Chapter 200

Chapter 200: He Admitted It, He Just Couldn’t Let Go of Yu Zhao
Yu Zhao was about to step forward and kick Yao Ji off the dueling platform when Yao Ji’s breathing suddenly went out of control, and an odd flush rushed up her face.

Yu Zhao did not say a word and quickly retreated.

Elder Ji Dao reacted fast and quickly set up a spell formation around Yao Ji.

Right after that, there was a loud boom. Yao Ji’s whole body turned into a cloud of blood mist that drifted in the small space.

Someone choked out: “Yao Ji… she self-detonated?”

Everyone was stunned into silence.

It was only a sparring match. How did it end like this?

Did she take such an extreme way to kill herself because her proud face was ruined and she could not accept it?

Everyone was confused and felt it was all very strange.

Yu Zhao’s eyes dimmed. In her mind she saw the look Yao Ji had given her right before she died.

It had not been hate or madness, but pleading and regret.

It seemed Yao Ji had known what she was about to go through, but she had no strength to stop it and could only watch it happen.

Thinking of the faint Hidden Scent Mark on her body, Yu Zhao fell into thought.

Elder Ji Dao announced loudly: “Yu Zhao wins!”

Everyone focused on Yu Zhao again, and thunderous applause broke out.

Yu Zhao came back to herself in the roar of cheers, nodded to the crowd, and let her gaze slide, as if by accident, over Ye Cong Xin in the crowd.

[Ye Cong Xin, was it you?]

Elder Ji Dao gathered up all of Yao Ji’s remaining traces and said to everyone that he would bury her properly. Then he rushed to host the last round of the Sect Grand Tournament.

The teams from Five Elements Dao Sect and Heavenly Sword Sect walked onto the dueling platform from two different sides.

The leaders, Liu Zheng and Zhou Jin Yue, looked at each other and smiled.

Then they moved at the same time, as if they had agreed beforehand.

The others each found an opponent, and lights of many colors flashed across the stage.

Someone asked: “Which sect do you think is more likely to win?”

Another person said: “Do you even need to ask? Of course it is Five Elements Dao Sect! Senior Sister Zhou of Five Elements Dao Sect is pretty and cool. If she does not win, even the Heavenly Principle will not accept it!”

Someone else said: “Senior Sister Liu of Heavenly Sword Sect is also very strong. Maybe something unexpected will happen.”

“…”

This year, many geniuses had appeared in the Cultivation World Grand Tournament. It could be called the best in nearly a thousand years.

Everyone had their own opinion and said all kinds of things.

Yu Zhao’s gaze swept past Zhou Jin Yue, then Liu Zheng, Zhang Jun, Ji Han Zhou, and the others.

Everyone was performing very steadily. The only differences were in each person’s strength and how well they worked together.

In both of these, Five Elements Dao Sect held an advantage.

Yu Zhao could see that Ji Han Zhou had improved a lot during this time. He must have trained day and night after returning to Heavenly Sword Sect and did not dare slack off at all.

But he had only reached Core Formation not long ago. Even though his skill in the Sword Dao could make up for some of the gap in cultivation level, he was facing one of the top disciples of Five Elements Dao Sect.

Even the smallest difference could decide the final winner.

So in this match, Five Elements Dao Sect was sure to win.

When the arrow Zhou Jin Yue shot knocked Liu Zheng’s sword to the side, Liu Zheng gave a bitter smile.

She had lost.

The referee shouted: “Five Elements Dao Sect wins!”

On the high platform, Sect Master Ji Yuan grinned like a blooming trumpet flower and cupped his hands again and again to Sect Master Chong Yang: “Thank you for letting us win, thank you for letting us win!”

Sect Master Chong Yang felt stifled, but he still had to trade polite words with Sect Master Ji Yuan: “Not at all. Your sect’s disciples are just stronger.”

Sect Master Ji Yuan smacked his lips and said: “That is true. After all, the one leading the team this time is my personal First Disciple, Zhou Jin Yue. Hahahahaha, she finally did not embarrass me.”

The other sect masters and elders froze for a moment, then pointed at him and shook their heads, both crying and laughing inside.

