The Sect Leader Has Taken in a New Female Disciple

"Report!"

Another urgent report sounded as a guard rushed into the main hall, his face brimming with excitement.

"Reporting to the City Lord, they’ve arrived! The people have arrived!"

Upon hearing this, Li Changhong’s figure flashed, and he was instantly outside the City Lord’s Mansion.

In front of the mansion gates, an old woman dressed in a plain long robe was approaching slowly.

Her head full of silver hair was loosely fastened with a cyan jade hairpin, with a few strands of hair draping over her wrinkled forehead.

Her weather-beaten face was deeply sunken around the eyes, with slightly drooping corners of her mouth, exuding a sense of weariness.

The hem of her plain robe was stained with dust, clearly showing she had hurried here through a long journey.

"Master Ji!" Li Changhong’s pupils contracted in disbelief, but he soon revealed a look of joy and quickly stepped forward to greet her.

Ji Yunluo cupped her hands in a salute, her voice clear: "City Lord Li, long time no see."

Li Changhong couldn’t hide his excitement: "I didn’t expect to see you in Celestial Wave City! With you here, the broken pathways in Nanhuang State might be saved!"

Ji Yunluo smiled slightly: "I originally intended to head to Nanhuang State. Upon hearing about the damaged pathways and receiving your urgent summons, I’ve hurried here."

Upon hearing this, Li Changhong sighed lightly: "Your journey here... is it to search for Elder Weng?"

Ji Yunluo’s eyes dimmed momentarily but then turned resolute: "I believe he is still alive. After so many years, I have never given up and will continue to search for him."

Li Changhong showed admiration on his face.

Years ago, Weng Yunqi was ambushed by several Supremes working together, falling severely injured into the Endless Void.

His last sight was a ferocious Void Beast opening its bloody maw to bite... the hope of survival was as faint as smoke.

Yet the elderly woman in front of him, as Elder Weng’s confidante, had traversed most of the Celestial Fate Sacred Dynasty’s domains over the millennia, never giving up on finding him.

She firmly believed Elder Weng was still alive, escaping from the void and forced to land in some large state.

Li Changhong’s heart felt a sting; he always remembered the life-saving kindness of Elder Weng back then.

But as an official of the Dynasty, facing those Supremes with overwhelming backgrounds, there was truly little he could do... this guilt was like a bone stuck in his throat.

"This trip to Nanhuang State... have you found any clues?" Li Changhong asked softly.

Ji Yunluo suddenly looked up, a glimmer of light shining in her cloudy eyes: "Someone said... they saw a silhouette there that looked just like him."

Li Changhong sighed inwardly, but could only say: "I wish you luck."

Such scenes had been repeated countless times over the millennia.

A vague silhouette, a similar aura of a cultivation technique, or even just the same name...

Master Ji would always rush there regardless of anything.

But each time, she would return disappointed.

"Let’s not talk about this for now, what is the current situation with the pathway?" Ji Yunluo’s hoarse voice interrupted the heavy atmosphere.

Li Changhong hurriedly took out an imaging stone: "You’ll know the specifics once you see it, but the damage is still expanding."

Ji Yunluo received the imaging stone, her withered fingers gently brushing over it, causing ripples to form on the stone’s surface.

Soon, a horrific image was projected:

The originally intact spatial pathway was now fragmented, with menacing cracks spreading out like a spider web, while black void turbulence raged among the fissures.

The most shocking part was the massive gap in the center, with its edges continuously collapsing, resembling an ever-expanding bloody maw.

Li Changhong said solemnly: "Two hours ago, the array disc suddenly issued a warning, showing spatial fluctuations in Nanhuang’s pathway."

"Master Jiang went with three disciples to inspect it. I had to deal with other matters, so I couldn’t accompany them, who would have thought they would fall into an ambush."

"An ambush?" Ji Yunluo’s eyes suddenly narrowed.

"Those beasts have become increasingly cunning." Li Changhong unconsciously clenched his fist, "They first crashed a spatial node, then lay in wait within the void fissures, awaiting prey."

"According to surviving disciples, Master Jiang was fully focused on sealing and repairing when that fissure was suddenly torn open—"

His voice trembled: "A mouth full of fangs thrust out, immediately biting Master Jiang in half... he didn’t even have time to scream..."

Hearing this, Ji Yunluo’s body trembled, involuntarily recalling the scene of Elder Weng all those years ago.

"When I arrived, the gap had expanded several times." Li Changhong smiled bitterly, "I tried using spiritual power for repairs, but to no avail. This ultimately falls within the domain of an Array Master."

Saying this, he took out an ancient jade scroll: "This is the array map for the Nanhuang pathway, although it’s only one-tenth of it, it already contains detailed operation array patterns of the breach, please have a look."

Ji Yunluo took it and studied it carefully, her brows furrowing deeper and deeper: "The damage is too severe, I’m not capable of this alone, I need at least one partner."

"What?" Li Changhong was incredulous, "You are a master who has condensed thirty thousand Spirit Seals!"

"Thirty thousand Spirit Seals, indeed," Ji Yunluo shook her head and sighed, "But these seven teleportation arrays were built long ago by several Level 5 grandmasters working together."

"They may seem like Level 4 ones, but they hide mysterious workings. Now, with such a significant gap, given my current knowledge of arrays, repairing it alone is exceedingly difficult..."

Li Changhong’s expression grew grave: "What should we do then? Celestial Wave City is small; it’s fortunate enough to have your assistance, where can we find a second fourth-level Array Master? Further delay and the entire pathway might collapse and become paralyzed."

His voice trembled: "Moreover, those six batches of cultivators starting from Nanhuang State are due to reach the gap in just over two months."

"By then, the path ahead will be cut off and the rear closed, leaving only a dead end for them."

Ji Yunluo remained silent for a long time before finally sighing: "I understand, but to be honest with you, even with help, the chances of successful repair for me... are only forty percent."

"Forty percent?!" Li Changhong was thunderstruck.