They had come to an agreement now. The mystical dragon stretched out his long body, apparently trying to help the spirit design recover more quickly.
Luo Pin was clever enough. She read the situation, and quickly got on her knees. She said to the immortal mystical dragon Ao Yang. "Ancestor, you must help us. The Yan Huang Ancient Emperor is wreaking great evil in the Jambu Realm, doing as he wishes. He is not only bullying the outsider tribes and sheltering his own, but today, he is going to steal the body of a genius. This person is my good friend, and I sheltered him within the Nine Dragons of Heaven and Earth: Against Immortals Formation. He threatened my friend with the mystical dragon tribe. Please, Ancestor. Save my friend. Do not let the Yan Huang Ancient Emperor carry on with his heinous crimes!" The Shackled-G.o.d Rogue Dragon had wanted to rebut Luo Pin"s plea, because they felt that Wu Yu"s death was deserving. But Luo Pin looked back at them, and her b.l.o.o.d.y eyes and distraught expression softened their hearts and stopped their words in their throats.
This miraculous hope had appeared, and Luo Pin naturally wished to catch it and have Ao Yang save Wu Yu. This was their only hope, their last hope.
Wu Yu wanted to speak as well, but the Ancient Emperor had bound even his tongue.
Of course, Luo Pin"s words were sufficient. The immortal mystical dragon would still listen to her a little. After all, she was a rare Primordial Immortal Dragon.
"Steal?" Ao Yang turned a suspicious gaze on to the Yan Huang Ancient Emperor. He said, "You should know that the sky palaces have a harsh punishment on this forbidden immortal technique."
The Yan Huang Ancient Emperor was completely fearless. He even laughed. "Then Brother Ao Yang should also know that the sky palaces said nothing about using it in the mortal realm."
Ao Yang did not comment further. Looking at Luo Pin, he knew how important Wu Yu was to her. He actually rather valued this Primordial Immortal Dragon. He was moved by her, and wished to do something for her. He said, "Can you let him go, for my sake?"
Speaking of his sake, if the Yan Huang Ancient Emperor refused, then he would be disrespecting him. That would be serious. He had to show some care as well.
The Yan Huang Ancient Emperor was silent for a beat, then he suddenly smiled. "It"s not about whether I give you face or not. But you should know that the relations.h.i.+p between those two is not that of good friends, but lovers who have sworn to be with each other in life and death. I know how much your lot values such an elite bloodline. You wish for them to have pure bloodlines. This guy is but an ordinary martial cultivator, and not at all her match. Are you sure you wish for me to let him go? The one that will be sullied is your mystical dragon tribe"s bloodline."
"What!?" Hearing this, the immortal mystical dragon flew into a rage. Wu Yu and Luo Pin"s faces paled.
They had once thought that they would be free in the sky palaces.
But now they clearly saw the truth. Ao Yang was in a towering rage, as he rounded on Luo Pin. "No wonder you were so anxious. It was these wayward thoughts. Let me tell you this. Our mystical dragon tribe lacks elite bloodlines even in the sky palaces. We will never allow such an elite bloodline to be sullied by outsider tribes! You were born in the mortal realm, and did not know. I can forgive your ignorance. But now that it is explained, you will never violate this again! Only the finest bloodline of the mystical dragon tribe is fit to be your match!
"Since you have the finest bloodline, it shows the grace that the ancestors of the mystical dragon tribe have bestowed upon you. You are blessed, but this does not mean that your body is completely your own! The more exalted your bloodline, the greater your responsibilities! Our mystical dragon tribe will become strong again, and the key to our next rise is elite bloodlines. You will not be allowed to be so selfish, and be with foreigners. Or the consequences will be severe! Remember my words well. Be that as it may. While you are in the mortal realm, I cannot rule over you. When you reach the sky palaces, I will give you a taste of our power."
After he spoke, a beam of red light shot out from his eyes to hit Luo Pin"s shoulder, creating a brand. Ancestor Ao Yang said, "This brand will prevent you from leaving the Nine Dragons of Heaven and Earth: Against Immortals Formation before you attain immortalhood. Each step you take out of it will be like knives in your heart. It will be like heaven"s fire is immolating your body! If you can pa.s.s the Great Trial of the Immortal Dao, naturally an ancestor will lead you to the Heavenly Palace. Given your bloodline, you will be carefully nurtured in the folds of the mystical dragon tribe. Your future is bright, and one day you will stand at the pinnacle of the Heavenly Domain. You will know that all I have done today was for your own good, and you will forget this mortal realm, and this insignificant martial cultivator."
Ao Yang"s tirade had been furious.
After he finished, he began to repair the Nine Dragons of Heaven and Earth: Against Immortals Formation. He repaired it very quickly, and it was completed within 30 breaths of time.
After hearing this, the Ancient Emperor laughed casually. He then shook his head at Wu Yu. "Youngster, you are too easy. Too naive. All of you are too naive. What sort of place is the sky palaces? All of the immortals are there, including the great mystical dragon immortal beasts. You are not a Primordial Immortal Dragon. When she gets to the sky palaces, it will be difficult for you to even see her. Of course, you won"t have a chance."
He was humiliating Wu Yu.
