Chapter 22: Seeking Allies
The battle ended quickly.
As the saying goes: gain the first step, and you gain every step that follows.
Throughout the fight, the Shenxiao Sword Sect had held an absolute advantage, pressing the Seven Slaughter Sect on every front — a fitting payback for the humiliation suffered that morning.
In the end, Miao Kun saw the tide turning against them and led the Seven Slaughter Sect in retreat.
They had won!
Ye Qingxuan did not order a pursuit.
The ambush against the Seven Slaughter Sect had been a spur-of-the-moment decision on her part.
She hadn't expected it to work so well.
As Sword Cultivators, they needed to carry a conviction of pressing ever forward.
Lately, a small number of people in the group had been showing signs of low morale.
If that continued, the fighting spirit of the entire team would suffer.
That was why Ye Qingxuan had decided to ambush the Seven Slaughter Sect when they gave chase.
This battle not only avenged their earlier loss but also lifted the team's morale — two birds with one stone.
"Senior Sister! We won!" Yang Fan came to Ye Qingxuan's side, grinning broadly.
He had performed well just now — three enemies killed, six severely wounded.
"Winning is no reason to let your guard down. Everyone must stay vigilant at all times, or we'll repeat the same mistake as this morning. This trip into the Nine Nethers Secret Realm has been full of unexpected dangers. No one is coming to help us — if we want to walk out of here alive, we can only rely on ourselves." Ye Qingxuan said coldly.
"Don't worry, Senior Sister! We won't give the Seven Slaughter Sect another chance. Isn't that right, everyone?" Yang Fan called out.
"Senior Brother Yang Fan is right! The Shenxiao Sword Sect has never feared anyone! Whether it's the Seven Slaughter Sect, the Wuji Demon Sect, or those black-robed figures — anyone who dares come at us will never leave!" an Inner Disciple shouted back.
"Never leave!"
"Never leave!"
"Never leave!"
Every disciple and Steward of the Shenxiao Sword Sect roared at the top of their lungs.
They had just won a great victory.
They needed to let it out.
Seeing the surging spirit around her, Ye Qingxuan finally allowed a faint smile to cross her lips.
A team's combat strength was closely tied to its morale.
For now, this group had found its footing again — their fighting power was incomparably stronger than before.
Ye Qingxuan's smile left the male disciples of the Shenxiao Sword Sect utterly stunned.
This was the first time any of them had ever seen the ice-goddess Ye Qingxuan smile.
Yang Fan, standing nearby, was already completely captivated by that smile.
She was breathtaking!
Never mind the others.
Even he, a Core Disciple, had never once seen Ye Qingxuan smile before.
It seemed this trip to the Nine Nethers Secret Realm had been well worth it after all.
Everything was unfolding just as he had hoped.
The ice-goddess of the Shenxiao Sword Sect had actually smiled at him.
When they returned to the sect, he'd have plenty to boast about in front of the other Core Disciples.
Ye Qingxuan's faint smile faded just as quickly as it had appeared, her expression returning to its usual cold composure.
For her, even that brief smile had been no small thing.
"Everyone, get ready to move out. As we go, leave behind some false trails to confuse our enemies." Ye Qingxuan instructed.
"Senior Sister, what's our plan from here?" Yang Fan asked.
Ye Qingxuan considered for a moment, then replied, "Keep leaving the secret signals we agreed on with the Qingyun Sect along the way, and watch for any signs they may have left behind. Perhaps the Qingyun Sect is also looking for us. If our two sects join forces, our ability to protect ourselves will increase greatly."
"Right! Let's find the Qingyun Sect — if we join forces, we'll definitely make it out of the Nine Nethers Secret Realm safely."
While the Shenxiao Sword Sect was searching for the Qingyun Sect, the Seven Slaughter Sect was also seeking allies, preparing to deliver a fatal blow to the Shenxiao Sword Sect.
The evening ambush had cost the Seven Slaughter Sect more than half their number in casualties, and Miao Kun was furious.
He could not accept such a defeat.
He had to annihilate the Shenxiao Sword Sect entirely — only then would the hatred in his heart be satisfied.
"Where is your great leader? Can you reach him? Have him send some people over to help me wipe out the Shenxiao Sword Sect." Miao Kun demanded of one of the black-robed figures.
"The great leader entered the Nine Nethers Secret Realm with far more important matters to attend to. He has no time for trivial affairs like this." the black-robed figure replied.
They were a secret unit trained by the Seven Slaughter Sect, answerable only to the Sect Master's orders. Although Miao Kun held the prestigious rank of Core Disciple, that carried no weight with the black-robed figures.
That said, under normal circumstances, the black-robed figures had no desire to make an enemy of a Core Disciple either.
