Meanwhile, in the grand hall on Green Cliff Mountain, where the soul jade slips of all the disciples of Yuan Hua Sect were placed…
It was quite dark in the spacious hall, with only two lamps hanging down from the ceiling with two tiny golden threads, emitting a faint light. Mountain breeze blew into the hall through the door, swaying the lamps and making the light flicker, casting shadows here and there as if there were countless wandering spirits dancing about in the hall.
Rows or racks hewed from green mountain rocks were placed in the hall, on top of which, countless soul jade slips sat solemnly. Under each slip there hung a small wooden plate. The name, the position, as well as the seniority of the owner of the slip were written on it with little golden characters. Towards the end of the hall, at the highest spot of the last rack was placed a palm-sized, pale golden soul jade slip. The wooden plate hung underneath it wrote 'Patriarch Yuan Hua'.
There were a few cells under Patriarch Yuan Hua's soul jade slip. Most of them were emptied, and only two cells contained a heap of powder each, the remnants of two soul jade slips. Nevertheless, all the cells still had a small wooden plate hanging underneath. One could barely see the golden characters written on them.
Patriarch Yuan Hua stood in a shadow, his body trembling as he stared at the two broken soul jade slips. His eyes were flooded with tears. Two streaks of blood ran from the corner of his eyes to his chin. Tears of blood were coursing down his face.
Once upon a time, those emptied cells placed the soul jade slips of Patriarch Yuan Hua's personal disciples. Yuan Hua Sect had gone through several dozens of Periods of trial and hardship. The few personal disciples, who Patriarch Yuan Hua treated like his own children, and towards whom his affection was even greater than his own children, had fallen one after another in the struggles with other immortal sects, or in the battles with other itinerant cultivators. Every disciple he lost pained his heart, as if someone was cutting it with a sharp blade.
In the end, he was left with two personal disciples, the simple and earnest Daoist Chi, and the smart, capable, but a little bit narrow-minded Daoist Min. After spending several dozens of Periods together, both of them had become the marrows in his bone, the meat on his heart. Although his cultivation of temperament became deeper with time, Patriarch Yuan Hua had buried the affection deep in his heart, Although it seemed the relationship between him and his disciples had become plain in the recent years, when he suddenly saw the two broken soul jade slips, Patriarch Yuan Hua realized that his heart had shattered to pieces.
He had lost the last two personal disciples. The personal disciples who he had spent several dozens of Periods teaching, who he spent more time with than his own children, were gone completely.
The last two personal disciples who Patriarch Yuan Hua had adopted when they were still toddlers and when he was still a Nascent Divinity cultivator, who he raised since little, helping him to establish Yuan Hua Sect and to expand it to the current height, were no longer with him.
Their soul jade slips had shattered, a sign that their souls had completely perished.
Daoist Chi and Daoist Min, Patriarch Yuan Hua's last two personal disciples, had fallen.
"Do you know that I've smoothly refined that upper-grade immortal sword? It is a Seventh Grade immortal sword, a powerful weapon that could allow me to become famous and fear-inspiring throughout Puluo Heavenly Realm, preventing anyone from offending us again. Yuan Hua Sect is soon going to be... no, Yuan Hua Sect is already the number one immortal sect in Puluo Heavenly Realm. In the future, we will walk out of Puluo Heavenly Realm, spreading the mighty reputation of Yuan Hua Sect to the other heavenly realms."
"Do you know that the opportunity for Yuan Hua Sect to thrive is right before our eyes? With Zhang Le's bloodline of Ancient God, Green Cliff Planet will definitely become one of the very few blessed lands with many immortal energy veins among all the heavenly realms out there. The present Green Cliff Planet could hardly provide the energy needed for a mid-grade Heaven Immortal's cultivation. However, as long as all the energy veins on the planet are compressed and purified into immortal energy veins with the divine power of an Ancient God, this planet could easily supply all the immortal energy for ten Gold Immortals!"
