Chapter 14 The Moon Is Not Seen "I believe you..."
Fu Yunyao stayed at the Nanheng Sect for seven days, finally waiting for them to develop a new barrier.
Inside the main hall of the Nanheng Sect, the sect leader, his face beaming with excitement, introduced the sect to Fu Yunyao.
"The two disciples of the Endless Sect and Shi Yubai of the Star Gazing Pavilion studied for several days and finally found the most suitable barrier to resist demonic energy in the array inheritance obtained from the Linglang Secret Realm."
On the table, a ball of demonic energy was trapped in a golden array barrier. Despite its attempts to break through, it failed to leave any marks on the barrier. Instead, the demonic energy grew weaker and weaker, while the golden light of the barrier intensified.
The sect leader of Nanheng continued, "This is a demon-binding formation from the ancient war between demons and gods. The more the demonic energy struggles and constantly crashes against the barrier, the weaker it will become. The demonic energy will also transform into spiritual energy to continue maintaining the formation."
Fu Yunyao reached out and touched the edge of the array barrier, causing ripples to spread out.
"Demonic energy has transformed into spiritual energy to maintain the formation?"
She thought about how the cultivation world had become increasingly rich in spiritual energy over the past ten years since the seal on the Demon Realm was broken. Could it be that demonic energy and spiritual energy could be transformed into each other? So, they broke the seal on the Demon Realm in order to obtain more abundant spiritual energy?
The sect leader of Nanheng looked pleased, as if he was genuinely happy to have solved the problem of the unstable barrier.
Her gaze fell on Fu Yunyao to the side, her smile faltered slightly, and she added, "However, this array barrier has been lost for a long time. Without testing, we dare not arbitrarily replace the original array."
Fu Yunyao remained silent, her eyes, hidden beneath the veil, quietly watching her. The Sect Master of Nanheng had no choice but to continue speaking.
“I originally intended to have the sect disciples test this barrier, but then I thought that most people living in the mortal realm are ordinary people, and the physical constitution of ordinary people is somewhat different from that of cultivators. Perhaps this barrier would be useful to cultivators but not to ordinary people. However, we cannot use those unarmed ordinary people as test subjects. In the past thousands of years, only Young Master Yao has been able to escape unscathed from a horde of demons. If you have the time, why don't you... go there yourself?”
Fu Yunyao tapped her fingertips lightly on the table.
She hates trouble. Is this elaborate effort to invite her to the experimental barrier truly out of concern for the safety of the mortal realm, or... is there another motive?
She didn't respond, so the Sect Master of Nanheng began to persuade her, "Young Master Yao, this concerns the safety of the mortal realm after all. You won't refuse, right?"
Deep down, however, he felt that Fu Yunyao couldn't possibly refuse. For ten years, whenever there was a problem in the mortal realm, she was always the first to arrive. She wouldn't refuse such an opportunity to resolve the hidden dangers of demonic energy invading the mortal realm.
Fu Yunyao was unaware of her inner thoughts. After a while, she finally spoke, her tone as gentle as ever.
"Sure."
Once Fu Yunyao was completely out of sight in the hall, Qingwu emerged from behind the hall.
"She agreed?"
The sect leader of Nanheng glanced at him and reminded him, "I did ask her to help with the experiment this time, so don't get any funny ideas."
Qingwu sighed, "When did you become so soft-hearted?"
"..."
"Don't forget, she's already starting to suspect you."
The Sect Master of Nanheng scoffed, "Aren't you also on her list of suspects?"
"So, we are allies."
"Ha, who wants to be your ally? I'm reminding you again, don't make a move against her at this time."
Qingwu narrowed his eyes, watching her disappear from the spot. "How could I bear to make a move against her now? She has a more important role to play."
That's a naturally formed sword body capable of commanding millions of spiritual swords. The finest forging materials are perfect for her.
...
"Hey, can you manage by yourself?"
In a remote area near the South China Sea, shrouded in demonic energy, Shi Yubai casually asked, "I've set up a protective barrier around Fu Yunyao."
"Perhaps I should stay. It's not that I'm worried about you, but I'm afraid that if something happens to you, without the oppressive power of the Dust Sword, the Demon Clan will launch another large-scale attack on the mortal realm and the cultivation world."
Fu Yunyao glanced at him, then calmly sat down against the tree trunk inside the barrier. "No need."
