What was her judgment?
Wu Yu was full of guilt towards her. Unless she asked something of him that could not be done, he would have no objection against anything she laid upon him. He owed it to her.
The entirety of Shushan was more silent than it had never been before. They were all waiting for Nangong Wei to speak.
And she was still struggling with herself.
The tens of thousands of disciples did not dare speak. They were afraid that in the instant they spoke, they would not be able to hear Nangong Wei's words.
To kill, or not to kill?
More than 30 breaths' of time had passed, and still Nangong Wei did not answer.
The longer it dragged on, the more agonizing it was.
"Wei Er, settle things once and for all so that you don't leave any inner demons." The Mizar Sword Immortal looked at his only daughter indulgently.
"Sister Nangong, if you let this ingrate live, he will only cause you endless heartache. Why not let me finish this speck of dust off for you?" Beishan Mo urged wildly.
Wu Yu said nothing.
In the silence, Shen Xingyao suddenly spoke up from nearby. "I feel that, according to Shushan rules, Wu Yu actually simply became friends with a demon. This is not a sin that calls for death, isn't it...."
He had not thought that someone would speak up on his behalf at this point.
The Galaxy Sword Sage, Shen Xingyao. Wu Yu suddenly remembered. The only brother and sister that treated him well in the entirety of Shushan.
Of course, there was still Baili Feihong and some others who were not bad.
But at this time, Shen Xingyao's words held no weight. Only the Mizar Sword Immortal's did, and he would listen to Nangong Wei.
However, at this time, an elder with swan-white hair and a boyish face materialized beside Shen Xingyao. Despite the paleness of his hair, the old man's features were flushed with health, and he did not show the slightest trace of age. He wore a long, white robe, and his long robe was adorned with many constellations that stretched out like a galaxy.
His sudden appearance had not been signaled at all, but he suddenly became the center of attention.
"Master." Shen Xingyao gave a silent bow.
It was the third Sword Immortal of the Seven Immortals of Shushan - the Ursae Sword Immortal.
And also Shen Xingyao's master.
The Ursae Sword Immortal's sudden appearance triggered a huge stir amongst the tens of thousands of Shushan disciples. They hurriedly knelt, making obeisance to this legendary figure. To them, the chances of seeing the Seven Immortals of Shushan were very slim, and to be able to see two of them at once was a rare sight indeed!
Why had he come....
Even Wu Yu's spirit faltered at this turn of events.
The Seven Immortals of Shushan were arranged by their might. This Ursae Sword Immortal was undoubtedly the third strongest person in Shushan, and above the Mizar Sword Immortal.
The Ursae Sword Immortal's voice was reedy. After he appeared, he said, "Mizar, this is a small matter. Why do you have to blow it up? Outsiders will laugh at our Shushan."
The Mizar Sword Immortal was not very happy, and not at all pleased with his appearance. He replied, "Indeed, it is a small matter. Except that it concerns my daughter, and you not at all. How is this your quarrel?"
The Ursae Sword Immortal looked at Wu Yu and said, "I'll speak truthfully. I see that this child has a very high level of awareness, and bade Xingyao take good care of him. I was intending to accept him as disciple when he reached the Violet Kingdom of the Inner Sea Realm, but now this has happened."
Wu Yu was thunderstruck.
The crowd was in an uproar.
Wu Yu finally now knew why Shen Xingyao had always watched over him, although he had never accepted him as a disciple.... It was because the Ursae Sword Immortal had favored him.
If he could become the Ursae Sword Immortal's disciple, just like Shen Xingyao, then his status within Shushan would be eminent indeed. Although he could not possibly compare with Nangong Wei or Beishan Mo, he would still be one of the elites, and also of a status to match Nangong Wei's.
However, it was too late now.
Not even the Mizar Sword Immortal had anticipated the Ursae Sword Immortal's words. Wu Yu's talent was indeed exceptional, much like Shen Xingyao's own youthful days. But with Nangong Wei and Beishan Mo nearby, his shine had been overshadowed. Given his level, it was indeed understandable that one of the Seven Immortals of Shushan had come to take him as their disciple.
Ursae Sword Immortal.
Wu Yu met his gaze, and felt a benign quality. Shushan was not a complete wash. A few people still favored him.
And this smiling Ursae Sword Immortal was one of them.
He had originally thought that Shen Xingyu was going to accept him as his disciple, and then later discovered Shen Xingyao, and now finally Shen Xingyao's master himself, the Ursae Sword Immortal. It was all too miraculous.
The Mizar Sword Immortal roared in laughter. "You heard it for yourself just now. This Wu Yu is best friends with the son of Ying Huang himself. And he even harbors the belief that the demons are kindly. This person has no roots in our Shushan. You want to take him as your disciple? I object. More, the rest of Shushan will also object. And They will not agree either."
"They" naturally referred to the other Seven Immortals of Shushan.
If the Ursae Sword Immortal had said that he would accept Wu Yu as his disciple a few days ago, that would naturally be cause for celebration. But it was too late now. Just as the Mizar Sword Immortal had said, the entirety of Shushan could no longer accept Wu Yu.
Even if he was the Ursae Sword Immortal, he could not act rashly.
However, the Ursae Sword Immortal still smiled. He said, "Don't be hasty. After being through this turn of events, I know that this kid has had his own transformation, and I have laid to rest thoughts of accepting him as my disciple. However, he was so close to having the relationship of master and disciple with me. I forbid you from killing him today. According to the rules of Shushan, his crime does not deserve death. Take his Disciple Amulet and cast him from the Shushan Immortal Sect. He will not be allowed one foot within Shushan in this life."
It was true, they had almost been master and disciple.
