283 - Elasia Saga

Even though several decades had passed, Tong Zhen's demeanor seemed to remain largely unchanged. After exchanging a few words, the initial sense of unfamiliarity Fu Yan felt instantly vanished. Tong Zhen was still the same boy from Shui Ling Sect, and the camaraderie seemed to endure as if time hadn't passed. During their reminiscing, Fu Yan learned about some of Tong Zhen's experiences over the past decades. He had continued down the path of body cultivation, and although his current cultivation was just at the early stage of Void Transformation—having recently broken through—his strength was formidable. Even when facing opponents at the peak of the Void Transformation stage, he was capable of holding his own. This was the fearsome nature of body cultivators. Despite the Tong family's notability, they could not be considered a top-tier family, yet they had many disciples. Leveraging their status as disciples of a sect, they attended this grand ceremony, drawing envy from many other families. The group continued their conversation until evening, at which point Tong Zhen departed with a smile, descending the mountain to return to his family. As for Bai Yue Li's identity, neither Fu Yan nor Bai Yue Li explained much about it, not because they distrusted Tong Zhen, but because revealing her identity as a demonic cultivator posed considerable danger. They decided it would be better to approach Tong Zhen with Bai Yue Li's identity after the ceremony concluded. Outside the courtyard, the two stood straight at the entrance, eyes following Tong Zhen's retreating figure as he made his way down the mountain. "What are you thinking about, Shijie?" Fu Yan finally withdrew her gaze and turned to Bai Yue Li, suddenly asking. Since Bai Yue Li didn't reveal her identity, she mostly sat aside listening without joining much in the conversation. Though Fu Yan spoke mostly with Tong Zhen, she still kept Bai Yue Li in her peripheral view. Bai Yue Li seemed to drift into memories at the thought of Shui Ling Sect, which inevitably held strong memories for her. Fu Yan knew well that Bai Yue Li had moved past those times, yet she feared memories of Shui Ling Sect might stir old emotions. After all, Shui Ling Sect didn't hold particularly pleasant memories for them. Upon hearing the question, Bai Yue Li slowly returned from her thoughts. Without looking at Fu Yan, she continued staring in the direction down the mountain and softly said, "Not much, just thinking about when you and Tong Zhen were at Shui Ling Sect." Fu Yan paused, then smiled suddenly, "Are you getting jealous, Shijie?" Bai Yue Li finally redirected her focus, casting a sidelong glance at Fu Yan, "What nonsense." Fu Yan couldn't help but chuckle. She knew Bai Yue Li wouldn't really get jealous of Tong Zhen, as they were merely old friends, and she was only joking. Of course, Bai Yue Li wouldn't genuinely be annoyed about this. Since they had been together, she had never gotten angry with Fu Yan. "I was just suddenly reminded of when we first met," Bai Yue Li said, shifting her gaze once more to take a final look at the blue sky before turning to walk back inside. First meeting? At the mention of this phrase, memories unfolded rapidly in Fu Yan’s mind like a film. She clearly remembered their first encounter, "Are you talking about at the Chi Hei Mountain Range, Shijie?" Back then, outside the Chi Hei Mountain Range, Fu Yan had nearly lost her life at the hands of a flower thief. During her unconsciousness, Bai Yue Li had unexpectedly appeared to save her. That day marked their very first meeting. Fu Yan stepped into the courtyard, reminiscing, and showed a slightly aggrieved expression, "Shijie picked me up while I was unconscious and tossed me into the purification pool, without me even getting a clear look at you." It wasn’t until she returned to the sect later that she properly recognized Bai Yue Li. To Fu Yan, that moment was when she could truly see Bai Yue Li clearly. Suddenly recalling something, Fu Yan broke into a sly grin and feigned accusation, "By the way, Shijie, you undressed me the moment we met." Bai Yue Li: "..." "Ahem..." Bai Yue Li lightly coughed, glancing at Fu Yan, "Speak properly, circumstances were unique back then." "It’s okay," Fu Yan quickly advanced, pulling Bai Yue Li by the arm to escort her inside, meeting her eyes directly, "After all, being yours means you can do anything, Shijie." With those words, the room was instantly enveloped in a stillness. As Bai Yue Li looked into Fu Yan's sparkling eyes, she felt the atmosphere turning amorous. She had no doubt that if things continued this way, she might be the one getting undressed. "No." Bai Yue Li averted her gaze abruptly. Fu Yan was momentarily taken aback, her expression showing a hint of puzzlement, "Am I not yours, Shijie?" she asked, appearing somewhat heartbroken. Seeing this, Bai Yue Li sighed lightly and clarified, "Our first meeting wasn't at the Chi Hei Mountain Range." "Hm?" Fu Yan was even more confused now. Could it be that before she transmigrated, the original owner had already met Bai Yue Li? But Fu Yan had inherited the original owner's memories, and there was