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

As the first rays of dawn swept across the mountains of Jiyuan Peak, a streak of gray light pierced through the thin mist and finally landed in the hands of Xue Lan, who was already waiting in the bamboo grove courtyard on Jiyuan Peak.

Xue Tong stood beside her, eagerly moving closer.

What did they say?

Xue Lan slowly unfolded the talisman inside the small iron bird.

"You can rest assured, none of us will be involved in this karma. Siyin will be fine. Just go to your Wan Gong Fang and don't die in there." Xu Qizhou's clear and unrestrained voice rang out. Xue Lan rolled up the talisman, a faint smile appearing on her lips.

"You really trust them!" Xue Tong muttered helplessly.

Xue Lan turned to look at her and softly asked, "Otherwise what?"

The girl's hair at her temples was blown by the morning breeze, slightly obscuring Xue Lan's eyes.

The girl spoke softly: "That's Xu Qizhou, the senior disciple of the Xuanhuang Sect. He has never broken his promises."

“I remember asking you before what kind of person you hoped I would become. You said you hoped I would be a good teacher and friend to them, a guide. Aren’t I doing that right now?”

There seemed to be a fleeting glint in the girl's eyes that Xue Tong couldn't decipher.

Xue Lan picked up the small box from the ground and looked at the golden light that was spreading across the mountains and fields.

"Let's go, it's time to set up the stall!"

Two people, one big and one small, carrying suitcases, walked slowly down to the foot of Xuanling Peak, bathed in the golden light of the setting sun.

[But Xue Lan, even if Xu Qizhou is incredibly capable, he can't possibly manage everything, can he?]

"Because he is not alone!"

The city of Luoxia, thousands of miles away.

After dawn, the sky gradually changed from pitch black to a heavy gray-white. The old temple keeper, responsible for guarding the City God's face, got up early to sweep the blue bricks in front of the temple gate.

Since the beginning of spring, several light rains have fallen in Luoxia City. Green grass sprouted from the cracks in the blue bricks. The old temple keeper squatted down to pull them out, and when he stood up, everything went black.

"Be careful, old man."

The old temple keeper looked up at the person who had helped him up. It was a young girl in a black cloak with a gentle smile that gave people a sense of closeness.

"I'm getting old!" The old temple keeper straightened up and looked at the young girl with a grateful smile on his face: "Thank you, young lady."

Cui Wu shook his head, then asked the question that had been on his mind: "Old man, the people of Luoxia City and the surrounding area have all moved inland, why are you still here?"

“I became the temple keeper of the City God Temple when I was thirty-two, and I’ve been doing it for forty years, all alone and destitute. Everyone in the city has fled there, but the temple can’t be moved. So I’ve stayed here to guard it.”

The old man picked up the broom from the ground, pointed to the south of the city, and said, "Young lady, you must be an immortal who has come to find the soldiers of the Shengyu Army. The entire Shengyu Army is stationed in the south of the city!"

After speaking, the old temple keeper continued sweeping the bluestone bricks, no longer engaging Cui Wu in conversation.

As dawn broke, there was no sun today, and thick, leaden clouds hung in the distance.

A light drizzle began to fall shortly afterward.

Seeing that Cui Wu was still standing outside in the rain, the old temple keeper quickly waved her inside to take shelter from the rain.

Cui Wu entered the City God Temple and saw the statue of the City God.

The City God of Luoxia City appeared to be a kind old man, wearing a square crown and a black robe. Cui Wu waited until the old temple keeper entered the backyard before stepping forward and taking out three incense sticks from the incense box.

With a slight flick of his fingers, wisps of smoke rose from the incense stick in his hand. Cui Wu solemnly placed it on the table and bowed to the City God.

“Cui Wu, a disciple of Jiyuan Peak of the Xuanhuang Sect, requests an audience with the City God of Luoxia City.”

After speaking, the girl turned gently and walked out of the temple.

In the light rain outside, an elderly man wearing a square crown and a black robe was already waiting for her. Cui Wu went up and gave a deep bow.

"Cui Wu greets Your Excellency!"

The old City God waved his hands repeatedly: "Young friend, please don't stand on ceremony. May I ask if you need any help from me today?"

Seeing that the City God of Luoxia City was being so direct, Cui Wu got straight to the point and told him about Long Siyin's killing of thousands of mutated humans on the front lines, and also made his own demands.

"Seven years ago, the demons abducted many people in Luoxia City. For the first two years, these people's life force was still burning, and it was recorded in the judge's ledger. However, one day four years ago, the names in the judge's ledger went out one by one, indicating that they had long since died and their souls had dissipated. Fellow Daoist Long, there is no need for you to blame yourself for this." The City God of Luoxia City stroked his beard and spoke.

“That’s natural, but the City God is a spirit, and Siyin is a cultivator. Even though she has seen through life and death and understands the profound truths within, her heart is still broken.” The girl’s voice was steady: “How much more so for those ordinary people?”

