Chapter 723: The Ninth Temple’s Stance

The members of Thousand Willow Monastery hovered in the air and continued to watch.

“As expected of Zhu Xuan, a Ninth Temple elite who has one foot in the Nine-leaf stage. He’s forcing both of them to fight him at once.”

By now, they had some basic understanding of Yu Zhenghai and Yu Shangrong. They knew the duo were fellow disciples and knew they liked to compete with each other, albeit in secret. Apart from that, they rarely attacked the enemy together. Even when they were teaching their students the saber or sword techniques, they competed with each other. In front of the Fair Hall, they would also guide the other Thousand Willow Monastery disciples as another way of competing with each other.

Zhu Xuan’s strength was evident in the way he had forced the two fellow disciples to work together.

Yu Shangrong’s silhouette appeared next to the red lotus avatar. He leaned forward as he walked on air. The first technique he unleashed was the Guiyuan Sword Technique’s Enter Three Souls.

Three blurry figures appeared.

Zhu Xuan who was hovering before the red lotus avatar frowned when he saw the elite’s three silhouettes. True elites could sense how powerful their opponent was through their exchanges.

At the bottom, Yu Zhenghai was being targeted by the Square Box that kept bearing down on him.

Zhu Xuan had no choice but to split his attention and deal with Yu Shangrong. With a light tap of his feet, he shot into the air along with his avatar.

The 140-foot shining red avatar could hardly be missed.

The red lotus cultivators who were flying past looked up at this shocking sight.

“A 140-foot red lotus. Which elite is this?”

“Shall we go and take a look?”

“We’d better stay out of a fight between elites so that we won’t get caught in the crossfire. The battle is close to the Thousand Willow Monastery’s territory.”

“What’s that?”

They looked toward the distance again.

Under the 140-foot red lotus avatar, a red cube was being lifted by a figure the size of a green bean. Every time it was pushed up, a thunderous sound would follow.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The sounds made the others shiver despite the temperature.

“That’s the weapon of the Ninth Temple’s Zhu Xuan, the Square Box.”

“An elite that needs the Ninth Temple’s elite, Zhu Xuan, to deal with... The Thousand Willow Monastery is truly something.”

“The Thousand Willow Monastery is no longer what it once was. I don’t know what’s gotten into them lately. They’re offending people at every turn.”

The spectators discussed among themselves. All of them knew the weak could only resign themselves to being beaten up.

The others exchanged their opinions.

...

Meanwhile, Yu Shangrong’s Guiyuan Sword Technique was already locked onto the red lotus. Three silhouettes shot toward their target as an energy sword flew out.

Zhu Xuan joined his palms together. “Dhyana Mudra.”

A red Dhyana Mudra wrapped around the golden lotus.

Bam!

The Longevity Sword drew across the Dhyana Mudra.

Yu Shangrong shot Zhu Xuan and hovered in the air with his sword in hand.

The Dhyana Mudra was damaged, but the avatar was untouched.

It was a draw.

Zhu Xuan withdrew his avatar and looked at Yu Shangrong. “Who are you?”

“The person who will kill you.” Yu Shangrong’s tone was light when he spoke.

“The Square Box has already been activated. This has nothing to do with you. I’m warning you to stay out of this.” Zhu Xuan did not want to fight two opponents at once if it was possible.

“I’m afraid that things won’t go your way.” Yu Shangrong moved at lightning speed.

Traceless Sword.

Zhu Xuan unleashed his Dhyana Mudra again. At the same time, countless palm seals shot into the air.

“Zhu Xuan is skilled in both Buddhist and Daoist skills!” Xia Changqiu was awestruck.

Yu Zhenghai pushed the Square Box up again. His Eight-leaf golden avatar unleashed a surge of energy.

When the cultivators in the distance saw this, they exclaimed in shock.

“A golden avatar! The foreign tribes have invaded!”

The cultivators flew into the distance immediately. However, when they were halfway there, they came to a stop.

“We shouldn’t go there. Since the Ninth Temple is here, anyone who gets close will be deemed as their enemies.”

“So, what the Sky Martial Court said is true!”

The cultivators looked at the Square Box as they hovered in the air.

...

The grand three-way battle continued until the sun was setting. The three opponents fought for six hours.

At this moment, the forest in the valley had been flattened.

Zhu Xuan who was forced to fight against two opponents was slowly being pushed back.

Ji Fengxing gulped before he said, “I have the impression that if the two big brothers work together, they might be a match for a Nine-leaf cultivator.”

At this moment, Wuwu cried out, “Look!” She pointed at the 140-foot red lotus avatar, around which countless energy swords that resembled schools of fish swimming in the ocean circled.

Whizz!

The 140-foot seemed like it was growing.

“He’s going to break through to the Nine-leaf stage!” Xia Changqiu exclaimed in shock.

If Zhu Xuan somehow reached the Nine-leaf stage during the battle, Yu Zhenghai and Yu Shangrong could not possibly defeat him. They had personally witnessed their master’s Nine-leaf might. They knew how great of a difference it would make in strength.

While the energy swords spun, the energy sabers pushed against the Square Box from below.

All of a sudden, the Square Box dropped 100 meters down.

