The entire place was in a sullen mood. Forget about Ness Cesary Sect which hosted the tournament, the faces of the people from other clans and sects did not look all that good either.

Among the top three of each of the Essence and Foundation categories, other than the champions being wandering pract.i.tioners, the runner-up of the Foundation category was also a wandering pract.i.tioner brought here by Hua Lin as well. There were only a total of six people, and Wandering City actually occupied half of the positions.

When did wandering pract.i.tioners become so incredible? Why weren't they aware of it?

In an instant, everyone could not help but worry about the Azoth Core category as well. It couldn't be that wandering pract.i.tioners would win it as well, right?

"Grandma." A voice transmission suddenly sounded in Zhu Yao's ears. She looked around, and her eyes landed on a tall youth in the outer ring who was nodding at her. "Grandma, it really is you. You're finally back."

"Student Little Cang?"

"Mn." He hurriedly nodded. "It's been five years. I thought that I would no longer be able to see grandma."

"…" Why did she feel like he was cursing her to die?

Zhu Yao sized him up for a moment. So this is the male protagonist all grown up. He sure has grown taller, and his looks have changed as well. If not for the word 'bug' on his face, she really wouldn't have been able to recognize him. In the past, he had a face with common features, like a random pa.s.serby. Now that he had grown… He still looked like a pa.s.serby. It was too hard to discern him from anyone else.

"Not bad, student Little Cang. You managed to form your Azoth Core so quickly, rather incredible."

"It's already been five years…" He smiled, replying. Earlier, I saw Brother Bai's battles. I heard that… I never expected in just five years, he managed to once again reach the Foundation level. He's the one that should be called incredible."

"Mn, he's rather incredible alright." She acknowledged this point. After pondering for a moment, she added. "The main point is that I taught him well."

"…" Is it alright to praise herself like that? "Grandma, you're still the same as ever."

"That's right, I'm still so youthful and beautiful."

"…" That's not what he meant, hey. "Grandma, it will be my match up next."

"Ou, break a leg!"

Ye Qingcang smiled. With a joyful mood, he nodded towards her and turned to step onto the ring.

Suddenly, at the very center of the ring, the light of a formation flashed. A disciple whose body was covered entirely in blood suddenly fell from the sky.

With a thud, he slammed onto the ground, stunning the entire crowd.

"Sect… Sect Master…" That person only had a single breath left, yet he still struggled to reach out his bloodsoaked hand, looking towards a man standing on the right side of the grandstand.

"Kan Yong!" That man suddenly stood up, recognizing the disciple on the ring. No longer in the mood to care about the tournament, he flew down to lift the disciple up. The expressions of the crowd changed as well, as they headed down onto the ring one after another.

"What happened? Why are you injured so badly?" Office Sh.e.l.l Sect's Sect Master Gu frowned, and asked in a sullen voice.

"Sect Master, return… return to the sect." He held onto the Sect Master Gu's sleeves, and said as he spat out blood. "Heretic pract.i.tioners… broke the barrier formation. The sect disciples are…"

"Heretic pract.i.tioners!" How was that possible? Heretic pract.i.tioners actually dared to openly attack a deity sect!

"Return… immediately! There's a DemiG.o.d…" The disciple spat out his final mouthful of blood after he spoke. He had already drawn his last breath.

This time, everyone else, and not just Office Sh.e.l.l Sect Master, was stunned.

"How is that possible?" Qu Ying was the first to express his doubts.

Heretic pract.i.tioners had always acted on their own, and there were hardly any instances of them appearing in a group, let alone working together to attack a deity sect. Furthermore, a DemiG.o.d pract.i.tioner was present among them! When did a DemiG.o.d pract.i.tioner appear among the heretic pract.i.tioners?

Office Sh.e.l.l Sect Master immediately pulled out his sect's Order Talisman and circulated spiritual energy into it. However, there wasn't a single reaction from the talisman. He circulated several times more, but the talisman suddenly popped, burning up and turning into ashes.

