132: Chapter 131 Silence and Madness

The last one was a little girl who looked only seven or eight years old, with her hair in twin buns and wearing a floral dress, clutching a human-skin bear in her arms. She tilted her head, looking curiously at the distant Battleships with eyes full of innocence. But anyone who underestimated her because of her appearance would be gravely mistaken—her name was Tong Yao, one of the most terrifying Late Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators in the Heavenly Demon Hall. That human-skin bear of hers was sewn from the skins of nine Nascent Soul Cultivators.

Four Late Nascent Soul Stage experts, four terrifying auras, firmly locked down the two Battleships.

What truly made True Lord Qingyue feel uneasy, however, was not these four people, but the one who had not yet appeared.

The veteran Late Nascent Soul Stage expert of the Heavenly Demon Hall who had broken through to the Soul Transformation stage.

Rumor had it that he had been in seclusion for centuries, and everyone assumed he had either passed away or failed his Breakthrough. But not long ago, Cang Xuanzi fled to the Ximing Continent and joined the Heavenly Demon Hall, bringing with him some critical items—perhaps a Cultivation Technique, a treasure, or a secret. Regardless, that old Devil Head used those items to successfully break through that barrier and step into the Soul Transformation realm.

Now, the Heavenly Demon Hall had two Soul Transformation Cultivators.

One old, and one newly ascended.

They were in desperate need of territorial expansion. Although the Ximing Continent was vast, its resources were limited; most of it consisted of desolate lands and treacherous waters, and the truly prime locations had long since been carved up. Therefore, they set their sights on the Danding Sect and the Qingxuan Sect—though these two Sects were not large, their locations were excellent, serving as the gateways to the East Xuan Region.

Taking down these two Sects would be equivalent to opening the gates to the East Xuan Region. Beyond them lay the vast spiritual lands of the East Xuan Region, the territory of the Shenduan Sect and the Xuanhuang Pill Mansion.

This was something the Shenduan Sect and the Xuanhuang Pill Mansion could never accept.

But at this moment, their most urgent task was not to stop the Heavenly Demon Hall's expansion, but to get the news back.

A Soul Transformation Cultivator had appeared in the Ximing Continent.

This news had to be sent back to the Sect as quickly as possible so the Sect could send reinforcements. Otherwise, with just the few people on the two Battleships, they couldn't possibly withstand the Heavenly Demon Hall's offensive.

But the problem was, the news couldn't get out.

The people from the Heavenly Demon Hall had sealed the surrounding space so tightly that no means of communication could penetrate it. The communication Formations on those four Battleships had all failed. The Jade Slips specifically used for sending messages were intercepted as soon as they were activated. Some even tried to tear through the Void Realm to escape, only to find that the void had also been sealed.

The only one who might be able to get the news out was Jiang Yueling, who was still outside.

She had stayed behind at the Qingxuan Sect before the Battleships departed, so she wasn't within the sealed area. If she knew that a Soul Transformation Cultivator had appeared in the Ximing Continent, if she could find a way to get the news back to the Shenduan Sect...

But she was at the Qingxuan Sect and knew nothing. To be safe, the Heavenly Demon Hall had specifically dispatched ten Late Golden Core Stage demonic Cultivators to kill her. They even offered a Xuan Ying Pill as a bounty to ensure nothing went wrong—whoever killed Jiang Yueling would receive this pill.

The Xuan Ying Pill was a fourth-rank High Grade treasure that could increase the chances of a Golden Core Perfection Cultivator forming their soul by at least thirty percent. For this pill, those Late Golden Core Stage demonic Cultivators would resort to any means necessary.

Ten Late Golden Core Stage Cultivators against one Early Golden Core Stage Cultivator—by any logic, it was foolproof.

True Lord Qingyue stood on the Battleship's deck, her expression grave and her brow furrowed.

It had been a long time since she had felt this anxious.

Beside her, several Golden Core Elders were discussing breakout plans in low voices, but every plan was being rejected. Space was sealed, making evasion techniques useless; there were too many enemies, so a direct charge was suicide; although the Spiritual Power Cannons were immensely powerful, they could only be fired three times before overheating, and those four Late Nascent Soul Stage experts wouldn't just stand by and watch them fire.

“True Lord,” a Golden Core Elder stepped forward and whispered, “how about... I lead a group to break out from underground?”

True Lord Qingyue shook her head: “There are demonic Cultivators underground as well. Granny Bone is skilled in earth evasion; her Disciples have long since tunneled through the ground.”

“Then... what about breaking out in different directions? Someone is bound to get through.”

“Getting through is useless,” True Lord Qingyue said in a low voice. “Space is sealed, and all communication methods have failed. Even if someone gets out, they won't have enough time to get the news back to the Sect.”

The Elder was silent for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, “Then I'll head toward the Danding Sect's side! Their Battleship is close; maybe their communication Formation still works...”

True Lord Qingyue glanced at him but didn't answer.

Her gaze passed over the densely packed demonic Cultivators and the four Late Nascent Soul Stage experts, looking into the distance.

