Chapter 895: Blue Jade

Guided by Blue Lantern, the group flew swiftly through the wild wastes hidden realm as they avoided numerous formations. Before long, they arrived at the foot of a towering mountain.

"The wild wastes hidden realm is divided into eight factions, each with its own mountain pass. This is the one corresponding to the faction I belong to," Blue Lantern explained.

The mountain was wreathed with fog, obscuring its summit. At its base stood a large stone stele with its name, Fenghuang, written on it.

"A mountain? How strange. It's quiet, as if there's no one present at all," Yu'er murmured.

Blue Lantern frowned. He too sensed that something was amiss. With a wave of his hand, a loud boom resounded, dispelling the formations and clearing the fog. What appeared was a staircase overgrown with weeds, one that didn't seem to have been used for years.

"What's going on?" Blue Lantern exclaimed.

He ascended quickly, the group following close behind. Along the way, traces of formations composed of golden runes flickered around them, but Blue Lantern dispersed them effortlessly with a wave of his hand.

Soon, they reached the mountain's summit, only to discover another set of ruins. It was a desolate wasteland of collapsed buildings and overgrown vegetation. Once-grand halls and plazas had been reduced to rubble covered in moss and weeds.

"What happened? Where is everyone?" Blue Lantern murmured anxiously.

He searched frantically, but there were no signs of life to be found.

After a moment, Xiao Nanfeng began, "Blue Lantern, it looks like this place has been desolate for some time. Judging by the footprints, several groups may have tried to scavenge the remains of these ruins, perhaps even centuries apart."

"Something terrible must have happened," Blue Lantern said, his expression growing grim.

The nearby valleys and riverbanks were as desolate as the mountaintop. The former settlements of the Fenghuang faction had all been destroyed or abandoned, leaving no clues as to the cultivators' fate.

"What happened here?" Blue Lantern glanced around in panic.

"Calm down, Blue Lantern. There must have been some sort of calamity, but it doesn't mean that your sect has been wiped out. They may have gone into hiding. Let's investigate further before jumping to conclusions," Xiao Nanfeng said.

"You're right, Your Majesty." Blue Lantern nodded, taking a deep breath to calm down.

"Should we reveal our presence to lure them out?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"There's no need. Since the Fenghuang faction has vanished, let's go to the other factions and ask around. Please follow me."

The group quickly departed as they headed toward another territory.

Before long, they arrived at a hidden valley surrounded by formations. Blue Lantern waved his hand, dispersing the fog to reveal numerous buildings within.

"Who's there?" someone shouted from within the valley, noticing the intrusion.

With another wave of Blue Lantern's hand, the defensive formation in the valley shattered with a boom.

"Capture them," Xiao Nanfeng commanded.

"Understood!" the golden cultivators shouted.

They charged into the valley, subduing its inhabitants rapidly.

"We should leave quickly. The formation here likely triggered an alert. Others may come investigate," Blue Lantern warned.

Xiao Nanfeng nodded.

They left with about a dozen captives in tow. Before long, golden lights streaked across the sky as other factions arrived to investigate, only to find the area deserted.

In a different valley, Blue Lantern began to interrogate the captured individuals.

"You're from Fenghuang? Why don't I recognize you?" One of the men who had been kidnapped grimaced in pain.

"I'm the one questioning you, not the other way around. Now, where have the Fenghuang disciples gone?" Blue Lantern demanded.

The captive groaned in pain. His body visibly trembled from the strain and torture from some secret technique.

"You're stubborn, aren't you? But do you really think you'll be able to withstand all the torture techniques of the Fenghuang faction? Don't you worry. I have many more techniques in store for you," Blue Lantern hissed.

"I..." The man grimaced in pain, but still hesitated to speak.

From afar, Ye Dafu called out, "Blue Lantern, someone's willing to talk!"

"Good. Spare that person the torture. Everyone else will be tortured more severely.

The man before Blue Lantern blanched. "No, no, I'll talk too! Everyone ganged up on the Fenghuang faction five centuries ago. It was annihilated!"

"What?!" Blue Lantern exclaimed.

"They wanted the Fenghuang faction's bronze compass, but in the end, no one managed to claim it. The remaining disciples of the Fenghuang faction went into hiding. The other factions have been searching for them ever since. They've found a few of them, but the bronze compass remains lost."

"What? Have you forgotten the laws of the Supreme Sect of the Wild Wastes? How dare you participate in fratricide and foment internal conflict!"

"No, no, it wasn't my doing! I never participated in any of this. We recently heard that a Fenghuang disciple had appeared by Mt. Longshui. All the factions are chasing that disciple down now."

Blue Lantern frowned.

He immediately interrogated the other captives, who said the same thing.

