Loyal Heart Roaming the Skies

Halfway through the journey, he saw a burst of red fireworks shooting into the sky, igniting three times in a row.

This was a distress signal from the Taoist Academy.

Wei Yan immediately grabbed Shen Nanqi and increased his speed.

He didn't want to miss the best opportunity for rescue, nor could he leave the exhausted Shen Nanqi behind. So he pretended not to see the resistance from Shen Nanqi and his group.

Outside Xiaolin Town.

Wei Yan, who had rushed over at high speed, landed with a single step.

He happened to stop in front of Jiang Wang and his two brothers who were searching here.

The investigation of the Bingwu Mission had temporarily come to an end because Dong A requested confidentiality. In order to avoid alerting the enemy, Fang Heling was now a free agent.

This investigation mission could only be temporarily shelved, of course, it was officially closed.

The twelfth lunar month was the end of the year. Jiang Wang and his two brothers had been actively completing tasks, accumulating Dao merits like beasts preparing for winter.

After this period of effort, they had completed the integration of their strengths in the Transcendent Realm battles, and their strengths had made significant progress.

Linghe completed the small Circulating Realm on the thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month, still breaking through at the limit speed under ordinary talent. Zhaorucheng was even more outstanding, breaking through a few days before Linghe, surpassing him.

Jiang Wang, on the other hand, had been refining his Dao techniques and consolidating his foundation, consuming a large amount of Dao Yuan, which slowed down his progress in breaking through.

In the past Challenge Day in the twelfth lunar month, his ranking in the blessed land had dropped to the twenty-seventh Donggong Mountain. His monthly merit production was only 1450 points. Adding the previous points, he only had a total of 4120 points.

This undoubtedly intensified Jiang Wang's sense of urgency, but he was not in a hurry to break through.

This was the matter that Dong A had repeatedly urged him about.

But in reality, the team of three Circulating Realm cultivators had already risen unexpectedly in the City Taoist Academy's Dao Merit Ranking, overturning many senior brothers.

Jiang Wang had already reserved the position of the top three-year student in the Three Cities Dao Competition next year. Even at the end of the year, he had a chance to directly take the county examination.

Du Yehu, who was in Jiujing Xuanjia, and his brothers all had a bright future.

Under Dong A's responsibility, the shadow brought by the Bone Dao gradually faded away, and Jiang Wang was now full of beautiful imaginations for the future.

Today, their team happened to be nearby, executing a new mission. When they saw the distress signal, they rushed over immediately. However, after searching for a long time, they found nothing.

...

"Did you encounter the disciples from the Taoist Academy who sent the distress signal?" Wei Yan asked.

Linghe replied, "We were nearby and came over immediately when we saw the distress signal, but we didn't see anyone. There was no trace of a battle either."

Everyone understood what this meant.

The disciples from the Taoist Academy must have encountered an opponent they couldn't resist, which is why there was no trace of a battle left behind.

So why were they still able to send a distress signal?

Thinking of this, it sent shivers down their spines.

"We need to hurry back to the city and report this." Zhao Rucheng said.

The abandoned Xiaolin Town was not far away, and the ruins seemed to be telling the past.

Telling what had happened here and what had been left behind.

What happened was certainly a painful memory, and what was left behind was only shame.

The moon cypress tree outside the town was growing well - no one dared to come here to steal it anymore.

"Let's go." Wei Yan turned around and said.

"Aren't we going to search a little longer?" Linghe hesitated.

Zhao Rucheng had suggested going back to the city earlier, but it was because of Linghe's repeated requests that the three brothers had searched nearby for a while, and that was how they encountered Wei Yan and the others who were searching.

Zhao Rucheng pulled him, "Let's go, Big Brother. Don't worry about other people's affairs!"

Jiang Wang had been silent all along because as soon as they left Xiaolin Town, his mind was filled with a sudden uneasiness.

But he couldn't explain where this uneasiness came from, so he just protected Shen Nanqi and continued walking forward.

At this moment, Shen Nanqi was like a walking corpse, not caring who he followed or where he was going.

But Jiang Wang keenly sensed that there was an extremely sharp aura spreading slowly within him.

The brothers looked at each other and understood that after today's blow, Shen Nanqi was about to push open the door to heaven!

...

It wasn't until Jiang Wang and the others had walked far away that Wei Yan suddenly turned around and rushed towards Xiaolin Town.

Quick as lightning, the golden aura of the Jin Xing Yuan Qi gathered towards him.

His figure was as sharp as a blade, cutting through the wind as he advanced.

After walking for half a day, he arrived in an instant.

But it was still quiet here, as if nothing existed.

This was a desolate ruin where even the souls did not exist, because the souls here had all become sacrifices to the virtual shadow of the Ghost Gate.

Wei Yan held the Fast Snow Blade and walked among the ruins.

Teahouses, wine shops, one-wheeled carts...His steps were sometimes fast, sometimes slow, but he had almost circled the entire Xiaolin Town without finding any traces.

Nor did he wait for an attack.

Finally, he stopped, standing in the center of Xiaolin Town, on that vacant flat ground - the location where the phantom of the Ghost Gate was originally condensed.

"Come out! You won't wait for anything!" Wei Yan suddenly shouted.

As if a breeze blew by, a man in black brocade appeared before him. Under the tied-up long hair was the stern face of Wei Quji.

"So it's you who followed!" Wei Yan sneered, "Using me as bait? That's something you would do. Too bad you've been exposed!"

"That only proves that you're a waste, not worth their risk!"

Wei Quji seemed to disdain to respond, just harshly dropped this sentence and left in a whirlwind.

He seemed to never expect an answer, only needed to express his will.

"Aren't you a waste too?" Wei Yan gritted his teeth, gripping his sword tightly, "My... father?"

...

Returning to Fenglin City, he sent Shen Nanqi back to his residence.

The three brothers went to the Hall of Dao Merit to select tasks. After distributing the Dao Merit, they prepared to go back separately.

"Third Brother, are you okay?" Zhao Rucheng asked.

"I'm fine." Jiang Wang forced a smile, "Maybe it's because I found out today that many of our brothers have died, and I feel a bit uneasy."

"Go back and rest well." Ling He patted his shoulder. There was no other consolation for such things. On the path of cultivation, they would experience a lot more.

Walking out of the main gate of the Hall of Dao Merit, Ling He lived in the Dao Academy dormitory, Zhao Rucheng left the Dao Academy gate to go home. And Jiang Wang returned to Flying Horse Lane from the back door of the Dao Academy.

The three brothers parted ways.

Jiang Wang walked forward alone. When he reached the back door, his steps suddenly faltered.

He had just spaced out, and the ruins of Xiaolin Town seemed to appear before his eyes. He also saw, in the center of Xiaolin Town, a huge, pitch-black vortex appeared!

He came to his senses, and in front of him was a Dao Academy disciple who was asking with concern.

"It's okay, it's okay." Jiang Wang kept saying.

He took a step forward, but his steps felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.

Was it... an illusion?