At the City Lord's mansion in Shatian City of Zhao Kingdom, Xiao Mo was reading a letter delivered by Li Sisi.
Daoist Fuchen's letter indicated that Ruxue had been in deep sleep for these past decades. Although she would sometimes be awakened by the baleful qi's pain, Daoist Fuchen would promptly give her medicine to make her sleep again.
However, the baleful qi within Ruxue's body was becoming increasingly heavy, and the medicine's effectiveness was diminishing.
Fortunately, in the amber at Xiao Mo's waist, only a small piece of mysterious ice remained.
Xiao Mo felt that at most within a year, this piece of mysterious ice would completely melt, and the human race merit he had accumulated would be almost sufficient.
Once the merit was enough, he would immediately return to the Desolate Lands to heal Ruxue.
Regarding the Ten Thousand Laws Realm, ever since Xiao Mo had fought desperately to kill an Ascension realm demon cultivator, and He Yeye had led Demon-Suppressing City's great army like a sharp blade piercing into the Demon Realm's heartland, the Demon Realm had become somewhat chaotic.
Admittedly, when the Ten Thousand Laws Realm was at a disadvantage, quite a few human sects had betrayed them and colluded with the Demon Realm but the Demon Realm was not a monolithic block either.
The various kingdoms and tribes of the Demon Realm also had their own interests.
When the demon armies held the advantage, most demons could temporarily set aside certain matters for greater benefits.However, when the demon armies' progress wasn't so smooth, or even when they were at a disadvantage, various accumulated problems would gradually surface.
Although the Demon Realm still held a certain advantage at this time, their advantage was gradually diminishing.
In comparison, the human race had shown astonishing resilience, now beginning their counterattack with even higher morale.
"Master Xiao." The room door was knocked, and a woman's voice came through.
"Come in." Xiao Mo responded.
The door opened, and a female cultivator from the Blue Flower Sect entered, bowing to Xiao Mo with her sword, "Master Xiao, there's a letter for you, sent by Miss Shang from White Deer Academy."
"A letter from senior sister?" Xiao Mo was momentarily stunned.
Although senior sister's cultivation was at the Nascent Soul realm, she wasn't skilled in combat. Even a powerful Golden Core realm demon cultivator could probably defeat her.
So senior sister had been staying in the rear organizing intelligence, responsible for coordinating and notifying various battle lines.
When senior sister occasionally wanted to tell him something, she would generally attach it at the end of official documents.
Letters sent under a personal name like this were indeed extremely rare.
"Bring it over." Xiao Mo said.
"Yes." The Blue Flower Sect female cultivator respectfully placed the envelope on the table.
Xiao Mo opened the envelope, and after reading it, couldn't help but shake his head.
Xiao Mo looked up at this Blue Flower Sect female cultivator and said, "I need to leave Shatian City for a while. Fortunately, the overall situation in Shatian City is settled. During this time, I'll leave everything in your hands. You just need to handle the battlefield well and assist Chen Han and the others in pursuing the demon race."
"Sir, this is?" the female cultivator asked in confusion.
Looking at this letter, Xiao Mo couldn't help but sigh, "I need to leave for a while to handle some personal matters."
After completing the handover of Shatian City's affairs, Xiao Mo immediately flew to Water Mirror City.
Upon arriving at Water Mirror City, Xiao Mo carried a pot of wine and two wine bowls, heading straight for the dungeon.
The cultivators guarding the dungeon originally wanted to stop Xiao Mo, but seeing the "Accompanying Saint" token at his waist, they directly made way.
Walking into the dungeon, Xiao Mo kept walking forward, finally stopping at a cell at the very end.
In the cell, a scholar wearing Confucian blue robes sat cross-legged on the ground with his eyes closed.
The scholar's hair was disheveled, his blue robes had several tears, and his entire appearance looked wretched.
Xiao Mo sat in front of the cell, looking at the man inside.
Luo Yang slowly opened his eyes.
Upon seeing his junior brother, Luo Yang's mouth corners lifted slightly, so subtly that one wouldn't notice he was smiling unless paying careful attention, "I was wondering who it was. So it's junior brother. It's been a long time since we two met."
"It has been very long." Xiao Mo nodded, smiling, "Fifteen years ago, we two senior and junior brothers went to battle together. I never expected that fifteen years later, senior brother would be in prison."
"Junior sister told junior brother, didn't she?" Luo Yang sighed and shook his head.
"Yes." Xiao Mo uncapped the wine, poured a bowl, and passed it through the iron bars' gaps, "In senior sister's letter, she said senior brother colluded with the demon race and was thrown into the dungeon."
"Jiuli was right. I indeed colluded with the demon race." Luo Yang nodded.
"Because of that rabbit spirit?" Xiao Mo spoke directly.
Luo Yang was startled, "Jiuli really knows everything."
"After all, senior sister handles intelligence in the rear."
Xiao Mo poured himself a bowl of wine.
"Senior sister said in her letter that six years ago, when Senior Brother Luo was severely injured, a maid took care of senior brother day and night without leaving his side. Recently, this maid's identity was exposed, she was a rabbit spirit.
Originally, senior brother only needed to kill this rabbit spirit, and Water Mirror City's lord could pretend nothing had happened. But senior brother drew your sword against the human race to protect her and escort her back to the Demon Realm. Is everything senior sister said true?"
"All true." Luo Yang lifted the wine bowl.
"Does senior brother know how serious the crime of 'colluding with the demon race' is?" Xiao Mo looked at Luo Yang gravely.
"I know." Luo Yang took a sip of wine, "Death penalty."
Xiao Mo was silent.
"But junior brother, she never harmed anyone. She cared for me day and night without any sins. I couldn't draw my sword against her." Luo Yang looked directly into Xiao Mo's eyes, "If I had drawn my sword then, I would be no different from a beast. I couldn't violate my Dao heart."
"Was it worth it?" Xiao Mo asked.
Luo Yang smiled, "Is junior brother asking knowingly?"
"Hahaha..." Xiao Mo stood up, patted the dust off his body, and walked out with large steps, his voice echoing in the prison, "Senior brother, please wait a moment."
After Xiao Mo left, Luo Yang only heard a tremendous sound reach the dungeon, and Water Mirror City fell into commotion.
When the commotion ended, Xiao Mo walked in front of Luo Yang again and tossed down a set of keys, "Senior brother can come out now."
"What did junior brother do?" Luo Yang asked.
"I intimidated Water Mirror City a bit, beat up the city lord, and he gave me the keys." Xiao Mo replied truthfully.
Luo Yang sighed, "Junior brother is being somewhat unreasonable."
Xiao Mo smiled faintly, "Already at Ascension realm, one can disregard some principles."