Facing the incubus, Li Xiuran still remained guarded, but for the time being he listened and cooperated.
However, just at this moment, a large group of high-level cultivators arrived.
Li Xiuran alone could not hold back two people. Seeing the situation, the incubus directly hoisted Mo Xuanli up, casting spells on him while concealing his aura, and fled quickly. “Keep up.”
How could they possibly keep up? The situation was urgent, if they followed, that group would discover Mo Xuanli. Li Xiuran could only stay behind to block everyone, managing only to leave a mark on Mo Xuanli so he could track him later.
Li Xiuran set Gu Baiqing down, sword in hand, watching the high-level cultivators rush over, clamoring for him to hand over Mo Xuanli. Li Xiuran could only fight, buying time for the incubus to escape.
And just when Li Xiuran could no longer hold on, a figure who had clearly taken a disguise pill appeared, repelling the pursuers with a single strike.
“Take him and go.” That person glanced at Gu Baiqing on the ground and said directly.
Although Li Xiuran did not recognize who the person was, since they were helping, escaping quickly was the priority.
However, not long after Li Xiuran escaped, he turned back to look with some worry, only to suddenly discover that those people seemed to have abruptly changed direction and moved away one after another, leaving Li Xiuran baffled. But Li Xiuran could not worry about that anymore; he quickly brought Gu Baiqing to find Mo Xuanli and the incubus.
When Gu Baiqing woke up, he was already in an abandoned forest hut.
Someone was speaking nearby, and there was also a Demon Clan aura. Gu Baiqing instantly startled awake, opening his eyes to see Mo Xuanli lying beside him.
“Awake.”
Someone called out.
Gu Baiqing raised his eyes and saw Li Xiuran and the incubus standing not far away.
It was understandable for Li Xiuran to be with them, but why was the incubus here?
Gu Baiqing hurriedly got up and asked about the situation.
Li Xiuran stepped forward and explained it once through. After they escaped, they encountered the incubus; the incubus helped Mo Xuanli temporarily conceal the mixed-blood aura. There were also concealment formations left behind by Qian Yue here, so they evaded the pursuit.
As for why the incubus had gone out alone and encountered them, it was because Qian Yue had gone missing.
“When we fled, we discovered some situations; Qian Yue intended to go back and tell you.” The incubus recounted again what he had seen.
Actually, they had already known on the plaza that there was a traitor, but listening to the incubus’s description, that person no matter how one looked at it seemed to be Pei Dai. Added to the fact that Pei Dai had Mo Xuanli’s origin bone, it seemed that Pei Dai truly was the traitor.
“This, I don’t know.” The incubus leaned to one side, his expression grave. “I’m just worried about that stinking monk, right now I have no idea where he was taken.”
“According to the information we’ve cross-checked, this matter is probably troublesome.” Li Xiuran spoke with an even heavier expression.
There aren’t many missing people, there are seven.
Once they compared, they knew that six of them perfectly matched the people the incubus had previously mentioned that the Saintess needed to find. All of them are single spiritual roots of very high purity: Nan Zhi is wind-type, Lou Zixiao is wood-type, Qian Yue is thunder-type, He Zixiao is fire-type, Xie Qingrong is earth-type, and Si Chun is water-type.
That rumored formation which can replace spirit-gathering arrays and combine into a demon-summoning array has already gathered very important elements.
And Ji Chuling, who was taken away, has the Heavenly Spirit Root unique to their clan; it’s unknown whether this is also required by the formation.
In short, the current situation is already extremely critical.
Once the formation is activated, no one knows what the demon-summoning array will do, but those who were taken away will certainly lose their lives.
Hearing this, Gu Baiqing’s expression sank as he looked at Mo Xuanli, sleeping at the side. “One arrow, three birds.”
“What?” the incubus asked in confusion.
“One, take them to complete the formation; two, use them to frame and smear Xuanli; three…” Li Xiuran looked at Gu Baiqing.
