Chapter 35

Jiang Yu did not answer immediately, but looked toward the open doorway where two disciples, badly injured by the demon fox, lay.

"Just go look around, see if there are any other sixth‑rank demon beasts; the blue‑eyed golden‑eyed fox usually stays in the desert, so it shouldn't appear in our realm."

"We have already notified the sect; Elder Jie Dan will arrive soon," Xia Bing gave her a calming pill.

Jiang Yu thought for a moment, "Senior Uncle, the elders' escape speed is extremely fast; why not wait a little longer?"

"Of course, if you wish to investigate, the disciples will take Jiang Tu and go at the risk of their lives."

Xia Bing's expression lingered, "You, a little chain‑Qi, are you going to be a hindrance?" "It's not that exaggerated; if we don't actively attack the demon fox, it also won't …"

Her words were cut off as Jiang Yu looked up at the few dunspeed lights forming a formation in the air; on that flying sword, a Foundation Establishment practitioner was covering a severed‑arm wound, surrounded by several chain‑Qi clusters of varying injuries.

When they entered the array, the sword‑wielding Foundation Establishment practitioner shouted urgently, "Is there any Core Formation cultivator who has practiced the Divine Consciousness technique? Come quickly to help with pulse connection."

Connecting tendons and pulses is delicate work; only Core Formation cultivators with strong Divine Consciousness can do it better.

"Senior Sister Xia Shijie, come over a moment," someone with a solemn face signaled to Xia Bing.

As she left, Junior Sister Bai approached, "Senior Sister Jiang, how dare you refuse Senior Uncle?"

"Aren't you afraid you'll get the short end of the stick later?"

"Junior Sister Bai, I didn't refuse," Jiang Yu stepped back, instantly putting three chi between herself and her, then moved to the outer edge of the formation to study the seal.

Junior Sister Bai's eyes flicked, she was about to head toward Senior Sister Ye Lian, but the latter moved away even faster, going to find Jiang Yu instead.

She couldn't help but feel surprised; wasn't it rumored that these two had a clash when they first entered the sect and never spoke again?

"Senior Brother Fan …" she turned to the other teammate, discovering that he was already seated in meditation.

Meanwhile, Ye Lian said to Jiang Yu, "Thank you just now."

"Thank me?" Jiang Yu was puzzled.

"If you hadn't discovered the demon fox, the duel wouldn't have ended."

When the duel was called to stop, someone struck my heel with spiritual power, and I was about to be hit by masked Senior Uncle to have my bamboo token taken.

The owner of that spiritual power had already sensed something off about the attack and was eliminating the opponent early.

If nothing goes wrong, the remaining four of us will form another group," Ye Lian guessed who it was, and after speaking, turned and left.

Little Turtle Jiang Tu commented, "Nonsensical words— is she trying to sow discord?"

"Maybe it's genuine gratitude?" Jiang Yu didn't think Ye Lian would lie on purpose, "Regardless, there are dozens of competitors."

Before this departure, there were ten squads that came to the Thousand Bamboo Forest, each with seven or eight people, but only half have returned now.

Fortunately, not long after, more and more chain‑Qi cultivators and bamboo farmers were being brought back, including many seriously injured.

Someone began to argue, not knowing who started, accusing, "They say Jiang Yu was the first to spot the demon fox; she didn't alert the sixth‑rank demon fox, how could so many be injured."

"Where is she?"

"There, strolling in the courtyard, she hasn't even thought of helping everyone with healing."

"Go find her."

The agitators chattered, but someone also mentioned, "We have found the mission of the Thousand Bamboo Forest being destroyed."

Yet that voice was quickly drowned out as the Foundation Establishment leaders silently watched without intervening.

A moment later, indeed three or five people, having been eliminated and injured, approached Jiang Yu, "Are you Jiang Yu?"

"Yes, seniors, what's the matter?" Jiang Yu had already deduced that the defensive array was a Six‑Water, Yi‑Wood formation.

One of them asked, "Why did you go and disturb the sixth‑rank demon fox?"

"Did you think it wouldn't report to the senior uncles?"

"Look at now, it is hurting people everywhere."

"You seem unharmed, but you've caused us all trouble."

"Junior Sister, you led the beasts to attack; we covered the disaster for you, why can't you spare a pill to help your fellow sect members?"