The voice was very gentle, but it made Shi Yubai start to get angry. "I've noticed that you're becoming less and less concerned about your own safety. This place is far from the town, and the only thing that can resist demonic energy is this barrier. Aren't you afraid that the barrier might break if you stay here alone?"
Fu Yunyao looked at Shi Yubai, who had suddenly become angry for no apparent reason, with a puzzled expression. "I believe there's nothing wrong with your barrier."
She genuinely believed that, given Shi Yubai's talent in formations, the barrier he set up should be without any problems.
One sentence silenced Shi Yubai instantly. He remained silent for a long time before chuckling softly, "I really lose to you."
Fu Yunyao turned her head away, no longer looking at him, feeling that the person in front of her had become even stranger after not seeing him for several years.
Demonic energy kept trying to enter the barrier, but it dissipated upon touching it. As the demonic energy dissipated, the light on the array barrier became even brighter.
Shi Yubai kept a close eye on the movements at the barrier, and even became playful, extending a fingertip to press against the barrier, enticing the demonic energy to rush towards it one after another, and then instantly transforming it into spiritual energy to maintain the barrier.
He clicked his tongue in amazement, "I never imagined that this array formation and barrier would be so powerful. Why was it lost in the first place?"
"..."
Fu Yunyao and Shi Yubai stayed inside the barrier for a day, and the array barrier remained intact until the moonlight shone down.
After a day of vigilance, Shi Yubai finally felt a little relieved. "If it's tonight..."
He had just started speaking when he heard a "plop" sound.
It sounded like an arrow piercing flesh and skin, followed by the beast's roar of pain and the sound of it crashing to the ground.
Fu Yunyao, who had been resting with her eyes closed, opened them.
In the moonlight, a young girl weaves through a horde of magical beasts. Dressed in a practical and nimble outfit, she deftly dodges any beasts that attempt to attack her. With a slight flick of her wrist, something seems to shoot out from her sleeve, gleaming coldly in the moonlight, piercing through the beasts' bones and blood.
Another demonic beast crashed to the ground. She raised her eyebrows, saw Fu Yunyao and Shi Yubai inside the barrier, but didn't care.
She crouched down in front of the lifeless monster, pulled a dagger from between her boots, cut open the monster's hide, and let drops of blood flow into the porcelain bottle in her hand.
After she finished doing everything, she stood up and looked at the two people nearby again.
He tilted his head slightly, looking somewhat puzzled, and asked, "What are you two doing in a place like this?"
It was at this moment that Shi Yubai realized that the girl in front of him had no spiritual energy fluctuations whatsoever, and was undoubtedly a mortal.
He frowned. "A mortal?"
The girl retorted, "So what if he's a mortal? Isn't the young master of the Yaotai Realm also a mortal?"
When mentioned, Fu Yunyao, who had been resting with her eyes closed to the side, looked up.
“She is different, she is… the first mortal in thousands of years to attain enlightenment through the sword.”
Shi Yubai blurted out, but stopped halfway through his sentence. His gaze fell on the person beside him, and he only saw the veil on the bamboo hat swaying gently. It was at this moment that he suddenly realized that Fu Yunyao, who was responsible for protecting the mortal world, was actually a mortal.
The girl noticed his hesitation and gave a soft hum.
She leaned closer to Fu Yunyao, who had been sitting silently under the tree, and said, "Sister, what are you doing here? Let me tell you, the demonic energy here gets stronger at night, and it's very dangerous."
Fu Yunyao looked at her and asked with a light laugh, "Then what are you doing here?"
“Of course…” the girl paused for a moment, “I’m amazing. Look at those magical beasts, they’re no match for me at all.”
The monster's corpse still lay in a pool of blood, confirming her words.
"Yes, that's pretty impressive."
The girl raised an eyebrow at Shi Yubai and spoke again, "The person next to my sister is so useless, actually keeping you in a place like this. Should I take my sister back to town? I promise to protect her."
Shi Yubai: ? Who's useless! Who are you calling useless!
He felt a surge of anger welling up inside him, and couldn't help but defend himself, "She's perfectly safe inside the barrier I set up; she herself said she trusts me."
Believing that his barrier is safe is the same as believing in him, isn't it?
