Ning Zhou's expression grew slightly solemn. Beside him, Song Yao suddenly chimed in, “Since you were looking for the entrance anyway, isn't it perfect that they're already inside?”
The mermen grew even more anxious. “That may be true, but we can't find the entrance anymore. Our young prince only has two guards with him. We're afraid he might run into danger.”
They couldn't find the entrance again?
To think such a thing could happen.
It seemed they could only wait for the demon realm to swallow people, yet they couldn't enter of their own accord.
It appeared the demons within this demon realm were not entirely fearless.
Instead, they were expanding their territory bit by bit.
A very clever demon.
Ning Zhou comforted them, “Anxiety won't help right now. We can only search slowly. Our Nine Saints Hall has brought many people with us; they're right behind. They'll help when they arrive.”
Having said that, he really couldn't help but ask, “But if your young prince needs protection, why did he run into the demon realm? Isn't he just looking for trouble?”
At those words, the expressions of the mermen suddenly turned rather unsightly, and even their attitude grew a bit cold.
The woman leading them took a deep breath. “Isn't this all because of your Nine Saints Hall?!”
Ning Zhou was shocked. “What does this have to do with our Nine Saints Hall?”
Lacking energy, Song Yao shivered in the cold wind. Wrapping her cloak tightly around herself, she sat to the side and chimed in, “Exactly, exactly.”
“How can you play dumb? Didn't our mermen race already demand an explanation from you before?”
The woman said with slight irritation, “It's all because of that Song Yao from your Nine Saints Hall! She forcibly snatched our young prince's heart-protecting scale and refused to take responsibility for him. That's what forced our young prince to make a fuss about going to the Earth Realm to find her!”
“But the Earth Realm is too vast and dangerous, and the elders of our clan wouldn't allow it. When the young prince heard that the demon in the Frost City demon realm was a great demon from the Earth Realm, he insisted on coming to investigate the situation!”
“If Song Yao hadn't stolen it, why would our young prince be so deeply obsessed with her? Who else can we blame but her?”
This was the first time Ning Zhou had heard of this. He was momentarily at a loss for words. “Uh, are you... are you making this up? Why would Third Senior Sister steal your young prince's heart-protecting scale for no reason? Isn't that your mermen race's token of love?”
The woman gnashed her teeth. “How should I know why she stole the young prince's heart-protecting scale? Perhaps she just wanted to toy with our young prince.”
Song Yao: “...?”
Toy with him?
That was a very unpleasant choice of words!
He was clearly the one who had stolen her night-luminescent pearl first.
Considering how many people had inexplicably come to her demanding she take responsibility for them, Song Yao decided not to argue. She silently buried her face deeper into her fluffy cloak.
Ning Zhou sighed, “Even so, isn't she already dead? How can he be so obsessed...”
As he spoke, his thoughts drifted far away. He clicked his tongue and murmured in admiration, “But to make someone yearn for her like this, Third Senior Sister must have been a heroic, extraordinary person. If only she were still alive. I really want to meet her.”
Hearing this, Song Yao extended a hand from her cloak and, quite touched, squeezed his hand. “You have good taste. I like hanging out with you.”
Ning Zhou squeezed back. “You think so too, right? Making one or two people go crazy is nothing special, but making hundreds or thousands go mad is truly extraordinary. Third Senior Sister was definitely a legend.”
Song Yao felt as if she had found a kindred spirit. “I'll introduce you to her later.”
Since she talked nonsense all the time, Ning Zhou assumed she was joking and played along. “Sure, sure. When is 'later'?”
The faces of the mermen cultivators opposite them grew increasingly grim.
Wait.
What was wrong with these two?
Why did it feel like they were constantly provoking them...
Before they could speak, Cheng Yue suddenly called out from the riverbank a hundred meters away, “I found the entrance.”
The mermen stiffened. No longer having the time to bicker with them, they dropped the conversation and quickly rushed over.
The dark mist in that area was exceptionally thin, and the shadows of demons flashed through it from time to time.
It was indeed the entrance.
How strange.
They had searched this entire area thoroughly just now. Why hadn't they noticed the entrance was right here?
Cheng Yue's long sword left its scabbard, and a sharp sword qi slashed toward the river. The entire river was forced to fly backward. The powerful sword qi clashed with the thick black mist, forcefully carving out an opening to reveal a winding path hidden within the fog.
“It really is the entrance!”
The mermen cultivators were overjoyed. They hurriedly bowed to Cheng Yue. “Thank you, fellow Daoist. Even though you're from the same sect, you're so much more reliable.”
Ning Zhou: “??? Who are you calling unreliable?”
Song Yao patted his shoulder to comfort him. “It's fine, it's fine. I think you're quite reliable.”
Ning Zhou: “...Do you think she wasn't talking about you too?”
The mermen were clearly anxious to find their prince. Having no time to chat with them, they turned and plunged into the demon realm entrance.
Ning Zhou hesitated for a moment. “Are we really going in by ourselves? Master was injured so badly, and Ninth Elder and Twelfth Elder are missing. Isn't going in just committing suicide?”
Song Yao thought that made sense. Putting on her hood, she exhaled a breath of cold air. “Then I'll go in and look around. You guys wait outside.”
Ning Zhou shuddered and grabbed her, pulling her back. “Look around? Have you lost your mind? Just because you know a bit of swordplay, you think you're invincible! We sneaked out together to find Ninth Elder. If we're going in, we're going in together.”
With that, he dragged her behind him. “Do this: stay behind me. If we run into danger later, you run first.”
When she had first met him, he was still thin and small, only slightly taller than her, and he would wet his pants in fear upon seeing evil cultivators.
After two years of body cultivation, he had grown so large as he stood before her, and he could even protect her now.
Song Yao smiled and poked his back. “Our Ning Zhou is so impressive now.”
The two of them were used to bickering. Suddenly receiving such praise, Ning Zhou's back stiffened. He turned his head with a slightly unnatural expression and glared at her. “Stop being sarcastic.”
Song Yao's eyes curved into crescents. “What's wrong? You don't like hearing it?”
Ning Zhou didn't answer her. Instead, he urged Cheng Yue, who was bringing up the rear, “Cheng Yue, cover our backs, okay? Don't get lost.”
Cheng Yue nodded slightly, holding her sword as she followed behind Song Yao.
The three of them walked in a single file. Song Yao casually grabbed the tassel of Cheng Yue's sword and asked, “How did you find the entrance? Have you taken classes on formations?”
Generally speaking, formation cultivators led the way into a demon realm. Once they found the entrance, the others would enter to eliminate the demons.
Finding the entrance to such a large demon realm was bound to be difficult; it usually required a high-level formation cultivator.
“I've taken a few classes. Maybe I just got lucky and stumbled upon it.”
Cheng Yue's gaze swept over the churning black mist around them as she reminded her, “Watch the road. Don't look around, or you might fall.”
Song Yao gave a thoughtful hum and followed.
The mist around them grew thicker and thicker, gradually blurring their vision.
She gently poked Ning Zhou's waist with her folding fan. “Hold onto this, don't lose me.”
Rate on N.U.
