The Substitute Female Supporting Character Sees the Bullet Screen

Chapter 25

Until they left the horse market, Nie Yinzhi's mood remained low. It was indeed her oversight. Xiao Ling hadn't received her golden core to heal, so she must have sought other means. Nie Yinzhi had thought that after killing Sang Wumian and Meng Jin, Xiao Ling would have no other support.

Jing Chongshan... His life was quite tenacious. On that day in the hall, he hadn't been affected by the chaos.

Gu Jiang glanced at her several times. Nie Yinzhi was clearly preoccupied with something, but he couldn't be bothered to ask. She would speak when she was ready.

After much hesitation, he sighed silently and said, "Then teach me how to ride a horse."

Nie Yinzhi looked at him in surprise. "Aren't you annoyed by it?"

"Not annoyed," he said, though his tightly furrowed brow clearly showed that he indeed found it annoying.

Nie Yinzhi: "..." Adjust your expression before speaking, Demon Lord!

Nie Yinzhi stared at him, her lively eyes gradually brightening. The smile on her face, bathed in golden sunlight, seemed sweet enough to drip honey. She tentatively asked, "You're so nice. What if I fall in love with you? Will you take responsibility?"

From the side pocket of the Akhal-Teke horse, Feng Hanying poked his head out and disdainfully let out a "ha."

Nie Yinzhi grabbed his ear and stuffed him back into the pocket, pressing him down forcefully, her gaze never leaving Gu Jiang.

Feng Hanying, squeezed into an awkward shape, gnashed his teeth and silently vowed that the moment Gu Jiang fell into a slumber, he would be the first to kill her! No, he would first seal her consciousness into a rabbit and torment her thoroughly before ending her life.

Gu Jiang smirked slightly and asked, "What does taking responsibility mean?"

Nie Yinzhi, having no experience in this area, thought seriously for a long time. Then, she tiptoed and whispered in his ear, "Death do us part, and we shall keep our vow. Holding your hand, we shall grow old together."

Gu Jiang's ear itched from the warmth of her breath. He reached out and twirled a strand of her hair hanging by her temple. "Alright, I can accompany you until you die."

Feng Hanying kicked his legs in the pocket. Impossible. Could it be that Gu Jiang was not suppressed by the Heavenly Dao? Living under such constant heavenly pressure, even the Demon Ancestor would not be able to endure it.

Nie Yinzhi pondered his words, feeling something was off but unable to pinpoint what. She stepped back slightly, stared at him for a while, and said, "Alright, that works too."

She didn't expect the ancient demon, who had lived for thousands of years, to suddenly blossom like a stone and fall in love with her.

If that didn't happen, then she wouldn't fall in love with him either.

"I don't necessarily need you to accompany me until I die," Nie Yinzhi raised her wrist and retorted stubbornly, "If I don't need you anymore, I'll let you go."

Gu Jiang glanced at her, puzzled, but still nodded. "Alright."

?What is this??Sugaring up only to stab, the kids are bleeding from their mouths. Can you two just be human??

?What did the Demon Lord mean by that response? It doesn't feel right. It's like an arranged marriage, forced to take responsibility.?

?After all this time, the sugar we've been eating is fake! Why were you so sweet if neither of you was sincere? Damn emotional scammers?

?Nie Yinzhi cried so hard for the Demon Lord, already worrying about tiring him out. And you say she wasn't sincere??

?Only the stinky Demon Lord wasn't sincere! Heartbroken for A'Yin?

?Bound together by the Shared Life Curse, but Nie Yinzhi can break the curse, right? She's just relying on the Demon Lord for safety now, so she can't break it.?

?Save me, wasn't this supposed to be a heartfelt confession? Why are you all treating it like a knife? If the Demon Lord really didn't want to play along, he definitely had a way to break it. That scroll was his, after all.?

The two of them led the striking golden horse out of Approaching Immortals City. Within the span of a stick of incense, their movements were already spread across the entire cultivation world, with everyone keeping tabs on their whereabouts.

