I Outworked the Entire Cultivation World-Chapter 220 - 192: Escape

Jiang Yuebai hung a seclusion sign outside the quiet room and stayed there for over ten days.

The other alchemists and talisman makers breathed a sigh of relief, finally able to relax a bit and step outside for a stroll.

"Fellow Daoist Zhang? Are you going out for a walk too?"

"Yes, yes, yesterday I drew one hundred and twenty Nine-Grade Talismans in a row. My mind became a bit restless, so I went out for some fresh air."

"Fellow Daoist Zhang, you are really impressive—able to draw one hundred and twenty talismans in one go, ten more than Fellow Daoist Jiang at his peak."

"I can’t compare to you, Fellow Daoist Ma. I heard you refined five furnaces of Replenishing Essence Elixir yesterday, surpassing Fellow Daoist Jiang’s daily elixir output."

"It was just a good day for me, nothing worth boasting about."

As they passed the materials office, they exchanged a few casual words with Manager Li.

Manager Li suddenly looked up, "Fellow Daoist Jiang, have you come out of seclusion? Has your cultivation advanced?"

Jiang Yuebai approached with two storage bags and placed them in front of Manager Li.

"I came out yesterday. I felt uneasy about not producing anything these past few days while still receiving my monthly salary. So yesterday, I refined ten furnaces of Revitalizing Pills and drew three hundred Nine-Grade Fire Bomb Talismans and brought them right to you."

Fellow Daoist Zhang: !!!

Fellow Daoist Ma: !!!

"This... this much?" Manager Li was dumbfounded.

Jiang Yuebai adjusted the scarf on her face, "I would like two more alchemy furnaces. The original two got cracked from the heat yesterday. I’m also out of talismanic sand and paper. I plan to refine Blood Boiling Elixir next and draw Beast Soul Talismans. I could use more Beast Souls—the more, the better. Also, isn’t it time to collect this month’s salary?"

If it weren’t for needing the spirit stones, she wouldn’t have come personally.

"I’ll get them for you right away, please wait a moment."

Though the Baji Sect’s reputation wasn’t great, they treated Jiang Yuebai fairly well. Her monthly salary, Beast Souls, and other minor requests were met without delay.

While waiting, Jiang Yuebai noticed the two pale-faced individuals beside her who stared at her like statues, and she clasped her hands in greeting.

"Greetings, fellow Daoists."

"......" We’re not okay; we want to cry!

Manager Li quickly returned, handing over a storage bag with both hands.

"Spirit stones, talismanic paper, sand, and alchemy furnaces are all inside. The furnaces are just ordinary ones, and we’re currently short on Beast Souls. But now that we’re at the No Return Sea, all sects’ disciples are purging nearby monsters, so once the Beast Souls come in, I’ll deliver them to you immediately."

Jiang Yuebai nodded, "May I get off the ship for some fresh air? I’d like to see the scenery of the No Return Sea."

Manager Li hesitated, "Um... recently, there have been Buddhist Sect disciples lurking outside, attacking on sight. It’s really too dangerous outside. It’s safer for you to stay on the ship, Fellow Daoist Jiang."

Jiang Yuebai understood; they weren’t planning to let her leave.

"Then may I at least get some fresh air on the deck?"

"Of course, just don’t wander off. The protective barrier is still active, so be careful not to get hurt by accident." Manager Li sternly reminded, still worried you’ll slip away.

Even though she verbally considered joining the Baji Sect, there was still no definite answer, making Manager Li uneasy, with Elder Wu Lie being too busy to manage.

Fortunately, the dragon ship’s protective barrier was active, preventing anyone from entering from outside or leaving from inside.

On her way to the deck, Jiang Yuebai once again felt the sensation of her divine soul’s growth.

Feeling refreshed and alert, her spiritual sense keen, even with her eyes closed, she could ’see’ clearly the little spider in the corner of the wooden pillar beside her spinning a web finer than a hair.

She could also ’see’ two Qi Cultivation Cultivators conversing around the corner, with dried blood stains on their foreheads and singed hair tips.

Not only ’seeing’, her hearing and sense of touch were also amplified several times. Despite the protective barrier’s obstruction, she could still hear the raging storm outside and hushed conversations behind the doors.

"...The Martial Sect Alliance’s vanguard was routed in the No Return Sea yesterday, and the Buddhist Sect has also formed an alliance, seemingly with some expert’s guidance behind the scenes..."

