Chapter 282

Chapter 282: Seven Stars Sect Outside Seven Stars City
Quan Ye was walking down a desolate path in a daze. Suddenly he heard a familiar voice call out: “Fifth Brother? Why are you here? Did you successfully awaken?” He lifted his head in a fog and saw Su Ming and Master Qing Yan standing not far away.

Su Ming walked over and continued: “Weren’t you supposed to wait for us on Qingqiu Mountain? Why did you run out alone?”

Quan Ye said: “I…” He did not want to tell Su Ming and Master Qing Yan that the Chieftain of the Nine-Tails Clan had driven him down the mountain. But if he made up some excuse at random, it would be easy to expose.

He finally mumbled: “The Chieftain of the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan had to go out for something. I did not want to stay there.”

Su Ming asked in surprise: “But Master agreed to quite a few demands so you could stay on Qingqiu Mountain. We have not even handed over the promised items yet, and they still let you leave?”

Quan Ye did not even know there had been such a thing, and he had no idea how to answer. He only forced out a dull sound from his throat.

After all, Su Ming had been fellow disciples with Quan Ye for many years. With one glance, he could tell something was wrong. He was about to keep asking, but then remembered that Master had not spoken yet, so he forced himself to hold back.

This time, it was Master Qing Yan who spoke. He asked calmly: “Did the Chieftain of the Nine-Tailed Fox say anything before he left?”

Quan Ye shook his head.

Master Qing Yan’s brows drew together in a tiny frown, and a trace of displeasure flashed through his eyes as he looked at Quan Ye.

With his sharp eyes, he could easily see that Quan Ye had already passed the Danger Period. His body had been remade. His physical strength was now many times greater than before.

At a time like this, the fact that Quan Ye could leave Qingqiu Mountain without any resistance meant he had failed to catch the eye of the Nine-Tails.

After the White Peacock Clan, now the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan had abandoned him as well.

Master Qing Yan did not bother to think deeply about where the problem lay. He only felt that Quan Ye was too weak. Even with the Azure Dragon bloodline, he still could not win over two great clans, and he had even dragged Master around outside, running back and forth.

He gave Quan Ye a cold look, then said to Su Ming: “Take Quan Ye back to the sect first. I will come later.”

Su Ming answered: “Yes.”

The afterimage of Master Qing Yan that had stayed in place slowly blurred and was scattered by the wind.

As soon as he left, Su Ming felt his whole body relax. He started to ask one question after another again.

But Quan Ye’s mouth was like a tightly shut clam. No matter how Su Ming tried to pry it open, he would not speak. When he was pushed too hard, he even snapped at Su Ming, and in the end he made Su Ming angry too.

Su Ming believed that all the hardship he had suffered while following Master outside during this time had been for Quan Ye’s sake, taking his place.

It was one thing for Quan Ye not to be thankful. But he even spoke harshly to him.

As expected, no matter how much a Human-Demon Hybrid looked like a human, Demonic Beast blood still flowed in his bones.

Quan Ye was just a Demonic Beast wearing human skin who did not know how to be grateful.

Su Ming thought: if he ever cared about Quan Ye again, then he would be the biggest fool in the whole Cultivation World.

Until Master Qing Yan returned and the three of them went back together to Five Elements Dao Sect, Quan Ye and Su Ming did not say a single word to each other.

A crack that could never be erased had opened between these two fellow disciples who had once been as close as brothers.

…

At a fork in the road, Lin Shuang faced Yu Zhao and gave a deep bow as she said: “Senior Yu, your great kindness cannot be repaid with words. If you ever need Lin Shuang in the future, please just say so.”

Yu Zhao said calmly: “There is no need to be so polite. Since I took your things, I should also take you away from Dragon Pool Mountains. This is only a trade.”

Lin Shuang shook her head and said: “Senior Yu, you do not need to explain. I understand.”

No matter what Yu Zhao’s reason was, she had saved her life. That was a favor that could not be erased no matter what.

Besides, Lin Shuang had her own little thoughts.

