Chapter 97: The Azure-Clad Beauty

Because Yu Heng used a special technique of the demon race, he fled at astonishing speed, and his defenses were no less formidable. In the end, he actually managed to escape.

The appearance of a demon race member within the sect was no small matter. The elders all sprang into action, and even the ancestor was alerted. The entire sect was thoroughly searched from top to bottom.

Ji Jiuxuan found a place to put away her cloak, then hurried back to Xuanheng Courtyard. The moment she returned, she collapsed straight onto the bed.

The formation she had just laid was immensely satisfying, but it had also consumed far too much spiritual power. On the way back, she had taken quite a few spirit-restoring pills before she could finally make it back to Xuanheng Courtyard.

"System, what do you think is happening to Yu Heng now?" Before she had made her move, the system had already told her that Yu Heng could not be completely eradicated.

Even after several firsthand trials, she was still somewhat shaken by that. She felt that the system knew far too much about many people and things in this world, almost as though it could pass for a prophet.

"His body has been utterly destroyed, but his soul remains," the system said. Then it reminded her, "High-ranking demons possess the ability to resurrect. You must be careful if you encounter one again in the future."

"So that means Yu Heng holds a fairly high position among the demons." Otherwise, why would he have appeared in the Xuantian Sect and acted with such reckless impunity? "Do you know what Yu Heng's purpose was?"

Unfortunately, the system showed no intention of answering. "Some things you must experience and discover on your own. Too much guidance from me will be harmful to your growth."

Although that formidable hidden danger, Yu Heng, was still alive, the fact that he had suffered such a severe blow was still deeply gratifying.

After some investigation, the elders finally discovered that something was wrong with the courtyard where Yu Heng had been living.

When the formation was removed, the corpse of the Fengyu Emperor Bird appeared before everyone. The traces of battle around it were extremely obvious, and it was plain at a glance that one of the parties had been a demon race member.

The traces left by the other side had been cleaned up so thoroughly that not even a trace could be detected.

The various clues all clearly indicated the truth that Yu Heng had fallen to demonic corruption.

The Yu family refused to believe it and tried to find Yu Heng, but the fact that the Fengyu Emperor Bird had been imprisoned and abused was undeniable.

The Hall of Discipline joined the investigation, and at that very moment, Yao Chaoxi returned.

Her return instantly pushed the Yu family to the forefront of the storm.

"Could Instructor Yao help reveal the truth from that time?" everyone asked, looking at the cool and collected woman in green robes floating in midair.

The woman nodded. "All right."

Her voice was like a clear spring, pleasing to the ear.

A water-blue zither appeared before her. As spiritual power stirred, ripples spread across the courtyard, and soon everything that had happened there earlier was shown before the crowd.

"Yu Heng is a member of the demon race. The Yu family sheltered him. Hand this matter over to the Hall of Discipline," Min Chengjun said from where he stood, his voice cold as ice. "Dispatch a full-scale pursuit of Yu Heng. Dead or alive."

This time, no one from the Yu family dared utter another protest. Under Min Chengjun's iron-handed methods, none dared resist.

Yao Chaoxi had already put away the zither and descended to the ground. Looking at the lingering image, she sighed, "To think there is someone with such mastery of formations. I wonder who it could be."

None of the sect's famed formation masters matched that silhouette, and the high-grade talisman paper on which the five elements were so fully represented was beyond the means of only a very few. Even more rare was such a flawless degree of integration among layered formations.

Looking at that figure and the imprint on the talisman paper, Min Chengjun could not help but form a few guesses.

After a moment, however, he felt it was not very likely.

"I hear Master has taken your little niece as his closed-door disciple." His tone was flat, yet familiar, and his expression did not change much.

"Yes. You should like her," Min Chengjun said with a nod, his expression warm and gentle. "I am leaving first."

Only then did he step away, but the figure in green had already leapt off into the distance, leaving behind a cool, retreating silhouette.

The other disciples from the Hall of Discipline exchanged glances, clearly used to this.

The next day, the aftereffects of excessive spiritual exhaustion caused Ji Jiuxuan to oversleep.

Looking at the flow of spiritual energy within her body, she gritted her teeth and directly improved the qi-guiding technique she had already thoroughly studied during this period.

The moment the refinement was complete, the rate at which spiritual energy entered her body became even faster.

At that very moment, Ji Jiuxuan discovered that the formation her master had taught her to conceal her calligraphic practice was now serving another purpose as well.

"System, this formation can also hide the fact that I'm automatically absorbing spiritual energy, can't it?" She had never expected that once the technique was improved, the speed would increase so dramatically. Thankfully, she had the concealment formation her master gave her, or she would have been worried about exposing herself.

"Yes, it is being hidden. But don't worry. Once your cultivation level rises, it will conceal itself automatically. The newly improved technique is still a bit rough around the edges. It just needs some adjustment."

The system was not the least surprised by Ji Jiuxuan's decision to improve the technique.

Would her cultivation level rise and then conceal it automatically? That was quite good. Still, she would need to study the concealment formations more carefully.

She would also have to begin working hard on talisman paper and the like, striving to draw high-grade talismans as soon as possible. Otherwise, based on yesterday's level of depletion, the loss had been far too great.

Lying there and circulating the technique a few more times, she confirmed that there were no problems. Only then did she rise comfortably, tidy herself up, and step out of the room.

By then, the sun was already high in the sky. If she delayed any longer, she probably could go straight to her master for sword practice.

That said, she still had one chance left to choose a cultivation method in the Treasure Vault. She should find time another day to go in and take another look.

The moment Ji Jiuxuan arrived at the Hall of Learning, she immediately sensed that something was off. It felt as though the atmosphere today was different.

Confused, she walked toward her master’s courtyard.

Suddenly, Ji Jiuxuan noticed that someone had been following her all along.

She was not worried about danger within the Hall of Learning, so she simply turned around and looked at the person.

A woman in green robes, with exquisite hair ornaments and flawless features, gave off the impression of an icy beauty at first glance.

As she walked, her bearing was elegant as an orchid, and looking at her somehow brought a refreshing feeling.

When Ji Jiuxuan turned around, the other woman also stopped and met her gaze. Seeing the small, soft, and adorable little girl before her, the coldness in her eyes instantly softened.

After Ji Jiuxuan noticed the instructor's badge on the other woman, she bowed to her, then continued toward her master's courtyard.

She thought to herself that there was actually such a stunning beauty teaching in the Hall of Learning. How had she never met her before? If she had, then even attending class would have been a feast for the eyes.

The other woman likewise headed toward her master's courtyard.

Ji Jiuxuan did not think much of it. This had happened before; some of the instructors in the Hall of Learning would go directly to her master's small courtyard whenever they had matters to discuss with him.

"Master." As soon as she entered the courtyard, Ji Jiuxuan obediently stood before Zhou Guangsheng, wearing the air of a child waiting to be scolded.

She had indeed gotten up late today, but Zhou Guangsheng was entirely unstrict in this regard. He let her study at her own pace, a true enlightened parent in the world of cultivation.

"Xiao Jiu is here." Zhou Guangsheng was still smiling warmly, with no intention at all of punishing her for arriving so late.

If this had been any of the instructors outside, they would have long since done as Instructor Yuan had once done and sent her straight back. The Hall of Learning was not the sort of lazy place where one came only when in the mood to study and skipped it when not.

At that very moment, the green-robed beauty Ji Jiuxuan had just noticed also walked in and bowed to Zhou Guangsheng.

"Master."

The chapter ends here.