Realms In The Firmament

The truth was that Wu Fa perfectly avoided the clash between their swords—he had to!

As the fight lasted, Ye Xiao was suppressed by Wu Fa’s insufferably continuing attacks. The East-rising Purple Qi was a particular bane to all kinds of evil energy, but Wu Fa was operating a tremendous attack which was way beyond Ye Xiao’s reach.

Things were trending to a negative situation. Defending meant losing. Ye Xiao was going to lose the fight if he kept defending.

– Bang! –

Wu Fa had seized a chance to hit Ye Xiao on the shoulder with a palm strike. Ye Xiao moaned and then flew backward. The Stars Sword moved rapidly, splashing waves of blinding sword lights which stopped Wu Fa’s further attacks. Ye Xiao spat out a mouthful of blood.

He was moving backward, hardly holding up in the sky.

A howl sounded.

Yue Shuang and Yue Han, who had been watching the fight, both rushed forward to help him. The two of them both swung their swords, like two marching dragons rushing into the dark fog. After that, a wave of sword lights shined in the sky. Zhan Yunfei and Zhu Jiutian joined the battle as well.

– Bang, bang, bang… –

After a series of cracking sounds, Yue Shuang and Yue Han were flying backward, their faces pale.

Zhan Yunfei and Zhu Jiutian were only at the beginning of level nine, which meant they were so much weaker than the others. Although they had been risking their lives to make the attack, they got stricken back as soon as they approached the battle.

Ye Xiao was still slowly moving backward, then he saw Zhan Yunfei operating a sword-human mergence technique to attack, risking his own life to help Ye Xiao. Ye Xiao felt warm in the heart.

“I don’t mind if the four of you come to attack me together! I will kill you all at the same time! What about you going to hell together?” Wu Fa humphed and viciously said. The eight figures started to move backward and then became one person again. He stood in the sky, wearing his black clothes and black robe.

The black qi around his body was turning denser and denser. Apparently, he was preparing for the last strike!

It should be the most murderous and dangerous attack!

With the self-sacrificing support from the four others, Ye Xiao finally got a few seconds to rest. He kept staring at Wu Fa and still couldn’t understand why. Wu Fa was badly injured in the previous attacks after all.

Ye Xiao was weaker than Wu Fa, but not that much. With his great fortune, he actually had an opportunity even to kill Wu Fa!

Although Wu Fa was experienced and dominant enough to escape the killing strike, he was still hurt!

However, after the Soul Separation Technique, he suddenly started to take control of the battle!

It was unbelievable. Ye Xiao just couldn’t figure out why.

If Wu Fa was truly so powerful that he could separate himself into eight figures, each of which had the same power as the real person, he wouldn’t get injured so badly by Ye Xiao in the previous attacks and nearly get killed, would he?

There must be something Ye Xiao hadn’t figured out yet.

What was it? What was the trick? What gave Wu Fa the power to turn over the situation like that?

Yue Shuang and Yue Han were standing on both sides of Ye Xiao. They looked pretty solemn.

After the practical fight, they finally realized how horrible the most powerful cultivator in the realm was. They used to think that the two of them together could rival Wu Fa, but now they knew it was a ridiculous idea!

Zhan Yunfei and Zhu Jiutian were standing in front of Ye Xiao, willing to give up their lives for Ye Xiao.

Ye Xiao made a long sigh.

“Well…” Zhan Yunfei didn’t turn over to look at him and only spoke in a hoarse voice, “Little disciple brother…”

Suddenly, he paused. He couldn’t say anything more. In fact, he didn’t know what to say!

Ye Chongxiao was his little disciple brother indeed, but Xiao Monarch was not. Zhan Yunfei should protect his disciple brother with his life, but should he do this for Xiao Monarch? When he called him little disciple brother again, it just didn’t feel right.

Zhan Yunfei didn’t know that Ye Xiao also had a complicated feeling in the heart. Now that he was exposed, Zhan Yunfei and Zhu Jiutian were still willing to give up their lives for him and call him little disciple brother… How rare! How commendable!

“Yes?” Ye Xiao answered in a low voice.

“You…” Zhan Yunfei’s throat tightened. He said, “Are you… Are you really Xiao Monarch?”

Ye Xiao slightly closed his eyes and said, “That’s right. I am.”

Zhan Yunfei trembled. Zhu Jiutian showed a complicated expression in the eyes as well.

“No wonder…” Zhan Yunfei smiled bitterly. “If you were an ordinary young man, no matter how talented you were, it was impossible to reach such a height in cultivation. Your martial world experience, your battle skills, your intelligence… They all take a long time to develop. We just never paid attention to it… After all the years, I am still not as experienced and smart as I thought… Heh, heh…”

“I have my own difficulties too. It violated my will to join Cold Moon Palace, to be honest. However, after I became one of you, I never regretted it,” Ye Xiao spoke in a low voice.

“I see. I understand.” Zhan Yunfei said, “Ye Xiao, no matter what, Zhu Jiutian and I, we owe you an apology.”

“Sorry!” He continued, “We did what we did for the interest of our sect. However, it doesn’t mean we were right.”

Ye Xiao didn’t respond and only made a sigh in his mind.

“I know we should let go of the past for now as we are fighting this battle. However, no matter who you are, Xiao Monarch or Ye Chongxiao… I have to ask you one thing.” Zhan Yunfei asked, “Do you admit that you are a disciple of Cold Moon Palace?”

Zhu Jiutian was stunned.

Ye Xiao closed his eyes and the images of everything he had been through since he returned to Qing-Yun Realm reflected in his mind.

He got the dan of the fish, guarded by many Cold Moon Palace disciples who had eventually died for his safety in the ten thousand miles trip to the sect… After he joined Cold Moon Palace, the Prime Master of the sect treated him well, and his three masters cared for him…

All the memories reflected in his sight.

How could he deny it?

“I do!” Ye Xiao spoke deeply and then added, “As I said, it was not what I wanted, but I never regretted it. I didn’t, I don’t, and I will never regret it!”