Chapter 1428 - 37: On the Run
[Ruins] Northern Region.
Two figures, a man and a woman, one in front and one behind, slowly trudged forward.
Amidst the swirling sandstorms.
Between them, an invisible strand of Sword Qi transformed into a rope, binding them together... From a distance, these two desolate figures looked like a pair of condemned criminals.
"Phew."
Xie Xuanyi walked with his eyes closed, silently moving, suddenly misstepping, exhaling a long breath.
He retreated from the visualization state of the Ruyi Order.
"It’s over so quickly?"
Ao Ying spoke with a half-smile.
"How much longer?"
Xie Xuanyi asked flatly.
"I thought it would take at least an hour..."
Ao Ying raised her brows: "After all, you’re the Da Sui Sect Leader, surely you have many matters to attend to?"
She knew what Xie Xuanyi was doing.
This guy had dealt with these filthy things in the Ruins and immediately took out the Divine Soul Order.
He was most likely contacting Chen Jingxuan.
"Though I’m the Da Sui Sect Leader, I am quite a hands-off manager."
Xie Xuanyi calmly said, "Most trivial matters are handled by others."
One must say, he was quite lucky.
He might be the most relaxed Sword Palace Master in a thousand years.
On Golden Turtle Peak, strict discipline was maintained, overseen by Uncle Zhao Tongtian, and succeeded by Junior Brother Qi Lie.
True Hidden Peak had Junior Brother Si Qi managing it, all in good order.
Huang Su now managed Xiao Chong Mountain, and Duan Zhao, Xu Nianning, these disciples from Lotus Peak, were all capable of handling things independently.
On Yuping Peak, Senior Sister Miao Yin held the fort...
The reincarnation of the "Lian Venerate" found after hundreds of years, allowing the Great Demons of Li Lan Mountain to reside in the Thirty-three Cave Heavens.
"You do have good fortune."
Ao Ying smiled without emotion: "My fate isn’t as kind... speaking of which, can you untie me? If others saw us like this, what would they think?"
As she spoke.
She nudged forward with her hands.
The two walked through the desert in a rather peculiar manner.
A thin strand of Sword Qi rope dangled from Xie Xuanyi’s shoulder, leading to Ao Ying’s palms. The slender rope coiled and knotted, forming an unbreakable bond... impossible to escape, and with the wind blowing, the red-clothed demoness, already pale, now resembled a captured prisoner even more.
"...What’s going on?"
Xie Xuanyi raised an eyebrow, looking towards his shoulder.
"Buzzing."
[Chen Ke] let out a quiet whine, displaying an innocent demeanor.
"..."
Xie Xuanyi roughly understood the reason.
Since ascending to Harmonization, his Divine Thought cultivation had made a qualitative breakthrough.
Even when immersed in the Imagination World, his alertness to the outside world remained unbroken.
But this dream journey with the Ruyi Order was crucial, and Xie Xuanyi had deliberately released his Lifebound Flying Sword to guide him, [Chen Ke] already awakened... Xie Xuanyi had issued only two commands.
First, to find the exit of the Ruins.
Second, to ensure Ao Ying’s safety.
In a way, [Chen Ke] had indeed acted in perfect accordance with Xie Xuanyi’s orders.
It steadily led them toward the northern entrance of the Ruins.
At the same time...
It released its sword thought to tether Ao Ying.
As long as this demoness did not leave the range of the Sword Qi, she would naturally be safe. This approach itself was no problem, but it did indeed create a disharmonious scene.
"Tearing."
Xie Xuanyi silently extended a finger, gently slicing through, severing the sword thought.
The ropes binding Ao Ying’s wrists shattered in response, dispersing with the wind.
"Thank you very much, Master Xie."
Ao Ying said indifferently, there was a hint of mockery in her tone: "If you hadn’t untied it, I fear I’d have suffered even more."
"Hiss..."
She rotated her wrists, and though the time wasn’t long, the sword thought rope of [Chen Ke] had already left bright red marks on her flesh.
After traveling this distance.
She had confirmed that, at present, she was indeed no match for this Lifebound Flying Sword in a one-on-one fight.
It’s infuriating to think about.
After all, she was a "Great Destiny Carrier."
With the Chi Ling City Secret Treasure [Feng Mou], coupled with the [Red Dragon Fortune], she had been cultivating in the Ruins for a full three years, yet couldn’t contend with a single flying sword?
"Sorry."
Xie Xuanyi retracted his Lifebound Flying Sword.
[Chen Ke] did not like Ao Ying.
The reason was simple.
This demoness had hidden intentions every time she encountered him.
As his Lifebound Flying Sword, once [Chen Ke] awakened, it formed its own perspective on many people and matters.
Like Jiang Miaoyin, Deng Baiyi...
When encountering them, [Chen Ke] would likely rush forward, seeking to connect and touch, behaving like an innocent child.
Even facing Jiang Huang.
[Chen Ke] probably wouldn’t be as unfeelingly cold as it was towards Ao Ying.
"No need to say such things to me."
Ao Ying smiled freely, saying: "I know your Lifebound Flying Sword doesn’t like me. It’s understandable... After all, as a demon cultivator, I should, in theory, be irreconcilable with you Da Sui Sword Cultivators. If not for the karmic bond formed in the Great Yue Kingdom, perhaps our next meeting wouldn’t be in the Ruins, but at the Northern Border Great Wall."
Ao Ying was telling the truth.
If not for the goodwill established in the Great Yue Kingdom... encountering this demoness at the Northern Border Great Wall, Xie Xuanyi would not even know her name.
Most likely, he would have cut her down with one sword stroke.
Without leaving a trace of Divine Soul.
"Not anymore."
Xie Xuanyi said: "The enmity between humans and demons in my heart... isn’t as insurmountable as you imagine."
"Oh?"
Ao Ying chuckled again, though her smile was complicit, her eyes were full of disbelief.
No one would believe it.
The wars between the North and the South.
For thousands of years, they erupted countless times, and each time, Da Sui Sword Cultivators exerted the greatest efforts, slaying demons ruthlessly.