Ye Hangzhou's face was ashen, and his body was filled with a strong smell of blood and corpses. At this moment, he was exhausted and no longer the carefree young man sitting on a leaf on Xiaoyao Peak.
With my senior brother's gentle personality, he must be more indignant and sad than I am when he suddenly encounters such an unprovoked bloody massacre.
Mu Xue couldn't help but recall the first time she met Senior Brother Ye under this city wall ten years ago.
At that time, he was squatting in front of him, touching his head with a smile.
"Kid, why aren't you crying?"
"It's okay, it's not difficult. I'll tell you a little bit about the test questions."
During the years when Mu Xue was learning art in the master's sect, the warm sun and the drizzling rain dispelled the coldness that Mu Xue brought from the demon world and melted her heart that had been sealed by ice.
"Brother, don't be too anxious," Mu Xue looked at the exhausted brother and comforted him, "I remember Master used to say that on the long road, all kinds of disasters are unavoidable. As a cultivator, don't avoid them, don't be afraid, don't worry too much, just face them head on."
Ye Hangzhou fought all the way, wounded and exhausted. The endless monsters and the people who could not be saved made his heart feel like it was burning in a furnace, and he was in great pain.
In his imagination, a populous town like Biyun City would be a bloody battlefield. Unexpectedly, coming here, he unexpectedly felt relieved from his suppressed anxiety.
Compared to other towns, this place seems to be well-organized, and even the monsters in the sky are very rare.
And all this was done by his young junior sister.
It seemed as if it was only a short while ago that I was standing under this city wall, leading the little girl, as white and tender as a bun, into the sect.
How come in the blink of an eye, she grew taller and stood in front of him gracefully? The childish little girl grew into a steady and reliable partner.
Even comforting myself.
"Xiaoxue, you are right. It was me who lost my temper. With our master and many other teachers here, and so many of us brothers working together, no matter how scary the demon is, it can't matter. There will always be a day when we can drive it away."
Ye Hangzhou stretched out his hand, wanting to touch Mu Xue's head as he did in the past, but he realized that this action was no longer appropriate for such a young lady. He raised his hand in the air, turned halfway, and patted Mu Xue on the shoulder.
"In this case, why don't you stay in Biyun City and recuperate and rest for a while. I will go back to the sect to check on the situation." Mu Xue offered her suggestion.
Because of time constraints, she simply introduced Ye Hangzhou and Cen Qianshan to each other.
Ye Hangzhou saw a strange monk coming up from behind Xiaoxue. The man's eyebrows were curved, and he extended his hand to him enthusiastically and shook his hands vigorously.
"I heard Xiaoxue mention that Senior Brother Ye has taken good care of her since she was a child."
What's with this family-like tone and this strange handshake etiquette
Before Ye Hangzhou could react, the man with a strong aura had already followed Mu Xue into the teleportation archway and disappeared on the stairs.
He hissed and shook his hand, only to find that his hand, which had just been held by that man, was swollen and painful.
"What's going on? Who is that fellow Taoist?" Ye Hangzhou shook his hand that was inexplicably squeezed and hurt, and asked Zhang Xiaoxue's elder brother Zhang Dazhu.
"Xiaoxue said that was her dual cultivation partner." Zhang Dazhu replied happily.
"What...what? Taoist companion?" Ye Hangzhou opened his eyes wide, almost unable to believe his ears, "Say it again?"
Mu Xue stepped on the stone steps leading up the mountain. Walking up the steps, she reached the real gate of Guiyuan Sect.
At this moment, nine huge mountain peaks turned into green shadows, one layer upon another, like a huge green lotus about to bloom, standing alone on the vast earth.
The big river flowing around the mountain turned into a silver dragon, roaring in the distance, swallowing up clouds and mist, and swimming around the mountain, swallowing up all the demons that tried to approach the mountain one by one.
This is the Lotus Mountain Protection Formation that has been passed down in Guiyuan Sect for thousands of years. It was established by the first ancestor and has been blessed by successive generations.
"Without the talisman of the Guiyuan Sect disciples, you cannot enter the mountain protection formation." Mu Xue turned around and said to Cen Qianshan, "Can you find a place to wait for me at the foot of the mountain? I will go back to take a look at the situation first, and then find a chance to talk to the teachers and leaders."
Cen Qianshan reached out and held her back, saying something completely unrelated, "That Ye Hangzhou, is he the senior brother you said you like the most?"
Mu Xue blinked. She couldn't remember when she had said such a thing.
But she suddenly understood what Cen Qianshan meant by "you alone can enter the Tao".
Even in such a tense moment, he only had himself in his heart and was unwilling to give up the opportunity to be jealous.
Really, there is nothing anyone can do to him.
"There are indeed many handsome and talented brothers and sisters in my sect..." Mu Xue sighed and spread her hands, "But since I was a child, I have only had one person in my heart. I saw him when the golden butterfly asked the way, he turned into him when the white tiger reflected on the water, he was him when I was practicing, and he was also him when I was dreaming. I can no longer see the good in others."
Cen Qianshan was coaxed immediately and let go of Mu Xue's hand.
