Immortality and cultivation begin with full comprehension.

Chapter 541 Negligence (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

Li Yunjing transformed into a streak of light and quietly landed on the outskirts of the "City of Glory".

He concealed his aura, changed into an ordinary cultivator's gray robe, wore a wide-brimmed straw hat, and blended into the bustling crowd.

As for the inspection?
The border fortress function of "City of Glory" disappeared long after "Crossing the Mountains" was conquered.

As time went by, the "City of Glory" became merely a symbol.

The city's defenses are becoming increasingly lax.

The "Shenxiao Dao Sect" army stationed in the city has also been completely mobilized, and now many of the people guarding the city are even Qi Refining Realm cultivators.

Moreover, these Qi Refining Realm cultivators are not all from the "Shenxiao Dao Sect". They have also recruited some cultivators from other sects, families, and independent cultivators.

Li Yunjing saw that the Xuanwu Army guards were no longer at the entrance.

Upon entering the city, the streets were bustling with activity, filled with the sounds of vendors hawking their wares and shouts. Shops of all kinds lined the streets, and cultivators hurried about. A faint spiritual energy permeated the air.

After walking through several streets and alleys, Li Yunjing stopped in front of a bustling main street.

The courtyard gates were tightly shut, and there was no business at the entrance.

Clearly, "Yanyu Tower" is not open for business during the day.

He raised his hand and gently knocked on the door. After three knocks, faint footsteps came from inside.

"Who?"

A wary female voice came from inside the door.

"It's Miss Liu's friend; she's here to see him!"

Li Yunjing lowered his voice and said.

The door creaked open, revealing a young girl dressed as a maid.

"Mr. Li!"

The girl was taken aback when she saw Li Yunjing, but then her eyes lit up with surprise and delight: "You've finally arrived! Miss Liu has been talking about you so much these past few days."

"Thank you, young lady."

Li Yunjing smiled slightly and followed the girl into the courtyard.

Several magnolia trees are planted in the courtyard. Although it is not the flowering season, their branches and leaves are lush and exude a tranquil atmosphere.

After passing through the corridor and arriving at the main hall, the young woman said softly, "Please wait a moment, young master, I will go and inform Miss Liu."

A moment later, hurried footsteps came from inside the room, the curtain was lifted, and Liu Ruyan appeared in the doorway in a long green dress.

Her face was still stunningly beautiful, but there was a hint of weariness in her eyes. The moment she saw Li Yunjing, her eyes instantly reddened.

"You still know to come?"

Liu Ruyan forced back her tears, her voice trembling slightly.

"Ugh……"

Li Yunjing stepped forward and gently embraced her: "Ruyan, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

I thought... I thought you had forgotten me.

Liu Ruyan leaned on his shoulder, her tears soaking his clothes: "These days, I've been hoping every day that you could come."

Clearly, news of Li Yunjing's wedding had already reached "City of Glory," and even Liu Ruyan had received the news.

How could I forget?

Li Yunjing gently stroked her long hair, "You've always been in my heart. I've come here to take you back."

"Take me back?"

Liu Ruyan raised her head, her eyes full of confusion: "But you..."

"I know what you're worried about."

Li Yunjing interrupted her, "My wedding with Yunyi and Ruoxi is indeed imminent, but you are also an important person in my life, and I will not let you suffer. After the wedding, I will give you a proper status and marry you in a grand and glorious way."

"I don't care about titles or status, as long as I can be by your side, that's enough."

Liu Ruyan bit her lower lip, tears streaming down her face again: "All these years, I've been here alone, watching others in pairs, and my heart..."

"I will not do it again."

Li Yunjing cupped her pretty face in his hands and said earnestly, "I am now the vice sect leader of the Shenxiao Dao Sect, and I have the ability to protect you. I also brought you some things this time."

As he spoke, he took out a storage ring and handed it to Liu Ruyan: "These are the resources I prepared for you. They will help you break through your cultivation level. Ruyan, you have extremely high talent and should not be buried."

"Yun Jing, thank you."

Liu Ruyan accepted the "storage ring," scanned it with her divine sense, and found it filled with treasures. She was deeply moved: "Over the years, I haven't neglected my cultivation. I've now reached the fourth level of the Foundation Establishment Realm, but..."

"My talent seems insufficient, making it difficult to break through to the Golden Core Realm in a short time and catch up with your pace."

