Chapter 405

Yuan Yao also noticed the commotion coming from within the ruined city; she tilted her head, looked down, and saw her third senior brother and Xie Zixu almost one after another flashing towards this side.

She felt a surge of joy, raised her hand and waved.

Cang Li and Xie Zixu both saw.

"Junior Brother Xie?!" Feng Xuanji also noticed Xie Zixu, as well as her sixth junior brother Bai Zhuxing and seventh junior sister Yan Yunlan.

At the same time, the sun in the sky was completely swallowed, the ruined city plunged into utter darkness; in stark contrast, on the other side of the city wall lay an endless sea of fire, flames shooting into the heavens.

This side of the ruined city exuded a cold, eerie aura.

The sea of fire side was scorching hot, unbearable.

Just as Cang Li was about to leap and fly onto the city wall, he felt as if a hand had suddenly grabbed his ankle, pulling him downward.

His face changed in shock; he swiftly struck the ground with his palm.

Boom!

A sound rang out, and in that instant, Cang Li felt countless chilling currents converging toward his position.

Cang Li sensed something amiss, immediately summoned a crimson spear, swung it, and used the recoil to leap onto the city wall.

"Be careful!" Yuan Yao, standing atop the city wall, couldn't help but shout when she saw a shadow darting up from beneath Cang Li's feet.

Cang Li had no time to act; his feet were entangled by the shadow and yanked down hard.

At the critical moment, a blade of light flashed forth, severing the black shadow that was dragging Cang Li.

It was that white-clad youth, Xie Zixu!

"Thanks!" Cang Li glanced at Xie Zixu, then headed onto the city wall.

Soon, he arrived atop the city wall.

Close behind were Xie Zixu, Bai Zhuxing, and Yan Yunlan.

Meanwhile, within the ruined city, a portion of young cultivators remained.

Yuan Yao, seeing her third senior brother and Xie Yan successfully ascend, let out a relieved breath.

She quickly went to Cang Li's side, "Third senior brother, are you injured?"

"My ankle hurts a little." Cang Li furrowed his brows, squatted down, lifted his robe, and examined his ankle.

Yuan Yao also squatted down, and upon seeing the purplish-black bruise left on Cang Li's ankle, her expression shifted slightly.

Just as she was about to speak, a shrill wail echoed from the ruined city.

Everyone's attention was instantly drawn to the wail.

Under the dim light, only vague, indistinct shadows could be seen hopping across the ground of the ruined city.

"Someone's still in there!" someone exclaimed at that moment.

The wails and cries for help came intermittently, weighing heavily on everyone's hearts.

Cang Li applied some ointment to his ankle a few times, then stood up.

Yuan Yao also rose, thought of something, produced a night‑pearl the size of a goose egg, and held it high.

In an instant——

White light burst from the night‑pearl, instantly forming a point of light atop the city wall.

Upon seeing the huge night‑pearl in Yuan Yao's hand, everyone was shocked.

Some even harbored covetous thoughts.

Bai Zhuxing, seeing this, asked, "What are you doing?"

Yuan Yao replied, "To show them the way."

Everyone fell silent.

At that moment, Jiang Xiao's eyes narrowed slightly, "What if this draws danger upon us?"

Yuan Yao tilted her head toward Jiang Xiao, "Those things should fear light."

At that moment, a young man with ordinary features showed disapproval, saying, "Your judgment may not be accurate; I advise you to put away this night‑pearl first, lest you invite disaster, and we would be the ones to suffer."

Another echoed, "Exactly— their lives matter, but ours don't?"

Cang Li chuckled, "Your lives are lives, their lives are lives too. As the saying goes, all beings are equal. We do a good deed each day; if you don't like it, just leave. This city wall is long— if you don't want to stay near us, you can go east, west, or even to the ends of the sky."

Many young cultivators were left speechless.

Qian Yunzhou chuckled lightly, "As righteous cultivators, we naturally look out for one another when abroad. Moreover, I naturally trust Sixth Miss."

Upon hearing that, everyone felt a jolt of alarm.

Even Qian Yunzhou stood on Yuan Yao's side, making it awkward for them to oppose each other.

Qian Yunzhou gazed at Yuan Yao, his eyes soft with tenderness.

Suddenly, he sensed a faint trace of killing intent.

The curve of his smile deepened.

Qian Yunzhou turned his head, meeting the cold eyes of the alluring youth.

And just then——

Several figures rapidly approached from that direction.

Among them were Xiao Zhufeng and Dongfangxiu.

As well as Ao Jiayu, the Scarlet Cloud Young Master Sang Bai, and also Yu Jing, whom Yuan Yao had seen in the city carrying a huge heavy sword.

Sang Bai seemed to have suffered a serious injury; his handsome face was devoid of color, his gaze somewhat scattered, and the white robes he wore were stained with blood.

He was carried on Ao Jiayu's back, and they rushed at top speed toward the city wall that emitted light.

Ao Jiayu felt the person on her back, whose breathing grew ever weaker; she was anxious as if on fire, tears in her eyes, and she spoke: "Sang Bai, hold on, I'll take you away from here."

In a half-awake, half-unconscious state, Sang Bai heard Ao Jiayu's voice.

His gaze gradually gained some focus; just as he opened his mouth, blood surged up from his throat and trickled down from the corner of his mouth, "Jiayu, do you hate me?"

Ao Jiayu's expression paused, and she did not answer.

"Jiayu, I'm sorry..."

For some reason, Sang Bai's mind suddenly flashed with memories of the past; he and Jiayu had grown up together, and their families had early on arranged their engagement.

He had thought he would spend the rest of his life with Jiayu, but he instead made an irreparable mistake.

"Jiayu, can you..."

"Impossible!" Ao Jiayu snapped coldly, cutting off his nonsense, "I, Ao Jiayu, will not share a husband with another, and you have no right to make me yield and suffer for you."

"Then why did you save me?"

"Because I don't want to watch you die. If you died, I would feel terrible. I don't want to make myself feel terrible."

Sang Bai knew that what Ao Jiayu said was true.

She did not save him for his sake, but for her own.

Sang Bai felt as if his heart were torn apart, some pain making it hard to breathe.

He self-mockingly said, "You love yourself more than you love me."

Ao Jiayu's expression remained unchanged; she knew Sang Bai held her in his heart, but he had already let himself down, so there was no need to let down Miss Gongliang either.

Just as Ao Jiayu was about to carry Sang Bai up the city wall, a sudden change occurred—

Several indistinct shadows shot toward her feet.

Ao Jiayu's expression shifted slightly.

Just then, a youth in green robes flashed in and swung his sword to cut them down.

Ao Jiayu tilted her head toward the youth in green and said, "Thanks!"

Xiao Zhufeng gave a slight nod.