Chapter 128: Chapter 92: Jade Sun Pass: The Enigmatic Demon Star

"I dare not say it’s a ten out of ten certainty, but it’s pretty close." Liou Yuan recalled the mysterious scent, feeling a bit more certain.

When it involves a Calamity-level Star Evil, an eighty or ninety percent chance already indicates a huge crisis.

Thinking of this, Liou Yuan furrowed his brows even tighter: "The people of Chouhuai City are truly out of luck."

In some ways, Chouhuai City is quite unfortunate.

Just after a Calamity-level Star Evil breached the city, and they barely awaited the assistance of the Jin Dynasty’s great cultivators, about seventy to eighty percent of the city’s population perished.

In some ways, it’s also quite fortunate.

Because, despite five consecutive months of Evil Stars, they failed to awaken the Star Evil hidden within Chouhuai City.

If it had awakened before the Jin Dynasty’s aid arrived, and two Calamity-level Star Evils emerged simultaneously,

the city would have instantly turned to ashes, even the Jin Dynasty Foundation Establishment great cultivators would have perished facing two Calamity-level Star Evils.

"What kind of Star Evil could be lurking inside the city?"

Liou Yuan rubbed his temples. He had always heard that cities were breached by Star Evils from outside.

Never had he heard of a Star Evil emerging from within a city.

"Should I report this to Mr. Zhao?" Liou Yuan hesitated.

Technically, his mission was over.

Moreover, Five Extremes Mountain couldn’t interfere in Jin Dynasty matters, Liou Yuan could at most report it upwards.

But basing his conclusion solely on a scent to determine that there’s a Calamity-level Star Evil within the city lacks persuasion, which made Liou Yuan quite troubled.

"How should I explain this matter? Even if I say it, who would believe it might as well be a ghost!"

...

Over Chouhuai City, the red array barrier corresponded with the warm sun in the sky.

Within the city, ruins and broken walls could still be seen everywhere.

Heaps of rubble piled up like mountains, with shattered tiles and decayed beams messily intertwined, emitting an atmosphere of decay and decline.

Yet within this desolation, rebirth was surging everywhere.

Citizens in coarse cloth clothing pushed wheelbarrows, shuttling between the ruins and material points, carts filled with soil, stones, and wood.

Younger, stronger men worked together to lift heavy beams, shouting in unison. The sound echoed down the empty streets, full of resilience and strength.

On the west side of Chouhuai City.

In the only relatively intact tavern, all ten disciples of Five Extremes Mountain were gathered, toasting each other.

The best ingredients the city could muster up were spread out on the table — just two or three chickens and a soup made from wild mushrooms.

At another table sat five cultivators led by Lv Jifeng from Chouhuai City.

Thanks to Five Extremes Mountain’s intervention, all five of them survived.

Because their subsequent performance was average, Liou Yuan, who initially intended to kill someone for authority, never found the chance.

Now that Chouhuai City was successfully defended, there was no need for establishing authority.

However, with Liou Yuan present, Lv Jifeng and the others were still apprehensive of his presence, only drinking quietly, not daring to glance over.

Only after Miss Lai greeted them did Lv Jifeng’s group muster the courage to come over, forming a large table with fifteen people.

"The city’s array is almost repaired, with just a few finishing touches expected to be done in a day or two."

"As soon as Mr. Zhao emerges, we will set out back to Five Extremes Mountain immediately."

"Thanks to the assistance of the five of you in recent days, saving us a lot of trouble."

Miss Lai smiled and raised a glass towards Lv Jifeng and his group, exchanging polite pleasantries.

The Five Extremes Mountain disciples had already grasped the essence of Lv Jifeng and his fellows.

Upon hearing Miss Lai’s words, they all had faintly amused expressions.

Liou Yuan pretended nothing was happening, not bothering to glance at Lv Jifeng’s group. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"Not at all, it was all thanks to you that Chouhuai City held its ground."

"Our contribution was hardly noteworthy!" Lv Jifeng responded stiffly, sneaking a glance at Liou Yuan, and politely added, "It is we who should be thanking you."

Lv Jifeng relaxed a bit when he noticed Liou Yuan hadn’t been paying attention to him.

The day he’d been dealt with by Liou Yuan lingered in his fear, even more than of Miss Lai, for he could sense that this young man truly dared to kill him.

