103: Chapter 103 You bastard! What's wrong with my Liuyun Temple?

Outside Jiangfeng City, there were broken walls and ruins.

A cat-shaped Erosion Beast, its body wreathed in gray-black erosion qi, arched its back. Its dark green eyes were locked onto a young girl holding a sword in front of it, and a threatening low growl emanated from its throat.

The girl wore an ordinary light cyan cloth dress with a belt, washed until it was somewhat faded, yet it was clean and tidy.

At this moment, her face was pale, and she was biting her lower lip tightly. Her round, almond-shaped eyes were filled with clear fear, and the hand holding the longsword was trembling slightly.

Xia Yingying forced herself to stand firm, pointing the tip of her sword directly at the Erosion Beast, and whispered to encourage herself:

"Xia Yingying, you can do it! You cannot... cannot always rely on Senior Sister Xinxi for protection!"

"Awoo!"

The cat Erosion Beast lunged suddenly, its movements as fast as lightning!

Xia Yingying's pupils constricted. Relying on instinct, she rolled clumsily to the side and back, barely dodging a fatal claw.

She seized the opportunity, flicked her wrist, and the longsword traced a cold light as it stabbed toward the Erosion Beast's waist and abdomen.

However, the Erosion Beast reacted faster. It swiped back with its sharp claws, and with a crisp "clang," the immense force instantly sent the longsword flying! Xia Yingying was also dragged along and staggered a few steps before falling heavily to the ground, kicking up dust.

The Erosion Beast growled low, and its sharp claws, glinting with cold light, swiped down at her head once more.

The shadow of death instantly loomed over her!

Just at this critical moment, a cold, frosty white light suddenly emerged from Xia Yingying's left eye.

The remaining fear on her face faded away. Xia Yingying subconsciously waved her hand, and an invisible force suddenly erupted!

The cat Erosion Beast, still in mid-air, let out a miserable howl. Its entire body flew backward several yards, slammed into a boulder, twitched twice, and then went still as the erosion qi dissipated rapidly.

The frosty white light in her left eye receded quickly like a tide.

"Senior Sister Xinxi?! Senior Sister Xinxi! Are you awake?"

The coldness on Xia Yingying's face completely vanished, leaving only anxiety and anticipation as she called out hurriedly.

However, her mind remained silent; there was no response.

The light in the young girl's eyes dimmed rapidly, turning into deep gloom and self-reproach.

"Senior Sister has fallen into a deep sleep again... It is because I am too useless... I can only rely on Senior Sister every time..."

She leaned against a scorched tree trunk nearby, gasping for breath for a long while before the tearing pain in her body eased slightly, and she struggled to stand up to leave the ruins.

"Eh?"

A figure in cyan and red landed lightly from the air, landing exactly not far away.

The newcomer was a female cultivator with a slightly cold temperament, wearing her hair in a neat Daoist bun, her posture upright.

Her gaze swept over the heavily injured and exhausted Xia Yingying, then glanced at the carcass of the cat Erosion Beast in the distance, which had clearly been killed in a single blow. She raised an eyebrow slightly and muttered to herself:

"Qi Refining Level 3? To be able to survive outside the city... the luck is not bad. Looking at the state of this Erosion Beast's death, it was probably dealt with by a passing Foundation Establishment Senior."

Xia Yingying became alert instantly, enduring the pain to grab the longsword from the ground and holding it horizontally in front of her. Her wide, round eyes were full of wariness:

"You... who are you?"

She examined the other person carefully. Although the other person's expression was somewhat distant, her standard Daoist robe was neat and clean, and her eyes were clear; she did not look like an evil person. Moreover, if the other party truly had malicious intent, she could have attacked directly just now.

Liu Sisi looked at Xia Yingying, noting that she was wreathed in erosion qi, her face as pale as paper, and her breathing chaotic; clearly, she had suffered significant internal and external injuries.

She was silent for a moment, and a trace of pity flashed in her eyes.

This little girl's wary appearance at this moment reminded her of some of the Junior Sisters in her Sect who had encountered setbacks after first venturing out.

She flicked her slender finger, and a jade-green Medicinal Pill emitting a refreshing fragrance floated out of thin air in front of Xia Yingying.

"A Medicinal Pill for healing, eat it."

The tone was flat, with no discernible emotion.

Xia Yingying looked at the Medicinal Pill floating in front of her, then looked at Liu Sisi, her small face full of hesitation.

Senior Sister Xinxi said that one should not easily trust things from strangers. But if the other party really wanted to harm her, it would not seem necessary to go through such trouble? Besides, her injuries did need treatment...

"Forget it if you won't eat it."

Seeing Xia Yingying hesitate, Liu Sisi had no intention of persuading her and turned to leave.

As chance acquaintances, she had already done all she could.

"Wait!"

Seeing her about to leave, Xia Yingying panicked. Ignoring the Medicinal Pill, she hurriedly shouted:

"Senior Sister! Please... may I ask if you know how to get to the Moonshadow Sect? I... I came from Hanyang City. I asked many people along the way and walked for a very, very long time, but... but I have never found it..."

