Chapter 126: Numerous Sects Coming Together to Bully
When Zhu Yao officially came out of isolation, a hundred years had already passed.
As she walked out of the cold lake, she saw an unfamiliar man, who was wearing black clothes, standing there. He was very tall, though his face looked really delicate, his expression was a little stiff. She did not know if it was caused by that shadow, but currently, she instinctively disliked people dressed in black clothes. Although he was merely a practitioner at the Azoth-stage, Zhu Yao still unconsciously let out a frown.
Since the very beginning, the Jade Forest Mountain had never allowed any outsiders to enter. Those who occasionally came to visit could only be messengers sent by Zi Mo to look for her. However, what he was wearing was not the clothes of Ancient Hill Sect. Could it be that in the hundred years she was in isolation, the Sect had changed its school uniform?
“Who are you?”
That man seemed to be stunned for a moment. His eyes which were sparkling earlier, suddenly darkened quite a bit, however, he still walked straight towards her.
Zhu Yao frowned. She was a little dissatisfied at his silent actions. However, seeing that he completely did not harbor any evil intentions, she did not chase him away.
The man simply walked towards a position that was merely half a step away from her, before stopping.
“I say…” Aren’t you a little close? Even if you’re tall, there’s no need to be such a show-off, right?
Before she could even finish speaking, however, he reached his hands, and hugged her outright. He hugged her so tight, she could feel his heart pumping.
Zhu Yao was instantly dumbfounded. Were all the youths nowadays so open-minded? Probably because she was overly shocked, Zhu Yao had completely forgotten to resist.
That man however, became even more outrageous. Slightly lowering his body, his face gently rubbed against her hair, and his expression looked as though he was indulging in the moment, as his warm breath swept across her cheeks.
Zhu Yao, who had spent her entire lifetime teasing her ice-cold master, was being teased by someone else for the very first time. Her face suddenly felt hot, and she did not know if it was due to shock or embarrassment. However, an instant later, it cooled down once again, and it was even by a chilling cold which could penetrate one’s heart.
Master, let me explain!
A bone-piercing chill instantly dispersed from her hand, immediately spreading across her entire body. Zhu Yao shivered from the cold, as she reflexively pushed away the man in front of her. As she was anxious, her push even carried a slight amount of spiritual energy.
“W-W-W-Who… Who are you?” Zhu Yao tightened her hand which was about to turn frozen stiff. What she was holding onto was the pendant which could be used to communicate with her master. Earlier, when she came up, for a moment, she could not bear to place it into the ring, hence, she was currently holding onto it in her hand. However, who would have thought the moment she came up, she would encounter such an event. In an instant, she felt as though she was kidnapped as a prostitute and was pushed onto the bed.
The man took a few steps back from her push, and he seemed to have been injured as well, as there were stains of blood at the corner of his lips. However, he still firmly stared at her, and she was flustered at how deep his gaze was, as though in his eyes, only her lone figure was left in this entire world.
He paused for a moment, before he once again walked over towards her.
“The hell, what are you up to again?” Zhu Yao felt as though the chill that finally managed to disappear in her hand, began to spread once again. Neither one of these two people was someone she couldn’t worry about.
Zhu Yao revealed a cautious expression, however, this time, the man did not pounce on her again. Stopping a step away from her, with lightning speed… he tugged onto the corner of her clothes.
“…” Why did this action seem to look a little familiar?
“Yao.” The man let out a sound, and the sound was as crisp as the flowing spring water.
“Ah?” What did he mean?
The man’s expression turned slightly stern. Looking at her with even more concentration, he once again called out. “Yao.”
“What do you want?”
“Sis.”
“Ah?”
“Sis. Yao. (Prostitute)”
“Your sister!” The hell, she finally found out who this person was. “Yue Ying?”
The man’s eyes instantly looked as though they were shining, as he nodded his head.
