"You said that person's cultivation regressed?"
Hearing Han Qingyu's question, Mo Tiange nodded. "That's right. I could see his meridians were severely damaged. The cultivation regression must be real."
Han Qingyu pondered for a moment before sighing. "This complicates things..."
Mo Tiange looked at her strangely. "Senior Sister Han, we never counted this Yu Family cultivator among our combat strength. Why does it complicate things?"
"Think about it," Han Qingyu said. "This Yu Family Head decided to join the battle because another Foundation Establishment junior perished. Wouldn't he also decide to fight the demon beasts to the death if this junior's cultivation fell back to the Qi Refining Stage, leaving the Yu Family without hope?"
Mo Tiange trembled. That... was indeed very possible.
Seeing she understood, Han Qingyu smiled bitterly. "If it were me, I might do the same. Those without a family probably don't understand this feeling. Without hope for the family, it's just clinging to life. I'm afraid this Yu Family Head has already made up his mind."
Mo Tiange thought calmly for a moment. "Senior Sister Han, if that's the case, then aren't we also..."
"Exactly. If so, we're also in danger, and it will be difficult to accomplish what Master entrusted us with..." Han Qingyu thought for a moment. "Here's what we'll do. Later, I'll go see what exactly is wrong with that Yu Family youth. If there's a way, I'll lend a hand to prevent the Yu Family from losing hope and acting recklessly. If not... then we withdraw from the Yu Family when necessary. We can't risk our lives for them."
"..." Mo Tiange could only nod. "Since Senior Sister says so, we'll do that."
Without mentioning Han Qingyu further, after speaking with her, Mo Tiange entered the Void Heaven Realm again to sit in silent contemplation.
Every time she entered the Void Heaven Realm, she would set up a Spirit-Dispersing Array inside her room so others would sense a Foundation Establishment cultivator within, preventing Han Qingyu and the others from finding it strange and discovering her secret. Inside the Void Heaven Realm, she could sense everything outside clearly. If anything happened, she could emerge in an instant. Unfortunately, entering the Void Heaven Realm required some effort; otherwise, why would she worry about her life?
Regarding the current situation, she felt both joy and worry. The joy was that Han Qingyu had long been prepared. This Senior Sister Han, like Luo Fengxue, was skilled at handling affairs, and her combat experience was countless times richer than Luo Fengxue's. Since she had arrangements, Mo Tiange didn't need to rack her brains too much. The worry was that the Yu Family was currently unstable, and problems could arise at any time.
After thinking for a while without finding a solution, Mo Tiange shook her head and resumed cultivation. When receiving the Yu Family junior and Cultivator Zhou, she had already tested the power of the Spirit Refining Art for the first time, making her even more eager for this cultivation technique. She was only at Foundation Establishment mid-stage, and had just advanced not long ago, yet she could so easily injure a fifth-rank demonic beast. This showed that divine sense injuries couldn't be judged solely by cultivation level. Thus, even facing a Core Formation cultivator, she wasn't without the ability to resist.
She cultivated and cultivated, and a day passed. On the second day, faint footsteps woke Mo Tiange from her cultivation. She immediately emerged from the Void Heaven Realm, pretending to be cultivating.
"Tian Ge!" It was Luo Fengxue's voice.
Mo Tiange withdrew the array and opened the door. "Senior Sister Luo?"
Luo Fengxue looked anxious, sweat on her forehead. "Quick, quick, let's go! They're fighting!"
"Huh?" Mo Tiange was stunned.
Luo Fengxue came in, grabbed her, and dragged her out. "No time to explain. I saw something wrong outside before I even went out, so I hurried to find you."
Mo Tiange was stunned. Following her out the door and looking up, she understood what 'wrong' meant.
The sky was full of firelight. Outside the Four Symbols Formation's defensive shield, there was firelight everywhere.
It was daytime, yet this firelight illuminated the entire Yu Family. If it were nighttime, it would likely be as bright as day.
Sensing briefly, Mo Tiange discovered there were at least a dozen Foundation Establishment cultivators and hundreds of Qi Refining cultivators and demon beasts nearby!
Exchanging a look with Luo Fengxue, both their faces turned pale. What did so many cultivators and demon beasts signify? It meant the area around the Yu Family had become the main battlefield! Although they had long anticipated that large-scale fighting would eventually appear nearby, they hadn't expected it to come so quickly.
The two stumbled as they flew to the highest watchtower. Han Qingyu and the Yu Family members were indeed already there, along with the cultivators rescued during this period.
