Yuan Ji was being escorted by Hua Wuwu and Hua Baiyue as he stood at the edge of the World Edge Peak and there was a narrow ridge that he had to travel before he could enter into the mountains of the Lofty World End Peak.
He turned around to return a gentle smile to Shangguan Yan, Fairy Ye Chengxi, Xue Qianxue, Ling Feiyue and Bai Qianfeng.
The eyes of everyone were melancholy but they did not dare to say anything lest it would affect his focus for the duel.
Hua Wuwu said coldly to them, "There are watchers beyond this ridge. Wait here for his news. If you dare to cross this ridge then don't blame the Hundred Flower Divine Palace for being nasty to all of you."
Only when Yuan Ji had disappeared beyond the ridge, did the maidens let go of their frustrations;
"He is stupid!"
"Really an idiot!"
"Why did we have to come here with him in the first place?"
"Who cares about the destruction of the Five Heavens Peaks?"
"What is martial honor?"
"He already knows Diviner Mo Ming's prophecy and yet he is so foolhardy to come…"
Shangguan Yan muttered quietly, "Maybe there is an abyssal chasm nearby. In the stories, the hero will always fall into it and emerge stronger with a unique cultivation method after a few centuries later. So he won't die…"
Ling Feiyue inhaled a heavy sigh, "Sister Yan, I am so sorry to disappoint you. This cliché won't happen because they will be dueling inland because of the strong winds around here."
Shangguan Yan: …
Everyone: …
Bai Qianfeng muttered silently, "If I have given you my body then you may breakthrough to the Great Saint level. Then you may have a ray of hope. I promise you that if you do come back alive, I will definitely give you my immortal body…"
But in the end it was only a weak protest because everyone knows that he would not be a Sword Saint if he was a coward.
Therefore they could only pray to the heavens for the best to him.
Yuan Ji began to follow Hua Wuwu and Hua Baiyue as they sped through the mountains. He could scarcely believe that their swiftness movement skill would be so astonishing that he could barely catch up with them. It was no wonder that they would be able to move in and out of the Celestial Orthodox Sect with such ease. He was beginning to think that their master must be equally good or even better.
Finally after more than an hour, Yuan Ji had followed them to a valley between two tall steep cliffs.
He was actually unfamiliar with this place as there were dozens of dueling sites at the Lofty World End Peak and he had only been to just a few.
As he stepped into the valley, he saw several maidens in light blue that were playing the zither along the cliffs of the valley.
He was soon frowning unhappily. It was because they were playing the 'Ten Sides Ambushes'. If he had not learnt music while in the Dream Trial, he would not have recognized what they were playing.
He thought, "So this is actually an ambush for me?"
As he continued into the valley while walking behind Hua Wuwu and Hua Baiyue, he soon saw a beautiful white tent with blue banners. There was no doubt that the Divine Palace Master must be inside…
Four old men with long beards were already waiting outside the tent and at the same time, a dozen veiled maidens with golden eyes were standing behind them.
Yuan Ji had immediately recognized two of the four old men as First Elder Fu Wushuang and Second Elder Wei Yidao.
Although he did not know who the other two old men were but they should be equally formidable.
He could not use his divine sense to read their profound strength and realm level unless they had chosen to reveal it. It was because once a celestial cultivator had attained to the middle golden supremacy level, they were be able to hide the spiritual force in their soul sea, concealing their true profound strength from the others.
Hua Wuwu and Hua Baiyue respectfully returned a hand gesture to the four old men as they said at the same time, "Elders, we have brought Yuan Ji here."
First Elder Fu Wushuang nodded, "Go and report to your old master first."
Hua Wuwu and Hua Baiyue lowered their heads gracefully to acknowledge the instructions before they went into the tent.
First Elder Fu Wushuang smiled as he stared coldly at Yuan Ji, "You seem to have improved quite a lot in just six months. Even your vibes are completely different now."
Yuan Ji laughed, "Oh really? Haha. If I can have another six months then I can show you more improvements."
Second Elder Wei Yidao laughed jovially before he suddenly said coldly, "Fat hope!"
Yuan Ji shrugged his shoulder and laughed jovially, "It is only a suggestion. Haha. Maybe your old master is in a jovial mood and will actually agree to see my improvements?"
Hua Baiyue had suddenly come out of the tent.
Yuan Ji was startled that her eyes were red…
Hua Baiyue announced, "Old Master has a new instruction. On account that Palace Master Yuan Ji has the courage to come for the duel and that he has been taking care of Wuwu and I, my old master has decided to grant him an extension of six months to duel again. But there is a condition. He has to take either me or Wuwu as his consort and the other one must die."
Yuan Ji was stunned. One of them must die?!
This old master was really too vicious!
Xiang Li said quietly to him in his soul sea, "Then you will have six more months to live. Didn't that beauty Fang Zhenfei says that if you don't die in this duel, she will be willing to follow you? So accept it…"
But Yuan Ji laughed, "I am not a coward nor do I want anyone to die for my sake. Don't tell me that the Divine Palace Master of the Hundred Flower Divine Palace is actually a coward? You don't dare to fight me?"
Hua Baiyue said coldly, "Yuan Ji, you don't have a choice in this matter. You can only choose between my sister or I. Once you have made a choice, you will be given six months more to live."
Yuan Ji hummed coldly, "What if I say no?"
He asked Xiang Li quietly in his soul sea, "Xiang Li, are you afraid to die with me?"
Xiang Li shook her head with a weak smile, "I love my master best!"
"Haha, good! So I am finally your master now? Haha. Then let's take a gambit today..."
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Three hours later;
Hua Baiyue had returned to the place where the five maidens were waiting for Yuan Ji.
In her hand was a big bundle that was soaked, similar size to a head.
When the five maidens saw what she was holding, they were all shocked beyond words.
Hua Baiyue coldly said, "Who wants to receive this present from my Old Master?"
All five maidens were trembling nonstop and they dare not receive the bundle.
In the end Ling Feiyue who was the boldest among the five maidens had stepped forward, "I will receive it."
She began to receive the bundle with trembling fingers and there were tears flowing down her beautiful cheeks. "Yuan...Ji…"
The other four maidens were all weeping loudly at the same time too.
Bai Qianfeng wept bitterly, "You stupid fool…"
Suddenly she had taken the bundle away from Ling Feiyue and said, "No matter what, I want to take a last look at him…"
With trembling fingers, she had opened up the bundle and was shocked that it was a watermelon…
"It is not Yuan Ji?!"
All four maidens were shocked and they were looking at Hua Baiyue…
But Hua Baiyue said coldly, "My old master is afraid that you may be thirsty from the waiting and thereby sends a sweet gift for you."
Xue Qianxue hummed coldly, "This joke is not funny at all!"
Hua Baiyue said nonchalantly, "Follow me to collect his corpse. It is just nice that there are five of you here. Each one of you can take one part of his body."
"What do you mean by that?" Fairy Ye Chengxi said with trembling lips.
"My old master had dismembered his body into five parts." Hua Baiyue replied before she turned her back. "If you want to collect his body, then follow me."
"I will go!" Ling Feiyue burst into sobbing grief as she cried out.
Shangguan Yan had suddenly caught hold of her wrist, "Sister Feiyue, it may be a trap. Be wary…"
But Ling Feiyue had loosened her wrist from her and cried bitterly, "Even if it is a trap, I will still go!"
All the four maidens behind Ling Feiyue had all cried out, "Sister Feiyue, wait for us! We will go too!"
[Author Note]: Next chapter will be extremely gory. Make sure you have some extra tissue paper around...