Yu Zhao was now like the sun at noon. To be on good terms with her was something many people in the outside world wished for but could not get.

Maybe one day, Lin Shuang would need to ask Yu Zhao for help again.

Building a good relationship and leaving a good impression was the most important thing.

The two of them chatted for a while longer, then parted ways at the crossroads.

Lin Shuang hurried back to look after her junior brothers and junior sisters, while Yu Zhao followed her plan and headed toward Hundred Flowers Valley.

Back in Marsh Forest, she had promised Mo Ci, Jing Nan, and the others that she would visit Hundred Flowers Valley as a guest. She had not had the time before, and now she could use this chance to keep her promise.

At her old speed, it would have taken half a month for her to reach Hundred Flowers Valley.

Now that she had mastered the Teleportation Art, her travel time was greatly shortened. She would only need five days to arrive.

Three days later, Yu Zhao passed by a city called Seven Stars City.

On the city walls of Seven Stars City, there was a huge Seven Stars Constellation Diagram painted.

Looking at the Seven Stars pattern, Yu Zhao suddenly remembered something from her past life.

In her previous life, among the sects that were destroyed because their Spirit Veins dried up, there had been one called Seven Stars Sect.

The location of Seven Stars Sect was one hundred li outside Seven Stars City.

Also, the time when Seven Stars Sect’s Spirit Vein had dried up seemed to be right around now.

The reason Yu Zhao remembered this so clearly was that several of the cultivators who had chased her and tried to kill her to vent their anger back then had been from Seven Stars Sect.

They had brought Yu Zhao a lot of trouble. Once, they had almost taken her life.

It was impossible to say that Yu Zhao felt no hatred toward them.

She had never forgotten how miserable it had been to be hunted down, or how hopeless it had felt to run for her life.

But the matter of the Spirit Vein was not only tied to the safety of Seven Stars Sect. There was an even greater secret hidden behind it, one that concerned the entire Cultivation World.

Yu Zhao did not want to give up the chance to search for clues because of old grudges.

Struggle flashed in her eyes.

After a moment, she thought of the true meaning of the Ruthless Dao and finally made up her mind.

She would make a trip to Seven Stars Sect.

As for what kind of future Seven Stars Sect would have, that was not something she should decide.

She only needed to keep a clear conscience.

So, one hour later, the Sect Master of Seven Stars Sect, Tian Shu, received a Voice Transmission from a gatekeeping disciple.

The disciple reported: “Yu Zhao from Five Elements Dao Sect has come to visit.”

Tian Shu was shocked and blurted out: “Why would she come to Seven Stars Sect?”

Seven Stars Sect had been founded three hundred years ago. In the Cultivation World, its rank was in the middle. It was worse than the top sects, but better than many others.

Counting the Sect Master and the elders, there were seven Nascent Soul cultivators in the sect, along with many Golden Core cultivators.

For this Cultivation World Grand Tournament, Seven Stars Sect had also sent a team to take part. They had been knocked out in the second round.

Sect Master Tian Shu of Seven Stars Sect had personally gone to watch the tournament. He had been deeply impressed by its champion, Yu Zhao, and had even secretly complained in his heart that Five Elements Dao Sect had taken in all the geniuses in the Cultivation World.

But he had never imagined that one day Yu Zhao would come to visit in person.

Seven Stars Sect and Five Elements Dao Sect usually had no dealings with each other. He did not believe Yu Zhao would come for no reason. So why was she here?

He thought: “Could it be for…”

When he thought of one possible reason, Tian Shu could no longer sit still.

He sent a message telling the disciples to receive Yu Zhao with care and not dare slight her, while at the same time urgently calling the elders to come discuss the matter. His brows almost knotted into a tight ball.

Because Tian Shu urged them so sharply, the elders did not dare delay. They put down what they were doing and rushed over. Then they heard this not-so-good news from his mouth.

A thin, short Nascent Soul elder thought of the same possibility as Tian Shu and asked anxiously: “Could she have come for the Spirit Vein under our sect?”

As soon as he said this, the room fell silent.