Young Noble Be Monster Slaying
Chapter 948: Perilous City (I)

Chu Liang pursed his lips. His face twitched a few times, and then he could no longer hold back the sorrow in his heart.

He broke into loud sobs. "Waaaaaaaaaah!"

"That was Deity Pan’s Bone. It was a legendary artifact used to slay evil spirits," he whimpered. His voice trembled as he clung to Jiang Yuebai’s waist and nestled into her arms like a helpless fledgling. "It is priceless. No amount of money could ever replace it."

Jiang Yuebai could only pat his shoulder gently and comfort him in a soft voice. "Don't cry, don't cry. It’s all thanks to you that we can leave. Our family owes you a huge debt of gratitude once again."

Chu Liang whispered, "Why would I fuss over favors with you? As long as I can help reunite your family, I’d give up everything I have without a second thought. It just… hurts a little, that’s all."

"I know." Jiang Yuebai continued to rub his back, patiently soothing him.

An enormous black whale glided steadily through the sea of clouds. Thunder rumbled and winds howled around them, creating a scene that truly resembled a storm-tossed ocean. Yet, the wind and lightning seemed to possess a spiritual awareness, as they instinctively avoided the massive whale.

At the front of the whale, the Whale-Riding Immortal and Bai Yuxian stood together in quiet conversation. Since they had not seen each other in decades, they likely had much to share, and no one chose to disturb them.

Meanwhile, Chu Liang and Jiang Yuebai conversed quietly near the tail. Chu Liang was so overwhelmed with emotion that he needed no small amount of comforting.

The Sword Emperor sat alone on the whale’s broad back. From his elevated position, he looked down and saw one couple talking at the head, and another pair nestled together at the tail. He instinctively folded his arms across his chest. Perhaps it was only his imagination, but…he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was the odd one out.

Before long, after the black whale had passed through the barrier of the Divine Ruins, the Whale-Riding Immortal and Bai Yuxian approached the tail.

"Feeling heartbroken?" the Whale-Riding Immortal asked.

"Who? Me?" Chu Liang lifted his head, already wearing a sunny smile. "Seeing your family reunited, how could I not be happy?"

Even Jiang Yuebai was momentarily stunned by how quickly his expression changed. It was truly a marvel to behold.

Bai Yuxian stood tall against the wind, surveying him from head to toe with a look of satisfaction. She gave a nod and remarked, "My daughter has good taste."

"That’s something she inherited from you," the Whale-Riding Immortal said with a chuckle.

Bai Yuxian shot him a glare, then turned to Chu Liang. "Deity Pan’s Bone is a priceless treasure of the mortal world. We owe everything this time to you. Otherwise, our entire family might have been trapped in that temple forever. We talked it over just now and realized there's really nothing we can offer that matches its worth. So, in return, we’re willing to stay at Mount Shu and help out at your Red Cotton Peak. Consider it a small token of compensation."

"There’s no need for that, both of you," Chu Liang replied, looking a little flustered.

Although he had indeed paid a hefty price, how could he possibly let his future in-laws work for him? Even if the Whale-Riding Immortal were to return to Mount Shu, it should not be under those terms.

Besides, if they truly moved back to the Mount Shu Sect permanently, he would have some concerns about Daoist Yan. What if the two sides did not get along?

Of course, Senior Aunt Yan was a dignified person. She would never do anything reckless over her past feelings for Jiang Tiankuo. But her best friend was another matter entirely. Back in the day, their teacher had once gotten drunk and made a scene at Jiang Tiankuo and Bai Yuxian’s wedding. If she chose to stand up for her dear Yan Zi, who could possibly stop her?

After thinking it over, Chu Liang still felt that it might be better if they didn’t settle in Mount Shu permanently.

Even so, he couldn’t bring himself to say it outright.

Just as he was trying to think of a tactful way to refuse, the Whale-Riding Immortal waved a hand and said, "Once we return, you and Yuebai can begin preparing for your wedding."

"Father…" Jiang Yuebai called out softly when she heard that.

"What’s wrong? You don’t want to?" the Whale-Riding Immortal asked with a smile.

"Of course I do," Jiang Yuebai replied, her gaze clear and unwavering. Then she turned to Chu Liang and added, "It’s just that he’s been quite busy lately, and naturally, work should come first."

Chu Liang suddenly shook his head. He took her hand, looked into her eyes with a smile, and said, "Naturally, I’ll do whatever Senior Sister Jiang wants."

It had been a long time since he last called her that. Hearing the familiar title again, Jiang Yuebai felt as though she had been brought back to that very first meeting inside the cave on Treasured Pagoda Peak.

Who would have expected this? In just a few short years, that young teenage boy that no one knew had become a formidable figure, someone capable of shaking the world with a single move.

It felt as if everything had changed, and yet, somehow, nothing had changed at all.

Just as the two of them were smiling at each other, they suddenly heard the Sword Emperor cry out in alarm, "What happened?!"

