Chapter 819: You Have to Decide for Me

Wind Rises in Kyushu

The sudden intrusion of two women made the atmosphere in the great hall strange. Pang Huanyin and Elder Xiao clearly didn't know what was happening, both utterly bewildered and suspicious. Liu Zhenguan's face suddenly darkened. The scene he most dreaded had still come to pass.

"How could a group of useless people let them through, failing to stop even two individuals!" He shot a fierce glare at the female cultivators who had rushed in behind them, then quickly descended from his seat. A smile spread across his face as he approached the two women who had entered the hall. "Why did you come in person? If there's anything, you could have just sent someone to call me. There was no need to make the trip yourself." He was determined to keep Pang Huanyin from discovering the gentle woman's abilities. As he spoke, he gave a look to the female cultivators who had chased them in. Only then did the cultivators retreat, lingering apprehension still on their faces. They had sensed that the woman with the twin blades had held back during their brief exchange; otherwise, many of them would have surely died.

"Which one is Palace Master Pang Huanyin?" the woman with the gentle and serene demeanor softly asked. Although it was a question, her gaze immediately landed on Pang Huanyin, then seemingly intentionally or unintentionally glanced at Lu Ye beside Pang Huanyin, a smile in her eyes.

Since things had reached this point, trying to stop anything further was unrealistic. Liu Zhenguan, with a hint of vigilance in his heart, said, "It seems Palace Master Pang's gift is indeed extraordinary. Come, come, allow me to introduce you!" He grew increasingly curious about what kind of gift would necessitate a personal thank you. While the Ziwei Dao Palace was undeniably stronger than the other two secret realms in overall power, their wealth was another matter; they might even be less prosperous than his own realm. What good could Pang Huanyin possibly have brought?

Under his guidance, the two women approached Pang Huanyin. Liu Zhenguan said, "This is Pang Huanyin, Palace Master of the Ziwei Dao Palace." However, he did not introduce the two women's identities to Pang Huanyin, intending to send them away immediately after they had expressed their thanks.

Pang Huanyin remained seated, smiling and nodding. "It's just a small token, nothing grand. I'm glad you like it, Madam." She paused, then asked, "May I know your name, Madam?" She thought to herself, 'Indeed a beauty, and her temperament is the type men favor. However, her cultivation doesn't seem very high. I wonder what special abilities she possesses that made Liu Zhenguan consider marrying her.' Compared to the gentle woman before her, Pang Huanyin was more concerned about the taller woman behind her, as she could sense that this woman was not to be trifled with.

"Hua Ci," the gentle woman replied with a smile, then introduced the woman behind her, "This is my Senior Sister, Lan Ziyi." Lan Ziyi remained silent, simply staring intently at Lu Ye, a faint smile playing on her lips. With him here, things would be easy to handle. Lu Ye's eyelids were slightly lowered, and he sat still. Pang Huanyin took in this strange scene and suddenly realized something, her heart stirring.

"Alright, it's late, and thanks have been given. You should return and rest," Liu Zhenguan urged. Hua Ci, however, seemed not to hear him. Her gaze bypassed Pang Huanyin and fixed on Lu Ye. Lu Ye raised his eyes, meeting hers. He felt a mix of amusement, helplessness, and annoyance. "Are you getting married?" Hua Ci pouted. "I didn't agree to anything. They're just wishful thinking." Lu Ye nodded. "So, they're bullying a woman?" "Exactly!" Hua Ci's expression was serious, and she couldn't help but say in a slightly spoiled tone, "You have to help me!"

Lan Ziyi, standing behind her, couldn't help but look surprised and bewildered. She looked from Hua Ci to Lu Ye, wondering why their tone of conversation sounded so... familiar. In her understanding, these two shouldn't have known each other. But now, it seemed things were not as she had thought. Lu Yiye and Hua Ci must have known each other for a long time; they had merely pretended not to know each other back in Kyushu... And judging by this situation, their relationship was more than just acquaintances! This was going to be a real show! However, this Lu Yiye was truly cunning, deliberately hiding his relationship with Hua Ci. What was he planning? Lan Ziyi quietly retreated two steps. Someone as powerful as Lu Yiye would not remain indifferent in such a situation. She didn't want to be caught in the inevitable conflict.

"Yiye, what's going on?" Although Pang Huanyin had her suspicions, she couldn't help but seek confirmation. As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt a pair of sharp eyes pierce her. "Yiye..." Hua Ci said mournfully, looking as if she were about to cry. "No wonder you ignored me for so many days. It turns out you have a new love. As the saying goes, 'only the new bride smiles, while the old one weeps.'" As she spoke, she dramatically dabbed the corner of her eye with her sleeve. Lu Ye felt a massive headache! Lan Ziyi inwardly praised, 'What a wonderful show!' Although Pang Huanyin didn't know exactly what was happening, she sensed enough to quickly explain, "Miss Hua Ci, things are not as you imagine! Lu Yiye and I..." "Hua Ci! What is the meaning of this?" Liu Zhenguan's face turned green with fury.

