“Waning Moon Art: Full Slash, Twofold”

Wu Dao slashed at the barrier before him, his sword releasing a two fold mirage slash that met with the barrier, causing radiant Qi spread as cracks began to spiderweb across the barrier. He could feel the energy within the barrier shifting, resisting his strikes.

“Why isn’t this breaking?!” Wu Dao growled, his expression darkening. Around him, disciples of the sect were locked in a fierce battle, but his focus remained on the absence of Zhao Ren and Yin Xue.

It had been 5 minutes already, and almost the entire Scarlet Demon Sect force was here—yet their main unit of four was not present. His mind raced. Have we been tricked? Did they predict our movements?

Wu Dao clenched his fists tighter, slashing across the barrier once again. “If they’re not here, then Meng Lin—”

Roar!

Before he could finish the thought, a deafening roar split the air. The ground trembled as a massive shadow moved past the barrier and descended from the sky.

Thump.

A dragon crashed into the battlefield. Its enormous body stretched wide as it landed with an earth-shaking thud.

Wu Dao’s eyes widened as he saw Meng Lin slumped lifelessly on the dragon’s back, the spear embedded in her chest glowing with a faint energy.

“Junior Sister Lin!” he shouted, hurrying over.

The Crimson Tortoise Dragon growled, its form flickering as it laid Meng Lin’s body on the ground before dissolving into a haze of Qi.

Wu Dao appeared at her side, his gaze furious. He could see her pale face, her breath shallow and uneven. The spear in her chest was leaking Elemental Qi, eating away at her vitality.

“Hold on, Meng Lin,” he muttered, his hands shifting to the spear. His hands trembled as they gripped the spear, feeling the high concentration of Elemental Qi radiating from it.

The spear pulsed with resistance, almost as if it were alive, but Wu Dao yanked it free in one swift motion.

Meng Lin’s body convulsed, and her pale lips parted as blood spilled from the wound. Wu Dao quickly pressed his hand over the gaping injury, channeling his Qi into her to stabilize her condition.

“Yan Rui! I need a few recovery pills!” he barked, his voice cutting through the chaotic battlefield.

Yan Rui, a disciple who had been holding the defensive line with the other disciples, rushed to his side. She quickly pulled a few Rank 3 Body Rejuvenation Pills and Wound Mending Pills from her pouch and handed them over. “Will this be enough?”

“It’ll have to be,” Wu Dao muttered, crushing the pill between his fingers and gently feeding the powder into Meng Lin’s mouth, using a thread of Qi to guide it down her throat.

“Meng Lin… just hold on,” he whispered.

The fights on the battlefield stopped, all the onlookers' expressions a mix of awe and fear after witnessing the dragon’s descent. The Scarlet Demon Sect disciples hesitated to advance, warily eyeing the group.

“We need to retreat,” Yan Rui said urgently, her voice steady despite the tension. “The Scarlet Demon Sect may regroup at any moment. If Zhao Ren, Yin Xue, and the others come, we won’t stand a chance in this state.”

Wu Dao’s eyes flickered with frustration, but he nodded. “You’re right. Everyone, fall back!"

As the group began their hasty retreat, Wu Dao carried Meng Lin in his arms, his jaw clenched tightly. His thoughts raced as he didn't look back.

Behind them, the Scarlet Demon Sect’s forces were not pursuing but were clearly regrouping. Wu Dao’s mind raced with questions.

What happened to Zhao Ren and Yin Xue? Were they lying in wait for us somewhere else? Or… were they injured like Meng Lin?

Glancing at Meng Lin’s bloodied form, Wu Dao couldn't help but blame himself.

****

"Cough."

Yin Xue staggered to her feet, her body screaming in protest. Every breath sent sharp pain radiating through her chest, and the acrid taste of blood lingered on her tongue.

Her once-pristine robes were now tattered, burned in several places, clinging to her charred flesh. She coughed violently.

