Immediately, Ximen Wuya yelled to everyone outside, "Everybody, take your posts. Let's return to Cloud Sky City at full speed."
"Yes!" There was the immediate sound of everyone leaping to obey him outside.
"Raise the sails. Everyone, pull on the oars. We sail as quickly as possible for Cloud Sky City!" Ximen Yan's voice boomed.
"Yes!" Hundreds of people on the ship all yelled in unison.
After that, everyone exited their cabins one after another, They went to the lower deck to take up the oars. The ship outside the room filled with the pattering sounds of people moving.
Ximen Wuya frowned tightly. "Hopefully, they will not catch up so quickly. After just one more day, they would no longer be able to catch us."
Ximen Wuya sat behind Yang Dingtian, continuing to transfuse Xuan energy into him. "No worries. I'm your Uncle. No matter who comes, I will protect you to the best of my abilities. What you need to do now is to take a good rest."
And then, both of them fell silent. Ximen Wuya helped Yang Dingtian heal quietly.
A few minutes later, Ximen Wuya suddenly opened his eyes. Heaving a sigh, he said: "They really came, and so quickly too. Hopefully, the people who came are not too intractable."
"Your niece, Dongfang Bingling, is here to visit Uncle Ximen." Dongfang Bingling's voice sounded out from the sea outside the ship.
"Zhu Hongxue from the Xuan Sky Sect is here to see City Lord Ximen." Zhu Hongxue's arrogant voice followed soon after.
"Jiang Songyang from the Yin Yang Sect greets Cloud Sky City Lord. Why is Apprentice Brother Ximen leaving in such a hurry?" Although the voice was still far away, it was still able to cause a nearby candle's flame to flicker.
Ximen Wuya instantly raised his eyebrows when he heard this name.
"Uncle, who is this person?" Yang Dingtian asked.
"He is your Master's Apprentice Brother. In the past, he once fought your master for the position of Yin Yang Sect Head," Ximen Wuya answered.
Yang Ding Tian immediately sucked in a deep, cold breath. Surprisingly, Jiang Songyang was his Master's Apprentice Brother. His martial cultivation was, apparently, very high as well.
Then, it fell silent. Ximen Wuya let out a long sigh of relief and said, "Are there only three people here? That's good. They won't be enough to force me to stay."
But just as Ximen Wuya uttered those words, another voice sounded out from outside.
"Wuying from Yin Yang Sect is here to visit Apprentice Brother Ximen." It was a cold voice, containing absolutely no trace of emotion as if the speaker were dead.
"He came as well?" Ximen Wuya mused. "He is your Master's nominal Apprentice Brother and is the Yin Yang Sect's adjudicator. He is responsible for killing sect enemies. There are more than five faction chiefs who have died by his hands. He's killed thousands of people in his life."
"Ximen Wuya, are you coming out, or are we getting on your ship?" This time, it was an incomparably soft voice. It drilled into Yang Dingtian's ears like a needle, causing muscles all over his body to twitch.
Hearing this voice, Ximen Wuya's expression changed dramatically.
"Who is the person?" Yang Dingtian questioned.
"Ning Busi, your Master's uncle and one of the Great Elders of the Yin Yang Sect. He has been meditating in seclusion for the past twenty years and didn't show up at the previous Grand Festival. I didn't expect him to be here"
Yang Dingtian held his breath, not daring to breathe. This person was actually his Master's uncle. It went without saying that he was very powerful.
Ximen Wuya heaved a long sigh of resignation. "It seems like our situation is worse than I expected. Perhaps, matters won't be settled so peacefully tonight."
"Hand me over, uncle," Yang Dingtian urged. "Hand me over!"
Ximen Wuya shook his head slightly. "How is that possible? Don't be silly."
Although his tone was flat, his heart was filled with pride.
"Ximen City Lord, how have you been?" A very ordinary voice sounded out. It was not as irritating as the previous voice and was less shocking than one before that. It was just an ordinary man's voice.
However, after hearing this voice, Ximen Wuya's body jerked, and his wide sleeves fluttered greatly. He had never shown such a reaction before.
"Uncle, who is this person?" Yang Dingtian asked.
"Zhu Qingzhu," Ximen Wuya answered slowly.
Zhu Qingzhu from the Xuan Sky Sect.
"Ten years ago, your Master, Dongfang Niemie, was number one in the world, and he was number two. However, this man is very mysterious. He may be ranked second, but this man is the most dangerous and powerful person in the world. When you meet him in the future, it is impossible to overestimate him. Do you understand?"
"Although there is no evidence, he must have been involved in your Master's miserable end. He rarely appears in public. Obviously, he is not just here for you tonight."
"Uncle Ximen, is Yang Dingtian on your ship?" Dongfang Bingling shouted sharply and clearly. "He is a prisoner of our Yin Yang Sect. Please hand him over and we'll let you go."
Ximen Wuya sneered silently. He then shouted, "Yanyan, Ximen Yan, come in!"
The unparalleled beauty, Ximen Yanyan, walked in, followed by Ximen City Lord's foster son. Both of their faces showed their unease. They even temporarily forgot their hostility towards Yang Dingtian.
"Yanyan, help me fetch a basin of water," Ximen Wuya said.
"Yes, daddy." Ximen Yanyan walked to the corner and fetched a basin of water. Because of her trembling hands, the water splashed all over the ground.
