After My Rebirth, I Ended Up Happily Ever After with the Saintess - Chapter 73

The closer one got to the Demon Suppression City in the Northland, the more severe the environment became. Fierce winds rolled ice shards, scouring the wilderness like knives. As far as the eye could see, there was only a vast expanse of white, as if the world was left with nothing but the howling wind and the crunching sound of compacted snow underfoot. Ordinary vegetation had long disappeared, with only extremely cold-resistant moss and low-lying coniferous shrubs stubbornly clinging to the leeward rock crevices.

Following the suggested covert route from the Nether Pavilion’s intelligence, Ye Li chose not to fly directly to the Demon Suppression City. Instead, she opted to trek through a perilous area known as the “Ghost Wail Ice Valley.” The terrain here was complex, filled with bottomless ice fissures and snow cornices that could collapse at any moment. Furthermore, an eerie, unpredictable gale called the “Ice Howl Wind” frequently swept through, capable of freezing spiritual power and corroding the soul. It was a desolate land that even local cultivators were reluctant to enter.

But danger often meant relative safety. At least, the trackers were unlikely to set an ambush here.

She pushed the Netherworld Emperor Sutra to its limit. The extremely cold spiritual power surged within her, not only resisting the external frigidity but subtly resonating with the ice and snow, making her environmental perception even sharper. The Boundless Void Steps was utilized expertly in the rugged ice valley, allowing her to instantly evade collapsing ice fissures and find cover before the Ice Howl Wind struck.

Three days later, she emerged from the Ghost Wail Ice Valley unscathed, and the view suddenly opened up. At the end of a relatively flat ice plain, the silhouette of a massive city stood tall and imposing.

That was the crucial fortress on the northern border—the Demon Suppression City.

Unlike the spiritual and ethereal cities within the jurisdiction of the Profound Cloud Sect, the Demon Suppression City was built entirely of huge, black basalt. The city walls were a hundred zhang high, scarred and rough, covered with marks left by spell bombardments and claw tears, exuding a sense of history and iron-willed combat. Runes flickered on the city walls, vaguely forming a colossal defensive formation that radiated unsettling energy fluctuations. At the city gates, cultivators in heavy black armor, emanating a formidable aura, stood guard strictly. The flow of people entering and leaving was orderly, but most appeared hurried, carrying a distinct vigilance and hardiness characteristic of a border town.

Ye Li restrained her aura, maintaining her cultivation at the average level of the Initial Pulse Condensation Stage, and blended into the stream of people entering the city. She noticed that besides human cultivators, the crowd also included some tall, pale-blue-skinned Ice Field Barbarians, and a few uniquely dressed, cold-aura-emitting demon cultivators. As an outpost against the Demon Race, the Demon Suppression City seemed less strict about lineage than the inland sects. As long as one obeyed the rules and participated in joint defense against the demons, they could settle here.

After paying the ten low-grade spirit stones entry fee, Ye Li stepped into the Demon Suppression City. The scene inside left an even deeper impression. The streets were wide, but the architecture was rough and practical, with few carved beams and painted rafters, mainly consisting of huge stones and sturdy wood. The air was permeated with a faint smell of blood, medicinal herbs, and an ever-present scent of Sha (malevolent energy). The shops on both sides mainly sold various weapons, armor, healing elixirs, antidotes, and specialized demon beast materials from the ice field—a pure focus on utility.

Most cultivators were in a hurry, either heading out in teams or returning with injuries. Their conversations were brief and to the point, and their eyes were sharp, filled with the resourcefulness born of the pressure to survive. There was no relaxed atmosphere of scholarly discussion like in the inland sects; instead, there was a tense, battle-ready air of solemnity.

Following the address given by her Master, Ye Li navigated the city’s winding streets until she found a place called the “Old Soldier Tavern.” The tavern was small and simply furnished but very popular. It was packed with various cultivators loudly discussing demon-hunting experiences and market prices, making it noisy yet lively. This was one of the gathering places for lower-level cultivators and information in the Demon Suppression City.

She walked up to the counter and presented the jade pendant given by Hermit Mu Yun to the one-eyed old man wiping wine glasses, who had a hideous scar on his face. She spoke in a low voice: “Boss, I’m looking for someone. Is General Zhao Gan in the city?”

The one-eyed old man paused in his movement, his solitary eye sharply scrutinizing Ye Li and the jade pendant in her hand. A flash of light flickered in his cloudy eye, which quickly returned to calmness. He said in a hoarse voice: “General Zhao is busy with military affairs. He’s not someone anyone can just meet. What business do you have, young lady? You can tell me first.”

Ye Li understood that this was the code for their rendezvous. She gave the response instructed by Hermit Mu Yun: “An old friend entrusted me to bring a pot of ‘Snow Peak Cold Fragrance’ from ‘Cloud Elixir Peak,’ a token of regard.”

Hearing this, the one-eyed old man showed a subtle smile and nodded: “So you are a junior of Mr. Mu Yun. The General’s Mansion is on Xuanwu Street in the north of the city. Take this token, and someone will lead you to the General.” Saying so, he handed over a black iron token.