Zhu Yao sized up Yue Ying who had already grown a head taller than her. For a moment, she did not dare to believe that this person was that skinny, bony-figured little radish back then. He grew up to be quite muscular, just what did he eat to grow up in such a way? Faintly in her heart, she was a little unable to accept it.
Then, she thought for a moment. After all, it had already been a hundred years. If it was a mortal, most probably, he had already reincarnated. He had only grown a little taller, so it was rather understandable.
“Not bad, little twerp! You actually formed your Azoth Core so quickly.” After recognizing the person in front of her, Zhu Yao’s anxiousness completely dispersed, and she activated her extremely familiar mode. She hooked her arm over his shoulder, and planned on discussing with him a big problem regarding the harmonious and stable development of human beings. “Let me discuss something with you!”
Yue Ying still did not like to talk very much, as he simply looked at her.
“I’m Zhu Yao, in the future, can you stop calling me Sis Yao? Call me, Sis Zhu, or will it kill you to add one more word, and call me Sis Zhu Yao!?” She already had enough with having a master who constantly called her Desire, so why should the title of a prostitute appear now as well? Stop making her suspect her own parents’ taste in names, hey!
Yue Ying was frightened by her sudden outburst of anger for a moment. Only an instant later did he moved the corner of his lips with great difficulty, and voiced out the words. “Sis Zh… Yao.”
“Scram!” Zhu Yao raised her palm and struck his head. This bad child was definitely doing it on purpose.
Yue Ying, however, did not feel annoyed, and simply stretched out his hand to stroke his hurting head. The expression he was using to look at her became even more serious.
“Where’s Yu Luo?” Zhu Yao casually asked. Pulling Yue Ying’s hand down, she checked his pulse in order to inspect his injuries, and healed him while she was at it. Earlier, when she did not recognize him, the push that she unconsciously did, had still injured him to a slight extent.
Yue Ying’s line of sight shifted from her face to his own hand which was being grabbed by her, and replied her stiffly. “Great Hall.”
“Great Hall? The Main Mountain?” What was she doing over there?
Yue Ying nodded.
Zhu Yao frowned, and faintly felt that something had happened. She heightened her senses, and indeed, in the direction of the Great Hall, there were many unfamiliar presences, and faintly, those presences were extremely powerful.
“What happened?”
Yue Ying did not know either.
Zhu Yao hesitated for a moment, and decided to head over there to take a look. Just when she flew up with her sword, she realized that another figure popped out right beside her.
“Why are you following me?” Zhu Yao stared at Yue Ying.
“Together.”
“No.” She could sense that the Great Hall was filled with Nascent Soul practitioners. It seemed that the Nascent Soul practitioners of the entire Sect were already there. Usually, in such situations, they would only gather when a huge problem had occurred in the Sect. “It’s not safe over there. Be obedient, and stay here.”
Yue Ying frowned, however, he did not obediently turn around. Instead, he flew his sword closer to her, and reached out his hand to tug the corner of her clothes.
Zhu Yao: …
It had already been a hundred years, yet this child’s mother complex hadn’t been cured? Then what’s the use of growing so tall for?
Zhu Yao sighed, and didn’t care anymore, as she flew straight towards the Great Hall located in the Main Mountain.
Her appearance had evidently calmed the people in the hall, while Zi Mo stood up with a joyful look. “Martial aunt, you came out of your isolation?”
Yu Luo was standing right beside Zi Mo, and happily greeted her as well. “Master.” Zhu Yao knew why she was here now. She had already restored her Nascent Soul cultivation.
“Mn.” After taking a closer look, she realized there were many people in the hall. Not only were the Sect’s Nascent Soul Reverends present, even Feng Yi and the other Demigod Sovereign were present as well. It was simply a gathering of elites. Zhu Yao firstly greeted the Demigod Sovereigns, before she brought Yue Ying along and sat straight at the upper seat.
After sweeping her gaze around the hall, she realized that there were even more Nascent Soul Reverends from the other Sects. Seemingly, all of the Nascent Soul practitioners from the various Sects and Clans had gathered, and it was a sight even more spectacular than the Inter-Sect Tournament. And, there were even some familiar faces. Wu Song, along with some other Nascent Soul radishes, was currently sitting on the bottom seats not far away.
