Chapter 298: Meeting an Old Friend in the Demon-Suppressing City (3000)

Hearing this, Aqing not only felt no disappointment, but vigorously rubbed her face.

She quickly dissolved the Illusion-Form Array.

Her features became much softer than before.

In an instant, the effeminate white-faced young scholar transformed into a lovely and pretty girl.

Xu Qing'er made a face at Shen Yi: "I knew Brother Shen saw through it long ago!"

A Soul Transformation cultivator has the power to protect an entire nation from harm, let alone a mere family.

Brother Shen has the protection of a Golden Body elder, yet he didn't even ask a single question before directly rejecting the offer, which shows he already knows the identity of the faction that wants to harm his family.

Only a celestial sect like Xuan Guang Cave could render even a Golden Body Dharma Image powerless.

"You..."

Xu Wanyun stood there dazedly.

The scene before her completely contradicted the knowledge she had learned from books.

How can cultivators interact with such honesty... and such peace?

However, this did align with the young man's earlier act of casually lifting the Age-Tree Restriction.

"..."

Shen Yi glanced at Aqing and said indifferently, "But I can try. It will still need a little time."

"Then I will follow you all the way." Aqing decisively walked behind him, finally finding an excuse not to go home.

Shen Yi did not refuse; immediately, the two of them turned their gaze to Xu Wanyun.

"What do you mean? Am I an outsider now?"

Xu Wanyun opened her mouth, then gestured with her hand: "What kind of look is that? Why do you look like you think I'm useless? Come on, she is a Pill-Embracing cultivator, while I am a Peak Realm Slain Hunyuan!"

"Oh."

Shen Yi turned away calmly.

Compared to a novice fighter, he needed an encyclopedia more.

Xu Wanyun hadn't actually intended to follow Shen Yi; she just couldn't stand the feeling of being looked down upon, so she subconsciously complained a couple of times.

She sighed helplessly.

It was hard to imagine how she could snatch her niece back from Shen Yi's hands and bring her back to the Xu family.

"Auntie, do you really wish to hide for the rest of your life?"

Aqing poked her head out from behind Shen Yi, her face taking on a serious expression: "We simply did nothing wrong. It is Xuan Guang Cave that betrayed their trust. Why should we suffer imprisonment like criminals... isn't it just because our strength is insufficient?"

"Even if we don't seek revenge, why not just live like normal people?"

Her voice was clear, not in a questioning tone, yet it made Xu Wanyun fall silent immediately.

Her niece's meaning was actually quite clear.

Since the Xu family's strength was insufficient, it was inevitable they would have to attach themselves to another faction.

Coincidentally, Shen Yi also had a grudge against Xuan Guang Cave, and just happened to need the Xu family's skills. Since it was an investment anyway, why not invest in Shen Yi, who appeared to have more chivalrous spirit and righteous bones?

Even if the investment failed, the loss would be nothing more than the two of their lives.

Compared to the many elders who died at the hands of Xuan Guang Cave before, and the future of the entire Xu family, this was simply a bargain too good to pass up.

Xu Wanyun remained silent for a long time, then rolled her eyes at her: "Besides these, do you have no other thoughts? Like not wanting to be dragged back?"

"Uh... hehe."

Aqing pulled her head back in.

"Daoist Shen."

Xu Wanyun seemed to have made a certain decision and clasped her hands, saying: "Actually, if you are looking for a Fiery Qi Spirit Root, why not go to the Thousand Demon Cave to take a look... Those demons and monsters love to guard heavenly treasures and earthly gems, swallowing them whole once they mature. The places where they live are truly where the most fearsome evil cannot be resisted."

Playing it so big?

Shen Yi stopped, slightly surprised.

Only after the other party reminded him did he suddenly realize he was no longer the initial Realm Slain Hunyuan he was when he first left Great Qian.

It was just that the information he had access to was all about the various Demon Emperors.

In reality, even in the Thousand Demon Cave, there were truly only a few dozen Demon Emperors; the remaining hundreds were merely Demon Kings.

"Do you have a way in?" Shen Yi looked at her curiously.

"Of course."

Xu Wanyun smiled confidently, then summoned her flying boat.

Day and night cycled through twenty-six rotations.

The small flying boat wandered east and west among the mountains.

"This time it must be correct."

Xu Wanyun took out a book to compare, then pointed at an ox-head peak: "Look, it says here the mountain is like an ox horn. Isn't it exactly the same as this mountain?"

"..."

Shen Yi nodded expressionlessly.

Even though this was the ninth such peak he had seen.

Aqing sat in the corner of the flying boat, holding three broken flying swords in her hands, with a delicate small furnace placed at her feet refining treasure iron.

Although she was not very skilled in artifact forging, basic repairs were no problem.

Suddenly, the flying boat trembled and began to fall downward, out of control.

She hurriedly put away the small furnace, leaned over the edge of the wooden boat to look down, and saw a city appearing and disappearing amidst the swirling clouds and mist.

Xu Wanyun quietly wiped away a bead of sweat.

Fortunately, after thousands of years, Zhenyao City still stands here.

"There is a flight-prohibiting array here."

She tucked away her wooden boat and descended downward.

The grand city's streets were wide and clean; most passersby walked, but some cultivators rode various strange beasts—thriving with bustle.

