Black Bellied Belle: Demon Lord, Bite the Bait Please

Ch. 201-210

Chapter 201: A Troublesome Old Man

The young lady looked up at him in confusion, seeming to not have heard him clearly.

Watching her, she looked somewhat adorable in her bewilderment.

Lou Jun Yao curved up his lips, and grabbed her arm to put around his waist. He then lowered his head and said: "I said hold on tightly to me. I will bring you down as it is inconvenient for you to make any great movements with the injury on your back."

"....."

Qing Yu was a little perplexed. [She was merely just injured and it is now inconvenient for her to do this and inconvenient for her to do that. She had sustained wounds more severe than this before but it had not been so troublesome you know?]

For some unknown reason, she felt that when she was with Lou Jun Yao, something feels a little strange. But what it was exactly, she just could not put her finger on it.

The people up on the cliff went down one after another, and in a blink, there was already no one else there.

The two of them then slowly went walking over to stand right at the edge. The wind rushing up from the bottom kept blowing the ends of their clothes up, the sharp wind cutting painfully onto people's faces. From this, it could be seen just how deep the valley really was.

"Hold on tight." The man's low magnetic voice reminded once again.

Qing Yu hesitated for a moment, before she slipped her arm lightly around the man's waist, only gently embracing him.

She could not help but feel, something wasn't right with the position they were in.

The man's soft laughter sounded above her head and his arm thoughtfully avoiding the wounds on her back, circled around the young lady into his arms, the slender figure fitting rather well against the man's tall well built frame.

A smiley tinge came to appear upon Lou Jun Yao's face and in the next instant, the two figures started to descend very quickly. The biting cold wind rushing up from the bottom of the cliff made one feel as if they had fallen into an icy lake, the powerful gusts seeming like they were able to devour everything.

She could not open her eyes fully with the wind rushing into her face. Qing Yu was struggling very hard to keep her eyes open as she asked: "Why do I feel like there is something strange with this wind....."

They were clearly making their way towards the bottom of the cliff but the wind kept blowing them up. It had been quite a while since they made their way down but they were still hovering around in the air.

Qing Yu furrowed her brows together and contemplated on it for a moment before she suddenly opened her mouth to ask: "Why don't you try not using any spirit power and don't fight against this evil wind. Then just let go of me."

Lou Jun Yao lowered his head to look at her. "Do you know how high up we are? Even your bones will not be found if you fall down from here."

"Didn't you notice that the more you use your spirit powers, the stronger this evil wind retaliates? Now that you've retracted some of your power, there is merely a constant resistance pushing back at us, and is no longer initiating any attacks." Qing Yu said with a glint in his eye, and she then pointed a finger into the distance. "Look."

Lou Jun Yao looked in the direction her finger was pointing to and he saw a man in green robes floating in the air, the expression on his face looking a little crazed.

He was flaying his four limbs about to attack and defend himself, like he was fighting someone but there was no one in front of him, looking like he was hallucinating and fighting a demon that had possessed him.

"Do you think that he has been possessed?" Qing Yu asked raised her head up to ask the man who was holding her in an embrace.

Lou Jun Yao did not answer but just raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue.

"The way he is reacting looks makes him look like he's a little crazy but his eyes seem to see a terrifying enemy that is attacking him. He is struggling to fight back and the illusion he is seeing must be from this evil wind blowing." Qing Yu's pleasing voice said captivatingly.

"It is one of the more common types of illusory techniques called the Spirit Absorbing Seven Deaths Array where they are seven illusory states, with wind, snow, fire, ice, wood, absorb, and poison, each state different from one another, but all of them very dangerous. The array we have just walked into now is one among the Spirit Absorbing Seven Deaths Array, the wind array."

As her voice fell, Lou Jun Yao's gaze unconsciously lit up with fervor in his eyes. "You know about spirit arrays?"

"Just a thing or two about them." Qing Yu said modestly as she nodded.

The ends of Lou Jun Yao's face curled up. What he had left unspoken in his heart was that he was well versed in spirit arrays himself, a little more skilled than any regular spirit array practitioners out there. With the kind of intelligence he possessed, if he really put his mind to it, nothing was too difficult for him.

His affinity with spirit arrays had started back when he was very young in the Divine Healers Sect. He had accidentally stumbled into a hidden array and was trapped in it for three whole days and nights.

Ever since then, he had resolved that he would never allow himself to fall into a difficult situation just because of his ignorance about something.

Hence, even people from the Dark Lands who had followed him for a very long time did not know just how many things their Lord was skilled and well versed in, as his actions had always showed how overly reliant he was on all his subordinates, so it was natural for them to feel that the Lord only possessed a set of savagely terrifying powers in cultivation, and did not know anything else.

This young lady here had just said that this was one of the more common types of illusory arrays? To Lou Jun Yao, whatever this Spirit Absorbing Seven Deaths Array is, it's something that he had never even heard of before! So..... when the little fox said that she knew only a thing of two about spirit arrays, she was merely just being overly modest!

She had probably seen more complex arrays than this while this Spirit Absorbing Seven Deaths Array before them now was something he was not yet able to unravel.

Qing Yu then continued: "The Spirit Absorbing Seven Deaths Array only messes with a person's mind, inflicting mental damage on their consciousness and does not put a person's life at risk. Looks like the Carefree Valley has set this array here on this one and only way down to the cliff's bottom to intimidate the Limitless Sect and the Faint Mist Sect, seeking to take them down a peg or two right from the start."

After saying that, the corners of her lips suddenly lifted slightly, the faint arc on her face exceptionally alluring and beautiful. "But it is most unfortunate for them that they encountered me this time. Looks like they will have to be sorely disappointed."

This was what the young lady should be like. No matter the occasion, always filled with vigor and confidence, a sharp and devious strategist exuding such strong charm, like nothing could ever bring her down.

Lou Jun Yao looked at her with tenderness in his eyes. "Let me do it. Tell me what I should do."

"This Spirit Absorbing Seven Deaths Array is an illusory ice array at its heart and all the other elemental powers array are controlled by that. So once the space that this mystical wind array sits in is frozen up with ice, all the other arrays will then self destruct."

At almost the same moment that her voice fell, the powerful hurricane suddenly ceased, and every inch of the air froze into ice. Everything blurred and turned fuzzy before their eyes for a moment before it all cleared up, where many familiar faces appeared. Having awoken from the illusory array, their bodies then plummeted straight down and the air was filled with many horrified screams and panicked howls the very next moment.

"Arrrgh~ It's too high! I am falling to my death! Aaaah....."

But the expected pain and agony did not come, as their feet came to steadily step onto firm ground.

[It's just unbelievable!]

[It isn't just a dream is it? This is..... the bottom of the cliff?! What just happened??]

The entrance to the Carefree Valley was right before their eyes and Yan Jue with the several tens of Heaven Grade Assassins who had descended earlier all stood there with utter disbelief on their faces.

[How is this possible?]

[It has not even been an hour and all of them have reached here at the bottom!]

And it seemed as though every single one of them had made it down, like nothing had happened to them at all.

The Spirit Absorbing Seven Deaths Array was specially erected against outsiders and did not affect the Carefree Valley's disciples in the slightest, hence it was not surprising that they were able to pass through the array safely. But for all these people from the other sects to make it through, it was a situation that they could not help thinking deeper into it.

Just as the people on both sides were still puzzled and bewildered, a white haired old man came walking out slowly, his body bent and crooked, his long beard almost about to drag on the ground.

When Yan Jue saw that person, he then said in surprise. "Uncle Master, why have you come out?"

This highly eccentric and temperamental Uncle Master had not stepped out from the sect grounds once for so many years, he could not help but wonder what could have drawn the old man to come out.

He often acted erratically, seemingly a little deranged, and was now even playing the role of a Carefree Valley door guard. Although he was well advanced in age, he was still highly energetic, skilled in divination and techniques involving the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams, where many of the Carefree Valley's highly lethal arrays and traps had stemmed from his hands.

The old man ignored Yan Jue and his slightly muddled looking eyes cleared up for a moment as he turned to look at the two figures walking in slowly at the back of the crowd. His mouth suddenly split into a smile and he said: "Good one my young friend. To think that you are able to break this Spirit Absorbing Seven Deaths Array of mine. Looks like you tread on the same path as well. Truly one who is much more than you reveal yourself to be."

And his eyes were fixed right upon Qing Yu.

Looks like the method of breaking the array that Qing Yu deciphered was something the old man was well aware of.

Hearing the old man's words, Yan Jue seemed to realize what the old man was talking about and his gaze subconsciously turned to look in that direction. He saw the figures of a man and a woman dressed in purple clothes approaching as they walked.

The young lady walking in front looked to be about sixteen years old, her alluringly back swept eyes that were like a phoenix's seemingly able to hook a person's soul right out of his body. Her complexion was smooth as white jade, the corners of her lips slightly curved up, that barely perceptible smile on her face adding a tinge of mischievousness, that gave that flamboyantly beautiful young lady's countenance an indescribable allure.

The countenance of the tall slender well built man behind her was also extraordinarily good looking, that powerful and aloof aura he exuded impossible to dismiss. Even though he was consciously suppressing it, the stifling oppression was so strong it made one's heart feel highly discomfited.

"Qing Yu!" Mu Lai's eyes lit up. "I had thought that you were not coming. Have your wounds healed?"

Mu Lai took a few steps forward, her pretty face filled with delight. At the next moment, she then noticed that the design of the purple clothes Qing Yu was wearing today was very special, and one did not have to guess to know that the material used was top notch quality.

[The lass is forever wearing all white all the time, and this is the first time she is seeing the lass dressed in a different color. But.....]

Mu Lai then looked towards the man behind her, and her face broke into a teasing smile. "These clothes the two of you are wearing matches each other really well!"

[That's what it is! She was thinking why the lass had suddenly changed her dressing, so it was to match their clothes!]

If one did not look closely, the shade of purple on those two sets of clothes were indeed different, but if one looked carefully, the pattern, design and style were very similar, and it was easy to see that they were specially made to order.

[This man has really put in quite a bit of effort!]

[But that incredibly dense lass Qing Yu would definitely not have noticed anything.]

Over where the Limitless Sect's disciples were, when Mu Chi saw that Qing Yu had come, joy clearly showed on his face. But upon seeing that Lou Jun Yao was with her, the expression on his face turned a little gloomy.

Qing Yu nodded and smiled at Qing Yu, before she turned to say to the old man: "Senior is too generous with his praise. What I know barely even scratches the surface and I was just lucky to have seen this kind of an array before. You could say it's merely a case of a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse." (*Chinese saying)

"You're lying. This old man really detests young brats putting on a pretentious act like this the most. If you know, then you know. If you don't know, then you don't know. Simple as that." The old man glared at her a little angrily.

Qing Yu was at a loss for words a moment, before she then replied truthfully. "This array of Senior's, is frankly too commonly seen. From the way I see it, it is not qualified to be called an array as there are too many defects. Against a true expert, it will not even withstand a single blow."

She really had not expected that the old man's reaction upon hearing that would be to exclaim in a huff, his eyes glaring angrily with his beard bristling: "You dare look down on this old man's array? Then you do it!"

The smile on Qing Yu's face slowly faded. "....."

[This is such a pesky old man!]

Chapter 202: So Lucky Like Life Was Hacked

Ever since the day Qing Yu disappeared from the forbidden grounds, it was said that she was rescued by someone. But as she was gravely injured, no one had seen her all this time.

It was thought that she had given up on participating in the Friendship Meet but she had actually come. And after hearing what the old man said, they knew they had actually fallen prey to an array, where it was the young lady who broke the array's spell, saving all of them

Qing Yu had always kept a rather low profile in the Faint Mist Sect, seldom showing up anywhere in there, hence, many of the Faint Mist Sect's disciples had only heard of the prodigious all element wielder in the sect but had never seen her before. So, when the people from the Limitless Sect broke out in heated discussion, the faces of the Faint Mist Sect's disciples were equally bewildered.

"I've never seen that young lady before. Which sect is she from?"

"Is she from the Limitless Sect?"

"So she isn't from the Faint Mist Sect with all of you??"

"I wouldn't think so! She's such a beautiful-looking young lady and so highly skilled, I will never have forgotten such a person if she was."

"Ahhh..... I remember now! Is she the one where four different departments were falling all over themselves to fight for her to join them, the prodigy who wields all elements? I seem to remember that the First Senior of the Inner Circle Feng Tian Hen managed to win her over in the end, and she is now a member of the Deviant Department."

That was said out aloud by someone when he suddenly recalled that eventful day.

The brought about a doubtful query from a disciple of the Limitless Sect. "An all element wielding prodigy? Could it be just a rumor you heard?!"

[You've got to be kidding me. An all element wielding prodigy was an existence that was rarer than a tenth level spirit beast. How could the Faint Mist Sect possibly be so lucky to produce an impossibly prodigious all element wielder?]

"Tsk, it seems like you are questioning what this great lord here witnessed with his very own eyes?" Who could that lazy sounding voice which sounded so impossibly haughty had come from? It was none other than the arrogant Su Li Mo himself.

This fella here was infamously known to be always spoiling for a fight and his fighting prowess was maniacally strong, ranked fifth in the Faint Mist Sect's Inner Circle. He had also set the frightening record of three hundred consecutive wins, so who could possibly have the guts to dare challenge him here?

When the bunch of guys from the Limitless Sect saw that it was Su Li Mo who spoke, all of them immediately clamped their mouths shut. They were not so crazy as to go agitate that maniac.

The long bearded old man seemed to overhear the arguing voices of everyone in the crowd and his eyes took on an indiscernible glint as he looked at the young lady. He then opened his mouth to say: "Little one, our Carefree Valley isn't inferior to the Faint Mist Sect in anyway. If you are to join us, the Carefree Valley will take you in as an esteemed prize disciple, where you will be accorded the highest honor and glory."

