Pathway

Ju Feng, partially recovered in time enough to see Lang Hai executed the Oath of the Fallen Stars. He didn't know what the move was, but he could sense the deadliness of it. He tried to raise his hand but knew there was practically nothing he could do to help elder Wang Xiu as she spat out blood. In complete agony of the situation, Ju Feng kept on looking as the rogue blood cultivator lept into the air with authority. He swirled his glaive around and was bringing it down, only for every thing to change.

They had tried, but the end was inevitable. He closed his eyes as he waited for the killing blow to land on elder Cao Wang Xiu. However, instead of that, he felt a breeze of fresh air on his face. What? How could that be? 

He opened his eyes to find himself inside the powerfully encircling right hand of elder Cao Wang Xiu. Beside him was Lin DaXia while Lin Chenric and Fu Yingjie were on the other side of elder Wang Xiu who was moving in high speed away from the battle ground. Somehow, she had managed to survive the killing blow of the rogue blood, and was now literally carrying them. More impressively, she was moving at a breathtaking speed despite the injuries she had sustained in the fight.

It was quite after some time that they suddenly stopped and elder Cao Wang Xiu released her hold on them, making them crashed on the grass of the valley. She moved to one side and quickly reached into her spatial sac. She took out some medicinal pills which she quickly put in her mouth while tilting her head backwards.

Lin DaXia who was now sitting very close to elder Cao Wang Xiu, observed her with a disoriented look on her face. She was totally lost for words while rumaging through the events of the recent past in her head. She remembered when she had been sent flying from the impact of the collision. She recalled herself thinking it was over when she found it difficult to open her eyes.

Then, all of a sudden, she opened her eyes and found herself next to Jufeng speeding away from the village vicinity. That could only mean elder Cao Wang Xiu was acting defeated to create opening for their escape. She would take that. After gaining more composure, she began to examine her surroundings.

Fu Yingjie could only staring at elder Cao Wang Xiu with raised eye brows. Utter disbelief was written all over his face. He never thought he would still be alive. He remembered scrambling on the floor, trying to get away from the area of the collision, but found his legs too heavy to carry. He was still trying to crawl away, when he found himself being held by elder Wang Xiu alongside others as she sped away.

How could he explain that? Elder Cao Wang Xiu was truly powerful. Could she help him with his parents? As the thoughts of asking her for help crossed his mind, he quickly discarded them. How could he even think about that? It wasn't her duty to see to the safety of his family, anyway. He pried his eyes away from her and looked around the plain.

Lin Cheung who had quickly composed himself, held the map for Ju Feng, who was now sitting beside him, to see. Yet, his mind couldn't erase the events he just witnessed. When he thought the end had come after the impact, his mind had gone to his sister, Lin Da Xia. She was the only one alive who meant everything to him. How could he continue if anything was to happen to her? Even thinking of it now, was making his stomach roil. He shifted his thoughts on the map as they tried to check their location. The most important was to find the direction to the Forsaken Palace. 

Everybody was still trying to determine their location, when, suddenly, they heard the voice of elder Cao Wang Xiu.

"Ivory Yonder."

"Huh?"

They all voiced in unison as they turned towards her position.

"Ivory Yonder. That's where we are."

Elder Cao Wang Xiu balanced her head from the tilted position and glanced at them.

"And we better get going."

They all stared at her as if she was a talking statue.

"Now!"

Her word quickly brought them out of their trance as they hurriedly readied themselves. They were about to move when Lin Cheung suddenly stopped them.

"Wait."

They turned around and saw him opening his structural bag. He brought out the red box and placed it on the ground. He slowly opened it, revealing the large red Jasper ring which had changed in appearance. The red was more brighter and the ring itself was making a soft vibranting sound.

"Careful. There's a strong aura coming from it. Let me see it."

Elder Cao Wang Xiu uttered and collected the ring. She examined it with her spiritual sight before giving them a nod.

"It's a powerful item. It must have been created by a true Soul-Forger. I can't see any ill-intent from it. If it's from your grandfather, you can try it on."

He slowly removed it and put it on his finger. As he was slowly moving his hand around, the ring flared brighter and increased its vibrating sound. It reached the brightest flare when facing a particular side of the valley.

"Maybe the forsaken palace is nearby?"

Lin Cheung asked, looking at elder Cao Wang Xiu.

"It's possible."

She answered while glancing at the direction they were coming from.

"Let's move, now."

Lin Cheung quickly extended his hand, which was holding the red ruby, forward towards the side of the valley. They all focused their eyes on elder Cao Wang Xiu as they waited on her words. Receiving a confirmatory nod from her, they all headed towards the direction.

As they approached, they saw the red light of the ruby getting brighter as it started to resonate with that side of the valley. That part of the valley began to turn to red and two massive gates began to materialise out of the thin air.

"I think we found it!"

Lin Cheung shouted happily before grabbing his sister and Fu Yingjie who were beside him.

"The forsaken palace? Are you sure?"

Fu Yingjie asked in surprise.

"The forsaken palace of the Jade Emperor Wan Bao." 

Elder Cao Wang Xiu smiled apprehensively as she read the runes on the massive gates.

"A legendary tale that turned myth."

"So, it's real."

Ju Feng uttered in a low voice as he too gazed at the massive gates. He never thought the place was real. Never mind, finding it so easily after coming to the valley of the Ivory yonder. But there, were the gates of the forsaken palace. Right in front of his eyes. How fortunate for him to witness it.

"Now, we confirmed it. Grandfather was right. It does exist."

Lin DaXia nodded joyfully before turning her attention to elder Wang Xiu.

"Elder Cao, what do we do now?"

"Are we not on adventure?"

"Yes, we are." 

"Then, forward we go."

Yet, none of them moved as they continued to look at her. After everything that had happened, why would any of them take the lead? Wouldn't it be better for her to lead and they to follow? The strongest would stay at the front to ward of attack while the weaker ones would follow. That was a principle of survival provided danger didn't come from the back. Anyways, as far as this was concerned, they would stay behind her.

Seeing their reactions, elder Wang Xiu nodded and moved forward.

"Alright, follow me. But stay alert."

They reached the closed gates where they discovered a key hole on one of the pillars of the gates that fitted the size of the Jasper ring on Chenric's finger. They placed the ring on the key hole and was sucked inside. Slowly, the massive gates started to open. When they finally opened, the scenery inside, was one of a magnificent sight. 

The long entrance led to a large emerald Jade palace flanked by two statues of Luduans [wise but deadly divine beasts with the bodies of lions and paws of bears] and a row of metal golems on each side. To the right and left side of the palace were trees of different varieties of fruits, sections of variants of plants and a glowing river flowing through the landscape. It was truly a beautiful scene.

Seeing the large red Jasper ring floating in the air in front of them, elder Wang Xiu plucked it out of the air and handed over to Lin Cheung.

"Keep it in the box."

After revelling in the beauty of the place, they decided to walk towards the palace. They had just started walking when elder Cao Wang Xiu suddenly stopped and turned around with her materialised sword. Seeing her turned around, they quickly did the same. They were in time to see the back of a woman who was staring at the closing gates. High on alert, they moved behind elder Wang Xiu as they waited for the gates to finally close prompting the woman to turn towards their direction.

Ju Feng rubbed his eyes to see if he was seeing clearly or it was just an hallucination. He couldn't help but look in total disbelief and shock at the woman in front of him.

"Mother?"