The early morning mist has not yet cleared, and the Huangdou team is already on the road.
This is the fourth day of the return trip.
Chen Jieqi sat in the middle of the carriage with his eyes closed, the mark between his eyebrows shining slightly.
Sheng Hui's voice sounded in Soul Ring, a little more dignified than usual.
"Cangmang Mountain Range direction, the smell of pollution is increasing."
Chen Jieqi opened his eyes. "How much stronger than before?"
"It's more than tripled, it's still rising.
They are accelerating their activities."
Chen Jieqi frowned for a moment.
He thought of the underground palace and the black figure kneeling in front of the gray-black statue.
Thinking of the word "adult", they couldn't wait.
The convoy passed a fork in the road before noon.
To the east is the official road back to Heaven Dou City, and to the northwest is the direction of the Cangmang Mountain Range.
Chen Jieqi opened his eyes and said something to Dugu Yan.
"Yan Sister Yan, you go back first."
Dugu Yan turned his head and looked at him. "What about you?"
"Go to the Cangmang Mountain Range. There's something I need to confirm with my own eyes."
Dugu Yan didn't ask "why", but just glanced at him. "Alone?"
"Grandpa, go with me."
Dugu Yan was silent for a moment and nodded.
"Be careful, we are waiting for you at Heaven Dou to attend the knighting ceremony."
"Don't worry, Yan Sister Yan, no one is better than me."
Chen Jieqi got off the carriage and walked to Dugu Bo's carriage.
"Grandpa, come with me to the Cangmang Mountain Range."
Dugu Bo opened his eyes and glanced at him.
He opened the curtain, straightened his clothes and came down.
Chen Jieqi got on a horse and prepared to go.
Yu Feng stuck his head out from the roof of the car and looked at the backs of the two people. "Where is Captain Chen going?"
Osler closed his eyes. "Something's wrong."
"What's the matter?"
"I don't know."
Yu Feng retracted his head and did not ask again.
In the prince's carriage, Xue Qinghe was sitting upright.
She did not lift the curtain, and after Chen Jieqi greeted her, she and Dugu Bo left alone without disturbing anyone else.
She closed her eyes and felt that the breath was moving northwest, getting farther and farther.
She did not pursue him, but remembered that the two of them met "candidly" for the first time outside the Cangmang Mountain Range Valley of Light.
"I'll give you half a day." She said in her heart, her voice as light as a feather falling to the ground.
"If you don't return after half a day, I will supervise the mining affairs as the prince and go to the Cangmang Mountain Range in person."
Outside the carriage, the guard's voice came. "Your Highness, Huangdou, someone over there has left the team."
"I know." Her voice was still calm, "Keep walking."
The guard didn't ask any more questions.
On the other side, outside the abandoned Soul Hunting Station, the battle is over.
A hammer larger and heavier than Tang Hao's Clear Sky Hammer fell from the sky.
It hit the ground in front of the ANBU leader, exploding a huge crater several feet deep.
The shock wave knocked away more than a dozen ANBU Soul Master, and the leader of the Soul Saint level was shaken so hard that he took several steps back and his jaws cracked.
A tall figure walked out of the woods, with a face as sharp as a knife and eyes as cold as stars.
His robe was embroidered with the emblem of the Clear Sky Sect, and he was followed by four men in black with the same attire.
Tang Xiao, the master of the Clear Sky Sect, the eldest brother of Tang Hao.
The ANBU leader's expression changed.
"Clear Sky Sect... Didn't you retreat?"
Tang Xiao didn't look at him.
He walked up to Tang Hao, squatted down, and looked at the face as white as paper.
The two brothers have not seen each other for more than ten years. The last time they met, the last time they met each other was Clear Sky Twin Stars who was high-spirited and unsuccessful Clear Sky Douluo.
Tang Hao opened his eyes and looked at him.
The lips moved but no sound came out.
Tang Xiao took out a jade bottle from his arms, poured out a round pill, and stuffed it into Tang Hao's mouth.
"Stop talking and eat."
Tang Hao Swallow it.
The power of the medicine spreads in the meridians, wrapping and stabilizing the broken Soul Ring fragments little by little.
His face was still pale, but his breathing was calmer.
Tang Xiao stood up and turned around,
Tang Xiao turned around and faced the direction of Evil Soul Master.
The man in gray robe had retreated to the edge of the woods, trying to sneak away in the chaos.
"Want to run?"
The sound of Tang Xiao is not high, but it is like a hammer hitting an anvil.
The man in gray robe froze.
"Clear Sky Sect retired, not dead."