He had lived more than half his life and his eyes had never been wrong about people. This young lady was definitely not someone of common stock.

Yan Jue and his bunch of assassins were all frozen. [What just happened here?]

[Is the Uncle Master trying to poach from the others sects? Or is he just trying to poach only because the young lady belongs to their arch-rival, the Faint Mist Sect?]

The Faint Mist Sect's disciples immediately became highly indignant. [This old man who had suddenly popped out from nowhere, is he even of sound mind at all?]

[They were here to participate in the Three Great Sects' Friendship Meet and while the event was still going on, this old man is actually trying to poach one of their members so blatantly, right before everyone's eyes like this?]

Su Li Mo's brows suddenly twitched slightly and he was just about to explode when he saw the exquisitely beautiful little young lady take a couple of steps forward, before she went on to say with a smile.

"Thank you my Senior for the encouraging favor you've shown me but I am already a disciple of the Faint Mist Sect and one must not be a heartless ingrate. If I am to really leave them, not to mention how disappointed the teachers in the Faint Mist Sect will be with me, don't you think that everyone in Carefree Valley will surely suspect whether I will readily choose to side with a stronger power in future?!"

The old man's gaze flashed with a glint, seemingly a little taken by surprise. She had not only rejected his offer, but had come up with a reason that was so irrefutable. He then laughed softly and said to the young lady: "Since that is the case, then this old man shall not coerce our young little friend here any further, but I still hope that our little friend can come pay us a visit at our Carefree Valley more often as a guest."

Immediately upon saying that, he quickly pushed something into Qing Yu's hand at lightning speed. And just like the way he had appeared, he then disappeared soundlessly without any trace.

Qing Yu was stunned for a moment as she blinked her eyes in bewilderment, and she saw that there was a strange spherical green jade stone in her hand. Upon the stone, the character "punishment" was carved intricately on it.

"This is....."

Others might not recognize that item, but Yan Jue knew very clearly what it was, and he could not help but feel a corner of his mouth twitch. "What kind of an affliction had struck the Uncle Master's brain recently? How can he possibly give away something like that....."

"What is that thing?" A Heavenly Grade assassin who was standing closer to Yan Jue asked in puzzlement.

"That is the Heaven Punishment Hall's Hall Chief's Command Token. Have all of you forgotten? Although the Uncle Master is always acting eccentric and unpredictable, he is still the head of the Carefree Valley's Five Great Hall Chiefs. The holder of that Heaven Punishment Command Token is able to command at least half the disciples in Carefree Valley and its authority is only beneath that of the Assassins Temple."

Yan Jue explained to the man and his gaze then turned to look at Qing Yu. "For the young lady to be able to gain our Uncle Master's favor so much, you must possess some highly exceptional qualities."

Holding the Heaven Punishment Token that supposedly holds such great authority, Qing Yu felt as if it was just one hot potato in her hands. Her brows knitted together as she said: "This item here, may I implore your esteemed self to help me return it to your Uncle Master? I....."

"The young miss does not need to refuse the gift. Since our Uncle Master has given the Heaven Punishment Command Token to you, he definitely trusts you enough to hold possession of it. The young miss will henceforth always be a guest to the Carefree Valley and with that command token, you will be able to come and go as you please throughout the entire Carefree Valley." Yan Jue said with a soft laugh.

Everyone there could not help but start to wonder.

[Just how lucky can that young lady possibly be? To think that she had won the right to come and go as she pleased in Carefree Valley just like that.]

[Moreover, isn't she a member of the Faint Mist Sect? Those two sects were always at loggerheads with each other, isn't the Carefree Valley afraid that she will come in to spy on any of their secrets? All of this is really puzzling no matter which way one looked at it.]

Hearing what the man said, Qing Yu could only keep the token away properly. [She will return it to that senior when she has the chance!]

"Will everyone please come with me?"

It was a completely different scene at the bottom of the cliff, a sea of green with all kinds of lush greenery. Winter had not passed but it was different here from the biting cold at Faint Mist Sect. It was instead gently warm in here, picturesque with mountains and waterfalls, the scenery highly soothing and pleasant, a stark contrast from their inhabitants who were famed to be cold dark assassins.

Over on the Faint Mist Sect's group of disciples, Mu Lai and Ming Yi Yi kept together with Qing Yu and the several others they were familiar with back in the sect.

"Little junior girl, you're really good you know? Never has there ever been a precedent where a disciple of the Faint Mist Sect is able to come and go at will into the Carefree Valley. Everyone knows that the Carefree Valley has always been highly secretive with their lair and they have never allowed any outsider to set foot inside."

The one who spoke was that effeminate-looking man from the Deviant Department. [She had gone missing for two whole days and this fella had not even noticed a thing. What a heartless creature he is.]

Qing Yu merely smiled and did not say anything.

"How are you feeling? Are you really feeling alright now?" Mu Lai stretched her hand out seeking to hold the young lady on her shoulder, but ended up clasping nothing but air.

The man who had kept himself at a set distance behind Qing Yu all this time held the young lady's arm and pulled her away from the other young woman. Catching the young woman looking at him, the man then smiled slightly and opened his mouth to explain: "The wound on her back has not fully healed. Be careful to not touch her there."

Mu Lai was subconsciously startled, her brows raising up in surprise. She had not looked at him that closely before this. [The man's eyes..... When did they turn black?]

Qing Yu felt a little helpless. She flung the man's hand off her arm and raised her eyes to look at him. "I am fine. You do not need to so anxious about it."

A slightly unfriendly smile crooked up at the ends of Lou Jun Yao's lips. "Do not go two meters out from my line of sight."

"....." [Had she become so unworthy of trust now?]

Because Lou Lan Zhi had some tasks he had to deal with, he would come here a little later. Su Li Mo was standing together with Ming Jing and he was watching the tall purple robed figure as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Who is that man? Why does it seem like I have never seen him beofore?"

Ming Jing then replied indifferently. "Neither have I ever seen him."

A soft tug was felt pulling at a corner of his robes and Su Li Mo lowered his head to look. He saw a young skinny little youth looking up at him with his head raised up, his face a little abashed as the boy looked at him. The boy then said in a weak voice: "Fifth Senior."

"Xing Tong?"

Su Li Mo raised his eyebrows in surprise as the little youth was really so small in size. As a tall guy, looking down at him like that was really rather tiring, hence he decided he might as well just pick the small sized youth up and carry him in the crook of his elbow. "What is it? You miss your fifth senior or has that bunch of scoundrels been bullying you again?"

Xing Tong's cheeks turned slightly red as he shook his head.

The Faint Mist Sect's top five ranked disciples had always been on especially good terms with each other and Su Li Mo was fifth in rank, always running over to the Deviant Department to look for the others. Over time, he also became familiar with the people in the Deviant Department.

Xing Tong had then started to address him as Fifth Senior, the skinny little fella a rather obedient and innocent boy that Su Li Mo had become rather fond of. At times when the others in the Deviant Department made fun of the little youth, Su Li Mo would also stand up for him, so Xing Tong liked and respected this senior fellow disciple quite a bit as well.

"Fifth Senior, that man is one of the Deviant Department's teachers. He is a highly skilled Seven Star grade teacher of ours, and his name is Lou Bai Qian." Xing Tong said earnestly, helping Su Li Mo to clear up his puzzlement.

Su Li Mo was taken aback. "A Seven Star grade teacher?"

"Mm. I heard that he was recommended by the Sect Leader himself. The man is really very highly capable. I am unable to see through him at all." Xing Tong said with a wary glance towards the purple robed figure.

The man was clearly always seemingly so smiley and amiable, but one just could not help but feel a little terrified of him. Especially that pair of eyes of his, one was just unable to look straight into them.

Hearing the boy's words, Su Li Mo was even more puzzled. "Really? Why have I never heard about a person like that before....."

But before he could think any further about it, his thoughts were suddenly interrupted. They had reached deep into the mountain valley and they were going to cross an iron chain bridge. Right below that bridge, countless ghosts and monstrous spirits were hidden, and one might be dragged down into the depths in a moment's distraction.

It was said that a great number of people had not made it across the bridge.

The iron chain bridge was not very long, roughly about three to four meters in length, but that journey was by no means short under such conditions.

Moreover, the planks on the bridge looked to be rather aged, seemingly old and tattered. The bridge's chains swayed under the gusty wind, looking highly dangerous.

"Right after this bridge, will be the Carefree Valley's main gates." Yan Jue said to everyone with a faint smile. "This bridge had already existed before the founding of the Carefree Valley Sect itself and is said to be close to a hundred years old. Only one person may cross at one time, and that person must make it across within ten heartbeats, or the monsters beneath the bridge will come surging up."

Upon finishing his words, he tapped the tip of his feet and the red figure was upon the bridge in the next instant, moving like a fleeting shadow and reaching the other side in a blink. The entire process had been incredibly quick, over the span of three heartbeats at most, an astounding feat to see.

The several tens Heaven Grade assassins followed quickly right after, fleeting across one after another, and none of them had taken more than seven heartbeats.

And throughout that entire process, besides just a slight sway, the iron chain bridge quickly fell quiet once more. It did not rock all that much which showed how much more superior their lightfoot skills really were.

"It doesn't seem all that difficult. Let me give it a try." A stout and well-muscled man slowly stepped onto the bridge.

Chapter 203: The Assassin Headquarters, Carefree Valley

When he went onto the bridge, maybe it was because of his brawny body, the iron chains swung left and right, but quickly fell back silent.

The man smiled happily to himself and went on to swing the bridge more. He was just about to summon up his powers to tread his way over when the steady iron chain bridge suddenly shook and trembled violently.

Tens of withered thin black claws then reached up from under the bridge, grabbing around his ankles in a vice grip. The sharp claws tore through his skin and bright red blood flowed down from his ankles.

The man was so terrified his face drained of all color, wailing in fright towards the people up there. "Help! Save me! Please save me....."

That person was a disciple from the Limitless Sect and when they saw him in that situation, one of his companions immediately leapt forward wanting to hack off those claws and rescue the man. But before he could even make a move, he had just touch the man's body when his own face started to turn black, his body stiffening as he stood frozen in place.

Mu Chi knitted his brows together, like he wanted to do something, but the clear melodious voice of a young lady suddenly reached his ears. "Don't move. Their bodies are already tainted with the air of death. Nothing you do can save them now."

It was Qing Yu.

Mu Chi's heart thumped, and he turned his head to look at her. "Qing Yu, you must surely know of a way to save them. Can you help me rescue them?"

Qing Yu had not even opened her mouth when she suddenly felt someone pinch her on her hip. She raised her eyes and saw the pair of eyes giving her a fierce warning look, seemingly telling her to mind her own business.

Qing Yu gave him a reassuring smile, indicating that she would not be making any moves herself. Her gaze then scanned over the crowd and she then found the person she was searching for. She smiled at him and beckoned for him to come with a hand. "Xing Tong, come on over here."

When the youth who had been huddled beside Su Li Mo heard his name being called, he immediately got up and ran over to her obediently, before he called out to her happily: "Big Sis Qing Yu."

Su Li Mo was stunned for a while. [Is he seeing things here?]

[That imp Xing Tong has always been terrified of people and would seldom get so close to anyone else but him, afraid to even speak to others at all. When did he start to become so loving to another person? And it looks like he likes that person more than the boy likes him.]

A slightly bitter feeling rose up inside. [That hollow hearted little imp.]

Xing Tong came obediently before the young lady, feeling a little scared as he glanced at the man who was staring at him with a rather unfriendly gaze. He then carefully shifted his steps to one side and his voice was soft and wary as he asked: "Big Sis Qing Yu, you called me over for something?"

Qing Yu smiled and ruffled the young youth's head. "Xing Tong, this is your area of expertise. Let those monsters down below go to sleep for half an hour. That should be very easy for you to do isn't it?"

The young youth nodded and then lifted his smooth skinned face with its exquisite features. He was no longer afraid of people seeing the mark on his face and that was all because of this person before him. She had shown him great warmth and opened his mind, making him feel highly confident of himself.

"Big Sis Qing Yu, I will get that done."

The young youth's voice was filled with resolve as he spoke, and he then took a few steps forward. He stretched a small hand out and a mystifying force formed in his palm before it went surging down into the seemingly bottomless pit below the iron chain bridge.

A moment passed and it seemed as though it had turned peacefully quiet in an instant, where the people could no longer hear any noise. The two people on the bridge fainted away from exhaustion but it looked as if they were otherwise fine, suffering only a fright.

The people from the Limitless Sect then immediately moved to go carry those two people off the bridge.

"Everyone had better hurry on over right now. The stability on the bridge will last only for an half hour at most and there are so many of us here, so let's not waste any time." Qing Yu opened her mouth to say.

But they were all probably shocked by what had happened to those two people earlier and no one dared to be careless anymore. Upon hearing Qing Yu's urging, they all quickly made their way across, almost flying over the iron chain bridge.

"Xing Tong has grown more adept at controlling you powers. You're so good at it now." Qing Yu praised the young youth with a smile on her face.

The young youth bit on his lip, feeling rather embarrassed, but did not say anything. But one could easily see the undisguised happiness showing on his face.

He was still like a little child, easily happy and contented upon hearing just a single word of praise.

Everyone remained safe and sound this time round as well, having crossed over the iron chain bridge where nine out of ten people would usually be injured. Things were going unbelievably smooth for all of them and the Carefree Valley's attempt to intimidate the other two sects was failing miserably.

For the people who were taking part in the Friendship Meet, some of them had come to the Carefree Valley to see whether the infamous Cliff of Death was truly that terrifying, while some others had chosen to take a time saving shortcut into the place.

