Chapter 151: Direct

But once a few people regained mobility, Qi Haohao immediately went to desperately look for Senior Brother Xing.

Unfortunately, two fists could not match four hands; whether it was Min Chi Yuan or Cheng Zigu, they all helped Senior Brother Xing suppress her.

After only a few words, she was pinned at the neck by three long swords, "Jiang Yu, help me once!"

"Split up to find the few who were sent back; meet at the Heavenly King Temple in fifteen minutes." Jiang Yu, fearing the people in the temple might change their minds, urged everyone to act.

Then she signaled the senior sisters with a look, paying no attention to those internal troublemakers.

Cheng Ziyi watched Jiang Yu and the other Heavenly Origin cultivators leave, while several Eastern Continent cultivators quickly followed.

He also immediately sheathed his sword, "Fellow cultivators, whatever it is, we'll discuss it after we get out of here."

"You wouldn't actually intend to kill Fellow Cultivator Qi, would you?" He would pick a spot with no outsiders for a killing.

The situation outweighed the person; at this moment Qi Haohao also spoke softly: "Senior Brother Xing, our Qi family indeed went to the western bank to search for Xuantang Xingjun's cave residence, but we did not kill any descendants of the Xun clan."

Until today, I didn't even know you were a descendant of the Xun family.

But when the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect was founded, many Cloud Mist disciples joined; within the sect, aside from a few who held grudges against the Cloud Mist Sect, there was no systematic extermination…

"You, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, understand nothing; the Hong and Mo families have always been engaged in pursuit and killing.

Given your temperament, today you must already know my identity, making survival unnecessary." Senior Brother Xing pressed his hand down, and a streak of blood instantly appeared on the sword blade.

Cheng Zigu hurriedly stopped him: "Senior Brother Xing, your grudges have nothing to do with me; I don't want to go back and be hunted by the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect.

And don't forget, you two have already taken vows here and entered the wedding chamber; Min, please advise."

Meanwhile, Jiang Yu and the others had reached the village center; just as they were about to split up to gather people in the village, a glance back showed that several of Qi Haohao's followers were not in sight.

Although the young monk Guo Jue didn't know what grudges those people held, he couldn't help asking, "They won't kill her, will they?"

"No." Jiang Yu replied confidently, unless Senior Brother Xing also killed Ouyang Nian and the other two.

It now appears that the Cheng‑surname individuals and Xing and Min are mostly descendants of the Cloud Mist Immortal Sect.

And the facts indeed matched her expectations; when their group of ten rushed to the Heavenly King Temple, Senior Brother Xing also chased after Qi Haohao.

The three of them formed a group, quickly entered villagers' homes to seize people; after a chaotic half hour of feathers flying and dogs barking, they finally carried away the still‑unconscious few.

Those villagers who had temporarily organized to chase were again overturned by Jiang Yu's tear‑inducing pill explosion, and the reinforcements that arrived later hesitated, unwilling to pursue further.

This allowed Jiang Yu and the others to smoothly reach the Heavenly King Temple at the village entrance; the cultivators who were carried back also quickly regained consciousness after eating the blue fruit.

Jiang Yu couldn't push the door open, so she pounded it hard: "Senior, here are the spiritual stones and dragon tears for you; can we now leave?"

With a clang, the temple doors swung wide open, "First, release the hundred spiritual stones."

The group followed Jiang Yu into the temple; the doors closed silently. While everyone remained cautious, she swiftly produced a hundred premium spiritual stones, prompting most to think: where did she mine those spirit ores?

Xia Bing scanned the crowd's expressions, "I hope that after we leave, and without mentioning dragon tears, each of you must return the purchased spiritual stones to my junior sister."

The Heavenly Origin cultivators all voiced agreement, but among the Eastern Continent cultivators, someone was reluctant, "Fellow cultivator, we don't have premium spiritual stones."

"Mid‑grade stones are acceptable, at a rate of one premium for a hundred mid‑grade.

