Chapter 994: Always Be Vigilant
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
Dan Xiang was thinking about other things, and thus, was naturally distracted from his surroundings, his senses being less sharp than usual.
However, after all, he was Intermediate Nascent Soul cultivation, and thus, swiftly realized that something was wrong. Shocked, he looked at Wan Zhenglun. "Junior Wan, what are you doing?"
With a burst of Mana, Dan Xiang restrained Wan Zhenglun. Zhao Mingxiu looked at Wan Zhenglun with surprise as well, and simultaneously, Yang Zhao's eyes flashed.
Restrained by Dan Xiang's Mana, Wan Zhenglun recovered from his absent-minded state. However, his gaze did not clear up, but rather, turned even sharper and more obstinate.
"Senior Dan, since the Antiquity Age, our Sect has been the strongest force in the Divine Lands. By right, we should reign over the world and have the Heavens bow before us. How can we stand by and look on as a puny Celestial Sect of Wonders walk all over us?"
Wan Zhenglun took a deep breath, his face calm, but his gaze sharp as steel. "Now, this Celestial Sect of Wonders is the greatest obstacle to our Sect's command of the Divine Lands. Uncle Pang Jie, the Man with Polycoria, and Senior Bai…our Sect has lost more than just a few disciples to the Celestial Sect of Wonders!"
"Senior Dan, even if we do not talk about the others first, Senior Bai is still suffering in the Small World now!"
Hearing this, Dan Xiang's expression did not change, but his gaze abruptly turned deep and foreboding.
Bai Xiqian, who was injured by Yue Hongyan that day, was a junior who shared the same Master as him – and also his partner.
Since that day, ten years have already passed in the Greater World. However, to Dan Xiang, that day when he saw Bai Xiqian return to Mount Baiyun, gravely injured and her soul damaged, was just like yesterday.
In the battle between Yue Hongyan and Bai Xiqian, the martial arts and spells of both were aggressive and violent to the extreme. Life and death hang in the balance – it would be impossible for either side to show mercy or restraint, or it would be herself who perish.
If the Xuan Lin Holy Man had not arrived in time that day, Bai Xiqian would have met her end that day.
Even so, she was more dead than alive and almost could not be resuscitated. Fortunately, the Great Void Sect had enough accumulated resources, and only so that Bai Xiqian's life was saved; but even so, she had been bedridden since then, unable to even stand up, not to mention restoring her cultivation.
These years, Bai Xiqian had always been recuperating within an alternate world with a different rate of time flow. However, it was not one that accelerated time, but rather decelerated it; it was to allow her to suffer less pain while those close to her, like Dan Xiang, looked for ways to heal her in the outside world.
Although he knew that day, Yue Hongyan and Bai Xiqian had a fair battle, but whenever Dan Xiang saw the only half-alive Bai Xiqian, he still felt an impossible-to-control rage within him.
Although Bai Xiqian and him were partners, were disciples taught by the same Master, but in fact, their views were not the same. Bai Xiqian was part of the Radical Faction, while his views were relatively neutral, and even tilted towards the Conservative Faction. However, because of the Bai Xiqian incident, he viewed the Celestial Sect of Wonders rather poorly.
It's just that previously, Han Yang and the others aided him in escaping his predicament. Apart from causing him to be embarrassed, it also temporarily suppressed the hostility in his heart.
However, looking at the slightly agitated Wan Zhenglun, Dan Xiang couldn't help but fall into a silence.
Once he became silent, the Mana with which he was restraining Wan Zhenglun naturally relaxed. Wan Zhenglun did not speak further either; with a wave of his Mana, rolling clouds shot towards Yang Tie and co., who were resisting the spiritual energy tide.
"Senior Dan! Senior Wan!" After her astonishment, Zhao Mingxiu's eyebrows furrowed tightly. "If you wish for a battle with the Celestial Sect of Wonders disciples, then just fight. Why do we have to do this? Aren't we inviting ridicule with this?"
Yang Zhao said coldly, "Junior Zhao, it is precisely because you all are too conservative most of the time that now, anyone dares to walk all over our Sect."
