She is Jianxiu

Wang Long raised an eyebrow, thinking that Shen Tong was intentionally trying to curry favor with her. His flattery was so attentive that the others felt embarrassed to refuse.

Then Zhao Chun's eyes lit up slightly as she cast an approving glance at Shen Tong and said with a smile, "Fellow Daoist Shen, your righteousness is truly admirable. I will remember it well. Once those evil spirits are completely eradicated, I will definitely report to the sect and ask for your merit."

Upon hearing this, Shen Tong smiled, raised his sleeve, bowed, and expressed his gratitude.

Wang Long was quick-witted. Upon hearing Zhao Chun's words of seeking credit, he immediately understood. He thought to himself that she had come to Dingxian City not long after heading south, making a big show of quelling the chaos of the Heavenly Human Sect, and then summoning everyone to eliminate those few extraterrestrial demons. After thinking it over, he concluded that she was eager to make a name for herself, which was why she shamelessly said that she wanted to restore peace to the south.

Moreover, this person also holds the power to command the disciples of Zhaoyan. If she were not eager to make some achievements, how could the sect dare to allow her to make important decisions on her own?

The more he thought about it, the more confident he felt. He glanced at the two people beside him, pondered for a moment, and said, "This matter concerns evil spirits, so how can we not help? If you don't mind, Sword Lord, my two junior sisters and I are willing to help you eliminate this scourge."

Wang Long had long heard that this person had casually killed the old snake mother who had cultivated for many years on his way south, which showed his strength. Now that he was traveling with him, as long as they did not encounter any great demons comparable to the Void Realm, ordinary things would not pose much of a threat. In addition, with their help, it would be good to gain some merit.

Since Shen Tong and Wang Long had both expressed their opinions, the rest of the group had no objections. They simply followed Zhao Chun's instructions, circled several places where evil spirits lurked on the map, and agreed to set off in three days. They decided that the gathering today would be enough.

After bidding farewell to everyone, Shen Tong returned to Qinlian Mountain. His steps were light, indicating that he was in a good mood, and he even paced back and forth in the hall. After a while, someone came to see him as summoned. Shen Tong then composed himself slightly and instructed the person, "I will be traveling in three days and will be away from the manor for a short time. Remember to keep the mountain gate closed and do not allow anyone to enter or leave... Even if they come, tell them to wait outside and do not allow them to enter the mountain."

This was a golden opportunity to gain Zhao Chun's trust, and he couldn't let it slip by easily. So, even at the risk of leaving the mountain, he was determined to attend the meeting in person.

After a moment's thought, Shen Tong asked again, "How are those Nascent Soul cultivators doing now?"

The disciple below replied, "Two are already available; the rest will require a few more days."

Upon receiving this reply, Shen Tong was unsure whether he was satisfied or not. He simply flicked his sleeves in annoyance and said, "Then keep it for now and don't send it back. It's not a good time for any major actions in the city these days. You and the others should be careful when you go down there."

It is certainly a good thing to be able to get close to Zhao Chun, but if what she said today comes true, the situation in the southern region will change drastically. Shen Tong needs to start making plans now and find a way out for himself.

Before that, hiding your tail is the most important thing.

Leaving Dingxian City to the west and traveling more than 5,600 li, one can see continuous high mountains, like city walls built on the plains, almost rising abruptly from the ground. Looking down from below, the mountains block out the sky and cut across the blue sky, dividing day and night in a single line, hence the name Fentianling (Heaven-Dividing Ridge).

However, that was just the common people's opinion. Once cultivators established their foundation, they could easily fly through the clouds and summon wind and rain, and crossing mountains and valleys was a piece of cake. But after traveling through this place for a long time, they discovered that the mountains had spiritual springs and the land had mineral veins, making it a good place to settle down. Over thousands of years, forces have come and gone here, but the towns at the foot of the mountains have become more and more prosperous.

Zhao Chun stood with his hands behind his back on the clouds. As he gazed into the distance, he could see endless mulberry fields, with blue-brick and tile houses scattered among them. The earthen mounds on the ground resembled the veins of the earth, proclaiming that this place had once burst forth with vibrant life. Further along, near the foot of the mountain, towering city walls stretched out, and from there, a semi-circular city emerged, with magnificent houses standing side by side. The roads and paved roads resembled a chessboard, showcasing the grandeur of human labor everywhere.

Now, only ruins remain.

On that mountain peak, a dark red river stretched along the mountain path, leaving not a trace of the trees and flowers along the way, all swallowed up by the red river. When this river flowed into the city, the tall and sturdy walls were smashed into a pile of rubble, and many people were swept away before they could escape. Everywhere there were ruined houses and scattered souls.

Zhao Chun looked up again. The gap beneath the sky was a deep, dark rift. Presumably, the Crimson River flowed down from this rift. For many years, it had remained almost motionless in this place. Cultivators would only avoid it from afar. Because it had never actively expanded outward, few people came to provoke it, allowing it to sleep soundly here for decades.

Cultivators seek immortality and rarely put themselves in danger. If it weren't for Zhao Chun's idea, Wang Long and the others would never have come here.

She sighed softly, calming the murderous intent surging in her heart, but her gaze was as sharp as a sword, shooting straight at the mountain ridge, and she said: "Everyone, let's begin our journey from here at Fen Tian Ridge!"

