The sun slowly sank. Soft light spread across the land, draping everything in a gentle veil. The sky gradually turned into a splendid painting. The earth grew quiet, and all became calm and serene. Trees swayed lightly, their faint rustling like the earth whispering. A breeze passed through, carrying the scent of summer blossoms and the aura of the fields, refreshing the mind.

If not for the City Guard on the defensive line, their faces tense and uneasy, there would be no sign that something major was about to happen. The appearance of the demon god barrier engulfed yaos, demon puppets, and the Baleful Yin force alike. Inside, chaos reigned. Yaos ran rampant, and battles broke out everywhere. Outside the barrier, however, the mountains and forests slowly returned to their former calm.

"Any news about our junior brother on your side?" Guo Wenzi asked as she walked over, her face pale.

Beside her stood Chen Ding, equally pale, his left arm gone, the empty sleeve swaying in the air.

"No." Chen Ding shook his head and said, "I almost didn't make it out myself. If our junior brother was really caught inside, his chances are slim."

Losing an arm meant little to him. It was just an arm. With some cost, he could obtain a medicinal pill for limb regeneration from the Directorate of Celestial Observation. It would not be difficult. However, the regrown arm would never match the original in strength, defense, or the toughness of its meridians. It would take a long time to cultivate it back to its former state.

"And Gu Ye? How is she recovering?" Chen Ding asked.

"She hasn't woken yet. The Demon Screechbird disturbed her mind. It won't be easy for her to wake," Guo Wenzi sighed softly.

After she and Gu Ye were forcibly taken as labor, they nearly lost their lives inside. With only Force Transformation realm strength, entering the demon god barrier to carry out tasks, even at the outermost edges, assisting with formation setup, resulted in heavy losses. That the two of them managed to come out alive and intact was already fortunate.

"The world is in chaos... sigh. I just hope Great Wei can withstand this storm," Chen Ding muttered as he looked at the churning black mist on the distant horizon. The sharp edge he once had was gone. His essence, qi, and spirit had suffered greatly, and even the trace of the Grandmaster's will he had condensed showed signs of fading.

"Senior Brother, I heard from Master that you want to join the Demon-Suppressing Army?" Guo Wenzi asked softly, looking at Chen Ding.

The Demon-Suppressing Army was Great Wei's strongest force, the main power guarding the demon caves.

"Yes. Martial artists are too weak..." Chen Ding shook his head, then looked at Guo Wenzi and asked, "You signed up as well?"

"Yes." Guo Wenzi nodded gently.

The two fell silent, staring at the dark sky in the distance, each lost in their own thoughts.

***

A piercing cry rang out. Within the demon god barrier, massive yaos streaked across the sky. As time passed, their numbers grew, and the strength of those appearing increased. Dense Baleful Yin force filled the air, releasing a choking stench. Viscous black liquid seeped into the ground. The surface split apart, rocks shattered, and countless vicious cracks formed, exuding a terrifying aura. Powerful and evil creatures circled overhead. The hideous yaos roared with soul-shaking force, their cries echoing through every corner of the darkness, sending chills down the spine.

Black winds howled, whipping Lin Zheyu's clothes. Hearing the woman's reply, a trace of surprise appeared on his face. The person before him was not an immortal cultivator from the Directorate of Celestial Observation. Could she be from an evil sect or some other hidden force lurking in the shadows?

"Oh? May I ask which faction you belong to?" Lin Zheyu asked.

A restless urge stirred within him. The other party was injured and weaker than him. If she was not an immortal cultivator from the Directorate of Celestial Observation but someone from those evil sects, he would not mind capturing her outright. He had no goodwill toward such people.

"What does it have to do with you? Could you be one of the rats from the Nine Nether Sect or the Painful Holy Sect?" The woman frowned. A trace of killing intent flickered in her gaze as she looked at Lin Zheyu. The longsword in her hand trembled slightly, as if ready to unleash a fierce strike.

"I only wish to determine whether you are friend or foe. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Since you also bear a grudge against those sect scum, that makes us friends." Lin Zheyu let out a light laugh, trying to ease the tension between them.

