Chapter 88: You Can Only Like Me (14)
This was the first time Song Jin’yue had traveled to the Demon Realm alone.
She felt a bit panicked.
This was a very dangerous undertaking, especially with the current tense situation.
After using the teleportation array twice, she had used up all her spirit stones and could only fly.
Thankfully, Jiang Zhiyan had tampered with her sword, otherwise, with her cultivation level and lack of background, flying around with such a sword, she was worried it would be stolen.
Song Jin’yue looked down at the endless forest below, her heart pounding. Once she flew past this forest and a bit further, she would reach the Demon Realm.
Last time, Jiang Zhiyan brought her here, this time she could only enter on her own.
She felt like she could already hear the roars of demonic beasts.
She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. She had rested for a day and a night before entering the Demon Realm, because spiritual energy was scarce within the Demon Realm, making recovery difficult, and she didn’t have many Replenishing Spirit Pills.
The place where Jiang Zhiyan brought her in last time was still unguarded.
The moment Song Jin’yue stepped onto the land of the Demon Realm, Jiang Zhiyan sensed it, looking at the flickering rune on her palm.
“She actually came by herself,” Jiang Zhiyan clenched her fists.
“Should we go pick her up?” the System asked.
“No, let’s watch, she has no practical combat experience,” Jiang Zhiyan closed her eyes. “How can a cultivator improve just by practicing indoors?”
After entering the Demon Realm, Song Jin’yue realized a serious problem. She didn’t know where Jiang Zhiyan was, so if she wanted to find out, she would have to go to the nearest demon city and ask, but she hadn’t brought anything to disguise herself.
Holding her communication jade, she decided to contact Su Huo first.
[Song Jin’yue: I want to find Jiang Zhiyan, do you know where she is?]
[Su Huo: You went to the Demon Realm alone?]
[Su Huo: You’re out???]
[Song Jin’yue: Mm.]
[Su Huo: I’ll ask for you, wait a moment.]
[Song Jin’yue: Are you still in contact with her?]
[Su Huo: No, she crushed her communication jade, we’re out of contact. I don’t dare go to the Demon Realm to find her, because a bald donkey has been following me, so annoying. And honestly, I don’t know what state she’s in right now.]
[Song Jin’yue: Okay.]
Song Jin’yue looked at the land ahead and walked forward, she stopped flying on her sword, the spiritual energy consumption was too high in the Demon Realm.
Su Huo was indeed reliable.
[Su Huo: She’s in the Western Demon King’s capital, it’s very far, how are you planning to get there?]
[Song Jin’yue: Walk… I didn’t bring anything, and I don’t have any money, but if I don’t encounter any demonic beasts, it should be enough.]
[Su Huo: I’ll come find you.]
[Song Jin’yue: Isn’t there still someone following you?]
[Su Huo: It’s fine, I’ve wanted to beat him up for a long time, I’ll find some helpers, you go ahead, I’ll come find you after I’m done here.]
Song Jin’yue frowned, she didn’t think it was a good idea, but clearly, Su Huo wasn’t someone she could dissuade.
She sighed softly, opened the map of the Demon Realm she had bought earlier, found the territory occupied by the Western Demon King, and her eyes widened slightly.
It was too far.
It was a good thing she had been diligently cultivating recently, otherwise, she might die of exhaustion on the way.
Song Jin’yue felt that her luck was truly terrible. Not long after she started walking, she encountered a group of demonic beasts, not many, only six, but two were at early Golden Core, and four were at late Foundation Establishment.
She rarely had actual combat experience, most of the time she was with Wei Jingqian’s team, and with Wei Jingqian, she rarely had to fight, at most, she helped prevent sneak attacks from smaller monsters. This was the first time she faced such a “big scene” alone.
But she didn’t have time to think, she could only draw her sword. She couldn’t expend her spiritual energy as freely as she did in the cultivation world, she had to conserve it, because fighting might attract other demonic beasts, and she might not be able to escape.
After fighting for a while, Song Jin’yue decided to run away, it was the most efficient way to conserve spiritual energy.