no recollection of Bai Yue Li in them. "It was in an abandoned temple on the way to the Chi Hei Mountain Range," Bai Yue Li paused, her thoughts drifting before continuing, "I remember you were dancing a... very peculiar dance in the temple; I couldn’t help but watch." Abandoned temple? Dancing? With these crucial words, Fu Yan’s mind flashed back to when she had just transmigrated. Back then, feeling stiff in her new body, she had performed radio exercises repeatedly in the temple. "..." The memory was utterly ridiculous! Fu Yan never imagined her awkward radio exercises were all seen by Bai Yue Li. "N-no, Shijie, you’re mistaken, that wasn’t me." Bai Yue Li stubbornly refused to acknowledge her foolishness at that time, stiffly denying with a blank expression. Bai Yue Li burst into laughter, reaching out to pinch Fu Yan’s smooth cheeks, trying to hold back her amusement, "I think it was rather enchanting. How about... giving me another show?" Fu Yan: "..." "Shijie, you've become mischievous." Fu Yan smoothly wrapped her arm around Bai Yue Li's waist, gazing deeply into her eyes. The next moment, Fu Yan suddenly leaned closer, covering Bai Yue Li’s laughing lips with her own. Caught by surprise, Bai Yue Li's eyes slightly widened. Her lips parted slightly, and Fu Yan took advantage, exploring every corner of Bai Yue Li’s mouth, absorbing her essence. "Hmm..." Bai Yue Li quickly regained her senses and seemed like she wanted to say something, but it all transformed into a series of muffled murmurs, stirring a blush and quickening the heartbeat of anyone listening. In the silent room, the sound of lips exploring mingled abruptly. ... Ten days flew by in the blink of an eye, and the list of major factions partaking in the competition at the grand ceremony was prominently displayed on the Yun Ni light screen, available for all to see with a probe of spiritual energy. Naturally, Fu Yan went to have a look. The competition had nine prominent sects and family forces participating. Among them, the central region was represented by three sects and two families: Jianwang Sect, Tianji Pavilion, and Hualing Valley, with Xuanyuan Clan and Mo Family Estate. The other four forces were from the four domains—Frost Flower Palace from the Southern Domain, Dongying Sect from the Eastern Domain, Floram Sect from the Western Domain, and Huren Clan. As for the Northern Domain, the barren land didn’t send representatives from any sects or families, except for a few wandering cultivators who journeyed from the North. The Northern Domain remained isolated and undeveloped. To most cultivators, this result was not unexpected. However, Fu Yan’s Frost Flower Palace from the Southern Domain suddenly became the focal point of attention. Discussions arose among the crowd. "Is the Southern Domain's Frost Flower Palace the sect that mysteriously reemerged decades ago? How did it become so powerful all of a sudden, claiming a top-tier status? It’s hard to believe." "Seems you're behind on the news. Frost Flower Palace indeed rose quickly because it has a reincarnated immortal overseeing it, so it's no surprise they’ve developed rapidly." Within half a day, the background of Frost Flower Palace was exposed thoroughly, but some remained skeptical, lightly mocking the findings. "Even with a reincarnated immortal, they’re probably just for show. In mere decades, they haven't even recruited enough disciples, let alone prove their strength. Their palace master is only in the Great Ascension stage." "…” Initially, Frost Flower Palace's disciples were infuriated by such comments, but they were later advised by Yi Tu to prove their worth through strength. This reignited their fighting spirit. Fu Yan remained unbothered, understanding that from the perspective of other cultivators, Frost Flower Palace seemed like a sudden emergence, skepticism was to be expected. Their real capabilities would only be revealed on the arena stage. Soon, the much-anticipated Immortal Sect Ceremony commenced officially, with cultivators eager to witness the event. The next morning arrived with gentle sunlight filtering through the clouds, illuminating every corner of Yun Ni Platform. The air was filled with fairy essence, vibrant and spiritual, with the graceful silhouettes of celestial cranes hovering above the platform. With each step taken toward the arena, the excitement in everyone's hearts heightened a notch. Although there were not many disciples participating in the competition, it wasn't a straightforward head-to-head battle between sects and families. Instead, participants were thrown into a mix, leaving the matchups to chance. Thus, during the first half of the day, all the available Harmonization-stage cultivators went first to draw lots. Following them, Void Transformation-stage disciples also drew their lots. The competition for the Great Ascension stage, however, would not commence until the preliminary rounds of the Harmonization and Void Transformation stages were concluded, so there was no immediate rush to draw lots for those battles. The Yun Ni Platform was vast. Even with tens of thousands of spectators encircling it, there wasn't a sense of crowding. There