The Shenze Crocodile's sharp teeth and powerful tails were its weapons, not to mention their control over lightning.
Jiang Ruomei, with difficulty, supported Jin Lingyun on a patch of dry, hard ground, dodging the Shenze Crocodile's attacks. She had already sustained several bites, the pain making her eyes well up with tears as she saw Bai Shengyi approaching step by step.
"Junior Sister Bai, you are so kind. I will help persuade Senior Brother Jin not to argue with you over past trivial matters..."
Before Jiang Ruomei could finish speaking, she watched Bai Shengyi's actions with stunned disbelief.
Soon, she reacted and cried out sharply, "Bai Shengyi! What are you doing? Are you crazy!"
Unbeknownst to Jiang Ruomei, Jin Lingyun was no match for Bai Shengyi and was unceremoniously tossed into the pile of crocodiles!
The crocodiles, as if smelling fresh blood, rapidly thrashed their tails and crawled towards Jin Lingyun. In moments, Jin Lingyun's screams echoed from the marsh.
Jiang Ruomei watched the scene in horror, swallowed, and called out, "Senior Brother Jin, I'm coming to save you! Don't be afraid!"
However, as she spoke, her feet shifted, moving her further and further away from Jin Lingyun.
Bai Shengyi watched this with a cold smile, "Junior Nephew Jiang, you're on the wrong path. Let me help you!"
"No..."
Jiang Ruomei had no time to refuse before Bai Shengyi whipped her into the fray.
Jiang Ruomei then realized that Bai Shengyi's cultivation was no less than her own!
Terrifyingly so!
"Ah!" The tearing pain snapped her back to attention. "Get away! Don't come near me!"
Jiang Ruomei looked at the Shenze Crocodile's walnut-sized eyes, its sharp, slender teeth, and the constant lightning strikes on the ground. She finally couldn't bear it and pushed Jin Lingyun away forcefully!
"Go away! Eat him, don't eat me, sob sob..." Her heart finally broke, and she cried out in despair, "Senior Aunt Bai, please save me! I know I was wrong! It was all Jin Lingyun forcing me to trouble Junior Brother, it's all Jin Lingyun's fault!"
"Senior Aunt Bai, please save me..." She moved her body, suddenly distancing herself from the crocodiles.
The crocodiles tore at Jin Lingyun's arms and flesh, the scent of blood spreading. They seemed to be enjoying a feast and paid no attention to her departure, yet a chill ran down her spine, leaving an indelible shadow.
"If you go back, what will people ask you? Where is Jin Lingyun?" Bai Shengyi looked at her coldly.
Jiang Ruomei collapsed to the ground, shivered, and calculated, "He left the team without authorization, and then we ran into Junior Brother. He wanted to cause trouble for Junior Brother but angered the Shenze Crocodiles in the marsh. He was killed by the Shenze Crocodiles."
As she spoke, she cautiously raised her head, only to see Bai Shengyi staring at her with a half-smile.
"I, I was wrong! He angered the Shenze Crocodiles himself, it has nothing to do with Junior Brother!" Jiang Ruomei's heart chilled. Fearing that the demon Bai Shengyi would throw her into the crocodile pile again, she quickly added, "I swear an oath that I will never implicate you!"
She quickly took an oath and then said, "Also, I can tell Senior Aunt Bai that Yun Youyue and the others came in this time to find the Starfall Emperor, and the Starfall Emperor truly exists!"
"Starfall Emperor?" Bai Shengyi's heart was greatly shaken, but she outwardly remained calm, enticing Jiang Ruomei to reveal more information.
"Yes, it's the Eye of the Gods from legends. Yun Youyue said it can see through all illusory causes and effects. My family deduced that the Starfall Emperor will appear when the secret realm opens this year."
Jiang Ruomei also had her own ulterior motives.
It was fine for her to show weakness to Bai Shengyi now, but Bai Shengyi had the leverage of her killing Jin Lingyun. She could not always be controlled by Bai Shengyi, so the best way was to let Bai Shengyi seek her own death.