Gu Baiqing said, “Three, almost all of those taken are the people Mo Xuanli is closest to in this world. Xuanyue wants to destroy everything Mo Xuanli cares about, make him suffer all the bitterness of the human world, despair of the world, force him into demonic corruption, and finally…”
The incubus paused and said, “According to what I know… the Saintess has indeed been deliberately creating things Mo Xuanli cares about, and then trying to find opportunities to destroy them.”
“Isn’t she his own Older Sister? How can she be like this…” Li Xiuran ground his teeth in hatred. Thinking of when Mo Xuanli previously revealed that Xuanyue was Yun Yue, Li Xiuran remembered that gentle woman. It was truly painful and regretful, although they hadn’t spent much time together, Li Xiuran often recalled the occasional desolate expression she revealed, which stirred pity. Who would have thought she was such a ruthless existence, truly blind, having misjudged the person.
“Xuanli… has always been bearing hatred that others forcibly imposed on him.” Gu Baiqing sat by the bed, turning back to look at Mo Xuanli with heartache. Even now, thinking about it still made him feel wronged for him. Clearly it was just a little bit away, just that little bit, and yet it was still destroyed.
Xuanyue was like a madwoman who couldn’t stand to see her younger brother return to a normal life. Whether it was jealousy or resentment, why should Mo Xuanli have to bear any of it?
Gu Baiqing’s gaze hardened as he held Mo Xuanli’s hand, pondering what to do next.
“Those people who were taken should be within some kind of barrier, so no one can sense them. If it’s not in the Demon Realm, then the most likely place is where they plan to set up the formation.” Gu Baiqing analyzed.
The incubus said, “I summoned demonic creatures from the Demon Realm to ask, large numbers of the Demon Clan have already left the Demon Realm.”
Li Xiuran said, “They must have come to the cultivation world, and the formation is also in the cultivation world. To activate such a formation, it would inevitably leave traces in the world. Right now there aren’t any, which means the formation hasn’t been activated yet. We still have time.”
As they were speaking, a wave of mixed-blood aura suddenly swept over. The three were startled and turned to look at Mo Xuanli, only to find that Mo Xuanli was fine, it was coming from outside.
Li Xiuran immediately went out to check with vigilance, and in the blink of an eye he came back carrying someone.
And upon seeing the person being carried back, Gu Baiqing was greatly shocked, especially upon hearing the sound of a baby crying. He completely couldn’t understand how the plot had developed to this point.
The one who came was the injured Jingzhan, and in his arms he was actually holding Zhenzhen.
Zhenzhen is mixed-blood!
“Finally found you. I also… didn’t know where to go anymore.” Jingzhan said, bedraggled and haggard.
“How did you find this place?” the incubus asked in surprise. Shouldn’t this place be concealed?
“Because of me. The one who guided our way back then used Jingzhan’s technique. The imprint of that technique was left on me, so he was able to track us here.” Li Xiuran explained, but looking at Zhenzhen, he couldn’t help blurting out, “What on earth is going on here?”
Jingzhan’s expression was extremely ugly; he didn’t even know how to begin.
“Treat the injuries first.” Gu Baiqing saw that Jingzhan’s back was burned, this move… was obviously Sect Master Baili’s.
After Jingzhan was brought to the bedside, he saw Mo Xuanli unconscious and immediately asked worriedly, “Big Brother Gu… how is Xuanli?”
“His origin bone has returned to its place, his strength has greatly increased, and he should be close to a breakthrough. Coupled with the severe damage his body suffered, he can’t wake up for the time being.” Gu Baiqing said.
Jingzhan sat down, put Zhenzhen down. The incubus at the side feared something might go wrong and hurriedly added another seal on Zhenzhen, but his seal could only hide it temporarily.
Li Xiuran stepped forward to help Jingzhan apply medicine. Jingzhan’s mood was extremely low; his entire person was silent, completely unlike how he had been before.
When the injuries were dealt with, Li Xiuran spoke again.
It was as if Jingzhan had only then snapped awake, and he suddenly knelt down in front of Gu Baiqing.
Gu Baiqing was startled and quickly helped him up. “What are you doing?”