Of the four present, both Wan Zhenglun and him were part of the Radical Faction, while Zhao Mingxiu was a standard Conservative. When other Sects were concerned, Dan Xiang tilted towards the Conservative Faction, but when facing the Celestial Sect of Wonders, he bore enmity as well.
Gazing at Zhao Mingxiu, Yang Zhao said, expressionlessly, "There will definitely be a war between our Sect and the Celestial Sect of Wonders in the future, not to mention we are competing for the Crucible of the Divine Lands now. Such a crucial item…how can we give it up to the Celestial Sect of Wonders so easily, and allow them to grow even stronger?"
"For enemies, we do not need to consider morals, but only the results," Yang Zhao's gaze was indifferent and his voice cold. "Our Sect has protected the Divine Lands all these years…this was not achieved through goodwill and friendship."
"It is true that our Sect is the first and foremost Holy Land of the Righteous Way, however, that was because of our strength. Others extrapolated from that and hope that we are just, honest and virtuous gentlemen, because gentlemen can be deceived with reasonable ways. They can tie up our hands, benefiting them."
Quietly, Yang Zhao said, "What others think is their issue. However, if we actually take it seriously, it would only cause our hands to be tied and be unable to use all our cards."
Zhao Mingxiu's eyebrows were furrowed tightly. "Senior Yang, I'm sorry, but I cannot agree with your ideas. Yes, some actions of our Sect can hardly be considered just or righteous either, but it was all to guard and preserve the Divine Lands, to protect the world of humanity. That, is the ultimate goal."
"Mingxiu is not a dogmatic person. For the grand plan, sometimes, one is unable to consider the small matters; however, at the very least, we must have some basic principles. When we do things, we should at least have a clear conscience."
Dispassionately, Yang Zhao said, "Are you saying that Junior Wan and I are biting the hand that fed us, that we are betraying our consciences?"
Staring directly into his cold eyes, Zhao Mingxiu said, sternly, "Whether you have a clear conscience, that is a question for you yourself, Senior, to answer. However, regardless of whether your conscience is clear, this sort of behavior would make us laughing stocks; regardless of the outcome, do the disciples of our Sect really not have even the confidence to contend with others face to face?"
At this moment, a slight smile surfaced on Yang Zhao's originally expressionless face as he took a few steps, inserting himself between Zhao Mingxiu and Wan Zhenglun.
He said calmly, "To the contrary, Junior Zhao, regardless of the outcome, it was not suitable for us to clash with the Celestial Sect of Wonders heads-on now. This has nothing to do with our individual strength or confidence."
Zhao Mingxiu was taken aback for a moment, and a vague look of realization came across her face. Looking at her, Yang Zhao nodded. "They are all core disciples of the Celestial Sect of Wonders; given the arrogant style of the Celestial Sect of Wonders, if anything were to happen to them, the Celestial Sect of Wonders would not sit by and ignore it."
"It is true that I despise the Celestial Sect of Wonders. However, we must acknowledge that this Sect already has the ability to pose a real threat to our Sect. I do not know how the elders really view the Celestial Sect of Wonders; if we were to harm these Celestial Sect of Wonders disciples, it might affect the plans of the elders of our Sect."
Yang Zhao's voice was flat, as if he was talking about some minor, insignificant event. "However, the Celestial Sect of Wonders disciples are really irritating. What should we do then? An accident would be the best possible outcome."
He looked at Yang Tie and the others. "Junior Zhao, what you thought about was that Junior Wan is exploiting their unfortunate circumstances, but what I thought about was that, although we have left the formation of the Celestial Sect of Wonders masters now, but will any traces be discovered?"
As he spoke, Yang Zhao suddenly raised his hand, releasing a talisman. The talisman dissapitated with a bang, forming streaks of light that subtly enveloped this part of the world.
It's just that these streaks of light did not stop people from moving through, and they have no defensive power either. Their purpose was isolation – blocking the Awareness of cultivators outside and stopping them from communicating with the inside. As the purpose was singular, it was extremely powerful when it came to this single purpose as well.
