When Hex Zui heard this, his head started to ache all over again. ’Why does everyone act first and ask permission later?’ he thought, feeling dizzy.
Li Tianyi laughed and gave her a thumbs-up. "So decisive, Senior Sister. I’m impressed!"
Li Tianyi was a simple and direct person, and he appreciated people who were just as straightforward.
The others just looked at one another. Truthfully, even with the establishnt of the Holy Hall Faction, there was no need for Ma Tian’Er to withdraw from the Empress Faction. Being under the Empress Faction’s protection was a good thing, after all. But she had gone and thrown away such a great opportunity, just like that. And most importantly, their own venture here was still completely up in the air.
"As a mber of the Holy Hall, I will stand with all of you, through thick and thin!"
Ma Tian’Er said resolutely. Giving up the Empress Faction ant the road ahead would be much harder, but she didn’t care about that in the slightest.
Wang ng laughed heartily. "You’re amazing, Junior Sister! Don’t worry, a re Qi Feiyu won’t be enough to bring down!"
Wang ng’s eyes shone; this was exactly the kind of support he had been hoping for.
"Alright then. We have no way to turn back now. Our only option is to press on together!"
Hex Zui said with a wry smile. ’This must be the recklessness of youth,’ he thought. He really wasn’t used to living this way.
The group chatted and laughed together. Then, as usual, they moved on to discussing Sword Techniques, Talismans, and other related matters. Communication was crucial. Everyone had a different understanding of Magic, and thinking in isolation could easily lead one to get stuck on minor details. Brainstorming was the superior path. However, on the journey of Cultivation, most practitioners hoarded their knowledge, no matter how humble. A truly open exchange was practically impossible anywhere else.
But this place was an exception. At least Wang ng, Ma Tian’Er, and Li Tianyi were genuine. Hex Zui, having had his own great awakening, truly stepped into the role of a senior brother, willing to share what he had learned. Sotis, one’s own thods weren’t necessarily the best, but they could resonate with others and spark a mont of realization. Gradually, everyone began to appreciate the benefits of this process.
In this situation, one plus one was definitely greater than two.
As Wang ng and Fan Hong were walking back, Ma Tian’Er caught up with them. "Senior Brother, wait up! I have sothing for you."
Wang ng and Fan Hong stopped. Fan Hong gave them a suggestive smile. "Well, I won’t disturb you two."
Ever since his heartbreak, Fan Hong had beco a self-proclaid love guru. "Gather ye rosebuds while ye may..." he recited.
THUMP...
A stone hit Fan Hong in the head. "Get lost," Wang ng cursed, laughing.
"Damn! What kind of world is this, where a man can’t even speak the truth?" Fan Hong clutched his head with a pained expression, then vanished with light, quick steps. His slightly hoarse voice drifted back. "Oh, to ask the world what love is... Crap, bird droppings!"
Wang ng didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. "Don’t mind him, Junior Sister. The guy has no filter."
Ma Tian’Er looked at Wang ng with a calm expression. "Senior Brother, you should just call Tian’Er. Hearing ’Junior Sister’ all the ti is a little strange."
"Haha, to be honest, I felt it was a bit awkward too. So, what did you need?"
"This is a letter from Senior Sister Yang. She asked to give it to you. Also... she asked to look after you."
Ma Tian’Er said softly, biting her lip.
"Haha, you two treat like a child," Wang ng said as he took the letter, his heart filled with longing. The woman he loved was thousands of miles away, and he had no idea when they would et again.
Wang ng ran his fingers over the letter, his mind drifting. Imrsed in battle and Cultivation, he hadn’t felt this longing so acutely. Perhaps, deep down, he wasn’t a man given to romantic sentintality.
"Tian’Er, thank you. I’ll treat you to a feast another day," Wang ng said with a wave.
Watching Wang ng’s retreating figure, Ma Tian’Er broke into a knowing smile. Wang ng might not understand the aning behind Yang Ying’s words, but girls had their own way of communicating. She understood what Yang Ying was really saying. Wang ng wasn’t a man who knew how to take care of himself. Being brave and decisive was one thing, but he always neglected his own well-being. He needed soone to look after him. Before, it had been Yang Ying, but here at the Cultivation Academy, she couldn’t. And Yang Ying trusted her.