Yu Zhenghai broke free of the Square Box and flew out like a fired arrow. He spread his arms, and energy sabers gathered around him. For the first time in his life, he did not feel embarrassed about having to join forces with another person. Moreover, that person was his Second Junior Brother. He cried out, “Junior brother!”

With just that, Yu Shangrong understood Yu Zhenghai’s intention. With his Guiyuan Sword Technique, he controlled his energy swords that flew along with the energy sabers.

The two fellow disciples hovered close to each other, at this moment. They were at both sides of the avatar that was close to 150 feet in height.

Zhu Xuan’s face flushed red from the effort he was expending. He barely had time to catch his breath with the duo pressuring him.

At this moment, Xia Changqiu made his move. “I’m sorry, Brother Zhu.”

Xia Changqiu summoned his avatar and swept his Horsetail Whisk at the Square Box.

The Square Box spun out of control.

Xia Changqiu unleashed his grand technique again and appeared above the others. He looked down at the red lotus avatar that was almost 150-foot tall. Then, he raised two fingers, and his horsetail whisk flew out.

At the same time, the energy sabers and energy swords shot toward the heart of the avatar like a water dragon.

Boom!

The horsetail whisk struck the avatar’s head.

Boom!

Zhu Xuan grunted. Blood trickled out from the corners of his mouth. However, his eyes flashed with a strange light. At this moment, the red lotus avatar surged intensely with energy as it spun. It instantly formed a vortex that devoured the energy sabers and energy swords.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

Yu Shangrong raised his Longevity Sword and flew back.

Yu Zhenghai raised his Jasper Saber and flew back as well.

Xian Changqiu was worse off. He had been standing right before Zhu Xuan. He was hit by the red energy and was sent flying back. He grunted as his blood essence surged.

The battle ended.

“150 feet.”

Everything was silent as the energies dissipated.

Yu Shangrong and Yu Zhenghai looked at each other.

“I’m fine.”

“Me too.”

In the middle of the red lotus avatar that was hovering in the air, Zhu Xuan slowly opened his eyes before his eyes swept past Yu Zhenghai and Yu Shangrong.

“This is bad. Zhu Xuan has reached the Nine-leaf stage!”

The cultivators who watched from afar felt their bodies tremble.

“Hey! This is something worth celebrating! Great Tang has gained another Nine-leaf cultivator!”

“However, we’re talking about the Ninth Temple, after all. As expected of Zhu Xuan who’s regarded as the grand cultivator closest to the Nine-leaf stage for the past 50 years.”

...

Zhu Xuan looked at the fellow disciples and asked, “Do you still wish to continue?”

Yu Zhenghai said, “If you wish to continue, we’ll continue.”

“What about you?” Zhu Xuan looked at Yu Shangrong.

“If you want to fight, we’ll continue fighting.” Yu Shangrong straightened his right arm as his Longevity Sword buzzed.

Zhu Xuan did not ask Xia Changqiu. Instead, he shook his head and asked, “What do you say to leaving it at this?”

The two fellow disciples were briefly puzzled by these words.

Realization dawned on the duo when Zhu Xuan looked at Yu Zhenghai and said, “However, you must come with me.”

Yu Zhenghai tightened his grip on his Jasper Saber. “What if I refuse?”

Zhu Xuan waved his right hand. His avatar vanished. The Square Box shrank and returned to its pouch. The white crane flew up and carried him. Then, he looked at his arms. His veins were popping on his arms, and his thumb was numb and still shaking. This battle had greatly exceeded his expectations. He wiped the blood off the corners of his lips before he said, “There are no eternal enemies in the world. I’m already at the Nine-leaf stage. If I die in this battle, we’ll both suffer great losses.”

As the saying went, ‘The friend of an enemy is a friend’. After witnessing the duo’s might, Zhu Xuan had changed his mind. The Ninth Temple had always been on bad terms with the Sky Martial Court and the Flying Star House. However, if these two elites were to join the Ninth Temple, it would surely improve the temple’s strength.

Yu Zhenghai smiled and repeated, “There are no eternal enemies?”

“The Ninth Temple has always been on bad terms with the Sky Martial Court and the Flying Star House. Since the two of you have such profound cultivation bases, why don’t you join the Ninth Temple?”

Yu Zhenghai sheathed his Jasper Saber. He stood with his hands on his back and said, “Apart from the Evil Sky Pavilion, I have no interest in joining any other sect. I decline your invitation to join the Ninth Temple. However, I can consider a collaboration.” The aura he exuded when he led the Nether Sect was apparent, at this moment.

Although Zhu Xuan had a profound cultivation base, he was not someone with a high position. Therefore, he was not as articulate with his words. He wondered what kind of force the Evil Sky Pavilion was.

At this moment, Yu Zhenghai looked at Yu Shangrong and asked, “A wise man submits to circumstances. I won’t force you to do anything against your will. What do you say?”

Yu Shangrong glanced at Yu Zhenghai before he calmly said, “You have a point, senior brother.”

“Alright.”

Zhu Xuan descended slowly until he drew level with the duo. “As the Ninth Temple’s Grand Elder, I invite both of you to the Ninth Temple if you’ll follow me...”