Chapter 659 532: He Seemed to Have Never Thought of Returning Alive

Without a moment's hesitation, Zhou Huayu shot off alone in a random direction!

At almost the exact same moment, the other Cultivators scattered and fled in different directions.

"Damn it, they just ran off like that?" Xiang Niang cursed. She hadn't even had time to react.

"We're leaving too!" Xiao Mo snapped at Xiang Niang beside him, immediately activating a Technique and fleeing into the distance.

However, even though Xiao Mo was fleeing with incredible speed, the Cultivators from the Celestial Demon Alliance quickly closed in.

"Well, well, I never expected to run into such a pretty fox today." The lead Celestial Demon Alliance Cultivator licked his lips, his eyes full of greed. "Kill the man. As for this vixen, we can all have some fun together!"

"Boss, I think the man's pretty handsome himself. Why don't you... let me have a taste of him?" a snake Demon slithered forward, his body swaying as he flicked his scarlet tongue.

"Pah!"

Xiang Niang spat viciously and let loose a string of curses.

"Why don't you take a piss and look at your own pathetic reflections? You want to touch me? Are you worthy? Ugly as sin, the lot of you! I bet the things between your legs are as disgusting as earthworms!"

"You'll get a nice, long taste soon enough and see if they're earthworms!" the lead Cultivator sneered. With a sharp wave of his hand, he commanded, "Take them!"

"Young Master, I'll hold them off! You have to go!" Xiang Niang said to Xiao Mo in an urgent, hushed voice.

"I don't think I'll be needing you to cover for me." Xiao Mo raised his hand, and a gentle breeze suddenly swept past.

In the next instant, Xiang Niang watched in astonishment as the encircling Cultivators all froze in place.

Their faces turned ashen, their eyes filled with endless terror, as if they were seeing something horrifying.

"No! Don't kill me! Please!"

For no apparent reason, the Celestial Demon Alliance Cultivators began to scatter and flee.

But before they could even get a short distance away, their Divine Souls were all extinguished, leaving behind nothing but empty, silent husks.

Xiang Niang turned to look and saw Xiao Mo still standing in the same spot, but strange ripples of Spiritual Power were emanating from his body, spreading outward in waves.

Xiang Niang couldn't help but recall the day she had tried to drug Xiao Mo, thinking she had finally succeeded.

In the end, she had only been trapped in an Illusion Technique.

Now, she was witnessing firsthand just how terrifying Xiao Mo's Illusion Techniques truly were.

"Let's go now, while we can," Xiao Mo said to Xiang Niang, his tone calm and composed.

"R-Right..." Xiang Niang quickly snapped back to her senses, swiftly extracted the Demon Pills from each of the Celestial Demon Alliance Cultivators, and then flew away from the dangerous area with Xiao Mo.

After returning to Quicksand City, Xiao Mo and Xiang Niang waited for a full four hours, but the other Cultivators from their party never returned.

They understood in their hearts that the others were more than likely dead.

According to the rules, if someone was overdue by four hours, they could be considered dead. Xiao Mo and Xiang Niang could now report the mission's completion at the City Lord's Mansion's affairs hall.

The Ten Thousand Demon Alliance had a total of nine affairs halls.

The Deacon in charge of the particular affairs hall Xiao Mo went to was a Nascent Soul Realm Cultivator from the Shanhe Sect.

"Xiao Mo, it's been a long time."

In the affairs hall, Chen Jue, who was sitting beside the old man, saw Xiao Mo. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly in a smile that held an inscrutable meaning.

It seemed Chen Jue had been waiting here for Xiao Mo.

Of course, he would have much rather been waiting for news of Xiao Mo's death, not the man himself.

"It has been a long time."

Xiao Mo looked at Chen Jue, unsurprised to see him.

"Well, I never thought the great Tushan Saintess's Attendant would also come to the front lines to die," Chen Jue said, his tone dripping with undisguised mockery.

"In these chaotic times, can anyone truly remain uninvolved?"

Unwilling to waste words on him, Xiao Mo simply took out the map of the military camp's defenses and the surrounding survey chart. He presented them along with the ten Demon Pills, bowing to the old man in the main seat.

"The results of the reconnaissance mission are all on this map. We also killed ten Demon Cultivators from the Celestial Demon Alliance. I ask for your inspection, Senior."

"Mm." The affairs hall's Elder Jin nodded slightly. With a light flick of his finger, the survey chart and the ten Demon Pills landed securely in his palm.