“Thank you.” Ye Li took the token, her heart somewhat settled. Her Master’s arrangements were indeed thoughtful.

She didn’t head straight to the General’s Mansion. Instead, she found a corner seat in the tavern, ordered a pot of the local “Fire-Sword Liquor” brewed with ice field potent grass, and slowly sipped it while subtly spreading her divine sense to gather information from her surroundings.

“Did you hear? A small demon den was discovered in the Black Wind Canyon a few days ago. Dozens of Black Fiend Demons rushed out, and the patrol team almost couldn’t hold them off!”

“Damn it, there are more and more demons in this cursed place! If this keeps up, something big will happen sooner or later!”

“What are you afraid of? When the sky falls, the tall ones bear the brunt. The Demon Suppression Army and the masters sent by the major sects aren’t weaklings. We should focus on earning military merit and exchanging it for resources to cultivate.”

“True… but there seem to be a lot of new faces in the city recently. Some of them have strange auras, not like the people from our side.”

“Who cares? As long as they don’t cause trouble and abide by the rules…”

Listening to the chatter of the tavern patrons, Ye Li gained a more direct understanding of the tense situation in the Northland. The activity of the Black Fiend Demons was indeed abnormally frequent. She also noticed that there were indeed a few people in the tavern whose auras were concealed and did not seem like permanent residents. The cultivation technique aura of one table subtly carried traces of the Blazing Flame Sect’s fire element characteristics. Although they tried their best to hide it, it did not escape her keen divine sense.

“Have they started tailing me so quickly?” Ye Li sneered inwardly but kept her expression calm.

After a short rest, she left the tavern and, following the token’s guidance, arrived at the General’s Mansion in the north of the city. The General’s Mansion was equally rough in style and heavily guarded. Upon presenting the token, a personal guard led her to a study.

In the study, a middle-aged man in heavy black armor, robust, with a resolute face and an imposing, naturally authoritative demeanor, was pondering over a massive map of the Northland. This was General Zhao Gan, the guardian of the Demon Suppression City, and his cultivation had reached the Late-Stage Spirit Mansion Realm.

Sensing Ye Li’s entry, Zhao Gan turned around. His gaze, sharp as lightning, swept over Ye Li, pausing slightly on her calm eyes and solid aura, which belied her age. He said in a deep voice: “You are the Ye Li my old friend Mu Yun mentioned in his letter?”

“Junior Ye Li greets General Zhao.” Ye Li bowed respectfully but not subserviently, presenting Hermit Mu Yun’s letter.

Zhao Gan took the letter and quickly scanned it, a trace of emotion appearing on his face: “My old friend Mu Yun has indeed taken a good apprentice. To dare to accept this Northland mission at such a young age, you have courage.” He put down the letter, his tone growing serious, “However, Junior Niece Ye, the Northland is not like the sects. The rules here are simple—strength reigns supreme—and it’s more dangerous. Since you have come, you must abide by the rules here. I have read your mission document. Investigating the abnormal activity of the Black Fiend Demons, this matter is indeed strange, and the Demon Suppression Army has been monitoring it.”

He walked to the map and pointed to several marked locations: “In the past three months, the frequency and scale of Black Fiend Demon appearances have far exceeded the past, mainly concentrating in these areas. Several reconnaissance teams we sent out suffered casualties, and one team was even completely annihilated, only managing to send back a blurry image that seemed to point toward an ancient ruin deep within the ice field.”

Ye Li concentrated, committing those locations to memory.

Zhao Gan continued: “I will give you three days to familiarize yourself with the Demon Suppression City’s environment and replenish supplies. Three days later, a mixed patrol team of rogue cultivators and sect disciples will head to the ‘Broken Blade Cliff’ area for a patrol mission. You can accompany them as a preliminary investigation. Remember, your mission is to investigate, not to eliminate. If you encounter large-scale demon beasts, your priority is to preserve yourself and relay information. Here are the patrol team’s details and a detailed map of the Broken Blade Cliff area.”

Ye Li took the jade slip handed to her by Zhao Gan: “Junior understands. Thank you for your guidance, General.”

Leaving the General’s Mansion, Ye Li found a simple stone house in the city, used for temporary lodging by cultivators, and settled in. She carefully read the patrol team’s information and the map. Then, using the reincarnation mirror sub-mirror, she informed Lin Feng of the initial situation she had learned and her upcoming actions, asking him to focus on collecting information about the “Broken Blade Cliff” and the “ancient ruin.”

After doing all this, she pushed open the small stone house window, gazing at the gray sky outside and the distant, continuous snow-capped mountains. The roughness of the Demon Suppression City, the hardiness of the cultivators, and the underlying danger all made her feel an atmosphere completely different from that within the sect.

There was no scheming here, only the most direct challenges to survival. Perhaps, this was precisely the kind of tempering she needed most right now.

“Broken Blade Cliff… ancient ruin…” Ye Li muttered to herself, a sharp glint flashing in her eyes. “Let me see what secrets this Northland ice field is hiding.”

Three days later, she would join the patrol team and officially embark on her investigation, confronting the dreaded Black Fiend Demon tide. This land shrouded in wind and snow was about to witness her new journey.