They hadn't planned to head to the Ten Thousand Demons Cave yet, so they made no effort to hide their movements.

For the horseback ride, Nie Yinzhi wore a sleek outfit today—a crimson narrow-sleeve dress, cinched at the waist with a golden cloud-patterned belt, showcasing her slender and supple figure. When demonstrating how to mount the horse, she moved gracefully like a swallow.

The golden horse stomped its hooves a few times, but with a few tugs on the reins by Nie Yinzhi, it calmed down.

She sat upright on the horse, holding the reins, and drove the horse to circle around Gu Jiang, like a peacock spreading its tail feathers, her eyes and brows brimming with pride.

Nie Yinzhi used her whip to lift his chin. Before Gu Jiang could say anything, she couldn't hold back her laughter. "Though it's been a long time since I last rode a horse, I can still teach you. Back at home, I learned to ride with my cousins, and my horsemanship was the best."

Nie Yinzhi dismounted and taught him how to get on the horse step by step.

Compared to her effortless mounting, the horse under Gu Jiang's hands was so docile it seemed almost fake. Nie Yinzhi even suspected that if Gu Jiang commanded it, the horse would kneel and invite him to sit.

Nie Yinzhi pouted in jealousy. "I don't want to teach you anymore. No matter how you ride, it will obey you unconditionally out of fear."

"Nonsense," Gu Jiang chuckled and stroked the horse's neck. "This is called persuading the horse with reason."

He extended his hand to Nie Yinzhi. "Come up."

"I want to sit in front."

Gu Jiang shifted back slightly to make room for her. The saddle, knowing they would be riding double, was generously spacious enough for two.

Nie Yinzhi settled into his embrace, and together they held the reins, with her teaching him how to control the direction and how to use his legs to urge the horse forward.

Gu Jiang learned with minimal effort; as long as the horse moved, he was satisfied. Anything more detailed, and the Demon Lord would get annoyed and refuse to listen.

Feng Hanying, hanging in the pocket at the horse's rear, was jolted to the point of despair. His wisp of consciousness was sealed within the body of the Yan Yan rabbit by Gu Jiang, making escape impossible. The only way to escape this torment was to damage his soul and sever this wisp of consciousness.

But now was not the time.

The rabbit poked its head out of the pocket, casting a sinister gaze at Nie Yinzhi. When would this woman remember that their main business had been interrupted and remained unfinished?!

Gu Jiang slightly tilted his head, his gaze sweeping backward.

Feng Hanying quickly ducked his head back into the pocket.

Before they reached the next town, Nie Yinzhi regretted it. She squirmed in Gu Jiang's embrace, managing a difficult maneuver to switch positions on the horse, sitting sideways with her head buried in his chest.

Gu Jiang pinched the nape of her neck, laughing in exasperation, feeling an urge to snap the delicate neck in his hand. "Who was it that was so eager to ride a horse?"

"Once the apprentice is taught, the master can't rest for a bit? You're too harsh!" Nie Yinzhi retorted more confidently than him. "This horse is too glaring in the sunlight."

Gu Jiang: "..." Who are you trying to torture?

Nie Yinzhi muttered, "Was I like this that day in my peacock dress?"

Gu Jiang, not knowing how to be tactful, said, "Even more glaring than it."

Nie Yinzhi choked on her breath, then heard his voice above her, "But still beautiful."

The summer sun was scorching. Though Gu Jiang's embrace was cool, Nie Yinzhi's enthusiasm for horseback riding only lasted half a day. By the time they reached the next town, they switched to a carriage and hired a coachman.

The beautiful Akhal-Teke horse was first harnessed to a carriage, snorting indignantly, but as soon as Gu Jiang stood before it, it became obedient.

Feng Hanying finally escaped from the horse's rear and earned the honor of sitting with the coachman to drive the carriage.

Inside the carriage, chilled fruits were laid out, and Nie Yinzhi studied a spell from the Ruan family while Gu Jiang rested with his eyes closed.

