If Ji Yutang hadn’t come home, Ning Huaizhen would have gone to Wolong Mountain with Ji Mingcheng no matter what.
She’d thought it would be safer in Tianshui City, but now it seemed that wasn’t the case.
The Yan Family cultivators, together with the demon cultivators, had suddenly attacked, while the Ji Family elders just stood by and watched.
Even with the Ran Family’s help, Ning Huaizhen still felt uneasy as she looked at the fallen elder.
After thinking for a moment, Ning Huaizhen said, “I’m going to make a trip to Wolong Mountain.”
Ji Yutang stiffened at her words and immediately said, “Mom, I’ll go with you.”
Ning Huaizhen looked at Ji Yutang gently and didn’t refuse again.
She shifted her gaze to Wang Shenyu’s face and said, “Junior Sister Wang, what do you think?” Wang Shenyu looked hesitant.
If they left the Ran Family, what if the Demon Sect cultivators came back to attack? But if they didn’t go to Wolong Mountain, they wouldn’t know how Senior Brother Ran was doing.
After a moment, her worry for Ran Jingri won out.
She gave a quick instruction to the Ran Family elder, activated a formation that shrouded the entire residence in a hazy mist, and then nodded to Ning Huaizhen.
“Alright, let’s go take a look.”
Wolong Mountain.
This place used to be where the Dragon Vein was located, with lush mountains and clouds swirling around the peaks.
But now the Dragon Vein was destroyed, the land had collapsed, and deep, bottomless cracks ran in all directions, filled with thick, turbid demonic energy.
In the midst of that churning energy, a massive red dragon coiled around the mountain, its huge, fierce head poking out, eyes shining like the sun and moon in the sky.
At the foot of the mountain.
Ran Jingri and Ji Mingcheng’s spiritual power surged, their faces grim.
This red dragon was Zhu Jiuyin, born from the Demon God Stake, but it wasn’t a complete incarnation of the Demon Ancestor—its strength was only at the Golden Core stage.
With the cultivation of their group, they should have been able to suppress it, but who could have guessed the Yan Family would suddenly betray them, trapping them in the formation.
Zhu Jiuyin was indeed related to the Demon Ancestor and had inherited his powers, just as the saying went: “Its closing is darkness, its opening is light.” In the space between light and dark, time would slowly be stripped away.
If they couldn’t escape, they’d die trapped in Wolong Mountain, reduced to nothing but bones.
“Yan Si.” Ji Mingcheng frowned, looking coldly at the person floating opposite him.
Yan Si just raised his eyebrows, looking at Ji Mingcheng and Ran Jingri’s group with interest.
He smiled strangely and said, “By now, the Ji Family’s formation should be broken, right?” Ji Mingcheng’s eyelid twitched as he realized something, his face darkening.
He glared at Yan Si, suppressing his anger, and demanded, “What do you mean?” Yan Si chuckled, “Heart of the Great Dao—who wouldn’t want it? But it just had to appear in a useless—” He didn’t finish the word “thing” before he let out a pained hiss, sent flying by Ji Mingcheng’s sudden attack.
Yan Si hadn’t expected Ji Mingcheng to still have the strength to fight back, and he sneered, his body surging with fiery energy.
He pointed forward, and a barrage of fire arrows shot out, turning into red fire chains in midair, lashing toward Ji Mingcheng.
Ji Mingcheng stood his ground, sneering.
Green light burst from his body, and he drew the Greenwood Blade from the void, slashing down on the fire chain.
His true essence was wood-based, and at first he’d feared fire, but now that he’d reached the Nascent Soul stage, his greenwood essence had become the source of longevity, endlessly regenerating.
Yan Si would have a hard time taking him down.
Ran Jingri, seeing Yan Si and Ji Mingcheng start fighting, sighed.
His nascent soul appeared behind him, transforming into the image of a great sage, righteous energy surging, forming lines of Daoist script in the air, each word shining with meaning.
While they were locked in battle, the Zhu Jiuyin coiled atop the mountain, seemingly in a deep sleep, suddenly moved.
Its thick tail slammed down, sending rocks and debris flying like a storm.
Its bright, piercing eyes lit up the world, staring intently at the cultivators entering Wolong Mountain.
Sensing two powerful forces it couldn’t handle in its current form, the dragon grew even more agitated.
