On the other side, the Demon Cult Disciples were also running into trouble.
However, the little one at Refining Qi Ninth Stage was as nimble as a monkey, making it extremely difficult to capture her alive.
After several clashes, it was still impossible to escape the range of the Black Lock. Ji Shiyu’s hands were numbed from the shock—she was only holding on thanks to her weapon, and that Scythe Man was clearly not going all out.
Huangmao raised her eyebrows. For some reason, two of the four demonic cultivators split off and headed toward Xiao Xinran, instantly reducing the pressure.
“Ao Tian, help me! Xun Ran is in danger alone!”
“Mm.”
The Nine Heavens Phoenix Spirit leapt onto Huangmao’s head, transformed into a golden streak, and merged into her body.
Ji Shiyu’s starlit eyes brightened. Spiritual light flashed behind her, and a pair of golden wings sprouted. She soared over the Black Lock Cage!
The Blonde-haired girl hovered in the sky, golden wings and silver robes shining, her spiritual aura surging. She dove toward the side courtyard, sword light whistling, knocking down two enemies in quick succession.
“What the hell?”
A Demon Cult Disciple reversed his grip on his scythe, blocking several powerful sword strikes and spiritual pressure, but was forced back step by step, his face growing uglier by the second.
The little girl’s strength had risen another notch—Refining Qi Ninth Stage suppressing Foundation Establishment Third Stage, not falling behind in the slightest.
Where did this monster come from?
Clang!
Weapons clashed, echoing through the mountain forest.
The sounds of battle from the Heaven Courtyard rang out, firelight flared, dyeing the night red.
Soon, disciples in nearby dorms were startled awake, thinking there was a fire, and immediately shrieked as they ran off to notify the Outer Sect Instructors.
As lights lit up throughout the academy and alarm bells sounded, vast sword energy surged from the depths of the Sea of Clouds.
The Sword Cultivators of the Five Peaks rushed to the rescue at lightning speed.
“No good, these two girls aren’t easy to deal with!”
The two Foundation Establishment demonic cultivators exchanged glances, both amazed to see the other covered in lumps.
They immediately tore open an earth-escape talisman and chose to retreat.
“Trying to run!?”
The other Demon Cult Disciples weren’t so lucky. Ji Shiyu cursed as she gave chase, cutting off the fleeing monsters.
The Demon Sect cultivators were ruthless as well. Driven into a corner with nowhere to run, they charged forward with crazed laughter, biting down on the Poison Pills in their mouths.
Their bodies twisted and swelled grotesquely.
“Xun Ran, get back!”
Xiao Xinran smiled playfully, her eyes vacant.
She didn’t dodge or evade, simply watching as the monster exploded right in front of her.
Black blood splattered toward her, but before it could touch her skin, crimson flames around her body evaporated it into ash.
“Are you… alright?”
Ji Shiyu stared, dumbfounded, shocked at what had happened on the other battlefield—aside from that Foundation Establishment demonic cultivator, not a single enemy survived.
Her adorable roommate stood proud and fierce—did she look like someone who needed help?
Xiao Xinran was ablaze, a strange smile on her pretty face. With just a glance, Huangmao was so frightened she stepped back two paces, her whole body burning with pain.
The fiery spiritual energy swirling around the girl was so intense that even stardust flowing through her veins couldn’t fully shield her.
“The pinnacle of fire, Spirit Root ‘Flame God’—truly lives up to its name.”
Ao Tian’s voice echoed in her master’s mind.
Xiao Xinran looked around in a daze, finding no more enemies.
Her consciousness blurred and she toppled forward.
Ji Shiyu quickly caught the girl, deeply worried.
“She’s fine, just overdrawn her Qi Sea. With her current cultivation, she can’t possibly maintain such terrifying spiritual pressure for long.”
As the Flame God extinguished, the air instantly cooled.
Looking at the corpses strewn across the ground and the ruined courtyard, Ji Shiyu’s face turned pale, a wave of fear washing over her.
If not for Xun Ran tonight, the two of them might’ve fallen into a trap.
“What should we do about those two thieves? This is the second time already—they’ll definitely come after us again!”
Ao Tian pondered for a moment and said, “Leave it to the Disciples of the Five Peaks to investigate. Your safety comes first. If they hadn’t underestimated you both and didn’t hesitate to go all out from the start, things would’ve turned out very differently.”
