After a full day of traveling, everyone was utterly exhausted. Having eaten their spiritual grain, they settled down to rest, some lying down fully clothed to sleep, while others sat cross-legged to meditate and restore their spirit.
However, the horrifying image of empty spirits devouring people lingered in their minds. Moreover, despite the golden light holding the spirits at bay, the relentless thrashing outside never stopped. Unable to find peace of mind, none of them slept well.
Those who lay down tossed and turned, while those meditating frequently opened their eyes, gazing outside with anxious expressions.
It was not until the late hours of the night that everyone finally put the dread behind them. The commotion within the temple gradually quieted down, leaving only the occasional crackle of sparks exploding from the campfire.
Qingzhou spread a soft, thick animal hide on the ground for Shi Yu, who lay upon it with her eyes closed in a light slumber. He sat on the floor beside her, watching over her carefully.
Ji Yu and Mo Tong spread another hide, squeezing together to sleep in their clothes.
Su Guanying felt an unexplainable restlessness. Logically, she was long accustomed to the sight of empty spirits devouring human prey, yet an unsettling foreboding plagued her tonight, fueling wild thoughts that kept sleep at bay.
Releasing a silent sigh, she opened her eyes. Her gaze happened to sweep past Shi Yu's spot. Spotting Shi Yu and Qingzhou, a subtle oddness flickered in her eyes; she couldn't help but feel that these two young gentlemen were unusually intimate.
Shaking her head, she refrained from overthinking it. Silently reciting a mental mantra, she forced herself to calm down, and after an unknown length of time, she finally drifted off.
...
Shi Yu had already reached the Foundation Establishment Realm, so she had no need for sleep to restore her energy. Though she appeared asleep, her divine sense was submerged inside the Fate-Tapping Bell, busily at work.
Over a month had passed since she scattered those spiritual flower seeds. The spiritual Qi inside the Fate-Tapping Bell was exceptionally dense, far exceeding the outside world. Coupled with her frequent watering using Life Spring water, those seeds had long grown into mature plants. They looked hardly inferior to the century-old spiritual flowers of the Hundred Flowers Sect; with a bit more time, their quality would surely match them.
Now, vast patches of spiritual flowers were in full bloom, like stars scattered across the space inside the Fate-Tapping Bell, vibrant and dazzlingly colorful. Each variety emitted a distinct fragrance—some light and refreshing, others rich and intoxicating. These scents blended together, weaving a wonderful wave of spiritual Qi that refreshed the heart and mind.
The butterfly pupae and bee eggs had also emerged and hatched. Numerous varieties of spirit butterflies fluttered gracefully about, alighting on the spiritual flowers from time to time to feed on nectar.
However, having emerged only recently, it would take several months before they could produce phosphorus powder.
As for the bees, they had just hatched as well, and the young bees were not yet capable of gathering nectar, so Shi Yu fed them with Hundred Flowers Nectar for now.
She watered the spiritual flowers once more, added more Hundred Flowers Nectar for the young bees, and then warned Little Seven, who was nearby drooling and eyeing the bees and butterflies with eager anticipation, “No eating them.”
Only then did her divine sense withdraw from the Fate-Tapping Bell.
Having finished her tasks, Shi Yu was about to sit up and meditate when her ears twitched. She sharply detected faint noises coming from outside the small temple.
A flurry of chaotic footsteps approached rapidly from afar, heading straight toward the temple. Judging by the sound, there was a considerable number of people.
“Is someone coming?” Her eyes narrowed. She sat up and looked toward the entrance.
In the next instant, a flash of golden light streaked past, and several burly, battered middle-aged cultivators practically threw themselves into the small temple, crashing onto the floor with heavy thuds.
The commotion startled everyone awake. Rising to their feet, they looked over on high alert.
The newly arrived cultivators numbered seven in total. Covered in blood and grime, their spirit robes hung in tattered shreds. Some even bore deep, gory wounds, presenting a gruesome sight.
They had clearly just survived a siege by empty spirits. Now inside the temple, suddenly out of harm's way, they shoved a few pills into their mouths, panting heavily as their inner Qi surged unsteadily.
Inside the temple, everyone exchanged glances, their expressions turning tense.
No one in the ancient desert was ignorant of the terror of empty spirits. Once night fell, every place outside the temples protected by Buddhist light was a death zone. Stepping outside meant being swarmed and torn to shreds in an instant—the team of cultivators who failed to enter in time earlier was proof enough.
Yet these men had actually traveled through the night and escaped a siege of empty spirits!
