial ring but couldn''t find it.


    "Strange, where''s my sword? It wasn''t in my room but I didn''t take it with me. I certainly didn''t leave it anywhere and I don''t think I took it out identally in the medical tent. So where did it go? Did someone take it?"


    Then the cultivator began her search for Drifting Sky.


    "Have you seen my sword? Very thin and long, almost like a staff?"


    "Do you know where it might be?"


    "It''s dark-stained wood and carved with mountains and clouds, there is also a sun and a moon carved on them as well. There are two gems on it, one gray and one violet. Have you seen it? Do you know who might have it?"


    Despite a full day of questioning and searching, they all had the same answer.


    None of them had seen it nor did they know where it was.


    Ming Yue sat down somewhere random and began to think. She was both confused and irritated, not knowing where her sword could have gone.


    "How strange... Where could it be?" she wondered, "it couldn''t have just run off and I don''t think anyone here would steal it? It doesn''t even look shy, who would take it?"


    Then she remembered something.


    "I should ask Xue Yue", she thought, "Maybe she might have seen something."


    And she did ask but the answer she was given wasn''t great.


    "I don''t know. Whatever you see, I see so when you lost consciousness, I saw nothing", Xue Yue replied.


    "Is that so? Then where is the sword? Where could it be?"


    If Xue Yue didn''t know, Ming Yue was back to square one.


    "I don''t know. Why don''t you ask those kids? They were there when you fainted. Or ask that serpent, Yin Bing, she might know too."


    "That''s right, the children... I should ask them too."


    She stood up, heading towards them under Xue Yue''s advice. With how much time had passed, she found many of them asleep under a few trees, huddled up with Hei Yue at the center of it. And Xiao Yin was perched above them, watching over all of them.


    But there were still a few who were awake, ying quietly in the sand.


    They heard her approach and turned to find her there.


    "Did youe back to y?" one of them asked.


    She knelt down with a half-smile on her face.


    "Um, not yet, It''s just... I can''t find my sword and I don''t know where it has gone. Do you by any chance know?" she asked.


    The children looked at each other before one of them pointed towards theke.


    "The Cerulean Serpent has your sword", they answered.


    She looked at theke, finding the surface to have ripples on it. And it wasn''t just from several directions but came from a single point, the center of theke. Ming Yue looked back to them, asking another question.


    "The serpent took my sword? Do you know why?"


    However, they all shook their heads, none of them knew why Yin Bing wanted her sword.


    "I see, thank you. I''m going to see if I can speak with the Cerulean Serpent."


    The children smiled before running off to y elsewhere, not want to bother her. She saw them off before walking towards the very edge of theke.


    "Senior? Senior? Do you have my sword by any chance? Would it... be possible to get it back?" she asked.


    She was met with silence as the waves on theke grew stronger before quieting down until bing calm. Then Yin Bing''s head emerged from theke, right in front of Ming Yue.


    "Ah girl, it seems that you are awake now."


    The World Serpent, spoke quietly to her so as to not draw any attention. This was a private matter after all.


    "It is good to see that you are well."


    Ming Yue cupped her fists and bowed.


    "Thank you for your concern, senior."


    Yin Bing chuckled, before moving onto the main topic at hand.


    "Yes, your sword. I found it very peculiar and decided to bring it back with me. It seems that you''ve had several masters work on it. Its quality is quite good and more importantly, it can even grow stronger. Whoever did that must have had an incredible understanding of the sword and the world''s properties."


    Ming Yue immediately thought back to Mei Zhen and the work she did on Drifting Sky. In an instant, things began to connect.


    "Did she do that as well? She made it easier for my energy to flow through it but must have also allowed it to grow stronger with me. That''s why it can absorb my energy or cultivate with me!"


    It made sense, such things only happened after that master forger worked on her sword.


    But she continued to listen to Yin Bing''s exnation.


    "It wasn''t perfect so I decided to help fix it and I let your sword bathe in the center of theke. At this moment, it is there, absorbing the Quintessence Energy. Give it one year and it will be a peerless sword! One without equal!"


    Ming Yue looked at the World Serpent in distress.


    "A year?"

 Chapter 412 - Weapon Spirits

    In the far west where the demon soldiers were, Kong Zhi at on his stone throne, gripping the armrest tightly. And he could not hold it in any longer, ripping it clean off and throwing it forward, sending it crashing into the ground. His breath was heavy and his eyes were crazed


    "He''s dead as well?!" he shouted.


    Kneeling in front of him was Shi Hou, cupping his fists and looking downwards.


    "Yes, my lord, Hai Zhu is dead."


    Hearing it once more, Kong Zhi stood up to grab his throne and toss it in front of him. His stone skin began to glow and tremble as his bloodline began to activate. However, he stopped it from fully manifesting, taking a deep breath. He turned and looked at the Roaring King, maintain hisposure.


    "You three were the strongest out of the entire army and now two of you are dead. We''ve lost not only the Boundless Beast Forest but theke as well. With every day, we are being pushed back by the humans and they grow stronger."


    "We have no excuse!" Shi Hou answered, trying to abate his rage.


    Kong Zhi sighed as he looked at his broken throne.


    "Hah, find their recements and do it quickly. They couldn''t have been able to secure theke yet. We can retake it if we are swift enough, now go."


    "Yes, my lord."


    The Roaring King stood up and cupped his fists before turning to leave. Kong Zhi merely continued to look at his throne before looking to his warhammer. It was somewhat different, created from a bevy of metals originating from the Cerulean Serpent''s Lake.


    Compared to thest one, its length was equal to him in height. It wasn''t as borate, taking on a simple design with a t double face and a nail at the top. Despite its appearance, it was twice as heavy and much more durable. It wouldn''t bend or break as easily as hisst weapon.


    Kong Zhi grabbed it and held it tightly.


    "How?! How is it that we are losing this war?! I am that of the Vajra Race now! We should''ve taken over the Boundless Beast Forest and yet, we didn''t. I should''ve been able to decimate that old human! But I lost! Why?! Why?!"


    He was angry, furious from the frustration after losing the forest.


    "The Vajra Bloodline is one of the strongest bloodlines but I still lost! Am I not strong enough? What else do I have to do?!"


    The demon mulled over this predicament, trying to think of a way of gaining more strength. Then he looked up, suddenly remembering something.


    "Wait... The Hundun n... What about an alliance with them?"


    The more he thought the more he was confident.


    "They might not have answered us before but now they have a clear hatred for the humans. I could use that. Perhaps, I could send them to theke instead."


    Slowly, a n formed in his mind as he continued to muse over his options.


    "I could also look for more treasures. Perhaps, my ancestors may have something, I should go back. There has to be more, something else. I need something, I must be stronger quicker, I won''t lose, not to that human."


    There was a glow in his eyes, an obsession, and a thirst. It would be a thin line he was stepping on, the crazed look on his face slowly appeared.


    What would happen the next time he made his appearance? What sort of terrible thing would he be?


    Such answers wouldn''te so quickly yet.


    As for the Cerulean Serpent''ske, disaster could being but another predicament was taking ce.


    "A year? I thought perhaps a week but... a year?"


    Ming Yue looked at the World Serpent with dismay and Yin Bing had a confused look on her face.


    "Of course, it would take a year. Your sword is nourishing within theke. The longer it stays, the better it will be. Of course, a year is more than enough to awaken it", the serpent exined.


    "But my sword... I wouldn''t have it for a year."


    "Really? A year isn''t that long you know."


    Of course, Yin Bing has been alive for thousands of years, adding another year was akin to a second. But for Ming Yue, a year was a long time, too long even.


    "I''ll be twenty by the time I get my sword back. Not to mention needing to defend this camp, if I go without Drifting Sky, It''d be somewhat difficult", she thought.


    The young cultivator then looked at the serpent.


    "Will you be staying here or residing near the camp?" she asked.


    Ying Bingughed at her question before shaking her head.


    "No, now that I have started this process of nurturing your sword, I must watch it. It is within the center of theke and if I am not careful, it may break."


    "What?! Break?!"


    "Yes, more than likely, It might be so powerful that you might not be able to wield it. After all, it could be a sword spirit. Wouldn''t that be a sight?"


    Ming Yue furrowed her brows, curious about what Yin Bing said.


    "A sword spirit?"


    "Yes, a weapon spirit, the pinnacle of its form but it would also have its own consciousness and thought. Depending on the spirit, it could obtain unique abilities, amplifying your own killing intent, releasing much more powerful attacks, and so much more. If a child could wield a weapon spirit, they would be a sword expert instantly. That is how powerful a weapon spirit is. However, that is if a child could wield it, with so much power, controlling a weapon spirit is no easy feat. It could even reject the strong."


    "And this could happen to my sword?"


    "Of course, weapon spirits are incredibly rare and difficult to create but for me, it is a simple task."


    "But why do this?" asked Ming Yue, "I don''t believe I did anything to warrant such a reward."


    "Ahahahah, you are a good person. No matter the pain you''ve suffered or the sorrow within you, there is goodness. Even that other you is a good person. It is not difficult to see that. And so I brought it upon myself to reward that decency. And you cannot reject me, the process has already begun, and taking it out would be useless. As I''ve said, it is at the center of theke, within the deepest depths."


    Then the World Serpent began to descend into the waters.


    "I should leave, I have left your sword unattended long enough, I must return to oversee it. Even if you ask for my help, I will be unable to answer. But in your most dire straits, your sword wille."


    Those were Yin Bing''sst words as she vanished into theke, not even a shadow of her was left when she retreated


    Ming Yue watched before turning around and seeing all of the little children awake, staring at her with anticipation.


    "Will you y with us now?"


    She looked at them before ncing back at theke and sighed.


    "Of course, what do you all want to do?"


    There were smiles on their faces, big ones, as Shen Varuna and her brother ran to grab her by the hands. Together, they pulled her along and yed in the sand.


    Some stopped to watch them, finding it a refreshing sight to see. A beautiful woman ying with children, a wee scene in this harrowing war. But such peace wouldn''tst, this was war, and peace is never an option.


    When all of the children fell asleep, night had fallen. Ming Yue brought them all into the stonepound, where arge mat and nkets were given to them.. She and her two beasts were the only ones awake and the trio went out.

 Chapter 413 - What Makes A Sword?

    Dinner had already been served, a bowl of gruel that had a bit of meat and vegetables. It wasn''t an amazing meal but it was good and filling.


    A simple dish with only salt and pepper.


    Night watches were already formed as the craftsmen continued to workte into the night. Ming Yue walked around, greeting them as they came. As much as those children gave her peace, she couldn''t help but think about her current situation. She sat down by the edge of the camp, watching the soldiers and crafters move.


    "I no longer had Drifting Sky until after a year. It could be a weapon spirit but I would have to have the strength to wield it. Meaning I should train harder, focus on my cultivation. Practicing the Sword Dao would be difficult... but I''m nearly finished with "Return to Simplicity", next is "Realm of a Hundred Swords. Actually no, this works in my favor, doesn''t it?"


    Thinking about it some more, she felt that not having her sword would be quite beneficial. Although she might not be able toplete her current stage, she couldy the foundations for the next one. After all, the next stage was no ordinary one.


    Soon enough, she made up her mind.


    "I will train and fight without Drifting Sky. A year will be long but it will prove to be fruitful."


    Standing up, her two beasts raised their heads to look at her.


    "I''m going outside you two, do you want toe?"


    Hearing her invitation, they responded with a yip and a chirp, staying close to her dutifully. The trio quietly meshed into the shadows as they left the camp and went out into the wild.


    The environment here was much different than anything she had encountered.


    It was a marsh, there was water everywhere, covered by a veil of grass. There was little ground and even less of it was dry. It was slippery and if one''s judgment was wrong, they would find themselves drowning in the water. The grass itself was thin and short, brownish in color, and fragile. There weren''t many trees but those that she saw had a strange shape, resembling that of a mushroom. And above all else, there was an immense number of insects, ranging from themon annoyance to the lethal.


    Fortunately, Ming Yue had created a small field of lightning around them, practically zapping away constantly.


    They moved through the area nimbly, taking light steps on the grass so as to not fall into the waters.


    "I wonder if I can find one."


    The young cultivator moved from tree to tree, scouring the ground for something. Fortunately, what she was looking for was not rare or difficult to find. She just had to look and soon, her eyes locked onto what she wanted.


    "There!"


    Moving forward, she bent down and grabbed a broken branch, one thin enough and long enough topare to her sword. She wielded it just like Drifting Sky, attacking the air and spinning it in her hands.


    After several moves, she stopped and looked at the branch with satisfaction.


    "This should do."


    As quickly as she left, she returned in the dead of the night and the night patrols saw her return. Walking up to her, they greeted the young cultivator.


    "Fairy, wee back."


    She looked at them and blinked her eyes, confused by the name.


    "Fairy?"


    The guards looked at each other before one of them stepped forward.


    "That is your title, right? Ming Yue, the Fairy of the Moon?" they asked.


    "Oh right, that..."


    She remembered quickly about her embarrassing name before looking back to the guards.


    "I just went outside for something."


    They looked at her before noticing the branch in her hands and pointing at it.


    "You went out... for a branch?" they asked.


    "Oh yes, I need it for training. Please continue with your patrols, I''ll be going now."


    She moved along with her two pets and looking for a ce to practice her swordsmanship. The patrol watched her go before looking at each other. They looked at her strangely but shrugged.


    "Must be some strange cultivation or something, having to use a stick."


    "Maybe... still a stick? She could''ve asked one of the craftsmen for a wooden sword or even borrow one of our spare ones."


    "Don''t bother questioning it, it''s not like any of us are going to understand. Besides, someone like her doesn''t have to exin to us."


    They nodded at each other.


    To soldiers like them, they had no need to learn or know what she nned to do. If it made her stronger that was all that really mattered. Still, they couldn''t help but wonder, why would she need a branch?


    As they continued their patrol, Ming Yue couldn''t find much empty space and so decided to practice on thekeshore. Standing on the sand, Hei Yue and Xiao Ying stood to the side as they watched her wielding that stick.


    She looked at the branch and swung several times, getting used to the lightness and the fragility. Momentster, she stopped and began to recite the Sword Sage Path. While she no longer had the manual, she had long memorized it.


    "After Return to Simplicity is Realm of a Hundred Swords, to understand this stage is to know that everything can be used as a sword. The limbs of your body, leaves, grass, anything can be a sword if you will it to be, even a branch."


    Reciting the words in her mind, Ming Yue started to contemte these words.


    "Anything can be a sword if I will it... What does this mean? If I will it... then I just use my energy, is that it?"


    As she muttered those words, her Quintessence Energy began to circle through her body. Slowly and carefully, Ming Yue moved it into the branch one speck at a time. It shuddered and hummed as her strength flowed through it.


    And for a moment, it released a small aura.


    She smiled at this.


    "This doesn''t seem too difficult", she thought.


    But as soon as she said that, the energy suddenly escaped out of the branch, dispersing into motes of light.


    "Wha- what?"


    Ming Yue opened her mouth wide with surprise.


    "What happened? Why did it all scatter?"


    She tried once more but failed as the energy she gathered went away. After several more attempts, Ming Yue stopped and put the branch down, going back to what the Sword Sage Path described of Realm of Hundred Swords.


    "The purpose of this stage is to be able to make anything a sword, further one''s understanding of the Sword Dao. You must be able to execute any attacks and techniques using anything. You must understand what makes a sword."


    As the manual stated, Realm of a Hundred Swords is a stage in which it focuses on the essence of a sword. To be able to make anything a sword, that is the goal of this stage. But as far as Ming Yue knew, she was stumped with this.


    "What makes a sword?" she pondered this question.


    "It would be the materials? What it''s made of? No, that can''t be it. It''s something else."


    Unfortunately, the manual didn''t contain the answers she was looking for. Everyone had to reach a conclusion of their own and the same applied to her.


    As it waste at night, Ming Yue continued to contemte but to no sess. And soon enough the sun rose for a new day had begun, she was still on theke swinging the branch around.


    Even if they were just casual swings, there was an elegance to them, like flowing water.


    She was focused solely on the branch in her hands, not noticing a small crowd watching her, admiring her skills.. It was like a dance almost, one that was unpredictable but beautiful.

 Chapter 414 - Hunting For Food

    Ming Yue stopped and breathed out, easing herself before putting the branch into her Spatial Ring. While she had certainly gotten used to using it as a weapon, she made no progress in Realm of Hundred Swords. Hei Yue and Xiao Yin had long gone to sleep though they awakened as she stopped.


    "Hah, I knew trying to advance into the next stage withoutpleting thest would be difficult. Still, I was hoping for something..."


    She sighed before walking off of the sand and heading into the camp. The two beasts followed her and any of her spectators quickly scattered, going back to their own tasks.


    "Where to go now?"


    Looking around, the young cultivator noticed that all of the soldiers, save for a few guard patrols had gathered at the center. Standing before them was Commander Yu Zhen along with what could only be the captains of each squad.


    There were ten of them, each wearing more decorated armorplete with ribbons and borate patterns.


    Making her way there, Ming Yue stood in the back as the Commander began to talk.


    "Alright, there are ten groups of you. Seven will be outside to hunt and to explore while the remaining three will help patrol the barrier. Of those seven, four will focus on hunting and the other three will focus more on exploring. I''ve already informed the captains of their responsibilities and our objectives for today. I expect for all of you toe back, none of you are to die under mymand. That is all."


    "Yes,mander!"


    They shouted in unison and saluted before separating into their groups and standing with their captains. Thus leaving Ming Yue standing there with only the two beasts.


    Commander Yu Zhen looked to her and chuckled.


    "You want to join right?"


    Ming Yue was about to respond but Yu Zhen didn''t even give her time to speak as she looked at the ten groups.


    "So which one of you want her?" she asked.


    In an instant, all ten captains raised their hands to which themander smiled and looked back at her.


    "So then, Ming Yue, what do you feel like doing?"


    Without hesitation, she answered.


    "Hunting."


    "In that case, you can go with Ya Lang''s group."


    Commander Yu Zhen pointed at the group closest to her where the captain was a much older man, whose hair was beginning to gray. But he was certainly not fragile as he wore the biggest armor out of the other captains and carried a pair of axes on his back.


    Ming Yue nodded and walked to his group, giving a discreet bow. Ya Lang nodded in acknowledgment and stepped aside to let her join the group.


    Apart from him were twenty others, some of whom stole nces and others gave curious looks. She gave small bows to them all which they returned in kind. Though all of them took a good look at Hei Yue, who wrapped himself around her leg.


    While the Mistral Fox wasn''t afraid of the soldiers, he certainly didn''t want to leave her side. And Xiao Yin was long gone, flying high up above them. Without Drifting Sky to perch onto, there wasn''t much else she couldnd on other than Ming Yue''s shoulder.


    After giving them a moment, Commander Yu Zhen looked at them and shouted out.


    "Get going! There''s only so much sunlight given to us, don''t let it waste away!"


    Everyone shouted another hurrah before leaving.


    Ya Lang looked over his group before leading them towards the barrier. While walking he briefed everyone on their objectives.


    "Our goal is to hunt for food, our supplies are running low so we have to get more. We will be going into unknown territory, past our previous mark. It will be dangerous but now that we have the Fairy with us, sess will be guaranteed. Does everyone understand?"


    His soldiers nodded as did Ming Yue.


    Together, they left the camp and entered the wet marshes. It was much warmer in the day and especially humid. Trekking through all of this made for a tiring and miserable experience. Despite that, everyone seemed to be in high spirits now that Ming Yue was here. She felt looks on her back and all around but they weren''t of ill intent.


    It wouldn''t take long before someone spoke up.


    "What was it like?"


    A young soldier, a man around her age, walked up to her and asked abruptly, looking at Ming Yue with anticipation.


    The cultivator hesitated as she looked at him before seeing all of the glimmering eyes on her. She was somewhat dumbfounded at this disy.


    "What do you mean?" she asked.


    "Oh you know, in the battle for the Boundless Beast Forest. You rode a dragon, a fully grown Hel-Fire Dragon! What was it like?"


    "Um..."


    Before she could answer, another soldier spoke out.


    "What? Why are you asking her about that? She spoke and rode on the Cerulean Serpent! How could you not want to know about that?"


    "But flying in the skies? Fighting Kong Zhi himself? How can I not ask?"


    "Or the Hundun n! I heard from the others that they saw thatst attack you made. It was like a crescent moon, they said!"


    Suddenly, it grew into a discussion about what to ask Ming Yue. Some questions were about her experiences in the war, others focused on the background, her techniques.


    Ovee with so many of them, she wasn''t sure where to begin.


    "Oi, you lot! Stop losing your focus! Just because she''s here with us doesn''t mean that we''re going to being out of this without a scratch. Lower your guard and you might lose a foot!"


    Ya Lang turned at them and red, chastising them in the middle of the wet marshes. His stern tone coupled with a loud and tough voice made for a fearsomebination.


    "Yes, captain!"


    Everyone immediately straightened up, their faces no longer carried any excitement but one of alertness.


    Ming Yue silently sighed a breath of relief as she and the captain both shared a look. Evidently, he knew that she was notfortable with all of the sudden questions.


    Making their way through this ce, it was a quiet trip. The buzzing of insects, water rippling constantly, a breeze woulde once in a while, causing the grass to sway. But it was hot and it was humid. Even for trained soldiers and for Ming Yue, light sweat formed on their foreheads.


    "It woun''t be long until we reached our farthest point! From there it will be unknownnd, tread lightly and tread carefully!"


    Ya Lang shouted to the rest of the group, who responded with a shout. Compared to everyone else, Xiao Yin was practically running around the area, scouting for them. With the fox''s speed, he didn''t have to worry about falling in.


    And Ming Yue kept herself wary.


    Although this was her second time outside, she was very much in the dark as to what beasts and dangers lurked about. But it wouldn''t be long before she would find out.


    It was midday and the sun was at its highest point.


    Finding a bit of shade, everyone stopped and sat under one of the sparse trees, drinking water and chewing on some dried meat.


    "We''ve gone this far but no sign of anything, I wonder what''s going on?"


    One of the soldiers looked around, scanning the area as he ate. Ya Lang agreed, watching their surroundings carefully.


    "It is strange", he replied.


    "Normally, we''d see some of those rabbits or frogs and what have you but... there''s nothing. Just bugs and only bugs... How strange."


    The captain knew that something was up, a feeling of dread began to build up but he wasn''t sure where it came from.


    Something changed or perhaps, something is here.

 Chapter 415 - Attack From The Marshes

    Hearing their words, Ming Yue checked their surroundings before looking at Xiao Yin.


    "Look around, tell me if you see something strange."


    The Star Owl chirped before turning to fly off but there was nothing to be found. Xiao Yin returned to her with nothing to report.


    And the group set off once more, moving deeper into unknown territory. All they heard or saw were insects, buzzing about and zipping around. It was simply too eerie, causing everyone to be on edge.


    How was it that they had yet to see a single animal the entire time? Not even a glimpse of one?


    It was more than strange, something was wrong.


    They walked through the marshes, carefully trying to fight where they could step. It was difficult enough to try and discern it but to do so in armor and with the slippery ground was easier said than done. And then, someone finally slipped up.


    "Oh shi-"


    Standing on a loose stone, one of them felt their feet slide on the wet grass as they stumbled forward, nearly falling into the waters. Everyone went to grab him but Ming Yue was the quickest.


    Putting her hand forward, she summoned a gust of wind, pushing back at the soldier and giving him time to stabilize his footing. Catching himself, he quickly walked back, looking at the others with gratefulness.


    "Don''t slip again, you idiot."


    "If you die, how are we gonna answer to themander?"


    With some quick banter, that dangerous moment was buried quickly under a bit ofughter.


    "I can''t help it! There was a pebble in the way and the ground, it''s so slippery! Look at it, is this even dirt?"


    Taking out his sword, the one soldier stabbed into the ground only to be shocked that he could not pierce it.


    "What?"


    The others looked at him skeptically.


    "Are you sure you''re okay?"


    "Was there something in that dried meat? Are you dizzy?"


    But he shook his head and pointed to the ground trying to stab it once more.


    "Look at this, it''s not even dirt!"


    Everyone looked down with Ya Lang kneeling to investigate it. He took off the moss and grass sticking to the surface with his hand, clearing a small spot for everyone to see.


    "It isn''t but what is it?"


    Feeling it, Ya Lng couldn''t make heads or tails as to what this was.


    "It''s rough and bumpy, like stone but..."


    Pressing down, he made a small dent that ttened out as he let go. Then the captain stood up and took out one of his axes. It had a small handle fit for one hand but an axederge enough to behead someone. Raising it above his head, he swung it down with all his might beneath him, cracking it open but no one was expecting what came next.


    Blood sprayed out, covering everyone around the wound. Murky green blood that reeked of metal and trash, covering their armor.


    Everyone backed away, trying to wipe it off before feeling the ground tremor.


    Then came a low growling as the waters around them trembled even more.


    "Quick, prepare yourselves!"


    Ya Lang shouted as he held his ax tightly and the others brandished their weapons. They formed a circle, facing outwards so that all directions were covered.


    The growling continued, it was very deep and loud, echoing through the ear. It was just shy of deafening, a noise resembling that of an avnche. And then it stopped followed by silence and peace.


    But none of them were letting down their guard.


    "Keep your eyes open, watch the swamps!" Ya Lang warned.


    If there was nothinging to them bynd, then it came by water. The growling had surely attracted something.


    And then Xiao Yin flew down, whistling as the owl returned to Ming Yue''s side.


    "They''reing."


    After telling everyone else, she readied for battle. On one hand, was the Pearlstone Dagger while the other hand was d in wind, the Zephyr ws, abination she was familiar with. Without Drifting Sky, she had to rely on other methods to fight but it was only a minor inconvenience.


    As she waited and watched her surroundings, she saw the water ripple gently as several strange stones crept up on them.


    "Look."


    Everyone else caught each other''s gaze, knowing that they had all noticed this.


    These stones were long and t but there was something unmistakable about them, there were eyes. Small, beady yellow eyes with pitch-ck pupils, watching them.


    Everyone in the group watched those things like a hawk and waited, hesitating to strike. After all, they didn''t even know what they were dealing with.


    "What sort of creatures are these?" one of them whispered.


    "I don''t know but I''m guessing they came after we attacked their leader."


    "We? You mean the captain attacked it."


    "Well, we wouldn''t be in this situation if it weren''t for you slipping up."


    "You-"


    They all began to whisper among each other, arguing as to whose fault it was before a quick re from Ya Lang shut them up.


    "Shut it, you lot, we were bound to run into something. Cracking jokes at a time like this? Do you want some personal training when we get back?!"


    They all shook their heads.


    "No sir."


    "Save it forter, it''s time to hunt."


    These creatures slowly came, silently wading through the waters. With each second, the distance shortened until these beasts were only a few meters away.


    And without a moment''s notice, these creatures revealed themselves, leaping out of the waters with their mouths gaping open.


    As for their appearance, it was terrifying, to say the least.


    They were lizards,rge and grotesque.* Their skin was gray and rough, almost like stone but their mouths said otherwise. The pink flesh coupled with rows of sharp fangs were a sight to behold. Their legs were short and stubby but there were ws, ck ones that curved down. Their tails were long but fat.


    If they stood still, one would think they were statues.


    Despite their long and chubby bodies, they were quick, charging towards the soldiers. Worse than that, over half a dozen of them came, snapping their jaws at the men and women.


    "None of you better die!"


    As the captain shouted these next few words, he stood his ground wielding both axes. Meeting the beast before him, he felt a tremendous weight pushing him back as the fangs shed with his weapons.


    "Ngh, don''t even think this is enough!"


    He pushed the beast back with a great shout before charging forward and jumping on top of the lizard, hacking away at its flesh. Try as he might, it was more difficult than he thought.


    "This hide! What sort of creature is this?! It''s like stone!" he eximed.


    But Ya Lang was determined.


    "It might be stone but I''ll chip away. It is not indestructible!"


    Raising both of his axes, a strong gale formed around him before coalescing within his weapons. His two axes began to howl as he brought them down upon the beast.


    "Four Winds: The Impending East!"


    Attacking together, the two axes fell upon this poor creature, releasing a burst of wind that caused the hide to break and split apart.


    The lizard roared in pain as the attack bit deep into its flesh. But it wasn''t dead just yet and the others, they were long from defeat. Just like him, his soldiers all found trouble piercing their bodies.


    If that wasn''t bad enough, they were quick and their size was more than intimidating. If they weren''t careful, they''d be eaten in two bites. It was fortunate for them that they outnumbered these creatures.


    And such beasts proved to be a difficult match for Ming Yue herself, although it was only just difficult for her.

 Chapter 416 - The First To Discover!

    Including Ming Yue and her two beasts, there were twenty-three of them against eight of these stone-skinned lizards. While Ya Lang took on one by himself, the others split into grew of three to deal with the other seven. Thus there were six groups of three and a seventh group with four soldiers.


    And Ming Yue took one on with Xiao Yin and Hei Yue.


    With her w and dagger, she circled around the beast, attacking the tail as it was its blindspot.


    "Xiao Yin!"


    As she called out and whistled, the owl flew down, revealing her glowing white talons and releasing beams of starlight. These glimmering white beams flew down and struck the lizard on its back but bounced off.


    Worse than that it left nothing but a crack on the beast''s skin. Despite that, a crack was all Ming Yue needed.


    She flew forward before imbuing the Pearlstone Dagger with her energy, covering it with wind. She swung down with the Zephyr ws, breaking off a chunk of the hide before stabbing in the same spot.


    After weakening its skin, the dagger pierced the lizard''s flesh easily as the wind burst out, eviscerating the flesh surrounding it.


    The beast roared out in pain as it shook her off and turned back to her. With its mouth closed, the beast red at her with its beady eyes before running forward.


    With its stubby legs, it didn''t seem like it would be quick but it closed in on Ming Yue in mere seconds, snapping its jaws to rip her apart.


    "Wind Lance."


    Muttering to herself, ance of wind formed above her before condensing into the size of her arm. And then as the lizard''s mouth opened, she shot it forward, straight into its throat, and jumped away, avoiding its charge.


    Its mouth suddenly closed before the lizard began to hack and cough. Its body ballooned as thence burst out as blood sprayed out of every crevice, killing it in an instant.


    Ming Yue looked at it before revealing a look of disappointment.


    "Ah, we can''t bring that back as food..."


    If this were a normal encounter, she would not be bothered, but she was looking to gather food in this case. While the body was still intact, there was no doubt in her mind that its innards had be mush and unedible.


    "This isn''t going to work, either a clean-cut or I stun it with lightning should work. I could use the Boltwind Nails but their skin only resembles stone, it is actually much tougher. That technique wouldn''t work well. Wait, I just need to imbue the dagger with lightning only."


    Realizing this, she went off to help the others, who were shocked.


    "You killed yours already?" one of them asked.


    Ming Yue nodded, following with a look of disappointment.


    "But I left it unedible so we can''t bring that back", she answered.


    "Even if it is inedible, we can still bring it back so long as the body is in good condition!"


    Another soldier shouted out as she charged forward, swinging her sword at the lizard. But it left only a scratch as the de bounced back.


    "In any case, help us kill the rest of these!"


    Ming Yue didn''t need to hear it as she whistled for Xiao Yin, whose talons glowed with an iridescent light.


    As for the Mistral Fox, Hei Yue tried to do as much as he could but his strength lied in speed. Trying to even scratch the stone-skinned lizard was difficult enough. But he kept running about, scratching at the eyes, angering all of the lizards.


    Perhaps he could not injure these strange creatures but being a distraction was too easy for the silver furred fox.


    Every time, he grabbed their attention that was a window of opportunity for the others. So much so that the men and women were impressed and surprised.


    "I thought this would be difficult but... isn''t this a bit too easy?"


    "Yeah, I know that the Fairy of the Moon is strong but her pets too?"


    "They''re quick, intelligent... Even if they aren''t powerful, that teamwork and support are amazing."


    All they had were praises andpliments for the trio, it was simply too obvious to not say out loud. But Ya Lang had other things to say.


    "If you lot don''t stop chatting, you''re going to end up like this!"


    Hacking the stone skin away, the captain stuck his two axes in between the hide and the lizard''s flesh. Pressing in, the beast shrieked in pain as it felt its skin separate from its hide.


    As it began to give leeway, Ya Lang quickly put away his axes as he instead grabbed the bloody hide and pulled it apart


    He shouted as his armor began to creak from his bulging arms.


    Hopping off the creature, he still gripped tightly to the skin before turning it on its backside and pulling even harder. And in seconds, Ya Lang skinned the lizard while it was still alive. The sight of it was brutal and horrifying.


    That same murky green blood spraying out wildly as the poor creature wriggled in pain.


    Without another word, he walked towards it with one ax in hand and chopped its neck, beheading the beast and killing it instantly. The body still twitched ever so slightly as its exposed flesh became a sight few dared to look at.


    It was visceral, a dark pink color that contrasted its green blood. Certainly a strange sight but one that would make anyone queasy.


    Even Ming Yue felt something as she saw it all unfold.


    "How... violent..." she thought, "But skillful."


    At the same time, she noticed how clean the corpse was. Despite the blood sttering everywhere, the flesh and skin were separated and mostly undamaged. While his method seemed so vicious, the results were very different from what one would expect.


    He ced his hand over the corpse as he finished, activating his spatial ring and sending it all in.


    "Onto the next then."


    He looked around and pulled out his axes before finding a new target.


    And Ming Yue was finished with her second one. With the help of a few others, she cracked open the stone hide before stabbing her dagger into the beast. Lightning coursed through her dagger and straight into the flesh, paralyzing it. With another burst, she killed the creature, destroying its mind through shock.


    And one by one, these would-be attackers were killed and stored in one of their spatial rings.


    As thest one cried out, everyone breathed out a sigh of relief before sitting down to rest. But there was much to discuss about these beasts. Strangely enough, the soldiers were all excited for some reason.


    Having noticed it, Ming Yue was curious, were they happy about their catch or was there something else?"


    "Captain, do you know what these are? You are the best of beast butchers and one of the most knowledgable."


    "Yeah, captain. Is this something that has been cataloged or is it new?"


    They looked to Ya Lang with eyes of expectation, waiting for him to answer.


    The captain of their squad was silent and his expression was extremely stoic. But soon enough, it turned into a little, mischievous smile before nodding.


    "Nope, it looks like we''ve discovered a new creature. I''ve never seen it before and we are in new territory. Congrattions, everyone."


    With this, everyone cheered with their hands raised up high.


    Ming Yue looked at them nkly before one of the soldiers exined.


    "We get rewarded for discovering new creatures. After all, one of the goals is to catalog everything."


    "Really?"


    "And the reward is great, a hundred gold coins to each soldier that discovers it! It would be sent to our families and they wouldn''t have to worry about anything for the rest of their lives!"


    "Family, I see."


    "Do you have any family, Fairy?"


    Ming Yue shook her head.


    "No, and you can just call me Ming Yue."

 Chapter 417 - Red Empress

    Although her response was quick and short, everyone else couldn''t help but pause. It wouldn''t be easy to reveal such details and the manner she did so had taken them by surprise. As for the soldier who asked, he found himself unable to speak.


    "I-I see, I apologize for asking such intimate details."


    He could only stumble through his words and speak in a much more respectful way.


    Ming Yue looked at him.


    "It''s alright, I have no reason to hide it and it happened years ago."


    However, it had gone quiet. Everyone quietly focused on recovering and did a few spot repairs on their equipment. She looked at them before doing the same, examining her dagger and armor.


    "I probably shouldn''t have said it", she thought.


    And Xue Yue suddenly piped in.


    "Of course not, you''ve ruined the happy atmosphere. It''s just like the forest elder said, you''re still not over it, far from it. Don''t think I don''t know that you''re just trying to convince yourself otherwise."


    "Stop, I know. If ites to be then ites but me telling them is by no means a way of convincing myself", Ming Yue replied.


    "Sure, sure, fine, whatever you want but you better remember."


    And just like that Xue Yue''''s voice no longer came out. Her counterpart just stared at the Pearlstone Dagger, checking it for any nicks or cracks. Although she didn''t show it, her mind was elsewhere, preupied with sudden change.


    But why now?


    Normally, she wouldn''t have been so bothered by it but she couldn''t stop thinking about it, her own tragedy.


    "No, I should stop. It''s going to ruin my focus."


    She pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind as she had done before, finishing up her inspections.


    Looking around, Ming Yue noticed the captain standing over the wound he made on the creature that called these lizards. He studied it carefully, picking at it with his axes.


    "Strange, how strange..." he muttered.


    The others noticed him as well, mulling over the gash he created.


    "Is there something wrong captain?"


    "Wait, don''t tell me we''re going to kill this thing too? I don''t think we have the power for that!"


    He red at them and shook his head.


    "Of course not, I''m not stupid. I just find it strange that we''re standing on a muchrger lizard", he answered.


    "What? What''s so strange? We have monsters like these back home, don''t we?" one of them pointed out.


    "Yes but were those lizards really its children? The gap is simply too big. With its size, it could certainly give birth to more than just these few and they can''t be adults, can they? With such a difference in size, there has to be a parent but where could they be?"


    Ya Lang then turned to everyone else.


    "We should investigate this. We''re not returning until we get to the bottom of this. I better not hear a sounding from you all, my orders are final."


    However, none of them groaned or showed any sort of opposition.


    "There he goes. Guess, we''re not going back."


    In fact, it seemed that all of his subordinates had expected something like this to happen.


    "After discovering a new race, of course, the captain would want to learn more."


    "Well he is the captain, we can''t exactly say no to him."


    With that said, the group went on the move, heading deeper into the marshes. But by night, they had yet to see anything out of the ordinary.


    "There really is nothing but these marshes... Where does it end?"


    It was the same thing for as far as the eye could see, just an endless swamp paired with an army of insects.


    As much as Ya Lang wanted to continue, they needed to return. He couldn''t risk the lives of his soldiers as well as Ming Yue on a gut feeling.


    "Let''s go back."


    As he turned to leave, Ming Yue stood there and looked around once more only to find nothing. But that wasn''t until Xiao Yin returned from scouting.


    The owl tweeted and whistled as itnded on her shoulder.


    "Wait."


    Ming Yue suddenly spoke up as she looked at Xiao Yin.


    "There''s something ahead, not far from here."


    Ya Lang looked at her as did the others with a curious look.


    "Are you sure?" he asked her.


    She looked at him and nodded.


    Ya Lang thought for a moment before deciding.


    "We march on then."


    And so they continued on their path through the marsh beforeing across what Xiao Yin had spotted.


    It was a camp, built upon thergest swamp, a murkykerge enough to fit several warships with room to spare. It stood several meters above theke, with dozens of wooden posts where rope connected it to stones in the waters.


    But everyone knew that these were no stones.


    "These are the lizard''s parents! They''ve been captured and used as mounts!" Ya Lang eximed.


    They quickly hid behind any grass or tree, watching this base for it was still upied.


    The camp itself was well built, created from rope and vine to sit over theke. There were multiple smaller houses connected to onerge hall through bridges. And someone walked out of the hall, stepping onto the dock, and looked around.


    The person was a demon, one with three short horns on her head and porcin white skin. Her eyes wererge and red. But everything else was obscured by a mask, covering the lower part of her face.If it wasn''t for the mask, she would''ve been considered beautiful but that mask was there for a reason.


    More noticeable was her size, a curvaceous woman whose height was nearly double that of the average man. Her clothes were slovenly dressed robes that covered only the bare essentials.


    This demon gazed into the waters where the lizards resided. She just stood there and looked, her mind seemed to wander elsewhere until another demon approached her and kneeled.


    "Congrattions Qing Chai, you have be one of the new kings!"


    She turned around and looked at him.


    "It was only a matter of time before it happened. Is there any other news?"


    Her voice was very low but sweet.* Most of all, it carried a verymanding yet intimate feel. The kneeling demon nodded as he continued the message.


    "Under Lord Kong Zhi''smand, we have to attack the new human fortress and slow down its development. Outside of that, the Roaring King wants you to choose your new title."


    Although the mask was hiding it, she was smiling and bent down, bringing her face towards the demon''s ear.


    "King isn''t a great title for someone like me, I think I''ll pick... ''Red Empress''. Now, be a good little messenger and tell that to them."


    Straightening back up, she turned around and went back to gaze into the swamp. The demon held his hand up to his ear, looking at her in shock.


    "Ye- yes, I will tell them."


    He turned to leave but nced back at her every few seconds, unable to forget what had just happened. But Qing Chai merely looked at the waters, perhaps admiring her reflection. Looking around her were the tied lizards, over a dozen of them floating around the camp.


    "Hmm, Red Empress was a good choice, don''t you think?"


    Suddenly, the water trembled as one of them revealed itself, snapping its jaws as it tried to engulf her. It was quick and sudden, enough to take anyone by surprise but not her. Lowering her mask, it revealed her mouth which seemed to open in an unnatural manner, like a snake''s mouth but with rows of sharp fangs.


    She hissed at the beast, a terrifying sound that crept into its ears and shook its heart.


    In an instant, the lizard fell back into the water, returning to its original form.


    "Quiet now?"


    Sheughed before putting her mask back on and moving off, after ying with the lizards.

 Chapter 418 - Fervent Chase Through The Marshes

    "A Vore Demon!"


    The soldiers all looked at her with shock, recognizing her race in an instant. That was with the exception of Ming Yue, who knew little of the various races. But it didn''t take much to understand that Qing Chai was a dangerous one.


    Apart from the horns and skin, Ming Yue was wary of that mask, having heard the hissing sound. It was weak but it left an impression on her.


    "She''s like a snake, only hungrier", she thought.


    Ya Lang quickly took out a map and marked their position before turning back.


    "We should leave quickly before we are noticed. I''ve already marked the location of this ce, we just have to return and inform the twomanders!" he exined.


    Everyone nodded and moved away as quietly as possible.


    Unfortunately, with so many people dressed in armor, some noise could not be avoided. For a moment, armor clinked and twigs snapped, causing Qing Chai to straighten up and look around.


    Putting her arms out, a pair of ws flew from within her sleeves and onto her hands. They had five des with jagged tips, an injury from that would be more than nasty. With them she cut off the ropes to three of the lizards, before hopping onto one of them.


    "Hunt them down."


    As she whispered into their ears, the beasts revealed themselves and raised their heads, swimming through the swamp before reaching the ground in seconds.


    Snapping their jaws, they began to search, crushing through anything in their path. Compared to the ones they faced earlier, these were muchrger,parable to that of a small ship. Suffice to say, just one could swallow ten men whole.


    But Ya Lang and the others weren''t going to stay and find out.


    "Shit, go!"


    The captain shouted to the others, who ran as quickly as they could.


    But everyone had their weapons drawn, cutting at any brush or grass in their way. Ming Yue looked behind her, feeling the tremors on the ground as their pursuers came. She then looked to Hei Yue, calling out to the fox.


    "Block their view!"


    The Mistral Fox yipped as thick, ck fog emerged from his body, spreading behind him. It grew and grew, encapsting everyone and covering their escape. But there was far too little time and there wasn''t enough to cover the giant lizards. All it could do was obscure their sight.


    Qing Chai stood on top of one of the giant lizards, scanning the area around her. Her mouth curled into a yful smile as sheughed.


    "Don''t think you can escape me for much longer! Come out and y!"


    Her voice echoed out in a sweet, honey-like voice, alluring and teasing to the ears.


    But none of the soldiers were going to do it, they''ve fought enough to know it was a bad idea. Even more so, now that they knew what sort of demon she was.


    One of them took out a talisman and tied it to his arrow. Loading it onto his crossbow, he quickly turned and aimed at the beast Qing Chai rode on.


    "Here''s a bit of fun!"


    Pullin the trigger, the arrow flew out at a blinding speed towards the Red Empress. She smirked and broke the arrow into pieces, dropping them onto the lizard''s head.


    But the talisman was undamaged.


    "Is that it? Stop struggling ande to me, I''d be more than happy to receive some guests. Or do you want to be treated like toys?"


    Sheughed out loud but she was not thest to do so.


    "Sun re!"


    The soldier chanted as he made several hand signs. The talisman trembled and unfurled before releasing a sh of light and a burst of explosive mes. Qing Chai noticed it toote as she tried to flee only to be blown back by the st and the lizards were knocked away.


    She shrieked in pain as she fell into the waters.


    "Quick, let''s get out of here!"


    Having created an opportunity, Ming Yue and the others hastened their pace, vanishing into the marshes.


    And the beasts no longer chased them, rather, they stayed to guard their master. The so-called "Red Empress" stood climbed out of the swamps, revealing her unkempt appearance. Her clothes were singed and wet while her hair was messy, giving her a crazed look.


    More than that, her mask suddenly cracked in half and fell in front of her.


    Catching it in her hand, she gripped it tightly before crushing it into pieces and threw it onto the ground. With her face uncovered, she looked up into the sky and released a hissing shriek, one of rage and frustration. Her eyes were wide open and bulging as veins seemed to grow around them.


    "Those miserable little insects think they can get away?! I''m going to y with them until they can''t ever leave me!"


    She looked at the lizards, who were all looking back at her.


    "Hmph, take me back."


    The beasts lowered their heads for her to step on and promptly took her back.


    "I won''t forget this humiliation!"


    She gnashed her teeth as she returned to her abode.


    Meanwhile, the group ran as far as they could until they could no longer keep their speed. By now, the moon had risen and night hade, the stars were bright as the sky was clear of clouds. It was a beautiful night.


    Coming to a stop, they all dropped down to catch their breath and recover. Everyone was drenched in sweat or breathing heavily even Ming Yue, who felt exhausted from this encounter. After a few minutes, Ya Lang stood up and took a deep breath, calming himself and his heart.


    "Now that we know what is waiting for us, we must be aptly prepared for this. When we return, we must inform the twomanders. You''ve all seen it, a Vore Demon, one of the more dangerous ones. There may be more of them."


    "Not to mention those lizards, we don''t know their weaknesses or anything about", one of the soldiers pointed out.


    "Yes, but we did just catch a few of their spawn. If we hand it over to Commander Zi Jing, I''m sure they can find out."


    The soldiers began to discuss their next actions as Ming Yue listened in. She was no soldier nor was she part of their group. That wasn''t to say that her opinion did not matter but she certainly wasn''t going to take charge.


    "What does Ming Yue think?"


    The men and women turned to her, waiting for a response. She straightened up a bit before thinking of what to say.


    "I just want to know, what is a Vore Demon?"


    Everyone looked at each other before Ya Lang exined.


    "A Vore Demon is one of the stronger races. Apart from their appearance which you''ve seen, their mouths are special and it is also connected to their bloodline. They could eat a man in two bites along with their armor and weapons. Their teeth are incredibly strong and there are rows and rows of them. That hissing sound is the sound they make before feasting."


    "Then if they were to activate their bloodline?"


    Everyone showed a slight hint of fear as Ya Lang continued to exin.


    "Their mouths deform and elongate as their teeth grow and be jagged. ording to what Commander Gao Ri has told us, Vore Demons are capable of swallowing over fifty lives in one gulp. The horror of it is that same hissing sound, like a hunter making their mark. We''ve encountered a few, sacrificing well over several hundred men to each one."


    Ming Yue listened,paring his descriptions to what she saw of Qing Chai.


    "In that case, I do have a suggestion but it will be dangerous.. If we were to seed, however, we may not need to sacrifice anyone."

 Chapter 419 - Returning To The Camp

    "What do you n?" asked Ya Lang.


    The others looked to Ming Yue with their ears open, waiting for her to exin.


    "I think that we shouldn''t wait for her toe to us. Rather we force her toe out, take her by surprise, and either ambush or lead her into a trap. From there, we can send another group to take her stronghold. Both would require a diversion of sorts, and considering that there is most likely others, it will need to be something she cannot ignore."


    After making her suggestion, she watched for everyone''s reaction quietly.


    Ya Lang furrowed his brow and gave it some thought.


    "Certainly, it could work and we would havepleted multiple objectives in one fell swoop but there is an issue. Who would be the diversion? What would it be?"


    As if waiting for him to ask, Ming Yue answered.


    "We could do it, or perhaps, only me."


    "I see... Considering we not only escaped but also humiliated her as well, the Vore Demon would not forget us. If we were to meet, she would certainlye after us."


    Ya Lang quickly understood her reasoning but still found a few problems.


    "Such preparations would take a long time, especially if we were to create traps for them. Not to mention, running from or even sessfully killing one would be difficult. Their mouths are quick and they are a ruthless race of demons. What would you suggest then?" the captain asked.


    Ming Yue thought quietly before looking towards Xiao Yin and Hei Yue.


    "These two can help obscure the demon''s view and allow you to run away with ease."


    "Like that ck fog, right? From the fox?" one of the soldiers said.


    "Yes, as for killing them, as long as their attention is towards you, they will not be able to notice me. As long as I can get to them, I can assassinate them. We can use traps to slow them down as they will most likely be riding on those lizards."


    Volunteering herself, Ming Yue felt that it was a suitable role for her as did the others.


    "That does work."


    "The Fairy of the Moon is pretty strong."


    "Quick too."


    They looked to each other, quietly muttering and agreeing to each other. Then Ya Lang spoke up.


    "While your n seems solid, we will need to at least have the butchers and examiners check the corpses we bring back. We may even need to bring a live one if need be. Until then, this n or any other ns should be on hold for now. Of course, we must gain the approval of bothmanders before beginning."


    He stood up and stretched before looking to hisrades.


    "Alright then, I''m sure everyone has had their fair share of rest. Let''s get going and return by midnight. This day trip of ours has gone quite long enough."


    Everyone stood up and followed him back to the camp.


    As the moon continued to rise, they made their way through the thick marshes before seeing the lights and the familiar tents. And the construction work seemed to have progressed a lot more as the foundations were made and stones were being set down.


    Upon reaching the gates, Ya Lang called out to the guardsmen.


    "It''s me! Captain Ya Lang! We''ve returned with some important news!"


    With a few shouts from above, the gates opened before them, letting them in. Standing there was none other than Commander Yu Zhen, waiting for them toe back. There was a frown on her face as she saw this group of dirtied and injured warriors enter.


    "So, you said you have news for me? Get yourselves cleaned first and then report to me and that goes for everyone. Drop off any spoils you found unless it is rted to this news. Commander Zi Jing and I will be waiting so do not take long."


    After making her orders, she promptly turned to go, leaving Ming Yue''s group to themselves.


    "You heard themander! We wash ourselves and report to her! Then, we show her the new beasts we found! I suggest everyone be finished within the half-hour."


    Ya Lang looked to everyone afterward, restating her orders.


    Everyone but Ming Yue saluted and went to their own tents, grabbing a change of clothes and going off to clean themselves. As for the young woman, she looked to her two beasts, finding them both to be quite dirty. Their fur and feathers were wet and matted as parts of them had dried specks of mud.


    Giving a helpless smile, she sighed at them.


    "You two need a good wash and so do I."


    Although her armor could self-repair and self-clean, her own body still needed to be clean.


    "Let''s go!"


    And the trio soon went off to wash themselves off. Luckily, a bathhouse seemed to have been the first thing that had been fully developed. A spacious building with one floor and steam rising from the chimneys.


    Entering it, she undressed and put her clothes into a basket before grabbing one of the towels. In the span of a half-hour, she gave herself as her two beasts a good wash. Lathering themselves in soap and rinsing off, she wiped down every nook and cranny of their body, making sure that there was not even a speck of dust.


    "Now that I think about it, when was thest time I gave you two a good clean? It must have been at the Iron Citadel? In any case, the both of you did amazing today."


    She spoke sweetly to her two pets, both of whom cooed and purred under her care.*


    "I''m sure you both heard but the others might be needing your help. Make sure they''re all safe, okay?"


    They both chirped and yipped so as to agree with her words.


    "Good, good, I have such good friends."


    Scratching their chins and bellies, the trio spent a bit more time rxing and winding down before getting out to join the others in their report. Walking through the camp, it was quiet as most of the engineers and soldiers were asleep, save for the night watches.


    As she passed by, she stopped by the medical tent and walked in.


    Compared to when Ming Yuest entered, there was a lot less noise as many of the injured were sleeping soundly, bandaged up, and sleeping in peace.


    "It''s you! You''re back."


    Having noticed her, the doctors who had taken on the night shift walked up to her and bowed.


    "Thank you for the medicines and the herbs, with all that we were able to have them all properly bandaged as still have leftover forter. Thank you, thank you."


    Showing their appreciation repeatedly, Ming Yue ced her hands on the doctor before her and stopped him from bowing any longer.


    "There wasn''t much I could find out there but I still managed to scrounge up a bit."


    Out of her spatial ring was a small pile of herbs that she gathered on her trip with the soldiers. With their help identifying them, she managed to find some but it was only enough to hold with both hands. Compared to what she gavest time, this was a pitiful amount.


    But the doctors didn''t think as much, epting them with joy.


    "Please, there is no need to look for more. In just a week or two, ships wille bearing more supplies for us."


    Ming Yue smiled, cupping her fists and bowing.


    "That is good to hear, I should take my leave. There is somewhere I have to be."


    Having left the medical tent, the doctors watched her go before crowding around the one that received the medicines.


    "To think she would have such kind heart, even with the hunting expeditions, she set aside time to collect herbs for us. Truly, fairy is a proper name for her."


    They had nothing but praise for her.. Even if she felt that she did not contribute much, her actions were more meaningful to them.

 Chapter 420 - Plans To Subdue The Vore Demon

    Unbeknownst to her, Ming Yue''s title as "Fairy of the Moon" continued to grow and solidify her as an important figure in the war. This act of hers was one of many that people talk of.


    But at this moment, there were more pressing matters to attend to.


    Walking together with Xiao Yin and Hei Yue, they reached themander''s tent and walked in to see the others cleaned up and in new clothes. All twenty of them including Ya Lang stood with their hands to their sides as they waited for Ming Yue to arrive.


    Standing in front of the war table were Commander Yu Zhen and Zi Jing, who sat on a chair with his cane on hand. The former looked at them all before stepping forward to speak.


    "So then, since you''ve returned sote with news to report, tell us. What is it?" she asked.


    Ya Lang walked up and began to recount all that they had discovered, from the new race of beasts to the Qing Chai and her camp. It took nearly an hour to say it all and by the end, Yu Zhen had her captain on the war table, marking the locations.


    "A Vore Demon is it? And it looks like there would most likely be more than just the one. As for these creatures you speak of, do you have them?"


    The captain nodded to which Zi Jing spoke out with a tone of urgency.


    "Well, what are you waiting for? Take it out and show me."


    Doing as themander said, Ya Lang retrieved the lizard corpses from his spatial ring andid them all out in front of them.


    Having been in that ring for most of the trip, their bodies were still fresh albeit cold. But the stone-like skin and the light pink flesh were easy to see.


    Zi Jing immediately got off his chair and hobbled forward to examined the bodies. Looking at the one Ya Lang had killed, he grabbed the skin with one hand, bringing it up close to his eyes.


    "Interesting, very interesting, it certainly resembles stone but it is a bit flexible and much tougher. It is both a disguise and armor. But, there are a few weak points... hmm."


    He looked towards Yu Zhen and nodded before standing up to face the soldiers.


    "They are quite unique and in fact, not in the catalog, so they are undiscovered. With that, everyone will be awarded properly and we can perhaps, dissect one of these to eat. Of course, I will be keeping one or two to research with the others. It shouldn''t take too long. And as for the name..."


    He rubbed his chin and furrowed his brows, thinking of a name on the spot. After a few seconds, his expression changed to one that was slightly dissatisfied but epting.


    "Since they resemble stone so much, might as well call them "Stoneskin Lizards", sounds good enough. I just have to send a few messages but that can after we examine their corpses. Once, we have a more conclusive report, this can be added to the catalog."


    It was a nonchnt method but one that practically showed his power and authority.


    After all, he was one of the Five Commanders and one whose expertise was in research and development. That included studying gems, metals, flora, and fauna. He might not be a master in each one but he was no less an expert. As someone titled the "Greatest Genius" of the Bright Star Kingdom, something like this was standard for him.


    Yu Zhen looked at him before turning back to the others.


    "So then, the Vore Demon, until we learn more about these Stoneskin Lizards, I suggest avoiding that area. We don''t know fully what we''re are dealing with here, do you understand?"


    Everyone looked to each other and Ya Lang spoke.


    "We were actually discussing what to do when the time to deal with the demons was toe. Ming Yue here has also made a suggestion or two."


    Themander''s eyes honed in on the captain as her mouth curled up into a smile.


    "I see, well then, there is no harm in a bit of discussion. Let''s hear it then."


    What came after was a long discussion in which ideas and thoughts were tossed around. After Ya Lang exined the n that Ming Yue suggested, the twomanders had many things to say.


    "What sort of traps could we even ce in a marsh?"


    "Fire? Some sort of restrainment? At the very least, a formation to slow them down."


    "Where would we even ce them? It''s a marsh, thend itself isn''t an ideal environment for any sort of operation, much less something like this."


    "If we were to lead her and have her chase us, we would need to have a pathid out. Furthermore, we need to think about herrades."


    "As for dealing with the Vore Demon, that in of itself is a difficult task."


    Zi Jing looked at Ming Yue to ask her a question.


    "Although I do not doubt your strength, a Vore Demon is very dangerous. There are few but each one of them is powerful, especially in close quarters. Their mouths are quick. Like snakes, they can pounce on you in an instant. And as far as weaknesses go, there is only one."


    He held his hand up and lifted one finger.


    "If they fill their mouthspletely with bodies, they cannot eat and so, are left defenseless. But they are quick, such a windowsts only seconds before they can consume more. It is especially worse when their bloodline is used, this I''m sure the others have told you."


    Ming Yue nodded.


    "They can eat even more". she replied.


    "And despite knowing that, you are willing to take on the role of assassinating them. As far as I know, didn''t you lose your sword? I heard from the others that you had been asking around about where your weapon has gone. How are you even going to do it then?"


    He asked her this, hoping to gain some answers.


    As for the young cultivator, she was not bothered or surprised by them. Instead, she took out her dagger and formed the Boltwind Nails on her left hand.


    "I have these which will work just as well. And as for my sword, I already know where it is but I cannot get it."


    She answered truthfully but withheld the information about her and Yin Bing. With all these people around her, it wasn''t wise to reveal anything.


    Zi Jing''s eyes lingered on her for a few moments. There was no doubt in his mind that she was hiding something but he leaned back on his chair, letting it go.


    "Alright then, are you confident?" he asked.


    She nodded and said nothing else, putting away her weapons.


    Looking to Yu Zhen, the twomanders looked at each other before looking towards their soldiers.


    "Alright then, I''ll need a month, perhaps two. One to examine the bodies of these lizards and another to draw up ns for this operation", said Zi Jing.


    Yu Zhen then continued.


    "Meanwhile, we''ll need to scout out as much of these marshes as possible. Any possible paths and locations from traps should be recorded and marked. We''ll be needing a detailed map of this area anyways. For now, however, food supplies are still a problem and we barely even started working on this new stronghold."


    "Yes, Commander Yu Zhen, Commander Zi Jing!"


    Ya Lang and the other soldiers saluted and turned to leave as did Ming Yue.


    "Ming Yue, you should stay, we still have a few things to discuss", said Yu Zhen.


    She stopped and stood to the side, waiting for everyone to leave before it was just the three of them. There was an odd silence between them before Zi Jing began to talk.


    "While I won''t pry into your business about your sword, I must ask, does it have anything to do with the Cerulean Serpent?"

 Chapter 421 - History Of The Cursed Weapons

    Ming Yue looked at them before nodding.


    "I didn''t want to reveal anything in front of the others."


    The twomanders both looked at her with interest and curiosity as Zi Jing''s eyes widened. He stood back up and hobbled forward excitedly.


    "So it seems I was correct! The Cerulean Serpent took your sword but to do what with it?"


    Ming Yue found his eagerness surprising but it seemed that this behavior onlyes when it is rted to his own curiosity. If not for this, he would have been quite cold and grouchy. It was if he had the spirit of an old craftsman, rough and blunt but easily excited.


    "You do not have to exin to us if you do not want to. You are after all a cultivator and not one of our soldiers."


    Yu Zhen stood by the war table, understanding that some secrets are better kept as secrets.


    But looking at him, Ming Yue decided to say it for more than just a few reasons.


    "It''s fine, I''ve been wanting to consult someone about this. Especially with Commander Zi Jing."


    "With me? What is it?"


    In the next moment, his entire face seemed to radiate with excitement.


    "The Cerulean Serpent had taken my sword in order to nurture it for one year. Currently, it''s at the Peak Divine Grade but ording to her, it will surpass that to form a Weapon Spirit. Despite her exnations, I know little about weapons other than the grades so I was hoping to learn more about them from you. Perhaps, if there are a few books or records of such things."


    "A... weapon spirit?"


    Bothmanders uttered those words at the same time while looking at her with widened eyes. In fact, Zi Jing was so shocked that he let go of his cane, dropping to the floor.


    "A weapon spirit? Is that right?'' he asked.


    Ming Yue nodded.


    "I was told that it is extremely rare and incredibly powerful but to what extent, I do not know."


    There was a silence between the two before Yu Zhen shook herself awake from this shock.


    "Ming Yue, a weapon spirit is something every warrior would both dream of and fear. From the beginning of the Warlord Age to now in the Sovereign Age, there have billions upon billions of weapons in the span of several millennia. Among those, less than ten thousand are weapon spirits, that is how rare they are", she exined.


    And then Zi Jing continued having recovered his ownposure.


    "But despite their rarity, the sheer power they contain is what makes them a dream for every warrior. But they should be feared for having one could also spell doom for their owners. That is what happened to many of those weapons. Hence, weapon spirits have also been called, ''Cursed Spirits'' or ''Cursed Weapons''. Still, such a thing is too alluring, a weapon spirit is equal to the power of a million weapons. Thus, a wielder such a weapon has the strength to go against armies but most would sumb to their greed and arrogance."


    He sighed before taking out a small book from his spatial ring, handing it to her.


    Zi Jing then leaned in, speaking in a much quieter voice, loud enough for just the three of them. Even if it was only them in this tent, he was being incredibly careful.


    "You must know that the Six Kingdoms are the strongest within the continent. But from their founding to their growth, none of it would have gone to fruition if not for weapon spirits. But with the original owners gone, most have been locked away, waiting for another to wield them. In our current time, less than a hundred are capable of wielding one of them andCommander Du Xiu''s weapons are one such, you''ve seen his strength before."


    She nodded.


    "He managed to beat back Kong Zhi and even dominate him when his bloodline was activated."


    Zi Jing nodded.


    "Du Xiu is a monster himself but that halberd of him even more so. Of us five, he is no doubt the strongest. This information is something only themanders know but with the possibility of you gaining a Weapon Spirit, you should know", he said.


    Yu Zhen then walked forward.


    "With this, you should be careful. Although telling us was your choice, you should be wary. Should newse out that you wield a Weapon Spirit, kingdoms maye to recruit you or they may look to take your sword."


    Ming Yue gave them a solemn expression, understanding that such an oue was possible.


    "Thank you for the warning."


    The twomanders brushed it off as Zi Jing pointed at the book in her hands.


    "That is a collection of history regarding those who wield Weapon Spirits and did not die to their own vices. I have it around as part of my reading material but I''m sure that you would need this."


    She looked at it, a well-kept book with no title on the front or back. It was quite thin, only fifty or so pages.


    "Thank you, Commander Zi Jing."


    She cupped her fists and bowed to him. Certainly what they have told her was delicate information and such that would be difficult or near impossible to find. Regardless of the risk, telling them was a good thing.


    "There is no need to thank me. I just have one request and that is to study your sword once ites out. Although I have seen Weapon Spirits before, they were all dormant and there was never an opportunity to see Du Xiu''s halberd. Examining its structure would be incredibly enlightening for me."


    His face was rather strange. As much as he tried to keep his calm and stern demeanor, it was difficult to hide the excitement in his eyes.


    "A year from now right?" he asked.


    Ming Yue nodded.


    "That was what the Cerulean Serpent told me. It may even be earlier but that depends on her", she answered.


    His excitement died down just a tad after hearing how long it would take, a year seemed a bit too long. However, Yu Zhen did not see it that way.


    "That means that you will be here for at least a year, that is good. With how extensive the ns are, building this new stronghold will take a while."


    Ming Yue nodded.


    "That is the n although I do not know if things will ever go so smoothly. If Kong Zhi or the Hundun n were to make a move, I have the option of taking back my sword. It would certainly be stronger but being a Weapon Spirit wouldn''t happen."


    Yu Zhen put her hand to her chin before turning to look at the war table.


    "Hmm, that is true. Both forces are quiet, perhaps still recovering from the loss in the forest. Still, they must be umting their strength. Something is sure to happen... Hah, we''re nearing five years in this conflict. It may take another few years..." she said.


    Zi Jing went back to his seat.


    "There may be some dire situations in the future but I sure hope that you do not have to retrieve your sword before the timees. In any case, with the Vore Demons, we are already in a tricky situation. Dealing with them now would be difficult. Our forces aren''t fully built up and we have no defenses. Are you confident in killing them?" he asked.


    "By then, both of us would have fully recovered so there is no need for you to act alone."


    Yu Zhen turned around and gave her a look.


    However, Ming Yue gave them both a confident look.


    "I can kill them.. As long as the opportunity is there, their heads will fall."

 Chapter 422 - Understanding The Sword Path

    Perhaps, through their experience as a soldier, they could feel the quiet bloodlusting from her. It wasn''t overwhelming or oppressive but it was unsettling, like a needle prickling at your skin.


    The twomanders both felt it and they couldn''t help but feel surprised.


    "Such dense killing intent and yet, it is controlled. How much killing would it take to reach such a level? Several thousand? And so young!" they thought.


    "Perhaps, you really can do this without our help", said Yu Zhen, "In that case, you can spend the next month or two training or hunting, with us or alone. It is up to you, you may go now."


    Ming Yue bowed and left with her two pets.


    As for Zi Jing and Yu Zhen, they both turned back to the war table and looked at it.


    "We''ll need a detailed map of the swamps, plot a course, and n from there."


    "I need to bring this to the others to dissect. When is that supply ship suppose toe?"


    "In a few days, but we should scout the area better...."


    At this point, everyone was getting busy and in the weeks toe, it had grown colder. However, Ming Yue did not let up on her own training.


    Without her sword, she had lost her main way of fighting but that only meant she had to evaluate what she did have. And while Drifting Sky was not avable, she still had the Pearlstone Dagger, a Lower-Divine Grade dagger. Furthermore, her Changing Clouds Armor would boost her power once it transforms.


    "I could ask Commander Zi Jing if he can strengthen these two but... it would be better if he focuses on the lizards. Rather, this dagger... I have to try a few things with it."


    She yed with the dagger in her hands as she stood by thekeshore.


    "It''s speed triples when I fill it with my energy... but only when thrown. What if I use the dagger to execute my techniques? How would that work?"


    Thinking this, She held it in her hand just like with Drifting Sky and began to circte her energy. Building it up she let it flow into the dagger, causing wind and lightning to encase it in a thinyer.


    Aiming at the sky, she swung out, letting loose a de wind.


    It flew from her dagger and into the sky, climbing until it reached the clouds and vanished. Her eyes snapped back to it as if a light had gone up in her head.


    "I understand now, Realm of a Hundred Swords! My progression was wrong."


    But with this one attack, how was she so sure?


    "I shouldn''t have started with the stick, a dagger would''ve made much more sense. I should start with things closer to Drifting Sky."


    She examined her dagger before using another technique.


    In the span of a single night, she had executed all of her sword techniques with the Pearlstone Dagger, something she had never attempted before. After all, she had no reason to do so before.


    And at the end of it, Ming Yue''s suspicions were made true.


    "Starting with the branch would''ve been much more difficult or impossible. But at least with the dagger, it is a more reasonable start. The sensation is a bit differentpared to Drifting Sky, I need less power to attack but the techniques themselves alsoe out a bit smaller. I think I understand what this stage is about. The essence of the sword is ourselves, our energy. In order to be able to use anything as a sword, I must adjust my energy ordingly and fluidly. I need flexibility."


    Through this, she understood what Realm of a Hundred Swords was meant to be. She could not change the fact that a sword and a dagger are different or that a stick cannotpare to her weapon. Rather, she must change how she interacts with these items, she cannot treat them like a sword but turn them into one.


    As with the Pearlstone Dagger, it is different from Drifting Sky but just like it, she can use her techniques with this dagger. All that she needed to do was to adjust her strength and change how she used it.


    But despite figuring it out, she was still at a fundamental wall.


    "I''m still in Return to Simplicity... I could certainly practice it but... making any significant improvements wouldn''t happen."


    Ming Yue found this situation a bit vexing.


    "Wait, in order toplete this stage, I just need to be able to perfectly mesh my energies together. Using Drifting Sky was just a way of helping me do so but it isn''t necessary! I could just use the dagger or even my hands! Ah, why didn''t I think of this before?!"


    "Yeah, why didn''t you?"


    Xue Yue suddenly chimed in with a mocking tone. Ming Yue could almost see the smirk on her counterpart.


    "Why are you awake? I thought you''d wake up if something happens to me so you can switch", she muttered.


    Xue Yue chuckled.


    "What? I''m not always asleep! Besides, having someone watch your back is good, no?"


    "Sure, watching my back..."


    "Come on, it was pretty obvious just how much you depended on Drifting Sky. Sure, we aren''t doing too bad without it but it certainly feels strange, right?"


    Ming Yue put away her dagger as the sun began to rise. She watched it while conversing with her other half.


    "What of it, we don''t exactly have a choice, do we? I could always ask for it back but that would be disrespectful to Yin Bing. I doubt the World Serpent would want to do it again", she replied.


    "True, true. Besides, I''m not just awake for fun. It seems like something is happening inside the camp."


    The young cultivator looked around, sensing her surroundings.


    Looking back at the camp, she noticed everyone gathering around, forming two battalions before walking towards thekeshore. For a moment, Ming Yue was confused but she soon realized why.


    "Today is when the next supply shipes, I heard that there are some special guestsing to join."


    She turned back and looked at theke, spotting a small doting towards them. Walking away, she moved towards the back, watching from afar instead.


    In minutes, the dot slowly grew bigger and bigger before one could recognize it as the silhouette of a ship. And when had certainly begun, the ship had arrived, beaching itself onto thekeshore. From there, sailors and other soldiers got off, bring with them crates of supplies. Apart from them were a group of six people, all of whom wore simr uniforms, light grey with ents of green.


    As a matter of fact, they were other cultivators, a mixed group of three men and three women.


    Standing on the sand, they looked around before talking to each other, studying the area.


    "Senior Sister, are you sure you want to do this?" one of them asked.


    This senior sister was a woman in her mid-twenties while the others were a year or two younger. Her uniform was the exact same save for several silver strips on her shoulders. Sheathed in their scabbards were two swords hanging from her waist.


    There was a very kindly expression on her face. Her mouth as curled into a small smile while her thing eyes revealed little of her thoughts. Her hair was of a light brown color that was tied back into two ponytails reaching below her shoulders.


    Apart from that was her height orck thereof as she was not only short, she was shorter than all of her juniors. Perhaps, somewhere around five feet, several inches shorter than Ming Yue. Still, her strength and seniority were not to trifled with.


    "Yes, Junior Shao. This is an extremely new and chaotic ce.. If it is here, we will be able to gain some experience and reputation."

 Chapter 423 - Disciples Of The Jadewood Sect

    "Besides, it also shouldn''t be too difficult. We aren''t going to venture out but instead, help to guard and defend this ce while the stronghold is being created. Not to mention, there are even two of the fivemanders here and the Fairy of the Moon! As far as safety goes, we should be fine."


    As she spoke, she kept her smile and gentle demeanor, allowing everyone else to feel much more at ease. Furthermore, when she mentioned reputation and other rewards, they couldn''t help but feel a tinge of excitement even.


    "Alright then, let''s go greet the twomanders and do what is needed. As part of the Jadewood Sect, we are one of the best when ites to defense! They will surely recognize our efforts!"


    After giving some more words of encouragement, this group of disciples headed for the camp.


    Ming Yue watched from afar.


    "That''s right. All sects have deemed it safe enough for their own disciples toe. That also means that any chaos from that fight must be under control now if they are willing to sent out more than just their elites. I wonder if anyone from Heaven''s Gate ising. I wonder if the Elders are doing alright...Aunt Cui and Elder Fei too."


    After a year in the Demon Continent, she couldn''t help but think about her home and those she met.


    "Commander Yu Zhen did say that this war wouldn''t end for another few years", she muttered.


    After a moment of silence, Xue Yue spoke.


    "You can reminisce when we get back. We should finish this as quickly as possible. Get rid of the Vore Demon and continue to push forward onto Kong Zhi."


    "Mm, you''re right."


    She turned away and went off to get herself cleaned before going out into the marshes alone. What she nned on doing out there, no one would know.


    Meanwhile, the six disciples found themselves in themander''s tent, standing in front of Yu Zhen and Zi Jing.


    "I didn''t think that the martial world would allow their own disciples to join this war. Much less, letting theme to a ce like this", said Zi Jing, studying each one of them carefully.


    "The Jadewood Sect of Verdant Garden Kingdom, best known for their work and expertise in defensive formations. I assume that you''vee to help maintain our security."


    Reading from a few documents, Yu Zhen looked up at them, furrowing her brows.


    The senior sister stepped forward, cupping her fists and bowing.


    "It is an honor to meet the Windy Saber and Sage of Five Stars. I am Jian Yi, an Inheritor Disciple and senior sister to my five juniors. Indeed, we are here to help secure the area and protect this ce until everything is settled", she answered.


    "I see. Well then, while we do have a barrier erected, it wouldn''t do any harm to have a few more defensive measures", said Zi Jing.


    Unlike before, he was fully healed and no longer needed a cane to walk with. And so, he did all the walking he wanted to, circling the disciples while examining them from head to toe.


    Jian Yi turned to him and bowed before speaking.


    "Yes, that barrier. When we arrived, that was the first thing to have caught our eyes. It was ancient and powerful, something none of us have ever seen before. No doubt your creation, Sage!"


    "Bah, do away with that title, you can refer to me as Commander Zi Jing instead. As for that barrier, it is not mine. Even trying to emte it to a fraction of its power is difficult."


    Zi Jing corrected them with a stern and irritated tone as if he did not want to hear that name.


    "Oh, then may I ask with esteemed expert had created this? We would very much like to meet and learn from them if possi-"


    "No, such information is ssified."


    Yu Zhen shut her down immediately, not even giving her time to finish.


    "I- I see. Then, I will not ask any further", said Jian Yi.


    Yu Zhen then put her documents down and crossed her arms.


    "In any case, if the martial world has decided to allow their own disciples toe. I assume that the chaos back home has been quelled?" she asked.


    Jian Yi nodded.


    "Although the skies nearly brought down their wrath, it has been put under control. All sects have worked in cooperation with Heaven''s Gate in order to help the public and chase after the criminals that have escaped. With the peace restored, everyone has decided to focus on the war against these demons."


    This senior sister answered with a proud tone in a bid to show off. But the twomanders were unmoved.


    "In any case, rooms will be dedicated to all of you. This trip must have been rough and I''m sure that a night of rest would do you good. Tomorrow, I will be sending someone to inform you of how we operate and what your responsibilities will entail. Is there anything else you wish to ask about?"


    Yu Zhen looked at them, waiting to see their answer.


    Jian Yi looked around the tent before speaking.


    "I hear that the Fairy of the Moon is here. After hearing about her aplishments in the past few battles, my juniors and I have wanted to meet with her."


    "Ah, so you wanted to meet with Ming Yue. Unfortunately, getting ahold of her will be difficult. she is preparing for an operation with our soldiers, something we have all been preparing for. If that is all, I must go now, there is quite a lot for me to do. Especially with the supplies this ship brought."


    Zi Jing smirked at them before leaving everyone and Yu Zhen watched him go.


    "What Commander Zi Jing said is correct. Meeting the Fairy of the Moon will be a difficult task in of itself. She''s quite an elusive character. But if that is all, then I shall send someone for you", she said.


    Jian Yi and her juniors all cupped their fists and bowed.


    "Thank you!"


    And the group of six were led away by one of the soldiers. Making their way towards the stonepound, none of the juniors could help but talk amongst each other.


    "It wasn''t the Sage of Five Stars that created that barrier! If it''s like that, then who made it?"


    "Do you think it was the Fairy?"


    "It can''t be, can it? I don''t think formations were her forte."


    "Strange... But the Windy Saber did say that she was an elusive person."


    "Ah, I guess meeting her might be just a dream."


    "What are you going to do when you meet her? Kiss her feet? She''s a member of Heaven''s Gate, reporting to the Grand Elder no doubt! Not to mention, she single-handedly dove into enemy forces and fought hundreds of demons. Didn''t you hear the stories?"


    "Of course, I did! She rode a dragon in that very fight! And let''s not forget the fact that she is skilled in medicine, always having bandages and salves for those who are hurt."


    "Oh stop it, you two. The real reason you want to meet her is that she''s our age and pretty too. I can see it in your eyes."


    The banter continued until Jian Yi stopped them, chuckling at her juniors. But internally, she was also curious about Ming Yue, someone younger than her and yet so distinguished in battle. This Inheritor couldn''t help but wonder if such things were true.


    "Could she best me in a duel?" she thought.


    Be that as it may, none of these things mattered to Ming Yue.


    She was too focused on the task at hand.


    Hiding within the brush and the sparse trees of these marshes, the young woman waited as she watched her prey.


    A jaguar with three eyes and spotted light gray fur and whose joints were sprouting with white tree bark

 Chapter 424 - The Red Empresss Kin

    A powerful beast and one recorded on the catalog, known as the Hua Mu Panther. It is both a rare and dangerous creature, equal to that of a rank 4 beast. Not only was it swift but the white tree bark on its body acted as armor, protecting the panther''s body.


    And its third eye was capable of stunning their enemy.


    Considering the beast''s power, a fight would be difficult for Ming Yue, especially without her sword.


    However, this was what she wanted, a sufficient challenge, a harsh test that she forced upon herself. Not to mention, she wasn''t looking for a fight, she was looking for a kill.


    Hidden away within the bushes, she watched the Hua Mu Panther carefully as itid by the water, resting. From one angle, it seemed as if it was asleep but when facing it, you would find the panther''s eyes wide open.


    "Hmm, I have to be quick enough, kill it in one strike and without it even noticing", she thought.


    Readying herself, the young cultivator took her stance, holding onto her dagger tightly.


    "Reaping de."


    Her body seemed to meld into the shadows before the Pearlstone Dagger appeared out of nowhere, piercing the panther by the neck and running across it.


    The beast died without even noticing it and Ming Yue emerged from the darkness, pulling out her dagger.


    Unlike Phantasmal Wind, Reaping de was truly silent. The former left behind no trace and only a feeling of dread while thetter technique was pure stealth. As soon as she used phantasmal wind, the panther would''ve noticed that something was wrong.


    That was the drawback to this technique, as fast as she was, there would always be a trace of her left. This was a weakness that Reaping de did not have but this technique also had its own drawbacks.


    She looked at her dagger with an unsatisfied look before ncing at the panther.


    Although it was dead in one strike, it was not a clean cut. It was a bit jagged as if the dagger could not cut through it so it tore through.


    "No, it''s still not perfect yet. I can''t use Reaping de unless there is some amount of shadow. Even then, being quiet and quick is something I still need improvement on. Reaping de might produce the results but the conditions are difficult to fulfill. I still need more practice and I need to be familiar with this area if I want to kill the Vore Demons."


    Holding her hand out, she took the panther into her spatial ring and moved on.


    Moving through the marshes, Ming Yue searched alone. Xiao Yin and Hei Yue were not with her this time.


    Quietly, she headed deeper into this ce, the heavy air and buzzing of insects covered her presence.


    It was humid and the sun was out albeit there were some clouds. Ming Yue wandered through the forest, unable to find any other living creature. Rather, it was devoid of any life here. Something simr to thest time she came here.


    And then, she heard it, the sound of hissing gradually growing louder.


    "A Vore Demon? Wait, it''s not the same one from before, not the leader but one of the underlings", she figured.


    Compared to Qing Chai''s hissing this was not as powerful or rather terrifying. With her, Ming Yue felt a shiver down her spine but here, she barely felt a tinge of fear.


    Thus, she crept closer and closer to the origin of the sound before seeing who it was.


    It was a woman with pale skin and three horns on her forehead. Her eyes were light red and unlike Qing Chai, she did not wear a mask but a thin scarf to obscure her mouth.


    This demon was dress in a red uniform coupled with a pair of daggers by her hips.


    She stood in the middle holding up a rabbit in her hands. Its eyes were fearful but it did nothing to escape, the rabbit knew that such a thing would be impossible.


    As for the Vore Demon, the scar covered her mouth but it did not cover everything, revealing a silhouette of her gaping mouth. Rows of sharp fangs lined her jaws as a bit of drool even escaped. It grew wider and wider until not even the scarf could cover it all.


    But that did not matter for she untied one side of it, allowing it to fall to the other side and fully revealing her mouth.


    Not even Ming Yue could look at it without feeling some sort of disgust and horror. It was like a shark''s mouth stretched to unnatural lengths. As for those teeth, they were jagged and sharp, hundreds of little des ready to tear apart flesh.


    The hissing sound grew louder before the demon held the rabbit up and over her mouth, ready to drop it in.


    "Thanks for the meal."


    Her grip loosened as she let go of the rabbit, having it fall into her mouth. At this moment, the Vore Demon cared for nothing but this meal, readying herself to savor it.


    "Reaping de."


    With her guard down, she did not notice the glint of a dagger piercing her neck before cutting her throat apart. A shadow came over her as a hand grabbed the rabbit just inches from its demise. In the next instant, she chomped down on nothing as blood sprayed out of her throat.


    It even began to well and bubble up into her mouth as she choked and fell to the ground. Her hands tightly, holding onto the fatal wound on her neck.


    Her eyes were wide open as they nced from one direction to another, trying to find who it was that attacked.


    "Heuk- wh- killed- me?"


    As the blood flowed, she uttered those words before drawing herst breath. But her eyes were still wide open, still wondering who it was that assassinated her. Moments after her life was extinguished, Ming Yue appeared from the shadows with the rabbit in her arms.


    Kneeling down, she let the rabbit go before walking up to the dead demon and examining the body.


    "Still not clean but... at least I know now."


    And just like the panther, she took the corpse into her spatial ring before moving on.


    There was a lot to unpack from that kill. Most importantly, it was possible for her to assassinate.


    "So long as they''re distracted, I can strike. Their necks work too but that spot is a bit dangerous, maybe it''s too dangerous. I wonder if there''s another way... the back of their neck maybe? No, wait, now that she''s dead, the others are sure to know... But if she''s just a scout of some sort, it might be fine."


    Ming Yue then stopped and looked up at the sky, find it darker by the second as the sun was setting.


    "I should get back, show Commander Zi Jing the corpse. Maybe he will have something to say."


    With that she turned back, arriving at the just as the moon had fully risen. As soon as she appeared, the other soldiers stopped and bowed out of respect before going back to their patrols. She did the same, greeting them before moving on.


    And while moving, she caught the eyes of the Jadewood Sext disciples, all of whom were exploring the camp.


    "Is that her? The Fairy of the Moon?" one of them pointed out.


    The others looked, their eyes following her as she entered the Commander''s tent.


    "What do you think she is doing in there?"


    "Probably reporting something, right?"


    "Maybe, still, you all saw her, she''s pretty right?"


    Jian Yi looked at them with stern eyes.


    "We''re not here to ogle someone. Let''s finish up on the barriers and train afterward", she instructed.


    Her juniors all straightened up and nodded following her dutifully.. Still, none of them could help but take nces at the tent, curious about what was happening inside.

 Chapter 425 - The Operation Has Started

    Deep within the confines of the marshes, where the Stoneguise Lizardsid dormant in the waters, There was Qing Chai, cleaning against the fence as she looked down at them lovingly. They were like the eyes of a mother and yet, there was something sinister about them.


    As if, she did not truly love them.


    "We greet, Mistress Qing."


    Behind her were five other Vore Demons, all beautiful women with scarfs covering their mouths. They knelt on one knee, cupping their fists and lowering their heads as they greeted her.


    After a moment, Qing Chai turned around and looked at them with a smile before noticing something.


    "Where is my fourth daughter?" she asked.


    They looked at each other before one of them looked up.


    "We do not know, Fourth Sister said that she would be going out for a meal. Perhaps, she had found some difficult prey", she answered.


    Qing Chai''s eyes sharpened as she gazed at each and every one of them.


    "I see, go out and search for her. If there is no sign or trace of her, then she must''ve been taken by those humans."


    Another one of the sisters giggled as she looked at her.


    "Will we be having a feast soon?"


    Qing Chai looked at her before smiling.


    "Yes, though we do need to wait a little bit, Lord Kong Zhi or rather Shi Hou has yet to let us do as we please. But..."


    The Red Empress bend down, getting closer to all of them.


    "If you do find a snack out there, don''t let it go to waste."


    Her voice was very light and teasing but her words caused all of her daughters to let out a smile under their scarfs. Although it was difficult to see, one could catch glimpses of their jagged fangs.


    "Thank you, Mistress Qing."


    They stood up and walked away, returning to their own abodes. And Qing Chai went back to looking at the Stoneguise Lizards.


    "So it looks like they want to y, don''t they? A game before a meal is always fun."


    She spoke to herself, revealing a contorted smile behind her mask.


    In light of that, theing times were had grown much more dangerous. And for those at the camp, they knew that the time to act was arriving soon.


    Then a date was set and everyone gathered in the middle base. From the soldiers to the craftsmen and to sect disciples of the Jadewood Sect. All of them stood patiently, waiting for the words of Commander Yu Zhen and Zi Jing, both of whom were standing in front of them.


    There was murmuring among everyone as to what they wanted to talk about before Yu Zhen spoke up.


    "Alright, everyone! Some of you may know that on this side of the continent, we are deep within enemy territory. In the marshes near us are members of Kong Zhi''s army, a small group of Vore Demons!"


    Upon hearing those two words, everyone looked to each other, having long heard about these horrifying beings.


    "One of our hunting groups hade across them and nearly died escaping. That was two months ago and now, we are going to kill them. During this operation, Commander Zi Jing, as well as Captian Ya Lang, will be joined by twenty of our best and Fairy of the Moon, Ming Yue. I will be staying here with all of you in case things go awry. At the same time, we will have squads prepared for a rescue if needed. Those who have already been informed, have been briefed on the ns. As for when this will happen, it will be tomorrow. That is all, you are dismissed."


    The twomanders left but those gathered in the middle of the camp were busy talking among themselves.


    "Vore Demons? Here? How unlucky."


    "But themanders said that they were going to kill them, no? I don''t think we should be that worried."


    "But they''re Vore Demons. You''ve heard the stories, haven''t you? They can devour men by the dozens, hundreds in minutes. Imagine if they find us?"


    Among them were the Jian Yi and her juniors, all of which looked around them curiously.


    "Vore Demons? Have you ever heard of such things?" asked one of the juniors.


    They looked at each other before shrugging as none of them had heard of a demon like this.


    Moving up to one of the craftsmen, Jian Yi tapped him on the shoulder before greeting him.


    "I wanted to know about these Vore Demons, could you tell me about them?" she asked.


    He looked at her before ncing over behind her.


    "Oh, you are all the neers from the sects, Vore Demons are rare and incredibly dangerous. They have these monstrous mouths that grow and can swallow up a grown man easily. Even worse is the sounds they make while hunting, a hissing sound that could paralyze you in an instant.They''re like snakes, hungry snakes. It''s best that we stay behind the barriers or else thest thing you want to see is rows of teeth", he warned.


    Jian Yi looked at her juniors with a surprised face before turning back to the craftsmen.


    "Thank you for the advice."


    As the group left the area, they all looked at each other.


    "What do you think?" one of them asked, "Should we join in?"


    "Did you not hear what he said? It''d be best if we stay behind the barrier and let the others take care of it. Besides, we''ve never even seen or heard of these Vore Demons until now! What makes you think we can do it?"


    "I mean, we don''t have to go out and help kill them. We could just stand by the sidelines and watch. What do you think, Senior Sister?"


    Jian Yi thought quietly, weighing her options but ultimately, she shook her head.


    "It would be too dangerous. You have all just recently made it to the Earth Realm while I''m at thest stage. Not to mention, fighting isn''t our forte. I might be able to survive but I cannot say the same for all of you."


    She turned around to look at them all.


    "I understand that we are all looking to distinguish ourselves and bring back glory to our sect. However, there is no point if there you are dead. That is it. We should help where we can and let the others deal with the Vore Demons."


    Her juniors all nodded.


    "Yes, senior sister, we will obey", they responded.


    However, one of them snuck nces at another, forming a n with their eyes. There was no doubt, they were going to sneak out.


    Early in the morning, Zi Jing, Ya Lang, and Ming Yue were the first to awaken and wait by the gate of the camps. Standing beside her were Xiao Yin and Hei Yue, both beasts were still somewhat groggy but they would be wide awake soon enough.


    The three people looked at each other, waiting for the squads to form up.


    And then, the rest of Ya Lang''s hunting group came along with two other groups. Each one was equipped with a belt of tools, most likely used for distractions.


    Zi Jing looked at them all before whipping out a map containing a detailed drawing of the marshes. cing it on the ground, he began to mark it up with circles and crosses as well as several winding lines connecting the Vore Demon''s base to theirs.


    "Ya Lang''s group will be in charge of leading the Vore Demon''s through the marshes. The traps have already been marked and will be activated using these talismans. The other two groups will be on standby at these two points if something goes wrong."


    He then took out a stack of paper talismans, handing some to everyone.


    "While they are distracting them, Ming Yue will be tasked with killing them all while they''re unsuspecting. And if you don''t believe in her strength, she''s already killed one of them on her own. So I better not hear a word. "


    He was quick and sinct, not letting the others speak.


    "We move and sunrise and strike at sunset.. Now let''s go."

 Chapter 426 - The Wandering Daughters

    Everyone shouted in agreement before mobilizing, marching into humid swamps. Along the way, the groups separated and moved to their positions. Hidden in in sight was a small bunker, covered in grass and moss. The only trace of there being one would be the hatch opening on the ground.


    "Stay hidden, do not move unless the signal is made. Then again, I''ve already ced a formation to conceal this ce. But be alert, there is no guarantee that this will escape their eyes", Zi Jing instructed.


    "We understand,mander."


    At the two bunkers, the sub-groups each entered, leaving behind no trace. There was only Ming Yue, Zi Jing, and Ya Lang''s hunting group.


    "Alright, let''s head for the Vore Demon''s base, as soon as the sun sets, we will light it ame and draw them out", said themander.


    And then the main force continued on their way towards the Vore Demon''s base. Moving forward, they hiked through the uneven terrain, crushing wet grass and making sure not to fall into the waters.


    Following not far from them were two of Jadewood Sect Disciples, sneaking through the tall grass and the trees. A man and a woman dressed in their uniforms, the green ents helped to let them blend with the surrounding flora.


    "Are you sure this is a good idea, Brother Yu?"


    The woman, a rather tall person, carried a pair of metal tonfa by her hips. Her face showed a somewhat regretful expression as she looked at her fellow disciple.


    "We''re just here to watch, Sister Ting. They said the Vore Demons have terrifying mouths but they didn''t say anything about noses. We''ll be fine and look, we even have the talismans that the Sect Leader handed to us. As long as we activate, we will be sent back to senior sister!"


    The one named Brother Yu wielded a simple broadsword, double-edged and a bit of weight to it as well. Unlike his sister disciple, he had an excited look and his tone was full of confidence bordering arrogance even. He was fit and his hair was cut short.


    "Come on, Sister Ting! If we don''t hurry, we won''t be able to catch up!"


    He spoke quickly before moving forward as Sister Ting tried her best to stay hidden.The pair followed as quietly as they could, making sure to keep themselves out of harm''s way.


    After a few more hours of hiking, Ming Yue suddenly stopped and looked around. The other stopped as well, looking at her.


    "Is something wrong?" asked Ya Lang.


    She was silent and then whistled for Xiao Yin and Hei Yue returned to her side from scouting, awaiting her instructions.


    "You feel it, don''t you?"


    Xue Yue mutter to her.


    She couldn''t help but nod.


    "Something is watching us... no, they''re here."


    In these marshes, it was nothing but water, grass, and a few sparse trees. The air was heavy and wet, the only sounds they heard were the rustling of grass and the buzzing of insects. And in this ce, there was an eerie feeling around them.


    And without missing another beat, the voices of giggling and hissing intermixed, echoing through the swamps.


    "What?! Everyone! Prepare your weapons! Follow the path!"


    Zi Jing shouted as everyone armed themselves and looked around, turning every so often. But the noise came from everywhere, making it difficult to pinpoint where they were. But the voices were undeniable.


    "Look, sisters! A snack! Do you think we should bring some back to the Mistress?"


    "I mean, she told us not to let it go to waste. We should just snack first! An appetizer before the meal, no?"


    "Yes! A little taste before we have some fun with the rest of them, don''t you think?"


    "I wonder if one of them killed Fourth Sister? Or do you think they''re with the other humans?"


    Theyughed and hissed, talking with a yful tone.


    Everyone else was alert and wary, carefully looking around them, even ncing at the waters.


    "Damn these demons, it''s like a game to them!" one of them muttered.


    "Keep your eyes and ears open! Assess their numbers and move with the n! Trust in themander!" Ya Lang shouted out, trying to keep everyone''s spirits up.


    Try as he might, the reputation of a Vore Demon was one to be afraid of. And with the words of these sisters, it was hard not to be scared


    "Oooh, amander... I wonder which one of them is themander. I bet their flesh tastes the best."


    "Who wants to go first? Or do we all want to y together?"


    Zi Jing looked around whispering under his breath.


    "Five different voices... Then there''s at least five of them."


    Flying out of their scabbards were his five swords, pure white in color and glowing with an iridescent light.


    "Oh! that must be themander! He looks strong! Let''s devour him!"


    Their teasing voices gave off a more sinister tone as five shadows shot out of the trees, revealing themselves to be the five daughters of Qing Chai. The scarfs covering their mouths were loosened and their horrific mouths were all but hidden.


    But Commander Zi Jing was not going to freeze under such a sight. Even as he knew they were all going after him, he was not panicking.


    "Impalement!"


    An expert of the Dao of Metal, his words controlled the des and they shimmered with light before flipping towards the skies. The next moment, they split apart, flying towards the five Vore Demons at a blinding speed.


    But as they came close to the five sisters, none of them were worries in the slightest. Instead, they all opened their mouths, widening them enough to swallow a man whole. If they could eat a dozen men at once, a single sword was nothing. Not to mention, the countless rows of teeth, ready to grind them to bits.


    But ZI Jing was prepared, putting his hands out and controlling all five swords at once.


    They swerved out, avoiding the fate of being eaten, and turned around, driving themselves into all of their bodies.


    "Aghhhh!"


    They all screamed out in pain as the swords pulled out and returned to his side.


    GLaring at Zi Jing, their red eyes seemed to glow as the three horns on their heads grew from short stubs to something that could pierce a man through the chest.


    "You''ll pay for this! If you want to y this much, we''ll y!"


    Dropping to the ground, theynded on their hands and legs, looking up at the soldiers. Their mouths grew even more horrific by the second as the jagged teeth grew by another inch. Even worse was the appearance of a tongue, forked like a snake''s and long.*


    Having surrounded the group, drool dripped from their mouths as they eyed the soldiers.


    Ming Yue looked at them all before ncing at Xiao Yin.


    "Now!" she yelled to her owl.


    Xiao Yin chirped and flew just a few feet above everyone.


    "Cover your eyes!" she shouted to the others who did it in an instant, fully knowing what would transpire.


    The Star Owl''s body began to glow as the Vore Demon''s circled them like sharks.


    "What''s that little bird doing? Does it want to die?"


    "Why don''t we eat that first?"


    "Yeah, that''s a really quick snack!"


    Their voices were slurred, deep, and guttural. Quickly making their decisions, the five sisters ran forward on all fours, readying to leap towards Xiao Yin and rip the owl apart. But they were too naive and took too much time.


    Xiao Yin was ready.


    Having gathered enough energy, the Star Owl spread out her wings before producing a blinding sh of light. It was so strong that it stung their eyes and they could not help but fall back, clutching their eyes in pain.


    "My eyes! My eyes! They hurt so much!"


    They shrieked in pain while the prey they had found took this chance to escape. But Ming Yue wouldn''t leave so easily, this was a chance!

 Chapter 427 - The Red Empresss Arrival

    With the Pearlstone Dagger and the Boltwind ws, she struck as they were all writhing in pain. But there wasn''t enough time for her to kill them all.


    "Just one, the closest one", she thought.


    Her eyes scanned through the five Vore Demons before spotting what she wanted. One of the sisters still clutching her eyes and screaming in anguish and a maddening fury.


    "Ten meters..."


    Pointing her ws at this blinded demon, the Boltwing Nails all shot out, silently piercing several parts of her. But one of them struck her throat and with all five releasing a shock of lightning.


    Her writhing body suddenly shook violently as blood began to flow from the tiny holes.


    Ming Yue didn''t even bother to wait for her to die and left, fully knowing that there was no way her victim would be able to survive.


    Only seconds passed as she ran with the others and the remaining four sisters uncovered their eyes, blinking constantly. As soon as their sight recovered, they saw that their prey was gone and one of their own killed.


    "No, Second Sister!"


    "Those miserable little morsels! They think they could escape us?!"


    "Chase after them! Leave none of them alive! Not even a scrap of meat will be left!"


    Surrounding their second sister, they mourned for just mere moments before looking towards the direction the soldiers left. With their nose pointed up, all of them sniffed the air before running after them on all fours.


    As Ming Yue caught up to the others, everyone nodded to each other.


    "Don''t forget the n! Distract them and lead them into the traps!" Zi Jing shouted out.


    He then turned to the young cultivator with a serious look. She nodded and slowly drifted away from the group, melding into the shadows. The sun had only begun to set and there was much less cover.


    "What a sight! To think they''d encounter the Vore Demons already! It looks like they have a n set too! Imagine if that was us!"


    Following them from afar were the two disciples, Brother Yu and Sister Ting, the former who felt a thrill and exhration from all of this. As for thetter, the opposite could be said.


    "Brother Yu, I don''t think it''s safe here anymore, we should go back to the camp."


    She quietly spoke to him, cowering behind his back.


    "Nonsense! We''vee this far! We can''t stop now! Come on,e on!"


    He whispered back to her, following the main group.


    Not far from them was the sound of hissing andughter as the four sisters gave chase.


    "You can''t run from us!"


    "We''ll find you! And we''ll eat you!"


    Their voices echoed throughout the marshes, drowning out the sounds of buzzing insects and rustling grass.


    "Hurry! It''s to the right!" the Commander shouted.


    "RIGHT!"


    Ya Lang screamed out to the others, making sure they knew and that they were all focused.


    "Do not panic! Follow my orders!" he continued.


    The twenty-odd soldiers all gave a shout, acknowledging his words. As they reached the location, Zi Jing gave out instructions.


    "Take a talisman and ce it there!"


    Pointing forward, one of his swords floated up and flew out, piercing the ground. The nearest soldier then whipped out a talisman and pped it onto the sword. The de hummed as it gathered energy, the ground began to trembled and a glowing light appeared.


    Having stopped, the four demons quickly caught up,ing in sight of everyone.


    "Eat them! Eat them!"


    They called out hungrily as their mouths loosened with drool dribbling down their lips.


    Zi Jin quickly focused, forming several hand signs before opening shouting out.


    "Emerald Shackles!"


    The formation shined on as the grass grew out, shooting towards the Vore Demons. Wrapping around their limbs and that mouth, they struggled to escape but it did notst for long. Bit by bit, the grass snapped around their mouths as they began to chomp down on them. They were quick, eating up their restraints one by one.


    "It can''t hold for long! Where''s Ming Yue?!" one of them shouted.


    Zi Jing continued to man the formation as he looked around, hoping for her to strike.


    And strike she did.


    With all four of them detained, Ming Yue made her move. But with their mouths free, she had to be careful. Emerging from the grass behind them, Ming Yue seemingly vanished without a trace, readying the dagger in her hands.


    She looked at the four of them, searching for an opportunity.


    And one woulde as one for the sisters took arge mouthful of the grass, freeing three of her limbs. Chewing on them, that was the few seconds where this demon was helpless.


    With her being out of sight, the dagger seemingly appeared from the shadows cast by the grass, stabbing into the demon''s thigh.


    But that wasn''t all, the dagger crackled with wind and lightning as it coursed into their body. Her screams were muffled by the grass but the others all saw it happen. And their eyes fell upon the dagger that was soon pulled out by Ming Yue, whose body hade out of the shadows.


    And then there were three of them, all of which stared at Ming Yue, hatefully.


    "You''re the one! You killed our sisters!"


    "We''ll kill you! We won''t eat you in one gulp, we''ll have you limb by limb!"


    "You''ll suffer unimaginable pain for killing our sisters!"


    "Our Mistress wille for us! She''ll end you, all of you!"


    They screamed and shrieked, slowly freeing themselves from their bonds. But by then, Ming Yue had disappeared as did the others.


    And with the fury in their hearts, they continued to chase their prey.


    "To think they''d use such tricks! Disgusting, little humans!"


    "We''ll get revenge, as long as they die, our sisters will be sullied!"


    Suddenly one of them stopped and the others followed.


    "There''s another scent, other humans..."


    They sniffed the air and then looked at each other with smiles.


    "Really?... Yes, different... it''s fresh."


    "Why don''t we kill them first?"


    "Yes, yes!"


    The remaining three scampered away, following the scent of others. But Ming Yue was there and she saw them run off in another direction.


    "Where are they going?" she wondered.


    As she followed them, the air trembled as low growling rumbled through the marshes. And then, six shadows emerged from the waters, revealing themselves as the adult Stoneguise Lizards, the one controlled by Qing Chai, the Red Empress.


    A terrifying cavalry force that only she could ride and they were on the move.


    Ming Yue looked up at them with a surprised look but kept herposure. After all, this was to be expected but she could not focus on Qing Chai yet. Not when the job waspleted with her "daughters".


    "I have to find where they''re going."


    And the young cultivator whistled for Xiao Yin.


    Meanwhile, the two disciples who followed the main group from afar had found themselves within a predicament. They kept close to each other, running from one ce to another.


    But it didn''t matter, they were lost.


    "Where are we? Brother Yu, I''m scared."


    Sister Ting trembled as she held her tonfa tightly. Even then, she cowered behind her fellow disciple, who wielded his broadsword with one hand and tried tofort her with the other.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll get us out of here!"


    He looked at her before surveying his surroundings but it was no use. This was the first time either of them had ventured this far into the marshes. As confident as he was, it was beginning to wane.


    His eyes flickered from one point to another, trying to decide on which direction to take.


    "Where do I go? Damn it, where are we?"


    Brother Yu turned constantly, still hesitant.. And by then, the sound of hissing andughter drew near.

 Chapter 428 - Lost Lambs

    "There you are..."


    "What are you doing here? So far away from everything else?"


    "Two little lostmbs, I wonder what you taste like? I can''t wait!"


    The sweet voices of these Vore Demons giggling fell upon their ears. Before the two disciples knew it, they had been found.


    "Eek! No, I don''t want to die!"


    Sister Ting dropped down to her knees, covering her ears as she did so.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll protect you! I won''t let them eat us!"


    Brother Yu looked at her, trying desperately tofort her.


    "Damn it, I shouldn''t have done this. Getting Sister Ting toe was a stupid idea, I shouldn''t have brought her here. Still, I have to keep her safe! She''s my friend, I won''t let her die like this."


    Regret flooded his mind as he held the broadsword tightly.


    Shaking his head, he resolved himself, standing protectively in front of her.


    "Come out here! I''ll y you all!" he shouted out, disying his bravery.


    Such words were met with silence before the three demons giggled at him.


    "Let''s leave their heads! Show them to the other humans! Maybe they''ll stop running!"


    "Oh, who wants to do it?!"


    "Why pick? Let''s just all do it!"


    At that moment, his heart sank as the three demons shot out of the trees with their mouths wide open and their eyes gleefully staring them down. They were like wolves in front of a pair of lostmbs, ready to feast on them.


    Sister Ting closed her eyes, not wanting to witness what was toe. But Brother Yu stood strong and struck out.


    "shfire!"


    He held his sword up and smashed it down onto the ground. The de burst out in mes that entered the ground and erupted beneath the three demons. He was a disciple of the Jadewood Sect, a young genius at the Earth Realm, he wasn''t weak.


    But they were quick, avoiding the attack andnding in front of the two. They looked at Brother Yu before ncing at the ruptured ground and sputtering mes.


    "Don''te any closer! I''ll kill you all!" he shouted.


    But those words did little to stop them. They only smiled and hissed, running towards them.


    "What are two children going to do?"


    One of themughed as they saw the fear in eyes of these humans. They opened their mouths, ready to tear the two disciples apart. The rows of jagged teeth and the forked tongue were on full disy.


    One instant to devour them whole and in that instant, thunder cracked as lightning struck them from afar. At the same time, dozens of Wind Lances flew into their open mouths but they weren''t ordinary ones, they were sting Gales.


    Struck from two sides, they fell to the ground, closing their mouths on instinct, having just eaten something else.


    They wriggled in pain before clutching their mouths and stomach. Thences they ate burst out, exploding and causing mayhem inside their bodies.


    Their teeth were all but shattered and torn from their gums. The blood pooled inside until it could no longer be contained. It flowed like rivers from their mouths as they opened up, revealing the destruction within. It stained their clothes and trickled to the ground.


    Their bloodlines were deactivated and theyid on the floor, whimpering in pain. It felt like a toothache but for all of their teeth.


    And then, Ming Yue revealed herself,nding in front of the two disciples with her dagger in hand and summoning several more sting Gales. The Boltwind ws turned in Zephyr ws,rger and sharper, more for cutting than piercing.


    Hei Yue and Xiao Yin both arrived, cing themselves in front of Brother Yu and Sister Ting in a protective manner. She nced at the two disciples, checking to see if they were fine before walking towards the injured Vore Demons.


    "It is a good thing I gave that corpse to Commander ZI Jing, or else killing them myself would have been more difficult. To think, the only thing to be afraid of is their mouths. They might be able to devour whole bodies but that''s their only weapon. But to think that their teeth can pierce armor but they''re brittle. All I have to do is break that and they can''t eat anymore."


    While it was not the first time, Zi Jing had ever seen a Vore Demon''s body, it was the most intact. It was through this, that he was able to deduce more weaknesses.


    And now, Ming Yue was able to capitalize on it.


    The three demons tried their best to stop the bleeding but it would take quite a while for any of it to stop. They saw her approach them and stepped back, pointing at her in fear.


    "Yo- you... it was you who killed our sisters! You!"


    One of them pointed at her, having realized it. But her voice was garbled as the blood continued toe out.


    Ming Yue looked at them coldly and didn''t answer them, she just continued to walk forward.


    They trembled in front of her, knowing full well what she was going to do. And it was worse, knowing that all they could do was run. Crawling back from her, the three demons lost all of that arrogance and smugness, reced but a child-like fear. Certainly, they were strong but this was the first time they found something they could not eat.


    "No, get away from us! Get away!" they cried out.


    However, Ming Yue stopped just meters away and watched them. Her eyes were cold and emotionless as she looked, it was as if something inside her had awakened.


    A sharp whistling sound rang out as the three demons turned to run.


    "Whistle Wind."


    Just like that, three des of wind flew from nowhere, cutting through their throats and taking off their heads. It was quiet, save for that whistling sound, which continued to echo through the swamps.


    After that, Ming Yue collected their bodies into her Spatial Ring and then turned towards the two Jadewood Sect Disciples.


    "You two should not be here. If I hade anyter, I would not have been able to save you", she bluntly spoke, jabbing at their confidence even more.


    The young cultivator then pointed in the direction of one of the bunkers.


    "There will be a bunker with other soldiers, Hei Yue will bring you there. I''d rather you not get lost again or else, I won''t be able to save you."


    After speaking, the Mistral Fox walked up to the pair before yipping at them.


    "Tha- thank you, um, Miss Ming."


    As they went to thank her and to apologize, she was gone, along with Xiao Yin. It was just them and Hei Yue, who continued to bark for their attention.


    They looked at each other before promptly following the fox. It was strange, to meet someone younger than them and yet so strong.


    "Can I even consider myself a genius?No, I should just be thankful that we made it out alive", Brother Yu thought to himself but could not feel any sort of relief, just disappointment.


    Meanwhile, Ming Yue quickly made her way towards the main group, who was being chased by Qing Chai and her lizards. Their giant mouths crunching through everything in their path. She continued to watch the Red Empress, following the trail of destruction.


    "Killing them didn''t take too long, then again, that was really risky. But now, I have to deal with her", she thought.


    On those lizards, Qing Chai was much faster than her "daughters" and that gave Zi Jing even fewer chances to utilize the various traps and formations he had set up. It was frustrating, so much so that he cursed himself.


    "Damn it! Which one can I even use to slow her down? I have to deal with those lizards too."


    He thought hard, trying toe up with a solid n. And Ya Lang was busy shouting instructions to the others.


    "Use the bombs! Aim at their feet! We have to slow the lizards!"


    Everyone moved quickly, using every tool at their disposal to deal with this great force. But Qing Chai was ready, everything they threw, she had the lizard gobble them up or swat them away.


    "I won''t be careless this time!"

 Chapter 429 - Chase Through The Marshes

    A vicious hissing sound came from her mouth, spreading into their ears, causing their hearts to shudder. It was a chilling noise that made them feel as if they were being chased by a monstrous serpent.


    "You can''t avoid the inevitable! Even if I do not kill you now, it will happen soon enough!" she shouted.


    Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her heart and clutched her chest.


    "No, my daughters! Are they all dead?"


    Upon this thought, she grit her teeth before releasing a thundering roar. The mask that covered her mouth had long been broken and abandoned. Compared to her kin, Qing Chai''s mouth had several times more fangs, longer and tipped with ck ichor.


    Expanding and returning to their true form, she showed a hideous grin.


    "You will not get away from killing my daughters! I am the Red Empress of Kong Zhi''s army!"


    The Vore Demon hissed out,manding the Stoneguise Lizards to move even quicker, chomping their jaws at the soldiers.


    "Shit! The res! Signal the others!"


    As everyone continued their escape, Zi Jing yelled out for the res before taking one out himself. Several of them were lit up and thrown into the air, bursting out in a bright light.


    "What is this?! Another distraction?!"


    She was not impeded in the slightest, going quicker and quicker as the lizards inched closer.


    "Aim for the ground! Use the bombs!" Zi Jing yelled.


    Ya Lang and the others retrieved a bag from which they began to toss out spiked balls onto the ground. They were just like the ones that the Tide King used, only simpler.


    The moment the six lizards stepped on them, they exploded into a fiery ze, cracking their stone-like skin. But these were adults not unlike the children, it wasn''t enough to cripple them but at least, it slowed them down.