Who could say — what if this person became the Seven Slaughter Sect's Sect Master one day?
"You call this a trivial affair?"
Already in a foul mood after being humiliated by Ye Qingxuan, Miao Kun erupted in rage.
The Seven Slaughter Sect had suffered so many casualties — and this was trivial?
"Compared to what the great leader must accomplish, yes — your matter truly is trivial."
In truth, the black-robed figure was not wrong.
The great leader he spoke of was tasked with dealing with Leng Hanshuang — one of the Seven Swords of Shenxiao.
Leng Hanshuang alone outweighed every member of the Shenxiao Sword Sect who had entered the Nine Nethers Secret Realm combined.
Even within the core leadership of the Shenxiao Sword Sect, Leng Hanshuang's standing was far from low.
If she could be permanently left behind in the Nine Nethers Secret Realm, it would be a devastating blow to the Shenxiao Sword Sect.
"I refuse to believe there is anything more important than annihilating the Shenxiao Sword Sect and the Qingyun Sect." Miao Kun said, forcing down his fury.
"Miao Kun, our God-Slaying Unit answers directly to the Sect Master — you have no authority to command us. However, you are a Core Disciple and the future of the Seven Slaughter Sect, and we have no wish to make an enemy of you, as that would only harm the sect's development. What I can tell you is this: the great leader and his group entered the Nine Nethers Secret Realm with a specific mission, and that mission is far more important than your concerns." the black-robed figure explained solemnly.
If not for the man's status as a Core Disciple, he wouldn't have bothered explaining at all.
Core Disciples commanded enormous respect in any faction. Barring some unforeseen accident, a position among the core leadership was all but guaranteed — and there was even a slim chance of becoming Sect Master one day.
"Is that the truth?" Miao Kun asked, still somewhat skeptical.
"Absolutely!"
With the black-robed figure's firm confirmation, much of the fury in Miao Kun's heart subsided.
The black-robed figure had no wish to antagonize him — and Miao Kun felt the same way.
The God-Slaying Unit was the Seven Slaughter Sect's sharpest blade.
Even if that blade could only be wielded by the Sect Master, what Core Disciple didn't harbor ambitions of one day becoming Sect Master themselves?
Both the Seven Slaughter Sect and the Shenxiao Sword Sect were seeking their respective allies.
With over a month still remaining before the Nine Nethers Secret Realm closed, another great clash between the two sides was inevitable.
But no matter how one looked at it, the Shenxiao Sword Sect was at a clear disadvantage.
The days passed one by one.
The Seven Slaughter Sect's forces grew larger and larger.
Though they had not found the main body of the Wuji Demon Sect, they had encountered several scattered smaller groups. Combined with their own numbers, their headcount had swelled to nearly four hundred.
The Shenxiao Sword Sect, on the other hand, had gained almost no new strength.
A dozen or so black-robed figures lurked in the shadows around them, waging a guerrilla campaign.
Every scout Ye Qingxuan sent out was intercepted and killed.
These black-robed figures avoided direct confrontation with the Shenxiao Sword Sect — their purpose was simply to prevent them from finding allies, while also keeping track of the sect's position.
Unable to shake them off, unable to catch them — Ye Qingxuan's heart slowly sank.
She understood clearly.
If things continued like this, the Shenxiao Sword Sect would eventually be wiped out in one fell swoop.
She had to find a way to deal with the black-robed figures surrounding them, even if it came at a cost.
It was at that very moment that someone in the group spotted a secret signal left behind by the Qingyun Sect.
Ye Qingxuan's heart leapt with joy.
As long as they could find the Qingyun Sect, the immediate crisis could be resolved.
She immediately stepped forward to examine it.
In general, before undertaking any large-scale mission, each faction would establish a set of secret signals for mutual communication.
These signals were intricately crafted — other factions who stumbled upon them would have no way to decipher them without the specific method, and the only thing they could do was destroy them.
Before entering the Nine Nethers Secret Realm, the Qingyun Sect and the Shenxiao Sword Sect had already agreed to join forces if the need arose.
Both sides had also unified their secret signals.
Whenever help was needed, the signals could be used.
The signal the Qingyun Sect had left behind was not one unique to their sect — it was the shared code agreed upon with the Shenxiao Sword Sect.
In other words, the Qingyun Sect was also looking for the Shenxiao Sword Sect right now.
Ye Qingxuan began deciphering it.
She quickly determined the direction the Qingyun Sect had gone.
She then led the Shenxiao Sword Sect's members swiftly forward, following the trail.
As for the black-robed figures prowling around them, Ye Qingxuan had no mind to deal with them now — the most important thing at this moment was to rendezvous with the Qingyun Sect.