Yan Hui and Zhu Li were taken back by Tian Yao's words. Tian Yao's eyes were somewhat cold, but his voice was very steady:
"If Su Ying really came to Qing Qiu to battle with several hundred cultivators...Although there are many xian cultivators in Central Plains, the number of those proficient at xian magic isn't necessarily high. Su Ying for sure brought highly skilled cultivators. Otherwise no matter how strong she is, she wouldn't be able to attack the demons' camp without high losses. And she launched a surprised attack. To prevent retaliation from the demons at San Chong Mountain, she definitely brought many troops to keep watch. Based on this, there will be a lot of emptiness between San Chong Mountain and Central Plains. Other xian sects won't place guards at their own gates. In addition, 20 years ago Guang Han Sect surrounded itself with a barrier spell. It's like their guards won't be too attentive."
Tian Yao continued: "This is about the best time to steal back my dragon heart."
Zhu Li grew more shocked as he listened. It seemed like he still hadn't fully taken it all in.
However, Yan Hui clearly understood Tian Yao. He didn't even have to finish before Yan Hui got it. She immediately frowned and said with apprehension: "Could this another one of Su Ying's plots?" She deliberated, "Although Guang Han Sect is the closest out of the top three sects to San Chong Mountain, Su Ying's status is really high. She isn't sitting in place and managing the sect but rather leading cultivators for a surprise attack. No matter how I think about it, it doesn't seem right."
Tian Yao looked at Zhu Li: "So we need to see if their intel is the absolute truth."
Zhu Li understood that part. He immediately jumped up and ran out: "I'm going right now to verify!" He reached the door when a thought pop up: "If it is true and Qing Qiu can't spare anyone, then I'm going with you guys to Guang Han Sect to help!"
Yan Hui watched Zhu Li run out before turning to Tian Yao: "If Su Ying truly came to Qing Qiu, are we really going to bring Zhu Li to Guang Han Sect?"
Tian Yao shook his head: "His cultivation isn't enough. He'll be a hindrance. Even without Su Ying at Guang Han Sect, I can only protect you with my current power. Adding another person would be a burden."
Yan Hui stared at him: "Then how are we going to get rid of Zhu Li?"
Tian Yao gave her a look: "He can't catch up to us."
Yan Hui was silent. Not a moment later, Zhu Li hurriedly ran back. He started talking right when he got through the door: "The intel is definitely true. Her arrival has some strange circumstances. It's like they came not to attack us demon clans but rather to take our clansmens' neidan....."
Zhu Li hadn't finished talking when Tian Yao wrapped his arm around Yan Hui's face. Zhu Li saw a white light flash and heard the wind roar. In a blink of an eye, the two figures that were standing there were gone.
Zhu Li was stunned. He foolishly stood there for a moment before snapping back to his senses. He took two steps outside and saw the trailing streak of a white light in the sky.
Zhu Li stamped his feet in a rage: "Despicable! I helped you out of the kindness of my heart! And you dare leave me behind!"
Tian Yao and Yan Hui were flying on a cloud. They didn't hear Zhu Li venting his anger at all. Actually, the two of them didn't even think about how Zhu Li felt after being abandoned. Yan Hui just thoughtfully said: "Su Ying came from the demons' neidan....." Her eyebrows furrowed. "Tian Yao, do you still remember when we were at Heavenly Fragrance if those demons' neidan were also removed?"
Tian Yao made a sound in confirmation.
"From their perspective, when they handed the demons over to ordinary people to guard over, cutting out the neidan was a reasonable move. The suspicious thing was those neidan disappeared."
The fox demons said the demons' neidan were sent to Chen Xing Mountain. Catching fox demons started long before Yan Hui was expelled, but Yan Hui never saw a trace of any demon neidan while she was still there.
"Su Ying came to Qing Qiu to get more neidan. What do they want so many for..." Yan Hui gritted her teeth: "Unless they're using it for heretical cultivation."
"Since Su Ying is now doing such a thing, then there is definitely a reason for it," said Tian Yao. "Even though right now we don't know why they want it, it'll be exposed one day. What we can do for now is start preparing for that day."
The arm around Yan Hui's waist had a steady strength. Even though they were high up in the sky, there wasn't a slightest tremor. Its steadiness could put a mind at ease.
