Chapter 38: It

As the mist in the mountains grew thicker, the previously scattered demonic seeds began to gather.

Master Wang’s sword strikes burned his palms raw; he could only curse angrily, while Ji You finally regained his breath and rose, leaning on his sword.

“We have to break out.”

“There are too many—if we can’t break out, we’ll be trapped to death.”

Ji You sheathed his remaining two swords, hefting his main weapon: “Form a column. You and I lead the way; the rest form a tight circle back-to-back. These demons aren’t strong—just numerous. There’s a chance.”

Master Wang looked at the surrounding disciples: “There’s no other choice.”

“Move out!”

Ji You flooded his longsword with spiritual energy, gathering it in his palm until a sharp, resonant sword cry rang out—his blade pierced the air and cut through a swath of demons.

This sight mirrored the moment they first entered the mountains, when a long gap had been torn through the dense mass of demonic seeds.

“Your turn.”

“?”

Master Wang swung his sword wildly: “What? Just one strike? You’re already done?”

Ji You slashed like chopping vegetables: “I’m charging up.”

After the spiritual spring shattered, Ji You no longer needed spiritual essence—he could gather spiritual energy simply through his breath, recovering at an astonishing speed.

But that one strike had drained nearly all his reserves, so he needed time to recover—and during that interval, Master Wang had to hold the line.

As the saying goes, a great student reflects a great master; Ji You had full confidence in Wang Xin’an’s swordplay.

He was only an outer courtyard instructor not because he lacked ability, but because no one practiced martial arts.

Yet hearing Ji You had rested again, Master Wang felt numb.

No wonder that last strike was so fierce—he used all his spiritual energy. How long was he supposed to hold out? Until the grass on his grave grew three zhang tall?

At that moment, Ji You gripped his sword again: “I’m ready. My turn.”

“You recovered that fast?!”

“Then maybe you can hold on a bit longer?”

“No no, you go—you go!”

Beneath the night sky, just as the breakout team’s advance had slowed, another piercing sword cry rang out ahead—another massive gap opened.

Ji You knew Master Wang was strong and durable, so he abandoned basic attacks entirely, becoming a living weapon-release device.

Only this way could they break through.

Master Wang, deeply shaken, said nothing—he raised his sword and took the front.

He had said before: anyone could learn martial techniques, but transforming them into martial Dao required combat awareness.

Ji You’s sword wasn’t powerful because of its sophistication, but because of how it was used.

Fuck, we’re screwed.

Master Wang had a premonition: after tonight, the Sword Trial Forest would be even more crowded, and his job would never be fun again.

Meanwhile, atop the cloud-choked peak, a black-robed elder and a young man with a long knife at his waist had been preparing to leave—but now they halted, staring in stunned silence.

The demonic seeds, brimming with malevolence, were deep black; gathered together, they formed a vast, suffocating darkness.

The Tian Shu Academy’s column, like a long dragon, pressed forward relentlessly—each time they neared exhaustion, another piercing sword cry rang out, slicing through with sword qi.

In the end, they truly escaped unscathed, driving all the demonic seeds back to the edge of Wanzhuo Mountain.

“Let’s go. Our goal is achieved. Don’t stir up more trouble.”

“No. Kill him.”

“The three overseers we lured away are almost back!”

“There’s one opportunity. Tian Shu Academy is a crucial step—but an unexpected person keeps interfering. We won’t rest easy until he’s dead.”

The young man with the knife moved to stop him—but the black-robed elder lunged out himself, reaching toward the white surge within the darkness, and a bolt of lightning struck the ground.

Fuck, have I made any vows lately?

Ji You had fully charged—but seeing the heavenly lightning hurtling toward him, he gasped and raised his sword to block it.

The gap between the Upper Five Realms and Lower Three Realms was absolute—this single bolt of thunder could kill outright.

Spiritual energy was insulating—but the lightning soon breached it. Ji You summoned a second sword; the two blades collided, diverting the lightning, then he slammed his sword into the earth—the massive lightning surged underground.

Seeing this, Master Wang went numb. The disciples behind him went numb. The black-robed elder in the air went numb.

Simultaneously, the three overseers and inner courtyard disciples racing back through the night all went numb.

It’s physics. I added physics.

Ji You looked up and saw the black-robed figure retreat swiftly after his failed strike.

The three overseers moved to pursue—but suddenly, a crushing pressure descended from the heavens, snatching the black-robed elder away in an instant, leaving no trace.

Seeing this, the three overseers were shaken to their core—they dared not pursue, frozen in place.

Then they heard a chorus of shouts—and looked down to see demonic seeds pouring down the slope.

Instantly, they summoned the giant flying swords they’d ridden in on, slamming them straight into the cliffside to block the tide.

With the crisis over, everyone turned to Ji You.

That black-robed figure had clearly been a Completion of the Fusion Dao Realm—two full realms above the peak of the Lower Three Realms.

Even martial arts dual cultivators might be invincible within the same realm—but how could anyone survive a direct hit from a Fusion Dao Realm attack, unscathed?

“You… you blocked a lightning technique with your body?”

“No. It was Mother Earth.”

Ji You licked his dry lips, pulled a cold, hard object from his robe, and under the moonlight saw it was a stone carved with an unknown pattern.

Master Wang blinked: “What’s this?”

“It fell off one of the demonic seeds. I grabbed it when I had a chance.”

“Why did you keep it?”

Ji You scratched his head, sounding regretful: “I figured ‘ancient ruins’ has ‘ancient’ in the name—there must be antiques inside. Maybe I could sell it for cash.”

Master Wang’s eyes widened: “Even in a life-or-death moment, you didn’t forget to make money?”

“A person needs dreams. Who knows? Maybe one will come true.”

At that moment, Overseer Qin suddenly landed from the air, took the stone from Ji You’s hand, and examined it for a long while.

Overseer Ji and Overseer Lang also approached, and upon seeing the object, furrowed their brows deeply.

If they guessed right, this was a shard of tile from an ancient ruin—likely carried out by a demonic seed when it left its tomb.

They had always assumed demonic seeds lost vitality if they strayed too far from the ruins—but now it seemed that rule had changed.

Otherwise, they couldn’t explain why so many demonic seeds appeared near Wanzhuo Mountain, where no major ruins existed.

“Overseer Qin.”

“Hmm?”

Master Wang took a breath: “Have you found the Yu Danzong disciples?”

Overseer Qin shook his head: “They’re missing. They didn’t kill or rob—looks like the alchemists were the target.”

At that moment, everyone sensed spiritual energy approaching from Shengjing—it was several disciples who had remained at the academy.

As they landed, Overseer Qin felt a bad premonition.

“What happened?”

“Hongshan Spirit Mine was attacked by demonic seeds. Green Willow Manor was attacked by demonic seeds.”

Overseer Qin clenched his brows: “Someone’s getting impatient.”

(End of Chapter)