Chapter 248 : Taking Her Home
In the end, Yun Qingyue didn't manage to leave that night, not entirely because of Jiang Mo's words, but also because it suddenly began to rain at midnight.
Shortly after Jiang Mo had finished speaking, a flash of white light suddenly illuminated the dark night, followed by a muffled rumble from the horizon. Everyone looked up at the sound and saw rolling dark clouds, with occasional lightning streaking through them. The lightning flashed in everyone's eyes one moment, and the next a muffled thunder exploded at the edge of the sky, followed by strengthening night winds.
Clearly, rain was coming, and this thunderstorm would likely be substantial.
Seeing this scene, Jiang Mo truly felt blessed by heaven and hurriedly turned back to Yun Qingyue: "Looks like it's going to rain. You should come back with me and stay for the night." She then turned to Yu Sheng and the others: "You can also return to town. That courtyard is empty now."
Yu Sheng and his companions were surprised. The courtyard they had rented was precisely the one seized by the Nine Abyss Sect group. They still remembered the fear they had felt when confronting such powerful enemies and the frustration of having to bow their heads. But how much time had passed? Had the Nine Abyss Sect people already left? Even if they had departed, how did Jiang Mo know about it, and why would she specifically come to inform them?
Well, perhaps it wasn't intentional, but given their previous limited acquaintance, why would Jiang Mo keep an eye on their courtyard?
Despite their bewilderment, Yu Sheng and his companions were willing to accept the favor, especially with the thunderstorm about to break. Thus, he sincerely bowed to Jiang Mo and said: "Thank you, Senior. We'll head back immediately."
Jiang Mo nodded casually, her attention naturally not on them but still focused expectantly on Yun Qingyue. Seeing her still pondering undecided, she even tried to grab her sleeve, but Yun Qingyue, sensing her intention, sidestepped to avoid it.
Feeling slightly frustrated and somewhat tempted to reveal her identity, Jiang Mo could only temporarily endure for the sake of a smoother path to love.
Withdrawing her hand, she gestured toward the distance: "Let's go. Come with me, and I'll tell you a secret. How about that?"
Yun Qingyue was not tempted, but after staring into her eyes for a long while, she ultimately decided to follow—this person was peculiar, but undeniably, she had not sensed the slightest malice from her the entire time. In fact, when facing this person, she even felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity. Otherwise, why would she have engaged with her for so long? She would have struck at their first meeting in Xianyuan Town.
Just as Yun Qingyue made her decision, the dark clouds drifted over from the horizon. Amid flashes of lightning and rumbles of thunder, torrential rain poured down, perfectly demonstrating the unpredictable weather of this coastal region.
Fortunately, everyone present was a cultivator. Even if Yu Sheng's disciples were unremarkable, they at least had Foundation Establishment cultivation, making rain protection a trivial matter. Ironically, Jiang Mo, who had the highest cultivation level among those present, had the strongest reaction. She first released spiritual energy to block the rainwater, then promptly grabbed Yun Qingyue's wrist and flew toward Xianyuan Town: "Quick, quick, let's go back and take shelter from the rain."
The two vanished from the spot in the blink of an eye, while Yu Sheng and the others also reacted and hurried back to town.
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Having observed the entire process, System felt that Senior Sister might not have been invited back by Jiang Mo, but rather kidnapped!
Yun Qingyue had a similar feeling. Though she had already anticipated that the other party's cultivation exceeded her own, she didn't expect to be caught off guard with her wrist seized, and in the blink of an eye, to find herself in a small mortal courtyard.
The courtyard wasn't far from the town entrance; looking up, one could see the ancient locust tree at the entrance. Most of its locust blossoms had already withered, and after tonight's downpour, likely few would remain by morning.
Yun Qingyue barely had time for a glance before Jiang Mo pulled her inside the house, with not a drop of rain falling on either of them.
Even so, Jiang Mo thoroughly examined her and asked with concern: "How are you? Didn't get caught in the rain, did you?"
Yun Qingyue lowered her gaze to their connected hands and spoke coldly: "You can let go now."
Following her gaze, Jiang Mo looked down, feeling reluctant but ultimately more concerned about Yun Qingyue's impression of her. So she simply released her hand, said "pardon me," and then enthusiastically welcomed her: "I've been in Xianyuan Town for over a month. This courtyard was rented from the neighbors. It's somewhat humble as a temporary dwelling, so I hope... you won't mind."
Yun Qingyue stood at the doorway, scanning the room, and found that Jiang Mo wasn't being modest—the furnishings were indeed simple. However, she wasn't one who pursued luxury and comfort; her own residence was also arranged simply, so she wouldn't criticize someone else's home.
Jiang Mo wasn't surprised by Yun Qingyue's attitude, but she hadn't expected that after Yun Qingyue withdrew her gaze, her first words would be: "Do you treat everyone this way?"
Such an abrupt question left Jiang Mo momentarily confused: "What?"
Yun Qingyue's expression remained calm, her crystal eyes resting lightly on Jiang Mo: "Meeting someone for the first time and immediately wanting to become friends, helping them bind people and bury corpses, insisting on bringing them home..."
Though her tone was mild, Jiang Mo felt something off about the description—why did it sound like she was being portrayed as a womanizer who flirted with anyone?!
