The old city lord's face was full of shock, and he blurted out, "As one of the Seven Sects, why would the Five Poisons Sect save a demon from the Land of Nowhere?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized something was wrong. How would this kid know that a great demon, Yu Ju, was imprisoned in the Land of Nowhere?
"How did you know about Yu Ju?"
"Elder Xia told me. As for the Five Poisons Sect, they themselves are demons hidden within the Seven Sects," Xiao Man said unhurriedly. "Within the Seven Sects, who knows how many demons are still lurking."
"You mean demons still exist and have already infiltrated the Seven Sects?" The old city lord felt a chill creep down his spine. If demons had infiltrated the Seven Sects, then was there any hope for Wuji City?
"If I am not mistaken, this is the truth," Xiao Man analyzed calmly. "It's just that I don't know who these demons are."
"Then where is safe now?" the old city lord asked vaguely. If demons had infiltrated the Seven Sects, then there was no safe place left.
Xiao Man looked at the old city lord. "There are certainly safe places. For us now, the Roland Mountains and the Land of Nowhere are relatively safe places."
The old city lord felt a sense of irony. People from the Land of Nowhere fought tooth and nail to enter Wuji City, but now, Wuji City had become the most dangerous place, and they even needed the barrier of the Land of Nowhere to protect them.
"Is the Land of Nowhere truly safe?" the old city lord asked faintly. "Normal people cannot stay in the Land of Nowhere for long. The miasma there will erode a normal person's body. Even I, a cultivator at the Golden Core stage, can only stay for three hours at most."
Xiao Man handed the old city lord a bottle of medicine. "One pill a day is enough for you to last a month. If there's no news within a month, someone will surely notice something is wrong and come to rescue us."
The old city lord quickly took a pill, and his uneasy heart gradually calmed down.
Zang Xu stood before the barrier and finally calmed down. "Xiao Qin, you don't think hiding inside will make you safe, do you?"
Xiao Man glanced at Zang Xu and walked away with the old city lord.
Zang Xu was furious and vexed. "Xiao Qin, you scoundrel, get back here!"
"Little friend, where are you taking me?" the old city lord inquired.
"Eight Directions Sword Sect," Xiao Man said softly. "In the Land of Nowhere, the Eight Directions Sword Sect is the strongest. We can't just stay in front of the barrier all the time; we need to find a way to resolve our current predicament."
"You've been away from the Land of Nowhere for a year. Things here have likely changed drastically. The people of the Eight Directions Sword Sect might not listen to you anymore."
"Whether they listen or not, we'll know when we get there." Xiao Man headed directly towards the Eight Directions Sword Sect.
At the Eight Directions Sword Sect, Shao Yao was handling sect affairs. Previously, the Poison Lady had wanted to take her to Wuji City, but she had refused. She didn't know what Wuji City was like, but she couldn't leave now; she was waiting for someone here.
"Vice Sect Master, outside, outside..."
"Has the sky fallen?" Shao Yao looked up at the guard. "Didn't I tell you to be steady? If the Sect Master saw you like this, you'd be beaten."
"Vice Sect Master, the Sect Master is back!"
"Yes, so what if he's back? Why are you panicking?" Shao Yao's writing hand didn't pause at all. She continued writing, and after a moment, she looked up at the guard. "Who did you say was back?"
"The Sect Master is back, Sect Master Xiao is back."
Shao Yao leaped to her feet and rushed out, not even caring that she had knocked over the inkstone. In an instant, she was gone. The guard touched his head. "Didn't he say not to panic even if the sky fell? But the Vice Sect Master is more panicked than I am."
Xiao Man was waiting in the side hall when a figure burst in. "Your subordinate greets the Sect Master."
Xiao Man immediately helped her up. "Shao Yao, I am no longer the Sect Master of the Eight Directions Sword Sect."
"In my eyes, you will always be our Sect Master." Shao Yao looked around. "Sect Master, hasn't Sister Shi Lan returned?"
"She hasn't returned. Some things happened. She's with Xi Wen and the others, and I've returned."
"That's not right. People who leave the Land of Nowhere cannot return. Sect Master, how did you come back?" Shao Yao worriedly clasped her hand. "Were you bullied by the people of Wuji City?"
Xiao Man couldn't help but chuckle. "Do I look like someone who can be bullied?"
"Then how did you return?"
Xiao Man frowned slightly. "Some changes have occurred in Wuji City."
"Changes in Wuji City?" Shao Yao was a little confused. Her gaze fell on the old man sitting to the side. She had never seen him before, so she didn't know his identity, but the aura emanating from him made her feel somewhat familiar.
"Sect Master, who is this..."
"This is the old city lord of Wuji City, a cultivator at the Golden Core stage. He is very powerful."
"Greetings, Old City Lord." Shao Yao felt a tremor in her heart, not understanding what had happened for Xiao Man to bring back the old city lord of Wuji City.
"Sect Master, what exactly happened?"
"Send two people to monitor the city gates. Report any anomalies immediately."
"Yes, your subordinate will arrange it at once." Shao Yao took over. "Your room has also been kept, cleaned daily by a dedicated person. The Old City Lord can stay in Brother Xiang's room; it's all clean."
"You are thoughtful." Su Dan Novel Network
Xiao Man took the old city lord to rest, while Shao Yao went to arrange the tasks Xiao Man had assigned.
Within Wuji City, Zang Xu found that the barrier could not be opened, and Yan Yu and his daughter had hidden in the Roland Mountains. The Roland Mountains were vast and full of fierce beasts, including many high-level demonic beasts. Even Nascent Soul cultivators dared not roam freely in the Roland Mountains.
"Still no sign of Yan Yu and his daughter?" Zang Xu asked coldly.
Lü Yuan lowered his head, not daring to speak. The grey-robed man said hoarsely, "No, after these people came out of the secret realm, they hid in the Roland Mountains. The Roland Mountains are vast, and it's too difficult to find a few people."
"Since we can't find them, let them come out themselves." Zang Xu said cruelly. "Capture some of the city's populace and escort them to the entrance of the Roland Mountains. If Yan Yu doesn't come out, kill one person every hour. Let's see if Yan Yu can stay in the Roland Mountains forever."
"Sect Master, there are only a few Golden Core stage individuals left in the city now. Everyone else... has been poisoned." Lü Yuan's voice grew smaller as he spoke. The poison was too insidious; they couldn't cure it.
"Poisoned?" Zang Xu was furious. "What are the Five Poisons Sect good for? They are the ancestors of poison. For others to use poison to incapacitate people of the Five Poisons Sect, don't tell me you can't cure this poison."