Seeing them arrive, Han Qingyu pulled them over and said solemnly, "Don't know what happened. They fought their way here today. No time to explain now. Prepare for battle. The Yu Family..." She glanced at the Yu Family Head and others not far away, then looked at Mo Tiange. "The Yu Family will soon ask you to open the formation. Handle it as you see fit."
Mo Tiange glanced at them and whispered, "Senior Sister Han means..."
Han Qingyu smiled bitterly. "I'd like to intervene, but things happened too fast. Do what you need to do. Don't hold back. I'll explain to Master—if we ever see Master again."
Since Han Qingyu said so, Mo Tiange understood completely. She nodded. "Alright, I understand."
As soon as they finished speaking, the Yu Family Head indeed came over. "Fellow Daoists."
Before they could finish their greetings, the Yu Family Head's gaze swept to Mo Tiange. "Today, I must shamelessly ask for Fellow Daoist's help again."
Mo Tiange nodded, wasting no time on pleasantries, and asked directly, "When does Family Head Yu plan to attack?"
The Yu Family Head looked at the defensive shield above, then at the dense figures fighting in the distance, his expression firming. "Now!"
"What about the mortals and low-level cultivators?"
Hearing this, a bitter expression appeared on the Yu Family Head's face. "I've already moved them to the back mountain. If they can survive, that's best. If not... they can only blame their own fate."
"..." At this point, what more was there to say? Mo Tiange stepped forward a few paces, set up a simple defensive array beside her position, then began forming hand seals, closing her eyes to recite the incantation.
As she recited, the Four Symbols Formation suddenly emitted a bright light. From the east, west, south, and north directions appeared the lights of the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise. After flashing once, an opening appeared in the middle.
The Yu Family Head shouted, "Fellow cultivators, if you can't hold on, please quickly enter the formation."
Hearing such welcome news, the cultivators in the fierce battle were all overjoyed. Some gritted their teeth and persisted in slaying demon beasts, while others relaxed and rushed toward the opening.
Whenever a demon beast gave chase, the Four Symbols lights from the four directions would leap over, biting and tearing at the intruder...
Several Yu Family cultivators also leaped out from the opening to fight the demon beasts.
Although Mo Tiange had seen humans and beasts fighting since the day she first left Mount Taikang, it couldn't compare to today.
In the mortal world, hunters hunted beasts, occasionally dying in a beast's belly. In the cultivation world, humans hunted demons, failing meant being swallowed by demons. But no matter what, humans usually held the dominant position. Now, however, that wasn't the case. Seriously speaking, there were even more demons. This slaughter became even more tragic.
Demons used teeth and claws together; humans unleashed magic treasures and talismans together. They crowded against each other, sometimes humans killing demons, sometimes demons eating humans.
Fortunately, there were no demon beasts above the fifth rank this time. Operating the Four Symbols Formation didn't feel particularly strenuous to Mo Tiange, though she had to take Spirit-Replenishing Pills from time to time to supplement her spiritual qi. Han Qingyu and Wei Jiasi guarded the formation opening to reduce her pressure, while Luo Fengxue guarded her, fed her pills, and conveyed her intentions to the surrounding cultivators.
Mo Tiange didn't know how long this battle lasted, only feeling that rivers of blood flowed. Several times, she wanted to give up, enter the Void Heaven Realm, and ignore others' lives, but the precarious formation made her realize the heavy responsibility on her shoulders. Even if she left, she needed to make arrangements first; otherwise, she would suffer backlash from the formation.
"Fifth-rank demon beast! That's a fifth-rank demon beast!" someone shouted.
Mo Tiange abruptly looked up and saw two demon beasts flying from the horizon. Instantly, her and Luo Fengxue's faces turned pale.
Fifth-rank demon beasts—equivalent to early Core Formation. Here, there were only Foundation Establishment cultivators, plus dense low-level demon beasts...
"Tian Ge!" Han Qingyu shouted. "Abandon it! Abandon the formation, go!"
Mo Tiange gritted her teeth. She muttered a few words in a low voice, changed a few hand seals, then grabbed Luo Fengxue, summoned the White Silk Handkerchief, and suddenly dashed toward the formation opening.
She temporarily stabilized the formation with a secret technique. Without anyone presiding over it, it could probably hold for about half an hour. Whether to fight or flee should be decided by then.
"Senior Sisters!" The four gathered. Mo Tiange asked, "What do we do?"
Han Qingyu swept a glance. The surrounding cultivators had already begun panicking and fleeing. She could only smile bitterly. "We... we should also take advantage of the chaos to leave. We can't hold on."
