Fireworks Signal

Once the golden canopy was out, the forest was still again. There was already one cultivator, maybe more, who had lost his life.

Hong Yan and Xue'er, faces pale, crouched down and closed themselves off. Hao Yingjun tried to comfort them. Xue'er wept and trembled, still traumatised at the gruesome sight she beheld.

Cheng Yan extracted the corpse and set it on the ground for inspection. Burying someone in dirt was nothing new, but burying someone in a tree was a first for them. Every joint in the corpse was snapped.

As Mu Yu scrapped off the bark on the cultivator, he found a lot of the bark had penetrated deep into the latter's skin and fused with it. For the record, Mu Yu could've separated them, but he would have had to rely on his special ability.

Having traversed into forests to slay fiend beasts many times and almost dying as many times, Gu Yitian viewed death as but a pitfall in the path to growing stronger. He indifferently reported, "His' name is Yin Zhengxiang, a disciple of Air Wielding Sect. I crossed swords with him."

Although it was immoral to search through the dead's belongings, Cheng Yan checked Yin Zhengxiang's sleeve, only to find his Cosmos Sleeve formation was dismantled. An assortment of spirit stones, miscellaneous items and a flying sword dropped to the ground. Unfortunately, Cheng Yan didn't find what he was after. He wrapped up Yin Zhengixang's belongings and placed them in the owner's shirt. Next, he informed the others, "His signal is missing. He has already notified everyone there's an elemental demon here. Sadly, nobody, us included, noticed the signal."

Mu Yu offered the idea the trees were too tall; they'd need to be flying to see the signals. Realistically speaking, they should've heard the firework even if they didn't see it.

The elders assumed the elemental demons' presence in the forest was but a hoax. They went with it and decided to utilise it as a training opportunity for their disciples. The training exercise had become a real hunt unbeknownst to them.

The death of the cultivator and return of the elemental demons hit hard. Their return spelt inevitable trouble. To compound concerns, they realised they were completely oblivious to the elemental demons' presence even if they were right next to them. If the elemental demons had allied with the fiends, then nobody would want to imagine what would follow.

"Let's bury him," proposed Gu Yitian.

"After an elemental demon took his life and tried to bury him in a tree, I don't think he wants stay here or can rest in peace," contended Mu Yu, letting out a pent up breath.

"I wonder where Yin Zhengxiang's team is and if they're looking for him."

Cheng Yan stood up and looked at the three crouched down. He had a hunch the elemental demons would target the two maidens first if they went after the team. He pondered if elemental demons had made other teams in the dead forest their targets.

Cheng Yan declared, "Let's leave now. We've confirmed the elemental demons' presence, therefore have completed the task. We wouldn't be able to slay them even if we found their den. Let the elders decide what to do."

Everyone was in agreement. The two girls couldn't wait to get out of the creepy forest. Cheng Yan lifted Yin Zhengxiang's corpse up using spiritual energy and mounted his sword. The others mounted their magic weapons, and off they went, up to the blue dome where the atmosphere wasn't oppressive. The tension melted off their shoulders as they headed out until they saw and heard fireworks coming from the north, south, east and west one after the other.

The five signals were far away from their location. They didn't see anyone else in the sky. Logically, the cultivators should've flown up as soon as possible if they encountered elemental demons.

"Could the elemental demons have ambushed the other teams?" Cheng Yan pulled his brows together.

According to the signal count, they would be one of only two teams to be safe.

Hao Yingjun asked Cheng Yan, "What's the plan?"

"You guys take Yin Zhengxiang's corpse out of here. I'll go check on the other teams!" instructed Cheng Yan, taking into consideration the team's fighting potential.

Hao Yingjun shook his head. "I'll go with you."

Gu Yitian also refused to leave. "Hmph."

"We'll also help out," Xue'er and Hong Yan declared in unison.

"The elemental demons have the terrain advantage. You won't be a match for them at your levels. I've taken the worst-case scenario into consideration. Somebody has to escape to report back if we're all annihilated. Your job is to escape as soon as possible and call for reinforcements. Ask for all Golden Core Realm cultivators to come and assist. If we all fall here, we're doomed," explained Cheng Yan, feeling anxious.

"We can help you, while Xue'er and Hong Yan go back," disputed Hao Yingjun.

"The two of them are too weak to handle elemental demons that might intercept them. You three need to protect them. If you want to come back after, then so be it. Until then, your priority is relaying what's happened back to the others!"

Cheng Yan entrusted Hao Yingjun with Yin Zhengxiang's corpse. Hao Yingjun caught the corpse with his spiritual energy and gave in. They were persuaded at that point.

Suddenly, Mu Yu calmly said, "First Brother, I will go with you."

The forest was Mu Yu's home ground. As such, Cheng Yan deemed his junior capable of helping. Even if he couldn't, he had means of protecting himself as long as Mu Yu didn't end up in the stone cave again.

"Mu Yu, come with me. You guys, remember to fly high. Don't forget the fire demons can also fly, so watch out for them."

Mu Yu and Cheng Yan exchanged a nod before speeding off to the signal farthest away. The others flew back to Crouching Dragon Mountain.

"I know you can control wood. You don't need to engage the elemental demons. Conceal yourself in the trees and assist the others. All you have to do is help them get into the air," instructed Cheng Yan, transferring some of his own spiritual energy to Mu Yu to boost Mu Yu's flying speed.

"Understood."

Soon, another firework exploded in the sky up ahead. Yet, Mu Yu was oddly calm. He hoped to find out more about his ability in the upcoming clash.