When Sima You Yue had finished her sentence, she looked at Halcyon, who had a disapproving expression on his face.
"Fine, I won't go." She waved her hands dismissively. "If you're so powerful and yet you still almost died in there, how could I play around with my life? I do treasure my life!"
"And at that time you disregarded yourself to save me." Halcyon said.
"That's because at that time you were my protector. If you die, where can I go to find someone as powerful as you?" Sima You Yue said. "In these Primordial Lands you rose the ranks to become a Sacred Spirit Beast, so that the rules here would not control you, and even my Master and everyone else can only show off the pinnacles of their power, you're more powerful than any of them!"
Halcyon smiled and shook his head. How could he not understand her sentiments? Even if she did not say anything, he could understand her in his heart.
"But when my powers are great enough, maybe I will return to see what those creatures are for myself, and why their aura is similar to mine." Sima You Yue stood up and said. "Alright, let's go back!"
"This place is quite nice. I wish to train here." Halcyon said.
"Alright. I'll go then." Sima You Yue said, and teleported out of the Spirit Pagoda.
The next day, she went along with the Sima Family to the Sparring Ground where there was a sturdy elevated stage. Seeing that the stage had a protective cover, it was a good place to practice their skills.
"Today we contended with top-rated powers. We will meet the Nalan Family, Huo, Sang Family and more. There, there are three stages, so that the three generations of seniors, intermediates and younglings can compete at the same time." Sima You Yang stood next to Sima You Yue, explaining to her the proceedings of that day's competition. "The last ranking family must accept challenges from other families. And if they lose, they will lose their status as a top-rated power, and hence lose the rights that come with that title."
"Isn't the Li Family a noble family of Alchemy? Will they be participating as well?" Sima You Yue asked.
"They have engaged external help." Sima You Qing said. "They have used their own methods to invite external help from the same generation, and if they win, it still counts as a victory."
"That's interesting." Sima You Yue nodded. "That noble alchemic Family indeed has that kind of power, and I think their ability to recruit help is not lacking."
"This time we will have to be careful, the Li family hates you to death, and wanted to squash you through this competition, but in the end you're not attending, and so they plan to take this wrath and unleash it on us." Sima You Yang said with some fear. But he seemed to have a look of excitement on her face, as if he was simply waiting for those people to come looking for trouble.
Seeing that, everyone simply shook their heads wordlessly.
They entered the square and walked to take their place at the Sima Family's allocated area. Sima You Yue could feel hateful eyes glaring at her.
She stopped walking and looked up, and saw Li Mu sitting at the Li Family's place, along with some of the younger folks with the family, each one having a murderous glare.
The last time at Dragon Reflection Mountain he had sprinkled incense to curse them, how dare he have the cheek to show murderous intent?
She laughed and said, "Li Mu, how is it that you have not come to greet me the way you should even after you have seen me?"
She did not speak softly, and you could even say that she spoke loudly on purpose, to catch everyone else's attention.
"Is that Sima You Yue?
"Was he the one who defeated Li Mu?"
"He looks quite young! Even younger than Li Mu!"
"You are so ignorant, this Sima You Yue is only twenty-one years old, and this Li Mu is twenty-six!"
"What? Is he younger than he is by a whole four years?"
"That's right, and the scariest part is that his ranking is even higher than Li Mu's! Is that not intimidating?
"The Sima family is powerful indeed, having found a treasure like this!"
"Not only is his alchemy good, he is smart, and he is strong in battle. I heard that he had beaten Wu Feng up so badly that his own parents could not recognise him."
"Even if his innate skills are excellent, Li Mu is still someone from the Alchemist Masters' Guild, how dare he come to a public place like this and demand that he pay him respects? Isn't that too much?"
"That might be true, this is the bet that is between the both of them. If Li Mu loses, he will have to address him as Boss. He is letting him fulfil his agreement, and even if the Alchemist Masters' Guild have any opinions, there's nothing they can do - what can they do anyway if their member loses on his own?"
Sima You Yue listened to what everyone was discussing, but said nothing and stared intently at Li Mu, saying, "Why? You were the one who set the bet back then, are you regretting it now?"
Li Mu's hands balled up into fists in his sleeves. Rather than the fact that he had not heard what the people were talking about, but that although it was embarrassing, there was nothing he could do since he had indeed lost, and he could not let anyone use his actions against him
He stood up, and greeting Sima You Yue with a bow. "Boss."
Sima You Yue stood proudly and smiled, and replied, "You may rise."
Li Mu stood up, and went back to sitting, refusing to look again to Sima You Yue.
The young man at his side said, "I was hoping that we would meet in today's family battle, so that we can establish who's at the top once again."
"Alright, You Yang and the rest would like to see just how strong your external helpers are!" Sima You Yue said and continued walking on, completely ignoring their icy glares.
When passing by the Sang Family, she felt a strong aura, and as she looked up to take a glance, she noticed a young man in a black robe with his eyes closed and in the process of recuperating.
"This one is strong, almost on par with You Lin." Sima You Yue said.
"That is the Sang family's champion in the younger generation, Sang Qiong Li. " Sima You Yang said as he followed her gaze and recognised the man.
Sima You Yue realised that she had never seen that person and asked quietly, "The Sang family… Is it the Sang family that Ouyang's mother is from?"
"Nope, this Sang Family is from the South Swallow Kingdom, and they have nothing to do with the South Eclipse Kingdom." Sima You Yang said.
"Oh." Sima You Yue looked at Sang Qiong Li again, and continued walking towards the Sima Family's assigned area.
When they had left, Sang Qiong Li opened his eyes. As he looked at Sima You Yue's parting silhouette, he fell deep into thought.
"What's up, Qiong Li?" The boy beside him asked.
"That person.. Is very powerful. He will be a difficult opponent." Sang Qiong Li said.
"Sima You Yang? He can't beat you." That boy said, gazing at Sima You Yang and Sima You Yue.
"Not him, the one beside him." Sang Qiong Li said, looking at Sima You Yue.
"Sima You Yue? I heard he is an Alchemist, but is probably not of a high rank." he said.
"No, although he is moderating his aura, I can still feel it, hhe is just a bit more powerful than I am." Sang Qiong Li said.
The eyes of the boy beside him opened wide and he gasped, "That can't be! He's that powerful?"
"I'm very sure." Sang Qiong Li said, "But for for how strong he really is, I must fight him myself to truly be sure."
"Sadly he won't be stepping into the ring this time, if not we would be able to see if he is indeed as powerful as you say he is."
"There'll be chances in the future." Sang Qiong Li said, and closed his eyes again.