Sword Saint Zhang must have been fed up. Not long after departing from the Bipo Mountain Range, he suddenly seized Wu Yu by the scruff of his collar, hoisting him up like a little chick. He flew in whichever direction Wu Yu pointed in.
"So fast!"
Sword Saint Zhang's speed was terrifying. Wu Yu's surroundings sped past, the forests becoming a green blur before him. If not for Wu Yu's sufficiently resilient body, he might actually have been injured from the air resistance generated at such speeds.
Even so, the speed was so ferocious that the wind tore at his face like knife cuts.
"This person does not even take me seriously." Wu Yu realized.
But he knew that this was a world where the strong preyed on the weak. Even Feng Xueya lowered his head to him. He was the one who would determine Wu Yu's fate. Even though Wu Yu privately resented him, he would repress it for now. This person had come from the immortal sect after all. It was perfectly normal for him to be dismissed as insignificant.
At such speeds, they soon arrived at Fox Branch Mountain.
On the way, Sword Saint Zhang had not uttered a single word, and now he threw Wu Yu down on the ground. Wu Yu found his footing with much difficulty. He looked at Wu Yu, saying, "There is still a disorienting formation here. Follow my footsteps in."
This was a natural disorienting formation. Back then, Feng Xueya had taken close to 10 days to break in, but this Sword Saint Zhang was well versed. He walked in almost casually, flitting in without waiting for Wu Yu, who could only follow behind.
All around them was mist, and objects continued to shift and change. Wu Yu did not speak, but stayed close to him.
"His mood seems to have changed when we got here."
Wu Yu's acute senses had noticed this. But, why?
He could not wrap his mind around it.
What startled him was that Sword Saint Zhang found the entrance within a couple of hours, entering quickly. Wu Yu did not want to return to this place, but now he had no choice.
The cave was barren. There were only two things there: the ice sculpture and the gravestone that Wu Yu had erected for the Ninth Spirit.
"To have entered the disorienting formation in two hours, this person is so much more powerful than Master...." Wu Yu followed from behind. A strong will to battle rose within him, but he was rational enough to know that going up against this person now would be like attacking a rock with an egg.
"This Dong Sheng Divine Continent is really vast and limitless. The number of experts are like stars in the sky. And I am but an insignificant speck of dust." He felt completely helpless.
"Haha...." Suddenly, Sword Saint Zhang turned to the ice sculpture and laughed uproariously. He seemed to have lost his senses completely, his long hair flying wildly. He exulted, "Ninth Sprite, we meet again!"
Wu Yu was completely thunderstruck.
"He is Zhang Futu!"
No wonder he wanted to come to Fox Branch Mountain.
Wu Yu considered this even further. "Maybe he came here because he heard of the presence of a Beautiful Fox of the Nine Heavens. Because he once clashed with a Beautiful Fox of the Nine Heavens, he came here from the immortal sect. Perhaps he even requested to be sent!"
Perhaps if this Zhang Futu had not requested to come, the Shushan Immortal Sect would not even have sent someone to such a far away place in the east to help the Heavenly Sword Sect.
Of course, even if he had come, he clearly did not care. Otherwise, he would not have arrived so long after the battle.
Perhaps all he wanted to do was to see this Beautiful Fox of the Nine Heavens.
Wu Yu's gaze became chilly. So this was the enemy who the Ninth Spirit wanted to take revenge on. This was the man who her sister had given everything to, and then did her harm.
Feng Xueya had never spoken the name of this Sword Saint Zhang, and perhaps he himself did not know. But since his surname was also Zhang, he could basically ascertain that he was Zhang Futu.
He was in a strange state of mind, laughing at the ice sculpture for a long time. He muttered some words that Wu Yu could not hear and seemed almost demented. But suddenly, he raised his sword and shattered the ice sculpture.
Crash.
The ice sculpture shattered into fragments that scattered all over the floor. They readily began to melt.
"You and I are finished. I have to thank you. Without you, I would not be who I am today...."
What followed was an easy, relieved smile.
There was satisfaction in his laughter, and pride as well. It sent shivers down one's spine.
Wu Yu suddenly recalled the story of the Ninth Spirit's sister. Seeing this Zhang Futu's unfettered laugh, he was suddenly very clear about just what kind of person this Zhang Futu was. This was definitely a cruel man. Jiang Xie was probably nothing compared to him.
"Wu Yu!"
Zhang Futu's laughter suddenly ceased. He stood at the Ninth Spirit's grave, turning back to look at Wu Yu. He pointed at the words on the tombstone, then laughed. "This must be the Ninth Sprite's younger sister. I heard that she had one. Could it be that you fell in love with her?
“After all, Wu Yu's Jiu Er is carved here."
Wu Yu knew that he could not miss it. He replied, "We have met. But that is no longer important. She no longer exists."
