Xun Shu stood up very quickly. His expression had changed. He bounced up and removed his robes, tearing it into shreds. He threw it onto the ground and stomping on it angrily. With a wave of his hand, a set of blue robes appeared and he quickly put it on. This time, the robes did not reach the floor.

　　“Heh, what are you here for… Ah yes, my Winter Spirit Leaf is not meant for just any person,” he coughed. He had now recovered his high and mighty posture, as if he had not just tripped and fallen just seconds ago. If not for the mud on his face, they would have thought they imagined him falling down.

　　Lonemoon: “…”

　　Shen Ying: “…”

　　“Well… Young Emperor Xun Shu!” Father Niu was extremely experienced in negotiation afterall – he was the first to recover from shock. With a controlled expression, he said, “We know that this treasure is extremely valuable. We only heard that Young Emperor Xun has always been generous and that only you have the Winter Spirit Leaf. That’s why…” Seeing that Xun Shu still looked disdainful, Lonemoon immediately held up an indignant Radish and handed him over to Xun Shu. “I heard that Young Emperor Xun is the most elegant immortal in the whole of the immortal realm. We were fortunate enough to come across a vegetation spirit. It is well-versed in plant life. If you let it stay with you for just three months, I promise that this beautiful garden of yours will become more spectacular.”

　　“Ji ji ji…” Just as Lonemoon finished speaking, Radish began to struggle for his life. No way was it going to stay there for three months

　　“A vegetation spirit?” Young Emperor Xun Shu was indeed intrigued enough to glance over at the Radish in Lonemoon’s hands, but his face twisted in disgust almost immediately. “How would such a hideous weed fit into my beautiful garden?”

　　“Ji ji ji…” You are the hideous one. Your entire family is hideous!

　　The corner of Lonemoon’s mouth twitched. This Xun Shu was not just a show-off, he was also extremely vain. He thought for a moment. Then, he shook Radish and said, “Radish, co-operate with me: turn back into your large human form.”

　　“Hmph!” Radish did become large, but it did not turn into a human. With a bright flash, it turned from a small radish into an enormous one. Lonemoon could hardly bear the weight with his hands and almost fell to his knees.

　　“Shit!” This stupid radish only has to stay here for three months, why is it kicking up a fuss? “Don’t make me throw you to Yi Qing to be brewed tonight.”

　　But the radish was not to be threatened. It puffed up its chest and retorted, “pfft!” Then, it slowly shrunk back to its original size.

　　“…” We’re going to have additional dishes tonight!

　　“Enough!” Xun Shu was not at all interested in this vegetation spirit. From out of nowhere, he pulled out a fan. His face still covered in mud, he began to fan himself with an air of self-perceived importance. “You don’t have to try so hard to impress me. If you want the Winter Spirit Leaf, you just have to follow my rules.”

　　He paused to ponder something. With a twist of his hand, a white box appeared. He waved his hand and a silver dagger appeared inside the box. The dagger flew toward Shen Ying and Lonemoon, circling around them and back to the box that Xun Shu was holding.

　　“You think you can enter the Immortal Territory because you’re a sword cultivator and have been enlightened on the techniques of the sword.” He lifted up the box and said, “Inside this box lays a treasure – my weapon, the tenth-grade immortal sword. This box is made up of spirit-absorbing stones. If you have what it takes to break open this box and retrieve the dagger from inside of it, I will give you the Winter Spirit Leaf. Otherwise, going into the Immortal Territory with your lack of skill would just be courting death.”

　　With that, he turned and waved his hand. A tree that was three times as tall as the average man appeared behind him. The tree was thick and rich, covered in four-leaf clovers that resembled the one Yi Qing had shown to them earlier.

　　“Really?” Lonemoon asked, his eyes twinkling.

　　“I am a Young Emperor after all. I would not stoop so low as to bluff a lowly sword immortal like you.” Xun Shu did not for a second think that either of these two people would be able to break open the box. He had perceived their cultivation level from the moment they stepped through the doorway. One was at best an Earth Immortal and the other was a Golden Immortal. This was a tenth-stage immortal box which even Exalted Immortals could not open.

　　As he spoke, he raised his hands and the box flew over to the two people.

　　Lonemoon immediately caught the box, understanding Xun Shu’s thoughts. The spirit-absorbing stones were extremely strong and were resistant to immortal Qi. This meant that the box could not be opened with immortal powers. They had to use physical strength. Given his cultivation level, Lonemoon was sure he would not be able to do it. But… he had a cheat!

