Translator: Sparrow Translations  Editor: Sparrow Translations

“Exchange for Yan Xiu's life?” The lady finally opened her mouth, although her voice was very soft. Her crystal eyes showed a tinge of panic for a moment.

“Yes, one life for another. This was Yin Yang Hall's condition.” Cang Yue nodded her head as a smile was revealed on her face.

The lady did not say anything, but she clenched her fists intensely, as her chest palpitated furiously.

“You are very smart, so you should know my intention of coming here today. Remove the red dress on your body, and follow me to Ling Yun Tower. When we reach there you will understand that your waiting does not bear any meaning!” Cang Yue's tone sounded a little cold towards the end.

“Do you know what is friends.h.i.+p?” The lady opened her mouth once again, and her chest gradually stopped palpitating.

“What do you mean?” Cang Yue frowned.

“You won't understand, because you don't have any friends at all, so you will never understand what is a true friends.h.i.+p.”

“Hehe, seems like you still haven't given up. But it's alright, one day you will understand, that somethings are just meaningless in life!”

“How pitiful you are.”

“What?”

“You don't have any friends, and you don't even know what is love. You're here at Ling Yun Tower since birth, so you think you're leaving a happy life, but actually, you have never really understood this world.”

“Shut up, how do you know I'm here at Ling Yun Tower since birth?! Let me tell you, I….. nevermind, even if I tell you you won't get it!” Cang Yue did not continue talking. She stood up, looked at the horizon as she seemed bewildered for a moment.

“You're still not leaving?” The lady continued.

“Are you really going to continue waiting in this Ice Prison forever, just for a dead man?” Cang Yue asked again.

“I will continue waiting.”

“How about after the six months duration?”

“Continue waiting!”

“As long as he doesn't come, you will continue to wait?”

“Yes!”

“Ridiculous, if this is what you mean by friends.h.i.+p and love, these things will only serve to be obstacles in your path to success!” Cang Yue's tone sounded extremely cold.

The lady did not choose to continue the conversation, and she turned her body around. Next, she leapt into the lake, her body completely immersed within the waters.

“Pu Tong!”. Ripples appeared on the surface.

Cang Yue's expression immediately turned stiff, as she gazed at the disappearing lady. She seemed to be in pain.

n.o.body knew that at this moment,in Cang Yue's mind, a figure was relentlessly pestering her mind, causing her to quiver a little. Moments later, she recovered her composure, and she rushed up the horizon, disappearing from sight, not before leaving a resounding voice.

“There is no such thing as relations.h.i.+p in this world!”

In Nangong Mausoleum, a snow storm was brewing.

A youth was walking through the storm. His footsteps were either quick nor slow. Not much expression could be inferred from his emotionless face, but the scars on his face were indeed hideous.

Nangong Mu.

A person who had disappeared at the Holy Region, but had now reappeared at Nangong Masoleum.

“You're back.” A figure, who was standing among the countless Stone Tablets, looked at the youth. His tone sounded like a complete stranger.

It was Nangong Tian, the head of the Nangong household.

Nangong Mu did not open his mouth, but he nodded his head lightly. At the same time, he turned his attention towards the ancient gigantic tree in front of the Stone Tablets.

It was a gigantic tree filled with countless white flowers. They were as white as snow, with their light silver colours s.h.i.+mmering in the light.

It was a unique ancient tree.

However, Nangong Mu did not seemed to surprised. He merely gave it a look, before retracting his gaze.

“Since you're back, and still alive, then you should know what you need to do next.” Nangong Tian opened his mouth once again.

“Will Brother die?” Nangong Mu finally opened his mouth.

“There is nothing definite in this world, I can't answer your question temporarily, but he has already completed his duties of the Nangong household. Next, you will carry on his responsibility!”

“Why must it be like this? Are our lives not good enough?”

“Good? How good?”

“Peace….. At least, we're peaceful now, and we have already received our well-deserved respect, every year…..”

“Shut up!” Nangong Tian's tone seemed to have changed, and he interrupted Nangong Mu. “We're peaceful now? Then, have you thought about them?”

After completing his sentence, Nangong Tian pointed towards the countless Stone Tablets, with illegible words inscribed on it. However, the outlines of the words could still be seen.

Under the snow storm, the atmosphere seemed to become colder.

Nangong Mu's body quivered a bit, as he looked towards the countless Stone Tablets, and he subconsciously bit against his lips.

“I last you one more time, do you know your mission? If you don't know, then you will kneel here, until you know it!” Nangong Tian saw the silent Nangong Mu, and a light flashed past his eyes.

“Father, if….. I accept this mission, will Brother return?” Nangong Mu's expression seemed to be of unconditional pain.

“That is his own life, it has nothing to do with you. You just need to settle your things, that is enough.” Nangong Tian repeated once again.

“Father is not willing to even lie to me once?”

“The Nangong household does not need any of these ‘bluffs', if you are not mentally strong, then you should continue to stay at the Holy Region, why did you come back for?” Nangong Tian responded.

“I…..”

“You will make this decision yourself, I will stop persuading you.” Nangong Tian turned around upon completing his sentence, as he walked towards the Stone Tablets, leaving his footsteps in the snow.

Nangong Mu stood in the same position, his bundle of hair already acc.u.mulating a layer of snow. He did not follow immediately, as he looked at the ancient tree, and the crystallised flowers on it.

Nine Pinnacles Mountain.

It was an enormous volcanic mountain, with thick smokes emitting from it all year round. There was a gigantic volcanic rock in the middle of the mountain, and nine Three Legged Black Cauldrons were erected on it.

The cauldrons had sophisticated carvings on it, and other than a few complicated symbols, there were also drawings on it.

