Chapter 166: The Return

Luo Qingyu picked up the fallen hairpin, her face a picture of sheer disbelief. This hairpin had been given to her by Mu Wan, and today it had saved her life, filling her with a myriad of conflicting emotions.

Yet, a trace of sorrow lingered in her eyes.

"I wonder if Jiuyao has avenged himself..."

After being lost in thought for a moment, Luo Qingyu stepped forward to support the shaken woman.

"Qingyu, was that you just now..."

"Yes, it was the hairpin my mother gave me. I suppose we were just very fortunate."

A lingering look of fear appeared on Luo Qingyu's face as she spoke.

"Let's go, let's hurry outside, time is running out..."

With that, the two of them quickly sprinted toward the exit.

***

Meanwhile, deep within the ancestral grounds of the Star Clan, Ye Jiuyao also came to a halt.

For the further inward they went, the more formidable and unimaginably terrifying the primordial beasts residing there became.

Consequently, both of them had the same thought of stopping.

"Grand Uncle-Master, should we still venture deeper?"

"No need, Grand Uncle-Master has other matters to attend to..."

"There are only three days left."

Time flew by, and seven days passed in the blink of an eye.

During these seven days, Ye Jiuyao led a confident Xing Yanyu to "conquer" the ancestral lands of the Star Clan.

However, almost every time a fight broke out, the two of them would end up fleeing in disarray.

Because once a battle commenced, it would attract the prying eyes of other creatures, turning a two-on-one skirmish into a situation where numerous beasts surrounded and attacked the pair.

Yet, Ye Jiuyao was no fool.

He directly adopted a new tactic: strike when the enemy is tired, advance when the enemy retreats, always lingering within the periphery of his target area.

As a result, many creatures, despite their immense strength, simply could not do anything to the two of them, leading to a great many of these beasts meeting their end at their hands.

This propelled their strengths forward by leaps and bounds, allowing them to gather countless treasures, medicinal herbs, and other items.

It could be said that this trial within the Star Clan's ancestral grounds left the two of them with bulging pockets and fully satisfied.

Especially Ye Jiuyao, whose joy was entirely written across his face.

"Let's go, we're heading back."

After resting and recovering their strength, Ye Jiuyao looked at Xing Yanyu with a smile and said.

"Let's go, we're heading back."

"Alright."

With that, Ye Jiuyao took Xing Yanyu and sped away.

After all, he had to race against time to return; otherwise, he would miss the opportunity, and he feared the several Sect Masters would curse him to death.

"Let's run back."

Thus, the two of them dashed forward, kicking up a gale of wind in their wake.

***

A short while later, the two arrived at the exit.

Ye Jiuyao channeled his primordial energy to stir the momentum of heaven and earth, summoning a tempest and a swirling vortex into which they both stepped.

***

The Star Clan.

"They are coming out."

Xing Lingzi looked at the vortex region with a smile and murmured softly.

Moments later, the two figures flew out.

"Old Ancestor."

"Master."

Ye Jiuyao and Xing Yanyu emerged and greeted Xing Lingzi.

"Yanyu, you go back first and consolidate your cultivation base once more."

Xing Lingzi narrowed his eyes as he looked at Xing Yanyu, a smile blooming on his face, clearly very satisfied with her.

Xing Yanyu sensibly took her leave, leaving only Xing Lingzi and Ye Jiuyao behind as the two men walked forward.

Xing Lingzi chuckled, his gaze toward Ye Jiuyao growing even more appreciative, before he spoke in a deep voice.

"You have broken through your cultivation by leaps and bounds, so you must have gained quite a few insights. You should have seen the message sent to you by that brat Qianliu from the Southern District's Qianye Sect, right?"

"Then you may return. Just remember to come back when the time comes."

Xing Lingzi looked at Ye Jiuyao and said. A moment later, he gathered primordial energy in his hands, forming a vortex of power.

"I am heading back."

Ye Jiuyao said to Xing Lingzi.

"Go on."

Xing Lingzi waved a hand at him.

***

A short while later.

Ye Jiuyao had already appeared above the skies of the Southern District's Qianye Sect.

A familiar feeling welled up in his heart.

"Qianye Sect, I have returned."

Ye Jiuyao murmured softly, then quickly flew toward the grand hall, where the four Sect Masters were already waiting inside.

Moments later.

"Ye Jiuyao is back. When shall we set off?"

Qianliu asked the other three.

Having sensed Ye Jiuyao's return the very instant he arrived, he spoke up immediately.

"I am back."

Ye Jiuyao kicked open the doors of the grand hall, fully displaying his elevated might, his gaze arrogant as he looked at them.

Right now, what Ye Jiuyao wanted most was to flaunt the fruits of his cultivation training.

Besides, there was nothing these men could say to him at the moment.

"There is no time like the present, so let us prepare to leave. It will only be you alone, however; the rest of the core disciples... have no hope."

At this, the four men chuckled.

"Then let us depart."

Ye Jiuyao looked at them and said.

***

Seeing their smiles, Ye Jiuyao knew they had long been yearning to ascend to that higher realm.

After all, remaining at their current level was already difficult enough.

Moreover, the higher realm was vast, and the resources it held were far superior.

When the time came, their cultivation would inevitably reach new heights.

"The realm of the Virtuous Monarch is roughly comparable to ours now. What we look forward to most is displaying our might and waging great battles in the higher realm."

Naturally, Ye Jiuyao understood their state of mind.

"Then let us set off. Everything else has already been prepared."

Qianliu and the others said. As soon as Ye Jiuyao heard this, he understood immediately.

These old fellows had prepared long ago.

Otherwise, it would be impossible for only the four of them to be present in the entire hall. Ye Jiuyao rolled his eyes at them, then walked toward the distance, rapidly breaking into a sprint.

He moved with the speed of thunder, accompanied by deafening roars.

Numerous people watched as five figures stepped forth, soaring into the sky and transforming into raging tempests.

Five tempests rose into the air. Cao Sisi watched them with a smile on her face, muttering under her breath.

"He is so powerful now, not the least bit inferior to the Sect Masters, perhaps even stronger. We... have fallen behind."

"With the arrival of a new era, we have actually lagged behind."

"This is an age where Celestial Beings walk everywhere and Sages are as common as dogs; Virtuous Monarchs are a common sight, and Saints are no longer rare..."

"Yet, we have still fallen behind..."

…………

The crowd let out a collective sigh.

Their expressions were solemn, but the blazing fighting intent in their eyes showed no sign of diminishing; instead, it erupted even more fiercely.

***

"This journey will take a day and a night."

"Let us make haste."

***

With that, the flying speed of Ye Jiuyao and the other four increased even further.

Days and nights passed like a shuttle, and the five of them finally entered the designated location for this competition.

It was the very same realm where Qianqing had resided previously; the tournament was to be held within the territory governed by Qianqing.

Along the way, others had already arrived.

At this moment, they had already reached the upper levels.

Qianqing showed no signs of subservience; instead, he sat squarely in the seat of honor, while the emissary sat below, watching the throngs of people coming and going beneath them.

"Prepare everything, the grand tournament is about to begin."

As soon as Qianqing's words fell, the multitude of people below immediately sprang into action.