Tianming returned to Azure Dragon Sword Mountain with Ye Shaoqing and Qingyu. The first round of battle was over, but the second round would be carried out in a fortnight. Two weeks would pass in the blink of an eye.
"Master, what are you thinking about?" Tianming asked.
"I’m wondering if you should advance to the next round in a fortnight," Ye Shaoqing frowned.
"What do you mean?" Wasn’t the original plan to temper himself so he could become a prime disciple in three years?
"I can’t explain for the time being, but I’m afraid entering the Prime Tower will be dangerous," Ye Shaoqing replied.
"Yuwen Taiji dares to kill me?"
After defeating Yuwen Shengcheng today, the atmosphere in the entire Grand-Orient Sect seemed different. This was the first time he had made an appearance on such a grand occasion.
"He won't; he can’t be bothered to deal with you. But the disciples of the Prime Struggle might. Once you enter the third floor of Prime Tower, it’ll be difficult for me to protect you."
"If it’s another disciple, you don’t have to worry, Master,” assured Tianming. What other choice did he have? With only two or three years left to him, there was no way he could overcome the curse if he avoided dancing on the edge of death.
"Only in the face of death can a genius rise to true power. If I can't cope with other competing disciples and choose to escape, others will only kill me in the future,” said Tianming.
"You’re courageous. Your father was just as daring in the past, but he was too impatient, had none of your meticulous thinking, and was afraid of hardship," Ye Shaoqing lamented.
And in the end, he had suffered an entire life of ruin.
Just then, Tianming felt a sudden discomfort, a sort of creepy coldness that went all the way down to his soles.
Ye Shaoqing turned around, his eyes filled with solemnity—the exact look a lion would have when it met a tiger!
"Is someone coming?” Tianming turned around, only to see a young man who looked no more than thirty, dressed in white robes with an ancient Yin Yang fish embroidered on the chest. The most conspicuous thing about him was his eyes—one was black, the other white, and both were stained with coldness.
The man's momentum was extremely strange; though uncruel, wherever his gaze landed came an icy chill. This sort of divine-like aura made Tianming subconsciously take a step back.
He’s the most frightening man I’ve ever seen in Grand-Orient Sect!
The man merely glanced at him, his attention directed at Qingyu instead.
"Qingyu, now that you’re all grown up, you’ve become more and more like her." He was obviously referring to Mu He.
The moment Qingyu set her eyes on him, she boiled with more than ten years of hatred and anger, all of which completely broke out at once.
"Shut up! You don’t deserve to talk about her!" Qingyu’s eyes turned pale blue.
"Yuwen Taiji, enough," Ye Shaoqing stood in front of the siblings. Then, whispering to Tianming, he said, "He’s here for me. Take Qingyu away."
"Yes," Tianming nodded.
From the moment he first appeared, Tianming figured out who he was: the ninth elder, Yuwen Taiji. Seeing was believing. The man was truly extraordinary! He was visiting Ye Shaoqing today because of his new disciples. This was clearly a shrewd man. From beginning to end, he merely spared Tianming a glance.
"Qingyu, let's go."
Since Yuwen Taiji’s presence infuriated Qingyu, it didn’t make any sense for them to stay. Though she was unwilling to leave, Qingyu knew it was the right thing to do. Right now, she was placing all her trust in Ye Shaoqing.
After the siblings left, Yuwen Taiji began, "He isn’t Li Wudi’s son. Where did he come from?"
"What makes you so sure he isn't?" asked Ye Shaoqing.
"What’s the point in lying? You can fool anyone but me," Yuwen Taiji retorted.
"Suit yourself. Anyway, he’s my disciple, so it’s got nothing to do with you.”
"Disciple? Ye Shaoqing, what exactly are you planning? Now that you're a sect elder, your ego’s puffed up, is it?" snapped Yuwen Taiji.
"Whatever you say," said Ye Shaoqing.
"I see. You’re trying to stop me. Unfortunately, what can you do with just a child? It’ll take ten years for him to become strong enough, but all I need is two months to seize the Grand-Orient Sword! When the time comes, what’s a little boy worth? If the Ye Clan doesn’t behave, then don't blame me for being ruthless,” threatened Yuwen Taiji.
"Shendu wants you to bring back the Grand-Orient Sword?"
"Yes."
"Then I’ll wait until after the Realm Wars. If you are master of the Grand-Orient Sword, I will obey you,” assured Ye Shaoqing.
"No. Before that, you have to tell me what the hell you’re trying to do with this kid," Yuwen Taiji demanded.
"He’s Li Wudi’s son. I just want to help him based on our past friendship," Ye Shaoqing explained.
"Ye Shaoqing, you should know what kind of person I am. Once I’m set on something, I’m determined to see it to the end. I won't allow the slightest flaw! Over the next two months, I’ll have to ensure I succeed in seizing the Grand-Orient Sword. So don’t push me into a corner, or there’s no telling what I might do!" he chuckled.
The implication of his words was obvious; it didn’t matter if Ye Shaoqing accepted his disciples. With Tianming's strength, he couldn’t make waves. When Yuwen Taiji came to power, he could even kill patriarchs if he wanted, let alone a mere junior sect master, and there was nothing Ye Shaoqing could do to protect them.
More importantly, Yuwen Taiji wouldn’t allow any mischief from the Ye family that might throw a wrench in the works. Otherwise, it would be an all-out slaughterfest.
In the face of such overbearing threats, Ye Shaoqing smiled. "I wonder, are you really that great?"
Yuwen Taiji froze for a moment, then burst out in laughter as he pointed to the distance. "It’s been a while since I taught you a lesson. It seems you’ve forgotten the consequences of provoking me. In that case, let’s take a trip to the Abyssal Battlefield.” He fixed a cold gaze on Ye Shaoqing, clasped his hands behind his back, and walked away.
Not to be taunted, Ye Shaoqing's eyes shot daggers. Without another word, he followed him. Clearly, he was a proud man.
While Li Wudi was crippled, both of them had become the youngest sect elders, competing all the way to the present. It had been a long time since the two had fought, and Ye Shaoqing was no longer convinced.
"After four years, I’d like to see what skills you have that’re worthy of your wild ambitions!" Ye Shaoqing sneered.
"You’re wrong, they’re grand ambitions!"