Zhao Mingxiu's frown grew even tighter. "Senior Yang, you…"
When Yang Zhao raised his hand, Wan Zhenglun halted his pace slightly, but after seeing his action, he can't help but laugh. Raising his hand, a streak of Mana landed on the sphere of light enclosing Yang Tie and co., pricking a crack.
Right now, the struggle between the light sphere and the spiritual energy storm outside was in a delicate balance. With this streak of Wan Zhenglin's Mana, the light sphere instantly began to reverberate slightly; the spiritual energy storm halted suddenly, and then, immediately, turned even more brutal and savage.
Seeing this scene, Dan Xiang was silent. He did not step forward to help Wan Zhenglun, but did not attempt to stop him either, and merely stood by, watching silently.
Meanwhile, Yang Zhao gazed at Zhao Mingxiu and said, carelessly, "To be fair, when they helped rescue us from our predicament previously, I felt somewhat grateful as well. However, apart from that, I felt more shame and embarrassment from being aided by those I despise. And because of this, I loathe the Celestial Sect of Wonders even more."
"I do not dispute that, in the eyes of the masses, and even the eyes of some fellow Sect disciples like you, Junior Zhao, the actions of Junior Wan and I are worthy of contempt and disgust. What do you call it in the parlance of the mortal hoi polloi? Without class? Dishonorable?"
Yang Zhao's face was dispassionate, his gaze filled with coldness. "All of it does not matter. The Buddhists emphasize laying down your blade and achieving salvation; however, to me, cultivation is following your heart and seizing opportunities. Since I still have obsession in my heart, I will follow my heart; once my wish was fulfilled, my obsession will be resolved and everything will flow."
He gazed at Zhao Mingxiu. "Junior Zhao, I know that you have your principles and ideas as well, so I do not mind that your views conflict with mine. If you want to stop Junior Wan, then I will stop you too; we will resolve it with our own abilities. Even if you stop me, stop Junior Wan today, it would not be a big deal; Junior Wan and I would find another opportunity in due time. However, I do not believe that you can go through me."
Yang Zhao smiled emotionlessly. "Junior Zhao, I have always known that you are formidable in battle. However, at the very least, you will not be able to go past me quickly; with this time, Junior Wan would have already completed his task over there."
Zhao Mingxiu took a deep breath and turned to look at Dan Xiang.
Dan Xiang was the most advanced cultivator among them; if he were to act, he can restrain Wan Zhenglun and Yang Zhao in a short span of time.
However, right now, Dan Xiang had clearly demonstrated that he was not planning to intervene. In a way, that meant implicit consent.
Seeing this scene, Zhao Mingxiu strongly suspected that if Yue Hongyan was among those trapped by the spiritual energy storm right now, Dan Xiang might even strike together with Wan Zhenglun.
At this very moment, the spiritual energy storm, altered by Wan Zhenglun, abruptly strengthened and expanded. Meanwhile, the defenses of Yang Tie and co. started to become unstable instead; with this, the situation instantly turned treacherous.
Inside the light sphere, Yang Tie, Liu Xiafeng, and Li Xingfei let out a sigh simultaneously. Tang Jun, though, shook his hand in their direction instead. "The same kind of rice can feed a hundred kinds of man; this isn't some rare event in the first place."
Gazing at the flowing barrier in front of him formed by runes and characters, he smiled coldly. "As expected, you must always be vigilant."
As he spoke, Tang Jun temporarily deactivated his World Spell of Turning Heaven's Will. The light sphere became even more unstable, shaking as if it was on the verge of collapse.
However, a blue-green light suddenly lit up within Tang Jun's pupils. Amidst the blue-green light, one can observe, faintly, a small flame flickering constantly within each eye; just that this flame wasn't bright, but rather, pale white in color.
Milky white Pure Yang Primordial Fire glowed on Tang Jun's body. However, as this milky white Pure Yang Primordial Fire swayed, it gradually changed color, turning to a pale white that almost resembled gray, while simultaneously flickering blue-green.