"Many people have sent me peach blossoms, but I didn't take any back. Instead, I collected many books that someone liked to read." Mu Xue was unwilling to let it go easily, and whispered in his ear,
"I will report back to Master, and we will have a clear path. I will do everything written in the storybook, so that I will not be in vain for all the false reputation I have carried for so many years."
Letting go of her beloved whose face had blushed at a few words of love, Mu Xue returned to the mountain gate alone, holding the talisman jade.
The Guiyuan Sect, which used to be filled with immortal music and auspicious beasts, suddenly became quiet and desolate.
The disciples who were flying in groups among the green mountains disappeared.
In the library and martial arts arena, the sounds of reading aloud and shouting for fighting had disappeared.
The mountains were filled with white mist and the silence was frightening. Occasionally, one or two senior brothers and sisters would fly by in a hurry, riding flying instruments and passing through the sky like shooting stars.
Mu Xue arrived at Xiaoyao Peak and the clouds descended from the sky. The master's courtyard was deserted and no one knew where the brothers and sisters had gone.
Not long after, footsteps were heard in the courtyard. The sect leader Dan Yangzi was walking out of the house. He was about to say something when he looked up and happened to see Mu Xue who was standing in the courtyard in a daze.
Mu Xue's master Su Xingting chased out of the house, looking furious, and said, "Impossible! I can never agree to this!"
The two of them just noticed Mu Xue staying in the courtyard. Su Xingting was stunned for a moment, and quickly released his spiritual sense to confirm it again. His angry face finally turned into a surprised smile.
"Xiaoxue, have you formed a pill?"
Dan Yangzi twirled his beard and nodded repeatedly, his eyes wrinkled with smile, "Good, good boy, you have successfully formed a pill outside. Your master really doesn't need to worry about you at all."
He turned to Su Xingting and said meaningfully, "Junior brother, look, these children are so cute and excellent. With them passing on the bloodline of the sect, what else do we have to worry about?"
After hearing this, Su Xingting clenched his sleeves and lowered his head in silence.
Mu Xue has been a disciple of Su Xingting for ten years. His master Xingting lives up to the title of the master of Xiaoyao Peak. He is indeed free and easy by nature, not fussy about details and lives according to his own will.
Except for the time when Ye Hangzhou was trapped in Dongyue Temple and the master flew into the sky on a sword and rushed to help, Mu Xue had hardly ever seen him really angry, let alone showing such a solemn expression.
However, before Mu Xue could inquire carefully, or even tell her master that she had formed a Taoist partner, she was assigned to participate in an extremely urgent rescue mission.
On the plain continent of the mortal world, at the strategic point of many road hubs, there is a thousands-year-old ancient city called Huadu.
Huadu not only covers a vast area and has a large population, but also has a secret that is unknown to the public. This entire town is the only place in the world where the magic control array that leads to the magic spirit world is hidden.
If you look from the sky over the town, you will see that the streets spread out from the central square in all directions and interweave in an orderly and interconnected manner, faintly imbued with the power of the laws of heaven and earth.
This is where the major sects in the Immortal World secretly send their disciples to the Demon World every ten years to trade various medicinal materials.
Today, Huadu is suffering from intensive attacks by numerous monsters. The city defense formation that was activated early is already in danger under the monsters' continuous and fierce attacks, and the city is in danger of being breached at any time.
All the leaders of the immortal sects knew very well that once Huadu was destroyed, not only would the city be destroyed and people killed, but the city's magic control array would also be destroyed. It would be difficult for the immortal world to trade with the demon world once every ten years, and large quantities of high-quality and low-priced herbs and materials would no longer be available.
The foundation of practice for a large number of disciples in the sect will also collapse.
Therefore, after receiving the emergency notice from Huacheng, almost all the immortal sects in the four directions sent their elite disciples to Huacheng for support.
Mu Xue naturally did not want the only passage between the immortal and demon worlds to be destroyed, so he followed his master's orders and hurriedly flew towards the teleportation array within the sect on a cloud.
Danyangzi, who came out from Xiaoyao Peak, caught up on a white whisk and flew beside Mu Xue.
There are rolling green hills at his feet, and beside him is Feng Yin Dao Guan’s teacher.
"Zhuo'er told me that you helped him many times during this journey, and he was able to escape danger." The white-haired head said to Mu Xue with a smile, "After he came back from the Demonic World, he completely opened up his heart and became much more cheerful. I am very happy for him, and thank you very much, Xiaoxue."
Mu Xue responded, "I have benefited a lot from traveling with Senior Brother Zhuo Yu. It's just that we are brothers and sisters helping each other. How can I deserve the Master's thanks?"
Dan Yangzi laughed, "You are a good child. From the day you entered the sect, I knew you were very rare. Your master has a keen eye and has trained you so well. This time when you go to Huacheng, your brothers and sisters have gone ahead of you. When you get there, I hope you can watch over each other and help each other."
He added one more word at the end: "Especially Zhuo Yu. Although he is a man of few words, he is a sensitive and loyal child. Xiaoxue, please help me keep an eye on him."