"So long as I or you, anyone of us can become a Gold Immortal, I'll be able to officially acknowledge that Senior as Master, and bring all of you into his sect! Have I told you that he is a Primordial Immortal? If we can become the disciples of a Primordial Immortal, Yuan Hua Sect might be... no, will definitely become the master of Yu Hua Heavenly Realm. At that point in time, those Heavenly Monarchs and Immortal Monarchs from the Heaven will not even have the right to stand straight before us!"
"A great future is ahead of us! How could you fall now?"
Patriarch Yuan Hua clenched his fists tight and suddenly roared at the top of his voice, "Who gave you the courage to fall right now? Without my permission, how could your souls have perished forever? How dared you to die in such a clean way? How could you not even leave behind a single thread of broken soul, not giving me a chance to search for your reincarnations? You... a bunch of unfilial fellows!"
The air in the grand hall became sticky and heavy suddenly. Gusts of invisible wind stirred the air like some great serpents, producing a very strange whooshing noise. The hall was trembling, and all the soul jade slips were shivering. A faint blood mist seeped out of Patriarch Yuan Hua's body, and a gleam as red as blood that should never have appeared rushed out of his eyes.
His cultivation of temperament, which Patriarch Yuan Hua had spent several dozens of Periods to cultivate, crumbled abruptly. He had lost his calmness, and the five fundamental feelings of a human rose from the bottom of his heart: pleasure, anger, sorrow, joy, and lust. His immense grievance had immediately attracted those Heavenly Demons who hid in the outer domains amidst the chaotic void, incorporeal and shapeless, but possessing mighty divine abilities, who would arrive instantly just by sensing anything that interested them.
Stealthily and soundlessly, a wisp of demon will fused into Patriarch Yuan Hua's immortal soul. The bloody glow that shrouded him became stronger, as lines between the black and white in his eyes disappeared, turning a frightening red together. He clenched his fists tightly, and cracking noises kept coming out from the joints between his bones.
The Seventh Grade immortal sword flew out amidst a threatening heatwave, and Patriarch Yuan Hua grabbed it with one swift move. A vast immortal energy was rocking within his body. When the immortal sword sensed a killing intent was brewing in his heart, it could not help but let out a sharp cry, a bloodthirsty cry.
Suddenly, he heard clatters of footstep coming from outside the hall. With a flip of his palm, the immortal sword transformed into a streak of flame and darted into his forehead. The bloody gleam around his body quickly retracted, and his eyes had returned to normal. After that, with hands clasped behind his back, he asked coolly, "Is that Green Staff and Green Melon? You've come at the right time."
Immortal Green Staff and Goddess Green Melon walked into the grand hall with Patriarch Jiang Yun following behind them. They strode to the last rack at the far end of the hall, and when they saw the two broken soul jade slips, their bodies trembled together. Immortal Green Staff dropped to his knees with a thud and gave a sorrowful cry, "Master! How did it happen? Patriarch, I thought Master was in a secluded cultivation? How did this happen?"
Patriarch Jiang Yun had dropped to his knees as well. His body shivered violently with fear as he stared blankly at the remnants of the two soul jade slips. It was a sign that both Daoist Chi and Daoist Min had perished completely. His eyes were dull. Nobody knew what he was thinking right now.
Patriarch Yuan Hua laughed a strange laugh as he walked slowly before Patriarch Jiang Yun, reaching out both hands and pressing on the latter's shoulder. "Jiang Yun, where does your disciple, Wu Qi, come from? Tell us everything in detail. I want to know where did he come from, and does he really practicing the Energy Unity Script which you taught him? Hehe, you better don't tell me that because of that inferior Energy Unity Script, he is able to fight against Immortals with just a cultivation base of Nascent Soul realm!"
As if a thunderbolt had just smitten his head, Patriarch Jiang Yun cried out involuntarily, "How is it even possible? Patriarch? Could you mean that Wu Qi is the one who..."
