Chapter Eighty-Six: The Bottom of the Dragon Blood Pool

The Soul-Devouring Sword suddenly wheeled around of its own accord and stabbed at Yu Youwei’s dantian. If that blow landed, her core would surely shatter. At the last possible instant, a streak of light burst from the Bloodflame Sword and struck the Soul-Devouring Sword, knocking it from her grasp.

Three of the four Elders guarding the Dragon Blood Pool simultaneously cast sealing spells toward the sword as it flew above the water, while the remaining Water Elder used the Seven Treasure Exquisite Pagoda to cover Ning Mofei.

The sealing spell cast by the three elders together formed a brilliant dome of light. Within it, the Soul-Devouring Sword thrashed like a trapped beast, lunging left and right. The black vapor spreading from its blade grew thicker and thicker, gradually condensing into a hideous human face. It seemed like the Grim Reaper risen from the depths of the netherworld, majestic and terrifying. Even the elders, with all their cultivation of mind and spirit, could not help but feel a chill of fear.

"When a tiger falls from grace, even dogs will bully it; when a dragon enters shallow water, even shrimp dare to play with it."

Ning Baixia, watching from the shadows, suddenly thought of these words. Though the thought was highly disrespectful to the three elders, a remnant soul was controlling the Soul-Devouring Sword, and even with the three elders joining forces they still could not seal it at once. One could only imagine how formidable Ye Jiu You must have been in his prime. Ning Baixia could not help but feel a surge of longing and admiration.

The sealing dome gradually shrank until it became the size of an egg, clear and translucent, with the miniature Soul-Devouring Sword plainly visible inside. The three elders let out a breath of relief and released it together. Elder Ma took the light sphere into his hands, then teleported to the crater on the eastern side of the Dragon Blood Pool. Beside the surging volcanic lava, a pill-refining chamber had been built there; once inside, he sealed the chamber shut.

Ning Baixia walked to the edge of the pool and said to the Water Elder, "Elder, I want to go in and keep Mofei company."

The Water Elder said, "He just fell asleep. That boy has no heart at all; stop treating him like a child all the time. He already has a wife now."

Ning Baixia stiffened. With a dry voice, he said, "Yes. This disciple has been taught." After bowing to the elder, he departed in desolation, his back carrying an indescribable loneliness.

"Ah, why did you have to say it so plainly?" Ye Qingyun sighed.

Elder Hong seized the chance to add, "She was always a gossip-mouthed woman."

"I’m just afraid of ruining the two greatest prodigies in our Immortal Continent Sect! Brothers turning against each other over a woman—heaven knows what could happen. If it weren’t for the fact that I truly dote on that girl too, I’d almost want to kill her myself."

"Surely not. Even if that little fool can solve the trouble of the Soul-Devouring Sword, his mind has been damaged, and he started late. What he will amount to is still hard to say. In any case, he can’t compare with Baixia. At best, he’ll be about the same as our Hong Kun in the future."

"Then let’s make a wager. If the Soul-Devouring Sword is fully resolved, then within ten years that boy Mofei will catch up to your little crab. If I win, you’re not allowed to argue with me anymore."

"Fine. If I win, you’re not allowed to argue with me anymore," Elder Hong replied just as readily.

Looking at the two of them, Elder Ye said helplessly, "Does this mean you’re finally sick of quarrelling and have decided to make up? If so, then go do whatever it is you were meant to do."

"We’re not staying here to wait for that girl to come out?" Elder Hong asked.

"Do you think she can still come out? I can no longer detect her with my spiritual sense at the depth she descended to," Elder Ye said, hands clasped behind his back as he gazed up at the sky, his tone especially desolate.

The Water Elder’s eyes immediately turned red. Just moments ago, she had said that for the sake of a woman, brothers could grow estranged, and that she had even considered killing Yu Youwei herself. She had never once imagined that this girl might already have been crushed to dust at the bottom of the Dragon Blood Pool by the savage essence of dragon blood.