…

The capital of Yu was in the grip of catastrophe.

An endless tide of ghastly creatures had poured down from the skies, crashing straight into the city. Within its walls, it felt as if there was a night parade of ten thousand ghosts. The Imperial Supervisory Bureau responded at once, dispatching a large number of cultivators to repel the invaders and raise defensive restrictions.

The city’s grand protective formation, which had been dormant for many years, was finally activated. Like a slumbering beast awakening in the Desolate Plains, it drew in the surrounding spiritual qi and transformed it into a barrier of chaotic light. For the time being, it held firm against the wave of ghosts. Any spirit that touched the formation would instantly sizzle and dissolve into mist.

These ghosts were merely fleeing out of fear that their very existence would be wiped out. Once they descended into the human realm, they would no longer attack the formation on their own. As long as the Imperial Supervisory Bureau continued clearing out those that had already slipped into the city, the crisis in the capital could still be temporarily contained.

But just then, a massive wave shaped like a scythe rose from the River of Yu, which flowed through the capital and connected the inner city to the outer districts. Without warning, the wave surged upward and pierced straight into the city's protective barrier.

Craaaaaack.

The formation that protected such a vast city had its flaws. Its single-point defenses were naturally weaker. The water scythe lodged itself into one of those weak spots and, with a sharp sweep, tore open a wide breach.

A streak of golden light shot through the gap and landed directly at the heart of the formation, where a large flag stood mounted on the city wall.

The capital's protective array was anchored by twenty-eight large flags, positioned across the northern, southern, eastern, and western walls. Each flag was guarded by a seventh-realm cultivator.

The one stationed at this flag was an elder dressed in red robes and black trousers. As soon as he sensed a powerful enemy approaching, he immediately summoned ten talismans that circled the flag, forming a protective barrier to block any intrusion.

The enemy stepped into view, revealing the face of a young man with an air of nobility. A patch of dragon scales glinted on his forehead, and his golden eyes sparkled with fierce intensity.

It was Ji Lingjue, the infamous cultivator from the Celestial Charm Sect.

He had once instigated a conflict with the Whale Gang and fought fiercely against its members before finally making his escape.

The Imperial Supervisory Bureau had long since archived his portrait, so the elder recognized him at a glance. With a talisman in hand, he shouted, "Evil member of the Celestial Charm Sect—"

Before the elder could finish speaking, Ji Lingjue had already pinched the talisman between his fingers and flicked it forward. It struck the elder’s chest! He had turned the elder’s own talisman against him, delivering a serious wound!

With a loud bang, Ji Lingjue launched a palm strike that sent the elder flying, blood spraying from his mouth. He made no move to chase him down. Instead, he raised his hand like a saber and brought it down in a single, clean strike.

The large flag split apart with a sharp rip.

Shhk.

"Hahaha…" Ji Lingjue's eyes gleamed with feral excitement, alight with anticipation for the carnage to come. "Charge into the capital of Yu!"

At the very same time, rain was seen pouring down like a torrential flood beneath the scythe-shaped wave at another flag. From within that rain, a weathered figure gradually took shape, and a wine gourd could be seen hanging from his waist.

It was none other than Huo Tianya, a diabolical cultivator from the Celestial Charm Sect.

The guardian of this flag was a middle-aged woman dressed in an ornate palace robe. Her hair was neatly styled and secured with a golden hairpin.

As soon as Huo Tianya attacked, she reacted at once. With a flick of her wrist, she pulled the golden hairpin from her hair and hurled it into the air. The hairpin spun rapidly before transforming into a golden dragon that surged forward and swallowed Huo Tianya whole.

But then, a thunderous dragon's roar followed. Countless raindrops burst out from within the dragon’s body, piercing through it and shattering it completely. The droplets reformed into Huo Tianya’s figure. He raised his palm and unleashed a massive tidal wave toward the woman in palace attire.

She quickly drew four more hairpins, causing her long hair to fall around her shoulders. As she released them, the hairpins transformed into a golden phoenix, turtle, tiger, and qilin. The four fierce beasts charged through the roaring wave, breaking through its force. However, by the time they struck, Huo Tianya had already vanished, leaving behind only a thick, swirling mist.

The woman sensed that something was wrong, but it was already too late. Black water had coiled around her ankles and surged upward with a sudden whoosh, engulfing her completely in an instant.

That black water was an enchanted artifact stored within Huo Tianya’s gourd. Once released, even a single drop carried the weight of a mountain. With a deafening crash, the woman in palace robes was crushed into nothingness by the overwhelming force of the black water.

Huo Tianya stepped out from the mist and, without hesitation, tore the large flag from its place in a single, fluid motion.

With two flags destroyed, the formation on this section of the city wall collapsed at once. The restriction crumbled apart with an earth-shaking roar. Several seventh-realm experts from nearby rushed over to provide support, but before they could reach the breach, a massive explosion erupted and sent them all flying.

Boooooooooooooom!

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