Immortal Green Staff sprung to his feet abruptly and gave a furious roar, "Wu Qi? That b*stard is the one who murdered his Grand Ancestral-Masters? He... he..." His eyes were shot with blood. Suddenly, the corner of his eyes cracked open, from where two streams of bloody tears were coursing down his face.
Patriarch Yuan Hua gave a faint smile and said, "I had sent Chi'er and Min'er to kill Wu Qi. And, I've even given them the Primordial Gold Talismans which a Senior had given me many years ago. After all, Pangu Continent is a dangerous place where good and bad mix together. They needed to have something to protect themselves."
He chuckled, then heavily slapped Patriarch Jiang Yun's shoulder and said with a sigh, "But, I did not dream that Chi'er and Min'er would have fallen just like this. None of those who followed them survived, including Mo Luan. Their souls have perished completely, and not even a single thread of broken soul is left."
Immortal Green Staff glared his eyes and asked with a stern voice, "Is Wu Qi really the murderer?"
Almost at the same time, Goddess Green Melon gave a shocking cry and asked, "Why did Patriarch send Master and Uncle-Master to kill Wu Qi?"
The husband and wife exchanged a glance, then both turned to look at Patriarch Yuan Hua.
Patriarch Yuan Hua flipped his hand, revealing a soul jade slip in his palm. A horrifying line crossed the slip at the center. Obviously, the owner of the slip must have suffered an extremely serious injury, and only then his soul jade slip would show a crack like this. "This is Wu Qi's soul jade slip. It cracked simultaneously when Chi'er and Min'er's soul jade slips shattered. Evidently, he is the one who murdered them!" Patriarch Yuan Hua said coldly.
He took a deep breath and said bluntly, "Zhang Le is the reason that makes me want to kill Wu Qi! I want her to become part of Yuan Hua Sect, someone who will never betray Yuan Hua Sect! Only after she stay on Green Cliff Planet for several Periods would this planet become rich in immortal energy veins. At that point in time, breaking through Gold Immortal realm will no longer be a difficult job!"
Immortal Green Staff was stunned, while Goddess Green Melon said what she thought without much deliberation, "Patriarch, I can understand your intention, but we don't have to..."
"Hmph!" Patriarch Yuan Hua interrupted her with a snort, then said coldly, "I don't care whether it is right or wrong. This is the result we are facing right now. Chi'er and Min'er are dead, and Wu Qi must also die, as well as all the people related to him. Zhang Le has to marry Yuexin and truly become Yuan Hua Sect's core disciple, a core disciple who will never leave us!"
Pressing his palm heavily onto Patriarch Jiang Yun's shoulder, he shouted fiercely, "Tell me Wu Qi's background! From where did you recruit him?"
The tremendous immortal pressure pressing on his shoulder made Patriarch Jiang Yun pant heavily. He raised his head with a blank expression and began to tell everyone about Myriad Immortals Planet.
Patriarch Yuan Hua's eyes flickered with a bright gleam, while Immortal Green Staff and Goddess Green Melon had their expression changed drastically. They did not dream that Patriarch Jiang Yun could actually be struck with such an incredible fortune, finding himself an invaluable planet left untouched since two Aeons ago in Minor Heavenly Circle Realm, an extremely remote heavenly realm.
"So, that is what it is!" Patriarch Yuan Hua lowered his head as he suddenly laughed grimly.
"Green Staff and Green Melon, bring some disciples with you and visit that planet. All cultivators on Myriad Immortals Planet must join Yuan Hua Sect without any condition. Bring everyone's souls under your control, and kill those who fight back!"
"I want all the members of Great Yan Imperial Clan to be captured alive. Bring them here to the Green Cliff Mountain."
Patriarch Yuan Hua's mouth curved into a cruel smile as he said in a sinister tone, "I'll use the lives of all members of Great Yan Imperial Clan to force Zhang Le to marry Yuexin. Let's see if she can escape from my plan!"
He clenched his fists tightly, threw his head back, and burst into loud sobbing.
"Chi'er, Min'er, do give me some time. I'll definitely avenge you!"
