Green Wood Peak towered into the clouds like a great tree. It was densely covered with broad-leaved trees that only grew in the Green Cliff Mountain. Each of these trees was at least one thousand feet tall and extremely wide. When strong wind blew across them, it felt as if the entire Green Wood Peak was shaking while the loud rustling of leaves filled the atmosphere. Hence, it was named the Green Wood Peak.
Four huge underground energy veins converged right underneath Green Wood Peak according to the positions of the Four Quadrants. They were linked to a small Energy-Condensing and Immortal-Ascension Ball, which turned seventy percent of the energies into immortal energies that carried a slight characteristic of wood element, and channeled them to an abode located at the top of the peak, where Immortal Green Staff used to have his secluded cultivation. The remaining energies would be sent into the atmosphere, nourishing everything on the Green Wood Peak and allowing exotic flowers and plants to thrive.
Apart from Patriarch Jiang Yun, there were several tens of other inner sect disciples who sought guidance from Immortal Green Staff. Among them, however, only Daoist Li managed to attain the cultivation base of Thirty-Sixth Tier Heaven Immortal, while none of the others could achieve anything of significance. Ironically, Patriarch Jiang Yun, an outer sect disciple who was forced to leave Yuan Hua Sect one hundred thousand years ago, outdid them by attaining the much sought after result of Heaven Immortal realm. As a result, there were only two other abodes built right next to the left and right of Immortal Green Staff's abode currently on Green Wood Peak. One of them belonged to Daoist Li, while the other newly built abode belonged to Patriarch Jiang Yun.
Peppermint and Angelica were both lying face down on a bamboo bed inside Patriarch Jiang Yun's abode. Wearing a somber face, Princess Zhang Le was applying layer upon layer of medicinal paste on their back, covering the old and new wounds. The paste was personally concocted by Wu Qi. But, just like the medicinal paste he concocted for Yan Bugui some time ago, he only sought the most powerful and effective result from the paste, and paid no heed to dilute their strength with some other ingredients. Therefore, although they were very effective in healing the wounds, the irritating sensation they brought was very strong.
Each time, the medicinal paste contacted the bloody wounds, it would make Peppermint and Angelica feel as if someone were brutally hacking them with a blade. The paste concocted by Wu Qi, even though it was a medicine that could save their lives, felt no different from suffering a cruel torture. Nevertheless, the petite and innocent-looking sisters did not make a sound during the process. Their bodies trembled violently, and they tightly clutched their hands on Princess Zhang Le's dress.
Wu Qi stood next to the bed, frowning as he looked at the little girls who had cold sweats rolling off their forehead ceaselessly because of the severe pain. At last, he said, "Zi Xuan, these two little girls are pretty good. Why don't you just take them as your disciples? They both have excellent latent potentials, and I've examined them. Both of them have supreme-grade water element spirit roots."
With their excellent latent potential and water element spirit roots, Peppermint and Angelica were the perfect candidates to inherit the Dark Yin Water Scripture which Wu Qi obtained from Lady Dark Gold Water, a cultivation technique that could allow one to cultivate safely all the way to the First Tier of Gold Immortal realm, especially with the Dark Yin Energy Vase, that could transform water element energy into various Acquired True Waters used to aid one's cultivation.
Naturally, Princess Zhang Le agreed to whatever Wu Qi told her to do. She nodded and said coldly, "Peppermint and Angelica, from today onwards, you will be my disciples! In the future, don't get bullied by others again. If anyone dares to bully you, just counterattack and kill them with all your ability... Those who provoke my disciples will have their entire clan slaughtered..."
Wu Qi cleared his throat and interrupted Princess Zhang Le. They were not in Great Yan Dynasty. Thus, it was not that easy to slaughter the entire clan of other people.
Princess Zhang Le's face flushed slightly as she gave Wu Qi a fierce glare, before continuing to apply the medicinal paste onto the back of two little girls. In the meanwhile, upon hearing her words, the sisters, who had been enduring the severe pain from the paste and did not make a sound, suddenly wailed out loudly. Both of them had their hands tightly wrapped around Princess Zhang Le's waist and kept calling her 'Master'.
The sight of their weeping tugged at Wu Qi's heartstrings and made him knit his brows in a tight frown.
