Chapter 277 The Hunter Who Killed Immortals (28)

(Mount Xilean- Holy Sword Sect)

(Punishment Hall)

Xu Lu slowly stepped outside the building and took a moment to relax under the warm sunlight that illuminated her surroundings.

She could feel her body throbbing with energy.

The unicorn inside her dantian had gotten even bigger and now its horn glowed with a faint white light.

"Thank you elder for watching over me," Xu Lu politely spoke to the elderly man standing in front of the punishment hall.

She bowed her head at him respectfully then walked away.

Even though she had been absorbed in her cultivation, it did get boring to be trapped in a cell for a long period of time.

Four months to be exact.

It was an extraordinarily long amount of time to be held in the punishment hall. Xu Lu was sure that word of her confinement must have already spread across the sect.

The fact that the saintess willingly subjected herself to such harsh conditions because she failed a mission would leave an impression on the disciples that heard the story.

Now whether that impression was good or bad would remain to be seen.

Squeak! Squeak!

A tiny furry white head poked out of one of the pockets of Xu Lu's robe.

"I know... it does feel good to be outside," Xu Lu smiled at her pet as she lightly touched its head and stroked its furry back.

She reached into her storage ring and pulled out a piece of lean meat for the little mouse to nibble on.

Honestly without the companionship of her pet mouse, the months spent in confinement would have been even more tortuous.

Thanks goodness she had enough food in her storage ring to feed her very hungry animal companion.

The little mouse ducked back into the pocket of Xu Lu's robe and she could hear a faint chewing noise coming from inside.

Xu Lu continued her walk and did not care about the stares that she attracted from the disciples that crossed her path.

She could just use her sword to fly to the fifth peak where she was sure that her master was eagerly waiting for her return but...

She didn't want to.

Xu Lu's lips curved upwards into a smile beneath the metal mask that covered her face.

She hummed a soft tune under her breath and decided to pass through one of the areas for outer disciples.

The areas for the outer disciples were usually located at the base of the mountains.

The treatment of these cultivators was... not good.

They received limited resources and there was a lot of corruption and bullying going on that the elders monitoring the different areas turned a blind eye to.

Xu Lu entered the area and saw relatively well constructed huts made from bricks and stones.

Decent places to rest but a far cry from the immortal palaces that inner and true disciples were entitled to.

She saw outer disciples wearing plain black robes going about their daily lives. Doing tasks, cultivating, and practising their swordsmanship.

Xu Lu lingered by the entrance for a moment and soon an elder approached with a welcoming smile on her face.

"Greetings saintess!" the elder proclaimed loudly and immediately all attention was drawn to the slender figure standing silently.

She wore a set of white robes that draped down to her ankles and swayed lightly in the wind.

Her shoulder length hair was tied into a single ponytail and a golden pendant could be seen hanging from her neck.

Her body physique was lean, and one could sense a feminine charm that could not be concealed by her long robes.

And perhaps the most striking feature of all... her face was completely covered by a silvery mask that only revealed two dark brown pupils.

"The saintess? The saintess is here?"

"I thought that she was in the punishment hall?"

"Maybe they let her out today? But why is she here? You think that..."

"Just visiting? If only I could catch the eye of the saintess... I'm sure she's a great beauty under that mask..."

Xu Lu's enhanced hearing could easily capture the hushed conversations that were taking place between the outer disciples.

"Good day elder... I have come to inspect the outer disciples," Xu Lu coldly replied as her aura intensified.

The elder immediately froze as the killing intent leaking out of the saintess' body locked her in place with fear.

This moment only lasted for a few seconds before Xu Lu withdrew her intent but it was enough to shatter the elder's pride.

"Of course... right... right this way..." the elder stammered as she walked forward with quick steps as if trying to escape.

Xu Lu followed closely behind and carefully observed the faces of the outer disciples. Most were excited to see her but there were some who were less than thrilled.

She couldn't blame them. This was probably like getting a surprise inspection from an upper manager.

Suddenly the saintess froze as a memory entered her mind.

She saw a pretty girl with her face twisted in anger swearing that she would destroy the Holy Sword Sect.

Who was that girl?

Was this a new memory from the original Xu Lu?

Most of the original Xu Lu's memories were behind a barrier and Xu Lu could only get occasional glimpses of what she experienced after her torture at the hands of the demon cultivator.

This was a clue!

The elder overseeing the outer disciple area was currently saying something but Xu Lu's mind was preoccupied by other thoughts.

She needed to find that girl and discover what was her connection to the original Xu Lu. Was she a potential ally?

"Elder! Elder!" a young-looking girl with a roundish face ran up to the elder with a frantic gleam in her eyes.

"They are going to kill her!" she shouted loudly.

Xu Lu stopped moving and turned to face the elder whose face had now gone completely white with fear.

"Kill who?! Don't say such nonsense in front of the saintess!" the elder roared in anger as she raised up her hand to slap the girl.

She didn't get far.

Xu Lu's palm gripped her outstretched hand with so much force that her bones cracked. The elder shrieked in pain and tried to escape the saintess' iron clad grip.

"What is going on?" Xu Lu asked the girl calmly as if she was not currently breaking the elder's hand.

The girl appeared to be terrified by the unexpected act of violence, but she swallowed her fear and continued to speak.

"Saintess... Jia Wuhan and her gang... they are going to kill Bai Lu! They surrounded her by the river...please help!" the girl pleaded desperately.

She dropped to her knees and slammed her head against the ground in front of Xu Lu's feet.