Jing Lan, Chen Yi, and Yun Youyue immediately leaped from the "small hill," leaving Rong Xuelan stunned in place.
The next moment, Rong Xuelan snapped back to reality, a wave of panic washing over her as she screamed, "Save me! Senior Brother Chen Yi! Senior Brother Jing Lan!"
Yun Youyue sneered, "Can't you fly yourself, or don't you know how to control your sword?"
Chen Yi, who had been about to turn back to save her, frowned and stopped, turning to say, "Junior Sister Rong, hurry and catch up."
Rong Xuelan glared fiercely at Yun Youyue, who had ruined her plans, quickly got up from the ground, and stepped onto her flying sword to leave. But as soon as her feet left the ground, she felt something wet and wriggling.
The next instant, her ankle was entwined by the wet, wriggling thing, sending a shiver down her spine. She looked down—
"Ah!"
Rong Xuelan's gaze met a bulging eyeball, like a lantern, and she let out a scream.
That scream seemed to trigger the rampaging switch of the Tun Tian Beast. Another eyeball opened, and the tentacles wrapped around her ankle yanked downward with force, pulling Rong Xuelan off the flying sword.
"Ahhh... Help me!" Rong Xuelan's face turned pale, and she cried out in despair.
"Is Junior Sister Rong in trouble?"
Not far away, Chen Yi and the others had reached a relatively safe location.
He said worriedly, "Should I go help her? The Tun Tian Beast is usually quite docile when it first wakes up."
The reason they hadn't left immediately was because Chen Yi had researched the Tun Tian Beast's habits in his family.
Legend had it that the Tun Tian Beast could swallow the heavens and earth, form the sun and moon, exhale rain, and inhale wind. Yet, this immensely destructive beast had a peculiar habit: it slept for long periods, and when it first awoke, it was disoriented, which cultivators perceived as docility.
However, even if docile, it was not something Yun Youyue and Jing Lan could easily challenge. They had agreed that if they didn't alarm the Tun Tian Beast, they would take the Han Tan Xue Ling Zhi and leave. If they alarmed it, they would leave immediately and find another opportunity to retrieve the Han Tan Xue Ling Zhi later.
Yun Youyue said impatiently, "If you want to help, go ahead."
She then chuckled sarcastically, "But don't blame me, Chen Yi, for not warning you. Can you help her for a moment, but can you help her for a lifetime? This secret realm is fraught with danger. She always causes trouble without getting hurt. Don't you find it annoying? While the Tun Tian Beast is not dangerous now, teaching her a lesson and tempering her spoiled temper would be for her own good."
In her opinion, a pampered lady like Rong Xuelan deserved to be taught a lesson.
Chen Yi fell silent and sat back down.
Seeing that Chen Yi was swayed by her words, Yun Youyue turned to discuss the matter of the Han Tan Xue Ling Zhi with Jing Lan.
"Young Master Jing, I just saw it. The Han Tan Xue Ling Zhi is indeed circled by the Tun Tian Beast. Shall we later..."
"Ah!"
A piercing scream instantly interrupted Yun Youyue.
Chen Yi leaped to his feet and rushed back, "Junior Sister Rong is in trouble! The Tun Tian Beast has gone berserk!"
Yun Youyue's expression changed, "Let's save her first."
She only wanted to teach Rong Xuelan a lesson, not to kill her here.
After all, before they entered, Rong Bugui had said that this daughter could not die yet.
If Rong Xuelan died here, where would she find such easy targets as Rong Yuangui and the Xi Le Sect?
Within a few breaths, Yun Youyue and the others arrived at the scene. The Tun Tian Beast, which had been crouching, stood up. The "small hill" transformed into a "mountain peak," soaring into the clouds, exerting immense pressure on them.
"The Tun Tian Beast has been provoked?" Jing Lan asked, puzzled.
Chen Yi, however, paid no attention to the question and stared in astonishment at a distance, "Junior Sister Rong?"
Not far away, Rong Xuelan stood dumbfounded, holding her sword. Hearing Chen Yi's words, she immediately came to her senses and cried out, "Senior Brother Chen Yi! Save me quickly!"
Just moments ago, in desperation, Rong Xuelan had cut off her own foot with her sword, escaping the Tun Tian Beast's tentacles!
Chen Yi's heart was filled with complexity and guilt. He hurried forward to help Rong Xuelan up and gave her a pill, "Don't be afraid. After we get out, I'll ask the alchemist to refine a bone-growing pill for you, and your foot will grow back."
Rong Xuelan sobbed in his arms, her eyes burning with intense hatred that no one noticed!
If they hadn't abandoned her, why would she have suffered such great torment?
