Chapter 406

Soon, Xiao Zhufeng, Dongfangxiu, Ao Jiayu, Xu Jing, and Sang Bai successfully reached the top of the city wall.

Ao Jiayu, upon reaching the top of the city wall, set down Sang Bai, who had been on his back.

Sang Bai's body bore multiple puncture wounds, his white robes stained red with blood.

At this moment, Sang Bai's face was deathly pale; barely conscious, he took out a sixth-grade Healing Wound Pill from his storage space and swallowed it.

Ao Jiayu skillfully staunched his bleeding and bandaged him.

At this moment, Yuan Yao came to Ao Jiayu's side and asked, "Fellow Daoist Ao, what did you just experience in the Ruined City?"

Ao Jiayu lifted his gaze and saw her holding such a dazzling night pearl; he instinctively closed his eyes.

Ao Jiayu said directly, "There are things beneath the Ruined City; when on the ground they have substance, but once they leave the ground they become like shadows, attacking us. Their attack speed is extremely fast."

Upon hearing this, everyone's faces grew even more solemn.

Ao Jiayu said to Yuan Yao, "Thank you."

Yuan Yao blinked slightly, then smiled and said, "No need for thanks."

At this moment, Xiao Zhufeng, Dongfangxiu, and Yu Jing also thanked Yuan Yao, knowing that without her night pearl as a beacon they would have kept wandering back and forth in the Ruined City.

Yu Jing also hadn't expected to meet Yuan Yao again under such circumstances.

Meanwhile, Xiao Zhufeng did not recognize Yuan Yao and Cang Li.

Dongfangxiu still held a doubtful attitude.

After scanning the crowd, Yuan Yao asked in a low voice, "Have you seen the disciple of the Formless Immortal Venerable, Lu Xiang?"

Everyone shook their heads.

Among the crowd were several young cultivators who were disciples of the Heaven One Sect; they said, "We were originally together with Junior Sister Lu, but after something attacked us, we got separated from her."

"Lu Xiang couldn't possibly have already..." someone gasped.

Everyone began to suspect.

Yuan Yao's heart sank; she knew the female lead, Lu Xiangxiang, would not die. So she must be hiding herself.

Lu Xiang should be very familiar with this Ruined City.

A young cultivator, looking anxious, said, "What should we do now? Do we have to wait until dawn?"

"Yeah, what should we do now..."

Many people whispered among themselves.

Yuan Yao said nothing, turning her head she inadvertently glanced at Xie Yan, their eyes meeting briefly.

Yuan Yao looked toward the other side of the city wall: a sea of fire.

Blazing flames raged, sending wave after wave of heat.

Yuan Yao's gaze slowly rose, landing on a distant towering cliff; atop the cliff lay the Heavenly Fire Wasteland.

At this moment the cliff was shrouded in thick smoke, making it impossible to see what lay beyond.

Suddenly, Xiao Zhufeng spoke up, "Do we have to keep waiting?"

Cang Li reached out and patted Xiao Zhufeng's shoulder, saying, "Exactly. Do you really want to be the one who sticks his neck out? You'd better not."

Xiao Zhufeng's brows furrowed slightly as he looked at the overly familiar gold-robed youth beside him.

"Who are you?"

"I am known as the Golden Young Master."

Xiao Zhufeng frowned, "Do we know each other?"

Cang Li said, "Um, we don't."

Xiao Zhufeng pushed away the arm resting on his shoulder and coldly said, "Then please conduct yourself properly."

Cang Li: "......"

Seeing this, Yuan Yao almost couldn't hold back a laugh; she lightly coughed and said, "Let's wait and see."

After she said that, no one voiced any objection.

Everyone remained quietly on top of the city wall.

After about three hours, a glimmer of light finally appeared in the sky above the Heavenly Fire Secret Realm.

"The sun has come out!" someone exclaimed happily.

"Quick, look—the fire here seems to be weakening!"

Bian Chen said, "It seems the two sides separated by this wall must have some connection."

