Chapter 296: A Chance Encounter with an Old Friend in the Demon-Subduing City (3000)
Chapter 296: A Chance Encounter with an Old Friend in the Demon-Subduing City (3000)
Upon hearing this, Ah Qing didn't feel disappointed at all. Instead, she vigorously rubbed her face.
She quickly released the Illusion-Shifting Spell Formation, transforming her features into an even softer and more delicate version of her previous appearance.
The effeminate, pale-faced young scholar instantly became a charming and lovely young lady.
Xu Qing'er stuck her tongue out at Shen Yi, "I knew big brother Shen had already seen through my disguise!"
A Nascent Soul cultivator would have the power to protect an entire nation from harm, let alone a mere family.
The fact that Shen Yi, with his Nascent Soul golden body protected by a senior, didn't even bother to ask a single question before directly rejecting the idea, showed that he was well aware of the identity of the force targeting her family.
Only a celestial sect like the Xuan Guang Cave could render a golden body powerless.
"You..."
Xu Wanyun stood there dumbfounded.
The scene before her completely contradicted everything she had learned from books about how cultivators interacted—with such honesty and peace.
However, this was consistent with the young man's casual release of the Su Mu restriction earlier.
"..."
Shen Yi glanced at Ah Qing and said indifferently, "But I can try. I'll need some more time."
"Then I'll keep following you," Ah Qing walked up to him and finally found an excuse not to go home.
Shen Yi didn't refuse, and the two of them turned to look at Xu Wanyun.
"What do you mean? Am I an outsider now?"
Xu Wanyun opened her mouth, then gestured with her hand, "What's with that look? Why do you seem to think I'm useless? Come on, she's a Golden Core cultivator, and I'm a Grand Extremis Mixed Origin!"
"Oh."
Shen Yi turned away indifferently.
Compared to a mediocre fighter, he needed an encyclopedia by his side.
Xu Wanyun had never thought of following Shen Yi, but she couldn't help feeling a little annoyed at being looked down upon, so she unconsciously complained.
She sighed helplessly.
It was hard to imagine how she could take her niece back from Shen Yi and bring her home to the Xu family.
"Aunt, do you really want to hide forever?"
Ah Qing poked her head out from behind Shen Yi, her face serious, "We didn't do anything wrong. It was the Xuan Guang Cave that broke their promise. Why should we be treated like prisoners... Just because we're not strong enough?"
"Even if we don't take revenge, can't we just live like normal people?"
Her voice was crisp, not questioning, but it left Xu Wanyun silent.
Her niece's meaning was clear.
Since the Xu family wasn't strong enough, they had no choice but to rely on another power.
Coincidentally, Shen Yi also had a grudge against the Xuan Guang Cave, and he could make good use of the Xu family's abilities. After all, it was an investment, so why not invest in Shen Yi, who seemed to have more chivalrous and righteous character?
Even if the investment failed, only the two of them would lose their lives.
Compared to the numerous elders who had died at the hands of the Xuan Guang Cave and the future of the entire Xu family, this was a more than fair deal.
Xu Wanyun remained silent for a long time before shooting her a glance, "Aside from that, don't you have any other thoughts? Like not wanting to be captured and taken back?"
"Uh... Hehe."
Ah Qing retracted her head.
"Brother Shen."
Xu Wanyun seemed to have made up her mind as she cupped her hands and said, "Actually, if you want to find a spirit root of sha qi, why don't you take a look at the Thousand Demon Cave? Those demons love guarding heavenly treasures. When they mature, they swallow them whole. Their dwelling place is truly impenetrable due to the sinister and evil qi."
Such a big gamble? Shen Yi stopped in his tracks, slightly surprised.
Upon her reminder, he suddenly realized that he was no longer the initial Grand Extremis Mixed Origin cultivator who had just left Da Qian.
However, the information he had been exposed to came from the various Demon Emperors.
In fact, even in the Thousand Demon Cave, there were only a few dozen true Demon Emperors, and the rest, numbering in the hundreds, were merely Demon Kings.
"Do you have a connection there?" Shen Yi asked curiously.
"Of course."
Xu Wanyun smiled confidently and summoned a flying boat.
...
After twenty-six cycles of day and night.
The small flying boat wandered east and west among the mountains.
"This time it's definitely correct."
Xu Wanyun took out a book to compare, then pointed to a peak that resembled an ox's head, "Look, it says here that the mountain looks like an ox's horn. Isn't it exactly the same as this mountain?"
"..."
Shen Yi nodded expressionlessly.
Despite having seen eight other similar peaks, he remained unmoved.
Ah Qing sat in the corner of the flying boat, holding three broken flying swords in her hands, with a small and exquisite furnace at her feet, refining treasure iron.
Although she wasn't very skilled in artifact refining, she could still manage basic repairs.
Suddenly, the flying boat began to tremble and descended uncontrollably towards the ground.
She quickly put away the small furnace and peered over the edge of the wooden boat. Through the mist, she could make out a city that seemed to appear and disappear.
Xu Wanyun quietly wiped the sweat from her palms.
Thankfully, after thousands of years, the Demon-Subduing City was still located here.
"There's a no-fly spell formation here."
She put away the wooden boat and descended towards the ground.
The grand city had wide and clean streets, and most people traveled on foot, though there were also cultivators riding various exotic beasts, creating a bustling atmosphere.
The three of them, descending from the sky, hardly attracted any attention.