Wu Yu had not expected that the Ursae Sword Immortal would appear. His fate had been awaiting judgment by Nangong Wei's hands, and everyone had been waiting on her decision.
With the Ursae Sword Immortal appearing, it seemed like he would not die. Instead, he would be cast from the sect and abandoned, just like Feng Xueya. Doomed to never set foot in Shushan....
After the Ursae Sword Immortal spoke, there was still discontent and grumbling, although it was much softer now. Instead, it was Nangong Wei who faltered. She was a martial cultivator of the Violet Kingdom of the Inner Sea Realm, but she almost fainted.
"Cast out from Shushan. Go. I never wish to see you again." Finally, Nangong Wei bit her red lips. She waved him off from the embrace of the Mizar Sword Immortal. These words had cost her every bit of strength she had.
Both the Ursae Sword Immortal and Nangong Wei had laid their judgment. Basically, it was equivalent to two sword immortals decreeing the stripping of Wu Yu's status as a Shushan disciple.
"It won't do! Third Master, if Wu Yu is set free today, he will definitely return for revenge in the future! He was one of ours, a Shushan disciple. If set free, he will disgrace our name!" Beishan Mo was still unsatisfied. He had already worked himself up to kill Wu Yu. Who would have thought that this guy would actually rise from the ashes? He truly did not feel safe if Wu Yu was not dead.
Ursae Sword Immortal looked at him dispassionately. "Little Mo, your composure has been slipping. The majesty of Shushan fears this Wu Yu?"
"Um." Beishan Mo could only hold back his hatred and nodded. Perhaps the Green Depths Sword Emperor had not made his presence felt recently. After all, he was still young, and prone to rashness.
The judgment had been laid.
But there was still one last question in Wu Yu's heart.
If the Ursae Sword Immortal had not appeared, would Nangong Wei have decided to kill him?
This was something that he would never know.
"Scram!" the Mizar Sword Immortal bellowed. He directly shattered the Disciple Amulet in Wu Yu's body and sent him flying. He tumbled over and over within the Mortal Arena. As he crawled to his feet, his mouth was full of fresh blood, his internal organs ruptured.
"Scram!" Beishan Mo jeered.
"Scram! Scram! Scram!"
"Your Disciple Amulet has already disappeared. From today onwards, you, Wu Yu, are no longer a Shushan disciple. From hereon, you have no relation to Shushan!"
"Never allowed a step within Shushan forever!"
"You're not allowed to call yourself a Shushan disciple outside! Or we will never let you off!"
"Wu Yu, scram!"
In that moment, thousands took up the cry of anger.
Wu Yu's gaze swept across the many faces, and the dao of his heart only grew more resolute.
"Even if the world stands against me, still I will walk this path!"
That he did not die today only meant a new life!
Even if all the Shushan disciples felt that he had betrayed Shushan, had turned his back on Shushan, had let Shushan down, Wu Yu did not think so. He alone knew that all he had let down was Nangong Wei.
That slap from Mizar Sword Immortal!
The countless gazes of hate!
The endless flurry of "scram," as though they wished to blast Wu Yu out of Shushan with the fury of their voices alone.
Amongst which, the Lunar Flower Sword Sage and the Distant Fire Sword Sage had venomous looks.
Today, they were not happy that Wu Yu would live....
"Wu Yu, if you do not scram at this very moment, and stay another moment, I will waste you!" Beishan Mo bawled. He had won today, and so he spoke with a smirk.
"Scram!"
This word "scram" continued to ring in his ears. He would never forget it.
No matter how many years later, Wu Yu would not forget it. On this Mortal Arena in the Common Sword Domain, so many had told him to scram.
Shushan would not accept demons, and would not accept Wu Yu.
Wu Yu had come from no history, but his ability had surged forth. He had even implicated Nangong Wei, and naturally irked jealousy. For those like Beishan Mo, who had the Seven Immortals of Shushan behind him, his status was unshakable, and naturally no one dared to direct their envy his way.
Wu Yu's hate for Shushan ran deep.
This was the world of sword cultivators, not his world.
Of course, he would remember the benevolence of some. This Ursae Sword Immortal, Shen Xingyao, Shen Xingyu, Baili Feihong, etc....
The one he found hardest to leave was Nangong Wei.
But right now, she too wished for him to leave Shushan for good, and never see him again. For him to disappear completely from her world.
Perhaps this was the best conclusion for the two!
"Many years from now, you will rejoice that you left her, Wu Yu. You should understand that loneliness is normal on the path to immortalhood. Only one in 10,000 have the chance to find their true dao companion, to be of the same heart and dao, to live and die together. And Nangong Wei is not the person you are looking for."
Even Ming Long had begun to comfort him.
"Why are you still here?" The Mizar Sword Immortal held his daughter, not allowing her to see Wu Yu again.
Wu Yu wiped the fresh blood from his mouth. He half knelt behind Nangong Wei, and silently pulled out the Cloudless Day's Sunwheel Sword, the Moon Waltzing Clear Sky Sword, and the Nine-Directional Demon Imprisonment Column.
All his immortal treasures, arrayed before him.
And the sword cores that he had earned at Shushan. All the things that should be returned, he would not hold on to them.
"I owe you too much in this life. This is all that I can offer. For the rest, I will pay you with pain."
He raised the Moon Waltzing Clear Sky Sword.
Nangong Wei's back was turned. She was silent.
Wu Yu's hand rose and fell, riddling his body with deep furrows of blood.
Finally, he stood teetering, his face ashen. The ground was showered with his blood.
"May I never again let you down."
He stood arduously and turned, leaving the Mortal Arena step by painful step.
Beneath his feet, all was blood.