We don't want to damage your clean, white skin when we surround and attack you.
Yan Huanyue used a hand seal to conceal her breath.
It flew swiftly to the back of the sedan chair and weaved through the woods not far away. It was only early spring, and the woods were not yet lush.
Her sleeves fluttered as she followed the three people in front of her, like a gentle breeze, neither too close nor too far.
Zhao Chai'er, sitting stiffly in the sedan chair, held a green lamp in her arms, like a clay statue.
An occasional bump would suddenly lift him up, then drop him heavily back down.
Yan Huanyue followed closely behind, hidden in the shadows of the trees. The rustling wind occasionally blew through the forest. The mountain path was difficult to traverse, but she never heard the two people carrying the sedan chair breathe any heavier.
Although Zhao Chai'er was a lean person, it was definitely not an easy task for her to lift these two bamboo poles. The two of them walked steadily without the slightest sway.
Yan Huanyue tried to use hand seals and change her spiritual sensing technique to probe the aura of the two people carrying the sedan chair, but the spiritual sensing technique was like a small pebble falling into a deep pool, unable to see the whole picture or detect the aura.
That makes it even more complicated.
This matter was sudden and seemed suspicious. She knew nothing about what had happened afterward, especially since it occurred in the northern region, the very edge of the Tianyan Sect's territory. If nothing had gone wrong, all would have been fine...
She immediately took out a sound transmission talisman, transmitted the location to Mu Huaci, and continued to follow the three people in front of her at a distance.
The mountain path became increasingly remote, and the ancient trees and forests that obscured the moon and clouds were completely silent, without even a small path in sight.
The two men carrying the sedan chair, however, steadily moved forward, stepping on the thick layer of withered branches and fallen leaves.
After walking for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a faint sound came from the dark, dense forest in the mountain valley ahead, and the two stopped at the same time.
Yan Huanyue immediately stepped back a distance, sheathed her longsword, and landed lightly on an ancient tree with many branches, like a wisp of thin gauze.
"Bring it over here."
From the dark valley below, someone said, "Throw it down, we'll catch it."
So the two men carrying the sedan chair ignored Zhao Chai'er inside, swung their bamboo poles, and threw her and the sedan chair into the darkness.
The green lamp in Zhao Chai'er's arms, like a firefly, flashed by with a faint light before being swallowed up by the mountains and forests and disappearing without a trace.
The two sedan chair bearers followed closely behind, flying down into the mountain valley.
Yan Huanyue waited in the night wind for a while, but there was still no movement.
Just as she was about to take a closer look, a whooshing sound came straight at her from the darkness. She suddenly fell backward off the ancient tree, slashing with her sword. A gust of wind followed the source of the attack.
With a "thud," a short arrow pierced deeply into the spot where she had just been standing. A moment later, she heard someone groan, indicating that her slash had been somewhat unexpected and had grazed some flesh.
Before Yan Huanyue even landed, she circled around the mountain hollow, then quickly changed direction and followed the fresh, subtle scent of blood into the ancient forest.
As she approached the scent of blood, she stopped, silently floating behind a tree. Her left hand formed a hand seal, her right hand held a knife, and she rested the blade against the crook of her left arm, waiting quietly.
The stench of blood grew closer, and just as he passed the large tree, someone grabbed him from behind and pressed a sharp blade against his neck.
"Yu Shiliulang, it's been a long time."
As the cold blade pressed against Yu Yi's neck, he stood still, gripping a crossbow tightly, and sneered, "Yan Huanyue, if you're sneaking around like that, you should be prepared to be ambushed."
Yan Huanyue slid the blade forward slightly, and a trickle of blood seeped from Yu Yi's neck. "Since you've ambushed someone, you should be prepared to die in this desolate forest."
Yu Yi calmly replied, "I don't remember you having such cultivation."
Yu Yi was originally Yu Zhao's cousin, and his father was Yu Jisong's cousin, named Yu Jishu.
Yu Yi's older sister, Yu Nian, was born with a slightly large head and short limbs. She grew much slower than other children her age and was gradually found to have rickets.
Yu Jisong had promised to give Yu Nian the treasured spiritual medicine, the Meridian-Turning Pill, passed down in the clan, to cure her illness. Yu Jishu had also almost lost his life several times in order to get the Meridian-Turning Pill to cure his daughter's illness.
In the end, Yu Jisong seemed to have forgotten his previous promise and used the Meridian-Turning Pill on Yu Zhao, which delayed Yu Nian's illness.
Later, no matter what elixirs and medicines Yu Jishu and his wife sought, they were powerless to reverse the situation. To this day, Yu Nian is still a dwarf who never grows up.
This was something she only learned after she went to Yunjing in her previous life.
Previously, when the Yu family came to Tianyan Sect to deliver things to Yu Zhao, it was mostly Yu Yi who brought people to deliver them.
