Jiang Yiling was astonished, but his trust in Yan Jiaojiao was unwavering, so he didn't dodge, but quietly awaited the result.
Yan Jiaojiao did not disappoint Jiang Yiling. Her fingers brushed past Jiang Yiling's hair, as if grabbing something, and pulled out an ugly creature that looked like a cub of a spirit beast.
The creature seemed to have appeared by tearing through the barrier. Jiang Yiling couldn't see it, but from Xu Changzong's angle, he saw it clearly. Yan Jiaojiao first grabbed the creature's head and forcibly pulled it out of the rift in the air.
"What is this!"
Jiang Yiling also saw the ugly thing. It looked a bit like a monkey, but its skin was red and wrinkled, like a newborn baby with a bit of fur.
However, it was larger than a child, with very sharp claws on its limbs, making it particularly terrifying.
"This is a Renmian Kui!"
"What is a Renmian Kui?"
Jiang Yiling and Xu Changzong were both confused.
They had never heard of this thing before.
Yan Jiaojiao frowned. She knew about it because it existed in her era as well. She had previously noticed that things from the two eras were largely similar, but she hadn't expected some things to truly exist while people of this era didn't recognize them, yet she did.
A flicker of surprise crossed Yan Jiaojiao's mind, but she didn't dwell on it.
After all, Jiang Yiling and Xu Changzong were just disciples, likely only having studied at the Ge Nan Academy. It was normal for them not to have seen such strange creatures.
"A Renmian Kui is this thing. It resembles a newborn infant but can tear through space and hide in temporal rifts, appearing as if it has its own separate barrier. They are usually impossible to detect. These Renmian Kui often hide and attack people, striking when others are unprepared, which is extremely detestable!"
Jiang Yiling and Xu Changzong listened, dumbfounded: "There are such things?"
"Is this a spirit beast?"
Neither of them had heard of it and couldn't understand why such things would be in the Wangliang Secret Realm.
"No," Yan Jiaojiao's expression turned grim, "this is a creature of the demon race."
"These things are formed from some kind of spirits. They are very difficult to kill. Unless they are completely crushed and exploded by talismans, as long as even a shred of their soul remains, they can regenerate."
Jiang Yiling and Xu Changzong's eyes widened: "No, why are there demon race members here?"
"The Wangliang Secret Realm is located in Wangliang Mountain, isn't it? Wangliang Mountain should be the territory of human cultivators. And Wangliang Mountain has always been used as a venue for major competitions. With such a heavy human presence here, how dare the demon race come? Are they seeking death?"
"Not necessarily."
Yan Jiaojiao furrowed her brow. "The appearance of the demon race is indeed quite strange, but haven't you forgotten? There are human cultivators in the Wangliang Secret Realm."
"Isn't that old man one of them?"
"Since there are human cultivators and spirit beasts, what's strange about the demon race being here?"
Although she said this, Yan Jiaojiao's expression wasn't relaxed.
She had a nagging feeling that something was not right, but she couldn't quite pinpoint what it was.
"Let's not worry about that for now. Be careful, these abominable things are unpredictable."
Jiang Yiling looked at Yan Jiaojiao, wanting to speak but hesitating.
He wanted to ask how Yan Jiaojiao had spotted the Renmian Kui on his shoulder, about to bite his head, if the creature was invisible and intangible.
Although Jiang Yiling was very curious, he assumed it might be some of Yan Jiaojiao's unique secret techniques and felt it inappropriate to ask, as it would put her in an awkward position.
However, Xu Changzong had no such reservations. He directly looked at Yan Jiaojiao and asked how she could see the Renmian Kui.
Jiang Yiling silently glanced at Xu Changzong, thinking, "Brother, you're bold."
Although Yan Jiaojiao seemed easy to get along with now, there was always a faint sense of distance about her. Moreover, Jiang Yiling always felt that Yan Jiaojiao possessed an aura of authority befitting someone of higher status.
This unconsciously made him lower his stance, fearing he might displease her.
"It wasn't seen,"
Yan Jiaojiao glanced at the two of them and said, "It was felt."
"Although they can conceal their forms, their energy fluctuations cannot be hidden. You can sense them, but it depends on your speed. You must be swift, accurate, and decisive, because they only exhibit energy fluctuations when they strike. By the time you sense it, they have already attacked."
"So, to capture one, one would have to suffer heavy losses?"
Jiang Yiling felt a pang of pain listening to this.
That thing had nearly bitten off his head just now!
If Yan Jiaojiao hadn't acted quickly, he would have been unable to resist!
"That's right."
Yan Jiaojiao scanned her surroundings. The sky had completely darkened, and strange energy fluctuations permeated the air, indicating the presence of many Renmian Kui around them.
They didn't have time to waste here!
Yan Jiaojiao's eyes sharpened. She bit her middle finger, drawing blood, and flicked it away while chanting an obscure incantation.
"Open!"
Blazing flames suddenly erupted, engulfing the area in a sea of fire. Figures abruptly appeared in the sky that had been empty moments before.
These creatures were similar to the Renmian Kui Yan Jiaojiao had just captured, some were smaller, some larger.
Yan Jiaojiao casually threw the Renmian Kui she held in her hand, simultaneously shoving her spiritual energy orb into its mouth.
"Squeak squeak..."
The Renmian Kui let out heart-wrenching screams.
Jiang Yiling and Xu Changzong didn't stand idle. Now that they could see the Renmian Kui, they quickly launched attacks. Although Xu Changzong couldn't use spiritual energy orbs, he had other medicinal items that were effective against these creatures. The Renmian Kui fell from above, writhing on the ground and emitting squeaking sounds like rats.
Yan Jiaojiao said, "Never mind them, let's go quickly. Finding Wen Jinshu and the others is important!"
Wen Jinshu and the others should have also encountered attacks from Renmian Kui. She wondered if they recognized the creatures. If they didn't know to avoid them, their situation might be dire.
Yan Jiaojiao narrowed her eyes. Although there were signs of struggle at the scene, there wasn't any fatal bleeding, so they should be fine.
Yan Jiaojiao led Jiang Yiling and Xu Changzong in a desperate run and finally found the three semi-conscious individuals in a tree hollow.
They had indeed been attacked by Renmian Kui, with injuries of various sizes, some parts having their flesh literally torn away.
Fortunately, there were no fatal wounds.
The Wooden Token disciple was the least injured but was utterly exhausted, appearing to have been using his spiritual energy to treat them continuously.
He had now collapsed from exertion and fainted.
"I'll do it." Xu Changzong stepped forward voluntarily, and Yan Jiaojiao also quickly used her wood-elemental spiritual energy to treat them.
After a while, Wen Jinshu and Xiao Su slowly opened their eyes.