She knew that the Heavenly pressure was constant and pressing on him, making Gu Jiang uncomfortable at all times. Nie Yinzhi came up with an idea. "What if I block your sense of pain? Would you feel better?"

Gu Jiang shook his head. "Without pain, it would be dangerous."

"That's true," Nie Yinzhi quieted for a while. The Heavenly Pressure was indeed something that human strength couldn't resist. At least, Nie Yinzhi couldn't think of any way to help him alleviate it.

If she were to feed him blood, that day when she cut her wrist and gave him so much blood, it only kept him peaceful for one night. A drop of blood from her fingertip would probably only work for a moment.

Nie Yinzhi was nearly anemic and couldn't continue feeding him like this.

She leaned over and stroked Gu Jiang's head sympathetically, meant as a gesture of comfort.

Gu Jiang lifted his eyes to look at her, adjusted his posture in what he thought was a considerate manner, opened his arms, and wore a resigned expression that seemed to say "alright, alright, come here."

Nie Yinzhi: "..." What did he mean? Who wanted his embrace! Though she had complained about the carriage wall being too hard earlier.

Since the demon lord had invited her so openly, following the principle of 'might as well take advantage,' Nie Yinzhi picked up her scroll and nestled into his embrace.

"What spell are you studying now?" Gu Jiang frowned. These derivative spells from the symbiosis curse seemed purely designed to torment him, and Nie Yinzhi appeared very enthusiastic about tormenting him.

In reality, the demon lord was overthinking things.

Nie Yinzhi's ambitions were far greater than he imagined. She was interested in all four of the Ruan family's secret arts: symbiosis, dream manipulation, formation arrays, and transformation.

Before going to the Ten Thousand Demons Cave, she had to master all the useful derivative spells under the symbiosis curse. Only then could she better control demon cultivators. If she couldn't control them and released demons that caused widespread devastation, she would never be able to absolve herself of that guilt.

She wanted the golden sprout on her wrist to grow into a towering tree, to become an entire forest. How could she possibly limit herself to just one small leaf that was Gu Jiang?

"The art of dream manipulation can weave dreams for those under its influence, trapping them in dreamscapes, or allow entry into their dreams to affect reality."

Nie Yinzhi explained enthusiastically, "For example, I could weave a dream of tender emotions for you. No matter how heartless you are in reality, in the dream you would involuntarily experience joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness according to the dreamscape. If your will isn't strong enough, you might become lost in that gentle paradise and never wake up. Even after waking, the emotions from the dream would somewhat influence your real emotional state."

"Both love and hate can arise from dreams." Nie Yinzhi turned to face him, placing her snow-white fingertip on his chest, deliberately putting on an alluring expression as she smiled and said, "So be careful. Who knows, one day you might wake up and find yourself helplessly in love with me against your will."

Gu Jiang caught her fingertip, laughing as he said, "Would you really be satisfied with that kind of love?"

Nie Yinzhi clicked her tongue - of course she wouldn't be.

"You're so boring." Nie Yinzhi withdrew her hand, turned back around to lean against him, and focused on studying her scroll, ignoring him.

Their journey to Qing Province was planned very leisurely. When they passed through major cities, they would rest for a couple of days, allowing Nie Yinzhi to go shopping, collect trinkets, and sample local delicacies.

Gu Jiang spent most of his time secluded in the inn, waiting for Nie Yinzhi to return and feed him delicacies, showing him what she had bought. Occasionally, he would be coaxed and pestered into accompanying her out.

The Demon Ancestor didn't seem intent on destroying the cultivation world; rather, he appeared to have awakened specifically to find a dao partner and experience life with them.

The vigilant immortal sects of the cultivation world began to relax their guard as they observed this daily routine of leisure and dining.

The elders of various major immortal sects each possessed a special communication device that allowed them to project their consciousness and hold meetings in the clouds, choosing to gather above the city where Gu Jiang and Nie Yinzhi were staying.

The projected figures of the powerful cultivators sat cross-legged in the clouds as Yu Yaoqing said, "Their destination is Qing Province."

