Celestial Refining Divine Scripture

This was the first time Xu Yang had traveled so far after arriving at Black and White Starry Heaven.

East Gorge was also bigger than he had imagined.

Though it wasn’t as vast as the territories controlled by the three major powers, it still measured close to half of that size.

And, lying on the fringe of the three great forces, a large section bordered the Ice and Snow Immortal Palace’s domain. Yet, the Ice and Snow Immortal Palace never bothered to interfere.

Thus, power and influence here ran tangled and convoluted.

Some strong factions possessed more than one Golden Immortal, while the weakest had only Celestial Immortals to rely on.

Within, the region split into three areas: Red Peak Realm, Dao He Realm, and Profound Pool Realm.

Of the three, Red Peak Realm was the strongest, boasting more than four Golden Immortals; even Yuan Mie dared not act recklessly there.

Dao He Realm came next, with seven major powers coexisting. Before the Starry Extreme Night, only two Golden Immortals were present, and both had just broken through to the Golden Immortal Realm.

But after the Starry Extreme Night, their strength was bound to have risen.

Profound Pool Realm was the weakest, with no Golden Immortals—just a number of Celestial Immortals and several dozen factions in constant, rapid flux.

"I’ve taken Ruoruo to the Dao He Realm before, so I’m quite familiar with it. Among the sects there, the Celestial Phenomenon Gang Leader once owed me a favor. Most likely, Ruoruo will wait for us in the Celestial Phenomenon Gang’s area."

"We will have to trouble you with a delay this time, Young Master," Yuan Mie said helplessly.

"No rush; let’s handle everything before we leave,"

Xu Yang didn’t mind at all; whether they set out a few days earlier or later made little difference.

Half a day later.

The two arrived at Celestial Phenomenon City within Dao He Realm.

This was the headquarters of the Celestial Phenomenon Gang.

Within Dao He Realm, all the factions each staked their own turf, controlling sections of the region and its resources. Open and covert struggles naturally abounded among them.

Even so, a faction’s headquarters was relatively safe and possessed order.

Outside the city, Yuan Mie went to a hillside where he and Xu Ruoruo had stopped the first time they came here—and sure enough, found information Xu Ruoruo had left behind.

She had already entered the city and was waiting in the usual place.

Seeing most of Yuan Mie’s worries fade and his manner relaxed, Xu Yang also felt a little relieved inside.

If they could avoid conflict, so much the better.

There were Golden Immortals here as well.

And Yuan Mie’s strength wasn’t that great.

If anything unexpected happened, he wouldn’t be able to summon the Golden Immortals of Black Fire Immortal Mountain in time. That would bring massive trouble.

"Once Ruoruo is settled, I’ll be able to break through to the Celestial Immortal Realm on our journey out of here."

Xu Yang thought to himself. The treasured pill he’d accumulated to about seventy or eighty percent was the key to breaking through the Celestial Immortal Realm, and with a few more resources, it would be more than enough.

As for the other two nearly perfected treasured pills, which were nearly equal to third-grade ones in effect, they’d be saved for emergencies.

After some simple disguises, Yuan Mie led Xu Yang straight to a residence he owned in the city.

It was a property he’d casually purchased on his first visit here.

However, halfway there, a ’wanted notice’ plastered on a high wall made both their faces change at once.

"Ruoruo."

"This is a Celestial Phenomenon Gang wanted notice—damn it!"

Yuan Mie’s face darkened instantly. The heart which had just relaxed now leapt right back into his throat.

Xu Yang examined the portrait on the wanted notice. Xu Ruoruo was good-looking—not as stunning as Bai Jie or Liou Xueyan, but with an adorable and charming aura all her own.

"The Celestial Phenomenon Gang once owed Senior a favor, and has no Golden Immortal powerhouses..."

Yuan Mie’s complexion shifted. "It must be the Feng Family’s doing. Otherwise, even if the Celestial Phenomenon Gang Leader broke through to Golden Immortal during the Starry Extreme Night, there’d be no reason to target Ruoruo specifically."

"And with Ruoruo’s temperament, she would never have announced herself here. How else would the Celestial Phenomenon Gang have found her?"

