Chapter 171 The Calm before the Storm (1/2)
It took great exertion for Li Muxue to jerk herself free from her stupor. Yanluo was looking into her eyes. She smiling, walked up to Li Muxue. ”You remember me?”
”I-I know you... Y-you are... Fairy...” Li Muxue stammered, finally recognizing the voice from her past. Yanluo was the Fairy Godmother from her childhood, although she looked considerably younger than she was.
Realizing that this was not Li Muxue's first meeting with Yanluo, Xiao Chen was happy for her. He strode to her side and bowed to Yanluo, saying, ”My respects, Senior Yanluo. My name is Xiao Chen.”
Yanluo smiled at him, although Huashang was taking everything with gritted teeth, feeling herself being discarded aside. But Moxuan Zi noticed her expression and said loudly, ”It has been sixty years since the Jade Qing Seven was reunited. I'm glad, I'm glad!”
Hearing this, the disciples and acolytes congregated outside could not help feeling proud and happy. Adrenaline pulsed through their veins and hope coursed through every member of the Jade Qing Sect as the anecdote of the reunion of the Jade Qing Seven reminded everyone of the authority they once commanded. Nevertheless, there was but another one of the Seven absent.
Yu Yifeng's voice came booming from outside, ”Six of the Seven, including my mentor, is already waiting, Senior! Do you really refuse to enter?”
”Enough, you insolent brat! You want me to teach you a lesson?!”
Everyone's head turned. It must be Martial Uncle Xiaoyao. He was known to be the most eccentric of the Jade Qing Seven. He must have gone off to sulk somewhere, knowing that Yanluo had returned.
Xiao Chen was quick to notice Yanluo's expression slightly freezing and quickly guessed what happened. He smiled and strode out and helped Yu Yifeng to pull Zi Mo into the hall.
”What is this? You two insolent pups! How dare you!”
The sight of two youngsters dragging Zi Mo into the hall sent a ripple of amused gasps and grins across the assembled acolytes watching outside. Some even began guffawing with laughter. He went into the hall, and Yanluo humphed, seeing him coming in. ”I thought you had gone missing.”
Zi Mo's face blazed with redness. ”Er... How, how have you been, Junior Sister?” He greeted her, wearing a silly grin on his face, not daring to look at Perfected Immortal Qing Chen in the eye.
”Hmph!” Yanluo snorted. ”Who do you think you are? My wellbeing is none of your business!”
Zi Mo's face grew even redder that it looked almost purple. Perfected Immortal Qing Chen did his best to suppress a smile; their seven's happy days seemed to occurred him when they were still young.
An acolyte stepped into the hall and came hurriedly forward. Contingents of warriors and swordsmen from other sects and schools had arrived. With them, they brought word of an imminent attack by Patriarch Guanshan.
The jovial mood of the reunion immediately melted into a still and morose silence. There was no more chime of laughter or cheerful words as everyone's brows creased into worried and distraught frowns. Perfected Immortal Qing Chen stood up and looked outwards, pacing quickly towards the entrance of the hall with the rest of the Seven in tow.
A thronging gathering of hopeful and spirited volunteers, numbering at least a thousand strong, all from various schools of the Orthodox Path, were marching into the plaza of the stronghold. Leading at the forefront, were Master Xuanji of the Wuyin Monastery and Xiaoyue of the Thousand Feathers Sect.
News about Patriarch Guanshan's success in reconstructing a physical body and his intent to wipe the board clean of any opposition had spread across the entire Eastern Continent. Knowing that the Jade Qing Sect was the greatest school of arcane arts in the Continent and its fall would be the first of many, so everyone had come to help.
Perfect Immortal Qing Chen stood at the top of the steps before the great hall with the rest of the Seven standing in a row behind him. Everyone beheld the awe-inspiring sight of the long-awaited reunification of the Jade Qing Seven, with beams of joy and pride across their faces. ”Tomorrow's battle will be most perilous,” Perfected Immortal Qing Chen said, ”Are you sure of this?”
There was no way to ensure that there would be no casualties. Patriarch Guanshan had amassed tremendous might. Even Xiao Chen, with the powers of the Jade Qing Seven infused into him, could not be certain of victory.
”We'll fight to the death! We'll never surrender!”
A turmultuous roar rose from the crowd, displaying their burning resolve and will to fight. Everyone knew the stakes: the battle would be bloody and brief, for Patriarch Guanshan had not only reconstructed his physical body and regained his former strength, every member of the Skygale Sect had been turned into his mindless subjects that existed only to wreak carnage. More than half might not even survive this clash; but everyone knew, no one would survive in the future if the Jade Qing Sect were to fall.
The winds blew gently that night, caressing the faces of everyone in the plaza as their hair stirred in the breeze. The atmosphere was grim and silent, like the final silence before a huge impending storm, as everyone contemplated on their fates, pondering quietly themselves like soldiers before charging into battle. But their eyes rested on one person; the one person on whose shoulders their hopes rested: Xiao Chen.
Xiao Chen too felt the weight of the fervent gazes upon him. Such was his destiny that he could not avoid. He was the only one capable to sustaining the insurmountable might of the Jade Qing Seven, otherwise, he would not have wanted such a precarious plan. There were so many things he wanted to do. He needed to look for Ling Yin, his teacher, and he must find out what happened thousands of years ago.
But there was no way he could back down now. He could not flee from all these, with or without his loved ones with him. He would never be able to face Ling Yin again.