"This…" His face instantly paled. If he was still doubtful earlier, then presently, he had certainly grown anxious. Order Talismans were necessary equipment for every Sect Master. With the talisman, no matter where one was, he or she would be able to see the situation of the sect. Furthermore, this talisman was usually connected to a Great Mountain Barrier Formation. If it were to lose its effects, it would mean that the formation had already been destroyed.

His expression turned cold. Putting his hands together in front of him, he spoke to the crowd of sect masters. "Fellow sect masters and sovereigns, we deity sects had always been working hand in hand. The heretic pract.i.tioners presently are acting brazenly, daring to attack my Office Sh.e.l.l Sect. I hope that, as fellow upright deities, everyone here will aid my sect in escaping this predicament."

When his words fell, the various Sect Masters that were still harmonious with each other earlier, revealed complicated looks one after another. Clearly, they were unwilling to lend their support. Are you kidding? They were here for Ness Cesary Sect in the first place. They were waiting for the tournament to end, and then seek an opportunity to s.n.a.t.c.h a portion of Skybond Peak. Wouldn't their efforts be wasted if they left now?

"Sect Master Gu, the situation is still unclear, and the legitimacy of this piece of news hasn't been ascertained. You must be act too impulsively."

"That's right, Sect Master Gu. If Office Sh.e.l.l Sect is indeed in a crisis, we will naturally lend a helping hand. However, this matter has yet to be made clear of, wouldn't it be a little inappropriate if we head over now?"

"Presently, the tournament has yet to end. Many disciples from the various sects have worked hard all for this very moment. If we leave now, the disciples will have to wait many more years for the next opportunity."

"That's right, that's right. Everything can be discussed after the tournament."

Sect Master Gu of Office Sh.e.l.l Sect was trembling with anger. He never expected that the various sects would add insult to his injury. His Order Talisman was already destroyed, yet they actually still dared to say that the situation was unclear. Clearly, they just wanted nothing to do with him.

"Hmph!" Hua Lin however disdainfully snorted. He swept a glance at those Nascent Soul Sect Masters that were filled with unwillingness on their faces, and he unconsciously released his DemiG.o.d might. "Didn't fellow esteemed ones hear from this disciple that there's a DemiG.o.d among the heretic pract.i.tioners? They actually dared to attack Office Sh.e.l.l Sect today, and most likely, they might not be too far off from your various sects the next day."

The expressions of the other Sect Masters changed one after another, and only then did they realize the severity of this issue. This was especially so for those who did not have any DemiG.o.d Sovereigns in their sects, looking even more fl.u.s.tered than the rest. He's right. There's already a DemiG.o.d among the heretic pract.i.tioners. They might not dare to force their way into large sects like Ness Cesary Sect, but when it comes to those without a DemiG.o.d, wouldn't they be able to come and go freely?

"Sect Master Gu, if they're not going, I will go with you."

"Many thanks, Sovereign Hua Lin!" Office Sh.e.l.l Sect Master's was instantly filled with grat.i.tude.

Since Hua Lin had spoken up, the other DemiG.o.d Sovereigns did not feel appropriate to stand by and watch either, and they had no choice but to express their intentions to head over as well.

With the DemiG.o.ds taking the lead, the other Sect Masters had no choice but to go too.

Thus, the Great Inter-Sect Tournament was put to a halt. With the Office Sh.e.l.l Sect Master taking the lead, all of the Nascent Soul and DemiG.o.d pract.i.tioners who lead their parties to the tournament, mightily rushed over to provide aid, while the other disciples went back to their respective homes. Even a large portion of Nascent Soul pract.i.tioners had followed the main group as well, leaving only three of them behind to keep watch.

Zhu Yao felt that little tyrant had done well in making his existence known. He had successfully garnered fans from the various sects and clans. It was about time to go home and raise his skills. Once he were to look a little better, she would then slip out again… Uhh, bring him out to garner more fans, she meant.

"Little tyrant." When Zhu Yao found little tyrant, he was being surrounded by a circle of fans.

"Grandma."

Zhu Yao curiously looked at the crowd of fans behind him. "These are?"

"They are all my former senior-martial brothers and sisters." He honestly replied.

"Ou." So they're not fans, huh.

