The two factions, after resting, flew together towards the direction of the rift in the barrier. The disciples of the Chaotian Sect rode their swords, while those of the Canglan Sect sat on flying boats. Little Mo reverted to its original form, and Ye Ju stood on the head of the Flood Dragon, ascending rapidly through the clouds. Zhao Yangzi’s Qingfeng Sword was no less impressive, shooting forward like an arrow. Everyone felt two figures whoosh past, leaving only specks.
By the time they arrived, they saw both had stopped above a cliff. Zhao Yangzi stood on his Qingfeng Sword, while Ye Ju loungingly leaned on the head of the Flood Dragon, Qi Mo. It was clear they had been waiting for some time. The enormous Flood Dragon, dozens of meters long with a body as thick as a water tank, hovered in the air, its eyes like copper bells, its horns formidable, and its whiskers fluttering. It exuded an aura of majesty and power. The various sects of the Tianchen Continent had long since received news of Fairy Ye, who possessed a contracted Nine-Tailed Fox divine beast. They wondered if this Fairy Ye, with a Flood Dragon as her spirit beast, was the same person.
Tian Ji mused, suspecting it was highly likely to be the same person. It was rumored that Fairy Ye was on intimate terms with the Sect Master’s son of the Chaotian Immortal Sect! The jade shard he carried close to him had been heating up since he first saw Fairy Ye. He had never understood the reason for this jade shard. Since birth, when his master found him at the back of the sect’s mountain, he had held this jade shard tightly. He couldn’t divine for himself. Diviners couldn’t divine for themselves, and neither could they. Even their divination yielded only a blur, indicating only that the journey would be perilous but safe, and that they would meet an old acquaintance. This was the divination his master had brought when he left. Was Fairy Ye the old acquaintance? Or was it Zhao Yangzi, the Sect Master’s son of the Chaotian Immortal Sect?
Below the cliff was a bottomless rift, its formation a mystery. Strong winds, called Gangfeng, blew up from the depths, causing discomfort. The boundary marker was gone. This rift had happened to crack precisely at the junction of the two continents, which was where the barrier was located. The boundary marker was used for marking, and also as a method to open the barrier with a boundary tablet. Clearly, this was a deliberate and premeditated act.
“Master, the aura of those people from the Beast Taming Sect is here. They have gone down below the cliff,” Qi Mo transmitted to Ye Ju.
Divine beasts were sensitive to scents, and Ye Ju did not doubt Little Mo’s words. She immediately informed Zhao Yangzi that the rift in the barrier was below the cliff, and that the people from the Beast Taming Sect had already descended to the bottom.
“Everyone, the rift in the barrier is at the bottom of the cliff. The people from the Beast Taming Sect have gone down, likely to retreat to their sect, but we must still guard against their tricks. Let’s leave some people here, and the rest will follow us to investigate at the bottom!”
After speaking, Zhao Yangzi ignored the people from the Canglan Sect. He instructed his sect’s disciples to stay behind, stating that he and Fairy Ye would descend. Unexpectedly, his elder brother, Zhao Tianci, disagreed and insisted on going down as well.
Zhao Yangzi glanced at him and nodded. In the end, those who were going down included Zhao Tianci and his guards, Tian Ji of the Canglan Sect, and two disciples in the middle stage of Golden Core. The rest remained at the cliff top, vigilant and on guard, fearing that the people from the Beast Taming Sect might make a sudden return and catch them off guard!
Ye Ju and Zhao Yangzi descended first. However, the Gangfeng at the bottom of the cliff was too strong. The others, riding their swords, were unstable. Only Ye Ju’s Flood Dragon was not afraid of this Gangfeng. The others were all hovering about two hundred meters below the cliff. Little Mo was unwilling to carry anyone else, except for Zhao Yangzi and Tian Ji, who were grudgingly allowed. This was as per his master’s instructions; otherwise, no human other than his master would ever get to ride him.