　　“Shen Ying, you take care of this box!” He turned and handed the box over to her. Cheater Ying had no other skill, but she was definitely more violent than anyone else!

　　“Huh?” Shen Ying took hold of the box. “How?”

　　“It’s up to you. Just destroy it.”

　　“Oh.”

　　He thought for a second and added, “We just have to take out the…”

　　Before he could finish speaking, there was a loud crack. Shen Ying clenched her fist, then loosened it. The once strong and solid spirit-absorbing box was now reduced to dust. Even the immortal dagger inside…

　　“Take out what?” Shen Ying finally processed what Lonemoon had said. She looked down at the pile of dust. “Er… is it too late?”

　　Xun Shu: “…”

　　Lonemoon: “…”

　　A while later…

　　“My tenth-grade immortal sword!” Xun Shu gasped, eyes widened.

　　“Father Niu, what… what should we do?” Shen Ying was trembling. Why does that man look like he is about to eat us up?

　　“You’re asking me!” Lonemoon felt like he was about to throw up blood. “Why would you smash it to pieces for no reason?”

　　“Didn’t you tell me to destroy it?”

　　“…” I did not ask you to destroy the dagger along with the box. “Young… Emperor?”

　　“You… you both…” Xun Shu sounded furious. The fan in his hand turned into a sword as he glared ferociously at them.

　　Lonemoon’s heart fell as he thought, we’re finished!

　　“Shen Ying, what should we do?”

　　“… Run!” Defeated Ying turned around and immediately started to sprint.

　　Lonemoon felt a gust of wind blow past his ear and saw that the cheat had already disappeared without a trace.

　　“Holy shit!”

　　“I will kill you both!” Xun Shu raised his sword and charged toward Lonemoon.

　　“Bastard, you have no loyalty at all, you only know how to…”

　　Before Lonemoon could finish speaking, Shen Ying reappeared with another gust of wind. She picked Lonemoon up just before Xun Shu’s sword hit him and they both escaped.

　　Xun Shu swung down on thin air, trembling with fury. Yet, he could no longer sense either of their aura. “You escaped very quickly. Don’t let me see you again…”

　　Just then, there was another gust of wind and the two people re-appeared once more. This time, they sprinted past Xun Shu until they reached the front of the small tower. They stopped, uprooted the tree, lifted it up… and then disappeared for the last time together with the Winter Spirit Tree.

　　Xun Shu: “…”

　　A while later…

　　His mind was a blank. The last shred of self-control he had left disappeared.

　　“You two bastards, stop right there!”

　　——————

　　The Lishui River.

　　“Yi Qing, this trip to the Yu Feng Immortal City will be extremely dangerous, but this is your chance. You need to give it all you got,” Immortal Emperor Ge You smiled as he said to Yi Qing. “If you are able to find the Six-Formation Sword for me, I will surely reward you generously.”

　　“Thank you, Immortal Emperor!” Yi Qing glanced at him and quickly lowered his gaze “My purpose of entering that city is only to train my cultivation. Whether I will be able to find the sword is up to fate. I do not dare make any guarantees.”

　　There was a flicker of frustration on Ge You’s face, as if Yi Qing did not know what was good for him. He regained his composure in seconds and said, “Naturally so!” Glancing at the sky, he rushed Yi Qing, “It is getting late. You better head off soon.”

　　“Wait for awhile!” Yi Qing was looking longingly at the path leading up to where they were, but he still did not see any familiar faces. He could not help but frown. Master had promised to meet him here at this time. Why hadn’t she arrived? Could it be that she got lost?

　　Immortal Emperor Ge You was not used to being rejected. Nevermind the fact that Yi Qing had already rejected him three or four times when he tried to reward him – Yi Qing even wanted to seek permission from his master regarding going to the Immortal City. Even though he did later agree, he insisted on staying at the Lishui River for half a day before setting off. Ever since Ge You ascended to become an Exalted Immortal a long time ago, he never met anyone who cared less for his authority. Could Yi Qing be thinking about backing out?

　　“Yi…” He was just about to tell Yi Qing off and remind him not to put on airs just because he was a sword cultivator, when Yi Qing suddenly interrupted him.

　　“They’re here!”

　　What?

　　Before Ge You could react, he saw several figures flash past him. There was a strong gust of wind which covered his face in dust.

　　Beside the river stood two more figures. One of them was a man who looked ashen and ready to throw up at any moment. Beside him was a woman in green robes carrying… a huge tree on her shoulder. The leaves on the tree looked extremely familiar!

　　That is… the Winter Spirit Tree!

　　An entire tree!

　　Σ(°△°|||)