"Now, both armies are pressing in. The Martial Sect Alliance and the Commerce Alliance have over twenty thousand people, compared to the Buddhist Sect’s ten thousand plus, but the latter holds the terrain advantage of the No Return Sea. The outcome of this final battle is uncertain."

"Fortunately, we’re in charge of logistics..."

Jiang Yuebai walked to the dragon ship’s railing, looking out over the endless sea of sands through the protective barrier.

That tiny drop of primordial essence had doubled her sea of consciousness; yesterday’s intense alchemy and talisman making revealed that her divine sense had indeed doubled. Even the seedlings of the Cloud Mushroom Grass had grown a whole circle larger.

The two new leaves had yet to fully take shape, resembling hands that needed continued cultivation in the "Thousand Leaves All Things Hand".

At this moment, she didn’t feel her divine soul drifting or wanting to leave her body, so she could continue consuming primordial essence, at least one or two more drops.

"With my divine sense doubled, the power of my divine sense casting should also increase twofold."

Leaning against the railing, Jiang Yuebai watched people bustling about, noting the frequency of message flying swords darting in and out, indicating the tense battle ahead.

The personnel on these three dragon ships comprised the logistics staff of the Baji Sect, Fuhu Sect, and Guiyi Sect, the only larger martial sects in the Quicksand Domain with Nascent Soul True Monarchs in command.

"Hey," Jiang Yuebai called out to a hurried martial cultivator, "which side of the No Return Sea are we on now, closer to Little Camel Hill or..."

Jiang Yuebai suddenly paused, narrowing her eyes upon noticing this martial cultivator’s tense posture, something amiss.

Upon closer inspection, she saw a bit of peeling skin at his temple and understood instantly.

"Never mind, no need to ask; I can’t leave anyway, and this ship is stifling."

Turning away, Jiang Yuebai mumbled as she left, while the martial cultivator released the hidden item in his sleeve and silently departed.

Jiang Yuebai discreetly moved, stretching as she strolled around the deck.

Before long, a thunderous explosion erupted from the direction of the sails, shaking the entire dragon ship, which groaned under the strain.

In an instant, crimson flames engulfed the sails, with successive explosions echoing from the adjacent dragon ships.

A massive sail pillar from the neighboring dragon ship was blown off, engulfed in flames, collapsing toward Jiang Yuebai’s head.

"Enemy attack! Put out the fire!!"

Pandemonium engulfed the ship.

Boom!

The pillar smashed into the dragon ship, nearly splitting it in half. Splinters flew, and the dragon ship began to plummet, with the protective barrier violently shuddering and cracking.

Jiang Yuebai, who had been storing energy, brightened her eyes and activated Sky-Breaking Flash with full force, bursting through a crack in the protective barrier and soaring into the open sky.

The Baji Sect’s Wu Lie appeared above the dragon ship with three Golden Core Cultivators. He vaguely saw a figure escaping into the distance but had no time to pursue due to the dire situation.

"Fellow Daoists, quickly stabilize the protective great array, we mustn’t lose the logistics materials!"

They combined their efforts to repair the protective barrier and stabilize the ship.

"Kill!!"

Roaring battle cries rose from below, yellow sand exploding as numerous Buddhist Sect disciples emerged from ambush.

Each wielded powerful talismans and disposable magic treasures, attacking the falling dragon ships mercilessly.

The sky erupted with brilliant firelight, bursting like fireworks. Jiang Yuebai used the Hidden Sky Robe to conceal her presence and had long since fled into the No Return Sea, steering clear of danger.

She had diligently practiced alchemy and talisman making during this time, without slacking off, thus feeling she had repaid the Baji Sect’s kindness.

The No Return Sea, once entered, offers no return.

Not only because of its perils but also because, deep within the No Return Sea lies the Prajna Temple, the other shore for laying down weapons and becoming a Buddha.

Jiang Yuebai dashed onward, covering three hundred miles in a flash, witnessing blood-stained yellow sands and scattered corpses and burnt banners and weapons along the way.

Desert wolves and eagle flocks tore at the bodies, turning this once-Buddhist land into a scene of hell, to Jiang Yuebai’s lament.

Suddenly, a horde of hefty sand worms burst from beneath the yellow sands, writhing and spraying venom.

Jiang Yuebai halted mid-air, with furrowed brows.

"Spit on me again, and I’ll test my current spell power on you!"