Xiu Jiming dragged the prisoner along as he searched for traces of the demons, only to find that these creatures had already realized they were being tracked and had quickly masked their auras.
Xiu Jiming frowned as he looked out over the vast Bijia Mountain Range, momentarily unsure of how to proceed.
“Brother Xiu, I think we should head back soon. We’ve been out for too long, and I’m afraid they might be trying to lure the tiger away from the mountain,” a female cultivator said after a moment of hesitation.
Xiu Jiming remained silent. He felt a lingering sense of frustration.
He said, “I arranged for several colleagues in the True Self Realm to watch over the edge of the county town. Their strength is not inferior to yours.”
Before he could finish his sentence, a transmission talisman lit up in front of him.
He frowned slightly and pinched it open.
The voice from within was urgent: “Big Brother Xiu, news has come from the edge of the city. Several of the senior brothers guarding the walls have already been killed.”
“What?!”
Everyone was instantly struck with shock.
“How long have we been out searching? The demons were headed in this direction too. How could they have bypassed us and entered Yueshan County?!”
someone immediately protested.
“This might be a trap set by the demons. No, we can’t just go back like this.”
“But what if…”
“There is no ‘what if.’ we’ve been traveling with our senses wide open this entire way, and we haven’t seen a single shadow of a demon.”
Xiu Jiming’s heart sank.
After a slight hesitation, he interrupted the group: “What you all say makes sense, but I have concerns and must return. Continue the pursuit on your own. If you find anything, notify me immediately with a transmission talisman.”
“Senior Brother, since you have also studied the Scripture of the Responding Sword and Breaking Delusions, you should know the technique for the Instantaneous Movement of the Calamity Response, right?”
Xiu Jiming looked down at the prisoner and asked.
“I know it. You want to fly back directly?” the prisoner asked in surprise.
“Then go ahead and fly. Why are you telling me?”
“You are a matter of great importance, so it goes without saying that I cannot leave you here alone. You had better come with me obediently,” Xiu Jiming said with a smile.
“Tsk. You’re something else,” the fugitive muttered, his face full of annoyance.
“I have already sensed it along the way. You have been secretly absorbing spiritual energy, which proves you freed yourself long ago. How much longer are you going to keep up the act?”
Xiu Jiming said.
“Fine, fine. But let’s get one thing straight: if a fight breaks out later, I’m not helping you,” the prisoner said, shrugging.
“Big Brother Xiu, he…”
The others were confused as they saw the prisoner slip out of Xiu Jiming’s control and slowly float into the air.
Xiu Jiming said, “It is nothing. Everyone, continue your search for the demons. I will head back to the Inspectorate first.”
“Yes,” the group replied.
Xiu Jiming smiled.
“Senior Brother, sense my aura and follow me.”
“Yeah, yeah, I got it,” the prisoner waved his hand, appearing completely indifferent.
Then, Xiu Jiming and the prisoner looked at each other.
Both simultaneously formed sword seals with their fingers and recited: “The calamity arises, turning the body into a sword; a flash of light returns through the gap.”
As they finished the incantation, they gradually turned into a shower of starlight and vanished.
“Big Brother Xiu’s cultivation has become increasingly profound over the years,” a young man marveled.
—
Accompanied by a beam of light descending from the sky into the Inspectorate, Xiu Jiming and the prisoner appeared simultaneously.
Xiu Jiming ignored the prisoner, who hadn’t quite regained his footing, and immediately rushed out.
He saw Zhao Yuyu just as he finished tearing apart the last monster.
His gaze swept over Gu Xiao and the others who were resting, but he couldn’t find that red and white figure.
Panic instantly set in.
His voice involuntarily tightened as he asked, “Xiao, where is Ling’er?”
When Gu Xiao saw him, he hurriedly said, “Old Xiu, Ling’er was captured by a monster.”
Bai Yunyun immediately came forward, crying out, “Chief, Big Sis was taken by a super strong demon! It went that way!”
