Section 42: Sudden Shift in Wind and Clouds, Dire Situation
2013-02-09 Author: Gu Zhenren
The sudden appearance of the Falling Cherry King exceeded many people’s expectations. The Falling Cherry King had always resided in the stable Anning Kingdom and rarely took action. His relationships with other Kings were not deep, and he lived a life close to reclusion. Unexpectedly, he appeared at this critical juncture.
This was Chu Yun’s first time meeting the Falling Cherry King. He was dressed in a yellow jade shirt, with a tall and handsome stature. Standing with his hands behind his back in the void, he exuded the dignified aura of a Grandmaster, like a steady mountain.
He must have been an incredibly handsome man in his youth; though his temples were now white, they still revealed his former handsomeness and grace. His eyebrows were neither thick and rough like those of a strong man, nor sharp like sword eyebrows, but rather soft and long. His appearance was heroic and dashing, refined and profound, his eyes constantly revealing appreciation and nostalgia for the beauty of worldly affairs. Time had etched its marks all over his body, bestowing upon him a melancholy and maturity born from experiencing life’s setbacks and hardships. All of these combined to form the Falling Cherry King’s unique charm, making him unforgettable and leaving a deep impression on anyone who saw him.
“This way, I’ve met almost all of Xingzhou’s Seven Kings. The Wine King is heroic, the Greedy Wolf is greedy and wrathful, the Ten Thousand Poisons Queen is mysterious, the Mermaid King is noble, the Immortal Pouch King is rigid, and the Falling Cherry King is dashing. Indeed, they are all outstanding individuals. But why would the Falling Cherry King come to deal with me? Is this part of that mysterious Dream Oracle’s plan?” A trace of worry flickered in Chu Yun’s eyes.
The Falling Cherry King spoke very politely and casually, but no one present misunderstood his intent. The Wine King gave Chu Yun a wry smile, stood up, and with one step, covered dozens of feet, arriving before the Falling Cherry King. “Haha, so be it. Let me once again witness your Hundred Flowers Battle Formation, Falling Cherry King.”
“It’s better to comply than refuse. Please,” the Falling Cherry King said, patting his Immortal Pouch. Innumerable streams of light flew out, instantly opening up a Battle Formation Space. The Wine King said no more, charging into it. The two King level powerhouses vanished from the sight of the onlookers.
“Chu Yun, my father has invited Senior Wine King to a duel. As the saying goes, father and son fight side by side. As his son, I too am itching for a fight. I’ve heard that the Wushuang Grandmaster has joined you, and by chance, I have extensively researched cultivation. Having Grandmaster Wushuang spar with me in front of everyone would also be a grand occasion,” the Nine-tailed Demon Lord said with a hearty laugh, stepping forward. He had originally intended to challenge Chu Yun, but after witnessing Chu Yun’s strength, he no longer dared to act rashly and immediately settled for a lesser goal, proposing a challenge to Wushuang. His father, the Falling Cherry King, was a cultivation master. He had been influenced since childhood and naturally had confidence in cultivation.
However, Wushuang was Chu Yun, a fact unknown to everyone else. Now, how could the Nine-tailed Demon Lord summon the non-existent Wushuang to accept Chu Yun’s challenge? Trouble followed one after another, and it was far from over.
“Senior Immortal Pouch King, this junior has been entrusted to bring you a letter,” Marquis Wu Chang’s voice reached the banquet from afar.
“What letter?” The Immortal Pouch King stood up. Chu Yun felt a wave of unease. Marquis Wu Chang was led into the banquet and presented the letter with both hands. The Immortal Pouch King unfolded it and his expression immediately changed. The letter read: “Immortal Pouch King, I once told you the secret to becoming Emperor. You owe me a favor. Withdraw from the Archipelago immediately and do not concern yourself with worldly affairs for three months. Continue your research well.” The signature at the end of the letter was none other than the Night Emperor’s Edict.
