Xu Xiaoxiao's Immortal Cultivation Life (Transmigration)

Chapter 168 Emerging from Seclusion

In the city lord's mansion, Jiang Jingzhi nodded slightly, his expression still solemn: "Although the talisman has been made, the road ahead is still full of unknowns and dangers. We must seize the time to act and strive to resolve the crisis in Dongzhou as soon as possible."

As planned, the group split into two groups. Jiang Jingzhi, Xu Xiaoxiao, and Mu Zhusheng, carrying the Lingxi Talisman, embarked on a journey to track down the evil spirits. Meanwhile, Su Miaoyin, Yang Qingfeng, and several sect disciples who were proficient in the study of spiritual energy meridians remained at the City Lord's Mansion to delve into the relationship between the power of evil spirits and spiritual energy meridians and to explore ways to repair them.

Jiang Jingzhi and his two companions arrived in the northern region of Dongzhou, a place of rolling mountains, shrouded in mist, mysterious and dangerous. Based on the clues they had gathered, they deduced that the evil spirits were likely active in this area. Jiang Jingzhi took out the Lingxi Talisman and activated its spiritual power. The talisman instantly shone brightly, guiding them in the direction they were heading.

"Follow me, the aura of evil is just ahead." Jiang Jingzhi's gaze was firm as he took the lead and ran towards the direction indicated by the talisman.

Xu Xiaoxiao and Mu Zhusheng followed closely behind him, their figures flashing like lightning as they darted through the mountains and forests.

As they ventured deeper, the surrounding environment became increasingly eerie. A pungent, putrid stench permeated the air, and the once lush trees turned withered and decayed, as if corrupted by an evil force. Suddenly, a black mist appeared ahead, from which eerie roars could be faintly heard.

"Be careful, there's danger." Jiang Jingzhi stopped and signaled Xu Xiaoxiao and Mu Zhusheng to be vigilant. The light of the Lingxi Talisman in his hand flickered even more intensely, as if warning them of the danger ahead.

The three cautiously entered the black mist, their vision instantly becoming blurred. The roars around them grew louder and louder, as if countless eyes were watching them from the darkness. Suddenly, a huge evil spirit burst out of the mist. It was tiger-shaped, covered in black scales, with eight eyes flashing with blood-red light. It opened its blood-red maw and pounced on them.

"Watch out!" Jiang Jingzhi shouted, his figure flashing as he stood in front of Xu Xiaoxiao and Mu Zhusheng. The spiritual power in his hand instantly condensed into a golden longsword, which he slashed at the evil spirit. The evil spirit reacted extremely quickly, swinging its huge claws, which collided with Jiang Jingzhi's longsword, producing a piercing metallic scraping sound.

Xu Xiaoxiao and Mu Zhusheng were not idle either. They quickly mobilized their spiritual power and used their respective spells to attack the evil spirits.

Xu Xiaoxiao formed a hand seal, condensing a huge ball of spiritual energy, which she shot towards the evil spirit; Mu Zhusheng, on the other hand, activated the sword energy within her body, and sharp sword energies rained down on the evil spirit.

Under the combined attack of the three, the evil spirit gradually became unable to withstand the onslaught. It let out an angry roar, and its body suddenly swelled up, with eerie light flashing on its black scales. Then, it spewed out a stream of black flames, which contained powerful evil energy and swept towards the three of them.

Jiang Jingzhi's expression changed. Knowing the power of the black flames, he immediately activated his spiritual energy shield and took out a defensive magic artifact to protect the three of them.

The black flames struck the shield, making a hissing sound, and the shield trembled violently, as if it might shatter at any moment.

"This can't go on, Senior Brother, we must find a way to solve this as soon as possible," Mu Zhusheng said anxiously.

A determined glint flashed in Xu Xiaoxiao's eyes: "Second Senior Brother, I'll give it a try!" She took a deep breath, mobilized all the spiritual power within her body, and condensed a huge vortex of spiritual energy. The vortex contained a powerful suction force, gradually drawing in the black flames spewed out by the evil spirit.

"Now's the chance!" Jiang Jingzhi shouted. He seized the opportunity, activated the sword energy within his body, and stabbed towards the vital parts of the evil spirit. The evil spirit tried to dodge, but it was too late. The sword energy pierced through its body directly. It let out a painful howl and fell heavily to the ground.

After dealing with the evil spirit, the three did not let their guard down. They continued to advance in the direction indicated by the spiritual talisman, encountering many more attacks from evil spirits along the way. However, thanks to their tacit cooperation and powerful strength, they repelled them one by one.

Meanwhile, Su Miaoyin, Yang Qingfeng, and others were studying day and night in the city lord's mansion. They consulted a large number of ancient books and documents, and combined with the clues they had collected before, they finally made a major discovery.

"I've discovered it!" Su Miaoyin said excitedly. "It turns out that the evil power interferes with the normal operation of the entire spiritual energy network by eroding the nodes in the spiritual energy network. As long as we find these eroded nodes and purify them, it may be possible to repair the spiritual energy network."

