Martial Peak

Translator: Silavin & Ashish

Translation Checker: PewPewLazerGun

Editor and Proofreader: Leo of Zion Mountain & Dhael Ligerkeys

A group of three people flew through the air.

Perhaps it was because of her intense disappointment in Shi Tian He, the expression in Ji Yao's eyes when she looked at her was one of extreme frustration. As for Shi Tian He, she had just gone through a great change in her life, and though she had come out of the ordeal alive, she was distraught and depressed. If she did not have a goal to keep her going, she would've probably lost all desire to live.

"Honoured Master, you should have killed that man for what he did. Why did you spare his life!?"

After they had been flying for some time, Ji Yao finally could not hold herself back. Her words were filled with murderous rage and it was evident that she was still thinking about how Dong Hai had only received some small injuries instead of the death penalty.

Yang Kai shook his head and said nothing.

"Honoured Master?" Shi Tian He was shocked hearing these words though and stared at Yang Kai in amazement. She then cupped her fists and asked, "Greetings Senior, how may I address you?"

She had been in a state of dismay so far, and had only just remembered to ask about Yang Kai's identity. She found it strange that her Third Martial Aunt would call him her Honoured Master.

Since she was her Third Martial Aunt, shouldn't her Honoured Master be the Ancestral Founder of the Sect? Why was she calling a man her Honoured Master? Likewise, why would the Ancestral Founder be here?

"What do you mean, Senior? This is the Ancestral Founder! You really are blind!" Ji Yao said through gritted teeth, her heart full of outrage at the woman who had been driven out of the Master Sect by the Eldest Senior Sister all those years ago and could not even recognize the Ancestral Founder right before her.

[Shi Tian He's eyes must be failing her!]

[How could Eldest Senior Sister have taken in such a Disciple?]

"Ancestral Founder…" Shi Tian He was astonished, staring wide-eyed at Yang Kai and wondering how he could possibly be the Ancestral Founder.

"Tian He," Yang Kai stealthily communicated using his Divine Sense, "Something seems to have happened to your Third Martial Aunt during her years away from the Sect, and there's a bit of an issue with her mind. She has mistaken me for Senior Bing Yun, and I can't expose the truth now because I don't know if that will cause her to lose her mind again. I'm here to escort her back to Ice Heart Valley, so she can come to her senses when she sees Senior Bing Yun. Just play along for now and don't make her suspicious."

Shi Tian He was aghast. She could never have imagined that her Third Martial Aunt, who looked to be in an entirely normal state, was actually suffering from such mental issues. It must be something serious for her to mistake a man for the Ancestral Founder…

Shi Tian He was quick on the uptake though, so she quickly calmed herself and gave a respectful bow, "Please forgive this disciple for her short-sightedness, Ancestral Founder."

"Hmph!" Ji Yao snorted coldly, looking disdainful.

Shi Tian He gave a bitter smile, but her expression soon changed as she asked, "Ancestral Founder, have you only just returned to the Northern Territory with Third Martial Aunt?"

"How did you know?" Yang Kai asked curiously.

"So, you don't know what is happening to the Sect?" Asked Shi Tian He.

"What's wrong with the Sect?" Ji Yao frowned.

Shi Tian He's face was pale as she said, "The Sect… Has been surrounded! And within the Northern Territory, many Senior Sisters who married out of the Sect have been murdered! The Sect's foundations outside have all been entirely destroyed, and now, Ice Heart Valley has been completely blockaded, and is on the brink of disaster."

"What!?"

Hearing this, Yang Kai and Ji Yao bore expressions of shock.

"Who dares!?" Ji Yao demanded furiously.

"Seeking Passion Sect!" Hatred flashed across Shi Tian He's eyes.

"Seeking Passion Sect!?" Ji Yao's pretty face grew grim as she snapped angrily, "How dare they! Why are they doing this to Ice Heart Valley!?"

Yang Kai frowned, suddenly realising that this matter… might have something to do with him.