If needed, low‑grade stones are also fine. That's the normal exchange rate, but essentially no one foolishly trades premium for mid‑grade; Xia Bing doesn't truly need many."

Deng Yuanwu added, "We are twenty in total, each with at most a thousand mid‑grade spiritual stones."

"Those unwilling to part with them may find another way on their own."

"Can we exchange with spirit materials? Until we find spirit herbs…"

"As long as it's spiritual stones."

"But we don't have that many spiritual stones on us."

"Write an IOU." Deng Yuanwu immediately took paper and pen from his storage ring; he has been training abroad for years, always wearing a storage ring that doesn't require spiritual awareness to control.

He refused the pills because he understood their importance to cultivators and didn't want to pressure anyone.

Some cultivators tried to speak up, but were silenced by a kick from those beside them.

When Jiang Yu inserted all the spiritual stones into the nine tree roots, everyone's spiritual energy instantly recovered.

Again, Jiang Yu produced another hundred premium spiritual stones, which were instantly swept away by wind‑splitting flying vines; they stopped chattering and swiftly transferred some of their pills and artifacts from their storage bags.

Deng Yuanwu and Xia Bing each demanded spiritual stones, taking as many as they could; any shortfall required an IOU.

When Guo Ye handed over his spiritual stones, he saw Jiang Yu produce a dragon tear and couldn't help sending a voice message to junior brother Guo Jue.

Jiang Yu knew Guo Ye possessed a dragon tear, but she couldn't ask him for it because she couldn't explain why she knew; "Senior, I only have one dragon tear now; once we leave the village, I will definitely find another for you."

"No need, just give the one the young monk handed over." A soft voice sounded as the vines swayed toward Guo Ye.

Everyone's gazes turned in unison; Guo Ye blushed inexplicably, but after a glance with Guo Jue, he produced the dragon tear he had picked up.

The vines unceremoniously swept away the two dragon tears, and an instant gale whipped, tossing everyone present into disarray.

Even thick protective aura shards cracked and shattered in the biting wind‑blade.

Jiang Yu felt a wave of dizziness, her vision blurred, and heard the repeated splash of water.

As she, despite the discomfort, burst from the water's depths, countless arrows rained down like a celestial maiden scattering blossoms.

Fortunately at that moment, her spiritual energy was not sealed; a single water veil technique blocked the sharp arrows.

She heard frantic shouts nearby, "The water monster is emerging again, fire quickly, fire!"

Jiang Tu's voice also rang out, "Turns out they're just some first‑ or second‑rank fish demons."

Jiang Yu leapt up, intending to sword‑slash the beast, but someone moved faster than her.

It was Xia Bing and the other cultivators; blades of sword and knife flashed in unison, and in less than a single round, the water surface was littered with floating corpses.

Not only fish demons, but also water snakes, toads, and other beasts.

Seeing them die beyond recovery, Jiang Yu vaulted onto the shore, looking toward the dozens of stunned villagers of all ages in the distance.

Other cultivators, after hurling fireballs and incinerating the beasts, also rushed ashore.

"Yao yao yao… the monster turned human!" In the distant crowd, someone, frightened, babbled incoherently, while most turned toward the village chief.

The leading robust village chief, brave, turned back to soothe the villagers, then clasped his fists and said, "Thank you all for your help."

"No need to thank us. May I ask if this place connects to an entrance of the desert?" Xia Bing responded without hesitation.

The cultivators of Dongzhou frowned; they hadn't expected that a moment's hesitation would have them taken under a Tianyuan cultivator's command.

The village chief was startled: "We don't have a desert here."

"Then what way can we leave San Shui Village? We are outsiders, guided here by the immortal of the Heavenly King Temple to find a path." Jiang Yu simply stated it outright, to avoid speculation.

As soon as she finished speaking, the villagers buzzed into discussion—legends, the Tianwang of Ermu Village, but none of it was useful.