However, his expression had long lost the energy it had when he came to cancel the engagement back then. An air of depression could be faintly sensed between his brows, most probably, it was due to the fatigue from the matters regarding his Sect in the recent years. His eyes however, had been staring at Yu Luo, who was behind Zi Mo, as he carried a complicated expression.
Though, Yu Luo simply carried a magnanimous look, and did not even notice him at all. Zhu Yao sighed in her heart. It seemed like she had completely put this matter to rest.
“Reverend Zi Mo, I feel that what Celestial Indus Sect Elder said is correct. In the first place, the Inter-Sect Tournament is merely a means to have the various Sects stay in contact, and form closer bonds.” A tall and skinny man stood up. “In the past, when your esteemed Sect hosted the events, it had merely been agreed upon by everyone as well.”
“That’s right.” Another Nascent Soul male practitioner responded. “We have never decided that it always has to be Ancient Hill Sect that host the event, right? Since Ancient Hill Sect is able to host the event, then naturally, other Sects are able to host the event as well.”
“That’s correct.” Another person stood up. “Celestial Indus Sect is also a large Deity Sect, and isn’t worse off than Ancient Hill Sect. Hosting it there is the same as well.”
So it was regarding the matter of where the Inter-Sect Tournament should be held. Zhu Yao frowned. In the past, every Inter-Sect Tournament had been hosted in Ancient Hill Sect, and it had already become an established practice. Although there wasn’t an actual benefit to Ancient Hill Sect for hosting this event, in regards to Deity Sects which often cherished their reputation, this was a huge matter that could raise the Sect’s prestige. This was also one of the reasons why Ancient Hill Sect was referred to as the number one Sect in the cultivation world.
If this responsibility was suddenly passed to another Sect, wouldn’t it be a direct slap to the face?
“This statement isn’t right.” As expected, Zi Mo wouldn’t agree to it. “In the past Inter-Sect Tournaments, they had always been hosted by my Sect, and I believe everyone is very clear of this fact. Although my Sect has tired ourselves for so many years, putting aside the merits and the hard work involved, I believe everyone has already gotten used to it. To suddenly be unwilling to have our Sect host the tournament, is this because I did not provide adequate amount of care and attention?”
As expected of Zi Mo who had been the Sect Master for so many years, his words were filled with hidden obstructive remarks. When translated into human words, he was basically saying: ‘I have worked hard to provide everyone with good food and drinks for so many years. I have spent money, mobilized my own forces, and tired myself out, yet, I have never taken a single fee. Even putting these aside, you people actually dare to look away and not recognize my efforts.’
As expected, the moment he said these words, the expressions of the few people who spoke up earlier turned a little ugly.
“Sect Master Mo.” The Celestial Indus Sect Master could no longer stay seated, and stood up. “Ancient Hill Sect has naturally taken up a tiring and tremendous job for hosting the Inter-Sect Tournament for so many years. In the past, the other Sects have the heart, but not the power to host it. However, currently, my Sect has the power to host it, so I simply wish to take up the responsibility, and it’s also to simply share this burden with Ancient Hill Sect.” When translated to human words: ‘It’s been too much work for you to host it alone, I can help you, you know.’
Zi Mo said with a smiled. “I have received Celestial Indus Sect’s good intentions. However, ever since ten thousand years ago, my Ancient Hill Sect have never evaded the matter regarding the Inter-Sect Tournament. And, I believe that I will be able to handle this job skillfully even in the future tournaments to come.” In human words: ‘There’s no need for you to worry, we can handle it.’
After the Celestial Indus Sect Master was countered, his expression instantly turned ugly as well. Initially, when he had gathered so many Sects to speak of this matter, it was to give Ancient Hill Sect some face. Who would have thought that this Zi Mo would have such a water-tight tongue, and it now looked as though they were here to make a fuss.