Return to the Desert
Although Lie Shang and Mu Yu spent little time with each other, Lie Shang genuinely cared for Mu Yu as a junior. Though the same man mentored them, their thoughts diverged. Lie Shang truly embodied living at his own pace, refusing to carry the world or to spare his shifu’s wishes a thought. Mu Yu took the opposite stance, shouldering the responsibility as a son and a disciple.
“I won’t make you risk your life again. I will protect you,” Mu Yu promised, caressing Xiaoshuai.
***
“I had to rely on the linden tree to suppress the bloodlust energy I hosted. I never merged it with my body; you will have to figure out what to do once you merge it with you. Xuelian and the other three immediately refined the energy upon attaining it, so they didn’t need to suppress it. The only ones who know how to suppress it are our spirit lords. Therefore, you can ask Lord Ju Mang for help,” educated Tree Elder, passing over some five elements formation foundations he obtained with assistance from Water Reverend over the last three days.
“Thank you,” expressed Mu Yu, choosing not to mention his decision to avoid Ju Mang. “Can we have an audience with Water Reverend? It would be polite not to greet her.”
Tree Elder smiled. “She says she would prefer not to as she doesn’t want to be involved in your conflict with the four reverends.”
Understanding Water Reverend’s decision to stay out was her way of conveying her desire for peace, Mu Yu requested, “Could I bother you to show us the way out?”
“I have scheduled for you two to leave via a teleportation formation. Due to the patrols at the other one you headed to, you can’t use it.”
“Tree Elder… thank you.”
“Hahaha, don’t worry about it. I trust you.”
Mu Yu did not understand Tree Elder’s trust meant having faith in his chances of changing the outcome of the war and trusted that he would fuse with Ju Mang. Mu Yu did not bother to ask, just thankful Tree Elder chose his side.
Tree Elder escorted the duo to a makeshift teleportation formation and greeted the water demons guarding it. The formation teleported them to lake located on a mountain peak that was originally a volcano.
The leader of the group waiting at the top of the mouth was a water demon adorned in a blue robe. “You two ought to leave now.”
“We know,” responded Lie Shang, paying no heed to the open aggression aimed at him.
“Head east. That’s where Mist City is.”
“Please accept our gratitude,” Mu Yu conveyed.
The duo soared over the mountains of varying sizes surrounded by water, each with a lake located at their peak, ice houses at the foot of the mountain and on the way up. It took them only two hours to bring the silhouette of Mist City into sight.
The duo was back to the scorching desert where Archfiend Hai Dongqing was sealed after flying for a day. After weathering the desert’s punishment for fourteen long hours and sighting the outline of Clearwater City, Lie Shang asked, “You want to drop by Clearwater City?”
“No, I don’t want to destroy it,” answered Mu Yu, insinuating that the event at Eastern Desert City would inevitably repeat itself if he was there.
“Let’s head straight to Wall of Death, in that case,” Lie Shang suggested, changing directions.
“Stop! You are not allowed to be here!” shouted a fiend amongst a group of them atop the wall.
Several Body Synthesis Realm fiends made an appearance at the bottom of the wall to confront Dustfallen Sect’s duo.
“Out of my way,” demanded Lie Shang, heating up the air even further.
“Mu Yu?!” The doctor from Sunshine Valley ordered, “Stop! It’s Mu Yu. He’s an ally!”
The other fiends apologetically dropped their aggression upon learning it was Mu Yu.
“Why are you here, Doctor?” Mu Yu nodded.
“Please forgive the dragons for shouting at you. We followed the directions you provided to find Archfiend Hai Dongqing’s sealed location and are now trying to remove the seal.”
“Why do you need to be here when you are a doctor?”
“Uh… You know how I told you about me sneaking into humankind’s lands to find herbs in the past. I led the team because I’m more familiar with your terrain.”
“You don’t mean to tell me you intend to undo the seal with this small team, do you?”
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