The latter group took a completely different route. They had come to the Carefree Valley through a special teleportation portal. Among this group of people, were Yan Ning Luo, Lian Shao Jie, Xuanyuan Che and several other people. Because they came here through the teleportation portal, they actually reached the inside earlier than the other group who came to the Carefree Valley earlier.

At that moment, they were already seated and waiting for the other group in the Carefree Valley's guest hall.

"Look at all the assassins from the Carefree Valley, everyone of them are wearing masks regardless whether they are male or female. Even the servants serving tea have their faces veiled. Just how ugly looking can they be?" Lian Shao Jie tilted his head towards Xuanyuan Che, and said jokingly.

Xuanyuan Che lifted his cup of tea and took a small sip. "That is because even their servants are all highly skilled assassins, and they are just keeping in line with the norm of their profession. They cannot afford to be recognized when they carry out their missions and that is why they all have to be masked."

Lian Shao Jie nodded, his gaze glancing at the cold and aloof young woman opposite. She just sat there, and it was probably because of her icy personality, no one around her was talking to her. She always had two other young women following her around but for some unknown reason, they had not come with her this time.

Lian Shao Jie curved his lips up in a smile, as he nudged the man beside him with his shoulder. "With such a frosty personality, what kind of a man do you think it would be that will finally conquer a woman like that?"

"You're well suited for that." Xuanyuan Che said emotionlessly.

Lian Shao Jie was startled by that reply and he then said with a laugh: "Having fun at my expense? Is it because you are actually still unable to let go of her and was unhappy hearing what I just said....."

Hearing that, Xuanyuan Che laughed lightly, his good looking countenance tinged with a barely perceptible but meaningful smile. "I thought that since you are always talking about her before me, I thought that you might have developed an interest in the Faint MIst Sect's greatest beauty instead?"

Lian Shao Jie almost choked, before he glared at the man beside him. "Nonsense! I wouldn't want to press a warm face against cold buttocks."

"Oh, so you're just not confident, and is worried that it will be a loss of face when you fail to conquer the woman." Xuanyuan Che said, his face looking like something just dawned on him.

Lian Shao Jie knew that he would not win this guy in an argument, so he just scoffed coldly with a grunt, and then clamped his mouth shut, not going to say another word.

"Have the people from the Faint Mist Sect and the Limitless Sect arrived?"

——

Feng Qi and Yi Han who were just about to make their way to the Carefree Valley's guest hall immediately froze in their steps when they heard that voice, a little surprised when they saw the man walking out slowly from the bamboo house.

Yi Han was a man whose face had ruggedly good looks, a towering and brawny figure, an assassin in the Assassins Temple well known for his strength. It was said that the strength of those fists could kill a ferocious wild beast, their power explosively powerful.

"Ah Zhan, you're here in the valley?" Feng Qi asked, his eyes blinking in surprise. Remembering the man's question, he then nodded. "Someone came in to inform us that they have arrived, and we were just about to make our way over there."

He then seemed to recall something else after saying that and opened his mouth to say: "Oh right. You asked me to look for a young lady with outstanding looks and unsurpassing skills in Medicine, and I have located a few targets....."

"No need. I already found her." Xi Zhan Chen interrupted the man, and then went on walking off in front.

Feng Qi and Yi Han looked at each other. [Is he..... going to the guest hall?]

[Has the sun risen up in the west today? Why does it feel like there's something strange about the man ever since he came back from his last trip?]

"Ah Zhan did manage to bring the Sacred Buddha Palm Lotus back the last time right?" Feng Qi asked.

Yi Han nodded. "That's right, and it now kept in the lotus pond behind the bamboo house in perfect condition.

"People from the other side had come to ask about it but Ah Zhan told them he did not see the Sacred Buddha Palm Lotus. What does that even mean?" Feng Qi's brows furrowed in puzzlement. "Is he regretting it now and does not want to hand the Sacred Buddha Palm Lotus over to them?"

Yi Han shook his head, indicating that he does not know as well.

——

After diffusing the danger twice in two obstacles, they did not encounter anything else but came to reach the Carefree Valley's guest hall.

Because the Carefree Valley was nestled among the mountains, the materials used for their houses were mainly stone and bamboo. It made everything look unconventional and refreshingly new, causing everyone's eyes to light up.

"It must have been an arduous journey for our guests who came such a long way. Please come in and have a seat to get some rest!" Yan Jue gestured invitingly with a smile. "The Valley Chief will arrive in a moment."

Qing Yu found herself a seat at the corner and sat down, which was coincidentally nearer to her and was quieter.

There were two empty seats beside and Lou Jun Yao went on to sit down beside her while Mu Lai took up the seat on the other side. Qing Bei who had not seen his elder sister for days was not even able to get close before finding himself being squeezed out from both sides. There was no need to mention how aggrieved he felt when he had no choice but to go silently sit at the next table.

Qing Yu shook her head helplessly and gave the youth a comforting smile, signalling that they'll talk later when there was a chance.

She had just settled into her seat when she felt a rather familiar gaze was fixed on her. She raised her eyes up to look and saw that it was one that she had not seen for quite some time, Yan Ning Luo.

She had seen the woman quite often back at the Deviant Department but ever since the time that she accidentally overheard the woman confess her feelings to Qing Ye Li and was rejected, she had not seen that woman come again.

Qing Yu was thinking, that the fella Little Ye had never known how to treat a lady right and be gentle with them, and Yan Ning Luo had probably given up after having been rejected.

But upon seeing that indecipherable look in the woman's eyes that were staring right at her now, she did not see any tranquility nor peace, but saw a scary dark surge rising in them.

Qing Yu curved up the ends of her lips, and turned her eyes away.

"The Valley Chief arrives!"

With that announcement sounding outside the door, a tall figure came walking in slowly among the people.

A middle aged man about forty years of age, dressed in a long light green robe. He wasn't that young a man anymore, and could see a certain kind of wise and mature charm from his face, and when he did not smile, he exuded a certain forbidding air naturally.

His footsteps were exceptionally firm and steady as he walked towards the seat on the elevated platform. His face then broke into a slow smile. "It's the day of the Three Great Sects' Friendship Meet Once again and it is being held in the Carefree Valley this year, which is such a great honor for us. I hope to be able to strengthen the friendship among our Three Great Sects through our Friendship Meet this year and may this friendship last much longer!"

Chapter 204: Teammates Like A Bunch of Pigs

Upon hearing those words, everyone raised their cups and murmured politely.

Qing Yu arched up an eyebrow. [You really can't judge a book by its cover. She would have thought that the Valley Chief of the Carefree Valley, as the head of so many assassins and killers in the Carefree Valley, would be a fierce and fiendish-looking man who exuded a highly murderous aura!]

[Never had she thought that he would be so presentable looking, where he could be easily mistaken as any regular businessman out there, graceful and suave. Nobody would really believe that he was actually the leader of a whole horde of assassins.

The word outside about this Valley Chief of the Carefree Valley, wasn't really that great. It was said that he was a treacherous and ruthless man, highly shrewd and sly. Seemed like a person's looks could really be deceiving.

"What? You're interested in that person?" The man right beside her asked with a soft laugh.

Qing Yu curved up the corners of her lips and shook her head. "I merely seem to be unable to sense the slightest hint of killer's instinct in that man. He looks a lot more like a regular person who does not possess any cultivated powers at all."

Lou Jun Yao was a little surprised as he looked at her and then went on to say: "You've actually hit the nail right on its head this time. The Carefree Valley's Valley Chief is indeed just a regular person with absolutely no powers."

"How is that possible?" Qing Yu blinked her eyes incredulously. "Then..... Then how did he come to be able to take on the position of the Valley Chief?"

With no powers of cultivation, if anyone came to harbor any insidious thoughts against him, wouldn't he be completely defenseless?

Seeming to understand the doubts in her mind, Lou Jun Yao went on to open his mouth to explain: "Besides the mysterious Assassins Temple, do you know what the Carefree Valley is most famous for?"

"What?"

"Besides the Assassins Temple, the other most talked about thing by people are the Four Demon Ghosts who are never away from the Carefree Valley's Valley Chief, Ji Yan Long's side. It is said that the powers those people possess are so powerful that it surpasses what the Constellation Lands can withstand. They are always at Ji Yan Long's side, protecting the man, watching at a distance even when he is asleep. Hence, anyone who seeks to sneak up to harm him will never be given a chance to strike."

"Why would the Four Demon Ghosts be so loyal to him? How is the Carefree Valley's Valley Chief able to tame them so completely?" Qing Yu asked in bewilderment.

Lou Jun Yao looked at the young lady and his eyes changed subtly. It was only a while later that he opened his mouth to say: "Although Ji Yan Long does not possess any cultivated powers, he has an incredibly shrewd and astute mind, and a highly heaven defying ability. He is able to return a dead soul to life, by implanting it into a live person's body. This method is safer and more secure than forcibly taking over, as there will be no side effects, by pure and simple replacement, living once again by assuming another person's identity."

Having spoken up to that point, he suddenly paused a moment. "And it is that amazing ability that led Ji Yan Long to befriend people with all sorts of extraordinary talents and skills, and be willing to work under him, as the man's unique ability is as good as them having two lives. The Four Demon Ghosts are actually already dead souls resurrected in live people's bodies."

Hearing that, Qing Yu knitted her brows, her expression darkening. Without knowing why, she suddenly thought of Qing Tian Lin. [Just how..... was he resurrected? Could it have something to do with this Carefree Valley's Valley Chief?]

"I heard that the Faint Mist Sect recruited quite a number of outstanding talents during their recruitment trials this year, and they even got an all element wielder during the test. I wonder if that prodigy is here today?" Ji Yan Long's voice was warm and gentle, smiling as he delivered the words.

Hearing those words, Qing Yu had not even yet opened her mouth when Yan Jue said from a distance away: "Valley Chief might not be aware of this, but when I came to hear about that, I was honestly highly astounded by it. To think that that prodigious all element wielder is actually a very young lady."

"Oh?" Ji Yan Long raised an eyebrow in surprise, his gaze subconsciously turning scan over the area where the Faint Mist Sect's disciples were seated.

Upon seeing that, Qing Yu had no choice but to stand herself up, and bowed her head slightly. "Greetings to the Valley Chief."

Ji Yan Long stared at the young lady with such an exquisitely beautiful countenance, his expression a little taken aback. It seemed like he had never thought that the rumored all element wielder would be such an outrageously beautiful looking little lass.

But he was stunned only for an instant, returning back to his senses very quickly. He then nodded with a smile on his face and said: "I can see that you're such an intelligent child with just one look. The Faint Mist Sect is truly fortunate."

Those words clearly sounded like they were just said out of politeness, like he himself did not really believe them all that much. Qing Yu merely curved up the ends of her lips and did not respond to the man, sitting back down after having greeted the host.

While everyone was murmuring in conversation, the sound of footsteps could be heard approaching from outside the doors.

In the lead was a tall and lean figured man in black robes, with an exceptionally outstanding looking countenance. His eyes long narrow like a crimson phoenix, his thin lips captivating, extremely good looking facial features. A fingernail sized blossom that was dark as ink marked a corner right below his eye, the flower petals blooming in multiple layers, looking exceptionally enchanting, which added a sort of devilish air to that handsome countenance.

Two men trailed right behind the first, one good looking and heroic looking, the other brawny and muscular, standing on the left and right just slightly behind the black robed man, looking like his loyal protectors.

It could be because of his exceptional senses, as Xi Zhan Chen immediately saw that familiar figure the moment he came in. His gaze stared fixedly at the young lady who was dressed in a pale purple dress, a striking contrast against her snowy fair skin, her tiny face captivating and alluring.

Seeming to have noticed his gaze upon her, the young lady slowly turned to look towards him, where she even smiled when she saw him.

Xi Zhan Chen's heart thumped, and he could not help but wonder when did she regain consciousness, and whether she had recovered from her injuries.

He had seen her block that highly lethal strike for him with his own eyes back on that day. When he saw her fall into unconsciousness, he really did not know how to feel, but had felt an unbearable wrenching pain in his heart, like needles piercing into it.

With that thought still on his mind, Xi Zhan Chen suddenly noticed the tall slender figure seated right beside the young lady. It was that mysterious and regal purple robed man who suddenly appeared, who went against the odds in that critical situation to save them.

The enormous dark zombie that he had been completely helpless against could not even stand up against one single strike under that man's hands. It was an absolute instant kill, the man's powers so strong that he had no choice but to admit defeat against that man.

Though Xi Zhan Chen could easily be considered to be one of the most highly skilled pugilists throughout these lands, his powers was far beneath that man in comparison. The one thing that he could be very certain of was that the man could not possibly be from these low leveled Constellation Lands.

He could very well have come down from above.....

Upon seeing the person who just stepped in through the door, Ji Yan Long was rather surprised. He then said with a laugh: "To think that you did not leave the Valley today. The sun must have risen up from the west today."

Although Xi Zhan Chen was the leader of the Assassins Temple, he seldom handled any of its affairs, all the tasks managed by a few of his subordinates. His personality was a little strange, never fond of noisy and crowded events like this, always hiding far away and would only return about ten days to half a month later.

So it was rather bizarre this time. Not only had he not shied away from the event, he had even come here into the guest banquet hall. And since he had come, that would also mean that he was going to participate in the Friendship Meet.

Upon seeing Xi Zhan Chen, Yan Jue's face also lit up with joy. He immediately went over to the man in a few strides and said: "Chief, it's great that you've come!"

Everyone was still trying to guess at the black robe man's identity and when they heard Yan Jue address the man as Chief, everybody could not help but be stunned. Yan Jue was among the top ten assassins in the Assassins Temple and an entity that was more revered than the Carefree Valley's Gold Badge Assassins. For a person to be addressed by Yan Jue as Chief, there was only just one man.

