Leaving the frozen battlefield behind, the group headed directly toward the west.
A wooden spiritual carriage flew rapidly through the sky.
Inside, Sun Mo and the his disciple stayed back to look after the severely injured Tie Shan.
Chen Xuan chose not to sit inside the carriage. His white robes rippled sharply in the wind as he flew through the sky.
A few steps away from him, Ye Qingyu rode a pale blue flying sword.
The biting cold of her ice technique lingered naturally around the blade. It created thin trails of frost in the air.
Because Tie Shan's condition remained highly unstable, they pushed their flying artifacts to maximum speed.
"How much time will it take us to reach Baishi City?" Chen Xuan asked.
Ye Qingyu turned her head slightly to look at him.
"It usually takes two full days of travel. But at our current speed, we might arrive half a day earlier."
Hearing her answer, Chen Xuan simply nodded. He watched the sprawling forest pass far beneath them.
"Were those attackers from an enemy faction?" he probed gently.
"They seemed incredibly prepared."
A complicated look flashed across her dark crescent-moon eyes. She shook her head slowly.
"I cannot think of anyone who would mobilize such forces against me. Whether it was an intentional ambush or simply bad luck running into two rogue cultivators, I do not know."
Chen Xuan quietly absorbed her answer. He did not press the matter further. Giving a brief nod, he looked back toward the horizon.
The sun disappeared. Night slowly cast its veil over the sprawling lands.
They traveled in silence for several more hours under a canopy of bright stars.
Sustaining continuous flight demanded a heavy toll on their Qi reserves.
Chen Xuan kept a steady pace, his abundant reserves leaving him largely unaffected.
Ye Qingyu was not as fortunate. The earlier battle had already depleted much of her Qi reserves.
Sensing her aura turned slightly unstable, Chen Xuan slowed his flight.
"Fellow Daoist Ye should rest inside the carriage," he suggested calmly.
"I will keep watch for any ambush."
Ye Qingyu hesitated for a moment.
"I can still manage for now. I will just use pills to slowly recover my qi."
"If another ambush happens, you will need your full strength to fight," Chen Xuan said.
His tone remained perfectly even. "You can trust me to keep watch. Rest and recover your Spiritual Qi."
She looked at his face deeply before finally nodding.
"Then I will trouble Fellow Daoist Chen."
She guided her flying sword toward the carriage and entered through the door.
Left alone in the night sky, Chen Xuan looked toward the distant horizon.
Faint starlight illuminated their pathway. His thoughts began to drift.
Baishi City was not very far from the Flowing Cloud Sect.
It would only take two or three days to travel back using a spiritual ferry. Flying strictly on his own power would take a full week.
Unfortunately, the major sects of the Tianwu Empire did not take part in governing the empire, except in areas close to their own territories.
The Flowing Cloud Sect, for example, only held authority over Liuyun City.
Beyond that, it provided support in defending Canyang City, which lay near the eastern border.
If not for this strict separation of power, his status as a sect disciple might make things much easier for him in the city.
Normally, disciples from major sects enjoyed a much better public image than disciples from the major clans.
Yet he felt Ye Qingyu remained guarded toward him. He had not done anything hostile, but she clearly kept her distance.
He needed to find a proper excuse to stay in the city.
Pushing too close might only increase her guard, so keeping a safe distance was the better choice for the time being.
"I should see what is going on with her first before reaching any conclusions," he decided.
It was simply too early to make blind plans. His exact next steps remained a mystery even to himself.
He needed to learn more about the city and her actual situation first.
His gaze shifted toward the wooden carriage flying beside him, and he continued his silent watch.
…
Dawn finally broke over the distant horizon. Warm golden sunlight quickly chased away the cold night air.
Opening the wooden side door, Ye Qingyu stepped back out into the morning sky.
A night of rest had restored enough of her Qi reserves.
"Good morning, Fellow Daoist Chen," she greeted softly.
"Thank you for your hard work."
"I did nothing. You are being too polite," Chen Xuan replied.
The morning wind felt refreshing against his face.
"Tell me a little about Baishi City," Chen Xuan asked after a while.
"I might stay there for a few days."
Ye Qingyu nodded her head.
"Baishi City is a very prosperous place. It is currently governed by City Lord Wei. I have previously mentioned that City lord is a fake core formation cultivator."
A Fake Core cultivator was someone who failed to condense a true core in their dantian.
To extend their lifespan, they used the core of a third-rank spiritual beast as a direct replacement.
They were much stronger than peak Foundation Establishment cultivators and enjoyed a longer lifespan.
However, their strength could never match a real Core Formation expert.
"What about the important factions inside the city?" Chen Xuan asked.
"The city is governed indirectly by people from the imperial factions. Lord Wei comes from a family with a long history in the imperial army," she said while looking ahead.
The Imperial Family ruled the Tianwu Empire.
They frequently rewarded loyal military officials with city lord positions and rich resources. It was an effective way to maintain control over the vast lands.
Hearing this, Chen Xuan naturally thought about the Liu Clan. The Liu Clan was also a prominent part of the imperial factions.
Many of its members had contributed a lot to the empire.
In the past two decades, the Liu Clan had risen greatly in status and power because of the generous benefits provided by the empire.
With Liu Ruyan recognized as a supreme genius, the prestige of the Liu Clan was only soaring higher.
"Besides the City Lord's estate, there are a few noble families," Ye Qingyu continued, interrupting his thoughts.
"The Lin Family and the Ma Family are the most prominent ones. There are many Foundation Establishment experts in these clans."
She looked over at him. "These are the only important things you should care about. Other clans are beneath your status."
"Okay, I will keep them in mind," Chen Xuan said.
The conversation ended there as they continued their flight toward Baishi City.