Chapter 520 : Bold Action
520: Bold Action
Perhaps due to the pleasant surprise of seeing Yun Qingyue's cultivation breakthrough, although opening the formation again would be troublesome, Sect Leader Qingxiao still made an exception for the two. However, while Yun Qingyue had previously gone out with her junior brothers and sisters, this time it was just the two of them.
Yun Qingyue glanced at the eager Jiang Mo beside her and took out a pill, placing it in her mouth: "Anti-miasma pill, it can prevent the influence of the magical barrier."
This was certainly not the common anti-miasma pill from the cultivation world of the past, but rather one that Peak Master Qinglan had improved based on the magical barrier after its appearance—as divine beasts, the magical barrier had less influence on Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue, but it was different for ordinary disciples with lower cultivation levels; they would take a pill before going in and out each day. Yun Qingyue having Jiang Mo take the medicine first today suggested she had plans to stir up some trouble.
Jiang Mo didn't think too much about it. She obediently took the medicine from her Senior Sister's hand, as docile as ever. The Sect Leader, watching their interaction, couldn't help but ask: "Is Jianbing also going out today?"
He looked somewhat surprised but didn't seem inclined to stop them.
Hearing this, Jiang Mo nodded and answered honestly: "Yesterday Ah Yue was inadvertently injured, and I'm worried about her going out alone. But Sect Leader, please don't worry, I won't stop my cultivation. When we return in the evening, I'll go challenge the various peaks."
Hearing this, Sect Leader Qingxiao wanted to say that Yun Qingyue had never gone out alone, but considering her cultivation level and then thinking about the cultivation levels of her peers—those junior brothers and sisters—it wasn't surprising that she would return injured. Among her peers, Yun Qingyue's cultivation was unparalleled. Even the most outstanding senior disciples from the other peaks hadn't yet touched the threshold of the Spirit Division realm. Yun Qingyue was already at the late Fusion stage, at least two major realms higher than her peers. Rather than saying she was acting with her junior brothers and sisters, it would be more accurate to say she was protecting everyone.
As a protector, she naturally bore the brunt of danger, so returning with some injuries wasn't surprising at all. Fortunately, judging from Yun Qingyue's state today, not only was she unaffected by yesterday's injuries, but she also seemed likely to have turned misfortune into blessing.
Nonetheless, as the Sect Leader, Qingxiao still praised and encouraged Yun Qingyue with a few words. Then, after some thought, he reminded Jiang Mo: "Tonight, the agreed time to open the formation is at the end of the You hour. Jianbing, please be mindful not to miss it."
The end of the You hour was already dusk, quite late compared to her Senior Sister's early return yesterday. Sect Leader Qingxiao specifically mentioned this not for any other reason but to remind her that if she returned to the sect at that time and then went to challenge others for points, it would be somewhat late—so she needed to consider carefully whether she wanted to go out... Of course, for Jiang Mo, this didn't require consideration.
At worst, she would just shamelessly find people in the middle of the night; after all, she didn't need to worry about disturbing cultivators' sleep! Therefore, Jiang Mo answered without hesitation: "Mm, I understand. Thank you for the reminder, Sect Leader."
Hearing this, Sect Leader Qingxiao didn't say more and quickly opened a crack in the protective formation.
Seeing this, Yun Qingyue, familiar with the process, immediately pulled Jiang Mo and rushed out. By the time the formation closed behind them, less than two breaths had passed. Jiang Mo hadn't even reacted before finding herself surrounded by the magical barrier.
Fortunately, their clasped hands gave the little tiger enough confidence, and she showed no signs of panic. She naturally surveyed the surroundings and saw that the magical barrier was thick with black mist swirling around, but nothing else—no sign of demonized people. So she turned to the experienced Yun Qingyue and asked: "Ah Yue, where do we go now?"
The calamity that had swept the entire cultivation world had created countless demonized people, and the Xuanqing Sect's protective formation was always surrounded by them. This was the first time Yun Qingyue had come out without encountering an attack from demonized people, though it wasn't surprising—those demonized people must have been dealt with by the disciples who had gone out earlier.
Her Senior Sister's gaze also swept the surroundings, seemingly contemplating, before she suddenly said: "Let's go to Xuanqing City."
Jiang Mo was somewhat surprised to hear this. Although she hadn't left the sect these days, she had heard about the range of the disciples' demon-elimination activities—The Xuanqing Sect was surrounded by layers of demonized people, but the demons behind the scenes didn't seem eager to use these cannon fodder to wear down the sect's protective formation. Thus, with the strange rain falling, these demonized people's role seemed merely to be containment, preventing cultivators within the Xuanqing Sect from escaping.
As such, the demonized people surrounding the Xuanqing Sect were especially numerous, and the disciples sent out daily from the Xuanqing Sect for demon elimination and training couldn't possibly clear them all. So their activity range had always been limited to the vicinity of the sect, though this also meant they hadn't encountered insurmountable dangers.
The real danger was still in Xuanqing City, just as when Jiang Mo and others had returned some days ago and encountered a large group of powerful fighters in Xuanqing City.
Jiang Mo was very clear that Xuanqing City could definitely be described as dangerous now, but since it was her Senior Sister's suggestion, she still didn't ask much, nor did she refuse. Besides trusting that the other wouldn't harm her, she also trusted her judgment.
"All right," Jiang Mo agreed straightforwardly.