    Qing Chai screamed as the lizardsshed out in pain, she clung tightly and hissed at them.


    "Ignore it! Kill them!" shemanded.


    Zi Jing looked back, looking at her until their eyes met. And then he smirked, giving her the finger before sending a paper talisman at her.


    Her face contorted in rage as she swatted the talisman away.


    "Sniveling little humans, they think they can just treat me like this? They serve only one purpose, to be my meal!"


    QIng Chai leaped forward, activating her bloodline in midair.


    Her jaws grew evenrger expanding like a snake''s mouth. The difference being the jagged fangs in her mouth took on a ck sheen, growing several more inches in length.


    "I''ll eat you! I''ll eat you all!"


    As she dropped down, ready to chase them on foot, ance of wind flew out and struck her in the stomach, throwing her into the murky swamp waters. Following thatnce was Ming Yue, who looked to Ya Lang and mouthed several words to him.


    He watched and nodded carefully before running off.


    "The Fairy will stall the Vore Demon, we have to take care of the lizards! Once it is done, wee back for her!" He shouted.


    The others all looked back, watching the bodies of Ming Yue and Qing Chai soar across the air.


    "Are you sure?" One of them asked, looking at both their captain and themander.


    Ya Lang and Zi Jing exchanged looks and nodded.


    "If this is what she wants, then let her do it. However, we will finish this promptly and aid her! If she dies, then it will be an irremovable stain on our reputations. It is a dishonor to ourselves! Now let''s gut some lizards!"


    With his axes in hand, he leaped up at the beasts,nding on the front most one, the strongest one no doubt.


    Without the Red Empress, they had no leader and no one to listen to, and so they ran rampant, crushing everything in their path.


    With both axes, he summoned forth a great wind, encapsting his weapons.


    "Raghhh!"


    He shouted and swung down, digging deep into the rock-like skin. But the fearsome captain didn''t pull them out, instead, he drove them further in and twisted them.


    The beast he rode roared in pain before changing directions. Its cries grabbed the attention of the others who followed it. And with Ya Lang at the helm, he led them through the designated path, right into a trap.


    "Now! Get off!"


    As Zi Jing shouted, the captain pulled his axes out and dropped down before joining the others.


    The chase continued until they reached the most dangerous part of the marshes.


    "Do not forget! There is only one path here, everything else is water! If you slip and fall, you die! We just have to bring them back past the waters and into the clearing. The other groups should be preparing the next formation!"


    From here, Zi Jing led the way, following the markers he ced weeks before.


    The six lizards charged through before wading into the waters and delving in. Just like that, they were gone but they were not done chasing. In fact, in water, they were much quicker.


    The silence was terrifying, they ran through this open space as quickly as they could.


    "Watch out!"


    From the right, a pair of jaws shot out of the waters snapping at them as the beast jumped over the path. Then, another one jumped out and over and over again. Jaws snapping and crunching, trying to get one of them inside.


    "Oh shi-"


    And the inevitable happened, someone slipped, nearly falling to the water before Zi Jing pointed his hand backward. Two of his swords flew out and pushed the soldier back onto his feet.


    He was shocked for a moment, his heart beating wildly before recovering and running off. The others turned to look and one of them smirked at him.


    "Why is it that you''re always the one slipping?" She called out, reminding him of hisst ident.


    "Shut up, you know how hard it is to run here?" he retorted with an annoyed expression.


    But hisrade scoffed.


    "For you it is!"


    As the banter continued they felt a cold stare on them as Ya Lang red at the two soldiers.


    "Do you think it is time for you to be joking?!" he yelled.


    His shout was met with silence as they both shut their mouths and focused on the task at hand. Still, it certainly took quite the nerve to be able to joke at a time like this. With beasts biting at their tales and danger all around them, it would be difficult to keep calm.


    But the end drew near for several res flew up into the skies.


    "They''re ready! Just run past this point and the rest will finish itself!" themander shouted.


    Everyone felt the anticipation rising as they sped up, running with newfound energy. That thin path slowly widened, allowing everyone to spread out.


    "Just run past this clearing!"


    None of them even seemed to listen as they just ran for their lives. The lizards emerged from the waters, running onnd but such actions had cost them their lives.


    The ground hummed as those of the support groups finished cing down their talismans.


    Zi Jing raised his hand up to the air, sending his swords into various different directions. They flew out, striking the ground and forming a pentagon. Making several hand symbols, his energy erupted as the five swords connected to him.


    As soon as everyone made it out, he activated the formation.


    "Cage of the Maitreya!"


    The ground lit up before trembling as the formation created a pushing force, bringing down the lizards. It was as if a giant palm had pushed them into the ground. Forced down, they could not move or even struggled under their own weight. And that force continued to grow and grow, slowly crushing their organs.


    Zi Jing''s face was covered in sweat as his body trembled, trying to keep the formation going. But he smiled as if victory was his.


    "Your skin might be thick and tough but it is also heavy!"

 Chapter 430 - Battling The Red Empress

    Far from them were Ming Yue and Qing Chai, the former havingnded on her feet while thetter fell into the swamp water.


    Ming Yue stood away from the edge and began to form dozens ofnces, condensing them to the size of her arm. And then she waited. The surface of the swamp continued to ripple before bubbles climbed up. Suddenly, a hand shot out, grasping at the edge of the swamp before the Red Empress climbed out.


    Her lovely robes were wet and ripped, revealing more of her body.


    She panted heavily, a quiet hissing sound resonating with each breath. Looking up she red at Ming Yue with a hateful rage.


    "You... you killed my daughters. All of them! With the help of those other pathetic humans!" she spat out.


    The young cultivator just stood and watched. Her silence and stillness only incensed Qing Chai even further.


    "I''ll kill you! I''ll kill you!"


    The demon screamed out and charged forward, her mouth gaping wide and that was the moment Ming Yue was waiting for.


    With a single thought, all of her windnces flew forth, aiming for the insides of her mouth.


    "Is this how you killed them?! It''s useless! I''ve been alive for over a hundred years! Can you really kill me?!"


    Qing Chai was quick, faster than her daughters, and avoided all of them. She cackled and hissed, finding this fight all too simple.


    "She must be around the level of the other Kings, a Sky Realm Expert then", Ming Yue thought.


    She retreated, controlling her windnces to turn back.


    The demon only ran after her, fixated on killing Ming Yue. Suddenly, she felt something m into her back as the windnces made contact. Before she could react, Qing Chai was sent soaring into a tree trunk.


    "There!"


    Ming Yue then threw the Pearlstone Dagger, infusing it with her energy. Its speed tripled and the de shot through the air before piercing the demon through the calf and into the trunk. ck blood spurted out of the wound before she ran forward, ripping the dagger out and vanished into the shadows.


    The Red Empress screamed in pain, with her gaping mouth, she bit through the tree trunk, ripping it to shreds. Looking down at the wound, she touched the blood before scouring the area around her.


    "You fucking bitch! I''ll rip you to pieces, I''ll stew you while you still breathe! I will savor your flesh to the veryst breath!" she screeched, unable to hold in even a fraction of her rage.


    Despite the rage fueling her, she seemed to be alone. In this very part of the marshes, there was nothing but faded grass and dying trees. Her eyes darted from one point to the next, looking for any sign or trace of Ming Yue.


    From afar, the young cultivator watched carefully, preparing for her next move.


    But then the demon took a whiff of the air and turned around immediately, looking at Ming Yue. She cackled, going on all fours before leaping up at her.


    "You might have hidden your scent well but nothing escapes me!"


    Qing Chai hissed as she flew towards Ming Yue, ready to bite her down.


    "Damn."


    The young cultivator immediately jumped back, leaving the shrubbery she hid in. From her hands, she shot out several waves of needles of wind and lightning. The Vore Demonnded on that very spot, biting down on the bushes and ripping them at the root. Then she leaped away, avoiding the attack.


    "Stop running! Let me taste your flesh!"


    Qing Chai called out as she chased after her.


    "She''s quick!"


    Ming Yue was taken aback by her speed. As confident as she was in her own swiftness, Qing Chai was nimble, leaping from one spot to another. Trying tond an attack was more than difficult, her attempts could barely touch the demon. Quickly thinking, she looked around her, trying to spot anything that could be used.


    "She''s too focused on me, I have to take advantage of that, but how?"


    Her eyes flickered about but with Qing Chai at her tail, the scenery changing quickly. Then she suddenly realized something.


    "If that demon is focused only on me, what if I just disappear from her sight?" she thought.


    After all, techniques like Phantasmal Wind and Reaping de were meant to confuse the enemy, take them by surprise. If the Red Empress was so focused on her,pletely disappearing was sure to shock her.


    "She found me through scent, then what about my very presence?"


    Without wasting another second, she turned and sprinted towards Qing Chai, who smiled at this.


    "Did you finally give up? Delivering yourself to me? Too bad, I won''t let you die so quickly."


    The mix of wild cackling and hissing echoed through the swamps. She quickly switched back to running on her feet and whipped her hands forward to reach for Ming Yue. Even as her leg bled, the pain didn''t even seem to slow her down in the slightest.


    The distance between them shortened in seconds and soon enough, they were within the grasp of each other. Their eyes met and that was when Qing Chai realized it toote.


    "Why is she so calm?"


    And it happened.


    "Phantasmal Wind."


    Just as Qing Chai grabbed for Ming Yue''s neck, she disappeared, leaving nothing more but a blurry trace of her visage.


    "What? Where are you?!" she screamed out.


    And as she looked around, Ming Yue reappeared with her dagger humming with power. Attacking from above, she struck down, driving the dagger towards the back of her neck.


    The demon spun around and swatted the dagger away before going for her throat. The nails on her finger seemed to sharpen as she moved to grab.


    But Ming Yue wasn''t helpless, her Zephyr ws appeared and she attacked. She went for Qing Chai''s arm,cerating her flesh. A shadow loomed over her as the Vore Demon''s monstrous mouth opened up.


    "Shit!"


    She could see the ckened fangs and the darkness of the Vore Demon''s throat. There were hundreds of them, seemingly blotting out the sky. If it were anyone else, they would''ve been resigned to their fate. But Ming Yue still had a chance and if there wasn''t, she would make one.


    Ming Yue then formed ance of wind and lightning, a Storm Lance. There was no time for her to escape and she forced as much power as she could as quickly as she could. It exploded in size, crackling and spinning with wild fury.


    Qing Chai didn''t even care, all she wanted to do was engulf her enemy.


    And the Storm Lance was set free, flying into her jaws with so much force that it sent her flying into the sky.


    "Aghk! You-"


    Qing Chai choked on the explosion as she flew in the air. The pain traveled from her mouth to the rest of her body, a piercing ache that seemed to grow with each second. Her body writhed and convulsed as the lightning shook her. She struggled to take back control but it was toote.


    Ming Yue flew forth, flying above Qing Chai with another Storm Lance by her. Then she shot it, smashing Qing Chai in the stomach before mming her back into the ground with a thunderous p.


    The moment before she fell, blood welled up and sprayed out of her mouth as the air was pressed out of her body.


    But Ming Yue wasn''t done yet, thences just kepting. It was as if lightning continued to strike down in one spot. She was not going to take any chances, not when she was about to die.


    The sounds overtook everything else, flooding the ears of the soldiers, who looked up in shock.


    "What is that? A storm?" one of them asked.


    Zi Jing looked up in the air, studying the skies. He even looked at the ground which trembled with each strike.


    "Either we''ve awakened a beast or that was someone''s true strength."

 Chapter 431 - Killing A Replacement

    And finally, when one would think it would never end, Ming Yue stopped sending the Storm Lances. She just looked down and watched as the billowing dust began to settle. She clutched her dagger tightly before slowly descending. There were even a fewnces floating above her shoulders, all of them ready to be shot.


    "That was close... too close", she thought to herself.


    The moment she realized Qing Chai''s mouth was a moment away from eating her, she knew had to make a move. Even if she wasn''t resigned to her fate at that point, her heart nearly stopped at the sight of hundreds of jagged fangs.


    A single mistake nearly resulted in her death.


    "I should''ve thought further ahead, getting so close was a stupid mistake."


    She examined herself, ending up rtively unscathed.


    Zi Jing and the other soldiers arrived at the scene and stopped in front of the destruction they saw. Apart from them were those from the bunkers, including the two disciples of the Jadewood Sect and Hei Yue.


    Before them was a crater, a massive crater riddled with smaller ones inside it. It was ck and smoking from the Storm Lances. All of the grass and trees had be ash. The surrounding flora was singed ck.


    "This is enough to destroy a mountain..."


    The soldiers all muttered to themselves. Apart from Zi Jing and Ya Lang, none of them have ever witnessed such scale of damage. At least, not from a single person.


    As Ming Yuended on the ground, she stood by them and gave everyone a look.


    "I don''t know if she is still alive", she replied.


    Themander looked at her before ncing over to the others. He breathed out a sigh of exhaustion before shouting instructions.


    "In that case, let''s go find out. Everyone! Have your weapons ready!"


    Metal clinked as their grip tightened and everyone prepared themselves. As tired as they were, the end was in sight.


    "Alright then, let''s finish this."


    Zi Jing walked forward, leading everyone while Ming Yue walked beside him. She still had her dagger, the Zephyr ws, and several Storm Lances ready to be used.


    As they came closer and closer, the remaining dust began to settle, revealing the silhouette of Qing Chai.


    The sight of her was simply a wretched one. Her body was beaten to a pulp, covered in burns, and left in a puddle of blood. She breathed weakly as her mouth had returned to its original form. What became of her fangs was nothing but shattered bone. Her eyes were open but thinly so, she could barely keep them from closing.


    But she soon noticed their approach and began tough. What came out was a wheeze and a cough as blood spilled out from her mouth.


    "Aghahaha, to think I''d be beaten by my own prey, how vexing."


    She looked at them, struggling to rise up but her body was beyond repair.


    "So hopeless, my daughters are dead and soon I too will be joining them but don''t think that your victory is anything significant", she spat put with a smile on her face.


    "Just because you''ve managed to kill the Tide King and the Irond King doesn''t mean that you''re victory is at hand. Just because you''ve defeated me, the Red Empress, doesn''t mean that you can rx just yet. Do you know how vast Lord Kong Zhi''s army is? I''m just a recement and there will be someone else to rece me. If you kill them, there will be another recement. There are demons within his ranks that are far older and far stronger than you may believe. If you think that your efforts mean anything, it doesn''t."


    When she finished, the dying demon looked at Ming Yue especially.


    "And you, the one who dared harm my Lord, kill my daughters, ughter me like amb... There will be others."


    And then, she drew herst breath,ying on the ground, at the center of this devastation. The Red Empress died after giving one single warning, one final message.


    All of them watched before Zi Jing breathed out in relief, his five swords all stopped trembling, returning to their sheathes. And everyone else followed, putting away their weapons but carrying a heavy aura around them.


    He turned around and looked at them all with a sour look.


    "What are you all moping for? We won, that''s all that matters. Those words that Vore Demon said was just a sad attempt to rattle us. Don''t forget, the n seeded, for better or for worse. Let''s go back to the camp, grab a few people to collect the lizard corpses."


    The atmosphere lightened through his words as everyone all nodded.


    "Yeah, yeah, let''s go back."


    "I definitely could use some rest."


    "A bath sounds pretty good."


    Then, Ya Lang looked at them all before shouting.


    "Come on! I''m sure we''re all tired from this. A few days of rest should do all of us some good!"


    Their captain turned and walked off, leading everyone away. Only Ming Yue and ZI Jing remained, standing by Qing Chai''s corpse. Zi Jing nced at her before focusing on the dead demon. With her back turned to him and the others moving away, he revealed a serious expression, one of concern and fear.


    "Recements... stronger demons... Even with Gao Ri''s knowledge, we simply know too little about Kong Zhi''s army. He, himself is not undefeatable but there must be some hidden powerhouses", he thought.


    "I can only findfort knowing that Du Xiu can still fight him but... for how long? I need to prepare countermeasures."


    He gave Ming Yue another look, she continued to linger on Qing Chai''s corpse before turning to leave. Her face was nk, devoid of any expression as her two pets followed her.


    And for the third time, he released a tired breath and shook his head.


    "It won''t be long now before it happens, before she is met with a forked road where she has no choice."


    His words were strange to hear but in time, they would soone true.


    As themander began to walk, he felt something buzzing in his pocket and took out a medallion.


    "Hm? The Commander''s Medallion? And, it''s from Commander Du Xiu, what happened?"


    Activating it, he heard the voices of the other Commanders, all but one, Du Xiu, himself.


    "Hello? Did something happen?" ZI Jing asked.


    All of the soldiers and Ming Yue stopped when they heard him.


    The othermanders all had the same concerns as they waited for Du Xiu to speak. And then, he finally spoke.


    "I have some news."


    His tone was dark and solemn as his words came.


    "While we have made advancements in the south, Kong Zhi''s army has attacked the north and taken over", he announced.


    In an instant, all of them eximed in shock.


    "What? How?" they asked, "The situation in the north should''ve been stable. How did he take it so quickly?"


    Du Xiu answered and the one he gave caused everyone''s heart to drop.


    "He did it with the help of the Mu n... and the Hundun n. Their Idol of Chaos led a force of demons and destroyed the Yao n. Many of them managed to escape and find refuge in the North Fort but they will set their sights on me. Therefore, I''m calling for reinforcements from all of you to head north. For now, they''re staying in the mountains but I do not know when they will advance. That is all, I have much to do and the war has be much more difficult."


    His voice then disappeared, leaving the othermanders. They were all at a loss for words.


    The same went for Ming Yue, Ya Lang, and everyone who heard the news.


    As for the young cultivator, such news was unexpected and truly the worst.

 Chapter 432 - Dire Developments

    "The Yao n? Ling Xue!"


    She was worried for her, this enemy turned friend. Although the n themselves were in a questionable rtionship with her, she could not ignore such news.


    Ming Yue''s face turned to one of surprise as she looked at Zi Jing.


    He was quiet and his face dark.


    The others were silent, looking to him for a response.


    "Let''s return first. All of you need some rest after this ordeal, which includes you and you."


    He gazed at Ya Lang and Ming Yue before walking off, leading everyone back to the camp. It was quiet, very quiet. No one spoke during the entire trip. What could they say? Their victory in the south was eclipsed by the defeat in the north.


    By the time they returned, it was night and the camp was silent. There were a few patrols marching about but most were asleep.


    "Alright, spend the next few days recovering. I will send another group to retrieve the lizard corpses. You are dismissed."


    As everyone scattered apart, Zi Jing walked up to the two Jadewood Sect disciples.


    "You two need toe with me. We have to discuss with your senior sister about what happened."


    The pair looked at each other, ovee with shame and embarrassment. They nodded to followed him to the Commander''s tent. There, Yu Zhen was busy looking at a pile of documents, she looked up to see Zi Jing before seeing the two behind him.


    "Ah, so there you two are. There''s going to be a lot to exin", she told them.


    Jian Yi entered soon after, immediately looking at them.


    "Yu Qiu, Ting Hua, where were you two? Everyone looked all over the camp! What happened?"


    She gave them both a stern look before turning to Commander Zi Jing.


    "I apologize for any trouble they may have caused."


    She quickly lowered her head, asking for forgiveness. However, Zi Jing wasn''t going to be so merciful.


    "Trouble? These two thought it''d be fun to follow us on the mission! Do you have any idea how much danger they were in? No, do you know how idiotic it was to follow us?!"


    After shouting at her, he red at the two disciples, who stood there silently, fully acknowledging their mistake.


    "After what my men told me, I couldn''t believe it. You two, led by that little fox, all the way to the bunker. If Ming Yue was not there, neither of you would be standing here. Instead, you''d be inside the stomachs of those Vore Demons! Is that how you want your life to end? Both of you may just be disciples but neither of you are children! This isn''t home anymore, this is a war. If you think of this as an adventure then you''re better off getting out of here."


    After lecturing them, he sighed and then faced Jian Yi.


    "Take them back and discipline them properly, you may leave", he said.


    The trio was quiet as they turned and left the camp.


    Zi Jing watched them go before looking around for a seat. Finding one, he dropped down and leaned his head over. Every bit of exhaustion and stress revealed themselves as this genius slouched, massaging the bridge of his nose.


    "Hah, it really is one thing after another. We win on one end only to lose in another", he muttered.


    Yu Zhen looked at him before standing up, stepping away from the various files on the war table.


    "I take it the operation was a sess", she asked.


    He straightened himself up to face her and nodded.


    "We or rather, Ming Yue was able to kill them all. We''ve also dealt with their pets too, so we''ll need to deal with that. For now, I''d say that we''re safe but with what has happened up north, I''m not so sure."


    Yu Zhen looked down at the ground, crossing her arms and leaning against the war table.


    "There isn''t much we can offer, not when we''re stretched this thinly. Gao Ri and Nie Xia will send aid to Du Xiu and the North Fort. As for us, we have to focus on setting a foothold here. Not to mention, we have other experts", she replied.


    "You mean those Jadewood Sect Disciples or Ming Yue?" he asked.


    "Both."


    Zi Jing raised a brow before standing up and walking towards the war table. He ced both hands on the edge of it, studying the map.


    "I don''t know how but Kong Zhi and the Hundun n are in an alliance. However shaky it may be, they are cooperating with each other. While they may be attacking the north, there is no guarantee that they won''t target us. As for those two, those disciples would be helpful in defending but retaliation? I don''t know."


    "And Ming Yue?"


    He revealed aplicated expression when Yu Zhen mentioned her name.


    "After hearing the news, she was definitely bothered by it. More than likely, she may leave for the North", he replied back to her but spoke with a sense of doubt.


    "Are you sure?"


    Yu Zhen looked at him seriously but he merely stared at the table.


    "I don''t know, I really just don''t know. We just have to wait and see", he answered, shaking his head.


    Her eyes lingered on him for a while longer before looking away.


    "Can''t say I''m surprised... To see you so flustered especially in regards to her", shemented.


    There was a small silence between them before Zi Jing broke out in a chuckle. Not one of joy but rather helplessness, ridiculing himself.


    "What can I say? She is one of the few to have piqued my interest. Hasn''t she piqued yours?" he asked.


    "I can''t say she hasn''t."


    "Exactly, seeing her aplishments makes me want to find out just how high she will reach. The Sky Realm? Heaven Realm? Immortal? Anyone would feel their heart crack if they see a rising star snuffed out, especially someone like her. Besides, she''s going to find herself at a forked road in due time."


    Yu Zhen gave him another look, this time with a smile as well.


    "You just really want to see that sword, don''t you?"


    She pointed out, referring to Drifting Sky.


    He gave her a look before turning to leave.


    "I wouldn''t lie if I said I wasn''t but I''m tired, being chased around by some lizards and demons for a day was not the best experience. We can... pick this up tomorrow, make ns, and see what we can do."


    Exiting the tent, Yu Zhen was alone once more and she went back to looking through her documents. The expression on her face was both grim and serious as she workedte into the night.


    By the time she was finished, the sun was about to rise.


    She rubbed her temples before leaning back on her chair.


    "This is just the beginning, isn''t it?" she muttered to herself,


    Outside the tent, there was one other person who had yet to sleep. Seated by thekeshore and staring at the peeking sun, Ming Yue sat there after washing herself. She just stared nkly in front of her, lost in her thoughts.


    "Their Idol of Chaos led a force of demons and destroyed the Yao n..."


    "...destroyed the Yao n..."


    "...the Yao n..."


    Commander Du Xiu''s words echoed in her mind as she thought back to her time there. From Ling Xue to the Red Eyed Moon, the bloodlust that trial pulled out of her, and the words the Lunar Executioner left her, it all came like a stream, a constant stream of memories.


    "Should I head back to help to stay here?" she thought.


    "I am needed here but the north... No, even if I head there it will take months to get to the North Fort. Not to mention, my sword... It''s still in theke with Yin Bing."


    She was stuck at a crossroads.


    Was it the one Zi Jing spoke of before or was he referring to something else?

 Chapter 433 - Deciding What To Do

    Ming Yue continued to ponder until the sun had fully risen. She hugged her legs together, resting her chin on her knees as she looked out.Unlike before, she didn''t push it aside to train, she just continued to think.


    On one hand, she wanted to help her friend. On the other, she had obligations to stay here and protect this camp.


    "Xue Yue, what do you think? she asked.


    Her question was met with silence before her counterpart answered.


    "It doesn''t matter, now does it? Either way, you''re going to end up fighting something. Do you want to head up there? Do you want to see how Ling Xue is doing? The Idol of Chaos might be there as well, could you fight that thing on equal footing?" she questioned.


    "In the end, I''m just not strong enough yet."


    Ming Yue thought to herself before sensing something and looking behind her.


    Standing there was the senior sister, Jian Yi, who looked at her with a certain respect.


    "Greetings, Fairy of the Moon, I hope that I''m not interrupting anything.", she said.


    Ming Yue shook her head and stood up.


    "No, and you don''t have to call me that. Ming Yue is fine."


    "Then... Ming Yue, my name is Jian Yi and I''m here on behalf of my juniors to thank you for saving them."


    Jian Yi lowered her head and cupped her fists as she thanked her. Ming Yue shook her head.


    "There is no need to thank me. This is something I would''ve done no matter the consequence", she replied.


    The senior disciple looked up with a surprised expression.


    "Still, I have already reprimanded them for their actions. I thought it would be appropriate to apologize on their behalf. If you think that it is not enough, I am prepared for any punishment."


    "I''m not that sort of person. There is no need for anything like that. I am just content to know that they are safe."


    Ming Yue gave a friendly smile although her eyes were unfocused.


    Her mind was still elsewhere.


    Jian Yi had noticed it as she studied the young woman before her.


    "You must have heard the news, haven''t you? About the North Fort and the two ns? Are you heading there?" she asked


    Ming Yue was quiet for a moment and looked at her.


    "I''m not sure. I would have to discuss it with Commander Yu Zhen and Zi Jing. I don''t know enough to make a decision."


    "I see... I should return now, my juniors are waiting for me. It is good to finally meet someone of your reputation."


    She then bowed and left. With her back turned, Jian Yi revealed a strange expression.


    "That was... not what I had expected at all. I thought she''d be angrier or arrogant but the rumors are right. It''s hard to know what she''s thinking but she is a virtuous person."


    As Ming Yue watched her leave, she gave theke another look before leaving. Out from nowhere, Hei Yue and Xiao Yin appeared, snuggling up to her.


    "Haha, finished scouting the area? Was there anything dangerous or strange?"


    She crouched down and stroked both beasts.


    They shook their heads, having found nothing to report.


    "Is that so? Let''s go meet with themanders then."


    Making her way to their tent, she watched as the craftsmen and soldiers were hard at work. From the sound of marching feet to cut stone, it was a bustling atmosphere. Those who passed by her would stop to greet her before moving along, an act she returned as well.


    Reaching the tent, she let herself in and saw them both, reading through papers and ncing at the war table. ''


    The both of them looked up to see who hade. She looked at the two, greeting them with a cupped fist and a bow.


    "Ming Yue, you''re here early. Is there something you need?"Yu Zhen asked.


    The young cultivator walked forward, closer to the war table.


    "Could you tell me more about what is happening in the North? Specifically, the Yao n and the North Fort?


    The twomanders looked to each other before Yu Zhen spoke.


    "If you''re asking about casualties, it isn''t serious but it could''ve gone very wrong. The Mu n had sought to trap them in the mountains, working together with a detachment of ten thousand of Kong Zhi''s men. And the Idol of Chaos would deal the killing blow, destroying them under a wave of lightning. It would''ve meantplete annihtion for the Yao n."


    "But that didn''t happen, why?" Ming Yue asked.


    "That is because of the Yao n''s Princess. While she could not turn the tide, she was able to break past the encirclement and escape before the Idol could strike. As far as I know, she managed to reach a high level in their secret realm. Most likely, she isparable to a SKy Realm Expert now< she said.


    "In order words, she''s about as strong as amander."


    ZI Jing then chimed in as his eyes focused on Ming Yue.


    "So, they are safe. Although their home is gone, Du Xiu has them refuged in the North Fort. Furthermore, the Commanders of the Iron Citadel and Demon''s Gate are already sending their own forces to aid. You are wee to go but we''re stretched thinly here. After attacking the north, they will certainlye for us in the south", he told her.


    Their eyes locked with ZI Jing conveying the message through this.


    {Don''t leave, stay here and protect this ce.}


    Ming Yue understood it clearly. In fact, she knew that Kong Zhi would not ignore their advances into the south. Thus, shepromised.


    "I understand but if the situation gets worse, I will be heading there, with or without my sword", she replied.


    "That''s fine. In fact, hand me your dagger and armor, I could make a few improvements to them. Since they''re Lower- Divine Ranked, I can improve them just a tad. You can have these as a recement while I work on them."


    Without even skipping a beat, ZI Jing spoke and took out a neatly folded set of armor as well as a dagger and a long sword with a handle fit for both hands. There was also an extra set of clothes in there as well.


    "I didn''t have most of my tools and the smithy has yet to bepleted. This is the best I could do out of a standard-issue set. It might not be incredible but it should at least fit well", he said.


    Handing it over to Ming Yue, she looked at it before taking off her Changing Clouds Armor and Pearlstone Dagger giving it to him. She wasn''t going to turn down a request to strengthen her equipment.


    "How long will you take with them?" she asked.


    ZI Jing studied the two items before thinking of a time.


    "Eh, probably about a month, maybe less. Wait, what about your essories? That hairpin? Or the ring?" he pointed out.


    "Oh, there''s no need to work on the ring but this pin..."


    Taking it off, her hair flowed down to her waist as she held the Dusk Lily Pin in her hand.


    "I almost forgot about this."


    One of the first things she had obtained on her own, a treasure from the beginning of her journey. Capable of stopping three attacks at the level of an Earth Realm expert, as useful as it was, she never quite used it to its full potential. As it was now, the Dusk Lily Pin ended up being something of decor.


    "A Sage Ranked item? I wasn''t quite expecting that but I will certainly make do with it."


    Handing it to him, Zi Jing examined these three items.


    "Let''s see, doing anything meaningful to these things will certainly take a month. That is assuming the smithy ispleted in time.. It''s been a while since I''ve done some forging."

 Chapter 434 - Fame And Mystery

    He chuckled, feeling a bit excited.


    Despite being in histe twenties, he had the aura of an old man, finding his own joy in creating. However, Yu Zhen leaned in to speak into Ming Yue''s ear.


    "He says that but he ends up taking twice as long. He''s the type to get lost in his own work", she whispered.


    "Oi, I heard that!"


    Putting away Ming Yue''s equipment, ZI Jing looked at them with a scowl.


    "What? I can''t have my own interests or something?" he retorted.


    She nced at him and chuckled, finding his sudden snap amusing.


    "No, no, carry on."


    Ming Yue watched before taking another look at what Zi Jing handed her. She then lowered her head.


    "Thank you for helping me."


    Zi Jing then stood up and walked towards her as she straightened back up. Along with Yu Zhen, both of them cupped their fists to her.


    "It shouldn''t be you thanking us, it should be us thanking you."


    Unlike his usual tone, this was more sincere and less stern.


    "You may not think it but your presence in this war has changed many things. Out of the many cultivators who have sought to distinguish themselves, you are probably one of the most elusive and renowned. Besides, all five of usmanders have good impressions of you", he continued.


    Yu Zhen looked at her with a friendly gaze.


    "You are too humble, it would do you good to acknowledge your own strength and contributions."


    Ming Yue was taken aback, unable to really formte words from this sudden praise.


    "I... Thank you for your kind words."


    Bothmanders chuckled before stepping back.


    "When I''m finished improving your equipment, I''ll have someonee for you" said Zi Jing.


    "And if any news arrives about the north or tbe forest, we''ll let you know", Yu Zhen added.


    "Thank you, I''ll take my leave then."


    Ming Yue turned and left the tent, carrying the things Zi Jing handed her.


    They watched her leave before look8ng at each other.


    "Looks like we have a lot of work cut out for us."


    "Yes, we do."


    The next few days were peaceful but busy, incredibly busy.


    With the death of the Vore Demons, they didn''t fear entering the marshes anymore. Construction of the castle had to be paused as everyone had moved to transport the Stonguise Lizard Corpses and process them as well. Not to mention, the chance or rather, the imminent attack from Kong Zhi had everyone working harder.


    While they didn''t know when, they knew that it woulde.


    And with the North Fort facing possible danger, many of the sects sent their disciples there to defend, hunt, even attack.


    Those that dide to the camp were few but they came.


    One reason was the uniqueness of this situation and another was the benefits. With most craftsmen being here, it was possible to perhaps obtain a strong weapon or a piece of equipment from a notable cksmith. The third reason was Ming Yue, her elusiveness and power made her a very popr figure.


    While others made their mark on this war, she practically left a handprint.


    Nevertheless, she didn''t quite care about her reputation or name. What she wanted to do now was reach the next stage of the Sword Sage Path, Realm of a Hundred Swords. To do that, she had to master Return to Simplicity, to be able to merge her energies together seamlessly and attack.


    "I can''t wait for the World Serpent toplete Drifting Sky to do this. I have to work with what I have."


    Ming Yue spent much of her days on thekeshore, taking a stance and focusing. With this recement sword, she had to get used to it before practicing.


    But that didn''t take very long.


    "I, Ding Feng, challenge you to a spar!"


    She wasn''t alone.


    Standing before her was a man around her age, an Earth Realm warrior who wielded a giant de in his hands. It was massive,rge enough to cut a horse in half.


    And surrounding them all were others, various disciples from a number of sects. there were even a few soldiers mixed in. All of them were watching, all of them were waiting for their turn to fight her.


    As the two locked eyes, Ding Feng made the first move!


    "Raagh!"


    He charged forward and leaped up, bringing his de down on top of her. Lightning gathered around it, crackling away as the giant sword came down.


    "World Splitter Strike!"


    She stepped forward, holding her sword with one hand and deflecting the attack. As the sword hit the ground, her body vanished from sight, leaving nothing but a shadow.


    Ding Feng grunted, pulling his heavy sword up just as Ming Yue made her attack, reappearing behind him. Blocking it with the t of her de, he pushed back before spinning. The man swung out to try and catch her only to hit thin air.


    "What? Where did she go?!"


    Before he even noticed, her sword was already resting on his neck as she stood at his side. Ding Feng gulped once before letting go of his sword.


    "It is my defeat."


    Pulling the de away, she cupped her fists and lowered her head.


    "Thank you for the sparring", she said.


    He smiled helplessly before doing the same.


    "Thank you for showing me my weaknesses."


    He then returned to the mass of onlookers while another took his ce. This time, a girl who seemed younger than her. She was both shorter and thinner, carrying a pair of iron fans in her hands. She was dainty like a flower, dressed in pink robes and certainly grabbing the attention of many.


    She gave a bright smile towards Ming Yue before bowing.


    "My name is Lu Ling, I hope to learn some pointers."


    Thetter did the same before readying herself, wielding her de with both hands.


    "Please."


    With just a single word from her, the duel began and Lu Ling made the first move.


    And then it ended in the span of ten moves, with Ming Yue parrying both fans and pointing her sword straight at her opponent''s neck.


    This was how it ended for everyone, defeated in some manner or form before finding a sword to their neck. Sometimes it was through pure swordy, speed, power, but it always ended in their defeat.


    "As expected of the Fairy of the Moon..."


    "To think, she would be so strong!"


    "Be it her skills or her strength, she is a master!"


    "This is someone from Heaven''s Gate? A disciple of three elders?!"


    All they could do was watch andment, revealing both shock and respect for her. Most of them were around her age, some even at her cultivation level, and yet, they all lost to her.


    "Is this true talent and genius?"


    That was the thought everyone had on their minds but their hearts said differently. They could only make excuses but they knew that Ming Yue put in the work and the effort.


    "She does not waste a single moment. If she is not out hunting then she is here training. What diligence."


    After a dozen more duels, she stared at her sword, checking for any cracks. Holding it with both hands, her grip loosened and tightened as she readjusted.


    "It doesn''t feel too bad and it looks like it can withstand my energy. So then, let''s test it out", she thought.


    "Please give me a moment."


    She looked at everyone before walking closer to the edge of thekeshore.


    Facing theke, she took her stance, pointing her sword downwards and gathering her strength. All the various different powers began to flow, merging together into a single entity.


    Everyone watched and murmured to each other, seeing the energy slowly grow and grow.


    Then it began to flow into the sword, causing it to hum and tremble.

 Chapter 435 - An Old Friend

    Steadying herself, Ming Yue''s breathing slowed as she made a casual strike. It was a simple attack, a downward sh.


    It was neither fast nor slow but all of the power that gathered in that sword revealed itself.


    As the de came down, iridescent energy came out as it formed the shape of the moon. Everyone saw it, the visage of a waning crescent as it flew up into the sky, illuminating all that was around it. It split apart the clouds before vanishing into the sky. But it didn''t dissipate, ir just continued to fly up.


    "That''s... impossible..."


    "Can you even avoid it?!"


    "You can''t counter it at all."


    "How does that technique even work?"


    Everyone''s eyes widened in shock and awe at the attack. It was one thing to be able to endure such an attack and another to be able to produce something of that caliber.


    "Wait, that''s the attack she used against the Idol of Chaos! The shape of a crescent moon!" one of them pointed out.


    "It is! The one all those other soldiers talked about!"


    "The one in the rumors right?!"


    "I can''t believe I witnessed the attack the Fairy of the Moon used against the Idol of Chaos!"


    Despite their voices, Ming Yue was too busy rethinking the attack. Her face showed neither happiness nor frustration, just pondering.


    "It''s not quite there yet. I need to control it better, it should be smoother. I''m still missing something."


    Ming Yue began to think of what went wrong before taking a breath and looking at the sword.


    "It''s not perfect but it''s getting better."


    That much she knew.


    She turned around to see everyone watching her keenly before stepping back.


    "I''m sorry, I wasn''t quite used to this sword yet. Please, who is the next person?"


    The murmuring continued with no one else daring toe forward, not after what they just saw. Even if it was just a simple spar with no danger, they didn''t do it. Having seen a portion of her strength, they all lost the desire to fight, ovee by a sense of defeat. They can only stand there and wait for another person toe forward.


    "I''ll have a go at it!"


    Finally, someone stepped forward, a figure who Ming Yue was surprised to see.


    "Xuan Yin."


    Standing before her was indeed her old friend from back then, the granddaughter of the Dancing Archer. After several years, Xuan Yin changed quite a bit. Her clothes were a tight-fitting dark green tunic and pants, coupled with boots. Her right arm was covered in te mail, even her hand was protected by a gauntlet. It wasn''t thick or heavy but seemed quite flexible instead.


    The scar on her lip had lightened considerably but there was a new one running across her cheek. Her hair was still tied into a bun, held together by a simple hairpin. She had a proud expression on her face but was still light-hearted.


    What truly shined was her bow, it was no longer a longbow but instead, a recurve one.* It was still ck but had bands of silver at the top and bottom while the drawstring was pure white. There was a quiver on her back and finally, a pet, a falcon twice as big as Xiao Yin.


    Its feathers were pitch ck while its beady eyes stared intently at Ming Yue.


    "After several years, you''ve grown a lot! I used to be taller than you!"


    Xuan Yin chuckled before talking as Ming Yue returned with a small smile.


    "Yes, it has", she replied.


    "When my grandfather told me to join this war, I thought why not? Then I heard rumors about a young woman and thought it could be you. What a surprise!"


    "I see."


    Ming Yue''s eyes fell upon her bow, finding it much differentpared to before.


    "Your bow, it''s different", she pointed out.


    Xuan Yin looked down before holding it up for her to see.


    "Yeah, I went back to the Forgelord about a year ago with my grandfather. His gift to me."


    "And is he doing well?"


    She nodded.


    "He''s still in the Stone Forest, enjoying his retirement."


    "That''s good to hear."


    There was a small silence after their exchange as the archer began to fiddle with her bow.


    "Now then, should we get this rematch started?" she questioned.


    Ming Yue stood there quietly before holding her sword with both hands and pointing it towards the ground. Taking her stance, she nodded.


    "Please."


    Xuan Yin smiled before looking at the others.


    "It would do you all some good if you stepped back", she warned while waving her bow.


    "Oh yes."


    "We should."


    "Here you go."


    Everyone did as she asked, walking back several paces and widening this little arena.


    "Good, let''s start then."


    She reached for her quiver and took out an arrow, cing it on her bow. Power seemed to well up within her as she pulled back the drawstring.


    "One exchange first", she said.


    They both looked at each other, waiting for the right moment.


    After another second, Xuan Yin let go drawstring, firing the arrow straight at Ming Yue. It flew quick, aimed at the point between her eyes. But she stood still to meet the arrow, thrusting forward. As the two points touched, her sword carved through the arrow, cutting it in half.


    She looked forward only to find two more arrows flying towards her. But Xuan Yin was no longer there.


    "Where?"


    Ming Yue ran past the arrows before turning to search for her.


    "Hah! You''re one of the few people to ever meet that first arrow! You may have improved greatly but so have I!"


    As she scanned for Xuan Yin, three more arrows flew to which she cut down in an instant. Her eyes then caught her, prancing around like a deer, arrows continued to fly from a number of different angles and directions.


    But the young cultivator wasn''t going to be beaten in a game of chase.


    Ming Yue moved swiftly, following Xuan Yin while dealing with her arrows. Neither of them used techniques, it was pure and utter skill from the both of them!


    It wasn''t long before a hundred moves were exchanged and still there seemed to be no change in the duel. It was a standstill at this point.


    But both of them had plenty of other tricks.


    "Can you still catch up because I can still go even faster!" Xuan Yin tried to spurn Ming Yue on while moving even faster.


    Even the rate at which her arrows came seemed to quicken. Ming Yue smiled but said nothing else, matching her in speed.


    It hade to a point where those that were watching found it somewhat difficult to follow them.


    "How can they be so quick?"


    "And their movement, one is like a dancer, the other is like a phantom!"


    At this point, Xuan Yin''s face turned serious as she loaded on four arrows, shooting them in quick session without warning.


    Ming Yue lowered her body before lunging forward,nding on the first arrow. At that moment, she propelled herself forward, pushing off of the arrow had flying straight towards her opponent. Her sword shed as she attacked Xuan Yin, looking to end the duel.


    "You''ve got to be kidding me?"


    The archer had a helpless smile on her face as she raised her bow up, along with her hands.


    "I lost!"


    As soon as she uttered those words, Ming Yue stopped in her tracks with her sword just moments away from Xuan Yin''s neck.


    She pulled it back and straightened up while giving her a strange look.


    "Why did you surrender? You could have avoided that", she asked.


    Xuan Yinughed at her, putting away her bow and walking up to ce her hand on Ming Yue''s shoulder.


    "After what you just did? I''d rather not. I don''t know what''s happened in the past few years but you''ve be even more monstrous."


    "I have?"

 Chapter 436 - Catching Up With Each Other

    "Of course, you have! No, you know what, It''s getting dark. Let''s have a meal over this, we have a lot to talk about, you and I!"


    Xuan Yin immediately walked off while Ming Yue looked at everyone else and bowed.


    "I apologize to all of you that were waiting. we can continue this tomorrow."


    Afterward, she followed her friend, trailed behind by their pets, a falcon, an owl, and a fox. The others watched the pair go before whispering amongst each other again. Soon enough, news of Ming Yue and her friend spread out across the camp.


    Some were curious about Xuan Yin while others were simply in awe of the details of their spar.


    Meanwhile, the pair went to the canteen where dinner was being served. It was a block-like building with wooden stools and tables. There were windows with views of theke making for a pretty sight.


    And for tonight, dinner was a tray with rice, stir-fried vegetables, thinly sliced marinated beef. Along with it was a bowl of soup, cooked with tofu and small bits of chicken. A simple meal but delicious nheless. It was certainly an improvementpared to rice gruel, especially now that the cooking facilities were built.


    As soon as they set their trays down, Xuan Yin began to talk, taking a bite every now and then.


    "You''re barely twenty and you''ve outmatched all of these people! How are you not a monster?!" she questioned.


    Ming Yue could only reveal a dumb look at her friend.


    "I know I''m strong but I''m no genius. If the situation were different, I could''ve lost a few times."


    She spoke so innocently, adding to the exasperation of her friend.


    "Agh, that humbleness of yours. You''re not just winning against them, you''re pretty much overpowering them. You''ve been winning all of the spars in less than a hundred moves, maybe less than ten! I don''t know how you''ve grown so strong so quickly, but face it, you''re a monster!"


    While they ate and talked, the three beasts all had their meals while watching, small bowls of cooked meat and greens.


    "I mean, I was able to enter Heaven''s Gate and a lot has happened."


    "Heaven''s Ga- wait, what? When? How?" she asked.


    Ming Yue quickly exined while omitting a few things. The pair spoke and shared untilte into the night. While she had grown stronger so had her friend.


    "Hmph, you might have been to Heaven''s Gate and the Dark Water Kingdom but I''ve been to the Four Swords Region and three of the Six Great Kingdoms! I made quite a name for myself especially during the chaos in the past year or two!" she boasted proudly.


    Ming Yue listened before perking up over the mention of the havoc caused by Dai Mian.


    "Have you been to Red Lotus Country yet?" she asked.


    Xuan Yin nodded.


    "Of course, that''s where my grandfather retired. The moment the Heavens came down with lightning and thunder, we both hid for safety before going out to help with the rescue."


    Before continuing, her face turned serious as she spoke with a darker tone.


    "It was bad, one of the worst things I''ve ever witnessed. The destruction and the death... there was so much. Along with my grandfather, the both of us did as much as we could, moving from one city to the next. Fortunately, the emperor was quick, sending down orders for the Demon Brigades as well as the Jade Dragon Pavilion. If not, the losses would have been much worse. Not to mention..."


    She leaned in, lowering her voice.


    "While their initial losses weren''t bad, the Redmist Sanctuary chose this time to attack."


    "Really?"


    Ming Yue was surprised but ultimately understood, this was the perfect time for crime to run rampant.


    "Yeah, even though we killed one of the lords, they found a recement so they''re back to being the four lords. I managed to bump into the Bandit Lord but I couldn''t catch him. Still, the others managed to run rampant for a bit before the Demon Brigades contained them. But with the Lifeless Lord, they couldn''t finish them off", Xuan Yin exined.


    "Then, about the current state... how is everything?" Ming Yue asked.


    Her friend sighed before answering.


    "For now, it is calm but who knows what could be stirring up. Still, with all this chaos, a lot of talent revealed themselves. From the experts of the Eternal de Sect to the various other groups, all sorts of people in our generation have made their name known. That includes Liqiu."


    "Liqiu? From Maple Root City? Is she doing well?"


    "Amazingly well, despite the mess that happened, she recovered and now leads the Zhao n. I managed to speak with her for a bit while there and she was asking about you as well. And well, there wasn''t a lot of news about you until now!"


    "Really? That''s good to hear."


    She thought back to their time in that very city, foiling a plot hatched by Ling Xue and the Elder. Although their time there was short, it pained her to have witnessed what had happened to Zhao Liqiu.


    "You know", she revealed, "Those two demons, I met them here."


    Xuan Yin''s eyes widened as she put her chopsticks down.


    "Seriously? Did you kill them? What happened?"


    "No, I didn''t. They had no desire to fight me anymore. After all, their goal from the very beginning was to get back home and they did it. You know the Yao n right? They''re from that n and they''re allies with us. I might not have any grudges with them but I cannot say the same for you or Liqiu."


    "The Yao n, you say? Weren''t they attacked by the enemy? Had to take refuge in the North Fort but they managed toe out unscathed because of their Princess."


    "Their princess was that demon who posed as the Yong n''s benefactor, Miss Ling."


    "What?! Who would''ve thought such a thing would be true..."


    Xuan Yin rubbed her chin while thinking but ultimately ended up with a smile.


    "Ah, there''s no need to think about it anymore. We''re in the south! Here to defend this point while the new fortress is being made. And well..."


    She looked at Ming Yue, scanning her body up and down.


    "I can''t help but ask now but... did something happen to your equipment or did you actually be a soldier?"


    Her face had a rather dubious expression as she continued to stare at the standard issued soldiers'' armor.


    "Oh, they''re currently getting worked on. I won''t have them back for another few weeks."


    "Ah I see, I see. Now there''s been a lot of rumors and I''m going to have to ask you about it all."


    From there, Xuan Yin kept on talking and talking to Ming Yue. Rather than finish up at the peak of night, their talk continued until the next day.


    This was something she hadn''t done in a long time, talking with a friend. She couldn''t help but keep a happy mood while conversing with Xuan Yin.


    By the end of it all, they retired to their rooms freshening up for a new day. For now, all was quiet but things were stirring.


    Up in the north, in the mountains that the Yao n used to live in, the Idol of Chaos floated in the center. Surrounded by those of the Mu n and Kong Zhi''s men, it stared into the sky, causing the clouds to churn with just its presence.


    "The Heretic is not here. There is no point in lingering any longer, we will return to the n."


    It spoke out, a collective of hundreds of voices of the Hundun n, echoing throughout everyone''s ears.


    None of them dared to look up, sweat formed on their foreheads.


    "What of.... what of the south?" one of them asked.


    "The south? If she is in the south, then we shall be there."


    The clouds began to light up and thunder as this being of ck lightning rose up into the skies, vanishing from their sights.


    How long would it take before reaching her? How long did she have to prepare?

 Chapter 437 - Hunting Outside

    In time, the camp was beginning to take shape. With things like the kitchen and the smithy fully built, only the fortress itself needed to be done. Fortunately, the foundations had been set and the designs were finalized. Over a hundred craftsmen andborers ran about, bringing supplies and building the structure one stone at a time.


    Ming Yue had watched from above, noting the differences between this and the other castles she had seen.


    "It''s not like the Iron Citadel, there''s only one wall. But unlike the North Fort, there isn''t as much farnd. Still, it seems to be even more heavily armed than both of thembined", she thought.


    Although Yin Bing''s barrier was still active, there was a second and a third, created by the Jadewood Sect. That surrounded the entirety of the camp itself.


    The fortress had a mess of things from formations to armaments, all of which were personally overseen by Zi Jing. There were cannons, ballistae, small catapults, all of which were of a design Ming Yue had never seen before.


    They were all made from jet-ck iron, sleek and simple but sure to carry power.


    There were dozens of gs, etchings on the ground, even strange-looking stones that he nted himself.


    "If there is even one thing that is not in ce, I will have you join the soldiers in their next training session! Just one thing, and you can forget about your rest day!" he shouted out sternly.


    Everyone had sweating down their foreheads. With themander breathing down their necks, none of them had a chance to rx.


    Ming Yue continued to watch some more before a shadow rose up behind her.


    "Hey, it''s time to go hunt, the others are waiting."


    Walking up next to her, Xuan Yin hade to get her friend for their task. She had her bow in hand and a quiver filled to the brim with arrows. Her falcon rested on her shoulder, looking at Ming Yue curiously.


    The young woman looked at her before standing up. She had already donned her armor and grabbed her sword. Along with Xiao Yin and Hei Yue, the group all headed towards the gate of the camp where a group of other cultivators was.


    Among them were disciples of various sects as well as a few lone cultivators. This included those who have sparred against her and those like Jian Yi and her juniors.


    However, all of them straightened up and looked at Ming Yue with their undivided attention. She stood in front of them and gave them all a look.


    "We''re going hunting outside. Please be careful and do not go alone."


    Having never led anything before, she gave these few words before moving on. Many of them looked quite taken aback, half-expecting something more than that. However, that was all she gave them.


    With that, this group of twenty or so people walked outside. For many of them, it would be their first time and these marshes were not an easy ce to navigate.


    From the swamps, the constant bugs, the treacherous ground, in the first hour or so there were several close calls.


    Ming Yue led them deeper into thesends, finding them livelierpared to before. Every now and then, something would roar or hiss.


    "They must have all fled from the Vore Demons", she thought, "Now that they''re gone, those beasts are back."


    She looked back and nced at Xuan Yin, who had her bow ready.


    "Where''s Liao Mao?" she asked.


    The archer pointed up at the sky where both Xiao Yin and Liao Mao, her falcon, flew about, scouting thend from above.


    "I see. I never did ask about how you got that falcon", said Ming Yue.


    Xuan Yin chuckled before showing a proud expression.


    "When I was traveling around the continent, I found him with an injured wing. He was about to get killed by some Blood Vultures. I saved him, fixed his wing, and nursed him until he could fly again. I had let him go free after he was fully healed but hended back on my shoulder. After that, he became my hunting partner."


    ''Really?"


    "Yep, you should''ve seen him before. He was a lot more scrawny and ferocious, he was the one that gave me this scar."


    Pulling back her right sleeve, she showed three scars on the top of her forearm. They were somewhat light but certainly noticeable.


    "He didn''t seem to want my help but I couldn''t leave him alone. Not to mention, he''s still a child."


    "A child? Seems like an adult falcon to me", said Ming Yue.


    Xuan Yin shook her head and chuckled.


    "You don''t know but Liao Mao is a Nightwing Falcon, a rank 5! He might still be a child but in a few more years, he''ll growrge enough to carry me on his back! When thates, I''d probably be undefeatable with him."


    The pair looked at each other as Xuan Yin hinted at another duel.


    Just as Ming Yue was about to reply, they heard a screeching from both of them. They flew down returning from the area ahead of them.


    "Prepare your weapons."


    Ming Yue told the others before taking out her sword. The Boltwind ws appeared on her left hand as well, silently spinning and crackling. Everyone followed, wielding their weapons and carefully watching their surroundings.


    They crept closer and closer, moving towards what the two birds had signaled for.


    As they peeked through the tall grass and the dead trees, they finally saw what was in front of them. It was a group of beasts, monkeys, in fact, drinking the waters quietly.


    There were over a dozen of them, each one was the size of a child.


    Their fur was ck and short while their skin was pure white. Half of them drank water while the other half stood guard, their golden eyes scanned the area carefully, covering theirrades.


    "Monkeys?" Ming Yue looked at them, unsure of how to approach this.


    Fortunately, someone had recognized this race of beasts.


    "They''re Golden-Eyed Apes! On their own, they aren''t dangerous but as a group, you have to be wary. I saw them in the Bestiary! They''re extremely nimble but they have to rely on tools to attack. Their fur is very useful though, good for armor!"


    Ming Yue nced at them before looking at Xuan Yin who readied four arrows at once. She pulled them back and aimed carefully.


    "I take these four and you take those two?" she asked.


    The young cultivator nodded and aimed her hand at the other two guarding apes. If they killed all of them at once, those still drinking water would be left defenseless. Just as they were about to go, the waters bubbled up before a pair of ws shot out, grabbing the off-guard apes.


    Following those ws, a crab emerged, scuttling up to the ground.


    There was shrieking in the air as apes tried their best to free themselves but the crab''s vice was irond. They had no hope and no time for the ws tightened, snapping and splitting the poor beasts in half. Blood sprayed everywhere before the crab moved to feed on their broken bodies.


    The apes lucky enough to not get caught all turned tail and ran, abandoning their own kin. Compared to them, this predator was a dozen timesrger and much more powerful.


    "What is that?"


    Ming Yue and the others stared in shock, watching this crab eat up the dead apes. Its ws moved quickly, pushing the food into its tiny mouth as red bubbles formed from the mix of blood and drool. It was a gruesome sight to see.


    With its attention away, she moved forward, quietly forming a sting Gale above her.


    "Whatever this is, we''ll be bringing it back."


    As she spoke, the sting Gale flew off, mming into the crab''s shell.

 Chapter 438 - The Everglade Crab

    The beast was suddenly knocked back several steps before steadying itself. Its mouth seethed with bubbles as it spun about looking for who had attacked during its mealtime. Before it could even spot something, a bombardment of sting Gales fell upon it, pushing the crab back again.


    But despite all of that, its shell showed no sign of cracking.


    "Tough! It''s even tougher than the Stoneguise Lizards! What kind of monstrous crab is this?"


    Ming Yue looked at it with a bit of apprehension. There wasn''t even a single crack, not even a fracture on its blue shell.


    The crab''s mouth continued to bubble and pop as it swung out one of its ws, snapping at the air.


    "I''ll keep its attention, the rest of you break down its legs!"


    She immediately flew forward after shouting instructions, continuing her barrage of attacks.


    The others looked to each other, unsure of how to proceed with her instructions. Xuan Yin quickly realized this and lead everyone out.


    "We aim for the leg in the back, focus on the joints! Keep your distance if you can and attack as much as possible!"


    After speaking, she ran forward, shooting several arrows into the cracks between its shells.


    "Liao Mao!"


    Calling for her falcon, Xuan Yin leaped up and began to fly as the Nightwing Falcon flew towards her.


    "Watch the area, make sure nothinges close."


    After speaking, she headed towards Ming Yue, who continued firing at the crab.


    "Hey, be careful with that thing!" she shouted, "It''s an Everde Crab!"


    "What? You know what it is?" she asked.


    Xuan Yin nodded.


    "Before I came, I read through the documents over all of the creatures discovered on this continent. The Everde Crab is one of them!"


    As she spoke, the archer fired off arrows, shooting into its mouth. The Everde Crab fumed as it spun and thrust its ws forth, looking to grab one of them.


    "Watch out!"


    The pair quickly descended, avoiding the attack before retaliating


    "It''s a Rank 6! It''s easy to avoid its strikes but the shell is near impossible to break. You have to go for the joints! Maybe even through the mouth or the back", Xuan Yin exined.


    The young cultivator looked at her before starting back at the Everde Crab.


    It had six long legs and a spiked shell which was a cloudy gray color. There were two ws, one that was long and sharp, the other was thicker and fatter.* Apart from its massive size, bubbles continued to flow from its tiny mouth. The only sounds it made were the popping and gurgling of them.


    "In that case, can you keep it busy from me?" she asked.


    Xuan Yin nodded to Ming Yue before drawing her bow once more.


    "I do remember reading that its flesh is sweet!" she shouted out.


    Although she drew her bow, there was no arrow on it but Xuan Yin was utterly focused.


    "The Four Sins: Hatred."


    A ck aura emerged from her body from which it began to coalesce into four ck arrows.


    With the first, she shot it with ease, sending it flying towards one of its legs. As it made contact, the arrow burst into ck mes that bit at its shell, melting it ever so slightly.


    "Lust..."


    The next was much quicker, aimed towards the heart of the beast only to disperse as itnded.


    By this shot, the Everde Crab was beyond enraged, finally spotting Xuan Yin with its beady ck eyes. It moved only to limp forward as one of its hind legs had snapped in half.


    "It''s done!"


    The various cultivators all backed off having done their job.


    Meanwhile, Ming Yue was on the ground, preparing another sting Gale.


    This time, she poured as much power into it, condensing the attack at the same time. It spun furiously, causing the air around her to grow restless.


    "Sadness..."


    With Xuan Yin''s third arrow, it was slower butrger, heading towards one of its eyes. The Everde Crab raised one of its ws to block the shot only for it to change directions, avoiding the w and piercing its left eye.


    By the fourth arrow, both of them were ready to unleash their attack.


    Their aura continued to rise and rise before neither could no longer hold it.


    "Back away now!"


    Having noticed this, the others ran away to avoid the st.


    "Corruption."


    "sting Gale."


    Releasing at the same time, Xuan Yin''s arrow flew forward before shattering into pieces as it hit the crab between the eyes. They stuck to the shell, spreading like a disease as it began to corrode the outside, turning it to dust.


    But it could not break past the shell and into the flesh.


    "Tch, not enough."


    Xuan Yin clicked her tongue before drawing her bow again.


    But not before the sting Gale flew forward and spiraling into the Everde Crab''s leg. It hit right where the leg was connected to the main body, going straight for the root. An explosive wind burst out, causing the surroundings to bend and break under its force. The grass flew about as trees cracked and the waters rippled into waves.


    Following it was a crack and a boom as the entire leg was severed, crashing to the ground. There were cracks on its underbelly as the Everde Crab stepped back in pain. But it retaliated soon enough, bringing down its ws. mming them onto the ground causing thend to shake and tremble.


    "Get back! Hold onto each other!"


    The twenty or so men and women all stayed together, trying their best to keep steady.


    But the beast wasn''t done, the fuming bubbles from its mouth spewed out, floating into the air. There were hundreds of them, all of which were the size of a grown man''s head.


    "Quick, protect each other! Avoid the bubbles!"


    As they floated down, everyone took on defensive stances shielding themselves with their weapons. Those like Ding Feng held their des in front of them, protecting themselves and those behind them.


    Then there was Jian Yi and several of her juniors, she gave them all a look before running forward.


    "Jadetree Sanctuary!"


    Including her, there were four of them, raising their arms up together. Roots emerged from the ground, twisting with one another into a dome shielding all of them. It grew and grew before forming a tree. As it rose up, bubbles would inevitably hit it and when they popped, they exploded with a thundering bang. It trembled with each pop, causing the wood to splinter and crack.


    "Senior Sister, this won''t hold on for long! We have to do something!"


    They all looked to her for guidance but not even she had a n. This was a Rank 6 monster, something capable of destroyingrge cities and even small countries. Everyone here was of the Earth Realm and higher but it wasn''t quite enough.


    Both Ming Yue and Xuan Yin watched theirrades battered down by these bubbles. Then they looked at each other.


    "I''ll deal with the ws, you deal with the mouth", said Ming Yue.


    The archer nodded before shooting off more Corruption arrows. Ming Yue flew down to the ground and created another sting Gale, bringing it up to the same level as thest. She tried her utmost to do so, keeping her bnce under the cracking dirt and stone.


    "The right one first."


    Eyeing the thick w, she sent it flying straight into the ce between the w and its arm. Landing with a bang, the shockwave caused all of the bubbles in the air to burst while knocking the crab away.


    But the w was still intact, albeit, itid limp to side.


    With two legs gone and one of its ws broken, the Everde Crab was crippled but it was far from finished.

 Chapter 439 - A Delicious Dinner

    With its other w, it scuttled towards the Jadetree Sanctuary, sweeping the ground and knocking it down.


    "Scatter!"


    Everyone that was under its protection ran in different directions trying to avoid the crab''s gaze. However, Jian Yi and her juniors all dropped to their knees as they coughed up blood. For their defensive formation to be broken like this, the bacsh was enormous.


    It had already suffered from those bubbles but thatst attack knocked the tree down. The roots and vines fell to the ground, turning to dust.


    "Retreat! Go for its blind spot!"


    With its left eye shot out by Xuan Yin, it was much easier for them to do so. Unfortunately, some weren''t quick enough.


    The beast scoured the area before spotting some stragglers. It moved towards them while sweeping its w at them.


    "Damn!"


    Xuan Yin noticed quickly and began shooting at the crab, trying to grab its attention. But these tiny arrows did little to it.


    As the w came, these targets braced themselves for the attack, half expecting to just be ttened. However, Ming Yue suddenly appeared between them and the w, unsheathing her sword. There were only seconds to react before the w came but she was calm, facing it head-on.


    "Pale Moon."


    Her power erupted into a ghostly blue aura that flowed into the de. Wielding it with both hands, she swung up, catching the w andunching it into the air. Just like that, she deflected the attack, going against a wrge enough to crush her several times over.


    "Time to cut that thing off."


    Ming Yue flew up, making her way to the w. Swinging several times, multiple wind shes flew out from her sword, biting into the crevices of its shell and cutting through.


    Flying behind her was Xuan Yin who drew her bow as far as possible, the ck aura around her formed into another arrow. The difference being that this one was muchrger than the past arrows. In fact, it might beparable to a bolt from a ballista.


    "Carp Dragon Dance."


    She released the attack, sending the arrow flying.


    It grew and grew before transforming into a giant fish with a dragon''s head!


    This creature roared out before flying down until it was below the Everde Crab. Then it soared, driving up at the crab''s mouth. It tore through it, destroying the beast''s face, and even lifted it into the air. Its legs swung about wildly as it tried to stay on the ground.


    "Flip it over!" the archer shouted.


    Ming Yue quickly sent out Wind Lances, trying to force it on its back. But the Everde Crab was heavy, nearing the weight of a mountain.


    "They''re trying to flip it! Quick, everyone, send out your strongest attack! We have to get it on its back!"


    Jian Yi realized what the pair was nning and called for the others to help. Grouping together, all of them gathered their strength before releasing a torrent of attacks.


    "Storm Breaking Thrust!"


    "Prismatic Petal Dance!"


    "Heavenly Thunder Smash!"


    "Pear Blossom..."


    Releasing their most powerful techniques, they soared up, joining the Wind Lances and the Carp Dragon Dance in an attempt to tip the crab over.


    The beast was nearly turned upside down. Facing up towards the sky, its legs whipped about, trying to regain bnce. It struggled wildly before spewing out more bubbles.


    "We''re so close! If we get it on its back, it will be defenseless!" one of them shouted.


    "One more! Carp Dragon Dance!"


    Xuan Yin pulled back the drawstring, forming another ck arrow. Her arm trembled as she held it back. She waited for the first arrow to vanish before releasing the next one.


    And another came to take its ce, roaring out as it mmed into the crab. With that, the beast could no longer hold on. It tipped over falling on its back with its legs in the air. The ground quaked as it fell, struggling to turn back around.


    It was defenseless and the underbelly of this beast was open for attack.


    "Chance!"


    Ming Yue immediately followed up, flying back down. She gathered her energy, merging them together and fueling it into the de. A white sheen revealed itself on the edge before she swung, releasing an iridescent moon. It flew down, growing in size as the attack cleaved the crab in half.


    Murky water and ck innards fell from the beast as it quivered and died.


    What came was an eruption of cheers from everyone.


    "We did it! We killed it! A Rank 6! We actually killed a Rank 6!"


    They all rejoiced at their victory for this was something they had never done before. It was a new aplishment for them all, no matter what their contribution was, they helped.


    Ming Yue and Xuan Yinnded on the ground and joined them before turning back to the Everde Crab.


    "How should we transport this?" Xuan Yin asked.


    Ming Yue looked at it.


    "My spatial ring isn''t enough to move all of it, maybe a leg and a w but not the whole body", she replied.


    "We could cut it into smaller pieces and have everyone ced a part into theirs."


    Xuan Yin suggested, saying it aloud for everyone to hear. But then, one of them stepped forward, a rather round man wearing a uniform of gold and azure. There was a shy look on his face. In fact, he seemed timid despite his weapon being a voulge*, one with a very fearsome de.


    While every one of them had some expensive items, his seemed to be the most extravagant with most of them being for protection.


    "H-hello, I am Yuan Bao of the Golden Treasure Merchant Association from... the Golden Treasure Kingdom. I have a spatial ring that can fit this entire beast. Would it- would it be possible for me to transport it?" he asked.


    Upon introducing himself, everyone else was surprised at his presence.


    "A merchant? Why would he decide to join this?"


    "Rather... why would he evene here?"


    It was very strange to see, for a merchant to be with them in this hunt.


    Yuan Bao looked around, wiping the sweat off of his forehead, He brought on a friendly smile or at least, the friendliest one he could muster.


    "In that case, we''ll take you up on that offer, right?"


    Xuan Yin looked at Ming Yue who nodded. The merchant looked at them, it was as if a weight was lifted from his body. More than likely, he wanted to make connections with everyone and this was his first step in.


    He walked up and moved the entire crab into one of his many spatial rings.


    Ming Yue watched him before looking at everyone else. They were all somewhat ragged and in no shape to explore further. Not to mention, if they were to encounter another beast like that. The fight would be much worse.


    "Let''s go back. We''ve done enough."


    She spoke quickly before walking off, taking everyone back to the camp. The reveal of a dead Rank 6 beast made for celebrations as well as looks of approval and envy. Considering it was a crab, Everyone worked together to break it down, saving the shell for materials while cooking the flesh.


    Apart from steaming it, there was even a soup and tes of marinated crab meat. Everyone had arge helping of it all and there was still plenty tost them a week.


    Having grabbed a tray, Ming Yue took a bowl of soup and rice topped with the various dishes of crab meat. She looked around the canteen before leaving, finding a seat by thekeshore. With Hei Yue and Xiao Yin wanting to hunt on their own, she was alone tonight.


    She looked at theke, watching the rippling waters before ncing behind her. Standing there was Xuan Yin, with her own tray and Liao Mao on her shoulder.


    "What are you doing all by yourself?" she asked.

 Chapter 440 - Going Alone

    "There was no free seat in the canteen, so I decided to stay out here and eat."


    Ming Yue replied as her friend sat beside her.


    "Is that so?" Xuan Yin questioned.


    "...It was also a bit too loud for me."


    The archer chuckled at her answer before diving into her food, gobbling it up. Meanwhile, Ming Yue ate it bit by bit, savoring the sweetness of the crab meat. Despite everything being crab, the cooks managed to bring out new vors from the meat. From the sweet to the salty, she didn''t seem to be tired of the taste.


    After eating some more, Xuan Yin suddenly spoke.


    "News just came about the north, the Idol of Chaos is no longer there. Either that thinges for the forest or ites south. From what I hear, those at the North Fort along with the Yao n are going to mount an attack", she said.


    There was a bit of silence before Xuan Yin asked her something.


    "Are you going to join them?"


    Ming Yue took another bite before shaking her head.


    "It would take too long to get there. Not to mention, I have already decided to stay here", she answered.


    "I see... Then, do you n on fighting that thing?"


    This time, she didn''t have an answer. More than likely, the Idol of Chaos would not lower its guard likest time. Not to mention, none of her personal equipment was finished yet, particrly Drifting Sky.


    Only a few months had passed and not a word came from the World Serpent, not even a ripple in theke.


    Xuan Yin took that silence as the answer and went back to eating, finishing up much faster than Ming Yue. She then looked at her before standing back up.


    "If you''re going to go, don''t try to do it alone, not like this time", she said.


    Thetter looked at her and nodded before facing theke again. There was a lot on her mind, especially with the killing of the Everde Crab.


    After all, Ming Yue only shouted a single order before charging in. Despite that, it was just her telling them what she would do, not what they had to do. In the end, Xuan Yin gave out clearer instructions to the others, directing them to where they needed to be.


    "It''d be easier for me to go alone", Ming Yue said, "Leading a group... I''m not used to it, it would be better if you were to lead."


    She had spent much of her time going alone, acting on her own. With the looming threat of the Hundun n, this would be no different.


    Xuan Yin stopped in her tracks and turned to look at her.


    "Just because you''ve never led before doesn''t mean you can''t depend on others."


    After saying onest thing, she left.


    Ming Yue stayed quiet, she just continued to ponder about the fight. Yet, she couldn''t help but think about what her friend said. She was never much of a leader, not one to take charge.


    It wasn''t her way.


    Staying hidden and quiet was what she excelled at, working with others was something she did little of. Even if she was part of a group, she often acted alone.


    After thinking some more, she looked at the sword, finding small cracks everywhere.


    "Hm, I might have to ask Commander Zi Jing to repair this", she muttered.


    Hearing footstepsing, she turned around to see a soldier carrying a small bag in his hands.


    "Themander told me to hand this over, along with a message from him."


    Giving the bag to her, he then took out the folded letter and handed it to her.


    "Thank you", she responded and bowed to him.


    He cupped his fists and bowed before leaving.


    Looking at the bag, she felt a bit of power emanating from her equipment. There was a rare look of surpriseing from her in fact.


    "It hasn''t been more than a month and he''s finished. He did promise it but..."


    She took a quick peek before retreating back to her room and donning them.


    "It feels quite nice, actually."


    At first nce, there wasn''t too much of a difference but there were definite improvements. It was especially noticeable when her Changing Clouds Armor transformed into its second form. The waist armor as well as the gauntlet and vambrace on her right arm were slightly different. It seemed to glimmer under the moonlight as power coursed through her body. It was both a refreshing and invigorating sensation, one much stronger than before.


    "This... what did he do to it exactly?" She wondered.


    Ming Yue then turned her attention to the Pearlstone Dagger and the Dusk Lily Pin, both of which carried a simr glow. But for the Dusk Lily Pin, it was very different in design, showcasing a bouquet of white lilies encircled by a crescent moon. She held it in her hands, looking at it with soft eyes. This was after all one of the first things she obtained in her journey and it had saved her several times. It was difficult for her to part with the hairpin.


    Taking off the other hairpin, she put on this one, tying her hair in its usual fashion.


    Finally, she looked at the letter.


    "I wonder what he wrote to me?"


    Opening it, Ming Yue began to read its contents.


    "Young one, I''m writing to you instead of telling you because I am exhausted from forging. By the time you read this, I''ll be in bed and asleep, don''t think about seeing me anytime soon. Considering I practically didn''t sleep while doing this, you owe me several nights of it."


    She chuckled while reading this, finding his unrestrained tone amusing.


    "Onto the important things, I''vepleted it and improved all of your equipment. It was certainly a pain but it was done and you''d be hardpressed to find someone who can better them even more.


    Your armor and dagger should be at the Middle Divine Rank, maybe even Peak Divine. I practically used a whole cart of metals, especially Deepwater Steel and Prismatic Diamond Dust. But with that, your armor can now heal more than a few cuts and bruises. That dagger can cut through stone like nothing, even if you throw the de, it will leave holes in practically anything. I nearly dropped it on my foot and it ended up piercing the floor. You would have owed me that too.


    And now that hairpin, it''s at the Lower Divine Rank and the protective effect has also been changed. That needed quite a lot of time but it was fun to study so we both got something out of it. Rather than protect you three times from an Earth Realm attack, all you need is to pour your energy into the pin and a barrier will form. The more you give, the stronger it will be. I haven''tpletely tested it but it can protect at least an attack from a Sky Realm Expert.


    Now, it might sound good but it''s not perfect. The barrier takes a lot of energy and it may take longer to form if you choose to give it more power.


    Alright, I can''t write anymore, I''m going to rest my eyes, my hands, my entire body. When you get back your sword, you better tell me."


    Ming Yue turned the letter around to see if there was anything else but there wasn''t. Folding it back up, she ced it into her spatial ring and looked down at herself, admiring the work Zi Jing did.


    "It''s quite beautiful", she thought.


    Looking out of the window, Ming Yue saw that it was still the peak of the night and thought of something.


    "I wonder if those two are still hunting."

 Chapter 441 - Chancing Upon A Meeting

    Thinking about Hei Yue and Xiao Yin, she quietly left her room and entered the marsnds alone. Having transformed her armor, she was practically a blur, running through it all without stopping for even a moment.


    "This is... so much faster!" she thought, "It''s burning so much of my energy but I''m nearly twice as fast as before. I might even go further than that."


    ncing at the Eternal Heart Ring, it pulsated with even more zeal, trying its best to recover the spent energy. At this point, it could still keep up but barely. As amazing of an item it was, there was only so much it could do.


    "Hm, I need to be more careful with this", she thought.


    After a few more seconds, her armor returned to its original form and she quietlynded on the ground. Ming Yue looked around before whistling out, gazing at the swamps.


    A pair of shadows appeared before her, stopping at her feet. Their bodies were covered in dirt and blood, evidently not their own.


    "You two, what did you guys kill to get this dirty?"


    She looked at them with a raised brow. While she had expected Hei Yue to be dirty, she didn''t think Xiao Yin would be the same. In fact, the owl seemed to be even dirtier than the fox.


    In excitement, they ran off, leading her further into the marshes until they reached a small clearing. Thereid the body of a very dead bird, one that Ming Yue recognized from her past ventures into this area.


    "A ckwater Heron? Both of you killed it?" she asked.


    The two beasts looked at her proudly.


    "That''s Rank 4 and the both of you were around Rank 2... So, what rank are you two now?"


    Despite asking this aloud, neither beast could answer her and she didn''t have the knowledge to evaluate them.


    "Hah, when we get back to Heaven''s Gate, we''re going to go to the Beast Hall and have the elder evaluate you both", she told them.


    Ming Yue then looked over at the heron and walked forward. It was quite big, nothingpared to the Everde Crab but still about as big as her. The most dangerous part was its beak, quick enough to stab a hole through armor and flesh.


    "Well what do you two want to do with it?" she asked.


    Looking at each other, Hei Yue grabbed the ckwater Heron by its wing with his mouth, dragging it in front of her.


    "Do you want to have it forter then?"


    Xiao Yin hooted as if to say yes, evidently, it seemed as if they were going to bring it back to her regardless.


    Having it by her feet, she took it and ced it into her spatial ring, taking note of the injuries.


    "A pretty clean kill... Must''ve been all of the high-ranking beast meat they''ve been eating."


    Certainly, they were much strong than they seemed.


    She then knelt down and looked at them both.


    "Let''s go hunt together, unless you''re feeling tired?"


    However, both beasts seemed excited to hunt with Ming Yue. Considering it was the night, it would certainly be even more exciting. With a rather happy skip to their run, the trio delved deeper into the marsnds. In fact, they went past where the Vore Demons were, finding themselves within an endless in of ck grass.


    Stopping at the borders where the twonds met, Ming Yue looked around before looking behind her.


    "Took a lot less timeing here but is this it?" she wondered, "Should I go further?"


    It hadn''t been more than a few hours and it would be some time before the sun rose.


    "It would be an issue if they find me gone but I haven''t found anything worth fighting."


    Giving it some thought, Ming Yue made up her mind before walking forward.


    "Come on you two, if those demons were in the swamps, there are certainly more around here."


    They followed after her dutifully, staying by her side while they explored these grassy ins.


    It was different from what she had expected or perhaps, apletely unfamiliar environment. The ck grass only grew up to her knees. The ground beneath her feet was dried dirt, crumbly like sand and gravel, walking made for an ufortable experience.


    But they pushed forward, keeping their eyes open. Surely, there would be something around here.


    And suddenly, they all stopped, looking around them.


    "Someone is here."


    Ming Yue dropped down, melding in with the grass as several shadows appeared. There were six of them in total, all wearing simr uniforms. On top of that, they were easily recognizable in these violet robes.


    "Tao Feng!"


    Her eyes widened as she saw them all, meeting together to speak.


    "They''re the remaining two groups!" she remembered


    One had gone to a temple while the other had gone to the Cerulean Serpent''s Lake. And now, they were all right in front of her. Was this her chance to finish off the job?


    "No, I can''t kill them all, maybe three or four but the other two... Even fighting them alone would be difficult."


    While she didn''t know what rank these disciples were, it wasn''t difficult to find which of them was the most dangerous. Their aura was withdrawn but the other five disciples looked at them with both respect and fear.


    "Senior Brother, we''ve done as you''ve asked. What do you want to do next?" one of them asked.


    There was a pause before this man spoke. His face was obscured by a hood and mask covering his face. The only thing that could be seen were his eyes.


    "The one that had been hunting us seemed to have stopped. It was fortunate that we were able to go into hiding before any more of us were killed. They must have stopped when they saw what had happened to Sect Leader Dai. However, our leader has more than one n and now that he has obtained a new body, we can work to wake his mind."


    His voice was quiet was loud enough for her to hear.


    And when she heard such words, Ming Yue''s eyes widened in surprise.


    "So they haven''t given up?! No, so there''s a chance for Dai Mian to return then and as the Idol of Chaos. If he were to awaken then... that would be for the worst."


    Not only would he have a much stronger body but he would be much more dangerous than before.


    "How do you n that, Senior Brother? We do not even know where he is. As a matter of fact, how will we even be able to make contact with him? You''ve seen what he''s like at the North Fort and the Boundless Beast Forest. Could his mind still be there?" another disciple asked.


    The manughed out loud at such a question.


    "And you call yourself one of his disciples?! Don''t question his methods and machinations! He let himself be found by them the Hundun n. He knew full well what would happen and allowed it because he believes in us! Should we not give him that same respect?"


    Following his words, no one else dared to question anything more. They only stood there, waiting for instructions from him.


    Seeing as they were all obedient, he continued to speak.


    "He attacked the North Fort and is most likely going to attack the south where that new base is being made. We will make ns and set up around that area. Once he makes his appearance, we will awaken him."


    They all nodded, understanding and epting this n without any hesitation. For their sect leader, they were willing to do anything.


    "I see now", one of them said, "Then what shall we do about the rat that''s been listening to us?"

 Chapter 442 - The Mist King

    Ming Yue immediately tensed up and watched them carefully, gripping her dagger tightly. Both Hei Yue and Xiao Yin did the same, readying themselves for a confrontation. But the one who spoke did not look in her direction. Rather, they looked elsewhere.


    "I know you''re hiding, you cannot escape my senses."


    Without even a warning, this disciple, a young girl threw out a line of seven daggers into the grass. Before it hit, a shadow flew out, revealing themselves to the Tao Feng disciples.


    "To think I would be found. You, humans, are quite strong."


    Dressed in ck clothing were a group of demons, all of which were of the same bloodline. They were all tall andnky, with tattoos covering their face. Their skin was smooth and light gray, resembling that of ash.


    Unlike that of the Yao n, it was not tribalistic and simple but intricate instead. What was painted on their faces were patterns upon patterns, melding together into arger scene. But most of it was obscured by their clothing, which could only end with a question.


    How much of their body was covered?


    Among them was the one that spoke, their leader, looking at the Tao Feng with curious eyes.


    "Since you''ve found us, I suppose I can only ask you a question. What are you doing here and why should I let you go?"


    Despite his carefree voice, his words wereced with confidence.


    The six remaining disciples of Dai Mian all reached for their weapons before the demon stopped them.


    "You could try to fight but we do have you surrounded. You may be able to fend off against these ten but I doubt you can be sure when there are more of us lying in the wake", he warned.


    The disciple from before scoffed.


    "I''ve long noticed them. Did you think we are afraid of you?"


    But they were stopped with a hand as the masked disciple stepped forward. Showing nothing but his red, gem-like eyes, he looked at these demons coldly.


    "And who are you? To have been watching us?" he asked.


    "Oh, I didn''t think you''d ask for our name. Well then again, I doubt it matters", the demon chuckled before bowing.


    "I am Chen Shu and these are all my brothers and sisters. We are the Hui n, subjects to Lord Kong Zhi. And since we''ve gone this far, I am also known as the Mist King, one of the newly appointed", he introduced.


    "You are?"


    Chen Shu looked at this man, although he seemed rx, his eyes showed a sense of readiness. It was obvious that this hooded figure was not to be underestimated.


    The masked man then took off his hood, revealing hair that ran down below his shoulders. And the moonlight had fell upon him as such an angle that his red eyes twinkled.


    "I am the first disciple of the Tao Feng, Ling Hun. Everyone else here are my juniors and I''m sure anything else does not need to be exined. We are not here to have any conflicts with you or your lord. We just want our Sect Leader back", he answered honestly.


    However, Chen Shu did not seem convinced.


    "Your sect leader? And you believe it to be the Idol of Chaos from the Hundun n... Interesting."


    The demon walked forward before circling Ling Hun.


    "Why do I not believe you? In fact, why do I think that this is just some ploy of the humans to trick us?" he asked.


    "Just as you have your ns, we have our own groups. Everyone has a different agenda from the other, is that not the same for you and your lord?"


    Ling Hun looked at him, his red eyes continued to follow.


    Chen Shu stopped and looked back, taken aback by the answer before breaking out inughter.


    "Interesting, how interesting! Indeed, everyone has their own goals and ns, that includes me and my lord. In his search for power, he sought to restructure his forces, make them stronger. To do that, he needed subordinates, talented and obedient. And I am both, so I became his underling as did many others. But unlike them who sought the title or the power, I searched for something else. What do you think it was?"


    The demon walked back in front of Ling Hun and met his eyes.


    "Rather than the title or power, I sought amusement, something I find within this group of humans before me."


    "I see, and what do you n to do?"


    Staring at each other, there was a brief moment of silence then Chen Shu stepped back.


    "Well, I''ve told you all of this. What do you think? There are only two paths, aren''t there?"


    "Allies or enemies... and what do you choose?"


    At this moment, all of the disciples except for Ling Hun slowly reached for their weapons.


    The demon smiled, it was cheerful and vicious.


    "You mean... prey."


    As soon as he spoke those words, all of the Tao Feng charged forward to strike at him. But the moment, their weaponsnded on his body, he turned into a haze, spreading around. Soon enough, a thick fog enveloped the area, including Ming Yue and her beasts, who watched from a safe distance.


    "I am the Mist King, surely you would have expected this?"


    Chen Shu''s voice echoed in these ins, where there was nothing but ck grass.


    "Stay together! Don''t go off on your own!"


    The six disciples formed a circle, looking into the dense fog. With their weapons out, they watched carefully, searching for a trace of the enemy.


    But just as they could not see out, Ming Yue could not see it. She didn''t know what was happening within the fog. At best, she could only sense their presence.


    "I can''te closer without risking both sides noticing me. I should back away and prepare."


    Seeing a situation like this, there was only one thing she could do.


    Take advantage.


    Slipping away, she sneaked out of the edges of the fog before ncing back. The shing of weapons and explosive energies caused the fog to swirl furiously. She could hear it, the shing of two powers.


    She continued to watch from afar, waiting to see if the fog would settle. As far as she knew, it was a fierce fight. Even with the fog containing these six disciples, it could not keep the shockwaves and powerful winds from escaping. The ground trembled and the grass swayed violently as Ming Yue and her two beasts moved further away.


    "Would I even need to make a move against them?" She thought, "These Hui n Demons might just kill them all."


    After all, the Mist King himself was like the Red Empress, both at the level of a Sky Realm Expert.


    "By the looks of it, this fog is their bloodline power. But if that were true, then those six disciples were more than strong if they had to force the demons to use it immediately."


    Studying the battle, Ming Yue tried to learn as much about them as possible. Unfortunately, the battle did notst as long as she had thought.


    "Something''s happening!" she noticed.


    The fog suddenly turned to a reddish ck before multiple figures quickly ran out, stumbling to the ground and clutching their throats.


    "Poison?! To think that one of you was so adept at it."


    Chen Shu spoke while coughing out blood, there were a pair of daggers in his hands as was the same for the rest of his n. But they were all in a poor state.


    "You demons, you think that you''re stronger than us?! Impudent."


    Among the disciples was an old woman carrying amp that billowed poisonous smoke. She revealed a toothy grin at the demons before waving hermp about.


    "Come on then! Prey, are we?" she taunted.

 Chapter 443 - The Soul Dao

    Despite this sudden shift, the demons did not falter in the slightest.


    "You think poison is enough to deal with us, old hag? Think again."


    Chen Shu spat back before a gray mist seeped out of his body. Everyone else followed, vanishing once more into the blurredndscape.


    "More fog? Is that the only thing you can do?!" one of the disciples shouted.


    But their provocation was met with silence as the gray mist encircled them,ing closer and closer.


    "No, this is different from before."


    Ling Hun quickly realized that something was amiss but it was toote. They had all breathed it in and the mist then dispersed, revealing Chen Shu alone.


    "Kill him! Those demons think they''re above us!"


    The old woman ran forward, swinging hermp around like a mace before striking him in the head. He fell to the ground instantly, bleeding red on the ck grass. The metallic scent of blood drifted into her nose, it was a familiar scent, one that made her eyes narrow in confusion.


    "Wha-"


    Before she could even rx, ten daggers pierced her back as Chen Shu''s body turned to mist, revealing another body.


    "Junior Brother..."


    Before her, was another disciple, whose head was dented in and bled on the ground. His eyes were still open but the expression on his face was one of confusion.


    "It''s an... illusion."


    Although she realized it, it was far toote as the daggers were pulled out of her body. But none of her ownrades noticed, they had all inhaled the mist and they were all lost in the illusion. They could not hear nor see what had transpired.


    That is except for Ling Hun, the first disciple, the strongest of them all.


    "You dare trap us in an illusion?! You do not have the power to do seed against me!" he shouted before bursting out with power.


    Ethereal white light emerged from his being, shaking the ground and pushing all of the demons back. It came like a wave, epassing everything and dispelling the illusions.


    He looked at the dead disciples with a look of pity.


    "Even after all these years, to think my junior sister would still be so hot-headed. And now, you are dead, having killed one of our own. And for you all, I had hoped that you would retreat. But now that you''ve killed two of us, then you must die."


    His show of might had brought out all of the demons, blue blood came out of their mouths as they looked at him with wariness.


    Among them was Chen Shu, who stood back up, spitting the blood onto the grass.


    "I knew that you''d be a monster but to think you could even break the Hui n''s Fogged Illusion. It seems that we have to kill you first."


    Ling Hun looked at him, his red eyes glimmered and glowed.


    "No, you must all die now."


    Two red beams of light shot out, piercing one of the demons through the chest. Then it twisted around, going through four others before stopping. Then it vanished and the five who had been shot all stood still like stone.


    They were not injured, there was no blood or bruising on their body, not even a sign that they had been attacked. Perhaps what was more mortifying was that none of them were breathing. And then, they fell to the ground, lifeless. The light in their eyes was gone.


    Chen Shu looked at their bodies in surprise before ring at Ling Hun.


    "What did you do to them?"


    The disciple looked at him coldly.


    "Are you in any position to ask me, demon?"


    He said nothing more and attacked again. His eyes glowed as two beams of red light shot out, chasing after the demons. It twisted and turned like lightning, following the closest victim.


    "Scatter! Leave him to me!"


    Shouting out hismands, everyone spread apart before turning into mist. Chen Shu charged forward with his daggers, attacking the unarmed Ling Hun.


    "You can''t stop me!"


    The disciple shouted as his power pulsated, bursting out like a wave. Going through it, the Mist King felt a biting pain within him, as if his very soul was injured. That was when he understood.


    "So you attack the soul directly!"


    Although he was slowed, the demon pushed forward, thrusting his daggers into his enemy. Ling Hun scoffed at the attempt, grabbing his hands only to be pushed back by the demon.


    Meanwhile, the other demons had gone after the disciples. There were over twenty of the Hui n against three, separating them from their senior brother.


    And another fierce fight broke out, quickly leading to a stalemate.


    "Kill the humans! Leave none of them alive!"


    Wherever the disciples looked, there was a dagger waiting to strike their back. One by one they fell, stabbed in over dozen ces and bleeding to death. In the end, it was just Ling Hun, thest remaining disciple but the strongest of them all.


    He was surrounded now, Chen Shu looked at him and mocked the man.


    "You are thest one left. How do you think we are going to kill you?" he asked, " Is there anything else you want to say."


    They all watched him, waiting with their daggers at hand. In their eyes, he was all ut finished. But his reaction was different from what they had expected.


    "Dead? All of them. In that case, I can do as I wish!"


    His eyes then shined as the mask fell from his face, revealing a mouth that was diedpletely ck. Not even a moment passed before he screamed out, allowing all of his power to show. And then the bodies of his juniors began to glow, fueled by his power. Even the demons killed by him rose up from the ground.


    Ling Hun looked at Chen Shu with a grin.


    "Of course, you were correct. I do in fact attack the soul. After all, I am a master of the Soul Dao and all of these corpses are mine! Ahahahaha!"


    Cackling evilly, every demon there couldn''t help but take a step back in fear.


    This... something like this was immoral. To use the bodies of the dead, it crossed the lines of basic decency, basic humanity.


    But Ling Hun found no problem in doing so.


    "Now go! Kill them all!"


    With a singlemand, those under his control sprinted forward. Meanwhile, his eyes continued to shoot out beams of crimson light, piercing those who were not quick enough.


    "No! Aghhh!"


    Men and women screamed as the beams prated their chest, extinguishing their soul and recing it with his own power.


    As their numbers dwindled, Chen Shu looked around, watching his own n members die. Cornered with no way out of this, he had only one choice.


    "You bastard! I''ll kill you!"


    The Mist King charged forward, leaving trails of ash as he darted forward. Ling Hun watched him with a smug grin before shooting out another beam of light from his eyes. Brandishing his daggers, they began to glow as heshed out, deflecting the attack.


    "I''ve got you now!"


    Leaping forward, Chen Shu charged his daggers towards Ling Hun''s chest only to be stopped by a barrier, made by the disciple''s energy.


    "Ahahaha! Did you really think I would be defenseless? Are you so naive?" he asked.


    His hand moved forward, piercing the demon in the chest, grasping his heart. Just like that blood seeped through his chest and his mouth, Chen Shu could feel his life fading away but he still had a smile on his face.


    "I''m not going to let you defile our bodies."


    As he spoke thesest few words, his body along with the body of his n members all began to disintegrate into ash. It took only a few seconds before his body and theirs were gone. It left only Ling Hun and his dead juniors.


    There was a sour look on his face before he looking off in another direction.


    "It seems that the other rat had escaped. Considering the direction, they must be human.. Whether or not they report this, I will get to the Idol of Chaos."

 Chapter 444 - Rushing Back To The Camp

    Without another word, he relinquished control of his juniors and they all fell to the ground lifelessly. Putting on his mask and hood, he walked away, heading towards the marsnds.


    And Ming Yue was long gone.


    She had left the moment the Mist King was caught by Ling Hun, to fight him then was simply suicide. The young woman fully understood her own capabilities and knew that she could not beat him. Killing him would be even more difficult.


    "I should go back, report this to the othermanders. To think, he would try to awaken the Tao Feng''s sect leader from the Idol of Chaos''s body. But with his power, it is possible", she thought.


    Even more disturbing was the way he fought and the things she heard him say.


    "The Soul Dao? Does this mean he has control over people''s souls? That would exin what he had done but still... to think such a thing was possible. And that would mean, he is extremely dangerous. He has to be in the Sky Realm, but at what level?"


    Activating her armor, she sped up, zooming through the marshes with Xiao Yin and Hei Yue trailing behind. By the time, the sun had fully risen, they had reached the camp.


    The two beasts quickly found a ce to rest as their bodies were exhausted from trying to keep up with Ming Yue''s newfound speed.


    "I have to see themanders."


    She spoke with a stern tone to the soldiers guarding the tent. All of them were taken aback by this sudden change but let her pass through.


    Walking inside, Zi Jing and Yu Zhen were both discussing strategies over the war table before turning to see who hade.


    "Oh, Ming Yue, how do you like the equipment?" asked Zi Jing.


    There was a proud smile on his face before he noticed the grave look on hers.


    "Is something wrong? You were gonest night... Did you discover something?"


    Ming Yue looked at the both of them before telling all that she had witnessed. As she continued to retell the events, their faces turned more and more solemn. And by the end, they were looking back at the war table.


    "It seems that I will need to hasten the progress on our defenses. The fortress can wait, we have to deal with this first."


    Zi Jing grabbed his things before exiting the tent, leaving Yu Zhen with Ming Yue.


    The pair locked eyes before themander breathed out a tired sigh.


    "It seems that it is just one thing after another, isn''t it?"


    She spoke as she looked away, looking at the war table.


    "Do you know how long it''d take for your sword to be done? Have you spoken with the Cerulean Serpent?"


    Ming Yue walked forward, shaking her head as she went to the war table.


    "It hasn''t even been half a year and I haven''t seen the serpent ever since it took my sword."


    Yu Zhen sighed before sitting down, massaging the bridge of her nose.


    "It is just one thing after another. I had hoped that we would have a least some peace but that was naive. The moment we crossed theke, things were going to get chaotic again. And now, we''re in a very delicate situation."


    "Is there anything we can do?"


    Themander shook her head.


    "We will have to endure, build up our defenses and our supplies. Although we have full control over theke now, we don''t nearly have enough manpower to solidify our control. We do have the barrier created by the Cerulean Serpent which could deter the Idol. Unfortunately, if that disciplees nad seeds in awakening his leader, the situation would be much worse."


    "I see."


    "As for you, Ming Yue, I''d suggest stating here. In fact, I''ll have to send out amand, no one should enter the marsnds, not when there is someone as dangerous as him. If anything, we''ll focus more on mining theke and scouting the north."


    Ming Yue nodded.


    "I understand", she replied, "If you"ll excuse me then."


    As she turned to leave, Yu Zhen stopped her.


    "I heard that you were ufortable with leading a hunting group. I knew that you usually worked alone but I had thought that you would have enjoyed the experience. Even more so as it was with others of the martial world. I should apologize for any difort I may have caused."


    Her tone was soft and extremely polite, something that Ming Yue found a bit unsettling.


    "No, there''s no need to act like this. I understand why you had me do this and I understand that not everything can be done on my own. Now then, I''ll be going. If anything is needed of me, please ask."


    She then turned and left, heading back to her room before seeing a shadow behind her.


    "Hmph, you disappear after eating dinner for the whole night? I was looking for you! There was desert! They had a bunch of fruit tarts and I saved one for you!"


    Standing with her arms crossed was a rather angry Xuan Yin with a frown on her face.


    "Oh, sorry. I just got some of my equipment back and I wanted to try it out."


    Ming Yue apologized to her, saying it in a monotonous manner. Her friend looked at her, huffing and puffing before taking a fruit tart out of her spatial ring.


    "You''re lucky I saved one for you but I''m not letting you out of my sight!"


    She stared at Ming Yue intensely while handing the tart to her.


    The young woman received it with both hands before taking a look and then a bite. It was pretty looking fruit tart with sliced berries over a sweet and creamy custard. The taste was refreshing, sweet fruitiness mixed with a sweetness reminiscent of honey.


    As she took small bites of her tart, she saw Xuan Yin looking at her.


    "Is there something wrong?" she asked.


    Xuan Yin threw her arm around her shoulders walking her through the camp while learning in.


    "You just came from themander''s tent!" she whispered excitedly, "What happened when you went out?"


    Ming Yue looked around them.


    "Do you know the Tao Feng?"


    Xuan Yin nodded quickly.


    "Of course, in the midst of the destruction, they broke up. All of the techniques and items that they took were returned to their rightful owners and the sects they took over were freed. There are still a few groups here and there but for the most part, they''re finished! Why did you want to know about that?"


    Her face seemed to get closer and closer as the curiosity continued to build up.


    And then, Ming Yue revealed all that she knew of them.


    From her participation in the raid for the Tao Feng''s Sect Leader to her mission to hunt down his personal fifteen disciples. From there, she revealed what had happenedst night as well as what would be happening soon.


    By the end of it, the pair had reached Ming Yue''s quarters with Xuan Yin''s jaw opened wide.


    "Wha- what happened when we separated? My god, I thought I had some amazing stories to tell. But you! You were at the center of the fight?! You fought the one responsible for bringing down the Heaven''s wrath? And now that person is the Idol of Chaos? That their disciple is trying to awaken?!!"


    Ming Yue watched her friend freak out, clutching her head, pacing around as she tried to process all of this news.


    Then she looked up and noticed the skies growing darker and darker. Soon enough it began to sh with lightning, once, twice, and many more times.


    A feeling of dread began to rise up as she continued to watch the skies.


    Finally, the first thunderbolt came down.

 Chapter 445 - Devastation Of The North And South

    Standing tall in the North Fort was Du Xiu, closely watching the mountains that the Yao n once lived in. Now it was controlled by the Mu, defended through various illusions and traps. Beside him was Ling Xue as well as the various captains and elders from the Yao n and the other armies. There were over a hundred thousand troops. Everyone was dressed in armor with their weapons sheathed, waiting for his orders.


    After looking some more, he turned to the others, shouting at them in a calm manner.


    "The scouts say that the Mu n has takenplete control of the mountains! At the same time, they are being aided by Kong Zhi''s men! Although he has not made his appearance in the past few months, he will most likely finish what the Idol of Chaos has started!"


    Everyone stood and listened to him closely, their hand resting on their weapons.


    "The Yao n are our allies! And they have been cast out of their home! How should we respond?!" he called out.


    "Fight back! Drive them off!"


    Every soldier screamed out together, their hands tightened in their weapons. Du Xiu nodded as he raised his weapon up high.


    "We have been called to fight! And so, it shall begin!"


    As he spoke these final words, something fell from the skies, thrown down from the mountains. In a thundering bang, itnded in the middle of an open field, on that stood between the mountains and the North Fort. The skies churned as a figurended next to it, the silhouette of three arms could be seen reaching out the warhammer thatnded by him. When the dust settled, who would be standing there but Kong Zhi, staring at Du Xiu.


    "Commander Du Xiu! I am back and I am here for your head!"


    The demon pointed his weapon at him with an arrogant smile before mming his warhammer down to the ground, causing it to tremble and shatter.


    "I promise you it will not be a repeat of ourst battle!" he shouted.


    Du Xiu looked at him, his eyes narrowed as he studies the Vajra Demon.


    "What did he do?" he wondered.


    But there was not enough time for him to think of it now.


    Following Kong Zhi was his army, in fact, it was his entire army. Standing behind him was Shi Hou, the Roaring King. Apanying the Roaring King were several others, the recements of his "kings", a total of three men and two women. All of them were dressed in wildly different uniforms, from thick armor to thin cloth, a shining ck to a mash of colors.


    And behind each of them were their own regiments, thousands upon thousands of demons. Just like their leaders, some were dressed in full armor while others were practically naked. But they all had their weapons out, gripped tightly within their hands.


    With them was what remained of the monsters they captured from the forest. There were only a few, chained and muzzled, scarred in countless ces. As they all made their appearance, Du Xiu called for a messenger, who ran up to him.


    "Send a message to the others, get the defenses ready and have the gates closed shut", he muttered quietly.


    The messenger nodded and quickly left.


    Kong Zhi saw them leave and grinned at Du Xiu.


    "Are you afraid?", he taunted, "Calling for reinforcements,mander?"


    His bloodline had long since been activated as his six arms glowed white as red symbols emerged from his body.


    "You let me escapest time and you shall regret not killing me then! CHAARRGGEEE!"


    He raised his war hammer up high, signaling to his entire army. In a momentous roar, they all ran forward, passing their leader with their weapons in the air.


    Du Xiu watched them while taking off his halberd axe. Pointing it at the ground, his grip loosened, letting the tip strike the stone floor.


    "Prepare yourselves."


    He muttered quietly to those beside him, all of them unsheathed their weapons, returning a powerful stare at the iing demons. The North Fort creaked and cranked as ballista, cannons, and other machines revealed themselves, emerging from the walls and the floors. Inside the fort, every archer stood together, drawing their bows and aiming over the gate walls.


    With his other hand, he raised it up high for them to see. And themander waited for Kong Zhi''s army toe closer. Du Xiu''s eyes continued to follow the oing wave before suddenly locking eyes with Kong Zhi, himself.


    "Fire!"


    His hand was brought down and a thick cloud of arrows flew over the fort walls, blotting out the gray skies. Cannon shots and the bolts of the ballista crashed into the ground with an explosive burst, shattering the ground, thus beginning a defense against invasion.


    The south was the same except, the unfinished fortress was not defending against an army but a singr being, perhaps, one closest to the Heavens.


    As the clouds moved in that familiar churn, ck and white lightning struck down, hitting the barrier with a resounding ring. At the sound of it, everyone stopped what they were doing and looked up. They waited and watched before another bolt came.


    Zi Jing stood in the middle of the camp, the closest witness, and then he screamed.


    "ATTACK! ENEMY ATTACK! GET TO YOUR STATIONS AND PREPARE YOURSELVES!"


    His voice simply echoed across the entire camp as every person there dropped what they were doing, rushing to grab their weapons and armor.


    With each passing bolt of lightning, the attacks grew stronger and stronger, striking the Yin Bing''s barrier like a like hammer on a nail. Finally, the Idol of Chaos had made its appearance. Ming Yue looked up in shock, watching this figure descend before floating above the camp.


    The Idol of Chaos only resembled a silhouette of a man.


    Compared to before, what remained of Dai Mian''s puppet body were his ruby-red eyes. Every other part of his body had been reduced to dust and reced by lightning. It was practically a being of pure energy, one with barely a form.


    But with those two eyes, it looked at the camp.


    "Foolish humans! To dare harbor the Heretic that injured the Idol of Chaos! Repent and return to the empty void!"


    It pointed down at the camp, summoning forth hundreds of lightning bolts that came crashing down at the camp.


    Worse than that, it was the same attack as when it first appeared, thick bolts of lightning that coursed through the air like rivers. There was seemingly no end to it as everything but the camp had turned to ash.


    It was fortunate that the World Serpent''s Barrier was still working but who knows how long it wouldst. This was Primordial Lightning that was attacking.


    "Activate the other defenses! Finish up thest of the barriers and set up more! You! All of you from the Jadetree Sect, go and maintain your barrier!"


    ZI Jing sprinted around, barking orders at everyone around him. He removed as quickly as he could, marking the ground with special paint and cing gs down.


    Those from the Jadetree Sect quickly moved to activate their formation, creating a green and transparent barrier right underneath the Ying Bing''s barrier. One by one, seven more barriers were erected, leading to a total of seven barriers.


    Meanwhile, the soldiers as well as the cultivators, all took up arms as they went into formation, ready to attack. Both Ming Yue, Xuan Yin, and their beasts moved towards the gate, staring at the Idol of Chaos.


    "Is that thing going to stand there? I could probably skewer it with over a hundred arrows but that isn''t going to work, is it?"


    Xuan Yin raised her bow at the Idol of Chaos, pulling back the drawstring as a ck arrow formed from her energy. It was different from her other techniques, certainly, something she rarely showed.


    "Just stay there."


    The ck arrow began to whistle and howl before she let go.

 Chapter 446 - Hell Courts Archer

    "Hellish Fireshot!"


    As the ck arrow flew up, it left a trail of screams as if flew through the barrier, piercing the Idol of Chaos in the back. It was quick, too quick for this grand being to catch and it was not destroyed by the energy within it. Rather, it stuck out of his body like a beacon.


    It then crackled and sparked, matching the electric fury in his body. But it was not its energy and the arrow began to spread throughout its body. Dozens of arrows formed all over the Idol of Chaos before bursting out into ck mes, burning up its energy.


    "What? What is this sphemy?! Who dares attack the Idol of chaos?!"


    It shouted out in rage, the hundreds of voices of the Hundun n all speaking at the same time. They could not ignore what had happened to its body. The lightning had all stopped as the Idol tried to expel the mes.


    Xuan Yin watched him as did everyone else, who looked at her. All of them had seen her shoot the arrow and all they could think of was one thing.


    "Terrifying!"


    After all, she was a master of the Dao of Archery, capable of using her grandfather''s techniques. However, this powerful archer had created her own techniques and her own path in archery. She might be the granddaughter of the Dancing Archer, known for his grace and nimbleness but Xuan Yin had a different name.


    {The Hell Court''s Archer}


    After what had happened in Maple Root City as well as the Red Mist Sanctuary, she developed a sense for justice, to seek out crime and corruption. This led her to hunting down anything from bandits to killers to even evil officials. No one was above her bow.


    And her techniques were akin to punishments, just like the "Four Sins" technique, where each arrow represented one of the sins. And in ordance, they acted differently.


    The same applied to "Hellish Fireshot", an attack that would replicate the fires of Hell itself, eternal and excruciating.


    "Another one might be enough."


    Xuan Yin pulled back another arrow before Zi Jing stopped her.


    "Wait! Let me finish up the defenses! I''m in a bit of a rush here and nothing better interrupt me!" he shouted.


    The archer looked at him before pointing her bow down. ncing at her one more time, he looked at the Idol of Chaos, who struggled to expel these ck mes from its body.


    How the energy of the Primordial Chaos did not destroy the attack was a mystery.


    Still, this genius had a bit of time.


    He ran about before stopping at the center of the camp, cutting open the palm of his hand with one of his swords. As the blood spilled to the ground, he began chanting and the ground started to tremble.


    One by one, the gs started to glow as the markings he painted did the same.


    With the seven barriers, they all began to ring out together, merging into a single sound. It resembled that of a bell toll, like a warning of some sort. And when that toll finished, all seven barriersbined together into a clear and gold one.


    A new formation had been made and at itspletion, it caused a shockwave so powerful that the ground began to crack and the Hundun n''s champion was knocked back.


    "Hah, hah, hah, It worked, it worked! Ahahahaha!"


    Zi Jing took in several deep breaths before raising both hands up high in joy. Despite his happiness, his knees buckled as he dropped to the ground. His forehead was covered in sweat and any attempt to even move a muscle resulted in nothing.


    "Damn... as I thought, using a formation like this drained me of everything. Still, I did it on the first try... they don''t call me a genius for nothing."


    While themander was not dead, he was in no condition to fight. But this great barrier had been created and surely, nothing could break past it.


    "Paltry attempts are wasted in vain! Return to Chaos! Repent for your heresy!"


    Unfortunately, the fire on the Idol of Chaos''s body had died out as this being gradually rose up again, staring at the golden barrier. It stared down at the camp before raising its hands up high.


    "Suffer the eternal end!"


    The clouds churned even more furiously as ck and white lightning gathered.


    "It''s trying something, quick attack while it''s exposed!"


    All of the captains shouted before sending out an attack of their own. The soldiers followed as well, producing a wave of attacks at the Idol of chaos. And then, there were the cannons, over a hundred of them, firing off a barrage of shots.


    Nearly everyone attacked, except for Ming Yue, she waited and watched for she knew that it was not so simple. And she was right. As the strike shed against the Idol of Chaos''s body, it revealed a barrier of its own, one capable of defending against all of the attacks.


    And despite having nothing but two eyes, it seemed to sneer at them.


    "We are not fools! We will not fall so easily!"


    As it spoke, more and more power began to gather, so much so that the air seemed to tingle. And while it seemed to gloat and jeer, the camp continued the onught of attacks. The power of several thousand soldiers, all of this for one single being.


    "Won''t fall so easily? We''ll see about that! Ming Yue are you going to attack yet?"


    Xuan Yin looked at her as she drew back her bow and formed another ck arrow.


    "We have to get rid of the barrier first! Follow my attack with yours!" said Ming Yue.


    She then took out her Pearlstone Dagger, gathering her power into the de. It began to howl as sparks of iridescent light fluttered from it.


    "More power! I need to condense even more!" she thought.


    Her body surged with strength, as a faint aura began to rise. This was not the product of Pale Moon but her own push to use as much energy as possible.


    The archer watched her, pinching the drawstring as tightly as possible. She waited for Ming Yue to be ready and soon she was.


    "Now!"


    The Pearlstone Daggershed out, released a flying arc of pure power.


    "Guillotine Shot!"


    Not a moment slower, Xuan Yin shot her arrow, a ck dot chasing after this crescent moon. The ck arrow soon morphed into a thin and wide de, resembling that of a real guillotine.


    The Idol of Chaos stopped mocking them as the strike came for it. However, its hands were still raised up, calling for more lightning.


    All it took was an instant for the attack tond and the barrier revealed itself. They shed with each other, creating a shockwave as neither force was going to surrender. But then, Xuan Yin''s arrow came through, pushing the attack even further.


    But then something happened, something unexpected.


    The Idol of Chaos screamed out as multiple voices roared in anger. Its barrier of lightning glowed before bursting out, knocking both techniques and causing them to dissipate.


    "What? How strong is that barrier?!" Xuan Yin eximed in disbelief as she watched it happen.


    Ming Yue was the same, her eyes widened in surprise as the Idol of Chaos continued to gather more lightning.


    "What was wrong?" she wondered, "Certainly, it''s gotten stronger but there''s no way that barrier was able to defend against both of our attacks."


    Everyone''s heart dropped momentarily as the thought of such an attack failing had crossed their minds. But someone''s voice echoed through the camp, clear and strong.


    "Continue the attack! Don''t let it strike down!"


    Walking forward was Commander Yu Zhen, dressed in her full armor and wielding her massive saber. She then charged forward before jumping onto the gate and leaping up, swinging her saber with both hands.


