78 The Soaring Sky Stage (1/2)
Wang Li Jie's mind wandered to when he first met Xiaolian, the girl playfully swinging her slim legs next to him on the branch now has matured into quite a beauty. She looks like a goddess with the moonlight highlighting her delicate features. When she smiles it could topple cities and kingdoms, yet she was unaware of her captivating looks.
He was smiling thinking how her eyes sparkled like shimmering blue pools when she tossed that ice star to him. One day she will be his Empress, he had decided that long ago, no matter what obstacles he needed to overcome to make that a reality.
This relaxed beauty twirling a fir branch like a wand staring at the moon is quite a contrast from the frightened little girl he saved that day. He had been traveling back from The Purple Dragon Kingdom after negotiations for collaborating forces to deal with the demon army. The Demon King was aggressively entering various Kingdoms upsetting peace and The Righteous Order that the Seven Kingdoms had maintained for three hundred years.
Not long after he had entered The Mystical Lotus Star Kingdom a bloodied rider with one arm dangling at his side rapidly approached them, alerting him there were demons attacking a Sorcerer's home.
He knew the old Sorcerer, Zhang Liu, he was one of the Ancient Order, his family was loyal and honorable. The Demon King must have become aware he held secrets to unlock the Ancient Divination Dimension, secrets which if the demons possessed could cripple the Kingdom's forces. He immediately rushed through the remainder of the Cloud's Edge Wilderness, this could prove disastrous.
When he arrived at their home it was immersed in leaping flames, the Sorcerer and his wife were barely alive surrounded by demon zombie soldiers, the sky was filled with demon birds of prey .He drew his Black Ice Sword cutting a swath through the zombies, they would freeze and shatter as his sword slashed through them. Unfortunately, he had arrived moments too late to save them, they had decided to take their own lives rather than submit to the demons.
Zhang Lui shouted at his daughter, ”Run..hide quickly!”
The tiny girl stood petrified holding onto her mother.
He flew to their side unable to stop the flow of poison they had ingested, he saw a small girl clinging onto her mother's dress as her mother collapsed. He quickly used his qinggong to take the tiny girl to safety among the rocks on the mountaintop. He and his men then exterminated the demon army and the birds flew off unable to savor the dead bodies below.
The little girl was crying and disheveled, her tear stained face tugged at his cold heart for some reason. He assured her he wouldn't leave her alone. She nodded while tightly gripping his blood stained robe and quietly looked up at him with her innocent blue eyes. Now he needs to entrust her to that bastard Yun Tai and that pretty boy Feng Tian, the thought grates on his nerves.
This time he will kill his demon blooded brother!
For a moment lost in his reverie he didn't react to XiXi tugging on his sleeve.
”Li Jie what are you thinking about you have a strange look on your face.”
”Nothing, we should get back.”
Wang Li Jie abruptly grabs her by her tiny waist then flies down to the snow covered jade gazebo.
XiXi laughs, ”Could you give me some warning next time! My heart is in my throat, you startled me when we suddenly descended!”
Still a little distracted he asks , ”Are you cold?” He waves his palms to warm her with his internal energy. ”I want to speak to you a moment before we enter the palace, sit with me in the gazebo.”
”Wang Li Jie the view here is breathtaking. This is such a contrast to The Mystical Lotus Star Kingdom with its bustling Capitol, everywhere so green and warm. There is a certain beauty in the pristine whiteness, snow covered landscape and the towering icy mountains here. I see why you can meditate here in this solitude it provides.”
”That is what I wanted to discuss with you, since this is a mystical mountain its spirit energy is very strong which helps cultivation as I explained to you before. I don't think it is wise to attempt to enter the Ice Flower Cave right now. after what happened with Quan Zhen, the gods have most likely sealed it off to disperse the demonic energy Quan Zhen was using. But, we only have a short time before we leave in the morning and I want to help you at least reach the next stage of your cultivation.