In the palm of Sikong Tianchen’s hand was a magnificent gem with saintly heavenly patterns which would make a beautiful pendant. Naturally, the saintly heavenly patterns made it extremely valuable.
"No, thank you," said Weisheng Ruosu.
"Alright, I’ll prepare something else next time. I hope you’ll accept it then," Sikong Tianchen earnestly replied.
"There’s no need for that. Stop sending me gifts."
"As you wish." Sikong Tianchen nodded, put away the gift, and said his goodbyes. Then he ran up to the Cloudmist Sword School team and left the banquet hall.
"What’s the hurry? She’ll be yours sooner or later," glared Sikong Jiansheng.
"Yes, Grandfather.” Sikong Tianchen kept his head lowered, the sharp edge of a sword dancing in his eyes.
"Senior Brother...."
There was a young beauty beside him, dressed in plain robes. Though she was graceful, her appearance was incomparable to Weisheng Ruosu. She was Jing Xuan, the second disciple of the Cloudmist Sword School.
…...
With the uninvited guests gone, the remaining parties sat in awkwardness.
"Brother Weisheng, we’ll leave now. I’ll speak to you privately later," Ye Shaoqing said.
"My apologies."
Since Weisheng Tianlan had family affairs to deal with, he left with the Southsky Sect team. After saying his goodbyes, Weisheng Qingluan left with them as well.
"The alliance stays. We’ll leave for the Throughpath tomorrow. Make your final preparations when we return," said Huangfu Fengyun.
"Why are we still going along with it? I’m afraid we’ll be stabbed in the back," sneered Zhao Lingzhou.
"Idiot! You talk too much."
Zhao Zhiyuan slapped Zhao Lingzhou on the back of the head, almost causing him to stumble. The situation in the Grand-Orient Realm was turbulent, even more so than the internal struggle of the sect. He had a foreboding feeling that major developments were about to ensue. Today's banquet was a clear indication of that.
Although the Southsky Sect Master had his own plans, there were discordant voices within the sect, even within their family of four. The Li Saint Clan was walking on a tightrope. It seemed moving away from the edge of life and death wouldn’t be easy.
……
Upon leaving the banquet hall, Weisheng Tianlan returned to Heaven Inn, accompanied by the elders and his family.
"Tianlan, anyone with a discerning eye can see that the Grand-Orient Sect has completely given up on the Realm Wars, sending three wastes just to put up a show. They have no qualms about embarrassing themselves, yet you choose to offend Heaven’s Elysium by forming an alliance with them? Didn't we agree to renounce any involvement with Yuwen Taiji before coming here?" Sikong Lingyu blurted as soon as they entered the secret room.
"Yuwen Taiji wasn’t here today." Weisheng Tianlan took a seat, his eyes calm as a lake.
"What's the difference? Whether it’s Yuwen Taiji or Huangfu Fengyun, they represent the Grand-Orient Sect!" shouted Sikong Lingyu.
"Lingyu, you took the liberty to seek out the Cloudmist Sword Sect today and I haven’t even dealt with you for causing such an embarrassment. Just stand aside and say no more." Within Weisheng Tianlan’s deep eyes was a shocking ferocity.
"I-I did it for Ruosu and Qingluan."
"Even the Onyx Sect surrendered. Heaven’s Elysium is left with us and the Grand-Orient Sect to use as objects of humiliation. With my identity, if we lower ourselves before the Cloudmist Sword School and get them to speak to Heaven’s Elysium on our behalf, Ruosu and Qingyi won’t be targeted. We can keep a low profile. Why should we mingle with those Grand-Orient Sect wastes?" Her voice was filled with distress, her pale face capable of evoking pity so it was hard for others to lose their temper.
"Don’t you know that once we give in, there’s no way of raising our heads in the future?" asked Weisheng Tianlan.
"I know—"
"You can see that Sikong Tianchen is pursuing Ruosu. She’s our hope for the future of the Southsky Sect. Do you want her to marry into the Cloudmist Sword School and become one of them?" added Weisheng Tianlan.
"It's just an alliance, not—"
"No, if we take this step, there’s no turning back," said Weisheng Tianlan.
Generally speaking, among the five major sects, the top disciples wouldn’t marry outside the sect.
"Alas, if I’d known, I wouldn't have allowed them to become southsky disciples. Then they wouldn’t have to fight," cried Sikong Lingyu.
"Is that so? But if they don't experience the rain and storms, how can they make something of themselves? Pampering isn’t going to turn anyone into a peerless powerhouse."
With a complicated expression on her face, Sikong Lingyu bowed her head.
"Elders, what do you think?" Weisheng Tianlan turned to them, his eyes sweeping across the room.
"We’ll do as the Sect Master intends," replied Gu Qiuyu.
"Then stop acting up in front of me.”
"Don’t worry, Sect Master. We only want the best for the Southsky Sect," assured the other elders.
"However, once we return, we must have the sect at combat readiness. I can’t imagine how many will perish. The Onyx Sect insisted on resistance and had to suffer countless deaths because of it. If it weren’t for that, how could they show such obedience now?” Gu Qiuyu added.