Ji Yan Long smiled and then said to everyone in the hall: "This is a good sign for this year's Friendship Meet. Even the Temple Chief of the Assassins Temple who had never once taken part for so many years has come."

Xi Zhan Chen's gaze did not turn as he went walking over to an empty seat to sit himself down, not saying a single word the entire time. Towards Ji Yan Long's and Yan Jue's warm welcome, he did not show the slightest response, his entire person seemingly exceptionally cold and aloof.

He was rather different from the time he met Qing Yu in the Faint Mist Sect's forbidden grounds, seemingly rather unfamiliar. He had clearly been both passionate and easy to talk to back in the forbidden grounds but the man at that moment felt to be highly aloof, and detached from the rest of the world, polar opposites of two different people.

It was during that moment of quiet that a disciple among the Faint Mist Sect's seats stared at Xi Zhan Chen for a good while before suddenly he suddenly opened his mouth to say: "Might I ask what is the name of this esteemed gentleman?"

Xi Zhan Chen did not reply but just looked at the person indifferently.

Everyone was a little confused. What was that person asking the Assassins Temple's Temple Chief for his name for? Although it wasn't entirely unreasonable for him to do that, it was still rather puzzling.

When the Faint Mist Sect's disciple saw that the man was ignoring him, he did not become angry but said with a smile: "The greatest assassin throughout the lands Xi Zhan Chen, nicknamed the Soul Reaper, able to have a man die in his dreams without anyone knowing, their faces contorted in horror as their souls depart from their bodies. It is said that only dead people have ever seen what he looks like but for one single unfortunate coincidence, where the assassination attempt was discovered by someone. He had just managed to escape but he was supposedly crippled for life in the end."

[What is the person trying to say?]

He did not make everyone wait for long as the man continued on to say: "The person who witnessed the assassination did not manage to see what the assassin looked like too clearly but he saw a highly prominent mark on his face, which was a black blossom just under the corner of his left eye."

[A black blossom.....]

[And under the corner of the man's eye, is really a blossoming bloom.]

[Could it be..... that this man is really the divine level assassin of legend?]

It must be known that though this divine level assassin was someone that people greatly revered and worshipped, his hands had come to be tainted with the blood of too many people of power and authourity.

Xi Zhan Chen's bounty on the most wanted list was a cool ten million in gold and if anyone were to get their hands on that, they would be able to live worry free for the rest of their lives, even if they were to squander their money every single day.

Feng Qi immediately looked at the crowd warily, as if he was fearful that they might ambush Xi Zhan Chen at any moment.

With so much already said, it wouldn't exactly be nice if Xi Zhan Chen still did not say anything to establish his stand on the matter. So went on to look emotionlessly at the person and stated: "So what if that's true?"

His reaction was really just too calm for words like he was not worried in the least with being recognized.

It was exactly that infuriating calm demeanor that got gnawed at people, irritating them. The Faint Mist Sect's disciple gave a scoffing laugh: "Nothing much, but I am just curious to see if I should spread the word that you are hidden here in the Carefree Valley, as that might make the Carefree Valley much more rowdy."

"Before that, you have to ascertain that you still have possession of your life." Lou Jun Yao then said nonchalantly.

Qing Yu beside him could not even be bothered to say anything.

So it seemed like the Faint Mist Sect would actually have such a foolish fella to come blatantly taunt and challenge a person in their own territory. [Does he really not fear death or does he think that the Carefree Valley, a place that specializes in nurturing cold blooded and heartless assassins was just a joke?]

[That foolish brain on him has really dragged everyone down.]

Chapter 205: First Disagreeable Word and Teasing Starts

Not only Qing Yu, but everyone else from the Faint Mist Sect were staring at the disciple who spoke like they were looking at a pig.

So what if he knew Xi Zhan Chen's identity? Would he be someone who would be afraid of being persecuted? Not to mention that he was the leader of the Carefree Valley's Assassin Temple, just any single one person from the ten great assassins under him would be a big enough headache for anyone to tangle with, what's more the many other subordinates.

To think that that person would dare to challenge Xi Zhan Chen so blatantly, does he think that he has lived too long?

With every single person in the Assassins Temple, which one among them did not worship Xi Zhan Chen like a deity? How could they possibly tolerate anyone being so impetuous to their idol?

The faces of Feng Qi and Yi Han immediately changed, and even the ever smiling and good natured Yan Jue expression had turned rather cold. [Is this fool tired of living? How dare he challenge the Chief so openly like this!?]

Immediately, he was unable to hold himself back and he started to throw a fit. He looked at the Faint Mist Sect's disciple with an indeterminable smile. "I wonder if your actions had stemmed from your own volition or were they carried out under the Faint Mist Sect's instructions? It looks like the Faint Mist Sect is well prepared to let things take an ugly turn during this year's Friendship Meet."

When the disciple heard Yan Jue say that, he then probably realized at that moment that this place was not the Faint Mist Sect where he could shoot his mouth off as he pleased uninhibited, but was actually the territory of a bunch of people who killed without even needing to blink, and he immediately became rather resentful but did not dare to say another word anymore.

But Yan Jue was not about to let him off so easily. He laughed coldly as he swept his gaze over the group of Faint Mist Sect's disciples, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he said: "The Faint Mist Sect is really becoming more and more half-hearted about events between the sects. Even with such an important event like the Three Great Sects' Friendship Meet, they can only afford to send such unworthy disciples, which only tell me one thing. It looks like the leading position among the Three Great Sects will soon undergo a change in ownership."

Indeed, among the people from the Faint Mist Sect who came this time, besides Su Li Mo who was a highly familiar face to everyone, many of the other disciples were seemingly newly joined recruits, so Yan Jue words could not be completely denied.

And that disciple who had spoken up without even thinking it through at all, was really just too foolish. Trying to expose Xi Zhan Chen's identity on such an occasion, how could the Carefree Valley possibly be so courteous to give him face?

That disciple was suddenly highly flustered and his face burned a deep red, not knowing what could possibly have come over him just now that gave him the courage to taunt a legendary divine-level assassin just like that. That person was an absolute demon who killed without even blinking, his hands immersed in blood.....

Su Li Mo silently cursed several choice expletives inwardly in his heart before he turned to look at the unfriendly-looking Yan Jue. He then tried to smooth things over as he said: "That fella does not know his own place and was only babbling nonsense here. I would think that the Carefree Valley would not take it to heart. I guess he became too excited when he saw the lands greatest assassin and blurted out things he should not have said, which is something entirely understandable. I would think that the Valley Chief should be able to understand the heart of a person who reveres people who possess such great power!"

Ji Yan Long smiled and nodded his head. "That is naturally understandable. Just forget it since it is just a misunderstanding. If the relationship between our two great sects turns sour because of such a small matter, both sides would only stand to lose with nothing to gain."

SInce the Valley Chief had given the Faint Mist Sect a way out, Yan Jue knew that he could not pursue it any further. His face was dark as he thought to himself: [The one who dared to disrespect the Chief, he was not going to spare him.]

[He's already here within the Carefree Valley, so even if he did not leave his life here, he would at least have to leave a few layers of his skin behind to make him remember this. That will make him realize just how insignificant the weight he carries really is, and to not think he is all that great just because he is a member of the Faint Mist Sect.]

"Forgive us for the affront." Su Li Mo then said as he bowed his head slightly towards the expressionless Xi Zhan Chen.

Xi Zhan Chen's tone of voice was indifferent. "It's nothing. I never did care about such things at all."

The sudden dangerous atmosphere just now immediately dissipated and it felt a little awkward for a moment. Especially for the spectating Limitless Sect, who did not know whether they should act as if they did not understand what they just heard or to pretend they did not even hear anything.

"In that case, I implore for everyone to first rest and reorganize yourselves, to refresh and hone your energies. Once the mist around the Fleeting Cloud Fortress has dispersed, we will then make our way up."

Ji Yan Long then gave a few instructions to the servants waiting at his side before he said to everyone: "Everyone can go rest for awhile in the guests rooms that have been prepared for you, and when it is time, I will send my people to go inform everyone."

The Fleeting Cloud Fortress was one of the wondrous sights in the Constellation Lands and it was the most mysterious place in the entire Carefree Valley. The place was constantly surrounded by swirling mist that would not disperse, only revealing itself when night fell. It had a stairway that had more than ten thousand steps, stretching so far that the end could not be seen.

It was said that it was a palace an almighty entity from far ancient times magically conjured up with divine powers, and the place contained countless strange and mysterious secret martial arts manuals. If anyone were to be fortunate enough to gain the legacy of that almighty entity, they must surely be luck and fortune accumulated over the person's several past lives.

Qing Yu closed her eyes and sat in a half lotus position on the bed. The tips of her ears pricked up and she heard the faint and almost undetectable sound of footsteps outside the door. The clear and melodious voice that had a robust texture to it then sounded, calling out gently. "Qing Yu."

She opened her eyes, feeling a little bewildered, but she still climbed off the bed and went to open the door. A lean black robed figure stood outside, and upon seeing her behind the door, his beautiful eyes seemed to flash briefly with a bright glint.

"Why have you come?' The corners of Qing Yu's lips lifted up slightly, as she went on to ask with a smile.

Xi Zhan Chen's measuring gaze swept over her from head to toe quickly, before he immediately asked: "How are your injuries? Have you recovered?"

[That would not happen so quickly. She was in so much pain she immediately fell into a dead faint that day, so her injuries could not have been light.]

Hearing his highly concerned words, Qing Yu was taken aback a moment before she smiled slightly and shook her head. "I am fine now."

Xi Zhan Chen was silent for awhile before he suddenly asked in a low whisper: "Back then, why did you go block that strike for me?"

Qing Yu raised an eyebrow and looked at the man. "Speaking of that, I would really like to ask you. You intentionally went to aggravate that dark zombie to draw its attention onto yourself. Were you trying to give me a chance to run away at the cost of your own life?"

Xi Zhan Chen hesitated a moment before he acknowledged with a soft "Mm."

"Why? We were merely two strangers who met in passing that day. Or were you always so righteous and valiant t raise your sword to help others all along?" Qing Yu could not help but smile and ask.

"Only with you." Xi Zhan Chen's eyes narrowed. "Moreover, you saved my life once before, so that makes you my saviour."

[They were not just strangers who had met for the first time.]

At least that was the case for him, where he could feel right in his bones a familiarity towards her, like they had known each other for many years. Moreover, to him, she was a very important existence, like she existed in a memory that he had lost before.

"You do not need to feel like you owe me anything. Everything is determined by fate and karma. You were destined to encounter this tribulation and meant to meet me to help you avert the crisis. It's all predestined." Qing Yu opened her mouth to say.

Xi Zhan Chen twitched a corner of his mouth. "Maybe....."

She did not know whether she was imagining things, but she just could not help feeling that Xi Zhan Chen's words were hiding a deeper meaning behind them, as they seemed to be filled with a twinge of helplessness.

Just as the two of them fell silent, the door next door was suddenly opened.

Lou Jun Yao came walking out from inside, and when he saw Xi Zhan Chen, he did not show the slightest ripple of emotion on his face, like he was completely unsurprised as he turned to glance at Qing Yu. "Come over to take your medicine."

The expression on Qing Yu who still had a smile hanging from the corners of her lips suddenly froze. "Haven't I already recovered?"

"Before the wound heals fully, you have to take your medicine every day. Hurry up and come." Lou Jun Yao then just turned around and immediately went into his room upon finishing that statement.

Qing Yu's face was highly aggrieved and the young lady who had always placed great emphasis on manners and etiquette did not even offer a parting word to the man still standing before her as she shuffled her way into the room next door begrudgingly

Xi Zhan Chen's eyes unconsciously narrowed, and his hands under his sleeves clenched up tightly into fists.

In the room next door, Qing Yu who had been prepared to die a martyr, to bravely face her doom did not come to see any trace of the horrifying medicinal brew in there. She sniffed her nose to check and did not detect any scent of herbs or medicine around.

She was immediately puzzled as she asked: "Didn't you say I need to take my medicine?"

"I lied."

The man's tall figure was seated by the low table, his well defined and beautiful looking fingers lifting up the teapot to pour out a cup of tea. A cloud of steam rose lazily, fogging up the man's handsomely exquisite countenance which seemed to reduce the devilishness by a notch, and added a tinge of warm tenderness instead.

He had just said those words when Qing Yu was stunned into a daze for a while. It was only when she came back to her senses that she asked him: "You lied?"

[What is she not able to understand what he is saying?]

Lou Jun Yao took a light sip of his tea before he came to say slowly: "With that Xi Zhan Chen, you must remember to keep your distance from him. Even if he comes to ingratiate himself with you, do not foolishly just believe everything he says."

Qing Yu was a little surprised. Never has she thought that he would be talking about that. She could not hope but to go sit down across from him and ask: "Are you saying that because you know something?"

Lou Jun Yao just smiled and did not say anything, as he calmly finished his cup of tea. Qing Yu was still patiently waiting for him to say something more but even after a long while, he did not say anything to explain further.

Qing Yu was immediately feeling a little exasperated. "What do you mean by cutting yourself off halfway like that?"

"Some things wouldn't be so meaningful anymore if it is spelt out too clearly. It is better to let you find out for yourself which would give a better sense of achievement." Lou Jun Yao went on to reply.

"I do not want to find out for myself. Can't you just tell me?" Qing Yu raised an eyebrow to look at her, a little displeased.

"You want me to spell it out for you?" Lou Jun Yao curved up the ends of his lips, looking at her with a faint and almost imperceptible smile. As they were alone, the color of his eyes was not altered with illusory techniques and the violet orbs were like precious stones filled with endless stars, intoxicating just looking at them.