Jiang Mo's heart skipped a beat, and she hastily banished the thought, replying: "Not at all, I just feel a connection with you..." Wait, something wasn't right—those words sounded even more like the pickup lines of a playboy!
Feeling increasingly uncomfortable, even though Senior Sister didn't know her identity, Jiang Mo earnestly emphasized: "I mean every word. Only you." She then seamlessly changed the subject: "Please come in. Didn't I promise to help you find Nine Abyss Sect members and tell you a secret? I keep my promises; I have no intention of deceiving you."
Yun Qingyue finally entered and proactively found a chair to sit in, without asking further about Jiang Mo's words.
Jiang Mo, whose only concern now was keeping her here, also pulled over a chair and sat across from Yun Qingyue: "Let's start with the Nine Abyss Sect..."
She was immediately interrupted by Yun Qingyue: "How do you know I have a grudge against the Nine Abyss Sect?"
Jiang Mo seemed to pause briefly, but responded quickly: "You specifically came to kill them, doesn't that indicate a grudge?" She glanced at Yun Qingyue's appearance and attire: "Given your dress and bearing, you're surely not an assassin."
Hearing this, Yun Qingyue neither confirmed nor denied it, but gestured for Jiang Mo to continue.
Facing Senior Sister, Jiang Mo showed no impatience and spoke eloquently: "Nine Abyss Sect disciples have always been elusive. Their cultivation methods are unusual, making them difficult to track. Moreover, with your high cultivation level, you likely disdain specifically slaughtering lower-level cultivators. When encountering larger groups or formidable individuals, you alone certainly couldn't defeat them, making it difficult to strike."
After hearing this, Yun Qingyue glanced at her again, almost expecting the next sentence to be: "Look at me! I'm skilled at binding people and burying corpses—I can definitely help!"
However, that didn't happen. Jiang Mo didn't rush to promote herself but continued casually: "You travel widely, so you must know many rumors circulating in the cultivation world. You should understand why so many cultivators have flocked to the Southern Sea shore. According to my knowledge, the Nine Abyss Sect has been unusually active in recent years. With the ghost ship affair causing such a stir, those who have arrived certainly aren't limited to today's few misfits."
Having wandered the cultivation world for many years and specifically targeting the Nine Abyss Sect, Yun Qingyue actually knew more about the Nine Abyss Sect than Jiang Mo. For instance, the forces the Nine Abyss Sect had dispatched far exceeded the few encountered today, and their stopping points extended well beyond Xianyuan Town—at almost every location along the Southern Sea shore rumored to have a high chance of encountering the ghost ship, traces of Nine Abyss Sect members could be found!
Did she need information about their whereabouts? Not really—she was already hunting them down one by one, harvesting lives.
Jiang Mo understood Yun Qingyue well enough to discern something from her calm face, even without a word. So she suddenly changed course: "The Nine Abyss Sect members have all come for the ghost ship. Why don't we also go to the ghost ship and catch them all at once?"
Yun Qingyue still remained noncommittal, looking at her: "We?"
Jiang Mo nodded, sincerely saying: "I fear you can't defeat them alone."
Yun Qingyue gave her a strange look and finally said: "You and I seem... unfamiliar with each other."
Jiang Mo smiled, revealing two small tiger teeth: "People are always unfamiliar at first meeting. After a few days together, we'll become acquainted."
Yun Qingyue had never met someone so forthright, but looking at the radiant smile on Jiang Mo's face, she somehow couldn't refuse.
She withdrew her gaze again, her tone still unchanged: "Do you know where the ghost ship is? Do you know how many Nine Abyss Sect disciples will be aboard? Are you certain that by going together, we can capture all those Nine Abyss Sect members at once?" Without waiting for Jiang Mo to answer, Yun Qingyue finally asked the most crucial question: "Why would you help me, and how can I trust you?"
Jiang Mo looked at her, her smile fading. She suddenly raised her hand to swear: "I bear a grudge against the Nine Abyss Sect. They once framed my most important person. I wish to join you in seeking revenge." She then looked at Yun Qingyue: "Now, can you trust me?"
Cultivators placed the utmost importance on cause and effect. Ordinary people might casually swear without consequence if they broke their oaths. But cultivators were different—their oaths were heard and remembered by the Heavenly Dao. Any deception or violation would inevitably result in retribution.
As Jiang Mo's words fell, a loud thunderclap exploded outside, making her ears ring and nearly frightening her to death.
Fortunately, it was just normal thunder and rain outside, with no heavenly punishment descending.
Yun Qingyue thus believed her somewhat—she believed that she truly bore a grudge against the Nine Abyss Sect, which explained why she had been so unhesitating earlier in binding and burying people. But this didn't prove anything, as she keenly sensed the other party was concealing something.
Seeing Yun Qingyue unmoved, Jiang Mo continued: "About the ghost ship—if you trust me, stay here. We'll definitely be able to board it." After all, hadn't she triggered System's prerequisite mission here? If they couldn't even board the ship, the so-called main storyline mission would naturally be meaningless, so she was confident.
Yun Qingyue saw that she didn't appear to be lying, but the ghost ship had always been elusive—how could she speak with such certainty?
Jiang Mo didn't explain and couldn't explain, so she quickly introduced the next topic: "Remember the secret I mentioned earlier? It's that the ghost ship's journey is likely related to the deep-sea merpeople."
Merpeople, demonic race...