Bai Yunyun pointed in the direction Lin Ling had been taken while wiping away her tears.
Hearing this, Xiu Jiming’s face turned terrifyingly dark.
Without a moment’s pause, he vaulted into the air.
Seeing this, the prisoner sat down inside the Inspectorate with a smirk, too lazy to follow.
Xiu Jiming’s speed was even faster than Lin Shuyang’s.
His high-speed movement even distorted the surrounding space.
When he locked onto the aura, he suddenly saw Lin Shuyang forcefully trying to twist Lin Ling’s arm back into place as he gradually approached her.
The fury in Xiu Jiming’s heart reached its peak.
Moving at high speed, he turned into a long rainbow and slammed violently into Lin Shuyang.
With a loud bang, Lin Shuyang was sent flying by his kick.
Lin Ling was overjoyed when she saw his figure.
After kicking Lin Shuyang away, Xiu Jiming immediately came to Lin Ling’s side.
He picked her up and held her tightly in his arms.
Lin Ling felt a bit dazed.
However, she soon felt Xiu Jiming releasing his divine sense to check for any abnormalities within her body, so she endured it for the time being.
After all, Little Ming had just saved her life!
Scenting the familiar fragrance in her hair, Xiu Jiming’s heart gradually calmed down.
“Are you okay?”
Xiu Jiming released his hold and gazed at Lin Ling with extreme tension.
Being stared at like that by Xiu Jiming, Lin Ling felt a bit embarrassed and turned her face away, shaking her head slightly.
Then she pointed to her arm that had been forcefully twisted back.
Xiu Jiming hastily checked it and found that it was only slightly swollen and displaced, and that there were no demon seeds or similar things present.
He breathed a sigh of relief.
Perhaps because she was finally safe, in those absolutely secure arms, Lin Ling’s long-tense nerves suddenly relaxed.
Her suppressed tears finally fell, soaking the fabric of his shoulder.
[Damn, I really thought I was going to die this time.]
Looking at Lin Ling’s pitiful appearance, Xiu Jiming’s heart was filled with gratitude and lingering fear.
Fortunately, he had come immediately without hesitation; otherwise, there was no telling what the situation would be.
Holding Lin Ling in his arms, Xiu Jiming stood up and looked coldly at Lin Shuyang, who had been kicked into a crippled state. He said, “You aren’t dead yet. I can feel it.”
Lin Shuyang’s body splayed out like a centipede, his ribs crackling and popping.
“That really hurts. You broke this physical body of mine. How dare you!”
Seeing this, Lin Ling quickly shrunk her neck and leaned into Xiu Jiming’s embrace of her own accord.
[I just remembered this guy was trying to possess me. Damn, it makes me afraid to look.]
“But it’s fine, there’s still a backup option.”
Lin Shuyang leaped up and flew toward Xiu Jiming.
Xiu Jiming held Lin Ling and didn’t move an inch from his spot.
Since Lin Ling had buried her face against Xiu Jiming’s neck, she didn’t know what was happening.
Xiu Jiming raised his hand, his sword fingers pointing straight at the center of Lin Shuyang’s brow.
A tiny streamer of light, faster than the speed of thought, flew straight out from Xiu Jiming’s hand.
It struck precisely at the center of Lin Shuyang’s forehead.
“Moon-Slicing Flowing Light.”
Feeling his head under attack, Lin Shuyang went with the flow and discarded his own head, continuing to charge at Xiu Jiming.
Hearing the commotion, Lin Ling subconsciously looked up and was instantly terrified by Lin Shuyang’s deformed appearance.
Sensing the person in his arms trembling, Xiu Jiming gently held Lin Ling tighter and comforted her, “Don’t be afraid. He is already dead.”
In the next moment, the still-clawing Lin Shuyang was suddenly sliced into several segments by sword qi, dying a miserable death on the spot.