    With one swing, a great wind came before her de, sting the Idol of Chaos and knocking it back.


    "Push forward! Give it no quarter!"

 Chapter 447 - Finally Understanding

    Rallying her troops, everyone''s morale had risen as they shouted and readied themselves for another attack.


    "Come on, let''s try again!" Xuan Yin called out to Ming Yue but her mind was elsewhere.


    On one end, she knew that an attack of such caliber could just end the same way. But on the other hand, could the Idol of Chaos protect itself against another attack?


    She looked at her friend, locking eyes with each other before building up her power. She burned through it quickly, watching as the Idol of Chaos rose up into the air and began throwing lightning bolts down at the camp.


    On their side, cannon shots and various techniques soared through the air, bombarding their enemy.


    When she could barely keep her energy together, Ming Yue attacked, creating an arc of energy evenrger than thest. Xuan Yin followed with another shot but it was different from herst technique.


    "Carp Dragon Dance!"


    The arrow soon transformed into a fish with a dragon''s head, roaring out loud as it rode on Ming Yue''s attack.


    The Idol of Chaos had long noticed the strike and moved its hands forward. It crackled and zapped before a ray of lightning shot out from his hands, taking on thebined technique. They shed for a few moments but just like before, Ming Yue''s attack dispersed before the dragon-headed fish was destroyed.


    And the ray of lightning came down, striking the barrier with a resounding ring.


    "It''s not working... we need to try something else!" Xuan Yin thought quickly.


    Out of all the techniques she knew, which one had the best chance of injuring the Idol of Chaos?


    All the while Ming Yue''s mind reyed that scene several times over in the span of seconds. It was as if she regressed as she could no longer injure it. She knew something was wrong in her attack, there was something missing from it.


    But what?


    Power wasn''t the issue, it couldn''t be. She used even more this time than thest few times, she attacked the Idol of Chaos.


    What was the problem? What was she missing?


    "Think, in order to master "Return to Simplicity", I have to be able to perfectly merge all of the different forces within myself. To send out a casual strike equal to a finishing move. Think, think!"


    Ming Yue wracked her mind over this, a wall that she could not climb over.


    She had the power and the technique down, what was she missing?


    "What about the attack itself?" she thought.


    In her past attempts, she had always drawn out as much power as possible merging them together to release a powerful strike. But that was the wrong way to approach it. The core of this stage is to make a casual strike equate to a finishing move.


    But she had treated it as a finishing move.


    It was shy, powerful, magnificent, but was it simple? Was it something she could bring out casually?


    "That''s it, isn''t it? The execution... I need to refine it."


    Suddenly, she understood what needed to be done. But, how could she do such a thing at a time like this? In the middle of all of this mayhem?


    There were thundering booms and explosions all around the camp as the Idol of Chaos continued to summon more lightning. Everything but the camp had been turned to ash. Even the marshes seemed to smoke as the waters evaporated, leaving behind the dead corpses of animals.


    And out from the shadows of remains was a hooded figure, quietly watching the battle from afar.


    "Nearly there. So long as they do not notice, I can awaken the body, I can reim it from eh Hundun n. It just needs to be weakened."


    Enshrouded by his hood, Ling Hun''s red eyes glimmered for a moment as he quickly made his way towards the battle.


    And at this time, it was a stalemate.


    The camp suffered no casualties through the help of the barrier but they could not injure the Hundun n''s Idol. Neither side had a method of dealing with the other. Even Commander Yu Zhen could only knock the Idol of Chaos back several steps. Injuring it was a much different story.


    Everyone attacked, everyone but Ming Yue, trying to think of a way to improve her technique.


    "A casual strike... it won''t work unless I''m up close. But with that barrier, I''d turn to ash before I could even reach it. That barrier has to be dealt with first."


    She then formed a sting Gale, shooting it right at the Idol of Chaos. But like the others, it was destroyed by the barrier.


    Narrowing her eyes, Ming Yue distanced herself from the others before creating several wind needles. They were both small and thin, almost as thin as a strand of hair but not so fragile.


    "How about this?"


    With the flick of her wrist, she shot them, aiming for the neck but nothing happened. Trying again, even more wind needles were created, a dozen of them this time and they shot off.


    As they flew through the air, some were destroyed by the shockwaves while others were taken care of by the barrier. But then, one of them made it through, nicking the enemy in the neck. Lightning sparked out as the Idol of Chaos clutched the wound.


    "You dare!"


    With its other hand, a massive bolt of lightning shot down from the clouds, mming into the barrier.


    But it was toote, everyone had seen the wound.


    "We''re doing it! Its defenses are weakening! Don''t let that thing recover!"


    Yu Zhen continued to bark out orders as she swung her saber again and again. Wind sted at the Idol of Chaos, battering it around. She had long since left the barrier''s protection, keeping the Idol upied.


    She was extremely quick, evading every attack of her opponent. Each lightning strike missed her by just a few steps.


    "Insignificant heathens! Do not prolong what has been ordained by chaos! Perish and rejoice!"


    The Idol of Chaos had found itself in a dire situation. No matter how powerful it was, it was impossible to endure all of this damage, not when it couldn''t retaliate. But at the very least, it would kill Yu Zhen.


    "Hurry, load the cannons! And... FIRE!"


    When the bombardment seemed toe to a pause, all one hundred cannons shot at once, producing a sound equal to that of a hundred thunderps. One hundred rays of destruction all aimed at the Idol of Chaos.


    This time it tried to dodge, flying to the left.


    "Oh no, you don''t! You''re staying right there!"


    Unfortunately for it, Yu Zhen, the Windy Saber, wasn''t going to let it escape so easily. She flew towards the Idol of Chaos before swinging her de, smacking it right into its body, and throwing it back into the crossfire.


    Before it could even react, all one hundred shotsnded squarely on its body, smashing it to the ground and into one of the swamps. Water and steam erupted as the swamp slowly disappeared, burning up through the Idol''s body.


    "Load the cannons again and wait for my mark!"


    Yu Zhen shouted as she floated in the air, closely watching where the Idol hadnded. Everyone did as she told and soon a hundred cannons began to hum with power.


    "I''m going out to check."


    Ming Yue muttered to Xuan Yin as her armor shifted to its second form and ran off.


    "Wait, what? Hey, wait, I''ming too!"


    The both of them along with their pets all left the camp and headed towards where the Idol of Chaos''s body was. Running through the devastation, their eyes stayed on the steaming swamp before seeing bolts of lightning shooting out.


    With the steam quickly dispersed, they saw the Idol on its knees with another figure standing over it. Their heads were on its head, turning ck from touching it. However, strange energy flowed out of his body as Ming Yue quickly realized who it was.


    "The disciple!"

 Chapter 448 - Against The Strongest Disciple

    Her speed shot to another level as she ran towards Ling Hun, forming several sting Gales over her shoulder. All at once, they flew out, charging straight at him but then his eyes opened. Two beams of red light came out of his eyes, piercing thences and making them burst in mid-flight.


    He then looked at Ming Yue, who approached him at an incredible speed. It would take just seconds for her to reach him.


    "Ah, so you''re the other rat. And to think, you were the one that injured the body."


    Removing his hands from the Idol''s head, Ling Hun jumped back before shooting off another attack from his eyes. At the same time, he took his mask before screaming out and a faint colorless energy seeped from his body, traveling towards the dead bodies of beasts around him.


    "You''ve seen what I can do! This is the perfect battlefield for me!"


    He cackled as the once dead denizens of the marshes slowly, rose back up, reanimated by his energy.


    Without warning, they looked at Ming Yue, baring their fangs and ws as they charged at her. With her dagger and the Zephyr ws, she attacked wildly, cutting and crushing the beasts. Brushing past her were several ck arrows, piercing their heads before bursting into mes.


    Sprinting past her, Xuan Yin readied her bow as she leaped up and aimed at the disciple. In one fluid motion, she shot three arrows at once. each one aimed for a different part of his body.


    But he was quick. destroying two of them with his eyes and grabbing the third with his bare hands.


    "Is that it?"


    Ling Hun smirked at her, unimpressed by the attack. However, the archer was not surprised or shocked in the slightest. In fact, there was a smile on her face.


    "Did you think those were ordinary arrows?" she asked.


    He suddenly realized and looked at the ck arrow in his hands before quickly letting go. The disciple was quick but he was not quick enough for the arrow to burst into ck mes, burning his right hand.


    "Agh", he shouted in pain before, ring at her.


    "If you think that was enough, you are sorely wrong!"


    He began to float up before screaming out. Just like that, even more dead beasts returned to life, ready to do his bidding. Compared to before, there had to be over a hundred of them.


    "Go."


    His words were quiet but these beasts knew what they wanted, surrounding Xuan Yin while he went back to the Idol of Chaos.


    "I''m nearly there!" he thought excitedly, so much so that he even shouted it out.


    But there was one other person there.


    Before his hands could even touch the temple of the head, wind st them apart as the ground was pressed in. From the skies, Yu Zhennded on the ground, stabbing her massive saber into the dirt.


    Separating them from each other, themander looked at him before turning back to see the Idol of Chaos, on its knees. It was perfectly still as if frozen in time. Even more surprising was the silence, the countless voices of the Hundun n could not be heard or rather, unable to speak.


    As Ling Hun was blown back, hended on his knee and steadied himself before looking up.


    His face was full of indignance and annoyance as he stood up.


    "How dare you stop me?! I was just a step away frompleting my glorious purpose!" he shouted.


    Yu Zhen gave him a nce before taking her saber out of the ground and swinging it to the side. Dust blew out from this casual swing while she smirked at him.


    "You must be the one I was told about. One of the disciples of the Tao Feng, tasked with awakening your sect leader", she said, "I can''t let youe any further."


    He looked back at her while standing up, his frown slowly turned into a smile.


    "You are just a tad incorrect. I am not just some disciple of the Tao Feng. I am the first disciple of Sect Leader Dai Mian and I am the strongest. I willplete his n, fulfill my purpose!"


    He charged forward with his hands open wide,


    Themander turned serious as she swung her saber out but not towards him. Rather, she swung at the Idol of Chaos, sending it soaring through the air.


    "What? No!"


    He immediately leaped up, chasing after the body before a figure appeared before him. And then, he felt something m into his face before being thrown down to the floor. And the Idol of Chaos seemed to have disappeared, dropped into one of the swamps.


    Ling Hun got up only to cross his hands as a massive saber came down. His energy gathered, covering his arms and blocking the strike.


    "What?!"


    Yu Zhen couldn''t help but be surprised as he pushed the de off. His hands then moved swiftly to grasp her by the neck but she backed off.


    Her opponent wouldn''t let her go so easily.


    His eyes began to glow as two red beams of energy shot out, curving and twisting as they headed towards her. She sidestepped avoiding the attack before looking behind her, finding that the beams turned back towards hers.


    "It chases you?!"


    Yu Zhen dodged before swinging her saber, thrashing the red rays with a gust of wind. Although she was quick with it, the attack had brought enough time for Ling Hun to escape.


    "He''s going after the Idol."


    She realizes instantly and ran towards the direction of where she threw the Idol away. At the same time, both Xuan Yin and Ming Yue finished thest of the risen beasts before whistling out to their own.


    Xiao Yin, Hei Yue, and Liao Hua came to their heed.


    "Look for the one we saw before."


    "Follow those two, make sure you are all safe."


    As the pair made their instructions, the three beasts moved out, following Yu Zhen into the depths of the ruined marshes.


    "Come on, let''s go!"


    Xuan Yin ran behind with Ming Yue following as the group made their way.


    The devastation that the Idol of Chaos created was both incredible and horrifying. Nearly half of the swamp had been turned to dust with countless of its denizens dead. The air was heavy with the smell of smoke and ash. The grass was all but dust and what remained of any trees were ckened stumps. The swamps were nothing more than shallow pools of water, still steaming from the lightning strikes.


    Moving deeper and deeper, Ming Yue scanned her surroundings just as Xiao Yin suddenly chirped out loud.


    Just a hundred meters before them was Ling Hun, diving into a swamp that had sparks shing over the surface of the water. Unlike the others, this one seemed to be disappearing quickly.


    "There! That''s where the Idol of Chaos is!" she pointed out.


    Her speed suddenly doubled as she shot forward, passing Yu Zhen and everyone else. In those few moments, she summoned forth multiple sting Gales and sent them straight into the swamp.


    The swamp bubbled before erupting with boiling hot water. Two figures jumped out,nding on the other side of theke. However, they both slumped down to their knees.


    As the steam dispersed, she saw that Ling Hun''s body was injured. In fact, his arm was blown off and blood flowed from his shoulder. But there was a smile on his face as he dropped face-first to the ground.


    As for the Idol beside him, lightning crackled every now and then. It was waking.


    Without even thinking, Ming Yue gathered her energy, letting it course into the Pearlstone Dagger. She swung out naturally, not forcing anything. All she wanted to do was to deal with it, finish once and for all.


    As the dagger shined, it created the illusion of a crescent moon, a beautiful arc even more vibrant than herst attempts.


    And then lightning burst out as its hand came to stop it.

 Chapter 449 - Awakening And Rebirth

    Although the Idol of Chaos tried to stop the attack with its hand, Ming Yue''s dagger cleaved through. It cut right between the finger, carving into the hand and through the arm.


    "What?! What just happened?"


    She immediately retreated as half of the Idol''s arm was sliced off. It fell, slowly vanishing as the lightning died out.


    And suddenly, the Idol of Chaos screamed out loud. But it was not the voices of the Hundun n that cried out in pain.


    Rather, it was a single voice, one that was very familiar but not what Ming Yue was expecting.


    "Agh, curse you! To think this body would be injured by you again! But it matters not, it is done! I have taken over!"


    The pain was ignored as a sense of victory and joy overwhelmed it. But for Ming Yue, it was shock.


    "That''s not the Dai Mian''s voice, that''s the disciple!" she realized in an instant.


    Xuan Yin and the others soon arrived with Yu Zhen brandishing her saber.


    "You, weren''t you suppose to revive your sect leader? What did you do?" she asked.


    The Idol of Chaos or rather, Ling Hun, looked at them all. He stood up andughed.


    "Of course, that was the original n", he answered.


    While he spoke, he looked at himself, studying this new body with great interest.


    "The sect leader had trained me in the Soul Dao so that I will be able to awaken his soul should something happen to his body. However, all of the others are dead and his soul has shattered. What do you think I should do? Save my master or take his power? The answer was simple. With this, I''m free of him, him and his cursed experiments", Ling Hun exined.


    "But you were his disciple, no?"


    Heughed before pointing at his former body, which had be a melting mess.


    "I was his first disciple and his greatest achievement. But that was just in name, he used me to study the Soul Dao, forcing me to learn a technique that could revive his soul. But if I were to use it, my body would end up like that."


    Everyone witnesses it, his human body was breaking down. Bone and flesh turned to mush, losing any color that they once had.


    Although he was now faceless, the hatred was easy to tell.


    "Do you think I should''ve been grateful to him? No, being his disciple was torturous, my body was no longer mine, do you understand? All fifteen disciples were just contingencies to keep him alive, all under the guise of stopping another cmity. But no, it was clear that he was a madman and I''ve finally rid the world of him."


    Ling Hun walked forward with his sliced arm limp to the side. His body crackled every now and then and the ck and white lightning had changed. From afar, it looked gray but it was white sparks outlined in ck.


    It was different, much more controlled.


    "And what of the Hundun n? What happened to them? Are they no longer in control of the Idol of Chaos?" themander asked.


    Ling Hun shook his head.


    "I should thank you all for managing to destroy its shield enough for me to touch its soul. I severed the connection between this body and that n. I am the one in control now."


    "And what will you do now?"


    With thisst question, it had turned silent between him and them. The air had grown tense as Yu Zhen, Ming Yue, and Xuan Yin all held tightly to their weapons. The force within their bodies continued to surge, ready to burst out at any moment.


    He then turned back to Yu Zhen, still pointing her saber at him.


    "To answer these questions of yours, I''ll be leaving this cursed ce, I''ve suffered enough. Neither the Hundun nor the Tao Feng, or any of you for that matter will stop me from disappearing."


    "Is that so? And if I do not believe you?"


    She eyed him intensely, her saber at the ready.However, he was no perturbed.


    "In that case, we can fight. It would end in my loss considering the state that I''m in but... at what cost?" he responded.


    "Not to mention, destroy me or not, the Hundun n will most certainlye for you all here. It''d be better for both of us to concede or would you rather have your strength cut down by the time theye? Of course, if you want, I could offer you my aid", he suggested, putting a somewhat friendly air through his distorted voice.


    Yu Zhen was silent, most likely pondering her options.


    What he said did indeed carry some truths. With the Hundun n so obsessive over the Idol of Chaos, they would definitelye down here. And while it was possible to give them a exnation, Yu Zhen knew that they would not listen.


    Would she risk it?


    After another few moments, she pulled her saber back.


    "Ahmander, I knew that you would make the right choice."


    He ced his other hand to his chest and bowed before taking care fo some other business.


    Ling Hun''s eyes scanned them all before finallyying on Ming Yue.


    "You... you must''ve been the one responsible for killing the others. In fact, you were one of the people who sent my former master to his doom", he said, looking at her with interest.


    "Perhaps, you were looking to end it yourself and I suppose I''ve taken that from you. But now, you have helped in freeing me. I am no longer tied to the Tao Feng and it will end with the death of him."


    Despite his words, Ming Yue still looked at him warily. While she was not stupid enough to charge forward and attack, she was also not naive enough to fully trust his words.


    Then she spoke.


    "If you would like to go, then go now. This is the only chance that I''m giving you."


    Giving him that one warning, she also pulled her dagger back. And although Ling Hun''s face was nothing more than two red gems, one could see a smile of some sort on it.


    "I will be going now."


    He then rose up to the sky, vanishing to the skies as they all watched.


    The ck clouds seemed to light up with lightning before slowly dispersing, revealing a bright sun hanging over it all. They all looked up for a few more moments before finally taking a breath. Themander stuck her saber into the ground, using it to support her weight. Xuan Yin dropped to the ground while taking in deep breaths.


    And Ming Yue put away her dagger and released her Zephyr ws. She looked at the others before gazing at the clear skies.


    "Fuck, that was... too intense."


    Xuan Yin sputtered out between each breath as she looked at the two of them.


    "So what now?" she asked.


    Yu Zhen looked at the two of them before taking her saber out of the ground and sheathing it on her back.


    "We go back... and prepare for the next battle."


    Far into the northeastern corner of the continent, in the mountains where dark clouds swirled about. Lightning and thunder crashed down with a frenzy. Ball of electric fury fluttered about as those of the Hundun n were both in panic and in rage.


    "The Idol is gone! The Idol is gone! We must reim it! We must reim it from the one who dares to take it!"


    "Where has it gone? Where? Where?!"


    "The south, the south! We must go south! We must search for the Idol of Chaos! No matter the cost!"


    One by one they gathered together, forming a chariot with their power and rising into the skies.. And just like Ling Hun, the entire n vanished into the clouds.

 Chapter 450 - Borrowed Power

    And while the South may have been resolved for now, the North was still in the thick of it. The past several days have been nothing but constant fighting and Kong Zhi''s forces sought to break through the North Fort.


    The ground before this great fortress was riddled with the bodies of demons and of humans, more the former than thetter.


    It was beginning to resemble the battle within the Boundless Beast Forest. From the ruinednd to the thick metallic scent of blood, this battle was far from over.


    "Again, fire!"


    Du Xiu shouted as his soldiers released another wave of arrows upon the enemy.


    "Kong Zhi must really be determined to take down this fortress", he thought, "This is practically his entire army but, it will be difficult to win this."


    Unlike before, the demons didn''t charge forward like a swarm but they slowly advanced, moving in waves. They were organized, split into different forces.


    "One charges the gates, the other focuses the walls, and a third goes after the defenses. Fortunately, we have a barrier from Zi Jing, how long would itst?" he wondered.


    Themander continued to watch from the walls, looking to see some weakness in their formations. In truth, there were many but, none of them were worth the cost. They were small, insignificant to the whole of Kong Zhi''s army.


    "Something has to change..." he knew that much.


    A siege like this would bring both forces down to their knees. The North Fort may have the resources and the manpower but it was themander''s job to keep the losses to a minimum.


    "How should I draw him out?"


    He thought for a moment before stepping forward, showing his face at the foremost wall for everyone to see.


    "Kong Zhi!"


    His voice boomed across the battlefield, echoing into the demon''s ears. Suddenly, the fighting came to a stop as they all looked at Du Xiu. Kong Zhi, who had been watching from the backlines walked forward with a look of mockery.


    "What is it,mander? Are you admitting defeat?" he questioned.


    Du Xiu shook his head, snapping back at the demon.


    "No, no, never. I was just curious about your disappearance. No sign of you since the Boundless Beast Forest and now youe toy siege on this fortress. I''m curious, so very curious. Whose power did you borrow from this time?"


    Hearing thosest words, Kong Zhi''s face dropped to a frown.


    "What did you just say?"


    He walked forward until he was in front of his army, staring up at Du Xiu. Holding onto his halberd axe, themander leaped down from the walls,nding right in front of him. And then, he repeated himself.


    "I asked, whose power did you borrow from now? Because clearly, whatever it is, it is not worth mentioning."


    Du Xiu continued with a smile on his face, bringing his weapon over his shoulders and circling the demon.


    "You lost to me with this ''Vajra Bloodline'' of yours, so you run back like a coward ande back acting as if you are so great. So tell me, what makes you so confident this time?" he asked.


    With this, he would not only enrage Kong Zhi but perhaps learn of what he was put to.


    As for the demon in question, he was silent. Seething with rage as he took in deep breaths before finally releasing it and smiling.


    "Ahahaha, did you think I would fall for such provocations?! Now, look at where you are! Within my army and surrounded! Were you trying to trick me or was it the other way around?"


    As he spoke, various demons slowly closed in on Du Xiu, holding their weapons menacingly at him. But themander was unperturbed by this situation of his, he only looked at Kong Zhi, staring at him in the eyes.


    "Let''s see then, if you can win with your fake power."


    He then mmed the butt of his weapon into the ground, cracking it and causing thend to tremble.


    "Release!"


    As he shouted, the thirty-meter tall walls began to tremble as stone and metal shifted around, revealing windows all throughout it. From the sounds of cranking and grinding, the bolts of the gate began to unlock just as something emerged from each opening in the walls. The noise only ended momentster as the soldiers in the frontlines retreated to the gate, holding their swords and shields in position.


    "Break their formation! Decimate everything!"


    As he shouted thosest few words, the cannons began to whir and hum as a faint light formed in the barrels.


    Lifting his weapon out of the ground, Du Xiu wielded it with two hands, gripping it tightly as his arms bulged out. Using nothing but his strength and technique, he lifted it and swung down on Kong Zhi.


    The demon whose attention had been on the fort suddenly turned to see a de swinging down on him.


    In that split second, he could defend or evade and he chose to defend. Bringing his warhammer up high to meet the strike, he used all six arms to block the attack with the shaft.


    "What can he do? My warhammer is madepletely out of Deepwater Steel!"


    He was confident and yet, there was a tinge of doubt within him. But it was toote to change his decision and the halberd axe came for Kong Zhi.


    The moment it touched the warhammer, Kong Zhi felt his entire body forced down to the ground. Themander struck the same spot from before, shattering the ground and causing a shockwave to burst out with a thundering boom.


    From the cracks of the ground, there was a faint red glow as steam began to rise. All of the demons around him took a step back without even thinking, looking at him in fear.


    Although this old man was the not biggest or the most intimidating. In that moment, his eyes seemed to burn with a raging fire.


    "It''s time to end this."


    He muttered to Kong Zhi.


    And that was when the cannons roared to life, spitting out fiery ze upon any unlucky demon. Soon enough, it had be a sea of mes as screams echoed through the battlefield. Chaos had been sown and suddenly, everything was in shambles.


    After all, who would''ve expected the North Fort to have such defenses? These were mes hot enough to melt stone. Now, how were they supposed to attack? Were they going to have to brave these mes?


    "ns of Huo, step forward! Divert the mes and reverse them!"


    "ns of Ao, douse those mes! Destroy the cannons!"


    That was when the subordinates of Kong Zhi stepped in. In this case, the Huilu King and Azure Dragon Queen. The former led the Huo ns whilst thetter led the Ao ns.


    As they bothmanded their own regiments, the various ns moved forward to deal. Holding their hands towards the walls, both groups chanted loudly.


    "Hmm..."


    Having seen this Di Xiu leaped away, retreating back to the gate just as it opened, revealing all of the soldiers poised for battle. Aside from them all were the Yao n and Ling Xue, who stood next to him with her flute.


    "To think they would be able to have brought these ns over. The Huo n and the Ao n are the strongest bloodlines that govern fire and water, respectively. As for the onesmanding them, they could only be their n leaders, Huo Shen, and Ao Shuang", Ling Xue couldn''t help but speak of this.


    After all, these two ns were of the same caliber as the Yao n and the Mu n, part of the hundred strongest bloodlines. And that would be proven before Du Xiu and the forces of the Five Armies.


    With each word they spoke, the mes were beginning to disperse, moving back towards the fortress. Then the clouds began to gather and rain soon came down. In minutes, there were no more mes, clearing the field.


    Now, both sides were at odds with each other.

 Chapter 451 - No Place For False Warriors

    And as the smoke cleared out, Kong Zhi stood up, looking at his warhammer. Despite using all six of his arms and being in his Vajra Form, he was brought down by a single strike. The shaft of his weapon was not broken but it was bent to the point that it was irreparable.


    He gave it one look before spitting at the ground and tossing it aside.


    "Get me my armor, Shi Hou."


    Hemanded that of the Roaring King, who brought it before the Vajra Demon. Kong Zhi then began to dress himself, donning each piece of the armor. It was different from anything he''d ever worn. This was because it consists of only six parts, each part for each arm.*


    "This is not borrowed power or fake strength. I obtained these in the same way you obtained that weapon of yours, through strength and conviction."


    His voice was calm but loud enough for Du Xiu to hear and he turned to look at themander. There was a quiet lull now as the embers of the mes slowly died down. As effective as the surprise attack was, it did notst long.


    Kong Zhi bumped his fists together before pointing at themander.


    "Now that you aren''t hiding behind those walls, let''s see if the battle will end the same way as before", he mocked.


    Du Xiu brandished his halberd axe just as his aura began to seep out. Although his weapon was jet ck, it began to shine with a brilliant red as intense heat came from his body. Everyone by his side followed, circting their power.


    Ling Xue and those of the Yao n activated their bloodlines, revealing a crimson aura as the markings on their bodies started to glow. The air grew heavy, extremely heavy. It was to the point where an ordinary person would faint in seconds under this pressure.


    It was tense, constricting, horrifying.


    And just when no one moved, Du Xiu struck first.


    "Sunburst."


    With a thought, a ball of fire appeared above him, growing and growing in size and intensity until it resembled a small sun. With his other hand, he pointed down at Kong Zhi and this miniature sun came following.


    But the demon didn''t bother avoiding it. Instead, he cracked his knuckled before holding out all six of his arms. His gray stone-like skin seemed to smoke under the heat as his hands sizzled while grasping the attack.


    "Grraaahhhhhh!"


    Stopping it in his tracks, his hold began to tighten around the small sun, crushing it under his grip. This time, his aura was absolutely rising, bing a solid hue of white and gold. His arms trembled under the weight of this small sun, shouting out loud as he made it smaller and smaller.


    But this was war, no one was going to wait for him, certainly not Du Xiu.


    As the sun slowly condensed under the strength of the Vajra Demon, themander stepped forward, outstretching his arm and thrusting the shining halberd into the sun, causing it to explode. me erupted right in front of Kong Zhi, spreading to the other demons.


    "Quick! Douse the mes!"


    Both Huo Shen and Ao Shuangmanded their ns just as the Du Xiu shouted.


    "Leave no one alive! Destroy them all!"


    Everyone on their side shouted before charging forward. The Yao n charged with them, sprinting forward with Ling Xus leading them. The blood-red aura of theirs grew into an even deeper crimson as she ced the flute to her mouth.


    "Breakthrough and force them back! We will kill the Mu n!"


    Pulling his halberd axe out of the mes, he charged forward with another thrust and into Kong Zhi. But the demon wasn''t dealt with so easily, he grabbed the halberd by the tip with four of his hands before. Although the fire continued to burn through his skin, the demon took a step forward before beingunched back.


    Du Xiu didn''t say a word as he lunged forward, driving Kong Zhi back and forcing his way into the depths of the demon''s army.


    Kong Zhi''s legs dragged through the ground as he could not regain control of the fight. But themander soon stopped, sending him back into his men.


    "Leader!"


    The demons behind him looked to stop the fall only to join and crash into those behind them. In a single move, Du Xiu had forced back over a hundred demons and all of them had activated their bloodlines.


    He then looked around, spinning his halberd as those that surrounded him hesitated to step forward. After all, not only was this was amander but has defeated Kong Zhi twice. If that weren''t enough, his entire body emanated a dizzying heat. It caused all of their hearts to beat wildly, drumming inside their ears.


    "Come on then, let''s see if there''s anyone worth fighting here. Or are there only false warriors around me?", he muttered coldly.


    Meanwhile, Ling Xue was practically unstoppable at this point. With her physical prowess heightened to another degree, the princess of the Yao n could not be touched. She flew about in the skies, producing one screeching note after another.


    Those that were unlucky would findcerations on their body and if they were more than unfortunate, they would be dead.


    Her time climbing up the stairs in that secret realm had brought her strength to another dimension. As she was now, she could easily contend with any of themanders.


    Each note from her flute killed several at a time but she wasn''t aiming for them. She looked for the leaders of the Ao n and the Huo n. And she especially had an eye out for the Mu n and their princess, Mu Jing.


    "I hope that bitch is here so that I can deal with her once and for all", she thought.


    While it was the Idol of Chaos that forced her n out of their home in the mountains, it was without a doubt the Mu n that sought to reap the rewards. If they weren''t here, they were definitely, in the homes of the Yao n, ransacking them and destroying everything.


    "They''re probably looking for the other key to the secret realm but they are too hopeful. It will always be with me."


    After causing mayhem through the ranks of these demons, shended in front of the two n leaders.


    Huo Shen, the Huilu King and Ao Shuang, the Azure Dragon Queen, the both of them saw her arrival and walked forward to meet her.


    "So, how did Kong Zhi manage to recruit the both of you? I''m sure your ns had enough power to drive him off", she spat at them after asking the pair.


    Both Huo Shen and Ao Shuang watched her spit at the ground before them and looked at her.


    "Well at first, the elders all declined, calling him a madman and a scourge upon the continent. However, we thought differently, there had to be a change and we thought that it was possible to do it through him", Huo Shen answered.


    Ao Shuang then continued.


    "So, we took control of the n, got rid of those that opposed us, and then..."


    "The both of us married, they never would''ve let us do it but now, no one can stop us!"


    Their voices were filled with a joy difficult to find on this continent. To many others, it seemed like they were a couple in love, looking at each other softly. But for Ling Xue, she knew the truths.


    "You know why they opposed it. Certainly, some bloodlines can be mixed but there are those that should never touch each other. One of fire and one of water, neither are ordinary ones. What do your think will result from your love."


    The moment she spoke of it, their faces twitched for an instant before the pair embraced each other.


    "She doesn''t believe either. What shall we do?"


    Ao Shuang looked Huo Shen with her longing eyes to which he answered warmly.


    "Let''s kill her."

 Chapter 452 - What Love Cannot Do

    As soon as those words were said, Ling Xue immediately backed off while cing the flute to her lips. She blew into it, producing a howling shriek just as the two n leaders put their hands forward. A wall of fire and water rose up to block the attack before they charged through.


    "Shit."


    The Yao Princess kept her distance as she continued to produce even more noted from the flute. Unlike before when she could only do one note at a time, she seemed to form a song, creating a constant flow of attacks.


    Invisible des that cut through flesh like nothing.


    But for Huo Shen and Ao Shuang, it was not incredibly difficult to avoid.


    "Did you really think such provocations are enough to anger us?!"


    "We know the dangers of this! All of the elders have hammered it into us! We can never be with each other, our bloodlines are too different."


    "But why should that matter?! There have been cases of sess! Why not us?"


    Their voices seemed to intertwine with each other as they chased after Ling Xue. Filled with anguish, it seemed that they truly wanted to be together, and yet, they could not.


    Huo Shen was of the Huo n, originating from the Huo Shen, or the Fire Gods. A tall handsome demon resembling that of a human. The difference was his tied hair which seemed to flicker and glow like embers. The veins on his skin were visible as well, as if mes coursed through them, glowing a faint reddish-orange.


    As for Ao Shuang, she was equally as beautiful, her ears were webbed as were her fingers. Her skin was a pale blue color, the color you find from an extremely cold body. Her lips were of an azure color as were her eyes.


    Both of them were dressed in fancy robes thatplimented their appearance. Their designs were clean and even seemed to match each other.This was opposed to Ling Xue, who was dressed in crimson leather and cloth armor. While she had a flute as her weapon, they wielded swords.


    "Come, my love, let''s kill this wench and get rid of everyone that stands in our way!" Huo Shen called out.


    "Yes, our love is everything!"


    They crossed their swords and swung out, sending off an arc of fire and water.


    Ling Xue scoffed at their act of lovingness and blew into her flute.


    "A Thousand Hellish Shrieks!"


    Another song of horrifying screeches came from her instrument, producing a dozen more invisible des. Swiftly, they cut through the attack before flying straight towards Huo Shen and Ao Shuang, forcing them to separate.


    And that was exactly what she wanted.


    As the two demons split apart, Ling Xue shot back through the air, grabbing Ao Shuang and forcing her back down into the ground.


    "No! Ao Shuang!"


    The Huilu King, Huo Shen, turned back and flew after them. But he dare not to attack, fearing that he would hard his partner.


    "Come on! Do you really think anything will go right between you two? Shouldn''t you heed your elder?!"


    Ling Xue shouted as she mmed the Azure Dragon Queen down, dragging her through the ground. After several seconds, she lifted Ao Shuang up before tossing her back to her n.


    "Ah!"


    "Ao Shuang, I''ming!"


    She yelped in pain just as her lover swiftly flew down with his sword pointed at Ling Xue. The Yao Demon turned and clicked her tongue, avoiding the charge with a sidestep before putting the flute to her mouth.


    "Death''s Windsong!"


    Another song was yed and it resonated through the air.


    "Quick protect the n heads!"


    Both the Ao and Huo n moved together to create a wall of me and water. At the same time, Ling Xue screamed out orders to her n.


    "Rip them apart! Leave none of them alive! Our bloodlust will not be quenched until the Mu n heads are rolling on the ground!"


    Sprinting past her were dozens of other Yao Demons, all of whom gave off a bloodthirsty aura through the crimson energy rising from their bodies. Together, they seemed to feed off of each other''s aggression, growing even stronger and faster.


    That was the Yao n''s true bloodline ability, focusing on each other''s thirst for blood to strengthen one another. Not just an increase in physical prowess but a constant rise in power.


    She then charged with them, her blood-red hair fluttered wildly in the wind as she continued to produce one song after another. And it soon descended into chaos as the Ao and Huo n struggled against them. Even with their bloodlines activated, they could not catch up to the Yao n.


    But that wasn''t to say that they were helpless in fact, it was the opposite.


    While the Yao n was powerful physically, the two ns were just as strong. With their bloodlines utilized, members of the Huo n seemed to burst into mes as their hair turned into real fire. With just a simple wave of their hands, they could summon forth fires hot enough to melt stone and metal.


    The Ao n was simr, their bodies turned slightly moist and their hair floated in the air as water. Just like the Huo, a casual swing from them could bring forth powerful waves of water. And there was no need to borrow from any existing source, They could easily produce it.


    "Don''t let them reform their ranks! Break them apart! Never give them an inch, not even a moment to breathe! They are our enemy! They resolved themselves to kill us and we will do the same!"


    As Ling Xue continued to rally her forces, she did exactly as she told the other, constantly sending out one song after another from her flute. All of it was directed towards Huo Shen and Ao Shuang.


    Dust began to pile up as countless invisible des flew at them, carving the ground andcerating anyone that was close.


    "Love... what bullshit. It''s made you both delusional. To think you would allow yourselves to implicate your own ns to be a part of Kong Zhi''s army. Do you honestly think that will change anything?"


    Her words cut through like knives to which the two loversshed out in anger.


    me and water burst through the dust clouds, charging towards Ling Xue, who jumped up and flew back.


    Emerging from the attack was the pair of demons, both with their bloodlines activated.


    "Who are you to tell us this?!"


    "We''ll kill you! We''ll kill everyone that stands in our way. Even if our child dies, we will try again and again!"


    They both flew up, chasing after her while brandishing their swords. Attacking at once, a cross-shaped sh flew out, made of water and fire.


    Tha Yao princess no longer spoke to them, knowing full well that nothing would change their minds, not even their own history.


    After all, the result of two bloodlines merging would often be a child. Of course, if that were for ordinary ones. But for those of the Huo n and the Ao n, the story was much different. They were part of the hundred strongest bloodlines and were incredibly different and unique from one another.


    And with these two ns had set the precedent of what would happen.


    Should one member from each n have a child together, it would ultimately end in their child''s death. Without the use of extraordinary treasures, they would perish, unable to handle the chaotic energies of the bloodlines.


    And in worse cases, it would end in the mother''s death as well. Sometimes, it was from the great sorrow they would feel or the act of giving birth.


    In the end, it was a fate that neither n wanted and for that fact, no other demon would want.. This was something not even love could stop.

 Chapter 453 - Overconfidence Is Death

    Thus they yed a game of chase in the skies. Both the Huilu King and the Azure Dragon Queen swung their swords in unison, producing techniques that Ling Xue could only evade.


    "Stop running! Nothing good wille of getting in our way!" they shouted at her.


    From one point of the battlefield to another, the sounds of shrieking echoed as rivers of me and water, charged through the skies.


    "Sea of mes, Serpent Dragon''s Wrath!"


    As they both shouted out, they ced their hands on their des, imbuing it with the elements. Twisting their swords and thrusting them towards Ling Xue, two serpents flew out, one of water and one of fire, opening their jaws to engulf the Yao Demon.


    As she continued to back away from them, Ling Xue put the flute to her mouth and blew one long note. A horrifying howl resonated with the air, causing it to tremble as what seemed to be a mirage of a banshee came out of the flute.


    Wielding a scythe with its bony arms, it was a terrifying apparition, a hooded skeleton who shrieked at them as it flew forward.


    "Banshee''s Cry."


    It swung out, cutting at the twin serpents. The scythe was swift, shing through them and causing the serpents to roar out in pain. However, it was not enough for they wrapped around the banshee, crushing it and destroying the apparition along with themselves.


    Between her and them, it would be a close fight.


    And as their fight continued within the skies, the battles below were even more fierce. Kong Zhi and Du Xiu were dead center in the fields, fighting each other with unbridled power. No one coulde close to them and those that tried to were be mmed back by the sheer shockwaves of their shes.


    "Is this it? I can still go further, human!"


    The Vajra Demon''s six arms were a blur as he gave Du Xiu an unending barrage of strikes. Armored with gauntlets, his fists were swift and fierce, giving even themander a hard time. But that wasn''t the end of it.


    Their fight had gone differently this time, Kong Zhi had taken the offensive and that bolstered him to go even further. His fists flew quicker and fiercer with each second.


    "Come on, Commander Du Xiu! What happened to all that talk from before?! Do you dare mock the power of my ancestors? The power that I rightfully own now?!" he taunted.


    Themander was silent, parrying each strike with his halberd axe as he slowly took one step back. He was focused on this fight, avoiding all of his attacks.


    Every now and then he would strike back but only caused superficial wounds which healed in seconds.


    Kong Zhi then stopped his fists and pulled them back, building up power as he did so.


    "I will repay you for the humiliation you''ve given me in those past fights. I will repay them tenfold!" he spoke to Du Xiu in a hateful voice, sharp and unrestrained malice.


    It wasn''t difficult to sense the spiteing with each word.


    With another moment, the demon punched out with all six fists.


    "Take this! Asura''s Wrath!"


    They glowed like stars as he punched out, gathering enough power that even space seemed to bend. His fists were more than just quick, they were unavoidable as if the weight of this oing attack had forced Du Xiu to one spot.


    Even if he wanted to, he could not move his feet, themander had to face this strike head-on.


    And so, he did.


    As Kong Zhi''s fists came to meet him, Du Xiu brought his weapon forward. Looking to block the strike as he held his halberd with both hands and his power seemed to erupt the moment they shed.


    Just the impact alone was enough to spread throughout the entire battlefield. The air shook and the ground cracked as dust blew up. At the center of it, Kong Zhi panted heavily as he tried to look through the dust clouds, trying to see if Du Xiu was still there.


    "I am surprised that you pushed me this far but I''m afraid that this is the end."


    Du Xiu spoke out, his voice rang out clear, full of wisdom and experience. At the same time, there was an iciness to it.


    A st of hot air blew past Kong Zhi as the dust and debris had blown away, revealing Du Xiu in a much different state. All six fists of the demon had been stopped by his halberd axe which didn''t even show any sign of damage or bend. Unlike before, it had be pure white in color, glowing with a fearsome heat.


    And themander? His appearance was unlike anything anyone had seen.


    The warmth emanating from his body had intensified nearly tenfold. The fiery aura of his body had been restrained to just the edge of his body, a glowing white different from that of Kong Zhi. The demon''s aura was of an ethereal nature, somewhat transparent. But for Du Xiu, it was a solid white light that seemed to fluctuate every now and then. He was glowing, to say the least.


    And under such heat, his armor had changed as well, as if awakened by this fierce me. The thick te armor transformed, condensing into a thin scale mail that clung tightly to his body. his bottom half was different, bing a bit thinner but still stayed as te armor. Instead, small slits formed around his waist armor from which mes came out of. Those very mes then merged together into faulds, trailing down his legs.


    "I had my armor and halberd custom made for me. I sought grandmasters of the Six Kingdoms as well as the Forgelord, providing them with any material they needed so long as they couldplete my request. Something I can use at my strongest."


    As he calmly revealed this, Du Xiu pushed off the fists and spun his halberd casually.


    "These are things that I earned myself. It was not given to me nor did I seek it from some tomb unlike you."


    He then stopped and stabbed the butt of his halberd to the ground. The moment it touched, the stone began to glow and melt in seconds. Pulling it up, Du Xiu pointed it at Kong Zhi.


    "Confidence can spell doom for some people. Your confidence had led you to underestimate me, ending with your defeat battle. My confidence has led me to underestimate you and I could not finish you off before. This time, however, it will be thest time."


    Finishing these few words, Du Xiu sucked in deeply as he wielded his glowing white halberd axe with both hands. A chill came down Kong Zhi''s neck, spreading to the rest of his body. Without even thinking, he crossed his arms, fear and dread rose up from his heart.


    "How can this be? How can I be afraid of this man?! What kind of monster is he?!"


    Thoughts swirled around his mind wildly before rage began to well up.


    "Me? Afraid?!" He shouted, "Why should I fear you!? You''re just an old man!"


    Uncrossing his arms, Kong Zhi smashed his fists together slowly pulling them apart while forming a sphere of power that began to feed into each fist.


    "True Vajra Strike, Destruction!"


    The demon roared as his fists turned to a deep violet, a vibrant color that seemed even more dangerous than thest attack.


    "Sunlight Ascension."


    Themander took one step forward, attacking with an upwards sh.


    His body shed for a moment as the power transferred to the de, releasing a beam of fiery white light.


    Kong Zhi charged straight into the attack, forcing himself through. His body slowly burned away while his fists were at the forefront.


    "Raaghhhh! I will defeat you! No matter what it takes!"

 Chapter 454 - Unrelenting Halberd

    He screamed in pain, feeling every fiber of his being burning up. But the demon pushed forward, even as his gauntlets melted and the knuckles of his hands were revealed. He took one step after another and then, he faltered and fell.


    Unable to defend himself, Kong Zhi was subject to the rest of the technique, leaving him barely alive. The state of his body was more than horrifying, it was pitiful.


    Every inch of him was burned to the point of being barely recognizable. His gauntlets were gone and heid in a puddle of melted flesh and bone. Despite all of that pain and suffering, he was still alive, just a step into the underworld.


    One could see his chest rising ever so slightly as he stared at the sky. There was no way the Vajra Demon could survive this. Even if he didn''t end up dying, no amount of medicine and treasure could restore what he had lost.


    "Hah, hah, hah. Do it, kill me."


    His voice came out as barely a whisper as Du Xiu walked to him. He didn''t say a word and only raised his halberd axe, pointing it down at the Kong Zhi''s half-melted state.


    Within his thoughts, themander was more than surprised by the demon.


    "To think, you''d be alive even after taking such a strike but this is the end", he said.


    Kong Zhi wheezed weakly as he cracked a small smile.


    "Ahahah, finally, and yet I still lost. I should''ve beaten you, it should''ve been an easy victory", he replied.


    "That''s just it. You had the makings of a leader, you had both power and drive. You had people following you. You had a purpose and now you''ve gone and tossed it all away. That confidence you once had turned to arrogance and now, it became obsession."


    "Suddenly, all I wanted was to defeat you. To prove that we are the superior race, to show that the suffering we endured was unwarranted. You are the strongest of the humans and to defeat you would secure our future."


    "Even if you defeated me, there are plenty that can take my ce but this is the end. We will end this war and rebuild this continent, with or without you."


    He then raised his weapon to execute Kong Zhi.


    And just as the de came down, a booming voice echoed across the battlefield.


    "MY LOOORRRRD!"


    Thundering through the battle, the Roaring King charged at Du Xiu with his horns pointed right at his stomach. And there wasn''t enough time for themander to get out of the way before being thrown through the air by Shi Hou''s charge.


    Shi Hou stopped in front of Kong Zhi, carefully lifting him up to safety. But that charge alone had cost the demon his horns. All four of them had broken off, reduced to mere stumps of bone.


    "Lord Kong Zhi! I''ll get you to safety! Just stay alive!" he shouted while running away.


    And there was no one to chase him, not even Du Xiu, whoid on the ground.


    "Ah, damn."


    He groaned and grunted as he sat up looking down at his midsection which had been pierced by the four horns of the Roaring King. But under the heat from his body, they slowly melted away, revealing four holes several inches wide.


    He looked around before spotting Shi Hou running off with his lord and sighed.


    "I''m really getting too old for this."


    Shaking his head, themander stood up and carried his halberd axe with one hand, holding it over his shoulder. Like a spear, he winded his arm back and sucked in a deep breath, taking aim at the Roaring King''s back. His grip was loose but steady.


    Then it tightened as his arm shot forward, releasing the glowing halberd axe through the air.


    It shot forward, flying in a straight line as it headed towards Shi Hou, aimed at his very heart.


    "Stop that thing! Don''t let it hit, King Shi Hou!"


    The other Kings and Queens all diverted their attention to the halberd. The death of Shi Hou would spell doom for Kong Zhi and with his death, they could only retreat and hide.


    Suddenly, dozens of weapons struck the flying weapon, trying to stop it or take it off course. But no matter what they did, what attack they used, or how much power they used, nothing could stop the halberd.


    "Stop it! Do anything!" they shouted out.


    And like lunatics, they jumped in front of the halberd with their bloodlines activated, trying to stop it with all they had.


    "Shiji n! Mountain Formation!"


    As Shi Hour continued to flee, a hundred demons stood to cover his escape. Standing into the formation of a triangle, they ced a hand on each other''s back as support. And these ny-nine demons all activated their bloodlines, moving their energy to the one standing at the forefront.


    All at once, their bodies turned to stone as their feet merged to the ground.


    And the person at the front held out both hands to grasp the halberd. Like the others, they slowly turned to stone. Rather than their feet, their legs were fully merged with the ground, enveloped in white stone.


    "Hold the formation! Do not let it break!"


    Floating above them was their n leader, known as the Boulder King, Shiji Wu. Unlike the others, he was an old man whose face was wrinkled and in a permanent scowl. His hair was certainly different, shaved on one side while the rest was braided. Dressed in gray and muted green robes, he barked out orders to his nsmen.


    "Brace yourselves!"


    The hundred Shiji n members all shouted in unison as they steadied themselves, waiting to receive this strike.


    The halberd axe flew towards them without stopping and the demon that stood as vanguard held his hands out to receive the strike. As soon as it came within reach, she grabbed it by the spike tightly.


    There was a resounding ng as the halberd had been stopped. A shockwave burst out, causing the air to tremble slightly. However, just because the Shiji n stopped it in its tracks did not mean that it would just like that.


    It was like an unrelenting force, pushing a hundred demons back.


    There was a creaking noise and cracks as the footholds of this formation began to fracture under the mighty power of this throw.


    Every one of them grunted and groaned, trying to hold for as long as possible.


    "Hold it! Do not falter!" Shiji Wu shouted, spitting from his mouth.


    His hands were gripped tightly as he could do nothing but watch. As he was now, he did not have the power to help.As much strength as they mustered to stop this halberd, the weapon pushed back even more.


    The cracking grew louder and louder. The other demons charged to strike at the weapon only to be stopped by the soldiers of the North Fort. And Du Xiu watched carefully, cing his hand over his wound.


    The one that stood as the vanguard of the formation held onto the halberd as tightly as she could. But the pain was immense. Her hands were bleeding, they were burning, melting away.


    She couldn''t help but scream out in pain and without even thinking, her grip slipped.


    The halberd pierced through her body, cutting through the entire formation before flying forward toward Shi Hou.


    Just like that, the formation broke and those that weren''t killed suffered bacsh instead. Their ankles were shattered, ripped out of the stone footholds. In the end, they only brought the Roaring King a few seconds.


    "Oh no."


    The demons watched as the halberd flew towards Shi Hou, watching ite closer and closer. It took seconds for the distance to shorten. As it came to strike him down. he spun to avoid it.


    The halberd cut through,nding into the ground like a meteor.


    And from where the Roaring King was struck, an arm fell.

 Chapter 455 - This Is No Victory

    "Fall back! Retreat!"


    Shi Hou faltered for a moment before continuing his escape with his near-death lord. Despite losing his arm and his horns, he did not stop running. And his voice was even greater than before, overtaking every other voice and sound.


    Huo Shen and Ao Shuang stopped mid-air, no longer chasing at Ling Xue.


    They looked at each other before ring at the Yao Princess.


    "This isn''t over."


    They turned away and returned to their ns, retreating from the fight. She watched them go, breathing heavily as the crimson aura dissipated. The flute fell to her side as the Yao Demon descended down to her n.


    "Princess! Are you okay?" the n members asked.


    She nodded while her eyes continued to stay on them.


    "Yes, I''m fine. Of all the ns to have joined them, I didn''t expect it to be the Huo n and the Ao n. Those two are mad", she muttered.


    "Are we giving chase?" they asked.


    Ling Xue was quiet, looking towards the other soldiers and towards Du Xiu. Themander had returned to his original form, no longer emitting the powerful heat. He walked forward casually, heading towards his halberd axe.


    What remained of Kong Zhi''s army had quickly run away. But there were plenty who sought to take Du Xiu''s weapon for themselves, having witnessed the power he disyed. Unfortunately, that was just wishful thinking.


    The halberd axe was still glowing white. It was still hot enough to melt the stone it wasying on. Those that tried could only scream and pulled their hands back, their flesh ckened and burnt. Those who could withstand the heat couldn''t lift it from the ground.


    Even as he was walking towards them, there were several who still tried and failed, running off at thest moment.


    Du Xiu let them go and looked down at his weapon, slowly wrapping his fingers around it and lifting it up with ease. Under his grasp, the halberd axe dimmed and returned to its ck luster.


    "I really am getting too old."


    He sighed before resting the halberd on his shoulders and walking back to the North Fort. His other hand was still over the wound caused by Shi Hou, Blood spilled through his fingers, dripping down as he returned.


    "Commander! Please head to the infirmary!"


    The various captains all saw the state of his body and went to escort him back. But he waved them away.


    "It''s just a flesh wound, I can go by myself. Focus on recovery and repair! Any news about the South is sent straight to me, understand?"


    "Yes,mander!"


    They saluted to him before marching off, working together to clean up the mess of this battle. He watched them go before making his way to the infirmary where he was swiftly treated. A dayter, he was back within his quarters, reading through documents and reports.


    Outside, the North Fort was bustling with noise as soldiers moved about.


    The farms and storage houses had been trampled on. From the crushed crops to the broken buildings, months of work and care had been destroyed. The surroundingnd was the same. Although there wasn''t much to see, with only t ins and rocky terrain. But the battle had left it aplete mess.


    Numerous cracks and craters, ckened ground, and singed grass, there was little left.


    The stench of blood was still thick despite the corpses of demons and humans being given a proper burial. Squads of soldiers were scattered everywhere, working to clean and restore what they could. Those of the Yao n as well as other demons that took refuge helped as well.


    Among them was Ling Xue, working clearing out and cleaning the rubble. Her sleeves were rolled up and her crimson hair was tied to a bun. Looking at the rocks in front of her, she grabbed them one by one in her hands, crushing them to dust.


    After a while, she wiped her sweat and looked around before ncing over at the North Fort. Her eyes sharpened before she went back, keeping herself silent.


    There were no celebrations or anything of the sort, everyone just returned to their duties. There was nothing to celebrate after all. Many of them had nk expressions while some had a face of slight frustration.


    Within Du Xiu''s office, he read through the reports with a calm expression. Once done, he put them down and leaned back on his chair, rubbing the bridge of his nose.


    A heavy sigh escaped his mouth as he looked up.


    "Hah, so we no longer have to deal with the Idol of Chaos, just a very hostile Hundun n", he muttered.


    Themander looked back down and nced over at his armor and weapon, both of which were disyed by the wall. Standing up, he walked to his halberd axe and took it off the rack, spinning it around.


    "I could''ve ended it there", he thought, "No, even if he survives, he can no longer fight. This should be the time to push forward. The Boundless Beast Forest is open to us and we''ve taken control of the Cerulean Serpent''s Lake. Take out the Mu n and we''ll have control of the three main points. Then we all converge on him and finish this."


    Making his decision, he put his halberd axe down and went back to his desk to write up orders.


    As it was now, this was not the time to wait patiently and slowly advance. All it took now was a single campaign towards the west, to kill Kong Zhi and help restore the Demon Continent.


    And the demon in question?


    He was indeed still alive but his condition was terrible. Resting on a stone bed, the Vajra Demon was wrapped in bandages, surrounded by the sweet and earthy scent of medicine. His chest rose just a bit as he breathed weakly.


    Even with his bloodline being that of a Vajra, have incredible healing and vigor, it wasn''t enough. He might have the bloodline but he was no real Vajra Demon.


    Sitting on his knees was Shi Hou, looking at his lord. Although he was dressed decently, it wasn''t enough to hide the bandages around the stumps of his horns and his arm. His expression was dark, his eyes looking down as a feeling of failure fell over him.


    "Lord Kong Zhi, to think that I failed to protect you", he quietly spoke, despairing in his own mistakes.


    "Why don''t you just take over? You are his second inmand." a voice asked.


    Standing behind him were the other kings and queens, Huo Shen, Ao Shuang, and Shiji Wu were there. The other two were elsewhere, most likely training with their respective armies.


    Shi Hou looked back at them before shaking his head.


    "No, no one can rece him. To do so while he is still alive is to disrespect him", he replied resolutely.


    "But look at the state he is in, is he even conscious? There should be someone to lead and who else but you", Shiji Wu reasoned with him.


    The Roaring King was quiet, fully understanding that this was the right thing to do. But his eyes showed hesitation as his remaining hand opened and closed. It didn''t seem right, to take over.


    "You should do it", said Huo Shen, "After all, who was it that convinced us to join Kong Zhi? While he was busy searching for a way to strengthen himself, you sought to expand our forces, negotiate with us."


    "Right!", Ao Shuang followed.


    "Why even follow him, when you''ve been doing most of the work?" she asked.


    Shi Hou then stood up to face them.


    "Unlike me, he has a vision, a dream, a goal. Me? I only know how to charge forward and fight. In my n, I was an oaf even though I was the strongest. And when he came to our n, he chose me to join his ranks. I was his first ''king'' and that was the first time, I felt epted. I follow him because of that", he answered.


    "But I know the situation we are in and I''ll take over and lead.. But only for a time, once Lord Kong Zhi is awake, I will give it back to him."

 Chapter 456 - Heading Up North

    After speaking, Shi Hou then walked out of the tent, leaving Kong Zhi with the other demons. The three looked at each other before gazing at bandaged demon quietly.


    "We could end his life, couldn''t we? My dear."


    "We can, but now wouldn''t be the right time, would it, Master Shiji."


    The pair of lovers talked quietly before looking at the old leader of the Shiji Sect. He sighed and looked back.


    "Yes, we''ve only just joined his army with our own forces. It would take time to convince them all to join us", he replied.


    "Hmph, once we take over, we can use them to revitalize our ns! They can pave the way for us to walk through. We just have to find the other ns, take them out of hiding. Use the army that Kong Zhi created to reim the continent!"


    They all agreed on this notion before departing the tent.


    Unbeknownst to Shi Hou and the Kong Zhi, these n leaders had goals of their own, ns to uproot them from their ce and take over. They might be members of his army, but they were the leaders of their ns first and foremost. Once a weakness has been shown, the opportunity will surely be taken.


    After this battle, the North Fort was quickly rebuilt as supplies and soldiers kepting through. With Du Xiu''s report, even more cultivators entered the continent, wishing to test their strength and to grow stronger.


    A month passed before a deration was made.


    There would be a campaign through the North, led by Du Xiu. They would march through the mountains and defeat the Mu n before moving further to the west. The end goal here was a single thing, Kong Zhi''s head and that would signify the end of the war.


    That was his n.


    But then with Ling Xue, he had countermeasures in ce.


    "With the appearance of the Ao n, the Huo n, and the Shiji n, this means that the other ns are on the move" she warned him.


    And when he asked what she meant by this, the Yao Princess exined.


    "You''ve heard of that among the demons, there exist the top hundred bloodlines and each of them is of a n. Like the Yao n or the Mu n, there are that many of us. And since, Kong Zhi has managed to recruit these other ns, there is no doubt that the rest will take notice. They may try to take advantage of the situation and reap the rewards."


    But what did this mean for the war?


    Was the ending soon? Or would it evolve into something worse?


    The appearance of these ns spelled for change. Surely, they had begun to move, each and every one of these hidden forces. All of which had persevered through the cmity, hiding away from the world. But why would they begin to move now?


    Such questions had only begun to surface, not when the focus was on Kong Zhi.


    And while the North had its own dealings, the South quickly recovered from the Idol of Chaos''s attack. Unfortunately, they now had to worry about the Hundun n, who had lost their precious Idol.


    With that in mind, not a single soul there celebrated. Instead, they focused onpleting the castle there as soon as possible. Even Ming Yue and the other cultivators joined to help.


    Everyone''s faces were weary as they mustered whatever energy they had into construction. With the looming threat of attack hanging over their heads, they couldn''t afford to rx. The same applied to the twomanders.


    Who knew when Zi Jing hadst slept? He was busy in his workshop, trying to create a better defense against the Hundun n''s Primordial Lightning.


    And Yu Zhen? She worked with soldiers, going out to hunt for resources and even getting on mining trips to the Cerulean Serpent''s Lake. They had to work quickly to bolster themselves for the next battle.


    As for Ming Yue, the sh with the Idol of Chaos proved a helpful one for she had seeded in Return to Simplicity and began training in Realm of a Hundred des. Spending her days practicing by thekeshore, her progress wasing along smoothly. And today was no different.


    With a branch in her hand, she swung it around with masterful control, cutting through the air with a sharp whistle.


    But she wasn''t alone.


    "Ah damn!"


    A sword spun through the air beforending on the ground. And the branch was thrust forward, barely scratching the neck of her opponent.


    He raised his hands up before saying a few words.


    "Thank you for teaching me."


    Taking the branch away, she cupped her fists and bowed before looking at the others.


    "Next."


    By the end of it, she sat in the canteen, eating with Xuan Yin and apanied by their pets. They both ate quietly, enduring the ncing look of others.


    "Look! It''s them! Those two fought with the Windy Saber against the Idol of Chaos!"


    "Right? It''s them?!"


    Despite their attempts to whisper quietly, their own excitement was hard to contain. At some point, Xuan Yin couldn''t help but chuckle as she shook her head, looking at them all.


    "Who would''ve thought thatst fight would''ve attracted so many more people? I mean, certainly, it would have made us well known but... I wasn''t expecting it so quickly, right?"


    Ming Yue took a quick nce before going back to her meal. She then looked out of the window, looking at the Cerulean Serpent''s Lake. The surface was calm but every so often, it would ripple. Each time she saw it, she knew, Drifting Sky was there.


    Having noticed her stare out, Xuan Yin looked out at the window.


    "How long before you get your sword back?" she asked.


    Ming Yue turned away, poking at her meal before answering.


    "Just a few more months left, though it coulde earlier orter. I was told that it would be a year but I''m not sure."


    She then looked at Xuan Yin.


    "Whenever it is, I probably won''t have it for the Hundun n", she muttered.


    Hearing the mention of that, Xuan Yin''s expression darkened.


    "Right... them. I thought that they had would havee by now but at this point, I''m just d there''s still time to prepare. What do you n to do tomorrow? Sparring and construction?" she asked.


    "No, I''m heading out to gather medicinal herbs for the infirmary."


    "Really now? I half expected you to do the same thing that you''ve been doing the past few days."


    Ming Yue shook her head with a slight smile.


    "Now that the fortress is nearly done, they need someone to help stock up. They usually have teams for this, a few soldiers and a doctor. But since I know medicine and I can fight, they asked for me to go out and do it."


    "Hm, right, you did know your way around that sort of stuff. Well, you wouldn''t mind if I joined, would you?"


    Xuan Yin looked at her with big eyes and a bright smile to which her friend merely shook her head.


    "That''s fine. But we won''t be heading into the marshes... or what''s left of them. We''re going north", Ming Yue revealed.


    "North? That''s where the Primeval Forest is right?"


    "Yes, there."


    "It''s a massive ce, bordering us and theke. From what I hear, theke''s power had spread into thend, causing it to be bountiful with life. It''s much different from the Boundless Beast Forest which was revived through blood and battle. The Primeval Forest is more colorful! You''re going there?"


    Ming Yue nodded and then spoke.


    "They told me it''s full of life and contains plenty of herbs. The problem is obtaining them, it is dangerous.. Even more dangerous than the Boundless Beast Forest", she told her.

 Chapter 457 - The Primeval Forest

    "Right, right, from what I gather, not a single animal of beast lives there. It''s all nts, from poisonous ones to flesh-eating ones. I hear it''s quite a terrifying ce actually", Xuan Yin muttered.


    Ming Yue gave her a funny look.


    "What? Are you afraid? Have you never gone there?"


    "Wha- of course not, I was too busy hunting in the marsnds! Besides, animals are my forte. nts and well... bugs... I''m not too fond of."


    Her friend showed a faint redness on her cheeks as she quietly revealed thatst part.


    Ming Yue couldn''t help but be a bit surprised at this.


    "Really, bugs?"


    Xuan Yin nodded quickly with widened eyes.


    "Yes! You don''t understand! Having to train with my grandfather, we''ve spent a lot of time hunting out in the wild. Unless you''ve had dozens of little bugs crawling all over you for days on end, you don''t know the half of it!"


    She suddenly pped the table with her hand, looking at her friend with eyes of horror. Ming Yue could see her remembering the memories of her childhood.


    The expression on Xuan Yin''s face was not of terror but disgust as her body trembled for a moment.


    "Just thinking about it irks me. Those tiny little legs and its shell of a body... Ugh."


    She couldn''t help but groan just as Ming Yue gave a slightly ridiculing smile.


    "If you really don''t like bugs, you would not have enjoyed being with me in Heaven''s Gate. I went to a ce known as the Ren Huan Battlefield, within it is a garden, one with monstrous bugs. You probably would''ve fainted at the sight of some of them", she said.


    Xuan Yin revealed an indignant look at her.


    "I wouldn''t faint! I would''ve just destroyed it with my arrows, make sure not even a piece of it was left", she responded, holding onto her bow tightly.


    "Right."


    Ming Yue chuckled before taking her tray and handing the emptied bowls back to the kitchen.


    "I should get going, I will most likely be there for several days. Are you sure you want toe? Sounds like you wouldn''t want to be around any bugs we might find."


    The archer nodded.


    "Of course, I said I''ming with you and I will. I can''t leave you alone in a ce like that."


    "I''ll see you tomorrow then."


    She puffed out her chest with confidence before Ming Yue left the canteen and retired for the night.


    The next day started quite early.


    Just as the sun had risen, Ming Yue and Xuan Yin met up by the gate. Following them were their pets, Hei Yue, Xiao Yin, and Liao Mao. In total, they were a group of two women, a Star Owl, a Mistral Fox, and a Nightwing Falcon.


    The both of them nced at their pets, admiring them for a moment.


    "They could probably take on a Rank 5 with just the three of them", said Xuan Yin.


    ''Well, we aren''t here to hunt, just to gather herbs. I hope your spatial ring has space in it. We won''t be leaving until we''ve filled up both of our rings. Now, let''s go."


    Leaving the camp, they headed north, running through a set of woods. There weren''t many trees and the ground was somewhat dry and sandy. But as they traveled further north, the number of them grew as it became thicker with florae.


    After a half day''s worth of travel, the air took on a slightly sweet scent to which it began to grow stronger and stronger until it had turned to a sickly smell.


    Almost intoxicating, in fact.


    "We''re here."


    The group stopped and looked around them.


    Compared to the muted hues of a normal forest, the Primeval Forest was a colorful and vibrant sight to see. The tree''s leaves were of varying colors, many of them taking on shades of red and orange. But there were few with more unique ones, from a pleasant pink to deep indigo color.


    And that was just the trees.


    The bushes and shrubbery were growing with little berries and fruits, some bright red, others were golden, even silvery. And the flowers added to the mboyant scene.


    There were all sorts of different types featuring not just solid colors but patterns as well. Swirls, spots, even stripes, and rings, it was certainly a dizzying sight and the smell did not help at all. It was powerful, taking over any other scent, any ordinary person would have lost consciousness if they spent more than a few minutes here.


    But for the two cultivators, all they needed to do was circle their energy and strengthen their bodies.


    And for the three beasts, Ming Yue created a small barrier of wind, pushing away that sweet smell from their noses. Considering they all had sensitive ones, something like this was practically a godsend.


    "Alright then, let''s start collecting, shall we?"


    From there, Ming Yue took out her dagger and began searching around. In her hands was a small book containing what the previous groups had already found. But should she discover anything new, that had to be brought back.


    On the other side, Xuan Yin was together with the other three beasts, her eyes darted around as she held onto her bow tightly. Along with the sounds of rustling leaves, there would be a faint buzzing or skittering every now and then. Taking a small gulp, she had an arrow ready whilst turning to look at Ming Yue.


    "Something might being", she warned her.


    Ming Yue didn''t seem to respond, focused more on uprooting all manner of nts and cing it into her ring. If anything it seemed like any normal day for her, picking herbs and exploring the forest.


    And seeing that made the archer feel a bit less nervous, breathing in deeply while muttering to herself.


    "Right, we''re not in the inner regions of the Primeval Forest yet. There''s no way we''ll encounter anything wildly dangerous... I hope."


    Just as she thought this, she felt something fall on her head. It felt viscous, slimy, disgusting. With one trembling hand, she touched the top of her head before looking at her fingers.


    It was a clear golden color and had an awfully sweet smell. Moving her fingers around, this slime stretched between them.


    "What is this? Tree sap?"


    She looked up to see a green tree above her, the leaves seemed to glitter under the sunlight. After another moment, more of this golden sap fell to the ground, melting into the soil.


    Sensing that something was wrong, Ming Yue turned to find her friend with the sap on her head and hands. Her eyes widened as she immediately rushed forward, taking out a piece of cloth. With it, she wiped it off of her as quickly as possible, ncing around as her friend had a stunned face.


    "What? Is there something wrong with this tree sap?" She asked, "I don''t think that it''s poisonous or anything. I don''t feel any different."


    Ming Yue gave her a serious look as she took off as much of the sap as possible.


    "It''s just tree sap, it won''t kill you but it will attract something that''ll do it. What do you think something as sweet-smelling as this will attract?" she answered.


    "O-oh no..."


    Understanding quickly, Xuan Yin tried to help, scraping it off with an arrow. Unfortunately, it was toote for them. The buzzing and skittering were gone for a moment beforeing back louder and louder. Until something hade, a ck cloud moving through the Primeval Forest and Xuan Yin saw iting for them.


    With the arrow in her hand, she ced it on her bow and pulled back the drawstring, aiming it at this dense ck cloud.


    "CARP DRAGON DANCE!"


    She couldn''t help but scream out as she released the shot, creating a massive fish dragon that tore through the ck cloud and rose up into the skies.

 Chapter 458 - Black Swarm

    Despite releasing such a powerful attack, the ck cloud only reformed, bingrger than before. What was worse was what had joined them. It wasn''t just those that flew but hundreds of them crawling through the ground. From beetles to centipedes and even roaches, they seemed to climb out of the soil, skittering towards them.


    "We should go!"


    Xuan Yin panicked, trying to get Ming Yue to stop wiping the sap off her.


    "Let''s go!"


    She urged Ming Yue to go but she didn''t budge, wiping off the sap before tossing the cloth down at the swarm.


    As it flew inside, all of them suddenly turned to go after the cloth, leaving them alone.


    Ming Yue looked at them before turning back to Xuan Yin.


    "That will buy us some time. We have to go and wash off the rest of it."


    She then grabbed her by the arm, bringing everyone away from this thick cloud of insects. Xuan Yin couldn''t help herself, looking back at them before feeling a little sick.


    "Yes, we should probab- definitely leave."


    And swiftly they fled, moving towards the outskirts of the forest where there was a stream of clear water. There, Xuan Yin took the time to rinse her hair, cleansing it of any sap. She even took off her armor, washing it clean.


    Ming Yue waited and watched, petting and scratching the three beasts by her side.


    "So about the sap, what would''ve happened?" the archer asked.


    Ming Yue then took out the small book from before, reading through it for her to hear.


    "If you havee into contact with any sap whether it is golden or clear or has some sort of color, it must be washed immediately. If not done quickly, it will attract the ck Swarm, in which thousands of bugs ranging from the harmless to the deadly wille."


    "If you are toote and the swarmes for you, you must take off anything that has been touched by the sap. At first, they will devour the sap and then they wille for your flesh. You will feel hundreds of small bites and stings before the dangerous ones inject you with their poison. By then, it will have been toote. You will die under the pain of hundred different poisons before these insects devour your flesh."


    "Thankfully, such a fate has yet to happen but if you are touched by the sap, please remove it as quickly as possible."


    Once finished, Ming Yue looked up at Xuan Yin, whose face was full of terror and disgust. What more, she looked at the water and began to wash and scrub herself and her equipment furiously.


    "Why is that even a thing?! This sapes from those trees, damn it! Why don''t they go up there instead of at me?!"


    She couldn''t help but get squeamish andin about it. And in response to such a sight, Ming Yue chuckled briefly.


    "if I remember correctly, it''s because the leaves of those trees areced with poison. If they try to eat the sap, it will cause them their death."


    She exined while trying to hold back her amusement but that piece of information only made Xuan Yin''s face drop even more.


    "Poisonous? Wha- maybe I should''ve stayed back at the camp."


    "I mean you could but you''re already here and it''s been half a day. Might as well finish the mission, right?"


    After hearing Ming Yue''s words, Xuan Yin thought deeply, pondering as she continued to wash herself. Soon after, she let out an exasperated sigh, slumping her shoulders over and looking at her friend with defeated eyes.


    "You''re right and I did I say that I would stick with you", she relented.


    Ming Yue nodded before walking up to the edge of the stream.


    "I''m going to organize what I have and put them into your spatial ring, alright?"


    "Wait, wait, let me just do this."


    Wading through the waters, Xuan Yin took off her spatial ring, holding it in her hands. Closing them, a light shined through her fingers before opening.


    "Alright, I''ve made it so that you can use it now."


    She handed the ring over to Ming Yue, going back to washing.


    "Thanks."


    Carrying it in her hands, Ming Yue moved away, looking for a spot to put down all of what she had harvested. After a few moments, she retrieved her spoils from her spatial ring, a decently sized pile of nts. From roots to flowers to berries and leaves, there was a variety of them and enough to fill a basket.


    One by one she began to clean off any dirt, organizing them and bundling them together with strips of fabric. With her skill and knowledge, she was finished pretty quickly, done just as Xuan Yin had finished drying her equipment and donning it.


    In the middle of all this, those three pets of theirs were busy ying in the river stream.


    "Alright, ready to go?"


    Xuan Yin walked towards Ming Yue with a confident step, most likely preparing herself for what mayeter. The cultivator looked at her friend and stood up, giving back the ring and taking out her dagger.


    "Let''s continue."


    With that, they ventured back into the Primeval Forest, walking through the colorful florae and stopping often for Ming Yue to collect.


    Along the way, they came across a plethora of deadly nts. From vines looking to strangle their foes to poisonous moss and even thorny roots. Each time, such danger was swiftly dealt with through an arrow or a de of wind.


    By the end of the night, Ming Yue had gathered enough to fill several baskets but that amount could not fill either of their spatial rings. At this point, they camped for the night, finding a clearing in this ce.


    Their meal consisted of dried meats and any edible nts that Ming Yue had found.


    "Alright, I''ll take the first watch and then you take the second?" Xuan Yin asked.


    Ming Yue nodded.


    "That''s fine."


    After a quick deliberation, she went to sleep before waking up in the middle of the night to switch with Xuan Yin. During her turn, she looked around them every now and then, making sure that nothing wasing. It would''ve been unfortunate if they had been found by something worse than the ck Swarm.


    And while they were lucky enough to not have had that happen, something urred.


    Off into a distance, Ming Yue noticed something strange, a faint green light peeking through the trees and bushes.


    "What is that?"


    She squinted her eyes before moving positions, trying to get a better look. However, it wasn''t enough for her to see. Moving towards, Xuan Yin, Ming Yue shook her friend awake.


    "Huh, wha- what''s going on? It''s still nighttime, isn''t it? Don''t tell me we were going to wake up early for this?"


    Her friend slowly wakened, groggy andining.


    "Look, there''s something over there, some strange green light. We should see what''s going on", Ming Yue told her.


    "Wha- a green light? What are you talking about?"


    Xuan Yin rubbed her eyes before looking around and finally spotting what Ming Yue had told her about. A momentter, her eyes seemed to have gained rity as she grabbed her bow and slung it over her shoulder.


    "We should definitely check it out", she said, fully awake and alert.


    Together along with the Xiao Yin and the other, the group quietly moved through the forest. As they came closer, the green light slowly grew stronger as it seemed to resemble more of an emerald hue.


    And with this growing light, they finally saw something!


    A shadow of some sort, in fact, various shadows that moved around in a joyous manner.


    "Were these people? Demons?" they wondered.


    Both Ming Yue and Xuan Yin gave each other a look before walking closer and closer, looking to take a peek.

 Chapter 459 - Heavens Peach Tree

    Peeking through, their eyes fell upon the strangest of things, something that neither of them had ever seen before. Something that they would have never dreamed truly existed.


    Small beings with rather round and cute bodies. Bits of wood and leaves sprouted from their bodies. They had wings on their back that looked like butterfly wings. Their limbs were a bit short and stubby as well as theirrge, dark green eyes.


    Emerald light radiated from their bodies and it exuded a calming aura.


    They fluttered about, going from one flower to another, bush to bush, tree to tree. They wandered about plucking and eating from them.


    "Fairies?" Xuan Yin whispered.


    Ming Yue didn''t say a word, the both of them were wide-eyed as they watched these little sprites practically frolic about.


    Suddenly, they all stopped, looking around, sniffing the air even. As if drawn by something, they all moved towards one direction, the direction of Ming Yue and the others.


    "Theying towards us!"


    Xuan Yin''s whispers were still quite loud and unfortunately, the fairies heard her voice. She and Ming Yue heard the fluttering of wings as the emerald light dimmed and vanished. Momentster, they looked through to find no sign of these fairies.


    After waiting a bit more, the both of them stood up and walked into the small clearing. They scanned the area but found nothing. There were only some half-eaten berries and leaves, which left them stupefied for a moment.


    "Are they fairies? Are they something else? What could they even be?"


    Xuan Yin muttered under her breath wildly, still unable to believe what she had seen. Ming Yue was the same as well. Sure they had seen great beasts and powerful demons, even something as grand as the Idol of Chaos. But all of them were big, this was the first time any of them as seen something like those things.


    It was simply different from what they were used to. Rather than wild and aggressive, these fairies were peaceful and quiet. In other words, they were harmless.


    After a few more moments, they slowly calmed down and looked at each other once more.


    "Why did theye to us?" Ming Yue asked.


    Xuan Yin could only shrug in confusion.


    "I don''t know. I don''t even know what they are", she answered.


    Soon enough, the sun began to rise, ebbing over the horizon and illuminating the Primeval Forests.


    "We should get going, Xuan Yin. Maybe we''lle across them again."


    "I certainly hope so. I wonder if we can talk to them. Oh, I wonder if they''re watching us right now?"


    Xuan Yin gave her surroundings another look, her eyes went from the ground up as she followed her friend deeper into the forest.


    As they left, dozens of round green eyes peeked from the shadows of the bushes. These little fairies watched the pair leave before disappearing. Perhaps, they were following them, lured by whatever had attracted them in the first ce.


    As the day came and went, Ming Yue gathered as much as she could, looking out for anything that was rare.


    Some of them led to a few dangerous encounters with the denizens of these forests. And the deeper they went, the more dangerous it became.


    Thest of these encounters was a monstrous tree that could move, this was by far the most dangerous fight they had in this forest.


    Whilst searching around, Ming Yue noticed a faint glow from afar. Even under the waning sun''s rays, it stood out.


    As she walked made her way towards the glow, the source of it was revealed.


    A small tree whose leaves were of a pale pink color and bore fruits of the same color. Of course, what set it apart was the glow that came out of it, a much brighter pink hue coupled with an earthy sweet smell. The fruit resembled that of peaches but its skin was shimmering and bright.


    "That''s the Heaven''s Peach Tree", she muttered.


    "What?"


    Xuan Yin looked at her before turning towards the direction her friend was looking at, noticing the tree from afar.


    "That''s called the Heaven''s Peach Tree? Must be really important if you stopped to look", she said.


    Ming Yue opened up the notes given to her but the medicine masters of the camp.


    "The peaches from this tree have several incredible effects. Apart from healing your internal injuries, it can make you look younger. It is also helpful for one''s cultivation and keeps one''s heart calm. But the main reason why it''s called Heaven''s Peach Tree is because eating a single peach can also grant you a ten-year increase in lifespan. And the older the peach, the stronger that effect is", she read.


    "It can increase your life span by ten years? Or even more?! What kind of tree is this? How did they even find out about it?"


    Xuan Yin asked with an incredulous face.


    After all, items that could increase a person''s lifespan were all incredible. Even ones that granted an extra year required an enormous amount of resources, much less one that could give ten.


    Ming Yue continued reading through.


    "During one expedition, the group was able to enter the depths of the forest and came across this peach tree. Filled with exhaustion, they plucked a peach and shared it amongst twenty of them. The effect took mere seconds and in excitement, they plucked another one before its guardian came, a massive-"


    At that moment, they heard a cracking sound echoing through the forest and their heads whipped up to the peach tree. But it wasn''t the peach tree that made those noises, it was in fact the tree behind it.


    Because they had been captivated by the peach tree, neither of them noticed the massive one behind it. Splinters flew out as the tree slowly uprooted itself as the trunk shifted around, revealing two glowing green eyes.


    "A Viridescent Treant..." Ming Yue muttered.


    Rising out of the ground, its roots wrapped around each other and formed two legs. many of the branches above lost their leaves as they lowered and became arms. It towered over the peach tree, standing at a height several times the size of a normal man.


    Finally out of the ground, the Viridescent Treant knelt down and looked at the peach tree, counting the peaches with its eyes.


    The pair watched from a safe distance, close enough for them to see but far enough that the Treant wouldn''t notice it. Ming Yue looked at the notes a bit more.


    "From the descriptions given, it is at least a Rank 8, certainly capable of destroying the camp."


    After hearing that, Xuan Yin gave her a look.


    "We''re not going to fight it right?" she asked.


    Ming Yue shook her head.


    "We''re just going to wait and sneak in for some of the peaches", she answered bluntly to which Xuan Yin''s expression dropped.


    "Are you serious? I know how heaven-defying those peaches are but you can''t be serious. That thing is Rank 8! A Rank 6, I could understand but that''s Rank 8!" she retorted.


    Ming Yue sucked in a cold breath as she kept her expression determined.


    "Even so, I''ll do it. You will never know when those peaches are needed. Each one of them is probably worth more than a Rank 5. The entire tree in of itself can be considered legendary! The fact that we''vee across it is an opportunity we can''t ignore", she reasoned.


    Her friend looked at her, ncing at her eyes before sighing.


    "Fine, but we have to be extremely careful. If anything goes wrong, we have to run", she warned.


    Ming Yue nodded.


    "Agreed."


    And so, they waited for the Viridescent Treant, watching it circle around the peach tree. Every now and then, it would look up to gaze at its surroundings. But it spent much of it''s time admiring the peaches.


    As night came, it returned to its ce, going back into the ground.

 Chapter 460 - The Viridescent Treant

    With the Treant back in its ce, Ming Yue and Xuan Yin prepared to move, nning their escape should something happen. Whilst deep in their discussions, little eyes watched them from the leaves of trees and shrubbery. There was curiosity in those eyes, a bit of naivety, and some fear.


    But they looked on with interest.


    And many of them looked at Ming Yue, staring at her. They had done nothing else but watch, perhaps deciding whether or not they were dangerous.


    The two women stood up putting their weapons into their spatial rings. They looked at each other before staring at the peach tree.


    "We''re only here for the peaches. We pluck a few and run as quickly as possible", Ming Yue said.


    Xuan Yin nodded.


    "Yeah, yeah, get in and get out."


    "If the Viridescent Treant awakens and finds us, I''ll try to grab its attention. We''ll split and meet up at where we found those fairies. And Hei Yue will provide cover if need be."


    The Mistral Fox yipped at the mention of his name, looking at Xuan Yin with confidence.


    "Okay, alright."


    The archer breathed in deeply as she looked at the peach tree.


    "I haven''t been this nervous since my first hunt. I mean this is an estimated Rank 8, my grandfather had only managed to kill one at that level."


    Her voice trembled a bit as she spoke, clenching and unclenching her hands. Ming Yue looked at her friend, cing a hand on her shoulder.


    "Let''s go."


    Not wasting another second, they began to move forward, approaching the peach tree as silently as possible.


    As for the many green eyes that watched, as they followed the pair, they saw the peach tree and the Viridescent Treant. They switched between the two with a bit of disbelief, realizing what the two cultivators were trying to do. Leaves rustled as they moved along chasing after them.


    By then, Ming Yue and Xuan Yin were mere meters away.


    And with a few more steps, they were in front of it. Giving each other another look, they saw past the peach tree and stared at the slumbering treant. There was no movement and so they reached for the first reach.


    Ming Yue formed a single w on the index finger of her hand and gently grabbed the peach with the other. With a quick swipe, the stem was cut and the peach was in her hand. It was extremely clean and happened without a single noise. Xuan Yin had her own knife, cutting and taking a peach.


    They said nothing, even as they held something as incredible as this peach, they did not react. A single wrong move and they''d be caught.


    After taking several more, Ming Yue stopped and ced a hand on Xuan Yin. They both nodded and slowly stepped back, making sure to not awaken anything. Quietly walking away, their eyes went from the peach tree up to the Viridescent Treant.


    Every now and then, a gentle wind woulde, making the leaves rustle.


    "Almost out."


    Xuan Yin mouthed words to Ming Yue while they walked further and further away. They kept their eyes at the Treant as it suddenly trembled and cracked. Hearing that first splintering of wood, they sprinted off, returning to their hiding ce as the Treant emerged from the ground to gaze at its prized peach tree.


    And as it counted the peaches, it noticed something different. It was missing a few!


    The Viridescent Treant took a step back, recounting it before releasing a thundering roar. Its two eyes looked around furiously before the beast put its arms outwards. Vines shot out of them, slithering on the ground and through the trees. Stranger than that, they seemed to be moving towards one ce, the bushes where Ming Yue and the others were hiding.


    But at this moment, hiding was no longer an option.


    "Run!"


    She turned and sprinted away, followed by Xuan Yin and their three pets. Having sensed the sudden movement, the vines quicked their speed chasing after them. The Viridescent Treant then followed the vines, going after the group.


    The pair immediately drew their weapons, Ming Yue with her dagger and Xuan Yin with her bow. They quickly nced behind them, seeing hundreds of vines following them like snakes.


    Forming windnces, Ming Yue shot them behind her without aiming for no matter where she aimed, it would hit the vines. The ground trembled as trees were uprooted and vines were sted apart. But they were only reced by more vines.


    "This isn''t going to work! We should split up, I''ll grab its attention!"


    The cultivator shouted to Xuan Yin before creating a Storm Lance and shooting it directly into the Treant''s face. Lightning cracked as thence struck the beast. But the attack didn''t even leave a mark, it was only angered by the attack, roaring as it took notice of Ming Yue!


    Raising its arm, hundreds of vines flew up into the air,ing down as the Treant swung down. They came down like whips, producing a sharp p as Ming Yue took on the attack. She swung her dagger, forming a shining crescent arc that flew up, cutting the vines away.


    It did not stop there, flying straight at the beast and carving into its massive body. It flinched and roared out in pain as the attack left a small gash in its tough bark exterior.


    This was the culmination of her effort in Return to Simplicity, a new technique upon herpletion of this stage.


    "Waning Crescent."


    The attack which could wound something like the Idol of Chaos had been perfected.


    And with this, she now feltfortable enough to break through and reach thest stage of the Earth Realm, the Boundary Stage. All that she needed to do wasplete the shell around her soul, formed by the energy within her meridians.


    Fill up one little inch and she''d be one step away from the Sky Realm.


    But for now, she had to find a way out of this situation. Having been injured by her, the Treant looked directly at her, raising his arm again to attack. The vines she had cut were reced by even more.


    But just as it was about the strike, a ck fish dragon soared through the air, smashing into the Treant.


    Ming Yue looked off into a distance to see Xuan Yin still running in a different direction. However, her bow was pointed straight at the monster, loaded with another one of her arrows. Sharing a look, the both of them took turns showering the Treant with attacks, slowing it down and blinding it for as long as possible.


    They could not defeat it without a miracle but they could at least escape it!


    And as powerful as the Viridescent Treant was, it could not just ignore all of these attacks. It might not have hurt it but they were very annoying.


    "Nearly there!" they both thought.


    As they ran as far away from the Treant as possible, they could nearly lose the beast through the thicker parts of the Primeval Forest.


    However, this monstrosity was estimated at Rank 8, strong enough to level cities and countries! Its arms weren''t the only ways it could attack. It was infuriated! For humans to steal from it once was frustrating enough, but a second time?!


    The Treant raised its foot and stomped down, the ground to tremble and crack as the trees shook. Out from the crevices came more vines, chasing after the pair with even greater ferocity. So much so that neither cultivator could ignore them, focusing their attacks on the vines.


    Coming after them like an unstoppable wave, they engulfed every attack the pair sent out.


    The distance between them shortened before one of them shot forward, snagging Hei Yue''s leg!


    "Hei Yue!"

 Chapter 461 - Fairies Of The Forest?!

    Hei Yue was not careful enough, feeling something wrap around his leg and pulling back. The Mistral Fox started to whimper and yelp as he tried to shake his leg free. But the vine just tightened its grip on the poor fox.


    "Don''t worry!"


    It looked at Ming Yue with scared eyes as she activated her armor.


    She sprinted back with her dagger, cutting the vine off and grabbing the little fox. Wrapping her arm around him, she brought him away and sped off as the vines slithered even faster. It followed them, wrapping around the trees and passing through the cracks.


    Everyone continued to run, slowly merging into a single group.


    "We can''t escape it!" Xuan Yin shouted, "What should we do?!"


    She readied another arrow, shooting at the vines in vain. Both of them wracked their minds as they tried to escape the vine''s grasp. The Treant continued stomping the ground, causing even more vines to erupt from below.


    They watched behind them, finding the vinesing closer.


    And suddenly, an emerald light shed out, causing a shockwave that forced the vines back. They couldn''t believe their eyes as thousands of vines fell to the ground, lifeless and unmoving.


    "They''re- they''re the fairies from before!" Both of them couldn''t help but exim in shock.


    Floating between the sides were the fairies, facing the Viridescent Treant who saw it unfold. Their small cute and chubby bodies came together like a wall, exuding a powerful aura as it kept the vines at bay, protecting Ming Yue and the others.


    Its eyes sharpened, bending down and roaring at them before sending out another wave of vines. This one wasrger than the previous, capable of engulfing cities. Perhaps this was the full extent of the Viridescent Treant''s power.


    Each fairy released another sh of light, blinding everything in the entire forest. Everyone covered their eyes, waiting for the light to pass. And when it did, things changed.


    As Ming Yue opened her eyes, she was met with andscape different from where she once was. Unlike the colorful vibrancy of the Primeval Forest, she was suddenly in a green forest. From the leaves to the grass, everything was in shades of green.


    She looked around, finding Xuan Yin and everyone else by her side. They had opened their eyes as well, met with the same sight as her.


    "Where are we? Where''s the Viridescent Treant? What happened?"


    Xuan Yin looked around as she walked forward, studying her surroundings.


    "This isn''t... this isn''t the forest at all. Where is this?" she asked.


    And then, something fluttered before her before the others fluttered about, looking at her and Ming Yue. Some even circled around Hei Yue, Xiao Yin, and Liao Mao curiously.


    "You are all the fairies, right? Why did you help us?" Xuan Yin asked.


    They looked at her before looking at each other, flying off into the deeper regions. The group all shared a nce before following the fairies, strolling through the luscious forest. All the while, their eyes wandered around, gazing at their surroundings.


    It was peaceful and quiet.


    And for Ming Yue, her eyes were especially quick, darting around, spotting medicinal nts every now and then. Her eyes would linger but she held back. It would be rude to take from the ones who saved them.


    But she had her own ideas as to where she could be.


    "This could be a secret realm of some sort, their home, in fact", she thought, "But why help us?"


    This Ming Yue was unsure about, she couldn''t even make any guesses as to the reason. Following the fairies, they traversed deeper and deeper as their surroundings slowly shifted. Trees were reced by tall bamboo stalks before finally, this thin path opened up into arge clearing.


    At the center of it was a massive tree that stood taller than anything else. It was evenrger than the Viridescent Treant, dwarfing it even. The fairies then flew off, entering the little nooks and crannies of the tree.


    Ming Yue and the others stopped in front of the tree, admiring its grandness until a voice echoed out.


    "Visitors? I was not expecting to see visitors, especially not ones so young. I wonder why the little ones decided to bring you here."


    It was ancient and dignified. At the same time, it was soft and caring. It was both the voice of a spirit who has lived for endless eternities and a grandmother who cares for her grandchildren.


    Everyone looked at the tree with surprise but they didn''t draw their weapons. The air suddenly hummed for a moment as the fairies began to speak with this tree spirit. What came out of their mouths was gibberish coupled with soft, squeaky voices.


    "I see. Mhm, okay. Interesting, how interesting to hear. Thank you for telling me."


    The voices stopped and the tree shuddered for a moment. The branches began to grow and descend down onto the ground. Dozens of them wrapped around each other, melding into a figure.


    Standing tall, it was the figure of a woman, not quite young but also not old. If she were human, she''d be somewhere around her sixties. In fact, she looked human from her tanned skin and silhouette. But like the fairies, small branches grew out of her limbs and her hair was that of braided vines. She was dressed simply in green and brown robes. She wore no shoes, walking up to them barefoot.


    And her expression was unlike anything else, calm, wise, gentle. Her eyes showed the depth of knowledge that came from her age. Her smile was not exceedingly big, not joyful but of graceful elegance.


    "To think you would take peaches from that little tree, I shouldmend you for it. He''s been obsessed with that peach tree for so long, even going as far as to keep anything else away from it. He even drove off these little ones, attacking them as well. I''m sure with this, that tree will think twice about getting on our bad side. That is one reason why they helped you but there is also a second reason."


    The spirit walked towards Ming Yue and Xuan Yin examining them both. The both of them dared not to move, feeling a gaze that seemed to see through their bodies. It wasn''t unpleasant but strange to say the least. And then the spirit stopped in front of Ming Yue, looking at her even closely.


    "Where did you find a ring like that?"


    She then pointed at her hand, looking down at the Eternal Heart Ring. Its simple design of darkened wood enunciated the specks of emerald light, glowing like little green stars.


    "I had it made", Ming Yue answered, "Is there something wrong with it?"


    The spirit shook her head with a chuckle.


    "No, there isn''t anything wrong with it. In fact, it is quite the opposite, it''s an extraordinary ring, so full of life that it attracted all of my little ones. In any case, I''m sure that they would like to have a handful of it."


    "A handful?"


    The spirit nodded.


    "Yes, they collect life energy in order to help that grow."


    The spirit turned back and pointed at the massive tree, letting them have a full look.


    This time, Xuan Yin spoke up.


    "But who are you all? Fairies? Spirits? Demons?" she asked, "And why are you collecting all of this energy?"


    The spirit looked at her as if a light had shed in her kind.


    "Ah, I''m sure that this must be very jarring for all of you."


    She stepped back, reducing herself into a pile of branches. The massive tree rustled and wisps of green light emerged from the entire trunk as every one of these fairies made themselves known. There were over a hundred of them,ing out of the tree''s pockets.


    And then the spirit spoke.


    "We are the Nuwa n, tasked with bringing life back to the world."

 Chapter 462 - The Nuwa Clan

    "The Nuwa n? Are you one of the top hundred demon bloodlines?"


    Ming Yue asked aloud, facing this mystical n directly.


    "Top hundred demon bloodlines? I suppose you can consider us that. The purpose of our n is to help bring life back to the world after the end of a cycle. By gathering the life energy around us, it is stored within this tree, nurtured before being sent through its roots", the spirit exined.


    "And you are the spirit of this tree?" she asked.


    There was a brief pause before the spirit spoke.


    "You could say that. In truth, I am the collective thought of the entire Nuwa n. Those that are here and those that have passed long ago, Their selves are pulled into the tree, coalescing into myself."


    "That''s just like-"


    "-the Idol of Chaos."


    As Xuan Yin spoke, Ming Yue finished the line. Indeed, it seemed simr to that very being. whose will was formed with hundreds of Hundun n members. But upon the mention of it, the air grew very still.


    "The Idol of Chaos? So the Hundun n has managed to sessfully create their champion?" the spirit said.


    Ming Yue looked at the tree in surprise.


    "You know about them?!"


    "Of course, we''re mortal enemies with the Hundun n."


    Just like that, the spirit replied with such a nonchnt tone.


    "I- wha- can you exin, please?" Xuan Yin sputtered before asking, trying to absorb what she had just heard.


    "I could but it would take a bit to exin. Are you not pressed for time?" the spirit asked.


    The eyes of both cultivators widened as they remembered their original purpose foring here.


    "Right, we need to collect more medicinal herbs!" Xuan Yin blurted out.


    Ming Yue knew just as well but she was also incredibly curious. It had been quite some time since she had let her curiositye loose. Not to mention an opportunity such as this? It was far too good to pass up.


    But an idea soon appeared in her mind.


    "Would it be possible to have an exchange with you?" she asked.


    "An exchange, you say? What sort of exchange would this be?"


    The spirit was curious as was the rest of the n, whose eyes were all on her.


    "I will let you take some of the energy from my ring in exchange for the medicinal nts growing around you", she said.


    Once said, the fairies all started to flutter with excitement! With the Eternal Heart Ring exuding such pure life energy, they could not help themselves. But only the spirit could have the final say.


    Ming Yue waited for an answer to which the spirit reformed, stepping forward with her hand out.


    "The Nuwa n will ept this. We will take enough to match this amount of herbs, this is the most we can spare."


    Moving her arm to the side, she raised her hand up, causing a giant bush to grow. As it grew to its full size, matching that of arge cow, numerous colorful flowers and berries sprouted from its leaves.


    Both cultivators walked up to it, each plucking a flower or a fruit from it only to see another one sprout in its ce.


    "This bush will provide you all of the herbs that we are willing to exchange with. It is grown from the collective power of our realm."


    "I see. Then, here is the ring."


    Ming Yue took the Eternal Heart Ring off of her finger and gave it to the spirit. Holding it with both hands, the spirit walked towards the tree and inserted the ring into one of the many crevices.


    "Once we have drawn the energy needed for this, we will return the ring to you", the spirit said.


    They nodded before going on to harvest the herbs from this bush. During this time, Ming Yue sought to ask questions about the Nuwa n. After all, with this exchange, she did not have to leave this realm to search for herbs in the Primeval Forest. Now, she had plenty of time to learn more and the spirit responded in kind, answering all of her inquiries.


    "Have you always been here? On this continent, by theke?" she asked.


    "No, the Nuwa n moves around as we are tied to another being. Wherever they go, then we will go. After all, our purpose is the same as their''s to revitalize thends."


    "Your purpose? Then does that mean the being you are all tied to is the World Serpent, Yin Bing?"


    The spirit''s eyes widened with a bit of surprise as Ming Yue mentioned the serpent.


    "Yes, it is the World Serpent but how do you know such a thing?"


    She then exined her connection with the serpent to the spirit, who listened very closely.


    "I didn''t think there would be such an urrence. Perhaps, it is fate or luck that brought you to us", said the spirit.


    "I suppose so... What can you tell us about the Hundun n?"


    This Ming Yue wanted to know. With the Hundun ning for them at any time, any information about them would be good to know.


    "The Hundun n? This we would have to start from the beginning. Of course, it shouldn''t take too long to exin."


    The spirit then broke down into the branches, forming a small sphere.


    "In the beginning, only chaos reigned and from that chaos, stability and peace were born. From there, more and more things were born from either side, from thews of our world to the beings that tread upon them. The first to walk thesends and explore the skies are known as the Primordials. There were few but each and every one of them was iparably powerful."


    As the spirit exined, the sphere turned into various figures, whose features varied from wings to numerous arms and other things. Each of them was vastly different from thest, going as far as even exuding a different aura.


    "However, these Primordials, as powerful as they were, all of them had perished, battling each other to the death. And in their wake were their descendants, each primordial gave rise to a race or a n if you want to call it. Even for humans like yourselves, you all originated from a Primordial. And for the Hundun n and the Nuwa n, we came from a pair of primordials who had fought each other from the very beginning. That conflict has passed on to us as ns."


    It then changed to two figures shing with each other.


    One was a four arms figure with four wings on their back, each arm carried a cleaverrge enough to cut his enemy in half. The other was closer to a woman, one resembling the spirit herself. Unlike the other, she had a single pair of wings that looked like the fairie''s wings. On top of that, her weapon was a simple sword.


    "The Hundun n seeks to destroy while the Nuwa n is the opposite, looking to rejuvenate and revive. Strangely enough, our forms are quite simr."


    The roots shifted once more as the figures of the two primordials shifted to that of what their descendants looked like. The Nuwa n were chubby and cute.* And the Hundun n, while simr in size, their form waspletely different.


    They were thinner andnky with much sharper wings, matching the shape of lightning.


    "When they make their move, we are to make ours, to stop them and to fix what they had destroyed."


    Both Ming Yue and Xuan Yin looked closely at the figure of the Hundun n member, studying it closely.


    "Is that what they look like?" Xuan Yin asked.


    The roots then broke apart before reforming back into the spirit''s form. She looked at them and nodded,


    "Yes, their appearance isrgely obscured by the aura of lightning they cover themselves in."


    Hearing this confirmation, Xuan Yin and Ming Yue looked at each other with a bit of excitement.


    "This information would be incredible for the twomanders! With this, we might be able to defend against the Hundun n?"


    Once Xuan Yin spoke those words, the spirit burrowed her brows.


    "What do you mean, defend against the Hundun n?"

 Chapter 463 - A Treasure Against The Hundun

    The spirit looked at them both with curiosity and concern. It was then that Ming Yue exined what had happened between them and the Hundun n. By the end of the story, all of the Nuwa n members as well as the spirit herself, were before her, listening on with widened eyes.


    Evidently, they did not realize that such things were happening. Rather, for them to not detect this was not possible.


    The spirit furrowed her brows and rubbed her chin.


    "How strange. For the Idol of Chaos toe this far... I had assumed that we would have known about its movements. That is strange.."


    She thought carefully before her eyes widened and she looked up.


    "Is that how it is?" she muttered.


    Evidently, the spirit must''ve thought of a reason.


    "You say that the one they used to create their champion was originally a human. Someone who escaped their mortal body and used a puppet body, right?"


    Ming Yue nodded.


    "Yes, his name was Dai Mian and he escaped into thesends with his body nearly destroyed."


    "I see, then that would make sense. The Idol of Chaos that you have witnessed was an iplete form. Hence, even if it moved, the Nuwa n would not have noticed", the spirit exined.


    "Wait, that was just an iplete form?!" Xuan Yin yelled out, "If that was iplete, what would aplete one look like?"


    The spirit paused for a moment before answering the archer, speaking with a grave tone.


    "Aplete one would have full control over the Primordial Lightning. With a single finger, it could shatter thends. It is the full strength of the Hundun n, essentially a clone of its Primordial Ancestor. But for an iplete one to reveal itself... Could it be due to the cycle?"


    "A clone of its Primordial Ancestor?"


    Ming Yue and Xuan Yin looked at each other as they repeated those words. It was already difficult enough trying to take down one that is iplete. How would they far against a real one?


    And then, there was a second point that caught their ears.


    "The cycle? What do you mean by that?" Ming Yue asked.


    The spirit looked at them both then answered her question.


    "As I have stated before, the Nuwa n and the World Serpent are tasked with rebuilding the world after every destruction of it. From the end of the Primordials to now, there have been a total of eightpleted cycles and we are now at the ninth."


    "Then... what happens at the end of the ninth cycle?"


    "... At the end of the ninth one, the world will be ovee with drastic change. Just as how the Primordials perished and transformed into ns and races, we will perish and transform as well. A remaking of the world so to speak."


    "A remaking."


    "Yes, but that should note just yet, at least not for several more centuries. For you humans who have short lifespans, there is no need to care for it. Not unless you live until then."


    The both of them just looked at each other weirdly.


    "Doesn''t exactly make it any easier to know", Xuan Yin muttered.


    "In any case, since their Idol of Chaos has been lost, they will surelye for you and your brethren."


    The spirit raised her arm again, causing roots toe out from the ground and form a small wooden cage. In the middle of it was a bell made from leaves with a pper made from a glowing piece of jade.


    The roots then bent towards Ming Yue who grabbed the cage, snapping it off.


    She looked at it as Xuan Yin leaned in to study the bell as well.


    "Whoa, what is this?" the archer asked.


    They looked at the spirit who promptly exined.


    "This Mending Heaven''s Bell is one of the few treasures of the Nuwa n. By ringing it, it will produce a sound that will ward the Hundun n off. This would buy you enough time for us to arrive and fight them back. Without it, you would be helpless against defeating them."


    "Helpless?" said Ming Yue.


    "Unlike the Idol of Chaos, you cannot directly harm or destroy the Hundun n. Their bodies have be one with the world and are primarilyposed of Primordial Lightning. Your attacks will only go through their bodies. In order to even be able to touch them, you must either have an incredible talent for the Lightening Dao or the Wood Dao."


    The spirit then looked at Ming Yue specifically.


    "I can see your affinity for lightning and that you''ve gained control over it. You even have traces of Primordial Lightning in it but the level you are at is not high enough."


    Her eyes widened at the suddenment as if not expecting the spirit to have known. But in the end, Ming Yue knew that the spirit was right. She had only just started merging the Lightning Dao to her techniques. Her proficiency in it was nothingpared to her proficiency in the Wind Dao. Not to mention, she had yet tobine the two Daos and transform them into a True Dao.


    She gave the bell another nce before cing it into her Spatial Ring.


    "I understand."


    The spirit smiled and nodded.


    "Alright then, once the exchange isplete, we will send you out of our realm. That little tree should have gotten over its little tantrum by then", she said.


    Several hours passed by as Ming Yue and Xuan Yin continued to harvest and organize the herbs. They couldn''t help but be surprised at what came out. Certainly many of them were of a lower rank but the quality was nearly impable. Not to mention, some of them happened to be incredible rare, not only for healing but for one''s cultivation too!


    Neither of them could help themselves, pocketing a few for their own use.


    Meanwhile, the three beasts of theirs were busy ying with the fairies, chasing after each other with excited yips and chirps.The spirit herself, reverted back into roots, leaving just the tree which was pulsing with energy, harnessing the power of the Eternal Heart Ring.


    As soon as thest leaf or berry was plucked from the bush, it wilted back into the ground. The tree itself, hummed with power, spitting the wooden ring out from its body.


    Ming Yue walked to pick it up and put it back on before ncing over to Xuan Yin, who nodded.


    "Our rings are practically full", the archer said.


    "There''s enough tost at least half a year."


    Ming Yue then looked back at the tree, cupping her fists and bowing.


    "Thank you for your help."


    The spirit chuckled.


    "You should gather yourselves, I''ll be sending you all back to where you were earlier", she said.


    They nodded and went off to retrieve the three beasts, all of whom were still busy ying with the fairies. There was a sad look on their faces, knowing that they might not ever meet again.


    Surprisingly, it was Xiao Yin who was the saddest, looking at the fairies every now and then. Among the three of them, the Star Owl seemed to have been most fond of them.


    "Alright then, I bid you all farewell. Should you ring that bell, the Nuwa n will arrive within a day."


    The spirit spoke thesest words before sending them off. Fairies gathered around them before glowing, releasing a shining light that blinded them. Soon enough the light was gone and when everyone opened their eyes, they were all within the Primeval Forest again.


    In fact, they were standing at the very ce the fairies had taken them away from. It was quiet as they all quickly looked around.


    "Phew, looks like that monster forgot about us, let''s go!"


    Xuan Yin spoke with a relieved tone as she walked off.


    But then, they heard a furious roar!

 Chapter 464 - Monstrous Talent

    Everyone whipped their heads around before seeing the Viridescent Treant slowly emerging from where it was.


    "Ohe on!" Xuan Yin shouted.


    None of them stayed any longer and quickly ran as the monster rose up. Having sensed a disturbance in the air, it knew that it could only be the return of those thieves!


    And it was right!


    "I thought it got over its tantrum! Damn it!"


    The archer gnashed her teeth in frustration as she focused on escaping this peril. Ming Yue gave her a look before ncing back at the Treant, who looked around for any sign of movement.


    Quickly understand, she pulled Xuan Yin away, hiding behind a trunk with her and their three pets. She looked at the archer and put a hand to her mouth.


    "Don''t talk, it doesn''t know where we are yet", she whispered..


    Xuan Yin nodded before the hand was pulled away from her mouth. She took in a deep gulp and turned just enough to peek from the side of the tree.


    The Viridescent Treant was rampaging everywhere, smashing down trees, ripping them from the ground, and tearing through the forest. Its eyes moved from one side to the other, searching for them.


    But as it continued on its path of destruction, the treant wasn''t any closer. In fact, it went farther and farther away, stomping towards the east where theke would be. The entire group watched it go off.


    The furious roars and thundering steps slowly grew quieter until it was nothing more than low echoes.


    A heavy sigh left the archer''s mouth as she finally rxed and stepped out of hiding.


    "Hah, at least it''s gone. We should get out of here before ites back."


    Ming Yue nodded.


    "Let''s go."


    Together, they waved as quickly and quietly as possible, getting farther away from the Treant. They didn''t stop except for a few small breaks to catch their breath. None of them would feel safe until they were out of the Primeval Forest.


    In a day''s time, they made it out, looking back at the forest.


    "Ah, I didn''t think I''d be so d to smell such in air. Any more of that sweetness from the forest and I really would''ve puked."


    Xuan Yin took in a deep breath as did everyone else. Safe to say, none of them wanted toe back to the Primeval Forest anytime soon.


    It was then that they camped for the night, feeling drained from the journey out. Sitting by a small wood fire, the pair ate their dried rations, sharing some with Xiao Yin and the other beasts.


    They ate quietly, rethinking the events that have just transpired. And in those few moments, Xuan Yin couldn''t help but smile but snickering a little bit. Ming Yue looked at her strangely.


    "Is there something wrong?" she asked.


    Although she knew that her friend was quite friendly and chatty, it was very weird to see her suddenly startughing. Xuan Yin looked at her before putting her hand up to ver her mouth.


    "No, no, there''s nothing wrong. I just... I''ve had quite a few adventures on my own but it seems like when I''m with you, they just can''tpare!"


    She looked at the fire, continuing her words.


    "I mean,e on! Angering a rank 8 beast and practically escaping death from it twice. Just that practically trumps anything I''ve done! Now you add in the Nuwa n? Forget that they''re a n, we met fairies! Actual fairies! Think of the things I can tell my descendants!"


    There was a bit of excitement in her eyes, some pride, and confidence. Xuan Yin then pointed at Ming Yue.


    "And you, my god, you have some monstrous talent! You''ll almost reach the Boundary Stage! Once you pass that it''s the Sky Realm! There are barely a hundred Sky Realm Experts and do you know who the youngest one is?" she asked her.


    Ming Yue shook her head.


    "No", she replied.


    But she thought back to the sect leader of Clear Spring Mountain, who was one of the youngest to reach that very realm.


    "It''s me! I just broke into the Sky Realm right before I left for the Demon Continent! I''m twenty-eight years old now! And you! You''re barely twenty! You might as well overtake me!"


    She was excited, very excited.


    "Tagging along with you was probably one of the best decisions I''ve ever made!" she said.


    From there, she continued to talk and ramble on whilst Ming Yue thought about what the archer said.


    "Then at this rate... would I be the youngest then?" she thought, "No, it wouldn''t be so easy. I have to prepare well for it, make sure my foundations are solid."


    No matter what, she didn''t want to growcent.


    "Hey!"


    Ming Yue suddenly stopped her thoughts and looked at Xuan Yin.


    "No matter how strong or how much a genius you might be, don''t forget to rely on your allies and friends. You have me, right? And even if I''m not there, you have those two." said the archer, pointing at the owl and fox.


    "So when we go back home, we''re going on some more adventures, right?" she asked her.


    Ming Yue nodded.


    "Of course."


    They both exchanged a smile before finishing their food. Night soon passed and the group was well on their way back. When they returned, the camp was still as busy as ever though there weren''t too many people.


    "Let''s head to the infirmary first, drop off the herbs first."


    After saying so, Ming Yue led the group there, a three-story stone building with a signboard over the door. Written on it were the words, "Cerulean Fortress Infirmary", which came as a pleasant surprise.