She stepped on her sword, darted between the demonic beasts, and flew up into the sky. Looking down, she breathed a sigh of relief, thankfully she was fast, more demonic beasts were already gathering.
“She ran away,” the System said.
“She should run, if she didn’t, she’d be waiting to die, wouldn’t she?” Jiang Zhiyan said, resting her chin on her hand. “Not bad, she knows how to assess the situation.”
“Is this considered training?” the System continued to ask.
“Why wouldn’t it be?”
System: …
Song Jin’yue flew for a distance, then landed again, adjusted her breathing, and quickly recovered. The deeper she went, the scarcer the spiritual energy, so she had to recover whenever she could.
“As expected, very clever,” Jiang Zhiyan said.
System: ?
“You really can praise anything,” the System said, speechless.
Jiang Zhiyan ignored it and frowned: “Her luck is really bad, how did she end up right outside a Nascent Soul demonic beast’s nest?”
“It’s not like she can tell it’s a nest.”
Song Jin’yue was feeling pleased with herself, she felt like the place she chose was perfect, a mound of earth behind her, concealing her completely, she felt very safe, but she still felt like there was something there.
She looked around, but didn’t find anything. She extended her divine sense, but still couldn’t find anything.
A giant eye appeared from the mound behind her, its cold gaze fixed on Song Jin’yue.
Song Jin’yue sensed something, opened her eyes, turned her head slightly to the right, and her hair stood on end. She grabbed the sword beside her and, before she could steady herself, flew away.
Actually, she hadn’t seen anything clearly, she only knew that a black circle, almost as tall as herself, had suddenly appeared behind her.
“What is that thing?” She glanced back, the place where she had been sitting was gone. A giant demonic beast climbed up and chased after her at an incredible speed, leaping high into the air.
Song Jin’yue felt like she had flown high enough, but it wasn’t enough, if she hadn’t dodged quickly enough, she would have been caught.
Jiang Zhiyan frowned, watching. Song Jin’yue drew her sword mid-air, her target clear, the beast’s two giant eyes.
“She comprehended sword intent?” Jiang Zhiyan was a little surprised. “I thought she would slack off without me there.”
“It seems like she didn’t, and she even came looking for you,” the System said, then suddenly felt like it shouldn’t have continued, and indeed it shouldn’t have, judging by the upward curve of Jiang Zhiyan’s lips. “But do you really not need to go and check on her?”
“I trust her, she’s a Sword Cultivator,” Jiang Zhiyan said.
Song Jin’yue quickly took a pill and darted through the gap created by the demonic beast’s leap, accelerating again, and stabbed her sword into the beast’s left eye. Before she could pull it out, seeing the claw swiping at her, she seized the opportunity to dodge and landed on the beast’s head. The claw, unable to retract in time, struck its left eye, pushing the sword in further.
She had originally planned to recall her sword, but after thinking for a few seconds, she changed her mind and controlled the sword to move within the beast’s body.
The demonic beast howled in pain and actually tore open its own flesh, trying to pull out the sword, its foul-smelling, crimson blood splattering on Song Jin’yue.
Song Jin’yue had never seen such a bloody scene in her life. She was stunned for two seconds, recalled her sword, and quickly fled while the beast was in a frenzy.
She cast several Cleaning Spells, but she still felt like she smelled terrible, she was about to go crazy.
[Song Jin’yue: Bring more Replenishing Spirit Pills when you come.]
[Su Huo: I snatched five bottles from the bald donkey and bought a lot more.]
[Song Jin’yue: Are you sure you won’t make enemies with the Great Clarity Temple doing that?]
[Su Huo: It’s not a big deal, don’t they always talk about compassion? I was short on supplies, what’s wrong with him giving me some?]
[Song Jin’yue: Hurry up and come.]
The two shared their locations. Song Jin’yue had originally thought she had traveled a long distance, but now, looking at the map, she felt like she hadn’t moved at all.
She decided not to move and wait for Su Huo. She took a fasting pill, the taste so terrible that her face twisted in disgust.
Song Jin’yue looked at the endless land in front of her and sighed softly.
The natural scenery in the Demon Realm was truly unpleasant, and the food wasn’t as good as in the cultivation world, what did Jiang Zhiyan like about this place?