Standing next to them, Lord Xiansheng and Catfish-flood-dragon shook their heads. They did not have rich emotions like humans. Thus, they just spun and left the room.
Immortal Green Staff and Patriarch Jiang Yun were in the room as well, and they both gave a furious harrumph at the same time. Gnashing his teeth in anger, Immortal Green Staff said, "How daring are they to torture the disciples I've sent to Spirit Herbs Palace? Damnit! They better don't let me know who is the one that transferred White Sparrow to Spirit Herbs Palace! Sooner or later, we will settle this score with White Sparrow. I'm gonna break his dog legs in no time!"
Wearing a sullen expression, Patriarch Jiang Yun said, "Master, let me handle this! How could they have the heart to torture two nice little girls like that? They are simply despicable, shameless, and wicked! They don't deserve to be the disciples of Yuan Hua Sect!"
Daoist Li was in the room as well. He stood five feet tall, looking skinny but face beaming with energy. He was clad in a long, brown burlap robe. He tightened his grip on a rattan staff in his hand, as he gritted his teeth and said, "Master, Junior Brother, that can be easily arranged. Many disciples of Uncle-Master Min are serving in the Pill Workshop, and they are under my supervision. I can always find opportunities to create some accidents, then punish them according to the sect's rules."
While having his pair of greenish eyes that looked like cat's eyes dart from side to side, he continued, "I can always create some minor accidents when they are concocting pills and cause the pill cauldrons to explode. That will certainly inflict severe injury to them, if not kill them in the explosion. After that, I can accuse them of not concentrating their attention during the concoction process and wasting all the ingredients. With that, what awaits them would be the Heart Cleaning Pool at the back mountain!"
Immortal Green Staff slapped Daoist Li's head and said with a big smile, "Let's do it! Ask those rascals to concoct 'Trigold Flaming Dragon and Tiger Explosion Pills' next month. This is the pill that will cause the most powerful explosion once the concoction is failed! Give them a big one! What's the point of only inflicting a severe injury to them?"
He gnashed his teeth so hard that cracking noises could be heard, then said ferociously, "Since they've played a trick on us, why can't we do the same? I've been holding back my sulks for one hundred thousand years. The time has come to fight them! Let's see who is better in this!"
Wu Qi, standing aside with hands clasped behind back, raised his head and gave Immortal Green Staff and Daoist Li a look. At that moment, he found that he had begun to develop a liking to this two old Daoists. He cleared his throat, lowering his voice and saying hypocritically, "But, Patriarch, Uncle-Master, don't the sect rules strictly prohibit any disciples of Yuan Hua Sect from attacking each other?"
Both of them gave Wu Qi a glare and cried out at the same time, "To hell with the sect rules!"
Together, a clear look of daze appeared on their faces. Immortal Green Staff cleared his throat, clasping hands behind back and putting up a solemn expression. On the other hand, Daoist Li widened his eyes, pointing at Patriarch Jiang Yun as he said, "Sect rules are rigid, but people are flexible. If sect rules do serve its intended purpose, why was Junior Brother Jiang Yun chased out from Yuan Hua Sect one hundred thousand years ago? He would have long become an inner sect disciple!"
Daoist Li brushed his beard with his hand while saying with a reserved smile, "In short, it all depends on how you are going to use the sect rules!"
Suddenly, a loud slamming noise echoed out as the door was being forcibly kicked open. A lady clad in a green palace dress, her face behind a veil, her stature tall and slim, and a walk full of charm, came walking in fiercely. Even as she came in, her hoarse voice rang out, "What is going on? Are they still purposely stirring up troubles? It has been one hundred thousand years! Are they not done yet? That old pig Daoist Min, how could he be so shameless? It is my own free will to choose whoever I want to marry. Why is he still not giving up?"
Then she stamped.
*Boom!*
The entire Green Wood Peak shook. It was as if a thunderbolt had just smitten the woods at the foot of the mountain. A tremendous force broke several thousand lofty trees, throwing countless barks and wooden chips tens of miles away in all directions. Those birds and beasts in the nearby woods were greatly frightened as they fled in a flurry, not daring to linger around the Green Wood Peak anymore.
