All around, the Bipo Mountain Range's carefree and relaxed atmosphere after winning the battle had now slumped into a silent state of fearful respect.
Virtually everyone knew that someone important had come to the Bipo Mountain Range.
"At Heavenly Palace."
For these two eminent guests, Feng Xueya had naturally conceded the highest point, Heavenly Palace.
On Heavenly Peak, two figures landed. They were Wu Yu and Feng Xueya. Feng Xueya was in the lead, his expression sober. He led Wu Yu into Heavenly Palace as though he were an outsider. As though he were making a pilgrimage.
Before they went in, Feng Xueya again reminded him.
"Remember not to go about calling me ‘Master.’ I've already sent word to everyone. For now, all of us hope that you can go on to the immortal sect and let them know of the Heavenly Sword Sect's existence...."
"Understood." Wu Yu nodded, although he still felt a little uneasy. However, he could already feel an otherworldly presence from within Heavenly Palace. Their every move, every breath, demanded one's obeisance to it.
Clearly, this was the strongest expert that Wu Yu had ever encountered in his life.
Even someone of Feng Xueya's level paled in comparison.
The two walked in steadily.
Within the immortal palace, the atmosphere was not that heavy. From a distance away, they could hear Lan Huayi's voice. She was laughing and chatting, her voice tinged with flattery.
The laughter ceased only when Wu Yu and the others walked in.
Looking about the immortal hall, he could see Lan Huayi, the four elders, the Elder of Imparting Arts and the Elder of Enforcement, as well as Night Wishes for Snow, Lan Boli, and other elite members of the Heavenly Sword Sect. But now all of them were standing down. Except for Lan Huayi, none of the others dared to speak.
He looked up to see the guests from the immortal sect.
Wu Yu's gaze flicked up to see two people. First was one standing to the side, dressed in long robes of burnished gold. His cuffs and hems were covered with sword designs. His long robe was imbued with sword qi, and took one's breath away. Looking further upwards, he saw a young man's face, with a sharp quality to his eyes. He stood tall and had an air of nobility around him. His sword will was keen, and he was clearly one who was highly born. His every move demonstrated his power and nobility, differentiating himself from the rest. Wu Yu could also clearly feel that this person had already condensed a Jindan. He had to Senior Brother Zhang's disciple. His name was Huang Cheng.
Huang Cheng's gaze fell on Wu Yu. There was a slight challenge in his look, along with a superior air. They had come from the Shushan Immortal Sect after all, and it was only natural that they were proud.
But the one beside him made Huang Cheng look inferior by far. That person was sitting on Feng Xueya's position. He was the only one seated. This person's power could level the entire Bipo Mountain Range and cause their doom. On closer inspection, although this person had white hair and eyebrows - his white hair flowed down to his waist - his face was extremely youthful and handsome. Martial cultivators burned with the fires of righteousness, and it was normal for them to have handsome features. But such outstanding qualities were rare. This person's handsomeness was natural - by the standards of an ideal man, his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth were all perfect. His eyes were as bright as stars, although a streak of coldness ran through them. One would shudder when he turned his gaze on you.
His white hair was a striking contrast to his black robes. His ability and level were unfathomably deep, and he had to be the Senior Brother Zhang that Feng Xueya had spoken of. However, only Feng Xueya and Lan Huayi would dare to address him thus. To the others, he was Sword Saint Zhang.
Wu Yu exchanged a look with Sword Saint Zhang and felt like he had been seen through completely. Ineffably, he felt like he was laid completely bare before his cold stare.
As expected, a single look and Sword Saint Zhang said, "Condensing qi through training the body. No wonder your rate of qi condensation is so fast. Normally, only disciples of our immortal sect have such body refining abilities. That you have them is no mean feat."
Wu Yu was surprised. So the immortal sect also condensed qi rapidly through body refining techniques... like himself?
However, neither Lan Huayi nor Feng Xueya knew much about this. This could only mean that at the Shushan Immortal Sect, they would not be able to enter the core strength.
This Sword Saint Zhang had seen through him in an instant.
Feng Xueya had nagged him so much before in hopes that Wu Yu would be more respectful towards this Sword Saint Zhang. And now he had brought Wu Yu in to pay his respects to Sword Saint Zhang.
But the moment he walked in, Sword Saint Zhang stood up unhurriedly. His piercing eyes looked right to the heart of Wu Yu as he walked towards him. "They say you killed a Beautiful Fox of the Nine Heavens?"
His words scoured through all that Wu Yu was.
Wu Yu was slightly surprised, unsure why he was emphasizing the Beautiful Fox of the Nine Heavens.
He only nodded.
"The Beautiful Fox of the Nine Heavens has a Yaodan. How did you kill her?" Sword Saint Zhang advanced a few more steps to stand before Wu Yu. He was roughly the same height, but he seemed 10 zhang tall as he looked at Wu Yu with a superior air.
His brusque manner made even Feng Xueya nervous. He quickly spoke up. "Senior Brother Zhang, it was the carelessness of the fox demon that...."
"I did not ask you to speak. Shut up." Sword Saint Zhang shot him a cold glare and a threat.
Feng Xueya shut up.
