"Is that so? Thank you, Grand Elder. Then tell him to be careful. I will make sure Jian’er doesn’t know."
The old man addressed as the Grand Elder nodded.
But then he glanced toward Jian Ruyi’s direction and smiled kindly.
"Ah, that is all I wished to inform you. And it seems we have a small guest."
Her mother also noticed Jian Ruyi’s presence.
A gentle smile spread across her face as she walked toward her daughter.
She scooped Jian Ruyi up into her arms as if she were still a baby.
"Mother, I am no longer a baby."
Jian Ruyi said with a solemn expression, but her mother only poked her nose and smiled.
"Hehe~ You will always remain my adorable baby in my eyes."
And once again, Jian Ruyi’s face was suffocated by that hateful, soft flesh.
Seeing the mother and daughter pair, the old man smiled faintly.
The Grand Elder stepped forward and offered his farewell.
"Well then, we shall be going now."
He then turned toward one of the mature won among them, who appeared to be the youngest of the elders.
"Elder Jin will remain here for a while."
The beautiful and mature woman, who had been quiet the entire ti, nodded calmly.
Jian Ruyi’s mother, however, frowned slightly and turned toward the Grand Elder.
"Grand Elder, what is the aning of this?"
For Elder Jin, who was at the Perfect Golden Core Realm to remain here could only an one thing.
.... Protection.
But what would they possibly need protection from? They were already within the inner grounds of the Heavenly Sword Sect.
The Grand Elder replied calmly,
"The Sword Saint Trial is indeed a celebratory mont for our sect. However... you must rember that your husband has many enemies. Under normal circumstances, there would be no cause for concern. But at this particular ti, the Divine Sword will be temporarily occupied by the Trial."
His gaze turned slightly serious.
"So we are rely taking precautions. In case any opportunistic demonic cultivators attempt to sneak in."
Seeing her fall silent, the Grand Elder smiled to ease the atmosphere.
"We are only being cautious, that is all. Although most of the Grand Elders will be absent, another Grand Elder and many Elders remain on standby and alert. I doubt any truly powerful demonic cultivator would dare co. At most, it would be a few reckless or foolish ones."
At his words, Jian Ruyi’s mother nodded slowly.
She knew well how wild and unrestrained the demonic cultivators from the Lawless Land were.
She would not be surprised if they tried to test their luck.....even if it ant death.
But even if they did dare to co, there should not be any major problem.
With so many powerful Elders present, a Grand Elder on guard and the sect’s protective formation, it would not be easy to cause trouble.
The only concerning part was that the Divine Sword would not be active.
She did not know the Divine Sword’s exact role within the sect as it was a secret known only to the Sect Master and the Grand Elders.
But ever since she was young, she had heard countless legends about it.
The one she rembered most clearly was a single saying:
[As long as the Divine Sword remains sharp, no evil shall trespass this land.]
It was said that the Divine Sword had saved the Heavenly Sword Sect many tis in the past during clashes with powerful demonic sects.
Yet seeing the Grand Elder’s relaxed deanor, she let out a quiet breath.
’If the Grand Elder, who knows far more than I do is not worried... then it should be fine.’ she thought inwardly.
Then she straightened and offered a respectful smile.
"I understand. Once again, I thank you for your consideration, Grand Elder. You truly think of everything."
The Grand Elder chuckled and stroked his beard lightly,
"Haha. Once you live long enough, you will experience many things."
Soon—
After a few more formalities, the Grand Elder finally took his leave.
All that remained were Elder Jin, Jian Ruyi, and her mother.
"Mother, where is father ?"
Jian Ruyi, who had been silently observing everything, finally spoke up when she realized she hadn’t seen him.
Her mother blinked, then smiled teasingly.
"Hehe~ He has a surprise for you, so he’s currently off preparing it~"
At those words, Jian Ruyi nodded obediently before turning her gaze toward Elder Jin, who stood quietly to the side.
"Big Sister, can you teach a new sword technique ?"
Elder Jin raised a brow at the abrupt request, then smiled faintly.
But before she could respond, Jian Ruyi’s mother pinched one of her daughter’s cheeks again.
"Hmph ! Sword this, sword that. You shouldn’t ask soone you just t to teach you imdiately like that."
Seeing the pair, Elder Jin shook her head lightly.
"It’s fine. I do have so small experience I can share with her."
"Eh? There’s no need to indulge in my daughter’s antics, Sister Jin—"
"Really ? Yay !"