It was at this moment that Yan Hui suddenly remembered something Tian Yao said to her. If 20 years ago the one he met was her, what would've happened.
Before, Yan Hui had no guess about this "if". But now that she suddenly remembered, if 20 years ago Tian Yao met her, if the one Tian Yao met was her....
Then she absolutely would never let down that such a gentle Tian Yao.
Naturally, Yan Hui wouldn't voice that out loud. She only asked him: "Will the barrier around your dragon heart be the same as the other barriers, needing my blood to break it?" Changing Tian Yao's heart to how it used to be probably wouldn't happen. The only thing she could do now is help Tian Yao change back to his original form.
Searching anywhere and everywhere.
"Guang Han Sect's barrier has to be broken first before we can enter. Once that barrier breaks, the cultivators that were left behind will definitely come out in full force. Since we don't have any backup and your cultivation is still weak, you must remember to follow close to me once we reach Guang Han Sect. We'll find my dragon heart as fast as possible. Get in and get out."
"Got it."
With Yan Hui's agreement, the wind blew harder around them. Their speed had increased. In a blink of an eye, they passed San Chong Mountain, and almost right afterwards, Yan Hui could see the year-round snow-capped mountain of Guang Han Sect in the distance.
There was a golden light from the barrier emitting from the base of the mountain and enclosing the entire mountain. The mountain's peak rose up to lofty heights. The barrier's golden light was brilliant and glorious. The entire sight was breathtaking.
Tian Yao focused on the mountain. He suddenly bent over, landing them right at the base of the mountain. The force of their decent caused a dust plume to raise up under their feet. It felt like the earth shook a little.
He released his hand, and Yan Hui naturally fell back to behind him.
Tian Yao placed his hand on the golden barrier. His demon magic immediately forced itself against the barrier. The flow of magic increased and caused Tian Yao's and Yan Hui's clothes and hair to toss about in the wind. A light in Tian Yao's eyes gleamed bright, and his aura dramatically thickened. It seemed to shape itself into a sword, stabbing into the barrier. Inch by inch, it slowly cut through.
There was an ear-piercing ripping sound from the barrier. The cultivators within Guang Han Sect finally noticed something was going on. A pair of cultivators flew over with Propelling Sword to see what was happening. When they saw what was going on, the cultivators hurriedly raced back to the mountain to report.
Tian Yao didn't even spare them a glance. There was only the wind stylishly billowing his clothes, his aura shaped into a sword stabbing through the barrier. Right after a hole was ripped, the barrier immediately crumbled.
Yan Hui looked up and watched the golden barrier rain down in a shower of golden flakes. It was like a heavy snowstorm of golden snow.
Tian Yao looked back at Yan Hui in the middle of the golden shower. More and more Guang Han Sect cultivators gathered in the background.
Guang Han Sect was one of the Big Three of the xian sects, so it had many cultivators. In a few short moments, a crowd had assembled in the sky. It looked like the 100,000 celestial troops wielding magic weapons to deal with the demon monsters from the fairytales.
They were extremely outnumbered. They were like a solitary pair facing against the entire world.
"Scared?" Feeling the immense force and murderous aura of the troops behind him, Tian Yao asked Yan Hui a rare question.
Yan Hui smirked, revealing a canine tooth. She hadn't smiled like that in a long time. Her eyes were bright, and her tone was somewhat frivolous: "What's the meaning of scared?"
Tian Yao also smiled when he saw how Yan Hui was: "I don't know either."
He grabbed Yan Hui's hand and pulled her to his side to protect. He faced the hostile looks of the countless cultivators in the sky and started walking in Guang Han Sect.
Tian Yao didn't need to specifically search out where his dragon heart was now. With every breath he could sense it. His heart's aura was flowing out from somewhere underneath the mountain. It was like an invisible string leading him on. His chest, which had been empty for 20 years, seemed to start heating up. As he kept walking, his footsteps became faster and faster.
From the cultivators in the sky finally came out the most senior ranking on in left in Guang Han Sect: "What evil monster are you?! How dare you break into Guang Han Sect!"
Yan Hui looked up at those words. She wasn't familiar with Guang Han Sect, but she did know of Meng Yun, a female cultivator who was always by Su Ying's side. Within the cultivation sects, she was someone with a fairly high ranking.
Tian Yao didn't pay Meng Yun any attention.