The few who did notice only offered friendly ridicule, seemingly reminiscing about their own clumsy first arrivals in the Demon-Subduing City.
Xu Wanyun seemed to be trying to cover up her previous mistake as she quickly explained to Shen Yi, "This is because the Thousand Demon Cave is too powerful, completely shattering the confidence of human cultivators and forcing them to accept it as one of the top forces...no, it should be said that they are the strongest force."
"You may think that the Thousand Demon Cave is just a bunch of demons and monsters living together."
"In fact, the place they occupy is even more lush and spiritual than a true immortal sect."
Shen Yi listened quietly while observing his surroundings.
Just then, Ah Qing and Xu Wanyun both stopped in their tracks, looking curiously ahead.
They weren't the only ones; everyone on the street had temporarily paused their conversations.
At the front of the crowd, a figure clad in a cloak strode forward.
The people around her gave way, creating a path.
This was because her cloak was soaked with demon blood, her black hair billowing, and her whole body exuded a strong sinister aura.
Tall and slender, with only a hint of her face showing, she carried an air of coldness.
If not for the hideous scar that had not yet fully healed, one might have called her ethereal and beautiful.
As she passed by, admiration flashed in the eyes of the surrounding cultivators.
This land was not lacking in bold and brave individuals, but not many returned alive.
Just then, her steps suddenly hesitated.
But only for a moment, as she brushed past the youth in ink-colored robes.
"Tsk."
Xu Wanyun involuntarily looked back, feeling a twinge of envy.
The other person was only a Mid-Realm Mixed Origin cultivator, yet she drew everyone's attention. In contrast, Xu Wanyun, despite having reached the Ultimate Realm, could only hide within an array, barely surviving in this world.
"What a beautiful sister," Ah Qing remarked, blinking.
"Indeed."
Shen Yi nodded rarely, glancing at the extra storage bag in his hand.
It was still wet with blood.
He casually took out its contents, revealing a transparent six-petaled flower with traces of crimson veins running through it, adding a touch of sinister aura.
"Yuck! This is a tainted middle-grade spirit root!"
Ah Qing noticed the object in Shen Yi's hand.
Although she didn't understand why he suddenly wanted to show off a spirit root, Ah Qing didn't forget her job and promptly provided an explanation.
However, Shen Yi didn't seem interested in further inquiries this time and directly put it away in his storage artifact, continuing on his way.
Back when he was pursuing the Mountain Lord, he had consumed quite a few spirit roots fed to him by that woman.
Unexpectedly, now that he had reached the Mixed Origin Mastery realm, he still received gifts from Jiang Qiuluan. It was quite thoughtful of her.
However, he hadn't prepared anything in return.
Oh well, maybe next time.
...
At the end of the long street.
The woman removed her cloak and paused in front of an inn.
Soon, a young man in a loose cyan robe strolled out, "How was the harvest?"
"No harvest."
Jiang Qiuluan's expression remained calm as she nodded slightly, "Thank you for waiting, Senior."
"It's no trouble, and I wasn't specifically waiting for you."
The young man in cyan robe swayed the wine gourd in his hand and began walking towards the city gates. He then asked curiously, "What's that in your hand?"
Jiang Qiuluan glanced at the round demon core in her palm and replied, "It's nothing."
"A Blood Transformation Demon Ox?" The young man smacked his lips and casually reached out. In his palm lay a larger demon core, "I have one here with a higher cultivation level."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Qiuluan didn't even glance at it and continued to stare at the demon core in her hand. She then carefully put it away in her storage artifact.
"How boring."
The young man retracted his gaze as a black sword emerged from his sleeve and landed at his feet, "This time you've caused trouble, and it wouldn't be nice to return empty-handed. So, I'll give this to my senior martial sister as a gift from you. Whether or not she decides to keep you is none of my business."
When he first met this woman, she was heavily injured and barely surviving by forcing her Nascent Soul to endure.
Instead of healing her injuries, she was refining a spirit root.
Her willpower was incredibly firm, knowing that only by breaking through to the Mid-Realm Mixed Origin could she survive. So, she focused all her efforts on that goal.
And she did survive.
He had just lost his only disciple.
If not for their incompatible cultivation paths, Nie Jun might have even considered taking her on as his disciple.
"Thank you, Senior," Jiang Qiuluan nodded. She summoned her Nascent Soul and soared into the sky.
She wiped the blood stain from the corner of her lips, her expression still calm.
Nie Jun stepped on the black sword under his feet, seeing that she preferred to endure the hardship rather than ask him for a ride. He shook his head slightly.
He didn't force the issue and directly flew off into the sky.
After the young man had flown away, Jiang Qiuluan quietly turned her head to look at the three figures on the long street.
She pursed her lips slightly.
They were all cultivators, all from Da Qian, and all had to be cautious of Xuan Guang Cave.
She had hidden her identity, but he seemed to be living a carefree life with a beautiful companion. How enviable.
Jiang Qiuluan reluctantly withdrew her gaze as her Nascent Soul unleashed its full power, streaking towards the horizon!
At Wutong Mountain, Ling Xi Zhenren, the chief disciple of the Twelve Disciples and senior martial sister of Xuan Jian Zhenren, was known for her strict assessments. It was said that becoming her named disciple was even more difficult than breaking through to the Nascent Soul realm.
But this might be her only chance in life.
She had to grasp it firmly.
(End of Chapter)
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