And Yun Youyue was the executioner she had chosen for Bai Shengyi.
Yun Youyue was determined to obtain the Starfall Emperor and brought many trump cards. If Bai Shengyi harbored any thoughts, humph, Bai Shengyi would definitely not leave the secret realm alive.
Thinking this, she continued, "Senior Aunt Bai, the Starfall Emperor can see through the spiritual source essence of all spiritual objects, and it is also very beneficial for refining pills and medicines, you..."
"Who is Yun Youyue?" Bai Shengyi suddenly interrupted her.
Jiang Ruomei said sheepishly, "She is the daughter of the artifact refiner Yun Kai."
Seeing that the Shenze Crocodiles were almost finished eating Jin Lingyun, and many were crawling towards them with greedy eyes, Jiang Ruomei quickly got up from the ground, exclaiming in panic, "What do we do? They're coming again."
Bai Shengyi snorted coldly, "Kill them, what else? Do you need me to teach you how to kill spirit beasts?"
She was no great benefactor!
Bai Shengyi sneered and ignored Jiang Ruomei any further. She used her vine whip to strike down two attacking crocodiles, stepped on their backs, dodged the lightning strikes from the sky, and returned to Feng Wuya's side.
"Wu Ya, how is Zhu Wu?"
"Just flesh wounds, it only looks very serious. Shengyi, your..." Feng Wuya said while looking up at Bai Shengyi, and was stunned, "Your hair..."
Bai Shengyi had failed to dodge two lightning bolts and was hit directly.
Her hair was now standing on end, scorched and yellow, and emitting smoke.
She twitched her lips, turned her body, and looked up at the sky, "It's nothing, I'll recover by nourishing it with spiritual energy."
"Master, Master, I can help you!" Qing Meng Teng said, and a surge of pure life force erupted from it, integrating into Bai Shengyi's body.
Visibly, Bai Shengyi's hair became smooth, black, and shiny, even better than before.
"Did you eat some ten-complete tonic pill?" Feng Wuya was astonished. "Or did you advance again? Your recovery is too fast."
"I just advanced," Bai Shengyi mumbled. She also suddenly realized the terrifying nature of Qing Meng Teng's new ability and changed the subject, "These crocodiles are getting more numerous, let's leave quickly."
"Alright, I was just about to remind you. If we don't leave soon, we might run into Qing Buli and his group."
They all had communication talismans to contact each other.
"What about this?" Feng Wuya brought Zhu Wu onto his spiritual sword and pointed at Jiang Ruomei, who had run to the edge of the marsh not far away.
Bai Shengyi shook her head, picked up the cat, and said, "Let's go!"
As the two left, Jin Lingfeng arrived at the scene moments later.
"Your Highness, save me, sob sob..." As soon as Jiang Ruomei saw a familiar face, she cried out, "Your Highness, I'm useless, I couldn't save Senior Brother Jin. Senior Brother Jin, he, he was killed by these crocodiles, sob sob..."
"Impossible!" Jin Lingfeng refused to believe it. "Big Brother had the Thousand-Year Profound Iron Sword with him, how could he..."
"Boom!"
A deafening sound, lightning struck a nearby sword, as if mocking Jin Lingfeng's ignorance.
Jiang Ruomei immediately reacted and, with embellishments, recounted how Jin Lingyun was struck by lightning and then carelessly dragged into the crocodile group.
At this moment, Yun Youyue also arrived, accompanied by Qing Buli and Li Shiqing. It was unclear how they had ended up together.
Yun Youyue had always disliked Jin Lingyun. If it weren't for Senior Uncle Yun Ying and Junior Uncle, she wouldn't have bothered bringing him along this time, so she was not overly grief-stricken.
"Junior Uncle, the path of cultivation is inherently arduous and full of trials. Life and death are unpredictable. Please accept my condolences."
Li Shiqing stood silently to the side. Qing Buli, however, with a deep gaze, walked a few steps and picked up a verdant vine leaf.