The Sword Firmament Pavilion calmed down after the bell dissipated, but that was only the beginning of the uproar created by Lin Yun.
“The Alliance-Union Battle?” Lin Yun heard about it when he returned to Locket Mountain.
“That’s right. It will take place two months from now and the sect will reward us based on the rankings. FIghting for the top three isn’t imperative, but it’ll be troublesome if we can’t make it into the top ten,” explained Xin Yan.
“If we’re going to fight, why don’t we just fight for first place?” asked a baffled Lin Yun.
“The Alliance-Union Battle is also the outer disciples’ competition. Basically, it’s a competition for those in the top ten on the Mortal Ranking. Everyone in the top ten are prideful and they don’t like to be restrained. They might join a small elite alliance-union, such as the Lone-Star Alliance or Asura Alliance,” smiled Xin Yan bitterly. “Even Wang Yan won’t be able to recruit them into his alliance-faction. He paid Chu Haoyu three visits previously, but Chu Haoyu kept declining him…”
Lin Yun now knew how prideful these people were to reject even Wang Yan.
“Is Chu Haoyu very strong?” Lin Yun fell into deep thought after he asked his question. He then recalled that the person standing next to Wang Yan should have been Chu Haoyu. Unlike the others in the top ten, Chu Haoyu was like a viper that gave Lin Yun an unfathomable feeling.
“Very strong.” The smile disappeared from Xin Yan’s face. “He fought with Bai Lixuan two years ago and was only defeated by a move. He stayed in the Mortal Ranking for the past two years because he’s been waiting for Bai Lixuan to come out of seclusion. Otherwise, Wang Yan wouldn’t have placed such great importance on Chu Haoyu.”
Bai Lixuan was a legend in the Sword Firmament Pavilion. He joined the sect for half a year and swept through everyone in the outer sect with his cultivation in the seventh orifice of the Xiantian Realm. He had even defeated many opponents on the Earth Ranking. In the last three hundred years, he was the only one to step into the Earth Ranking with a cultivation in the Xiantian Realm.
Bai Lixuan was a prideful person who could put up with isolation. He stayed in the seventh orifice of the Xiantian Realm and remained in seclusion for one year just to achieve the Xiantian Saintly Physique.
He had an ambitious goal, wanting to become the strongest in the Great Qin Empire and to trample on the eight titles. Back then, Chu Haoyu was defeated by just a move and so he refused to step into the Earth Ranking unless he cleansed his humiliation.
“Is Bai Lixuan still in seclusion?” asked Lin Yun. Bai Lixuan brought back a few memories for Lin Yun. He was nearly killed by Bai Lixuan, which was one of the reasons why Lin Yun chose to join the Sword Firmament Pavilion. He didn’t want to live in Bai Lixuan’s shadow, so he chose to stand against him. But he never expected that Bai Lixuan would still be in seclusion after half a year.
“No. With his personality, he will stay in seclusion for the rest of his life until he achieves the Xiantian Saintly Physique,” replied Xin Yan.
“Have you come in contact with Bai Lixuan?” asked Lin Yun.
“When he was in the seventh orifice of the Xiantian Realm, he constantly challenged people in the Earth Ranking until he was defeated by me. That battle left a deep impression in me. I never imagined that the seventh orifice could exhibit such prowess.” Xin Yan nodded her head when she recalled the past.
Something like that happened in the past? Lin Yun never would have thought that Xin Yan had come in contact with Bai Lixuan.
“Junior Brother, you seem to be rather interested in Bai Lixuan?” Xin Yan looked at Lin Yun.
“I guess.” Lin Yun’s heart rippled. He was facing great pressure under Xin Yan’s charm even with his sturdy temperament.
Seeing a panicking Lin Yun, Xin Yan smiled and said, “I’ll stop messing with you now. I initially wanted you to join the Alliance-Union Battle, but this matter is too serious and I’m afraid you will be targeted by everyone. Death is permitted in the Alliance-Union Battle, so it’s also known as the Asura Battlefield because of how many disciples died in it.
“I’ll let you decide what to do. There’s no need for you to take the risk with your talent and the rewards might be even less than your recent harvest.”
Even Xin Yan couldn’t help feeling envious about the 1,300 second-grade spiritual jades that Lin Yun had obtained.
“There’s no need to consider it. You’ve treated me well, so of course I will help you.” Lin Yun shook his head.
His words set off a huge wave in Xin Yan’s heart. This youth never changed. He was the same as how he was when they first met. Xin Yan winked at him and said, “Why are you like a block of wood? Go back and rest for now.”
“I’m not in a hurry to rest now right now.” Lin Yun patted his interspatial pouch and took out a box.
“This is?” Xin Yan was dumbfounded when she looked at it. It was a crimson fruit shrouded in faint mist.
