When Wang Wei and the others saw their teacher standing on the pear tree, they were all stunned.

They even doubted whether they were seeing things correctly.

Hadn't their teacher retired to his hometown?

How could he come to the Luo River?

And even intervene to save this white python.

Bai Ruxue glanced at Xiao Mo, wanting to help him but reason told Bai Ruxue that she must traverse the river and reach the sea as quickly as possible.

Otherwise, no matter how she tried to persuade him, Xiao Mo would never leave.

And if she continued to stay here, she would only burden Xiao Mo.

Looking at his three most accomplished disciples, Xiao Mo smiled, "I didn't expect His Majesty would send you three."

"Teacher, what are you doing?" Zhuge Qing stepped forward and asked.

"Protecting her passage to the sea," Xiao Mo said calmly.

Xu Shangao looked troubled, "Teacher, she is a demon..."

Xiao Mo nodded, "This old man knows."

"..." All three were speechless.

"His Majesty must have sent you to stop her from traversing the river," Xiao Mo stroked his graying beard. "Since that's the case, do your duty and don't think about other matters."

The three exchanged glances and quickly made their decision, bowing deeply to Xiao Mo, "Teacher, we must offend you!"

As their words fell, the three men's official robes billowed, and their mountain-river fortune also transformed into three black dragons spiraling upward.

Zhuge Qing struck first, a hundred golden remonstrative words flying from his sleeve, each character sharp as a blade, "As ministers, we must correct demons and evil!"

"Very good."

Xiao Mo nodded, his eyes showing gratification.

Xiao Mo's withered finger traced through the air, and the pear trees suddenly exploded. Countless petals condensed into shields, blocking all the remonstrative words.

Amidst the fluttering golden paper scraps and petals, Xu Shangao and Wang Wei bypassed their teacher, treading on waves as they pursued the white python directly.

They didn't want to harm their teacher, only wanted to slay this white python.

Once this white python died, they would have no reason to oppose their teacher, and could then beg their teacher's forgiveness.

"To have our teacher protect your path, how fortunate you are."

Flying above the white python, Wang Wei sighed and pointed his brush directly at the python's head.

At the same time, Xu Shangao soared in the air, and in his hand appeared the phantom of the Xuanyuan Great Bow.

The bow was drawn, mountain-river fortune condensed into a black arrow, aimed directly at the python's vital spot, where the snake's gallbladder and heart were located.

"Twang!"

With the sound of the bowstring vibrating, the arrow transformed into a streak of light, shooting toward the white python.

At this moment of life and death, Xiao Mo broke free from Zhuge Qing's entanglement and blocked Wang Wei's path.

He pointed his fingers like a sword, touching the right side of Wang Wei's brush.

Wang Wei's spirit shook, his face turned pale, and he retreated dozens of meters. His official boots carved long water marks on the river surface, and his right hand holding the brush became so numb and sore that he could no longer lift it.

Then, Xiao Mo reached out and caught the arrow shooting toward Bai Ruxue with his bare hand.

"Boom!"

The Luo River around Xiao Mo erupted in waves dozens of meters high, overturning the willow trees on both banks.

When the great waves subsided, that arrow slowly dissipated in Xiao Mo's hand. Only an old man stood calmly on the lake surface, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth down his chin, dripping into the Luo River and gradually dissolving.

"Cough, cough, cough."

Xiao Mo coughed a few times, looking in Ruxue's direction. Fortunately, she had already entered the latter section of the Luo River and was about to enter the Yunya River.

"I can't let her see me like this."

Xiao Mo wiped the blood from his mouth, then used mountain-river fortune to conceal his weakened life flame before flying toward the Yunya River.

"Aren't the three of you pursuing anymore?"

Meng Qianqian asked these three prefects.

"We have very little mountain-river fortune left. Pursuing further would be useless," Zhuge Qing shook his head.

Wang Wei bowed to Meng Qianqian, "We have done our utmost. We hope the Water God can bear witness."

"You three may rest assured," Meng Qianqian nodded. "I will report to His Majesty and speak of your diligence."

Xu Shangao expressed his gratitude, "Thank you, Water God."

At the beginning, the Luo River Water God and the three men Wang Wei indeed held the purpose of eliminating demons but when the Luo River Water God learned that Wang Wei and the others were Xiao Mo's disciples, she understood His Majesty's intention.

Similarly, in Wang Wei and the others' view, His Majesty definitely knew that this white python was crossing the river with their teacher protecting her path.

Yet His Majesty still sent the three of them, knowing that as their teacher's disciples, they definitely wouldn't fight their teacher to the death.

His Majesty was turning a blind eye.

It was mainly to put on a show for the human race and other dynasties.

Besides this, there was probably another purpose, which was to have the three of them accompany their teacher on his final journey.

Admittedly, the three of them could go easy but would cultivators from other sects go easy on their teacher?

This white python showed signs of ancestral reversion, its entire body was treasure, and it had probably already caught the attention of many sects.

With their teacher's aged body protecting this white python's path, continuously consuming mountain-river fortune along the way, and finally having to face those sects, could their teacher really survive?

"Who is this white snake? Why does our teacher care about her so much?" Wang Wei asked.

Zhuge Qing frowned, "I heard that our teacher never married because his childhood sweetheart went to an immortal sect to cultivate. Recently I also heard that immortal maiden returned. And when snakes transform into pythons, they need to slumber for years. Could it be that..."

Hearing Zhuge Qing's speculation, everyone remained silent.

Only Meng Qianqian looked toward the direction where the old man had departed, "What a devoted lover..."

After passing the Luo River, Bai Ruxue entered the Yunya River.

This was the final stretch of the journey.

After Bai Ruxue entered the North Sea, she would face the thunder tribulation.

If she successfully passed through the thunder tribulation, the python would completely transform into a flood dragon, and her physique and realm would also stabilize.

This journey of traversing rivers to transform into a dragon would then be complete.

Bai Ruxue swam forward with all her might while worrying about Xiao Mo in her heart but she knew she couldn't stop.

Once the river traversal began, it couldn't be abandoned halfway.

She could only enter the sea to face the tribulation as quickly as possible, then take Xiao Mo far away and use Dragon Thunder Liquid to extend his life.

"Ruxue."

Just as Bai Ruxue's heart grew increasingly anxious, an elderly scholar's refined voice came.

Bai Ruxue was overjoyed, lifting her head to look at her beloved flying through the air, "Xiao Mo, are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

Xiao Mo sat on Bai Ruxue's back.

"The North Sea Prefecture's governor is my good friend. I've already made arrangements, so there shouldn't be any problems."

"Mm-hmm, don't worry, I will definitely obtain the Dragon Thunder Liquid. I have a feeling that when I enter the sea, it will be the Nine Dragons Profound Thunder Tribulation!" Bai Ruxue said earnestly. "Then I can extend your life!"

Xiao Mo smiled faintly, "Good."

"Then Xiao Mo, go rest for a while. It's the final stretch now, I can handle it myself," Bai Ruxue said, looking at Xiao Mo's somewhat pale complexion with worry filling her heart.

"No need." Xiao Mo shook his head.

"This final stretch of the journey, I'll walk with you to the end."