Niu Tian glanced at him coldly and said, "All that has nothing to do with you. Don't come back here to find her from today onwards, you are not worthy of asking about whether she can wake up and what she will become in the future. Leave - don't force my hand!"
"You're so unreasonable!" Jiang Nannan instantly grew frustrated, and she pushed away Xu Sanshi's attempts to stop her as she dashed to Huo Yuhao's side and glared at Niu Tian.
"How can you blame Yuhao for what happened to Dong'er? If you're powerful enough, you can look for that Yin-Yang Love Querying Valley to settle this debt, because the valley was responsible for what happened to her. Yuhao is sad enough, so how can you add oil to the fire? Can you guys help Dong'er or not? If you can't, return her to us, and we'll take her away."
Niu Tian glared back at her. Suddenly, fierce winds cut across the mountain peak as frightening pressure erupted from his body.
Niu Tian seemed to have become one with all the celestial and astronomical phenomena around him in that instant. Huo Yuhao, Jiang Nannan, and Xu Sanshi had the feeling they were facing off against the entire world.
Jiang Nannan stumbled a few steps back from this immense pressure and leaned on Xu Sanshi. Xu Sanshi's face was dark and gloomy, and he could barely hold on by channeling his full strength.
Huo Yuhao didn't move an inch from where he was; his legs were planted into the ground like nails. An extremely chilly aura permeated from his body, and even though Niu Tian could control the elements around him, he couldn't suppress Huo Yuhao's connection with ice and snow.
"Eh?" Niu Tian exclaimed softly in surprise, but his expression swiftly changed to one of disdain and indifference. His entire body shook as dull and thunderous booms echoed throughout the sky. It was as though the dragon god had descended onto the world amidst rolling dragon roars. The pressure that the three of them felt rose exponentially.
Xu Sanshin and Jiang Nannan were forced backwards as they stumbled again and again from that rising pressure. They unwittingly retreated to the edge of the cliff - and strangely, this pressure automatically lightened once they moved past a certain range.
Huo Yuhao was still standing there, motionless, and his legs gradually sank down on the spot.
Huo Yuhao had to resist terrifying pressure and squeezing from all directions, and he felt as if his body were going to be crushed to pieces in any moment. However, he stood his ground forcefully, and he didn't even take one step back.
The multiple tests of life and death that Huo Yuhao had gone through in the Yin-Yang Love Querying Valley proved to be very important at a time like this. Huo Yuhao didn't feel afraid at all, no matter how great the pressure was. The resilience in his heart had transformed into a toughness of his cultivation, as his spiritual power, soul power, and his Ultimate Ice element fused perfectly together.
A greenish-golden light erupted from Huo Yuhao's body - the green hues came from a fusion between the Ice Empress' jade-green colors and the Snow Empress' pristine white colors, while the golden luster originated from the Skydream Iceworm's one million years worth of spiritual power. Huo Yuhao had merged everything together into one furnace, and each force could no longer be told apart from the other. This was strength and power that truly and completely belonged to himself.
The disdain and contempt in Niu Tian's eyes gradually disappeared, and was replaced by shock and surprise. He watched Huo Yuhao's forceful attempt to stand his ground, and snorted as a green lightning streak stretched across the sky. Dragon roars resonated through the sky as the clouds began to transform. The rolling clouds seemed to have transformed into uncountable enormous green dragons that were baring their fangs and brandishing their claws.
"Retreat, Yuhao!" Xu Sanshi hollered at the top of his voice as his expression changed. They were not at amongst the strongest individuals on the Continent, but they were Shrek Academy's elites of the younger generation, and they had seen what powerful individuals looked like when they fought.
Xu Sanshi could clearly feel at this moment that the Clear Sky Sect's leader, the master of the Clear Sky Castle, was as powerful as Elder Xuan was. How could they fight against someone as powerful as him? Niu Tian didn't mean any ill against them, because they would have been blown into smithereens otherwise. Xu Sanshi was afraid that Huo Yuhao would infuriate Niu Tian with his actions and bring death upon himself.
However, Huo Yuhao didn't retreat at all. He possessed strong spiritual power, and he had his own instincts about many things. At this moment, he felt that retreating would mean that he had completely given up. He didn't know why Niu Tian and Tai Tan were suddenly so hostile towards him, but there was no way Huo Yuhao could retreat, because he had to stand his ground for Wang Dong'er, and so he could see Wang Dong'er and be together with her once more.
Blood trailed out from Huo Yuhao's eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. Huo Yuhao could crumble at any moment against such terrifying force that seemed to resemble might from the heavens. Niu Tian was simply too strong, and Huo Yuhao was in the storm's epicenter, so Niu Tian could easily grind him to dust if that was his wish. But for some reason, Huo Yuhao was quite happy at this moment, because the stronger Niu Tian was, the higher the chance that Dong'er could be healed.
"Do you wish to die?" Niu Tian muttered as all that pressure vanished in an instant, and everything returned to normal.
Huo Yuhao didn't feel any pressure anymore and his body swayed as a mouthful of blood burst out from his mouth. His face had turned ghastly pale.
Xu Sanshi and Jiang Nannan hurriedly came forward to support him up as they glared at Niu Tian.