Before her mother could finish, Jian Ruyi nimbly slipped out of her arms.
She grabbed her wooden sword and resud her stance in front of Elder Jin.
"Please!"
Seeing her daughter’s bright and eager expression, her mother couldn’t help but sigh softly.
’Well... let her indulge herself once in a while.’
Her expression gradually softened and anticipation quietly blooming in her chest as she waited for her husband to return with the "surprise" he had prepared for their daughter.
Soon, the lively clacking of wooden swords echoed through the peaceful courtyard.
Jian Ruyi’s excited voice rang out clearly, accompanied by her mother’s cheerful encouragent.
_
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Night fell quickly.
Inside the spacious room as faint moonlight filtered through the window, casting pale silver patterns across the wooden floor.
On the large wooden bed, Jian Ruyi lay sleeping peacefully after a long day of hard training.
Her breathing was steady and slow with each rise and fall of her chest calm and unguarded.
A loose strand of hair rested against her cheek, and one hand lightly gripped the edge of the blanket as if even in sleep she refused to completely abandon vigilance.
Perhaps it was her father’s teachings.
Or perhaps she had simply inherited it from him.
For a ti, the room was silent.
... Too silent.
The night wind that had been brushing against the window earlier suddenly stilled.
The faint chorus of insects outside... vanished.
Jian Ruyi’s brows twitched.
Then—
Her eyes snapped open.
She stared at the dark ceiling and frowned.
For so reason, she felt extrely uncomfortable right now as if her body were screaming at her.
She ignored the feeling at first and instinctively reached toward her mother’s side.
"Mother...?"
Her small hand touched nothing but cold sheets.
There was no one beside her.
Slowly, she sat up and climbed down from the bed.
Rubbing her eyes, Jian Ruyi made her way toward the door.
The hallway outside was silent and dark.
Her frown deepened.
’Where had her mother gone in the middle of the night? This never had happened before.’
And that uncomfortable feeling continued to rise, growing stronger and stronger until sweat began to bead on her forehead.
Unfamiliar fear crept into her chest at this strange sensation she felt for the first ti.
"Mother..."
She clutched at her clothes, longing to find warmth in her mother’s presence.
Then—
She heard sothing from the courtyard where she had practiced swordplay earlier with Elder Jin.
’Ah... maybe Mother went to see Elder Jin?’
With that thought, she slowly moved forward through the dark.
The closer she got...
The clearer the sound beca.
Crunch...
Crunch...
Crunch...
"...?"
Jian Ruyi blinked at the strange, wet noise.
Step by step, she reached the courtyard wall and slowly peeked her head out.
... What she saw made her blood run cold.
Crunch...
Crunch...
Crunch...
There, in the courtyard was a huge grotesque mass of black flesh.
Its only clear feature was a gigantic, oversized mouth filled with jagged teeth.
Small, baby-like arms sprouted from its bloated body and one of them seem to be gripping... a leg.
’A leg?’
Jian Ruyi thought that leg look familiar.
As her vision adjusted, Jian Ruyi finally saw clearly—
The creature was ... eating.
Half of a body had already disappeared into its mouth.
...Only a pair of legs remained dangling outside between those grinding teeth.
"...!!"
As if sensing her fear, the mass of black flesh slowly turned its oversized head toward her.
"Hm?"
Jian Ruyi froze.
That suffocating, uncomfortable feeling inside her exploded violently, screaming at her .... to run.
But she realized it too late.
She stood there, paralyzed, as a malevolent aura poured down on her like a crushing ocean.
The black mass slowly rose on its stubby legs, still chewing as it forced the remaining body into its mouth.
Gulp
Then—
Another mouth split open across its abdon.
And it spoke.
"Ho.... you sll delicious."
Jian Ruyi’s body trembled uncontrollably as she watched the grotesque figure begin to lumber toward her.
But suddenly, the monster stopped.
"Wait... could it be you are ?"
Then it burst into laughter.
"Hahahaha! How fortunate! To find his daughter! This will be a feast tonight!"
Seeing her frozen in terror seed to delight it even more.
"Ah... where are my manners? One must show respect to one’s food."
It gave a grotesque bow, its massive mouth still dripping blood as its swollen body shifted unnaturally.
"This humble one bears the title.....The Devourer, Third Emissary of the Divine Blood Sect."
Its twisted smile widened, as fresh blood flowing from between its teeth as it looked at her.
"Nice to et you, child."
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