Besides, sharks wouldn’t bother chasing sardines, it’s much more efficient to hunt Divinity Transformation seals.

After he buried the innocent victims, he returned to find Shen Su’e carving a memorial with her sword, seemingly to pray for blessings and the peace of the souls of the deceased.

Chen Xuantian said,

"This city wasn’t slaughtered by humans, but it indeed had nothing to do with demon beasts either."

Shen Su’e was taken aback, looked up at him.

Chen Xuantian did some calculations on his fingers,

"I noticed that some of the dead bodies in the city were actually intact, not mutilated by weapons, as if they died in their sleep, having only been dead for a few days, yet there was no trace of their souls.

It seems that the town’s residents were suddenly preyed upon by some evil demons and heretics, their souls consumed by demon skills for cultivation or treasure refining.

As for bandits and monsters, they probably arrived later, seeing this scene, and since everyone was dead, they just took whatever they needed."

Shen Su’e sighed deeply.

What else could one do besides sigh? Such is the chaos of troubled times.

Chen Xuantian was a bit helpless as he noticed her still find the time to be sentimental, so he pointed out,

"For evil demons and heretics to possess such means, they must at least be a Demon God of some sort.

And using such evil skills would usually involve negative consequences, so practitioners tend to be very cautious and secretive.

But this brute completely disregarded that and carried out such a massacre in the Central Plains openly, surely with greater schemes in play."

Shen Su’e remained silent.

Chen Xuantian, tired of keeping things hidden, spoke straightforwardly.

"This place is not far from Suiyang, and that sword is set to appear in a few months; it seems that Demon Head’s rampage was in preparation for this battle.

This ordeal is extremely difficult, requiring at least Mystical Sect True Inheritance level to even participate. Unless you have the power to slay gods and demons with a sword, meddling without realizing your limits will most likely end in death and destruction, reducing you to ashes. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Even though I am not skilled in Qi Gong, I can see that your inner refining inner energy is weak, your power insufficient, and your foundation shaky at best.

You probably haven’t even fully opened the Twelve Main Meridians, heaven knows what kind of Alchemy Technique you’re following, but it doesn’t seem to be from the Nine Luminaries Sword Scripture?

With such cultivation, without a magic treasure for protection, a single misstep and you wouldn’t even have a chance at Reincarnation.

If your sect truly sent you, it wasn’t for you to claim the sword, it was to offer you up to it.

Such a sect, not worth worshiping."

Upon hearing that her sect was criticized, Shen Su’e quickly bit her lip to defend it,

"No, no one ordered me, it’s, it’s just that I heard Jianghu rumors that near Suiyang there was, a surge of sword energy visible for miles, and, it might be an unrivaled Divine Weapon appearing, I just want, wanted to try my luck."

As expected.

Shen Su’e stood up with determination, holding her sword,

"Im, imminently the Nine, Nine Yin grand competition is happening, I can’t, can’t pass any of the tests, nor cultivate sword energy, nor learn any of the Five Arts.

If I keep going like this, when, when will I become a Disciple of the Sword Sect? But I heard that recently cultivators from Central Plains are heading to Suiyang for the magical duels to compete for that unrivaled treasure sword.

I’m not skilled with sword energy, but my swordsmanship is, is adequate, should I seize this sword and rely on a Divine Weapon’s formidable power, perhaps there’s a chance, chance of winning a sword duel and getting an opportunity, chance to join the Sword Sect."

Chen Xuantian almost rolled his eyes at her stuttering,

"Who told you that seizing the sword would give you a chance to join the Sword Sect? Don’t you still have to pass the Nine Peaks Sword Formation?"

Shen Su’e honestly replied,

"The sword formation, I, I can get through. I’ve been to all Nine Peaks, it’s just that I lose in the sword duels, and it doesn’t count to just climb the mountain."

"..."

Chen Xuantian looked at her face, transparent with her lack of hidden agenda, knowing she spoke the truth, he sighed,

"Alright, I’ll help you."

Shen Su’e was stunned,

"You, you’ll help me? Help me with, with what?"

Chen Xuantian said,

"Naturally, help you seize that sword.

If I don’t intervene, you’re facing certain death.

If I lend a hand, your odds become one in ten.

Since fate has led me to you, surely it’s destined for me to safeguard you through this ordeal."

Gugu Gagaga side-eyed them skeptically.

Shen Su’e was a bit embarrassed,

"How, how can I, accept, accept this help from Fellow Daoist who already saved my life once, and now, now wanting to assist in reclaiming the sword, I, I have nothing to repay with, only, only ..."

Gugu Gagaga, alert, quickly interjected,

"Hey hey! Stop right there! We’ve already shared a room!"

"What! What!"

Shen Su’e was shocked; she thought they were just sworn siblings and couldn’t help but look at them with disdainful eyes as if seeing filth.

Chen Xuantian was also caught off guard, almost spitting out a mouthful of old blood,

"Not at all, if you can’t speak properly, just stay quiet! No one treated you as a mute, Gugu Gagaga!"

"Well... we did share a room indeed..."

"Trash, trash, trash... "

"Hey, that’s quite enough, how many times do you need to say ’trash’..."

"Hohoho hahahaha! Boy, your looks aren’t much, but your romantic fortune isn’t lacking!"

Suddenly, a fierce wind arose, and azure, white, and red-colored auspicious clouds rolled in from the horizon, encircling the area, clearly the emergence of another Divination Transformation Monster, providing a temporary respite.

Chen Xuantian also frowned,

"No, I wouldn’t label myself as hideous?"

Shen Su’e hesitated.

Gugu Gagaga consoled,

"It’s alright, it’s alright, even among the Spiritual Clan, transformed appearances vary greatly."

Chen Xuantian, "..."

However, as the three-colored clouds dispersed, revealing a Treasure Ship Flying Boat within them, with a trio of crew - one man and two women - and it had to be said, comparatively, Chen Xuantian truly was the least striking in appearance.