“It’s the Dragonflame Fruit.” Lin Yun smiled and told Xin Yan what happened back in the Demoncloud Mountain Range. He then handed the fruit over to her, “Senior Sister, please give this to Big Brother Xin Jue for me.”
Xin Yan smacked Lin Yun’s head and snapped, “You fool. Why aren’t you keeping it for yourself? How can he possibly accept something so precious?”
Lin Yun rubbed his head before he smiled bitterly, “It doesn’t seem appropriate. Furthermore, I don’t need it for the time being.”
“What’s not appropriate? What belongs to him belongs to me. So, you can keep this for yourself.” Xin Yan confused Lin Yun with her logic. She then shoved the fruit back into his interspatial pouch and reminded him not to show it to anyone else. After all, this fruit could boost one’s chances of entering the Violet Palace Realm and the eight figures would definitely fight for it.
A figure appeared right after Lin Yun left, it was Xin Jue.
“Big Brother, what brings you here?” Xin Yan was shocked. She then wondered if Xin Jue heard what she said before and blushed.
“I naturally have to be here since someone is giving me something so precious.” Xin Jue looked at Xin Yan with a playful smile.
“What’s the matter? You dare to accept something given to you by your junior brother?” retorted Xin Yan.
“I don’t. After all, what’s mine is yours, right?” Xin Jue was always a kind big brother with Xin Yan.
“Hmph, that’s more like it!” Xin Yan smiled playfully before she asked, “Big Brother, why are you here?”
“I’m naturally here to take a look at things since the Phoenix Plum was rung. This Lin Yun is truly capable. He didn’t even panic when he fought with Mo Luo back then.”
Mo Luo was someone ranked in the top ten and their group barely managed to kill him. It took four of the eight titles and Xin Jue working together to beat him. That’s why Lin Yun was barely able to exchange three moves with Mo Luo back then. However, if someone else in the sect stood in Lin Yun’s position, they wouldn’t even have the courage to fight.
“You know, it’s dangerous for him to participate in the Alliance-Union Battle and face those ten…” Xin Yan couldn’t help feeling worried when she thought of the Alliance-Union Battle two months from now.
“Are they not going to target him if he doesn’t participate in the Alliance-Union Battle? They will target him since they don’t wish to live under his reputation. They will still force him to fight even if he doesn’t want to,” smiled Xin Jue.
So what if Lin Yun managed to avoid the Alliance-Union Battle? In this world where everyone was fighting for themselves, you would be stepped on if you didn’t fight for yourself. This was something that Lin Yun understood all too well.
He knew that he didn’t have a choice since he was in the Sword Firmament Pavilion. Since he wasn’t afraid of Bai Lixuan, why would he be afraid of those in the top ten?
When Lin Yun returned, he saw someone playing with the Dragon Blooded Horse. The Dragon Blooded Horse was happily playing and it even revealed its buck toothed smile.
Lin Yun’s eyes lit up when he saw this person. It was a youth that emitted an astral radiance. Lin Yun asked, “Wuyou, when did you come out of seclusion?”
The youth was Li Wuyou. The same Li Wuyou who swore that he wouldn’t leave seclusion until reaching the Profound Martial Realm.
When he saw Lin Yun, Li Wuyou immediately and happily ran over. He laughed, “Hehe, I came out when I heard the bell and found out that the bell was ringing for you.”
“Well you’re just in time.” Lin Yun then told Li Wuyou about the Alliance-Union Battle and Locket Mountain’s current situation.
“Senior Sister Xin Yan has treated us well, so how can we shrink from this?” Li Wuyou expressed his desire to join the Alliance-Union Battle without any hesitation.
“But you might lose your life,” warned Lin Yun.
“Big Brother, are you afraid?” Li Wuyou chuckled. It seemed like they were facing another life and death predicament.
“I received a huge harvest this time. I got lots of second-grade spiritual jades, so let me know if you need any,” smiled Lin Yun.
“Ever since I was young, I have never used pellets. The most common Greater Profound Pellet is an elixir to me. Besides, the second-grade spiritual jades are too much for me.” Li Wuyou shook his head after his eyes lit up briefly.
He got on the Dragon Blooded Horse and chuckled, “I’ll look for Master Ku Yun. He has been in the Myriad Treasure Pavilion, so he must have accumulated a lot of resources.”
This was a pretty good idea since Ku Yun wouldn’t refuse Li Wuyou because of his relationship with Lin Yun. Lin Yun knew Li Wuyou’s personality, so he just chuckled and prayed for Ku Yun. He guessed that Ku Yun would probably have to fork out half of his fortune to convince Li Wuyou to let him off.
Two months should be enough for me to go into seclusion… Lin Yun fell into deep thought while looking at Li Wuyou’s disappearing silhouette.