Yu Zhao, however, still liked to ask him, "How is Xiao Yu Nian?" "Xiao Yu Nian said last time that she wanted a gold bracelet inlaid with jewels. I found it. Take it back to her."
In fact, Yu Nian is a few years older than him.
Yu Yi would often remain silent after hearing such words, but as Yan Huanyue grew a little older, she could sense his suppressed annoyance.
She could also vaguely sense that Yu Zhao knew Yu Yi's annoyance, but Yu Zhao still liked to show his gentleness and kindness in front of everyone.
When she was little, she didn't know about this and even asked Yu Yi, "Senior Brother Yu seems to miss Little Yu Nian a lot. When will you bring Little Yu Nian to Tianyan Sect for a visit?"
Yu Yi sneered and, taking advantage of Yu Zhao's absence, pushed her down the long steps.
Previously, Yu Yi would come and go at Tianyan Sect, rarely talking to anyone. Although Yan Huanyue had met him, she rarely spoke to him either.
However, she had no interest in chatting and reminiscing with him at this moment.
Even though she recognized her, she still chose to shoot her in the dark; she didn't feel the need to show any mercy to this person.
Her eyes turned slightly cold, and with a sudden increase in force, she slid the knife backward.
Yu Yi suddenly fell to one side, took a few steps and swept away the wind through the leaves, turning around and creating some distance between them.
He raised his hand and gently touched the wound on his neck. The touch was warm, damp, and stinging. His face darkened, and he said angrily:
"Yan Huanyue, you really are growing more and more vicious as you get older. You are truly a match made in heaven for my twelfth brother. It would be a great pity if you two didn't get married."
Yan Huanyue held her sword horizontally in front of her and sneered, "You dare not offend him, yet you try to bully me. You use underhanded tactics to hurt people, yet you speak so righteously and sternly. You truly are worthy of being your twelfth brother's good younger brother."
Yu Yi's expression turned slightly cold. He picked up his crossbow, formed a hand seal, and fired several arrows at Yan Huanyue, shattering several ancient trees in succession.
Yan Huanyue leaped into the air, wielding her horizontal sword and unleashing several gusts of wind that cleaved through the air, forcing Yu Yi to retreat repeatedly.
In the desolate mountains and ancient forests, a perfect place for murder, the two engaged in a fierce battle, each move aimed to kill.
Yan Huanyue was worried about the people in the valley and wanted to finish the job quickly.
After dodging a short arrow that flew close to her ear, she concentrated all her strength into the cold blade of her sword, stepped on several short arrows and charged forward, instantly plunging the blade into Yu Yi's brow.
Before it could penetrate deeply, it was swept away by a powerful pressure and knocked down among the withered branches and fallen leaves.
Her heart pounded, and she thrust her sword into the ground with her other hand, using the momentum to leap into the air and land on a treetop a hundred paces away in an instant.
"What a fierce and ruthless swordsmanship!"
From the foot of the mountain, several men armed with crossbows flew up. One of them caught the swaying Yu Yi, checked his injuries, and whispered, "Surround and kill him."
Yan Huanyue immediately turned around and flew away on her sword, twisting and turning around a patch of ancient trees.
Several short arrows imbued with spiritual power chased after her from behind. She quickly formed hand seals, silently chanted incantations, and turned to strike. The dark gold magic seal brushed against the countless arrows like an ethereal veil, causing them to change direction and rush back towards where they came from.
A sound of trees bursting open came from behind.
She couldn't go straight into the night sky, fearing she would be too conspicuous, so she could only wander aimlessly among the tangled trees.
Suddenly, several gusts of wind rushed towards her from in front of her. As soon as she dodged, she was struck by a burst of spiritual energy and fell heavily to the ground.
A young woman floated silently in mid-air, her hand forming a blue flame hand seal.
She looked down at Yan Huanyue without saying a word, then gently pointed her hand. A burst of fresh grass and wood fragrance exploded in the ancient forest, and several giant vines emerged from the ground, wrapping around Yan Huanyue's limbs and neck, and suddenly pulling her in five directions.
Yan Huanyue formed hand seals, and a horizontal blade flew out from her hand, cleaving through five giant vines.
She flipped over and leaped into the air on her longsword, a giant vine forming a net in front of her, the net covering the sky and falling down on her.
The woman's clothes fluttered as she looked at her expressionlessly. Her ten fingers intertwined slightly, and the giant vine sprouted poisonous thorns, flowing with thick green sap, gradually tightening around the person beneath the net.
Yan Huanyue quickly erected a barrier, but the poisonous thorn was stuck outside the barrier, getting closer and closer. The spiritual power kept impacting the barrier, waiting for her to exhaust herself and be unable to maintain it.