Sect Master Chong Yang was so angry that his liver hurt.

So the old man had not been being polite. He had been setting him up.

Praising himself by using his disciple?

[Shameless!]

Sect Master Ji Yuan was in great spirits. Even Master Qing Yan looked more pleasing to his eyes now.

But when he thought of the few small pills hidden in his sleeve, he suddenly did not feel like laughing.

Tomorrow was the award ceremony. He did not know if Master Qing Yan would cause more trouble.

He felt troubled.

“Cheers!”

Dozens of cups were raised at the same time, and the air was full of joy.

Tonight’s banquet was organized by Yan Shan, the First Senior Brother of Wen Ding Pavilion, with Zhou Jin Yue and the others helping. The guests were all people who had a good relationship with Yu Zhao.

Si Tu Xuan and Yao Wu Ji sat among a group of sect disciples. They felt a bit uneasy at first, but after drinking a few rounds, they soon relaxed.

As the most popular person in everyone’s eyes, Yu Zhao became the focus of the whole group. People kept coming over to toast her.

For this banquet, Yan Shan paid a heavy price and secretly took out quite a lot of the good wine that the Sect Master of Wen Ding Pavilion had been saving.

Yu Zhao did not refuse anyone.

Before long, she felt the alcohol rushing to her head.

It did not show on her face, but a layer of moisture covered her cool eyes. Her mind was still clear, but her thoughts had become a bit slow.

For example, Su Ming stood in front of her for quite a while before she reacted and realized that he was there.

She frowned, her dislike plain on her face, and was about to walk around him when Su Ming called out to her.

Su Ming shouted: “Yu Xiao Zhao! I have something to say to you!”

Su Ming did not lower his voice at all, and the others at the banquet all turned to look at him.

Zhou Jin Yue and Ji Han Zhou jumped to their feet.

Zhou Jin Yue said coldly: “If you have something to say, you can say it right here.”

Su Ming shook his head and said: “No, I will only talk to Yu Xiao Zhao alone.”

Su Ming stubbornly stared at Yu Zhao.

Yu Zhao really wanted to say that she did not want to listen.

But the fine wine that Sect Master Bai Lian had stored away was very strong. For a moment, she could not speak and no sound came out.

Zhou Jin Yue and the others did not know the truth and thought Yu Zhao had agreed by staying quiet. So they kindly stepped away to give the two of them space to talk.

Yu Zhao was speechless.

She tried to call out: “Senior Sister Zhou…”

But Su Ming’s voice pressed over hers as he spoke with deep feeling: “Yu Xiao Zhao, come back. Ever since you left, First Senior Brother and the others have been listless every day. Even Master has become more moody. Everyone misses you. Just take the initiative and admit your mistake to Master and come back.

“From now on, I will do whatever you say. You will come first in everything. Junior Sister can only line up behind you.

“You also should not be angry anymore, okay?”

In fact, Su Ming had to gather a lot of courage before he came to find Yu Zhao.

After all, Yu Zhao had rejected him once not long ago. His pride did not allow him to be stepped on a second time.

But now he had figured things out.

He did not want to see Yu Zhao talking and laughing with others while pushing him away.

He admitted it. He just could not bear to let Yu Zhao go.

He knew he had not done well in some things before, and he was willing to change. As long as Yu Zhao returned to Lone Moon Peak and they could all live happily like before, it did not matter if he sacrificed a bit of pride.

After he finished speaking, he waited nervously for Yu Zhao’s reaction.

Yu Zhao said: “Get lost.”

Su Ming’s face froze: “W-what?”

Yu Zhao repeated firmly: “I said get lost.”

Yu Zhao’s eyes were still a little hazy, but her tone was very firm.

She was only drunk, not stupid.

Did he think a few easy words of apology could make her forget that awful past and go back to Lone Moon Peak to work like a beast of burden again? That would never happen.

From the day she left Lone Moon Peak, she had never planned to look back.

Su Ming’s fingers dug hard into his palms, and his eyes slowly turned red.

He shouted: “Why? Tell me why!”