Chapter 185 Radiant Moon "Let's catch up, Ryoko-kun."...

The sound of fabric rubbing against each other was soft, but it sounded particularly jarring at that moment.

Lin Yuxian released her grip, a moment of confusion flashing in her eyes before her brows furrowed and anger flared within them. The people nearby remained silent, their breathing rising and falling in a calming, almost muffled rhythm.

Wu Zhuyue raised her eyes, her gaze passing over Lin Yuxian and landing on the people behind her. Shen Lixia still seemed somewhat incredulous, while Qiao Yanshen had already looked away.

Lu Changqing...

Coincidentally, Lu Changqing was also looking at her. It was hard to tell the emotions in those usually gentle eyes—worry, sadness, or disappointment after being betrayed. It was too far away, like mist, blurred by the dappled moonlight and shadows.

She started this.

The demon-detecting array hadn't been repaired—she should have known that after following Si Liuhua for so long, how could a rogue cultivator possibly possess the vast array of weapon techniques and so many unorthodox arts that he had mastered? The fearsome reputation of Sword Master Liuhua was what kept her from repaying his debt of gratitude, causing her to hesitate. She was wrong, completely wrong. Someone like Si Liuhua would never stop.

There was no warmth in her heart; she simply threw this difficult problem at Wu Zhuyue, and it had been like this from the beginning. From the moment she saved the child's life, she had already decided which piece she was on the chessboard.

Even Wu Zhuyue's later abandonment was certainly within her expectations. Forcing a child—a spirited child who yearns for affection—is clearly a poor strategy and requires careful consideration.

Later, she was either a mentor and close friend, or a benefactor who helped her in times of crisis. Wu Zhuyue didn't choose either side; she was willing to have both. However, from the moment she agreed to dismantle the formation, Si Liuhua had already made the choice for her. Through her hands, a bookworm was placed into the sect's protective formation, which gnawed at the formation day and night, damaging the sect's protective structure.

And it seems she was arranged by Si Liuhua to enter Emperor Taihui's service...

pests.

Thinking about this, I realized that tears had already welled up in my eyes without me even noticing.

Even now, they are still unwilling to admit it, unwilling to lay bare the bloody truth before their eyes.

A moment's hesitation can lead to total defeat.

"How did you find out about this?" Lin Yuxian took a deep breath.

Tang Huairou, who was standing next to her, also said, "You can't joke like this at a time like this, Junior Sister Wu..." She had returned from the secret realm not long after Lu Changqing and Wu Zhuyue entered the sect, and she had taken good care of them. She would never want anything to happen to them, nor did she want to believe it, so she forced a smile.

"How could the formation set up by True Monarch Nine Branches, coupled with the hard work of the previous White Dew Peak Master, be so easily broken... Don't cry, are you too nervous?"

“The Demon-Detecting Array has malfunctioned,” Wu Zhuyue said in a low voice. “There are probably countless demons in the sect now, and some of the disciples have probably already been replaced.”

It turns out that Si Liuhua wanted her to break the Demon Array first for this reason.

With his identity unclear and the constraints of the grand competition, Emperor Taihui was like a dragon bound by ropes, even his teeth were shackled, unable to exert any strength. He could only investigate carefully and slowly grind him down. Just when things were starting to look promising, such a major incident occurred today, directly pointing the finger at Qiao Yanshen.

However, the undercurrents beneath it can surge freely.

Lin Yuqian clenched her fist and raised her voice: "How did you know about this!"

Wu Zhuyue remained silent, leaning against the tree and closing her eyes listlessly.

The moonlight flowed down heavily, and the air around us was filled with a suffocating, foul odor reminiscent of the sweltering heat of a summer rainy season.

Every gaze is a sword, and those unspeakable secrets crumble on their own, just like a ripe pomegranate whose skin is cut open, instantly bursting forth with countless dense, bright red fruits, scattered all over the ground.

"so......"

The boy's voice broke the silence, and Wu Zhuyue's heart rose and fell with every syllable that came from her lips. Shen Lixia paused, her voice even calmer than she had expected.

"The spy wasn't originally a demon, but... you."

The clamor outside seemed distant. After a long while, a muffled sound finally came from Wu Zhuyue's side, crossing the bushes that were parted by moonlight.

"Um."

She herself seemed to find it too absurd, and in her trembling, she managed to twitch the corners of her mouth and breathe briefly and coherently, thus managing to utter another sentence.

"It's me."

Shen Lixia hesitated for a moment, "Then you..."

She didn't know how to say it. An overwhelming feeling washed over her, making it hard to cope, as if she were in the midst of turbulent waves.

"We'll explain the reasons later."

Qiao Yanshen interrupted their stalemate, his cold gaze fixed on Wu Zhuyue, and continued, "You said the formation is mostly broken, so there's still a part left to unravel."

