"You're saying it was in a gorge?"
"Yes."
Jian Mao and Jian Dan exchanged a glance, both thinking it had to be the place where they'd fled from.
But they'd escaped across a grassland full of glowing fireflies, while Xiao Yong's group should've been near the gorge.
"We got away from those mosquitoes' territory and ended up in a pile of boulders. Since we didn't know the right method, we wandered in circles for ten days before finally finding a way out."
He paused to catch his breath, then continued, "Right after that, a strange tree ambushed us. It caught us off guard, three of our fellow disciples got trapped and couldn't escape. We tried to save them by attacking the tree, but instead we all ended up entangled. Then I felt my life force slowly draining away, feeding that thing. We had no choice but to protect our heart meridians and dantian, then lost consciousness."
After listening to Xiao Yong's story, Jian Mao and Jian Dan felt something didn't add up. By logic, he'd gone in before them, so why had he only made it this far? And if that tree demon had sealed them as spare food, why keep them alive so long?
"Xiao Yong, how long have you been here?"
"Almost a month."
That was it, the part that didn't fit.
"But the Purple Sky Sect Master told us you entered the spatial rift three years ago."
"This…"
"There's a time difference."
That was the best explanation.
"This place is a corner of the Immortal Realm, above the Cultivation Realm but below the Immortal Realm itself. Of course time flows differently here."
"Junior Sister's right. If not for that time gap, Xiao Yong wouldn't have lasted long enough for us to find him."
"Yeah! Guess it's our laziness that saved them. If we'd taken the long way Hu San suggested, by the time we circled around, Xiao Yong and his group would've been done for."
You could only say it wasn't Xiao Yong's fate to die, since the Heavenly Sword Sect disciples had stumbled on him.
After that, Jian Mao and Jian Dan didn't disturb him any further, letting him focus on recovery.
"Senior Brother, looks like they don't know as much as we do. They've just been running for their lives the whole time."
"True. Don't know if it's bad luck for them, or good luck for us."
Jian Xu's group sighed after hearing the retelling.
"Of course it's our good luck! At least we've got some clues."
"And because of the time difference, when we thought Jian Jun and the others had been trapped here for a hundred years, it probably wasn't anywhere near that long."
"Exactly. Which means we should stay here as short a time as possible. Otherwise, by the time we get back, two hundred years might've passed, and who knows what's happened to the sect by then." Jian Chun reminded everyone of the danger.
They all nodded. The Lingyun Continent still hung under a looming sword, and each of them counted as top combat power for their sect. If they didn't return, the sect would take a serious blow.
Naturally, everyone's gaze turned toward Jian Dan, since she was the War Hall's Hall Master.
Jian Dan just chuckled and nodded to show she understood.
"With that tree demon's collection, we don't need to go hunting for other opportunities. What matters most now is heading deeper and finding Jian Jun."
No one objected.
The next day, Xiao Rong woke up. Xiao Yong, who'd awakened earlier, immediately pulled her into his arms, making all the single Heavenly Sword Sect disciples swallow a mouthful of dog food.
Jian Dan couldn't resist gossiping for once, learning the two were cousins who'd grown up close. They'd stepped onto the cultivation path together, and only after both reached Divine Transformation did they quietly form a Dao partnership. From then on, they'd always supported each other. They were truly a deeply bonded couple.
Everyone sighed with emotion. Not everyone had that kind of fate, so they decided they'd just have to cultivate harder.
Over the next three days, the remaining three Purple Sky Sect cultivators also woke up. They were still weak, so they were soaked in medicinal baths to recover.
During this time, Xiao Yong and Xiao Rong shared information with the Heavenly Sword Sect group, while Lady Di's squad used their new resources to rearm themselves, determined to survive long enough to enter the inner circle.
Purple Sky Sect
"Sect Master, two more of Xiao Yong's group's soul lamps went out earlier, but the remaining unstable lamps have steadied these last two days. They're even showing signs of recovery." The cultivator guarding the soul lamps came to report the good news.
"Are you certain?"
"Yes. For five days straight, both Xiao Yong and Xiao Rong's lamps have shown clear improvement. That's why I came to report."
"Good. Keep watching them closely. If there's any change, tell me immediately."
"Yes."
When the messenger left, Sect Master Xiao Zi let out a sigh of relief. The sect had already been thrown into chaos by the blood insects and the insect clan's spies, leaving him in bad standing with Zi Huan Zhēnzūn. That included the matter of sending Xiao Yong and Xiao Rong into the spatial rift.
Zixing Pavilion had never been under his control, so he'd tried to weaken it with underhanded tricks. Since both Xiao Yong and Xiao Rong held positions there, he'd taken the chance to send them into the rift under the pretense of a mission. On the surface it looked legitimate, but every senior cultivator in the sect knew the truth.
He thought crippling Zixing Pavilion would strengthen his hold as Sect Master. Instead, Zi Qing Zhēnzūn had summoned Zi Huan Zhēnzūn out of seclusion.
After coming out, Zi Huan Zhēnzūn reviewed everything and, using the blood insect disaster as pretext, publicly rebuked him. Even Zi Qing Zhēnzūn didn't speak on his behalf.
He did have his own schemes, like wanting to push the Lu Clan into first-tier status, but all those plans were wrecked by the insect calamity. Fate had played him badly.
Deep in the forbidden grounds, Zi Huan Zhēnzūn also received the same news, which eased his mind.
"Junior Brother, who do you favor for Sect Master's seat?"
Zi Qing held a jade slip, asking the nearby Zi Huan, who was inscribing talismans.
"Let the capable take it. I'll set three trials for those who want to fight for the position."
"Isn't that a little hasty?"
Zi Qing still had concerns.
"With you and me here, I'd like to see who dares make trouble."
Zi Huan spoke in a gentle tone, but the words were domineering.
"Look at the Heavenly Sword Sect and Heavenly Demon Palace. Both changed Sect Masters smoothly without any problems."
"That's different. After what's happened, I believe steady leadership is more important."
Zi Huan raised a hand, cutting her off.
"I understand your worries, Senior Sister. But it's exactly at times like these that we must act decisively. I don't mind them using tricks to fight for the position, or even suppressing Zixing Pavilion. But it mustn't cause inner strife or open us to enemy attacks. Xiao Zi failed that, so he has to step down."
"…I understand."
That single conversation sealed Xiao Zi's fate.
A year later, the Purple Sky Sect changed leadership. The new Sect Master was a steady, middle-aged cultivator at the early Divine Soul stage, from the same clan as Xiao Yong. The former Sect Master, Xiao Zi, was sent to cultivate in a blessed land.
Meanwhile, time on Lingyun Continent crept forward. No one paid attention to the Heavenly Sword Sect party, except for three powerful spirit beasts on Tianyue Peak who still longed for their master's return.
Yue Liang, Mo Ran, and Jade trained while traveling back to the sect, taking five years before they finally reached the Heavenly Sword Sect. After confirming their identities, they returned to Tianyue Peak with their companions, where Lü Se warmly welcomed the three beasts.
"Since the Zūnshàng isn't here, is everything still fine?" Yue Liang, now in human form, immediately asked about home.
"Senior Yue Liang, don't worry. Everything on Tianyue Peak is peaceful, no fools have come looking for trouble." Lü Se smiled as he spoke.
"The Zūnshàng's three disciples are cultivating on the eastern peaks. They sometimes come to visit the Lord's cave residence."
Yue Liang nodded. Just as she was about to ask more, a talisman flew toward her. Opening it, she heard Hall Master Jian Li's voice:
"Yue Liang, bring your friends to the Law Enforcement Hall."