    "Is that the name they decided on? Cerulean Fortress... Not a bad name."


    Xuan Yin repeated it with a satisfied smile. Ming Yue also found the name fitting. After all, this was built to keep control over the Cerulean Serpent''s Lake.


    But when they walked in, this optimism was changed to surprise as the infirmary was practically empty. That would''ve been a good thing since there were no patients meaning no injured but, there were only two other people there.


    And when they saw Ming Yue, they quickly walked up to her.


    "We greet the Fairy of the Moon and the Hell Court''s Archer!"


    Cupping their fists and lowering their heads, the two greeted them. A pair of young men, unlike the usual elderly doctors, they must have been apprentices or juniors.


    "What happened? Why is the infirmary empty?" asked Ming Yue.


    The two apprentices looked at each other before one of them answered.


    "Currently, most of the masters are out on an expedition south of the fortress. They''ve left in multiple groups to search for more reliable sources of herbs. They n to make a medicinal garden here which is the reason for their search."


    Xuan Yin then chuckled.


    "You can tell them not to look anymore. We''ve got enough in our rings to start this garden ten times over!" she gloated.


    The two juniors revealed a look of surprise.


    "We''ll lead you to the storeroom."


    They then turned and opened the doors in the back, bringing them through a hallway where another set of doors waited. It wasrge and heavy, made from wood and metal. Putting a hand on each side, the two men opened them.


    A small breeze came through before everyone entered.


    Within the storeroom were dozens of shelves, racks, and pots, all of which were nearly empty. What was left could probably fill a few basketsbined and this was meant for an entire fortress.


    "Alright then, let''s pile it up!"


    "Here you go."


    Without wasting another second, the both of them began taking out all of what they had in their spatial rings. What they took out had caused the two juniors to permanently open their jaws. At the end of it, there was enough to fill the room and even have some leftover!

 Chapter 465 - Breakthrough!

    After they were done, the group split off when they got outside of the infirmary. Standing by the doors, the two juniors had their heads down in gratitude.


    Xuan Yin gave her friend a look and a smile.


    "I have to go into closed-door cultivation! With what we harvested from the Nuwa n, I might be able to get past my little slump."


    She waved goodbye, calling her falcon to her and leaving.


    Ming Yue had simr thoughts, she''d been pushing it off for a while but it was time for her to break through.


    "Come on, you two, let''s clean ourselves up before we start. The smell from the Primeval Forest isn''t exactly gone."


    The two beasts happily followed her for that sickly sweetness clung to their bodies.. A good bath would do them all well and it did, washing away the fatigue. By the time, they were all in their room, Hei Yie and Xiao Yin were fast asleep, able to rx their noses.


    On the other hand, Ming Yue took something out from her spatial ring, a single berry covered with gold and white swirls. A more earthy and bitter smell came from it as she held it in the palm of her hand.


    "A Nascent Soul Berry at about the thousand-year mark... A Rank 7 at the highest level."


    She moved the berry around her hand, looking at it with a bit of wonder. The highest-ranked medicinal treasure was Rank 5 and now she had a Rank 7 right before her.


    "Not only can this berry heal a person''s mind and soul, but it will also nourish them both. If I use this to break through, my soul will be that much stronger. I won''t justplete the shell, I''ll make it as thick as possible!"


    With that in mind, she ate the berry and sat in position, circting her energy. Within seconds, the Nascent Soul Berry slowly broke away into a stream of energy, slow and calm. Guiding it through her body, she sent it towards her soul and her mental force, splitting them in half.


    And in mere seconds, the shell of power surrounding her soul had beenpleted. Within, the ind that was brimming with life suddenly expanded into an entire world. But she wasn''t finished just yet.


    With the shellplete, she began to build up upon it, making it thicker. Just a few millimeters more took a third of berry''s energy. But just those few millimeters created a wealth of difference for the small world within her core flourished and grew.


    And the remaining half of the berries energy had gone into strengthening her mind, expanding the pool of Mental Force that she had.


    The entire process was smooth and went by without a hitch.


    With the shell of energy surrounding her soulpleted, she was at the Boundary Stage. And by thickening the shell and nourishing her mind, attacks on her consciousness would be that much more difficult. Illusions would be easier to break through and her own mental attacks would be stronger.


    But this was the side benefit to the real advantage of breaking through. The point of the Soul Stage was to strengthen one''s mentality with the previous stages about strengthening other aspects of her body. In this way, she was preparing herself for the Boundary Stage and for the Sky Realm.


    And now that she was in the Boundary Stage, things had begun to change. It was like breaking through the Sight and Perception Stage again. Her body seemed to be even more sensitive to everything around her.


    Ming Yue opened her eyes and looked around, slowly taking in her room. After a few moments, she stood up and left, walking to thekeshore where the sun was rising.


    "Is this what it feels like? To be this close to the Sky Realm?" she wondered.


    Her eyes wandered everywhere. Before she could see and feel all of the energy around here, the various forces at work from air to wind to water, the world itself. Now it was as if she understood it, something that couldn''t be exined.


    Suddenly, she knew where the energy would go, what it would do. Herprehension skills grew and her understanding of the worldlyws grew as well.


    There were rules in ce, patterns for everything, Ming Yue knew it but she couldn''t put it into words. Stepping right up to the edge of theke, the young woman knelt down and dipped her hand into the water. The surface rippled and she watched the rings spread out.


    She moved her hand, studying the movements of the water. The rippling continued until her hand stopped and began to move differently. Suddenly, the surface of the water no longer rippled even as she continued to shift her hand from one ce to another.


    To any ordinary person, it would seem strange, magical even. But to her, she was just counteracting the ripples caused by her earlier movement. In other words, she hadplete control.


    But the changes would be much more apparent in her spars with the soldiers.


    "Ah, I surrender. Thank you for teaching me."


    "I surrender."


    "I surrender."


    All of the soldiers that sparred with her ended up repeating those words. But unlike the helpless looks from before, they had rather excited ones. In the next spar, a young soldier wielded her sword, pointing it at Ming Yue, who fought with only her hands.


    She didn''t even have her Boltwind Nails or Zephyr ws, it was just her hands.


    The soldier did not move forward or move back, she held her sword tightly. But there was a bit of uncertainty in her eyes.


    "We can begin", said Ming Yue.


    She waited patiently before her opponent took a deep breath and struck out, attacking with a lunge. Ming Yue parried the strike, knocking it away with the back of her hand but she didn''t end the fight. Instead, she let it continue, allowing the soldier to attack more and more.


    She didn''t just dodge or parry but guided the de around, taking full control over the rhythm of the fight. After one hundred moves, the soldier stopped, looking at her sword before bowing to Ming Yue.


    "Thank you for teaching!"


    Ming Yue smiled and nodded before waiting for the next. From just the first look, she knew where the soldier would go, predicting their attacks right before theye and then correcting them.


    After a hundred moves, they would all instinctively understand their rhythm.Even if they couldn''t put it to words, it would have felt like they''ve been enlightened.


    And at the end of the day, she began practicing with her dagger, using each technique over and over again. And each time, it would be improved either in executing the skill or using it, there was always something to improve.


    And when it came to her swordy, she began to create patterns upon patterns, chaining different attacks together. But the rhythm was always different, from fast to slow, and yet there was a pattern there. Safe to say, the level ofplexity within her swordy had gone to another level. And this was just ordinary attacks: thrusts, shes, swings, and more.


    It was as if a whole new world had been revealed to her.


    And she was just taking her first steps.


    After all, from the Boundary Stage to the Sky Realm, such a crossing was simple. All they had to do was pass through the Heaven''s Tribtion, to just calmly sit and wait for it toe. But all of this depended on the person, whether they thought it was the right time to do so or not. If they understand enough of the world to reach the skies and challenge the Heavens.


    That was what Ming Yue had to do before she could be a Sky Realm expert.

 Chapter 466 - The Missing Clan

    But in her mind, she knew it was far too soon to undergo this tribtion. The timing wasn''t right. Then again, nothing seemed quite right at this time. Days passed with no change in the skies, everyone would nce up every now and then, waiting, watching. And yet, the Hundun n had yet toe.


    At least a few weeks, nearly a month of time had gone by but the supposed n never came.


    The Cerulean Fortress waspleted at this point.


    The infirmary had a blossoming medicine garden. The storehouses were filled with minerals while every soldier''s equipment had been upgraded. All of this preparation for a battle that never came. There were scouts everywhere, ready to alert the fortress at a moment''s notice. The time for Ming Yue to retrieve her de grew closer and closer..


    But that begged the question, where was the Hundun n now?


    Even reports from the North Fort stated that all signs of them living in the northwestern mountains were gone. The swirling pool of Primordial Lightning was gone, no longer churning above the mountains. In fact, the very mountains they resided in were gone, uprooted from the ground. They had simply disappeared.


    For the twomanders of the Cerulean Fortress, such an answer was more than troubling.


    "That''s impossible! Where could they have gone?"


    Zi Jing read those very reports, putting two fingers to the side of his head and rubbing his temple.


    "How could an entire n just up and vanish like that?" He questioned aloud.


    This genius of a man didn''t understand. But his fellowmander, Yu Zhen didn''t seem as frustrated as him.


    "Wherever they went, at least they aren''t here", she replied, "More time for us to prepare."


    Zi Jing looked at her and sighed.


    "That just makes it even worse. They should''vee as soon as possible after losing their Idol of Chaos. But for them not to, it worries me as to what they have in store."


    Putting the reports down, he stood up and looked at the map on the walls.


    "To make matters even worse, Du Xiu fought with Kong Zhi and nearly had that damn demon. Isn''t this the third time?! Is Kong Zhi a cockroach or something? Always managing to escape death at thest moment!"


    Zi Jing had nothing butintsing out of his mouth. He was wide-eyed and practically in a manic state. Something that his fellowmander clearly saw.


    "You need to rest. I don''t think you''ve actually slept in the past several days, maybe weeks even", she said.


    He turned to face her, slumping his shoulders before taking a seat.


    "Hah, I know, I know, but they could attack at any moment. We''vepleted the fortress but our work is far from finished. How will we-"


    Before he could even finish a heavy pressure fell upon everyone! More than that, thunder and lightning struck all around the Cerulean Fortress. The twomanders rushed out and looked up at the sky only to see the somewhat cloudy sky be reced by the churning clouds of electric fury.


    Two bangs resounded through the air and a pair of mountains dropped down from the swirling sky. One just north of it and one south, both of them were ced right next to the fortress. The distance between them was less than a hundred meters and they represented Zi Jing''s worst fears.


    The Hundun n didn''t just bring themselves, they brought everything. The entire n had essentially relocated as their neighbors, the difference being that these neighbors were out for blood.


    What followed after was absolute chaos as everyone on the fortress rushed around.


    As sudden as this was, they all knew what to do, manning the defenses and preparing for the oing battle. Then a chariot of lightning descended from the clouds as hundreds of the Hundun n''s members followed suit.


    They all came down before floating right above the barriers, looking down at the fortress.


    Everyone was in position, brandishing their weapons and looking up at them. Despite the various barriers, it wasn''t enough to weaken the pressure that everyone felt. Those swirling clouds were the source of the Hundun n''s strength after all. It wasn''t just the weight of its power but the lightning that continued to strike down at random.


    They all waited for the Hundun to make their move however those little balls of lightning were unmoving, gazing down at the Cerulean Fortress.


    Suddenly, they scattered, exploring the area and gathering at the ces where the Idol of Chaos was struck down and lost. Moments passed before they came together again and a collection of their distorted voices echoed out.


    "WHERE IS THE IDOL OF CHAOS?!" they asked.


    Zi Jing then walked forward and looked directly at the lightning chariot.


    "It''s gone!" he shouted, "We don''t know where it went!"


    There was a pause of silence before a thundering crack resounded from the ckened skies.


    "LIES! LIES! OUR CHAMPION WAS TAKEN FROM US! THE IDOL HAS BEEN LOST! SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES!"


    The distorted voices all screamed out in anger and rage. The air suddenly grew heavier and began to buzz as power gathered within the churning clouds. Before they released their attack, the crisp sound of a ringing bell echoed throughout, suddenly easing the heavy pressure.


    The source of it was Ming Yue, who had seen it all unfold and prepared the Mending Heaven''s Bell.


    She continued to ring it, producing waves of a calming power. As for the Hundun n, they immediately backed away, scattered about by the sound.


    Screams echoed out as the attack they had prepared was broken. The churning clouds slowed and the gathered power was gone.


    "THE NUWA CLAN! THE NUWA CLAN! WE SEE THE REASON NOW! THE LOSS OF OUR IDOL! THIS IS FAR FROM FINISHED! WE WILL WAIT FOR THE NUWA TO COME AND WE WILL DESTROY YOU BOTH!"


    They continued to falter before retreating, going back to the mountains they nted. And in doing so, Ming Yue no longer rang the bell but the calming aura stayed, pushing back against the heavy pressure.


    However, the situation wasn''t any better.


    The twomanders surveyed their surroundings, looking at the mountains and the sky above them.


    "We won''t be able toe in or out at this point. We''re practically sitting ducks until the Nuwa nes", said Yu Zhen.


    Zi Jing breathed heavily, wiping off the sweat from his brow.


    "Yes, but we only need to wait a day or two toe. Until then, we have to wait."


    "I''m just worried about our forces... With this kind of pressure, they are bound to break."


    "I know, the suspense is damning to them. Their minds may not be strong enough."


    And for Ming Yue, it felt as if she was back at the Merciless Storm Peak again. Even after she used the bell, lightning continued to crack and thunder down. Sometimes, they''d hit the fortress''s barrier, other times, they''d strike at theke itself.


    It seemed that no matter what, the Hundun n was here to stay.


    This news quickly spread around and for the armies of Kong Zhi, this was a difficult piece of information.


    "For the elusive Hundun n to move everything to that human fortress down there, it seems that losing the Idol of Chaos had incurred the worst of their wrath", said Huo Shen


    This time, all of the Kings and Queens gathered around a table with Shi Hou seated at the front. The Roaring King seemed to be at a loss for words.


    "This..."


    He wasn''t sure what to say, not even knowing what to think. The demon looked at all of hisrades before sighing.


    "What do you all suggest we do?" he asked them.


    They were all quiet until Shiji Wu rubbed his chin and looked at Shi Hou. His eyes showed a hint of calction as he spoke.


    "There is something we could do."

 Chapter 467 - Converging At The South

    Shiji Wu then stood up and walked to Shi Hou, whispering into his ears the n that this elder had thought of. But once he was finished, the Roaring King immediately spun towards him with widened eyes.


    "Are you serious?! That is beyond desecration! Sacrificing Kong Zhi to the Hundun n?!" he shouted.


    Such words echoed through the table and out of the tent, entering the ears of other demons!


    The Shiji n leader grimaced at the loud voice of Shi Hou before nodding. He then looked to the others and spoke again, this time aloud.


    "Yes, that is exactly what I am suggesting."


    He looked at Shi Hou directly in the eyes as the demon said it.


    "Just listen to me for a moment, the Hundun n has lost their Idol of Chaos. It is gone, they no longer have their champion and in that anger, sought vengeance on the humans.. Thus they head south where the Idol was lost. But just because they lost it, doesn''t mean that it cannot be reced."


    "So why choose to sacrifice Kong Zhi?" someone else asked, "I could do better."


    They looked at Shiji Hou with a piercing gaze, as if trying to see what this old and wily demon was nning.


    Shiji Hou looked back as he quietly gulped down.


    This person or demon rather, was known as the Revenant Lord, truthfully, the only demon of his kind left. His skin was gray and sunken as his body was thin and emaciated. If not for the heavy cloak that he wore, one could''ve seen the outlines of his bones. His eyes were pitch ck with pupils that looked like a swirling pool of gray energy.


    As for what sort of demon he was, the Revenant Lord was a Wraith Demon


    As said before, he was the only demon of his kind and only one can exist at a time. That was because of their power, the power to raise the dead. He could bring corpses back from the dead, turning them into his own soldiers. He could strengthen them and what more, he could control hundreds if not thousands at a time.


    "i know what you''re [perfectly capable of", Shiji Wu replied calmly.


    "However, could you produce something as powerful as the Idol of Chaos?" he asked.


    The Revenant Lord was silent but ultimately shook his head and Shiji Wu continued.


    "Giving Kong Zhi to the Hundun n is far better. Imagine, an even stronger Idol of Chaos abination of the Hundun and the Vajra''s power! Not even thatmander will be able to do a thing to it. They will spearhead our victory!"


    He then looked back at Shi Hou to find no difference in his expression.Despite his words and charisma, the Roaring King''s mind did not change.


    "This is no more than desecration to our lord, Shiji Wu! I cannot let such a thing happen to Kong Zhi", he said with a determined tone.


    But Shiji Wu wasn''t done yet. He sighed and looked down at the table.


    "What else would you have me say? Even with Kong Zhi''s Vajra Bloodline, it isn''t enough for him to recover from the damage that humanmander inflicted on him. It has been weeks and not a single thing has changed. No movement from his body! No sign of him waking! He might as well be dead at this point!"


    By these words, Shi Hou mmed the table with his fist and stood up.


    "Don''t you dare say such things to me!" he shouted.


    Shiji Wu took a step back at the power of Shi Hou''s voice. Evidently, everyone else felt the same, gripping their armrests tightly as they looked at him.


    The Roaring King red at Shiji Wu pointing straight at the demon with his remaining arm.


    "Do not utter those words again."


    He spoke in a quieter tone but it wasn''t hard to hear the restraint in his voice. Shiji Wu stared at Shi Hou with unfaltering eyes.


    "Our lord is lying in that tent and has done nothing but breath. He is practically dead, his mind is gone. Think of it this way, with the Hundun n, they might be able to breath new life into our lord. Bring him back to be even stronger. Please, Shi Hou, consider it."


    The Shiji n Leader then sat down on his seat, gazing at Shi Hou.


    He looked back before sitting back down and turning to the others.


    "Is there any other idea you would all like to propose?" the demon asked.


    The others were silent. Some shook their heads while others merely looked away. Shi Hou gave them all a look before sighing.


    "Alright then, everyone''s dismissed."


    They all stood up and walked out of the tent, leaving him to his own thoughts. And the demon just sat there with his head lowered, looking at the table''s surface. He was quiet, deep in thought. It was difficult to find out what he was thinking.


    His eyes were somewhat nk and empty, staring at the empty space for several minutes.


    A long sigh left his mouth as he finally straightened up and leaned back on his chair.


    "Hah, damn, what do I do?" he asked himself.


    He looked forward, walking out of the tent and staring at where Kong Zhi was resting. In the end, a decision had to be made.


    "Head South! Aid the Hundun n! We will reim the Cerulean Serpent''s Lake and break through the human''s defenses! We will reim all lost ground and take theirs!"


    His voice echoed throughout the camp and soon enough orders were sent through to everyone. As for the Kings and Queens, Shiji Wu revealed a small smile, one of victory.


    "Good, fewer things to worry about then", he chuckled whilst everyone else kept silent.


    Their n had been set in motion and the Cerulean Fortress was about to take on more than just the Hundun n. Whether or not its defenses were enough was a question that couldn''t be answered.


    But the fortress was holding for now. Even with the looming presence of the Hundun, they weren''t helpless just yet. Not when the Nuwa n was on their way.


    No one slept. All eyes were on the two mountains and the churning clouds above them. Lightning continued to thunder and crack, releasing enough pressure to make breathing difficult for them. They couldn''t risk showing a single moment of weakness.


    All of the defenses were manned and loaded, the barriers activated, and everyone armed.


    Among them, Ming Yue nced between theke and the clouds. On one hand, she hoped that Drifting Sky would be returned to her. On the other, it was still a few months too early. It seemed that she could not rely on her sword for this new crisis. The young woman could only wait and hope that the Nuwa n could push them away.


    "Don''t worry, we''ve already informed the othermanders. They will be sending in reinforcement and supplies to us. Even if you don''t have that sword of yours, it''s not like you are fighting alone. "


    Zi Jing''s voice popped beside her as themander walked up to her side.


    She looked at him before muttering to him.


    "I know but not having it with me is strange. Even after several months without it, it doesn''t feel right without my sword. The equipment you''ve lent me is good but it cannot rece what I had."


    Zi Jing chuckled.


    "Hah, there is no need to be apologetic! I understand that feeling very well. We just have to hold on for a bit longer. The Nuwa n should being soon."


    "I hope so."


    So they waited and watched.


    And when the sun rose up, the toll of a bell rang across thend as the ground shuddered before the Cerulean Fortress. The surface, which had been ckened by the lightning strikes, cracked open as a massive tree shot out from below.


    The Nuwa n hade!

 Chapter 468 - Clashing Of The Clans

    An emerald glow emanated from the tree, beating back the destructive powering from the mountains and the skies. Small orbs of green light floated out of the tree, getting into a formation'' The light shed out before connecting to each other, creating attice pattern resembling that of a.


    The moment it took form, the was released, flying up at the spinning clouds. Landing squarely over it, the emerald shed with the sky, restricting the lightning and stopping all of it froming down.


    Just like that, the Hundun n was deprived of their source of power.


    But they soon made their appearance, rising out of the mountains to meet with their enemy.


    "NUWA!"


    Their distorted voices called out to this n, facing the fairies. And the spirit of the tree responded with a simple word.


    "Leave.."


    Her voice was calm but cold, this would be her only warning. Even the fairies had angry frowns on their faces. Despite this show of force, the Hundun n wasn''t swayed so easily.


    "WE WILL NOT LEAVE! THE IDOL WAS LOST! VENGEANCE MUST BE HAD!"


    They answered back with both determination and anger.


    "If you wish", the spirit replied.


    Just like that, the two ns squared off against each other. The power from both sides began to rise, shing against each other and pushing forward. The clouds above crackled with lightning, trying to tear the emerald apart in vain. The pressureing from these two ns was violent, so much so that it caused waves on theke.


    Everyone in the Cerulean Fortress watched from the ground in awe. They had all learned of the Nuwa n through Xuan Yin and Ming Yue but it did not prepare them from seeing it with their own eyes.


    Zi Jing watched for another moment before waking from this small trance.


    "Man the cannons! We''re destroying those mountains while the Hundun n are preupied!" he shouted.


    Everyone else seemed to have been knocked out of their dazed state, immediately rushing to their stations. And then the fortress began to shift and transform. Gears nked and ground, revealing dozens of weapons through the walls.


    The fortress itself was a massive castle with towers and spires. Aside from the barriers, there were thick stone walls fitted with metal bearings. With its transformation, the towers opened up as a line of cannons came out from each of them. All of them were the same,rge and powerful enough to destroy a ship in one shot.


    Their obsidian bodies were adorned with gold and silver linings. In addition, were the red cores embedded on their barrels.


    In total, there were thirty of them, six cannons split into five towers and they were all unmanned. All there needed to be was a crew of three people on the top floor of each tower. One person to aim, one to shoot, and one to reload the cannons, all of which could be done through a panel of buttons.


    Zi Jing had entered the main tower where there was an extra apparatus, a medallion which he took ahold of.


    "Ready and take aim!"


    Themander shouted into it, sending orders to the other four towers, who followed them faithfully.


    The red cores slowly activated, emanating with a fiery red glow as the cannons all hummed with power.And then the towers all began to turn, facing towards the mountain to their south. The air around each cannon started to tremble as more and more power gathered at the barrel.


    The Hundun n were too focused on the Nuwa to notice what was happening. And even if they realized now, it would be toote.


    Zi Jing stared at the southern mountain, ncing at the other towers.


    "Fire!"


    As soon as he yelled into the medallion, thirty fiery crimson rays shot out with an explosive roar! Passing through the Hundun n, they arced through the air before reaching the mountain. The trail of light it left behindsted a moment before there wasplete silence.


    Then the mountain erupted from the attack! Smoke and ash spread into the skies as rocks flew out! Parts of it had melted, turning into streams of molten rock.


    That was enough to break the stalemate between the two ns as the Hundun had turned its attention to their former home. They looked in horror while it began to crumble down on itself, reduced to shattered stone.


    "NOOOOOO!"


    Taking this opportunity, the Nuwa n struck out, releasing a powerful shockwave of their power. The small sprites, protected in their aura of lightning, faltered from the attack.


    "YOU WILL PAY WITH THIS! YOU WILL SUFFER IN THE CHAOS!"


    Their voices began to distort even more, slowly growing out of sync as the anger and rage pushed them further. The lightning faltered for a moment before crackling out as their auras burst out, pushing back at the Nuwa n.


    The ckened clouds above shot down hundreds of lightning bolts, striking the emerald with even more fury. The was stretching back, holding all of the power that the Hundun n called forth.


    "The other mountain quick! Destroy it!"


    Zi Jing shouted into the medallion again and the five towers started to turn to the other side.


    "ARROGANCE!"


    The Hundun n shouted, zipping away towards the other mountain. A barrier soon formed before the Cerulean Fortress but themander was undeterred.


    "Fire away! Break through the barrier!" he yelled out.


    Momentster, the cannons roared out, releasing a barrage of fiery rays at the barrier. But seeding a second time was far too good to happen for the barrier of lightning had eradicated the attack.


    Even then, Zi Jing continued to shout out, firing again and again.


    The soldiers below could only take on a defensive stance as they awaited the fight. With the Nuwa n pushing back the Hundun, they could only be ready. The shing became more and more violent as both sides produced one shockwave after another.


    The lightning above continued to strike at the constantly, slowly stretching it further and further until it could no longer hold. And when that happened, the snapped and broke away. All of the energy that it kept back was finally released raining down on everything.


    A massive wave of lightning crashed down on the Nuwa n, the fortress, and theke. And while the n and the fortress protected themselves, theke seemed to absorb all of that power.


    As for where it went, the lightning collected at one spot, the epicenter of theke, as if something was attracting it. But no one noticed it, they were all too focused on this new crisis.


    Once all of that power was released, the Nuwa n countered it.


    "Back from where you came from!"


    The spirit''s voice shouted out as the fairies entered the tree and merged together. It began to growrger andrger. It was no longer of a simr size to the fortress but towering over it. The branches extended and protected the soldiers below. A shining green glow emanated from the tree as it effused a pleasant earthy smell.


    Its aura expanded,ing in waves as it covered everything and forced the Hundun n back.


    These little sprites could do nothing but retreat.


    "Your Idol of Chaos is no more! Do you really think that you are a match for us?!" the spirit yelled out.


    "CURSE YOU! CURSE YOU! CURSE YOU! THIS ISN''T OVER!"


    The Hundun n retreated into their mountain as the churning clouds shifted over to it as well. The tree continued to release its aura before stopping and shrinking back down.


    At this moment, the spirit spoke to the soldiers.


    "Are all of you safe?" she said.


    For now, everyone released their breath for that suffocating pressure was gone.


    But for how long? The answer was too difficult to tell.

 Chapter 469 - Sacrifice And Rebirth

    Both Zi Jing and Yu Zhen walked forward, leaving the fortress and kneeling in front of the tree.


    "We humbly greet the spirit of the Nuwa n!"


    Cupping their fists, they both spoke out to the n. Following them, the soldiers of the fortress knelt down on one knee and repeated the greeting.


    Both Ming Yue and Xuan Yin walked up as well, cupping their fists and bowing.


    "Please, there is no need to bow. you can all stand up."


    The spirit replied with a kindly voice before taking on a darker tone.


    "I''m afraid that this is all the help that we can provide. While the Nuwa n can help stave them off, it is only temporary.. We do not have the capability of destroying them, not until the tree blooms. And that will time and energy, not even your ring will hasten your process by much", she said.


    Themanders lowered their heads once more.


    "This is already enough, soon reinforcements wille", they replied.


    "No that will not be enough, the Hundun n cannot be destroyed through ordinary means. But now that both sides are here, this ce will soon be a battlefield of untold magnitude. Please prepare well."


    "Of course!"


    They then turned back and sent out orders to everyone.


    "Fully stock on all resources! Medicine and equipment! I don''t want to hear anything about low stocks!"


    "We need patrols around the Nuwa n! If they need anything, do it!"


    "Tower crews should switch every twelve hours! No matter what, keep watch of that mountain and those clouds! Any strange movement is to be reported to me directly! Got it!"


    "Yes,manders!"


    Everyone saluted before running off to their posts.


    This was just the first taste of what was toe. Days passed as the Cerulean Fortress continued its bustling. Ships soon arrived with supplies and soldiers from the other bases, adding to the fortress''s manpower.


    The atmosphere was heavy and no one was in the mood to crack jokes.


    What did crack was the ck and white lightninging from the Hundun n, striking at the fortress. It was like a clock, ticking away, a reminder that they were still there, waiting to strike back. But with the Nuwa n, the spirit of the tree kept them at bay and the barriers stood strong against it.


    This brief but erratic peace soon ended as an army approached from the east. An army of demons, led by Shi Hou.


    They marched through thend, heading straight for the Hundun n''s mountain. Some rode on beasts while most walked. Among them was arge white coffin that several demons carried over their shoulders.


    Shi Hou walked with his broken horns and his single arm, heading straight for the Hundun n.


    Those at the towers of the Cerulean Fortress spotted them quite easily, informing bothmanders as quickly as possible. They quickly climbed the main tower, watching from afar.


    "Are they joining together to attack us?" Yu Zhen muttered.


    "They''re already in an alliance so something else is happening. But that coffin, that must contain Kong Zhi''s body. Du Xiu couldn''t kill him but perhaps he sumbed to his injuries."


    Zi Jing took a closer look at the marching force, finding this a bit strange.


    "Why are they bringing him around? Rather, why are they bringing Kong Zhi to the Hundun n?"


    Neither of them knew the reason nor would they have guessed it in the slightest. But while they kept their eyes on Shi Hou and the others, this army of demons soon reached the base of the mountains.


    Stopping at the front, the Roaring King knelt down and lowered his head, ced his arm over his chest.


    "Shi Hou greets the Hundun n."


    Once he spoke, the air hummed with power as several balls of lightning descended down, floating in front of him.


    "Speak, what do you and your armies want?"


    Unlike before, their voices were not as distorted, calmer, and more controlled. At the same time, their tone was harsh and unfriendly. After all, their own ns had been impeded by the Nuwa. Joyful would be thest thing they''d be.


    Still, no one thought ill of their tone.


    This n was a force to be reckoned with, powerful enough to destroy the continent if the opportunity arises.


    Shi Hou looked up before standing to face these little sprites. Through the bright sparks, he could make out their silhouette, small bodies that were thin and the opposite of the fairies.


    "We have learned about the loss of your Idol of Chaos and believed it to be best to help you", he said.


    "Help? We of the Hundun do not ept help from such lower beings! Are you ridiculing us? Are you ridiculing the Idol of Chaos?!"


    Their voices rose up sharply, a trace of anger could be heard in their words. Shi Hou was not deterred nor did he grow scared from their sudden tone.


    "No, of course not. But you''re without your Idol of Chaos, would you be able to take down those humans? The ones who dared to take the Idol away from you?" he replied.


    "Then what are you doing here, demon?" they asked.


    "We came to offer something."


    "An offering? How intriguing? What sort of offering are you making to the Idol of Chaos?"


    Shi Hou then turned towards the coffin that carried his master. Looking at it, he felt all of the hesitation wash over him.


    "This is... the..."


    The Roaring King struggled to say it, to call Kong Zhi an offering, a sacrifice. His voice trembled as he tried to speak but he couldn''t bear to do it. Even though he had epted Shiji Wu''s proposal, even if he knew that this would be the right choice, it was difficult to go through with it.


    "This is what we offer to you, a new body to hold the Idol of Chaos."


    Seeing the hesitation, Shiji Wu stepped forward to say it. And once he said it, Shi Hou''s body rxed, revealing a somewhat somber and defeated aura. His shoulders were slumped over as he looked down at the ground, unable to look at Kong Zhi''s coffin.


    "It is here in this coffin, the former body of our leader, Kong Zhi. Perhaps he will be more appropriate to host the Idol of Chaos."


    The Shiji n leader continued to speak with a friendly tone, even smiling as he did so. Inwardly, he knew that his n wasing along smoothly. All that he needed was for the Hundun n to ept it.


    "An offering? This?"


    The balls of lightning flew towards the coffin, knocking the lid off to reveal Kong Zhi, dressed and asleep. But even as his chest rose up and down, he was motionless.


    Shi Hou watched as it urred, he looked as they examined the body of his lord. Everyone waited in anticipation, wanting to know what their reaction would be.


    "Hmm, this..."


    The Hundun n was quiet, buzzing about around Kong Zhi''s body.


    "This offering of yours... we will ept it. It will be the Idol of Chaos, the host of our Primordial Energy. It will be stronger!"


    With those words, the little balls of lightning flew down and grabbed Kong Zhi''s body, lifting the demon out of the coffin.


    "We thank you for this offering! We will destroy the humans soon enough!"


    Just like that, Kong Zhi was taken into the mountains as everyone watched it happen.


    Shi Hou looked for just a moment before looking away. His remaining hand turned to a closed fist as he knew that it was done. He could not do a thing to stop it. Shiji Wu turned to him and put a hand on his shoulder.


    "For Kong Zhi, this was the right thing to do", he said, trying tofort Shi Hou.


    The demon looked at him and sighed.


    "For the lord."

 Chapter 470 - Rising Tension

    From there, things had gone quiet but everyone at the fortress had grown even more anxious.


    "The army that Shi Hou had brought are camping around that mountain. What''s more, the Hundun n''s barrier had expanded to protect them as well. It doesn''t seem like we can use these cannons."


    Zi Jing clicked his tongue as he continued to keep watch of the mountain.


    "The scouts can''t evene close. At this rate, we won''t know what''s happening", he muttered.


    "Nothing?"


    Yu Zhen then arrived at the tower, bringing him food and other things. He turned and shook his head.


    "No movement", he answered.


    "Hm, you should go down and rest, you''ve been up here the past few days", she said to him.


    Zi Jing sighed while eating his food, a bowl of rice topped with a plethora of food.


    "You never know what may happen. I have to prepare well", he said.


    She scoffed at him.


    "Zi Jing, you might be the youngestmander out of all of us and perhaps the smartest. But you are still somewhat of an idiot. Even Du Xiu and Nie Xia will say the same thing. Sure, something may happen but certainly not for a few days. You should focus on your health first or when something does happen, you''re going to end up fainting before you can even help."


    "That won''t-"


    He looked at her only to find a very doubtful face, one a mother would make to her lying child.


    "I understand."


    Yu Zhen chuckled before looking out of the tower, staring at the mountain.


    "I can keep watch while you rest. If something happens, I''ll send for someone to inform you."


    He nodded and finished his food quietly before leaving the tower, eventually dropping into his bed.


    Meanwhile, the soldiers were hard at work, training even harder, preparing as much as they could. but Ming Yue was not among them, sparring like she usually did. Rather, she stared out towards theke. Those who didn''t know were curious as to why this young woman was there every day.


    Some would stand and the sidelines, whispering to each other.


    "What do you think she''s doing?"


    "Maybe that''s just her favorite spot, she''s always training there, isn''t she?"


    "You''re right but still, I heard that she was a sparring demon and suddenly she''s stopped? It''s strange, don''t you think?"


    "Ah whatever, maybe she''s doing her own preparations for the uing battle."


    But while these few muttered quietly to each other there were few that knew the real reason. Every day that passed was another day closer towards getting back Drifting Sky. But as time went by, a feeling inside her began to grow.


    She looked at the clear waters, sighing as she stared out.


    "It won''t be long now, would it?" she wondered, "What would happen to Drifting Sky once I get it back?"


    Despite these thoughts, there was no one to answer them, not even Xue Yue''s voice popped up. Her other self seemed quiet, maybe she was asleep. Whatever it was, Ming Yue tried not to pay too much mind to it. If Xue Yue wanted to speak, she would speak.


    She just continued to gaze out into the waters.


    Theke itself was unmoving, the surface of it was serene and unbroken. It was a strange phenomenon to see, especially with the shing powers of the Hundun n.


    But even the churning clouds seemed to grow quiet. Instead, lightning seemed to crack down at the peak of the mountain. A single bolt that shed out every now and then, still powerful enough to produce a thundering crack that everyone at the fortress could hear.


    Something was happening but no one knew what.


    "Are you just going to wait there until you get your sword back?"


    A voice came up from behind her as Xuan Yin appeared with her falcon.


    "Back from scouting?" asked Ming Yue.


    The archer nodded.


    "Yeah, unfortunately, no one can get close to the barrier that the Hundun n created. No one really knows what''s going on in there. And it''s beginning to get more difficult to keep watch of it. Whatever is happening, the pressure around there is getting worse and worse."


    There was a frown on her face and a trace of frustration in her voice.


    "None of us can do a thing either. We''re practically sitting ducks."


    She looked at theke before turning towards Ming Yue.


    "In any case, has anything changed?" she asked her.


    Ming Yue shook her head.


    "No, but I can feel it. I don''t know how but I can."


    She spoke with a certain confidence, one that not even Xuan Yin could question.


    "Alright then, I''m going to head back for a meal, you can keep watching I suppose."


    Her friend gave her a look before walking away. Having juste back from scouting the mountain, what Xuan Yin needed was a meal and rest. And Ming Yue just stayed by theke and watched it.


    It was calming to watch and truly a beautiful view.


    At some point she took off her shoes, submerging her feet into theke and walking further in until the water had reached her knees.


    She felt the chilly water touch her skin before the power emanating from the World Serpent began to seep into her body. That cold touch followed by a filling warmth seemed to rx her body. The energy within this water was not violent at all, it was enveloping andfortable.


    Closing her eyes, Ming Yue began to focus on theke, sensing the depths of these waters.


    It was incredibly deep and dense with energy, making it somewhat difficult to see through. Nevertheless, her consciousness slowly waded through. And now that she was at the final stage of the Earth Realm, she saw that this sereneke was far from it.


    "It''s so... colorful. What is all of this?"


    She couldn''t help but look around in awe. Theke itself simply contained all sorts of colors, each one representing one of the World''s energies. From fire to water, metal to lightning, even life and death, there were even ones that she had never seen before.


    "These must be all of the worldlyws, aren''t they?" she thought.


    It had to be. After all, this all originated from Yin Bing, the World Serpent. The great and powerful being who was responsible for bringing life back into the brokennds.


    Her eyes wandered through all of the various forces. Even she didn''t quite understand it all, it felt incredibly familiar to her.


    As Ming Yue''s mind went further and further in, she moved towards the center of theke, sensing the World Serpent''s body. It was at the center of theke, coiled around what could only be her sword. It was a sight to see. This massive being lying in the center of theke, almost sleeping in a way.


    Ming Yue moved further in to take a better look but before she could even take a nce at it, the World Serpent''s eyes opened and looked straight at her.


    "You''re a bit too early, young one. But don''t worry, when it is called it wille. Even if it is iplete, you willplete it."


    Her voice echoed in Ming Yue''s mind before her consciousness was sent back. In an instant, she found herself back in her body, standing at the edge of theke. She looked at theke before stepping out of it and walking back, giving another look.


    She thought about the words that the serpent said to her.


    "If it is iplete, you willplete it."


    Those words echoed in her mind.


    "What does that mean?" she wondered.


    Even if Ming Yue didn''t know now, she would know soon enough.. Especially as the lightning the stuck the mountain''s peak grew stronger and stronger.

 Chapter 471 - Hidden Agendas

    Within the Hundun n''s mountain, the powering from the Primordial Lightning grew stronger and louder with each strike. For the demons that camped at the base of the mountain, they weren''t affected by the power but rather just the noise. Perhaps it came from offering something to the Hundun n but they were untouched by the pressure that the soldiers of the Cerulean Fortress had felt.


    They merely waited for the Hundun to finish their work on Kong Zhi''s body.


    Among them, the five Kings and Queens congregated with each other, but their leader Shi Hou was nowhere to be found.


    "Where do you think he could be?"


    The fifth and final one to make herself known asked with a somewhat naive and curious voice. Unlike everyone else who seemed experienced in life, this queen was not. Rather, she seemed more like a princess than anything.


    In fact, that was exactly who she was. A very familiar princess from none other than the Mu n, Mu Jing, now known as the Illusory Princess. Not the most elegant of names but one that she was stick with.


    Standing by her was a pair of guards, holding their ives to their side and looking forward stoically. Her fiance, Mu Yunfei, was nowhere to be seen, probably together with the rest of the Mu n.


    But with her, all five of them were together: the Illusory Princess, the Revenant Lord, the Boulder King, the Azure Dragon Queen, and the Huilu King. All of them were present and without Shi Hou, their talks began.


    "There''s no need for him to be here", Shiji Wu chuckled as he rubbed his chin gently, "We can discuss our own ns in particr."


    Mu Jing leaned further with a mischievous smile.


    "Dividing the army right?"


    He nodded before looking at the other three.


    "Once this is done, we''ll take a portion of the spoils, is that clear?" he said.


    The other three held their breath thought, Ao Shuang had a somewhat ufortable expression on her face. Something that Shiji Wu noticed quickly.


    "Is there something wrong Azure Dragon Queen?"


    She looked at him, hesitating to speak before finally making up her mind.


    "Are you really going through with this? Did you not see Shi Hou''s face when Kong Zhi was taken away? To take advantage of this when he is already in this state, it''s a bit too immoral, isn''t it?" she said.


    Her lover Huo Shen looked at her while holding her hands and caressing her cheek.


    "She''s right. Shi Hou was the one who sought us out, earnestly promised us what we desired. To go behind his back like this... this is going too far, isn''t it?" he said.


    Shiji Wu''s eyes lingered on them for a bit beforeughing at their words.


    "And do you really think that he can fulfill that promise of yours? I''m sure that even the both of you know how difficult it is to achieve what you want. Do you think that he can give you a child?" the demon asked.


    When faced with his question, the couple could not answer.


    Although Shi Hou promised to do whatever he could to help them conceive a child, how would he do it?


    Could he even do it?


    Both of them knew just how difficult it would be for them to have a child. The treasures needed to help them seed were far and few in between.


    Could the Roaring King obtain them?


    And when met with their silence, Shiji Wu smiled and clicked his tongue.


    "As powerful as you both may be, you are still too young and blinded by your love. Rather than wait for him to help you, it would be better to wind this war and take what should be yours. I mean, all of us!"


    He looked at all of them with his arms spread apart.


    "We all hail from respectable ns! Powerful ns! It should be our time to show our strength! Not some lowly demons like them! Now when the war is won, we''ll each take our share of the army, our share of the spoils. And then, we set our eyes on the humannds!"


    "And if we lose?" the Revenant Lord asked, his ghoulish voice croaked out.


    The Revenant Lord spoke the least and his face was obscured by his hood. Even then, one could sense the disgusting from him. What Shiji Wu wanted to do was both shameless and immoral. But the Boulder King''s face didn''t change in the slightest as he looked at the demon.


    "We won''t lose, now that Kong Zhi will be the new Idol of Chaos, the perfect Idol of Chaos."


    Although he had a look of excitement and anticipation, everyone else showed difort. Only Mu Jing seemed to share his intent. she smiled shrewdly before whispering to her guard.


    And Shi Hou was by himself, grieving his betrayal to Kong Zhi, not knowing that he himself would be betrayed. But perhaps he should''ve seen iting, after all these ns were not truly loyal to Kong Zhi or to the army. They only came for what Shi Hou had promised of them, a new home, a new hope.


    But none of that mattered, not without Kong Zhi.


    The Roaring King may have been his loyal follower, but he was also one of the first to join.


    "Ah, would you ever forgive me, Lord Kong Zhi?" he muttered somberly.


    He sat at the edge of the mountain, separated from everyone else. Cross-legged and on the ground, his back was hunched over and his remaining armid in the middle of his legs. In his hand was a gourd that he drank from. Next to him was a bowl of wine, cheap and disgusting but it was wine nheless.


    "Could I even call you my lord after this? Once you be the Idol of Chaos, what will happen then?"


    Taking a swig of his drink, he put the gourd away and held the bowl of wine with care.


    Holding it in front of him, Shi Hou straightened his back and lowered his head to the mountain.


    "Lord Kong Zhi, I give this tribute to you. No matter what happens from now till then, my respect for you will never disappear."


    He then tiled the bowl and sshed the wine at the mountain. His sad eyes turned to ones of determination and resolve.


    "Even if you cannot fulfill our goal, I will fulfill it for you. I promise you this, by the heavens, so long as I breathe I will win this war and carve a home in the Human Continent. Even if my horns are broken, even if my limbs are taken, till myst breath and when the final drop of blood is left, I will not stop."


    As he promised this to his lord and himself, Shi Hou stood back up and tossed the bowl down, shattering it.


    "Failure or not, I will not let you down, my lord."


    Set on this, he walked away, preparing to fight. He needed a set of armor, thick and dense. He might not have his horns anymore but he still had his body. He would be an unstoppable battering ram, capable of breaking through gates and crushing bodies to mush.


    When the reports of Kong Zhi''s death spread around, Du Xiu was among the first to know and when he did find out, his reaction was somewhat empty.


    "So he''s dead..."


    He sat on his chair and looked into the empty space. What was there to feel? Kong Zhi was dead and he was pathetic.


    "Is the war done then? Or is there something else?" he muttered to himself.


    Looking elsewhere, he studied the map before focusing on the newly made Cerulean Fortress.


    "So it''s there then, the final battle."


    He then stood up.


    "Let''s gather everyone then."

 Chapter 472 - Gathering Of The Five Armies

    With every passing day, the lightning strikes grew stronger and stronger. It hade to a point where each one was loud enough to cause the ground to quake. Like the toll of a bell, it kept going once a day, every day.


    It hade to a point where no one could sleep, not with that over their heads.


    But that soon became worse when the spirit of the Nuwa n called the twomanders over as well as Ming Yue and Xuan Yin.As the group arrived, they noticed that the fairies were all hiding within the crevices of the trees. But their bodies still peeked out, trembling in a bit of fear.


    But standing in front of the tree, they all cupped their fists and bowed.


    "Great spirit, what is it that you would like to tell us?" Zi Jing asked.


    The spirit formed her body of roots, stepping up to them with a solemn face.


    "I am sorry to say that the worst hase true. The Hundun n are creating another Idol of Chaos, this time, it is a True Idol", she said.


    Dread started to sink in when they heard this piece of news.


    "Then... what should we do?" he asked.


    Everyone looked to each other, not knowing how to respond. But the spirit of the Nuwa n answered.


    "With the state of the Nuwa n, we cannot fight a True Idol, a being closest to that of a Primordial. At least, not at its strongest. If you are able to weaken it enough, we can finish it off in one fell swoop."


    Her face then turned darker.


    "But this task... it will be near impossible to achieve on your own. A True Idol of Chaos is dozens of times stronger than that of what you faced before. Our chances of surviving are slim. Those barriers and defenses that you''ve created... even with the support of the Nuwa n, it would notst long against the Idol", the spirit said.


    Everyone else''s face turned grim after hearing that.


    "Prepare well, humans. This may very well be ourst battle."


    And then the spirit''s body withered away.


    The four individuals all gave each other a look, bowing to the tree before leaving.


    "Do you think we can get help from the Cerulean Serpent?" Yu Zhen asked.


    Ming Yue shook her head.


    "The Cerulean Serpent is still nurturing my sword", she replied.


    "Besides, I doubt that the serpent would help", Zi Jing added, "It is tasked with rejuvenating the world. Unless the Hundun n chooses to threaten the serpent, it will not do a thing."


    He looked at Yu Zhen with serious eyes.


    "I''ve tried."


    "I see, then what can we do?" she asked him.


    Zi Jing shrugged.


    "Shore up our defenses, call for as many reinforcements as possible. We need to injure it to the point where the Nuwa n can take care of the rest. We have to make the most of what we have left. But that also means that you, Ming Yue, you might be our best chance."


    Ming Yue nodded.


    "I understand but without my sword, I do not know if I can do much."


    She was one of the only people if not the only person to have been able to injure the Idol of Chaos. After all, she had been to the Merciless Storm Peak, ustomed and even absorbed the energy of the Primordial Lightning. That in of itself had given her a better advantage than the rest, one unique only to her.


    But there was certainly much to do.


    A single piece of news had been sent out to all armies, even the reserve that waited on the other side of the teleportation circle.


    Most if not the entire force of the Five Armies gathered in the Cerulean Fortress, arriving in ships. In a matter of days, all of themanders and higher-ups were gathered together. Even the messengers of the High Council were there, among them was Di Yu, the Lord of Azure Souls.


    Ming Yue had even seen Commander Bi and the Guardian Fang, Hu Baihe, arriving in a ship along with several thousand soldiers. Even Ling Xue and the Yao n were here as well as other lesser-known ns and those from Clear Spring Mountain too.


    Furthermore, there were other cultivators flooding in from the Human Continent. Manying toy down their life for their home. There were even a few evil cultivators among them, perhaps looking for an opportunity to further their own strength.


    Instead of gathering in a tent-like before, they all sat around arge table capable of seating over a hundred people.


    it seemed that ZI Jing had believed there to be a chance that the entire army would gather. Hence he nned ahead with the design of the Cerulean Fortress, making it one of thergest strongholds ever.


    Apart from five towering spires, the fortress itself was immense with dozens of floors and hundreds of rooms. There are even underground floors for storage and housing for soldiers. The facilities outside had also been expanded. There was the infirmary with three floors and a medicinal garden, the canteen, several training grounds, bathhouses, workshops, and much more.


    All of it was set up for something like this, enough space to fit thousands of soldiers.


    Now those with authority had gathered together, holding a meeting to n a course of action. Ming Yue was among those present and of course, she was one of the topics being spoken of.


    "So you''ve heard it from us. The only way we can deal with this True Idol of Chaos is to injure it to the point where the Nuwa n can destroy it. We''ll need to form a strategy with Ming Yue over there, who as you know had injured the previous Idol of Chaos."


    Zi Jing held a hand towards the young cultivator, who cupped her fists and bowed.


    "Apart from that is the Kong Zhi''s army, the demon himself is dead. Though, most likely he has been given to the Hundun n to be their new Idol of Chaos. The army itself is hundreds of thousands. Among other things, these are the main two crises that we face. With that, we have to properly prepare. Thoughts?"


    Having exined the gist of the situation, he waited for everyone to absorb it and speak themselves.


    Momentster, Gao Ri, the winged demon Commander of Demon''s Gate spoke.


    "You talk of injuring the Idol of Chaos but how can we injure it exactly? This one is dozens of times stronger so she will certainly not be enough", he said, pointing at Ming Yue.


    "So is there a method? Even some way to get her to reach it?" Gao Ri asked.


    "I am currently thinking of one", Zi Jing replied, "Most likely, we''ll have to create some sort of treasure or artifact to shield her from the Idol of Chaos."


    "I see."


    Du Xiu then spoke.


    "The biggest problem is the Idol of Chaos. If we''re going to form a force that canbat it, Ming Yue is going to be in it. But we will need someone to endure its attacks as well as those to support them. Those with the strongest affinities for the Lightning Dao and the Earth Dao should be a part of it. Even more so if they also have strong defensive capabilities."


    Everyone nodded to this.


    With the Idol of Chaos beingposed of Primordial Lightning, having those of the Lightning Dao fight was obvious. And the Earth Dao was a natural weakness for the Lightning Dao, they can disperse and endure its attacks but easier than others.


    But Du Xiu was not finished with his words yet. He added in one more detail.


    "I will also be joining this force."


    As soon as he spoke those words, everyone looked at him in surprise, turning to each other even.


    "Although Kong Zhi is now dead.. For him to be resurrected as the Idol of Chaos, that is just unfinished business to me."

 Chapter 473 - How Can You Know?

    "I will be acting as the vanguard of the force, I hope that you will all ept this unless one of you has a problem", he said.


    Du Xiu looked around the table to see if anyone did have anything to say but they didn''t. Everyone there understood his intentions clearly.


    He had been shing with Kong Zhi from the beginning and from then till now, their fight had been less than satisfying to thismander. What made it worse was the fact that he could not kill Kong Zhi himself. Instead, the demon was sacrificed to the Hundun n to be their new Idol of Chaos.


    "Alright then, and in my ce, Commander Bi will be taking on the offensive force tobat Kong Zhi''s army. Does anyone have any objections to that?", he then asked.


    The campmander looked at him in surprise but epted the order nheless.


    "I will ept this position!"


    This towering figure stood up and bowed to Du Xiu. And then Zi Jing continued their discussion.


    "Alright, we''ll need to people manning the defenses as well as fortifying them. More barriers need to be set up, whichever experts are still here, I will need to speak with. Most likely the Idol of Chaos will target the Nuwa n first and Kong Zhi''s army will..."


    From there, the talks continued for an entire day. Of course, the Idol of Chaos was brought up several more times, countermeasures to defend against it. There were dozens of documents on the table, reports on their resources, the number of soldiers, what kind of soldiers.


    By the end of it, the Commanders and their captains all had their work cut out for them. All armies had been broken down and restructured into three groups: one for attack, one for defense, and one for the Idol of Chaos.


    Fortunately, Ming Yue''s role had long been decided. Even if they didn''t choose for her, she would''ve done it nheless.


    She had shed with the Idol of Chaos just like how Du Xiu had shed with Kong Zhi several times. She didn''t even take down the previous one, it had been taken over by Du Xiu''s disciple. As for where it was, that thing was long gone.


    Whether or not it woulde back to help, Ming Yue didn''t know.


    For now, she had to focus on one thing and that was the Idol of Chaos.


    "The True Idol of Chaos is going to be much stronger than the other one but is that all? What else is different? It can''t just be pure power, can it?" she thought, "Could I even injure it? Even if I managed toplete return to simplicity, doing it with my knife or the sword that Commander Zi Jing provided... It might not be enough."


    The young cultivator stared out into theke, seated by the edge.


    "I really am going to need my sword soon."


    She muttered quietly with a long sigh that someone happened to hear.


    "Is something wrong, girl? You seem quite worried."


    Ming Yue turned to see who had just spoken to find Commander Du Xiu of all people. She immediately stood up to greet him, cupping her fists and lowering her head.


    "Commander Du Xiu."


    He chuckled before standing by her and sitting down. He was not donning his armor but dressed in a normal uniform, not even his weapon was by his side.


    "You don''t have to greet me like that, we''re in the same squadron now. Besides, even though I hit hard, I''m much better at taking hits."


    Du Xiu smiled, thinking that she was worried about her role. Even though she was his junior and of apletely different cultivation realm, Ming Yue was tasked with striking that thing. Everyone else was to defend her first and attack the Idol of Chaos second, including Du Xiu. For anyone else, a responsibility like this was daunting, some would feel that they are unfit.


    And she was worried, worried that she could not fulfill this responsibility.


    "Even then, I don''t know if I can even injure that thing. I was able to do it before with just my dagger but... with this, I truly don''t know", she said.


    Themander looked at her before staring forward, gazing at the peacefulke.


    "So your sword is in this veryke, nourished by a mystical being. How envious. Certainly, if you had it, our chances would soar but we can''t depend on that can we?" he said.


    "I know but... I am not strong enough. No matter how much stronger I get, it always seems like I''m never strong enough. It is..."


    "Frustrating?"


    "Yes, it''s frustrating."


    For the first time in a long time, she confided in someone. As for why she had done so to Du Xiu, it was because he was much older, experienced, stronger. In fact, he was the strongest individual she''d ever met, the only people to havee close to it would be the Thirteen Messengers of the High Council.


    Heaven knows what they had been doing this entire war but their presence did not lose out to any of themanders, not even Du Xiu.


    A calm figure who could provide guidance no matter the circumstance, that was who he was to her. That was the type of person he was to most people.


    And when he heard what Ming Yue said, he chuckled.


    "Good, it is good for you to recognize this early on. Discover it toote and you''d find yourself stuck", he said, "The path that we take is one of no reward, not if you strive for strength."


    "I know", she replied.


    Du Xiu then looked at her.


    "You know but you do not understand, that is a very big difference. After all, it ismon knowledge that the path of cultivation is a harsh one, but not many have truly experienced it. How can you understand but never experience it?"


    "That''s..."


    Ming Yue had never thought of it like that.


    "I see," she muttered.


    "In any case, how can you know that you will fail? That you would not be able to fulfill your role. The battle has yet to start and the enemy has yet to appear. It''s still a bit too early to start doubting yourself. Take it from me, someone who has always dealt with doubt."


    With a smile, he stared out into theke, admiring the scenery.


    "I walked a path no one has ever taken. People doubted me, believed that I would fail but I did not. Never once did I doubt myself, not out of arrogance or confidence but determination. No matter what, I kept pushing forward. It was not without sacrifice but in the end, I''m still pushing forward."


    Ming Yue looked at him, studying his expression. His eyes were calm and peaceful, he was at ease but at the same time, there was a sense of experience she found difficult to fathom. A mix of reminiscence and sorrow was what she saw.


    "Would I ever have eyes like those?"


    She couldn''t help but wonder.


    And after sharing a few more minutes gazing at the quietke, Du Xiu stood up and gave her a small and calm smile.


    "Now, I need to go back, there''s quite a bit of work to do", he said


    Themander then stopped and turned to her.


    "Doubt is the mind''s worst enemy. Remember that. "


    With these parting words, he left her alone. With time to contemte, she continued to stare out into theke. Having spent so much time here, this view had always been soothing to her. For the first time in a long time, she had spoken to someone else about her thoughts. And for that, she was given words of advice.


    "Doubt.... what a scary thing."

 Chapter 474 - Are You Afraid?

    Strangely, she felt calm and unanxious. Whether or not she was worried, the battle would stille.Ming Yue took a deep breath and breathed out. Rather than push the doubt down and swallow it, she let it out. To some degree, she felt rity within her mind and a certain lightness to her body.


    "That was refreshing." she thought.


    And she spent the rest of the night gazing out into theke.


    Hei Yue and Xiao Yin soon joined her, cuddling next to her and burying their body into her arms. For that night, there was a peaceful lull for everyone in the fortress.


    But for Hundun n, the time was drawing near. In this mountain, this mysterious home of theirs, a stone bedid at the peak of the mountains. The entire Hundun n was present, circling around Kong Zhi''s body. These little sprites of lightning were prostrated in the air, praying and chanting towards the skies above.


    "WITHIN THE CHAOS LIES THE TRUTH OF THE HEAVENS! IT SHALL BE BROUGHT FORTH BY THE HUNDUN! WE OF THE CLAN CALL OUR PREDECESSOR! IDOL! GOD! DEITY! SUPREME! THE WORLD WILL BE DESTROYED AND REMADE! THE TRUTH WILL BE SHOWN! CHAOS WILL RETURN!"


    The clouds churned but unlike all of the other times, it seemed quite weak. The power it once held slowly drained away. The heavy pressure had been reduced to almost nothing.


    Slowly but surely, its power gathered and the clouds began to snap and crackle. Another lightning bolt started to form, preparing to strike down Kong Zhi''s body.


    As for the sacrifice himself, his appearance had changed drastically. Any semnce of the person he once was had been lost. His skin was pale and clear. The veins in his body pulsed with a glowing ck light.


    His face was emotionless as markings covered every inch of his skin. They branched to all of his limbs, resembling that of lightning. It seemed as if all of his work, the time spent collecting his power, his effort, was gone just like that. It was reced by the Primordial Energy of the Hundun.


    Soon enough, the chanting stopped as every member of the n looked up into the sky.


    At this moment, the clouds grew to their strongest and the wind picked up. A light shined in the middle of it, glowing back and white as it suddenly came down, a lightning strike so powerful that the stone bed cracked under the force of it.


    All of the power in that strike crashed into Kong Zhi''s body, every part of him trembled and convulsed as it entered his chest. But this all happened in an instant.


    Once it ended, the unexpected had happened. For once, the skies above the mountain were clear, you could see the moon and the stars above you. The stirring clouds were gone, that heavy pressure had vanished, the primordial energy was nowhere to be seen.


    But of course, it didn''t just vanish into thin air. No, all of that power found a new home within Kong Zhi.


    With that final stroke of lightning, his body trembled as it immersed itself into his veins and muscles. Suddenly his eyes opened, revealing pitch-ck irises and glowing pupils.The chaotic energy of the lightning made itself known through those eyes.


    "THE PROCESS IS NEARLY COMPLETE! THERE IS ONLY THE FINAL STEP!"


    Every member of the Hundun n slowly moved towards the broken stone bed. Kong Zhi stillid there motionless but his mouth opened. And one by one they entered through his mouth, merging with his mind.


    "ONE BY ONE WE ENTER THE IDOL OF CHAOS! OUR SACRIFICE WILL COMPLETE THE PROCESS! OUR LIVES WILL GIVE NEW BREATH TO THE ONE TRUE BEING!"


    Each and every one of them waited for their turn, entering his body one by one.


    And with the disappearance of those wicked clouds, it stood as a signal to every being there.


    "Prepare for war! The Hundun n is nearly finished!"


    Shiji Wu''s voice shouted out as he looked up at the sky. His eyes glimmering with anticipation as he moved to mobilize his forces. Every other King and Queen did the same, except for Revenant Lord for he deals with the dead.


    And this battle would certainly provide him with that.


    Thest to make his appearance was Shi Hou but it was for a good reason. As the Roaring King left one of the bigger tents, he made a heavy thump with each step he made. Walking out, every demon couldn''t help but stop to look at him.


    He was covered in armor from head to toe, even wearing a helmet that had its own horns. It wasn''t well-made armor or rather unpolished. There was no sheen or decor or even style to what he wore. It was rough as if all of the metal avable was smashed together and melted into a heaping mountain.


    The only things that could be made out were the horns and his limbs. Outside of that, this armor was thick and immense, the weight of it would put Nie Xia''s armor to shame.


    If it were anyone wearing it, they''d be unable to move an inch, rather they''d be crushed by the weight. Even if ten men were to try to move it, they''d find it nearly impossible. And yet, Shi Hou took each step in stride, a testament to his strength.


    Grabbing everyone''s attention, he marched to the front of this army where these five n heads looked to him.


    His eyes peeked through the little slits of his helmet, gazing at everyone. And then his booming voice made an entrance.


    "This is it! The final battle! With this the sacrifices that have been made on this warpath will culminate here! On this very battlefield!"


    The Roaring King made full use of his voice! It echoed throughout the mountain, even spreading to the ears of the Cerulean Fortress. He looked towards that very fortress and pointed at it.


    "The humans have all gathered there! That is without a doubt for they know that this is the final battle! They are prepared to put their lives down just as we are prepared! But know this! What we have sacrificed is greater than what they have! Their suffering barely even amounts to what we have lived through on this forsaken!"


    With those words, every demon raised their weapons in the air and shouted loudly.


    "Are you afraid?!" he shouted.


    And they replied with their own roars.


    "ARE YOU AFRAID?!"


    The roars became thunderous.


    "WE WILL NOT LET LORD KONG ZHI''S SACRIFICE GO IN VAIN! DEATH AWAITS THOSE WHO FAIL! NOW MARCH WITH ME! TO THE ENDS OF THIS LAND! UNTIL OUR LAST BREATH!"


    He turned to face the fortress and marched forward. Everyone else continued to wave their weapons in the air following him. They were ready to fight. Their hearts raced and their blood was surging. Everyone eyed the fortress with a furious energy.


    They were united and they were going to take down this fortress whether it was meant their death or not.


    On the other side, themotion had long brought their attention. All sixmanders stood at the gate wall, staring down this army. Commander Bi, Du Xiu, Nie Xia, Yu Zhen, Zi Jing, and Gao Ri, all of them looked at this oing force.


    They had heard the speech that Shi Hou made and it was good. Even their blood began to rush. All of them couldn''t help but curl their hands into fists.


    And then Zi Jing turned around to descend the walls.


    "I''ll get the cannons ready."


    Speaking this one line, his figure slowly vanished as the remainingmanders looked out.. They turned their attention to the mountain, staring at the empty night sky that used to be the source of power for the Hundun n.

 Chapter 475 - Gatecrasher

    The spirit of the Nuwa n suddenly manifested beside them, staring at the mountain.


    "The time is near. We have perhaps a day before the Idol of Chaoses", she said.


    "Considering the speed of that army, they''ll be here within the hour. Most likely, they will try to weaken us for the Idol, capture our attention, and let that thing rampage."


    Du Xiu looked, sharpening his gaze towards Shi Hou especially. For a moment their eyes met but themander felt something and he brought on a small smile.


    "Let''s start. This is the final battle."


    Everyone nodded and descended the gate walls. The spirit looked at them before facing the mountain with a serious but worried look. Nevertheless, this temporary body of hers vanished, returning to dust.


    With their descent, it was a sign to every soldier and cultivator in the fortress.


    And the forest reached a new level of bustling as everyone did theirst checks, shining thest spot of their helmet or sharpening the tips of their weapons. They did whatever they needed to do because this was their only chance and possibly theirst chance.


    And just as Zi Jing has spoken earlier, the Cerulean Fortress transformed. The spires opened up to reveal the line of cannons inside them. They all turned to point at the oing force, aimed down at them.


    The barrels began to warm and energy slowly built up within its chambers.


    Standing in the highest level of the main spire, Zi Jing continued to watch the marching demons as they came.


    He had the medallion up to his face, ready to signal the others to shoot.


    They continued to march one step at a time, unwavering and unfaltering. With Shi Hou leading them, they seemed to have nothing to fear.


    Zi Jing then looked down from the spires, making eye contact with the othermanders, especially Du Xiu. All of them had changed into their armor. Everyone had was nearly finished, getting into their formations. Those that were melee stayed on the ground while ranged units lined the walls of the fortress. Among them was Xuan Yin, already holding her bow out.


    Ming Yue stood to the side. After all, this was not her fight, not yet at least.


    But as she gazed at the masses, there were some faces that she recognized. Some that surprised her greatly.


    "Hm, there''s a few people from Heaven''s Gate and Clear Spring Mountain, even some of the elders too", she thought.


    Among them were the Xukun and Anqing as well as a few other disciples and Inheritors. She even saw Liu Wan, the soldier that had taken her around the North Fort in the beginning. Unfortunately, they were too far from each other to say hello but even then, it was not a good time to do so.


    Not when the battle was about to begin.


    Du Xiu looked up at Zi Jing for several seconds before quietly nodding. And with that, the man in the spire gave a singlemand through the medallion.


    "Fire."


    And just like the first time, these cannons roared out in unison, producing a soundparable to a thunderstorm!


    Thirty rays of fiery red light arced through the arcs and descended down upon this army like meteors. This attack that was capable of reducing a mountain to rubble and magma now fell upon them. But none of them were worried in the slightest.


    Not when they had the Huilu King and Azure Dragon Queen!


    The Huo n and the Ao n marched forward before raising their arms up and chanting. Huo Shen and Ao Shuang floated above the army with their swords crossed together to face this barrage of cannon shots.


    A formation emerged from where their swords crossed, created from crimson and azure energy.


    Supported by their nsmen, it grewrger andrger, a circr patternplete with strange characters and symbols.


    "Ocean of mes!"


    Chanting in unison, mes sprouted from the formation, growing and spreading until it covered the entire army. As the cannon shots crashed into this formation, these fires engulfed them, swallowing the explosions and letting none of it escape. If not the army would''ve been decimated.


    And they continued forward.


    "Of course, it''d never be that easy."


    Zi Jing muttered before speaking into the medallions.


    "Spread the shots, don''t do waves, keep it continuous", he ordered.


    After the next volley, the cannons all moved towards different angles before firing. Rather than one loud bang every minute, it was a constant rumbling as they fired off one by one in quick session.


    Despite the change in tactics, these shots were like rain droplets falling on a puddle. None of it came close to breaking through. The army continued forward without so much of a hitch.


    But then as they came closer and closer to the fortress, Shi Hou started to walk faster and faster.


    "ARCHERS READY! ALL RANGED UNITS READY!"


    Yu Zhen''s voice shouted out, echoing through the walls.


    Many like Xuan Yin, raised their bows and loaded their arrows. Some manifested arrows in their hands, ones of ice, earth, lightning, and many more. Those who didn''t have a bow had other ways. From ethereal swords of the Metal Dao to sharp notes of a flute, there even seemed to be a small dragon of fire waiting to be released.


    Ming Yue also chose to join, forming a single sting Gale but forcing as much power as she could into it.


    Shi Hou''s speed began to ramp up, leaving behind a deep imprint with each step he took. In this hulking armor of his, he looked like a giant boulder of metal, soaring over the ground and heading straight for the fortress gates.


    The army followed suit, going from a brisk walk into a full sprint. By then the formation created by the Huo and Ao n had grown much weaker as the explosive power of the cannon shots wore the mes thin.


    A thousand meters...


    Cracks began to form.


    Six hundred meters...


    It slowly began to spread and grow weaker.


    Four hundred...


    Unable to endure, the formation shattered and the mes no longer protected the army from the shots.


    Two hundred...


    And then, the Roaring King showed exactly why he was titled as such. He opened his mouth and let out a roar loud enough to drown out the rumbling cannons.


    At the same time, Yu Zhen unsheathed her saber and swung out as a signal to everyone.


    Just as this great army charged, they were met with a wave of arrows and a slew of other attacks. Without the protection of the two ns, they were open to this attack but they were prepared.


    Before it could reach them, shields were raised over their heads, bearing the brunt of the attack. Nevertheless, not everyone woulde out unscathed.


    But Shi Hou ignored it all. With how thick and dense his armor was, it seemed that nothing would be able to get through to him. His steps grew exceedingly heavy as he gather as much strength as he could, lowering his head and pointing the horns of his helmet towards the gates.


    Made of wood and metal braces, the fortress gates stood tall. They were even reinforced with several formations. It could weather the worst of storms but when faced against this one demon, it was uncertain as to what would happen.


    The amount of sheer power that Shi Hou''s charge had was immense.


    It was only seconds before he would reach the gates. This mass of muscle and metal soon smashed himself into the gates. His horns pierced it while the impact caused it to crack and even the walls to tremble.


    He stayed there, digging his feet into the ground as he pushed further and further in. not letting himself retreat.


    "Break! Break for me!" Shi Hou shouted.


    Suddenly, the gates flew open, sending him back into his army as several figures emerged from the gates.

 Chapter 476 - Seven Man Defense

    The ones to appear were none other than Commander Nie Xia and Camp Commander Bi. The two men with thergest physiques and a penchant for raw physical power. Following them was the Guardian Fang Hu Baihe, and several of the Thirteen Messengers including Di Yu.


    In total, they were a group of seven.


    And then the gates closed once more, leaving them to fight this army but none of them seemed worried or afraid. Instead, they looked at each other.


    "Everyone knows what they''re doing, right?" asked the Camp Commander.


    Finally seeing him in this battle, this giant of a man was second to Nie Xia in size.


    And his weapon was one that certainly fit someone of his size but it was a bit strange. At the very least, it was unbefitting for amander to carry it himself.


    It was a g or rather, a battle standard, one that stood at a height twice his. The body of it was ck like charcoal while the banner unfurled into a golden g. On it was only one word that was painted on with heavy brushstrokes.


    "Spirit."


    Camp Commander Bi held it with both hands but could barely wrap them around the pole. Still, he wielded this hefty weapon with skill, letting it swing out so as to show everyone the g. And then, he stopped it right as it stood straight up, lifting it up high before plunging it into the ground.


    Doing it with a great shout, thend began to tremble as mounds of dirt gathered and grew.


    "Soldiers of the Land, Hear my call! Insummon you to defend this fortress until there is nothing but dust!"


    As he spoke these words a formation burst out from where he pierced the ground. And then those mounds of dirt, condensing into a hundred golems that had four arms and two legs.


    At the same time, the battle standard gave off a golden glow imbuing itself into the golems. That same glow also went into the others, strengthening them.


    Di Yu examined his body as he nced at the Camp Commander.


    "So that is the famed battle standard of the Raging Sun Kingdom, the Defender''s g. To think it could raise everyone''s strength by half and we''re all at the Sky Realm too. Incredible..."


    Indeed, everyone''s power had been brought up to a higher level. More than likely, this force could take on a Heaven Realm Expert.


    And while they all had their weapons out, Camp Commander Bi did one more thing. As a master of the Earth Dao, he ced his hands into the ground, digging into the dirt. And then it began to climb onto his skin, covering his entire body into ayer, bing his armor. With it, he grewrger, bing a giant nearing the size of his battle standard.


    "Come on!" he shouted.


    This giant man then grabbed the battle standard and ripped it out from the ground, holding it with one hand while a club of stone formed in the other.


    Without warning, he leaped forward and the golems followed, jumping into the crowds of demons and swinging away. Everyone followed facing these forces head-on by themselves. Nie Xia fought wildly, mming his two shields on the ground and causing it to rupture. Anyone unlucky enough to get caught by them were smashed down, their bones and flesh broken beyond repair. The Guardian Fang followed after the Camp Commander, covering his back and making sure no one got close to him. Her sword moved smoothly and quickly, producing a whistling sound with each swing.


    As for those of the Thirteen Messengers, Di Yu was the one that outshined them all. Whilst the others had their fair share of shy attacks, he grabbed the most attention. Floating in the air, a circle of azure energy formed behind his back before expanding into six more, creating a small formation.


    His eyes glowed with an intense blue light as he looked down.


    "Soul Destruction."


    Two azure rays shot out of his eyes and flew down upon any demons beneath him. And the formation behind him created a hundred more rays that rained down on the unfortunate. Those that were hit or even touched died in an instant. Just like his technique was named, their souls were destroyed, turned to nothing. They just dropped to the ground without warning, bing nothing but empty husks.


    Seven against hundreds of thousands.


    Although the numbers were against them, they held the line and kept everyone at bay. Meanwhile, Yu Zhen continued to direct the archers and everyone on the walls,unching volley after volley.


    Zi Jing was above in the spires, watching carefully. The cannons were no longer active, conserving their power for the next threat.


    "There are only seven of them! Work together and fight!"


    Despite the appearance of these seven figures, Shiji Wu and the others quickly moved into action. As powerful as the humans were, the demons weren''t going to fall so easily.


    "Perfect... Fresh soldiers..."


    Looking at these soulless bodies, the Revenant Lord let out a content voice. Taking his hood off, the Wraith Demon revealed himself, standing around the bodies that Di Yu had dealt with.


    His appearance was ghastly, thin, and gray-skinned, you could see the shape of his cheekbones easily. His eyes were sunken and he looked like a ghoul more than anything. His arms were open wide as an ethereal turquoise energy came out in tendrils, entering the body of the dead.


    "Rise my soldiers! Rise for your master! Ahahahaha!"


    Heughed as the bodies trembled and rose up. Their eyes glowed with that very same turquoise color but that was all the life they seemed to have.


    "Go! Take revenge on the one that killed you!"


    The Revenant Lord cackled as he shouted thesest orders.


    "Interesting, someone that deals with the Soul."


    Di Yu quickly took notice of the Revenant Lord and the demon caught his stare.


    The others soon met their own opponents.


    "You are a master of thends? The Boulder King will see how you fare, child! Shiji n to me!"


    Shiji Wunded down before the Camp Commander as his nsmen followed after. Each and every one of them mmed their fist into the ground, causing spikes to appear under the golems and Camp Commander.


    "We have yet to conclude our battle before."


    Nie Xia stood face to face with Shi Hou, nting his shields onto the ground as he cracked every bone in his body. He looked at the Roaring King with a smile. Shi Hou responded in kind, pointing his horns at the humanmander.


    "Come then, let''s see what breaks first. Your shields or my body", he replied.


    Stomping his feet down, the demon readied for another charge.


    "Heh, I like it!"


    Grabbing ahold of his shields, his muscles bulged as he prepared himself.


    And with Hu Baihe, the Guardian Fang, it was the Mu n who took her on.


    "You human, where are the remnants of the Yao n and that bitch of a princess?"


    Mu Jing stared at the Guardian Fang haughtily, backed by her guards and her nsmen. Hu Baihe looked at them, spinning her sword casually as she faced her. This veteran warrior showed no shock or fear.


    "I will not let you pass. No matter who you are or how many you bring, the Guardian Fang will cut you down."


    She took a stance while Mu Jing had a sour look as the Mu Princess took out her sword, brandishing it.


    "Fine then, we''ll take that information from your dying body!"


    And then there were as Huo Shen and Ao Shuang, who took on the remaining three, all of which were Messengers of the High Council.


    "Are you here to stop us?"


    "I''ll kill you all for our future!"


    Crossing their swords, they soared through the skies, shing with the others.


    The battle had grown intense and the forces that were on stand-by, they were getting restless.

 Chapter 477 - The Revenant Lord

    Zi Jing switched between the battle below and the Hundun n''s mountain. Even now the barrier protecting it stood strong and it obscured the mountain. No matter how much he tried to peer in, nothing could be seen.


    "Damn it, when is that thing going toe out?"


    He cursed under his breath, keeping close watch of it all.


    Down below, the onlymanders that have yet to fight were Du Xiu and Gao Ri. And everyone''s forces had yet toe out. Only Yu Zhen continued to direct the ranged attacks, shouting and swinging her saber over and over again.


    Du Xiu was at the gates. He stood there silently, fully armored with his halberd.


    He was waiting silently, waiting for the right moment. His ears were open, listening to the battle.


    it was chaotic, des shed as thend and the skies were ruined from the shockwaves and sts. Even those who couldn''t witness the battle with their own eyes could tell just how intense it was through the noise it produced.


    And in this battle, when could they enter?


    When would Du Xiu send them out?


    Some could barely wait, gripping their weapons tightly. They could not just stand there while theirmanders were out fighting by themselves.


    But then, Du Xiu raised his hand up, a signal for these ground troops to prepare themselves.


    "Nearly there", he muttered.


    Soon enough the chaotic battle soon came to its most intense moments as the shockwaves affected the depths of theke. And at this peak moment, the two sides were at a standstill. Neither had the momentum on their side and that was the perfect time.


    "Open the gates!"


    He brought his hand and shouted for the gates, which swung open.


    "CHARGE!"


    His voice echoed out and they all followed with a scream, flooding out of the gates and crashing right into the demonic forces. And just like that, the battle turned in their favor as they gained momentum, pushing Shi Hou and the others back.


    "Don''t back down! Fight back! Fight back!"


    The demons shouted to each other, pushing their bloodlines as far as they could.


    Du Xiu and everyone else that stayed back only saw the battle for a few moments but that was all they needed to see the carnage. Blood had long been spilled and bodiesid strewn about. And with the reanimated bodies that the Revenant Lord brought back, the bloodshed had be butchery.


    With his "soldiers" they would fight until they could no longer fight. Unless their bodies were cut into pieces or thest drop of blood fell, they would continue to fight. Against Di Yu, this proved to be more difficult than the Messenger thought.


    "This bastard, how is he reanimating so many soldiers? This energy is different from Soul Energy, how could I dispel it? Soul Destruction doesn''t even work. I''ll have to take care of that demon first."


    He still levitated in the skies, shooting rays from his eyes and killing others. But fully knowing that his methods weren''t going to work against the Revenant Lord, Di Yu retrieved something from his spatial ring.


    Frankly, it was a weapon that suited him quite well. With his flowing blue robes and glowing eyes, what came after was a giant cobalt scythe. It was just a tadrger than him with a de long enough to cut a giant''s neck off.


    "You, if this is all you can do then begone."


    Talking with an icy tone, Di Yu flew down, pulling his scythe back to harvest the Revenant Lord''s neck. But the demon wasn''t worried in the slightest, in fact, he was smiling and cackling, taking out a small sacrificial dagger.


    He raised it up just as the scythe came, blocking the strike with just that dagger.


    It was a small weapon, long enough to pierce a heart if it was pushed into the chest. it was a rather simple de, one made out of bone. The handle was wrapped in cloth but there was a ck ooze dripping from the edge.


    "Ahahaha, tell me to begone? You are not strong enough!"


    The Revenant Lord pushed Di Yu back before letting out even more of that dark and ominous energy. Like tendrils, they began to spread to more dead bodies, breathing new life into them.


    Di Yu looked around before eyeing the Revenant Lord.


    "How are you doing this?" he asked.


    The demon onlyughed.


    "Do you truly expect me to say anything? This is my bloodline power! It is both my strength and my curse!"


    He spat out angrily, whipping his dagger to the side. The ck ooze sttered on the ground, seemingly ripping out whatever life was left around it.


    "That knife... Where is that oozeing from?" Di Yu thought.


    Looking at it, his eyes followed the ooze, tracing the flow up the de and through the cloth before noticing something.


    "That dagger ising out of his wrist!"


    Indeed, it was difficult to see because of the sleeves that hid the demon''s arms. However, it was there and Di Yu caught a glimpse of it. A small slit on his wrist that was slightly open, revealing his tendons that connected to the end of the knife. ck ooze seemed to run through them, flowing into the dagger.


    "Is that what it is? It''s his blood?" Di Yu wondered, "But even though I know about it, what can I do?"


    Looking around, the resurrected demons all rose up from the ground, some were still bleeding while others were missing limbs. But that eerie glow in their eyes was present as they looked at him.


    Spinning his scythe around, Di Yu charged forward, shing des with the Revenant Lord. Sparks of light flew about as they fought fiercely, moving from one ce to another.


    "Was that it, human? Was that all you had to share? Weren''t you going to kill me?"


    The Revenant Lord taunted with a crazed smile. Unlike his cold and quiet demeanor from before, his current expression was that of joy and excitement. No matter how quick Di Yu was, none of his strikes were connecting.


    "I can''t even use Soul Destruction on him, his soul is much stronger than those other demons. But perhaps, I could do this."


    He then jumped back and grabbed one of the resurrected demons.


    "Soul Taker."


    cing a hand on the demon''s chest, some of his azure energy was forcefully injected into the demon, battling with the Revenant Lord''s energy. And he did the same to all of the other ones, trying to force his own control onto them.


    "Are you trying to control them? Hah! Do you honestly think that you can do it? This is a heaven-sent power given to my n! In exchange for their sacrifice, thest remaining member will be bestowed with it!"


    The Revenant Lord looked at Di Yu, watching him while fully knowing that something like this won''t work. But the messenger continued to do it, giving all of them a piece of his own energy. And once he was done, he turned his attention back to the Revenant Lord.


    "I know that trying to take over those bodies wouldn''t have worked but that wasn''t what I was going for."


    He spoke very bluntly about it before ncing at the bodies. Their eyes were flickering as the two energies fought with each other but this man was much more skillful than that.


    The Revenant Lord didn''t notice it but small specks of Di Yu''s energy slipped through and into the tendrils of energy. And it flowed right back to him, slowly entering the demon''s body. Soon enough, his face dropped, that crazed excitement was gone as he realized that something was wrong.


    "You! What did you do?"


    He pointed at Di Yu with shock and anger to which the man merely looked at him.


    Bringing the scythe to his side., he answered the demon.


    "If I can''t destroy your soul in one go, I might as well gnaw at it slowly."

 Chapter 478 - Second Coming

    "You! To think there was a method like this?!"


    His voice sputtered out as he clutched his chest, falling to his knee. As Di Yu''s energy continued to flood the Revenant Lord''s soul, the demon felt a pain in his chest. It was a dull pain but one that seemed to extend from his limbs to his mind.


    After all, this was his soul, slowly eaten away by Di Yu''s energy, like a parasite eating at its host, getting stronger with each bite.


    "Don''t even try to stop it. You''ll only make the process worse."


    Di Yu muttered quietly while walking up to the Revenant Lord, looking at him with interest.


    "Yo- you human, do you think that I would be defeated this easily? Me? My n suffered for this power!"


    The demon then spun the dagger around, pointing it at his chest and pushing it down. It only reached a centimeter before Di Yu spoke out.


    "Bloom."


    Suddenly, the energy eating away at the Revenant Lord''s soul stopped and burst out, destroying the demon from the inside. Azure light came through his eyes and mouth as the demon fell to the ground dead. All of the other demons he controlled died as well.


    "Heaven-sent power, what a joke. The method is different but the result is the same. You''re not the only one to have been able to reanimate the dead", Di Yu scoffed before taking his attention elsewhere.


    Among the battle with the other Commanders,Commander Bi and his golems were still battling Shiji Wu and the Shiji n but this n of demons could not contend with the power of the Defender''s g. With each swing, this giant of a man took out several demons, smashing them to bits with the battle standard.


    And no matter how much they tried to destroy the golems, it would alwayse back. It was a battle of attrition that unfortunately, they could not win.


    With Mu Jing and her n against the Guardian Fang, Hu Baihe was hard pressed against them. After all, they were a n that focused on illusions, and breaking out of them required strong willpower, something that she had. Against several of them, she wouldn''t have much issue but she was against the whole n. It was through a bit of luck and experience to have survived for that long.


    Fortunately for her, when the gates opened and the other human forces rushed out. Many of them came to her aid as she was the weakest out of the seven.


    Now the Mu n could only move carefully against this force. The same applied to the Huo and Ao n with whom their n leaders were still in the thick of it with the other three Messengers of the High Council.


    Despite their special techniques as a pair, they were ultimately outnumbered. Furthermore, each of the messengers had very unique fighting styles, styles that they had never seen before. One used a chessboard, another used a pair of giant scissors, and the third used a small feathered fan. It didn''t even have des nor was it sharp, it was just simple peacock feathers.


    Despite these unusual weapons, all three of them were incredibly strong. Not as powerful as Di Yu but enough to put the pressure on Huo Shen and Ao Shuang.


    But Nie Xia and Shi Hou''s was the most intense, shing horns and shields with shockwaves that were strong enough to st anyone close to them away.


    "Your forces are being pushed back and your subordinates are losing this fight. Do you intend to surrender and retreat?"


    Nie Xia shouted towards the demon as they mmed into each other once more! This time, they grabbed each other''s hands, trying to force the other back. It was just Shi Hou''s one arm against both of Nie Xia''s.


    And despite his words, Shi Hou responded firmly.


    "The battle has not ended and a clear victor has not been decided yet! I will not back down! Not when my lord''s dream is so close!" the demon shouted.


    "Your lord is dead, is he not?! And yet you carry him with such respect?! Why? He is a warmonger?! Obsessed with strength! Has he done anything redeemable outside of killing and piging?!"


    Nie Xia responded with even greater furor as he began to take one step after another, pushing the Roaring King back. His strength as a body cultivator was fully revealed as his muscles bulged out and each step dug into the ground.


    Despite wearing all of that armor, all of that weight on Shi Hou, the demon was still being pushed back.


    "No! Just because he is dead, does not mean that I do not carry on his will! Perhaps, he was not the greater leader but he is my lord! And I will not betray him!" he shouted and began to push back.


    Themander looked at him, unable to stop himself from chuckling.


    "If we were not enemies, we could''ve been friends. Your loyalty ismendable", he said.


    "Perhaps, but that could never happen, not when we''ve gone so far."


    Shi Hou''s grim tone had made it clear, there was no turning back. Nie Xia grimaced at those words, taking on a cold expression.


    "I had hoped that you would call it off but so be it."


    With that, he leaped up, grabbing the demon by the horns on his helmet. With his powerful grip, he crushed these solid metal piece as his fingers dug in. He pulled down, forcing the demon to the ground before knocking him up with his knee, forcing Shi Hou on his back.


    Stepping up to the demon, Nie Xia grabbed at his armor, ripping it out chunk by chunk.


    Shi Hou groaned from the impact. His eyes blinked several times as his vision was blurry. However, he saw Nie Xia''s figure, watching as the humanmander just tear his armor apart.


    Without hesitation, his fist came out knocking Nie Xia to the side as the demon stood back up. His think armor had holes in them now, sharp and contorted edges that could kill. But the Roaring King didn''t care, he only lowered his head and readied himself for another charge.


    Nie Xia grinned, leaning forward and bending his knees. His arms were out and his hands were open, ready to meet the demon head-on. His shields were elsewhere, too heavy for anyone else but him to lift.


    They were both quiet, looking each other straight in the eyes.


    In this space, it was just the two of them. Nothing else seemed to matter, the fighting and screaming around them, the chaos that surrounded these two. They just focused on each other, building up their strength to strike.


    And just as they did, the moment right before they were about to move, they heard a thunderous crack in the air. It was loud, echoing across the continent, shaking thend down to its very core.


    For those that saw it, they stopped immediately to look and watch. And the others followed.


    The spirit''s voice then echoed throughout the Cerulean Fortress, loud enough for everyone to hear.


    "It''sing."


    And as they all watched and became witnesses, all of them saw a pir of ck and white, rising up into the skies, piercing the Heavens. The mountain of the Hundun n copsed under all of that power, crumbling into pieces and dust. It left nothing but a pir that continued to fire off into the Heavens for a few more moments before stopping.


    This sh of light vanished leaving only a small dot as there was quite a bit of distance between it and the battle.


    But not for long.


    As if sensing something, Du Xiu readied his halberd before shouting to everyone else.


    "It hase! Prepare for battle! This is it! Life or death, we will destroy this thing!"

 Chapter 479 - Beyond The Realm Of Man

    Everyone responded with a shout of unison, marching out of the gate as the first group had cleared up space for them. Most if not all of them were heavily armored, formed to at the very least endure the attacks.


    Du Xiu, Gao Ri lead them out, dressed in their personal armor and wielding their weapons.


    Ming Yue looked back at theke, staring at it as the surface still rippled from the earlier shock.


    "When the timees..." she thought.


    The young woman then looked at her two beasts. Hei Yue and Xiao Yin looked at her with worried eyes, whimpering and chirping sadly to her.


    "You two stay in here, I don''t want either of you to get hurt, okay?"


    She spoke to them with a soft and tender voice. In this battle, neither of them would be able to help and furthermore, she truly did not want them to get hurt. This encounter is beyond dangerous and to let them join her would risk losing them.


    And although they knew that was what she wanted, neither of them let it happen with some sad cries.


    Even they knew just how dangerous this would be.


    "Don''t worry, nothing bad will happen, okay? I''ll be fine, so you don''t have to worry at all."


    She knelt down and hugged them both, wrapping her arms around them gently, coaxing them. It was brief but it was close and warm, calming all three of them. Then she let go and stood up, taking out the Pearlstone Dagger with one hand. One the other was the Zephyr ws, sharp and ready to tear through anything. Her armor began to shift from the first form to the second, forming her waist armor, pauldrons, and gauntlets.


    She walked out of the gate and took a long look around her.


    The smell of blood was thick and heavy, that metallic scent was so strong that one could almost taste it. Besides that was the fact that the entire battlefield was justpletely frozen as everyone had their eyes on the small dot of light.


    "That''s it, isn''t it? The True Idol of Chaos..." she thought.


    The dot floated in the sky before disappearing. And the next moment, it reappeared just above the Cerulean Fortress, gazing at the barriers that had been ced.


    Now that it was so close, everyone had a clear look at what this Idol of Chaos looked like. Even Nie Xia and Shi Hou, thetter of which looked in both awe and shame.


    "My lord..." he muttered quietly.


    Hovering above that fortress was indeed a figure resembling Kong Zhi but it was no longer that same demon.


    His other arms were gone, any sign of both the Vajra and Stone Demon Bloodline was long gone. His body was pure white and smooth skin, translucent enough to show the pulsating veins within his body. But more importantly, there were no cracks like thest one, in fact, this Idol was still dressed in burnt robes that only covered his lower half.


    And the Idol of Chaos''s eyes were unlike anything that anyone has ever seen, even whenpared to the previous Idol, its gaze waspletely different.


    One was pitch ck while the other was pure white, it was calm and vast. You could either gaze into an eternal abyss or an endless light.


    What''s more, the presence it had on this battlefield was immense.


    It was some heavy force, not a weight that bore down on everyone but something worse than that. It was a very subtle feeling, dread, and fear. As if this figure should not exist in the realm of Mortals.


    Despite that, they had to fight it, there was no choice.


    Du Xiu lowered his halberd, letting it poke the ground. The moment it touched, the ground started to melt as the halberd turned bright white. His armor shifted to its real form as he brought out his full strength from the start. Everyone stepped away from him from then on, no matter how good their armor was they could not risk melting it. But they all followed him, not willing to hold back in this confrontation.


    The Nuwa n had long begun preparing for this, gathering and building up their energy. So long as the True Idol of Chaos was weakened, they could finish the job.


    Strangle enough it was quiet, this Idol of Chaos was not loud or obnoxious in the slightest. There was no shouting, chanting, not even a peep from this figure. It just continued to stare down before locking onto the tree of the Nuwa n.


    Extending a hand outward, it pointed at them. In an instant, a bolt of Primordial Lightning shot down, ck and white sparks smashing into the barriers causing cracks to form. In just a few more seconds, they would break. But no one was going to let it happen so easily.


    "Kill!"


    Du Xiu grabbed his halberd and pulled his arm back,unching it like a fiery meteor at the True Idol. His body glowed as he jumped and flew up after the halberd.


    "Ready the cannons! Switch the cores to Earth cores! Aim at the Idol of Chaos and be ready on my word!"


    Zi Jing quickly shoutedmands with the towers turning towards the small figure.


    Meanwhile, the Idol Of Chaos didn''t seem to even notice the halberd as it came striking its arm. The weapon could not pierce the Idol''s skin, producing a resounding ring as the halberd bounced off. But it seeded in knocking the Idol back.


    Du Xiu soon came flying, grabbing the halberd by the end of the handle and he swung down like a whip.


    "Sunre!"


    The halberd swung out, leaving a sh of light in its wake as it came down on the Idol of Chaos. But themander was just getting started. He wasn''t going to let it rest for even a second, not even an instant.


    Following him were Ming Yue and Gao Ri, who made up the rest attack force, just the three of them. Out of everyone else, they were the only individuals deemed strong enough to fight this being. And together, they all joined in attacking the Idol.


    The forces below had their own preparations, bringing out formations and other tools to help them. And the cannons were ready, no matter what, they could not give the Idol of Chaos any time to react.


    And whilst all of this was underway, Shi Hou roared out as the entire demon army was reinvigorated by Idol of Chaos.


    "Fight back! What can they do about the Idol of Chaos!"


    Shiji Wu shouted out as he stared at Camp Commander Bi, pointing at him and his golems.


    "You can struggle but you''ll never win now."


    The demon sneered before charging forward, his arm transformed into a rock spike, looking to pierce the Camp Commander''s earthen body. The fierce battle restarted with even more intensity and the momentum that the humans had once taken was lost now, pushed back to a standstill.


    Up above, the Idol of Chaos continued to take the punishment that Du Xiu, Ming Yue, and Gao Ri were giving out.


    "Retreat!"


    Du Xiu shouted out and the trio backed off.


    But the next moment, the ground beneath them glowed and trembled as a formation appeared. Vines and stone shot out from below and surrounded the Idol in a cage, forcing it up high into the skies where nothing was around.


    And then, Zi Jing made hismand.


    "Fire!"


    And all thirty cannons burst to life, shooting out rays of emerald energy that flew up. They all merged together into one attack that hit the cage, forcing it to burst and creating a massive explosion of energy. It was powerful enough to even force the clouds apart.


    But despite all of that power, no one was sure if all of that effort was worth it.

 Chapter 480 - Enough Of Your Struggling!

    Du Xiu looked at watched for a moment before tightening his grip on his glowing halberd.


    "Let''s go back in. It won''t die from this", he muttered before flying off.


    Ming Yue and Gao Ri looked at him before following after. She had her knife and her ws while he had a pair of short swords.


    As the trio moved forward, they saw a flicker of light before a shiver went through their bodies. The next moment, they all split and separated, avoiding a ray of Primordial Lightning as it shot out of the dust.


    They then charged forward, emerging out of the dust to see the Idol of Chaos, uninjured. There wasn''t even a scratch or cut on its body.


    None of them were surprised, they knew that it would be much more difficult than this.


    "Waning Crescent."


    This time Ming Yue struck first, starting with the attack that had injured the previous Idol of Chaos. Her dagger shined as she swung out,unching an iridescent light, formed in the shape of a crescent moon. With all of the different energies melded together, it was a fearsome strike that the True Idol tried to stop with both hands.


    Pressing its palms together at the edge of the attack, the crescent moon did note any closer but it was enough to push the Idol to use both hands. But then its eyes glowed, shooting out a ray of lightning from each iris.


    "Watch out!"


    They all split up and evaded the attack before moving towards it back. The two rays came crashing down into the soldiers who had prepared, raising their shields to endure the strike. There was a loud crack but their defense still stood albeit some of their shields had melted.


    Ming Yue and the other nced at the damage before turning back to the Idol, who pressed even harder on the attack before breaking it. As it turned to face them, it was met with dozens of sting Gales before more lightning shot out.


    "Force it to the ground!"


    Du Xiu charged forward, mming the butt of his halberd into the Idol''s neck and pushing it down. The Winged Demon, Gao Ri, followed up and swiftly flew behind, crossing his short swords over the Idol''s neck.


    Beating his wings, he brought the Idol down, pinning it onto the ground at the center of the army. In fact, it was at the center of another formation.


    "Leeching Tree Prison!"


    Hundreds chanted as they put their hands to the ground, those that weren''t tasked with formations shielded them instead.


    The already ruined ground trembled once more as roots emerged, wrapping around the wrists and ankles.


    Gai Ri released his des and flew off as the True Idol struggled free of the roots. But no matter how much it broke, more took its ce. They fed off of the soldier''s energy as well as the Idol''s energy, growing quicker and quicker before overtaking the Idol.


    In mere seconds, it was engulfed by tree roots, trying to imprison it and weaken it.


    But just as quickly as it happened, a wave of lightning burst out, ripping the roots apart as the Idol stood up. As the shockwave came, those defending the formation masters were nearly thrown back by the attack. Anyone that was at the front and took on a majority of the force fell, their shields and armor were partially melted, damaged beyond repair.


    Blood even began to flow from their noses and ears, their sight grew a bit blurry as they tried their best to hold on.


    And despite all of that, the True Idol was uninjured and began floating off the ground and flying up.


    Then it finally spoke.


    "Foolish plebians, to dare gain the help of the Nuwa n. Stop this struggle and let fate make its way to you."


    Its voice was different from the previous Idol. It wasn''t distorted in the slightest. Rather, it was a clear voice, ancient and calm. There was weight to each word, focusing on that heavy tone. And it echoed out for all to hear.


    The Idol then pointed at the tree of its enemy n, summoning forth a pir of Primordial Lightning from the skies. It was twice as thick and much denser than before breaking through the barriers of the Cerulean Fortress.


    What Zi Jing and a hundred others painstakingly worked on for several months was gone in a matter of seconds, shattering before this power.


    But as it came for the tree, the fairies of the Nuwa n emerged from the tree, forming an emerald shield between it and the attack. As the two forces shed, the shield stood strong, not breaking within moments.


    And then a halberd descended down to which the Idol of Chaos avoided with ease but then Du Xiu followed grabbing it by the neck and forcing it back down into the ground. He let go and backed off just as Ming Yue switched from sting Gales to Storm Lances. It was one crack of thunder after another, sting the ground apart and burning it. Again and again without end, it grew stronger and even more ferocious, digging deeper until the Idol of Chaos was in a pit. And it just kept going and going until the Idol could no longer take it.


    "ENOUGH!"


    As it shouted out, an even stronger wave of power pulsed from its body, echoing out and dispersing the Storm Lances. The True Idol flew out of the pit before ring at the trio in the skies.


    "Enough of your struggling! Meet the endless void and return to chaos!"


    It flew up into the skies, soaring to the clouds before vanishing. The next moment the skies turned dark before pirs of Primordial Lightning shot down. There were hundreds of them, striking the entire continent. Friend, foe, or just the innocent, anyone struck directly by it were vaporized.


    "To the fort! Retreat! Now!"


    Du Xiu''s voice echoed out for everyone to hear and they followed shuffling back into the fortress except for Ming Yue, Gao Ri, and himself. Together they flew up, looking for the True Idol while evading these pirs.


    "Protect yourselves! Look for cover!"


    Shi Hou screamed out as those that weren''t immediately destroyed by the attack backed off, trying to find refuge. He looked up into the sky, looking with fear and awe at the same time.


    "Perhaps, this was the real power you were looking for, my lord", he muttered.


    The Roaring King couldn''t help but gaze at the skies, watching the clouds sh out as lightning came down. And without even noticing, a stroke of lightning came for him. It struck his ruined helmet before coursing through his armor and ultimately striking him down. There was no warning of it, no way to prepare.


    Shi Hou was dead.


    And thest thing he saw was the destruction that his lord had brought out.


    But everyone else still struggled, trying their best to protect themselves. The barriers of the Cerulean Fortress were nearly repaired before being struck again but with the help of the Nuwa n''s barrier, it barely held on.


    Only Ming Yue and the others were still outside, flying into the clouds to find the True Idol. Their senses were brought out as they searched trying to find it.


    "Where is it? Where is that thing?!"


    Gao Ri suddenly beat his wings together, producing a burst of wind the cleared out some of the clouds. They flew further and further up before breaking past the clouds and finding the True Idol floating about.


    The sun was setting on the horizon as the True Idol raised its hands above it. Its energy pulsed out in waves,ing down to the clouds and feeding them power.


    "Stop that thing!"


    Gao Ri flew forward with his shortswords out, ready to strike. But with the waves of energying at him, he could not get close. In fact, none of them could get closer. Not even their attacks would be able to reach it!


    What could they do then?

 Chapter 481 - Return Of The Lost Idol

    The trio looked at each other, trying to think of a way to strike it down. After all, it wasn''t even moving, practically an easy target for anyone. But those waves of energy made it nearly impossible.


    "If webine all three of our attacks, we should be able to break through", said Du Xiu.


    He then winded his arm back, ready to throw the halberd forward.


    "Put everything into this and I will throw it! Even it doesn''t manage to knock that thing down, it should be enough for an opening!"


    The other two nodded and began to pour their energy into the halberd. But then something happened, something that none of them expected.


    Out from nowhere, lightning struck down the True Idol, knocking it out of the sky. It was gray or rather, colorless, a powerful bolt that it could not endure so easily. But it recovered quickly, regaining its bearing, and started to look around.


    "Who dares!" it said.


    And then another stroke of lightning came down, then another, and another, until a dozen had hit the True Idol.


    "When I felt that first lightning bolt, I knew that the Hundun n would have more than a few tricks up their sleeve. But how does it feel? To lose the first one?"


    Ming Yue and the others looked up in surprise at what had juste. A voice echoed from above, distorted but more focused and familiar. Even more so was the appearance of this neer whom, Ming Yue could not quite recognize but the voice soon made it clear.


    Manifesting through the empty space was a figure made of pure energy. No longer was it ck and white but grayish, and it was condensed into an actual figure. You could even make out the hair and the face through varying degrees.


    It looked at the True Idol and smirked.


    And the Idol looked back at it, speaking with a sharp and hateful tone.


    "The lost Idol, taken by another. It seems that you have returned."


    None other than, Ling Hun, the former human turned Idol, had made his return. Ultimately taking control of the energy within in bodies and silencing the voices that they belonged. He floated above the True Idol, looking down on it.


    "They lost one so they created another, is that it?" he said out loud.


    "We are better. The vessel is stronger and the ritual has beenpleted. Your appearances mean nothing to the fate of those beneath us."


    The True Idol responded with a confident tone as it looked at Ling Hun, it floated up until their eyes were at an equal level.


    Whilst they continued to stare each other down, a voice echoed in the trio''s head, Ling Hun''s voice!


    "I won''t be enough to take it down but I can keep its attention on me. I hope that this is enough to repay the favor you''ve done for me", he said.


    They looked at him, nodding before preparing themselves. It was the four of them against the True Idol, the full force of the Hundun n.


    As the two Idols stared at each other, Ling Hun suddenly flicked his finger, sending out another bolt of lightning. The True Idol suddenly swung out, smacking the attack away but that was just the beginning of it.


    From the first strike came a torrent of lightning strikes, one after another in quick session.


    But the True Idol flew forward, shooting ck and white lightning from his eyes as it chased after Ling Hun.


    Ming Yue and the others closely followed, waiting for an opportunity to get close. And that chance soon came as the True Idol soon roared out, bellowing a breath of lightning upon Ling Hun. He backed off, evading the attack but the True Idol didn''t move during this attack.


    "Now!"


    Du Xiu flew forward as the others followed, brandishing their weapons.


    Just as the breath attack ended, the trio suddenly appeared by his side, surrounding him and striking out.


    "Sunlight Ascension!"


    "Waning Crescent."


    "Execution: Grand Cross!"


    All three of them produced their strongest technique, it was quick and sudden. It was far toote for the True Idol to evade or to put up a defense. In the end, it could only endure the attack.


    As they struck, all three of their attacks not only hit but even cut through the skin of the True Idol!


    It wasn''t significant, a cut that not even a child would cry about. But it was the beginning and it was a sign that this being could be injured, it could be defeated.


    "Don''t let up! Strike again!"


    Du Xiu shouted, swinging his halberd out just as Ming Yue attack with her knife and Gao Ri crossed his des. They attacked once more, adding more small cuts before Ling Hun made his move.


    Gathering his power, his eyes shined a grayish hue as he floated above them all.


    "Get back now!" he shouted.


    Without hesitation, all three of them backed off, getting as far from the True Idol as possible. And then, Ling Hun pointed down at it.


    Above them all was another cloud, a massive one that was pitch ck and thundering with power. When he pointed down, a lightning strike followed, a veryrge one, even bigger than one of the pirs that the True Idol created.


    In fact, it might be strong enough to even destroy the Cerulean Fortress''s shields all at once.


    It struck the True Idol dead center, smashing into its body and forcing it down. And itsted a total of ten seconds, anyone else would''ve been vaporized within the first.


    From the ground up, it would be nothing but clouds before a pir of lightning shot down from the skies, crashing into the middle of the battlefield between the two armies. Both of which still focused on defending themselves.


    Following that attack, Ming Yue and the others descended, passing through theyer of clouds before finallyying their eyes on the destruction that the True Idol had caused.


    "This is..."


    Even Gao Ri and Du Xiu couldn''t help but feel some shock to this scene.


    Everything was ckened, singed, burnt. Not even a de of grass or a leaf was spared.


    It was all ash.


    Even the bodies of the fallen were nothing but dust. The army of demons was in shambles, scattered into their original factions as the ns that once made up this army split apart. The Cerulean Fortress was not much better.


    All of the barriers had been broken.


    Part of the Nuwa n''s tree had been turned ck, more than grazed by the True Idol. One of the spires had fallen, broken in half, and the walls could be in better shape. Half of it was gone, unable to endure the wave of lightning that struck. Even the facilities within were a mess, some had crumbled and while others still stood. Even then, it was disheartening for some to see months of hard work gone just like that.


    But if the True Idol were to continue its rampage, the damage would''ve been much worse. Perhaps it would''ve been the end of the battle right then and there.


    They all looked around before staring back down at where the True Idol hadnded. And it was not another second before the clouds cracked and thundered once more.


    "ENOUGH OF THIS!"


    The True Idol''s voice echoed at as another wave of lightning pulsed from its body. Lightning flew down from the skies, aiming towards each of them. It was simple and easy enough for each of them to just dodge it but it was much trickier than that.


    Just as they all spread out in different directions, the lightning immediately changed directions, chasing after them.


    "What?!"

 Chapter 482 - Ashen Land

    All four of them immediately struck out, trying to dispel the lightning as best they can. But the more time they spent on this, the more time the True Idol would have to recover.


    "Get to the True Idol!"


    Ling Hun''s voice echoed out and everyone knew what he wanted to do. If this lightning was going to chase them like this, certainly they could use it to their own advantage.


    All of them shot down,nding right by the True Idol, who was kneeling on the ground. Its body had more than just a few cuts now, some of the skin had been burned off and ckened. Breathing heavily, it looked up to see the four figures descend and stand right behind him. What came after were the four bolts of lightning, surging through the skies and shooting down at them.


    "Grr, resorting to cheap tricks?" it growled out.


    Just as the True Idol was about to stand, all of them moved to restrain him. Ling Hun manifested lightning from his hands, chaining the wrists and ankles of the True Idol together. Gao Ri''s two shortswords were crossed against the back of his neck. Du Xiu pressed his halberd down on one of its shoulders and Ming Yue grabbed onto the other shoulder with her Zephyr ws.


    Despite her grabbing tightly, they didn''t seem to scratch him at all.


    With all four of them cing pressure on him, it struggled to move but could barely budge.


    "Gah! Don''t think that this is enough!"


    It shouted out before releasing a torrent of lightning from its body, sting them all away just as the four lightning bolts came within inches before impact. Swinging out, the attack was destroyed, turning into nothing but thousands of tiny sparks that vanished within seconds.


    Then it stood up, looking at the skies before eyeing the four figures around him.


    "Agh, damn that thing, my feathers..."


    Gao Ri groaned as he looked at his wings. They seemed rather unusable at the moment, many of the feathers were burnt, falling out bit by bit. And no matter how much he tried to, the winged demon could not spread his wings.


    And the others were in varying degrees of pain, with Du Xiu and Ling Hun being the least affected. All themander did was dust off his shoulder and stand back up, he checked his armor, finding it rtively untouched, and held his halberd up. And for Ling Hun, his body was made of pure Primordial Lightning. It looked as if chunks of his body had been ripped off but he regenerated them like it was nothing.


    But Ming Yu was in the worst state.


    She sat up and moved her hands to her head, groaning even harder than Gao Ri. Her eyes blinked open as she looked around.


    Everything seemed so blurry and messy to her. When she looked down, she found part of her armor destroyed, and then a searing pain settled in.


    "What- what happened to me?" she wondered.


    Her eyes traveled along her body before noticing the condition of her arm. She could still move it but it was burnt up, there was already pus and swelling going as her skin was cracked open.


    "Damn it... I wasn''t careful enough. I guess that barrier wasn''t enough to stop all of it but I''m not dead at least."


    She quickly circted her energy as the Eternal Heart Ring started doing work but the damage was extensive. It would take more than just a few minutes to heal and that amount of time was a luxury she didn''t have.


    "Hey, this isn''t good"


    Xue Yue''s voice popped up at that moment, awakened by the pain and shock.


    "It''s kind of obvious, don''t you think? If it wasn''t for that quick barrier I made with the Dusk Lily Pin, I probably would''ve died" Ming Yue replied.


    "Yeah but that shock... if ites down to it, I might have to take control. Do you want to switch first then?" her counterpart asked.


    "Why are you asking so nicely? Is something going on?"


    Ming Yue felt somewhat suspicious of this. This was possibly the first time she had heard Xue Yue asking to switch instead of threatening or using force to do so.


    "What? I can''t? Besides, you aren''t at the point where I can forcefully take over yet. But your mind is still recovering from what just happened. If you''re not careful again, you might just die the next time and that goes for me as well", Xue Yue exined to which Ming Yue gave a quick reply.


    "No, we don''t switch. That thing is dead sooner orter. And once it''s dead, that''s the end of it."


    She knew that of the four she was quite possibly the weakest. After all, Ming Yue''s strength was in speed and power but not in defense. She was practically a ss cannon at this point.


    Thinking this, Ming Yue looked up to find the True Idol looking at her.


    "Shit."


    It turned to her, shooting out a ray of lightning from its eyes at her. Evidently, it was going to single her out now because of this. But even if she was injured, Ming Yue was far from helpless.


    Activating her armor''s function, she practically vanished from her position and the lightning struck empty space.