“What’s going on?”
“There’s a fire!”
“It’s coming from the Heaven Courtyard!”
More and more people awoke from their dreams, gathering around the disciples’ quarters in confusion.
All they could see were streaks of light in the sky, with inner sect disciples flying on swords, patrolling vigilantly.
The Outer Sect Instructors arrived and immediately sealed off the scene, spreading out to track traces of demonic energy.
Confirming that none of the Outer Sect disciples in the Heaven Courtyard were harmed, a thin, white-bearded old man finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Then, his face darkened in fury as he urgently summoned all patrolling disciples into action—he clearly held a high position.
“Outrageous!”
Demonic scum from the Demon Sect actually dared to run wild atop the Divine Splendor Cloud Estate!?
First they stirred up trouble at the foot of the Sea of Clouds Peaks Forest, and now they dared to infiltrate Xixu Peak at night, attempting to assassinate two future stars who could restore the sect’s glory. This was intolerable.
***
Sea of Clouds Peaks Forest, an unnamed mountain hollow. Two Demon Cult Disciples burst from the ground, disheveled and battered.
Fortunately, they had prepared in advance.
If things went south, they would use divine talismans to escape.
The location was remote, so Divine Radiance Sect disciples wouldn’t be able to catch up for a while.
One of them cursed angrily, “We were so close! All because that idiot messed up!”
The burly man wiped away sweat, only to realize his clothes were already soaked and his body still burning hot.
That Red-Clothed Girl had such a bizarre constitution!
“We weren’t just close…”
The burly man’s voice was hoarse as he recalled the two girls’ monstrous skills.
Cold sweat poured down his back. Even if no reinforcements had come, their chances of winning were slim if the fight dragged on.
Their plan was to send in an insider to scout things out. If he succeeded, great. But who would’ve thought some fool would get blasted out before even sneaking in, forcing them to reveal themselves and attempt a direct abduction.
“Big bro, is that traitor really so important? Why risk sneaking into Divine Radiance Sect and losing so many brothers for nothing?” the young man in black muttered under his breath.
“All I know is he stole something from the Main Altar. As for what it is, I have no idea.”
The burly man was inwardly miserable. The higher-ups would never reveal such details to small fry like them.
The Saintess’s methods were well-known.
After the Bloodthirsty Banner’s repeated failures, they’d no doubt face another round of inhuman torture upon returning.
“We failed at the last step. Let’s get out of here before those Sword Cultivators catch up.”
The young man in black nodded in agreement.
“Let’s report back to the Main Altar. Those two brats are terrifying—it’s no wonder Chi Jiu suffered such a disastrous defeat.”
It was obvious they’d been to the Lincheng Suburbs. But those demonic cultivators’ corpses had been abandoned in the wild, nothing but bones left.
Only a few remains were found at the scene, and that mountain cave was nowhere to be found.
After some investigation in the city, they’d learned three names—all connected to the Divine Splendor Cloud Estate.
Taking advantage of the Cloudsea Formation’s opening, they’d snuck in.
Ji Shiyu, Xiao Xinran, Yun Liu—these three had wiped out the entire demonic team.
The traitor suffered a fatal wound, beyond the help of medicine—dead for sure.
According to the insider disguised as a Mountain Visitor, the True Yellow-Haired Girl was strong, followed by Miss Xiao. They must know the traitor’s whereabouts.
As for the other kid, his Qi Sea was injured and he had little presence—he needed to be watched.
The sequence of events matched Ao Tian’s deductions almost perfectly.
But Ji Shiyu and her servant had no idea there was more to the Demon Sect Apothecary than met the eye.
After this heroic rescue, trouble would only multiply.
Just as the two turned to leave, they saw someone sitting quietly on a tree stump not far away.
“Eh!?”
In the deep, deserted mountains, a person suddenly appeared, scaring them out of their wits.
A white-robed youth sat there, expression calm, face pale.
He said nothing, just stared at them.
To appear here in the dead of night—he seemed like a vengeful ghost.
The burly man’s eyelids twitched.
Sensing the youth’s spiritual aura and finding it very weak, he calmed a bit. At least it was a person, not a ghost.