Chapter 357: The thousand dao city 27.

"Probably."

"People will argue."

"Definitely."

"Someone will probably try to make trouble for us."

Mo Yuxin considered that.

"Also probably."

"Then sleep while we still have a quiet night."

Mo Yuxin nodded.

"All right."

A few breaths later she asked, "Can I hold you?"

Su Yubing smiled with her eyes closed.

"You were going to do it anyway."

"True."

Mo Yuxin wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close.

This time neither spoke again.

The city continued shining outside their window.

Somewhere in the northern district, a guard changed shifts.

Somewhere in the central district, sect elders were still reading documents.

Somewhere in the western district, cultivators were still drinking and laughing.

And somewhere inside the Battle Maiden Sect branch, a hidden piece of the conspiracy remained completely unaware that its first layer had already been discovered.

The next day, the Ten Thousand Dao Assembly continued.

But the tone had changed.

The evidence against the Heavenly Sword Sect had collapsed.

The Battle Maiden Sect had gained a temporary reprieve.

The city authorities began investigating the falsified documents.

Several minor political alliances started shifting.

Yet the people behind the conspiracy were still quiet.

Too quiet.

Mo Yuxin noticed that the Heavenly Sword delegation had stopped attacking the Battle Maiden Sect openly.

Golden Mountain Sect also became more cautious.

Azure Cloud Sect requested an independent review of its own records.

Purple Heaven Valley divided internally.

Cangming Palace stayed mostly neutral.

The Nine Heavens Academy offered independent investigators.

It looked almost as if the conspiracy was beginning to collapse.

But Mo Yuxin did not believe it.

That evening, just before sunset, a young disciple from the Battle Maiden Sect arrived at the inn.

She looked frightened.

She bowed deeply.

"Senior Mo. Senior Su. I was told to find you."

Mo Yuxin looked at her.

"What happened?"

The disciple swallowed.

"We found another message."

"Where?"

"Inside the old formation tower."

Mo Yuxin’s eyes narrowed.

"What does it say?"

The disciple handed over a jade slip.

Mo Yuxin took it.

The moment her spiritual energy touched it, the jade slip activated.

A single sentence appeared.

THE SECOND STAGE BEGINS WHEN THE BATTLE MAIDEN SECT LOSES ITS LAST ALLY.

Su Yubing’s expression changed.

Mo Yuxin stared at the message.

Then another line appeared beneath it.

THE FIRST ALLY WILL FALL TONIGHT.

There was a long silence.

Mo Yuxin looked toward the darkening streets of Thousand Dao City.

"Who is their last ally?"

The young disciple whispered, "Purple Heaven Valley."

Mo Yuxin stood immediately.

Su Yubing was already beside her.

The two women looked at each other.

They did not need to say anything.

The next move had already begun.

On their way home, Mo Yuxin and Su Yubing did not speak much. The streets of Thousand Dao City had become quieter than usual, and the large numbers of guards around the important districts made it obvious that the authorities were taking the recent attacks seriously.

Mo Yuxin kept one hand around Su Yubing’s hand as they walked. Every few steps her thumb moved across the back of Su Yubing’s hand almost absentmindedly. Su Yubing noticed it but said nothing. She knew Mo Yuxin did that whenever she was thinking deeply.

They had almost reached the northern road when a sharp burst of spiritual energy came from the southwest.

Mo Yuxin stopped.

Su Yubing stopped with her.

Another burst followed.

Then came the unmistakable sound of a defensive formation breaking.

Su Yubing looked toward the distant road.

"The Battle Maiden Sect."

Mo Yuxin nodded.

"Yes."

They changed direction immediately.

The attack was already underway when they arrived.

A Battle Maiden Sect supply convoy had been surrounded on the western edge of the northern district. Several spiritual carts had overturned, and the road was covered with broken wooden crates and scattered medicine bottles. Six guards were down. Two disciples were trying to protect the remaining carts while several masked cultivators moved around them with frightening efficiency.

The masked attackers did not shout.

They did not threaten anyone.

They simply worked.

One disabled the spirit beast pulling the lead cart. Another cut through a storage formation. A third broke the defensive barrier around the medicine crates.

The Battle Maiden disciples fought back immediately.

Ji Ruyan was already there, spear in hand, blocking three attackers at once.

Su Lian stood behind her, throwing formation plates onto the ground to reinforce the convoy’s defenses.

Ruyan’s spear flashed.

One masked cultivator was forced back.

Another attacked from the side.

Ruyan turned and blocked the blow.

The impact drove her backward several steps.

She gritted her teeth.

"They are trying to take the sealed case!"

Mo Yuxin’s eyes moved toward the rear cart.

There it was.

The jade case containing the Central Continent communication message.

The masked attackers had ignored the medicines.

They had ignored the spirit stones.

They had ignored the formation materials.

They were going directly for the sealed case.

Mo Yuxin looked at Su Yubing.

Su Yubing understood immediately.

"That is what they wanted."

"Yes."

Mo Yuxin stepped forward.

Before she could move, one of the masked cultivators released a sharp sword aura toward Ruyan.

Mo Yuxin lifted one hand.

The sword aura stopped.

Then the attacker stopped.

The entire battlefield became still for a heartbeat.

Mo Yuxin did not attack.

She simply looked at the masked cultivators.

"Leave."

Her voice was calm.

They did not move.

One of them suddenly threw a black talisman toward the convoy.

Mo Yuxin destroyed it without touching it.

The talisman vanished into harmless sparks.

The attackers finally retreated.

They moved fast, but Mo Yuxin did not chase them.

Instead she walked toward the damaged convoy.

Su Yubing followed closely.

Ji Ruyan lowered her spear and looked at them.

"Senior."

Mo Yuxin nodded.

"Are you injured?"

Ruyan shook her head.

"No."

Su Lian was already checking the wounded guards.

Luo Qinghe and Ning Shuyue arrived several breaths later after hearing the disturbance.

Qinghe immediately began treating the injured.

Ning Shuyue stood beside her with her sword drawn.

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TO BE CONTINUED.