Chapter Ninety-Five: The Fox

Golden Lantern Immortal Jin Tianzuo had intimidated all challengers on the Spirit Ascension Arena, so much so that no one dared step forward to fight. A sheen of sweat even gathered on Redwood Lady’s brow. She thought grimly that if she did not act now, her own sect would surely be disgraced. At that thought, she gave a cold shout: “Senior Jin, I, Redwood Lady of the Blossom Gate, seek your instruction.” With that, she flicked her crimson robe and was about to fly toward the arena.

Then a thunderous voice suddenly boomed from the air: “Niece Redwood, this contest on the Spirit Ascension Arena is between your Blossom Gate and Sea Return City. Since the Falling Leaves Sect has sent old Jin here to back them up, then let this old man take this round for the Blossom Gate.”

The crowd of cultivators erupted into confusion. At such a moment, there was still someone bold enough to openly challenge Jin Tianzuo. One had to know that Jin Tianzuo’s earlier battle with Jun Burang had already astonished far too many cultivators. They had assumed only the Blossom Gate, one of the five great spirit-seeking sects, would be able to field someone against him. No one had expected that someone else would truly step forward.

Jiu Xi, seated in the grandstand, frowned deeply. Though he could not believe it was who he thought, he was far too familiar with that voice.

Everyone turned toward the sound and saw an old man with a dark face standing atop the viewing platform. Though his expression was weathered and weary, his black eyes shone brilliantly. The man raised his voice again. “Old friend, do you still recognize me?”

Jin Tianzuo also heard the thunderous call and immediately looked up. The instant he saw the man, he drew a sharp breath. “So it is Brother Yun Fa of the Cloud Heaven Sect. It has been a long time since I last saw you!”

The cultivators below burst into uproar. The newcomer was none other than the famed Yun Fa, one of the six sons of Cloud Heaven, renowned throughout Linglong. Most of the gathered cultivators were unaware of the recent upheaval within the Cloud Heaven Sect. They only knew the name of the Six Sons, and among them, Master Yun Fa was especially known for his iron face. Even non-disciples of the Cloud Heaven Sect would feel a trace of fear at the mere sight of him. None had expected him to appear at the Spirit Ascension Arena today. When they looked again at Jiu Xi and the others who had arrived earlier, they secretly gave a thumbs-up. It seemed the Cloud Heaven Sect had long been prepared; how could they possibly be intimidated by Sea Return City?

Only Jiu Xi and the others knew the truth: the mission their Uncle Yun Ling had given them was to come only with this small group. Even if a senior uncle from the Yun generation were to be dispatched, it would absolutely not be Master Yun Fa, for Master Yun Fa had been personally ordered by Ancestor Withered Branch to reflect in penance at Repentance Cliff. Even now that Uncle Yun Ling had become deputy sect master of the Cloud Heaven Sect, he still had no authority to send him down the mountain. So why had he come here? Jiu Xi, along with Jiu Ling and Jiu Tong, exchanged puzzled looks.

Jiu Xi’s brow remained tightly furrowed, but he said nothing. He and Yun Fa had always shared a peculiar relationship. Now that he had become the hall master of the Cloud Heaven Sect’s discipline hall, he did not know what he should say to this former superior.

At that moment, however, Master Yun Fa had already flicked his body and landed on the Spirit Ascension Arena, facing Jin Tianzuo. “Old friend,” he said, “I never thought you would still remember me.”

Golden Lantern Immortal Jin Tianzuo also knew that today there was bound to be a fight to the death. Though he had won his earlier battle against Jun Burang, he had still expended some spiritual force. Now that he was about to face a master like Yun Fa, he instinctively wanted to drag things out a little and buy himself time to recover.

He smiled faintly. “Brother Yun Fa, how could Jin Tianzuo ever forget you? Forty-odd years ago, at that Linglong Assembly, we were both still young. At that gathering, Brother Yun Fa was unrivaled among the heroes. How could I ever let such a memory fade?”

Yun Fa let out a cold laugh. “Wasn’t it because you and I were both knocked off the stage?”

Jin Tianzuo’s expression stiffened, though the golden beard beneath his chin still twitched. “That was an old affair. I had thought that after that parting, we would never meet again. Who would have imagined that we would cross paths here on the Spirit Ascension Arena? Forty years have passed in a blink, and yet we meet again in such a way.”

Yun Fa was unmoved. “And what is wrong with such a way? Besides, you chose it yourself. The Falling Leaves Sect is one of the five great spirit sects and ought to stand shoulder to shoulder with the other four, jointly preserving the honor of all five regions. Yet you have come here to help that old Sea Return fool found some sect, establish some faction. Truly absurd.” Yun Fa was long accustomed to wielding punishment and rebuke, and with anyone he spoke as though instructing a junior.

Jin Tianzuo’s golden eyes flashed, and he said with imposing dignity, “Does Master Yun Fa have no friends beyond the sect wall? My coming here does not represent the Falling Leaves Sect. Presumably, Brother, you have just arrived and did not witness the fierce battle between my junior brother and me. Otherwise, you would not have spoken such shallow words.” As one of the supreme figures of the Falling Leaves Sect, Jin Tianzuo would never simply stand and take Yun Fa’s lecturing.

Master Yun Fa had already been burdened by recent upheavals, leaving his qi obstructed and uneven. Some days earlier, he had finally received his master’s order: atone for his sins through merit. He was to descend the mountain and assist the Blossom Gate in challenging this Spirit Ascension Arena. Though he did not know the reason, it was still better than staring day after day at the endless star-filled sky from Repentance Cliff. Right now, all Yun Fa wanted was to throw this arena into chaos, to strip Sea Return House of any claim to contend for supremacy, and thereby earn great merit. He hoped his master would soften and allow him to leave Repentance Cliff and return to the inner core of the Cloud Heaven Sect. Thus, whoever stood in his way today, he intended to kill.

Hearing Jin Tianzuo speak with such brazen arrogance, the old dark face of Yun Fa instantly turned grim. He was already anxious to the point of fury, having rushed day and night to get here, and his face was lined with weariness. Now that he darkened his expression, he seemed even more aged and imposing. He snapped, “Jin Tianzuo, then by your words, your Falling Leaves Sect has nothing to do with this matter, and you are merely a private friend of that Sea Return old fool?”

Jin Tianzuo shouted, “Exactly!”

Master Yun Fa actually laughed aloud, and after his laughter faded, he said ruthlessly, “Good. Then that means you came here today for a friend. Even if I kill you, it will have nothing to do with either the Cloud Heaven Sect or the Falling Leaves Sect.” Yun Fa was deeply calculating, and with a single stroke he cast aside the burden of sect allegiance.

Only then did Jin Tianzuo realize he had fallen into Yun Fa’s verbal trap. Yet he remained fearless, straightening his chest and declaring, “Yun Fa, you are right. Even if I kill you today, it will have nothing to do with my Falling Leaves Sect!”

Their war of words seemed fierce, but in truth each was quietly casting his own sect far beyond the clouds, for neither wanted the Spirit Ascension Arena to drag their respective factions into the affair.

Seated on the platform, Sea Return Heart heard this and cursed inwardly: a pair of old foxes, though he himself was no less a fox.