Outside, Jiang Songyang's voice sounded out again.
"Ximen Wuya, do you think that it's okay to hide in there? We decided not to rush in out of respect. I'll start counting down from ten. If you still don't surrender Yang Dingtian, we will board."
Yang Dingtian again requested, "Uncle, hand me over!"
"Ten!"
"Nine!"
The sound of Jiang Songyang's counting gave listeners the feeling that he was chasing after their souls.
Ximen Wuya completely ignored the noise, whether it was Jiang Songyang's counting or Yang Dingtian's entreaties. He washed his hand carefully in the basin, shook them lightly, and wiped them with the towel gently.
"The sea is meant to be dyed with blood tonight," he said.
"Yanyan, Ximen Yan, if I don't come back later, remember to bring everyone back to Cloud Sky City and surrender to the Yin Yang Sect immediately. No matter what humiliation you have to endure, you must preserve everyone's lives," Ximen Wuya ordered.
"No, daddy. I don't want to hear you say something like that. I don't want..." Ximen Yanyan covered her ears and cried.
Ximen Yan spoke emotionally, "Foster father, we don't have to do this at all."
At this time, Yang Dingtian said nothing. He struggled out of his bed and attempted to walk outside. He could not let Ximen Wuya die for him.
Ximen Wuya swung his sleeve lightly. Yang Dingtian was swept into the air and deposited back on the bed. He then procured a pill and put it into Yang Dingtian's mouth. Yang Dingtian immediately felt drowsy. His eyes lost their focus.
"Silly boy..." Ximen Wuya smiled slightly. "It's not my style to let others take you away like this. Of course, if I fall here, I won't be able to protect you anymore, and your life will also come to an end!"
"Three!"
"Two!"
"One!"
Outside, the Yin Yang Sect Elder Jiang Songyang finished his countdown.
"Apprentice Brother Ximen, we will be boarding your ship," Jiang Songyang announced loudly.
"No need. I'm coming," Ximen Wuya replied. He then pushed the cabin door open and walked out.
"Daddy don't go!" Ximen Yanyan cried loudly. She drew her sword and also rushed out, saying: "Daddy, I'm going with you. I'll die with you."
Ximen Wuya swung his sleeves again. A strong and gentle wind pushed Ximen Yanyan back.
With a second swing, Ximen Yanyan and Ximen Yan both fainted.
With a third swing, the cabin door closed tightly.
*******
Ximen Wuya walked up to the deck and found himself surrounded by several large ships. Hundreds of meters in every direction, there were dozens of experts floating in midair, encircling Cloud Sky City's large ship.
"I pay my respects to Apprentice Brother Jiang Songyang!"
"I greet Apprentice Brother Wuying."
"I greet Uncle Ning Busi."
Finally, Ximen Wuya bowed towards a dark place and spoke slowly, "I greet... Sect Leader Zhu!"
Jiang Songyang said: "Apprentice Brother Ximen, you finally came out. Is my Yin Yang Sect's prisoner Yang Dingtian on your ship?"
"Yes," Ximen Wuya replied: "However, I would like to ask Apprentice Brother Jiang something. What crime did Yang Dingtian commit? Even Uncle Ning Busi had to get involved?"
"He stole the Flame Ring of the Yin Yang Sect," Jiang Songyang said. "What's worse, he took the Flame Ring and is now with you, a traitor of the Yin Yang Sect. Isn't that a big crime?"
Ximen Wuya pretended to not notice the hidden meaning behind those words. He laughed. "Apprentice Brother Jiang probably misunderstood. Why did I hear that the Flame Ring wasn't stolen by Yang Dingtian? Instead, it was given to him by Apprentice Brother Dongfang Niemie himself, who nominated him as heir to the Yin Yang Sect. Also, he betrothed his daughter, Dongfang Bingling, to Yang Dingtian."
"My niece Dongfang Bingling is here as well. I would like to ask what exactly happened? Did I understand things correctly?" Ximen Wuya turned towards Dongfang Bingling and asked.
She floated around ten feet above the sea. Her long white dress fluttered in the wind, making her slim and graceful body even more attractive and alluring. She looked just like a fairy.
Zhu Hongxue was by her side. The two of them really looked like a perfectly matched pair.
"You're right," Dongfang Bingling replied coldly. "Yang Dingtian sent my father's final words. He specified exactly what you said."
Ximen Wuya followed up and asked, "Then, I would like to ask. In this Chaotic Mainland, does a father have the absolute right to betroth his daughter to a man?"
Dongfang Bingling replied in a flat tone, "Yes!"
Ximen Wuya continued, "Then, I would like to ask one more question. In the Yin Yang Sect, can the Head designate an heir and give him the Flame Ring?"
Dongfang Bingling replied, "Yes!"
Ximen Wuya, showing an angered expression, then asked, "Then, I don't understand. Since Head Dongfang Niemie personally gave the Flame Ring to Yang Dingtian, why are you still saying that he stole it?"
Without waiting for Dongfang Bingling to replay, Ximen Wuya continued, "Furthermore, I don't understand why, considering Yang Dingtian is your fiancé, you are so close with another man? Even if you don't love or respect Yang Dingtian, is that something you should do? What about your chastity? You're not only following this man but also conspired with him to kill Yang Dingtian, haven't you? Attempting to kill your fiancé, you deserve a death of a thousand cuts!"