On the top of the Zuowang Mountain, the wind was howling.
Su Li lifted the strands of hair fluttering in the wind over her ears and said calmly, “Fellow Practitioner Fang, what do you want to say?”
Fang Yuan stood behind Su Li, staring at her back. He quietly clenched his fists due to his inner apprehension, “Are you…the descendant of the Ghost Clan that made a big surprise back then? That…mysterious woman who killed the Grand Elder of Han Sect?”
Su Li turned around and looked at Fang Yuan who was nervous, “Why do you say that?”
“I always feel that I have seen you before, but I can’t remember where I have seen you until…”
Fang Yuan said firmly, “Until I see the Fenguang Stone of Tianjiao Battle. I have repeatedly watched the image of you hundreds of times. You must be the descendant of the Ghost Clan.”
“So what?”
Su Li slowly approached Fang Yuan’s face, “Does it make you feel uncomfortable that I am a descendant of the Ghost Clan?”
“No…”
Fang Yuan blushed slightly and couldn’t help looking away, “I’m not uncomfortable.”
However, he always couldn’t help but remember that he was chasing frantically Su Jiuzhou back then, but he didn’t see her finally. At that time, he clearly had a strong feeling… a strong feeling that he was about to see Su Li.
Was that wrong?
“If there is nothing else, I will leave.”
Su Li looked at the silent man in front of her. She frowned and then disappeared.
Fang Yuan stretched out his hand, trying to stop her. But…in the end, he failed to summon the courage to say those words.
“Are you…her?”
…
“Are you her? That…Su Jiuzhou, Grand Elder of the Ni Sect?!”
In the darkness, the tavern in the snow was still lit with a warm yellow light, and the lively conversation seemed to pass through the light, giving a last bit of warmth to the casual practitioners coming back from and going to Shengxue Region.
Suddenly, a cry of exclamation sounded in the tavern, attracting the attention of all the practitioners.
Beside a wine table, a thievish-looking practitioner was showing a shocked look at a black-clothed female practitioner who had a beautiful appearance.
Although the black-clothed female practitioner had a very weak pneuma, after hearing the words, she gave a cold snort. She showed a cold expression, neither denying nor admitting. Seeing the black lotus flower on the corner of her eyes, many practitioners changed their looks. Some people revered her; some people doubted her; some people worshiped her.
Only the veiled female practitioner who sat at a table in the corner still bowed her head and drank, as if she didn’t see this scene in the tavern.
“Senior, I want to join Ni Sect!”
The thievish-looking practitioner suddenly knelt down and said loudly, “I was persecuted by Fate Palace in early years, and now I just want to enter Ni Sect to take revenge on Fate Palace!”
The black-clothed female practitioner’s eyelids drooped as she swilled the wine around in her cup. She didn’t even look at the thievish-looking practitioner and said calmly, “If you want to enter the sect, you can go to Jiuzhou Region. Why are looking for me?”
The black-clothed female practitioner said nothing about her identity, but there was a hint in her words.
There was silence in the field, and many practitioners gathered quietly.
The black-clothed female practitioner felt a little panic, but she still kept calm, as if she didn’t care about the situation around her.
“Senior, I have been to the Jiuzhou Region, but I’m too old to meet the standards of the Ni Sect for accepting disciples.”
The thievish-looking practitioner felt depressed and shook his head again and again. Suddenly, he took out a shimmering unicorn jade pendant from the universe ring and said, “Senior, I got this object from an ancient relic, but it is useless for me. This treasure should belong to you, and I hope you can give me a chance to let me join Ni Sect!”
The black-clothed female practitioner didn’t care at all originally, but when she saw the unicorn jade pendant, her face suddenly changed slightly. When she stretched out her hand, the unicorn jade pendant flew up and fell onto her palm, unleashing a great shine!
There was a faint exclamation in the tavern.
The black-clothed female practitioner showed a smile, “You are good, and I can give you a chance.”
This remark immediately caused great controversy in the tavern.
“This shine is so brilliant that it is at least a high-grade treasure. How can the practitioner give the treasure to others just for a chance to join the sect?”
“You are so ignorant! Ni Sect, backed by the Chimo Circle, can fight against the fifty holy sects alone. Now the era of Qingshui Circle has changed. Ni Sect rivals Fate Palace, so it is an excellent place for many casual practitioners who hate Fate Palace.”
“I also have some treasures. I wonder if they will be favored by Grand Elder Su?”
Seeing this, many people were tempted, with their eyes flickering.
The environment of Shengxue Region was harsh, which was not suitable for casual practitioners to live. They practiced here just because Shengxue Region was not a faction of Fate Palace. If practitioners of holy sects belonging to Fate Palace came to chase and kill these casual practitioners, many of them would be stopped by Shengxue Region for violating the domain, which would reduce casual practitioners’ pressure.
Of course, a considerable number of practitioners were still suspicious of this scene.
But at this moment, the black-clothed female practitioner took out a jade token and gave it to the thievish-looking practitioner. The glittering mark of Ni Sect looked like the real.
“I have something to do in Shengxue Region, so it is not appropriate for you to follow me. Keep this object well! Someone will arrange you when you arrive at Ni Sect. Go ahead.”
The black-clothed female practitioner finished speaking flatly and retracted her sleeves.
The thievish-looking practitioner showed gratitude and excitement, with his eyes filling of tears. Despite the severe cold outside, he rushed out of the tavern without saying a word and disappeared into the vast night.
After the thievish-looking practitioner left, the tavern fell into a strange atmosphere again.
“I heard from my friends in the Jiuzhou Region that Grand Elder Su did leave a few days ago. Some people saw her disappear in the sky, but they didn’t know where she went.”
