79 - Douluo: Martial Spirit Blue Silver Grass

Reborn as the Malevolent Senior Sister: Day In, Day Out GL - Chapter 79 Fang Yuanqing is astute and resourceful, with a just and kindhearted nature. Fuling being able to form a deep bond with her would certainly be a cause for joy. Yet at the sound of "Sister Yuanqing" uttered so naturally and intimately, Jiu Ying couldn't help but feel a touch of wistfulness, as though a child she had raised had secretly befriended other companions outside her awareness. She pursed her lips, dismissing this odd feeling, and after a moment of contemplation, finally accepted the Demon-Suppressing Mirror from Fuling’s hand. The bewitching serpent was entirely toxic, making it a challenging endeavor to remove it from the Si family. However, with the mirror now in their possession, things became significantly easier. As the hour of Shen approached, guests of the Si family began to depart in succession. When large groups congregate, chaos often ensues. Fuling stood guard at the gate of the old courtyard, and before long, Jiu Ying emerged with the Demon-Suppressing Mirror. Thanks to the couple of days they spent feeding it, the little bewitching serpent had grown familiar with them. With just a brief explanation from Jiu Ying, it voluntarily slithered into the mirror. One human, one dragon, and one serpent left the Si family grounds unperturbed. It was the end of the month, marking the time to deliver the blood to the spiritual fox. Jiu Ying took Fuling directly to Plum Lake Island, where the little serpent was also placed. "Senior Sister, can’t we really take it back with us?" Fuling was still unwilling to give up the idea of bringing the little serpent back to the sect. Jiu Ying frowned at the suggestion. Although she wanted to agree, her rational mind told her she couldn't indulge Fuling this time. "No. If there's ever a day when we aren’t in the sect, who will ensure its safety? Plum Lake Island is rich in spiritual energy, perfect for cultivating. It has already been prematurely transformed by medicine, damaging its body. Here, it can heal in peace." Her tone was resolute, leaving no room for negotiation. Fuling felt somewhat deflated, but she knew Jiu Ying was right. As days passed, the barrier at the Boundless Ravine weakened gradually, allowing more and more monsters to escape into the world. Considering the barrier was set by celestial cultivators, regular practitioners had no way to repair it. After discussions, the leaders of the four sects and the eight clans decided on the simplest yet most brutal solution to tackle the demon escape crisis— For each demon that escaped, one had to be captured. If they couldn't be caught, they would be directly exterminated. Undoubtedly, this was far from an ideal solution. There was already a thousand-year-old grudge between human cultivators and the demon clans, with conflicts at an irreconcilable stage. Employing such brutal methods to deal with the crisis at this moment could foreseeably lead to at least a century of unrest in the world. While the world grew more tumultuous by the day, the Azure Bamboo Sect remained peaceful and undisturbed. Three months passed in a flash. Celestial cultivators have extraordinary talent for cultivation, and under Jiu Ying’s guidance, Fuling’s abilities improved daily. After only six months of training, she had reached the advanced stage, albeit still behind the likes of Lin Yumiao, her progress was remarkably swift. The matter of subduing demons was something the four sects and eight clans dealt with, and Jiu Ying was uninterested in getting mixed up in that mess. Even though she wanted to avoid trouble, it didn’t mean trouble wouldn’t find her. With the barrier at the Boundless Ravine growing weaker, only small threats had escaped so far. The truly formidable demons and monsters were still lurking in the shadows. The four sects and eight clans chose the capture-and-kill method to deal with the escaped demons, and they would have to bear the consequences. In just a matter of days, retaliations from the demon clans emerged like a wildfire, overwhelming and unavoidable. When Fang Yuanqing arrived at the Azure Bamboo Sect, Jiu Ying was in the back mountain vegetable garden with her junior brothers and sisters, picking spring greens. Eating spring greens in spring ensures eternal peace. Fuling had long since mastered riding the wind. While everyone was busy toiling in the fields below, she seemed