Chapter 253: Again

Not mentioning Jiang Yu's group teleportation, suffice it to say that after they left the market town, the Nascent Soul cultivators hiding in the dark also each sought connections to visit Dragon Emperor Island.

Meanwhile, the Golden Core cultivators from various sects preparing to go there privately contacted each other, intending to form small teams.

Deng Yuanwu quickly notified his master to come, saying, "Master, we originally planned to send two people, but Jiang Yu has snatched one away."

He was originally sent in place of his master to gather information; Ye Lian and he were merely used to deceive outsiders, while the ones truly ordered by the sect to teleport to Dragon Emperor Island were two other Golden Core sword cultivators from the sect.

"Jiang Yu again." Ye Xingde, seeing the message and already having white hair, thought for a long time and decided to ask the sect master for a quota.

Sect Master Lin Quan looked at his face, which had aged a few more years, and said, "Are you sure you want to go to an unfamiliar place?"

Afterward, it's impossible for large numbers of people to come from Tian Yuan's side, and it's not like the East Continent where we have disciples stationed.

"Sect Master, I want to go look for an opportunity," Ye Xingde said, a little embarrassed, having applied three times in a row for Nascent Soul Pills without ever succeeding.

Over these years, he even spent ten years traveling the East Continent, and ruthlessly entered Monster Mountain to explore secret realms, yet never found a trace of a Nascent Soul opportunity.

Sect Master Lin Quan pondered for a moment, then said, "Good, I agree."

The person before him, unlike the calm Dao Xu who accepts his impending lifespan's end, cannot be stopped even if he tries: "The teleportation array at that end of Dragon Emperor Island will be discovered and sealed by the other side at any moment."

Moreover, they are constantly in internal turmoil; if discord arises, you should return as quickly as possible.

Ye Xingde knew that this trip would either end with him achieving Nascent Soul or dying in a foreign land; he bowed solemnly and said, "Yes, thank you, Sect Master, for fulfilling this. If I meet with mishap, Red Dragon Valley will be managed by Yuanwu."

"Good." Sect Master Lin Quan nodded inwardly; at last he was not muddle‑headed, for he had initially objected to handing Red Dragon Valley over to the Ye family as inheritance.

After thinking, he added, "There's been an accident at the Spirit Stone Mine; the two originally scheduled for teleportation have been withdrawn."

"Jiang Yu entered Dragon Emperor Island ahead of you, but she has some grudges there; you need not team up with her—just focus on finding your opportunity."

He believed that if trouble arose, Jiang Yu would not seek help from the Ye family, and likewise believed that Ye Xingde's resentment toward Jiang Yu had not faded.

Rather than later having them grudgingly help, it's better to prevent any contact from the start.

Upon hearing this, Ye Xingde thought it would be even better not to stay in touch, but he could not simply agree outright; instead he said, "If she encounters danger and I happen to know about it, I certainly won't stand by and do nothing."

Sect Master Lin Quan heard those words and dismissed them, not believing a single word.

But just as they finished their conversation, Elder Lin Ze, who was guarding the Spirit Stone Mine, sent a message: "After six hours, three of the first ten people's soul lamps have gone out."

Sect Master Lin Quan immediately replied, "I will have the Hall of Souls look after Jiang Yu's soul lamp; you keep watch."

But Elder Lin soon sent another message: "Senior Brother, why don't I go personally check on the next batch?"

"No permission; if you defy orders, I'll spare only your name." Having finally managed to gain two Nascent Soul cultivators, Sect Master Lin Quan would absolutely not let those two novices risk danger.

Elder Lin could only obey the order, while Jiang Yu, after a long teleportation, arrived smoothly.

As the teleportation light faded, everyone present took out moonstone and discovered that this was a very spacious area.

Upon closer inspection, it was an abandoned mine that had been artificially expanded.

On both sides of the array base lay long passages; listening closely, one could hear intermittent dripping water sounds coming from afar.