“Why did she stop moving?”
“It looks like she’s waiting for someone…” the System commented. “She wouldn’t be planning to bring someone to persuade you to go back, would she?”
Jiang Zhiyan’s smile faded slightly: “I don’t think so.”
“You don’t think so, then why aren’t you smiling?”
Jiang Zhiyan got up and walked out. She hadn’t left the palace since moving in, and people outside had all sorts of speculations about her. The Demon Realm was very open, with little regard for propriety, and strength was valued above all else. The news of her defeating the Western Demon King and forming an alliance with the Northern Demon King had spread. They initially thought she had some relationship with the Western Demon King and didn’t dare to do anything, but later they realized she didn’t, and many started offering themselves to her, forcing her to spend the past two days setting up numerous barriers.
The Demon Realm was indeed very open. Jiang Zhiyan walked down the street and saw several couples engaging in public displays of affection. Fortunately, she herself had no morals and calmly walked past them.
“Host, where are you going?” the System asked.
“To see her,” Jiang Zhiyan walked into Tianyan Pavilion. “Being able to open a Tianyan Pavilion here is quite impressive, although it’s just a branch selling equipment.”
There weren’t many people in Tianyan Pavilion. Those who could afford to shop here were all important figures in the Demon Realm. The manager, seeing Jiang Zhiyan’s Myriad Swords Sect uniform, was stunned for two seconds, then quickly realized who she was. She was the only one who would dress like this in the Western Territory.
It wasn’t that Jiang Zhiyan was attached to the Myriad Swords Sect, she was just comfortable wearing it and too lazy to buy new clothes.
She glanced at the counter, bought a mask, some clothes that fit the Demon Realm’s traditions, and a latest model communication jade.
“Charge it to Zhao Xiting’s account,” Jiang Zhiyan said.
Zhao Xiting was the Western Demon King’s name.
“Alright,” the manager smiled, took out a ledger, and recorded it.
“What’s the situation in the cultivation world now?” Jiang Zhiyan asked, leaning against the counter.
The manager looked at Jiang Zhiyan, thought for a few seconds, and said good-naturedly: “No different from usual.”
“With the current tense relationship between the two realms, Tianyan Pavilion is still cooperating with the Demon Realm?” Jiang Zhiyan tapped the counter.
The manager still smiled: “You don’t know who’s behind Tianyan Pavilion, do you?”
“Give my regards to the ancestor of the Wanfa Sect,” Jiang Zhiyan said, placing a high-grade spirit stone on the table.
The manager looked at her, puzzled: “Wanfa Sect? Not Myriad Swords Sect?”
“I didn’t misspeak, Wanfa Sect, I wanted to join the Wanfa Sect before, unfortunately, I didn’t have the fate,” Jiang Zhiyan sighed softly.
The manager nodded: “Alright, I’ll definitely pass on your message.”
Jiang Zhiyan took her things and left. After leaving the city gates, she found a place to change her clothes.
“I feel like demon clothing suits me better, sleeveless, crop top, and shorts, much more convenient for movement than the clothes in the cultivation world,” she said. However, such attire was too avant-garde for those “proper” people in the cultivation world.
She checked her disguise, with her aura concealed, Song Jin’yue probably wouldn’t recognize her.
Jiang Zhiyan located Song Jin’yue, but didn’t approach rashly. She watched her from afar; Song Jin’yue was sitting on the ground, looking like she was about to wilt from the sun.
“She hasn’t set up an array after all this time?” Jiang Zhiyan frowned.
“You just praised her for being clever not long ago,” the System said.
Jiang Zhiyan paused: “Even clever people can have moments of brainlessness.”
“You’ve said it all.”
As expected, Song Jin’yue didn’t notice her.
Jiang Zhiyan scanned the area with her divine sense and forcefully controlled a mid-Golden Core demonic beast.
Song Jin’yue, who hadn’t rested much, heard the ground tremble, froze for a second, looked up, and saw a masked demon girl running towards her.
Although Song Jin’yue didn’t say anything, her mind was screaming, “Don’t come any closer!!!”
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