were also many Void Transformation and Great Ascension experts who summoned their magical tools to watch from the sky. From above, the view was expansive and unobstructed. Due to the Immortal Sect Ceremony, dozens of powerful immortals had gathered on Yun Ni Platform. However, aside from a few who appeared to supervise proceedings, no other immortals revealed themselves. After all, the Harmonization stage contests were trivial to them, lacking any necessity to watch. "It's finally starting. I'm so excited. What number did you draw?" "I'm seventy-eight. What about you?" Fu Yan casually glanced over the entire Yun Ni Platform, and among the sea of people, the disciples from Frost Flower Palace stood on the left side. She had just retracted her gaze when she overheard the disciples behind her talking animatedly about their lot numbers. With the lot drawing completed, the competition was about to begin. The enthusiasm around was intense, almost overwhelmingly loud. Fu Yan couldn't help but glance at Shui Liu Qing by her side, who immediately understood. She brought out a not-so-large puppet ship. Seeing this, Fu Yan then led Bai Yue Li, Yi Tu Yuan He, and the others onto the puppet ship. The altitude brought a notable hush to their surroundings. Perched on the puppet ship, Bai Yue Li maintained a low profile, standing quietly at the back. Her gaze seemed unfocused but nonetheless captured every detail below on Yun Ni Platform. "Clang, clang—" Soon, the crisp sound of bells echoed across Yun Ni Platform, prompting everyone below to gather their thoughts and eyes on the central stage. There, an immortal stood, proceeding to narrate the history of Yun Ni Platform, while the crowd watched in awe. Surprisingly, despite their wonderstruck expressions, there wasn't the slightest flicker in the immortal's eyes. It seemed this was the only moment when ordinary cultivators dared to cast a direct glance at an immortal, their very blood beginning to boil at the experience. After covering a series of rules, the immortal finally quieted his voice, announcing to all, "Let the ceremony begin!" With those words, thunderous cheers erupted from the entire Yun Ni Platform. Instantly, multiple competition stages were unveiled as disciples holding their lot numbers stepped forth to face their opponents. With so many disciples needing to compete, it was naturally impossible to have one-on-one matches continuously. Instead, fifteen groups competed simultaneously, with the Harmonization stage competition divided into preliminaries, elimination rounds, and the final contest. In the preliminary rounds, each disciple had three opportunities to draw lots for matches, needing to win at least two to advance to the next stage. In this round, three disciples from Frost Flower Palace took to the stage. Quickly, essence forces surged on Yun Ni Platform, and the participating disciples were engrossed in their respective bouts. The scene was alive with various sect disciples eagerly cheering, their shouts rising and falling like waves. As the palace master of Frost Flower Palace, Fu Yan's first attention was naturally on her own disciples' matches. After a casual glance at the three below, she couldn't help a slight shake of her head. The average strength of Frost Flower Palace's disciples indeed paled compared to the geniuses from the central regions. "Oh no, our first disciple from Frost Flower Palace has lost already!" Ming Xi exclaimed anxiously beside her after witnessing the outcome. Yi Tu offered encouragement, "There’s still a chance. Just need to win the next two rounds." Fu Yan simply returned her attention to herself, showing no outward change in expression. However, Bai Yue Li’s voice resonated in her mind, "Considering just thirty years have passed, progressing your disciples to this level already is impressive." The time was indeed too brief. Although Frost Flower Palace recruited promising talents, most hadn't had time to mature, and there were no particularly exceptional prodigies. Fu Yan had anticipated this result. In her view, if two out of the ten disciples reached the finals, it would be satisfactory. Participating in this Immortal Sect Ceremony wasn't about achieving high placement. Fu Yan aimed to showcase the depth of Frost Flower Palace to the continent, to build its reputation, and subsequently attract more talented disciples, leveraging their status as the sole top-tier sect in the Southern Domain. Time during the competitions was fleeting, and three days whisked by like the wind. As the preliminary rounds of the Harmonization stage reached their middle stage, the preliminary matches for the Void Transformation stage officially began. This brought even more excitement and fervor to Yun Ni Platform, as the battles at this stage were anticipated to be more riveting and engaging. Shui Liu Qing hadn't expected to be the first Frost Flower Palace disciple to step up. "Good luck, Sister Shui!" Ming Xi exclaimed earnestly upon hearing the news. With a nod, Shui Liu Qing lightly stepped off the puppet ship, landing gracefully on her competition platform. Simultaneously, a familiar figure emerged from the opposite side. Both displayed a