"In other words, we still have time to stop them. Whether it's Luo You or someone else breaking the formation... Junior Sister Wu, we still need your help."

She gazed at the bustling Xuanxu Peak.

“Someone has already gone to deliver a message to the Immortal Venerables, so we can start searching first.”

The young man's gentle and calm voice seemed to soothe everyone's anxiety. After a long silence, Lu Changqing took a few steps forward, finally took Wu Zhuyue's hand again, gently stroked the corner of her eye, and wiped away her tears.

"What's done is done... Ah Yue."

Lin Yuxian nodded, her expression softening slightly, and exhaled: "Because you're always so indecisive, being too soft won't get you to say anything, so I had to be forceful. I didn't expect... Oh well, let's make amends, you still have a chance."

Tang Huairou wiped the cold sweat from her forehead. "Yes, Junior Sister Wu... at least, you're no longer a spy for the Demon Clan, are you?" As she spoke, her resolve gradually returned.

Wu Zhuyue wasn't a bad person; after spending so much time together, they could sense that, and therefore wanted to trust her one more time. Besides, things weren't entirely beyond repair...

"Yes, make amends for your mistakes." Qiao Yanshen nodded. "It's no use blaming you here."

Shen Lixia finally came to her senses, sighed, picked up a dry twig, and started drawing on the ground.

"The Demon-Detecting Array is on Zhu Ming Peak. Since it has already been broken, there are four more left. There are several Immortal Venerables on the Four Spirit Peaks. If they wanted to break it, they probably would have done so long ago, so there's no need to go and check."

The tree branches outlined several lines, which marked the location of the five peaks of Emperor Taihui.

"The remaining peaks are Guyu Peak, Bailu Peak, and Shuangren Peak. We each have a token, so go to your respective locations. Senior Sister and Junior Sister Wu, please stay here."

Shen Lixia sketched and marked a spot between the peaks. She was quite skilled at this; her rough lines had already outlined most of Taihui, and this spot was a place that was very likely to be passed through no matter which mountain she was going to or leaving, making it very suitable for lying in ambush.

Simmons, watching from the side, finally realized that this person's occasional walks with her were not just for amusement—it seemed that her fellow Daoist had also been assimilated by the "abnormal" cultivators she had once mentioned.

At this point, Shen Lixia turned to Lin Yuxian, "Do you know where these formations are located on the peak?"

Lin Yuxian said, "Master would never tell me such a thing, but... perhaps we can speculate."

She pursed her lips, feigning deep thought, a hint of hesitation in her expression. The guess might not be accurate, and if it was wrong, it would be a waste of time...

But there was no better choice at the moment, and this responsibility could only be entrusted to her. After hesitating for a few moments, Lin Yuqian let out a long sigh and began to simply deduce the process in her mind while reciting it aloud.

After speaking, Shen Lixia loosened the hair that had been wrapped around her temple and said knowingly, "Okay, I believe you. We all believe you."

There was no other choice.

“Is it alright? Junior Sister Wu is only at the Golden Core Realm... while that demon, Luo You, is at least at the Nascent Soul Realm or higher.” Tang Huairou frowned worriedly. “Yan Shen’s spiritual power has been locked. Perhaps we should let her find a place where she won’t be found to hide, so that she won’t be harassed again.”

She had already arranged a place for Qiao Yanshen, intending to let him hide away after the rescue tonight, but she never expected the situation to become so complicated.

Shen Lixia shook her head, recalling her past experiences, a trace of helplessness flashed in her eyes, and she solemnly said: "On the contrary, Senior Sister is probably one of the important factors in whether or not they can be retained."

The demons' targeting of Qiao Yanshen actually cleared up her suspicions, so they never doubted that Qiao Yanshen had any connection with the demons from the beginning, simply assuming it was a matter of temperament. Shen Lixia's words puzzled the others again. However, the young man merely turned his gaze away and silently turned the conversation to Qiao Yanshen.

The young man's face was slightly pale, but the smile on his lips reassured everyone: "I have absolutely no disloyalty to the sect, so please rest assured. As for the relationship between the demon race and me, I will tell you everything when I have truly figured it out myself."

"Alright." Lin Yuxian nodded first. "Let's not delay, let's get going." After speaking, she glared at Wu Zhuyue.

"Wu Zhuyue, don't even think about running away in the chaos. We'll settle these scores later!"

If we linger long enough, any further delay will truly be too late.

I just confirmed that the communication talisman is not damaged. Even if it were damaged, it could still be signaled with spiritual power, but that method is too blatant and would inevitably lead to a mix of good and bad people.

Wu Zhuyue remained silent, simply keeping her head down as she followed Qiao Yanshen toward the designated place.

“Xiao Wu…” Lu Changqing looked at her, but ultimately said nothing.

The hairpin she was used to wearing suddenly felt so abrupt, as if it had become hot and sharp, burning and tearing at her hair roots, causing a dense stinging pain.

