Blue Phoenix

by Tinalynge

  Their goodbye was brief, and none of them were sentimental. Two were old friends and rivals, while the other two were new friends and new rivals. When looking at the two younger experts, both Pei Bai and the Old Weasel felt nostalgic. They were dragged back to the time when the two of them had met for the first time and started their life-long rivalry.

  As they finished their goodbyes, Pei Bai picked up a communication orb and contacted the guards who had been in the city for the past month.

  As they gathered at Dragon's Peak, Hui Yue was surprised. There were three guards missing, and some of them had been beaten silly. All of them were Immortals of Creation yet, even so, they had been beaten into a state where not even their mothers would recognize them.

  When his eyes landed on this large group of experts, Pei Bai's eyes turned cold. It was not just him, but the eyes of the Old Weasel also turned frosty.

  "What happened?" Pei Bai asked in a low, dangerous voice. He was clearly very displeased.

  No one spoke at the start, but then the pressure from Pei Bai descended upon these guards. Finally, one of them took a step forward and cleared his throat.

  "After entering the city, we split up into smaller groups. One of our brothers went to the Black Marketplace and bought some items. But it turns out that afterwards he got drunk and bragged about the items he had bought."

  "Later on, he was assaulted on his way back to the inn. He was not alone, and our brothers saved him. Unfortunately, they ended up killing the assailant… But the one who attacked was none other than the young master of the Chen family!"

  Hui Yue was unaware of who the Chen family was but from what it sounded like they were rather important within the Heavenly Dragon Gate's World.

  "Since the incident, we have been attacked time and time again, and from the attacks, we lost three brothers!" It was obvious from his facial expressions how much pain he was in because of the brothers they had lost. These guards were all brothers and friends and to lose someone was truly a heartbreaking experience. This was especially the case when they had spent thousands of years side by side.

  "All of us got beaten black and blue as you can see, but at least we were able to keep our lives." the guard finished speaking and sighed as he shook his head. He clearly regretted that the drunk guard hadn’t kept his mouth shut about the treasure he had bought.

  "What kind of treasure could make those experts from the Chen family take action?" Hui Yue asked curiously, and the guard was silent for a short while before he shook his head and finally said, "It was supposedly a Pill of Clarity made by the Alchemist God sold by some old man!"

  "This brother of ours spent his entire savings to buy this pill because he was stuck at a bottleneck while comprehending the dao."

  Hearing this, Hui Yue's face suddenly turned strange. No one understood what he was thinking, but he was actually blaming himself. Someone selling Pills of Clarity made by the Alchemist God... Were these not the same pills he had sold back in Diyu? How had they ended up so far away from where he had sold them? Had they spread across the entire galaxy already?

  "No matter what kind of treasure it was, for the Chen family to assault the guests of our Heavenly Dragon Gate, do they really not wish to keep living in our world?!" The Old Weasel exclaimed in anger before he waved his hand and a small horn appeared in his hands.

  After blowing into the horn, a group of experts suddenly appeared behind the Old Weasel. All of them were stronger than even the guards that Pei Bai and Hui Yue had brought with them.

  "Let’s go and pay a visit to the Chen family!" he continued with a hint of coldness in his eyes.

  No one questioned his authority to deal with the Chen family; everyone followed behind the Old Weasel as they made their way through the city. At the front was Pei Bai and the Old Weasel. Behind them were Gao Li and Hui Yue and following them came the experts that the Old Weasel had called for. Finally after them were Hui Yue and Pei Bai’s guards and at the very back were the ones who had been beaten black and blue.

  As they walked through the city, everyone stopped what they were doing and watched this massive group of cultivators as they walked through the city with a ferocious and murderous aura.

  They did not have to walk far before they reached the Chen family compound, and as they did, the Old Weasel did not even stand on ceremony as over nine hundred and fifty seals appeared around him. Nine hundred of these seals all took the shape of a massive behemoth. It was like a gigantic furry ape with white fur. From the back were multiple ice shards and the size of this ape was so tall that the gate to the Chen family compound seemed to be made of toothpicks rather than large iron bars in comparison.

  "Halt!" someone from inside yelled and soon after an expert no weaker than Pei Bai appeared flying in the sky. His face was slightly pale, but within his eyes, anger smoldered.

  "Chen Jun!" The Old Weasel called out with a growling voice. His face was showing even more anger than the patriarch of the Chen family’s face was. When the patriarch saw the Old Weasel, his face turned even paler than before. His eyes were no longer filled with anger but flashed with worry and slight fear.

  "Old Master Yang Juan!" he exclaimed as he quickly bowed to the Old Weasel. "I am unaware of what might have transpired to cause you to seek out my family and cause such a ruckus," he said. His voice contained genuine confusion, but the Old Weasel, who Hui Yue just realized was called Yang Juan, snorted.

