After Changing to the Ruthless Way, the Brothers Cried and Begged for Forgiveness-Chapter 500: Time to Visit the Seniors in the Seven Mists Realm
Two or three years? Yu Zhao thought it over and decided it was not unbearable. Then Sui Bian added in the same unhurried tone: “I just do not know if that will be in time for the Great Thousand Alliance’s selection.” Yu Zhao blinked: “I thought there were still twenty or thirty years before the selection.” Sui Bian said: “It has been moved up.” Yu Zhao paused, then asked: “By how much?” Sui Bian answered: “About a year or two.” Yu Zhao fell silent. [Is this targeting me?]
Sui Bian fought to keep the corners of his mouth from turning up as he consoled her: “It’s fine. If you miss this one, we can wait for the next. There will always be another chance.” Yu Zhao shot back at once: “No. The Great Thousand Alliance’s selection is held once every five hundred years. I cannot miss it.” She turned and ran toward the chamber: “I am going back to cultivate now!”
“You come back here first,” said Sui Bian as he hooked a finger and lifted her by the collar. “You have been in the Middle Thousand World for quite some time. You should go to the Seven Mists Realm and pay respects to the seniors of the Cultivation world.” Yu Zhao gave a soft sound, guilt flickering in her eyes. To have spent so many years here without visiting those seniors truly was discourteous. She was about to agree when she froze, looked down at her little hands and short legs, and blurted in shock: “Ancestor, you want me to use this body to visit them?”
“Of course. You are a child right now. Those old fellows will be embarrassed to be stingy when they see you. What they give you will help you far more than you shut away in closed door cultivation for the same time.” At first hearing, Sui Bian’s words sounded entirely reasonable. But the more she thought, the more wrong it seemed. Yu Zhao was not truly a child; how could she use such a guise to greet her elders? She knew no one here, but what if the Teleportation Passage was restored one day? Her sterling reputation would be ruined.
“No. Absolutely not.” She shook her head so hard her tender face looked like a bobbing rattle-drum. Sui Bian snorted: “You do not get to refuse.” He pointed a finger and froze her in place, then turned to Ling Long and Xiu Yu: “We have been away from the Seven Mists Realm too long. Now that Yu Zhao has mastered the avatar art, it is time to go back.”
“I will go with you,” Xiu Yu blurted. “Good—” Sui Bian began, then felt a killing chill lance his heart and changed tone mid-sentence: “It would be better for you to stay in the Lingxiao Realm and keep your big sister company.” Senior Ling Long’s lips curled in satisfaction. Old Black Daoist’s eyes shone. At last, he could leave. Delight.
He did not have long to bask before Ling Long said coolly: “There is a Myriad Realms Treasure Fair near the Seven Mists Realm. I plan to take Xiu Yu to attend. We will be going the same way as you.” Myriad Realms Treasure Fair? Yu Zhao blinked. She had never heard of such an event. Seeing her puzzlement, Senior Xiu Yu explained kindly: “The Myriad Realms Treasure Fair is a large-scale exchange between the various Small Worlds of the Middle Thousand World. At set intervals, Cultivators from the major worlds gather to trade resources, Magical Treasures, and cultivation arts.”
Yu Zhao understood. So it was a grand trade meet. Would Starry Sky stone and Jade Core appear at such a large fair? Her eyes brightened and her resistance waned. Sui Bian and Old Black Daoist were also intrigued. Sui Bian said with interest: “I missed the last Myriad Realms Treasure Fair. This time I can finally take a look.” Old Black Daoist added: “And I can hunt for sword manuals.” Sui Bian scoffed: “You? Even if you find one you like, do you have the Spirit Stones to pay?” Old Black Daoist grinned: “I do not, but you do.” Sui Bian spat: “The size of your face.”
All five quickly agreed: first attend the Myriad Realms Treasure Fair, then travel on to the Seven Mists Realm. The next day, they boarded Senior Ling Long’s Starship and set out for the fair’s venue. As they left the Lingxiao Realm, Yu Zhao noticed battle marks on the mountain where Ling Long lived. On asking, she learned that while she had been in closed door cultivation, unidentified intruders had repeatedly tried to force their way into Ling Long’s cave residence, and each time had been driven back by her whip. Just as Ling Long and Xiu Yu had said before: with her there, no one could touch Yu Zhao or Ancestor Sui Bian.
While they were en route, news that the Alliance selection would be brought forward had already spread far and wide. The Nangong Clan, of course, was among the first to know. Nangong Yin was pulled from cultivation by the clan head and summoned to the hall. He asked tersely: “The selection is moving up. Are you confident of standing out?” Nangong Yin’s displeasure faded into a playful smile as she tucked back a loose lock of hair and replied unhurriedly: “Naturally. It is not we who should be worried now.” She glanced to the west, as if picturing the Xi Men Clan in a panic.
Just then, Nangong Jie asked for an audience. The Nangong clan head frowned at once: “What are you doing here?” Nangong Jie said urgently: “Father, I have heard that the Alliance selection has been moved up.” The clan head regarded him coldly: “That has nothing to do with you.” Nangong Jie said: “Father, I want to participate as well.” The clan head replied without change of expression: “The clan has already decided Nangong Yin will represent us in the selection.” Nangong Yin smiled and nodded politely to Nangong Jie. Nangong Jie’s face burned with anger: “Father, I know you and the elders favor Nangong Yin, but the Alliance does not stipulate that a clan may only send one member. Why can I not go?”
After they returned from the Land of Divine Remains, he had yielded to her everywhere out of gratitude for his life being saved; even when his father diverted part of his cultivation resources to Nangong Yin, he raised no objection. Now he asked only to compete on the same stage. Why could they not indulge this single, modest request?
“This is the clan’s decision. It will not be changed,” said the clan head, dismissing him with one sentence.
Leaving Nangong Jie’s mood aside, the Xi Men Clan’s circumstances matched Nangong Yin’s expectations almost exactly. Their great hope, the junior Xi Men Wuji, had died in the Land of Divine Remains. Another clansman who had gone with him had crawled back alive but with his foundations damaged and still had not recovered. Among the remaining clan members, none could match Xi Men Wuji. Patriarch Xi Men, imagining what the future might bring, paced like an ant on a hot pan.
At the same time, undercurrents stirred within the Dong Fang Clan and the Bei Ming Clan as well. Dong Fang Yu even swaggered to Dong Fang Yue and boasted shamelessly that she should withdraw from the selection so as not to embarrass herself. Dong Fang Yue flushed red, unable to string together a complete rebuttal, and could only watch as Dong Fang Yu strode off. The Bei Ming Clan was also rife with rumor, but Bei Ming Yan ignored the noise entirely. She cultivated single-mindedly, shutting out every voice. The tighter the schedule, the less she was willing to surrender even a single chance to widen the gap with her rivals.
Chapter 500: Time to Visit the Seniors in the Seven Mists Realm
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