Wei Yunqing was so angry she could cough blood, yet on her face she wore the innocent look of a wronged little white lotus. She was a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator now, even if there was some water in her cultivation. Once she returned to Haoran Sect, she would be someone others had to look up to. She refused to be suppressed by Wei Yunxi.
Wei Yunqing knew perfectly well that Yunxi would not kill her now. Even if she touched Yunxi's reverse scale, Yunxi would not act with so many eyes watching. Wei Yunqing decided to avoid Wei Yunxi whenever possible.
She had once thought she could compete with Wei Yunxi. Ten years in the sealed ground taught her otherwise. She was not Yunxi's match in resources or combat power. Being able to leave the Shanhe Scroll alive was enough.
So she would steer clear of Wei Yunxi from now on. No meetings meant no conflict. No conflict meant no accidental offense, and fewer chances of being targeted. She did not believe Yunxi would remain forever. Once Yunxi ascended from the Weiyu Realm, the Wei clan would still listen to her.
Having soothed herself with this careful abacus, Wei Yunqing kept her mouth shut. The more you say, the more mistakes you make. She would not hand Yunxi a handle to punish her.
Only after Wei Yunqing stopped jumping around for attention did Yunxi turn to ask after the other four. Confirming they were unharmed, she exchanged aura signatures for their communication jade slips, then walked to Yu Ling's side.
Yu Ling was speaking quietly with Hao Yan and Xiang Sizi. Seeing Yunxi approach, the three stopped. Yunxi bowed respectfully to Hao Yan and Xiang Sizi.
Hao Yan's phoenix eyes curved with a smile as she looked Yunxi up and down. "Not bad. Your aura is solid. No need for seclusion to stabilize. Your Divine Transformation this time was perilous, but safely done."
Yunxi answered at once, "I am indebted to the seniors for lending aid. Otherwise, Ran Xi could not have escaped, much less crossed the Divine Transformation Tribulation smoothly."
When it was time to be modest, she was modest.
Xiang Sizi was eager to know what had happened inside the Shanhe Scroll. Although the five survivors had given a rough account, all plans against the evil souls within the sealed ground were made by the strongest of the five regions, and Yunxi was one of them, a key one at that. Everyone in Huaxian Hall most wanted to hear the full story from Yunxi and Yun Chen.
Yunxi knew there was no point delaying. She began, "When the Shanhe Scroll suddenly pulled us in, I felt something was wrong. I tried to resist, but was tripped up by that idiot Wei Yunqing."
She shot a glance at Wei Yunqing hiding behind others. Wei Yunqing shrank back with an expression that said, I have no idea what happened, then quickly lowered her head.
Yunxi did not intend to waste time on this point. It was enough for those present to know the two sisters did not get along, so that any future misconduct from Wei Yunqing would not be pinned on her.
She continued, "As we were being dragged in, I saw the Zūnzhěs try to keep us back, but they could not beat the Shanhe Scroll's pull. We were still taken. I knew the situation was dire. If the scroll could make Divine Transformation Zūnzhěs miss their grasp, then the one controlling it had to be above Divine Transformation.
Soon after entering, Wei Yunqing stepped on a teleportation formation. The two of us were sent into a sealed great hall. The moment we arrived, gray mists surged from every direction. Evil souls. To survive, we had to fight.
After that, all cultivators drawn into the scroll were split into three groups and teleported into the sealed ground."
Using her own discoveries as a timeline, Yunxi described the battles against the evil souls in the sealed ground, step by step deducing the evil cultivators' true purpose in sending them into the Shanhe Scroll, until the final moment when the evil artifact Long Ya absorbed enough evil qi, recovered part of its power, and violently broke the seal.
"At the time we all held a sliver of hope, thinking the Zūnzhěs could stop Long Ya. But when we emerged from the scroll and did not immediately sense tribulation lightning locking onto us, we knew the situation was even worse than we had imagined.
So when the Zūnzhěs joined forces to stop Long Ya's ascent, I detonated my protective immortal artifact."
Yun Chen Fózǐ added, "Amitabha. By then we had been entangled with evil souls for ten years, driven to the ends of the road. Everyone's resources were almost exhausted. We had judged that Long Ya had nearly recovered and would soon break the seal. Many of us were ready to self-detonate to grievously wound it.
Ran Xi Daoyou said she had a way to stop Long Ya from being taken by the evil cultivators and would not allow us to sacrifice ourselves. While we were still in a stalemate, Long Ya shattered the seal and rushed out of the Shanhe Scroll.
Ran Xi Daoyou cut down the evil souls barring our way, then chased at once. We followed, transferring what little spiritual power we had left to her. Ran Xi Daoyou did not fail our hopes. She severely injured the evil artifact and thwarted the plot."
Yunxi sighed softly. "We had been trapped far too long. No one expected to leave. We only wanted to keep the five regions' fallen from dying in vain. Even if it cost our lives, Long Ya had to remain in the sealed ground. I only gathered the strength of everyone left and finished the final strike."
She would not claim such great merit for herself alone. Every cultivator who fought to the end deserved to be remembered.
Master Yun Yi pressed his palms together and intoned, "Amitabha. You have done far beyond our expectations. Do not blame yourselves. All things have their destined course, not easily changed by men."
Huaxian Hall fell into heavy silence, a dull pressure flowing through the great space, until Ming Xian Zūnzhě entered with Shi Jun and another disciple of Mingjian Gate who had just passed their tribulations. The mood finally broke.
As courtesy required, Shi Jun first offered congratulations to Yunxi and Yun Chen Fózǐ, then handed a storage pouch to Yunxi. "Ran Xi Daoyou, take these spirit stones first. After I return to Mingjian Gate, I will repay the resources I owe you."
He had borrowed these spirit stones from Ming Xian Zūnzhě. Ten years in the sealed ground had left his storage pouch cleaner than his face. Without Ran Xi's aid, he and his junior brother would never have held out to the end. He remembered the favor, but what should be repaid would still be repaid.
Yunxi accepted the pouch without fuss. Doing so spared others any burden.
One after another, newly advanced Divine Transformation cultivators were brought into the hall. Each first congratulated Ran Xi. Some returned a portion of the spirit stones on the spot. Others promised to repay later. All stated they owed Yunxi a favor.
An hour and a half later, no more cultivators entered. Hua Teng Zūnzhě flashed onto the main seat within the hall, and the gathered cultivators fell silent.