Investment Return System, Start by taking Demon Empress as a Disciple

Chapter 144: Chen Daoxuan Descends the Mountain, Eastern Territory's Demise

As Li Yourong pushed Senior Sister aside, activating her Holy Dragon Transformation to shield her, the situation suddenly turned dire.

"Yourong!"

Leng Yanran's heart skipped a beat as she saw her Junior Sister being hurled away. In truth, she could have evaded the strike herself, given her control over the Heavenly Demon Shadow. However, it was now too late…

"Yourong!!!"

Even Li Shenruo, who had been shocked by Leng Yanran's suppression of the Three Void Refining Realm Elders, was dumbfounded by the unfolding events.

While Yourong's defense was undoubtedly astonishing, attempting to withstand the full-force blow of a dying Void Refining Realm expert, even with her peak cultivation, seemed beyond her limits.

Boom!

With a resounding crash, Li Yourong was sent hurtling hundreds of meters away.

"Die!!!"

Observing this, Leng Yanran's determination solidified. Without delay, she delivered a ruthless thrust that pierced the Void Refining Realm Elder's forehead. A follow-up powerful slash cleaved him in two, ending his existence. Without wasting a moment, Leng Yanran swiftly employed her Heavenly Demon Shadow, repositioning herself beside her injured Junior Sister.

In contrast, Li Yourong's dragon-scale armor had fractured, her expression pained.

"Senior Sister… Is Yourong going to die? Yourong protected Senior Sister… hehe… Senior Sister, Yourong hurts… will Yourong never see Master again?"

Li Yourong furrowed her brow, weakly addressing Senior Sister amid her agony.

Upon hearing these words, Leng Yanran's eyes instantly reddened. She couldn't have anticipated that such an unexpected turn of events would occur at the very last moment.

How would she explain this to her Master?

"It's alright, Yourong. Nothing will happen, I promise. Senior Sister will take you back to the mountain. With Master there, everything will be fine."

Seeing her junior's anguished expression, Leng Yanran momentarily set aside her concerns about the Eastern forces. She swiftly retrieved the transmission disc given to her by Master.

Activating the spiritual energy, their figures vanished before the onlookers' eyes. Li Shenruo, though desperate to rush forward when her sister was injured, arrived only to witness Leng Yanran and Yourong disappearing through the portal. She was left with unrelenting worry.

"With Senior Chen here, everything will surely be fine…"

Li Shenruo could only reassure herself in this manner.

…

Meanwhile, within the Illusory Void Mountain.

[Host's Senior Disciple, Leng Yanran, has killed a Void Refining Realm Sixth Layer adversary. Reward: 600,000 system points.]

Chen Daoxuan received another notification of a successful kill, but before he could fully revel in it, he sensed a teleportation fluctuation. Instantly, a smile formed on his face as he planned to commend his two disciples. They had truly outdone themselves this time.

Having directly earned over a million system points and vanquished three formidable foes at the Void Refining Realm, Chen Daoxuan was brimming with pride.

"Master! Yanran failed in her duty, please punish her, Master! Master, please save Yourong first…"

The moment they returned to the mountain, Leng Yanran dropped to one knee before her master, beseeching his aid.

"Hmm?"

Chen Daoxuan's smile froze as he heard the plea. What had happened!? Save Yourong? This shouldn't be!

If there were any life-threatening danger, the system should have alerted him to intervene at any moment. Yet, even after their return, no indication of danger emerged. How could an accident occur?

Without time to question the system's lack of warning, he rushed to Yourong's side. Witnessing her pained expression and the tears pooling in her eyes, Chen Daoxuan's heart tightened.

"Master… Yourong is dying. Can we sacrifice a big white goose for Yourong every year from now on?"

Upon seeing her master, Li Yourong, like a distressed child meeting a parental figure, couldn't hold back her tears.

Chen Daoxuan immediately began examining Yourong's condition. Even Yu Youwei, who had been asleep, jolted awake and approached, her eyes revealing a hint of ruthlessness. Whoever dared to harm her master's disciple should pay, no matter who they were.

With a wave of his hand, Chen Daoxuan dispersed the shattered dragon-scale armor around Yourong's waist. Revealed underneath was a wound—or rather, it should be termed an absence.

"…Thank heavens you two returned early."

Chen Daoxuan gazed at Yourong's lower abdomen, fell silent for a moment, and then mumbled.

"This is... wonderful! I knew Master would find a way!" Leng Yanran heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing her master's words.

"No, I mean, if you had come back any later, the swelling would have subsided on its own…"

Chen Daoxuan pointed at the smooth skin of Yourong's abdomen. Except for some redness and swelling, there was no wound at all!

Leng Yanran was dumbfounded.

"...Junior Sister, you were saying you were on the brink of death. This is what you meant?"

Leng Yanran's complexion stiffened as she turned her head to face her junior, Li Yourong. She inquired, her voice laced with concern.

In that moment, witnessing her junior sister's agony, hearing her utterances of impending demise, and even the echoes of final farewells, Leng Yanran was too preoccupied to inspect the extent of the injuries. Without delay, she activated the teleportation array, using it to return to Illusory Void Mountain and seek her Master's guidance.

"But everyone says the same thing when they see someone else getting hit, right…? After saying that, they die shortly after. What's wrong with that?"

Li Yourong felt a bit uneasy under the gazes of her master and senior sister. Her small hands fidgeted together as she weakly spoke.

Chen Daoxuan: "…"

Leng Yanran: "…"

Chen Daoxuan's mouth twitched. He finally understood why the system hadn't reminded him to intervene. So, they're making a fuss as if she's about to die, but she barely even has a scratch, just some swelling?

What more can he say beyond "unbelievable"? This whole situation scared even him, her master.

"Master, will Yourong die?"

Seeing the prolonged silence of the two, Li Yourong raised her head weakly and asked her master.

"If you keep scaring people like this, I can't guarantee your senior sister won't beat you to death…"

Chen Daoxuan sighed, noticing that Leng Yanran's face had turned dark. Then, he gently placed his hand on Yourong's smooth abdomen, lightly brushing over it, causing the swelling to immediately subside.

"Wow, Master is amazing! Yourong feels alive again, like she won't die!"

Feeling her master's fingers pass over, healing her injuries, Li Yourong's spirit lifted, and she no longer looked as weak as before. Another moment of silence fell upon the two.

"Alright, explain what happened."