relaxed, summoning clouds from water and riding the breeze, having her own fun in the sky. The Azure Bamboo Sect was set in the depths of the mountains, situated at a high place and somewhat remote. From above, one could only see a vast expanse of lush forest. Spring had arrived, yet the chill in the mountains remained substantial. As Fuling concealed herself in the clouds, her gaze drifted towards the mountain gate where she noticed a green-clad young master approaching. As the person drew nearer, she realized a little parrot accompanied them. It turned out to be Fang Yuanqing, whom she hadn’t seen in a while. Since the last incident, the two had grown noticeably closer. Seeing her arrival, Fuling quickly informed Jiu Ying of the guest. A friend's visit should be a pleasant occasion. Jiu Ying set down the tender vegetables she was holding and cast her gaze towards the mountain gate, her brows knitting slightly. Recently, the disciples of the four sects had been preoccupied with hunting demons. Fang Yuanqing’s current visit surely bore significant requests. Although Jiu Ying preferred not to involve herself in the conflicts between the sects and the demon clans, as a member of the cultivation world, one's actions could seldom be entirely of their own choosing. Watching the carefree and blissfully unaware junior brothers and sisters around her, she sighed quietly, her face becoming increasingly somber. Fuling had a simple nature. She hadn't left the sect all these days and thus was oblivious to the happenings beyond its walls. So when she saw Fang Yuanqing arriving, she merely assumed her friend was here for leisure. Before they could even exchange greetings, the little parrot accompanying Fang Yuanqing began squawking— Run! Run! Run! Fuling couldn't understand why it kept repeating those words, and just as she was furrowing her brow in curiosity, it hollered even more chilling words— All dead! All dead! All dead! Hearing such words from a seemingly clueless parrot was undeniably shocking. Fuling was startled, her complexion paling, and she quickly withdrew her hand that had been reaching for the parrot. Jiu Ying’s expression shifted faintly, detecting an eerie implication in those words. Noticing the changes on their faces, Fang Yuanqing’s eyes flickered with sorrow, and when the air grew heavy with silence, she finally spoke in a trembling voice. "Last night, the Five Elders of the Demon Clan and the Four Stars of the Magic Clan attacked simultaneously. The entire Yuan family, all one hundred and eighty-five members, have perished." The Yuan family was one of the eight clans, known as the weakest. When the demon clans sought vengeance, they naturally targeted them first. The massacre of the Yuan family served both as a warning and a beginning. Jiu Ying pressed her lips tightly, her eyes dimming. The annihilation of the Yuan family in this era mirrored what had happened to the Azure Bamboo Sect in the past life; in the span of a single night, hundreds of lives vanished from existence. While the two powers fought, it was the innocents who paid the ultimate price. In this chaotic world, lacking power was itself a grave mistake. Fuling, merely listening, broke into a cold sweat on her back. She had yet to fully recover from the shock of the Yuan family’s extermination when Fang Yuanqing spoke again, revealing another chilling piece of news— "During their mission to subdue demons, the eldest sons from the He and Qin families were ambushed. They went missing for three days, only to be found hanging lifeless from the city gates of Guixi City. Yesterday, messages arrived, stating they had each met their end to the Spear of Piercing Bone and the Frost of Weeping Blood." The He family was known for weapon forging and the Qin family for their poisons; thus, the demons used their own creations to slay their descendants. Guixi City lay at the boundary of the He and Qin families' territories, the most bustling and prosperous place in the cultivation world. Hanging the bodies of the two young masters there was more than just a provocation—it was a formal declaration of war against human cultivators. Step by step, events unfolded just as Jiu Ying had predicted. Fang Yuanqing's face grew grave, her heart weighed down by fear over recent events. When facing such formidable and ruthless demons, even she dared not let down her guard for one moment. "The Yuan family is annihilated, the He and Qin families have both lost heirs, and