519: rest

Yao Delong cupped his fists and added in a deep voice, "According to my investigation, their withdrawal was extremely orderly and swift; it was by no means a panicked flight!"

Ji Yanshuang's valiant, sword-like eyebrows locked deeply as her sharp, blade-like gaze swept over everyone present.

Her fingertips tapped against the Black Iron armrest, producing dull "thud, thud" sounds.

"Hundred Refinements escaped... the Demonic Formation was destroyed..." Her voice was as cold as ten-thousand-year-old ice.

"This is cutting off the tail to survive, breaking up the whole into parts! Do they want to vanish into the sea of the secular world and disrupt our rear Foundation?! Hmph, what a clever calculation!"

"This matter is of great importance. You shall report everything you know to this Seat!" Ji Yanshuang said solemnly.

"This Seat will immediately send word to the Sect Head! Long Xu!"

"Disciple is here!" Long Xu quickly stood up straight.

"Pass down the order! Starting today, the main camp's rotation alert level is raised to the highest grade!

Double the formation of all outgoing patrol squads and move the detection range further back. Focus on preventing rear ambushes and stealthy infiltration!"

"Yes, Junior Martial Uncle!" Long Xu cupped his hands to accept the order and hurried out of the main tent to relay it.

The atmosphere inside the tent remained heavy and murderous.

Ji Yanshuang's fingertips tapped the cold Black Iron armrest again. The "thud, thud" sounds seemed to strike the tense heartstrings of everyone present.

Her gaze swept over the elite True Disciples of various peaks standing solemnly in the tent—

After days of high-intensity slaughter, tracking, and life-or-death struggles on the ice plains, despite their deep cultivation, they could not hide a trace of exhaustion between their brows at this moment.

"Hundred Refinements has craftily escaped, and the demonic traces are hidden. This matter is no longer within your current duties to decide."

Ji Yanshuang's voice carried an unquestionable authority and a trace of imperceptible gravity.

"Over these past few days, you have exerted your full strength in the purge. Your actions and reports are already a great service to the Sect!

Remove your armor and rest first to recover your Yuan Qi. This Seat will personally report the military situation here to the Sect Head immediately and let the Sect decide."

"We obey Senior Martial Uncle/Senior Martial Uncle Ji's command!" Yao Delong, Cang Yunyao, and the other True Disciples present bowed simultaneously and responded in deep voices.

Everyone exited the solemn main tent in turn. The biting cold wind outside seemed to carry a hint of relaxation.

"Damn it! What bad luck!"

Lei Zhen, a True Disciple of Thunder Marsh Peak with a fiery temper, couldn't help but curse under his breath as soon as he came out.

He punched a nearby pile of rocks, causing ice shards to rustle down.

"We worked ourselves to death, and just when we were about to catch a big fish, they all fucking crawled into the mud and ran!"

"You're telling me!" Beside him, Lin Chi of Chiyan Peak also rubbed his brow, unable to hide his fatigue.

"My squad almost turned the ground over three times, and there wasn't even a ghost!"

Complaints aside, when Yao Delong and Cang Yunyao passed by, everyone's gaze was still filled with awe.

"Junior Brother Yao!" "Senior Sister Cang!"

Greetings rose and fell, mixed with sincere envy and admiration—these two were genuine Spirit Transformation Realm Cultivators!

Yao Delong gave a slight nod as a response.

Cang Yunyao, on the other hand, smiled charmingly and cast comforting glances at several familiar fellow Disciples.

"Being able to come back alive is a skill in itself. What's the rush? There will be time for them to cry later!"

That composure and confidence were like a warm breeze, slightly dispersing the gloom and anxiety in everyone's hearts.

Yao Delong did not stop and went directly with Cang Yunyao to the rest area of the Spirit Water Peak squad to which Luo Miaomiao belonged.

Inside a separate camp tent equipped with a nourishing formation.

At this time, Luo Miaomiao had finished her brief meditation and was sitting cross-legged, nourishing her heavily consumed mental state.