Meanwhile, in the grand hall on Green Cliff Mountain, where the soul jade slips of all the disciples of Yuan Hua Sect were placed…
It was quite dark in the spacious hall, with only two lamps hanging down from the ceiling with two tiny golden threads, emitting a faint light. Mountain breeze blew into the hall through the door, swaying the lamps and making the light flicker, casting shadows here and there as if there were countless wandering spirits dancing about in the hall.
Rows or racks hewed from green mountain rocks were placed in the hall, on top of which, countless soul jade slips sat solemnly. Under each slip there hung a small wooden plate. The name, the position, as well as the seniority of the owner of the slip were written on it with little golden characters. Towards the end of the hall, at the highest spot of the last rack was placed a palm-sized, pale golden soul jade slip. The wooden plate hung underneath it wrote 'Patriarch Yuan Hua'.
There were a few cells under Patriarch Yuan Hua's soul jade slip. Most of them were emptied, and only two cells contained a heap of powder each, the remnants of two soul jade slips. Nevertheless, all the cells still had a small wooden plate hanging underneath. One could barely see the golden characters written on them.
Patriarch Yuan Hua stood in a shadow, his body trembling as he stared at the two broken soul jade slips. His eyes were flooded with tears. Two streaks of blood ran from the corner of his eyes to his chin. Tears of blood were coursing down his face.
Once upon a time, those emptied cells placed the soul jade slips of Patriarch Yuan Hua's personal disciples. Yuan Hua Sect had gone through several dozens of Periods of trial and hardship. The few personal disciples, who Patriarch Yuan Hua treated like his own children, and towards whom his affection was even greater than his own children, had fallen one after another in the struggles with other immortal sects, or in the battles with other itinerant cultivators. Every disciple he lost pained his heart, as if someone was cutting it with a sharp blade.
In the end, he was left with two personal disciples, the simple and earnest Daoist Chi, and the smart, capable, but a little bit narrow-minded Daoist Min. After spending several dozens of Periods together, both of them had become the marrows in his bone, the meat on his heart. Although his cultivation of temperament became deeper with time, Patriarch Yuan Hua had buried the affection deep in his heart, Although it seemed the relationship between him and his disciples had become plain in the recent years, when he suddenly saw the two broken soul jade slips, Patriarch Yuan Hua realized that his heart had shattered to pieces.
He had lost the last two personal disciples. The personal disciples who he had spent several dozens of Periods teaching, who he spent more time with than his own children, were gone completely.
The last two personal disciples who Patriarch Yuan Hua had adopted when they were still toddlers and when he was still a Nascent Divinity cultivator, who he raised since little, helping him to establish Yuan Hua Sect and to expand it to the current height, were no longer with him.
Their soul jade slips had shattered, a sign that their souls had completely perished.
Daoist Chi and Daoist Min, Patriarch Yuan Hua's last two personal disciples, had fallen.
"Do you know that I've smoothly refined that upper-grade immortal sword? It is a Seventh Grade immortal sword, a powerful weapon that could allow me to become famous and fear-inspiring throughout Puluo Heavenly Realm, preventing anyone from offending us again. Yuan Hua Sect is soon going to be... no, Yuan Hua Sect is already the number one immortal sect in Puluo Heavenly Realm. In the future, we will walk out of Puluo Heavenly Realm, spreading the mighty reputation of Yuan Hua Sect to the other heavenly realms."
"Do you know that the opportunity for Yuan Hua Sect to thrive is right before our eyes? With Zhang Le's bloodline of Ancient God, Green Cliff Planet will definitely become one of the very few blessed lands with many immortal energy veins among all the heavenly realms out there. The present Green Cliff Planet could hardly provide the energy needed for a mid-grade Heaven Immortal's cultivation. However, as long as all the energy veins on the planet are compressed and purified into immortal energy veins with the divine power of an Ancient God, this planet could easily supply all the immortal energy for ten Gold Immortals!"
