âSo what actually happened here?â She looked around and recognized the unique appearance of this ruin.
âI donât know, and I donât think anyone else does either.â Her master shook his head: âOur sect has no records of it, only a few lines. All in all, in just a single night, came the decimation of an invincible sect.â
âIt was a great and shocking battle.â Li Qiye said: âOf course, it didnât actually happen here. This place was wiped out from the mere shockwaves.â
âItâs that terrifying?â Youzheng took a deep breath: âVarious accounts state that this place was very important to Heavensound. It has been blessed by numerous emperors and Eternals on top of wielding the power of a progenitor. In fact, some believe that the dao source is right here, so this place should be indestructible. What kind of power did this?â
The most shocking thing to him was that here shockwaves from a battle did this?
âNothingâs surprising.â Li Qiye said: âThree emperors and numerous Eternals themselves failed, let alone this location and mere blessings.â
Youzheng shuddered in horror. He was only a Grand True God wanting to become an Ascender. A True Emperor was an unreachable being in his mind.
âA thing strong enough to annihilate those beings shouldnât existâ¦â Xiyue looked at him with skepticism.
She seldom left the city and has only seen Stone Harmony. Now, Mingluo was the biggest city around.
An Ascender was already amazing enough to her, needless to say about Eternals and True Emperors. Not even in her dream would she see the sight of these beings being murdered.
âItâs because your world is too small. The real thing is vaster than your imagination, same with the experts in it.â Li Qiye said.
She turned red and gave him the side-eye: âHmph⦠so what if my knowledge is limited. Youâre speaking as if youâre a hundred times stronger than me.â
She thought that he could only be a bit stronger than her master because they were similar in age. Hearing the rather disdainful comment left her unhappy.
âXueâer, youâre being rude again.â Her master glared at her.
âJust a tiny bit stronger than you.â Li Qiye didnât seem to mind.
âHmph.â She snorted again but didnât dare to act out because her master was around. She had no choice but to swallow her anger.
âYoung Noble, when you mentioned the destruction of our city earlier, is it true?â Youzheng hesitated before asking.
âAbsolutely certain.â To which Li Qiye responded: âThree to five days at the earliest, or ten days or so at the latest. A disaster is imminent here.â
Xiyue immediately disagreed: âMaster, donât listen to him. Our city is just fine. Itâs as tough as steel, so what kind of disaster can be coming?â
âBe quiet!â He yelled at her because as the master of Stoneclearing he wasnât as simple-minded as the young girl.
He asked with horror: âI donât think we have provoked a master or a monster recently, so where is it coming from?â
âHave you heard of White Orchid? It disappeared in one night.â Li Qiye said.
âWhite Orchid?â Youzhengâs heart jumped while sensing something ominous: âIâve, Iâve heard the news about it. He took a deep breath while his face turned pale.
The news took a while to travel the distance between the two cities.
âMaster, White Orchid isnât around anymore?â She became startled, having found out just now.
âYes, I only heard about it this morning.â Youzheng said: âThe geezers from Luo probably received the news recently too, but they didnât want to start a panic.â
âWhy is it gone?â She believed her master and also became aghast.
White Orchid was one of the largest cities in their system so this disaster naturally struck a chord with her.
âNo idea, the entire city is missing; not a single survivor has been found. Only an abyss is left behind. Itâs as if it evaporated from existence.â Youzhengâs expression was serious.
The disappearance of a great city was indeed a shocking matter to their system.
âThatâs why your city isnât doing that well. Itâs next.â Li Qiye added.
âWhat?!â Youzheng blurted out in astonishment.
Xiyue loudly joined in: âNo way! Weâre at least ten times larger than White Orchid. The experts of the system are all here, so who can destroyâ¦â
Her confidence tapered off towards the end. She didnât believe him at all in the beginning, but the news of White Orchid filled her mind with anxiety.
âJust run far away from Mingluo. If you care about the citizens, then evacuate them. Consider it a good deed for karma.â Li Qiye said.
âIt, it wonât happen. Stop daydreamingâ¦â She instinctively denied out of fear.
He ignored her and closed his eyes again.
âIs there no other way outside of evacuating?â Yuzheng calmed down and asked for help.
âIâm afraid Mingluo will become a second White Orchid, so you tell me.â Li Qiye smiled.
Youzheng has never thought about leaving the city so he stood there in a daze. He looked around and said: âWhere else can we go? This is our foundation. There is no Stoneclearing without Mingluo.â
âMas-master, you really believe him?â She asked.
Youzheng looked at her and sighed: âWe canât run away from reality. Weâre the largest and most populated city in Stone Harmony, so it makes sense that whatever it is, it will aim for us after White Orchid.â
âWhat, what should we do then?â She didnât want to face this truth. Thatâs why she kept on reprimanding Li Qiye for spreading the rumors since it touched on her deep fear.
âJust run away, itâs already lucky that you will stay alive.â Li Qiye said.
âI wonât leave Mingluo! Iâll die with my home if I have to!â She glared at him.
Youzheng returned from his daze and stared at Li Qiye, suddenly realizing something: âYoung Noble, you must be here becauseâ¦â
Li Qiye finished the sentence for him: âWaiting for the disaster and the evil entity.â
âSo you wish to save our city, Young Noble?â Youzheng became ecstatic.
He saw Li Qiye casually killing the tree demons with a single finger. He believed the guy must at least be an Ascender, perhaps even an Eternal. Maybe there was a chance for their city with his help.
âWho says I want to save it?â Li Qiye chuckled: âIâm only chasing after the evil thing. The survival of Mingluo has nothing to do with me.â [1]
1. Li Qiye is actually a tsundere