Almost instantly, Immortal Green Staff and Daoist Li bent over with a flattering manner, carefully greeting the lady. Immortal Green Staff called her 'My Lady' with a fawning smile, while Daoist Li kept calling her 'Master-Mother' with a similar fawning smile, with much respectful bowing and nodding.
She ignored both of them and came straight to Patriarch Jiang Yun. After spending some time looking at him from top to toe, she breathed out a heavy sigh and said, "Jiang Yun, you've done well by chopping away White Sparrow's arm. But, it is a pity that they decided to expel you from the sect because of that. Sigh! I've gathered a few immortal items for you over these years. They are yours now!"
With a flip of her palm, three lower-grade immortal items appeared before Patriarch Jiang Yun, glinting with faint gleams. They were a sword, a shield, and a Daoist crown. Judging from the runes that occasionally flickered on them, one could tell that although they were just lower-grade immortal items, they were of an excellent quality. At least, they must have taken the crafter a lot of efforts to make.
While trembling, Patriarch Jiang Yun dropped to his knees, and received the three immortal items with the utmost respect. "Master-Mother, thank you for the generous gifts!"
As Patriarch Jiang Yun dropped to his knees, Wu Qi and Princess Zhang Le did the same. This harsh-tempered and overbearing lady was none other than Immortal Green Staff's wife, Goddess Green Melon. In those years, Daoist Min took a fancy to her, and had already offered his betrothal presents by force, wanting to marry her. But in the end, Goddess Green Melon simply escaped with Immortal Green Staff, spent a night with him, and became real husband and wife. What she did was no different from a brutal slap on Daoist Min's face.
The discord between Daoist Chi and Daoist Min, even to the expelling of Patriarch Jiang Yun, everything began after that incident.
But unexpectedly, Goddess Green Melon had kept thinking about Patriarch Jiang Yun, and even purposely gathered three immortal items for him. When Wu Qi was at Luo Ling Pavilion, the immortal item he saw which they used as the cornerstone treasure of their pavilion was just a lower-grade immortal item. It showed that even in Puluo Heavenly Realm, an immortal item was not something that everyone could easily get a hold of. However, just because of a little credit which Patriarch Jiang Yun contributed, Goddess Green Melon had gathered three immortal items for him over the course of one hundred thousand years!
It felt really good to have a senior and Master such as this!
Wu Qi took a deep breath. All of a sudden, he found the same feeling when he was working with Wu Wang in those years, the warm feeling of being protected, being cared, and having someone shielding from the wind and the rains! It felt really nice to have seniors and Masters such as this! Wu Qi's pupils constricted as he swore an oath secretly, that no matter who tried to destroy this warm feeling that he had been longing for, he would make them pay with the price of 'death'!
He bowed to Goddess Green Melon respectfully and said in a deep voice, "Wu Qi offers greeting, Grand Master-Mother!"
Goddess Green Melon stepped forward hastily and pulled Patriarch Jiang Yun up, then reached out to help both Wu Qi and Princess Zhang Le up as well. She gave Wu Qi a brief look, nodded with a praise, then shifted all her attention to Princess Zhang Le. "Aye, Zi Xuan is really a beautiful girl! You look just like a fairy! Mm, just that Wu Qi is not good enough for you... Anyway, as long as you like him, that's more than enough!"
Her words threw Wu Qi into a depressed and cheerless mood, while Princess Zhang Le gave him a complacent look and giggled.
As Goddess Green Melon moved a little too fast, a gust of wind lifted her veil slightly. Standing next to her, Wu Qi happened to see half of her face. Her cheekbone was broken, and her face was riddled like a sand field after a heavy shower. It made her look ugly and ferocious.
Wu Qi gasped. He was told by Immortal Green Staff that Goddess Green Melon's face was hurt, and judging from what he saw just now, it was indeed a severe injury!
It was no wonder that although Patriarch Jiang Yun had arrived at Green Wood Peak for long, today was the first time that Goddess Green Melon came to see him.
All girls paid a great attention to their appearances. Presumably, Goddess Green Melon must be in a secluded cultivation during these days, trying to find a way to heal the wounds and scars on her face. However, it was a severe injury, and unless she could find some healing spirit pills of excellent quality, they were tough to be fully healed.
Yet, the only two seventh-grade immortal pills which Patriarch Jiang Yun concocted had been offered to Patriarch Yuan Hua!