There was no time for subsequent interrogation. Blue Lantern sealed the captives' cultivation, knocked them unconscious, and then kept them all in a storage treasure.

"Your Majesty, I have to head to Mt. Longshui," Blue Lantern said.

"Lead the way!" Xiao Nanfeng instructed.

"Understood!" Blue Lantern replied.

The cultivators quickly arrived by the mountain.

Flames and chaos raged in the distance.

"There!" Blue Lantern shouted.

Xiao Nanfeng's group rushed over to see a group of Golden Immortals surrounding a bloodied woman.

"It's Blue Jade!" Blue Lantern cried out, his eyes lighting up in surprise.

The woman, Blue Jade, was a Golden Immortal herself. However, she had clearly sustained grievous injuries from the other cultivators. She fell to the ground time and time again.

"Blue Jade, stop resisting. Surrender now, or you might just end up dying!"

"Blue Jade, as long as you obey us, we'll spare your life. I'm missing a partner in dual cultivation, and I'm willing to give you a chance."

"Senior Brother, don't you already have ten such partners in cultivation? Why don't you leave Blue Jade to me?"

"You already have a bunch of cauldrons for your own purposes! You don't need her. Blue Jade provoked me once in the past. Leave her to me."

Eight Golden Immortals ganged up on her, taunting her and driving her to desperation.

Blue Jade had no means of defending herself against them. One of her arms was broken, and one leg as well. She glanced at the cultivators in despair.

"You despicable scum! Even if I die, you won't get what you want!" Blue Jade gritted her teeth. Her eyes were red with anger.

With a wave of her hand, she summoned a ring of golden runes around herself as she rushed toward the Golden Immortals.

"Do you think you'll be able to self-destruct and take us with you? You're not strong enough!" a Golden Immortal jeered.

The eight Golden Immortals struck in unison, unleashing a barrage of golden runes that immobilized Blue Jade and prevented her from moving.

"Let me go!" Blue Jade shouted in anger.

"Blue Jade, things are different now. In the past, anyone who dared to heckle you would face reprisal from your senior brother in the Fenghuang faction, but he's gone now, isn't he? If you don't listen to us, then I'll have to tame you," one Golden Immortal grinned slyly.

He took out a black collar and tossed it toward Blue Jade.

"Senior Brother, you use these spirit-taming collars on women? They work wonders on spirits, but this is the first time I've seen them applied to people," another Golden Immortal joked.

"Well, I suppose you'll be learning something today, then. These collars are effective on humans and spirits alike. Once you start wearing it, you'll be obedient in no time at all, haha!"

"Let's try it!" the other Golden Immortals shouted in anticipation.

As Blue Jade watched the collar approach her, the shame and humiliation in her eyes grew stronger. She was bound by the golden runes and unable to free herself. She took a deep breath, ready to make her final stand.

Just then, a blue compass descended from the skies, heading right for the collar.

"I'll kill you all!" Blue Lantern thundered.

The blue compass struck the collar and caused it to explode in mid-air.

"Who's there?" Everyone turned to see Blue Lantern leading a group of cultivators over.

"Blue Lantern? H-How could you have returned?!" one Golden Immortal cried out.

"Senior Brother!" Blue Jade cried out, her eyes widening in shock.

"Die!" Xiao Nanfeng thundered.

"Die!" the twelve golden cultivators echoed. They shot toward the Golden Immortals.

"Insolence!" the Golden Immortals shouted back.

With a wave of their hands, they sent a stream of golden runes toward the golden cultivators, who defended against the runes with their fists. They were right before the gathered Golden Immortals in no time.

"Who are you?!" the Golden Immortals cried out.

The golden cultivators struck simultaneously, sending all the Golden Immortals flying.

Meanwhile, Blue Lantern rushed up to Blue Jade. He waved a hand. The golden runes restraining her exploded in a flash of golden light.

"Blue Jade, are you alright?" Blue Lantern asked anxiously.

Blue Jade glanced at Blue Lantern uncertainly, with some hesitation. She reached out and touched him, golden light surging from her palm, checking to ensure that he was who she thought he was.

"It's me. I'm back," Blue Lantern said.

After Blue Jade had confirmed Blue Lantern's identity to her satisfaction, she sagged in relief and began to cry. "Senior Brother!"

She collapsed into his arms, as if she had countless grievances to express to him.

Blue Lantern hugged Blue Jade and patted her on the back. His voice was unusually gentle. "Don't cry. I'm back. Everything's fine now."

However, Blue Jade only grew more and more distraught. Her body shook as she sobbed, leaving Blue Lantern at a loss.

Not far away, Xiao Nanfeng and Yu'er watched on.

"I always thought Blue Lantern was a loner, but it seems like he's got his fair share of fans, too," Yu'er murmured.

"Right? I didn't expect it myself." Xiao Nanfeng smiled.