    "It''s going after her! Ming Yue retreat into the fortress!"


    Du Xiu yelled out as he lunged forward, throwing his halberd at the True Idol. The other two followed, running forward to fight it. But she wasn''t going to retreat just yet.


    "I have its attention, might as well make the most of it", she thought.


    Wind needles began to form as they flew out and struck the Idol''s body. But this attack was equal to scratches that couldn''t even be seen. Despite that, she sent out dozens of wind needles though she was unable to urately shoot.


    The True Idol didn''t stop as it continued to shoot out rays of lightning from its eyes. But the other three soon came to knock it down, trying to force this being into the ashen dirt but they couldn''t. It simply ignored their attacks and only chased after her.


    It was right to eliminate the weakest link after all. No matter how weak it could be, a link was still a link, and losing it could spell destruction.


    "Damn this thing! It just won''t fall yet, would it?!"


    Those who watched from afar, couldn''t help but feel the frustration. Despite the things they''ve tried, the True Idol of Chaos still stood and it was far from dying just yet. And what made things even worse was the Nuwa n, the tree was badly damaged and the spirit had gone silent.


    Things were only looking worse and worse for the Five Armies.


    And this frustration was also found within Du Xiu, he wasn''t scared and depressed but more annoyed than anything.


    "This damn thing!''


    Unable to hold hisposure, he pulled his halberd away and instead reach out to grab the True Idol by the head.


    "Is this the kind of fight that you''re putting up?!"


    Themander shouted out as he yanked the Idol back and tossed it to the side. He then leaped forward and grasped the head once more, smashing it down into the ground.


    "You, the True Idol of Chaos?! All you do is summon lightning from the skies and scream. is that it? Use your fists! Do something else other than produce lightning!"


    He shouted while punching away at the Idol. It was a frustration that he had felt long ago, from when he first fought Kong Zhi that just now burst out. He was angry no doubt, angry that a fight like this was so simple.


    But this was the attitude of one of, if not the strongest cultivators alive, someone who would not find an opponent to match him.. And now Kong Zhi had not only disappointed him three times, he even disappointed him now.

 Chapter 483 - One Without Equal

    As powerful as the True Idol was, it was boring to Du Xiu.


    "All you ever do is shoot out lightning and yap on and on! What else is there?! Are you just going to disappoint me like this? Is there anything else you can do?" he shouted.


    His fists were white-hot, as he punched away at the True Idol, tearing and bruising at the skin. He dug his knuckles in with each punch. The others couldn''t even do a thing to help, they only watched as Du Xiu just whaled on the True Idol with everything he had.


    "Show me something else! Show me!" he shouted.


    It was then that it began to gather energy to scream and release another wave of lightning but Du Xiu had long prepared.


    "You''ve already done that several times, is there anything else?"


    He grabbed his halberd and struck down at the True Idol''s throat, mming the butt of it in. It choked, unable to scream out and the energy it gathered dispersed. However, Du Xiu wasn''t finished yet, he grabbed at the True Idol''s throat, making sure that it was going nowhere as he began to m the butt of his halberd again and again.


    Each strike was quick and powerful, not to mention, Ling Hun''s strike had weakened its defenses.


    "You- damned- PLEBIAN!"


    Unable to hold it back, the True Idol suddenly punched out, sending Du Xiu flying back as it stood back up. Themandernded on his feet as he looked at his armor, feeling the dent that the punch had made. But it soon repaired itself, returning to its original shape.


    Du Xiu''s face crinkled up as he sucked in a cold breath.


    The spot where the True Idol had struck was the same side where he had been injured previously. And there was no doubt that he had not fully recovered from it but that wasn''t enough to stop him.


    "You are going to be thest to perish, human. Everything will be destroyed in front of your eyes."


    It pointed at him menacingly, enunciating each word for Du Xiu to hear clearly.


    Suddenly, cannon shots roared out as the ce that the True Idol stood erupted. Then the gates of the Cerulean Fortress swung open as the armies flooded out once more. The othermanders and the Thirteen Messengers all came out with them.


    "Ready the formations! We cannot rely on the Nuwa n in that state!"


    Zi Jing''s voice echoed out as he was at the front, his swords floating behind him. Everyone else that could still fight, stood together, readying their weapons.Those that were in charge of formations quickly went to work, building and chanting in the front of the armies.


    And where the True Idol was, the dust began to clear out as it was rtively untouched by the attack. But its injuries from the four individuals were still there. But even they were beginning to heal up.


    "Keep it focused on you, I''m going to prepare something."


    Ling Hun''s voice spoke into the other three''s minds and Ming Yue was already a step ahead. Staring at the True Idol, she raised her burnt arm and snapped her fingers. And this great being suddenly twisted in pain, screaming out.


    "What is this?! What just happened?!"


    Du Xiu nced at Ming Yue, seeing her make that movement.


    The young cultivator smiled at this development.


    "It worked", she thought, "I actually didn''t think it would work."


    Those Wind Needles she had sent out had mostly hit the True Idol''s skin, unable to pierce it or do anything in fact. However, some did make it inside its body, entering through the small wounds and digging into its flesh.


    After all, although this was the "true" Idol of Chaos, Kong Zhi was the vessel, and a vessel of flesh was still flesh. With those wind needles, she forced them to go wild, tearing through its body, and its attempts to heal were stopped.


    Taking this chance, both Du Xiu and Gao Ri sprinted forward to strike the True Idol, attacking it while it struggled. They took this opportunity and made the most of it, striking at the same wounds and making them bigger and bigger.


    Lightning spat out, threatening to kill either of them but they were quick and careful, evading them all.


    But this window of time could onlyst for so long as the Wind Needles lost their power. The next moment, it looked at the twomanders and punched out, sending them both back flying. However, each strike had been imbued with Primordial Lightning and both of them could not endure the attack. Gao Ri especially.


    The Winged Demon Commander, blocked with his wings once more only for them to break from the pressure. If they could barely be used before, they certainly couldn''t be used now. In fact, recovery was going to be a long road with the state his wings her in. In this state, he could no longer fight.


    And Du Xiu endured,nding upright though he fell to one knee.He put a hand on where the True Idol had struck, revealing his armor to be cracked now. He needed a moment to recover, just a moment.


    But in that one moment, the True Idol turned to Ming Yue, ring at her.


    Without another word, she backed away, seeing the armies and the formation as it was being made.


    "It looks nearly done, I think."


    Most of the gs had been set and a majority of the masters had crossed their legs to chant. Whatever it was, this formation was certainly more dangerous than the previous few.


    "I could probably bring it there."


    She looked back at the True Idol who pointed at her, shooting lightning from its finger. Her figure vanished as the lightning struck the ground and she reappeared elsewhere. It shot again and again to which Ming Yue only moved further away as if to taunt it.


    And unfortunately, the True Idol wasn''t going to let it go so easily.


    "You heretic! You cannot deny your fate!"


    It shouted out before chasing after her. She appeared and vanished,bining the movement of Phantasmal Wind with the speed increase from her armor. With those two, she was practically a ghost, one that not even someone like the True Idol could catch for speed was not its forte.


    "Stop running!"


    Knowing this, it raised both arms up at the clouds, summoning forth Primordial Lightning. It rained down constantly, chasing after her but all she had to do was position herself behind the Idol. Thus, it would be in the way of each of these attacks and this forced the True Idol to cancel it all.


    But it did not give up on chasing after her, sending off one stroke of lightning after another. And she just focused on fleeing. It just followed her until they made it to the formation which began to glow with more and more power.


    "Now!


    As they reached the center, Ming Yue shouted out. Her figure vanished, escaping the formation and leaving the True Idol alone. Before it could chase after her, it heard a rolling thunder above it as the clouds were oddly ck. And Ling Hun was nowhere to be seen, for he was within the clouds.


    On that signal, gray lightning struck down!


    It was massive and powerful, so much so that it came in the shape of a spear! Hitting the True Idol in its core and forcing it into the ground at the center of the formation. Following that, the formation glowed with an emerald light before shining roots and vines grew out.


    "Emerald Prison!"


    All of the formation masters shouted out as the growth erupted and wrapped out the True Idol. Each one of the masters copsed from exhaustion but there was a smile on their face.. Even if it wanted to, the True Idol would have to use everything to get out of this formation.

 Chapter 484 - Stronger Than Before!

    The Emerald Prison Formation required an enormous amount of resources and manpower. Over a hundred masters were there to set it up and each of them was left teetering at the limits of their bodies.


    But this formation was well worth it.


    Each vine and root was practically indestructible, no sword or technique could break out of this. Even if they could, more roots and vines would take their ce. And it fed off of the energy that its victims released. In fact, it forced the energy out, taking it all like a voracious monster.


    With that massive lightning spear and this formation, the Idol of Chaos was stuck. Soon enough, a small emerald mountain had taken built itself on top.


    And finally, there was silence.


    Everyone looked with interest, none of them powered their weapons or their guard. They watched and waited. Ming Yue and Du Xiu especially. The longer the Idol of Chaos stayed in there, the more likely it was defeated.


    Their breaths were slow as they just watched.


    But there was no sound or any tremor from within, not even after a minute. Even then none of them celebrated just yet, in everyone''s minds the fight wasn''t finished yet. It couldn''t be.


    And soon enough, there was a cracking sound before lightning shot out from the tip of the peak of this wooden mountain, going up to the clouds. And then they began to churn and spin as the formation slowly broke away.


    "Of course", Ming Yue looked while tightening her grip on her dagger.


    The True Idol floated out of it and its appearance was ghastly. Part of its body had been shrunken away as the skin was shriveled up. Its eyes were glowing intensely with a mix of ck and white. And then it roared out like some wild beast.


    The clouds above answered its call, sending down a lightning strike that destroyed the formation. Having recovered, Du Xiu sprinted before flying up, raising his halberd but the True Idol pointed at him without even sparing a nce, firing lightning at themander. It was different, not solid ck or white but a shing of the two energies. It was even more powerful, even more ferocious than the previous ones. He immediately changed his stance, defending himself with his halberd just as the lightning came. And as it struck him, he was thrown back as his halberd bent from the attack. But he hadn''t fallen yet,nding on his feet and dragging them across the ground as he slowed down.


    Du Xiu groaned before spitting out some blood, looking at the True Idol.


    "Don''t tell me that this is its real power?" he thought.


    Although he managed to block the attack, the impact was too much, rocking his internal organs. Before he could even act, a sense of doom overcame him like a chill as he noticed the churning clouds sh out. Even more of that chaotic lightning fell causing the ground to crack and form deep fissures.


    "If only I had my sword, I would''ve been able to help more."


    Ming Yue watched the fight unfold before looking at her knife. There were already cracks forming on the de, it wouldn''tst more than a few more strikes. But her grip on it tightened.


    "There''s no point in hoping for it. If this is what I have then it''ll make do."


    She grit her teeth and looked at her burnt arm, ckened and covered in boils. It was painful to even move but she could move it. But just as she was about to strike, the True Idol of Chaos did something else. With one hand focused on Du Xiu, it raised another hand up to the skies and its influence over the clouds expanded. They started to spin, focused on one point.


    Momentster, they shed as a figure fell from the skies, leaving behind a trail of smoke in its descent.


    It was Ling Hun, the former Idol of Chaos, falling to the ground with a light thud. His body of energy had grown weak, the glow was faint and he himself was unmoving. He could no longer fight and then there was only Du Xiu and Ming Yue left, not even they were in much better shape.


    The True Idol continued to hover, flying up above them all and gazing down with a ferocious re.


    "Fight! Fight and survive!"


    Nie Xia suddenly shouted and he jumped forward, standing in front of Ming Yue. With his shout, the entire army mobilized.


    "Use everything! Don''t even think about holding back!"


    His voice echoed out as a barrage of attacks came flying towards the True Idol. There was thundering on the ground as thousands of soldiers and warriors rushed forward. Yu Zhen moved forward as well, leaving the ranged units under themand of the captains. All of them ran to face the True Idol. Their steps were heavy as the sky was lit with the light of hundreds of attacks, illuminating the darkness of the ckened clouds.


    As all of this happened, Du Xiu moved quickly, taking Gao Ri and Ling Hun away and retreating to the fortress. He dropped them off quickly before standing beside Ming Yue, ncing at her.


    "Can you still fight?" he asked her.


    She stood up and nodded looking at the scene now.


    Whatever may have happened in that formation had forced the True Idol to snap. It didn''t even speak anymore, it just threw lightning wherever it wished. Luckily many of them wore top-ss armor but that could onlyst for so many hits.


    Ming Yue then turned to look at the Nuwa n''s tree, seeing it partially burnt. Smoke still rose out as embers struggled on, glowing a reddish contrast to the green leaves. Looking closer, she noticed the fairies all appearing, working together to heal the spirit and repair the tree.


    And as if sensing her gaze, the spirit spoke to her. It was incredibly weak but it still spoke out.


    "Child...you would not be able to kill it through normal means as it is now. Although the Nuwa n cannot offer as much help as before, we can still rid the world of this thing", it said.


    "What do I have to do?" she asked, looking at the tree intently.


    "You must take its... core... and destroy it... I cannot speak... for much longer... The n must prepare..."


    And the spirit''s voice faded away before it could finish. However, the instruction was more than enough for Ming Yue, it was all she needed.


    "Take the core and destroy it", she muttered.


    Looking at her dagger, Ming Yue turned to Du Xiu, who slowly built up his power, gathering it into his halberd.


    "I heard the spirit, we have to take that core. The issue is, where is it? The chest? The head?"


    His eyes scanned the True Idol but there was nothing to show him where it was.


    "If it weakens enough, perhaps we will find it then."


    After saying this, he raised his halberd and shot it straight at the True Idol. The weapon flew like a meteor growing with power as it soared through the skies at a zing speed. In less than a few seconds, it crashed into the True Idol, exploding with fiery fury.


    Du Xiu sprinted forward before jumping and flying up. The othermanders soon joined up with him, brandishing their weapons. Camp Commander Bi raised up the battle standard, strengthening all of them. The Thirteen Messengers followed after them as a second wave, preparing to fight the True Idol.


    In total, there were eighteen of them with the weakest being at the Sky Realm and the strongest just a tad shy of the Heaven Realm. But they were all experts and geniuses in their own right. And behind them, all were the hundreds of Earth and Human Realm soldiers.


    This was theirst stand against this god-like being.

 Chapter 485 - Blood Moon

    Ming Yue soon followed before stopping, looking at the massiveke. Despite the chaos right next to it, the surface was clean and unbroken. But more than that, she felt something within it, something familiar.


    Whilst the battle grew in intensity, she continued to float there idly, staring at theke.


    "It''s ready, isn''t it?" she thought.


    Pulling her hand out towards theke, she beckoned for her sword toe. But after several moments, it didn''t.


    "Ah!"


    She winced as a sharp ring echoed out from the waters, no doubt from Drifting Sky. It wasn''t a happy sound but a defiant one instead.


    "Right, a weapon spirit... Of course."


    If it wouldn''te to her obediently, she''d have to force it toe.


    "Just like with Xue Yue..." she muttered.


    "Hey!"


    Xue Yue''s voice perked up after hearing that, obviously feeling a bit annoyed but thatment.


    She went towards the edge of the leg and stepped into the waters, letting her consciousness move into the depths. As this process began, the eighteen experts all surrounded the True Idol, bombarding it with attacks. The soldiers below did the same, focusing their attacks on this one figure as the cannons fired theirst shots.


    As the battle continued the True Idol''s injuries continued to umte, growing worse and worse while its attacks were even more ferocious. It wasn''t even speaking anymore, it just roared and growled, breathing lightning every time it opened its mouth.


    "This thing just doesn''t want to die!"


    Zi Jing shouted, his hands moving around like a smooth stream of water. His flying swords followed each movement as if they were extensions of himself. Each of them flew in different paths cutting and scratching the skin.


    "Of course not, did you think it would be this easy?"


    The other gave a quick retort while working together to bring this thing down. With all eighteen, there was not a single second where the True Idol was not getting attacked. While the damage wasn''t significant, it was growing.


    "Where''s Ming Yue?!"


    Zi Jing looked around, noticing her disappearance.


    "She''s over there, standing in theke! What''s going on with her?"


    The others took note before one of the messengers pointed her out. And then Zi Jing understood immediately.


    "Leave her, we''ll hold it off until she''s ready!" he shouted.


    Everyone else nced at him to which he looked at them all.


    "Trust me and trust her", he replied.


    His words came calmly and steadily, he had no doubt in his heart that she woulde. Hearing him speak, the others nodded and focused on the True Idol, who grew wilder by the second.


    And as Zi Jing went to fight he gave onest look at Ming Yue, her figure was absolutely still but he was full of excitement.


    "Would I finally see it? A weapon spirit with my own eyes..." he wondered.


    But that was up to Ming Yue and whether or not she could wring it out of the waters. Her consciousness descended into the depths of the waters, going deeper and deeper until she reached where she was before. Right in front of her was the World Serpent, Yin Bing, coiling around her sword. And when she reached this point, Yin Bing''s eyes opened to look at her.


    "Ah, the sword must''ve called for you", she said.


    Her massive body then unwrapped itself, revealing the weapon and when she did so, a discordant ring echoed out. The waters trembled under this power and Ming Yue finallyid her eyes on Drifting Sky. For a moment, she was dazed by it for a moment. Its appearance was the same, there was no difference whatsoever, not to the de, the hilt, or even the scabbard. It was just like when she had it one year ago.


    The true difference was in the aura and Drifting Sky had a powerful one. But it was quiet, not tyrannical but more so smooth, a sword made for killing not for battle.


    Ming Yue moved forward, calling for it but it only responded with a defiant ring.


    "It won''te, why is that?"


    She looked to the serpent who watched by the side, looking for an answer.


    "It won''te to you because it is not calling for you", the serpent answered.


    "What do you-"


    Before she evenpleted that thought, she realized it. In fact, they both realized it.


    "It was calling for me."


    Then another illusory figure stood by Ming Yue, it was her other self, Xue Yue. Both of them were there, two of the same person, just in different clothes. Ming Yue had her blue robes while Xue Yue''s were crimson.


    The serpent nodded at Xue Yue''s words.


    "Strangely enough, your sword is quite a special one. It is not something that I canplete, even with all the power that I have. And it is iplete because it is missing you."


    Yin Bing looked to Xue Yue before turning to Ming Yue.


    "By some strange means, your mind and soul have been split apart. But one has been in control while the other has been a passenger. Once you inhabit the de, you will feel unified again, both of you will be in control", the serpent exined.


    The two selves looked at each other. Neither of them knew what to say or think at this moment.


    "So, what will happen if I go?" asked Xue Yue.


    Her voice was soft, uncertain, almost scared. Having been within Ming Yue for several years, it was strange to leave.


    "If you enter the de, you will not be gone or lose anything. Rather, you will feel truly connected to each other. You will no longer be a bystander but free. You will be the weapon spirit, this de will be your body."


    Yin Bing''s words seemed calming and that made Xue Yue feel a bit better. She sucked in a cold breath before looking at Ming Yue and nodding.


    "I''ll do it, what do I have to do?" she asked.


    The serpent chuckled.


    "It is not what I want you to do. It is what the sword wants, call for it and it shalle", she answered.


    Xue Yue nodded and held her hand out. The sheathed de rang out with a pleasant sound as it went to Xue Yue''s hands. She grabbed the hilt and wielded it before turning to Ming Yue.


    Without any warning, the sword hummed and her figure vanished, going into Drifting Sky.


    Ming Yue watched it unfold, finding the sword floating in front of her. She gave it a moment, waiting for it to grow quiet and when it did, she called for it. The sword slowly moved to her and she gently wrapped her fingers around the hilt.


    It was still sheathed.


    With one hand on the hilt and the other on the sheath, she slowly took it out, revealing the de. As it came out, it produced a clear and melodious howling. When fully unsheathed, Ming Yue looked at the de, admiring it before furrowing her brows.


    "I don''t think I can call it Drifting Sky anymore", she muttered.


    The de had changed, taking on a crimson sheen to the edge of the de. It was subtle but it was there.


    "Of course not, I''m in here now!"


    All of the sudden, Xue Yue''s voice echoed in her mind to which Ming Yue felt a sense of surprise.


    "You''re the weapon spirit now", she said.


    "Yes, I am and it feels... right."


    Xue Yue responded with a gentle tone, she was at peace within the sword. It was strange but to her, it worked.


    "Hm, what should I call you now?" Ming Yue asked.


    "My name is Xue Yue, so I''m sure you know what to call it", she responded.


    The young woman smiled at her sword.


    "Right, Blood Moon, for you."

 Chapter 486 - Weapon Spirit

    "Blood Moon, that sounds good."


    As they both agreed, Blood Moon resonated as both Ming Yue and Xue Yue felt their consciousness connecting. It was strange and surreal.


    Their minds were still intact but they could feel each other''s emotions.


    Yin Bing just watched from the side, examining what was happening before the serpent.


    "How interesting..." she muttered.


    The resonating sword continued to make itself known and the entireke trembled under its melodious ring. It had grown to a point where the Commanders took notice, Zi Jing, especially.


    "It''sing, isn''t it? A weapon spirit? A cursed de?" he muttered.


    His heart began to race with excitement. But that anticipation had gotten the best of him as his attacks slowed for just a second. And it was enough for the True Idol to take advantage of it.


    Itshed at him, swinging a fist out and releasing a lightning st at the man.


    "Protect!"


    Zi Jing shouted out as he called his swords back, forming a shield and deflecting the strike. But the swords did note out unscathed, cracked, and melted after taking that strike head-on.


    The True Idol, in its crazed state, flew towards Zi Jing with its hand open facing towards themander. Lightning shot out, striking the swords and biting away at the des.


    "Damn it, I''m really going to have to do this."


    Gritting his teeth, Zi Jing flicked his hand out and retreated, forcing the five swords to fly apart before thrusting themselves into True Idol''s body, entering through the wounds that were already there.


    "Death Seal!"


    As they pierced deeply into the True Idol, the swords began to glow with a bright white light before suddenly sinking deeper. It grabbed at the swords but they were just made of pure energy now. Then it screamed in pain, feeling it infiltrate its veins and destroying them as it flowed through his body.


    Zi Jing watched while breathing heavily, lowering his hands and descending to the ground.


    "I hope I didn''t sacrifice those swords in vain."


    He muttered to himself, tired and out of energy after using that technique.


    And while he hoped for it, the inevitable came and the True Idol roared out.


    "RAARGHH!"


    It curled up before stretching out, breaking the sword''s energy and releasing a shockwave of lightning. The other experts all defended themselves against the outburst, looking at it with slight desperation. Everyone was beginning to tire.


    "When is this thing going to drop?!" Nie Xia shouted with a heavy breath.


    From constantly sending out their strongest techniques to enduring the True Idol''s powerful attacks, their defenses were wearing thin and their strength was beginning to wane. Even then, they continued to fight it, even as lightning rained all around them.


    But none of that could reach Ming Yue within theke, she was too focused on Blood Moon as both her and the sword connected with one another. The powering off of them was incredible as the de seemed to reinvigorate her.


    And then, without another moment, her eyes awakened, looking down at her injured hand where a sheathed Blood Moon rested.


    "It feels so different..."


    Xue Yue muttered quietly, it was full of awe and shock as her consciousness was now in the sword.


    "I can feel the wind, your hand... I''m not just looking from within you, I''m actually here, free..."


    Although her face could not be seen, you could almost see the smile on her face because the joy in her voice was clear.


    Ming Yue suddenly smiled and looked at theke, bowing in gratitude to the Cerulean Serpent before heading off. She went was going straight to the battle, seeing the wild lightning from a distance away. Even then, she wasn''t deterred by it.


    "You know, your arm is barely usable as it is. Do you think we can still fight that thing with you in this state?"


    Xue Yue''s voice echoed in her head as Ming Yue began to pick up speed.


    "We don''t have a choice, besides, it''s not even the arm I use to swing Blood Moon."


    She answered back, holding the sword with her right hand.


    Her armor slowly repaired itself but it was still quite broken, her festering arm was still exposed, healing but covered in burns.


    Despite that, despite the state she was in, Ming Yue felt confident. With her sword back, she felt as if she could contend with the True Idol, deal some real damage to that thing. Her energy began to circte, rushing through the meridians and the veins of her body. Her aura began to grow, releasing wisps of a ghostly blue light.


    It then flowed into Blood Moon, causing it to howl out.


    "Here we go!" Xue Yue''s voice shouted out in joy


    "Pale Moon."


    Her aura exploded as her speed burst out!


    In just a few breaths, she reached the True Idol just as it swung out, releasing another wave of chaotic lightning. The other seventeen experts had all backed off to avoid the attack. In the time she was gone, they had all taken on a beating.


    In fact, it was no longer seventeen but just seven now.


    Many of the messengers had either died or were incapacitated, there were only four left and one of them was Di Yu. Even he looked quite haggard. His robes were torn in many ces and his arms were covered in cuts and burns. But his eyes hadn''t lost their power just yet. Azure light came out of his body, striking at the True Idol.


    On the other side, It was only Du Xiu, Nie Xia, and Camp Commander Bi that still continued to fight. Unlike those three, Yu Zhen did not have the same endurance as them. Certainly, her power was great but against the True Idol, there was only so much she could handle.


    Even then, the three that remained were not in much better shape. Even Du Xiu''s armor had been damaged to a point where repairing itself had slowed. Commander Bi''s battle standard still glowed but it had dimmed inparison to before. And Nie Xia was in the worst shape, his shields were all but scrap metal now, having taken on the True Idol''s attacks directly.


    Even with that, none of them were willing to give up just yet!


    But none of them had seen or even noticed Ming Yue arrive. Her body just appeared out of thin air, d in that aura of hers. Bloodmoon was quickly unsheathed, showing a faint red glint on the de''s edge.


    "Waning Moon."


    Both Ming Yue and Xue Yue spoke out as they executed the technique. A casual downward sh that seemed so otherworldly. It was both normal and different from any attack.


    As the de fell upon the True Idol''s swinging arm, Blood Moon cut through its flesh. In fact, it cut off the entire arm. And when the attack wasplete, the sword left behind the mirage of a red crescent moon.


    It was too quick for anyone to even react as it had happened so quickly and so suddenly.


    The arm was just lopped off and fell down, burning up as the energy within it exploded. That was enough for everyone to suddenly stop. Even the True Idol who looked at the wound she left behind.


    "What- what just happened?"


    This was on everyone''s mind as all that they truly saw was the red crescent. But when the dust cleared, they saw Ming Yue facing the True Idol directly. She was right in front of it, squaring off with this monster of a being.


    Brandishing her sword with her uninjured arm, she looked at it without an ounce of fear.


    "Come on, you''re nothing but a fake god to me", the young cultivator said.

 Chapter 487 - False Gods Flaw

    Even though it didn''t seem like it could understand her, the True Idol''s face twisted in anger before roaring out. Chaotic lightning flew out of its mouth like a dragon''s breath, shooting out wildly.


    Ming Yue backed off, evading the attack beforeing behind it and striking at its back.


    The True Idol swung out with its other arm, barely missing her as she vanished and reappeared elsewhere. And its eyes quickly locked onto her as it snarled at Ming Yue. If she was going to y another game of chase, the True Idol was more than happy to join.


    "Quick! Bi Han, strengthen her!" Du Xiu shouted to hisrade.


    Camp Commander Bi nodded before raising the g up high and pointing it at her. It shined once more before bestowing its power upon her. A golden glow entered her body, filling her with strength and energy.


    But there wasn''t any time for her to enjoy this as she quickly flew back, avoiding another swing from the True Idol.


    It then roared at her before tearing the skin off of its body.


    At this point, it had begun to take on a monstrous appearance. What remained of Kong Zhi''s body was little as the injuries had torn its body away, revealing its real form. Unlike the body of energy that was the previous one, this was different, much too different, much too bizarre.


    So much so that everyone who was up close felt shivers as their eyesy upon this creature.


    Like a snake molting, the skin fell off, losing its white luster but the clothes still held on. And out from within was this monstrous being with four arms and four feathered wings. The arm that she had cut off seemed to have been done in vain.


    "Have we done nothing to it? Were we just fighting egg that had just hatched?!" everyone thought.


    Its body matched that of a muscr man whose skin had a dark gold hue. Its feathers were dyed ck with white tips and its face was unlike anything anyone had seen.


    It was as if a dragon and a rat had joined together, a pointy snout, sharp chin, and glowing white eyes. It had a wild gray mane on its head and running down its neck. Its hands had sharp ck nails and six fingers.


    As it roared out, holding all of its hands into the skies, the ckened clouds began to swirl before descending into four tendrils. Each one going to each hand.


    "What is it try to do?!"


    They all looked at it, readying their weapons and Ming Yue was the first to make her move.


    "Whatever it is, I can''t let it finish!"


    Blood Moonshed out, howling under the thundering lightning as a red crescent of energy flew out. And with the True Idol''s hands upied, it could not defend itself from the attack, taking it directly on the chest.


    "Damn..."


    Ming Yue backed off as she looked at the True Idol, who stared at the glowing red crescent. It watched as the attack cut through its skin only to dissipate as it barely cut through. Afterwards, it looked up to her and sneered before she struck again, this time with the help of everyone else.


    "Strike it! Do as much as you can! Target its hands!"


    Du Xiu shouted as he flew forward, swinging his glowing halberd with both hands. Everyone followed his lead, timing their attacks together and focusing on the same spots.


    The True Idol snarled as lightning suddenly struck down, forcing everyone back. However, Ming Yue swung out cutting it in half and going through. Blood Moon was raised up high as she held it with both hands, swinging down.


    But the sword was quickly stopped as the True Idol revealed what it had created.


    The sound of metal hitting each other rang out and echoed through the skies, even sparks flew out. The impact of it caused the dust and smoke to disperse, showing everyone what had culminated in the True Idol''s hands.


    Four giant cleavers with jagged des crossed together to block Blood Moon. The handles and the spine of the cleavers were


    "Damn!"


    Ming Yue cursed out as the True Idol pushed her back and swung the four cleavers around. Each swing released a torrent of wind and lightning, reaching the ground below them. The ground ruptured from each attack, cracking and breaking.


    Those who were unlucky either fell through the cracks or were vaporized instantly by the lightning. There wasn''t even enough time for them to scream.


    "Quick! Raise your shields! Retreat into the fortress! This is not our fight anymore!"


    All of the captains quickly shouted orders, herding everyone back, recovering as many people as they could. It was a chaotic scene down below but the remaining experts were too busy going against the True Idol to notice it.


    But it was difficult to get close to the True Idol, with the four cleavers swinging out, they could only evade the attacks and wait for an opportunity. They were already feeling drained from the fight and continuing it grew harder and harder.


    "Keep fighting! Until the core reveals itself, we must keep fighting!"


    Everyone roared together as they brought out their strength, charging forward at this monster. Attacks came from all directions forcing the True idol to defend itself, wounds already began to appear on it and everyone saw some hope.


    "At least it isn''t as tough as before!"


    Nie Xiaughed out as he punched out with his fists. His shields were long gone, destroyed by the True Idol''s attacks. And the other noticed as well, it was certainly easier to injure it but its strength was several times more powerful.


    It didn''t endure the barrage for long,shing out and swinging its cleavers wildly. Everyone was forced to back off but some weren''t fast enough.


    "Agh!"


    A messenger fell, suffering a deep gash on their chest that sizzled from the lightning. And then, Nie Xia, who fought the True Idol with his bare hands could not get away fast enough.


    He looked at the oing cleaver, greeting it with a smile.


    "Is this it?"


    Themander thought a moment and his smile grew even bigger.


    "Of course not!"


    Instead of backing off, he charged forward with his fists, opening them up and raising his arms. Just as the cleaver came down, he caught it with his bare hands, absorbing the power of the strike. His arms flexed and bulged as Nie Xia ground his teeth and beared the pain. Such an act caused the True Idol shock, stopping its rampage for a moment.


    Themander then shouted to the others.


    "Go, strike it now!"


    Everyone moved once more and Ming Yue yelled to the others.


    "Give me an opening!"


    They all nodded, moving to restrain the other cleavers and force the True Idol to be still. Xue Yue''s voice suddenly spoke out.


    "Stab its chest! Eviscerate it!"


    Ming Yue didn''t even question it as she stared at the True Idol, who struggled to break free. With its chest wide open, Ming Yue thrust out her sword out, piercing its chest. She forced it through and out of its back.


    Her eyes went to Blood Moon, feeling it absorb all of her energy as the de glowed. Wind and lightning forced a thinyer on the de, tearing through the True Idol''s flesh. It then expanded before creating a giant hole in its chest and the True Idol couldn''t bear the pain anymore.


    It screeched in agony before swinging out, throwing everyone back except for Ming Yue. But she didn''t stay for long, ripping the sword out and vanishing just as it went to strike her.


    She reappeared a distance away, watching it search for her in rage.


    "Did that do nothing?!"


    There was a bit of disbelief as the True Idol was still alive and just angrier. But then Xue Yue pointed something out.


    "Look at its stomach, something is gathering there!"


    Ming Yue looked at saw a gray glowing from that spot.


    "That''s the core!"

 Chapter 488 - Breaking The Core

    Ming Yue then pointed at it for everyone to see.


    "Look, it''s in the stomach! The core is in the stomach!" she repeated.


    As the others looked, they noticed the glow as well.


    There were just six of them left, going against the True idol.


    The demon armies watched from afar just as the human ones watched from the fortress. The battle would determine the result of the war and possibly the fate of these two continents.


    "We just have to strike at the stomach, destroy the core and that thing is gone", said Du Xiu.


    "And we can finally go home, enjoy some good wine and afy bed."


    Nie Xia chuckled as he brought his fists together. It was a sign to them all! A sign that this battle was nearing its end.


    Feeling the ignited spirits in them all, the True Idol leaned forward with its cleavers out. It growled at them menacingly as the massive hole in its chest began to heal, filling up with energy.


    "Restrain it again! Ming Yue willnd the blow!"


    Everyone listened and no one rejected it. She might have been weaker but with the sword, she had dealt out the worst injuries. But repeating this was was easier said than done, now that the True Idol knew what they were trying to do.


    And so it took the initiative, charging towards the closest one which was another one of the messengers.


    "Shit!"


    They cursed out, backing off while trying to slow it down. Using a bow, they plucked at the string, shooting out arrows made of their own energy. The other chased after, sending out their own attacks but the True Idol ignored them all.


    The four cleavers all moved at once, dispersing the arrows and striking at the messenger. The poor individual couldn''t hang on for much longer before crying out, suffering gashes on their back. And they fell down to the ground.


    With Ming Yue, there were only six left but the True Idol wasn''t finished yet. It spun around and raised all four arms up before swinging down. The clouds thundered as four pirs of lightning shot down from the skies. Each cleaver released a powerful wind, enough to carve through mountains.


    All of it aimed at its pursuers and it was toote for any of them to dodge it.


    "Defend together!"


    Moving closer to each other, they formed a shield but that wasn''t enough as they were all blown back. Despite working together, it wasn''t enough and the shield broke.


    Beating its four wings, the True Idol soared after them, putting its cleavers forward and aiming to cut through them all.


    "You- DON"T GET SO ARROGANT!"


    Nie Xia pushed forward, winding his arm back as he faced the enemy. He narrowly avoided the cleavers but couldn''t avoid thest one but he didn''t care. Gritting his teeth, he let the cleaver bite into his chest as his arm swung out, a solid smash into the True idol''s cheek, knocking it out of the sky and they all fell to the ground.


    Ash and dust flew up in a great cloud only to be cut and dispersed by the True Idol.


    There was a visible bruise on the cheek that was struck but the one who had done it was down. The bare-fistedmanderid on the ground with blood seeping out of the gash on his chest. He coughed a few times, trying to get up but couldn''t.


    If you were to look closer at the wound, it was more than just a giant cut. Sparks of ck and white lightning caused havoc within. Not only did the wound get worse but his meridians and internal organs were also suffering immensely.


    This was from a single attack, one direct hit from the cleavers and Nie Xia could not fight any longer.


    "Ah damn, of course, that wasn''t going to be enough."


    He muttered to himself while looking at the True Idol, watching it hold the cleavers in a menacing way. It looked straight at him, looking to finish the job.


    "Go back to the fortress! Recuperate there!"


    A voice echoed out as Du Xiu and Camp Commander Bi charged forward, swinging their weapons out. One with their halberd and the other with the battle standard but both were still more than willing to fight on.


    Di Yu and Ming Yue followed suit.


    There were just four left.


    Seeing theme, the True Idol suddenly struck the ground, forcing it to rupture beneath their feet before flying up. Beating its wings, the monster flew forward, swinging its cleavers about. There was barely any time to react to all of this but they had to, if not, they''d be dead.


    And so they backed off.


    "We have to restrain it somehow!" shouted the Camp Commander.


    "But how?" Du Xiu asked.


    That was the big question, there were only four of them now so it had be much harder. But then Di Yu suddenly spoke up, grabbing their attention.


    "Buy me some time! I should be able to stop it for just a moment!"


    He suddenly retreated and sat cross-legged, muttering to himself quietly. Power began to build up within the messenger.


    "You didn''t exactly give us a choice!"


    Du Xiu gave a quick nce before looking to the other two.


    "Guess we have to stall it for a bit. Circle around it and make sure you don''t get hit and you don''t let it get close!"


    Just like that, the three of them began to attack from afar. From the Storm Lances to giant boulders and fiery spears, they kept it at bay as best as they could. And the True Idol tried its best to chase the three of them but it wasn''t quick enough.


    While it had that destructive power, its speed and defense truly suffered. Even if the wounds were minor, it could still feel pain.


    "Keep at it! It shouldn''t be long now!" Du Xiu shouted, amping up his attacks.


    The others followed him, trying their damnedest to win this fight. Each passing minute felt like an eternity to them all.


    How much longer did they have to continue this?


    As much punishment as the True Idol was receiving, it didn''t seem to tire in the least. Finally, Di Yu''s eyes opened up with a strong azure glow.


    "I''m ready! Get out of the way!" he shouted.


    They retreated just as the Messenger put both hands together, shooting a blue beam out of his palms.*


    "Chains of the Damned!"


    The blue beam shot out, covering the distance in mere seconds as it began to split into hundreds if not thousands of chains. Each one of them wrapped around the True Idol, chaining it to the ground. It struggled to break free, ripping off a few just for it to be reced.


    The Camp Commander and Nie Xia both acted quickly, forcing the True Idol into the ground.


    "Ming Yue!"


    They both shouted as she flew in,nding on top of the True Idol and stabbing the stomach without any hesitation. And the True Idol roared out, screaming in pain as its body was stripped away, revealing a being of energy just like Ling Hun.


    Its roars turned to distorted screeches as the cleavers turned into energy, returning to its body.


    And the chains that Di Yu created slowly dissipated as its energy grew rampant, freeing itself. The messenger was long gone, dropping to the floor within the fortress, unable to even move a muscle. Bursting out of the chains, it released a shockwave of energy and swung its arms out, knocking Du Xiu and Camp Commander Bi far away.


    Ming Yue jumped back, staring at the True Idol as it floated up. Its energy constantly shot into the skies. But most noticeable was its stomach where the core was, partially destroyed.


    "What are we going to do? We can''t stop it like this!" said Xue Yue.


    They looked at each other as lightning shot down wildly. they weren''t pirs like before but truly lightning, zig-zagging around before striking thend.. What''s more, it seemed to be happening throughout the entire continent, perhaps the entire world even.

 Chapter 489 - The End Of The War

    But in the next moment, a stray bolt of lightning came down, striking the True Idol and shocking it. Its body froze in the air, struggling to break free.


    Flying above the fortress was Ling Hun, who pointed a single finger at it, keeping the lightning strong. His body flickered, losing his power quickly.


    "Go! Destroy it!"


    His voice echoed out for her to hear and Ming Yue stepped forward once more.


    As she stepped up, two small figures came to her. The silhouette of a fox and an owl appeared, moving to her side dutifully. Both of them stared down the True Idol, snarling at it whilst Ming Yue looked at the two.


    But this was no time to talk to them.


    Ming Yue eyed the True Idol, tightening the grip on Blood Moon. She poured every ounce of energy into the Dusk Lily Pin, forming a barrier as quickly as she could.


    The True Idol screeched at her, releasing as much of its power as possible, trying to break free of its bindings. Lightning cracked out and thundered, striking wherever it pleased. It was now or never.


    She leaped forward, stabbing right into the core and slicing it in half.


    Just as the young cultivator pulled her sword out, the True Idol grasped the de. With its faceless head, it was a terrifying sight to behold and it could barely utter out these next words.


    "Y-YOU... WILL... S-SUFFER! HERETIC!"


    Its voice grew even more distorted as it spoke each word, turning into static. Its body became more unstable as chaotic lightning turned wilder. No one was close enough to help and even if they were, it had grown much too dangerous.


    Ming Yue turned to Xiao Yin and Hei Yue, opening her mouth to shout for them to go. If she was going to die here, she didn''t want them to die with her.


    Unfortunately, she couldn''t even say the first word before the True Idol''s body burst out. Engulfing them all in light that expanded until it reached the fortress walls. Everyone took cover behind whatever they had.


    The light soon shot into a pir thick and bright enough to be seen from all over the continent, pouring into the clouds. Itsted several seconds, blinding everyone before slowly dying off. And once that light vanished, it left behind a terrible sight.


    The first to witness it was Zi Jing. Awakened by the noise. he rose up, supporting himself with the broken rubble as he peeked through the cracked walls.


    "This..."


    He looked around with widened eyes.


    There were few scenesparable to this, rather this was the first time anyone had ever seen this.


    Right in front of the fortress was a crater, a gaping crater at least a hundred meters deep. But that wasn''t the most surprising. It was the sheer size of it. The crater wasparable to the Cerulean Serpent''s Lake,rge enough that there was nothing as far as the eye could see, not even ground. It was as if the fortress stood at the edge of the world, where creation had ended. There was no swamp, no nds, just empty space, nothing.


    Zi Jing looked around just as the others followed, gazing at this expanse of nothingness.


    "Where''s the girl? Where''s Ming Yue?"he muttered in disbelief.


    The othermanders looked but they saw the same thing that he saw. Xuan Yin stood at the top of the walls, gazing down at the emptiness. Her eyes scanned around but she stopped and looked away. Du Xiu looked before ncing at Zi Jing who fell to his knees in defeat. cing a hand on his shoulder, he shook his head and looked away.


    There was a bitter feeling in their hearts. They won the war but lost many great talents, many incredible people.


    "It''s done. It''s finished", he muttered.


    The skies were clear, revealing a starry sky. The light from before had scattered the clouds. It had grown calm and quiet, the war hade to an end.


    The following days were spent rebuilding the fortress, fixing what had been destroyed. They recovered as many bodies as they could, sending them back to the Human Continent in caskets. And the Nuwa n worked to help them.


    The tree that housed the spirit was still in the middle of healing, the burnt branches and bark slowly pulled away, revealing new leaves.


    Where it was nted, grass and nts began to sprout and grow around it, spreading with each passing day.


    In this moment, the Commanders and what remained of the Messengers stood in front of the tree. Many of them were still injured, covered in bandages and smelling of the earthy sweetness of medicine.


    "The Hundun n is no more, I cannot feel their presence", said the spirit.


    "What will happen now?" asked Du Xiu.


    "Now we will focus on healing the world. The cycle will continue as it should", the spirit replied.


    They looked at each other before all eyes were on Gao Ri.


    "What will you do now? Kong Zhi is dead and the other ns went back into hiding", they asked.


    The Winged Demon looked back, his wings were closed and fully bandaged. He thought for a moment before answering.


    "I''ll bring everyone to the Cerulean Fortress here, expand it into a city. This will be the starting point to uniting the races and rebuilding what we have lost over the past years."


    His voice was hopeful and his eyes seemed bright. This really was a chance at healing.


    "We''ve really lost a lot in this war."


    Yu Zhen sighed as she looked at the grass.


    "But we won. If we didn''t, our homes would''ve been destroyed", said Nie Xia.


    Gao Ri then looked at her.


    "Any demon that opposed him would''ve either died or ended up in very, your people would''ve been met with the same fates."


    "I know. I know." she replied.


    Du Xiu then turned around.


    "We owe it to those that sacrificed themselves to win this war. Let''s do what we can to make sure it wasn''t in vain."


    After speaking, he walked away, evidently going back to rest and do a bit of paperwork even.


    Di Yu and the other Messengers went to leave as well.


    "We must head back to the High Council, there is much to report and we have a duty to fulfill. I bid you all farewell."


    They lowered their heads and cupped their fists in respect before leaving.


    "So the girl''s really gone..."


    Zi Jing spoke quietly. Nie Xia and Yu Zhen nced at him, joining in his grieving.


    "I didn''t think you''d care so much about her. But yes, it is saddening to see such a bright me die so soon."


    Nie Xia spoke calmly, for once, his face didn''t have a cheerful smile.


    "So much potential, gone just like that."


    "But that is the risk of our life", said Yu Zhen, "Live or die. I''m sure she knew that and she was prepared for it."


    Zi Jing looked at them before letting out a long breath. He took something out of his spatial ring, a metal sk, unscrewing it and pouring some out in front of him.


    "For you girl, I hope that we''ll see each other in our next lifetime. It was a shame that I could not examine your sword but... at least I saw it with my own eyes", he said.


    He then took a swig before handing it off to the other twomanders, who did the same. And then they had a moment of silence, uttering not even a single word as they paid their respects.


    And one by one the others went back to their work, Zi Jing was thest to go, standing up to return to his quarters.


    There was a mountain of paperwork and plenty of things to do on this road to recovery.


    But peace doesn''tst forever, it never does.

 Chapter 490 - Awakening

    Somewhere in an unknownndid a girl, a fox, and an owl. All of them were unconscious, their bodies mangled and injured, left in a half-dead state. It was a free meal to the denizens of this ce but none dared toe close. Stabbed into the ground and standing upright was a sword, emanating a fearsome aura.


    Not even the brave and the strong were willing to walk forward for they knew that doing so meant forfeiting their lives. And a shoddy meal such as this wasn''t worth the trouble.


    It was peaceful though.


    It would rain from time to time but the sword protected them, forming a barrier of wind over them all. The sun rose and fell, from the shining day to the shimmering night sky. Time passed by and the three were stillying on the grass. The sound of leaves and grass swaying in the wind was paired with the chirping of birds and rushing water. It seemed as if these three were asleep, not so much in pain but rather unconscious.


    But then a twig suddenly snapped as a white rabbit hopped about, staring at the scene. Its brown eyes stared intently at them before hopping away.


    But then there was a low growling in shadows of the trees and bushes before a shadow leaped out.


    "I got you!"


    A young boy''s voice shouted out as he grabbed at the rabbit, pinching its bushy tail. He grinned, yanking it towards him and clinging tightly as he rolled on the ground.


    When he stopped, he looked at the rabbit happily.


    "Yay, Mother is going to be so proud of me!"


    After a short celebration, his senses suddenly tingled as he spun towards the sword and the three bodies.


    "Is that... a human?!"


    In that very moment, Ming Yue''s eyes suddenly opened, looking at the sunny sky. She quickly raised herself up only to grab her head.


    "Agh, damn, what happened?" she muttered to herself.


    She couldn''t help but groan, clutching her head in pain. Her sight was blurred and twisted, barely able to see straight. In fact, she felt pain all over her body, a dull ache in every inch and corner. It was as if she had been struck by a massive boulder. Looking down at her body, she saw the state of her equipment.


    It wasn''t quite ruined but it was very close to breaking. She wasn''t even sure if the repair functions on the Changing Clouds Armor was working. And if it was, it certainly hadn''t repaired much.


    As she gained her bearings, Ming Yue looked around, finding the two beasts by her side.


    "Xiao Yin! Hei Yue! Are you okay?"


    She went to them both, feeling their chests for a heartbeat and rxing once she felt it. It was weak but they were both still alive. Even then, the state they were in was just as miserable as she was. The Mistral Fox''s once dark silver fur was ckened and burnt. Patches of it were gone, revealing the skin below, heavily bruised and there were definitely some broken bones.


    And the Star Owl''s wings were just as injured as the wings of Gao Ri. What feathers were left was singed and the wings were definitely broken.


    Hearing her voice, the both of them breathed heavily, opening their eyes to look at her.


    "Oh, you two... Why didn''t you just stay back?"


    She gently caressed them before noticing the Blood Moon and finally, the young boy, whose body was frozen and eyes were wide with shock. Despite that, he still held on to the rabbit tightly.


    And as shocked as he was, Ming Yue was equally as surprised.


    "Is that a demon?" she wondered.


    The young boy''s appearance was different, he was unlike anything she had ever seen before. He looked like a human but his ears were that of an animal, a white tiger''s ears most likely. His forearms and hand had short, white fur while his fingers had ck ws. And his eyes resembled that of a tiger as well.


    He couldn''t have been any older than ten.


    However, she didn''t pay any more attention to him. Instead, she focused on Hei Yue and Xiao Yin, taking out whatever medicines she had and bandaging their bodies. She then took out nkets, wrapping them before securely carrying them on her back.


    The young boy watched her carefully, moving around but he kept his eyes glued to her hands.


    "You- you''re a human, right?" he asked.


    Ming Yue nodded.


    "Yes, I am", she replied before ncing at him.


    "And you?"


    His face showed a trace of surprise before introducing himself, his eyes were still peeled to her.


    "Me? I''m Bai Biao but you can call me, Xiao Bai. Do you need help? My home isn''t far from here and it''s just me and my mother. I swear I don''t mean any harm, it''s just... it wouldn''t be right to not offer help to someone in need."


    His words came out quick as the nervousness built up within him.


    Ming Yue stared at him, her eyes seemed to pierce his very being. It was just for a few moments but then she looked away and sighed, tightening the knot as both Hei Yue and Xiao Yin were on her back.


    She slowly stood up, grabbing onto her sword until she stood straight. Looking at it, she took it out of the ground before taking the sheath out of her spatial ring. Sheathing it, Blood Moon turned back to looking more like walking sick to which she promptly used.


    Turning towards Xiao Bai, she brought on a little smile.


    "Please, lead the way."


    His eyes grew even wider despite looking as if they couldn''t get any bigger. He stood up and puffed out his chest.


    "Don''t worry! I''ll take you there!" he proudly said.


    Xiao Bai then walked into the lush forests as Ming Yue quietly followed. Their pace was quite slow because of her injuries. She took each step carefully, supporting herself with Blood Moon. Although she tried to recover as much as possible, her possible was a mess.


    Even the Eternal Heart Ring could not heal her that fast. But there was no doubt that it was one of the reasons she was still alive. And it was almost certain that she should''ve died considering all of the damage that she had sustained. Ming Yue would''ve sumbed to her injuries if not for the ring.


    Their journey was quiet, moving through the forests with ease as Xiao Bai led her through a pathway.


    She looked around, finding her surroundings to be extremely beautiful. Everywhere she looked, there seemed to be something, the fluttering of butterflies, colorful berries on bushes, and the emerald leaves of trees.


    It was like the Primeval Forest but not as colorful and certainly without that sweet scent. Rather, there was an earthiness to it. It seemed much more peaceful, more natural as if this was how the world should be like.


    Despite the situation she was in, Ming Yue felt at peace, rxed even.


    "Where is this?" she wondered.


    Was it another part of the Demon Continent? a ce she had yet to explore or was she somewhere else?


    Soon enough, they reached a clearing where a small spring crossed from one end to the other. At the center of the clearing was a small house made of wood. It wasn''t incredibly big but it looked very cozy.


    "This is it! Home!"


    Xiao Bai pointed at it before running forward to open the door.


    "Mother! I''m back! Look what I caught!"


    He ran inside happily, holding the rabbit he caught up for his mother to see. Ming Yue followed before stopping at the entrance, listening in. Echoing from within was a woman''s voice, somewhat weak but very happy.


    "Ah, Xiao Bai, that''s wonderful! And I see that you''ve brought a guest too!"

 Chapter 491 - Halcyon Meadows

    "Oh, Ming Yue, Ming Yue,e in! My mother wants to see you!"


    Xiao Bai''s voice echoed out, inviting her into the house. She stood there, taking a small breath before walking in.


    As she did, nothing really happened. In fact, she soon realized what she had just done.


    "Why did I just do that?" she asked herself.


    But there wasn''t any time for her to think as Xiao Bai introduced her to his mother.


    "Look, it''s a human!" he said excitedly.


    "Why- why yes, it is..."


    Ming Yue turned to see Xiao Bai with his mother,ying in bed with a nket over her. She sat upright, looking at Ming Yue with a bit of surprise.


    His mother was certainly not in the best shape. She was thin and looked quite frail. Her skin was somewhat pale and her eyes were a bit sunken. Just like Xiao Bai, she had ears on her head and simr arms too.


    And she seemed well enough to talk.


    "Why don''t you go out and start up the fire? I''lle out soon to help cook us some stew."


    She looked at Xiao Bai with a warm smile to which he beamed at her before going off.


    "Alright then!"


    And he quickly left the house, leaving the two of them alone. Ming Yue rested her sword by the walls before untying the knots and gently cing Hei Yue and Xiao Yin down.


    "Over there, you can ce them on the bench. There are cushions over there", the mother pointed out.


    Ming Yue looked, finding what she meant and gentling ced the two beasts there. Compared to before they seemed much better. Their breathing had be stable and even stronger at this point. That was the medicine doing its work.


    And after putting everything down, she sat down on a wooden chair before taking a quick nce around her.


    The house itself was seemed small on the outside but it was quite big in fact. there was only one room. With the dining table at the center, there was Xiao Bai''s mother on one end while the other side had various pieces of furniture as well as a chest and decor. There was even a small firece in by the dining area.


    There were many things to see but it wasn''t very cramped. There was still quite a bit of space around them.


    "So, my son tells me that you are a human. Are you truly one?" the mother asked.


    Her eyes stared intently at Ming Yue. Despite her weakened state, those eyes seemed to carry quite a bit of power. But it wasn''t enough to faze the young woman who had juste out of a war, she just nodded and answered.


    "Yes, my name is Ming Yue and I had just awoken not too long ago. Please tell me, where am I?" she asked.


    Xiao Bai''s mother lingered on her for a few more moments before looking down and then looking at the wall, pointing at a map.


    "This is the Halcyon Meadows. Where we are is there, at the south end of it, this is one of the dozens of other clearings. It is the home of me and my son as well as everyone else", she exined.


    Ming Yue studied it, looking at the varying splotches of green and lightly drawn lines as she found their current location.


    "And past that?" she asked.


    The mother was quiet for a moment before she looked at Ming Yue with a grave expression.


    "Beyond the Halcyon Meadows is the Savage Lands, that is a ce that you should not enter. That is what I would say to you but it''s obvious that you''re not an ordinary person."


    Ming Yue''s eyes sharpened as she heard about this.


    "The Savage Lands?" she muttered.


    "Yes, it is a dangerous ce. What was once a beautiful homnd for our ancestors is now a den of terrifying beasts and monsters. The Halcyon Meadows is the onlynd left that is livable but every day, theye further and further in, taking more territory."


    "How did this happen?"


    Ming Yue was both curious and surprised, she had never heard of such a thing.


    "Nature had taken its course, our ancestors were not the strongest anymore and so we were the hunted. Stories and legends say that we used to be but that had changed once the skies turned dark and the anger of the Heavens came down. Suddenly, every other beast aside from us had grown stronger, wilder, uncontroble. Our ancestors tried, all of the tribes had banned together to fight but we ultimately lost, forced into these meadows. In the hierarchy of this world, we were equal to rabbits and deer", the mother exined, revealing a sad look on her face.


    "And these tribes, you and your son, I''ve never met them before. Could you tell me more about yourselves?"


    The mother chuckled at her child-like curiosity but answered.


    "My son and I, these tribes I speak of, we all fall under ''beast people'' and for you to have never heard of us is given. After all, you''re a human and you are the first human to have set foot in thesends since our ancestors were dethroned."


    Ming Yue''s eyes widened for a moment after hearing this. She was the first human toe after several thousand years?


    "But then the timing, this would''ve happened by the time of the Cmity then. The one that separated the Human, Demon, and... Beast Continent", she thought.


    Once she remembered that, her mind began to race.


    "Then does this mean that I''m in the Beast Continent? Why am I here? How did I even get here? How am I not dead? Thatst st from the True Idol should''ve killed me so why am I still alive?"


    There were many questions on her mind but she slowly calmed down and thought carefully. She then looked at Blood Moon, at Xue Yue.


    "Do you know what happened?" she asked inwardly.


    However, there was no reply from her counterpart. Xue Yue was there but she was most likely asleep, perhaps exhausted from merging with the sword and fighting the True Idol.


    Ming Yue looked away, deep in thought.


    "Then what happened? Is the war over?"


    She wasn''t sure, she didn''t know. On one end, she had killed the True Idol but she truly didn''t know that. What if it wasn''t dead? And if it was, did that final st just hit her, or did it destroy other things?


    Suddenly, she found it hard to breathe, her heart was beating wildly as she looked around, trying to calm herself down.


    "I- I need to go out, I need to clear my head."


    Ming Yue stood up, grabbed her sword, and walked out of the house. A fresh breeze blew through her as she walked away, going past Xiao Bai who was busy building a fire.


    "Ming Yue! Ming Yue! Where are you going? We''re going to be cooking soon!"


    The little boy called out to her but she did not respond, too distraught to hear his voice. She just walked off, looking for something secluded. He stood up to go after her but his mother stepped out of the house, walking with a cane.


    "Xiao Bai, don''t go after her, let''s go make that rabbit stew", she said cheerfully.


    "But mother, where is she going? Is she going toe back?"


    His voice was very small as he felt a bit sad and dejcted. However, his mother ced a hand on his head,forting him.


    "Don''t worry, she''s just wanted some time alone. Let''s have a bowl of stew ready for her when shees back, okay?"


    "...okay."


    He seemed somewhat doubtful but did as his mother said.

 Chapter 492 - Byakko Tribe

    As for Ming Yue, she went off to the edge of the clearing before stopping at the small spring, away from the house. She knelt down and looked at the water, checking her reflection before looking at herself once more.


    Although her clothes were enough to tell her, she was an absolute mess in terms of appearance. All of her equipment was still in its dreadful state, slowly fixing itself but at a snail''s pace. Her face and hair were messy as well, some parts were singed while there were plenty of bruises and cuts.


    They were small now but there was no doubt that her injuries were much worse before.


    Her heavy breaths slowed and calmed in time as her heart calmed. She slowly rxed and took a long look at herself, releasing a heavy sigh.


    "I should clean myself up", she thought.


    Undressing, Ming Yue dipped into the cold stream of water and began to wash herself, wiping away any dead skin and dried blood. She then fully submerged into the stream beforeing out, taking in a few breaths.


    Her dirtied hair was clean once more and she came out feeling refreshed. The crisp sensation of the running water had helped clear her mind and calm her down.


    She then dried herself off before changing into a fresh pair of clothes. Something basic for times when she wouldn''t or couldn''t wear her armor.


    "Now then, what should I..."


    Looking at her dirtied equipment, she took out everything and washed them, cleaning off any dirt or blood from it. It didn''t take long for her to finish it but she did have a much closer look at the state of it all, especially the Pearlstone Dagger.


    Holding it in her hands, she turned it around, examining the damage it had taken.


    "It looks barely usable at this point", she muttered sadly.


    The Pearlstone Dagger was a great recement for herst dagger but now, it looked as if it could shatter into hundreds of pieces. There were cracks all over the de and dozens of tiny fractures too.


    But what weapon wouldn''t end up in that state considering its use?


    It was her main weapon when Blood Moon was still in theke. Every day it was being used for battle or harvesting and she had brought it in for maintenance many times. However, there was only so much punishment it could take. Its de was already shortened from the constant sharpening.


    She couldn''t help but sigh before putting the dagger away. Although she had her sword back, having a second weapon had always beenforting to her.


    "I''m definitely going to need a recement after this."


    Tucking it all into her spatial ring, she returned to the house, greeted by the pleasant smell of rabbit stew. Seated by the fire were Xiao Bai''s mother and Xiao Bai, who was fast asleep with his head on herp.


    His mother nodded after seeing her, beckoning the young woman closer.


    "You seem a lot better now, please join me and have some of the stew. He tried to stay up aste as possible to wait for you but he certainly fell asleep quickly", she said.


    Ming Yue felt a bit embarrassed as she sat down quietly.


    The mother smiled as she took a spoon and bowl, filling it with stew and handing it over to her.


    "Well, you''re wee to talk to me about it. I''m sure what you need the most is someone to listen to you", she said.


    "I..."


    Ming Yue looked at her somewhat stunned by the sudden gesture but she didn''t refuse it.


    "I was part of a war and in thest battle, I fought an unimaginable creature far beyond what I thought could''ve existed..."


    She just continued to talk, revealing the war and the True Idol. From the first to the final struggle and then the moment where things should''ve ended for her.


    "I''m sorry for earlier, I just needed time to absorb everything. I still... can''t believe that I''m in the Beast Continent of all ces. I should''ve been dead but I guess I was lucky."


    When she finished, Ming Yue looked at Xiao Bai''s mother, seeing a rather surprised face. Certainly, she knew that Ming Yue was no ordinary person but she was certainly not expecting a story like this. However, she soon regained herposure and spoke.


    "Well first off, if you had not seeded in destroying this ''Primordial'' then the world would''ve been destroyed right? I mean, who knows how long you''ve been in that forests before Xiao Bai found you."


    "That''s true."


    "And there is no guarantee that you''ll be stuck here for the rest of your life. If you managed toe here, then there''s surely a way to get out."


    "You''re right, you''re right. My only chances would be the Savage Lands."


    Although Ming Yue knew that all of this was true, she couldn''t help but feel doubtful. The mother could see it, the uncertainty and hesitation in the young cultivator''s eyes.


    "I think what you need most is some peace, some time to yourself. You certainly didn''te out of that war unscathed. You should stay here for a while, rx, heal. It would do you some good."


    Ming Yue couldn''t help but feel her heart warmed by the mother''s words.


    "And you and your son, it''s just the two of you? There''s supposed to be tribes, no?" she suddenly asked.


    Ming Yue was curious after all. Since this was the Beast Continent, there were so many things that she wanted to know. But Xiao Bai''s mother had a bit of aplicated expression on her face. Not quite sadness but more so, hesitation.


    "Me and my son, we''re from the Byakko Tribe, descendants of the White Tiger. It is a prideful bunch who values strength and ferocity, something that me and my husband weren''t so fond of", she exined.


    She looked at the fire and the pot of stew steaming above it.


    "You see, all that tribe wanted was to grow their territory, to constantly fight and be stronger but such behavior was self-destructive. But that was the thing, every tribe was different but territory was the most important thing for everyone. There were often battles and skirmishes to gain just a few more feet ofnd. And because both of us were against these practices, we were expelled from the tribe and forced to live on our own. But we were fine with that, we had this little house and our son here. A peaceful life until my husband was lost."


    Her voice grew increasingly gentle as she continued, it even began to tremble just a bit.


    "When Xiao Bai was still small, my husband went out to hunt but never came back. I thought that perhaps he had just taken the wrong turns but after a week, I carried Xiao Bai with me on my back and looked for him. Day in and day out, that was what I did, exhausting myself until I finally found his corpse. He had tripped and fallen, his head cracked against a rock, caving in. By the time I found him, his body had been... ripped apart by beasts."


    After saying it, she took in a deep breath, trying to still her voice as she finished her story.


    "Having put myself to the brink of exhaustion and the shock of seeing him like that, I nearly copsed. The only reason why I didn''t was because of Xiao Bai."


    She looked at her sleeping child, slowly curling up on herp and doing so peacefully. Putting a hand on his head, she began to run her fingers through his hair, gently caressing him.


    She smiled and faced Ming Yue, showing some teary eyes.


    "I had to live for my son."

 Chapter 493 - Peace And Tranquility

    Ming Yue was speechless by the story. It wasn''t from shock or surprise that she couldn''t say anything but rather, she just didn''t know what to say. Looking at the two, they reminded her of Cui Fen and her daughter. The motherly love in their eyes was the name, something that she had never experienced before in her childhood.


    "I''m... I''m sorry to hear that."


    The mother shook her head and kept her smile.


    "Don''t be, this happened years ago and you had nothing to do with it. Why would you need to feel sorry."


    She wiped away the tears and breathed in deeply.


    "It''s getting a bitte for me as well. I must put him to bed and you should sleep as well", she said.


    Ming Yue nodded before standing up.


    "Please, let me help you."


    She went to grab Xiao Bai, gently lifting him from his mother and carrying him to bed. After some time, both he and his mother were fast asleep and Ming Yue was the only one still awake.


    She looked at the fire before flicking her hand, extinguishing it. Staring into the empty space, Ming Yue then raised her head to admire the night sky. She thought about where she was and what she needed to do next.


    Looking at Blood Moon, she called out to Xue Yue, who finally stored from her slumber.


    "Wha- what is it? Ming Yue, why''d you wake me up?"


    Her voice was somewhat drowsy but she was awake.


    "What happened? How am I still alive?" Ming Yue asked her.


    "What do you mean? That barrier you created nearly broke but we all ended up getting blown into the skies. Luckily, I managed to get us out of there but I was so tired that I couldn''t stop us from falling back down. Thest thing I remember was trying my best to break our fall before losing consciousness", Xue Yue exined.


    "Oh... Wait, get us out? Break our fall? How did you even do that?"


    Ming Yue stared at Blood Moon with a bit of confusion before her other counterpart showed her.


    "I''m a weapon spirit now. That means that I can do things like this."


    The sword suddenly trembled before breaking free of the young woman''s grasp, floating up before flying around.


    Her eyes widened as she watched it happen before her eyes.


    "I could even do this!"


    Blood Moon suddenly stopped before raising the de as if someone was wielding it. And then it began to strike the air, shing and thrusting at the empty space. Power began to well up in the de as Ming Yue could feel it draining her energy, using nearly a quarter of it.


    On its final strike, it released a sh of wind aimed at the sky and it soared up, cutting through a passing cloud and causing it to disperse.


    Afterwards, Blood Moon returned to Ming Yue''s hands who could only stare at the sword in awe.


    "Is this what a Sword Spirit can do?"


    She wondered but Xue Yue suddenly rebuked her.


    "No, I could do so much more. I can feel it", she said.


    The question was, could Ming Yue keep up?


    Now that she had something as rare and powerful as a weapon spirit, that was her next concern. There was no doubt in her mind that there would be people coveting her sword. At the same time, she had to reach a higher level of skill and power if she wanted to use Blood Moon to its fullest potential.


    She let out a sigh while taking another look around her, seeing the quiet and peaceful scene.


    "This isn''t so bad, is it?" she muttered.


    "Yes, It''s different from those fortresses and camps. That seriousness and constant tension was getting to the both of us."


    Xue Yue added.


    It was quiet, calm, peaceful. A wee changepared to the Demon Continent, especially after her experience with the Hundun n and the True Idol. There were few opportunities where Ming Yue could rx and lower her guard.


    "How long did I spend in that war? One, two, three years? How many people have I killed?" she thought to herself.


    From meeting Ling Xue in the north to finding Hua Xiong in the forests, she even met up with Xuan Yin by the Cerulean Serpent''s Lake, not to mention the serpent itself, Yin Bing. She had aplished quite a lot and met all sorts of people. On the other side, she had participated in more than a few massacres.


    But now, she was alone in this unknownnd.


    Ming Yue looked down at her sword, thinking for a bit. After a while, she smiled.


    "I''m alone but maybe that''s a good thing. The war is over and the world hasn''t ended yet. I guess they think that I''m dead now. Maybe it''s time I focus more on myself", she muttered.


    This was an opportunity, a chance to fully realize her potential.


    And this was the Beast Continent, a ce she never would have thought she could enter so quickly.


    She couldn''t help but feel excited. It was different from the excitement of battle or fighting a strong opponent. It was anticipation and curiosity. There was nothing here binding her down, a clean te so to speak.


    A time for her to discover herself.


    She spent the rest of the night awake, unable to sleep from the thrill of the unknown.


    When daybreak happened, she did what she had always done, training. Slowly she began to adapt to Blood Moon. With Xue Yue, the both of them tested out all sorts ofbinations. If the sword could fight on her own, that brought out so much more variety.


    Facing a nearby tree, Ming Yue let go of Blood Moon, letting it float before shooting forward. It turned horizontally. Her figure vanished the next moment as the Zephyr ws formed on both hands.


    Blood Moon flew forth cutting the tree at the stump. It didn''t even move as if the cut never happened. But then Ming Yue''s figure reappeared right in front of the tree swinging her ws out. It wasn''t as clean as the first strike as the tree was blown back, separating into ten short logs. The de whirled around as a blinding speed, leaving behind a blur as it cut off all of the branches.


    As it fell down, itnded neatly with logs in one pile and the branches in the other, separated by a gut of wind that Ming Yue produced.


    She held her hand out and Blood Moon returned to her with the scabbarding out to sheath it.


    "You can even control that?"


    Her eyes widened in surprise, not expecting that at all. But Xue Yue rebuked her quite easily.


    "I''m the ''weapon'' spirit, right? Of course, I can control the scabbard? What kind of weapon spirit would I be if I couldn''t?" she asked rhetorically.


    "You''re... right..."


    Ming Yue felt slightly embarrassed but also amazed. There were too many things about Weapon Spirits that she didn''t know about.


    While lingering on this thought, she heard a very quiet steping towards her and turned around.


    "Oh, Xiao Bai, what are you doing awake so early?" she asked


    Despite her talking, his eyes switched between the newly cut logs to her and then to her sword.


    "You- how did you do that?" he asked.


    He walked forward, his eyes glued at the trees before looking at her in awe.


    "I''ve never seen anyone do something like that! Are you stronger than the Seekers of the Tribes too?"


    "Wha- Seekers of the Tribe? What''s that?" Ming Yue asked.


    "You''ve never heard of the Seekers? Oh wait but you''ve never been here before, how could you know?!"

 Chapter 494 - Seekers Of The Tribe

    And suddenly his voice grew quicker as his excitement rose up.


    "The Seekers is a rare title given to the strong and the courageous of the Tribes. It can only be given if all of the Elders agree to the choice. And they must pass several tests before it is official. Once a Seeker is made, they will go out into the Savage Lands, to explore the ruins. And if theye back with any treasures, it will affect their reputation! The more they have, the bigger their name will be!"


    "I see... Do you need to be a Seeker to be able to enter the Savage Lands?"


    Ming Yue was curious about this, wanting to know how things worked in the Beast Continent. And Xiao Bai happily answered her questions.


    "No, you don''t have to be one if you want to go there but most of the time it''s only the Seekers that go. After all, they''re deemed ''qualified'' to go. Anyone else looking to go are practically walking to their deaths. Not to mention, Seekers get special equipment too!"


    "Really? What sort of equipment? Weapons and armor?"


    "No, nothing like that! They are given a jade badge that will let them talk to other Seekers, cooperate together, that sort of stuff. It''s also how they identify each other too...."


    Xiao Bai exined as she listened with interest. At the end of it, she smiled and patted his head.


    "Thank you for telling me all of this", she said to the small boy.


    Xiao Bai looked down with a shy look on his face, trying to muster some words.


    "Then... then... can you teach me how to fight like that?!" he blurted out loud.


    Her hand suddenly stopped as she looked at him with a bit of surprise.


    "I- are you sure?" she asked.


    He looked up at her with a pair ofrge beaming eyes, full of hope.


    "Please! I''ve always wanted to be a Seeker but no one is willing to teach me."


    "But your mother, what about her?"


    Xiao Bai nced back at the house before looking at the ground timidly. His voice came out quietly but he answered her.


    "I haven''t told her yet but... but I still want to learn! Even if she doesn''t;t let me be a Seeker, at least I''ll be strong enough to protect her, right?!" he said.


    Ming Yue looked at him and sighed, mulling over this choice she had to make.


    "Teach him or not?" she thought.


    She was certainly at a level where she could teach someone swordsmanship but she had no experience in teaching traditionally. The only method she knew was through sparring after all.


    "Then, can you show me what you can do first?"


    Xiao Bai''s eyes slowly turned, filling up with excitement as he pumped his arms up.


    "Yay! I''ll show you my coolest moves! I''ll be back really fast!"


    He sprinted into the house and returned with a wooden sword. It was a simple design with a longer handle for two hands and arger de. It was certainly a weapon with power in mind. He carried it back to Ming Yue, looking at her with glittering eyes.


    "What should I show first?! My Thundering Dragon Cut? Triple Tiger''s Doom w? Hm? Hm?"


    Ming Yue gave him a look, unable to stop herself from chuckling before she looked at the two piles of logs and branches. Walking up to them, she grabbed a random branch, looking at it before having off any leaves or smaller branches. Swinging it around, she then turned to Xiao Bai and pointed it towards him


    "Let''s just start with a simple spar then", she said.


    There was a look of surprise on his face before he put his wooden sword down, cupping his fists and bowing in respect.


    "Please!"


    He shouted excitedly before grabbing ahold of his weapon.


    Ming Yue nodded and gave him the first move.


    The little boy adjusted his grip on the wooden sword, looking at her before shouting loudly.


    "Yahhh!!"


    He raised the sword up, charging forward for an overhead sh but Ming Yue reacted quickly. The branch whipped around quickly, smacking the t of the sword with enough force to shake Xiao Bai. He could feel himself lose bnce and tried his best to regain it but failed.


    "I''m not going to fall that easily!"


    He grunted and grit his teeth, stabbing the sword into the ground and flipping over,nding on his feet. Taking the sword out of the ground, he pointed it towards Ming Yue and carefully approached her, quickly learning from before.


    His eyes switched between her and the branch, watching closely as he walked towards her.


    "Take this!"


    Thinking he was close enough, he thrust the sword forward, aiming for her stomach but the branch quickly moved, making the sword away.


    And then, it swiftly moved towards Xiao Bai, poking his chest before he could even react.


    "Wha-"


    He looked down at the branch with a surprised look before lowering the wooden sword. His shoulders slumped over and he sadly announced his defeat.


    "I lost."


    Ming Yue took the branch away and knelt down, smiling at the boy.


    "I don''t think I can teach you how I fight but I can help you with the basics", she said to him.


    Xiao Bai looked at her for a moment before revealing the biggest smile she had ever seen.


    "You mean you''re going to teach me? You''re going to teach me?!"


    He dropped his sword and jumped around with excitement before looking at her and bowing down.


    "Xiao Bai greets Master!"


    "You don''t have to do that. Stand up, stand up. And don''t call me master, I''m not that great."


    She quickly walked up to him and helped him up. Xiao Bai looked at her somewhat confused.


    "But you''re going to teach me. If I don''t call you Master, what should I call you?" he asked.


    "Just my name, Ming Yue. That''s enough."


    To some degree, getting called "Master" would be nice but her heart slightly ached at the sound of it. She was still a young woman in her early twenties, being called that just didn''t sit well with her. However, she did hear a slight snicker inside her mind, no doubt from Xue Yue.


    Ming Yue ignored it, focusing back on her new little student.


    "Alright, let''s start with basic techniques", she said.


    "Mm!"


    He nodded excitedly and they spent the rest of the morning training. Ming Yue stood to the side, correcting his form when she can, talking and guiding him about what he could do.


    "Alright, I''m going to wake up Mother, and then we can go out to hunt!"


    Although he had spent several hours swinging his wooden sword, Xiao Bai was still energetic. As he ran off, Ming Yue watched him go before putting the branch away. Throughout the session, she seemed to realize something and it wasn''t until the end of this first session of training that she was sure of it.


    "He doesn''t have any Quintessence Energy like the demons", she thought.


    "Him and his mother, perhaps they have something simr to the demon''s Bloodline Abilities", Xue Yue added.


    "I should ask. Xiao Bai''s physical strength is definitely beyond that of a normal boy. He might even be stronger than some of the soldiers. Is that just him or is that everyone?"


    She put these thoughts away, looking at the cut logs, and moved them with a flick of her wrist, stacking them by the house.


    Ming Yue walked in, seeing Xiao Bai caring for his mother and she smiled before looking at the states of Hei Yue and Xiao Yin.. Both of them were busy caring for their loved ones and it wasn''t until after lunch that they went off to hunt.

 Chapter 495 - Injured Prey

    "Come on, follow me!"


    Xiao Bai spoke quietly but his tone was still full of excitement. Carrying a bag on his back, he led Ming Yue through the forests of the Halcyon Meadows. They traveled around, checking the traps that the young boy had set up.


    "Most of the time, we get fish from the little river near us but sometimes, the traps catch something. And if I''m really lucky, I catch something myself like that rabbit! But we can''t go too far or else, it''ll be too dangerous. We might see boars or even wolves! The Seekers would have no trouble with them but it''s still really dangerous for other people."


    He exined, looking at her with somewhat hopeful eyes.


    "Really? Then we should just check the traps then. I''d rather not be in danger with you."


    Ming Yue answered back with a straight face, shutting down any thoughts of going deeper into these woonds.


    "Aw, alright then."


    The little boy was disappointed but he also knew that it probably wouldn''t have happened.


    They moved from one trap to the next but didn''t find much. That was until they came to thest trap which had been triggered. It was a simple pitfall trap with a rather deep pit hidden with leaves and branches. You could hear some chirping and rustling from within.


    Xiao Bai quickly ran up to see what was inside.


    "Hey look! We caught a pheasant!"


    The young boy shouted before hopping in and grabbing it by the neck before climbing out. It was still alive and energetic, pping its wings to try and free itself, cooing and cawing too. He showed it off to Ming Yue, who nodded and smiled.


    "Let''s go back then", she said.


    Xiao Bai nodded, grabbing some rope to tie up the bird and carrying it over his back. However, Ming Yue suggested something else.


    "Let me carry it, I have a much easier way."


    Grabbing ahold of the pheasant, she ced it within her spatial ring, freeing up both their hands. The young boy watched it all, recognizing what that ring was.


    "Woah, you have a spatial ring? Can I see it?" he asked her.


    "Sure."


    Ming Yue found no issue doing so and held her hand out for him to look at the ring.


    "I''ve never seen one before. Those rings are really rare! Only the best of Seekers and the Tribe Elders have something like that!" he eximed.


    "Really? There aren''t any craftsmen that can make them?" she questioned.


    But Xiao Bai shook his head.


    "Not that I know about but I don''t know that much. They can make weapons and armor but things like those Spatial Rings are usually found in the ruins of the Savage Lands", he exined.


    "Really? I wasn''t expe-"


    Just as she was about to finish her words, the both of them heard rustling before a shadow came out of the bushes. Immediately, she pulled Xiao Bai closer to her while taking out Blood Moon, pointing it at this sudden arrival.


    It panted heavily as blood dripped from its body and painted the grass red. Then they heard a grunt and a bleating as it red at them.


    Getting a better look, Ming Yue saw its true form while Xiao Bai couldn''t help but say it out loud.


    "That''s a deer... A Nine-Colored Deer!"


    Standing in front of them was indeed a deer just slightlyrger than Ming Yue. The two antlers on its head were stark white,parable to snow. Its body was the same color with short fur and a supple body. However, there was a strange oddity to its appearance which was its eyes.


    They were shimmering with color, switching between nine different ones. It was prominent and easy to notice, most likely the reason why it was in such a sorry state.


    It looked at them warily before raising its ears up and looking behind. The next moment even more shadows came out, surrounding the trio.


    Suddenly, there were over a dozen wolves snarling and baring their teeth. They were not asrge as the deer but certainly bigger than the little boy. Their fur was pitch ck and their eyes were of a greenish color. Some were already injured, no doubt caused by the deer.


    At the sight of them, Xiao Bai''s figure seemed to shrink even further as the Nine-Colored Deer, moved next to them both.


    "Xue Yue, you take control of the sword."


    "Don''t have to ask, just release me."


    Hearing that from her counterpart, Ming Yue let go of Blood Moon. Instead of falling to the ground, it floated, pointing at the nearest wolf. At the same time, she formed Zephyr ws on both hands, not wanting to use her already damaged dagger.


    She then turned to look at Xiao Bai, who was shaking a little bit.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll keep you safe."


    But just as she said that, the wolves all howled into the skies and their bodies trembled. There was faint cracking within them as they shuddered, their bodies morphing, growingrger andrger. Their ws and fangs grew longer and there was a silver streak across their ck fur.


    Suddenly, they were twice the size as before and much more fearsome.


    However, Ming Yue was not afraid of this.


    "You think that''s supposed to scare me?"


    Under Xue Yue''s control, Blood Moon resonated and howled back, releasing a fearsome aura from its de. The sword then shot forward piercing the wolf in front of it and slicing the beast in half without any warning.


    And the wolves charged forward, aiming to kill them.


    Some went for the sword, trying to strike it out of the air but they were not quick enough. And the rest that came after Ming Yue and the Nine-Colored Deer lunged at them all at once. The deer sprinted forward, pointing its antlers forward. Despite their transformation, the wolves were still smaller than the deer and some were knocked down.


    Ming Yue stayed exactly where she was, waiting with her Zephyr ws. She swung out as they came, carving away at their chests. Wind needles formed, shooting right into the wounds and causing even more pain.


    But the wolves kepting back right up, leaping and charging at her.


    "I can''t let them get close! Not with Xiao Bai here."


    And as ferocious and powerful as these wolves were, none of them couldy a hand on her. They bit and scratched only to be blocked by the Zephyr ws, In fact, some had theirs cut off from shing with those ws. Her hands moved swiftly and fluidly, striking the wolves before they could do anything.


    And with the Wind Needles doing their work, the wolves soon fell one by one after having their innards torn apart, bleeding from the inside. It was a quick fight, one that ended in the deaths of the wolves.


    When thest one fell, Blood Moon flew back. It vibrated as it returned, cleaning itself of the blood.


    Ming Yue held the scabbard out for it to return to and she looked at the little boy who still clung to her tightly.


    "We''re safe now."


    For a moment, he still clung to her but peeked out before finally letting go. She looked at him, making sure he was fine before gazing at the wolves and the Nine-Colored Deer, who looked back in curiosity.


    "So these wolves, do you know the name of them?" she asked Xiao Bai.


    Walking up, the young cultivator ced the wolves into her spatial ring. She wasn''t going to let them rot here, near these traps. While doing so, the young boy looked at the dead wolves strangely as if he wasn''t expecting them to be here.


    "They''re wolves, just wolves from the Savage Lands."allnovelfull

 Chapter 496 - Terrifying Powers

    Ming Yue stopped and looked at Xiao Bai.


    "Really? They''re just ordinary wolves from the Savage Lands?" she said.


    The boy nodded.


    "They transformed, they can go berserk. That is what creatures of the Savage Lands are like. I saw one of them when I went to the Bazaar and this is just a normal wolf. I''ve seen some beastsrge enough to swallow us whole", he answered.


    "Did it take a lot of people to kill it?"


    Ming Yue was curious now. Exactly how strong were the denizens of the Savage Lands? The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to know. But for now, she had other matters to attend to, like the deer.


    The Nine-Colored Deer stood there, looking at them, watching Ming Yue take the wolves away. As she finished, she took something out and walked towards the deer, startling it a bit.


    But her voice came out very gently as she held out a healing salve, pointing at the deer''s wounds.


    "You''re injured, please let me help you."


    The deer looked at her strangely but walked closer, allowing her to do her work. She revealed a little smile and began to apply the medicine to the deer''s wounds. As she did so, the deer lowered its head and its tail wagging happily.


    A little whileter, it was bandaged up and it looked at Ming Yue, lowering its head as if to thank her. Their eyes met. The shimmering irises drew her in for a moment and her sight seemed to flicker for an instant.


    All of the sudden, the deer was no longer there. Instead, it was the True Idol, staring at her strangely. But it was only a sh and the Nine-Colored Deer was back again.


    Ming Yue couldn''t help but reach for her sword but she stopped herself from pulling it out.


    The deer looked into her eyes as if to try to calm her down.


    Her breath quickened and her heart raced but she forced herself to breathe deeply, closing her eyes and calming herself. Her hand clung tightly to the hilt of her sword.


    Opening her eyes, she stared back and let go of Blood Moon. The Nine-Colored Deer seemed to linger on her before turning and leaving, vanishing into the forests. Xiao Bai saw them both and walked up to her.


    "Are you okay?" he asked.


    Ming Yue looked at him before turning away.


    "Yeah, I''m fine. I''m okay. Let''s go back to your home, I''m sure that your mother will be worried about you."


    After speaking, she started to walk, heading back to the clearing Xiao Bai. The young boy followed from behind, looking at her with curiosity and awe. With each passing moment, she seemed even more mysterious to him.


    "Who is she?" he wondered.


    However, he didn''t dare ask her, not after what she disyed in her fight. She was quick and ruthless. Even as Xiao Bai hid by her and closed his eyes, he''d open them for a mere second. Each time, he''d see Ming Yue fighting and killing.


    Her face was devoid of any emotion, her eyes were cold and focused.


    It scared him a bit, seeing that side of her coupled with the spilled blood.


    They walked back to the house quietly and Xiao Bai''s mother waited for them by the doors. But her face dropped as she smelled the blooding from them. She slowly walked forward to check her son before looking at Ming Yue.


    "What happened?" she asked


    "We were attacked by wolves", the cultivator responded.


    Xiao Bai nodded, confirming it with his own words.


    "They were wolves from the Savage Lands", he said.


    "The Savage Lands? They''vee this close already?"


    The mother looked with disbelief, not expecting this to happen.


    Xiao Bai nodded.


    "Yep, they were hunting down this Nine-Colored Deer that bumped into us while we were checking the traps. There were a lot of wolves but Ming Yue managed to beat all of them. We even have them with us."


    He turned to look at Ming Yue who was a step ahead of him, taking out andying the wolf corpses on the ground. And she finally took out the pheasant, giving that to the little boy.


    "This is what we caught in the traps."


    His mother looked at the wolves with a bit of fear but hid it as best she could in front of her son. She knelt down and looked at him holding the pheasant.


    ''That''s great. Let me prepare it and we can have some roasted pheasant for dinner, how about that? Just go and clean yourself up first", she said to him.


    "Really, okay!"


    Xiao Bai ran off, leaving the two women alone.


    His mother watched him go before looking back at the wolves in fear.


    "This isn''t good. We''ll have to move soon", she said, "The tribes must know as well."


    "Is something wrong?" Ming Yue asked her.


    The mother sighed and looked at her.


    "These wolves from the Savage Lands are the problem. Nothing from the Savage Lands should be here, at least not yet. We should''ve still had at least five years before but it seems like that was a mistake. Those beasts are expanding their territory even quicker than before."


    She exined, pointing at the wolves.


    "They''re just the start. Those wolves are just scouts. Soon, even stronger beasts wille and every tribe may be forced into one home."


    "And you can''t fight back?" Ming Yue asked.


    She shook her head.


    "Of course, we can fight back but there are so many more beasts than beast people. A single wolf takes several men to kill and a group of this size can destroy the smaller tribes."


    "Then the bigger ones... Have you ever seen them?"


    Sucking in a cold breath, it was as if the mother had relived some terrifying memories. And after a few seconds, she answered Ming Yue''s question.


    "Yes, I have and there is so much out there in the Savage Lands. Massive birds and dragons that could swallow dozens of men whole. Horses whose steps cracked the ground. There are even fish powerful enough to cause crashing waves in the waters. Even the insects themselves are capable of killing. This is an uphill battle, rather an impossibly tall mountain."


    "But Xiao Bai told me about the Seekers. Could they not help retake that territory?"


    "They are strong, yes, but those monsters out there, the only things capable of killing them are other monsters. If you go out into the Savage Lands, you will truly know the danger out there."


    There was a moment of since between them before Ming Yue nodded in understanding.


    "Alright, we can put those wolves aside. They''ll serve as a warning to the other tribes. Let''s just have the pheasant and enjoy tonight."


    The mother moved off to kill and clean the pheasant preparing to roast it while Ming Yue returned the wolves to her ring.


    And Xiao Bai had juste out cleaned up and in fresh clothes, running up to his mother who quietly watched over the pheasant as it cooked over the fire. Ming Yue sat with them as well after checking on Hei Yue and Xiao Yin, who seemed to be recovering well.


    They enjoyed a nice dinner that soon ended in silence as both Ming Yue and Xiao Bai''s mother were deep in thought. But the both of them had differing ones.


    "They don''t have to move", Ming Yue thought, "Not yet at least, not when I''m here."


    Although she had been here for a few days, she felt as if she needed to protect it. Staying here, gave her peace and it was something that she sorely needed.


    And the more she thought about it, the more determined she became.


    "I''ll defend this ce.. No matter what."

 Chapter 497 - Leaving Their Home

    By this time, the moon was high up and glowing above them. The mother and son had gone to bed whilst Ming Yue hung out in the open air.


    She thought about the idea, liking it more and more. But Ming Yue knew that Xiao Bai and his mother would leave. To his mother, Xiao Bai''s safety was above all else and if that meant abandoning their home then so be it.


    "Even if I want to protect them, I barely know anything about Savage Lands. If something unexpected happens, I don''t think I could guarantee their safety" she thought.


    And the Xue Yue spoke out.


    "Why don''t you just go with them?" she asked.


    The idea did cross her mind but Ming Yue chose against it.


    "I was lucky enough to have them discover me instead of others. Didn''t Xiao Bai''s mother say that her tribe, the Byakko, were territorial and always fought? What would''ve happened if I was found by them? What would happen if I were to meet them now?" she reasoned.


    Xue Yue scoffed at the idea.


    "So what? You could probably ughter them all if you wanted to, even if you''re not fully recovered."


    Ming Yue couldn''t help but raise a brow.


    "You want me to kill the tribe of the people who saved me? I think it''s better that we stay hidden here instead. And besides, I don''t think I''m ready to meet other people. Not with what fighting the True Idol has done to me."


    When mentioning that, Xue Yue went silent.


    And Without speaking another word, she crossed her legs and began to meditate with Blood Moon on herp. To a degree, she needed this more than she needed sleep. Ming Yue knew that something was wrong with her and she needed to find out what and how she could fix it. But for that to happen, she needed time among other things, time to figure it all out.


    When morning came, his mother called for him and broke the news.


    "Xiao Bai, we have to leave our home. Those wolves from the Savage Lands havee so close to us. It isn''t safe for us anymore."


    She spoke to him very gently and sweetly, trying her best.


    "What? Why? Why can''t we stay here any longer? Even if those wolves are here, Ming Yue can protect us right?" he said.


    But she shook her head.


    "We can''t keep depending on her, what if she''s gone or what if she dies? It''s not right to ask her to protect us."


    "But- but, I don''t want to leave our home! Where are we going to go? And Ming Yue won''t die! I''ll be there! I''ll watch her back!" he cried out.


    Hearing those words, his mother revealed a saddened look.


    "What if you die then? What will happen to me?" she asked him.


    The young boy stuttered at his mother''s words, not knowing how to answer her.


    "I- but I- I don''t want to leave!"


    His eyes moistened with tears before going out to find Ming Yue standing by the door and listening.


    "Ming Yue, you''re going to teach me more sword fighting, right?"


    He looked at her with eyes so full of hope but she could only shake her head.


    "As much as I''d want to, even I don''t know if I can protect you and your mother", she replied.


    Hearing those words, tears fell from his eyes as he looked betrayed by her.


    "You lied to me. You lied to me! You all lied to me!"


    He cried out before turning to run but Ming Yue grabbed ahold of him before he could move any further. The little boy tried to yank his arm out of her grasp but he was too weak to do it.


    Ming Yue knelt down and looked at him straight in the eyes.


    "This is for your own good, Xiao Bai. Besides, you can''t just leave your own mother. You said you wanted to protect her right?"


    "But- but..."


    "There is no but, okay? I can''te with you but I''ll stay here and protect this ce as best I can. And when it is safe again, you cane back here. You''re not leaving forever, just for a little bit. I promise you that, okay?"


    Xiao Bai seemed to have calmed down but his face was still full of sadness. He looked at Ming Yue before gazing at his home, looking at the stream and the green grass. He sniffled before wiping his tears away and nodded.


    "Okay, okay."


    Ming Yue then held out her pinky for him.


    "Promise?"


    He did the same and wrapped his pinky around hers.


    "Promise."


    As they let go, Xiao Bai looked at the cultivator for a bit longer before going back into the house. His mother stood by the door, watching it all happen. She gave Ming Yue a thankful look before walking up to her.


    "I know that you won''t being with us. It would be far too dangerous if the other tribes were to find out that there is a human among us. You''re wee to use this ce aas you see fit."


    Ming Yue nodded.


    "Thank you."


    The mother sighed, looking at the house from the outside. Her eyes glistened as tears began to form.


    "Hah, I truly don''t know what will happen next but I pray for your safety and wellbeing. Whatever is guing you, I hope that you will be better."


    She nced at Ming Yue before going back into the house to pack. And when they were finished, the mother and son stepped outside of the house, carrying small bags slung iver their shoulders.


    The wolves that Ming Yue had wereid out on the ground and Xiao Bai looked at them quietly. His mother then walked forward, reveaaling a ring on her hand that sucked them all in. It was a spatial ring, her spatial ring.


    Ming Yue saw it but said nothing.


    As mysterious as she was to them, this family was equally so.


    "We''re going back to the tribe. Even if we aren''t weed there anymore, they cannot ignore this. Come on Xiao Bai, let''s say good bye to Ming Yue and our home."


    She spoke quietly to her son, giving their home onest look. They then turned to Ming Yue, who lowered her head.


    "Thank you for helping me. I will keep this ce safe, no matter what", she said to them.


    This promise was met with a quiet thank you before Xiao Bai ran forward to hug her.


    "Please don''t die", he said.


    Putting a hand on his head, Ming Yue responded tenderly.


    "Don''t worry, I won''t."


    He let go and looked at her before returning to his mother''s side.


    "Let''s go."


    Holding her hand out, he grabbed it and turned to leave. It was a quiet departure, somber even. Xiao Bai would look back every few seconds until their figures vanished into the lush forests.


    And Ming Yue was alone again.


    She sighed and walked back to the house, looking at her two pets. They were both resting, surrounded by nkets and kept warm. Taking off their bandages, she reced them with fresh ones. The sensation of which awakened Xiao Yin, who looked at her and softly cooed.


    "I know, stay here, you need to sleep."


    She spoke softly to the owl, petting its head and coaxing it back to sleep.


    Once she finished, Ming Yue looked around before noticing a pile of books on the table along with a letter ced at the top.


    Looking at it, she nced at the books, opening them up and skimming through them.


    "They''re journals! Medical journals and collections of information about the Beast Continent! Did Xiao Bai''s mother leave them for me?" She wondered.


    Turning her attention to the letter, she opened it and read the contents inside.

 Chapter 498 - Growing Dangers

    {When my son found you, I was both afraid of the kind of person that you''d be. But when I first saw you, I felt that you were someone in need. You have a past that I could only see as mysterious but incredible. When you revealed it to me, I knew that you needed peace more than anything.


    But I truly didn''t think this day woulde so fast when Xiao Bai is still so young. I should''ve prepared better or perhaps, I just wanted to keep this life of mine forever. Still, it had to be done.


    Since you''ve nned to stay here, these books should help you at least. I know that much of this ce is still unknown but you have the strength. I pray that you find the peace that you deserve. But if you must leave this ce, then do so. No home is worth losing a life over. And if you find yourself surrounded by the tribes, just say that you are a friend of Bai Sheng. It is my name and once you say it, they will not touch you.}


    That was what the letter contained, a message from Xiao Bai''s mother, Bai Sheng.


    After reading, Ming Yue set it aside and looked around the house. Although the mother and son packed their things, it was only the bare minimum, mainly their clothes and rations.


    "I won''t let this cee to ruin."


    With the letter in mind, she silently made this oath. It was their home and now it was hers but at what cost.


    "Let''s go through the books then. I''m curious if there''s anything familiar in this continent."


    With nothing else to do, she went to the books, sitting by her two pets and reading. The following days were peaceful and quiet.


    Ming Yue took this time to focus on herself, studying the nt life, gathering food and any usable herbs for Hei Yue and Xiao Yin. With the help of the books, she adapted quickly and even began to add on more entries. In more than one way, she was exploring medicine, using what she knew and applying it to what she found.


    Compared to the constant fighting, this was a wee change, a time for her to satiate her own curiosity.


    By then, both Hei Yue and Xiao Yin were healing up quite nicely. Although neither could move quite well yet, they were awake and they were active, moving about so as to familiarize themselves to this ce.


    However, this peace was short-lived as the looming threat of the Savage Lands came.


    At nights, they could hear the howling of wolves and the roaring of other beasts. There was no doubt that they''d being here soon enough.


    And several weeks after Xiao Bai and his mother left, they had finallye here.


    Upon a new day, Ming Yue opened her eyes as she sat cross-legged inside the house, finishing her meditating. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at the door as the sun slowly rose up.


    "They''re here and they just watching us", she muttered.


    "Might as well get rid of them while we have the chance."


    Xue Yue suggested it with a nonchnt tone and Ming Yue agreed, holding her hand out for Blood Moon toe to her. The sword flew out of its scabbard and into her hand, ringing out as she grabbed ahold of it.


    "Let''s do it."


    Getting up, she walked to the doors and stepped outside of the house, looking at her surroundings. There seemed to be nothing there, just trees and grass swaying in the morning breeze. All that could be heard was the gurgling of water as the stream flowed.


    "Reaping de."


    Her figure vanished leaving nothing in her steps. A few moments passed before she reappeared at the steps of the house and sheathed her de. Holding her spatial ring out, a few dozen wolves came out, all of them dead, killed by a single strike to the heart. None of them even had the time to transform.


    "Okay, let''s start the day then."


    After that, she skinned them all and drained their blood into a hole in the ground. The fur pelts joined an already growing pile at the side of the house and with the meat, she stored it all in her spatial ring.


    "Here Hei Yue, Xiao Yin, do you want some of this?"


    Cutting off a sliver with the Zephyr ws, sheid it out for the two beasts to eat and the both of them happily gobbled it up.


    "That was the first time they''vee this close to the house. I''ll need to deal with that today."


    While thinking this, she cut off a b for cookingter. After that, she went on her way, doing what she had been doing for the past several weeks. She washed her face and her clothes, switching into her Changing Clouds Armor.


    Compared to before, it was mostly fixed after the repair function slowly recovered back to its full strength. The same applied to the rest of her equipment, mostly repaired.


    With it on, she felt a certain sense of security, knowing that she wasn''t as defenseless as before.


    And the day started, Ming Yue went off to gather herbs and other nts as well as hunt for more food. The rest of the morning was spent like that, harvesting and examining the nt life. SHe formed a single Zephyr w, snipping away at the herbs.


    "At least I recognize some of this but even then, there''s so much that I haven''t seen yet. There doesn''t seem to be a system or ranking either. It''s all just written up."


    She certainly had a few thoughts to add but ultimately, this was a peaceful experience for her. She had ns, after all, to create her own personal medicinal garden.


    Lunch was what she had the night before, roasted wolf meat.


    It was cold but still somewhat tender. With the help of some herbs for vor, it was a decent meal. WOlf meat certainly had a smell of its own but it wasn''t horrible. At the very least, it tasted like pork.


    When she finished, she grabbed her sword and went deeper into the thick forests.


    The afternoon was spent doing just one thing, killing every beast from the Savage Lands that entered the area. In short, she was protecting her own territory, fighting back against the Savage Lands.


    Quietly moving through the trees, she scanned the area and listened carefully.


    "Hm, it''s all just packs of wolves, is there anything more than that? It can''t just be all wolves", she muttered to herself.


    Despite saying this, she did what she did, killing them and taking them into her spatial ring. Ming Yue continued with this, collecting over fifty wolf corpses before encountering something she had never seen before.


    "What is that thing?"


    In front of her was another wolf but it was different from the ones she had encountered before, much too different.


    Its size was at least twice that of the wolves in their transformed state meaning it was four times their original size. But that wasn''t all that changed. Instead of one, there were two tails and three heads, each one with a pair of golden eyes, contrasting its gray fur.


    It stood there, its three heads looking around and sniffing the air.


    After a moment, it howled out as if calling its underlings but out of all the groups that were sent out, only a few returned. Seeing this, it snarled at them all, the fur raising on its ends in anger. It was angered by the result but also because someone was opposing it.


    And that someone was Ming Yue, watching them from afar.


    Her hand rested on Blood Moon''s hilt as she studied them.

 Chapter 499 - A Savage Beast

    "Is that what a Savage Beast is?" she wondered.


    Among the books that were left to her, there was one detailing the creatures of the Savage Lands. It was a small bookpared to the others but it still had plenty of good information on it. Among what was written were the ssifications used.


    "It doesn''t need to transform because it has already reached a stage of permanent transformation. It is a beast that has managed to evolve to the point where it has reached its apex of power, the height of its potential. It is beyond powerful, requiring at least a thirty Seekers to kill."


    Knowing this, she looked at it.


    "If the wolves are ordinary beasts, then that one must be a Savage Beast", she thought.


    This massive wolf howled out into the sky once more as if to warn whoever had been killing its minions.


    But Ming Yue wasn''t scared, she wasn''t afraid in the slightest. Unsheathing Blood Moon, she brandished it while watching the wolf re at its minions. Wind Needles formed as she pointed her fingers at the smaller wolves.


    She slowed her breath and focused, firing off and showering the wolf packs with the needles. The needles could not be detected and most pierced their bodies, tearing through their flesh and eviscerating their organs. Each and every one of them howled in agony and died as blood flowed through the dozens of holes in their bodies.


    The leader of the wolves saw it all happen but wasn''t fazed by it. Rather, it seemed even angrier, and instead of howling, it released a thundering roar at the skies.


    Ming Yue winced at the sound, clutching her head and closing her eyes. Her calm breath turned quick and messy. Her heart thumped wildly as her mind went back to the fight with the True Idol. Scenes of it roaring at the skies seemed to sh in her mind as the sound of its roar echoed in her mind,pounding with the three-headed wolf''s echo.


    Unable to conceal herself, the wolf took notice and sniffed the air before looking in her direction.


    In fact, it was looking right at her.


    It began to snarl and growl, approaching the young girl. Hearing ite closer, she forced her eyes open and jumped down before backing away, running and hiding into the trees. And the wolf gave chase, running after her, snarling as drool dribbled through its fangs.


    "Damn it, what''s wrong with me?" she thought to herself, "I can''t let this keep happening!"


    Ming Yue looked back at the wolf chasing her nimbly. Despite the number of trees and other obstacles, it avoided them deftly, not even crashing through a single tree. It wasn''t slowing down at all but getting quicker and quicker.


    The distance between them shortened with each passing moment.


    Shaking herself back from this confused state, Ming Yue changed directions, trying to widen the gap but failed as the wolf seemed totch onto her scent. Her mind moved as quickly as possible, trying to think of the next best options she had.


    She formed the Zephyr ws on one hand before lengthening them so that each one was as long as a dagger.


    "These ws wouldn''t be a match for that monster if I kept the as it is. If my reach is longer, I could contend with it."


    At the same time, her armor shifted to its second form as she started to burn through her energy. Her speed doubled in the next moment and her figure vanished from the wolf''s sight. It suddenly stopped and sniffed the air but it was in vain.


    She revealed herself in the air, right above the beast, and stabbed one of its heads. Blood Moon pierced its skull through to the bottom of its jaw. She then swung up, cutting the head from its neck to its teeth and then slicing both pieces off, leaving only a stump.


    Without any noise, she hopped off and jumped into the shadows of the trees.


    Following that, the remaining wolf heads howled in pain as it searched its surroundings. Looking for the one that did such a thing to it.


    In its rage, itshed out, biting at the trees and ripping them out of the ground. Some just snapped in half, thick tree trunks that seemed to be nothing but branches to the wolf. Its ws made the appearance, digging into the ground and the trees.


    The once beautiful forests were destroyed, torn apart like meat.


    Ming Yue reappeared once more,ing from the side only for the wolf to see her and swing out. But she responded quickly, diving under and thrusting the Zephyr ws into its paw and through the leg. And since it was longer, the ws cut deep into the flesh, nearing the bone even.


    Diving under, she slid through its legs, going back into the trees before jumping out andnding on its back.


    Swinging her sword, she stabbed into the neck of the other head. But before she could do more, the wolf shook her off before turning to bite her.


    "Don''t even!"


    The Dusk Lily Pin activated forming a barrier around her that didn''t crack under the wolf''s bite. Rather, the size of the barrier had forced the jaw open, now she was stuck and the wolf could not spit her out. It couldn''t even widen its jaws anymore than it already did. And now, it could not do a thing to her.


    But she could do plenty.


    "Waning Moon."


    She swung her sword, making a vertical cut that released a crescent de carrying a faint crimson glow. It flew out of the barrier and into the wolf''s throat, cutting the head in half along with a sixth of its body as the attack started from the head and carved through its back.


    The barrier deactivated as she escaped its jaws and stood before it.


    The wolf only had one head left but it could do nothing. Too much blood had been lost and any control of its body was gone now. It fell to the ground, trembling as thest head tried its best to move. And while itid there, it red at Ming Yue, snarling at her even.


    Despite the state it was in, the wolf was still unwilling to die like this.


    "An apex predator at its full potential... Was that it?" she muttered to herself.


    It was certainly powerful but not as strong as some of the things she had faced before.


    "Whatever the case, you''ll serve as a warning to the other beasts."


    Holding her sword up, she made quick work of thest head, cutting it off cleanly. All of it then went into her Spatial Ring before she made her way further into the forest until she reached a border of some sort.


    There was no clear sign of it, only a few things that separated the meadows from the Savage Lands.


    "Here we go."


    Thinking to herself, she took out the intact wolf head and nted it on the ground, facing the Savage Lands. She looked at it before taking out the other two heads and pilling them together. Although they weren''t intact, having all three of them together seemed to make a better warning than just the one.


    She then looked at the Savage Lands, her eyes lingering on its sight.


    There was a certain musk that mixed with the scent of blood. And the nt life here seemed much wilder, dense with tall grass and massive trees, a jungle of sorts. The air was heavy and thick but it was also rich in Quintessence Energy, something she didn''t expect.


    But this was not the time to explore.


    She turned to back leave only to stop as she heard roars echoing through the air.


    "It looks like they got the warning."

 Chapter 500 - Stepping Into The Unknown

    She returned that night, skinning the giant wolf and butchering it in front of the house.


    "Oh, this is a lot tougher than the other wolf pelts... Then again, it is the pelt of a Savage Beast."


    Rather than use a single Zephyr w like she usually did, Ming Yue unsheathed Blood Moon to cut the beast apart.


    "Eugh, I can literally feel all of this."


    Xue Yue couldn''t help but show her disgust at the sensation of slowly cutting flesh apart. It was certainly a gory sight and the feeling of it was not great.


    The pelt joined the pile of several dozens of smaller pelts and deboned meat went into her spatial ring. The bones went in as well along with the entrails. All that was left was this curious little gem, a perfectly round bead that seemed to emanate the same power that the leader of the wolves had.


    "And this is a beast core? How strange..."


    Ming Yue held it in her hands and studied it carefully.


    The core was full of power but it was unfortunate that she could not use it. She even tried, sending her own energy into the core only for it to crackle and snap, rejecting her.


    But the cultivator wasn''t surprised or disappointed.


    "It was worth a try but to think only beasts and beast people could absorb this energy to grow.", she muttered.


    By the time she was finished with everything, Ming Yue began to cultivate, going into the house and sitting down. Both Xiao Yin and Hei Yue were fast asleep, resting on the bed while she sat on the floor. As her energy continued to cycle through, she was lulled into a state of deep meditation.


    As time continued on and the moon shined above the house, Ming Yue was in a strange state.


    Beads of sweat formed on her head as her face revealed a pained expression. While her clothes weren''t drenched in sweat, they were slightly moist.


    Her closed eyes seemed to tremble as she furrowed her brows, breathing heavily.


    She seemed to twitch, twisting and turning as her mind was racing.


    Images seemed to sh by. From the carnage of the war to the fury of the True Idol, it switched between scenes of the bloodied dead to the rivers of lightning that razed the ground. And then the ashennds that resulted in the destruction, the scenes stopped at this point. It was quiet here, save for the crackling embers.


    "What is this?"


    Suddenly, Ming Yue was there. Wide-eyed and in shock, she looked around her and began to walk around.


    "Why am I back here? In this battlefield? What is going on?"


    She reached for her sword only to find it missing.She mustered her strength but not even a single wind needle formed.


    "Is this my Mental Force?" she thought to herself.


    It was certainly a power that she didn''t use actively but it definitely helped in battle, strengthening her mental fortitude. If it wasn''t for that, she wouldn''t have been able to hold on. But now it seemed that it was on the brink of breaking.


    The ashennd seemed to distort, mixing with another scene. It was a sight she hadn''t seen in quite a long time. Rather it was a sight she had only seen once.


    It was her vige, her childhood home. But it wasn''t at its most beautiful, rather it was her vige after it had been burnt down. It was what remained after the bodies were buried and the houses were destroyed.


    Ashes.


    Her eyes wandered about looking at the grayndscape before feeling everything vanish as her eyes snapped open.


    And she found herself back in the little house, surrounded by peace and serenity. Her breath was still a bit heavy as the silence had let her hear the beating of her heart.


    Looking down, Ming Yue saw her clothes and felt her forehead, wiping the cold sweat away.


    As she calmed herself and collected her thoughts, she looked to Blood Moon from which a soft hum came from the de.


    "Xue Yue, Xue Yue, what''s going on with me?"


    She grabbed on and called out to her other self but there was no response. Despite her calling, Xue Yue was in a deep sleep. As for why, it could only be rted to what was happening to Ming Yue.


    "What are these visions? Why am I just going back to that war? Why did I end up back there? How do I fix this?"


    Ming Yue couldn''t sleep or rest, she was wide awake and spent the night pondering.


    "Did the battle with the True Idol do this to me? No, there is more than that. Why did it go back to my vige?" she thought.


    And then the words of Elder Shu, the Forest Keeper echoed in her mind.


    "...you walk a fine line between ripping that veil or letting it blind you."


    With these words, she thought back to it all before releasing a heavy sigh.


    "Maybe I can''t just keep trying to suppress the memories but what do I do? Confront it? How? Where do I even begin?"


    She was confused and she truly felt lost here.


    There was no one she could go to for help, no one to guide her.


    When the sun rose, she felt a wave of lethargy ovee her as she stood up. Her arms felt a bit heavy while she took a deep breath and walked out with Blood Moon. Her mind was still focused on Elder Shu''s words.


    "A fine line... is this my trial? Will this be how I reach the Sky Realm?"


    It was a possible answer to this situation. After all, to go from the Earth Realm to the Sky Realm, a trial needed to bepleted. And such a thing came in many forms. Whether it was enduring lightning strikes or a heart demon, there was no other path.


    But if this was the right answer, how was Ming Yue going toplete it?


    She didn''t know, she truly didn''t know. Perhaps when she felt confident, Ming Yue would try to find out but for now, she could only venture carefully.


    Washing herself in the stream of water, she put her clothes and equipment back on. Now that they were fully repaired, Ming Yue felt much more confident in crossing into the Savage Lands. But she wasn''t going to go very far, protecting the house was the bigger priority.