From her appearance and bearing, she did not seem like a wicked person. Her words suggested enmity with the evil sects. She seemed like a worthwhile acquaintance.

"My name is Xiao Yu. May I know how to address you?" Lin Zheyu said with a smile.

"Lei Yunshu," the woman replied calmly. Her right hand gripped the sword tightly without relaxing. Spirit power flowed rapidly within her body, healing her injuries.

"So it is Miss Lei. I have long heard of the Lei Family. I had hoped to visit someday. I did not expect to meet you here." Lin Zheyu cupped his hands in greeting. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Hearing her surname, information about the Lei Family surfaced in his mind. He had learned of them from Jii Weicheng. As one of the three great families within the City Guard of Wuling City, the Jii Family knew many secrets. According to Jii Weicheng, many of their ancestors were still alive.

After reaching the Martial Innate realm, they would enter the Dao through martial arts and shift to Immortal Dao cultivation. Lin Zheyu had also heard that the Jii Family had produced many powerful immortal cultivators, which was one of the reasons they stood among the three giants of the City Guard.

Hearing his words, Lei Yunshu relaxed slightly and asked, "You are too polite. Brother Xiao, are you from the Southern Cloud Region?"

Among the cultivation families she knew, only the Xiao Family of the Southern Cloud Region bore that surname. It was a weak family and could not compare to a powerful clan like the Lei Family. She had only heard of it in passing from a friend.

"I'm afraid I'll disappoint you. I'm merely a wandering cultivator with no background." Lin Zheyu shook his head.

A wandering cultivator? A rogue cultivator, or just an alias? Such thoughts crossed Lei Yunshu's mind.

She looked at Lin Zheyu expressionlessly, her brows gradually relaxing.

It has been this long, and the Golden Palace Jade has not issued a warning. He should not be from an evil sect or a foreign race, and he shows no hostility.

Even so, she only lowered her guard slightly and remained cautious. Seeing her vigilance, Lin Zheyu stopped about a hundred meters away. He tapped his toes lightly and leapt up, settling against a tree trunk. With nothing else to do, he decided to chat with the rather attractive woman.

Even if he could not earn her trust, becoming a familiar face would still be worthwhile. Perhaps through conversation, he might learn something useful.

Lei Yunshu is from the Lei Family, yet from her words, she does not seem to belong to the Directorate of Celestial Observation. Could the Directorate simply be an independent institution? Lin Zheyu pondered.

He looked at Lei Yunshu and asked curiously, "Miss Lei, who were you fighting just now to end up so badly injured?"

"The barbarian tribes." Lei Yunshu replied calmly.

"The barbarian tribes are this bold, daring to penetrate deep into Great Wei's heartland. Sigh... the situation is growing more chaotic. I just encountered two ill-intentioned fellows. They seemed to be from the Painful Holy Sect. Barbarian tribes, the Painful Holy Sect, the Nine Nether Sect, ancient yao... They are truly treating Great Wei like fat prey to be hunted," Lin Zheyu said with a hint of emotion.

"Hmph, they are merely taking advantage of weakness. Once Great Wei recovers and survives this crisis, they will have much to suffer for it." Lei Yunshu sneered.

Lin Zheyu turned to look at her, agreement in his eyes. He felt a trace of anticipation, waiting for her to continue and explain what crisis Great Wei was facing. However, Lei Yunshu fell silent again.

Lin Zheyu fell silent too.

Forget it.

Lin Zheyu knew she was still guarded against him and did not trust him. He did not mind. He continued chatting casually, while Lei Yunshu responded briefly. She did not engage every topic, offering only short replies before falling silent again.

Lin Zheyu talked about anything and everything. He asked about rising talents in the Guanghua Region, whether any astonishing prodigies had emerged among the younger generation, and occasionally mentioned his own travels. They were all trivial matters of everyday life. He tried to present himself as a wandering cultivator. Whether Lei Yunshu believed him, he did not know.