Its shining eyes suddenly closed.
“Why did it suddenly turn to night?” Ji Yutang, following behind Ning Huaizhen, felt her eyelid twitch.
Ning Huaizhen said in a low voice, “It’s Zhu Jiuyin’s power.”
Ji Yutang looked up.
“Zhu Jiuyin? Is it really the Demon God Stake?” As soon as she finished speaking, a rustling sound came from nearby.
Ning Huaizhen’s expression sharpened, and the Tianzheng Ruler shot into the air, striking toward the source of the sound.
From the swirling demonic energy, a group of Demon Sect cultivators in dark robes emerged, led by none other than Song Wanzhao of the Wangqing Sect!
“It’s you again!” Wang Shenyu glared at Song Wanzhao.
Her gaze swept over the others, recognizing more cultivators—Zheng Yang from the Tianhai Demon Sect, Wei Jue from the Qingtian Sect, and some younger faces she didn’t know.
There were Demon Sect disciples from all three major sects, but Shi Qingchen was nowhere to be seen.
If she wasn’t with the demon cultivators, was she targeting the Ran Family? The thought made Wang Shenyu uneasy.
Ji Yutang also looked over the group, and when she didn’t see Li Jingyu among them, she quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
But as soon as she relaxed, her body tensed up again.
Why was she so concerned about Li Jingyu? At most, they’d just traveled together for a while—no, she was just a liar.
“So it really was you behind the Wolong Mountain incident.” Wang Shenyu said coldly.
Zheng Yang laughed.
“The great calamity is coming, and we of the Demon Sect are just preparing to survive.
Back then, all the sects worked together to divine the changes in fate and got the prophecy: ‘Demon Ancestor descends, Tai Shang returns.’ Didn’t your Immortal Sect prepare for this?” Ning Huaizhen’s expression didn’t change.
As a rogue cultivator, she’d heard rumors but wasn’t involved.
But Wang Shenyu was different—she was a direct disciple of Taiyuan Palace, and Zheng Yang’s words made her face change dramatically.
Wang Shenyu pressed, “Where are Senior Brother Ran and the others?” Zheng Yang looked her up and down, waggling his eyebrows.
“In the space between light and dark.
Don’t worry, you’ll be joining them soon.” The Tianhai Demon Sect’s Demon God Stake plan had failed repeatedly—if they couldn’t get some payback this time, how could they hold their heads up among their peers? So Zheng Yang had planned from the start to stir up conflict among the Tianshui City cultivator clans, wiping out the Immortal Sect’s luck in Tianshui for good! “Senior Brother Song, that woman with the Tianzheng Ruler is yours.” Zheng Yang turned to Song Wanzhao, speaking politely.
He and Wei Jue were of the same generation as Song Wanzhao, but lacking resources, they still hadn’t broken through to the Nascent Soul stage.
Still, they’d touched the threshold and could tell who was stronger.
If he and Wei Jue went up against Ning Huaizhen, they’d probably both die.
Song Wanzhao didn’t care who his opponent was.
He nodded lazily, hefting his demon blade wreathed in black energy.
Ning Huaizhen had expected Demon Sect cultivators to block their way.
She patted Ji Yutang on the shoulder and whispered, “Go, activate the Dragon Vein.”
As a flash of spiritual light hit Ji Yutang, her whole body began to dissolve like a bubble, vanishing from sight—even Nascent Soul cultivators couldn’t see her.
It was a top-tier life-saving talisman, and Ning Huaizhen didn’t hesitate to use it on Ji Yutang.
The Demon Sect cultivators weren’t like the Yan Family, especially those who’d already chosen their own path.
Their desire for the Heart of the Great Dao wasn’t as strong as the Yan Family’s, so losing a Foundation Establishment cultivator didn’t bother them at all.
With spiritual power raging through Wolong Mountain and chaotic currents everywhere, a low-level cultivator could die at any moment.
Ji Yutang froze for a moment.
She glanced worriedly at Ning Huaizhen, took a deep breath, activated the Xuanxiang Pearl, and shot off toward the outside.
There was no protective formation here.
With Nascent Soul cultivators fighting, the shockwaves alone could kill her! Her father was trapped in the space between light and dark, and her mother was being blocked by Demon Sect cultivators—all because of the Zhu Jiuyin born from the Demon God Stake.