    "I should at least scout the area, I doubt those wolf heads are going to keep them at bay for long", she muttered.


    Pushing her other thoughts to the side, she focused on the task at hand, exploring the Savage Lands.


    Tightening her grip on Blood Moon, she said a quick farewell to Xiao Yin and Hei Yue.


    "Watch the house, okay? I''ll be back before sunset."


    She gave them a pat on the head and some scratches before leaving, making her way through the clearing and into the forests. By then her aura rose as she activated her armor, speeding up several times over and leaving nothing but a blur in her steps.


    It took some time but in less than an hour, she reached the border, standing by the three wolf heads whichid therergely untouched. Considering only a night had passed, it was still fresh and the blood was still pooled around them.


    The smell had grown stronger as Ming Yue looked at it before looking outwards into the Savage Lands.


    Every now and then, she''d hear a roar or screech echoing out of there. There was a certain pressure emanating from it, thick and dense with power. There was no doubt that there would be even more dangerous beasts within but she was prepared.


    Without wasting another second, she walked forward and entered, disappearing into the tall grass.

 Chapter 501 - Strange And Terrifying

    After the first few steps, she lowered her presence as much as possible, sneaking through the thick brush. The trees were tall and massive as vines, moss, and various other nts wrapped themselves around the bark. However, there weren''t as many of thempared to the forest, allowing even more sunlight to pass through.


    The air was humid, making it harder to breathe.


    Not to mention the amount of grass, flowers, and the like, which made it difficult for Ming Yue to navigate through. It had gone to a point where she used her Zephyr ws to cut through it to see where she was going. The ground was soft and a bit wet.


    The further she went in, the warmer it became.


    And the noise grew as well.


    From roars to screeches, Ming Yue could hear the humming of insects, buzzing and chirping. Leaves and grass constantly moved around, there were cracks and snaps all around her.


    It was easy to tell that she wasn''t alone.


    Although she continued to wade through the grass, her senses were on full alert. It wasn''t long before something tried to attack her.


    As the branches rustled, a howling echoed out as something swung down from the vines. It came quick, swinging out a fist to smack her but it only hit empty air. Ming Yue dodged it in an instant, disappearing from her position and reappearing behind her attacker.


    With the Zephyr ws and Blood Moon, she attacked, slicing off the arm and carving into the back before going into the shadows of the grass.


    It was a fast exchange but enough for her to get a good look.


    "A monkey... I think."


    She watched it swing away, howling in pain as it dared not toe back. However, it left its arm to which the cultivator took into her spatial ring.


    "Was that a monkey or an ape or something?" she questioned herself.


    It was a bit strange, to say the least.


    Nearly the size of a man, it was nothingpared to the Savage Wolf. Its face was that of a monkey''s, with ck fur all over its body. But its arms or rather hands and forearms wererge. And the fingers were furless and gray. They were much biggerpared to the beast''s body and certainly its legs.


    That in of itself drew out Ming Yue''s curiosity.


    "How does it walk? Does it just swing on vines? Walk with its arms? Its legs?"


    It was somewhat vexing that she didn''t know how it moved normally but she let it go and resumed her exploration.


    "Hmm, it hadn''t been even twenty minutes and I was attacked. Moving through the grass wasn''t the best idea but at least I know the bottom line. That monkey or... whatever it was, is probably one of the weakest, a bit stronger than the wolves but that''s it."


    Making a quick analysis, she moved differently this time, flying from one tree to another and sticking close to the shadows.


    Although she wasn''t here to cause trouble, it was important to learn as much about the Savage Lands and its denizens. But the further she went in, the stranger it seemed. It was a jungle but the creatures within were far from ordinary, far from anything she had ever seen.


    Even the Primeval Forests couldn''t match up and she had seen fairies there.


    The insects varied from the size of a pinky to somethingparable to a cow. Two wings, four, even eight, some had two little legs while others had twelve or even a hundred. And for animals, there was simply too much to absorb in one trip.


    "A boar with green fur?"


    "That bird! Does it have two irises in each eye?"


    "Is that a goat with nine fox tails?"


    "That''s... a walking mushroom..."


    By thatst one, Ming Yue couldn''t stop herself from taking a rest. Leaning against the tree, she hid within the branches with wide eyes and just utter surprise on her face.


    "This is much different than I thought. I mean there were wolves so there shouldn''t have been anything too strange but... a walking mushroom?" she thought to herself.


    Right after that, she heard Xue Yue chuckling in her mind.


    "Really now, why are you getting so flustered over this?" the sword spirit asked.


    "Hm, Xue Yue? You''re awake?! What happenedst night? I woke up and called out to you but you didn''t answer me."


    Now that Xue Yue was awake, Ming Yue had quite a few questions for her. And Xue Yue was silent after the bombardment but she soon answered.


    "I don''t know honestly. When you started meditating, I felt really drowsy and fell asleep. I only just awakened when you attacked."


    Hearing that, Ming Yue was without words but she soon understood.


    "We might be connected but we''re still two separate minds. Xue Yue was affected but she didn''t share the same experiences I did. So it''s just me."


    She was quiet to which Xue Yue spoke out.


    "You might''ve survived that battle but you didn''te out unscathed. You''re hurt.. in more ways than one."


    "I know", Ming Yue replied, "I just don''t know how to deal with this. But for now, I''ll have to push it aside. This is more impo-"


    As she spoke, there was a sudden thundering in the skies to which scenes of the True Idol shed in her mind.


    "Agh, not against!"


    Her eyes flickered open and closed as a fierce gale came down upon her.


    What followed by an ear-piercing screech as she looked up to see a massive bird soaring through the skies!


    She looked around to see all of the beasts running off, trying to avoid the fate of being one''s food.


    With another screech, the bird flew down, opening its long, sharp beak and it flew close enough to the ground swallowing everything in its path. Tree, grass, stone, and dozens of unlucky beasts were swallowed whole just like that.


    It then flew off after having its fill, leaving behind a path of destruction.


    "I think it''s time to leave."


    Taking it as a sign, Ming Yue retraced her steps and went back to the Halycon Meadows. She didn''t dare look back and left as quickly as she could.


    "If that were me getting chased, I would''ve barely escaped."


    As strong as she was, today wasn''t the day to test her limits. But as she made her way back, she caught someone''s attention.


    "Who is that? They don''t look like any Seeker, we know."


    Lurking from afar, a group of four beasts people, all from different tribes, looked at Ming Yue''s figure, watching her disappear.


    "I don''t know. What tribe are they from? Their clothes look strange."


    "The direction they''re going, isn''t that the house of the Byakko Tribe''s exiled?"


    "Them? That doesn''t look like someone from the Byakko Tribe... We should go there and investigate. With the Devouring Goose making its move, there''s no point in lingering here. It''ll take weeks to go back to normal."


    The one giving out the orders looked at his team before turning back, facing the direction that Ming Yue had gone.


    "Let''s go."


    "Yes, leader!"


    Together they moved out, running through the Savage Lands to go after an unsuspecting cultivator.


    Ming Yue returned to the house just as the sun was setting, entering it to rest. Minutester, that same group appeared watching from the edge of the clearing.


    "Hm? Has the house been abandoned?" one of them said.


    "Abandoned? That can''t be. This house might belong to exiles but they were former Seekers too."


    "Then.. killed?"


    Once that was brought, there was a stillness in the air as they all pondered this possibility. Was this what has happened?


    Just then, Ming Yue walked out with her sword.


    "I know that you are watching,e out of there!"

 Chapter 502 - The Four Claws

    As Ming Yue had returned to the house, she sat down for a moment before looking out of the small windows.


    "Something''s watching us."


    "Several things are watching us" Xue Yue corrected.


    Ming Yue narrowed her eyes as she walked out with Blood Moon, looking around the clearing. Xia Yin and Heo Yue came out as well, poised to attack.


    "They''re not hostile, not like those wolves. Could they be other beast people?" she muttered under her breath before suddenly shouting out.


    "I know that you are watching,e out of there!"


    She was met with silence as all that answered was the rustling of grass. The sun slowly set and the skies darkened ever so slightly while the trees swayed.


    "If you do note out right now, I will consider you an enemy. And I will show no mercy. This is yourst warning."


    Saying this aloud, Ming Yue waited quietly.


    On the other side, the four beast people gave each other strange looks.


    "How should we approach, leader?"


    They looked towards him, who looked down and thought carefully. After a few moments, he looked up at them with a determined expression.


    "I will go out first and you should all stay hidden. I will determine whether or not this strange person is friend or foe", he answered.


    Without wasting another second, he stood up and walked out of the brushes revealing himself. Ming Yue looked at him, carrying Blood Moon by her side. As he walked up, this figure rested a hand on the hilt of his weapon that hung from his waist.


    And finally getting a good look, she studied this person. The Mistral Fox bared its fangs at him.


    Tall and athletic, this beastman was certainly different from Xiao Bai and his mother. Despite the human-like face, there were two curled horns on his head and his eyes were that of an ox. Different from the Roaring King, Shi Hou, who had horns as well, this person''s horns were made of bone and both had detailed engravings on them.


    Apart from that, he was topless, bearing a full and somewhat furry chest. His pants were made of pelts and animal hides, somewhat baggy but quite thick. And the weapon that hung from his waist was a short double-headed axe, meant to be held with one hand.


    "I am Niu Hong of the Gozu Tribe, the leader of the Four ws. This is the home and territory of the Byakko Tribe and yet you are not of that tribe. Furthermore, the ones who lived here are no longer here. Why is that? And, who are you?"


    He spoke calmly and cooly, not wanting to make an enemy. At least, not until he knew more.


    Ming Yue''s eyes narrowed at him.


    "Are they Bai Sheng''s acquaintances? No, they didn''t refer to her by her name, maybe they just saw me. In that case, I shouldn''t reveal too much" she thought to herself.


    Her eyes went to him before going past, looking right at where hisrades were.


    "She found us so quickly?!"


    A chill went down each of their backs as they felt her stare upon them. But that pressure soon disappeared as Ming Yue nted her sword onto the ground.


    "When they found out that the Savage Lands hade this close to their home. They left this ce. I am just guarding it until theye back. As for my identity, you do not need to know that. "


    She answered bluntly to which Niu Hong''s eyes lingered on her. After a few moments, he sighed and took his hand off of his axe. He then raised his hand, signaling the others toe forth. With the four of them together, Niu Hong looked at her.


    "You are not lying, I can see that. As for who you are, I will not press it. You are certainly not of any of the tribes. No, not even of thisnd. You are human", he said.


    "What?!"


    The others nced at him before looking at her, getting a much better look.


    "He''s right."


    "A human? After so long?"


    They muttered and whispered to each other just as Ming Yue grabbed the hilt of Blood Moon, unsheathing just a sliver of its de. The sword released a resonant howl, shutting the Four ws up.


    "And I hope that you will not share my existence or I will be forced to act. I do not want to disappoint the ones who lived here", she spoke with an icy tone.


    "Strong!"


    That was the thought the Four ws had. Instinctively, they reached for their weapons but didn''t draw them.


    "If that is all you need from me, then please leave."


    Ming Yue sheathed the de and turned around, heading back into the house. But not before Niu Hong called out to her.


    "Wait, please! With your strength, you could certainly help us! Surely, you want to find a way back to your home!" he shouted out.


    She stopped and turned around.


    "Help with what exactly?" she asked.


    "Wit-"


    There was a gurgling from each of their stomachs, even those of Hei Yue and Xiao Yin. Ming Yue looked at them all before sighing, revealing a smile as she looked at her two pets.


    "I guess, we''ll speak over a meal."


    Leaning her sword against the house, she took out the meat of the Savage Wolf and began to stoke a fire.


    "That smell, Horde Wolves? You... were you responsible for leaving the heads of a Horde Wolf King?" Niu Hong asked.


    "Horde Wolves? Is that what they''re called? I thought that they were just wolves from the Savage Lands."


    Ming Yue looked at the meat before putting it over the fire to roast. And the others merely looked at her with both surprise and awe.


    "Compared to normal wolves, they are a dozen times more dangerous! Especially the Horde Wolf King!" one of the ws eximed, "They might be one of the least dangerous among other beasts but they are still deadly!"


    "I see, and that giant bird, what is that called?" she asked.


    This time, Niu Hong answered.


    "That is a Devouring Goose, one of the Beast Gods."


    "Beast God?"


    "Yes, it flys above the Savage Lands almost all the time and when it descends, it does so only to feed. All Beast Gods are like that, they appear only to feed and when they don''t, they just watch. They cannot be killed by ordinary means."


    Ming Yue was intrigued by this, her eyes nced at the meat sizzling over the fire. The smell it gave off was somewhat enticing, strange but not off-putting. She had given it only salt and pepper.As she took it off the fire and sliced it with her Zephyr ws, she handed each of the Four ws a te with a b of the meat before digging into her own meal.


    Taking a bite, she chewed it the cooked wolf meat. It wasn''t a great meal but she wasn''t focused on enjoying her food.


    "Then, why do you need my help? You''re Seekers, no?"


    She asked them.


    The Four ws looked at each other before one of them took out a map from their belongings.


    "We nned to explore a set of ruins not far from here only a few days travel. It was long discovered by others but it proved too difficult to enter. We wanted to test ourselves in that ce and to conquer it", they exined.


    Ming Yue furrowed her brows.


    "Why can''t you just ask for other reinforcements? You can do it, can you not?"


    She found it strange. Why her help specifically?


    But Niu Hong answered her.


    "Because we are one of the strongest groups around. Those of simr strength are busy with other ruins.. And, we believe that it is a ruin of human origin. I''m sure that you will be interested in it?"

 Chapter 503 - A Sleepless Night

    Ming Yue narrowed her eyes at this.


    "A ruin of human origin near here? It seems too good of a coincidence, is it a lie?" she thought.


    As if knowing what she was thinking, Niu Hong quickly added on.


    "While ruins themselves are quite rare, plenty of them are of human and Demon Origin! The one we spoke of is from humans ording to the reports. And with its level of difficulty, there is no doubt that these ruins contain some ancient treasure. And there is sure to be information that could benefit you!" he said.


    "I see."


    Ming Yue quietly thought about this, taking a few more bites of the wolf meat before putting the dish down.


    "I don''t think that the house isrge enough for all of you", she muttered.


    "That''s fine! We have camping supplies!"


    Niu Hong gave her a confident and happy smile. The others smiled as well although, they were a bit forced. Their eyes said otherwise, showing both hesitations and doubt towards their leader''s decision.


    "Before I forget, you should all introduce yourselves to her."


    He looked to the other three members who then looked at Ming Yue.


    "I am She Xing of the Naga Tribe and a member of the Four ws."


    The first to speak was a woman who looked to be in her thirties but could be much older. Her skin seemed to mesh together with gray scales, giving off a slight sheen. And her eyes were that of a snake''s, round with a ck iris and gray pupils. She wore clothes made from pelts and strapped on her back were two curved short swords, made to butcher a beast.


    "My name is Qiang Rong of the Wukong Tribe! Greetings!"


    The second was a somewhat thin but muscr man with features resembling that of a monkey. His fur was golden but it had a bit of a murky color to it, perhaps dirtied from traveling. And unlike the other two, he wore armor that covered much of his body.


    Laid on the ground was his weapon, a metal hexagonal staff that was somewhat thicker and certainly heavier on the ends.


    "I- I''m Yu Tu of the Chang''e Tribe. I''m also a... a member of the Four ws."


    Thest to speak was a timid girl that seemed to be simr in age to Ming Yue. Her short white hair was paired with white rabbit ears as well as her hands had paw pads.* Of the Four ws, she seemed to be the youngest. And her timidness seemed to have no limit as she leaned and even hid behind Qiang Rong.


    Her clothes were light and form-fitting, best for those who are on the move.


    There didn''t seem to be any weapons on her but Yu Tu was armed in some way.


    After hearing all of their names, Ming Yue responded with a polite bow as she cupped her fists towards them all.


    "Ming Yue, pleased to meet you all."


    Her introduction was short but certainly enough for the others.


    After sharing a meal together, the Four ws went off to set up camp by the house while Ming Yue went into the house.


    As she went in, there was all but silence within this serene ce. But for the four beast people, their hearts and minds were far from serene.


    With a tent set up for each of them, they all gathered together, ncing at the house every now and then. Not so much fearing that they would be heard but full of curiosity for this mysterious woman.


    After all, how did a human reach this ce?


    "What do you guys think?"


    Niu Hong asked the other three but all they did was shake their heads and shrug.


    "Who knows, she certainly didn''t know much about the Savage Lands. If she came from the outside, she would''ve had to fight through it. It''s like she appeared out of nowhere", Qiang Rong responded.


    The beastman scratched the back of his head, not knowing how Ming Yue came to be.


    "Maybe she awakened from those nearby ruins?" She Xing suggested.


    Niu Hong rubbed his chin but shook his head at the idea.


    "She said that she owed the people living here for saving her. I doubt that they would have ventured into the ruins without us knowing. Not to mention, it''s under watch. Anything strange would''ve been reported."


    And then Yu Tu looked at them all before saying her idea.


    "What if she came here without knowing... like she was forced here? Maybe she was in battle and was sent off. If she didn''t know where she was, maybe she was unconscious or injured."


    Everyone else pondered this.


    "It is possible. She is definitely not an ordinary person and she has experience in battle."


    "Mm, the scent of blood lingers in her body, especially in that sword."


    "Not to mention, that killing intent!"


    "Right! That human seems to be a reasonable person but she has killed plenty. I''m sure of it."


    Their discussions ran for another hour before each of them retired for the night. But soon after, something awakened them, shooting up with a cold sweat. It was as if there was a knife to their neck but when they looked no one was there.


    All four quickly came out with their weapons drawn only to find their surroundings empty. They looked at each other in confusion.


    "What just happened?" they wondered.


    And then, there was a resonant howling in the air as they all whipped their heads towards the house!


    None of them could quite react to what they witnessed.


    As the howling continued, the house seemed to exude a terrifying aura. It was wild and uncontroble. In one moment, it would be filled with killing intent and in the next, it was pure power. The pressure on them was the same, sometimes it grew heavy other times, it lightened up.


    But it was not so bad that they couldn''t move.


    All four of them slowly approached the house with their weapons still drawn, preparing for the worst.


    One step after another, the pressure worsened and breathing was getting harder and harder. And after what seemed like forever, the Four ws peered into the house to find Ming Yue cross- legged on the floor. That pale blue energy of hers seeped out of her body like whisps of light.


    Her body trembled and sweat while her expression was full of pain. She twisted and turned, jerking around as if she was in an immersive dream. Her sword continued to tremble as if wanting to free itself.


    And both Hei Yue and Xiao Yin whimpered as they looked at her, wanting to help but unable toe close.


    Niu Hong saw this unfold and moved without saying a word. He slowly approached Ming Yue, enduring the weight of her power. Such a thing took a fair amount of his strength as the veins on his arms emerged and his muscles were bulging out.


    "Wake up!"


    He shouted, taking one step after another.


    "Wake up! Wake up, damn it!"


    Despite his calling, she didn''t seem to hear him, jerking about even more violently.


    Finally within arm''s reach, he moved to grab her, shouting once more.


    "WAKE UP!"


    The next moment, Ming Yue''s eyes opened and Niu Hong suddenly found a de right on his neck.


    Before he could even touch her, she had already brandished Blood Moon. The long beautiful de shimmered against the moonlight that peeked through the windows. It barely touch his skin but he could tell just how sharp the de was. The pressure grew to its highest as he couldn''t breathe while facing her gaze, cold and ruthless.


    And then all of that faded when she realized what was going on.


    "Oh, I''m-I''m so sorry."

 Chapter 504 - Four Versus One

    As her eyes turned normal, she nced around before quickly pulling her sword away, sheathing it immediately. The pressure quickly faded, both the owl and fox rushed forward towards her, whimpering in fear for her wellbeing.


    She knelt down to calm them before looking at the Four ws, all of whom slumped down in exhaustion. But they weren''t tired enough to show a fearful look towards her.


    "I''m so sorry about this."


    There was a guilty look on her face as she apologized to them.


    "I... had taken part in a war which has led me to end up with this condition. While the family that lived here left due to the encroaching danger, it would also be safer to get away from me."


    She then looked at the Four ws.


    "Whether or not you still want my help is up to you", she told them.


    Afterwards, she went out of the house to both wash off the sweat and clear her mind, leaving the four individuals alone. Hei Yue and Xiao Yin followed, plenty worried about her.


    There were many thoughts within the minds of the Four ws before three of them looked to Yu Tu.


    The rabbit beast person was right but they weren''t expecting it to be a full- fledged war. The hesitation in their hearts grew but Niu Hong was the first to quell those thoughts as he looked to the other three.


    "She''s simply too dangerous! What if we end up dead before the ruins can kill us?"


    Knowing what his decision was, She Xing immediately protested, ring at their leader. But Niu Hong put a hand on her shoulder with a calm expression.


    "She is practically the strongest person we''ve ever seen. Even if I was prepared for her, I wouldn''tst for more than a thousand moves and that''s being optimistic. With her, we can definitely push the Savage Lands back and reim our homes. We could grow strong enough to do it ourselves! The benefits far outweigh the risk! Besides, she stopped herself this time!" he exined.


    "And what about the next time? Is she going to stop herself then? What about after that? And then after that? What if she only agrees to this first one and never again?"


    Qiang Rong looked at him,bing through his ruffled fur. His eyes were full of doubt over this decision.


    Niu Hong looked at them all for a brief moment before sighing.


    "Fine, then just for this one ruin and no more. With how difficult it is to enter, there has to be something there that can help us."


    With that they agreed, the Four ws would work with Ming Yue once. Whether or not they would work together again depended on what would happen now. The night soon passed without any more interruptions as everyone returned to their beds.


    As the sun rose and morning came, the Four ws awakened one by one, getting out of their tents with droopy eyes and yawning. Among them was Qiang Rong, who stretched out his arms, yawning the loudest before scratching his back.


    He looked around to see hisrades still half asleep before turning to look at the house. His eyes lingered before going wide awake as he nudged to the others and pointed.


    "Look over there, it''s the human!"


    As they all looked, they saw Ming Yue doing her daily training. Something that she had always done, waking up at the crack of dawn to practice her swordsmanship.


    Brandishing Blood Moon, she struck the empty space before her. The sword had evolved into a weapon spirit connected to her and while she could use it, Ming Yue knew it wasn''t enough.


    "There''s more to it, I''m just not strong enough", she muttered, "Maybe I have to reach the Sky Realm first, but to reach that..."


    This was something she was unsure about or rather hesitant about, the confidence to seed wasn''t there.


    Lost in thought, her training slowly intensified as she sped up her attacks.


    "Can you still see her sword?"


    Qiang Rong stared hard, even squinting his eyes but asked the others as he barely saw anything.


    Among them She Xing no longer paid any attention, checking her equipment instead.


    "I can sort of see it but I think she''s getting faster."


    Yu Tu quietly answered, of the three, she strained her eyes the least. But Niu Hong tried his best, staring until his eyes started to sting and gave up soon after. Instead, he looked at her in awe.


    "I might not evenst a hundred moves, at least without any treasures. If we include all of that, it''s probably a fifty percent chance. Are all humans like her?"


    He spoke with amazement, studying Ming Yue instead of her sword.


    "Too bad none of us use swords, though there really aren''t many that use them."


    Qiang Rong sighed and looked down but then his fur perked up as an idea came to him.


    "Hey, why don''t we go for a quick spar?" He asked the others.


    "What? Against her? It might be a quick loss for all of us."


    The snake woman scoffed at the idea but Qiang Rong had more to say or rather, he corrected himself.


    "Not one against one, us four against her."


    There was a short pause between them all before someone responded nonchntly.


    "Sure."


    They looked towards one side to find Ming Yue standing among them with her sword out. There was an amiable expression on her face as she nced at them all.


    "if you would all like to spar, I am open to it. Whether it is one against the other or all four of you."


    She spoke bluntly and clearly, making it known to them all.


    Qiang Rong grinned and looked to the rest of the Four ws.


    "Let''s not think of this as victory or defeat but a warm-up for the expedition."


    He spoke lightly before reaching for his staff, spinning it around as if he already knew it was going to happen.


    Niu Hong, Yu Tu, and She Xing looked at him before reaching for their weapons as well.


    "Out of all of us, only you''d be the battle maniac."


    She Xing looked at him annoyed but relented, grabbing her two swords and putting them on her back.


    "Ugh,e on let''s go."


    Having finished checking her equipment before them all, she was the first to go and looked at Ming Yue as she walked past. It wasn''t a look of hate or frustration towards the cultivator but rather one of doubt and a slight dislike.


    However, Ming Yue wasn''t really bothered by it.


    Niu Hong followed whilst Qiang Rong hopped over gleefully and Yu Tu gave a respectful bow.


    Together, they moved to an empty part of the clearing where Ming Yue stood opposite the Four ws. Taking her stance, she looked at them and took her stance, pointing the sword down. The moment it happened, Blood Moon quietly hummed with power.


    Niu Hong took out his short axe, She Xing had her two swords, Qiang Rong had his staff, and Yu Tu retrieved throwing knives from her sleeves.


    Ming Yue watched them closely and saw their eyes sharpen in an instant.


    All four of them moved in an instant!


    Nie Hong snorted out as he shared forward followed by Qiang Rong, who spun his staff swiftly. Both She Xing and Yu Tu split, attacking from the left and right. They did not n on holding back at all, rushing Ming Yue in a span of seconds!


    As they came, she vanished from her position as the axe swung out at empty air and the staff smashed down onto the soil.


    "Where did she go?!"


    They sniffed the air and quickly spun to find Ming Yue behind them. Before she could strike, they moved as quickly as possible forcing her back.


    Landing a distance away, she narrowed her eyes at them.


    "Their reactions are much quicker than that of a demon''s and a human''s, is it because they originate from beasts?" she wondered.


    But now was not the time to think about this.

 Chapter 505 - A Quick Defeat

    Moving in unison, the Four ws rushed forward but this time, She Xing and Yu Tu came first. Knives flew through the air as the rabbit girl threw them out by the handful, aiming to lock Ming Yue down. But it was countered as wind needles shot forth, knocking them out in the air.


    "Wha-"


    Not expecting her attack to be dealt with so easily, Yu Tu hurriedly reached for more of her hidden weapons. Meanwhile, She Xing moved forward but Ming Yue vanished from her position and appeared right before her. As the feeling of death loomed over the snake woman, she crossed her curved swords just as Blood Moon came, resulting in a loud ringing as the des crashed.


    "Urgh, damn!"


    From that, She Xing was pushed back several steps. And then, Niu Hong and Qiang Rong ran past her, swinging their weapons out. Thetter thrusted out, extending his arm as he grabbed ahold of one end of the staff.


    Ming Yue hopped upnding on the other end before leaping forward and smacking him on the back, forcing the beast- man to lose bnce.


    "Whoa, whoa, whoa, ack!"


    Tripping forward, he fell face- first into the soft dirt whilst shended gracefully. However, the remaining members weren''t going to let her rest for even a moment!


    Niu Hong spun back and brandished his short axe just as She Xing ran from the opposite side. The snake woman was the first to reach Ming Yue, swinging her swords in a strange manner. The curved des seem to act like snakes in the air.


    "Let''s see if you can take this!"


    As she came, the sword twisted and turned, making it difficult to predict.


    But it was unfortunate for the snake woman, Ming Yue''s swordy was based on unpredictability. It didn''t take her more than a few seconds to stop the attack in its tracks and deflect both swords, knocking them out of her hands.


    Then Ming Yue turned around to find Niu Hong right in front of her with his axe raised behind his back. Exerting his strength, he swung down hard and fast upon the cultivator. Rather than avoid it, she stood firm and swung out, confronting the attack with her own.


    As the two des met, Blood Moon howled, forcing the axe back and Niu Hong.


    She pressed forward, pushing him back before throwing him off bnce. A light glimmered out of the corner of her eye as she waved her hand, bringing forth a wall of wind just as a hail of flying weapons came upon her.


    Looking at Yu Tu, Ming Yue gave chase as the rabbit girl hopped around, throwing more weapons at her.


    At this point, the number of knives and needles among other things was a bitical.


    "Where is she even hiding all of this? A spatial ring?"


    Ming Yue couldn''t help but be curious. It seemed that there was no end to them but Yu Tu soon ran out, reaching into her pockets and sleeves to feel nothing left.


    There was a slightly panicked look on her face as she took something else out. Retrieving chains out from somewhere, two sickles on each end dropped to the sides. The des were thin and sharp, long enough to cut someone in half.


    Revealing it, she grabbed the chain with both hands before spinning both ends until the sickles were only a blur.


    By then, Ming Yue had caught up, readying to strike her down.


    But Yu Tu was nimble, evading and widening the gap with every chance she had. And under her control, the two sickles flew out, aiming to strike the limbs or even carve out a section of her back. Rather than avoid it, Ming Yue suddenly closed the gap and grabbed the chain before yanking it, bringing the final member of the Four ws down.


    And just like that, the sparring ended and the victor was decided.


    "She broke through our formations... twice..."


    Niu Hong sat up, looking at Ming Yue as he breathed heavily.


    "I can''t believe she saw through my Twin Serpent''s Swordy. She even managed to avoid almost all of Yu Tu''s hidden weapons", She Xing muttered, putting her two swords away.


    "She is amazing!"


    Unlike the other two, Qiang Rong had a wide grin on his face as he studied himself and Ming Yue. He then looked to the other two members and quietly pointed at her.


    "We''ll definitely get through those ruins with her help!"


    He spoke happily before getting up and dusting himself clean. Spinning his staff, he was practically uninjured, having nothing more than a few scratches. Niu Hong and She Xing got back up as well, both of which were rtively uninjured.


    Cleaning themselves up, Ming Yue returned to them while carrying Yu Tu over her shoulder. The rabbit girl had grown dizzy from the chase, nearly fainting even.


    As the cultivator gently set her down on the ground, Yu Tu muttered under her breath.


    "Ahhhhh, she''s so close to me. I have to run, I have to run."


    After a few more seconds, she slowly recovered from this, seeing Ming Yue standing in front of her. Out of panic, she reached for another weapon only to touch nothing as she had already used them all.


    "I managed to collect the weapons you threw out. I don''t know if it''s all of them so please count."


    Going into her spatial ring, Ming Yue dumped out a pile of Yu Tu''s weapons which included the chained sickles, dagger, knives, darts, needles, and more.


    Looking at it, Yu Tu stared at the pile before ncing back at her. And then, Niu Hong stepped forward.


    "It was our loss", he said.


    However, Ming Yue shook her head.


    "This was just a way to warm up and get to know each other''s skills. Victory and defeat do not matter at all. Let''s just make our preparations and head to these ruins you speak of."


    She replied before turning back and entering the house to gather her things.


    The Four ws looked at each other with slight surprise.


    "She is definitely an expert. To be able to deal with our formations and skills so easily, it''s a bit monstrous."


    "The human acts very maturely for her age, I wonder what sort of experiences she''s gone through. There''s certainly more than just the war that''s influenced her."


    "In any case, let''s just get this over with. Head to the ruins and clear it out before it gets too dangerous."


    "Right."


    After that quick spar, everyone was feeling energetic and alert. As the sun rose to its peak, the Four ws were ready.


    Ming Yue had packed the wolf pelts and cleaned up the house. Stepping out of the house, she turned back and grabbed the door to close it.


    "Come on, you two, let''s go!"


    She called out to Hei Yue and Xiao Yin, who came out just as she closed the door.


    Together, they gathered by the edge of the clearing along with the group of beast people.


    "Please lead the way."


    Gesturing towards them, Ming Yue and her two pets stayed in the back while Niu Hong led the way. Along the walk, he began to tell everyone more about the ruins they were going to.


    "The ruins are south of here, about a week''s worth of walking. If we rush, we might be able to get there in three days. While little has been explored about these ruins, from the size of them, it is massive. Exploring all of it may take much longer than we predicted. Although with your help, it might not be so bad."


    He looked at her out of the corner of his eye before looking forward.


    "And considering what it looks like, a name was decided justst night.. It will be called the ''Ruins of a Broken Banner''."

 Chapter 506 - Learning About The Beast Continent

    Ming Yue quietly listened as the expedition was being exined. There wasn''t too much left for Niu Hong to say and everyone focused on traversing through the Savage Lands. Time seemed to pass by quickly as night came and the time to camp was set.


    They ate rations in the dark as there was no campfire for it could alert the monsters of this ce.


    Outside of that, everyone was given a slot of time to watch the camp at night, the first being Ming Yue.


    She quickly found her spot, hiding within the branches of a tree. Xiao Yin perched upon another branch whilst Hei Yue managed to climb up, sleeping on herp. She looked around and stayed alert, listening to the sounds of thesends.


    To many, it would be quite terrifying to sleep in a ce like that.


    Although the night was rtively peaceful, every now and then, there''d be a horrifying roar or some booming sound in a distance. Somewhere, two beasts were fighting each other to the death. But this was just one sh out of hundreds.


    The Savage Lands were vast and much of it was unexplored.


    "I wonder... Are the locations of the teleportation circles the same as the other two continents?"


    The thought suddenly came up.


    "If I wanted to return, I''d have to go there. But I don''t even know how to activate it, much less the resources that I''d need."


    She couldn''t help but think about returning.


    After some time, one of the tents opened up and a figure walked out. Carefully moving Hei Yue into her arms, the young woman hopped down and looked at her recement, Niu Hong.


    "You''re out early, there''s still another hour before we switch, no?" she asked.


    The leader of the group nodded with a slightly embarrassed smile.


    "Hah, I couldn''t quite fall asleep so I thought it''d be better to do this. If you want to continue your part of the watch then please, don''t mind me."


    Ming Yue shook her head.


    "No it''s alright, this would be a good time to ask you more about this ce", she replied.


    "Oh, what would you like to know? As one of the strongest Seekers, I do know quite a bit!"


    He patted his chest with confidence, waiting for her questions.


    "Strongest? How many other Seekers are at your level then?" she asked.


    "Ah, this..."


    Niu Hong scratched his head before answering with a bit of embarrassment.


    "Presently, there are probably nine other expedition groups stronger than ours. As shameful as it is to say it, we are the tenth strongest group. And if we go by individuals, Qiang Rong is stronger than me but all four of us range in the top hundred with a total of ten thousand active Seekers."


    Ming Yue listened carefully before her eyes shed as something came to mind.


    "If it''s this much, reiming the Savage Lands would be more than difficult wouldn''t it?" she muttered.


    The beastman''s face showed surprise but nodded in agreement.


    "You''re right, any effort made in doing so just vanishes the next day. Those things living in the Savage Lands are just what they are, savages. They know nothing but killing and conquering. And for the Seekers, to defeat such beasts requires strength in power and numbers, both of which we have little of."


    "Can you tell me more about the Seekers? I''ve read that there are divisions, each one tasked with a responsibility."


    She then followed with this inquiry.


    "Ah, so you know up to that much, I can exin the rest."


    He answered and began to draw a circle with his finger, dividing it into three unequal pieces.


    "To be a Seeker you must be recognized by the Elders of your tribe and pass a test. This test is usually killing a beast from the Savage Lands. And from there, you could join one of three divisions."


    He pointed at the biggest section.


    "Preservation. Thergest group where most tend to join. Seekers here are tasked with defending the borders and stopping or slowing the expansion of the Savage Lands. Any attacks or raids that happen are what they deal with. The beasts that die are then taken and used, none of it is wasted, not even its core."


    His finger then moved to the middle section which was just a little bit smaller than Preservation.


    "This is Expedition, the division we are a part of. Our responsibility is to explore the ruins and retrieve any treasure or information that could help us. We recover anything from precious documents to weapons and armor."


    And then his finger moved to thest section of the circle, the smallest section.


    "This is Remation, the division tasked to enter the Savage Lands, solely to hunt and kill. Although it is the smallest section, it is generally filled with the strongest Seekers. Only they can match those monsters in savagery but because of that, they often move alone. The reason why it''s so small is because it is the most dangerous division and the requirements to enter are stringent."


    Looking at the dirt drawing, Ming Yue thought about the three divisions before asking something else.


    "Then resources, the beast cores and the treasures, where do they usually go?"


    Niu Hong thought for a moment before answering.


    "The Remation Division gets priority in weapons and equipment. But as for beast cores, they use the ones that they hunt. And the other two divisions split the rest between two", he answered.


    "Then can you not just form teams to hunt in the Remation Division? Find Seekers to help bolter that division?" she suggested.


    However, Niu Hong shook his head at this idea.


    "If only it were that easy. Although all of the Seekers fall under these three divisions, they are not unified, far from it in fact. Perhaps it is easier with humans but for us, beast people have a lot of pride. Because of that, the many tribes are in conflict with one another. And that transfers to the divisions where some refuse to work with others for numerous reasons, feelings of superiority, a dislike for weaker tribes. Squads like my Four ws where we have different tribes are rare."


    Hearing this, Ming Yue understood why the beast people could not contend with the creatures of the Savage Lands.


    "So not every tribe is willing to help others, is that it?" she said.


    Niu Hong sighed and nodded.


    "Unfortunately, that is true. Many tribes either help some or not at all. Some just stay hidden, feeling that the encroachment of the Savage Lands is not their own problem. And those that work or want to work together are often shunned."


    "I see."


    There was a pause in between before Niu Hong stood up and stretched out.


    "Well now, it''s my turn to keep watch. I hope that you are satisfied with what I''ve told you but you don''t seem like it. I know that the situation for us isn''t looking well but we''re all trying our best. It''s a difficult battle, there is no doubt. But this is a battle that must be won."


    After speaking, he went off to take watch, leaving Ming Yue to linger with her own thoughts.


    She sat there quietly before retiring for the night, showing little on her face. It was hard to tell what she was thinking about. But after learning all of that, there was no doubt that Ming Yue was fixated on this problem.


    Night soon passed with no interruptions and everyone went on their way to the ruins. It took a little less than a week for them to reach the ruins to which Ming Yue now saw for the very first time.


    The Ruins of a Broken Banner.

 Chapter 507 - Ruins Of A Broken Banner

    Standing before it, Niu Hong couldn''t help but sigh in relief that they made it.


    "It was a good thing that Ming Yue was here, if not we might''ve had to retreat", he quietly thought.


    The trip itself was shorter than he had thought, just a day or two earlier. And if it wasn''t for their new addition, the trip might''ve taken two weeks or worse, they would''ve had to abandon it.


    "To think, we would encounter a family of Inferno Bears... Just one would be troublesome enough but three of them..."


    Just thinking about it made him shudder.


    "That thing breathes fire, practically takes a dozen seekers to kill and she manages to take one on by herself. At least, the nights weren''t as terrible as She Xing thought they''d be."


    Aside from the dangerous encounter, there was a fear that Ming Yue''s trouble during the night. Among everyone, the snake woman seemed to be the wariest of her. Fortunately, the young woman seemed to anticipate this, sleeping somewhere more isted like the treetops. On top of that, the dreams or visions weren''t getting worse.


    "Ah, but she''ll warm up to Ming Yue soon enough. Getting her to join our team was difficult, she was so suspicious of us."


    Thinking this, the leader of the Four ws felt hopeful as he took a secretive ce at his group before turning back to the ruins.


    "Alright, let''s check and prepare to enter. There will be traps of some sort and possibly a nest of beasts in there. Whatever it is, reports say that after the first level, there''s nothing but when descending, there are creatures of some sort that lurk there. They can only be described as shadows or apparitions."


    He then looked to Ming Yue.


    "I''ve already informed the other Seekers that we are entering and that they are to not provide help. I hope that this is enough to hide your existence."


    She nodded before responding.


    "Yes, that''s enough."


    Even if he hadn''t said anything, she had already sensed their surrounding areas, making sure that it was just them.


    "Alright then, once everyone''s ready, we can begin."


    After speaking, the Four ws went to check their equipment whilst Ming Yue studied these ruins.


    "Ruins of a Broken Banner, it''s a fitting name, isn''t it?" she quietly thought.


    Standing in front of the ruins, she was quite smallpared to it.


    There seemed to be two levels above ground and an unknown number down below. From the outside, it looked exactly like what a fortress abandoned for thousands of years would look like. The walls were crumbling but much of the damage was covered by the snaking vines and thick moss. For the most part, it wasn''t damaged from battle but time. The stone was worn down, the gates had rusted, and there were cobwebs in many of the nooks and crannies.


    Hanging from the top of the walls were banners but all of them had been ripped apart, leaving barely anything recognizable. The air around it all was strange, to say the least. It felt... alive and yet, there was no movement at all.


    "There are definitely formations within it", she thought.


    After a bit of time, Niu Hong and the others were done checking their equipment, tightening any loose parts before joining Ming Yue.


    As they looked at the ruins, the leader of the Four ws nced at Ming Yue before a look of anticipation.


    "So, do you have any thoughts or ideas as to the nature of these ruins?" he asked her.


    She shook her head.


    "Whatever it is, it is beyond my knowledge", the cultivator answered.


    "Oh, I see. In that case, let''s begin."


    He then walked forward with his axe in hand, leading everyone into the ruins. As they entered, they saw a massive hall within, dark and dreary. Everything inside was ancient, weathered, and covered in either vines, cobwebs, or moss.


    "ording to the report, the first two levels have been fully explored except for a few rooms in the second level which seem to be locked. Let''s have a look there first before delving down."


    Everyone nodded, moving forward, and ascended to the second floor.


    The scene was simr as down below, dark and filled with a musty air.


    The Four ws tapped their medallions which hung from their necks. It began to glow and shine, providing light for them all. Ming Yue took out a torch from her spatial ring, lighting it aze with some sparks of lightning.


    They moved together, checking the corridors. Many of the rooms had been opened and searched.


    As Ming Yue looked around, she took note of the rooms, not expecting them to be clean.


    "I thought it would''ve been a mess. It doesn''t even look like they searched it."


    Everything seemed neat and tidy rather than looking as if a great gust of wind blew over them all. But then they got to the rooms that haven''t been open, the ones that previous teams couldn''t open.


    At the first one, Yu Tu walked forward, retrieving a set of lockpicking tools for the door. As she began to fiddle with the lock, trying different things, Niu Hong exined their process


    "Yu Tu specializes with lockpicks and traps so, she''s usually the one to go first and the first one to warn us about any traps. But some doors may be locked differently, usually through smaller formations or magic. Qiang Rong works with those. She Xing and I make our move if the doors are incredibly thick, we usually cut those apart."


    Ming Yue narrowed her eyes at this.


    "Why not just cut them all instead?" she asked.


    "Well, these ruins often have traps and we don''t want to activate them unless we have no choice. Most of the time, we can just disarm them and go in."


    Niu Hong answered her as if to say that this wasmon sense.


    "Oh, I see, I see. I haven''t done many expeditions before so I didn''t know this", she exined.


    Before he could reply, there was a click and the door opened, revealing another room.


    "Alright, let''s see what''s inside."


    They walked in and began searching the room, checking for any documents and treasures. Only Ming Yue stood aside, not really knowing what to do. They were quick and efficient, looking through the desk and drawers. Their fingers were swift, flipping through pages and quickly skimming.


    Among them, Qiang Rong went through what looked like a big book and flipped through it with a strange look.


    "Strange, what kind of book is this? There are only paintings of clouds and lightning on it", he muttered.


    Ming Yue perked up when hearing that and moved towards Qiang Rong. At the time time, she took out another book from her spatial ring.


    "Can I have a look at it?" she asked.


    He turned and nced at her, seeing both a curious and odd look on her face.


    "Here you go."


    He handed the book to her, to which she thenpared the two.


    "To think, I would see this here", she muttered.


    On one hand, was the book of the Huan Shi Ti, the Savant of a Hundred shes. On the other, was another book of his, another collection of his paintings. Shepared them both, checking to see if the styles were simr.


    Meanwhile, the Four ws looked at her, obviously noticing the simrity between both books.


    After a brief moment, she closed the book and looked at Qiang Rong and the other seriously.


    "Can I have this? Just for a few months", she asked them.


    Niu Hong walked forward and looked at her, thinking about what to say. But it only took a few moments to do so as he nodded.


    "If you truly need it, then sure, you can keep it. It''s better this way as it would be useless in our hands."


    Ming Yue looked at him gratefully.


    "Thank you."


    After the exchange, Ming Yue joined in the search, checking the room.


    "What else could there be?"

 Chapter 508 - Strange Little Cannon

    With Ming Yue joining the search, the process was much quicker but the result was not great.


    "Apart from that book, there isn''t much else. Let''s move to the next room then!"


    Niu Hong gestured for everyone to go before leading them to the next closed room. It was another few minutes before Yu Tu cracked it open and they all entered. The search was just as quick ending with documents that the Four ws took and a few trinkets. And then they reached the third room which was a thick door different from the others.


    "This is the room that the other groups noted, there might be something interesting here. It''s much too thick for Yu Tu to crack so She Xing..."


    After speaking, he gestured for the snake woman to join her.As She Xing walked forward to Niu Hong, everyone else moved back.


    The pair raised their weapons before chopping down, crossing des, and cutting through the door. It was a very clean attack as the des seemed to cut through the door like nothing. But the pair revealed surprised expressions as they looked at their weap9ns and then back at the door.


    "This door... we can''t cut through it!"


    Both of them eximed out loud and walked up to touch it, finding that it was indeed a solid door but there wasn''t even a mark.


    And then, Qiang Rong clicked his tongue and walked forward with a grin. Scratching the back of his ear before staring at the door, his eyes glowed with a golden fire as he touched the door with his hand, moving it around.


    He then stopped randomly at a point near the bottom of the door.


    "There we are!"


    He hooted out, gathering his power and moving it into his palm. What came was a melodious hum as a golden circle pulsed out, causing the door to strangely melt away and reveal the contents it protected.


    As all of them peered into this room, their eyes widened at the sight of it all.


    "What is all of this?"


    She Xing couldn''t help but ask out loud and Ming Yue was surprised as well.


    Within this room were weapons, not just any normal weapons but ones used by an army. Crossbows, swords, shields, and armor, a fully stocked room of equipment, it was practically untouched, not even a speck of dust on them. The Four ws then moved, cing all of it into their spatial rings.


    "To think they would abandon all of this, how strange."


    Holding up a sword, Niu Hong inspected ut whilst pondering his question.


    "Whatever the reason, this would do well for us! I''m sure the cksmiths will be happy to see this!"


    Qiang Rong chuckled while putting away the room''s inventory.


    Giving a quick look at everything, Ming Yue noticed a chest in the corner of the room, approaching it cautiously. Hei Yue cme to it first, sniffing it before taking a step back as if the fox was wary of the chest''s contents. There was no lock on it or anything truly unique about it but she felt a strange auraing from the chest


    "What could be inside?"


    She knelt down and studied it before moving to open the chest.


    cing her hand on top of it, Ming Yue pushed it open to find a pile of elemental cores with what seemed like a small cannon,rge enough that it had to be held with two arms. She reached for it, trying to lift it up.


    "This is heavy!"


    She had to use both arms, grasping it tightly and as she stood up. Although she was not a body cultivator or someone that focused on strength, Ming Yue was still a step away from the Sky Realm.


    "How much does this weigh? Is it a small boulder?" she muttered to herself.


    "What''s that?"


    Yu Tu saw her carrying the rifle and moved up to study the little cannon. Having spoken out loud, she caught the attention of others. When they saw it, there was a strange look on their faces, they had the same question as her.


    "What is that?" they asked.


    Ming Yue looked at them all before ncing at the little cannon.


    "I''m... not too sure what you call this but I have seen other people use it. It''s pretty much a small cannon."


    She then turned to the chest and pointed at the cores, each of which was dormant and untouched.


    "You grab one of those and put it into this."


    Gesturing at the empty slot in the cannon, Ming Yue exined it although she wasn''t too sure as to whether this was right. With a curious look, Qiang Rong walked forward with his arms out.


    "Could I try?" he asked.


    She looked at him and moved to hand it over, warning him as the exchange was made.


    "It is very heavy, so be careful."


    "Alright, alri- urgh."


    As Ming Yue left it in his arms, his body seemed to bend as he wrapped his arms around the little cannon.


    His breathing turned heavy as he held it up, steadying himself. The other three looked at him with a shocked look.


    "Is it really that heavy?"


    He couldn''t even utter the words to answer, just nodding before dropping it onto the chest of cores.


    "That is just insane how heavy it is!" he eximed.


    "It must be a very powerful weapon then! I''m sure the Remation Division will take it."


    She Xing looked at the chest before moving it into her spatial ring.


    The snake woman then looked at the ring.


    "I''m nearly full, I don''t think I can carry anymore", she told the others.


    "Alright."


    Niu Hong nodded, taking note before talking.


    "This was thest room, we head underground now."


    Following his lead, they descended after cleaning out the two floors, approaching the stairs that led down to the lower levels.


    Standing before it, the Four ws couldn''t help shiver down to their spine.


    "The reports said they couldn''t descend the stairs, stopped by strange, shadowy figures."


    Hearing those words, Qiang Rong walked forward staring with his glowing eyes but revealed a strange look.


    "Although, there''s some strange aura, that''s it. There doesn''t seem to be anything else."


    As these four individuals looked strangely at it. Ming Yue showed a confused look as she studied the stairs.


    "There''s... nothing!" she thought to herself.


    After thinking about it, the cultivator moved forward and took a single step down the stairs. Xiao Yin and Hei Yue followed closely, sticking to her and the trio began their descent. In an instant, the Four ws reached for their weapons, ready to fight!


    But to their surprise, nothing happened.


    No shadowy figures came out or deadly traps of any sort.


    The Four ws looked at her, stunned by what had just or had just not happened.


    "Was the report wrong? Or is it because she''s a human?" Niu Hong muttered.


    "Oh look, that strange feeling is gone and the stairs seempletely ordinary!"


    Qiang Rong pointed it out as he checked the stairs once more.


    "You''re right..."


    The others found it to be true, the strange feeling was gone.


    Staring at the steps, the leader of the Four ws took a breath and rested a hand on his axe before taking that first step. And when he did, nothing happened.


    Then Qiang Rong walked down, followed by She Xing and finally Yu Tu. With all of them on these stairs, there wasn''t a whisper or even a trembling in the air. Absolutely nothing happened.


    Sharing a look between one another, the group began to descend to the lower levels. Both Hei Yue and Xiao Yin were on high alert, scouting ahead whilst everyone else followed.. It was quite a descent as they climbed down over a hundred steps before reaching the underground floor.

 Chapter 509 - Depths Of The Ruins

    As they walked into this floor, it began to illuminate itself, revealing a gentle glow. With this light, everyone took note of their surroundings, finding themselves standing within an enormous room.


    "This floor... what was the purpose of this ce?" Ming Yue wondered.


    There were giant boxes stacked upon one another and there were piles of them everywhere. At least over a hundred of them within this floor, each onerge enough to hold a house.


    The group spread out to look around.


    "The other squads say that these ruins were originally a fortress with the sole purpose of survival", said Niu Hong.


    "That sounds about right. Some of the papers I skimmed through were about preparing for the cmity."


    Yu Tu confirmed it to which Niu Hong continued on.


    "We should check these boxes and see what''s inside. More than likely, these might be supplies like food and other resources", he said.


    Everyone nodded and split apart, hopping onto the top-most boxes. Taking her sword out, Ming Yue sliced through the top of the wooden box and peered into its contents.


    "These are... stones?"


    She looked in surprise as she saw dozens of differently sized and shaped boulders. Each one had strange engravings on the surface of the stone, like a formation of some sort. Moving on to another box, she cut it open only to find the same thing, strange boulders with engravings on them.


    Ming Yue looked at the Four ws who showed confused looks on their faces.


    "These are just stones but they can''t be any ordinary stones, can they?"


    She Xing muttered as she stared at the contents of her box. Although she wanted to investigate, she restrained herself, knowing that it could fully activate whatever these stones were.


    "Huh, how strange!


    Qiang Rong eximed as he studied the stones with his glowing eyes. He then hopped down and grabbed one of the smaller boulders, looking at it even more closely.


    "You! What are you doing? Are you trying to get us killed?"


    The snake woman red at him as her wordsshed out but he smirked at her while holding the stone up high for her to see.


    "Do you see it glowing? No. Because these are just pieces, broken pieces of a single formation. In fact, even if we were to put this all back together, it wouldn''t activate because of how much power it would need to do so, and whatever this is... it needs a lot."


    He told her before letting the piece drop back into the box, splitting it into a few more pieces.


    Qiang Rong then hopped down, surveying the entire floor with his glowing eyes.


    "It''s all the same, broken pieces of stone that are all part of one thing. Although I don''t even know what it could be. A statue perhaps? Who knows?"


    Landing back on the floor, everyone gathered together to discuss this new development.


    "Whatever these stones could be, we cannot bring all of it out, even with all of our spatial rings. What do you all think we should do?" asked Niu Hong, looking to them for ideas.


    "We could bring some of it back for the schrs to study. Maybe there''s something in the archives?"


    "That would be good, I''d love to get a closer look at some of these stones."


    "Just grab as much as we can and leave the rest here! Or make multiple round trips!"


    "You do know there is a reason why those stairs didn''t react to us right?"


    "We could just abandon it and write up a report. After all, what happens if we waste our resources on this only for it to not work. Or worse, it activates and summons something that kills us instead."


    One by one the rest of the Four ws began voicing their opinions, talking and discussing.


    Ming Yue quietly thought by the sidelines, ncing at the massive boxes every now and then. Not long after, Xiao Yin came back, chirping at the young woman.


    "Hm? what is it? Was there something else?" she asked.


    The owl continued to chirp out and Hei Yue showed a confused look.


    Xiao Yin then flew up, chirping loudly, loud enough for the others to hear as well. They all looked up to see the Snow Owl trying to tell Ming Yue something. Unfortunately, none of the Four ws were even rted to birds, not know what she was saying at all.


    Ming Yue furrowed her brows before looking down at the ground and noticing grooves on the stone floor.


    "I see!"


    Finally understanding, she flew up, reaching the same height as Xiao Yin, looking at the ground in its entirety. It was then that she saw and understood.


    "This... this is one of the teleportation formations, isn''t it?" she thought to herself.


    Despite the piles of boxes covering up parts of it, she saw arge formation carved into the ground that resembled the one used to send her to the Demon Continent.


    As she floated down,nding gently on the others, looked at her curiously.


    "What is it? What did you find?" Niu Hong asked.


    Ming Yue pointed at the ground, revealing the grooves on the floor.


    "It seems like this entire floor was carved with the formation as those stones. But I don''t know why or for what this is for:", she told them.


    Rather than tell them straight away, she withheld the fact that she knew what it was. Although they were working together, she didn''t fully trust them yet. Not to mention, there was still much to know about the Beast Continent.


    What would happen if someone knew? What if the wrong people knew? What then?


    The scenarios that could happen ranged from minor to catastrophic. After all, if the connection between the Human and Beast Continent was rebuilt, could there be another war? Would it be the same as the Demon Continent?


    Maybe it wouldn''t end up like that but she didn''t know for sure. And what about the Savage Lands? Would that extend into her home as well?


    With those thoughts, she sought to keep this information hidden for as long as possible. At least not until she had better knowledge of the denizens of thisnd.


    The Four ws looked down, looking closely at the ground before seeing the same grooves that she pointed out.


    Qiang Rong immediately knelt down, running his finger through it before looking at it.


    "To think none of us noticed it earlier, with the poor lighting, we were all too focused on the boxes to look at the ground. But still, for them to carve this in..."


    Standing up, he looked around before turning towards everyone with a smile on his face.


    "Since it''se to this, I think that we should all get to work! Me and Niu Hong will get started on one side and the rest of you guys can do the other side", he spoke very bluntly and clearly for them to hear.


    And in response, She Xing looked at him in disbelief and annoyance.


    "What? Why?" she asked.


    Unlike her, Yu Tu sighed and walked off to move the massive boxes. And Qiang Rong just looked at her.


    "We all know how this is going to go. You mightin but you''re still going to do it. I mean, rather than take the stones we can just move everything to the sides and just draw the formation on the ground for the schrs to see. It''s certainly better than giving them broken stones, isn''t it?" he exined.


    "Wel- I mean.... agh, fine, I''ll do it."


    Begrudgingly, she rolled up her sleeves to push the boxes away. Joining Yu Tu who struggled to move one of the boxes, both of them mustered their strength, moving it bit by bit.


    However, Ming Yue put a hand on both of their shoulders, pulling them back.


    They looked at her strangely before taking a few steps back.

 Chapter 510 - Strange Formation

    As they walked back, Ming Yue looked at the boxes before her. Her eyes went from one side of the floor to the other, making note of all of the boxes. Taking a few steps back, she checked the positions of the boxes before finally finding her spot.


    The other two just watched her while Niu Hong and Qiang Rong were busy pushing the boxes away.


    "What is she doing?" She Xing muttered.


    Yu Tu just shook her head.


    "I don''t know", she replied.


    After a moment, their eyes suddenly glued to Ming Yue''s body as the cultivator gathered her energy. A powerful aura rose out from her as wind began to pick up in this room.


    Themotion was enough for the other two beast people to stop and look.


    After several moments, she raised her hands up, creating a massive wall of wind between her and boxes. After doing so, she moved them down and pushed forward. The wall of wind began to move to touch the first boxes and force them to move.


    The sound of wood grinding on the stone ground grew louder and louder as the wall pushed all of the boxes to the side, not even letting one pass through it.


    The process only took a few moments as all of therge boxes of stone were shoved to one side. A process that would''ve taken the Four ws days was done just like that. And when she was finished, Ming Yue looked at the other side where Niu Hong and Qiang Rong stood by.


    She Xing looked at them, Qiang Rong especially.


    "Well, we''re done, just waiting on you two", she teased him before walking off.


    He just looked at her before turning to Ming Yue.


    "Would you like to help us as well?"


    He asked her with a slightly embarrassed smile to which she nodded, repeating what she had done on one side to the other side, clearing the boxes there as well. With it all out of the way, they saw the carved formation in its entirety.


    "Alright then, time to draw this out."


    Qiang Rong took out his staff and nted it on one side of the floor. Jumping on top of it, his tail came out, wrapping around the top end of the staff.


    "Extend!"


    As his voice echoed out, the staff did as told, elongating and bringing him higher and higher until he was near the ceiling. Just like that, he whipped out a brush and paper from out of nowhere and began to draw the formation.


    Ming Yue just looked at him, finding the staff quite interesting while the others waited for him to finish.


    The process didn''t take long as when finished, Qiang Rong descended down as his staff returned to its original size.


    He looked at his work, walking to the others with thepleted drawing.


    "Finished, we can move on now. This will certainly give the schrs an easier time."


    Now that he was finished, the other moved onwards, checking the rest of the level to see if there was anything else they missed. Going from one side to the other and back, the scenery was the same. A dimly lit floor with nothing but boxes of broken stones and a carving of a formation on the floor.


    "Since there''s nothing else here, why don''t we head down?" said Niu Hong.


    Making their way back to the stairs, Ming Yue looked down, extending her senses to the steps below. However, there was no strange sensation like the stairs leading up to the first floor. Perhaps that was the only obstacle but she felt that if there was more to it than that.


    Taking her first few steps, nothing happened again and everyone began to descend the stairs. Just like before, it began to illuminate as they walked further and further down.


    It seemed as if there was an endless number of steps but they reached the end soon enough. However, what they saw was theplete opposite of the previous level. Even Ming Yue revealed some surprise from this.


    Unlike the open and spacious floor earlier, they were met with a small locked door.


    Yu Tu walked forward, taking out her tools and trying her best to open unlock it. But it didn''t look like it would give. She tried numerous tools and methods but nothing worked. And her expression was one of a very rare frustration.


    After a dozen attempts, she stopped and back away, looking at the others.


    "I can''t break this lock, either it''s too rusted to work or the mechanism is too ancient for any of my tools to work", she said.


    "Let me try then."


    Qiang Rong then made his attempt at the door. With his glowing eyes, he studied it, looking for any weaknesses or any magical properties that it may have. But after twenty minutes, he closed his eyes and turned away.


    "What a very strange door! There doesn''t seem to be a formation or anything of that sort. Not even a strange aura! It''s certainly not an illusion either!" he said.


    There was a tone of bewilderment in his voice as he nced at the door, trying to figure it out.


    Niu Hong and She Xing looked at each other before facing the other two.


    "Then, are there any traps connected to this door?" they asked.


    And in response, Yu Tu and Qiang Rong shook their heads.


    "There''s nothing connected to the door, not even a strand of energy."


    "The only mechanism is the lock, if there were other traps I would''ve noticed it beforehand."


    With the confidence in their tones, Niu Hong and She Xing felt more confident. Giving each other a look, they moved forward to cut the door but then Ming Yue suddenly stopped them, holding her hand out.


    Her other hand rested on her sword, which hummed within its scabbard.


    "There''s something behind that door. Something that''s alive", she said.


    "What?! How do you know?!"


    They were all surprised by this, not expecting her to make a move.


    Inwardly, Ming Yue spoke with her counterpart.


    "Are you sure?" she asked.


    Xue Yue responded will full confidence.


    "Yes, something is behind that door, something that is alive. I don''t know what but it could be dangerous, very dangerous."


    "Is it something we can handle?"


    "Yes."


    With this little exchange, Ming Yue walked in front of the locked door and unsheathed Blood Moon. She quickly attacked, slicing the door down as if it was just air. In fact, after cutting it, the door still seemed to be intact.


    It was only after she pushed it that it fell, cut cleanly in half. Behind that door was a single room shrouded in darkness. With the torch in her hand, she entered, followed by the others who walked in and examined this room.


    But as they waved their light around, Ming Yue saw something glint, catching hers. Narrowing them, she walked closer but still had Blood Moon out, ready to attack when need be. Hei Yue and Xioa Yin were the same, eyeing that direction and preparing for any attack.


    As she walked closer and closer, the torch revealed the only thing in this room. It was a stone bed with a bodyying upon it, a perfectly preserved one.


    A body of a young girl, who couldn''t be older than five or six years old, a human girl at that.


    Looking at her, it reminded Ming Yue of Shen Varuna, the little demon girl she had taken care of for a bit.


    But as she looked closer, the young cultivator noticed something that shocked her. Staring at this little girl, Ming Yue found that her chest moved up and down just a tad, but enough for her to see.


    "She''s- she''s still alive?!"

 Chapter 511 - Mysterious Girl

    "What did you fi-"


    As the Four ws joined her, they too saw the little girl on the stone bed and were stopped in their tracks. She Xing suddenly pointed her finger at the girl.


    "That''s... that''s a human girl..."


    Her voice faltered at this sight while the others were just stunned.


    It''s been one surprise after another for them and this was quite possibly the biggest surprise. It was enough to have chanced upon Ming Yue, but for them to happen upon this?


    It was shocking on a different level.


    "Yes, it''s a... human but how? How did is this possible? Did someone put her here? Locked underneath it all?"


    Qiang Rong stepped forward and moved to touch the stone bed but he restrained himself.


    "Perhaps, they were put here long ago, before the cmity even", he said.


    The Four ws shared a look with one another before taking a step back.


    "Should we awaken her?" they silently thought.


    It was a tough decision. This girl could hold knowledge or secrets that would help them immensely. Or, she could end up being a danger to everyone. There was a reason she was locked down here and up asleep.


    Determining whether it was good or bad was another ordeal.


    Ming Yue studied the little girl.


    No older than five or six, she was dressed in a set of elegant robes but wore no shoes. They were pure white with golden embroidery that created images of little sparrows flying across her skirt. Her skin was clear and without blemishes, soft and smooth. Her childish face wasposed ofrge eyes and a button nose.


    But most peculiar was her hair.


    It was long, reaching down to her ankles and they were of a shade of ck. Unlike ordinary ck hair, the girl''s hair was darker than the night and even sparkled as if there were stars in her hair.


    Sheid on the bed, peacefully asleep, untouched, and unbothered.


    Ming Yue walked closer, standing right before the stone bed. Her hand raised up, moving closer towards the little girl.


    And without warning, the girl''s eyes suddenly opened, flicking towards Ming Yue.


    She sat up with a fearful look, backing into the wall as her eyes trembled at the cultivator. Strangely enough, no voice came out of her mouth but it was all too apparent as to how scared she was.


    Ming Yue backed off, not wanting to scare her, and revealed a gentle face.


    "It''s okay, I''m not here to hurt you", she said, trying her best to calm the little girl.


    Despite her attempts, the little girl did not seem to budge. warily looking at the cultivator.


    "Hah, this isn''t going to work", she muttered.


    Looking down at the ground, Ming Yue saw the Mistral Fox curling up around her leg and an idea popped into her head. She bent down and grabbed Hei Yue, lifting him up and cing him onto the stone bed, right in front of the little girl.


    Now knowing what was going on, Hei Yue looked around before spotting the girl. The fox then nced at Ming Yue and then slowly approached the girl.


    Giving a quick sniff, he moved very close before nuzzling against her shoulder.


    The girl''s eyes widened as she looked at the fox and back at Ming Yue who showed a gentle smile.


    "I''m not here to hurt you, okay?" she said.


    Seemingly understanding her words, the young girl ced a hand on Hei Yue''s soft fur before crawling forward and getting off of the stone bed. She looked at Ming Yue, feeling more secure.But that was before she saw the Four ws, all of whom had their eyes glued onto her.


    The next moment, she immediately hid behind the young cultivator, clutching the hem of her robes. However, the girl peeked out just a bit, looking at them both fearfully but curiously as well.


    "Do you... know who this girl is?" Niu Hong asked.


    "I don''t know who this girl is but I''m not going to just ignore her and abandon her", she replied to him.


    Qiang Rong pointed at the girl with his eyes glowing at their brightest. So much so that one could see golden mes within them.


    "She''s a strange one. I can see something within her but... it''s strange. I''m not sure what it is.", he muttered.


    Ming Yue looked down at the girl, trying to peer into her body. However, she saw nothing, rather she couldn''t see a thing. It was as of something was blocking her senses and so she stopped trying.


    "In any case, there doesn''t seem to be anything else here", Qiang Rong said.


    He stretched out before looking at the broken door, already moving back to the stairs.


    "You''re right, we should be finished here. Let''s get out and return."


    As Niu Hong spoke, they turned to join theirrade, walking over what remained of the door. It was only Ming Yue, her pets, and the little girl that was left in the small dark room.


    She looked down at the girl, who eyed the door with a bit of fear. Her little hands clung tighter to Ming Yue''s dress but the cultivator held her hand out for the girl to hold.


    She kept her eyes on the small child, gesturing her to hold hands.


    The girl looked at the hand before looking up at Ming Yue.


    She hesitated but grasped the hand, holding it tightly. Hei Yue and Xiao Yin looked at the girl curiously before moving forward, leaving the small room.


    Ming Yue then followed, matching her pace with the little girl so as to not pull her along. As they walked forward, the pair left the room which began to tremble and crack. Suddenly the dim light turned bright as the walls began to shudder and separate.


    "What? What is this?"


    The Four ws took out their weapons but quickly upped their speed, sprinting up the stairs. Ming Yue noticed as well and quickly grabbed the girl, carrying her in both arms as she ran up.


    "Is this ce crumbling?" she thought to herself.


    It certainly seemed that way but what happened was far more rming.


    "Something''sing out!"


    Xue Yue''s voice shouted as Blood Moon howled in the air.


    Indeed as the sword spirit warned, the trembling walls cracked open, revealing hundreds of glowing green eyes before stone hands emerged from the cracks.


    As Ming Yue ran up, she noticed their eyes all focused on the little girl and she held tightly to her.


    "Puppets? Golems?!" she thought.


    As she practically flew up the stairs, the cracks grew bigger and bigger as the hands reached out to grab Ming Yue in any way possible. There were dozens, hundreds even and she took out swung her sword out, cutting through them like nothing. While doing so, she nced at the interior of the arm finding strange carvings within them.


    Running up, they reached the next floor which also trembled and cracked, showing evenrger golems, ones that towered over this fleeing group.


    "Go, go, go!"


    Niu Hong roared out as he charged up, grabbing She Xing and Qiang Rong, moving even quicker. Yu Tu was the most agile and ahead of them all whilst Ming Yue trailed behind. However, her armor quickly shifted to its second form. She looked at the little girl,forting her.


    "Hold on tight!"


    The girl looked at her before securing her grip.


    The next moment, Ming Yue shot through the stairs, speeding past everyone else and reaching the outside in a matter of seconds. Secondster, everyone else came out and spun to look at the ruins.


    It cracked and crumbled before suddenly shifting and moving. There were loud cranks as gears turned and the stone moved.


    But there was no doubt, this long-abandoned fortress was transforming!

 Chapter 512 - Battle Of The Giants

    The towers and walls all moved in unison, ripping themselves out of the ground. Stone ground against each other as everyone backed away quickly, watching from afar. In seconds, the fortress turned into its second form as giant arms and hands took shape, bing a giant golem. The smaller ones followed suit, morphing and joining the main body.


    As it stood up, this hulking stone titan stared out into the distance with its glowing emerald eyes. Without warning, it released an ear-shattering roar, a dissonant voice simr to the grinding of gears.


    Ming Yue looked at it towering above them all.


    "The teleportation circle!"


    Her eyes immediately went down and felt relief as she saw that the level containing the teleportation circle wasrgely left alone.


    Although the floors and walls were cracked, and the ceiling was gone, the boxes were mostly untouched.


    "What should we do now?"


    She Xing asked aloud as she looked to the others. Niu Hong looked at the snake-kin seriously.


    "Run!"


    Without warning, everyone turned tail and sprinted off into the depths of the Savage Lands. None of them dared to turn around to look but they could hear the booming steps behind them.


    The ruckus was beyond loud, it was impossible for this giant being to move unnoticed. Soon enough, something came.


    Yu Tu''s ears perked up as she looked forward and immediately shouted to the others.


    "Hide within the trees!"


    Everyone did as she said, splitting up and taking cover within the shadows whilst something ran past them. It charged towards the stone golem, roaring out loud. While it was swift, Ming Yue caught a nce of it.


    "A purple lion with wings?" she thought.


    It was a massive lion that was almost as tall as the trees and a third the height of the giant stone golem.


    Just as she described, it had four wings befitting of its size, and its entire body was of a vibrant purple hue. But its ws and teeth were pure white and its sharp eyes had an orange glow to them. Apart from that was its majestic mane which wasrge but rough.


    As it roared out, a forked tongue revealed itself from the lion''s maws.


    The Four ws that saw this muttered the same name.


    "Amaranthine Lion!"


    Everyone watched as the beast face off against the stone titan. It snarled and roared out at the mindless being as if warning it to leave its territory. But this golem paid no attention to it. Rather, it scanned the ground, searching for the ones that escaped its grasp.


    The Amaranthine Lion looked at it in surprise.


    To think, it would be ignored like this?! Disrespected in such a way?! Did the golem see the lion as weak?


    It felt stifled, angered for this golem dared to intrude on its territory and give it no respect, not even a nce. Enraged by this, its body began to contort and the sound of bones cracking echoed out. Suddenly, its fur slowly changed as scales reced them. A third eye formed as well as a third pair of legs.


    Ming Yue''s eyes widened a bit.


    "That''s just a beast?! Not even a Savage one? That can''t be on the same level as those wolves. " she thought.


    In the moments the Amaranthine Lion transformed, the golem trend to look at the beast, finally taking notice of its changes. It raised an arm and swung out, striking while it couldn''t move. But it was just a tad too slow for the arm smashed into the beast''s body and the lion didn''t budge from its ce.


    Rather the arm crumbled from the attack, breaking apart after hitting the lion''s scales.


    The golem looked at its golem arm, not expecting such a thing to happen while the lion looked up and snarled at its enemy. It lunged forward with its ws outstretched, scratching the golem and pushing it back.


    But the attacks didn''t stop there.


    Pushing its weight onto the golem, the Amaranthine Lion pushed it down, digging into the golem''s chest. With each w, it carved out bits of stone, going further and further in while the golem struggled to get the lion off.


    Its arms yed about, trying to take the lion off but it couldn''t. The beast was too heavy but the golem wasn''t going to let it do as it pleased. With its broken fist, the golem kept punching into its side incessantly. Stone kept falling away but the Golem didn''t stop, it just kept smashing away into the scaled skin of the Amaranthine Lion.


    The lion braced for each strike, trying its best to continue its assault as it dug out more of the golem''s chest until it dug its core open. A verdant glow shined brightly, blinding the Amaranthine Lion!


    It jumped back, shaking its head and covering its eyes from the shock.


    In that crucial moment, the golem''s fist same hard and fast, smashing into the same spot one more time. There was a loud crack as the lion''s ribs were broken and the beast cried out in pain. It flew back,nding on its back and whimpering.


    The gears cranked as the golem sat up and it stared at the lion. Its core was fully exposed with turning cogs and wheels. Mixed in was a glowing green gem along with a massive formation carved within, and dozens of smaller ones.


    At this moment, Ming Yue and the Four ws still watched from afar.


    "We should go!"


    She Xing shouted out, looking at the others but Niu Hong didn''t move from his position. He raised a hand up, signaling them to stay in ce.


    Ming Yue was the same as him. She put the little girl down, setting her down beside Hei Yue and Xiao Yin.


    But her eyes stayed on the battle between the two giants before her.


    They both had the same idea. Niu Hong looked to the others.


    "By the time the golem and the lion were finished, it didn''t matter who won or lost, either of them would be too weakened to fight us or weakened enough for us to finish it off. And then, we can harvest the spoils. Imagine, the core of an Amaranthine Lion!" he said.


    Hearing those words, the Four ws reconsidered. It was dangerous but the reward was equally if not worth more.


    They watched and waited, seeing the battle unfold as the two sides battled it out but soon enough one of them had to fall. And in the end, it was the stone golem that fell. Despite cracking the ribs of the Amaranthine Lion, the beast''s scales were too strong. Some had fallen and some had cracked but the golem was in worse shape. Each punch it made caused more and more of its arms to break and the golem didn''t stop until its arms were no more.


    And without its arms, there was little it could do to stop the lion from charging forward,shing out with its ws.


    With that attack, the lion broke through the core, cutting through the gears and wheels. And the golem twitched and trembled, the glow in its eyes flickered before dying out. It fell to its knees before falling t on the ground, dead.


    As for the victor of the fight, the Amaranthine Lion stared at the golem, breathing heavily before roaring out loud as if to announce its power to the world. But it was tired and injured, another fight with it would not end in its victory.


    "Let''s go now! While it''s still weak!"


    Everyone moved forward quickly, taking advantage of the situation. The lIttle girl stayed behind with Ming Yue''s two beasts.


    As they ran forward, a screech echoed out into the air as something came for the lion, attracted by its triumphant roar.

 Chapter 513 - Easy Prey

    As soon as they heard that screech, everyone stopped and looked in the direction of that noise. The Amaranthine Lion stared off into the distance, breathing heavily as it thought about how to best deal with this new threat.


    A small shadow slowly grew as something came quickly.


    But that wasn''t enough, there were over a dozen other roars and cries as other beasts made themselves known.


    "No, this is too dangerous now, retreat!"


    Niu Hong quickly shouted to the others as the situation changed drastically. Everyone turned and ran, not sparing even a nce at the beast.


    The lion looked around, taking a step back as it roared at its surroundings.


    Shadows emerged from every direction, looking at the Amaranthine Lion and the golem. There was no doubt that they had been watching from the very beginning. The moment the golem made its entrance their attention was already on it. Now it had been a matter of who dared to openly challenge the thing.


    Who would be the fool to do so?


    And unfortunately, it was the Amaranthine Lion and now it was going to end up as another beast''s pray.


    As they gathered and surrounded the lion, these beasts eyed each other, snarling at one another. In this situation, it had be a battle of survival but whoever moved first was sure to be everyone else''s target.


    However, Ming Yue and the others weren''t going to stick around to find out how this ended.


    "Run! Now! Before any of them catches sight of us!" Niu Hong shouted out.


    Everyone sprinted away as they heard a battle begin behind them. Countless booms and cracks echoed out as the trees were broken and the surrounding area was destroyed as the beasts fought amongst themselves.


    At this point, nothing dared toe close to this, not even those strong enough to contend would join. They just watched from thefort of their own territory. To them, it was just a show, a show that happened every day at every hour.


    However, one of them did catch a glimpse of several fleeing individuals, easy prey no doubt.


    As this beast watched them, it slinked forward, ncing at the massive battle before quietly leaving its home to go after Ming Yue''s group. Running through the trees, it quickly gained on them, closing the distance with ease.


    Yu Tu''s ears perked up at the sound of its arrival as she quickly looked back, seeing what wasing after them.


    Her eyes widened, she quickly looked forward and sprinted even faster.


    "We have to find somewhere open! It''s a Cloud Leopard!" she eximed.


    "What?! Damn it, how unlucky! To think those ruins would bring such attention and trouble!"


    Qiang Rong howled out loud as he whipped out his staff, pointing it forward.


    "Extend!"


    With a singlemand, it grew several meters longer into a pole. He stuck it into the ground, pulling it down before vaulting up,unching himself into the skies. With his golden eyes, he scanned the area before them and quickly spotted a clearing.


    "Over there!"


    Hended down, noting the direction, and ran in front of the group, leading them all to the clearing.


    But the Cloud Leopard gained on them quickly. It was nimble, not barreling through the trees but running around them, snaking through without even leaving a tuft of fur on the bark. Ming Yue looked behind her and saw the shadow of the beast, its two silvery eyes left a trail as it followed their bodies.


    "It''ll catch up to us before we even make it, we have to slow it down somehow", she thought to herself.


    After a moment, she looked to Hei Yue and called out to the fox, whistling loudly.


    He looked at her as if understanding what she wanted him to do. The Mistral Fox then moved behind Ming Yue, positioning at the back of the group. Bits of ck fog emerged from his body before he left behind a trail of it, obscuring the Cloud Leopard''s sight. It expanded, growingrger and thicker but it barely slowed the leopard down.


    Even if its sight was covered, it still had its sense of smell.


    Although the fog confused it for a moment, the Cloud Leopard pressed on, relying on only its nose to lead the way. But in that span of time, Ming Yue jumped forward to the front and handed off the little girl to Qiang Rong.


    The little girl looked at Ming Yue fearfully, afraid of being abandoned by her.


    "Don''t worry, they''re good people and I won''t be gone for long."


    She spoke as calmly as possible before drifting back, running by Hei Yue.


    "Xiao Yin, stay with the rest of them and keep watch of the girl."


    The owl chirped before flying forward, staying close to the Four ws.


    Ming Yue then looked back at the fog, knowing full well that killing it would be difficult but slowing it down wasn''t an impossible task.


    "I just have to draw its attention to me, Xue Yue", she said.


    "Let''s just kill this thing instead, it''s easier this way."


    Xue Yue answered confidently.


    "Do you think we can?" Ming Yue asked.


    "We''ve dealt with worse."


    Hearing this, she felt more inclined to do so. It would be easier to kill it now thanter. If she were to fight it with the Four ws, they''d have to fight while protecting the girl. Not to mention, the four ws were not as strong as her. They may even bring her down.


    This way, she could fight without worrying, and that she did.


    Taking a breath and sharpening herself, Ming Yue jumped back into the fog, vanishing without notice.


    Within there was nothing but utter darkness and Ming Yue moved through it, looking for the Cloud Leopard. Her eyes scanned through the ck fog before seeing movement and immediately moved towards it.


    As quick as the leopard was, Ming Yue had more than enough speed to match it, especially with the help of her armor. With the Zephyr ws in one hand, she blew through the fog and swung out, cutting through the leopard''s skin and stabbing Blood Moon into its side.


    The beast stopped in its tracks and howled in pain. Before it could even react, Ming Yue pulled the de out and vanished into the fog, following the leopard closely. It was so quick that she didn''t even have time to see what the leopard looked like.


    Who would''ve thought that it would be attacked so brazenly like this?


    The Cloud Leopard wasn''t expecting it at all but now it knew. It wasn''t going to run around and just take the pain. It sniffed the air and found one scent stronger than the others, closer to it than the others, much closer.


    It then turned to look at Ming Yue''s location directly. Lashing out with its paw, it struck where she stood but missed as the cultivator jumped back. She struck back, swinging her sword out and releasing a de of wind which also missed.


    They were both the same, high speed, high attack, but barely any defense. It became a game of cat and mouse with the both of them.


    They exchanged attacks and avoided each other, trying to find an opportunity.


    But the leopard was getting impatient. The fog covered its sight and as good as its nose was, it wasn''t enough.


    Noticing this change, Ming Yue left the fog.


    It then leaped up and through the fog, rising into the skies before facing down and kicking the air with its back legs. The kick resulted in a small boom as the leopard shot down,nding the ground with enough power to break the fog apart.


    At the same time, the leopard took this window of time to transform.


    When the fog dissipated, Ming Yue was face to face with the leopard.

 Chapter 514 - The Cloud Leopard

    Staring at it, she saw the leopard in its entirety. It did resemble that of a leopard but it wasrger than a normal one. Certainly not the size of the Amaranthine Lion but it did not lose in power, especially in its second form.


    But Ming Yue heard the cracks of bones, preparing herself for this sh.


    The Cloud Leopard had ck and gold fur with small tufts of white around its ankles which had turned grayish. It was as if it ran on clouds. Its silvery eyes turned to a darker hue as it red at the cultivator. Apart from that were its three tails, moving around in different directions as if they all had a mind of their own.


    The leopard sharpened its gaze at her before moving. Launching itself forward, it produced a small bang as it kicked off, raising its paw to striker her down. With its explosive speed, it nearly caught Ming Yue by surprise.


    She raised her sword up and blocked the strike.


    "Agh."


    As the strike came down and met Blood Moon, Ming Yue was blown back by the power. flying several meters beforending on her feet.


    She checked her sword for cracks and found nothing but her arms trembled quite a bit.


    "Do you still think that we can kill this thing?" she asked Xue Yue.


    It wasn''t just the force of the leopard''s arm but its whole body propelling forward, any other person could have been blown to bits.


    Despite that, Xue Yue was firm on her answer.


    "It is better to kill it now thanter."


    Ming Yue sighed and looked at the transformed leopard.


    "Let''s just make it quick. Pale Moon."


    Releasing all of her power, the pale blue aura wafted out of her body before slowly condensing, leaving a ghostly blue glow within her veins and expanding it into Blood Moon.


    The reddish glow of its de was reced by a cerulean one.


    The Cloud Leopard eyed her, noticing the shift in her power. It snarled, taking several steps back before kicking the air behind with its back legs, repeating the same move from before. However, Ming Yue vanished from her position, moving even quicker than the beast andnding right on its back.


    She stabbed down, looking to pierce the leopard right through the neck.


    "Wha-!"


    As soon as she went plunged the de down, the beast shook its body before kicking off explosively. A burst of air rocked her off its body as it leaped forward and spun to face her. It bared its fangs and kept its distance, fully knowing that she was no easy target.


    "Hah, damn it, this is going to be troublesome", Ming Yue muttered.


    Snarling at her, the leopard attacked swinging its paw out and creating a burst of wind. It was a quick and explosive attack, one that missed Ming Yue and ruptured the tree trunk behind her. She nced at it, seeing the tree splinter into hundreds of pieces.


    The beast didn''t stop there, kicking off and sending out more bursts of winds with its paws.


    Ming Yue dodged to the side before sprinting forward.


    The leopard roared out at her to which she jumped up andunched a windnce right into its mouth. The next moment, it closed its jaws, knowing it had swallowed something but not knowing what it was.


    There was just a look of surprise in its eyes as the beast did not expect something like this to happen, In the next moment, the attack exploded from within, causing the beast to choke on the air and Ming Yue spared no time to strike.


    She ran underneath the leopard, thrusting up and stabbing the beast''s neck, running the de up until the neck was cleanly cut. Pulling her sword away, she jumped back, standing in front of the leopard.


    The leopard stood still, staring at her and feeling not even a thing. And then the head fell to the ground with a thud while the body was still upright. But that soon changed as the leopard''s body copsed to the ground.


    Ming Yue looked at the scene before deactivating Pale Moon and releasing a sigh of relief.


    "There, finished."


    She walked forward, retrieving the body and moving it into her spatial ring.


    "Told you, it''d be easier to fight alone", said Xue Yue.


    She sounded proud that she was right and Ming Yue didn''t argue with it.


    "In any case, we''re done here, let''s go back and meet with the others."


    After speaking, Ming Yue left the area, moving to meet with the Four ws at that clearing. She whistled out before seeing Xiao Yin''s small body flying up high for her to see.


    "There they are."


    She quickly moved, joining up with the others in a matter of minutes. Emerged from the brush and trees, the young woman saw them standing there with their weapons drawn, alerted by the noise she made.


    But after seeing that it was her, they lowered their weapons. The little girl ran off to her, charging and going straight to hugging her.


    Ming Yue looked down in sur[rise, taken aback by the gesture. However. he knelt down and grabbed the girl, carrying her with both arms, letting the girl''s head rest on her shoulders. Hei Yue quickly followed, circling around Ming Yue''s legs and nuzzling against her. And Xiao Yinnded on her other shoulder, chirping as she looked at Ming Yue.


    Sharing a moment together, Ming Yue walked forward and stood before the Four ws who looked at her curiously.


    "So what happened to the Cloud Leopard? You drove it off?" Niu Hong asked.


    "You definitely fought it, that''s for sure."


    She Xing looked at her, spotting the specks of blood on her armor.


    But Ming Yue shook her head.


    "No, I killed it. Its body is in my spatial ring", she answered.


    "Yo- you killed it? A Cloud Leopard?!" they all eximed.


    She nodded before voicing her confusion.


    "It was decently strong, I thought that it was a Savage Beast but then it transformed. I don''t understand how that can be considered a normal beast here", she said.


    Niu Hong looked at her and spoke only to stop himself.


    "That''s- nevermind, I will tell you when we get back to safety but for now, let''s just get out of here."


    Everyone agreed at this point, this was enough excitement for all of them. And so, they left the clearing, heading back and out of the Savage Lands. Back there, they could check what they''ve acquired and decide on their next move.


    Meanwhile, there was a figure standing in the middle of where Ming Yue and the Cloud Leopard fought. Another beastman, who knelt down and touched the puddles of blood left by the leopard.


    "Hmm, still fresh but whoever fought it hid their tracks", He muttered.


    Standing up, he looked back at the massive battle involving the Amaranthine Lion, it still raged on, growing more and more violent with each second. He moved, climbing up one of the trees and standing on top of it, watching the fight while pondering.


    "To think this all happened from those ruins, the expedition team really outdid themselves this time. Kicking up a storm."


    He chuckled while staring at the fight.


    And then several other figures appeared from thin air, standing by him.


    "Ah, so you all want to join this fight as well, huh?" he asked.


    "Why, else?"


    "After hearing such noise, I couldn''t just ignore this."


    "So many beasts, just ripe for the taking."


    "That one''s mine, it''s the mostpatible with me."


    They all answered differently but the intent was the same. They were looking to hunt.


    "Yeah, yeah, go and hunt. I''m going to wait a bit", he responded.


    "What? getting too old?" one of them said.


    But this individual chuckled before looking away.


    "No, just curious about who would be strong enough to kill a Cloud Leopard by themselves."

 Chapter 515 - Telling Stories And Experiences

    They nced at him before snorting,


    "Whatever, there haven''t been many chances to join something like this."


    One by one they left the tree, approaching the beast''s battle. It was just thatst individual, calmly watching and thinking. He rubbed his chin, still pondering over what had happened to the Cloud Leopard.


    During this, the others had long joined the fray against the beasts, happily fighting away. Perhaps it seemed better that those beasts were already injured but beasts are beasts. The more dire their situation, the more savage they will be, especially if they feel cornered.


    Soon enough it slowly moved into a stalemate.


    But after a while, thest beastman stood up and stretched.


    "Whatever the case, I can just question the expedition teamter. Let''s just finish this up and deal with them."


    There was a smile on his face before baring his fangs and ws, leaving his spot to fight.


    Whilst this was underway, Ming Yue''s group soon arrived at the clearing of the Halcyon Meadows, away from danger. They were all tired and weary, having just walked without rest. The little girl was asleep, resting her head on the young woman''s shoulder.


    Quietly, she entered the house, cing the little girl in bed before walking out.


    "Both of you keep herpany."


    Instructing the two beasts, they moved into the house to watch over the sleeping child.


    The Four ws had already put down their things, sitting on the grass and taking some time to rx. Ming Yue sat beside them, cing her sheathed de on the ground.


    "Now that the ruins are destroyed, what do you n to do now?" she asked.


    The Four ws gave each other looks before looking at Niu Hong, who answered.


    "For now, we rest and recuperate. Take note of what we obtained from those ruins. Of course, we will be leaving the human girl with you. Bringing her back would send waves among the tribes that could be good or very bad."


    "I see. Are humans hated among some tribes?" she asked.


    The ox-kin nodded with a serious expression.


    "For the most part, there are tribes who would be delighted to meet a human girl and those who would stop at nothing to kill them. The same goes for demons. Although thousands of years have passed, some things aren''t forgotten", he said.


    "Then for you all?"


    Ming Yue looked at them nkly as she posed this question. An inquiry that Qiang Rong answered first and with a light smile.


    "The Wukong n has always been in good rtion with Humans, then again we''re not ones to make enemies."


    "The same goes for the Gozu Tribe, we find humans to be quick-witted and strange but nheless friendly", said Niu Hong.


    Yu Tu looked at them both before gazing at Ming Yue.


    "For my tribe, we are told to be wary of humans. There have been cases of humans searching for us to wed or worse."


    "That''s..."


    Ming Yue was slightly taken aback, not expecting that answer but understanding that it was very possible. There was no limit to the arrogant and foolish, she knew just how vile some people can be.


    And finally, she looked at She Xing, who reluctantly answered.


    "My tribe, the Naga, while we are not hateful of humans, we are taught to never trust one."


    "I see."


    Hearing this, Ming Yue understood She Xing''s distrust towards her. While the snake-kin wasn''t hostile towards her, she certainly wasn''t friendly.


    There was an awkward silence between them all before Niu Hong suddenly spoke up.


    "If you''re still wondering, most of these sentiments are found among the older elders. Even then, they''re nothing like what they used to be before the cmity. After all, it''s been several thousand years since humans and demons havee. It''s just stories and legends now."


    Ming Yue looked at him.


    "If that''s the case, I maye out and explore", she replied.


    Qiang Rong then looked at her with a bit of curious anticipation.


    "Since we''re talking about this, is there anything you can tell us about the humans and demons now?" he asked her.


    "Anything? What would you like to know about?"


    "Hmm, I''m not sure, how about your travels? Any stories that you might have to share?"


    Hearing Qiang Rong''s question, Ming Yue thought carefully. What stories did she have to share with them?


    "I''m still quite young and I haven''t explored as much as I''d like to but there are a few things I could talk about", she muttered.


    From there, Ming Yue spoke about the adventures she had,rge or small. Whether it was taking missions in her home country, the various tournaments, even fighting the leader of the Tao Feng. And then at the end of it all, she spoke about the war between the demons and humans.


    This was the story that the Four ws had no words to respond with.


    It was grand, shocking, and unbelievable. Hearing about a great war on a scale of millions of soldiers, learning that the Demon Continent was left in a terrible state after the cmity, there were many things that the beast people were not expecting to hear.


    And among other things, learning of Ming Yue''s achievements only cemented their idea that she was no ordinary person.


    "You''ve ridden dragons and fought with them? You met a creature that called itself the World Serpent?!"


    "Fighting a being closest to that of a god..."


    Suddenly, they looked at her as someone to respect and fear. How many others could have the same experiences as her at such a young age?


    "Ha! And here I thought we had some incredible stories to tell."


    Niu Hong gave a hapless smile as he was thought back to his own journey.


    "I''d like to hear about them if that is possible", said Ming Yue.


    While the Four ws felt that their experiences weren''tparable, the young woman didn''t care about that. She was curious, wanting to know more and to learn more.


    "Are you sure?" the ox-kin asked, "I feel as though we would bore you with our little tales."


    "No, please. I''d like to know more about this ce."


    Doubling down, the Four ws relented and began to talk.


    "Before we first formed the Four ws, we were all in different groups but one by one, they disbanded for one reason or another. It just so happened that they all disbanded at around the same time. One thing led to another and so we formed our own group which at first, was quite rough. None of us knew each other at the time", said Niu Hong.


    "Right, I remember, She Xing and Yu Tu were hard to work with. One was sharp-tongued and unfriendly while the other was shy and afraid to talk, imagine trying to work with that!"


    Qiang Rong added while sheepishly pointing at the pair, both of which couldn''t stop themselves from ring at him. Even Yu Tu gave him a mean look.


    "Yeah, maybe it would''ve been better if a certain monkey didn''t try to get us all killed in the first expedition."


    She Xing''s eyes were especially sharp, probably piercing enough to go through any stone. And when she said that, Qiang Rong immediately hunched over, scratching the back of his head.


    "I mean we''re all alive and kicking right now!" he replied.


    "You damne-"


    Before this escted any further, Niu Hong continued to talk a bit more.


    "Anyways, in the beginning, we weren''t the most cohesive or the best expedition team. We''ve had our fair share of near-deaths and defeats. Chances were, the Four ws would''ve been disbanded long ago.. But that changed when we entered a specific set of ruins, known as the White Sword''s Remains."

 Chapter 516 - White Swords Remains

    "The White Sword''s Remains?" Ming Yue repeated, "What happened?"


    Just as Niu Hong opened his mouth, She Xing answered for him.


    "I''ll tell you. We entered a ce we shouldn''t have. The fact that we survived and even gained from that expedition was nothing short of a miracle, even multiple miracles. Probably survived on Qiang Rong''s dumb luck."


    "Heh, dumb luck! I think after that experience all my luck has vanished."


    Qiang Rong chuckled.


    "What happened in those ruins? What kind of ruins were they?" Ming Yue asked.


    Niu Hong nced at the others before continuing.


    "At the time those ruins were recently discovered. With how vast the Beast Continent is and how dangerous the Savage Lands are, it''s not difficult to find ruins but it is difficult returning and reporting back. And the White Sword''s Remains was thetest one to be found."


    "Oh yeah, I remember when the reporting team came back. The news they gave was tremendous", said Qiang Rong.


    "Indeed, the White Sword Ruins was named such for there was a single white sword stabbed into the ground. Something that no one could pull out, not even those from the Remation couldn''t pull it out. No matter how many tried even if twenty people worked together, that white sword wouldn''t budge. Like many others, we decided to try it out as well."


    Ming Yue slightly leaned forward.


    "And? One of you managed to pull it out?" she asked.


    Niu Hong could only shake his head.


    "Hah, if only that happened. No, none of us could pull it out. Even when we all tried together, that white sword wouldn''t budge even the slightest."


    "When what happened?"


    "Well, the White Sword Ruins were quite far from where we were based at so we decided to look around for a bit. And we found nothing which led to She Xing losing her temper, when that happened..."


    There was a slight pause as if the leader of the Four ws was too embarrassed to reveal what happened next. Even She Xing seemed unwilling to answer.


    "She stuck the de itself with her swords."


    Surprisingly, it was Yu Tu who said it. Her quiet voice was the loudest in this silence and now that she started, she didn''t stop from there.


    "When She Xing hit the sword, there was a loud ringing that ended up activating something. The sword stayed there but an entrance had made itself known. In fact, an entire fortress rose up from the ground, breaking through the dirt", she said.


    Niu Hong then sighed.


    "Nothing short of luck in finding that but entering it was apletely different experience, A new level of danger that we were not expecting to encounter."


    He then looked at her and held up one finger.


    "One room, that was all that we searched before running for our lives."


    "What did you obtain from there?"


    Ming Yue was beyond curious.


    What was it that they found in that one room?


    "We found a sword. One that was simr to the de stuck on the ground but this one was incredibly light and thin. it seemed so fragile but when the cksmiths tested it, that sword was able to endure even the greatest pressure. No matter what they did, that de didn''t break, it didn''t even crack or chip."


    Niu Hong gestured with his hands, describing this mysterious sword to the young cultivator. After that, he looked at her with fearful eyes as he retold what woulde next.


    "It was kept in a jade box, clean and pristine. All we did was walk to it and touch it, not even to open it. It was just a gentle tao but the box trembled and the sword howled just like yours did. When that happened, that was when every one of us knew to run."


    Qiang Rong then sighed as he circled the dirt with his finger.


    "Ahh, I truly thought we would die there. Niu Hong grabbed the box and we ran out. There were swordsing out of the wall, not one or two or a few but hundreds of them. And they all came together, forming this great dragon that chased us wherever we went. Even after escaping those ruins and heading above ground, it flew out and came for our lives."


    Yu Tu suddenly pulled her ears down in fear.


    "The sounds it made... my ears nearly bled", she muttered before Niu Hong followed up.


    "Yeah, it was an experience I don''t think will ever be trumped. The screeching of des as they crashed through the walls, that terrifying roar. Imagine hundreds of swords howling at once, echoing as this unstoppable monstrosity follows you, ready to shred your body."


    And then, She Xing spoke.


    "Although our leader is describing it well, actually being chased by that thing was a nightmare. I would say that you have to experience to understand the horror of that ce but I wouldn''t want anyone to enter it."


    "I see."


    Ming Yue looked down before narrowing her brows.


    "Then how did you escape? If it followed you out of the ruins, how did you stop it?" she asked.


    The Four ws each took a nce at each other before Niu Hong sighed and answered.


    "It was pure dumb luck. In truth, that thing would''ve chased us to the ends of the earth. With all the noise it made, those beasts of the Savage Lands were awakened and went to challenge it but they all ended up with the same fate, shredded into flesh and blood. Wherever we went was where the river of blood continued. Worse than that, it was faster than us and it would catch up to us in no time."


    He paused for a moment before speaking.


    "So I opened the box and took the sword out. When that happened, the dragon turned even more ferocious and flew even faster, tearing apart anything and everything in its way. I don''t know why I did this but I turned and charged at it while swinging the sword. And the moment, the de met that dragon it was as if time stopped for the dragon was frozen in ce. But I don''t know what happened next, we just ran without stopping. We returned with the sword and gave it to cksmiths."


    "Then the dragon? Did you ever go back to check?" she asked.


    They shook their heads before Qiang Rong answered.


    "No, none of us dared to return. But after making our report, multiple other groups went to investigate and strangely, the dragon disappeared. But the destruction it left was still present and some have attempted to enter those ruins. However, even though it opened for us, it didn''t open for them."


    "Really? How strange."


    Ming Yue''s curiosity certainly peaked here, wanting to see the ruins for herself even. She felt as if there might be something for her, perhaps an opportunity to further her swordsmanship.


    "In any case, after that, we became much more famous and so we stuck with each other. That experience certainly made us even closer. It''s been about three years since that event if I recall", he said.


    Niu Hong then looked at her, seeing the look in her eyes.


    "If you''d like, we cane back with a detailed map of what we''ve discovered", he offered.


    "Really?!"


    Ming Yue looked at him with some excitement before restraining herself.


    "Yes, It''s the least we can do after you''ve helped us", he said.


    Everyone else agreed with him. There was no doubt that she was a pivotal part of them surviving this expedition.


    After that, they continued to share stories untilte into the night.. And in the morning, the Four ws packed their things and left this ce, promising to return soon enough.

 Chapter 517 - Opening Ones Heart

    As they said their goodbyes to one another, the little girl still hid behind Ming Yue. Her little hands clung to the skirt of her armor but she peeked out, watching as the Four ws left. Once they were gone, it was just these two along with Hei Yue and Xiao Yin.


    The young woman turned and knelt down, looking at the girl with gentle eyes. The little girl looked back at her, much moreposed and rxedpared to before.


    "Do you have a name?" Ming Yue asked.


    The girl looked at her nkly before kneeling down and writing on the ground. Once she finished Ming Yue looked at it, furrowing her brows.


    "It''s a bit different what the currentnguage but I think it''s... Liang... Hongyu?" she said, "Liang Hongyu, is that right?"


    The girl nodded, smiling even that Ming Yue understood her.


    "Hmm, so is Hongyu fine for you?" she asked.


    The girl nodded.


    "I see."


    Ming Yue thought quietly to herself before conversing with Xue Yue.


    "So she can''t speak... Do you think it''s strange? Finding a young girl like her in that room, asleep on that bed?" she asked.


    "Oh, it is definitely strange but... she isn''t dangerous at all", Xue Yue responded, "If anything she seemspletely harmless."


    "I suppose so, I did say that I would take her in but what am I going to do with her?"


    Ming Yue was at a loss for words at this moment. Obviously, she had to care for the child, provide food and live with her but she felt as if that wasn''t enough. In the midst of her deep thought, she felt Hongyu''s hand grasp her skirt,


    "Hm, what is it?"


    She looked at the little girl curiously to which she gestured for something. Hongyu took on a stance and held her hands together, standing as if she was holding a sword. She looked at Ming Yue while doing so, swinging her arms as if she was practicing sword swings.


    "You want to practice swordsmanship? Then..."


    Ming Yue looked around before going up to a pile of cut logs by the house. Taking her sword out, she took one of the logs, letting it float in the air with a gust of wind. In the span of a few seconds, the log spun as she began to carve it to shape, turning it into a very basic wooden sword. With her mastery of the Wind Dao, she made it smooth and small enough for Hongyu to hold.


    The process was quick and with Ming Yue''s control, it seemed effortless for her.


    The little girl watched in amazement before being handed the sword. She looked at it, adjusting her grip on the wooden piece before swinging it lightly. Her look of amazement turned to a big smile as she began to swing the sword happily.


    After a bit, the excitement began to subside as Hongyu found an empty space to swing her sword.


    She gripped the sword with both hands and faced forward, taking on a basic sword stance. Her knees were slightly bent and her back was straight. The sword was raised up, held tightly, and with confidence.


    "That''s pretty good."


    Ming Yue watched,menting on it quietly.


    Although Hongyu was a child, her practice with the sword didn''t match that of someone her age. After all, she was maybe five or six years old and she swung the sword diligently, practicing basic techniques. Any child her age was more likely to swing the sword wildly and without care.


    Ming Yue watched for a bit longer before moving on to her own training.


    She found her own spot, far enough for Hongyu to be in sight but enough space to practice without worrying. Both of them practiced until lunch and between the two Hongyu was tired, breathing heavily but revealing a satisfied look on her face.


    "Let''s get some lunch."


    Ming Yue retrieved a rabbit from her spatial ring, cooking it up along with whatever she could find around the house. Thankfully, it was stocked with spices and there was a garden in the back, one filled with medicinal nts and other vegetables.


    Lunch was simply roasted rabbit meat with vegetables. It was nothing fancy but there was a homely feel to it.


    The pair sat and ate in front of the house whereas Hei Yue and Xiao Yin ate in front of them.


    It was a quiet meal, awkward even. Hongyu couldn''t speak and Ming Yue was trying to think of questions she could ask that the girl could answer. Her brows were furrowed as she slowly chewed on her food.


    She then looked at Hongyu, who was innocently chewing on her food.


    "Do you remember anything from before you were on that bed? Do you know why you were on that bed?" she asked.


    Hong Yu stopped eating and looked at her. She then looked down as if to think before putting the te down and began to draw on the ground.


    "Wait, there should be something inside."


    Ming Yue quickly stopped her and went into the house, looking for paper, ink, and a brush. It didn''t take very long and she came out handing them to the little child. With them, Hong Yu began to write down an answer, showing it to Ming Yue when she was done.


    Taking the paper, she looked at it and read its contents. They were simple and short answers that were written quite neatly. But considering Hongyu was someone from another era, Ming Yue found it hard to read. Nevertheless, she deciphered it.


    "Danger... outside... protection", she read.


    Putting the paper down, Ming Yue looked at the little girl.


    "Danger, from what?" she asked.


    Hongyu gave a nk look and shook her head, indicating that she did not know.


    "Then how about family? Do you have parents? Siblings?"


    The little girl thought carefully before writing on a new piece of paper and handing it to Ming Yue.


    "Father... Liang Zhuge. So that''s your father but no mother, I see. Then that building you were in, do you know what it was for?"


    Once again, Hongyu wrote on another piece of paper, finishing quickly and handing it to Ming Yue. Receiving it, her face turned somewhat grave as she saw that there was one word on it.


    "War."


    While Ming Yue wanted to ask more, she knew that Hongyu would not know.


    "That answer does line up with what we saw inside the fortress. That room was filled with equipment for an army. But why would they prepare for war? What exactly happened during the Cmity?" she thought to herself.


    In that moment of silence, Ming Yue heard some sniffling and looked at Hongyu, seeing the child holding back tears. Immediately, she walked to her with concern.


    "Is something wrong? What happened?" she asked.


    Hongyu looked at her before pointing at the paper with her father''s name on it. She then wrote on another piece and showed it to Ming Yue.


    "I miss him... Scared..."


    The young woman looked at her, cing a hand on Hongyu''s shoulder. At the same time, she whistled calling for Hei Yue and Xiao Yin toe andfort the child.


    "I know that you''re scared but I''ll be here. I''ll keep you safe, okay?" she said.


    Her words came softly and calmly, allowing Hongyu to feel much better. The tears stopped and she even brought out a small smile. She reached for another piece of paper but found none and instead wrote on the ground with her finger.


    When she was done, Ming Yue read it and understood it easily.


    "Thank you."


    They shared a look before Ming Yue spoke.


    "Come on, let''s go finish up our food, it''s going to get cold."

 Chapter 518 - Memory Of Ones Self

    The day went by peacefully, in fact, the nexting days were peaceful. The pair slowly grew closer. Oftentimes, Ming Yue went out on her own to hunt, leaving her two beasts to watch over Hongyu. And the little girl was obedient, never going off on her own, waiting for the cultivator to return.


    But as peaceful as the days were, the nights were less than that, especially for Ming Yue.


    As today came to an end, Ming Yue had tucked Hongyu in bed, waiting for the girl to fall asleep before leaving her side.


    "Stay her side, both of you. Don''te to me, okay, no matter what."


    She looked to the two beasts who looked back with worried eyes. Hei Yue was even whimpering a bit as she left the house.


    "If I stay in the same house, who knows what would happen if I sleep", she thought.


    "More than likely, you''d scare her or worse..."


    Xue Yue suddenly spoke to which her counterpart stopped.


    "Don''t say that. Are you trying to curse me or something?!"


    Ming Yue couldn''t help but pause to scold Xue Yue, who just chuckled. Herughs echoed before vanishing. The young cultivator sighed as she continued to walk away, moving towards a more secluded part of the clearing in the north. She was far from the house, isted and alone.


    It was very quiet as she sat by the trees. Not even the sound of the water stream entered her ears.


    She sat down and crossed her legs, looking around before retrieving two books from her spatial ring.


    "I didn''t think I would find another book of his here", she muttered to herself.


    Held in her hands were the two books of the Savant of a Hundred shes, Huan Shi Ti. Ever since the Four ws left her home, she had been studying those books at night, practicing the Lightning Dao.


    Although they were just paintings of clouds and lightning, each illustration was of a different form of a storm. Whether it was calm, violent, or even beautiful, each painting served to show a new aspect of it.


    It brought many ideas to her mind.


    "Could I do this?"


    "How can I replicate that?"


    "What if I do this?"


    Sparks flew out of her hands as she tested and practiced, trying to improve her other techniques, the Boltwind Nails, the Storm Lance, and more. What about sword techniques revolving around lightning?


    Ming Yue certainly had the power for it, she just needed the control and understanding. How could she connect her Sword Dao to the Lightning Dao? Lastly, how can she connect Wind and Lightning together?


    "It''s definitely possible but which way is best for me?" she thought.


    The young cultivator didn''t stop pondering untilte into the night. She let out a heavy sigh as some progress was made. However, Ming Yue was not looking forward to what would happen next.


    She took another look and breathed in deeply before closing her eyes, entering meditation.


    There was nothing but peacefulness around her. The sound of waving grass and rustling leaves, caressed her ears while she saw nothing but darkness. The sounds lulled her deeper and deeper until she saw a soft light in front of her.


    With nowhere else to go, Ming Yue moved forward, approaching the light. It grew stronger as she took each step before she reached it and the light swallowed her up. Under its ring brightness, she shielded her eyes and tried her best to see through it but she couldn''t.


    It was pure white but it soon dimmed and vanished, revealing a new scene before her.


    "What is this? Why is it here?" she muttered to herself.


    The young woman seemed to be standing in the middle of two seemingly different ces.


    One was her vige, vibrant, beautiful, alive.


    The other was the battlefield where she fought against the Idol of Chaos, the opposite of her home, dead, dreary, and bleak. Before these two scenes was her, standing in the center alone. Her eyes wandered from one side to the other before suddenly stopping at the vige.


    Shadows began to appear, silhouettes of those who once lived there. Slowly they grew clearer and clearer until she recognized them all.


    "Teacher Fan, Chen Xiao..."


    She recalled their names one by one, watching them go about their day. And then she saw onest figure, resembling that of a young girl. From shadows to life, she saw herself, hurriedly walking through the vige with something in her arms.


    Her eyes widened for an instant as she followed her younger self.


    "Baobao..."


    Muttering that name, Ming Yue looked into those arms, finding an injured white hare within them. Walking through the vige, she followed her younger self into their home, a simple hut surrounded by racks of dried herbs.


    Once inside, she heard her younger self call out.


    "Father, father! Please help me!"


    Walking inside, Ming Yue saw a familiar scene.


    "Hm? Yue''er? What happened?"


    Seated in the middle of their home, grinding away at some herbs, was her father, Rou Meng. His hair was tied back into a simple bun as his sleeves were rolled up. Wiping a bit of sweat from her head, he turned to look at his daughter with a warm smile.


    Ming Yue stood right behind her younger self and when her father turned to look it felt as if he was looking at her.


    Her heart trembled for a moment as she watched silently.


    "I found this poor hare in the forest! We can save it right?"


    Her younger self showed the white hare to her father. He narrowed his eyes and leaned forward before looking at her.


    "Why don''t you put the hare on the table?" he said.


    "Oh, yay! I''ll bring the medicine!"


    Out of joy, the young girl gently ced the hare on the table before running off, already knowing what to bring. Her father chuckled before examining the hare. It breathed heavily, bleeding from a wound on its hind legs.


    And as quickly as she left, the young Ming Yue returned, carrying bandages and ointments.


    "Alright, are you ready to help me?" her father asked.


    "Yes!"


    And so Ming Yue watched as the father and daughter pair worked together to patch up the hare. It took about two hours but for her, it felt like just a few minutes. Absorbed by the scene, time went by quickly.


    At the end of the process, the hare''s breathing returned to normal as the pain was gone. The young Ming Yue and her father leaned back and let out a sigh of relief, satisfied that it was sessful. They both shared a look before her father leaned forward and patted her head.


    "Good work! You saved another life, I''m proud of you, Yue''er."


    She giggled, showing a happy look on her face. The refreshing sound of herugh awakened the hare as it turned to look at her. She stared back, deep in thought before her eyes lit up.


    "I''ll call you Baobao! When you''re feeling better, you cane with me to see the others! I''m sure you''ll make plenty of friends!"


