“Wu Dingqiu, you still dare to block me!” shouted heartbroken Eccentric Song. “The flag is fallen. You didn’t win our bet, and I didn’t lose. The trial by fire is over. If you continue to obstruct my way, you can’t blame me for attacking you!”
“Fellow Daoist Song, we agreed ahead of time that neither of us would leave before we finished this game of Go. You are a grand, illustrious Cultivator of the Southern Domain. Don’t tell me you’re going to go back on your word? When I made to leave earlier, you wouldn’t let me. Yet you wish to leave before finishing our game?” Wu Dingqiu laughed as he used Eccentric Song’s own words against him. Not a trace of a frown remained on his face, which was now filled with a wide smile. He clearly would not allow the other man to leave. Seeing the bag of the Cosmos taken away had filled his heart with joy. Eccentric Song had waved that bag in front of him mockingly for hundreds of years; to see him hoisted on his own petard was wondrous to the extreme.
“You…” Eccentric Song glared murderously at Wu Dingqiu, and didn’t say anything for a long moment. Then, he gritted his teeth and stamped his foot down, shaking the mountain so hard it seemed it would collapse. But considering his status and prestige, he could do nothing more than sit back down and begin playing Go again.
Of course, Wu Dingqiu wouldn’t let him have his way so simply. He stroked his beard as he looked at Eccentric Song’s unsightly expression. Laughing, he very slowly picked up a Go piece and then purposefully put a very thoughtful expression onto his face. After a very, very long time, he slowly put the piece onto the board, his face solemn, as if he intended to make this game last for months.
“Leave the mountain,” said Wu Dingqiu, transmitting his voice to all of his white-robed disciples. “After I finish this game of Go, I will accompany you back to the Sect. In the meantime, the next stage of your trial by fire is to find the man you just saw on the mountain peak. I’ve taken a fancy to that treasured spear he has. Bring that spear back to me, and you will be promoted to the Inner Sect!” Each and every one of the disciples perked up at hearing this.
“Is the dignified Violet Fate Sect of the Southern Domain really going to kill people to take treasures?” said Eccentric Song. He was incredibly depressed, stuck in place because of his own words. But even though he hated Meng Hao, he couldn’t pass up an opportunity to cause trouble for Wu Dingqiu.
Glaring at Eccentric Song, Wu Dingqiu said, “Listen well. You must not cause problems for that person. You must trade with him, not rob him. Anyone who violates this command will be expelled from the Sect!” His next move in the Go game was even slower than the previous.
The Violet Fate Sect disciples scattered in all directions. Some of them circled around the treasure mountain in pursuit of Meng Hao; others went as fast as possible in different directions, hoping to intercept him.
Their trial by fire had been an utter defeat, something they were not reconciled to. However, they didn’t hold any ill will against Meng Hao, but rather admired him. After all, they had all witnessed the blood-soaked events of moments ago.
All of them were determined to get the iron spear from Meng Hao. They would trade anything to get it, and if he was unwilling to trade, would have to think of some tricks to get it.
In any case, they all had clearly heard Elder Wu’s words; they were to trade for the item, not rob it. Although… he had never said they couldn’t use force.
As the white-robed disciples scattered, Meng Hao raced down the treasure mountain, collecting more Spirit Stones and medicinal pills as he went. Even though he never saw Eccentric Song and Wu Dingqiu, he had guessed that this place was most likely a trial by fire region set up by some Sect.
Even though Shangguan Xiu was no longer chasing him, he knew that whosever’s trial by fire he had charged into might not be too happy about his interference. So, he maintained top speed, his heart pounding and his face filled with eagerness.
His bags of holding were all full; he had acquired more this time than on any other occasion since entering the Cultivation world, with the exception of the cave of the Flying Rain-Dragon. He casually packed away the Spirit Stones and medicinal pills.
Of course, the more things he picked up, the faster he tried to move. Gritting his teeth and continuously consuming Demonic Cores, he moved as fast as possible for three days, until he finally emerged from the mountain range. He looked both exhausted and energetic; in the past several days, he hadn’t had a chance to organize his treasures, and now all he wanted to do was find a place where he could safely examine everything. As he moved forward, he noticed that far in the distance was what appeared to be a walled city.