Chapter 374: the thousand dao city 43.

The sect was afraid, and that fear was obvious in the tight expressions and quick footsteps, but the women kept moving according to training. Injured disciples were taken toward the inner medical hall. Outer disciples carried formation stones toward the damaged defensive lines. Young cultivators who had only recently reached the Foundation Establishment realm were assigned to move supplies because nobody wanted to put them directly on the front line. Senior disciples took positions near the gates.

The sect was preparing for war.

It was simply doing so with much less than it needed.

A young disciple rushed up the stairs and bowed.

"Sect Master, the northern route is blocked."

Ye Qinglan nodded once.

"How many?"

"At least three thousand cultivators, perhaps more. We have only confirmed the banners in the front line. The rear is still hidden beyond the ridge."

Mu Qingru’s eyes narrowed.

"Three thousand is only the first wave."

The disciple swallowed and nodded.

"Yes, First Elder."

Another disciple arrived.

"Sect Master, the eastern merchant road has been sealed. The people from the city are saying the Golden Mountain Sect has declared the Battle Maiden Sect a hostile organization."

Several elders exchanged angry looks.

Ye Qinglan remained calm.

"And the western road?"

"Blocked by cultivators from the Heavenly Sword Sect."

Mu Qingru closed her eyes briefly.

"So it has begun."

Ji Ruyan stood with both hands clasped behind her back. Her face was young but serious, and there was a tiredness in her eyes that did not come from a single night’s lack of sleep. For months she had been moving between the outer disciples, escorting supply convoys, checking formations, and responding to emergencies. She had become used to sleeping in short stretches and eating whatever was available between missions. Yet when she heard the report, she straightened rather than allowing herself to look exhausted.

"How many Soul Formation cultivators are there?" she asked.

The messenger looked uncertain.

"We cannot tell yet. Several spiritual pressures are being concealed."

Su Lian stepped forward.

"The Azure Cloud Sect is probably hiding them behind layered formations."

Mu Qingru glanced at her.

"Can you confirm it?"

Su Lian nodded.

"Give me ten minutes."

She hurried toward the nearest formation platform.

Ji Ruyan watched her go, and for a moment a small amount of warmth appeared in her eyes. Then she looked back toward the enemy army.

"Ten minutes," she said quietly. "We need to make sure she gets them."

Ye Qinglan heard her.

"You are worried about her."

Ji Ruyan looked slightly embarrassed.

"I am worried about everyone."

Mu Qingru gave her a dry look.

"You are allowed to worry about one person more than others."

Ji Ruyan said nothing.

The sect master looked at the young couple for a moment, then gave the slightest nod.

"Then make sure she comes back alive."

Ji Ruyan’s expression became firm.

"I will."

From the other side of the courtyard, a familiar voice suddenly said, "She probably does not need protecting as much as you think."

Everyone turned.

Mo Yuxin was walking toward them with Su Yubing beside her.

Mo Yuxin’s dark robe was simple, and her long black hair was tied behind her. She looked almost too relaxed for the situation. Su Yubing walked beside her in a pale robe, her expression calm and graceful as always. Their hands were joined.

The sight was so ordinary that it almost felt strange against the background of an army surrounding the sect.

Ji Ruyan looked at them.

"You two are here."

Mo Yuxin nodded.

"We heard the bells."

Su Yubing looked toward the horizon.

"Looks crowded."

One of the older elders stared at her.

"Crowded?"

Su Yubing nodded politely.

"There are a lot of people."

The elder did not know whether she was joking.

Mo Yuxin squeezed Su Yubing’s hand.

"You should stand behind me."

Su Yubing turned toward her.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because you keep doing that whenever something looks dangerous."

"It is my job."

"Your job is to stay beside me."

Mo Yuxin thought about it.

"That is also true."

Su Yubing smiled.

The nearby disciples could not help looking at them.

Even in a moment like this, they were still acting like a married couple taking a walk rather than two powerful cultivators standing in front of a coming war.

Ye Qinglan looked at them and allowed herself a quiet breath of amusement.

"The two of you seem unusually calm."

Mo Yuxin answered, "We have been through worse dinners."

Su Yubing laughed.

Mu Qingru looked at them as if she had finally decided she had no hope of understanding these people.

"The enemy numbers at least several thousand."

Mo Yuxin glanced at the horizon.

"Yes."

"There are Soul Formation experts among them."

"Probably."

"The sect is nearly out of spirit stones."

"I know."

"And our defensive formations are damaged."

Mo Yuxin nodded.

"I know."

Mu Qingru looked at her for a long moment.

"You are not concerned?"

Mo Yuxin turned toward Su Yubing.

"I am."

Su Yubing looked at her.

"About them?"

Mo Yuxin shook her head.

"About you getting hungry while we are dealing with this."

For the first time that evening, Ji Ruyan laughed.

It was brief, but it broke something inside the tense atmosphere.

Su Lian returned from the formation platform just then.

"There are at least six Soul Formation cultivators outside."

The laughter disappeared.

Six.

That was enough to make every elder’s expression harden.

Ye Qinglan nodded.

"And likely more hidden."

Su Lian said, "Yes. The Azure Cloud formations are masking spiritual pressure. I could see the traces, but I could not identify everyone."

Mo Yuxin’s eyes moved toward the northern sky.

She could identify them.

Not six.

Eleven.

Three were early Soul Formation.

Five were middle Soul Formation.

Two were late Soul Formation.

One had deliberately hidden its cultivation so deeply that even a casual scan would place it around the middle Soul Formation realm, but the spiritual structure beneath the disguise was much more complicated.

Mo Yuxin did not mention it.

There was no reason yet.

Su Yubing glanced at her.

..

TO BE CONTINUED,