A fleeting shadow passed by under the moonlight, and Yan Huanyue suddenly opened her eyes wide.
A cool breeze swept by, and before the woman could react, a sword pierced her arm.
"Wow, there are troublemakers even in the territory of the Tianyan Sect. You've really opened my eyes."
Mu Huaci floated in the air, sword in one hand, scratching his head with the other, looking with amusement at the woman's eyes, which were filled with anger due to her injuries. "Tsk tsk, let me tell you, you at least have to compensate my junior sister, this amount..."
He then waved his hand that was scratching his head in the air, making an "eight" gesture. "Eight hundred taels, plus two high-grade spirit stones, to make it a perfect ten. Do you think I can agree to this?"
The woman frowned slightly, looking at him as if he were a fool, and gently raised her hand, her fingertips swirling with magical incantations.
In an instant, Mu Huaci flashed in front of her, and with a sword, he lifted her hand that was forming a hand seal, and the magic seal on her fingertips was quietly annihilated.
Mu Huaci said in confusion, "I said, you injured someone, and you're not willing to pay compensation? What? Do you want to pay with your life?"
As he spoke, he gently grabbed the edge of the woman's sleeve and flicked it to the side. The woman flew out and crashed into a low tree.
As her spiritual power dissipated, Yan Huanyue concentrated her strength to shatter the vine net and said, "Senior Brother Mu, it's the Yu Clan's crossbow team."
Mu Huaci stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the dark ancient forest not far away, and said loudly, "Since you are a member of the Yu family, why hide?"
"It's a misunderstanding! It's a misunderstanding!"
In the darkness, several dim lanterns suddenly lit up, and several figures hurried over. Leading the way was a petite and short woman.
Beside her stood Yu Yi, whose third eye had been opened vertically between her eyebrows by Yan Huanyue.
The short, thin woman bowed to Mu Huaci from a distance, then bowed again and said, "So you are a disciple of the Tianyan Sect. I am Yun Jing Yu Nian. We had a misunderstanding. We thought it was that wicked fox demon. It seems we have become friends after this fight."
The woman who had been knocked to the ground by Mu Huaci quietly retreated behind the crowd.
Mu Huaci glanced at Yan Huanyue standing beside her, and silently asked, "Did you open that eye?"
Yan Huanyue nodded.
Mu Huaci exclaimed in surprise, "You're amazing! His spiritual power is clearly slightly higher than yours, and you've opened your Heavenly Eye so well."
Yan Huanyue was somewhat speechless, and casually said, "It's alright, but he recognized me just now and even tried to sabotage me..."
Before Yan Huanyue could finish speaking, Yu Nian said coolly, "Yu Yi, go apologize to that fellow Daoist!"
Yu Yi wiped the blood from between his eyebrows. Upon hearing this, he didn't bother to explain further. He bowed directly to Yan Huanyue and said, "Fellow Daoist Yan, it was my fault. I... concealed who you were."
Yan Huanyue smiled silently. If it weren't for Senior Brother Mu's arrival, even if she had escaped tonight, she would have been badly injured.
But now she is unharmed, while Yu Yi has gained the ability to see beyond the obvious, and the Yu family wants to erase the matter...
Mu Huaci extended the same gesture as before and said, "Apologies are useless. You were rude and injured people first. If you want to settle this, it will cost eight hundred taels of silver and two high-grade spirit stones."
Although Yu Nian was not as tall as Yu Yi, she possessed a calm and humble demeanor, and her overall presence was far more dignified than the many people of normal height behind her.
She smiled and said, "Of course, of course, instructor, as this fellow Daoist said, I will offer an apology."
The man who had just ordered everyone to surround and kill Yan Huanyue presented several silver notes and two spirit stones to Yan Huanyue, saying:
“Young friend, I only knew that someone had injured the young master, but I did not know that it was someone from the Tianyan Sect. I should not have ordered the attack. I apologize for any offense I may have caused.”
Yan Huanyue gathered the valuables and casually gave half to Mu Huaci. Mu Huaci accepted it without hesitation, beaming as he tucked it into his faded sleeve.
Yan Huanyue casually remarked, "Although Senior Brother Yu is bedridden, when did the young master of the Yu family become Yu Yi?"
Yu Yi frowned, but then felt a sharp pain between his brows. He instinctively clutched his forehead, his face contorted in pain, and said:
"Yan Huanyue, you truly love your twelfth brother. I heard you even gave him your heart's blood, but so what? You still have to stay with that sickly Pei family man! A person who has been ill for a long time will inevitably have a twisted mind. You two..."
He suddenly stopped talking, glanced at Yu Nian's expression, and fell completely silent.
Mu Huaci raised an eyebrow and said, "You've come to Tianyan Sect to argue? With so much strength, why don't you go plant all the land in Hengsu City tomorrow? What are you doing on the edge of Tianyan's territory?"