Below the nine cauldrons was a piece of flat ground. Rows of stone houses, built from the black volcanic rocks, stood erected on the flat ground.

The Nine Pinnacles Mountain seemed different today.

There were more than a thousand Nine Pinnacles Mountain disciples standing below the Nine Black Cauldrons solemnly, and it seemed to be a grave phenomenom.

A Nine Pinnacles Mountain Elder and another elderly person were standing in front of the disciples. Both were wearing a black metal ring on their foreheads.

The rings were made from nine black treasure stones using the nine cauldrons. The treasure stones were morphed into the metal rings.

“First bow!” One of the nine Elders opened his mouth. His facial expression seemed extremely solemn.

He was Nine Pinnacles Mountain's Great Elder, ‘Ying Yu'.

Following his instructions, all the disciples immediately kneeled on the ground, with their heads touching the ground.

“No need to be so courteous?” An inappropriate voice could be heard at this moment.

Naturally, the disciples seemed fl.u.s.tered, but n.o.body opened their mouths to question the voice.

Afterall…..

They were unable to quarrel with a sacrificial offering.

Yes, the voice originated from a sacrificial offering, and he was none other than the person who had disrupted the Holy Region, Fang Zhengzhi.

At this moment Fang Zhengzhi was chained up to a pole in front of the Nine Black Cauldrons, and his blue clothes were tattered beyond recognition.

Fang Zhengzhi looked a little pathetic.

However, Fang Zhengzhi's expressions did not look that bad. In fact, he looked a little charismatic.

“Second bow!” Nine Pinnacles Mountain's Great Elder Ying Yu did not care about Fang Zhengzhi's howl. His kneeled on the ground once again.

The Elders and the disciples beside him naturally followed Great Elder in kneeling on the ground, their expressions more solemn than ever.

This was to commemorate “Tian Xing”.

As such, the Nine Pinnacles Mountain disciples as well as Great Elder had to kneel and pay their respects. However, Fang Zhengzhi's howling sound made it seem as though they were paying respects to him.

“Third bow!” Great Elder Ying Yu opened his mouth once again.

Following the completion of the three bows, the ceremony of commemorating “Tian Xing” was about to end. Next was the Alchemy process.

As for the pill…..

Naturally it would be Fang Zhengzhi.

“Sixth Elder.” Great Elder Ying Yu stood up, as he looked towards the elder who was standing beside them.

He was none other than Sixth Elder from the Yin Yang Hall, who had came over to help host the Alchemy process.

Sixth Elder took a step forward, and he bowed slightly towards Great Elder Ying Yu.

“Which cauldron does Great Elder Ying plan to use?” Sixth Elder looked at the nine erected Three Legged Black Cauldrons as he spoke.

“Let's use the ‘Middle Stream Cauldron', at least we'll be giving this punk a little dignity. Afterall, he is considered to be a rare specimen!” Great Elder Ying Yu answered after contemplating for a while.

“This punk really is lucky. Today is the first time we are using the Middle Stream Cauldron for alchemy. I remember the military equipment that it had churned out previously were all of Sage quality?” Sixth Elder seemed a little bewildered upon hearing this.

“Yes, the Middle Stream Cauldron had manufactured seven military machineries, and each one of them were at least of Sage quality” Great Elder Ying Yu nodded his head.

“Hehe, now that Fang Zhengzhi is finally being prosecuted, let me ask a question before Hallmaster arrives.” Sixth Elder smiled.

“Sixth Elder please ask.”

“Our Hallmaster wants to know who will be the next Nine Pinnacles Mountain Leader.”

“Hallmaster need not worry, initially we planned to appoint whoever had managed to capture Fang Zhengzhi, but we did not expect that it was Fang Zhengzhi himself who entered Yin Yang Hall by himself. As such, this was a little out of our expectation, so…..”

“We understand Great Elder Ying's meaning, but Nine Pinnacles Mountain cannot be without a leader. Our Hallmaster's intention is that since Great Elder Ying is highly respected in Nine Pinnacles Mountain, and is also of the highest status, if Great Elder Ying can take on the responsibility of being the Leader, it would be the most appropriate!”

“Hehe, let's discuss this another time.” Great Elder Ying Yu laughed, and his expression did not change much, as he merely nodded his head.

The surrounding Elders, as well as the disciples, upon hearing Sixth Elder's words, had different expressions on their faces. Some were of happiness, some weer of anger…..

“Actually, I have an idea!” At this moment, Fang Zhengzhi's voice could be heard.

“Eh?” Sixth Elder quivered a bit.

Not only Sixth Elder, but Great Elder Ying Yu and even the other Elders and disciples were all astonished.

The selection of the Nine Pinnacles Mountain Leader…..

This punk has an idea?

What a nuisance!

“Since you have decided that whoever can capture me would take on the responsibility, then why not pa.s.s the role to someone from Yin Yang Hall!” Fang Zhengzhi said directly.

“Impudent!” Great Elder YIng Yu had a sudden change in his expression.

The other Elders could naturally tell that Fang Zhengzhi was intentionally provoking them, but it was a fact that Nine Pinnacles Mountain cannot afford to ruin their relations.h.i.+p with Yin Yang Hall.

However, like what Fang Zhengzhi had mentioned, if the selection of the Nine Pinnacles Mountain Leader were to depend on Yin Yang Hall's discussion, it surely seemed a little vexing.

Fang Zhengzhi's words were very direct.

They seemed to be nonsensical words on the surface, but they had struck Nine Pinnacles Mountain's most painful spot, causing the Elders and disciples to feel indignant.

Everyone's attention was turned towards Yin Yang Hall's Sixth Elder, their glaring stares almost penetrating