At this point, only four people remained on the wooden deck of the flying boat as it sailed through the upper atmosphere, including Xueru, and of course Jade, who was watching the others like a hawk with her unblinking gaze.
"Thanks for stepping in, Ji Hui Daoyou," Xueru said, her expression composed.
"You're welcome. Those three kept asking about you along the way. It felt off to me, so I suggested going back with you to meet your Master," Ji Hui said, returning the courtesy with a clasped fist as she stood on the deck.
The two male cultivators were locked down by Jade's oppressive presence and didn't dare make any sudden moves with their hands or feet. They spoke politely instead, their voices reflecting the pressure they felt.
"Xue'er Daoyou, we aren't familiar with those three women at all. we're just formed a temporary team to train together during the journey. Please let us leave."
The other male cultivator didn't say anything to add to the plea, but he clearly thought the same. He only looked at Xueru, waiting for her approval with a tense, expectant look.
Wei Xueru's almond shaped eyes swept over the two of them, studying their nervous postures. She thought for a moment, letting the silence linger, then curved her lips into a faint smile.
"Two Daoyou, the Heavenly Sword Sect is very hospitable to guests. You're friends I have met along the way, so I'm sure Master would love to meet you as well."
The two men exchanged quick, worried glances and answered sincerely.
"If there's a chance, we will pay our respects to Senior another day. We didn't prepare anything to bring as a gift this time, so it would be too abrupt for a visit."
Wei Xueru's smile deepened on her face. She looked at them for a full five breaths, her gaze unwavering. When their expressions started to stiffen and sweat began to bead on their brows, she finally sighed with regret.
"Since that's the case, I won't force you to stay. We will meet again if fate allows it."
Only then did she turn her head to Jade and clasp her hands respectfully toward the spirit beast.
"Jade Senior, please escort them off the flying boat."
The two male cultivators kept their backs stiff, their muscles coiled. The moment the flying boat slowed even slightly in the air, they jumped off without waiting for Jade to say anything and fled through the sky at top speed, their figures blurring into the distance.
"Tsk, they ran so fast. I never said I was going to kill them," Xueru muttered to herself, watching the empty space where they had been.
She sat back down on the cushion and clasped her hands toward Ji Hui.
"Ji Hui Daoyou, please have a seat. Let's play a game of chess. We should reach the sect by the time we're done with the match."
"Alright. I won't stand on ceremony then."
Ji Hui went along with the suggestion and sat down across from her, adjusting her robes.
Jade shrank her emerald body and returned to Xueru's wrist, coiling like a cold, living bracelet, but her divine sense stayed locked on Ji Hui without relaxing its grip at all.
Ji Hui didn't even dare roll her eyes at the constant surveillance. She could only focus all her attention on the wooden chessboard and the stones in her hand.
-
Heavenly Sword Sect
Jian Ping and Yu Zongfan made a trip to Tianhua Peak and learned that Jia Ancestor had already intervened in the situation. He had temporarily stabilized the speed of the spiritual root's dissolution in the young man's body, but he hadn't found a way to cure the underlying rot.
Yu Zongfan stepped forward and clasped his hands in a formal greeting.
"Zhēnzūn, my Master already knows about this. If needed, she can come over anytime to help find a solution for Yushu."
Jia Zhēnzūn looked like a man in his thirties, somewhere between youth and middle age. His features resembled Jia Yushu by three parts, and his brows were tightly knit in a deep frown of concern.
He knew a bit about Tian Lu and her history. Her third disciple, Wei Xueru, had once been unable to cultivate at all. It was Tian Lu who had personally guided her onto the Great Dao and accepted her as her final disciple.
The two people before him were her eldest and second disciples. In less than one hundred and fifty years, both had stepped into the Nascent Soul realm.
Setting natural talent aside, Tian Lu deserved at least half the credit for their accomplishments. He had also received news that Tian Lu's Mahayana ceremony would take place in fifteen days.
She had already sent two disciples over to offer assistance, which showed sincere intent. Naturally, he wouldn't refuse her help. Saving Jia Yushu was the most important thing right now.
"In that case, I won't stand on ceremony. Could you ask your Master to come to Tianhua Peak? Yushu can't be moved at the moment. I have only managed to stabilize his spiritual root for now."
"Zhēnzūn is too polite. We will go invite Master right away."
After clasping their hands in salute, the two left Jia Zhēnzūn's cave abode and immediately flew back to Tianyue Peak.
Jian Dan had seen this coming and was already waiting under the shade of the banyan tree.
"Master."
Jian Ping and Yu Zongfan stepped forward, relaying Jia Zhēnzūn's words to her.
"I know. Don't waste time. We will go take a look right now."
Jian Dan waved her hand and brought the two along with her. With a single turn of her sleeve, they appeared outside Jia Zhēnzūn's cave abode on Tianhua Peak.
"Senior Sister Tian Lu, thanks for making the trip yourself," Jia Zhēnzūn said as he came out from the cave to greet her.
He hadn't expected her to arrive so quickly, which showed how much she valued Jia Yushu as a junior.
"Junior Brother Jia is too polite. Yushu counts as half my disciple, and he was training with Zongfan when this happened. No one wants to see something like this occur," Jian Dan replied, clasping her hands politely as she walked inside the chamber with him.
"Yushu has always been diligent and talented. He is my favorite junior. His parents don't know about this yet. I just want to find a solution first."
With a casual gesture, he invited Jian Dan into the inner chamber.
Jia Yushu lay on an ice jade bed with his eyes closed, his face pale against the white stone. Formations surrounded him, glowing with a faint light, and Jian Dan clearly sensed the power of time radiating from the arrays.
"I have only sealed Yushu for now to stop the spiritual root from dissolving further. I still haven't found the cause. I will have to ask Senior Sister Tian Lu to take a look."
Jian Dan nodded and didn't hold back her power. She released a thread of divine sense thinner than a strand of hair, bypassed the formations Jia Zhēnzūn had set up, and slowly and gently probed into Yushu's meridians.
She moved her perception smoothly all the way to the spiritual root beneath the dantian. A green pillar of spiritual root had already lost about one fifth of its mass. A faint green mist, so thin it was almost invisible, lingered where the dissolution was happening.
Jian Dan lightly brushed that green mist with her sense. It actually moved and shrank back toward the spiritual root. That made her frown.
The next instant, the spiritual root started dissolving again. This time, Jian Dan followed that strand of divine sense and injected a trace of chaotic spiritual power, flicking it straight into the living mist.
At the same moment, Jia Yushu seemed to sense something deep within his body. His face went deathly pale, a muffled groan slipped from his parched lips, and he opened his eyes.