My best friend asked me if I was still doing system tasks.

"I can understand them, but the way they look still makes me feel... you know that feeling?"

Luo Hanying didn't even know what she was complaining about. "Why should I protect them? Ugh, it's so annoying. I'm the one who should be saving them, and I'm also the one who thinks it's not worth it."

The thought that they almost got incited by Taibai Pavilion fills me with hatred!

Ruan Chayan had mixed feelings: "If there is a next time, I don't want to do these things again."

I don't want to put the two of us in such a passive position.

Even though I feel a sense of accomplishment for helping protect those children, it doesn't change the fact that we were almost betrayed.

Luo Hanying appeared somewhat dejected and stopped discussing the matter.

She glanced around, her divine sense spreading out: ["Where's that Chen Laosi? I was too far away to notice where he went."]

Ruan Chayan said, "They took him with them when they evacuated Taibai Pavilion."

Luo Hanying's anger flared up again: ["What a terrible teammate! If it weren't for him, none of this would have happened! We could have safely waited for reinforcements!"]

After the attack, everyone thought that Taibai Xie would soon make a comeback and wipe them out in one fell swoop. However, they did not expect that while they were on high alert against Taibai Xie for days, Taibai Xie was hesitant and timid when harassing them.

The Drunken Monk observed several times and guessed that it was because they had killed too many people the first time. The later cultivators of Taibai Pavilion were more afraid of death and worried that if they pushed everyone too hard, they would rather die than live.

However, these were all just the monk's guesses. Ruan Chayan and Luo Hanying remained on high alert, as no one knew whether Taibai Pavilion's actions were intended to lower their guard and catch them off guard.

On the evening of the seventh day, the Bai family and the academy monks, weary from their journey, finally arrived.

At that time, Ruan Chayan and Luo Hanying were dealing with a new wave of unrest at Taibai Pavilion. The leader was a stranger who brought Chen Laosi to persuade the crowd to surrender.

From spiritual stones and magical artifacts to rare and precious materials, as well as various mental cultivation techniques and skills, if it weren't for the grudges between Ruan Chayan and Luo Hanying and Taibai Pavilion, they might have really been tempted and switched sides.

The reinforcements arrived at Taibai Pavilion and didn't linger. The group ran faster than rabbits, leaving Chen Laosi behind.

The survivors in the ancient city swarmed forward and beat Chen Laosi mercilessly. If it weren't for the drunken monk and Mu Qing stopping him, Chen Laosi would probably have died under the fists and feet of the people.

Men, women, and children alike questioned Chen Laosi repeatedly, asking why he had betrayed them and whether they had ever wronged him in any way.

Chen Laosi confessed that he simply did not believe in Ruan Chayan and Luo Hanying's abilities. He knew that Ruan and Luo were wanted by Taibai Pavilion and believed that if he reported their existence, Taibai Pavilion would reward him.

Moreover, the longer a cultivator is thrown into the alchemy cauldron as a sacrifice, the more dangerous it becomes—

His son wasn't even at the late stage of Qi Refining.

In his desperation, he considered exchanging their trail for his son's life.

Someone asked about Chen Laosi's son. Has he been rescued yet?

Chen Laosi remained silent, clearly indicating that even though he had betrayed them, he had not been able to get his child back from Taibai Pavilion.

Hearing Chen Laosi's words, Luo Hanying was so angry that she spun around twice with her hands on her hips. Suddenly, she stepped forward, gritted her teeth, and slapped Chen Laosi cleanly and decisively across the face.

Luo Hanying laughed in anger: "I didn't kill you because I pitied you, but you are truly hateful!"

Do you think you've done right by the relatives, friends, and neighbors who helped you?

"If it weren't for our thorough preparations and timely reinforcements, who knows how many people your betrayal would have killed!"

Chen Laosi's eyes held a hint of fear, and his lips moved, spitting out a tooth.

Although Luo Hanying did not use her spiritual power, the physical strength of a Nascent Soul cultivator is incomparable to that of a Qi Refining cultivator.

Ruan Chayan was also filled with anger. Luo Hanying's slap gave her a sense of relief. She advised, "Alright, Xiaoxue, don't get too angry. Let's just ignore him and let Widow Qiao and the others decide how to deal with him."

The leader of the Yunliu Bai family was named Bai Ziju. He inquired about the current situation in Qiuxi City from Chen Laosi.

Surrounded by the crowd, Chen Laosi dared not stammer and told them everything he knew.

Everyone in Qiuxi City was thrown into the alchemy cauldron. Even passersby were sacrificed without being questioned. At first, the groans of cultivators could be heard from inside the cauldron, but now it was as silent as if there was nothing inside.

"I also told them about how Senior Luo found support."

With a fawning smile on his bruised and swollen face, Chen Laosi said, “This morning I heard them say that if they can’t take the ancient city soon, they’re going to abandon Qiuxi City and head north, which is their base.”

Therefore, it is highly likely that the people from Taibai Pavilion have already fled.

Ruan Chayan, Luo Hanying, and others stayed behind to ensure the safety of the survivors, while the cultivators from the Bai family and the academy went to Qiuxi City to investigate the situation. If the city was safe, they would send a message for everyone to return.

The alchemists and physicians from the Bai family stayed behind to treat everyone's injuries, including those of the Drunken Monk.

Ruan Chayan and Luo Hanying had no reason to disagree. They were relieved that the matter was finally coming to an end and that they could retire successfully. However, Luo Hanying did not receive any news from Qiu Xicheng until dawn.

The anxiety on everyone's faces was hard to conceal. Ruan Chayan and the others discussed, "Even if Taibai Pavilion didn't evacuate, surely they shouldn't have been unable to decide a winner all night?"

The monk said in a deep voice, "Although we are not exactly close to Qiuxi City, how could we not have sensed their fighting at all?"

Do you think the people from Taibai Pavilion listened to Chen Laosi and set a trap in Qiuxi City?

Luo Hanying looked surprised: "There must be so many people that we can't handle them, right? What kind of trap could hold so many people?"

Mu Qing frowned: "Should we also go to Qiuxi City to check the situation? What if it's a large-scale illusion?"

Wasn't Qiuxi City initially controlled because the entire city's inhabitants were trapped in an illusion?

Ruan Chayan asked, "Xiaoxue, did you contact them using the communication jade slip?"

Luo Hanying nodded repeatedly: "Master Xun of Wenyuan Academy exchanged spiritual imprints with me, but I have tried to contact him many times without success."

At this moment, the Bai family doctor, who was listening to the commotion on their side, also said that he could not contact the Bai family members.