Tang Xiao raised his hand, Clear Sky Hammer flew back into his palm,
"You dirty guys, are you worthy of risking your lives under Clear Sky Hammer?"
The hammer picked up and hit the ground directly.
The shock wave exploded in a fan shape, breaking trees and shattering rocks wherever it passed.
Three Evil Soul Master were blown away by the air wave, and they were broken into several pieces in mid-air.
The remaining men in gray robes wanted to run away, but the four men in black robes behind Tang Xiao moved.
Four handles Clear Sky Hammer light up at the same time, blocking all escape routes.
"Leave no one behind." Tang Xiao said.
The scream was short.
The ANBU leader looked at this scene and his face turned pale.
"You go, for the sake of Brother Hao's safety, I won't embarrass you."
The ANBU leader gritted his teeth and put his hand on the hilt of the sword without pulling it out.
"Let's go."
The ANBU retreated and disappeared into the woods.
Tang Xiao turned around and looked at Tang Hao. "Can you still leave?"
Tang Hao has no answer.
He glanced at Tang San, then at Xiao Wu standing in the corner.
Tang San walked up to Xiao Wu and held her hand.
Her hands were cold and her body was shaking.
"Xiao Wu."
She didn't look up.
"Spirit Hall has disclosed your identity." Tang San's voice was very low.
"Everyone on the mainland knows that you are Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. I am not strong enough to protect you yet."
Xiao Wu's fingers clenched tightly.
"You'd better go back to Xingdou first and come out when it matures, or I'll come find you later."
"Well, what about you?" Xiao Wu's voice was very soft, as if he was talking to himself.
Tang San looked at her for a long time. "Wait for me."
Xiao Wu did not nod or shake his head.
She raised her head and looked at Tang San's face, her bloodshot eyes, and the bloody scab on the tiger's mouth that had not yet dried up.
She reached out her hand and wiped away the blood from the corner of his mouth with her thumb.
"Third Brother, you don't have to wait for me."
Tang San's hand froze.
Xiao Wu let go of his hand and turned around, his scorpion tail drawing an arc in the air.
At the end of the arc, a drop of blood fell from the end of her braid, and she bit the tip of her tongue to prevent herself from saying "I'll wait for you."
She left and didn't look back.
Tang San stood there, watching her back disappear into the woods.
His right hand still held her, and his fingers slowly tightened to hold the air.
He didn't chase.
Tang Xiao looked at this scene and said nothing.
He walked up to Tang San and patted him on the shoulder.
"Let's go to Heaven Dou City. Your aunt is at the Moonlight Pavilion."
Tang San said nothing.
He walked back to Tang Hao and helped his father up.
Tang Hao was leaning on his shoulder, breathing heavily, but no longer coughing up blood.
After a few people packed up, they walked in the direction of Heaven Dou City.
Cangmang Mountain Range
Chen Jieqi and Dugu Bo stood on a ridge on the edge of the mountains.
Looking from here, the valley in the distance is shrouded in gray-black fog, which is several times thicker than a few months ago.
The mist surged slowly like a living thing, and occasionally lightning exploded in the mist, illuminating the gray and black areas palely.
Dugu Bo and Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor were stirring inside the body, and poisonous mist seeped out of the cuffs uncontrollably.
"This thing is spreading." Dugu Bo's voice was low and his expression was solemn.
Chen Jieqi said nothing.
The marks between his eyebrows were beating, and the voice of Sheng Hui sounded in Soul Ring.
"Evil Soul Master are gathering in the direction of Stone Gate. But they are not opening the door, they are blocking it.
They know you are going to open it, and they will wait for you to consume it before grabbing it."
Chen Jieqi looked at the gray-black sea of fog and was silent for a long time.
"Drive Stone Gate when you get back."
Dugu Bo turned to look at him. "No wait?"
"No wait." Chen Jieqi's voice was deep,
"They can't wait, and neither can I."
Dugu Bo didn't ask again.
The two stood on the ridge, the wind blowing their clothes and making a sound.
In the distance, the gray-black sea of fog is still surging, like a giant beast that is waking up.
In the direction of Heaven Dou City, the Huangdou motorcade was moving forward slowly on the official road.
The setting sun gilded the outline of Heaven Dou City in gold. The team accelerated.
Xue Qinghe's carriage followed at the end.
Her fingers were always pressed against the feathers in her sleeves, and the burn marks from the feathers burned into her fingertips.
She felt that the breath was getting further and further away, getting fainter and fainter, and finally disappeared completely.
But she didn't let go, she clenched the feathers tighter.