Qiuxiang Huan had indeed given a true accounting of the events leading to her first meeting of Yue Lingxi and how they had cheated by suppressing their cultivation level with a secret mystic pill of the Clear Sky Pavilion.
She had even surrendered the Sky Heaven Lithe battle garb to Shen Yufeng.
When she had done with her accounting, Feng Xiaoxiao nodded lightly to Shen Yufeng.
Unknown to the others, Feng Xiaoxiao was a practitioner of the Listening Heart Intricate Skill and she was capable of listening to the heart beat of the others. When she had nodded to Shen Yufeng, it was an indication that Qiuxiang Huan was indeed telling the truth.
Shen Yufeng merely said, "It is only because of Supremacy Yin and Lu Qingyun that I am letting you off today. Do you know what you are supposed to do from now on?"
Qiuxiang Huan was startled that she was spared as she looked at Lu Qingyun and Yin Shisi before she said quietly, "I will make amends to my two benefactors here."
"Good, you may go now." Shen Yufeng said.
Qiuxiang Mei also added quietly as she gave a humble bow, "I will also make amends too…"
"Shisi…" Qiuxiang Mei muttered, "I hope that you can forgive me."
Yin Shisi smiled, "We are family so there is nothing to forgive. Let's go."
When Qiuxiang Huan, Qiuxiang Mei and Yin Shisi had left, Shen Yufeng said to Qin Keqin. "Great Benefactor, why don't you keep this Sky Heaven Lithe battle garb? I believe that it fits you and it will be terrible if this falls into the wrong hands."
Qin Keqin nodded as she took the Sky heaven Lithe. "Thank you. This armor is really exquisite. I'm going to love it."
With a weak smile, she quietly said to Shen Yufeng. "Now you can tell me what is going on in the Moon Demon Forest?"
Shen Yufeng took a quick look at Feng Xiaoxiao and Tang Xuefeng before she said quietly, "This is supposed to be a secret and we are not supposed to tell anyone. But because Great Benefactor is one of us, I guess that we can tell you."
Lu Qingyun quickly said, "In that case, I will take my leave first."
Shen Yufeng smiled, "Senior Qingyun is also one of us too. You can stay."
Lu Qingyun muttered, "I am not any senior…"
"Alright then," Shen Yufeng said gravely. With a soft sigh she said quietly. "Several months ago, we chanced upon an ancient ruin deep inside the Moon Demon Forest. This ancient ruin was so old that it pre-dated the history of the ancient celestials."
Qin Keqin smiled, "How do you know how old it is?"
"There is a protective celestial array inside this ancient ruin and it defies our current cultivation knowledge. Rather than say that it is a protective celestial array that prevents it, it is more like a celestial array that seems to design to keep the golden celestials out."
Shen Yufeng stole a glance at Tang Xuefeng as she continued, "This celestial array has a double layer of defense. The first layer is a formidable array that we have never seen the like of it before and it took eight of our most formidable golden celestials to crack it. Or rather, Xuefeng is the genius one that managed to crack it. I will say that in the entire Nine Celestial Realm and even the Celestial Realm, there is no one that can crack celestial arrays like her."
Tang Xuefeng had a thin flush as she smiled, "I have the assistance of my other sisters. It is a team effort rather than wholly my own."
"Xuefeng you are too modest." Shen Yufeng looked at her with a proud smile.
Even Qin Keqin had to admit that Tang Xuefeng was a genius in reading celestial arrays. Even though she could not see the movements of the celestial energies in the celestial array like the Nine Celestial Goddess Ye Jing but she could easily predict how the celestial array works and even warn the rest ahead.
This was a fact that Qin Keqin had known when she was in the Heavenly Fragrance Villa. Tang Xuefeng was truly a genius of the geniuses. There were no celestial arrays and sword formations that she could not forget about taking a look and she would readily offer a solution to dismantle it.
This group of cultivators from the Heavenly Fragrance Villa, Shen Yufeng, Tang Xuefeng, Feng Xiaoxiao were the most brilliant geniuses of the heavenly Fragrance Villa. It was rumored that Shen Yufeng would be the next Heavenly Fragrance Princess and that Tang Xuefeng and Feng Xiaoxiao would also be promoted to the positions of the Right and Left Herald Guardians respectively in the future as well. The Right Herald Guardian and the Left Herald Guardian were second to only the Heavenly Fragrance Princess.
Even Zhao Riyue and Zhao Xingye were also the young genius protégés of the Heavenly Fragrance Villa. They had the most unusual abilities that made them stronger than anyone of their level.
Qin Keqin did not know the names of the two protégés that were with Shen Yufeng but she knew that they had to be exceptional capable in order to accompany Shen Yufeng on this trip. The other two protégés look extremely young and they kept mostly to themselves.
She thought, "So Xingyuan and Qiuyue are both going to be a core protégé of Shen Yufeng. They will surely be in good hands. With so many geniuses to guide the two of them, their advancements will surely be faster than my Yun'Er. Maybe I should put him under the demonic training of Minyue and Danfeng? They definitely have more experiences guiding a disciple than I."
Her brief thoughts were quickly interrupted by Shen Yufeng who added, "But that is only the first layer of defense. The first layer of defense requires the profound strength several golden celestials to create an opening. However the second layer of defense is a little mysterious. No matter how hard we have tried, we are still unable to succeed in breaking into it. It is like it is purposely designed to prevent golden celestials from entering."
