Chapter 249 Threat The Fierce Little Bean

The teleportation gate opened again, and the Azure Profound Sect disciples waiting nearby finally breathed a sigh of relief.

“Great, we can finally get out.”

“Our sect should be first this time, right?”

Just before leaving, the Azure Profound Sect disciples were all chattering away. Having escaped from that dangerous place, their mood had lightened considerably.

Compared to the others, Azure Profound Sect had suffered the fewest casualties among the Four Great Sects. While they were waiting, disciples from the other three sects had arrived one after another, but every one of them looked grim.

After the Clear Thought Sect chief team was found, everyone in the group had the same dazed, shell-shocked expression, unable to recover for a long time.

Tang Wuxun sat on a rock, staring blankly ahead. It was obvious that this experience had left a deep shadow on his heart. His senior brother, the team leader, had been eaten by Demonic Creatures, torn apart right in front of him. The other members of their squad had almost died as well, one of them having both arms ripped off and now hanging on by a thread.

He sat there in a stupor, and only when the teleportation gate opened did he press his lips together and cover his face.

Having mostly recovered after taking a pill, Shen Wuxie was back to bouncing around. He was just about to go over and mock Tang Wuxun, but when he saw Tang covering his eyes, tears slipping out between his fingers, the words stuck in his throat.

Shen Wuxie: “…”

This was the first time he had ever seen Tang Wuxun cry.

Heh, serves him right for kicking him out of the chief team. Took a nasty spill, didn’t he.

Shen Wuxie gave a cold snort but did not say a single word. He turned around and walked away.

Forget it, he would spare him this once and scold him next time.

He walked to the teleportation gate, queued up to leave, and overheard the discussions among the Azure Profound Sect disciples. He could not help glancing toward the Returning Immortal Sect side.

He had studied the map earlier. If Lian Mu had not fallen into Mist Sea Cliff, Azure Profound Sect probably would not be the ones flaunting their success right now.

The people of Returning Immortal Sect all looked as lifeless as Tang Wuxun. Lian Mu’s fall from the cliff had clearly dealt them a huge blow.

As he was thinking this, the Azure Profound Sect disciples around him suddenly cried out in surprise, “Wait, it looks like another spot lit up on the map!”

Everyone’s gaze shifted over. Sure enough, a new region on the map had lit up, belonging to Returning Immortal Sect, they had just noticed it now.

The people who had just been so certain Azure Profound Sect had secured first place suddenly stiffened. “Uh…”

What shocked them even more was that the newly lit area was actually in the Inner Source Circle.

Everyone thought they were seeing things. After confirming that nothing was wrong with the map, they were all stunned.

Shen Wuxie’s eyes widened as well. Inner Source Circle… could it be Lian Mu…

No, she was at the bottom of Mist Sea Cliff. How could she suddenly appear in the Inner Source Circle?

He swept his gaze over the Returning Immortal Sect chief team, and noticed there was still one person missing.

Could it be Guan Huailin?

No wonder the Returning Immortal Sect crowd looked as if the sky was falling. They had not only lost Lian Mu, they were about to lose their chief Sword Cultivator, and they had no one at all who could fill that position.

A vague sense of satisfaction rose in Shen Wuxie’s chest. As expected, anyone who offended him never came to a good end.

Still, Lian Mu…

For some reason he felt it was a bit of a pity. He had heard that when they got back, Baili Yu was planning to challenge Lian Mu to a one-on-one. He had been looking forward to watching that bastard Baili Yu get beaten half-crippled by her.

Looked like he would just have to prepare properly and take care of Baili Yu himself.

With considerable regret, Shen Wuxie stepped into the teleportation gate and hurriedly left the exploration domain.

Compared to his haste, the few people on the Returning Immortal Sect side were in no rush at all to move.

Only when Elder Lu came over to remind them, “The teleportation gate will only remain open for a quarter of an hour. Hurry up and go, do not delay,” did they stir.

Of course Elder Lu knew what they were worried about. But at this point, the more people they could get out, the better. Reducing their losses as much as possible was what they should be doing.