"Qing Province? There shouldn't be any cultivation sects there that would interest Gu Jiang," the others pondered.

"That area has beautiful scenery, including the world-famous Thousand-Layer Waterfall. Qing Province is a prosperous region in the mortal world, with rich culture. It's indeed a good place for sightseeing," the master of the Hundred Herbs Palace said slowly, stroking his long beard with experienced wisdom.

Seeing everyone looking at him, he added, "We often go there to gather herbs. Ahem, we medical cultivation sects can't really participate in your fighting matters."

He was here merely to make up numbers, as one of the Seven Major Sects and the cultivation world's premier medical sect, they had voting rights in decisions affecting the cultivation world as a whole.

Chang Yu'an of the Silent Melody Pavilion, who was Chang Xunchun's father, sat with the Hundred Herbs Palace master, also just making up numbers. "If that's the case, then the cultivation world's peace is assured, and I can focus on composing my new melody."

"How can you be so relaxed when the Demon Ancestor is roaming about! Even if he shows no movement now, we must remain prepared at all times to protect the world's common people!"

"Brother Cheng speaks truth. We were too narrow-minded. How shameful."

As everyone fell silent, an elder from the Metallurgy Sect suddenly clapped his hands and said, "Mount Jiao in Qing Province! That's where the Ancient Artifact Sect's branch is located, and their 'Forest of Swords and Mountain of Blades' is also in Qing Province."

Yan Yi suddenly straightened his back, pondering for a moment, "That's it. He must be planning to enter the 'Forest of Swords and Mountain of Blades' to obtain a spirit sword for Nie Yinzhi. Could Gu Jiang know how to enter the Artifact Sect's branch?"

The cultivation world over two thousand years ago was not as scattered as it is now, with countless immortal sects. Back then, there were only four major sects: Sword, Law, Artifact, and Medicine. Today's cultivation sects, if shameless enough, could all dig up some connection to claim themselves as descendants of the four major sects.

Until the "Immortal's Fall" incident, when the sect leaders of the four major sects fell to demonic cultivation, it caused an earthquake in the cultivation world. The four major sects shattered, their original sites were all sealed, lost to the mortal realm, and countless techniques and secret manuals sank into oblivion, their legacy broken.

It was from that time that the cultivation world began its decline, leading to its current state.

No wonder Yan Yi was so excited - in the past, all sword cultivators obtained their spirit swords from the "Forest of Swords and Mountain of Blades."

Just like the mountains of this world, the Forest of Swords and Mountain of Blades was open to everyone by the Artifact Sect. Any blade or sword cultivator could enter to choose their weapon, as both cultivator and weapon chose each other.

Unfortunately, with the disappearance of the Artifact Sect's original site, the Forest of Swords and Mountain of Blades also vanished from Mount Jiao. If they could open the Artifact Sect's original site, it would be a great blessing for all cultivators in the world.

Despite their best efforts to uncover Gu Jiang's past, they only discovered some of his deeds from after his fall to demonic cultivation a thousand years ago. He was already at peak cultivation when he fell, so he must have been born more than a thousand years ago.

By their calculations, he was likely from the time of the four major sects.

Liu Hua, being a law cultivator, remained more composed. She caught an interesting detail and asked puzzledly, "Nie Yinzhi is already a Golden Core sword cultivator, how could she not have her own spirit sword?"

Yan Yi looked as if he'd been struck, the excitement on his face fading as he coughed awkwardly, "She uses an old sword that's still loyal to its previous master."

Liu Hua smiled, "So the Cloud Scripture Sect is that short on swords. No wonder Elder Yan was so excited earlier."

The Metallurgy Sect elder chimed in, "Elder Yan, we happen to have a batch of high-grade spirit swords about to be completed. We can give you a good price."

Yan Yi: "...Ahem, we can discuss that later. Let's focus on the important matters at hand."

Master Yuan Ming: "Amitabha."