The three figures descending from the sky attracted almost no attention.

The few who did merely cast amused glances, as if recalling their own disheveled state when they first arrived at Zhenyao City.

"Zhenyao City is an old name."

"Though the name was never changed, it has lost its original meaning."

Xu Wanyun, as if trying to cover her earlier mistake, quickly explained to Shen Yi: "The reason is that the Thousand Demon Caves grew too powerful, utterly shattering the confidence of human cultivators, forcing them to accept the demons as one of the top factions… no, as the strongest faction."

"You might think the Thousand Demon Caves are just a chaotic gathering of demons."

"In truth, the land they occupy is even more spiritually exquisite than true immortal sects."

Shen Yi listened in silence, meanwhile observing his surroundings.

At that moment, A Qing and Xu Wanyun both halted, curiously gazing ahead.

They were not unique—indeed, everyone along the street had temporarily ceased their conversations.

Ahead of the crowd, a figure wrapped in a cloak walked slowly.

Others all gave way, clearing a path for them.

Only because the cloak was soaked in demonic blood, the black hair fluttered, and the entire body radiated thick malevolent energy.

Tall and slender, the few exposed features carried a chill.

Had the grotesque scars not yet fully healed, she might have been called a celestial beauty.

Wherever she passed, the cultivators beside her flickered with faint admiration.

On this land, those willing to fight and kill were never in short supply—but few returned alive.

At that moment, her steps slightly paused.

But only for an instant—then she passed by the young man in black robes.

"Tsk."

Xu Wanyun involuntarily turned back for another glance, feeling a touch of envy.

The woman was merely a Mid-Realm Slain Hunyuan, yet drew everyone's attention; in contrast, she herself had reached the Ultimate Realm, yet could only hide within arrays, barely surviving.

"What a beautiful sister." A Qing blinked.

"Indeed."

Shen Yi nodded rarely, glancing at the storage pouch now in his hand.

Still stained with damp blood.

He casually pulled out its contents: a transparent six-petaled flower, threaded with crimson veins like blood vessels, adding further malevolence.

"Eek! This is a corrupted mid-grade spiritual root!"

A Qing noticed what Shen Big Brother held.

Though she didn't know why he suddenly pulled out a spiritual root to show off, A Qing still remembered her duty and promptly offered an explanation.

But Shen Yi showed no intention of asking further this time; he simply tucked it into his storage artifact and continued walking forward.

Back when chasing the Mountain Lord, he'd eaten plenty of her offerings.

Who would've thought that now, as a Slain Hunyuan Master, he'd still receive something from Jiang Qiulan—how thoughtful.

Yet he had prepared nothing in return.

Never mind—next time.

…

At the end of the long street.

The woman removed her cloak and paused before a tavern.

Soon, a young man in a loose green robe strolled out slowly: "How was your harvest?"

"No harvest."

Jiang Qiulan's expression was calm; she gave a slight nod: "Thank you for your patience, Elder."

"No matter. I wasn't waiting specifically for you."

The man in green robes shook his wine flask, then stepped toward the city's edge, curiously asking: "What's in your hand?"

Jiang Qiulan looked at the round demonic core in her palm: "Nothing."

"Blood-Transformation Demon Ox?" The youth clicked his tongue, casually extending his palm—where lay a larger core: "I've one of higher realm too."

Hearing this, Jiang Qiulan kept her gaze fixed on her own core, carefully placing it into her storage artifact.

"Boring."

The youth withdrew his gaze; an arcane sword emerged from his sleeve and landed beneath his feet: "I've caused trouble this time; returning empty-handed would be unseemly. I'll give you as a gift to my senior sister. Whether she spares you or not—that's none of my concern."

When they first met, she was grievously wounded, barely clinging to life with her Nascent Soul.

She didn't heal—she was refining a spiritual root.

Her will was unbending; she knew only by breaking through to Mid-Realm Slain Hunyuan could she survive, so she focused entirely on it.

In the end, she truly survived.

I had just lost my only disciple.

Had her cultivation path not clashed with mine, Nie Jun might have considered taking her as a disciple.

"Thank you, Elder."

Jiang Qiulan nodded, summoned her Nascent Soul, and shot upward into the sky.

She wiped the bloodstain from the corner of her lips, her expression still calm.

Nie Jun stood upon a Profound Sword; seeing that the other party would rather endure the hardship than ask him to give her a ride, he shook his head lightly once more.

He made no further demands, but directly soared into the sky on his sword.

Only after the youth had flown far away did Jiang Qiulan quietly turn her head back, looking toward the three figures on the long street.

She pressed her lips together slightly.

All are cultivation, all came from Great Qian, all must guard against the Profound Light Cave.

She hides her name and identity, while he still has a beauty by his side; how very joyful that must be.

Jiang Qiulan helplessly withdrew her gaze, fully exerted her Dao Infant, and sped toward the horizon!

Mount Wutong, True Person Lingxi.

The eldest of the twelve disciples, the senior sister of True Person Profound Sword; it is heard that her examinations are severe, and to become her nominal disciple is even more difficult than breaking through to Soul Transformation.

But, this may be the only chance she has in this life.

It must be grasped well.

(End of this chapter)