Baili Que asked, “Is there any chance the Black Moon will end early?”

“Almost none.” Elder Lu answered honestly. “This Black Moon was deliberately created by the demon race. Even the natural ones cannot end ahead of time, let alone one crafted by hand.”

Moreover, over the past few centuries, as the Bright Pearl of Heavenly Return Palace had grown increasingly dim, the duration of each Black Moon had only increased, never decreased.

Judging from the situation now, it would last at least three days, if not more.

As for that disciple in the Inner Source Circle, Elder Lu had already prepared himself for the worst outcome.

His greatest regret was assigning Ye Minghe’s team near the Fish Demon Skeleton. If he had discovered the problem sooner, Lian Mu would not have…

Elder Lu closed his eyes briefly. He still had no idea how he was going to explain this to Murong Yi when they got back.

He sighed. “Let’s go.”

The few of them moved with obvious reluctance. Xu Xianxing was being supported by Guan Shize. His condition had worsened, and now he could barely even speak.

He was desperate to tell them that Lian Mu was still fine for the moment. Because he shared a resonance with the Fox Fur, and since the Spirit Artifact was still operating, that meant its user was still alive.

High-grade Spirit Artifacts could sense changes in their user’s body. If the user died, the artifact would cease providing spiritual energy protection in order to reduce depletion.

Unfortunately, his bones were frozen stiff. All he could do was lift his hand straight up and clumsily pat Baili Que on the shoulder.

They had been in a low mood to begin with. Seeing him do that only made their hearts sink further.

That was right. It was not just that Lian Mu had gone missing, they also had a Xu Xianxing in the throes of illness, and no one knew what aftereffects it might leave.

Ji Mingyue and several Alchemy Cultivator elders had treated the injured disciples, but he was the one they could not heal, they could not even find the cause.

Baili Que’s brows furrowed even tighter. “…”

Just what kind of rotten luck had their Returning Immortal Sect run into?

But there was nothing they could do. As worried as they were, they still had to obediently go back.

This was not only an order from their elders, it also concerned the future of Returning Immortal Sect. The longer they stayed here, the more dangerous it became. The teleportation gate was not absolutely safe. If the Black Tide grew stronger later, even this place might be overrun by Demonic Creatures.

For the sake of the greater good, it was best for new disciples like them to leave as early as possible. If they really waited until that moment came, they would only drag down the elders responsible for clearing out the Demonic Creatures.

Sect Master Shen had already sent people to search for Lian Mu. All they could do was go back and wait for news.

When the Returning Immortal Sect chief team was about to step into the teleportation gate, Ji Mingyue suddenly felt a gaze on her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Feng Yunyi of Azure Profound Sect staring in her direction.

Ji Mingyue remembered Feng Yunyi then. She pretended not to notice, edging casually closer to Guan Shize and bumping his arm.

Guan Shize was a little confused at first, but when he saw the shape of Ji Mingyue’s lips, he immediately understood. As they were lining up, he brought it up in an offhand tone, “Chief Disciple Ji, since you have gone to the Shifang Nether Soil this time, you must have found that method, right?”

Ji Mingyue sighed. “My family member’s illness is already beyond saving. Even if I found it, it is useless now. I am too late.”

Guan Shize said, “That is such a pity. If only it had been a bit earlier…”

“It is fate. There is nothing I can do.” Ji Mingyue replied helplessly.

As they talked, the two of them stepped into the white light of the teleportation gate, and their voices gradually faded away.

Not far behind them, Feng Yunyi had also heard their conversation. Guan Shize’s voice was just the right volume, not too loud and not too soft, so he could catch a little of it.

His heart gave a jolt and his eyes suddenly widened as he stared at the two figures gradually disappearing from view. He lifted his foot, wanting to rush over.

A hand clamped down on his shoulder. It was a Clear Thought Sect sword cultivator. “Hey, even if you’re the Chief Disciple, you can’t cut in line, right? The rest of us are just as anxious as you.”