"Grandma, are we returning now?"

"Mn." Zhu Yao pointed at the little bird on her shoulder, who seemed like he was slowly pecking on rice grains. "Little Eighth is already asleep."

The two of them rose into the air. Just as they were about to fly out of Ness Cesary Sect's mountain gate, Ye Qingcang came chasing after them.

"Grandma, brother Bai, are you two going to leave already?" A hint of unwillingness flashed across his face.

"Mn." Zhu Yao nodded.

Little tyrant spoke up as well. "We will meet again if fate allows it!"

Ye Qingcang pondered for a moment. Then, he took out a bottle and pa.s.sed it to little tyrant. "Brother Bai, this is an Azoth Formation Pellet I refined. However, I have already formed my Azoth Core, so I am no longer able to use it myself. I believe that you will soon have the prospects of forming your Azoth Core, so I shall give this to you."

Little tyrant's face twitched for a moment. It was something good, and he had good intentions as well. However…

He unconsciously recalled a matter from when he was young. Medicinal pellets were refined from corpses of plants like Grandma. Within that pellet was all Grandma. Lots and lots of Grandmas…

Ugh…

"Many thanks to brother Ye for your goodwill, but Grandma has never allowed me to use medicinal pellets."

A certain Grandma: "…"

What does this have to do with me? I didn't forbid you from eating any, it's just that I don't have any, alright?

Ye Qingcang turned to look at Zhu Yao.

"Uh… Little Cang, you should keep it to yourself. Refining a rare treasure like the Azoth Formation Pellet is not easy. If you truly wish to give something, why don't you… convert it into cash and give it to me!" Ever since she found out the importance of spirit stones, her entire being had commercialised. "How much is one Azoth Formation Pellet in the market again…? Ehhh? Little tyrant, why are you pulling me?"

"Brother Ye, goodbye!" Little tyrant pulled onto a certain person who was still trying her best to obtain cash, and flew off. So embarra.s.sing.

"Wait… Wait a minute! How about exchange it for a bag of high grade spirit stones? It's a very good deal! Actually, why not give me a fifty percent discount… or even thirty percent is fine too!"

Little tyrant flew even faster. As he flew out of Ness Cesary Sect, he ignored a certain person's resentful glare.

"You wastrel!"

"…"

"Inverted elbow."

"…"

"You are unaware of the value of oil and rice when you're not the master of the household!"

"Grandma!"

"What?"

"The spirit stones Sovereign Hua Lin gave us back then hasn't been spent yet!"

"Who ever complains having too much money? You must know how to save for rainy weather, young one. Do you understand the feeling of not being able to eat a single fruit? Do you understand…" Zhu Yao paused. "Heretic pract.i.tioners!"

"What?" Little tyrant was startled.

"Not good, Ness Cesary Sect is in trouble!" He sensed the presences of heretic pract.i.tioners, and then turned to rush back in the direction they came from.

Not far away from where she was, a blinding white light flashed. The mountain that was still floating in the sky earlier suddenly exploded like extravagant fireworks, the explosion resounded through the clouds. The place was filled with scattered pieces of rocks and thick smoke. The Great Mountain Barrier Formation instantly activated, enveloping Ness Cesary Sect along with the exploded parts.

Little tyrant's and Zhu Yao's expression changed, as they increased their speed and raced back.

However, they were instantly stopped outside by the Great Mountain Barrier Formation, while dust clouds had already filled the place within. This entire situation happened too quickly, and the start of this incident occurred right in the direction of the Main Peak of Ness Cesary Sect. Many disciples from the various clans and sects who had yet to leave were gathered there, and almost eighty percent of Ness Cesary Sect disciples were all there as well.

If they were fortunate, they would have been able to raise their barriers in time. For those who are unlucky, however, they had most likely died on the spot.

The entire place was in chaos. Screams of injured disciples could be heard everywhere.

Above the shattered Main Peak, an enormous teleportation formation suddenly appeared. Dozens of Nascent Soul pract.i.tioners appeared from within it. They were dressed in various ways and they comprised of both genders. Furthermore, every single one of them was shrouded with a trace of ominous aura.