Although that was already such a familiar sight, already used to seeing the uniquely handsome face of the man exceptionally favored by the gods, Qing Yu's heart still could not help but be drawn towards him a moment.

A twitch then formed at the corner of her mouth and she was speechless with herself for a moment. "Why are you looking at me like that..... Are you trying to seduce an innocent young maiden to commit a crime or what? Unfortunately for you my willpower is strong enough, so I will not waver and fall for your bewitching spell."

"Is that so?" Lou Jun Yao was tickled into laughter by the stoic and serious demeanor on her face and he then stuck his face in closer towards her, his warm breath brushing over her cheek, which felt a little ticklish.

Subconsciously, she tried to lean her head away from him, trying to put some distance between them, but she then heard his low magnetic voice say: "Little fox, you're just an innocent young maiden? Hmm?"

If one listened closely, one would detect a tinge of mirth in his voice, like he was making fun of her. Qing Yu was immediately a little infuriated and she turned her head back fiercely. "In what way am I not....."

Time stopped in that instant.

The unfinished words suddenly halted just like that, disappearing when she touched something warm.

Lou Jun Yao's irises contracted, where it was clear he had not expected that she would turn around so suddenly as well, to have her soft luscious lips stick right smack onto his.

Except for the time when he fed her medicine while she was unconscious, the two of them had never had such an intimate moment, especially while she was conscious. This was completely unprecedented, their very first time.

There was a faint fragrance on the young lady's body, not the scent of rouge or cosmetics, but a most natural kind of fragrance, mixed with a unique and refreshingly subtle smell of herbs. All that mixed together, not only was the smell not unpleasant, it instead made a person can't help but want to get closer to her.

Chapter 206: Don't Say Anything, Kiss Me

The young lady's flawlessly exquisite face was so close to him, enabling him to see it even more clearly just how smooth and fair her complexion really was, soft and tender like a freshly peeled egg, alluring and radiant.

It was initially just an accidental bump into each other, but the two of them just froze in place, their eyes wide as they stared, so stunned that they were not able to react at all for a very long while.

The man's devilishly mesmerizing violet irises deepened. [Has the little one lost her mind? She's just remaining there still stuck to him and not moving away. So..... is she playing with fire and trying to seduce him?]

Initially, as they got more familiar and closer to each other, something in his heart was already subtly changing. In the beginning he had just found her to be interesting and seeing how talented she was, he had made exceptions for her repeatedly, appearing by her side to help her resolve the difficulties she encountered many times.

Protecting her, not allowing anyone to inflict any harm onto her, because he came to discover that it stung his eyes badly whenever he saw the lass hurt.

Hence, clearly knowing that his own body's constitution was unique, where he cannot afford to carelessly not get injured, he still went ahead to help the young lady get rid of the pain on her behalf, even though he would feel like he had been severely beaten up by someone, suffering pain that was almost worse than death after he gets injured, that would take a very long time for him to recover from.

But to be able to see the lass alive and well again, how did all that matter?

Only the Heavens knew how fearful he was of seeing her lie on the bed without moving an inch, looking so lifeless. Whenever she had fallen unconscious into a coma, her body would break out in cold sweat, her breath become weak and frail, like she might just die at any moment. Hence at those moments, he would stay to keep a tight watch over her, not daring to step away, fearing that she might just not wake up from her sleep.

Bai Zhi Yan was always teasing him, whether he harbored insidious designs towards the young lady, and when did he start to develop such thoughts towards the lass?

Alas, the human heart, was so inexplicably complicated..... Who could really accurately say how the heart worked?

But the thing he could be certain of was that this young lady before him was someone very different. He had lived for over two hundred years and had seen people in all kinds of shapes and sizes. No one had been able to draw his eye at all, and no one had ever made him feel this way.

Like, someone he would like to have by his side forever.

In that moment, as if unfathomable cosmic forces were at work, just as the young lady snapped back to her senses and wanted to move away from the man, he suddenly stretched a hand out and clasped her tightly in an embrace, and the lips that had parted just barely a mere moment ago were strongly pressed together once more.

At such close proximity, it could be seen in the young lady's beautiful phoenix like eyes, a sudden widening of her irises from shock and astoundment, together with helpless fluster.

[Tsk, little one, you delivered yourself up to the door and you're thinking of running away now? Don't even think about it!]

Qing Yu was only able to stare with her eyes widened, her mind a complete blank. The slight sensation of pain was felt on her lips as the man's lips recklessly gnawed invasively, tyrannical and not to be refused.

[What..... is this fella doing?]

[If she isn't understanding this wrongly, he's kissing her?]

[But..... when did their relationship come to be on such familiar terms till they could do something so intimate?]

It was not until the man wantonly invaded onto her lips that Qing Yu then came to regain her senses. Her eyes misted over slightly, looking indescribably enchanting.

Seeing the young lady's slightly dazed expression Lou Jun Yao then laughed softly, the thumping under her chest exhilarating to feel, the young lady indolent and mesmerizing to see. He suddenly lowered his head to peck lightly at the lips that had turned lusciously rosy from the earlier kiss, his voice edged with a slight raspiness as he said: "If you want to kiss me next time, you do not have to be so sneaky about it. I will not resist and am willing to let you have your way with me."

Qing Yu was absolutely speechless. "....."

[When had she wanted to do this to him? And she had been sneaky??]

[Can this man be anymore more shameless? He had clearly shamelessly taken liberties with her and he could actually still utter such nonsense now?!]

[The saying of old had really been right. Shameless people are invincible!]

Qing Yu gave him a mirthless smile as she broke free from under his arms and then said in a highly rational tone: "I will take it that you forgot to take your medicine today and lost your mind, and will not hold it against you as I still have need of your help afterall. But the next time you go mad and want to bite someone again, remember to tell me. You will be fine with a few pricks of the needle from me. And you do not have to worry about that, as seeing that we're friends, I will not charge you a single cent."

Lou Jun Yao was a little taken aback. He had thought that the young lady would react like she did before, either to explode right on the spot, or become indignant from humiliation and look like she was going to kill him with a ferocious gaze, or to keep her anger inside and give him the cold shoulder for several days..... Never had he thought that she could still be so calm!?

But, those words still showed that her anger was not slight at all.

Lou Jun Yao lowered his eyes and laughed softly. "Since you have need of my help, there has to be some form of remuneration. But with the kind of relationship we have between us, things like money and material things are too cheap to mention, so....."

"Qing Yu arched up an eyebrow. "So what?"

[Just seeing the expression on that fella's face and she knew that nothing nice was going to come out of that mouth. And..... just what kind of a relationship did they have? He made it sound so unclear and intimate, is he asking for a beating?]

"Mm..... The next time I go mad and want to bite people, you do not have to waste the effort with your needles. Might as well just sacrifice yourself!" Lou Jun Yao said as he blinked his eyes, his demeanor deadpan earnest.

Qing Yu could not find the words to say right at that moment. "....."

[What does that mean? Sacrifice herself??]

She just could not make herself react in that instant, but then suddenly linked his words to what she had just said and recalled the shameless deed he had just committed before she almost wanted to burst out laughing from exasperation.

"Lou Jun Yao." She suddenly called out his name in a tender soothing voice, her lips curling up at the corners.

She had been cold and detached just a moment ago and had suddenly turned to become so warm and gentle. Lou Jun Yao arched up an eyebrow in surprise, not knowing what kind of a scheme the young lady was hatching in her mind.

He then saw a smile slowly bloom like a flower upon those lips. The person who could not wait to get away from him was at that moment actually leaning in close to him, her phoenix like eyes seductive and her voice titillating, her beautiful face strumming the chords in his heart with that smile, every movement she made so enticing.

Truly a demoness born to seduce people.

Her lips parted slightly and she asked slowly in a captivating voice: "Have you fallen for me?"

The expression on Lou Jun Yao's face became hesitant, never expecting that she would ask that, which caught him completely off guard.

He narrowed his eyes and did not answer her directly, but merely laughed softly as he pulled the distance between the two of them even closer, their foreheads almost going to touch. "What do you think?"

The mysterious vortex swirling within those violet orbs could almost suck a person's soul right into them. In the end, Qing Yu was unable to stand up against the devil who had lived for more than two hundred years. As he spoke, his thin lips seemed like they were almost going to kiss her as he slowly leaned in closer and closer. It seems he was making it a habit of taking liberties with her.

Qing Yu drew in a deep breath and pushed back against the man's chest with one hand, putting some distance between themselves, her head turning away to one side as she tried to calm down the emotions surging up inside from the man's sudden kiss.

Lou Jun Yao rested his chin on the palm of one hand as he tilted his head to stare fixedly at her, a happy smile hanging from his lips.

[Had he been too rough just now and had given the little one too big a fright?]

[Mm. Things like this must be taken slowly, or it would be disastrous if he came cause her to dislike him.]

The sky was turning dark and it was almost time to go to the Fleeting Cloud Fortress.

"Xi Zhan Chen went to look for that prodigious young lady from the Faint Mist Sect?"

Hearing the report from a subordinate, Ji Yan Long laughed, feeling rather amused. "He was never prone to showing such feelings, never interested in worldly affairs. Except when he's out on a mission, he would always remain in that bamboo house and would not take a single step outside. So what could be the reason for him to take such actions this time?"

"I heard that the young lady possesses a flawless countenance, a true rare beauty and also a prodigious all element wielder, so she is naturally extraordinary. Maybe it is because she is so different from others that made him pay her so much attention."The subordinate behind him then ventured a guess on his own.

Ji Yan Long's face smiled meaningfully and he then shook his head lightly. "Xi Zhan Chen is a very strange man. From the day that I brought him back here, he had then decided on his own to establish the Assassins Temple. I had only indulged him because what he did was beneficial to the Carefree Valley as it would expand the Carefree Valley's might. Despite the fact that he holds such great powers, he had never cared for vain titles and fame, always keeping a very low profile within the Carefree Valley, never seeming like he was plotting anything. I have never been able to fathom just what is it that he really seeks....."

"What is Xi Zhan Chen thinking? Not mentioning whether he is scheming something by getting close to the young lady for the moment, what your subordinate does not understand is something else."

The subordinate contemplated for a moment before he suddenly opened his mouth to say: "Xi Zhan Chen had never failed any mission he went on, regardless whether it was to assassinate someone or to retrieve an item. But with the Sacred Buddha Palm Lotus this time, he actually slipped up. Doesn't the Valley Chief think..... that something feels strange?"

Ji Yan Long raised an eyebrow to look at the man. "What are your thoughts about that?"

"Your subordinate thinks that it's impossible that he failed. Something must have happened during the mission."

"That is indeed unusual." Ji Yan Long nodded as he rubbed his chin, a deeply thoughtful look coming to show on that amiable and harmless looking face. "It looks like something interesting must have happened on his last trip out!"

Night descended and the people from the Three Great Sects participating in this year's Friendship Meet had all gathered together. Besides the participating disciples, people who wanted to spectate were also allowed to follow them up.

But the Fleeing Cloud Fortress was not a place that was easy to go up to. One would need to climb over ten thousand steps and no spirit powers could be employed or they would be sent flying out by the barrier array at the Fleeting Cloud Fortress. At that height, it was really no joke. If one was already halfway up and was struck down, haha, not to mention they would have wasted all that effort and be out from the competition, whether their corpse could still be found in one piece was another question.

Hence, even though the Fleeting Cloud Fortress was one of the most wondrous sights in the Constellation Lands, no one had ever been able to easily climb their way up there, as it was not only a great test of one's physical endurance, one needed to also possess extraordinary determination. If one was not able to persevere all the way right to the top but wanted to give up halfway, there was no chance for such regrets with death the only other option.

With the Fleeting Cloud Fortress, there was actually a beautiful legend surrounding it.

It was told that the place tested how true of heart the love between two people really was as only for people who were truly in love, would they be able to reach the top to the Fleeting Cloud Fortress for their loved one, to make a wish within the Fleeting Cloud Fortress that would definitely come true.

For a man and a woman, the hidden hands of fate would be guiding them along, the two of them destined to end up together.

"Don't know whether the legend of the Fleeting Cloud Fortress is truly real, but reaching the top is the first thing that everyone needs to do now, and all of you must definitely persevere till you reach up there or you would come to lose your life if you give up halfway. So all of you must choose carefully." Ji Yan Long repeated as he beamed at everyone, his gaze sweeping over them.

"Everyone will also be welcome to verify whether the legend regarding two people in love is fact or fiction, as with such a great number of people here, maybe your destined one is among them. So on this climb up to the Fleeting Cloud Fortress, men and women would move separately, each group entering from a different side while we quietly await for your good word."

Chapter 207: Come Here, Let Me Tell You A Secret

Besides just taking one step after another to scale your way up to the Fleeting Cloud Fortress, there is another secret passage that would take you all the way up to the top. But this secret passage was known only to one person, Ji Yan Long alone. He was just a regular man with no cultivated powers, and he could naturally not be able to compare with all the others who hold deep powers of cultivation.

Hence, he was the only person who used the secret passage to go up there, while all the others including the Carefree Valley's internal members had to reach the Fleeting Cloud Fortress based on their own strength, with no exception of favoritism.

As men and women moved out separately, Qing Bei was naturally unable to follow Qing Yu. He could not help but look worriedly at her. His lips moved slightly, like he wanted to say something, but someone then hooked an arm around his shoulders from behind, and pulled him along together. He turned his head to look, and saw the man's violet eyes sparkling with an extraordinary light under the night, exceptionally beautiful to see.

"I'll be watching over this kid here. You just remember to be careful with everything you do." Lou Jun Yao curved up his lips, as he gazed tenderly at the young lady. "If you come to encounter any kind of danger that you are not able to resolve, you have the communication device I gave you don't you? Remember to call out to me."

The expression on Qing Yu's face changed slightly, but she did not say anything and just nodded her head slightly.

