“Weren’t you planning to leave? Why /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ aren’t you going now? Are you waiting for some result?”
Zhu Xincheng’s lips curved into a teasing smile.
“I hadn’t gone far before you two started fighting. Naturally, I wanted to see how it would turn out. But tell me—how did you find me?”
Honestly, Ye Yu was beginning to doubt himself. Had his Concealment Technique been useless? How was it that he was always discovered? First it was Hong Zhencheng, and now Zhu Xincheng. Did every member of the Divine Clan have eyes like divine mirrors?
Zhu Xincheng raised a jade-green finger and pointed toward the sky. “Wherever sunlight reaches, there are no secrets in my eyes. Understand?”
Ye Yu couldn’t help narrowing his lips. Heh, so you really did install some extra skill for spotting fatties, huh?
He shifted his gaze to Tang Jiansheng, studying him closely. The divine power rippling around the elder was completely normal, and his expression was clear and unfazed—no sign of mind control. Just as one in full control of himself.
“Did you use a divine pill to control him?” Ye Yu asked.
Zhu Xincheng nodded freely. “A divine pill, yes, but I also used a minor secret art. Only then could I leave no flaw for others to detect. By the way—would you like to hear my plan?”
“Don’t bother. I don’t want to hear it. If your plan fails, you’ll blame me for leaking it!” Ye Yu waved his hands, refusing.
Zhu Xincheng’s smile deepened. In truth, she had already decided Ye Yu meant no harm. If he were a member of Jiyue Pavilion, he’d have done everything to block Tang Jiansheng’s arrival—or at least alerted the other elders to come to her aid. That he had done neither proved his innocence.
Relaxed, Ye Yu said, “Alright, Lord of the Divine Pact, we’re both busy. Let’s not hold each other up. You go your way, I’ll go find my Dao partner. We’ll part here.”
A curious glint appeared in Zhu Xincheng’s eyes. “You mean your childhood sweetheart?”
Ye Yu’s face darkened. That joke’s going nowhere, is it? “She’s gone—never mention it again! Goodbye. We’ll meet again... maybe in another life!”
With that, Ye Yu spun on his heel and walked away without looking back.
Zhu Xincheng watched him go, her expression unreadable. Behind her, Tang Jiansheng stood like a loyal sentinel, ever vigilant for signs of fellow Jiyue disciples—lest he be forced to slay gods again.
A stick of incense later, Ye Yu slipped to the gate of Jiyue Pavilion and told the guardian, “I’m a friend of Bone Ji. Please inform her that I wish to speak with her.”
The guardian shook his head. “That’s unfortunate timing. Bone Ji just broke through to the Celestial God Realm and has been sent on an external mission. You can return later or contact her via Communication Stone.”
Ye Yu’s face fell. Of all moments to be away! Waiting here felt unwise—Zhu Xincheng might be stirring up trouble inside. But he also didn’t want to waste the trip. He quietly pressed five divine stones into the guardian’s hand.
“I have urgent business with Bone Ji. Could you help me this once?”
The guardian’s expression remained stern. “It’s not a matter of preference. Bone Ji’s assignment to the Sunken Yang Gorge is a command. That’s principle. Now, leave; I’m busy.”
With that, the guardian turned and strode away, righteousness personified. Ye Yu could only murmur to himself, Money makes ghosts turn mills...
Sunken Yang Gorge—the very place that had fallen in his last dream. It was where a rash Jiyue elder had ended him. He remembered many Divine Clan members had gone there, but Bone Ji hadn’t been among them. What had truly happened in the real world to cause such a butterfly effect? Originally, Bone Ji should have been in New-Build City, yet now she’d joined Jiyue Pavilion—and even gone to Sunken Yang Gorge.
After much thought, Ye Yu set off toward Sunken Yang Gorge.
The next day, Seventh Elder Chen Guangju and Eighth Elder Du Yu led over a hundred Jiyue disciples into the gorge. Bone Ji was among them. After her last battle with Yinghuo, she had realized her shortcomings and volunteered for this mission—to earn Divine Pact merits and exchange them for higher divine arts. Bone Ji was determined never to bow before that woman again.
At the front, Chen Guangju arched an eyebrow as he scanned the surroundings, then teased, “Do you think the people of Scorching Sun Gate are afraid? They didn’t even show their faces and handed over this divine-stone mine without a fight?”
Du Yu grunted, “I don’t know if they’re afraid, but I know you are. Standing behind me must feel so much safer, huh?”
Chen Guangju bristled and shuffled out from behind Du Yu. “What do you mean I’m afraid? I’m just using tactical positioning.”
Suddenly, a streak of light shot toward them and came to a perfect stop in front of the two elders. It was none other than Snow Scar’s master, Tang Jiansheng.
“Old Tang,” Chen Guangju exclaimed, surprised. “Why are you here? Is something wrong?”
When they chose someone to lead this mission, Tang Jiansheng was the first choice—he was neither as overly cautious as Chen Guangju nor single-mindedly warlike like Du Yu. But he had refused, so they’d settled on the other two.
Tang Jiansheng’s voice was urgent. “I’ve just learned that Scorching Sun Gate has allied with Drunken Heart Valley. They plan to ambush us here.”
Chen Guangju and Du Yu’s faces drained of color, and the disciples behind them grew restless. No one expected someone to dare attack Jiyue Pavilion—without absolute certainty, no one would take such a risk. If this was true, they were all in grave danger.
In the crowd, Bone Ji frowned deeply.