Heretic pract.i.tioners!

Inverted Elbow (胳膊肘兒往外拐): Elbows are usually bent inwards, which signifies “being selfish”. While “turning outside”, or simply the elbows being inverted, in a derogatory sense, signifies the type of selflessness where you do not recognize what’s right or wrong. Basically, this is a metaphor to describe someone who did something harmful to a close friend or colleague.

"Heretic pract.i.tioners!" Someone shouted out. The disciples who had just escaped death by an inch earlier, were instantly thrown into panic once more. There were even disciples who flew on their swords in the direction away from the mountain, but were blocked by the Great Mountain Barrier Formation, unable to leave. The formation that could block foreign enemies in the past, was now a cage trapping them within.

"Calm down!" A loud roar resounded. Immediately after, a Nascent Soul pressure was released, silencing the disciples from various sects.

The person who called out was Qu Ying. Presently, his heart was filled with panic as well. Though the enemies were similarly Nascent Soul pract.i.tioners, he could not fight off dozens of them after all. There were only three Nascent Soul Elders who remained in the sect, and they were basically not their match. If the place were to grow even more hectic, then it would be disadvantageous for them. Thus, he had no choice but to do his best and lead the disciples far away from the Main Peak, towards a secluded mountain farthest away.

The dozens of Nascent Soul pract.i.tioners watched this entire situation unfold with expressionless faces. When that teleportation formation finally disappeared, as though they had suddenly received some sort of order, they began to throw attacks at the crowd.

Qu Ying's expression paled. He immediately brought up a barrier to protect the crowd of disciples behind him. He had thought that these Nascent Soul pract.i.tioners were aiming for Skybond Peak. Never did he expect that they would first initiate attacks on them.

The other two Elders reacted as well, as they raised their hands to support the barrier.

"Hurry, inform Sect Master and the Sovereigns." Qu Ying turned his head and instructed a disciple.

That disciple had a panicked look as he pulled out a voice transmission talisman with trembling hands. However, no matter how he cast the art, the runes on the talisman would not light up. "Elder, the voice transmission talisman… is ineffective. It can't connect to Sect Master."

"Then head out and chase them back here."

"But… the Great Mountain Barrier Formation has already activated. We can't get out at all."

Qu Ying's expression was deathly pale, and only then did he realize that the sects had tricked. They had done well in luring the tiger out of the mountain. Most likely, these heretic pract.i.tioners had long planned on taking down Ness Cesary Sect. Taking the opportunity while the crowd was present at the tournament, they intentionally first made a commotion in the faraway Office Sh.e.l.l Sect, luring them over to provide aid. Once all of the powerful pract.i.tioners had left, they then initiated their attack. Furthermore, they had long cut off all of their escape paths.

Qu Ying gritted his teeth so forcefully that they cracked. The heretic pract.i.tioners sure had ambitions of wolves. Presently, this place was filled with elites from the various clans and sects. All of the seedlings with great apt.i.tudes were gathered right here. As long as these disciples were killed, the various sects would definitely have a lack of successors, and their decay would be inevitable. Furthermore, now that they had lost the protection of the powerful pract.i.tioners, these disciples who had cultivation levels below Azoth Core did not have any strength to retaliate at all.

It was no wonder these heretic pract.i.tioners did not charge towards Skybond Peak right as they appeared, but instead, headed directly towards the crowd of disciples. As long as they were to kill these disciples, it would be akin to destroying all of the sects in the cultivation world.

Because he understood all of these in an instant, his will to stop them from succeeding grew even further. He desperately maintained the barrier, protecting the people within. As for those who did make it into the barrier in time however, he was powerless to help them. He could only watch on as the heretic pract.i.tioners ma.s.sacred them.

Even if that was the case, how could three Nascent Soul pract.i.tioners block against dozens of people who had the same cultivation level? In less than fifteen minutes, cracks had already appeared on the barrier. One mystic art after another was still heartlessly bombarding onto the barrier.

Unable to hold it out any longer, Qu Ying puked out a mouthful of blood, and that barrier shattered resoundingly. Lights emitted out from several mystic arts came flying towards the crowd, carrying heavy killing intent.

