The battlefield in the valley was a scene of utter devastation, with the corpses of three Creation Realm demons lying across the center, their black blood soaking into the soil.
Most of the surviving cultivators collapsed to the ground, some bandaging their wounds, others panting heavily, their faces showing the exhaustion of surviving a calamity.
Although they won the battle, they also lost nearly half of their cultivators. Everyone was exhausted and barely had the strength to even lift their hands.
Lin Jingxing leaned on the Dragon Flame Sword, barely managing to stand. The bloodstains on his brocade robe had long since dried, and although his face was pale, he could not hide his relief.
He subconsciously glanced in the direction of Xiao Chen and Shi Tou, thinking to himself, "Luckily they came. Otherwise, Luo Qingyang and I alone wouldn't have been able to stop three Creation Realm demons. We might all be dead here today..."
The previous resentment towards the treasure had long been overshadowed by the life-or-death crisis. Compared to life and the safety of the border, a treasure seemed less important.
But Xiao Chen caught him red-handed during his furtive glance.
Xiao Chen raised an eyebrow, deliberately raising his voice with a hint of teasing, "Young Master Lin, why are you always looking this way? That look isn't quite right."
"What, you just used our strength to kill the demons, and now you want to discard them and steal the treasure again?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the surrounding cultivators all looked over, their gazes varying—some curious, some wary, and some simply wanting to watch the spectacle.
Lin Jingxing's face stiffened, and he quickly waved his hand, his tone tinged with helplessness: "Brother Xiao, you've misunderstood. I didn't mean that."
"You got the treasure of Misty Valley, that's your skill. I, Lin Jingxing, would never do something like taking advantage of someone in distress."
He paused, looked at Xiao Chen, and his tone became more sincere: "This time... thank you for your help. If it weren't for you and Shi Tou holding back a Creation Realm demon, our losses would have been even greater."
These words were sincere. He knew very well that Xiao Chen and Shi Tou could have easily stood by and done nothing, or even taken the opportunity to slip away, but they didn't. Instead, they chose to stay and fight side by side. He had to remember this kindness.
Seeing his sincere tone, Xiao Chen stopped teasing him and nodded: "Now is not the time to talk about these things. Let's deal with the battlefield first and go back quickly."
Lin Jingxing snapped out of his daze and immediately shouted, "Listen up, everyone! First, collect the bodies of our fallen comrades and take them back for burial; the wounded should be treated first, and the rest of you should pack up your equipment. Return to Wuya City in a quarter of an hour!"
He walked up to Luo Qingyang and lowered his voice, saying, "Brother Luo, the Demon Clan has only dispatched three Creation Realm experts this time. They are probably just the vanguard. There may be even stronger forces to follow."
"I must go back to report to my father immediately. You should also contact the Liuyun Dao Sect as soon as possible and tell them to prepare for war. I have a feeling that the days ahead will not be peaceful."
Luo Qingyang nodded, his expression grave: "I understand. I will immediately send a message to the sect when I get back. This matter is much more serious than we thought."
A quarter of an hour later, the cultivators finished packing, carried the bodies of the fallen and helped the wounded, and set off towards Wuya City.
The ranks were much thinner than when they arrived, and the atmosphere was exceptionally heavy. No one spoke; only the sound of footsteps and the occasional groans of the wounded could be heard.
Xiao Chen and Shi Tou did not walk with the main group, but lagged behind by more than ten steps, keeping a distance from everyone.
"Senior brother, why don't we go with them?" Shi Tou asked in a low voice, glancing at Lin Jingxing ahead. "Lin Jingxing just thanked us, so he shouldn't cause us any more trouble, right?"
Xiao Chen shook his head, his eyes warily scanning his surroundings: "One should always be on guard. Although Lin Jingxing has temporarily put aside the matter of the secret treasure, the Lin family is very powerful. Who knows if he will change his mind after returning?"
"Besides, now that we've revealed our strength, it's bound to arouse the suspicion of others. Keeping our distance won't do us any harm."
Stone nodded as if he understood, and gripped the spiked club in his hand: "That's true. Anyway, with Senior Brother around, I'll just follow him."
Xiao Chen smiled but said nothing more. He looked up at the distant Boundless City, but his heart was not at ease.
The three Creation Realm demons are just the beginning; the real demon army has not yet arrived, and whether the major forces of the Xuanqiong Realm can truly unite to fight against the demons remains to be seen.
The road ahead remains fraught with unknowns and dangers.
The group moved slowly forward, the setting sun casting long shadows that created a somewhat melancholic yet resolute scene on the desolate borderland.
Despite their exhaustion and fear, they continued to advance step by step toward the direction they were protecting.
…………
In the inn of Wuyai City, warm water washed over my shoulders, cleansing away the blood and fatigue of days of fighting.
Xiao Chen leaned against the edge of the bathtub and let out a long sigh of relief. From seizing the treasure in Misty Valley to fighting the demons in the valley, his tense nerves finally relaxed.
The stone in the next room was even more extravagant; he was splashing water in a wooden bucket, and shouts of "Comfortable! Refreshing!" could be heard from time to time, clearly enjoying this rare moment of tranquility.
After taking a shower, the two fell asleep immediately and didn't wake up until late the next day.
Xiao Chen pushed open the window and saw that there were more pedestrians on the street. Although there were still cultivators hurrying by, the street was more lively than before, which made him feel more relaxed.
"Come on, let me take you to eat something good to nourish your body." Xiao Chen patted Shi Tou, who had just woken up and was still rubbing his eyes.
The two arrived at the busiest restaurant in town, "Jufulou." As soon as they sat down, Shi Tou picked up the menu and pointed to the dishes, ordering one after another: "Three roasted spirit deer legs! Five steamed black fish! Ten servings of braised spirit pork knuckle! And this..."
The waiter's hand was trembling as he held the pen, and he looked at the stone as if it were a monster: "Sir, are you sure you want this much? This is enough for more than a dozen people!"
"Stop talking nonsense and get going!"
Shi Tou slapped the table, his stomach growling with hunger. Body cultivators expend a lot of energy, and the previous battle had also drained his strength, so he was already starving.
Xiao Chen smiled and shook his head, saying to the waiter, "Serve it as he says, and add more if it's not enough. Money is not a problem."
The dishes were quickly served, and Shi Tou grabbed a roasted deer leg and began to eat with gusto, the oil dripping down his chin as he wolfed it down.
After finishing a deer leg and two black fish, he didn't even catch his breath before picking up a braised pork knuckle and starting to gnaw on it.
When the owner of Jufulou heard in the kitchen that a burly man had ordered dozens of dishes and was eating them very quickly, he immediately became suspicious. Could it be that he was there to freeload?
He rushed out with a kitchen knife, about to lash out, when he saw Xiao Chen take out a heavy spirit crystal from his storage bag and place it on the table: "Boss, pay first, and I'll make up the difference if it's not enough."
The owner's eyes lit up when he saw the spirit crystal. He immediately hid the cleaver behind his back and put on a smile: "Please enjoy your meal, sir! Order more if you're not satisfied! We still have some in stock!"
Even if the kitchen had enough food, it couldn't keep up with Stone's appetite.
He ate from noon until afternoon, finishing all the spirit deer legs, black fish, and spirit pork knuckles at Jufulou, leaving not even the last plate of spirit fruit.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com