That was the direction of the Qingxuan Sect.

Yueling... you must stay safe.

She withdrew her gaze, took a deep breath, and began to reassess the battlefield.

There had to be a way to break through.

There had to be...

Meanwhile, on the other side.

Yun Ming finally caught up to Jiang Yueling.

The girl was enveloped in a layer of pale golden light—the light of an evasion technique powered by burning essence blood. Her speed was incredibly fast, but her aura was already starting to become erratic and her face was as pale as paper; clearly, the price of burning her essence blood was beginning to take its toll.

Yun Ming's expression darkened as he surged his spiritual power, appearing in front of her in a flash to block her path.

“Have you gone mad?” he shouted. “Burning your essence blood? Are you trying to kill yourself?”

Jiang Yueling skidded to a halt. Her face beneath the veil was devoid of color, but her eyes were frighteningly bright.

“Get lost!” her voice was hoarse. “Don't block my way!”

“Go back,” Yun Ming refused to move. “The best thing you can do right now is return to the Qingxuan Sect—”

“I've already sent a message to the Shenduan Sect!” Jiang Yueling interrupted him. “The Sect will receive the news in three days! I've done what needed to be done! Now, move!”

Yun Ming was stunned, but he quickly regained his composure. Even if the news reached them, it would take at least ten days to half a month for the Shenduan Sect to send reinforcements. Whether True Lord Qingyue could hold out during that time was unknown.

Jiang Yueling was clearly thinking the same thing.

“I'm going to find my Master,” her tone was terrifyingly calm. “Even if I die, I'll die with her.”

Yun Ming took a deep breath: “You can't go.”

“And why not?”

“Because your life isn't yours alone.” Yun Ming looked at her. “Why did your Master leave you at the Qingxuan Sect? It was because she feared something might change and that staying by her side would be dangerous. Your life was saved by her; if you go there to die, will you be able to face her?”

Jiang Yueling's tears fell, and her whole body trembled, yet she stubbornly refused to make a sound.

“But... but she's there all alone...”

“She is a great Late Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator; she won't die that easily.” Yun Ming softened his tone. “Go back. Return to the Qingxuan Sect and wait for news.”

Jiang Yueling was silent for a long time.

Then she looked up, the weakness in her eyes gone, replaced by a near-manic resolve.

“You're right,” she said, her voice hoarse yet calm. “But I'm still going to find her.”

Yun Ming's expression darkened.

“All my life, I've been spoiled by her. My selfishness, my arrogance, my disdain for others—she spoiled me into all of it.” Jiang Yueling looked at him and suddenly gave a small smile, one that held a hint of sorrow and a hint of finality. “I can't change now. So this time, let me be selfish one last time.”

As she spoke, the pale golden light around her body suddenly surged!

Yun Ming cursed inwardly: Dammit!

Without another word, he took a step forward and reached out to grab her.

This girl couldn't be allowed to go to her death—if something happened to her and the Shenduan Sect held them accountable, no one in the Qingxuan Sect would escape.

A cold light flashed in Jiang Yueling's eyes as she moved forward instead of retreating.

Her hairpins transformed into golden streams of light, piercing straight toward Yun Ming's face, while her anklets jingled and her figure instantly vanished from the spot.

Yun Ming stepped aside to dodge and struck out with a backhand palm.

Jiang Yueling's body twisted as she barely avoided it, but her sleeve was still caught by the palm wind, tearing a hole in it. At the same time, the bracelets on her wrists lit up, and three light shields protected her as her hands formed seals, sending the Condensed Moon Divine Light toward Yun Ming in invisible ripples.

Yun Ming took a deep breath, and his five Golden Cores rotated simultaneously.

He activated the Purple Cloud Divine Thunder Curse, and several bolts of purple lightning descended from the sky, blasting apart the invisible ripples. He then used the Tahua Zizai Escape Technique, turning into an afterimage as he charged toward Jiang Yueling.

Jiang Yueling gritted her teeth, pushing all her Magic Treasures to their absolute limits.

Golden streams of light danced across the sky, and layers of Condensed Moon Divine Light stacked up, making her look like a hedgehog covered in spines.

But her spiritual power was being consumed at a rapid rate. Burning her essence blood was already overdrawing her strength, and now that she was using her Magic Treasures with full force, her face grew whiter and her aura weaker. Even the layer of pale golden light began to flicker unsteadily.

Yun Ming tanked the attacks of those Magic Treasures and rushed in front of Jiang Yueling. The hairpins were deflected by his moonlight flowing frost robe, the light shields shattered into points of light upon impact with him, and the ripples of Condensed Moon Divine Light only caused his figure to pause for a moment.

He reached out and firmly caught her wrist.

“Stop this. Come back with me.”

Jiang Yueling struggled but couldn't break free. Her strength was fading, her consciousness was blurring, and the world before her began to spin.

She bit her lip and murmured with the last of her strength, “I... I have to find Master...”

Yun Ming said nothing.

He raised his other hand, preparing to knock her unconscious and take her back.