Chapter 482: Are There Any Normal People in This Group?

Senior Brother Chen and Senior Sister Ning walked in front; Senior Brother Chen turned his head from time to time, his gaze sweeping over everyone one by one, a meaningful smile on his lips.

Yan Keling had never seen such a strange Senior Brother Chen.

Behind them, the Group Leader, Dharma Master Tongdeng, Little Master Xuanzhen, and Senior Sister Wu were silent, occasionally exchanging glances as if communicating something in secret; whenever Senior Brother Chen looked toward them, they would subconsciously avoid his gaze.

When had these people ever been like this?

The Group Leader had an extraordinary bearing as a descendant of the Imperial Family; Dharma Master Tongdeng was a monastic, open and upright; Little Master Xuanzhen was calm and easygoing, always maintaining a good state of mind...

The last one, Senior Sister Wu, was even more incredible; a metal mask covered her entire face, hiding even her eyes—was she afraid of being seen by others?

Yan Keling's heart grew increasingly heavy.

Grandmother Senior Sister walked at the back...

She followed the group mechanically, her expression dazed, stumbling from time to time and nearly falling.

When had Grandmother Senior Sister ever been like this?

When Yan Keling first met her, she was already a Fifth Stage powerhouse; she had heard that some time ago she had already reached the mid-to-late Eighth Stage. After cultivating in Nanzhou for more than ten days, the two types of Divine Power complementing each other in her body meant she was likely already at the Eighth Stage Late Phase.

Eighth Stage Late Phase, and she couldn't even walk steadily?

Yan Keling quietly looked at Jiang Lai and slightly modified her Spiritual Sound Projection; the Spirit Power that originally rippled out like sound waves instantly became directional, forming the most rudimentary, unencrypted Sound Transmission Technique.

"Brother Jiang, something is very wrong."

Jiang Lai looked at her and nodded silently.

As a crude martial artist, Brother Jiang had been taught the Spiritual Sound Projection for a long time by everyone before, so he naturally did not possess this skill.

"I now strongly suspect that, like the locals of Nanzhou, they appear to be themselves, but in reality, they are no longer themselves."

Jiang Lai remained silent and nodded quietly again.

Having received validation, Yan Keling felt her conjecture was even more correct; her expression grew heavier, her brain became active, and she said in a low voice:

"If this is true, then it is too terrifying!

"Let me analyze this...

"This is the Shengzu Secret Realm. Logically speaking, Shengzu would not set up measures to harm his descendants. The other Square Bodies do not have them, so this Square Body naturally should not either.

"But this Square Body is also very special and cannot be analyzed by common logic.

"First, it is located in Nanzhou, so there is a possibility: this Forbidden Seal was indeed set by Shengzu, originally intended for the locals of Nanzhou.

"Second, because it is located in Nanzhou, perhaps Shengzu did not set any Forbidden Seal back then, but it has been in Nanzhou for thousands of years, and on this side, it is possible that the otherworldly power of Nanzhou has unknowingly invaded the Mijing, causing this city to become very dangerous.

"As for why we are fine?

"It might be the merit of the wish-granting dragon, because only the two of us made wishes, which is equivalent to having a connection with the dragon. The dragon possesses extraordinary Divine Power, so suppressing the otherworldly power of Nanzhou should not be a problem.

"It could also be completely random, and the two of us just have better luck."

Jiang Lai pursed his lips tightly and followed the group.

Just now, Brother Chen had turned his head to look at everyone again, which immediately made him vigilant and his scalp tingle—having spent five full years in university with Brother Chen, no one knew better than him how terrifying Brother Chen was.

Not just his martial prowess, but his intellect as well.

It was not until Brother Chen smiled strangely and withdrew his gaze that he nodded imperceptibly and cast a look of reverence toward classmate Yan.

As expected of a top student admitted to Yujing Academy; this intelligence is just different from someone like him who was specially recruited.

Seeing this, Yan Keling continued:

"I don't know what their current condition is or if they still have their sanity, but given their cultivation, if a fight breaks out, the two of us will definitely not be enough to handle it.

"So we had best not be reckless.

"For now, don't even think about running away; I'm afraid that if we run, they will never be saved.

"Let us plan carefully."

Jiang Lai agreed deeply and nodded repeatedly.

Brother Chen had helped him a great deal, and he could not bring himself to abandon Brother Chen no matter what.

"Let me analyze further.

"Among the group members, the ones with the highest cultivation are Senior Brother Chen and Grandmother Senior Sister. It looks like Grandmother Senior Sister is in the worst state, but I believe, on the contrary, that Grandmother Senior Sister might be the one in the best state among them.

"Why?

"First, Senior Brother Chen and the others have already... you know. Senior Brother Chen arrived here days ago and may have already fallen for it. While the others came with us and Grandmother Senior Sister, they fell quickly due to their lower cultivation. Don't look at how dazed Grandmother Senior Sister is now; this might be the result of her brain fighting against that power! She is the only one present who still has a shred of sanity!"

Jiang Lai opened his eyes wide, greatly shocked.

This was the absolute truth.