  "We have been conducting the Formation Master's debate just recently, and during this time, the guards of the various sects have been visiting our dear city. Now do you really not know about this matter of your son and the guards of the Celestial Sword Sect, or are you just acting the fool?" The Old Weasel inquired his voice filled with hostility. It was clear that he did not believe that this old man knew nothing.

  "The... The Celestial Sword Sect?" The Chen family patriarch turned so pale that his face seemed to be made from wax. "I truly do not know, elder, please enlighten me."

  The Chen family was the largest family within the Heavenly Dragon Gate's World, only surpassed by the Heavenly Dragon Gate itself. But what was such a small family when compared to the gigantic sect such as the Celestial Sword Sect? Just one their guardian sects alone could wipe out the entire Chen family not to even mention the main sect.

  Snorting, Yang Juan explained what had transpired, and the more he spoke, the more listless the patriarch of the Chen family became.

  "I understand," he finally said with a sigh. "I deeply apologize for my son's rash behavior. To have lost three dedicated guards and even gotten other guards beaten up not only is it a disgrace to the Heavenly Dragon Gate, but it is also a direct insult to the Celestial Sword Sect."

  He was hesitating because he knew that his son had no way of surviving this ordeal. He had orchestrated the death of members of the Celestial Sword Sect. He had stolen from them, and he had tainted the name of the Heavenly Dragon Gate.

  "Your son succeeded in stealing a Pill of Clarity," Hui Yue suddenly said, something that no one else had thought about before. "This pill cost our faithful guard his entire life savings, money that could have gone to his widowed wife and his fatherless children. Instead, the pill has been stolen by your son. I hope you can return this pill to us, if not then the wealth equivalent to buy such a pill created by the Alchemist God will suffice; If not, don't blame us for being rude."

  The patriarch felt slightly annoyed being spoken to like this by a member of the younger generation, but he dared not show any annoyance on his face. Instead, he started sweating profoundly. He knew that his son had returned two days prior and had gone straight into secluded cultivation. It was clear that he had already consumed the pill.

  To pay for such a pill was no easy matter. But even so, it should be possible for him to afford it. That was until Hui Yue sent a brilliant smile at the patriarch, one that made him shiver with a slight trace of fear.

  "Well, your family did kill three of our guards and stole a priceless pill.
I am sure that a million Worldpower Stones is enough to compensate for our losses. Don't thank me for being so kind just make sure to pay up."

  Hearing this, the patriarch almost spat out blood and everyone present stared at Hui Yue with eyes widened to the extreme.

  One million Worldpower Stones! What kind of fortune was this?! It was simply something no one could ever afford! Even a family like the Chen family would only be able to afford it if they sold all their assets. Still, this was a way for them to allow for the son to survive, and the patriarch was feeling uncertain if he should just hand over his son or if he should accept the offer.

  "I think you misunderstand me," Hui Yue said guessing what the patriarch was thinking as he smiled once more. Each of his smiles seemed to suck out the lifeforce out of the patriarch making him fear this young man in front of him.

  "I am not interested in the life and death of your son. Whether he lives or dies, you pay up. The pill has most likely already been consumed, and we have a widowed wife and fatherless children that need to be fed for years to come. So you pay up or give us the pill that was stolen. As to whether or not your son lives, that is up to Elder Yang Juan to decide."

  Chapter 635 - Flame of Life

  * * *

  Chapter 635: Flame of Life

  The face of the Chen family’s patriarch changed from pale to red. He was angered from how this youth was talking to him and the humiliation was hard to bear. This youth left no face for the patriarch, but considering that his family had killed three guards of a major sect, it was normal for him to be reprimanded.

  Unfortunately, the one reprimanding him was this youngster, and this was both humiliating and infuriating. Although he understood that speaking right now would be dumb, he could not help but do so anyways, "Young one, I understand that my family has made a mistake, but for you to be the one to determine what is to be done about it... Do you really think you are suitable?"

  His words were somewhat polite, but it was clear for all that he was unhappy with this young man's interference.

  The two elders and two youngsters looked at one another before suddenly starting to laugh as if this patriarch had said something stupid.

  "This youth, even if he were to speak in the Celestial Sword Sect, the elders would have to listen to him," Yang Juan said with a snicker.

  "This young man is none other than King Chujiang, the Second Judge of Hell, and the person who has caused Diyu and the Celestial Sword Sect to become connected."

  "Pei Yue is not just anyone," Gao Li sneered in contempt. "He is a true genius. For you to even speak with him is an honor and the fact that Pei Yue has not already killed your entire family is benevolence!"

  The way Gao Li spoke made Hui Yue snicker slightly as he was reminded of the first time they met and the way they had bickered as well. There had been no respect, but this respect had grown as time had passed, and now they looked at one another as friends.

  The face of the Chen family's patriarch that was red from anger now seemed like a deflated balloon. All the indignation vanished from his face, and he started trembling in fear instead.

  "Young master, I deeply apologize for my insulting tone, please forgive this little one. It is not that we do not wish to pay one million Worldpower Stones, but we simply do not have that much money in liquid assets."

