"We still can't just stand by and let Yulian City be destroyed."
Hearing the responses from the three cultivators, Chen Jinshu knew there was no point in trying to persuade them further. She wasn't sure what kind of emotional connection they had to Yulian City, but at the very least, they seemed like decent people.
"Xiao Yin, go scout the area near Yulian City. Find out what exactly is happening. I'll send a message to nearby sect disciples for reinforcements."
After releasing Xiao Yin, she immediately gave the order.
"Yes, Master!"
Upon hearing her command, Xiao Yin turned into a dark blur and sped off toward Yulian City. The fact that thick, white smoke was billowing from the city—five hundred li away—meant things were far worse than she had anticipated.
Charging in recklessly would be no different from walking into death. She had no personal ties to Yulian City and thus no reason to risk her life. Without hesitation, she contacted Wang Quan, who had more resources and connections, hoping he could bring some sect disciples to assist.
The region near the Bai Chong Mountains was extremely remote and resource-poor, so very few cultivators ever passed through. A moment later, Xiao Yin transmitted what he had seen directly into her mind. According to his account, a black-robed cultivator was launching a fierce attack from above the city.
The city lord and a few rogue cultivators tried to resist with their spells, but they were either killed outright or gravely wounded, lying helpless on the ground. The city lord's condition looked particularly dire—pale-faced and on the brink of death. The attacker wore a mask, with faintly crimson eyes gleaming from within.
"A demonic cultivator... attacking a city?"
Chen Jinshu frowned slightly and cast a spell to see what was happening. In an instant, Yulian City appeared before her—almost entirely in ruins. The once-clean streets were now buried in collapsed buildings and mangled flesh. There were no more cries for help from the citizens. When cultivators slaughtered a city of mortals, it was nothing short of annihilation.
The power gap between cultivators and mortals was vast. Even someone at the first level of Qi Refining could wreak havoc upon ordinary people. The three rogue cultivators who had rushed from the Shuqingshi mine to aid the city were now being tortured mercilessly by the black-robed figure.
They were completely helpless, their bodies broken by a few devastating strikes, before having their heads obliterated—becoming one with the bloodstained ground. Just ten breaths later, Wang Quan replied: although the Xuanming Sect had plenty of disciples, few were willing to come.
In the end, fewer than ten agreed, with only three being at the Foundation Establishment level—including Wang Quan himself.
"So few Foundation Establishment disciples…"
Chen Jinshu only sighed. At least they were honest about it—better than making excuses or stalling. She understood the reason: aiding a city already on the verge of destruction offered no benefit, and might even cost them dearly.
"What should we do next?"
Images transmitted by Xiao Yin kept flashing through her spiritual sea—streets full of blood, corpses everywhere. Even if she rushed in immediately, it would already be too late. Based on the current situation, even if she and the three cultivators joined forces, Yulian City was beyond saving.
Especially since no one knew the black-robed figure's true strength—he might unleash even more devastating spells if provoked. There was also a deeper possibility: this black-robed man had a specific reason for being here.
Some of the city's residents and cultivators had hired the Xuanming Sect to deal with a serpent demon. She had accepted that task and slain both the demon and its master, which might have angered the power behind them.
So—was the destruction of Yulian City caused by her actions?
She couldn't quite untangle it. Of course, she had some karmic involvement in the matter. But how much, she didn't know.
"Master, Master! I've been spotted! He's chasing me!"
Xiao Yin came flapping back in panic, wings flailing.
"How strong is he?"
"He's much stronger than you, Master," Xiao Yin responded quickly.
"You've done your job. Take a rest now."
She swiftly stored Xiao Yin back in the container. Based on its words, the attacker's cultivation was between the mid and late stages of Foundation Establishment—definitely stronger than her. Chen Jinshu quickly donned a concealment robe and sped westward.
This time she used the Yinluan Escape Technique, which Xiao Yin had taught her. She hadn't quite mastered it, but while it lacked the speed of Rainbow Step, it left no trail behind.
After looping around for a while, she circled back toward Yulian City from two hundred li to the west. The black-robed man had likely paused to clean up the scene before chasing Xiao Yin—making Yulian City the safest place to go for now.
Not because she had to return—but because she needed evidence to prove her innocence should the sect investigate.
She took out a memory stone and began recording the scene before her. Floating just three zhang above the ground, she had a clear view of the ruins of Yulian City. The entire city had been destroyed in less than half an hour. By the time she'd noticed something was wrong and investigated, the damage was already complete.
Perhaps due to her spiritual sensitivity, she could feel an overwhelming grudge and resentment lingering in the air—an unwillingness to fade.
Yulian City was one of the larger settlements in this region. She estimated the population to be at least 10,000, or at the very least, 5,000.
Now… who knew if even a single soul had survived?
Whether it was guilt or the responsibility from accepting the original demon-hunting task, Chen Jinshu slowly walked through the blood-soaked ruins.
The ground was strewn with severed limbs and lifeless bodies. A half-severed head lay nearby—evidence of the unspeakable pain the people had endured in their final moments.
She soon arrived at the corpses of the city lord and several rogue cultivators. All of them were long dead. Their bodies had dried up, though faint traces of spiritual energy remained due to their cultivation.
"It's not that I didn't want to help. Even if I had come, I couldn't have changed anything," Chen Jinshu said softly to their corpses.
She understood—this wasn't guilt. Nor did she need to feel guilty. This wasn't her fault.
At most, she was a witness. Even if she hadn't taken the task, someone else eventually would have, and Yulian City would still have been destroyed.
Only… that someone wouldn't have been her.
Cough, cough!
"Someone's still alive?" Hope sparked in Chen Jinshu's heart. She immediately turned toward the direction of the faint coughing.