Soaring the Heavens

Half a year was ample time for the elaborately-designed wooden houses by the shore to look a little worn-down.

Sitting cross-legged on the elevated wooden plank, Miao Yi was focused entirely on his cultivation, paying no heed to the sound of rolling waves outside.

He had to admit that only with Yun Feiyang’s presence could he have the luxury of living inside these beautifully-decorated wooden houses, all set by the scenic shores of the island. Before this, he would simply try to hide in the most remote places he could find.

There were a few times when visitors would arrive at their doorstep, but the outcome was pretty self-explanatory. As soon as Yun Feiyang showed up on his Mad Satan Bull, the other party would be scared out of their wits. By then, it was already too late to escape.

To Miao Yi, having such a powerful protector watching over him was even more reassuring than when he was cultivating back in the Supreme Fire Palace, where he always had to worry whether or not Supreme Yao Lord Lie Huan was going to return. For a being with a Gold Lotus First Grade cultivation like Lie Huan, the rules of the Subjugation Crusade probably wouldn’t be able to constrain him very much.

Over ten months had passed since Miao Yi had left the Supreme Fire Palace. With his refining pace of three Orbs of Will a day, he had already refined approximately 900 orbs and would be able to break through to Blue Lotus Second Grade with another 1,000 orbs. This meant that he only needed to continue cultivating for another year.

"Young Master Yang, the Subjugation Crusade will be ending in half a year. Are you sure you don’t have to fight for a higher ranking?"

"Do you think I’ve been running in vain for the past nine years? Back when there were still plenty of people around, I was the one who traveled the most out of everyone else. I’ve already made quite the killing for myself. A one-year break won’t affect me that much."

"Young Master Yang, you shouldn’t be careless. Of course, there are plenty of people in the beginning. However, at this stage, the Geotranscendence Bangles have all been gathered together in the hands of a small minority. Just killing one of them would be equivalent to killing several of them."

"You have a point, but I’ve also bumped into a few rich fellows myself. I’ve already obtained almost 30,000 Geotranscendence Bangles before this. Nothing is stopping me from getting a spot in the top six."

"With Young Master Yang’s skills, you should be getting first place!"

"Yan Beihong, there are some things you don’t understand. It’s fine as long as I don’t shame myself and the Great Devil Realm. It isn’t necessarily a good thing for me to return home with the champion title. Those living in major clans have their fair share of troubles too. You wouldn’t understand even if I told you. In the end, it’s still much better for me to just focus on safeguarding Brother Miao. That way, even if something were to happen, someone will be there to stand up for me once I return..."

As he heard the sound of Yun Feiyang and Yan Beihong’s conversation coming from outside, Miao Yi’s closed eyelids twitched slightly.

Miao Yi was growing more puzzled on what to make of Yan Beihong. Before they bumped into Yun Feiyang, he had absolutely no interest in Geotranscendence Bangles and simply focused on his cultivation. But now, whenever Yun Feiyang was outside, Yan Beihong would surely step out to accompany him. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that he was trying to curry favor with Yun Feiyang. It seemed as though he wasn’t even concerned about his cultivation anymore, and instead now cared more about whether or not Yun Feiyang had taken enough Geotranscendence Bangles.

Perhaps it would be a more believable story to say that Yan Beihong was simply trying to improve his relationship with Yun Feiyang because he was afraid that the latter wouldn’t protect him like he did Miao Yi. Although that might have been the case in the beginning, there was no longer any need to worry about that now, so why was Yan Beihong still doing it? Miao Yi felt as though Yan Beihong was very concerned about improving his relationship with Yun Feiyang, perhaps to the point of forgetting his own identity as a Celestial Nation cultivator. This was getting a little out of hand.

Whoosh! The sound of rushing wind came from the sky as a blurry silhouette flitted past. Standing along the shore, Yun Feiyang and Yan Beihong raised their heads and saw a figure toss out an item as he flew by.

Boom! The sands on the beach erupted, and the figure in the sky had already moved far off into the distance.

Yun Feiyang and Yan Beihong were puzzled. They then walked over to the crater to have a look and found a jade archive embedded deep in the sand.

