Third Heaven Palace’s Pinch
“I missed you so much, Sister Tian Ran.” Xiaoshuai attempted to jump to Tian Ran, but Village Chief Bu held him back so as to not disturb the couple.
“Who are you?” Tian Ran queried.
“I’m Xiaoshuai! The oh-so handsome Xiaoshuai!” responded Xiaoshuai, reverting to his beast form before reverting to his human form.
“Oh my god, you have a human form now? Let me have a hug.” Tian Ran welcome Xiaoshuai into her embrace as a sister would.
“Mu Yu, why did you bring a human here?” Tree Elder questioned, screening Village Chief Bu.
“Ah, this is the man who raised me. Grandpa, this is Tree Elder, and this is Tian Ran.”
“Mu Yu, I thought you said he’s an elemental demon. He doesn’t look like one,” Village Chief Bu whispered.
“Do you need to see this to be convinced?”
Village Chief Bu ducked behind Mu Yu and readied a jade piece as he witnessed Tree Elder sprout branches from his hand.
“Hahaha, Old Contartist, you should’ve duped Tree Elder with a lightning skill, as well,” Xiaoshuai verbalised.
“He won’t harm us, Grandpa. Have you forgotten what I told you?”
Though reluctant, Village Chief Bu went through the pleasantries of a first meeting then said, “Mu Yu, you two really are the perfect couple. You have better judgement than I do.”
Tian Ran respectfully greeted, “Hello, Village Chief.”
“Kidnapping even Secular World Sect’s divine maiden.” Village Chief Bu gave Mu Yu a thumbs up, putting flushes on Tian Ran’s cheeks.
Mu Yu approached Tree Elder to inquire, “Elder, may I ask if anything has happened beyond Moyun Mountains?”
“Yes. My scouts informed me that there are rumours of Third Heaven Palace killing the innocent spreading like wildfire, inciting panic throughout the world. From what I was told, the reports came from Pure Peace City.”
“Pure Peace City’s survivors, huh?”
“Could they have spared us to suppress the scandal?” Xiaoshuai proposed.
“How would they do that, silence all of the survivors?” Mu Yu impugned.
To quell the scandal, the Ghost Gate, Celestial Star Sect and Secular World Sect claimed Mu Yu brainwashed Secular World Sect’s divine maiden and fooled the survivors of Pure Peace City using an illusion formation whilst Third Heaven Palace hushed the survivors. Fearing for their lives, the survivors chose to lay low. Nevertheless, suspicions inexorably flourished as a consequence of Third Heaven Palace hiding their appearances.
Just as cultivators once led a witch hunt on Mu Yu, a number of them began demanding Third Heaven Palace show their real faces, not that protesting achieved anything.
“Whatever they did and are doing, I will fight alongside Brother Mu Yu to destroy them together! They’re as toxic as Secular World Sect!” Tian Ran declared.
Taken aback at the sight of Tian Ran flying off the handle, Mu Yu inquired, “Is your mother still trapped at Secular World Sect?”
“She is. Yan Qingyun and company threatened to kill her if I didn’t learn Secular World Emotion Severing Technique. That was also when I learnt Third Heaven Palace was manipulating the sect’s patriarch and elders.”
Mu Yu tenderly stroked Tian Ran’s cheek. “It’s okay. I’ll rescue your mother from their grips,” Mu Yu promised, leaving out his intent to exterminate the sect to avenge their mother and daughter pair.
Mu Yu intended to eradicate Ghost Gate, Celestial Star Sect and Secular Sect before anything else as their termination was tantamount to chopping off three of Third Heaven Palace’s limbs. Afterwards, he would have to track down the controlled Ascension Realm elders to defuse the Divine Soul Formations.
“Mu Yu, what is our next step?” Village Chief Bu asked.
“We need to escort you to Formation Sect.”
“I want to fight evil, though,” objected Village Chief Bu, shaking his pouch of jade pieces.
Choosing his words carefully, Mu Yu conveyed, “Grandpa, you need to polish your skills first. We need you in the war. Winning the war is more important than winning the battle, right?”
“Hmm, I guess you have a point. Oh, fine.”
Mu Yu was glad to find Tian Ran’s vitality jumped higher after her ordeal, though it, once again, reminded him of Ku Mu’s state.
***
“Elemental demons have begun to brazenly assail human cities with great success,” Zhuge Xiaosheng informed, meeting with Mu Yu and company in Formation Palace.
“Third Heaven Palace might as well have elemental demons vanquish the entire world. It’s a simple matter for them to kill cultivators. What’s the point of sneaking around?” Xiaoshuai admonished.
Mu Yu enlightened, “If everyone dies, where are they going to source soul energy from? They only plan to kill a certain number to spark conflict.”
“How did you not figure that out, Junior Conartist? Also, you’re underestimating the adepts who don’t show themselves, but they would be strong enough to give Third Heaven Palace a run for their money. Plus, there are also immortals. They may be strong, but they aren’t invincible. If they lose the support of cultivators, they’ll walking with stones in their shoes. Furthermore, they’ll have fewer labourers,” added Village Chief Bu.
“What brilliant ideas do you have, then, Old Conartist?” Xiaoshuai queried.
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