The battlefield around her was silent now, save for the faint crackling of lingering embers from Meng Lin's devastating final attack.

Zhao Ren's lifeless body lay several feet away, twisted unnaturally. His eyes were slightly open, wide in surprise. Her stomach churned at the sight. Zhao Ren... how will the sect react to this?

Yin Xue pressed a trembling hand to her side, feeling a jagged wound beneath her ribs. 'Zhao Ren was Zhao Lu's brother. No matter the circumstances, the sect will hold me accountable.'

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"Sigh." She stumbled forward, her boots crunching over charred debris. She released her spiritual consciousness and was relieved to see the teleportation formation still active.

Her mind replayed Meng Lin's last attack, and her hand reflexively traced the burns on her arm, her fingers trembling with rage as she touched the raw, blistered skin. She had still underestimated that individual.

A rustle behind her caused her to tilt her head slightly; however, she couldn't be bothered to turn around. Li Jin emerged from the shadows, his face a mixture of anger and disbelief.

"You're still alive," he said flatly, his eyes flicking to her wounds.

"Barely," Yin Xue muttered, her expression surprisingly calm.

Li Jin's gaze lingered on Zhao Ren's body, and his expression darkened. "He's dead."

Yin Xue nodded. "I know."

"And you know what that means." His voice was sharp, accusatory. "Zhao Lu will definitely come. She won't care that it was Meng Lin who killed him. She'll kill us."

"I know," Yin Xue snapped, her calm facade cracking. "Do you think I haven't thought of that?"

Yin Xue exhaled slowly, closing her eyes for a moment. When she spoke again, her voice was quieter, more controlled. "We need to regroup, send word to the sect, and keep an eye on that valley until the others arrive."

"And what about Zhao Lu?" Li Jin asked, his voice laced with bitterness.

Yin Xue's eyes flicked. "She is not our concern," Yin Xue said coldly, her tone brooking no argument.

She walked toward the teleportation formation, her steps unsteady. "Go help out Mei Ling; she's badly injured."

Li Jin scoffed and stormed off in the direction of Mei Ling, muttering under his breath.

***

Meng Lin opened her eyes to a bright sun hanging high in the sky. Her gaze lingered on it; its blazing warmth was oddly soothing despite her battered state. The stillness of the moment was broken by a voice beside her.

“You’re finally awake.”

She turned her head weakly to see Wu Dao sitting cross-legged next to her, his face calm but shadowed with worry.

“What happened in there?” he asked, his tone measured.

Meng Lin spoke, her gaze blank and her voice faint. "I wasn’t able to destroy the teleportation formation; however, I was able to kill Zhao Ren."

Wu Dao's expression tightened, his brows furrowing as he processed her words. “Zhao Ren is dead?” he repeated, his tone edged with disbelief.

Wu Dao's mind raced. Zhao Ren, ranked sixth on the Rising Star Ranks, was not someone easily defeated. Even he, ranked just above Zhao Ren, couldn't guarantee victory without a drawn-out fight. Yet Meng Lin had killed him in just five minutes.

He studied her battered state, her white robe surprisingly woven back together, and her dim late-stage aura.

He noticed that there was no arrogance in her tone, no air of boasting. She simply stared at the horizon, as if Zhao Ren’s death was a mere consequence of necessity, not triumph.

“What about the others?” Wu Dao finally asked, his voice low, almost wary.

Meng Lin’s eyes flickered to him briefly. “Yin Xue is still alive, but she's seriously injured. The others…” She paused, her expression thoughtful. “They should still be alive."

Wu Dao nodded, sighing slightly. At least with this, they wouldn't send all Six Demon Seeds, but one of them would definitely come, and the most likely option is...

Meng Lin interrupted his thought process. “More importantly, I was ambushed before I could reach the enemy’s main tent. Their forces knew exactly where I would be… they were prepared.”

Wu Dao’s gaze darkened, his hand unconsciously clenching into a fist. “Yeah, I realized there had been spies within our group.”