Miao Yi and Yun Feiyang’s four subordinates all rushed out upon hearing the commotion. Spreading his palm, Yun Feiyang sucked the jade archive into his grasp. After looking it over, he cursed. "These guys really have too much free time on their hands! Everyone, it’s no longer possible for us to hide out the rest of our days on this island until the Subjugation Crusade is over. Have a look for yourselves!"

Everyone then took turns reading it. Afterward, Miao Yi and Yan Beihong had solemn expressions on their faces. It was an official decree from the Western Constellations Palace.

"Gathering over 20,000 people to such a small island... are they trying to force everyone into a final showdown?" Miao Yi asked.

"That’s definitely the case." Yun Feiyang was unperturbed. He then said with glee, "I can’t believe that there are still so many people alive when the Subjugation Crusade is almost over. What are the other five representatives doing? That said, given how vast the Western Star Sea is and with everyone playing hide and seek, there’s almost zero chance of fishing them all out. It’s probably for the better to end this quickly."

He turned to Miao Yi and continued, "Don’t worry. With me around, I guarantee nothing will happen to the two of you." He then looked at the crowd and with a wave of his hand, continued, "There’s quite some distance to the designated island. I’m guessing it will take us a month to travel there. Everyone, let’s make our move as soon as possible and not waste any more time. The enforcers from the Western Constellations Palace won’t show me any face if we’re late. And it’s best we don’t trifle with that old coot, Fu Qing. He’s someone who managed to cross fists with my grandfather a few times after all."

Miao Yi and Yan Beihong couldn’t help feeling a chill run down their spines when they heard Yun Feiyang’s words. Someone who could cross fists with Devil Sage Yun Aotian several times and live to tell the tale was definitely not someone ordinary.

The group then quickly left the island, and thanks to Yan Beihong’s Flowing Cloud Killer, the original month-long journey was drastically shortened, thus earning him Yun Feiyang’s praise. Throughout the journey, Yan Beihong continued to be as chummy with Yun Feiyang as ever.

As they speedily traversed across the ocean depths, Yun Feiyang shared a conversation with Yan Beihong. Occasionally, he would glance over at Miao Yi. Seeing how he wouldn’t even let this bit of time go to waste and remained fixated on his cultivation, Yun Feiyang shook his head and said, "That guy sure is boring. He doesn’t know how to enjoy himself at all. All he does is cultivate like mad. I doubt there are a lot of women who could tolerate someone like that. It looks like I’ll have to reconsider my proposition now. I can’t just push my sister into a fire pit knowing she’ll burn." He then turned and slapped on Yan Beihong’s shoulder, "Old Yan, at least you know how to have some fun. How can a man spend his whole life immersed in cultivation? We should all relax when the opportunity presents itself."

Yan Beihong thought to himself, ’That’s easier said than done. Not everyone can be as blessed as you are. Who wouldn’t want to enjoy their own lives? The problem is that we can’t afford such luxuries. If we don’t try our best to cultivate, we could very well lose our lives.’ However, he still put up a friendly smile and said, "Little Brother Miao simply wishes to improve himself."

"Wouldn’t that make things simpler? Marrying my sister would be the same as spending another thousand years improving himself!" Yun Feiyang scoffed.

Yan Beihong was at a loss for words. He couldn’t help wondering what this guy saw in Miao Yi exactly. Or perhaps he had a few loose screws in his head. He wouldn’t stop trying to give his sister away to be Miao Yi’s woman. To the point that Miao Yi himself was a little afraid of getting close to this guy.

Yan Beihong was a little depressed, thinking, ’I think I handled my relationship with you much better than Miao Yi did? Yet why have you never once mentioned marrying off your sister to me? Am I really that ugly?’

Across the vast turquoise ocean rests a single island, remote and unchanging.

The island had no name. It was simply because there were too many islands across the Sea of Constellations. Normally, only those islands that served as an abode to Immortals were given a namesake accordingly. Aside from those, names would also be given to the relatively larger islands. Islands such as this one with a relatively harmless terrain and nothing special of note were plentiful across the Sea of Constellations, and all of them were nameless.

The Flowing Cloud Killer emerged atop the waves, and Yun Feiyang and the others leaped to shore with their respective mounts. Around them, they could see other cultivators coming ashore as well.

"Why do I feel something is amiss? With so many people rushing towards this place, how is there not even the tiniest sign of conflict?" Yun Feiyang mused. He then pointed to a relatively short hill nearby. There were a few tall mountains on this island. Riding on his Mad Satan Bull, Yun Feiyang took the lead, with Miao Yi and the rest following behind.