Feng Yunyi stopped. “…Sorry, that was rude of me.”

He could only step back and wait, anxiety eating at him.

His expression was so obvious, every thought written clearly on his face, that Qian Songshi behind him found it a bit funny.

He cannot hide a single emotion. Ying You spends every day with someone like this, no wonder he is getting more indecisive. Walking with fools is nothing but a waste of time and future.

Qian Songshi stepped around the motionless Feng Yunyi and said with a smile, “Senior Brother Feng, if you are not going, then step aside.”

Feng Yunyi’s expression stiffened. He had already lifted his foot, but could only move aside.

At the very last moment before the teleportation gate closed, all the disciples remaining there departed safely.

They were transported to a safe zone outside the exploration region, where a large number of elders and seniors had gathered, waiting for them.

As soon as the Returning Immortal Sect contingent emerged, Murong Yi rushed forward. “How are you all, is anyone injured?”

He had just finished asking when he noticed two people were missing. Lian Mu and Guan Huailin were not there.

“Where is Lian Mu? Wasn’t she brought out of the Blood Butterfly Meat Pool by Mei Chengyu?” Murong Yi asked.

Baili Que hesitated. “Lian Mu, she…”

Elder Lu said, “My apologies, Murong, I was careless. Your disciple fell into Mist Sea Cliff.”

Murong Yi frowned. He had prepared himself for many possibilities, but had not expected the reason to be this.

“Something happened over by the Fish Demon Skeleton. Sect Master Shen has already gone to look for her,” Elder Lu said. “Murong, see to them first. I have to go back in again later.”

Once he finished speaking, he did not pause for even an instant and hurried back at once.

Learning that Shen Minglu had personally gone, Murong Yi’s tightly strung heart relaxed a little. He closed his eyes briefly.

Mist Sea Cliff… that place again. This cursed place seems born to clash with the people of Returning Immortal Sect.

“Xu Xianxing, come with me,” Murong Yi said. “The chief team is going to the main command tent, the sect master wants to see you. The rest of you go back and rest. Do not leave the area within the protective barrier.”

“Yes, sir.”

Xu Xianxing more or less guessed what Murong Yi wanted him for. Supported by two disciples, he followed him away.

At the same time, on Azure Profound Sect’s side, everyone spotted a figure among the elders that stood out. The white hair was particularly striking in the crowd.

“Ting Zhou, why are you here?” Gu Qingyu exclaimed.

Hearing that name, people from the other two sects also turned to look.

The Azure Profound Sect chief team immediately surrounded him. Jiang Yuechen asked, “Has your body recovered?”

“More or less. I heard you ran into danger in the Shifang Nether Soil, I was worried, so I rushed over.” Ying You’s ink-dark eyes fell on them. He had come in a hurry, and his face was still a little pale.

“You are not hurt, are you?”

Hearing his concern, several of them could not help their eyes reddening. Before this, they too had been through heart-stopping danger and had nearly thought they would never see him again.

Yuan Huai’s nose stung and he shed a few shameful tears. “We are all fine. It is a good thing you did not come. It was really too dangerous in there.”

Ying You lifted his hand and wiped his tears away. “As long as you are all right.”

Clear Thought Sect’s Shen Wuxie watched the warmth between them with a sour feeling in his heart. If he had known, he would have gone to Azure Profound Sect. They clearly had much more human warmth.

He turned his head to look at Tang Wuxun and drawled, “Hey, Tang, next time you cry, tell me. I can wipe your tears for you too.”

Tang Wuxun had already been in low spirits, but a young man’s pride would not allow him to show weakness in front of others. He had thought no one had seen him just now. Suddenly exposed by Shen Wuxie, he was both embarrassed and angry. “Get lost!”

While the others were trading stories, Qian Songshi watched from the side, expression indifferent. He had no interest in sentimental scenes, and even less interest in pouring out his grievances to people he disliked.

He walked straight past them. As he passed, he glanced sideways at Ying You and gave a slight smile. “Senior Brother Ying, long time no see.”