With that in mind, he spoke, "Tian He, tell us everything from the beginning. We really don't know anything about what has happened to the Sect."

"Yes!" Shi Tian He said, and summarized the events of the last few years in the Northern Territory.

A few years ago, when the Star Boundary's Shattered Star Sea opened, Seeking Passion Sect's Sect Master, Feng Xuan, suddenly went to Ice Heart Valley, bringing many of his strongest subordinates with him. On that day, there were many Masters from Seeking Passion Sect present to pressure Ice Heart Valley with their power. It was unknown what kind of conflict occurred, but the two forces had a great battle outside Ice Heart Valley, and each side suffered immense losses.

From then on, Ice Heart Valley and Seeking Passion Sect were like fire and water.

As time passed, the grudge between the two Sects grew greater and their hatred ran deeper. Many of the disciples of Ice Heart Valley who married out of the Sect were hunted down and cruelly murdered by those from Seeking Passion Sect. Some of Ice Heart Valley's external industries were completely destroyed, and the great forces connected to Ice Heart Valley received suppression and persecution.

And then, half a year ago, countless Masters from Seeking Passion Sect occupied Ice Moon City under the command of their Sect Master Feng Xuan, sealing off Ice Heart Valley's connection to the outside world. It looked like they intended to destroy Ice Heart Valley in one go.

Ice Moon City was the city closest to Ice Heart Valley, and it had been the foundation of Ice Heart Valley's external affairs ever since the founding of the Sect. It was an important hub connecting Ice Heart Valley with the world outside, but now, even that had been taken over. It was evident that Ice Heart Valley's situation was dire.

Half a year had passed since the occupation took place.

It was only because of Ice Heart Valley's powerful Sect Defending Array that it could survive until now.

"Seeking Passion Sect and Ice Heart Valley are both top Sects of the Northern Territory, and they're about equal in power. If it was not for some unresolvable conflict, they could not possibly start a war. Tian He, do you know what the cause of all this is?" Yang Kai asked grimly.

"At first, no one had any clues," said Shi Tian He, "Only later did there start to be rumours, saying that Seeking Passion Sect was so determined to wage war because Feng Xuan's son, Feng Xi, was killed by someone while in the Shattered Star Sea."

Ji Yao laughed coldly, "His skills were lacking, leading to his death. Was Feng Xi's killer a disciple of Ice Heart Valley?"

Shi Tian He shook her head, "No, I heard that he was killed by a man named Yang Kai! Because this Yang Kai seemed to have a close relationship with the Ancestral Founder, the only way for Feng Xuan to learn about Yang Kai's background and seek his trail was to pressure Ancestral Founder. But Ancestral Founder refused to tell him anything, so Feng Xuan's anger boiled over and he was even willing to start a war between the two Sects to take revenge for his son."

"Yang Kai…" Ji Yao frowned, vaguely sensing that the name was rather familiar.

Yang Kai saw that something was off about her expression and hurriedly changed the topic as he wiped cold sweat from his brow, "Seeking Passion Sect may be strong, but Feng Xuan is only a Third-Order Emperor Realm Master. How can he alone drive Ice Heart Valley into such a situation?"

Shi Tian He shook her head, "I don't know the specifics, I only know that Ice Heart Valley is on the brink of disaster."

Yang Kai's eyes flashed as he suddenly asked, "Were you leaving the Dong Family and Serenity City because you wanted to return to protect the Sect?"

"Yes!" Said Shi Tian He bitterly, "I may have been expelled from the Sect by my Honoured Master, but ultimately, I am still a disciple of Ice Heart Valley. Now that my Sect is in danger, how can I stand by and do nothing? But the Dong Family didn't want to let me leave, because if my identity as an Ice Heart Valley disciple was exposed, it would undoubtedly implicate the Dong Family as well. Right now, no one in the Northern Territory dares to have anything to do with Ice Heart Valley."

Ji Yao stared at her, stunned for a moment, before she nodded, "Your loyalty is admirable."