The Demon Sect had chosen this land with the Dragon Vein to raise the Candle Dragon? If Zhu Jiuyin devoured the Dragon Vein Essence, things would only get worse! If she could seize the Dragon Vein Essence from Zhu Jiuyin, she could stop it! With that thought, Ji Yutang pushed her dragon power to the limit.
The Dragon Vein Essence called to her, and after manifesting her dragon form, she instinctively raced south through Wolong Mountain.
The woods were thick, white mist swirling, and birds occasionally called out.
To the south of Wolong Mountain, the dragon’s roar thundered like a storm.
The fighting and demonic energy nearby hadn’t reached this place.
The trees were fresh and full of life.
Ji Yutang walked through the dense forest, pushing aside the undergrowth, when she suddenly heard a familiar voice.
“What’s wrong? There’s a barrier set up here—the Demon Sect can’t sense this place.
You can go get the Dragon Vein without worry.”
“It’s just that I got a message from Junior Sister.
The Taiyuan Dao Palace disciples really are something.”
“Your little sister was rescued?” “Yeah.
Doesn’t matter, she’s useless to us now anyway.”
… Ji Yutang peeked out and caught a glimpse of a red hem, her heart suddenly tightening.
It was Li Jingyu! Why was she here? Was she after the Dragon Vein? But was she taking it for the Demon Sect, or did she have her own plans? Ji Yutang froze, not daring to move.
On the other side, Shi Qingchen gave a few instructions and left the pool, flying to a nearby peak to stand guard for Li Jingyu.
With the pressure of a Nascent Soul cultivator gone, Ji Yutang felt a little lighter.
But as she hesitated about whether to go forward, a low chuckle came from the pool.
She looked up instinctively and saw Li Jingyu stepping into the water.
Her sash came loose, her clothes slipping off her shoulders, revealing smooth, pale skin! Ji Yutang stared, then blushed furiously, wishing she could turn and run! This pool must be connected to the Dragon Vein—was she really just here to bathe? How ridiculous! While Ji Yutang’s mind was racing, the fallen clothes were already picked up, as if that “glimpse” had been just an illusion.
“Not coming out?” Li Jingyu’s voice was like jade striking stone, with a lazy undertone.
She didn’t look back, but Ji Yutang was sure she was talking to her.
Ji Yutang fanned her face to cool down, then stepped out of the bushes, suddenly realizing she was still under the talisman—Nascent Soul cultivators couldn’t see her, so how did Li Jingyu know? Was there someone else here? Was that display for someone else? The thought made Ji Yutang sulk, her brows furrowing in frustration.
Li Jingyu, hearing no response, turned to look at the bushes and said, “Ji Yutang.”
Those three familiar words hit her like a jolt of electricity, and Ji Yutang shivered.
So she really was talking to her? Ji Yutang was dazed, and when she came to, she found herself half-submerged in the water, face-to-face with Li Jingyu.
She cleared her throat.
“How did you find me?” The talisman was useless in front of Li Jingyu, so Ji Yutang just wiped it away.
Li Jingyu stared at Ji Yutang, her eyes sparkling.
She leaned in, her voice seductive: “I could smell you, of course.”
The sudden closeness left Ji Yutang flustered.
She instinctively leaned back, but a hand suddenly wrapped around her waist.
That familiar scent enveloped her, making everything feel ambiguous.
Ji Yutang pressed her lips together, trying to push Li Jingyu away, but as soon as her hands touched that soft chest, she jerked back as if burned.
Li Jingyu smiled, looking down at the girl in her arms, who was full of silent complaints.
Before she could let go, Ji Yutang couldn’t take it anymore and turned into a small dragon about a foot long, trying to escape her embrace.
Li Jingyu’s eyes darkened, and she grabbed the little dragon’s tail, wrapping it around her wrist.
The silver scales glimmered softly, like a silver bracelet.
Ji Yutang went stiff, letting Li Jingyu play with her.
She regretted it—being a little dragon was even worse than being human.
Li Jingyu’s eyes flickered.
The little dragon didn’t show any expression, but she could guess what Ji Yutang was thinking.
Her fingers traced the cold scales.
“My Life-Bound Artifact has a dragon core, and you cultivate the same technique.
