The Endless Promise

4. Return

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"How did that rootless thing succeed, one of the Xu elders asked, and the eldest didn't hesitate to fan the flames.

"Exactly! I went at thirty, and I was several levels stronger than Weiyan at the time! Everyone that has gone was at least twenty six, so how did a nineteen year old child succeed?!

"If you ask me, that makes Xu Weiyan more like an enemy we should carefully observe! And you want to make her Head Disciple? Wo-Peh!"

But Xu Fengyan remained calm. "One may lose everything, but should never lose his own conscience... So you knew she was a young child of only nineteen? Why then did you conspire and send her to Caoyang?"

Xu Fengyan relished the guilty looks on their faces.

He had been off hunting an evil spirit, only to return and learn that his daughter had been sent on the mission to Caoyang, and she was long gone by the time he returned.

"It's honourable for one's child to grow and challenge Caoyang, but you sent her at such a young age!"

CaoYang was a floating mountain in Sky Realm, anchored to the ground with giant frozen chains, and there was an Age Ban on the mountain which prevented anyone above thirty from approaching.

This automatically meant Immortals couldn't enter, because their parent poured cultivation into their unborn children, and they were born with at least five hundred years of cultivation... Even a baby immortal wouldn't be able to approach Caoyang.

And this was why the Immortals arranged for humans to kill the black dragon.

To keep things safer, the Immortals recommended humans from age twenty-six at least, and they clearly outlined the dangers to expect...

The journey began with climbing the frozen chain links which dangled from the mountain. But they were coated in loose snow, making them perilously slippery.

Next came an abyss filled with tricky ghosts, evil spirits and illusions, whose sole purpose was to kill outsiders or lead them to their doom.

And next came the Lava Sea, then the Snake Forest, and finally the heart of CaoYang, where the Black Dragon himself waited.

Far too dangerous for such a human! Much less such a young lady!

"But Xiao Feng, even the Wulin don't know how Xu Weiyan succeeded! She might have brought back some sort of evil!" One of the elders said, but Xu Fengyan slammed a hand on the table.

Silence filled the tent, but he simply poured himself another cup of tea, and they all watched as it trinkled into the cup, catching the early evening sunlight.

"If Weiyan is evil, the immortals would have noticed." Xu Fengyan began calmly. "She even met the Sky Emperor, so let's mind our words!

"As for my son, he's neither impressive in skill, nor leadership. There's nothing wrong with making him work hard for his title, so if Weiyan defeats him again at the tournament, I'll give it to her!

"Numerous ghosts and evil spirits have appeared recently, and we all heard what happened at TianYue Temple last night. We haven't even been able to identify the bloodied pieces of the poor victim!"

The elders shuddered.

It was unheard of for a ghost to break the temple enchantments, and they even left a dark aura behind, making the temple a constant reminder of their misdeeds!

"Since the disciples constantly go on hunts, should they not have the most effective leader?" Xu Fengyan continued. "You've refused to believe it, but Yanyan attracts good fortune. She won't disappoint us!"