"Wu Yu, if you have the guts, stop hiding behind a woman and stand before me!" Lan Shuiyue bit into her cherry lips as her ribcage rose and fell in tandem with her short, angry breaths. It was obvious that she had thrown no shortage of tantrums in the past month.
Wu Yu had expected their arrival since the story had spread so far and taken on many different variations.
He was prepared and willing to step forth, but Su Yanli stretched out her hand, motioning for him to stay back. Face void of emotion, she said, "Lan Shuiyue, this place is not your backyard. I advise you to leave. If this dispute reaches the ears of our master, you lot will be the ones shouldering the blame."
After all, it was them who had come looking for trouble.
"You!"
Lan Shuiyue's face flushed as she pointed an accusing finger towards Wu Yu. "Su Yanli, do not feign ignorance. Wu Yu has run his filthy mouth and now all of the Bipo Mountain Range is teeming with the rumor that we kissed. I will clear my name today by tearing his mouth apart! Let everyone see if he truly has the means to kiss me!"
She did not speak falsely.
This whole situation had started innocently enough, but Wu Yu had not expected martial cultivators in an immortal sect to enjoy spreading gossip so fervently.
Although Lan Shuiyue had repeatedly provoked Wu Yu, he had never intended to tarnish her innocence and had meant to clear things up.
Surprisingly, the person to respond to Lan Shuiyue was Su Yanli. She snickered mirthlessly, "Where is your sense of shame? Who kissed you? My junior brother is disinterested in you, enough with your whimsical fantasies."
To Wu Yu, this was an eye-opening experience. Never in his wildest dreams would he have thought that the normally impassive Su Yanli would use such barbed language when she was arguing with another woman.
"Su Yanli! You're courting death!"
Seeing that Lan Shuiyue was on the verge of fainting from anger, her senior brothers could not hold themselves back and prepared to rush forward to suppress Wu Yu with their spiritual power. At this moment, a hearty laugh descended from the sky. It came from a man dressed in scholarly robes atop an Immortal Crane. The Immortal Crane approached the ground as the man spoke, "Such a lively atmosphere! What is this? You two burly men are thinking of bullying my junior brother and sister with force?"
Mo Shishu had arrived.
Waving his folding fan, he lazily strode beside Su Yanli while laughing in a chiding manner.
"Mo Shishu, don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong!" Yi Qingfeng was about to make a move but had to think twice as Mo Shishu's arrival had taken away the advantage they previously held.
"What a joke. Iou guys were thinking of harming my little brother and sister, you think I've brought a seat here to watch the action? You must be out of your minds!" Mo Shishu exclaimed with an exaggerated expression.
"You!"
Up to this point, Wu Yu had not spoken a word. But he was laughing silently. It seemed that while the enmity between the Sect Leader and the Sect Protector's disciples ran deep, the Sect Leader's disciples still held more power.
Just then, Mo Shishu chortled as his gaze shifted to Wu Yu. Giving Wu Yu a pat on the shoulder, he spoke loudy, "Junior Brother, Senior Brother respects you! A little bird told me that you got intimate with Lan Shuiyue a month ago in the Dao Querying Pagoda! Is it true? Since everything is in the open now, everyone says that you are mercilessly decisive and incomparably confident!"
Whether this was just a rumor or another one of Mo Shishu's fabrications, Wu Yu did not know.
"Stop spouting nonsense. That never happened. Lan Shuiyue, take your senior brothers and leave." Su Yanli was already accustomed to Mo Shishu's shit-stirring ways and was only focused on making the other party leave.
Of course, Lan Shuiyue and gang were even more incensed. Zhao Changtian and Yi Qingfeng shot each other a glance. Now that the story had mutated into such a state, they knew they had to clear Lan Shuiyue's name.
Wu Yu processed everything he had seen. Although he was more inclined to go by the book, this was another matter, and the rumors were truly borne from his mistake. He chimed in, "Lan Shuiyue, I admit that I have said too much in this instance. I propose we go to a populated place where I can make things clear and prove your innocence. What do you think?"