She paused, noticing Li Yunjing's nervousness, and a hint of worry flashed in her eyes. She changed the subject, saying, "'The City of Glory' has been rather unsettled lately. A mysterious force is operating in the shadows, seemingly searching for something. You must be careful."

"Oh? Is this happening?"

As expected, this interruption made Li Yunjing forget about comforting Liu Ruyan. Instead, his expression turned serious, and he pressed, "Do you know the origin of that force?"

"I don't know. They operate in secrecy. All I know is that they often frequent the abandoned mines in the west of the city."

Liu Ruyan shook her head: "Yun Jing, you need to be careful."

"Since we've run into them, there's no reason to just ignore it."

Li Yunjing's lips curled into a cold smile: "Don't worry, with me here, nothing will happen to you. Tonight, I'll go to that mine to investigate."

"No! It's too dangerous."

Liu Ruyan hurriedly grabbed him: "That force might have a powerful expert in charge. Your wedding is just around the corner, what if something goes wrong..."

"Don't worry, I have my own sense of discretion."

Li Yunjing grasped her hand. "I am now at the second level of the Golden Core Realm, and ordinary experts can't do anything to me. Besides, I also want to see who exactly is stirring up trouble in this 'City of Glory'."

As night falls, the lights of the City of Glory gradually illuminate the night.

Li Yunjing quietly left Liu Ruyan's courtyard and flew towards the abandoned mine in the west of the city.

This time, however, he had someone else by his side.

Liu Ruyan absolutely refused to let Li Yunjing go alone and stayed close to his side.

Li Yunjing thought to himself, with his abilities, no matter how vast the world is, there's nowhere he can't go.

If I have the ability to protect Liu Ruyan, then I'll just take her with me to see her.

The two then arrived together outside the mine in the west of the city. At this moment, it was completely silent, with only gusts of cold wind blowing and stirring up the withered leaves on the ground.

This mine has existed for a very long time.

It is a resource point of the "Shenxiao Dao Sect".

But no matter how many resources there are, they will eventually be exhausted. Many years ago, this place was abandoned.

Even the facilities in the mining area have fallen into ruin.

Li Yunjing put his arm around Liu Ruyan's waist, and his divine sense spread like a spider web into the depths of the mine, but was bounced back by a cold aura when it reached thirty feet inside the cave.

"Something's not right. Someone has set up a concealment barrier in this mine."

He conjured a sword aura from his fingertips, which transformed into an arrow and shot into the void. The previously empty cave entrance suddenly rippled, revealing twisted dark purple array patterns.

"This formation exudes an evil aura, like a demonic technique."

Liu Ruyan gripped the soft sword at her waist, her jade wrist trembling slightly, and the sword gleamed with a pale blue light.

Before she could finish speaking, the sound of dragging chains suddenly echoed from inside the mine, "Clang—clang—"

The plaintive sound echoed in the silence, startling a swarm of bats perched on the mine roof. A dark mass of them flew out and swooped down on the two.

Li Yunjing flicked his finger, and lightning burst forth from his fingertip. Several streaks of lightning flashed across the sky, and the bats were burned to ashes before they could even get close.

"go!"

He grabbed Liu Ruyan and flashed through the barrier, leaping into the mine.

With his exceptional skills and daring, Li Yunjing made no preparations and directly tore open the barrier, entering the area.

The cave was filled with a pungent, putrid stench. Broken pickaxes and rusty chains were scattered on the ground. The luminous pearls embedded in the walls had long since lost their luster, and only a few eerie green will-o'-the-wisps flickered in the distance.

"Watch your step."

Li Yunjing suddenly grabbed Liu Ruyan's wrist, a flash of cold light grazed her toes, carving a half-foot-deep trench in the ground. A sinister laugh echoed from the darkness, and seven or eight figures clad in black robes slowly emerged. They wore grotesque bronze masks and held strangely shaped curved swords, their blades wreathed in black mist.

“How dare those scum from the ‘Shenxiao Dao Sect’ meddle in other people’s business?”

The leader, a man in black robes, had a hoarse voice like a broken gong. With a wave of his scimitar, dozens of black energy blades shot out in a fan shape.

"Which sect of the demonic path do you belong to?"

Li Yunjing flicked his fingers repeatedly, drawing upon the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, transforming it into dazzling galaxies that swept across the area. The energy blades collided with the sword light, unleashing a deafening roar, and rubble fell from the mine.

