It was now Day 2 of the Fifth Trial.
A team of 9 cultivators were moving toward the center of the island where a large mountain could be seen rising above the imposing towering iron trees that surrounded them.
The widths of these iron trees were thicker than 10m and even the heights of these iron trees could easily reach a towering 100m.
Also, gigantic ferns and dense vegetationof all kinds were also all around them, making their trek difficult and the team was moving quite cautiously.
One could easily imagine the size of this island.
Usually, a team would have 11 cultivators.
The reason why they had only 9 cultivators now was that 2 had been killed by a Destroyer that had suddenly ambushed them before it got killed by the team.
As they moved through the forest, all of a sudden Ji Yuan had popped in front of them with a big grin as he said to them, "Hello fellow cultivators!"
The reason why he had not been tracked by the divine sense of this team was because he had flashed immediately within their divine sense from afar and by the time they saw him, their divine sense had also sensed him.
He was quickly followed by the Lovely Empress and Zhi Jiugong.
The team leader of this team was Great Saint Jing Taizhong and when he saw Ji Yuan, he had immediately unsheathed his divine sword to shout angrily. "Are you courting your death by coming with only 3 cultivators?!"
Ji Yuan however continued to grin with great delight because he had spotted Ling Feiyue in the team!
She is actually not dead!
He was so delighted that he almost charged forward to hug her if not for the menacing swords that were pointing at him.
Ling Feiyue was startled as she stared with shock, "Ji Yuan? What are you doing here?"
It was not only Ling Feiyue who was in this team that was acquainted with Ji Yuan. There were Hua Yunzi, Xie Hongyu and Heng Wujian too.
Ji Yuan remembered Heng Wujian whom he had met during the third trial and he also remembered that he was trying to impress his Divine Consort Fu Rong.
Heng Wujian was surprised to see that Ji Yuan was still alive after he had told him to run while he stalled the Hunter Snow Black for him.
"Brother Ji Yuan, you are still alive?!"
Even Hua Yunzi and Xie Hongyu were gasping that they would be seeing Ji Yuan again so soon. However, they were also startled to see him because they were in opposing teams.
The question was, would they fight?
But Ji Yuan continued to look with great delight at the flustered Ling Feiyue as he laughed softly, "Feiyue, I've thought that I can no longer see you again!"
He was interrupted by Great Saint Jing Taizhong who was frowning, "I know you. You must be that Great Spiritas Hero Ji Yuan and the newly appointed Divine Lord Ji Yuan. I am Great Saint Jing Taizhong. You must be courting your own death by coming here!"
Ling Feiyue giggled softly to Ji Yuan, "Maiden Yunzi has told me that you are alive. But are you sure that you are able to defeat us by…"
She had stepped forward enchantingly as she waved her heaven-step sword before continuing, "By confronting us like this? Hehe…"
She had only taken out her heaven-step divine sword instead of the emperor-step divine sword that Ji Yuan had given to her.
At the same time, she had also winked to the Lovely Empress and Zhi Jiugong who were behind Ji Yuan.
Great Saint Jing Taizhong felt a little weird because this Ji Yuan and Maiden Ling Feiyue were just talking to each other and he was like talking to the air.
But he had to admit that the two maidens behind this Ji Yuan were really astonishing beauties, especially the maiden with the loveliest smiles that he had ever seen.
He felt a pity that he had to slaughter such a lovely maiden for his 3 Points.
Ji Yuan answered Ling Feiyue, "Feiyue, I miss you. Haha! Are you delighted to see me as well?"
Anyang was giggling too inside Ji Yuan's soul sea: I'm missing Maiden Feiyue too!
Ling Feiyue laughed softly, "You miss me? I can see that you have two great company with you. Do you even need me with you? Hehe…"
She added with a wry smile, "I have 5 Points from killing a Destroyer now. Now you have delivered yourself to me for another 4 Points. Of course, I am delighted to see you."
Ji Yuan laughed as he tossed 5 tokens to her, "Here is an extra point for you. Now you have 10 points. Haha…"
He had given Ling Feiyue all the tokens that he had found earlier.