It’s not hard to sense you.” She paused, then added, “You saw me here, and still dared to come over? Did you think I was Ran Guzhu? Hm? Well, she is your fiancée, after all.
Maybe what you said that day was just out of anger, and you could make up with a little explanation, right?”
Ji Yutang didn’t answer, shaking her head and trying to wriggle free from Li Jingyu’s grip.
Her movements were a bit rough, and soon red marks appeared on that smooth skin.
Ji Yutang paused, feeling a little guilty, letting Li Jingyu do as she pleased.
But she quickly realized—how could a Foundation Establishment cultivator’s body be so fragile? Even if there were red marks, it was just a scratch, nothing more than a tickle to Li Jingyu.
The little silver dragon coiled around her arm.
Li Jingyu played with it for a while before quickly losing interest.
She curled her lips and said, “Cultivators who practice Dragon Arts have strong bodies and abundant vital energy.
If you dual cultivate with them, I bet the results are twice as good with half the effort, right?”
Ji Yutang stiffened even more at those words.
She suddenly looked up, her dragon eyes burning as she stared at Li Jingyu, speaking in human tongue: “How can you say that?!”
Li Jingyu replied carelessly, “I’m the witch of Huoxin Palace, aren’t I?”
Ji Yutang: “……” She knew Li Jingyu wasn’t Ran Guzhu, but a cultivator who had fallen into demonic ways.
Still, deep down, she never really connected her with that identity, and even hoped she was a good person.
Now, looking at Li Jingyu, she couldn’t find a trace of joking on her face, and Ji Yutang was so startled her scales bristled.
“You planning to just keep wrapping around me like this?” Li Jingyu suddenly changed the subject, her attitude casual and unhurried, making Ji Yutang feel a sharp sense of contrast.
She really couldn’t figure out what kind of person Li Jingyu was.
The dragon body slid along Li Jingyu’s arm, almost disappearing into her wide sleeve.
Li Jingyu frowned slightly, suddenly remembering something.
She reached out and pressed down on Ji Yutang, pulling her off her body.
Dangling her by the tail, Ji Yutang couldn’t help but feel dizzy.
Ji Yutang had originally planned to cling to Li Jingyu to see what she wanted with the Dragon Vein, but now, after being “tormented,” she couldn’t help but revert to her original form.
But the dizziness made her unsteady on her feet, and she suddenly fell into the pool, splashing water everywhere.
Li Jingyu just crossed her arms and watched with interest.
Ji Yutang bit her lip, suppressing her anger.
She got up and met Li Jingyu’s gaze, not intending to waste words with her, and said directly, “What are you doing here?”
Li Jingyu didn’t answer, but asked in return, “What are you doing here?”
Ji Yutang said, “Zhu Jiuyin is devouring the Dragon Vein.
I can’t let it succeed.”
Li Jingyu nodded and smiled, “What a coincidence, me too.”
Ji Yutang looked at Li Jingyu suspiciously, not quite believing her.
Li Jingyu stood there openly, letting Ji Yutang size her up.
After a moment of stalemate, Ji Yutang couldn’t hold back anymore.
Just as she was about to dive into the water to search for the Dragon Vein, her eyes suddenly caught sight of something hanging from Li Jingyu’s waist… a grass braid.
“What’s that?” Ji Yutang asked in disbelief.
Before Li Jingyu could answer, she continued, “Where did you get it?”
Li Jingyu smiled, “Picked it up.” She raised her brows at Ji Yutang and said, “It’s well made.
Whoever wove this must be quite skillful.”
Ji Yutang: “……” Now that the Ran Guzhu identity was gone, Li Jingyu was even harder to talk to.
She didn’t want to say a word to this infuriating woman! Li Jingyu’s attitude seemed gentle, but Ji Yutang had no idea if she’d stop her from searching for the spiritual vein.
But dragging this out wouldn’t help, so she’d just have to try—if it came to it, she’d fight her!
The Dragon Vein Essence was under the pool near the waterfall, but that area was bottomless.
Ji Yutang dove straight down, and to get there faster, her body began to transform, a pair of dragon horns sprouting from her forehead.
Li Jingyu followed behind, silent and not stopping her, but that burning gaze was impossible to ignore.
After diving down a hundred zhang, the crushing pressure of the water disappeared, as if she’d entered a hidden world beneath the surface.