The headmaster's eyebrows were curved between his white hair and beard, showing the sincere love of an elder. Mu Xue didn't understand what he meant at the time, and just nodded seriously.
"Okay, Master, I'll listen to you."
On the Yuding Peak, the lights of countless teleportation arrays flickered back and forth, and the calls of the golden toads rose and fell. Some disciples of the Guiyuan Sect who were preparing to travel discussed with each other.
"Oh my God, I just came back and I was sent out again without even taking a breath."
"What can we do? Monsters are everywhere, and the world has become a hell. If we can help, it will be good to save a few more lives. After all, we are also from the mortal world."
"I always feel like something is wrong. Aren't there too many people sent out? The mountain gate is so empty, it looks like there are only a few people left."
"What does it matter? The mountain protection formation is in operation and is unbreakable. The headmaster and several uncles are in charge of the sect. What else can go wrong?"
"Yeah, that's true. There's nothing to worry about."
Before stepping onto the teleportation array, Mu Xue looked back. The empty mountains made her feel uneasy.
She simply recorded a note and placed it into a small puppet, letting it run down the mountain with her message.
Mu Xue arrived at Huacheng through the teleportation array.
Ding Lanlan, who arrived first, caught her and cheered, "Great, Xiaoxue is here too."
Under the city wall of Huacheng, near the magic circle of Guiyuan Sect, there are Zhuo Yu, Xiao Changge, Lin Yin, Cheng Yan and others. Together with Mu Xue and Ding Lanlan, they are the six-member team that had previously gone deep into the Demonic Spirit Realm.
Not far from Guiyuan Sect's teleportation array, monks from various sects who came to provide assistance gathered in front of the array.
Because there is a magic-protecting passage hidden in the city, which is opened once every ten years, this town is one of the very few cities that has a large number of sects' teleportation arrays.
At this moment, the number of dark monsters in the sky was so large that it made people's scalps numb.
In the city, magic arrays were constantly lighting up, and monks from various sects and schools came to support in an endless stream.
Mu Xue even saw Zhong Bo, whom she had not seen for many years, in the crowd. The old man who had been paying tribute to his deceased wife in the Dongyue Temple that year now looked even more hunched, with sparse white hair and a very old appearance.
He was very happy to see Mu Xue, and he held her hand and looked her up and down, "You were such a little kid back then, and you have grown into a big girl in the blink of an eye."
"Uncle Zhong, why are you here too?" Mu Xue was very happy to see an old friend, but she couldn't bear to see such an old man participating in such a dangerous battle.
"Hehe, this kind of work should be done by old guys like us who have reached the end of our lives. It's better than letting you youngsters like you fight on the front lines."
A group of Tianyan Sect monks walked through the crowd and came in front of Mu Xue and the others. The leading female monk glanced at their faces and frowned.
"You, Guiyuan Sect, are too perfunctory. Why don't you send some powerful people to such an important place?"
"Really?" the junior sister behind her quickly said, "Not to mention Fu Yun, Miao Hong'er and others, even Yang Jun, Ye Hangzhou and other young men who have never shown their faces."
"Look at the one in the red skirt. I remember her. She is the youngest disciple of Xingting Zhenren of Guiyuan Sect. A few years ago, she was still a little kid held in Fu Yun's arms on Dongyue Divine Road. Now she is only sixteen or seventeen years old at most."
"You're so small, can you hold the sword steadily? What's the point of coming here? You're just making up the numbers."
After hearing these words, Zhong Bo comforted Mu Xue and said, "Don't mind. I know Xiao Xue's strength. She will never lose to anyone."
What surprised him was that not only did Mu Xue not care about it, but also several of Mu Xue's younger fellow disciples were calm and did not take such criticism to heart at all.
"It's okay, old man. Strength is gained through fighting on the battlefield, not by talking." Ding Lanlan smiled and repeated what Mu Xue once said in the Demon Spirit World.
"Your Guiyuan Sect is indeed a famous and orthodox sect. You have taught each of your disciples so well." Zhong Bo nodded and praised. "I still remember Brother Fu and Miss Miao very clearly. At that time, there was also a Master Cen. I wonder how he is doing in the Demon Spirit Realm now."
Cen Qianshan, mentioned by Zhong Bo, was sitting in an inn at the foot of Jiulian Mountain. He did not wait for Mu Xue, but instead waited for an iron puppet made by Mu Xue.
The short and stocky little puppet crawled to the head of the table and uttered Mu Xue's voice.
"Dear Qianshan, I have to go to Huacheng for an urgent matter. I expect to be back in a day or two. Please find a comfortable inn at the foot of the mountain, spread out the quilt softly, and wait for me to come back."
The little puppet handed over a triangular-folded paper talisman with both hands, "You live at the foot of the mountain. If you find any emergency in my sect, please burn this sound transmission talisman to inform me."
Cen Qianshan was unhappy at first when he heard Mu Xue leave alone, but after listening to Mu Xue's sweet words, his mood improved. When she was making the quilt, he had already made all kinds of imaginations on his own and was completely happy. He happily took the talisman paper, tidied the room, and waited for Mu Xue to come back.