"..." All four fell silent.
Han Qingyu grabbed Luo Fengxue and called out, "Fengxue, come with me. You two take care of yourselves. If we escape... if we escape, meet at the nearby branch!"
"Understood!" Luo Fengxue followed Han Qingyu because Han Qingyu had the highest cultivation, while Mo Tiange and Wei Jiasi were both at Foundation Establishment mid-stage with rich combat experience and could take care of themselves.
Feet on the White Silk Handkerchief, hand gripping the Flying Sky Shuttle, Soul-Confusing Lantern and flying needles ready, she also secretly took out the Earth-Treading Ruler for backup. If she was unlucky enough to encounter that fifth-rank demon beast, Mo Tiange planned to activate the Earth-Treading Ruler, immediately teleport a thousand miles away, then activate the Void Heaven Realm to hide inside.
Although she had long planned this, now facing reality, she still felt her palms sweating. That day, operating the Four Symbols Formation against a fifth-rank demon beast, first, it was due to the formation's power; second, that demon beast had already been exhausted by others, allowing her Spirit Refining Art to succeed with one strike. Now, she had no confidence at all.
Summoning the Flying Sky Shuttle, Mo Tiange charged left and right, holding nothing back. When the Flying Sky Shuttle retracted, demon beasts fell from the sky one after another. She didn't pause at all. After killing one, she immediately went to kill another blocking her path.
Sometimes encountering second or third-rank demon beasts, she would simultaneously throw out talismans, striving to defeat enemies quickly.
Flesh and blood flew everywhere, crimson spreading across the ground. Everyone was fighting madly.
"Tian Ge, behind!"
Hearing Luo Fengxue's voice, Mo Tiange drove the White Silk Handkerchief to ascend instantly, then turned sideways to see what was before her.
A fifth-rank Two-Headed Eagle!
How unlucky! Of only two fifth-rank demon beasts, one had actually targeted her! Mo Tiange's face turned pale. Her hand was already on the Earth-Treading Ruler, but the Two-Headed Eagle had already fanned a wing over.
The spiritual energy gathered in her hand hadn't been released before being interrupted. Mo Tiange somersaulted on the White Silk Handkerchief, the Flying Sky Shuttle instantly shooting out.
This was her first time facing a truly high-rank demon beast. Fifth-rank demon beast—early Core Formation. Back then, with Second Uncle's combat experience and five people surrounding it, he was still severely injured, showing its combat power. And those Yu Family cultivators and Cultivator Zhou—if not for their outstanding flying artifacts, they probably couldn't have held on so long. Now, how could she deal with it alone?
So, she could only dodge, find an opportunity to escape.
The White Silk Handkerchief could both defend and fly. If used for defense, it could naturally withstand several attacks from the demon beast, but this wasn't a permanent solution. She could only try to avoid attacks as much as possible, then use the Flying Sky Shuttle to harass, buying a little time so she could use the Earth-Treading Ruler—she had indeed miscalculated. Truly facing a high-rank demon beast, she didn't even have time to use the Earth-Treading Ruler.
"Tian Ge!" Luo Fengxue watched anxiously, only to see Mo Tiange suddenly up and down, suddenly left and right, ethereal as clouds, swift as wind, almost making it hard to see her figure. Clearly, she was dodging the fifth-rank demon beast's attacks, yet it seemed as if she was toying with the demon beast. Luo Fengxue was somewhat stunned. She had long known this nominal junior sister had a troubled background, drifting from place to place, experiencing many battles and hardships during her wanderings, different from elite sect disciples like them who grew up peacefully. But she hadn't expected that, just after Foundation Establishment, she would have such combat power to contend with a fifth-rank demon beast. It seemed she herself still had much to strive for.
"Fengxue, what are you daydreaming about!" A scolding voice came from beside her ear. It was Wei Jiasi blocking a wave of attacks for her, glaring at her. "Take care of yourself first!"
"But..." Before she could finish, she saw Wei Jiasi driving her flying sword to attack that fifth-rank Two-Headed Eagle.
This fifth-rank Two-Headed Eagle had long been infuriated by Mo Tiange's dodging. Its two claws kept slapping, lightning bolts striking toward Mo Tiange one after another.
Mo Tiange was actually very anxious inside. Others couldn't tell, but she was struggling immensely. Where were fifth-rank demon beast attacks so easy to dodge? If not for having a magic treasure like the White Silk Handkerchief, she would have been struck down long ago!