    Carefully, she carried the Baobao into her arms, gently hugging the hare.


    Ming Yue watched all of it happen. Her eyes rested on the hare before looking at this joyous scene. She should feel happy, she should feel warm, and yet, she felt nothing for this scene.


    How old was she when this happened?


    How long ago did this happen?


    She didn''t remember. All she had was the name, "Baobao".


    And then, there a crack of thunder, loud and shocking!


    Ming Yue suddenly spun around and ran out of the hut, looking up at the skies.. And flying above them all was the Idol of Chaos in all of its fury.

 Chapter 519 - Utter Emptiness

    Ming Yue looked up at the skies and watched the Idol of Chaos as it floated idly in the sky. It wasn''t on the side of the vige but where the battlefield was on the other side. It just stared down with ck and white eyes.


    In its monstrous form, the dark gold skin, the four arms, the four wings, and its rat-like face, it just looked down.


    There was none of that rage or savagery in its face, nothingpared to when they fought. And even though it did nothing, it was an ominous sight.


    The darkened clouds behind it shed with lightning, a contrast to the liveliness of the sunny skies in the vige.


    "What is it doing here?"


    The young woman muttered as she walked out of the vige and towards the battlefield, standing just on the edge of the border. As Ming Yue looked at it, her eyes moved from the Idol to the clouds.


    The shing grew stronger before lightning struck down, cracking the ground and charring it ck. More and more lightning came, booming like powerful drums. It caused her heart to pump and her blood to rush.


    Suddenly, she felt something in her hand and looked down, seeing Blood Moon gripped tightly.


    "What is it trying to make me do? Fight it?" she thought.


    When she looked up, her eyes widened in shock as the Idol of Chaos charged down, brandishing a weapon in each arm.


    "Wha-"


    Without any time to think, she unsheathed her sword, holding it up just as the Idol came down.


    Their des met, producing a loud ng and a shockwave.


    Ming Yue took a step back but stood her ground as she pushed forward, gritting her teeth.


    "Like I will let you enter this ce!"


    She shouted out, shoving the Idol of Chaos back before charging forward. As it retreated into the battlefield, Ming Yue followed it closely, bombarding it with Storm Lances and Wind Needles.


    But this enemy wasn''t so easily beaten.


    Beating its four wings, the Idol of Chaos shot backward, widening the gap between them before rising up and vanishing into the skies. The next moment, the clouds shed and thundered before lightning coursed down like pirs, decimating the lifeless ground beneath them.


    It was a scene she knew all too well.


    But there was feeling within her, an ominous feeling as if she knew what was going to happen. And yet, she did not dare think of it. Unfortunately, there was no point in thinking it, not when it happened right in front of her eyes.


    Above her, there was a particr light obscured by the clouds but Ming Yue knew.


    It was gathering power, enough power to utterly obliterate the shadow of her vige.


    "No..."


    She retreated immediately, flying back to protect her vige, fragments of those she cared for, who she used to be. And the moment she turned, that growing light shed before a pir of lightning came down, several times thicker and denser than the previous ones.


    "Hurry! I have to make it!''


    Ming Yue flew back at her top speed, trying to best that of lightning itself. She had to be quicker, she had to make it back.


    But her heart dropped as she watched the lightninge.


    "I''m not going to make it."


    As quick as she was, she wasn''t fast enough. However, her eyes were still full of determination!


    Brandishing her sword, she gathered her energy, condensing it into the de.


    "Even if I''m not faster than that, I just need to be quick enough!" she thought.


    "Waning Moon."


    Ming Yue swung out, releasing a giant, iridescent crescent sh that flew off. Her eyes were on it as she clenched her jaws, focusing on controlling the attack.


    It was fast, much faster than her or the lightning. In a fraction of a second, it flew just above the vige to which Ming Yue put her hand out and pointed up.


    "Turn!" she cried out.


    And this flying crescent followed dutifully, turning upwards at the pir of lightning and cutting through. It continued to soar up, splitting the pir in half!


    But the higher it flew, the weaker it became and the harder it was for Ming Yue to keep it going. Slowly but surely it grew smaller and small before that unending pir of lightning enveloped it in its power.


    And with nothing in its way, the pir of lightning came down upon her vige, destroying it without any hesitation.


    Ming Yue watched as her home vanished from her sight. She stood in the air, looking at this blinding pir until it finally ended. And her home was all but gone, turned into nothing but dust. She descended,nding on the ground before walking towards the deste ce.


    And the Idol of Chaos never returned.


    Quietly, the young woman walked and knelt in front of her vige, dragging her fingers through the ashes. A gentle wind came behind her, blowing it all away as the once vibrant and lush forest transformed into that of a dead and abandonednd.


    It was the same as the battlefield, empty and lifeless.


    Ming Yue just watched it unfold quietly, her heart was still. There were no tears, her body did not quake, and her fingers didn''t tremble. She was neither sad nor angry at this. Rather, she felt nothing.


    "What does this mean? What happened to me?" she thought to herself.


    She too had realized this. Two great events in her life, the destruction of her home and the battle with an almighty being happen before her, and yet at its conclusion, she had no reaction to it. Not even a feeling of defeat for being unable to save her vige.


    She felt empty inside and that was something she knew wasn''t right. But ming Yue couldn''t wrap her head around it.


    "What is the point of this? What does it mean? What is this trial supposed to do? How am I to pass it?"


    All she had were questions and soon enough, there was frustration in her eyes.


    "I shouldn''t feel empty but I do. How do I fix this? What do I even do?"


    She just sat there silently, a feeling of helplessness overcame her. And then this coldndscape began to vanish before her, turning into motes of light before enveloping her just like that white light from before.


    Her eyes fluttered open as she was greeted by the gentle rays of the rising sun. A bit of warmth came about her as she looked off into the distance for a few moments.


    Ming Yue then looked away, instead, looking at her surroundings to which her eyes widened in rm.


    "Ah, this time was really bad, wasn''t it?" she muttered to herself.


    Where she was positioned, Ming Yue was far from the house so that she wouldn''t disturb Hongyu. She was also far from the trees so that if she were to strike out, they wouldn''t be destroyed as well. At its worst, she had cut the grass or a few leaves, mostly just shaking and writhing.


    But this time, it was different, it was worse.


    The grass around her was gone, cut to bits. But that wasn''t all, Ming Yue looked in one particr direction where a section of the trees had fallen, cut in half by a single attack.


    "Must''ve been when I used Waning Moon", she thought.


    But this result was rming for her. The further and further she goes into this trial, those dreams. The worse her behavior will be until even the house would be in danger and she didn''t want that to happen.


    "I have to find a way to fix this... but how?"


    As she stood up and dusted her clothes, she felt something and immediately looked in a different direction. But that feeling suddenly disappeared.


    "Was I just imagining things?"

 Chapter 520 - Crown Hunter

    Thinking this, she turned away and shook her head.


    "No, first things first, I need to clean this up and wash myself. Then train and check on Hongyu."


    nning her day, she went off to clean up what her sleeping self had done.


    "Whoo, nearly got caught there."


    Unsurprisingly, Ming Yue''s feeling was wrong as someone had been watching from afar. And the moment she looked, this individual hid immediately, avoiding her gaze. Now that she looked away, they went back to observing the clearing, sitting on top of a tree and watching with interest.


    "Hmm, a human? That shouldn''t be possible considering the connection between our threends was broken. So how?"


    This person thought carefully while observing.


    "Should I inform the others?"


    There was a moment of silence for this person before they suddenly chuckled and shook their heads.


    "Of course not, that would ruin the fun. I should at least try having a spar with them first if that human was probably the one that killed the Cloud Leopard I bet. If not then, I''ll have to ask a few questions. Interesting, how interesting..."


    This observer did nothing but watch. And this individual was none other than the beastman from before, the one that first discovered the remains of Ming Yue''s battle. Furthermore, they were a member of the Remation Division.


    Butpared to being dangerous and battle-hungry as described by Niu Hong, this beastman was calm and in control.


    He scratched his back, watching the clearing with curiosity before noticing something.


    "She''s not there", he muttered to himself.


    His hand moved in an instant, unsheathing a giant jagged saber just in time to block a sword. There was a clean ring as the des met before the beastman whistled. His eyes moved to the right, looking at the de before looking up at its wielder.


    "You really went straight for the neck, didn''t you?" he said with a smile.


    Standing behind him was Ming Yue, fully dressed and gazing at him icily.


    "Who are you? Why are you watching us?" she asked.


    "I am no enemy, just a curious mind, wondering why there are humans here. Please put your sword away, I mean you no harm", he said.


    He then turned at looked at her, showing Ming Yue that he was telling the truth. The cultivator kept her eyes on him for a few more seconds before pulling her sword away.


    "If you are not an enemy, then who are you?"


    This mysterious beastman sheathed his saber and stood up. While his figure did not tower over her, he was a head taller than her. But there was more than that.


    His body was more beast-like than human. Although he had arms and legs, they were closer to that of a dragon. Even his head resembled a dragon''s,plete with whiskers but no horns. His body was covered in dark red scales and he was dressed in bronze scaled armor. It was not particrly thick but more elegant in design, matching the mountain pattern.*


    "I am Ao Qin of the Longwang Tribe, a member of the Remation Division. Ie with many titles, Red Dragon, Bloody Fencer, and Crown Hunter, whichever one matters to you more."


    "A member of the Remation Division? What is he doing here? Unless... he came because of what happened with the Four ws."


    And as if knowing her thoughts, Ao Qin answered for her.


    "Themotion brought out by the Amaranthine Lion caught many eyes. And considering how many beasts came because of it, the hunters closest soon arrived, myself included."


    He chuckled dusting off his armor while looking at her.


    "We had quite the haul from it, all of those cores and materials, just ripe for the taking. Safe to say, the Remation Division and the tribes benefitted greatly. But curiously enough, I noticed traces of a fight far from the main battle, one involving a singly person and a Cloud Leopard. It was short and violent but ultimately, one-sided", said Ao Qin.


    "If that is the case, what does that have to do with me?"


    "Well, although that Cloud Leopard did not evolve yet, it is strong enough to be a danger for even those of the Remation Division. A small danger but a danger nheless. After examining the battle, I found there were no tracks but I decided to investigate even further and followed the Expedition team here, the Four ws. I retraced their steps and found this ce. While I don''t know why you are here, you are certainly the one responsible for killing the Cloud Leopard. Last night''s disy was certainly proof of that as were your actions just now."


    Ao Qin''s eyes stayed on her, narrowing as he spoke.


    "So now, I have several options before me. I can leave and report your existence to the elders, capture you and report them, or leave you alone."


    The young cultivator slowly motioned for her sword.


    "Which option do you choose?" she asked.


    Although her hand was not on Blood Moon''s Hilt, Ming Yue was ready to brandish the de when she needed it.


    Ao Qinughed aloud.


    "You do not need to be so restless. I can''t do the first option. Even an idiot would know that news of your existence will shake the tribes. I''m sure there will be those wanting to know everything about you, those wanting to kill you, and those wanting to use you. Whichever way, they will try to monopolize you with the Savage Lands in mind. That''s just too troublesome and the things some people are willing to take are disgraceful."


    His face turned somewhat unsightly as he spoke of this. There was no doubt that some lines have been crossed before.


    "As for the second option, well, heh, considering that you managed to get behind me without my noticing... Capturing you would be much more difficult than I thought. Rather, nigh impossible, at least without losing a limb or two, maybe even my life. I''d rather that not happen so that leads me to myst option, leaving you alone but well encountering you seems like a waste. I can''t just leave you alone."


    With thosest few words, Ming Yue rested her hand on the top of the hilt. While she had yet to release any of her strength, her eyes were enough to send a message, cold and merciless.


    But that did not deter him in the slightest. Ao Qin reached for his saber and looked at her with anticipation and a bit of excitement.


    "I can''t leave here without a fight now, can I? If there''s a strong opponent, there is only one thing you can do is spar with them!" he said.


    Just as he pulled his saber out, this dragonkin stopped and looked at the clearing.


    "Unfortunately, it seems that there''s a little human girl looking for you."


    He spoke, pointing down. Ming Yue''s eyes followed the direction where he pointed and saw Hongyu, wandering around the clearing and looking for her. Even Hei Yue and Xiao Yin ran about, looking for their missing master.


    "Oh!"


    Ming Yue immediately moved but then stopped and looked at Ao Qin.


    "Come with me", she said to him before vanishing.


    Ao Qin merely looked at her and sighed before following Ming Yue.


    "She would probably hunt me down if I ran", he thought before chuckling, "Hah, to think someone like me would be afraid of that, times have changed, haven''t they?"


    As the young woman came down andnded on the clearing, she saw Hongyu hurriedly running around the clearing, searching for her. Tears had begun to form in herrge eyes as the little girl''s face was full of worry and fear.


    Suddenly, Hei Yue and Xiao Yin sensed their master''s return, chirping, and yelping for Hongyu''s attention. Hearing their cries, the little girl turned and saw Ming Yue standing there casually.


    The young woman looked at her, walking towards Hongyu but the girl ran towards her.. She hugged Ming Yue tightly and buried her teary face into her clothes, an act that warmed her heart.

 Chapter 521 - Multiple Dangers

    "I''m sorry I was gone without telling you", said Ming Yue.


    Hongyu just held onto Ming Yue tightly, quietly sniffling until she finally stopped and let go. As she did, the young girl looked behind Ming Yue before suddenly clinging back onto her. Her eyes were wide with shock and fear which caused the cultivator to look behind her, where Ao Qin was standing.


    Even Hei Yue and Xiao Yin looked at home warily, poised to attack.


    The dragon-kin stood there idly. Despite just standing there, his appearance was very intimidating to people. After all, Ao Qin originated from dragons, he had quite the fearsome aura.


    Ming Yue turned and looked at him before kneeling down to talk to Hongyu.


    "Don''t worry, he isn''t there to hurt us, okay? Even if he is, I won''t let him. So don''t be scared, I''ll go make us some breakfast first."


    Standing up, she turned to look at Ao Qin.


    "Would you like to join us for breakfast before this spar?" she asked.


    "Breakfast? I am not the person to refuse something like that!"


    Ao Qin replied quite happily, following the pair back to the house. Soon enough, the three of them, along with the owl and fox were having a light breakfast of congee with a variety of chopped vegetables mixed in.


    While they ate, the dragon-kin looked at Ming Yue curiously before asking her a question.


    "Are the both of you the only humans here? Are there others?" he asked.


    Ming Yue did not nce at him but responded.


    "I will answer your questions if you answer mine. And should you leave this ce, do not spread news of our existence."


    With this proposition, he nodded and agreed.


    "There is no problem in that. And if you''re still worried, I will not report you. Doing so would cause the situation to be worse than it already is, anyway."


    Ming Yue''s eyes shed after hearing that and then answered Ao Qin''s question.


    "As far as I know it is just us two."


    "I see, but you are not rted that is for sure. Both of you have different origins", he said.


    Ming Yue continued to eat as he spoke.


    "That is true, I found her in those ruins from earlier and I somehow came here months ago after a great battle. And what do you mean by the situation?" she inquired.


    The dragon-kin looked down at his food and sighed heavily.


    "The situation huh..." he repeated.


    There was a difficult look on his face as he revealed mixed emotions, a bit of frustration, anger, and helplessness.


    "I don''t know how much you know about our way of life here but there are hundreds of ns, some small, somerge, and some extinct. Although the ns banded together tobat the Savage Lands, none of them are united. And much of the conflictes from the elders of each tribe, not the chiefs but the elders themselves. They''re petty folk but they hold the power."


    Looking at her, he drew a line in the air.


    "There are two prevailing parties at the moment. One side wants to preserve strength, build resources, wait for the right moment. The other side calls for action, wanting to fight their way to the top, no matter the cost. There are a few other ones but these two are the main parties."


    He then pointed at Ming Yue and Hongyu.


    "Either way, there is no doubt that they will all look for you and they will probably wring you out for as much worth as you have. The fact that you came here from the Human Continent means that there is a way to get there, a way tomunicate and call for help. And considering that you are a strong fighter, they will ask you to help them, even try to use you for their own purposes. After all, the Savage Lands isn''t the only danger."


    "Not the only danger? What do you mean?"


    "The other ns, they vie for control over one another. Some even try to swallow up the others. With your strength, you could shake up the tribes. You could be a guardian or a conqueror", he exined.


    Ming Yue thought about his words, slowly eating her lunch. She then looked up at him, staring straight into his eyes.


    "And you? What side are you on?"


    When asked this, Ao Qin revealed a somewhat lonely expression as he looked in a different direction, staring at the empty space before him.


    "I''m on no one''s side for I am thest remaining survivor of my n", he revealed.


    "I see."


    The dragon-kin looked at her and smiled.


    "You don''t seem bothered by it, perhaps it is because you are the same as me, the same as the others."


    Ming Yue was quiet, not responding or showing any reaction and Ao Qin continued to talk.


    "This sort of story ismon for those of the Remation Division. We are powerful but we are also alone. Some still have one or two others but that''s it, most of us have no one but ourselves. Either way, we all joined the Remation Division because we had nowhere to go. You could call it a ce for outcasts even. Because of that, other ns seek to curry our favor for their own intentions. Some ept, others like me find it to be vile behavior", he said.


    Ao Qin then chuckled a bit.


    "If I had revealed your existence, you would be in the same situation as us maybe even worse. That is something I''d rather not wish upon someone if given the choice."


    "I see."


    There was a brief silence as everyone ate. Hei Yue and Xiao Yin had finished their meal first, followed by Hongyu and finally Ao Qin and Ming Yue. At that point, the young cultivator looked at him.


    "Do you want to spar now?" she asked him.


    Ao Qin looked at her before looking down at his empty bowl. There was a strange light in his eyes as he raised his head and shook it.


    "No, no, I don''t", he answered and continued.


    "You feel like a kindred spirit of sorts, rather, there''s a familiar smell on you as well. It''s different but familiar and somewhat strong, did you perhaps meet a real dragon?" Ao Qin asked.


    Ming Yue''s eyes widened in surprise at this as the dragon-kin spoke out.


    "Hah, my tribe are descendants of dragons, it would be strange if I didn''t find that out."


    He then narrowed his eyes, looking at her.


    "Considering your reaction, it means that you have. I''d rather not fight someone who has met an ancestor. With each second, you seem even more unfathomable. Hah, it seems that the only thing I can do is leave", he said.


    Ao Qin stood up and stretched out before looking around.


    "There''s another reason I can''t touch you", he added.


    Ming Yue looked at him curiously.


    "Why is that?"


    "This home of yours, it is Bai Sheng''s home and she is the daughter of the Byakko Tribe''s chief. Although she was exiled, her father cared for her deeply and so, vowed that anyone who dared disturb her peace will face the full wrath of the Byakko Tribe. And she returned recently with her son meaning that she must have entrusted this ce to you", he said.


    Ming Yue nodded.


    "You''re right. Her son was the one that found me and cared for me while I was heavily injured. I owe them deeply for that. This ce had be unsafe due to the expanding Savage Lands so she left this ce to me. If she could, she would''ve brought me but it wouldn''t be wise to do", she exined.


    The dragon-kin rubbed his chin and spoke out.


    "I see, I see. Hah, if she had not been exiled, she would''ve been chief long ago but she left with her husband. The pair were quite powerful and I''d rather not make an enemy of her.. But I should warn you, now that they''ve returned, there is no doubt that the Byakko Tribe wille here."

 Chapter 522 - There Is No Other Choice

    "it would be best to leave this ce while you can", he warned.


    "What? Why?"


    She was somewhat confused, not understanding this warning of his but Ao Qin soon exined.


    "As I said, the chief of the Byakko Tribe cherishes his daughter very much. If she were to return from this ce, there would be a reason why it would happen. And being the loving father he is, the chief will certainly send people to investigate."


    "That''s... it wouldn''t happen, would it?" Ming Yue asked, "Bai Sheng would try to convince him otherwise to protect my existence."


    Ao Qin''s expression didn''t change from that.


    "Even then, the chief is her father, he would most certainly send people without her knowing. In fact, her insistence may even cause him to be suspicious. After all, that man held a month-long drinking party after his daughter left. I hear that he was drunk all month long, bitter and sad that she left", he said.


    Hearing that, Ming Yue knew that what Ao Qin said would certainlye to pass.


    "But I can''t just leave this ce. I promised her that I would keep it safe until she returned. Even if I left, where would I go?" she muttered to herself.


    There was slight worry within her as she truly wasn''t sure where to go. After all, it wasn''t just her and her two beasts but also Hongyu as well.


    "I could protect her but for how long? Not to mention, a journey outside would be rough on such a young child", she thought.


    As if sensing her worry, Hongyu walked up to the young woman, holding her sleeve and looking at her. The girl''s eyes showed some confidence and determination as if to tell her that she was willing to endure.


    Ming Yue''s eyes softened, she was touched but at the same time, she wasn''t willing to put her through it. They''d be wanderers, going from one ce to another.


    "Is there any way to get around this?" she asked Ao Qin.


    Unfortunately, Ao Qin shook his head.


    "I''m afraid not. There is no doubt in my mind that you can defend this ce and push the Byakko n''s forces back but that will only be inviting more trouble and attention. Other ns will take notice of this as well. They may send in their own forces to investigate. And by then, new of your existence will be known."


    "Then I have no choice but to abandon this ce."


    There was a tinge of bitterness within her as she said it. Ming Yue turned back and looked at the house, even gazing around this peaceful ce. She knew that she would have to leave but she didn''t think it would be so soon.


    But then her eyes sharpened as she looked at the surrounding trees.


    Ao Qin did the same, motioning towards his saber.


    "They''re here, the Byakko Tribe''s forces are here", he whispered quietly.


    He turned to find the space where Ming Yue sat empty as she had gone to deal with them.


    "Ah... I probably don''t even need to make a move then."


    Moving his hand away from his saber, he just sat there idly and waited. However, he looked at Hongyu and put a finger to his mouth, telling her to stay quiet and pointed at the house. The little girl looked at him and gently nodded, quickly hiding inside the house. Then the dragon-kin just casually looked around as if not noticing that there were some unwanted guests.


    "There''s about six of them surrounding this ce", he counted in his head, sensing their presence.


    And he was right, six pairs of eyes glowed through the shadows of the trees, watching the house carefully. Considering Ao Qin was out in the open, he was the first thing that caught their attention.


    "What?! That''s the Red Dragon! What''s he doing here?"


    "Is he the reason for the chief''s daughter returning home?"


    "That''s impossible. Why would the Red Dragon care about this? He''s part of the Remation Division, a division of wanderers. There''s no reason for him to kick her out."


    "Maybe he just found this ce abandoned. The chief''s daughter did say that it had be too dangerous for her and her son to stay here."


    "Because of the Savage Lands right? She said that beasts hade close so she had to go."


    These six continued to converse with one another as they watched Ao Qin. After all, they were tasked by their Chief to investigate, the six strongest members of the Byakko Tribe. They trusted their senses enough to know that there was only Ao Qin before them.


    But not even one of them noticed the presence of Ming Yue, stalking them from above.


    Her presence was hidden and her movements were quick as she moved towards one of them. Blood Moon was sheathed as she quietly knocked them out with the hilt of her sword. Ming Yue barely even made a sound as she moved from one to the other, taking care of them in a second.


    It wasn''t until thest tribesmen that he realized that something was wrong.


    "Hm... this smell... it''s strange... What is this? Wait, the others aren''t answering. Something must''ve happened!"


    This final beastman finally noticed but it was far toote as Ming Yue swooped in, knocking him out.


    Soon after, she emerged from the trees with all six of the Byakko Tribe''s members pilled up on her shoulder.


    Walking up to the house, she gently ced them down and looked at Ao Qin. From within the house, Hongyu poked her head out of the doorway, curiously looking at what Ming Yue hade back with.


    Her eyes fell upon the pile of unconscious bodies and she pulled back for a moment beforeing out. Hei Yue and Xiao Yin did the same as they stuck close to her, curiously looking at these new guests.


    "Even if you manage to push them back this time, they would most certainlye back with more forces. And that will cascade into a bigger situation. I''m sure that you''d want to stay here but at this point, there is no choice but to leave."


    Ao Qin stood up and looked at her seriously.


    "You''d have to hide your identities, mask your scent."


    He then pointed at those pelts.


    "It would do you well to have different clothes or cover them. As you can see, what you''re wearing is sure to attract anyone''s attention. Even the little girl''s clothes will catch some eyes. You could probably fashion something out of those pelts", he said.


    Ming Yue turned back and looked at the pile of wolf pelts.


    "I can''t make anything fancy but would this do?"


    She grabbed one of the intact pelts and began to cut it up, turning it into a little mantle for Hongyu to wear. Fortunately, the head was intact as well, so it became both a hood and a mask for her.


    Ming Yue did the same for herself and looked to Ao Qin, who studied her.


    "It''s not great but it will do. At the very least, it won''t bring as much attention as what you were wearing earlier", he said.


    The dragon-kin then sat down and crossed his arms.


    "I''ll be here when you leave. When they awaken or when moree, I will cover for you. It is the least I can do for someone who has met an ancestor. Meeting you may even bring me some blessings!"


    Ming Yue turned to him, bowing while cupping her fists.


    "Thank you."


    After doing so, she moved quickly, packing her things and taking any trace of her existing here. Hei Yue and Xiao Yin waited outside and once finished, she left the house while holding Hongyu''s hand.


    As they left, Ao Qin looked at them and nodded as if to tell them not to worry.


    But Ming Yue carried some uncertainty in her heart, where would she go now?

 Chapter 523 - Where Could They Be?

    Their figures soon vanished into the wilderness whilst Ao Qin stood there patiently waiting. And from then on, there was no trace of Ming Yue''s existence, not of Hongyu or even the two beasts. They roamed through the Beast Continent, leaving the Halcyon Meadows for the Savage Lands instead.


    It was far easier to avoid the tribes this way.


    But where did they go?


    In the far west of the continentid a massive stone tform, weathered and broken from centuries of neglect. Trees and other florae hade right up to the edge of it, roots and vines had slithered and snaked into the cracks, digging in.


    It was quiet but it was not abandoned. There was arge boulder in the middle of the tform, gently moving as if quietly breathing.


    The grass shook as several figures emerged from the grass and looked at the tform from the side.


    "It''s here! It''s really here! The schrs were right!"


    "With this, things will change! We just have to repair it and find a way to power it! Imagine connecting with the othernds again!"


    They tried to keep the excitement contained but it was hard to do so. Not when they''ve finally found this.


    "The teleportation circle to the other continents. We finally found it."


    "With this, everything will change."


    These four figures emerged from hiding and stepped upon the tform. None other than the Four ws, they each unsheathed their weapons and stared at the boulder warily.


    Niu Hong quietly turned to the others, sharing a look before nodding. Slowly, they approached this strange boulder. It continued to rise and drop before suddenly shaking, sensing the intruders.


    There was a single crack that splintered off into hundreds of smaller cracks and the boulder transformed into a monkey, one made of rock.


    "Stone Monkey, we found something good for you, Qiang Rong", said She Xing.


    The snake-kin looked at him to which he revealed a smile of greater excitement.


    "This is good, very good actually! Maybe I''ll mutate from using it, gain a new ability even.", he said.


    "Let''s just deal with this first!"


    Stomping his feet down, Niu Hong charged forward, followed by the rest of his team. Seeing theme, the stone monkey sucked in a deep breath and opened its mouth to howl out.


    "Don''t even! Extend!"


    Just as its jaws widened, Qiang Rong waved his staff and pointed at the beast''s bottom jaw. At a word of hismand, the staff lengthened and shot out, smashing into the bottom jaw and shutting the beast up.


    From there, the other three ran up and started attacking the beast, striking from three different directions.


    "Retract! Expand!"


    With anothermand, Qiang Rong''s staff returned to its original length before widening until it was as thick as a pir. Holding it with both hands, the monkey-kin leaped forward and raised his staff over his head.


    "Hah!"


    He shouted out, swinging his pir of a staff down and smashing it right on top of the Stone Monkey''s head. There was an audible crack as the Stone Monkey''s head mmed into the tform, embedded into the ground.


    "Don''t let it recover, kill it now! Before it has a chance to transform!"


    Niu Hong yelled out as everyone chipped away at the beast''s skin while it was still stunned by that strike.


    "Damn its skin! Our weapons are going to break first at this rate, only Qiang Rong can do any real damage!" said She Xing.


    She continued to strike at the beast but could see small fractures on her two swords.


    "As long as we can keep it down for him to do enough damage, that''s all that matters!" Niu Hong answered.


    The sound of metal grinding against stone shrieked with each attack as none of them took even a second to rx. Yu Tu then jumped back and hopped into the air, retrieving four giant stakes from her spatial ring.


    "Get out of the way!"


    Hearing her warning, the others retreated just as each stake was thrown down, pinning the Stone Monkey down by each of its limbs. And then Qiang Rong stepped back in giving the beast''s head one final smash.


    There was a thundering crack as the beast''s head broke apart, resulting in bits of rock and flesh. The beast was dead. From beginning to end the battle took just a bit over a minute, a testament to the strength and teamwork of the Four ws.


    Pulling his giant staff away, it shrunk back to its original size as Qiang Rong knelt down a looked at the smashed head. His hands moved over the remains as he looked for the Stone Monkey''s core.


    "Where is it?"


    He muttered to himself but found it soon enough.


    "Ah, there it is!"


    Swiftly, he snatched up a gray bead that glowed slightly with power, looking at it happily before carefully putting it into a small pouch tied to his waist.


    "Your hands are as fast as always."


    She Xingmented as she looked at the monkey-kin with a smirk. The others had a smile as well, happy for theirrade''s gains.


    "Alright, let''s clean this up and survey the area. We''ll camp here for tonight."


    Niu Hong spoke out as he approached the dead beast, taking Yu Tu''s stakes out.


    Everyone nodded and carried out hismands. The Stone Monkey''s corpse was put into one of the spatial rings and everyone split up to search the surroundings of the massive teleportation circle.


    Night soon fell and everyone had set up camp at the edge of the tform, eating rations together.


    "We''ve marked it on the map, right?" Niu Hong asked.


    "Yeah, path and location."


    Yu Tu nodded, cing a map on the floor for them to see. It was a detailed one of the entire continent with dozens of markings, one of which marked their location and the path they took.


    "Alright, okay, then tomorrow at dawn we return home. Is everyone okay with that?"


    They all nodded and returned to eating their dinner. It was quiet for a bit until Qiang Rong raised his head and looked at them before staring at that tform. Niu Hong took notice, taking a brief look at the tform before facing Qiang Rong.


    "What''s wrong?" he asked.


    The monkey-kin scratched the back of his head as he turned to his leader.


    "Ah, just thinking about Ming Yue and that little human girl. I wonder what they''d think if they found out that we discovered this, a way for them to return home", he responded.


    "...Well, it''s been months since west met them. Don''t forget the Byakko Tribe had returned to Bai Sheng''s old home and they found none other than the Crown Hunter there. They nearly came to blows with each other."


    She Xing spoke as she looked at them both.


    "Who knows what happened in that ce but it would be hard toe across them again, not in this vast of a ce. They may have even perished by now."


    Qiang Rong clicked his tongue and looked at her.


    "Ah, don''t say that! She did help us in those ruins. And besides, I doubt that she''ll die so easily. If she could best the four of us, I''m sure she can take on most of the beasts in the Savage Lands", he said.


    "Ahem, whatever the case, I''m sure news of this will enter their ears one way or another. Once we return this will surely reach each and every one of the tribes. Even if we don''t look for her, she will probably find us. I''ll start with the night watch so all of you can sleep first."


    Having finished his food, Niu Hong stayed in the middle of their tents whilst everyone else finished and retreated to their beds.


    He gazed at the night sky, watching it in a rare moment of peace.


    "Where could you be?"

 Chapter 524 - The Journey North

    Within the depths of the Savage Lands, there was a battle urring within the thick brush and the sea of trees. The beast, a two-headed horse with fiery red eyes shrieked and neighed as it raised its front hooves, stomping down at the ground.


    "Hmph."


    A figure vanished from the attack, appearing right above it. There was a sh of light as a de came down, slicing through both heads.


    In an instant, it was dead, dropping to the ground as its two heads, rolled across the grass.


    And the figure revealed themselves, standing before the corpse. Looking at the beast, they walked up to it while cleaning their sword and sheathing it.


    "Whew, it''s dead. Yesterday it was a faceless sheep, now it''s a two-headed horse, what''s next?" she muttered.


    None other than, Ming Yue, she grabbed the horse''s heads and body, storing it inside her spatial ring. After that, she whistled out for the others.


    Hongyu''s head popped out from the left of a nearby tree trunk as both Hei Yue and Xiao Yin walked out. The young cultivator looked at theme up and inspected them all, making sure that there were no injuries on them.


    "Alright good, good, let''s keep on moving", she told them.


    Ming Yue held her hand out for the little girl to hold and continued to venture deeper into the Savage Lands. Their figures vanished into the shadows of the thick vegetation.Her eyes carefully searched their surroundings as they moved, watching for any danger. Every now and then, she would nce at the others.


    "It''s been a few months, almost a year at this point, we can''t continue this for much longer", she thought.


    Much time had passed since they left the Halcyon Meadows and things had changed quite a lot. Both Ming Yue and Hongyu''s appearances had differed greatlypared to before. Their wolf pelt mantles had taken plenty of damage, sown back several times with the pelts of other beasts. And while Ming Yue still wore her armor, Hongyu''s clothes had been fully reced with simple clothing made from the same pelts of the beasts they fought.


    Furthermore, the young girl had grown to seem less naive and more fierce, ustomed to the roughnd. Despite her white skin, it had grown tougher and adorned with a few scars. Among them, there was one right across her cheek, the only one on her face.


    After all, they had practically crossed mountains and deserts, facing dozens if not hundreds of terrible beasts all of which were met with death.


    And both Hei Yue and Xiao Yin had grown as well.


    With all the beasts that they have killed, Ming Yue''s two pets gained quite a bit. The Mistral Fox''s dark silver fur was darker now and the fox itself had grown. He was nowrge enough to carry Hongyu with ease.


    Despite his size, Hei Yue was swifter and more agile than before and his abilities had grown.


    As for the Star Owl, Xiao Yin grewrger, nearly a third the size of Ming Yue''s body. With the owl''s size, perching on Ming Yue''s shoulder proved more difficult and rather ufortable too. But Xiao Yin''s appearance had changed quite a bit as well.


    From the growing wingspan to the sharpening ws, the owl''s silvery glowing eyes, her feathers had a silver edge to them like des. In any case, these past few months have been fruitful but exhausting.


    Ming Yue''s eyes flickered as she looked at them before looking forward.


    "Damn it."


    She silently cursed and continued onwards.


    The group made their way through the dense forest. Every now and then there would be a tremor in the ground, a roar or a shriek in the distance, another dangerous encounter just waiting to be found.


    But they had to keep moving.


    Ming Yue had to find a ce that would shelter them, keep them hidden from the beast tribes.


    With the existence of the Expedition Division, there weren''t many ces to hide. They had to find a location that was isted and practically hidden, a ce where nothing dared toe.


    And there was no better ce than the center of the Savage Lands, where the beasts were most plentiful and the danger was immeasurable. After all, the most dangerous ce is often the safest. With all the beasts they''ve fought, their scent was long masked by blood and flesh.


    Taking Blood Moon out, she pointed the de in front of her, parting the grass and leaves to make a path.


    "You know that this can''tst forever."


    Xue Yue''s voice echoed within her mind.


    "I know", Ming Yue replied.


    "Let alone you, the child is weary. She''s dragging her feet with each step. She''s not even looking at you, her eyes are pointed at the ground. She''s growing weaker, she needs sleep."


    "I know that, Xue Yue. But I also can''t stop yet, I need to find somewhere safe."


    "In a ce like this? It''s been nearly a year."


    "And I am willing to walk for longer than that."


    "But can she?"


    At this point, Ming Yue stopped and turned to look at Hongyu. The child looked up at her curiously, revealing the tiredness in her eyes. The young woman''s eyes flicked as she knelt down and carried the child, holding her with one arm and wielding Blood Moon with the other.


    Quietly, she continued onwards, letting the little girl rest her head on her shoulder.


    With each step, her eyes fluttered, trying to stay open. But the rustling leaves and soft steps soothed her, lulling Hongyu asleep.


    Now that she was asleep, Ming Yue quickened her pace.


    "Both of you scout ahead, signal if you find something strange."


    The two beasts moved forward and sped up, doing as she instructed. It wasn''t until night hade that they stopped and slowed down but they did not stop. Hongyu''s eyes opened up as she raised her head and looked around, rubbing her eyes. Seeing the night sky, she knew that Ming Yue had been carrying her all this time.


    "You want to walk?"


    Pushing against the cultivator, Ming Yue let her down and held her hand as they journeyed onward under the veil of the night.


    It was quieter now, more peaceful than before.It seemed like every beast was asleep.


    As they ventured further, Hei Yue suddenly perked up, sniffing the air just as Xiao Yin returned, cooing with a bit of excitement.


    "What is it? Did you find something?" Ming Yue asked.


    The Star Owl then flew off taking them through the sea of trees before exiting them, entering a clearing of sorts. But this was no normal clearing.


    It was right by a cliff where a small waterfall flowed off it and into a pond. The surrounding grass was waist-high and lush. There was enough space for a small house and all of it was enclosed with numerous trees. It was quite calm and beautiful, most of all, it felt safe.


    "This... this will be it, our new home", she muttered.


    Waving her sword, she released a de of wind, cutting all of the grass and piling it together.


    Letting go of Ming Yue''s hand, Hongyu, looked around curiously but soon turned towards the cultivator with a happy smile. She smiled back, enjoying the pretty sight, even gazing at the pond where there were fish swimming about.


    Finally, she felt as if she could rx and just as she did, something happened. The sound of trees snapping apart as something came closer and closer towards them.


    Ming Yue spun to face it, standing in front of Hongyu and brandishing her de.


    With each second the tree snapping grew louder and louder until something burst out of the trees!

 Chapter 525 - A New Friend

    As it ran out of the trees, it suddenly fell to the ground, breathing heavily and bleeding out. Ming Yue stared at it in shock, her eyes widened as she lowered her sword just a tad. Even Hongyu''s reaction was the same, eyes wide with disbelief as she looked at who had juste.


    "Is that what I think it is?" Ming Yue muttered.


    It was a giant cat, one of white fur with spots of ck and beige and it had two tails.


    After a moment, there was a small meowing from it as the beast tried to move but couldn''t. However, it was able to turn its head enough to notice Ming Yue and the others.Their eyes were piercing and they immediately froze up, not knowing what to do in front of this duo.


    But then it looked away, as if not caring about them. Perhaps, it was surrendering to its fate. After all, the thing that chased after it wasing.


    Slithering through the path made by the giant cat was a serpent, one of ck and red scales.It hissed as soon as it saw its prey, paying no mind to Ming Yue. The giant cat seemingly red at the snake, growling and hissing at the serpent.


    Even to the end, it wasn''t going to go down without some struggle.


    The serpent stared at it, rising up as it looked down upon its prey. Their gazes met before something moved from the corner of their eyes.


    "Hongyu!"


    The little girl ran out from behind Ming Yue, moving between the two giant beasts and holding her arms wide to shield the cat.


    Both beasts couldn''t help but look at her in surprise and the serpent lowered itself to look at her. Its eyes were chilling, empty ck pupils that were unmoving. It was enough to cause anyone to freeze. It hissed at her, a slow and sharp hiss that reverberated like the tail of a rattlesnake.


    Hongyu''s body trembled under the serpent''s gaze but she still stood and faced the beast defiantly,


    As the beast came closer, it stopped, feeling a presence like no other, the cold de of death. Its eyes suddenly went towards where Ming Yue was only to find her gone. In fact, there was nothing but a thick, ck mist slowly expanding across this clearing.


    The serpent hissed, looking around its surroundings for the source of this fog.


    It then looked back down, finding that the little child and its prey were gone without a sound.


    Pulling back in surprise, the beast''s eyes moved from right to left, scanning the area.


    What happened? Where could they have gone?


    Focused on finding them, it didn''t notice the sh of red light above it as Ming Yue descended down upon the serpent.


    With both arms on the Blood Moon, she stabbed down, piercing the snake''s neck!


    The beast recoiled in pain, hissing and shrieking while the cultivator dug even deeper. Dark red blood gushed out from the wound as she jumped off, pulling her sword and cutting down the serpent''s body.


    And even more blood came out, showering the area in red whilst the serpent writhed in pain!


    It was beyond painful, it was excruciating and the serpent''s eyes revealed fear.


    It had to leave. It must!


    Who cared about prey when its life was on the line!


    It couldn''t die here for some measly prey.


    Falling to the ground, it slithered around, turning towards the path where it came from and trying to flee. Even with all the pain it felt from the wound on its body, the serpent fled as quickly as possible.


    "Don''t you even try."


    Gazing at the serpent, Ming Yue chased after it until suddenly, strange lights flickered from the sky. There were dozens of them, shooting down from the sky and piercing the Serpent, slowing it down.


    The source of it descended from the skies, showering the beast with even more of its feathers.


    "Xiao Yin!"


    Ming Yue called out for the owl and whistled before running ahead. Leaping up, she flew forth, imbuing her sword with energy, causing it to hum.


    Without another word, she flew over the serpent''s head and dropped down, stabbing right between the head and the body!


    Blood Moon howled and released its power, shooting off a wave of energy that sliced the serpent''s head clean off.


    And just like that, the beast was dead.


    Blood continued to flow from its massive body, collecting into little pools and rivers. The metallic scent overtook the smell of everything else.


    Dropping down from its body, Ming Yue looked at it before taking it into her spatial ringXiao Yin had flown down, keeping with Ming Yue''s speed. The owl''s wings glowed ever so slightly before losing their luster as the feathers returned to being just feathers.Checking her surroundings, she ran off, returning to the clearing where Hongyu was fast asleep within the soft fur of this giant cat. The child rested on the beast''s stomach, sleeping blissfully.


    Opposite to them was Hei Yue, dutifully keeping watch and waiting for his master''s return.


    As for the massive cat, it had been licking its wounds, only stopping to gaze at her while she looked back. The Mistral Fox ran up to them, joining the other two as they approached this beast.


    It was quiet as they both looked at each other, perhaps trying to gauge what the other wanted.


    Ming Yue furrowed her brows, studying that massive cat.


    "What is it? A Savage Beast? It can''t be a normal beast, can it? It seems friendly, hasn''t attacked us yet..." she thought.


    But after a while, she let out a tired sigh, walking up to the beast and resting on its stomach with Hongyu.


    "It doesn''t matter... I''m... exhausted."


    Muttering under her breath, she soon fell into a deep sleep.


    The cat looked at her curiously before turning to the other two beasts. It meowed at them as if conversing with the owl and fox, perhaps asking more about their master.


    What followed was a conversation involving meowing, cooing, and yipping, as the three beasts talked to each other. And while all of it was happening, Ming Yue soon found herself within a dream, this time it was differentpared to the ones she had before.


    It didn''t start with her standing between the battlefield and her lost home.


    No, in fact, she was somewhere else. This time, the young woman stood within shallow waters, a pool with no end in sight.


    "What is this?"


    She asked out loud but expected no answer. Her eyes darted from one ce to another as she constantly turned around, trying to see if there was anything out there.


    "Where is this? Where am I?"


    It was strange, this was something new, something she had not expected.


    The world around her was nothing but gray emptiness. Even as she ran around, she heard nothing but the sound of water sshing with each step she took.


    She just ran and ran without stopping, trying to find an end to these endless ins.


    And eventually, Ming Yue stopped as she noticed something ahead of her, a small figure. She narrowed her eyes but couldn''t make out what it was, moving closer and closer.


    Once she was close enough to see clearly, her eyes widened as she recognized who was standing before her.


    "Xue Yue?" she quietly called out.


    It was an exact copy of herself, the only difference being that this figure waspletely gray. And as she called out, Ming Yue felt that something was wrong.


    This exact copy raised her head to face her counterpart and pulled her arm out!


    Water rose up and formed Blood Moon and she charged forward, looking to strike or perhaps, kill Ming Yue.

 Chapter 526 - New Dream

    "You''re not Xue Yue! What are you?!"


    Ming Yue jumped back, avoiding the attack and yelling out.


    But the doppelganger didn''t answer, she didn''t even seem to blink an eye. Even then her movements were quick and decisive, each strike aiming to end her opponent''s life.


    The young woman jumped back, dodging in every direction while she watched this gray doppelganger of hers. She narrowed her eyes after a dozen moves.


    "It really isn''t Xue Yue, no. It''s an exact copy of me with the same movements that I would make", she realized.


    "But why? Why is my dream like this? What happened to the vige and the battlefield?"


    Unfortunately, she didn''t have the luxury to think whilst this other version of her was trying to kill her. Water sshed around as the pair moved from one ce to the next, dozens of and dozens of ripples echoed out on the surface of the water.


    "Damn, I can''t just keep avoiding all of these attacks but I don''t have my sword."


    She thought quickly, trying toe up with a solution to this.


    Ming Yue then held her hand out, mimicking her doppelganger and trying to summon her sword from the water. However, nothing came, not even a single drop.


    "Tch, of course not."


    Clicking her tongue, she pulled her hand back just in time to avoid another attack.


    Her doppelganger just continued, swinging her de, shing and thrusting. And since it was a copy, there was no doubt that the swordsmanship was the same, unpredictable. Even if it was Ming Yue, avoiding her own attacks proved difficult.


    She had to keep watch, be alert, one wrong step and that was the end.


    Each strike was was inches away from her weak points, be it a swing or a stab.


    But after a hundred moves, something changed. As the doppelganger swung out, her other hand pointed towards Ming Yue, shooting off a round of Wind Needles.


    There was barely enough time to react before those needles came for her chest and the cultivator charged forward and dove down. Closing the distance between them, her hands moved swiftly, looking to grasp the wrists of her doppelganger.


    But she wasn''t quick enough and the doppelganger jumped back.


    And so they faced each other, standing just a small distance apart.


    "If I can''t use my sword that surely I can use my own techniques?"


    Thinking this, she opened her hands and gathered her power. The Zephyr ws came out on one hand while the other had the Boltwind Nails, crackling away.


    Looking at her hands, Ming Yue looked up to face her doppelganger and charged forward. The other did the same, preparing to strike her before suddenly vanishing before her. Reappearing behind her, the doppelganger aimed at the neck only to miss as Ming Yue vanished as well.


    And just like her copy, she reappeared right behind it, piercing its chest.


    This gray version of her stopped at that moment, dissolving back into the water.


    "Hah, was that it? Is it over? Ipleted this trial, right?" she muttered.


    Scanning her surroundings, Ming Yue looked around, waiting for something to happen. And something caught her eye, the shallow waters she stood in trembled just a bit before rising up and creating not one but two doppelgangers. Each of them faced her, wielding a copy of Blood Moon.


    "Ah, of course, this isn''t the end."


    Staring at them both, she activated both the ws and the nails while the two doppelgangers surged with power. The swords began to hum before producing a resonant howl.


    "Alright, again."


    Her figure faded away as she made the first move in this next round.


    From the outside, the three beasts were awakened by her movement and her aura. Suddenly, Hei Yue and Xiao Yin were both wide awake after realizing what was happening. Looking at therge cat beast, the yelped and hooted, warning it and trying to get everyone away from Ming Yue.


    The cat looked at them with a bit of confusion and took a nce at the young woman.


    Her power and aura were leaking, an incredible amount of it. So much so that the surrounding area seemed to grow deathly quiet.


    The giant beast studied her, watching her body writhe and tremble, her expression was of pain and concentration. And then, it meowed, it was very low and very quiet but it echoed out like waves. But as it passed through her, nothing happened.


    Its eyes widened just a bit as it pulled back from Ming Yue, showing some surprise that there was no effect. The cat then looked at Hongyu who seemed to have fallen into a deep sleep, blissfully unaware of what was happening around her.


    The owl and fox both looked at the cat with urgency, warning it and telling it to go before she did any harm. The cat gave another look at Ming Yue before grabbing Hongyu and moving to the furthest end of the clearing, near the waterfall.


    But none of them could sleep, not with Ming Yue''s unrestrained power. Though, she awakened not long after, grabbing at her head while looking up.


    "Oh, it''s still night", she spoke quietly to herself.


    "Damn, I managed to beat two doppelgangers but then it suddenly became five. What dream was that?"


    Immediately lost in thought, Ming Yue thought about what had just happened. She didn''t notice that the others had gone elsewhere nor did she see theme back to check on her.


    "What dream is this supposed to be? Why would it suddenly switch from my home to me? It wasn''t Xue Yue but it can''t be like her, there wouldn''t be a third persona. If that''s the case, what was this dream about?"


    She thought hard but couldn''te up with anything. There were certainly a few answers but there wasn''t enough information to go on. Shecked the knowledge and the experience.


    "Should I just... attempt to enter the Sky Realm?"


    As the thought entered her mind, Ming Yue immediately pushed it away.


    "No, that''d be stupid. It hasn''t been long since I was advanced to the final stage of the Earth Realm. I still don''t know what to expect and going into it blind would end in failure or death even."


    Such a thing was true. After all, this was the Sky Realm! In all of the Human Continent, the number of Sky Realm cultivators was in the hundreds, maybe thousands if you were generous with your estimation. But that is inparison with the entire continent where there were millions upon millions of cultivators. For many, the Sky Realm was already the pinnacle!


    Things like the Heaven and Divinity realm were mere dreams with thetter being a legend at this point.


    "Attempting to reach the Sky Realm... the trials are different for everyone. It can be anything from heart demons to heavenly lightning. What would mine be?" she wondered.


    Lingering on this thought, Ming Yue felt something on her back, turning to see the three beasts staring at her from behind. All three of them had looks of concern as if to see if she was herself or still in that strange state.


    But as soon as they saw that she was back to normal, they all approached her.


    "Ah, right. I fell into that dream. Of course, they''ll move away from me."


    There was a hapless smile on her face as she stood up and looked at them, seeing Hongyu asleep on the giant cat''s back.


    "Well since I''m awake, I guess I should go and make some sort of shelter. But first, I''ll have to clean up."


    Grabbing her sword, her eyes gazed over the surrounding trees while she unsheathed Blood Moon.


    "Maybe heading deeper into the Savage Lands was not a good idea."


    Although the others couldn''t sense it, she could feel it, the gaze of dozens of beasts, all eyeing them like prey.


    Brandishing her sword, she vanished from her spot.

 Chapter 527 - Marking Ones Territory

    Due to her dream, Ming Yue made quite themotion. While it was nothingpared to the Amaranthine Lion and the Golem, it was enough to attract attention. When she vanished, the hidden beasts were all ovee with surprise, not expecting this to happen.


    As for what came next, they were all dead before they even realized it. And once it was finished, the light of the sun peeked over the horizon, slowly lighting up thend.


    A new day had begun.


    Ming Yue came out in bloodied clothes, nonchntly finishing a massacre.


    "I was expecting something stronger but... oh well."


    Taking off her armor, she washed off the blood by the waterfall, cleaning herself while she was there. After that, it was her morning training.


    Hongyu soon awakened, lifting herself up and rubbing her eyes as she looked around. Her eyes were still a bit droopy but soon enough, she was wide awake. The little girl looked around before finding the giant cat beast nestled by her.


    Her eyes widened as she smiled and hugged the beast.


    Feeling movement, the cat awakened and looked down at her before going back to sleep. It might''ve stopped the bleeding but internally, it was still quite injured, certainly more than a few broken bones.


    Letting go of the cat, Hongyu stood up and walked around curiously, exploring this new home of theirs.


    Apart from the encirclement of trees, they were by a cliff face where a small waterfall cascaded from above, collecting into a little pond with fish. It was quiet and peaceful, perhaps even more beautifulpared to the Halcyon Meadows.


    She had quite a bit of fun roaming around, all of that tiredness and exhaustion seemed to have left her body. Partly due to the excitement but mostly due to a good night of sleep.


    Ming Yue had already noticed her moving while she practiced her swordsmanship. There was a small smile on her face as she watched the child happily run about, ying with Hei Yue and Xiao Yin.


    But once she finished, she got to work, examining the ce further.


    "Let''s see... I need two things, a home and a garden. There''s wood and stone so it shouldn''t be too difficult to do. We already have water and meat isn''t a problem. I just need to pick a location", she muttered.


    Ming Yue then stopped in front of a particr part of the area, where there was a trail of destruction left by the serpent.


    "Hmm, what should I do about this?" she wondered.


    "I don''t want more beasts toe here, it''d be dangerous for Hongyu. How do I get them to steer away from this area?"


    She furrowed her brows while thinking about it. Momentster, there was a light in her eyes as an idea came.


    "If it is all about territory, I just need to make it known that this is my territory! I need to set up was warning sign just like before!" she muttered.


    Making her ns, the young cultivator got started, starting with marking her territory.


    "Let''s see here, just the heads should be enough but it should be a clear sign right so... let''s do this."


    From her spatial ring, she took out the heads of every beast she had killed on the way here, including that of the giant serpent and the ones she just dealt with. And from there, she made a boundary of sorts, tall stakes with a head stuck right on top. Each one was ced not too far from each other, just a few trees apart.


    Once finished, Ming Yue looked at her handiwork, showing a rather mixed smile on her face.


    "This will certainly work but... it''s like a barbaric monster lives here or something", she thought to herself.


    The sight of various beast heads getting skewered and put up as a warning certainly wasn''t a pleasant sight to see. But it worked and she left it like that.


    What came after was working on a home which ended up being a shoddy hut made of the smashed tree trunks and branches from the serpent. There was only one room and enough space for everyone to squeeze in and nothing else. While she wasn''t trained in crafting, she did learn a bit from helping the other craftsmen in building the Cerulean Fortress.


    But the garden was excellently done, ten neatly made rows with six dedicated to medicinal nts and another four for vegetables. This was something Ming Yue was more knowledgeable in.


    And once she was finished everything, there was a satisfied look on her face. It wasn''t much but it was a start.


    This was their new home!


    "Alright, Hongyu! Let''s go eat dinner, you three as well,e on!" she called out.


    Soon enough, a little girl returned, followed by the three beasts. After a full day of ying and exploring, Hongyu was tired but still carried a happy smile on her face. Dinner was meat stewed with whatever Ming Yue could scavenge outside, filling and good.


    After that, she went to wash off the dirt and grime from Hongyu''s body, giving her fresh clothes.


    Just as the moon rose up, the child went to sleep, resting over a bed of leaves and a simple nket inside the hut. Ming Yue and the others were outside, tending to the fire. She watched the fire with a nk stare, lulled by this sense of peace.


    The giant cat beast approached her, sitting behind the young woman and curling up around the fire. The two tails waved around in the air happily.


    As if awakened, she suddenly looked up and turned towards the cat.


    "Ah you, I guess you want to stay here is it?" she asked.


    The cat looked back at her, meeting her gaze with its own. It then opened its mouth to yawn, closing its eyes and lying down.


    "Heh, I guess so. But I''ll have to give you a name like those two over there."


    She snickered and spoke although it seemed that the cat didn''t quite understand her. But Ming Yue continued on. Turning around, she looked at the cat in its entirety. Apart from the white fur, there were a few spots on its body, some ck, and some beige. Then there were its two tails, twisting about.


    "Mm, then Liang Wei, for your tails!" she suggested.


    The giant cat didn''t seem to react, only resting around her and the other beasts. It didn''t seem to mind that name.


    "Liang Wei it is then!"


    It was then that the beast meowed as if to agree to this name. Ming Yue couldn''t help but smile, finding this beast very cute. When she''s had to battle deadly serpents and walking mushrooms, something like a friendly giant cat was a wee change.


    After that, she took in a deep breath and breathed out, looking up at the sky.


    Now that night hade, the thing she dreaded wasing, sleep. Her dreams or perhaps nightmares at this point, whatever they were, although they were getting less frequent, they were certainly getting worse.


    Especially with this new one, fighting copies of herself. On one end, it was good training but on the other, it was unnerving to do so.


    What was the point of this dream?


    How was it connected to her past dream?


    And finally, would there be more different ones?


    "Would there even be an end to it?" she muttered.


    After a bit, she took out a map of the continent, one marked up by the Four ws. If Ming Yue couldn''t sleep yet, she would n out her next move now that she had found a ce to rest.


    "Hmm, I definitely need to check out some of the ruins but which one should I go to first?" she thought to herself.


    Then her eyes hovered over a certain name.


    "The White Sword''s Remains, was it?"

 Chapter 528 - Planning Her Next Move

    Thinking back to what the Four ws said about this particr set of ruins, she was intrigued by it. Both the danger and the peculiarity of it were alluring and to some degree, she felt as if she could find something there.


    "I wonder if those ruins are connected somehow."


    Ming Yue muttered to herself while studying the map.


    "I shouldn''t even bother going for it now. Getting there would take a month at least, maybe even longer. The whole journey might take several months, I don''t think I can leave Hongyu alone for that long", she thought.


    Apart from caring for the young child, she also had to protect her home. After all, those decapitated heads weren''t a full-proof solution, there were sure to be beasts who would take it as a challenge.


    And then there was another problem.


    "The Expedition Division also keeps watch of the ruins... I''d have to sneak in and out. Escaping would be simple but then I''d risk getting discovered. Hm, I should put it off forter then."


    As much as she wanted to go, she knew that it was not the right time.


    "I should explore the area around us, see what''s nearby", she muttered.


    Since she was close to the heart of the Savage Lands, much of it had been unexplored by the Expedition Division. Chances were, there could be some undiscovered ruins or lucky opportunities just for her. She may even find more clues about Hongyu.


    Despite the time she spent with the child, there wasn''t much that she could learn from her.


    Hongyu''s memory was faint after having slept in that room for thousands of years. There were many mysteries surrounding her, questions that hopefully she would find answered eventually.


    Thinking about her, she stood up and peered into the house. The little girl was still asleep, covered by the nket. Ming Yue could see the outline of her body curled up for more warmth. She furrowed her brows just a tad and walked into the house, taking another nket out from her spatial ring to cover the girl.


    Gentlyyering it onto her, Hongyu squirmed a bit, nestling deeper into the nkets.


    She smiled, watching for a few more moments before leaving the hut.


    "Keep watch over her and no matter what, don''te near me."


    As Ming Yue walked out, she spoke to the three beasts, all of which responded knowingly. After that, she moved away. Both the hut and the garden were located on one side of the waterfall so the young cultivator moved to the other side.


    She sat down and crossed her legs, seated across the pond.


    Closing her eyes, the young cultivator started to meditate, slowly cycling her energy through her entire body. It was a process that she''s done thousands if not hundreds of thousands of times. The sound of water flowing down the cliff face echoed whispered into her ears and soon she was lulled into sleep.


    And again she found herself standing in the shallow waters. Without even waiting for her, they rippled and gushed up, forming a doppelganger. It was already armed with Blood Moon and the Zephyr ws.


    Ming Yue stared back before opening her hand. The water rose up towards her palm, forming Blood Moon.


    "Alright, again."


    The next day, Ming Yue shuddered awake, looking around before staring at the rising sun. Releasing a heavy sigh, she looked around to find the grass shaved off or ttened.


    "Agh, still lost at five doppelgangers, I did better but still... damn it, I''m missing something, but what is it?"


    She contemted her experience for a bit before moving on to different things. Ming Yue stood up and scanned the surrounding areas before revealing a satisfied look.


    "So the boundary works, good."


    There was no point in obsessing over her dream when there were things that needed to be done. Despite that, Ming Yue still thought about it as she went through her morning training.


    "It has to be rted to the Sky Realm, if I cannot ovee a dream, how will I ovee my breakthrough?" she thought.


    As she trained, Hongyu soon awakened, exiting the house with a yawn and rubbing her eyes. But the little girl soon began her training, swinging the wooden practice sword that Ming Yue made for her.


    Then it was breakfast which whatever fruits Ming Yue could find outside.


    There were a few strange- looking ones but for the most part, she was happy to find ones she could recognize. Grabbing an apple from the pile, she took a crisp bite, tasting it.


    "Oh, how sweet!"


    Giving a look of surprise, she saw Hongyu take another fruit and eat it happily, savoring the honey-like sweetness.


    "Hongyu, after this I''ll be checking the surrounding areas. I''ll only be gone for a few hours so I''ll be back soon, okay?"


    She said to the girl.


    Hongyu looked up from her meal and nodded while there was still a bit of juice dribbling down her chin. Ming Yue couldn''t help but chuckle, wetting her hand in the pond to wipe the girl''s chin clean.


    "Alright then, I''ll be off after this. Xiao Yin,e with me but Hei Yue you stay with them okay? Liang Wei is still injured so you help him protect her."


    The fox whined a bit but ultimately nodded, epting his assignment.


    And after breakfast, the young woman took another pass around this little clearing before going out. Xiao Yin flew above her beforending on her shoulder, barely fitting on. The Star Owl blinked a few times before cooing, looking at Ming Yue happily.


    The pair stepped out and entered the Savage Lands.


    Walking past the skulls she put up, Ming Yue kept her senses alert, watching and listening for anything strange. At first, it was quiet, there was little sound except for her own steps and perhaps the rustling trees. But as they moved further and further away from her home, it returned to what she was used to, roars and screeches every now and then. The ground trembled from either an ending fight somewhere or just the steps of a great beast.


    Whatever the case, Ming Yue and Xiao Yin made their way around quietly, slipping through the trees and avoiding any unwanted trouble.


    "Xiao Yin, I just need to check the surrounding areas, see if there''s anything strange around us. Don''t start a fight, okay?"


    The owl hooted, flying low and moving from one tree to the next.


    Scanning the area, she took the time to forage as well, gathering anything from food to materials. While doing that, she mapped out the areas that the map didn''t show, what thend was like, and any features like rivers and hills.


    "Hmm, it gets more mountainous if I go north, past the waterfall. And the cliff face... it expands for quite some distance, definitely more than just a few days worth of travel. Actually, wait..."


    At this point, she stood on a rocky path, further north where there were fewer trees and more rock. Looking around, she walked towards the highest point around her, standing on the tallest tree. She narrowed her eyes and looked into the north.


    "Are those ruins? Out in the open?" she muttered in surprise.


    It was far from her but not far enough to escape her eyes. Not to mention, she wasn''t expecting thendscape either. Although it seemed rockier now, there weren''t any mountains waiting for her but teaus, massive teaus that were overflowing with massive trees that grew into the clouds. It seemed as if giant tracts ofnd were just pulled up from the ground.


    But there was one in particr that was very sparse with those trees and it was the one with the ruins.

 Chapter 529 - Ruinous Spires

    Ming Yue checked the map to see if those ruins or even those teaus were marked or drawn but they weren''t. And so, she began making notes of it on the map.


    "With all these new marks I''m making, I might have to get a new map, or make my own", she thought.


    But she was no expert in map-making and her artistic skills were less than perfect. Even if she did try to make her own, chances were that no one but her could read it. In any case, she took a few minutes to mark it all down, sketching over the map with ink and brush from her ring.


    After that, she put the map away and dropped down from the trees.


    "Xiao Yin, stay close with me okay?"


    The owl cooed and flew down, resting on her shoulders.


    "Come into my arms."


    Ming Yue opened her arms allowing Xiao Yin to nestle in, making herselffortable within the woman''s grasp. Safe and secure, the Changing Clouds Armor transformed into its second form, increasing her defense and strengthening her in exchange for more of her energy.


    With her preparationplete, she looked down at the owl who had been facing up, watching Ming Yue.


    "Alright, stay close to me."


    Her voice was gentle towards the owl, who purred at the sound of her voice.*


    Ming Yue then looked forward, staring towards the direction of the ruins. She leaned forward and bent her knees a tad before jumping up and out of the trees, flying towards them. With the power of her armorbined with her own speed, she reached the ruins in no time. A trip that would''ve taken a full day on foot took just a few minutes for her to reach.


    As she came close, she dropped down in front of the ruins, deactivating her armor and letting Xiao Yin loose.


    Looking in front of her, the young cultivator could only stare in wonder as to what this ce once was.


    "This is definitely not an ordinary ce", she muttered, "Far too strange to be normal."


    Indeed these ruins were just as she described.


    They were spires, a collection of tall ck spires that barely touched the clouds. If they were any taller, some would think that they were pirs that held the sky up. There were over a dozen of them, sixteen to be exact and each one was identical to thest.


    "What is this ce? Human? Demon? Beast?" she wondered.


    Ming Yue began to roam this ce, studying the spires and looking for an entrance. The spires themselves were ck but glimmered under the dim sunlight like obsidian. They were featureless, with no windows or even a ledge, just sixteen spires scattered over the teau. The more time she spent, the more confused she was.


    "There''s no entrance, not even some clue or mechanism. Is it a secret path? Or are these spires something else?"


    She pondered this while looking around but she found nothing else, only the spires. Ming Yue couldn''t even tell if they were human, demonic, or even beast, not even the faintest idea of its origin.


    But then she looked at each of the spires closely, specifically where they were ced.


    "What if..."


    Furrowing her brows, she flew up climbing higher and higher up the spires before looking down at the ground.


    And there, she confirmed her suspicions.


    "Of course! it''s a formation!"


    Indeed, these sixteen spires formed a strange formation, two octagons on top of each other and pointing in sixteen different directions. But certainly, there was more than just that.


    Ming Yue flew down to the center, picking at it with her hand. Wiping away the dust and debris, she saw faint markings under it all, they were very faint but they were there.


    "If it''s like this, I''ll have to clean it off all at once."


    While thinking that, the wind slowly began to pick up as she gathered her power. And with the flick of her wrist, a powerful gust of wind passed through, blowing off the dust and pebbles. In a matter of seconds, what seemed like dirt and stone became a grand formation, incredibly ornate and strangely ominous looking.


    In fact, the moment she cleaned it all off, Ming Yue furrowed her brows in an instant.


    "What is this feeling?" she noticed.


    It was a very strange feeling, the faintest of powering from within the formation. It didn''t feel evil or ominous in any way. It was just there as if a feather on her shoulder.


    Kneeling down, she ced her hand at the center trying to sense where exactly this energy came from and where it was going. But her face revealed a perplexed expression as she stood up, taking her hand away.


    "The spires are gathering power at the center and storing it in the ground but where is it going? It just vanishes once it reaches this point."


    Her gaze went across the entire formation and then she flew up to get a better look at it.Xiao Yin joined her in the air as Ming Yue looked down.


    "Sixteen spires in total and all of them are connected to the middle of the formation. But there''s something else... not a beast or some patter but gates... eight gates in total. And each one is connected to two spires. Then this formation, It''s sealing something!"


    She quickly realized this as she looked from above but that led to another question.


    "What is it sealing?"


    This question caused her to feel somewhat apprehensive.


    What would such a great formation like this be sealing?


    Immediately her mind went towards the Idol of Chaos but she quickly shook that thought off.


    "It can''t be that. I couldn''t sense any sort of life within it", she muttered.


    But then Ming Yue looked up at the sky. Her mind went back to her very first thought when she was looking around thend.


    "Then what if I wasn''t wrong? What if it was passed the clouds?"


    She had been looking for something else in the beginning, something that she didn''t see but perhaps she did not look in the correct ce. When she thought this, it felt as if she was right. However, there was only one way to check.


    "I have to go past the clouds."


    Ming Yue began to ascend to the clouds with Xiao Yin following her but she stopped the owl.


    "Stay down here, it might be too dangerous for you."


    The Star Owl looked at her for a few seconds before flying back down. And the cultivator continued her journey upwards, flying closer and closer to the clouds. As she came closer, she felt a very familiar feeling and continued up, flying past the clouds.


    The feeling grew stronger and stronger, her suspicions were already confirmed but Ming Yue had to see it for herself.


    The clouds continued to thicken until she could barely see in front of her and then they slowly thinned out. Ming Yue finally emerged from the clouds and saw for herself what was there. And it was exactly what she thought it was.


    "If it was in there in the Human and Demon Continent, there is no way it wouldn''t be here."


    There, right in the middle of the tips of the sixteen spires was a chaotic power in which swathes of clouds swirled about menacingly. Indeed it was that very thing, the same thing above the Merciless Storm Peak and the very thing that the Hundun n practically worshipped.


    "The remnant energy of the Cmity", she muttered.


    But unlike the past two times, this one was different, rather smaller, vastly smaller, and weaker. And everything began to make sense.


    "Of course.... this formation is absorbing the remnant power and sealing it!"

 Chapter 530 - Thunderous Discovery!

    She was right.


    Ming Yue watched as the spires pulled wisps of that power, bringing it down into the ground. With her cultivation, she saw it all happen, and once she did, things began to click into ce.


    The young woman flew back down, gracefullynding on the ground.


    However, she did not stop watching the spires, following the traces of energy as it vanished into the round below. Her eyes were full of invigorated interest as she came to her own conclusions.


    "This must have been created before the Cmity happened. It is not a creation of Human, Demon, or Beast origin but all three worked on this together. They must''ve wanted to find a way to contain it or ovee it", she thought.


    But knowing what Ming Yue knew, there was a stony expression on her face.


    "Unfortunately, they must have been toote to create something like this on the other continents. Or perhaps, they weren''t expecting there to be two other instances. Maybe they thought that the Cmity would begin on the Beast Continent."


    Her eyes looked over the formation, examining it some more.


    "Or maybe they were right about where it would begin but underestimated the power of the Heavens. The formation works though, It definitely fulfilled its purpose of absorbing the energy but they must not have expected what came after", she muttered.


    Indeed there was one more part to this that Ming Yue had yet to address.


    "The energy the formation pulled was sent into thend, they must''ve thought it was enough but none of them would''ve thought that it would end up poisoning the continent. Because of that, the Savage Lands came to be. The energy invaded the nts which were eaten by the beasts and so, they ended up mutated."


    The young cultivator walked out of the formation and then stared out into thends.


    "The energy itself had also changed so I wouldn''t have noticed it either."


    At this moment, she had discovered the reason as to why the Beast Continent had be the way it was. Her mind continued to move, racing even as she went from one thought to the next.


    "That would make sense. They couldn''t foresee it and even if they found out, the other continents were suffering from the Cmity so they would have abandoned it, even forgotten about this too. That would exin why this had been active the entire time."


    Ming Yue looked back at the formation, her eyes rose up towards the clouds where the remaining energy was obscured from sight.


    Of course, this also meant one more thing.


    "They knew the Cmity woulde and they tried to avoid it. But they couldn''t, it just came slower and differently. It didn''t outright destroy thend but instead spread like poison. Would this mean that the next one could not be avoided?" she wondered.


    After all, it had been a few thousand years since thest one, chances were the next one woulde soon.


    And then her mind then went back to Dai Mian, the Sect Leader of the Tao Feng, and what he had tried to do.


    "That man was searching for a way to defend against the next Cmity, to absorb the remaining energy and use that to go against the Heavens. He nearly forced it to happen early in an attempt to bend it to his will. But rather than do that, he ended up causing destruction everywhere. But this formation... perhaps this is the key", she thought.


    A discovery like this was more than incredible, it was world-changing. After all, it represented many things. That fact that the Heaven''s energy would be harnessed like this. The fact that this was a creation that required the minds of all three continents. And the fact that maybe the Cmity could not be avoided but it could be influenced by mortal hands.


    If it couldn''t be stopped, then perhaps it could be weakened.


    Ming Yue continued to ponder until the sun was starting to set. Even as she left with Xiao Yin, returning to their abode, her mind was still engrossed with what she had discovered.


    And while many of her conclusions were perhaps mere guesses, it was not without reason.


    Furthermore, she wasn''t even sure if she had figured out the master n.


    "There must be more to this! Perhaps it might even be connected to Hongyu as well", she thought.


    But of course, there was much that Ming Yue had yet to uncover, especially with the three continents.


    For now, she had other things to worry about, one of them being dinner.


    She soon returned to their home where Hongyu was awake, roaming about. Both Hei Yue and Liang Wei were by the hut,zing about on the grass. All three of them puckered up when they noticed Ming Yue''s flying back,ing to meet her when shended with Xiao Yin.


    "Time to unload everything."


    Holding her hand out, all of the things that Ming Yue had gathered from this little day trip flew out of her spatial ring, piling up in front of everyone.


    From wild vegetables and medicinal nts, there was quite a sizable amount. She then moved on to organizing it all before having the others move them elsewhere. Some were to be ced in the garden, others readied for drying racks.


    Once finished she moved on to the next matter.


    "Alright, dinner then. I think we can use this one?"


    Fiddling with her ring, the body of a beast flew out of it,nding on the ground with a heavy thud.


    It was a cow... or at least it resembled a bull of some sort. Apart from the two curved horns and its ck body, there was a rather unusual aspect to this beast that certainly separated it from a normal cow.


    Apart from itsrge size was its extraordinarily thick body. When fighting it, she found that it could easily smash through dozens of trees like nothing. And knowing this, Ming Yue wasn''t even sure if this beast would make a good meal. With such a tough body, she wouldn''t be surprised if its meat was equally as tough.


    But then she noticed Liang Wei''s eyes, the giant cat beast stared at the ck cow with interest. So much so that there was a bit of drool dribbling down its mouth.


    "I guess, it must taste good then", she thought.


    And so, Ming Yue unsheathed Blood Moon, holding it with one hand as she motioned towards butchering the cow. Soon enough, the pelt was cut off and all of the meat had been separated from the bone, a process that surprised her.


    "That was... surprisingly easy."


    Maybe it was because of Blood Moon, but the butchering was much quicker and easier than she thought. The flesh easily gave way to her de.


    And more interesting than that, the beast''s meat wasn''t tough but soft and even appetizing.


    Cutting them into bs, she picked a few and cooked them, grilling over the fire with a few herbs and spices. Once finished, she ced it on a tree stump that she had taken from the edge of their home, ttening it and smoothing it out, turning it into a table of sorts.


    By then, everyone was hungry, digging into their portion and savoring what truly was a good meal. Even Ming Yue couldn''t help but widen her eyes a bit at the meat. After having wolf meat and dried rations for days on end, a proper meal like this truly couldn''t be beaten.


    And the bull meat was incredible, soft and tender but also containing the strong vor of beef. Coupled with the herbs and spices, it was a very good meal, one that was missing one key thing.


    "Ah, we have meat and vegetables but no rice.... if only."

 Chapter 531 - A Few Strange Stones

    The following day, Ming Yue went off to explore again, heading up north once again.


    "If there was such a formation array like that there, what else could there be?"


    This was what she thought and such a thought was not without reason. What else could she find past the formation?


    Heading off with Xiao Yin, the pair soared through the air, going straight for the formation first. Meanwhile, Hongyu was left with Hei Yue and Liang Wei, both of whom were looking at the little girl with interested eyes.


    She looked back, revealing a big smile on her face as she ran up to Liang Wei, giving the giant cat a hug. But the child moved quickly, climbing onto the back of the beast and pointing right at the waterfall.


    Since the day had just begun and being the child that she was, Hongyu was very energetic and quite excited.


    Why was she excited?


    It was because she had discovered something quite interesting, something beyond the waterfall!


    Liang Wei meowed before moving forward, carrying her while Hei Yue followed along with a wagging tail. The Mistral Fox might have grown up a bit but it was just as excited as Hongyu for this.


    With Ming Yue and Xiao Yin on one adventure, this trio was on their own, approaching the waterfall. From the outside, it was a small one, with clear water flowing from an opening within a cliff face. It fell and gathered into a beautiful pond,plete with fish.


    It was a shallow pond, deep enough to reach Liang Wei''s knees. For Hei Yue, the fox had to swim across.


    Coming closer and closer, they didn''t stop as they walked right through the waterfall, getting drenched by the cold water. And what should''ve been the cliff wall was instead a cave,rge enough to fit them but just barely. Hongyu''s head was just a foot from the ceiling.


    As they entered, the sound of rushing water echoed throughout it.


    With the sun out, the light of day shined through the water, illuminating the cave just a bit.


    Hongyu stared forward, holding her breath as Liang Wei and Hei Yue walked forward. The further in they went, the darker it became. This was the furthest they had gone and there didn''t seem to be an end to it.


    The child narrowed her eyes trying to see past the darkness but such a thing was difficult for her. And the cave soon grew quieter, reced by a silent wind and water droplets sshing on the ground.


    She couldn''t help but cling tighter to Liang Wei''s fur, curling over as her eyes darted from one ce to the next. There was a hint of fear in them.


    With such darkness, any child would be afraid.


    Liang Wei suddenly stopped, feeling her tightening grip. The giant cat turned and looked up with a concerned face, even mewing as if to ask if she was okay.


    But like any child, Hongyu straightened up, puffing out her chest, and putting up a brave face. There was plenty of time and she was with them, this young girl wasn''t going to give up so easily. And so, the trio carried on.


    Hei Yue scouted far ahead of the other two.


    Long used to the darkness, the Mistral Fox felt nothing but excitement and curiosity, stopping any now and then to sniff the ground. Moving with little fear, Hei Yue practically strolled through the cavernous tunnel, looking for anything strange or interesting.


    And it didn''t take long for them to find something.


    It suddenly yipped in excitement, calling for Hongyu and Liang Wei toe quicker. Hearing the fox, they rushed forward, joining their friend and finding what exactly the fox found.


    This cave ran quite deeply into the cliff face.


    And it was so dark that Hongyu could barely see what was in front of her.


    Strangely enough, there was light before them as the end of the cave expanded into a room. Coming from a crack in the ceiling, it brightened up the room while highlighting the center of it, where a very peculiar thing was there.


    The girl''s eyes widened with curiosity as the other two beasts looked at it with a bit of confusion.


    Liang Wei lowered, letting Hongyu get off and following her as she walked up to this strange thing.


    As for what it was, it could simply be described as a pile of rocks. But of course, there is more to it than just that. Even it was just a pile of rocks, anyone could see that they weren''t normal. They were stones stacked on top of each other, from thergest stone at the bottom to a tiny pebble at the top.*


    But that was just the core of it as there were other stones stacked on top of each other, expanding from this central pir. They were stones of all sizes and shapes, ced with such care and bnce that they just fit together. From the outside, it seemed as if taking out one stone would ruin it all, and yet, it felt as if you couldn''t break it.


    It was seemingly impossible and yet it was right in front of their eyes, aperfect bnce, one that couldn''t be broken.


    The little girl walked around it, looking at it with wonder, curious as to how this strange phenomenon came to be. At the same time, Liang Wei and Hei Yue sniffed it cautiously, not knowing whether these stones were good or bad.


    In the end, it was just stone and neither of them smelled anything suspicious. They just looked at it with that same curiosity as Hongyu.


    The child stopped walking around it and knelt down, still looking at it. The pile of stones was quite small.


    She raised her hand, moving to touch it, just to give it a small tap.


    Hongyu just wanted to see what would happen.


    Meanwhile, Ming Yue and Xiao Yin reached the teaus quite fast, stopping at the spires to check on them. Of course, there was no change from yesterday which prompted the pair to move on, venturing further north.


    They soon stopped at the next teau which unlike the first one was filled with giant trees, ones that grew up into clouds.


    "It doesn''t seem like any of them grow past the clouds."


    Thinking back to yesterday when she flew into the sky, Ming Yue only found the remnant Cmity energy and nothing else.


    "If that''s the case, then what do the tops of these trees look like? Rather, what lives here?" she wondered.


    Descending down on the teau, shended at the edge of it, looking forward at the numerous trees. They were incredibly thick, wide enough to fit a little house, and they had a somewhat dark brown sheen to them. They seemed like trees and at the same time, they didn''t.


    "Could I even cut these down?" she wondered.


    Whatever these trees were, they felt very tough. But just to satiate her curiosity, Ming Yue took out her Blood Moon, holding it with both hands. She stood right in front of a tree, treating it like the enemy, she did not hold back. Her strength flowed from her body into the sword, causing it to glow a faint crimson color.


    "Waning Moon."


    Swinging out, she released a crescent sh of energy as Blood Moon cut through the thick trunk. There was a ringing sound as the de sliced right through the tree. A quick strike that ended with Ming Yue sheathing it.


    Strangely enough, it seemed as if the tree was unaffected. It didn''t fall over but stayed exactly where it was.


    But Ming Yue seemed satisfied, giving the tree a look before entering the forest.. If it were anyone else, they''d have to look closer to find a very thin, almost imperceptible line that cut through the entire trunk.

 Chapter 532 - Land Of Secrets

    "If I didn''t use all of my strength, I probably wouldn''t have been able to make such a clean cut through the tree", she thought.


    With that in mind, Ming Yue moved deeper into the teau where there were even more trees waiting for her. In fact, it began to look like a maze as she saw nothing but trees around her. They were all the same, massive and tall.


    Worse yet, these trees reached up to the clouds, practically stopping any sunlight from entering.


    Rather than a bright sunny day, it felt like the pair was in a cold and dim forest where a faint fog took ce.


    "Strange, how can there be such a difference?" she muttered.


    Ming Yue looked up to find the sky covered in darkness, no doubt created by the treetops.


    "Does anything even live around here?"


    As she moved through the trees, her eyes went from one to the other, looking for even the smallest hint of movement. Xiao Yin flew above her but stayed quite close. Even the Star Owl had a strange feeling about this ce.


    And there were more than just one of these teaus, there were at least over a dozen of them, each one just like the other.


    Ming Yue just continued moving forward, trying to see if there was more to this than just trees. But this one had nothing.


    "Hm, onto the next then."


    Having walked straight through without sensing a single living thing, she flew off to the next teau. But the result was the same, there was nothing around her. There wasn''t even a de of grass on here.


    And after exploring a few more, she stopped.


    Exiting thisst one, Ming Yue flew off and turned back to look at the teaus and the numerous trees.


    "Is there only that formation?"


    There was some disappointment on her face as she gave another look around the scene. Part of her wanted to go and explore all of the teaus but after checking these first few, chances were that more disappointment would await her.


    Turning to leave, she started to fly off until two things caught her attention.


    From above, Xiao Yin was calling for her attention, hooting as the owl pointed up at the clouds with one of its wings. And below her, there was something that caught her eyes, cracks running through the gaps between the teaus. But it wasn''t the cracks that grabbed her attention but what was within them.


    There seemed to be something growing beneath them.


    If she hadn''t been flying above, she wouldn''t have noticed it. Rather, if she hadn''t gone towards the middle of this ce, Ming Yue wouldn''t have seen the cracks.


    But now she had found two things to investigate, the question was which one?


    Taking a few moments to think, Ming Yue made her decision.


    "I''ll go up first, Xiao Yin seems concerned over what''s up there."


    She looked in the direction where the Star Owl pointed, staring up into the clouds. Xiao Yin had pointed at the teau that they had just left.


    "Hmm, if it''s not on the ground, then maybe it''s all in the treetops", she thought.


    It was certainly not impossible but Ming Yue wasn''t sure what to expect. The cultivator ascended up towards the clouds, flying close to the treetop before entering it with Xiao Yin. As she expected the top certainly resembled the rest of the trees. The branches had the same sheen as the trunk and the leaves were of a dark green color.


    Other than that, it was dense with leaves and even more maze- like than the ground level.


    It was hard to tell what branches belonged to what trees as they were all intertwined with each other. And with the leaves, it was as if she was stuck inside a giant bush.


    "I wonder why Xiao Yin called me to this ce?"


    Ming Yue gentlynded on one of the branches, looking around as she quietly moved from one branch to the next. While moving about, she heard something, a low rhythmic rumbling.


    "What was that?"


    Her eyes widened as she raised her senses to their highest. Looking around, she moved slowly, trying to find the source of this sound. However, the branches coiled even tighter as Ming Yue moved closer to the center. It had gone to a point where she couldn''t go any further as there was barely any space to move. She could barely even move her fingers forward.


    "I could cut my way through but I don''t want to alert whatever is here."


    Ming Yue then exited the dense treetop, looking at it up close. Although she couldn''t go deeper in, she wasn''t going to give up just like that. Her eyes then moved higher, past the clouds.


    "What if I go from the top?" she thought.


    Flying further up, she went past the clouds and moved closer towards the surface. As she flew over the top of the trees, Ming Yuended on the leaves and branches, looking around her as she did but it was difficult to see around her.


    After all, she was within the depths of the clouds.


    Ming Yue slowly made her way towards the middle of the trees, walking over the treetop. Each step came with the sound of rustling while she narrowed her eyes, trying to see through the clouds. The low rumbling was much louderpared to before.


    Her hand slowly reached for Blood Moon, resting on the hilt as she moved closer.


    At this moment, Xiao Yin didn''t dare fly, instead, the owlnded on the treetop, following Ming Yue.


    They moved closer and closer, hearing the rumbling grow louder with each step. Suddenly, the clouds thinned out as she saw what exactly was there.


    Standing at the edge, Ming Yue looked with surprise before looking down at Xiao Yin.


    "How did you even find this?" she asked with a strangely shocked tone.


    The Star Owl merely looked up at her and cooed, as if not knowing what was before them. In fact, Xiao Yin seemed quite proud to have found this.


    Ming Yue turned to look at the sight before her.


    "I didn''t think I''d see it here", she muttered.


    "The Devouring Goose."


    Indeed, what was before her was none other than this terrifying beast. This massive bird that she had witnessed eating a portion of thend, trees, boulders, and countless beasts. And now that she was standing before it, the Devouring Goose seemed muchrger now. Its size was second to the World Serpent, who could fit its body within the Cerulean Serpent''s Lake.


    And thatke wasparable to any sea.


    As for the Devouring Goose, it was perhaps a dozen timesrger than the golem. Fortunately, it was asleep while Ming Yue examined it from afar.


    "That low rumbling must''ve been this beast snoring, doesn''t seem like it will wake up any time soon. Let''s have a closer look at it then."


    Along with Xiao Yin, the pair moved forward, checking their surroundings.


    "So this is its nest... is it the same for the other ones then?" she wondered.


    While she did check the ground, Ming Yue didn''t think to check the treetops as well. Having gone above the clouds before, she didn''t see anything that warranted her attention.


    "Mm, I shouldn''t have underestimated how dense those clouds were."


    Thinking this, she circled around the Devouring Goose, trying to see if there was anything aside from the beast. However, there was nothing else to see. It was just the beast, not even the bones of the prey it consumed were here.


    Ming Yue backed off, leaving the beast and descending from the top.


    "Now I know where to find that beast next time.. Now, it''s time to see what''s down below."

 Chapter 533 - Spreading Like Poison

    As the pair descended, Ming Yue showed more interest as to what was underground. Theynded in a few minutes, standing between the teaus and within the gaps.


    "I can''t believe that I missed this earlier", she muttered.


    Before her were these cracks that spread all throughout the pathways, some wererge and others were small. Being so focused on the spires and the teaus, Ming Yue didn''t seem to notice these cracks. Albeit from afar, it was just shadows and darkness within them.


    However, it was easy to tell that it was all caused by the same thing. And now that she had a closer look, Ming Yue saw exactly what it was.


    "Roots, tree roots!"


    She knelt down and peered into the cracks, finding dense tree roots underneath. They twisted and coiled against one another tightly. Their color was no different from the tree trunks but something about them was strange.


    Knocking against the ground, some of it crumbled apart.


    "Doesn''t seem to be a big drop", she thought.


    Ming Yue then turned to Xiao Yin.


    "Stay here, alert me if there''s anything going on out there but be careful, okay?"


    The owl cooed in response, watching as the young cultivator slipped through the cracks, vanishing from sight.


    Landing on the roots, Ming Yue looked around her, studying the area. With all of the cracks scattered across, it was dimly lit, revealing the vastness of it all.


    "Is this... is this all connected?" she muttered.


    Looking from one end to the next, Ming Yue soon realized that the underground was much different than she had expected.


    It was hollow inside as if the ground was just a shell for the roots. And it expanded for as far as the eye could see, most likely underneath this entire piece ofnd. Each of the teaus had roots that came from this, intertwined with one another. All of it was connected, each and every tree from all of the teaus.


    And her eyes followed it all to the way to a specific ce, the teau with the formation.


    "I was right, all of this is caused by the formation!" she thought.


    Making her way towards it, Ming Yue felt a strange energy emanating from it, no doubt the result of this formation. The remnant Cmity energy had changed, mutated after being sealed into thend, turned into a poison.


    But there was certainly more to it than that.


    As she walked closer and closer, the aura grew stronger and denser. Until Xue Yue suddenly spoke out.


    "Take Blood Moon out, now!" she shouted.


    Hearing this, Ming Yue immediately brandished her sword as she felt the energy around her fluctuate. The tree roots shivered and trembled before something shot out, screeching as it opened its mouth to eat her.


    But she was ready for this sudden attack, swinging out and cutting this thing from its mouth through its tail.


    ckish blood sttered all over, marking her clothes and sizzling as the two halves of this creature fell to the ground. She felt a burning sensation on her skin as some of it got on her, biting away at her body.


    "Acidic blood?"


    Quickly, she circted her energy, building it up into an aura, and scattered the blood off of her.


    "What was that?"


    Ming Yue turned to look but swiftly spun back as another one came out, screeching with its mouth wide open. Her sword shed, killing it in the same way. But that wasn''t the end of it.


    The hole that the tree roots created echoed out with a strange sound, skittering like that of bugs.


    She nced at the two creatures out from the corner of her eye, staying alert for any new ones.


    "What is that? Centipedes? They''re so ferocious... No, of course, they would be. This is the heart of the Savage Lands where the remnant energy is at its densest. They must''ve been absorbing that energy all this time", she thought.


    And by the soundsing from that hole, there were more than just two.


    "So this must be what would''ve happened to the entire continent. It would''ve been teaus and tree roots. Everything would end up like this, as if a gue swept through it all."


    Looking back down, her eyes shimmered with light as she pointed her hand at the hole.


    "I can''t fix this all by myself but a bit of culling should help."


    The skittering grew louder as more of these centipedes climbed up but a powerful wind pushed them back. It then twisted and spun gently before building up into a violent tornado. What came after was thebined sound of cracked shells and shrieks of pain. Although it couldn''t be seen, she could hear these centipedes getting torn apart by the tornado.


    And all she did was add more power to it, increasing the rate at which they died.


    "I won''t be able to kill them all but getting rid of most of them should do something", she thought.


    This extermination of sorts continued until she could no longer hear the screeches. That was when she stopped, taking another look around her. There was a look of slight relief before jumping out of the crack.


    "The energy weakened, that''s a good sign."


    Exiting it, she was greeted by Xiao Yin as the owl flew up andnded on her shoulder.


    "Alright, let''s go back, we''ve done enough for today", she said.


    Xiao Yin cooed in response to Ming Yue, flying in the direction where their home was. The young woman followed after the Star Owl but turned back for a moment, looking down at the teaus. She was silent and left soon after.


    This was definitely a problem but she was only one person.


    This formation had muchrger implications than she could have imagined. Ming Yue couldn''t reverse what had happened to thend. At best, she could try to slow it down. But with the spread of this energy, thend around it was slowly dying, transforming into what she had saw before. She would have to periodically return.


    And whilst she returned to her home, the tribes of the beast-kin had gathered together.


    At this moment, there were nearly a hundred individuals, each was a leader of one of the strongest tribes. They were gathered within a giant, circr hall seated in rows, one higher than the other. Some were exceedingly powerful, others were wisened, and few were timid.


    Suddenly someone stood up, a beast-kin resembling that of a lion.


    There was certain power to him but also a calm and experienced expression. Dressed in heavy robes, he spoke up.


    "I''m sure you all know why we have gathered here", he said.


    They all looked at him, some nodded at his words.


    "Of course we do, Ruishi Wang, this is about the teleportation array, yes?" one of them said.


    Ruishi Wang nodded with a serious expression.


    "Yes, one of the Expedition teams, the Four ws have discovered one and killed the beast that imed it as their home. Now that we know of its location, we now must find a way to activate it."


    He exined, looking at them all.


    "Our schrs are already working to find any clues as is the Expedition Division, working tirelessly to find more information from the ruins. However, be as it may, there is little to find. At best, all that we know is that it requires an immense quantity of energy, we do not know how to activate it."


    "So, what do you want to do then?" one of the elders asked.


    Ruishi Wang smiled and looked at the one who spoke.


    "I am d that you asked. I want to propose sending a special team to the North, where the heart of the Savage Lands is", he said.

 Chapter 534 - Lion And The Fox

    Chapter 534 ¨C Lion And The Fox


    As soon as Ruishi Wang spoke those words, the hall exploded with words as everyone began talking to one another.


    "Are you serious?! Do you think we can spare the manpower for something like this?"


    "No one has ever entered the heart of the Savage Lands ande back alive! What makes you think that this attempt will be different?!"


    "Ruishi Wang do you really think that we''re stupid? How can we not suspect that you want to weaken the other ns?"


    Immediately, there were looks of suspicion and disdain, shouts of disapproval, and quiet murmuring. Despite all of this, the lion-kin did not seem to react at all. Instead, he suddenly shouted.


    "Enough!"


    His expression suddenly changed to a serious one as he red at them all.


    "Do you think this is the time to restrain oneself? To y with little tricks and schemes behind each other''s backs? Despite our efforts, we are not going to win this battle. All of you know that! Are you going to deny it?!"


    Roaring out, his words silenced everyone else for what he said was nothing but the truth.


    The lion-kin rxed his expression, taking on a more amiable look as he sighed.


    "I know that you all are skeptical about me but hear me out, I will be sending the strongest of my tribe. I''m sure that you know who that is?" he said.


    There was a look of surprise on their faces.


    "Ruishi Lei? You would send him? Why?" one of them eximed.


    He looked at the elder that spoke directly.


    "Why? Isn''t it obvious? We have no other option but to use everything at our disposal at this point. If not, we will only decline further! This is our chance! A race against time! With a team of elites, I''m certain that we will find what we''re looking for in the North!"


    At this moment, there was a bit of murmuring among the others, considering their options, wondering if this was the right choice to make.


    Ruishi Wang watched as they were all deep in thought. Although he hid it as best he could, there was a hint of joy in his eyes.


    And then a clear crisp voice cut through the murmurs and whispers, a woman''s voice at that.


    "How do you know?" this person asked.


    He looked at her with a smile.


    "What do you mean how do I know, Huxian Qie?" he responded.


    She stood up, distinguishing themselves from the others.


    Standing tall, Huxian Qie had a mature and dignified air around her. Aside from her height and aura, her clothes were vastly different from the other elders, wearing elegant robes of silk and chiffon. Aside from that was a sash coiling around her arms and waist.


    However, the most interesting part was her appearance. She looked human, devoid of any beastly features like the others. If one didn''t look closely, you would think that she was a nobledy but there was one part that hinted at her true nature.


    Her eyes stared at the Lion-kin.


    They were bewitching like that of a fox''s. In fact, her eyes resembled that of fox eyes, coy and calcting.


    "How do you know that what we need is at the heart of the Savage Lands?" she asked.


    Standing in front of him, it was clear that neither was superior to the other, equal in power and presence. And when posed with that question, he smiled and answered.


    "How can it be not? Of all the ces we''ve yet to explore, the North has remainedrgely unknown to us. Even how it looks is something we don''t know."


    Huxian Qie narrowed her eyes.


    "What you say is true but we have yet to explore all everywhere else. There are plenty of ruins that have yet to be investigated. So how can you say that such a dangerous ce is ourst option?" she questioned him.


    But she had yet to corner him as he promptly responded.


    "Ah but the more dangerous it is, the greater the reward! It may not be certain but it is likely that it is the heart of the Savagnds that has what we need."


    "Really now?"


    She raised a brow at him to which he returned a smile and nodded.


    "I believe this wholeheartedly."


    It was then that Huxian Qie broke out a smile.


    "Then what about the White Sword''s Remains? What of all the other ''First ss'' ruins that have remained unexplored? Why can we not form a special team to clear them first?" she asked.


    "Bu-"


    "Didn''t you say that the more dangerous it is, the greater the reward? Who knows, we may even find what we need there instead of wandering aimlessly in the North. What if they get lost? Killed by some monstrous creature? What happens then?"


    She continued to talk, gazing at the others while making sure that he did not get an opportunity to speak.


    "Even if we don''t find a way to activate the teleportation array. I''m sure that we''ll obtain some powerful treasures along the way, won''t we?"


    "Don''t get ahead of yourself!"


    Unable to contain himself, Ruishi Wang roared out at her to which she just smiled back.


    "Oh, I think that it is you who is getting ahead of himself. Gathering everyone here to listen to this absurd proposal of yours. Do you know what this will do if you fail? You will cripple us, hammer thest nail on the coffin against your own", she replied.


    "Do not underestimate me! I''m sure that with the strongest and most skilled together, there is only sess waiting for us!"


    "No, Ruishi Wang¡­"


    She then pointed at him.


    "I am not underestimating you, you are underestimating us. Now then I''m sure that everyone has made their decision."


    Her eyes swept over the other Elders, all of whom had watched the exchange unfold. There was nothing but silence until one of them stood up.


    "I agree. We must further our efforts on the ruins, form an elite team from all three divisions. No manpower will be spared", they announced.


    Following him were the others, standing to join their fellow elder.


    "I agree."


    "I agree."


    "I agree."


    One by one, they all voiced their decision, echoing each other, siding with Huxian Qie. Only a few stayed seated, either unable to decide or embarrassed to show support for Ruishi Wang.


    As for the Lion-kin, he sputtered but couldn''t utter a word. He was stifled, barely able to contain himself as his lips quivered. If it weren''t for his head being that of a lion, one could''ve seen the redness of rage off of his face.


    Seconds passed as his clenched fists unfurled and he revealed a smile.


    "I understand. If that is what you wish, then so be it. I know that there is much to discuss but I will be taking my leave first. I must inform Ruishi Lei of this", he said.


    Without sparing another nce at them, he left the halls, exiting the building into a peaceful city. There, some of his tribesmen greeted him, cupping their fists and bowing in respect.


    "Chief!" they all said.


    "Let''s go. We''re returning to the tribe first."


    His words came out quietly and coldly, it was easy for his men to realize that things had not gone his way. Thus, they left without making another sound, marching out of this city.


    Within the halls, the elders began to discuss other things with Huxian Xie taking a backseat. She watched as they all talked with a mysterious smile.


    "Hmph, Ruishi Wang, don''t think that I wouldn''t know what you''re after!" she thought, "I won''t let you have the power you want, Not when I''m here to keep you on a leash!"

 Chapter 535 - The Strongest Party

    Chapter 535 ¨C The Strongest Party


    In the days that passed, news of this directive came through the ears of all the tribes. Only the best and brightest would be gathered for the duty of clearing the most dangerous of ruins. There were no tests, no battles to prove who was worthy, rather the elders decided who would join.


    With all these tribes, however, there was still quite a number of them but that soon dwindled down to a mere twelve.


    And these twelve then stood in front of elders, standing before their gaze within these halls.Among them were Ao Qin and all four members of the Four ws, facing the discerning eyes of the elders.


    There was a bit of silence before one of the elders stood up.


    It was none other than Huxian Qie, the fox-kin, but Ruishi Wang sat right by her with his eyes closed.


    "All of you have been summoned here because of one reason, we have found the teleportation array that will connect us to the other races. After several thousand years, we will finally rejoin the humans and demons. However¡­"


    She paused and looked at them all.


    "There is a problem and this is something that the Four ws can tell you", she said.


    Hearing their title, the Four ws looked at her before the leader Niu Hong stepped forward and turned around.


    The ox-kin cupped his fists and bowed as he greeted the others.


    "My name is Niu Hong, leader of the Four ws. We were the ones who discovered the teleportation array", he said.


    Raising his head, he took something out of his spatial ring, a paper with a drawing of the array. No doubt it had been drawn by Qiang Rong.


    "This is what the array looks like and it is a hundred times the size of this drawing. With such size, it requires an enormous amount of power to activate it and maintain it. Gathering the power isn''t the difficult part, in fact, it is activating it. Despite searching the array and the surrounding areas, there were no ruins nor was there any w as to how it can be activated. Thus, we as the Four ws can only assume that it is within another set of ruins."


    After that, he returned to his spot and looked forward to see Huxian Qie smiling.


    "As he said, we do not have the means of using it. That is why we gather all of you here. each of you excels at something, whether it is ying powerful monsters, detecting traps, or finding treasure. You are all masters in your own right. Search what cannot be searched, find what cannot be found, that is your duty as a member of this group!" she announced.


    After that, the other elders including Ruishi Wang stood up with you, speaking in unison.


    "We as members of the Chief Council hereby grant you all the title of ''Zodiac'', be proud and fight on for the survival of our families. You are all members of the strongest party, the Twelve Zodiacs."


    Each and every one of them put a closed fist to their hearts as did the new members of the Twelve Zodiacs.


    After that, another elder spoke, one with the features of a goat.


    "As such, we will send you off onto your first set of ruins in East, the Cracked Ten Pirs. That will be the first of your many conquests", he announced.


    "We ept this duty!"


    Speaking in unison, they bowed, fully embracing this responsibility. The elders all had looks of excitement and doubt. They understood that this could either work incredibly well or cripple them. But of course, they all hoped for the former than thetter.


    The Twelve Zodiacs then scattered, going to the elders of their respective ns.


    Among them, Ruishi Wang left with one of them. Although the lion-kin was quite arge person, the one walking next to him was half a head taller.


    "Father, is this how you wanted it to go?" they asked.


    He sighed and shook his head.


    "Of course not, but what can I do, Lei''er, my son. That witch of a fox stopped it. We of the Sengge Tribe, are one of the strongest tribes. We cannot be chained down by the other tribes like this. I refuse to let myself and my people be destroyed by the Savage Lands. It cannot overtake us, we must overtake it!"


    Ruishi Wang then turned to his son.


    "It doesn''t matter at this point, you are a member of the Twelve Zodiacs. Inform me of what you discover and tell me if you find anything interesting", he said to him.


    The son nodded.


    "Ruishi Lei understands. I will inform you if I find anything in the Cracked Ten Pirs", he responded.


    This was Ruishi Lei, the strongest person of the Sengge n and Ruishi Wang''s son.


    Like his father, he had a lion''s head, one with white fur and a turquoise mane. Taller than Ruishi Wang, his body was slightly bulkier but nothingpared to that Niu Hong, an ox-kin. Since he was gathered with the other Zodiacs, he was dressed for the asion. There was a lion pelt wrapped around his waist with an exquisitely designed te armor bearing the symbol of his tribe on his shoulders, a Snow Lion.


    And finally his weapon or weapons, two gauntlets that covered his white-furred paws and forearms, with ws that entuated his own. Each knuckle was sharpened to a degree that a single punch was the same as getting mauled by a lion, cutting flesh and crushing bone.


    The gauntlets were beautiful in their own right; intimidating and deceptively perfect. There were no chips or cracks and especially no dull edges.


    The pair left whilst the others congregated with each other.


    Among them, the Four ws quietly made their way to Ao Qin, who stood to the side. The dragon-kin looked at them from the corner of his eye but paid no more attention to them. Standing before him, Niu Hong stepped forward, cupping his fists and bowing before raising his head.


    "You are the Red Dragon, Ao Qin, yes?" he asked him.


    The dragon-kin then looked at them, it wasn''t a friendly look but he wasn''t ring at them either.


    "The Four ws, what sort of business do you have with me?"


    Quick to the point, Ao Qin didn''t seem to waste any time and his forwardness made Niu Hong pause for a moment.


    "I¡­ I heard that you were involved with the Byakko n, there was quite a battle between you and their n leader."


    Ao Qin chuckled, revealing a little smile.


    "Yes, that doting bastard of a father decided to bring out his full force against me. If it weren''t for his daughter and grandson, perhaps I would''ve had to kill my way out."


    The Four ws couldn''t help but gulp after hearing such words. One was a powerful member of the Remation Division while the other was an influential tribe. For Ao QIn to speak so confidently, it made them realize that perhaps such a thing could''ve happened.


    However, that was not what they were asking about.


    "When you were in their territory, did you happen upon anyone?" Niu Hong asked.


    The dragon-kin''s smile suddenly dropped as his eyes turned to a more dangerous light.


    "What do you mean?" he asked, "What are you implying?"


    "Nothing, nothing! We are not ming you for anything just asking if you happened to have met someone living there. A pair of individuals that are¡­ a bit different than us."


    At this moment, the ox-kin stood silent and stilled his own breathing. As strong as he was, an ox could notpare to a dragon, the pressure between them was enormous. The silencested just a few seconds until Ao Qin leaned forward.


    "I know who you are talking about but unfortunately, I do not know where they''ve gone.. But I can tell you now, unless they''ve gone to the heart of the Savage Lands, they won''t die. "

 Chapter 536 - Cracked Ten Pillars

    Chapter 536 ¨C Cracked Ten Pirs


    Hearing that, all four members released their bated breath as Ao Qin chuckled.


    "Rx, the Byakko n know nothing of her but she did leave quite a mess for me clean up after", he revealed to them, "Their n Head didn''t quite want to kill me but he certainly didn''t want me to leave unscathed, especially not after seeing bodies of his dead tribe members. Truly, if his daughter wasn''t there, he would''ve rushed to attack me but that didn''t happen. He asked a few questions and I answered to the best of my ability, hiding a few things of course. In any case, since we are now all part of the same group, do you n on revealing the existence of those two to the others?"


    As he posed this question to them, his eyes narrowed as the dragon-kin stared at them intently.


    The Four ws shook their heads earnestly.


    "We owe our lives to her, of course, we will not reveal her secret!" they all said.


    "Ah good, good, if it dide out, who knows what kind of hell she could raise. But I assume that you want to find her?"


    After a moment, Yu Tu spoke up in a shy manner.


    "For them to vanish like this, we would like to know that they are fine. And with the teleportation array, perhaps she can help us with it."


    Ao Qin rubbed his chin.


    "That is possible, that person is by no means an ordinary person. She could certainly help us but as I''ve said before I have no idea where they''ve gone. Perhaps we will run into them at some point", he said.


    "Indeed, now that the Twelve Zodiacs have been formed. It is going to be a harrowing journey for all of us", Qiang Rong added.


    She Xing sighed, looking down at the ground.


    "And to think the first ce we have to conquer is the Cracked Ten Pirs. It might not be like the White Sword''s Remains but it''s almost as bad."


    "Cracked Ten Pirs, you say, what''s so special about them?" the dragon-kin asked.


    As someone of the Remation Division, he didn''t have to deal with the ruins. All Ao Qin focused on was hunting in the Savage Lands and getting stronger. For others, perhaps strength was all they thought about but he was getting old now.


    Something like power was starting to lose its ce in his priorities.


    "The Cracked Ten Pirs¡­ out of all of us, I''m the only one who has gone there with my old group", said the snake-kin.


    There was a rather grim look on her face.


    "Those ruins are of demon origin. Unlike human''s use of formations and spells, demons have always been about their bloodlines and this was no different", she exined, "They are exactly as their name implies, ten pirs, each of which are damaged. Split into two parallel lines with five on each side, like a pathway. It requires a certain demon''s bloodline to unlock. Hence why it has not been conquered yet."


    Ao Qin narrowed his eyes, feeling a bit curious about this.


    "So, if it requires demon blood. What about the other ruins that are of demon origin? How were those dealt with?"


    "This¡­"


    She Xing was reluctant to answer whilst the other three had conflicted looks on their faces. The solution seemed to be taboo but Ao Qin didn''t seem to care.


    "Even if you don''t tell me now, I''ll still find outter", he reasoned.


    The snake-kin still seemed reluctant but the Niu Hong answered for her.


    "We dig up graves. As long as they have a single drop of blood left, it can be used. But for the Cracked Ten Pirs, I heard that it was particrly difficult."


    Ao Qin raised a brow but didn''t react anymore than that. Gravedigging is a shameful thing to do but for the sake of survival, there was no such thing as shame.


    "I see, what was so difficult about it?" the dragon-kin asked.


    She Xing sighed.


    "It seemed that the Cracked Ten Pirs activate only for a specific demon, one that had been found but¡­ we could not get to it. The corpse is in fact protected, by what I do not know. When we tried we couldn''t even get close to the grave. There was a powerful pressure that grew only stronger as we walked further in. Multiple other teams have tried to do it but failed to reach it", she said.


    "A strange pressure, huh, interesting. I suppose that we''ll have to try it oursel-"


    As Ao Qin spoke, someone suddenly ran into the halls, panting with a terrified expression. Stopping at the entrance, they doubled over before looking up at everyone.


    "Hah, hah, attack¡­ Attack! The Savage Beasts are targeting stampeding from the east. The Eastern Preservation Force needs reinforcements! There''s hundred, thousandsing towards the defenses!" they cried out.


    There was silence in the air before Huxian Qie suddenly took charge.


    "Head to the East! Support the eastern defenses first and then head for the Cracked Ten Pirs!"


    Putting on serious expressions, all who had heard her speak, moved immediately, preparing to head out. nning to meet at the city gates, Ruishi Lei was already waiting there having bumped into the messenger on his way out with his father. And the first to meet with him was Ao Qin, who didn''t need to make any preparations.


    "Ruishi Lei, to think your father could convince you to join this group."


    The dragon-kin chuckled while he stood there quietly, crossing his arms.


    "I have no reason to ignore him, he is my father after all", he replied.


    Ao Qin raised an eye before turning to look back at the quiet city.


    "Really now, I find it hard to believe that", he muttered, "The proud White Lion listens to his father for once. How interesting."


    Ruishi Lei snorted as he looked at Ao Qin.


    "Hmph, what about you? The Red Dragon is caught angering the Byakko n, ended killing several of their men and kicking the chief''s daughter out of her own home. What was that about, old man?"


    "Old man? I might be older but that doesn''t mean I haven''t lost my touch, unless you want to see for yourself?"


    The dragon-kin stared back at him, resting his hand on his saber. As their eyes met, the air turned still as both slowly revealed their killing intent. As powerful as Ao Qin was, the lion-kin was notcking in any way. But then it dissipated as the others came and Ruishi Lei turned to go, stepping out of the city.


    "Come on then, those beasts aren''t going to kill themselves."


    As all twelve Zodiacs gathered, the messenger stood before them with a slightly terrified expression on their face. There was no doubt that they had heard of a gathering of the strongest individuals of all the tribes but actually standing in front of them was nerve-wracking.


    "I¡­ I will lead you there!"


    The messenger moved quickly but was stopped by one of them.


    "Heh, there''s no need to run back on foot, we can get there in a better way."


    This one was quiterge and round, wearing a heavy leather apron over a shirt and trousers, thick and simple in design. With a boar''s snout and such a round body, this person stepped forward, tossing something in the air.


    It glittered for a bit before suddenly growing in size, transforming into arge wooden boat, big enough for everyone to ride onfortably.


    The messenger looked in awe as everyone boarded it, leaving them to be thest one.


    With everyone on, the boar-kin looked at the messenger, snorting before smiling.


    "So then, where in the East are we needed?"

 Chapter 537 - Stone Formation

    Chapter 537 ¨C Stone Formation


    As the Twelve Zodiacs went off on their first task, Ming Yue returned to a quiet home. Descending from the air with Xiao Yin, she frowned whilending, scanning the area.


    "Where are they?" she thought.