“During the Tianjiao Battle, the Great Holy Boy of Shengxue Sect expressed kindness to Grand Elder Su. Is it related to this matter?”
There was no lack of well-informed practitioners. They talked about it so privately, which made the identity of the black-clothed female practitioner more real.
At this moment, the black-clothed female practitioner suddenly stood up, as if she was about to leave.
Suddenly, a middle-aged practitioner with a resolute expression could hardly sit still and rushed in front of her, “Senior, wait a minute! I also want to join Ni Sect. Can we have a secret talk?”
The black-clothed female practitioner looked the middle-aged practitioner up and down, and waved her hand to place a soundproof protection boundary. The protection boundary was so fragile, however, no one dared to break it even though they were curious about what the two people would talk about.
“I really want to join Ni Sect.”
At the wine table in the corner, a shabby brother and sister sat behind the veiled Su Li. Among them, the younger sister sighed and said with grievance, “Brother, can’t we go to Jiuzhou Region? If not, Shengxue Sect is also a good choice! I don’t want to go to Meizong Sect.”
The young man with a boyish face pinched his sister’s little hand, and softly comforted her, “Nan, we don’t have enough money. There is still some distance from here to Shengxue Sect, so we can’t go there”
“Oh…”
Nan nodded lovely, with a bit of reluctance in her eyes, but they seemed to have no choice.
The young man covered his chest, with a hint of hate flashing in his eyes.
Suddenly, there was a loud boom, and a big hole was left on the wall of the tavern. The cold wind instantly swept through the tavern.
Two bloody shadows of a fat man and a thin man slowly appeared in the snowstorm, emanating sinister pneuma.
“Tut-tut, two little bastards, you can actually escape here!”
The sinister gaze of the short and thin bloody shadow fell on the two siblings who were full of horror.
“Who dares to come to my tavern to make trouble?!”
The tavern owner was frightened and furious. Then he made finger gestures without saying a word. He conjured up a sledgehammer which smashed down from the air. The tall and fat bloody shadow was silent for a while, and suddenly grinned, stretching out his right arm to resist.
Bang!
The tavern owner saw that sledgehammer suddenly disappeared.
“How dare you flaunt with this strength?”
The short and thin blood shadow laughed and stretched out his hand to scratch. The tavern owner’s neck seemed to be held by transparent hands, with his feet suspending in the air. And then the short and thin blood shadow moved his hands, and the tavern owner was directly smashed into the kitchen, causing a commotion.
“They were the Twin Blood Demons of Xiuluo Holy Sect!”
Someone was horrified, transmitting the sound, “These two demons are notoriously cruel and kill innocents indiscriminately! Run away before they notice us!”
“That is not right! Grand Elder Su is here. No matter how powerful the Twin Blood Demons are, they can’t compare with Grand Elder Su! She is so powerful that even the Lord of Shengtian Shrine is scared of her!”
“Grand Elder Su? Su Jiuzhou?”
The short and thin blood shadow rolled his eyes unfriendly, and then finally saw that there was a soundproof protection boundary in the tavern. He grinned strangely and waved his hand, and then the soundproof protection boundary shattered.
The black-clothed female practitioner frowned slightly, and slowly raised her head, “Who is disturbing me?”
The middle-aged practitioner clutched the jade token in his hand. He was relaxed and happy. When the soundproof protection boundary shattered, he saw the Twin Blood Demons. His expression slightly changed, but he did not feel panic at all. Then he said to the black-clothed female practitioner,
“Senior Su, these two are the executioners of Xiuluo Holy Sect. They murder and rob innocents everywhere with their relatively stronger cultivation. Many vulnerable cultivation clans were destroyed by them. Since the henchmen of Fate Palace are here, please perform righteous acts and help us kill them!”
The middle-aged practitioner’s words made the rest of casual practitioners excited, and they couldn’t help but loudly agree with him.
“Senior Su, please kill them!”
“Senior Su, please kill them!”
“…”
Everyone bowed their heads, but they failed to notice that the black-clothed female practitioner suddenly became a little flustered after listening to the middle-aged practitioner’s words.
However, to Su Li’s surprise, the woman just stiffened for a moment. Instead of turning around and fleeing, she quickly recovered her composure and walked up to the Twin Blood Demons. She said in a cold tone,
“I’m here. You are not allowed to be reckless. Get out of here.”
“Get out?!”
The short and thin blood shadow showed a weird smile with his face full of pustules, “Knowing you by your reputation is not as good as meeting you in person. I have long heard that Grand Elder Su’s strength is comparable to that of a Junior Emperor. We are not talented, hoping to learn from you!”
The tall and fat bloody shadow took a step forward, and the void shook.
The black-clothed female practitioner changed her countenance transiently, and then she opened a hexagonal barrier without saying a word.
Crack!
At the moment when the hexagonal barrier was touched by the vibration, it was blasted into fragments out of a sudden. But the invisible vibration was imprinted on black-clothed female practitioner’s chest.
“Puff!”
Everyone was dumbfounded, and saw that the black-clothed female practitioner raised her head and spewed out a mouthful of blood. Then she flew backwards and smashed into the corner, shattering two tables and spilling drink and food on the ground.
“Ahem…”
The black-clothed female practitioner kept coughing up blood and trying to get up from piles of drink and food, but she failed after several attempts. Hearing the sound of slowly approaching footsteps behind her, she felt more anxious. Her severe injury in her chest made her hardly get up.
“Do you need any help?”
A black veil quietly floated in front of her. When she looked up, she was in a daze.
Eh? A Peer?