Yun Qingyue was also pleased with her pure trust, her eyes unconsciously carrying a smile. While discerning the direction of Xuanqing City within the magical barrier, she explained to Jiang Mo: "Both our cultivation levels have improved, but the elders in the sect don't have time to guide us. Why not go to Xuanqing City to practice with some opponents? We won't go deep into the city; we'll just eliminate as many enemies as we can."
Undeniably, Yun Qingyue was bold, but she couldn't be called reckless. If today she had come out alone, she absolutely wouldn't have taken such a risk, but now with Jiang Mo here, they could escape into her innate space at any time.
After all, although there were formations in this world that could restrain divine beasts, they couldn't possibly be set up everywhere, making this lifesaving method quite useful.
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Cultivators have a strong sense of direction. Although Jiang Mo felt somewhat disoriented shortly after entering the magical barrier, Yun Qingyue clearly discerned the direction of Xuanqing City. With her leading the way, the two arrived outside Xuanqing City without much effort.
After some time away, it still looked the same as when they last came—the wide-open city gates revealed a silence like that of a dead city.
Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue hid behind a withered tree outside the city, having observed quietly for quite some time—This tree hadn't originally been withered; two months ago when Jiang Mo passed by here, it had been a lush thousand-year-old ancient tree. However, under the cover of the magical barrier, all vitality seemed to be devoured. Not just this ancient tree, but anything with life within the magical barrier's range either died or became infected, as if it had become a land of death.
The two hid behind the withered tree, and the environment around them inexplicably felt somewhat oppressive. After observing for a long time, Jiang Mo finally voice-transmitted softly: "Ah Yue, there's no one at the city gate. Should we go into the city to take a look?"
They had already waited at the city gate for nearly half an hour. According to their previous experience, patrolling demonized people should have passed by several rounds. Yet while other parts of the city had strict patrols, this city gate was not only wide open but also completely devoid of any figures. The wide-open city gate seemed like an invitation into a trap, or like a lurking fierce beast opening its bloody mouth.
To be honest, Jiang Mo felt oppressed just looking at the city gate and wasn't very eager to enter.
Yun Qingyue seemed to notice her tension and gripped her hand, squeezing it slightly, then said: "It seems waiting here won't yield results. Let's enter the city and see what's around the gate first."
Jiang Mo wasn't truly lacking in courage. She gripped her Senior Sister's hand in return and nodded in response: "All right."
So the two walked out from behind the withered tree where they had been hiding, and with a flash, they entered the city—Earlier, while outside the city, Yun Qingyue had already observed that there were no formations or traps near the city gate.
The two walked openly through the city gate, then found the nearest street to temporarily take shelter, as if they knew the place well.
Jiang Mo looked at her questioningly and voice-transmitted: "Ah Yue, are we staying here?"
Yun Qingyue nodded and replied: "We'll wait for them to come to us."
Her Senior Sister's calculation wasn't wrong. Based on their previous experience entering the city, after the two waited briefly in an empty house by the street, they indeed encountered a patrol of demonized people—The demonized people in Xuanqing City were much stronger than those outside the Xuanqing Sect. This patrol's cultivation level averaged around the Spirit Division realm, and after demonization, their combat power had increased to nearly match the Fusion realm. If an ordinary disciple encountered them, they might not even be able to escape.
Of course, even within the Fusion realm, the difference in strength between early and late stages was still significant—one could easily defeat ten without difficulty. Especially since Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue both had special bloodlines, their strength surpassed that of ordinary cultivators.
Jiang Mo, watching the patrol of demonized people gradually approaching, instinctively turned to look at Yun Qingyue.
Just at that moment, Yun Qingyue was also turning to look at her, and in the instant their eyes met, they reached an unspoken understanding.
A small dark blue flame suddenly appeared in Yun Qingyue's hand. With a flick of her finger, that ice flame transformed into a line of fire, rushing towards the demonized people outside. At the same time, Jiang Mo also moved—she rushed out like a gust of wind, a golden light flashing in her hand as the shadow of a tiger's claw materialized into something almost tangible, then swept toward the demonized people opposite with a sharp sound of breaking wind...
The two's attacks came with incredible speed, and their coordination was remarkably seamless. The dozen or so demonized people facing them barely had time to react before falling under their assault.
Jiang Mo, looking at the bodies on the ground, let the golden light in her hand dissipate, then glanced back at her Senior Sister.
Yun Qingyue gave her a thumbs up and smiled. Then, the dark blue flames at Jiang Mo's feet suddenly surged upward, not burning even a corner of Jiang Mo's clothes, but quickly reducing the bodies near her to ashes. In just a few breaths, those cultivators infected by demonic energy, both their flesh and souls, were completely destroyed in the mutated phoenix true fire, ultimately returning dust to dust and earth to earth.
Jiang Mo wasn't startled, as she already knew her Senior Sister's ice flames wouldn't harm her. She walked through the ice flames back to her Senior Sister's side, and in the time that followed, the two continued to eliminate batch after batch of patrolling demonized people.
Their movements were swift and sharp, and their coordination became increasingly seamless, allowing them to eliminate the demonized people wave after wave without causing much commotion. But as more and more patrolling demonized people disappeared, creating a patrol vacuum across the entire street, it inevitably caught the attention of the overseers.
Yun Qingyue tilted her head slightly, sensing an unusual ripple of spiritual energy in the air, and said softly: "Someone's coming."