Chapter 428 : Sweet Words
428: Sweet Words
Finding the Crimson Blood Sect's traces on Mount Xuanyin wasn't difficult. Following the direction of intense battles, it wasn't hard to locate Crimson Blood Sect disciples engaged in fierce combat with the Nine Abyss Sect. Following these Crimson Blood Sect disciples, within half a day, the two found the demonic vessel.
Compared to several months ago, the demonic vessel seemed unchanged, yet also appeared to have endured much.
Though the vessel looked imposing, it was essentially a magical artifact. Artifacts, unless destroyed, rarely change their external appearance. However, it was evident that over these months, the vessel had suffered numerous attacks, and not inconsequential ones. The formations on the vessel had undergone several repairs, showing obvious changes.
After finding the vessel, Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue simply revealed themselves openly. Those with cultivation inferior to them naturally couldn't see through their concealment, while those with higher cultivation were few even in a major sect like the Crimson Blood Sect. Those with such cultivation would recognize Yun Qingyue, so apart from causing some commotion initially, the two were quickly welcomed into the vessel.
Not having seen each other for months, when they met Sect Leader Zhu again, she appeared unchanged, save for added worry between her brows.
After dismissing unrelated personnel, only the three remained in the top-level cabin. Zhu Baiyi's gaze swept over the two sitting adjacently, and her perpetually furrowed brow finally relaxed: "Not bad, Qingyue has recovered her cultivation?"
Yun Qingyue nodded slightly, briefly recounting her experiences these past months, though omitting the dangers.
Whether Zhu Baiyi imagined them or not, seeing Yun Qingyue's currently vibrant spirit and advanced cultivation, she nodded: "It's good that everything went smoothly." Then she continued: "Qingyue is barely over a hundred years old, yet has achieved such cultivation—truly remarkable. You come from the righteous path, with few karmic entanglements. In the future, you might focus more on cultivation; perhaps in another hundred years, you could have the opportunity to ascend."
Ascension—how extraordinarily difficult. Ordinary cultivators might only reach Golden Core in a hundred years. Yun Qingyue momentarily felt disoriented upon hearing this, yet Sect Leader Zhu's words weren't groundless.
Yun Qingyue had always possessed excellent aptitude, and now, having inherited the Swan Goose bloodline, she was even more uniquely blessed. Additionally, having experienced ancestral reversion and transformation tribulations, she hadn't emerged empty-handed. Her cultivation had now entered Fusion stage, and although Grand Achievement and Tribulation Crossing stages remained, based on her previous progression, ascending within a hundred years wasn't impossible.
This represented an elder's greatest expectation for a younger generation, but Yun Qingyue detected some urgency, hesitating momentarily before asking: "Cultivation matters naturally follow fate—how can one force it? Has something happened recently?"
Zhu Baiyi wasn't surprised by her perceptiveness. Her brow furrowed again: "The cultivation world is becoming unstable."
Neither Jiang Mo nor Yun Qingyue found this statement surprising. With Jiang Mo's years of experience, coupled with the system's obviously pointed main quest, she had long foreseen major troubles awaiting her. As for Yun Qingyue, having accompanied Jiang Mo through numerous experiences, combined with her inherently astute mind, how could she remain oblivious?
The two exchanged glances, both seeing understanding in each other's eyes, but still asked: "What exactly has happened these past months?"
Hearing this, Zhu Baiyi's eyes revealed some fatigue, but she had nothing to hide from them and thus recounted everything—apparently, months ago when Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue had left, the Nine Abyss Sect had suffered considerable losses due to Qingyu and others' intervention. The Nine Abyss Sect Leader grew cautious, and for a long period afterward, both sides either engaged in small-scale probing or simply coexisted peacefully.
This situation persisted for quite some time, to the extent that the Crimson Blood Sect thought the Nine Abyss Sect had backed down. However, one day, the Nine Abyss Sect suddenly attacked. The Crimson Blood Sect responded, and both sides seemed to have become enraged, with hostilities escalating dramatically.
It sounded unremarkable and appeared so to outsiders, since Demonic Path practitioners were typically volatile—flying into genuine rage without restraint wasn't surprising. But as the Crimson Blood Sect Leader, Zhu Baiyi had a completely different perception. She felt the situation had spiraled out of control. Over these months, she sensed her disciples becoming increasingly unmanageable, as if some invisible force had marginalized her authority.
Yet no one had actually done this. After the purge of Elder Shi last time, the remaining elders, if not absolutely loyal, at least harbored no ulterior motives. The disciples showed no abnormalities, except that once involved in conflicts with the Nine Abyss Sect, everyone became uncontrollable.
Zhu Baiyi couldn't pinpoint the problem but instinctively felt that continuing this way would only worsen matters.
She earnestly advised the two: "I don't know where the problem lies; sometimes I even question my own decisions. Mount Xuanyin isn't a place to linger—you should leave quickly and find somewhere else to cultivate."
But judging from her implications, she hoped not merely for them to leave Mount Xuanyin, but to escape the cultivation world entirely!
Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue felt the gravity of the situation, but evasion clearly wasn't the solution. Especially for Jiang Mo, the cultivation world's great predicament remained her main quest. Knowing the system's nature, she couldn't possibly escape it.