The clouds and mist filling the sky gradually receded, revealing the sun in full.

And the sea of fire on the other side of the wall completely died down, leaving only ash where the flowers, grasses, and trees once stood.

As far as the eye could see, the ground was pitch black.

Suddenly, Jiang Xiao looked at Yuan Yao and asked, "Do you still have any signal flares on you?"

Yuan Yao replied, "None left."

"I'll give you a few signal flares." Jiang Xiao took three signal flares from his storage space and tossed them to Yuan Yao.

Yuan Yao instinctively caught them.

She looked at Jiang Xiao with some puzzlement, thinking to herself, "Could he have recognized my identity again?"

"Why..."

Before Yuan Yao could finish speaking, they saw the yellow-clad youth wearing a rabbit-smiling mask leap down toward the Ruined City, quickly heading for its center.

Seeing this, many young cultivators also leapt down one after another.

At this moment, Yuan Yao also realized that Jiang Xiao giving her signal flares was for his own sake.

By firing the signal flares, she could also point the way for him.

Qian Yunzhou smiled and said, "Xiao Liu, where do you want to go? I can accompany you."

Yuan Yao heard Cang Li's voice in the Sea of Knowledge: "Does Qian Yunzhou know your identity?"

Yuan Yao replied, "He guessed it."

Cang Li, after hearing, looked at Qian Yunzhou with a wary expression, shielded Yuan Yao behind him, and said to Qian Yunzhou, "No need to trouble yourself; my younger sister only needs me to accompany her."

Qian Yunzhou slightly raised an eyebrow, "Is that so? Then it's truly a pity."

Not far away, Feng Xuanji seemed to sense something, turned her head toward the boy beside her; his brow ridge was high, his profile almost perfect, his black eyes were clear and cold, his lips untainted yet crimson, appearing unlike an ordinary mortal.

She asked softly, "Junior brother, are you feeling unwell?"

The boy replied lightly, "No."

Bian Chen's expression grew solemn, a few waves of unease rose in his heart; he looked at the boy and said, "Xie Zixu, do you think we should enter the Ruined City now?"

Xie Zixu lowered his gaze, "Wait a moment."

"What are you waiting for?" Bai Zhuxing's doll‑like face showed confusion; he frowned and said, "Fifth Senior Brother, with our abilities we have nothing to fear!"

Xie Zixu rolled his eyes and gave him a casual glance.

Bai Zhuxing was instantly rendered speechless.

Bai Zhuxing and Yan Yunlan usually act lawlessly, yet the ones they fear most are neither their own master nor Eldest Senior Brother Bian Chen, but Fifth Senior Brother Xie Zixu.

Because Fifth Senior Brother exerts an overwhelming sense of oppression on them.

Their fear comes from the heart.

Within the Peerless Seven Pride, Eldest Senior Brother Bian Chen has the best relationship with Fifth Senior Brother, and only he is unafraid of him.

Clearly, their ages differ little from Fifth Senior Brother's.

Xie Zixu is seventeen years old.

Bai Zhuxing and Yan Yunlan are both sixteen.

Eldest Senior Brother Bian Chen is twenty‑two, Second Senior Sister Feng Xuanji is nineteen.

Nearby, not far away, Yuan Yao said to her own Third Senior Brother, "I want to go over there and take a look."

The place Yuan Yao pointed to was exactly where the sea of fire had been, also the spot where she was first transported here.

"Fine." Cang Li had no objection.

Qian Yunzhou sighed softly, "What a pity, we are on different paths."

After a brief pause, his tone indulgent, he said to Yuan Yao, "Xiao Liu, we'll meet later."

Cang Li suddenly broke out in gooseflesh, an alarm rang in his mind; this Qian Yunzhou must harbor ulterior motives toward his junior sister!

He asked through clenched teeth, "Qian Yunzhou, how old are you?"

Qian Yunzhou's expression stiffened slightly, "Why do you ask that?"