Shi Lan lowered her head and surveyed the Heavenly Demon's corpse before her. She raised a hand and put it into her storage bracelet. The Primordial Spirit in her sea of consciousness was dim and lifeless.
The final instant when the Black Domain unfolded had placed an immense burden on her. To suppress the Golden-Winged Peng's Dharma form, she had nearly drained her Primordial Spirit dry.
Though it had lasted only a brief moment, it had been perilous in the extreme.
Tian Bai noticed Shi Lan's weary expression and carefully helped her into the carriage, urging the Heavenly Horses toward Yunyan Star.
Half an hour later, the Heavenly Horses stopped at a spirit peak within the Tianyan Sect. Li Canglan was waiting there with several high-ranking members of the sect.
Shi Lan had sent word ahead, instructing Li Canglan to keep her return to the sect a secret, so they had not alerted many people.
With a vast sect of a hundred thousand disciples under his command, Li Canglan had gained a little more of a ruler's bearing since they had last met.
"Greetings, Sect Master."
Upon seeing Shi Lan, Li Canglan bowed in greeting, his manner respectful. Lin Lang and the others behind him followed suit, keeping their eyes lowered and not daring to look around.
Shi Lan had already changed into a fresh set of robes. Apart from a slight pallor, she looked no different from usual.
Aside from Li Canglan and Lin Lang, the others who had come with him were only at the Golden Core Realm. In such a short time, it was difficult for these key members to make any great strides in cultivation.
Lin Lang, however, had made considerable progress. He had caught up from behind and entered the Nascent Soul Middle Stage.