Chapter 58: Falling into Blue Moon Lake

Ji Mo's heart was seized by murderous resolve; she hesitated no longer. With a flick of her white jade dragon whip, she charged into the fray alongside Little Gold. Zhong Kun was already struggling to fend off the combined assault of Mu Baiyun and the Silver Wolf; now, with Ji Mo joining the battle, danger loomed ever closer. In just a few moments, fresh wounds appeared across Zhong Kun’s body. Shock and hatred churned within him, and when Ji Mo's whip struck his back once more, he lunged forward, only to have Mu Baiyun's Rainbow-cutting Sword pierce straight through his chest.

Zhong Kun stared in disbelief at the gaping wound in his chest, feeling his life ebbing away. His face twisted in agony as he screamed hoarsely, “If I am to die, then you shall accompany me to the grave!”

As Zhong Kun’s face contorted, a powerful sense of foreboding surged through Ji Mo’s heart. She shouted urgently to Mu Baiyun, “Retreat!” Even as she spoke, she was already darting away with incredible speed. Mu Baiyun, quick to react, retreated in the opposite direction together with the Silver Wolf.

Boom! Barely a hundred meters away, the two had just escaped when Zhong Kun’s entire body exploded. He had chosen self-detonation. The destructive power unleashed by a cultivator at the peak of Qi Refinement was staggering. Though Ji Mo and Mu Baiyun had managed to retreat a hundred meters, the violent shockwave still struck them, forcing blood from their mouths as they plummeted like falling stars toward the surface of Blue Moon Lake.

Spectators at the lakeside—Chen, Jiang, and others—were aghast, crying out in shock. Thankfully, as the two fell into the dense mist, each managed to jam their weapon into the stone wall, barely arresting their descent.

Once the aftermath subsided, Ji Mo felt as though all her internal organs had been shattered. Blood poured from her lips, unstoppable. She hastily activated her Heavenly Demon Body Refining Technique; only after the time it took for a cup of tea did the bleeding finally cease. Still shaken, Ji Mo glanced toward where Zhong Kun had been moments before. The destructive power of a cultivator’s self-detonation was terrifying. She reminded herself to beware of such tactics when facing enemies in the future—one careless mistake, and she would perish without even knowing how.

Mu Baiyun was in no better shape. His body was not as resilient as Ji Mo’s. Barely able to steady himself with the Rainbow-cutting Sword, his breath was so disordered that he could scarcely stand, and blood burst from his lips without end. In the end, the Silver Wolf recovered, rushed over, and caught him with a wolf paw, preventing him from falling into the lake.

The Silver Wolf was a peak-tiered beast of the first rank, its body far tougher than Mu Baiyun’s. Moreover, it had retreated several dozen meters farther than Mu Baiyun, so it suffered less from the shockwave. Though the injuries were not light, they paled in comparison to Ji Mo and Mu Baiyun’s condition.

“Senior Brother Mu, are you all right? Shouldn’t you take a healing pill first?” After regaining her composure, Ji Mo approached Mu Baiyun and the Silver Wolf. Seeing Mu Baiyun’s wan expression, half-supported and half-held by the Silver Wolf, she spoke with concern.

Mu Baiyun managed a bitter smile at Ji Mo. He wished he could take a healing pill, but he lacked the spiritual strength to even open his spatial pouch. Ji Mo quickly understood his predicament. She took out a jade bottle from her own pouch, withdrew a Hundred-Spirit Pill, and fed it to him.

The Hundred-Spirit Pill was a holy medicine for healing. After Mu Baiyun swallowed it, his bloodless face grew rosy within the time it took for half a cup of tea. His nearly shattered organs slowly mended, though his injured soul sense would require more time to fully recover. By rights, given Ji Mo and Mu Baiyun’s present state, the cultivators waiting by the lakeshore ought to have seized the opportunity to reap the spoils. Yet, having witnessed the terror of the Lightning Beast and Zhong Kun’s self-detonation, none dared foster such intentions.

Though none dared climb the stone wall, they had hardly given up on the treasure. By now, the crowd below the cliff had grown ever larger. A glance revealed more than a hundred cultivators gathered, along with a dozen peak first-tier beasts. Curiously, humans and beasts coexisted in a temporary peace, all gazes fixed on the stone wall.

Ji Mo surveyed the lakeside scene, her brow furrowed with worry. “Senior Brother Mu, we’ve passed the trial for claiming the treasure, but as for returning safely to the sect, I haven’t the faintest idea how.”

“We can only take things one step at a time. For now, they’re afraid to climb the stone wall. Let’s focus on healing—every bit of strength we restore increases our chances of survival. I can already imagine the welcome we’ll receive when we reach the shore.” Mu Baiyun could only shake his head with a bitter smile.

The two spoke no further, closing their eyes to heal atop the stone wall. The crowd on the shore grew increasingly impatient, but not one dared approach. Not until dawn of the next day, when the first rays of morning light crept over the horizon, did Ji Mo and Mu Baiyun open their eyes. They exchanged a glance, wasted no time, and charged toward the shore.

The assembled crowd immediately showed predatory gleams in their eyes. As Ji Mo leapt down from the stone wall, before her feet touched the ground, countless fierce attacks rained upon her. Clearly, they intended to join forces to kill her and seize her spatial pouch.

Ji Mo was well prepared. She remained calm, shouted loudly, and unleashed her full potential. Her battle power surged two levels higher. The white jade dragon whip swept through the air like a living dragon, while the Lightning Beast did not interfere but instead sped toward the most formidable opponent among them.

With a bang, the person struck by the Lightning Beast was sent flying without suspense. Ji Mo’s whip clashed with six separate forces, and all six were simultaneously knocked back by her. Ji Mo herself tilted her head, spewing a blood arrow nearly six meters long, her legs trembling as she staggered several steps, coming to a halt at the very edge of Blue Moon Lake. One more step backward, and she would plunge into the void.

Steeling her mind, Ji Mo drew back her gaze and prepared to step forward, only to be struck by a force from nowhere, so powerful it exceeded her expectations. Despite her heightened vigilance, she had no means to resist. The blow sent her flying toward the dense mist.

At that moment, with no stone wall to grasp, she could only watch as her body fell helplessly into the fog. Just before she vanished, Ji Mo managed to remove her spatial pouch and throw it to Mu Baiyun, her voice condensed into a thread: “Brother Mu, inside is a weapon—a spear. Please deliver it to Brother Zhao Hu.”

“Little Gold, I ask you to help Senior Brother Mu and the others escape this place. Though we never intended to sign the beast contract, I know you are unwilling. As a spirit beast, you cannot attack your master of your own accord. Now, with my unexpected death, you will regain your freedom. This is my final request to you—thank you.” Before her form was entirely swallowed by the mist, Ji Mo sent these words to Little Gold via her heart’s voice.

Still dozens of meters away, Little Gold’s golden eyes widened to the fullest. It wanted to use its powers to catch Ji Mo, but found its body suddenly paralyzed, as if restrained by an invisible force. Unable to move, it could only watch as Ji Mo fell into Blue Moon Lake.