Mo Shishu wished to escalate the issue, while Su Yanli wanted Wu Yu to have no connections with the Sect Protector's disciples. However, the main party involved was Wu Yu, and since he had made up his mind, neither of them would interfere any further.
When Wu Yu offered his proposal, Lan Shuiyue was understandably dissatisfied. Her objective today was to tear Wu Yu's mouth into pieces, and only after she had done so would everyone understand that it was just a rumor.
With Mo Shishu present, she would be unable to proceed.
Yi Qingfeng leaned towards Lan Shuiyue and whispered in her ear, "Shuiyue, it will be difficult to deal with Wu Yu today. I think we should settle the rumors first and bide our time for revenge."
There was no other way.
Lan Shuiyue finally conceded. "Fine, we'll head to Myriad Treasures Valley, where crowds will definitely be."
"Come if you have the gall!" They mounted their Heavenly Cloud Rocs and took to the skies, speeding towards the direction of Myriad Treasures Valley.
Only the three disciples of Feng Xueya remained. Mo Shishu waved his hands and said, "Let's settle this matter in accordance with Junior Brother's wishes. I just feel that there is no need to be afraid of them. The ass-kissing demeanor of Zhao Changtian and Yi Qingfeng disgusts me. On the other hand, that wench Lan Shuiyue has a rather perky figure; if only Junior Brother could really knock her up..."
He could barely finish this sentence before he caught Su Yanli's harsh glare. Mo Shishu decided to keep his words in his mouth.
"Haha." Mo Shishu laughed it off with a few flicks of his folding fan.
"Explain the situation clearly, then cease contact with those three. You'll never hear the end of it if you draw their ire," Su Yanli counselled Wu Yu. It looked as though she had encountered her fair share of run-ins with the lot.
Of course, Wu Yu did not wish to butt heads with these people all the time. He had the same mindset as Su Yanli - the singleminded pursuit of cultivation.
They got onto their Immortal Cranes and followed the Heavenly Cloud Rocs, arriving at Myriad Treasures Valley in a flash. The prosperous Myriad Treasures Valley was still bustling with activity as usual when the Immortal Cranes and Heavenly Cloud Rocs stopped just outside the valley. Six people strode into the valley, each one of them famous amongst the young generation. The appearance of the personal disciples of the Sect Leader and the Sect Protector drew a sizable crowd of disciples within a matter of minutes.
"How is it possible that those six are standing together?"
"I heard that Wu Yu and Lan Shuiyue got together, could it really be true? So the six of them have reconciled their differences?"
"There's a show to be had!"
The daily routine of cultivation could get extremely repetitive, so any new developments naturally attracted the attention of the younger disciples.
In just a short while, the crowd that had gathered numbered in the hundreds. Satisfied, Wu Yu cleared his throat and announced loudly, "Ladies and gentlemen, the reason we have gathered today is to set the facts of the matter straight, the matter being that Lan Shuiyue has no relationship with me whatsoever. The rumors floating around the past few days are but rumors, I beseech everyone to spurn falsehoods."
"That is the truth, I have nothing to do with Wu Yu. Anybody who dares to run their mouth will face my wrath!" spat Lan Shuiyue as she glared coldly into the crowd.
Wu Yu mused, "Those gathered today should be smart enough to understand what we are trying to say."
Unexpectedly, sniggers arose from the crowd.
"Both of you need not worry, we all understand."
"That's right, there is DEFINITELY no relationship between you two, there is no doubt in our hearts."
Hundreds of people began to laugh in tacit understanding.
Wu Yu was vexed. They had misinterpreted Wu Yu and Lan Shuiyue to be squabbling lovers. After all, this was complicit with Lan Shuiyue's character. As such, the crowd had adopted a condescending attitude towards the whole affair.
He let out an embarrassed cough before continuing, "The truth is that Lan Shuiyue has offended me time and time again, leading me to tell a frivolous lie in spite. As this was heard by third parties, it led to the rumors being spread..."
Having revealed the entire truth, the doubt in his heart had cleared. This would pacify Lan Shuiyue as well as set Su Yanli at ease.