Meng Yun saw Tian Yao paid no heed, so she drew out her horsetail whisk and shouted: "Start the array!" Guang Han Sect's cultivators immediately started to form an enormous magic array that revolved overhead above Tian Yao.
The array's murderous aura enveloped Tian Yao and Yan Hui from above. Yan Hui frowned: "It's a killing spell."
Tian Yao rather disdainfully snorted: "Insignificant." He opened his fingers, sleeves billowing, and demon magic surged outwards. He didn't even look upwards, but his attack wasn't messy nor random. In fact, it directly headed towards the middle of the magic array.
Meng Yun's eyes widened. She rushed to block Tian Yao's attack, but to her surprise, she was knocked flying away by it. Her body along with Tian Yao's magic struck the middle of the array where the cultivators were assembled. They were knocked down from the sky and fell onto the ground. The killing array formed by 100 cultivators was broken.
In the cultivation pathway, there is a huge strength disparity; there is no chance of a confrontation. In a fight between a cultivator one level higher than his opponent, the higher leveled cultivator would crush the lower leveled one as easy as crushing an ant. 100 cultivators were just like 100 ants. It took some time but no effort.
Tian Yao also once stood at the peak of the world before his downfall. But right now, he was no longer the same person.
But once he got back his dragon heart...
Tian Yao's steps halted in front of an ancestral hall at the base of the mountain.
He coldly looked with narrowed eyes at the person guarding the entrance. Yan Hu's line of sight was blocked by his back. When she poked her head out to see, she stiffened when she saw the person. Her eyes immediately revealed her overflowing urge to kill.
"Ling Fei." She gnashed her teeth with rage.
That person was still wearing the veiled hat. She also still wore Chen Xing Mountain's clothes. It seemed like she didn't believe that Ling Xiao truly expelled her. She seemed confident that she would return and become once again Xin Xiu Peak's master.
She was just waiting for Ling Xiao's anger to subside. She was just lying low at Guang Han Sect, that's all!
She was still living well and didn't receive even an ounce of punishment. Thus when the wind blew aside the veils and Ling Fei met Yan Hui's eyes, Ling Fei still didn't feel the slightest bit of guilt or avoidance. She still felt loathing and hatred.
After causing Zi Chen's death, she was still so.....
Self-righteous and self-confident.
Yan Hui coldly smiled: "We came so urgently that I forgot Xian Ge told me she was here." By the end of her words, Yan Hui's voice was like ice.
Yan Hui knew that although she was progressing rapidly on the demon cultivation pathway, she was still far away compared to Ling Fei's level....
"Yan Hui?" Ling Fei also coldly sneered. When meeting an enemy, one couldn't avoid fuming with anger. "Dredging out a living with the demon clans is already a lowly thing. Now you want to unheave Guang Han Sect?" She brandished a horsetail whisk. "You overestimate yourself."
When Yan Hui heard those words, the image of Zi Chen taking his dying breath in her arms slowly started to form in her mind.
She glared at Ling Fei with red eyes. Her hand that was holding Tian Yao's hand tightened its grip to the point that Tian Yao felt pain.
Tian Yao looked at Yan Hui: "Yan Hui."
Yan Hui didn't budge her line of sight. She rigidly stared at Ling Fei like she was itching to pounce over and rip her to shreds.
"What you couldn't do before, today I will help you do."
Yan Hui's eyes slightly tremored. Ling Fei coldly snorted: "Arrogant, you told me before that I hadn't changed a single bit, that I would be defeated by you!" She brandish her whisk and another barrier immediately formed around the hall. She shouted towards the sky. "Help me form Guang Han Sect's Demon Killing Array!"
The formation of the xian cultivators in the sky immediately changed. They formed a completely different array. This array formed a six-petaled snowflake. In a split second, from the center of the array spewed out flurries of snowflakes that filled the air.
Tian Yao observed the array's formation, and his eyes became even colder.
His lips curved, and he grimly laughed: "20 years later, I finally get to see this spell once again."
Yan Hui was shocked back to her sense.
20 years later?
20 years ago, Zhenren Qing Guang assisted Su Ying with suppressing Tian Yao using...this exact magic array? Did Zhenren Qing Guang give this spell to Guang Han Sect?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Knew it. Demon Killing Array right there.