Before Qin Xiao left, he had also asked her if Xue Ying had followed them to Jinji Ridge after the three of them parted ways at their meeting point.
Qin Xiao thought for a long time before saying with great certainty that she had not followed.
So where had she gone?
Why hadn't she come to Jinji Ridge to find him?
Was she still angry?
After Mo Qi left Jinji Ridge, without a commander, Jiang Xia quickly led the Zhou soldiers to occupy Jinji Ridge.
Mo Qi was not concerned about these matters at all, nor were they within his purview.
He was only worried about Xue Ying. She was alone in Dongsheng Continent, unfamiliar with the terrain, and her cultivation was low, making her very vulnerable.
He hadn't realized she was so stubborn and petty before.
If there were disagreements, they should discuss them. Running away in a huff wouldn't solve anything.
Just as he was thinking of Xue Ying, she suddenly appeared before him, her eyes glistening with tears, as if she had just been crying.
Mo Qi's heart soared, dispelling his previous gloom. He smiled and said, "You're back? It's good that you're back. We can take our time to think things through, and there will always be a way."
"Yes, Shopkeeper Mo, I was wrong. I shouldn't have left in a fit of pique," Xue Ying said, throwing herself into Mo Qi's arms.
Mo Qi felt very relieved and gently patted her fragrant shoulders. "It's alright, it's alright. I can forgive all your mistakes."
"Really?" Xue Ying's tone suddenly changed, sending a chill down his spine.
Mo Qi suddenly felt something was wrong. Xue Ying's eyes were not right, and Xue Ying would never proactively throw herself into his arms.
With this thought, he immediately sprang back.
The moment she said "Really?", he had already sprung away.
But as Lian Xin spoke, she had already attacked Mo Qi.
Mo Qi sprang back, but he was still a step too late.
Lian Xin struck Mo Qi with the "Shadow Soul Shatter." Although Mo Qi had already escaped a distance and activated his protective golden body, he was still sent flying, his soul almost leaving his body, his entire body almost falling apart. He collapsed to the ground.
Lian Xin approached Mo Qi step by step, a smile on her face and killing intent in her eyes. "Lust is a double-edged sword. This is how you died in your previous life, and surprisingly, it's the same in this life. I didn't expect this method to be so effective. Why don't you ever learn your lesson?"
Mo Qi looked at Lian Xin with grief-filled eyes. "Was it Lian Xi who met me a few days ago?"
Lian Xin continued to approach Mo Qi slowly. "Of course, it was her. If I didn't let the real one come out to lure you, how could I dare to impersonate her to deceive you? Wouldn't that be courting death?"
Still two zhang away from Mo Qi, Lian Xin suddenly stopped. She formed a hand seal and pushed forward. A human-shaped silhouette burst out of her body and lunged towards Mo Qi, its face ferocious as it clawed and grabbed in mid-air.
It swept through everything like a destructive force, kicking up sand and dust, filling the air with smoke.
The human silhouette also had the effect of bewitching the mind. At this moment, Mo Qi seemed to have lost his senses, his eyes vacant, his expression dull. Coupled with his body slumped on the ground, he seemed to be waiting for death.
Lian Xin was overjoyed!
It was all worth the long planning and the effort she had put in.
She wondered why she wanted to kill him.
It was only because he had left behind debts from his past life, and she feared he would come to collect them!
People say that debts are feared when they are to be collected, and it was true. Lian Xin felt it most deeply. Ever since she knew Mo Qi was the reincarnation of Li Fan, she had been living in constant fear, unable to sleep at night. She suffered torment every day, and her hair was falling out in clumps.
But now she didn't have to worry. As long as she killed him, everything would be over. She could go back to sleep peacefully!
This time, she would sleep for a very, very long time!
At this moment, Mo Qi suddenly revealed a sly smile, which startled Lian Xin, causing her to instinctively take a step back.
And the human silhouette actually dissipated on its own.
Mo Qi pointed his hand, and with a hum, the Donghuang Bell let out a clear chime, appearing between heaven and earth.
Once it appeared, the Donghuang Bell began to spin rapidly, its mouth facing Lian Xin. Dazzling light shot out from the bell's mouth, enveloping Lian Xin. The outer layer was iridescent, like a golden waterfall.
The human silhouette was instantly drawn into the Donghuang Bell, letting out a human-like scream as it was torn into pieces.
Lian Xin was greatly alarmed. Her entire body was also being twisted and pulled, about to be sucked into the Donghuang Bell.
Mo Qi did not want to kill her himself. He floated up beside the Donghuang Bell, his figure somewhat majestic, like a celestial being. "You still have a chance to live, as long as you honestly answer my questions."
"Speak," Lian Xin said, her body contorted as she struggled desperately in the divine light, her heart filled with extreme fear. "Ask whatever you want."
"Where is Lian Xi?" Mo Qi asked.
"In the Demon Realm. Her mission here is complete, and we have taken her back to the Demon Realm. Just in case, if I can't kill you, we'll have a backup," Lian Xin said in terror.
"She is, after all, your sister from your past life. How can you be so cruel?"
"That's why we haven't killed her yet," Lian Xin continued.
Mo Qi increased his strength, intending to kill her with one blow.
At this moment, Lian Xin suddenly shouted, "You can't kill me! If I die, Father and the others will directly kill Lian Xi."
Mo Qi hesitated, and in his distraction, Lian Xin found an opportunity. A phantom suddenly emerged from her body, and her body used the force to spring away. Then, another shadow emerged, and her body sprang away again, breaking free from the restraint. She unfolded her form and fled into the distance.