“I… I don’t know. I just feel that our family owes you and Xuanli an apology.” Jingzhan’s eyes were full of guilt and pain. Today’s upheavals had already exceeded what he could bear; he couldn’t calm down, and everything simply followed instinct.
“These matters have nothing to do with you. I think Xuanli wouldn’t blame you either. You even helped us at a critical moment, you and Xiuran are both his good brothers.”
Jingzhan bit his trembling lip and said, “My sister-in-law is the Demon Venerable’s daughter, my niece is mixed-blood. My sister-in-law, in order not to expose herself, aided evil and helped the Saintess frame Xuanli, and also kidnapped the others.”
Covering his face, Jingzhan recounted everything that happened afterward on the plaza.
Gu Baiqing and Li Xiuran had not expected that so many things had still happened afterward.
Jingzhan didn’t know the subsequent situation, but he felt that under such an attack, Pei Dai probably wouldn’t survive.
He couldn’t watch Zhenzhen also die there. He felt that everything was wrong, that he could no longer accept it, so he fled with Zhenzhen.
Li Xiuran listened and only felt it was absurd, how laughable. In the end, this little girl had actually ended up with the same fate as Mo Xuanli.
“Your sister-in-law… was Pei Dai really deliberately using your brother?” Li Xiuran asked hesitantly. To create a high-quality mixed-blood, could there really be something so cruel?
Jingzhan shook his head and said, “I don’t know. Sister-in-law treated me… well, but… but…”
As soon as Gu Baiqing thought of the origin bone being provided by Pei Dai, he couldn’t help but hate her. She could have her difficulties, and Gu Baiqing could also choose not to forgive, but Gu Baiqing had no intention of placing that hatred on the child. He even felt some sympathy. What would this child’s future fate be? After all, among the mixed-bloods they knew, even the best fate amounted to something like Lou Zixiao’s.
But even that was incomparably cruel.
The incubus couldn’t grieve together with them; he only felt that the child kept crying and fussing, and his ears were about to explode.
“Can one of you soothe her or something? What’s with crying like this nonstop?” The incubus, helping at close range to reinforce the seal, was really being driven dizzy by the noise.
A bunch of grown men, none of them knew how to take care of a child. They gathered around the little girl, all at a loss, yet Zhenzhen was crying to the point of nearly losing her breath.
Jingzhan ignored his injuries and picked Zhenzhen up to soothe her, but Zhenzhen still cried heart-rendingly.
This used to work when Jingzhan did it, why wasn’t it working now?
“Could it be she wet herself?” Li Xiuran quickly said.
Jingzhan touched the swaddling clothes. “No. Why is she crying like this, could she have been injured just now? I don’t know medical arts…”
“Are you guys stupid? She’s obviously hungry. She’s so little, she needs milk.”
“In this desolate wilderness, where would we get milk? Would feeding spirit pills work?”
Suddenly, Gu Baiqing said, “I have some.”
The three of them froze, then turned stiffly to look at Gu Baiqing.
Gu Baiqing hurriedly rummaged through the storage pouches on himself and Mo Xuanli. Finally, in one spot, he turned up dozens of milky-white little porcelain bottles. He opened one, and the fragrance of milk drifted out.
“Why do you carry this kind of thing with you!” Jingzhan exclaimed in shock.
Seeing the looks in everyone’s eyes gradually becoming strange, Gu Baiqing coughed lightly. “A gift for my junior brother. Originally, he was supposed to come back on the day of the celebration banquet.”
In fact, there had originally been many more bottles. He didn’t know why there were fewer now. Thinking back, recalling the last night at Tianyuan Sect when he was drunk, he had inexplicably smelled milk fragrance, he didn’t know what that little Mo dog had done.
Everyone listened to the explanation, yet the strange expressions didn’t disappear. So it turned out that Elder Chunyang of Zixiao Sect actually had such an unknown hobby.
But it did save them in a pinch. Sure enough, after feeding her from the little porcelain bottle, Zhenzhen finally quieted down.
Only then did everyone feel their ears liberated. It was just that the little porcelain bottles were being used up quickly and probably wouldn’t last long.