Jiang Yu's eyes turned cold: "Senior brother, your words make no sense."

Earlier I heard the senior uncles say you encountered two fifth‑rank golden‑back mantises.

"May I ask, what do those two have to do with the sixth‑rank demon fox? Did you see the demon fox and fight it?"

Although she and Jiang Tu were far from that bamboo hut, they had continuously heard snippets of conversation; the bamboo forest still harbored two fifth‑rank golden‑back mantises and a recently bitten fourth‑rank thousand‑leg centipede.

It must have been the masked man conducting a surprise raid in the bamboo forest; the clamor of duels and exploding spirit talismans disturbed those beasts.

The thousand‑leg centipede, burnt to a husk, was likely done by the sixth‑rank demon fox.

In other words, the demon fox, while fleeing, happened to encounter Jiang Yu.

But the others behind only a few saw the blue‑eyed golden‑eyed fox darting in the bamboo forest, never engaging it directly; its escape speed was too fast for any Foundation Establishment to catch.

When a few asked her, they exchanged glances and said, "Junior Sister Jiang, perhaps you saw a golden‑back mantis."

"Senior Uncle Xia." Jiang Yu didn't intend to continue the discussion, and raised her voice to call out.

Xia Bing stepped out of the bamboo hut, scanning the few people before Jiang Yu, "Because you rescued those under attack, and a Foundation Establishment lost an arm while fiercely protecting you, have any of you ever produced a pill?"

The few immediately fell silent and slunk away in shame.

Xia Bing looked at Jiang Yu again, transmitting, "Elder Hu is coming personally, and he asked to borrow Jiang Tu."

"Do not say anything else in front of the elder."

"Understood." Jiang Yu was determined to go together.

In the evening, the bamboo hut crowded with over two hundred people welcomed Elder Hu Lingzhang (Master Hu).

She said nothing, only gestured to Jiang Yu and extended her hand, "I also brought another sixth‑rank spirit beast from the sect for Jiang Tu to find with."

Xia Bing truly feared Jiang Yu would ask to go together, but she underestimated the junior disciple's resolve; she immediately demanded to stay by the elder's side, and Elder Hu surprisingly agreed.

A group of cultivators watched Elder Hu depart before daring to discuss, remarking that Jiang Yu still had face in front of Elder Hu.

"Don't you find it odd, that a fifth‑ or sixth‑rank elder, already in the later Core Formation stage, personally intervenes?"

"Probably they don't want any Foundation Establishment to get injured again."

Today, anyone who meets a five‑rank golden‑back mantis is injured, and those two's whereabouts remain unknown.

But the six‑rank demon fox is the real focus; don't forget it has a special talent.

"I hope Elder Hu can quickly secure the six‑rank; only when we search for the two five‑rank tomorrow will we be without worries."

On this side, Zhenren Hu, sword in hand, arrived above the bamboo forest and said to Jiang Yu, "Do you know why I came?"

Jiang Yu thought and said, "Jade‑eyed golden‑eye foxes mostly live in the north‑western desert region, are fire‑element, and excel at ore‑seeking.

It may have discovered some mineral vein nearby."

"Hmm, a few years ago a Foundation‑stage demonic cultivator of the Heavenly Demon Sect kept a particularly spirited five‑rank jade‑eyed fox.

I suppose it now also has a six‑rank, and although the spiritual veins in my southwestern lands are not obvious, there are indeed some mineral veins." Elder Hu, upon receiving the information, met with a few senior brothers.

The previous discovery of a small teleportation array and this finding of the fox are no coincidence; we must confirm whether this fox has a contract with a human cultivator.

If so, the Heavenly Demon Sect's secret placement of the teleportation array was done for the mineral vein.

Hmph, our own mineral resources can't be let others steal.

But within a radius of ten thousand li, what mineral veins remain undiscovered?

"We'll stay up here and wait, letting Jiang Tu and the six‑rank swift‑wind wolf go down to search for a while," Zhenren Hu decided outright.

He also gave her a teleportation jade token, saying, "If a Foundation‑stage demonic cultivator appears, you must quickly retreat to protect yourself."

"Elder, don't you think I might accidentally be teleported into some mineral vein?" Jiang Yu couldn't help but wonder.