Guan Jingjing was an outer disciple of the Sword Sect. At over two hundred years old, his cultivation had settled at the mid-Golden Core stage, making him a permanent fixture in Luori Town[1]Sunset Town jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_2027910_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_2027910_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });.
It was a weary border settlement nestled at the convergence of the Human, Monster, and Demon Realms. Currently under the Sword Sect’s protection, it sat on the edge of a perpetual mist that shrouded the intersection of these three worlds. While not inherently safe, the town was rarely targeted by anything more than stray threats— provided the three realms weren’t at war.
With Guan Jingjing’s experience and a garrison of outer disciples under his command, the settlement was usually more than capable of handling local disturbances. If a threat exceeded their capabilities, they simply signaled the sect for aid.
The trouble in Danming Village had begun with persistent harassment from monsters. When the village chief first sought help from the Luori Town garrison, several Foundation Establishment disciples were sent to investigate. They discovered a dense, lingering monstrous aura that felt far too oppressive for their level. Sensing they were outmatched, they immediately called for Guan Jingjing.
Upon his arrival, the aura did not dissipate; it thickened. Fearing for the villagers’ lives, Guan Jingjing didn’t dare venture too far into the surrounding wilds. He scoured the village perimeter repeatedly but found nothing out of the ordinary. Left with no other choice, he filed a report with the sect, leading the Hall of Internal Affairs to issue the large-scale mission.
During his watch, Guan Jingjing encountered a few minor monsters— creatures that hadn’t even reached the Foundation Establishment stage. However, these weaklings were clearly not the source of the overwhelming aura. When he struck them down, the monstrous aura in the village intensified to a terrifying degree. The villagers, their resistance eroded by the encroaching miasma, grew sleepless and prone to fits of mania.
Wary of making things worse, Guan Jingjing stopped killing the intruders. Even when minor monsters entered the village to terrorize the people, he only drove them away.
Sensing his hesitation, the monsters grew bolder, invading the village with increasing frequency.
When Chu Mingxi and Chu Mingbei arrived, they launched an extensive search for the great monster lurking in the shadows. Chu Mingxi even ventured deep into the mist-shrouded intersection of the realms. Yet, after days without sleep, they found no trace of a high-level monster. Meanwhile, Guan Jingjing reported that the intruders were evolving. Many of the harassing monsters had now reached the Foundation Establishment stage.
Once the two returned to the village, the daytime attacks ceased. But the nights remained haunted, and the eerie, mocking laughter of monsters echoed from the dark woods— a constant reminder that they were being watched.
At his wits’ end, Chu Mingxi eventually left Chu Mingbei to guard the village while he headed out alone, desperate to find a breakthrough.
The monsters outside were keeping a sharp eye on the village’s every move. The moment Chu Mingxi left, the tide of minor monsters surged again. Guan Jingjing and Chu Mingbei joined forces to repel them, but because they didn’t dare strike to kill, they spent the entire day running themselves ragged within the village walls.
With no other choice, Chu Mingxi was forced to return, standing guard alongside Chu Mingbei to protect the villagers.
His only remaining window to search for clues was at night, when groups of monsters gathered outside the village to laugh mockingly from the dark. He used those moments to roam the outskirts, driving the creatures back while secretly probing their spirits for any trace of the great monster that might have left its mark on them.
But after several nights of searching, he still came up empty.
Chu Mingxi was the strongest cultivator present. If even he was blind to the enemy’s tracks, there was little hope for Chu Mingbei or Guan Jingjing.
The situation in Danming Village had reached a suffocating stalemate. As time dragged on, the shadow-bound monster would only continue to consolidate its power, and the disciples’ situation would grow increasingly dire.
When Chu Mingbei finally voiced the idea of calling for reinforcements, Chu Mingxi’s expression darkened instantly.
He ran a hand through his hair in frustration, then grabbed Chu Mingbei’s face, rubbing his cheeks vigorously until they were beet-red. He only let go when his junior brother started to sputter. An identity jade token appeared in his palm, and with a flicker of his divine sense, he connected to the Neiwu Peak’s mission formation, intending to update the mission details with this new, troubling intelligence.
But before he could, a message arrived just in time.
His expression shifted. He pocketed the jade token, then smiled and reached out to rub Chu Mingbei’s face once more. Chu Mingbei angrily slapped his hand away and glared.
“Third Senior Brother, I’m not a child anymore!”
Chu Mingbei was genuinely fuming. Why was it that among the five of them who grew up together, he was always the one targeted for bullying? Especially by his third senior brother. It was as if the guy couldn’t go a single day without pestering him.
Eldest Senior Sister and Eldest Senior Brother are the only ones who treat me well! He thought bitterly. Even his second senior brother, who looked so gentle and mild, seemed to take a secret pleasure in coaxing him into testing his newest medicinal concoctions.
Hmm…… come to think of it, his new junior sister seemed nice, too. It was rare for Chu Mingbei to find someone who looked at him with such genuine admiration. Even though he knew he wasn’t the most impressive cultivator in the sect, he found himself wanting to help her more and more, doing his best to maintain the image of a capable, heroic senior brother—
Chu Mingbei’s wandering thoughts were cut short. Clutching his forehead, which was now a bright, throbbing red, he glared at Chu Mingxi with renewed resentment.
“Third Senior Brother, why did you hit me?! Believe it or not, when we get back, I’ll tell Eldest Senior Sister you’ve been bullying me and have her help you with your swordplay!”