But these words did not have much of an effect on Wu Yu. What really devastated him was Ao Yang"s words. He had been so anxious, so insistent, and spoken so much to Luo Pin. These words were even more serious than what the seven Esteemed Elders had said.
Each word was like a knife that cut against their hearts.
In the end, Luo Pin hung her head, afraid to look up or at Wu Yu.
"Remember. Pa.s.s the Great Trial of the Immortal Dao and your life will have just begun. As for this person, let him disappear."
The last phrase was directed at the Yan Huang Ancient Emperor. At first, he had wanted the Yan Huang Ancient Emperor to show him some face and let Wu Yu go. Now he was probably even more anxious to see Wu Yu gone.
In a flash, the Nine Dragons of Heaven and Earth: Against Immortals Formation was restored to its former peak. Luo Pin and the others were protected within, while Wu Yu"s two bodies were outside.
Wu Yu could see that she was distraught, sitting limply on the floor.
Perhaps she had not been hit that hard. However, this was not physical suffering, but mental torture.
Wu Yu saw the tears of despair fall from her eyes, and his heart was bleeding.
What could be said at this time?
He was at death"s door.
Her movements were directed by others.
They were not just separated by the Nine Dragons of Heaven and Earth: Against Immortals Formation. It was heaven and earth, it was everything, it was a gulf that could not be overcome.
How many worlds separated them? Perhaps they would be separated by the ultimate barrier of life itself.
Once, they were together, and affirmed their dreams of being reunited in the sky palaces. But that had been a golden millet dream[1]. It had been an ephemeral glimpse of a night-blooming cactus!
Wu Yu could only watch. Luo Pin had always been quick to think on her feet and composed, seemingly unruffled by anything. She always had a calm and warm expression. But right now, she was sitting woodenly on the floor. Perhaps a reunion in the sky palaces had always been her goal, but now Ao Yang had smashed her dreams to bits!
Thoroughly shattered, and she was bleeding from the shards.
Perhaps the Ancient Emperor had restored the power of speech to Wu Yu at this time, but his mouth was dry when he opened it. His mind was blank as he saw his own love traumatized by the cruelest twist of fate. What could he do?
He was about to die!
This was not a question of strength. It seemed like fate. The Ancient Emperor had targeted him long ago, and plotted this for a long time. He might even have planned for the appearance of Ao Yang!
This was not an even fight. It would be a miracle if Wu Yu won.
Just like that first day. When Heavenly Immortal Hao Tian had forced him to take the Spirit Severing Powder, what could he have done? Spit out the Spirit Severing Powder? But even if he did, Heavenly Immortal Hao Tian could easily force him to swallow it again.
No hope! Only despair!
What could stark rage and hatred do?
Wu Yu felt that he had let her down. He had never cried as much as he had on this day, and these tears were not out of fear, but tenderness for her.
The burden she bore was too weighty. But she could not abandon her people. If she was just willing to give up and turn her heart away from Wu Yu, then she would be completely unaffected. Her future was bright, and she was destined for glory.
As for Wu Yu, perhaps the name of Wu Yu would also ring loud in the Heavenly Domain, but it would not be the real Wu Yu.
It would be him, the Yan Huang Ancient Emperor.
The greatest menace in the world was about to descend.
Cultivation was plunder, the strong ruled the weak.
And the weak would have to pay the price!
The price for Wu Yu was misery and frustration.
It did not matter how many more bitter words he threw the Ancient Emperor"s way. He was livestock in another"s house. No matter how able he was, he could not avoid the slaughter.
A pig farmer would not pause in his slaughter just because a pig squealed louder.
The Ancient Emperor continued to smile at Wu Yu, as if to say: Vexing, isn"t it? I didn"t even have to try that hard, and all that is yours is already mine.
At this time, the immortal mystical dragon Ao Yang had already repaired the spirit design around the Dragon Palace of the Four Seas, and again turned to look at Luo Pin. "What a great seed. I hope you leave no regrets in your life. Your future is not here, but on further, greater sh.o.r.es in the Heavenly Domain. Remember all that I have said. One wrong word and you will pay a greater price than you have paid today."
Luo Pin hung her head. Her pet.i.te shoulders were shaking, and she did not reply. Her snow-white hair fell around her listless frame. It made one"s heart ache to look at her.
Ao Yang was about to leave.
"Dragon Lord, quick, send the Ancestor off!" the Ruby-Horned h.e.l.l Dragon reminded her from behind.
"Dragon Lord!" The other mystical dragons also urged her.
But Ao Yang just gave an indifferent snort. Even as he vanished in the skies, Luo Pin did not raise her head, nor say a single word.
Wu Yu was the same.
Just like that, Ao Yang was gone, the spirit design was restored, and Wu Yu and Luo Pin had been separated. Just like that, everything seemed to have come to an end.
1. A golden millet dream refers to the story of a poor traveler who fell asleep at an inn. He dreamed that he married a beautiful wife, rose to riches, and then earned renown as a scholar and physician, eventually attaining the t.i.tle of First Minister. His five children also rose to high ranking officialdom, and married well. He had grandchildren aplenty, and died at the age of 80 after a long, fulfilled life free of illness. As he drew his last breath, he woke up from the dream and saw that the golden millet the innkeeper had laid out to cook for him was not even finished cooking!