Yang Qingfeng looked at the ancient book in Su Miaoyin's hand, his eyes showing surprise: "Great! This is a crucial breakthrough, but how do we find these nodes, and how do we purify them?"

Su Miaoyin pondered for a moment and said, "Ancient books record that there is a kind of Spirit Cleansing Grass that has the effect of purifying spiritual energy and evil energy..."

During their pursuit of the evil spirit, Jiang Jingzhi and his two companions gradually discovered its lair, a huge cave hidden deep in a valley, filled with a strong aura of evil.

"This is it, let's go in and take a look." Jiang Jing took a deep breath and took the lead into the cave. Xu Xiaoxiao and Mu Zhusheng followed closely behind, and the three of them carefully moved forward in the cave.

The cave was dark and damp, with eerie lights flickering on the walls. The deeper they went, the stronger the evil aura became. Suddenly, a huge space appeared in front of them, with a huge black altar in the middle, emanating a powerful evil force.

“This is the core of the evil spirit,” Jiang Jingzhi said solemnly. “We must destroy this altar to completely eliminate the evil spirit’s power.”

Just as they were about to approach the altar, a group of evil spirits suddenly surged out from all directions. These evil spirits were much stronger than the ones they had encountered before. They surrounded Jiang Jingzhi and his companions, their eyes flashing with a fierce light.

"It seems a fierce battle is inevitable," Jiang Jingzhi gripped his longsword tightly, his eyes revealing a firm resolve.

Xu Xiaoxiao and Mu Zhusheng were also ready for battle. They knew that this battle was related to the safety of Dongzhou and they could not back down in the slightest.

Meanwhile, Yang Qingfeng and his companions encountered many difficulties in their search for the Spirit Grass. The Spirit Grass grew in extremely secluded places, often surrounded by powerful guardian beasts. However, they did not give up and, with their perseverance and wisdom, finally found the Spirit Grass.

Jiang Jingzhi and his two companions engaged in a fierce battle with the evil spirits in the evil spirits' lair. They fought valiantly and suffered numerous injuries, but they never retreated. At a critical moment, Jiang Jingzhi unleashed a powerful force, using his ultimate move to repel all the evil spirits around him. He then charged towards the altar and completely destroyed it.

As the altar collapsed, a powerful evil force instantly dissipated, the sky over Dongzhou gradually returned to clear, and the places corrupted by the evil force began to slowly recover.

Almost simultaneously, Su Miaoyin, Yang Qingfeng, and others also successfully located the corrupted nodes and used the Spirit Cleansing Grass and purification methods to purify them one by one.

The spiritual energy channels gradually returned to normal operation, and the spiritual energy environment in Dongzhou became better and better.

When Jiang Jingzhi and his two companions emerged from the evil spirit's lair, they encountered Su Miaoyin, Yang Qingfeng, and the others. Looking at each other's tired yet joyful faces, they were filled with a sense of accomplishment.

Xu Xiaoxiao exclaimed excitedly, "The crisis in Dongzhou is finally over! Now they can cultivate and advance normally!"

They exchanged smiles; at that moment, all their efforts and sacrifices had been rewarded.

The sky over Dongzhou was cloudless, and the warm sunshine shone on the earth, dispelling the gloom that had once shrouded this land. In places corrupted by evil spirits, grass and trees began to sprout tender green buds, and the river water regained its former clarity, flowing gently.

Xu Xiaoxiao, Jiang Jingzhi, and Mu Zhusheng stood at the city gate of Huangcheng. Xu Xiaoxiao jumped up excitedly, her face beaming with a bright smile and her eyes sparkling with lively light. "Now we can go back to Tianzong with peace of mind."

Jiang Jingzhi nodded slightly, his eyes revealing a calm and firm expression, and said softly, "Yes, we have experienced too many hardships and obstacles along the way, but fortunately we have overcome them all. All of this is inseparable from everyone's joint efforts."

His gaze swept over Xu Xiaoxiao and Mu Zhusheng, his eyes filled with satisfaction and admiration.

Mu Zhusheng's lips curled up slightly, revealing a faint smile: "This experience has helped us grow a lot. In the future, when we encounter difficulties, we will be able to deal with them more calmly." His voice was gentle yet powerful, carrying a confidence that came from being tempered by hardship.

The three turned around and took one last look at the familiar yet unfamiliar city. Under the sunlight, Huangcheng appeared exceptionally peaceful and serene. The fear and danger of the past seemed to have never happened here, leaving only unforgettable memories.

"Let's go, we should go back to the sect." Jiang Jingzhi took the lead and followed closely by Xu Xiaoxiao and Mu Zhusheng. The three of them gradually disappeared on the road at the city gate.

Along the way, a gentle breeze caressed their hair, and wildflowers bloomed freely by the roadside, their vibrant colors releasing a fragrant aroma. Xu Xiaoxiao, like a cheerful little bird, hopped and skipped around Jiang Jingzhi and Mu Zhusheng, sometimes picking wildflowers and sometimes telling stories of the journey, her laughter echoing throughout the mountains and forests.

