108: palpitations

“Father, I’m a little worried.”

“About what?”

“The family.”

“Don’t worry, with Uncle Xuan around, nothing will happen.”

On top of the city wall, Zhou Kaiding and Zhou Lihai stood side by side.

Looking at the approaching horde of Yao Beasts, some people despaired, losing their will to fight; some had solemn expressions, facing death as if it were a return home; some scattered and fled, panicking.

‘Brother Mo, I hope you’ve already woken up. I hope the Zhou Family can survive this calamity.’

Although he said this aloud, Zhou Kaiding’s worry was even heavier than Zhou Lihai’s. Mo Xuan had not yet woken up before he came, and Zhou Liyue had not yet emerged from seclusion. If… Zhou Kaiding dared not think further, only constantly reassuring himself that everything would turn for the better.

Zhou Kaiding was not lightly injured. He took some Medicinal Pills, activated their effects, and circulated his already depleted magical power, facing his destined fate.

“Uncle Xuan…”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Lihai’s worried expression eased slightly. Thinking that Mo Xuan was still guarding the family, his heart felt much calmer. With Uncle Xuan’s strength, as long as it wasn’t one of those Ape Kings personally, he should be able to lead the family to escape.

Zhou Kaiding had not told anyone else about Mo Xuan’s slumber to prepare for his Golden Core Breakthrough.

Moreover, Mo Xuan had spent most of his time in the Zhou Family in slumber, and with Zhou Kaiding concealing it, everyone in the Zhou Family assumed Mo Xuan was just in an ordinary sleep.

“They’re here!”

Zhou Kaiding’s words had just fallen.

“Bang!”

The Tianshui City Grand Array shook. Inside the city, in each Formation eye, the Xuanqing Sect Disciples and Elders wearing robes embroidered with lightning patterns all turned pale as the Formation eyes trembled.

The Foundation Establishment Cultivators who had fled earlier were now all dead, with most devoured by the Three-Eyed Green Wolf.

However, some Foundation Establishment Cultivators had made the same choice as Zhou Kaiding, retreating to Tianshui City.

Before everyone could relax, the third eye on the forehead of the Three-Eyed Green Wolf, suspended in the air, intensified with green light.

A sinister green light ray shot out from that third eye, tearing through the air and colliding with the Tianshui City Grand Array. The Grand Array hummed, and ripples continuously spread out. At the same time, the beast tide outside the city attacked again.

“Crack!”

The Tianshui City Grand Array shattered.

“Roar…”

Once the Grand Array was broken, the beast horde had no more obstacles, rushing into the city and clashing with the Cultivators inside.

“Stay by my side.”

Zhou Kaiding’s tone was urgent as he instructed Zhou Lihai.

Before Zhou Lihai could reply, a large group of Yao Beasts had already rushed over.

Zhou Kaiding continuously swung his cheng fa sword, and the Golden Vow Wheel protected their bodies.

Everyone was scattered and could only fight individually.

Wolf Yao, Bear Yao, Ape Yao… countless Yao Beasts bared their fangs, radiating bloodlust and fierce intent.

Swing sword, swing sword, swing sword… blood flowed, corpses piled up.

Zhou Kaiding saw nothing else. His magical power was constantly depleted. His left hand formed a seal, maintaining the Wish Wheel’s defense around him, while his right hand continuously condensed magical power, mechanically swinging.

Zhou Lihai was not idle either, holding a Magical Artifact mirror, from which fiery red light continuously emerged.

This was a High Grade first-tier Magical Artifact, the Starflame Mirror, with considerable power.

“Hmph!”

A cold snort entered their ears.

“Father, be careful!”

Zhou Lihai exclaimed, shifting sideways. Several golden feathers struck, piercing the Golden Vow Wheel and passing through Zhou Lihai, who was blocking Zhou Kaiding, then stabbing into Zhou Kaiding’s back.

With a ‘clank’, the Magical Artifact mirror in Zhou Lihai’s hand dropped.

“Hai’er…”

Zhou Kaiding staggered, ignoring the pain in his back and the gushing blood from his body. He swung his sword, turned around to catch Zhou Lihai, and gently laid him on the ground.

Looking at the blood-soaked Zhou Lihai, Zhou Kaiding’s expression froze. He continuously poured magical power into him, wanting to protect his heart meridian and stabilize the injury, but it was futile.

“Father, Mother, Chuxue…”

Zhou Lihai wanted to say something, but only ‘hoarse’ sounds came out, and blood gushed out with each sound.

Then, the light in Zhou Lihai’s eyes dimmed, and his gaze lost focus.

“Hai’er…”

Zhou Kaiding whispered, releasing his hands and tightly gripping the cheng fa sword.

“Wish Wheel · Release!”

The Golden Vow Wheel reappeared, transforming into specks of golden light that surged into Zhou Kaiding’s body.

With a casual sword swing, he repelled the approaching Yao Beast. Zhou Kaiding paused, then approached the Golden Scaled Eagle, which was flapping its wings and looking on mockingly.

“Kill!”

Zhou Kaiding roared, his eyes bloodshot.

