Chapter 524 : A Jade Slip
524: A Jade Slip
Out of wariness toward the Nine Abyss Sect Leader, Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue ultimately didn't go out that night, instead spending the night in the innate space. Because of this, Jiang Mo missed out on a day's worth of mission rewards, feeling extremely distressed though pretending not to mind. Finally, to make up for it somewhat, she tested a certain probability with her Senior Sister... that is, the probability behind her Senior Sister's recent rapid level increases.
Unfortunately, facts proved that the system's stated probability truly wasn't one hundred percent. The previous two times had likely just been good luck for them. After the third attempt, her Senior Sister's level didn't change again; her cultivation only increased slightly, probably just somewhat stronger than ordinary cultivation.
The little tiger was therefore somewhat disappointed, standing behind her Senior Sister while she was brushing her hair, picking up a strand of black hair and sighing.
While arranging her long hair and listening to Jiang Mo's sighs, Yun Qingyue couldn't help but laugh: "What's wrong with you, sighing like that? Do you really think cultivation is so easily improved?"
If cultivation could be limitlessly enhanced through such means, the Harmony Sect would likely have ruled the entire cultivation world long ago. Yun Qingyue clearly wasn't the type of person who liked taking shortcuts; she preferred steady, focused cultivation. Therefore, when her cultivation didn't improve this time, she actually felt relieved. As for the previous two times, she considered them a form of serendipity and didn't expect them to occur frequently.
Jiang Mo didn't argue with this. She leaned slightly forward, resting her chin on her Senior Sister's shoulder, then carefully said: "I think those previous situations were probably a matter of probability. Your cultivation increased the first two times but not this time. Perhaps it's because I was rather unlucky yesterday?"
This wasn't a joke; Jiang Mo truly thought this way, which made her especially depressed.
Hearing this, Yun Qingyue couldn't help but laugh. Since Jiang Mo had rested her chin on her shoulder, she conveniently extended an index finger and tilted up Jiang Mo's chin. Then, under the little tiger's innocent gaze, she turned her head and kissed her lips, saying: "How could you be the unlucky one? Weren't we together all day yesterday, and in the evening too... So if there was any bad luck, we shared it together."
Jiang Mo blinked, her thoughts no longer on the question of luck. Taking advantage of her Senior Sister's initiative kiss, she quickly placed her hand on her Senior Sister's face, not letting her turn back, and moved closer to deepen the kiss.
After their relationship breakthrough, they had become more intimate in all aspects, and naturally, Yun Qingyue didn't refuse.
Receiving such comfort early in the morning, the little tiger's complaints largely dissipated. When the kiss ended, Jiang Mo still wanted to help her Senior Sister with her hair, but looking more carefully, she discovered that her Senior Sister had already finished arranging it and was completely ready.
The morning tenderness concluded here, and next, the two needed to face the unknown outside world—though a night had passed, yesterday's concerns wouldn't disappear because of it. If the Nine Abyss Sect Leader truly had ulterior motives, he certainly wouldn't abandon them in such a short time. Regrettably, Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue didn't have that much time to waste; she needed to seize every opportunity to strengthen herself before the great battle.
Jiang Mo opened a water mirror and carefully observed the outside world. Finally, finding nothing, she thought for a moment and said to Yun Qingyue: "Ah Yue, I don't know if there's an ambush outside, so you should stay here first. I'll go out and check. If there's danger, I can quickly return."
Yun Qingyue knew this wasn't an excuse; a divine beast entering and exiting its space alone would be much faster than bringing someone else. Therefore, she didn't insist on being brave, only earnestly instructing: "All right, you go out by yourself, and if you encounter danger, return immediately." After a pause, she added: "If you really can't win and can't escape back, then let me out so we can face it together."
Hearing this, Jiang Mo immediately frowned, clearly disagreeing. How could she drag her Senior Sister into danger if she encountered such a situation?
Seeing that she was about to object, Yun Qingyue quickly pressed her hand against her lips: "I'm not joking. This is your innate space, existing because of you. If you encounter danger and perish, this place will also cease to exist. So what difference does it make whether I stay in the space or not? I might as well go out and face it with you; perhaps we can find a glimmer of hope together."
As she spoke these words, Yun Qingyue was extremely solemn. She wasn't saying this just for today's situation. The dangers they would face in the coming period would undoubtedly increase, leading up to the great battle one month later. No one knew when a life-or-death crisis might arise.
Jiang Mo's mouth was blocked, her gaze fixed unwaveringly on her Senior Sister's face. After a long while, she finally nodded gently.
Yun Qingyue then lowered her hand, and finally gave Jiang Mo a push: "Go on."
Jiang Mo pressed her lips together, unable to say anything in the currently solemn atmosphere. Finally, she uttered a sound of agreement, cast a few lingering glances at her Senior Sister, and hurriedly left the space.
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · · · · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·
Facts proved that while the current situation was dangerous, sometimes the concerned parties overthink matters.
After exiting the space, Jiang Mo was exceedingly cautious. She didn't immediately fly away, fearing that she might inadvertently lead wolves to their door. So while remaining vigilant, she meticulously searched the surroundings. But in the end, she didn't find a single person in ambush; the Nine Abyss Sect Leader and the Second Elder had truly left. This made yesterday's evasion and today's extreme caution seem somewhat foolish.
