No one had expected that victory and defeat between these two apprentice-brothers would be determined so quickly! In less than five minutes, the outcome of the battle between them had come. Moreover, the process of events was so twisting!

Xu Yangyi had made the first move, and Fang Cheng had followed with a sudden counterattack. Three divine abilities had pressured Xu Yangyi into a dead end, but what had occurred in the end?

No qi fluctuations… 

Zhan Twelve’s gaze was incomparably shocked. 

This… is a spiritual-sense attack! He actually has a spiritual-sense attack divine ability that only a Great Circle Foundation Establishment in the Reddust Executioners can learn as well?

This should be one of his hidden aces… I just never even expected that he would actually have a spiritual-sense attack. Aren’t these move basically unseen in the cultivation world? Commander’s luck… is as heaven-defying as his strength…

Zhan Twelve had no fondness for speech. He thought these words but didn’t voice them. Merely shutting his mouth in silence, he calmly played the beautiful man. His lack of words didn’t represent that everyone else didn’t speak, though.

Right now, the cultivators below were looking at each other in dismay, already beginning to clamor.

“Just now… what the heck happened?”

“I even said that we might get to see Commander Xu’s defeat… but this is the actual result?”

“Can no one defeat that monster?” 

“Yeah, Great Circle Qi Condensation or Foundation Establishment.”

“...Can’t you be a little decent?”

No one was any the wiser as to what had occurred in the end. The supreme technique of a spiritual-sense attack was a secret almost untransmitted! They simply couldn’t imagine this!

“Senior Apprentice-Brother, you okay?” Xu Yangyi walked over to Fang Cheng who had already changed back into human form. He turned over the half-demon, who was face-planted into the ground, and somewhat hesitatingly… patted Fang Cheng’s shoulder. “Everything fine?”

After a few good seconds, Fang Cheng sighed long and deep, regaining his wits. “I could’ve fell to death…”

Others didn’t know, but he understood very well!

The connection between the qi sea and spiritual sense was rather intimate. If said the qi sea was lightning, spiritual sense was the electrical generator. In other words, this “energy source” was everlasting, but the means of manipulating it was spiritual sense.

Just now, he suddenly sensed a blade had been ruthlessly plunged into his brain. The inside of his mind was in rampant chaos, a kind of sensation that he’d never experienced! It directly caused his spiritual sense to short-circuit in a flash! All divine abilities were qi from the qi sea being manipulated through spiritual sense. In this wink of time, his skills had completely collapsed!

He himself also lost consciousness and fell straight to the ground.

I lost, huh… 

He looked at his junior brother with somewhat of a hidden grudge. 

This is too much…

 This was a true angel descending to the mortal world, head first into the ground. He knew the appearance of falling flat on his face wasn’t a pleasing sight, and he’d been seen by so many people...

“I lost.” Fang Cheng stood up and cupped his hands. “I really didn’t expect… that Junior Brother would have a divine ability like that in his back pocket… that’s so fearsome. If that was arcane combat just now, I would’ve died already.”

A few seconds of unconsciousness was enough to kill him a hundred times.

Xu Yangyi eyed him with seemingly deep meaning. “Mhm, I approve, but you can put on clothes first.”

Fang Cheng then discovered that after his demonization he was surprisingly butt-naked! He swiped the storage ring on his hand without hardly any change in expression and put on a T-shirt and a pair of jeans which were completely identical to his previous set. Based merely on this bit, Xu Yangyi confirmed that Fang Cheng was the disciple of a Core Formation ancestor; the thickness of his face was inclined to the manner of his honored master.

“Fellow Daoists.” Xu Yangyi faced towards all the cultivators who were still present and cupped his hands. “The Xingtian Legion’s legionnaires have already been selected. My thanks for Fellow Daoists’ support. If the Xingtian Legion is still recruiting legionnaires in the future, I will notify in advance.”

The gazes of quite a few people hatefully cut across the bodies of the chosen legionnaires. Those with malicious thoughts were even cursing. 

Die early, okay… Let us take your spots.

Finished speaking these words, Xu Yangyi was planning to leave, but all of a sudden he snapped his head up and glanced at Fang Cheng in confusion. It just so happened that Fang Cheng was looking suspiciously towards him, as well.