After that, everyone discussed what to do. Rescuing people was definitely the top priority. Now they could no longer rely on the cultivation world, but not being able to find the people was the biggest problem. The incubus planned to mix back into the Demon Clan’s ranks himself and then provide them with intelligence. After all, he couldn’t do it alone, he could only rely on them to rescue people.
But the incubus had once betrayed the Saintess, and it was hard to say what would happen if he went back. Such a risk truly felt like throwing himself into a net.
And just as everyone was discussing, an attack struck the barrier outside.
Everyone jumped in fright. Jingzhan stood up immediately, thinking he had led the pursuers there.
But not long after, a person passed through the barrier and came in.
That person was precisely the one who had previously helped block the pursuers once.
“It’s the one who saved us…” Li Xiuran was just about to speak.
“Junior brother?” Gu Baiqing exclaimed in surprise.
The one who came was none other than Chu Fei. Although Chu Fei had taken a disguise pill, he still couldn’t change his habit of wearing a mask, and that heavy sword.
Seeing Gu Baiqing safe and sound and Mo Xuanli lying unconscious on the bed, Chu Fei immediately frowned and said, “What are you doing!”
“Why are you here?” Gu Baiqing said happily.
“Second senior brother sent me to protect you.” Chu Fei said bluntly.
Warmth rose in Gu Baiqing’s heart. Li Xiuran and Jingzhan were also quite surprised. They had thought it was a falling-out back then, but it turned out to be help for their own people in another way. They had to admit that at this moment they were truly very envious of Zixiao Sect’s sect atmosphere.
After Chu Fei finished speaking, he swept his gaze and immediately saw the Demon Clan member. The incubus, stared at by those eyes full of killing intent, hurriedly retreated.
Gu Baiqing immediately said, “One of us.”
Chu Fei raised an eyebrow, then immediately saw Zhenzhen.
Jingzhan felt a bit nervous. At this moment, he suddenly had an insight, his niece was mixed-blood, and he had accepted it, but he really would always worry whether other people posed a threat to her.
But not long after, Jingzhan discovered that Chu Fei wasn’t looking at Zhenzhen, but at the empty space beside her where the little porcelain bottles had been.
Just then, Zhenzhen finished drinking the last bottle and still wasn’t full, babbling softly.
Seeing this, Gu Baiqing directly said, “She’s going to cry again. Junior brother, take some out.”
Chu Fei immediately instinctively raised a hand, as if gripping a sword hilt, and covered his storage pouch. “What?”
“Don’t be stingy. The child is hungry. I’ll make it up to you later.”
Chu Fei held it in for a long while before finally, amid the increasingly dissatisfied cries of the infant and the completely unabashed stares of several juniors, pulling out the little porcelain bottles. “There’re… there’re only these five bottles left.”
He hadn’t even been willing to drink them himself. Watching Zhenzhen unrestrainedly drink them all down, his heart was filled with resentment. In the end, Zhenzhen let out a satisfied burp and finally fell asleep.
Only then could everyone speak quietly.
And Chu Fei brought them the most shocking news.
The Demon Clan had launched a sneak attack on Tianyuan Sect. Their sudden departure back then was because they had received urgent messages from various sects and hurried back to provide aid.
When Chu Fei returned, he rushed back together with Zixiao Sect to rescue people.
But when they broke through the barrier set up by the Demon Clan and went inside, the Demon Clan had already left, the scene was tragic.
“My father… my elder brother…” Jingzhan couldn’t help asking.
Li Xiuran also couldn’t help inquiring about the situation of Tianzhao Sect.
But Chu Fei had no such mind to record everything one by one; he only knew that some of the people they asked about didn’t die. But the situation wasn’t good either.
