In one breath, a soft, crimson sleeve covered Mei Ying. Before she could blink, Jian Yu wrapped his arm around her by the shoulder and pressed the young woman closer to him. Her friend then flicked a red orb of light into the air.

Right away, the tiny speck darted toward Xi Feng and the other three cultivators, all about to play an ominous song. When the huntress blinked, the red orb had split into two! One jetted into a bloody bullet, only to expand upon the Heaven realm inhabitants.

Immediately, all four cultivators were swallowed up by the giant crimson bubble! They became trapped, with their glowing instruments!

“JIAN YU!”

Mei Ying jolted.

Though Xi Feng did not speak to the young man before, Mei Ying’s eyes widened at the abrupt palpable rage from the sounder’s voice. Xi Feng’s face flushed immensely. Her sweet, muffled voice had sharpened into a blade of its own behind the ball-like prison. All at once, the alluring cultivator's kind and innocent expression, like a spring-peaked peony, contorted into a ghastly and dark face.

It appeared that both Jian Yu and Xi Feng knew each other, after all.

“YOU ASSHOLE!” screamed the woman, pounding at the impenetrable barrier. “IF IT WEREN’T FOR HIM, I WOULD’VE KILLED YOU!”

Lowering her gaze, the huntress’ red lips pulled down. Her heart quaked while the blood simmered.

Jian Yu had always been good to Mei Ying. It was puzzling that a person, who is teasing but harmless, can have many others who either dislike him or hate his guts. Still, he never spoke an ill word of those wishing poison on his name.

At the same time, the other red bullet sped over the sounders’ heads and bounced off what seemed to be an invisible force. Countless ricocheting noises were heard but Mei Ying’s mortal eyes failed to follow the split-second flashes zipping around the largely unseen boundary that everyone was standing in. That, including the unfortunate bunch in their dome.

Innumerous red sparks burst from every corner at once. Noticing the lights, Mei Ying raised her eyes. The young woman blinked again. All seven hundred knives, frozen in the air, had vanished. Instead, metallic dust gently powdered the area around everyone. Numerous knives were simply illusions after all, fading away into the atmosphere.

One of the traps made by the Feng Bao sect disciples had diminished. Still, the speeding red jet of light kept bouncing around and over everyone’s heads. It only went faster and faster until the young woman heard the tiny cracks of what sounded like glass.

The huntress’ eyes grew large and bright.

I wonder how Jian Jian gets so strong, ah… From the maiden’s sea of memory, the time when Jian Yu glowered at the giant tree demon resurfaced. Every one of those tree demons had burst into flames, screaming as they crumbled into smoke and ash. What drives him to become like that?

While Jian Yu appeared a bit devilish and playful—he was also mysterious, dangerously so.

“JIAN YU!” Bing Wen was about to rush over—but the young man, dressed in red, held a hand up in the air. “First, the Heavenly Emperor! Now, the Heavenly—”

“Stay there, Bing Wen.” Without looking at the big brother, Jian Yu frowned at the seething Xi Feng. “If Your Highness and the others unleash your god-like powers here, it might kill her.”

His arm around Mei Ying’s shoulder grew firmer. “I only tolerated you up to this point because of Bing Wen’s request. Xiao Li and I even helped you scout this area for a way out after you possessed the body of that poor girl.” Jian Yu paused, knitting his brows together. “When are you going to release that innocent mortal?”

Slowly, the other cultivator lowered her voice, “This body is mine until I say otherwise. Besides, you know that I cannot descend to this realm in my own.”

Witnessing this, the huntress looked at her friend, then, back at the beautiful woman in the red dome. The two people seemed to also share a long, bitter history. Except, unlike Jian Yu and Bing Wen, they were mutually hostile.

Judging the grave faces by Xi Feng, Mei Ying knew that what Jian Yu said must be true. In that moment, the huntress pressed her red lips firmly together.

According to the teachings of En Lai the Immortal Wanderer, the Heaven Realm will always punish the gods and Heaven Immortals that dare to descend without permission. But the penalty for possessing a mortal was far greater because it violated the boundaries of the Three Realms. For the Heaven Realm inhabitant has violated the flesh, mind, and soul of a weaker being against their will. It was viewed to be heinous.

Moreover, the farther away a god or Heaven Immortal is from their domain of power, the weaker they become. It was already miraculous that even Bing Wen suppressed more of his already weakened strength to avoid suspicions.

“Jian Yu…” By and by, Xi Feng looked at the huntress, then, sneered at the young man. “When did you start caring about the Mortal Realm...again?”