She had been full of disappointment earlier, thinking that her Martial Niece Shi Tian He was hopeless. She had such horrible judgment that she got expelled for the sake of a man, only to have that same man expel her from his family a hundred years later.

But now, she thought that her Martial Niece still had some redeeming qualities. At the very least, she had the desire to go back and help when her Sect was in danger. Knowing how dire the situation was, with the Sect on the brink of annihilation, but still boldly and without any hesitation trying to return… That was not something just anyone could do.

Shi Tian He shook her head, "The Sect raised me and educated me. In life, I will belong to Ice Heart Valley, and after I die my ghost will belong to Ice Heart Valley!"

Ji Yao nodded, "Good. With such an attitude, Eldest Senior Sister will surely take you in once more!"

"Really?" Shi Tian He stared at Ji Yao in surprised delight.

Ji Yao gave her a small, rare smile, "Rest assured, if she doesn't take you back, then she's no Eldest Senior Sister of mine."

Shi Tian He was horrified and said quickly, "No, no, Third Martial Aunt, please don't jest!"

"Honoured Master," Ji Yao turned to look at Yang Kai. "Now that the Sect is in danger, we must hurry back! Eldest Senior Sister must be having a hard time holding up the Sect on her own."

Yang Kai gave a nod, "Yes, but first we must get rid of those on our tail. It looks like someone's got their eye on us."

"Hmm?" Hearing this, Ji Yao immediately turned and looked behind them. She saw a few tiny black dots on the horizon which were rapidly flying closer, evidently chasing their group.

Shi Tian He's face turned pale, "Oh no! It must be because we revealed our identities back in Serenity City and someone took notice."

"Tian He, do you know who these people are?" Yang Kai turned and asked calmly.

Shi Tian He's brow furrowed as she replied, "If my guess is correct, then they must be people from Profound Thunder Pavilion."

"Profound Thunder Pavilion…" Yang Kai's mouth rose into a playful smile.

"Serenity City is very closely connected with Profound Thunder Pavilion," said Shi Tian He, "They have a Space Array connecting the two for easy access, and Profound Thunder Pavilion is currently attached to Seeking Passion Sect. Since our identities have been exposed, there's no way Profound Thunder Pavilion will do nothing about it. They must want to capture us to obtain rewards from the Seeking Passion Sect."

"That will depend on whether they have the ability!" Yang Kai laughed coldly, "What's the cultivation of their Pavilion Master?"

"Pavilion Master Bai Yu has reached the Second-Order Emperor Realm!" Shi Tian He's pretty face was grim, "They also have four Elders who are in the First-Order Emperor Realm. With Serenity City's City Lord Yan Dong, that makes five of them. Martial Aunt, we had best hurry and leave."

"Why leave when they've offered themselves up on their own?" Ji Yao glared at her.

Shi Tian He was stunned, wondering how her Third Martial Aunt was so confident. Remembering that the Third Martial Aunt's mind was not in the right state though, she quickly turned to look at Yang Kai for his opinion.

Yang Kai smiled, "Worry not! It's just a few pitiful weaklings."

"Pitiful weaklings…" Shi Tian He was speechless. How could a Second-Order Emperor and five First-Order Emperors be classified as pitiful weaklings?

Did this man also have something wrong in the head like her Third Martial Aunt?

Shi Tian He's mind was full of anxious thoughts, but when she saw that both Yang Kai and Ji Yao looked as calm as a lake, she found herself gradually calming down as well.

Since the moment she had decided to leave Dong Family and return to her Sect to do what little she could, she had been fully prepared for death.

It was entirely possible that she could be killed even before she could return to the Sect; after all, with Ice Heart Valley completely surrounded, she was bound to get attacked the moment she showed her face.

She had already put life and death out of her mind, so what was there left in the world that could make her afraid?

Her only wish was that she could return to the home of her Honoured Master before her death to ask for her Honoured Master's understanding and forgiveness.