As dusk gathered, the peaks of the You Mountain Range faded into the vast gloom.
Outside the ruined hall, autumn insects chirped.
Jiang Yuechu stood in the breach, arms folded, gazing toward the darkening horizon.
She wasn't exactly panicking.
The Chess-Condensing Method was progressing in an orderly fashion, and the demons in the Heavenly Demon Martial Drill were arguing among themselves nonstop. They were even moving faster than she'd expected.
But no matter how fast they went, they needed a Dao-Integration Material as their foundation. Otherwise, it would all be castles in the air.
The old thing couldn't really have been tricking her.
After all, if the Chief Seat of Living Soil wanted to break free, she couldn't think of anyone more suitable than herself right now.
An old monster who'd lived for who knew how many tens of thousands of years couldn't possibly fail to see that.
But if it wasn't a trick...then something must have gone wrong.
Just as Jiang Yuechu was wondering whether she should go find the old thing and hurry her along,
a green streak suddenly cut across the sky.
It came at tremendous speed, not like someone traveling as usual, but more like someone fleeing for their life.
It shot in from the northeast of the You Mountain Range, dragging a long trail behind it. The green light flickered, and its aura came and went.
Jiang Yuechu narrowed her eyes.
The green light circled once above Qingwu Mountain, then abruptly drew to a halt three zhang before the hall.
The old woman's figure stepped out of the radiance.
She still had her hunched appearance, and a few strands of silver hair had come loose. But her breathing was ragged, making it clear she'd been in a fight...
The old woman raised her vertical pupils,