Sensing the familiar auras, she immediately opened her clear eyes and stood up joyfully, like a young swallow seeing its nest.

Carrying a burst of sweet water vapor, she lunged toward Yao Delong and naturally took hold of his other arm.

"Delong! Senior Sister Yao!" Luo Miaomiao's eyes curved into crescents, and her voice was soft and sweet, filled with deep joy.

"Miaomiao," Yao Delong looked at her still somewhat pale face with pity and asked softly,

"How do you feel after this trial? Are you injured?"

Luo Miaomiao looked up, first glancing gratefully at the heroic Cang Yunyao before speaking softly to Yao Delong:

"It's all thanks to Senior Sister Cang's care. She often pointed out my flaws and vital points during actual combat,

and explained the flow of spiritual energy and the way of fighting in the ice plains... In these few days, Miaomiao feels she has made great progress!"

Admiration shone in her eyes.

Hearing this, Yao Delong felt a warmth in his heart. He turned his gaze to Cang Yunyao beside him with a deeper sense of recognition.

"Senior Sister, these past few days... thank you for your trouble." This friendship far exceeded the bond of fellow Disciples.

"Hmph!" Cang Yunyao threw him a charming eye-roll, her nose wrinkling slightly with a hint of "you only just realized?"

Her gaze drifted between the two of them, and suddenly her red lips curled into an aggressive and meaningful smile.

She deliberately lowered her magnetic voice: "Why are you being so formal as to say 'thank you for your trouble' to your own brother and your own dear little sister?"

Boom!

Luo Miaomiao felt a rush of heat surge straight to her cheeks!

She had a delicate and clever mind. When she saw Cang Yunyao holding Yao Delong's arm so intimately at the camp entrance earlier,

the hazy suspicion in her heart had already been nearly confirmed.

Now that Cang Yunyao had so boldly and explicitly poked through that layer of window paper, it seemed all the more justified and natural!

"S-Senior Sister Yao...!"

Luo Miaomiao was bashful and at a loss. Her face was already as red as a ripe apple, and her head was almost buried in Yao Delong's arm; she didn't dare to respond.

Looking at Luo Miaomiao's shy and lovable appearance,

and feeling the soft, elastic sensations and different styles of body warmth coming from his left and right arms,

the smile in Yao Delong's eyes deepened, and a wordless warmth and sense of pride welled up in his heart.

"Alright, alright, stop teasing Miaomiao."

Yao Delong gently patted Luo Miaomiao's back and squeezed Cang Yunyao's palm, his deep voice carrying a soul-soothing power.

"Although this demon-slaying mission wasn't fully successful, the process was dangerous and the consumption was huge.

The two of you should hurry and recover your essence; do not be negligent."

These words were more of an instruction for Cang Yunyao. As the leader protecting many Junior Brothers and sisters, she had consumed the most energy.

Cang Yunyao felt the concern from his palm, and a satisfied and fiery soft light flowed in her eyes.

Only then did she restrain her teasing expression and say seriously, "Mm, I really am a bit drained. Once I've recovered... hmph."

As soon as she finished speaking, her beautiful eyes glanced at Yao Delong.

Half an hour ago, ten thousand miles away, in the deepest ice abyss of the Cold Jade River.

Xin Yuelan's blood-red demonic eyes were fixed on the projection of the flickering yanshen fetus mark in her palm!

"It moved again!" Her heart was filled with a mixture of shock and fury!

The location information belonging to the yanshen fetus... was actually like a meteor chasing the moon,

tearing through the space of the ice plains at an inconceivable speed and quickly escaping her locking range.

The target pointed directly at—the Yin Yang Sect's main camp fortifications! This speed!

This was by no means ordinary travel; it was more like tearing through space!

Why?! How could he turn back to the camp so quickly? Could it be... the ambush was exposed?

Or had an even more urgent change occurred in the camp?!

Countless thoughts flashed through Xin Yuelan's mind, and her cold killing intent almost froze the surging cold baleful energy around her.