Yu Yaoqing completely blended into his surroundings until he was invisible, and communicated through divine consciousness: "Elder Yan, as a cultivator from another sect, I shouldn't interfere in your sect's internal affairs, but I suggest investigating your medical hall's Jing Chongshan."

Yan Yi looked toward where Yu Yaoqing was located.

"This is information conveyed by Nie Yinzhi, though its veracity is unknown." Yu Yaoqing used rather diplomatic phrasing, "It seems your Elder Jing has been conducting treatments in inappropriate ways."

Yan Yi suddenly frowned, nodding with a grave expression.

After the cloud meeting ended, Yan Yi immediately went to the medical hall. It was at this moment that chaos erupted - demonic qi with a blue-green tinge burst forth from deep within the medical hall, and ghostly flames quickly ignited one of the pavilions.

The medical hall disciples were all shocked. Yan Yi quickly sent out a message and flew toward where the demonic qi had erupted.

He drew his sword, its blade splitting into dozens of afterimages that howled as they forced back the spreading demonic qi. Then the sword shadows suddenly plunged into the ground around the demonic qi, the sword light forming a barrier that completely enclosed the "ghost fire" demonic qi within.

The dense demonic aura permeated the area, which was the secluded retreat where the disciples of the Medical Hall meditated and cultivated.

Xiao Ling leaned against the window of a room, while the little white bird huddled fearfully on the roof, forced to act as Xiao Ling's eyes, watching the entanglement of sword light and demonic aura deep within the Medical Hall.

"Once Yan Yi arrives, there will be no need to wait for others; Jing Chongshan will soon be subdued. Xiao Ling, do you think he will speak?" Zhu Yan's voice was incessant in her spiritual consciousness, "Even if your Shishu Jing refuses to say anything for your sake, but do you think Yan Yi will search his soul?"

"Once they know how he treated you, even if you were completely unaware, do you think the Cloud Scripture Sect will deal with you?"

Zhu Yan sighed, his tone filled with pity, "Xiao Ling, why did you risk your life to return here?"

Xiao Ling also wanted to know why she had risked her life to return here.

Why had she gradually reached this irreparable situation? Did she manage to climb out of the abyss, or is it only now that she has truly fallen into it?

Zhu Yan said, "Xiao Ling, you can beg me to help you kill Jing Chongshan, to shatter his spiritual platform. He deserves it anyway."

Xiao Ling lowered her head, burying her face in her arms, her frail shoulders trembling slightly, almost inaudibly saying, "Please."

-

An Huai rushed to the Medical Hall upon hearing the news. His sword light swept over the medicinal garden, the first time he didn't follow the rules and landed outside the garden.

Medical Hall disciples and patients were orderly evacuating from the inner courtyard to outside the hall. He hurried through the crowd, looking around, until he finally saw a familiar figure.

"Sister Zhou!" He stumbled and dodged past others, his eyes filled with panic, "Xiao Bai, has Xiao Bai come out?"

Zhou Ting's eyes were filled with tears, but she held them back, shaking her head.

An Huai clenched his teeth, his young, thin face hardening with determination. Without a word, he started running inside.

"An Huai!" Zhou Ting reached out to stop him, but he shook her off with a flick of his sleeve.

An Huai drew his sword and was about to step onto it when his wrist was grabbed by someone, firmly held like a vice. Zhao Wen said urgently, "An Huai, the Quiet Meditation Hall is already inaccessible. The elders have sealed it to prevent the spread of demonic aura. You won't be able to do anything even if you go now."

Zhou Ting added, "The three Grand Elders are all inside. They will definitely save the disciples who were meditating. Don't worry, Little Sister will be fine."

An Huai fell from his sword, his expression blank, as if he had been persuaded.

He glanced inside, looking blankly, and saw the sky above the depths of the medical hall filled with sword light and black energy. His pupils suddenly contracted as he struggled out of his panicked state and asked, "Who is the one who has gone mad with demonic influence? To attract such heavy demonic energy, it can't be an ordinary disciple. It must be Elder Jing, right?"