Sword light, golden light, wings, flowing water, human figures, eagle figures, and cries intertwined incessantly.

A moment later, the sword light vanished, the cries disappeared. Zhou Kaiding weakly released the cheng fa sword embedded in the Golden Scaled Eagle, and two figures drifted downwards.

His gaze fell upon where Zhou Lihai had fallen, his vision gradually blurring. The air was silent.

‘How nostalgic…’

Zhou Kaiding closed his eyes, his thoughts fading, leaving only boundless darkness.

Tianshui City was breached, and blood dyed the sky red, like a sunset glow, brilliant and dazzling.

In the distance, the Cloud Jiao flew over, its Aura having recovered slightly.

If Daoist Yunyan’s cultivation had been even a little higher, and the Ape King and Wolf King had been delayed for a moment longer, the Cloud Jiao would certainly not have survived.

“Jiao King, is what you said true?”

“Is it confirmed that there are no Human Race Cultivators here who can threaten us?”

The Three-Eyed Green Wolf King swallowed the corpse of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator whole, then looked at the flying Cloud Jiao and asked.

“Green Wolf, are you questioning me?”

The Cloud Jiao’s voice was low and hoarse, tinged with coldness.

“Heh…”

“Why be angry, Jiao King? It was just a casual question.”

The Green Wolf spoke indifferently to the cold Cloud Jiao.

Although the Cloud Jiao’s cultivation was higher than his, it had been severely injured by Daoist Yunyan before her death, so it was currently not his opponent.

“Hmph!”

The Cloud Jiao snorted coldly but made no other moves.

“Indeed, the strongest Human Race here is that old ghost He Run of the Xuanqing Sect, a Late Golden Core Stage Cultivator.”

“I was captured by this person…”

At this point, the Cloud Jiao’s tone changed again, sounding like a vengeful spirit, but it calmed down in an instant.

He had endured for so many years, without any disloyalty, just waiting for the right moment.

Now, he had finally waited for it.

“That old ghost He Run’s Aura has disappeared, so he should be dead.”

“It’s just a pity I couldn’t personally avenge my enslavement.”

The Cloud Jiao spoke in a deep voice, his tone calm and indifferent.

He had been captured by True Person He Run and had a Beast Taming Slave Seal planted on him. Although True Person He Run eventually transferred the Beast Taming Seal to Daoist Yunyan, the Cloud Jiao still had a faint connection with True Person He Run.

However, after True Person He Run went into seclusion for a year, this faint connection disappeared.

Thus, the Cloud Jiao dared to do such a thing.

If True Person He Run were still alive, even with the Cloud Jiao and the three Yao Kings, they would not be a match for True Person He Run, who was only one step away from entering the Nascent Soul Stage.

Give the Cloud Jiao two more guts, and he wouldn’t dare to betray the Xuanqing Sect.

“Good!”

The Three-Eyed Green Wolf’s tone was excited.

“What a wonderful land, what wonderful blood food. Human Race, heh heh.”

“Awooo!”

The Green Wolf muttered, then let out a long howl. The beast horde responded, surging towards Huichuan Prefecture.

Qingyuan Town, Jade Moon Peak, in a secret chamber.

“Pfft~”

Zhou Liyue, who was sitting cross-legged, suddenly had her Aura become chaotic. A white-gold round wheel behind her trembled violently, almost shattering, and blood overflowed from the corner of her mouth.

The Puhua Yuanlun Scripture circulated, and Zhou Liyue quickly stabilized her scattered Aura, calming the constantly trembling Wish Wheel.

She was puzzled. She had successfully Broken Through to Foundation Establishment but had not yet emerged from seclusion, instead quietly Cultivating the Wish Wheel spell attached to the Puhua Yuanlun Scripture.

Zhou Kaiding had long demonstrated the power of this Wish Wheel, and he had already told Zhou Liyue its key points, so her progress was extremely fast.

However, just at a critical moment in her Cultivation, her heart suddenly palpitated, her magical power fluctuated, and her Cultivation Technique was interrupted, almost leading to failure.

Fortunately, the palpitation came and went quickly. In just an instant, Zhou Liyue returned to normal, quickly stabilizing her Aura and circulating her Cultivation Technique to prevent the Wish Wheel from collapsing.

After a long while, Zhou Liyue let out a sigh of relief. With a wave of her right hand, the white-gold Wish Wheel behind her floated before her, constantly changing with her thoughts.

“How is it a little different from Father’s?”

Zhou Liyue wondered to herself. Her Wish Wheel also had specks of white light mixed in, making it appear white-gold.

She pondered for a moment, but couldn’t come up with an answer. Zhou Liyue mused:

“I can only go discuss it with Father.”

She waved her hand to dispel the Wish Wheel, stood up, and felt the Foundation Establishment Stage magical power within her, which she could control freely, feeling satisfied.

“Hmm~”

“It’s time to emerge from seclusion. I’ll give Father and the others a surprise later…”

Zhou Liyue thought to herself, a smile appearing on her face. She retracted her Aura and quietly opened the secret chamber’s Formation, her figure disappearing.