Ever since Lan Ziyi brought Hua Ci barging in, events had completely spiraled out of control. This scene before him looked exactly like a long-awaited reunion between two lovers, filling him with a mix of shock and rage. "Did you just call her Hua Ci?" Lu Ye suddenly lifted his head, his gaze, sharp as a blade, fixed on Liu Zhenguan. Liu Zhenguan's heart instantly leaped in alarm. In that moment, he couldn't help but feel as if he, an innocent sheep, was being targeted by a tiger. A chill ran through him. "How dare you!" "Impudent!" Someone shouted angrily.

Lu Ye had already shot up from his seat, scooped up Hua Ci, and tossed her towards Pang Huanyin. His body moved like the wind as he lunged towards Liu Zhenguan. *Clang...* His long saber was drawn, and a fiery red blade light flashed and vanished. The moment he saw Hua Ci and Lan Ziyi, Lu Ye knew that today's events could not end peacefully. Since that was the case, he might as well strike first! Reasoning would certainly be futile; overwhelming strength was the ultimate argument.

"How dare you!" Liu Zhenguan roared in fury. His spiritual power and vital energy surged instantly, and with a lift of his hand, he summoned an incredibly heavy broadsword to meet the fiery red blade light. Although the cultivators of Mount Sumeru lacked the Ziwei Dao Palace cultivators' resolve and courage to fight the corpse race to the death, those present were all skilled, and their reactions were naturally swift. The moment Lu Ye struck, the Mount Sumeru cultivators sprang into action. Instantly, spiritual energy surged through the great hall, and the scene became chaotic. Pang Huanyin's face changed drastically. She had never imagined things would escalate to this extent. She knew that her visit to Mount Sumeru would likely cause some trouble, but it shouldn't have led to a fight. Mount Sumeru had its concerns, so as long as things were handled properly, retreating safely wouldn't be an issue. But now the situation had completely spiraled out of control. All she could do was try her best to protect Hua Ci. Lu Ye had thrown Hua Ci to her before making his move, clearly for this purpose. With this thought, she quickly pulled Hua Ci behind her, then looked up, her expression freezing. What met her eyes was Liu Zhenguan's body flying high, a massive wound on his chest and abdomen, flesh ripped open, blood splattering. His rugged face was filled with shock, as if he hadn't expected to be severely wounded by a single strike!

This was also Pang Huanyin's first time witnessing Lu Ye in action, and her shock was no less than Liu Zhenguan's. Previously, at the Ziwei Dao Palace, Feng Rulie had demonstrated his strength, stating explicitly that the nine fellow disciples were ranked by strength, which meant Lu Ye, as the senior disciple, should be the strongest. But just how strong was this "strongest"? Pang Huanyin couldn't be sure. While she had made her own estimations, it now seemed her predictions had severely underestimated Lu Ye's capabilities. Liu Zhenguan's strength was inferior to hers, but only by a narrow margin; otherwise, he wouldn't be the Mountain Master of Mount Sumeru. Yet, such a powerful cultivator was severely wounded by Lu Ye in a single exchange. It appeared this was the result of Lu Ye holding back; otherwise, it would be uncertain whether Liu Zhenguan would even survive. While there was an element of surprise attack, it still fully demonstrated Lu Ye's power. On the other side, Lan Ziyi's performance also stunned Pang Huanyin. The tall woman, wielding her twin blades, had single-handedly blocked all the Mount Sumeru cultivators rushing towards Lu Ye. Although the situation seemed precarious, Pang Huanyin knew she was incapable of such a feat. In other words, Lan Ziyi's strength... surpassed her own!

After severely wounding Liu Zhenguan with a single strike, Lu Ye did not pursue. Instead, he held his saber and stood quietly in place. Liu Zhenguan landed, and just as he struggled to get up, he suddenly froze, as if struck by lightning. A sharp pain emanated from his back, as if some sharp weapon had pierced his body, just an inch from his vital heart. 'Someone is behind me!' Liu Zhenguan's hair stood on end. He hadn't detected the attacker at all before they struck. 'Who could it be?' His gaze swept over Pang Huanyin, Elder Xiao, Lu Yiye, Hua Ci, and Lan Ziyi... All the recent outsiders were here. Who else could possibly sneak attack him from behind? Surely, it couldn't be a traitor from within Mount Sumeru?

"Everyone, stop!" An unfamiliar voice, not loud, reached his ears. Yet, after the words were spoken, the commotion in the great hall settled down. The Mount Sumeru cultivators glared, their eyes spitting fire, as they watched Liu Zhenguan being held hostage by Ying Wuji. At the same time, they were utterly bewildered. This person... where did he come from? They had never seen him before. Pang Huanyin and Elder Xiao, however, watched in awe. Before Ying Wuji made his move, neither of them had detected his presence. They hadn't even known he was hiding within the great hall! Such a method of stealthy assassination was truly terrifying! Even though he was held captive and severely wounded, Liu Zhenguan showed no fear. He simply stared at Pang Huanyin, gritting his teeth. "Pang, you are truly something. So, this was your plan all along!"