"Big Sister, what do you think?" asked Weisheng Qingluan.
They stood in the corner, watching their parents argue.
"What’s there to think of? We’re not allowed to make our own decision. But..."
"But what?"
"I’m not afraid of death and I refuse to live as a coward.” Weisheng Ruosu looked out of the window at the bustling Heaven City below. Despite how flourishing it was, Southsky Island was more beautiful, with the glimmering sea mirroring the cloudless sky.
"Big Sister, you’re not a man, so you can't be a coward. You can only be a ‘cowardess’,” laughed Weisheng Qingluan.
"Oh, you chatty thing...." Rolling her eyes at Weisheng Qingluan, she walked out of the room.
"Where are you going?"
"To cultivate."
……
At night, Heaven City was brightly lit. Tianming sat by the window, stroking Ling’er’s Love in his hand, his eyes distant.
"You old pervert, have you had enough of touching the necklace? Why do I feel as if you’re taking advantage of Ling’er?" Ying Huo hung upside down by the window, a smirk rising on its beak.
"You talk too much. Be careful or I'll seal that beak of yours," snapped Tianming. The idiot had a wild imagination. "However, what you say sounds reasonable. It feels pretty good," he added.
At that exact moment, the necklace shook, suggesting that Ling’er had heard everything. Damn it, what kind of deep sleep was this? He couldn’t keep any secrets to himself.
"Hahaha...." The little chick rolled around, pounding the ground with laughter.
After throwing the little chick into his lifebound space, Tianming ordered, "Wake Meow Meow for cultivation now!"
"Didn't you agree to give him a day off?"
"Bullshit."
It had been half a month since Tianming had broken through to sixth-level Unity. During this time, most of the energy was focused on practicing the Voidgod Sword Intent and Trivita Fiendfist. However, Tianming hadn’t slacked off on cultivating, either. He had a premonition he was about to advance to seventh-level Unity in the next two days.
In fact, ever since his bloodline transformation, Tianming had sensed he could sprint to ninth-level Unity without any problem. The road to the peak of Unity was all too clear. All he had to do was focus on his cultivation techniques and push himself to the extreme. His original plan was to take a breather and continue cultivating after the Throughpath battle, but today's banquet had stoked a fire in his heart. Perhaps if he pushed on, today was the opportunity for a breakthrough.
"Without Ling’er’s spiritual attachment, my strength is slightly below those at Heavenly Will. I’m afraid more effort will be required to face my opponents in the Throughpath."
Having experienced a life-and-death battle with Yuwen Shendu, Tianming didn't want to face the same thing again; that wasn’t his style. He didn’t want to be a loser who was constantly trying to keep up with his opponent and defeated at the slightest threat.
He was running out of time. In every battle of life and death, he had lost to time and to himself. It was time he picked up the pace and surpassed himself. Only then could he strategize, secure victory, and be qualified to protect his clan and regain their dignity!
"Let’s go! Throughpath, the Realm Wars, the five major sects! For dignity, honor, and the Grand-Orient Sword!” His heart was overflowing with desires. "And to defeat Yueling Long!”
At this moment, Tianming's heart was burning with the flames of battle. After a month’s worth of preparation and a night’s desperate diligence, he reached his goal at dawn.
"Seventh-level Unity!"
Half a month after reaching sixth-level Unity, he had reached seventh-level Unity. The higher up he went, the harder it was to advance. Otherwise, with the transformation of his bloodline, it would have taken him less time. With his breakthrough, the two beast kis roiled in majesty, having been upgraded once more. In his infernalsource and thundersource, the power of fire and thunder resembled a boundless ocean.
"I’m only two levels away from Bai Taijun, Weisheng Qingluan, and Su Wuyou. Advancing to ninth-level Unity won’t be difficult, but it’ll take time."
Tianming stood by the window, staring in the direction of Heaven’s Elysium, his eyes surging with emotion.
"She still doesn’t know I’m here."
……
Soon after, Tianming followed the Grand-Orient team downstairs. The four sects had all accepted Heaven Elysum’s hospitality and lodged at Heaven Inn. Today was the day the Throughpath opened. The representatives of Heaven’s Elysium would be here to welcome them, and the elders of the four sects would be escorted to Heaven’s Elysium to watch the battle in the Throughpath.
Aside from the Southsky Sect and Cloudmist Sword School, there was already a group of people standing at the entrance. They were dressed in black or grey, enveloped in black fog, and surging with valor. Countless poisonous insects crawled all over them. Obviously, they were from the Onyx Sect, ranked second in the Grand-Orient Realm and stronger than the Southsky Sect and Cloudmist Sword School, with a total of eighty-eight elders.
By the time Tianming had left the inn, the disciples of the Onyx Sect had joined the Cloudmist Sword School and were laughing and chatting. Occasionally, one or two cold glances came from their direction.
Just then, the roars of beasts sounded in the distance. Tianming looked up and saw several beasts stampeding from Heaven’s Elysium to Heaven City.
The delegates of Heaven’s Elysium had arrived.