The Art of Subduing Dragons

Chapter 62

Nangong Jue glanced at the back of his hand, which had been pecked until it bled, and then saw that Ruan Li had already distanced herself from him.

He withdrew his hand and summoned his spiritual sword, swinging it several times to clash with the oncoming wind and sand. In an instant, a clear area was cut out.

"I acted hastily because the situation was urgent. When I saw Miss Ruan, I noticed you were unstable and moved quickly to help. It was not intended as an offense. Please forgive me," he said with a calm expression, seemingly unaffected by the earlier peck of the paper crane, and turned to apologize to Ruan Li.

Although Ruan Li disliked his earlier action, he had indeed helped her. Since the paper crane had pecked him, and he had apologized, she decided not to hold a grudge and said earnestly, "Thank you, Young Master Nangong, for your assistance. My little paper crane is very sensitive to others approaching me and has been quite offensive. Please do not take it personally."

"Of course not," Nangong Jue shook his head. Although they were talking, both were still vigilant and kept their eyes on the surroundings.

The sudden wind was suspicious, and now that both she and Nangong Jue had acted together, the wind and sand had ceased. However, the surroundings were eerily quiet.

"They are gone," Ruan Li said with a serious expression, furrowing her brows.

Just a moment ago, Su Yu and the others had been around, but after the wind passed, only she and Nangong Jue remained.

"Yes," Nangong Jue gripped his sword, his eyes full of vigilance.

"Little Crane, can you sense anyone else?" The paper crane was originally used for communication, so it was more sensitive to human presence than she was. If Su Yu and the others were nearby, the crane could help locate them.

The paper crane had been staring at Nangong Jue. Upon hearing Ruan Li's question, it turned its head and shook it, indicating no. It seemed to sense Ruan Li's difficult situation and comforted her by gently tapping her shoulder with its wings.

Nangong Jue noticed its actions and walked over to Ruan Li, glancing at the crane with mild amusement. "Your little paper crane is quite interesting."

The paper crane flicked its tail and turned its backside towards Nangong Jue, ignoring him.

Ruan Li couldn't help but smile slightly and patted the crane.

"This wind is quite strange. Why has it suddenly stopped without any follow-up?" Nangong Jue looked around, his brows furrowing in thought.

At present, they stood in an open valley. The mountains and ravines ahead were barren, covered only in dark brown sand and stones. The area was eerily silent compared to when they first entered.

"Is this the Ghost Domain?" Ruan Li felt uneasy. The sudden wind was unlikely to be without reason, and it seemed designed to separate them and bring them to this place.

"It seems so," Nangong Jue replied. The Ghost Domain was where the human, dragon, and demon races fought a decisive battle long ago. The battle was so intense that the land was left desolate for ten years, filled with the lingering bloodthirst of ghosts and demons. For a thousand years, it remained a barren wasteland, devoid of life, hence the name Ghost Domain.

Although it was called the Ghost Domain, it had become so uninhabitable that even ghosts would not willingly come. The opening of the Ten Directions Secret Realm had brought some fresh life to the Ghost Domain, making it an attractive target for hungry spirits and ghosts waiting for them.