At this moment, Wei Jiasi suddenly attacked, slashing at the Two-Headed Eagle's wing with her sword. Although it didn't cause any damage due to the wing's extreme hardness, it allowed Mo Tiange to catch her breath. But she immediately shouted, "Senior Sister Wei, don't mind me! I have a way to escape!"
Hearing this, Wei Jiasi was stunned. But Mo Tiange kept winking at her. After hesitating a moment, she withdrew her sword and flew away.
The Two-Headed Eagle angrily clawed again. Mo Tiange leaped and dodged once more. This time, as she dodged, she led it away from the battlefield.
Once she escaped, this eagle would certainly angrily attack others. Others aside, Luo Fengxue and the others were nearby. She didn't want to bring this disaster upon them.
Besides, after getting used to this demon beast's rhythm, dodging felt much easier. Demons were, after all, demons. They didn't use talismans or magic treasures, only their own bodies and innate few spell attacks. How could they compare to clever human cultivators?
Later, Mo Tiange even had the leisure to use the Flying Sky Shuttle to guide this Two-Headed Eagle's attacks toward her, adjusting its direction.
The Two-Headed Eagle grew furious. Suddenly, it flapped its wings and flew high, looking down at Mo Tiange from above. Then, opening its mouth, a thick pillar of lightning spewed from its throat.
Mo Tiange was greatly alarmed. This eagle had been dull and sluggish—she hadn't expected it to suddenly unleash its power. Without time to think, she flipped her body down, grabbed the White Silk Handkerchief in her hand, then waved her hand open. The White Silk Handkerchief transformed into a dense brick wall, blocking all the lightning above her.
However, she was only at Foundation Establishment mid-stage after all. Even though the White Silk Handkerchief was a magic treasure, its power wasn't great enough. Through the brick wall, she still felt intense pressure pressing down from above.
Her body swayed unsteadily; she could hardly stand. The power of the fifth-rank demon beast's lightning pressed down on her densely through that layer of brick wall. She felt her meridians shaking violently, aching inch by inch. Her Dantian suddenly compressed, spiritual power almost squeezed dry.
Perhaps relying on sheer willpower, perhaps having potential stimulated, even though blood had already flowed from the corner of her mouth, Mo Tiange still didn't fall. She didn't want to die here!
Finally, the lightning pillar gradually weakened and eventually disappeared.
Feeling no strength left, Mo Tiange suddenly felt her legs go soft and collapsed. The brick wall transformed back into the White Silk Handkerchief, grasped in her hand. Lying on the ground, her vision blurred; it seemed all her strength had been used up just now.
Directly resisting a fifth-rank demon beast's spell—probably no Foundation Establishment mid-stage cultivator dared do that, right? Lying on the ground, Mo Tiange discovered she actually had the mood to think about this.
The Two-Headed Eagle seemed to have been extremely angered just now. Now landing before her, it wasn't in a hurry to come forward and kill her, but instead cried out triumphantly.
Fifth-rank demon beast... equivalent to early Core Formation cultivator, possessing preliminary thinking abilities. Having been toyed with like that by her just now, it must have been very angry...
Thinking this, Mo Tiange couldn't help but smile, tightening her grip.
The demon beast looked at her expression, tilted its head, actually revealing a puzzled gaze.
Seeing this, Mo Tiange murmured, "Want to know human emotions? You're too early!"
As soon as the words fell, the Two-Headed Eagle seemed to see the cunning smile in her eyes. But before it could pounce, it saw the little insect before it suddenly disappear.
"Cough!" A thousand miles away, Mo Tiange spat out a mouthful of blood, immediately closed her eyes, and silently recited the incantation.
Just now, she was truly lucky. That eagle didn't kill her immediately, giving her time to activate the Earth-Treading Ruler. But a thousand miles distance, for a fifth-rank demon beast, was only a few breaths. If that demon beast followed her scent, it would be dangerous. She needed to enter the Void Heaven Realm as soon as possible.
As she recited the incantation, a bean-sized light slowly floated up between her eyebrows. The light grew brighter with her incantation, gradually becoming a huge pearl that swallowed her whole.
Lying in the small layer of the Void Heaven Realm, Mo Tiange spat out another mouthful of blood. A little thing wobbled over, snuggling beside her, whimpering twice.
Mo Tiange forced her eyes open and saw it was the Blazing Fire Beast she had unintentionally caught some time ago.
She forced a smile. "No time to feed you today..." Before finishing, her head grew heavy, and she collapsed to the ground.