Jiang Jingzhi gazed at the road ahead, his heart filled with emotion. This trip to Dongzhou not only helped him resolve the crisis, but also made him understand the power and responsibility of teamwork. He secretly vowed that after returning to the Huitian Sect, he would cultivate even harder, improve his strength, and contribute more to protecting this land and the people around him.

Mu Zhusheng followed quietly behind, occasionally responding to Xu Xiaoxiao's words, her eyes revealing a hint of contemplation.

He was reflecting on the gains and losses of this battle, summarizing the lessons learned, and hoping to continuously improve himself in future training.

As time passed, the sky gradually darkened, and the afterglow of the setting sun cast long shadows on the earth. In the distance, the outline of the Heavenly Sect gradually came into view.

"We're almost home!" Xu Xiaoxiao exclaimed excitedly, her eyes glistening with tears of joy. All the hardships and exhaustion of the journey turned into boundless joy the moment she saw Tianzong.

Jiang Jingzhi looked at Xu Xiaoxiao, his eyes full of doting: "I hope the elders of the Heavenly Sect will be proud of us when they see us return in triumph. It seems Master should be coming out of seclusion soon."

Mu Zhusheng quickened her pace, a hopeful smile on her face: "After returning to Chongyang Peak, I must rest well for a few days before continuing my cultivation."

The three quickened their pace and headed towards the Returning Heaven Sect. They knew that although this adventure had ended, more challenges awaited them in the future. However, with this experience, they believed that no matter what difficulties they encountered, as long as they were united, they would definitely be able to overcome them.

As they entered the gates of the Heavenly Sect, they were greeted by enthusiastic applause and cheers from the sect's disciples. The sect's elders stood at the entrance, their faces beaming with satisfaction.

At this moment, Xu Xiaoxiao, Jiang Jingzhi, and Mu Zhusheng knew that their efforts and dedication had been rewarded, and their story would continue to be passed down in the Tianzong sect, inspiring generations of disciples to move forward.

At the entrance to Chongyang Peak, sunlight streamed onto the smooth stone path, where Xu Xiaoxiao, Jiang Jingzhi, and Mu Zhusheng had been waiting for quite some time.

Xu Xiaoxiao was dressed in a light pink cultivation robe with a bright green ribbon tied around her waist. A gentle breeze blew, and the ribbon swayed lightly. Her eyes sparkled, as if they held countless little stars. Every now and then, she would tiptoe and peek into the mountain gate, muttering to herself, "Why hasn't Master come out yet? I'm getting impatient waiting for him."

She gripped the hem of her clothes tightly with both hands, her heart filled with both excitement and nervousness. After all, it had been a long time since she had seen her master. The last time she saw her master, he was still at the Foundation Establishment stage, while she was now at the Nascent Soul stage. It had been more than three hundred years since she had seen her master.

Jiang Jingzhi stood beside Xu Xiaoxiao, his black robe making him appear even more composed and dignified, the jade pendant hanging at his waist gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

He crossed his arms, his expression calm, but his eyes revealed an undisguised anticipation. His gaze remained fixed on the entrance to the sect, as if he were contemplating how to recount the events that had transpired within the sect when he met his master.

Mu Zhusheng stood on the other side, dressed in a moon-white robe, looking elegant and otherworldly, and also focused on the mountain gate.

Finally, familiar footsteps came from inside the mountain gate. Xu Xiaoxiao jumped up and shouted excitedly, "Master! It's Master!"

An elder dressed in a blue robe walked slowly towards them. It was their master, Li Changchun. He had a kind face, gentle and wise eyes, and exuded a calm yet powerful aura.

Like a cheerful little bird, Xu Xiaoxiao immediately ran to her master, hugged his arm tightly, and said in a slightly coquettish voice, "Master, you've finally come out of seclusion! Xiaoxiao missed you so much!"

Li Changchun smiled and patted Xu Xiaoxiao's head, saying, "Xiaoxiao, you've grown so much, and you're even more lively now. Your cultivation has improved so much; it seems you've adapted very well."

Jiang Jingzhi and Mu Zhusheng quickly stepped forward and respectfully bowed to their master, saying, "Congratulations on your completion of seclusion, Master."

Li Changchun looked at them, his eyes filled with satisfaction: "You've all worked hard. You've taken excellent care of Xiaoxiao. You truly are my apprentices."

Jiang Jingzhi raised his head and said earnestly, "Master, it's all thanks to Junior Sister's exceptional talent and her daily dedication to cultivation. I dare not take credit for it."

Li Changchun nodded and said with a smile, "Yes, you've all done a great job. Let's go back and have a good talk about the difficulties you've encountered over the years."

Xu Xiaoxiao linked arms with her master, chattering about the interesting things that happened on the way. Jiang Jingzhi and Mu Zhusheng followed behind, their faces beaming with happy smiles. The figures of the four of them gradually disappeared on the main courtyard leading to Chongyang Peak.