On Xu Yangyi’s body was an object that Daomaster Ancientpine had given to him on that day. It was a brocaded pouch. The red string tied on the brocaded pouch was tied on his hand. It could connect a mutual connection between others, but this was limited to Ancestor Ancientpine and a few other disciples.

At the same time, this red string was also a considerably valuable magik artifact. It could resist the full-powered strike of a half-step Foundation Establishment cultivator. Furthermore, it couldn’t even by crushed to pieces. After a year of recharge, it could be used again. 

“Senior Apprentice-Brother?” Xu Yangyi probed.

“I also felt it…” Fang Cheng stroked the back of his head and furrowed his brows. “Weird… I’ve never gotten any contact… Why has a senior brother suddenly contacted us?”

Without batting an eye, Xu Yangyi coolly took the lead with Fang Cheng, leaving with the nine other legionnaires. The crook of his mouth carried a smile, and he said lowly, “Is there an emergency?” 

Fang Cheng shot him a look with a kind of expression like he was looking at an idiot. “There’s definitely an emergency for us to be contacted… but we just can’t rush to help with our senior brothers’ emergency…”

Alright, we’ll be looked down on...

Guiding everyone to the Featherwood Guard’s public building, Xu Yangyi had to first get everyone temporary lodgings. He cupped his hand apologetically. “Everyone, I apologize. I have a minor emergency to handle. I’ll receive everyone later on in the evening.”

Of course, the group didn’t object. Xu Yangyi looked meaningfully at Fang Cheng, and the duo arrived before Xu Yangyi’s cultivation room with quick steps. Just as they entered, Fang Cheng was floored.

“A high-grade Spirit Focusing Formation?!” Fang Cheng looked at the talismans which filled the room in astonishment. “I can only use a middle-grade one! Junior Brother, you actually use a high-grade one?”

You’re too extravagant! Too wasteful!

Catching sight of Fang Cheng’s accusatory expression, Xu Yangyi seemed to still hear Fang Cheng’s inner thoughts, and was rendered speechless. 

This room’s high-level Spirit Focusing Formation… was gained from his mortal gamble with the eighteenth-ranked God Ming and also the reason he was on demonkind’s wanted list. 

Kid, you’re not even content with being arranged a middle-grade one for no reason?

“Let’s see what the senior brothers have to say first.” Xu Yangyi massaged the space between his brows and untied the knot on his right hand, gently tossing it. Suddenly, the red string welcomed the wind and grew into a circle no less than five meters in size. It then stopped.

As for the center of the red knot, a light screen quickly flashed. A young face appeared on the light screen.

“Master-Brother?” Fang Cheng caught a glimpse and immediately bowed. “Greetings, Master-Brother.”

“Greetings, Master-Brother,” Xu Yangyi followed and bowed.

“No need for courtesy.”

 Jadesun’s expression was without a trace of gentleness. On the contrary, it held a sliver of harshness that Xu Yangyi hadn’t connected from their initial meeting. Jadesun said heavily, 

“Master-Ancestor has ordered me to notify the two of you…”

After ages of silence, Jadesun took a long sigh. 

“Second, Third, Seventh, Tenth, Twelfth, and Thirteenth Brothers were all determined to have died two two-hour-periods ago.”

“What?!” Fang Cheng was dumbfounded and promptly shot up on his feet, looking at Jadesun incredulously. “Master-Brother, you’re fooling me, right? The realms of these senior brothers were all at the lowest late Foundation Establishment! How could…”

“Senior Apprentice-Brother.” Xu Yangyi put his hand on Fang Cheng’s shoulder, restrained him, and said solemnly, “Listen to what Master-Brother has to say.”

Jadesun glanced at Xu Yangyi. Because of this action, his opinion of Xu Yangyi became a fraction better. Capable of reining his temper and acting seriously in the present conditions, 

this

 was the hallmark and spirit of one who would achieve great things.

He wasn’t all that fond of Fang Cheng, but was instead becoming more fond of Xu Yangyi who didn’t give form to his anger in emotions. He didn’t know why, but he was quite optimistic of this youngest junior brother.

Between people, predestined affinity was also paid attention to. Familiarity at first glance. However, he could not answer this question. 

He clearly understood… what place Ancestor Ancientpine happened to overseer and moreover the prohibition sent to the entire Featherwood Guard. Ancientpine’s disciples had to first take the lead and go take a look, as the disciples of a Core Formation ancestor. However, none had anticipated that with this visit, they wouldn’t return again.