She had a bad feeling—the night was unusually bright.

The flowing light was like silk, the stars disappeared, and only the moon shone brightly.

-

Frostblade Peak has never been overgrown; only Yan Xueya lives there. Her companions are the many furry giant beasts on the peak.

When the previous Frostblade Peak Master was in charge of this place, the mountain had never experienced such heavy snowfall.

When it was once called the Four Spirits Sect, this place was just a high mountain peak, often shrouded in clouds and mist, making it colder than other mountains and ushering in winter earlier. And its name was not Frostblade Peak, but Xuan Ying Peak, which was inherited from a grandmaster.

Xuanxu Peak is close to it, and precisely there one can see the brightest moonlight. Perhaps this is why the sect's historical records state:

"Standing atop the mountain, the Grandmaster looked up at the bright moonlight, and with a look of pity mixed with resentment, said: 'This mountain shall be named Wangshu Peak.'"

As the sect gradually grew, cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage began to appear, and a protective barrier was established, leading to the phenomenon of "four distinct seasons within a single sect." The names of the mountains were also changed to better reflect the seasons, making names like Xuan Ying and Wang Shu a thing of the past.

Apart from the Four Spirits Peak, which serves as the main peak and still evokes memories of the former Four Spirits Sect, almost everything else within the sect has been completely transformed.

This peak, like a sword questioning the heavens, perfectly matched Yan Xueya's temperament, pointing straight to the dome. The two gradually became inseparable. When ordinary people talked about Frostblade Peak, they would invariably mention True Lord Mingji; and when they talked about True Lord Mingji, they would marvel at the snow-covered peak, which was almost identical to the snowfields on the border of the Seventh Domain.

Those snow beasts, I heard, were also cubs she brought from the snowfields from afar. She fed them carefully, and they finally survived and took root on the mountain.

Few understood the meaning behind Yan Xueya's actions. If she were lonely, she could have simply stopped the heavy snow and let Tusheng move here. Why go through all the trouble of bringing these fragile little brats back?

Shen Lixia was also unaware of, and had never considered, this question.

She stepped onto the snow-capped mountain and discovered that all the snowy owls seemed to have vanished. An unusually cold desolation permeated the entire mountain, and only her own breathing rose and fell amidst the howling wind and snow.

Between the mountains, the snow beasts had already rested. But usually, there were always two mischievous ones who refused to sleep, rummaging through the snow for food under their mother's watchful eye, but now they were nowhere to be found.

His boots crunched through the snow, snapping dead branches beneath them. The boy carefully traversed the mountain path, when suddenly he heard a hum from the longsword in his hand, followed by—

A cold, icy glint suddenly flashed!

Shen Lixia reacted quickly, leaning sharply to the side, disregarding all decorum, and fell solidly into the cold snow. She hurriedly got up, only to feel a pain on her neck. Touching it, she discovered a wound slowly opening, flowing with traces of blood.

The cold glint grazed her neck; if she had been any slower, she would probably have been decapitated.

While feeling relieved, Shen Lixia inexplicably became unhappy again—part of the ends of her hair had been cut off, and she knew without a doubt that it looked like it had been chewed by a dog, absolutely awful.

The person who ambushed her, seeing that his plan had failed, sneered: "Although you've only reached the Nascent Soul Realm, you're more capable than I thought."

Then, the unfamiliar yet familiar young man appeared openly, causing Shen Lixia to frown, grit her teeth, and say coldly, "It really is you!"

Luo You, with her hands behind her back, smiled and gave a slight bow, which could be considered a greeting. Her voice was soft and low, and if one removed the lingering sinister undertone, it would be...

It's quite like an old friend.

"It seems you've forgotten a lot too, but I haven't forgotten anything."

The young man laughed merrily, his demeanor the complete opposite of the murderous glint in his eyes, and unlike any other demon. He was elegant and refined, his white robes gleaming like frost under the moonlight. With each step he took, his killing intent intensified, surging forth in a roaring torrent. The blade grazed the scabbard with a sharp, clear sound, like a resounding dragon's roar.

She said gently, "Let's catch up, Lord Lingguang."

-----------------------

Author's Note: Hahaha, a chaotic and wicked lesbian relationship (get out of here)

The change in their feelings might seem a bit fast, but they really didn't have much time left, and partly because they genuinely didn't think Xiao Wu was a bad person. They'll settle things later.

Xia was unhappy because the bird was very concerned about its feathers^^ Except when its owner clipped its feathers, it would peck at anyone who touched it.

The classical Chinese meaning is: The grandmaster (Jiang Xuanying) stood on the mountain peak, saw the bright and clear moonlight, and looked sad and regretful, as if remorseful, and said: "Let's call this mountain Wangshu Peak."

My classical Chinese is very poor, and I'm learning it recently. My writing is not rigorous, so please forgive me if you are a specialist in this subject.