In Peach Blossom Valley, the villagers watched in despair as the demonic beasts went mad and charged towards their courtyard walls.
This ten-thousand-year-old Crimson Roc had been sealed in the forbidden area of the back mountain for a long time. Perhaps due to the weakening of the barrier over time, it had directly escaped from the forbidden area, causing panic in the valley.
The villagers, armed with hoes, prepared to die with it.
The crimson figure, like a ball of flame, reached the courtyard wall in an instant, kicked open the courtyard gate, and barged into the house.
Ye Ziling had just returned from the entrance and saw the mess around, and the collapsed roof beam not far away. A trace of doubt arose in her heart.
"Saintess, save us!"
Ye Ziling looked at the crimson beast, paused, and her brow furrowed.
This is a Crimson Roc?
Looking at its enormous size, it was estimated to be tens of thousands of years old.
Ye Ziling leaped into the air, formed a hand seal, and a wisp of white smoke drifted out, transforming into sharp blades that shot towards the Crimson Roc's eyes.
With a scream, the demonic beast's eyeballs were cut.
In unbearable pain, it let out a mournful cry to the sky.
She thought the Crimson Roc would stop after losing its eyes, but to her surprise, it became even more frenzied. It opened its bloody maw and lunged towards her, forcing her to dodge.
Due to catching a cold, her body was somewhat weak. She lacked strength, and her immortal power was minimal. After struggling with the beast for just a few rounds, she was exhausted and panting.
Worse still, her head was feeling dizzy at this moment.
Seeing her about to collapse, the Crimson Roc opened its mouth and bit towards her.
"Saintess! Quickly dodge!"
"Hurry and find the Valley Master!"
...
The villagers on the side had already descended into chaos, shouting loudly.
At the critical moment, a beam of white light descended from the sky, transforming into a human form.
Immediately afterward, another beam of white light landed beside the Crimson Roc, repelling it once more.
Ye Ziling held her forehead, feeling a wave of dizziness. When she opened her eyes, the world was spinning. Just as she was about to fall to the ground, a strong arm caught her.
"Even the Divine Maiden can have moments of recklessness?" a man's warm and elegant voice reached her ears.
She looked up with difficulty, her gaze falling upon a handsome and ethereal face.
Bai Yu held her arm, his clear eyebrows tinged with a hint of dark chill. He smiled faintly at the demonic beast in front of him, gathering immortal power in his other palm and striking at it.
With a deafening roar, the crimson body exploded violently, dissipating into dust.
"...Bai Yu?"
Ye Ziling's lips were pale, her body swaying precariously, relying on the strength of his arm for support.
Seeing this, the joy in the villagers' eyes was uncontainable. They looked at each other and shouted, "It's Immortal Lord Bai Yu!"
"Immortal Lord Bai Yu is back!"
"Hurry and inform the Valley Master, our great benefactor has returned!"
...
Her vision went black, and she fainted. The villagers' shouts gradually faded from her ears.
"The Saintess has fainted! Quickly inform the Valley Master!"
"Saintess Sister, how are you..."
...
When Ye Ziling woke up, the sound of combined zither and flute music reached her ears. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Shuanzi sitting beside her, guarding her. Upon seeing her awaken, he, who had been dozing, suddenly jolted awake and quickly called towards the door, "Valley Master Brother! Saintess Sister is awake!"
The zither and flute music came to an abrupt halt. Two tall figures stepped into the room and rushed towards her.
"Sister, how are you? You scared brother to death." Ye Jinghuai sat on the edge of the bed, his hand touching her forehead, his brows full of anxiety.
"It's one thing to have caught a cold, but why are you also burning up?" Ye Jinghuai's tone was gentle. He looked at the weak Ye Ziling on the couch, his face full of guilt. "It's my fault. Knowing you were weak, I didn't find someone to stop you."
Let the barrier be weak, for now, no one could find this place. He had finally found his sister, and if anything happened to her, he would never forgive himself.
"It's fine." Ye Ziling moved her pale lips, her eyes still bright.
Realizing there was someone else beside her, Ye Jinghuai quickly introduced, "This is Immortal Lord Bai Yu. He stayed in Peach Blossom Valley when he was traveling. Not only did he help us fend off mountain bandits, but he also sealed the Crimson Roc."
Ye Ziling looked up and saw Bai Yu smile faintly at her.
"This is my sister, Ye Ziling."
Seeing their calm expressions, devoid of any surprise or the usual politeness when meeting someone, Ye Jinghuai looked at them and suddenly realized, "You know each other?"
Bai Yu chuckled, his tone teasing, "Having such a sister, Brother Ye is indeed fortunate."
Ye Jinghuai smiled politely, then suddenly realized the medicine hadn't been simmered properly. He got up and walked out, "Look at my memory, the medicine hasn't been simmered yet. You two chat first."
Only the two of them remained in the room.
"Thank you for your help this time, Immortal Lord Bai Yu. By the way, why did you break through the barrier I set up?"
Ye Ziling was confused. She had clearly set up an illusion, so why could an outsider break through so easily?
Bai Yu raised his lips and chuckled, "Divine Maiden Tu Yao's barrier is indeed well-set. However, I have been here a few times and know of a passage in the valley."
Bai Yu was detached from worldly affairs and preferred seclusion. Peach Blossom Valley was isolated from the world. How could he miss such a peaceful place? He had stayed there for a period of time before discovering that the residents were all from the Sacred Medical Clan.
He had also befriended Ye Jinghuai there, often playing zither and flute music with him, and unknowingly became confidants.
However, he did not know this was Ye Ziling's maternal clan until Ye Jinghuai talked to him all night yesterday, and he learned the whole story.
Yesterday, Emperor Qing Bai suddenly said he was going to descend to the mortal world. He guessed it must be related to Divine Maiden Tu Yao, so he followed suit and found Ye Ziling's trace.
Fortunately, he arrived in time.
"Immortal Lord Bai Yu, aren't you worried that I am a demon?" Ye Ziling raised her eyebrows, looking at him expectantly, playfully teasing him.
Bai Yu suddenly smiled, "Oh? A demon? So what? All beings are equal. As long as it's not a harmful demon, what does it matter if we go with the flow?"
Ye Ziling had forgotten that Bai Yu was different from Ling Xi; he didn't have much prejudice against humans or demons.
"Divine Maiden, have you forgotten? We need to cooperate later." The man's clear and handsome eyebrows gradually darkened, a smile curving his lips.
Seeing her struggle to get up, Bai Yu reached out to support her shoulder, forcibly pressing her back down, his smile completely gone. "Divine Maiden, there's no need to rush. If you faint again later, this Lord will have to carry you back again."
Ye Ziling paused, unsure which word had choked her. She looked at Bai Yu again; his expression had returned to its usual coldness.