"If you want to save Lian Xi, come to Vengeance Mountain in the Demon Realm," Lian Xin said without looking back.
Mo Qi did not pursue. He retracted the Donghuang Bell and said loudly in the direction Lian Xin had fled, "I will go to the Demon Realm to save her, but the day I arrive at Vengeance Mountain will also be the day the Demon Emperor is destroyed."
His voice echoed through the sky, lingering for a long time.
The air was silent, as if Lian Xin had already gone far.
Mo Qi's heart felt empty, just like his surroundings.
He drifted like a ghost in that empty environment.
Upon returning to Biyou Palace, Mo Qi released Kong Xuan and kept him in his residence, much like keeping another pet. No one paid any attention. He collected the twenty-four Dinghai Divine Pearls from Kong Xuan and kept them for himself, as Kong Xuan was not needed for the time being.
Daoist Duobao and others also realized that this pet was extraordinary, but they did not gossip.
Jin'ao Island was blessed with abundant spiritual energy, and with Mo Qi feeding Kong Xuan pills daily, Kong Xuan recovered quickly.
Mo Qi, on the other hand, accelerated his cultivation. The mission to seize the Investiture of the Gods was not yet complete, and it was a very arduous task that required great strength.
With the continuous nourishment from spirit beast pills, beast soul pills, and soul sea cordyceps, the constant tempering from the refining pool, and the driving force of cultivating the Star Sea Illusion Flow, Mo Qi's cultivation progressed rapidly.
The back mountain of Biyou Palace was truly an excellent place for cultivation. Occasionally, rare treasures would appear, making people exclaim with delight. He had indeed come to the right place.
Even old hands like Duobao and Gui Ling Sheng Mu would occasionally venture into the mountains to seek opportunities.
One day, Mo Qi took Kong Xuan into the back mountain. Once they were in a secluded spot, he released Xiao Budian, Fire Demon, and Little Blood Man. He searched himself for the Demon King, only to find that the Demon King was missing again.
Mo Qi was extremely displeased. How could this child be so mischievous? He would definitely spank her when he returned later.
He had originally intended to gather a team in this desolate area. With one person missing, it felt like a lot was missing, and the team felt rather thin.
The Fire Demon no longer clamored to leave. Following Mo Qi, he always had pills to eat and could go to many places he had never been before. If it were in the past, he could only huddle in a desolate place like the Demon Realm.
Xiao Budian still chased after him to bite his tail, but he had now gained experience and could easily escape the entanglement, handling it with ease.
Among these monsters, Little Blood Man was the most melancholic. He would shed tears from time to time, sighing sadly, "The heavenly tribulation is approaching, and the end is near."
This made Mo Qi and the other monsters extremely uncomfortable. He wouldn't say anything else, only repeating, "The heavenly tribulation is approaching, and the end is near," in a mournful and piercing voice that sent shivers down one's spine.
Moreover, the tears he shed were blood tears. Even without the accompanying voice, it was enough to make one's heart pound.
Whenever this happened, the Fire Demon would curse him, "End, end, you keep talking about the end, why aren't you dead yet?"
Mo Qi fell into deep thought. In the depths of his heart, he also had a feeling, as if it were a revelation from the laws of heaven and earth, that this heavenly tribulation seemed different from the past.
In the past, heavenly tribulations were for the gods to undergo trials, leading to great chaos in the world.
But this time, it seemed to be a tribulation for all beings, a great chaos for all realms!
Even Little Blood Man could sense it, which showed how terrifying its destructive power was!
As they walked forward, they suddenly saw two figures chasing each other ahead. One voice said urgently, "Junior brother, why have you come to someone else's back mountain? This is a forbidden area. Hurry and come back with me."
The other voice retorted, "Haven't you also come to someone else's back mountain? If you hadn't come, how would you have found me? We are birds of a feather, so don't pretend to be pure."
It was unfortunate that Mo Qi recognized both of them; they were Guang Chengzi and Shen Bao from the Yuqing Sect.
These two had actually come here to try their luck, which was truly detestable!
Mo Qi wanted to step out and uphold justice. Just then, he heard Guang Chengzi say, "Stop talking nonsense. I've come to return the Golden Cloud Crown. I killed the Fire Spirit Mother and have come to Biyou Palace to return the Golden Cloud Crown that was previously used by the Fire Spirit Mother. This is both to apologize and to inform the people of the Shangqing Sect that we do not wish to be enemies, and our sole focus is on the great task of the Investiture of the Gods. Any offense was out of necessity."
"If you're returning the Golden Cloud Crown, why did you come to their back mountain?"
"I, I just took a wrong turn."
"Haha, don't pretend to be a good person. Your purpose is the same as mine, isn't it? You're after the Innate Supreme Treasure Spirit Branch, aren't you? The three sects each have one Innate Supreme Treasure Spirit Branch, used to nurture Innate Supreme Treasures. If this thing is eaten..."
"Junior brother, don't say any more... keep your voice down."
Mo Qi's interest was piqued. This thing was definitely a good item!
However, the sect leader would absolutely not allow his disciples to engage in such destructive practices. If one person benefited, what about the thousands upon thousands of disciples who would come later? They would have nothing to eat. Moreover, if the Spirit Branch was destroyed, what would the Shangqing Sect rely on to attract disciples in the future?
What does it have to do with me?
I'm not the sect leader!