None but the Feng Family.

The Feng Family actually chased her to this place.

Perhaps there were hidden secrets within this as well.

"Senior, let’s first check out the residence," Xu Yang said gravely.

Yuan Mie nodded slightly.

The two slipped away quietly.

A moment later, they arrived at one side of the residence.

Yuan Mie reached out with his senses; his face turned grim.

Xu Ruoruo wasn’t there. What’s more, the house had been thoroughly searched.

He searched the surroundings meticulously for a long time but found nothing at all.

Xu Ruoruo left no trace, no information behind.

"Senior, the wanted notice is still up. Ruoruo probably hasn’t been found yet,"

"Figuring out the current situation and landscape is crucial now."

Seeing Yuan Mie burning with impatience and barely suppressing it, Xu Yang reminded him calmly.

Yuan Mie took a deep breath, forcing himself calm. His eyes flashed. "Young Master, wait here a moment."

With that, he vanished in a flash.

Half a quarter of an hour later, in a secluded corner of Celestial Phenomenon City—

Yuan Mie dumped two figures to the ground.

Both were cultivators: one at early stage Celestial Immortal, one at middle stage Celestial Immortal.

The interrogation was very simple; under the pressure of a Golden Immortal, they held nothing back.

Soon, Xu Yang and Yuan Mie had a clear understanding of the city’s current state.

The city was anything but peaceful.

The wanted notice had only gone up two days earlier.

The Celestial Phenomenon Gang’s disciples were fanned out everywhere, scouring the city for Xu Ruoruo.

But even turning the city upside down, they hadn’t found her; now, most search parties were focused outside the city.

As for the Celestial Phenomenon Gang Leader, he hadn’t appeared recently, and many guessed he was about to break through to the Golden Immortal Realm.

Regarding the Feng Family, the two didn’t recognize any Feng Family cultivators.

But the middle stage Celestial Immortal had seen two unfamiliar cultivators near the Deputy Gang Leader of the Celestial Phenomenon Gang, and the Deputy Leader treated them with clear respect.

From this, Xu Yang and Yuan Mie both guessed that these two were most likely Feng Family members.

Especially since one of them looked very young.

"Those brats from the Feng Family have come as well. The Feng Family is truly determined to capture Ruoruo—even targeting me too," Yuan Mie said angrily.

From Cangyan City, all this way, even joining forces with the Celestial Phenomenon Gang.

Going to so much trouble—all for one little girl?

Xu Yang’s brows knit tight as he looked at the two cultivators Yuan Mie killed with a wave of his hand, letting out a silent sigh.

Now, finding Xu Ruoruo would not be easy.

Still, to survive under both the Celestial Phenomenon Gang and Feng Family’s search and remain undetected, that girl had likely hidden herself in some totally unexpected place.

"Do you have any leads, Senior?" Xu Yang asked Yuan Mie.

Yuan Mie considered for a moment. "We follow the Celestial Phenomenon Gang’s cultivators in secret."

For now, this was the only option.

Xu Yang nodded slightly. "Then let’s not delay any further."

"And don’t worry too much, Senior. Even with both the Feng Family and Celestial Phenomenon Gang searching, they still haven’t found Miss Ruoruo. If she slipped out of the city and hid somewhere, it would be next to impossible to find her."

Yuan Mie managed a bitter smile. "Let’s hope so."

Xu Yang wasn’t wrong, but until she was found, Yuan Mie couldn’t rest at ease.

"Something’s happening."

Suddenly Yuan Mie turned towards the courtyard, eyes becoming razor sharp.

"Let’s go."

He swept up Xu Yang, and they flickered away like silent phantoms towards the residence.

Back beside the residence, Xu Yang steadied his gaze.

He saw a few cultivators swaggering right into the residence.

"The Feng Family, as expected."

"Three are from the Celestial Phenomenon Gang; that one at middle stage Celestial Immortal, I recognize him—he’s from the Feng Family."

Yuan Mie muttered, murderous aura radiating from him.

"They’re coming out."

Xu Yang’s eyes glinted—the four of them were out again after only a short time inside.

"Let’s follow them."