The Endless Promise

105. The Gatekeeper

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Over mountains, seas, and even the borders of realms, the Sky Armies had been dispatched, and thousands of warriors had set up camps around the Floral realm.

In the past months, a war had raged around the Floral realm. But the Sky generals scoffed. It was almost too easy for the sky armies to destroy the floral troops, and hundreds of floral soldiers were slain or captured daily.

But within the floral realm, the cloaked woman simply smiled as she watched the sunset from a window.

War was the perfect way to blind the enemy.

Each day, the Floral deity deliberately sent a few soldiers out to battle, keeping the war alive while the cloaked woman moved in the shadows...

'Hmph. It's my turn...' She thought, turning away with a swish of her dark cloak.

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Meanwhile, back in Yue City, the Serene Moonlight Hall was once again filled.

Sect Leader Xu had summoned the fifteen winners, along with all other invited Yueyan representatives, for a meeting to brief them on the strange mysteries of Yu Shui City.

Thanks to Elder Zhou's dramatic flair and popularity- especially with the younger disciples, he was chosen to explain everything. While he spoke, brows lifted and furrowed, as the audience quietly whispered amongst themselves.

"Now we all know about that strange place," Sect Leader Xu began, and there was silence. "...and we can guess the possible dangers."

He held out a hand and his own invitation appeared, floating over his hand. "It is a thing of honour to represent the sect at such a grand event. But I find your lives more important.

"So I wouldn't force anyone to go if you're unwilling." He said. "These invitations are enchanted tokens which would allow us dwell within the city for as long as the tournament lasts. A destroyed token voids the invitation, so anyone who doesn't want to go, can indicate right now and destroy their tokens..."

The whispers grew louder as elders, sect warriors, disciples, and friends alike, glanced at each other before making the difficult decision.

Weiyan's leveled gaze hadn't left her father. As Sect Leader, he didn't have the same choice, and she was internally torn.

She didn't particularly care for fame or fortune, and as for honour, she had recently grown quite selfish... She had no desire to leave Luoyin for honour, or any other high-sounding ideal.

If it were a matter of honouring the Sect, she might ignore it, but this was a matter of honouring her father.

And he was heading into danger.

She didn't dare assume she was as powerful as the elders accompanying him, so her presence might make no difference.

Yet, she could not let him go alone!

Xu Min and Xu Wen were the same. Even if Xu Wen could bear to ignore the sect, or Sect Leader Xu, he could not ignore his parents who were two of the sect elders going.

And as for Xu Min, he could not ignore either of them.

In the end, all fifteen contestants decided to go, each for their own reasons..

All twelve invited Sect Elders were determined to accompany Sect Leader Xu. And this included the Eldest Xu elder, who watched the proceedings with a sour look which clearly said: "We shouldn't even have a choice!"

The two invited regular Xu Elders would rather bite their tongues and die, before admitting they were afraid to go!

Most of the invited family heads willingly destroyed their invites, but three decided to go, including one who had several brows raising. He was Li San's father, and was famous for avoiding all dangers!