    Not only was it strangely quiet, but the cultivator also didn''t see any sign of those three. Hongyu, Liang Wei, and Hei Yue were nowhere to be found.


    "Hongyu! Hei Yue! Liang Wei!"


    She called out to them before extending her senses outwards. However, Ming Yue found nothing. Whistling for Xiao Yin, the owl circled around her, knowing what she wanted as the beast also found this disappearance strange.


    But even after going around and a bit beyond their home, the Star Owl found nothing as well.


    "Strange¡­ they''re not in the house nor are they outside. Where could they have gone?" she wondered.


    A rather foreboding feeling crept inside her as the young woman carefully looked around.


    What happened while she was gone?


    She knelt down and touched the grass, examining everything.


    "No signs of battle, not even a struggle. They went off somewhere but¡­ where?"


    As Ming Yue continued to look around until something caught her eye. Taking a few steps forward, she bent over and picked something up from the ground, a tuft of white fur.


    "This is Liang Wei''s."


    Looking up, she scanned the ground for more tufts, finding some and following like a trail.


    "It''s a good thing, that massive cat sheds fur", she mused to herself.


    Grabbing one after the other, there was a handful of it in her hand as she reached the shallow pond under the waterfall. And then there was no more.


    But that was all she needed to know where they had gone.


    Ming Yue looked forward, expanding her senses until her eyes showed a bit of surprise.


    "There''s a cave behind it!" she said with surprise.


    She stepped into the pond, walking towards the waterfall until she stood right before it. The sound of sshing water was at its loudest as it sttered all over her clothes. But Ming Yue didn''t care, the young woman walked through, letting the water flow over her as she walked into the cave.


    Once inside, she looked into the darkness before Xiao Yin flew in, cooing as the owl found a familiar scent.


    "So they are here, but¡­ what''s inside this cave?"


    She furrowed her brows before sprinting forward towards the end of the cave. Her hand rested on Blood Moon''s hilt.


    "Be careful. There''s something strange about this cave", Xue Yue warned.


    "What do you mean?"


    She paused for a moment before answering.


    "I''m not sure. The energy here is just too strange, as if something is being pulled in. Whatever is at the end of this cave, I wouldn''t suggest touching it", she answered.


    Ming Yue''s face turned serious as rushed through the cave, reaching the end in a matter of seconds. Under the growing night sky, a gentle light seeped through the crack in the ceiling, still illuminating the cavernous room and the stacked stones.


    She stopped before it, seeing all three of them copsed on the ground.


    Her eyes widened as she ran forward to check on all three of them. It was only after Ming Yue checked that she breathed out a sigh of relief.


    "Oh, they''re fine, just asleep", she muttered.


    She then went to wake them up, gently shaking them until one by one they roused from their sleep. All three yawned, struggling to open their eyes from this nap until they realized where they were. Their once barely open eyes were wide as they stepped away from the little stone formation. All three of them showed a bit of fear as they hid behind Ming Yue.


    The young cultivator looked at them before staring at the stacked stones.


    "What happened here? What did you do?" she asked them.


    The moment they heard her question, there was a look of guilt in their eyes before Hongyu stepped forward. The little girl knelt down on the stone floor and wrote on it with her finger.*


    "My¡­ fault¡­ I¡­ touched¡­ the¡­ stone¡­"


    After finishing, Hongyu looked up at Ming Yue, who nced at the other two, both of which were whimpering. Not to mention, Xiao Yin, seemed to be ring at them both.


    Ming Yue sighed before looking at the child softly and turning to the others.


    "It''s okay. I was just worried about you three. Next time, if you want to do something, tell me first okay?" she said.


    Hongyu as well as the cat and fox nodded, showing remorse for what they did.


    "Alright, let''s go and have dinner then."


    The group turned to leave but Ming Yue nced at the stacked stones once before leading them out. After a quick dinner and a good wash, Hongyu fell asleep as did the others. However, only Ming Yue was awake but she wasn''t nning on going to sleep tonight.


    She needed to investigate.


    Checking on the others, she quietly slipped away, entering the cave with Blood Moon sheathed in her hand.


    "So this is what they found."


    It didn''t take long for her to reach the end of the cave, standing right in front of the little stone formation. It was small, half the size of Hongyu and reaching up to Ming Yue''s knees. Kneeling down, she studied it carefully, probing it with her energy.


    "Xue Yue. what do you think?" she asked, "Hongyu and the other two didn''t have much to about what happened. Thest thing she remembered was touching it and then the next moment, she woke up and saw me."


    "I don''t know, your guess is as good as mine. I can''t tell if it''s dangerous or not, only that it seems to be pulling something in", Xue Yue answered.


    "Do you think that it could be an entrance to somewhere else?"


    "Or a path to escape but¡­ there''s only one way to know for sure."


    Ming Yue knew what Xue Yue meant, she continued to study the stone formation, trying to figure it out.


    "Whoever made this must be an expert of some kind. To bnce stones like this, into a formation no less. All I need to do is tap it and I could break it but it feels like it wouldn''t break even if I struck full force."


    She moved her hand towards it, seeing if it would react but it did nothing. To the ordinary eye, this was just a very bnced structure made from little stones and pebbles.


    "It doesn''t seem like it would kill you but who knows what would happen if you touch it", said Xue Yue.


    "The worst that can happen is that I end up like them", she responded.


    But then, she stood up and looked around, studying the cavernous room instead.


    "Is it just this?" she wondered.


    Walking all around the room, she studied the walls, tracing her fingers on some of the crevices. It wasn''t until she was at the back of the room that she stopped, feeling the current of the air. Looking straight, her hand moved until stopping at a crack from which she felt some of it getting sucked in.


    "There''s something behind here."


    Muttering to herself, she felt the crack, gentling pressing around it until something pushed in and clicked. Pulling her hands away, Ming Yue took a step back as a few more clicks and cranks followed as the stone door pushed in, opening up.


    "An entrance!"


    She stepped in, not giving another look at the stone formation, and entered it.


    What was behind the door was another room, one that had only one feature, a small stone tform with enough space to sit on. Aside from that, the dim light that shone in from the cave revealed something else about this secret room.


    "The walls¡­. they''re covered in cuts. This is a training room, isn''t it?"

 Chapter 538 - Blades That Cannot Be Seen

    Chapter 538 ¨C des That Cannot Be Seen


    She gazed all around, finding that the walls were covered by hundreds if not thousands of sword shes. In fact, it was probably much more than that.


    "This room must''ve been smaller than before, it just expanded by the constant training, Whoever used this ce, practiced so much that they shaved away at the walls to the point where they don''t even exist anymore!" she realized.


    But that wasn''t all that Ming Yue found.


    There was a certain energy permeating the walls, sharp and swift, resembling that of the Sword Dao.


    Although she was excited, she quickly realized something else.


    "Whoever trained here was weaker than me but their understanding of the Sword Dao is greater than mine. I could gain from practicing here", she thought to herself.


    Ming Yue continued to look at the room, studying all of the strikes until she was satisfied. There were thousands of them to study from, some she understood while others she found interesting or unfathomable even. Some were connected to each other, others were just singr strikes.


    She needed more than just a single night to see it all.


    Walking out of the room, she closed it up and turned her attention back to the stacked stones. Gazing at it, she looked back at the hidden room.


    "Maybe, this is a smaller teleportation array. This¡­ maybe all of this is someone''s secret hideout. It would exin the pulling feeling, wouldn''t it? Pulling two ces together¡­" she thought.


    Xue Yue the spoke.


    "If that''s the case, where would the array take us? Would it even teleport us somewhere else?"


    Ming Yue slowly stepped towards the stacked stone.


    "It must lead to one of the ruins. It shouldn''t be any that are too far away but one rtively close to us."


    Stopping right in front of it, she knelt down and moved her hand to touch the stone formation. Her other hand held onto Blood Moon tightly as her fingers moved closer. And then, they touched, Ming Yue grazed the stones with her finger tips and the stones suddenly hummed with power.


    Her surroundings began to shimmer away as light enveloped her, covering her sight. Momentster, it darkened and Ming Yue uncovered them, taking a good look at where she was.


    And it was nothing but darkness and silence.


    "Where am I now?" she thought quietly.


    Slowly but surely, her eyes adjusted to the darkness, seeing the outlines of a room. Under Xue Yue''s control, Blood Moon released a gentle red glow to help. As it illuminated the room, it faintly revealed the outlines of des hanging on the walls. All of them were of a ck sheen, reflecting the red glow back at Ming Yue.


    It wasn''t just one or two des but over a hundred of them, each one had a different shape. Long, short, wide, thin, some were sabers, others were knives, there were even des of strange designs.


    "So the Stone Formation took me here, why did it not transport the others? Was it because they did not have the Sword Dao?"


    Her eyes slowly panned around the room, examining all of the des as she waved her own.


    It was quiet, extremely silent at this moment.


    As she got a good look at the room, Ming Yue noticed something strange about it all.


    "There''s no door¡­ Why is there no door here?" she muttered.


    What she noticed was true, there was no exit from this room. There was nothing but weapons covering all four walls, hanging from pegs.


    "Could this be a tr-"


    As soon as that thought crossed her mind, she felt each and every weapon in this room tremble as if waking from their sleep. A shiver went down her spine as the feeling of danger grew from within.


    There was a ring and a howl as something came for her!


    "Shit!"


    The young cultivator moved swiftly, bringing her sword up to deflect this invisible strike. But then another came, flying towards her from another direction and she spun to deflect it as well. And then more and more followed until there was a constant stream of attacksing from every direction.


    "So this was a trap!"


    Ming Yue moved quickly, blocking the strikes that she could and avoiding the ones that she could not. After all, not all of them were the same, some were slower and heavier while others were quick and light. It also didn''t help that these attacks were invisible.


    She thought quickly as she continued to persevere in her predicament, having activated her armor as well. And just when the situation couldn''t get worse, the attacks went up a notch, No longer were they normal strikes but techniques involving other daos. Lightning strikes, zing fires, rushing water, it was like she was getting attacked by dozens of experts, each one specializing in a different weapon, a different style.


    "There''s more to this, isn''t there? This can''t just be a simple trap!"


    Her eyes darted from one direction to another, searching for a way out of this mess.


    "Damn, if there''s no way out of this, I''ll make one."


    Gritting her teeth, she swung out Blood Moon releasing a wave of energy, pushing everything back for just a moment. And then a ghostly blue aura emerged from her body, her eyes even glowed with that very color. Compared to before, it had be more white than blue.


    "Pale Moon."


    Having created an opening for herself, she took another swing, striking at one of the walls and carving through it. Blood Moon even shattered some of the weapons, turning them into shards. The attacks stopped but that wasn''t all of it.


    Blood Moon released a howl that drowned out all of these weapons as if establishing its dominance of this room.


    Ming Yue''s aura vanished as she looked into the crack in the wall. However, she furrowed her brows at what she saw.


    "It''s just more stone, was this really just a trap? Is there a way out of this?"


    Turning around, Ming Yue carefully studied the room, going as far as to examine the weapons that haven''t been destroyed.


    "Every trap can be disarmed, I just have to find it."


    Looking through the corners and the cracks, it didn''t take her long to find it. Near the top of the room above the ceiling was a dagger just slightly different from the other weapons. Rather than hanging on pegs, it was tied with a thin ck string, quite thin but also durable.


    Pulling on it, she felt something click as the room trembled.


    Dropping down, Ming Yue saw one of the stone walls crack open, revealing another room. She walked through, deactivating her armor but holding Blood Moon tightly. For all she knew, she might be going from one trap to the next but thankfully, it wasn''t so.


    Rather it was a bedroom, one with a table and a desk as well as a very familiar stone formation.


    Looking at it, the young woman couldn''t help but feel a bit of annoyance as her eyes turned into a re.


    "Ah, this damn thing, what if Hongyu was taken in?" she muttered to herself.


    Walking up to it, Ming Yue knelt down and continued ring at it before standing back up. Moving her attention elsewhere, she began to examine this room, looking through the drawers and whatnot.


    Unfortunately, there was nothing to really find. It waspletely empty as if no one lived here or rather, they left this ce.


    "Nothing here¡­" she muttered.


    Her eyes then moved to the door leading outside of the room but she looked away, going back to the stone formation.


    "I''m pretty sure this will take me back, right?"


    Looking at it, Ming Yue knelt down to activate the formation until something caught her eye, A small glint of light,ing from under the bed.


    "What''s that?"


    Putting her hand forward, she gestured for it, pulling it towards her with a gentle breeze.


    "A small box? What could be inside?"

 Chapter 539 - An Unusual Find

    Chapter 539 ¨C An Unusual Find


    It was a small wooden box and when she opened it, she found three things inside. There was a ring, a ne with a small sword as a pendant, and a note folded between the two objects.


    "This is¡­"


    Ming Yue looked at it, finding the contents of this box very strange. There was a strange power emanating from them that could be beneficial or ominous. She didn''t know.


    Closing the box and storing it, the young woman looked under the bed once more before retreating back to the stone formation.


    "Hopefully, I was not here for too long", she thought.


    Activating it, a light covered her surroundings as she was sent back to the cave. Back to those rocky walls, Ming Yue noticed the growing sunlighting from the crack in the ceiling.


    "Whoo, back in time."


    Breathing out a sigh of relief, she exited the cave, walking out of the waterfall. Going off to make breakfast, it wasn''t long before the others awakened with the smell of cooked food. As everyone ate, Ming Yue was the only one slowly eating her breakfast. Rather, she looked off into the empty space, thinking about what she had discovered in that room.


    The little box and its contents were still on her mind.


    "I wonder who those were meant for? It looks important, I doubt they could just forget about it. Perhaps, I should spend the day here, focus on whatever that formation leads to."


    Thinking this, Ming Yue found it to be the better option rather than going out to explore. For all, she knew this stone formation could be an opportunity of a lifetime, or perhaps lead her to the answers that she is looking for.


    With that in mind, she made a warning to the others, looking at them sternly.


    "None of you are allowed to touch those stones or even go into the cave. It''s too dangerous especially if I''m not here. I''ll be going inside to investigate but I expect all of you to behave!"


    Hongyu and the other two beasts shared a look of disappointment whilst Xiao Yin red at them all. In the end, they nodded in agreement.


    "Good."


    Seeing this, Ming Yue nodded before going off to check the border. Aside from the contents of the box, there were plenty of things to do and much to improve on.


    "It''s already been a few days and nothing hase yet, guess those skulls make a good warning sign."


    Looking at them, it seemed that none of the skulls had been destroyed or touched yet, giving a sense of satisfaction for the young woman.


    "It should be safe enough then."


    Thinking this, she returned to the clearing and brought the others out. Among them, Ming Yue walked with a basket on her back whilst the others followed.


    " If you three want to go hunt then go."


    Liang Wei and Hei Yue both wagged their tails in excitement. The former was fully healed and couldn''t wait to stretch their legs whilst thetter was just excited to go out. The pair shared a look before Hei Yue raced off into the sea of trees. The giant cat chased after, running off quietly.


    Only Xiao Yin stayed, dutifully helping Ming Yue by watching their surroundings.


    The cultivator couldn''t help but chuckle before ncing at Hongyu, whose face showed both excitement and curiosity. The little girl couldn''t help but look around. Even though they traversed thesends to find a home, the exhaustion and constant moving had made her numb to sights. But now, she was full of energy!


    "Look around for anything tasty and bring it to me, okay? I''ll be right by you", Ming Yue said.


    Hongyu looked up at her, her eyes were practically sparkling as she took another look around.


    There was an abundance of trees, a somewhat quiet calm with the leaves shimmering under the sun. Flourishing with numerous nts and whatnot, the little girl quickly ran from one ce to another, admiring any and all that was strange and colorful. Every now and then, she''d grab it and run off to show it to Ming Yue.


    The young woman followed her while doing a bit of foraging herself, stopping to collect every now and then. Rather than use her dagger, she had a single Zephyr w out, digging at the ground or cutting at the stem.


    "What did you find? That looks good, put it into the basket."


    "Wait, stop! Don''t touch that, there are thorns."


    Even as she was busy with her own searching, she always kept Hongyu in her sight. Walking up, Ming Yue knelt down next to her, using her w to shave off the thorns before cutting it off.


    "What a pretty flower", she muttered to herself.


    It was a vibrant red flower, one with six petals and two ck dots on the tip of each one. She then smoothened the stem, bending it a bit and making it softer before putting it on Hongyu''s head. Gently, she slipped it into the girl''s hair, letting stay there like a hairclip.


    "Look at that, how pretty you look!"


    She smiled as the little girl, felt the flower with her hand. A smile grew on her face as she excitedly looked around for more flowers. Ming Yue watched before following close by, looking around for anything she could forage.


    From things that were edible to others that could be added to the garden.


    Soon enough, the sun was beginning to set and the sky turned darker. With the basket nearly full, Ming Yue looked for Hongyu, finding the child kneeling down and fiddling with her hands.


    "It''s time to go now, look at how dark it''s be", she told her.


    Walking up to her, Ming Yue turned to see what Hongyu was doing only to have the little girl suddenly stand up. She turned around while holding something in both hands. Looking at the cultivator with eyes of anticipation, she held up what she had been working on all this time.


    "This is¡­ a flower crown."


    She looked at it, a well-made crown of flowers, each of which was of a different color.


    Ming Yue was no stranger to these crowns, having made them for herself and her father.


    "To think, I''d still remember that¡­"


    She couldn''t help but give a small wistful smile, having recalled such an old memory. Kneeling down, Ming Yue lowered her head, letting Hongyu put the flower crown on her before standing back up. Despite practically smiling all day, the little girl''s face didn''t seem to get tired of it, showing a brilliant smile of pride and satisfaction.


    "Alright,e on, let''s go."


    Holding out a hand for her to grab, Ming Yue brought the girl away, taking her back the path they came while Xiao Yin followed from above. As they made their way back home, there was rustlinging from another direction as well as a loud thumping as Liang Wei and Hei Yue burst out of the trees with a fearful look.


    Crossing Ming Yue, they stopped and looked at her with eyes urging them to leave immediately.


    But by then, their pursuer had caught up. The thumping grew louder and louder, almost reaching a thunderous level as a great beast emerged through the trees, trumpeting angrily. What came was a massive elephant, one with thick brown fur and two pure white tusks on each side of its trunk.


    Looking at it, Ming Yue took her basket off and grabbed Hongyu, cing it all on Liang Wei''s back.


    "Go!"


    She shouted as the giant cat left, but Xiao Yin and Hei Yue stayed. As she took out Blood Moon, the cultivator looked at the fox with an incredulous look.


    "I know I told you to go out and hunt but did you really have to do this?!" she asked.

 Chapter 540 - Strength Of The Beast-kin

    Chapter 540 ¨C Strength Of The Beast-kin


    She stared at it, this giant furry elephant with a body burly enough to tear through trees and stone. And those tusks, they seemed especially deadly, pure white and sharp. It red at the trio before trumpeting in rage.


    Wrapping its trunk around a nearby tree, the beast ripped it out of the trunk and swung it down, aiming to smash them all to a pulp.


    But Ming Yue wasn''t going to let it happen.Her swordshed out, cutting the tree in half before leaping through. The other two beasts followed, nking from both sides with attacks of their own.


    As their encounter began, another battle elsewhere was reaching its conclusion.


    On the eastern side of the continent, there was a slew of bodies piled throughout this lush jungle. Some of which were of the beast people but most were of the beasts themselves. It was far from silent as figures came through, marching quietly with their weapons gripped tightly in their hands.


    Coming across this scene, they stopped to look at the carnage. revealing both surprise and a bit of fear. That was until the one leading them stepped forward and turned around to face them all.


    "Alright! Let''s do our part and bring them back! Do not get in the way of the Zodiacs! Do not forget, we are the Eastern Preservation Force. Survival is key! Teamwork is everything! Let''s go!" they shouted out.


    Looking back at their leader, these warriors all nodded, steeling their hearts and moving to bring these beasts back. They worked swiftly but certainly not without a bit of noise.


    "The Zodiacs? When did we have such a group?"


    "Killing all of these beasts, whoever they are, they''re strong. The horde that wasing would''ve taken at least the Eastern and one other to deal with, probably the Northern or Southern."


    "Even then, we wouldn''t have won with such a result. There were barely any losses on our side."


    "But if it''s like this, do you think they can do it? Free us from this?"


    "We don''t even know who''s part of it. Now shut up, let''s go move these back to the base.


    With quiet conversations everywhere, the appearance of the Zodiacs was one that many viewed with hope and uncertainty. And for these twelve individuals, they were further east, dealing with the rest of this stampede.


    There were several tens of beasts left, each one was a Savage Beast, no doubt, apex predators of their own right.


    And facing them head-on was the two strongest, Ruishi Lei and Ao Qin, both members of the Remation Division. Behind them was a line of five, four of which were the Four ws and the fifth was the boar-kin. And then there was the third line with the other seven individuals, all of which were hidden and further away from the fight.


    One offensive line, a support line, and a third for nonbatants, that was their formation.


    The seven in battle slowly marched forward with their weapons out, bloodied from killing. The remaining beasts growled and roared in defiance but backed away. None could bear to withstand thebined killing intent of both the Red Dragon and the White Lion.


    As they continued to walk forward, Ao Qing suddenly shouted behind him.


    "The rest of you go back with the others! Ruishi Lei and I will take care of this!"


    Suddenly stopping, the Four ws shared a look with the boar-kin, who shrugged. He then put away his weapon, a heavy spear with a de wider than his arm.


    "If that''s the case, then I, Zhu Xie, will notin."


    He then backed off, returning to the other. As for the Four ws, they looked at him go before giving a look at the two in front of them. After a moment, Niu Hong put his weapon away and turned to leave as well.


    "They''re going to revert for this", he muttered to the others.


    Hearing this, they all seemingly understood what this meant and followed his actions, leaving the area. Once it was just those two against these great beasts, the pair gave each other a look.


    "Are you really going to revert? It''s a bit wasteful, don''t you think?"


    Ruishi Lei gave Ao Qin a strange look to which the dragon-kin chuckled.


    "Hahaha, all those beasts from before weren''t enough to satisfy either of us. Even if the two of us weren''t there, the rest could''ve done the job. At the very least, I still need a warm-up, don''t I?" he replied.


    At that point, he turned towards the beasts and spin his jagged saber around. Closing his eyes for a moment, he took in a deep breath before they opened wide. His ck pupils dted before sharpening, taking on a silvery glow.


    Ruishi Lei sighed but revealed a small smile as he did the same as well.


    The moment, both of them did this, the Savage Beasts all felt something, the feeling of doom.


    As the pair walked forward, their figures suddenly vanished before reappearing in the middle of this group. The instant they did, both of them each killed a beast. The jagged saber sliced through the neck of one while the wed gauntlets smashed through the skull of another.


    None of the beasts could react in time, not after being taken by surprise like this.Ao Qin and Ruishi Lei were quick and decisive, moving from one beast to the next. It wouldn''t be long before they were finished killing the rest.


    While this happened the others all watched in awe.


    "So this is the strength of someone from the Remation Division, incredible! If only I could find a better ce to see it" one of them, a much smaller mouse-kin said.


    The little mouse-kin had mouse ears and a tail but looked quite human. Still, they seemed quite young, perhaps the youngest out of everyone. And with such a small size, he could not see well standing on the ground and looked around for a better ce to watch from.


    It didn''t take long for him to find someone as Niu Hong arrived.


    Quickly, he scurried towards the ox-kin, climbing up onto his shoulder to watch. As for the one being stood on, Niu Hong didn''t seem to mind. Like the mouse-kin, he was watching as well.


    "How are they so fast? I''ve never seen anyone move so quickly before! They weren''t like this when we were fighting those other beasts before", he pointed out.


    It was then that the ox-kin answered.


    "They reverted, Shu Yi, that''s how. But it seems that they only went to the first stage."


    "Reverted? It''s possible?! I thought that it was a lost ability?" Shu Yi asked.


    And then another answered that inquiry, an old beast-kin with two curled horns and a small beard, resembling that of a goat. Certainly not a fighter but perhaps a person with a great mind.


    "No, it was not lost. But to be able to do it requires an enormous amount of strength or else the recoil would end up breaking your mind and body. I''m pretty certain that apart from those of the Remation Division, we are the only ones that can revert too, well, most of us anyway."


    "Oh, really? Lao Yang, who are the others?" Shu Yi asked.


    "Well for one, two of the Four ws can do it and the one you''re standing on is one of them", Lao Yang responded, pointing at Niu Hong.


    The mouse-kin turned to look at him in shock.


    "You can do such a thing?" he asked.


    Niu Hong sighed and nodded.


    "I can only go up to the first stage but I won''t use it unless I have to. I''ve done it once before but trying to maintain that state and the recoil were excruciating. I couldn''t move for a week.. And that was just the first stage, the one those two are at right now, Primal Instinct."

 Chapter 541 - The Seven Stages

    Chapter 541 ¨C The Seven Stages


    "Primal Instinct? Is that what it''s called?" Shu Yi asked, "All I knew about reverting was that it gave you great strength."


    Lao Yangughed before speaking.


    "That is not the whole story with reverting. There is a reason why it is called that. When you revert, it means that you are returning to your origin, the great ancestors of your race. And there are seven stages to it, the first being what he said, Primal Instinct.* It doesn''t strengthen you directly but instead, you allow your instincts to take full control. And so, you move quicker, you react much faster. That is the first stage."


    Despite the goat-kin''s exnation, Shu Yi only had a confused look on his face.


    "This¡­ I don''t understand very well. Aren''t they much stronger now?", he asked.


    But Lao Yang just shook his head.


    "Let''s just put it this way. Do you see the Red Dragon over there?" he pointed out with his thin little finger to which Shu Yi nodded.


    "At the first stage, he is much faster and attacks without restraint. His moves are wild and tyrannic like that of a dragon as you can see. The same applies to the White Lion as well, don''t you think his movement is closer to that of a real lion?"


    "I- I guess so."


    "That is just the first stage. And as they revert further and further through the next stages, their bodies will exhibit changes as well, growing and resembling more like their ancestors. By the seventh stage, the Red Dragon will havepletely transformed into a True Dragon. In short, they revert to their true form", Lao Yang exined.


    Niu Hong then sighed before speaking.


    "If even the first stage had massive recoil, imagine the strength needed to go further than that."


    The ox-kin continued to watch as the two beast-kin continued their onught with ease.


    "If I remember, I once heard that Ao Qin could reach the third or fourth stage. He used it just once against some beast in the west, it was a Thunder Flood Serpent, I believe. After that, he vanished and didn''t reappear for half of a year. Unfortunately, there was no one that witnessed the battle, for the shing powers made it difficult for anyone toe close", he said.


    The next moment, Zhu Xie suddenly spoke out.


    "It looks like they''re finished."


    And as he said this, both Ao Qin and Ruishi Lei appeared right in front of them, still in the Primal Instinct Stage. The silver glow in their eyes was both a cause for fear as everyone''s heart trembled. But it didn''tst long as the pair breathed out and closed their eyes. When opened, the glow was gone and they seemed to have returned to their original selves.


    Sheathing their weapons, Ao Qin revealed a somewhat satisfied look.


    "Hmm, not bad for a warm-up", he muttered.


    On the other hand, Ruishi Lei had a nk expression on his face.


    "That was thest of them right?" he asked, looking at Shu Yi.


    "Y-yes, that''s thest of them. We''ve even gotten rid of the surrounding beasts as well."


    The mouse-kin stuttered but responded, still slightly taken aback by those silvery eyes.


    "Alright, let''s go to the Cracked Ten Pirs then."


    Suddenly arge floating boat appeared before them as Zhu Xie walked up to it. The boar-kin turned around and looked back at them with a cheerful smile.


    "Come on then, we''re not too far from it I think, I''ll have to check with Lao Yang", he said.


    As everyone walked forward, Shu Yi hopped off of Niu Hong and quickly sprinted towards the scene where all the dead beasts were. Taking something out from his own spatial ring, he dropped it in the middle before going back.


    "What was that?" Qiang Rong asked, curious as to what the mouse-kin had left behind.


    "Oh, it''s a marker for the other mouse-kin, it is something only we can track. With our size, many of us are better as scouts. Most are in the Preservation Division since we''re not good fighters but some like me are a part of the Expedition Division. However, all of us use these little pellets to mark things like locations", Shu Yi replied.


    He then took another out and showed it to him. In Shu Yi''s hands, it was something he had to hold with both hands but for Qiang Rong, it was no bigger than a pebble.


    "How interesting¡­" he said.


    "Come on you two, we can talk about this once we get on the boat."


    Niu Hong looked at them both before going in and the pair followed behind. With everyone inside, the boat floated upwards as Zhu Xie was at the helm of it.


    "Alright then, so where exactly are the Cracked Ten Pirs?" he asked aloud.


    Lao Yang stepped right beside the boar-kin.


    "You''ll see it, just continued in this direction. They''re exactly what their name is, ten pirs, each weathered down with cracks and whatnot", he answered.


    "I see, I see."


    Zhu Xie continued on with a smile, looking ahead as he steered the boat.


    The others were sitting in the cabin, waiting and resting as the boat flew in the skies. Among them, Ao Qin massaged his shoulders.


    "Ah, maybe I am getting too old for this. To think that Primal Instinct would make me ache a bit", he muttered to himself.


    The others were all the same, minding their own business, focused elsewhere. They were quiet, listening to the sounds of the wind. There were small conversations here and there, Qiang Rong and Shu Yi seemed to be getting chummy with each other. However, that was all there was.


    That was until someone spoke up.


    "So, what''s the n for the Cracked Ten Pirs?"


    This beast-kin looked at them all, a woman with features resembling that of a dog. With ears and a snout, she had golden hair flowing down her shoulders, a fit and athletic figure coupled with an expression of focus. Carrying a cleaver on her back, she was seated, her back was straight with her hands interlocked over her knees.


    Posing this question to everyone, the Four ws looked at each other before sharing another look with Lao Yang, who then cleared his throat.


    "Once we arrive, Jin Nao, then we must head to the grave of the demon that controls those ruins. We have to dig out his body and obtain whatever blood is left, even a droplet is fine. That''s all we''ll need and we can enter those ruins. The only problem is reaching it. That grave is protected by something and no one knows what. We only know that the closer you get to it, the harder it bes to move", the goat-kin exined.


    "Then¡­ no one knows what''s inside them?" Shu Yi asked.


    Lao Yang shook his head.


    "No, that is part of the task. We must open the ruins and clear it out, search for whatever treasures there may be. Half of us will be dealing with the monsters and traps, the other half is in charge of scouting and research."


    "Then who will be getting to that grave then?" Jin Nao asked.


    From this question, there was silence before someone else answered.


    "I''ll do it."


    The one who spoke was none other than Ruishi Lei, who had been sitting quietly all this time. But now, he was looking at the others, showing a resolute expression.


    "Among all of us, it is either me or Ao Qin that should do it. Against something like ''pressure'', I should be able to deal with it", he reasoned.


    Everyone else seemingly agreed to it, showing no objection to his choice, not even Ao Qin. The dragon-kin just looked at Ruishi Lei, narrowing his eyes just a tad.


    Suddenly, Zhu Xie shouted to the back.


    "We''re nearly there!"

 Chapter 542 - Preparing For The Ruins

    Chapter 542 ¨C Preparing For The Ruins


    Afternding, everyone stepped out and looked right in front of them.


    "I know that it''s called the Cracked Ten Pirs but it really is as it''s called, just ten pirs, ten really big pirs."


    Ao Qin muttered as he looked from the ground up towards the sky.


    Standing before them were ten massive pirs that stood nearly tall enough to reach the clouds. There were cracks scattered all over with vines wrapped around the base of them. Made from a white-colored stone, it was a wondrous creation that made many wonder as to how such a thing could be created.


    After giving them a moment to look, Lao Yang and Shu Yi stood in front of them all before the former cleared his throat.


    "The grave isn''t far from here but getting there is the difficult part. Unfortunately, I''m too old to get there but Shu Yi should be able to bring you there, one of his brethren left a pellet", he said, looking at the mouse-kin.


    Everyone else looked at him as he showed slight embarrassment before recovering.


    "Ah so, whose going with me? There''s Ruishi Lei but who else?"


    "Just me is enough, you can bring me there now."


    The White Lion answered him immediately, surprising Shu Yi who looked to the others. However, no one said anything, agreeing with this decision.


    "He''s the White Lion, who else do you really need?" said Ao Qin.


    But then She Xing stepped forward.


    "No, I''ll go with them. Within this group, I''m most familiar with the ruins, albeit, I''m not as familiar with the path to the grave. Even if you know where it is, you wouldn''t know what to expect. At the very least, I can warn you before it happens", she reasoned.


    She looked at everyone else before turning towards Ruishi Lei, who nodded after a moment.


    "I understand, then the three of us will go."


    "Ye- yes, let''s go before it gets dark."


    The small mouse-kin looked at the pair, waiting for the both of them to give him some signal that he could go.


    "Lead the way."


    Ruishi Lei looked down to Shu Yi, who sighed in relief inwardly.


    "Oh, I can go", he thought.


    He then took another nce at the two before sniffing the air, walking to follow the scent of the pellet. The trio soon left, their figures disappeared into the lush vegetation. Lao Yang saw them off before turning around.


    "Yi Chao, Feng Zhua, we have work to do."


    He called for thest two members of the Zodiacs, a horse-kin and a rooster-kin respectively. Yi Chao had the body of a man but a horse''s head, despite being that of a schr, he had arge body and quite a muscr one as well. Feng Zhao was a somewhat short and stout woman, whose head had a few feathers. Both of them were dressed simrly to Lao Yang, grey robes with a bit of silver embroidery.


    Joining the goat-kin, they all went to work, taking a number of strange tools and materials from their rings. Some were for writing and recording, others were for dispelling things like barriers and whatever strange hurdles were in their way.


    Everyone else just stood to the side, watching their surroundings.


    "Grab what you need, we''ll have to see how these pirs fare at the moment."


    Fully equipped for his needs, Lao Yang was the first to approach the pirs. He studied them closely, taking notes of whatever seemed interesting, whether it was the material itself or the marking left behind. The other two followed, each one with their own purpose.


    Lao Yang was there to collect information, Yi Chao checked for any strange flowing energies, and Feng Zhua searched for any semnce of a mechanism.


    "I suppose all that we can do is wait", said Zhu Xie.


    The boar-kin sat down with a cheerful smile, looking through his own belongings and checking to see if everything was in order.


    "Just how many things do you have in that ring of yours?"


    Qiang Rong who had been watching for a while, couldn''t help but ask. He saw Zhu Xie take out one thing after another, ranging from simple smithing tools to strange contraptions that only the boar-kin would understand.


    Hearing his question, Zhu Xie happily replied.


    "Well, I assumed that there would be plenty of things that need fixing. Not to mention, something like transportation of shelter. I could start a fire with wet wood or set traps to catch food. I''m quite the tinkerer."


    "Indeed, I''ve heard of you. Zhu Xie, the Item Master. Any strange object that is found is first put into recording and sent to you. It either ends up under your control or salvaged and turned into something else. I''m surprised that you even came."


    Jin Nao spoke out, looking at the boar-kin curiously but Zhu Xie only chuckled.


    "I mean I''ve always wanted to go on an expedition, especially to ruins like these. I''m quite a good fighter but I soon found my passion in tinkering. From there, I never quite got the chance until now. I certainly can''t wait to see what things will be found?", he said.


    "I see, I understand."


    The dog-kin seemed to return to her original state, seated on her knees over the grass. Qiang Rong then turned his attention to her.


    "What about you?" he asked, "I see that cleaver on your back but I don''t think I''ve seen you fight before."


    Taking a moment, Jin Nao looked at him.


    "I am Lao Yang''s personal guard. Where he goes, I will follow. I know that I am not the best at fightingpared to some of you but my strength lies in medicine. Unless you are gravely injured or lost a limb, I can assure you that you will be healed", she answered.


    Her voice was very indifferent and pragmatic, so much so, that Qiang Rong could only respond like this.


    "Oh, okay then."


    "And you three, part of the Four ws! I wonder if we''ll be going to the White Sword''s Remains!" Zhu Xie blurted out.


    It wasn''t hard to see the excitement in his eyes, the naivety in his voice as someone who had never been there before.


    "Ah yes, that ce¡­"


    Qiang Rong and the others showed a dejected expression, certainly not feeling excited over going back there.


    "I wonder if we''lle back alive from that a second time", the monkey-kin muttered.


    Yu Tu''s ears drooped down as she was not looking forward to it. With that, Zhu Xie''s smile vanished.


    "I take it that it is not as amazing as I''ve heard it to be. There was a dragon of swords, no?"


    Niu Hong looked at him.


    "Hearing about it is one thing but actually seeing it is apletely different experience, one that is just horrifying", he said.


    "I¡­ I see."


    Following that, the conversation hade to a lull as Qiang wrong had nothing else to really say. Ao Qin seemed to be asleep and the others were busy doing their own thing. Time passed by until they heard a rumbling in the ground, tremors strong enough to grab everyone''s attention.


    The tremors didn''tst long and only happened once.


    "What was that? It was in the direction of the demon''s grave."


    "Do you think that something had gone wrong?"


    "I certainly hope not."


    "No, not yet, we shouldn''t be moving so soon. Not when the three schrs are already set up. We''d have to split up our forces and that could be risky."


    "Then¡­ we''ll just wait and see."


    Their eyes continued to stare in that direction, trying to see if there were any recognizable figures returning. Soon enough, Ruishi Lei appeared along with Shu Yi and She Xing. Between the three of them, only the White Lion was injured.


    And as they returned, Lao Yang furrowed his brows.


    "Where''s the demon''s body?''

 Chapter 543 - Shattered Pillars

    Chapter 543 ¨C Shattered Pirs


    "We obtained it but it is not in good condition", said She Xing.


    Lao Yang revealed a strange look.


    "I mean, it''s quite all right, isn''t it? We just need a drop of the demon''s blood. Show me the body:", he said.


    Taking something out of his ring, Lao Yangid out a white tarp over the grass, making a ce for them to put the body down. Ruishi Lei walked forward, pointing his ring towards the tarp, releasing the corpse.


    What was left of it anyways.


    Rather than a fully intact body, it was a pile of dust and dried, broken limbs. At this point, Lao Yang looked at it with a bit of shock before looking up at the three of them.


    "What exactly happened?" he asked them, taking a second look at the pile, "That explosion was rted to you, wasn''t it?"


    She Xing nodded whilst Shu Yi walked forward and spoke.


    "We made it to the grave without any problems. The grave was within this small field of flowers and there was a path leading to it from where we were. The gravestone was massive and it had two statues, one on each side. When we arrived, the White Lion started to walk down the path as the both of us watched."


    She Xing then continued.


    "A fifth of the way, the pressure would have been like staring down a ferocious beast. A quarter of the way and it would feel as if you were facing a powerful expert, one hell-bent on killing you. A third of the way and it was as if an army of Savage Beasts were hazing at you like ravenous creatures. And halfway¡­ it is described such that those monstrosities of the Savage Lands were here, like the Devouring Goose or the Golden Deer. But no one had gone past that point¡­ until now."


    They then looked to Ruishi Lei, who was in a sorry state. He seemed weakened, his breath quick and his body slumped over.


    "What she described was true. By the time, I reached that point, I felt uncertain at that point, uncertain as to whether I coulde out of this alive", he said.


    The White Lion looked at the broken body as he continued to talk.


    "At three-quarters of the way, I felt minuscule, barely even able to look up but I did. I looked up at the statue and found them staring back at me. Those stares were of a different kind, piercing and overpowering. Bui I had already made it this far so I continued. It got worse and worse, it was not some physical pressure but something that tested my willpower. The fact I reached the end was nothing short of a miracle. But that was when it happened."


    The three of them then spoke at the same time.


    "The statues moved", they said.


    Hearing this caused everyone to look at them with widened eyes and Ruishi Lei finished retelling what had happened.


    "I stood right in front of the grave and heard stone grinding. Looking up, the statues turned towards me, six arms emerged from their bodies, each one with their own weapon. They attacked without hesitation and all I could do was leap forward."


    "Then that must''ve been the tremors", Qiang Rong pointed out.


    "Yes, but they must not have expected anyone to jump forward for the statues had struck near the grave. And it was with enough force to destroy the ground, causing the grave itself to break open. The corpse was already frail enough but after that, it was left like this. I took what I could and escaped with the others. If we cannot get anything from this, then we will have to call this one a failure."


    The White Lion looked at Lao Yang and the other two schrs, pointing at the dust pile. The goat-kin scoffed as he walked up to it, kneeling down and digging at the broken corpse.


    "What do you think I am? Useless? Just because it''s like this doesn''t mean that I cannot do anything."


    Digging through a bit more, he grabbed something from the pile and took it out.


    "Ah, there we are."


    In his hands was a fully intact bone, a piece that miraculously survived.


    And with it, he grabbed a hammer from his pockets, calling out for hispatriots.


    "I need a vial, quick! Yi Chao, hold the bone tightly."


    Both Feng Zhua and Yi Chao moved swiftly, the former grabbed several vials in her hands and knelt in front of the goat-kin. Thetter was next to Lao Yang, taking the bone and holding it up with both hands.


    "We can''t waste even a single fraction of a drop!" he said.


    With the hammer in his hand and the other two ready for this, Lao Yang swung down onto the head of the bone. It wasn''t very strong but with each swing, the power behind it grew stronger and stronger. And it was urate, each strikended on the same position time and time again.


    Lao Yang continued to hammer away until a crack grew at the very point he hit. But he didn''t stop yet, the hammer continued to strike away, making the crackrger bit by bit until he broke through and a vibrant blue color revealed itself.


    "Hurry! Freshness is key!"


    With a vial ready, Yi Chao slowly tilted the bone over, pointing it into the mouth.


    At first, nothing came out but as the seconds passed, a bit of bluish blood peeked through the crack before dripping into the vial. But there wasn''t much, just a few drops entered the vial before Feng Zhua closed it shut.


    Making sure it was secure, she handed it off to Lao Yang, who took it and gave it a close inspection.


    "Hmm, a bit cloudy but I just have to refine it", he muttered.


    He began to walk off, taking the vial with him and cing it into a number of strange tools. Everyone watched quietly, while they didn''t know what he was doing with it exactly, they weren''t going to risk interrupting it.


    Fortunately, he didn''t take very long, producing a new vial of blood.


    There was much less of it, just one or two drops but unlike thest one, there was a much stronger, vibrant azure color.


    "This is it", he said, staring at the vial of blood while holding it with the utmost care.


    "I''ve already found the activation point", said Feng Zhua.


    Looking at everyone, she turned and walked into the ruins, standing in the space between the pirs. Looking at the ground, Feng Zhua stopped at the very end of the ruins, standing in the middle of thest two pirs.


    And she pointed at one particr spot.


    The others followed and looked, taking a moment to see what she saw.


    "There''s a little hole¡­" Zhu Xie remarked.


    There was a look of wonder in his eyes as he continued to stare down. It was a very small and shallow hole, no doubt it was deeper but time eroded it. Lao Yang stood before the point with the vial in hand. But he didn''t pour it yet, looking at the others instead,


    "Now would be a good time to take your weapons out", he muttered.


    Reminded by his words, they promptly did so, arming themselves for what coulde.


    Then, Lao Yang opened the vial and point the blood drops into the hole, letting it ssh.


    At first, nothing happened, but then the pirs began to tremble until cracking and shattering. They looked up and around them as the pieces didn''t fall to the ground. Rather, they floated in the air before gathering at the other side.


    The pirs had curved, transforming into a massive gate!

 Chapter 544 - Entering A Secret Realm

    Chapter 544 ¨C Entering A Secret Realm


    Everyone looked at it, watching the pirs reform and then disying a massive gate before them.


    She Xing looked with slight horror and shock.


    "Is this what the ruins are? A gateway to somewhere else?" she muttered.


    But Lao Yang said otherwise though his voice contained a rare excitement.


    "No, this is a secret realm! Marvelous, just marvelous!"


    His eyes were wide and filled with wonder as he practically grinned at all of this, walking up and staring at it all. All ten pirs had broken and floated away, forming this great gate. a screen of blue energy formed before manifesting itself into a pair of giant doors, something that seemed to beckon them to enter.


    Lao Yang then turned back, facing the others.


    "Well, what are you waiting for? Let''s enter!" he said.


    "Let us lead first."


    Niu Hong stepped forward, along with the rest of the Four ws. The goat-kin nodded and took a step back, allowing them to take the front. They might not be the strongest but in terms of experience, they had the most out of everyone.


    Niu Hong looked at She Xing, ncing to the others,


    Each and every one of them shared a look of affirmation, showing determination. And then, the ox-kin looked to the rest of the Zodiacs.


    "We will go in to determine if it is safe or not, do not enter until we return and tell you that it is safe."


    Telling them this, the Four ws faced the giant gate and slowly approached it. As they stood right before the giant doors, Niu Hong ced both hands onto them and pushed, opening it. Despite the immense size, he opened them with ease.


    He peered in before entering and the others soon followed. But they walked out soon after with looks of awe.


    "What is it? What is it?! What did you find?" Lao Yang asked.


    Niu Hong just looked at him and gazed at the others.


    "All of you need to see this", he said.


    Curious by his words, everyone else looked past him, trying to peer through the gates from a distance but they saw nothing. There was no other choice to go in and so, everyone walked together, entering the gates.


    Once through, the schrs of the group had the most shocked face.


    "What is this?"


    Rather than standing in the lush and deadly forests of the Savage Lands, they stood on a field of grass and there was a pathway leading to a flowing river. It was a very wide and shallow river with an abundance of colorful flowers. Past that was an open hall, there were no walls but pirs to support the roof that provided shade from the bright sun.


    Everyone''s eyes wandered about, taking in this strange and wondrous sight.


    But it didn''t take long for them to focus on the hall. There was nothing but that past the river and it was something that none of them could miss.


    Quietly and carefully, they began to walk down the pathway before wading through the shallow river. For some, the water when up to their shins, for others, it was up to their knees. Qiang Rong looked down at the riverbed and knelt down, cupping his hands to drink.


    "Wait!"


    Toote to stop him from drinking, they all prepared for the worst but nothing happened. He merely finished and let out a breath of satisfaction, looking at the others.


    "The water is quite good", he said.


    She Xing scolded him in an instant.


    "You idiot, what if that water was deadly?! What if you had activated some sort of trap?!" she yelled out.


    But Qiang Rong justughed and shrugged.


    "If that were the case, we would''ve been dead the moment we stepped into the river."


    Having pointed that out, She Xing was stifled, unable to think of a good response.


    "Agh, whatever, just be careful next time!"


    Everyone else just sighed in relief, safely passing through the river and getting close to the open hall.


    "What sort of ce could this be? A ce of power? Treasure? History perhaps?" Lao Yang muttered.


    As they all stopped in front of it, the contents of the hall were all but exposed before them. Among the zodiacs, Zhu Xie seemed the most excited at what he saw.


    "Weapons!" he spoke out in excitement.


    There were six pedestals, three on one side and three on the other, each one holding a different weapon.


    "Look at all this!"


    In his excitement, Zhu Xie ran forward, looking at each one with a child-like curiosity.


    "A dagger with three des? It looks like a trident without a shaft!* This, could this be a monk''s staff? And what a beautiful shield! Oh, a bow but no arrows? Not even a quiver? How strange! What is this? This circr de, chakram perhaps? How would one use this? Lastly, an axe!"


    Standing before this final pedestal, Zhu Xie''s eyes were enamored with it.


    "The size, the design! It is both beautiful and yet, created for battle! Who could''ve created such things?!" he cried out in glee.


    "The better question would be who was this made for?" Ao Qin asked.


    Standing at the back of the group, he looked at them from a distance, fully knowing that these were not ordinary. But Ruishi Lei''s eyes showed a different light, seemingly connecting a few things together.


    "There are six weapons here¡­ and the statues had six arms."


    "You''re right!" said Shu Yi, "Those statues had six arms and there are six weapons here! They must''ve belonged to someone strong!"


    With that in mind, Zhu Xie stopped himself from touching the axe and turned to the others.


    "Do you think these could be trapped?" he asked.


    "There are a few possibilities", Niu Hong replied, "Considering we haven''t been attacked or caught in a trap yet, either this entire hall is one or there are no traps at all. Or perhaps there is a reason why there are no traps, we might not even be able to take them back. And there''s really only one way to check."


    He then turned to Yu Tu, who had a timid and nervous look on her face.


    "Can you do this?" the ox-kin asked.


    Yu Tu looked past him and studied the pedestals.


    "Not all six but¡­ four at most", she responded.


    Niu Hong nodded.


    "Alright, then whose the quickest out of all of us?"


    He looked to the others while posing this question, looking to see if there were any that were confident. Among them, Ao Qin and Ruishi Lei stepped forward as well as Jin Nao.


    "Aside from the Four ws, we''re probably the quickest", said the dragon-kin.


    "Indeed, even if I''m injured, it is only mental. My physical capabilities are still at their best."


    Ruishi Lei answered, straightening himself up. And Jin Nao simply nodded.


    "Aside from the Four ws that is", she said.


    "No, it should be Yu Tu and Qiang Rong along with you three. She is nimble enough to take two of the weapons while the rest will take one", Niu Hong responded.


    "In that case, Ruishi Lei and I will take the two heaviest ones, so the staff and the axe. The rabbit should take the two lightest ones, probably the dagger and the chakram. Finally, she and Qiang Rong can choose between the bow and the shield", said Ao Qin.


    "I can grab the shield", Qiang Rong volunteered.


    "Then I will take the bow", Jin Nao followed.


    With everyone assigned their ce, those who did not participate like Zhu Xie and the schrs walked out of the hall. There were only five individuals that stayed within it, standing right before the pedestals.


    Aside from Yu Tu, the other four eyed the thing they were to take. The moment, she took the dagger, the others would take their items to escape.


    That was the n.

 Chapter 545 - Trapped Within

    Chapter 545 ¨C Trapped Within


    As they all looked at each other, affirming one another focus, Yu Tu moved. Her hands were quick, grabbing the dagger beforeunching herself to the other pedestal. Everyone else followed, grabbing their assigned piece and sprinting off.


    In a matter of seconds, they all exited the hall, running out as fast as they could!


    The moment, they were in the clear, everyone looked at the hall as if waiting for something to happen.


    But nothing did.


    After a few moments, there were no changes.


    "Oh, alright! I guess there were no traps at all!" Ao Qin chuckled, putting the monk''s staff down.


    Everyone else did the same, putting what they grabbed down on the ground. A collective sigh of relief came from most of them, aside from the pair of Remation members.


    "Ah, to think we would leave with such treasures! How fortunate of us", Lao Yang muttered.


    "I know, I can''t wait to study these back on the ship!"


    Zhu Xie''s eyes could not leave the six items, staring at them with an almost obsessive look. In fact, he went to grab the axe in particr when it began to tremble.


    "What?!"


    The boar-kin took a step back in shock as the other weapons all began to tremble, bumping against each other until they all rose up into the air, And then, that was when the hall crumbled to pieces


    "Back away now!" Niu Hong shouted.


    "Ah, no! Why! We should''ve just ran off with them and never returned!"


    Zhu Xie cried out as he retreated with the others, stopping before the river to see what was to transpire. He watched as the pieces of the hall flew towards the size weapons, forming a massive golem resembling that of the statues.


    With its six arms and piercing red stare, this being of stone looked at the Zodiacs and slowly stepped towards them. An aura of white emerged from its body, revealing a pressure like no other. It was gigantic, towering above them all. Its face showed a look of rage as if to punish those that dared trespass it''s home.


    "It''s like golem from before!" said Qiang Rong.


    "Yeah, except this one is smaller and much more dangerous! We should retreat!" Niu Hong shouted, looking at the others.


    But both Ao Qin and Ruishi Lei took their weapons out. Even Lao Yang didn''t seem to be as worried as he could''ve been.


    "Just keep it towards us", said Lao Yang, "Keep it going! Keep it going!"


    Following his words, everyone just continued to retreat, stepping into the river as the six-armed golem continued to walk forward. Each arm wielded a different weapon to which they glowed and trembled with power.


    "Just let it continue walking!" said Lao Yang.


    "You old goat, what are you nning exactly?!" Ao Qin shouted out as he nced between the golem and the goat-kin.


    He pointed his saber at the golem cautiously, still wondering why they haven''t just run off yet. They continued to retreat slowly, crossing the river while the golem was on the other side. The moment, they crossed, its demeanor changed.


    "What''s it doing?"


    Zhu Xie furrowed his brows and looked at it.


    The golem stopped and lowered itself, bending its knees beforeunching itself over the river! It would reach their location in a matter of an instant! Smashing right into their bodies if they didn''t move now!


    But then Lao Yang shouted out as he pped a paper talisman onto the ground.


    "Hah!"


    As the golem was just over the river, tendrils of water rose up, taking the golem by its feet and dragging it into the shallow water bed. It struggled to get out as every tendril it ripped out of, another two would take its ce.


    "I''ve got it under control for now! But we should run! Now!"


    Lao Yang spun around and headed straight for the exit as the others looked in surprise and followed him.


    "When did you even set that up, you old goat?!" Ao Qin called him out, grinning at this escape of theirs.


    "Hah, traps or no traps, there always has to be a n set in ce. You have to be prepared for any situation. And don''t even think I''ll tell you how I did it, I''ll never reveal my secrets!"


    The goat-kinughed out as he ran as fast as he could.


    "We should go while we can, I don''t think that those bindings will stop it for much longer!"


    Just as he said that, the golem broke out of its water chains, sprinting right for them. All six arms swung about,unching waves of energy at them. Each strike caused the ground to rupture and the path to be broken.


    But it was far toote to catch up as Lao Yang was the first to reach the gate.


    And then the unexpected happened.


    As he ran towards the gate to escape, he mmed into something and was pushed back. The others saw what happened, looking at the gates. They stopped right before it, pushing forward but stopped by some invisible wall.


    "We''re trapped! What do we do now?!" Zhu Xie cried out.


    Ruishi Lei looked at the gate before spinning around to look at the six-armed golem. The White Lion snarled as he raised his fists, wearing his gauntlets and facing the enemy.


    "We have no choice! We must fight it!"


    He charged at the golem with Ao Qin following closely.


    "Let''s go support them!"


    Niu Hong shouted to the others, taking his axe out as the others did the same. Together, the Four ws sprinted forward, leaving just Zhu Xie, Jin Nao, and Shu Yi with the three schrs.


    "Quick, we must find somece to hide!"


    Jin Nao spoke with an urgent tone, bringing them away. Zhu Xie did not take part in the fight either, this was something he could not participate in. More than likely, he may even die by the sidelines.


    Thus it was those six individuals that fought the golem, chipping away at its stone body. But a golem was a golem, it was no beast.No matter what injury it sustained, the golem wouldn''t stop until it was truly broken. And who knows how long it would take. In more ways than one, it was more dangerous than a beast.


    "Damn, how long is it going to take this damned thing down?! Grow!"


    Qiang Rong shouted as he leaped into the air. His heavy staff suddenly grew in size and thickness, tripling its original dimensions. Gripping it with both hands, he began to swing down, smashing away with as much ferocity as he could muster.


    Aside from him, Ruishi Lei was the other person that dealt any real damage with his armored fists. He wailed away, punching at the golem''s joints. They both were doing that. After all, their weapons were most suitable against something like this.


    As for the other four, they kept the golem busy.


    "Strike at its eyes! Make sure it focuses on us! Don''t even let it strike back!" Niu Hong shouted out onemand after the other.


    Avoiding the attacks and dealing their own, Yu Tu was y the most dangerous role. With her nimbleness, she ran and hopped all over its body, throwing numerous weapons at the golem. Whether it was knives or other hidden weapons, they were thrown with deadly uracy.


    "It might have six arms but it''s only got one head! We can kill it!"


    Ao Qin shouted out as he jumped up and used the t of his saber to smack the golem right on its cheek! With his fist, he punched the other cheek, knocking away a chunk of stone.


    There was a grin on his face as he did so.


    "Hah! Finally, something different!"

 Chapter 546 - Conquering The First Of Many

    Chapter 546 ¨C Conquering The First Of Many


    He was happy to be fighting something other than a beast! The dragon-kin continued to punch down on the golem, striking it with enough force to knock it back a step. At the same time, one of its ankles cracked and shattered giving after being pummeled by Ruishi Lei.


    Its bnce was lost and the golem fell to its knees.


    "Now! Grow!"


    The killing blow wasnded by none other than Qiang Rong who grew his staff to the size of a pir and smashed down. With both size and power, the strike practically demolished the golem''s head! Its body suddenly froze in ce before crumbling to pieces.


    And the six weapons it once wielded fell to the ground, ttering as it dropped.


    The Zodiacs all watched and waited. Just because one danger was gone didn''t mean that there wouldn''t be another one waiting for them. But thankfully, nothing came after the golem and everyone felt as if they could breathe.


    The gate hummed with energy before quieting down. Lao Yang walked up to it, he put his hand forward reluctantly but pushed through.


    "The barrier is gone, we can leave!" he spoke out happily.


    "That''s it then¡­ We''ve finished the Cracked Ten Pirs¡­" said She Xing.


    The snake-kin looked around her in disbelief, seeing the destroyed field and the crumbled golem. As someone who had attempted it before, she truly didn''t think that this would be done. Zhu Xie was busy grabbing the weapons while everyone else took a short rest in this peaceful realm.


    "We did it."


    Ao Qin chuckled before sharing a look with Niu Hong, who had a nk expression.


    "We actually did", he muttered.


    "What do you think is next? Leader of the Four ws",the dragon-kin asked.


    He wasn''t very loud but it was enough for everyone to hear and that grabbed their attention. Now that they havepleted one, it meant that they could do more. Worse than that, it would most certainly be more dangerous than this. And the risk would only continue to grow.


    Even Zhu Xie stopped admiring the spoils to listen.


    "I''m not sure¡­ there are dozens that we could be sent to. Perhaps, we take on more ruins like these where they haven''t even been entered before or we go for ones that are known to be dangerous", Niu Hong answered, scratching the back of his head as he did so.


    "Now that I think about it, the Cracked Ten Pirs wasn''t as difficult as I thought it would be. The hard part was getting the corpse to be honest."


    Ruishi Lei gave his own thoughts and his words gave the others a sense of security. When someone as strong as him said it, everyone felt as if they had a better chance of living through it all. Even Ao Qin couldn''t help but agree to this thought.


    "If it was just us two against that golem, we would''ve had a much harder time defeating it but we would''ve won regardless. Considering every one of us is not only strong but have our own specialties, I doubt any of us will be dying soon", he added.


    "Too bad we didn''t find anything regarding the teleportation array. Not even any treasures that could power that thing. In any case, this is our first conquer, the first of many!"


    Lao Yang spoke loudly as everyone followed.


    Indeed, after this set of ruins, there would be many more trialse.


    The same could be said with Ming Yue and her little group.


    At this moment, she was busy in their little home, carving arge white tusk with a single Zephyr w. Carefully and with a bit of dexterity, she shaved off much of it before ending with a final product.


    "This doesn''t look too bad", she muttered to herself.


    In her hand, therge tusk of the massive elephant she killed had be that of a pure white sword. It was in the shape of a normal sword, double-edged with a small guard and even a pommel.


    It was certainly smaller and lighter than Blood Moon. Holding it by the handle, she swung a few times, feeling the weight of it.


    "Hmm."


    She thought carefully, shaving off just a bit at the tip and on some other spots too. And her w didn''t stop until she was satisfied, smiling as she gave it a few more swings.


    "Alright, this should be good enough for her", Ming Yue thought.


    The young woman then put the bone sword away before going outside where the skies were a bit cloudy. Off into the distance, Hongyu was busy practicing her swordsmanship, still swinging that makeshift wooden sword from before.


    As for the three beasts, they were nowhere to be found, most likely hunting outside.


    However, Ming Yue did not bother and instead walked towards the little girl, watching her practice before picking up a random stick.


    "Come on then", she said, "Let''s practice for a bit."


    Understanding her words, Hongyu pointed her wooden sword at the cultivator and their little duel began.


    "She''s getting much better at it, still not at the first stage but she''s getting there."


    Ming Yue made little notes and thoughts, seeing where her progress was.


    "How long has it been since I took her? Half a year?" she thought, "She looks a bit bigger, stronger too."


    Hongyu was a growing child after all.


    And having eaten the flesh of the Savage Beasts, there was certainly growth. She was an inch or two taller and there was already a bit of definition in her body, no doubt from the daily training. Her pale skin now had small scratches from training and exploring.


    "Alright, that''s enough. Let''s go have lunch."


    After sharing over a thousand moves, Ming Yue stopped dropping the stick and moving to cook. As for Hongyu, she was tired and sweaty, panting heavily as she followed her, dragging the sword behind. Making it back to the house, there were plenty of improvements since it was first made.


    There was a table and chairs outside, bowls and cups carved from wood along with chopsticks.


    The garden had expanded and suffused a sweet and earthy scent to the air, growing both medicine and vegetables. The house itself was improved as well, no longer a little hut but arger home with rooms of their own.


    Such changes had be a source of pride for Ming Yue, who sat down by the table with bowls and chopsticks.


    "Ah, all that time spent building and thinking was not wasted."


    She smiled at the thought, spending more than just a few days trying to figure out how to improve. Setting the table, Ming Yue grabbed a pot she had made out of y, using a woodendle to fill the bowls with a warm stew.


    After filling her''s and Hongyu''s, she ced the pot away before grabbing threerger pots and leaving them on the ground. They all had differing sizes, one for each of her pets.


    All Ming Yue did was whistle once and then she began to eat.


    Soon enough, they burst out of the forest, all three of them returning with a few catches of their own.


    "Come on you three, it''s time to eat!" she shouted out in between bites.


    The trio dropped whatever they had caught and went off to feast on their food. Between raw meat and cooked food, they much preferred this, slurping away at the hearty stew. It was filled with numerous meats and vegetables, brought together with a few spices and herbs.


    It certainly wasn''t amazing but it was a filling meal.


    This was just one of the many days they spent here, peacefully, quietly.


    But as Ming Yue enjoyed her meal, she felt something, a sharp pain, one in her chest and one in her mind.


    "No."

 Chapter 547 - The Time Draws Near

    Chapter 547 ¨C The Time Draws Near


    Feeling this pain, she ced her bowl down and went off, much to the curiosity of Hongyu, who went to follow. But the girl was stopped by the three beasts, all of which pushed her to another part of the field whilst Ming Yue''s figure grew smaller and smaller.


    Hongyu kept her eyes on the young woman until she could no longer see her.


    Rather, she smiled andughed as the furry beasts nuzzled up against her. With the trio''s efforts, the little girl was no longer focused on Ming Yue, who had retreated past the waterfall. Her pace was quick as she revealed an expression of pain.


    Beads of sweat began to form as her eyes fluttered open and closed.


    The darkness of the cave tunnel flickered as her surroundings switched between the gray waters and the battlefield. The same ones within her dreams, rather nightmares would''ve been better.


    "It''s getting worse¡­" she thought.


    The scene changed constantly, so much so that it was even beginning to confuse her.


    Ming Yue moved quickly, reaching the end of it where the stacked stones were. She moved past it, her hand was swift, reaching for the back of the cavern and opening up the secret room. Once inside she knelt down, breathing heavily.


    All that she saw were flickers of light, her head turning from one side to another as she could hear the sound of crashing thunder all around her.


    des meeting against each other, a constant battle, noise that couldn''t be drowned.


    All five senses were practically drowning in this mayhem. Her heart thumped and her head drummed constantly.


    "Agh. Urgh. Hah, hah, hah. Damn it, why is it getting worse?" she muttered, trying to endure this bombardment of noise


    But she couldn''t hold on for much longer. She reached for Blood Moon, swinging it out wildly against the walls of the training room, cutting at the rock with ease. That was all she could do, swing wildly, attacking whichever direction had a glint of light or whistle of a de.


    It wasn''t a constant stream but a flood of chaotic sound, hammering into her mind.


    Her sword flew about, cutting into the rock. Sparks scattered out with each swing and whatever had been cut fell to the floor. Little stones and pebbles pilled up against the walls, crumbling with every reverberation that the sword made.


    It went on and on until it finally stopped.


    At the sound of thest sword, the drumming, the shes, everything came to an end. Her breath slowed as she dropped down to a knee, supporting herself with Blood Moon. Calming her breath, Ming Yue rxed and sat down, putting Blood Moon away.


    "First it was just dreams and split-second hallucinations. At the very least, I knew what to watch out for and when to expect it but now it''s like this. It''s just getting more and more uncontroble."


    She was filled with an unsettling feeling, uncertainty over what would be happening.


    "Hah, Xue Yue, do you have any ideas?" she asked.


    Her question was met with silence but Xue Yue answered soon enough.


    "I honestly don''t know. Every time it happens, everything turns ck for me. It''s as if I''m forced to sleep", she said.


    Ming Yue was quiet, her eyes wandered through the carved-up walls. Compared to when she first found this ce, the room had grown more spacious and the freshly cut rock scattered around the floor.


    "What do I do?"


    The young cultivator wasn''t sure what to make of her situation.


    "It feels as if I don''t have much time left. Why? Reaching the Sky Realm requires a trial that I can choose to take when I want to. Is that not the case? Or is it the effects of the war? Both? I haven''t focused that much on cultivating, so what is happening?"


    The questions continued to pile on. No matter how many times she reworded it, it would end up being the same one.


    What was this?


    "I need answers but¡­ where can I get them?" she wondered.


    In the Beast Continent where she and Hongyu were practically the only humans, who could she turn to for guidance? For answers?


    The uncertainty was clear in her eyes.


    But then¡­ something came to mind, she looked up and turned around, staring at the stacked stone formation.


    "There may be no one to ask but perhaps, I can find something in the ruins? Any notes or journals could be helpful!"


    Indeed, she may not have any mentors here but she may find something in the ancient ruins. After all, they were cultivators too!


    This was her only choice here, the only path she could take.


    "I can''t just wait for this toe! I have to do something because if I don''t, I''ll die."


    That much she was certain of.


    Standing back up, she slowly regained her strength and walked towards the stacked stones, moving to touch it but her hand stopped. Instead, she looked up at the little crack above her, where the sunlight shined in.


    Pulling her hand away, she restrained herself.


    "I should wait until nightfall, while Hongyu is asleep", she thought.


    It would be wrong of her to vanish out of the blue like this.


    "One step at a time, I can''t explore it all in one day but room by room until I''m done with this and then I''ll move onto the next one. I''ll do it, I''ll go through all of it until I find what I''m looking for."


    Those uncertain eyes changed to that of determination because now, she knew what to do. Enduring was no longer the way, this had to be dealt with directly.


    Walking out of the cave and past the waterfall, she made her way through the clearing, finding Hongyu and the trio of beasts chasing after each other. There was a smile on the little girl''s face and it grewrger when she saw Ming Yue return.


    Stopping herself, Hongyu rand towards the young woman, giving her a big embrace before looking up at her.


    "Ah, I can''t leave her like this."


    That was the one thought she had when Hongyu did this.


    "Alright,e on, let''s go clean up a bit. You''re all pretty dirty."


    Her words came out warmly as she looked at them all, covered in spots of dirt from ying. Cleaning them up and going about, the rest of their day went by peacefully. With how much hunting they''ve done, barely any beasts dared toe near them.


    And when night fell, only Ming Yue seemed to be awake.


    She watched as Hongyu quietly fell asleep, gently dreaming away. Xiao Yin, Hei Yue, and Liang Wei were all within the house, barely keeping their eyes open.


    "Keep her safe, you three."


    They responded quietly as she walked out and entered the hidden cave. Standing before the stacked stone formation, Ming Yue took a deep breath, while holding Blood Moon tightly.


    "Hopefully that trap is still broken, if can self-repair, this is going to be a long night", she muttered to herself.


    She raised her other hand up, wearing the Eternal Heart Ring along with the ring she found thest time she was here. Moving towards her neck, she felt the two pendants, the Star Pendant given to her back home and the sword pendant that came with the ring.


    After spending some time with these two items, she had a good grasp of what they did. And the note that came with it exined a bit of their history.


    Letting go after a few seconds, Ming Yue reached for the stacked stones and touched them. The scene around her changed as she found herself within that very trap.


    Fortunately, it was still broken and she walked to the next room where she found the little box.

 Chapter 548 - Time Does Not Wait

    Chapter 548 ¨C Time Does Not Wait


    "It''s still the same as it was thest time I came", she thought.


    As the room that came after the trapped one, it was underwhelming, to say the least. There was a bed, a desk, everything needed for someone''s living space. But she''s searched it once, there was no point in searching again.


    Rather, Ming Yue looked at the door leading out of the two rooms.


    It was a simple and unassuming door, a normal wooden door. She walked up and opened it, revealing a long hallway before her. It was dimly lit with a strange light and yet there was no sign of a source. No torches or glowing rocks were in sight, it was just stone bricks building up to a deste hall.


    There wasn''t even an ounce of decor on it.


    It was quiet, save for the sound of her footsteps. Blood Moon was unsheathed and she walked slowly, keeping her surroundings in check.


    "Where does this lead to?" she wondered.


    Soon enough, she reached the end of the hallway, finding that it led to a set of spiral stairs that went up and down.


    "So this isn''t the lowest level¡­ Which way should I go?"


    Ming Yue looked in both directions before expanding her aura, trying to sense what was beyond these stairs.


    "Xue Yue, can you find anything?" she asked.


    Blood Moon began to hum, the reverberations echoed through the spiral stairs.


    "Hmm, either way, it''ll be dangerous. Although¡­"


    The sword spirit paused.


    "Although what?"


    Ming Yue was curious, wanting to know what she had found.


    "It''s obvious that the lower levels are more dangerous but, there seems to be something else down there. I''m not sure what. It could be a treasure or a living thing, all I know is that, whatever is the source of this energy, it is different from everything else around us", Xue Yue exined.


    "Something different¡­"


    Repeating those words, Ming Yue looked down the spiral stairs and slowly descended. Keeping her senses alert, she moved down to the next floor, walking through another hallway that slowly widened before revealing several entrances leading elsewhere.


    Stopping in the middle of it, she looked around before picking one of the entrances. But the cultivator soon came out and went to the next, checking each one all the way to thest entrance.


    "Nothing here, just more rooms for people to sleep in. There must''ve been hundreds that resided here."


    Finding nothing but dust and cobwebs, she went down one more floor, this time entering a sizable hall. Not incrediblyrge but not small either, enough for a hundred people to sitfortably.


    Looking around, Ming Yue took note of everything within this hall.


    "There are mats here, a ce for incense, is this a meditation room? Cultivation maybe?" she thought.


    Looking around some more, Ming Yue moved down the hall and walked through a doorway that led to several other halls, each one different than thest.


    "Prayer mats, dummies, what else do they have?" she wondered.


    Looking through all of it, each seemed that each hall served a different purpose, training in some form or manner.


    "Should I¡­ take some of this with me?"


    The thought entered her mind as she walked around. It wasn''t as if they were in use and her home did need some furnishings. With that, a few things were no longer there, chairs, a table, a mat, and some more.


    "Not amazing but better than what I make."


    She put on a hapless smile, thinking about her own attempts at carpentry and what not.


    "Let''s down one more floor and stop for the night."


    As she walked down, Ming Yue still kept her guard up.


    "There hasn''t been any dangerous thing yet¡­ What could be down there?"


    Making her way to his next floor, there was one short hallway that split into four paths. Each one with a different angle, some ascending and others descending.


    "Which one?"


    Spreading her senses through each of the four paths, she searched through them finding that they contained a different thing.


    "The first and third paths have a few boxes but the second and fourth. The fourth is a¡­ torture room. The second¡­ a library of some sort?"


    Curious by the second path, she walked down and entered the room.


    It was thergest of the four rooms and was filled with shelves of books, hundreds of them in fact. She moved to touch them but stopped herself.


    "Could any of them be trapped? Or are there any that stand out?"


    Looking at the books from a distance, Ming Yue found a few that were different from the rest. They had an aura to them. Sharp, overbearing, soft, it was a variety and Ming Yue took them off the shelves one by one skimming through them.


    "Sword techniques, axe, bow, hammer¡­ These are all manuals. Whoever wrote them or created them were experts no doubt."


    Going through them quickly, they were certainly powerful techniques but they did not fit her at all. Still, they would be useful to others without a doubt.


    "I should take them back to Heaven''s Gate, give it all to the archives. Maybe they can tell me the origin of all these techniques."


    Putting them into her spatial ring, she turned to leave before noticing something. Turning back, she looked at empty shelves, giving them a closer look. There were ten in total, six standing opposite to the door with two on both sides.


    Inspecting them closely, her eyes widened a bit as she took a step back and looked at each shelf from afar.


    "Each one has a word carved on them. Time does not wait for anyone, especially not the talented."


    Reading these words to herself, Ming Yue repeated them several times. Her eyes revealed a strange light as she furrowed her brows.


    "What does that mean?"


    She wasn''t sure what to make of this phrase, this message.


    "There''s another meaning to it, but what is it?"


    Ming Yue didn''t know. There was more to these words than just a simple message, that was clear enough in how it was presented. Despite being carved on these bookshelves, it was as if they were written on like brush strokes. On top of that, there was a unique powering from each word.


    "Whoever wrote this was much stronger than those other experts. Not Sky Realm but¡­ Heaven Realm?"


    That much she knew, the feeling these words gave off reminded her of the Heaven Realm expert she knew, the Grand Elder of Heaven''s Gate. Rather, this person might even be stronger than the Grand Elder.


    "Time does not wait for anyone, especially not the talented."


    Repeating it once more, she gave it one more look before leaving the room. Going back to the starting point, the young woman looked at the fourth path.


    "It''s a torture room, luckily it''s been cleaned but¡­ there''s nothing of use in there."


    Torture was something she didn''t partake in and had no wish to try. Going back to the stairs, she looked down, seeing no end to it.


    "How far down does this go?"


    Staring at it for a bit, she ascended, going past the floors she searched back to the first room. Going to the stacked stones, Ming Yue touched them, going back to the cavern. Looking up at the crack, she found that it was still nighttime. The sunlight had barely begun to shine.


    "Ah, I probably could''ve gone for one more floor then", she thought.


    "It''s not like those stones are going anywhere."


    Xue Yue chuckled.


    "Yes, but how much time do I have left?" Ming Yue asked her of this.


    "Right, our current predicament."


    Xue Yue turned quiet as the young cultivator walked out of the cave, going through the waterfall to see her little home. In that moment, she repeated those words once again.


    "Time does not wait for anyone, especially not the talented. What could this mean for me?"

 Chapter 549 - A Little Sneeze

    Chapter 549 ¨C A Little Sneeze


    Ming Yue mulled over those words before sighing out.


    "Why does every clue have to be a strange message?"


    She asked herself this, taking a walk through her home


    "Ah, I should go rece all of the chairs and furniture."


    Remembering her rather unique spoils, she walked into the house, quietly removing the old and putting in the new. As for the old, Ming Yue took it outside, piling on top of one another. All of it was made out of wood from the surrounding trees. These pieces weren''t pretty but they served their purpose and served it well.


    Now that she had no use for them, Ming Yue turned it into something else. But rather than use her sword or the Wind Dao, her hand moved to the sword pendant.


    "I suppose this would make some good practice. Though, controlling it is easier said than done."


    Channeling her energy into the pendant, it glowed before the little sword released itself from the ne.


    It didn''t grow in size or show any physical changes. Rather, it just floated in front of her, releasing a quiet whistling sound. Despite such a small thing, Ming Yue was fully concentrated. The ring on her index finger glowed when activating the little sword.


    Moving just a tad, the little sword followed, and under her control, she began to cut the furniture up, turning it into firewood. Her finger just barely moved but the little sword sliced through without issues. Despite its size, it seemingly cut through things muchrger than it.


    After all, it was a pendant, a little sword small enough to fit in her hand.


    And despite such a small thing, Ming Yue had trouble with it.


    "This is¡­ way too hard. How can you even use this?"


    It seemed as if even the littlest bit of movement could decimate this pile of wood. Even after several days, her grasp of it was still not good. After all, she wasn''t some godly being, and sometimes, mistakes happen.


    "Aah-choo!"


    Unable to stop it, she sneezed and her finger twitched for an instance. There was silence followed by several cracks and booms as a dozen trees from the edge of the clearing were chopped down. They practically fell together, producing a very loud crash at the crack of dawn.


    It was loud enough for Hongyu and the three beasts to rush out.


    The little girl took out her wooden sword while the trio bared their fangs and ws at whoever this attacker may be. But when they came out, there was no enemy for them to fight. Instead, they saw Ming Yue with a somewhat guilty look, noticing all of the chopped trees.


    "Oh, did I wake you? I was just making firewood."


    They all looked at her for a moment before going back into the house for a bit more sleep. The act of which peeved her a bit.


    "Hah, going right back to sleep. I wonder what would happen if there was an enemy."


    Moving on from this, she turned her attention back to the sword pendant and the recently chopped trees.


    "Guess I don''t need to worry about firewood", she muttered.


    The ring''s glow dimmed as the little sword returned to its ce on the ne. The whistling softened and slowly turned silent, no longer floating. Watching it return, she sighed before walking up to gather the downed trees.


    "The Guang Su Set¡­ Speed of light¡­ A pendant and a ring¡­"


    That was the name of these two items, a name she found on the note left with these items.


    "I still can''t believe this was left in that room. A piece of equipment meant as a gift for one''s wedding."


    Indeed that note was much different than she had expected, it was a congrattory one. Ming Yue still had it, taking the note out to look at it again.


    "This is my gift to you, the Guang Su Pendant and Ring, one of my best creations. The ring controls the sword and if it''s you, there is no doubt that you will be able to control it easily! Again, congrattions on such a wondrous asion, I wish you and your loved one a joyous life!"


    That was the message on this little piece of paper. Although there wasn''t much written on, there was plenty of information to obtain from these words.


    "Whoever used to be in that room must''ve been the one that created this treasure and whoever this is for¡­ must be some monstrous expert."


    That she knew.


    With how sensitive this treasure was to even the slightest movement, she knew that it was beyond her current cultivation. Practicing with it now wouldn''t have resulted in much progress.


    "If I was in the Sky Realm¡­ or even the Heaven Realm¡­ I could do it", she thought, "But I''m not ready for it, not in this state of mine."


    She didn''t feel confident in seeding. There were simply too many things to think about. With Hongyu, the Savage Lands, and so much more, the time didn''t feel right.


    "I need to deal with these things first."


    There was a responsibility resting on her shoulders, a weight that she had always felt.


    "Hah, and here I thought I could rest."


    She sighed, cutting up the trees into logs before turning them into quarters. With a few flicks of her finger, wind gather and lifted the whole pile, and it was brought to the side of the house. With that, her day started, training in the morning, lunch, gardening, and medicine making afterward. She also spent that time teaching Hongyu.


    Although the girl couldn''t speak, she was quite smart, quickly picking up the skills and knowledge of it. It hade to the point where Ming Yue didn''t have to watch her harvest nts from the garden.


    Watching her grinding up the dried herbs, the young woman couldn''t help but smile as Hongyu rolled up her sleeves and went back at grinding.


    "Kind of like me¡­" she thought.


    When the day ended and the little girl went fell asleep once more, Ming Yue ventured out again. Entering the cave and going into those ruins. She walked to the spiral stairs and descended, skipping through the floors she had already seen and heading straight for the next one.


    Unlike the previous ones, she had to walk down a bit more, seeing that this floor was a bit separated from the others.


    "Hmm, what is exactly at the bottom then?" she wondered.


    Thinking this, Ming Yue decided not to enter the next one but instead go further down. She walked and walked, going down more than a few hundred steps, she made it to the end to which there was a single hallway, more brightly litpared to the rest.


    "Hmm, so there are about ten floors from where I came¡­ Then what about going up?"


    Rather than explore thest floor, she walked up instead, going past the floor she came from and ascending to the top.


    "Let''s see, one, two, three¡­"


    Counting the floors from that point, she took note of what was there as well. But there wasn''t exactly much to see from the stairs.


    "Hallway, door, hall, path¡­ Hmm, wait this is¡­"


    Reaching the higher levels, it was beginning to grow brighter as well. And nine floors past the level she came from, she ascended into a massive hall. It was gigantic,rger than those cultivation and training roomsbined.


    Looking around, she found herself behind a dusty counter and her eyes wandered about, taking in this fresh scene.


    But after it, Ming Yue noticed something, that caught her eye. Rather, it was practically impossible not to miss it. After all, the Four ws had told her of its existence.


    "A dragon made of swords."

 Chapter 550 - Order Of The Astral Sword

    Chapter 550 ¨C Order Of The Astral Sword


    "The White Sword''s Remains!"


    Ming Yue quickly realized when she saw this terrifying being.


    "It''s just like the Four ws described it to be, a dragon made of swords! To think I''d be here of all ces!"


    Realizing where she was, the young woman made herself as unnoticeable as she could. Her steps were quiet and small, her aura was practically gone, her breath was gentle. Fortunately, she hadn''t stepped onto this floor yet, just a step before, hiding behind a dusty stone counter.


    And the dragon seemed to be asleep, the floating swords floated together every so slightly. There was a chime as the countless swords moved.


    "What are those swords?"


    Still hidden behind, the dragon was the first thing she looked at.


    It wasrge, incredibly so. Even within this great hall, the coiled dragon made it look like a child''s room. It was certainly not as big as the World Serpent but it was terrifying nevertheless.


    And the swords that made up its body were all quite strange, both in shape and design. They werepletely white, a pure white color. Each sword seemed to be one single piece. The guard and the pommel were just an embossing, metal being pulled out by just a bit.


    "Xue Yue, what do you think of those swords?" she asked.


    Blood Moon waspletely quiet as Ming Yue''s counterpart spoke softly.


    "Against one or two, I could snap those things like twigs but¡­ that has to be over a hundred thousand swords making up its body. Against all of that, I''m not so sure."


    Such a thing was right, as powerful as Blood Moon was, this was a dragon madepletely of swords.


    "They said that it was faster than them¡­ If that''s the case, is it faster than me? No, perhaps there is a gimmick to it. Could it self repair? Are there other swords? A formation of some sort perhaps? Or a core piece?"


    Her eyes ran down the dragon''s body, trying to find anything remotely simr but it was for naught.


    "Ah damn, maybe there''s another sword just like the one that the Four ws found", she thought.


    But then Ming Yue shook her head and went back down the stairs.


    "If it hasn''t sensed me yet, I''m still safe. I''d rather not get chased and have it destroy these ruins."


    While a part of her wanted to challenge it, doing so would most certainly ruin the opportunity that she now had. Other than this giant hall and the floors she had already searched, there were still sixteen floors for her to see. Some were small and straightforward while others were almost maze-like.


    "I suppose I should go through the second and eighth floors first. those are probably the least dangerouspared to the thirteenth to twentieth."


    With that, she went down to the second floor, which was a smaller room than what she had just seen. But there were wooden cabs covering the entire floor. At least several dozen of them in fact, lined up, possibly still containing something.


    "Let''s have a look."


    Entering this floor, Ming Yue wandered around, opening the cab at random. But all she had to do was open the first one to know what the rest would contain. Pulling out the first cab that caught her eye, she peered into it to find that it was filled to the brim with papers, all of which were kept pristine and clean.


    "What''s this?"


    Gently, she took out the first few and started to read them.


    "Mission: Kill a Red-Winged Sparrow.


    Head three hundred kilometers to the south and hunt down the beast. The deadline toplete is three weeks. The reward for sess is one hundred points, failure will deduct two hundred from your bnce.


    Order of the Astral Sword


    Result: Sess ¨C Rank 2 Member, Su Qing,pleted the task in one week, two days."


    "Mission: Collect a Sun-Tipped Grass


    Head forty kilometers to the west to collect this herb, The deadline toplete is one week. The reward for sess is twenty points, failure will deduct thirty points.


    Order of the Astral Sword


    Result: Failure ¨C Rank 1 Member, Fang Yu, died during their journey there. killed by a beast."


    Looking through the entire cab, they were all the same thing, records of missions and their attempts. Failure or sess, all of it was recorded on these papers. But there was another detail that these documents shared, something that caught her eye.


    "Order of the Astral Sword¡­ This name¡­ I wonder if they''re rted¡­"


    There was a feeling within her but she wasn''t sure yet. There was simply too little information to go off of and the chances that those two things were connected were very low.


    But there was still a chance that she was right.


    "Are all of the cabs like this as well?"


    Asking herself this, Ming Yue began to check the other cabs, opening them to see more papers and skimming through a few for each one.


    "It''s just all records, missions, events, supplies¡­ So where would higher-ranked missions be? Wherever they are, the more sensitive information should be nearby too."


    Checking through, she saw missions for Rank 1, 2, 3, and 4. But there was still one more row of cabs that she had yet to check through. And it was in this row that she found what she was looking for.


    "Rank 5 missions¡­ So where would the corresponding information be?"


    Quickly scanning through the cabs, the young woman came upon thest two cabs. Both of which didn''t seem to open that easily.


    "it''s locked¡­ Both physically and through some sort of small array. How should I do this?" she wondered.


    The two cabs before her were chained up and contained etchings of some kind. Although Ming Yue could touch it without any issue, something told her that opening them would be troublesome.


    "Just cut through it", Xue Yue told her, "Put a bit of power into it and Blood Moon should be able to break it down."


    "Are you sure?" she asked, "We can just do that?"


    "How long do you think these cabs have been locked for? Do you think those arrays wouldn''t deteriorate? They''re still working but it''s very weak. I''m certain that we can break through it."


    With Xue Yue''s affirmation, Ming Yue unsheathed her sword and pointed it at the two cabs. Each of them was about as tall as her and wider than her own body. A bit of power welled up and coursed through the de, giving it a very soft red glow.


    She swung out in an instant before quickly sheathing her de.


    The next moment, there was a crisp ring as the chains fall to the ground and the array was broken.


    "Oh, that wasn''t so difficult", she thought to herself, "I thought, it wouldn''t break."


    Looking at the two cabs, Ming Yue moved to open them, taking out what was inside. Butpared to the other ones, these two were not as full, amounting to a quarter of what the other cabs had.


    After opening and reading through all of the documents, it didn''t take too long and by the end, she looked up with an expression of rity, knowing now what this ce was and what had happened.


    "To think that these ruins were a secret society of sorts, with missions ranging from collecting simple herbs to killing other powerful experts. Controlling the world from the shadows only to be destroyed by the Cmity. Those who could even survive had no choice but to turn insane. And this is the origin of the Lunar Executioner, but to think the origin of that name had more to it, so much more."


    Those few documents had so shocking information, much more than she let on. But before Ming Yue had time to digest it all, she heard a noise and whipped her head around.


    It was the clinking of sword and then, a resonant howl!

 Chapter 551 - Black Blade

    Chapter 551 ¨C ck de


    Ming Yue looked towards the stairs and quickly ran off to another corner of the room. Her eyes never left the stairs, watching them very closely.


    "Did that one move wake it?" she thought.


    Glued onto those stairs, she heard the sound of swords gently hitting each other as a shadow loomed over the stairs. It was very quiet but she could hear the dragon growling, a grating sound enough to make anyone shudder.


    The shadow darkened as the dragon floated down the stairs, peering into the second floor.


    Ming Yue now knew what it was like when awake. And truly, it was terrifying.


    "Its eyes¡­ they''re not natural at all."


    Of course, for a dragon made of swords, it was obvious, but there was more to it than that. Its eyes truly didn''t match its appearance, pure ck, and even left a faint trail of darkness as the dragon turned around.


    This was opposed to its white body, two piercing ck eyes that resembled an endless pit. It gave off an eerie feeling, a sense that it was something that shouldn''t exist in this world. To some degree, it felt like a corruption of some sort.


    The young cultivator held her breath as she hid while the dragon entered the hall. It slowly walked through the cabs, making sure that it was not touching the cabs.


    "I should escape first, it won''t take long for it to notice that something was wrong."


    Holding her breath, Ming Yue slowly moved closer and closer to the stairs, Each step had her clinging tightly to Blood Moon, ready to take on the dragon if need be. But then it suddenly turned and she froze, still obscured by the cabs.


    "Did it find me?"


    At this point, she was prepared to fight and to destroy what this thing was. Each step produced a clinking sound as it came closer and closer to her, she could see its shadow growing over the cab she hid behind.


    The grating growl was a nightmare sound to the ears.


    And right when she was about to strike back, the dragon backed away, going to the spiral stairs. Rather than ascend the stairs, the dragon went down to the lower levels. When it was gone and out of sight, Ming Yue quietly released her breath, peeking out up at the stairs just to make sure. She watched its long body curl down the stairs until its tail was nowhere to be seen.


    "So it''s going down? Where?"


    She nced back at the cabs before stepping onto the stairs as well, stealthily following the dragon.


    Ming Yue could hear its steps, a crisp ring as the metal swords met the stone stairs. She followed it down to where it stopped before the twentieth and lowest floor. It paused for only a moment before marching forward, entering the brightly lit hallway.


    "So it''s going there¡­ Why? What''s inside?"


    Unable to stop her curiosity, she followed it, hiding by the entrance of the hallway and peering from the corner of her eye. Looking in, her eyes widened a bit and she turned away, leaning against the wall.


    "Another sword!" she thought.


    Ming Yue then looked in once more, seeing the dragon curling against this other sword. It was a ck single-edged sword that crackled with the smallest bit of lightning. It was practically featureless, without any decor, a simple sword filled with a dangerous power, one that she was familiar with.


    It was the energy of the Cmity but not the remnant energy.


    "Those papers were right, this was what they were going to do", she muttered, "Use that sword to absorb the energy of the Cmity. They were going to use it as an opportunity to create a weapon. The pure, raw power of destruction harnessed in this way."


    Within that room, the ck sword floated just slightly over the ground and it was wrapped in chains, all of which were nailed to the wall. On top of that, there were numerous talismans ced everywhere, hundreds of these papers sticking on the chain links.


    The room itself wasrge as well, having just enough space for the dragon to coil around the sword. Itid still as if awaiting something, and something did happen soon enough.


    The energy within the sword flowed out, seeping into the dragon''s body.


    It shuddered as these ck sparks entered but allowed it to happen.


    Ming Yue watched quietly as the swords suddenly changed and morphed drastically. One moment, they were swords, the next, they had be the scales of a dragon.


    She could hardly believe it.


    "Those swords¡­ Is it trying to transform into a real dragon?"


    The thought of it was practically a fantasy but it was happening right in front of her. However, that transformation barelysted a second before returning to its original form. The entire processsted only a minute before the dragon stood back up, examining its body even.


    Some of the swords had little fractures on the surface, sure to grow with time. It snorted, growling in frustration before turning to leave.


    "I must hide!"


    Realizing this, the young cultivator quickly ran up to the neenth floor, entering a long hallway that split off into multiple paths.


    "Um, the first one!"


    Without hesitating, she went for the closest path, hiding just around the corner and peeking through the hallway. Hearing the nging steps of the dragon, it ascended the spiral stairs returning to the top floor.


    And finally, when it was away and out of sight, Ming Yue rxed, sitting down against the wall. After taking a breath, she stood back up and went down to thest floor, where the door was slightly ajar.


    Opening it and slipping through, Ming Yue looked at the chained-up sword, standing at the edge of the room. She watched as the de sparked out as if noticing that she was here.


    "It''s absorbing the energy to change, to evolve, just like the Savage Beasts", muttering to herself.


    But there was certainly more to that, especially after reading the documents from before. There was more, so much more to it.


    "Order of the Astral Sword, the reason why that person became known as the Lunatic Sword, the Lunar Executioner, the Heavenly yer, Yan Yi, and this is his sword."


    Among the documents were records of this elusive person, a person whose traces she hade across time and time again. Now, she hade to the truth of it all.


    "Yan Yi, the strongest member of the Order, given his final task: To wield his sword and strike down the Cmity, snuffing it out and ending the cycle of life and death. In the end, he failed, saved only by his sword which had absorbed much of the Heaven''s Power. But his mind could not take it, instead, he grew crazy, focused on one thing only, to strike at the skies. His whereabouts are unknown but his sword remains. It is now known as Zhen Wu''s Sword."


    This was what she had read.


    Looking at the sword now, Ming Yue was sure that she was right, Yan Yi was the Lunatic Sword. The chained degave off the same feelings as those other ces, his home in the secret realm, that pond where his dead disciple was, all of those statues of him that she hade across.


    It was the same and yet different, altered, changed, perverted by the energy of the Cmity.


    Ming Yue couldn''t help but admire the sword. Itcked any sort of decor, a simple sword but perfectly made. And all of the energying off of it was both chilling but weing. But she wasn''t so easily fooled.


    Her eyes narrowed as she looked at the sword.


    "You want to be freed¡­"


    As if knowing what she said, it produced a quiet cry, as if wanting to be used.

 Chapter 552 - One Mystery After Another

    Chapter 552 ¨C One Mystery After Another


    "Xue Yue was this what you sensed earlier?" Ming Yue asked.


    "Yes, it is. Though, I wasn''t expecting it to be another sword. It''s strange¡­" she replied.


    The young woman looked at Blood Moon, furrowing her brows.


    "What do you mean?"


    "Remember what I said earlier, whatever was down here could be a treasure or a living thing. In fact, it is both. That sword is like me¡­ a weapon spirit but after bing a vessel for all of that energy, it is barely holding on", Xue Yue exined.


    The young woman turned back to the sword, revealing a bit of surprise.


    "So that is why it howled at me, it knew what I said but couldn''t speak", she realized, "And the only reason it could was because that dragon is absorbing some of the energy."


    But even though, she understood the plight of this sword, there was nothing she could do.


    "I have no way of dealing with this. If I let it free, the consequences could be unimaginable. I could die, or turn insane just like Yan Yi. I could just let the dragon continue to do what it has been doing but, that''s just solving one problem by creating another."


    However, she remembered something.


    "Then what about the spires? It will absorb the energy, won''t it? But then, it would just hasten the transformation of the continent. The Savage Lands would grow and those beasts would only be more dangerous. Though¡­ if I can weaken those roots, destroy that permeating energy, I could create space for this new energy toe in. The process would be long but it is doable, isn''t it?"


    "It''s¡­ not the best but there''s probably no better option", Xue Yuemented.


    "Right, right, I''ll have to get to it then¡­"


    Ming Yue then turned to back at the sword before suddenly stopping, clutching her head.


    "Damn it, why now?"


    Groaning in pain, the shes and the sounds returned, pounding into her head. She fell to her knees but stood back up, heading for the spiral stairs. Taking several steps, Ming Yue stumbled from forward, falling to the neenth floor.


    "I need to¡­ find somece secluded¡­ Or else¡­ That dragon is going to sense me."


    At this rate, she wasn''t going to be able to leave without sumbing to this attack. The struggling cultivator would only try and hope that this was enough.


    She leaned against the wall, walking through as quickly as she could. Her eyes were blurred as light seemed to sh in and out. She could barely see where she was going.


    But then a door appeared before her and she pushed through, finding herself in a room of sorts.


    "Agh, good enough."


    Faintly speaking, Ming Yue could no longer endure, copsing within this unknown room. She didn''t even have the strength to stay conscious, not long enough to grab Blood Moon even. Her body was barely moving, gently rising and falling with every breath she took.


    And after some time, her body trembled as her arms moved, slowly getting back up. Groaning as she sat up, Ming Yue grabbed her head with a pained expression.


    "Damn it, when is this going to stop?" she muttered to herself.


    Opening her eyes, Ming Yue looked around, trying to get her bearings.


    "Where did I go? I remember going to the neenth floor but which path did I take?"


    Slowly taking in her surroundings, she found herself within a spacious room with work tables everywhere. And there were a few other things as well, a few papers on them, some on the floor crumpled up. There were even a few strange tools that she had no clue what their purpose would be.


    "If the dragon didn''t sense me, I must''vee pretty deep into this level", she thought.


    Turning around, Ming Yue looked to see the half-opened door and walked out, trying to determine where she had gone. Seeing the pathway, she walked down and entered the main hallway.


    "Oh¡­ this was the path I hid in before", she realized, finding herself in the very corner she used to hide from the dragon.


    Ming Yue then looked down the hallway, checking out the other paths as well.


    "Are all of these research rooms?"


    Wondering this, she left the first path and went to see the other paths. Each one contained a simr scene, a spacious room filled with worktables, papers, and strange tools. It wasn''t until she entered the farthest andst path that there was something a bit different here.


    "This is¡­"


    As she walked in, she saw that the room was massive, and at the center of it was not a worktable but a circr tform. Furthermore, it seemed to be a replica of something, an object she recognized immediately.


    "The teleportation array, it''s a smaller model of the teleportation array!"


    Taking a few steps forward, she looked at the smaller version more closely, studying it.


    "Is there where they created it? Is the Order of the Astral the reason for its creation? How is that possible? How ancient is this group?"


    There were many questions but the answers to them would be hard to find.


    "It''s just one mystery after another, isn''t it?" she muttered to herself.


    There was a tinge of annoyance in her tone but she continued on, walking around the room. Other than this smaller version of the teleportation array, there really was nothing else. Not even a table or desk could be found, or even a scrap of paper.


    There was just that circr tform at the center of the room. And that was the center of her attention.


    "How would it be activated?" she wondered, "As long as I could figure it out, I could go back home. I could even take Hongyu back with me."


    This was at the top of her priority. If she knew how to activate it, then she could go back home. At this point, the idea of it was slowly bing a reality. But even that reality was far from her reach.


    Ming Yue sighed and she turned to leave in disappointment.


    "Hah, maybe I should''ve asked to learn about formations at Heaven''s Gate. Maybe I would''ve understood this damn thing", shemented.


    s, her knowledge of such things barely scratched the surface and she could not make heads or tails as to how she could activate it. After all, this thing was just a model, it didn''t even seem like it worked.


    But then she stopped and turned to look at it.


    Taking her sword out, she walked towards it and swung out, cutting through the stone and separating the model from the floor. Fortunately, it didn''t seem like it was connected to the floor, all her strike did was clear the dust away. Without missing a beat, she pointed her spatial ring at it, taking it with her.


    As she ascended the stairs to leave, there was a bit of worry on her face.


    "I hope I wasn''t gone for too long, maybe the sun had just risen."


    She hoped it would be so but as she touched the stacked stones and returned to the cave, she was met with a rather unhappy child. Seeing Hongyu in front of her, the little girl had her arms crossed and quite a frown on her face.


    "Ah¡­"


    Ming Yue could only react in that way, like a child who had been caught doing something they shouldn''t have.


    "Hongyu, I was just investigating it, okay? It could be very dangerous."


    She spoke softly trying to reason with her but Hongyu wasn''t having it, pouting and looking away. The little girl was certainly jealous that Ming Yue could go but she couldn''t and so she stomped off. Ming Yue stood up and watched her go before turning her attention towards the three beasts who stood there.


    "You three really let here through here?"


    She couldn''t help but ask with a sharp tone causing the trio to look down at the ground in shame.


    "Hah, let''s just go."

 Chapter 553 - Destruction In Rage

    Chapter 553 ¨C Destruction In Rage


    The group all walked out of the cavern, going after Hongyu to try and bring her mood up. Unfortunately, the little girl merely went into the house, ignoring them all. At this point, Ming Yue followed after, finding her sitting and looking away from the cultivator.


    "Hongyu¡­ Hongyu! Listen to me, I was just making sure that it was safe. I didn''t want to make you worried or anything of that sort."


    The young woman knelt down and looked at Hongyu''s back, trying her best to lift the child''s mood. Unfortunately, the child wasn''t budging in the slightest. She just ignored Ming Yue, not even showing the slightest reaction to anything she said.


    In the end, Ming Yue sighed and stood back up.


    "Whenever you feel better,e out, okay?" she said.


    After that, she left and looked at the three beasts, all of which were upright and alert in front of her.


    "Stay by her, make sure she''s safe, and don''t let her go into that cave."


    The trio all nodded, understanding what she wanted of them. Afterward, she walked a bit further out before pointing her ring forward, nting the array model onto the ground with a thud. And then she stared at it for a while, walking in circles, trying to glean off some sort of clue.


    But there wasn''t much for her to find, it was a copy of the teleportation array. It was a circr stone piece carved in with patterns and symbols, interweaved with one another. Only a master would understand the flow and form of it all and there was no master here.


    In the end, she could only click her tongue and frown.


    "I should''ve asked around about activating the teleportation array. Hah, how am I going to do this?" she asked herself.


    Standing there for a bit, Ming Yue turned around and left.


    "Maybe, I should just focus on the sword first, go clear out some of the roots under the spires."


    With that in mind, she quickly flew off, arriving at the spires alone. Landing in the middle of it, she looked around the spires, finding no real changepared to thest time she was here. The strange silence was always there as she was surrounded by nothing but those giant trees and teaus.


    "I wonder if that Devouring Goose is still up there, nesting on the trees."


    Looking up, Ming Yue nced at each of the treetops, trying to find some sort of silhouette of this terrifying beast.


    "Hm, I guess it''s either still asleep or gone."


    Thinking to herself, the young cultivator activated her armor and jumped down into the gaps between the teaus. Walking across the roots, she made it to where she was before, finding the gap she had dropped into.


    Examining the area she had struck, there was a strange expression on her face.


    "Hm, it''s not fully healing. I thought it would considering that it''s feeding off of the Cmity Energy but since it''s almost all absorbed, it must be trying to conserve its strength¡­ In that case, I should just hasten its death even further. I can''t let it continue to spread like this."


    This time, Ming Yue went for a different approach, hopping out of the crack and raising her hand to the skies. One by one, sting Gales and Storm Lances formed above her until they numbered a hundred. Some spun furiously while others sparked out with azure lightning but each one was a fully powered strike.


    "Alright, I wonder if this is enough."


    The power she brought forth was immense, so much so, that the deeply packed roots seemed to tremble and unravel as she began to hear the skittering shrieks of the mutated denizens below. Ming Yue could hear them climbing up and through the cracks but she didn''t strike just yet.


    She was floating in the air, far above what their acidic bite could reach.


    Ming Yue just waited and watched, ready tounch her volley ofnces at any moment. The skittering and shrieking grew louder as the roots slowly unraveled. And then, the first one came out.


    It was just for a moment but she caught a clear look at it.


    it was a centipede, arge one whose size matched that of a snake. Apart from the dozens of little ck legs, its body was also ck with red spots. The mandibles were thick and sharp like fangs. They were jagged too, perfect for tearing bodies apart, drooling with that acidic spit.


    But that wasn''t the most disturbing part of this creature, it was the face that made even Ming Yue tremble a bit.


    The mutated centipede''s face resembled that of a man''s face, only slightly wider and with red gem-like eyes. It was as if the centipede ripped off the face of a man and wore it. Even that idea didn''t seem too far off but a single moment wasn''t enough for Ming Yue to make a judgment.


    Rather, the moment it burst out from the roots, she let all one hundrednces go. Like a wave of arrows, they practically covered the sky, driving into the ground all at once. What came after was an eruption loud enough for the entire northern region of the continent to hear.


    And ear-shattering boom followed by the crumbling of broken earth and the cries of dying bugs.


    Ming Yue watched as many of them were blown to smithereens, some were still alive but they didn''t have much time left. Their cries and struggling only grew weaker and weaker as their purplish blood was sttered everywhere, eating away as the surroundings.


    She looked at this scene, find a simrity with it in the war. In fact, the scene of it shed into her eyes for just an instant, causing her to flinch for a moment. Her eyes were cautious as she held Blood Moon, waiting for the visions and the noise toe but it didn''t.


    It was just a single sh and nothing followed after it, just that single image.


    "Hm, strange."


    Thinking that for just a moment, she looked back at the ground beneath her, seeing the massive craters she created. Aside from the massacre of these insects, the roots were ckened and burnt, much of it was gone, vaporized by the attack.


    She looked at the damage before showing a rather relieved expression.


    "Ah, that was good", she muttered.


    "Were you here to just deal with the roots or were you really just here to release your anger?" Xue Yue suddenly asked.


    Ming Yue barely even skipped a beat to answer her counterpart, not appreciating the question.


    "Listen, I haven''t had a decent night''s sleep in quite a while. I finally found out more about the Lunatic Sword only to find out about the Order of the Astral Sword. This secret order is somehow responsible for the creation of the teleportation arrays. There are clues to it but I don''t know enough to understand so that stone model is just a useless rock to me. And Hongyu is angry at me. So, I do feel a bit of frustration at the moment."


    With such an answer, Xue Yue could only respond with silence before saying something.


    "You know, you weren''t always this emotional. The girl and that trio really changed you."


    Ming Yue slowly floated down and sighed,nding by the edge of the teau.


    "I know but things are different now, aren''t they? I''m stuck. I feel stuck. I am stronger and yet, it feels like I''m never strong enough."


    She stared at the destructive scene before her.


    "Hah, I''m free to do whatever I want here, and yet, I miss my home. I feel that I must have a path or a goal before me¡­. How long has it been since I started on this path? Seven? Eight years? More? Less? I''m not sure, I don''t know anymore, I really don''t."

 Chapter 554 - Unforeseen Consequence

    Chapter 554 ¨C Unforeseen Consequence


    There was a bitter expression on her face as she looked at the devastation she caused. Ming Yue stood by the edge and quietly thought, contemting her ce. Her counterpart said nothing, Xue Yue was silent now. Perhaps, she would let the young woman think alone, allowing her to think things through.


    There was a bit of smoke billowing out from the burnt roots, several massive craters all around the spires, biting into the teaus. Such an attack was enough to blow a mountain to pieces.


    But all of that power had amounted to her destroying just a thousandth of these roots.


    The craters only reveal that they were far deeper and denser than she had believed. The question was how far did they go? Does it spread as far as the Savage Lands reach? Or was it less than that?


    These questions slowly dug their way into her mind, adding to the hill of concerns she had.


    "I just need to cut them off from the source first. Bring the sword here and it will repair itself but I would just need to do it again."


    Still standing there, Ming Yue turned to look up at the treetops, ncing at each one.


    "Hm, I guess either that wasn''t enough to wake the Devouring Goose, or it''s gone off somewhere."


    Giving them another look, she turned back to the craters, looking around the spires. A sigh left her mouth as she did so, floating back up.


    "Stuck or not, all I can do is try. Whatever it takes¡­"


    Soon after, more sting Gales and Storm Lances formed above her. Starting from where she first attacked, they began to fly off one by one in a constant stream, striking at the same ce. Like a saw cutting through wood, she slowly cut the roots down to the depths, doing the same all around the teau.


    Although it burned her energy quickly, the Eternal Heart Ring slowed it down, allowing her to stop just once to recover. Numerous mutated insects came out, threatened by this onught but they were all obliterated by her.


    In the meantime as all of this was happening, the Beast Tribes was met with a danger unlike they had ever seen.


    Outside another set of ruins, the Zodiacs stood there, sorting through the treasures and documents they had obtained. Among them, Lao Yang and the other schrs sifted through the papers only for the goat-kin to scatter them in a huff.


    "Damn, another failure! There''s nothing here about the teleportation array!"


    Grumbling at all this, he stared at the papers angrily, going through them one more time.


    As for everyone else, they were focused on resting and recovering. Several of them circled around Ao Qing, whose chest had a deep gash across his chest. The dragon-kin breathed heavily as he leaned against the tree.


    "Hah, damn, I must be getting too old, to think I was almost done in by a trap. Ack!"


    He chuckled before wincing in pain as She Xing and Yu Tu applied a salve, carefully bandaging his wound. At the same time, Jin Nao took something out of her pouch, a pill for him to consume.


    "Here, take this. It should speed up your recovery and relieve the pain."


    Handing over the small green pill, she waited for him to eat it before giving a pouch of water to drink.


    "Thank you."


    A few gulpster, he breathed out in relief as the burning pain on his chest slowly vanished, reced by a refreshing and cool sensation.


    "Hah, that was a rough one but we did it, the Valley Colosseum is done. That''s our third one", he said.


    Although Ao Qing sustained the worst injury, none of them came out unscathed. Even the schrs had a few cuts and bruises as well.


    "Who would''ve thought that it was a giant death trap", Lao Yang looked at him as he spoke, "It''s a colosseum, I was thinking ethereal warriors. Not¡­ this."


    "Indeed, who would''ve thought the moment we stepped onto it, the entire thing would copse on itself! Even getting to it was just as bad if not worse, traps everywhere! How are they even working after so long?!"


    Zhu Xie added, showing a relieved expression. There were a few cuts on hisrge body, no doubt from shielding the three schrs from the falling rubble.


    "But we conquered it in the end and obtained quite a bit from this ce! Not to mention, none of us died yet!" he followed, offering a happy light to their rather dim situation.


    "Mm, but this is just our third one¡­ think about how many other ones are out there¡­"


    Shu Yi pointed out this fact, quickly putting the mood back down. Everyone turned quiet as none of them had anything to say at this point. Rather they were all too tired to talk anyways. Minutes of silence passed before one of them finally spoke up.


    "I think I found something."


    Everyone suddenly perked up as they looked to whoever had just spoken. With a ragged paper in her hands, it was Feng Zhua, the rooster-kin, that spoke up.


    "What did you find? Tell me!"


    Lao Yang ran up to her, curious as to what she had discovered. She looked at him before giving the paper for him to see.


    "It doesn''t say much about the teleportation array. In fact, it''s just a receipt, one addressed to something known as the Order of the Astral Sword. They had purchased arge number of beast cores in order to power the array", she exined.


    The goat-kin quickly read through the paper, furrowing his brows in deep thought as he looked it over.


    "I see, this ''order'' must''ve been in charge of the array so if we find where they are, we should be able to find out more! Although¡­ Astral Sword¡­ I seem to recall reading it somewhere¡­ We should go back to the main city after this. All of you need rest and I need to investigate this."


    As he said this, there was a trembling and a glowing from the pockets of everyone but the schrs. All of them took out a medallion, a symbol of them being a Seeker, and a way for everyone to keep in contact with each other.


    But they weren''t expecting this message toe out.


    All of their medallions trembled with even greater power before quieting to a hum as an urgent voice came out.


    "All seekers must return immediately! No matter where you are, return to defend the Tribes! The arrival of several beast hordes is imminent, each one numbering in the thousands! Injured or not, everyone must take part in defending! Under themand of all Elders, everyone is to return!"


    It was quick and short but that was all it needed to be as everyone felt the urgency in that voice.


    "We must return immediately!"


    Zhu Xie took out the boat trinket and tossed it forward. In a matter of seconds, it transformed into a flying ship that he entered first.


    "Come on! We can''t just sit here idly, it will take us half a day to return if I go at the highest speed!"


    Everyone got back up and went inside the vessel which closed its door as soon as thest of them came in. All of them sat down and rested their bodies. Qiang Rong gave a heavy sigh as he sat down, loosening up on the chair and leaning his staff against the wall.


    "Ah, there really isn''t going to be any rest for us, is there?" he asked aloud.


    The others seemed to agree, feeling the exhaustion from having just gone through another life-threatening situation.


    "It is strange, isn''t it? Thest horde was just over a week ago.. And suddenly, several of them are arriving? Something is happening, something ominous", said Lao Yang.


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