"So long as I or you, anyone of us can become a Gold Immortal, I'll be able to officially acknowledge that Senior as Master, and bring all of you into his sect! Have I told you that he is a Primordial Immortal? If we can become the disciples of a Primordial Immortal, Yuan Hua Sect might be... no, will definitely become the master of Yu Hua Heavenly Realm. At that point in time, those Heavenly Monarchs and Immortal Monarchs from the Heaven will not even have the right to stand straight before us!"
"A great future is ahead of us! How could you fall now?"
Patriarch Yuan Hua clenched his fists tight and suddenly roared at the top of his voice, "Who gave you the courage to fall right now? Without my permission, how could your souls have perished forever? How dared you to die in such a clean way? How could you not even leave behind a single thread of broken soul, not giving me a chance to search for your reincarnations? You... a bunch of unfilial fellows!"
The air in the grand hall became sticky and heavy suddenly. Gusts of invisible wind stirred the air like some great serpents, producing a very strange whooshing noise. The hall was trembling, and all the soul jade slips were shivering. A faint blood mist seeped out of Patriarch Yuan Hua's body, and a gleam as red as blood that should never have appeared rushed out of his eyes.
His cultivation of temperament, which Patriarch Yuan Hua had spent several dozens of Periods to cultivate, crumbled abruptly. He had lost his calmness, and the five fundamental feelings of a human rose from the bottom of his heart: pleasure, anger, sorrow, joy, and lust. His immense grievance had immediately attracted those Heavenly Demons who hid in the outer domains amidst the chaotic void, incorporeal and shapeless, but possessing mighty divine abilities, who would arrive instantly just by sensing anything that interested them.
Stealthily and soundlessly, a wisp of demon will fused into Patriarch Yuan Hua's immortal soul. The bloody glow that shrouded him became stronger, as lines between the black and white in his eyes disappeared, turning a frightening red together. He clenched his fists tightly, and cracking noises kept coming out from the joints between his bones.
The Seventh Grade immortal sword flew out amidst a threatening heatwave, and Patriarch Yuan Hua grabbed it with one swift move. A vast immortal energy was rocking within his body. When the immortal sword sensed a killing intent was brewing in his heart, it could not help but let out a sharp cry, a bloodthirsty cry.
Suddenly, he heard clatters of footstep coming from outside the hall. With a flip of his palm, the immortal sword transformed into a streak of flame and darted into his forehead. The bloody gleam around his body quickly retracted, and his eyes had returned to normal. After that, with hands clasped behind his back, he asked coolly, "Is that Green Staff and Green Melon? You've come at the right time."
Immortal Green Staff and Goddess Green Melon walked into the grand hall with Patriarch Jiang Yun following behind them. They strode to the last rack at the far end of the hall, and when they saw the two broken soul jade slips, their bodies trembled together. Immortal Green Staff dropped to his knees with a thud and gave a sorrowful cry, "Master! How did it happen? Patriarch, I thought Master was in a secluded cultivation? How did this happen?"
Patriarch Jiang Yun had dropped to his knees as well. His body shivered violently with fear as he stared blankly at the remnants of the two soul jade slips. It was a sign that both Daoist Chi and Daoist Min had perished completely. His eyes were dull. Nobody knew what he was thinking right now.
Patriarch Yuan Hua laughed a strange laugh as he walked slowly before Patriarch Jiang Yun, reaching out both hands and pressing on the latter's shoulder. "Jiang Yun, where does your disciple, Wu Qi, come from? Tell us everything in detail. I want to know where did he come from, and does he really practicing the Energy Unity Script which you taught him? Hehe, you better don't tell me that because of that inferior Energy Unity Script, he is able to fight against Immortals with just a cultivation base of Nascent Soul realm!"
As if a thunderbolt had just smitten his head, Patriarch Jiang Yun cried out involuntarily, "How is it even possible? Patriarch? Could you mean that Wu Qi is the one who..."