Although this fella usually acted a little odd and was even often thuggish at times, he had never held back when it came to helping her. In regards to that point, Qing Yu was really rather grateful to him.

Just when she was about to go in through the entrance, the man suddenly called out to her.

Qing Yu turned herself around slightly, and looked at him in bewilderment.

Lou Jun Yao laughed, the sound becoming exceptionally magnetic and melodious under the night. He then asked her in a soft voice: "About the Fleeting Cloud Fortress' legend. Do you believe it?"

Qing Yu blinked her eyes, rather surprised that he would show interest in that, but she still replied truthfully. "With things like that, it's true if one believes in it and false if one doesn't, isn't it?"

The smile at the corners of the man's lips deepened. "I feel that it's rather interesting though. After we reach the top, I have something to tell you."

"What is it that you cannot tell me now?" Qing Yu raised an eyebrow and asked.

"I can't now." The man's face showed a mysterious smile and he ignored the young lady after that, grabbing at Qing Bei to go into the entrance on the other side.

Qing Yu could not help but feel a little frustrated. [What does that fella want to tell her?]

That thought was still lingering in her mind when a gust of wind blew past her. She turned around and saw a slim seductive looking figure passing beside her, white robes billowing, carrying an air of noble aloofness that made people not dare to get too close.

[Yan Ning Luo?]

Qing Yu arched up an eyebrow, but did not notice anything strange. Mu Lai and Ming Yi Yi came walking over from the side right after that, each of them holding one side of her, and Qing Yu did not pay any more attention to it.

At the Fleeting Cloud Fortress, only when one was standing at the highest point would they be able to see the unbelievable view below.

At that moment, Ji Yan Long and the Four Demon Ghosts who were never far from his side had reached the top through the secret passage. He gazed down from that high point and said with a soft laugh: "Wonder how many people will fall off from the Fleeting Cloud Fortress this time and have their bodies smashed to smithereens. From ancient times, people who are able to climb their way up here with their own strength have been few and far between."

One of the Four Demon Ghosts responded in a raspy voice: "It wouldn't mean much for them even if those people manage to make their way up here as only one as capable as the Valley Chief with unsurpassing intelligence can be the Fleeting Cloud Fortress' final host."

A deep and meaningful smile then curled up at the ends of Ji Yan Long's lips as he murmured softly: "That's right. The Fleeting Cloud Fortress is not a place that anyone can come up to so easily. But since they have chosen to deliver themselves to their deaths, what can I do....."

The people who were coming up were not just the disciples participating in the Friendship Meet competition, but it included many respected and highly revered personnel who held high positions in the other two great sects. Moreover, even the ones holding the highest authourity in the Faint Mist Sect and the Limitless Sect would be coming to spectate at the matches.

[Haha. He had all the time in the world to wait for them to come up here, but just how many of them would be able to make their way up here alive was not known yet.]

[He had already been very merciful to have given them a warning!]

Everything at the Fleeting Cloud Fortress was clearly presented to everyone before their eyes that night.

The path under their feet was rather uneven and bumpy. They were not surrounded in pitch black darkness but the place was speckled with soft glowing fairy lights like stars all around, some green some blue, a breathtaking sight that lent a sense of enchantment under the beautiful night sky.

"What is that? It's really pretty."

Qian Yun who had been by Ming Yi Yi side was drawn by the sight, and could not help but open her mouth to comment.

Girls just love to look at beautiful looking things and when they see it, they just cannot help but to reach a hand out to touch them. Qian Yun knew very well that beautiful things were usually dangerous but she still went ahead to stretch her hand out like she was bewitched.

The expression on her face was highly wary as she reached out, but before she could even touch the glowing light, a palm suddenly smacked her hand away.

Qian Yun felt as if she had just woken up from a dream, staring in bewilderment at the reddened back of her hand. She then turned her head to look at the young girl beside her. "Yi Yi, what did you hit me for?"

"If I did not smack you back to your senses, you would already be dead." Ming Yi Yi creased up her brows and continued to say: "Look carefully again to see what those things are. And you really dared to stretch your hand out to go touch them."

Hearing that, Qian Yun then summoned up a ball of pale green flames in her palm. This was soulfire that people of the Soul Cultivators Tribe were born with, linked with the fact that they possessed such powerful soul powers.

The burning flames lit up the slightly sinister feeling air surrounding them, and closely at the glowing lights more closely, Qian Yun's face turned pale from fright, almost letting out a squeal. The sudden light from the flames seemed to alarm the glowing lights, as they let out an ear piercing sharp screech.

All those tiny little green and blue glowing lights, in what way were they just a natural pretty looking phenomenon?

It was a bunch of blood sucking bugs whose wings were bigger than their bodies, and the light was emanating from their eyes.

These creatures were highly timid and as long as one did not go agitate them, they basically would not pose to be of any danger. But they were however a maniacal bunch where if you were to even accidentally touch one of them, they would think that they were under attack, and would counter attack mercilessly.

Thinking about it, with the Fleeting Cloud Fortress so high up, ten thousand steps of stairs up, filled fully with so many of those terrifying blood sucking bugs, just the thought of it will send chills up one's spine.

Setting that the girl was really quite shocked, Ming Yi Yi sighed and stretched a hand out to pat the girl comfortingly on her back. "That'll teach you not to be so careless again. How could you make such a mistake? You should know better than to go touch something so dangerous like that."

Qian Yun's body was still in shock, frozen in place. Her face was pale as she stammered: "I..... I don't know why. I was just unconsciously..... reaching my hand out wanting to touch....."

"You cannot blame it all on her." Qing Yu chirped in when she saw what was happening. "Those bugs have some rather unusual eyes and staring at them for too long would indeed mesmerize a person, causing them to do things that they are not aware of themselves....."

She had not even finished her words when a maniacal voice suddenly reached them, and many people were frantically trying to persuade her to stop.

"Hahaha..... I'm the strongest in the world...... I'm the most powerful..... Look..... I can fly..... I'm flying haha....."

Once she finished saying that, a petite little figure was seen suddenly leaping off right off from the Fleeting Cloud Fortress. Before anyone could even react, there was already no sign of her to be seen.

"Little junior~"

A number of people beside the spot she was standing at hung their heads and cried.

That entire scene had happened too fast and there was no way any one of them was able to prevent that tragedy from happening. Although they had not been moving all that fast but they had still come up a few hundred steps. That height, to a girl who had already lost her mind and was completely defenceless meant only certain death from the plummet.

"How....." Qian Yun's eyes were wide, her voice quivering quite a bit.

Qing Yu shook her head with a regretful sigh and then looked at the young girl and said: "Lucky for you you had not looked at them for too long and Yi Yi was still able to smack you back to your senses. Otherwise, I fear that your body might already have been sucked dry of blood by now."

"Let's all be more careful from here on and try to stick together. Do not stray too far away from the group so that we'll be able to help each other in time in case of any danger." Mu Lai said with a grave face, her voice tinged with a chill.

After that young lady's strange and sudden death, it made the bunch of girls quit being so careless and indifferent, but to become alert and wary, fearful for their lives.

On the stretch of their journey that came after that, besides being able to still see the countless number of blood sucking glowing bugs, they did not encounter anything else that was all that strange.

But that temporary spell of tranquility did not cause Qing Yu to let down her guard in the slightest. For they had merely covered less than ten percent of the tens of thousand steps of stairs, and who knew what kind of other dangers lay hidden behind them?

On the other side, things were not so good for the men. Almost a good half of them were showing wounds and bruises on their bodies, dismayed faces covered in dust, looking highly wretched.

But a certain someone stood out as the lone exception. Not only was his body clean and unspoiled as before, he looked every bit as suave as he did when they had just come in, without a single hair out of place, causing many people to be unable to help themselves but grit their teeth to see.

Only the Heavens knew what kind of an assault they had come under earlier.

The ground beneath their feet suddenly started to shake, and countless rock golems suddenly broke out from underground, striking them before they could even react.

There was limited space on those steps and they were not able to execute much of their moves. Moreover, Ji Yan Long had already said that no spirit powers were to be used, or they would be thrown right off by the barrier array on top at the Fleeting Cloud Fortress, their bodies impossible to find. So there was nothing they could do but only to defend themselves, and it could well be imagined just how exasperating it was for them.

There were ferocious beasts and human shaped golems transformed out of rock, all of them extremely strong and powerful, and they were relentless with their pursuit, impossible to shake off like they had no weaknesses at all.

Su Li Mo, Xi Zhan Chen and the others were able to handle things themselves easily but the others were not so fortunate where even Xuanyuan Che who was the seventh ranked inner circle disciple was a little dishevelled and covered in a bit of dust.

But there was still one single person who stood as the lone exception.

Maybe other people had not noticed it, but Qing Bei was able to see it clearly.

Lou Jun Yao. The deep and mysteriously unfathomable man had not even moved a finger all the way from the very beginning.

None of those golems even came close to the man. Maybe it was because of fear, but wherever he was as he made his way forward, all those monsters would clear a path for the man without needing any urging, surging around to attack the people behind him.

Qing Bei was most fortunate. Not even a single hair on him was hurt with the man protecting him the entire way.

He looked at the bunch of men with swollen noses and bruised faces behind him, their clothes tattered and torn, and he could not help but felt his mouth twitch, suddenly feeling that he had latched himself onto the great thigh of a godly entity, his entire path completely clear of obstacles.

Without needing to turn his head back to look, he was able to feel the eyes filled with such strong jealousy and envious hatred they were almost boring holes into his back.

"Erm..... Why are all these creatures not attacking you?" After having hesitated for like half the day, Qing Bei finally could no longer hold back but to ask the question that had been nagging him.

Chapter 208: Everyone's Stuck In A Hopeless Situation

The youth's exceptionally good-looking face was at least sixty to seventy percent alike to Qing Yu's and he was at that moment gazing highly curiously at the man beside him. Even the youth himself had not come to notice that in those good-looking eyes of his, they were tinged with an almost imperceptible sparkle of worship.

Lou Jun Yao curved up the corners of his lips and glanced at the youth to say: "Those golems have developed their spirit consciousness, so they would naturally not do something stupid like striking a egg against a rock. They know innately just how great the disparity in power really is, where even if all of them were to attack at the same time in a single surge, they will only end up being smashed up into dust."

Qing Bei raised an eyebrow and looked at the man doubtfully as he asked: "Are these monsters really able to sense that you're someone not to be trifled with more than everyone else and that is why they're keeping themselves far away from you?"

[But besides being a little more good-looking than most men, this man does not look to be all that much different from others doesn't he?]

Hearing that, Lou Jun Yao merely smiled quietly at the youth as he stretched a hand out to ruffled the youth's hair. "Wait till the day you become truly powerful and you'll then understand what I mean."

Caught off guard and finding his head being ruffled up, Qing Bei jumped back a couple of steps in shock as he stared incredulously at the man and said: "This... This habit of ruffling up people's head..... Did you pick that up from Qing Yu!?"

[It isn't enough that his head was always being rubbed like a little puppy by Qing Yu and now he has met a man who likes to ruffle his head as well? And the man holds such unfathomable powers that there was no way he would be able to stand against him, so he had no choice but to quietly let his head be rubbed.....]

[Thinking of that he felt that his life seemed so dark. Is his future one that he will forever be suppressed by these two people? Is he not allowed to have some dignity!?]

The changes over the expressions on the youth's face were really fascinating to watch, altering so many times before turning into one of utter despair. Lou Jun Yao curved up his lips feeling rather amused. "What? The lass likes to touch your head as well?"

[He had asked the lass why she would always throw such a fit whenever he touched her head. So it's because she was so used to touching the lad's head and was just not used to it happening to her instead.]

Upon hearing the man say "as well", the expression on Qing Bei's face was a little astounded as he asked: "Don't tell me that Qing Yu ruffled your head before....."

Lou Jun Yao scoffed upon hearing that. "She wouldn't dare."

Qing Bei then heaved a sigh of relief. [He had though.....]

"Keep close to me and stop daydreaming." The man called from in front and Qing Bei quickly snapped back to his senses, taking a few quick steps to go catch up.

Su Li Mo had already been rather curious about this mysterious purple robed man and having just witnessed the man's terrifying powers intimidate the enemies right before his own eyes, deterring them from attacking the man at all, that was not something that just any skilled pugilist was able to do.

He was not about to believe that this man was simply just a mere Seven Star Grade teacher.

And, he seemed to have appeared together with that lass Qing Yu, the relationship between those two appear to be rather close.

But, that lass was someone that the Chief was fond of and he would have to pay close attention to this man.

On the other side, Ji Yan Long was seated inside the majestic palace at the highest point of the Fleeting Cloud Fortress. There was a very big mirror inside the palace and through that mirror, he was able to see everything happening below inside the fortress, everything within his grasp of control.

Ji Yan Long was observing everyone through the mirror when the mirror suddenly turned a pitch black. A black mist then rose up and a voice filled with sinister mirth was heard. "Ji Yan Long, the Master has ordered for you to activate all of the Fleeting Cloud Fortress' traps and arrays. Not a single person who has come here in the Fleeting Cloud Fortress today can live but just the young lady named Qing Yu."

Hearing that voice, Ji Yan Long who had been sitting proud and straight up in that kingly throne was suddenly taken aback a moment, before he suddenly asked in confusion: "Why has the Master given such an order? Isn't it said that he will not interfere with my affairs? Moreover, there are many noble and important people with highly prominent backgrounds here in the Fleeting Cloud Fortress today, so if something unfortunate happens to them while participating in the Carefree Valley's Friendship Meet, how am I going to be able to answer for it to their people?"

The voice was still filled with evil malice. "These people have indeed not committed any wrong, but they can only blame it on the one single person who should not have set foot into this place is now here. The Master's objective is just that one person but nothing among all the ordinary and mundane things here in the Fleeting Cloud Fortress can do anything to him, and only the trap the Master has devised himself would be able to take down this person."