hint of surprise in their eyes. Shui Liu Qing hadn't anticipated that her first opponent would hail from Tianji Pavilion, and unexpectedly enough, it was Du Wen Xiong, whom she had encountered once at the bottom of Youxin Lake. Back then, Du Wen Xiong's entanglement with Ji Qing Jue had prompted Shui Liu Qing to draw her sword, and he had conspired with a Great Ascension-stage cultivator, Han Tong, to mark her pant leg with a tracking imprint. Recalling this, Shui Liu Qing tightened her grip on her Dripping Water Sword, a cold glint flashing through her clear eyes. On the other side, Du Wen Xiong was equally surprised to encounter Shui Liu Qing, a meaningful smirk appearing on his face, "What a coincidence." Having reached the peak of Void Transformation, Du Wen Xiong saw no need to mask his disdain for Shui Liu Qing, who was merely in the late stage. "Quite a coincidence," Shui Liu Qing responded, her gaze meeting Du Wen Xiong's with even more icy intensity. "You don’t have any ties with Ji Xianzi, do you?" Du Wen Xiong casually inquired, hinting arrogance. "As expected, someone of your caliber isn’t even fit to carry Ji Xianzi's shoes." "People need self-awareness. Just because Ji Xianzi is kind doesn't mean she'll throw you a bone," Du Wen Xiong's smile faded, looking at Shui Liu Qing as if she were already a goner. Unfazed by the provocation, Shui Liu Qing coolly met his gaze, "Keep your distance from her. I don't want garbage dirtying her sight." "Ding—" As her words landed, the signal for the match's start echoed in their ears. Du Wen Xiong, not expecting Shui Liu Qing to retort, lost the smile on his face, a hint of killing intent surfacing, "Reckless." In a heartbeat, Du Wen Xiong lunged forward without hesitation, gripping his sword's hilt as he charged toward Shui Liu Qing, his presence overwhelming, sword intent dominating. Recognizing the danger, Shui Liu Qing engaged her energy, gripping her Dripping Water Sword tight as she unleashed her technique "One Sword Ten Kills." This move, imparted by Fu Yan, though not executed to its full potential by Shui Liu Qing, still packed an eighty percent punch, catching the opponent off guard. Suddenly, surges of powerful sword intent enveloped the platform, with their figures dancing amidst blade flashes, forcing the surroundings into a rapidly forming storm of sword energy. “Crack—” Du Wen Xiong's prowess at the peak of Void Transformation wasn't for naught, his full-force strike effortlessly shattering Shui Liu Qing's sword momentum. Fortunately, Shui Liu Qing was prepared, pivoting with a nimble twist and responding with a sweeping counter. Unperturbed, Du Wen Xiong rotated deftly on his axis, his blue robe flaring as he easily intercepted Shui Liu Qing's assault, allowing no respite, and swiftly targeting Shui Liu Qing’s vital point without pause. ... On Hualing Valley's side, Ji Qing Jue was initially focused on her fellow sisters' matches when she noticed Shui Liu Qing taking to the stage against none other than Tianji Pavilion’s Du Wen Xiong. Her brows instantly furrowed in concern. Her gaze remained fixed on the intense battle, never wavering. "There's no need to worry," Ji Qing Jue thought to herself, taking a deep breath. "Though it seems like Shui Liu Qing is currently at a disadvantage, she hasn't yet summoned her life-bound puppet. Du Wen Xiong is certainly no match for her." Meanwhile, everyone aboard the Frost Flower Palace’s puppet ship had their gazes fixed on Shui Liu Qing's battle. "Who is this guy anyway? Something doesn't seem right. Every strike is aimed at Shui Liu Qing's vital points as if he's trying to kill her directly!" Ming Xi exclaimed anxiously while watching the fight unfold. Liu Bei quickly reassured her, "Don't worry, Ming Shimei. Though his strikes are deadly, Shui Fengzhu is adept in puppetry. She won't have any trouble!" Realization dawned on Ming Xi. "That's right! Shui Liu Qing hasn't even summoned her puppet yet, so he definitely won’t stand a chance once she does!" As they spoke, another ordinary disciple from Frost Flower Palace failed in the Harmonization stage's preliminary rounds. While the group felt a pang of regret, most of their attention remained on Shui Liu Qing's battle. At the prow, Fu Yan narrowed her eyes slightly as she recognized Du Wen Xiong’s affiliation with Tianji Pavilion. If she recalled correctly, it was Tianji Pavilion's people who had originally placed a tracking imprint on Shui Liu Qing. It seemed Shui Liu Qing had indeed encountered a worthy opponent. Not worried for Shui Liu Qing, Fu Yan let out a quiet chuckle to herself. As she knew, Shui Liu Qing had already crafted two puppets. Handling someone like Du Wen Xiong would be a breeze. Shui Liu Qing wasn't frightened by Du Wen Xiong; she merely wanted to assess her strength after her breakthrough. Having just dodged another lethal strike, Shui Liu Qing finally decided there was no need to hesitate any longer. With a swift maneuver, she summoned her life-bound puppet at the peak of the Void Transformation stage. Swish! The puppet appeared before Shui Liu Qing in an instant. With a single sword stroke, it swept aside Du Wen Xiong’s attack effortlessly.