Elder Hong fixed his eyes on the pool surface and murmured, "That girl is rather arrogant. She ought to have the capital to be so arrogant, right?" In truth, he also had a measure of appreciation for talent and did not wish to see Yu Youwei perish here.

"Perhaps... there is still hope. Let’s wait a little longer," the Water Elder said, sitting down by the rim of the pool without probing with spiritual sense. Her cultivation was inferior to Elder Ye’s; she could only wait.

The three by the pool fell silent, standing or sitting as they quietly kept watch beside the Dragon Blood Pool.

Within the Flameflow Mystic Realm, the scenery was monotonous, without the shifting light of dawn and dusk, only a pervasive scarlet radiance blazing through everything. The disciples who came and went did not dare approach; their glances from afar were filled with envy or curiosity.

Within the Immortal Continent Sect, the question of whether Yu Youwei was truly one of their own disciples had also become a hot topic. Another popular subject was Ning Baixia publicly calling Lin Xinyue, the leading female disciple of Jade Water Peak, a cheap woman. Although none of the parties involved had shown themselves, the two topics only grew hotter, and some idle young heirs even began placing wagers on them. Only when a summons was issued, and two teams sent to purge the black witches departed under the leadership of the two peak lords from Violet Gold Peak and Heavenly Fire Peak, did the discussion shift toward the mission of the two peak lords.

In ancient times, there were restrictions on cultivators entering the mundane world. Although the number of cultivators in the secular realm had increased over time, and medium-sized sects such as the Dark Maiden Palace had risen there, for a top-tier sect of the cultivation world to enter the mortal world so fanfare was still shocking. The entire secular realm trembled uneasily at the news.

The Ning family was the first to receive word, and the whole clan naturally rejoiced. The grief and trauma they had suffered under the black witch attack, which had left the entire household in low spirits, vanished in an instant. Even the imperial capital of the Great Qian was shaken. The emperor himself visited the Ning residence in the capital and drank with Ning the Second Elder, who was overseeing affairs there, discussing swordsmanship in high spirits. Sovereign and minister conversed most amicably.

At the Yu residence in the imperial capital, Elder Yu flew into a rage. "The Ning and Yu families have a marriage contract, so why wasn’t that girl Ruo Shuang allowed to marry over there, and instead an illegitimate daughter of unknown origin was sent in her place?"

The Yu men in the hall exchanged glances, but only Yu Shiyu, who had recently arrived in the capital, smiled while fanning himself. "Old Master, calm yourself. It would be best if Ninth Sister married over there."

"That foolish girl was already expelled from the family by Madam Ning Seven," Elder Yu said angrily.

"Unless the Ning family formally notifies our Yu family, this news cannot be counted as valid." Closing his fan, Yu Shiyu pressed the red-faced, neck-thickened old man back into the carved rosewood Grand Tutor chair and coaxed him like a child. "Believe me, if Ninth Sister can’t handle that Ning family fool, I’ll write my surname backward."

"I don’t know where you get such confidence from." Rolling her bell-like eyes, Old Madam Yu said irritably, "Boy, tomorrow I have a fishing appointment with Ning the Second Elder. You’re coming too."

The uncles and brothers present were silent with fear, but Yu Shiyu said carelessly, "If this is a blind date, then forget it."

"Don’t use the nonsense you told your fourth aunt to fool me. That girl from the Mu family would be lucky even to serve as a concubine. Your wife in the future will be the head wife of the Yu family. She has no chance."

"Then I’ll put my words here: aside from Yu Yan, anyone else who wants to be my wife definitely won’t live past the wedding night. No matter how many women you send, how many grandsons you arrange for me to marry, I guarantee not a single one will be shortchanged."

"You brat..." Elder Yu’s eyes nearly bulged with fury. His powerful presence was enough to make others tremble, but unfortunately it had no effect whatsoever on Yu Shiyu. The young man still wore that wicked smile, though the sinister look in his eyes made the old man understand clearly that he was serious. "Fine, you win by being ruthless!" he said through clenched teeth.