Among the veteran disciples of the Sword Sect, everyone knew that ‘help’ from Chu Mingyao was synonymous with unilateral suffering.
“You dare?!” Chu Mingxi barked, knocking him on the forehead a second time for good measure. “Anyway, stop daydreaming. Eldest Senior Sister has officially accepted the mission. She’s already on her way.”
“Really?” Chu Mingbei jumped up, his eyes lighting up with delight.
Before Chu Mingxi could tease him again, Chu Mingbei had already whipped out his identity jade token to check the Hall of Internal Affairs’ formation. “Wow, it really is Eldest Senior Sister! She’s out of seclusion? That’s fantastic!”
Chu Mingxi turned away, unable to look at his junior brother’s idiotically happy face. As he did, he spotted Guan Jingjing standing in the courtyard, his mouth twitching as he struggled to hide a smirk.
Chu Mingxi’s smile vanished, his sharp phoenix eyes narrowing.
Sensing the sudden threat, Guan Jingjing tactfully looked away. Feigning nonchalance, the older man turned toward the mountains and sighed. “The monstrous aura seems to have thickened again. We’ll be under a lot of pressure tonight……”
He shook his head and walked away.
Only then did Chu Mingxi withdraw his icy gaze, but the gloom on his face remained.
Guan Jingjing wasn’t wrong. On previous nights, they had only dealt with minor nuisances. Protecting the villagers had been exhausting, but manageable. But if the monsters tonight were more numerous— or stronger— Chu Mingxi couldn’t guarantee he could defend the village without taking lives. And if he killed them, the miasma would only intensify until it choked the life out of the village.
Glancing at the still-grinning Chu Mingbei, Chu Mingxi sent a voice transmission to Chu Mingyao. He briefly summarized the dire situation and urged her to arrive as quickly as possible. He even suggested that if she lacked confidence, she should notify the sect to send an even more powerful elder now. They could wait, but the villagers were at their limit.
Chu Mingyao’s reply arrived almost instantly. Her voice was firm, cold, and decisive.
“Can you set up a formation to shield the villagers and have them hold on for three more days? If you can, then stop hesitating. Kill to your heart’s content.”
A slow, sharp smile curved Chu Mingxi’s lips. He turned his eyes toward the darkness steadily creeping down from the mountains.
Night was falling. Inside the village, lamps were lit one by one, their specks of golden light appearing like fragile fragments against the encroaching tide.
Chu Mingxi replied, lazily raising an eyebrow as he transmitted his voice back, “Eldest Senior Sister, what if people start dying after those three days are up?”
Rushing through the clouds on her flying sword, Chu Mingyao didn’t hesitate for a second. “If anything happens after three days, I will take full responsibility.”
The smile in Chu Mingxi’s eyes deepened. He stood up, stretching his limbs toward the darkening sky. When he straightened again, the lethargy was gone, replaced by sharp vigor.
“With Eldest Senior Sister’s word, my heart is finally at ease.”
Set up the formation and kill.
If Guan Jingjing hadn’t been so timid, and if Chu Mingxi hadn’t been so cautious about acting before he fully understood the enemy, he would have slaughtered those provoking pests long ago. What were they, anyway? Most were barely below the Golden Core stage, yet they dared to bark at him every day.
He admitted his talent couldn’t compare to Chu Mingyao’s, but he was still a genius of the Sword Sect. He was a late-stage Golden Core cultivator, for goodness’ sake! Having his blood boil under such pathetic provocation was an insult to his Dao.
If not for Guan Jingjing’s excessive caution……
If not for the worry that a formation would isolate the village and eventually buckle under the thickening miasma……
If not for the fear that the enemy might be too powerful to handle alone, forcing a disgraceful retreat with Chu Mingbei……
And if not for the concern that a single mistake would ruin his evaluation and slash his future sect resources……
He would have gone on a killing spree days ago!
So what if the great monster hid? If he wiped out its entire army, would it still keep its head tucked in? And if it did, once the villagers were safe behind a barrier, he could simply storm the mountains and settle the debt personally.
He had far too many burdens weighing him down. But now, Chu Mingyao had promised to shoulder them all.
What was there left to fear?
……
When Guan Jingjing heard the proposal to lock down the village with a formation, reluctance showed on his face. He began to earnestly plead with Chu Mingxi to report to the sect and wait for a larger force.
Chu Mingxi didn’t argue. He simply gave the man a half-smile, a cold, sharp light flowing through his long phoenix eyes. Under that gaze, Guan Jingjing’s voice died in his throat. With a heavy sigh, the older man turned to help set up the arrays.
While the sun still hung low and the monsters remained in the shadows, they layered as many defensive circles as the village’s geography would allow.
Chu Mingbei was eager to help, but Guan Jingjing’s muttered warnings left him feeling uneasy. He stayed quiet, fearing that if he spoke out of turn, Chu Mingxi would subject him to another round of face-rubbing in front of the outer disciples. He had a reputation to maintain, after all!
Once Guan Jingjing moved to a different section of the wall, Chu Mingbei finally whispered his worries to his third senior brother.
Chu Mingxi’s reply was short, simple, and enough to sweep every doubt from Chu Mingbei’s mind.
“Eldest Senior Sister is coming.”
・❥・
Robbin: Chapter unlock will follow the same schedule, every Tuesday and Friday.
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