Chapter 82: Rescuing Feng Qinghe

The tall, thin man forced himself to meet You Xiyue’s face, so close it was almost within reach. She was indeed beautiful, but her presence was truly intimidating.

“What grudge could we possibly have with the Phoenix Clan? Of course, we’re just here to help,” he stammered.

His companion echoed desperately, “Yes, yes, we’re just helping.”

You Xiyue pointed at the unconscious Shangguan Hong lying on the ground and demanded, “With him? He could afford to hire the two of you?”

The tall, thin man glanced at his companion, his eyes narrowing. The other seemed to catch the signal, suddenly whipping out a thorny vine whip from his sleeve and striking fiercely at You Xiyue.

She didn’t even move, simply catching the bramble-laden whip in her bare hand. “What now? Are you done pretending?”

The tall, thin man let out a chilling laugh. “We’re just errand boys. Is there any need for you to make things difficult for us?”

“Exactly, exactly,” the other man chimed in, unflustered even after You Xiyue had seized his weapon.

“I can spare you,” You Xiyue said, stepping back a couple of paces and tossing the whip aside as she dusted off her hands. “Speak the truth, and I’ll let you go.”

The tall, thin man studied her carefully, his smile widening. “What a terrifying youth you are.”

“Exactly, exactly,” his companion agreed, nodding as always.

“Very well, I’ll tell you. We were hired by the Snowlands to investigate your background. Only just found out about the Phoenix Clan,” the tall, thin man explained leisurely, straightening his clothes as if he had no fear of what You Xiyue might do to them.

You Xiyue raised an eyebrow. “How forthright.”

He burst out laughing. “The Snowlands likely can’t protect themselves anymore; there’s no need for us to keep their secrets.”

“Clever,” You Xiyue said, her gaze darkening as she looked at them both. “So, you think you’re safe because you belong to the Abyss of Infinity? After hurting three of my disciples, did you really think you wouldn’t pay a price?”

“You—” The tall, thin man’s expression grew serious, his companion now ceasing his banter and looking at You Xiyue with a puzzled gaze.

“If you know the Abyss of Infinity, you should know its rules. We’re just taking money to resolve others’ troubles,” the tall, thin man said nervously, pulling his companion back a few steps to widen the gap between themselves and You Xiyue.

“Yes, I know.”

“And knowing that, you still intend to harm us?”

“To set yourself against the entire Abyss, or become the target of the Abyss Lord’s personal vengeance—how is your Abyss Lord Wu Lan these days, is he still at ease?” she asked.

The tall, thin man’s pupils contracted; he hadn’t expected You Xiyue to even know their lord. He swiftly reached for his qiankun pouch, searching for the jade talisman to escape.

But how could You Xiyue give him the chance?

A cold smile curled on her lips as she appeared before him in a flash, landing a powerful kick that sent him flying.

With a resounding crash, dust flew up in the distance and lingered in the air.

You Xiyue didn’t wait for the dirt to settle. No sooner had the man managed to prop himself up than she was upon him again, stomping hard on his back, pressing him deeper into the ground with increasing force.

His face was buried in the earth, his breaths growing shallow, his chest tight, his body sinking further and further. He couldn’t imagine where this young girl drew such tremendous strength from.

His companion, seeing this, hurried over to help, the green vine whip in hand lashing murderously at You Xiyue’s cheek.

She ducked, evading the blow, and bent down by the tall, thin man’s ear. “I was going to keep him alive to haul you back to the Abyss as proof, but now I’ve changed my mind.”

“No!” The pressure on the tall, thin man’s body suddenly vanished. Sensing imminent disaster, he jerked his head up to look at his companion.

But the man’s neck was already entangled several times by his own green vine. The thorns bit deeply into his flesh, his eyes bulged, blood trickled from his lips—he was already dead.

You Xiyue released the vine, and the man’s body collapsed in a heap.

The tall, thin man scrambled to his companion’s side, cradling the corpse in his arms, glaring at You Xiyue in rage. “How dare you?”

The smile vanished from You Xiyue’s face as memories of her three disciples, bloodied and battered, flashed through her mind. “How dare I? How dare you?”

She no longer wished to waste another word. Summoning the Moonlight Sword, she swept out a brilliant arc of light, cleaving across both the tall, thin man and the fallen Shangguan Hong, sparing neither.

If she showed mercy to them, who had ever shown mercy to the Phoenix Clan?

Yun Xiling, carrying Feng Qinghe, quickly returned to the Phoenix Clan.

By now, the members of the Candle Dragon Clan had already pitched tents on the open ground.

From a family of several hundred, the Phoenix Clan now had fewer than fifty left.

Even after being rescued, each face was etched with grief, their spirits utterly broken.

Ye Linyi and Ming Chenyu were gravely wounded as well. Ye Nanlou and Ming Chengwu had rushed over upon hearing the news. Even Yan Yaofeng had come, and happened to run into his sole heir.

Yan Yaofeng scrutinized Yan Qingye closely, growing more puzzled the longer he looked. “Boy, it’s only been ten days since I last saw you—how are you already an Immortal Lord? You didn’t take some forbidden elixir, did you?”

Yan Qingye shot his father a glare. “Can’t you think better of me?”

“Hmph.” Yan Yaofeng snorted, but inside he was relieved that his son was unharmed. The boy’s absence had cost him many sleepless nights. He cast one last glance at Yan Qingye before heading to Ming Chenyu’s quarters.

From afar, Yan Qingye spotted Yun Xiling and hurried to meet her, only to realize that the person she was carrying, swathed in layers, was none other than the unrecognizable Feng Qinghe.

Feng Qinghe’s condition was now extremely critical.

“Elder Junyang, Little Master has brought Senior Brother back,” Yan Qingye announced.

At the sound of Yan Qingye’s voice, Junyang rushed out, pouring soul-fixing dew into Feng Qinghe’s mouth and stuffing two Dreamshade Yin-Yang pills in as well—anything that might help, he gave it all to Feng Qinghe.

Fan Wuwei summoned his family’s alchemist to tend to Feng Qinghe’s wounds.

The injuries were so severe and widespread that none could bear to look directly.

Once Feng Qinghe was settled in a tent for recovery, Junyang finally had a moment’s respite. He stared dazedly at the new moon hanging in the sky.

Yan Qingye approached, flashing his trademark smile. “Don’t worry, Elder Junyang. Little Master will be fine.”

Junyang gave him a sidelong smile. “I’m not worried,” he replied, then lifted his gaze to the bright crescent. “Why should I worry? As her contracted beast, if she dies, so do I.”

Yan Qingye’s smile faltered, and he sighed, falling silent.

After dealing with the Abyss of Infinity’s men and Shangguan Hong, You Xiyue wasted no time heading for the Sacred Land.

The Sacred Land was unreachable by the Divine Domain’s map, but a teleportation array existed somewhere in the Holy Realm, known only to a select few. Only those with the Sacred Land’s bloodline could activate it.

But this was no obstacle for You Xiyue. She quickly found the concealed array floating in the sky above the Holy Realm, stepped onto it, and as a golden light erupted, she arrived at the entrance to the Sacred Land.