The two recalled their experiences in Luoxin Town and decided to inform Zhu Baiyi.
Zhu Baiyi, upon hearing this, seemed unsurprised, merely nodding and saying: "I understand."
As for what exactly she understood, she didn't elaborate to them.
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Originally, Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue had only come to assess the situation, but after Sect Leader Zhu's persuasion, they suddenly felt no rush to leave.
The two temporarily remained on the vessel. Concerned about her master, Yun Qingyue specifically inquired about the situation, only to learn that before urging them to leave, Qingyu and others had already been persuaded to depart by Sect Leader Zhu—not entirely due to her persuasion, but because the righteous path had also been experiencing turmoil recently, with some friction apparently occurring between the three sects. With three peak masters absent from Xuanqing Sect's five peaks, leaving only the pill refiner Qinglan, the situation indeed seemed problematic.
However, Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue weren't worried about the Xuanqing Sect, because even if conflict erupted, the sect at least had Divine Lord Zhiming presiding, who would prevent matters from deteriorating excessively.
Setting aside the righteous path's situation, after several days' stay with the Crimson Blood Sect, Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue gained deeper insight into the Demonic Path's chaos.
The Nine Abyss Sect and Crimson Blood Sect fought relentlessly, with a life-or-death intensity on the battlefield. The Celestial Demon Sect occasionally emerged to assert its presence, but the two sects, now blinded by rage, ignored them. Most chaotic was the Harmony Sect. Originally declaring neutrality, it had now split into two factions—one actively using intelligence to sow discord, the other remaining uninvolved in the conflict.
Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue later learned that years ago, the Harmony Sect Leader had been seriously injured in an accident and subsequently secluded herself for recovery. Sect affairs were consequently entrusted to Fei Yuan, but she couldn't control everyone, resulting in the Harmony Sect being the first to experience internal strife.
In summary, the Demonic Path faced both internal and external chaos, with countless daily casualties.
Listening to reports of casualties, Yun Qingyue occasionally reflected: When younger at Xuanqing Sect, hearing about Demonic Path practitioners' numerous evils, she had wished they would mutually annihilate each other. Yet facing such a situation now, far from feeling pleased, she experienced an inexplicable dread... as if some invisible hand controlled everyone's fate in the grand scheme—how could one not feel terrified?
Jiang Mo, sitting beside Yun Qingyue with her chin propped on her hand, seeing her worried expression, reached out to touch her slightly furrowed brow, smoothing it: "Ah Yue, why worry so much? Tall people will bear the burden. We're practically independent cultivators—why concern ourselves with such matters?"
Yun Qingyue hadn't joined the Crimson Blood Sect and hadn't returned to Xuanqing Sect for many years—essentially having left her sect. Though Jiang Mo still had karmic ties with Xuanqing Sect, even as their guardian divine beast, she was a substitute. With a Tribulation Crossing stage Divine Lord Zhiming ahead of her, unless Xuanqing Sect faced imminent destruction, such responsibility wouldn't fall on her.
Neither sect leaders nor high-ranking officials, they had no need to worry about sectarian conflicts.
Yun Qingyue didn't avoid Jiang Mo's hand, only taking it down after her fingertip touched her brow. Yun Qingyue's hand was fair and slender, with distinct knuckles—clearly a sword-wielder's hand. Jiang Mo's differed; equally fair and delicate, yet somewhat fleshy, soft to hold, somewhat similar to tiger paw pads yet entirely different.
Perhaps due to its pleasant feel, Yun Qingyue didn't immediately release it.
Jiang Mo sensed Yun Qingyue squeeze her hand twice while taking it down, but thought nothing of it, assuming her Senior Sister was merely admonishing her to behave. She pouted but didn't mind, making no attempt to withdraw her hand, allowing Yun Qingyue to hold it.
After a while, seeing that her Senior Sister hadn't let go, Jiang Mo moved her palm slightly, turning it to gently grasp that slender hand.
Yun Qingyue glanced over, but Jiang Mo remained unafraid, smiling until her round tiger eyes curved upward.
Whether infected by Jiang Mo's smile or for some other reason, Yun Qingyue acquiesced to Jiang Mo's action. When she spoke again, the topic remained serious and proper: "When the nest falls, how can the eggs remain intact? How can the cultivation world's greater situation be unrelated to us?"
Jiang Mo wasn't truly indifferent, knowing she couldn't escape. Her fingers moved slightly into Yun Qingyue's gaps, interlocking their fingers. Her tone was casual yet somehow earnest: "Yes, yes, yes, naturally it concerns us. The cultivation world's affairs concern everyone within it. Whatever Ah Yue wants to do, I'll accompany you."
Yun Qingyue glanced at their interlocked hands, hearing Jiang Mo's "sweet words," feeling something soften within her heart.
Seeming to sense her yielding, Jiang Mo moved closer. Resting her chin on Yun Qingyue's shoulder, she continued her sweet words: "When the day comes to ascend, I'll accompany you then too."
Warm breath brushed against her ear. This time, Yun Qingyue finally pushed her away, coldly stating: "Ascending together doubles the tribulation lightning."
"..." The little tiger instantly wilted, her ears seemingly drooping.
Seeing this, the corner of Yun Qingyue's lips seemed to rise slightly.