“He is actually manipulating things from behind the scenes!” Cold sweat instantly dripped from the Immortal Pouch King’s forehead. His expression turned extremely unpleasant. “This is difficult. Chu Yun is definitely not his match, and even I may not have absolute certainty of victory against him. However, if my research is successful, I will be able to display Great Emperor’s might as a King! It would be unwise to engage in a battle with him now. Moreover, between Chu Yun and me, it is merely a transaction, an exchange of Upper grade Immortal Pouches…” With this thought, the Immortal Pouch King made up his mind. He sighed softly and said to Chu Yun, “A debt of favor is the hardest debt to repay in this world. I am in the wrong this time and cannot help you. I will certainly compensate you in the future.”
Hearing his sigh, Chu Yun’s heart sank with a bad premonition. After the Immortal Pouch King delivered the bad news, Chu Yun remained expressionless, though his heart was shaken. “How formidable! What kind of letter is this that makes even the Immortal Pouch King retreat? This ‘favor’ is merely an excuse. Someone even the Immortal Pouch King fears…”
“It’s alright, Senior Immortal Pouch King, you may leave.” Chu Yun smiled calmly and composedly, his true feelings hidden. He was in despair internally, having lost two King level allies one after another. Before even officially engaging the Land Whale King, his top-tier combat strength had already been largely depleted!
“What skillful means. This must all be the arrangement of that mysterious Abacus Master,” his intuition told Chu Yun the truth.
“Hahaha, I, the Black Mountain Barbarian Lord, also have considerable experience in appraisal and would like to seek counsel from Grandmaster Wushuang.” Arrogant laughter echoed as the Black Mountain Barbarian Lord stepped forward, a mocking smile on his face, fixing his gaze at Chu Yun. As soon as he finished speaking, the Wolf Fang Lord also stood up. “Grandmaster Wushuang’s fame resounded throughout the Academy Conference and shook Xingzhou. I too wish to seek counsel.”
“I wish to forge a demonic sword. I hear that Master Yu Ya of the Shu Family won the Weapon Forging competition at this year’s Academy Conference. I am willing to pay a sky-high price to request Master Yu Ya’s services to forge a demonic sword. It would also add luster to this banquet.” The Sword Lord sat steadily to the side, taking a sip of wine, and looking at Chu Yun with sharp, cold eyes.
Kicking someone when they’re down! This was an outright act of brazen opportunism. With the deterrent power of the Wine King and the Immortal Pouch King gone, even though Chu Yun possessed Marquis level strength and appeared calm and collected, he could no longer suppress the restless hearts of those present.
“Drunken Snow Fox Lord, I have something I wish to verify with you in person.” This was apparently not the end. The Zen Lord of Ku Tuo Temple, holding a peculiar stone, also left his seat and walked into the center. He had wanted to confront Chu Yun for a long time, but Chu Yun’s Marquis level strength had exceeded his expectations and disrupted his plans. Now that the Wine King and the Immortal Pouch King had left, the situation had instantly devolved into a scenario of wolves preying on a lone tiger. The Zen Lord seized the opportunity and questioned Chu Yun, “Drunken Snow Fox Lord, my Ku Tuo Temple suspects you of poisoning Master Bei Guang. Master Bei Guang is one of our temple’s Four Grand Elders and the only direct descendant of our founding patriarch, King Ku Tuo. Since his disappearance, our temple has searched tirelessly. Recently, guided by the Abacus Master Drunken Life, we have obtained this lead.”
“Drunken Snow Fox Lord, what I hold is our Ku Tuo Temple’s most treasured artifact, the True Heart Exquisite Stone. Its radiance now illuminates the entire hall. For every answer you give, if it is a lie, the stone will emit red light and a hoarse noise. If it is truth, it will bloom with blue light and emit the profound sound of great bells. Now I ask you, is Master Bei Guang’s disappearance related to you?” The Zen Lord rapidly questioned, not giving Chu Yun any chance to interject. He struck with the force of a hammer blow, revealing his true intentions, pushing Chu Yun towards a dead end.