Seven or eight black-robed cultivators, except for the leader, were all torn to pieces.

"Who the hell are you!"

The man in black robes was terrified and immediately retreated.

At the same time, a tremendous earthquake shook the depths of the mine, and countless dark figures burst forth from the ground—they were a dense mass of skeletons, with eerie blue flames flickering in their empty eye sockets.

"A mere nobody!"

Li Yunjing shielded Liu Ruyan behind him, looking disdainfully at the undead creatures. He waved his hands repeatedly, and the "Palm Thunder" shone brightly, illuminating the horde of skeletons surging like a tide deep into the mine with a rumbling sound.

The skeletons moved strangely, leaving black, rotten marks on the ground with every step they took, and eerie blue flames danced in their eye sockets, as if driven by some kind of consciousness.

Under the "palm thunder," they fell one by one, turning into shattered bones.

"These skeletons have been controlled by demonic cultivators using evil magic."

Liu Ruyan raised her sword warily, the blue light on the soft sword drawing a cold arc in the darkness. "They are filled with resentment, they must have suffered inhuman torture in their lives."

Before she could finish speaking, the skeletons in the front row lunged forward, brandishing their rusty bone claws. Black slime dripping from their nails corroded the ground, making a sizzling sound.

Li Yunjing thrust out with both palms, and a "Five Elements Divine Thunder" struck the skeleton horde. With a "boom," hundreds of skeletons were blasted into dust.

But more skeletons continued to surge forward, stepping over the remains of their companions. Taking advantage of the moment, the man in black robes disappeared into the darkness, his shrill laughter echoing from all directions: "You bastards from the 'Divine Firmament Dao Sect,' you'll die here today!"

Suddenly, a spiderweb-like crack appeared in the top of the mine, and a foul-smelling black mist poured down like a waterfall.

Li Yunjing's expression turned solemn, and seven-colored light surged, forming a protective shield around the two of them.

The black mist emitted a piercing shriek the moment it touched the seven-colored light, then turned into wisps of green smoke and dissipated.

The light shield composed of "Five-Colored Divine Light" and "Yin-Yang Qi" was enough to block most attacks, so Li Yunjing didn't need to deal with it specially.

"Follow me."

Li Yunjing embraced Liu Ruyan's soft waist and dashed into the depths of the mine like lightning.

Along the way, the skeletons, subjected to tremendous twisting force by Li Yunjing's burst of energy, shattered into bone fragments with a "crunching" sound.

The further in you go, the more strange things you see. Dark red runes gradually appear on the walls. Upon closer inspection, they are actually demonic sacrificial arrays drawn with blood.

As they went deeper, the stench grew stronger, and Li Yunjing's face became increasingly grim.

"What are the people of 'City of Glory' doing! Have they all neglected their duties to this extent?"

He secretly complained to himself, "Only twenty years have passed, and has this once impregnable military stronghold really become completely complacent and lax?"

The more Li Yunjing thought about it, the angrier he became. He decided to discuss the matter with the sect leader as soon as he returned to the sect!
The "City of Glory" needs a major overhaul!
This is no longer the front line; it has lost its former significance.

However, this place is the rear area of ​​"Shenxiao Pass" and "Crossing the Mountain Range", and an important supply hub.

It is also one of the important strongholds of the "Shenxiao Dao Sect".

Whoever is so negligent must be severely punished, even if they are a city lord at the Nascent Soul stage!

Along the way, there were skeletons everywhere, human and monster skeletons, all kinds of skeletons, covering the sky and almost blocking all the passages, densely packed.

At first, Li Yunjing didn't think anything of it, but as he went deeper, his expression changed, and he finally realized that something was wrong.

This is a demonic cultivator using evil magic to delay his progress!
As soon as the thought arose, Li Yunjing did not hesitate. With a flash of his hand, the "Yin Yang Five Elements Heavenly Evolution Sword" shone with seven-colored light and charged forward, shredding the skulls into pieces.

He led Liu Ruyan quickly through the passages, heading towards the bottom of the mine!

Before long, a huge circular altar suddenly appeared in front of them, with three black stone pillars standing in the center, wrapped with chains, from which faint, mournful howls could be heard.

On the altar, dozens of men in black robes were performing a ritual. In the central altar recess, a viscous black liquid churned, and mutilated corpses floated within it.

"I never expected that someone from the Shenxiao Dao Sect could actually break through here!"