"Really?" Ji Yan Long was a little surprised. "Makes me wonder who could this person be?"

The face in the mirror clouded by black mist suddenly transformed, and the figure of a man appeared. Ji Yan Long found the figure to be unfamiliar, having no impression of having seen that person before. "Has this person offended the Master?"

"You do not need to know that. This person is not from the Constellation Lands but a highly skilled pugilist from a higher leveled realm. He holds extraordinary power and that is why ordinary methods would not be able to stop him. Remember to activate all the traps and arrays and the Master does not want this person to walk out from here the fortress alive. As for all the other people, you just do as you deem fit."

Hearing those words, Ji Yan Long's face turned pale from shock. "My Lord, the Constellation Lands is controlled by a set of laws. If I am to murder a person from a higher realm, I fear that I will suffer persecution. How could I possibly dare....."

"WIth the Master around, what do you have to fear? Very soon, the entire world will belong to the Master, so how much could just killing one person from a higher realm matter? You're always being so timid and afraid of trouble." The sinister sounding voice said with sarcastic contempt, his words filled with blind worship for his so called Master.

Bolstered with that guarantee, Ji Yan Long's worry in his heart then dissipated a little. That face who always carried an easy light smile looked a little grave at that moment.

Deliberating on it for awhile, Ji Yan Long finally opened his mouth to say: "In that case, then I shall follow the Master's orders. But if I come to suffer any persecution from this, I shall expect the Master to extend a helping hand."

"That will naturally be the case. As long as you serve the Master loyally, the Master will not treat you shabbily." The voice was arrogant and disdainful, and then continued to add: "Remember to not harm that young lady Qing Yu in anyway."

Upon saying that, the black mist in the mirror gradually dissipated and faded away, to show the view as it did before. At that moment, the fastest among the people had already ascended to reach over a thousand steps up the Fleeting Cloud Fortress, and among these people, was Qing Yu herself.

Ji Yan Long's face was one of incredulity as he shook his head and murmured: "Just who is this.... Qing Yu? Even that stone hearted and emotionless Xi Zhan Chen had tried to get close to this young lady, and now the Master was also treating her differently. How strange....."

—–

"Does anyone of you feel like it's getting colder the higher we go?"

Ming Yi Yi's lips were a little pale. Didn't know whether it was because she was afflicted with that frost poison for so many long years, she seemed to have become extra sensitive to any fall in temperature.

Although she had been cured of the frost poison and was not that afraid of the cold anymore, the sudden drop in temperature had still made her feel highly uncomfortable.

"I am feeling a little cold as well." Mu Lai nodded in agreement.

[Maybe not just merely a little cold.]

She lowered her eyes to look down at her hands, and she clenched up her long slender fingers. She actually saw a thin layer of frost break and fall in a glittering sprinkle.

Winter had clearly passed and the temperature should logically not fall so low. Moreover, the climate in the Carefree Valley was usually warmer than the wintry Faint Mist Sect that would be blanketed in pristine white snow.

Qing Yu who had been walking in front suddenly halted her steps and her eyes flashed with a sharp glint. Her cold clear voice then sounded: "Show yourselves!"

Hearing that, Mu Lai and the others were taken aback. [What is it?]

As Qing Yu's voice fell, many white-colored things fell from the night sky, and soon, a layer of silver frost had formed under their feet.

It had started to snow.

Strange occurrences can only mean that there's devilry afoot. The few of them immediately tensed up their bodies as they surveyed the surroundings warily.

Razor-sharp ice blades suddenly came shooting malevolently straight towards them, their tips tinged with a bright spot of blue.

Qing Yu's eyes darkened. "Look out! The tips of the ice blades are poisonous!"

The few of them quickly dodged away, and they saw the ice blades scratch the blood-sucking glowing bugs around them. In the very next instant, the light faded from those bugs, clearly already dead.

After the few of them barely managed to dodge those icy blades, a sense of calm seemed to suddenly fall over the place, where no other strange signs were seen.

The momentary peace passed very quickly and they felt a tremor under their feet, like something huge was approaching from the front, its heavy feet stomping on the ground with every step, lumbering towards them.

"What is that....."

Appearing from within the darkness before their eyes, was a gigantic ape formed out of ice and snow. Its long fangs extended out till its neck, its red eyes staring malevolently at the group of people.

Snow continued to fall relentlessly, not showing any signs of letting up at all, very quickly reaching ankle height.

Such a scene seemed to be rather familiar.

Qing Yu and Mu Lai looked at each other and they saw understanding dawn in each other's eyes.

Back when they had been in the demon beasts lair within the arctic region up in the north many years ago, they had accidentally fallen into a cave and they had encountered a similar scene just like this.

But what they encountered there had been an ancient ice human, the ice and snow almost burying them. They managed to escape from there in the end but they had only been about ten years old at that time.

Since time immemorial water and ice do not mix and ice is formed when water freezes, so it is afraid of fire.

But this was not just regular ice and of course any normal fire would not be able to do anything to it.

A highly radiant smile suddenly curled up at the corners of Qing Yu's lips as she looked at the young woman with a cool expression on her face beside her. "Do you remember that we took more than two hours last time to kill that ice person back then? I wonder how long we need this time?"

Mu Lai laughed scoffingly, her gaze disdainful as she stared at the ice ape that was fully intent on tearing them all to pieces. She then said coldly: "I think an hour will be more than enough this time."

"Then, my guess is half an hour." Qing Yu said with a smile.

The next second, with perfect unspoken chemistry, the two of them slowly raised their hands, one with gold and red flames, the other with her palm crackling with a deep electrifying purple light, lunging lighting quick into the air as the two spheres of elemental power crashed into each other, the power of the impact contorting the air surrounding the collision.

The two spheres of elemental powers contended with each other for a while before they meshed together. The two of them then threw out a palm strike at the same moment, throwing the powerful sphere of joint elemental powers straight towards the ferocious ice ape.

The ice ape roared loudly and opened its mouth wide, to swallow the elemental power sphere down into its belly. It looked like it was not affected in the slightest and it went on to launch a relentless assault on its two opponents.

The expression on Qing Yu's face remained unchanged, her gaze fixed upon the ice ape lunging straight towards them.

Counting down silently in her heart. [One, two, three.....]

"BOOM~"

An enormous explosion erupted, accompanied by a blinding intense fiery light, to blow up under the quiet night sky. It was such a large explosion that even the men who had entered from the other entrance from a different side were able to feel it.

Chapter 209: All Who Covet Qing Qing Has To Die

"What has happened here....."

"It was such a huge blast! Which level did that explosion happen at?"

"It was enormous! I wonder if the lassies were able to make it through that. I think that it's unavoidable that a good number of them were not able to live through that....."

The color of the flash of fire had not only been purely the fire element alone but was tinged with purple and gold, a combination of at least three types of elements. Hence, the blast had been so explosive that they were still able to feel the aftereffects even though quite a long while had passed.

"That must have been Qing Yu."

Qing Bei felt that the powers behind that blast was rather familiar and immediately knew that Qing Yu definitely had a hand in that enormous blast.

His brows furrowed together. "Could they have met with danger!?"

Lou Jun Yao glanced at the youth and told him: "Relax. She is able to protect herself well enough. With her level of cultivation and skills, very few things in this low-level realm can hurt her, unless it is something not from these lands."

That's right. This low-level realm seemed to be showing more and more strange abnormalities and the universal laws over the different realms looked to be of little use as they were no longer able to hold down these strange powers exceeding the realm's limits.

Just like what happened not long before, when the devilishly powerful dark zombie had appeared in these Constellation Lands.

It seemed like a mastermind was pulling the strings behind all these incidents.

"Ugh....." Accompanying that almost inaudible grunt, was the dull thud of a body falling to the ground following immediately after.

Everyone turned to look in puzzlement towards the source of the sound, and came to see a disciple wearing the Faint Mist Sect's uniform standing with his head drooping down, his hand held up in the air and his fingers curled up in the shape of a claw. The hand was all covered in blood, that continued to drip down to the ground.

Right by his feet, lay a Faint Mist Sect disciple. That person was lying on the ground with his face up, his eyes wide open and had a gory hole in his chest that had blood flowing freely out of the wound.

"Ling Yu! Have you lost your mind!?" Another Faint Mist Sect disciple shouted as he looked at the first disciple in shock. "Why did you do that?"

The man called Ling Yu kept his head lowered and did not respond at all. Seeing that, the infuriated disciple walked straight up to the guy and grabbed at his shirt collar and shouted: "Say something would you! Have you gone mad? How can you kill one of your own fellow disciple? You..... Arrrrgh~"

Before he could finish his sentence, his voice was replaced by a painfully pitiful scream.

Everyone saw Ling Yu who had not moved at all for so long suddenly grab the neck of the person before him before he leaned forward and bit right into it, and a gurgling sound was heard like he was sucking out the blood of his fellow disciple.

The person was initially still cursing loudly in rage and surprise but quickly stopped struggling after a while, and not a sound could be heard from him.

He was dead.

Ling Yu tossed the disciple who was no longer breathing down onto the ground before finally raising his head up. His mouth was smeared all over in blood, the expression on his face maniacal. "So..... delicious!"

His eyes were bright red, looking like a monster with an insatiable thirst for blood.

He then lifted his hand that was covered in blood and licked his tongue over his fingers for a taste, his eyes gazing greedily at the whole bunch of food in front of him. His expression became incredibly excited as he howled: "Blood..... I want blood, I want more blood!"

The moment his voice fell, his body moved very quickly to charge towards the several people closest to him. His two hands were like the sharpest weapons there was, instantly piercing right through two people's chest before he pulled his hands back quickly to continue attacking other people. It immediately turned into a chaotic scene and terrified screams broke out all over the place.

Lou Jun Yao was standing not too far away from there and his eyes were dark, deep as ink, a silent surge rising up within as the tall figure stood, not moving an inch.

The man who had lost his mind was caught up in the fervor of uninhibited slaughter and the ground was already littered with many dead bodies in myriad positions.

All of that was happening not too far away from them but standing in their positions, they were able to see everything that was happening down below. There was blood everywhere, staining the ground beneath their feet a grisly red.

There were several people with rather good levels of cultivation fighting him and trying to take him down but it did not seem to have much of an effect. It was as if the enemy had taken some booster drugs and was sweeping through everything before it.

Watching that scene, Qing Bei could not help but feel a little flustered. "What should we do? He will catch up with us here very soon....."

Lou Jun Yao said indifferently. "It's not him."

The youth looked at him puzzledly, not knowing what he meant by those words.

"It's them."

As Lou Jun Yao's voice fell, Qing Bei immediately knew what the man meant in the very next instant.

Because from the next level below on those steps, the sound of an intense flurry of footsteps could then be heard.

Saying there was an intense flurry to describe it was not exaggerated in the least as what reached everyone's ears was a chaotic mess of footsteps. That kind of number cannot be described as merely many but could be said to be terrifying.

"What..... What is happening here....." Both Qing Bei's eyes and ears could be said to have suddenly gone numb.

Before him, countless droopy headed, stiff bodied people with tattered clothes and their hands hanging limply by their sides had suddenly appeared.

The reason they are called people was because they looked human on the outside, but there were many other things that were not like what normal humans would do.

For example, the manner they walked. Their steps were sluggish as they staggered unsteadily, like they were not that mobile, but their pace was neatly uniform as they came to appear before his eyes.

Qing Bei stared with his eyes wide. "All these happenings....."

"Puppets." Lou Jun Yao slowly came to open his mouth to say, his face calm and tranquil without showing the slightest ripple of emotion. "Using dead bodies who have barely just breathed their last and were not completely dead to turn into puppets. They are several times stronger than those puppets created from dead corpses."

Hearing that, Qing Bei then turned to look back at the man who was still on a killing rampage. "Why did that Faint MIst Sect disciple become like that?"

"It must be because he was bitten by a puppet and did not die, but got tainted by the puppet's evil and deathly aura, turning into a blood thirsty monster who is neither man nor ghost." Lou Jun Yao explained.

His gaze then turned back to look at the constantly nearing puppets who were making strange sounds with their mouths, the expression his face looking a little complicated.

To think that such a thing would appear here in the Carefree Valley within the Fleeting Cloud Fortress.

If it was just purely the Friendship Meet between the sects, such a thing should not have appeared, and even if he possessed such a thing, Ji Yan Long would not have the audacity to release such monsters.

Among the people who came today, many of them were prominent people of high position in these lands. If something happened to them while they were here in the Carefree Valley, Ji Yan Long would not be able to answer for it to the outside world.

The Puppetry Technique was a skill lost to the world for many years and not to mention here in this low level land, it was rare to see even in Cloud Heaven itself. But despite that, this was already the second time that he was seeing puppets like this in this low level lands.

It was not known when the man's irises had broken its illusory magic and had turned an intense violet. Under all that frantic chaos happening all around, no one would notice the change in his eyes.

With those devilish eyes uncaged, they immediately received a memory fragment from one of the puppets.

It showed the fuzzy image of a man's figure, but the glib and evil sounding voice was just too familiar that it refreshed one's memory, or at least that memory came to leave a very deep impression in Lou Jun Yao's mind.

The fuzzy figure of the man became clear. It was a gently handsome looking man, his countenance as good looking as a god's. But in the very next instant, that handsome looking face twisted up evilly.

"Lou Bai Qian? If you are to die here today, it is all your own doing."

"Of all the things you should not have and must not have done, you shouldn't have set your eyes on my Qing Qing! Qing Qing belongs to me! Her body, her soul, every single strand of hair on her head, they are all mine!"

"Anyone who covets her, I will make them pay the price."