There was a hint of provocation in his tone, but Ying You’s face did not change. “You worked hard, Junior Brother Qian.”

Qian Songshi smiled. “With your health, Senior Brother, you really should not linger here too long.”

He tossed out this hollow show of concern and left without looking back.

Ying You knew Qian Songshi had never liked him, so he did not bother to respond. Instead, he changed the subject. “How did you do with your mission? With everything that happened, did the sect master change the task at the last minute?”

“No. Going by the original rules, Returning Immortal Sect is in first place. The Golden Core Flower map will probably end up in their hands,” Gu Qingyu said with some regret.

“The people from Returning Immortal Sect are absolute monsters. This round should have been an easy win for us. Even Qian Songshi felt secure enough to let us pull out, but then someone came out of nowhere and suddenly lit up the Inner Source Circle region. Even if we went back in now, we could not catch up,” Yuan Huai said.

Surprise flashed in Ying You’s eyes. “The Inner Source Circle?”

As far as he knew, that was the most dangerous area.

“It must be Lian Mu. Only she would have the guts, and she still has not returned. She must have snuck up into the Inner Source Circle,” Gu Qingyu said.

Ying You’s fingers paused. “She still has not come back?”

No wonder, on his way here, he had felt a faint ache in his chest and the mark on his wrist had been burning. He had had a bad premonition then, and now it had come true.

Now that the passage was closed, the sect master would not possibly send disciples in again.

Ying You glanced around and saw that Shang Liu had not returned either. He pressed his lips together. “…”

He could only hope Elder Shang would keep his promise to him.

He was still lost in thought when Feng Yunyi suddenly tugged at his sleeve.

The two of them had grown up together. Sometimes they did not need words, a single look was enough to understand each other.

Ying You nodded to him. “While you were gone, I found out who spread the rumor. We will talk when we get back.”

As it happened, Feng Yunyi also had something he wanted to tell him.

Without speaking, the two shared an unspoken understanding and walked off in the same direction.

…

…

After the Returning Immortal Sect chief team left, Guan Shize returned alone to the resting camp. He had his own tent, very close to where Lian Mu lived.

When he passed Lian Mu’s tent, his mood sank again.

To be honest, he did not believe Lian Mu would die in the Shifang Nether Soil, even though everyone who knew the situation felt there was an eighty percent chance she would not make it back.

In his eyes, Lian Mu had always had a stubbornly strong life. He was used to her escaping death by a hair’s breadth every time, turning peril into safety. He simply could not imagine what kind of hardship could defeat her.

Likewise, he was the person who least wanted anything to happen to her. Ever since he entered the sect, Lian Mu had always been his example to follow, and apart from his master, she was the one who had helped him the most.

Without her, he would never have made it into the seats at the disciple-acceptance ceremony, much less have the ranking he held now.

When they mentioned that the person who lit up the Inner Source Circle might have been Lian Mu, he had not even taken it seriously and still could not grasp how dangerous the Inner Source Circle really was. In his mind, there was no place Lian Mu could not force her way into if she tried, and no place she could not escape from if she fought with everything she had.

It was only when he saw Elder Murong’s expression that he belatedly came to his senses.

Guan Shize stopped in front of Lian Mu’s tent and could not help wondering what he should do if something really had happened to her.

The more he thought about it, the more he spaced out. After a long while, he suddenly felt something tugging at the hem of his robe.

Guan Shize snapped back to himself and looked down. The edge of his robe was being yanked back and forth by a lump of black something.

Guan Shize: “?”

This thing looked a bit familiar.

He picked the black lump up, met its bean-sized, ghostly green eyes, and man and scorpion stared wide-eyed at each other.

Then he finally remembered. Wasn’t this the Spirit Pet Lian Mu kept?

It had actually run out.

Guan Shize sighed. “Sigh, your master can’t come back for now. You can only wait.”

Black Scorpion hugged his hand, several pairs of claws scrabbling restlessly, its green-bean eyes fixed straight on him.

