Hammer in her left hand, sword in her right, the eldest sister is connected to both worlds.

Cui Wu and Ji Jinjin returned to the Xuanhuang Sect, but didn't see Xue Lan and the other two on the summit of Jiyuan Peak. Ji Jinjin finally asked a passing crane and learned that Xue Lan had taken them to Yunhui Peak.

Behind Yunhui Peak, there is a large grove of osmanthus trees. In the golden autumn of September, the entire mountain is covered in golden blossoms, and the fragrance fills the air for miles. When Ji Jinjin led Cui Wu there, they saw this scene:

Lian Chuan practiced his swordplay with a serious expression, while Xue Lan spread out a clean piece of linen under the osmanthus tree. Zhu He tapped his heavy sword against the tree trunk, causing a shower of osmanthus blossoms to fall beneath.

A basket next to them was already half full of osmanthus flowers, indicating that these two had damaged more than just this one osmanthus tree.

Cui Wu saw Xue Lan, her head covered in osmanthus blossoms, lift the four corners of the burlap cloth from the ground and pour a full bag of osmanthus blossoms into a basket.

"Why isn't Senior Sister using magic?" Cui Wu walked up to Xue Lan, channeled a burst of spiritual energy through his fingertips, and the osmanthus blossoms on the branches were enveloped by this energy, transforming into a flying golden flower dragon in the air before finally landing in the basket.

"It's fun," Xue Lan said with a smile. Ji Jinjin came over to look at Xue Lan and then at Lian Chuan, who was clearly unhappy.

"Did you bully him again?" Ji Jinjin glared at Xue Lan.

Xue Lan waved her hands repeatedly: "No. Xiao Si lost his baby teeth, hahaha."

As she spoke, she reached out to pinch Lian Chuan's cheek, but the child stubbornly refused to open her mouth. Frustrated, she used the scabbard of her sword to hit her. However, Lian Chuan was still just a child, not very strong and soft-hearted. In the end, Xue Lan forced her to open her mouth by pinching her cheek.

Just as Xue Lan said, Lian Chuan's lower front teeth were gone, and his new teeth were not growing in properly, which did look bad.

"This is the first time I've seen this. Even cultivators lose teeth?" Even Ji Jinjin became interested and looked down at Lian Chuan's front teeth.

Lian Chuan got even angrier and bit Xue Lan's hand, leaving a gaping tooth mark.

He's so fierce~~

"Wolf cub."

Lian Chuan thought that he must cultivate diligently and kill Xue Lan after breaking through to the Golden Core stage.

At this moment, Xue Lan genuinely found Lian Chuan quite adorable. After all, she had been like that when she was little, back when the demon race was dividing up territory. As her father's eldest daughter, her dream was to fight for territory for the wolf clan. She even hid and cried by the Ice Flower Pool when she discovered she had lost a tooth.

The past was too painful to recall, so Xue Lan decided to stop thinking about it.

Not long after the group met, Xu Qinghe came over from the foot of the mountain.

"Have you finished picking them yet? Master will kick you out when he gets back."

"I'm done picking, thank you, junior sister." Xue Lan smiled, picked up the basket, and prepared to leave.

[A little girl picking osmanthus blossoms, carrying a large basket on her back...] The system sang an unfamiliar song in Xue Lan's mind, and Xue Lan listened and started swaying to the rhythm. Then she heard Cui Wu ask, "Why doesn't Senior Sister Zhu Yun like Senior Sister coming to Yunhui Peak?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu He burst into laughter; the boy's voice was cheerful and hearty.

"Because Yun Huifeng is a vocalist, while the senior sister is tone-deaf."

“It’s not that bad…” Cui Wu looked at Xue Lan, hesitating to speak.

“Yes, it’s not that serious…” Before Zhu He could finish his sentence, Cui Wu heard a strange little tune.

"The little girl picking osmanthus flowers carries a big basket on her back..."

The voice wasn't unpleasant, but the melody was incredibly eerie. The system covered its ears inside Xue Lan's mind.

[Dad, stop singing, it's a children's song. It's a children's song.]

A perfectly good children's song, but Xue Lan's rendition was utterly appalling, enough to stop a child from crying at night.

Zhu He covered his ears and said, "That's the reason. She doesn't know it herself."

He was unaware of it and was extremely confident.

Cui Wu understood somewhat.

The group returned to Jiyuan Peak, and the all-powerful second senior brother, Zhu He, carried a basket of osmanthus flowers into the small kitchen.

The others sat at a small table in front of the bamboo house chatting. Because Xue Lan had used a large array to influence the weather at the beginning of spring, Jiyuan Peak had already experienced a light snowfall, and the lush green bamboo forest had been tinged with a yellowish-green hue.

However, Xue Lan was not worried. Once the sect's protective formation was activated again at Lichun Peak, the weather at Jiyuan Peak would also change.

Xue Lan pretended to ask about what happened at Jiyue Mountain, focusing on the matter of Cui Wu's senior brother, Qi Sheng.

"It's the voice of someone inside my belly. I can't believe I didn't notice it last time." The girl slowly rubbed the teacup in her hand.

"Qi Sheng has been cultivating in Jiyue Mountain for over fifty years. I wonder if he was switched out halfway through, or if it was a scheme by the Demon Clan from the beginning," Ji Jinjin said from the side.

"There are naturally intelligent people among the demons. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been locked in a battle for ten thousand years."

