Chapter 671 - 317: Huo Ranhua’s Request (2)

"Even if they were present, the Saint Heir’s attitude wouldn’t be much better. The fact that Mr. You could defeat Ming Dao suggests he’s not inferior to the likes of Ming Dao; the Saint Heir is simply proud and arrogant," observed a disciple of Book Immortal Peak insightfully.

The other two disciples nodded slightly, with one cautioning, "But Mr. You should indeed be a bit careful with this person. You are young and need not get into a dispute with him."

"I will, thank you Senior Brother," replied You Su gratefully.

Seeing that You Su didn’t seem too concerned, this disciple added earnestly, "Don’t underestimate this matter; there is a reason he seeks you out specifically."

"What reason?" You Su asked curiously.

"The Saint Heir of the Barbarian Desolate Temple once fought with your Senior Sister Wangshu on the Zhongyuan Continent. At that time, Fairy Wangshu didn’t hold back, causing the Barbarian Desolate Temple to lose face. Now, as the new generation’s Saint Heir, he comes knowing you are Fairy Wangshu’s junior brother..."

The conversation reached the point where no more needed to be said, and You Su gave a reassuring smile, "Then I definitely cannot afford to lose face for my Senior Sister and our sect."

"You’re so..."

The word ’stubborn’ had yet to leave his lips when You Su interrupted:

"Senior Brother, do you know among these forty-three people, how many factions are there?"

The three disciples exchanged glances, and the scholar among them responded, evidently the most knowledgeable of the group.

"The first faction naturally consists of the West Wilderness Continent’s forces, led by the Saint Heir from the Barbarian Desolate Temple, totalling ten people.

The second faction is part of the Nanyang Continent, led by disciples from Xingyue Sect and Qu Zhaixing, encompassing six individuals; the third faction is also from the Nanyang Continent, but led by Huo Ranhua, Venerable Huayin’s direct disciple from Qiming Sect, numbering five people.

The fourth faction is from the Beiao Continent, with no cultivator at Water Condensation Perfection leading, consisting of five individuals, yet they appear quite united.

The fifth faction is ours from Zhongyuan Continent, similarly lacking a cultivator at Water Condensation Perfection leading. Besides the four of us, there’s only one disciple from Divine Mountain Immortal Sect, with the remaining two from local sects.

The remaining nine are the sixth faction, all demon cultivators from East Japan Continent, led by two Water Condensation Perfection cultivators, one from the Golden Lion Race, Ao Yunlie, and the other from the Jiaoduan Race, Lu Jie."

Having heard this, You Su nodded, gaining a clearer understanding of the factions present.

Based solely on paper strength, cultivators from the snow-covered Beiao Continent are the weakest, while the two factions from Nanyang Continent would naturally be the strongest if cooperating; if divided, the Demon Race would undoubtedly have the upper hand, especially with Miss Xueruo among them.

You Su then went on to meet the other cultivators from Zhongyuan Continent. Despite having decent cultivation levels, they were quite courteous to You Su, who had triumphed over Ming Dao at a Condensed Water Lower Realm. Some even praised him as the potential successor to Fairy Wangshu, to which You Su merely chuckled.

Upon returning to camp, You Su anticipated that people wouldn’t let him rest quietly, given his astonishing performance that night. Previously, others would only discuss him as the second disciple of Lotus Sword Venerable or Fairy Wangshu’s junior brother, but following the battle with Ming Dao, people began to truly remember his name.

The second person to visit him was Qu Zhaixing from Xingyue Sect, whose handsome demeanor was akin to that of an elegant scholar.

In stark contrast to the Saint Heir, talking to Qu Zhaixing felt like a breath of fresh spring air. He expressed goodwill, exchanged some pleasantries about hoping for pleasant cooperation, and then left on his own. You Su certainly wouldn’t divulge that he had killed two disciples from Xingyue Sect, and Ao Yunlie and others naturally wouldn’t gossip, since those two truly deserved their fate.

The third visitor was a burly man from Beiao Continent, marking You Su’s first encounter with Beiao Continent cultivators. Dressed in an animal hide robe, his aura resonated with ice and snow, distinguishing them distinctly from the people of the other four continents.

The man introduced himself as Zang Zhong, with a stern face and imposing demeanor. You Su initially thought he might cause trouble, but surprisingly, he came to express admiration. Zang Zhong even gifted a large piece of snow yak jerky, leaving You Su quite flattered. The conversation about Ice Milk Wine sparked an enjoyable exchange, and You Su returned the gesture with a gift, thus understanding the straightforward rule of honoring strength in the icy snowy land.

After seeing Zang Zhong off, the next visitor was Huo Ranhua from Qiming Sect.

With a celestial grace and beauty that would shame even mythical creatures, she moved gracefully, yet spoke differently from previous conversations. She invited You Su for a walk and a chat about Ming Dao.

Intending to decline initially, You Su felt compelled to explain clearly due to her being Ming Dao’s fellow disciple, thus agreeing to her request.

The two maintained a certain distance while strolling through the forest, though the area was packed with cultivators and they were essentially under public gaze. Among the observers, a pair of beautiful eyes watched them intently.

"Though he was from my sect, based on Mr. You’s words, his death was inevitable. Triggering disputes between humans and demons due to personal malice makes blaming Mr. You not only unjust but ungrateful—I should be thankful on behalf of the Human Race," Huo Ranhua remarked with a smile.

"Miss Huo, your words are too kind," You Su maintained a respectful distance.

"It’s not too kind. A war between humans and demons lacked only a spark; if he succeeded, countless innocents would have died. Mr. You killed one but saved many. I’ll make sure to explain to our sect, with confidence that Venerable Tingyu is wise," Huo Ranhua insisted warmly.