Chapter 1107 – Heroic Sacrifice
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In most sects, it wasn’t clear just who had a greater standing between the Highest Elders and the Sect Master. This would have to depend on one’s prestige and strength. In Carefree Island, White Brook’s prestige was much greater than Xiao Skywhite’s. After all, there was the tremendous difference in their age.
In truth, one could also see this from how high each peak was that everyone was sitting at. The Highest Elders occupied the highest mountain peaks, and Xiao Skywhite’s mountain peak was several degrees lower. As for the Great Elder and the inner court Elders, they sat at even lower spots.
“It is returned; not a gift.” Xiao Skywhite corrected White Brook’s words.
“Whether it is returning or giving, none of that matters.” White Brook casually said. He completely ignored the fact that the Ten Severing Dao Fruit Tree didn’t belong to Carefree Island to begin with.
“All that’s important is who the Ten Severing Dao Fruit Tree will belong to in the end. Mirrorjade has a 60-70% chance of returning triumphantly. Even if most of the forces cannot return, as long as he returns safely, he will bring a profit of 70-80 billion or even 100 billion violet sun stones to the sect! He might even cause tremendous losses to the forces of the Occult Bone Clan and Splintersoul Mountain! Of course, there is also a chance that the direct disciples of my Carefree Island will suffer great losses, but that is unimportant. After the tides wash away the sands, that is when the true gems will emerge. Those that live through this life or death battle will definitely soar into the heavens and become dragons in the future!
“With the support of a massive amount of resources coupled with victory in this war, this is the best opportunity for my Carefree Island to rise! And at this time, you actually want to bow and hand over the Ten Severing Dao Fruit Tree that has stabilized the destiny of my sect for such a long time? Have you gone daft? Without the Ten Severing Dao Fruit Tree, Carefree Island will be an Azure Dragon with a broken horn. How can we possibly become a true Holy Land!?”
White Brook coldly humphed as he spoke to here.
Xiao Skywhite frowned, not saying anything. At this time, Xiao Haogan’s true essence sound transmission sounded out in White Brook’s ears. “Honorable Master does not need to worry about this. Lin Ming is currently participating in the mission into the Red Desolate Mystic Realm; it’s unknown whether or not he’ll suffer an accident or encounter some sort of misfortune. If Lin Ming heroically sacrifices himself for Carefree Island, we can only pay tribute to him and give him a suitable funeral.”
Xiao Haogan sinisterly smiled as he spoke. He could see that White Mirrorjade had the intention of killing Lin Ming, and this trip into the Red Desolate Mystic Realm was the best chance to do so.
“Oh? You’ve made arrangements?” White Brook could understand the meaning behind Xiao Haogan’s words. Towards his disciple, White Brook didn’t need to have any scruples. Moreover, with his status as a Highest Elder, he also didn’t need to care about a junior.
“Although I didn’t arrange anything, Mirrorjade is an extremely intelligent boy. He doesn’t need me to point out what he needs to do this time. For this boy to dare enter the Red Desolate Mystic Realm, that is simply asking to die. Killing him in the Red Desolate Mystic Realm shouldn’t be too difficult. Once that boy is slain, we will be able to keep the Ten Severing Dao Fruit Tree!”
“Mm, you’ve done well in this. With Mirrorjade’s strength and methods, killing Lin Ming should be easy. Moreover, as the commander of this mission he might not even need to do anything himself…” White Brook slightly nodded. At this time, the world around them suddenly trembled and a portal appeared in the air. With a flash of white light, a thin old man appeared from a transmission array. This was Carefree Island’s Elder who was specifically tasked with passing information, Bairong. Everything that happened within the Red Desolate Mystic Realm was first reported to him.
The transmission array entrance into the Red Desolate Mystic Realm wasn’t too far away from Carefree Palace. After he obtained the information he immediately headed over to Carefree Palace.
The many Elders present suddenly stood up as they saw this old man. “Elder Bairong, have the disciples already been transmitted through?”
Although the Elders present were confident in White Mirrorjade, this war was far too important for them all. They couldn’t help but be worried that there would be some accident that occurred.
“Bairong, how many people survived? What is the situation like?”
Bairong said, “Reporting to the Highest Elder, they’ve managed to return in triumph. However… of the over 100 direct disciples that went, less than 40 returned…”
“Less than 40 people…” White Brook sighed. “They were all outstanding disciples raised by my Carefree Island. They originally had a bright and glorious future awaiting them, but now their bones are buried in the endless blood sands. What a pity, what a pity! However… this is already an extremely good result. It seems that this war was able to be smoothly concluded. Quickly order White Mirrorjade and Ye Rosewater to bring all the disciples who entered the Red Desolate Mystic Realm to Carefree Palace! These are heroes of Carefree Island and they must be generously rewarded!”
“This…” Bairong had a dim and somber expression on his face as he spoke.
“Mm? What’s wrong?” White Brook’s eyebrows shot up. And beside him, Xiao Skywhite also stood up straight, his eyes widened. He had an extremely unlucky premonition in his heart. “Have the peak disciples had an accident?”
“Yes…” Bairong nodded.
As Bairong spoke, not only did Great Elder Xiao Haogan not worry, but he instead confidently stroked his beard. He was well aware of just how strong White Mirrorjade was. Even the combined late Divine Sea geniuses of Splintersoul Mountain and the Occult Bone Clan wouldn’t be able to stop him. Thus, he didn’t worry that White Mirrorjade would suffer an accident. That meant that if there was a peak disciple who died in combat, it could be imagined just who it was.
Xiao Haogan smugly glanced over at White Brook and said with a true essence sound transmission, “Honorable Master, how about it? I said that Mirrorjade would be able to deal with that boy secretly.”