Ling Feiyue gasped softly, "You have 5 tokens with you? Did you kill them as well?"I think you should take a look at
Ji Yuan shook his head with a grin, "Of course not. I won't kill any cultivator unless they are courting their own death by attacking me. I've actually found these tokens…"
Great Saint Jing Taizhong interrupted by shouting angrily, "Are you deaf? Do you think that the rest of us are dead? Draw your sword and I shall grant you an honorable death! Everyone go and get him…"
Ling Feiyue interrupted him, "Ji Yuan is my lord consort. Do you think that I will attack him?"
Great Saint Jing Taizhong looked startled, "You are with him?"
He had seen the battle ability of this enchanting heavenly Ling Feiyue and she was not a cultivator that he would want to risk offending. And he was glad that she was in his team.
Ling Feiyue had suddenly giggled softly as she danced over to Ji Yuan before she gave everyone a playful wink, "My lord consort is here. Therefore, I must join him. So, if anyone wants to attack him, I will surely fight alongside with him."
Ji Yuan laughed jovially as he looked with great delight at Ling Feiyue, "I am waiting for my Feiyue to say just that. Haha…"
The Lovely Empress was smiling with great loveliness to Ling Feiyue, "Sister Feiyue, welcome to the team!"
Zhi Jiugong was also smiling as she nodded lightly to Ling Feiyue.
Great Saint Jing Taizhong and many of the cultivators were startled at this sudden change.
8 vs. 4.
The battle was still in favor of his team.
That was what Great Saint Jing Taizhong was thinking when Hua Yunzi and Xie Hongyu had suddenly walked over to Ji Yuan's side.
Hua Yunzi smiled, "Great Saint Ji Yuan, we have met again."
Ji Yuan was actually also delighted to see Hua Yunzi after their departure, "Maiden Yunzi, thank you…"
"Great Saint Ji Yuan, I am willing to fight on your side too." Xie Hongyu quietly looked at him and she looked a little flustered.
Great Saint Jing Taizhong was stunned and so were many of the cultivators in his team.
It was now 6 vs. 6!
All of a sudden, Heng Wujian was now bowing with his hands to Ji Yuan. "Brother Ji Yuan, although we are from different teams now but I won't fight you. You may go if you do not have the intention to attack us."
This shocked Great Saint Jing Taizhong as he stared at Heng Wujian as Heng Wujian was also a powerful cultivator in their team. "Not you too?!"
There were 3 cultivators in his team that were not great saints and this time Jing Taizhong was a little worried as he did not know how strong this Ji Yuan and his team were.
Ji Yuan politely bowed with his hands to Heng Wujian, "Brother Wujian, we have met again! Sorry, I got distracted by talking with my Consort Feiyue. Haha…"
Then he grinned, "Indeed, I have no intention of attacking your team. And I am sure that you don't want to fight, am I right?"
He was actually throwing this question to Great Saint Jing Taizhong.
Great Saint Jing Taizhong was smiling weakly, "Actually, I am just sending Brother Ji Yuan a warning as I didn't know if you are a hostile or not. Now that I know that you are a friendly cultivator, of course I have no intentions of attacking you or your team…"
Then he looked at Ling Feiyue, Xie Hongyu and Hua Yunzi with a hopeful look. "May the three of you come back to the team now?"
But to his utter surprise and to the others, Ling Feiyue together with Xie Hongyu and Hua Yunzi said after one another. "We are joining Ji Yuan's team."
Great Saint Jing Taizhong was shocked with disbelief, "But this won't be your designated team and you won't be safe. He may slaughter you for the trial points. Even if he is honorable, what about the rest of his team then?"
Hua Yunzi took a look at Ji Yuan before she looked at the Lovely Empress and Zhi Jiugong, "I trust him and his friends as well."
Xie Hongyu was also quietly looking at Ji Yuan before she said shyly, "I have full faith in Great Saint Ji Yuan and his friends too."
Ling Feiyue did not say anything because at this moment, she was just looking back at Ji Yuan who was looking at her with great delight.
Nothing could describe Ji Yuan's joyous heart when he had discovered that Ling Feiyue was still alive; he had been quite heartbroken lately when he had supposedly that Ling Feiyue and his Senior Sister Chu Lixue had both perished in the Spiritas Tower.
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Author Note:
1. I'd really appreciate it if the readers can contribute power stones to this story as a show of support even if you are reading from other websites. Your spirit stones are crucial for motivations and releases. Also, it means alot me/ story, Many love and thanks! ლ(⌒▽⌒ლ)