Zhang Futu turned back and walked to Wu Yu. His gaze, sharp as a sword's point, flicked past Wu Yu like a cold dagger, resting against Wu Yu's breast.
"This wicked, damned fox demon. She must have wanted to use her poisonous demon techniques to harvest your body of pure yang, and then become a Spiritual Fox of the Nine Heavens before seeking me out to exact revenge. You ruined her plans and killed her. Excellent. It seems like our fates are entwined...."
Perhaps because of this connection, Zhang Futu gave Wu Yu some face, and affected a look of intense interest.
Wu Yu said nothing.
The Ninth Spirit wanted to kill him, so indeed she needed to die. But he had also promised to kill the wretched Zhang Futu, and given Wu Yu's character, he found it impossible to smile at this person.
"I have crossed paths with the Ninth Sprite. And you have also crossed paths with her younger sister. It seems like we might be fated to be master and disciple." Zhang Futu regarded him, proactively bringing up the topic of discipleship.
Feng Xueya had said that as long as he could become this Zhang Futu's disciple, then he would bring Wu Yu back to the Shushan Immortal Sect.
Although he had the inheritance of an immortal, without future nurturing, it would die on the plans here. The Shushan Immortal Sect was definitely the best place to go to.
To have to team up with this Zhang Futu, and even call him “Master,” made Wu Yu uneasy. Yet he had no choice but to bear with it. In his heart, he dreamed that one day he would surpass this person and never have to face him again.
"That's right. I will use him."
Having sorted out his internal dilemma, Wu Yu said, "I sincerely plead with Sword Saint Zhang to accept me as a disciple."
His manner of asking was worlds apart from when he had begged Feng Xueya back then.
But Zhang Futu shook his head, saying coldly, "Destiny has indeed thrown us together to be master and disciple, but I, Zhang Futu, only accept disciples of the Jindan Dao Realm. Only when you reach that level will you be qualified to call me ‘master.’ I will bring you back to the Shushan Immortal Sect and give you a year. Reach Jindan in a year, and you will be the disciple of I, Zhang Futu. If you fail, then you can scramble back here yourself."
Although it was a rejection, Wu Yu's heart eased. He knew that this matter was settled! This Zhang Futu was actually willing to take him to the Shushan Immortal Sect. As for the matter of accepting him as a disciple, that was one of the things that Wu Yu wanted the least. He would test him for a year. When he reached the Shushan Immortal Sect, who knew what would happen?
At least he did not have to grudgingly call him “Master” before he reached Jindan.
"Go back." Zhang Futu waved him away. With a swirl of his robes, he led the way back. Wu Yu following behind him. Turning back, he could almost see the Ninth Spirit standing there, looking after Wu Yu with hopeful eyes.
"Wu Yu, you promised Jiu Er," Ninth Spirit said.
"Mm."
Walking out of the cave, Zhang Futu's finger flicked a burst of sword qi that rushed into the cave. With a tremendous sound, the entire mountain collapsed. Before long, the cave was filled. The Ninth Spirit and the Ninth Sprite were forever buried.
This only increased Wu Yu's desire to kill Zhang Futu.
"What, unhappy?" Zhang Futu seemed to have sensed Wu Yu's displeasure.
"I wouldn't dare."
Zhang Futu cocked an eye at him. "In the world of cultivation, martial cultivators fight everywhere. She wanted to kill you, and you were seduced. You are truly craven. You wouldn't accept my words anyway. In this world, if you feel the slightest shred of emotion, tear it away with no mercy! I wouldn't even bother to bring someone as mediocre as you back to the immortal sect with me if it wasn't for your luck." His look was disdainful.
This person's manner was a complete clash with Wu Yu's. But he was strong, and Wu Yu did not become hotheaded. To him, whether he was mediocre or otherwise would become clear in the future.
"Don't think you're something special just because you condensed qi quickly. At the immortal sect, your speed is average at most. Feng Xueya has the foresight of a mouse. His head is buried in the ground. Such an enthusiastic recommendation... I thought you were actually capable." Zhang Futu sneered and said no more. Hefting Wu Yu, he burst out of the disorienting formation, heading back to the Bipo Mountain Range.
"Are the people at the Shushan Immortal Sect really that powerful?"
Being snubbed thus, Wu Yu was naturally resentful. But he was even more hyped about the Shushan Immortal Sect. Compared to the meanness of this Zhang Futu, he wished to meet the numerous experts at the Shushan Immortal Sect. Only in that kind of world could he truly improve in leaps and bounds! It was undeniable that he was ignorant for now. That was a fact.
Before long, they arrived back at the Bipo Mountain Range.
And at this time, Feng Xueya and the others were still waiting at the Stone Gate of a Thousand Swords.