After Old Man Gu Qiong had sworn a blood oath, he drained the spirit wine in his cup in one gulp, then rose proudly, as though a thousand-pound burden had been lifted from his shoulders!
Hao Yue Jushi showed no hesitation either. He likewise knelt, raised his wine cup, and swore to the heavens, "This junior, Hao Yue, swears before Senior Xiao and our Dao Ancestor of the Dao Sect that from this day and this moment onward, this junior shall no longer distinguish between the Dao Alliance and the Heavenly Alliance, nor shall this junior ever rashly raise the flames of war between the Heavenly Alliance and the Dao Alliance. From this day forward, my Heavenly Alliance is willing to join hands with the Dao Alliance once more, to face one another openly with the affection of brothers, and together survive this great tribulation of Heaven and Earth! Should this junior violate this oath..."
Hao Yue Jushi's words differed little from Old Man Gu Qiong's, save for a slight change in tone. Once the blood oath was formed, he too drained the spirit wine!
Perhaps True Person Ji Yan and the other cultivators of the Dao Alliance and Heavenly Alliance did not stand as high or see as far as Xiao Hua, but Xiyue's death had shown them the necessity of reconciliation. Thus, none of them hesitated. They all knelt, swore their oaths, and drank their wine. Only Yang Xia was somewhat different: instead of Dao Venerable and Dao Sect, he used Dao Master! Xiao Hua understood at once upon hearing it, yet asked no further questions. When everyone finally rose, Xiao Hua picked up his wine cup again, knelt toward the heavens, and said, "This junior, Xiao Hua, once again kowtows in thanks for the blessings bestowed by