As they charged up the mountain and gazed into the distance, they could see all the way to the other side of the island. With 20,000 people gathered on this island, there would not be a lot of space to maneuver around, and a dragon steed running at full speed would be able to reach one end of the island from the other in a short amount of time. It really would be an arduous task to try and hide on this island. There was literally nothing the participants could do but fight for their survival.

No matter how you looked at it, this seemed like a punishment from the Subjugation Crusade’s organizing committee for those cultivators who did nothing but hide the entire time. Now that everyone was gathering here, let’s see how they intend to keep hiding!

However, for Yun Feiyang and the others, what astonished them the most was that there were mighty pennant flags erected on six different mountains, across six different locations on the island. Each of the giant flags had a name inscribed—Celestial Nation, Ghost Nation, Buddha Nation, Boundless Nation, Yao Nation, and Devil Nation.

Most startling was that not only did each nation’s cultivators seem to be gathering under the flag of their respective countries, but there was even smoke rising from a few of the mountains as though someone was actually making food! There was no sign of violence. Just peace and quiet. It looked nothing like the site of the final battle of the Subjugation Crusade.

"What is the meaning of this? Impudence! Someone actually dares to use my flag so blatantly to try and trick the masses!" Yun Feiyang bellowed, "Come! Let’s kill them all!"

"Young Master Yang!" Yan Beihong hurriedly tried to calm him down, "Please calm yourself, Young Master Yang. I don’t think there is anyone bold enough to forge all six nations’ flags in a single stroke. This could be the work of the Western Constellations Palace."

"Uhh..." Yun Feiyang was slightly taken aback. After some thought, he nodded. "This is indeed quite possible. Well, what can I say? We shouldn’t offend that old coot Fu Qing. Everyone, remember to act a little more humble. Come! Let’s go see what’s going on."

He then charged downhill on the Mad Satan Bull, leading the group straight to the mountain where the Devil Nation’s flag was erected.

As they reached the site, they noticed that there really were people cooking. From the looks of things, it seemed as though there were over a thousand devil cultivators gathered here already.

Naturally, there were some who’d managed to meet Yun Feiyang while he was still busy running around the Western Star Sea. They hastily came over and gave a greeting, "We respectfully greet Young Master Yang!"

Once his identity was exposed, the rest of the crowd immediately rushed over to pay their respects as well.

Yun Feiyang proudly nodded. Then, pointing at the towering flag, he barked, "Who is the person who put up the flag of my Devil Nation without this young master’s permission? Can anyone explain to me what’s happening here?"

Someone immediately stepped forward and responded, "Reporting to Young Master Yang. It was the Realm Beyond Heaven’s Fairy Yue Yao who made the arrangements, saying that this is a momentary truce for the participants of the six nations. She also asked that Young Master Yang go meet up with her once you’ve arrived. She says she has something to discuss with you."

As he listened on, Miao Yi slowly lowered his head in silence. Yan Beihong also quietly snuck a glance at Miao Yi’s reaction.

"Yue Yao? What the heck does that preposterously beautiful woman think she’s doing?" Yun Feiyang turned to look at one of the mountains in the distance, noticing an extremely extravagant wooden house already fully built under the giant flag of the Celestial Nation. He then looked towards the other mountains. There were also signs of construction happening under the flags of the Ghost Nation and Boundless Nation. Only the Buddha Nation, Yao Nation, and Devil Nation’s territories were still an empty plot of land.

Judging from the looks of things, the representatives from the Celestial Nation, Ghost Nation, and Boundless Nation should have already arrived. Only the two from the Buddha Nation and Yao Nation had yet to appear.

"Hmph! Seeing how that Yue Yao is so outrageously beautiful, this young master will forgive her this once for taking matters into her own hands! What are you people still standing around for? Hurry up and build me a house under the flag, and make sure it’s bigger and more beautiful than theirs! It mustn’t lose the awesomeness of our Devil Nation!" Yun Feiyang barked out a few orders to the Devil Nation cultivators, then turned to Miao Yi and the others, beckoning them over as he said, "Come, let me show you guys what a true beauty looks like. At the same time, I’ll go have a look at what that woman is planning!"