Yu Nian cupped her hands and said, "Please don't be angry, my younger brother has always been a bit irritable. I will punish him after tonight. We have been waiting here to find a fox demon that sucks people's life force."
Yan Huanyue said, "The young man you just brought up was supposed to be traveling with my Tianyan Sect disciples Xue Jingnian and Mu Huage. Why is he in your hands?"
Mu Huaci straightened up immediately.
Yu Nian said knowingly, "So that's why you chased him here. He's fine; he was just placed at the center of the formation to find the fox demon's hiding place. As for where those two fellow disciples you mentioned are, why don't we go down together and ask that man?"
Mu Huaci took a step that covered an extremely long distance, and in no time he had jumped into the ravine.
Yan Huanyue followed closely behind.
When they reached the foot of the mountain valley, they indeed saw a large array of talismans in the center of the valley, with silver ropes winding through the forest to indicate the positions of the constellations, and a jade ring moving and stopping intermittently among the silver ropes.
In the very center of the magic circle, Zhao Chai'er sat blankly, holding a green lamp.
The Yu family members lagged behind, and Yan Huanyue turned around and asked, "What's wrong with him?"
Yu Nian explained, "That fox demon has a high level of cultivation, a playful nature, and likes to join in the fun. She killed a lot of people under the guise of trouble. We followed her for a while after hearing about it and learned that she had harmed people in Mingyu City. But she reappeared in Mingyu City recently, following him."
"Before we even got close, the fox demon fled. She was probably nearby, but she didn't dare get too close to the Tianyan Sect, so she hid in this mountain valley."
She pointed at Zhao Chai'er again, "This man had his life force drained by the fox demon. We used an array to surround this mountain valley and used him to search for the fox demon. However, this man is not very brave and we were afraid that he would lose his soul, so we temporarily sealed his five senses."
As he spoke, he raised his hand and waved it. Zhao Chai'er, who was in the center of the formation, shivered violently. She tried to jump up on the spot, but the formation held her firmly in place.
A scream pierced the night sky.
Yan Huanyue borrowed a lamp from the Yu family, walked to the edge of the magic array, and said, "Brother Zhao, everything is alright for now, don't be afraid. Where are my two junior brothers?"
Upon seeing her, Zhao Chai'er burst into tears, recounting for a long time the grievances she had suffered, before finally saying:
"Xue Jingnian and Mu Huage said they had captured a demon seed and were following the scent to look for other demon seeds. We all thought she was a demon seed, but who knew that after they left, she would suddenly appear out of nowhere and try to kill me! She even said that she kept me until this time to fatten me up and take me to the ghost market to exchange for foot bath powder! She wanted to sell me for a pittance!"
Yan Huanyue turned to look at Mu Huaci, who was clearly relieved.
Ghost Market...
She looked away, and in the quiet mountain valley, the moonlight was sparse and scattered.
The moonlight, like water, flowed onto the snow-white, gold-embroidered sleeves of the newcomer. In the quiet streets, only the sound of his stumbling footsteps and the occasional cough could be heard, so weak that they couldn't even provoke the barking of dogs or the crowing of roosters.
He stumbled and swayed until he reached the end of a poor alley. Several wisps of golden mist trailing in the air timidly crawled into his clothes, buried their heads, and curled around his ankles, trembling incessantly.
He turned to look at the three men who had followed him. His pale, weak face carried an inexplicable air of aloofness and pride, which shone even brighter in the bright moonlight.
Leaning against the wall, he said with despair and resentment, "I came here alone, with no one to rely on, and I have not hurt anyone. Why are you chasing me so relentlessly?"
One of the men laughed and said, "Being helpless and alone is the best thing. Don't resist, we don't want to ruin your clean, white skin."
As they spoke, they threw out a rope covered with yellow talismans, which easily wrapped around his waist, quickly put a sack over it, and the three of them lifted him up together.
One person said with satisfaction, "He smells so good... The demon race has been making good use of the succubus clan in recent years. It's been so many years since we've seen such a top-quality succubus. We're so lucky to have found one tonight. If we sold him at the ghost market, I wonder how many good things we could get for him, hehe..."
A night breeze blew by, and from afar came the intermittent sounds of flutes, drums, zithers, and lutes. I wonder who was leisurely enjoying the moon and listening to the music.
Inside the dark sack, the boy being discussed subtly curled the corners of his lips...
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Author's Note: Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2024-05-01 14:11:31 and 2024-05-03 02:15:00!
Thank you to the little angel who threw the grenade: Little Carrot 1;
Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: Huantong (10 bottles); Xiyu Xiyan and 024 (5 bottles); SeU9, Little Girl Who Loves Longtu, kurosakiiji, Septemburger, and Just Browsing (1 bottle);
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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