Shi Yu's gaze drifted downward, falling onto the hand of the leader, and she slightly raised her brows.
The leader held an unknown object that emitted a dense golden light, which looked identical to the Buddhist light radiating from the temple's golden statue.
She secretly surmised, They must be relying on that object in his hand to dare travel through the ancient desert at night...
Once the newcomers caught their breath and stabilized their Qi, they glanced around the small temple, stowed away the glowing golden object, and walked toward the group.
Shi Yu exchanged a glance with Qingzhou, her eyes shifting slightly. Not far away, Su Guanying and the others wore grim expressions.
These men emanated a heavy fiendish aura and undeniable malevolence—they clearly harbored ill intentions.
Sure enough, the men surveyed the room as they walked. After taking stock of the caravan members' cultivation bases, they sat down brazenly by the campfire, occupying most of the space.
Cowing under the intimidating pressure radiating from them, the caravan members who had been resting there dared not speak up in anger. They had no choice but to shift farther away to yield their spots.
Standing alongside her Ninth Uncle, Su Guanying grew even more uneasy upon seeing their brazen behavior, her posture shifting into a defensive stance.
“Third Young Lady, these men... none of their cultivation levels are lower than mine,” Ninth Uncle whispered, his eyes full of vigilance.
Su Guanying took a deep breath. “Let us see what they intend to do before making any moves.”
All seven were Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators, and their spiritual artifacts gleamed with bright light, indicating exceptional quality. Even with the aid of that mysterious glowing object, their ability to escape a horde of empty spirits proved that their individual strength was formidable.
As for the caravan's side, though they were numerous—totaling forty people when counting Shi Yu's group and the six traveling cultivators—they had only three Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators in total.
The difference of an entire major realm meant a massive gulf in strength, one that sheer numbers could hardly overcome.
The atmosphere suddenly grew tense and volatile.
In the next moment, the burly Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator leading the group looked around, glanced at Su Guanying, and burst into laughter. “I noticed a few Sand Camels tied outside, and the carriages are carved with the character for ‘Su.’ Miss, would you happen to be the famed Third Young Lady of the Su Clan, Su Guanying?”
“My reputation is modest at best,” Su Guanying offered a curt, polite smile, responding cautiously. “Senior flatters me.”
“I have long heard of the Third Young Lady's beauty, and seeing you today, the rumors indeed hold true.” Making no attempt to hide his brazen gaze, he appraised Su Guanying from head to toe. “You are indeed a rare beauty.”
His predatory gaze caused Su Guanying to tighten her grip on her long spear artifact, her expression darkening bit by bit.
His companions chimed in one after another, breaking into uncomfortable sneers. “Indeed! Compared to those fragile, delicate women, she certainly has a unique allure.”
The offense in those words was far too blatant. Ninth Uncle's face turned livid as he barked in a low voice, “Watch your mouths!”
The burly cultivator sneered, then let out a yawn and added, “We've been traveling for half the night, and I'm quite exhausted.”
Uncertain of his intent, Su Guanying restrained Ninth Uncle, whose veins were bulging with rage, and replied neutrally, “In that case, perhaps you seniors should rest early so you can resume your journey first thing in the morning.”
“Well said!” The burly cultivator laughed boisterously, before his tone abruptly shifted, a faint murderous aura lacing his words. “However... this temple is small and cramped. It really feels far too crowded.”
He suddenly raised a finger, pointing at several people in the caravan. “You! You!... And you! The few of you stay behind with Miss Su. The rest of you can scram.”
The ones he singled out were all the good-looking women in the caravan; his intention was plain as day.
Humiliation and fury flared across everyone's faces. Weapons and artifacts were drawn all around, plunging the temple into an explosive, tense standoff.
The six traveling cultivators, faces pale as ash, had no intention of resisting. Cursing their bad luck at being caught in this disaster, they hurriedly begged for mercy: “Seniors, spare us! We aren't part of the caravan, we only traveled alongside them for convenience! Please don't throw us out of the temple! Mercy, spare us!”
“That's right! As soon as day breaks, we'll scram! We won't ruin your good time, seniors!”
Such spineless words drew furious glares and spit from the caravan members.
The burly cultivator smiled with half-closed eyes, watching them cry and beg for mercy before picking his ear. “Noisy!”
In the next instant, a flash of saber light slashed through the air, severing one man's head from his shoulders as a jet of blood erupted.
The remaining men's pleas choked in their throats. Paralysed by sheer terror, they no longer dared to make a sound.
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