He looked around, his eyes turning red but his gaze clear. Without waiting for an answer, he asked again, "Who is the one who has gone mad with demonic influence? Someone who can summon such heavy demonic aura cannot be an ordinary disciple. It's Elder Jing, right?"

His eyes were red, but his expression was clear. Without waiting for an answer, he asked again, "On the day of the great quake at Pill-Forming Peak, Xiao Bai brought Sister Xiao back. Have you seen her since then?"

Zhou Ting and Zhao Wen exchanged glances, recalling, "Xiao Bai went into seclusion that day. Our master said..."

"Jing Chongshan has gone mad with demonic influence, so every word he said before cannot be trusted!" An Huai took a deep breath, "Sister Zhou, where is my hairpin?"

Zhou Ting's tears finally couldn't be held back, her face turning extremely pale. "It was taken by our master."

"Why didn't you tell me?" An Huai glared at her.

Zhou Ting trembled. No one would doubt their own master. Until today, Zhou Ting and Zhao Wen had never thought that Jing Chongshan would go mad with demonic influence. Even now, without seeing it with their own eyes or hearing a definite confirmation from the elders, they still couldn't believe it.

Zhao Wen grabbed him, "An Huai, calm down. You know the situation in the sect these days. Many disciples from various peaks are disturbed in their minds and have gone into seclusion, including those in the Medical Hall. Why are you jumping to the worst conclusion?"

An Huai's whole body stiffened for a moment, then he rubbed his temples. "I'm sorry, I don't know. I just..." He couldn't control it, his mind filled with these ominous thoughts.

He should have known better than to make her angry. It was just a trivial matter. She always used to tell him in advance when she was going into seclusion.

Only this time, she didn't.

The demonic aura in the Quiet Meditation Hall dissipated faster than everyone expected. The green demonic aura, known as "ghost fire," had almost burned the place to the ground. Yan Yi arrived in time and protected the meditating disciples first.

Thus, it was delayed for a moment.

An Huai searched everywhere but couldn't find Bai Ying. Ignoring the obstacles, he entered the meditation hall and heard a voice sigh, "The spiritual platform has already shattered."

Yan Yi turned to look at the disciple, seeing his look of despair, he paused for a moment, walked over, gently patted his head, and said softly, "Don't cry first, all the disciples here have been taken out, no one is injured."

An Huai glanced at Jing Chongshan, who was sprawled on the ground, and tugged at Yan Yi's sleeve, "But I didn't find Bai Ying."

?Don't know what to say anymore, is the female lead being pushed step by step onto a path of no return??

In the original work, Zhuyan couldn't shake the heroine's heart at all, but here, she is deeply affected.

Because in the original work, she didn't experience these depressing treatments at all, so naturally, there were no psychological vulnerabilities. The original work was so sweet, who would have the mind to deal with Zhuyan, that idiot!

This butterfly effect is incredible; Nie Yinzhi's single abnormal action has caused the entire drama to collapse.

[Looking at this situation, even if Jing Chongshan dies, the truth won't be contained. Can they possibly kill An Huai and Yan Yi as well?]

Zhu Yan, when seen, brings great war, this attribute, anyone who stays with him will go mad.

When Nie Yinzhi saw this string of bullet comments, he had already arrived in the Qingzhou area with Gu Jiang.

It can be seen from the bullet screen that things are not calm within the Yunji Sect. Fortunately, Gu Jiang managed to escape with her quickly.

However, despite Jing Chongshan's death, Nie Yinzhi still managed to enjoy her meal so much that she ate an extra bowl of rice.

The millennia have seen the expansion of Qingzhou's city walls to the point of altering the landscape. The mountains and rivers here have also undergone several name changes. Jiaodu Mountain is the term used by practitioners of the Dao, but the common folk of Qingzhou no longer know of any Jiaodu Mountain.

The villain couldn't remember the direction of Mount Jiaodu, so they stayed in Qingzhou Prefecture for another three days.

