After the banquet ended, the imperial procession settled within a temporary palace outside the capital the Emperor had taken a liking to Zhou Yu and, during the feast, had casually mentioned accepting him as a disciple.
To most cultivators, such an opportunity was a blessing that could change their fate forever yet Zhou Yu had politely declined the Emperor had merely smiled and let the matter pass.
The court officials praised the Emperor's magnanimity the princes, however, did not all share that view.
Inside his residence, the Second Prince smashed a jade teacup against the floor.
Crash!
Fragments scattered across the polished tiles.
"A wandering cultivator dares reject Imperial discipleship?"
He said through clenched teeth the old steward beside him lowered his head
" Your Highness, perhaps the Emperor truly does not mind."
The Second Prince's eyes turned cold
"My father may not mind, but others will see this as a slight against the Imperial House."
In truth, what angered him most was not the refusal itself. It was the Emperor's appreciation of Zhou yu the Emperor had praised him several times during the banquet, something the Second Prince had rarely received.
By dawn, Zhou Yu had already left the palace grounds the streets of the Central Plains capital bustled with life. Merchants shouted from both sides of the road while cultivators came and went above the city walls
Unaware of the danger behind him, Zhou Yu walked toward the city gates high atop a pavilion, the Second Prince watched his departing figure a cold smile appeared on his face.
"Since you refuse the fortune offered by the Imperial House, then you have no value."
He turned toward a black-robed guard standing behind him.
"Follow him."
The guard remained expressionless.
"If necessary?"
The Second Prince looked toward the distant horizon where Zhou Yu's figure was becoming smaller and smaller the guard vanished like smoke.
Hours later, after leaving the capital and entering a remote mountain range, Zhou Yu suddenly stopped the forest had become strangely quiet, no birds , no insects only the sound of wind moving through the trees.
His eyes narrowed.
A figure stepped out from behind an ancient pine then another and another three cultivators blocked the path ahead all at the early earth realm two were protecting the other the second prince came out Zhou yu was surprised what was the second prince doing here he said coldly
" Get out of the way "
The second prince said
" Fool , some opportunities should never be rejected "
Immediately Zhou yu could tell this was because he rejected the emperor opportunity he said
" If the emperor has no problems with it why do you "
He paid them no mind and took another route immediately the two guards brought out their swords and he could tell they had killing intent.
Immediately he shot off with the golden lightning technique he disappeared completely they looked around and found nothing when he reappeared he had already brought out his sword he was about to cut off the first guards neck when he blocked it pushing Zhou Yu back sword light flashed he disappeared again
The guard defended the sword light but Zhou Yu appeared behind him his face had gone pale as he knew he could not defend against the sword light and fend off Zhou yu attack together he was about to behead him when the second guard blocked him
He had an idea if he continued facing the guards they could defend each other he sought to attack the only person they would pull all their defense to he attacked the second prince the guards hurriedly came to block but that was what he wanted in that single moment he changed his tragectory and cut off the first guards neck he was dead
The second guard was furious he shot off towards Zhou yu he used the golden lightning technique he disappeared again by the time he reappeared he was already above the second guard sword light flashed he also made his own sword light to clash the second prince watched all of a sudden he flicked his hands in incantation and Zhou Yu could not let him do anything
He kicked his sword towards him the second guard saw it and rushed to protect but zhou yu appeared in front of him and punched him into the ground he was about to stand up when Zhou Yu broke his legs and punched him into the ground again he yelled for relief Zhou yu waved his hands and the sword flew to him stabbing the second guard in the process
When the second prince saw his two were killed he hurriedly shot out of the mountain range as he did not want to die and Zhou Yu left him alone as he could tell if he killed the second prince even though he was right the grudge from the emperor would be immense the second prince went to the palace in a hurry when he reached he was about to go into his quarters when his father saw him he asked what happened as he could tell his son had been gripped by fear he could not answer
The emperor immediately appeared in front of him and checked his memories when he did he said
" Incredible to be able to do this while only at the beginning realm what have you been doing with yourself , from today onwards enter secluded cultivation if you don't don't achieve anything good don't even dream of coming out "
He reprimanded the second prince as he knew if it wasn't for the fact that he treated Zhou yu well he would have lost his son as well he said
" I hope to meet that child again "
Zhou yu walked through the mountain range the mountains stretched endlessly beneath a sea of gray clouds, their jagged peaks piercing the heavens like ancient swords abandoned by immortals. Towering trees with trunks as thick as city walls covered the valleys, while cold mist drifted between the cliffs, obscuring everything beyond a few hundred meters
According to the information he got from the woman who treated his wounds there were two major sect in this region the celestial blood sect which was formerly in the eastern continent but after misfortune they had moved to the central plains.
And the spirit butterfly sect which had a lot of women only a few men Zhou yu found out that the man in crimson and black robes belonged to the celestial blood sect he sought to join them as he felt the spirit butterfly sect was for women
A hidden sect could not simply be found with ordinary sight most powerful sects concealed themselves behind formations that distorted space and deceived the senses.
Stopping atop a rocky outcrop, Zhou Yu closed his eyes and spread out his divine sense the invisible force swept across the mountains like ripples upon water.
Moments later, his eyes suddenly opened.
He had discovered something strange.
An ordinary cliff stood before him, but his divine sense vanished the moment it touched the stone wall, as though it had fallen into a bottomless abyss.
A faint smile appeared on Zhou Yu's face.
"Found you."
He stepped forward the cliff appeared completely normal, but as his hand touched the stone surface, ripples spread across it like water the entire mountain trembled.
A crimson glow emerged from the cliff face, revealing countless blood-colored runes hidden beneath the surface.
The illusion shattered, exposing a massive formation that stretched across several mountains.
Boom!
The scenery before him changed instantly.
The barren wilderness disappeared.
Beyond the formation lay an entirely different world ancient palaces stood among towering peaks.
Rivers of spiritual energy flowed through the valleys like silver dragons, while countless disciples dressed in blood-red robes moved through the sect grounds. Crimson banners fluttered in the wind, and a colossal blood-colored mountain rose at the center of the territory, piercing the clouds above an ancient stone tablet stood before the entrance.
Upon it were three enormous characters that radiated a chilling pressure.
After days of searching through the endless mountains the celestial blood sect now renamed blood heaven sect , Zhou Yu had finally found the hidden sect.
He stood before its entrance, gazing at the vast cultivation grounds concealed from the world for countless years he found a long line of people trying to enter they were also new disciples trying to join he said
" Finally "