"How should I put it?" Shen Yufeng said softly, "The stronger our profound strength is the harder for us to take a step into the celestial array. Several of our golden celestials are even injured by the celestial array. The higher their realms are, the more severe are their injuries."
Qin Keqin was startled as she took a look at Lu Qingyun who was also listening with interest.
"Xuefeng therefore concluded that we need someone who is of a lower realm to enter the celestial array. Indeed she is right. In fact, anyone who is a golden celestial is unable to enter into the ancient ruins."
Shen Yufeng sighed softly, "This is indeed the most baffling. These two conditions virtually contradict each other. Moreover the one that had created this celestial array must really be a powerful cultivator. We can conclude it by the strength of the celestial array. Even after so many years had passed, the celestial array remains as strong as ever."
Tang Xuefeng nodded as she said, "Actually I have just recently deciphered the name of this celestial formation. It is called the Pangu Suppressing Arrays."
She inhaled slowly before adding, "It took me some time to find it out from some ancient records that this Pangu Suppressing Arrays is rumored to have been created by the Ancient Great God Pangu."
Shen Yufeng said, "We think that this ancient ruin may have the remnants of the heavenly relics and even sacred heavenly relics to make into divine swords. That is why we are willing to pay a heavy price to enter into this ancient ruin."
Qin Keqin rolled her eyes before she asked, "But I don't understand why you need several hundreds of cultivators to enter the ancient ruin with you? Isn't it like sharing the finding? I will rather have all the loot to myself."
Shen Yufeng smiled, "That is the most cunning part about this celestial array. The second portion of the celestial array will require the profound strength of many cultivators to fill in order to neutralize it. Although we do want to have all the treasures to ourselves but we simply do not have so many strong cultivators."
Feng Xiaoxiao chuckled, "Please allow me to interrupt. We will need at least four hundred fourth realm cultivators in order to neutralize the profound power of the celestial array."
Lu Qingyun was startled. It would only mean that this Pangu Suppressing Arrays is actually an extremely massive celestial array.
Qin Keqin shrugged her shoulders as she murmured incoherently to herself, "Is there a need to go through all these troubles. Just ask the Great God Pangu himself to neutralize his own Pangu Suppressing Arrays. I am sure my old man will have a way."
Shen Yufeng looked at Qin Keqin curiously, "Great Benefactor, you are saying something?"
Even Feng Xiaoxiao, Tang Xuefeng and Lu Qingyun were all looking at her curiously.
Qin Keqin chuckled, "Nothing. I'm just talking to myself."
Shen Yufeng quickly said, "I understand that this expedition may be too dangerous for Senior Qingyun. Therefore he can give it a miss but I will still give him the Divine Profound Pill. After all, we may have more than enough cultivators to enter the ancient ruin."
Lu Qingyun smiled as he said firmly, "Actually I do want to go to the Demon Moon Forest. It is a perfect opportunity for me to prove myself even more. Even though I've performed well in the Divine Fragrance Tournament, I shouldn't have rested on my laurels."
Qin Keqin, Shen Yufeng, Tang Xuefeng and Feng Xiaoxiao were all looking at one another and they seemed to be thinking of the same thing. When did he perform so well? He was overcoming the trials with the help of Qian Jingjing, Leng Qiuyue and Ling Xiu.
Lu Qingyun was laughing softly as he stole a glance at Qin Keqin while thinking, "Keqin must be so proud of me now that I am no longer a good-for-nothing cultivator."
–
–
–
Elsewhere outside New Empyrean City, in the deep recess of the great mountains;
A frail and beautiful maiden had crumbled weakly in a cave.
She was Yue Lingxi and her injuries were not light.
Her opponents had used the trial to sap away half of her profound strength before fighting her. If it was not for that, she may not lose to Qin Keqin.
She was a little perplexed now. Who was this Qin Keqin?
How did she know the divine skills of her most hated enemies?
The Absolute Defense Divine Skill of the Great Goddess Fantian was her secret unique divine skill and it was impossible for anyone to know. Moreover there was also the Mystic Stratosphere Skill of the Great Goddess Alice which was only known to her.
Yue Lingxi was trembling and her heart was aching.
It was because she had sought the Horizon of the Heavens after a long time and had finally found it. But she was first betrayed by Master Inverse Chaos and then she had it stolen by Lu Qingyun.
She simply could not believe that Lu Qingyun could take the Horizon of the Heavens from her profound grip and had even divine harmonized with the Horizon of the Heavens.
"Who are you and what exactly are you…Lu Qingyun…"
She was shocked beyond words when she saw that the annihilating fire that was formed from Lu Qingyun's profound strength could even injured Qin Keqin. How was a fourth realm expert able to injure a seventh realm great saintess?
At that time she did not stop to think over the situation but had seized the opportunity to flee. She had always had a strong sense of danger sense and knew that if she did not flee first, she may even lose her life.
She was definitely unable to fight Lu Qingyun with her divine harmonized Horizon of the Heavens in his hand…
"To think that I have really underestimated him. I swear to the Great Beyond that I will pursue him to the ends of the heavens for his treachery against me…"
Slowly she closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.