It had seen him before and was not afraid of him. Seeing its movements, Guan Shize assumed it was hungry.

“You hungry?” Guan Shize thought for a moment, but he had no idea what he should feed it.

Black Scorpion crawled up along his arm to his shoulder, clacked its pincers on a lock of his hanging hair, then pointed in a certain direction.

It was exactly where the exploration domain’s entrance lay.

Guan Shize was surprised by its intelligence. “You want to go look for Lian Mu? That won’t work. The barrier is closed, no one can get in. Besides, a little demonic beast like you would be in great danger in the Shifang Nether Soil.”

It was only palm-sized. It probably was not even enough to wedge between the teeth of the other Demonic Creatures.

It seemed to understand him. Black Scorpion opened the pair of red eyes on its back, but Guan Shize could not tell what it meant. He prepared to take it back to the tent.

He took his first step, and the direction he chose was not the one Black Scorpion wanted.

The next instant, the stinger at the end of its tail suddenly shot out, becoming like a sleek black whip that wrapped mercilessly around Guan Shize’s neck twice and tightened threateningly.

The sharp, poisonous barb pressed against Guan Shize’s cheek. He jumped in fright and hurriedly stopped moving.

Black Scorpion pointed again toward the barrier entrance.

Guan Shize: “…”

He had never noticed it being this vicious before.

With Lian Mu not here, Guan Shize was also a little afraid it might go crazy, so he could only go along with it.

Once Black Scorpion saw he was behaving, its legs worked in a blur as it burrowed into his clothes, but it still kept the tail hook pressed to his skin, ready to stab at any moment.

Guan Shize walked back with it, every step stiff, terrified it would sting him.

Along the way, people kept turning around to stare at his strange walking posture. Fortunately, his reputation with others was terrible, so hardly anyone came up to ask.

There was almost no one at the barrier entrance. Everyone else had left. No one wanted to stay here any longer than necessary, the next opening was still far off, and the elders were not around. The place felt rather desolate.

Guan Shize: “…”

Was it afraid someone would grab it, so it hid on him?

But there was no one here.

Guan Shize was a bit helpless. He snuck up to the barrier entrance like a thief, opened his collar for it to see, and said, “Look, the barrier really isn’t open.”

He felt quite foolish talking to a little demonic beast, but he had no choice.

Black Scorpion crawled out, lay on the ground, and tried to approach, only to be bounced back by the barrier.

Guan Shize said, “Even if you go in, it’s useless. She’s in a very dangerous place. You might not even be able to find her.”

Black Scorpion flicked its tail hook, ignoring him completely. It just kept ramming into the barrier again and again, its black shell banging loudly.

Guan Shize could not bear to watch. He thought of using this chance to pin it down, but then it suddenly exerted itself again and smashed its own shell open.

Guan Shize: “!?”

He froze for a moment, and then saw mist spilling out of Black Scorpion’s body. The black mist passed straight through the teleportation barrier and vanished.

Moments later, only an empty, pitch-black shell was left behind.

Guan Shize: “…”

What in the world was this thing?

He stared, dumbfounded. It was already too late. There was no way for him to stop that black mist.

While Guan Shize was still in a daze, a voice sounded behind him. “What are you doing here?”

It was an elder on patrol.

Guan Shize reacted quickly, scooped up the black shell, and said calmly, “I was just wondering if anyone else might still come out.”

Seeing that he wore the Returning Immortal Sect uniform, the elder immediately understood. “Silly child, go back. This barrier is dead. It only opens at fixed times. If you force it, the entire isolation barrier will shatter, and all the Demonic Creatures inside will rush out.”

“I know your Returning Immortal Sect lost some very important people this time, but now is not the time to act recklessly. No matter how anxious you are, you still have to wait for word from inside.” The elder stepped aside to clear a path. “Go back now, and don’t get any foolish ideas.”

Guan Shize had long since learned from Lian Mu how to lie without blushing or skipping a heartbeat. He replied very obediently, “Yes, Elder.”