A thick cloud of silence lingered in the air. The two enemies continued to glare at one another.

“I’ve always had.” Jian Yu finally smiled. “Not my fault that you spent the last near eight hundred years, unwilling to check in with it.” He glanced down. “But as I recalled, the last time you descended to the Mortal Realm…you caused absolute mayhem.”

When he mentioned this, the huntress caught Chong Lin and the two other followers exchanging glances.

Indeed, the Child of Red Omen Prophecy has unexpectedly encountered what would be her destiny. At last, her path has converged with gods and Heaven Immortals. However, the young woman’s heart sank lower and lower.

Shifu… Mei Ying disliked how the air of omen squeezed her lungs. It was the feeling that if she dared to breathe normally, she would let down her guard. You always told me that it is good to follow the Heaven Realm’s teachings but to never meet the inhabitants. Now, I understand why.

“Keeping us like this is really immoral, Jian Yu!” protested the young man, standing by Xi Feng. Chong Lin’s bright eyes were earnest from behind the barrier. “Her Highness was the one who gave your lover a spare inner robe! D-Did you not leave us a clone and went to spy on Bing Wen and her as well?”

With raised brows, Mei Ying turned to her friend once more.

Jian Yu’s lips tightened. There was a sharp inhale of air. “Once I knew that you all weren’t going to kill Xiao Li, it was safe for me to see what those two were doing.” Jian Yu swiped two fingers across the air for a few times. After performing a spell, he quickly hushed to Mei Ying, “If I didn’t say that, then, she really wouldn’t have left you alone.”

As the people shouted from inside the red bubble, the huntress moved closer. "Why?"

“For one, you carry the faint scent of yin-tainted blossoms.” stated the handsome cultivator. “They were from a crimson chrysanthemum, the kind that no longer exists.”

"What's...wrong with that?"

“It’d draw unnecessary attention to you. So, it was easier to tell her that you were..." Jian Yu let go of the huntress and crossed his arms. For a moment, his lashes quivered."...my lover.”

Intrigued by this, Mei Ying stared at her friend. "What do you have to do with the yin energy on..." She stopped.

Turning away, the young woman rubbed a thumb over the cool stone ring. Ah...

“Right now, that pouch of yin is in my spatial ring.” The white jade band around Jian Yu's finger glinted faintly. "You really shouldn't keep such demonic energy with you."

He was able to even acquire the yin-tainted floral petals without Bing Wen noticing it? Mei Ying's eyes flickered back to the young man. Either that or...

Bing Wen may have allowed it.

In the main cultivation world, those who cultivate in the way of the Dao--are advised to never directly touch yin energy. There is a fear that pure yin can disrupt the flow of a righteous cultivator's spiritual energy or qi, which may result in maiming the person for life, qi deviation, or death. But those who are able to handle yin energy, well...

Swiping two fingers again in the air, Jian Yu then added, “Besides, Bing Wen answers to Her Highness. He picked the Heaven Emperor over me. Who is to say that he won’t pick her over you?”

From a short distance behind them, the warrior god shouted, “I CAN F*CKING HEAR YOU, AH!”

The Silent Seal spell had just been undone, probably out of spite.

Then, all at once, the outer magical boundary that Mei Ying and the others could not sense before—shattered! Thousands of iridescent pieces of glass-like shards fluttered into the air, gradually fading into tiny harmless kaleidoscopic particles.

From inside the crimson bubble, with her three followers, Xi Feng’s face paled. During their brief bickering, the dome had cracked and cracked from the flying red bullet of light that kept bouncing around vehemently. The spell that bounded the group to the area was, at last, broken!

“Young Master!” Running over to Jian Yu’s side, the black-robed servant bowed his head. “At least seven are quickly approaching us!”

The young man, dressed in all-red, nodded. With a simple snap of Jian Yu’s fingers, the humongous red dome that Xi Feng, Chong Lin, and the other two people were in—popped!

However, at the next second, everyone saw the crimson flowers wrapped around Xi Feng’s right arm with thick, branch-like stems. The furious Heaven Empress pulled at her wrist as the plants continued to spring out from the ground. Her hand was bound firmly, unable to strike at Jian Yu’s smooth, pale cheek.

Wind blew against Xi Feng's long, fuchsia robe and broad sleeves. This scent… The Heaven Empress’ eyes were wide, reflecting the numerous layers of red petals. Her attention shifted back to Mei Ying--before returning to the vivid blood-hued flowers that decorated her wrist.

With soft eyes, Jian Yu gradually turned to the young woman standing by his side. "Mei..." He clamped his mouth shut, touching the black sheathe that hung by his side.