Regarding the origins of the demon race, there are many different theories in both the human and demon realms. Xue Lan, however, knows some details. To the south of the Yuanming Realm lies a desolate region that connects the upper and lower realms, and the demon race is born there. It is said that ten thousand years ago, an unparalleled powerhouse attempted to break through the world's constraints but inadvertently opened an unknown spatial rift.

The demons were born from the rift.

"Humans and demons are inherently at a disadvantage when facing demons," Cui Wu sighed.

Demons are inherently ferocious, and low-level demonic beasts lack intelligence. Yet, their numbers are vast. Ordinary mortals are utterly vulnerable to them.

"The immortal sects cannot abandon mortals, and the demon race naturally cannot abandon its younger generations. The demon race has taken advantage of this."

The group fell silent for a moment. Then Zhu He poked his head out of the kitchen and asked...

"Auntie, where's the sugar? I want to pickle some osmanthus flowers."

Ji Jinjin went inside to help Zhu He find the candy jar. Lian Chuan was practicing his sword in the courtyard when he suddenly saw a dazzling sword light flying in from the distant sky.

"Senior Sister, Senior Brother Xu is back!" Lian Chuan screamed and hid behind Cui Wu, sword in hand. Ji Jinjin, who was in the kitchen, was startled and came out.

Fortunately, Xu Qizhou hadn't come to cause trouble for Xue Lan this time. The young man, dressed in a dark robe, looked travel-worn. He went straight to the point: "The Demon Clan is preparing to attack."

Everyone was startled, and then Xue Lan spoke up: "After what happened at Jiyue Mountain, it was only natural."

"Master is preparing to ring the Xuanling Bell. All disciples of the sect above the Foundation Establishment stage will go to the Longsword Sect. Disciples below the Foundation Establishment stage will be forcibly opened by several elders and sent inside for refuge."

As Xu Qizhou spoke, the sound of a bell resounding throughout the entire cave heaven echoed from the summit of Xuanling Peak. A continuous stream of streaks of light headed towards the plaza in front of Xuanling Peak.

"Then let's not delay and set off." Xue Lan stood up and looked at Xu Qizhou.

"You're not coming with us. I'm here to find Junior Sister Ji. She has a lightning spiritual root, which will be of great help in clearing away demonic energy. She's going with me to the front lines at Luoxia Mountain."

Xue Lan's expression froze for a moment.

"The front line at Luoxia Mountain? Which ones did you choose this time?" The girl's voice was icy, and Xu Qizhou felt a little guilty.

“Me, Junior Sister Ji, Junior Sister Long and Senior Brother Yue from the Longsword Sect, Senior Sister Min Chang from the Crimson Cloud Sect, and Junior Brother Jin from the Halberd Moon Mountain.”

The demons enjoy torturing and killing human prodigies, which is also a good way for the six sects to attract demon generals. This has been the case for thousands of years. Only the choice of this person…

This is for your friends and family to take advantage of.

"Senior sister..." Ji Jinjin wanted to speak, but Xue Lan raised her hand to interrupt her. The girl took a step forward and looked at Xu Qizhou.

"How confident are you? I need to know if you're truly confident or just throwing yourself into the fire."

"Eighty percent," Xu Qizhou said slowly.

“That means there are still risks.” Xue Lan smiled.

"There's bound to be risks involved," Xu Qizhou muttered, but he didn't dare to speak too loudly. After all, taking someone's junior sister, whom they had raised themselves, to the battlefield made him feel inferior in front of them.

"Then take me with you."

"Huh? What?" Xu Qizhou opened his mouth in surprise.

"You're just a Foundation Establishment cultivator at the Great Perfection stage. Going there would only be suicide."

The people around them also became anxious, and the first to speak was Zhu He: "Senior Sister, please think it over!"

"I have already thought it through, and I hope you two will consider it as well."

Xue Lan looked at Xu Qizhou, then at Ji Jinjin.

"Humans use their prodigies to lure and kill demons, but demons aren't stupid. With me here, I can guarantee that none of you below the late Nascent Soul stage will die."

Xu Qizhou swallowed hard. He knew Xue Lan was about to reveal her trump card.

Indeed, it's an offer that's hard to refuse.

"Okay, I'll go and tell Master."

The group headed to the plaza of Xuanling Peak, where Cui Wu watched as Jiyuan Peak slowly shrank in his sight.

With the demon invasion, such leisurely days are probably over.

Many disciples were already standing on the Xuanling Peak plaza. After landing, the group walked forward. The disciples who saw Xu Qizhou respectfully greeted him as Senior Brother. The peak masters were already seated. Xu Qizhou whispered a few words in Dao Xuanzi's ear. Xue Lan couldn't hear clearly, but Dao Xuanzi's expression gradually darkened.

Her senior uncle stared at her for a long time. Xue Lan turned her head away, feeling as if the back of her head was about to be burned.

Xu Qizhou walked to Xue Lan's side and said, "Master has agreed."

Xue Lan: He looked very unwilling.

Dao Xuanzi and the other peak masters stood up and bowed to the disciples in front of them.

The disciples returned the greeting to Dao Xuanzi.

There were no fancy declarations. Dao Xuanzi's voice was clear and resonant as he looked at the disciples before him.

"Demons have invaded the desolate lands. May you all slay the evil and attain your own path."

"Remember this, my lords: when we are victorious, we will return home under the stars and moon."