Chapter 5: Young Xie Yan

And Yuan Yao continued to immerse herself in cultivation, frantically absorbing the surrounding spiritual energy.

Song Yan was shocked, yet he still reminded: "Junior Sister, slow down, your body can't withstand this."

As a result, he heard the Junior Sister say: "A body that cannot bear power is unworthy to be my body."

Song Yan: "???" Is this still his lazy Junior Sister?

Has the Junior Sister been possessed by some monster?

Along the way, he was repeatedly shocked by the Junior Sister's changes.

When they arrived at Wuduan Senlin, Song Yan still felt somewhat doubtful.

He pulled the Junior Sister and observed her for a while, even using his spiritual sense to examine her body, ensuring she had no issues, before he withdrew his hand with a complex expression.

Beside her, Lu Xiangxiang saw Song Yan and Yuan Yao so close, a faint sour feeling rose in her heart; she sheathed her long sword, then approached Song Yan: "Eldest Senior Brother, let's go in."

Song Yan heard that, but his gaze turned to Yuan Yao.

At this moment, Yuan Yao was observing the Wuduan Senlin before her; this was no ordinary forest—all the spiritual plants before her were silver-gray, and under the sunlight they reflected a faint glow, making the whole forest appear hazy, like a dreamlike scene; though it possessed a unique beauty, it looked as if its life force had been drained.

A gentle breeze brushed by, faintly carrying a hint of bloodiness.

It was too quiet.

This made Yuan Yao feel slightly uneasy.

Lu Xiangxiang saw Song Yan ignoring her, she couldn't help biting her lip, a sense of grievance welled up in her heart; but soon this feeling was replaced by hatred, with a hint of schadenfreude.

Because in their previous life, Song Yan and the others almost suffered total annihilation in the Wuduan Mijing.

If it weren't for Thousand Jade Mountain detecting it in time and rushing into the Wuduan Mijing to rescue them, they would likely have died there.

Lu Xiangxiang lowered her eyes; this time, she would make Song Yan and the others, along with their beloved white moonlight Junior Sister Yuan Yao, all die in the Wuduan Mijing!

Thinking of this, a hint of pleasure spread across Lu Xiangxiang's lips.

The next moment, her smile froze instantly.

"Junior Sister, what are you laughing at?"

Lu Xiangxiang restrained her smile, lifted her gaze and met Yuan Yao's eyes—bright and uncontaminated by any impurity—she calmed herself, gently shook her head, and said, "Nothing."

Yuan Yao asked with a smile: "Junior Sister, could you have come here before?"

"No." Lu Xiangxiang indeed had never come to Wuduan Senlin, but in her previous life she had heard much key information about Wuduan Senlin from Song Yan and the others.

Yuan Yao seemed to recall something: "Right, Junior Sister, where did you come from before you became a disciple?"

Lu Xiangxiang said lightly: "Just from a remote place."

"Oh oh."

At this moment, the voice of the 250 System echoed again in Yuan Yao's sea of consciousness: "【Target: Song Yan, Awakening Value reached 18.】"

Song Yan's expression was now cold, his gaze toward Lu Xiangxiang also distant, because he always felt that Lu Xiangxiang's tone when speaking to Yao Yao carried a hint of condescension.

Clearly Lu Xiangxiang is the Junior Sister; she ought to show Yao Yao some respect.

But she did not.

Song Yan's impression of Lu Xiangxiang is very poor.

Yuan Yao said: "Eldest Senior Brother, should we send a message to Second Senior Sister and the others to ask where they are now?"

"Good." Song Yan nodded and did so.

But the message he sent them received no reply from anyone.

Song Yan guessed: "They must have entered the secret realm. Let's go in and take a look first."

"Good."

The three entered Wuduan Senlin together, but Lu Xiangxiang deliberately slowed her steps, falling behind Yuan Yao and Song Yan.

Yuan Yao noticed this, raised her eyebrows with a smile, then walked up to Lu Xiangxiang's side and put an arm around her shoulders.

Lu Xiangxiang startled.

Only Yuan Yao's voice was heard: "Junior Sister, now I am your Senior Sister; I will surely protect you well. Walk with me, and we can also enhance our feelings."

"Not needed…" Lu Xiangxiang's expression turned slightly cold, but before she could finish, Yuan Yao's voice sounded again.

"Eldest Senior Brother, stand behind us and properly protect our Junior Sister!"

Song Yan heard that, about to speak but stopped, when he saw Yuan Yao give him a look.

Song Yan: "……"

He silently walked to stand behind them.

Lu Xiangxiang's complexion shifted; she looked at Yuan Yao with suspicion and uncertainty.

Could she know what I'm thinking?!

No matter how she looked, she couldn't detect anything odd about Yuan Yao.

Lu Xiangxiang gritted her teeth: "We don't know the way; perhaps Eldest Senior Brother should lead."

Yuan Yao said: "Eldest Senior Brother doesn't know the way either."

Song Yan, who was about to speak, heard this and swallowed his words again.

Lu Xiangxiang held back a breath in her heart, yet she could not turn hostile at this moment.

As they ventured deeper into Wuduan Senlin, Lu Xiangxiang's expression also tightened, for she knew a terrifying monster would appear in the forest.

With her current strength, she could hardly oppose it, so she intended to walk behind Song Yan and the others.

Suddenly, Yuan Yao faintly sensed a surging surge of power.

She instinctively looked upward.

"Be careful!" Song Yan also sensed something; his expression changed drastically, he quickly condensed spiritual power to entwine Yuan Yao and Lu Xiangxiang, pushing them backward.

Boom——

A violent explosion rang out; not far away, the silver trees were shattered in an instant, with a "crack" a deep sword mark like a fissure spread across the ground in an instant!

A fierce wind rose suddenly, silver-gray leaves fluttered, sand and stones flew.

"Xie Yan, don't even think of escaping!" A deep middle-aged man's voice boomed like thunder.

Yuan Yao and Lu Xiangxiang, who were being protected behind Song Yan, almost simultaneously looked up.

Not far above, the white-clad youth held his sword horizontally before his eyes, his gaze revealing an icy killing intent; he wore a black ghost-face mask on his face, mysterious and dangerous, and at his waist hung a smooth, emerald-green jade gourd.

His hair ends were blown by the wind, mixed with a few strands of red.

"Xie Yan?!" Lu Xiangxiang exclaimed in shock.

How did he appear in the Ninth Province?!

Lu Xiangxiang recalled what had happened in her previous life, her breathing grew rapid, and the fear in her eyes as she looked at Xie Yan was evident.

He's a pervert, a lunatic!

The white-clad youth heard the sound and turned his gaze toward the direction of Song Yan and his companions.

Song Yan's face showed vigilance.

Lu Xiangxiang's expression could not hide her fear.

【Target person: Xie Yan, Awakening Value -100.】

Yuan Yao: "???"

How can there be a negative number?!

The youth's gaze unconsciously lingered on the white-clad maiden with her high ponytail; her look at him held a strange, subtle quality, as if… she despised him.

Xie Yan pressed the corner of his lips, "Tsk, a little trash of Qi Refining Ninth Layer."

His clear, cold voice carried a hint of laziness.

"Get lost."

Having said that, he raised his sword to meet the middle-aged man's attack.

Boom——

The terrifying aura of the Nascent Soul stage spread instantly, the sounds of 'crack-crack' as trees were torn and broken rang out.

Yuan Yao and her companions had no time to react before being flung to the ground by this powerful impact.