For any girl, being entrusted with such a task would be a little strange. But Ma Tian’Er was quite content. She had co to certain realizations through her life-and-death experiences, but Yang Ying had always been a barrier in her heart. Ma Tian’Er was a sensitive person; though she herself no longer held back, she didn’t want to hurt anyone. Now, Yang Ying’s letter had undoubtedly untangled a knot in her heart.
Yang Ying had sent two letters—one for Wang ng, and one for Ma Tian’Er.
Back in his room, Wang ng flopped onto his bed, spreading his limbs out like a starfish. "A letter from ho is worth ten thousand gold in tis of war." It was a slight exaggeration, perhaps, but receiving Yang Ying’s letter instantly filled him with warmth.
The elegant, small handwriting flowed into his heart like a warm spring. She wrote about Zhang Xiaopang’s latest embarrassing antics and Hu Jing’s decisive, efficient manner. Zhou Qian was as easygoing as ever, and Suo Ming remained as quiet as always, though his cooking was apparently still just as delicious. It seed he was well on his way to becoming a master chef. Old Zhou had beco the head Elder of Thunderlight Hall and was swamped with work, treating the disciples like his own sons and wearing himself out in the process. But he was a natural fit for the role, and no one seed to mind his nagging.
Because a "certain soone" didn’t know how to take care of himself, Yang Ying had entrusted him to Ma Tian’Er’s care. Wang ng was at a loss for whether to laugh or cry. He was a grown man, wasn’t he? ’So what if my place is a little ssy? It’s still fit for human habitation, isn’t it?’
Wang ng glanced around his room... ’Okay, it’s definitely a nest...’
Only at the very end did her writing betray her own sense of longing. Reading it made Wang ng wish he could fly back to the Holy Hall that very instant and pull her into his arms.
He pressed the letter to his face, inhaling its faint fragrance, as if Yang Ying herself were right there beside him.
He had to survive. He had to live a good life!
His Star Ring flashed. It was a communication from Qi Feiyu of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect. Qi Feiyu was even faster than he’d expected.
The duel.
Qi Feiyu was actually going to lower his Elental Power by ten layers and fight him to the death.
A ruthless light flashed in Wang ng’s eyes. He fought with his life on the line precisely so he could live a better life. He would never allow the Ten Thousand Demons Sect to attack the Holy Hall!
In the entire Four Directions Small Thousand World, one couldn’t find another place like the Holy Hall, a place that gave so many Cultivators such a wonderful opportunity. And that wasn’t to ntion how important he, Wang ng, was to the people back in the mortal world.
And now, the Holy Hall was ho to his brothers, his friends, and the woman he had to protect. Others could afford to be soft, but he had to be ruthless!
Qi Feiyu was the strongest opponent Wang ng had ever faced, and he didn’t dare let his guard down. He spent two days centering himself and cultivating in quiet focus.
「Two days passed in the blink of an eye.」 At the Hundred Battles Pavilion, disciples from both the Ten Thousand Demons Sect and the Holy Hall had gathered.
The disciples of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect had never imagined that the "senile" Holy Hall would actually launch a counterattack, much less one so sharp. Although the Ten Thousand Demons Sect still had a few disciples remaining, their morale had been completely crushed. This was especially true after Li Tianyi had killed five disciples from the Celestial Demon Sect; these students, who had been at the Cultivation Academy for years, were no match for him. Li Tianyi had also suffered serious injuries, but Ma Tian’Er’s newly learned healing Alchemy Skills, combined with her Wood Life Attribute, guaranteed his string of victories and boosted the Holy Hall’s reputation. The disciples of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect had long since co to see Ma Tian’Er as a thorn in their side, but there was nothing they could do about her.
It was the sa standoff as before, but this ti, even Qi Feiyu felt that the Ten Thousand Demons Sect’s presence had dwindled. It was ti to teach the Holy Hall a lesson.