The City God of Luoxia City immediately understood that the Demon Clan's tactic of diverting disaster eastward forced the young sect leader of the Longsword Sect to take action and exterminate those mutated human civilians.

It wasn't just about destroying Long Siyin's heart and her path; it was also shaking the trust of the tens of thousands of Shengyu soldiers in Luoxia City, and even the people of Da Shun behind them, in the immortals.

Even if they know it's all true, ordinary people don't.

Human beings in the mortal world are full of emotions. Entangled in the threads of love, they become bound by karma, caring nothing for what the immortals think.

Cui Wu bowed to the City God of Luoxia City beside him: "Your Majesty, Cui Wu was once a disciple of Jiyue Mountain. He was harmed by a villain and was poisoned by demonic poison. He was only able to get rid of the demonic poison after receiving the Ten Refined Soul Whip at Jiyue Mountain."

"Regarding the matter of the demonic poison, the immortals of the Longsword Sect and I had previously discussed it, but we never expected the demons to be so ruthless as to send those civilians to the battlefield." The City God of Luoxia City sighed and solemnly promised Cui Wu.

"Young friend, do not worry. Tonight I will inform Pengyun and the City Gods of Shengyu City to summon the still-living members of the Shengyu Army's families in the underworld. I will instruct them to reveal the truth of this matter to the public through their dreams."

Upon hearing this, Cui Wu's brows furrowed with joy, and he solemnly bowed to the City God of Luoxia City.

"The City God is of great virtue."

The rain gradually stopped, and Cui Wu saw Ji Jinjin coming out of Long Siyin's room as soon as he returned to the Long Sword Sect.

"Xiao Wu is back just in time, Siyin wants to see you!"

"Senior Sister Long wants to see me?" Cui Wu was somewhat surprised. Since Long Siyin woke up, she had basically not allowed anyone to get close to her, but now she wanted to see her.

Ji Jinjin nodded and pointed to the door that Long Siyin had slightly closed: "Go!"

Cui Wu had no choice but to bite the bullet and go inside. Long Siyin's room had no closed windows. She was sitting on the couch by the window in a thin dress. The damp breeze made her clothes look particularly thin.

"Xiao Wu is here!" The girl turned around to look at Cui Wu when she heard the voice, her face somewhat pale.

"Senior Sister Long!" Cui Wu stepped forward and closed the window that was letting in the cold air.

Rather than being afraid that Long Siyin was sick, it was more that she didn't know what to say, so she found something to do on her own.

Faced with a shattered Dao heart, all words of comfort seem pale and powerless.

Long Siyin smiled and said, "I heard you went to see the City God of Luoxia City?"

Cui Wu nodded, then lowered his head.

“It’s a good method. By relying on the authority of ghosts and gods, it is indeed easier to appease the people.” Long Siyin affirmed Cui Wu’s approach.

"Xiao Wu, I'm planning to go to the Xuanhuang Sect!" Long Siyin suddenly said.

"Huh?" Cui Wu had been hanging his head, waiting to be scolded, but he didn't expect Long Siyin to say such a thing.

"I'm going to find your senior sister, and then we'll enter the Ten Thousand Crafts Workshop together."

Cui Wu knew that only two of the six sects and twelve factions possessed the Ten Thousand Crafts Key, which allowed them to enter the Ten Thousand Crafts Workshop, but Long Siyin had not planned to go there before.

"The sect had previously assigned my eldest brother as the person to handle this, but now that my Dao heart is shattered, I'm very susceptible to developing inner demons here in Luoxia Mountain. It would be better to go find your senior sister."

Her senior brother, Yue Zhong, cultivates the Path of Ruthlessness, posing no threat to Luoxia Mountain except for the disciples of the Hehuan Sect.

"Looking for my senior sister?" Cui Wu replied somewhat helplessly.

"Aren't you afraid she'll lose you in the secret realm?" the girl asked back.

Long Siyin lowered her head and pondered for a while before slowly speaking.

"Actually, Xue Lan is quite reliable when it comes to important matters, isn't he?"

Cui Wu found it difficult to refute, and lowered his head, wringing his hands: "That's true, but my senior sister is really..."

This is really worrying!

"I'm going!"

In the end, everyone agreed to let Long Siyin go to the Xuanhuang Sect.

Reason 1: Long Siyin's current condition is indeed unsuitable for staying on the front lines of Luoxia Mountain; the Xuanhuang Sect is a better choice. The Linghuang Tree can help her heal better.

Reason 2: Although Xue Lan is unreliable, she is still quite loyal, so there is generally no need to worry about Long Siyin's safety before she dies.

So when the supply ship once again flew into the Xuanhuang Cave Heaven and landed at the foot of Xuanling Peak, Xue Lan, who was hammering iron, saw Long Siyin in white, who looked like a goddess.

Xue Lan: What the hell did they send me?!?