Chu Yun’s heart sank. “Bei Guang is Bei Se. We fought in Yao Shan Kingdom, and he was captured by the Riot Ape and taken as a male concubine. He is still imprisoned in the Endless Forest. His disappearance is naturally related to me. I didn’t expect this matter to finally surface. No, this must still be a scheme and arrangement. I heard from the Sleeping Old Man that Drunken Life is his junior brother and also his enemy who murdered his master. What a perfect trap, with endless cunning…”
“Chu Yun, answer me! What, are you afraid to answer my question?” Seeing Chu Yun hesitate, the Zen Lord’s eyes flashed with sharp light, and he demanded sternly.
“Do you really want me to tell the truth?” Chu Yun sneered. Master Bei Guang’s perverted identity was definitely a major scandal for the Ku Tuo Temple. Now, under the illumination of the True Heart Exquisite Stone, every word Chu Yun spoke could be verified. If he truly spoke, it would undoubtedly cause the Ku Tuo Temple’s reputation to plummet. But… “If I tell the truth, I lose too. The mastermind behind the scenes must have calculated this outcome, and the Ku Tuo Temple will not let this go. But if I don’t speak, everyone will believe I did it. And if I lie, that’s even worse, as I’ll be exposed on the spot!” Chu Yun was in a dilemma, with no good outcome. This was the strategy of a Marquis level Abacus Master, truly terrifying. No wonder even Chu Bawang’s unparalleled bravery was utterly outmaneuvered by Zhuge Wenhou. Although Chu Yun had the Sleeping Old Man’s help, the Sleeping Old Man had only recently advanced to the Marquis level. Furthermore, the opponent had made thorough arrangements, completed their calculations, obscured the heavenly secrets, and gained an absolute advantage. Upon sensing this, the Sleeping Old Man could only add a further layer of obfuscation. He could not gain the initiative in other aspects.
Seeing Chu Yun cornered, the Zen Lord sneered and was about to press further when his expression suddenly froze. “What sound is that?” Everyone in the hall simultaneously pricked up their ears and listened intently.
Wuuuuu… A mournful and stirring bugle call came from afar. Initially faint, almost inaudible, the sound quickly reverberated through heaven and earth, shaking the eardrums of those present. The expressions of everyone in the hall were shocked. They all turned their heads to look in the same direction. Huode City was built against the mountains, and the banquet hall was on the mountainside, offering an excellent view. Chu Yun also looked and saw that at the horizon where sea and sky met, a curved line suddenly rose from the sea. The arc rose higher and higher, drawing closer to them. Green mountains and brown earth formed a vast, floating landmass, pushing through the waves with immense power and majesty, advancing directly towards Huode City. Chu Yun’s pupils contracted sharply.
Land Whale King’s voice boomed, “Shu Family, if you immediately surrender the Archipelago, I will not pursue the matter concerning the Tie Family. Otherwise, you will be annihilated, and the Shu Family’s main island will be razed to the ground!” The voice was filled with earth-shattering battle intent, like rolling heavenly thunder, constantly exploding and rumbling in the sky.
“The Land Whale King, it’s the Land Whale King!” After a moment of silence, someone exclaimed.
“The East Sea Faction is a top-tier wanderer force, with an army like rain and generals like clouds. They are truly here to attack the Shu Family,” someone sighed.
“The Shu Family is finished. Without a King level expert to restrain the Land Whale King, the Shu Family has no chance of winning,” someone stated with certainty.
“Chu Yun, don’t think you can get away with this. Speak, did you poison Master Bei Guang!” The Zen Lord, taking advantage of the situation, his eyes flashing with malevolence, raised the True Heart Exquisite Stone in his hand and shouted loudly.
