Meng Qi and Zhang Yuanshan finished healing, followed by Qi Zhengyan.
They waited a few more breaths before the light healing Jiang Zhiwei faded. The right sleeve of her pale yellow dress hung empty.
"How did you get hurt so badly?"
Xuantian looked at Meng Qi and the others.
"We ran into Palm Qiankun Tang Shun and White-Browed Evil Wolf Borhan. Tang Shun was skilled with hidden weapons and wounded Senior Brother Zhang in an ambush. We only managed to kill them both after a desperate fight. Hero Wang and Heroine Ke lost their lives."
Meng Qi's expression darkened, as though he were reliving the brutality of that battle. He continued, "We were all badly wounded afterward. Afraid of running into more enemies, we hid in a secret passage I'd found and stayed there until we returned."
He did not know Xuantian well, so he said nothing about obtaining the first form of Ananda's Precept-Breaking Saber Technique, the Severed Purity Saber Intent inheritance, in that passage.
"Even with Abbot Xinji fighting alongside you, Junior Sister Jiang, you were hurt this badly?"
"Duercha was stronger than we expected. He was half a step into the Exterior realm. Even together, Abbot Xinji and I were no match for him."
A trace of frustration entered Jiang Zhiwei's otherwise calm voice. She thought of her White Rainbow Piercing the Sun Sword.
"Thank you for this, Brother Xuan. If you hadn't killed Duercha at the end, I was too badly wounded to escape."
Jiang Zhiwei thanked Xuantian as she spoke.
"Don't mention it. We're teammates who look out for one another. I killed Duercha to complete the mission too."
At that moment, the Lord of Six Paths of Reincarnation delivered their mission evaluations.
"Mission evaluation: Zhang Yuanshan, Jiang Zhiwei, and Qi Zhengyan: 'Average.' Each receives