Phoenix Destiny
chapter-79

"It's so crowded!" Gao Xiang commented as he dismounted the wolf.

Lu Mingshu patted Little Daze and jumped off as well. "Go on and have fun, just don't get lost."

Little Daze nudged her happily and then galloped away.

There were around three to four hundred people surrounding the White Magnificent Peak, making it even livelier compared to the spring's second hunt. It was Lu Mingshu's first time being in such a crowded place in years. The crowdedness was a little bit too much for her.

"This time around, there are four real disciples participating too. Let's stay away and hope that we won't come across them," Gao Xiang said.

Lu Mingshu laughed in disbelief. "I was expecting you to say that you want to get rid of them all!"

"So that's how you see me? Brainless?" Gao Xiang confronted, "I may be arrogant but I do know where they stand. They have entered the Harmonization Realm for quite a while and even won the Heavenly Door competition once. No doubt they have the strong ability. "

"I am glad you think that way."

"Hey…"

After joking for a while, they got back on track and Gao Xiang told Lu Mingshu all the information his master forced into his head. "Other than that, there are still a few to beware of, such as Tan Yubing from the Line of Golden Door. It is her third time participating in the Heavenly Door competition. She might not have gotten into the top ten for the past three years, but her ability is not worse than that of the other genuine successor disciples."

Lu Mingshu took a look at Tan Yubing, who was quietly staring at the entrance. The word "attractive" couldn't be used to describe Tan Yubing, but she exuded a special aura. Unlike the rest of the genuine successor disciples, she was not surrounded by people.

Lu Mingshu could tell that she was very experienced, as her mystic force was especially stable. Tan Yubing felt someone intently stare at her, so she turned around and met Lu Mingshu's gaze.

Tan Yubing was taken aback when she saw Lu Mingshu and Gao Xiang. She nodded as a form of greeting, before turning back.

"Is Shao Zhengyang here? Oh, he's there. You should already know about him, am I right?"

Of course, Lu Mingshu knew about Shao Zhengyang.

Before coming, her master told her that it would be great if Shao Zhengyang was willing to form an alliance with her. However, Shao Zhengyang might decline the offer. As one of Yu Wen Shi's students, he knew how to weigh the pros and cons that a certain situation had to offer. That same went for forming an alliance with Lu Mingshu.

"Isn't that Weng Yufan? Why is he with Shao Zhengyang?" Gao Xiang muttered

"Weng Yufan?"

"Yeap. He's from the Line of Sunset, which is part of the Zhou Family's faction."

Lu Mingshu nodded.

"They were the ones who snatched Shao Zhengyang's genuine successor disciple position away that time. But why are they together? They should be displeased with each other… Or are they playing mind games?"

Lu Mingshu noted Weng Yufan in her heart— he would surely be her opponent as he was from the Line of Sunset.

Before she came, her master made it clear that winning The Heavenly Door competition was going to be extremely difficult. Hundreds of years had passed by and the competition has now evolved into a war between the different factions. Luck and skills were indispensable if one wanted to win. All Lu Mingshu could do, was to find an alternative route out of that situation.

If Shao Zhengyang would be willing to join forces with her, she could ignore the Line of Jade Terrace first. The Line of Jade terrace might be weak, but their years of experience weren't for nothing and she would have to avoid both Shao Zhengyang and The Jade Terrace Line if he didn't team up with her.

With Gao Xiang being part of the Line of Willow Woods, others would go easy on him. But there was no reason why anyone would go easy on Lu Mingshu. If she wanted to make use of Gao Xiang's status to get away from unnecessary trouble, not only would it not work, but she would also be dragging him down with her.

Suddenly, a commotion stirred up as a group of people grandiosely made their entrance.

"Here comes that woman." Gao Xiang pouted in displeasure.

Lu Mingshu glanced at Zhou Yinru, who was surrounded by the crowd at the moment and smiled slightly. "She's still the same." Arrogant and egoistic.

"Let me tell you a joke," Gao Xiang ridiculed.

"What?"

"Ten years ago, the Zhou family came to propose a marriage with the Willow Woods line."

"Marriage?" Lu Mingshu was stunned. "Between your master… and who?"

Gao Xiang raised his chin and pointed at Zhou Yinru. "That woman!"

An Tongcheng and Zhou Yinru? Lu Mingshu could not believe her ears. "That's impossible!" Why would An Tongcheng fancy Zhou Yinru? Also, with Zhou Yinru being so short-tempered, it would be hard for her to put up with An Tongcheng.

"Precisely! My master rejected the offer immediately. Only a lunatic would marry her."

"Is the Zhou family trying to pull the Line of Willow Woods to their side?" Lu Mingshu asked after pondering for a while.

"Yes. Even if my master fancied that woman, we would not agree to the marriage due to this reason." Once the marriage would be set, they would have broken the Willow Woods' rule of not taking sides.

However, Lu Mingshu was still confused. "Why haven't they sent Zhou's eldest miss? She was still single back then."Even Lu Mingshu's stepmother who rarely showed herself to the public, unlike Zhou Yinru, Lu Mingshu's stepmother was still more valuable than Zhou Yinru.

"Haha." Gao Xiang rolled his eyes. "Zhou's eldest miss did not have eyes for my master. The one she had her eyes on was your master!"

"My master?" Lu Mingshu was shocked.

"That's right! My master once said that the Zhou family wanted your master as their son-in-law and even wanted to make him the sect master; however, your master showed zero interest in the marriage. Soon after that, your master had his meridians crippled and the Zhou family gave him up immediately."

"...." This left Lu Mingshu speechless. She had always felt that the Zhou family had good judgment, and if they got Liu Jizhen to stand with them, the problem would have been solved. It was all due to the Line of Rising Sun being close to the Line of Jade Terrace that Yu Wenshi got the chance to be a candidate.

If An Tongchen agreed to the marriage, the Zhou family would have gotten the Line of Willow Woods on their side and Yu Wenshi would've been insignificant.

Unfortunately, the Zhou family's plan had gone down the drain, as the other party was unwilling to cooperate.

Lu Mingshu felt the situation was strange. "What's wrong with the Zhous? Why would they depend on their son-in-law when they have their daughters? Are their daughters just tools for marriage?"

"That's why my master wasn't interested in them!" Gao Xiang waved his hand slightly. "I don't understand them! They have been using women to form new ties between different lines — not only the daughters but also the female disciples. The Nine Jade Palace isn't a place where one could gain connections by hiding behind skirts! Shameless."

Lu Mingshu agreed with Gao Xiang in her heart. She did not understand why people would not invest girls in martial arts. There may be a difference in strength between the two genders, but after training, the mystic force from girls could stand its ground in front of the boys'. Yes, the Zhou sisters may not be cut out to train, but the other female disciples were!

A chime rang out from far at that moment.

The crowd looked and saw a hoard of precious beasts coming towards them— flying, galloping, pulling a carriage and so on.