the eldest young master of the Jiang family remains unconscious since his injury. The eight clans are filled with anxiety. On my way here, I met Miss Jiang at the Tian Gua Sect. She told me the Jiang family patriarch is considering withdrawing from the eight clans altogether..." The Jiang family had conducted affairs quietly in recent years, rarely involving themselves in other clans' matters. Though they had a much stronger standing compared to the destroyed Yuan family, Jiang Xun’s recent death and Jiang Dongxu’s unconscious state had left them in a precarious position. If the demon clans sought more revenge, the Jiang family could very likely be their next target. Jiang Huaide wished to extricate the Jiang family from the conflict for their security. Although an ideal thought, it was impossible to achieve. At this point, the eight clans were like grasshoppers tied to the same rope—united in their fate. Jiu Ying listened silently, not commenting on the matters. However, her brows furrowed more and more deeply. The air felt as if frozen, filled with a chilling sensation. The little parrot, seeing no one speaking, began its incessant chants of "All dead!" even more persistently, further frightening Fuling whose face turned deathly pale. Fang Yuanqing sighed lightly, extending her hand to gently soothe the parrot. "I didn’t come here solely because of the Yuan family’s tragedy. I was informed someone has secretly released the ancient beasts from Lingshan Cave Mansion—" Lingshan Cave Mansion? Jiu Ying paused upon hearing this. As far as she knew, Lingshan Cave Mansion wasn't set to open for at least another half year, so how could someone already have entered? Seeing her confusion, Fang Yuanqing couldn’t help but explain, "Three months ago, the Black Underworld Sect found the location of Lingshan Cave Mansion, but since the doors hadn't yet opened, Patriarch Fang hadn’t announced this discovery. Traditionally, the mansion should still be some time away from reappearing." "I’ve heard there’s a Demon Princess with dual pupils, her eyes blood-red and capable of seeing thousands of miles in the dark, able to perceive all hidden treasures in the world. It was likely she who released the ancient beasts from the mansion." In her past life, at merely sixteen, Jiu Ying was imprisoned by Si Qi. Consequently, she remained largely unaware of the later global happenings and knew little about the affairs of the demon and monster clans. Whether it was the Five Elders of the Demon Clan, the Four Stars of the Magic Clan, or that Demon Princess who could perceive all things, she had never heard of them. Recalling Fang Yuanqing’s earlier words, Jiu Ying had already roughly guessed why she was being sought out. "You want me to help subdue the ancient beasts?" Hearing this, Fang Yuanqing pursed her lips, hesitated for a moment, and then replied— "It’s not that I want it; it's that the cultivation world needs you. My visit today reflects the intention of the patriarch of Jinlin Sect as well as the head of the Black Underworld Sect. Although you conceded to Lin Yumiao during the sect competition, everyone knows your abilities aren't actually inferior to hers. In these chaotic times, talent is urgently needed. Whether for the sake of the Azure Bamboo Sect or for Fuling, you shouldn't just stand by." Her words weren't wrong. Having lived two lives, how could Jiu Ying not understand the principle of being interdependent like lips and teeth? Once the four sects and eight clans fall, the next to suffer would inevitably be the smaller sects, which have no means of protecting themselves. She opened her mouth slightly but didn’t immediately reply. Fuling, with her kind heart and pure sense of justice, started to grow anxious as she watched Jiu Ying hesitate. "Senior Sister, please agree to Miss Fang’s request." With Fuling persuading her from the side, Jiu Ying found it hard to refuse. She closed her eyes, with a faint trace of worry between her brows. Only when Fuling gently took hold of her hand did she finally let out a soft sigh and reopen her eyes. When her gaze shifted back to Fang Yuanqing, her eyes conveyed a deeply contemplative look. "Go and tell the head of the Black Underworld Sect that I can assist, but I have one condition— I want permanent access to the ice lake in the back mountain of the Black Underworld Sect." ※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※ Fuling: That's great, we get a hot spring to soak in.