"Oh." The girl gave a perfunctory reply, then turned her head and excitedly introduced herself to Fu Yunyao, "Sister, my name is Mo Beili."
ink?
Fu Yunyao's eyes flickered slightly, "The Mohist School of Central Plains?"
Shi Yubai was also puzzled, "Isn't the Mohist school in the Eastern Central Plains? What are you doing here?"
The Mohist school of Zhongzhou is skilled in mechanical arts. Zhongzhou is also the only city not under the jurisdiction of any cultivation sect. Relying on the mechanical arts developed by the Mohist school, they are able to contend with the Mohist beasts.
No wonder she was able to shoot down the three-headed monster.
"I...sneaked out." Mo Beili's cheerful tone turned somewhat somber as he hadn't expected that the two people he'd just bumped into would also know about the Mo family.
"Zhongzhou is quite far from here."
"I just didn't know the way and wandered a little too far."
The sixteen-year-old girl still had some boyish thoughts. After being asked a few questions, she unconsciously explained her situation clearly.
"Why did you run so far alone?" Perhaps the moonlight was too beautiful tonight, because even Fu Yunyao had the leisure to care about others.
"Because I want to follow Young Master Yao." Mo Beili's expression was longing, and his voice became cheerful again.
Fu Yunyao was stunned. Should she follow her?
“I have known since I was a child that Young Master Yao was able to enter the Dao with the sword. When the seal of the Demon Realm was broken, she killed Mo Jun, who was causing trouble in the South China Sea. For ten years, she has been constantly maintaining the stability of the mortal world.”
"Just because of this? There are quite a few cultivators in the cultivation world who protect the mortal realm."
"Of course, it's not just because of that. I respect her because she never cared about her status as a mortal. In our Central Continent, because the spiritual energy is the most barren, we haven't produced a single cultivator in many years. Nobody looks up to the Central Continent, not even the mortals of the Central Continent look down on themselves."
“But Young Master Yao is different. I still remember the year the Demon Realm seal was broken. Because there were no cultivators in the Central Plains, the mechanical arts designed by our Mo family could not deal with the demon beasts. Just one city gate away, the roars of the demon beasts were as if they were right next to our ears.”
"At that time, the people in the city had already lost all hope of survival..."
Suppressed cries echoed over the city of Zhongzhou. The demonic beast's claws struck the city gate, producing a piercing, sharp scraping sound that tormented the minds of everyone in the city.
Finally, someone couldn't take it anymore and broke down.
"Why am I just a mortal! Why should I be just a mortal! If I were a cultivator, I could protect my family!"
A young child heard his almost desperate words and looked with clear eyes at the woman who was holding him tightly in her arms.
"Mother, if I weren't an ordinary person, could I protect you?"
The child's tender voice struck people's hearts with each note. His father had just left the city gate a few days ago, and like other strong young men, he had taken a simple weapon he could find and fought against the monsters outside the city gate.
Those towering city gates not only separated ordinary people from monsters, but also the life and death of a family.
A note from the author:
----------------------
Here's a short side story, set ten years before the main story, about Liao Liao's first encounter with Jiang Wanyin during the cultivation world competition.
...
"Young lady, I'm sorry, you can't go up the mountain," the Kunwu sect disciple who was stopping her said apologetically.
Fu Yunyao remained motionless, and after a moment of stalemate, a sharp sword blade blocked her way.
The Kunwu Sect disciple wielding the sword was somewhat impatient. "Why waste words with her? Just drive her away."
Fu Yunyao looked at the cold glint of the sword blade and took a step back.
The disciple with the sword raised an eyebrow. "Look..."
In the crowd, a woman, unable to bear it any longer, spoke up, "The competition doesn't exclude mortals from participating..."
A long sword was knocked away and embedded in a tree trunk.
“…Add.” She finished her sentence, and for a moment felt like she was hallucinating.
On the steps, the disciple who had been holding the sword remained in his original posture. Sensing the sword energy from before, he stiffened his neck, and what was pressed against his neck was...
A tree branch...?
Fu Yunyao held the other end of the branch, her gaze meeting that of a woman in the crowd whose eyes still held anger, her hair ribbon fluttering in the wind.
She withdrew her gaze. "A swordsman's disciple had his sword knocked away by a mere mortal. The Kunwu Sect... is nothing more than this."
(Yes, that's how amazing Liao Liao is!)
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