Chapter 144: Everything Else is the Same
Chapter 144: Everything Else is the Same
A gentle breeze caressed the mountains and forests, revealing a slender figure in a black robe, blending into the night and standing still on a branch.
Shen Yi's expression remained unchanged, but his heart stirred with a hint of discomfort.
It wasn't because he was leaving Qingzhou alone for the first time after bidding farewell to Xiao Qianwei; he actually preferred acting alone.
His gaze swept across the vast mountain range.
It was as if he was surveying his own territory.
But now, he felt like something had intruded into his domain, and the innate displeasure was subtly affecting his mood.
"Two tigers cannot occupy the same mountain?"
Shen Yi calmed his mind and found a reason for this strange feeling.
He pushed the Turtle Breath Technique to its limits and then fully utilized the Freedom Wind Technique, causing his figure to dissipate into the wind within the forest once more.
Moreover, he harnessed the innate abilities of the Mountain Lord.
Within Stream Platform Mountain, Shen Yi moved as if he were in an uninhabited realm, undetectable by any creature.
Even when intentionally concealing his presence, he approached the core area indicated by Xiao Qianwei with astonishing speed.
Just then, the silver bell at his waist began to tremble slightly.
A woman's voice, extremely serious, emanated from within.
"Stop for a moment, I've noticed something amiss. Give me some time."
Shen Yi furrowed his brows slightly but immediately halted his advance, his figure vanishing silently from its original spot.
He valued the warnings of his colleagues, especially those who had a deep understanding of his strength.
Without further delay, the silver bell conveyed another message.
"I've discovered the traces of a second fully condensed core Mountain Lord!"
Shen Yi raised his eyebrows slightly, recalling the peculiar shift in his emotions earlier.
"The third..."
This time, the message was only half-spoken, accompanied by the sound of rushing wind.
Just as Shen Yi's expression grew grave, another message followed.
"Withdraw from Stream Platform Mountain first. I've been spotted by the Mountain Lord. I'll explain later." Despite her efforts to remain calm, her voice betrayed the disorder in her aura.
Shen Yi's fair face became more impassive as he replied succinctly, "Location."
With only three fully condensed core Mountain Lords, he could at least guarantee Xiao Qianwei's safety, if not the complete annihilation of all three.
He drew his straight Yi saber without hesitation.
Directly harnessing the Celestial Demon Outer Pill, he propelled himself with the Freedom Wind Technique, his speed increasing severalfold, transforming into a crimson-tinged gale as he rushed back the way he came.
The silver bell at his waist fell silent for a long while before chiming again.
The voice was so weak it was barely audible, but the words surprised Shen Yi slightly.
"It's a trap... Come back quickly... I'm safe now... The broken temple on the mountaintop..."
Although the woman sounded like she was hanging on by a thread, her message was intermittent, but this statement was made with absolute certainty, leaving one puzzled.
Shen Yi had returned to the place where they parted ways, sheathed his long saber, and raised his eyebrows slightly.
How could she be safe before he even arrived?
He silently mocked himself, then looked up at the mountaintop.
If it weren't Xiao Qianwei on the other side of the silver bell, he would suspect that she had been captured by a demon, deceiving him into coming here.
In such a vast demon mountain, even he couldn't guarantee 'safety.'
This woman should still be trustworthy.
Shen Yi quickly checked his aura, ensuring no leaks, and kept the Celestial Demon Outer Pill in a state where it could be activated instantly. If danger arose, he could unleash his full strength at the first moment.
Only then did he approach the mountaintop.
...
On the mountaintop, a dilapidated old temple stood.
This was a remnant from when Stream Platform Mountain was still under Qingzhou's jurisdiction, now in a state of utter disrepair, with wind blowing through the gaps, exuding a sense of desolation.
Only half of a divine statue remained, leaning on a broken altar, covered in dust, with no incense burners or offerings, just a pile of withered branches and fallen leaves.
A figure in a black robe sat quietly, her silky hair simply tied at the back, her demeanor serene. Beneath her thick eyelashes, her eyes were calm like a still well.
Her natural face, without a trace of makeup, had perfectly proportioned features. Her skin, as smooth as jade, appeared slightly pale under the glow of the campfire.
Her right palm rested lightly on her knee, and her slender, fair fingers held a wine gourd. Her other hand gently caressed Xiao Qianwei's forehead, smoothing out her messy hair.
Under that white jade-like, clean hand...
Xiao Qianwei's chaotic breath gradually stabilized, and her expression became more tranquil. She had fallen into a baby-like slumber in this Stream Platform Mountain, ravaged by demons.
It seemed that as long as she stayed by this person's side, she felt even safer than in the Qingzhou Demon-Slaying Bureau.
After Xiao Qianwei completely calmed down, the woman in black slightly lifted her gaze, looking outside the ruined temple. Her voice was indifferent, yet it didn't give off an offensive tone.
"Please come in."
As her words fell, only the sound of the breeze could be heard outside.
After a long while, the youth appeared and slowly stepped inside, sitting down in the corner opposite the campfire... He instinctively chose the spot farthest from the woman.
Shen Yi truly disliked getting close to people who made her feel uneasy, but the other party had found her hidden location, and it was unlikely to be a coincidence.
Continuing the stalemate wouldn't serve any purpose.
Inside the ruined temple, it was incredibly quiet, with only the crackling of the campfire breaking the silence.
Neither of them seemed inclined to speak first; the youth closed his eyes to regulate his breathing, while the girl quietly drank her wine.
The pungent aroma of the wine was so strong that it could be smelled even outside the ruined temple.
The clear liquor flowed into her lips, but it didn't change her expression in the slightest. Only her unusually pale skin showed a slight improvement.
When the wine gourd was empty, she set it down and then turned her gaze towards the distant youth, briefly pausing on the ink blade at his waist.
Without staring too long, a hint of reminiscence appeared in her eyes. She slowly withdrew her hand that had been soothing Xiao Qianwei and stood up, politely asking, "I'm going to kill some demons. Do you want to come?"
"What kind of demons?" Shen Yi finally opened her eyes, intrigued.
"A white deer and the Demon Lord it invited to ambush me. I'm not sure how many there are, but there shouldn't be few." The girl stood with her hands by her sides.
"So little information?" Shen Yi also stood up, and the earlier uneasiness finally made sense.
Originally, she had planned to hunt the Mountain Lord, but now it seemed like she had stumbled into another matter.
However, no matter what the situation was, as long as it involved demons, there wasn't much difference.
The only thing she needed to know was whether she had the ability to get involved.
"No information." The girl shook her head, explaining concisely, "Because they should be running away, but they didn't."
They should have fled but didn't, which meant an ambush.
A simple logic.
"You still want to go, knowing this?" Shen Yi looked at her, slightly surprised.
"I know where the Moonshriek Demon King is." The girl extended her palm, and a slender silver needle appeared in it, which she then summoned.
The silver needle slowly hovered in the air, protecting Xiao Qianwei.
The moment it appeared, the entire mountaintop's temperature dropped abruptly. The statue was instantly covered in a thin layer of frost, except for Xiao Qianwei, who remained unaffected.
After doing this, she took a step towards the ruined temple's exit, leaving behind an unfinished sentence.
"As long as it's not there, the rest is the same."
It seemed that her earlier question was just a polite inquiry, and she didn't really care whether the youth came along or not.
(End of Chapter)
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