The fracture of six life slips caused the aged Ancestor Ancientpine to sigh deeply. Afterwards, he hadn’t left his imperial palace even now. As the eldest disciple, Jadesun had to inform the other disciples of this information.

Silent for a long time, Jadesun asked indifferent yet gravely, 

“I ask Seventeenth Brother a question on behalf of Master-Ancestor.”

“That day, you once spoke of what is a cultivator. That which is responsibility is that which is shouldered. Did these words come from the heart?”

“Unquestionably,” Xu Yangyi said resolutely. “These words were made from emotion. Made from the heart.”

“Good.”

 Jadesun didn’t pause for a moment and followed up, 

“In that case, if there was a place Master-Ancestor was personally overseeing, and we as disciples are fully aware of the immense danger, what would you choose to do?”

Xu Yangyi cupped his hands and said, “I would surely go there to soothe Master’s anxiety.”

These words could be regarded as half-honest and half-dishonest. The bond of master and disciple between he and Daomaster Ancientpine wasn’t that deep at all. Yes, he had once said that which is responsibility is that which was shouldered, but responsibility was to one another. If Daomaster Ancientpine genuinely treated him as a true disciple, he would naturally treat others as to how others treated him. Nonetheless, Ancientpine had currently only presented him a single arcane effort. In no way would he truly act with his life on the line for him.

Xu Yangyi also knew that there were some disciples of Core Formation ancestors who were distantly alienated. If he wanted Ancientpine to continue caring about him, the other’s true respect would then have to increase in kind. 

On the day of the auction, Ancestor Ancientpine had said that he would treat him as he treated himself, but it was just an attitude and nothing more. When matters truly came to head—whether or not Ancientpine would get him out of trouble—Xu Yangyi would completely observe the other’s mentality. 

A Core Formation Dao Master who had lived for centuries had thoroughly passed through the world’s affairs. In no way was he some virtuous and sincere Buddhist.

“Very good…”

 Jadesun nodded deeply. 

“In that case… get ready to prepare for a mission…”

“A mission specifically appointed by a Core Formation Dao Master…”

 he paused, 

“However, there’s also a major possibility you won’t come out. After all, Seventeenth Junior Brother’s background experience is still too shallow. It’s not even very likely to be the Xingtian Legion’s turn.”

The light screen vanished, and Fang Cheng was still in low spirits. Regarding these senior brothers that he’d never seen the faces of, Xu Yangyi couldn’t be said to have any sentiments, but there still might’ve been some emotion of sympathy, the fox grieving for the hare’s death. On the contrary, though, he even had a fairly good impression of Fang Cheng.

[1]

“Senior Brother.” Xu Yangyi patted the Fang Cheng’s shoulder. “Have you heard in the past about where Master…” Before his voice even fell, his mind sparked at once! He remembered! Originally, Zhao Wuye had told him that the Northwest King, Flowing Light Imprisoning Shadow, Ancestor Ancientpine was personally overseeing Danxia Temple!

A month ago at Danxia Temple, a hundred streams formed a diagram! A month later… Ancestor Ancientpine’s six great disciples had met their demise within! It seemed… that in this month, perhaps… some disastrous change had occurred at Danxia Temple! It left Ancientpine with no choice but to dispatch his disciples to go look!

“Danxia Temple…” He clenched his fists and looked towards the northwest with a scorching gaze.

This excursion… Even if you didn’t say anything Daomaster Ancientpine, the Xingtian Legion still would’ve had to go look!

There within, it was quite possible that the Animus Armament’s secret was buried away. Over yonder, there was also a chance of the mortal summons of a great foe.

Most essentially, though, was that he had also disappeared there for three years! In three years, what had occurred in the lotus sea? Was it that time shuttled back to and fro or was it an isolated world with its own established heavens and earth?

All in all, within Danxia Temple… no matter what, I must make this journey at all costs!

1. Fox grieving for the hare’s death. This is an idiom concerning sympathy. I actually really like this story. So a hare and a fox (normally enemies) decide to band together regardless of life or death to fight against the hunters. However, a hunter one day kills the hare. The fox sees this and cries. A passing old man sees this and asks why the fox is crying for his prey. The fox says because they were friends of the same cause.

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