I asked you to go down the mountain and get married, not to shock the world!

The moonlight was like water, sprinkling on the bluestone path, stretching the shadows of the two people into long and slender ones.

The purple gauze dress on Jinman swayed gently in the night breeze, adding a bit of haziness and mystery.

Jin Man turned her head to look at Mingchuan, her charming eyebrows and eyes seemed a little blurred under the moonlight, and then she smiled faintly, with a bit of self-mockery and a bit of frankness.

"You guessed right," she repeated, her voice a little deeper than usual. "The Holy Land and I do have an unresolved feud. Back in the Holy Land... if it weren't for a stroke of luck, Jin Man would have long since disappeared from the world. Fleeing to this spiritual realm and taking up residence in the Qingcheng Yufa Sect was merely a temporary solution, a way to prolong my life."

She stopped and looked directly at Mingchuan. Her eyes, which usually showed charm or calculation, now revealed a rare sharpness and truth.

"As for why I stood up today... you're half right."

"Oh?" Mingchuan also stopped and looked at her leisurely, waiting for the next words.

"My current state of transformation is still not enough in front of those truly powerful people in the Holy Land. Resisting it head-on? It's just like a mantis trying to stop a chariot." Jin Man said calmly, as if he was stating a fact that had nothing to do with him.

"But, seeing all your tricks..."

She paused, her eyes fixed on Mingchuan, "I see another possibility. One that might allow me to stop hiding, and even... one day return to the Sanctuary and settle old grudges."

"So you are betting on me?" Mingchuan raised his eyebrows.

"You could say that," Jin Man admitted frankly. "Rather than hiding in this corner of the Spirit Realm forever, watching our enemies run free, I might as well take a gamble. I bet that you, Cang Ziang... or rather, you, Mingchuan, are definitely not an ordinary person."

"I used to help you in every way. We've been tied to the same rope for a long time... From now on, you have to help me too."

She leaned forward slightly, lowered her voice, and said with a bewitching smile, "Besides, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. By offending Yue Yao today, you have also stood against certain forces in the Holy Land."

"Aren't we... natural allies?"

The evening breeze brings the faint fragrance of the distant spiritual plant garden.

The two stood on the path under the moon, looking at each other, one with a deep and scrutinizing look, the other with a frank look mixed with ambition and expectation.

Mingchuan was silent for a moment, then suddenly chuckled, "Elder Jin is indeed a man of few words. He's done a clear job of settling this account."

He did not directly admit or deny it, but the meaning between his words was clear.

"We can't really be called allies," Mingchuan said, changing the subject with a hint of joking, "but we can certainly use each other and get what we need."

Upon hearing this, Jin Man, far from being annoyed, smiled even more brightly and charmingly, as if she had taken off a layer of disguise: "Then it's settled."

She raised her delicate hand and gently brushed Mingchuan's clothes. Her movements were natural and intimate, as if she was brushing away non-existent dust. Her tone also returned to her usual lazy tone.

"So what are your plans next? Hongxiu, that little venomous snake, is about to bite. And Su Hongzhen, after what happened, he's probably both in love and fear of you, and he's having trouble sleeping or eating."

Mingchuan allowed her to do what she wanted, and cast his gaze towards the direction of Fentian Pavilion with a deep look in his eyes: "If the snake wants to leave its hole, let it leave. As for Su Hongzhen... if he behaves himself, we can live in peace for now; if he doesn't behave himself..."

He didn't say anything else, but the coldness in his words made Jin Man's heart palpitate slightly.

"Let's go," Mingchuan retracted his gaze, "The show has already begun, we have to finish the second half. We also have to go see those three little guys, don't let them get bored."

The two continued walking along the path side by side, their figures gradually blending into the night.

And in the shadow of the flowers not far behind them, an extremely faint, resentful demonic aura followed quietly like the tongue of a poisonous snake.

……

Mingchuan and Jinman passed through layers of restrictions and came to the hidden courtyard with barrier in the back mountain again.

As soon as I stepped into the yard, three small figures rushed over happily.

"Brother Ziang!" Yaya ran in front, her little face full of excitement. She hugged Mingchuan's legs and said, "Elder Jin said you did something really amazing out there! Did you chase away all the bad guys?"

Jinwa followed closely behind, with his little face tilted up and his eyes sparkling.

"Brother Ziang, are you more powerful now? Can you teach us more powerful spells?"

Chen Shu walked at the end, his steps were much steadier than the two little guys, but there was also a gleam of love for Yourong in his eyes. He walked up to Mingchuan and saluted respectfully.

"Brother Ziang, I'm glad you're okay. We were all worried about you."

Mingchuan looked at the three children, and the cold and hard lines in his eyes softened instantly.

He bent down and picked up Yaya, then patted Jinwa's head and smiled at Chen Shu, "I'm fine. I'm sorry to have worried you. It seems you haven't been slacking off lately, and your auras have become much stronger."

Jin Man watched this heartwarming scene from the side, and the corners of her lips couldn't help but curl up.

She casually took out a few spiritual fruits that exuded an alluring aroma and handed them to the children: "Here, this is a reward for your hard work in cultivation."

The children cheered and took the spiritual fruits, and the courtyard was filled with a happy atmosphere.

However, at this seemingly peaceful and warm moment, something strange happened!

"laugh--!"

A sound so subtle that it was almost imperceptible that it could break through the air was heard. It did not come from outside the courtyard, but from a shadow in the corner of the courtyard!

Three needle shadows, as thin as cow hair and as black as ink, were seen, like poisonous snakes with life, silently shooting towards the backs of Yaya, Jinwa and Chen Shu respectively!

This attack was extremely vicious and cunning, with an astonishing speed, and without any murderous intent leaking out. It was not until it was close to the children's bodies that the cold and evil energy contained in it suddenly erupted!

"careful!"

Jin Man reacted extremely quickly, and the spiritual pressure of the Spiritual Transformation Stage burst out instantly. With a flick of his sleeves, a purple light rolled towards the three black needles like a silk thread.

But Mingchuan was faster than her!

Almost at the moment before the sound of breaking air was heard, a cold light flashed in his eyes, as if he had already expected it.

He didn't even let go of Yaya in his arms, and his free left hand reached forward seemingly casually.

He didn't try to block the black needle, but slightly opened his five fingers and grabbed the shadow corner in mid-air!

"Buzz!"

An invisible and powerful force instantly enveloped the shadowy corner!

The space seemed to be frozen. The three black needles that shot out suddenly stopped in mid-air just inches away from the children's clothes, as if they were stuck in an invisible quagmire. They trembled violently but could not move forward at all!

At the same time, a suppressed groan came from the shadows!

A blurry dark red figure was forced out from the void, it was Hongxiu!

Her face was filled with horror and disbelief, and a trickle of black blood flowed from the corner of her mouth.

Obviously, Mingchuan's grab in the air just now not only broke her sneak attack, but also directly injured her body!

"How is it possible...you..."

Hongxiu looked at Mingchuan as if she had seen a ghost.

She used the secret technique of invisible magic needles bestowed by the evil core, which was extremely concealed and left almost no trace when activated.

I thought it was foolproof. Even if I couldn't kill these three little guys, I could at least severely injure them and make Mingchuan lose his mind!

But he didn't expect it to be cracked so easily, even exposing himself!