Zhao Feiyue sat next to Liou Yuan, noticing the fear on Lv Jifeng’s face, and a light smile appeared on her bold yet beautiful face. She softly teased him: "He’s still afraid of you."

"Heh," Liou Yuan chuckled without saying more.

Because Liou Yuan intentionally lowered his presence, gradually, Lv Jifeng and his group began to relax and started toasting with the Five Extremes Mountain crowd one by one.

And so the conversation turned to various topics.

Having accomplished their mission without any casualties, the Five Extremes Mountain disciples were in a good mood.

The atmosphere at the table was harmonious.

Someone in the discussion brought up that rebuilding Chouhuai City would require a lot of effort given the significant casualties, pondering how long it would take to restore its vitality.

Only to hear Lv Jifeng speak indifferently, "This disaster, Jiangyang Prefecture saw many cities fall, and it won’t be long before refugees come to Chouhuai City to make up for the casualties caused by this calamity."

"Mortals have short lifespans, and in twenty years, the elderly will be gone, and the next generation will have grown. Looking back, it will be nothing extraordinary."

"As long as the Jin Dynasty survives, the populace is like crops in the field, never truly severed."

Although Lv Jifeng’s words held truth, his tone naturally held disdain for ordinary people.

Comparing them to crops in a field.

Liou Yuan frowned slightly at those words. Lv Jifeng, only at Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer as a Loose Cultivator, didn’t count for much in Chouhuai City.

One couldn’t imagine how dismissive the higher-ups of the Jin Dynasty, such as city lords and prefecture heads, were towards the common people.

"Indeed, wherever you go, it’s the same; they claim people are of utmost importance, but behind the scenes, heh..." Liou Yuan sneered.

The conversation grew lively.

And it turned to the history of Chouhuai City. A senior cultivator from Chouhuai City began to speak.

"Mr. Lv is correct. Over three hundred years ago, this place was just a wilderness, not even Chouhuai City."

"Back then, it was called Jade Sun Pass. In merely three hundred years, it’s become so prosperous. In another twenty years, it will certainly regain its vitality."

Originally drifting off during the discussion, Liou Yuan suddenly focused when he heard the cultivator’s words, repeating the three words: "Jade Sun Pass!"

Liou Yuan seemed to remember something, quickly turning his attention to the cultivator and carefully asking, "Is it the Jade Sun Pass from ’Dawn breaks, light spreads across the land. Amidst it stands a place, where jade hues ascend, thus named Jade Sun Pass’?"

The elder cultivator appeared to be in his fifties and at the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer, but his actual age was likely older.

He initially dreaded Liou Yuan, slightly retracting his neck when speaking.

However, upon hearing Liou Yuan accurately recite the Jade Sun Pass story, his old face was momentarily startled, then he smiled and said, "Mr. Liou has even heard this tale?"

"Indeed, it is that Jade Sun Pass."

Having confirmed it, Liou Yuan remained silent, nodding and quietly reseating himself at the table.

The Five Extremes Mountain disciples noticed nothing amiss and continued their revelry.

Only the observant Zhao Feiyue noticed Liou Yuan’s off demeanor.

After returning to his seat, his brows furrowed tightly, seemingly trying to recall something.

Zhao Feiyue, having worked closely with Liou Yuan for over twenty days, knew he wasn’t one to feign depth of character. While others were distracted, she quietly asked, "Mr. Liou, what’s troubling you?"

Liou Yuan glanced up into Zhao Feiyue’s flawless face.

Her brows were too refined, adding a dashing quality, while her other facial features remained gentle, with a beauty befitting a lady of noble birth when viewed up close.

But now wasn’t the time to admire her charms. After hesitating a moment, Liou Yuan softly recited a passage: "A sinister star emerged from the earth, breached three cities in succession, each day consuming a hundred thousand people. As it passed, a strange fragrance spread, and those who smelled it bore smiles upon their faces, meeting their demise without a trace of pain."

"Led by his master’s decree, Qiou Daozi of Five Extremes Mountain descended from the peaks to vanquish this evil. Battling fiercely every step of the way. As they approached Jade Sun Pass, the beast disappeared without a trace, leaving no sign of its whereabouts."