The elder of the immortal sect who was secretly observing was so anxious that he was itching to intervene. When Nie Yinzhi dragged Gu Jiang out to eat, the elder bribed a storyteller at the tavern, weaving the events of Mount Jiaodu into the tale to provide hints.

The tale narrates the journey of a young nobleman who, after being hunted by his family's murderers, falls into a cliff in the Chihang Mountains. There, he encounters a fortuitous opportunity and enters the mystical realm of "Blade Mountain and Sword Forest," where he acquires his own divine weapon. Returning in glory, he avenges his family's destruction and grows into a mighty figure who guards a region, becoming a legend in his own right.

Chi Hangshan, formerly known as Jiaodu.

Gu Xiang laughed.

Nie Yinzhi was so engrossed in listening that she was startled by his laughter and turned to look at him, puzzled. "What are you laughing at?"

This hint was right under his nose, but Gu Jiang accepted it gracefully, "After we finish eating, we'll head into Chi Hang Mountain."

"What? Do you want to jump off a cliff too?" Nie Yinxia replied casually. After a moment, she realized what was going on and slowly widened her eyes, "The Mountain of Knives and Forest of Swords is real? Are you planning to take me there?"

Gu Qing said very seriously, "This way, you can take me with you wherever you go on your flying sword."

Nie Yinzhi sighed in admiration, "The Demon Lord has thought of everything."

Chi Hang Mountain is not among the most prominent and expansive mountain ranges within Qingzhou, but it stands out for its picturesque scenery and abundant spiritual energy. It serves as a popular summer retreat for many wealthy families in Qingzhou Prefecture, with numerous villas built on its outskirts.

The mountain of blades and forest of swords must be separated from these mortal courtyards and hidden deep within the depths of Chi Hang Mountain, protected by a sealing barrier. Even after a hundred searches by the immortal sects, no trace has been found.

This time, with a confident Demon Ancestor leading the way, the gold and silver mountains are within reach, and even the elders of various sects are too excited to contain themselves.

In that fleeting moment, even Nie Yinzhi, at the Golden Core stage, felt the sensation of being watched. She was well aware that the righteous sects had been keeping a close eye on them. If they allowed Gu Jiang, a notorious demon lord, to roam freely, it would be a grave dereliction of duty for the righteous path.

"Shouldn't we avoid their surveillance and sneak in?" Nie Yinzhi thought ahead. Such a prime location, if seized by the righteous sects, could become a strategic asset if conflict erupted between them in the future.

Gu Jiang glanced around at the ancient woods and shaded groves. "They can watch all they want, but I don't know how to get in either."

Nie Yinzhi was baffled. "So, are we here just to cool off? Are you looking for a summer retreat?"

"This place is indeed quite nice. You might want to consider buying a courtyard here," Gu Jiang said, extending his hand. Nie Yinzhi placed her hand in his, and he pulled her into his embrace.

A subtle ripple appeared in the verdant expanse of the void. Gu Jiang bent his fingers and drew out the Red Leaf Blade from the disturbance, its dark-red glow enveloping both of them.

Aliali: 672400002f514816a81fc206

Feng Hanying reacted swiftly, leaping up just in time to cling to his master's leg.

With a flash of the blade, their figures, along with that of a plump rabbit, dissolved into the fading red light and vanished.

In the next instant, several figures darted from all directions, landing swiftly at the spot.

"Did you sense which direction they went?" Yan Yi asked.

Yu Yaoqing, half his body already blending with the surroundings, found his head uncontrollably turning green. He shook his head. "They're no longer in this space."

"Did they enter? How did they get in? Could this be the entrance?"

Master Yuan Ming said, "Gu Jiang seemed to have just picked a random spot to rest. The one who could lead him into the Mountain of Blades and Forest of Swords should be that blade."

The master of the Ancient Artifact Sect carefully sensed the lingering aura of the Red Leaf Blade and lamented, "Gu Jiang's blade must be a product of the Ancient Artifact Sect. Returning to the Mountain of Blades and Forest of Swords with it is like going home."

The elders: ......

This is practically cheating!