Chen Shu turned his head and cast a look of gratitude toward Qingqing.

He had almost missed the wonderful mental gymnastics of the muscular girl.

It was just that although this Sound Transmission Technique was primitive and crude—neither encrypted nor having anti-eavesdropping functions—Yan Keling had a very good grasp of Spirit Power; the Spirit Power was almost directed entirely at Jiang Lai with very little leakage, so if one didn't deliberately pay attention, it was impossible to detect.

Thanks to Qingqing's reminder.

Once an anomaly was detected and deliberately captured, such a small trick was no match for a member of the Spirit Sect.

Chen Shu pursed his lips tightly and captured it earnestly.

"Just now, Senior Brother Chen and Senior Sister Ning exchanged a glance again; I don't know what they are planning... Senior Sister Ning is a Secret Sect Practitioner. If she also, um, then our situation will be exceptionally difficult. Fortunately, this is the Shengzu Secret Realm, and many of the Secret Sect's methods are shielded here.

"But even so, we must rescue Grandmother Senior Sister as soon as possible and strive for her help."

Yan Keling pondered for a moment and made a bold decision.

"I'm going to go warn Grandmother Senior Sister."

Jiang Lai cast a "you must be careful" look at her.

Yan Keling gritted her teeth and nodded. With a heavy, nervous, and vigilant heart, she quietly quickened her pace, closed the distance with Zhang Suannai, and poked Zhang Suannai's back with her hand until Zhang Suannai turned her head, facing her with a numb and hollow face.

Yan Keling was secretly surprised.

"Ahem!"

She coughed once to suppress her shock, then feigned concern: "Grandmother Senior Sister, are you alright?"

The few people in front immediately turned their heads and stared at her in unison.

Wow, those eyes are so terrifying!

Yan Keling was startled, yet she still pretended to be casual.

She saw Grandmother Senior Sister looking exhausted, squinting her eyes as if afraid of bright light, frowning and scratching her head: "I... I want to sleep..."

"!"

Yan Keling's heart tightened, but she dared not show it on her face, so she had to say as if nothing were wrong:

"Why are you sleeping in broad daylight?"

"I'm so sleepy..."

"What's wrong with you? Did something go wrong with your cultivation? We're almost back! Hold on, Grandmother Senior Sister! You must hold on! Don't you dare fall asleep!"

"I'm so tired, my head is spinning..."

"Hold on! Sleep when we get back!"

Yan Keling clenched her fists, and seeing that the others had already withdrawn their gazes with strange expressions, she switched her Spiritual Sound Projection to a Sound Transmission Technique; this was the only way she could offer help to Zhang Suannai: "Grandmother Senior Sister, you must stay strong, you have to hold on, nothing can defeat you..."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Suannai was deeply moved.

She hadn't expected that the one to care for her at a time like this would be this muscular girl.

"Mm!"

Zhang Suannai nodded heavily at her.

"Mm!!"

Yan Keling also nodded heavily at her.

At this moment, no more words were needed; everything was understood without being said.

"However..."

Zhang Suannai sensed something was wrong and couldn't help but look at Yan Keling in confusion: "Do you know something?"

"!!!"

This sentence had not been spoken using the Sound Transmission Technique.

Yan Keling's entire body tensed up, on high alert.

Beside her, Jiang Lai also immediately clenched his fists, his entire strength coiled and ready to strike, prepared at any moment to fight the crowd and buy time for Student Yan to escape and report the news to the others still in Nanzhou—facing the enemy head-on in the most dangerous position was, after all, the romance of a Martial Artist.

Sure enough, the others turned their heads at the sound, looking at them with suspicion.

"I don't know anything..."

Yan Keling's voice had even changed: "I just saw that you weren't in a good state and was just comforting you..."

"Oh..."

Zhang Suannai blankly withdrew her gaze.

The others also turned their heads back, looking preoccupied.

"That was close..."

Yan Keling continued to use the Sound Transmission Technique to say to Jiang Lai: "We almost gave ourselves away... No! Look at Senior Brother Chen!"

Both of them glanced at Chen Shu, who was at the very front.

They saw Chen Shu with his back to them, silent, or perhaps he had made a sound but hadn't used Spiritual Sound Projection, so it couldn't be transmitted. But it was clearly visible that his body was already tense, and his upper body was trembling continuously.

It was as if he were suppressing something, about to erupt...

The two looked at each other, feeling a deep sense of foreboding.

Yan Keling said to Jiang Lai: "This is bad, I suspect Senior Brother Chen has already sensed something is wrong; he might be about to make a move on us..."

Jiang Lai silently clenched his fists.

"We can't stay here any longer. Forget it, call Grandmother Senior Sister, let's leave here quickly. We'll get out first to report to the others; it would be best to let the Tribulation-Responding Buddha know what is happening here. Perhaps they can still be saved; otherwise, we might end up buried here too."

Jiang Lai felt that what she said made sense, but he looked left and right—with so many people, how could the two of them possibly retreat unscathed from their hands?

It seemed he would have to stay behind to buy time after all.

Although he had made his decision, for a moment, his mind was filled with the terrifying image of Brother Chen unleashing the Blazing Sun World-Extinguishing Divine Art.

