CHAPTER 319: CHAPTER 39: FORCEFUL PROTECTION

Upon hearing that sound, Yue Jinghua felt her ears burning hot, and just as her fingertips brushed behind her ear, they tingled with numbness.

The wound on her neck, bitten by the Fa Xiaoyi, never bothered her much on usual days, but just now, upon hearing that sound, it suddenly felt as if a branding iron was scorching her skin.

Despite not knowing the source of the sinister aura behind that thick dark miasma, the presence reminiscent of the Dark Beasts from the Dark Hell had revealed the true identity of the comer.

A Dark Magic Beast from the Dark Element, inconceivable that such creatures truly exist on the Eastern Continent.

Yue Jinghua couldn’t help but recall Qing Pu’s warning that because Fa Xiaoyi had sealed some of his Dark Power within her body, her unique constitution might attract the Dark Demon Beasts lurking in the darkest corners of the continent.

Could it be that this dark force dwelling somewhere in the Xuan Beast Ridge is indeed one of those Dark Demon Beasts?

Remembering Qing Pu’s caution, Yue Jinghua immediately became alert, gripping the Lianyun Great Sword in her hand, ready to face the battle at any moment.

Just then, that dense black miasma surged toward her violently, its shape indeterminate, and all of a sudden, it transformed into a giant black python with a gaping maw, bringing with it an asphyxiating stench as it lunged at Yue Jinghua.

Who could have known that at that moment, Qing Pu, who had been calm until now, would suddenly flare up with fierce aggression in his golden eyes, rushing to stand in front of Yue Jinghua.

With a swoosh of his wide robe, a small Star Light Array’s Prohibition locked Yue Jinghua’s form in place.

"Stay inside, I’m here," Yue Jinghua might not know the origins of this stirring Dark Power, but Qing Pu’s experience told him that this power had lain dormant in the Xuan Beast Ridge for untold years, far more formidable than anything Yue Jinghua could imagine.

Qing Pu’s golden eyes twinkled like the stars, and his slender fingers swiftly formed a series of dazzling fingerprints.

The Six-star Summoning Array beneath him kept changing, and in the sky filled with stars, the starlight seemed to be drawn by the Summoning Array, converging upon Qing Pu.

In that moment, with the white snow below and the starlight above, Qing Pu, wedged between the two, had his silhouette never clearer than it was today; his hair fluttering, his already extraordinarily handsome features now appeared as if carved from jade, otherworldly.

He chanted an ancient and mysterious Sealing Demon Spell, his voice deep and sonorous, resonant and timeless.

Yue Jinghua, whose movement was restricted by the Prohibition, realized something was amiss. She mustered her Dark Energy, attempting several times to break the formation and escape, but the Prohibition, which only allowed space enough to stand, was like a bottomless mire, rendering her unable to move even an inch.

Upon hearing Qing Pu’s chanting, Yue Jinghua quieted down, becoming entranced as she stared at his moving lips and fingers.

The ageless chant of the ancient spell, the dizzying fingerprints—somehow to her, everything seemed to slow down considerably.

Her heart, like a ship after a storm, finally found calm.

"Demon Suppressing Array, the aura of the Ancients," seeming to recognize the formidable power Qing Pu was about to summon, the black miasma hesitated. Greedy for the Dark Power emanating from Yue Jinghua, yet it had not fully regained its strength.

Humph, it must wait a while longer; once it had gathered enough energy, even an Ancient Summoner would pose no hurdle.

The black miasma burrowed into the snow, vanishing as quickly as it had appeared, as if it had never existed.

In the instant the Dark Beast vanished, Qing Pu’s figure faltered, coughing lightly. Fortunately, the Dark Demon Beast had left a step earlier; with his remaining strength, even if he managed to enact the Demon Suppressing Array, he could only sustain it for 15 minutes, unable to successfully kill the Dark Demon Beast but merely delaying its advance.

For now, they were not ready for a direct confrontation with this mysterious Dark Demon Beast.

As Qing Pu’s Dark Power fluctuations ebbed,

The Six-star Array that restrained Yue Jinghua also suddenly shattered, and as soon as she regained her freedom, it was like a basin of cold water had been splashed in her face, instantly shocking her back to reality.

She glared at Qing Pu with a temper, "I don’t need your protection."

She was never a weakling.

"I am a man, and you are a woman," Qing Pu’s voice was hollow; he did not meet Yue Jinghua’s angry gaze, just lowered his eyelids slightly, speaking indifferently.

Before danger, no matter how assertive or cunning she normally was, she was ultimately still a woman, and that would be her disadvantage.

Seeing Qing Pu’s figure become transparent, Yue Jinghua felt a slight stir at the bottom of her heart, and the last hint of anger in her eyes also embarrassingly faded away. With a snort, she turned her back.

On the hillside, two equally proud and stubborn figures stood back to back.

Blonde Little Gore, seemingly ignorant, blinked its beautiful blue eyes curiously, stealthily peeking at the two suddenly grumpy figures.

"Hiss--" Snake-haired Little Gore flicked its tongue, licking Yue Jinghua’s face.

At that moment, Yue Jinghua also received a message from the Gold Eater Worm, which was on lookout on the outskirts of Fengdan County.

"Oh? There’s a group of people heading towards the village. Leading them is..." Yue Jinghua’s originally stretched face suddenly turned brilliant.

It seems the people of Bailu County are quite well-informed.

The foul air of the Dark Demon Beast had finally found an outlet for release.

Viscount Mo’er, that’s a fat sheep if ever there was one.

Yue Jinghua burst into raucous laughter, completely forgetting the ongoing tiff with Qing Pu, and immediately activated the Cloud Trace Steps, quickly disappearing into the snowy landscape.

Seeing Yue Jinghua vanish in a whiff of smoke, Qing Pu let out a relieved sigh of relief.

Women are indeed fickle creatures.

He was certainly not adept at vying with women, especially with her.

He would rather have Yue Jinghua vent her anger, than engage in a cold war with her. Before leaving Xuan Beast Ridge, Qing Pu glanced back at the vast expanse of Xuan Beast Ridge one more time.

There was a "rustling" sound beneath his feet, and when he looked down, Cannibal Small Qingpu was patting his garment’s hem with its leaves.

Qing Pu showed a hint of a smile, "Are you asking me why I haven’t told her about the method that could help me recover my strength quickly?"

Cannibal Small Qingpu nodded, with a leaf gesturing towards the direction of the ridge, as if aware of something inside the ridge.

"No hurry. She still needs more training; I can’t leave just yet," Qing Pu lifted his face looking up at the sky. Snow began to flurry from the sky, landing on his ethereal face.

The day his power is fully restored might also be the day they part ways. By then, perhaps she would be just as angry... Maybe so, but that’s only a maybe.