Though Yang Ruoyun was momentarily flustered by the little koi, she quickly regained her composure. Carrying a suitcase, she emerged from the house and raised an eyebrow at the little koi.
The little koi scratched its head, looking bewildered, completely unaware of her meaning.
Seeing the little koi's appearance, Yang Ruoyun felt like laughing. Why should she argue with a foolish little fish?
"Let's go, we'll go to the supermarket to buy some things."
Liu Nanfeng stood up, took her suitcase, and with a wave of his hand, the suitcase disappeared.
Yang Ruoyun didn't mind. Instead, she turned to Hu Mengyao and asked, "Do you want to come with me?"
"Go where?" Hu Mengyao asked dazedly.
"To that absolutely safe place I told you about last night," Yang Ruoyun said.
Hu Mengyao showed hesitation at this.
"Alright, I was just saying. If you don't want to go, then don't,"
Yang Ruoyun didn't force her, but she frowned. She felt that with Hu Mengyao's cultivation level, she might be in danger during the upcoming world changes. This was also why she agreed to Liu Nanfeng. She knew her own limitations.
But after all, they were just friends, so she couldn't force her.
"I think I'll pass. Fourth Sister told me last night that she wants to close her business and return to the clan for a while. I want to go back with her," Hu Mengyao said with relief.
"Alright, then you should be careful."
Yang Ruoyun thought for a moment and then, from somewhere, pulled out a Bagua mirror and handed it to her.
"This is for your self-defense."
The Bagua mirror was antique in style and ornate in design. Numerous Sanskrit characters were engraved on the back, indicating it was no ordinary item.
"This is too precious, I can't accept it," Hu Mengyao quickly refused.
"Take it. I don't know when we'll meet again. I hope you'll always be safe," Yang Ruoyun insisted.
Hu Mengyao's expression turned a bit sad at this, and she no longer refused.
Beside them, Liu Nanfeng was somewhat astonished. Yang Ruoyun was like Doraemon, always able to pull out good things. He wondered how many good things Feng Zhirun had left for her.
Yang Ruoyun glanced around the room and then took down the photo frame from the wall. With no further lingering sentiment, she walked out of the house without looking back.
When they got downstairs, the thick fog had still not dissipated.
The neighborhood, shrouded in dense fog, was extremely quiet.
Yang Ruoyun looked up at the sky, then took a deep breath. She then asked Liu Nanfeng, "Is this really just fog?"
Liu Nanfeng shook his head, his gaze shifting towards the path from which they came, deep within the fog.
Because he felt someone was hidden behind the fog, watching them.
Among Yang Ruoyun, Hu Mengyao, and the little koi, it was the little koi who first sensed something was wrong. It immediately hugged Liu Nanfeng's leg and quietly peeked its little head out.
Then came Yang Ruoyun, and finally Hu Mengyao.
"Is anyone there?" Hu Mengyao asked uncertainly.
At this moment, she had the lowest cultivation among them.
No one answered her question because the footsteps had already begun to approach, their pace steady and rhythmic.
"Tap... tap... tap..."
One's heartbeat unconsciously synchronized with the footsteps, causing a surge of panic and unease, an indescribable fear spreading throughout the body.
The approaching person was a master, subtly controlling the rhythm and influencing emotions without one realizing it.
Liu Nanfeng pushed forward with his hand, releasing a circular energy that spread rapidly outwards. The surrounding mist vanished, revealing the entire Hexian residential area.
At the same time, the enemy opposite them revealed their form.
It was an old man, his face covered in wrinkles, his hair white, but his build was extremely robust. He stood with his hands behind his back, looking around curiously.
"A barrier?"
He turned his head and asked Liu Nanfeng, his eyes devoid of any hostility, like a kindly old grandfather.
However, Liu Nanfeng did not let down his guard. From the surrounding information, he could feel the other party's immense power.
Seeing that Liu Nanfeng did not answer, the old man paid it no mind. He flicked his finger in the air, and the void cracked, producing fissures like glass.
Witnessing his effortless power to shatter the void made Liu Nanfeng's unease intensify.
Just then, the old man waved his finger and flicked it, causing a nearby tall building to emit a loud rumbling sound and a corner to collapse.
Yet, the surroundings remained silent. No one panicked and rushed out of their homes.
"It really is a barrier. I didn't expect..." The old man looked at Liu Nanfeng with surprise.
Meanwhile, Liu Nanfeng was not idle. He waved his hands forward, summoning countless shields emitting blue light that arrayed themselves before them, layer upon layer, forming a cocoon-like defense.
"Flashy," the old man said dismissively.
Then, his figure flickered, instantly appearing before the defensive shield. He placed his palm on it, causing ripples to spread. This old man was none other than Xu Zhenwu, an elder of the Tide Association who had recently arrived in Jiangcheng.
His identity was sensitive, and to avoid attracting the attention of the Ninth Division, he had chosen today, with its foggy weather, to make his move.
Xu Zhenwu's palm pressed against the shield, his power surging multiple times. Besides creating ripples, the defense remained intact. In fact, it seemed to become more robust, which surprised Xu Zhenwu.
After a brief moment of thought, he understood, and a pleased expression spread across his face. "Interesting."
Then, he formed his fingers into a lotus and directly poked at the shield.
This was because Liu Nanfeng's defensive spell not only used his own power for protection but also absorbed the opponent's power to strengthen itself.
Xu Zhenwu had discovered this very fact, which was why he decided to break the shield by targeting specific points.
Liu Nanfeng was somewhat surprised that the opponent had reacted so quickly, but he wasn't overly panicked. Not only was his own strength considerable, but the Su sisters were still within Guanshanhai, and he could borrow their power to fight. This was not a simple addition; he had confidence in his own strength.
"Take care of yourself, and take care of the little koi."
Liu Nanfeng turned and instructed Yang Ruoyun and Hu Mengyao. They had already drawn their weapons, and the little koi was no exception, holding up its "Guagua" hammer with a fierce and adorable expression, ready to strike.
Meanwhile, Xu Zhenwu had already broken through Liu Nanfeng's defense with a single finger and was about to strike his chest with his palm.
He had also noticed that they all looked to Liu Nanfeng as their leader, and his strength was the greatest. Therefore, he intended to take him down first.
However, as he extended his palm, he suddenly found that he could not get any closer to the opponent's chest. It was as if a vast distance lay between them.
He looked down at his feet, finding nothing unusual. When he looked up again, he was astonished to discover that he was still standing in place, as if he had never moved.
At this moment, Liu Nanfeng made his move again.
All fear stems from a lack of vitality.
Liu Nanfeng spread his arms, drawing a large circle in the air. Runes flashed into existence, slowly rotating in the air like a black hole, forcefully drawing in the surrounding spiritual energy, then compressing it and expelling it.
"Swoosh—swoosh—"
A torrent of sharp light emitted a piercing sound, tearing through the air and engulfing Xu Zhenwu opposite them.