"Hm? Sect leader Sun, is something the matter?" Xie Lan asked as he looked at Sun Yu who coughed.
"Does sect leader Sun feel ill?" Tang Teng asked.
"Sect leader Sun, you should go see a doctor if you don't feel fine." Li Nanzi told him.
"We can ask elder Zheng to call one for us." Wu Tong said.
"Shall we?" Hui Qiu spoke.
"Sect leader Sun's face really do look slightly pale…" Qian Shan said.
"Ai… let's go call for a doctor!" He Run said and was about to tell Zheng Fu Gong and Pai Lie when Sun Yu raise his hand to stop him.
"No. I am fine…" Sun Yu said.
"Really?" Jing Rui asked. "You don't need to hold back." He said.
Sun Yu gnashed his teeth and secretly glared at Xie Lan who is chatting with Yu Wen. If it wasn't for Xie Lan… he thought and sighed. "En. I am fine." He answered. He then changed the topic. "The disciples should be having a hard time now." He said as he looked at his disciples who were lying on the ground.
Their bodies are filled with wounds and their snow-white robes are soaked in blood and dirty and torn. Fortunately, they have managed to kill the demons that surrounded them earlier, but almost at the cost of their lives.
…
"It's the Shanliangde Sect!" Tang Li exclaimed when they finally reached the canyon.
"Oh, my god!" He Shun exclaimed and covered in mouth as he looked at the surroundings in horror.
"Save them first!" Su Mi woke them all up from their daze.
"Be careful! There might be demons left around!" Su Yi reminded them as they fed the Shanliangde Sect disciples with magic pills and potions.
"En." Li Yan nodded as he checked Fei Luo's breathing.
Fei Luo's weak breathing turned stronger after he was fed with magic pills and potions.
"They are really amazing…" Li Yan sighed in admiration as he picked Fei Luo up.
"En. There are only four of them, yet they managed to kill many of these demons." Tang Li said as he picked up Xi Bing.
"No." Qi Lan shook his head as he carried Sun Yan. Before the others could react, he turned to look at the top of the canyon.
"Aio. We have a sharp one." It was xiao Ling.
Su Yi sighed in relief when he saw the two sword spirits. Then, he picked up Fei Huo who has the least wounds. "Right… there is still these two…" he muttered.
It was only then that they recalled that xiao Bao and xiao Ling would appear if the participants would be in life and death situation. Since they appeared, then the Shanliangde Sect disciples must have almost died. Their hearts thudded loudly inside their chest as they imagined.
"Let's take them back first to the base." Su Mi told them.
"En!" He Shun sighed before he picked up the swords of the Shanliangde Sect disciples on the ground and placed them inside his qiankun pouch so he can easily carry it. "I can fly on my own." He told Qi Lan when the other was about to pick him up, too, despite he already have another person being carried.
Then, he stepped on his sword and ascended.
"… en." Qi Lan muttered and flew on his sword, following behind silently.
Tang Li, Li Yan, Su Yi and Su Mi looked at each other when they noticed that the atmosphere surrounding the two seemed strained. But, since they are outsiders, unless either He Shun or Qi Lan would open up to them, they wouldn't say anything.
…
"What happened?!" Fei Yinzi asked when he heard Cui Xiang's startled scream. He and Wen Wen went out of their tent, only to see Wen Yan's group brought the gravely injured Xi He.
"What the hell… that was too thrilling!" Jing De wiped the sweat off his forehead as Cui Xiang treated Xi He's wounds.
Wen Yan turned and saw Wen Wen following behind Fei Yinzi. His expression changed, but he immediately hid it. Zhu Xi glanced at him.
"We have found him earlier, and he was still conscious." Qian Jue answered.
"What was that 'thrilling' that you said?" Chen Su asked Jing De.
"Right, right! Xi He told us to run, since he was actually being chased by a large group of demons!" Jing De answered.