The leader, a man in black robes, removed his bronze mask, revealing half of his rotting face. His eyes flashed with a crazed red light: "Perfect! We'll use your life essence to complete the 'Blood Fiend Array'!"

Li Yunjing's eyes widened in anger, and his powerful aura exploded. He used the Seven Star Steps to rush towards the altar like a ghost.

The "Yin Yang Five Elements Heavenly Evolution Sword" drew a dazzling seven-colored trajectory in the air. Wherever the sword energy passed, the black-robed men raised their shields to defend themselves, but were blown away by the powerful force, spitting blood and flying backward.

"You want to sacrifice our lifeblood? Dream on!"

Li Yunjing shouted and flicked his sword, sending seven golden sword energies shooting towards the black liquid in the center of the altar like swimming dragons.

"Boom!"

A violent explosion rang out, and black liquid was blasted everywhere, corroding the ground and emitting thick smoke.

"Crash..."

However, at that moment, the three black stone pillars on the altar suddenly emitted a dazzling red light, and countless chains shot out like living things, wrapping around Li Yunjing and Liu Ruyan.

Liu Ruyan let out a delicate shout, and the soft sword blazed with a blue light, constantly blocking the incoming chains. However, the powerful force made her arm go numb, her blood surge, and she was forced to retreat repeatedly.

Li Yunjing glanced at Liu Ruyan's condition and, seeing that she could still hold on, didn't bother with her.

Both times Li Yunjing witnessed Liu Ruyan's actions, he noticed a drawback: she lacked practical combat experience!
Since there is no danger to her life and she can still persevere, let Liu Ruyan "endure some hardship" and gain some experience. Otherwise, if she encounters a life-or-death battle in the future, wouldn't she be doomed?

In Li Yunjing's opinion, Liu Ruyan, who was at the fourth level of the Foundation Establishment Realm, was probably not even as good as a soldier from the "Xuanwu Army" or the "White Tiger Army"!
Even if Liu Ruyan had more treasures and more ways to protect herself, it still wouldn't work!

Her lack of combat experience meant that in the blink of an eye, Liu Ruyan might not have time to use her backup plans and would be killed.

Li Yunjing didn't want his woman to be killed because she was weak in combat.

This is an unacceptable situation.

I can prepare magic weapons, cultivation techniques, talismans, formations, and elixirs for the women, but combat experience is something they need to rely on themselves!

Now is the perfect time to hone Liu Ruyan's skills!

"The Five Elements revolve, and Heaven and Earth borrow their power!"

Li Yunjing formed a mudra with his hands and chanted incantations.

Instantly, the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth converged around him, forming a huge five-element protective shield that firmly blocked the chains.

It only weakened the attack on Liu Ruyan, preventing her from being seriously injured.

Li Yunjing, on the other hand, had no problems and continued to move forward with ease, continuing to destroy the altar.

"Damn it! Who is this person? How can he be so powerful?"

Seeing the situation was turning against him, the leader of the black-robed men frantically activated the runes on the altar, chanting incantations. The air around the altar began to distort, and a huge phantom slowly emerged from the darkness. The phantom had a huge head, a mouthful of fangs, and exuded a chillingly evil aura.

"Oh no, it's a projection of an evil god!"

Liu Ruyan's expression changed drastically, and her voice carried a hint of fear.

"Unless an evil god arrives, no one can turn the world upside down!"

Li Yunjing was not afraid at all. If he retreated now, the entire "City of Glory" and even the surrounding area would be doomed.

He spoke with an air of confidence, but in reality, he was quite nervous.

If they actually summon an avatar of an evil god, then we're doomed.

Of course, the probability is not high.

However, Li Yunjing also had to be wary!

Nothing in this world is absolute.

He took a deep breath and poured all his magical power into the "Yin Yang Five Elements Heavenly Evolution Sword". The sword shone brightly, as if it would illuminate the entire mine.

"Break the demon!"

Li Yunjing roared and swung his sword at the projection of the evil god.

"Boom!"

The seven-colored sword light clashed fiercely with the phantom of the evil god. The powerful energy fluctuations swept through the entire mine like a hurricane, causing rocks to fly everywhere, runes to collapse, and a gap to be cut through the entire mine, shooting straight into the void.

The seven-colored divine light pierced through the void, illuminating the sky, and was immediately seen by the cultivators of the "City of Glory".

(End of this chapter)