"Hehe..."
The crowd erupted into laughter again, seeing as Wu Yu and Lan Shuiyue stood beside each other, a picturesque image of a harmonious couple. Further attempts to explain themselves would be an exercise in futility.
Seeing the leering faces in the crowd, it was no wonder that Lan Shuiyue caught on to what was happening. This attack on her psyche almost caused a blood vessel to burst. Turning her head only to find Wu Yu looking like a deer in headlights, her heart boiled with a greater fury. Although the image of her petite, waifish figure trembling was rather alluring, flames seemed to spew from her eyes as she shouted, "Wu Yu, they will believe me once I slay you!"
Saying thus, she reached for her immortal treasure. Her mind was made up!
Wu Yu was right by her side.
A brilliant flash emerged and one could faintly see that Lan Shuiyue possessed two immortal treasures! They were held tightly in each of her hands and took on the form of twin longswords, each with a blade that shimmered like a flowing river. Raising her arms in place, she began to dance. Her movements were elegant and mesmerizing, the postures displaying her lithe physique in vivid detail. Although it was an exquisite dance, it harbored an icy cold murderous intent!
"These are the Waltzing Glacier Blades."
Wu Yu had come across this dao technique during the time he spent reading in the Scripture Holding Depository, thus he knew what it was the moment his opponent had displayed them.
Since the other party was about to attack, Wu Yu had no choice but to retaliate, whipping out his Demon Subduing Staff. He was still salty that Su Yanli had managed to suppress him just when he had managed to cultivate the Nine Dragons Ascension Column successfully. At this moment, Lan Shuiyue crashed into him!
Bang!
A mystical dragon curled around the staff!
The image of the flaming dragon coiled upon the Demon Subduing Staff was intensely imposing. The display of perfect harmony between dao technique and immortal treasure left the crowd gaping in awe. The last time they had witnessed Wu Yu's skills was back in the Immortal's Battle Stage!
"Break!"
The Nine Dragons Ascension Column rumbled and exploded as Wu Yu swept his staff, sending the mystical dragon roaring towards the heavens! A sea of flames leapt forth, engulfing Lan Shuiyue in the midst of her deadly dervish!
Ding, ding, ding!
Within the fire, the numerous icy shards of sword qi were smashed to smithereens by the dragon, allowing the majestic flames to rush onwards. Lan Shuiyue yelped in alarm and retreated right before the scorching fire could touch her.
"Wu Yu!"
Lan Shuiyue was at her wit’s end.
Discounting the fact that Wu Yu had beaten her in the war of words, she had been forced to flee despite utilizing a sneak attack, utterly humiliating her. With nothing to lose, she prepared to double down on her efforts to butcher Wu Yu, but Wu Yu had already put away his weapon.
"Who is causing trouble in Myriad Treasures Valley!"
A booming voice echoed throughout Myriad Treasures Valley, dousing the remaining flames and scattering the Waltzing Glacier Blades. Even Wu Yu felt the effects of the sonic boom deep within his organs. Looking around, he saw that many among the gathered crowd had gone green in the face.
"It's Elder Gongsun."
The expressions of the lot changed instantly. Zhao Changtian and Yi Qingfeng hurried to drag Lan Shuiyue away from the battle.
Elder Gongsun?
As Wu Yu looked around Myriad Treasures Valley, he remembered the Lone Elder guarding the Dao Querying Pagoda. Elder Gongsun must have held a similar stature in Myriad Treasures Valley.
If this were not the case, Lan Shuiyue and her cronies would not be so fearful of the repercussions.
"Wu Yu, let's leave."
Su Yanli grabbed his arm and pulled him away without another word, mimicking the intentions of the other three. Throughout the course of them leaving, Lan Shuiyue was still fuming with rage.
"Wu Yu, I will enter the Valley of Immortal Fate tomorrow. Once I retrieve the immortal root and complete my master's test, I will obtain the Aquacore Reflection. I will force you to kowtow once I have laid down my immortal roots!"
There was no conclusion to the day's events, leaving her heart in greater turmoil.
......