Upon confirming this, a thought couldn't help but form in Jiang Mo's mind: all the caution she and her Senior Sister had exercised over the past day had been a battle of wits with thin air... Unfortunately, the challenge rewards she had missed yesterday caused her immeasurable heartache.
The little tiger immediately wilted; even her Senior Sister's morning kisses couldn't comfort her current wounded feelings.
However, since there was no danger outside, Jiang Mo naturally didn't intend to let her Senior Sister continue waiting anxiously in the space. So with a thought, she released Yun Qingyue. The latter hadn't expected Jiang Mo to bring her out so quickly to help in battle, so she also guessed there was no danger outside. After emerging, she scanned the surroundings and asked: "Are you sure the people have left?"
Jiang Mo nodded dejectedly. They had left, left long ago, had left yesterday already.
Yun Qingyue didn't feel any disappointment, after all, 'better safe than sorry.' Seeing the little tiger so dejected, she reached out and pinched the back of her neck: "Enough now, not encountering danger is a good thing. Don't tell me you wanted to run into enemies?"
This was indeed true. Under her Senior Sister's incisive comfort, Jiang Mo reluctantly raised her spirits: "Then, Ah Yue, shall we go back now?"
Hearing this, Yun Qingyue was about to nod when her peripheral vision suddenly caught an unusual color—by now, the area around the Xuanqing Sect was enveloped in the magical barrier, with black mist permeating everywhere and vegetation withered. Against this backdrop, where everything visible was either black or withered yellow, that gleaming white in the yellowed grass was particularly eye-catching. Looking carefully, Yun Qingyue saw it was a jade slip lying quietly among the grass.
Where had this jade slip come from? Had it been dropped here earlier, or... Yun Qingyue frowned slightly, suddenly recalling the spiritual energy the Nine Abyss Sect Leader had shot over yesterday. If it was an attack, it certainly wasn't fierce enough. Could he have merely tossed this jade slip over?
The more Yun Qingyue thought about it, the more likely it seemed. However, due to the absolute opposition between their positions, neither of them dared to approach it.
Jiang Mo had also noticed her Senior Sister's shifted gaze. Following her line of sight, she exclaimed in surprise: "Oh, how is there a jade slip here? It looks quite clean, so it probably hasn't been here long."
Though she said this, the cultivation world was full of strange things, and strange traps too, so Jiang Mo only looked without daring to reach out and pick it up. Of course, given her status and cultivation, she didn't need to pick it up—generally, things like jade slips, even if they were opportunities, would contain records of cultivation techniques or maps. She had no use for the former, and no time to use the latter at present.
After a moment of contemplation, Yun Qingyue stepped forward and picked up the jade slip.
Jiang Mo didn't stop her, since her Senior Sister had more extensive experience and could make her own judgments about such matters. However, when she saw her Senior Sister about to send her divine sense into the jade slip to investigate, she became concerned and took the jade slip, saying: "Let me do it."
Unknown objects require even more caution, especially in a place where the Nine Abyss Sect Leader had appeared. Although Jiang Mo hadn't judged the origin of the jade slip like Yun Qingyue had, she still harbored some concerns. As for stopping her Senior Sister and taking the risk herself... it wasn't really a risk for her, since her sea of consciousness had both the White Tiger's seal and the system as a backup, making her least afraid of attacks targeting the soul.
Yun Qingyue wasn't aware of these details, but before she could take back the jade slip, Jiang Mo had already sent her divine sense into it and begun reading. Then she watched as Jiang Mo's expression changed, becoming somewhat peculiar.
Finally, when Jiang Mo withdrew her divine sense, Yun Qingyue asked: "Well, what's inside?"
Jiang Mo looked at her Senior Sister, her expression curious, and answered: "It's a letter, a letter from the Nine Abyss Sect Leader to Sect Leader Qingxiao."
Jiang Mo couldn't read the contents of the letter, but at a time like this, what would an enemy high-level figure send to our side's leader... Could there be some curse or similar attached to the jade slip? But harming people isn't that easy; the Xuanqing Sect wouldn't be without precautions.
So if it wasn't meant to harm people, could it be for defection?
But in the current situation, the demon race clearly had the advantage, while the Xuanqing Sect was merely clinging to its last territory, barely surviving. The Nine Abyss Sect Leader was most adept at assessing situations, so how could he possibly "abandon darkness for light" at this time? And don't say it's for some greater human cause; previously, this person had tried everything to break the seal and open a passage to the demon realm.
Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue looked at each other, completely puzzled. Finally, Jiang Mo held the jade slip and asked awkwardly: "So, Ah Yue, should we take this back to the Xuanqing Sect for the Sect Leader?"
Yun Qingyue had somewhat guessed the contents of the jade slip, but she was still struggling, pinching the bridge of her nose as she said: "Let's take it back. Regardless of what's written inside, the Sect Leader will make his own judgment. We don't need to take matters into our own hands."
Jiang Mo nodded and obediently placed the jade slip in a separate storage pouch, then left the area with her Senior Sister.
……
Towards evening, Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue found disciples who had gone out to eliminate demons that day and returned to the Xuanqing Sect with them. After passing through the crack in the formation opened by Sect Leader Qingxiao, the two handed the jade slip over to him.