Farewell, Brother Meng.

"Grandmother Senior Sister, shh, don't speak for now," Yan Keling transmitted to Zhang Suannai, "Let's leave here first, just the three of us."

Zhang Suannai turned her head sluggishly.

Yan Keling had expected to spend some effort persuading her, but she didn't expect that after a moment of hesitation, she would nod.

It seemed that the clear-headed side of her mind was still in control for now.

This also indirectly confirmed that her own guess was correct; otherwise, for no reason, why would Grandmother Senior Sister follow her?

"We'll see how things go; if we can reach the exit, we'll run for the exit. If not, we'll run toward the Divine Dragon Hall. I still have two wishes left; I can request the protection of the Wishing Divine Dragon, perhaps that can help us survive this calamity!"

After exchanging glances with Zhang Suannai and Jiang Lai, Yan Keling called out to the few people in front:

"Senior Brother, Senior Sister..."

The group immediately stopped and turned their heads to look at them, all wearing expressions of confusion.

Only Senior Brother Chen had an inscrutable expression.

Yan Keling's nerves were stretched to the limit as she said: "I, I left something behind, could Brother Jiang and Grandmother Senior Sister accompany me to go find it?"

"What thing?"

The group leader's voice was slightly different from usual, sounding somewhat eerie at this very moment.

"It's just..." Yan Keling paused, "Oh my! It's a private matter!"

"Do... do you want us to accompany you?"

"No need."

"You seem... a bit strange?"

"No, I don't!" Yan Keling opened her eyes wide, her features sweet, her face looking as usual, "Anyway, you all go first, we will come to catch up with you very soon."

"Then hurry there and back."

"Alright."

Yan Keling hardened her brow and turned to walk backward.

At this moment, Chen Shu could not help but speak up: "You don't intend to abandon us and leave here alone, do you?"

"!"

Yan Keling's footsteps faltered; she immediately tensed up, rolling her eyes as she exchanged glances with Jiang Lai.

The others, upon hearing this, became even more puzzled, looking at Yan Keling and then at Chen Shu.

"Amitabha, what are you talking about? Why would Benefactor Yan Keling abandon us and leave here alone?" Dharma Master Tongdeng looked puzzled.

"Did something happen?"

Little Master Xuanzhen also asked.

The eyes beneath Wu Eiwei's mask flickered with light.

Yan Keling and Jiang Lai were extremely nervous.

After a brief exchange of glances—

"Split up and run!"

"Whoosh!"

Yan Keling instantly turned into a blurred shadow and rushed into the sky.

Jiang Lai stood where he was, clenching his fists with an expression that said "I'll fight you to the death," turning to stare fixedly at them, but he did not act rashly.

"This?"

The four members of the group were momentarily confused.

Zhang Suannai was also dazed, looking up and staring at Yan Keling.

"Run, you guys!"

Yan Keling circled in the air and flew back, but she dared not get close; from afar, she was sweating profusely with anxiety.

"This is..."

The four were even more bewildered.

Even Chen Shu was left stunned.

Just at this moment—

Jiang Lai seized the opportunity and also shot into the sky, diving into the Divine Dragon Hall together with Yan Keling.

Half a minute later.

Chen Shu, Ning Qing, Zhang Suannai, the Group Leader, Little Master Xuanzhen, Dharma Master Tongdeng, and Wu Eiwei crowded at the entrance of the Divine Dragon Hall, harboring different moods as they watched that figure dressed as a sweet girl standing respectfully beneath the divine dragon, bowing her head to sincerely make a wish:

"I hope the Great Divine Dragon can clear the filth from the bodies of the group of people who came with me and let them regain their normal sanity; if that is not possible, I also hope the Great Divine Dragon can safely send us out of the Mijing."

"The third one."

"Don't let them in!! Protect us!"

"?"

Still led by Chen Shu and Ning Qing, the few of them stepped into the Divine Hall one after another, staring blankly at them.

"What... is going on..."

Little Master Xuanzhen pointed at them and asked.

"Nothing, it's just that these two have somewhat overactive imaginations." Facing the puzzled gazes of the group, Chen Shu's expression was also complex, "They saw that everyone's words and actions were a bit different from before, and coupled with the fact that we are deep in Nanzhou, and that you all disappeared for a period of time, they assumed we had been eroded by some kind of energy, and even performed some very rigorous deduction."

"?"

Question marks appeared over everyone's heads.

"Eh?"

Yan Keling was also stunned for a moment; blocked inside with nowhere to escape, she looked up at the divine dragon, then down at them.

Could it be... that it wasn't?

The group stared at each other with wide eyes.

"Ahem!"

Chen Shu cleared his throat, looking malicious: "This is the time for me to tell you all exactly what is going on..."

More than ten minutes later.

Two more people knew the wishes the five had made.

The five were even more silent.

The good news was that the two people who knew their wishes were no better off—at this moment, one was blushing with shame, not daring to lift her head, while the other seemed to have had her Spirit Soul extracted just like Zhang Suannai, expressionless, eyes hollow, turning into a walking corpse.