Immortal Green Staff sprung to his feet abruptly and gave a furious roar, "Wu Qi? That b*stard is the one who murdered his Grand Ancestral-Masters? He... he..." His eyes were shot with blood. Suddenly, the corner of his eyes cracked open, from where two streams of bloody tears were coursing down his face.
Patriarch Yuan Hua gave a faint smile and said, "I had sent Chi'er and Min'er to kill Wu Qi. And, I've even given them the Primordial Gold Talismans which a Senior had given me many years ago. After all, Pangu Continent is a dangerous place where good and bad mix together. They needed to have something to protect themselves."
He chuckled, then heavily slapped Patriarch Jiang Yun's shoulder and said with a sigh, "But, I did not dream that Chi'er and Min'er would have fallen just like this. None of those who followed them survived, including Mo Luan. Their souls have perished completely, and not even a single thread of broken soul is left."
Immortal Green Staff glared his eyes and asked with a stern voice, "Is Wu Qi really the murderer?"
Almost at the same time, Goddess Green Melon gave a shocking cry and asked, "Why did Patriarch send Master and Uncle-Master to kill Wu Qi?"
The husband and wife exchanged a glance, then both turned to look at Patriarch Yuan Hua.
Patriarch Yuan Hua flipped his hand, revealing a soul jade slip in his palm. A horrifying line crossed the slip at the center. Obviously, the owner of the slip must have suffered an extremely serious injury, and only then his soul jade slip would show a crack like this. "This is Wu Qi's soul jade slip. It cracked simultaneously when Chi'er and Min'er's soul jade slips shattered. Evidently, he is the one who murdered them!" Patriarch Yuan Hua said coldly.
He took a deep breath and said bluntly, "Zhang Le is the reason that makes me want to kill Wu Qi! I want her to become part of Yuan Hua Sect, someone who will never betray Yuan Hua Sect! Only after she stay on Green Cliff Planet for several Periods would this planet become rich in immortal energy veins. At that point in time, breaking through Gold Immortal realm will no longer be a difficult job!"
Immortal Green Staff was stunned, while Goddess Green Melon said what she thought without much deliberation, "Patriarch, I can understand your intention, but we don't have to..."
"Hmph!" Patriarch Yuan Hua interrupted her with a snort, then said coldly, "I don't care whether it is right or wrong. This is the result we are facing right now. Chi'er and Min'er are dead, and Wu Qi must also die, as well as all the people related to him. Zhang Le has to marry Yuexin and truly become Yuan Hua Sect's core disciple, a core disciple who will never leave us!"
Pressing his palm heavily onto Patriarch Jiang Yun's shoulder, he shouted fiercely, "Tell me Wu Qi's background! From where did you recruit him?"
The tremendous immortal pressure pressing on his shoulder made Patriarch Jiang Yun pant heavily. He raised his head with a blank expression and began to tell everyone about Myriad Immortals Planet.
Patriarch Yuan Hua's eyes flickered with a bright gleam, while Immortal Green Staff and Goddess Green Melon had their expression changed drastically. They did not dream that Patriarch Jiang Yun could actually be struck with such an incredible fortune, finding himself an invaluable planet left untouched since two Aeons ago in Minor Heavenly Circle Realm, an extremely remote heavenly realm.
"So, that is what it is!" Patriarch Yuan Hua lowered his head as he suddenly laughed grimly.
"Green Staff and Green Melon, bring some disciples with you and visit that planet. All cultivators on Myriad Immortals Planet must join Yuan Hua Sect without any condition. Bring everyone's souls under your control, and kill those who fight back!"
"I want all the members of Great Yan Imperial Clan to be captured alive. Bring them here to the Green Cliff Mountain."
Patriarch Yuan Hua's mouth curved into a cruel smile as he said in a sinister tone, "I'll use the lives of all members of Great Yan Imperial Clan to force Zhang Le to marry Yuexin. Let's see if she can escape from my plan!"
He clenched his fists tightly, threw his head back, and burst into loud sobbing.
"Chi'er, Min'er, do give me some time. I'll definitely avenge you!"