Finally, Ju thought of a method. She tied the others with ropes, creating a chain, and pulled them along. She had no choice, as she possessed innate strength, and even Zhao Yangzi couldn’t withstand this Gangfeng while pulling people. So, Ye Ju rode on Little Mo, holding a chain of human kites in one hand. As for how the human kites felt, she couldn’t care less. Ye Ju herself was quite embarrassed. It was the first time in her life she was flying a kite, and it was a human kite…
Zhao Tianci deeply regretted his decision. Had he known this would happen, he wouldn’t have come down even if beaten to death. Being pulled along like this was truly an insult to his dignity! He began to resent Ye Ju, believing it was Ye Ju’s fault for not letting him ride the Flood Dragon. She was the master; how could a spirit beast dare to disobey its master… He swore he would make her pay one day.
Ye Ju was completely unaware that she had unknowingly gained an enemy. Even if she knew, she would simply say, “I am so excellent, it’s only normal that I’m envied.”
As they were about to reach the bottom of the cliff, surprisingly, the bottom was eerily calm, with no wind. The place was filled with rugged, jagged rocks, and not a blade of grass grew. The human kites were caught off guard, almost falling from the sky. Those with quick reflexes stabilized themselves and used their spiritual power to descend safely. Everyone except the Golden Crown Prince, Zhao Tianci, if not for his guards catching him in time, he would have made intimate contact with the ground.
Ye Ju was speechless. “Seriously, you’re in the middle stage of Golden Core, how can you be so weak? Is your cultivation all from popping pills?” Little did Ye Ju know, she had hit the nail on the head!
Zhao Tianci, as the first male heir of the Chaotian Immortal Sect’s Sect Master, although a child of a concubine, was still doted upon. His mother cherished him dearly, let alone any minor bumps and bruises. If he needed cultivation, he had access to all sorts of heavenly treasures. Even rare ones, his mother only needed to cry to his father, and the Sect Master of the Chaotian Sect would compromise. Having a son after hundreds of years, he protected him. By the time he knew his eldest son had developed a lazy, opportunistic nature in his cultivation, it was too late! Fortunately, the Sect Master’s wife was formidable and became pregnant again, even giving birth to twin legitimate sons, just like the founding ancestor, with excellent talent. Overjoyed, he followed the ancestral teachings and enfeoffed the twins as Sect Master and heir, bestowing the Sect Master’s seal.
Zhao Yangzi was too lazy to look at his elder brother. He knew it would be like this. Externally presentable, but internally a straw man! And he thought himself extraordinary!
The bottom of the cliff was dim, but still visible, which was not a problem for cultivators. Ye Ju followed the direction indicated by Little Mo’s transmission. Zhao Yangzi followed closely. Tian Ji and his sect’s disciples followed behind.
“Why are you going in that direction? Fairy Ye, how do you know the rift in the barrier is there?” Only Zhao Tianci spoke provocatively.
Ye Ju was not accustomed to his behavior. “If you don’t want to follow, you can stay put!”
Zhao Tianci looked around the quiet, silent bottom of the cliff. If he stayed behind with only one guard, he couldn’t protect himself. He felt extremely stifled.
“Eldest Young Master, we should follow. Fairy Ye has divine beasts. It’s said that divine beasts have extremely keen senses. Her Flood Dragon must have detected traces of the Beast Taming Sect.” Those chosen to be Zhao Tianci’s guards possessed some knowledge. Moreover, he didn’t understand why his young master was targeting Fairy Ye.
Seeing them getting further away, Zhao Tianci became anxious and quickly followed. Between life and face, life was naturally more important!
Ye Ju’s group arrived at a fork in the road. Everyone felt the aura of the outer realm coming from the front right, knowing that the rift in the barrier was near. The Tianxing Continent was a continent with relatively scarce spiritual energy, filled with a dark, humid atmosphere. Those who knew the inheritance knew that an ancient fierce beast was sealed there, hence it was called the Land of Exile.
However, Little Mo sensed something on the left path that attracted it. If it didn’t go, a voice told it that it would regret it. Little Mo transmitted to Ye Ju:
“Master, something there is attracting me. I want to go and see…”