Wu Dao looked at her for a moment before he continued with a deep sigh, “When we retreated back to the valley, it was already too late. The place was deserted—dead bodies were everywhere, and…” He hesitated, his voice quieter. “Luo Mei was gone."

Meng Lin’s eyes widened, and she tried to sit up, but the pain in her chest forced her back down. “Luo Mei… gone? What happened?”

Wu Dao shook his head. “We don’t know. But whatever the cause, there was no trace left, not even a sign of a struggle."

"You think she might be the spy?" Meng Lin asked, surprise in her voice.

Wu Dao sighed and shook his head slowly, his expression thoughtful. "No, I don’t think that's likely. If Luo Mei were the spy, she wouldn’t have a reason to run away. A spy thrives by staying unnoticed, blending in. Running would only draw suspicion to her."

Meng Lin frowned. "But she’s gone, and that timing is too convenient to ignore."

Wu Dao let out a deep sigh, his tone measured. "True, it raises questions. But consider this—on the battlefield, several disciples deserted to the Scarlet Demon Sect. We already confirmed that those were the ones who leaked the information."

He continued. "If Luo Mei was one of them, why would she disappear after everything was over? Since we already identified the disciples that deserted us, she had no suspicion on her, and she could have just blended in with the rest of us. Better yet, she could strike when we least expect it. It just doesn’t add up."

Meng Lin was silent for a moment, processing his reasoning. "Then what do you think happened to her?"

Wu Dao replied. "There are two possibilities. Either she was captured by someone who wanted her specifically, or she left for reasons we don’t yet understand. But I don’t believe she’s the spy. If she was, this whole operation would’ve gone differently."

Meng Lin’s eyes narrowed slightly. "I understand."

Wu Dao paused, his voice softening. “There’s still one thing in our favor. Within the valley, there’s a hidden formation—one strong enough to hold even against a Nascent Soul cultivator. I plan to attempt a breakthrough while the formation is active. It will give us a fighting chance.”

"A fighting chance? Against what?"

Wu Dao's expression grew serious. "Against Zhao Lu."

Meng Lin raised an eyebrow. "Zhao Lu… Who is that?"

Wu Dao leaned back slightly, his gaze distant, as if recalling something dreadful. "Zhao Lu, one of the Six Demon Seeds."

"She’s Zhao Ren’s elder sister. A prodigy. Ruthless, cunning, and… completely deranged. People call her the Blood Lily. Among all cultivators below the Nascent Soul Realm, she’s considered unmatched. Some say she can even fight on par with weaker Nascent Soul cultivators."

Meng Lin's brows furrowed. "Blood Lily? Fitting name for a demon cultivator, I suppose."

Wu Dao nodded. "The problem is, she doesn’t care for reason or negotiation. Zhao Ren’s death won’t even enrage her—it will just give her an excuse. An excuse for her to leave the sect and come after us, not to avenge him, but to simply kill everyone here."

Meng Lin's brows furrowed. “Everyone here?”

Wu Dao nodded, his voice laced with a deep sense of foreboding. “That’s how crazy that girl is.”

Meng Lin asked, “Then wouldn’t the Scarlet Demon Sect disciples be running away right now?”

Wu Dao shook his head. “They can’t. They all have an imprint in their soul, a bond they cannot break. They can never abandon their sect, and their soul tablet is with the sect. With it, they can be located wherever they go.”

Meng Lin sighed. "I don't know if I would be able to keep that promise I made to the Grand Sect Elder."

Wu Dao smiled before getting up. "I sent word for reinforcements, but that will take a while. Our sect is already spread thin; the difference between our sect and the Scarlet Demon Sect is their larger number of disciples and prodigies."

“Rest and recover. Your wound isn’t fatal, but you’ll need a few days to regain your strength.”

Meng Lin nodded slowly, her gaze drifting back to the sun. Wu Dao left her side, his figure soon disappearing as he walked out of a formation barrier.