Niu Tian stared at Huo Yuhao and nodded lightly. "You have improved a lot, and you're actually able to fuse so many different energies into one. You have proved yourself to be one of the most talented youngsters of your generation. Alright, I'll explain this issue to you because I can tell that you're still in love with her.
"Dong'er's father came back, and he told us that Dong'er's hidden injury had been triggered. You were responsible for that, and if you hadn't already found the Yearning Heartbroken Grass and given it to her to prove that you're still in love with her, you would have been a corpse by now.
"We've watched Dong'er grow up since she was a kid, and we are absolutely unwilling to see her wronged or aggrieved in any way. She is in bad shape, and her soul and her spirit are currently very messy and chaotic. We've already scrutinized her. With the current state her spirit is in, she is the only one who can wake herself up. Clear Sky Castle is most suitable for her to stay and rest. You can leave, and you are not welcome in this place, at least before Dong'er wakes up. I will send someone to Shrek Academy to inform you when she's awake, and if she's still willing to be together with you, then… we'll see."
Niu Tian swung his baggy sleeves after his speech, and a strong wind swept Huo Yuhao and his two companions up and blew them far into the distance. Niu Tian then brought everyone else from the Clear Sky Sect back into Clear Sky Castle.
Huo Yuhao and the others put in a lot of effort to stabilize themselves and regain their balance. Niu Tian propelled them away with just the right amount of strength so that they wouldn't fall off the mountaintop.
"Dong'er!" Huo Yuhao exclaimed, and controlled his human-shaped soul tool as he immediately bounced back towards Clear Sky Castle. Niu Tian's voice could be heard once more when Huo Yuhao arrived at Clear Sky Castle's main gate.
"Leave immediately. If you stick around and continue pestering us, don't blame me for not showing you any more mercy. If that happens, you won't be able to be with Dong'er anymore, and you might even throw your life away in this place. Let me give you a reminder - even if Dong'er wakes up, you are not allowed to be with her until you have enough strength to protect her. You have to become stronger if you wish to be together with Dong'er again."
Huo Yuhao stood outside the Clear Sky Castle's main gate and stopped. He didn't attempt to knock on it. He just stood there, quiet and motionless.
Jiang Nannan was just about to run forward to console and persuade Huo Yuhao, but Xu Sanshi grabbed her and stopped her.
Xu Sanshi heaved a faint sigh and said, "Don't go. We have to trust Yuhao. He's only seventeen, and a blow such as this will only be motivation for him. Everything is alright as long as Dong'er is fine."
Jiang Nannan rolled her eyes and said, "You speak as if you're old and proud of your age and experience, as if you're that much bigger and older."
Xu Sanshi chortled and said, "Won't you know if I'm big or not?"
Jiang Nannan blushed and pinched him forcefully as she said, "He's in so much pain, and you're still in the mood for jokes and banter."
Xu Sanshi continued, "Yuhao's strength has been growing too rapidly over these years. The truth is, he hasn't experienced any excessively great setbacks or failures. What happened to Dong'er can let him grow up and mature more quickly. He's a man, and setbacks are nothing much to him. Look at me! I have experienced so many setbacks, and I have failed for so many years, and yet, have I not become stronger and braver with each failure? In the end, I have a beautiful girl in my arms. In my opinion, the Clear Sky Sect's two sect leaders don't harbor any ill intentions toward Yuhao. Listen to what Niu Tian is trying to convey! His words can be interpreted as words of encouragement and motivation. Since that's the case, they should be confident in their ability to help Dong'er recover. At the very least, they can ensure that her life won't be in danger."
Huo Yuhao was just standing outside the Clear Sky Sect's main gate. Fifteen minutes passed, and he hadn't moved an inch. A few more moments passed before Huo Yuhao gradually took a few steps back, and he bowed respectfully towards Clear Sky Castle before he turned around and walked towards Xu Sanshi and Jiang Nannan.
"Third senior brother, fourth senior sister - let's go."
"Are you alright, Yuhao?" Jiang Nannan asked concernedly.
Huo Yuhao shook his head lightly and said, "I'm alright, fourth senior sister. Uncle Niu Tian is right; I am currently incapable of protecting Dong'er. Keeping her here is the best choice. Let's go back to the Academy - I want to start my closed-door cultivation so that I can smooth out and clear my passageways as quickly as possible."
Jiang Nannan eyed Xu Sanshi with a surprised look in her eyes. Seems like Xu Sanshi was right!
Xu Sanshi smiled faintly and said nothing else as he patted Huo Yuhao on the shoulder and said, "Let's go."
They followed the same steep mountain path that they had taken to get here, into the clouds and fog. Huo Yuhao suddenly snapped his head around in the moment before they entered the clouds and stared deeply at the Clear Sky Castle, and he clenched his fists tightly as he said, "You have to get well, Dong'er! I will come back as fast as I can to see you."
---
Inside Clear Sky Castle...
Niu Tian and Tai Tan were both standing by a window as they watched Huo Yuhao's actions right before he left. A disturbed look flashed across Tai Tan's eyes as he said, "Big brother."
Niu Tian waved his hand and said, "Let's follow his instructions, since this is his decision. Don't you trust him? This blow may not be a bad thing for Yuhao. Come, let's take a look at Dong'er. That girl! Everything will be different when she wakes up."