Shen Tong, standing behind Zhao Chun, hesitated before speaking first. Wang Long, however, nodded slightly, gesturing for his junior sister Rong Jin to stand up. He smiled and said, "I dare ask the Sword Master for permission. My junior sister is quite skilled in sensing and discerning qi. Perhaps she could investigate the matter first, which would be helpful to us." Zhao Chun looked to the side and saw Rong Jin's eyes wide like a deer's. She was somewhat shy after receiving Wang Long's praise. Zhao Chun nodded in agreement, saying, "Very well, then I'll trouble you to take action, fellow Daoist."

Rong Jin nodded slightly, then flew forward, stepping on a dazzling aura of precious light. After standing still, he flicked his sleeves forward, and several beams of spiritual light appeared in front of him, arranged like a star array, changing their order from time to time.

Not long after, Rong Jin, who had been frowning and closing his eyes, opened them and took the few beams of spiritual light in front of him to examine them. Although he did not know what answer he had come up with, his expression brightened, and he was clear that he had not come up empty-handed.

Finally, she flicked her sleeve and leaped back to Wang Long's side, composed herself, and said, "From what I just explored, that vast expanse of red river should be this thing. Its shape is indeed correct, but I don't know why it is so huge. The places it passes through are deathly still, without a trace of life. So I also explored the mountain's ley lines, and sure enough, there was some movement. I know that this thing has sunk underground and is using the ley lines to nourish itself."

Wan Chong raised his eyebrows and couldn't help but say, "No wonder this thing has been able to stay still for so many years. It turns out its intention is not with people, but with the spiritual energy of this earth vein!"

Jiao Jiangcai frowned deeply and said hesitantly, "If we do it this way, wouldn't we have to break through this mountain?"

Although at this level, moving mountains and filling seas is no longer an exaggeration, the Dividing Heaven Ridge is quite large and connected to the earth's veins. It would be difficult to break it open without some effort. Jiao Jiangcai was also worried that if the mountain was broken, the earth's energy would leak out and attract some bad things. After all, the demons and monsters had not yet threatened Dingxian City. If they were to get rid of this thing, it would be hard to say what kind of vicious people would be attracted.

Zhao Chun smiled without saying a word, waiting for everyone to discuss countermeasures in detail. Seeing that Wang Long and the other two were hesitant, Zhong Luohe pursed her lips and finally stepped forward, saying, "Breaking through mountains and opening up the earth is a bad idea and should not be taken lightly. If you all trust me, I do have a spell here that can try to lure that evil spirit out from underground."

These men followed Zhao Chun so that the latter would include them when he asked for credit. Therefore, they could not possibly do nothing; on the contrary, they had to perform well so that Zhao Chun would remember them.

Wang Long had been busy promoting his junior sister, and that was exactly what he was planning.

After Zhong Luohe finished speaking, the others also looked over, but none of them spoke, waiting for Zhao Chun to express her opinion before they could continue to move forward with the matter.

Today's events were already in Zhao Chun's hands. Even without the people in front of her, she could deal with the evil spirits on her own. Therefore, she was unhurried and looked at the other party with curiosity, and said with a smile: "Very well, since Fellow Daoist Zhong has a way to break the deadlock, why not give it a try? Whether it succeeds or not, we are here, and we will not let this thing escape."

Zhong Luohe nodded, thinking to herself that Zhao Chun was quite forgiving, but it was still clear from her words that she probably never took a cultivator like herself, who came from a humble background, seriously.

As a fellow disciple of Dongxu, Zhong Luohe also had a bit of pride in her heart. She reached out and pinched her sleeve, then lowered her eyes and said softly, "My method is likely to succeed, but I can't pay attention to other things when casting the spell. If the demon breaks out of the ground, I will have to ask my fellow Daoists for help."

The remaining people all agreed and spoke up in agreement. Zhong Luohe's expression changed, and her face became serious. Then she focused her energy into her dantian, and her aura surged. She took a step forward and flew away, and a wisp of white smoke gradually appeared behind her.

Zhao Chun's eyes narrowed, and she understood why Zhong Luohe dared to claim that the method was likely to succeed. The white smoke was swirling and seemed murky, but in fact, as it flowed, it gradually took shape, resembling neither cloud nor evil. Only by using her divine sense could she see that it was a steaming phenomenon.

With this diagram in hand, Rong Jin's previous display of skill in discerning qi and sensing was nothing more than a clumsy attempt before an expert.

Zhao Chun knew what was going on. Her gaze lingered on Shen Tong for only a moment. These two were from the same school. Unless they were like Wan Chong, who had attained enlightenment before becoming disciples of their master, they would likely follow similar paths in their Daoist arts. When Shen Tong revealed the Dao diagram, she would be able to see through its true nature.

Zhong Luohe summoned the Dao Diagram, her eyes sweeping across the mountain ridges. Perhaps she had pinpointed the location of the demons, she rolled up her sleeves, and an invisible, elusive wisp of pure energy descended upon the mountaintop. After that, she sat down cross-legged with a frown, her hands clasped in front of her abdomen, her lips moving as she softly chanted several incantations.

The land was calm and still for about half an incense stick's time. Then, the earth trembled slightly, as if breathing, and the dark red river began to climb up the mountainside, as if something was about to burst forth.

Zhong Luohe's forehead was instantly covered in a layer of cold sweat! (End of this chapter)