Li Tianyi stared at Qi Feiyu, fighting the urge to challenge him. In his current state, however, he was better suited to being a spectator.
"Wang ng, you always seem to have that little bit of extra luck. Make sure you seize this opportunity!"
Li Tianyi said.
Wang ng smiled. "Don’t worry. I won’t be giving you that chance."
"Wang ng, you must be extrely careful!" Hex Zui said solemnly, clapping Wang ng on the shoulder. ’Everything hinges on this,’ he thought. He had considered it carefully; while it was incredibly dangerous, it was also an opportunity.
"Wang ng, let’s go. Stop wasting ti," Qi Feiyu said coldly. This kind of atmosphere would be impossible in the Ten Thousand Demons Sect. Not that he needed it. ’Friendship... friends... all just childish sentints. A waste of emotion.’
A Steward from the Hundred Battles Pavilion was already waiting for them. He cast a detached glance at Wang ng and Qi Feiyu.
"Your duel will take place in the Sea Emperor’s Small Thousand World. Qi Feiyu of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect will have his Elental Power suppressed by ten layers."
The Hundred Battles Pavilion Steward placed a Sealing Array on Qi Feiyu. Once it was complete, Wang ng and Qi Feiyu entered the Teleportation Array.
The Holy Hall Disciples and the Ten Thousand Demons Sect disciples waited outside. The latter were clearly full of confidence in Qi Feiyu. Even with his Elental Power lowered by ten layers, he was still far stronger than Wang ng.
This Wang ng had gradually beco the de facto leader of the Holy Hall group. Killing him would undoubtedly be a devastating blow to them.
A cold sneer touched Qi Feiyu’s lips. ’Naivete has its price.’
With a flash of light, the two of them disappeared from the Teleportation Array.
The Holy Hall Disciples and the Ten Thousand Demons Sect disciples stood apart, a clear line drawn between them. While the Ten Thousand Demons Sect still had a slight nurical advantage, the Holy Hall faction’s morale was clearly higher.
The two sides glared at each other, silently awaiting the outco of the battle.
Hex Zui was a veteran, after all. He had followed Li Jing back in the day and had even crossed swords with Qi Feiyu. There was a fundantal difference between Demon Cultivators and Saint Cultivators: while all Cultivators were proud, Demon Cultivators would resort to any ans necessary for victory, and would even revel in it.
Hex Zui couldn’t help but worry. ’Will Qi Feiyu try to pull so kind of trick?’
Only those who had been around the Great Yuan Realm for a long ti knew the truth. The Cultivation Academy had its rules, as did the Star Alliance, but those rules weren’t unbreakable—not if you were willing to pay the price.
This was Hex Zui’s real worry. If it was purely a contest of strength, he wasn’t certain that a Qi Feiyu with his power suppressed by ten layers could defeat Wang ng. Wang ng was a prodigy, a genius the likes of which Hex Zui had never seen or even imagined. He was different from Li Tianyi or Ma Tian’Er—he was unconventional.
「Sea Emperor’s Small Thousand World」 Wang ng had been here once before, but Qi Feiyu was even more familiar with the place. After so many years at the Cultivation Academy, he had visited many of the Small Thousand Realms multiple tis.
Both of them landed silently on the surface of the sea. Qi Feiyu stared at Wang ng but didn’t attack right away. "Before you die, I have a question for you."
Wang ng smiled. He liked the sea breeze and the feeling of the vast, open ocean. It was just a sha this location wasn’t exactly advantageous for his plans.
"Ask away."
"Do you really believe in friendship?" Qi Feiyu asked.
"It exists if you believe in it, and it doesn’t if you don’t. And I believe!"
Wang ng said with a laugh.
Qi Feiyu gave a bitter smile. "You truly are naive. If you were fighting this desperately to make a na for yourself, I could understand it. But to do it for the Holy Hall, for others... that’s just utterly naive." (To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welco to vote for it and leave a monthly ticket on Qidian (qidian). Your support is my greatest motivation.)
User Comments
0 comments from readers