Even if the bone-growing pill could heal her foot, it certainly wouldn't be as good as her original foot!
"Chen Yi, what are you still waiting for? Hurry and take her outside, then come help us!"
On the other side, Yun Youyue and Jing Lan, having not expected the Tun Tian Beast to go berserk, were charging towards them with its mountain-like body!
The Tun Tian Beast appeared clumsy, but its foul-smelling, slimy tentacles were unavoidable. Occasionally getting hit by one would cause both of them to grimace in pain.
Not to mention the Tun Tian Beast's inherent divine abilities, each breath brought forth torrential rain, drenching Yun Youyue and Jing Lan like drowned rats.
Yun Youyue quickly urged Chen Yi, "Bring Rong Xuelan's Zhen Tian Axe and Jin Shi Bei Yu Cup too!"
"Okay!"
Chen Yi responded, looked down at Rong Xuelan, and said, "Junior Sister Rong, could you lend us the Zhen Tian Axe and Jin Shi Bei Yu Cup? Look, Youyue and Young Master Jing are in great danger now. Junior Sister Rong, you wouldn't stand by and do nothing, would you?"
Rong Xuelan looked at Chen Yi in disbelief, "Those are life-saving items my mother gave me! I won't lend them!"
Why should she lend them just because Yun Youyue said so?
Furthermore, the Zhen Tian Axe was a Saint-grade low-tier spiritual artifact, rumored to not only split mountains and overturn seas but also to directly cleave through the defensive barriers of cultivators at the late stage of Nascent Soul.
As for the Jin Shi Bei Yu Cup, it was her natal spiritual artifact. Where the artifact went, the person lived; if the artifact shattered, the person died. It was, in essence, her last resort for survival.
Senior Brother Chen Yi had grown up with her and would surely know how important the Jin Shi Bei Yu Cup was to her. Yet, he was now asking her to hand these two items over to that slut Yun Youyue?
"Junior Sister, can you be more sensible?"
Chen Yi rubbed his forehead, sighing with painful helplessness.
"Look how dangerous it is for Youyue and Young Master Jing to save you, and you can't fight right now. What's wrong with lending us your spiritual artifacts?"
Rong Xuelan's eyes widened in astonishment. This was the first time Chen Yi had spoken to her with such a stern tone since they had been together.
She was completely unaware that Chen Yi's earlier cajoling had partly been out of their years of senior-junior sister camaraderie, but more importantly, he had his sights set on the two artifacts in her possession.
Especially her natal spiritual artifact, which was an excellent treasure for dealing with the Tun Tian Beast.
Chen Yi had always believed that given their relationship, Rong Xuelan would, albeit with hesitation, agree if he asked. He never expected to be refused outright by Rong Xuelan.
Thus, Chen Yi's composure began to falter.
Rong Xuelan's expression was even uglier than his. She couldn't help but roar, "You say they are saving me? Do you think I, Rong Xuelan, am stupid? They are clearly after the Han Tan Xue Ling Zhi!"
"Junior Sister!" Chen Yi's face darkened.
Rong Xuelan lifted her chin, making a scene regardless, "I'm not lending them! Do you think I don't know that you never intended to share the Han Tan Xue Ling Zhi with me? Why should I—Senior Brother Chen Yi?"
Rong Xuelan's voice suddenly rose to a sharp, high pitch, like a broken bellows, as she looked at the sword suddenly resting against her neck.
"Junior Sister, are you really not lending them?" Chen Yi said with a stern face, "Don't blame your senior brother for being heartless. The Tun Tian Beast is difficult to deal with. Without your artifacts, all of us might perish here."
Even at this point, Chen Yi found excuses for his actions.
Rong Xuelan clenched her fingers tightly into her palms, feeling the excruciating pain in her broken foot and hand, filled with murderous hatred!
Aside from Bai Shengyi, this was the second time she had suffered such a significant loss in so many years!
After the extreme anger, she surprisingly calmed down and said hoarsely, "Since that's the case, I'll lend them to you, Senior Brother. After all, I can't just watch you die."
As she spoke, the two artifacts appeared in her hands, and she handed them to Chen Yi.
Chen Yi took the artifacts, sheathed his sword, and said to Rong Xuelan with gratitude and guilt, "I'm sorry, Junior Sister, I just..."
"Senior Brother, hurry and go help!" Rong Xuelan interrupted him, lowering her head again, her eyes burning with fierce hatred.
Chen Yi, however, didn't think much of it and took the artifacts, flying towards Yun Youyue, "Youyue, I've come to lend you a hand!"
"Roar!"
At that moment, the Tun Tian Beast suddenly let out a furious roar, and a sharp, piercing sword energy shot out from its abdomen!
Immediately after, several figures flew out from within!