Seeing someone he respected so much chastised by this Sword Saint Zhang, Wu Yu was even more resentful. He simply said, "In the struggle of life and death, life is life, and death is death. There are no reasons and explanations."
"Oh? So proud. Interesting. I like it." From behind Sword Saint Zhang, the Jindan disciple, Huang Cheng, snickered.
Sword Saint Zhang chuckled as well. "You have a body of pure yang. That you were not sucked dry by that fox demon shows that you're a hard one to kill. Come, bring me to Fox Branch Mountain."
Without waiting for Wu Yu's consent, he immediately passed him, striding out of Heavenly Palace. Wu Yu looked towards Feng Xueya, who gave him a look. He said softly, "Find a chance to ask him to be your master. Don't wait for him to broach the topic. Just like you asked me back then...."
"Mm."
Back when Feng Xueya had saved him, Wu Yu had begged him to take him in. His attitude had been completely sincere. But Feng Xueya did not know that the situation today was completely different.
Wu Yu was still rather calm as he walked out of Heavenly Palace. Sword Saint Zhang was standing on a sword in the air. The sword thrummed, pulsing with waves that startled Wu Yu. Although he had not been cultivating for long, Wu Yu knew that this was a display of profound cultivation!
"Mount your sword for me to see," Sword Saint Zhang ordered.
Wu Yu did not like his commanding tone.
But thinking of his future Immortal Dao, and Feng Xueya's hopes for him, he repressed it.
Pulling out the Onyx & Pearl Dao Swords, he used the Art of Sword Flight to hover in midair. At this time, Feng Xueya and the others had come out to see them off.
"Go first. Fox Branch Mountain, lead the way," Sword Saint Zhang said.
He was so overbearing that it did not seem possible to ask why he wanted to go to Fox Branch Mountain. He could only lead the way. Wu Yu flew ahead. For a while, he did not sense the presence of Sword Saint Zhang behind him, but when he turned to look, he saw him close behind, following silently. His piercing gaze seemed to look directly through Wu Yu.
"You are too slow."
Sword Saint Zhang said, dissatisfied.
Wu Yu did not say a word, but instead used his full power to fly on.
......
Seeing Wu Yu depart, Feng Xueya was breaking out in cold sweat.
This Sword Saint Zhang. What did he want to do at Fox Branch Mountain?
"Could it be an excuse for him to test Wu Yu alone?" Thinking of this, he felt that it was likely.
Turning back, Sword Saint Zhang's disciple, Huang Cheng, was still around. Lan Huayi and he were familiar, and they were still chatting gaily.
Huang Cheng was an easy conversation partner. His smile radiated class; at times it was warm, but at times he made them feel inferior, and even compelled to show their respect.
While Huang Cheng and Lan Huayi chatted, Huang Cheng's gaze suddenly fell on Lan Boli. "This is your niece?"
"Yes, she's called Lan Boli." Lan Huayi's eyes flashed, calling Lan Boli over.
"Boli pays her respects to Senior Brother Huang." Under Lan Huayi's direction, Lan Boli respectfully curtseyed.
Huang Cheng smiled, surveying Lan Boli with his hands clasped behind his back. His gaze was frank and vulgar, without even a hint of modesty. But the more he did so, the wider Lan Huayi smiled.
"My master will probably be here for a few days. I am left free. Could Junior Sister Lan bring me around, to show me more of the Bipo Mountain Range?" Huang Cheng smiled.
Everyone understood his interest now. One must know that the Bipo Mountain Range and the Clear Sky of Shushan were like heaven and earth. There was no basis for comparison at all. Huang Cheng had no interest in the scenery at all. His words were a clear sign of his interest in Lan Boli.
This was so obvious that everyone understood.
When he finished speaking, Lan Huayi immediately added, "Boli, aren't you going to thank your senior brother Huang? He is worldly and a man of import. You should be honored to have the privilege of spending time alone with him."
Before, she too was a peripheral disciple of the Shushan Immortal Sect, although her status was far from Huang Cheng's. And now that she was sent here, she still retained the status of a Shushan Immortal Sect disciple, although no one really recognized it. Lan Boli and Lan Shuiyue's parents were ordinary martial cultivators not from the Clear Sky of Shushan. They were also martial cultivators who had been eliminated from the Shushan Immortal Sect, and had been unable to enter despite working hard for all their lives. They had both died in a battle, and Lan Huayi had taken care of the children. Lan Shuiyue was still small at the time.
Lan Huayi had nurtured them. Her greatest wish was to bring them to the Shushan Immortal Sect. All these years, she had always looked forward to being called back. But as the years passed, her hopes dwindled.
And now that this Huang Cheng had taken a liking to Lan Boli, her fate would definitely change! The Shushan Immortal Sect had rich spiritual qi. Even if one did not become a disciple, being qualified to stay there would be a transformation by itself!
Therefore, Lan Huayi was very excited.
This was so blatant that Night Wishes for Snow was immediately angered. He walked up, saying, "Senior Brother Huang, Boli is still not very familiar with the Bipo Mountain Range. Please allow me to show Senior Brother around instead."
His words were met with silence.
Huang Cheng's smile turned hard as he swung to face Night Wishes for Snow. He was completely cold, his eyes flat. He spat his words out clearly. "What manner of creature are you? Trash, f*ck off. If I see you again, I will waste you."