After parting ways with Li Huayuan and Hongfu on their journey back to Yellow Maple Valley, Liu Jing and Wu Xuan flew straight toward Xujing.
They had no idea what was happening in Yellow Maple Valley. They didn't know that the valley's protective formation had been breached by the Devil Dao's wicked cultivators the previous night, nor that Ancestor Linghu, the valley's Grand Elder, had already decisively led the sect's remaining elite disciples north to seek refuge with the Nine Nations Alliance in Beiliang.
At any rate, when they arrived in Xujing early that morning, they searched the city for the entire morning. After finding nothing despite looking in many places, they tentatively headed for the bamboo grove outside the city where Flame Immortal, Fairy Mo, and the others had once lived.
"Madam Wei!"
"Junior Brother Song Meng!"
"Thank goodness! Are you both all right?"
As soon as they landed, they found Zhong Weiniang and Song Meng recovering from their injuries in one of the bamboo houses in that grove, the one belonging to Old Master Xiao Zhen.
"I'm definitely fine!"
"Weiniang is still a little injured, but don't worry. A few more days of rest should take care of it."
"Senior Brother Liu, did you escape on flying talismans too?"
Song Meng and Zhong Weiniang didn't know what had happened on the Golden Drum Plains battlefield, nor did they know what had happened in Yellow Maple Valley. Seeing Liu Jing and Wu Xuan arrive looking travel-worn, Song Meng assumed they had encountered a powerful Devil Dao cultivator at the Core Formation Stage, realized they were outmatched, and hurriedly escaped with flying talismans, just as he and Weiniang had.
Of course, Song Meng also didn't know that if he had delayed just a little longer, he and Zhong Weiniang might