  "Oh that is no problem, our sect will gladly lend you the stones, and then you pay us back as soon as you have sold some things," Gao Li said. Truthfully he had no way to determine whether or not the sect would lend the Chen family that much money, but this was a favor for the Second Judge of Hell! Therefore the sect would definitely do so. Especially since it allowed them to limit the power of the Chen family.

  The Chen family was the most influential family within the Heavenly Dragon Gate's world, and they were not much inferior to the Heavenly Dragon Gate itself.

  Although the Heavenly Dragon Gate wanted to limit the power of this family before, it had been hard to do so as they always acted carefully. They never insulted anyone and never caused problems. Since they were so well behaved, if the Heavenly Dragon Gate went against them, they would be marked as tyrants who used their size to bully others. Thus the Chen Family had managed to grow unhindered.

  Now that there was a chance to severely injure the Chen family both economically and damage their future prospects, it was clear that the Heavenly Dragon Gate was not going to let go of this opportunity. They especially did not want to miss making the Chen family owe them a stunning one million Worldpower Stones.

  The Chen family patriarch knew exactly what the Heavenly Dragon Gate was thinking, but he could do nothing about it. He had done everything in his power to cause his sect to always lay low until the day they could rival the Heavenly Dragon Gate, but who would have known that his son would mess up in such a massive way. Not only had he insulted the Heavenly Dragon Gate but he had also insulted the Celestial Sword Sect and even a member with connections to Diyu!

  The patriarch was swearing in his mind, feeling as if all the plans he had painstakingly made, were being uprooted in front of him, one after another, by his very own son. He was at the point that he really was willing to sacrifice his son if it meant keeping the Worldpower Stones, but it was too late.

  Sighing, he understood that he had no option other than to accept the punishment he was given, and his eyes brimmed with unshed tears of indignation. His son was the cause of all this!

  "We will have to trouble the noble Heavenly Dragon Gate to help us provide the million Worldpower Stones," the patriarch said with gritted teeth, accepting the fate of his family. They had once before managed to climb to the strength almost as strong as the Heavenly Dragon Gate, and although they were now experiencing a setback, the patriarch was sure that he would be able to increase the strength of the sect once again.

  "About the fate of my son?" He looked at Yang Juan questioningly, but the elder was silent and did not answer. It was clear that he, himself, was unsure of what to do. In one way he wished to kill the young master for the sake of weakening the Chen family, but at the same time, he wondered if he, and the Heavenly Dragon Gate, would be condemned for being too ruthless.

  "We lost three experts," Hui Yue suddenly said as he looked into the sky, "three souls lost to the yellow river!"

  Hearing this, the patriarch of the Chen family was shocked silly. Hui Yue really was like a death god, looming above his family's future determining whether or not they would live or die.

  Although he had said that the decision of the life of this young master of the Chen family belonged to Elder Yang Juan, it was clear that Hui Yue wanted him dead.

  Hui Yue was usually a calm and collected young man, but one should not misunderstand his friendliness for him being meek and easily bullied. He was not benevolent nor was he forgiving. If someone harmed his friends or family, he would gain revenge tenfold.

  During the time it had taken to travel from the Celestial Sword Sect's World to the world of the Heavenly Dragon Gate, he had become friends with the guards. He had heard about their lives, their families, aspirations, and dreams for the future.

  He had shared meals with them, joked with them, and teased them. These guards would not have hesitated to give their lives to ensure that Hui Yue was safe, and thus, Hui Yue had already considered them his good friends.

  He wanted blood to flow! He wanted the blood of the killer of his friends! He had not been lying when he said that the Worldpower Stones were for the families of the late guards. Although Hui Yue knew that Worldpower Stones would never replace a life, it could still help them in their time of need.

  "Everyone who touched these guests of the Heavenly Dragon Gate, your son and guards included, shall be given the death penalty for their crimes!" Yang Juan finally declared what would happen with the son, and although he feared that others would think that they were too ruthless, he also understood that they were actually in the right.

  Just as the patriarch heard this, his face turned pale. N
ot only would he lose his son, but he was also losing quite a few capable men that he had expected to rely on, and many members of the younger generation which had joined in the beating of these guards for fun.

  These guards all looked at one another as ecstatic expressions appeared on their faces. Their lost brothers would be given justice after all!

  "We were beaten because we were split up into groups," one of the guards suddenly said. "Let us go together and show these guards and younger generation what it means to be a member of the Celestial Sword Sect. If the Chen family can bully with their numbers, then so can we!"

  "Get all members of your sect to line up in the courtyard," Hui Yue ordered, and the patriarch dared not dawdle and waste time. Instead, he did as he was told and gathered everyone in front of the main building.

  The guards went through everyone in this courtyard and picked out the ones who had participated in beating them. Everyone was surprised and shocked and completely uncertain about what was happening, and only the ones who had been picked out slowly understood that they had made a mistake. It seemed that the ones they had beaten were people they could not afford to offend.