Her voice was full of grievance and confusion.

"Moonshadow Sect? Hanyang City?"

Liu Sisi, who was about to leave, paused her steps. She turned around abruptly, and the way she looked at Xia Yingying became extremely strange,

"You just said... you came from Hanyang City and asked people all the way to get here?"

"Yes..."

Xia Yingying did not understand why and nodded blankly.

Liu Sisi's gaze became even more bizarre, even tinged with disbelief. She raised her hand to point in the direction Xia Yingying had come from, then pointed to the outline of a city faintly visible in the distance:

"You wouldn't happen to be... directionally challenged, would you? And the kind that absolutely cannot distinguish north, south, east, or west? This is Jiangfeng City!"

Liu Sisi emphasized the name specifically,

"And Hanyang City is due south of here. You set out from Hanyang City to go to the Moonshadow Sect, and the Moonshadow Sect is to the south of Hanyang City! How did you end up in Jiangfeng City, which is north of Hanyang City?! You have gone in the completely wrong direction, traveling almost three thousand li in the opposite direction!"

"Ah?!"

Xia Yingying was completely stunned. Her round, almond-shaped eyes widened even further, and her small face instantly flushed red.

She lowered her head, her two index fingers twisting the corner of her clothes unconsciously, her voice as thin as a mosquito's buzz:

"I... I am just a little... not very good with directions..."

A little?!

Liu Sisi almost wanted to cover her forehead and sigh. How is this just a little?

Liu Sisi took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to retort, and her tone returned to its cool, detached state,

"You want to go to the Moonshadow Sect to join the Sect?"

"That's right!"

Mentioning the Moonshadow Sect, Xia Yingying's eyes lit up again, filled with hope,

"Everyone says the Moonshadow Sect is different. Regardless of whether one's Spiritual Root is good or bad, they only care about whether one's Heart-Nature is sincere! After joining the Sect, there is also the magical baptism of the Cleansing Erosion Holy Water, which can wash away the erosion qi on one's body, and one can also receive powerful Cultivation Technique to Cultivate for free..."

The more she spoke, the more excited she became.

"Stop... hold it, I know."

Liu Sisi hurriedly interrupted her. She was also well aware of these rumors about the Moonshadow Sect,

"So you are determined to go?"

"Mhm!"

Xia Yingying nodded vigorously,

"Senior Sister, you know so much, do you also want to join the Moonshadow Sect?"

Xia Yingying asked naively, with anticipation in her eyes.

Liu Sisi was slightly startled, then shook her head, her tone carrying a hint of complexity:

"No, I am a Disciple of Liuyun Temple."

She pointed to the insignia of Liuyun Temple on her Daoist robe.

"Oh..." Xia Yingying responded, and a trace of disappointment and regret clearly flashed across her small face.

Liu Sisi: "..."

You little brat, what is the meaning of that regretful expression?! Are you feeling sorry for me because I didn't join the Moonshadow Sect?!

Bastard! What is wrong with her Liuyun Temple?!

It seems it really cannot compare to the Moonshadow Sect...

Looking at Xia Yingying's disheveled appearance, lost and bewildered because she was lost, although she was indeed annoyed that her Sect was questioned, she felt more helplessness and pity in her heart.

This little girl was weak and directionally challenged, yet so persistent. If no one guided her, she would probably die on the road without ever finding the mountain gate of the Moonshadow Sect.

Liu Sisi sighed and pointed into the distance, saying:

"Forget it. I will escort you to Jiangyang City ahead. Jiangyang City has a main road that leads directly to Mingmao City. As long as you pass through Mingmao City, you will enter the three-thousand-li radius of the Moonshadow Sect. There are Moonshadow Sect strongholds stationed in the villages and towns along the way, so it will basically be safe."

She instructed solemnly: "Remember, when you get to Jiangyang City, follow the main road—I mean follow the main road to Mingmao City! Then keep walking south along the main road! Do not turn! When you see a giant city that is many times larger and more magnificent than Hanyang City, that is the Six Ridges Giant City! The Moonshadow Sect is near the Six Ridges Giant City! Do you understand?"

"Understood! Thank you, Senior Sister! Senior Sister, you are truly a very good person!"

Xia Yingying was overjoyed, a brilliant smile blooming on her pale face as she bowed repeatedly to Liu Sisi.

She was filled with gratitude in her heart for this Senior Sister in front of her who looked somewhat cold and aloof.

Although she felt she was a bit cold at first, she was willing to give medicine... even though she didn't eat it, and now she was willing to escort her, who was lost; she was truly a very kind person at heart!

Liu Sisi felt a bit uncomfortable being called a "good person" by her, so she turned her face away and said flatly:

"Let's go, keep up. Don't get lost again on the road."

After saying that, she turned and walked toward Jiangyang City. Xia Yingying hurriedly picked up her longsword, ate the Medicinal Pill, endured the pain, and followed closely behind, step by step.