Mei Ying’s pearly expression clouded over with a dark storm. Her brows were furrowed together. The huntress’s figure gleamed in blazing gold aura. Her lips deepened into a thin line.

Now, the question again is: Who are they looking for? Mei Ying scanned across the beautiful faces and shining gold eyes. What is at stake here for them?

Maybe whoever that Heaven Immortal is...their mind must have been fractured or suffered from qi deviation. No one, in their stable state, would risk splintering the trust between the Mortal Realm and the Heaven Realm. For one to even participate in a tournament with mortals...is foolish.

Moreover, it was clear that none of these gods and Heaven Immortals even wanted to be here.

“Y-Young Miss, please let her go!” pled the pitiful Chong Lin. He, like the other two followers, grabbed their glowing instruments. Their fingers quivered against the strings. “Are you not a righteous cultivator who walks the Heaven Realm path?”

"He's right!" From behind, the young woman heard Bing Wen.

In a green flash, the warrior god was already by her side, with his radiant spear already emanated from mid-air. A roaring dragon could be seen, engraved across the blade.

Bing Wen went on, "Release her at once! As a righteous cultivator, have you forgotten whom you have sworn your soul to?"

There was a faint soprano of metal leaving its resting place, causing the warrior god to snap his sight onto Jian Yu. With only a step, the young man's shoulder was already touching his pauldron. The other's sword had been lifted from its black sheathe.

Both men were merely half an arm away from Mei Ying and Xi Feng.

Bing Wen... Though the young mortal did not show, her heart felt the split of disappointment and other waves. She swallowed. This is where their paths may diverge.

Slowly, the huntress raised her hand toward the tensed Xi Feng. “Whether Jian Jian is from the Heaven Realm, Mortal Realm, or...Netherworld, one’s form does not speak for what is in their heart."

The hefty stems and crimson flowers gently receded from the woman's jade-white wrist and arm.

Shrouded in gold light, the young woman continued to speak lightly, “I did not swear my soul to those who oversee the Heaven realm." She reached for the sheathe hanging by her side and gradually drew the glowing sword out to the side.

"I swore to the Heavenly path, the righteous way." The bright aura around Mei Ying faded away. "...as a cultivator just as my Shifu has done, not as a slave. But before righteousness, I will protect those who are dear to me."

How her autumn-tinted eyes shined so clearly... Upon looking, the other woman felt the bitterness of her heart tremble from the naive mortal's familiar soul.

Silently, Xi Feng withdrew her hand. No sooner when she did, Chong Lin and the other two ‘Tian Yu’ cultivators gathered around their Heaven Empress and glanced at one another. All their eyes then darted from the stems to the bright red flowers that wilted altogether.

"Don't...you think you're thinking too freely?" Xi Feng wore a bittersweet smile. "That's how you will get killed. You will need to repent then."

"I won't repent."

With hands trembling by her side, the beautiful Xi Feng’s eyes widened. This mortal...

Long, long ago, the Heaven Empress once knew someone like this person.

It was almost as though these two people were the same. Even their mannerisms and the way they speak are similar.

"They're here!" shouted the servant. Xiao Li flicked his wide black sleeve, quickly securing a gleaming glaive.

Suddenly, a stream of black smoke crashed before the cultivators. The ground imploded, causing large stones and hard earth to fly all over. Even the surrounding trees wobbled back and forth, raining lime-green leaves everywhere.

In a split second, all eight people jumped back, wielding their glowing weapons in hand.

Metal spun past over Jian Yu’s ears. He stilled himself, missing the two throwing knives that flew over each earlobe, barely nicking his marble-white skin. Soon, the young man raised his head with a glower.

“Don’t go all out in that mortal’s body.” Without a glance, Jian Yu advised the stunned Xi Feng, “If you don’t know your own strength, you’ll destroy the cultivator whose body you took."

“Hey! You, the person who destroyed our trap!” There was smoke everywhere, blinding everyone instantly. The black cloud quickly formed into a person wielding twin black blades. Every step that they took forward was deathly silent. “You win the prize!”

One by one, the two other streams of smoke wavered like snakes and shaped themselves into Feng Bao sect disciples. Each wore an all-black robe and steel-gray mask that covered the top half of their faces. They flanked their leader’s side, pulling a blade out from thin air.

Immediately, when the leading Feng Bao sect disciple threw a pair of knives—both cultivators standing by Xi Feng, two of her own, flew back. Blood spurted out of their stomachs. It was swift as they dissipated into twin spirals of lustrous rainbow lights.

Two instant eliminations!