Chen Su, Fei Yinzi and Wen Wen were stunned. Chen Yu hid behind Chen Su while Cui Xiang almost dropped the bottle of medicine on the ground. "WHAT?!" they exclaimed.
"Yes." Jing Xu sighed. "The large group of demons were almost behind us. Fortunately, Xi He has escaped far earlier and warned us so it bought us time and distance." He explained.
Qian Meng subconsciously shivered when he remembered what happened earlier. His face is pale in horror. "They almost caught us. They are too vicious in their attacks!" he told them.
Zhu Xi nodded in agreement. "Fortunately, Cui Xiao, Su Yi and Wen Wen have taught us before how to lay traps using talismans, spells and potions…" he sighed in relief.
"That's right. Thanks to you, we have managed to delay them…" Jing De placed a palm on his forehead.
"You're welcome." Zhu Xi answered.
"The demons left are really stronger than the ones we have hunted before." Fei Yinzi spoke as he pinched his chin while he pondered. "We have to be more careful, especially when we lay traps in advance." He looked at them. "Since they are stronger, then, they should also be smarter compared to the demons that we have killed before." He told them.
"Why are they smarter?" Qian Meng asked.
"Because they are the only ones left." Fei Yinzi answered. "They are smarter when hiding so we haven't found them earlier and killed them. Furthermore, since they are also stronger than the ones that we have killed before, then, they must be patient while bidding time to finally clash against us in the end." He explained.
Their eyes widened in shock. They didn't realize this, since they haven't thought deeper about the situation.
"Well said!" a female voice said.
They all turned and saw Su Mi's group. They were stunned, once again, when they saw that their clothes are bloody. They were about to ask them what happened to them, thinking that they have wounds thus their clothes have blood, only to see the people they are carrying on their backs and over their shoulders.
"The Shanliangde Sect!" they all exclaimed.
"Yes. Their situation is quite severe…" Tang Li said when his voice trailed off after they saw Xi He. "… I don't want to say this, but is it the Shanliangde Sect's turn to be unlucky this year?" he asked as he looked at Xi Bing over his shoulder with a complicated gaze.
Everyone. "…" well, he has a point… they thought as they looked at the Shanliangde Sect disciples who were lying on the ground while Cui Xiang treated them.
Fei Yinzi helped. His master is Cheng Sheng, the best doctor, so he has learned medicine from him. Wen Wen also visits the Jixu Peak, so he was also taught by Cheng Sheng. Meanwhile, the others also helped in cleaning the Shanliangde Sect's wounds and also wrapping them in bandages.
"Wait…" Tang Li spoke when he suddenly remembered something. "Aren't we missing one?" he asked.
It took a long while for them to understand what he meant.
"Where is Sun Ri?" Su Mi asked as she looked at Chen Su and Chen Yu.
"Da ge didn't take her with them since it is too dangerous." Chen Su answered.
Chen Yu nodded in agreement. "We left her in her tent." He said.
They understood. Chen Wu, Wu Lian and Ling Yu are already bringing Cui Xiao who is a mage. They can't bring one more person with them, especially a girl.
"Then, is she asleep?" Qian Meng worriedly asked.
They all fell silent. After all, the Shanliangde Sect disciples are currently in this state. They are afraid that Sun Ri would feel hurt on how her fellow disciples ended up, especially her brother, Sun Yan.
"It would be better if she is asleep…" Wen Yan sighed. But, he didn't manage to continue what he is saying since they suddenly heard a scream.
It was a woman. And there is only one other woman who were left in the camp, aside from Cui Xiang. She is the one who they are just talking about right now – Sun Ri.
"Where is she?!" Zhu Xi immediately rose to find her.
"The camp should be safe. As long as she hasn't left…" Fei Yinzi's expression is grave.
"She should still be in the camp! Her voice is near… that way!" Li Yan pointed, and they all went to that direction.
Zhu Xi, Li Yan and Qian Jue went to find Sun Ri, only to see her standing there stupidly with the basin on her feet. The water is spilled.. She was looking at Chen Wu's group in horror.