“Isn’t this really laughable, if you few hadn’t been forced away, and those who chased you hadn’t chased you out, then according to the people the Demon Clan sent over, at most it would have been a draw. There wouldn’t have been such heavy casualties at all. In fact, the overall strength of the Demon Clan under the Saintess’s control simply cannot contend with the cultivation world, which is why she has always been secretly scheming. Who would’ve thought your cultivation world always likes its own people fighting its own people. No wonder the Saintess often says the cultivation world is hypocritical, she doesn’t even need to fight; just stir things up a little and it collapses completely. If it weren’t for the fact that our Demon Clan’s numbers have always been small, your cultivation world would have long been a defeated foe under our hands.” The incubus couldn’t help mocking.
Everyone was left ashamed by what was said, but the facts were indeed so. The overall power of the cultivation world was too great, so great that it could never be turned by individual strength alone.
At that time, who knew how many people regretted it. At the very least, those hostages who had once been rescued by the powerful strength of the few of them must surely have regretted forcing Gu Baiqing and Mo Xuanli away.
After that came rescue efforts and meetings.
When Chu Fei reached this point, his gaze sank slightly as he looked at Gu Baiqing and said, “The immortal–demon war has begun.”
Gu Baiqing frowned and said, “This time the Demon Clan’s invasion is extremely severe. A great war beginning is inevitable. That being the case… they shouldn’t have the energy to look for Xuanli, right? Then why did you still come back to look for us? You should be protecting Zixiao Sect.”
Chu Fei shook his head instead and said seriously, “Because the focus of this war is your disciple.”
As soon as these words came out, everyone was shocked, what does this have to do with Mo Xuanli again!
Gu Baiqing was immediately furious and said, “They can even shift the blame onto Xuanli? What’s the reason? Blame Xuanli for not going back to save them? Or think Xuanli colluded with the Demon Clan to lure the tiger away from the mountain? Instead of seeking revenge on the Demon Clan, they insist on targeting Xuanli?”
But Chu Fei said, “None of that. It’s because of one sentence spoken by the Demon Clan’s Saintess.”
“She said that even if everyone didn’t die, within a month they would all die at the hands of the Primordial Demon. She said it with such certainty that the people of the cultivation world all believe…”
Gu Baiqing’s expression gradually turned icy. “All believe that Xuanli will definitely become the Primordial Demon, that he is the one who will help the Demon Clan end the cultivation world, so they want to kill Xuanli?!”
“Yes. And I discovered that the Demon Clan is also looking for Mo Xuanli, so you understand now, both sides are looking for him. He is the key to the game. That’s why Second Senior Brother sent me here.” Chu Fei frowned and said, “Second Senior Brother also said that the situation now is already a dead end. The cultivation world has firmly decided to kill Mo Xuanli, they’ll dig three feet into the ground to find you. Since I was able to track you here based on that mixed-blood aura just now, it won’t be long before they find you too. Senior Brother, if you want to protect your disciple, you must think of a way as soon as possible.”
“The Primordial Demon isn’t something that easy to become.” Li Xiuran had heard Ji Chuling talk about the Primordial Demon before and naturally knew it wasn’t something that just happened casually.
“Even if they kill Xuanli, will the war not be fought? That crazy woman isn’t she still going to fight? And that so-called formation…” Jingzhan had previously heard the reason why the others were taken away and was completely bewildered.
“To them, the most dangerous thing has always been the Primordial Demon. Because that is a power humans cannot contend with.” Chu Fei said. “They want to eliminate the most dangerous hidden threat first, then deal with the others.”
“Big Brother Gu.” Li Xiuran suddenly said, “There’s still one fragment missing. Once we find them all and change Xuanli’s constitution, then to both sides Xuanli will be useless. They shouldn’t have any reason left.”
This was indeed the only method, but…
Gu Baiqing said, “Besides the God-Slaying Sword, there’s still one condition, the Tribulation stage cultivation. I’m afraid there isn’t enough time.”
Everyone understood that the cultivation world and the Demon Realm, were, at this moment, equivalent to all the forces in the world jointly hunting Mo Xuanli.
The urgency was pressing. There was simply… no time.
Everyone immediately fell into helpless confusion. The hunted Mo Xuanli, the friends who had been taken away…
At this moment, Gu Baiqing’s eyes flashed and he said, “I’m going back to Zixiao Sect.”
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