113: Chapter 113 Strange

Above the clouds, the Xuanxiao tower boat soared through the air.

This was a massive aerospace ship over a hundred zhang long, crafted entirely from ten-thousand-year-old Profound Wood, grand and magnificent.

On both sides of the stern were massive fan-shaped sails, their surfaces painted with light cloud patterns, billowing like wings in the gale.

The tower boat moved forward like a giant whale traversing the sea of clouds.

The massive ship broke through the clouds, leaving a long white wake behind.

Somewhere on the top floor.

Yan Qingning sat on a prayer mat, next to a carved window that was pushed halfway open.

Outside the window was an endless sea of clouds and a deep blue sky; the wind blew in, carrying the chill of the high altitude.

She clutched her chest with one hand.

Her breathing was labored.

Her body had become increasingly strange today.

Yan Qingning felt the area under her ribs on the left side of her chest; this was where the abnormality was most apparent, having been a dull ache since the beginning.

Frost Radiance floated by her side, her face filled with worry.

"Master, how are you?"

Yan Qingning released her hand and took a deep breath.

"Don't worry," she said in a steady tone, "I feel much better now."

Frost Radiance continued to watch her, refusing to look away.

Her master was exceptionally strange today.

But she couldn't quite put her finger on why.

Yan Qingning changed the subject and asked, "When will we reach the Central State?"

"In one more day," Frost Radiance replied, "we will reach the border of the Central State."

"Still another day?"

Yan Qingning looked out the window; she felt an urgent desire to find that disciple named Jiang Xun.

What had started as a bit of curiosity had now turned into threads of annoyance lingering in her heart.

And they were growing more numerous.

She had a premonition that if she couldn't figure out the abnormality in her body soon, at best her Daoist body would decline, and at worst, a Heart Demon would be born.

This was no small matter.

Today, it started with her left foot.

It had throbbed with a mysterious, inexplicable pain.

It felt as if it had been sliced by something or pierced by some force; the pain lasted about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn before slowly subsiding.

Then it was her chest.

A sudden sharp pain shot through the area under her left ribs.

The pain came so suddenly that she almost couldn't help crying out.

It was as if something was stabbing into her flesh and churning within her bones. She clutched her chest, cold sweat soaking her inner garment.

That pain lasted for a long time.

So long that she had to set aside the Karma she was calculating and focus all her strength on suppressing it.

Then it was her whole body.

Every inch of her skin ached, and every bone felt sore.

Now...

Her tongue.

It felt numb and itchy, as if it had been repeatedly sucked and bitten by something, or as if...

Yan Qingning quickly picked up her teacup and took a sip.

The tea was warm as it slid over the tip of her tongue.

But that strange sensation remained.

She set down the teacup, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.

When she opened her eyes again, the abnormality had finally subsided a little.

But the doubts in her heart were growing heavier.

Whether through calculation or the manifestation of Karma, she could find no cause.

It was as if these pains appeared out of thin air, with no source and no warning.

Today had passed for now.

But what about the future?

Her left foot hurt today; what would hurt tomorrow? And what about the day after?

She clutched her chest,A thought suddenly occurred to me.

That person named Jiang Xun—his relationship with her must be more than just master and disciple.

There must be a deeper connection.

Yan Qingning turned her head to look at Frost Radiance.

Frost Radiance hovered by her side, her head bowed and her eyes darting away.

Frost Radiance knew the reason.

But she wouldn't say.

Yan Qingning watched her in silence without speaking.

She didn't want to force an answer.

Frost Radiance had followed her for so many years; if it were something that could be said, Frost Radiance would surely say it.

If she didn't speak, it was either because she couldn't or she didn't want to.

Frost Radiance kept her head down, her two small white hands clasped in front of her.

She could feel her master's gaze upon her; it was a natural look, yet it made her feel guilty.

Master had already forgotten Daddy and those events.

She didn't want her master to fall into the pain of romantic matters again.

Since Yan Qingning reached the Ascension Realm, she had become much smarter and viewed things from more perspectives.

Frost Radiance bit her lip and buried her head even lower.

Yan Qingning watched her for a while before finally withdrawing her gaze.

"Forget it," she said softly. "If you won't say, then don't."