His heart was filled with despair. Could it be that the heavens wanted Ness Cesary Sect destroyed?

Boom–

Suddenly, countless lightning bolts came descending from the skies, slicing through the Great Mountain Barrier Formation and tearing the air. In an instant, all the pressure was scattered, and the Great Mountain Barrier Formation shattered resoundingly. The entire area was filled with dazzling lightning sparks.

Lightning type mystic arts!

He raised his head in disbelief, only to see two people standing atop the sky. The two people whom he never thought would appear.

"Little… Little martial aunt…" The lightning bolts that seemed to carry the might of the heavens earlier, were actually released from her body. How could that possibly be!?

In the next moment, the pressure of a DemiG.o.d came pressing down on the dozens of Nascent Soul pract.i.tioners. Even though the pressure was not descending on his body, Qu Ying felt his heart clench, and the shock on his face grew heavier. A DemiG.o.d! The little martial aunt whom everyone had silently acknowledged to have left Ness Cesary Sect, was actually a DemiG.o.d Sovereign. Furthermore, this power she possessed… was far richer than the two Sovereigns presently in their sect. He instantly felt as if he was seeing things.

Towards these dozens of heretic pract.i.tioners who were clearly here to ma.s.sacre the entire sect, Zhu Yao did not hold back in the least, as she released her DemiG.o.d pressure without concealing it in the slightest. Initially, she had thought that they wouldn't be able to hold up against her, but strangely, they were actually standing firmly, as though they were not affected by her pressure at all. There were even two of them who initiated attacks against her.

The h.e.l.l! These people must be on steroids!

"Little tyrant, fall back, towards the crowd." Zhu Yao instructed him, and then summoned lightning bolts with a wave of her hand, instantly scattering the mystic arts shot out by the two people. The two white lightning bolts did not dissipate right after, but had instead gone on to attack the two heretic pract.i.tioners. Like chains trapping the two of them, the powerful lightning might instantly rendered them powerless.

After Zhu Yao captured the two of them, like firing artillery sh.e.l.ls, she once again cast an art, attacking the rest of the heretic pract.i.tioners and successfully capturing another two.

With the difference in levels, even if there were dozens of them on the other side, they could not possibly match her.

Only about nine of them remained. Zhu Yao was still continuously releasing her power, when the remaining few suddenly retreated with haste, towards Skybond Peak at the very top.

As expected, they're here to loot a burning house? Just as she was about to chase after them…

"Yu Yao!" Her master suddenly called out.

Zhu Yao paused, instantly sensing four abnormal spiritual auras behind her. When she turned to look, she saw the four people whom she had captured earlier was beginning to emit out a red glow, and it continued to grow brighter.

"Self-destruction!" Her master's voice clearly resounded in her ears.

Zhu Yao just wanted to say: The h.e.l.l!

Self-destruction. Nascent Soul pract.i.tioners even.

Furthermore, this was even the first time she had experienced a suicide attack. It was already too late to stop them. In a flash, Zhu Yao appeared amidst the crowd. Circulating all of the spiritual energy in her body, she raised a defensive barrier. Then, she hurriedly added a few more mystic arts, crafting a formation in an instant.

In the instant the formation was formed, the four Nascent Soul pract.i.tioners exploded like nuclear bombs, and the blasts bloomed in all directions. Her line of sight was instantly enveloped by the white light of the explosion. The entire Ness Cesary Sect turned into ashes right at this moment. All of the plant life and buildings had all turned into mere flying ashes. Even the floating mountain that they were standing on, had instantly turned into dust.

If not for the formation Zhu Yao placed, even if they were not caught up with the explosion, the crowd would have already fallen to their deaths.

Even though Zhu Yao was a DemiG.o.d, she was unable to hold up against the self-destruction of four Nascent Soul pract.i.tioners at once. Adding that she had to protect the few hundreds of disciples behind her as well, for a moment, she felt her mind trembling, and there were even traces of the spiritual energy in her body going into a rampage. After finally managing to safely land the crowd onto the ground, she opened her mouth and puked out blood.