She quickly took another Calming Spirit Pill at great speed, and saw the three Nascent Soul cultivators without hesitation head into the left passage.

The Nascent Soul cultivators' experience is ample; they might judge the exit's position at a glance.

She and Guo Jue exchanged a glance, wondering whether they should immediately pursue.

While the two hesitated, the four Golden Core demon cultivators accompanying them were sending mental messages to each other:

"What about the first ten people who came?"

"No one stayed behind to receive them; they completely abandoned the task."

"Could something have happened?"

"Let's follow the Nascent Soul cultivators out first."

Once the four had agreed, they completely ignored Jiang Yu and Guo Jue and headed straight for the left passage.

"Let's go take a look," Jiang Yu said, glancing at the right side; she decided to go out and explore first, then return to study.

Guo Jue nodded in agreement, and cautiously released his little snake Bi Luo, saying, "Three Nascent Soul cultivators aren't scary, but we still have to mind our sect."

"But we must guard against those four demon cultivators; they are all late-stage Golden Core."

"Mm." Jiang Yu agreed, also releasing her Jiang Tu and concealing its aura so that no one would notice its dragon bloodline.

The little snake Bi Luo poked its head out and said, "Jiang Tu, you haven't cultivated at all these past few days, right?"

"Now is not the time to talk about that."

"Look, salty wind is being blown in from ahead." Jiang Tu felt the little snake couldn't grasp it.

After passing the dripping stalactites, they immediately sensed a faint wind and quickened their pace.

Before long, they saw a slanted cave mouth through which specks of starlight shone, and the sound of waves was clearly audible.

But the next moment, a huge stone thudded and sealed the exit.

Moreover, the voice of one of the four demon cultivators came through: "You two stay here to receive those coming behind."

"Don't even think about pushing open the stone at the cave mouth; this is the Ten Thousand Demons Sealing Border Formation forged by the four great demon sects, and only a formation plate can open it."

"Remember to report, this is a barren sea island where no grass grows."

"Within a hundred‑li radius, no sea‑demon beasts are seen."

"We will return again in three days." After the other demon cultivator finished speaking, he immediately flew off the island.

Meanwhile, the three Nascent Soul cultivators had already flown off who knows where.

"As expected, the demon cultivators' tactics are petty, but we really have to wait for the next batch." The little snake Bi Luo was even more indignant than Jiang Tu.

"Of course we can't just sit and wait; we must at least try the demon sect's so‑called Ten Thousand Demons Sealing Border Formation."

Jiang Yu and Guo Jue, without a word, unleashed their natal magic treasures—a sword and a bowl—which instantly struck the huge stone.

Clang, thud

The two streaks of spiritual light only produced a faint echo, failing to move the stone, and a sharp demonic sound emanated from its surface.

A stabbing sensation came over them; the two humans and two demons swiftly sealed their ears and consciousness, yet the next moment demonic shadows flickered repeatedly.

Fortunately, the demonic shadows merely floated on the stone surface and did not launch an attack.

"Damn it, if only we had chased out faster." Xiao She Bilu's head buzzed.

Jiang Yu launched another attack, this time switching to the Little Five Thunder Technique; with a Clack! the thunder cluster in her hand struck the stone surface.

Beside them, Guo Jue and Jiang Tu were not willing to fall behind; he released a dantian fire mouth toward the cave entrance.

Demon Shadow is naturally afraid of thunder and fire; in that single strike it emitted piercing shrieks repeatedly, but after two or three breaths, both its silhouette and sound vanished before the eyes.

"Effective, keep it up." Xiao She Bilu was even using idioms now.

But Jiang Tu objected: "No, this is only a fraction of the formation.

After expending effort to break the giant stone, we might still not be able to get out of the Ten Thousand Demons Formation."

Xiao She Bilu didn't believe it: "In just a few dozen breaths, a handful of demon cultivators set up the entire formation?"