Faced with Yunxi's pointed questions one after another, Wei Yunqing's brows drew tighter as she seriously searched for the roots of their enmity.
Watching her expression, a thoughtful light passed through Yunxi's eyes. It seemed the "Heaven's" hints weighing on Wei Yunqing inside the Shanhe Scroll were weakening.
From Wei Yunqing's conduct these past days, she had clearly become more trusting of her sister, who had been at odds with her. Though Yunxi kept suppressing her, Wei Yunqing seemed convinced Yunxi would not truly harm her, almost like she was straining to prove she existed at all.
"Interesting."
After murmuring that, Yunxi let her gaze drift over the surrounding runes. It had to be these inscriptions at work, making Wei Yunqing more "normal," making her actually think.
Inside and outside the shield were two different worlds. Outside, blood and storm. Every cultivator fought the evil spirits with utmost caution. Inside, the cultivators either sat to recover or attempted breakthroughs. The hush was so deep a pin might be heard.
In the next instant, Xian Feng flashed out of the shield, swept his sleeve, and pulled a Kunmo Sect Nascent Soul cultivator back inside. His finger stabbed points in the air in rapid succession, sealing the man's abdominal wound as fast as he could. Too late. The man's eyes flushed red. He hurled his storage ring toward the Kunmo Sect's group, said not one word, then rushed out of the shield again. "Clear out!" he roared, and self detonated his Yuányīng.
"Junior Brother Xun Jin!"
The Kunmo Sect cultivators had only managed to cry his dao title when Xun Jin fell before their eyes.
Xun Kun, who had been meditating, snapped his eyes open and moved to rush out, but Yunxi barred his way. "Xun Kun, do not let your junior's sacrifice be wasted."
He stopped, but his clenched fists betrayed the storm inside.
Because of Xun Jin's self detonation, this battle finally ended after an hour and a half. Those who returned to the shield were grim and wordless, most bearing wounds. Once back in the Hong Energy Shield, they silently sat to recover, ready to meet the next fight at any time.
The Kunmo Sect disciples brought Xun Jin's storage ring to Xun Kun.
Xun Kun closed his eyes, then tucked the ring into his inner robe. Drawing a long breath, he opened an isolation barrier and threw himself fully into breaking through to Divine Transformation.
Dian Dian writhed with anxiety, pressing one ear to Yunxi's heartbeat until it calmed.
"Dian Dian, what is it?" Yunxi asked by sound transmission.
"Master, that thing is out again. Dian Dian can sense it. You should break through to Divine Transformation as soon as possible. Dian Dian is afraid you cannot face it as you are."
"All right. I understand."
Yunxi trusted Dian Dian's nose and instincts. She turned to the Haoran Sect Nascent Soul cultivators. "I am going to force to breakthrough Divine Transformation. Be careful, all of you. Do not hoard your resources. Where the green hills remain, there is firewood still."
"Understood."
"We will."
They nodded solemnly. Wei Yunqing silently prayed Yunxi would succeed, that it would buy them one more sliver of life. She had never imagined a day would come when she was grateful Yunxi cultivated faster than she did.
Two hours later, evil spirits appeared again in every corner of the hall, weapons in hand, charging the shield with swagger. Battle erupted once more.
Huaxian Sect, Western Region Guest Peak
Sheng Yuhong stared toward Bidou Peak, anxiety and unease flashing in his eyes. Every day he looked that way. He knew the sect's Divine Transformation Ancestors were present, and even Yu Ling Zūnzhě had arrived, yet his heart still would not settle.
He had entered the Golden Core-stage tournament and made the top one hundred. He had fought stiffly but gained something from it. He planned to go into long closed-door cultivation upon returning to the sect. He did not want to fall too far behind.
After the Kunmo Sect poisoning incident, he had thought the evil cultivators would stop. He had not expected their target to be the Nascent Soul cultivators of every region. When he learned the Shanhe Scroll had sucked in all the Nascent Soul participants, he could not decide whether to feel relieved or regretful.
Relieved he had not formed a Nascent Soul and did not have to face a nine-deaths-one-life situation. Regretful that his cultivation was too slow, that he could not keep pace with Yunxi and had no right to pursue her. The two feelings tangled, and he could not calm himself.
Zhao Jinmu, watching Sheng Yuhong's back, also looked toward Bidou Peak,. He too worried for the sect's Yuányīng Zhēnjūn, especially Ran Xi Zhēnjūn.
Because of the Purple gold meteorite Ran Xi Zhēnjūn had gifted him, he had forged a natal sword of spirit-treasure grade and charged through the field in the tournament, becoming a dark horse at ninety-eighth among the Golden Core ranks.
He had brought honor to the sect and earned focused cultivation resources for himself. He swore to count Hua Xuanzi's share as well and climb the immortal road one steady step at a time.
Seeing Zhao Jinmu approach, Sheng Yuhong turned."Junior Brother Zhao, did you need me?"
Zhao Jinmu shook his head. "No. I am only worried for our sect's Yuányīng Zhēnjūn. Has any news come from Bidou Peak?"
As the sect master's first disciple, Sheng Yuhong would have better information. Zhao Jinmu had hesitated before asking.
Sheng Yuhong shook his head. "No news. Hao Qing Zūnzhě told us to stay at the guest peak in peace. He said the Ancestors will bring them out."
Zhao Jinmu knew then that things were not optimistic. Still he said, "No news is good news."
Sheng Yuhong nodded, but could not hold back a sigh.
Up on Bidou Peak, the Shanhe Scroll encircled by nine Divine Transformation Zūnzhě began to tremble lightly, as if straining to shrug off suppression. The miasma coiling the scroll showed signs of scattering.
Hua Teng Zūnzhě's eyes brightened. "Everyone, the taint has thinned. We must increase our pace."
The nine changed hand seals, speeding their outflow of spiritual power.
Inside the Shanhe Scroll, Yunxi was crossing weapons with a Divine Transformation evil spirit wielding a dragon-patterned saber.
"Hahaha. To think they blundered so well this time and sent in such a fine prize. Stop struggling. Hand your skin over to this honored one."
The taunt grated on Yunxi. She had already reached Divine Transformation, but without the tribulation she was still a shade behind a true Divine Transformation cultivator.
She had broken through a step before Yun Chen. When Divine Transformation level spirits appeared, she and Xian Feng naturally stood in front.
In the previous three battles, she and Xian Feng had meshed well, holding off the Divine Transformation spirits so the others could shred the Nascent Soul ones. After they cut down three Divine Transformation spirits in a row, this saber-bearing spirit appeared and stuck to Yunxi like pitch.
The moment she saw the dragon-patterned blade, Dian Dian chattered in panic by sound transmission. "Master, Master, you must be careful. That bad thing is here. Do not get hurt."
Sensing Dian Dian's terror, Yunxi swept her divine sense and sent her into the space.
The evil cultivator before her licked his lips and ran a hand along the saber. "Heh. You carry quite a few good things."