"Granny!"

"Grandma!"

Little tyrant and Ye Qingcang shouted out. Zhu Yao immediately sat down to adjust herself. Taking a few deep breaths, she then took a look within herself. Probably because she possessed the Chaos Origin spiritual energy, she realized the spiritual energy in her meridians had already calmed down. The lightning spiritual energy which she guided out earlier was in a rampage earlier, but was immediately suppressed by those transparent strands of spiritual energy.

In an instant, she had already opened her eyes.

"Little martial… Sovereign." Qu Ying took a step forward, his face was filled with immense guilt. Never would he have expected that the person who saved the entire Ness Cesary Sect, would be her! He opened his mouth several times, as if he wanted to say something. However, he felt as if no matter what he were to say now, it was already too late.

"Do a roll call." Zhu Yao however did not care about his complicated emotions. Looking around, he realized that not only Ness Cesary Sect, even the entire forest had turned into a flat piece of land by the explosion earlier. From her line of sight, everything was just scorched earth.

As expected of a weapon of ma.s.s destruction. If she hadn't been here earlier, most likely, not a single person from Ness Cesary Sect would have survived. She could not help but question just what were these heretic pract.i.tioners trying to accomplish. Normally speaking, though heretic pract.i.tioners had ruthless personalities and would not hesitate to use any means to accomplish their goals, they were people who cherished their lives the most as well. To self-destruct without any hesitation, and four of them altogether even, was indeed a little strange. It seemed like it was not as simple as taking revenge or robbing resources. There must be an even larger goal behind all these.

"Hurry and look up in the air!" Suddenly, a disciple exclaimed out.

The crowd raised their heads one after another, only to see a lonely single mountain floating in the air.

"Skybond Peak!" Qu Ying stared with wide eyes. "How… How is that possible?"

The self-destruction earlier had even destroyed the forest within a hundred kilometers radius, yet Skybond Peak was still intact!

"There's people over there! It's those heretic pract.i.tioners!"

There were indeed several people standing on their flying swords in the vicinity of Skybond Peak. They were the few remaining Nascent Soul pract.i.tioners from earlier. They distanced themselves several meters away from each other, forming a strange formation. Furthermore, the dazzling lights of a formation could be seen between them.

"Hurry and look at Skybond Peak!" Another disciple cried out. The entire Skybond Peak suddenly shook like a blurred image for a moment, and then, in a blink of an eye, they disappeared in front of everyone's eyes. It was as if it had been erased from the sky itself.

"This… What in the world…" The crowd exchanged glances as they astonis.h.i.+ngly watched this strange event unfold. They could not believe such a large floating mountain like Skybond Peak would disappear from everyone's eyes just like that. Even those few Nascent Soul pract.i.tioners had disappeared without a trace.

Even Zhu Yao could no longer sense their presences in the slightest.

The h.e.l.l, just what in the world was that formation?

"Teleportation formation!" Her master's voice resounded in the depths of her heart.

Zhu Yao was startled. "Can teleportation formations transfer an entire mountain?" Those few pract.i.tioners were the Foolish Old Men, right!?

"That formation must have been activated by an unique energy, and not spiritual energy."

"Unique energy…" Zhu Yao's heart clenched. She suddenly recalled that Pervert Cheng from that dimensional s.p.a.ce. "Is it an unique energy like Little Eighth's blood of a G.o.d Race?"

"Yes, but it's not G.o.dly energy."

If it isn't G.o.dly energy, then what is it?

"A formation like this isn't capable of transferring long distances. Its exit most certainly requires a large amount of spiritual energy as support for it to succeed. Most likely, the place the mountain has been transferred to, possesses spiritual energy far richer and denser than usual."

Spiritual energy far richer and denser than usual? Zhu Yao was startled for a moment. It seemed as though something was popping up in her mind, but she just could not recall what it was at all.

“Foolish Old Men” is a reference to the Chinese fable “Foolish Old Man Removes the Mountains”. You can look it up on Google, though be warned that the attached picture on the Wikipedia article about this is a little… ahem… lewd.