Ji Yutang’s feet touched the ground, and just as she was about to withdraw her technique, a voice suddenly came from behind: “Wait.”
Ji Yutang’s eyelid twitched, and she turned to look at Li Jingyu.
Li Jingyu raised her brows and said, “You want to take the Dragon Vein to cultivate Dragon Arts?”
Ji Yutang didn’t hide it, answering directly, “Yes.” She took a step back, watching Li Jingyu warily, her eyes full of caution.
“No need to be nervous.
I just want the Candle Dragon’s dragon core.” Li Jingyu’s gaze swept over Ji Yutang, and after a moment, the corners of her lips curled into a playful, wicked smile.
She suddenly darted toward Ji Yutang, whispering in her ear, “But you and I aren’t on the same path.
If you want to get the Dragon Vein smoothly, you’ll have to pay something.”
Ji Yutang knew Li Jingyu wouldn’t let her off so easily.
Her face was tense as she said coldly, “What do you want?”
Li Jingyu looked at her, speaking lazily, “What can you offer?”
Ji Yutang stared at Li Jingyu.
“You want the Heart of the Great Dao too?” Other than her heart, she had nothing else of value.
“What would I want your heart for?” Li Jingyu snorted, unconcerned.
“If I really wanted your heart, I’d have had plenty of chances to take it.”
Ji Yutang fell silent.
She’d traveled with Li Jingyu for quite a while, and it was true—there had been plenty of opportunities for her to make a move.
Li Jingyu broke the silence.
“I want to see your dragon horns.” But as soon as she said it, the atmosphere turned strange.
Li Jingyu coughed lightly and added, “Is that not allowed?”
Ji Yutang lowered her lashes and replied, “Fine.”
She turned away, walking ahead of Li Jingyu.
The thick Dragon Vein Essence was leaking out, and the entire fortune of Tianshui City was being thrown into chaos by Zhu Jiuyin.
After flying forward for half a quarter of an hour, Ji Yutang finally saw a jade-green dragon shadow.
All the essence was coming from that dragon.
Ji Yutang stared at the green dragon, then her gaze fell on a black, ominous dragon core hidden within it—this thing shouldn’t exist.
Was the Dragon Vein being corrupted?
Before Ji Yutang could ask, Li Jingyu answered, “That’s the Candle Dragon’s dragon core.” The Candle Dragon was born from the Demon God Stake and Dragon Vein Essence together.
It used the Demon God Stake’s evil energy to try to devour the entire Dragon Vein and boost its own power.
The Dragon Vein Essence hadn’t fully gained sentience, but it still had its own instinct to resist.
In this struggle, Wolong Mountain was naturally thrown into chaos.
Ji Yutang frowned and tried to grab the dragon core, but a surge of foul energy rushed at her, manifesting as a giant red dragon above, roaring at her.
Li Jingyu chuckled, “You want to take the dragon core like that?”
Ji Yutang turned to look at Li Jingyu, holding back her anger.
“Then how?”
Li Jingyu beckoned to Ji Yutang.
“Come here.”
Ji Yutang didn’t understand, but walked closer to Li Jingyu.
She stared blankly as Li Jingyu raised her hand—until she grabbed her dragon horns.
Ji Yutang: “!!!” She slapped Li Jingyu’s hand away and turned her back on her.
Taking out the Falling Moon Bow, Ji Yutang nocked an arrow, and several streaks of green light shot out in the cramped space, slamming into Zhu Jiuyin with a series of crisp explosions.
Li Jingyu raised her brows.
The Jewel of the Rising Tides shot out, splitting into nine beams of light that smashed into the Candle Dragon’s core.
The moon phase appeared, and beams of soul light like curved blades, crackling with lightning, rained down.
A roaring giant dragon burst from the green pearl, its mighty dragon aura suppressing the Candle Dragon’s power, making its form flicker.
But just that wasn’t enough to deal with Zhu Jiuyin.
Li Jingyu’s eyes flashed, and a purple light shot from her brow.
The purple light turned into a small purple net, trapping the dragon core.
This artifact was called the Doulong Net, forged by her mother years ago, and had been in her master’s hands until now.
Author’s note: ①《Classic of Mountains and Seas》
Li Jingyu: I don’t want your heart.
Ji Yutang: Really?