Once they reached the Central State, she could use the Karma on Jiang Wanxing to find that person.

Then she would know.

Just what kind of relationship she had with him.

...

The sky over Qinghe County had turned eerily dark.

Though it was clearly daytime, not a single ray of light could be seen.

The entire sky was covered in ink-like dark clouds, massive masses of black clouds churning and pressing down, incredibly heavy.

Deep within the clouds, dark red light flickered in and out of view.

Anyone with eyes could tell this was definitely not normal weather.

The streets were crowded with people.

A vegetable farmer stood in the middle of the road with his carrying pole. "What... what's going on?"

"It's like seeing a ghost."

"A celestial dog eating the sun? Doesn't look like it..."

"Is it going to rain heavily!?"

Some people started running toward the city gates.

But as soon as they stepped out of the gates, their skin shriveled, cracked, and weathered into ash at a visible speed.

The person was like a sand sculpture blown apart by the wind, scattering as a withered skeleton on the ground in the blink of an eye.

The surrounding people froze for a breath before erupting in screams.

"Ah!!!"

"Someone's dead!!"

"Run! Run!!"

The crowd was like a disturbed beehive, scattering in all directions, but no one dared to run toward the city gates again.

Inside a certain private residence.

A sallow-faced middle-aged man stood in the courtyard, staring intently at the sky.

His forehead was covered in sweat.

Old Zhou.

The third member of the Demon Suppression Division.

He had previously broken his leg while catching a Chang Ghost in the mountains; reluctant to use Spirit Medicine, he had been recuperating at home ever since.

His leg was still limping, but he couldn't be bothered with that now.

He watched the churning black clouds and the hidden red light within them.

He muttered to himself, his voice trembling uncontrollably with fear.

"It's over."

Old Zhou's knees buckled, and he fell directly to his knees.

He could see it now.

This was a high-level Demonic Path Cultivator setting up a Formation—the kind that required a blood sacrifice of living people.

They were going to sacrifice and refine the tens of thousands of citizens in Qinghe County!

It's over.

Everyone will become nourishment for the Formation.

"Husband! Husband, what's wrong with you!"

Two or three women ran out of the house, beautiful and well-dressed.

The one in front was the First Wife; she grabbed Old Zhou, her face full of panic.

"What on earth is happening outside? Why did the sky suddenly turn dark?"

The Second Wife also approached, clutching her chest, her face pale. "Yes, my heart feels so stifled, I can't catch my breath..."

Old Zhou didn't answer.

He couldn't hear what they were saying.

He just knelt there, staring at the sky, his lips trembling.

"My life is over!"

Above the black clouds.

Black Demon stood suspended in mid-air, eight small black banners rotating slowly around him.

Twisted runes appeared on each banner; as the runes flowed, ripples of dark red light spread outward layer by layer.

He closed his eyes, calculating the time.

The Blood Refining Grand Formation still needed some time to be fully deployed.

Once the Formation was activated, this small city beneath him would be completely wiped from the earth, and all living things would become nourishment for his eight treasure banners.

When the energy of the eight treasure banners was nearly accumulated...

Black Demon opened his eyes and raised his hands...

Suddenly!

He whipped around.

Without any hesitation, the moment he turned, a sharp black light shot out from his sleeve!

It was a black needle as thin as a cow's hair, moving so fast the naked eye couldn't catch it, piercing toward the person behind him with a piercing whistle!

The black needle flew in front of the person.

At a distance of about three feet.

*Crack.*

It shattered.

As if hitting an invisible iron wall, the black needle—capable of piercing a Soul Transformation Stage Cultivator—shattered, turning into several wisps of black smoke that dissipated in the air.

Black Demon's figure retreated rapidly.

He didn't stop until he was dozens of zhang away.

The hair on his body stood on end; he had no idea when this person had appeared behind him.

If he hadn't heard a few tinkles of a bell, he wouldn't have noticed even now.

Terrifying, absolutely terrifying.

The person had their back to him.

She was slender and tall, clearly a woman.

She wore a gold-trimmed black robe with wide sleeves made of light fabric that billowed in the wind.

Behind her was a striking head of snow-white hair that reached her waist, with a few strands lifted by the wind before slowly falling back.