“Mm, well done.” White Brook knowingly smiled as he sent a true essence sound transmission. “It indeed isn’t difficult for Mirrorjade to accomplish this. Your arrangements have done quite well this time. I will record this merit and later –”
However, before White Brook could finish speaking, Bairong’s next sentence caused him to swallow the rest of his words.
Bairong said, “Reporting to Island Master, after this trip into the Red Desolate Mystic Realm, direct disciple White Mirrorjade has not emerged. He should… have heroically sacrificed himself.”
“What! What did you say!?” White Brook nearly bit down on his own tongue. He suddenly stood up, his eyes blazing at Bairong, “Say that again!”
Besides White Brook, Great Elder Xiao Haogan was also dumbfounded. White Mirrorjade should have been able to escape even if he was besieged by three or four late Divine Sea masters from the Occult Bone Clan and Splintersoul Mountain; he should even have been able to retreat against their complete forces. Out of all the junior powerhouses that Carefree Island sent in, White Mirrorjade was the strongest and also had the greatest chances of successfully fleeing. Yet, he had actually died in the Red Desolate Mystic Realm!
If nearly all of the disciples of Carefree Island were annihilated with less than 10 remaining, then Xiao Haogan would have thought that there was some tremendous accident in the Red Desolate Mystic Realm. If White Mirrorjade had been a casualty then, Xiao Haogan would have been barely able to accept that fact. But now, with around 40 people surviving, White Mirrorjade had still died. This was simply unbelievable!
If it was anyone’s turn to die, it still wouldn’t be his turn. Could he have been plotted against by someone, or was there something else going on?
All of the other Elders were also immediately shocked before they all began to talk simultaneously. Even Island Master Xiao Skywhite didn’t react for some time. White Mirrorjade had nearly been unanimously chosen as the candidate to be the next Island Master. Whether it was in terms of individual strength, talent, mentality, or even the lucky chances he experienced, he far surpassed his peers. The only other possibility of him not becoming an Island Master was if another genius appeared in the next several thousand years who surpassed White Mirrorjade. However, the chances of that happening weren’t too great.
“Of the peak disciples, only White Mirrorjade died? What about Ye Rosewater? Lin Ming?” Xiao Skywhite anxiously asked. If White Mirrorjade died, then Ye Rosewater was the next greatest junior of the direct disciples; her importance could be imagined. As for Lin Ming, he was the successor that Mo Riverbliss had personally chosen for the Verdant Feather Holy Lands; he was even more important.
The losses would be serious if either of these two people died.
“They… are safe!” As Bairong spoke to here, he showed a happy expression. But as Great Elder Xiao Haogan saw this, he nearly dry heaved with madness.
“How is this possible!? How could Lin Ming possibly be safe!?”
He looked at White Brook and White Brook also looked at him. As the two stared at each other, Xiao Haogan could clearly see the anger burning in White Brook’s eyes, making his heart skip a beat.
“Tell me what’s going on here! Didn’t you say that you had arranged everything? Why would Mirrorjade die but Lin Ming still be alive!?”
“I… I don’t know.” Xiao Haogan couldn’t even cry at this time. The results were completely different from his expectations!
White Mirrorjade was from the same lineage as Highest Elder White Brook; both of them were from Carefree Island’s White Family. The two were distantly related as nephew and uncle separated by many generations. Although the two weren’t close, White Mirrorjade still offered the highest chance of someone from the White Family succeeding the position of Island Master. With so many benefits mixed up between White Brook and the White Family, White Mirrorjade’s status was extremely important.
“Hurry up and summon Ye Rosewater to Carefree Palace! I must know just how Mirrorjade died!” White Brook’s voice was gloomy, a volcano that could erupt at any moment. The genius that his family had raised with such care and effort had actually perished in the Red Desolate Mystic Realm. His mood could be imagined.
“Reporting to Highest Elder, Ye Rosewater is already hurrying here.” Bairong said, not daring to meet White Brook’s heated gaze.
The Red Desolate Mystic Realm’s transmission array was at the seabed close to Carefree Island. After making some slight adjustments, Ye Rosewater, Lin Ming, and the others soon caught up. Soon, the transmission array into the closed space and time within Carefree Palace began to light up.
The first to appear were Lin Ming and Ye Rosewater, followed by several of Ye Rosewater’s most trusted subordinates. Under Ye Rosewater’s arrangements, those disciples that bore a grudge against Lin Ming hadn’t come.
The eyes of all the Elders fell onto Ye Rosewater.
“Ye Rosewater!” White Brook immediately flew down from the mountain peak he was on, floating just 30 feet away from Ye Rosewater.
“Disciple reporting.”
“Tell me, just how did White Mirrorjade die and who killed him?” White Brook said, his eyes fierce and swift. He subtly emitted his aura, causing Ye Rosewater to feel an enormous pressure.
Lin Ming stood silently near Ye Rosewater. The truth was that the pressure he was withstanding was even greater than Ye Rosewater. White Brook’s aura was aimed at him, and not only was there White Brook, but Great Elder Xiao Haogan was also aiming his eyes on Lin Ming, his vision sharp like sabers.
“Reporting to Highest Elder, about this battle, it is an extremely long story. This disciple has already written a combat report jade slip. I ask Highest Elder to please look over it.”
As Ye Rosewater spoke, she shot out a jade slip towards each Elder. These were all written by Xiao Raingem.
Ye Rosewater understood that at this time, White Brook only wanted to know who killed White Mirrorjade. If she directly said that it was Lin Ming, then perhaps he might not listen to any sort of reasoning or explanation. If that happened, the result could be imagined. Thus, sending out these jade slips was the wisest choice.
Even so, as Ye Rosewater saw White Brook have such a great reaction, she also felt nervous for Lin Ming.