"And you, not only did you covet Qing Qing, you even seek to possess her. Absolutely unpardonable! I will make you suffer the greatest pain there is in this world. I will make you suffer a fate worse than death. Hahahahaha....."

The memory stopped there, and there was nothing after that.

Lou Jun Yao turned his gaze away. [It's that man afterall.]

[Besides that guy, nobody would be able to create so many puppets. Looks like the many kinds of danger here today were all set up just for him.]

[Ha! That is so thoughtful of him.]

To think that there would be such a crazed and perverted man in this world, who would harbor such shameless and insidious thoughts towards his own younger sister. How much more immorally corrupt could one be.]

The violet irises flashed with a bright glint and he suddenly remembered something.

"Keep this with you." The young lady handed a black porcelain bottle over to him and said: "Make sure you keep this safely on you. It will be useful at the most critical juncture."

"What is it?" He asked as he took it, giving it a shake. There was the sound of something sloshing inside, like it was some kind of liquid.

"This is my blood, the only way we know of countering the Puppetry Technique at the moment. Ordinary techniques have no effect against the Puppetry Technique and as those puppets are monsters impenetrable with blades or knife, unable to feel pain or exhaustion. No matter how powerful you are, and they are not able to hurt you at all, a swarm of ants can still bring down an elephant."

"They do not tire, but the time where your energy depletes will come, so remember to not clash head on with them."

He was a little confused as he stared at the tiny bottle in his hand. "I saw how much you bled in order to defeat those puppets. With this tiny thing here....."

He had not even finished with his words when Qing Yu understood what he was trying to say. She was silent for a moment before she said softly. "This is blood from the tip of my heart. The Heart's Blood of the purest bloodline. The power in one single drop of this is more than a hundred times stronger than my regular blood."

"How could you...... How could you be so foolish! Don't you know how dangerous it is? How can you do that!? What if something happened to you....."

Qing Yu's eyes were serious as she looked at him. She then said: "That guy will definitely avenge any humiliation inflicted onto him. Having failed this time, he will not give up. I do not want you to meet with any danger because of me. I do not wish for you to get implicated but you have already been dragged into this and he will not let you off."

"Remember what I am telling you. If you meet him, do not clash head on with him. You might be very highly skilled and few can stand up to you in Cloud Heaven, but powers exist in these lands that you are not able to fight against and his Puppetry Techniques is one of them."

Lou Jun Yao slowly came back to his senses and his large smooth had slowly pulled out a black porcelain bottle. He gently pulled off the stopper and the powerful aura of the blood wafted out. The puppet that had been approaching aggressively immediately retreated a step back in fear, like it was suddenly frightened of something, not daring to take another step forward.

Those were probably a bunch of low-level puppets that were controlled to carry out orders. But they were still able to instinctively sense things that posed to be of grave danger and all of them did not dare to go another step forward.

Very soon, an evil and sinister-sounding voice quickly rose in their minds to convey an order: "Kill that man!"

Chapter 210: Will Not Let You Die

Upon hearing that voice, the puppets that were all being hesitant and fearful suddenly started to stir once more.

Maybe the instinctive fear they felt inside was being overtaken by the control on their bodies, driving away the fear, even though the scent wafting out from the little porcelain bottle was able to make them lose their lives. They no longer retreated and there was only one thing on their minds. Kill!

Lou Jun Yao narrowed his eyes and he dripped one single droplet of blood onto a fingertip. The blood droplet then shot out, splitting into countless tiny specks as they tore through the horde of puppets in a sweep. Immediately, painful howls rang out in relentless waves.

The specks of blood that were too small to be seen were unbelievably damaging. When they landed on the puppets, they burned holes through their bodies with plumes of white smoke rising up.

All those blood droplets did not only damage their skin and flesh on the surface, but tore up the nerves inside, intensifying the pain they felt by many times, which brought their lurching advance to a halt.

But Lou Jun Yao did not let his guard down as he stretched a hand out to pull Qing Bei standing a short distance away to his side and said: "Do not turn your head back. Just keep making your way up."

Qing Bei was taken aback with shock. "What about you?"

"I can settle this, but you'll be holding me back by remaining here." Lou Jun Yao said harshly, and then gave him a slight push forward.

Caught off guard with that push, Qing Bei almost stumbled over his feet. Humiliated by those words which made him seem so useless, he could not help but feel a little angry, immediately turning himself around and leaving in a huff.

But he had just taken a few steps when he remembered Qing Yu's reminder to him, that he must not separate from this man.

Not exactly knowing why, but maybe he was so used to trusting Qing Yu, Qing Bei's footsteps came to a halt, hesitating as he did not know whether he should continue to move forward. But that momentary pause caused him to feel a gust of sinister wind to blow over his back and he quickly turned his head around. A puppet suddenly came leaping straight at him, his face malevolent as he lunged forward with a bite.

Qing Bei's eyes flared wide as he stared, seeing the terrifying puppet magnifying right before his eyes as the puppet came closer. Just as the monster came within punching distance, the puppet suddenly fell with a howl, his body twitching incessantly.

He slowly came back to his senses from the shock and he saw the purple robed man's handsome face turn grave, his violet eyes staring darkly at him as he said: "Why are you standing there in a daze? Didn't I ask you to leave quickly?"

[If anything happened to this foolish little kid, wouldn't the little fox extend her claws and scratch him to his death?]

Qing Bei creased up his brows, his eyes staring intently on the man. "You're hurt."

On the man's clearly defined hand and upon his slim palm, bright red blood could be seen slowly flowing down, the bright red of the blood a stark contrast against his fair skin.

Lou Jun Yao lowered his eyes to look at his hand. He got scratched by a puppet lunging at him in a moment of carelessness earlier.

Without waiting for the man to open his mouth to reply, Qing Bei was already saying with strong resolve: "I will definitely not hold you back."

The moment his voice fell, he had already rushed his way right among the puppets, hurling brutal lightning energy blades to sweep across the horde of puppets. In an instant, the bodies of all the puppets were covered with a crackling electrifying purplish blue light as they fell to writhe in spasms on the ground, howling incessantly.

Right before their eyes, the puppets seemed to be in great pain and were at a disadvantage. But very soon, they quickly recovered back their strength.

These puppets could not be killed because it was not known what their weakness was and it did not affect them no matter which spot they were struck. Even though the puppets could be made to stop attacking for a while, that was still not a solution afterall.

As the time will come when their own powers would be drained, but these things before them did not know exhaustion nor were they afraid of pain.

Lou Jun Yao's face darkened, his eyes looking at the wound on his hand. The blood was slowly turning dark red, a faint black tinge rising within.

Anyone bitten by these puppets would be infected, and turned into a monster with no awareness, but it was not such a severe situation for him as he was born with a unique body constitution. In addition to that, Qing Yu had helped him nurse and recuperate his body, a blessing gained out of misfortune.

The expression on his face suddenly turned sharp as the violet orbs stared at the blood on his hand, seemingly having thought of something.

He had recalled the time back when the little fox's body had freezed up. The golden haired youth had said back then that since the little fox's blood flowed within his body, he was the only other one in the world to possess the blood from the purest bloodline, the blood of light.

[Maybe, he might have come up with a solution.]

Blood of the purest bloodline, where light and darkness were melded together, its power would be magnified by more than just a few times.

"Pfff~"

Far away in the White Fens Lands at the Feng Family Manor, a gentle handsome looking man suddenly spurted out a big mouthful of blood.

His eyes opened slowly, as a sinister glint flashed within. He lifted his hand to wipe away the blood at the corner of his mouth, and curled up his lips into a sneer. "They had actually..... managed to break the spell of my Puppetry technique."

[How is that possible?]

[How could that man's blood and Qing Qing's blood possibly undo his Puppetry technique when they are mixed together!?]

[What did that represent? Has Qing Qing and that man.....]

[No! That cannot be possible!]

[Any possibility of that happening cannot even be allowed at all!]

The power of the purest bloodline has caused large areas of the maniacal puppets' bodies to corrode, leaving behind puddles of bloody fluid which gave off a most foul stench.

"Let's go."

Lou Jun Yao's voice was low and deep, immediately turning around to quickly move upwards on those steps. They had already reached one third of their way up the Fleeting Cloud Fortress and all that could be seen below was a bottomless black abyss, where it seemed like something was slowing making its way up soundlessly and undetected.

Xi Zhan Chen and his men had left before everyone, and had kept themselves a step ahead of Lou Jun Yao. With their speed, they were rather surprised that someone had actually managed to catch up with them.

Upon seeing the several men in front, Lou Jun Yao was also slightly surprised at first, and his violet eyes then turned sharp as he opened his mouth to say: "Move on quickly. Something's chasing us and catching up fast from behind."

"What?" Xi Zhan Chen was initially surprised by how the man's eyes had changed in color, but upon hearing what the man said, he could not help but ask in bewilderment.

"It's too late..... for any of you to escape." Accompanying that incredibly evil-sounding voice, a thick dark black mist descended from the skies, enveloping over a thousand miles around, a surreal sight manifesting before their eyes.

The black mist came to take on a humanoid shape, suspended in midair as it looked down at the group of people from high above, swirling thickly with contempt.

"What kind of a damned creature are you?"

The toweringly tall and burly Yi Han asked with his face darkened, before he threw out a violently heavy punch. The powerful gust of wind kicked up by the punch seemed like it was almost going the tear the air itself apart. If that strike had struck onto a person's body, it would surely end up being smashed up into countless pieces.

But his attack was doomed to miss this time. The black mist broke out in scoffing laughter, and held the punch that Yi Han threw frozen in mid air. The very next second, the expression on that brash and rugged face twisted up, and a heart rending cry burst forth from his mouth.

"A mere pesky insect who does not know his own limits." The black mist said with utter disdain in its voice.

"Yi Han!"

The towering body crashed heavily to the ground, and Feng Qi and Yan Jue rushed over to check on the man. The two men suddenly teared up upon seeing the brutally bloody scene that met their eyes.

Yi Han's body was twitching uncontrollably, his face deathly pale and his breath barely just a thin sliver. The sleeve of his robe had been torn off and only one half of the bones in his hand was left, smattered with blood. A black mist was still swirling around the wound, like it was seeking to burrow into the man's body.

"Get away from him!" Yan Jue shouted with his eyes reddened, standing up and was all prepared to fight the black misty mass to the death. But Xi Zhan Chen held up a hand to block him off.

"Chief!" Yan Jue shouted angrily. "Don't stop me from killing that bastard!"

Xi Zhan Chen looked at the man expressionlessly and said: "You will only end up delivering yourself to your own death if you go."

[They still did not know what the black mist really is and even he himself is not entirely confident he is able to stand against such a foe, let alone the others whose cultivation levels were lower than his.]

"Hahahaha..... All of you insignificant insects, there is no need to stubbornly persist in futility. Obediently accept that death is upon all of you!" The black mist laughed loudly in pure unbridled arrogance.

"What do we do?" Watching the scene, Qing Bei could not help but knit up his brows.

He believed that his level of cultivation was not low, and could be considered to be one of the more highly skilled pugilists throughout these lands. But against this supernatural manifestation of evil before him, he found himself completely clueless.

But for some unknown reason, the man beside him gave him a strange sense of security, just like the feeling that Qing Yu always gave him every time.

Seemingly able to sense the youth's frustration, Lou Jun Yao lowered his eyes and his voice was low and magnetic: "Rest assured. I will not let you die."

Upon saying that, those eyes then cast an expressionless gaze upon the black mist suspended in midair. The laughing black mist mass that was blustering with haughty arrogance suddenly froze for a moment, instinctively sensing danger. Turning to gaze towards the source of imminent danger, it met the man's highly devilish and mesmerizing pair of violet orbs and saw a silent surge with them. The humanoid figure formed out of black mist unconsciously then shrank back warily.

[It's him? The man that Master wants to kill!]

[Just who is this man? To think that he would have such a terrifying gaze.] Even though the black mist mass did not possess a flesh body, it could still sense the danger and fear rising up in its heart.

The black mist mass struggled internally for a while, but then gritted its teeth to overcome the fear it felt inside. The humanoid figure then transformed, to split into countless masses of black mist, that surrounded the group of people completely.

At that same moment, Lou Jun Yao's eyes changed, and a deep violet tinge came over his eyes, rising from deep within.

All the trees and plants around, together with the rocks on the ground were suddenly thrown up into the air by a maniacally strong wind, that came to form into an incredibly powerful twisting hurricane. The next moment, it was as if every single one of them had gained its own awareness, each growing four limbs and a body as they started to walk over the ground, surrounding the group of people within a deadly circle.

Lou Jun Yao then said expressionlessly: "These things will only hold us back for a while. We will have to move much more quickly. The entire Fleeting Cloud Fortress must be filled with danger everywhere now and the only safe place for us would be at the highest point at the top,"

He had come to understand that these were things that should not appear in a mere Friendship Meet between the sects, and the Carefree Valley's Valley Chief must be in cahoots with that guy behind it all.

Hearing that, Xi Zhan Chen was in agreement and his eyes turned to look at the frail and weakened Yi Han lying on the ground. "How are you feeling? Are you able to walk?"

His face white as a sheet, Yi Han slowly stood up with help from Feng Qi and Yan Jue. "I..... can walk."

[I cannot die so ignobly here. I must not..... disgrace the Assassins Temple like this.]

On the many thousands of steps in the Fleeting Cloud Fortress, the path narrowed the higher they went. At the start, more than ten people were able to move abreast at the same time but after going several thousand steps up, the width only allowed two people to move side by side together, and if one was brawny and of a stocky build, they might have to walk sideways, their bodies slanted to one side.

The more timid ones were not even able to look down at all, as it was really too high up. If they became overwhelmed by fear and fell off, it would be a most unjust and humiliating death.