"Two Demon Pills from Golden Core Realm Cultivators, three from the Dragon Gate Realm, and five from the Cave Mansion Realm. And this survey chart is indeed well-drawn." Elder Jin nodded in approval. Then, with a wave of his hand, two hundred war merits were added to the Jade Tokens on both Xiao Mo's and Xiang Niang's waists.

"You have completed this mission well. You may go," Elder Jin said with a dismissive wave. His tone was flat, and he didn't bother asking why only the two of them had returned alive.

It was as if, in the eyes of the Ten Thousand Demon Alliance, as long as the mission was completed, it didn't matter if only one person came back.

"Yes, Elder." Xiao Mo and Xiang Niang bowed and then excused themselves.

Chen Jue watched Xiao Mo's departing figure, his expression gradually darkening as a resentful, murderous glint flashed in his eyes.

"Alright, alright, put away that look." Elder Jin's tone was unhurried. "This Xiao Mo is certainly not simple. To be discovered and still manage to kill ten Demon Cultivators to break out... he is clearly no ordinary person."

"Hmph! He probably just got lucky!" Chen Jue sneered, his eyes full of contempt. "I'd like to see if he's so lucky next time!"

"Hehehe... Lucky or not, since that person wants him dead, I, your uncle, will naturally help you." Elder Jin picked up his teacup and took a light sip, his expression placid.

"Your father has already told me everything. The one from Tushan thinks very highly of you. If you can kill Xiao Mo, she will facilitate your marriage to Tushan Jing Ci."

"For you, this is not just an opportunity. For the Celestial Demon Country, it is a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity."

"But before that, you must be patient. Understand?"

Chen Jue stepped down from his seat and bowed deeply to Elder Jin, his tone solemn and firm.

"Yes! Uncle Jin, your nephew understands!"

...

"Young Master, that Eldest Prince of the Celestial Demon Country, Chen Jue... do you have some history with him?"

After leaving the affairs hall, Xiang Niang turned her head and asked Xiao Mo curiously.

"It goes back to our time at Cold Mountain Academy," Xiao Mo said simply.

"Back then, I beat up his Scholar's Attendant. To make a good impression on Jing Ci, Chen Jue took the initiative to go and apologize to her. But in the end, Jing Ci made him come and apologize to me instead."

A faint smile touched Xiao Mo's lips as he recalled that youthful memory.

Xiang Niang was taken aback. She blinked, then asked in surprise, "So... did Chen Jue end up apologizing to you, Young Master?"

"He did," Xiao Mo confirmed with a nod, his voice even.

"..."

Xiang Niang couldn't help but lower her head, her brow furrowing slightly as if she were pondering something.

'In her view, she'd be more at ease now if Chen Jue had refused to apologize back then.'

'But he was a Prince of the Celestial Demon Country, young and impetuous, at an age where one is least likely to admit defeat. Yet he actually lowered his head and apologized to a member of the Human Race.'

'Even if it was for Miss Jing Ci's sake.'

'His ability to endure humiliation was, in itself, enough to make one wary.'

"Don't overthink it. We just need to focus on our own affairs," Xiao Mo said calmly, knowing what was on her mind.

As he spoke, he transferred all the war merits accumulated on his Jade Pendant to Xiang Niang.

"On this battlefield, you need to at least reach the Golden Core Realm to have a basic chance of survival. Take these war merits for now. Once you've saved up enough, exchange them for some Heavenly and Earthly Treasures and try to break through. Otherwise, next time, you won't even know what killed you."

Xiang Niang stared blankly at Xiao Mo, almost thinking she'd misheard him. It took her a moment to come to her senses. "Xiao Mo... you... don't tell me you've fallen for me?"

Xiao Mo simply shook his head, his tone frank. "I'm not giving you these war merits unconditionally."

"Conditions?" Xiang Niang's interest was instantly piqued. She leaned closer, her eyes glinting playfully. "What kind of conditions? Don't tell me you want me to offer myself to you? I suppose that wouldn't be out of the question."

"That won't be necessary," Xiao Mo said, looking directly at Xiang Niang. "I just might need you to do something for me."

"What is it?" Xiang Niang asked, confused.

"It's not easy to explain right now, but when the time comes, you'll know." Xiao Mo said no more and strode forward.

Xiang Niang watched his back, a dazed look on her face.

For some reason...

Xiang Niang had a feeling—

'It was as if... this trip to the front lines...'

'...he had no intention of making it back alive...'